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Vol. 109 No. 48

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NOVEMBER 28-DECEMBER 4, 2018

Leon Ford’s next journey

Published Weekly

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Pittsburgh NAACP: What are the issues that matter the most?

by Christian Morrow Courier Staff Writer

If you’ve been wondering what the NAACP Pittsburgh Branch is up to, that’s understandable—because while the organization has a new website, it is not fully functional yet. So, for now, the best way to find out what the branch is doing is to call or visit.

The chapter’s website, w w w. p g h naacp.org, looks very professional, the tabs are responsive, and its pages load quickly. But you’ll notice that beyond a statement from the naRICHARD A. STEWART JR. SEE NAACP NAACP President A4 (Photo by J.L. Martello)

LEON FORD, middle, with supporters Samantha Black, left, and Cherise Black, at Repair the World in East Liberty, Nov. 11, the site of Ford’s official announcement of his bid for Pittsburgh City Council. (Photo by J.L. Martello)

25-year-old author, motivational speaker announces run for Pittsburgh City Council

by Rob Taylor Jr. and J.L. Martello Courier Staff Writers

Six years and 17 days ago, Leon Ford tells it, he was “walking…and I had a completely different plan.”

Later that night, he was in the Intensive Care Unit, “wondering if I was going to live or die.”

“And by the grace of God,” Ford said, “I survived.”

Nov. 11, 2012 is a date that Ford, his family, his friends, and many in

“We deserve what Leon has to offer.

We deserve a public official who is going to show up for us, a public official who is going to be compassionate and understand us and relate to you…We’re here today to represent a new class of politics and a new way of doing politics..”

STATE REP.-ELECT SUMMER LEE

Pittsburgh will never forget. Ford, after being stopped by Pittsburgh police while he was in a vehicle, was shot five times by one of the two officers, David Derbish, as the officers tried to remove Ford from the car, mistaking him for a wanted gang member.

Ford was paralyzed as a result of the shooting.

Next came what Ford calls a “sixyear fight with the City of Pittsburgh,” calling for the officers to be SEE FORD A5

East Pittsburgh police force to disband, Dec. 1 Fatal shooting death of Antwon Rose was catalyst

by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer

You can hear a pin drop at East Pittsburgh police headquarters.

No one is speaking publicly, and within days, there will be no one there left to speak.

The Associated Press is reporting that East Pittsburgh is disbanding its police department, and the Pennsylvania State police will provide police services there starting this weekend.

According to the AP report, a state police spokeswoman confirmed that East Pittsburgh had sent a letter on Nov. 13 requesting patrol services. The town’s council had renewed long running discussions of disSEE POLICE B5

A County Civilian Police Review Board—will it happen?

by Christian Morrow Courier Staff Writer

In October 1995, a Black businessman was driving a Jaguar sedan through the Pittsburgh suburb of Brentwood when he was stopped by police—within 10 minutes he was beaten and choked to death.

His name was Jonny Gammage, and his “crime” was driving while Black.

Only three of the five White police officers involved were charged in his death, and after third-degree murder and official oppression charges were dropped, two all-White juries from Chester and Lackawanna counties acquitted the officers of the remaining involuntary manslaughter charge.

Gammage’s death led to the creation of Western Pennsylvania’s first Civilian Police Review Board to oversee all charges of police brutality or abuse during interactions with the public—but only in the City of Pittsburgh. The police departments patrolling Brentwood and 129 other Allegheny County municipalities remained

exempt from civilian oversight.

But the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Antwon Rose II by East Pittsburgh police Officer Michael Rosfeld in June may change all that. Activists like Tim Stevens and Khalid Raheem who’ve been on the front lines in the battle against police oppression since the Gammage death are hopeful Rose’s killing can yield something positive—an Allegheny County Civilian Police Review Board.

“When District Attorney Stephen Zappala said during his press conference (charging Officer Rosfeld with homicide) that East Pittsburgh police has no procedures in place covering use of force, that was a major statement,” said Stevens.

“Countywide oversight could remedy that with a uniform set of protocols that every department adheres to.”

Since Zappala’s press conference on June 27, the move toward a County Civilian Police Review Board has proceeded on severFAWN WALKER-MONTGOMERY is co-chair of the al fronts, most notably with County CounCommittee for a County Civilian Police Review SEE REVIEW A4 Board. (Photos by J.L. Martello)

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To subscribe, call 412-481-8302 ext. 134

KHALID RAHEEM is pushing for County Council to vote in the affirmative for a County Civilian Police Review Board.

Julianne Malveaux asks

Can a women’s coalition survive petulant White women?

Forum B6

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NOVEMBER 28-DECEMBER 4, 2018

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This Week In Black History

Week of November 28-December 4 November 28 1753—Revolutionary War soldier James Robinson is born in Maryland. Historically, like “40 acres and a mule,” Robinson epitomizes the White man’s false promises to the Black man. Robinson, a slave, was promised his freedom for fighting in America’s War of Independence from Britain. He fought so well that he won a medal for bravery at the Battle of Yorktown. However, after the war he was sold back into slavery. But he did live to see the end of slavery. He died in Detroit, Mich., in 1868.

1929—Berry Gordy is born in Detroit, Mich. He founded Motown Records in 1957 and built it into the greatest Black-owned record company in U.S. history. It was later sold to a major White-owned corporation and is now based in Los Angeles, Calif.

BERRY GORDY 1960—Richard Wright, perhaps Black America’s greatest novelist, dies in Paris, France. He was only 52. Wright’s best known works included “Native Son,” “Black Power” and “Black Boy.” Wright’s opposition to American racism led him to join the communist party. He later quit. But he refused to return to America in 1952 as the country was going through an anti-communist witch hunt.

1961—Ernie Davis becomes the first Black man to win AFRICAN ART—A visitor looks at wooden royal statues of the Dahomey kingdom, dated 19th century, college football’s prestigious Heisman Trophy. today’s Benin at Quai Branly museum in Paris, France, Nov. 23. (AP Photo/Michel Euler) 1997—Coleman Young, Detroit’s first Black mayor, dies at 79. He presided over his adopted city for an unprecedented five terms.

November 29 1780—After initial racist opposition, especially in the South, Blacks are welcomed into the Continental Army to help fight for American independence from Britain. The move was also prompted by British actions. The Americans were losing to the British, the British had launched their Southern campaign and were promising Blacks Lost Art Foundation, said The Associated Press:

by Angela Charlton told freedom if they joined the British side. Overall, an estiit was starting a program “It’s entirely logical that Associated Press Writer mated 5,000 Blacks fought in America’s war for indepento research the provenance Africans should get back dence. However, some Blacks did fight for the British.

ADAM CLAYTON POWELL JR. of cultural objects collected their artworks. ...These PARIS (AP)—African 1908—Adam Clayton Powell Jr. is born in New Havduring the country’s coloworks were taken in conartworks held in French en, Conn.

He would follow his father as head of Harlem, New York’s, powerful Abyssinnial past. ditions that were perhaps museums—richly carved ian Baptist Church.

He was also elected to Congress in 1945 and was a major force in Britain is also under legitimate at the time, but thrones, doors to a royal the Civil Rights Movement.

Powell died on April 4, 1972. pressure to return art illegitimate today.” kingdom, wooden statues 1919—Legendary dancer Pearl Primus is born in taken from its former The report is just a first imbued with spiritual Trinidad, but she is raised in New York City.

She blendcolonies. In recent months, meaning—may be heading step. Challenges ahead ined African and Caribbean dance and music with Black back home to Africa at last. clude enforcing the report’s Ethiopian officials have American traditions of Blues, Jazz and the jitterbug recommendations, especial- increased efforts to seFrench President Emto form a new vibrant dance form. She formed a dance cure the return of looted ly if museums resist, and manuel Macron, trying to troupe and she personally appeared in such early Broadturn the page on France’s way hits as “Showboat” and “Emperor Jones.” In 1991, colonial past , received a the first President Bush awarded her the National Medal report Friday on returning of Arts. She died Oct. 29, 1994. art looted from African 1961—Freedom Riders are attacked by a White mob lands. in McComb, Miss. This was just one of numerous such From Senegal to Ethiopia, attacks throughout the South. The Freedom Rides were artists, governments and part of a campaign against segregation in interstate travmuseums eagerly awaited el following a 1960 Supreme Court decision declaring all the report by French art such segregation on buses and in waiting rooms illegal. historian Benedicte Savoy November 30 PEARL PRIMUS and Senegalese economist 1912—Legendary filmmaker and photographer GorFelwine Sarr, and commisdon Parks is born in Fort Scott, Kan. In addition to his pioneering work in film and sioned by Macron himself. photography, Parks wrote 12 books and authored a ballet entitled “Martin” in honor of It recommends that civil rights legend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. French museums give 1924—Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm back works that were is born in Brooklyn, N.Y. Chisholm became the taken without consent, if leading Black female politician in America. She African countries request served in the New York State Assembly, the them—and could increase ROYAL THRONE—A visitor looks at the wooden and metal throne United States Congress and ran for the Demopressure on museums else- of the King Ghezo of the Dahomey kingdom, dated 19th century, cratic Party nomination for president in 1972. where in Europe to follow today’s Benin at Quai Branly museum in Paris, France, Nov. 23. (AP Chisholm died on Jan. 1, 2005. suit.

Photo/Michel Euler) December 1 The experts estimate that 1641—U.S. (then British) colonies began artifacts and manuscripts up to 90 percent of African determining how objects legalizing slavery. On this day, Massachusetts from museums, personal art is outside the continent, were obtained and whom became the first colony to do so. Other colonies collections and government to give them to. including statues, thrones followed suit. Ironically, Massachusetts was also institutions across Britain, The report is part of and manuscripts. Thouthe first state to outlaw slavery as a result of a SHIRLEY CHISHOLM including valuable items sands of works are held by broader promises by Ma1783 State Supreme Court ruling. taken in the 1860s after just one museum, the Quai cron to turn the page on 1774—In another compromise measure that characterized the legal struggle against battles in northern EthioFrance’s troubled relaBranly Museum in Paris, slavery in America, the Continental Congress approves a measure banning the pia, Yonas said. opened in 2006 to showcase tionship with Africa. In a further importation of slaves into the country. However, slavery itself remained In Nigeria, a group of groundbreaking meeting non-European art—much legal. Plus, it was common for slave ships to violate the ban. bronze casters over the with students in Burkina of it from former French 1877—Judge Jonathan Jasper Wright resigns. Wright had been the first Black years has strongly supFaso last year, Macron colonies. The museum state Supreme Court judge. However, he resigned on this day (out of possible fear for ported calls for the return wouldn’t immediately com- stressed the “undeniable his life) as the Reconstruction era ended White racists were reasserting control over crimes of European coloni- of artifacts taken from the ment on the report.

Palace of the Oba of Benin Southern politics and law. While on the South Carolina Supreme Court, Wright wrote zation” and said he wants Among disputed trea87 opinions which were noted for “clear thinking and a solid basis in common law.” in 1897 when the British pieces of African cultural sures in the Quai Branly 1878—Arthur Spingarn is born. He, along with his brother Joel, was one of the are several works from the heritage to return to Africa raided it. The group still principal early organizers of the NAACP. At one point, he headed both the NAACP uses their forefathers’ “temporarily or definitiveDahomey kingdom, in toand the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. His contribution to the group was primarily in centuries-old skills to proday’s West African country ly.” duce bronze works in Igun the areas of law and contacts to liberal, politically “I cannot accept that a of Benin: the metal-andwell-connected Whites.

Street, a UNESCO World wood throne of 19th-centu- large part of African heriDecember 2 Heritage Site. tage is in France,” he said ry King Ghezo, the doors 1859—John Brown, one of the leading White Eric Osamudiamen Ogbeat the time. to the palace of Kign Gele, heroes of Black history, is hanged near Harpers Ferry, mudia, secretary of the The French report could and imposing, wooden have broader repercussions. Igun Bronze Casters Union Va. He was a tireless crusader against slavery. His acstatues. in Benin City, said: “It was tivities ranged from working in the secretive “UnderIn Cameroon, professor The head of Ethiopia’s ground Railroad,” which helped Blacks escape slavery never the intention of our Authority for Research and Verkijika Fanso, historifathers to give these works to attacking slave owners who wanted to expand slavan at the University of Conservation of Cultural ery outside of the South. Brown’s frustration, with Heritage, Yonas Desta, said Yaounde One, said: “France to the British. It is imthe slow pace of efforts to abolish slavery, led him to portant that we get them is feeling the heat of what the report shows “a new attempt to incite a violent slave revolt which began back so as to see what our era of thought” in Europe’s others will face. Let their with a raid on the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry in decision to bring back what ancestors left behind.” relations with Africa.

October 1859. His group was eventually cornered and GRANVILLE T. WOODS Ogbemudia warned the is ours motivate others.”

Senegal’s culture minishe was hanged on this day in 1859. new French report should Germany has worked to ter, Abdou Latif Coulibaly, 1884—Granville T. Woods (1856-1910) invents and on this day patents a major imnot remain just a “recomreturn art seized by the mendation merely to make provement to the telephone transmitter. Indeed, it can be reasonably argued that this Nazis, and in May the orhighly productive African-American inventor actually invented the telephone because THE ganization that coordinates Africans to calm down. his device (called “telegraphony”) was superior to that invented by Alexander Graham NEW PITTSBURGH “Let us see the action.” that effort, the German Bell. It was so superior, in fact, that the Bell Company purchased it from Woods in part COURIER because his telephone was better and in part to prevent Woods from becoming a major PUBLISHING COMPANY competitor. Woods received nearly 50 patents for inventions in the areas of transportation, electricity and communications. He was called “the Black Edison” after Thomas Alva Edison who is generally considered the most productive U.S. inventor. However, Publication No.: USPS 381940 Woods and Edison would cross paths when Edison sued him in a dispute over which 315 East Carson Street one first invented the multiplex telegraph. Edison tried to buy Woods off by offering Pittsburgh, PA 15219 him a prominent position in his company but Woods declined.

1891—Historian Charles Wesley is born in Louisville, Ky. Wesley was one of Black Phone: 412-481-8302 America’s most productive historians and a strong advocate of the need for Blacks Fax: 412-481-1360 to know their history. His major works included “Neglected History,” “Collapse of the Confederacy” and “Negro Labor in the United States.” He had The a long association with Carter G. Woodson’s Association for the New Pittsburgh Courier Study of Afro-American Life and History in Washington, D.C. December 3 is published weekly 1847—Frederick Douglas and Martin R. Delaney establish “The North Star” and it goes on to become a major periodicals anti-slavery newspaper. paid at Pittsburgh, Pa. 1922—Ralph Gardner is born in Cleveland, Ohio. He was a PRICE $1.00 pioneer chemist whose research into plastics led to the development of so-called hard plastics and aided product developments in the petrochemical and pharmaceutical industries.

(Payable in advance) 1982—Thomas “The Hit Man” Hearns defeats Wilfredo 6 Months.....$25 Benitez for the WBC Junior Middleweight boxing title. Hearns becomes the first person to win boxing titles in five different 1 Year....$45 weight classes.

THOMAS HEARNS 2 Years...$85 December 4 1783—General George Washington gives his famous farewell address to troops at 9 Month School Rate $35 Fraunces Tavern in New York City. The tavern was owned by a prominent Black businessman of French and West Indian descent named Samuel “Black Sam” Fraunces, POSTMASTER: Send who had aided the Americans in their bid to gain independence from England. After he address changes to: became president, Washington hired Fraunces as his chief steward.

1807—Prince Hall dies. His was one of the most prominent Black names in colonial New Pittsburgh Courier America. Hall was born (circa 1748) in Barbados in the West Indies and migrated to Boston. He became one of the leaders of the city’s Black community. He also became 315 East Carson Street an abolitionist and a Mason. In fact, he is considered the “father of Black Masons.” He Pittsburgh, PA 15219 also fought in the American war for independence from England.

Time for France to give back looted African art, experts say

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A3

African Americans’ use of tobacco products remains Saks Fifth Avenue high even as cigarette smoking drops to all-time low accused of race, age

by Frederick H. Lowe discrimination in lawsuit For New Pittsburgh Courier

by Deepti Hajela Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK (AP)—Eight former employees at the Saks Fifth Avenue flagship store filed a race and age discrimination lawsuit Nov. 20 against the high-end store and its corporate parent, alleging they were subjected to a hostile work environment and unfairly fired.

The suit, filed in New York, said the men “were each forced to endure a pervasive pattern of discrimination and retaliation ...their respective managers deliberately targeted them because of their race and/or age.”

Attorney Derek Sells said managers for the four Black, two White and two Hispanic men engaged in a range of actions including making it difficult to get customers from store foot traffic, using abusive language, not allowing promotions to happen, and letting younger, White colleagues get away with harassing behavior, all with the intention of moving toward a younger, whiter workforce.

Some of the plaintiffs said that even when they made sales targets, managers would find other metrics to evaluate them poorly.

Saks’ parent organization, Hudson’s Bay Co., declined to comment on the litigation but said “we take these allegations seriously as we are committed to diversity and inclusion across our organization.”

Some of the plaintiffs had worked at the store for several years, Sells said, and the atmosphere changed to become more hostile after Hudson Bay’s acquired Saks in 2013.

An example, he said, was the computer system used to register customers’ information. The men in the suit claim the system was faulty and would generate error messages when they tried to input information, and they made repeated complaints to their managers without anything getting fixed.

Sells said the men would then be evaluated poorly for not registering enough customers, while younger, White employees were either helped with workarounds for the problem or not evaluated the same way.

Thomas Bisky, 68, one of the two White plaintiffs, and who had been working for Saks since 2011, said he had been told in fall 2017 that he had been having his best sales quarter yet but was still given a warning for not registering enough customers. He said he received no support to fix the error message problem despite making repeated complaints, and was terminated in January.

“It was quite clear to me that they wanted to get me out of there because I was of a certain age,” he said.

The suit seeks monetary damages.

In 2015, Saks settled with a former saleswoman in Texas, who said she had been discriminated against because she was transgender.

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—An estimated 14 percent of American adults smoked cigarettes every day or some parts of the day during 2017, which is lowest rate ever recorded since 1965.the first year the Public Health Services established a clearing house for smoking and health. In 1964, the office of the U.S. Surgeon General issued its first ever report on smoking and health.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Thursday that the number of cigarette smokers was down from 15.5 percent in 2016, a 67 percent drop since 1965.

The drop, which has affected 34 million individuals, occurred mostly among young adults between 2016 and 2017, the CDC reported. About 10 percent of young adults 18 to 24 smoked cigarettes in 2017, down from 13 percent in 2016.

“This new all-time low in cigarette smoking among U.S. adults is a tremendous public

health accomplishment— and it demonstrates the importance of continued proven strategies to reduce smoking,” said CDC Director Robert Redfield.

“Despite this progress, work remains to reduce the harmful effects of tobacco use.”

The report notes that about 47 million U.S. adults used a variety of tobacco products in 2017, including cigarettes, cigars, hookah/water pipes, smokeless tobacco products and e-cigarettes. The most common tobacco products are cigarettes and e-cigarettes.

The City of Chicago, which has filed a lawsuit against online sellers of E-Cigarettes, said since 2011 Cook County and the State of Illinois have raised taxes on tobacco products, resulting in the reduction of smoking. A pack of cigarettes costs $11.50 in Illinois, the highest in the nation, compared to the

average price of $5.51 per pack elsewhere, according to Fair Reporters, a website.

Black adults are one of many population groups who smoke cigarettes or use other tobacco products

Smoking is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Lung cancer is the leading cause of death among Black men, according to the American Cancer Society.

The study was also

ROBERT REDFIELD, Centers for Disease Control Director (AP PHOTO) at a much higher rate.

More than 20.1 percent of Blacks use some sort of tobacco product compared with 21.4 percent of Whites.

produced by the Food and Drug Administration and National Institutes of Health’s National Cancer Institute.

Mia Love, only Black Republican woman in Congress, loses re-election bid (TriceEdneyWire.com)— Ludmya “Mia” Love, the only Black Republican woman in Congress, won’t be returning to Washington in January. She was defeated by her Democratic opponent in last week’s midterm elections to represent Utah’s 4th Congressional district in suburban Salt Lake City. Love, who was seeking a third term after first being elected in 2014, lost to Democrat Ben McAdams in a close race, which wasn’t decided until Tuesday, 14 days after the election.McAdams, mayor of Salt Lake City, defeated Love by fewer than 700 votes, flipping a Republican-held seat in a deep red

state.

Love was behind in the race from the beginning, but briefly took the lead in the contest before McAdams moved ahead.

Love’s loss did not make President Trump sad. Right after the election, he said, “Love gave me no love and she lost.” She refused to embrace him and his ideas, particularly blasting his immigration policies. Love is of Haitian descent, and Trump referred in the past to Haiti as a “shit hole country.”

Love also faced federal scrutiny regarding her campaign fund-raising and had to repay the money.

CONGRESSWOMAN MIA LOVE

(Special to the Trice Edney News Wire from NorthStarNewsToday.com)

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NOVEMBER 28-DECEMBER 4, 2018

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A County Civilian Police Review Board—will it happen?

REVIEW FROM A1

cilmen DeWitt Walton and Paul Klein taking the lead.

On July 10, they pushed through legislation, in a contentious 8-6 vote, that allowed the scheduling of four meetings to gather input to help them draft an ordinance to create the review board. Those meetings have been held and though Walton had planned to submit the draft at the first December meeting, he has had to push it back.

“This has become more involved and detailed as we’ve gone forward. We’re now creating a menu of options—the possible ‘what ifs’—and it’s taking longer than I anticipated,” he said.

“We need to present a comprehensive document that is as transparent as possible, so we protect those who lodge complaints as well as the respondents, while creating entity that has the ability to determine the facts and make recommendations for further action. And it has to have the appropriate resources— both capital and human— to determine what did or did not occur.”

Even if such a county law is passed, the board it creates would only have jurisdiction over Allegheny County Police. Every other municipal force would have to voluntarily submit to the board’s oversight.

Walton said he has continued to speak with Raheem and members of the Committee for a County Civilian Review Board, including cochair Fawn Walker-Mont-

gomery, who outlined their recommendations for the board’s structure at a recent meeting in the Hill District.

“It should have broad jurisdiction and investigative and subpoena powers to process complaints and recommend policy,” said Raheem.

“As for composition it should mirror County Council with 15 members, one from each of the 13 council districts and two at large. They should also be weighted towards those disproportionally effected by police misconduct—Blacks, youth and members of the LGBTQ community, and like Pittsburgh’s board, it should include retired law enforcement officers.”

Walker-Montgomery, who pushed attendance at all of Walton’s public meetings through her Take Action Mon Valley organization’s website, is adamant about the need for a countywide review board.

“When Jonny Gammage was killed in Brentwood, the only referendum was in Pittsburgh,” she said.

“These small-town departments are run like the wild, wild west—and we have to live there. A lot of these killings are in small towns with little or no accountability,” she told the New Pittsburgh Courier.

While these actions were taking place at the county and grassroots level, in Harrisburg state legislators are pushing initiatives to support a county board’s creation and make it ad-

KHALID RAHEEM is one of the organizers of the Committee for a Civilian Police Review Board of Allegheny County. He’s pictured speaking during a press conference recently at Freedom Unlimited in the Hill District. (Photo by Courier photographer J.L. Martello) vantageous for municipal departments outside of Pittsburgh to join.

State Reps. Austin Davis, Ed Gainey and Jake Wheatley are backing legislation to mandate additional certifications for police beyond what is currently required.

In the state senate, Sen. Paul Costa is pushing legislation that would provide additional resources, training and equipment for departments that opt in. Senator Wayne Fontana is opting for the stick rather than the carrot with legislation that would mandate all Allegheny County municipal departments outside of Pittsburgh submit to county review board oversight.

Walton said that may not be necessary.

“We have several municipalities

that have said, if we can pass this, they are waiting to sign on, regardless of what the state does,” he told the Courier. “They think it’s the right thing to do because it best protects their municipalities and residents at large.”

But therein lies the challenge, Walton said—the committee his ordinance is assigned to will have to craft legislation that can pass a council vote.

“Ultimately, we’re going to have to present a document that can generate majority support, that protects the citizens and doesn’t put law enforcement in impractical positions as well,” he said. “The overwhelming majority of law enforcement officers are dedicated to doing the best job they can. But a small minority is

not—and it has to be dealt with in a clear and concise manner.”

And if County Council cannot craft and pass such legislation, what then?

“We’ll do it ourselves,” an emphatic Raheem said. “We’re in the process of creating a People’s Police Review Board, crafted along the lines we outlined in our recommendations. It would process complaints and take them to the proper district magistrate.”

Longtime civil rights activist Mel Packer said such an idea has merit and has worked in the past.

“It’s like what the (Black) Panthers did with their ambulance and school lunch programs,” he said. “When the dominant system fails to meet your needs, you create a parallel system that does.”

Pittsburgh NAACP: What are the issues that matter the most?

NAACP FROM A1

tional office about its voting positions for the recent midterm elections, the site hasn’t been consistently updated with the latest information on the Pittsburgh branch.

But immediately following its Nov. 13 elections, Pittsburgh NAACP President Richard Stewart Jr. told the New Pittsburgh Courier that just because some webpages are empty doesn’t mean the branch isn’t focused on those priorities heading into 2019.

And the election results should help with that.

“We have wholesome people on the board and some new folks coming in,” he said.

While Stewart, 1st Vice President Johnnie Miott, Secretary Gwendolyn Young, and Treasurer Morton Stanfield Jr. were reelected to their same positions, two previously vacant positions were filled: Rev. Regina Ragin-Dykes is

now 2nd vice president and Billy Joe Jordon now fills the 3rd vice president slot.

There are also two new additions to the branch executive committee, with Charlene McAbee and K. Chase Patterson joining re-elected members Angelina Bryant and Walter Bentley II. “Economic development, police accountability, jobs, youth empowerment— there’s a host of issues,” said Stewart. “And I am committed to working with whoever I have to, trying to get this violence down in the streets—working with police departments, which I am doing now, trying to get a handle on what’s troubling our youth and getting the guns out of our neighborhoods.”

When asked how an all-volunteer organization could take on those issues, plus advocating for more low-income housing, community health, prison reform, and putting more

NAACP IN THE PARADE—The Pittsburgh NAACP was part of the African American Heritage Day Parade, held Aug. 25 in Manchester.

African Americans in cor- that’s the job.

“We’ll have to roll up our porate and nonprofit leadership, Stewart said they sleeves and get busy,” he will just have to, because said. “My message to the community is—come and join us. We need help. Purchase a membership and get involved.”

Stewart said he will be interviewing people to serve on specific committees,

committee chairs, and he will continue to work on increasing membership.

“We won an award at the national convention for our membership work—we outdid Philadelphia,” he said.

“Still I’d like to get 50-100 people in here next year.”

Stewart said that’s one reason the branch has its

are aware of X, how are you going to handle it?’ Because we can work out arrangements that lead to more hiring or address a problem that way rather than trying to embarrass them with a crowd and creating a lot of animosity before we even talk.”

Another reason might be

PITTSBURGH MAYOR BILL PEDUTO, PITTSBURGH NAACP PRESIDENT RICHARD A. STEWART JR. and that if board members think they’re just going to sit there, they are mistaken.

“Those days are gone. We need people who will get their hands dirty. If I can run up and down these streets, so can you,” he said.

“We’re going to be about the business of doing more work.”

As soon as everyone is sworn in in January, Stewart said he will appoint new

critics, saying the local NAACP isn’t “doing anything,” because the branch isn’t calling for marches and protests as much as in the past. But that is by design. A lot of the work the local NAACP is doing is behind the scenes.

“That’s the directive from the national office,” Stewart told the Courier in an exclusive interview, Nov. 26.

“We go in and talk to people first and say, ‘Look, we

the lack of current information on the local NAACP’s website, but Stewart said that’s one of the tribulations of a volunteer organization.

“We’re going to need someone who can devote the time to uploading the information and maintaining it,” he said. “It’s vital to have that social media presence to get our message out, especially to younger people.”

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NOVEMBER 28-DECEMBER 4, 2018

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Leon Ford’s next journey—a bid for City Council

LEON FORD’s next step is to represent his community as City Councilman in the 9th District. He made the announcement during an event at Repair the World in East Liberty on Nov. 11, six years to the day that he was shot five times by Pittsburgh police officer David Derbish during a traffic stop in Highland Park. (Photos by Courier photographer J.L. Martello) FORD FROM A1

held accountable for their actions, along with filing lawsuits against the City of Pittsburgh.

Ultimately, Ford was awarded a $5.5 million settlement from the City of Pittsburgh in January 2018.

If you—or the City of Pittsburgh—thought the financial settlement would put Leon Ford out of the spotlight, think again.

By now, Ford is a household name, a person who stands taller than most when it comes to improving conditions for his African American community in Pittsburgh. He became the voice of Pittsburgh’s newest generation of speaking out against injustices here, do-

death.

Within moments, everyone was calling Ford—local media, national media, those on social media— they wanted that exclusive interview. They wanted Ford’s comments. But he stayed away from making some earth-shattering commentary—out of respect for the family, and because, quite frankly, he felt it just wasn’t the right time. But as he stayed out the public eye during the past few months, he knew it was only a matter of time.

That time is now.

Leon Ford is officially running for Pittsburgh City Council.

“God positioned me, and you have pushed me to be up for it,” Ford told the

coln-Lemington, East Hills and parts of East Liberty.

The primary election for the District 9 City Council seat will be held May 21, 2019.

“Here in District 9, I’ve been receiving so much love, so much support all my life,” Ford told the Courier. “When I got shot, they loved me and supported me, and now that I’ve decided to run for office, they love me and support me still.”

Ford said he is excited to “represent people who look like me and walk like me and talk like me. I’m excited to really lead with love and represent people who are not strangers to adversity.”

“We deserve what Leon has to offer,” added state

“You see, I never asked for any of this, but it happened, and I’m here today as a testimony that anything is possible, and that you are stronger than your circumstances.”

LEON FORD ing so without negativity or violence.

It’s as if he had the city on his shoulders—people looked to Ford for his opinion or stance on certain issues, and people stopped what they were doing to hear what he had to say.

“A few months ago I had a dream that I ran for City Council and won,” Ford told a crowd in East Liberty earlier this month. But because he had opportunities where he could make significantly more money in the private sector, “I told myself, ‘I’m definitely not going to be a politician,’” eliciting laughter from the audience.

That was, until the death of 17-year-old Antwon Rose II in East Pittsburgh this past June.

That was the tipping point. Another young Black male, shot by police, only this time, it resulted in

crowd of supporters at Repair the World in East Liberty, Nov. 11, exactly six years after the shooting that forever changed his life.

“And one thing about me is that I stand for what I believe in, and I don’t let external forces change who I am,” Ford said. “Going through what I’ve been through, there’s only one way to be happy and to have a peace of mind, and that’s through faith and my relationship with God.” In an exclusive interview with the New Pittsburgh Courier, Ford said running for City Council is the perfect place “to effect change—it’s important for my journey.”

He will run for the District 9 seat currently held

by Rev. Ricky Burgess. District 9 encompasses Garfield, Larimer, Homewood, Point Breeze North, Lin-

Rep.-elect Summer Lee, who, in January, will officially become the first Black woman to represent a state House District (34) in this area outside city limits. “We deserve a public official who is going to show up for us, a public official who is going to be compassionate and understand us and relate to you…We’re here today to represent a new class of politics and a new way of doing politics.”

One of Ford’s best qualities, he said, is his ability to be an “active listener. I’m able to listen to people even if they have a perspective that’s different than mine.

I’m able to listen to people even if they’re saying things that I don’t agree with. I might be frustrated, I might be angry, but I’m able to put my personal emotions aside for the betterment of my community—and that’s something

that I’ve shown for the past six years.”

Ford will use the next months to listen to community residents within District 9, learning about the issues, the concerns, the ways to make the community better. As an East End resident, though, he’s aware of many of the problems.

“I have family members who have been displaced, friends and mentees who have literally lost their homes and for a short period of time were homeless,” Ford told the Courier.

Ford is aware of new buildings and “infrastructure” that’s popping up in places like East Liberty, parts of Homewood, etc. In some circles, the new development in some East

End African American neighborhoods is viewed as a positive. But Ford has another view. “We have to understand what happens when the needs of the community are put on the backburner just to see change in infrastructure,” he said. “A lot of money that has gone into infrastructure hasn’t been the same investment in people. When we invest in the mindsets of people, then the people can afford to live here. But when we invest in infrastructure and not the people, that’s when we see people being displaced.”

Before Ford completed his speech to the audience at Repair the World, Nov. 11, he told the crowd of a person who came to him and said that “a lot of people are

appointed to office, but you are anointed to office.”

On the morning of Nov. 11, 2012, the last thing a 19-year-old Leon Ford was thinking about was being an elected official.

But exactly six years later, Nov. 11, 2018, as rap artist Drake’s popular song “God’s Plan” played in the background, it was a 25-yearold Leon Ford, center stage, being cheered, hugged, and loved by the crowd. To their eyes, they were looking at the next Pittsburgh City Councilman.

“You see, I never asked for any of this, but it happened,” Ford told his supporters, “and I’m here today as a testimony that anything is possible, and that you are stronger than your circumstances.”

LIFESTYLES New Pittsburgh Courier

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Debbie Norrell

Lifestyles Report Don’t let the thread count fool you There was a time when I left the house at 4 a.m. for Black Friday deals. JCPenney used to hand out a snow globe on Black Friday mornings and I felt that I had to collect one each year. It was like a shopping trophy. This year I was happy to be in my house. Actually I don’t need anything and I did not see any deals that I needed to wait in line for. I did take advantage of a sale at JoAnn. For years I have held on to a print of Malcolm X by the late artist Jay Allen aka Jay Bakari. It is an odd size and needs a custom frame. This year I finally treated myself to that frame and learned something in the process. I didn’t realize that I needed a UV glass for my artwork so the work will not be faded by the sun. If you have art that you care about, even if it is a print, please change the glass to sunproof glass. This is especially important for photographs. I have a lot of black and white photos and some of them have started to fade and will have to be restored. The best time to replace the glass is when stores that do framing are having a sale.

The one thing that I wanted to pick up on Black Friday was a set of sheets from Macy’s.

They had 100 percent cotton sheets that have a 650 thread count. These sheets were marked at an original price of $190 and were on sale for $39.99, I know with my shopping skills I could find these same sheets if I shopped around but I would spend more in gas than what I saved. I have a hard time believing the sheets were ever $190. There were also some other sheets with a higher thread count for less money but once you read the fine print the sheets were a polyester/cotton combo and they were not as soft.

So pay attention to the details, everyone. There are actually sheets that have the verbiage “300 thread count” in the name of the sheets and then when you look at the content you will find they are polyester sheets and within days of putting them on your bed the sheets will start to “pill” and then you will have to throw them away or use them as rags. Once you start using higher thread count sheets you will never go back to cheap polyester sheets. I have to thank Oprah for the thread count lesson.

The bottom line is you should check the content on everything you buy. If you are buying a cashmere sweater look at the content before you snap it up and if you are adding new items to your wardrobe try and remove an item when you bring home the new ones. It is true, we really don’t need all the clothes we have; as a friend once told me, let someone else enjoy it.

For event coverage: (Email Debbie at debbienorrell@aol.com.)

THE GALA WAS HER IDEA—Elder Angelita Wright

REPRESENTING PASTORAL FRIENDS— Bishop J. LaVon Kincaid

REPRESENTING Bishop

SIBLINGS—Yvonne

REPRESENTING THE FAMILY—Howard Slaughter

Love Fellowship Church Founders Gala 2018 livered by Bishop Joseph McCargo from Baltimore.

Bishop McCargo said, “all things work together for the good.”

At the conclusion of the evening gifts were presented to Bishop and Pastor

SON–IN–LAWS—Kyle Love and Brandon Allen Brock by friends, family and members of the congregation. The final gift to the Brocks was keys to a Bentley and the presentation brought a tear to Bishop Brock’s eye. He said, “there is nothing wrong with having things as long as things don’t have you.”

He said to the guests, “tonight you have given me something that is priceless, you have given me your time by celebrating with me tonight.”

Love Fellowship Church is located in Turtle Creek at 232 Church Street Extension.

REPRESENTING GRANDCHILDREN—Jeremiah Josephs PASTOR & BISHOP BROCK—Lisa and David Brock (Photos by Debbie Norrell)

by Debbie Norrell Lifestyles Editor

On Oct. 20, the design team of Deborah Moncrief and Keith and Karl Edmonds, in preparation for the 2018 Love Fellowship Church Founders Gala, transformed the Rodi Road Comfort Inn. Guests ar-

rived on the red carpet and entered the ballroom that was fit for a king and queen.

Shades of purple and gold surrounded the room.

Guests enjoyed a delightful meal and the smooth vocal sounds of Anita Levels while celebrating the 55th birthday of Bishop David A. Brock and 42 years in the

HANDSOME COUPLE—Zakiyyah and Keith Edmonds

ministry.

Words of expression were delivered to the Brocks by: David Dixon, Dr. Howard Slaughter, Yvonne Bishop, Jeremiah Josephs, Bishop J. LaVon Kincaid, Overseer Kendon Gibson and the children of Bishop David DELIVERING THE WORD— A. Brock and Pastor Lisa Bishop Joseph McCargo Brock. The word was de-

OUT-OF-TOWN GUESTS—Lady Malia Gibson and Overseer Kendon Gibson

BROTHERS—Keith and Karl Edmonds

SPORTS New Pittsburgh Courier

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There is no stopping Penn Hills

THE CELEBRATION—Penn Hills players Dante Cephas, Hollis Mathis and Corey Thomas hold the WPIAL 5A Championship Trophy after defeating West Allegheny, 28-18, at Norwin High School, Nov. 23. (Photos by Courier photographer Will McBride)

Indians overcome 10-point deficit to win WPIAL 5A Title over West Allegheny, 28-18 PENN HILLS’ DEVYN BEST brought the heat—in the form of a smoke bomb—onto the field as he was introduced prior to the contest.

HOLLIS MATHIS threw three touchdowns and ran for 49 yards on eight carries, as his Penn Hills Indians claimed the WPIAL 5A crown.

PENN HILLS LEGEND—Former Indians player and current NFL star defensive lineman Aaron Donald was at the game, watching his TERRY “TANK” SMITH celebrates as the Indians claimed the WPI- high school team claim the WPIAL 5A Title. Donald plays for the AL 5A Championship.

NFL’s Los Angeles Rams.

PENN HILLS’ ANTHONY GRIMES

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SPORTS

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

Familiar territory—Steel Valley, champions again Ironmen claim second WPIAL 2A Title in three years with dominant 48-6 win over South Side Beaver STEEL VALLEY’S KAMERON WILLIAMS hoists the WPIAL 2A Championship Trophy, as his Ironmen won their fifth-ever WPIAL championship. The game was played at Robert Morris University, Nov. 24. (Photos by Courier photographer Will McBride)

STEEL VALLEY’S TODD HILL rushed for 118 yards in the WPIAL 2A Championship Game victory.

STEEL VALLEY’S RONNELL LAWRENCE

STEEL VALLEY’S NAHKI JOHNSON

ESHAWN CARTER played a vital role in the Ironmen’s 48-6 win over KAMERON WILLIAMS had 196 yards rushing, 104 yards receiving, South Side Beaver. and three total touchdowns in Steel Valley’s dominating win.

Big Ben Roethlisberger—a repeat offender Fans should be getting used to his ill-advised decisions

by Aubrey Bruce For New Pittsburgh Courier

In the year 1905, Spanish-American philosopher George Santayana coined the following phrase: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

In layman’s terms, “If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck it is a duck,” and we would all be foolish to expect a Rottweiler to be camping out on our front porch as a guard dog.

During a Steelers/Patri-

ots regular season matchup on Dec. 17, 2017, Patriots defensive back Duron Harmon silenced a very raucous Heinz Field crowd when he picked off Roethlisberger for the Steelers’ last play of the game. Harmon’s interception ended a very schizophrenic and bipolar effort from Roethlisberger and the Steelers and the Patriots sent the home team packing by the score of 27-24. During that game newly-exiled Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell had 24 carries for 117 yards and 1 touchdown, and yet Pittsburgh chose a pass play throwing into quadruple coverage up the middle seemingly trying to fool the Patriots—and that pass attempt was easily picked off.

Fast forward to the Nov. 18, 2018 Steelers vs. Jaguars contest in Jacksonville. Ben Roethlisberger

threw three Some of drive-killRoethlising interberger’s folceptions, lowers are (he actually so loyal they threw five find and inpicks but two vent excuses were voided for his failby penalties). ures. There Pittsburgh was an arescaped with ticle on the a 20-16 “vicTribune-Retory!” after a view’s webgame-clinchsite later ing pick by that day tiJacksonville tled, “Xavier was voided by Grimble’s a penalty. fumble sets This past tone for AUBREY BRUCE S u n d a y, Steelers’ loss Nov. 25, Roto Broncos.” ethlisberger succeeded in The article went on to say gift-wrapping a 24-17 vic- that: “Grimble took a pass tory for the Denver Broncos from Ben Roethlisberger by tossing another ill-ad- and went 23 yards toward vised end zone intercep- the left pylon for a score tion as the Steelers were that would’ve given the on the verge of scoring the Pittsburgh Steelers the game-tying touchdown. lead on their second series

Inside Conditions

against the Denver Broncos.”

I wholeheartedly disagree with the assessment that the fumble by Grimble on that particular play was the catalyst for the Steelers’ defeat. The Steelers had ample time to recover from that turnover. There is almost always no recovery possible when a turnover is committed with basically no time left on the clock. There is a common myth that when a quarterback breaks the huddle his primary responsibility is to “read the defense” and position his skill players accordingly. Based on Roethlisberger being picked off in the end zone in multiple games based on varied down-and-distance scenarios, it leads me to believe that opposing defenses are reading Ben Roethlisberger like an old suspense novel.

The opposing teams know that when it’s crunch time “you can bet your sweet bippy” that Roethlisberger is going to be looking for his partner, wide receiver Antonio Brown, whether he is single, double or sometimes even triple-covered or he is probably going to try to complete a pass over the middle inside the 5 yard line. That’s my story and I’m sticking with it, and possibly “Big” Ben is sticking to his story too because; “those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it.”

If the strategy remains the same, the outcome won’t change and the Steelers will be condemned to watch Super Bowl LIII from afar; just glorious couch potatoes only dreaming about hoisting a seventh Lombardi trophy above their heads in the near future.

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

NOVEMBER 28-DECEMBER 4, 2018

Get in the holiday mood with John Legend, Diana Ross and more Here’s a collection of holiday albums reviewed by The Associated Press.

John Legend, “A Legendary Christmas” (Columbia Records) If anyone needs a model for how to put out a successful Christmas album, look no further than everyone’s latest EGOT winner—John Legend.

On the modestly titled “A Legendary Christmas,” the singer mixes old chestnuts and new tunes, switches tempos from jazz to blues, and adds a few perfectly cast cameos. (Only Legend could get Stevie Wonder to play a little harmonica work on “What Christmas Means to Me”).

Legend teams up with veteran producer Raphael Saadiq for new takes on classics, including an uptempo “Silver Bells” and a lush “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” with guest Esperanza Spalding.

“Christmas Time Is Here” gets the lounge treatment and he’s nicely unearthed Marvin Gaye’s “Purple Snowflakes.”

Legend shows off his own songwriting with the delicious throwback “No Place Like Home” and co-writes the bustling “Bring Me Love” with Meghan Trainor.

“Waiting for Christmas” is classic piano Legend, “Wrap Me Up in Your Love” is a smoky R&B standout and “By Christmas Eve”—a promise to get home, like an update on Brenda Russell’s “Get Here”—is simply sublime.

The album’s cover features Legend in a Santa hat and bow tie, emulating one of Bing Crosby’s iconic Christmas albums.

Bold move, Mr. Legend—but earned.

This Christmas album is an instant classic.

—Mark Kennedy (twitter.com/ KennedyTwits)

JOHN LEGEND, “A Legendary Christmas” (Columbia Records) Diana Ross, “Wonderful Christmas Time” (UMe/Ross Records) Are you in the mood for jolly, singalong Christmas music? Diana Ross has you covered.

Looking for something more serene, with religious tones? Diana Ross has you covered.

Or are you looking for inspirational music that doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with the holidays? Again, Diana Ross has you covered.

Her new Christmas album, the 20-track “Wonderful Christmas Time,” may actually have a track for every mood of the season with the exception of the bah-humbug crowd. Ross’ silky, smooth soprano takes on a wide variety of songs, from “Ave Maria” to “Let It Snow!

Let It Snow! Let it Snow!”

She also goes outside the Christmas arc with songs about peace and love,

Gifts for the food, drink and coffee lover in your life

by Elizabeth Karmel For the Associated Press

Jan Hammock created the pie/cake/food carriers in honor of her southern mother Millie and her aunt Lottie—thus the name of the company. She carried food all of her life to dinners, potlucks and the like and finally in 2015 made a better food carrier for herselfIt is a beautiful way to present a gift or carry food. It is also an easy “bag” to keep in your car or purse for trips to the farmers market and other shopping excursions. The fabric also conforms to the shape of the dish instead of the other way around. Lee is also survived by another daughter, Patricia Amanda, and four grandchildren. She was predeceased by a son, Jeffrey, and by a

For the foodie on your holiday list—or just people who might appreciate a good tequila or pie pan—we offer a gift guide.

It’s got coffee machines, books, chocolate truffles and a fabulous tote to carry it all away.

FOR THE ENTERTAINERS: Opinel Cheese Knife and Fork Set, $45 Opinel is an iconic French knife maker.

They are recognized and famous for their picnic “pocket” knife which is made the same way today as it was in 1890 when Joseph Opinel invented it. This compact set of an interlocking fork and cheese knife is made from stainless steel and a blond beech-wood handle. The set of two is perfect for anyone who entertains and loves cheese—which pretty much means all of us!

FOR THE SPIRTS LOVER: Paradiso by El Tesoro, 750 mL bottle $119.99 Paradiso is a mash up of Mexican tequila production and French cognac blending. The herbal nose gives FOR THE READER—This Nov. 12, 2018 photo shows “Edna Lewis: way to scents of caramel At the Table with an American Original,” Edited by Sara B. Franklin, and butterscotch, and the from The University of North Carolina Press. (AP Photo/Richard flavor is sweet and oaky Drew) with a smooth elegant finish that you would expect daughter, Patricia. from tequila that has been aged for five FOR THE COFFEE LOVER: years in cognac barrels. This is a tequila Illy X1 iperEspresso Anniversary that you want to sip on after dinner or on 1935 Machine, $595 a cozy day when time is on your side.

Years ago, espresso machines were cumFOR THE READER bersome and messy but that all changed “At the Table with an American with the coffee pod, or capsules as Illy Original,” Edna Lewis, $28 calls them. In honor of the 20th anniverEdna Lewis (1916-2006) is an almost sary of the Francis Francis X1 machine, mythical food figure and had always a special edition multi-beverage machine seemed somewhat intangible to me. Dewas designed. Now you can make espresscribed as elegant by everyone who knew so, cappuccino, regular coffee and lattes her, she was born and raised in Freetown, at home with one machine. Two types of Virginia, in a self-sustaining farming capsules are available for the machine; community of emancipated slaves—this one for espresso and one for brewed cofis the food and the life that is reflected in fee. Both capsules comes in medium roast her most acclaimed books. This book of essays helps to anchor her contributions to and dark roast. Espresso is also available in decaf, long espresso and three single American, and more specifically regional origin varietals. southern foodways. The book, compiled FOR THE CHOCOLATE LOVER: and edited by Sara B. Franklin, provides La Maison du Chocolat “Bien Etre” stories and insights from people who knew her and/or people who have been captivat- Wellness Vegan Chocolate Gift Box, $34 ed by her writing and researched her.

If anyone could make a delicious vegan FOR THE BAKER: chocolate that didn’t trade down in any Baking Steel, $89 Pretty much everyone loves pie, and this respect to quality, flavor or texture, it is La Maison du Chocolat. The box comes is the season for pie. But many pies need with a beautiful color brochure that to be baked twice and that is a deterguides you through each fruit-infused rent for even the most patient bakers. chocolate as you sample them. The “GreBlind-baking pre-bakes the crust so that nade” pomegranate literally tastes like it is not a mushy mess in the bottom of pomegranate seeds bursting with fresh the pan, under the filling. But now, you juice ending with a tart finish. The Mango can bake pies on the Baking Steel and Curcuma mixes mango and turmeric in eliminate the need to pre-bake your crust. Made from low-carbon steel, Andris a softer way with hints of mango, and turmeric but more dark chocolate forLagsdin created the baking steel because he wanted to make a better pizza without ward. Other flavors in the box are Praline Squash Seeds, Green Apple Aloe Vera and building a wood-fire oven.

Peach Propolis—and all are pure luxury.

You preheat the oven with the steel The chocolates are all gluten-free, dairyinside for an hour before baking and free, and sugar-free. then place your pie plate directly on the Elizabeth Karmel is a barbecue and Baking Steel. You can also bake pizza and Southern foods expert. She is the chef and bread directly on the Baking Steel and, pit master at online retailer CarolinaCueyou can use it on your grill as well.

ToGo.com and the author of three books, Heirloom Wrap Food Carriers from including “Taming the Flame.”

Millie/Lottie Totes, $40-$56

like Stevie Wonder’s “Overjoyed.” While there’s something for everyone here, the downside is the lack of cohesiveness: Even though “What the World Needs Now” is given a sweeping, classical approach, to go from that to “Amazing Grace” is still a bit of head scratcher, despite a near seamless transition.

Of course, it’s a small quibble, like complaining that you were offered too many pie options at the holiday meal. In the end, you’ll be deeply satisfied.

—Nekesa Mumbi Moody (twitter.com/ NekesaMumbi) Eric Clapton, “Happy Xmas,” (Bushbranch/Surfdog) Guitar god Eric Clapton may have been an unlikely rock star to cut a Christmas record, but for music fans looking for a bluesy alternative to the typical holiday dredge it’s as welcome as a steaming cup of hot chocolate on a wintry night.

“Happy Xmas” steers clear of the typical holiday playlist, and thankfully has more hits than misses.

“White Christmas” and “Lonesome Christmas” benefit from Clapton’s distinctive slowhand blues guitar style. The

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lone new song from Clapton, “For Love on Christmas Day,” will comfortably find a slot into soft rock holiday playlists but may turn off fans who prefer their Clapton with a little less schmaltz.

The most un-Clapton song, “Jingle Bells (In Memory of Avicii),” is a tribute to the late EDM DJ-producer Avicii, whom Clapton admired. It may be the first time “Jingle Bells” has ever been re-imagined as a tribute to a DJ, but whatever. It bears little resemblance to the holiday standard, or anything Clapton has done before, making it a curiosity at the very least, and a standout track for those who treasure Christmas music that’s not just outside the box, but on another planet entirely.

Kudos to the 73-year-old Clapton for at least making it interesting.

— Scott Bauer (twitter.com/SBauerAP) Michael McDonald, “Season of Peace: The Christmas Collection” (BMG Records) Michael McDonald is no newcomer to the Christmas album genre. He’s recorded two original discs while also putting tracks from those records on compilations with the addition of a new song or two.

“Season of Peace” belongs in the latter category, complementing tunes from records released in 2001, 2005 and 2009 with an instrumental version of “Winter Wonderland” featuring ukulele wiz Jake Shimabukuro.

If you don’t have any of the previous offerings, “Season of Peace” is a good holiday choice, as the intimacy and warmth of McDonald’s MICHAEL MCDONALD, “Season of Peace: The Christmas voice is well Collection” (BMG Records) suited to the Christmas catalog of standards like “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” ?O Holy Night” and “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.”

“Every Time Christmas Comes Around,” which he co-wrote, sounds like the Doobie Brothers with the Earth, Wind & Fire horn section. Other tracks McDonald co-wrote—such as “Peace” (written with Beth Nielsen Chapman), “To Make a Miracle” and “Christmas on the Bayou”—add a variety of styles and tones to the festive spirit and help make the compilation a worthy option.

— Associated Press — Pablo Gorondi (twitter.com/ PabloGorondi)

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BUSINESS New Pittsburgh Courier

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First African American president of ABC resigns As soon as…?

(TriceEdneyWire.com)— Channing Dungey, the first African American to lead a major television network, has resigned as president of ABC Entertainment amid changes by owner Disney. In a statement, Dungey said she was “incredibly proud of what the team and I have accomplished over the years, and all the meaningful and impactful programming

we’ve developed. This job has been the highlight of my career.”

Dungey, 49, was named ABC Entertainment president in 2016. During her tenure, she pushed for Roseanne Barr’s firing after the actress referred in a tweet to Valerie Jarrett, an aide to former President Barack Obama, as an ape.

The National Association

of Black Journalists praised Dungey for her actions. Barr was the star of the popular sitcom “Roseanne.” Dungey, however, was criticized for preventing the airing of a segment on the television show “blackish” about National Football League players kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality against Black men. Variety, a weekly trade magazine that covers the entertainment industry, reported that Dungey was unsuccessful in turning around ABC, which is in fourth place among viewers.

With money goals, multitasking pays off

by Liz Weston NerdWallet

CHANNING DUNGEY

READY FOR THE SALE—Surrounded by her staff, including Jammie Lockwood, Derdre Cooper, Earcel Wilkes and Gelisa Bonner, Edina Greene, center, is ready for business. (Photo by Diane I. Daniels)

Local Black business owners are ready for the holiday rush

by Diane I. Daniels For New Pittsburgh Courier

As Black Friday and Small Business Saturday initiated the holiday shopping season, women business owners located Downtown Pittsburgh and East Liberty were primed and ready for the season.

Edina Style Accessories in Fifth Avenue Place, Downtown, and the Gallery on Penn, a pop-up store for minority- and women-owned entrepreneurs in East Liberty, met the challenges of the weekend.

Proprietor Edina Greene describes her business as a jewel box that offers designer-inspired handbags and unique costume jewelry for all occasions. Operating as an actual brick and mortar retail shop since mid-October, Greene says, has been positive for her business.

“We’ve been coasting along nicely.

Light-up Night, Black Friday and Small Business Saturday has been good for us.”

Originally functioning as a pop-up establishment, first for 90 days, then receiving two six-month extensions, Greene says she is excited that Edina Style Accessories was recently awarded a two-year lease by the management of Fifth Avenue Place. “I am elated about the opportunity of being here, the originality it offers my customers and the possibilities it extends to other artisans.”

In addition to selling the costume jewelry, Greene’s goal is to sell designer-inspired jewelry, including her own as well as authentic artistic wearable art from around the world. Already she sells jewelry from Argentina designed by Maria Metagi. She says her wide range

of customers can find Fulani earrings, Masa turtles from Africa, and fresh water pearls and gems from Turkey.

“I want to create a hub for local and designers from around the world to sell their goods whether it be jewelry, purses and a variety of wearable art,” Greene said.

A longtime designer herself, Greene says she receives her inspiration from her travels. A lover of color, she points out that her journeys to Italy, Guatemala, Costa Rica and throughout the Caribbean have influenced her. “I find that I am drawn to the tills of the water.”

Originally established in New York more than 30 years ago, Greene, the New Jersey native, has been surviving and expressing herself through her SEE HOLIDAY B2

NEW YORK (AP)—Tackling money goals one at a time cost financial literacy expert Barbara O’Neill at least $1 million.

That’s how much O’Neill, a distinguished professor at Rutgers University, figures she lost by starting saving for retirement only after she had created an emergency fund, bought a car with cash and purchased a home.

“I tell students that eventually, 30 years later, I hit the million-dollar mark, but I could’ve had $2 million,” O’Neill says.

Too often, financial experts say, people want to attack their money goals one at a time: “As soon as I pay off my credit card debt, then I’ll start saving for a home,” or, “As soon as I pay off my student loan debt, then I’ll start saving for retirement.”

These folks don’t realize how costly the words “as soon as” can be. Paying off debt is a worthy goal, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of other goals, particularly saving for retirement. Company matches and tax breaks are not retroactive.

And the sooner money is contributed, the longer it can benefit from compounded returns. Compounded returns are when your investment gains earn their own gains, which can dramatically increase your balances over time.

“By putting off saving for the future, you are really inhibiting yourself from benefiting from that wonderful magic,” says Kimberly Zimmerman Rand, an accredited financial counselor and principal at Dragonfly Financial Solutions in Boston.

“If you can start saving today...you are going to have a lot more five years from now than if you decide to pay off debt for three years and start saving in year four.”

WHY PEOPLE TACKLE ONE GOAL AT A TIME The desire to laser-focus on one goal at a time is understandable, says financial coach Linda Matthew. People see faster results if they put every spare dollar toward paying down debt, for example.

But much of life requires multitasking, and money is no different, she says.

“I’ve got to take care of the kids, and stay in a relationship with my husband, and keep the house clean, and earn some money,” says Matthew, an accredited financial counselor and owner of Money Mindful, a financial coaching service based in Davis, California. “I can’t get into a relationship with my husband after I finish raising the kids; that’s called divorce.”

Busy lives make it tempting to try to focus on one goal at a time, Rand says. People may pay the most attention to their most immediate need or something that is causing them pain, ignoring the rest of their financial life.

“If you’ve got a bill collector calling, they’ve got your attention,” she says.

“As soon as” thinking can delay progress on any financial goal, Matthew adds.

One woman told her the reason her family hadn’t saved was that they planned to start as soon as they had extra money, and they never did.

“You can’t wait for that,” Matthew says.

HOW TO MULTITASK Financial experts recommend starting and maintaining a regular savings habit, even if it’s only $5 a week.

“I work with very low-income consumers, and I think most people can do this,” Rand says. “And then once your hours start to SEE GOALS B2

Beasley takes new position at the U.S. Census Bureau Sheila Beasley is the new Pittsburgh Partnership Specialist for the United States Census Bureau, Philadelphia Regional Census Center. Beasley is responsible for developing partnerships with state and local governments, community-based organizations, faith-based groups, businesses, schools, and other grassroots entities in the city and within the Zone 5 region covering Allegheny, Westmoreland, Washington, Greene and Fayette counties.

The goal of the 2020 Census is to count every person living in the U.S. once, only once and in the right place. Census data determines how more than $675 billion annually in

federal funds are distributed back to tribal, state and local governments.

Census data is used for the redistricting of state legislative districts, determining areas eligible for housing assistance and rehabilitation loans, designing facilities for people with disabilities, the elderly and children, designing public safety strategies, planning for school projects and much more.

Beasley’s role as a Partnership Specialist includes responsibilities as the primary contact between the U.S. Census Bureau and the County/City Complete Count Committees, helping to identify census awareness building activities effective for

communities to increase public trust by forming partnerships.

Beasley is the former Director of Outreach at the University of Pittsburgh Office of Child Development. For more than 20 years, she led the Community Voices group which provides a vehicle of leadership and development for families to be heard on issues affecting families, on the state and local level from the 26 community-based Allegheny County family support centers.

Beasley holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and a Master’s Degree in Communications. Currently, she’s finishing a Ph.D. in Sociology and Community Engagement. She has

worked in broadcasting at WPXI-TV and at the National Media Outreach Center at WQED multimedia on special projects involving education, substance abuse, and self-sufficiency for families and communities.

She is also a professional trainer in a wide range of topic areas including marketing, diversity and multiculturalism and personal/ professional leadership.

Beasley describes herself as a motivational speaker and inspirational performer, member of the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation, Langston Hughes Poetry Society and a proud winner of the New Pittsburgh Women of Excellence Class of 2010.

SHEILA BEASLEY (Brian Cook/Golden Sky Media)

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NOVEMBER 28-DECEMBER 4, 2018

BUSINESS

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

Local Black business owners are ready We stopped the

clean power plan

HOLIDAY FROM B1

God given gifts in New York, Maryland and Pennsylvania. To make ends meet, Greene, a single mother, began redesigning and restyling broken jewelry. “While wearing it to work people were always inquiring as to where I got it from and eventually began bringing me their broken jewelry to redesign,” and from that a business was created.

She began vending and at the age of 7 her son also sold items he redesigned.

During her move from New York to Maryland Greene became a victim of robbery. Utilizing $500 from her mother-in-law, which Greene considered an investment, she purchased jewelry to go along with her current inventory. Her first time out she said she made $1,200 and at that time she knew that was the business she wanted to be in. Since then the business has operated through vending, as a pop-up shop and now a storefront.

Five miles east of Fifth Avenue Place at 5935 Penn Ave., since the beginning of November the owners of CobblerWorld Baked Goods, Naptural Beauty Supply, 360 Cafe LLC, IMIHI Designs, Kin of Duncan Apparel and TLC Libations have been providing a variety of products via a small business incubator program based in East Liberty. The youngest of the entrepreneurs is 12-year-old Jazmiere Bates, co-owner of Kin of Duncan Apparel, a T-shirt business for kids and dogs also operated by her mother, Jasmine Duncan. The most recent additions to the incubator include First Sip Brew Box, Exotic Hush and Jamil’s Global Village.

Launched to help local and minority-owned businesses benefit from East Liberty’s revitalization, Maelene Myers, executive director of East Liberty Development Inc., said the organization was criticized by the operators of Jamil’s Global Village. “They accused ELDI of turning its back to the needs of minority business owners. While the criticism hurt, it caused us to reflect on our work.

We helped incubate the first co-working space, the Beauty Shoppe, and have witnessed numerous other co-working spaces, incubators and business support programs move into the neighborhood,” she said.

Realizing that none of the programs were relevant to minority entrepreneurs, she said as a result their support of the

It was déjà vu’ all over again. Sometimes big government gets too big for reality. It over steps. Such was the way when the Obama Administration first came into power. It decided to become an environmentalist zealot. They began to implement a plan known as “Cap and Trade.”

Cap and Trade reminded us of the old Kyoto Treaty protocol. This was implemented back in 1992 and it was going to “bulldoze” environmental regulation at the expense of our general economy. The economic efficient population would decrease their overall economy and the lower income populations such as Hispanics, Blacks and fixed income lower class would suffer.

We proved Cap and Trade to be a clone of the Kyoto Protocol and since have proven the Clean Power Plan to be a clone of Cap and Trade. The “bullheaded” environmentalists don’t seem to understand that people will not desire to live impoverished and unemployed while nations on the othMOTHER AND DAUGHTER DUO—Diane and Erika Turner, owners of TLC Libations, are doing good er side of the world continue to maintain business at the Gallery on Penn in East Liberty. (Photos by Diane I. Daniels) their lifestyle and at the expense of ours.

The ironic thing about the Kyoto Protocol was that the United States, despite refusGallery on Penn is signifiing to adopt the plan achieved better envicant. “We are excited about ronment improvement than those nations this project.”

The Gallery on Penn was made possible by the small Harry C. Alford & Kay DeBow business incubator program Catapult: Start-up to Storefront. “Catapult” is a joint-initiative of ELDI, Circles Greater Pittsburgh, the Urban Redevelopment Authority, the Larimer Consensus Group and Paramount Co-Op. Neighborhood Allies also serves that professed to believe in the plan. It is as a sponsor and financial our improving technology that is working contributor. to make our environment better—not adThe brainchild of the exverse regulation. ecutive director of Circles So, as we continued to improve the qualGreater Pittsburgh and ity of our environment at a reasonable manager of the Catapult pace, the extremists were demanding unprogram, Tammy Thompreasonable demands that could not find a son, said that “with the “happy medium” in the improvement of development of a physiour environment. Such was the case of cal Catapult: Start-up to the Clean Power Plan.

Storefront space, we’re The following information is an actual really excited to be able to timeline on the ongoing debate and parts offer this new opportunity YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR—At 12 years old, Jazmiere Bates, of a study by “Climate Wire”. President to allow our companies co-owner of Kin of Duncan Apparel, a T-shirt business for kids and Obama decided to give his unrealistic ento incubate their retail dogs, is the youngest business owner at Gallery on Penn. vironmental goals another last try. “On businesses on one of the August 3, 2015 the Obama administration busiest streets in the city.” released the final Clean Power Plan. The Using Small Business Saturday to U.S. EPA would cut carbon emissions 32 debut the bottling of their signature percent below 2005 levels by 2030. Each juice blends and syrups, Diane and Erika state must achieve a specific level or rate of Turner, the owners of TLC Libations, are emissions. States decide how much to ramp pleased with their experience in the inup natural gas, renewable power or energy cubator. TLC Libations is a beverage and savings and how much to reduce coal use. bartending service that offers premium Companies can buy and sell allowances to homemade TLC Sangria, custom cockbalance their carbon emissions.” tails, non-alcoholic beverages and they All hell broke loose. Just like Cap and Trade highlight regional wineries and brewreasonable industry leaders, state governeries. “Since we’ve been here, we have ments, etc. began resisting with a vengeance. hosted a cocktail demonstration and have 27 states opposed this plan while 18 others plans to launch our subscription box,” approved it. States and business groups sued pointed out Diane Turner. in federal court. Hence, the Supreme Court Michelle Cook-Jones, head manager has halted implementation of the Clean for CobblerWorld, also describes their Power Plan. A federal court is weighing the experience at the Gallery on Penn as posi- rule and the Supreme Court could take it up tive. They offer breakfast sandwiches and shortly. President Trump had directed the quiche each weekday.

EPA to review and possibly rescind the rule.

Helping others to heal from the inside It is in his campaign platform to stop this out, Tyleda Worou, the owner of 360 Café, onerous rule. At last, the Clean Power Plan IT’S A FAMILY AFFAIR—360 Café owner Tyleda Worou, on Small Business Saturday, appreciates views being an entrepreneur as a blessis being rewritten. On Dec. 6, the “Rewrite” the sales from family members Sheneekia Olverson, Pamela Brown, DeWayne Olverson and Teania ing. “I’m following my dreams,” Worou will be announced to the public.

Olverson. said.

Nations in Asia are importing our coal production at record pace. Job growth will be steady in our coal industry. Thus, all the threats of making the Clean Power Plan a reality are stopped. African American and Hispanic employment levels do not have to be sacrificed. America will continue to grow, GOALS FROM B1 per called “‘As Soon As’ Finances: A Study care ends, redirect that money to one of and the latest records are showing a great inget more regular, maybe you’ve got a bet- of Financial Decision-Making,” suggests the other goals. crease in Black employment and home ownter job, now you can boost that amount.” dividing savings among different “buck“You’re already used to paying that child ership. The nation’s gross domestic product Rand also is a fan of making transfers ets”: one for retirement, one for emergency care or whatever, and it’ll just fund every- is growing at a record pace of 3 percent and automatic whenever possible. will reach 4 percent shortly. The stock marfunds, perhaps one for a home down pay- thing a lot faster,” O’Neill says.

“Setting it and forgetting it is actually a ment. At the same time, target high-inter(This column was provided to The Associated ket is more robust than ever before. good thing when it comes to savings be- est debt, such as credit card bills.

There is no need for the Clean PowPress by the personal finance website NerdWallet. cause then you don’t have to make that Once the system is in place, stick with Liz Weston is a columnist at NerdWallet, a certi- er Plan. It is wasteful and unnecessary. active decision every month,” she says. it, O’Neill says. If a goal is achieved, or an fied financial planner and author of “Your Credit Despite its absence, America is becoming O’Neill, who’s co-writing a research pa- expense such as an auto payment or child Score.”) great again! Victory is ours!

Beyond the Rhetoric

With money goals, multitasking pays off

Utilities encourage energy savings with smart thermostats

SMART THERMOSTAT—This photo shows an Ecobee smart thermostat, room sensor and connection components in Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y. As fall temperatures drop and winter chills loom on the horizon, homeowners and property managers are going beyond traditional winterizing by installing smart thermostats and home energy monitors aiming to lower utility bills. (AP Photo)

OPINION

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

Guest Commentary

Cheyney keeps accreditation again

by Michael Coard In 2017 on Nov. 17, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) officially informed Cheyney University that its accreditation would continue for at least another year. And this year, a few days ago on Nov. 19, MSCHE issued a similar notification.

That’s wonderful because, without accreditation, a university cannot receive federal or state financial aid for its students. And since about 90 percent of Cheyney’s students are on financial aid, the loss of accreditation would have meant the death of my historic alma mater—the oldest Black institution of higher learning in America.

That’s the good—actually, the great—news. But we must acknowledge the bad news that got Cheyney into this accreditation continuation/revocation issue in the first place. In order to address that issue, let’s go straight to MSCHE’s Nov. 19 notification wherein it raised the following three questions: 1. Have Cheyney’s “financial resources, funding base, and plans to assure long-term financial stability” continued to sufficiently improve?

2. Has the “implementation of budget reductions agreed to as part of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE)-authorized debt forgiveness plan” sufficiently continued?

3. Has Cheyney continued to take sufficient steps to “resolve the $29.6 million potential liability to the U.S. Department of Education?”

Thanks to Gov. Tom Wolf, the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus, the Council of Trustees, and especially President Aaron Walton, Cheyney continues to make substantial improvements, which means the answer to the three questions is a resounding yes.

In fact, MSCHE used phrases like “compelling evidence” and “significant progress” to describe Cheyney’s amazing turnaround.

Furthermore, under President Walton’s much needed business-oriented leadership, the university in July announced its on-campus Institute for the Contemporary African American Experience, which is a cultural solutions-oriented think tank that will involve a collaboration with the likes of Thomas Jefferson University’s Medical College, Epcot Crenshaw Corporation, Starbucks Foundation, and other “movers and shakers” to promote the academic, employment, and community service interests of Cheyney students.

PASSHE recently issued a press release applauding Cheyney’s “transformational effort” to get things right. And I, in turn, applaud PASSHE’s applause. But I wish PASSHE had gone farther by issuing a statement that put Cheyney’s phoenix-like rising in context. In other words, I wish it had explained why Cheyney even needed to get things right in order to rise again. But since PASSHE didn’t, I will.

Cheyney’s dire situation, which was manifested in its all-time low student enrollment along with its all-time high budget deficit, wasn’t the result of self-inflicted wounds. It was the result of PASSHE’s and, before its creation in 1983, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s racism at worst and racial indifference at best. Here’s the proof: 1901—While Cheyney was a stand-alone teacher training school, the Commonwealth paid the full yearly tuition and stipend of $140 to White students to attend White state-owned teacher training schools but paid only $25 to Cheyney students.

1969—The Commonwealth was identified by the U.S. Department of Education as one of the 10 worst states (including the usual suspects, namely Mississippi, Georgia, North Carolina, et al) discriminating against Blacks in higher education.

1983—The Commonwealth, via PASSHE, for the first time ever, finally submitted a formal anti-racial discrimination plan that was deemed acceptable by the U.S. Department of Education following repeated warranted rejections. But it was later discovered that plan wasn’t worth the paper it was written on.

1999—At the insistence of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, the Commonwealth, via PASSHE, signed a contract to resolve issues of racial discrimination against Cheyney.

Then-Governor Tom Ridge, through his PASSHE Chancellor James McCormick and his Secretary of Education Eugene Hickok, signed that contract which, by 2018, should’ve resulted in $100 million to Cheyney for essential resources including attractive academic courses, quality administrators, new buildings, etc. However, 19 years later, PASSHE still owes Cheyney much of that $100 million.

Despite the wounds, Cheyney began to heal and always remained accredited. But, technically speaking it’s not a finalized accreditation. Cheyney has until Aug. 25, 2019 to submit a report to MSCHE concerning the three aforementioned questions and until Nov. 21, 2019 to “demonstrate compliance” with MSCHE’s standards. That means Cheyney has until near the end of next year to have its severe financial and institutional problems resolved, which means, among other things, that PASSHE must provide the financial and institutional resources it owes.

President Walton is doing great and innovative work. And he is doing it, in large part, by dealing diplomatically with PASSHE on Cheyney’s behalf. In that regard, he reminds me of a Martin Luther King-type diplomat. But Heeding Cheyney’s Call (HCC)—which was founded in 2013 by Professor E. Sonny Harris and Junious Stanton and of which I am a proud member—is much more confrontational in its approach. In that regard, we remind ourselves and others of a Malcolm X-type activist. That is why we filed a major civil rights lawsuit against PASSHE in federal court in 2014 and organized a massive rally against PASSHE in the Harrisburg State Capitol in 2015.

And we’ll do them both again if we have to. We’ll fight in the courts and in the streets for Cheyney—and we’ll do so “by any means necessary.” But we hope we won’t have to again since PASSHE now seems more like a friend than a foe.

We’re watching closely and we’re ready to heed the call of our beloved Cheyney because “When thou callest, alma mater, never shalt thou call in vain.”

(Michael Coard, Esquire can be followed on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.)

Founded 1910

Rod Doss Editor & Publisher Stephan A. Broadus Assistant to the Publisher Allison Palm

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NOVEMBER 28-DECEMBER 4, 2018

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Contrast between Obama and Trump has become clear (TriceEdneyWire.com)—Donald Trump began his presidency with an inaugural address that denounced the “carnage” that had preceded him. He vowed to Make America Great Again, and set about systematically trying to deep-six virtually everything that his predecessor Barack Obama had accomplished.

Now, after two years, the contrast is stark and clear. Barack and Michelle Obama came from middle-class families and worked their way up to the White House. Donald Trump was born into a fortune that he eventually inherited. Barack Obama put together a coalition across lines of race and won the majority of votes in two presidential elections.

Trump stoked racial and nativist fears to consolidate a base of White voters. Obama inherited an economy in free fall that was losing hundreds of thousands of jobs a month. He saved it, and began what is now the longest recovery in history. Trump inherited that recovery and pretends it was his own.

Under Obama, 26 million people got health care coverage who did not have it before, despite implacable Republican opposition. Under Trump, about 4 million and counting have been deprived of health insurance.

Under Obama, taxes went up on the wealthy, in part to pay for extending health care to low-income people.

Trump slashed taxes on the rich and corporations, and blew up the deficit. No drama Obama led a remarkably clean administration, with no high official

Jesse Jackson Sr.

Commentary embarrassed by indictment or scandal over eight years. In less than two years, Trump’s administration is already established as one of the most corrupt in history. When Obama traveled the world, throngs gathered to hear him.

Respect for America rose. When Trump travels, he goes late, leaves early and is greeted with protests.

Respect for America has plummeted.

Obama listened to scientists warning about global warming and brought the world together—including China —in a Paris Accord to take the first steps at meeting the challenge.

Trump calls catastrophic climate change a hoax, has tried to purge any mention of it across his government and has pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Accord, making this country one of only two to spurn it. Obama brought leading nations of the world together to force Iran to agree to dismantle its nuclear production facilities and to submit to intrusive inspection.

Trump pulled the U.S. out of the accord unilaterally, and now is trying to enforce sanctions on Iran that our own allies deplore. Faced with Republican obstruction, Obama used his ex-

ecutive powers to protect the Dreamers—migrants brought as young children to the U.S. who know no other country. Faced with bipartisan agreement on comprehensive immigration reform, Trump walked away and used his executive powers to rip babies from parents and put them in cages. Obama generally leveled with the American people.

Trump lies routinely and repeatedly.

Obama strengthened enforcement of civil rights. Trump has rolled enforcement back across the government.

Obama cracked down on for-profit colleges fraudulently luring students into crippling debt. Trump not only ran his own fraudulent education operation, but his Education Department is also gutting protections for students. The contrast is even clearer when we look to the future.

Trump promises more tax cuts, more military spending, more deficits and deeper cuts in programs for the vulnerable. He plans to nominate a coal lobbyist to head the Environmental Protection Agency and is trying to install a partisan zealot atop the Justice Department.

Obama says America must move forward, and he praises progressive Democrats for advocating Medicare for all, a $15 minimum wage, tuition-free college and more. With Obama and then Trump, Americans have elected two diametrically opposed leaders leading into two very different directions. Over the next two years, Americans will have to choose once more.

‘Scandal’ and the real scandal (TriceEdneyWire.com)—For several years many of us were consumed by the night on which the popular television program called “Scandal,” starring Kerry Washington, came on television. Well, it seems that the program was our preparation for what’s going on in our country today. Unfortunately, it didn’t prepare us for some of the things that happened.

In Georgia, we’ve just witnessed one of the worst cases of voter suppression to prevent Stacy Abrams and other Democrats from having a fair chance in their election bids. Brian Kemp both ran for governor against Stacy and made the rules to favor him when he disqualified over one million voters and scandalously decided the rules of the race.

As soon as the key parts of the election are over, #45 decided to fire Attorney General Jeff Sessions after continuously humiliating him when he actually did the right thing in recusing himself from handling the Mueller Investigation. It’s clear that firing Sessions was strictly for the purpose of undermining the work of Robert Mueller and his team. Shortly after firing Mr. Sessions, we learned that #45 had made an attempt to prosecute Comey and Clinton—two persons he claimed to be his enemies. It’s obvious that #45 had corrupt intent when he fired James Comey, and he knows that Hilary Clinton was far more favorable to more people than he was when she received more votes than he

Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq.

Commentary

picked a fight with retired esteemed Four-Star Admiral William McRaven who was the architect of the Osama bin Laden successful raid. He attacked the Admiral for not capturing bin Laden earlier, despite the fact it was not his job! This criticism comes from a President who claims to love the military so much, and who claims to have done so much for the military.

Now, we learn he is afraid to go to a war zone to visit soldiers who live in those war zones.

There were more scandals from #45. He jumped into a disgraceful criticism of the 9th Circuit Court, charging the circuit was made up of Obama appointees, and therefore unfair to him. So, that led Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, John Roberts, to inform #45 that “We do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges. What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best to do equal rights to those appearing before them. That independent judiciary is something we should all be thankful for.” That should have been obvious to a sensible president!

Unfortunately, we haven’t had one of those lately! #45 is still erasing all the goodwill that his predecessor, President Barack Obama, built around the world. When will our system allow us to end these daily scandals?

did, I guess he didn’t like that so he has railed against her since he’s been in office—second only to his blaming President Barack Obama for everything!

Once Mr. Sessions was out, #45 quickly brought in Matthew Whitaker to become Acting Attorney General. Many brilliant lawyers have agreed that Mr. Whitaker did not meet constitutional requirements to hold such a position because he had not been Senate confirmed. Add to that all of the biased comments Mr. Whitaker had made about the Mueller Investigation at various times proving that he could not be fair in his judgments. We need to know how and why he became the U.S. Attorney General. One can only assume Whitaker was brought on to undermine the investigation.

Moving on with scandals, #45 dismissed the CIA’s report on Saudi Arabia and proclaimed what’s obviously his all-out support of Saudi Arabia (Dr. E. Faye Williams is national president over our Intelligence community.

It’s hard to believe, but he actually of the National Congress of Black Women.)

Trump, the Republicans and the Neo-Confederate Objective (NNPA)—It became very clear to anyone who was watching that in the lead up to the November 6th elections, Trump and his allies focused on two things: putting their hands on your wallets and, in order to do that, reinforce the idea that the USA is a White republic (and keep White people thinking about that and only that). To put it another way, they want to restore the Confederacy.

Trump had many tactical options in the weeks prior to the election as a way of inspiring his base. He could have played to the economy which has continued to grow, largely as a result of decisions made during the Obama era but claimed by Trump. The problem is that the results of the economic improvements have been very uneven and working-class people have largely stagnated. Despite that, he could have made the argument. Trump regularly fudges the truth.

Trump and his Republican acolytes chose a different route, one with a long history in US politics. They first used the Justice Kavanaugh hearings to reaffirm male supremacy, making it appear that men are under attack in the USA and that women’s concerns about sexual assault are misplaced. This rally the White men challenge was followed by an equally nefarious tactic: a

Bill Fletcher Jr.

Commentary

What do Trump and his supporters want? The critical image that is now materializing is that of the Confederate States of America. Right-wing populists have for decades seen in the Confederacy the iconic moment when White supremacy and male supremacy held sway and when forces of dissent—forces for justice—were literally and figuratively chained.

The right-wing fear of the future is a fear of not only the demographic changes in the USA, which will render White majority rule moot by the middle of the 21st century, but there is a broader fear that successes on the road toward a consistent democracy will mean a change in the relations between men and women, but also changes in the economy as wealth polarization along with the environmental catastrophe will necessitate a different set of economic priorities.

Trump and his allies have played to fears that have existed in the White electorate since the 19th century. He achieved considerable success via this demagoguery. But the results of the election showed that millions more see no future in the past but believe that another way forward is not only possible, but essential.

call for an all-out mobilization against a mythical, so-called immigrant invasion coming from Central America.

Facts to the contrary, Trump—and repeated by some of his key allies— argued that the several thousand REFUGEES in Central America were threatening the US way of life.

The response was truly remarkable and clarified that Trump’s messages are not for the US electorate but for the White American electorate. When he and his followers suggest that their way of life is being threatened, they mean that the privileged status of Whites and men—compared with people of color and women, respectively—has been called into question by those of us who believe in democracy and justice. Thus, Trump plays not to an abstract fear but a specific fear among large numbers of Whites; (Bill Fletcher Jr. is the former president of TransAfrica Forum.) a fear of the future.

Letters to the editor for publication The New Pittsburgh Courier welcomes all responsible viewpoints for publication. All letters should be typewritten and contain writer’s address and phone number for verification. All letters will be edited for clarity and length. Address all letters to: Letters to the Editor, New Pittsburgh Courier, 315 East Carson Street, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15219 You may fax your letter to 412-481-1360, or via e-mail to letters@newpittsburghcourier.com

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NOVEMBER 28-DECEMBER 4, 2018

Can a women’s coalition survive petulant White women?

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—I have had about enough of some White women! First, fifty-three percent of them vote for an odious genital-grabber. Then, they organize a woman’s march with momentum from the #MeToo movement, founded

by Tarana Burke, but co-opted by White women like the wanna-be activist Alyssa Milano who was a mediocre actress back in the day. Then, bunches of them support Roy Moore, an Alabama pedophile who would be Senator. Then the majority of them vote against progressive candidates like Georgia’s Stacy Abrams and Florida’s Andrew Gillum.

Meanwhile, the four women who lead the Women’s March—Bob Bland, Tamika Mallory, Linda Sarsour, and Carmen Perez—are organizing for a Jan. 19 march, and the self-proclaimed “founder” is demanding their resignation. Really?

Theresa Shook is the Hawaii grandmother who put an idea on Facebook in the wake of the 2016 election. “We should march,” she said. She did little else, and activist Bob Bland picked up the baton and ran with it. She recruited other women, seasoned activists in their own right. Tamika Mallory had led a march from New York to DC to stop gun violence. Carmen Perez has worked on criminal justice reform and has worked on Harry Belafonte’s Gathering for Justice, now serving as its Executive Director. Linda Sarsour, a former executive director of the Arab American Association of New York, has worked with Black Lives Matter and on police brutality issues. The four co-chairs of the Women’s March are the very picture of intersectionality and multicultural cooperation— White, Black, Latina, and Palestinian, they are the rainbow!

So where does Teresa Shook get off asking

Julianne Malveaux

Commentary these women to step down from a movement they built? She, along with wannabe activist and has-been actress Alyssa Milano have demanded that the women’s march leaders “denounce” National of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan. Why? They object to his anti-Semitic rhetoric. They object to the fact that Tamika Mallory attended his annual Savior’s Day this year. They say that anti-Semitism is hateful and dangerous, and they are right. But it wasn’t the Nation of Islam that shot up the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh! White people’s hatred for Minister Farrakhan is irrational and, might I say, racist.

He is the only person, the only human being that Congress has censured. No David Duke, no Charlottesville murderers, none of the hatemongers that have caused the racist tension in our nation.

Just Minister Farrakhan. But then our society is consistent with its double standards and its demands that Black people bend over backward to prove that we, too, sing America.

With the fraught history between Black and White women, with their complicity in our rapes, and in the lynchings of Black men, White women have no right to demand anything of Black women, let alone that leaders like Tamika Mallory “denounce” Minister Farrakhan. For the record, the Minister, a man who has the unique power to galvanize Black people, especially Black men, really doesn’t care what people outside of the Nation of Islam, think of him. He understands this nation so well that he would accept any “denouncement” and keep it moving. But anyone demanding a denouncement of Farrakhan has no knowledge of American history, of African American history, of context, or of the unequal treatment that African American people experience that is a constant in our nation. And White women have consistently had little empathy for the way history has treated Black women.

Shook and Milano remind me of antebellum White women, hoop skirts and all, stomping their feet when they don’t get their way. Milano says she won’t speak if Tamika Mallory doesn’t denounce Farrakhan. So stay home, Alyssa. We won’t miss you. Other White women say they won’t march.

Hundreds of thousands of others will. And Teresa Shook, the so-called founder, says she is demanding resignations. What is she going to do if she doesn’t get them?

Shook and Milano are the antitheses of coalition building and intersectionality. In an intersectional world, we come together to work on issues we agree on, in this case, the treatment of women. We decide to disagree on other matters. And sometimes, we agree to walk a mile in another woman’s shoes.

Black, White, Latina, Asian, Native, Palestinian and other women have starkly different experiences. We are joined by our gender but separated by the status of the men in our race, and by the differential privilege that some women experience.

Miss Ann knew that enslaved women were being raped. She didn’t care. Now the descendants of enslaved women are willing to work with them, not FOR them, but with them. And the descendants of enslaved women have had enough foot-stomping White woman privilege. No more.

There will be no women’s coalition if there is no mutual respect. Alyssa Milano and Teresa Shook and the other White women making foot-stomping demands have shown the hard-working Co-Chairs of the Women’s March a corrosive disrespect. They set the notion of a women’s coalition back decades.

But they have also moved us forward because they have reminded us how important it is to consider history and context before we attempt to build a movement. White women, after all, are the mothers, daughters, sisters, and wives of the White men who practice oppression. Those who consider themselves “woke” need to check their sisters who are not.

Meanwhile, Tamika Mallory, Linda Sarsour, Carmen Perez, and Bob Bland need to stand their ground. They built something powerful and beautiful, even though there were fissures beneath the surface. The struggle to dismantle patriarchy, racism, and predatory capitalism continues.

(Julianne Malveaux is an author and economist.)

FORUM

It can’t be done!

The respond, expression, the colonel Louis ‘Hop’ Kendrick “It can’t be said, “hand done,” has me the book proven to on the top be the most shelf and detrimental turn to to Blacks page 25 and who seek read it out to share in loud.” I folthe American dream of equality. lowed his instructions and it read Over the years I have written and that as the spokesperson I could spoken out about the almost total be charged with mutiny. A couple absence of Black leadership. At of weeks later I, along with severthe last election a colored polial soldiers, was ordered to attend tician, who had held an elected a court martial and observe how position for 30 years, confronted serious it could be. It clearly left me. He started the conversation an impression on all of us about by saying, “He reads my columns the power of the U.S. Army. I was regularly and that he often finds not deterred and continued to that I am overly critical about the speak up and out, but was always failure of government.” careful about crossing the line I attempted to leave, because I that would put me in the federal was not in the mood to verbally stockade. beat him up, which I could very I will always remember about easily do. However, before I could two months before being disleave he made the tragic mistake charged, the captain called a of saying people like you fail to meeting and asked how many of understand there are a multitude us were planning on re-enlisting of things THAT CAN’T BE DONE. and staying in the Army, and then He continued by saying “that added that Cpl. Kendrick should most of the problems that I write not, and everybody fell out laughabout can’t be corrected by the ing. But it meant to me that I had Blacks we elect.” done something beneficial during The former politician failed my military experience. to shock or startle me with his During my time in the Army I admission of ineptitude; however, encountered a number of bigoted I was surprised with his builtsituations in Baltimore, Kentucky, in admission of failure that “IT Missouri, Indiana and Detroit.

CAN’T BE DONE.” These incidents opened my eyes I realize that a long time ago, and helped me realize how much how fortunate I had been to have these places had in common a daddy, who instilled in us that with Pittsburgh. The majority of “can’t” is not to be a part of your those who reside in Pittsburgh lifestyle or vocabulary. His conare and have been race-blind stant expression was nothing is when it comes to racial atrocities impossible, “you can if you believe that they believe only occurs in you can.” the deep South. The truth of the My father’s efforts paid off when matter is that the situations are I was drafted into the U.S. Army, almost identical. the very first time I left home on My challenge to all of you who my own. It proved to be a period are reading this column is, when in my life that my upbringing you are afforded the opportunity would be tested. The Black solto create positive change, you diers encountered a lengthy num- must do your very best. It’s unber of serious racial problems and derstandable you may need your somehow I wound up being the job to provide for yourself and voice to resolve some of the issues. family. However, you still have One of our early and most serious an obligation to do your very best conformations found us in the and to discount the notion that colonel’s office. He said to me that “IT CAN’T BE DONE.” (Louis “Hop” Kendrick is a contributor it was apparent that I was the to the New Pittsburgh Courier.) spokesperson and before I could

To Tell The Truth

Blexit or primary dropouts?

I’m a regisbut failed to tered Dem- J. Pharaoh Doss discern the ocrat, but I false from the loathe the true.”

The Democratic newsletter Party. I hatalso existed, ed the poor “To counthigh school I er notions of attended, too, victimization but what was and collective I supposed entitlement to do, run with my emotions and prevalent in the Black communiBlexit? ty (and) challenge ideologues who Blexit is a term popularized by misused ‘civil rights’ in order to Turning Point USA’s communica- deny basic rights to others and imtions director, Candace Owens, a pose politically correct mandates.”

29-year-old Black woman. TurnI started reading Issues & Views ing Point USA is a conservative after I graduated high school. The nonprofit organization whose mis- same poor high school I said I hatsion is to identify, educate, train, ed, but I didn’t Blexit. That would and organize students to promote have made me a high school dropfree market principles, fiscal re- out, and, as much as I understand sponsibility, and limited govern- Owens’ complaint, I can’t Blexit ment. from the Democratic Party, either.

Blexit is a play off the term BrexLet me explain. it—Britain’s exit from the EuropeSerious voters vote in every prian Union, and Owens is encourag- mary and general election. Ofing Black Americans to exit from fice holders are either going to be Democrats or Republicans. I live the Democratic party.

Owens said, “For decades, the in a closed primary state. That Black community has been in an means I have to register with one emotionally abusive relationship of the major parties to participate with the Democratic Party. Our fi- in their primary.

I live in a borough that is predelity to leftist politicians coupled with our false belief that larger dominately Black and Democratic, government might facilitate solu- it’s also the same borough I grew tions, has led to the overall collapse up in. That means I happen to of our families, neighborhoods, and know Mrs. So and So running for school board and Mr. So and So incidentally, our futures.

Blexit is for those who have running for borough council and taken an objective look at our de- so forth. In order to support the cade-long allegiance to the left people I know I have to be affiliand asked ourselves, “What do we ated with the same party as the have to show for it?…We are also candidates.

In small borough politics every more than a voting bloc. We are Americans first…and we will work vote is imperative. I’ve seen borto piece back together our broken ough council seats decided by less communities—absent overreach- than five votes. If I Blexit I can’t ing government structures, ab- help the candidates I know win the sent handouts, and alongside our primary, and the primary is the de facto election in the borough, American brothers and sisters.”

Owens has a legitimate com- because the Democratic primary plaint, but her generalizations ar- winners normally go uncontested in the general election, and even en’t new.

In 1983, a Black woman named if they are contested, the RepubElizabeth Wright launched a licans lack the numbers to mount newsletter called Issues & Views. any serious opposition.

So, if I Blexit and change my parWright described Issues & Views as “a Black conservatives place for ty, I would officially be a primary independent thinking and com- dropout, and that goes against the mon sense—a little oasis for those adage, “all politics is local.”

(J. Pharaoh Doss is a contributor to the who got caught up in the momentum of the civil rights movement, New Pittsburgh Courier.)

Check It Out

Letters to the editor for publication

The New Pittsburgh Courier welcomes all responsible viewpoints for publication.

All letters should be typewritten and contain writer’s address and phone number for verification. All letters will be edited for clarity and length. Address all letters to: Letters to the Editor, New Pittsburgh Courier, 315 East Carson Street Pittsburgh, Pa. 15219 You may fax your letter to 412-481-1360 or via email to letters@newpittsburghcourier.com

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

Benjamin F. Chavis Jr.

Commentary

Criminal justice reform is long overdue for Black America (NNPA)—As a member of the infamous Wilmington Ten case in North Carolina from 1972 to 2012, I witnessed firsthand why the criminal justice system in the United States needed to be thoroughly reformed. We had been unjustly sentenced in 1972 to a combined total of 282 years in prison for standing up for equal quality education for Black students in the public school system in Wilmington, N.C. in 1971.

For 40 long years, until North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue signed “Pardons of Innocence” documents for each member of the Wilmington Ten, the issues of unjust and disproportionate mass incarceration, bail reform, racism in the judiciary, prosecutorial misconduct, and reentry challenges were not matters of partisanship, but were matters of fundamental civil and human rights.

Thanks to the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the United Church of Christ (UCC), the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NAARP), Amnesty International and millions of people across the U.S. and throughout the world, we finally received a modicum of justice with the Pardons of Innocence being issued on Dec. 31, 2012.

In the wake of the recent 2018 Midterm Elections, there now appears to be a more bipartisan interest and commitment in the achievement of significant criminal justice reform in America. Earlier this year, the House of Representatives finally passed the First Step Act with bipartisan support. The legislation establishes the initial steps for criminal justice reform at the federal level. Just last week, even President Trump announced his support of the First Step Act. However, what the U.S. Senate will do is still an open question.

The U.S. Congress should expedite passing the First Step Act as well as other criminal justice reform legislation. For Black America in particular, this remains an urgent and crucial public policy objective.

Of the current 2.2 million people incarcerated in the nation’s prisons and jails, a disproportionate number are African Americans and other people of color. According to a 2018 Pew Research Study, in 2016 African Americans represented 12 percent of the U.S. adult population but 33 percent of the sentenced prison population. The ACLU reports that African American men are six times more likely to be incarcerated as White men in the U.S. According to the NAACP’s Criminal Justice Fact Sheet, African American women are imprisoned at twice the rate of White women. The Federal Bureau of Prisons reported in 2018 that 38 percent of prison inmates are African American.

But we need to do more than merely stating the statistics of criminal justice that bear witness to the racial, social, and economic inequities and injustices. We need solutions. We need more research about the successful programs and projects that can prevent mass incarceration while we emphasize the urgency for criminal justice reform legislation at both the federal and state levels. We also need more effective programs for the hundreds of thousands of incarcerated people preparing to reenter society without the counterproductivity of recidivism.

I have served on panel discussions amicably with Mark Holden, general counsel of Koch Industries, who also supports the First Step Act, a bill grounded in evidence-based and data-driven practices that we know keep communities safe and provide people with the second chances they need to lead productive lives. The bill specifically provides programs to help reduce the risk that prisoners will recidivate upon release from prison. Mark and I are on the same page on the issues of reentry and the need to reduce systemic reincarceration.

In fact, Koch Industries has been funding criminal justice reform efforts for more than a decade and was one of the first major corporations in the U.S. to “ban the box” by removing questions about criminal history on its employment applications. Other corporate leaders should also “ban the box.”

Earlier this year at the NNPA’s Mid-Winter Conference, we were pleased to welcome Brother Lamont Carey, a former prison inmate, noted author and founder of Contact Visits, a nonprofit 501(c) 3 organization that he established to assist people preparing to reenter society from prison. It was reassuring to see how Lamont was able to break free of the stigma of incarceration and make a positive and productive contribution to help others transform their lives, families and communities.

Lastly, on the related issue of bail reform: There are nearly a half million people, most of whom are people of color, who are sitting in jail today only because they cannot afford to post a monetary bail. Google and Koch have also teamed up to raise awareness about the necessity for bail reform in America. They believe that individuals accused of a crime should not be required to provide bail unless deemed a threat to public safety or a flight risk, because freedom should not hinge on a person’s financial worth.

The time is now for action, not more partisan debate. No more postponements. No more excuses. The U.S. Congress should pass the First Step Act. We want equal justice.

Criminal justice reform for Black America is long overdue.

(Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. is president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) and can be reached at dr.bchavis@nnpa.org)

RELIGION

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

NOVEMBER 28-DECEMBER 4, 2018 B7

Hope Chapel Church and A Closer Walk Ministries Prepared Thanksgiving meals for hundreds of people in Pittsburgh

Praise & Worship ST. BENEDICT THE MOOR CATHOLIC CHURCH Crawford & Centre Ave. Pgh., PA 15219 412-281-3141 Mass Sunday 10:00 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

www.cathedralofhope.com Worship on Sunday: Journey Worship........8:45 a.m.

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

Taize Prayer Service (Wed.) 7 p.m.

Curious about Quakerism?

REV. ALFRED BROWN, right, and Percy Wimbs place plenty of Thanksgiving Day food to a waiting car to be taken to people for Thanksgiving. Reverend Brown is also a member of the New Pittsburgh Courier family.

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

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

Seminary at the Tabernacle 43 Belvedere St., Crafton, PA 15205 Sept. 10, 2018-May 16, 2019 Sr. Pastor Tony Armstead, MDiv Christian Leadership School (CLS) a Four-year Program currently offering Four non-credited courses in four years.

Teaching includes Doctorate and Master of Divinity Teachers.

When: Fluctuates Mon. or Thurs., 6:308:30pm Cost: $75 per class, plus any required books Contact: Rev. Marjorie Davis, Ph.D. 412335-2832

New Destiny CME Church 114 North Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15212 412-231-7882 Rev. Kornelus Neal, pastor The Rt. Rev. Marvin Thomas Sr., presiding bishop Sunday School....................................9 A.M. Morning Worship Service............11:00 A.M.

THANKSGIVING FOR OTHERS—Volunteering are Lueben Davis II, Victoria Volpe, Heaven Brown and Kaira Brown.

While many were celebrating Thanksgiving Day with families and friends, Rev. Alfred Brown, Pastor and Founder of Hope Chapel Church and A Closer Walk Ministries, led the charge to provide free Thanksgiving dinners to those in Pittsburgh who are homeless or less fortunate. The meeting point was The Church of the Epiphany, 164 Washington Place. Plenty of volunteers showed up to prepare turkey, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, stuffing, green beans, peas, rolls, and beverages. Big Daddy’s Donut Shop also provided free treats. Courier photographer J.L. Martello captured the event in pictures.

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

EVERYONE WHO HELPED SERVE OTHERS ON THANKSGIVING DAY…

Or Email us! religion@ newpittsburgh courier.com

B8

NOVEMBER 28-DECEMBER 4, 2018

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER