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BLACK PITTSBURGH MATTERS Commentary by Councilmen Burgess and Lavelle Page B6
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www.newpittsburghcourier.com Vol. 111 No. 32 Two Sections
AUGUST 5-11, 2020
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It will be a ‘first day of school’ unlike any other PPS board votes for in-home learning for at least nine weeks beginning Aug. 31
SYLVIA WILSON, the board president, said it was
KEVIN CARTER, who introduced the resolution,
SALA UDIN, a board member, warned that if
by Rob Taylor Jr.
many different shirt colors are permitted? And for the kids, the first day of school might be their first time riding the school bus, meeting their new homeroom teacher, or catching up with old friends. Yes, it’s easy to explain that the coronavirus is halting all of this, but it’s still difficult for people to wrap their heads around the fact that, at least for
only. No students will be in any school buildings. The board held a special session on July 31 to hold the vote on the resolution to have online-only learning for the first nine weeks, introduced on July 22 by board member Kevin Carter. Seeing as it was a decision that would affect thousands of students, parents and staff alike, the interest in the vote
a tough decision for the board, but a decision that had to be made.
Courier Staff Writer
For Pittsburgh parents, grandparents and guardians, explaining to the kids why there won’t be the traditional “first day of school” in the Pittsburgh Public Schools district shouldn’t be too difficult— by now, everyone’s heard of COVID-19. However, take a step back, think about it for a
moment... The month of August is usually filled with anticipation—heading to the stores to purchase school supplies, or heading to different community events in Lincoln-Lemington, the North Side, or the Hill District, to receive free bookbags and other items. This time of year is also about getting the kids’ uniforms for school, if needed. What’s the right size? How
asked fellow board members, “Are you willing to gamble the lives of students and staffs?” the 23,000 students in the Pittsburgh Public Schools district, there will be no “first day of school” for the kids to get excited about, the way kids across the country have in the previous, oh, 100 years or so. August 31 is now the first day of “virtual school” for the district, as the district’s board members on July 31 voted unanimously, 9-0, to make the first nine weeks of the school year online
COVID-19 doesn’t let up, there may not be in-school instruction until 2021. was high. More than 1,000 people were tuned into the district’s live-stream of the meeting online, which began around 3:15 p.m. The vote came at 4:30 p.m., after the board members voiced their final opinions on the matter at-hand. Carter, among other statements, told the board that “we have a responsibility to ensure the safety SEE PPS A4
‘Lifetime of discrimination’ equals increased hypertension in African Americans Blacks 40 percent more likely to have high blood pressure
by Renee P. Aldrich For New Pittsburgh Couier
It’s a well-established fact that African Americans suffer disproportionately from most all chronic health disorders, including heart disease, diabetes and higher rates of various cancers. Researchers
and health care providers have identified some African Americans’ lifestyle choices, such as smoking, poor eating habits, obesity and lack of exercising as the things that contribute to rampant health disparities. It would seem that this would be “good news” be-
cause overall, a “lifestyle” is something in which people have a choice. African Americans can choose not to smoke or have poor eating habits. However, in data extracted from a study, which was then published by the American Heart Association in July, it’s been de-
termined that Blacks have an even more insidious adversary over which they have no control, which keeps Blacks at the top of the list for chronic disease and early death—discrimination. Experiencing “Lifetime Discrimination,” as it was called by the AHA, is a
chronic stressor that was found to increase the risk for hypertension, or high blood pressure, in African Americans. There have been other studies showing that discrimination affects African Americans’ health; however, this research, which was based on 1,845 Afri-
can Americans between ages 21 and 85 in Jackson, Miss., is one of the first large, community-based studies to suggest a direct link between discrimination and hypertension. Researchers reviewed data on the African AmerSEE HYPERTENSION A5
HAPPY 104TH! ...AND HAPPY 108TH BIRTHDAY!
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A special congratulations from the Courier to Nan Currington, pictured at left, who turned 104 years young on July 23, and Beatrice Coleman, pictured at right, who turned 108 years young on July 29! For more on their special celebrations, see Pages A6 and A7. (Photos by J.L. Martello)
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BMe Community mobilizes local Black veterans to drive the agenda for Black L.O.V.E. by Leonard Hammonds II For New Pittsburgh Courier
BMe Community is a Black-led network of social innovators, community leaders and champions who invest in aspiring communities. A leader in the diversity, equity, and inclusion field, BMe Community is the No. 1 provider of asset-framing training to senior executives of major foundations and social enterprises. As part of its commitment to advance the agenda for Black L.O.V.E., BMe Community has awarded fellowships designed to unite, celebrate, and elevate Black leaders. This is to
Fellowship. The fellowship is an elite leadership experience designed and facilitated by leading global authorities on social innovation, influence, health, finance, narrative, race, culture and more. These men and women who have served in various branches of the military will now also serve their country by shifting the narrative for Black people and affect real change during these tumultuous times. “Fixing broken systems isn’t enough,” explained Trabian Shorters, CEO/ Founder of BMe Community. “We need leaders who are able to build communities of love and power based on truer narratives.”
strategy that goes beyond battling injustices to building the next narrative for Black America. They are: * Live. Prioritize the value of Black lives, mental, physical and spiritual health, and heritage. * Own. Increase financial literacy, asset ownership, and creation of generational wealth. * Vote. Remove barriers to voting, end corrupt policing and turnout the Black vote and census. * Excel. Amplify narratives that make it impossible to ignore Black excellence. BMe Community veteran fellows from Pittsburgh are sponsored by The Heinz Endowments. “The Heinz Endow-
SHEENA HANCOCK, one of the veterans who was awarded a BMe Vanguard Fellowship. To see photos of all the recipients, go to www.newpittsburghcourier.com. The 2020 BMe Vanguard fellows are: *Kevin Alton, Founder/ CEO, The Way Organization (Army) *Monte Banks, CEO, Unico Vino (Air Force) *Rashad Byrdsong, President & CEO, Com-
KEVIN ALTON
achieve greater influence and impact in creating more caring and prosperous communities. After a rigorous selection process from candidates nationwide, BMe Community awarded remarkable Black veterans in the Pittsburgh area the BMe Vanguard
Since 2013, BMe has mobilized 367 Black community leaders throughout the nation to be the vanguards of the next narrative for Black America in which Black people are free to live, own, vote, and excel. The agenda for Black L.O.V.E. is a four-part
ity of Allegheny (Air Force) *LaQuala Hammonds, Surgical Tech Student and Entrepreneur, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (Army) *Kelvin Isom II, Legal Extern, EEOC (Army) *Sheena Hancock, Principal Interior Designer,
*Blair Mickles, Student, University of Pittsburgh (Army) *Terri Williams, Director of Operations and Innovation, Penn Hills Charter School of Entrepreneurship (Navy) *Bart Womack, Program Manager, COO, Public Speaker, Author,
BLAIR MICKLES
ments is proud to support BMe Community’s military veteran fellows. We believe strongly that the life and leadership experience of Black men and women who have served in our armed forces are true and valued assets in our community,” said Megan Andros, the Endowments’ senior program officer for veterans.
munity Empowerment Association, Inc. (Army) *JaQuay Carter, Founder and President, Greater Hazelwood Historical Society of Pittsburgh (Marines) *Darnell Clark, Canteen Worker, VA Hospital Pittsburgh (Marines) *Douglas Connor, Road Supervisor, Port Author-
Sheena Hancock Interior Creations, LLC (Air Force) *Saloam Knox, CEO/ Credit Education Expert, Credit Power LLC (Army) *Gordon Manker, Business Development Specialist, Wilkinsburg Community Development Corporation (Army)
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It will be a ‘first day of school’ unlike any other PPS board votes for in-home learning for at least nine weeks beginning Aug. 31 PPS FROM A1
of all of our students and staff.” Another board member, Terry Kennedy, said that she couldn’t, in her heart, “force people into a building at this time.” Carter and Kennedy voted “yes” to postpone the in-school learning, as did everyone else—Sala Udin, Pamela Harbin, William Gallagher, Devon Taliaferro, Cynthia Falls, Veronica Edwards, and Sylvia Wilson, the board president. The district originally had a plan to reopen schools to students in two different cohorts, where some students would attend school on Mondays and Tuesdays and others on Thursdays and Fridays. Students would learn from home on the days they weren’t in school. The district did give parents an option to enroll their students in remote learning
only. More than 4,100 students were enrolled in this option as of July 22. But at the “end of the day,” the board ultimately decided that all students would be enrolled in remote learning to start the year. Remote learning, or learning from home, presents its own set of challenges —namely, the question of if it’s the best way for students to learn. Board members like Carter and Udin continuously stressed that they believed in-school instruction, led by the teachers with the students, is the best way for students to learn. But when it comes to COVID-19, they felt it wasn’t worth the risk of putting the kids’ health in jeopardy. Gallagher said that as a teacher in the school system for 27 years, there was no way there could be proper social distancing guid-
PPS BOARD MEMBER VERONICA EDWARDS
ance followed. It wouldn’t be anyone’s fault—it’s just that with the confluence of teachers, staff, and an active student base, there’s no way to say that COVID-19 wouldn’t have been able to infect those at the schools. Rather than opening the schools and then closing them again, Gallagher said, it’s best to just keep them closed for now. Gallagher also said that while “I understand, as a parent, it puts people in difficulty” due to parents having to go to work and not having adequate home childcare, he still couldn’t vote for in-school instruction. “We have to look out for the benefit of the people. We have people’s health in our hands.” Udin said that “we must hope for the best, but plan for the worst,” then said that students may not be back in school until 2021, if the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread in Allegheny County. He continued to hammer to the administration that they must do all they can to keep students learning while away from the schools. Harbin said that she didn’t believe the board would still be having online meetings in late July, four months after the coronavirus pandemic arrived. Thus, how could board members even think about putting students back into classrooms. She had hinted back on July 22 when Carter introduced the resolution that she would vote “yes,” to keep kids out of the schools, as did a few other board members. Edwards and Falls did
PITTSBURGH CAPA, along with the other 53 Pittsburgh Public Schools buildings, won’t have students for the first nine weeks of the school year. not commit to voting in favor of the resolution when it was introduced on July 22, but after careful consideration, on July 31, their vote became a “yes.” So, come Aug. 31 and the weeks thereafter, there will be sights unseen—you won’t see the more-than 1,400 students filing out of Allderdice High School after a six-hour school day. You won’t see the school buses dropping off the little ones in Garfield, Beltzhoover or Manchester. You won’t see fans in the stands at high school football games, according to a release last week from the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association. Parents, grandparents and guardians, the first day of school is only a few weeks away. It just will be a first day of school unlike any other.
PPS BOARD MEMBER DEVON TALIAFERRO
The Courier’s Damon Carr says Watch out for those get-rich-quick scams... Flip to Page B1, and Damon Carr will tell you all about the new fast-money tactics being used by some people that actually are scams...
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ALLEGHENY COUNTY SANITARY AUTHORITY LEGAL NOTICE The Allegheny County Sanitary Authority is soliciting Bids for a Human Resources Information System. This system does not include Payroll or Financial Management Systems. Some of the tasks included under this purchase include, but are not limited to: Communication, Tracking & Reporting Functions •Automatic interaction with JD Edwards and NOVAtime (import/export of data) •Create/Run Reports •Applicant tracking •Recruiting Benefits •Beneficiary Information •FMLA tracking •Retiree Information •Supplemental life rate calculation and tracking Health & Wellness •Employee Profile •Activities completed by date •Attendance records for group activities •Prize tracking •Automatic total activity hours calculated Learning & Development •Plant Entry Test Scores •Apprenticeships •Learning Management System •Knowledge Management System The Authority is governed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Procurement Law and all products must comply with the requirements set forth therein. Interested parties shall include an implementation cost and a monthly maintenance/license cost in their proposal and the unit(s) by which the monthly costs are developed. An implementation/go-live schedule shall also be presented in the submittal. Training for up to fifteen (15) employees shall be included in the implementation. ALCOSAN reserves the right to award to other than the lowest bidder based on the life cycle costs and functionality(ies). Sufficient information should be provided for ALCOSAN to understand the breadth of the product’s functionality. Three references of similar clients shall also be provided with the submittal. ALCOSAN encourages businesses owned and operated by minorities and women to submit bids on Authority Proposals or to participate as subcontractors or suppliers to the successful bidders. Successful Bidders are to use minority/women’s businesses to the fullest extent possible. The Authority reserves the right to reject any or all Proposals, to waive any informality in any Proposal and to accept any Proposal should it be deemed in the interest of the Authority to do so. Proposals will be received until 2:00 p.m. (EST), 31 August 2020 at the office of the Authority at 3300 Preble Ave, Pittsburgh PA 15233 attn: Suzanne Thomas. Questions regarding this contract document should be directed to Suzanne Thomas, Procurement Officer, at Suzanne.thomas@ alcosan.org ALLEGHENY COUNTY SANITARY AUTHORITY
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‘Lifetime of discrimination’ equals increased hypertension in African Americans Blacks 40 percent more likely to have high blood pressure
HYPERTENSION FROM A1
icans who were in enrolled in the “Jackson Heart Study,” which focused on cardiovascular disease among African Americans in that region. The Jackson Heart Study is widely recognized as one of the most comprehensive and ongoing institutions that investigate the causes of cardio-vascular diseases in African Americans and how to best prevent them. The study participants did not have hypertension during the first visit, which occurred between 2000 and 2004. But as time went on, as more and more conditions from the participants were extracted from the study, it was found that more than half of the participants (52 percent) developed hypertension. The AHA said that the participants who reported medium levels compared to low levels of lifetime discrimination
health, are rarely considered when evaluating the risk for hypertension among African Americans in health care settings.” Forde also said in the release that the study’s findings “highlight the need for health care professionals to recognize discrimination as a social determinant of health. Health care professionals who understand the importance of unique stressors like discrimination that impact the health of African Americans will be better equipped to provide optimal patient care to this population.” Dr. Esa Davis, Associate Professor of Medicine, Clinical and Translational Science and Director of UPMC Tobacco Treatment Service, in an exclusive interview with the New Pittsburgh Courier, shared that there are several reasons this report is so important. “First, is that it can
LORA ANN BRAY had a 49 percent increased risk for hypertension after accounting for other risk factors. The AHA said that participants were defined as having hypertension if they reported they were taking blood pressure-lowering medication, had a systolic blood pressure of 140 mm Hg or above, or a diastolic blood pressure higher than 90 mm Hg at later visits.
help expand the dialogue around treating hypertension, and brings attention to why, even with intervention and treatment, the rate of disparity continues to be so high. The Jackson (study’s intention) … was to document and highlight that racism and discrimination can and does affect the health of African Americans, especially over the course of someone’s lifetime—which would in-
DR. ESA DAVIS, right, with the American Heart Association’s Karen Colbert. “The study has important implications for patient care and population health,” said Allana T. Forde, Ph.D., in a release by the AHA. Forde was the study’s first author. “Traditional risk factors, such as diet and physical activity, have been strongly correlated with hypertension, yet important psychosocial factors like discrimination, which also have the potential to negatively impact
clude heart disease and diabetes.” Dr. Davis continued: “But most specifically, the study was set around the hypertension piece, because it is more insidious—known as the ‘silent killer’ since too often there are no real symptoms until such time as high blood pressure goes unmanaged for so long and the patient suffers a stroke or kidneys begin to fail, developing the need to be on
dialysis.” Lora Ann Bray, Manager of Community Partnerships, Education, and Training at the University of Pittsburgh Center for Health Equity in the Graduate School of Public Health, said that “hypertension increases one’s risk of stroke and heart attack and it is still the number one killer of all Americans. By including racism, which manifests in discriminatory practices and policies, as a risk factor for heart disease, we expand the conversation to talk about social factors that impact health outcomes.” Bray also suggests that a more holistic approach is needed that integrates mind, body, and soul to help relieve the burden of cumulative stress on Afri-
can Americans. “While we advocate for policy change, public health professionals can design interventions to strengthen community resiliency,” she said. Studies like these have affirmed the role of racism and discrimination as factors in the disparate numbers of African Americans who suffer from hypertension. And, as the nation knows, racism and discrimination in society are things that African Americans have no control over. When it comes to things Blacks do have control over, such as certain lifestyle choices, Dr. Davis said that “there are still things we can do on a daily basis that can make a difference in health outcomes.” Dr. Davis said to be aware of a person’s salt intake.
“Learn to read labels to understand how much sodium is in the products we purchase. If we can’t go to the gym, we can start out with a walk around the block.” Also, eating fruits and vegetables is important, though it sometimes can be an economic challenge. “And for sure we should begin by eliminating tobacco products,” Dr. Davis told the Courier. “Not only is that far too expensive,” but eliminating tobacco products “can add years on our life.” Researchers agree that additional studies with African Americans in other regions of the U.S. would be warranted to confirm the findings of this study, which was based in Jackson. However, these results
add to a large body of work that’s already documented the impact of discrimination on the health of African Americans. Data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health reported that Black adults are 40 percent more likely to have high blood pressure than Whites, and are less likely than their White counterparts to have their blood pressure under control. The HHS Office of Minority Health also said that African American women are 60 percent more likely to have high blood pressure, compared to White women. Strategies to reduce health inequities and improve health are needed to address these broader social determinants.
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Praise & Worship ST. BENEDICT THE MOOR CATHOLIC CHURCH Crawford & Centre Ave. Pgh., PA 15219 412-281-3141
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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/
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NAN MOONE CURRINGTON turned 104 years young on July 23! Family and friends celebrated the grand occasion, with some remaining in their cars to wish Ms. Currington a happy birthday, due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Photos by Courier photographer J.L. Martello)
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SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY came out to celebrate Nan Currington’s 104th birthday.
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HAPPY 108TH BIRTHDAY, BEATRICE COLEMAN!
WITH SON, DAVID, AND GRANDDAUGHTER KIM by her side, Beatrice Coleman celebrated her 108th birthday! Her birthday was on July 29. Courier photographer J.L. Martello was there to capture the festivities in pictures.
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Systemic racism: Is it based on an inadequate analogy? J. Pharoah Doss B6
Looking to buy a home? 2020 may be your year (StatePoint)—If buying a home is on your near-future to-do list, experts say that 2020 may be a good year to make it happen. Mortgage interest rates are near historic lows, providing you with the opportunity to finance a new home purchase at a much lower cost. According to a new forecast from Freddie Mac, mortgage rates will stay in the 3-4 percent range for all of 2020 and 2021, giving prospective homeowners substantial time to plan their purchase. This, combined with modest inflation and a solid labor market, makes for good climate to buy a home with a fixed rate mortgage. For those who are already homeowners, refinancing now may be a good idea. “For those serious about homeownership, today’s sub 4 percent mortgage rates should not be taken for granted,” says Freddie Mac chief economist, Sam Khater. “For comparative purposes, in 2000, rates averaged eight percent; and in the 80s, they spiked to 18.5 percent.” Khater stresses that while mortgage rates are an essential factor to consider in the home-buying process, there are other important items to think about as well as you lay the groundwork for your purchase. These include getting a firm handle on your finances, knowing your credit score (and taking steps to boost it if necessary— and familiarizing yourself with down payment options. For more information and tools on home buying and homeownership, visit myhome.freddiemac. Whether you are making the jump from renting to owning, or looking for a home that better meets your current needs, now may be a great time to consider making your real estate dreams a reality. Today’s low rates could save you money for years to come.
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McDonald’s scrambles to address racial diversity issues by Trevor Coleman II The Michigan Chronicle
(Part Three of a Three-Part Series) For anyone following the events that have unfolded since the shocking murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis at the hands of city police officers, the list of major corporations and foundations announcing their support for the Black Lives Matter movement reads like a virtual allstar roster of Fortune 500 companies. From McDonald’s $1 million donation to the Open Society Foundations’ $220 million, the contributions have been pouring in to address racial equality and systemic racism. And along with the financial support have been expressions of sympathy, if not solidarity, with the aims of the movement being to rid America of structural and institutional racism as well as the pursuit of economic parity and justice across all sectors of American society. However, this rush to suddenly embrace BLM, while welcomed by many, has also raised questions about the true extent of those commitments and the businesses’ own record of diversity and inclusion within their organizations. Given the racial discrimination lawsuit against McDonald’s by two former African American female vice presidents that has been rocking the fast food industry, one of the most obvious targets of such scrutiny is that leader in the fast food industry. In June, during the heat of the protest over the murder of Floyd, McDonald’s released a dramatic ad that referenced several African American victims of racial violence: Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Alton Sterling, Botham Jean, Atatiana Jefferson, Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd. “They were all one of us,” the ad reads.
“We see them in our customers. We see them in our crew members. We see them in our franchisees. And this is why the entire McDonald’s family grieves. It’s why we stand for them and any other victims of systematic oppression and violence. “Today we stand with Black communities across America. Which is why we’re donating to the National Urban League and the NAACP. We do not tolerate inequity, injustice, or racism.” The ad was released across its social media accounts while the company pledged to donate $1 million to those civil rights organizations. McDonald’s generated a total revenue of $21.08 billion in 2019 and African Americans make up about 14 percent of its customer base. Interestingly enough, the gesture illumi-
nated the painful dichotomy between McDonald’s words of support for racial progress, diversity, inclusion and economic parity and the reality of its record on race over recent years. It is a record at the very heart of the racial discrimination lawsuit. In fact, just a few weeks ago as the country continued to convulse over demands that it more aggressively and honestly address issues of institutional racism within the legal, political, criminal justice, academic, entertainment and business industries, McDonald’s announced its Global Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Wendy Lewis suddenly “retired.” However, rather than having a credible, experienced, professional waiting in the wings to replace her as another SEE MCDONALDS B2
What does financial freedom look like today? The road to recovery from this crisis is full of unexpected twists, turns, and financial challenges. As you start having new questions, Wells Fargo is here to provide you with information to help you manage your finances in today’s world and develop a better picture of your financial reality. How might consolidating my debt help lower my monthly payments? Debt consolidation may be a good option if you’re trying to pay off higher-interest loans and credit cards while managing multiple payments. Paying off debt with a new lower-interest loan and a single monthly payment may help you lower your overall monthly expenses and create more flexibility in your budget. How can I start to rebuild my savings? While the effects of the ongoing health crisis may have drastically changed your budget, it is possible
to get back on track. Creating and maintaining a savings plan that matches your current financial situation may be the best way to build towards the future. If you don’t have 3-6 months of cash savings to fall back on, now is the time to redirect your attention to creating a cushion for yourself. Start by taking a look at your expenses to determine what’s necessary and what you may be able to cut back on. How should I approach saving for retirement in today’s climate? Saving for the future, especially retirement, is a well-known best practice for building financial stability. When developing your retirement savings plan it’s best to base your investment decisions on when you’ll need access to your money. Generally, it’s best not to pull investments when the market is down. If you’ve SEE FINANCIAL B2
Is Susu a definite no-no? A couple of months ago, I received a Facebook messenger from a friend asking me about Susu? He sent me a link to a video about Susu entitled, “What is SuSu and How does it work? Family Sharing = $4,000.” He asked me to watch it and tell him what I thought about it. I write an online “Ask Damon” E-newsletter. I assumed it was a question for my newsletter. What I didn’t know at the time, he was really trying to recruit me. I had never heard of Susu. I was in the middle of working on a project. I gave the video a quick 6-minute listen. I replied, I wouldn’t do it. It flows like a Ponzi scheme and Pyramid scheme combined to me. Current contributors are paying into a system to benefit more tenured contributors. I cited Bernie Madoff. I said, “you see how that turned out!” I informed him that the only Ponzi schemes that work long-term are Social Security, Pension Plans, and Insurance. All of these entities pool large groups of people, do sophisticated calculations to determine required contributions, premiums, investment strategy, and probability and timing of payouts, etc. Social Security is on the brink of insolvency. Pension plans are becoming extinct. Insurance Companies? Well, they seem to have this thing figured out. They just keep denying claims, raising premiums, and raising the qualifying bar. They’re hellbent on not paying without obtaining a substantial profit to themselves. Interesting enough, all of these entities have governing bodies, rules, regulations and oversight. I hit him with some questions. There’s no governing oversite with Susu, is it? Is it even legal? How would this stay afloat long-term? How would the creator make money? I told him that they tell you in the video that most
people will not do it. That’s where the Pyramid Scheme comes to mind. For it to work, you have to convince people to get involved. Sounds like a hard grind to me. I told him to “run, Forrest run.” I jotted down Susu in my notes. I figured, I’ll research and write on the subject someday. Months later, someone tagged me on Facebook about an article titled, “Man who started ‘Turn $100 to $800’ Loom Ponzi Scam has made over 10 million dollars. Opening sentence was, Derek Loom who started the “Blessing Loom” made over 10 million dollars by promising Facebook users $800 if they can refer two other people to the scheme. He’s being investigated. To be honest, that is as much as I read of the article. That’s all I needed to know. Title and first paragraph alone proved my theory to be correct. A week later, I got another call from a friend talking about some “Blessing Flower.” I stopped him mid-sentence. I told him about the article I read about the founder of this Blessing Flower scam is under investigation. You guessed it, within a matter of days, another friend of mine I used to work with in banking called me asking, “Damon, why haven’t you covered this Susu, Blessing Loom thing. People are not only talking about it. They’re doing it.” I said, “Wow, I didn’t know that was a thing.” So here I’m finally digging in on this Susu topic. Turns out Susu and The Blessing Loom are two separate things. What is Susu? A Susu is an informal ro-
tating savings club where a group of people get together and contribute an equal amount of money either weekly, biweekly or monthly into a savings fund. The collected pool of money which is also referred to as a hand is then paid to one member of the club on an agreed-upon rotating schedule. In a perfect world, it’s a forced savings plan. It bears no interest. You generally receive what you put in over an extended period of time. This is something that was practiced amongst people with limited resources. It’s being billed as something to be used exclusively with only people you know and trust. They considered it to be a forced savings plan. Susu originated in West Africa and is practiced in many African and Caribbean countries. What is a Blessing Loom? The Blessing Loom has a similar premise. Group of people pooling money to be paid to the person who’s turn it is to be paid. Where they differ is the Bloom is more intense on the recruiting side. They’re not overly concerned about working with a group of trustworthy people long-term. The mission here is to be one of the first within the group to be paid, then bail. Forcing them to recruit more and more members. The confusion, the emptiness of promise, the lack of guarantee, the scheme and the high probability of you losing your initial contribution and not receiving anything lies here—people are operating both the Susu and the Blessing Loom as if they’re one
and the same. The underlying goal of those getting in on ground level is to give a small initial contribution with the promise of an 800 percent or greater return on investment. Let me explain. Depending on the number of people in your group—usually 8 to 10 determines the ultimate payout when it’s your turn to be paid. Let’s say you have 10 people in the group contributing $500 each. That’s $5,000 total. The person who’s turn it is to be paid will receive $5,000. Sounds like a 1,000 percent return on investment, right? Wrong. For it to work, it’s supposed to keep rotating. The person who received the $5,000 is to go back to the beginning stage and contribute $500. All in all – each member will contribute a total of $5,000 in small increments. Allowing them to reap a large $5,000 lump sum that they can do something with. What’s actually taking place is the people first in line reap the lump sum $5,000, then bail leaving those left having to recruit more and more people in hope of them cashing in on their scheduled payday. Is the Susu or Blessing Loom a definite no-no? The Blessing Loom is a scam and is a definite NO! The Susu can work with trustworthy people whom you know that are in it for the long-term. Two problems with this. It’s a bad savings plan with a zero percent return on investment. The reason why it exists is because it’s a group of people who admitted that they don’t have the discipline to save money on their own. So they need an accountability team of like-minded non-savers to forge a union and start saving together. Hmmmm – NO!
(Damon Carr, Money Coach can be reached @ 412216-1013. You can also reach him on his website @ www.damonmoneycoach.com)
B2
AUGUST 5-11, 2020
BUSINESS/NATIONAL
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
McDonald’s scrambles to address racial issues MCDONALDS FROM B1
dedicated corporate officer focused on addressing and correcting racial inequities throughout the corporation, in a memo obtained by the Chronicle, Heidi Capozzi, executive vice president and global chief people officer for McDonald’s announced instead they are creating something called a “global, cross-functional advisory council.” Given the racial dynamics roiling the country at this very moment a Chicago-area businessperson, following the lawsuit but who did not want to be identified, said it almost unthinkable that a leading Fortune 500 company not prioritize a Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer role and be prepared with another expert in the wings to step in and pick up the slack when they know a retirement is pending. “Especially nowadays when companies of all sizes are rushing to hire Chief Diversity and Inclusion officers, or deem it important enough to create an office and staff,” that person said. In her memo, Capozzi wrote: “… the council is made of leaders from across the system to holistically identify and address areas where McDonald’s can be a catalyst for change. The advisory council is focused on building meaningful actions into the business that support employees, customers, franchisees, suppliers and our communities.” While obliquely conceding “we have more work to do,” nowhere in the lengthy statement does it mention specifically addressing claims of racial inequities and discrimination within the organization. Including allegations made in the lawsuit by the plaintiffs Domineca Neal and Vicki Guster-Hines that under the current leadership of its new CEO Chris Kempczinski, and Charles Strong, zone president west, there are no African Americans on the executive team. And that they defunded the company’s African American Diversity Council which provided career development and a talent pipeline for African American employees and targeted African Americans for demotion and elimination. The women claim this not only resulted in the absence of African Americans at Kempczinski’s leadership table to advocate on behalf of Black employees, franchise operators or customers, but also a dramatic reduction in the number of African American executives in the top ranks (Vice President or higher) of McDonald’s operations. Those numbers fell to seven in 2019 from 42 in 2014, the year before former CEO Steve Easterbrook, Kempczinski and Strong took over. A Chicago executive familiar with the lawsuit scoffed at the $1 million dollar donation noting it represented less than .02 percent of McDonald’s revenue of more than $21 billion last year. They claimed it was simply “window dressing” and a superficial effort to appear socially conscious and supporters of racial equity when in reality the company has been pulling away from its traditional commitment to racial diversity and inclusion after nearly 50 years of being an industry leader. “If they were genuinely interested in helping African Americans obtain racial and economic justice, along with implementing a strong internal policy of developing and promoting African American executives and entrepreneurs they could have followed Netflix’ example and invested funds in Black banks and other Black businesses and grassroots organizations including community development institutions (CDIs) that build sustainable wealth and close the wealth inequality gap,” the person said. In a post in Variety magazine, Netflix announced last month that it will donate $5 million to Black youths, Black creators and Blackowned businesses. $1.5 million will be going to the Ghetto Film School, Black Public Media, Firelight Media and Film Independent’s Project Evolve to support Black creators. Another $1 million in grants each, to Colin Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights Camp, the Posse Foundation, and Black Girls Code to support Black youths. And another $500,000 in grants to be distributed by Vermont Slauson Economic Development (VSEDC), a nonprofit group that provides resources to communities in South Los Angeles to help Black businesses traditionally underserved by banks. In addition to this donation Netflix will also match their employees’ personal donations at 200 percent. And yet, McDonald’s, which at one time set the industry standard for its investment in diversity and inclusion initiatives, announces after losing its diversity officer that it is forming an “advisory council” to be a “catalyst for change” but deliberately avoids mentioning African Americans in its statement. However, given the urgency of the moment many African American civil rights and social justice advocates along with Black corporate executives said the time for “studying” or needing advisory councils to figure out what to do about racial inequality is over. Mellody Hobson, co-CEO and president at Ariel Investments, a Black-owned Chicago-based investment firm, criticized such timid approaches to addressing racial inequality in the workforce in 2020. During a recent interview on CNBC she noted that in corporate America “talk is cheap.” “When it comes to diversity, for whatever reason, this has been this ongoing struggle where we just can’t move the needle,” she said. “I love the saying ‘math has no opinion.’ You just count and when you count and you see at the highest levels of corporate America, all the way down the chain, the differences in the numbers and how people of color, black and brown Americans, are under-represented; minorities do not show up in the numbers that we exist in this country.” “That is not acceptable,” Hobson added. “And so, what we must do to hold ourselves accountable in corporate America is set targets like we set targets on everything else and identify people you want to get and be very clear and very bold about what the expectations are. And if we do that, we would see this needle move, because so much of this unrest, the civil unrest is tied to economic inequality. That’s just a fact. And we need to move the needle on this economic inequality.”
THE CASKET OF CONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS is carried by horse and carriage across the Edmund Pettus Bridge.
John Lewis crosses Edmund Pettus Bridge for the final time by Hamil R. Harris For New Pittsburgh Courier
(TriceEdneyWire.com)—U. S. Rep. John Robert Lewis has crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge for a final time. He made one final trip along Highway 80 from Selma to Montgomery on July 26, where he lay in repose in the Alabama State Capitol. Then, members of Congress received the flag-draped casket of Rep. Lewis at US Capitol Monday afternoon, July 27. After tributes from Democratic and Republican leaders, that was then placed at the top of the East Front of the Capitol for two days of public viewing. Lewis will always be known as that college student in the buttoned-up trench coat and a backpack who was beaten and bloodied by the Alabama State Police as protesters crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma in 1965. From early Saturday, July 25, in his hometown of Troy, Alabama to his final celebration and burial Thursday, July 30, in Atlanta, the Lewis legacy will have sparked moments of racial reconciliation and thoughts among Blacks and Whites across the nation. The Alabama trek of his final journey began in the Trojan Arena of Troy University and during an hour-long service where his brothers and sisters know Lewis only as “Robert,” who loved his family, and they loved him. As a teen, Lewis couldn’t go to the library or attend Troy State because of his color. But on Saturday, people nodded their heads felt emotions as a singer performed Bette Middler’s “Wind Beneath My Wings. In life, Lewis could not check out books as a child of being admitted to Troy State because he was an African American. In Selma, on March 7, 1965, an Alabama State Police Officer
bashed his head in as he led a match across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. But for two days, Alabama’s local, state, and federal leaders talked about Lewis as a son of the country who spent his life beyond Alabama bringing people of all races together, and his home state is better for it. Alabama US Senator Doug Jones, Martin Luther
Luther King III said men have to ask themselves specific questions when they make decisions, and John Lewis often asked was it is right. “The ultimate measure was it right,” King said. “That’s who John Lewis was. He was always doing what was right from his heart. I saw him all of the time touch children. I had the opportunity to lead a
the Capitol for two days of public viewing. Rep. Lewis was taken back to Atlanta on Wednesday, July 29, where he lie in the Rotunda of Georgia State Capitol. The final service for Lewis took place at 11 a.m. Thursday, July 30, at the Ebenezer Baptist Church Horizon Sanctuary in Atlanta, and Lewis was buried at South-View Cemetery.
LYING IN-STATE—U. S. Rep. John Lewis, lying in-state at the U. S. Capitol last week. (PHOTO: Courtesy/ House.gov) King III, and Rep. Terry Sewell spoke during the service at Brown Chapel as well as survivors of “Bloody Sunday,” told during a service that took place before people got to view Lewis open casket. Senator Jones said in the same way that Lewis risked his life in a journey for Freedom, “that ride can’t end for us until we make it right” and Rep. Terry Sewell who represents Selma in Congress, said as a child she remembered how Coretta Scott King, Joseph Lowery, Amelia Boyington, and Lewis came back to Brown chapel and “they sat over there.” Quoting his father, Martin
delegation to India in 2009. I saw the Congressman there visiting the Gandhi sights because he personified non-violence.” It was “just a few good men and women, the foot soldiers,” King III said during his speech. “Dad used to call them the ground crew. Ground crews used to do things you always didn’t see, but if it weren’t for them, there wouldn’t have been any victories.” Members of Congress received the flag-draped casket of Rep. Lewis at US Capitol on July 27. After tributes from Democratic and Republican leaders, the casket was then placed at the top of the East Front of
“While John Lewis represented the nation, he was my Congressman,” King III said at Brown Chapel. “And so I derived phenomenal inspiration from his example over and over again.” Lewis’ hearse arrived at the US Capitol around 1:30 and among the staffers and former staffers were three women.” Sitting out here in the heat can’t compare to the sacrifice that Congressman Lewis made on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, said Choneya Johnson, a policy analyst for Bread for the World, who used to work as a staffer in Congress. “We want to honor the Congressman’s legacy get out to vote on Nov.3.” “No matter where he was going he always stopped and talked to the staff, ” said Andeline Jabbara, who works for Delegate Stacey Plaskett of the US Virgin Island. Rev. Grainger Browning, pastor of Ebenezer AME Church, offered the invocation during service Lewis in the US Capitol Rotunda. In an interview after the service at the US Capitol, Browning said, “John Lewis exemplifies the non-violent life style that Dr. King possesses more than any other disciple of Dr. King. He was beaten with bats, clubs and chats, but he kept an attitude of HONOR GUARD—Military honor guard escorted the flag-draped coffin up the stairs of the U. S. Capitol as forgiveness for his entire life.” his family looks on. (PHOTO: Roy Lewis/Trice Edney News Wire)
What does financial freedom look like? FINANCIAL FROM B1
already begun investing in a retirement account think carefully about whether or not it’s the right time to withdraw from it. Is now a good time to invest? During an economic down-
turn there are often unique opportunities for high-risk and potentialy high-reward investments. If you’re feeling confident about your financial picture (including your savings and debt repayment plan) and would like to take advantage of such
opportunities, now might be a good time to meet with a financial advisor for guidance. However, if you are generally risk-adverse, close to retirement, or have limited savings accrued, now may not be the right time to take on new investments.
Wells Fargo is with you as you embark on your road to recovery. To learn more about our COVID-19 relief efforts visit wellsfargo.com/ heretohelp.
(© 2020 Wells Fargo Bank N.A. all rights reserved. Member FDIC.)
OPINION
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
AUGUST 5-11, 2020
B3
One more reason
Guest Editorial
The evil of psychological judo in America There is a question that is sometimes asked about the concept of evil: “Does evil really exist?” As regular people go about the business of living life and attempting to make a decent imprint on the planet, it is easy for them to invest in so much trust that they don’t believe that there are actually people who really have a different, darker view of life. However, just as every concept has its opposite, in order for good to exist the concept of evil must also exist, so the answer is yes, evil does exist. One of the best tools from the toolkit of those who express an evil character is that of deception. The “Devil is a liar” can be heard said by many people, but somehow, we believe that everyone is innately good and it’s just that their view of life differs from our own. As sad as it may be, there are actually those who have evil intentions living among us. How else can we explain an elected official opposing the teaching of slavery in America so that people will not understand their history? How else can we explain an individual driving his car into a group of peaceful protesters with the intent to kill? How else can we explain people in the bygone days standing around having pleasant conversations while a Black man or woman breathes their last breath while swinging at the end of a rope? How can we justify a 14-year-old Black boy being beaten, killed and mutilated beyond recognition because he was accused of whistling at a White woman? How else can we justify the institution of chattel slavery? In America today, we are experiencing a pandemic that is threatening to unravel the very fabric of America. We have people at the helm of our nation who are poised to take advantage of the suffering experienced by regular Americans for their own benefit. People are serious about sending our children and teachers back to schools in a situation that could result in certain death for a great number of people. In addition, the unemployment benefits of Americans displaced by the pandemic are allegedly opposed by some elected officials. And while this is happening, Social Security, according to some observers, is being threatened during a time when it is most needed. Anything that separates people and causes harm based on the assumption that some are better than others and therefore deserve more resources and consideration, is evil. In order to perpetuate the dastardly deed of social separation, the tool of psychological judo is utilized. It is the best strategic method of deception wielded by those who want to divide and conquer. The dance of racism vs. White supremacy ensures that people will continue to tear at each other’s throats while those behind the scenes are gleefully pulling the strings of the skirmish. In other words, everyone is being played, but because of the strategy of everyone being identified as the “other,” it becomes difficult to see what is actually happening. While white supremacists and victims of racism go at each other, the captains of industry are behind the scenes becoming wealthier seemingly by the minute. There is an African proverb that says when two elephants are fighting, only the ground suffers. In this regard, America is the ground and American people are the puppets in this dance of orchestrated doom. The American people are being played like a fiddle while fake news continues to circulate creating huge confusion as we allow the strength of our differences to work against us. In the end we could all possibly lose due to psychological judo, i.e., the use of our weaknesses against ourselves. The truth of the matter is that America, though it has always had its flaws, basically because it is administered by flawed human beings, it has had one of the best designs for government that exists in the modern world, if its tenets are truly embraced. But greedy, rich and powerful people who are benefitting from the chaos that we are experiencing have been able to convince us that some people are “better” than others, with the result of people being drawn into an evil maelstrom of political degradation. Let’s hope enough “democracy” exists by the time of the November elections to make things better. But to do this, we must recognize the evil of greed and corruption that is seemingly bent on hijacking America and evict it from the premises. We must VOTE like our lives depend upon it because they do!!! (Reprinted from the Chicago Crusader)
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)
(TriceEdneyWire.com)—By the time you read this, it will no longer be Breaking News that one of the cancers which has plagued Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, has returned. Thankfully, she has declared her intention to remain on The Court and, prayerfully, her longevity will extend well-beyond the January 2021 Presidential Inauguration. I have no doubt that if, before then, she should no longer be able to fulfill her responsibilities as an Associate Justice, Mitch McConnell would attempt to push a Supreme Court nominee through Senate confirmation with mercurial speed. Justice Ginsberg has proven herself to be a woman of character, strength, integrity and endurance. Her judicial decisions have identified her as a champion of the people and a staunch proponent of real justice. “The Notorious R.B.G.,” has been a force for equal rights and justice for decades – long before her confirmation to the Supreme Court. I can only assume that her commitment to women’s rights, civil rights and rights for the LGBQT community is based upon her experiences as a victim of discrimination. For all citizens of conscience, the news of the recidivism of her cancer should be met with deep regret and, especially for political progressives, provides one more reason to vote against #45! Justice Ginsberg’s decisions and declarations from the bench have commonly met the test of practicality and good judgment. For me, her
Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq.
Commentary most notable quote referenced SCOTUS’ 2013 dissolution of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. In her dissent, she wrote: “The sad irony of today’s decision lies in its utter failure to grasp why the [Voting Rights Act] has proven effective Throwing out preclearance when it has worked and is continuing to work to stop discriminatory changes is like throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you are not getting wet.” With the 2020 election and the prospect of a new administration in 2021, the health and well-being of Justice Ginsberg looms large. Notably, she is one-fourth of the Liberal Wing of the Supreme Court. She’s reliable in her support for liberal positions of juris prudence. Her decisions have always been based upon protections and greater inclusiveness for individuals without regard to race, gender or gender identification. Current administration and Senate dispositions guarantee that any replacement for her would hold a judicial philosophy that was diametrically opposed to hers and would work to reverse many of the hard-won civil rights
gains of the past fifty-years. Understanding this gives us one more reason to vote. Although we specifically vote for president and vice-president in a national election, our vote for them means so much more. This is demonstrated by the election of #45, and his supporting cast in the Senate. Many, even his niece, Mary Trump, have labeled #45 a virulent racist, but he’s not the only one in the White House. Stephen Miller, the identified architect of the Muslim Ban and Family Separation/Border Detention has been identified as a racist in the ilk of his president. Over twenty-thousand times, #45 has been a documented liar. I have watched innumerable cabinet members and members of the executive staff, who serve on the inside of the administration’s revolving door, lie with the same vigor as their chief. In reflection, we have generously paid three consecutive press secretaries to lie to us whenever and however ‘the boss’ determined it necessary. And they aren’t the only ones! We should not need a reason to vote beyond our civic responsibility; but, with #45’s lies and self-promotion, his mis-management of COVID-19, the growth and his promotion of racial injustice, and, now, the potential for molding the Supreme Court in his malignant image, we must vote. Voting must be a personal and collective imperative! (Dr. E. Faye Williams is President of the National Congress of Black Women.)
Looming wave of evictions will deepen the economic crisis (TriceEdneyWire.com)—The issue of inability to pay, poverty, and unemployment—that existed preCOVID-19. The difference between now and then is that the pandemic has shifted the line of poverty. There are more people at risk than before.” Attorney Raphael Ramos of Wisconsin’s Eviction Defense Project In his Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Evicted, Matthew Desmond’s book quotes a woman he calls Arleen describing the profound exhaustion of trying to keep a roof over her children’s heads. She says, “Just my soul is messed up.” Her children are so defined by the experience of being evicted, over and over again, that one of them vows to become a carpenter so he can build her a house. The moratorium on evictions that was imposed by the CARES Act in March expired last week. The estimates on the number of Americans on the brink of eviction range from 10 million to 28 million. With the nation foundering in the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression and poised to plunge even further, more than 12.5 million renters were unable to make their most recent rent payment. Almost twice as many fear they won’t be able to pay next month’s rent. About 56 percent of those renters are Black or Latino. More than three out of every 10 Black renters is behind on rent, and 46 percent of Black renters have no confidence they can make their next rent payment. Even before the pandemic, nine of the 10 highest-evicting large U.S. cities had populations that were at
Marc H. Morial
To Be Equal least 30 percent Black. Among the eviction cases filed since the pandemic began, nearly two-thirds were in communities with above-average populations of color. With evictions clustered in lower-income Black neighborhoods, entire communities already struggling with massive job loss and business closures are disrupted by a churn of people moving in and out that severs close-knit social networks. With supplemental unemployment insurance payments expiring and Congress nowhere near a deal to extend them, the nation is facing an unprecedented wave of eviction that will drive the nation even further into economic crisis and despair. Eviction doesn’t just mean the loss of a home. It means the loss of self-esteem, peace of mind, community and support systems, and physical and mental health. Safe, affordable housing has always been at the heart of the National Urban League’s mission. As economic first responders, Urban League affiliates around the country are keeping people in their homes with emergency rental assistance, intervention and counseling. We are seeing the devastating economic effects of the
pandemic first-hand. Last October, before anyone ever heard of the novel coronavirus, the National Urban League issued an urgent call to presidential candidates to address the affordable housing crisis. The following month, we went them a letter. It wasn’t until late November, on the sixth night of debates, that the candidates finally were asked a question about the housing crisis. Evictions are not just a result of poverty, they are a cause of poverty. It can result in job loss and make it hard to find a new job. It can make it almost impossible to secure decent housing. It leaves scars that can last a lifetime. This week, I joined Senator Kamala Harris, House Financial Services Chairwoman Maxine Waters and Sherrilyn Ifill, President and Director Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund to announce the introduction of the Housing Emergencies Lifeline Program (HELP) Act, which will provide funding so those at risk of eviction can access legal representation and any evictions will do limited damage to renters’ credit. The bill would allocate $10 billion in Emergency Solutions Grants, which provide funding to states and localities for homelessness prevention and outreach and legal representation for those on the verge of being evicted. The HELP Act can do more than save people’s homes. It can save entire communities. It can stop a cycle of poverty and hopelessness. For people like Arleen, it can even save their souls.
Pushback by Republicans after Trump floats idea of delaying elections (NNPA)—With polls tanking and prognosticators openly stating President Trump is likely to lose to former Vice President Joe Biden on November 3rd, the President floated the idea delaying the November 3rd election. Trump’s suggestion lines up with several other comments he has made undermining the legitimacy of mail-in ballots. Massive job less since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which the Trump White House has offered no sustained plan to confront, has led to a record-breaking 9 percent loss in gross national product. Over 150,000 Americans have died during the COVID-19 pandemic. Infection numbers continue to spike in many states. No comprehensive federal plan for testing, treatment and funding has been put in place by the Trump Administration. Trump’s suggestion regarding delaying the November 3 election arrives after more evidence. “Never in the history of the country, through wars, depressions and the Civil War, have we ever not had a federally-scheduled election on time. We’ll find a way to do that again this November 3rd,”
Lauren Victoria Burke
Commentary Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell during an interview with WNKY. “I think that’s probably a statement that gets some press attention, but I doubt it gets any serious traction. I think we’ve had elections every November since about 1788, and I expect that will be the case again this year,” Thune said. Early on July 30, Trump tweeted, “With Universal Mail-In Voting (not Absentee Voting, which is good), 2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history. It will be a great embarrassment to the USA. Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???” What has been less inaccurate are polls and other indicators
leading many to believe Trump is staring into an electoral college and massive popular vote loss. Many fear he may not recognize the legitimacy of the election but few have a specific answer regarding who will enforce his departure if he loses which is followed by a formal change of power at noon on January 20, 2001. “It has become increasingly clear, at least to me, that the majority of Republicans in Congress and in the White House are an existential threat to this Republic,” wrote Princeton professor Eddie Glaude on July 30. “Over the past 20 years there’s been .00006 percent cases of fraud in all mail-in ballots cast in presidential elections. Trump wants to delay the election because he knows he has a .00006 percent chance of winning,” wrote Ron Perlman on social media. “The inability to imagine Donald Trump has always been one of Trump’s greatest strengths,” said Republican strategist Stuart Stevens who is part of the anti-Trump Lincoln Project. (Lauren Victoria Burke is an independent journalist for NNPA.)
New Pittsburgh Courier
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B4
AUGUST 5-11, 2020
www.newpittsburghcourier.com
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
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Help Wanted
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CLINICAL COORDINATOR/ SURGICAL TECHNOLOGY; MAINTENANCE TECH/HVAC/ ELECTRICAL, HOUSEKEEPING & V.P. STUDENT AFFAIRS/ ENROLLMENT MGT., Pittsburgh Technical College is see ing qualified applicants for the following positions •Clinical Coordinator/Surgical Technology Associate degree required bachelors preferred ust possess CST/CSFA •V.P. Student Affairs and Enrollment Management aster s degree required doctorate preferred. •Maintenance Tech – HVAC/ Electrical – Full-time Between the hours of 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (8 hour work shift) ust be niversal EPA ertified •Housekeeper – Part-time – Evening Between the hours of 5:00 p.m. – 12:00 p.m. (4 hour work shift) Prior office institutional cleaning e perience preferred ust pass criminal bac ground chec . Immediate opening at our orth ayette campus near Robinson Towne enter. Apply to www.ptcollege.edu (Employment with PTC) or www.workforptcollege.com . E E
TRAINING SPECIALIST Port Authority is seeking a Training Specialist to act as internal consultant wor ing with individuals departments and groups within the Port Authority developing delivering and maintaining educational programs to increase effectiveness and productivity of all personnel. To administer employment and recruitment activities for assigned positions. Essential Functions: • reates designs and maintains quality education programs manuals and other training materials that support Port Authority business strategies. Evaluates selects negotiates and administers the purchase and use of off the shelf training program. •Implement and deliver training programs to assist in performance improvement. •Administers employment processes for assigned positions including recruitment testing interviewing and investigations. onducts bac ground chec s on perspective candidates which includes various communications to verify education previous and current employers. tili es the internet to conduct criminal record chec and motor vehicle record status. Enters and trac s data in PeopleSoft. E tends contingent ob offers and maintains appropriate documentation. Ensures that required employment activities are satisfactorily processed before finali ing hiring actions. oordinates and conducts new hire orientation. Job requirements include: • igh School iploma or E . •BA BS egree in ommunication Education Psychology Business or directly related field from an accredited school. irectly related e perience may be substituted for the education on a year for year basis. • inimum of two (2) years e perience in program pro ect administration. • inimum of two (2) years e perience as a facilitator trainer for adult learners. • inimum of two (2) years e perience in developing and delivering educational informational and ob tas oriented programs for adults. • inimum of two (2) years of e perience interviewing recruiting utili ing employment processes and familiarity with union contractual matters. •Professional and effective communication s ills. • emonstrated ability in the use of indows icrosoft ord and E cel. • illingness and ability to wor shifts and pass days. • andles multiple tas s high volume and adheres to deadlines. Preferred attributes: •Professional in uman Resources (PHR) Senior Professional in uman Resources (SPHR) or comparable ertification from the Society for uman Resources anagement. • emonstrated ability in the use of PeopleSoft uman Resources odules. • emonstrated ability in the use of PeopleSoft inancial odules. • emonstrated ability in the use of icrosoft PowerPoint.
BUILDING CUSTODIAN The Avonworth School istrict has an opening for a Building ustodian. This is a full time 3:00 PM to 11:30 PM position with benefits and a starting hourly rate of . . Interested candidates should send letter of interest along with resume to r. Bradley aters irector of iscal anagement osephs ane Pittsburgh PA or via email to bwaters@avonworth.k12.pa.us. EOE PCBC REPORTER Pittsburgh ommunity Broadcasting is an independent locally owned community supported public media organi ation and is Pittsburgh s PR ews station . ESA and . EP Pittsburgh s Adult Alternative usic. P B is see ing reporter to cover the region s economic recovery from the pandemic. or complete ob description and to apply go to pittsburghcommunitybroadcasting. org/ and follow the employment lin . Please no phone calls. P B is an Equal pportunity Employer and actively see s diversity in its wor force. PCBC DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP Pittsburgh ommunity Broadcasting is an independent locally owned community supported public media organi ation and is Pittsburgh s PR ews station . ESA and . EP Pittsburgh s Adult Alternative usic. P B is see ing a irector of embership to oin the team. This position oversees individual giving and car donations both critical revenue streams. or complete ob description and to apply go to pittsburghcommunitybroadcasting. org/ and follow the employment lin . Please no phone calls. P B is an Equal pportunity Employer and actively see s diversity in its wor force. SENIOR .NET MVC APPLICATION DEVELOPER BoardBoo it (Pittsburgh PA) to be resp. for collaborating w staff members IT other sta eholders to define detailed customer rqrmnts sys. interfaces assess avlbl tchnlgs develop present viable sltns. Specific ob duties carrying out anltcl techncl analysis . ET design dvlpmnt for SaaS subscription sltns prfrmng feasibility studies trnsltng rqrmnts into an apprprt design frmltng defining appln scope ob ctvs implmnt complete sltns dvlpng tchnlgy in a way that complies w archtctrl stndrds established mthdlgs practices trnsltng rqrmnts into sltns accessible by web browser through a suite of mobile apps dsgnng deploying secure APIs to cmnct w proprietary apps creating modifying testing dcmntng prgrmng code for both the front bac end providing tchncl cnsltng support on pro ects or system issues. Bachelor s degree in omp Scnc or Engnrng years of prior empl. e prnc in the position offered or related using isual Studio icrosoft isual SourceSafe ersion ne Team oundation Server yS S . ET avascript uery T SS Angular S Bootstrap hart. s Pdf. s tools. If interested please contact avid elon dhelon@ boardbookit.com.
COURIER CLASSIFIEDS… THE ONLY WAY TO GO! COURIER CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS!
e offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits pac age. Interested candidates should forward a cover letter (with salary requirements) and resume to Amy Giammanco Employment Department 345 Sixth Avenue, 3rd Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2527 agiammanco@portauthority.org EOE ASSISTANT COMPUTER SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR Assistant Computer Systems Administrator for fed govt law office in Pgh some travel required. yrs gen IT e p yrs speciali ed e p req d. P networ hardware S indows ffice suites irtuali ation and bac up software Antivirus software and utloo administration e p with forensics or litigation support preferred. Submit application according to instructions in full ad at http://paw.fd.org/employment.htm. o phone calls. E E.
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JOB OPPORTUNITIES
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Legal Notices
Bids/Proposals
PASSENGER AMENITY SUPPORT SPECIALIST Port Authority is seeking a Passenger Amenity Support Specialist to provide and maintain transit stop information and provide assistance for other departmental functions. Responsible for maintaining updated databases for transit stops amenities and par and ride lots. Assists with bus stop signage maintenance consisting of conducting field inspections to ensure that all stop information equipment inventory and facilities are maintained. oordinates various departmental functions and ensures consistent application of data and procedures. Assists with the bus stop consolidation and shelter replacment programs. Essential Functions: • onducts field inspections to evaluate transit stops in accordance with the Bus Stop and Street esign uidelines and ma es recommendations for relocation or removal. •Prepares sign crews with written wor orders for installation removal and changes to e isting new stop locations and maintains database spreadsheet trac ing wor orders. erifies completion and accuracy of wor performed. •Assists with reviewing and ma ing recommendations for shelters par and ride and rider information. Ensures activities comply with contracts and company policies. • oordinates and submits Pennsylvania ne all inquires when necessary prior to issuing wor orders in accordance with PA law. Job requirements include: • igh School iploma or E . •BA BS egree in Business Administration or directly related field from an accredited school. irectly related e perience may be substituted for the education on a year for year basis. • inimum of two (2) years e perience in planning scheduling transit schedules service customer service data collection and or analysis. • emonstrated ability in the use of indows icrosoft ord and E cel. •E cellent organi ational s ills. •Professional and effective communication s ills. • alid driver s license. Preferred attributes: •E perience in the operations scheduling planning or customer service. • nowledge of Port Authority service areas and routes.
Estate of Carolyn Jean Kerr aka Jean E. Kerr, , Deceased of Pittsburgh PA. Estate No.022003325 ate of eath 06/16/20 P Ban ational Association Attn Sharon hitney P ifth Ave Pittsburgh PA And or Tracey . ihmer Esq. ashington Road Suite c urray PA
COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY ADVERTISEMENT Sealed bid proposals are hereby solicited for the ommunity ollege of Allegheny ounty Allegheny Avenue Pittsburgh PA ( . . ) on the following items Bid Proposal No. 1071 – Microsoft EES Software Licensing ue date 2:00 P.M. Prevailing Time on Tuesday, August 18, 2020 The A Purchasing epartment publishes all bids and R Ps via the A website at https:// www.ccac.edu/Bid-RFP_Opportunities.aspx It will be each vendor s responsibility to monitor the bid activity within the given website ( Bid and R P pportunities ) and ensure compliance with all applicable bid documents inclusive of any issued addenda. ailure to incorporate any applicable addenda in the final submittal may result in the reection of your bid. The Board of Trustees reserves the right to re ect any and all bids. The ommunity ollege of Allegheny ounty is an Affirmative Action Equal Employment pportunity Employer and encourages bids from inority isadvantaged owned businesses.
e offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits pac age. Interested candidates should forward a cover letter (with salary requirements) and resume to Danielle Jacobson Employment Department 345 Sixth Avenue, 3rd Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2527 djacobson@portauthority.org EOE LEGAL ADVERTISING Legal Notices
NOTICE OF TRUST ADMINISTRATION The Trustee named below gives notice of the death of William H. Sullivan late of t. ebanon Township Allegheny ounty Pennsylvania who died on June 24, 2020. uring his lifetime the said ecedent established the illiam . Sullivan under Trust Instrument dated February 19, 1998 and the same has been mostly recently restate in its entirety by writing dated November 7, 2019 of which aniel . Sullivan is the Trustee. The Trustee requests all persons having claims against the ecedent to ma e nown the same in writing to him or his attorney and all persons indebted to the ecedent to ma e payment to him without delay aniel . Sullivan Trustee lde anor ane oon Township PA or to Todd A. uller Atty. Brenlove uller ashington Avenue Bridgeville PA Estate of Ms. Martha J. Cynkar, Deceased of onongahela Boulevard hite a PA . Estate No.02-20-03346 r. ouis Andelmo ld Ridge Road oraopolis PA E ecutor c o a . eldman Esquire and the aw ffice of a . eldman ifth Avenue oraopolis PA .
Estate of Ms. Joan A. Mathias, Deceased of Rosebriar Avenue lenshaw PA . Estate No.02-20-03043 r.Todd athias Rosebriar Avenue lenshaw PA E ecutor c o a . eldman Esquire and the aw ffice of a . eldman ifth Avenue oraopolis PA Estate of Everett J. Burton, Deceased of Pittsburgh PA. Estate No.02-20-0281 Brenda E. Sha oor E ecutri Speedway verloo leveland or to Thelma . Spells Esquire Atty. Bidwell Street Pittsburgh PA ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION NONPROFIT CORPORATION Jay Arthur Gilmer, Esq. ampania Avenue Pittsburgh PA . otice is hereby given that Articles of Incorporation were filed with the epartment of State of the ommonwealth of Pennsylvania on July 2, 2020 with respect to a nonprofit corporation ANCHORED IN JESUS MINISTRIES which has been incorporated under the onprofit orporation aw of .
LEGAL ADVERTISING Bids/Proposals
PORT AUTHORITY OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY Electronic Proposals will be received online at the Port Authority of Allegheny ounty s Ebusiness website (http://ebusiness.portauthority.org). Proposals bid submittals will be due 11:00 a.m. on September 4, 2020 and will be read at 11:15 a.m. the same day at Port Authority s ein location (Please contact the respective ontract Specialist for Tele onference dial in information for the Bid pening) for the following Electronic Proposal - Ebusiness website (http://ebusiness.portauthority.org)
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Bid Number B200764A B200766A B200868A
Bid Name VMware Horizon Support & Subscription Services Maintenance Inspect Test - Fire Protection Systems Microsoft Enterprise Agreement
o bidder may withdraw a submitted Proposal for a period of 75 days after the scheduled time for opening of the sealed bids. A Pre Bid onference will be held via tele conference on each of the above items at 10:00 a.m. on August 18, 2020. Please contact the respective ontract Specialist for Tele onference dial in information. Attendance at this meeting is not mandatory but is strongly encouraged. Questions regarding any of the above bids will not be entertained by the Port uthor t th n fi e us ness a s of the sche u e opening. These contracts may be sub ect to a financial assistance contract between Port Authority of Allegheny ounty and the nited States epartment of Transportation. The ontractor will be required to comply with all applicable Equal Employment pportunity laws and regulations. Contractor is responsible for expenses related to acquiring a performance bond and insurance where applicable. All items are to be FOB e ere un ess other se s ec fie osts for e er , on , an insurance shall be included in bidder’s proposal pricing. Port Authority of Allegheny ounty hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively insure that in regard to any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement disadvantaged business enterprise will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race color or national origin in consideration for an award. The Board of Port Authority reserves the right to re ect any or all bids. REQUEST FOR BIDS AUTO INSURANCE The estmoreland ounty ousing Authority (WCHA) is requesting bids for Auto Insurance for its eet of vehicles. Sealed bids will be received by ichael . a showich E ecutive irector until Wednesday, September 2, 2020 at 10:00 A.M. (Eastern Standard Time) at the office of the estmoreland ounty ousing Authority South reengate Road reensburg PA at which time they will be opened publicly. Interested respondents can obtain hard copy bid documents from the A Administration ffice at the address listed above. Electronic Bid ocuments can be obtained by emailing Rachel rit at rachelf@wchaonline.com. Perspective Bidders shall register with A via email in accordance with the bid requirements.
COURIER CLASSIFIEDS… THE ONLY WAY TO GO!
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NOTICE TO BIDDERS ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS PA-18 The estmoreland ounty ousing Authority (WCHA) is requesting service bids for 2020 PARKING LOT REHABILITATION CONTRACT RESURFACING – SEALCOAT – LINE STRIPING LOCATED AT VARIOUS RENTAL HOUSING SITES - WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PA. Sealed bids will be received by ichael . ashowich E ecutive irector until August 20, 2020 at 10:00 A.M. (Eastern Standard Time) at the administration office of the estmoreland ounty ousing Authority South reengate Road reensburg PA at which time they will be opened publicly. Interested respondents can obtain bid documents by downloading from www.wchaonline.com. Bidders shall be registered on the A Procurement atabase to obtain said documents. Inquiries and plan holder registration can be emailed to eriks@wchaonline.com. On August 7, 2020 @ 10:00 AM a non mandatory PRE BI TE E ERE E will occur at 10:00 EST time via icrosoft oom per the below information oin oom eeting https://wchaonline.zoom.us/ j/94623897499?pwd=UzhvTmdlM04vSXM5YjRvYnlZczQzdz09 eeting I 946 2389 7499 Passcode 213076 888 788 0099 S Toll free Michael L. Washowich, Executive Director Westmoreland County Housing Authority
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Bids/Proposals
Bids/Proposals
PORT AUTHORITY OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY ADVERTISEMENT Separate sealed Bids for the Work as listed hereinafter will be received at the Purchasing and Materials Management Department of Port Authority of Allegheny County (Authority) Heinz 57 Center, 345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15222-2527 until 1:30 p.m. on August 31, 2020 (Please call Cindy Denner at (412) 566-5117 prior to arriving at this location - all participants must provide and wear a mask at all times and practice minimum social distancing of 6 feet between other individuals) and will be opened and read at 2:00 p.m. via teleconference at: (toll free phone number: 1-855-453-6957 and conference ID #4485786). Each Bidder shall be solely responsible for assuring that its Bid is both received and time stamped by a representative of the Purchasing and Materials Management Department at or before the advertised time for submission of Bids. Bids received or time stamped in the Purchasing and Materials Management Department after the advertised time for the submission of Bids shall be non-responsive and therefore ineligible for Award. MANCHESTER GARAGE ENGINE TEST FACILITY CONTRACT NO. MAN-20-06 G CONTRACT NO. MAN-20-06 H CONTRACT NO. MAN-20-06 P CONTRACT NO. MAN-20-06 E The Work of this Project includes, but is not limited to, the furnishing of all labor and materials for the installation of the Engine Test Facility at Manchester Garage. General Construction scope includes constructing masonry and steel framed Test Room and Control Room, installing Dynamometer Engine Test Equipment and related engine test equipment, HVAC scope includes building exhaust, engine exhaust, and control room air conditioning. Plumbing scope includes modifications to water supply and drainage systems fire protection and compressed air. Electrical scope includes power and lighting modifications necessary to support the new facility. Bid Documents will be available for public inspection and may be obtained on or after July 31, 2020 at Authority s offices at the following address (If you are picking up bid documents, please call Cindy Denner at (412) 566-5117 prior to arriving at this location - all participants must provide and wear a mask at all times and practice minimum social distancing of 6 feet between other individuals): Port Authority of Allegheny County Purchasing and Materials Management Department Heinz 57 Center 345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222-2527 Bid Documents are available for purchase as follows: Bid Documents are available in an electronic form on compact disk upon payment of $15.00 per CD. Payment shall be by check or money order (NO CASH), payable to “Port Authority of Allegheny County.” No refunds of payment will be made. Upon request, Bid Documents can be mailed upon receipt of payment in full. Should the purchaser wish to have the Bid Documents delivered via special delivery, such as UPS or Federal Express, the purchaser shall provide its appropriate account numbers for such special delivery methods. This Project may be funded, in part, by, and subject to certain requirements of, the County of Allegheny and/or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Authority, in compliance with 74 Pa.C.S. § 303, as may be amended, require that certified iverse Businesses (“DBs”) have the maximum opportunity to participate in the performance of contracts and subcontracts for this Project. In this regard, all Bidders shall make good faith efforts in accordance with 74 Pa.C.S. § 303, to ensure that DBs have the maximum opportunity to compete for and perform contracts. Bidders shall also not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, age, disability, national origin, sexual origin, gender identity or status as a parent in the award and performance of contracts for this Project. If aid is required to involve DBs in the Work, Bidders are to contact Authority’s Director of Employee Relations and OEO at (412) 566-5262. The Bidder’s attention is directed to the following contacts for Bidder’s questions: Procedural Questions Regarding Bidding: Cynthia Denner – Authority cdenner@portauthority.org (412) 566-5117 All other questions relating to the Bid Documents must be submitted by mail or email to: Port Authority of Allegheny County Heinz 57 Center 345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2527 Attn: Cynthia Denner cdenner@portauthority.org In addition, the Bidder’s attention is directed to the following schedule of activities for preparation of its Bid: 9:00 a.m. Pre-Bid Conference will beconducted via teleconference at: August 13, 2020 Toll free phone number: 1-855-453-6957 Conference ID #4485786 (Attendance is not mandatory, but strongly recommended.) 10:00 a.m. August 14, 2020
Pre-Bid Site Tour Manchester Garage 2235 Beaver Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15233 All participants must provide and wear safety vests and appropriate footwear; all participants must provide and wear a mask at all times and practice minimum social distancing of 6 feet between other individuals. Tours will be conducted in limited group sizes and in the order of which bidders sign-in at the site. (Attendance is not mandatory, but strongly recommended.) 1:30 p.m. Bids Due August 31, 2020 Purchasing and Materials Management Department Please call Cindy Denner at (412) 566-5117 prior to arriving at the Heinz 57 location - all participants must provide and wear a mask at all times and practice minimum social distancing of 6 feet between other individuals. Bid Opening will be conducted @ 2:00 p.m. via teleconference at: Toll free phone number: 1-855-453-6957 Conference ID #4485786 Authority reserves the right to reject any or all Bids
AUGUST 5-11, 2020
SONNY BOY
LEGAL ADVERTISING
LEGAL ADVERTISING
LEGAL ADVERTISING
Bids/Proposals
Bids/Proposals
Bids/Proposals
PORT AUTHORITY OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY ADVERTISEMENT Separate sealed Bids for the Work as listed hereinafter will be received at the Purchasing and Materials Management Department of Port Authority of Allegheny County (Authority) Heinz 57 Center, 345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15222-2527 until 1:30 p.m. on September 1, 2020 (Please call Cindy Denner at (412) 566-5117 prior to arriving at this location – all participants must provide and wear a mask at all times and practice minimum social distancing of 6 feet between other individuals) and will be opened and read at 2:00 PM via teleconference at: (toll free number) 1-855-453-6957 and conference ID #4485786. Each Bidder shall be solely responsible for assuring that its Bid is both received and time stamped by a representative of the Purchasing and Materials Management Department at or before the advertised time for submission of Bids. Bids received or time stamped in the Purchasing and Materials Management Department after the advertised time for the submission of Bids shall be non-responsive and therefore ineligible for Award. McKeesport Park and Ride Improvements CONTRACT NO. MCK-20-03 The Work of this Project includes, but is not limited to, the furnishing of all labor, materials, tools, equipment and incidentals for site work including but not limited to concrete and bituminous pavement and sidewalks, stormwater management facilities, landscaping, pavement marking and signage, station canopies, site lighting and comfort building shell and architectural finishes. Bid Documents will be available for public inspection and may be obtained on or after August 2, 2020 at Authority s offices at the following address (If you are picking up bid documents, please call Cindy Denner at (412) 566-5117 prior to arriving at this location - all participants must provide and wear a mask at all times and practice minimum social distancing of 6 feet between other individuals)): Port Authority of Allegheny County Purchasing and Materials Management Department Heinz 57 Center 345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222-2527 Bid Documents are available for purchase as follows: Bid Documents are available in an electronic form on compact disk upon payment of $15 per CD. Payment shall be by check or money order (NO CASH), payable to “Port Authority of Allegheny County.” No refunds of payment will be made. Upon request, Bid Documents can be mailed upon receipt of payment in full. Should the purchaser wish to have the Bid Documents delivered via special delivery, such as UPS or Federal Express, the purchaser shall provide its appropriate account numbers for such special delivery methods. This Project may be funded, in part, by, and subject to certain requirements of, the County of Allegheny and/or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Authority, in compliance with 74 Pa.C.S. § 303, as may be amended, require that certified iverse Businesses (“DBs”) have the maximum opportunity to participate in the performance of contracts and subcontracts for this Project. In this regard, all Bidders shall make good faith efforts in accordance with 74 Pa.C.S. § 303, to ensure that DBs have the maximum opportunity to compete for and perform contracts. Bidders shall also not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, age, disability, national origin, sexual origin, gender identity or status as a parent in the award and performance of contracts for this Project. If aid is required to involve DBs in the Work, Bidders are to contact Authority’s Director of Employee Relations and OEO at (412) 566-5262. The Bidder’s attention is directed to the following contacts for Bidder’s questions: Procedural Questions Regarding Bidding: Cindy Denner - Authority (412) 566-5117 All other questions relating to the Bid Documents must be submitted by mail or email to: Port Authority of Allegheny County Heinz 57 Center 345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2527 Attn: Cindy Denner Email: cdenner@portauthority.org In addition, the Bidder’s attention is directed to the following schedule of activities for preparation of its Bid: 9:00 AM Pre-Bid Conference will be conducted via teleconference at: August 12, 2020 (Toll free phone number: 1-855-453-6957 Conference ID #4485786). (Attendance is not mandatory, but strongly recommended) No Pre-Bid Site Tour will be conducted Site is publicly accessible 1:30 p.m. Bids Due September 1, 2020 Purchasing and Materials Management Department Please call Cindy Denner at (412) 566-5117 prior to arriving at the Heinz 57 location - all participants must provide and wear a mask at all times and practice minimum social distancing of 6 feet between other individuals. Bid Opening will be conducted @ 2:00 pm via teleconference at: (Toll free phone number: 1-855-453-6957 Conference ID #4485786). Authority reserves the right to reject any or all Bids
PORT AUTHORITY OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY Electronic Proposals will be received online at the Port Authority of Allegheny County’s Ebusiness website (http://ebusiness.portauthority.org). Proposals/bid submittals will be due 11:00 a.m. on August 25, 2020 and will be read at 11:15 a.m., the same day, at Port Authority’s Heinz location (Please contact the respective Contract Specialist for Tele-Conference dial-in information for the Bid Opening), for the following: Electronic Proposal - Ebusiness website (http://ebusiness.portauthority.org)
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Bid Number B200543R B200650A B200437AR B200653A B200651A REV200759A
Bid Name Precast Concrete Grade Crossings Cleaning of Oil & Water Separators Antifreeze / Coolant - Ready to Use Synthetic Automatic Transmission Fluid Rock Salt - Bagged Wabash Parking Facility Lease
No bidder may withdraw a submitted Proposal for a period of 75 days after the scheduled time for opening of the sealed bids. A Pre-Bid Conference will be held via tele-conference on each of the above items at 10:00 a.m. on August 5, 2020. Please contact the respective Contract Specialist for Tele-Conference dial-in information. Attendance at this meeting is not mandatory, but is strongly encouraged. Questions regarding any of the above bids will not be entertained by the Port uthor t th n fi e us ness a s of the sche u e opening. These contracts may be sub ect to a financial assistance contract between Port Authority of Allegheny County and the United States Department of Transportation. The Contractor will be required to comply with all applicable Equal Employment Opportunity laws and regulations. Contractor is responsible for expenses related to acquiring a performance bond and insurance where applicable. All items are to be FOB e ere un ess other se s ec fie osts for e er , on , an insurance shall be included in bidder’s proposal pricing. Port Authority of Allegheny ounty hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively insure that in regard to any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprise will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award. The Board of Port Authority reserves the right to reject any or all bids.
B5
America’s Best Weekly 315 East Carson Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Classifieds 412-481-8302
E-mail: ads@newpittsburghcourier.com Deadline/Closing/ Cancellation Schedule for copy, corrections, and cancellations: Friday noon preceding Wednesday publication
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ALLEGHENY COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY STATEMENT-OF-INTEREST FOR PROFESSIONAL ARCHITECTURAL AND ENGINEERING DESIGN SERVICES FOR THE CARGO 4 BUILDING INTERMODAL FREIGHT TRANSFER FACILITIES DEVELOPMENT AUGUST 5, 2020 Statements-of-Interest (SOI) for Professional Architectural and Engineering Design Services for the Cargo 4 Building Intermodal Freight Transfer Facilities Development will be received via Submittable at www.acaacapitalprograms.submittable.com and will be received until 12:00 PM on August 21, 2020 (late submissions will not be accepted), for the following: Project Summary: The PIT Cargo Building 4 Intermodal Freight Transfer Facilities Development expansion will allow for the development of a 16-acre site that will house Cargo 4, adjacent to the existing Cargo 3 facility at Pittsburgh International Airport. The project will include an Air Cargo Warehouse/ Processing Facility, an aircraft loading/unloading parking apron, landside access roads and parking facility, related lighting, signage, and markings, site preparation and infrastructure, and all required clearances, approvals, and permits. For the more information, including full project description, proposer requirements and responsibilities, proposal requirements, and selection process, please go to: https://flypittsburgh.com/ acaa-corporate/doing-business/ doingbusiness/ Questions should be directed to Mr. Jeff Bezek, P.E. via email to eze tts ur h com
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B6 AUGUST 5-11, 2020
‘Too ambitious’ should outrage Black women Black women all across this nation should be outraged by the commentary that a qualified African American woman is “too ambitious” to be selected as the running mate for presumptive Democratic Presidential Nominee Joe Biden. Biden allies, Chris Dodd, co-chair of the Biden Vice Presidential Selection Committee, along with major donors have essentially asserted that ambition should bar an otherwise qualified woman from consideration for the Biden ticket. Not only should Black women be outraged, but all Americans should be equally offended. Despite seemingly insurmountable odds, African American women have excelled in all areas of human endeavor, including corporate America, government, law, medicine, education, sports and the arts. Yet, African American women continue to wrestle with a nation that repeatedly questions and diminishes their worth, competence, and capacity to add distinctive value. And, now, even the ambition of African American women is being weaponized to further deny opportunities for which they have trained and worked hard to just be considered. Since when did being ambitious become a negative trait given that the American dream is predicated upon this very notion? Ambition has been the saving grace of Black people since we were dropped on the shores of America in 1619. The resolve for freedom birthed ambition and set the course for Black women who struggled to keep their families together as they longed for a better life. The ambition of Black women too numerous to name was instrumental in securing basic rights like liberty, justice, education and equal representation through the right to vote.
Dr. Glenda Glover
Commentary The outrage occasioned by the misuse of the word “ambition” is heightened when we consider historically that references to Black women as “overly ambitious” have been code words designed to marginalize Black women, deny them opportunities, trammel their hopes, mute their voices and dehumanize their existence. White men in power who have long mischaracterized Black women as “too ambitious” have used the term as code for angry, aggressive and intemperate in order to render us invisible and deny us a seat at countless tables of power. The “too ambitious” commentary advanced by Chris Dodd and the Biden donors is a direct assault on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and an affront to the practical education HBCUs necessarily impart to students. The vice-presidential contender against whom this criticism was leveled attended one of the country’s most prestigious HBCUs, where she was trained, among other things, to be ambitious. So, this dog whistle undermines one of the important qualities HBCUs instill in Black students. HBCU graduates are taught to achieve, to persevere, to grow and, yes, to be ambitious. HBCU graduates are commanded to be trailblazers —to go where there is no path and leave a trail. As an HBCU president, I was simply stunned to read this latest assault on African American women. I encounter thousands of young Black women from various backgrounds who arrive on college campuses with passive, indifferent attitudes which are nurtured into competence, ambition, and a commitment to leave their mark on the world. The negative connotation Dodd and the donors apply to “ambition” is precisely what I cultivate and celebrate. There is no place in the Democratic Party for these kinds of thoughts and attitudes, and the Democratic Party should strongly condemn these statements. The “ambition” of African American women has served the Democratic Party well over the years and has, in fact, been determinative in the outcome of critical elections. Not only are Black women the most loyal voters for the Democratic Party, they are crucial to igniting Black voters across all demographics to turn out in record numbers. When Black women are engaged, they bring their families, their networks and their communities along with them. Ambitious Black women from all walks of life have offered themselves for service in upcoming elections. No matter which candidates you support, you cannot support the marginalization of talent and experience by framing it negatively and calling it “too ambitious.” The hallmark of Black women from HBCUs is their ambition. It is their calling card. That is how we train them. When I see ambition in a Black woman, I know we have done our job. (Glenda Glover, Ph.D., JD, CPA, is president of Tennessee State University.)
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Systemic racism: Is it based on an inadequate analogy? In 1967, Stokely Carmichael and J. Pharoah Doss Charles V. Hamilton coined the term “institutional racism” in their book, “Black Power.” The authors stated: Racism takes two forms. Individual racism, individual Whites acting against individual Blacks, and institutional racism, acts by the total White community against the Black community. The second type originates in the operation of established and respected forces of society and relies on the active and pervasive operation of anti-Black attitudes and practices. The explanation for the second type of racism was vague. Therefore, the term institutional racism didn’t enter the national discourse as a working definition, it entered as a concept that was self-explanatory. Over the decades the synonym—systemic racism— emerged because people started to defend American institutions against the charge of institutional racism. The skeptics asked how could the institutions be racist with policies like affirmative action? The rebuttal was these institutions may have equalized opportunity but there were still disparate outcomes like the wealth gap between Blacks and Whites. Historian Ibram X. Kendi, author of “How to be an Antiracist” stated, when he sees disparities, he sees racism. Therefore, disparity statistics reveal the existence of systemic racism, but there’s an obvious problem, that doesn’t mean systemic racism caused the disparity. Also, there’s been an important factor overlooked in the book “Black Power.” The term institutional racism was invented in a chapter called: White Power, The Colonial Situation. The chapter begins with this quote: “In the age of decolonization, it may be fruitful to regard the American Negro as a unique case of colonialism, an instance of internal imperialism, an underdeveloped people in our very midst.” Carmichael and Hamilton wrote, “To put it another way, there is no ‘American dilemma’ because Black people in this country form a colony, and it is not in the interest of the colonial power to liberate them. Black people are legal citizens of the United States with, for the most part, the same legal rights as other citizens. Yet they
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stand as colonial subjects in relation to White society. Thus, institutional racism has another name: colonialism.” The authors admitted, “Obviously, the analogy is not perfect.” But they continued to make their case, drawing similarities between the plight of Black America with the decolonization movement in Africa, a movement that heavily influenced the authors. But the colonial analogy had no practical application in the United States. Now, in 2020, the death of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer became the catalyst for national protests against systemic racism. During this time, Kennedy Mitchum, a 22-year-old Black woman and graduate from Drake University, was involved in conversations about racism and injustice. Mitchum said people were defending themselves by pointing to the definition of racism in the Merriam-Webster dictionary to prove they were not racist. The Merriam-Webster dictionary’s first definition of racism states “a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.” Mitchum complained the people she conversed with used the dictionary definition to dismiss her concerns about racism and overlook the broader issue of racial inequality. Mitchum concluded the dictionary definition was inadequate because the definition is not representative of what is actually happening in the world. So, Mitchum wrote the Merriam-Webster dictionary and asked them to resolve her problem. The editor of the Merriam-Webster dictionary pointed out the second definition of racism in their dictionary states, “A doctrine or political program based on the assumption of racism and design to execute its principle or a political/social system founded on racism.” The editor said these definitions covered systemic racism, “but the dictionary can express this more clearly to bring the idea of an asymmetrical power structure into the language of this definition.” Now, the Merriam-Webster dictionary will define systemic racism “clearly”, but the inadequacy of the colonial analogy still remains.
Get in good trouble and redeem the soul of Pittsburgh We are enduring ately getting sick and dyRev. Ricky Burgess and the greatest pubing and Black businesses lic health crisis in are being devastated. Still R. Daniel Lavelle our lifetime, i.e., worse, if we don’t immeCOVID-19. Across diately take thoughtful our country, Black and deliberate action, the people are more likenext wave of the pandemic ly to contract and will incubate in vulneradie from COVID-19 ble Black communities, than their White spread throughout the counterparts. This general public, overwhelm racial disparity is medical facilities, and being felt profoundly in the Pittsburgh re- once again shut down the region’s economy. gion. In Allegheny County, Black residents In the short term, we must establish comprise 13 percent of the population but COVID-19 prevention campaigns in prehave accounted for 25 percent of COVID-19 dominantly Black communities. We must cases and 19 percent of all deaths, ac- engage trusted local Black leaders, commucording to the Allegheny County Health nity-based and faith-based organizations Department. The reasons for the dispro- and Black community businesses to help portionate number of cases and deaths in communicate proper prevention practices. Black communities are well-known, e.g., These prevention campaigns must include Blacks have a higher rate of underlying more than medical education, testing and conditions such as diabetes, asthma and treatment. We must also provide housing high blood pressure that make COVID-19 where those infected with the virus can be more dangerous. quarantined to avoid spreading it to the Blacks also are more likely to work in es- people with whom they interact. We must sential frontline jobs, live in crowded hous- provide financial assistance to compensate ing, and use public transportation, there- for lost wages and social services resources by increasing their exposure to the virus. for affected families. Finally, we must in“These problems have been going on for a vest in Community-based Health Centers long time. A lot of folks are acting surprised which are the trusted source of medical by this. It’s not because of their race that treatment for the most vulnerable Black this is happening. The virus isn’t going af- residents. For example, it’s imperative that ter Black people. It’s because of structur- we build a new Alma Illery Medical Cenal inequities that have led to poor health ter facility, the flagship location of Primary and greater exposure to the virus,” said Dr. Care Health Services, with several branch Lisa Cooper, a professor of medicine and locations around the city. If we are going public health at Johns Hopkins Universi- to successfully defeat COVID-19, then we ty and international expert on health dis- need our communities to have access to parities. “We’ve got to address the specific world-class medical facilities in their reunderlying problems in these urban neigh- spective neighborhoods, borhoods…. as quickly as possible,” Cooper However, the long-term reaction to added. COVID-19 must be the elimination of the In short, the effects of structural rac- underlying causes of racial health disism in America are now literally killing parities. The real cause of Black death Black Americans. In addition, Black busi- and destruction is structural racism. The nesses have also been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic is simply the latest COVID-19 pandemic. The National Bu- reminder of our country and city’s moral reau of Economic Research found that, imperative to distribute resources based during the pandemic, over 41 percent of on racial equity, which means disproporBlack businesses have failed. As historic tionate investment in Black people and numbers of Black-owned businesses shut- the communities in which they live. The tered, the Center for Responsible Lending World Health Organization’s Social Deestimated that up to 95 percent of Black terminants of Health reminds us, we must firms remained ineligible to receive the significantly invest in economic developFederal Cares Act Paycheck Protection ment, education, housing, employment and Plan funding. There are no data to cause entrepreneurship until Black communities one to believe that Black businesses in have sufficient community amenities and Pittsburgh are faring any better. It is one resident opportunities for a high qualiof the reasons that Pittsburgh Black Elect- ty of life for Black people. In Pittsburgh, ed Officials have prioritized linking Pitts- when the Black communities are healthy, burgh Black businesses to all available then all communities are better off. In the federal state and local financial assistance. spirit of the late John Lewis, let us come To summarize thus far, across our coun- together, let us “get in good trouble, necestry and here in Pittsburgh, because of sary trouble, and help redeem the soul of COVID-19, Black people are disproportion- (Pittsburgh) America.”
Commentary
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Oscar H. Blayton
Commentary
Brownshirts in our streets The unidentified goon squads snatching people off the streets of Portland, Ore., have a chilling resemblance to a similar fascist tool of oppression that arose in Germany in the early decades of the 20th century. The paramilitary wing of the Nazi Party, dubbed “Brownshirts” because of the color of their uniforms, first appeared within Adolph Hitler’s political party in 1920 and facilitated his rise to power. The turbulence that unsettled postWorld War I Germany was used as a pretext for the appropriateness of, and necessity for, the Brownshirts. Their public posture was that they were needed to maintain order and to protect Nazi rallies and gatherings. But the Brownshirts were no more than thugs who often engaged in street fights. It soon became clear that their mission focused more on disrupting the work of opposing political parties. Their violent tactics also targeted Romani (Gypsies) organized labor and Jews. These lawless thugs boosted Hitler to the heights of political power in Germany. But once he reached the pinnacle of power, Hitler distanced himself from the Brownshirts and had as many as 200 of their leaders killed in what became known as the “Night of the Long Knives” in 1934. Once the Brownshirts were out of the way, Hitler used the SS, a vicious military unit comprised of committed Nazis, to carry out his most inhumane orders. As we watch the violence taking place in the streets of Portland, we must keep in mind what began to unfold in Germany a century ago when a twisted, mentally and morally crippled man seized power by feeding fear and hate to a confused populace. Donald Trump, the would-be dictator, has unleashed upon the American public some of the worst people invested with police power to do his unlawful bidding. Ostensibly, Trump claims that the presence of these jackbooted thugs is appropriate and necessary to enforce the law and maintain order. But it is crystal clear that he is setting the stage for a paramilitary trashing of America’s democratic safeguards. He believes that he can “cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war,” and his political base will be gullible enough to support his trampling of Americans’ rights as he takes our country down a path of mischief, delusion and folly to ultimate ruin. There are those who counsel caution and advise against alarmist accusations, believing that our democratic safeguards are too strong to suffer overthrow by a thug in the White House. But Trump has been allowed to trample democratic norms right before our eyes for almost four years. He has banned entry to this country based upon religion. He has weaponized family separation and locked children in cages as a means of terrorizing asylum seekers. He has looted the public treasury by causing the government to pay his hotels and resorts for his golfing and social outings. The list of grievances against Trump grows longer each day, and still many people back away from calling him to account. We do not have a crystal ball to predict the future with absolute certainty, but we have reasonable knowledge, granted from experience, that allows us to see what happens when vile, twisted men get their hands on great power. In 1939, with fascism on the rise and men like Hitler seeking to subjugate the entire world, George Orwell, who later wrote the award-winning novel “1984,” said it best in a book review: “[W]e have now sunk to a depth at which the restatement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men. It is not merely that at present the rule of naked force obtains almost everywhere. Probably that has always been the case. Where this age differs from those immediately preceding it is that a liberal intelligentsia is lacking. Bully-worship, under various disguises, has become a universal religion.” Donald Trump is at war with America. He wishes to make our country into something as twisted and hateful as he is. His promise of “America First” is not meant to improve our country, but rather to disrespect all others. There are those among us who have accepted the religion of bully-worship with its liturgical chants of hate and fear. But if we are to have hope that America has a brighter future, those of us who believe that the lives of all human beings are worthwhile must accept the duty of acting intelligently and use all of our resources to push hard towards creating a better world. (Oscar H. Blayton is a former Marine Corps combat pilot and human rights activist who practices law in Virginia.)