YOUR SOURCE OF NEWS IN SELMA AND DALLAS COUNTY, ALABAMA April 11, 2019 | Volume 4, Issue 12
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Selma Housing Authority’s new leader plans to change stigma, culture of public housing Selma native Kennard Randolph adds activities, partnerships with police, schools BY CINDY FISHER Selma Sun Staff
Selma native Kennard Randolph is nine months into his tenure as head of the Selma Housing Authority and changes are already visible. The 1,200 residents living in seven housing developments have more community activities to do, from art to sports. Safety has become a top priority, with a new presence of police patrolling at night to curb nagging crime problems. Randolph, 34, a graduate of Selma High School and Miles College, said he wants to change the narrative and the perception of the Selma Housing Authority. Changing the culture has included hosting parties at the community centers, adding activities to the afterschool program and even starting a boys basketball team that recently won a tournament. For decades, there have been few activities to keep residents occupied, which many say would keep teens and young adults out of trouble. Previous leaders removed the basketball goals about 20 years ago, but Randolph says it’s time to bring them back along with other activities for youth. Selma leaders have proposed answers over the years to the challenges in the housing authority, specifically the
George Washington Carver, or GWC, complex that has 216 units and about 500 people and a long list of criminal issues. One plan is to demolish GWC and build a $20 million replacement of about 97 townhomes. Plans have been drawn up for years, but funding and logistics have stood in the way, such as where to relocate those 500 residents during the construction phase. Randolph is hoping to tap into his time working with U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell to look for ways to bring federal resources to help with renovation and redevelopment of the housing complexes. He has found that challenging because Selma can’t compete for Housing and Urban Development funds against larger cities that serve many more people. Selma is considered rural. Randolph has increased partnerships, including with Selma City Schools Superintendent Avis Williams to find ways for the afterschool programs to offer more academics and mirror school work. “We have to think outside Kennard Randolph speaks with presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren the box and get creative,” he about federal funding for housing during her visit to Selma in March. said. Mayor Darrio Melton said tive in his plans for the housA resident of the Rangedale the relationship between ing authority. Melton said he community, who wanted to Selma organizations, like housrecommended Randolph to the remain anonymous, said more ing and law enforcement, is authority board out of 17 can- is being done for kids and res“stronger than it’s ever been” didates. idents with Randolph as the and that Randolph is innova-
Kennard Randolph helps unload food that was donated to the Selma Housing Authority residents. executive director. He has hosted food drives and she loves the sports teams. The complexes have security cameras and increased
Selma siblings speak of growing up in poverty in new book BY TODD PRATER
Special to the Selma Sun When you meet Earnest Smith, co-author of a book on growing up poor in the rural South, you can’t help but be uplifted by his positive attitude and his enthusiasm for life. The book, “A Poor Family’s Struggle with Poverty and How They Survived,” which he co-authored with his sister Ann Smith, is a story of faith, love and having a positive attitude while facing some of the toughest obstacles life can throw at you. Earnest and Ann grew up in Selma in a close family of devout Christians, all of whom still believe firmly in going to church and studying the Bible. He said it is that faith and a house full of love for each other that brought the family through hardship and got them to where they are now. “I try to shine the right light,” he said. “I still have my rights and wrongs, but I always try to shine the right light.” That positive attitude and that life of love and faith are reflected in the book, he said. “You got to go through something to get something,” Smith said. “Life is a learning experience. Everyone is a mystery to their own self,” and life is the process of trying to solve that mystery. Earnest Smith is 64 and has been working at Vaughn Regional Medical Center in the Environmental Services department since 1999. His sis-
ter Ann, the oldest sibling, is 11 years older. Earnest is the baby of four; he has another older sister and an older brother. He said he failed first and second grade but did well after that. However, by the time he reached the 11th grade in 1974, he decided to quit school and enter the workforce. But he never lost the dream of getting his high school diploma. In 1984 Earnest entered Wallace Community College Selma to get his GED. Even though he had many bumps in the road, like schedule conflicts between classes and work, he kept his positive attitude and persevered. After 29 years, he got his GED. Earnest said more than five years ago, he and his brother Clarence were cleaning out a closet for Ann, and hidden away on the top shelf they found a box full of old composition notebooks and typing paper filled with writings. Earnest took it to Ann to see what it was. It turned out to be a story Ann had written about her experience growing up poor in Selma. But life threw a number of obstacles at Ann, including what Earnest called “sickness and death in the family,” and the story was set aside and forgotten until Earnest and Clarence found it. Earnest realized this was a story that needed to be told, and he said Ann told him to take it and “write it like you see it.” Earnest said, “So I got me some composition notebooks
and ink pens, and every night I wrote it all down.” Earnest said the book is a story of what poor people went through to survive, their worries and how they overcame obstacles. He said the book is basically about being positive, doing what is right and never giving up, all of which he says is based in the family’s Christian faith and the love they have for one another. He said he didn’t add any of his life experience to the book; he just compiled and organized what Ann had written about her life. He said by the time he came along 11 years after Ann was born, things had gotten better for the family. Earnest said after he got it all down, he searched and found a publisher. “A Poor Family’s Struggle with Poverty and How They Survived” is not a long book at 93 pages and 16 chapters. But Smith said, “There’s a lot of power in a small book. If you read it, you’ll like it.” The book officially came out in November of last year. Last month, Vaughn Regional Medical Center honored Earnest with a book signing at the hospital. Earnest said he doesn’t remember how many books he signed, but he said it was a lot. He said his sister and co-author is very happy with the way the book turned out. “A Poor Family’s Struggle with Poverty and How They Survived” is available at Barnes and Noble and on Amazon.com.
Earnest Smith’s workplace, Vaughan Regional Medical Center, hosted a book signing for Smith, who co-authored a book with his sister, Ann Smith. Photo provided.
Selma High School teacher named finalist for state ‘Teacher of the Year’
Mashika Tempero-Culliver is one of 16 finalists for the state title of Teacher of the Year. BY NATHAN PREWETT
Special to the Selma Sun
The cover of the book Earnest and sister Ann Smith wrote titled “A Poor Family’s Struggle with Poverty and How They Survived.”
police patrols. She also likes that they are scheduled to get new flooring and cabinets. “These are things we’ve not really had,” she said.
A teacher at Selma High School was chosen as a finalist for the Alabama State Department of Education’s 20192020 “Teacher of the Year,” Selma City Schools announced this week. Mashika Tempero-Culliver, who teaches science at the school, is one of 16 finalists for the award. Tempero-Culliver is a finalist for the District 5 Secondary Teacher of the Year. These 16 were chosen out of 140 applicants. The 2019-2020 Alabama Teacher of the Year will be announced at a ceremony hosted by the Alabama State Board of Education and the Alabama
State Department of Education on May 8 at the RSA Plaza Terrace in Montgomery. Alabama’s Teacher of the Year spends the majority of the school year serving as a fulltime ambassador for education and the teaching profession, as well as presenting workshops to various groups, a statement said. Additionally, Alabama’s representative is a candidate for National Teacher of the Year. “Each has excelled in the classroom and is preparing all students for success through mentorship, innovative classroom instruction, and a personal commitment to academic achievement,” stated a press release from the department. “These educators exemplify the teaching profession at its best!”
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