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CLINICAL TRIAL AMBASSADORS Yolanda Murphy among those assisting Black cancer patients Page A6
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OCTOBER 28-NOVEMBER 3, 2020
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FIRE TRUMP, HIRE BIDEN Courier endorses Joe Biden for president by The Courier Editorial Board During the final presidential debate, Oct. 22, in Nashville, President Donald J. Trump reiterated the phrase he’s been touting all year—that he’s done more for African Americans than any other U.S. president since Abraham Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln is turning in his grave.
the real Donald Trump nine years ago, the moment he tried to classify Barack Obama as not being a U.S. citizen. “An ‘extremely credible source’ has called my office and told me that Barack Obama’s birth certificate is a fraud,” Trump later tweeted in 2012, months before Obama was successfully re-elected as president. Trump has always been
President Trump says he’s done more for African Americans than any other U.S. president since Abraham Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln is turning in his grave. We, the New Pittsburgh Courier editorial board, didn’t have to think long and hard about who we’d endorse in our publication for the next President of the United States. African Americans knew
a divisive figure. Labeling him as a shady businessman is putting it mildly. Birds don’t have to be around for him to ruffle feathers. And still, miraculously, 63 million people in
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these United States voted for Donald J. Trump to become president in 2016. We as African Americans were never late to the real Trump. Remember, Trump still believes that the Black and Latino teens who were charged with the brutal attack on a White woman in a New York City park in 1989 are still guilty, though the “Central Park 5” have been fully exonerated of the alleged crimes. The “Central Park 5,” as the teens were known, were awarded a $41 million settlement from New York City due to the wrongful convictions and imprisonment. Only now is much of White America realizing what a condescending, race-baiting, sensitive, amateurish, ineffectual, unaffectionate, repulsive, uninformed, narcissistic, intemperate individual the real Trump is. Millions of Americans watched pre-president Trump on the NBC hit show “The Apprentice.” We’ll admit, Trump is good for Reality TV. But he’s very bad for the presidency. “The thing is, this is not a reality show,” Obama said recently on the campaign
trail in Philadelphia. “This is reality.” There’s no way we all deserve four more years of Donald J. Trump as our president. That’s why the Courier emphatically endorses Joe Biden, the Democratic nominee, as the next President of the United States. So often in society, a person’s mere presence dictates a certain culture. If you have a CEO of a company that is adamant on having African Americans in prominent roles of the company, and makes an inclusive culture a priority, KAMALA HARRIS will become the first woman and first Black the rest of the employees woman to serve as U.S. vice president if Joe Biden wins the Nov. 3 will follow suit. The church Presidential Election. pastor that is serious about opening his church doors to anyone, will see to it that the organization’s mission, it’s OK to be an immigrant, other leadership members and challenges other em- or gay or lesbian, or Black within that church have ployees to partake in that or brown, and that the the same mindset. And be- mission. voices of the different will hind every strong nonprofWith Joe Biden as the be heard and respected. When you see Joe Biden, you see a man that the first Black U.S. president, Obama, thought highly enough of, that he made Biden his vice president. When you see Joe Biden, you see a 77-year-old White it organization that’s been president, the leader of the man who easily could have in existence for decades, United States, it signals picked a male running you’ll find an uber-passion- to everyone that systemic mate, or a White female ate founder or executive racism nationwide will not director that believes in be tolerated. It signals that SEE BIDEN A4
There’s no way we all deserve four more years of Donald J. Trump as our president.
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THE RACE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE How we see the 2020 Presidential Election playing out... BIDEN IN BLUE TRUMP IN RED
COURIER PROJECTION ELECTORAL VOTES (270 NEEDED TO WIN)
JOE BIDEN 309 (winner) DONALD TRUMP 229
The New Pittsburgh Courier predicts Joe Biden not only winning Pennsylvania, but also the state of Georgia. Georgia is a Republican stronghold, but the demographics of the voting population there have been changing for years. Current polls suggest Trump and Biden are neck-and-neck in Georgia. The Peach State hasn’t gone to a Democratic presidential hopeful since 1992. The Courier believes Georgia is going to Joe Biden in 2020. THE NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER PUBLISHING COMPANY
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Pennsylvania unlikely to declare a winner on Election Night by Charlie Wolfson and Juliette Ruhl PublicSource
On election night in 2016, voters across the country stayed up into the early morning hours awaiting the presidential election results. The race was a nail-biter, but at 2:30 a.m. — six and a half hours after polls in Pennsylvania closed — the Associated Press called the election for Donald Trump. The timing of Election Night on Nov. 3 will likely be very different. With more than 2.8 million Pennsylvanians requesting mail-in ballots as of Oct. 21, and election officials unable to begin processing stacks of mail-in ballots before Election Day, there is almost guaranteed to be an unprecedented delay in results. And that’s not even considering the possibility of candidates challenging the validity of ballots. As a battleground state that Trump won by less than a percentage point in 2016, Pennsylvania is regarded as one of the most
pivotal states in deciding the next president. And some experts around the country have voiced concerns that Republicans could challenge the validity of ballots in the state, potentially causing confusion and doubt. We know the results will be closely scrutinized. But what if people don’t know who won for days, or weeks? PublicSource heard from six local elections experts about what challenges are inherent to this election, when voters can expect election results and why voters shouldn’t panic if we don’t know a winner right away. Will we have results on Election Night? All six experts PublicSource spoke to agreed: It’s a foregone conclusion that Pennsylvania voters will not see conclusive election results on Election Night or early the following morning. Voters have already requested more than 2.8 million mail-in ballots, which can’t be opened for SEE ELECTION NIGHT A4
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Pittsburgh loses R&B station 107.3 The Beat But local Black media legends Lynne Hayes-Freeland, Chris Moore will be heard on the FM dial at 100.1 by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer
If hip-hop radio station WAMO 100.1 FM has moved up the dial to 107.3 FM, and on Nov. 2, news/talk station KDKA-AM 1020 will be simulcast on 100.1 FM, then where is R&B station 107.3 The Beat moving to? Unfortunately for Pittsburgh’s R&B lovers, “The Beat” is gone, the New Pittsburgh Courier has learned. Flip on the FM radio, and the upbeat R&B songs from the likes of New Edition, Mary J. Blige, Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston are nowhere to be found. Those artists were heard on 107.3 The Beat for the past 14 months, when The Beat launched in June 2019. For now, 107.3 and 100.1 FM are broadcasting hip-hop. But on Nov. 2, 100.1 FM will begin airing a simulcast of KDKA AM 1020. Entercom, the company that owns KDKA Radio, acquired the 100.1 FM translator signal from WAMO owner Martz Communications. Officials at KDKA said it was the perfect way to celebrate its 100-year anniversary; KDKA is believed to be the country’s first commercial radio station, broadcasting presidential election results over the air on Nov. 2, 1920. If you’re wondering, Republican Warren G. Harding won the presidential election that night. Now, 100 years and one day later, KDKA will broadcast election results on FM for the first time. If you’re a fan of Pittsburgh African American media stalwarts like Lynne Hayes-Freeland and Chris Moore, you’ll be hearing them on KDKA’s 100.1 FM. Hayes-Freeland’s show airs weekdays from noon to 3 p.m.; Moore’s show airs Sundays from 5 to 9 p.m. “KDKA Radio is part of the radio history books not just here in Pittsburgh, but on a national level,” said Michael Spacciapolli, market manager for Entercom Pittsburgh, in a statement. “After serving Pittsburghers on our AM dial for the last 100 years, we are thrilled to expand the reach of historic KDKA on FM.” The Courier reported in its Oct. 21 edition that The Beat’s most prominent on-air personality, Ki Ki Brown, was leaving the station as of Oct. 23. The Beat continued playing its old school music through Sunday, Oct. 25, before it was blown up in favor of the WAMO hip-hop music. The Beat’s syndicated morning show, “DeDe in the Morning,” will continue to air for WAMO 107.3, which signals the end for “Big Boy’s Neighborhood,” the morning show for WAMO on 100.1 FM. It’s unclear if the “Quiet Storm” show that plays slow R&B jams will return to the airwaves on WAMO 107.3. It’s also unclear if gospel music, which was on The Beat on Sunday mornings, will return to WAMO 107.3, with Brother Marlon Martin as host. WAMO 107.3’s weekday lineup is as follows: DeDe in the Morning, middays with Portia Foxx, afternoons with Justin Luvv, and evenings with Mike Dean. Foxx is an Allderdice High School graduate; Dean is a Perry Traditional Academy graduate.
LYNNE HAYES-FREELAND can be heard on the FM dial at 100.1 beginning Monday, Nov. 2.
CHRIS MOORE’S SUNDAY RADIO SHOW ON KDKA-AM will soon be heard on the FM dial at 100.1 beginning Monday, Nov. 2, as KDKA Radio has acquired the broadcast rights to the FM signal. KDKA will still be heard on 1020 AM.
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NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
THE RACE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE Donald J. Trump, ‘You’re Fired.’
COURIER ENDORSES JOE BIDEN FOR PRESIDENT BIDEN FROM A1
running mate. Instead, he chose Kamala Harris, the 56-year-old California senator and former California attorney general. If you hadn’t noticed, she’s a sista. Just the mentioning of Joe Biden’s name signals a better chance for African Americans to prosper in this country. If he becomes president, millions of Black women across the U.S. will continuously see a woman that looks like them in the vice presidency; Black women will know that they, too, can become anything they want. Maybe those Black women
will make history in their professional endeavors, as we hope Harris does by becoming the first woman and Black woman vice president. Remember, even the outstanding Michelle Obama, who did great things for Black women when she was the First Lady, wouldn’t have been in line to be the president if Barack Obama couldn’t continue. But if Biden has to relinquish his presidential duties temporarily or permanently, Harris would be next up in command. Biden wants to keep the 20 million Americans currently on “Obamacare,” and refine it and make it better.
Biden wants to tackle the tough, controversial topic of systemic racism. Biden wants to advance the economic mobility of African Americans and close the racial wealth and income gaps. He wants to increase racial inequity in the education and justice systems. Overall, Biden is more apt to be the president who wants Black voices to be a vital part of his presidency. Meanwhile, Trump wouldn’t be able to denounce “White Supremacy” if you gave him the “W” and the “S.” Oh wait, he did eventually denounce White Supremacy; just three and a half years too
late. He said there were “very fine people on both sides” when a White Supremacist-style rally was being held in Charlottesville, Va., in 2017, where someone was killed by a person driving through the crowd. Trump was the one who degraded legendary Black congressmen Elijah Cummings and the late John Lewis. To jog your memory, last year Trump called Baltimore, which is part of Cummings’ district, “a disgusting, rat and rodent-infested mess,” and the “Worst in the USA,” adding, “no human being would want to live there.” Trump also called Lewis’
Atlanta district “crime infested.” Trump blasted pro football player Colin Kaepernick for kneeling during the national anthem prior to NFL games, saying to his supporters at one rally, “Get that son of a b____ off the field!” Trump has fumbled with a passion the COVID-19 outbreak, which has disproportionately affected African Americans, leading to more than 220,000 U.S. deaths and climbing. And when George Floyd died at the hands of a White Minneapolis police officer on Memorial Day, leading to weeks of protests across America, Trump sat back and never did anything except threaten to bring in the National Guard. Trump never addressed the nation on racial injustice. He never met with the mother of Jacob Blake, the Black man who was inexplicably shot multiple times in the back by a White police officer in Kenosha, Wis., in August.
Earlier this year when this country mourned the death of Lewis, who was side-by-side with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the March on Washington in 1963, Trump refused to attend Lewis’ memorial service. Former presidents George W. Bush (a Republican), Bill Clinton and Obama were in attendance. Donald J. Trump, you may have entertained rapper Kanye West and comedian Steve Harvey at the White House. You may have provided some funding to Historically Black Colleges and Universities. You may have paid $5 million for a Super Bowl commercial showing a Black woman singing your praises. But come Nov. 3, it’s time for you to pay the piper. As you liked to say in your “The Apprentice” reality show, we now get a chance to say it to you. “You’re fired.”
Pennsylvania unlikely to declare a winner on Election Night ELECTION NIGHT FROM A2
processing until 7 a.m. on Election Day. “We’re not going to know it on Election Night. That’s just the way it’s going to be,” said Marian Schneider, an election and voting rights consultant for the ACLU of Pennsylvania and the former president of the election integrity nonprofit Verified Voting. “We’re going to have to have patience. The value should be accuracy.” When will we have results? Experts were hesitant to say exactly when results might be available but were confident that Pennsylvania counties would
meet the Nov. 23 state deadline for all counties to finish counting and reporting votes. Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar said during an Oct. 16 press conference that she fully expects to have the “overwhelming majority” of votes tallied “in a matter of days.” Scott Seebor, the Pennsylvania state director for voting advocacy organization All Voting is Local, agreed. “I think that Pennsylvania is on track to be able to have a count within, I would say, safely, seven days of the election,” he said.
(This story was shortened by the Courier for length.)
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THE RACE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE
All eyes on Pennsylvania—voters here are the key to the presidency by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer
Pennsylvania, the Keystone State, just may be the key to victory for Joe Biden...or Donald Trump. Less than a week before Election Day, Nov. 3, the early votes and mail-in ballots continue to be counted across our 46,000 square miles of commonwealth. Biden and Trump, the current president, know just how important winning Pennsylvania is to winning the presidential election. As you track the suspenseful presidential election results on Election Night, remember that most states have already
gland states, New York, California, and Illinois. Thus, Election Night comes down to about 10 “swing” states that could go either way. They include: Arizona, Nevada, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Iowa, Florida, and, you guessed it, Pennsylvania. Besides being the state where the Declaration of Independence was signed, Pennsylvania has an eclectic mixture of hardcore Democrats and Republicans, with the Democrats primarily residing in the big cities, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the Republicans in central Pa. and the counties surround-
in 2004. Gore and Kerry lost the elections to George W. Bush. Pennsylvania went to Democrat Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012, before surprisingly turning Red to Trump’s camp in 2016. A poll released Oct. 24 from the political website FiveThirtyEight has Biden, the Democratic nominee, with a 52 to 46 percentage lead over Trump. Even a Fox News poll dated Oct. 20 has Biden with a five point lead over Trump. Fox News is known for leaning towards the conservative end of the political spectrum. Twenty electoral votes are up for grabs in Penn-
Just over 643,000 votes were cast in Allegheny County in the 2016 election. Will Joe Biden get more than the 367,617 votes that went to Hillary Clinton in the county in 2016? The larger the win for Biden in Allegheny County, the more it offsets the Republican votes likely to come from the surrounding counties. been decided. That’s because historically, many states have a population base that leans either Democratic or Republican. States in the plains and South traditionally vote Republican, such as North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Kentucky and Tennessee. Other states are solid Blue states, like the New En-
ing Pittsburgh’s Allegheny County. In 1980 and 1984, Pennsylvania went to the Republican, Ronald Reagan, who became the two-term president. In 1988, the state stayed Red, going to President George H.W. Bush. But beginning in 1992, Pa. went on a Blue streak, going to two-term Democratic president Bill Clinton, then Al Gore in 2000, John Kerry
sylvania. Political experts have said that Trump must win Pennsylvania to have a chance of getting the necessary 270 electoral votes for re-election. As for Biden, he would love to win Pa., but if he loses the state, experts say he can still win states like Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota and take the presidency. Trump has consistently
TRACEY MCCANTS LEWIS was among the many who submitted their mail-in ballots at the Allegheny County Satellite Voting Center at CCAC, Oct. 24. (Photo by Courier photographer Rob Taylor Jr.) hammered to his Pa. supporters that Biden will paralyze the manufacturing industry in the state, costing Pennsylvanians thousands of jobs. But Biden has garnered more support among the state’s senior citizens, a category that Trump dominated over Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. Trump won the state in 2016, but by just 44,000 votes of the six million total votes cast in the state. Trump has little margin for error. Biden almost exclusively has the state’s African American vote, if history serves correct. In 2016, 10 percent of the total votes cast in Pa. were from African Americans (600,000). And CNN exit polls showed that 92 percent of them voted for Clinton. Black
women, in particular, had no love for Trump in 2016 in Pa.; 99 percent of them voted for Clinton, exit polls indicated. There’s no reason to believe Pa.’s Black women haven’t exclusively voted or won’t vote for Biden. Turning closer to home, is it likely that the counties surrounding Allegheny— Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington, Westmoreland, etc.—would turn for the Democrat, Biden? The answer is most likely no, though political experts have their eye on Beaver County as a county that could flip to Blue. Allegheny County is a shoo-in for the Democrats; the only question is, by how many percentage points will Biden win? In 2016, Clinton won by 16 points, or 108,000 votes. In 2012, Obama defeated Mitt Rom-
ney in Allegheny County by a 14 point margin, or 90,000 votes. Just over 643,000 votes were cast in Allegheny County in the 2016 election. Expect around the same number for the 2020 election. But will Biden get more than the 367,617 votes that went to Clinton in 2016? The larger the win for Biden in Allegheny County, the more it offsets the Republican votes likely to come from the surrounding counties. Mix that with the heavily-Democratic votes expected in Philadelphia and its surrounding counties that traditionally lean Democratic, and Biden could find himself winning Pennsylvania, with one step closer to the White House.
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Participation in clinical trials is paramount for the Black community UPMC hiring more minorities as ‘Clinical Trial Ambassadors’ by Renee P. Aldrich For New Pittsburgh Courier
The fight against health disparities in this country has been an ongoing battle. African Americans lead the parade to the cemetery as they suffer and die disproportionately from chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, heart diseases and most cancers—receiving more diagnoses at greater rates than Caucasians as well as other ethnic groups. If more minorities knew about and could participate in clinical trials, it could potentially help in the quest to reduce health disparities. African American participation in clinical trials has been a significant challenge within the health care research systems. For that reason, last fall, UPMC implemented an initiative designed to build up participation. They began a hiring program where they added Clinical Trial Ambassadors (CTA) on staff to work with African American cancer patients. Yolanda murphy was one of the hires. As a Clinical Trial Ambassador, she is tasked with meeting, recruiting, and educating cancer patients about the importance of clinical trials and then helping them navigate the system. She shared that her main objective in working with her patients was to “first establish a level of comfort, and build trust, and this is aided by
the fact that I look like them. The idea is that by working with me and hearing my story, we are able to connect because I have been where they’ve been”—receiving that diagnosis that no one wants to hear—“you have cancer.” Murphy was only 35 years of age when she was diagnosed with stage 2 invasive ductal carcinoma. She was motivated by her own experience to get involved in educating other women. She was already employed as an outreach specialist in medical assistance with the insurance division of UPMC. It only made sense after her diagnosis to participate on every level to be of support to others, especially young breast cancer survivors. Currently she has a dual role with UPMC; each is involved in bringing more women of color into the areas needed to help make a difference in health disparities. She’s a research specialist at the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, where they recruit Black and White women for research studies comparing and contrasting breast cancer. She’s also a Clinical Trial Ambassador. Both roles provide her the opportunity to connect with the women not just as a health care professional, but also as a person who has walked in their shoes—thus, providing the perfect segue to the conversation about clini-
cal trials. “Clinical trials are what makes and/or breaks what is new and innovative in medicine,” Murphy told the New Pittsburgh Courier. “Properly executed clinical trials saves lives.” One of the medicines Murphy was on after her breast cancer first went through a clinical trial, and it determined what works and what wouldn’t work. “At 41 I’m still cancer-free, and this may not have been so had the medicine I’m taking not gone through a clinical trial.” More African Americans need to be involved in breast cancer clinical trials. It is just that simple. But it’s hard to blame some African Americans who have traditionally stayed away from medical “studies” or “research” experiments. The federal government convened the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment, beginning in 1932. The government public health agency recruited 600 mostly-Black men who were sharecroppers, and told them they had “bad blood,” and that they would receive free medical treatment. About 400 of the men had latent syphilis; the others were free of the disease. Though penicillin became the recommended treatment for syphilis in 1947, public health officials at the county level were urged not to give it to the research participants (even those who actually had latent syphilis).
As dozens of Blacks eventually died and hundreds more had excruciating ailments, it wasn’t until 1972 when the fraudulent and inhumane study was uncovered and shut down. In an exclusive interview with the Courier, Lyn Robertson, director of UPMC’s Clinical Trial Ambassadors program, said that the program “came out of another trial, one that dealt with early-stage breast and lung cancer. After seeing the results we knew we needed to do something to build on the principles of the trial, which empowered individuals to become their own advocate—meaning if they were being treated and were not asked to participate in an available trial, that as the patient, they themselves would bring it up.” She continued: “If there is a trial for whatever cancer you have, you should be offered it.” There are stop-gap measures in place so that the detrimental and deadly actions of those in the past would never happen again. When patients agree to participate in a clinical trial, there are protocols to ensure the integrity of the process, and of methods used. Additionally, it is essential to understand that a cancer patient is treated with both the recommended treatment along with the clinical trial. These protocols are put in place to get past the remaining myths and fears associated with clinical
Yolanda Murphy’s primary objective as a UPMC Clinical Trial Ambassador working with her patients is to “first establish a level of comfort, and build trust, and this is aided by the fact that I look like them. The idea is that by working with me and hearing my story, we are able to connect because I have been where they’ve been”—receiving that diagnosis that no one wants to hear—“you have cancer.” trials. Some object by saying, “I don’t want to be a guinea pig,” or they believe that they will be treated with something that is going to harm them. That’s why UPMC is trying to hire individuals to work with new patients. “The bottom line is that unfortunately, our commu-
nity has been misinformed and mistreated. The whole purpose is to ensure that those who do not know are educated around what the truth is by meeting them where they are and showing them that the longterm results of clinical trials can only be positive.”
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OCTOBER 28-NOVEMBER 3, 2020 A7
Northview Heights residents make demands to improve living conditions
Praise & Worship ST. BENEDICT THE MOOR CATHOLIC CHURCH Crawford & Centre Ave. Pgh., PA 15219 412-281-3141 Sunday Mass 10:30 A.M. www.stbtmchurch.org
East Liberty Presbyterian Church Rev. Dr. Randy Bush, Senior Pastor 412-441-3800 Worship Online on Facebook/YouTube www.ELPC.church Journey Worship...........8:45 a.m. Sanctuary Worship...........11 a.m. Taize -Wednesdays.........7 p.m.
Curious about Quakerism? You Are Welcome at our Meetings for Worship Sundays at 10:30 a.m. Pittsburgh Friends Meeting 4836 Ellsworth Avenue www.quaker.org/pghpamm/
LEANNA WILLIAMS, among those demanding improvements to Northview Heights Estates, during a march, Oct. 21. (Photos by Courier photographer J.L. Martello) Marcus Reed, president of the Northview Heights Estates Tenant Council, helped organize a march and press conference, Oct. 21, to voice his fellow residents’ concerns and demands. Residents demand a defunding of the complex’s security guards and using the budget to fund a community outreach team. Residents can then be trained to work in the security booths. Residents want smaller contracts for the property to go to residents, such as street cleaning and painting/cleaning the units. They want the policy that states every adult in the house working and paying rent for one unit to be changed. Residents should have a pool and porch tents, better
maintenance of the units, streets and playgrounds, and technical assistance for all resident councils to operate as a functioning 501 c-3 organization. Reed said that there should also be larger units built at Northview, along with apartment buildings with storefronts for resident businesses. Reed said that he’s met with Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh executives, with “little to no results or improvement to the living conditions” of the residents of Northview Heights Estates.
Join our growing Praise and Worship Church Community! For rate information, call 412481-8302, ext. 128.
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TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEXT CHURCH EVENT! We want to place your event in our Church Circuit weekly calendar! Send info to: New Pittsburgh Courier 315 E. Carson St. Pittsburgh PA 15219 Or Email us! religion@ newpittsburgh courier.com
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The Courier is THE VOICE of Black Pittsburgh.
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PROPERTY IS POWER Should you refinance or sell? The ongoing question…Should I refinance or sell? Everywhere you look you see, advertisements suggesting: “Lock in the rate!” “Refinance now and save!” Before you know it, you are asking yourself “Should I refinance?” That is a great question and we will explore what the hype is all about as it relates to refinancing. The answer usually comes down to two basic facts. 1. Budget: Avoid accumulating debt as a result of a loan ANTHONY O. KELLUM 2. Lifestyle: Downsize living space or access your home equity Whether you ought to refinance or sell comes down to answering a few questions and being honest about your future plans. But before we go any further, let’s explore what the term refinancing actually means. According to Investopedia.com Refinancing is the process of paying of an existing loan and replacing it with a new loan that includes the debt of the old one. Many people refinance by finding a new lender with better terms or interest rates. Lenders may also offer homeowners the option to change their loan type from variable- rate (interest rate may go up or down) to fixed rate (interest rate does not change over the life of your loan), establishing a constant interest rate each year. The question becomes, why are so many people considering refinancing? As of late, in the beginning of March 2020 the Federal Reserve dropped interest rates by half of a percentage point and then dropped it again mid-month to between 0-0.25 percent. Zero percent is very intriguing, but keep in mind that doesn’t mean you can get a mortgage with 0 percent interest – although that would be AWESOME! The shifts in interest rate is an effort to stimulate the flailing economy in the middle of the COVID-19 Pandemic. What you should know before you go searching to refinance: 1. Know your credit score: Review your credit report and unfortunately nearly 1-in-four credit reports contain errors of some kind. 2. Have your mortgage paperwork handy: Although every mortgage application is unique, there are some common required forms, gather the necessary paperwork in advance.
White collar workers are essential, too by Elizabeth Lampkin For New Pittsburgh Courier
While medical professionals, law enforcement officers, and grocery workers have been on the front lines of the COVID-19 and deemed essential, white-collar workers such as office managers, assistants, bankers, and other office workers who perform essential services for City and State agencies have reported to work daily to serve the public in different capacities that have gone unnoticed. Like all essential workers, white-collar workers risk contracting the virus and bringing it home with them every time they walk in and out the doors of their homes. While their battle with the virus is not as extensive as others, they are still required to work away from home to maintain employment. We spoke with five professionals who hold various leadership positions at their respective jobs (They each requested to remain anonymous). Each professional expressing their thoughts and concerns about working during the COVID-19 crisis. Two of the professionals have returned to work after being closed and working re-
motely for months during the height of the COVID-19 crisis. For others working from home was never an option. One professional, a Banker, worked regular business hours until May, when her job decided to move to a rotating schedule, reducing her time in the office from five days a week to three. Since the beginning of the pandemic, she has been quarantined twice due to COVID-19 outbreaks at her job. A Production Team Manager for a well-known company stated that her company shut down for two weeks, but she and her team members had to report to varying plants for work. A Utility Operations Manager did not have the option to work from home during the pandemic, which sparked several concerns for her and her loved ones. To protect herself and her family from contracting the virus, she focused on adhering to safety protocols at work and following the CDC’s suggested measures. Rather than socializing after work, she would, and still does, focus on leaving directly to head home and avoid contact with others as much as possible. Each professional had varying concerns about theirs and their loved ones’ health,
but they made sure they were cautious with their actions, as they knew it could pose adverse effects on them and those they came in close contact. When asked if they are more comfortable reporting to work now than initially, the responses varied. A Human Resources Manager revealed that she was never uncomfortable with going to work, but was more concerned with her co-workers following social distance protocols while working in the same space. A Director of Client Services stated that she is not as paranoid as initially; however, she is still cautious with her actions. Yet, the banking professional has serious concerns about coming to work. Her offices have already shut down twice. She is still required to see clients who need to conduct banking business and corporate clients and small business owners who have needed assistance preparing SBA PPP loan applications and securing emergency funds. She stated there was an increase in bank traffic because some of her older clients were not comfortable using electronic or online banking. In some cases, customers needed cash because ATM’s were destroyed in their neighborhoods. These professionals experience some apprehension about reporting to work now. These concerns stem mostly from their co-workers’ actions outside of the workplace. Many of us communicate with our co-workers or work-family on social media and see how weekends are spent at non-socially distanced gatherings without masks. One interviewee revealed that a co-worker traveled out of the country, failed to quarantine, and report their actions to upper management, putting all who encountered them potentially at risk. Another revealed that she has co-workers who visit areas currently on Chicago’s Emergency Travel Order list frequently and refuse to quarantine when they return. SEE WHITE COLLAR B2
SEE REFINANCE B2
You’re paying high prices for your vices! The word “vice” is generally used to define behavior or habits that are immoral, sinful, criminal, rude, depraved, taboo, or degrading. I’m not going to be that sinister. I’m using the word vice to imply something we do or something we spend money on that we know is foolish, doesn’t make any sense, and is detrimental to our health, wealth, and overall well-being. We admonish our children from doing it. We warn others about the dangers of doing it. We frown upon others whom we see with potential from engaging in it. Yet, we do it anyway. We tend to be judgmental when we see others wavering with their vices. We leave our own vices unchecked. We all have vices of some kind. Like sin, no one vice is worse than the other. Some vices are obvious, and its ill effects can devastate your life seemingly overnight. Other vices are quiet killers. These vices slowly erode your health, wealth, and life. We justify our indiscretions with: “you only live once,” “fear of missing out,” “you have to die from something,” “I work hard, I deserve it,” “it relaxes me,” “it’s my money and I can do what I want to,” “this is the only thing I do for myself...” When you have to rationalize doing something that you know deep down inside is wrong, it’s called “deceptive intelligence” or “rationalizing wrongdoing.” What does it take to blow $10,000 per year? A measly $27.40 per day on miscellaneous spending. Yep! Cigarettes, weed, alcohol, drugs, lottery, casino, dining out, coffee, emotional shopping, adds up FAST. I recall doing a financial plan for a family. Money was tight. They had no wiggle room. I was going over their income and expenses.
They had a negative cash-flow of approximately $600 per month. Meaning they were spending $600 more than what they were earning. How is that possible, you may ask? They supplemented their income by using credit cards and by borrowing from Peter to pay Paul. I noticed he was spending $15 dollars per day on cigarettes. I looked at him. I said, “Your money is going up in smoke!” He looked at me puzzled. Not only are there health concerns associated with smoking cigarettes but also you’re spending $15 per day. That’s equivalent to $105 per week, $420 per month, and $5,040 per year. I had his and his wife’s attention. Think about it. If you stop smoking, you reduce your negative cash-flow by $200 per month. Let’s take it a step further. I asked how long have you been smoking? He said since he was about 20 years old. He was now 44 years old. I ran some time value of money numbers. I told him that if he had invested that $420 for 24 years, that money would be worth approximately $503,000. They were astonished!! I told them hard habits are hard to break. I don’t expect you to stop smoking overnight. But it’s something to consider. In the meantime, curtail spending on your vices. I gave them some other recommendations that reconciled the negative cash-flow and created some margin between their income and expenses. During our follow-up appointment I was shocked to learn that he quit smoking
cold turkey after hearing those numbers. I’ve given this advice and ran those numbers to a lot of people. To date, he’s the first client that I know of that quit smoking cold turkey. Smoking may not be your vice. It’s not mine. We can’t look down upon him because he wasted his money on smoking. What are you wasting your money on? What’s your vice? You have one. Most of us have more than one. That’s double or triple the trouble. It’s not uncommon for a person to be a smoker, drinker and play the lottery. Mine is dining out. I have the bulge in my gut to prove it. We’ll go grocery shopping and stock up for the week. On the way home from the grocery store, I’ll stop at a restaurant and buy me something to eat. Another vice of mine is the casino. I don’t go often. But when I go, I leave a small fortune. I lose all common sense when I’m at the casino. I try to check myself. I’ll valet park and leave my wallet in the car to prevent myself from going to the ATM. One time I was at the casino, I lost $200 in 20 minutes. I was looking forward to going and having a good time. Winning is how I define a good time. Within 20 minutes, I’m broke, busted, and disgusted. I don’t like watching other people gamble. So, I did the sensible thing. I had a valet attendant bring me my car so that I can get my wallet. Down goes another $200. I know better. I had to fall back from that place. Don’t judge my client or me. He quit smoking. I curtailed my spending on my vices.
Below is a list of the average cost we spend on various vices. The list isn’t all inclusive. It’s an average of some of our vices. Reflect on how much you spend compared to the average. Work towards curtailing your spending on these vices. • Cigarettes: The average person spends about $6.28 per pack on cigarettes. If you smoke a pack a day that’s $176 per month. • Marijuana: The average cost of marijuana is $10 per gram. The average person spends $25 on each purchase. If you spend $25 on weed three times per week, that’s $300 per month. • Alcohol: The average person is spending about $100 per month on alcohol. • Lottery: The average person spends about $86 per month on the lottery and scratch-off tickets. • Dining Out: The average person spends about $232 per month on dining out. • Coffee: The average person spends about $50 per month on coffee. • Casino: The average person takes $200 to gamble with at the casino. • Emotional shopping: Feeling sad, lonely, bored, or happy? People shop for various emotional reasons. The average person spends about $133 per month. Benjamin Franklin said that small leaks sink big ships. These expenses seem small. But they add up quickly. We pay high prices for our vices. It’s not just what we spend on our vices. There’s also opportunity cost— money that could have been used to save, invest or do fun, memorable stuff with our family and friends. (Damon Carr, Money Coach can be reached at 412216-1013 or visit his website @ www.damonmoneycoach.com)
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BUSINESS
OCTOBER 28-NOVEMEBER 3, 2020
Highmark Inc. adds Kevin Jenkins to Board of Directors The New Pittsburgh Courier has learned that Highmark Inc. recently announced the election of Kevin L. Jenkins, L.S.W. to its Board of Directors for a threeyear term. Jenkins curKEVIN JENKINS rently serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer for Manchester Bidwell Corporation (MBC), a Pittsburgh-based organization committed to working with individuals to transform lives as well as build, strengthen, and enhance communities. By leading MBC, Jenkins oversees a broad mission that includes adult workforce training, youth arts education and college/career readiness, jazz performance and preservation, and more. Prior to his current position, Jenkins served as senior program officer for Health and Human Services and Community Initiative Director for The Pittsburgh Foundation, and later advanced to become Vice President for Public Policy and Civic Leadership. He also worked at the Holy Family Institute as an executive director prior to joining The Pittsburgh Foundation. Jenkins earned a master’s degree in social work from the University of Pittsburgh and an undergraduate degree from Penn State University. He serves on several regional boards and committees and was appointed by the Joint State Government Commission to serve as a member of the Advisory Committee on Homelessness in Pennsylvania. He is also a member of the Remake Learning Council.
Nielsen’s consumer report explores ‘The Power of The Black Community—From Moment to Movement’ For 10 years, Nielsen has been dedicated to telling the story of the power of Black consumers and their diversity, long before the call for social justice sounded. According to “The Power of the Black Community—From Moment to Movement,” the 10th annual report in Nielsen’s Diverse Intelligence Series on African American consumers, Black influence on the economy and pop culture continues to drive not only significant moments in history, but drive change across industries and digital platforms. From video streaming, radio listenership and podcasting to buying Black and staying connected to social movements through social media, African Americans are leading the conversation with an unprecedented impact on brands, policies and what the country watches, buys and listens to. “African Americans are calling out systemic racism while at the same time creating opportunities for growth across social platforms and businesses with various levels of innovation,” said Cheryl Grace, Senior Vice President of Consumer Insights and Engagement, Nielsen. “African Americans have historically navigated these imperfect structures—but this current global reckoning brought on by a unique confluence of moments, proves the power of the Black community and its incredible influence.” Grace is also the founder of Nielsen’s Diverse Intelligence Series of annual reports about U.S. multicultural communities. Key findings from the report include: • There has been an overall increase in buying power across the community, and also where and what African Americans are buying. • African Americans are limiting the amount of time they are spending out in public due to COVID-19, and shopping where they can get more value. • Blacks make more frequent trips to the store, spending less per trip than the total population.
• Online shopping is a convenient and safe alternative to brick-andmortar shopping—this year, 48 percent of African American households shop online, 11 percent more than the average household. • In the last decade, there have been more successful Black brands, Black-owned businesses, and investment in expanded economic opportunities for African Americans. • African Americans are nearly three times as likely to take to social media to show support of their favorite companies and brands. • African Americans are now 58 percent more likely to expect the brands they buy to take a stance on issues and 37 percent more likely to buy a brand when they do • The Black Lives Matter movement has influ-
Should you refinance or sell? REFINANCE FROM B1
3. Know if you want to pay closing costs: You can save time on your mortgage approval if you know how you want to have your closing paid— when refinancing your closing costs can be added to your loan balance— also known as “rolling your costs” into your loan. 4. Shop multiple lenders: Mortgage rates are different with every bank and the lender with the lowest rates today may not be the lender with the lowest rates tomorrow. Should you sell your home and move into a new property that offers you the opportunity to pay lower interest rates and cheaper monthly payments. According to Amplify Credit Union, selling your home can help to reduce or even eliminate your loan. Following a sale, some homeowners receive a payout from their previous home based on the portion that they own. This is determined by the amount of payments that have already been made towards the loan. This portion is referred to as a home’s equity. Using the equity from your old home and putting it towards your new mortgage assists in paying off the loan and reduces
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
debt in the long run. What and when you plan to do in the next three to five years is critical to making the right decision. In fact, time is one of the most important factors. If you plan to sell in the next three to five years, it might not make financial sense, depending on how much equity you currently have in your home, to refinance. Here are some more factors to take into account: 1. Your cash and equity positions. You probably know if you have little equity, or, less than 20 percent, you won’t be able to avoid paying private mortgage insurance. It’s important to note that refinancing is the same as getting a new mortgage. You have to qualify for a new loan and even if your FICO score is good your debt to income ratio might be too high. 2. Your current neighborhood. The neighborhood in which your home is located will have an enormous impact on your decision. 3. Being able to recoup costs. While remodeling certainly increases the value of a home, it doesn’t mean you’ll get back everything you put into it. 4. Your lifestyle changes. Should you be in a position where you just
need more space, it probably will be a better idea to sell and buy. While it may seem ideal to sell your home and accept a mortgage with lower monthly payments, there is often increased competition for less expensive homes according to the mortgage consultants at amplify.com. Also, not all prospective buyers qualify for lower interest rates when looking for new homes. According to homelightl.com, lenders typically review the financial history of applicants including credit history, current wages, and the amount of debt owed. Before deciding to sell or refinance, do your research to determine what is best for you and your family and also the options available to your regarding your home. “I will forever believe that buying a home is s great investment. Why? Because you can’t live in a stock certificate. You can’t live in a mutual fund.” – Oprah Winfrey
(Anthony O. Kellum is President of Kellum Mortgage, LLC..)
enced allies to take action as well. For example, Hispanic consumers outpaced African Americans in their expectation that the brands they buy support social causes as well. • African Americans have been at the forefront of the COVID-19 crisis, as they’re more likely to be employed as essential workers. • Needing to strike a balance between work and home, African Americans are spending the most time on their smartphones compared to the total population. • In one week, African Americans spend over eight hours social networking, about three hours watching videos and over one hour streaming audio on their smartphones. • Smartphone ownership for African Americans has grown from 44 percent in 2011 to 98 percent in 2020—faster than the total population. • Podcasts have become a central stage for Black voices. • African Americans spend more time per week streaming audio, including podcast listening, than the total U.S. population. • In a typical week, almost half (49 percent) of African American podcast listeners spend about 1 to 4 hours listening to podcasts. • Radio has remained a trusted channel for news and information for African Americans, reaching 98 percent of them every month. • Black consumers are the No. 1 ethnic group in watching live TV, playing game consoles, smartphone media consumption, and streaming audio. • The Top 20 advertisers’ spend on media focused on African Americans has increased from $3.34 billion in 2011 to $3.86 billion in 2019— almost a 16 percent increase. • This time of racial reckoning has placed great responsibility on Hollywood and other media publishers to be more inclusive in the stories and characters they tell. • With streaming offerings, Black audiences now have a lot more
choice in programs that depict their real-life experiences, • Black households have steadily increased subscriptions to streaming services—from 65 percent in 2019 to 70 percent in 2020. • African Americans are more likely to download a video podcast, watch live TV, or keep up with news through a streaming service, compared to the total population. • For the first time, Nielsen this year created an Inclusion Opportunity index, which we use to study the most popular programs on broadcast, cable and SVOD to determine how representative they are of different demographics. • One study comparing inclusion of Black men and Black women found that Reality, News/ Weather and Drama are representative of Black men, compared to their representation in the U.S. population. • But Black women are far from parity across the board, coming close to it in one genre: Drama. • 56 percent of the top broadcast shows we analyzed have a Black female cast member. • In the past decade, there’s been considerable growth in African Americans’ population, buying power, education and income. • There are 48.2 million African Americans in the U.S. • From 2020 to 2060, Black Americans will contribute to more than 20 percent of the total U.S. population growth. • African Americans are significantly younger with a median age of all 32—six years younger than the national average and 11 years younger than non-Hispanic Whites. • With smaller households and younger children, Black grandparents are filling the role of caregivers. • African American households are smaller than the national average at 2.48 vs. the national average of 2.52. • 29 percent of these households are more likely to have children under 18 compared to 27 percent of all U.S. households. • 5 percent of African American grandparents live with their grandchildren, and 40 percent of those grandparents are the main caregivers for their grandchildren. (For more details and insights, download the report at www.nielsen.com/ africanamericans. Join the conversation on Facebook (Nielsen Community) and Twitter (@NielsenKnows).
White collar workers are essential, too WHITE COLLAR FROM B1
While they cannot police the activity of their colleagues outside of their presence, they did reveal that, for the most part, people are following safety measures on an individual basis. At the same time, while at work, most will cooperate when they know they are under watch. The CDC released guidelines that office building employers, owners, and managers should follow to maintain a healthy and safe workplace for employees and clients. Going to work during a global pandemic can be more of a struggle and a source of increased stress and anxiety. It is essential to maintain an intense level of cleanliness at your offices and workstations for the sake of everyone’s health. Even
after the pandemic subsides, continue to follow health and safety recommendations to protect yourself and others. Heart Check As we continue to live through this time, it is imperative to remember to be considerate of those who report to work to keep productivity going and their livelihood. Everyone is essential to the survival of humanity every day, and it is vital to ensure we support everyone in any way we can. If you see anyone who is on their way to work, greet them with a smile and wish them well no matter their job title.
(Liz Lampkin is a Lifestyle, Love, and Relationship writer. Follow her on social media @ Liz_Lampkin.) (Reprinted from the Chicago Defender)
OPINION
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
Courier Editorial Our endorsements in the General Election The New Pittsburgh Courier endorses the following candidates for election in the November 3 General Election. It is our belief that these chosen candidates will best represent our interests and the interests of our constituents. President
JOE BIDEN Attorney General
JOSH SHAPIRO Auditor General
NINA AHMAD State Treasurer
JOE TORSELLO US House of Representatives District 17
CONOR LAMB
US House of Representatives District 18
MIKE DOYLE PA Senate District 43
JAY COSTA JR. PA Representative District 19
JAKE WHEATLEY PA Representative District 21
SARA INNAMORATO PA Representative District 24
ED GAINEY
PA Representative District 34
SUMMER LEE
PA Representative District 35
AUSTIN DAVIS
Founded 1910
Rod Doss Editor & Publisher Stephan A. Broadus Assistant to the Publisher Allison Palm
Rob Taylor Jr.
Jeff Marion
Office Manager
Managing Editor
Circulation Consultant
John. H. Sengstacke
Editor & Publisher Emeritus (1912-1997)
OCTOBER 28-NOVEMBER 3, 2020
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Don’t be confused (TriceEdneyWire.com)—I was ready to be forgiving of people who hadn’t decided for whom to vote this late, but no longer after hearing the latest news about foreign interference in our November election—and not hearing a mumbling word from the President of the United States! This President has not shown any interest in protecting our democracy from foreign intervention in our election. He’s already asked homeland terrorists to simply standby after the governor of Michigan and others have been threatened with kidnap and murder, he leads chants to lock up perfectly loyal Americans. I can’t imagine a sane person who chooses Donald Trump over Joe Biden to be our President. Isn’t it obvious that Trump has shown no interest in helping or protecting anybody other than himself? I’m convinced he cares nothing about his family or his friends. I use the term “friends” loosely because he throws them under the bus as soon as they don’t agree with his dangerous requirements. He’s already threatening to fire his FBI Director and has given warning to his Attorney General while rushing him to arrest political opponents for no reason. He’s called Dr. Fauci a disaster for trying to provide health advice to stop killing people with COVID-19. We’ve heard more than enough of his angry, vulgar, insulting, rhetoric
Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq.
Commentary to vote him out of the White House. No one else would be allowed over 20,000 lies and still hold such an important position. In a democracy, truth matters. Who are these people who enable him to continue holding such a powerful position without speaking out against such behavior? Who are these people who act like there’s no difference in Joe Biden and him when the differences are so obvious? Joe Biden is an honorable man who can admit, and has admitted, his mistakes and worked to overcome them. It’s so disappointing that Kanye West is lending his name to keeping the current President in office. I don’t think he understands what he is doing in trying to take a few votes from Black men over to Trump. On the other hand, I think Ice Cube, as he calls himself, seems to be pretty bright. He knows how much Black people are suffering under Trump who has no interest in doing anything to help our people.
We risk losing the health benefits President Barack Obama and VP Joe Biden worked to get even for people with pre-existing conditions. I have no problem with his Contract for Black America, but I haven’t spoken to a single Black man who was asked what he wanted and do they want it so bad they’re willing to not vote and deliver the Presidency to Trump. I have no problem with the contents of Ice Cube’s Contract. My problem is with his timing and his approach to selling it that gives a few Black men an excuse for not voting without telling them not voting is a way of supporting Trump. Joe Biden has shown his ability and willingness to help our community. I think it’s wrong to say both men are evil. Even if it is true, he knows one is more evil than the other. Such a time as this is reason for voting for the lesser of two evils. Any sensible person would take one mistake over 20,000 lies any day. My plea to Ice Cube is to stop confusing people about the best person to vote for. Lord knows our community is owed a lot of help by a lot of politicians, but we risk too much to take another chance with a reality show man who hasn’t a clue as to what the reality is on needs of our community.
(Dr. E. Faye Williams is President of the National Congress of Black Women.)
The power of protest and the power of our ballots In a year defined by distress and tragedy, no one has felt that chaos more painfully than the Black community, We’ve seen the coronavirus pandemic tear through our neighborhoods at a devastating rate. Job losses have surged, evictions are looming, and economic damage has mounted. And the deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd and the shooting of Jacob Blake have brought the crisis of police violence into stark, horrifying relief for the broad American public. Yet at the same time, we have also seen a nearly unprecedented explosion of protests in virtually every American city. In the face of militarized, mobilized opposition, we have seen our community take to the streets and demand justice for victims and reform of broken systems. As Election Day nears and tens of millions of Black voters head to the polls to turn those demands into reality, we may have one more obstacle to overcome: voter intimidation. Our community has been forced to deal with legal (and illegal) hurdles on our path to the ballot box since the very moment we won the right to vote. No matter what it said on paper, our ability to vote has never been guaranteed. This year, we should expect to see desperate 11th hour attempts to stifle and silence our voices. The reason is simple: Our votes matter and they can make the difference in races all across America. The power of our collective ballots is just as strong as the power of our collective protests. Those are the tools that—together —will bring about the change and transformation we want to see. Of course, the outcome of the presidential race will have profound impacts on our community. But, so too will countless down-ballot races. On November 3, we will elect District Attorneys who will make decisions about how to enforce laws in our communities. We will elect sheriffs who run jails and make decisions about policies like solitary confinement and how to treat those who are
Kristen Clarke
Commentary incarcerated. We will elect mayors who will choose who leads our police departments. We will elect City Councilors who determine the budget size for local police departments. We will elect local and state judges in some states who help determine who are charged with ensuring equal justice under law. Simply put, the ballot is an important vehicle to promoting accountability and addressing demands for criminal justice reform that have been at the heard of this year’s historic protests. Just as we saw during the Civil Rights Movement, our movement today must be fought on the streets, in the courts, and through the power of our ballots. That is why my organization, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, leads the Election Protection program today. Election Protection is the nation’s largest and longest-running, non-partisan voter protection program, anchored by the 866-OUR-VOTE hotline. And, given the extraordinary challenges that we face during the pandemic, it’s why we have more than quadrupled the number of legal volunteers supporting that hotline to 23,000 legal volunteers, seven days a week. Since the pandemic, we have mounted nearly 3 dozen voting rights lawsuits to ensure that Black voters and all voters will be able to vote this season. We have successfully sued to defeat restrictions such as notary and witness requirements for absentee voters, we have fought to ensure that voters will receive notice and an opportunity to cure any issue that might arise with an absentee ballot and we have fought to ensure that absentee ballots would be available to all voters,
without limitation. We have worked to beat back the efforts of operatives who are trying to limit access to drop boxes and more. Since July 1, we’ve received more than 100,000 calls from voters seeking help with vote by mail, those wondering whether the rhetorical claims that vote by mail is not safe or secure are true, and voters seeking information on drop box options for returning ballots and more. We’ve also requested some reports of voter intimidation and voter suppression, which are not uncommon during the 11th hour of an election season and which are, far too often, targeted at Black voters and voters of color. Robocalls seeking to frighten voters, social media posts imparting false information, and disinformation campaigns targeting Black voters with inaccurate information about vote by mail. We see these thinly veiled schemes for what they are—attempts to deny Black people voice in our democracy. They haven’t stopped us in the past and should not stop us now. We are here to help. This election is one of the most consequential elections of our lifetime. It is a capstone to a year marked by historic protests and an unprecedented pandemic—two events that raise profound questions regarding systemic racism, and the health, safety and quality of lives of Black people in our country. As this year comes to a close, the power of our ballots will prove to be a critical tool in our arsenal as we seek to ensure that Black Lives Matter and achieve those goals aimed at elevating the standing of Black people in our democracy. The collective might of Black protests and Black votes are forces to be reckoned with. With just several days remaining in this election season, let’s use the ballot to underscore, in no uncertain terms, that Black Lives Matter and Black Voters Matter. (Kristen Clarke is president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, which leads Election Protection, a non-partisan voter protection program anchored by the 866-OUR-VOTE hotline.)
New Pittsburgh Courier
CLASSIFIED
B4
OCTOBER 28-NOVEMBER 3, 2020
www.newpittsburghcourier.com
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Help Wanted
Help Wanted
AUBERLE-WARD HOME HEALING CHILDREN & FAMILIES Since 1952, Auberle has been dedicated to transforming the lives of children, youth & families. Auberle is a nationally recognized human service agency serving 4,000+ children & families each year. HIRING FOR: •Case Manager - FT •Case Aide/Driver – FT/PT •Education Coordinator - FT •Family Support Staff (Family Emergency Shelter) Duquesne site – FT •HR Generalist – FT •Housing Case Manager Supervisor - FT •Placement Stability Specialist PT •412 Youth Zone Coach – FT •Independent Living Services Program, Coordinator & Coach in Crawford County – FT •Youth Care Workers Working with Youth – McKeesport, Swissvale & Wilkinsburg sites – FT/PT If you are highly motivated, passionate about youth & interested in making a difference, visit www.auberle.org to apply. EOE
MINICHI, INC. BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION POSITIONS AVAILABLE Minichi, Inc. is a Heavy Highway Construction and Drilling Company based in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Minichi, Inc. is currently hiring for the following: Bridge Laborer Bridge Foreman 1-year bridge experience preferred. Send resume to: ebrogna@minichiconstruction.com Competitive compensation package. We support the hiring and advancement of all minorities. We are committed to a diverse workforce (minority/female/veteran/disabled). All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, nationality or sex.
CLERICAL ASSISTANT for Federal Public Defender office. Heavy receptionist duties; word processing skills preferred; good starting salary and benes. Must be reliable and interact well with the public. Send resume and cover letter in one Adobe file by 11/10 to PAW_Employment@fd.org using subject line “2021-01”. See full announcement at http://paw.fd.org/employment.htm EOE. No phone calls please. HELP WANTED: PROPERTY MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN Mon Valley Initiative seeks technicians to help maintain our portfolio of quality affordable apartments. Skills: Some carpentry, painting, plastering; minor electrical and plumbing; basic maintenance on HVAC, roofs, gutters, windows. Technicians respond to requests from tenants, perform scheduled and emergency tasks, prepare units for new move-ins. Must be willing to travel throughout Mon Valley (Homestead to Monessen) and have full-time access to a reliable vehicle. Excellent communications and customer service skills essential. Complete details at www.monvalleyinitiative.com. To apply, send a resume to: Sarah Altomari, Mon Valley Initiative, 305 E. 8th Ave., Dept. C, Homestead, PA 15120, or mvijobposting@gmail.com. Please, no phone calls. SOUTH FAYETTE TWP. SCHOOL DISTRICT DIRECTOR OF INNOVATION, STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP AND INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY Application Deadline 4:00 PM, November 2, 2020 Directions on how to apply and a complete job description are available at: www.southfayette.org EOE THE AVONWORTH SCHOOL DISTRICT BUILDING CUSTODIAN The Avonworth School District has an opening for a Building Custodian. This is a full-time 3:00 PM to 11:30 PM position with benefits and a starting hourly rate of $15.33. Interested candidates should send a letter of interest along with resume to Mr. Bradley Waters, Director of Fiscal Management, 258 Josephs Lane, Pittsburgh, PA 15237 or via email to: bwaters@avonworth.k12.pa.us. EOE OUTREACH/SUCCESS ADVISOR, OUTREACH/SUCCESS COORDINATOR – MILITARY FOCUS, POLICE OFFICERS F.T. & P.T. AND HOUSEKEEPING F.T. (DAY TIME) Pittsburgh Technical College is seeking qualified applicants for the following positions: •Outreach/Success Advisor Master’s degree required •Outreach/ Success Coordinator – Military Focus Master’s degree required • Police Officers (F/T & P/T) Act 120 training & Act 235 Certification required •Housekeeping, F.T. Day, (7:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.) 2 yrs. work experience in related field. Must pass criminal background check. Immediate opening at our North Fayette campus near Robinson Towne Center. Apply to www.ptcollege.edu (Employment with PTC) or www.workforptcollege.com . EOE M/F FOX CHAPEL AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT FACILITIES SHIFT SUPERVISOR Minimum Salary: $70,000. Salary commensurate with experience. Responsibilities include supervision of maintenance/ custodial staff, purchasing, training, & payroll. Primarily a 2nd shift position. For more details, refer to posting in the Applitrack system. Persons interested in this position should submit their application by 11:59 p.m., 11/9/20, through the online application system at the following link: https://www.applitrack.com/fcasd/onlineapp/. EOE
ANNOUNCEMENTS Public Notice
NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY FOR PUBLIC REVIEW AND COMMENT AND PUBLIC HEARING HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH 2021 ADMISSIONS AND CONTINUED OCCUPANCY POLICY & 2021 ADMINISTRATIVE PLAN The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) is revising the Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy (ACOP), AND The Housing Choice Voucher Program Administrative Plan. The proposed revisions for both the ACOP and Housing Choice Voucher Program Administrative Plan will be available for review from October 19, 2020 to November 17, 2020, on the HACP website: www.hacp.org. Written comments on the proposed revisions must be addressed to “Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy” and/or “Housing Choice Voucher Program Administrative Plan” .Admin Plan changes can be sent to the Housing Choice Voucher Department at 200 Ross Street, 7th floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. ACOP changes can be sent to Asset Management, 225 Ross St. #501, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 For questions regarding the Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy” please contact Devin Shirey at 412-456-5000 ext. 3164. For questions regarding the “Housing Choice Voucher Program Administrative Plan” please contact Anna Jasim at ext. 3231. Written comments must be received by close of business (5:00 p.m.) on November 17, 2020. A public hearing to receive public comments on the revised 2021 HACP Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy & 2021 Administrative Plan will be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020 and via Zoom. 10:00 am. Via zoom: Meeting ID: 941 3090 3788 Passcode: 085866 Via phone: 1-929-205-6099 5:00 p.m. Via zoom: Meeting ID: 997 7673 6111 Passcode: 800203 Via phone: 1929-205-6099 Persons with disabilities requiring assistance or alternative formats, or wishing to submit comments in alternative formats, can contact the Disability Compliance Office at 412-456-5282, ext. 4; TTY 412-4565282.
LEGAL ADVERTISING Bids/Proposals
COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY ADVERTISEMENT Sealed bid proposals are hereby solicited for the Community College of Allegheny County, 800 Allegheny Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15233 on the following: BID PROPOSAL NO. 1079 – Student Service Center Pedestrian Bridge Replacement – Allegheny Campus A MANDATORY pre-bid meeting and site-visitation will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 5, 2020. The assembly point will be at the site, behind the Foerster Student Service Center, 800 Block of Ridge Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15212. Due date: 2:00 P.M. Prevailing Time on Tuesday, November 24, 2020 Any proposals received after this deadline will be considered as a “late bid” and will be returned unopened to the offerer. Proposals may require Bid Bonds, Performance Bonds, Payment Bonds, and Surety as dictated by the specifications. No bidder may withdraw his bid for a period of ninety (90) days after the scheduled closing time for receipt of bids. The Board of Trustees reserves the right to reject any and all bids. The Community College of Allegheny County is an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and encourages bids from Minority/ Disadvantaged owned businesses.
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OFFICIAL ADVERTISEMENT OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Sealed proposals shall be deposited at the Administration Building, Bellefield Entrance Lobby, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15213, on November 10, 2020, until 2:00 P.M., local prevailing time for: Pgh. Allderdice HS Domestic Hot Water – PE Wing Plumbing Prime Pgh. Crescent ECC Boiler Replacement Mechanical, Electrical and Asbestos Abatement Primes Pgh. Montessori PreK-5 Domestic Water Booster System Plumbing Prime Pgh. Sterrett 6-8 Entrance Doors General Prime Various Schools: Pgh. Classical, Pgh Perry, Pgh. Colfax Replace Electrical Distribution Systems Electrical and Asbestos Abatement Primes Service & Maintenance Contracts at Various Schools, Facilities, Facilities & Properties: Concrete Maintenance Extraordinary General Maintenance and Repairs Extraordinary Masonry Maintenance and Repairs Extraordinary Electrical Service, Maintenance and Repairs Extraordinary Roofing Maintenance and Repairs Fire Extinguisher and Fire Hoses Service and Maintenance Gas and Oil Burners, Boilers and Furnaces Inspection, Service, and Repairs Integrated Access Control, Intrusion Detection, and CCTV Surveillance Systems Service, Maintenance, Repairs, and Programming Plumbing Maintenance and Repairs Chillers and Refrigeration Systems Service, Maintenance and Repairs Vertical Transportation Systems Preventative Maintenance and Service Project Manual and Drawings will be available for purchase on October 12, 2020 at Modern Reproductions (412-488-7700), 127 McKean Street, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15219 between 9:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. The cost of the Project Manual Documents is non-refundable. Project details and dates are described in each project manual. REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR GUARANTEED ENERGY SAVINGS ACT (GESA) PROPOSALS INCLUSIVE OF ENERGY EFFICIENT BUILDING UPGRADES Sealed proposals shall be deposited at the Facilities Design and Construction Offices, School District of Pittsburgh, Service Center, 1305 Muriel Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203 on December 7, 2020, until 2:00 P.M., local prevailing time for: IMPLEMENTATION OF ENERGY CONSERVATION MEASURES ON A PERFORMANCE CONTRACTING BASIS AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH Requests for a copy of the RFP and all communications including questions to District relating to this RFP shall be in writing to Aldo Mazzaferro, Director of Technical Services, by email at Aldo@theECGgroup.com copying Michael Carlson (Michael@theECGgroup.com). Project details and submission requirements are described in the RFP.
ALLEGHENY COUNTY SANITARY AUTHORITY LEGAL NOTICE CONTRACT NO. 1725A Sealed Bids for CONTRACT NO. 1725A CIPP REHABILITATION OF THE LOWER SAW MILL RUN INTERCEPTOR shall be received at the office of the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority, 3300 Preble Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15233, until 2:00 P.M., Prevailing Time, November 19, 2020 and then shall be publicly opened and read. A PreBid Meeting will be held by teleconference on November 5, 2020 at 10:00 A.M., Prevailing Time. ALCOSAN encourages businesses owned and operated by minorities and women to submit bids on Authority Contracts or to participate as subcontractors or suppliers to successful Bidders. Successful Bidders are to use minority and women’s businesses to the fullest extent possible. Contract Documents may be examined and obtained at the office of the Authority. A non refundable fee of $100 (no cash will be accepted) will be charged for each set of Contract Documents. Bid Security shall be furnished by providing with the Bid a Certified Check or Bid Bond in the amount of 10% of the Bid Price. Bidders are encouraged to obtain a copy of the Bid Documents, if they have not already done so, from the Clerk’s Office, 2nd Floor ALCOSAN O&M Building, either before or following the Pre-Bid Meeting. Any questions regarding the Contract Documents should be directed in writing and submitted by email to Mr. Shawn McWilliams, ALCOSAN at shawn.mcwilliams@alcosan.org. The Authority reserves the right to reject any or all bids, to waive any informality in any bid and to accept any bid should it be deemed in the interest of the Authority to do so.
HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) FOR UNARMED SECURITY SERVICES FOR HIGH-RISES RFP #350-13-20 The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby request proposals from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s): Unarmed Security Services for High-Rises RFP #350-13-20 The documents will be available no later than October 19, 2020 and signed, sealed proposals will be accepted until 10:00 A.M. on November 10, 2020. The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh will only be accepting physical proposals dropped off in person from 8:00 AM until the closing time of 10:00 AM on November 10, 2020 in the lobby of 100 Ross St. Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Proposals may uploaded to the Authority’s online submission site, the link is accessible via the HCP website and within the RFP. Sealed proposals may still be mailed via USPS at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Parties or individuals interested in responding may download a copy of the Solicitation from the Business Opportunities page of www.HACP.org. Questions or inquires should be directed to: Mr. Kim Detrick Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-643-2832 A pre-submission meeting will be held via call in; on October 29, 2020 at 10:00 A.M. Please see call in information below: Join the audio conference by phone: United States - Washington, DC +1.202.602.1295 Access Code 598-776-271# The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh strongly encourages certified minority business enterprises and women business enterprises to respond to this solicitation. HACP’s has revised their website. As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and log-in, in order to view and download IFB/RFPs documentation.
THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH Sealed bids will be received in the Bellefield Avenue Lobby, Administration Building, 341 South Bellefield Avenue until 11:00 A.M. prevailing time November 4, 2020 and will be opened at the same hour in the administration building cafeteria: Refuse Removal/Recycling Services-Various Locations General Information regarding bids may be obtained at the Purchasing Office, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, RM 349 Pittsburgh, PA 15213. The bid documents are available on the School District’s Purchasing web site at: www.pghschools.org Click on Our Community; Bid Opportunities; Purchasing - under Quick Links. The Board of Public Education reserves the right to reject any and all bids, or select a single item from any bid. We are an equal rights and opportunity school district
ALLEGHENY COUNTY SANITARY AUTHORITY Jan M. Oliver Director, Regional Conveyance LEGAL ADVERTISING Legal Notices
Estate of RUTH HARPER-WHITNER, Deceased of Pittsburgh. Estate No. 022001421 of 2020, James R. Whitner Jr., Admin, or to Jacqueline H. Brangard, Esquire, Scolieri Law Group, P.C. Attys. 1207 Fifth Avenue, Suite 200 Bldg., Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Estate of MICHAEL J. KANTOR, Deceased of South Fayette Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Estate No. 02-20-04875, Glenn F. Davis, Executor, 594 Hickory Grade Road Bridgeville, PA 15017, or to TODD A FULLER, Atty; BRENLOVE & FULLER, LLC. 401 Washington Avenue, Bridgeville, PA 15017
Caster D. Binion, Executive Director Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh
HACP conducts business in accordance with all federal, state, and local civil rights laws, including but not limited to Title VII, the Fair Housing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, The PA Human Relations Act, etc. and does not discriminate against any individuals protected by these statutes.
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HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) FOR SALARY SURVEY RFP #650-33-20 The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby request proposals from qualified Firms or ndividuals capable of providing the following service s Salary Survey RFP #650-33-20 he documents will be available no later than October 19, 2020 and signed, sealed proposals will be accepted until 9:00 A.M. on November 10, 2020. The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh will only be accepting physical proposals dropped off in person from 8:00 AM until the closing time of 9:00 AM on November 10, 2020 in the lobby of 100 Ross St. Pittsburgh, PA 1521 . Proposals may uploaded to the Authority’s online submission site, the link is accessible via the HCP website and within the RFP. Sealed proposals may still be mailed via USPS at which time they will be ime and Date Stamped at 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 1521 . Parties or individuals interested in responding may download a copy of the Solicitation from the Business Opportunities page of www.HACP.org. uestions or inquires should be directed to Mr. im Detrick Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 1521 412-643-2832 A pre-submission meeting will be held via call in on October 29, 2020 at 9:00 A.M. Please see call in information below Join the audio conference by phone: United States - Washington, DC +1.202.602.1295 Access Code 598-776-271# The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh strongly encourages certified minority business enterprises and women business enterprises to respond to this solicitation. HACP’s has revised their website. As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and log-in, in order to view and download IFB/RFPs documentation.
HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) FOR MOBILE FOOD DISTRIBUTION FOR VARIOUS PUBLIC HOUSING COMMUNITIES RFP #800-34-20 The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh HACP hereby request proposals from qualified Firms or ndividuals capable of providing the following service s Mobile Food Distribution for Various Public Housing Communities RFP #800-34-20 he documents will be available no later than October 19, 2020 and signed, sealed proposals will be accepted until 11:00 A.M. on November 10, 2020. The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh will only be accepting physical proposals dropped off in person from 8:00 AM until the closing time of 11:00 AM on November 10, 2020 in the lobby of 100 Ross St. Pittsburgh, PA 1521 . Proposals may uploaded to the Authority’s online submission site, the link is accessible via the HCP website and within the RFP. Sealed proposals may still be mailed via USPS at which time they will be ime and Date Stamped at 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 1521 . Parties or individuals interested in responding may download a copy of the Solicitation from the Business Opportunities page of www.HACP.org. uestions or inquires should be directed to Mr. im Detrick Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 1521 412-643-2832 A pre-submission meeting will be held via call in on October 29, 2020 at 11:00 A.M. Please see call in information below Join the audio conference by phone: United States - Washington, DC +1.202.602.1295 Access Code 598-776-271# The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh strongly encourages certified minority business enterprises and women business enterprises to respond to this solicitation. HACP’s has revised their website. As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and log-in, in order to view and download IFB/RFPs documentation.
Caster D. Binion, Executive Director Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh
HACP conducts business in accordance with all federal, state, and local civil rights laws, including but not limited to Title VII, the Fair Housing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, The PA Human Relations Act, etc. and does not discriminate against any individuals protected by these statutes.
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS - PROJECT BASED VOUCHER PROGRAM (RFP) CONTRACT NO. ACHA - 1635 The Allegheny County Housing Authority is seeking proposals from responsible property owners interested in providing expanded rental housing opportunities for low income families. Properties must be existing housing, currently receiving Low ncome ousing ax Credits (LIHTC) and be located in North Fayette ownship or Findlay ownship in Allegheny County. The projects must be in a census tract area with a poverty rate of less than 10% per the .S. census bureau. he ACHA is looking for one bedroom and two bedroom units and intends to pro ect base no more than 25 voucher units. he minimum contract term will be 15 years with a maximum contract term of 20 years at the ACHA’s option. The ACHA will begin to accept proposals on a one-time basis beginning Wednesday, October 28, 2020 with a closing date of Friday, November 13, 2020. Any proposal received after the expiration of this application period will not be considered. Once received, each proposal will be rated for the program compliance with the goals of deconcentrating poverty, expanding housing and economic opportunities. Once reviewed the successful proposer will be notified in writing of award as well as required public notification. Detailed Applications and selective information will be provided by request to the Ms. Kim Longwell Director, Housing Choice Voucher Program Allegheny County Housing Authority P.O. Box 397 McKees Rocks, PA 15136 412-402-2410 412-642-2392 Fax klongwell@achsng.com Frank Aggazio Executive Director Allegheny County Housing Authority
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OCTOBER 28-NOVEMBER 3, 2020
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SONNY BOY
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Caster D. Binion, Executive Director Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh
HACP conducts business in accordance with all federal, state, and local civil rights laws, including but not limited to Title VII, the Fair Housing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, The PA Human Relations Act, etc. and does not discriminate against any individuals protected by these statutes.
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B6 OCTOBER 28-NOVEMBER 3, 2020
We know what we have to do beyond the 2020 elections (TriceEdneyWire.com)—No matter what the outcome of the 2020 election, there remains much work to do. Our economy is wrong-sided, and we have to right-side it. Our tax code rewards the wealthy and penalizes others. Our regulatory system protects corporations, not people. Almost a hundred environmental regulations from the Obama years have been reversed. Schools have fewer protections than they once had. Workers have fewer protections, and unions are under attack. And the Supreme Court has been stacked to favor oligarchs, not everyday people. The very right to vote has been compromised with rules that marginalize too many people. It is my fervent hope that the Biden-Harris ticket will prevail in this election, but even if they win, there is still much work to do. First, the coronavirus needs to be controlled. Mark Meadows, the 45th President’s chief of staff, says the administration will do nothing to contain the virus, and their wanton disregard of essential public health tenets (hand-washing, mask-wearing, social distancing) re-
Julianne Malveaux
Commentary flects their casual approach to the virus. A President Biden would tackle this issue, but he will need to be pushed to ensure that the process is egalitarian and that those who have suffered disproportionally, like Black folks, will get more remediation than those who have not so suffered. Economic recovery and economic expansion should be high on the agenda. Again, those who have suffered from covid and repressive economic policies need special attention. Biden-Harris must address the racial wealth gap, the relentless unemployment rate differential, and systemic poverty. Some of the employment situation can be addressed through an infrastructure improvement program. The American Society of Civil Engineers consistently grades our roads, bridges, water quality, and public buildings with substandard grades. The appropriate investment of federal dollars would not only be good for employment but also for the economy. Our criminal justice system must be fixed, and federal initiatives to stop police brutality must be developed. Environmental issues must be vigorously addressed. Health care must be treated as a right, and it must be universal. The “do” list is long, and it may include expanding the Supreme Court’s size. It’s not court-packing, as some would suggest; it’s right-sizing something that has gone wrong. The point is that a Biden-Harris victory may be cause for celebration, but it is also an invitation for all of us to roll up our sleeves and get to work, not only at the federal level but also at the state and local level. I can hear my conservative friends already asking what all this will cost. We know the 2017 tax cut cost the Treasury trillions of dollars. We seem only to be interested in cost when we are looking at people on the bottom. There appears to be much less concern about programs designed to benefit the wealthy. Then, some of the work we have to do is to transform our mindset, decide what kind of economy we want, and then work to create it. That may mean a very different approach to our predatory capitalist system, and it may mean restructuring the system to make it more people-focused. It is a possibility! Now we know what it is like to live with a graft-centered leader who has thrown our nation under the bus for his selfish gains. We have the opportunity to learn what it is like to live with a more people-centered leader. Still, we should be clear that Bidden-Harris leadership will be center-left predatory capitalism. They will need to be pushed, and we need to be prepared to push them. If we have learned nothing from the Obama years, we should have learned that a closed mouth won’t get fed. Black folk were so happy to have a Black president that we were reluctant to push him and his administration very hard. Much as we may like Biden-Harris, we must be willing to push them. When he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King said, “I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality, and freedom for their spirits. I believe that what self-centered men have torn down, men other-centered can build up.” Biden-Harris will move us closer to King’s dream, but they won’t take us all the way there. Not unless we push. We know what we have to do.
FORUM
Biden can’t win, even if he wins After Supreme within the first 100 Court Justice Ruth J. Pharoah Doss days of his adminisBader Ginsburg tration, guaranteeing died on Sept. 18, the four new senatorial Republicans decided seats in Democratic to nominate and strongholds—packconfirm Ginsburg’s ing the Senate in replacement before their favor. the presidential Eventually, Biden election on Novemremembered poliber 3. tics was the art of This dramatic move led to a Supreme compromise and he won the Democratic Court with a 6-3 conservative majority, presidential primary as a moderate in and the progressive wing of the Demoopposition to the progressive agenda, cratic Party has threatened to “pack the and, more importantly, Biden needed court” in retaliation. That means if the to resolve the matter entering the final Democrats win the presidency, retain weeks of the presidential election or the House of Representatives, and President Trump would have launched recapture the Senate, they could expand a series of attack ads on “court packing” the Supreme Court to 15 members by alone. Therefore, Biden let it be known appointing six liberal justices in order to that a Biden administration would put create a 9-6 majority. together a bipartisan commission of conThe Constitution didn’t set an exact stitutional scholars, Democrats, Repubnumber of seats for the Supreme Court; licans, liberals and conservatives, and therefore, Congress can change the give the commission 180 days to come number of justices at their whim. There up with recommendations on reforming were five justices under John Adams the court system. and 10 justices under Abraham Lincoln, Biden’s bipartisan commission silenced but the Supreme Court has remained at those that claimed he was going to “pack nine justices since 1869. the court,” but it enraged the progresIn the past, Democratic presidential sive wing of the Democratic party. nominee Joe Biden opposed “court packProgressive groups denounced Biden’s ing” (along with Ruth Bader Ginsburg), plan. The executive director of Demand but during the first presidential debate, Justice stated: Biden’s proposed comBiden refused to say whether or not he mission runs the risk of stalling momenwould “pack the court” if elected. tum for serious reform. The window Biden continued to avoid “court packwhen Democrats may have the power ing” questions for weeks after the first to implement court reform may be short debate. and a commission that would allow opponents of structural reform to run out During the vice-presidential debate, the clock is not a solution—it’s a punt. when Biden’s running mate Kamala During the Democratic presidential Harris was asked if a Biden/Harris adprimary, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ministration would “pack” the Supreme stated the Democrats can “cultivate too Court, she turned around and accused big of a tent” because in another country the Trump administration of court she would not be in the same party as packing. According to Harris, since Joe Biden. A.O.C. also referred to Biden Ginsburg’s replacement would create and the centrist wing of the Democrata 6-3 conservative majority, the Trump administration already packed the court ic party as “the tea party of the left.” (Around this same time Biden referred with conservatives to the detriment of to himself as a “transitional” candidate. the nation. When the press asked Biden what he The mainstream media ignored the meant by “transitional,” Biden gave an fact that Harris shifted the definition unclear response, but the meaning was of “court packing” from a numerical clear to the progressives, especially to increase of justices from 9 to 15 to Kamala Harris, who kept referring to simply having a majority within the the ticket as Harris/Biden instead of existing nine-member court. This alterBiden/Harris.) native definition enabled Democrats to Biden’s bipartisan commission proconvince themselves the Republicans posal was a strategic balancing act already packed the court in their favor; that was necessary going into the final therefore, they are justified to create weeks of a hard-fought campaign, but additional seats to regain the majority. the progressive reaction proved they are Harris convinced many undecided votunreasonable, and totally committed to ers in swing states the Democrats were seizing power, not just from the Republigoing to pack the court. Why wouldn’t cans, but from “the tea party of the left” they? It goes right along with the proas well. gressives insisting Biden should prioritize statehood for D.C. and Puerto Rico
Check It Out
Racism leaves America vulnerable to foreign manipulation and exploitation (TriceEdneyWire. com)—“We have to ac- Marc Morial cept that foreign powers seize upon these divisions because they are real —because racism remains the United States’ Achilles’ heel. Indeed, it is, and always has been, a national security vulnerability—a fundamental and easily exploitable reality of American life that belies the image and narrative of equality and justice we project and export around the world.” —Sherrilyn Ifill, President and Director-Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund Voters in Florida and Alaska woke up to a chilling message in their email this week. “We are in possession of all your information. You will vote for Trump on Election Day or we will come after you.” The messages seemed to be coming from the far-right White supremacist group, Proud Boys. It was a terrifying reminder of America’s long history of White supremacist terrorist tactics used to keep Black Americans from exercising their right to vote. Intelligence officials have determined the messages were the work of Iranian operatives and that more of this kind of interference could be in store from Russia. Russian interference in the 2016 election is well-documented—and the largest part of their efforts were aimed at suppressing the Black vote. Exploitation of American racism by both Russia and Iran extends back through the decades. In the 1960s, KGB and Soviet influence operations were aimed at discrediting Martin Luther King Jr. During the Iranian hostage crisis that began in 1979, the hostage-takers declared a unified stance with “oppressed minorities” in the United States, and released all Black and woman hostages in an attempt to use American racial tensions as a wedge issue. In the 1980s the Soviet Union stoked racial tensions ahead of the 1984 Olympics. The simple truth is American racism— which is very real—makes us vulnerable to foreign adversaries intent on weaken-
Commentary
ing our democracy. The threat of violence contained in the emails sent by Iran appears to be an empty one. And Black voters do not appear to have been singled out in this operation. But the threat of election-related violence from White supremacist terrorists is real, not an invention of Iran or Russia. In the last presidential election, Neo-Nazis and groups related to the Ku Klux Klan—threatened to send “armies” to Black precincts. Arsonists who set fire to a Baptist Church in Mississippi spray-painted the message “Vote Trump.” Devin Burghart, executive director of the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights, told WBUR, “We are seeing a high level of activity from militia-type groups and other far right organizations discussing the possibility of interfering in the electoral process, either on Election Day or after the ballots are cast.” The Department of Homeland Security’s October Threat Assessment warned that violent extremists might target events related to the 2020 Presidential campaigns, the election itself, election results, or the post-election period. “Among [Domestic Violent Extremists], racially and ethnically motivated violent extremists—specifically White supremacist extremists (WSEs)—will remain the most persistent and lethal threat in the Homeland.” In the same document, the Department also warned that Russian actors would exploit “perceived grievances within minority communities, especially among African Americans” and “engage in efforts to discourage voter turnout and to suppress votes” in the 2020 election just as they did in the 2016 election. The fact that both foreign and domestic actors have focused their efforts on Black Americans is proof of the power of the Black vote. If your vote didn’t matter, they wouldn’t fight so hard to block it. We won’t be intimidated, and we won’t be fooled. Please make a plan to vote, early if possible.
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
Ray Curry
Commentary
November 3: So much at stake in this election (NNPA)—Vote! I cannot say it any simpler or say it enough. Vote to restore government for the people, by the people; vote to preserve our threatened middle class; vote for America’s workers by voting for an America that works; vote up and down the ballot and vote union blue. Sisters and brothers, I have to say that never before has there been so much at stake for the American people than in this election. From constitutional court decisions affecting human, civil and worker rights, to the ability to safely exercise our right to vote ... all are on the line. Our current way of life, fought for and worked for over so many decades, is being threatened. Ruled by the rich for the rich sure is not looking out for those of us who work for a living. Together we can readjust America’s light to again shine on a united future—the way it was intended to be. Here is what makes your vote so critical. Consider the issues that your ballot will impact by helping to elect representatives who support labor and the American worker — Who represents us in the courts? Our courts are deteriorating quickly to an anti-worker mindset. Over the past four years, two very conservative Supreme Court justices have been appointed, Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch, moving the Court further to the right and further away from protecting our rights. And a third anti-labor judge will likely be railroaded through in advance of the election. In addition, more than 50 judges for the United States Courts of Appeals, more than 135 judges for the United States District Courts, and two judges for the United States Court of International Trade have been appointed during the current term. In consequence of these numerous court appointments, our courts are turning in a detrimental way against fair labor practices and human rights. Through your vote in November, you can help fend off further anti-labor control of decisions and policy. Who is watching out for us? Since the 2016 election, there have been several disturbing anti-labor appointees to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the government agency that enforces labor law as it relates to collective bargaining and unfair labor practice charges. This includes officials like William Emanuel, a labor lawyer at the notorious anti-worker law firm Littler Mendelson. He is, most certainly, no friend to labor and his voting record shows it. And we must not forget the appointment of Eugene Scalia last fall to Secretary of Labor. The New Yorker magazine has called him “a wrecking ball for labor.” And consider that on February 6, 2020, the House of Representatives passed the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, which would significantly restore workers’ right to organize and bargain collectively. However, the Senate has failed to even allow a vote, let alone, pass the PRO Act. The UAW has endorsed the PRO Act and we must work to see that it is passed. Protect our right to vote Your very right to vote in this, and every election is guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. It is a fundamental aspect of living in this democracy. During the COVID-19 pandemic, making our way to the polls has been a concern for many. Mail-in and absentee ballots are a viable option for a safe, secure election. However, we have seen: • Challenges to states’ rights and roles in overseeing the presidential election. • Opposed election aid for states to run safe elections with COVID-19 restrictions in place. • Opposition to funding to make elections safe and secure, including a $25 billion emergency funding bill for the U.S. Postal Service and a Democratic proposal to provide $3.6 billion in additional election funding to the states. Keep us safe That the current management of the pandemic favors the Chamber of Commerce interests over that of the labor force is clearly illustrated in the response to the COVID-19 crisis. Among the anti-worker, anti-safety steps taken: • The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) refused to issue any required measures—via an emergency temporary infectious disease standard—to protect workers from the virus. • OSHA is also failing to enforce the Occupational Safety and Health Act during the pandemic. Despite over 9,000 complaints from workers about unsafe working conditions from COVID-19, the agency issued only four citations for failure to protect workers as of August. • Petitions by unions representing affected workers and by the AFL-CIO for mandatory rules to protect workers from exposure to the coronavirus on the job were rejected. Guide us out of this crisis This terrible pandemic has been devastating on so many levels and recovery from the economic, public health and employment impact of the virus will take years. We need strong leadership to guide our country out of this crisis. Now, more than ever, it is time to use our right to vote to let our voices be heard. When UAW members vote, when labor votes, we win. If we stay home, we are silent and powerless and we enable those who would work against us. Brothers and Sisters there are no excuses. Voting by mail is easy and safe. Dropping your ballot at the city clerk’s office or at a voting ballot drop box is easy and safe. You can vote early. Or you can do it at the polls on November 3rd. But however you choose to vote, please vote. Don’t let anything or anyone stand in your way. Our way of life is at stake.