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OCTOBER 16-22, 2019

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LEGISLATORS: ASSAULT WEAPONS MUST BE BANNED Mother recalls 2010 incident that killed her son

by Christian Morrow Courier Staff Writer

In 2010, Debra Short’s son, James, was riding through Homewood with his girlfriend and her two children when he was shot multiple times by 18-yearold Jamel Palmer. Palmer used an AK-47-style semi-automatic rifle in the attack—which was actually directed at someone else.

James died at the hospital,

and as Debra told members of the state House Democratic Policy Committee in Homewood, Oct. 10, she still relives that loss almost a decade later.

“We live with this daily— not just my family, but all of us in this world and us in our districts live with the violence that’s been going on,” she said.

Jason Hare was working at the Western Psychiatric Institute on March 8,

2012, when John Shick walked in with two semi-automatic handguns and opened fire, killing a therapist and wounding four others before being killed by University of Pittsburgh police. Hare told the Committee he was trying to give CPR and treat victims after the initial volley when the shooter returned.

“I almost became the sixth victim,” he said. “I am grateful he didn’t have an assault rifle, and I am forever grateful to the Pitt police.”

State Rep. Ed Gainey, D-Lincoln-Lem-

DEBRA SHORT speaks to state House Democratic Policy Committee members at the Carnegie Library of Homewood, Oct. 10. She is advocating for legislators to ban assault weapons in Pennsylvania.

(Photo by J.L. Martello

SEE WEAPONS A12

Batch Foundation introduces ‘3D Printing’ to Steel Valley students Expansion planned for 2020

HBCUs in the spotlight Students turn out in huge numbers for college fair

by Christian Morrow

by Rob Taylor Jr.

Courier Staff Writer

Courier Staff Writer

Have you heard about the new craze, 3D Printing?

Students in the Best of the Batch Foundation not only have heard about it, they’re experimenting with it and are producing tangible results.

3D printing, or additive manufacturing, is a process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital file. 3D printing is currently used in industries such as: automotive, aviation, space travel, health care, and the military. It’s expected to become a $35 billion industry in itself by 2025.

Friday, Oct. 11, at the Best of the Batch Foundation building in Munhall, students from the foundation—which was founded by former Pittsburgh Steeler Charlie Batch—showed off some of the products that they made via 3D printing, such as eyeglasses, Pittsburgh bridge replicas, and even the Eiffel Tower.

“We did a couple programs over the years where a lot of kids didn’t realize they were gifted in architecture,” Batch told the New Pittsburgh Courier, Oct. 11. “We thought, ‘wouldn’t it be cool to bring some of those things to the kids,’ let them start thinking outside of the box so to speak. And now, when they’re drawing, and they’re able to take that and print it out, it’s like, ‘I just did that yesterday…that’s me?’ ‘Yes,’ and you can see the smiles on their faces.”

Elizabeth, a 13-year-old student in the SEE BATCH A11

Shoulder to shoulder, cheek to jowl, and wall to wall—that was the scene as a sea of high school seniors from Pittsburgh Public Schools, Penn Hills, Sto-Rox and a number of

Transfer Fair.

Vince Elliott, an Alabama State graduate and president of the Western Pennsylvania Council of HBCU Alumni, has organized these fairs for seven years, the last three in conjunction with CCAC. He told the New Pittsburgh Courier it

BRANDON DAVIS, left, who is part of the Sylvester Pace HBCU College Tour, speaks with Kamya Bates about different HBCUs. (Photo by J.L. Martello)

FORMER PITTSBURGH STEELER CHARLIE BATCH shares a fun moment with one of the students in the Best of the Batch Foundation. (Photo by Rob Taylor Jr.)

charter schools including Imani Christian Academy, Propel and City Charter High School flooded the Foerster Center at the Community College of Allegheny County for its Oct. 10 HBCU Recruitment and

was the best attended fair yet—but then, it was supposed to be.

“If you don’t improve every year, then it’s not a success—and we’re just SEE HBCUs A5

Fitzgerald touts record of hiring high number of African Americans But Drozd believes he’s the best candidate for county executive

by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer

Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald pulled out all the stops Monday night, Oct. 14, pertaining to his methods of improving economic opportunities for African Americans in the Pittsburgh area.

“I’ve had almost 4,000 hires since I’ve been county executive—25 percent of those individuals have been African Americans and 28 percent have been people of color, and that’s in a population base of 13 percent, so almost double the hires,” he said at a candidate forum held at CCAC. The forum was sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Greater Pittsburgh, ACLU of Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh United, and the Black Political Empowerment

Project.

“Working with Tim Stevens (president and CEO of B-PEP), we created the very first Corporate Equity and Inclusion Roundtable in which we bring corporate Pittsburgh, our biggest suppliers, our biggest corporations to the table to make sure that we’re including people at all levels,” Fitzgerald touted to the crowd.

“I’ve also worked with Evan Frazier of Highmark, who started a new program called TALI (The Advanced Leadership Initiative’s Executive Leadership Academy) with CMU (Carnegie Mellon University), and that is to create a pipeline for C-Suite and executive positions for people of color,” Fitzgerald continued. “We’ve got-

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SEE FITZGERALD A11

ALLEGHENY COUNTY EXECUTIVE RICH FITZGERALD, left, speaks at a candidate forum, Oct. 14, as his opponent, Matt Drozd, looks on. (Photo by J.L. Martello)

Louis ‘Hop’ Kendrick says

The most asked question to me: ‘What is wrong with us?’

Forum B6 Forum B6

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OCTOBER 16-22, 2019

NATIONAL

Diahann Carroll—Black Excellence Personified

by Brian W. Carter For New Pittsburgh Courier

Actress, singer and author, Diahann Carroll was in a class all her own with grace, sophistication and talent that she brought to every role. I first came to admire her as Whitley’s mother on the ground-breaking television sitcom, “A Different World.”

I remember seeing her as a kid in ‘80s on “Dynasty” holding her own against Joan Collins. She always brought a supreme sense of class to any character she portrayed on screen. We now remember her accomplishments and legacy she laid during her lifetime.

Born Carol Diahann Johnson on July 17, 1935, in The Bronx, N.Y., her father was a subway conductor and her mother was a homemaker. She attended Manhattan’s School of Performing Arts working as a nightclub singer and model. She would later get her first break on Broadway starring in the Harold Arlen/Truman Capote musical, “The House of Flowers” in 1954. Later that year, she made her film debut alongside Dorothy Dandridge in “Carmen Jones.” After seeing her in that production, Richard Rodgers starred her in his Broadway musical “No Strings,” portraying a high-fashion American model in Paris who has a love affair with a White, American author. Carroll won a Tony Award for her performance in “No Strings” and went on to do several more stage plays that include “Same Time, Next Year,” “Agnes of God” and “Sunset Boulevard.”

Carroll would change the face of Hollywood when she was cast as the lead in “Julia” in 1968. She was the first African American woman to star in her own television series in an occupation other than a servant. Carroll played Julia Baker, a nurse whose husband had been killed in Vietnam from 1968 to 1971. She was nominated for an Emmy Award for “Julia” in 1969 and won the Golden Globe Award in 1968. During her career, Carroll was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for “Claudine” in 1974 and also appeared in “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” in 1979. She also appeared in other films which include “Goodbye Again,” “Hurry Sundown,” “Paris Blues,” “The Split” and “Eve’s Bayou.”

Carroll gave a powerful performance in the film “Sister, Sister” in 1982 starring Rosalind Cash and Irene Cara, where the three sisters face painful truths about their family.

She would once again chance the face of television in the ‘80s as Domi-

DIAHANN CARROLL (AP Photo/File) nique Deveraux on “Dynasty.” Carroll dawned furs and jewels trading quips, slaps and insults with the best of them. Another role which gained her notoriety and admiration was her role on “A Different World” as Marion, Whitley’s southern, aristocratic mother. Carroll received a third Emmy nomination in 1989 for her role on “A Different World.” Some of her most recent appearances include a recurring guest appearance on ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” as Jane Burke, mother of Preston Burke portrayed by actor, Isaiah Washington. In the mid-2000s, Carroll made her first club appearance in New York in four decades, singing at Feinstein’s at the Regency.

In 2009, Carroll received the Legend Award at The ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon, an annual event to honor African American women, who through their work in Hollywood, in front of the camera and behind-the-scenes, have helped to change and inspire positive images of Black women in television and film. In 2013, she was honored at the San Diego Black Film Festival with a lifetime achievement award for television and motion pictures. In 2016, the American Black Film Festival presented Carroll with the 2016 ABFF Honors Hollywood Legacy Award.

Carroll’s marriage to nightclub owner, Monte Kay, blessed the couple with her only child, Suzanne. Her union with singer, Vic Damone, received attention and the two appeared together in nightclubs. They separated in 1991 and eventually divorced.

In 1998, she was treated for breast cancer and cam-

paigned for more money to go towards research for free screening for women who couldn’t afford mammograms. Unfortunately, her daughter told The Associated Press her mother died Oct. 4 in Los Angeles due to complications from cancer.

Diahann Carroll was the consummate actress and paved the way for many with her own brand of style, beauty and elegance. Who she was can best be summed up in the out-pouring of love and accolades from Black Hollywood on social media.

“I love you for eternity.

With all my heart. I am because of you.” —Kerry Washington “She was the epitome of beauty, grace and class; an icon for the ages!” —Levar Burton “She was a mentor, trailblazer and dynamic talent that single handed integrated the Union by demanding to have a Black hairdresser do her hair on her groundbreaking show ‘Julia.’ My deepest condolences go out to her family and all that adored her.”— Vanessa Williams “To the great Diahann Carroll, thank you for your grace, your beauty, and your love. Working with you was one of the high points of life in ‘A Different World.’

We will miss you dearly.”— Jasmine Guy “My dear, dear beautiful #DiahannCarroll passed away today. What a pioneer she was in the business… what an incredibly kind soul. We met in High School and continued our friendship for many, many years.

The memories and the tears are flowing.” —Billy Dee Williams “She brought down ancient barriers & built bridges. She left the world better than she found it. We are in her debt. We miss her so much already. RIP”— Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. “Rest in power my friend!”

—Patti LaBelle

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This Week In Black History

Week of October 16-22 October 16 1849—The man considered the first Black historian in America is born. His name was George Washington Williams. He was also the first African-American to serve in the Ohio legislature. He died in Blackpool, England, in August 1891.

1855—John Mercer Langston, probably the first Black elected to public office in America—wins the race for Clerk of the Brownhelm Township, Lorain County, Ohio.

1876—Race riot in Cainhoy, S.C., leaves five Whites and one Black dead.

1895—The nation’s leading African-American medical group—National Medical Association—is founded in Atlanta, Ga. 1901—Booker T. Washington JOHN MERCER LANGSTON becomes the first Black leader to dine at the White House with the president when Theodore Roosevelt invites him. Some Black leaders charge Washington’s invitation was a result of his policies which they charge tended to accommodate racism. Nevertheless, the invitation and dinner served to crown Washington as the Black leader of the period.

1917—One of the most unsung heroes of the Civil Rights Movement, Fannie Lou Hamer, is born in Montgomery County, Miss. Her famous and most oft-repeated quote: “I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.”

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON 1940—Benjamin Oliver Davis Sr. is named the first Black general in the regular U.S. Army. Davis died in 1970 at the age of 90.

1968—Sprinters John Carlos and Tommie Smith give the clenched-fist Black power salute when accepting their medals at the Mexico City Olympics as a protest against racism in America. Sadly, the two sprinters would become involved in a personal dispute years later. A White Australian sprinter also wore a human rights badge in support of their protest.

1973—Maynard Jackson, elected the first Black mayor of Atlanta, Ga., dies of a heart attack while on a TOMMIE SMITH, center, and visit to Washington, D.C., in 2003.

JOHN CARLOS 1984—Bishop Desmond Tutu is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to end White minority rule in South Africa.

1995—Nation of Islam leader Min. Louis Farrakhan leads the Million Man March in Washington, D.C. More than a million Black men gather to “atone” and organize.

No permanent organizational efforts resulted from the historic gathering.

October 17 1720—Jupiter Hammon, the first Black American poet, is born in slavery. He was a Calvinist and self-educated writer.

1787—Led by Black Mason Prince Hall, free Boston Blacks petition the Massachusetts legislature for equal school facilities for African-American children. In JUPITER HAMMON addition to spreading Freemasonry among Blacks, Hall became the most prominent Black leader of the period. For reasons which are not entirely clear, records show there were at least 21 men named “Prince Hall” living in Massachusetts at the time.

1871—President Ulysses Grant suspends the writ of habeas corpus in nine South Carolina counties in order to combat a Ku Klux Klan terror campaign against Blacks and some progressive Whites. Grant pretty much crushed the Klan during this period. It would not rise again until the PRINCE HALL 1920s.

1888—The nation’s first Black bank—Capital Savings—is chartered in Washington, D.C., by a group known as the Order of the True Reformers. The now little known, but once influential group set up chapters throughout the South and advocated Black self-help and the starting of Black-owned businesses. The founder was William Washington Browne—a Methodist Minister from Richmond, Va. 1928—Historian and Ebony magazine editor Lerone Bennett Jr. is born. His best known book is “Before the Mayflower.”

1956—Physician and astronaut Mae Jamison is born in Decatur, Ala. 1969—Dr. Clifton R. Wharton becomes the first Black in the 20th century to head a major, predominantly White university when he is named president of Michigan State University.

October 18 1917—“Dizzy” Gillespie, bandleader and pioneer of “B-bop Jazz,” is born John Birks Gillespie in Cheraw, JOHN BIRKS ‘DIZZY’ GILESPIE S.C. 1945—Actor, singer, activist and socialist Paul Robeson receives the NAACP’s prestigious Spingarn Medal for his artistic achievements.

Robeson would be hounded by the U.S. government because of his leftist leanings. He was labeled a communist, blocked from working in America and later denied a passport so he could not travel to Europe to work.

1951—Novelist Terry McMillan is born in Port Huron, Mich.

October 19 1859—Co-founder of West Virginia State College, Byrd Prillerman, is born. He became one of the state’s most prominent educators 1870—The first African-Americans elected to the U.S. House of Representatives came from South Carolina: Joseph H. Rainey, Robert C. Delarge, and Robert B. Elliott. Rainey was actually seated first and thus became the first African-American sworn in as a member of Congress. A portrait in his honor was finally placed in the U.S. Capitol Building in 2006.

1894—Henry Ossawa Tanner wins the Medal of Honor at the Paris Expositions for his paintings. He was the first African-American painter to gain international acclaim for his works. Tanner was born in Pittsburgh, Pa. In fact, he eventually moved to Paris because of opposition to a Black artist in the United States. His most famous painting is “The Banjo Player.”

October 20 1898—The North Carolina Mutual And Provident Insurance Co. is founded by a group led by John Merrick. The company grows into the largest Black-owned insurance firm in America.

THE BANJO by HENRY 1904—Enolia P. McMillan is OSSAWA TANNER born. She becomes first female president of the NAACP. October 21 1865—Jamaican national hero and independence advocate, George William Gordon, is unjustly arrested and sentenced to death for his struggle to free the Caribbean island nation from White minority rule. The son of a White man and a Black slave woman, Gordon is considered one of Jamaica’s most significant national heroes.

1950—Earl Lloyd becomes first Black person to play in an NBA game.

1994—Dexter King, youngest son of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., is named head of SCLC—an organization founded by his slain DEXTER KING father. Ironically, Dexter’s sister Rev. Bernice King would later be named to head the civil rights group.

October 22 1906—Three thousand Blacks demonstrated and rioted in Philadelphia to protest a theatrical production of Thomas Dixon’s racist play—“The Clansman.” The play essentially praised the Ku Klux Klan while demeaning Blacks.

1936—Black Panther Party co-founder Bobby Seale is born in Dallas, Texas.

1953—Clarence S. Green becomes the first African-American certified as a neurological surgeon.

2009—The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention BOBBY SEALE issues a devastating report showing the number of new HIV/ AIDS infections was declining for all population groups—except homosexual males, which the CDC refers to as MSM—men who have sex with men. Among MSMs, the highest infection rate was found among young Black males aged 13 to 24.

NATIONAL

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

OCTOBER 16-22, 2019

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Environmental justice advocates say climate change isn’t just a ‘White thing’

by Stacy M. Brown

tend to live near power plants and other types of polluting NNPA Newswire Correspondent plants which emit toxic air into The climate crisis is real. the environment. These are From the devastating of making our families sick,” she extreme weather events made said. worse by climate change to the Noble continued: public health implications of “It’s not that our communities increased pollution like heightare looking for homes located ened asthma attacks, communear power plants, but rather nities are feeling the impacts of it’s a regular practice to place this crisis first and worst. dirty emitters into communiExperts said real solutions to ties of color and often in neighthe climate crisis is needed now borhoods where low-income to protect the long-term well-befamilies live. ing of communities, and for “That’s not fair. As a nation, future generations. we can do better. We know “With the Trump administrathose clean energy solutions tion rolling back environmental work. We need climate policy and public health safeguards, that supports 100 percent I am deeply concerned that we clean energy and cleans up the are running out of time to do air so we can breathe. We also something about this crisis,” need policy that leads to good said Dana Swinney, a New Yorkgreen jobs in our communities.” based public relations expert The current election cycle is who works with several green crucial for several reasons, said organizations across the country. RUNNING OUT OF TIME—It is critical that African Americans, if they aren’t already, become aware of all the ways climate Kerene N. Tayloe, an environchange shows up in their lives.

Information provided by mental justice and clean energy Swinney’s firm noted additional solutions advocate for WE ACT. table when decisions, like rebuilding and climate crisis health impacts on African The election presents a great chance “We must support 100 percent clean increasing adaptive community capacity, Americans, including: to mobilize votes for candidates who are energy and require equity in policy that are discussed so we can get the resources promotes a clean energy economy. We pre- not climate deniers and understand the Number of African Americans that rewe need to be prepared for the impacts port having asthma: 2.6 million pare for extreme weather emergencies by need to address environmental justice, Black children are 4.5 times more likely from the next storm. Make no mistake, she said. working with our churches and commuthe next one is on its way, and we can to be hospitalized for asthma than White “We must become active at the local nity organization to develop action plans no longer afford to react once it’s here— children level where so many decisions about land for severe weather events,” she said.

Black children are ten times more likely we’ve got to be prepared,” Mabson said. development and water infrastructure, Further, “we must talk about ways to African Americans must heavily engage become more resilient and sustainable in to die from asthma than White children. for instance, are decided,” Tayloe said. in climate justice and environmental The increased health burden of partic“We should also be keenly aware of how our home, churches, and schools. We must conversation taking place globally, said ulate air pollution on African Americans vote often and always for candidates that the demand for energy efficiency, renewHeather McTeer Toney, the national field talk about climate action now. Our voices compared to the American population able and clean energy can create jobs director at Mom Clean Airforce. overall: 54 percent right in our communities. We must lead are necessary for this movement, and More than half of the African AmeriSixty-eight percent of African Ameriin the creation of solutions to ensure that together we can ensure climate safety for can population live in the south, where cans live within 30 miles of a coal-fired the benefits flow creating opportunities generations to come,” Toney said. they’re four times more likely to be hit power plant. for economic development.”

Kim Noble, the director of operations 6.7 million African Americans live with- with catastrophic flood, hurricane or oth- for Green The Church, said environmenTayloe said caring about the climate is er extreme weather-related event, Toney in a county that is home to a refinery. tal justice touches on many issues, includ- not a “white thing.” said.

“There is a familiar phrase that goes It is critical that African American, if ing climate, the economy, health, social, “As the impacts of climate change something like this: if you’re not at the they aren’t already, become aware of all and racial injustices. increase, more and more of our communitable then you’re on the menu,” said African Americans learned about racism of the ways climate change shows up in ties are devastated. Moreover, An NAACP and injustices at an early age, and some Michelle Mabson, a staff scientist for the their lives, she said.

Healthy Communities Program at Earth- study found that African American com“Those record hurricanes, storms, floodknow what being marginalized feels like, munities are subjected to air that is 40 justice. ing, extreme heat, and bitterly cold days Noble said.

Mabson is also a volunteer chief advoca- percent more polluted than other commuthat we are experiencing are because of “We have folks in environmental justice nities,” Toney said. cy officer for Black Millennials for Flint. climate change. In addition to climate communities that feel that way every “When combined with the health im“Far too often it is our communities— change, for far too long black and brown day,” she said. pacts such as asthma, cancer, and heart Black and Brown communities—that are communities have been the sacrifice “When we’re having conversations not prepared enough, resilient enough, or disease; addressing the climate crisis is zones for wealthier and frankly whiter about the environment, climate change, vital to our continued existence and proadaptive enough when climate disasters communities,” Tayloe said. pollution, and climate policy, we have to tection of our children’s future,” she said. include the people who are most impacthit,” Mabson said.

“It is not a coincidence that our commuToney added that it’s not too late to act. ed—our black and brown families,” Noble nities are disproportionately the location “We look at the devastating impacts “Climate action is the social justice from Hurricane Katrina, and more of dangerous toxic facilities and are adjasaid. movement of our time. African Americans recently Hurricane’s Maria, Harvey, and cent to the busiest highways. All of these “For far too long, our communities have Dorian, and we see communities that look should demand action from state, local systemic problems impact our health, our been on the receiving end of the devasand federal leaders on climate action like ours, nearly destroyed,” she said. property value, and the ability to gain tating impacts of climate change and now,” Toney said.

“It is imperative for us to be at the economic independence,” she said. pollution. For example, our communities

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OCTOBER 16-22, 2019

METRO

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

I’m a third-generation Black female Living in this Pittsburgh nightmare.

PATRICE ALAQUIVA takes notes under a tree outside of the Cathedral of Learning. (Photo by Jay Manning/PublicSource)

BY PATRICE ALAQUIVA—FOR PUBLICSOURCE When I was 6 years old, I sat cross-legged in my grandmother’s living room.

My hands framed my face as I hung onto her every word. She told a story highlighting horrific ways human beings treated each other, and she described juxtaposed realities of the people who lived in the same town. I thought it was the next installment in a series of fables she was telling. I never fathomed that one day I would understand it on a personal level and live to tell my children a slightly different version.

She was describing our hometown: Pittsburgh.

In the past two weeks, White Pittsburghers have been enlightened and even felt aghast after seeing statistics and charts about Pittsburgh’s inequality and disparity in the Gender Equity Commission’s report on gender and race. For Black residents, particularly Black women, none of this information was new.

This city absolutely sucks for us in every single factor

imaginable. Now, we just have the stats to support what we already knew. I dare you to find a Black female Pittsburgher, whether homegrown or transplanted, shocked by this report.

We’re out here living it.

The irony is the fact that my ancestors moved here from the Deep South to give their children and bloodline a better life.

Yet, according to the report, we would have more opportunity and literally healthier lives by moving anywhere, including to the cities that they moved from.

At age 8, I was told by my friend—a White female classmate—that the idea of me ever becoming president was hilarious because the White House is for White people. At age 10, a new White female teacher questioned the authenticity of a report I wrote due to the “advanced vocabulary.”

She assumed I couldn’t possibly write so well without ever asking other teachers or comparing it to my past work, which was easily accessible. At age 12, friends lost it when I beat them and the majority of my White

I’m a third-generation Black female living in this nightmare. It looks like institutional racism, sexism and ageism in the workplace. It looks like me being held up as the poster child for “diversity” and then publicly ostracized when I needed justice for speaking out about my lived experiences as a Black woman working in a majority-White institution. It’s not being taken seriously by multiple medical professionals on multiple occasions. And it’s being referred to the police for trying to address a workplace matter.

I’m sure my colleagues who referred me to the police didn’t give it a second thought. I’m sure they didn’t think about the fact that I calculated with my every move if I would return to my home or if the police would Sandra Bland me and add me to #SayHerName. I’m sure they didn’t calculate the immeasurable trauma that would stay with me after the encounter.

So why not just move?

“For Black residents, particularly Black women, none of this information was new. This city absolutely sucks for us in every single factor imaginable. Now, we just have the stats to support what we already knew. I dare you to find a Black female Pittsburgher, whether homegrown or transplanted, shocked by this report. We’re out here living it.” classmates to land the lead in the coveted middle school musical.

While my White female peers relished their childhood, worrying about boys and Beanie Babies, I worried about how to navigate a city and world where I was always going to be viewed and treated differently—regardless of my

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manners, training and intellect—simply because I possessed more melanin.

Even at this young age, I started to make sense of all of the stories told by the women in my family.

Whether it was a racial

slur thrown toward them while walking down an aisle in the grocery store or the hurt they felt when a less-qualified White peer received a promotion because they were simply a better “fit,” I took it all in.

Part of me thought, “This sounds horrible, but I’m relieved because I will never experience such things by the time I reach adulthood.

I’m growing up in a different time.”

I was hopeful that my reality would be different; I was naïve to think it could be.

It’s far more complex than that, not only for me, but for many Black female Pittsburghers. I don’t love living here but this is my home and, as we approach the year 2020, I don’t believe that I should have to flee my home or any other city in America to have fair employment, education, health care, housing and overall quality of life.

The equity report suggested that many of the disparities were due to “stereotypes of Black women” and “systemic exclusion.” If we don’t work on changing those stereotypes and beliefs, attempts to address the disparities are pointless.

The race problem is the American problem. As long as there is an America, there will be a race problem, which means there will be inequality. But that doesn’t mean we can’t try to make it better. Imagine what we could achieve if only we all gave the same amount of effort to focusing on inequality as we do with sports and anything black and gold.

(Patrice Alaquiva is an educator and writer in Pittsburgh. She is an alumna of Sacred Heart, Winchester Thurston, and The University of Chicago.)

METRO

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

OCTOBER 16-22, 2019

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HBCUs in the spotlight

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS from across the Pittsburgh area descended upon CCAC on Oct. 10 for the HBCU College Tour. In the left photo, it’s McKenzie Thompson and Amaya Thomas. Thompson, a Penn Hills high school student, will attend Delaware State. Thomas is undecided. In the right photo, it’s Angela Diggs, right, with Virginia State University giving a certificate of admissions to 17-year-old Ashanti Richardson of Homewood. (Photos by Courier photographer J.L. Martello)

Students turn out in huge numbers for college fair HBCUs FROM A1

getting started,” he said.

“And with that report that just came out saying that Pittsburgh is the worst place for African Americans in the country, my message is simple—go where you’re wanted. I’m like Moses: ‘Let my people go.’”

Alumni Council Vice President and CCAC social work professor Christopher Robinson said another inducement is cost. The U.S. Department of Education has increased funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and many now waive out-of-state fees, making them more affordable than Pennsylvania state-affiliated universities.

“The tuition at my alma mater, Jackson State, is $18,000 per year—that’s all inclusive; housing, meals, and that’s before any grants or loans students may qualify for,” he said. “A lot of these kids—not only don’t they know about HB-

CUs, they’ve never been on a college campus before. So, having them all here gives them that experience and exposure. They get to see that HBCUs are an affordable and culturally relevant alternative.”

Another way to make it even more affordable, Robinson said, is to attend CCAC for two years, then transfer to an HBCU. “Our president, Dr. Quintin Bullock, is a huge supporter of this event—he went to Prairie View,” Robinson said. “We’re happy to have a president who sees this as a valuable experience. And he and the leadership are working on articulation agreements with more of the HBCUs so students can transfer all their credits. I know one student who did that and he saved more money than I did—and I graduated in 2006.”

Many of the recruiters said the fair was among the

best they’d attended. Morehouse recruiter Antonio Williams said despite not being authorized to grant scholarships on the spot, it was one of his most successful trips.

“I’ve had a lot of traffic,” Williams said. “But we have a lot of ‘name’ alumni like Oprah, Samuel L. Jackson and Spike Lee who are big financial supporters, and Robert Smith just gave us $34 million to pay off all the debt for 2019 graduates, plus it’s Atlanta—it pretty much sells itself.”

Alabama A&M recruiter Darius Blakney said he had a great day, too. And though all scholarships—including the full-ride Presidential and Merit scholarships— are decided by committee based on GPA and ACT/ SAT scores, they also offer hardship scholarships as well as those for veterans and foster parents.

But the recruiter who had students four deep at

her desk was Angela Diggs from Virginia State University. She enrolled more than 50 students during the morning session alone.

As director of enrollment for the university, Diggs also has the authority to grant scholarships—and she did.

“One student was eligible for our Presidential scholarship; $10,000, so that cuts the tuition in half,” she said. “We have the best business school. We graduate more Black computer science grads than any university in the country, and last year we were named HBCU of the Year. This

trip has been fun. It’s very rewarding to be able to provide an opportunity for our students to achieve.”

Henry Robinson, a high school senior at Perry Traditional Academy, said he talked to Diggs and most of the other recruiters as well.

“I want to be a doctor or a biology teacher,” Robinson said. “I’m just looking at options and getting information on different colleges.”

Avery Wise, a senior at Westinghouse from Wilkinsburg, said he plans to be an athletic trainer, so he’s looking at Pitt and Slippery Rock, but also Spelman, Morehouse and

Virginia State.

“Virginia State campus life looks good, and they seem very interested in everybody,” he said. “It feels more like family.”

Ali Abdullahi, another high school senior at Perry, plans to pursue a career in computer science and game design. So he, too, was very interested in Virginia State.

But Rayquan Young, from Allderdice High School, said he’s more into “petroleum engineering and marketing in gas and oil. So I’m looking at Morehouse and Hampton University, but also Alabama State and Fisk.”

LIFESTYLES New Pittsburgh Courier

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OCTOBER 16-22, 2019

www.newpittsburghcourier.com

Debbie Norrell

Lifestyles Report

Getting organized Today I bring you one of my latest retirement adventures. No I’m not traveling the world, I’m not ziplining and/or jumping out of planes, I’m living my life and doing things that interest me.

Let me first say that I am NOT a hoarder but I do like stuff and I save a lot of things that are special to me. Many of the things I like to save are books, photographs and papers. I have almost every paper that I was featured in and lots of photographs. I also have the cassette tapes of my talk show and yes, I do plan to write a book very soon. As a matter of fact, there are several books in my future.

A few weeks ago I saw an ad either on Facebook or in an email that was a seminar for organizers. The event was only $20 and it was on a Thursday morning so it fit into my schedule.

The organizing seminar was last Thursday in the South Hills and I went. I learned so much and when I learn something I like to pass it along to my readers.

The speaker was Justin Stockdale, PRC Western Regional Director. (PRC is Pennsylvania’s oldest grassroots environmental organization.) He spoke primarily on recycling and yes, it was interesting. The title of his speech was, “Release & Renew.” I had no idea that we ship a lot of our “trash” or things that are considered recyclables overseas. If you recycle in your neighborhood then you probably know that you can no longer put glass jars or plastic bags in the recycle bin. So Stockdale explained where our stuff goes and also said we have to consider what we purchase and that we are not going to “ban our way out of this.” By saying “ban our way out” he meant banning plastic straws, banning Styrofoam containers at fast food restaurants and more. So when we buy things that we think are easy to recycle, often those things cannot be recycled at all. So maybe buying that 24-pack of water isn’t the best idea; buy a large bottle and a reusable container for your water.

A lot of people that were there wanted to talk about their parents’ stuff and what they should do with it.

I’ve been there, done that, but I learned so much that will help me and perhaps you also.

The most important thing that I learned was don’t try and do it all in one day, work on small areas at a time. If you want to clean out the garage, don’t try and do it all in one day— work on small areas at a time. There were also great vendors there, places that will help with photo storage and auctioning your items.

It was a great day.

Interested in coverage for an event? Send me an email when you have secured a date. Please enter “request for coverage” in the subject line.

It’s just that easy.

(Email Debbie at debbienorrell@aol.com.)

SEMPER FIDELIS CLUB MCKEESPORT, PA

Semper Fidelis Club McKeesport ‘100 Years—100 Reasons’

by Debbie Norrell Lifestyles Editor

From its inception, the Semper Fidelis Club has provided financial assistance to academically gifted graduates of McKeesport High School who identify as being of African American descent. The recipients have consistently proven their worthiness by exhibiting excellence in their career fields throughout communities in the United States.

The idea of organizing a formal club as a means of bringing new hope to the city was the inspiration of Annie Marshall, who on September 19, 1919, called together a group of housewives to her home. The purpose was to organize an alliance to promote education, CELEBRATING 100 YEARS—Norine A. Jenkins, Harold Hayes and Darieth Chisolm

OLDEST LIVING MEMBER RECEIVES FLOWERS—Amber Webb, KEYNOTE SPEAKER—Darieth Chisolm (Photos Joy Webb and M. Jean Simmons

by Debbie Norrell)

DELIVERING PROCLAMATIONS—Rep. Austin Davis and McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko

community leadership and civic improvement.

Initial dues were 15 cents and the membership was limited to 35 ladies.

Fast forward to Sept. 7, at the Double Tree by Hilton in Monroeville, where Semper Fidelis Club, McKeesport celebrated “100 Ye a r s — 1 0 0 Reasons.” With former KDKA-TV reporter Harold Hayes as the emcee, a full ballroom enjoyed a historical video journey of the club, a scrumptious lunch and Darieth Chisolm as keynote speaker. Chisholm was a former news anchor at WPXI and is an Emmy Award-winning television personality.

She is a revenge porn and cyber sexual harassment victim-turned activist, filmmaker and founder of 50 Shades of Silence. Chisolm posed questions for the audience to ponder. “Who do I need to become now and what are your big dreams?” She spoke about the importance of scholarship and encouraged people to challenge themselves. The afternoon concluded with door prizes, raffles and closing remarks from President Norine A. Jenkins.

To date, Semper Fidelis Club McKeesport has granted 100 scholarships to deserving students.

INTRODUCING EMCEE—Harold Hayes, Laura Green

PAST SCHOLARSHIP RECIEPIENTS—Lora Bray, Dana Walker, Joanne Rodgers, Lauren Rodgers and RECEIVED SCHOLARSHIP IN 1949—Georgia Manns Rochelle Williams

New Pittsburgh Courier

OLDER PEOPLE WITH ACTIVE LIFESTYLES

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OCTOBER 16-22, 2019

www.newpittsburghcourier.com

Choose physical therapy for safe pain management (BPT)—Movement is crucial to a person’s health, quality of life and independence. For some people, pain makes movement a challenge. Pain is one of the most common reasons people seek health care. A physical therapist (PT) can help people move better and safely and manage their pain.

Who are physical therapists?

PTs are movement experts who improve quality of life through prescribed exercise, hands-on care and patient education. PTs treat people of all ages and abilities and empower them to actively take part in their own care.

Physical therapist assistants (PTAs) work with patients under the direction of a PT and teach and demonstrate exercises that help improve mobility, strength and coordination.

To ensure the best possible care, PTs often work with other members of a patient’s health care team. After performing an evaluation, PTs create personalized plans of care that can help you: •Improve mobility and function •Manage pain and chronic conditions •Avoid surgery •Reduce the use of opioids and other prescription drugs •Recover from injury •Prevent future injury and chronic disease Here are three tips to manage pain: Tip: Work with your PT to understand your pain. PTs play a valuable role in the patient education process, including setting realistic expectations for recovery with or without opioids. This allows you to take a proactive approach to pain management.

Tip: Keep moving. An active lifestyle

that is appropriate for your condition can help manage symptoms and decrease or eliminate pain. The body was built to move, and doing so regularly can help improve quality of life. PTs prescribe exercise specific to your condition, needs and goals.

Tip: If you experience an injury or develop the onset of pain, seeing a PT early on can help address and manage your symptoms.

When and where do you see a physi-

cal therapist?

Pain management is just one reason to work with a PT. They can also help you prevent future injury or chronic conditions. You do not need a physician’s referral to make an appointment with a PT for an evaluation.

PTs can specialize in a variety of areas, including geriatrics, neurology, oncology, orthopedics, pediatrics, sports and women’s health. They provide treatments in: •Hospitals, outpatient clinics or offices

•Inpatient rehabilitation facilities •Skilled nursing, extended care or subacute facilities •Schools, education or research centers •Fitness centers and sports training facilities •Hospice settings •Your workplace •Your home How can you take the next step?

(For more information and to find a PT near you, visit ChoosePT.com.)

RELIGION

A8 OCTOBER 16-22, 2019

Praise & Worship ST. BENEDICT THE MOOR CATHOLIC CHURCH Crawford & Centre Ave. Pgh., PA 15219 412-281-3141 Sunday Mass 10:30 A.M. www.stbtmchurch.org

East Liberty Presbyterian Church Rev. Dr. Randy Bush, Senior Pastor 412-441-3800 116 S. Highland Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15206

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

SECOND BAPTIST CHURCH OF HOMESTEAD MALE CHORUS

www.cathedralofhope.com

Worship on Sunday: Journey Worship...........8:45 a.m.

Sanctuary Worship...........11 a.m.

Taize -Wednesdays.........7 p.m.

Curious about Quakerism?

DEACON JAMES PERRY, at Second Baptist Church of Homestead’s concert featuring the church’s male chorus, Oct. 13. (Photos by Courier photographer J.L. Martello)

‘Make a Joyful Noise Unto The Lord With Song and Dance’

You Are Welcome at our Meetings for Worship Sundays at 10:30 a.m.

Pittsburgh Friends Meeting 4836 Ellsworth Avenue www.quaker.org/pghpamm/

Join our growing Praise and Worship Church Community!

For rate information, call 412481-8302, ext.

128.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEXT CHURCH EVENT! We want to place your event in our Church Circuit weekly calendar!

Send info to: New Pittsburgh Courier 315 E. Carson St. Pittsburgh PA 15219 Or Email us! religion@ newpittsburgh courier.com

The Courier is THE VOICE of Black Pittsburgh.

LEROY GILLARD

THE SECOND BAPTIST MALE CHORUS JOANN ROBINSON

IN MEMORIAM Marilyn Mercedes Poole Feb. 10, 1930-Oct. 20,2018 One year ago today You went home to be With the lord and recieve your wings Until we see you again We will miss and love you forever From, Daughter Myrla (Fred) Grandchildren Demetrius, Cherry Ayne, Nicole, and Alexis.

Great Grandchildren and Great Great Grandchildren.

LONG TIME CORAOPOLIS PHYSICIAN PASSES EDWARD E. JAMES, D.P.M., D.O., A.C.F.P.

Dr. Edward E. James, D.P.M., D.O., A.C.O.F.P. of Moon Township passed away Oct. 7, 2019 at the Norbert Personal Care Home. He was born in Elizabeth NJ to the late Willie Mae O’Neil and Henry Grady James Sr. Dr. James obtained his Bachelor of Science degree from Morgan State University.

He completed his Podiatric training at Temple University and his medical training at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.

He completed a rotating internship at Youngstown Osteopathic Hospital and in 1959 established E.E. James, D.O. & Associates to begin the start of what would be 52 continuous years of providing family practice services in Coraopolis. As a medical professional, Dr. James was board certified in family practice and a long-standing member of the American Osteopathic Medical Association, the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association, the Allegheny County Medical Society, the American College of Osteopathic General Practitioners, National Medical Association, Gateway Medical Association and Chi Delta Mu fraternity, a national organization of African-American physicians, dentists and pharmacists where he served several years as its national president. Dr. James was the first African-American member of the medical staff at Sewickley Valley Hospital where he served as Chair of the Family Practice Department and on various committees at the hospital. He was also a member of Ohio Valley General Hospital Medical Staff and West Allegheny Hospital. In 1981, Dr. James saw the need to offer expanded and more accessible medical services to the community so he renovated the Church of the Nazarene and opened Coraopolis Health Center, one the Pittsburgh area’s first multi-specialty urgent care centers providing comprehensive family health services 7 days a week 12 hours a day during the initial years. He served as Medical Director of the Center. To facilitate the growth of medical professionals, he was a member of faculty of the University of Pittsburgh Master Degree Nursing Program for Nurse Practitioners, Preceptor for Forbes Health System Family Practice Residency Program, and was honored as Business Edge Magazine Business Man in the community, Gateway Medical Society Physician of the Year and the recipient of Letters of commendation presented by the Borough of Coraopolis for three successful Community Health Fairs aimed at giving back to the community where he practiced and urban Pittsburgh in coordination with Central Baptist Church. He is survived by his wife Joan B. Bolden James, Dr. Edward J. James, Robert (Natasha Lopez) James, Esq., grandchildren Wilder, Dean, Alexander, Sebastian, and Isabella; a brother William (Andrance) James, also predeceased by brothers Robert E., Charles Henry Grady, and an infant brother Richard James and sisters Estelle and Mattie Bird Jacobs. Friends will be received Friday 2-4 pm and 7-9 pm at the Copeland Coraopolis Funeral Home, 867 Fifth Ave. additional visitation will be Sat. at 9 am at the Central Baptist Church, 2200 Wylie Ave., Pittsburgh Pa 15219 until time of Service at 10 am with the Rev. Victor Grigsby Officiating, burial will follow in Sewickley Cemetery.

ALAN WILLIAMS

BILL HOLT

Church Circuit JERUSALEM WOMEN’S DAY WEEKEND

OCTOBER 19-20—The Jerusalem Baptist Church, 123 Steuben St., invites all to their Women’s Day weekend. Rev. Marie Kelly, Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, Hill District, will be the guest preacher for the women’s day luncheon on Saturday, Oct. 19, at 11 a.m.

The guest preacher for the Women’s Day Worship service at 11 am on Sunday, Oct. 20, is Rev. Avis Williams of First Baptist Church, West Mifflin. The luncheon Donation is $15 on Oct. 19. For more information, call 412-921-0822.

CARRONE PASTORAL ANNIVERSARY

OCTOBER 20—Carrone Baptist Church will celebrate the Seventh Year Pastoral Anniversary of Pastor Alonzo Murphy Jr. There will be a 10:30 a.m. service led by Pastor Richard Lonnie Freeman Sr. of Resurrection Baptist Church. The theme for the days is, seven years of “Walking Faithfully With God,” based on 1 Corinthians 2:5, “That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” For more information, call 412-687-1819.

PRAYER BREAKFAST FUNDRAISER

OCTOBER 26—Hope Chapel Church, 1028 Chartiers Avenue, is holding a prayer breakfast fundraiser to benefit the congregation of Sheraden United Methodist Church, 2966 Chartiers Ave., which recently lost their church building due to a fire. The breakfast will be held at Hope Chapel Church from 9 a.m. to noon. A free will offering is being asked at the prayer breakfast, with all proceeds presented to Sheraden United Methodist Church on Sunday, Oct. 27 during their service at Christ Community Church in McKees Rocks. For more information or would like to attend the prayer breakfast, call 412-682-0243.

ASPINWALL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH FALL BAZAAR

NOVEMBER 9—Aspinwall Presbyterian Church, 299 Center Ave., is holding its annual Fall Bazaar from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the church. There will be attic treasures, home goods, seasonal decorations, toys, furniture, a hot lunch and bake sale.

To place your event in our Church Circuit weekly calendar, Send info to: New Pittsburgh Courier, 315 E. Carson St., Pittsburgh PA 15219 or Email us! religion@newpittsburghcourier.com

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

ASHA LAWSON watches her 5-year-old son, Ayden, from Penn Hills, look into a telescope…

DESTINY WELLINGTON, 5, from Homestead, makes a boat, as sister, Raniyah Wellington, looks on. (Photos by Courier photographer J.L. Martello)

AALIYAH CARPENTER, 14, from Duquesne, shows her painting.

JADE WILLIAMS, 2, learns the sounds birds make…

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OCTOBER 16-22, 2019

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The python named “Iryna” is no match for 13-yearold ONYA GOODWIN from Brookline. “Iryna” is a rescue snake. And to the photo at left are ALCOSAN Board Chair SYLVIA WILSON and Executive Director ARLETTA SCOTT WILLIAMS.

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OCTOBER 16-22, 2019

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NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

Vanessa German named Artist of the Year at annual Governor’s Awards for the Arts Joe Negri, Roger Humphries Sr., Mary Brenholts also honored at August Wilson African American Cultural Center

VANESSA GERMAN, founder of ARTHouse and Love Front Porch in Homewood, receives the Artist of the Year Award from Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf at the Sept. 27 ceremony at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center. (Photos by Courier photographer J.L. Martello)

CELEBRATED JAZZ GUITARIST AND EDUCATOR JOE NEGRI received a Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf.

MARY BRENHOLTS won an award in Arts Leadership & Service/ Arts Innovation. Brenholts is director of Artists in Schools and RENOWNED DRUMMER ROGER HUMPHRIES SR. received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Pa. Governor Tom Wolf.

Communities at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts.

VANESSA GERMAN

PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNOR TOM WOLF, with all of the honorees from the Governor’s Awards for the Arts, held Sept. 27 at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center.

ROCK LITITZ—The Lancaster, Pa., group won an award for supporting innovative creativity within the live event industry.

METRO

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

OCTOBER 16-22, 2019 A11

The race is on for the next Batch Foundation Allegheny County Executive introduces ‘3D Printing’ to Steel Valley students FITZGERALD FROM A1

BATCH FROM A1

Best of the Batch Foundation, used a 3D printing pen to make a Steelers handheld logo. She said she comes to the Batch Foundation building on West Street almost every day. “It keeps me calm, company and gives me somebody to talk to,” Elizabeth said.

Batch told the Courier

will give them a heads up in the classroom,” Batch said.

“By connecting the kids to something like 3D printing, we not only are engaging them through an interactive activity that’s fun and educational, but setting them up for jobs across several industries, including manufacturing, medicine and space.”

STEAM (Science, Technol-

ELIZABETH, a student at the Best of the Batch Foundation, shows the Steelers logo she made using new “3D Printing” technology.

(Photo by Courier photographer Rob Taylor Jr.) that he was introduced to 3D Printing a few years ago and wanted to make sure the more than 1,100 students that physically come into the Batch Foundation building yearly are aware of the new technology.

“We understand that most schools these students attend don’t have the means, or resources to access cutting-edge technology that

ogy, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) programs are an important part of the Best of the Batch Foundation. The nonprofit organization promotes problem-solving skills through different STEAM “challenges,” one of which is having students build the tallest structure possible using only a box of toothpicks and a bag of mini marshmal-

lows. “By participating in these STEAM challenges, Best of the Batch Foundation strives to nurture students’ unique skill sets that allow them to learn in alternative ways,” according to the Batch Foundation website.

The Best of the Batch Foundation, which began in January 1999, is celebrating 20 years of service to youth ages 4-18, and Batch said the organization is expanding into a space next door—26,000 square feet of space to be exact—which will feature a full-size gymnasium with walkaround track, three activity rooms, a grow and eat garden, cyber café, state-of-the-art STEAM lab, gaming room, and dance studio. The new building should be completed by summer 2020.

All programs that the Best of the Batch Foundation provides are free to the youth. Batch said 3,800 students, many of whom are students in the Steel Valley school system, are impacted by the foundation’s programs annually.

He told the Courier that giving area youth positive alternatives is what he and the foundation are all about. “I lost my sister (Danyl Settles) in 1996 to senseless gang violence throughout Homestead, and at that point I said if I was ever in a position to give back, I would…this is a way to give back, and make sure that we give the youth other options than what they’re seeing on a regular basis.”

ta continue to move forward in that area, and I will use all the strength of my office to be able to do that.”

But Fitzgerald’s counterpart, Republican Matt Drozd, a former Allegheny County Councilman, said that he’s the one that has been in many inner-city communities of Allegheny County, and he knows firsthand that many African Americans across the county are still struggling.

“When we had 200,000 more population in Allegheny County, we had 400 prisoners—now we have 200,000 less population, and we got 2,800 prisoners—85 percent of them (for) drug and alcohol, 60 percent come back and do it again, and a lot of them are young people, and African Americans,” Drozd said. “When they come out of there, they get no rehabilitation. We aren’t doing anything to rehabilitate those people. No one’s done anything about it since I’ve been talking about it since all my time in Council.”

With several other candidates in other races not showing up to the forum, the stage belonged entirely to Fitzgerald and Drozd, one of which will be victorious in the race for Allegheny County Executive on Election Day, Nov. 5. Fitzgerald is the Democratic incumbent, a position he’s held for eight years, and wants four more at the helm.

Drozd, the Republican County Councilman from 2005 to 2013, launched his campaign in March, calling himself a “moderate, a fiscal conservative,” during an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

When forum moderator Jessica Lynch (a League of Women Voters member) in-

REPUBLICAN MATT DROZD, the challenger to incumbent Rich Fitzgerald. (Photo by Courier photographer J.L. Martello) troduced a question about keeping longtime residents in neighborhoods that are experiencing increasing housing prices, Drozd blamed the situation on a lack of an “impact study” that failed to take into consideration how increasing prices could hurt the existing community residents.

“When I was on County Council, we didn’t do one impact study,” Drozd said, inferring that he was in favor of the study but Democrats had the majority of votes in Council at the time. “All they did was come with developments to us, and they said, ‘this is what we want to do.’ But no one took into consideration what was happening in those inner cities. We should have done impact studies. Neighborhoods are most important when you do any development.”

Fitzgerald said he’s fought to make sure developers designate at least 10, possibly 20 percent of housing as “affordable,” particularly in Lawrenceville, Garfield, East Liberty, Millvale and Homestead. Fitzgerald said those areas “are starting to

see escalation in (housing) prices. We want to have a Pittsburgh that’s a Pittsburgh and an Allegheny County for everybody.”

Later in the evening, Drozd held in his hand a published report which said, according to Drozd, that women and minorities had received just 2.5 percent of county contracts. An obvious shot to Fitzgerald, the current county executive rebutted with his own numbers, in which he touted that, among others, “24 percent went to minority and women owned businesses for ALCOSAN, Port Authority was 14 percent, and for the Sports Exhibition Authority, 31 percent of the contracts went to minority and women-owned businesses.”

In front of an audience that remained silent and neutral throughout the forum, Fitzgerald also mentioned that he was “proud to appoint the very first African American public defender in Allegheny County (Elliot Howsie)…I’m proud of the fact that Elliot…was (later) appointed to be a judge in the Court of Common Pleas.”

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LEGISLATORS: ASSAULT WEAPONS MUST BE BANNED WEAPONS FROM A1

ington, who chaired the hearing entitled “Ending Assault Weapons Violence,” was joined by state Reps.

Summer Lee, Austin Davis, Sara Innamorato and Dan Frankel at the Carnegie Library of Homewood to hear about the ongoing trauma faced by victims, their friends, families and communities in hopes of rallying new support for House Bill 307, which Rep. Gainey first introduced three years ago, and which would ban the sale, manufacture or possession of 37 specific semi-automatic rifles, like the AK-47 and AR-15, the kind used in the Tree of Life massacre in Squirrel Hill almost one year ago.

Dana Kellerman, a member of the Dor Hadash congregation, one of the three using the Tree of Life building, spoke of the loss of friends and the lasting psychological and economic aftermath of the shoot-

ing that claimed 11 lives.

One of the weapons shooter Robert Bowers used was an AR-15.

“I can no longer reassure my son that the lockdown drills at his school—which he has been subjected to since he was in first grade, after the Sandy Hook (Newton, Conn.) shooting—are just for practice and the chance that he will be affected by a mass shooting is infinitesimal,” she said.

“I understand a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines will not prevent every future gun death. In fact, a minority of gun deaths are due to assault weapons. But such a ban will save some lives.”

Representatives from Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto’s office gave testimony supporting Rep. Gainey’s efforts, as did Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, who said assault rifles are designed STATE REP. ED GAINEY, D-LINCOLN-LEMINGTON, is leading the charge in attempting to ban certain assault weapons in Pennsylvania. to inflict the most amount (Photos by Courier photographer J.L. Martello) of damage in the least amount of time.

“I am urging for the passage of universal background checks, so-called ‘Red Flag’ laws, and an assault weapons ban, immediately,” he said.

The Committee also heard form UPMC Trauma Director Dr. Raquel Forsythe, who said they are seeing an

is only fractionally larger than a .22 but it flies much faster, and the faster, the deadlier.

“It has three times the muzzle velocity and 10 times the energy at impact of a standard rifle (a .22),” he said. “And the bullet tends to ‘tumble’ and fragment on impact, so the damage is much greater.”

LINDSAY POWELL, assistant chief of staff to Mayor Bill Peduto, told Committee members the City of Pittsburgh continues to support bans on certain guns. increase in gunshot wounds that are more indicative of “newer weapons” being used. County Medical Examiner Karl Williams spoke about the fatal wound damage he sees regularly at the morgue, and the kind he saw at Tree of Life.

Before he testified, Rep. Gainey, whose sister, Janese Jackson Talton, was fatally shot in January 2016, thanked Williams for coming.

“I know that when I saw my sister being put in that blue bag, it changed my life,” Rep. Gainey said. “So I can only imagine how seeing all this every day makes you feel. Thank you.”

He told the Committee the AR-15 is particularly lethal. The .223 round it fires

Speaking to the New Pittsburgh Courier afterwards, Williams said “tumble” is the wrong word to use.

Instead, “they yaw (pivot horizontally) so you don’t get a straight wound track. You get a small entry wound, but after that the cavitation can be huge. It’s a much larger, longer cartridge, with more powder (than a .22).”

Williams, though he did not have the exact numbers available, also said the vast majority of shootings in Allegheny County’s sizable Black neighborhoods are committed by people with handguns. That, said Rep. Summer Lee, is a conversation that also needs to be had.

DEBRA SHORT, whose son, James, was killed in Homewood in 2010 by a suspect who used an AK-47-style semi-automatic rifle.

Short supports the banning of assault weapons in Pennsylvania.

BUSINESS New Pittsburgh Courier

Colin Kaepernick: Did he understand the history of the position he played?

J. Pharoah Doss B6

www.newpittsburghcourier.com

Black News Channel (BNC) launches in America New 24/7 news network scheduled to launch in November

For New Pittsburgh Courier

(NNPA)—In a joint teleconference broadcast live from the Four Season’s Hotel in New York’s Financial District, the Black News Channel (BNC) and the National Newspaper Publishers Association announced the official launch date and time for the nation’s first 24hour, 7-days a week all-news TV channel that will focus on African American news.

The new channel promises to inform, educate, and empower nearly 50 million African Americans now living in the United States.

The potential for the network appears almost limitless.

BNC will immediately have the potential to reach 33 million households daily in all the major media markets across the nation.

Combined with the millions of readers who consume information from NNPA’s Black-owned newspapers and media companies each week, the BNC could quickly become the top destination for all who want to consume African American news on TV and on mobile devices.

Find what you need from jobs to cars to housing B4-B5

OCTOBER 16-22, 2019

NNPA PRESIDENT AND CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., pictured at right, said the NNPA’s partnership with the BNC is a profound win-win for Black America. Also pictured are former Republican U.S. Congressman J.C. Watts, chairman of BNC, left, and Jacksonville Jaguars owner, Shad Khan, who is a primary investor in the new network.

by Stacy M. Brown

Classifieds

BNC, which officially launches at 6 a.m. on Friday, November 15, 2019 has agreements with Charter Communications, Comcast and DISH TV. The network already has commitments for carriage in major African American hubs like Atlanta, New York City, Chicago, New Orleans, Houston, Philadelphia,

to talk about news, education and cultural things,” stated Watts, who added that the network has been in the planning stage for many years.

“I had an afro when I started this,” Watts referenced.

“It’s especially important to have the Black Press of America join us in this venture. I bet most people don’t realize that there are 223 African American-owned newspapers in the NNPA, and that’s content for us,” Watts stated.

“We suffered a big J.C. Watts blow with the loss of BNC Chairman Ebony and Jet, publications I grew up reading. But I still Detroit, Washington, D.C., Bal- read the Black Press in Oklahotimore and Los Angeles. ma City, growing up.”

Tallahassee, Florida, houses NNPA President and CEO Dr. BNC’s headquarters, and the Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., who network will have news bu- participated in the teleconferreaus around the country, in- ence, said the NNPA’s partnercluding Washington, D.C. and ship with the BNC is a profound New York City. win-win for Black America.

Former Republican U.S. Con“This year marks the 192nd gressman J.C. Watts is chair- year of the Black Press of Amerman of BNC, which is backed ica. Black Americans striving financially by business mogul for excellence in all fields of enand Jacksonville Jaguars owner deavor give life to our culture Shad Khan. that attracts and impacts all “This platform will create a people. We set trends for ourvenue for the African American SEE BNC B2 community to have a dialogue

“We will inform, educate, inspire, and empower the African American community.”

B

Poll of likely voters shows rising student debt problems When likely voters across the country were recently asked their opinions about student loan borrowing, 82 percent agreed that the still-growing $1.5 trillion debt is a national crisis. Even when partisan affiliations were included, the solid concern for this unsustainable financial burden held strong: 74 percent of Republicans, 80 percent of independents, and 90 percent of Democrats.

When asked further about the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)’s reduced efforts to protect students from abusive student loans and student loan services, those most concerned were Blacks, Latinx (73 percent), consumers earning less than $50,000 per year (72 percent).

Additionally, voters in early Democratic Primary States agreed at 77 percent, as did both women and military or veterans’ households that polled 70 percent each.

Conducted by Lake Research Partners and Chesapeake Beach Consulting, the poll was jointly commissioned by the Americans for Finan-

Charlene Crowell

Commentary cial Reform (AFR) and Center for Responsible Lending (CRL). Its student loan results, released on October 2, found that recent actions by the Department of Education (DOE) and the CFPB both contributed to consumer concerns.

Higher penalty fees charged to struggling borrowers, making it harder for state and federal law enforcement agencies to pursue wrongdoing by state loan servicers and blocked debt relief for students who were defrauded by for-profit institutions were the top DOE criticisms cited in survey. “[T]he Department of Education seems to be making it easier for for-profit colleges and servicers to take advantage of students,” said Debbie Goldstein, CRL Executive Vice President. “We need a Department of Education that holds for-profit institutions accountable for abusive practices and a CFPB with a division that protects borrowers from predatory student loan servicers.”

“Without proactive regulatory action and strong state laws,” continued Goldstein, “students of color will continue to carry larger debt burdens, exacerbating the racial wealth gap.”

“The student debt crisis in the United States deserves greater attention and voters know it,” noted Alexis Goldstein AFR Senior Policy Counsel. “Borrowers need federal authorities as allies, not as apologists for the for-profit college industry.”

The disproportionate student debt burdens borne by Black and Latino borrowers was the focus of a joint research report by the NAACP, National Urban League, UNIDOS US, Leadership Conference Education Fund and CRL. Initially published this July, QUICKSAND: Borrowers of Color & the Student Debt Crisis, the report examined how unprecedented debt levels weigh heaviest on Black America.

SEE POLL B2

Byron Allen acquires 11 local TV stations for $290 million Byron Allen, the CEO of Entertainment Studios and Allen Media Broadcasting who also owns the Weather Channel, has added a new group of local TV stations to his portfolio. He recently purchased 11 small-market network affiliates from

USA Television for a reported $290 million.

“This is another milestone for our company,” Allen said in a statement.

“We have now agreed to purchase our second broadcast network affiliate

BYRON ALLEN

station group within the past three months, and continue to aggressively look for other opportunities to grow our global media company through strategic acquisitions.”

The largest of the new stations he

acquired is Huntsville/Decatur/Florence, Alabama which is number 79 in the market. Other TV stations included are Fort Wayne, Ind. (Fox’s WFFT), Eugene, Ore (ABC’s KEZI), Chico-Redding in California (NBC’s KNVN), Rochester, Minn.

(CBS’ KIMT) and Terre Haute, Ind. (CBS’ WTHI).

“These stations are dedicated to their local communities and this transaction will enable them to become even stronger on both their broadcast and digital platforms,” said Robert S. Prather, Jr., the CEO of USA Television, who will continue to manage the stations with partner Heartland Media.

Allen has been investing in smalland medium-sized TV station markets nationwide which is reportedly worth almost half a billion dollars or about $455 million just within this year alone.

The recent deals made his company Allen Media Broadcasting one of the largest Black-owned local TV station companies in the U.S. Allen currently produces and distributes film and TV shows -- 64 of which are currently on the air. He also owns nine 24-hour HDTV networks that have over 160 million subscribers.

Moreover, earlier this year, he partnered with Sinclair Broadcast Group to acquire 21 Regional Sports Networks from Walt Disney/Fox Corporation. He became the first African American to be a part of a $10 billion media acquisition.

(To learn more about Byron Allen’s company, Entertainment Studios, visit www.entertainmentstudios.com)

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OCTOBER 16-22, 2019

BUSINESS

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

BUSINESS CALENDAR PowerBreakfast Meeting

OCT. 18—The African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pa will host its second Powerbreakfast meeting of the season, 7:30 to 9 a.m., Rivers Club, One Oxford Centre, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. with guest speaker Cain Hayes, president and CEO of Gateway Health, who will share his strategic vision for Gateway Health and explore collaboration opportunities with the local business community. Cost: $20 for members, $30 for non-members. Call 412-392-0610 for more information

Global Growth Seminar

OCT 21—The Chatham University Women’s Business Center will present Thinking Bigger: How to take a business global in five years—The success Story of Snapology, a Pittsburgh S.T.E.A.M. Education Franchise Company, 5:30 to 8 p.m., Chatham Eastside, 6585 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, 15206. Hear about the growth process, the decision to license and then the pivot to a franchise model, international expansion and the valuable lessons learned along the way. Cost $10. Registration opens soon.

Call Mitra Saeidi at 412-365-2779 for more information.

Start-up Training Event

OCT. 22—The Duquesne University Small Business Development Center will present First Step: Business Essentials, 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., 108 Rockwell Hall, 600 Forbes Ave. Pittsburgh 15282. The workshop will cover the basic needs for starting entrepreneurs, including: business structure and formation; insurance; environmental concerns; taxation requirements and more. Cost $25. Call412-396-1633 for more information.

Business Accounting Workshop

OCT. 29—The Duquesne University Small Business Development Center will present First Step: Get Behind The Number, 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., 108 Rockwell Hall, 600 Forbes Ave. Pittsburgh 15282. This hands-on workshop takes a step-bystep approach to explain two important financial statements: Profit and Loss Statement and Balance Sheet. The session will be led by representatives from Wilke & Associates, CPAs & Business Advisors. Cost: $25. Call 412-396-1633 for more information.

Women Business Leaders Breakfast Series

NOV. 8—The Chatham University Women’s Business Center will host URA Deputy Director Diamonte Walker, 7:30 to 9:30 a.m., at the James Laughlin Music Center on the Chatham Shadyside Campus. Walker will discuss the power of entrepreneurship in 21st-century organizations, and about her approach to accelerating business and career growth by building a dynamic personal brand and enhancing the brand of the employer. Cost: $25, $12 for non-Chatham students and veterans. call 412-3652779 for more information.

Sales Training Event

NOV. 15—The Duquesne University Small Business Development Center will host Sales Boot Camp, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., 108 Rockwell Hall, 600 Forbes Ave. Pittsburgh 15282. Learn proven techniques to create predictable, consistent sales results that lead to long-term customers who are willing to give references. Topics include: cold calling; presentations skills; handling objections; getting the asking price, and more. Cost: $399 and includes breakfast and lunch. Call 412-396-1633 for more information.

Website Workshop

NOV. 19—The Duquesne University Small Business Development Center will present Boost Your Website’s Visibility: SEO 101, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., 108 Rockwell Hall, 600 Forbes Ave. Pittsburgh 15282. Many small businesses struggle with ranking their website highly on search engine results pages. This workshop will present key techniques to increase website visibility such as: optimizing content; how Google Search works; organic results/paid ads; Google SEO tools, and more. Cost: $35.

Call 412-396-1633 for more information.

Certification Webinar

The Chatham University Women’s Business Center will present Certification & Beyond—The Advantages of Certification For Your Woman Owned Business. Learn the basics of certification and its benefits for small businesses. The online session will be led by Joanne Peterson and Marian Neilson of Abator’s Get Diversity Certified. The webinar is free, but registration is required. Call Mitra Saeidi at 412-3651448 for more information.

CO-FOUNDERS of CurlMix, Kim and Tim Lewis.

Entrepreneurs turned down a $400K Shark Tank deal and now their company is worth $12 million Kim and Tim Lewis, a married couple who co-founded CurlMix, pitched their hair care products made specifically for curly hair on Shark Tank about 6 months ago. They were offered a $400,000 deal, but they turned it down -- to the complete surprise of many. But since then, CurlMix has grown to be worth a whopping $12 million now!

In 2015, the Lewises launched CurlMix as a Do-It-Yourself box for curly hair. Since then, there has been a lot of trial and error with their product formula and business strategy until they turned their well-loved boxes into a hair care line in 2018.

Within just 12 months after their transition, CurlMix has generated over $1 million in sales and built a community mostly with women with curly hair. Their little accomplishments have also brought them to the hit reality TV show Shark Tank, which they have really prepared for about 4 months.

“We prepped like crazy people! In fact, we treated it like finals week in college and bingewatched episodes of Shark Tank, writing down every question they asked, then we turned those into flashcards with answers and follow-ups and drilled each other constantly.

On top of that, we must have rewrote [sic] our pitch eight times and drilled it until we could say it in our sleep.” Lewis told Black Enterprise.

After their thorough preparations, they successfully pitched the Sharks and received a $400,000 offer from Robert Herjavec for 20% of the company.

But they confidently turned him down, firm not to give up more than 15% of their business because they said they believed that “CurlMix would be huge one day and we treated each percent like a million dollars.”

“We have absolute confidence in ourselves and our vision for our company, so having a Shark

on the side would have just been icing on top of the cake. Going into the negotiations we had already discounted our value in order to be more appealing to the Sharks, but to have Robert cut that in half after saying he didn’t know anything about the industry made the decision a no-brainer,” Lewis said.

A few months following their stint on Shark Tank, CurlMix raised a $1.2 million investment round led by the CEO of LinkedIn. Along with the increased interest from other investors, they have also increased in sales and is now aiming to reach $10 million in revenue within this year.

“We knew that we were the secret sauce,” Lewis stated. “Getting a deal would have garnered more temporary sales, but we knew that we would be the drivers for growth in the long run.”

For more information about CurlMix, visit www.curlmix. com

Black News Channel (BNC) launches in America BNC FROM B1

selves and others,” Chavis stated.

“We’re not a cursed people, and we are a blessed people. We BN to strive for excellence, and to have Shad Khan announced as a primary investor for the launch and sustainable development of the BNC is of major significance,” Chavis noted.

Kahn told NNPA Newswire that the decision to back BNC was easy once he looked at the mission and the business model.

“I am a big believer in the fact that we have a number of communities, obviously especially the African American community, who are underserved,” stated Kahn, a magnate in the auto equipment industry.

In addition to the Jaguars, he owns the Fulham Football Club of the English Football League, All Elite Wrestling, and the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto.

“I hope that as time goes on, this be-

comes a bridge to connect all the cultures, including obviously south Asian. But I do believe there is an undeniable calling for everything the Black News Channel will deliver to African American television audiences, who have historically been underserved in an era where networks have otherwise successfully targeted news to specific demographic groups and interests. My decision to invest is an easy one because we get to answer that calling,” Kahn explained.

Both Watts and Kahn promised that BNC will give a voice to the varied experiences of African Americans and will not just tell a segment of the story but will tell the entire story.

“We will inform, educate, inspire, and empower the African American community,” Watts added.

BNC will have three primary anchor

teams who will host the network’s evening newscast, morning newscast, and mid-day D.C. Today Live broadcast. In addition to primary anchor teams, BNC also will have high-profile expert contributors who will add commentary and information to each newscast.

The network will work with historically Black colleges and universities to ensure that all African Americans have a voice.

A BNC correspondent will examine life on the HBCU campuses and explain why the experiences students have at these institutions of learning are so meaningful in the cultural development of many students’ lives. The weekly one-hour program will focus on what is happening at HBCUs that is good, positive, and uplifting.

Additionally, one of the many topics will include Sickle Cell Diseases, the blood disorder that disproportionately affects Afri-

can Americans.

Veteran TV anchor Kelly Wright, who will host a 6 p.m. show on BNC, said his inaugural program would include a segment on the NNPA’s missing Black girls national series.

That series spotlights the more than 424,000 African American women and girls who have gone missing in the United States over the past half-decade.

“We’re not looking to be Republican or Democrat. There will be current affairs, but we are culturally specific to the African American community. MSNBC, Fox News, CNN may have African American faces on their news shows, but they are not necessarily covering the community from a cultural perspective,” Watts stated.

“We’re not looking to be left or right. We will be authentic and true to enriched and diverse African American experience.”

Poll of likely voters shows rising student debt problems POLL FROM B1

Key findings from that report show that: •Today, over half of all families with Black heads of household aged 25-40 have student debt.

•Black bachelor’s degree graduates are unable to afford loan repayments at five times the rate of comparable white graduates.

These Black grads are also more likely to default than whites who never completed a degree.

•Four years after graduation, nearly half of Black graduates owe more on their undergraduate student loans than they did when they received their degree; by contrast, only 17 percent of White graduates face this same dilemma.

Similarly findings and concerns were found in a September student loan debt report entitled Stalling Dreams by Brandeis University’s Institute on Assets and Social Policy, a part of its Heller School for Social Policy and Management.

Among its key findings: •Twenty years after starting school, the typical Black borrower owed about $17,500 more than their White peers;

•The typical Black student loan holder in their 30’s, has negative total wealth of $10,700 compared

to Whites who are close to breaking even; and •About half of all Black bor-

rowers and a third of all Latinx borrowers wind up defaulting on their student loans within 20

years.

With researchers and consumers agreeing that student debt is at crisis levels, the larger question becomes: What —as a nation—are we prepared to do about it? And if so—when?

With 44 million people affected by student loan debt, this trillion-dollar issue should not be ignored but rather vigorously debated as part of the 2020 elections in the interest of our collective futures.

“We need a racial equity filter for solutions to reverse the consequences of our current privatized high education financing regime,” states Brandeis’ Stalling Dreams. “We need a return to strong public investment in higher education that acknowledges the societal benefit on an educated public.”

In other words, if you’re drowning in student debt, your education is working against you—instead of for you. It’s time for a new paradigm in American education.

(Charlene Crowell is the Center for Responsible Lending’s Communications Deputy Director.

She can be reached at Charlene. crowell@responsiblelending.org.)

OPINION

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

OCTOBER 16-22, 2019

B3

To his wealthy donors, Trump is their grifter

Commentary

Compassion for all

by Oseye Boyd Merriam-Webster defines compassion as “sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it.”

Judge Tammy Kemp, who presided over the Amber Guyger trial, said she had just heard a sermon about “treating the lost with love and compassion,” and that is partially what compelled her to hug Guyger after she was sentenced to 10 years for killing Botham Jean in his home. Guyger, a Dallas police officer at the time, mistook Jean’s apartment for her own, and said she feared for her life when she saw the man. Jean was chilling in his home eating vanilla ice cream. Eating ice cream is probably one of the most nonthreatening activities one can do.

Can I just say how tired I am of hearing this tired refrain of officers fearing for their lives? It’s said as if the other person, the unarmed person who was actually killed, didn’t fear for his or her life. Who should be more afraid: the unarmed person or the person with a weapon, training and a shoot-to-kill mentality? If I hear that one more time my head may explode like that mind-blown emoji on smart phones! I digress, but I had to get that off my chest.

According to Kemp, Guyger twice asked her for a hug. She initially froze then she thought about her “responsibility as a person.” She also happened to be standing in the same spot where she was inducted as a judge and charged “to do justice, to love mercy and to walk humbly.”

All of this comes as Kemp explains her actions and why she hugged Guyger and gave her a Bible. She stands by her actions. And, I still feel as I felt a week ago that Kemp’s behavior was inappropriate. However, it’s the underlying compassion for Guyger that truly burns my britches.

She didn’t have to tell me her faith compelled her to act with compassion. I knew this.

It’s the same compassion Black folk have shown time and time again ever since we were brought to this country to be enslaved. It’s the same compassion that led relatives of those massacred at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, to forgive Dylann Roof—even as Roof sat unapologetically in court. In fact, he downright refused to apologize: “I want to make it crystal clear I do not regret what I did. I am not sorry. I have not shed a tear for the innocent people I killed.” But yet and still, Black people fall all over each other to show we have the biggest hearts.

White journalists covering these cases consistently discuss the strength and power these Black people have to forgive.

This is bigger than Kemp. It’s about a mentality that has been passed down from generation to generation of Black folk that we must demonstrate compassion at all times or else we won’t get into heaven—even when we aren’t shown the same compassion. I don’t see White Americans being this forgiving—even those who profess a belief in Christ. How many White judges hug young Black men after they’ve killed a White person?

The message is clear: Black people are to forgive White people. I blame the Christianity we were taught—a White supremacist version of Christianity. We were taught to turn the other cheek and forgive all the atrocities done to us then and now, but I’ve yet to see that same forgiveness extended to us —even for far lesser offenses. I am over the double standard and hypocrisy.

(Reprinted from the Indianapolis Recorder)

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(TriceEdneyWire.com)—To decipher President Donald Trump’s presidency, apply the basic rule of politics: Follow the money. Last month, for example, Trump performed at rallies in North Carolina and in New Mexico. He entertained adoring crowds, clad in Trump’s MAGA caps and T-shirts.

The rallies got featured on Fox and other news stations. Then Trump flew to California and went to a series of big-dollar fundraisers that were closed to the public, pocketing what his campaign boasted as more than $15 million in campaign funding, largely from anonymous wealthy donors. This is only a small part of the record campaign war chest that the wealthy are building for Trump’s re-election campaign.

The press treats the overwhelmingly White, working class audiences at Trump’s rallies as his “base.”

But they are more his marks than his base. The anonymous wealthy donors in California have a far better claim to be the base that he serves. The donors got the tax cuts; the working people at his rallies got health care cuts. The CEOs got the roll-back of clean water and clean air regulations; his rally audiences got the fouled water and more kids with emphysema. Big oil and coal executives got lavish public

Jesse Jackson Sr.

Commentary subsidies; teachers and parents got cuts in school funding. Big Agra got billions in payoffs to make up for Trump’s trade war; family farmers were casualties, many bankrupted by the loss of markets, with Wisconsin’s small farmers suffering the worst. Auto executives enjoyed record profits; auto workers suffered more layoffs and plant closings. The rich saw their wealth soar; working people faced rising prices in housing, health care, college, cars—with incomes that didn’t keep up. Trump brags on the record-low unemployment numbers, but the jobs too often don’t pay a living wage and Trump and Republicans won’t even allow a vote on raising the minimum wage.

Not surprisingly, workers are beginning to protest. GM autoworkers are involved in the largest strike in years. Teachers in red states across the country have gone on strike to demand greater investment in

schools. Nurses are on strike for decent wages and better staffing of hospitals and clinics. Fast food and restaurant workers have led marches for a $15 minimum wage and a union. Young people are marching to protest Trump’s refusal to address the clear and present threat posed by catastrophic climate change.

Trump regales the crowds at his rallies with scurrilous attacks on his opponents, lies and tales about his accomplishments, and boasts about the economy. He panders to their fears, fanning racial division, railing against immigrants and Muslims and the homeless. He’s pugnacious, funny and outrageous. They know he’s a bad guy, but they think he’s their bad guy. And that is the con.

The anonymous donors who are contributing record amounts to Trump’s campaign don’t wear MAGA hats.

They don’t go to public rallies. They roll their eyes at Trump’s rambling rants and racial taunts. They aren’t on strike or in the streets. They are getting a great return on their investment and are happy to ante up again.

The Trump economy doesn’t work for most Americans, but it works for them. Trump keeps his promises— and his payoffs—to them. They know Trump is a grifter, but he’s their grifter. They are all in on the con.

The power of unity (TriceEdneyWire.com)—I had the opportunity to speak for the closing session at the meeting of the World Conference of Mayors that was held at Tuskegee University in Alabama a few days ago. I have attended an untold number of conferences in my life, but this one was like no other.

It was the most organized, the most educational and most unified conference I have ever attended!

First, I have to say that Tuskegee University is one of the most beautiful college campuses I’ve ever seen. It was a joy to walk around the campus and see so many buildings named for Black heroes and sheroes. The conference was sponsored by the World Conference of Mayors whose founder is former Tuskegee Mayor Johnny Ford. Of course, no one refers to him as former Mayor. He’s always respectful of the current Mayor Tony Haygood, and Mayor Haygood seems to accept the fact that no matter who happens to have been elected to be Mayor currently, Johnny Ford will always hold a special place in the heart of the people, and indeed he works for the benefit of Tuskegee in whatever he does; but his influence goes far beyond Tuskegee! He helps and influences what happens in so many other towns around the world. Not only did African Americans attend the conference, but African mayors and other leaders came from the African continent to Tuskegee.

Having worked as Chief of Staff for Washington, DC Mayor for Life

Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq.

Commentary Marion Barry, I’ve seen this admiration of a mayor before. I just never thought it existed anywhere else!

I’m not easily impressed, but Johnny is exceptional. Everybody seems to genuinely love him and rely on him for advice, for direction and help. He never disappoints! He’s always provides just what his followers need. He’s a great influencer.

He brings his contacts with the answers and the resources to the people who attend his conferences.

I forgot to mention that there is a current President of the WCM who is Grambling’s Mayor Ed Jones and with that same spirit of cooperation as Johnny has with the current Mayor of Tuskegee, it seems to roll over to Mayor Jones.

Honorees were plentiful. They ranged from Grammy award winner and former R&B singer, Joe Simon, who has begun a National Voter Registration Drive that is supported by the WCM and the Black Towns and Settlements Alliance to Mayors of historic towns and settlements, the honorable Civil Rights Attorney

Fred Gray, African leaders and the dynamic African Union Ambassador Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao who challenged us to learn our history and to visit and invest in Africa.

The Role of African American Students at HBCU’s was addressed.

Students from Grambling, Spelman, Prairie View, Tuskegee and other schools did impressive presentations.

The Tuskegee Dramatic Arts Department presented an informative play called “Booker T’s Towns” that provided us with a lot of the history of Dr. Washington’s work. Atty. Paxton Williams provided attendees with a very informative film called “George Washington Carver.” All students who’ve had doubts about whether they could accomplish something with few resources need to see the film.

There were so many highlights.

One of the most touching ones was our trip to the Tuskegee Airmen’s Historic Site.

There were presenters of other events that are “must sees” such as the January 30, 2020 Eatonville Festival in Florida, the Selma to Montgomery Annual Jubilee February 27, 2020, the Tuskegee Carver Festival held in Tuskegee and the Texas Purple Hull Pea Festival in Shankleville.

There was so much more. Once you’ve attended one, you will never want to miss a conference led by the one and only Mayor Johnny Ford!

(Dr. E. Faye Williams is president of the National Congress of Black Women.)

2020 Census Tele-Town Hall to feature activists and experts (TriceEdneyWire.com)—“The extent to which the 1960 undercount has shortchanged inner-city residents of the political representation and economic assistance to which they are entitled is incalculable. Two million Blacks missed in 1960 could symbolize the loss of five congressmen and scores of state legislators to the Black community. Moreover, since more and more Federal and state aid to cities is being allocated on a per capita basis, ghetto residents are increasingly being denied this economic support because of Census underenumeration.”

– Whitney M. Young, Jr., testimony to Congress, 1970 The 2020 Census could fail to count more than 4 million people, most of them Black and Latino.

Among the many dire consequences of undercounting people of color is the draining of political influence from diverse communities into predominantly White communities. An unfair census will deprive communities of color of billions of dollars in federal funding for programs like Head Start, Medicare, school lunch programs and transportation and safety infrastructure. It would interfere with the just enforcement of civil rights laws and constitutional protections like fair housing and voting rights.

The National Urban League and our civil rights allies are determined not to let this happen. And you can help.

Join us on Oct. 22, 8 pm Eastern time, for the 2020 Census National Tele-Town Hall.

We’re gathering leaders, activists, clergy, and experts for a conversa-

testified to Congress. That fear was based on an evaluation of the Bureau of the Census’ plans for counting minorities. In the opinion of the Coalition, those plans were fraught with many serious deficiencies.” Young listed these as inadequate mailing procedures, inadequate assistance for completing the complex forms, poor community educational activity about the Census and distorted publicity from the Bureau of the Census, tion on ways to make sure the Black “which tended to shift the blame for community is counted. Among the speakers is former Georgia guberna- a potentially large undercount to a ‘hostile Black community.’” torial candidate and activist Stacy Sound familiar? Threats to an acAbrams. curate 2020 Census include underAbrams this year launched a new funding, hiring issues, inadequate group, Fair Vote, that seeks to reach testing and the lingering effects of a out to “hard-to-count populations” failed attempt to add a citizenship in the Georgia before counting question. Even though the effort begins. She will be joined by the to add a citizenship question was leaders of the organizing coalition, National Urban League, NAACP, Na- defeated, the controversy around it could intimidate some immigrants tional Action Network, the National and their families from responding to Coalition on Black Civic Participathe census. tion, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Earlier this year, the non-partisan and the Lawyers’ Committee for think tank Urban Institute found Civil Rights Under Law. that a “high risk” scenario could reIt’s easy to participate. Just vissult not only in Black and Hispanic it http://bit.ly/MakeBlackCountTelehouseholds being undercounted townhall to register. nationally by almost 4 percent, You can also follow our efforts to ensure a fair Census on social media, but also in White households being overcounted by .03 percent nationusing the hashtag #MakeBlackally.

Count. Make Black Count was the This raises concerns that “one campaign conducted by the Coalition for a Black Count, a project of 13 civil group will benefit more than it rights organizations spearheaded by should at the expense of others,” the Institute’s vice president and chief the National Urban League under methodologist, Robert Santos, said. the leadership of Whitney M. Young Fight back against the shortchangJr. ing of Black communities. Find out “The Coalition feared that many how on the 2020 Census National non-white Americans would be Tele-Town Hall. missed in the 1970 Census,” Young

Marc H. Morial

To Be Equal

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JOB OPPORTUNITIES

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Help Wanted

Help Wanted

DIRECTOR, ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY SERVICE

SOUTH FAYETTE TWP. SCHOOL DISTRICT

University of Pittsburgh Physicians seeks a Director, Electrophysiology Service in Pittsburgh (Allegheny county), PA, Oversee the administration of the Electrophysiology Services at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh Physician Practices, Ophthalmology; consult on the appropriate electrophysiology equipment required at each site and ensure proper installation and workflow design; develop and implement training materials for residents, fellows and other clinical personnel as appropriate; develop a long-term financially sustainable electrophysiology consulting program that can be marketed to Pediatric Hospitals and other institutions both nationally and internationally; develop modules of training and packages of required electrophysiology hardware and software to use in these programs; develop telemetry services for the interpretation of acquired data; help to raise awareness of the service to providers both within and outside the system; and assist in the recruitment and retention of personnel needed to appropriately staff and maintain the Electrophysiology Services at UPMC. Must have a Ph.D. degree, or equivalent, in Neuroscience or related field plus 7 years of experience applying skill in visual electrophysiology; leading electrophysiology and ophthalmology clinical services and providing advanced clinical development and administrative leadership. Apply by following these steps; visit http:// careers.upmc.com and enter 1900015I in the “Search Keyword/ Job ID” field and click Go. EOE/Disability/Veteran.

ASSISTANT MANAGER OF MAINTENANCE & SERVICE

Port Authority is seeking a Assistant Manager of Maintenance & Service to work on off shifts to assist in managing, coordinating and monitoring fleet maintenance, service delivery and administration activities to ensure safe and reliable fleet operations. To assist with the development and implementation of maintenance work standards.

To coordinate programs designed to improve processes and systems within transit operations.

Essential Functions: •May maintain a revenue service vehicle or equipment used in revenue service.

•Supervises and coordinates the daily activities of supervisors and administrative support employees involved in maintaining, repairing and servicing the fleet. Supervises and coordinates the daily activities of employees involved with fleet maintenance and repair, fleet interior and exterior cleaning, assignment of fleet to routes, and maintenance of auxiliary headsigns.

•Assists in implementing and monitoring standardized administrative programs and maintenance activities and procedures. Works with Manager of Maintenance & Service to develop and implement service goals and maintenance performance standards in support of Port Authority’s goals, objectives and mission.

Job requirements include: •High School Diploma or GED. •Associate degree in Transportation, Business, Vehicle Maintenance or directly related field from an accredited school. Fleet maintenance experience may be substituted for education on a year-for-year basis.

•Minimum of two (2) years supervisory experience.

•Minimum of three (3) years of increasingly responsible vehicle maintenance experience.

•Demonstrated ability in the use of Windows.

•Effective and professional communication skills.

•Ability to work all shifts as assigned by the Manager of Maintenance and Service.

•Valid PA Driver’s License.

Preferred attributes: •BA/BS Degree in Business or related field from an accredited school.

•Valid Commercial Driver’s License (Class B), with P endorsement.

•Experience in statistical process control.

•Participative leadership style.

•Demonstrated ability in the use of Microsoft Word and Access.

We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package. Interested candidates should forward a cover letter (with salary requirements) and resume to: Jennifer Turner Employment Department 345 Sixth Avenue, 3rd Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2527 JMTurner@portauthority.org EOE

COURIER CLASSIFIEDS… THE ONLY WAY TO GO!

SONNY BOY

HIGH SCHOOL ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

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Complete job description is available at: www.southfayette.org South Fayette Twp. School District 3680 Old Oakdale Road McDonald, PA 15057 Deadline: October 24, 2019 or Until Position is Filled EOE

MANAGER – TRANSIT SCHEDULING

Port Authority is seeking a Manager – Transit Scheduling to be responsible for the development and production of efficient operating schedules, production and dissemination of timetables and designing of service to meet the needs of Port Authority and the public. Coordinates activities with division personnel. Coordinate and assist with community outreach to support service planning initiatives. Manages and leads the Transit Scheduler personnel on activities that support the department’s and organization’s Tactical Plan, including project management oversight related to resources and tasks related to quarterly service changes. Responsible for personnel actions for Transit Scheduler staff, to include on boarding, training, development, and performance reviews.

Essential Functions: •Uses HASTUS to develop cost-efficient operation scenarios to support service change recommendations. Supports transit scheduling, routing design and service change activities. Reviews, evaluates and makes schedule changes to ensure service and schedules are effective and efficient. Responsible for cost effective scheduling of service which includes ensuring the schedules are within budget. Supports activities related to Port Authority’s Tactical Plan, including Annual Service Report, Five Year Tactical Service Development Plan, Bus Stop Optimization Plan.

•Manages the trip building, blocking, run cutting, and other transit scheduling related activities to produce an efficient, effective, and equitable service plan. Develops, prepares and disseminates operating schedules in accordance with provisions of contract agreement; supervises implementation of schedule changes. Manages the production and distribution of picking materials.

Oversees the design, production and distribution of public timetables and other customer information materials related to service. Responsible for meeting deadlines and ensuring compliance with ATU collective bargaining agreement. Point of contact for related items related to fixed route scheduling.

Job requirements include: •Transit Scheduling, Transit Planning or Transit Operations Management experience required.

•BA/BS degree in Business Administration, Analytics, Urban Planning or related field from an accredited school and/or minimum of four (4) years’ experience in scheduling or directly related field. Directly related experience may be substituted for the education on a year-for-year basis •Strong analytical skills and attention to details.

•Strong work ethic with ability to multi-task.

•Strong decision-making and innovative problem-solving skills.

•Strong organizational and analytical skills are essential. The ability to gather data and prepare clear and concise reports, to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others and to work independently.

•Demonstrates considerable initiative.

•Proactive and achievement driven.

•Excellent collaboration skills with both internal and external clients.

•Knowledge of research and statistical theories and methods.

•Ability to work independently and in a team environment.

•Ability to prioritize multiple complex projects.

•Knowledge and familiarity with computer systems and database applications.

•Demonstrated ability in the use of Windows and Microsoft Word and Excel.

•Valid PA driver’s license must be obtained within 90 days of starting the position.

Preferred attributes: •Minimum of four (4) years’ experience in scheduling or directly related field.

•Knowledge in transit scheduling software preferably HASTUS or other transit scheduling software is highly desirable Previous supervisory experience.

We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package. 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

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JOB OPPORTUNITIES

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Help Wanted

Help Wanted

Help Wanted

HEAD BASEBALL COACH

CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA MULTIPLE FACULTY POSITIONS

DIRECTOR, ALLEGHENY PARTNERS FOR OUT-OFSCHOOL TIME (APOST) United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Office

The Avonworth School District is now accepting applications for the position of Head Baseball Coach. for the 2019-2020 School Year.

Send letter of interest, resume, and all clearances along with two references to Mr. Tim Giel, Athletic Director, Avonworth High School, 304 Josephs Lane, Pgh., PA 15237

by October 30, 2019. For further information, please call 412-8470942. EOE

PROJECT AND BUDGET ANALYST – SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY SERVICES

Port Authority is seeking a Project and Budget Analyst – Systems Technology Services to coordinate procurement and management of technology services along with associated invoicing and budgeting.

Work with internal customers to write specification documents, manage timelines for procurement processes (Bids and RFPs), track deliveries and process invoices. Work extensively with both Finance and Procurement personnel on managing budgets and procurements.

Coordinate people and processes to ensure that projects are delivered on time and produce the desired results. Provide organization, timeline & deadline management, task coordination, and progress reporting toward successful and timely completion of projects.

Essential Functions: •Manage purchasing processes for information technology services and equipment, including RFPs, RFQs, Bids, work orders, and invoices; ensuring adherence to all federal and state procurement regulations and Port Authority processes.

•Lead tracking and timeline of information technology bid and service renewals, ensuring that bids and RFP’s are prepared and released in a timely manner.

•Track budgets for technology lines of business and provide recommendations for future budget adjustments and requests.

•With stakeholders, establish purchasing and project definition including specifications, scope, schedule, tasks, and costs.

Job requirements include: •BA/BS Degree in Business Administration, Finance, Information Technology, Computer Science, Data Analytics, or directly related field from an accredited school. Directly related experience may substitute for education on a year-for-year basis.

•Strong analytical and problem solving skills.

•Highly effective and professional communication skills with a customer-centric mindset.

•Excellent writing skills.

•Minimum 2 years of experience writing Bid and RFP specifications, preferably with technology-centric requirements.

•Excellent organizational skills.

•Proven fiscal management skills.

•Proven experience in vendor coordination.

•Customer-centric approach to both use of technology services for internal optimization and ultimate end-result for patrons.

•Demonstrated ability in the use of Windows, Microsoft Word and Excel.

Preferred attributes: •Project Management certification.

•Process improvement experience.

•Experience evaluating, implementing, configuring, and managing information technology systems and services, or related technical and application management experience.

•Experience leading projects from a coordination, analysis, definition, implementation and training perspective.

•Demonstrated ability in the use of project management methodologies and software for tracking tasks and outcomes.

•Experience managing RFP and Bid processes in the government sector.

We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package. Interested candidates should forward a cover letter (with salary requirements) and resume to: Deborah Slocum Employment Department 345 Sixth Avenue, 3rd Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2527 DSlocum@portauthority.org EOE

California University of Pennsylvania invites applications for the faculty positions below, to begin August 2020. A comprehensive regional institution and a member of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education, California University is a diverse, caring and scholarly learning community dedicated to excellence in teacher preparation, liberal arts, science and technology, and professional studies. The University enrolls approximately 6,800 students in graduate and undergraduate programs taught by 256 full-time faculty members. Visit www.calu.edu for more information about California University of Pennsylvania.

Tenure-Track Positions - 2020 Fall Semester start Accounting Communication Disorders Communication Studies Computer Science/Cybersecurity Counselor Education Director, Doctorate of Physical Therapy Program Director, Veterinary Technology Program Marketing Strategic Management Full-Time Temporary Position 2020 Fall Semester start Frederick Douglass Institute Scholar To Apply: Applications are accepted online only at https://careers. calu.edu/. Physical resumes are not accepted.

Veterans claiming preference should submit a copy of their DD214 to the Office of Social Equity, 250 University Ave., Box 9, California, PA 15419.

“Don’t settle for someone else’s vision of your life. Build your career at California University of Pennsylvania.”

Integrity, Civility and Responsibility are the official core values of California University of Pennsylvania, equal opportunity employer. Women, minorities, veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

SENIOR MACHINE LEARNING ENGINEER

UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside seeks a Senior Machine Learning Engineer to work in Pittsburgh (Allegheny County), PA. Perform both exploratory and targeted algorithm development and research to develop cutting-edge natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning algorithms. Find artificial intelligence (AI) solutions to ongoing healthcare problems, dedicated to converting advanced concepts in natural language processing and machine learning research into real-world healthcare developing technology solutions as well as predictive patient analytics. Propose statistical or machine learning model/methodology for problem-solving. Propose accuracy measures and validation criteria for the model. Implement and evaluate proposed model/methodology. Evaluate new hardware and software products and technologies and participate in project assessments as necessary. Implement packaged solutions. Customize packages for local needs using proprietary APIs, tools and scripting languages. Develop and validate system requirements and specifications. Design schemes, architecture and models and create and test prototypes. Master’s degree or equivalent in Biomedical Informatics, Computational Biology, Information Systems Management or a related field plus two (2) years of machine learning, software engineering or related research experience using at least one of the following statistical modeling tools: R, Matlab, Weka; programming with various languages (e.g., Python, Java); developing machine learning and natural language processing methods; working with and manipulating datasets; and utilizing Elasticsearch to process datasets; and building proof of concept applications. Telecommuting permissible. Apply by following these steps; visit http://careers.upmc.com and enter 1900015S in the “Search Keyword/Job ID” field and click Go. EOE/Disability/Veteran.

Allegheny Partners for Out-ofSchool Time (APOST), an initiative of the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, is a county-wide network dedicated to increasing quality and access of out-of-school (OST) programming for children and youth in the region. The Director of APOST will work to build a quality out-of-school time network through promoting the need for quality, advocating for funding, and building collaborations. APOST has achieved significant growth and recognition as a key leader for OST in the county, across the Commonwealth, and nationally.

The Director will provide vision, leadership, and passion for the out-of-school time quality movement resulting in more people working together to expand and improve out-of-school time programs, and more youth involved with high-quality OST programs.

Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent combination of education and experience, a minimum of five years of experience in youth development or related field.

Visit our website at https://uwswpa.org/careers/ to view job description and apply for this position.

Submissions will only be accepted electronically.

The United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer committed to workplace diversity, serving Allegheny, Butler, Westmoreland, Fayette and Southern Armstrong counties.

MANAGER, SCIENCE WRITING

UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside seeks a Manager, Science Writing to work in Pittsburgh (Allegheny County), PA. Review and analyze complex medical research and data, document and edit scientific discoveries, and spearhead promotion of these discoveries through journal publication or media. Work with investigators and research staff to evaluate and review scientific contributions for the purpose of furthering the science of the field through articles, presentations, and press releases. Master’s degree in Biological Sciences, Biomedical Science, or related field plus 2 years of science writing, media relations or related experience translating scientific/ medical language to a lay person’s understanding; writing and editing news articles, press releases, or technical documents; responding to physicians, scientists or journalists on advances in biomedical research; soliciting comments from experts on major biomedical advances; providing clients with strategic counsel; working with research institutes or academic medical centers; studying and researching in health- related sciences; attending scientific conferences and interpreting scientific literature; identifying and promoting research of interest; using social media or other digital communications to promote science news; and building and maintaining relationships with health and science reporters and editors. Apply by following these steps; visit http:// careers.upmc.com and enter 1900015K in the “Search Keyword/ Job ID” field and click Go. EOE/Disability/Veteran.

LEGAL NOTICE

Estate of MS. JULIE HERMANN, Deceased of 2115 Forest Grove Road, Coraopolis, PA 15108. Estate No. 02-19-05915. Ms. Marilyn J. Langman, 211 Sewickley Heights Drive, Sewickley, PA 15143, Executrix, c/o Max C. Feldman, Esquire and the Law Office of Max C. Feldman, 1322 Fifth Avenue, Coraopolis, PA 15108.

Estate of SUZANNE KEARNS, Deceased of 4760 Norma Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15236.

No. 02-19-04280, Administratrix. Stacy A. Kearns, 4760 Norma Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15236 or to American Wills & Estates, Lloyd A. Welling, Esquire, 2100 Wharton Street, Suite 302, Birmingham Towers, Pittsburgh, PA 15203.

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

CLASSIFIEDS

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

Legal Notices

Bids/Proposals

NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION

NOTICE TO BIDDERS SHANER HOUSING APALLET HOUSING SEWICKLEY TOWNSHIP – WESTMORELAND COUNTY INVITATION FOR BIDS GENERAL RENOVATION PROJECT •GENERAL CONSTRUCTION – CONTRACT – SHANER/ APELLET 2019.1.GC •ELECTRICAL CONSTRUCTION – CONTRACT - SHANER/ APELLET 2019.2.EC •PLUMBING CONSTRUCTION – CONTRACT SHANER/ APELLET 2019.3.PC

In the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, PA, Orphans’ Court Division, Estate of Frank E. Bennett, deceased, Case No. 021905581 of 2019: Notice is hereby given that on September 5, 2019, a Petition was filed by Teresa Bennett, to terminate the interests of the heirs and devisees of Frank E. Bennett, deceased, in the real estate located at 322 Crane Avenue, Rear, Pittsburgh, PA, 15216, and determine that fee simple title is in Teresa Bennett. If no exceptions to the Petition are filed within 30 days, Teresa Bennett will seek an Order adjudging that Decedent’s title is in herself.

NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION

In the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, PA, Orphans’ Court Division, Estate of Rose Lee Huggins, deceased, Case No. 021900528 of 2019: Notice is hereby given that on September 13, 2019, a Petition was filed by Toni Huggins, to terminate the interests of the heirs and devisees of Rose Lee Huggins, deceased, in the real estate located at 2866 Cherry Street, Bethel Park, PA, 15102, and determine that fee simple title is in Toni Huggins. If no exceptions to the Petition are filed within 30 days, Toni Huggins will seek an Order adjudging that Decedent’s title is in herself.

NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION

In the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Orphans’ Court Division, Estate of Robert L. Harvin, deceased, Case No. 021905975 of 2019: Notice is hereby given that on September 24, 2019, a Petition was filed by Wanda Harvin to terminate the interests of the heirs and devisees of Robert L. Harvin, deceased, in the real estate located at 7142 Idlewild Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15208, and determine that fee simple title is in Wanda Harvin. If no exceptions to the Petition are filed within 30 days, Petitioner will seek an Order adjudging that Robert L. Harvin’s title is in Wanda Harvin.

NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION

In the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Orphans’ Court Division, Estate of David L. Fisher, deceased, Case No. 021906135 of 2019: Notice is hereby given that on October 2, 2019, a Petition was filed by Mary Fisher to terminate the interests of the heirs and devisees of David L. Fisher, deceased, in the real estate located at 406 West Prospect Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15205, and determine that fee simple title is in Mary Fisher. If no exceptions to the Petition are filed within 30 days, Petitioner will seek an Order adjudging that David L. Fisher’s title is in Mary Fisher.

NOTICE OF TRUST ADMINISTRATION

The Trustee named below gives notice of the death of ELEANOR M. DEBSKI, late of the Borough of Bethel Park, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, who died on September 3, 2019. During her lifetime, the said Decedent established a revocale trust under Trust Investment dated January 9, 2004, of which George R. Debski is the Trustee. The Trustee requests all persons having claims against the Decedent to make known the same in writing to him or his attorney, and all persons indebted to the Decedent to make payment to him without delay: George R. Debski, Trustee, 7502 Pine Creek Drive, Bridgeville, PA 15017 or to: Todd A. Fuller, Atty., Brenlove & Fuller, LLC, 401 Washington Avenue, Bridgeville, PA 15017

LEGAL ADVERTISING Legal Notices

Estate of MR. WILLIAM JESSE BRADFIELD, Deceased, of 134 Elm Lane, Moon Township, PA 15108. Estate No, 02-19-06195. Ms. Suzanne Bradfield, 134 Elm Lane, Moon Township, PA 15108, Administrator, c/o Max C. Feldman, Esquire and the Law Office of Max C. Feldman, 1322 Fifth Avenue, Coraopolis, PA 15108.

Estate of MR. DAVID H. BRADFIELD, Deceased, of 1329 Washington Pike, Pittsburgh, PA 15017. Estate No, 02-19-06193.

Ms. Barbara Bradfield, 8215 Dog Leg Drive, Presto, PA 15142, Administrator, c/o Max C. Feldman, Esquire and the Law Office of Max C. Feldman, 1322 Fifth Avenue, Coraopolis, PA 15108.

LEGAL ADVERTISING Bids/Proposals

OFFICIAL ADVERTISEMENT THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION of the SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH

Sealed proposals shall be deposited at the Administration Building, Bellefield Entrance Lobby, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15213, on November 5, 2019, until 2:00 P.M., local prevailing time for: Pgh. Dilworth PreK-5 Finish and Miscellaneous Work General and Asbestos Abatement Primes Pgh. Linden K-5 Toilet Rooms and Miscellaneous Renovations General, Plumbing, Mechanical, Electrical and Asbestos Abatement Primes Pgh. Obama 6-12 Gym A/C and Lighting Upgrades Mechanical and Electrical Primes Pgh. Pioneer Replace Electrical Power Distribution System General and Electrical Primes Pgh. Weil PreK-5 Boiler Replacement Mechanical, Electrical and Asbestos Abatement Primes Project Manual and Drawings will be available for purchase on October 7, 2019 at Modern Reproductions (412-488-7700), 127 McKean Street, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15219 between 9:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. The cost of the Project Manual Documents is non-refundable. Project details and dates are described in each project manual.

To place a display ad in the New Pittsburgh Courier call 412-481-8302 ext. 128 or 129

OCTOBER 16-22, 2019

Westmoreland County Housing Authority is requesting construction bids for the referenced project through sealed bids which will be received by the Westmoreland County Housing Authority, until November 11, 2019 at 10:00 A.M. (eastern standard time). Bids shall be deposited at the Administrative Office of the Westmoreland County Housing Authority, 167 South Greengate Road, Greensburg PA 15601. Bids received will then be opened publically.

A Pre-Bid Meeting is scheduled for October 23, 2019 at 10:00 A.M. (eastern standard time). Meeting location will be at the Shaner Housing Site - 57 Marley Court, Irwin, PA 15642. Attendance is not mandatory, but highly recommended.

Electronic Bid Documents are available for downloading at www. wchaonline.com. Bidders are required to register online at the www.wchaonline.com to view bid documents. Plan holders proposing to bid shall also register their intent to submit a bid with Westmoreland County Housing Associates, Inc. via email to lindam@wchaonline. com and eriks@wchaonline. com in accordance with the bid requirements.

FEDERAL SPECIAL CONDITIONS Notice is hereby given that this is a Section 3 Project under the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968.

Regulations can be found at: https:// portalapps.hud.gov/Sec3BusReg/ BRegistry/BRegistryHome.

Notice is also hereby given that this project is regulated under Executive Order 11246-Equal Employment Opportunity (www.dol.gov/ofccp/ regs/compliance/ca_11246htm) and related contract specifications apply.

Prime contractors should use the Directory of Minority, Women and Section 3 Business Enterprises to solicit proposals from potential subcontractors.

This project is funded in whole or part with federal funds. Davis-Bacon wage rates and other federal requirements apply and are included in the bid documents.

Westmoreland County Housing Authority, Michael L. Washowich, Executive Director

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) FOR Authority Wide Site Improvements RFP #600-33-19REBID

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby request proposals from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s): Authority Wide Site Improvements The documents will be available no later than October 14, 2019 and signed, sealed proposals will be accepted until 2:00 P.M., November 19, 2019 at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 100 Ross Street, 2nd Floor, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

Parties or individuals interested may obtain information from: Mr. Kim Detrick – Director of Procurement/ Chief Contracting Officer Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-456-5116, Option 1 or by visiting the Business Opportunities section of www.hacp.org A pre submission meeting will be held: Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Development & Modernization 100 Ross Street, 2nd Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15219 October 30, 2019 10:00 A.M. The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh strongly encourages certified minority business enterprises and women business enterprises to respond to this solicitation.

HACP’s has revised their website. As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and log-in, in order to view and download RFQ/IFB/RFPs documentation.

Caster D. Binion, Executive Director Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh

HACP conducts business in accordance with all federal, state, and local civil rights laws, including but not limited to Title VII, the Fair Housing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, The PA Human Relations Act, etc. and does not discriminate against any individuals protected by these statutes.

COURIER CLASSIFIEDS

B5

SONNY BOY

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

PORT AUTHORITY OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY

NOTICE TO BIDDERS PA 18-1 EAST KEN MANOR CITY OF NEW KENSINGTON – WESTMORELAND COUNTY INVITATION FOR BIDS UFAS - ACCESSIBILITY RENOVATION PROJECT •GENERAL CONSTRUCTION – CONTRACT – PA 18-1-012019.1.GC •MECHANICAL CONSTRUCTION – CONTRACT PA 18-1-02-2019.2.MC •ELECTRICAL CONSTRUCTION – CONTRACT PA 18-8-03-2019.3.EC •PLUMBING CONSTRUCTION – CONTRACT PA - 18-8-04-2019.4.PC

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) FOR Abatement of Hazardous Materials RFP #600-20-19REBID

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 AM on November 4, 2019 and will be read at 11:15 AM., the same day, at Port Authority’s Heinz location (345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222-2527), for the following: Electronic Proposal - Ebusiness website (http://ebusiness. portauthority.org) B191075A Diesel Engine Oil 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 on each of the above items at 10:00am October 16, 2019 at Port Authority’s Heinz location (345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor, Pittsburgh, PA). 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 Authority within five (5) business days of the scheduled bid opening.

These contracts may be subject 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 delivered unless otherwise specified. Costs for delivery, bond, and insurance shall be included in bidder’s proposal pricing.

Port Authority of Allegheny County 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.

ALLEGHENY COUNTY SANITARY AUTHORITY LEGAL NOTICE CONTRACT NO. 1674

Sealed Bids for CONTRACT 1674, MODIFICATIONS TO DIVERSION CHAMBERS A-17 & M-59 shall be received at the office of the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority, 3300 Preble Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15233, until 10:00 a.m., Prevailing Time, Wednesday, November 6, 2019, and then shall be publicly opened and read. A Pre-Bid Meeting will be held at the Authority’s Plant in the O&M Building Conference Room 106, on Wednesday, October 23, 2019 at 10:00 a.m., Prevailing Time. Attendance at this meeting is mandatory.

ALCOSAN encourages businesses owned and operated by minorities and women to submit bids on Authority Contracts or to participate as subcontractors or suppliers to successful Bidders. Successful Bidders are to use minority and women’s businesses to the fullest extent possible.

Contract Documents may be examined and obtained at the office of the Authority. A non- refundable fee of $100 (no cash will be accepted) will be charged for each set of Contract Documents. Bid Security shall be furnished by providing with the Bid a Certified Check or Bid Bond in the amount of 10% of the Bid Price.

Any questions regarding the Contract Documents should be directed in writing to Mr. Joseph Sparbanie, P.E., ALCOSAN at joseph. sparbanie@alcosan.org.

The Authority reserves the right to reject any or all bids, to waive any informality in any bid and to accept any bid should it be deemed in the interest of the Authority to do so.

ALLEGHENY COUNTY SANITARY AUTHORITY Jan M. Oliver Director, Regional Conveyance

COURIER CLASSIFIEDS… THE ONLY WAY TO GO!

Westmoreland County Housing Authority is requesting construction bids for the referenced project through sealed bids which will be received by the Westmoreland County Housing Authority, until November 1, 2019 at 10:00 A.M. (eastern standard time). Bids shall be deposited at the Administrative Office of the Westmoreland County Housing Authority, 167 South Greengate Road, Greensburg PA 15601. Bids received will then be opened publically.

A Pre-Bid Meeting is scheduled for October 18, 2019 at 10:00 A.M. (eastern standard time). Meeting location will be at the East Ken Manor – Community Building 200 Garlock Court/ Dent Drive, New Kensington, PA 15068. Attendance is not mandatory, but highly recommended.

Electronic Bid Documents are available for downloading at www. wchaonline.com. Bidders are required to register online at the www.wchaonline.com to view bid documents. Plan holders proposing to bid shall also register their intent to submit a bid with Westmoreland County Housing Associates, Inc. via email to lindam@wchaonline. com and eriks@wchaonline. com in accordance with the bid requirements.

Westmoreland County Housing Authority, Michael L. Washowich, Executive Director

ADVERTISEMENT

Sealed bid proposals are hereby solicited for the Community College of Allegheny County, 800 Allegheny Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15233 (412.237.3020) on the following items: Request for Proposal No. 3117 – Administration of Flexible Spending Accounts (TPA) Due date: 2:00 P.M. Prevailing Time on Wednesday, November 6, 2019 The CCAC Purchasing Department publishes all bids and RFPs via the CCAC 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 RFP Opportunities”) and ensure compliance with all applicable bid documents inclusive of any issued addenda.

Failure to incorporate any applicable addenda in the final submittal may result in the rejection of your bid.

The Board of Trustees reserves the right to reject any and all bids.

The Community College of Allegheny County is an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and encourages bids from Minority/Disadvantaged owned businesses.

NOTICE TO BIDDERS

The Stadium Authority (SA) will receive sealed bids for Elevator Space Conditioning as identified below for the West General Robinson Street Garage (WGRSG). The contract for this work will be with the Stadium Authority of the city of Pittsburgh. Inquiries regarding the bidding should be made to the Stadium Authority 171 10th Street, 2nd Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, Attention: Bill Williams- E-mail: bwilliams@pgh-sea.com, Telephone: 412-325-3003. Bid Packages may be obtained after the date identified below through Accu-Copy at (724) 935-7055. Additional information on the project can also be found of Accu-Copy’s website at https:// accu-copy.com/plan-room This Advertisement applies to the following Bid Package: Project: WGRSG Bid Package Name: Elevator Space Conditioning Bid Package Available: October 7, 2019 Approximate Value: $170,000 Time/Date/Location for Pre-Bid Meeting: 10:00am, Thur., October 17, 2019, WGRSG, 668 West General Robinson Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15212 Time/Date/Location for Bid: 2:00 PM, Fri., October 25, 2019, SA, 171 10th Street, 2nd Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15222

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby request proposals from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s): Professional Hazardous Materials Abatement Services The documents will be available no later than October 14, 2019 and signed, sealed proposals will be accepted until 2:00 P.M., November 18, 2019 at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 100 Ross Street, 2nd Floor, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

Parties or individuals interested may obtain information from: Mr. Kim Detrick – Director of Procurement/ Chief Contracting Officer Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-456-5116, Option 1 or by visiting the Business Opportunities section of www.hacp.org A pre-submission meeting will be held: Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Development & Modernization 100 Ross Street, 2nd Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15219 October 29, 2019 10:00 A.M. The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh strongly encourages certified minority business enterprises and women business enterprises to respond to this solicitation.

HACP’s has revised their website. As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and log-in, in order to view and download RFQ/IFB/RFPs documentation.

Caster D. Binion, Executive Director Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh

HACP conducts business in accordance with all federal, state, and local civil rights laws, including but not limited to Title VII, the Fair Housing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, The PA Human Relations Act, etc. and does not discriminate against any individuals protected by these statutes.

NOTICE TO BIDDERS PA 18-7 PLEASANT MANOR MOUNT PLEASANT BOROUGH – WESTMORELAND COUNTY INVITATION FOR BIDS ASPHALT SHINGLE ROOF REPLACEMENTS •GENERAL CONSTRUCTION – CONTRACT – PA 18-7-012019.1.GC

Westmoreland County Housing Authority is requesting construction bids for the referenced project through sealed bids which will be received by the Westmoreland County Housing Authority, until November 1, 2019 at 10:00 A.M. (eastern standard time). Bids shall be deposited at the Administrative Office of the Westmoreland County Housing Authority, 167 South Greengate Road, Greensburg PA 15601. Bids received will then be opened publically.

A Pre-Bid Meeting is scheduled for October 18, 2019 at 2:30 P.M. (eastern standard time). Meeting location will be at the Pleasant Manor – Community Building, Pleasant Manor Drive, Mount Pleasant, PA 15666. Attendance is not mandatory, but highly recommended.

Electronic Bid Documents are available for downloading at www. wchaonline.com. Bidders are required to register online at the www.wcha online.com to view bid documents. Plan holders proposing to bid shall also register their intent to submit a bid with Westmoreland County Housing Associates, Inc. via email to lindam@wchaonline. com and eriks@wchaonline. com in accordance with the bid requirements.

Westmoreland County Housing Authority, Michael L. Washowich, Executive Director

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Nothing just The most asked question to me: ‘What is wrong with us?’ about ‘justice’ (TriceEdneyWire.com)—Twenty-oneyear-old Deandre Sullivan overslept one morning. Selected to serve on a jury, he was supposed to report by 9 a.m. He didn’t awaken until 11 and figured he’d have to pay a fine for his no-show. But hours after he failed to appear, he was hauled into a West Palm Beach, Florida court. There, Judge John Kastrenakus sentenced him to 10 days of incarceration, a fine, 300 hours of community service, and probation. At the time of his sentencing, the judge complained that Sullivan held the court up for 45 minutes. So for 45 minutes, he gets ten days or 240 hours. The young man had a spotless record, was a caretaker for his disabled grandfather, and was a model citizen. He is also a young Black man, the kind of man who is too often devalued by White supremacists. After all, how many businessmen or women has Kastrenakus sentenced to jail time for being jury no-shows?

Weeks after young Sullivan served his time, his sentence was vacated, and Kastrenakus offered condescending comments about the young man’s future.

Despite the voided conviction, his arrest record remains online. From my perspective, Kastrenakus has no business being a judge. Maybe ten days in jail would shift his kaleidoscope and make him more compassionate.

Julianne Malveaux

Commentary While Deandre Sullivan overslept, Felicity Huffman overstepped her boundaries big time. She paid to get her daughters into college and was exposed for her corrupt behavior when law enforcement caught on to a college admission scam in which dozens of wealthy White parents participated. While young Black people on elite campuses are often disparaged as being “unqualified”, privileged White people can hide behind their privilege and get away with it. Huffman was sentenced to a mere 14 days in jail, perhaps because she owned up to her crimes. She shed the White-girl victim tears (I’m so sorry, cause I got caught) that we are so accustomed to seeing. I am so tired of seeing folk offer sympathy, empathy, and a break for crying White women.

Huffman was fined $30,000, which is a slap on the wrist for someone of her wealth. She should have been fined an amount that pinched, if not hurt. How about a six-figure fine, used for college scholarship funds for those who are less privileged than her coddled daughters?

One of my favorite crooners, the incomparable John Legend, opined that no good is served when Huffman spends time in jail. If the so-called system were not so unjust, I might agree. But while it serves no one to see Huffman in prison, did it serve anyone to see Deandre Sullivan there? It seems that humanistic approaches to incarceration are only rolled out when the White and privileged are caught breaking the law.

Felicity Huffman got a slap on the wrist.

Deandre Sullivan got a life-altering experience that he would not “wish on his worst enemy.”

Who does it serve that Tonya McDowell was sentenced to five years in jail and five more of probation for enrolling her child in the wrong school? The homeless woman used a friend’s address to send her child to a better school and was charged with “stealing” $15,000 of educational services. If the delivery of education were not so uneven, would she have been forced to use someone else’s address for her son to get a quality education? And to echo John Legend, who is served by her incarceration?

Chrystal Mason, a convicted felon, was leading a redeemed life when she was urged to vote in Texas in 2016. Her probation officer didn’t tell her she was ineligible to vote. The people who took her ballot never asked her about her status. She was sentenced to five years in jail for illegal voting in Tarrant County, Texas. Absolutely! Who was served by her incarceration?

Amber Guyger, who massacred the incandescent young Botham Jean in his Dallas apartment, apparently because she was too busy sexting her married lover to pay attention to her intrusion into the wrong apartment, got a slap on the wrist with a 10-year sentence for murder. She could have gotten 99 years, but the jury chose mercy instead of punishment. Who does that for Black defendants? She was rewarded for her pitiful, crocodile tearful testimony with hugs, both from the murdered man’s brother, but also, inappropriately, from Judge Tammy Kemp. How many Black defendants did the Black judge hug and gift her personal Bible?

The pattern is clear. White folks get a slap on the wrist if they are even charged for their crimes. Black people get the book thrown at them for even minor infractions. There is nothing just about justice in this country, and it is ready to get even more unjust. So when you pledge that flag for “liberty, freedom, and justice for all,” think about who actually experiences justice.

(Julianne Malveaux is an author and economist.)

Over the years I 78 police officers can’t tell you how Louis ‘Hop’ Kendrick and only three were many persons who Black. are Courier readThe local govers have stopped ernmental bodies me and said, “I read have provided unyour column regutold sums of money larly.” Then there (billions) to White are those who will developers and conask, “Are you ‘Hop’ tractors, the Blacks from the Courithat have been able er?” Sometimes persons will approach to share can be counted on one hand. I me and state that they did or did not will list in the near future the number agree with my column from the previ- of contracts in every field in the city and ous week. However, the question most county and also the limited number of asked to me overwhelmingly is, “What Black-owned businesses—you will be is wrong with us?” (They definitely shocked. don’t ask that question nicely.)

If we in the Black communities are afMy answer generally is, if I knew, I would forded an opportunity to share in the correct them, but I know the problems that booming economics across this city, it are the source of their concern. would enhance the rebuilding of the famBlack persons comprise 14 percent of the ily structure and that would result in a population of Allegheny County, but the positive in the field of education. overwhelmingly majority of homicides are There must be a rebirth of Black leaderBlacks against other Blacks. ship and Black leaders (there IS a differBlack citizens suffer from a lack of de- ence) must stand up and stand out, relicent and affordable housing. gious and political.

Black citizens’ unemployment is and has An example of a leader is businessman always been a major problem.

Luther Sewell, who operates the oldest The University of Pittsburgh did a study Black-owned business in the City of Pittswhich they released a few weeks ago burgh, publisher of TALK MAGAZINE that concluded that overall conditions of FOR 57 YEARS. Blacks in the City of Pittsburgh were so Luther Sewell founded the business as a deplorable that they equaled the worst youngster in the year of 1962. And it’s still conditions of Blacks in any city in Amer- going strong.

(Louis “Hop” Kendrick is a contributor to the New Pittsica.

Recently, the City of Pittsburgh hired burgh Courier.)

To Tell The Truth

Colin Kaepernick: Did he understand the history of the position he played?

Ex-NFL quarterback Colin J. Pharoah Doss Kaepernick became a controversial figure in 2016 after he knelt on the sideline during the national anthem to protest police brutality.

After the season Kaepernick opted out of his contract with the San Francisco 49ers, no other team signed him. He filed a grievance against the NFL for collusion, and eventually the matter was settled out of court.

Kaepernick hasn’t played football since.

Recently, the media received a document written by Kaepernick’s agent. It said, “It’s difficult to think of another young player in NFL history with statistics and character as impressive as Colin’s not being given an opportunity to earn a spot on an NFL roster.” This statement made me wonder if Kaepernick fully understood the history of Black quarterbacks in the NFL. The first Black quarterback in the modern era of the Super Bowl was Marlin Briscoe. In 1968 Briscoe was drafted by the Denver Broncos. Briscoe played quarterback from youth football to college but the Denver Broncos converted him to a defensive back. When Denver’s starting quarterback got injured Denver started him for the last five games of the season. In that short stint Briscoe threw 14 touchdown passes and was a candidate for Rookie of the Year. Denver released him after the season. Briscoe bounced around the league as a wide receiver and never played quarterback again. While Briscoe started quarterback in Denver a reporter wrote, “Of the dozens of quarterbacks on the rosters of the 26 major league professional teams in the United States, Marlin is the only one whose skin is black… But Marlin is not mainly interested in proving he can run the ball. What he’s trying to show them is that a Black man can run the ball club.”

The stereotype was Black players lacked the character for leadership and didn’t have the intelligence to play quarterback at the professional level.

Kaepernick was born in 1987.

The 1987 Washington Redskins became the Super Bowl champions. That team was quarterbacked by Doug Williams, the first Black quarterback to win the Super bowl.

But that didn’t put the stereotype to rest.

Check It Out

Williams was a backup who replaced the starting quarterback after an injury and Williams didn’t start the following year. The question remained if teams could build an offense around a Black quarterback and be serious postseason contenders for the duration of that quarterback’s career. At the time there were only two other Black quarterbacks—Houston’s Warren Moon and Philadelphia’s Randall Cunningham.

Both were struggling to have success, but Moon and Cunningham were fully aware of what failure meant, so it wasn’t an option. (Warren Moon became a Hall of Famer and Cunningham is a legend.)

Over the next decade Black quarterbacks started to appear on NFL rosters. But the critics said these Black quarterbacks were runners, not passers, as well as poor game managers. One of the best to emerge was Philadelphia’s Donavan McNabb. In 2003, Rush Limbaugh resigned as a co-host of ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown after his controversial remarks indicating McNabb wasn’t a good quarterback and the media overrating him because he was Black.

Limbaugh suggested there is a social desire for Black quarterbacks and Black coaches to do well and their mediocrity is overlooked.

In 2007 McNabb appeared on HBO’s Real Sports and stated that there’s an element that doesn’t want Blacks to succeed at the quarterback position so Black quarterbacks have to do more than Whites. On a show called the Young Turks the host told his co-host that McNabb was wrong because times have changed. But a 2015 study revealed Black quarterbacks were twice as likely to be benched, or removed from play, than White quarterbacks, and broadcasters often attributed the success of Black quarterbacks to superior athletic skills while attributing the success of their White counterparts to superior intellect.

The next year Kaepernick protested police brutality on the sideline.

If Kaepernick understood the history of the Black quarterback he would have realized the myth of Black mediocrity still existed and he was in a position to make a contribution to its destruction. The struggle continued on the field, not on the sideline. But he took a knee and when quarterbacks do that, the game is over.

Larry Smith

Commentary

Whether Trump is impeached or leaves office, what comes next?

This week, Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi initiated a long-anticipated formal impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump. Six House committees are investigating whether Trump’s actions while in office rise to the level of impeachable offenses.

Trump’s detractors say this process is long overdue given his unprecedented behavior as president; his supporters argue that this is a continuation of “presidential harassment” that effectively began before Election Day 2016.

If virtually anyone else were president, I would say something like, “Time will tell whether this is a ‘due reckoning’ or merely ‘sour grapes.’” However, in this case, those perspectives are already set in stone for all but a very low percentage of Americans—irrespective of the official outcome.

It is not hyperbolic (or even partisan) to say that Donald Trump is the most polarizing president in living memory. This is not merely about approval ratings, policy disagreements or most of the other criteria by which presidents generally are judged.

For example, Richard Nixon had an average approval rating of 49.1 percent as compared to Trump’s 40 percent. In fact, while Nixon’s approval rating was just 24 percent when he resigned, his average rating was higher than Harry Truman’s, Jimmy Carter’s and Gerald Ford’s.

We focus a great deal on the fact that Trump is the first president in history never to have a 50 percent approval rating (at least in most credible polls).

But, while his “ceiling” is not very high, the fact is that his “floor” doesn’t decrease by very much. The bottom line is that, should he survive this nascent impeachment process, he could conceivably be elected again (most likely with an even larger popular vote deficit).

The phenomenon that is Donald Trump is a treasure trove for political science geeks.

There are several reasons why I will not hear pontificate on the “rightness” or “wrongness” of the impeachment process (as alluring as that is)—not the least of which is because doing so is not likely to change a single mind. I will instead focus on what happens (or, at least, should happen) when Donald Trump leaves office—regardless of the means that precipitate his exit, or the timeframe in which it occurs. One way or another, Trump will leave office one day. My question is: Then what?

Without being facetious, I will state unequivocally that Donald Trump has done something that is truly remarkable. What is that feat? He has managed to drive deeper the wedges that separate Americans of all stripes. That is an objective fact. (Those who support him cannot change that reality, even though many of them will deny it.)

Thus, the No. 1 role of his successor— in my judgment—is to repair the breaches. His or her mission statement should be, “Repair or Die Tryin’.”

Andrew Johnson succeeded Abraham Lincoln at arguably the most crucial point in American history. This “accidental” president—who was one vote shy of being kicked out of office after being impeached—was the wrong man who took office at the wrong time and governed the wrong way. His tenure was destined to end ignominiously.

Gerald Ford, another “accidental” president, did not bring the country together—in large measure because he pardoned Richard Nixon. (Interestingly, Nixon did temporarily unite most of the country, winning 49 of 50 states in his second presidential victory.)

Whoever succeeds Trump must try to figure out how to assuage the anger of roughly 40 percent of the population— especially in the extremely unlikely event that the 45th president is convicted and removed from office. And he or she must try to do so without completely alienating the remaining 60 percent or so, which would all but guarantee that president having just one term. It is a task that would make Sisyphus depressed.

I believe that, of the current crop of Democratic candidates, former Vice President Joe Biden is the one who is most likely to be able to perform such a magic trick. But the great irony is that the immediate precipitator of the impeachment inquiry (i.e., the “favor” that Trump asked of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky) conceivably could derail Biden’s presidential bid given his (and his son’s) own dealings. We’re certainly living in interesting times.

(Larry Smith is a community leader. Contact him at larry@leaf-llc.com.)

(This article originally appeared in The Indianapolis Recorder.)

SPORTS/METRO

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OCTOBER 16-22, 2019

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The notion of firing Mike Tomlin is rooted partly in racial discontent :10—First of all, the way things are going with “your” Black and Gold, it’s easy to get distracted, but given the remarkable accomplishments of Ms. Simone Biles, the distraction is easy and right on time. In case you were distracted, check this out: The 2016 Olympic Gold Medalist All-Around, Vault & Floor; Part of the

things have gotten in Steel Town. I was actually wasting time cheering for the lowly Bengals to beat the Dirty Bird Ravens and pulling for the Seahawks to keep the Browns in the Doghouse. C’mon man!

(Turns out, on Oct. 13, the Ravens beat the Bengals, and the Browns lost at the last minute to the

Overtime

Bill Neal Gold Medal-winning team dubbed “The Final Five;” Four Olympic Games Gold Medals; 19 World Championships; Two Pacific Rim Championships; Two AllAround World Cups; Five All-Around World Championships; Six-time U.S. National All-Around Champion; Three-time World Silver Champion; Three-time World Bronze Champion.

She is the most decorated American gymnast of alltime and soon to be the most decorated gymnast of all-time!!! :09—Here’s how bad

Seahawks…so I got one of them!) :08—I know you will… but let’s hope a few folks on the perimeter reads this and gets it. Let’s be honest and call it what it really is. This ridiculous notion that the Rooneys are going to fire Mike Tomlin is rooted partly in racial discontent. He’s one of only two Steelers head coaches to win three division titles in his first four seasons. His record in his twelve-plus seasons in the regular season is now 127-70-1, the second-best

record in the entire NFL during that span. His combination with Ben Roethlisberger has more regular season wins than any other combo in Steeler history…and we hit a massive brick wall and “you-all”…”ya’ll” want him gone. That deserves a double “C’mon Man” and one “Are You Crazy!?!?” :07—BTW, you try losing the best receiver in the game (screw-up as he may be!), the 1st or 2nd best running back in the game (sellout that he is!) and not your first, but your second starting quarterback as well, and let me know how that’s working for ya! :06—You only need to check one of my articles about 10 years ago to know I’ve been a longtime proponent that college players get paid! Long story short, cause there’s not enough time or space here, but you do the math. Just multiply all the colleges in the United States, NCAA Division 1, 2 & 3, then add up all the money coming in from all varsity sports. Now…tell me where all that money is. While you’re adding up don’t leave out the exorbitant salaries of the college administrators who, for the most part, never played anything but “Checkers.”

C’mon people, get a clue here.

STEELERS HEAD COACH MIKE TOMLIN (Photo by Courier photographer Brian Cook Sr.) :05—I am telling you now, if you’re afraid of the dark, don’t go see the Joker by yourself. Mmmmmaaaannnnn! 4 Basketballs just because it’s that sick. :04—I see some of you here and there, now and then, doing this and that…and you tell me you’re plugged into the music of your life I remind you of. But I bet you haven’t done this. Put the late great Wes Montgomery in the machine on

your way home from work, roll the windows up and cruise in the slow lane. My suggestion is go with “A Day in the Life” and let the world just pass you by. :03—FINE-AL-LY, College basketball season is here. Let’s get ready for a greatly improved Duquesne season, a stepped-up Robert Morris season and if you heard Coach Jeff Capel on our Sports Show “Soul Take —Champions Live,” Pitt

will be it this year. :02—Oh, the Penguins are playing and they’re third in the Metropolitan Division with six points. That’s all I got. :01—I know I keep throwing this at ya. But after this week, if you still need a reason to vote Trump out, you’re just not trying.

As Cedric the Entertainer would say… “I don’t know what else to tell ya.” :00—GAME OVER.

Could ‘Duck’ Hodges and a hot defense be the answer for the Steelers?

This past Sunday night, Oct. 13, the Pittsburgh Steelers, sporting a whopping 1-4 record, slid into Los Angeles to play the 2-3 Chargers. The Steelers defense seemed as if they may have been motivated by their predecessors that were a part of the “steel curtain” by covering the Chargers’ Hall-of-Fame bound quarterback Phillip Rivers like a “steel blanket;” well, at least until the fourth quarter of the game.

The Steelers squeaked by with a 24-17 hard-fought victory.

Many of the “squawking”

heads with their great and eternal wisdom basically anointed the Chargers and their all-universe QB the victors before the coin toss even took place. There was no way that Devlin “Duck” Hodges, an undrafted, almost unwanted third-tier rookie quarterback, could even in his wildest dreams think about not only playing against but even competing with Rivers because as sure as they appointed Rivers as one of the true disciples of “Red” Grange and Jim Thorpe could a young, milk-behind-theears, duck-caller like Hodg-

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Aubrey Bruce es even think about a Steelers victory. The odds were just too stacked against it.

But Steeler Nation did not listen to the prognosticators because even though Devlin Hodges was appointed to sub for the Steelers’ injured QB Mason Rudolph, the Steelers defense was anointed by the God of defense, and wouldn’t you know it? “Anointees” almost always trump appointees.

Watching the Pittsburgh Steelers perform that night was like almost watching the Steel Curtain perform from the Steelers highly

chosen, Hall-of-Fame defense from the past. No, as far as the “experts” were concerned, the Pittsburgh defense was above average but their offense was far below average, especially in light of the fact that with no credible starting QB, there would be many three and outs for the Steelers providing multiple opportunities for Rivers to work his magic on a tired and befuddled Steeler defense filled with first- and second-year players.

But instead of Rivers licking his chops at having

the opportunity to face Pittsburgh, he instead got busted in the chops. Rivers had to feel battered and bruised; wanting to win but wanting equally to get out of the stadium with all of his marbles and faculties intact. The Steelers were eating Rivers and the Chargers offensive line for breakfast, lunch and dinner, spitting out the bones and asking for a snack before halftime.

All of the writers that I read on the Pittsburgh beat and all of the broadcasters that I watch and listen to in Western Pennsylvania were just resigned to the fact that Pittsburgh was gonna be arriving back in the ‘Burgh with a 1-5 record; it was as simple as that: game, set, match. Someone forgot to tell the Big “nasty D” that they were playing Superman last Sunday night, even playing most of the game without defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt, who was injured early on

and is now out for the rest of the season.

Now the “walking dead” are really getting bored.

Who made up the rule that a player cannot lose his job to injury? I don’t care how much I am loved, if I become ill and someone subs for me, if they do a better job when I return six months later, I might be put in another position.

Mason Rudolph was appointed to fill in for Ben Roethlisberger. Mike Tomlin had better stay with the hot hand.

Even before Rudolph was injured in the Steelers/ Ravens game on Oct. 6 at Heinz Field, he had misfired on several open receivers and was a notoriously slow starter, a flaw that he might have inherited from his predecessor, Roethlisberger.

Game manager Devlin Hodges, along with the Steelers’ home-wrecking defense. Sounds like a lethal combination to me.

You guessed it!

Another Emmy for legendary media personality Chris Moore Chris Moore, producer, radio/television talk show host, and multiple Emmy Award winner, added another Emmy to his credit at the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards on Sept. 28.

Moore won for Interview/Discussion Program/Special for the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting in Squirrel Hill.

In his acceptance speech, Moore said that the subject was not a pleasant one, but one that had to be told and discussed.

Moore can be seen on WQED-TV and PCNC-TV, and heard on KDKA-AM (1020) with his show, “The Moore of Pittsburgh.”

Moore is a graduate of Grambling State University, and founder and co-chairperson of the educational committee of the

Pittsburgh Black Media Federation’s Frank Bolden Urban Journalism Workshop.

CHRIS MOORE

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