CrossRoadsNews, April 22, 2017 by CrossRoadsNews, Inc.

YOUTH

SCENE

Best foot forward

Masterful millinery

Obama Elementary is partnering with area businesses to beautify its grounds and create a pleasant learning environment. 4

Hats that are just perfect for the Kentucky Derby or for Mother’s Day will be on display at Macy’s fashion show on April 29. 7

Let’s Keep DeKalb Peachy Clean Please Don’t Litter Our Streets and Highways

EAST ATLANTA • DECATUR • STONE MOUNTAIN • LITHONIA • AVONDALE ESTATES • CLARKSTON • ELLENWOOD • PINE LAKE • REDAN • SCOTTDALE • TUCKER

April 22, 2017

Volume 22, Number 52

www.crossroadsnews.com

Decatur buying Children’s Home property for $40 million By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

ful process,” she told residents and the UMCH vice president of development, John Cerniglia, after the vote. Garrett said the purchase of the property fits the city’s mission, vision and values. “It is an investment for current and future families and children,” she said. Decatur anticipates closing the pur- Patti Garrett chase in the summer with UMCH vacating the property by late summer. The master planning effort will begin in the fall. The $40 million purchase price is $5 million more than UMCH said it was expecting.

The historic 77-acre United Methodist Children’s Home property on South Columbia Drive in Decatur is to become part of the city of Decatur. Members of the Decatur City Council voted unanimously on April 17 to purchase the property for $40 million. The vote ends months of speculation about the fate of property, which became a home to children orphaned by the Civil War in 1873. It is one of the last largely undeveloped parcels of land inside the Perimeter and near the city. Decatur Mayor Patti Garrett said that once the sale closes in about 190 days, the city will annex the 70 acres of the property in unincorporated Decatur and begin a communitybased master planning process to decide how to use it. “If you know anything about Decatur, it will be a thought- Please see PROPERTY, page 2

The city of Decatur is preserving historic Moore Chapel, shown with John Cerniglia, UMCH vice president of development.

DeKalb thwarting illegal dumpers with art Kids’ artwork graces new tool to fight blight By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

People who illegally dump trash and debris on DeKalb’s dead-end and littletraveled streets are coming up against some worthy adversaries – the whimsical artwork of kids. Across South DeKalb, known dumping haunts are now being blocked by 5,000pound concrete barricades painted with butterflies, birds, dogs, picket fences and the like. The brightly colored barricades are part of Keep DeKalb Beautiful’s Barriers to Beauty program. To date, 20 to 25 barriers have been installed on streets like Wesley Chapel Road near Flat Shoals Parkway, South Columbia Drive, Oakvale Road, and near the intersection of Thompson Mill and Snapfinger roads. Gordon Burkette, Keep DeKalb Beautiful’s program director, said the county started The concrete it as a pilot last spring. It got such rave rebarricades views that it is now an important part of the painted by the county’s blight-fighting toolkit. Lithonia children Burkette said the colorful barricades are were installed effective. on April 13 on “In the neighborhoods where we put Nova Lane in them, people stopped dumping and neighEllenwood after a bors like them because they are not institusite cleanup by a tional looking,” he said. “They give a softer county crew. feel.” Burkette first saw decorated barricades in Jackson, Miss. He thought it was a great idea that could accomplish dual goals for trashchallenged DeKalb County – deny vehicular access to dumpers and beautify the site once cleaned up. Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews Back home, Burkette offered kids at the county’s 2016 annual Fun Day the opportu- to the Montessori School at Emory and to and to the Lucious Sanders Recreation Cennity to tap into their creative side. the county’s Neighborhood Summit held at ter in Lithonia. The kids had so much fun, they took it Greater Travelers Rest Church in November For the Barriers to Beauty project, kids

Lucious Sanders Rec Center afterschool students paint concrete barricades that were installed in Ellenwood to block access to a road used for illegal dumping.

spray-paint the base of the gray concrete blocks, then use stencils made from recycled election campaign signs to paint a range of animals, insects, and yellow suns. The most recent set of painted barricades was installed April 13 to deny access to Nova Lane in Ellenwood. The artists were 15 children in the Lucious Sanders Rec Center afterschool program in the city of Lithonia. Kala Green, whose Telstar Drive home borders the one-block Nova Lane, loved the barriers immediately. “We need more of those,” she said as the county crew was packing up after hoisting them in place. Green said she is frustrated by the dumping in her neighborhood and the county. “I don’t know why people do what they Please see BARRICADES, page 2

Community

CrossRoadsNews

April 22, 2017

“When people understand the economics of what they do, it really drives home the point.”

Georgia congressmen visit I-85 bridge construction site U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson visited the site of the I-85 bridge construction site on April 14 and said it is great to see Georgians working together to get the job done. “The I-85 bridge rebuild is an example of what could be happening across our nation to improve our infrastructure and put people to work with good-paying jobs, which helps invigorate our economy,” Johnson said. The bridge near Buckhead collapsed March 30 after a massive fire. Basil Eleby, a homeless man, was arrested for allegedly setting the fire. Johnson was joined on the tour by U.S. Reps. John Lewis and Rob Woodall and members of GDOT leadership. Crews from Georgia-based C.W. Mat-

thews Contracting Co. have been working round-the-clock to repair the interstate, which connects Georgia and other Southeast states. The June completion date was revised to May 21 last week. Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurry said he is looking forward to the ribbon-cutting. “This critical project has been all hands on deck since the beginning,” McMurry said. “It is really important for us to get this interstate open as soon as possible.” GDOT officials said 13 columns that will support the structure have been poured, and work on the bridge caps is underway. Sixtyone beams are needed to complete the bridge, and officials told Johnson that through April 14, a third of the beams had been made.

U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson gets an update at the I-85 bridge construction site on April 14. The June completion date has been revised to May 21.

Neighborhoods can request decorated barriers to fight illegal dumping BARRICADES,

from page

Once crews clean up the area, he said the barriers are being installed. “We put them anywhere we don’t want them to continue dumping,” he said. The Barriers to Beauty program also has an educational component. Burkette said kids who decorate them learn about recycling and reusing, litter, community beautification, and the economic impact of litter. “They also get to be part of the solution by painting the barricades to beautify the

do,” she said. “It’s kinda trifling. I hope [the barricades] will stop people from throwing trash over there.” Green said all kinds of trash and yard trimmings have been dumped on Nova Lane. Sometimes, people even dump trash in her yard, she said. “Maybe they will stop and start to value the county,” she said. “If we don’t treat it right, we can’t expect others to do it.” Burkette said there are 150 sites that the county gets calls about and regularly monitors for illegal dumping.

community,” Burkette said. Whitney Webb, Lucious Sanders Rec Center’s assistant director, said the kids loved being a part of the solution. “They thought it was awesome that they could drive by and see their artwork,” she said. Webb said the children are aware of the impact of litter and they obey the “Do Not Litter” signs in the center’s gymnasium. “Our kids are cognizant,” she said. “Our gym does stay clean, and if they do see trash on the floor, they pick it up.”

Kids participating in the Barriers to Beauty program also get to discuss their feelings about litter. “We ask them how they feel when they see a lot of trash around them, and how they feel when they see a clean street,” Burkette said. “It’s life lessons for the kids. When people understand the economics of what they do, it really drives home the point.” Neighborhoods plagued by illegal dumping can request the barricades. For more information, email kdb@dekalbcountyga. gov or call 404-249-2010.

Impact of United Methodist Children’s Home ministries will expand PROPERTY,

from page

In January, the nonprofit’s board of trustees said it was expecting at least $35 million for the property. At its inception, the home sat on 226 acres. Over the years, 149 acres were sold as the ministry’s focus changed. Today, 144 years later, UMCH houses 80 foster children and young adults who aged out of foster care and the adults who care for them. Cerniglia said it is committed to providing uninterrupted services and support to its residents who are part of UMCH’s Family Housing and Independent Living programs. He said the residents will be relocated to safe and appropriate housing primarily in DeKalb and Fulton counties. Cerniglia said the proceeds of the sale will allow UMCH to serve even more foster children – not only in DeKalb County, but across North Georgia. It plans to work with community-based ministries in towns and

cities and partner with other churches to serve children, teens and young people. The bulk of the sale – $30 million – will be invested in UMCH’s endowment, managed by a professional fund manager, to serve children and families who face trauma and seek restoration. Ten million dollars of the proceeds will help to relocate current residents and staff and will be spent on costs associated with preserving Moore Chapel, the sale, leasehold improvements for residential housing and offices across North Georgia. Cerniglia said $1.5 million will be used to bring UMCH’s ministries to communities like Augusta, Rome, Dalton, LaGrange and Griffin, where people need assistance, and at least 63 more people a year will be served annually, in perpetuity, as a result of the sale. Statewide, 13,000 children have been separated from their families and are in state custody because of neglect, abuse or abandonment. Cerniglia said this number

doubled in the past five years, and that every week, UMCH turns away 30 children who need loving foster homes. He said UMCH’s impact will grow from 240 people served daily to more than 300 a day after the sale, relocation and expansion are all completed. When the UMCH board of trustees voted on Jan. 17 to seek a buyer for the property, alumni and neighbors, fearing the property would be sold to developers for a 600-home subdivision, collected hundreds of signatures to pressure the trustees to save the campus. Cerniglia said they received dozens of unsolicited inquiries from developers but went with the city of Decatur because they believe it will be the best steward of the property. As part of the agreement to buy the property, Decatur is creating a preservation covenant to honor former UMCH CEO Bev Cochran, who led the ministry from 1968 to 2012. It will name the existing administration building at 500 S. Columbia Drive in

Cochran’s memory. It also is preserving the historic Moore Chapel and the grave site of UMCH’s founder, the Rev. Dr. Jesse Boring. The Rev. Hal Jones, UMCH president and CEO, said they are grateful for the city’s collaboration to preserve the chapel and grave site, which will offer alumni and others with strong ties to the organization and the campus a permanent place to Hal Jones celebrate and honor their history. Expressing his pride in the nonprofit’s work, Jones said the sale will have an “enormously positive effect” on many more people in the future. He said the nonprofit continues to need volunteers at www.umchildrenshome.org/ways-to-help/volunteer. “The sale of our land does not reduce the urgency of assisting people in need.”

April 22, 2017

Community

CrossRoadsNews

Members of the Bruce Street Senior Center will get a community update on April 25 at 11 a.m.

Rhinehart, Keyes Fleming return to DeKalb Turners, Adoma win concerning DeKalb’s consent decree former DeKalb officials Stonecrest council seats – TedTwoRhinehart with the EPA and the Georgia Enviand Gwendolyn By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Rob Turner, George Turner and Diane Adoma are the city of Stonecrest’s newest council members. In unofficial results from the April 18 runoff, the three are the winners in districts 2, 3 and 4. The DeKalb Board of Elections is expected to certify the election results on April 24. In District 2, Rob Turner, a Georgia Department of Labor program operations manager, defeated businessman Plez Joyner with 437 or 53.1 percent of the vote. He will serve until Dec. 31, 2019, before running for a full four- Rob Turner year term. Retired MARTA manager George Turner edged college student Mary-Pat Hector for the District 4 seat with 867 or 50.64 percent of the vote. He will serve until Dec. 31, 2019, before running for a full four-year term. Businesswoman Diane Adoma won the District 5 seat with 662 or 54.4 percent over teacher Tammy Grimes. She will serve until December 2017 before running for a full four- George Turner year term. The three districts have 20,643 registered voters. Turnout for the runoff was 18.25 percent, with 3,768 ballots cast. Adoma and George Turner are expected to take the oath of office from Associate State Court Judge Ronald Ramsey on April 24 after the Board of Elections meeting or on April 25. Rob Turner, who will be out of town on a Diane Adoma previously scheduled trip, said he will take the oath of office during the first week of May. The three will round out the five-member City Council, which has been unable to meet since the March 21 special election because it lacked a quorum. They will join District 1 representative Jimmy Clanton Jr. and District 3’s Jazzmin Cobble, who along with Mayor Jason Lary won their seats in March.

Keyes Fleming – have returned to the county. DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond said this week that he hired Rhinehart and Keyes Fleming to focus on enhancing and improving the county’s infrastructure. Rhinehart returns as deputy chief Ted Rhinehart operating officer for infrastructure to supervise Watershed Management, Sanitation, Roads and Drainage, Transportation, Public Libraries, Fleet Management, and Recreation and Cultural Affairs, Cooperative Extension and the Beautification Unit. He served in CEO Burrell Ellis’ first Cabinet as deputy chief operating officer. He left the county in April 2013. Rhinehart has more than 27 years of experience in municipal government management and was most recently deputy city administrator for Augusta. He also has worked for the cities of Bloomington, Fort Wayne and Indianapolis, Ind. Keyes Fleming has been retained by the county as a consultant. She will represent Thurmond in all matters

ronmental Protection Division. Keyes Fleming was DeKalb’s first woman and first African-American district attorney from 2005 to 2010 until she was appointed by President Barack Obama to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. G. Keyes Fleming In an April 19 statement, the county said Keyes Fleming will provide non-legal support in creating strategy for compliance with the consent decree and in future negotiations with the EPA and EPD. She also will create and implement strategies for community engagement. Keyes Fleming was most recently principal legal adviser for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement division, serving from May 2015 to January 2017. Before that, she was the EPA’s chief of staff from 2013 to 2015 and the EPA’s first African-American and first female regional administrator from 2010 to 2013. Keyes Fleming also served as DeKalb’s youngest and first African-American solicitor-general from 19992004.

Mayor Jackson to speak on state of Lithonia Lithonia Mayor Deborah Jackson will deliver her State of the City address on April 25. The address and town hall meeting take place at Lithonia City Hall from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. During the town hall, the Georgia Tech/CUPP Program will do a special Lithonia Air Pollution Analysis Deborah Jackson Results presentation. Members of the Bruce Street Senior Center will get a community update on April 25 at 11 a.m. Lithonia officials and staff will discuss current issues and future plans with members.

The center is at 2484 Bruce St. The city is celebrating Georgia Cities Week, April 23-29. Other activities include Let’s Play Bingo at City Hall from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and Arcade Games Galore at the Gamers Xperience Arcades, 681 Main St., on April 26. Praise in the Park & Pop Up Market takes place April 29 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Lithonia Stewart Amphitheater, 2515 Parkway Drive. Attendees will get to meet vendors who will participate in the city’s June-to-September Farmers Market. Lithonia City Hall is at 6920 Main St. For more information, visit www.cityoflithoniaga.prg or call 770482-8136.

Youth

2346 Candler Rd. Decatur, GA 30032 404-284-1888 Fax: 404-284-5007 www.crossroadsnews.com editor@crossroadsnews.com

Editor / Publisher Jennifer Parker General Manager Curtis Parker Assistant Editor Brenda Yarbrough Staff Writers Jennifer Ffrench Parker Angelina T. Velasquez Front Office Manager Catherine Guy Multimedia Editor Sharif Williams CrossRoadsNews is published every Saturday by CrossRoadsNews, Inc. We welcome articles on neighborhood issues and news of local happenings. The opinions expressed by writers and contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher, nor those of any advertisers. The concept, design and content of CrossRoadsNews are copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without the written permission of the publisher.

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CrossRoadsNews

April 22, 2017

“I wanted to ensure that the students understand that the school belongs to them and that they can keep it as beautiful as it is now.”

Obama Elementary, businesses beautify school By Angelina T. Velasquez

DeKalb’s Barack Obama Elementary School is partnering with area businesses to beautify its grounds and surround its students with a pleasant learning environment. The new $23 million school, which is Georgia’s first named for the nation’s first AfricanAmerican and it’s 44th president, opened in January. The school’s Beautification Club, founded Betty Mayfield by Dr. B etty Mayfield, a kindergarten and first grade STEMS teacher, hosted its official kick off on April 12. Mayfield, who began organizing the club in February, said the Home Depot on Wesley Chapel Road, the ACE Hardware in downtown Decatur, and Gresham Park Walmart donated benches, plants and planters to beautify the grounds of the school at 3132 Clifton Church Road SE in Atlanta. The Barack H. Obama Elementary Magnet School of Technology is home to 800 students in pre-k to grade 5. Angela Thomas-Bethea, the school’s principal, applauded the club’s launch. “I am so excited about the work this beautification program will do for our school and students,” she said. Mayfield said she formed the

Home Depot’s Karen Ryan helps Barack Obama Elementary School students build Easter Baskets and the kickoff of the school’s Beautification Club that is supported by Home Depot, ACE Hardware, and Walmart.

beautification club to encourage pride in the school. “I wanted to ensure that the students understand that the school belongs to them and that they can keep it as beautiful as it is now, and that we all can work and join together to keep it this way,” she said. “I want them to take pride in the school that is named for our first African-American president.” The mission of the club, run by a five-member beautification committee made up volunteers and staff, is to create a safe and attractive learning environment for students and to educate and engage them in beautification projects and

cleanup activities to keep the school beautiful. Pearlene “Granny” Smith and Etta Bates-Leader, who run the school’s 4-H program, serve on the Beautification Club’s committee. Smith says the beautification committee meets every two weeks to develop and decide on projects to enhance the school and to help the children learn. So far, Mayfield said Home Depot has donated three concrete benches for teachers to use while supervising students outdoors. ACE Hardware donated a wrought-iron bench. The Beautification Club also received donations of potting soil,

Walk, resource fair to promote child safety The “Walk for Children Safety” and Resource Fair on April 29 at the Gallery at South DeKalb raises awareness of child abuse and prevention and promotes physical and mental wellness. The inaugural event, which takes place 8 a.m. to noon, is presented by My Name Is Me, Coach for Kids, and South Candler Neighborhood Advocates. The 2K walk starts at 8, followed by the resource fair inside the mall at Center Court. Law enforcement agencies,

city officials, churches, schools, community organizations, and concerned residents are urged to participate. The event is designed to bring awareness of child abuse and prevention to the community and to let people know that the neighborhood is organized and aware of crime incidents. Providing free information are the Women’s Resource Center, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Results Central Youth Empowerment, Year Up educational

resources, DeKalb County human trafficking resources, DeKalb Police South Precinct educational resources, and Commission District 3 community resources. To learn more about the hosts, visit www.mynameisme.com, www. coachforkids.com, and www.scnadvocates.com. The mall is at 2801 Candler Road in Decatur. For more information, contact Desmond Jones at 770-256-6979 or Nadine Ali at 678-641-7135.

Stephenson High alum honored for Ph.D. The DeKalb School Board honored Dr. Whitney Ingram, Stephenson High class of 2007, as the first African-American woman at the University of Georgia to graduate with a Ph.D. in physics. Ingram is among an elite group of fewer than 100 African-American women to have earned a doctorate in physics at any university in the United States. At its March 20 business meeting, the School Board cited her per-

severance and scholarship. Ingram’s focus during her doctoral program was nanotechnology, and she was a fellowship recipient at Whitney Ingram the Savannah River National Laboratory, where she designed methods for quantitative chemical detection techniques

and optimized nanostructures for the best detection techniques. Her accomplishments include a Science Graduate Research Fellowship with the Department of Energy and a fellowship with the Southern Regional Education Board. In 2015, she was one of 65 U.S. students selected to attend the annual Nobel Laureate Conference in Lindau, Germany, where she met laureates in physics, chemistry, physiology, peace and literature.

Braves help kick off Browns Mill baseball Circulation Audited By

Easter and peace lilies, African violets, lantanas, and other flowering plants, and planters to grow them in. For the kickoff ceremony, Home Depot employees Karen Ryan and Sheena Bryant helped 15 preselected students make wooded Easter baskets that they could use for Easter egg hunts. Kroger on Wesley Chapel Road provided refreshments. To support the Barack H. Obama Elementary Magnet School ‘s Beautification Club, contact Dr. Betty Mayfield at bsmayfield@ hotmail.com] or call the school at 678-874-4402.

The Atlanta Braves organization and their mascot will put in an appearance at Browns Mill Park’s Fun Day on April 29 in Lithonia. The kickoff to the park’s Youth Baseball & Softball Program takes place 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and includes an equipment drive.

The Braves tent will be set up with team swag, schedule cards and games, and the organization is urging the community donate bats, balls, gloves, helmets, catcher’s gear, and other equipment to help local leagues in need. Donors will be entered into a

raffle for autographed items. The baseball and softball complex is at 5099 Browns Mill Road. For more information, contact coach Sandra Brown-Hall, Browns Mill RBI-Atlanta Braves Softball, at sandrahall00@att.net or 678477-5223.

Kailah Trice

Jordon Holmond

Two earn gold medals at state FBLA

Kailah Trice and Jordon Holmond of Arabia Mountain High earned gold medals at the Georgia State Competition of the Future Business Leaders of America in Athens. They were among five award winners from the DeKalb County School District. Kailah took first place in Public Speaking II, while Jordon earned top honors in Business Communications. Other DeKalb winners: n Artis Trice, fifth place, Global Business n Kendall Murry, fifth place, Impromptu Speaking n Anish Jaisinghanie, seventh place, Introduction to Digital Technology More than 140 DeKalb students participated in the conference at the University of Georgia in Athens on March 12-14. FBLA is among the career and technical student organizations offered in the district’s Career, Technical and Agricultural Education Department.

CrossRoadsNews

April 22, 2017

Wellness

“Her work with the other researchers changed the life expectancy of people with sickle cell from 15 to over 50.”

Breast cancer primer on April 21

Regina Benjamin

Kristel Carrington

Joycelyn Elders

Jennifer Ellis

Antonia Francis

M. Hughes Gatson

Lynne Holden

Clara Jones

Barbara Ross Lee

R. Yarborough

“ABCs of Breast Cancer” on April 27 at DeKalb Medical in Decatur features a health talk, discussion and a “Bling Your Bra” activity. The free event takes place 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Keeton Auditorium, 2701 N. Decatur Road, and is co-sponsored by the DeKalb Medical Breast Center and the Decatur/ DeKalb chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Inc. Participants are encouraged to bring a pretty new or gently worn bra to “bling out” with decorations beginning at 6:30 p.m. Decorations will be provided. The bras will be donated to the Breast Center. Nurse navigator Doris Jones, a breast can-

cer survivor, will lead a discussion on ways to detect the disease in its early stages. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death in women, the American Cancer Society says. In recent years, death rates from breast cancer have decreased due to earlier screenings, increased awareness, and better medical treatments, the society reports. Members of the nonprofit National Coalition of 100 Black Women address common issues in their communities, families and personal lives, promoting gender and racial equity. For more information, visit www. ncbwdekalb.com.

Documentary tells stories of Free car seat check for families Black women doctors paths By Angelina T. Velasquez

Connecticut filmmaker Crystal Emery came to her latest documentary – “Black Women in Medicine” – quite reluctantly. In 2008, Yale Medical School asked her to interview its first three black women graduates. “I did not want to do this film,” she reCrystal Emery called on April 13. “I said no and they kept asking me.” Emery, a film writer and director, changed her mind when a friend encouraged her to consider the role she would play in preserving a facet of black history. She was hooked after meeting the first black doctor, Dr. Doris Weters, in New York. “Her story was amazing,” Emery said. “I mean, her work with the other researchers changed the life expectancy of people with sickle cell from 15 to over 50.” Filming for the documentary on medical trailblazers like Barbara Ross Lee, the first black dean of an American medical school, and Velma Scantlebury, the first black female transplant surgeon, began in 2011. Emery completed filming four years later after raising $800,000. On April 13, “Black Women in Medicine,” which documents the journey of 14 pioneering doctors, premiered at Kaiser Permanente’s headquarters in Atlanta. The 14 doctors featured in the film are Regina Benjamin, Marilyn Hughes Gatson, Kristel Carrington, Lynne Holden, Clara Jones, Joycelyn Elders, Barbara Ross Lee, Jennifer Ellis, Karen Aletha Maybank, Antonia Francis, Karen Morris-Priester, Velma Scantlebury, Claudia Thomas and Rashele Yarborough. The film, which aired recently on American Public Television’s World channel, spotlights the medical field just as “Hidden Figures” focused on the contributions of black women to NASA. The 57-minute film, which uses archival footage to set the tone and provide context, traces the history of black women in medicine to Rebecca Lee Crumpler, the first African-American woman doctor of medicine who graduated from New England Female Medical College in 1864. Emery says she made the film because the women did not allow race or gender to stop them from fulfilling their dreams. “We need to see progress,” she said in an interview before the screening. “Diversity and inclusion and racial equity go hand in hand. They can only work if we stay united and strong.” In a question-and-answer session with the audience after the Atlanta screening, Emery said we cannot allow words like

diversity and inclusion to just become social jargon. “We have to change,” she told the audience of about 35 people. “The paradigm has to be broken and a new one has to be built.” Emery, who is quadriplegic and has had Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease for nearly 20 years, knows about breaking barriers. Despite her disability, she has created thought-provoking documentaries on issues ranging from the disproportionate killing of black males to a lack of medical treatment in minority communities.

STEM curriculum helping Nationally, African Americans represent 4.5 percent of the country’s physician work force, with women accounting for only 2 percent. Emery addresses this statistic throughout the film. The documentary follows three young women matched with residencies at New York University and Middlesex Hospital in Middletown, Conn. STEM research shows only 7.6 percent of U.S. college degrees in America are awarded to black students, and only 1 percent of all scientists and engineers are black women. Emery said career choices are all about exposure. “It’s crucial to introduce young people to ideas and careers early on so that they can begin thinking seriously about their higher education and work life during their formative years,” she said. Kaiser’s executive medical director, Mary L. Wilson, who hosted the premiere, said Kaiser Permanente believes in providing culturally competent care and building a work force that reflects the diversity of the people it serves. “We hope this film and Emery’s ongoing work inspires more minority students to pursue careers in medicine to help meet a growing demand for doctors across the country,” she said. Emery also spoke with teens at the East Lake YMCA on April 12 about the possibility of having a career in the medical field. She said young people cannot be what they cannot see. “When asked how many of them had a doctor who looked like them, only a few students raised their hands,” she said. In the documentary, Dr. Karen MorrisPriester speaks about her journey of becoming an anesthesiologist. She was 40, a single mother of five, and working a full-time job when she put herself through college. She says not enough black doctors talk about their process. “It doesn’t matter where you start,” she said. “There is nothing going to stop you but you.” The day before the Atlanta screening, Emery said she witnessed 500 medical students walking into the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Atlanta for the Student National Medical Association’s 2017 Annual Medical Education Conference, and it brought a smile to her face. “I was proud to watch them be young, black and gifted,” she said. “It encouraged me and gave me hope in a way that I don’t get to see, in a tangible way. That little 2 percent of black female doctors is about to increase and that’s a good feeling.” For more information, visit https://urutherighttobe.org.

Parents and guardians can learn all about child passenger safety on April 26 at the Spring Car Seat Check Event at DeKalb Fire Rescue headquarters in Tucker. The three-hour event begins at 11 a.m. and is free to attend. No appointment is needed. It is presented by the Community Risk Reduction Division/ Public Education Unit. Participants can get help with correct installations, infant carriers, convertibles, booster seats, Georgia Child Safety Seat Law, seat belt use and L.A.T.C.H. connections, and transitioning rear to forward facing. Bring the car seat and vehicle manuals. Participating families are eligible to win a booster seat in hourly drawings. Fire Rescue is at 1950 W. Exchange Place. For more information, contact Kristi D. Hill at kdhill@dekalbcounParents will learn how to properly install car seats and restraint children in them at the April 26 event. tyga.gov or 770-414-2124.

Event to recycle old prescriptions DeKalb residents who want to safely dispose of old or unused medications can drop them off at the Decatur Police Department, Avondale Estates Police Department, or DeKalb Police headquarters on April 29, National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. Collection is available 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 420 W. Trinity Place in Decatur, 21 N. Avondale Plaza in Avondale Estates, and 1960 W. Exchange Place in Tucker. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and state, local and tribal law enforce-

ment partners will give the public its 13th opportunity in seven years to help prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. The DEA cannot accept liquids or needles or sharps, only pills or patches. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked. For more information and collection sites, call 1-800-882-9539 or visit www. deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/ takeback/index.html.

CrossRoadsNews

Ministry

April 22, 2017

Proceeds from the race will help support Ray of Hope Christian Church’s August free mobile clinic.

Diversity guru to speak on ‘Souls of Black Girls’ Emma Darnell Dr. Consuela Ward, author of “On Healing Black Girl Pain,” will have a conversation and book talk on April 30 at Spelman College in Atlanta. The program begins at 6 p.m. in the Beverly Consuela Ward D. Tatum Suites and is sponsored by the Sankofa Center, C.A.R.E. Apprenticeship, and Spelman College Sisters

Chapel WISDOM Center. To RSVP, call 404527-7729. Ward is founder and president of the Montage Group LLC, a diversity and inclusion consulting firm, where she is principal speaker and facilitator. In her book, Ward shares her experiences in white schools and black churches and “carries the torch of black foremothers whose spirits gave strength to today’s black girls.” The transgenerational action and education platform “The Souls of Black Girls”

highlighting the lives of black girls and women was inspired by the documentary by Daphne Valerius and a Black Women in Church and Society community forum held in 2007 at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta. The inaugural year has five topics in which organizers intend to recognize the intersectionality of issues, the justice work surrounding the issues, existing strategies of development and, where appropriate, recovery. The college is at 350 Spelman Lane S.W.

Steeple Awards for Ministry leaders, gospel singers Five ministry leaders and gospel singer Dottie Peoples will be honored at the second annual Steeple Awards on April 22 at New Life Church-Atlanta in Decatur. The red carpet begins at 3 p.m., and the program starts at 5. For tickets, visit Dottie Peoples www.thesteepleawards.com. More than 700 attendees are expected. Christian comedian Karlton Humes is host, and presenters include Grammy Award winner Kevin Bond, Sheen Magazine’s Kimberly Chapman and Sammie Hayes, TC Carson, Page Turner, and Latavia Roberson. Ministry leaders being honored with the Nehemiah Award are Pastor Marlin D. Harris, New Life Church; Bishop Paul S. Morton, Changing a Generation FGBC; Apostle

Jerry Black

Marlin Harris

Travis Jennings

Travis C. Jennings, the Harvest Tabernacle Church; Pastor Jerry D. Black, Beulah Missionary Baptist Church; and Apostle Thomas H. Vinson, Highpoint Tabernacle Church. Peoples will receive the Rev. Dr. Clay Evans Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the Peach State Health Plan. Performers include LeAndria Johnson, Latice Crawford, James Hall and Worship and Praise, Keith “Wonderboy” Johnson,

Ladies’ Seminar at Calvary Hill Christian Women in Action of Calvary Hill Baptist will host their 32nd annual Ladies’ Seminar on April 29 at the Stonecrest church. The theme for the 9 a.m.-to-2:30 p.m. program is “Thy Will Be Done.” Workshops will include topics such as Clinical and Spiritual Aspects of Depression, Maintaining a Relationship With God and

With Man, Discovering Your Spiritual Gift, and Thy Will Be Done – Surrendering to God’s Will Through Fervent Prayer. The church is at 5151 Rock Springs Road. For registration and more information, email Gwen Russell Green at gwen_green@hotmail.com or call Katherine Hamm at 770-609-0776.

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Paul Morton

Thomas Vinson

Delra Harris, V3, Kevin Lemons & Higher Calling, the Wardlaw Brothers, and Keyondra Lockett. C. Chandon Carter, the show’s creator, said the program “identifies and celebrates ministry leaders and gospel music artists who have earned widespread acclaim as well as those whose contributions have previously gone largely unacknowledged.” New Life is at 3592 Flat Shoals Road.

5K walk/run to benefit Ray of Hope clinic

Walkers and runners can register online through April 24 for the Hope Through Health Clinic 2017 5K Walk/Run at the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve. The event takes place on May 6 with check-in at 7:30 a.m., warm-up at 7:50 and 5K start at 8. Proceeds from the race will help support Ray of Hope Christian Church’s August free mobile clinic. To register and for more information, visit www.rayofhope.org or call 770-6965100. The Nature Preserve is at 3787 Klon dike Road in Stonecrest.

to headline Women’s Day

Fulton Commissioner Emma Darnell is the guest speaker at Women’s Day on May 7 at Radcliffe Presbyterian Church in Atlanta. The program at the 11 a.m. worship service is presented by the Presbyterian Women. The theme is “Fill My Cup, Celebrating the Prayer, Power and Purpose of Presbyterian Emma Darnell Women.” Darnell, whose District 6 consists of portions of unincorporated south Fulton County and incorporated Southwest Atlanta, has served in the Atlanta Regional Office of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Investigations and Conciliations Division. She also has served as special assistant to the mayor for intergovernmental affairs and chair of the Grant Review Board for the city of Atlanta. The former college professor’s major areas of interest include human health and the environment, senior adult services, and transportation. Darnell, a former commissioner of administrative services, was an architect of Atlanta’s “Minority Participation Plan for the Expansion of Hartsfield International Airport” featured in Henry Hampton’s documentary “Eyes on the Prize.” The church is at 296 Hamilton E. Holmes Drive N.W. Visit www.radcliffepresbyterian.org or call 404-799-8286.

Saint Paul hosts community fair

Members of Saint Paul AME and community partners are hosting a Community Outreach & Wellness and Health Fair on April 29 in Stone Mountain. The 10 a.m.-to-5 p.m. family event will be held downtown at the Pavilion on West Main Street. There will be resources, games, food, giveaways, and services as well as music and inspiration by community choirs, vocalists, and presenters. It includes free screenings and vendors. For more information, call 770-4694995 or 678-427-6328.

CrossRoadsNews

April 22, 2017

Scene

Seniors who sing, dance, play an instrument, recite poetry/ spoken word or have a specialty act will be showcased.

Macy’s fashion show to feature styles for Derby, Mother’s Day Fashionistas headed to the Kentucky Derby or who just want to dress up for Mother’s Day will want to attend Macy’s fashion show on April 29 at the Gallery at South DeKalb. The 2017 Kentucky Derby, billed as the “143rd renewal of The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports,” takes place May 5 and 6 at Churchill Downs, which has hosted it continuously since 1865. Mother’s Day is May 14. Both events are associated with spectacular hats and the store has an array of styles to satisfy. Store manager Terry Young said personal shoppers will be available at the 3-to-5 p.m. event to help customers put together stylish Kentucky Derby and Mother’s Day outfits. Young says the store’s April 26-to-May 7 Friends & Family event also will be underway and savvy shoppers can save 30 percent off famous brands, even those that rarely go on sale. Macy’s at South DeKalb is at 2731 Candler Road in Decatur. For more information, call 404-243-2600. Macy’s fashion show on April 29 at the Gallery at South DeKalb will feature an array of spectacular hats.

May 1 deadline for Seniors Got Talent Residents 55 and older with a hankering to perform have until May 1 to register for Let’s Party! 7th Annual Senior Celebration: Seniors Got Talent. Patrons who sing, dance, play an instrument, recite poetry/spoken word or have a specialty act will be showcased. Registration forms are available at DeKalb Public Library branches. For an electronic entry form, email adultservices@dekalblibrary.org. Forms must be postmarked or delivered by May 1. Patrons selected to perform will be notified by May 8. Seniors Got Talent, part of the Older Americans Month series, takes place 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on

May 18 at the Porter Sanford III Performing Arts and Community Center, 3181 Rainbow Drive in Decatur. Prizes will be awarded. Seniors who are not performing can come dressed as their favorite celebrity and take pictures from 10:30 to 11 a.m. Call 404-508-7190, Ext. 2257, to register. The party limit is 300. Registration and your library card are your entry ticket. A free light lunch will be provided. The program is sponsored by the DeKalb Library Foundation, Lou Walker Senior Center and the Office of Senior Affairs. Visit www.dekalblibrary.org.

Panola Mountain planting to encourage pollinators

Energetic volunteers are needed to plant native wildflowers for pollinators on April 29-30 at Panola Mountain State Park. The planting of the wildflowers, which have been collected and grown locally, seeks to encourage monarch butterfly as well as other pollinator population growth. Parking fees will be waived for registered volunteers, who must contact the Nature Center to register prior to planting. Walk-up registration will be conducted at about 8 a.m. at the Alexander Lake Pavilion. All volunteers should meet at the pavilion no later than 8:30. The park is at 2620 Highway 155 S.W. in Stockbridge. For more information, visit www.gastateparks.org/PanolaMountain or call 770389-7801.

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