Columbus & Dayton April 2018 Edition

Columbus & Dayton

FREE April 2018

SAVE OUR BABIES 6

Reducing African American Infant Deaths: Next Steps

19 26

By Charleta B. Tavares

What’s Killing America’s Black Infants?

By Zoe Carpenter

Time For A Change

By Michael Cole

Join us for a free shredding event Every two seconds someone’s identity is stolen. Shredding confidential documents you no longer need is one good way to protect yourself, and the AARP Fraud Watch Network wants to help. Bring any confidential documents to our Operation Stop Scams event, and we’ll shred them for free. It only takes a few minutes and can save you lots of headaches later on.

Saturday, April 28, 2018 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Life Church at Easton 5000 Sunbury Road, Gahanna, OH 43230 Questions? Call 614-222-1507 or visit aarp.org/oh.

Fight Back Against Fraud!

PUBLISHER’S PAGE Founder & Publisher Ray Miller

Layout & Design Ray Miller, III

Assistant Editor Ray Miller, III

Media Consultant Rod Harris Distribution Manager Ronald Burke OSU Student Intern Malini Srikrishna

Lead Photographer Steve Harrison

Contributing Editors Lisa Benton, MD, MPH Rodney Q. Blount, Jr. MA Zoe Carpenter Michael Cole Marian Wright Edelman Alethea E. Gaddis, MBA Daniell Douglass-Gabriel Robin A. Jones, PhD Cecil Jones, MBA Jaqueline Lewis-Lyons, PsyD John A. Powell, PhD Senator Charleta B. Tavares Honorable Priscilla B. Tyson PR West, Sr. Howard Williams Howard Williams, II

The Columbus African American news journal was founded by Ray Miller on January 10, 2011

The Columbus & Dayton African American 503 S. High Street - Suite 102

What influences your thinking? Who regulates your behavior? Why do you comport yourself in the manner that you do? Who or what shapes your personality? Parents, your mother and/or father (preferably both), older siblings, relatives, teachers, Pastors, church leaders, organizations, government, mentors, economics, traumatic events, historical events, life circumstances, biology, neurology, and strong leaders who are not afraid to exercise their gift, and above all, God. I was six years old when my father left the family. He was a strong man. He was a brilliant man. But he left the family. During that same year of my father’s departure from the family, Emmet Till, age 14, was brutally murdered. I was still six years old. Medgar Evers, age 37, was murdered in the driveway of his home on June 12, 1963. I was 14 years old. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963, at the age of 46. I was 14 years old. Malcolm X--el-Hajj Malik el Shabazz--was assassinated on February 21, 1965 at the age of 39. I was 16 years old. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968 at the age of 39. I was 19 years old. Robert F. Kennedy was murdered by Sirhan Sirhan, and others, on June 6, 1968 at the age of 43 years old--two months after the murder of Dr. King.

I was 19 years old.

What influences your thinking? Who regulates your behavior? Why do you comport yourself in the manner that you do? Who or what shapes your personality? At a young age, I knew death. I knew loss. I knew grief. But I had a strong mother, and I also knew God. Why didn’t I follow the crowd and run down to Mt. Vernon Avenue, and break windows out of the stores, and steal merchandise when Dr. King was assassinated? Why didn’t I declare an eye for an eye when Malcolm and Martin were assassinated. The truth of the matter is that I did, but not with guns and hateful rage. I chose, at an early age, to fight hatefulness, injustice, and inequality through organized protest, the legislative process, and education / behavioral change.

Today we celebrate the life of Dr. King and we mourn the passing of this great man of God. One of moral conviction, a fierce advocate for the Beloved Community and a true believer in non-violence and civil disobedience. Most importantly, his leadership produced results: in intrastate and interstate transportation, equal employment opportunities, voting rights, civil rights, civil liberties, equal educational opportunities, health care, decent housing, and opposition to the Vietnam War. This month we also honor those 34 brave students who attended The Ohio State University in 1968 and organized a serious protest against inequality, injustice, lack of inclusion, and a host of discriminatory practices on the part of the University. It is because of their courage and their strategic brilliance, that there exists an African American and African Studies Department at The Ohio State University; an Office of Minority Affairs; more African American faculty, staff, and administrators, throughout the University than ever before; scholarships, fellowships, and loans available to African American students; and an African American and African Studies Community Extension Center located on Mt. Vernon Avenue, in the heart of the Columbus Black community--amongst many other policy, administrative, financial, and student service gains.

How were these things accomplished? I can assure you that it was not without strong organizational discipline, strategic thinking, intellect, fearlessness, vision, and love for all humanity. There will be a 1968 Black Student Protest Commemoration on the OSU campus and in the Columbus Community on April 26th--April 29, 2018. I am honored to be one of the keynote speakers.

Finally, what are the major lessons that I have learned from my study, exposure to, and involvement in protest movements, politics, activism, and organizational change. Here’s my top 10: * Every Brother Ain’t a Brother! That goes for Sisters as well. It is called the enemy within. * You accomplish far more through organized effort than individual action. * Intellect matters. * Never go into a serious meeting without an agenda. * Know who you are and Whose you are. * Do what you do best and hire / recruit the rest. * Love your people. * Operate from a standard of excellence. * Be aware of your environment and the significance of your actions. * Serve God. Please read our focus on Minority Health and Infant Mortality in particular. There are many helpful articles. We definitely need to bring about change in this area.

With Respect and Appreciation,

Columbus, Ohio 43215 Office: 614.826.2254 editor@columbusafricanamerican.com www.CAANJ.com

Ray Miller Founder & Publisher 3

The Columbus & Dayton African American • April 2018

In This Issue

18

Education Department

Forgives $322 Million

In Student Loans to

Help HBCUs

19

National Urban League

2018 Conference

Coming to Columbus

19

COVER STORY

23

Legislative Update

24 Breaking Out of Binaries 26

Time For A Change

29

Book Bags & E-Readers

Aging Well. We Can Do This!

31

Are You Using Your

By: Jacqueline Lewis-Lyons, PsyD

Telehealth Service?

32

Restore the 40-Hour

Cover Story – Page 19

8 10

Exploring Issues Associated with Health Disparities By: Honorable Priscilla Tyson

33

36

and Alberta King: The

50 Years After Death: What Can Rev. Dr. King Teach Us Today?

Parent’s of Dr. Martin

Luther King, Jr. and

The Civil Rights Movement

35

Remembering Dr. King

36

50 Years After Death: What

Can King Teach Us Today?

5

By: John A. Powell, PhD

Violence: An Epidemic Disease 11

6

Reducing African American

Infant Deaths: Next Steps

7

Redlining Occurs In

Healthcare Too

8

Moms Get Healthy

14

Ohio Commission on

Minority Health

Celebrates 31 Years

15

Mental Health and

Aging Well - We Can Do This

9

Beyond Minority Health

10

Exploring Issues Associated

With Health Disparities

Saving Babies By Helping

Unemployment Amongst

Youth 16

Re-Open The Search

17

50 Year Commemoration of

OSU Riots

The Columbus & Dayton African American • April 2018

4

Workweek

37

Rev. Martin Luther King, Sr.

Community Events

All contents of this news journal are copyrighted © 2015; all rights reserved.

Title registration with the U.S. Patent Office pending. Reproduction or use, without written permission, of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited.

Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, and illustrations will not be returned unless accompanied by a properly addresses envelope bearing sufficient postage. Publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited materials.

MINORITY HEALTH MONTH

VIOLENCE: AN EPIDEMIC DISEASE

By Alethea E. Gaddis, MBA Children should have fond memories of their school days. In my earliest memories of school, I am skipping from my grandparents’ house to Eastwood Elementary. I loved school.

Sadly, the doors to my school closed in 1974. The building now demolished.

However, if we could enter the building today from the east entrance, climb the stairs to the first-floor, at the top of the stairs to the left is my first and secondgrade classroom. My Kindergarten room was down the hall. The atmosphere was conducive to challenge young minds, and learning was exciting. At recess, we’d jump rope, play hopscotch, tetherball, dodgeball, and other care-free games. I even remember the “Halloween Parade.”

We’d walk around the neighborhood in our costumes. In retrospect, the neighbors were probably at work, but it was fun, and most importantly, I felt safe. My biggest concern was to remember my nickel so I could buy my chocolate milk.

Fast forward to the present. What a stark contrast. It’s incomprehensible that a “good school day” is measured by the absence of a lockdown. A friend of mine teaches at an elementary school where frequent lockdowns occur. Recently she recounted a lockdown experience. Her students were sitting down to eat lunch when the alarm sounded! LOCKDOWN! She sprang into action and led the children in practiced safety procedures. One child, froze in fear and cried, “Ms. Smith, is this a drill? Is this a drill?” She calmly responded, “No, it isn’t a drill, but I will protect you.” Educators now have the added responsibility of protecting children from bullets.

Negative Health Effects of Violence The magnitude of violence – regarding the number of victims – makes it a serious health issue. The effects of heinous acts are like a ripple in the pond; inflicting trauma on people who witness it,live in it, or fear of it.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recognizes violence as a public health problem. Only in recent years have the words “violence” and “health” been linked in the same sentence. Violence is a behavior and health professionals are best equipped to help with teaching behavioral changes. We are encouraged to embrace a healthy lifestyle by changing our eating and drinking habits.

Health experts caution us to exercise and get sufficient sleep. They tell us our capacity to thrive mentally, physically and emotionally is a direct correlation between our habits and behavior. We need to employ the expertise of the health sector to treat this problem effectively.

During a lockdown, students and teachers secure the doors and hide. The children

learn PAL: pause, find a trusted adult and listen to instructions. Teachers experience a paradigm shift. They switch from teacher to protector. As a child, I remember fire and tornado drills. And, being a baby boomer, I have vague memories of “duck and cover” drills. The exercise consisted of hiding under our desks or filing into the basement in the event of an air raid. I remember having a distant fear of a nuclear attack on the United States. But, I never feared being shot on the playground or while reading Dick and Jane or My Weekly Reader at my desk. I may have encountered unpleasant situations and people. However, I was not traumatized due to violent episodes. The primary need to feel safe and trusting of my surroundings was void of compromise.

Violent scenes flood our lives. While children are resilient, exposure to traumatic experiences produce stress that can simmer for years after the encounter. Medical professionals caution us that a stressfilled environment is toxic; threatening our physical, emotional and mental well-being.

Children are not exempt. According to the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, when students are traumatized by exposure to violence, the manifestation of that trauma is seen in poor academic performance because of a diminished capacity to concentrate.

Myths The Child Witness to Violence Project (CWVP) is a counseling, advocacy, and outreach project focusing on young children who are the victims of exposure violence.

The website states ad dispels two myths.

1. Myth: The younger the child, the less likely they will be affected when subjected to violent experiences.

Children are not unsusceptible to the effects of violence. They are deeply affected by witnessing abuse, especially if the perpetrator or victim of violence is a family member.

2. Myth: Young children will forget the reprehensible acts they view.

Children do not forget! They have a remarkable memory, and they will remember their exposure to traumatic events.

Violence as an Epidemic Disease There are characteristics indicative of epidemic disease – Clustering, Spread, and 5

Transmission. Doesn’t violence exhibit each of these characteristics?

According to several articles I’ve read, trauma stemming from exposure to violent behavior has been scientifically shown to increase a person’s risk of adopting violent behavior themselves, meaning that violent behavior transmits and spreads based on exposure – just like an epidemic disease.

When I received a breast cancer diagnosis, the surgeon recommended an aggressive plan of treatment. He proposed to cut out the malignant tumor. He said, “I’ve studied the ultrasound and identified the compromised area.” Then, my Oncologist, Dr. William Hicks administered chemotherapy for several weeks.

The concoction of toxic chemicals was injected into my body to eradicate the cancerous cells.

Radiation treatment followed to ensure the disease was gone, and I was prescribed a daily medication for five years. Upon diagnosis of a critical or chronic condition, the prudent seek treatment. Whenever a health epidemic erupts, we call for the medical experts. I submit, that violence, as an epidemic disease requires medical intervention. Utilizing a health approach offers the most effective method for examining the cause of violence. What’s needed has to do with identifying and treating those at risk for violent behavior, much like health professionals identify and address those at risk for a disease. It also involves treating those who have suffered as a result of the epidemic.

I hope as a community, we will work to keep our schools and environment safe. I pray every congregation, synagogue, and mosque will institute a focused time of prayer to ensure the safety of our children. I implore community stakeholders to collaborate and nurture families; to create opportunities for children to thrive and grow to be healthy and live productive lives. Healthy people are less likely to commit violent crimes. I am optimistic that health care professionals will implement effective treatment for the perpetrators of crime. And indeed, let’s not forget treatment and intervention for those who are scared by violence directly or indirectly. You can cover a sore with a bandage, but the scar will likely remain.

Alethea is passionate about creating opportunities to help others thrive. She has 30+ years’ experience in the non-profit sector. As former Executive Director of New Beginnings Christian Revitalization Corporation for First Church of God, she developed youth leadership development and educational programs for youth and created clean, safe, affordable housing for low-to-moderate income families.

She and her brother Randal are co-founders of the Willie and Vivian Gaddis Foundation for KIDS, offering the Jump Start U4 College Tour and scholarships. She has also directed youth drug and alcohol prevention programs and is currently a Franklin County CASA/GAL volunteer advocating for abused and neglected children. As a licensed, independent insurance broker, she works with individuals, families, and churches to protect their assets.

The Columbus & DaytonNews African American • April 2015 2018 The Columbus African American Journal • February

MINORITY HEALTH MONTH

REDUCING AFRICAN AMERICAN INFANT DEATHS: NEXT STEPS the health status of families, including people experiencing financial, social, or cultural barriers to health care.

By Charleta B. Tavares Our infants are still dying and the numbers have increased for African American babies based on the latest statistics released by the Ohio Department of Health. According to the Health Policy Institute of Ohio (HPIO), Ohio’s infant mortality rate increased in 2015 and again in 2016, and remains higher than most other states. In the early 1990s, Ohio’s overall infant mortality rate was slightly lower than the U.S. rate. Since then, however, improvements at the national level have outpaced improvements in Ohio.

• In 2016, Ohio’s non-Hispanic black infant mortality rate (15.2 per 1,000 live births) was almost three times as high as the white rate (5.8).

• There were only three states with higher non-Hispanic black infant mortality rates than Ohio, based on most-recent U.S. comparison data.

• Infant mortality rates are highest in Ohio’s largest metropolitan areas and in some rural counties, particularly in Appalachian parts of the state.1

We are working to address many of the recommendations outlined in the report including: * Providing access to dieticians, “Food Prescriptions”, Produce Give Aways and etc. * Linking pregnant moms to CenteringPregnancy® - prenatal care that includes regular health check-up with learning and sharing with other women who are pregnant to prepare for the birth of the baby * Detecting and addressing tobacco and substance use disorders What factors contribute to Ohio’s horrific * Expanding our Women’s Health and OB/ infant mortality rates?

GYN services in the neighborhoods identified with the highest infant mortality rates A. Clinical care such as prenatal care, quality (Linden, Southside, Franklinton and Near and access to care (20%) Eastside) B. Health behaviors like tobacco use, * Increasing behavioral health services to nutrition and substance/drug use (30%) address stress, trauma and post-partum C . S o c i a l , e c o n o m i c a n d p h y s i c a l depression environment (otherwise known as Social Determinants of Health) i.e., transportation, * C o o r d i n a t i n g , C o n n e c t i n g a n d housing, employment, poverty, education etc. Collaborating through our Site Managers, Community Health Outreach Workers and (50%) Social Workers with our community-based The drivers of inequity or the disparities health, human services, transportation, (increased death among African American housing and other partners to address the social determinants of health for our patients Children) include: * Increasing our levels of cultural • Poverty competency and continuing to recruit staff • Racism who reflect the cultures, races, ethnicities and • Discrimination languages of our patients.

• Trauma • Violence; and Footnotes: • Toxic Stress

Senate Bill 332 was heralded as one of the most comprehensive and innovative bills in the nation to address infant mortality and to close the disparity gap with African American babies. With the passage of this wide-sweeping bill in the 131st General Assembly many, including the sponsors (Tavares and Jones) thought that Ohio would see marked improvements in the overall death and disparity rates among Caucasian and African American babies. However, we are still not seeing the apparent changes in the rates and numbers of babies dying in the major Metropolitan areas like Columbus and Dayton, nor in the rural Appalachian communities like Pickaway, Athens and The HPIO report with 127 recommendations Trumbell Counties. is prescriptive and shares promising practices gathered from some of the states in the Why are we not making a difference?

Nation that are at the top or doing better in • Researchers estimate that of the modifiable improving birth outcomes, reducing infant factors that impact overall health, 20 mortality and closing the disparity or inequity percent are attributed to clinical care (e.g., gap among African American babies. The healthcare access and quality) and 30 report however; is only as good as those of us percent to health-related behaviors. The who take the recommendations or strategies remaining 50 percent are attributed to the identified and implement them. types of community conditions highlighted in the pie chart below.

It is important to note that racism and

• Over the past few decades, Ohio’s efforts inequities in the social, economic and to reduce infant mortality have focused physical environment drive the increased primarily on medical care and interventions for pregnant women. These strategies focus risk of infant mortality for African Americans. on some—but not all—of the underlying causes of infant death, and may not be enough to improve maternal and child health As a Federally Qualified Health Center in a widespread way.

(FQHC) PrimaryOne Health® and its sister organizations are charged with providing Underlying Drivers of Inequity: quality care for those who are vulnerable – the un/under insured, those who are Poverty, racism, discrimination, trauma, experiencing homelessness, immigrant and refugee populations and residents without a violence and toxic stress. health home. Our PrimaryOne Health vision HPIO, A New Approach to Reduce Infant Mortality is: Quality Healthcare for All. Our mission and Achieve Equity, Dec. 2017 is to provide access to services that improve The Columbus & Dayton African American • April 2018

6

Health Policy Institute of Ohio, A New Approach to Reduce Infant Mortality and Achieve Equity, Dec. 2017 http://bit.ly/ SDOIM

1

PrimaryOne Health® is focused on improving health outcomes for African Americans who are bearing the burden of premature and preventable death in Central Ohio. As one of the largest Community Health Centers in Ohio, we actively and aggressively work to provide high quality, patient-focused care. We believe that health care policies, programs and funding strategies developed with, by and for patients will ensure that culturally appropriate services are delivered and disparities are eliminated.

Charleta B. Tavares is the Chief Executive Officer at PrimaryOne Health, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) system providing comprehensive primary care, OB-GYN, pediatric, vision, dental, behavioral health and specialty care at 11 locations in Central Ohio. The mission is to provide access to services that improve the health status of families including people experiencing financial, social, or cultural barriers to health care. www. primaryonehealth.org.

MINORITY HEALTH MONTH

REDLINING OCCURS IN HEALTHCARE TOO play, the importance of having easy access to good healthcare was not overlooked.

A recurring and overarching theme of the meeting was the need to eliminate health care deserts.

By Lisa Benton, MD, MPH

Just as there are food deserts, where neighborhoods don’t have easy access to fresh fruits, vegetables, meats and fish like you could find at a farmers market or in an organic section of most major supermarket chains, the same barrier exists when it comes to getting in to see a doctor or other qualified medical provider.

Did you know that at least for the immediate future you’re encouraged to re-frame the conversation on disparities in health care?

Based on news of discussions on guidelines for federal funding coming out of our Department of Health and Human Services, the words “disparities” “vulnerable” and “evidence-based” are a few of the many words flagged to avoid.

For purposes of applying for government funding to support work to improve health and access to care, you need to be able to make your case of needing federal dollars with little mention of the word “disparity or disparities”. Yes, this is the money which comes from the dollars you pay in taxes, that is supposed to come back into your neighborhood through community medical clinics, recreation centers, public health departments, fire departments, police departments and social services.

That was just one of many bits of advice that was reinforced for me at the 19th National Medical Association Colloquium on African American Health in Washington, D. C in March. This national gathering is a forum for health professionals from all backgrounds to give and get updates on barriers to getting early screening, detection and treatment for diseases that have the worst and most devastating outcomes if not caught early.

A key focus of this meeting was showing health care providers how to advocate at the local and national level and speak up to improve access to care for the patients and communities we serve. This forum also gave us the chance to interact directly with our elected officials.

In addition to making the argument that eliminating unequal access to medical care is the right thing to do, we were reminded that we needed to put the numbers and dollar signs in the equation to improve the population’s health.

We heard from some of the presenters that the residents of their towns and cities had no supermarket available for over 17 miles and the residents had to rely on corner liquor stores to get food. Imagine if you also had to travel that far to see a doctor or dentist for a check-up or get to a hospital for emergency care.

The heart of a large city can be just as much of a health care desert with a shortage of hospitals, medical clinics, specialists, dentists, rehabilitation and mental health treatment programs as a small rural town.

You should not be surprised that in many cases where you don’t have access to fresh food that you don’t have access to health care, good school, playgrounds or banks. You may also have to wait longer for the police, fire and ambulance to come in an emergency.

Thus, you don’t need to be a genius to predict how your health and lifespan turns out can be predicted by your zip code.

Many invitees also had the chance to speak directly to the new surgeon general Put your zip code or county name into the who is also a long-time National Medical just released U.S. News and World Report on Healthiest Communities website address at With this in mind, Mayor Catherine E. Pugh Association member. the end of this article to learn more about how of Baltimore, challenged the audience about the need to select African-American or Black Dr. Jerome Adams, U. S. Surgeon General, where you live measures up. That knowledge on the upcoming census because despite about theme of partnering to improve health may be just the push you need to change your what all of the DNA testing available tells outcomes. Some of the doctors shared their choices, start asking the right questions and you about how rich and diverse your ancestry experience working with him to successfully take steps to save your life. is, the federal funding that is allotted to promote needle exchange in Indiana. Public communities for services is based on reported health and doctors in practice were able to Learn a little more: race, ethnic and income data in the census. build and nurture unlikely partnerships with the local business community to make the The Truth About Those 7 Words ‘Banned’ at the CDC by Elizabeth Cohen, Senior Medical These results can be negatively impacted program work.

Correspondent Updated 11:12 AM ET, Wed and dilute funding coming to predominantly African American and other communities of To win these discussions, it makes sense January 31, 2018 Retrieved from: color. Checking “other” may make you feel to show people how to better care for https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/11/health/cdcbetter about the richness of your heritage, but themselves, live well and stay healthier word-ban-hhs-document/index.html can cause your community to lose big money. longer. One doctor used the example that the simple secret to better health is to not smoke U.S. News and World Report Healthiest Also not checking that you are a U.S. citizen and not be overweight (or in her words get Communities Retrieved from: https://www. when you indeed are one, will mean less and stay thin). That means exercise and eat usnews.com/news/healthiest-communities funding for services too. Hence all the current better. That means choose food that are better Visualizing America’s Health Care Deserts debate of whether or not the question of U.S. for you.

by Sohan Murthy, May 26, 2016 Retrieved citizenship should be included.

You can make a radical change in your from: https://medium.com/@sohanmurthy/ One of the things I’m learning in business diet or start with small steps. Cut out red visualizing-americas-health-care-desertsschool is the importance of making your meat, processed sugar and load up on the 675f4502c4e1 strongest case using the impact on the bottom vegetables, fruits, fish and whole grains. It line and in dollars and cents. For addressing means baked instead of fried. Most people 2018’s Healthiest & Unhealthiest Cities in health care inequities and inequalities it is have heard and know what to do, but yet America by Richie Bernardo, Senior Writer, becoming a life or death issue. The people because of the impact of social determinants Feb 12, 2018 Retrieved from: https:// who have the final say about budgets and you may not have the tools to make simple wallethub.com/edu/healthiest-cities/31072/ who gets money for what medical, health yet meaningful changes in your life. and community services are trying to do Lisa D. Benton, MD, MPH (The Doctor is more with less, meaning that every penny is While you may be fighting to make life safer In) breastsurgeonlb@gmail.com, Twitter:@ stretched to its breaking point. and better where you live, work, worship and DctrLisa (415) 746-0627 7

The Columbus & DaytonNews African American • April 2015 2018 The Columbus African American Journal • February

MINORITY HEALTH MONTH

AGING WELL. WE CAN DO THIS!

By Jacqueline Lewis-Lyons, Psy.D Since I am someone who must check the box marked 60+ on every form I run across, I have become increasingly aware of the differences I see in my peers. While some are energetic, looking forward to their next trip or trying a new activity (Cross Fit, obstacle runs, triathalons) they are definitely in the minority.

A greater number of adults that I meet who are in midlife complain that they don’t have the time to take care of themselves. Now, I am aware that this is a fact – many adults who are in the 50 to 60 years old age range are juggling aging parents as well as possibly caring for grandchildren. As a result, they have put themselves at the bottom of their lists of daily tasks, and they never get to check “Me” off. This points to a problem in their thinking – they are focused on how busy life is, believing that there is no extra time for them. However, the difference lies in allowing yourself to take the time, actually being a little selfish. No matter how you look at that schedule, open time to go to the gym or get a massage will not miraculously appear – you must carve it out. It is a sad fact that if you don’t take care of yourself, what will happen to your loved ones when you simply cannot do what you’ve always done?

not in the top five), we should consider what makes them different, and look at what we can incorporate in our own lives. According to “International Living” magazine, the top five countries are New Zealand, Panama ( the Shangri-La Valley), Costa Rica, Sardinia, Health concerns are the primary concern and Vilcabamba, Ecuador. What they have in of most people in my age range, but many common are five key points: people ignore their own needs. For some, it is fear-based, not wanting to hear what the 1. An optimistic look on life doctor may say. “What I don’t know won’t 2. Maintain a low stress level hurt me” is not a proactive plan. Avoidance 3. Live with a sense of purpose does not solve anything. And, I firmly believe 4. Keep physically active that when we take an active role in our own 5. Eat a healthy, natural diet care, we will benefit and be better able to take care of loved ones. How we regard our health Now, I understand that most of us are not in a – physical, psychological, and emotional – position to pick up and move to any of these locals, but what if we adopted a new mindset, directly impacts our quality of life. a desire to live in a way that felt like a mini Stress continues to be a major issue for all vacation rather than a rat race? Deciding to of us. It is not something we can put off live a healthy lifestyle starts with just that –a until the weekend night out with the girls decision. Each of us has more control than or basketball game with the guys. Stress we realize. And, yes, I am including myself impacts our lives daily and we must learn to here. It is an all too common mindset that find ways to address it daily. Why? Because makes us feel guilty for taking care of our stress produces cortisol in our bodies, and own needs, daring to put ourselves on the as those levels increase, a toll is taken in the daily list. So, that decision is the first step. form of fatigue, muscle weakness, headaches, Acknowledging that something must change loss of emotional control, and cognitive – and it must begin with you and me. difficulties. Our immune defense systems cannot adequately protect us from illness and Having an optimistic outlook is very broad so premature signs of aging when we don’t give I am going to suggest you start with laughter. it the support it needs. Let’s not follow the Having a nice, big belly laugh at least once example in this quote by Leon Eldred, “If I’d a day can do wonders for your overall stress. known I was going to live so long, I’d have After all, when you laugh, you force your lungs to fill more deeply, which builds up the taken better care of myself.” oxygen in your bloodstream. This raises your So, let’s look at some ways to start taking heart rate and blood pressure briefly, but the better care of ourselves. Studies show that our drop that follows can last up to an hour! This environment and lifestyle have a significant simple act helps to decrease the release of impact on the risk factors of many illnesses. the stress hormones, adrenalin and cortisol, When we hear about the healthiest places in our systems. to live (no, the United States of America is The Columbus African & Dayton American African American News Journal • April • February 2018 2015

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I write often about the benefits of becoming more physically active, but do not feel pressured to take up marathon running or Zumba. Walking regularly is very beneficial for nearly everyone and takes little to start.

Walking outside gives you the added benefits of being in nature and soaking up that vitamin D. Water exercise is especially good for people with arthritis or muscle weakness.

And, let’s not forget dancing. Ballroom, line, free style - it’s all good. Plus, music is a great mood lifter!

Sleep is another area where we expect it to worsen as we age. Even if you are sleeping a little less, it is still important that quality of your sleep be good. You know if the quality is lacking – you may experience daytime fatigue, irritability, or have difficulty concentrating. Establishing a nightly routine can help improve sleep quality. Preparing your body for rest starts the process of achieving a restful night’s sleep. This could include identifying your ‘safety valve’, a way to release the pressures of the day. It could be a long soak in the tub, a mug of decaf tea while writing your gratitude list in your journal, or simply reading something positive and uplifting. Can you identify three enjoyable, relaxing activities? When was the last time you let yourself do any of them?

You know what comes next: Do something.

Every.Single.Day. Dr. Jacqueline Lewis-Lyons’s office is located in north Columbus. Her practice centers on helping clients with depression and anxiety related disorders. In recent years, after discovering a love of running, she expanded her practice to include servces related to Sports Psychology for athletes of all ages and levels. To reach her, call 614-443-7040 or email her at Jacqui@DrLewisLyons.com

MINORITY HEALTH MONTH

BEYOND MINORITY HEALTH MONTH

By Alethea E. Gaddis, MBA Why is it important to discuss the correlation between social determinants and health disparities in minority communities? Stated simply: it’s because everyone is valuable and worth the investment of time and resources. All people, deserve the same privileges and rights to quality healthcare. It’s important to understand the impact and work toward sustainable solutions; solutions that result in a viable strategy. Thankfully, many dedicated people in the health community work yearround to eradicate inequities in health care What are social determinates of health (SDOH)?

An understanding of SDOH is critical in any approach to achieving both equity and equality in healthcare delivery. SDOH are factors that contribute to a person’s current state of health. These factors may be biological, socioeconomic, psychosocial, behavioral, or social.” On their website, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) site contributing factors of health inequities to include factors such as poverty, inadequate health care, lack of education, stigma, and racism. These factors hinder the disadvantaged from attaining their full health potential because of their social position or other socially determined circumstance.

Making a Difference To realize a change in the lives of disadvantaged members of our society, we must commit to the following: We must: • Help individuals and families change the circumstances of their lives, including the environment of their birth, and where they thrive and grow, live, work, and live out their senior years.

• Intentionally determine that the equitable distribution of power, money, and resources becomes a reality. The time for talking about it, or even ignoring inequity has played out. We cannot assume that the poor and powerless are positioned to affect change in their own lives.

• Take action by evaluating problems and implementing strategic solutions that empower disenfranchised individuals to expand their knowledge base and awareness of community resources that exist.

• Continue to raise public awareness about the social determinants of health, AND train a competent workforce to serve and respond to those caught in the web, with a socially appropriate and respectable demeanor.

• Hold elected officials accountable to enact legislation and delegate funding that strengthens our communities, such as The Ohio Commission on Minority Health.

Innovative programs and the dissemination of relevant information can position people to gain full access to the delivery of quality healthcare.

Thinking Out of the Box Synergy occurs when two or more things are working together in a particularly fruitful, and way where the result has a more significant outcome than the sum of singular efforts.

Expressed also as “the whole is greater than their culture. The Parachute™ methodology applies a cadre of strategically applied, the sum of its parts.” multi-disciplinary and integrated tactics The most significant change in the area of to impact health care consumer behaviors health disparities can occur with impactful of at-risk communities. Initially, it begins partnerships consisting of both traditional with a ‘high-level’ specific, data-driven and nontraditional sources and entities goal that identifies a targeted population represented at the table. One example of within a geographic location characterized this type of collaboration in Columbus, by adverse health outcomes and associated Ohio is Partners Achieving Community high costs. As the parachute descends, great Transformation (PACT). PACT is a attention is given to identify community partnership that includes the City of assets that serve as trusted sources and Columbus, The Ohio State University, the support systems for the targeted audience.

Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority As the parachute touches ground, the (CMHA) and perhaps most importantly, strategy evolves into a set of results-driven, Near East Side stakeholders. PACT is consumer engagement activities. The looking beyond behavioral factors exhibited canopy, covering the ground, symbolizes by disadvantaged individuals to address the inclusiveness, and a personalized touch underlying factors related to SDOH. The designed to cover the consumer and their collaborative effort is creating a healthy, community. The Parachute™ Model takes financially and environmentally thriving into account a broad macro-level strategy community where clean, safe, affordable yet focuses on a specific patient population housing, quality healthcare, and education, to improve health outcomes and lower cost.” plus employment are accessible on the Near Please visit www.hcdi.com to learn more.

East Side of Columbus, Ohio.

Building Strategic Alliances Dr. Jean Drummond, MA, PA is Founder, and President of HealthCare Dynamics I close bringing emphasis to one of the International (HCDI), She believes that, critical components of The Parachute™ “Achieving Better Health, Better Care, Model; it stresses the importance of building and LowerCost is a strategy that requires strategic alliances consisting of trusted voice, innovation, collaboration and focus on the nontraditional community services, sustained patient, their family, and community.” I was partnerships, government alliances, and fortunate to meet Mrs. Drummond in 2016 health care providers. It is imperative that we when I was contracted by HCDI to offer continue to work, “beyond minority health diabetes education to at-risk individuals month” and remain open to doing things as a Diabetes Empowerment Education differently. When we do, the possibilities Peer Educator. In preparation for this are endless! article, I revisited the website (www.hcdi. com) because I recall her discussing The Alethea is passionate about creating opportunities to help others thrive. She Parachute™ Model during staff meetings. has 30+ years’ experience in the non-profit Copied directly from her website, this sector. As former Executive Director of information about The Parachute™ bears New Beginnings Christian Revitalization mentioning as we contemplate effective Corporation for First Church of God, she strategies to tackle health disparities and developed youth leadership development and educational programs for youth and improving the delivery of healthcare. created clean, safe, affordable housing for “As our health care system continues low-to-moderate income families. She and to explore evidence-based approaches, her brother Randal are co-founders of the improving the quality of patient-centered Willie and Vivian Gaddis Foundation for care will be essential. The approach of KIDS, offering the Jump Start U4 College One Patient, One Family and One Culture Tour and scholarships. She has also directed embraces the body of knowledge, beliefs youth drug and alcohol prevention programs and behaviors that support the cultural and is currently a Franklin County CASA/ context of each patient. Whether a Medicare GAL volunteer advocating for abused and beneficiary living in a rural community or neglected children. As a licensed, independent a senior with limited English proficiency, insurance broker, she works with individuals, each patient deserves care that respects families, and churches to protect their assets.

The Columbus African American News Journal • February 2015

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The Columbus & Dayton African American • April 2018

MINORITY HEALTH MONTH

EXPLORING ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH HEALTH DISPARITIES: BEHAVIOR CHANGE AND FOOD POLICY

By Honorable Priscilla B. Tyson In preparation for the Minority Health Month hearing that I convene annually at City Council, I was seeking information that reflects the results of the programs, education, and resources we highlight at the hearing. The hearing traditionally features Columbus Public Health’s (CPH) Office of Minority Health.

Every year we have a robust dialogue and presentations about health disparities in our community and programs that are working to eliminate health inequities. However, the data does not demonstrate areas where there has been significant progress.

As community leaders working in the area of health, we consistently point out that access to healthcare is a key solution in addressing disparities. This is one of the cornerstone beliefs that fuels advocacy and investments in healthcare initiatives, especially in underserved areas. While access is paramount to solving the issue there are other elements of disparities that we must incorporate into the discussion in order to make a difference. I have been presented with interesting concepts that are also important: 1) additional methods beyond clinical resources and education are needed to support behavior change 2) it is necessary to consider the impact of policies that perpetuate unhealthy behavior.

The need to address the issue of health disparities in minority communities has been recognized for decades. Yet, we are still able to cite statistics that demonstrate African Americans have not achieved health equity. In Columbus African Americans are 1.2 times more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes, asthma or high blood pressure.

African Americans are 1.4 times more likely to be obese. Moreover, when we consider mortality rates African Americans are dying at alarming rates. African Americans are: 2.3 times more likely to die from diabetes, 6.5 times more likely to die due to homicide, 4.1 times more likely to die from HIV and infant mortality rates are 2 times that of whites.

Considering the overwhelming need to improve health outcomes especially for minorities, I welcome occasions such as the opening of the Equitas Medical Center and Pharmacy in the King-Lincoln neighborhood last May; and PrimaryOne Health nearly doubling its capacity for obstetrics and gynecology at its St. Stephens Community House clinical site in order to better serve the Linden Community (projects which I contributed funding to with the support of City Council). The services being offered at these health centers are responsive to community needs and focus on the types of care that are vital to reducing health disparities in Columbus.

Despite increased access to healthcare and information made available throughout the community, it is difficult to compete with the learned behaviors and convenience of

Councilmember Tyson with staff from Columbus Public Health

eating fast food, or behaviors that may put ones health at risk such as smoking, drinking, or engaging in casual (unprotected) sexual encounters. Why individuals choose these behaviors is difficult to answer and is riddled with many layers of the complexities we experience in life. For many who may be dealing with the day to day task of trying to survive challenging circumstances “risky behaviors” may not seem like a choice. This conduct may present itself as an opportunity to relieve stress or may be the cultural “norm” in some environments.

It is clear that we have to meet people where they are to address health disparities. There may be a need for more grassroots strategies, especially for outreach and education. This would include offering services outside of the regular office settings and going into community centers, homes, and workplaces.

In order to make changes that resonate with people we must also be open to a dialogue free of judgement and be receptive of feedback about interventions that can be effective at helping people make positive health choices.

When considering policies that impact peoples’ daily choices, I will focus on policy decisions that influence food choices. On a recent Rich Roll podcast interview, Dr. Kim Williams, Chief of the Division of Cardiology at Rush University Medical Center stated that the “Country has congregational support for the use of farm subsidies for the production of high fructose corn syrup.” Dr. Williams pointed out that we pay tax money to produce food products that can be sold at cheaper prices. We in turn eat more of the food that increases disease which is then paid for by the Medicare system.

Further illustrating the dichotomy of federal food policies, the US Department of Health and Human Services has indicated that a poor diet is associated with major health complications and illnesses that can lead to death including heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and certain types of cancer. However, the USDA support for agriculture does not align its

The Columbus African & Dayton African American • April 2018 American News Journal • February 2015

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use of subsidies with food production that promotes health. According to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, USDA programs favor the production of unhealthy foods that are implicated in diseases. The USDA provides support for producers of products such as meat and dairy. Fruits and vegetables are considered specialty crops and do not receive subsidies.

The real life impact of subsidies translates into fast food and unhealthy food options being available at much cheaper prices, like a $1 burger, than what market rate would demand if the price was not offset by federal funding. The lower price processed food is more accessible in food desserts and communities where residents may shop at corner stores more frequently, because grocery stores are farther away.

The City of Columbus and community partners working in healthcare have a keen understanding of the issues impacting health and offer services that are vital to our residents. We are seeking to better understand the people that need services. On the Federal level we can advocate for policies that better serve people but change must begin locally.

To enhance our efforts on the issue of health, in partnership with CPH, I plan to focus on Race and Equity from the perspective of Health. In addition, I will continue my work on the Local Food Action Plan in order to increase access to healthy food, local food, and affordable food; supporting programs such as produce perks which provides individuals that receive SNAP with an incentive to purchase fruits and vegetables. Finally, the data may not reflect the magnitude of the work that is being done to address health disparities; however, the stories are compelling and illustrate that lives are being saved by the medical services being offered in the community.

Note to the reader - In subsequent articles Councilmember Tyson plans to focus on programs and services being offered to address health disparities as well as provide additional information about topics referenced in this article.

MINORITY HEALTH MONTH

SAVING BABIES BY HELPING MOMS GET HEALTHY Last year African American babies died at three times the rate of white babies in Franklin County.

The goal of CelebrateOne is that that every child, no matter their race, family income, or zip code, celebrates their first birthday.

CelebrateOne has an ambitious goal of decreasing infant mortality by 40% by 2020 and cutting the racial disparity in half.

This work requires collaboration.

Decreasing infant mortality is a multi-faceted issue that cannot be fixed with one solution.

Issues must be addressed on a community and societal level; from socioeconomic factors like homelessness to healthcare access, infant safe sleep education and tobacco use by both fathers and pregnant mothers.

One societal issue that must be part of the conversation is racism and the effects on a woman before she ever conceives a child.

Fact: A major contributor to stress in AfricanAmerican women is racism.

Fact: Black women have disproportionately more premature and low birth weights than other races.

Prematurity, babies born too small (below 5 lbs.) and too soon (born before 38 weeks), is a major contributor to the infant mortality rate. In 2017, 75% of infant deaths in Franklin County were before the baby reached 28 days of life.

A healthy pregnancy starts with a healthy woman long before conception.

CelebrateOne, Mom2Be, Columbus Public Health, and several community partners are continuing to create programs to positively impact social determinants that contribute to healthier women, including: personal and community safety, stable housing, adequate nutrition, quality education, gainful employment, and available transportation.

CelebrateOne embraces the use of several interventions to reflect a multi-pronged approach to improving the health of women and families in Central Ohio, many of which will take time.

These are several ways to support the health of women, mothers and babies: • Reinforce supportive family and community activities •Sponsor programs that promote increased female high school graduation rates • Sponsor programs to help women maintain a healthy weight • Promote safe sex and reproductive health practices to prevent STD infections that can cause early labor and unplanned pregnancies • Support participation in community smoking cessation programs • Connect women to treatment programs for

alcohol and drug addiction During pregnancy women should: • Call StepOne (614-721-0009) to connect to prenatal care services • Attend prenatal care appointments regularly • Connect with a home visitor and a neighborhood pregnancy support program such as OSU’s Mom2B • Eat a nutritious, well-balanced diet • Minimize mental and physical stress by incorporating regular exercise into a weekly routine • Talk to your doctor about appropriate medication and hormone use • Treat chronic conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes • Practice safe birth spacing by waiting two years between pregnancies • Limit all smoking, alcohol consumption, and use of illicit drugs All of us have a role in supporting the health of our mothers and their babies in Central Ohio. Parents and pastors, caregivers and community residents – all of us – are part of the solution. Visit celebrateone.info for more information.

Erika Clark Jones is the Executive Director of CelebrateOne.

“Protect your baby.”

Blankets, toys and stuffed animals in the crib with a baby are dangerous.

No exceptions!

Follow the ABCs of Safe Sleep A

Alone

B

Back

C

Crib (empty)

Every nap. Every night.

Every time.

Need a crib?

614-645-3111 Visit CelebrateOne.info

Dr. Janice James, M.D. Board Certified Pediatrician

Funding support from the following: City of Columbus Mayor’s Office, Columbus Public Health, Franklin County Board of Commissioners, Franklin County Job and Family Services, Central Benefits Health Care Foundation, American Electric Power, Huntington, LBrands, Nationwide® and Worthington Industries Foundation.

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The Columbus & DaytonNews African American • April 2015 2018 The Columbus African American Journal • February

ADAMH

Board of Franklin County

& our partners We loved it when we could fix her problems.

Keynote Speaker Kimberly Gayle, Entrepreneur & Executive Director of i.c.stars |* Columbus "Advancing Small Businesses through Technology"

Then came addiction.

Every day, we risk losing people we love to heroin, crack, marijuana or alcohol. It’s always hard to accept the reality that some things we just can’t fix alone.

TOGETHER

Families Heal

There is hope.

Get the facts from experts, link to helpful resources and join a virtual connection to other families who understand.

Go to ADAMHFranklin.org/TogetherFamiliesHeal

THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2018 11:30 AM - 2:00 PM Creekside Conference & Event Center 101 Mill St., Ste. 300 | Gahanna, OH Tickets: $25 Purchase online at www.increasecdc.org/awards or call 614-383-7750

Africentric Personal Development Shop • Alvis, Inc. • Amethyst, Inc. • Buckeye Ranch • Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging • CHOICES, Eliminating Domestic Violence • Columbus Area, Inc. • Columbus Public Health • Columbus Urban League • Community for New Direction • Community Housing Network • CompDrug/Youth to Youth • Concord Counseling Services • COVA • Directions for Youth & Families • Syntero at Dublin Counseling Center • HandsOn Central Ohio • House of Hope for Alcoholics • Huckleberry House • Maryhaven • Mental Health America of Franklin County, Inc. • NAMI Franklin County • National Church Residences • Nationwide Children’s Hospital Behavioral Health Services • Neighborhood House • Netcare Access • North Central Mental Health Services • North Community Counseling Centers • Syntero at Northwest Counseling Services • The P.E.E.R. Center • Schottenstein Chabad House – Friendship Circle • Southeast, Inc., Recovery and Mental Health Care Services • St. Vincent Family Centers • TBI Network • Twin Valley Behavioral Healthcare (TVBH) • Urban Minority Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Outreach Program • Village Network

Diversity of thought and culture and religion and ideas has been the strength of America.

Gary Locke, former U.S. Secretary of Commerce

April is Minority Health Month PrimaryOne Health is proud to have a 54% minority workforce. We work tirelessly to employ committed, caring and well-equipped providers and staff that mirror the communities that we serve.

® 11 convenient Central Ohio locations offering: Primary Care • Ob/Gyn • Pediatrics Behavioral Health • Physical Therapy • Internal Medicine Weight Management • Vision • Dental primaryonehealth.org • 2780 Airport Dr., Ste. 100 • Columbus, OH 43219 • 614.645.5500

The Columbus African & Dayton American African American News Journal • April • February 2018 2015

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The Columbus & DaytonNews African American • April 2015 2018 The Columbus African American Journal • February

MINORITY HEALTH MONTH

THE OHIO COMMISSION ON MINORITY HEALTH CELEBRATES ITS 31ST ANNIVERSARY AND THE 2018 MINORITY HEALTH MONTH EXPO The Ohio Commission on Minority Health celebrated its 31st Anniversary with their annual Minority Health Expo in Columbus. The event was held in the Verne Riffe Center where community members were greeted my representatives from various health organizations, stakeholders and state elected officials. Matt Barnes of NBC4 served as the master of ceremonies and Dr. Quinn Capers - Associate Dean of Admissions at The Ohio State University Medical School was the keynote speaker. Following the opening session, participants were able to visit with various vendors and engage in activities such as line dancing, Tai Chi and more.

The Health Expo serves as the official kick-off to celebrate Minority Health Month during the month of April. Various activities and health related events will take place throughout the state. For a complete listing of events in your city, visit their website at www.MIH.Ohio.gov. Below are photos from this year’s event.

In 1987, the Ohio Commission on Minority Health became the first freestanding state agency in the nation to address the disparity that exists between the health status of minority and non-minority populations. Today, there are Offices of Minority Health in 47 states. The Commission’s mission is to eliminate disparities in minority health through innovative strategies and financial opportunities, public health promotion, legislative action, public policy and systems change.

For more information on the Ohio Commission on Minority Health, please contact the Commission at (614) 466-4000.

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1. Matt Barnes - Master of Ceremonies - NBC4 News, 2. CMH Staff, Volunteers and Board Members 3. Director Angela Dawson, Dr. Gregory Hall and State Senator Charleta B. Tavares 4. Matt Barnes welcomes guest to the kick-off event. 5. Dr. Quinn Capers delivers the keynote address. 6. Former State Senator Ray Miller, Representative Emilia Sykes, Director Dawson, Representative Stephanie Howse and Representative Hearcel Craig. 7. OhioHealth shares information with guest. 8. CMH Staff and Volunteers. 9. Pat Funderburg leads seniors in activity. 10. Blood screenings provided by Columbus Public Health. All Photos by Shelle Fisher

The Columbus & Dayton African American • April 2018

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The Columbus African American News Journal • February 2015

MINORITY HEALTH MONTH

MENTAL HEALTH AND UNEMPLOYMENT AMONGST YOUTH

By Howard Williams and Howard Williams II For some reason the minority community will not and does not relate unemployment to the mental health crisis amongst some minority youth.

What is a known fact is that unemployment increases the risk of depression amongst minority youth and young adults. We are asking our youth and young adults to build a future with limited real world choices. And unrealistic support!

We have forced our perception of success on to our children being unaware that it will sometimes leave them depressed and confused. Success should be determined by each child as an individual. What you consider successful may not be what your child considers successful.

I am going to start out by saying it was not until it hit my own son that I began to realize how my perception of success affected his mental health. And what unemployment could do to the self esteem of minority youth and young adults.

Howard Williams II When I returned home from college with a degree in mathematics in which I was told was invaluable, I was met with more job descriptions telling me I was still not qualified than I could count. It seemed that my four years at an accredited university was

all for naught. And after submitting hundreds people live with often go undiagnosed often of applications, I never thought to ask myself due to mistrust in medical professionals what I really wanted to do with my life. (considering examples like the Tuskegee Experiment, wherein black men were I spent that entire summer after college intentionally injected with syphilis, who steeped in insurmountable rejection, which could blame us?) but it ultimately keeps us ultimately kept me in my parents’ house for ensconced in ignorance when there is help weeks at a time. I rarely interacted with my available. friends – or anyone else for that matter – and couldn’t bring myself to enjoy the summer. It took a while for me to understand the I found myself sleeping in longer and still source of my depression, which initially was waking up tired. unemployment. So I can’t imagine how many young black people suffer silently with it – The most disturbing moment came when even more so the ones who realize college I went to Ohio University for my friend’s isn’t for them, while being inculcated that graduation. I always considered myself a college is the only choice for success. sociable person, but when she introduced me to her friends, small talk was suddenly The unemployment rate has always been a challenge. I felt I was sinking into an higher for the black community than for other awkward withdrawal like quicksand. My communities. It’s time to swing the pendulum foreseeable future was a dense fog. away from college as being the only route for children and begin to introduce alternatives I started questioning my own self-worth. like the skilled trades.

Maybe I wasn’t as smart as everyone had told me. Or worse still, maybe I was as Skilled tradesmen are not only capable of smart as everyone told me, but as far as HR making a considerable amount of money. departments were concerned, intelligence was Unemployment does not exist for skilled a useless currency compared to experience. tradesmen when working for themselves.

It was becoming increasingly difficult Also qualified tradesmen are in high demand. to reconcile my fruitless reality with the promised success I was told would come with Howard Williams my college degree.

Our children’s mental health is more Although the word depression didn’t cross important than our egos. And we must always my mind until a couple years later, I was keep that in mind. My point is that when it relieved to give what I’d been experiencing comes to our young people’s mental health, a name. The black community largely we should allow them to consider all their considers depression a “white disease.” future options. And support their choice.

Instead we believe the person experiencing Even though we may consider their choice is it is just “blue,” when in fact, it is complex beneath them. and can come with a range of symptoms and degrees of severity.

Please Support The National Skilled Trades Network ( NSTN ) www.nstnetwork.org.

It’s no secret that the health problems black

The Columbus African American News Journal • February 2015

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The Columbus & Dayton African American • April 2018

EDUCATION REOPEN THE SEARCH

By PR West, Sr. An Open Letter to CCS School Board Members: Ohio Sunshine laws aside, the main reason the Columbus City Schools Board of Education should start over in their “national search” for a superintendent of schools after the current seven month process has left them with one internal candidate is because common sense says “It is the right thing to do.” There is only one better, more compelling reason: the welfare of the students demand the search be continued.

By designation, the CCS Board has been charged to protect the public interest of the children currently enrolled. The same can be said for all future generations of CCS students. Not only must the selection process be conducted with integrity but the same process should net the right results. It would be a lot easier to give the CCS Board of Education the benefit of the doubt if the process used that resulted in a “default” candidate was untainted. This is not the case. The secrecy surrounding how the list was compiled, whittled down and who all was addressed in reference to this position left much to be desired. Was this a CCS Board of Education abrogation of the law in violation of the public’s trust or an aberration of practice? To a casual observer, it is really hard to tell.

Just as maturing adults recognizes that they must often modify or redo early efforts in order to improve, the CCS Board of Education should own up to this mishap and self-correct the lack of transparency surrounding the current selection process.

Furthermore, if the district was willing to spend the time and resources to conduct a national search, it does not mean at this time they should simply settle for who is available as opposed to who is best. The needs of CCS children throughout the district require so much more.

This raises another question. To paraphrase Shakespeare from Hamlet (Act III, Scene 1) What does CCS really need in a superintendent right now, a political crony or

an educational leader, that is the question?!!!

A political crony is a mere mid-level manager who is appointed at times out of convenience, expediency or both; whereas a strong educational leader can set or redefine the proper district vision, develop and implement a workable plan, and collaborate with others for substantive student growth and vastly improved academic results without questions of reproach. Columbus City residents and students deserve a world-class educational system as listed in the district’s vision statement. The CCS Board of Education should not settle on being just an urban district mired in the problems associated with its size. To get to the elite status as a world class district, it will take a strong educational leader, a practicing yet visionary leader and an inspiring leader all in one to take us to the proverbial academic promise land.

The old adage when it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and smells like at duck confirms the resemblance of the water-loving mammals appearance has one wondering and questioning out loud whether or not Interim Superintendent Dr. John Stanford is the CCS Board maestro conductor Gary Baker’s hand pick for “more of the same” or business as usual in CCS. This would not benefit the children of the district.

Comfort and familiarity due to an existing working relationship aside, the CCS Board of Education’s opportunity to work with Dr. Stanford provides a ripe litmus test for assessing his skills to lead a large urban school district that needs to morph or

transform into a world-class urban public school system in the near future. As Dr. Stanford continues to work diligently for the children of the district in his interim position, he is afforded the opportunity to prove he is the best candidate. Yet, not to reopen the search would have not only this observer wondering if Dr. Stanford is his own man (and for the record, I am assuming he is) but others as well.

The beauty of the interim post – given the academic, budgetary, and personnel challenges that the district faces -- allows Dr. Stanford the ability to earn respect for a job well done and can highlight his true leadership abilities while still in the post of interim superintendent. It may allow Dr. Stanford to get from under the stench of being associated as an insider in the hierarchy of former Superintendent Gene Harris’ crooked regime. It allows Dr. Stanford to earn his keep and prove to the parents, students and voting public of the district that he is indeed “their man” and the only real choice to lead the district forward in the immediate and near future.

The children in the Columbus City Schools deserve a world-class superintendent for this world-class job. The CCS Board of Education should make sure the selection, however it is that the ultimate decision fatefully comes, provides a superintendent that should be able to handle the task at hand for the benefit of all of the current and future children this urban district must serve.

To Advertise in The Columbus - Dayton African American contact us at: editor@columbusafricanamerican.com Ray Miller, 503 S. High StreetPublisher - Suite 102 750 East Long Columbus, OH 43215 Street, Suite 3000 614-571-9340 Columbus, Ohio 43203

The Columbus African & Dayton African American • April 2018 American News Journal • February 2015

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EDUCATION

50 - YEAR COMMEMORATION TO SALUTE THE COURAGE AND SACRIFICE OF THE 34 PLUS STUDENTS INDICTED TO CREATE CHANGE

March 30, 2018, Columbus, Ohio - Ohio State University will mark 50 years of progress on April 26 through April 28, 2018 when the university will salute a body of former students who struggled for racial parity in an unpopular time and sowed seeds for positive growth that still blossom on today’s campus. Members of the Black Student Union of 1968 are gathering to salute the courage and sacrifice of the many students who stood up and spoke out, to create change. The events specifically salute the 34 students who were indicted for their activism. A three-day program of events commence with a gathering at the Alumni Association building where a campus bus will shuttle special guests including the living among 34 Black indicted students and group spokespersons to The Oval and Bricker Hall to begin marking the anniversary. At a commemoration ceremony and reception, OSU President, Dr. Michael V. Drake, will lead observation of the occasion.

The three days (4/26 - 4/28) of events will include interaction through luncheons/ receptions hosted by the OSU Alumni Association, The Frank W. Hale Black Cultural Center, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the Undergraduate Student

Former State Senator Ray Miller and Congresswoman Joyce Beatty to serve as keynote speakers.

Government, the African and AfricanAmerican Studies (AAAS) Community Extension Center, and the noted off-campus King Arts Complex. Most events will take place at Hale Hall. Special Invited speakers for the April 27 reception/ dinner include the Honorable Ray Miller and Congresswoman Joyce Beatty. Most events will be open to the public but will require reservations. Due to limited space at some facilities, other events will be closed. Please contact the OSU Alumni Association for reservations.

As background, 50 years ago on the Ohio

The Columbus African American News Journal • February 2015

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State University Campus, a union of Black students began meeting regularly with administrative officials to address issues and growing concerns on racial bias and lack of representation. The day, April 26, 1968, ended with a takeover of the OSU Administration Building in the midst of expressing grievances and exacerbated by an earlier incident of 4 college girls being forced to leave the campus bus because the driver did not like their discussion about discrimination on the campus and the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. Some 34 students were arrested, indicted, expelled from the university as symbols of the university’s intolerance. However, from that time forward, a number of other acts of nonviolent resistance continued, grievances were heard, and ultimately change began to show with more appreciation for cultural differences, the integration of academic courses and programs related to people of color, and the formation of centers of ethnic and racial diversity.

For further information, please contact Ms. Nadine Holmes, CVA, 614.247.4062, Associate Director, Office of Volunteer Relations, The Ohio State University Alumni Association, Inc.

The Columbus & Dayton African American • April 2018

EDCUATION

EDUCATION DEPARTMENT FORGIVES $322 MILLION IN LOANS TO HELP HBCUS RECOVER FROM HURRICANES

By Danielle Douglas-Gabriel The U.S. Education Department is granting full forgiveness of $322 million in loans made to four historically black colleges and universities that suffered damage after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita struck the Gulf Coast in 2005.

“This additional disaster relief will lift a huge burden and enable the four HBCUs to continue their focus on serving their students and communities,” Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said in a statement. “This relief provides one more step toward full recovery.”

In the aftermath of the storms, Dillard University, Southern University at New Orleans, Tougaloo College and Xavier University of Louisiana collectively borrowed more than $360 million through the HBCU Capital Financing Program in 2007.

The money was used to renovate, refinance existing debt and build new facilities. The schools struggled to repay the debt amid depressed enrollment, and in 2013 received a five-year reprieve on payments that was set to expire this spring.

A provision in the two-year budget deal signed into law this year gave DeVos leeway to forgive the outstanding balance owed by the four schools.

“We are deeply grateful for the bipartisan legislative efforts and to the Trump administration for relief of the Katrina loans to Xavier University of Louisiana,” said C. Reynold Verret, president of Xavier of Louisiana. “Forgiveness of the loans removes a great impediment to innovation and the delivery of superlative education to talented women and men who build and sustain our

communities, cities and nations.”

At Dillard, President Walter M. Kimbrough expressed his gratitude and talked about the level of devastation the university faced after the storms. “Dillard had six feet of standing water inside of its buildings, and was the most physically devastated institution of higher education,” he said.

Established in 1992, the HBCU Capital Financing Program provides low-cost capital to help historically black institutions upgrade their campuses and refinance debt.

The program is meant to provide a lifeline to schools, many with small endowments, that face challenges in accessing traditional financing at reasonable rates.

The federal government guarantees the payment of principal and interest on qualified bonds, with the proceeds used to finance the loans. To date, the Education Department has approved more than $2 billion in loans to 45 historically black colleges.

The program has had its share of problems.

Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and Barber-Scotia College in Concord, N.C., defaulted on their loans, while other schools have had spotty repayment records over the years. Proponents of the program say stronger oversight from the advisory board charged with managing it could improve the way the program runs, as could financial counseling for institutions and annual reporting to Congress. Several bills over the years have proposed those solutions but failed to gain much traction.

President Trump cast doubts on the program’s future in May when he questioned its constitutionality. In a signing statement tied to a federal funding measure, the White House said it would treat the financing

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program “in a manner consistent with the (Constitutional) requirement to afford equal protection of the laws.” The statement left some in the higher education community wondering whether the program’s days were numbered, but the White House said the statement was intended to preserve the president’s legal options down the road.

The Trump administration has had a rocky relationship with historically black colleges.

Barely a month into her tenure, DeVos drew criticism for calling the group of schools forged at the height of racial segregation “pioneers” of “school choice.” University leaders also were dismayed that the first White House budget held the line on their funding, despite what many believed were assurances from the president that they would receive increased appropriations.

The selection of Johnny C. Taylor Jr., a prominent advocate for historically black colleges, to lead a board that advises Trump on the schools has signaled to some that the administration is making an effort to improve its relationship. Taylor previously headed the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, which supports dozens of historically black schools.

“This administration’s support of the congressional action to eliminate over $300 million in Hurricane Katrina loans taken out by four HBCUs was the right thing to do and was a big deal,” Taylor said.

Danielle Douglas-Gabriel covers the economics of education, writing about the financial lives of students, from when they take out student debt through their experiences in the job market. Before that, she wrote about the banking industry.

Article by www.WashingtonPost.com

NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE: 2018 CONFERENCE COMING TO COLUMBUS, OHIO THIS SUMMER

COLUMBUS, OHIO (March 9, 2018) -The National Urban League Conference, “Save Our Cities: Powering the Digital Revolution,” will attract thousands of the nation’s most forward-thinking community and business leaders to Columbus for a fourday examination of the impact of technology on racial, social and economic justice.

“Technology is the axis on which the 21st Century economy turns, and America’s urban centers are where that technology emerges and evolves,” National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial said today during an event at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. “Economic empowerment relies on access to high-tech tools and the capacity to make the most of them. As a hub of higher education, research and high-tech industry, Columbus is the perfect setting for this year’s Conference.”

Slated for August 1-4, the Conference explores the role of cutting-edge technology in every aspect of today’s social and economic landscape, and brings together leading digital innovators and leaders in business and industry, government, community and the arts to confront the nation’s challenges and chart a path to success. The Conference is presented by Nationwide, Toyota, Cardinal Health, American Electric Power and L Brands.

“The question of whether the digital revolution is bridging or widening the racial opportunity gap is crucial to the future of urban communities,” Columbus Urban

League President and CEO Stephanie Hightower said.

Morial and Hightower were joined by Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther, U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty Franklin County Commissioner Kevin Boyce, and Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin, who discussed the impact of the Conference and the opportunities it presents for the region and community.

Among the speakers and panelists scheduled to participate are: • Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook COO • Judy Smith, lawyer, consultant and the inspiration behind ABC TV’s Olivia Pope • April Reign, Creator of the viral hashtag #OscarsSoWhite • Tarana Burke, Senior Director, Girls for Gender Equity, Civil Rights Activist, Founder, #MeToo • Michelle Ebanks, President, Essence Communications, Inc. • Shannon LaNier, Actor, Author & Global TV Personality • DeVon Franklin, Award-Winning Film and TV Producer, New York Times best-selling author, International Speaker, and Spiritual Success Coach • Meagan Good, Actress • Richelieu Dennis, CEO of Sundial Brands, Founder SheaMoisture, and CEO of Essence Ventures 19

In addition to dynamic panel discussions, workshops and plenary sessions for registered attendees, the Conference features free events open to the public: • an extensive Career and Networking Fair where job-seekers can meet with employers and burnish their résumé and interview skills; • Community & Family Day with backpack and school supply giveaways, health screenings and educational demonstrations; • the N.U.L. Experience Expo featuring engaging and informative exhibits and entertainment, including: Podcast Village; Gaming Zone; Beauty & Grooming Lounge; Hotel & Leisure Lounge; Volunteer Zone; a Health & Wellness Zone providing free health screenings.

The Conference also includes the specialized one-day Small Business Matters Entrepreneurship Summit, and Tech Connect, an intensive gathering of innovators influencing racial justice and social change through emerging technology.

The National Urban League is a historic civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment in order to elevate the standard of living in historically underserved urban communities. The National Urban League spearheads the efforts of its 90 local affiliates through the development of programs, public policy research and advocacy, providing direct services that impact and improve the lives of more than 2 million people annually nationwide.

The Columbus & DaytonNews African American • April 2015 2017 The Columbus African American Journal • February

COVER STORY

WHAT’S KILLING AMERICA’S BLACK INFANTS RACISM IS FUELING A NATIONAL HEALTH CRISIS

began focusing on access to prenatal care as a way to reduce these perceived risk factors.

The result, said Dr. Michael Lu, an ob-gyn and leading infant-mortality researcher, was more women getting care, but little improvement in birth outcomes. Instead, the racial gap grew. Black women who received prenatal care starting in the first trimester were still losing children at higher rates than white women who never saw a doctor during their pregnancies.

By Zoe Carpenter After she lost her son, Tonda Thompson dreamed of a baby in a washing machine.

She’d stuffed in dirty clothes and closed the door. The lock clicked shut. Water rushed in. Then she saw him, floating behind the glass. Frantic, she jabbed at a keypad on the machine, searching for a code to unlock the door.

When Thompson became pregnant she was 25, living in Los Angeles and working as a model. She and her boyfriend got engaged and moved back to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She’d grown up on the city’s north side, a predominantly AfricanAmerican neighborhood with pockets of deep poverty, in a zip code known for having the highest incarceration rate in the United States. Thompson went to all of her medical appointments, took prenatal vitamins, and stayed in shape. On her birthday, she wrote on Facebook that the only gift she wanted was “a healthy mom and baby.” But she also wrote about how hard it was to be pregnant in a city where there was “nothing to do that’s fun and safe.”

Thompson got married in April 2013, and a month later went into labor. Forty hours later, Terrell was born. He lived less than half that time, due to “complications” with the delivery. By the time Thompson got home, all of the baby’s things had been moved to the basement. She’d gotten to hold him for five minutes.

those headed by unmarried or black women.

Across the United States, black infants die at a rate that’s more than twice as high as that of white infants. The disparity is acute in a number of booming urban areas, from San Francisco—where black mothers are more than six times as likely to lose infants as white mothers—to Washington, DC. In the capital’s Ward 8, which is the poorest in the city and over 93 percent black, the infantmortality rate is 10 times what it is in the affluent, predominantly white Ward 3.

The year that Terrell died, a mother in wartorn Libya had better odds of celebrating her child’s first birthday than Thompson did. Milwaukee has one of the worst infantmortality rates of all major urban centers in the United States, and the racial gap is threefold. (Four other Rust Belt cities count among the 10 with the highest rates of infant death: Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, and Columbus.) Over the past decade, more than 100 babies, at least 60 of them black, have died in Milwaukee each year, about twothirds of them because they were born early or small.

Thompson sank into a depression. She thought about suicide. On her birthday, she received divorce papers; by the next summer, she was on the verge of homelessness. She often felt angry that the hospital didn’t save her son. But mostly she asked herself, “What Bevan Baker, Milwaukee’s commissioner of health, is one of the people trying to did I do wrong?” reverse the trend. “If 100 people died Each year in the United States, more than from tuberculosis, then you would have 23,000 infants die before reaching their first a whole different approach,” Baker said. birthday. Though the mortality rate varies “People would say we have a public-health widely by state and county, the average in emergency.” His department, working with a the United States is higher than in the rest coalition of groups, is trying to respond with of the world’s wealthy countries, worse than the same urgency that it would to a deadly in Poland and Slovakia. Because infants are infectious disease. The city has declared so vulnerable, their survival is considered infant mortality to be a primary health a benchmark for a society’s overall health. priority and, in 2011, set a goal of reducing What our infant-mortality rate tells us is the overall rate by 10 percent, and the black that, despite spending more money on health rate by 15 percent, by the end of this year. care than any other country in the world, the United States is not very healthy. Looked at For many years, researchers have asked the closely, it reveals that particular groups of same question that Thompson asked herself: What are black mothers doing wrong?

Americans are starkly unwell.

Common answers included eating poorly; White, educated American women lose being overweight or diabetic; smoking or their infants at rates similar to mothers in drinking during pregnancy; not going to the America’s peer countries. Most of the burden doctor; not being married; getting pregnant of the higher mortality rate here is borne by too young; or smothering their newborns poorer, less-educated families, particularly in their sleep. In the 1980s, health officials The & Dayton African American • April 2018 The Columbus Columbus African American News Journal • February 2015

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By the late 1990s, the field was at a crossroads. Lu said, “We’d dedicated the last two decades to trying to improve on access to prenatal care, but if prenatal care is not the answer, then what?” Some researchers suggested that black women were genetically predisposed to poor birth outcomes, and began to hunt for “preterm birth genes.” At the time, pharmaceutical companies were exploring race-specific drugs, and the publichealth community was embroiled in a broader debate about whether race is a genetic category. That debate hasn’t fully died out.

But we now know that genetic variation among humans is tiny and doesn’t correspond neatly with racial categories. If preterm birth genes did exist, we would expect to see poor outcomes for black women everywhere, but studies have found that foreign-born black women living in the United States have birth outcomes almost identical to white American women’s.

Other researchers suggested that poverty and lack of education were to blame, as black women consistently experience higher poverty levels. Those factors matter, but they don’t account for the full racial gap.

After evaluating 46 different factors, alone and in combination—including smoking, employment status, and education—the authors of one 1997 study could account for less than 10 percent of the variation in birth weight between black and white babies.

Another study found that even black women with advanced degrees—doctors, lawyers, MBAs—were more likely to lose infants than white women who hadn’t graduated from high school.

Now, a growing body of evidence points to racial discrimination, rather than race itself, as the dominant factor in explaining why so many black babies are dying. The research suggests that what happens outside a woman’s body—not just during the nine months of pregnancy—can profoundly affect the biology within. One study found that black women living in poorer neighborhoods were more likely to have low-birth-weight infants regardless of their own socioeconomic status. More segregated cities have greater black/white infant-mortality disparities; women whose babies are born severely underweight are more likely to report Continued on Page 21

COVER STORY

Continued from Page 20

experiences of discrimination. This may help to explain how someone like Tonda Thompson, who says she did everything right during her pregnancy, could come to bury her infant son.

Early one morning last September, a Milwaukee Health Department nurse named JoAnn went to the city’s north side to check on 9-month-old TJ and his mother, Ebony.

Ebony participates in one of the department’s four home-visiting programs, which are a key component of the city’s strategy to reduce infant deaths. Similar intensive homevisiting programs in other cities have been shown to be effective. In a study conducted in Cincinnati, babies who received home visits were more than twice as likely to survive as those who didn’t.

Ebony lives in a corner apartment above her church, in the same neighborhood where Tonda Thompson was raised. Ebony grew up in Chicago, but when she was a teenager, her mother sent her to live with her father in Milwaukee, to get her away from violence.

Back then, she remembers, Milwaukee was safe enough for her to sleep on the porch when it got too hot inside. Now, she’s reluctant even to take TJ out, because she thinks the city has gotten too dangerous.

“Milwaukee has [gone] from beautiful to garbage,” Ebony said. Even the inside of her apartment isn’t totally safe. Around the time Ebony got pregnant, an electrical fire forced her to move temporarily into a Red Cross shelter. Now she worries about lead paint on the windowsills and puts blankets down on the floor before she lets TJ crawl around on the old carpet. “I just want a house, where my baby can play in a yard, but, you know— where?” she said.

Ebony’s impression of decline is real, although Milwaukee has always been hostile to its black population. During the 1940s and ’50s, the manufacturing boom created high-paying jobs, and the city flourished.

But African Americans came more slowly to Milwaukee than other Midwestern cities, in part because the labor force was already filled by European immigrants. In the 1920s, the Milwaukee Real Estate Board had begun to steer black renters and home buyers to a small area northwest of downtown. By 1940, according to the sociologist Juliet Saltman, all of the city’s 8,821 black residents lived in a three-by-four-block area. The City Council repeatedly rejected a fair-housing ordinance, passing it only after Congress passed the Fair Housing Act in 1968.

The city’s black population began to grow in the 1960s. But as Alec MacGillis recounted in a 2014 article in The New Republic, there was little time for the city’s black community to build wealth before the local economy collapsed. Between 1961 and 2001, the city of Milwaukee lost 69 percent of its manufacturing jobs. In 2007, the city got walloped again by the housing crisis, which wiped out much of the black wealth the city had. Milwaukee was one of the cities hardest hit by the real-estate crash, with 40 percent

of its homes—nearly half of those in Ebony’s to stressors,” according to a 2006 study published by Arline Geronimus and others neighborhood—underwater as of 2014. in the American Journal of Public Health.

More than a decade ago, Ebony had a Geronimus, a University of Michigan daughter. She lived for eight months. Just professor, developed what she calls the before she died, Ebony bathed her and put her “weathering” hypothesis, which posits that in a swing. She went to check on the chicken black Americans’ health deteriorates more she was cooking and came back to find her rapidly than other groups’ because they daughter unconscious. The official cause of bear a heavier allostatic load. “These effects death was sudden-infant-death syndrome. may be felt particularly by Black women SIDS, one of the leading causes of infant because of ‘double jeopardy’ (gender and death in the United States, still mystifies racial discrimination),” Geronimus and researchers. But what happened to Ebony’s her co-authors noted. (Infant mortality is daughter is part of a broader trend that defines just one of many forms of disease that fall America’s high infant-mortality rate: Where disproportionately on black Americans. The the United States really lags is in keeping list includes cervical cancer, asthma, diabetes, babies alive after they’ve left the hospital, and cardiovascular disease.) when they’re between 1 month and 1 year Researchers now link much of that higher old. stress burden to racial discrimination.

After her daughter died, Ebony was in Dr. Camara Phyllis Jones, president of an abusive relationship and had several the American Public Health Association, miscarriages. She assumed she’d never have proposed a now widely cited framework for another child. “I didn’t want to bring any kids understanding how discrimination affects into this world or this time,” she said as she health outcomes, breaking it down into laid TJ across her lap to change his diaper. three categories: internalized, personally “But God said otherwise, and of course I’m mediated, and institutionalized. Personally mediated experiences include things like going to accept my blessing.” being treated differently at a doctor’s office Ebony has had high blood pressure since she than white patients; black women who was 11, and when she was pregnant with TJ, report these kinds of experiences have been she developed preeclampsia. He was born found more likely to have low-birth-weight on Christmas Eve, several weeks early. For babies. But institutional discrimination— the next couple of months, JoAnn visited which refers to the ways in which unequal every week to check on his health and set treatment has been baked into our social, parenting goals with Ebony. TJ grew quickly, economic, and political systems—impacts and JoAnn’s encouragement showed Ebony individual health too. It’s apparent in the that she was on the right track. “Every time disparities in the criminal-justice system, she’d weigh or measure him, she’d say, ‘Oh, in education, in predatory lending practices he gained a pound or two!’” Ebony said. “The that target African Americans, and in the fact that he was progressing made me real siting of polluting industrial facilities near communities of color. These problems are happy.” particularly acute in most of the cities with Parenting is difficult under the best of large racial gaps in their infant mortality circumstances, but Ebony and women living rates. In none of America’s peer countries is in other poor, segregated neighborhoods face racism so embedded—and that may explain a particularly brutal slate of risk factors and why racial gaps in infant mortality and other stressors—having to move during pregnancy, health outcomes are worse here. These for instance. Harvard sociologist Matthew various forms of discrimination, stacked up Desmond found that 30 percent of the people over a lifetime, can cause chronic stress, evicted in Milwaukee each year are women which in turn can damage the biological living in black neighborhoods, though systems necessary for a healthy pregnancy they make up less than 10 percent of the and birth. city’s population. Then there’s the fact that Wisconsin locks up more of its black men Institutional racism is like a thicket of than any other state in the country, leaving thorny plants: After a woman spends a more women to parent alone, or with partners few decades walking through it, it can be whose criminal record makes it difficult for hard to tell which particular prick led to her child’s death, or if it was all of them them to get a job. together. But there’s growing recognition Chronic stress raises amounts of cortisol, a that a woman’s entire life experience hormone that at elevated levels triggers labor. matters, maybe even her parents’. “We It can also cause an inflammatory response literally embody, biologically, the societal that restricts blood flow to the placenta, and ecological conditions in which we grow stunting infant growth. But it’s not just up and develop and live,” said Dr. Nancy stress during pregnancy that matters: Health Krieger, a professor of social epidemiology experts now think that stress throughout the at Harvard University. “Infant mortality is span of a woman’s life can prompt biological affected by not only the immediate conditions changes that affect the health of her future in which the infant is conceived and born, children. Stress can disrupt immune, vascular, but also the health status of the mother metabolic, and endocrine systems, and cause and, some evidence indicates, the father as well.” In 2013, Krieger and her colleagues cells to age more quickly. compared infant deaths in states with and All of these effects together create what without Jim Crow laws; they found that scientists call “allostatic load,” or “the black infant deaths were significantly higher cumulative wear and tear on the body’s systems owing to repeated adaptation Continued on Page 22

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COVER STORY Continued from Page 21

in Jim Crow states, but that after the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the gap shrank and, by 1970, had disappeared (although the overall black/white gap persisted). The study suggests that discriminatory policy does indeed shape health outcomes. If this is true, then the infant-mortality gap can’t be closed without addressing broader inequities in employment, education, health care, criminal justice, and the built environment—in other words, without ending racial discrimination altogether.

Community leaders working to reduce infant mortality in Milwaukee understand the complexity of their task. Operating alongside the Milwaukee Health Department’s homevisiting program is a community partnership, the Milwaukee Lifecourse Initiative, led by the United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County. “If you look tangibly at where you can intervene, it seems easier, quite frankly, to say, ‘OK, we just need to make sure more people have primary-care providers; we need to make sure women take folic acid,’ than it is to fix racism and poverty,” said Nicole Angresano, a vice president at the United Way. “It’s critical that we think more broadly. It’s also really daunting.”

The Lifecourse Initiative targets three zip codes on the city’s north side, including the neighborhood where Tonda Thompson grew up and where Ebony lives. Part of the plan focuses on fatherhood. Unlike earlier “responsible fatherhood” initiatives, which emphasized child-support enforcement, the program focuses on systemic problems, which means connecting men to jobs—a higher percentage of African Americans are unemployed in Milwaukee than in any other US city—or keeping an expectant father who’s been caught up in the criminal-justice system in contact with his family. Other programs involve faith leaders. Community gardens at several churches prioritize mothers in an attempt to compensate for the lack of fresh produce available in the inner city. Several dozen churches have been designated “safe-baby sanctuaries,” places where families can come for education and resources like diapers.

At one of those places, Ebeneezer Church of God in Christ, I met Julia Means, a nurse with a striking track record with Milwaukee’s infants. By her own count, Means has worked with 360 families in the last 12 years, through a program called Blanket of Love. Every single baby whose parents came to her group

meetings lived to its first birthday, she told me. Her method is to “wrap the pregnant woman up in love.” Sometimes that’s meant finding a home for them, and furniture to fill it; or role-playing, to help them feel confident speaking to doctors; or educating them on safe sleeping conditions; or, in a few cases, helping women escape abusive partners in the middle of the night. Another way to put it is that she does what she can to reduce the stress in these women’s lives.

In its efforts to reduce infant deaths, Milwaukee has made mistakes: A few years ago, the city launched an ad campaign focused on safe sleep featuring graphic im­ ages—one showed a baby in bed with a butcher knife, with the message “Your baby sleeping with you can be just as dangerous.”

An alderwoman pushed to criminalize parents whose babies died after sleeping with them if the parents had been intoxicated. Means said the campaign “set the community on fire”; it struck her as harsh and racially motivated.

She warns against unsafe sleep arrangements in her own program, but because they account for only a small percentage of infant deaths, she said it made little sense for the city to direct its resources to the issue. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett told me that initially he’d seen safe sleep as “low-hanging fruit,” only to realize later that it came across as scolding black women.

Barrett, who is notably engaged in the effort to lower infant mortality, pointed out that the general trend in the city is positive: Fewer babies of all races are dying in Milwaukee each year. But because the outcomes are improving more quickly for white infants, the racial disparity is growing. It’s all but certain that the city will miss its goal of a 15 percent reduction in the black infant-mortality rate this year. The state’s Republican leadership has only made things more difficult by cutting social support programs like food stamps. Last year, the state stripped hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding from Milwaukee’s home-visiting program.

Wisconsin Republicans have also fought efforts to increase the minimum wage, which could have a positive effect on the infantmortality rate. A study released last year found that a $1 increase in the minimum wage in various states between 1980 and 2011 corresponded with a 1 to 2 percent decrease in low birth weight and a 4 percent decline in deaths of infants between 1 month and 1 year.

The new buildings rising in Milwaukee’s prosperous lakeside neighborhoods stand in stark contrast with the grinding poverty on the city’s north and west sides. When I spoke with Barrett, he argued that city leaders were doing what they could to spread the benefits of that growth—for instance, by requiring construction projects that receive public funding to hire local workers. But the sheer scale of the segregation and inequality makes that kind of effort look like tinkering at the margins. The same is true on a national level.

For several decades now, neither political party has applied much urgency to the task of dismantling the major drivers of racial disparity—housing and school segregation, for instance—head-on. Several social-support programs have been effective in bringing down infant-mortality rates and the black/

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white gap in other cities; their major flaw is one of scale. Barrett acknowledged that home visits won’t be able to reach every family who needs them. As Means told me, not everyone wants city officials coming to their homes. But when I pressed the mayor on whether the city government could do more to address segregation and poverty, he threw his hands up in exasperation and shook his head. “Welcome to America,” he said.

After Terrell died, Tonda Thompson remembers, people assured her that she’d have another child, as if he were replaceable.

“People tend to blow it off like it’s nothing,” she said. “But when a black family loses a baby, it can destroy every bit of that family.”

Thompson did piece herself back together again. She took the dream about the baby in the washing machine as a sign—she had to help Milwaukee crack the code. In 2015, Thompson accepted an AmeriCorps position to work with the United Way on infant mortality. Later, she got a job working for a city alderwoman. She is also expecting a child, and plans to name him Jehlani, a Swahili name meaning strong and mighty.

Thompson told me that although the city has good intentions, people in her community still aren’t getting what they need: The segregation isn’t changing, the incarceration rates aren’t coming down, and people she knows don’t trust the medical community.

A few weeks before we met, a police officer shot and killed a 23-year-old black man named Sylville Smith, triggering several nights of protests. There are “too many black babies dying, too many black men dying,” Thompson said. The horizon seems particularly bleak for young women who get pregnant. “We do have a stigma of ‘She’s not married; she messed up; she’s young—she ain’t going to be nothing.’ And that attitude gets into her mind and goes to the baby.”

Infant mortality is a wicked problem. It requires us to think about health less as a matter of biology and more as the result of political choices and socioeconomic realities.

It has no single solution. But “the point is not to frame complexity as daunting,” said Nancy Krieger, the Harvard epidemiologist, “but actually as opening many avenues for effective action, and asking how different groups that are already engaged can understand how their issues relate to infant mortality.”

Bevan Baker, the health commissioner, described Milwaukee’s infant-mortality work as an opportunity to reckon with what is perhaps America’s most profoundly destructive legacy. “When you look at the racial disparity, it forces us as citizens and residents of this great nation to deal with the incomprehensible notion that race matters,” he said. “That’s something that Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and every other state will have to come to grips with.”

Zoe Carpenter is The Nation’s associate Washington editor. She has appeared on MSNBC, CNN and other media outlets.

Article from www.TheNation.com

POLITICS

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

CAPITOL BUDGET BILL PASSES; AND MINORITY HEALTH MONTH RECOGNIZED

By Senator Charleta B. Tavares 2019-2020 Capital Budget Bill – Senator Charleta B. Tavares Priorities Funded As the Senate Assistant Minority Leader and member of the powerful Senate Finance Committee, I am the only African American woman (one of only three women) and one of two African Americans (Sen. Vernon Sykes – Akron) who serve on the 13 member committee. As I submitted my Capital Budget requests, I balanced my requests for the projects in my district which are downtown – the economic and cultural driver of the City, County, Region and State, with the local community-based projects and services throughout the 15th District that are important to the health and well-being of our people. Although I submitted many more projects and in some cases additional funding for those funded, the list below represents those which I requested that were funded:

building to serve as a 200-bed residential reentry treatment facility servicing individuals involved in the criminal justice system. The new facility will house approximately 800 residents per year, which will save Ohio taxpayers approximately $26,364 per year per individual who does not return to the state correctional system.

Total Project Cost: $7,200,000 1) King Arts Complex-The King Arts Amount Granted: $300,000 Complex-To assist with the top priority site improvements to the exterior and interior 5) PAST Foundation-PAST Innovation Lab wings of The Community Carts Project, Renovation Project- PAST Foundation is Inc., The Martin Luther King, Jr. Performing a non-profit provider of STEM education, design, and workforce & Cultural Arts Complex. Improvements curriculum include aesthetic, infrastructure, and development. The project is for roof functional enhancements to preserve a replacement of the Innovation Lab as part of historic Columbus King Lincoln District an ongoing renovation project that is critical for impactful STEM programming. landmark.

Total Project Cost: $5,000,000 Total Project Cost: $728,000 Amount Granted: $300,000 Amount Granted: $500,000 2) City of Bexley-Jeffrey Mansion Expansion-The goal of this project is to increase the programmable and event space at Jeffrey Mansion to meet the expanding demand. Jeffrey Mansion serves as a cultural center, preschool, recreation center, municipal offices, rental facility, art gallery, park’s maintenance facility, community gathering space, senior center, Red Cross emergency shelter, and more.

Total Project Cost: $2,800,000 Amount Granted: $250,000

6) Columbus Downtown Development Corporation-COSI Connection Corridorthe COSI Connection Corridor will create an east-to-west passageway running though COSI connecting riverfront to Scioto Park.

This connection will carve out 30,000 square feet of space for restaurants, retail shops, attractions, and other public spaces.

Total Project Cost: $40,000,000 Amount Granted: $5,000,000

Specifically, the renovations will address the cooling system, men’s restroom, replacing 2500 theatre seats, and repairing plaster and re-painting the auditorium. CAPA and its iconic theaters are central to the economic impact of the arts in Central Ohio, averaging a $422 million impact.

Total Project Cost: $6,625,035 Amount Granted: $750,000 9) BalletMet- BalletMet Renovation and Building Connector- Renovation of BalletMet’ s Dance Centre and Performance Space to create a connection between two buildings which will house a new lobby and box office and to reconfigure the Dance Centre to increase the number of studios and enhance the entire space to benefit the 26 professional dancers 1700+ Dance Academy students.

Total Project Cost: $2,200,000 Amount Granted: $1,250,000

10) Freedom A La Cart-Freedom Café Project – Freedom a la Cart (FALC) is a non-profit catering social enterprise that empowers survivors of human trafficking to build a new life of freedom and self – sufficiency. FALC plans to expand its successful catering and box lunch social enterprise into a fast-casual café. The project will provide a home kitchen space for FALC, opening its doors to the public with a café 7) Franklin Park Conservatory –John located in an urban Columbus neighborhood.

F. Wolfe Palm House Renovation and Total Project Cost: $450,000 Improvements Phase One-The Conservatory Amount Granted: $100,000 is undertaking a multi-phased renovation and improvement process of the historic 11) Heinzerling Community-Embracing Victorian glass, John F. Wolfe Palm House. Lives, The Capital Campaign for State funds will be used to purchase a new Heinzerling’ s Community- The Heinzerling boiler and to re-glaze the Palm House and Community is the only developmental Show House. More than 220,000 patrons disability organization in Franklin County visit the home annually. that provides 24 hour, 7-day a week Total Project Cost: $6,385,785 residential services for this type of complex Amount Granted: $600,000 care. Heinzerling Community’s goal is to

3) Maryhaven, Inc., - Maryhaven’s Addiction Stabilization Center- Maryhaven is Central Ohio’s oldest and most comprehensive treatment center. In collaboration with the ADAMH Board of Franklin County, Maryhaven will open a 50-60 bed treatment facility on the south side of Columbus. The center will include admission and triage, detoxification treatment, and high-intensity long-term residential services.

Total Project Cost: $1,585,000 8) CAPA- Renovations of the Palace Amount Granted: $125,000 Theatre- The requested amount will support 4) Alvis, Inc. - Opiate Addiction Treatment renovations at the Palace Theatre, located Center – To build a 54,000 square foot in the heart of downtown Columbus.

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Continued on Page 24

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build 8 new 8-bed resident homes and reduce each of their 104 bed facilities by 32 beds by 2025. This project request is for roof/roof structures and HVAC systems for 2 resident homes, and ceiling lifts.

Total Project Cost: $12,400,000 Amount Granted: $350,000 12) North Market Development AuthorityMarket Tower Grand Atrium – Market Tower will include a 35-story structure attached to the existing North Market building by a two-story Grand Arcade designated as a public space. The capitol request will be used for construction of the Grand Arcade, Senator Charleta B. Tavares speaks at the Commission on Minority Health’s a public space. The space will operate as Minority Month Kick-Off event at the Verne Riffe Center. public gathering space, a venue for reserved events, weekend farmers markets, with the potential for small musical performances, art Rep. Stephanie Howse (D-Cleve.), Senator at www.ohiochannel.org (specific House and installations, and other value-added uses.

Charleta B. Tavares (D-Cols.), Reps. Senate sessions and committee hearings can Total Project Cost: $115,000,000 Emilia Sykes (D-Akron) and Hearcel Craig be searched in the video archives).

Amount Granted: $1,000,000 (D-Cols.) recognized the 31st Anniversary of If you would like to receive updated 13) Smart Columbus-Smart Columbus Minority Health Month at the 2018 Kick-off information on the Ohio General Assembly Experience Center- Smart Columbus aims held at the Vern Riffe Center in downtown and policy initiatives introduced, call or to establish a headquarter location for its Columbus. The Ohio Commission on email my office at 614.466.5131 or tavares@ effort in the heart of downtown Columbus Minority Health, founded by then state ohiosenate.com to receive the Tavares to educate residents and students as well Representative and former state Senator Ray Times News monthly legislative newsletter. as communities around the world about Miller, Jr., is the first independent agency The committee schedules, full membership the future of transportation, and more in the country established to address health rosters and contact information for the Ohio specifically electric vehicles (EVs). This disparities. April is Minority Health Month House and Senate can be found at: www. dynamic location will include emphasis and this year’s theme is Partnering for Health ohiohouse.gov and www.ohiosenate.gov on EVs, Smart Mobility and Smart City Equity Minority Health Month was created respectively. educational exhibit, office headquarters, and in 1989 to be a 30-day, high visibility, health promotion and disease prevention campaign. Sen. Charleta B. Tavares, D-Columbus, meeting space.

To find the Minority Health Month events in is proud to serve and represent the 15th Total Project Cost: $2,242,800 your community in Ohio go to: http://www. District, including the historic neighborhoods Amount Granted: $500,000 of Columbus and the cities of Bexley and mih.ohio.gov/ Grandview Heights in the Ohio Senate. She Tavares and The Ohio Legislative Black serves as the Ohio Senate Assistant Minority Caucus Celebrate the Kick-Off of Minority Additional Contacts Leader and the vice-chair of the Finance – Health Month UPDATE: The Ohio General Assembly Health and Medicaid Subcommittee; Ranking sessions and the House and Senate Member of the Senate Transportation, Labor Members of the Ohio Legislative Black Finance Committees are televised live on & Workforce and Health, Human Services Caucus (OLBC) including OLBC President, WOSU/WPBO and replays can be viewed and Medicaid Committees.

BREAKING OUT OF BINARIES

By Malini Srikrishna As a relative newcomer to domestic politics in the United States, I still see myself as having an outsider’s view. The desensitization of society through dog whistle politics and bipartisanship that prevails in this country has not yet engulfed me. Dog whistle politics refers to political messaging that uses coded language to appear to be saying one thing, but actually has further meaning to a targeted subgroup. It is visibly amplified by the media. An example that always comes to mind is the constant emphasis during the 2008 elections by Republicans on President Obama’s middle name. For some reason, they threw in Barack Hussein Obama as if it was a slur whenever they could. But, no one knows Mitt Romney’s middle name Sydney. To the conservative voter base, this reinforcement of an Arabic or foreign name was intended to be a reminder of President Obama’s otherness.

After three years of living in this country, I can still see what the Republicans are playing

at. It might not be long before I’m exhausted from calling out their tactics and they start to fool me too. American politics has entirely been occupied, framed and thus corrupted by a patriarchal white supremacist capitalist hegemony that only allows for political issues when they control the narrative.

American public discourse is trapped within loaded binaries like “pro-choice” and “prolife” or “liberal” and “conservative”. They are a creation of the Republican party and are what keep the political scales tipped in their favor. The issues that oppose their agenda but have passed into law remain under threat. The public is left in fear that relatively new freedoms for many can be contested and struck down. Take the most common examples of Republicans resisting and continuing to threaten equal marriage and abortion. Their grip over both these spheres reflecting different modes of power and control that they wish to possess. While Democrats have understood Roe v. Wade and Obergefell v. Hodges as victories for the collective and therefore want to hold onto them, the sad truth is that even these

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decisions wouldn’t have been possible unless they were victories for whiteness. A victory for whiteness, unlike a victory for blackness, is not one that is for all.

The issues of extending marriage beyond heterosexual couples and providing women with autonomy over their bodies were framed

by Republicans as “partisan”, one of the many buzz words that plague American political discourse. Let us examine both matters bluntly. If equal marriage or more aptly “gay marriage” did not preserve the hegemonic capitalism, whiteness, patriarchy, and heteronormativity of marriage it would not have passed. But, it did, allowing two white males to pass on their legacy to their progeny within the confines of a system that now accommodated them. It was not liberating for transgender women of color who reside at the bottom of the social food chain, or even LGBTQ+ people of color in general. Yet, it is still considered a win by American liberals.

This brings to mind how white women getting Continued on Page 25

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voting rights in 1920 is often confused with women getting voting rights in America, as if their black sisters received equal entitlements.

On the other hand, the fight against abortion is representative of the Republican Party assuring their adherents of their continued control over women’s bodies. It has been especially to preserve the wombs of white women. This can be deduced by looking at the histories of forced sterilization of black and Latina women in the United States. The argument that it is because they are “pro-life” or somehow exceptionally value life itself seems too convenient. However, all that seems to matter is that the binary is framed in a manner to imply “pro-choice” means one does not value life.

To those who call themselves “pro-life” because they believe that protecting a fertilized egg in a white woman’s body is the same as preserving life itself, what about the lives of so many children who are brought up in a foster care system that psychologically and physically abuses and twists them, many of whom are directly as a result of women being unable to make her own choice? What about the lives of all the children turned away by the United States when asking for refuge and as a result left to die in wars started

by Big Brother? What about the black and brown boys who are being shot down on the streets like they’re nothing? Are they less valuable than unborn white babies? These questions are dismissed as unrelated and even befuddling to someone who calls themselves “pro-life”, making my dilemma apparent.

We are all enablers of such one-sided conversations that make American politics impossible to navigate or change.

protected too often simply the color of their skin. This is not politics. Politics is how we solve society’s problems. “Politicizing” is a term I’ve heard being thrown around and misused lot lately. It should mean bringing an important issue that needs to be urgently solved to the attention of people, particularly those in power. Instead, the Republicans have used “politicizing” as a buzz word for “dividing” as a means to protect themselves from talking about issues they seem to know they should feel morally compelled by.

We cannot simply let people with power and privilege change the innate meaning of words and nature of facts. Instead, we must challenge them relentlessly, knowing that others have done the same before us with a lot more to lose. A recent example of this is the mission statement for the March For Our Lives which reads: “School safety is not a political issue. There cannot be two sides to doing everything in our power to ensure the lives and futures of children who are at risk of dying when they should be learning, playing, and growing.” Saying it is not a political issue is a concession feeds into how Republicans define the field of politics. This, coupled with false dichotomies, are what hold us back from progress.

dating to 1776, it baffles me what culture and way of life they are trying to conserve.

This nation was founded on the principles of capitalism and slavery, with its esteemed founding fathers consisting of slave owning rapists. Since outlawing slavery, America has always found a way to recreate and redesign systems that allow for the majority whites to profit from the oppression and ownership of people of color. Be it mass incarceration, labor and sex trafficking, and the racialization of domestic and agricultural work. Every decade before the current one is a time that was significantly worse for people of color.

There is no such thing as good old days in the history of America.

What can be understood as significant in American history is the unique production of black literature and art born out of oppression. From Fredrick Douglass, W.E.B Du Bois, to Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, American progression of thought should have resonated theirs. However, there exists a vacuum in perspectives beyond capitalism within institutions. This reinforces a general emphasis on economic growth over society and morality itself. It seems to boil down to the failure of our classrooms to promote engaged and inclusive scholarship. To tackle this problem, it must be acknowledged. In our education system as we know it, students are being educated on how to succeed in a capitalist society that thrives on inequality.

Rather, they must be taught to be good, aware, prepared and productive members of society. For this, the truth must be at the essence of reforming and dismantling power structures built on its antonym.

While discussing the problems that plague this country, we must be able to have honest and open conversations with no stone left unturned. The root of America’s problems will always reveal itself to be in its unresolved history. When I claim to be a conservative in my home country, India, it is because I hope to conserve an ancient culture that was distorted, raped and ravaged For too long, we have lived in a society by European imperialism in the past few Malini Srikrishna is an OSU Intern with the where we have been forced to skirt issues to centuries. However, when one claims to be Columbus & Dayton African American news be sensitive to the feelings of those that are a conservative in America, a country only journal.

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The Columbus & Dayton African American • April 2018

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TIME FOR A CHANGE:

MICHAEL COLE FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE The 2018 primary election is May 8th and change on the horizon.

Michael Cole, a Democrat, longtime activist and vice president of the Columbus City Schools Board of Education is running for State Representative of the 26th House District.

This district is a microcosm of what is happening in Columbus and across the nation. There are pockets of prosperity and growth. However, there are also areas of poverty with food deserts and unsafe blighted neighborhoods.

“I see what is happening, and I understand how legislative decisions affect change both positively and negatively,” said Cole. “I have a forever forward mind-set focused on long-term gains for Central Ohio. Our folks need a person that knows the community and policy.”

Cole touts common sense approaches to public policy to get things done in the Statehouse. He believes the key to success in Ohio’s 26th House District is to legislatively remove barriers and increase opportunities for growth.

“One of the things we need to is to introduce a new education funding model that appropriately funds public schools without total reliance on property taxes,” said Cole.

Cole believes in order to create stability in our classrooms for students and teachers, the state “We need our work to focus on strengthening needs to ensure that a fair consistent model people and institutions like public education, for curriculum and measuring academic healthcare, employment pathways to good- growth. paying jobs, investment in neighborhood safety and affordable housing through local “We cannot keep changing the system in the middle of the school year and leave staff and government funding.” parents in a constant state of limbo,” said He calls his “Forever Forward” plan the Cole. people’s platform for long-term success. He wants to direct his attention to education, As a parent of two Columbus City Schools students and a school board member, Cole employment, healthcare and housing. has a unique perspective on meeting the needs On the issue of education, Cole has been of students, parents, staff and community. He quite vocal about everything from school has worked to strengthen student achievement funding to Columbus City Schools stalled and employee performance with common hiring process for a new Superintendent. sense policies that foster collaboration, When asked about the search process he broader communication, and accountability stated, “ I believe that our process was above- but believes there is more work to be done. board and as transparent to the public as the “I serve in an incredibly diverse district. Just law allows.” like our community, we have areas or wealth, The Ohio School Boards Association poverty, and tremendous opportunities for growth,” said Cole. supported that claim in a recent statement.

“The process used by the Columbus City Pathways to Prosperity School board is not unique to the district, and is used by many of our members to narrow Job growth in Southeast Columbus is stagnant. Major investment from large their lists of candidates.” corporations and the City has eluded the area.

Earlier this year, Columbus City Schools announced a budget deficient and resulted “We must increase opportunities for small in more than 60 cuts to District staff. The and minority businesses,” said Cole. “This shortfall largely resulted from cuts to state will preserve the character and restore pride funding that represented a $40 million in the community.” reduction to the general fund.

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Funding and support for community-based programs and organizations that provide training for careers in the trades for youth and adults is another avenue Cole seeks to explore.

“I would like to create “investment zones” in blighted neighborhoods to help spawn mixed home ownership and local business,” Cole continued.

Safe Neighborhoods Public safety and police-community relations is a real concern in the Black community.

This is an issue not lost on Cole.

“As a father, I am on heightened alert for my son. We need to reinvest funding to local governments to strengthen safety in neighborhoods with well-trained and culturally competent first responders,” said Cole.

Work in the Community Michael Cole has been in the trenches for the residents of Columbus for over a decade.

His work in public service began on the west side of Columbus where he lived for 10 years, serving the community as an area commissioner.

“I have and continue to work hard for the city I believe in. I have not only invested my time, my dollars and sweat equity, I have invested my most valuable resource – my family into Columbus since the first day I moved here.”

In 2011, he worked statewide on Senate Bill 5 protecting collective bargaining rights for public-employee unions.

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“I will never stop working for my family Within the first five years of calling which is this community. I want to work to Columbus home, Cole immersed himself inspire the next greatest generation.” in the community starting as a Greater Hilltop area commissioner focused on Michael Cole is a Cleveland native. He neighborhood zoning, health and safety. graduated from The Ohio State University He later became Chair of Ohio Dominican with a bachelor’s in international studies University’s Village to Child Advisory Board and a minor in political science and French. to strengthen educational and safe afterHe also holds a master’s degree in strategic school opportunities for children. A staunch communication and leadership from Seton advocate for families, he joined the boards of Hall University and has lived in Columbus Homes on the Hill CDC to address affordable for 18 years. housing and Columbus Area Integrated Health Services to deal with mental health “We fell in love with this City and continued and addiction. growing our family here,” said Cole of he and his wife. “When I decided to set roots “In service, I believe in getting to the marrow here, and knew I had to get involved with this of what is plaguing our neighborhoods. We community.”

must understand the issues and get in the trenches to meet people where they need us most,” said Cole.

“Only then we can work together to craft policy that addresses immediate concerns but also accounts for the residual effects that cause physical, emotional and financial decline.”

Election Day is Tuesday, May 8, 2018 from 6:30 AM - 7:30 PM. For a listing of polling locations, visit the Franklin County Board of Elections website at www.Vote.

FranklinCountyOhio.gov or call 614-5253100.

The honorable Tracy Maxwell heard . . . . . . . endorses deMocraT . . . . . . .

MiChAEl COlE For sTaTe represenTaTive “I am supporting DEMOCRAT MiChAEl COlE for State Representative because he is a proven leader, dedicated to the priorities of his constituents and a driven problem solver.

That’s what people are looking for -- hard-working, effective representation.”

- Former State Representative Tracy Maxwell Heard

MAy 8, 2018

VoTe expeRIenced democRaTIc leadeRShIp o h I o 26T h h o u S e d I S T R I c T

Paid for by Friends of Michael D. Cole Committee

The Columbus African American News Journal • February 2015

w w w. CO l E 4 O h i O. CO M

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The Columbus & Dayton African American • April 2018

Board of Commissioners

hr-boc.franklincountyohio.gov/job-openings/

Franklin County employees help Central Ohio thrive Local government employees contribute to the community while being a part of a dynamic, fair and flexible environment.

Visit our website today to see how you can make a difference!

KEVIN L. BOYCE The Columbus & Dayton African American • April 2018

MARILYN BROWN 28

JOHN O’GRADY

The Columbus African American News Journal • February 2015

By Ray Miller Sociopsychonomics - How Social Classes Think, Act, And Behave Financially In The Twenty First Century

The Deepest Well - Healing the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Adversity

By Nadine Burke Harris, M.D.

By Lawrence Funderburke

Dr. Nadine Burke Harris was already known as a crusading physician delivering targeted care to vulnerable children. But it was Diego - a boy who had stopped growing after a sexual trauma - who galvanized her to dig deeper into the connection between toxic stress and the lifelong illness she was tracking among so many of her patients and their families. A survey of more than 17,000 adult patients and their “adverse childhood experiences,” like divorce, substance abuse, or neglect, had proved that the higher their experience, the worse their health - which led her to an astonishing breakthrough. Childhood stress changes our neural systems and lasts a lifetime. The Deepest Well is for anyone who faced a difficult childhood, or who cares about the millions of children who do.

From growing up in poverty in Central Ohio’s most dangerous housing project to becoming one of the nation’s top high school basketball prospects and dean’s list scholar-athlete at The Ohio State University to reaching the pinnacle of success in the NBA, Lawrence Funderburke is a man on a mission to help bridge the growing wealth gap in America.

In his new book, he chronicles how people across the socioeconomic spectrum approach the value and necessity of sound financial planning and wealth building based on shared mindsets, habits, and life experiences that exemplify their representative social class.

Bunk: The Rise of Hoaxes, Humbug, Plagiarists, Phonies, Post-Facts, and Fake News

By Kevin Young

Book of Hours

By Kevin Young A decade after the sudden and tragizc loss of his father, we witness the unfolding of grief. Kevin Young acknowledges, even celebrates, life’s passages, his loss transformed and tempered in a sequence about the birth of his son: in “Crowning,” he delivers what is surely one of the most powerful birth poems written by a man, describing “her face/full of fire, then groaning your face/out like a flower, blood-bloom/crocused into air.” Ending this book of both birth and grief, the gorgeous title sequence brings acceptance, asking “What good/are wishes if they aren’t/used up?” while understanding “How to listen/to what’s gone.” Young’s frank music speaks directly to the reader in these elemental poems, reminding us that the right words can both comfort us and enlarge our understanding of life’s mysteries.

Award-winning poet and critic Kevin Young tours us through a rogue’s gallery of hoaxers, plagiarists, forgers, and fakers from the humbug of P.T. Barnum and Edgar Allan Poe to the unrepentant bunk of JT LeRoy and Donald J. Trump. Bunk traces the history of the hoax as a peculiary American phenomenon, examining what motivates hucksters and makes the rest of us so gullible. Disburbingly, Young finds that fakery is woven from stereotype and suspicion, race being the most insidious American hoax of all. In this brilliant and timely work, Young asks what it means to live in a post-factual work of “truthiness” where everything is up for interpretation and everyone is subject to pervasive cynicism that damages our ideas of reality, fact, and art.

Healing our Divided Society Investing in America Fifty Years after the Kerner Report

By Fred Harris and Alan Curtis

Working The Roots - Over 400 Years of Traditional African American Healing

By Michelle Elizabeth Lee

In 1968, the Kerner Commission concluded that America was heading toward “two societies, one black, one white - separate and unequal,” Today, America’s communities are experiencing increasing racial tensions and inequality, working-class resentment over the unfulfilled American Dream, white supremacy violence, toxic inaction in Washington, and the decline of the nation’s example around the world. In Healing Our Divided Society, Fred Harris, the last surviving member of the Kerner Commissioin, along with Alan Curtis, re-examine fifty years later the work still necessary towards the goals set forth in The Kerner Report. Reflecting on America’s urban climate today, this new report sets forth evidence-based policies concerning employment, education, housing, neighborhood development, and criminal justice based on what has been proven to work - and not work.

African American traditional medicine is an American classic that emerged out of the necessity of its people to survive. It began with the healing knowledge brought with the African captives on the slave ships and later merged with Native American, European and other healing traditions to become a full-fledged body of medicinal practices that has lasted in various forms down to the present day.

Working the Roots - is the result of first-had interviews, conversations, and apprenticeships conducted and experienced by author Michele E. Lee over several years of living and studying in the rural South and in the West Coast regions of the US. Divided between sections on interviews of healers and their stories and a comprehensive collection of African American medicines, remedies, this book is a valuable addition to African American history.

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William L. Hawkins, Tasmanian Tiger #3, (detail) 1989. Enamel and mixed media construction on Masonite.

Collection of the McLaughlin Family. Courtesy Ricco/Maresca Gallery New York.

WILLIAM L. HAWKINS

AN IMAGINATIVE GEOGRAPHY On View 2.15.18 – 5.20.18

This exhibition was organized by the Figge Art Museum, Davenport, Iowa.

The Columbus African & Dayton African American • April 2018 American News Journal • February 2015

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BUSINESS ARE YOU USING YOUR TELEHEALTH SERVICES?

By Cecil Jones, MBA Have you received a letter or email describing how you can access your health, medical and prescription records via the web? Do you look at (or receive reminders of) your medical appointments online? Can you schedule (or cancel) an appointment with your doctor via the web? If you can, you are using telehealth services.

Many health insurance programs are now including telehealth services as part of your insurance package, without an additional charge.

These services can include: talking with a health professional at any time (24 x 7). This can be helpful in helping you make decisions on whether to seek over the counter medicine, go to Urgent Care, go to the emergency room For example, when a nurse, doctor or other health professional accesses your health or pursue some other action. records in these system, they must enter Have you ever wanted to send your doctor their userid and password. Each access is a basic question or let them know how you logged. You have the right to know whom are feeling? In some health systems, almost has accessed your health information, if you any question requires scheduling and paying want that information. for an appointment. A feature included today in some telehealth systems is your ability Know that HIPPA mandates that a provider to send a secure, protected email with basic cannot deny you a copy of your records questions to your health professional. The because you have not paid for the services email is inside of the health providers site. you have received.

That is more secure than the free email sites that are available. These systems also include Groups working on Telehealth Solutions a service level agreement that states within how many days the health professional must I am communicating with a group of AfricanAmerican technology, health and data reply to your message. analytics professionals that I met through You can access, and if you like, print your www.bdpa.org (known as BDPA). BDPA has medical records, whenever you like. You can chapters in Dayton, Columbus, Cleveland, see which prescriptions your doctors have Cincinnati and Toledo in Ohio. They have prescribed for you. This may help to ensure chapters in most of the major cities in the U.S. the medicines are not interfering with each The group with which I met are developing a other. A feature like this also records your holistic telehealth service and bring the next doctors’ recommendations and test results. set of features to market soon.

The test results and an easy to understand There are more telehealth services and interpretation of the test results (not just the features that we all will see, as this year moves along. If you have expertise in the test numbers) are provided. telehealth area, please let me know. Contact If these telehealth features sound good to information is at the end of this article. you and your health system does not provide them, mention it to them. Their competitor health systems either have rolled or will roll What Additional Information Is Available? out these features shortly.

There are other sites and sources that are available for to further understand your use HIPAA of technology to help you have better health.

Telehealth systems help to get you more of A few websites are: the information and abilities that HIPAA provides. The Health Insurance Portability D i s c u s s i o n o f f e a t u r e s a v a i l a b l e i n and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) telehealth and telemedicine: The site https:// gives you rights over your health information, mhealthintelligence.com/features/is-thereincluding the right to get a copy of your a-difference-between-telemedicine-andinformation, make sure it is correct, and know telehealth describes these health support who has seen it (https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/ features. for-individuals/medical-records/index.html). Organization focused on health services

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and cost in Ohio: Ohio Telehealth Initiative (OTI) - A non-profit organization with the mission to promote telehealth and telehealth solutions in Ohio. They say they want to reduce the cost of health care in Ohio. The site http://ohiotelehealthinitiative.org/aboutoti/ contains their information.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/forindividuals/medical-records/index.html What new devices and technology are you using?

Help Us to Help You The purpose of this column is to provide useful information and knowledge that you can use, today. If you have a technology question (how to get something done, what business, process or software solution might be available for your situation, how to secure that technology position, etc.), please email the question or comment to the email address Admin@Accelerationservices.net for a quick response.

People, Process and Technology Are you looking for a technology networking group to help you get smarter? What new technology or process have you learned this month? Need advice on how to look for that technology position? Are you considering technology education (courses, certificates or degrees) and need information? Do you have a business, process, project management, personnel or technology question? Please let me know.

Cecil Jones MBA, ABD, PMP, CCP, SCPM, FLMI, Lean Professional admin@accelerationservices.net www.accelerationservices.net

The Columbus & Dayton African American • April 2018

RESTORE THE 40-HOUR WORKWEEK:

REFORM NEEDED SO OHIOANS RECEIVE THE OVERTIME PAY THEY EARN

Columbus — On April 3, 2018, Policy Matters Researcher Hannah Halbert joined State Representatives Brigid Kelly and Kent Smith to call for revamped overtime pay rules. The Center for American Progress Action Fund, the Economic Policy Institute, For Ohio’s Future Action Fund, Innovation Ohio, Policy Matters Ohio and ProgressOhio sponsored the event. Halbert’s remarks are below.

In 1975, overtime laws protected more than 60 percent of America’s salaried workers from being asked to work more than 40 hours a week without compensation. Today, they cover only 7 percent of full-time salaried workers nationally, and 7.8 percent in Ohio.

Even as inflation drove up the cost of living over the years, lawmakers haven’t updated the overtime threshold of $23,660 since 2004.

Today the threshold is lower than the poverty level for a family of four.

The Department of Labor set out new rules in 2016 in order to restore some of this lost protection, particularly for modestly-paid workers who lack bargaining power. Ohioans need overtime laws that reflect the realities of today’s labor market. Last year, the Trump Department of Labor worked to block the rules from taking effect, letting down working people. We need state lawmakers to step up to the plate.

Many of Ohio’s other 92.2 percent of fulltime salaried workers who are ineligible for overtime can’t push back when employers make them work late into the night or on weekends, without paying them extra.

Managers in retail and in restaurants can work well over 40 hours, and never trigger overtime protection because their salary is slightly over the current pay threshold of $23,660. This means a mom can work a 50- or 60-hour work week and still live in poverty, earning a little as $455 per week.

She would have no right to be paid for her extra hours.

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Reform is needed and overdue. In our recent report, A New Way Forward: 10 Policies to Support Ohio’s Working People, we called on policymakers to restore the 40-hour work week by bringing the pay threshold in line with the realities of today’s labor market. The Department of Labor attempted to do this by increasing the salary threshold to $47,476, an amount still below what it would have been had it kept up with inflation since 1975.

This change would have helped millions of workers, including 351,000 Ohioans, reestablish overtime coverage, but the Trump administration killed the new threshold and is likely to impose a much lower standard or no change at all. Had the Trump administration allowed the rule to take effect in October, Ohio workers would have received more than $18 million in wages just through the end of March. Every week that passes without action adds another $866,234 to that total.

People working 40-plus hours a week should not have to worry about putting food on the table. For too long, state and federal policies have slowly chipped away at that sense of security. Ohio policymakers can restore this basic protection by passing state legislation to raise the threshold to $47,476.

Policy Matters Ohio is a non-profit policy research institute that creates a more vibrant, equitable, sustainable and inclusive Ohio through research, strategic communications, coalition building and policy advocacy. For more information visit their website at www.

PolicyMattersOhio.org.

The Columbus African American News Journal • February 2015

HISTORY REV. MARTIN LUTHER KING, SR. & ALBERTA KING:

THE PARENTS OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT

By Rodney Blount, Jr., MA April 4, 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the assassination of the beloved Martin Luther King, Jr., the leader of the Civil Rights Movement, at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. Historians, civil rights leaders, politicians, religious leaders, and family members of Martin L. King, Jr. will be among the multitudes of people who will commemorate this important date across the world. When I think about Martin L. King, Jr., I think about his contributions to African Americans, minorities and the entire nation.

However, I also think of Martin L. King, Jr. as the embodiment of the Civil Rights movement and representation of the Civil Rights leaders and local heroes who put their lives on the line for the rights that we enjoy today. We have countless heroes and heroines who were actively involved in the Civil Rights Movement, but we know little or nothing about them. Two unsung heroes that are rarely discussed, but who impacted the world through the birth of their son are Rev. Martin Luther King, Sr. and Alberta King. The Kings would mold Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. into a formidable leader by their example and encouragement. The Kings were very active in their community and were role models.

Martin Luther King Sr. was born Michael King in Stockbridge, Georgia, on Dc. 19, 1899. The eldest son of James and Delia King, King, Sr. attended school from three to five months a year at the Stockbridge Colored School. ‘‘We had no books, no materials to write with, and no blackboard,’’ he wrote, ‘‘But I loved going.’’ King experienced a number of horrific events while growing up in the rural South, including witnessing the lynching of a black man. His mother took the children to Floyd Chapel Baptist Church to ‘‘ease the harsh tone of farm life’’ according to King. Michael grew to respect the few black preachers who were willing to speak out against racial injustices, despite the risk of violent white retaliation.

In 1918, he moved to Atlanta where his sister Woodie was boarding with Reverend A.D. Williams, then pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church. He attended Dillard University for a two-year degree. After King started dating Williams’ daughter, Alberta, her family, especially Rev. Williams, encouraged him to finish his education and to become a preacher. King completed his high school education at Bryant Preparatory School, and began to preach in several black churches in Atlanta. King earned a theology degree from

Morehouse College and married Williams’ eldest daughter, Alberta. They had three children; Willie Christine in 1927, Michael Luther, Jr. in 1929, and Alfred Daniel Williams in 1930.

In 1931, King succeeded his father-in-law as pastor of Ebenezer. King Sr. led efforts to register African American voters and to equalize the pay of African American teachers. Inspired by a visit to Germany with the World Baptist Alliance, he changed his and his son’s name to Martin Luther in honor of the Protestant reformer. His calling was summed up in his affirmation, ‘‘The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor.… In this we find we are to do something about the brokenhearted, poor, unemployed, the captive, the blind, and the bruised.’’

King, Sr. expressed his views about ‘‘the ridiculous nature of segregation in the South.”

King, Jr. remembered witnessing his father standing up to a policeman who stopped the elder King for a traffic violation and referred to him as a ‘‘boy.’’ According to King, Jr., his indignant father responded by pointing to his son and asserting: ‘‘This is a boy.

I’m a man, and until you call me one, I will not listen to you.’’ The shocked policeman ‘‘wrote the ticket up nervously, and left the scene as quickly as possible’ King Sr., affectionately known as Daddy 33

King, was a mentor to many in the movement.

In 1939, he proposed, to the consent to more cautious clergy and lay leaders, a massive voter registration drive to be initiated by a march to City Hall. At a rally at Ebenezer of more than 1,000 activists, King referred to his own past and urged black people toward greater militancy. ‘‘I ain’t gonna plow no more mules,’’ he shouted. ‘‘I’ll never step off the road again to let white folks pass.”

In Atlanta, King, Sr. not only engaged in personal acts of political dissent, such as riding the ‘‘whites only’’ City Hall elevator to reach the voter registrar’s office, but was also a local leader of organizations such as the Atlanta Civic and Political League, the National Baptist Association, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), a 33rd Degree Prince Hall Mason, and served on the boards of Atlanta University and Morehouse College.

He survived his wife, sons, Martin and A. D., preacher and civil rights activist, who drowned in 1969; and Martin Jr., on whose behalf he accepted numerous awards before his own death on November 11, 1984.

Alberta Christine Williams King, the daughter of Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church pastor A. D. Williams and Jennie

Continued on Page 36

The Columbus & DaytonNews African American • April 2015 2018 The Columbus African American Journal • February

HISTORY

Continued from Page 35

Celeste Williams, was born on September 13, 1904 in Atlanta. Alberta Williams graduated from high school at the Spelman Seminary, and earned a teaching certificate at the Hampton Normal and Industrial Institute (now Hampton University) in 1924. Williams was the wife of Martin Luther King Sr. and the mother of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Her relationship with her son Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., made an impeccable impact on his leadership skills, self-respect and strength to move forward in the fight for equality during the Civil Rights Movement. Trained as a teacher, she was not allowed by the local school board to teach as a married woman.

She founded the Ebenezer Baptist Church choir and served as church organist for nearly 40 years. She was active in the YMCA, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF). Alberta King was assassinated on June 30, 1974, as she played the organ during a Sunday service at Ebenezer. The Kings are interred in South View Cemetery in Atlanta.

Martin L. King, Sr. and Alberta King had an enormous impact on Martin L. King, Jr.’s

life. In his 1950 essay An Autobiography of Religious Development, King Jr. wrote that his father was a major influence on his entering the ministry. He said, “I guess the influence of my father also had a great deal to do with my going in the ministry. This is not to say that he ever spoke to me in terms of being a minister, but that my admiration for him was the great moving factor; He set forth a noble example that I didn’t mind following.” King noted that his mother was the “best mother in the world,” and would repeatedly acknowledged her credit for installing his morals and values. King has also stated that his mother was an important “behind the scene setting forth those motherly cares, the lack of which leaves a missing link

The Columbus & Dayton African American • April 2018

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in life.” However, they were not only parents of a renowned son, but they had their own stories to tell and lived full lives. King Sr. had been a Civil Rights Leader for over 50 years and Alberta King was also an active participant in her community and in the Civil Rights Movement. Please take the time to learn more about these two unsung heroes.

Works Cited King, Sr. Martin L. “An Autobiography of Religious Development’’ http://kingencyclopedia.stanford.edu/ encyclopedia/encyclopedia/enc_king_ martin_luther_michael_sr_1897_1984/ http://www.thekingcenter.org/archive/ theme/2769 wikipedia.org http://kingencyclopedia.stanford.edu/ encyclopedia/encyclopedia/enc_king_ alberta_williams_1903_1974/ h t t p s : / / w w w. h e r c a m p u s . c o m / s c h o o l / hampton-u/mother-justice-alberta-williamsking Rodney Blount is an Educator and Historian.

He received two Bachelor of Arts degrees from Ball State University and a Masters of Arts degree from The Ohio State University. His work has been featured in several publications. Rodney is a native of Columbus, Ohio and is a member of several organizations.

The Columbus African American News Journal • February 2015

HISTORY

REMEMBERING DR. KING

By Marian Wright Edelman I first heard Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speak in person on April 19, 1960 at Spelman College’s Sisters Chapel during my senior year in college. Dr. King was just 31 but he had already gained a national reputation during the successful Montgomery Bus Boycott five years earlier. The profound impact on me of hearing Dr. King that first time is evident in my diary where I repeated long portions of his speech that had vibrated the chords of my freedom- and justice-hungry soul. It is not often that great leaders and great turning points in history converge and sweep us up in a movement.

Dr. King became a mentor and friend.

Many children today have come to see him as a history book hero – a larger-than-life, mythical figure. But it’s crucial for them to understand Dr. King wasn’t a superhuman with magical powers, but a real person – just like all the other ministers, parents, teachers, neighbors, and other familiar adults in their lives today. Although I do remember him as a great leader and a hero, I also remember him as someone able to admit how often he was afraid and unsure about his next step. But faith prevailed over fear, uncertainty, fatigue, and sometimes depression. It was his human vulnerability and ability to rise above it that I most remember. “If I Can Help Somebody Along the Way” was his favorite song.

Dr. King’s greatness lay in his willingness to struggle to hear and see the truth; to not give into fear, uncertainty and despair; to continue to grow and to never lose hope, despite every discouragement from his government and even his closest friends and advisers. He would say: “Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” That first time I heard him at Spelman he told us to always keep going: “If you cannot fly, run; if you cannot run, walk; if you cannot walk, crawl. But keep moving.

Keep moving forward.”

Ten years ago I wrote a letter to Dr. King in my book The Sea Is So Wide and My Boat Is So Small: Charting a Course for the Next Generation. I rewrite just a small part of it here: Although you have been gone fifty years, you are with me every day. We have made much but far from enough progress in overcoming the tenacious national demons of racism, poverty, materialism, and militarism you repeatedly warned could destroy America and all of God’s creation. So I wanted to write you a letter on what we have done and still have to do to realize your and America’s dream. What a privilege it was to know, work with, and learn from you in the struggle to end racial segregation, discrimination, and poverty in our land.

Just as many Old and New Testament prophets in the Bible were rejected, scorned, and dishonored in their own land in their

times, so were you by many when you walked among us. Now that you are dead, many Americans remember you warmly but have sanitized and trivialized your message and life. They remember Dr. King the great orator but not Dr. King the disturber of unjust peace. They applaud the Dr. King who opposed violence but not the Dr. King who called for massive nonviolent demonstrations to end war and poverty in our national and world house.

They applaud your great 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech but ignore the promissory note still bouncing at America’s bank of justice, waiting to be cashed by millions who are poor and non-White. And they forget your repeated nightmares: the deaths of the four little girls in the Birmingham church and of three young civil rights workers in Mississippi’s Freedom Summer and others across the South; the cries for Black Power begun during James Meredith’s March Against Fear that you and others completed after he was shot; the growing violence in urban ghettos in southern and northern cities; the horrible, relentless violations of your human rights by FBI director J. Edgar Hoover; the storm of criticism that greeted your opposition to the Vietnam War, which you saw was stealing the hopes and lives of the poor at home and in that poor country; the outbreak of violence in a Memphis march you led in support of garbage workers; and the resistance to your call for a Poor People’s Campaign to end the poverty then afflicting 25.4 million Americans, including 11 million children. We now have more than 40 million people who are poor in America including more than 13.2 million children although our gross domestic product (GDP) is more than three times larger than in 1968. And the income gap between rich and poor in the United States continues at historically high levels and higher than in every other wealthy industrialized nation.

But you struggled on as the civil rights leadership splintered, as White Americans tired of Black demands, and as the country became preoccupied with Vietnam. I marveled every night during the long Meredith March from Memphis to Jackson 35

at your patient discussions with Stokely Carmichael and Willie Ricks and other SNCC leaders who wanted to exclude Whites from the movement and push you to endorse all necessary means for change, including violence. You listened as they vented their justified frustrations about the slow pace of racial progress and you tried to reason with them, repudiating their proposed “Black Power” slogan and strategies without repudiating them. You taught me and others of your followers how to parse out the good from the not so good, and to always seek common ground. And when you had no immediate solution you gave others the courtesy of a respectful hearing.

In the years between Montgomery and Memphis, you listened, learned, grew, and spoke the truth about what you discerned, and resisted those who sought to ghettoize your concern for social justice and peace.

After your opposition to the Vietnam War provoked a firestorm of criticism by Whites, Blacks, friends, and foes, you correctly asserted that “nothing in the commandments you believed in set any national boundaries around the neighbors you were called to love.” Black people told you to be quiet, not anger President Johnson and jeopardize his support for civil rights and antipoverty efforts. White people told you to be quiet because you were not an expert on foreign policy, as if Black leaders and citizens had no stake in a war tearing our nation apart and taking disproportionate numbers of Black children’s lives, forgetting it was the “experts” that got us into this ill-fated war in the first place. Some contributors deserted you as you called not only for an end to the Vietnam War but for a fairer distribution of our country’s vast resources between the rich and the poor. Why, they asked, were you pushing the nation to do more on the tail of the greatest civil rights strides ever and challenging a president who already had declared a war on poverty? You understood that our nation’s ills went deeper.

You blessed America with your rich faith, spiritual traditions, and prophetic preaching.

You gave us your deep and abiding love and lifelong commitment to nonviolence. You shared your moral clarity and courageous truth telling. You left us your unrelenting commitment to justice for the poor and every one of God’s children. You showed us the way through your example and call for massive nonviolent action in the service of justice and peace. And you gave us your life.

Thank you. We will carry on.

Marian Wright Edelman is President of the Children’s Defense Fund whose Leave No Child Behind® mission is to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities.

For more information go to www. childrensdefense.org.

The Columbus & DaytonNews African American • April 2015 2018 The Columbus African American Journal • February

HISTORY

50 YEARS AFTER DEATH:

WHAT CAN REV. DR KING TEACH US TODAY?

By John A. Powell, PhD This week people all across the world are pausing to acknowledge the incredible life and the tragic death of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I always deliberately include the “Reverend” in his title as we often fail to recognize King’s profound religious and spiritual grounding.

The Rev. Dr. King Jr. was many things, and as we remember him and what he worked for, it may be easy to ignore the complexity and subtlety of his life and his vision. We may be more likely to grab onto some narrow aspect of his legacy and (mis)represent that as a summation of his life and work.

I will not try to fully capture who King was in this short acknowledgement. Maybe what we emphasize in a remembrance of King tells us as much about ourselves as it does about the reverend. There is probably no way to completely avoid this but we can get a little closer to King’s wisdom and insights by reading, listening to King, and discussing him with others. Now is a great time to engage in this effort.

It’s been 50 years since his death, so one question will inevitably be, “What does King have to teach us today?”

The answer is: a great deal. I will come back to this, but first I will share some of my own impressions of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. King was a visionary, yet he was a pragmatist. He was a man whose life was not just informed but was guided by his faith and religion. And he was a brilliant political agent for change.

King grounded his work in the lives of people’s suffering, especially Black people.

In doing so, he cared and worked for the larger humanity including white people who were adversaries to black humanity and life.

King cared about humanity and evidenced a deep love for people. But he was aware there were institutions and structures that could overwhelm individuals and that these must be challenged. Because of this, he was skeptical of running into a burning house.

He was aware that government was a critical component and that the well-being of people was tied to a functioning government. But he saw the US government as more willing to be responsive to whites than to blacks and other people of color. He believed that we are all interrelated but the relationships needed a radical change.

Some people emphasize that King called for integration and question that idea as not being radical enough. Most of them fail to understand King’s concept of integration is not what our society, or our courts, normally think of as integration. He called for a radical form of integration, both of structures and the heart. King didn’t just call for bringing blacks and whites together. He called for a radical shift in what it means to be white, black, or any other people. He rejected black supplication to whites but also rejected white domination and all other forms of dominance.

He was not interested in simply having blacks and whites trade places. His rejection of dominance meant not only the rejection of racial dominance but of American dominance as well.

King believed in non-violence but was certainly not a pacifist. He wanted change where all people could thrive. Even as he embraced non-violence he was able to engage with people who were fighting oppression through violent means. He refused to equate government violence with violent responses of the marginalized. He understood that war is an extreme form of violence and is not sanitized just because it happens far from our home shores.

As a deep Christian, he engaged with those of Muslim, Buddhist, and other faiths. He was comfortable meeting with presidents, royalty, and gang members. He cared about all people while understanding people were situated very differently in life and in structures.

I could go on. Many of the approaches to our work at the Haas Institute are deeply informed by King. He believed in and practiced what we call targeted universalism.

He was a profound example of using bridging and he refused to exclude anyone from the circle of human concern. King was a man and was certainly not perfect. But this only made him all the more impressive. He was willing to struggle, to grow, and to learn. He was a leader who could listen.

Today, 50 years from the day King was assassinated, we live in a time where hate and fear are celebrated. We live in a time when bullying doesn’t just happen in schools but comes from the White House and other seats of power and is embraced on network news. We live in a time when private greed is held up as a common good. We live in a time when racism is explicit and white dominance is robustly pursued in government policy and right-wing demonstrations. We live in a time

The Columbus African & Dayton African American • April 2018 American News Journal • February 2015

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when ethnic cleansing is being suggested as part of our national census. We live in a time when our democracy has been damaged, possibly broken, and where the winds of hate blow across the globe as the very earth itself is under attack.

And yet there are reasons not to despair.

We also live in a world today where we have young people demanding changes in gun laws, where we have Black Lives Matter advocates continuing to insist that black lives do matter even in the face of hate and continued state violence; where immigrants are dreaming a new dream; where the disabled are demanding health care that benefits all; where Native peoples are reclaiming their voices and speaking for the land.

King reminds us we must pay attention to structures. Unjust laws and rules must be challenged. We must bridge in our own communities. Even in our imperfection we must love and insist upon love. We are interrelated despite our segregation. King not only taught us all this but gave us both a practical and spiritual way forward.

So the question is not if King has anything to teach us today. The question is, “Are we prepared to learn?” We fail at our peril.

Thank you, Rev. Dr. King, and all the King family. You continue to be a great teacher.

John A. Powell is the Director of the Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Society, which brings together researchers and scholars, community partners, strategic communicators, and policymakers to identify and eliminate the barriers to an inclusive, just, and sustainable society and to create transformative change toward a more equitable world. john is a Professor of Law and Professor of African American Studies and Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley and holds the Robert D. Haas Chancellor’s Chair in Equity and Inclusion.

COMMUNITYEVENTS Columbus, Ohio April 7, 2018 Minority Health Month Kick-off Event This is a one day community health education event featuring representatives from the Westside Community Health Advisory Committee, CareSource, OSU, DADDS, Lifeline of Ohio, Nationwide Children’s Hospital and the Office of Minority Health at Columbus Public Health. This event is free and open to the communty.

Location: Columbus Public Health - Auditorium Address: 240 Parsons Ave., 43215 Time: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM Admission: Free Web: www.MIH.Ohio.gov April 13, 2018 Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Awareness Event In celebration of Minority Health Month, Community for New Direction will facilitate an event to educate 11-18 year olds on the harms and dangers of substance abuse and violence. For more information call 614-272-1464.

Location: Community for New Direction Address: 993 E. Main Street, 43205 Time: 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM Admission: Free Web: www.CNDOnline.org April 14, 2018 Health Seminar at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church The Health Ministry of The Friendship Missionary Baptist Church will sponsor a free health seminar. Participants can learn about opiate addiction, treatment and prevention, public assistance, legal documentation, POA-advance directive healthcare, affordable care insurance and much more. There will also be a walkthrough inflatable colon sponsored by the OSU/James Cancer hospital. For more information or to register, call 614-668-9420.

Location: The Friendship Missionary Baptist Church Address: 1775 West Broad St., 43223 Time: 8:00 AM Admission: Free Web: www.FriendshipOhio.com April 22, 2018 North Carolina A&T State University Choir First AME Zion and the North Carolina A&T State University Alumni Association, Inc. will sponsor a special musical concert featuring the NCAT University Choir.

Support this Historically Black University as they share their vocal talents with Columbus. This event is free and open to the community. For more information call 614-252-2184, Location: First AME Zion Church Address: 873 Bryden Rd, 43205 Time: 4:00 PM Admission: Free Web: www.FMEZ.org

The Columbus African American News Journal • February 2015

April 27, 2018 50th Anniversary of Black Protests at OSU The Frank W. Hale Black Cultural Center at The Ohio State University will commemorate the 50th anniversary of protests by black students who helped create positive change. Their efforts led to the creation of the Department of African American and African Studies and an increase in black enrollment within the univeristy.

Keynote speakers are Congresswoman Joyce Beatty and Former State Senator Ray Miller. For more information, call 614-2920074.

Location: Frank W. Hale Black Cultural Center Address: 154 W. 12th Ave, 43210 Time: 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM Admission: Call for tickets Web: www.ODI.OSU.edu/hale-black-cultural-center April 28, 2018 Free Shredding Event Every two seconds someone’s identity is stolen. Shredding confidential documents you no longer need is one good way to protect yourself, and the AARP Fraud Watch Network wants to help. Bring any confidential documents to our Operation Stop Scams event, and we’ll shred them for free. It only takes a few minutes and can save you lots of headaches later on. For more information call 614-222-1507.

Location: Life Church at Easton Address: 5000 Sunbury Road, 43230 Time: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM Admission: Free Web: www.AARP.org/oh April 28, 2018 College Admissions: It’s A Process Mr. Carlos Bing, State Director, GEAR UP Ohio, Ohio Department of Education will challenge students to consider how they select a college and how to utilize tools for navigating the admissions process. The session is offered as part of the Jump Start U4 College program sponsored by the Willie and Vivian Gaddis Foundation for KIDS. For more information call Alethea E. Gaddis at 614-4392719 or agaddis@gaddis4kids.org.

Location: First Church of God - Family Life Center (East Entrance) Address: 3480 Refugee Rd, 43232 Time: 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM Admission: Free Web: www.Gaddis4Kids.org May 8, 2018 Election Day 2018 is an important year for politics in Ohio. In addition to electing new congressional candidates, this year we will select a new governor and statewide candidates. There are also important statewide and local issues that will also be on the ballot. Make this day count! For local polling locations or for more information about the candidates/issues on the ballot, visit the Franklin County Board of Elections site listed below.

Location: Varies Address: Varies Time: 6:30 AM - 7:30 PM Admission: Free Web: www.VoteFranklinCountyOhio.gov

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The Columbus & Dayton African American • April 2018

COMMUNITYEVENTS Dayton, Ohio April 7, 2018 Minority Health Month Kick-off Celebration A health education session featuring the film “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” with facilitated dialogue, free health screenings, and partner participation. Sponsored by the Ohio Commission on Minority Health, this event is free and open to the public. For more information call 937-225-4962 or visit the website below.

April 21, 2018 Reading Day With Dad Calling all fathers! Bring your children to the Reading Day with Dad event at the Main Library. Participants will be able to share books and enjoy a light snack. For more information call 937463-2665 or visit the website below.

Location: Neon Theatre Address: 130 E. Fifth Street, 45202 Time: 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM Admission: Free Web: www.MIH.Ohio.gov

Location: Main Library Address: 215 E 3rd Street., 45402 Time: 10:00 AM Admission: Free Web: www.DaytonMetroLibrary.org

April 10, 2018 An Outrage - A Documentary Film About Lynching In The South The Freedom Center presents a documentary film about lynching in the American South. Filmed on-location at lynching sites in six states and bolstered by the memories and perspectives of descendants, community activists, and scholars, this unusual historical documentary seeks to educate even as it serves as a hub for action to remember and reflect upon a longhidden past. Rated PG-13 for disturbing violent images. For more information, visit the website below.

Location: National Underground Railroad Freedom Center Address: 50 East Freedom Way, 45202 Time: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Admission: Free Web: www.FreedomCenter.org

April 28, 2018 Dayton Book Expo - Youth Writers Celebration The Dayton Book Expo is launching a writing contest to help students pair creative writing with critical thinking. Students in grades 4-12 are eligible to enter. Cash prizes and honorable mention certificates will be awarded. The theme is: Reading Is My Superpower. All entries must be postmarked by Friday, March 30, 2018. For more information, visit the website below.

Location: Sinclair College - David Ponitz Conf. Center Address: 444 W 3rd Street., 45402 Time: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM Admission: Free Web: www.DaytonBookExpo.com

April 11, 2018 Attention Seniors - Need Legal Help?

If you need assistance with finalizing your wills, or power of attorney or any other legal needs, then you don’t want to miss this important workshop. A legal team dedicated to seniors will answer all of your questions. This event is free and open to the public. For more information call 937-267-9804.

May 8, 2018 Election Day 2018 is an important year for politics in Ohio. In addition to electing new congressional candidates, this year we will select a new governor and statewide candidates. There are also important statewide and local issues that will also be on the ballot.

Make this day count! For local polling locations or for more information about the candidates/issues on the ballot, visit the Montgomery County Board of Elections site listed below.

Location: Wayman AME Church Address: 3317 Hoover Ave, 45402 Time: Call for times.

Admission: Free Web: www.WaymanDayton.org

Location: Varies Address: Varies Time: 6:30 AM - 7:30 PM Admission: Free Web: www.MCBOE.org

April 14, 2018 Get Home Safe - Interactions With The Police A day long workshop designed to help youth properly engage with the police force while better understanding their rights and responsibilities as citizens. Workshop will also include a panel discussion with Dayton Police Department and local community leaders. Sponsored by the Dayton Chapter of Jack & Jill, the NAACP and Dayton Public Schools.

May 12, 2018 White Rose Mother’s Day Brunch Celebrate Mother’s Day with a special brunch and fashion show featturing Kenny Baccus. For more information or for tickets, please call 937-439-0610.

Location: Thurgood Marshall High School Address: 4447 Hooveer Ave., 45417 Time: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM Admission: Free Web: www.EventBrite.com/get-home-safe

Location: Presidential Banquet Center Address: 4548 Presidential Way, 45429 Time: 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM Admission: Call for tickets.

Web: www.PresidentialBanquetCenter.com

Please note: Information for this section is gathered from multiple commnuity sources. The Columbus & Dayton African American is not responsible for the accuracy and content of information. Times, dates and locations are subject to change. If you have an event that you would like to feature in this section, please call 614-826-2254 or email us at editor@columbusafricanamerican.com. Submissions are due the last Friday of each month.

The Columbus African & Dayton African American • April 2018 American News Journal • February 2015

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Our organizations fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of dwellings, and in other housing-related transactions, based on race, color, national origin, religion, gender, familial status, military status or disability.

OCCH: 88 East Broad Street, Suite 1800 Columbus, Ohio 43215 Phone: 614.224.8446 www.occh.org

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CPO Management & CPO Impact: 910 East Broad Street Columbus, Ohio 43205 Phone: 614.253.0984 www.cpoms.org | www.cpoimpact.org

The Columbus African American News Journal • February 2015

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Don’t get a routine mammogram. Get a James mammogram.

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The Columbus African American News Journal • February 2015