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JUNE 12-18, 2019

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Woodland Hills sees Henry Parham honored for his its incidents down, service during D-Day, 75 years ago graduation rates up A Living Legend

by Christian Morrow

by Christian Morrow

Courier Staff Writer

Henry Parham was a 21-year-old Private First Class when he and his fellow members of the U.S. Army’s 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion joined the third wave of troops storming Omaha Beach in Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944. They were the first African American troops in the then-segregated armed forces to take part in the invasion of Hitler’s “Fortress Europe,” an action that would end World War II in Europe in less than a year.

Parham is the last surviving member of his battalion.

Last week, during ceremonies at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial and the Heinz History Center commemorating the 75th anniversary of that day, Parham, now 97, and several other survivors of the D-Day invasion—ages 94 to 104—were honored for their service.

Barrage balloons, filled with flammable hydrogen gas, carried heavy steel cables several hundred feet into the air to keep German aircraft from strafing the troops on the ground with machine gun fire. The cables could cut through SEE PARHAM A4

HENRY PARHAM was a member of the U.S. Army’s 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion that stormed Omaha Beach in Normandy, June 6, 1944. (Photo by J.L. Martello)

Harris—who was hired in August after a civil rights Courier Staff Writer lawsuit against the district In 2017 and 2018, the saw the exit of the previous Woodland Hills School superintendent, the high District was frequently in school principal and the the news—mostly for the school board president—is wrong reasons. This year, responsible for the positive things are a little differ- changes. While he won’t argue that, he ent—and does credit Superinstaff, new tendent High School J a m e s Principal Harris Phillip K. likes it Woods, new that way.

Assistant “Oh we’re Principal still in Eric Graf, the news, parents, but it’s for teachers good stuff,” and parthe told ners for buythe New ing into the Pittsburgh creation of a Courier in new culture a June 10 of respect. interview.

“It really “I had a is about revisit from spect for evthe juveeryone. With nile probathe culture tion officer prior to our the other day, and SUPERINTENDENT JAMES HARRIS coming here, there wasn’t he says, ‘What’s going on over here? respect given to anyone,” We haven’t referred anyone said Harris. “Since all three from Woodland Hills to pro- of us were new, we just treatbation this year.’ He told me ed everyone that way autothe officer they had specifi- matically. The culture is now cally assigned to the school more student-centric, and has been reassigned.”

SEE WOODLAND HILLS A4 It would be argued that

CCAC Braddock Hills gets a fresh new look

by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer

Let’s face it, today’s students expect cutting edge technology and learning environments that have the “modern” feel.

CCAC knows it, as well.

And when one walks into their new Braddock Hills location, it’s a good bet THE GRAND REOPENING—Teiara Hughes, president of the Braddock Hills Student Government As- that expectations will be met. sociation; Dr. Quintin Bullock, president of CCAC; Charlene Newkirk, president of CCAC South CamThe Braddock Hills Center has been pus, Braddock Hills Center and Washington County Center; Dr. Tiffany Evans, interim assistant dean completely renovated, with upgraded of CCAC Braddock Hills Center; and Susan Komlos, lead instructor, MOST, CCAC Braddock Hills. technology, 60-inch TV monitors in each

classroom and a new mini computer lab.

The Center, at 250 Yost Blvd., has new flooring, outdoor signage, a fire suppression system and automated doors. There’s also a new student lounge with refreshments, and the Phlebotomy and Certified Nursing Assistant labs have been updated.

“It is extremely important that today’s students have a learning environment that is up to date, clean and modern beSEE CCAC A5

Improving presence of African Americans in leadership roles TALI welcomes new Corporate CEO Council

by Christian Morrow Courier Staff Writer

The Advanced Leadership Initiative (TALI) marked another milestone in its ongoing mission to create a pipeline of African American executive-level talent for corporations and organizations throughout the Pittsburgh region with the announcement last month that it has established a new Corporate CEO Coun-

cil. It’s peopled with 15 chief executives who’ve confirmed their commitment to improve the regional presence of African Americans in leadership roles.

“We couldn’t be more excited,” said TALI Managing Director Robert Young. “It shows the collective commitment—not just by these individuals personally, but by their companies and orSEE TALI A5

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THE MEMBERS OF THE NEW TALI CORPORATE CEO COUNCIL (Photo by Brian Cook Sr.)

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INTERNATIONAL

JUNE 12-18, 2019

Study finds most of the world failing at gender equality

by Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Correspondent

Nearly 40 percent of the world’s girls and women live in countries that are failing on gender equality, according to information compiled by Equal Measures 2030 and its partners.

According to the website for the project, “The 2019 SDG Gender Index measures the state of gender equality aligned to 14 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 129 countries and 51 issues ranging from health, gender-based violence, climate change, decent work and others. The 2019 SDG Gender Index provides a snapshot of where the world stands, right now, linked to the vision of gender equality set forth by the 2030 Agenda.”

The index reveals that 1.4 billion girls and women are living in countries that get a “very poor” or failing grade on gender equality.

The SDG Gender Index is considered the most comprehensive tool available to measure the state of gender equality when compared to defined SDGs. The average score across the 129 countries—which represent 95 percent of the world’s girls and women— is 65.7 out of 100, which translates to a “poor” rating based upon the index’s scoring system).

No single country is the world’s best performer—or even among the world’s top ten performers—across all goals or all issues.

In 2015, world leaders from the participating countries committed to achieve gender equality by 2030 for every girl and every woman when they signed on to the ambitious goals and targets of the SDGs. “With just 11 years to go, our index finds that not a single one of the 129 countries is fully transforming their laws, policies or public budget decisions on the scale needed to reach gender equality by 2030,” Alison Holder, the director of Equal Measures 2030 said in a news release.

“We are failing to deliver on the promises of gender equality for literally billions of girls and women,” Holder said.

Overall, the world is furthest behind on gender equality issues related to public finance and better gender data (SDG 17), climate change (SDG 13), gender equality in industry and innovation (SDG 9) and—worryingly—the standalone ‘gender equality’ goal (SDG 5).

Denmark tops the index, followed closely by Finland, Sweden, Norway, and the Netherlands.

The countries with the lowest scores in the index—Niger, Yemen, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Chad—have all faced conflict and fragility in recent years.

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FAILING GRADE—Altogether, 2.8 billion girls and women live in countries that get either a “very poor” (59 and below) or “poor” score (60-69) on gender equality. (Illustration: iStockphoto / NNPA) Altogether, 2.8 billion girls and women live in countries that get either a “very poor” (59 and below) or “poor” score (60—69) on gender equality.

Just 8 percent of the world’s population of girls and women live in countries that received a “good” gender equality score (80—89) and no country achieved an “excellent” overall score of 90 or above.

The 129 countries featured in the index cover five regions—Asia and the Pacific, Europe and North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa.

“It’s clear that even the most gender-equal countries need to improve on issues like climate change, gender budgeting and public services, equal representation in powerful positions, gender pay gaps, and gender-based violence,” Holder said.

The index also shows that countries with far fewer resources are still able to tackle key gender inequalities.

Senegal, for example, has a higher percentage of women in parliament (42 percent) than Denmark (37 percent), despite Denmark’s GDP per capita being 56 times higher than that of Senegal.

Kenya has very high rates of women who use digital banking (75 percent)—higher rates than three quarters of the world’s countries.

Colombia has better coverage of social assistance (81 percent) amongst its poorest people than the United States (65 percent), a higher-income country.

“This report should serve as a wakeup call to the world. We won’t meet the SDGs with 40 percent of girls and women living in countries that are failing on gender equality,” said Melinda Gates, Co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

“But the SDG Gender Index also shows that progress is possible. Many countries with the most limited resources are mak-

ing huge strides in removing the barriers for girls and women across economies, politics and society— demonstrating that when it comes to gender equality, governments shouldn’t have excuses for inaction,” Gates said.

Officials said it’s also imperative that the global community provides investment and support to fragile and conflict-affected countries—those with the lowest scores in the Index, such as Yemen, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo and Chad.

“As advocates for gender equality in Africa, we can no longer operate on presumptions and approximations,” said Memory Kachambwa, the executive director of the African Women’s Development and Communication Network— or FEMNET. “Gaps of inequalities must be marked, counted and recorded so that the trail of implementation is clear and decision makers are held to account. The SDG Gender Index will help to ensure that Africa’s girls and women are counted and accounted for,” Kachambwa said.

While some issues are lagging far behind, dedicated international efforts appear to have made a difference on other issues.

Overall, countries have performed best on issues where coordinated and concerted policy focus and funding has been directed over the past 10-20 years, including on hunger and nutrition (SDG 2), water and sanitation (SDG 6), health (SDG 3) and education (SDG 4).

“With 8,000 decision-makers, advocates, and influencers gathered in Vancouver as part of the Women Deliver Conference, and over 100,000 participating around the world, we have the collective power to drive real progress on these gender equality scores and create real impact for girls and women,” said Katja Iversen, the president and CEO of Women Deliver.

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

This Week In Black History

Week of June 12-18 June 12 1840—The world’s first anti-slavery convention took place in London, England. The aim of the gathering was to unite abolitionists worldwide. However, the effectiveness of the convention was harmed by a decision to exclude female delegates.

1886—The Georgia Supreme Court upholds the will of former slave owner David Dickson who had left more than $300,000 to a child he fathered by raping a 12-year-old Black girl. The ruling made Amanda America Eubanks the wealthiest Black person in America. She would later marry one of her White first cousins.

1963—Medgar Evers, Mississippi field secretary for the NAACP, was assassinated in front of his home by White supremMEDGAR EVERS acist Byron de la Beckwith. All-White juries twice refused to find De la Beckwith guilty although the evidence was overwhelming. Finally, in 1995, Beckwith was convicted of killing the civil rights activist. Beckwith died in prison in 2001.

1967—The United States Supreme Court ruled in Loving v. Virginia that Virginia’s law banning interracial marriages was unconstitutional. The decision was a death blow to similar laws throughout the South. However, Alabama did not officially remove its “anti-miscegenation” law from the books until 2000.

June 13 1967—President Lyndon B. Johnson nominates former NAACP Chief Counsel Thurgood Marshall to be the first Black justice on the United States Supreme Court. He said of his decision, it “was the right thing to do, the right time to do it.” Marshall had THURGOOD MARSHALL been a towering figure in the legal battles against segregation including lead counsel in the historic Brown v. Board of Education case. The Senate would confirm the nomination Aug. 30. An aside: Marshall’s original name was Thoroughgood but he shortened it to Thurgood.

June 14 1811—White anti-slavery activist Harriet Beecher Stowe is born. Stowe was the author of one of the best-selling books of 1852—“Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” The book addressed the brutality of slavery and featured the character of “Uncle Tom”—a slave who, perhaps unfairly, came to symbolize the accommodating Black person who showed complete deference to Whites. The book was such an indictment of slavery that when President Abraham Lincoln met Stowe he remarked, “You’re the little woman who wrote the book that started this great [civil] war.”

1970—Cheryl Adrienne Brown wins the Miss Iowa pageant and becomes the first African-American to compete in the Miss America beauty pageant.

HARRIET BEECHER June 15 STOWE 1864—Gen. Ulysses S. Grant outfoxed Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee by switching an attack strategy from Cold Harbor to Petersburg, Va. The assault, spearheaded by Gen. Charles Paine, knocked a mile-wide hole in Lee’s defenses and resulted in the capture of hundreds of rebel soldiers and helped speed up the end of the Civil War. Several Black regiments were involved in the assault and siege.

Grant would later become the 18th president of the United States and use his office to deal a series of crushing blows to the rapidly growing forces of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1870s.

1877—Henry O. Flippea becomes the first Black graduate of the U.S. military academy at West Point.

1921—Bessie Coleman becomes the first woman of any race to obtain an international pilot’s license. But she had to leave the United States and study in France in order to accomplish her goal. She was barred from U.S. flight schools because of her race and her sex. Born in a small town called Atlanta, Texas, Coleman would move to Chicago where she was influenced by several prominent Blacks including Robert S. Abbott, publisher of the Chicago Defender. When she returned to the U.S. from France, Hollywood wanted to do a movie about her amazing feat. She walked off the set because she felt the film actually degraded Blacks. Coleman BESSIE COLEMAN died in a plane accident April 30, 1926.

June 16 1822—This was the rumored start date of the Denmark Vesey-led slave revolt in the Charleston, S.C., area. Vesey, a former slave who had bought his freedom, had organized what is still believed to be the largest and most comprehensive slave revolt in American history. Aware of how “house slaves” tended to be loyal to their slave masters, Vesey had given strict orders that none were to be included in the plot. But so many Blacks (both slave and free) were involved that word eventually leaked out and just as Vesey feared, a house slave told the authorities. Military forces were moved into the city and scores were arrested. Thirty-five Blacks, including Vesey, were hanged. [There is some historical debate as to whether June 16 was the actual start date for the rebellion. There is some authority that July 14 was to be the start date. But what is clear is that military forces moved into the city on June 16 to put down the planned revolt.]

1969—The United States Supreme Court rules that the suspension of Harlem Congressman Adam Clayton Powell Jr. from the U.S. House of Representatives on alleged corruption charges was unconstitutional. Powell, who had first won election to Congress in ADAM CLAYTON 1945, was returned to the House but without his seniority. Powell POWELL JR. had been one of the most powerful men in Congress. He had fought civil rights battles in New York and had followed his father as pastor of the city’s influential Abyssinian Baptist Church. He often told Blacks “Mass action is the most powerful force on earth.” He also frequently reminded his supporters to “Keep the faith, baby.”

June 17 1775—Blacks fight in two of the major battles of America’s war of independence from England—the battles of Bunker Hill and Breeds Hill. Two of the most outstanding soldiers were Peter Salem and Salem Poor.

1871—James Weldon Johnson is born in Jacksonville, Fla. Johnson is clearly one of the most multi-talented men in Black American history. He was a poet, writer, lawyer, diplomat and civil rights activist. Johnson was one of the leading figures in the Black cultural revolution of the 1920s known as the Harlem Renaissance. He was the first African-American admitted to the Florida bar to practice law. He was the JAMES WELDON JOHNSON first Black executive of the NAACP. He served as one of the first Black diplomats to Latin America and he is co-author of the “Black” National Anthem—“Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing.” He died in an automobile accident in 1938.

1928—The “Godfather of Soul” James Brown was born on this day in Pulaski, Tenn. He was also referred to as “Soul Brother Number One” and “Mr. Dynamic” for his sensational dancing.

Brown died in December of 2006.

1948—Actress Phylicia Rashad is born on this day in Houston, Texas. Rashad is best known for her role as Bill Cosby’s wife in the once highly popular NBC television series, “The Cosby Show.”

1980—Tennis great Venus Williams is born in Lynwood, Calif. Venus is the older sister of fellow tennis great Serena Williams.

JAMES BROWN June 18 1941—Labor and civil rights leader A. Phillip Randolph initially rejects a plea

by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to call off the first-ever Black-organized March on Washington designed to protest unfair employment practices by the military and the defense industry. The march was planned by Randolph, Bayard Rustin and A.J. Muste—all relatively unsung heroes of the early civil rights movement. The march was not cancelled until Roosevelt signed the Fair Employment Act. Ironically, more than 20 years later, Randolph would be one of the principal figures helping Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. organize his historic 1963 March on Washington.

1968—The United States Supreme Court bans racial discrimination in the sale and rental of housing. The decision came in a case known as Jones v. Alfred H. Mayer Co. The court used as its precedent the Civil Rights Act of 1866 to state that housing discrimination by either the government or private industry was unconstitutional.

2010—A study gains widespread publicity indicating that a growing number of Black males are abandoning Black females when it comes to marriage. The report, analyzing data from 2008, found that 22 percent of Black male newlyweds married a woman who was not Black. Meanwhile, A. PHILLIP RANDOLPH 9 percent of Black female newlyweds married a man who was not Black. The study was compiled the Pew research Center and based on data from the Census Bureau’s “American Community Survey.” The actual report had been released in early June.

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

NATIONAL

JUNE 12-18, 2019

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How did Bennett College keep its accreditation despite financial and legal woes?

by Merdie Nzanga

and friends. The average gift from thousands of donors was $50-$75, Gatling (TriceEdneyWire.com) said.

—The music director at But there were big givers, the Alfred Street Baptist too.

Church was a good person The Alpha Kappa Alpha to be in a good place at a sorority gave $100,000; the very important time. And Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, she did something especial- $31,000; and the brothers ly beneficial for her alma of Omega Psi Phi, $20,000. mater, Bennett College.

Singer Kwanza Jones, When Joyce Garrett whose mother and an aunt heard that Bennett could are Bennett graduates, lose its accreditation if donated $1 million. So did it didn’t quickly raise $5 High Point University, million, she turned to her which like Bennett has pastor. Alfred Street Baphistorical ties to the United tist, a two-centuries-old Methodist Church. institution in Alexandria, Papa John’s Pizza conVa., has a host of HBCU tributed $500,000, as did a alumni in its congregation, North Carolina foundation and a soft spot for those linked to the R.J. Reynolds schools in its heart—and in tobacco family. its budget, too.

Jones, a Princeton UniThe church gave $50,000 versity alumna, explained to the tiny, all-women’s col- her family-affair contribulege in Greensboro. N.C.— tion this way: one of the largest com“I am a very proud Afrimunity contributions to a can American woman who two-month fund drive that wears my crown. I am a brought in nearly twice the queen that was raised by amount targeted. queens. I am a queen who Bennett’s vice president knows other queens lift for institutional advanceother queens. They raise ment offered a hearty kings. They raise the world. amen to the church’s They elevate everything,” generosity, and particularly she said as she announced some of those behind it. the gift from her and her “Our alums weren’t deep in husband. “So that is the pockets, but were strong in foundation of why my influence,” Danny Gatling mother said, ‘You know, you said on a recent visit to the all should give to Bennett’.” nation’s capital.

Bennett’s success in what In a matter of just two school officials charactermonths, Bennett raised ized as a do-or-die effort nearly $10 million to prove drew attention to a dilemits financial stability and ma it shares with many save its accreditation, other HBCUs—especially only to lose it anyway for private ones—as well as reasons it is disputing in with other small, private federal court in Atlanta. liberal arts schools around The court has temporarily the nation, Brian K. reinstated the accreditaBridges, vice president of tion pending the outcome research and member enof the lawsuit. gagement for UNCF, said Half the money that the in an interview.

“Stand with Bennett” camGatling agreed. “Benpaign took in came through nett’s issue is not unique, efforts like those at Alfred it’s [just] getting so much Street Baptist—individual attention compared to othdonations from alumnae er schools,” he said. “I think like Garrett, their families, [in] this, day when we’re For New Pittsburgh Courier

BENNETT RAISED nearly $10 million to prove its financial stability and save its accreditation, only to lose it anyway for reasons it is disputing in federal court in Atlanta. The court has temporarily reinstated the accreditation pending the outcome of the lawsuit. focused so much on the #metoo movement, women’s rights, and women’s color, losing one of the only two institutions that were created for women of color raised this visibility…”

The core of a recurrent financial problem for Bennett is that the college is more dependent than most on tuition, fees and even personal gifts from families on shaky financial ground, who struggle to pay even relatively modest money to send their children to a better school, which itself lacks the endowment dollars to more easily make its own ends meet.

Gladys A. Robinson, the chair of the board of trustees of her alma mater and a North Carolina state senator, said the Great Recession seriously diminished the fragile wealth of Bennett families and their communities.

“We are disappointed that [the accrediting panel] does not seem to understand the issue of HBCUs,” Robinson said in the midst of the campaign, “and especially an African American woman’s HBCU that continues to survive and strive and improve, regardless of economic situations.”

More than half of Ben-

nett’s annual operating revenues of about $15 million come from tuition and fees, and gifts and grants.

Yet, the school needs to keep its costs affordably low. For instance, Bridges of UNCF said, Bennett cannot charge more than Harvard for tuition.

Tuition and fees at Bennett are about $18,000 a year, while the cost is $50,000 at Harvard, which 20 years ago effectively merged with Radcliffe College, its former women-only counterpart.

Radcliffe was one of the elite Seven Sisters women’s colleges. So, too, were Smith College and Bryn Mawr, which remain all female. Smith charges $52,000 a year, and Bryn Mawr, $44,000.

Bridges said a school like Bennett also must compete for students with other HBCUs that receive public funds, and with predominantly white schools offering more educational opportunities to black students than were possible years ago.

North Carolina A&T State University, an HBCU a stone’s throw from the Bennett campus in Greensboro, is $20,000 for non-state residents, and

less than $7,000 for North Carolinians; down the road from Greensboro at Winston Salem State University, another HBCU, the costs are about the same as at A&T. At the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG), a predominantly White school near Bennett, tuition, and fees are $22,000 for out-of-state students and $7,000 for Carolinians. UNCG has more than five times as many black students as Bennett has students overall.

UNCF’s Bridges said Bennett has one of the smallest endowments of any HBCU, and many of its alumnae are more likely to live in the South, where earnings are lower. The small endowment is what limits the college’s ability to provide financial assistance, he said and makes its students and their families—as well as Bennett’s ongoing operations—more vulnerable to ups and downs in the national economy.

Some 97 percent of the college’s students need financial help, according to Bennett’s Gatling. What they cannot get from the school, they mostly must borrow.

Ninety percent of Black college students nationwide take out loans to pay for college, compared to 70 percent of their White counterparts, the National Center for Educational Statistics reported.

The bad years for the nation’s economy were especially bad for Bennett.

Its enrollment was 780 in 2010. In 2017, it was 493, a drop of 37 percent.

There were six years of annual losses in its operating budget, including in 2014, when Bennett came up $2 million short on a budget of about $19 million. Some employees were

laid off, and some academic programs were cut.

In December of 2016, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges placed Bennett on probation. Two years later—last December—it revoked the school’s accreditation.

Things may be looking up for Bennett on at least two fronts.

The Women’s College Coalition said that firstyear enrollment among its 38 members rose from 9,000 in 2014 to 13,000 in 2017, The New York Times reported earlier this year.

There also may be a new interest in both HBCUs and women’s colleges as ‘safe space’ oases in hostile climates, the newspaper said, and some see women’s schools as better environments in which women can develop their potential.

Bennett says it has received twice as many applicants for the upcoming school year as normal.

It had projected a $700,000 budget surplus for the current year, on top of a $461,038 surplus the year before.

Despite the success and spotlight of the “Stand with Bennett” campaign, the college does not consider itself out of the financial woods.

“To transform the institution, we probably need about $50- to $60 million,” Gatling said.

“While we don’t like how we got the visibility, it has really caused people to start to look at the small schools and their existence,” he said. “We want to take the lessons we learned and help other HBCUs. We’re wanting to work with other institutions big or small, to approach some different ways of fundraising.”

(Special to the Trice Edney News Wire from the Howard University News Service)

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METRO

JUNE 12-18, 2019

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

A Living Legend

Beaver County Musicians 2019 Hall of Fame Class inducted

The New Pittsburgh Courier has learned that six Beaver Valley musicians were inducted into the Beaver Valley Musicians Hall of Fame on May 5. Below is each inductee’s photo (courtesy Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center) and description (courtesy Beaver County Times).

HENRY PARHAM was a member of the U.S. Army’s 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion that stormed Omaha Beach in Normandy, June 6, 1944. In the middle photo, Parham is pictured with World War II Veteran Joe Zimbicki, at an event celebrating D-Day at the Heinz History Center, June 6. (Photos by Courier photographer J.L. Martello)

Henry Parham honored for his service during D-Day, 75 years ago PARHAM FROM A1

supposed to as an American.”

Well into his retirement, Parham worked at the New Pittsburgh Courier and is still highly regarded by all who know him there. In 2013, he told Courier reporter Ashley Johnson he would be heading to Washington, D.C. for D-Day because he would be named a “Chevalier” and receive the French Legion of Honor for his part in liberating France from the Nazi occupation.

“I am excited and really looking forward to it. I really don’t know what to say,” he told Johnson. “It was quite an experience, but I got through it and I’m proud of it.”

He and his wife of 45 years, Ethel, live in Wilkinsburg and he remains active volunteering for the Veterans Administration and with the American Legion.

wings and foul propellers, bringing the planes crashing to the ground. Parham’s job was to keep them flying day and night—and that’s exactly what he and his battalion mates did in Normandy for 68 days straight.

But when he first hit the beach, a strafing run wasn’t his immediate concern— German infantry soldiers shooting at the Allied forces from reinforced bunkers atop the cliffs above Omaha Beach were.

“It was a scary thing. It was hard to take cover,” Parham told the Heinz History Center audience last week, June 6.

“But we did it…I guess with the help of the good Lord.”

During an interview with CNN the day before, Parham told CNN, “Of course I was scared for my life…but I did my duty. I did what I was HENRY PARHAM, with wife, Ethel.

RONNIE COX, performed with the Fabulous Delmonics and the Sounds of Unlimited Band of Beaver County.

ROBERT MAYBURY, inducted posthumously, member of the Teddy Zee Big Band.

Woodland Hills sees its incidents down, graduation rates up WOODLAND HILLS FROM A1

we’re listening to families.”

The result: write-ups for discipline are down 75 percent at the high school and 50 percent at the intermediate school.

“Our graduation rate is up to 95 percent, that’s up from 85.8 percent last year.

There have been no expulsions, we are closing the ‘alternative school,’ and the police haven’t been called here once,” he said.

Harris added that the high school’s Black Student

Union has reduced tensions by giving students a voice and revealing the root causes of some behaviors that allowed resources to be allocated to address them.

Academically, challenges remain, Harris said, but two major ones have already been addressed and are yielding results.

“When we got here we found several gaps. The first was social promotions—kids were being passed without meeting course requirements—so we stopped that,” he said. “Then

there was the school calendar.

If you were a sophomore and failed a math class, there was no way for you to recoup that.

Students knew they couldn’t graduate and dropped out. It was set up for students to fail.

Now, we have a schedule that allows a student to double up or take credit recovery in the summer.”

In October, Harris said Woods showed him a list of students who were in danger of not graduating, and the two administrators went to work.

“We went to them. We were

proactive—we brought them ‘kicking and screaming’ down to the lab, but it worked,” he said. “And last week, there were kids with smiling faces on that graduation stage who wouldn’t have been before, because they thought people had given up on them.”

The district is also moving the seventh- and eighth-graders out of the high school back to the intermediate school and giving it a STEAM focus. Harris said the bulk of the past disciplinary problems at the

high school were related to the immaturity of those seventh- and eighth-grade students in a high school setting. The district will also introduce foreign languages in the elementary schools.

“All in all, So far so good,” Harris said. “We’re shocked at how many resources were actually available here. So we’re happy about that and about how responsive people have been— teachers, the union, parents, everyone. We didn’t do it by ourselves.”

JOHN “BIG JAKE” ROBINSON, inducted posthumously, nicknamed “Prime Minister of the Blues.”

RAY HARVEY CARTER, played bass guitar for the Fabulous Stereos.

ROBERT “LOOMIS” PRINCE, currently performs with Johnny Angel and the Halos’ All-Star Jam Band.

FRANKIE YOUNG, performed with Joe Denone and the Denones, and Gary Glenn and the Jeweltones.

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JUNE 12-18, 2019

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Improving presence of African Americans in leadership roles TALI FROM A1

ganizations—to building a diverse and prosperous business community and raising the external impression of the region as well. The Council really moves that forward.”

Those committed leaders are: •Leroy Ball, chairman and CEO—Koppers; •Ray Betler, chairman and CEO—Wabtec; •Jeff Broadhurst, president and CEO—Eat’n Park Hospitality Group; •Randy Dearth, President and COO—GCP Applied Technologies; •Bill Demchak, President, Chairman and CEO –PNC; ªMichele Fabrizi, CEO— MARC USA; •Cain Hayes, president and CEO—Gateway Health; •Diane Holder, President and CEO—UPMC Health Plan; •David Holmberg, president and CEO—Highmark Health;

•Laura Karet, president and CEO — Giant Eagle; •Jerry MacCleary, chairman and CEO—Covestro (Retired); •Bob McDonald, chairman and CEO—Proctor and Gamble (Retired); •Robert McNally, president and Chief Executive Officer—EQT Corporation; •Greg Spencer, president and CEO, Randall Industries; •Lara Washington, President and CEO, Allegheny Housing & Rehabilitation Corporation.

Spencer, who also cochairs TALI with founder and Senior VP of Community affairs for Highmark Health, Evan Frazier, said the CEO Council can play a huge role in furthering TALI’s mission.

“When we had our first meeting, I was truly impressed with intensity and commitment of those

attending,” he said. “It’s important because they are the ones who make decisions on hiring executives. What are the qualities and experiences they look for when deciding if someone is a good candidate? So they not only give their support, they also give critical feedback to the program.”

Since TALI is also about making connections, MacCleary hosted a reception for the Council members at the Duquesne Club on May 8, and the first cohort of graduates from TALI’s Executive Leadership Academy also attended. The Academy is run in partnership with the Carnegie Mellon University Tepper School of Business and is an 8-module executive education program designed to prepare African American executives for advancement and promotion.

“This is unique for Pitts-

TALI FOUNDER EVAN FRAZIER, Senior VP of Community Affairs for Highmark Health, with Michele Fabrizi, CEO of integrated marketing agency MARC USA. Fabrizi is one of the members of the new TALI Corporate CEO Council. (Photo by Courier photographer Brian Cook Sr.) burgh and the African American community,” said Frazier. “It sends the

message that compaies are investing in our future and in diverse executive-level

talent. It really sets the tone for the future of the region.”

CCAC Braddock Hills gets a fresh new look CCAC FROM A1

cause we know that our school facilities have an impact on student outcomes,” Dr. Tiffany Evans, interim assistant dean of CCAC Braddock Hills, told the New Pittsburgh Courier, June 4, the day after the Center’s grand reopening.

“The learning environment can enhance the students’ experience and ultimately the quality of education received.”

A statement released by CCAC said the Center will offer classes on Saturdays beginning in the fall for the Business Management and Administrative Computer Specialist Certificate programs as well as additional Social Work courses and noncredit community education coursework.

Many people at CCAC Braddock Hills enroll in the Modern Office Systems Training (MOST) program, which provides free office technology training to unemployed and underem-

ployed individuals for the purpose of developing employment skills that lead to self-sufficiency and career advancement. The program features individualized courses and provides a professional and nurturing environment that enables student success.

“The program is extremely hands-on with a lot of real-world problem solving using various computer applications and other necessary employment skills,” Dr. Evans said. “The program is approximately four to seven months long depending on the schedule the trainee can keep. Students may enroll either full- or part-time and advance at their own pace, and all work is assigned as though it were required on the job. The training is entirely free based on income eligibility guidelines.”

Dr. Evans told the Courier that in the past year, graduates of the program have obtained job positions

LEGAL ADVERTISING

THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH

Sealed bids will be received in the Bellefield Avenue Lobby, Administration Building, 341 South Bellefield Avenue until 11:00 A.M. prevailing time June 25, 2019 and will be opened at the same hour for the purchase of the following equipment and supplies: Custodial Small Equipment Custodial Paper Products Custodial Chemicals/Soaps Window Cleaning General Information regarding bids may be obtained at the Office of the Purchasing Agent, Service Center, 1305 Muriel Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203. The bid documents are available on the School District’s Purchasing web site at: www.pgh schools.org Click on Our Community Bid Opportunities Purchasing - under uick Links.

The Board of Public Education reserves the right to reject any and all bids, or select a single item from any bid.

We are an equal rights and opportunity school district

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Sealed bid proposals are hereby solicited for the Community College of Allegheny County, 800 Allegheny Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15233 (412.237.3020) on the following items: Bid Proposal No. 1051 – Cisco Maintenance Renewal Bid Proposal No. 1052 – Courier Service Due date: 2:00 P.M. Prevailing Time on Monday, June 24, 2019 The CCAC Purchasing Department publishes all bids and RFPs via the CCAC website at https:// www.ccac.edu/Bid-RFP_Opportunities.aspx. It will be each vendor’s responsibility to monitor the bid activity within the given website ( Bid and RFP Opportunities ) and ensure compliance with all applicable bid documents inclusive of any issued addenda. Failure to incorporate any applicable addenda in the final submittal may result in the rejection of your bid.

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with annual salaries from $28,000 to $62,000, and the program boasts a 92 to 98 percent job-retention rate. New classes start every three weeks, Dr. Evans said.

Margaret Anderson with CCAC public relations said as summer has arrived, students looking to attend CCAC can complete an application at ccac.edu.

First-time students may be

required to take the placement test based on their program of study, time out of high school, or previous GPA from high school if they graduated within the past five years.

CCAC has four “campuses”—Allegheny, Boyce, North and South; and five “centers”—Braddock Hills, Homewood, Energy Innovation, Washington County, and West Hills.

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HEALTH

JUNE 12-18, 2019

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

Take charge of your health today. Be informed. Be involved.

Benefits of Fatherhood

ESTHER BUSH

Fatherhood

This month, the “Take Charge of Your Health Today” page focuses on the health benefits associated with fatherhood. Erricka Hager, health advocate at the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, and Esther L. Bush, president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, spoke about this topic.

EH: Good afternoon, Ms. Bush. Today’s topic is quite timely with Father’s Day quickly approaching on June 16. I’m excited to have this conversation with you. Today we’re discussing the health benefits that are associated with the responsibilities of becoming a father.

Research has shown that involved fathers positively impact their children’s health. Rarely discussed, however, are the impact and health perks that fatherhood can have on the man’s life.

EB: Yes, Erricka. I’m glad that we are discussing the health benefits of being a family man. As you mentioned, a growing body of research has identified the positive correlation between involved fathers and their children’s health. A study at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, Md., concluded that children who have active fathers learn better, have higher self-esteem and are less prone to depression than those who don’t.

But research also shows that becoming a dad has a profound impact on the man’s physical and mental well-being. A long-term study by the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, Md., found that men with healthy family relationships are less prone to stress-related health problems. And right here at the University of Pittsburgh, pediatric fellow Alicia Boykin, MD, is expanding her research to understand how support affects young fathers under the age of 26.

EH: It is great to see that researchers like Dr. Boykin are expanding their focus.

Younger fathers are an understudied and underrepresented population, despite them having similar needs as adolescent and young-adult mothers.

However, Dr. Boykin is addressing the research gap with the Young Fathers Study. The purpose of the study is to help researchers learn more about the role that young fathers play in their children’s lives and better understand how health care providers may affect young fathers’ ideas about parenting.

Researchers hope their findings will lead to better ways to support young fathers in the future.

EB: Dr. Boykin’s study is very important to mention; thank you, Erricka. However, researchers should be mindful that young fathers may be hard to engage for a variety of reasons. The Urban League can also aid in connecting fathers with support that is available for them.

EH: You’re right, Ms. Bush. And it is so important that our readers continue to volunteer for such research studies so their voices and opinions are included!

EB: This conversation is important, Erricka. Thank you for bringing this topic to the forefront. I hope all of our fathers have a great Father’s Day. I look forward to chatting with you next month about stroke research.

The perception of fatherhood has expanded over the past few decades. Parenting is more widely seen as a partnership with equal responsibilities, with people in the fatherly role possibly having more involvement than in the past. As we celebrate the roles fathers, grandfathers and father figures have in our lives, it is also important to consider how that role affects them.

Longstanding research has shown that the role of father figures in children’s lives is important to their well-being. Children with involved fathers do better in school and have a reduced chance of criminal involvement or drug use (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/ data/nhsr/nhsr071.pdf).

The Fatherhood Project, a program in the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, cites research that has shown that “[c]hildren who feel a closeness to their father are twice as likely as those who do not to enter college or find stable employment after high school; 75 percent less likely to have a teen birth; 80 percent less likely to spend time in jail; and half as likely to experience multiple depression symptoms.”

The project also highlights that research showing that, when fathers are engaged

fathers are involved.

“In this research, we’re finding that adolescent and young-adult fathers really enjoy being involved with their children,” said Dr. Boykin. “They have a lot of questions and concerns but often they feel that some of the attention—or a lot of the attention—is focused on the mother of the child. This focus is understandable, but we want to find ways to support fathers’ involvement both during health care visits and beyond.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) notes that health care providers are some of the first people to engage with father figures in their father role. The organization encourages health care providers to support fathers and enhance their DADS PLAY—TYRESE GILBERT plays with his 3-year-old son, Benaiah, at the 10th annual March DAD- involvement by connecting ness basketball tournament, March 17, 2018 at Pittsburgh Obama. (Photo by Rob Taylor Jr.) with them early on. AAP offers guidelines to support with their children during fathers’ involvement. These the prenatal period, they guidelines include health Through the Young Fathers Study, Dr. are likely to stay involved care providers introducing throughout the child’s life. themselves and engagBoykin has noticed that the young fathers As people in the father ing with both mothers being interviewed want to be more involved role become more involved and fathers during visits, in their children’s lives, emphasizing how children and to make a difference in their children’s health care providers are also look up to fathers as lives. Health care providers are in a unique learning more about how role models, taking time to to support these fathers in understand each family’s position to support fathers as the roles and their children’s health care. composition and cultural expectations of fatherhood change.

One University of Pittsburgh beliefs and even screening researcher and physician fathers for depression (more is studying, specifically, information on these guideolescent and young-adult are interviewed about their how to better support adlines can be found here: fathers. Alicia Boykin, MD, thoughts on fatherhood and https://pediatrics.aappubpediatric fellow in Pitt’s Dewhat their interactions with lications.org/content/pepartment of Pediatrics, runs health care providers have the Young Fathers Study been like. Dr. Boykin’s basic diatrics/138/1/e20161128. full.pdf). Screening adoto find out how health care idea is that health care prolescent and young fathers interactions in uence the no- viders should be involving for depression, Dr. Boykin tion of fatherhood. The study fathers more in health care said, is especially important focuses on fathers up to age because research shows because as they are becom26 who either have children that long-term health outing parents they are also up to age 5 or are expectcomes for fathers, mothers ing a child. These fathers and children are better when navigating adolescence.

TAKE A FATHER TO SCHOOL—Pittsburgh Public Schools celebrated “Take a Father to School Day” with a host of activities, May 18, 2018. These photos of various Pittsburgh fathers with their children were captured by Renee Rosensteel and Merecedes J. Williams.

TAKE A FATHER TO SHOOL—Pittsburgh Public Schools celebrated “Take a Father to School Day” with a host of activities, May 18, 2018. These photos of Pittsburgh fathers with their children were captured by Renee Rosensteel and Merecedes J. Williams.

Healthy Start Male Initiative Program (MIP)

through providing health education, strengthening life Healthy Start, Inc. (HSI) is skills and addressing family a public health organization self-sufficiency and ecowhose mission is to improve nomic stability. In addition to home visiting and individmaternal and child health and to reduce poor birth out- ualized case management services, the fatherhood comes and infant mortality program uses a multidisciin Allegheny County. HSI plinary approach, focusing believes fathers and male on evidence-based curricupartners play a key role lum and assessment tools in reducing maternal and from 24/7 DAD and the Nurinfant mortality, can help to support positive pregnancy turing Parenting Program.

We offer a six-week Men outcomes and contribute of Standard peer-support to the ongoing health and course that focuses on 3 well-being of their babies.

R’s—relationships, responsiHSI’s fatherhood program bilities and resources—and offers a variety of services other topics like parent and community-based activities designed to improve communication and bonding, relationship building and the health and resilience of general health education fathers and male partners

by Nicole Singletary

and child health programming. Much of the same education that is provided to our women participants is also made available to our fathers because it is equally critical that fathers and male partners understand the risk factors and biological components associated with perinatal outcomes. Our evidence-informed approach reinforces NICOLE SINGLETARY encouragement of paternal and prevention education involvement in supporting classes on prenatal/postthe well-being of women partum care, childbirth, and children as a part of breastfeeding support and the family system. Other HIV/AIDS and other sexually services and collaborative transmitted diseases. efforts include a community The fatherhood program health advocate paid trainis a fully integrated coming program that focuses ponent of HSI’s maternal on improving a commitment

to health, health advocacy, and addressing health disparities; working collaboratively with the Pittsburgh Public Schools’ Teen ELECT Program to support teen fathers; 412 DADS, a community partnership group formed to address issues related to fatherhood and Texting for Dads, in partnership with the National Healthy Start Association, to focus on new and expectant fathers who receive information through texting about child development that spans pregnancy, infant and toddler developmental periods.

(Nicole Singletary is director of In-Home Services, Healthy Start, Inc.)

METRO

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

JUNE 12-18, 2019

A7

Change begins within our own communities For all the strongly held views on immigration being publicly articulated at the present time, there are certain realities we must acknowledge about the world in which we live. It is becoming more and more interconnected, nations’ economies more dependent on each other, workforces more diverse. Over time, the continuation of this trend is inevitable and unstoppable.

America has a unique role in this story because of who we are, how we were born and how our country grew and evolved. All of us have an obligation to look at our past, present and future honestly—to address inequities and embrace opportunities with empathy, civility and a constructive mindset.

After all, immigrants bring energy and ambition and new ways of doing things. The world would be a much different place today if not for the drive and imagination of Andrew Carnegie, a Scottish immigrant of modest beginnings who landed right here in Pittsburgh. It would be a much different place if the Brin family, including

6-year-old Sergey Brin, hadn’t taken what was at the time the great risk of applying for an exit visa from the old Soviet Union, so they could come to America. Brin, of course, grew up to become the founder of Google.

And of course, our history would be very different if a Kenyan immigrant named Barack Obama Sr. hadn’t come to America to go to college—later to have a son who would achieve the ultimate American dream of becoming the first Black president of the United States.

While not everyone grows up to be Andrew Carnegie or Sergey Brin or Barack Obama, most immigrants are here because they want to work hard, get an education, have a good life and contribute to their communities. And while the conversation about immigration often is based on emotion rather than facts, there are many reasons to have hope for the future.

At the institution I lead (CCAC), as with many academic institutions, we see ethnic communities helping their own and working with other groups across

ethnic lines. We see people learning new languages, taking advantage of the many support services we offer, and sorting through the possible career options that are in front of them.

For some, their path leads directly toward a career in any number of good paying fields. For others, we are an important step on the educational ladder, enabling them to fill in gaps as they work toward transferring to a four-year college.

But the big difference between CCAC and some other academic institutions, particularly in this region, is that our students don’t leave town immediately after graduation—94 percent of them continue to live and work in the Pittsburgh region.

While our student body is diverse, cutting across ethic, racial and economic lines, we are constantly working to develop programs that reach out to underserved communities—to give more of our neighbors the opportunity to access the great equalizer of education and get onto the path toward a successful career.

I like to think of our academic community, the

improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”

It took a while, but he was right. Slowly but surely, people around the world City of Pittsburgh, and our not overlook what’s hap- started speaking out and country at-large as a great pening close to home. taking action. And eventutossed salad. It’s not very Walk around your own ally apartheid fell. interesting if you have the neighborhood. Are there Even if we sometimes feel lettuce in one bowl and the people living right near- powerless in times of potomatoes in another and by—perhaps new immi- litical and social division, the carrots and peppers grants—who need some always remember that we and other ingredients all in help? Talk to your friends have the potential of betheir own separate bowls. and family and neighbors. ing the stone on the water But you mix it all together What can you do to improve that Bobby Kennedy spoke and it’s great—the perfect the lives of people in your about, sending out ripples example of something that own backyard? of hope that can build into is far better than the sum One of the great injustices powerful currents that of its individual parts. of modern times was the change the world. If we Our politics and public system of apartheid that want to change the tone discourse today is often existed for many years in of the conversation, if we marked by anger and hos- South Africa. It seemed in- want to welcome new imtility. It doesn’t have to be tractable. Large parts of the migrants to our country, if that way. We can all play a population were oppressed. we want to make our comrole, in our own lives and Opponents were impris- munities better places to in our own communities, oned. What could anyone do live, it begins with each of in improving the dialogue to change it? Well, in 1966, us and the actions we take and changing the culture. Robert F. Kennedy went every day.

In trying to address the big there and said: (Dr. Quintin Bullock, DDS, is issues of the country and “Each time a man stands the president of Community Colworld on a larger scale, let’s up for an ideal, or acts to lege of Allegheny County.)

Commentary

Dr. Quintin Bullock, DDS

The first William C. Delaney Scholarships awarded William C. Delaney’s name and legacy live on.

Believed to be one of the first African Americans in the

Pittsburgh area to own a car dealership, Delaney’s wife, Susan, helped raise money for the first William C. Delaney

Scholarships, given to young minorities aspiring to be entrepreneurs. Scholarships were awarded on June 1 at

the Mount Ararat Community Activity Center. William C. Delaney died in 2017 at age 99.

For more details, visit del-

LANIAYA JENKINS AND HAILEE BLACKWELL

THE WILLIAM C. DELANEY SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

BROOKLYNNE LOWRY AND JADE MINNIEFIELD

Support the Courier, one of America’s most iconic African American newspapers.

Subscribe today, by calling 412-481-8302 ext. 134.

aneyscholarship.org. Courier photographer J.L. Martello captured pics of the scholarship recipients.

LIFESTYLES New Pittsburgh Courier

A8

JUNE 12-18, 2019

www.newpittsburghcourier.com

Debbie Norrell

Lifestyles Report

What is a tariff?

There has been a lot of talk about tariffs lately.

Mexico was just threatened with a tariff if they didn’t keep their people away from our border. In short, this is what happened. Trump creates a tariff problem and then cures it and claims he is THE hero, this appears to be his M O. The only thing I could gather from this tariff threat is that we would be paying more for goods.

On a day-to-day basis I don’t think about tariffs, so I had to look it up. A tariff is a tax on imports or exports between sovereign states.

It is a form of regulation of foreign trade and a policy that taxes foreign products to encourage or safeguard domestic industry. Traditionally, states have used them as a source of income.

Now, they are among the most widely used instruments of protection, along with import and export quotas. Tariffs are a tax on imports. They’re typically charged as a percentage of the transaction price that a buyer pays a foreign seller. These are some of the top produce crops that are imported largely from Mexico: mangos, limes, papayas, avocados and blackberries. The U.S. is least dependent on Mexico for produce during the summer, when many domestic crops such as tomatoes and berries are abundant.

This may hurt the Mexican farmer but it would hurt American companies, many American farming and marketing companies, including Driscoll’s, Sunkist, NatureSweet and Taylor Farms, grow or source in Mexico. If the 25 percent tariff went into effect, it would cost American consumers of Mexican produce $3 billion, said the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas in a recent statement.

What I want to know is how and who was going to calculate the tariff increases. Who was going to count the people coming in illegally and determine that the numbers were going down therefore not increasing the tariff? Was this piece of the puzzle ever revealed? I guess we can now breathe a sigh of relief, right at the eleventh hour 45 tweeted that Mexico and the United States have agreed on a deal to stop the flow of illegal Central American immigrants from coming into the U.S. The president said the deal suspended steep tariffs on imported Mexican goods that would have gone into effect Monday. I still want to know how it was going to work. Who was going to count the people and make the decision that too many immigrants were still coming into the United States.

I have never in my adult life been so sick of an administration. It seems like each day we wake up to something new and crazy.

What really disturbs me are the people who say that President Obama did nothing for “our people.”

His list of accomplishments were long and they benefited everyone that was eligible for them. Remember 44 was blocked from so much, even being able to select a supreme court justice because it was his final year in office which make no sense to me. Next week...the list of accomplishments.

Email Debbie at debbienorrell@aol.com.)

THE LADY IN RED—Ernestine Taylor

FIRST YEAR AS EMCEE—Lisa Sylvester, WPXI

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT—Jayne Miller

Welcome to Allegheny Commons

SUPPORTING CITY PARKS—Richard Reed, Sylvia Fields, Fred Fields, Barbara Howard and Chris Howard

by Debbie Norrell Lifestyles Editor

On May 4, the 2019 PNC Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy Spring Hat Luncheon was held in Allegheny Commons Park. This was the first Spring Hat Luncheon held in Allegheny Commons Park. The park was built in 1867 by what was then called the City of Allegheny; the North Side’s 80-acre park is Pittsburgh’s oldest park. The fountain in the park was recently restored and reopened.

The proceeds from the annual hat luncheon supports the parks in the region. The 21st luncheon was the first to be held in a community park. Over 600 guests in fabulous hats enjoyed a beautiful day in the park with a lunch exquisitely catered by the D u q u e s n e STUNNING—Yasmin Shaheed and Latasha Batch Club.

Not only did the PNC Pittsburgh Conservancy have a new location long time emcee in Sally Wiggin (WTAE), but Lisa Sylvester (WPXI) emceed her first hat luncheon.

She donned a beautiful fuchsia hat for the occasion.

Jayne MillTHE SHOW STOPPER—Mary Starusko (photos er, President and CEO

by Debbie Norrell) of Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, thanked the large crowd for supporting this important organization for the last 21 years. The luncheon raised more than $500,000 to benefit the city’s most valuable green spaces. Save the date: May 2, 2020, the 22nd Annual PNC Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy Spring Hat Luncheon will be held MOST UNUSUAL—Jackie Dixon at Frick Park.

PUTTING ON OUR TOP HATS—Andrea Passman, Mary and Mark Flaherty

ENJOYING A DAY IN THE PARK—Dominique Robinson and Caroline Lee

JOHN PEPPER WELCOMES FIRST-TIMER AUSTIN DAVIS

RELIGION

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

JUNE 12-18, 2019

A9

Praise & Worship

The Youth Revival

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: Summer Worship Hour...10 a.m.

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

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YOUTH FROM BLESSED AND CHOSEN MIME MINISTRIES of Payne Chapel AME Church in Duquesne, at the Youth Revival, held recently at New Evangelistic Ministries. (Photos by Courier photographer J.L. Martello)

AT NEW EVANGELISTIC MINISTRIES

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

Join our growing Praise and Worship Church Community!

For rate information, call 412481-8302, ext.

128.

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

The Courier is THE VOICE of Black Pittsburgh.

A10

JUNE 12-18, 2019

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

BUSINESS New Pittsburgh Courier

Phyllis J. Anderson graduates from Pitt’s GSPIA Metro B7

JUNE 12-18, 2019

www.newpittsburghcourier.com

Derrick Tillman completes Miller Street Apartments development in Hill District

B

Mark Anthony Thomas named president of the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance

idence to residence. “We lived all over the area,” he said, recalling his time in Rankin, Wilkinsburg, Homewood, East Liberty and the Hill District. Today, he is committed to bettering the lives of others who’ve had similar experiences.

The Miller Street project not only provides housing and opportunity but possesses historical significance. “Here, we are located on holy ground,” he affirms, standing in the building entrance pointing to two plaques mounted on the wall. Formerly 318 Miller Street, the building was built in 1916 by the local branches of the International Jewish Fraternal Organization. In partnership with other groups, it was founded as the Labor Lyceum Inc., and was used as a center for Jewish labor activities. It is known as the first WhiteSEE TILLMAN B2

SEE THOMAS B2

For New Pittsburgh Courier

RAISING THE BAR—Derrick Tillman, president and CEO of Bridging the Gap Development, and developer of the $12 million Miller Street project, classifies May 16 a historical day. (Photo by Emmai Alaquiva) for a quality of life, and a speaker series offering insight in various areas of expertise providing motivation and inspiration. CORO Pittsburgh will provide leadership classes providing opportunities to build on essential qualities to advance in their careers and personal goals. The Energy Innovation Center will provide job- and career-readiness training for tenants to aid them in obtaining steady income in an effort to help them advance to the next level financially.

Also, financial expert Tayon Mitchell will provide financial literacy classes demonstrating how to better manage finances and begin to build long-term financial goals.

Raised by a single mother in Section 8 housing, Tillman says he knows firsthand what it is like to be displaced. A Westinghouse High School graduate, he recalls as a child his family moving from res-

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

The New Pittsburgh Courier has learned that the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance (PRA), an affiliate of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, has named Mark A. Thomas as the organization’s new president, effective July 15.

As president, Thomas will be responsible for creating, developing and executing the 10-county region’s economic development strategy, and advancing partnerships to drive job creation and business investment. Thomas brings 18 years of experience crafting and executing economic strategies and cross-sector collaboration.

In 2016, Thomas was selected by New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) to serve as its first Senior Vice President of Partnerships, establishing teams to foster and manage industry and international relationships and business attraction.

He played a pivotal role in Amazon’s selection of New York for HQ2 and the city’s investments to catalyze life sciences, cyber security, blockchain and tech inclusion.

Thomas MARK ANTHONY THOMAS launched the city’s partnerships with Startup Genome and Startup Guide, working closely with a network of incubators, accelerators and tech training organizations to grow and diversify the tech startup community. He’s led efforts to partner with New York’s international trade community to advance the City’s global startup attraction, an approach recognized as the #3 FDI Strategy by FDI Intelligence Magazine and honored by the New York District Export Council.

Prior to NYCEDC, Thomas served as the City of Los Angeles’ inaugural FUSE Executive Fellow, leading efforts to make the city’s neighborhoods more livable. He then served as Director of the Mayor’s Operations Innovation Team, a partnership between the Mayor’s Office and the Los Angeles Coalition for the Economy and Jobs, to spearhead reforms of the city’s procurement, real estate asset management and risk management operations. Before entering the public sector, Thomas worked in the media sector, shaping content and investigative journalism on social impact, economic development and effective governance.

Thomas received his MBA from MIT, MPA from Columbia University and BA from the University of Georgia, and has served on several boards supporting college access, civic innovation and new media.

by Diane I. Daniels May 16 was a great day for Derrick Tillman, president and CEO of Bridging the Gap Development, LLC. One of his many dreams became a reality. The ribbon-cutting ceremony of the 36-unit Miller Street Apartments took place.

Four years ago, he began the development process for the venture and this week, tenants began moving into 328 Miller Street, a $12 million project. “We are changing the face of and raising the bar of affordable housing,” said Tillman as investors, Hill District partners, community supporters and well-wishers witnessed what he considered a historical moment.

Tillman describes the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit property as an all-electric five-story building designed with exceptional energy efficiency. Of the 36 units, six are handicapped-designed, nine are project-based voucher affiliated and there are eight two-bedroom units. All units are equipped with appliances including washers and dryers. The first floor has a community room and lounge area with a kitchenette, office space for the property management and a concierge desk where residents will receive assistance with resources.

“We need more developers like Derrick to be able to flourish in our city. It is great to see such a successful affordable housing project that is not only about the structure but also about the people inside,” commented Pittsburgh Councilman R. Daniel Lavelle during the event. “It is also great that he was able to achieve the levels of minority participation on the development at a level of 45 percent when the city only requires 18 percent. He has exceeded standards. So not only is he developing housing, but he is developing people.”

Along with Tillman’s wife, Nykia, and other family members, officials participating in the ribbon-cutting included state Rep. Jake Wheatley, Chief of Staff Dan Gilman representing the mayor’s office, Diamonte Walker of the Urban Redevelopment Authority of the City of Pittsburgh, Lisa Kelly of First National Bank, Marimba Milliones of the Hill District Community Development Corporation and Bob Meeder of the Energy Innovation Center.

In addition to the architecture and intentional energy efficiency initiative, Tillman and his team have raised the bar for tenants in affordable housing by partnering with leading community organizations to offer a variety of services to the tenants.

“We are providing residents with top-class housing and services to aid them in advancing the quality of their lives.”

Services include a trauma center in conjunction with F.O.C.U.S. Pittsburgh, aiding residents in overcoming obstacles that have the potential to present a hindrance

Classifieds

Reparations must include the cost of predatory lending

by Charlene Crowell For New Pittsburgh Courier

In recent years, the spate of homicides linked to questionable uses of deadly weapons and/or force, have prompted many activist organizations to call for racial reparations. From Trayvon Martin’s death in Florida, to Michael Brown’s in Missouri, Eric Garner’s in New York and many other deaths—a chorus of calls for reparations has mounted, even attracting interest among presidential candidates.

While no amount of money could ever compensate for the loss of Black lives to violent deaths, a growing body of research is delving into the underlying causes for high poverty, low academic performance and —lost wealth. Public policy institutes as well as university-based research from the University of California at Berkeley and Duke University are connecting America’s racial wealth gap to remaining discriminatory policies and predatory lending.

This unfortunate combination has plagued Black America over multiple decades. And a large part of that financial exploitation is due to more than 70 years of documented discriminatory housing.

The Road Not Taken: Housing and Criminal Justice 50 Years After the Kerner Commission Report, returns to the findings of the now-famous report com-

missioned by President Lyndon Johnson. In the summer of 1967, over 150 race-related riots occurred. After reviewing the 1968 report’s recommendations and comparing them to how few were ever enacted, the Haas Institute tracks the consequences of recommendations that were either ignored, diluted, or in a few cases pursued.

Published by Berkeley’s Haas Institute for Fair and Inclusive Communities, it weaves connections between education, housing, criminal justice—or the lack thereof.

“Although in some respects racial equality has improved in the intervening years,” states the report, “in other respects today’s Black citizens remain sharply disadvantaged in the criminal justice system, as well as in neighborhood resources, employment, and education, in ways that seem barely distinguishable from those of 1968.”

In 1968, the Kerner Commission report found that in cities where riots occurred, nearly 40 percent of non-white residents lived in housing that was sub-

standard, sometimes without full plumbing. Further, because Black families were not allowed to live wherever they could afford, financial exploitation occurred whether families were renting or buying a home.

As many banks and insurance companies redlined Black neighborhoods, access to federally-insured mortgages were extremely limited. At the same time, few banks loaned mortgages to Blacks either. This lack of access to credit created a ripe market for investors to sell or rent properties to Black families, usually in need of multiple needed repairs. Even so, the costs of these homes came at highly inflated prices.

In nearly all instances, home sales purchased “on contract” came with high down payments and higher interest rates than

those in the general market. The result for many of these families was an eventual inability to make both the repairs and the high monthly cost of the contract.

One late or missed payment led to evictions that again further drained dollars from consumers due to a lack of home equity. For the absentee owner, however, the property was free to sell again, as another round of predatory lending.

As the exploitive costs continued, the only difference in a subsequent sale would be a home in even worse physical condition.

The Plunder of Black Wealth in Chicago: New Findings on the Lasting Toll of Predatory Housing Contracts, also published this May, substantiates recent calls for reparations, as it focuses on predatory housing contracts in Illinois’ largest city. Published

by Duke University’s Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity, this report analyzed over 50,000 documents of contract home sales on the Windy City’s South and West Sides and found disturbing costs of discriminatory housing in one of the nation’s

largest cities, as well as one of the largest Black population centers in the nation. Among its key findings: •During the 1950s and 1960s, 75-95 percent of Black families bought homes on contract; •These families paid an average contract price that was 84 percent more than the homes were worth; •Consumers purchasing these homes paid an additional $587 each month above the home’s fair market value; •Lost Black Chicago wealth, due to this predatory lending ranged between $3.2-$4 billion.

“The curse of contract sales still reverberates through Chicago’s Black neighborhoods (and their urban counterparts nationwide,” states the Duke report, “and helps explain the vast wealth divide between Blacks and Whites.”

Now fast forward to the additional $2.2 trillion of lost wealth associated with the spillover costs from the foreclosure crisis of 2007-2012. During these years, 12.5 million homes went into foreclosure. Black consumers were often targeted for high-cost, unsustainable mortgages even when they qualified for cheaper ones. With mortgage characteristics like prepayment penalties and low teaser interest rates that later ballooned to frequent and eventually unaffordable adSEE REPARATIONS B2

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JUNE 12-18, 2019

BUSINESS

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

THE PARTNERSHIP—Those involved in the Miller Street development include state Rep. Jake Wheatley, Derrick and Nykia Tillman, Bishop James M. Foster, Pittsburgh Councilman R. Daniel Lavelle, Bob Meeder and Lisa Kelly. (Photo by Emmai Alaquiva)

New development in the Hill TILLMAN FROM B1

owned organization in Pittsburgh to rent to African American organizations.

Second, the building served as the First Church of God in Christ affiliated church in Pittsburgh founded by Bishop C. H. Mason in 1921. He is also credited as the founding father of the Church of God in Christ in the 1900s, headquartered in Memphis. Representatives from both the Labor Lyceum Inc. and Church of God in Christ attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

A diversified real estate development firm founded in 2006, Tilman says Bridging the Gap Development is committed to excellence in everything they do. Its mission is to rebuild sustainable communities through residential and commercial development by bridging real estate and opportunity gaps.

Tillman said Bridging the Gap Development has developed a variety of properties, including multi-family affordable housing, market-rate rental and homeownership properties, as well as mixed-use and com-

mercial development projects.

With over 15 years of experience in real estate development, commercial brokerage and leasing, real estate sales and acquisition, real estate negotiations, real estate rehabbing, property management, business management, restaurant management and operations, marketing and consulting, Tillman is looking forward to a bright and positive future.

So, what’s next for Tillman? Working in partnership with two Hill District nonprofit entities (Amani Christian Community Development and the Macedonia Development Corporation) was his answer, to develop 22 single-family townhouses throughout the Hill.

Leaning on his faith, his goal is to continue to be patient and go where God leads him, believing that his dreams to produce major rehab and new construction projects in his hometown and other states while continuously helping others will become a reality.

Must include predatory lending costs REPARATIONS FROM B1

justable interest rates, a second and even worse housing financial exploitation occurred.

A 2013 policy brief by the Center for Responsible Lending, found that consumers of color—mostly Black and Latinx—lost half of that figure, $1.1 trillion in home equity during the foreclosure crisis. These monies include households who managed to keep their homes but lost value due to nearby foreclosures. Households who lost their homes to foreclosures also suffered from plummeting credit scores that made future credit more costly. And families who managed to hold on to their homes lost equity and became upside down on their mortgages—owing more than the property is worth. Both types of experiences were widespread in neighborhoods of color.

In terms of lost household wealth, nationally foreclosures took $23,150. But for families of color, the household loss was nearly double—$40,297.

CRL’s policy brief also states. “We do not include in our estimate the total loss in home equity that has resulted from the crisis (estimated at $7 trillion), the negative impact on local governments (in the form of lost tax revenue and increased costs of managing vacant and abandoned properties) or the non-financial spillover costs, such as increased crime, reduced school performance and neighborhood blight.”

As reparation proposals are discussed and debated, the sum of these financial tolls should rightly be a key part. While the Kerner Commission recommendations remain viable even in 2019, it will take an enormous display of public will for them to be embraced and put into action.

“The Kerner Report was the ‘road not taken,’ but the road is still there,” noted john a. powell, the Hass Institute’s Director.

(Charlene Crowell is the Communications Deputy Director with the Center for Responsible Lending. She can be reached at charlene.crowell@responsiblelending.org.)

Mark Anthony Thomas named president THOMAS FROM B1

“We’re excited to bring Mark aboard to lead the PRA and contribute to our shared regional vitality goals of a strong economy, thriving people and a high quality of place.

With nearly two decades of experience driving economic growth, Mark is uniquely suited to advance the Pittsburgh region’s strategic economic development objectives—supercharging business attraction, including international marketing of the region, and doubling down on making sure that companies already located here have the best possible environment in which to grow and prosper. I’m looking forward to what should be a bright future for business investment in southwestern Pennsylvania,” said Pittsburgh Regional Alliance Chairperson Laura Shapira Karet, who is also president and CEO of Giant Eagle, in a statement provided to the Courier.

“I’m grateful to Todd Jorgenson of Jorgenson Consulting Inc. for leading our national search for a new Pittsburgh Regional Alliance president,” added Allegheny Conference on Community Development CEO Stefani Pashman, in a statement.

“Todd’s expertise paved the way for a diverse search committee—made up of representatives of the Conference’s board of directors, regional economic development partners and other key leaders and stakeholders—to come to unanimous agreement on Mark as the candidate of choice—in spite of having many outstanding individuals from which to select. Having so many exceptional candidates interested in Pittsburgh and all of the possibilities here is a real testament to the region’s brand.”

BUSINESS CALENDAR PowerBreakfast

JUNE 14—The African American Chamber of Commerce of Western PA will host its PowerBreakfast meeting, 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the Rivers Club in Oxford Center, Pittsburgh 15222. The speaker will be Allegheny County Airport Authority CEO Christina Cassotis, who will discuss planned expansions, new ights and carriers, and what opportunities they offer for small and Black-owned businesses.

Cost: $20 for members, $30 for non-members.

Duquesne Workshop

JUNE 20—The Duquesne University Small Business Development Center presents First Step: Business Start-up Essentials, 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

108 Rockwell Hall, 600 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh 15282. The workshop covers several topics, including: Business structure and formation; Fictitious name registration; insurance; employee relations; financing options taxation requirements and more.

Cost: $25. For more information call 412-396-1633.

Cyber Security Workshop

JUNE 20—The African American Chamber of Commerce of Western PA will host a Cyber Security Workshop, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Koppers Building, lower level, conference center room 4, 436 Seventh Ave., Pittsburgh, 15219. Highmark VP and

Chief Information Security Officer Omar Khawaja will make a presentation on the latest in protecting against cyberattacks.

Duquesne Workshop

JUNE 26—The Duquesne University Small Business Development Center presents QuickBooks Online, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., 108 Rockwell Hall, 600 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh 15282.

The session, led by Alicia Davis of Dennis Piper & Associates will cover: product overview; setting up files navigating recording transactions generating reports, and more. Cost: $35. For more information call 412-396-1633.

Chatham Workshop

AUG. 10—Chatham’s Women Business Center in partnership with SCORE Pittsburgh will present a Build Your Business Workshop for women interested in starting or expanding their business, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Eastside Campus, 6585 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh 15206. Business experts and seasoned entrepreneurs will discuss the following topics: business planning, marketing and sales, financing, legal issues and business lessons learned. A continental breakfast will be provided.

Cost: $10. For more information, call Anne Flynn Schlicht at 412-365-1448.

OPINION

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

Guest Editorial

It’s not enough to talk about ‘career pathways’ State legislators are back in session and they are again talking about raising the minimum wage.

The minimum wage—$7.25 per hour—has been the same since 2009.

Governor Tom Wolf and his fellow Democrats want to more than double it—to $15 per hour, if the “Fight for $15” campaign is any indication.

Though it looks like they are willing to settle for less.

In January, Wolf proposed raising the minimum wage about 65% to $12 per hour; Republicans shot that down.

GOP leaders said they would consider a more modest increase, but they haven’t said what they think an appropriate number is.

House Majority Leader Brian Cutler (R-Lancaster) told TheAssociated Press last weekthat he’d “rather focus on the jobs that pay far more than minimum wage and get career pathways to get individuals earning a lot more” than worry about the minimum wage.

And while that sounds good, it’s not the reality of the state we live in.

The economy is not an either-or proposition.

It’s not minimum wage jobs or high-wage jobs.

It’s both. And more.

Certainly, there are people in poverty—or just barely above it—who need a good quality education to help them climb out. And we support any efforts to improve all levels of education.

But not everyone wants to have those higher-paying jobs Cutler talked about. And not everyone is able to do those jobs.

At the same time, we will always need people to deliver goods to stores or customers, stock store shelves, help customers find things in stores, scan goods at cash registers, mix coffee drinks at cafes or alcoholic drinks at bars, cook hamburgers, clean bathrooms and hallways and offices, take out trash, handle luggage at airports and more. And the people who work long, often labor-intensive hours at those jobs need to earn enough to support themselves and their families.

As it is, they can’t do that. At least not in Philadelphia.

The average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Philadelphia is $1,350 and the average monthly rent for a two-bedroom apartment is $1,700, according to Zumper, a company that lists available rentals and tracks rates across the country. That’s more than a person who earns minimum wage takes home in a month.

A pair of people who each earn minimum wage would pay 62 percent of their combined income for a one-bedroom apartment at the average rate and 78 percent of their combined income for a two-bedroom apartment.

Renters can find apartments for about $800 per month in some neighborhoods of the city. Even those low (for Philadelphia) rates represent roughly 73 percent of a minimum-wage earning individual’s net monthly pay. Someone who earns minimum wage has to work more than 118 hours to be able to pay that monthly rent bill. They have to work at least four hours to fill their cars with gas or buy a weekly SEPTA TransPass so they can get to work, and another hour to be able to buy a gallon of milk and a loaf of bread. And then they have to figure out how to pay all of their other bills and still eat a few meals every day.

That’s why many people who earn minimum wage often work two or three jobs.

There are also many people who have college degrees and earn salaries well above the poverty level who have a hard time finding a place where they can afford to live.

They earn too much to qualify for low-income housing, and too little to pay rent in many apartments in the city.

Yes, lawmakers have to talk about education.

But lawmakers also have to talk about the minimum wage.

And they have to talk about where the jobs are and the cost of living where the jobs are.

Lawmakers cannot neglect one topic in favor of another.

Creating “career pathways” to higher paying jobs won’t do any good for people who aren’t interested in those jobs, or people who aren’t able to do those jobs, or people who already have those jobs and still can’t afford to pay for basic living expenses.

It’s not either-or.

It’s both-and.

(Reprinted from the Philadelphia Tribune)

Founded 1910

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

Rob Taylor Jr.

Jeff Marion

Office Manager

Managing Editor

Circulation Consultant

John. H. Sengstacke

Editor & Publisher Emeritus (1912-1997)

JUNE 12-18, 2019 B3

We’re better than that (TriceEdneyWire.com) – I can’t remember a time in my adult life when I wasn’t working on justice issues on behalf of people in my community.

I’ve worked for the benefit of women who shared my views and some who, but it’s rare that I’m embarrassed about something women are doing.

Lately, I’ve taken the time to view a lot of videos on various rappers, and tried to give them the benefit of the doubt. I understand the argument about what they do is the life they live. Some say it’s their reality. Well, “My life ain’t been no crystal stair” as the saying goes. I’ve had my ups and my downs, but I’ve always wanted to do better and I’ve tried to help others do the same.

We’re better than a lot of what I see.

I’ve sat for hours viewing videos that made me sick, but I had a purpose.

I didn’t just want to say, “Rapping is the style and some young people who do the really hate-filled and vulgar stuff don’t know any better or aren’t capable of doing something reputable to make a living. Then I began viewing videos that explain how people of other races lure young people into contributing to their own oppression because they’re so caught up in being a star! They’re lured into horrible things, given money, flashy cars and everything they could ever hope for except decency. They’re introduced

Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq.

Commentary to drugs and crime and spending on things they’ll never need—but it becomes a part of their lifestyle. Then one day they think they’re a star, and get “uppity” enough to ask for their own money instead of having things issued out to them. They then find that other people have gotten rich on them while the rapper, with few exceptions, is actually in debt.

I see beautiful and smart appearing young women resorting to a low life of which their parents never taught them. I identify with them simply because they are Black and women.

I cringe and become drained when I see a group like the one called “City Girls” dancing and prancing and shamelessly using vulgarities in front of White men who appear to be shocked by the sight of what the women are doing. I keep saying to myself, “We’re better than that.” I ask myself if this is why our ancestors often died to gain opportunities for all

of us, including our sisters to be able to be free to do anything they want to do.

Some argue with me saying they’re exercising their freedom of speech or freedom of expression. I think you will agree those are not freedoms that advance any of our righteous causes. Please go to your computer and look up City Girls Act Up. Look up Cardi B, Nikki Minaj (and I am not yet asking you to look up some of the men who encourage drug use, murder, rape, etc. Just look up the young women rappers I’ve named and ask yourself if this is what the Essence Festival should be promoting as the essence of a Black woman. This year, City Girls are invited to the Essence Festival along with First Lady Michelle Obama! On the one hand, they’ve invited a woman of substance, along with a group with no class. Essence Festival leaders need to hear from you about their choices of who represents Black Women.

Lately, J.T., a member of City Girls, has been forced to experience “success” of her group behind federal prison bars for a case of fraud. Her lawyer is actually trying to get her out on good behavior. Look at the City Girls video and see if you can find the good behavior.

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

OREO or REO, no matter…

Carson is still Trump’s guy When word leaked out that Trump would appoint Ben Carson as HUD Secretary, no one seemed more taken aback than Carson. He publicly declared that he had no experience running a government agency. Many took this to mean that even Carson knew that he was way over his head in trying to run an agency tasked with overseeing and administering the dizzying array of programs. How dizzying? HUD ladles out billions annually in public housing subsidies, rental assistance, and housing finance activities, employs more than 8000 workers and administrators and operates more than 100 subsidy programs.

HUD’s task is to shore up America’s perennial housing needs, especially for the poor.

Still, to think that Carson might say no to the job, they misread Carson and Trump. Trump wanted him for two obvious reasons, and one less obvious. One, he owed Carson big time for withstanding all the abuse heaped on him for being the lonely Black to tout Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign. The other tracked back to the first reason. He is Black and Trump needed at least one name Black as a cover to parade around to prove he was not the racist that Blacks near universally are amply convinced he is.

Then there was the other reason. By the time Trump took the oath of office, Carson had carved out a well-documented reputation as being a firstclass ignoramus with a litany of offbeat, nonsensical quips on anything that came to mind such as calling the Affordable Care Act the worst thing since slavery.

This was the stuff of snickers, chuckles, and lampooning when Carson was simply private citizen Carson, or, the mercifully brief, failed GOP presidential candidate Carson. Few then could ever imagine that Carson would ever be able to act on any of his rabid antique ultra-right notions of how a

Earl Ofari Hutchinson

Commentary

thoroughly versed on what an REO is.

This might draw some praise and grudging respect from some Democrats. But it wouldn’t mean a thing to Trump’s base since many of them already think that HUD is just another bloated, wasteful government agency that needs to be privatized or simply scrapped. Carson recognized that his know nothing confusion on what an REO is had some political shelf value.

He quickly posed with a knowing grin on his face holding a box of OREO cookies. He topped by taking a crack at the Committee member who posed the embarrassing question to him.

The message seemed to be so what if I don’t know the difference between cookies from a piece of property foreclosed on by a bank.

Trump understands the fundamental political axiom that self-interest rules politics as well, if not better, then the Democrats. Party leaders have long known that many blue-collar white voters, especially male voters, can be easily aroused to vote and shout on the emotional wedge issues: abortion, family values, anti-gay marriage and tax cuts.

Carson again fits neatly into this script. He’s an African American with name identification who once had some admiration among Blacks. But that’s past. He’s now simply a serviceable tool that Trump can use to play a version of the race card. That is to depict him, a Black man, as a victim of allegedly closet racist Democrats who seethe at the notion of a Black man who dares have the express views that don’t parrot the Democratic Party’s positions. Any attack on Carson plays to that, and that includes the lampoon and ridicule of him by Democrats for his OREO-REO mix-up.

So, OREO or REO, it’s all the same.

Carson is just being Carson. And for Trump and his fervent backers that’s all the counts. He’s still Trump’s guy.

government should be run. However, as Trump’s HUD boss, he was in the perfect position to give free rein to his basest impulses about government.

He could a lambast housing discrimination suits, over-dependence on “social safety net” programs, getting government out of competition with private enterprise, and denouncing anything that supposedly deadens individual initiative. He could talk about kicking undocumented workers out of public housing, while scraping investigations into civil rights abuses in public housing.

This is more than political theater of the absurd. It gets even more attention for Trump. But more importantly, Carson’s laughable forays into ignorant gaffes such as the mix-up of OREO with REO touches a deep, dark, and throbbing pulse among legions of Trump backers who frankly revel in his digs, cracks and insults and name calling of Democrats. The revelry in Trump’s personal mudslinging is on dramatic evidence at every Trump rally when he takes a personal shot at some Democrat whipping person or another.

This calculated know nothingness in 2016 did much to put Trump in the White House. Trump banks on the same dirt slapping, name calling to do the same in 2020. So, just think, given that, how would it look for Carson to go before the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services and sound erudite, polished, and knowledgeable (Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and on the fine details of housing policy.

That, of course, would include being political analyst.)

Leah Chase: ‘We changed the course of the world over a bowl of gumbo’ (Trice EdneyWire.com)—“I was taught that your job was to make this earth better. I hope my children will carry on. I hope I’ve taught them enough to keep trying to grow, keep trying to make people understand how to enjoy life. Look at all the beautiful things around you, look at the progress. You gotta enjoy that, you gotta appreciate that, and I do.”—Leah Chase With the passing this week of New Orleans’ Queen of Creole cuisine, Leah Chase, a part of New Orleans has died.

It was at her table where the Freedom Riders gathered to break bread after their dangerous journey into the segregated south. It was there where the NAACP planned strategy.

She hosted musicians, artists, actors and Presidents. In typical fashion, she scolded President Obama for adding hot sauce to her already-perfectly-seasoned gumbo.

My earliest memories of Mrs. Chase were Friday night outings with my grandparents to her landmark restaurant, Dooky Chase. In the days of Jim Crow, most of the upscale restaurants refused to serve Black patrons, so Dooky Chase quickly became a cultural, social and political center for Black life in New Orleans.

When the National Urban League

Marc H. Morial

To Be Equal held our conference in New Orleans in 2012, I was proud to hold our Board of Trustees meeting there.

No visit home to New Orleans has ever been complete without a meal at Dooky Chase and a visit to the kitchen to catch up with its tireless proprietress.

The woman whose portrait is enshrined in the National Portrait Gallery, and whose life inspired a beloved Disney character was born in Madisonville, Louisiana, across Lake Ponchartrain from New Orleans. One of 11 children, she was 6 years old when the Great Depression struck, and she recalled wearing clothes made from grain sacks and subsisting on food from their own garden.

She arrived in New Orleans to attend Catholic high school, and went on to work at a French Quarter restaurant for $1 a day.

Just after World War II ended, she

married jazz musician Edgar “Dooky” Chase, whose parents owned a po’ boy stand in Treme. Over the years she would transform the business into one of the most significant and celebrated restaurants in the entire country.

A generation of children were introduced to Leah Chase in the character of Tiana, Disney’s first African-American princess, in 2009’s The Princess and the Frog.

When he first visited Dooky Chase, the film’s co-director John Musker, he was surprised to see a photo of General George Patton on the wall among Mrs. Chase’s famed collection of African American art.

“She goes, ‘That was a man that I admired,’” Musker recalled. “It was just a great thing to see this warm and nurturing thing, but she has this flinty side, too, where she can be both.

That’s what we tried to get with Tiana, that she’s very warm and vulnerable but she has a passion, spine and a backbone and she’s really trying to get something done and doesn’t give in easily to things.”

Mrs. Chase always said, “In my dining room, we changed the course of America over a bowl of gumbo and some fried chicken.” It was an honor beyond words to count her among my friends, and to carry forth her legacy.

CLASSIFIED New Pittsburgh Courier

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JUNE 12-18, 2019

www.newpittsburghcourier.com

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Help Wanted

Help Wanted

MORNING RADIO NEWS EDITOR/PRODUCER

Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting is an independent, locally owned, community-supported public media organization and is Pittsburgh’s NPR News station, 90.5 WESA and 91.3 WYEP, Pittsburgh’s Adult Alternative Music. PCBC is seeking a Morning Radio News Editor/Producer to join its team.

This position will produce Morning Edition on WESA and is full-time, exempt. For complete job description and to apply, go to: pittsburgh communitybroadcasting.org/ and follow the employment link. Please no phone calls. PCBC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and actively seeks diversity in its workforce.

HELP WANTED

TITLE: Full Time Spanish Teacher REPORTS TO: Principal SALARY RANGE: $40,000 - $47,000 JOB FUNCTION: The Spanish Teacher will work collaboratively with the Instructional Leadership team and be responsible for creating lesson plans, preparing classroom activities, organizing teaching materials, evaluating student performance, maintaining student records, meeting with parents, teachers and other professionals, and participating in school events and activities.

MORE INFORMATION: Please send a resume and letter of interest to janeya@charterchoices. com to receive the complete job description.

MULTI IT RELATED POSTNS W/ NATIONAL PLACEMENT OUT OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PA.

Able to trvl/relo to different client sites as needed. For all postns Degree & Exp may be in either Comp, Info Systms, Eng’g, Bus or IT rel’d field. Any suit combo of edu, training or exp is acceptable.

Software Developer (Java): Java, J2EE, SQL & XML. Ref# JAV– 0718 GLX. Software Developer (Mobile Apps): Objective C, Swift & iOS Mobile App Dsgn. Ref# MBL–0718 GLX. Software Developer (.NET): Either ASP.NET, VB.NET or .NET. Ref# NET–0718 GLX. Software Developer (Business Objects): Business Objects; BI; MicroStrategy; Oracle; Tableau; Linux and Windows Platforms. Ref# SBO–0219 GLX. Software Developer (CMF): Cobol, SQL, SOAP, C & Control M. Ref# CMF–0718 GLX. Software Developer (FICO): SAP FICO Module; Bex Analyzer; ISM; Remedy & Winshuttle.

Ref# FICO–0718 GLX. Software Developer (CRM): SAP CRM; ABAP; & ECC as well as SAP Security & Authorizations. Ref# CRM–0718 GLX. Software Developer (ETL): Oracle; PL/SQL; Mainframe; Unix; Informatica & ETL. Ref# ETL–0218 GLX. All postns are FT, perm 9-5, 40 hrs/ wk. Please Ref# when applying & send res to HR, Galax-Esystems Corporation, One Oxford Centre, 301 Grant St, Ste 4300, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 or E-mail hr@ galaxesystems.com. Galax-Esystems is EOE M/F/V/D.

SOUTH HILLS AREA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS NOTICE OF EXAMINATION FOR THE POSITION OF ENTRY LEVEL POLICE OFFICER

Applications to take the test for the position of entry level police officer are being accepted on behalf of the following Municipalities or their Civil Service Commissions: Castle Shannon Borough Elizabeth Township Jefferson Hills Borough Moon Township Peters Township South Fayette Township Upper St. Clair Township est if in orough until 5:00 PM on Tuesday, July 23, 2019 at the offices of the South Hills Area Council of Governments (SHACOG), 2600 Old Greentree Road, Carnegie, PA 15106, 412429-1130.

A single application to take the test and a single testing process will be utilized by the listed municipalities. All appointments, if any, will be made by the individual municipalities. Information concerning minimum eligibility requirements for each police department is contained in the application package.

Applications and instructions are available at the SHACOG office, at the SHACOG website (www. shacog.com), and at the Police Departments of the listed municipalities. Completed applications are to be returned with a non-refundable fee of $50.00 only to the SHACOG office. A physical agility test is scheduled for the morning of Saturday, August 10, 2019 with a written test to follow in the afternoon of that same day for those who pass the physical agility test.

The listed municipalities are equal opportunity employers.

Stanley Louis Gorski Executive Director SHACOG COURIER CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS

SONNY BOY

HELP WANTED

Swank Construction Company, LLC is now accepting applications for the 2019 Construction season.

Visit: Swankco.com for more information. Swank is a drug-free company and an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. Females, Minorities and Veterans are encouraged to apply.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS Meetings

ALLEGHENY COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES AREA AGENCY ON AGING PUBLIC MEETING

The Advisory Council of the Allegheny County Department of Huma Services, Area Agency on Aging (AAA) will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, June 19, 2019 at 10 a.m., at 2100 Wharton Street, second oor, Frick Conference Room.

The purpose of the hearing is to solicit public comment on the 20192020 Budget Prospectus. The hearing is also an opportunity for older adults, caregivers and other interested individuals to ask questions and offer comments on aging services in general.

People wishing to give testimony may pre-register or register the day of the hearing and provide testimony as time permits.

The week of the public hearing, the budget prospectus will be posted on the DHS website www.alle ghenycounty.us/dhs/plansbud gets.aspx.

Written testimony will be accepted at or after the hearing. All testimony must be received no later than Monday, June 24, 2019, and either mailed to the Allegheny County Department of Human Services Area Agency on Aging, 2100 Wharton Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203 or sent to the email address listed below.

DHS makes reasonable efforts to accommodate persons with disabilities.

To pre-register, request a copy of the budget prospectus, or if you require special accommodations call 412-350-7694 or send an email to Matthew.Beall@AlleghenyCounty

PUBLIC NOTICE ALLEGHENY COUNTY SANITARY AUTHORITY

The Professional Services Committee of the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority will hold a special meeting for general purposes on June 13, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. prevailing time in the Trefz Board Room at its offices located at 3300 Preble Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15233. The public is invited to attend and participate.

RENTAL SERVICE Unfurnished Apartments

TWIN TOWERS Is Now Accepting Applications!

Conveniently located in South Hills, in Mt. Lebanon. Twin Towers is a Senior Citizen High Rise Apartment Community where beauty and Comfort are Affordable! To be eligible to live at Twin Towers you must meet the following criteria: Rent based on income, 62 years and older or under 62 w/HUD defined disability.

IMMEDIATE PREFERENCE ANNUAL INCOME 1-Person $0-$16,800 2-Person $0-$19,200 Application or More Infomation 412-341-3622 (Voice or Relay) twintowersassociates@comcast.net 314 Washington Road Pittsburgh, PA 15216 Equal Housing Opportunity LEGAL ADVERTISING Legal Notices

Estate of RICHARD E. FERRI A/K/A RICHARD FERRI, Deceased of Borough of Carnegie, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. No. 02-1903672 Dolores G. Zuppello, Executor, 1300 Bower Hill Road, Apt. 1120, Pittsburgh, PA 15243 or to TODD A. FULLER, Atty; BRENLOVE & FULLER, LLC, 401 Washington Avenue, Bridgeville, PA 15017 Estate of MR. MARK W. GRIMM, Deceased of 2115 Montour Street Extension, Moon Township, PA 15108. Estate No. 02-19-03709 Ms. Catherine Anne Grimm, 2115 Montour Street Extention, Moon Township, PA 15108, Administrator, c/o Max C. Feldman, Esquire and the Law Office of Max C. Feldman, 1322 Fifth Avenue, Coraopolis, PA 15108

COURIER CLASSIFIEDS… THE ONLY WAY TO GO!

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

Public Notice

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

PROPEL SCHOOLS CONCRETE REPLACEMENT

PUBLIC NOTICE OPENING OF WAITING LISTS

Effective at the start of the business day Friday, June 14, 2019, the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) will open the waiting lists for the Project Based Voucher Site Based Community: •Miller Street Apartments – (one (1) and two (2) bedroom only) – 328 Miller Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

Not all households will be eligible for a one (1) or two (2) bedroom unit, as the age, gender and relationships of household members affect the number of bedrooms for which a household is eligible. Income and eligibility restrictions of the Housing Choice Voucher Program apply.

Not all units at this location are served by these waiting lists; additional units with different requirements may be available directly from the location’s management office.

Pre-applications can be submitted in person to the HACP Occupancy Department between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., mailed to the address below, or faxed to 412456-5182. For information about obtaining a pre-application for Miller Street Apartments, please contact the Occupancy Department at 412-456-5030.

Position on the waiting list will be determined based upon the date and time stamp received once the completed pre-application is submitted to the Occupancy Department.

As six (6) of the units available meet the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS), persons/ families that require the features of a wheelchair accessible unit are highly encouraged to apply. Please be advised that part of HACP’s eligibility determination process includes the provisions of its reasonable accommodation policy, requiring persons/families to request an accommodation to qualify a person/family for a wheelchair accessible unit. For more information on HACP’s reasonable accommodation policy and qualification for a wheelchair accessible unit, please contact the Disability Compliance Office at 412-456-5282.

Persons with disabilities requiring accommodations to submit a pre-application can contact the HACP’s Disability Compliance Office at 412-456-5282. For those that are deaf or hard of hearing, you can also contact HACP at TDD: 412-201-5384.

This event is for Project Based Vouchers for Miller Street Apartments ONLY and is completely separate from the HACP Housing Choice Voucher and Low Income Public Housing Programs.

CLOSING OF WAITING LISTS Effective Monday, June 24, 2019, at 2:00 p.m., the HACP will close the following Project Based Voucher Program waiting lists: •Sandstone Quarry Apartments (one (1), two (2) and three (3) bedroom).

No pre-applications will be accepted for these waiting lists after the closing date and time. Public Notice will be provided when the HACP determines to re-open these waiting lists.

The Housing Authority of the City Of Pittsburgh Occupancy Department 100 Ross Street – 4th Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15219

LEGAL ADVERTISING Bids/Proposals

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS) recently issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Homeless Prevention Services for Child Welfare-Active Families. Proposals are due by 3 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, July 8, 2019.

For more details and submission information, visit: www.alleghenycounty.us/ Human-Services/Resources/ Doing-Business/Solicitations(RFP/RFQ/RFI).aspx.

Marc Cherna Director Allegheny County Department of Human Services COURIER CLASSIFIEDS

June 6, 2019 The Office of the County Controller of Allegheny County, in conjunction with Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Contract Awards Room; 7th Floor; Commonwealth Keystone Building; 400 North Street; Harrisburg, PA 17120 will receive bids through ECMS or a diskette delivered to the aforementioned address until 11:00 A.M. prevailing local time, Thursday, June 20, 2019. Bids will be opened through ECMS at approximately 11:00 a.m. and can be viewed publicly in the Contract Awards Room, for the following: DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS Brandt School Road Betterment Marshall Township and Franklin Park Borough COUNTY PROJECT NO. 1040-0006 FEDERAL PROJECT NO. X111-572 MPMS NO.: 112112 THIS PROJECT WILL BE BID THROUGH PENNDOT ECMS As a prospective bidder, please note the following general Project data regarding: PreBid Information, Bidding Requirements, and Contract Conditions. See the Project Manual and Drawings(Proposal Report) for detailed information, responsibilities and instructions.

PREBID INFORMATION: View the Project Manual and Drawings(PROPOSAL REPORT) on the PennDOT ECMS website (http:// www.dot14.state.pa.us/ECMS) or in Room 504, County Office Building, 542 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

BIDDING REQUIREMENTS: THIS PROJECT REQUIRES PREQUALIFICATION OF BIDDERS, INCLUDING SUBCONTRACTORS, AS SPECIFIED IN SECTION 102.01 OF COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SPECIFICATIONS 2011 (PUBLICATION 408) ON THIS PROJECT. ALL QUESTIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED THROUGH ECMS AND IF NEEDED ADDENDA WILL BE ISSUED ELECTRONICALLY. INSTRUCTION TO BIDDERS WILL BE PROVIDED IN THE PROPOSAL REPORT WHICH CAN BE VIEWED THROUGH ECMS. SUBMIT YOUR BID USING ECMS OR MAIL A DISKETTE TO THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, CONTRACT AWARDS ROOM. CONTRACT CONDITIONS: U.S. Department of Labor minimum salaries and wages apply to this Project.

The County Manager reserves the right to reject any and all bids.

The County of Allegheny, in accordance with the Davis Bacon Act and other Federal Labor Standards Provisions; Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C. 2000d to 2000d-4 and Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Department of Transportation, Subtitle A, Office of the Secretary, Part 21 Non-discrimination in Federally-assisted programs of the County of Allegheny issued pursuant to such Act; Executive Order 11246; Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968; Section 109 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974; and Executive Order 11625 (Utilization of Minority Business Enterprises), hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract pursuant to this Advertisement, the County will afford disadvantaged business enterprises full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and the County will not discriminate against disadvantaged business enterprises on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award. It is a condition of the bidding process/contract that responsive bidders/contractors shall follow the disadvantaged business enterprise procedures in the Bidding and Contracting Documents.

Chelsa Wagner CONTROLLER COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY

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

Propel Schools is now accepting bids for Concrete Replacement work at our Propel East location.

Please visit www.propelschools. org and click on ‘Contact Us’ then ‘Contracting Opportunities’ for bid documents.

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFBs) FOR NORTHVIEW HEIGHTS BUILDING #74 - REBID AMP-09 HACP CONTRACT NO. 600-10-19-REBID

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH will receive sealed bids for the Northview Heights Building #74 Upgrades - REBID, AMP-09.

The construction work is estimated to begin in September of 2019.

Bid Documents will be available on or about Monday, June 3, 2019 and may be obtained from the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh’s webpage, www.hacp.org. Bidders may register on the website and download the bid documents free of charge. Electronic versions of the Bid Documents, including bid forms, project manual, and drawings can be picked up in person, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at: Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 100 Ross Street, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Kim Detrick, Director of Procurement/ Chief Contracting Officer A Pre-Bid Conference and Site Visit will be held on Thursday, June 27, 2019 at 11:00 a.m.: Northview Heights High Rise 533 Mt. Pleasant Road Pittsburgh, PA 15214 A site visit will be conducted thereafter. Bidders shall come prepared to review all aspects of the construction site necessary to prepare a bid.

Bids will be received at: HACP Procurement Department 100 Ross Street, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Attn: Kim Detrick, Director of Procurement/Chief Contracting Officer until 2:00 p.m. July 9, 2019 at which time and place all bids will be publicly opened and read aloud.

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH reserves the right to waive any informality in, or reject any and all bids.

No bid shall be withdrawn for a period of sixty (60) days subsequent to the opening of bids without the consent of the HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH. The Contractor will be required to comply with all applicable Equal Employment Opportunity requirements for Federally Assisted Construction Contracts. The Contractor must ensure that employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated against because of race, color, religion, sexual preference, handicap or national origin.

HACP has revised its website. As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and log-in, in order to view and download IFB/RFP documentation.

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH STRONGLY ENCOURAGES CERTIFIED MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES AND WOMAN-OWNED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES TO RESPOND TO THE SOLICITATION. Additional information may be obtained by contacting Kim Detrick, Director of Procurement at (412) 456-5116 Opt 1.

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

COURIER CLASSIFIEDS… THE ONLY WAY TO GO!

CLASSIFIEDS

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

ALLIES & ROSS MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) FOR Phase I Environmental Site Assessment and Update for the Manchester Neighborhood ARMDC RFP #2019-28

INVITATION TO BIDDERS THE PITTSBURGH WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY ADVERTISEMENT

The Allies & Ross Management and Development Corporation (ARMDC) hereby request proposals from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s): Phase I Environmental Site Assessment and Update for the Manchester Neighborhood The documents will be available no later than June 10, 2019 and signed, sealed proposals will be accepted until 11:00 a.m., July 10, 2019 at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 100 Ross Street, 2nd Floor, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

Parties or individuals interested may obtain information from: Mr. Kim Detrick – Procurement Director/Chief Contracting Officer Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 2nd Floor, Suite 200 100 Ross Street Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-456-5116, Option 1 or by visiting the Business Opportunities section of www.hacp.org A pre bid meeting will be held: Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 100 Ross Street, 2nd Floor, Conference Room Pittsburgh, PA 15219 June 20, 2019 11:00 A.M. The Allies & Ross Management and Development Corporation strongly encourages certified minority business enterprises and women business enterprises to respond to this solicitation.

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

Caster D. Binion, President & CEO Allies & Ross Management and Development Corporation ARMDC & HACP conduct business in accordance with all federal, state, and local civil rights laws, including but not limited to Title VII, the Fair Housing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, The PA Human Relations Act, etc. and does not discriminate against any individuals protected by these statutes.

PORT AUTHORITY OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY

Electronic Proposals will be received online at the Port Authority of Allegheny County’s Ebusiness website (http://ebusiness.portauthority.org).

Proposals/bid submittals will be due 11:00 AM on June 26, 2019 and will be read at 11:15 AM., the same day, at Port Authority’s Heinz location (345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222-2527), for the following: Electronic Proposal Ebusiness website (http://ebusiness.portauthority.org) B190319AR A VA YA Support Advantage B190423A Elevator & Escalator Maintenance B190529A Contactless Smart Fare Media ConnectCards B190532A Elevator & Escalator Spare Parts B190533A Air Channels - LRV No bidder may withdraw a submitted Proposal for a period of 75 days after the scheduled time for opening of the sealed bids.

A Pre-Bid Conference will be held on each of the above items at 10:00AM June 12, 2019 at Port Authority’s Heinz location (345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor, Pittsburgh, PA). Attendance at this meeting is not mandatory, but is strongly encouraged. Questions regarding any of the above bids will not be entertained by the Port Authority within five (5) business days of the scheduled bid opening.

These contracts may be subject to a financial assistance contract between Port Authority of Allegheny County and the United States Department of Transportation.

The Contractor will be required to comply with all applicable Equal Employment Opportunity laws and regulations.

Contractor is responsible for expenses related to acquiring a performance bond and insurance where applicable. All items are to be FOB delivered unless otherwise specified. Costs for delivery, bond, and insurance shall be included in bidder’s proposal pricing.

Port Authority of Allegheny County hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively insure that in regard to any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprise will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award.

The Board of Port Authority reserves the right to reject any or all bids.

COURIER CLASSIFIEDS

SEPARATE and SEALED BIDS for the following solicitation, will be received by the Office of Procurement, Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, 1200 Penn Ave., Second Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, until 2:00 PM Prevailing Time June 26, 2019.

INVITATIONS FOR BIDS (IFB) FOR 2019-2020 PUMP AND MOTOR SERVICE CONTRACT RE-BID PWSA PROJECT NO. 2019-OPS-110-0 Work under this contract includes on-call service to provide on-site and shop inspection, repair, and/ or replacement of pumps, motors, and appurtenances including isolation and control valves and other components necessary to maintain a functioning pumping system. Pumping systems are located across PWSA’s service area and include motors in excess of 2,000 horsepower.

All bids must be submitted in accordance with the solicitation that can be obtained by sending an e-mail to procurement@pgh2o. com. There will be no charge for the solicitation, as it will be sent via e-mail. All questions relating to the solicitation itself shall be to Nicole Dickun, Procurement Manager, via e-mail: ndickun@pgh2o.com, no later than June 19, 2019.

Bids must be accompanied by a Bid Bond in the amount of Ten Percent (10%) of the bid for the project under construction. Said Bond shall be duly and legally executed with a Surety or Trust Company which has complied with City Ordinances/Resolutions relating thereto. A Performance Bond and Labor and Material Bond in the amount of 100% of the contract value for each awarded project will be required after award.

The Contractor must assure that employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated against because of their race, color, religion, sexual preference, sex, or national origin.

The bidders will be required to submit the package of certifications included with the contract documents relating to Equal Employment Opportunity.

The Authority reserves the right to withhold the award of the Contract for a period of 60 days after the opening of the bids.

The Authority reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, and to waive any informality or minor irregularity in any bid or bids. The Authority also retains the right to investigate the qualifications of bidders prior to any award and to award contracts only to contractors who, in the sole judgment of the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, are qualified and equipped to properly execute the specified work.

ROBERT A. WEIMAR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THE PITTSBURGH WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY

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

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby request proposals from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s): Professional Hazardous Materials Abatement Services The documents will be available no later than June 3, 2019 and signed, sealed proposals will be accepted until 2:00 P.M., July 8, 2019 at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 100 Ross Street, 2nd Floor, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

Parties or individuals interested may obtain information from: Mr. Kim Detrick – Director of Procurement/ Chief Contracting Officer Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-456-5116, Option 1 or by visiting the Business Opportunities section of www.hacp.org A pre bid meeting will be held: Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Development & Modernization 100 Ross Street, 2nd Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15219 June 26, 2019 10:00 A.M. The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh strongly encourages certified minority business enterprises and women business enterprises to respond to this solicitation.

HACP’s has revised their website.

As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and login, in order to view and download RFQ/IFB/RFPs documentation.

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

JUNE 12-18, 2019

B5

SONNY BOY

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFBs) FOR GUALTIERI MANOR HVAC PIPING SYSTEM REPLACEMENT, AMP-47 HACP IFB NO. 600-24-19

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

Notice is hereby given that separate and sealed proposals will be received by the Braddock Water Authority, 415 Sixth Street, Lower Level, Braddock, PA 15104 until 11:00 AM, prevailing time, on Tuesday, June 25, 2019, and opened and read immediately for the following project: WATER SERVICE LINE REPLACEMENT Copies of Information for Bidders, Contract, Form of Proposal and Bid Forms, Plans and Specifications may be examined or obtained for bidding purposes from GLENN ENGINEERING & ASSOCIATES, LTD., 14920 Lincoln Highway (Route 30), North Huntingdon, PA 15642. Documents may be obtained with cash or a check (non-refundable) made payable to Glenn Engineering in the amount of Seventy Five Dollars ($75.00) per each set. Requests for mailing will be honored with an additional fee of Ten Dollars ($10.00) per each set.

No documents will be issued 48 hours prior to the scheduled bid opening.

Each proposal shall be accompanied by a Bidder’s Bond, Cashier’s Check, or Certified Check in favor of the Braddock Water Authority in the amount of not less than ten percent (10%) of the amount of the proposal, as evidence the bidder will accept and carry out the conditions of the contract in case of award.

This contract shall be subject to the Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Act of August 15, 1961, P.L. 987, as amended, 43 P.S. Section 165 et seq. Workers shall not be paid less than the prevailing minimum wages as set forth in the applicable schedule.

No bid may be withdrawn for a period of sixty (60) days once filed with the Braddock Water Authority. The Braddock Water Authority reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to waive any informality in the bids received.

ALLIES & ROSS MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION INVITATIONS FOR BIDS (IFB) FOR Manchester Home Inspections Rebid ARMDC IFB #2019-27-REBID

The Allies & Ross Management and Development Corporation (ARMDC) hereby request bids from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s): Manchester Home Inspections The documents will be available no later than June 3, 2019 and signed, sealed proposals will be accepted until 10:00 a.m., June 28, 2019 at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 100 Ross Street, 2nd Floor, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

Parties or individuals interested may obtain information from: Mr. Kim Detrick – Procurement Director/ Chief Contracting Officer Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 2nd Floor, Suite 200 100 Ross Street Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-456-5116, Option 1 or by visiting the Business Opportunities section of www.hacp.org A pre bid meeting will be held: Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 100 Ross Street, 2nd Floor, Conference Room Pittsburgh, PA 15219 June 13, 2019 10:00 A.M. The Allies & Ross Management and Development Corporation strongly encourages certified minority business enterprises and women business enterprises to respond to this solicitation.

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

Caster D. Binion, President & CEO Allies & Ross Management and Development Corporation ARMDC & HACP conduct business in accordance with all federal, state, and local civil rights laws, including but not limited to Title VII, the Fair Housing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, The PA Human Relations Act, etc. and does not discriminate against any individuals protected by these statutes.

COURIER CLASSIFIEDS

The Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS) recently issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a Provider for Kids Club and Mom’s Empowerment: Two Evidence-Based Programs for Families who have Experienced Intimate Partner Violence. Proposals are due by 3 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, July 2, 2019.

For more details and submission information, visit: www.alleghenycounty.us/ Human-Services/Resources/ Doing-Business/Solicitations(RFP/RFQ/RFI).aspx.

Marc Cherna Director

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFBs) FOR HOMEWOOD NORTH WINDOW REPLACEMENTS, AMP-20 HACP IFB NO. 600-14-19

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH will receive sealed bids for the Homewood North Window Replacements, AMP-20.

The construction work is estimated to begin in September of 2019.

Bid Documents will be available on or about Monday, June 3, 2019 and may be obtained from the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh’s webpage, www.hacp.org. Bidders may register on the website and download the bid documents free of charge. Electronic versions of the Bid Documents, including bid forms, project manual, and drawings can be picked up in person, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at: Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 100 Ross Street, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Kim Detrick, Director of Procurement/ Chief Contracting Officer A Pre-Bid Conference and Site Visit will be held on Thursday, June 27, 2019 at 9:00 a.m.: Homewood North 10 Albertice Street Pittsburgh, PA 15208 A site visit will be conducted thereafter. Bidders shall come prepared to review all aspects of the construction site necessary to prepare a bid.

Bids will be received at: HACP Procurement Department 100 Ross Street, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Attn: Kim Detrick, Director of Procurement/ Chief Contracting Officer until 2:00 p.m. July 8, 2019 at which time and place all bids will be publicly opened and read aloud.

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH reserves the right to waive any informality in, or reject any and all bids.

No bid shall be withdrawn for a period of sixty (60) days subsequent to the opening of bids without the consent of the HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH. The Contractor will be required to comply with all applicable Equal Employment Opportunity requirements for Federally Assisted Construction Contracts. The Contractor must ensure that employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated against because of race, color, religion, sexual preference, handicap or national origin.

HACP has revised its website. As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and log-in, in order to view and download IFB/RFP documentation.

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH STRONGLY ENCOURAGES CERTIFIED MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES AND WOMAN-OWNED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES TO RESPOND TO THE SOLICITATION. Additional information may be obtained by contacting Kim Detrick, Director of Procurement at (412) 456-5116 Opt 1.

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

COURIER CLASSIFIEDS… THE ONLY WAY TO GO!

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH will receive sealed bids for the Gualtieri Manor HVAC Piping System Replacements, AMP-47 The construction work is estimated to begin in October of 2019.

Bid Documents will be available on or about Monday, June 3, 2019 and may be obtained from the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh’s webpage, www.hacp.org. Bidders may register on the website and download the bid documents free of charge. Electronic versions of the Bid Documents, including bid forms, project manual, and drawings can be picked up in person, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at: Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 100 Ross Street, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Kim Detrick, Director of Procurement/ Chief Contracting Officer A Pre-Bid Conference and Site Visit will be held on Wednesday, June 14, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.: Gualtieri Manor 2125 Los Angeles Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15216 A site visit will be conducted thereafter. Bidders shall come prepared to review all aspects of the construction site necessary to prepare a bid.

Bids will be received at: HACP Procurement Department 100 Ross Street, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Attn: Kim Detrick, Director of Procurement/Chief Contracting Officer until 2:00 p.m. June 28, 2019 at which time and place all bids will be publicly opened and read aloud.

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH reserves the right to waive any informality in, or reject any and all bids.

No bid shall be withdrawn for a period of sixty (60) days subsequent to the opening of bids without the consent of the HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH. The Contractor will be required to comply with all applicable Equal Employment Opportunity requirements for Federally Assisted Construction Contracts. The Contractor must ensure that employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated against because of race, color, religion, sexual preference, handicap or national origin.

HACP has revised its website. As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and log-in, in order to view and download IFB/RFP documentation.

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH STRONGLY ENCOURAGES CERTIFIED MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES AND WOMAN-OWNED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES TO RESPOND TO THE SOLICITATION. Additional information may be obtained by contacting Kim Detrick, Director of Procurement at (412) 456-5116 Opt 1.

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

America’s Best Weekly 315 East Carson Street Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Classifieds 412-481-8302 Ext. 140 E-mail: ads@newpittsburghcourier.com Deadline/Closing/Cancellation Schedule for copy, corrections, and cancellations: Friday noon preceding Wednesday publication

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JUNE 12-18, 2019

Injustice revealed and dramatized (TriceEdneyWire.com)—Many know them as the Central Park Five, but filmmaker Ava DuVernay forces to us see the five wrongfully convicted men as individuals. Their names are names we must remember, as individual, courageous, principled Black and Brown men.

They are Korey Wise, Raymond Santana, Yusef Salaam, Antron McCray, and Kevin Richardson. DuVernay’s new Netflix mini-series, “When They See Us,” ask what “they” see when they see young men of color. They see criminals.

They see violence. They don’t see their precious youth, a youth that was snatched away by a racist criminal injustice system that railroaded them.

The 1989 rape of Trisha Meili horrified New York City. But there was no evidence that the five accused young men were the perpetrators.

Indeed, much later, another man confessed to her rape. Meanwhile, Raymond, Yusef, Antron, and Kevin were sentenced to five to seven years.

Each served at least five. Korey Wise was 16, so he was tried and convicted as an adult. He served 12 years and was brutalized and beaten throughout his incarceration. In jail, a rapist is just one step up from a child molester, and the racial dynamics of prison life were such that Korey was a target for abuse.

“When They See Us” is harrowing and humanizing. It digs into the marrow of the bones of the accused men and their families. It reminds us that the cost of unjust incarcerations is felt not only by the incarcerated but also by their families. We see the ways families dealt with the unlawful imprisonment of their loved ones. Some hover and hug, some distance themselves, and all of the lives are complicated by the economic challenges that lower-income families face. Who can pay for a decent lawyer? For visits that may be hundreds of hours, and too many dollars, away from a home base? Who writes? Who can’t write? How do incarcerated people maintain dignity and equilibrium?

Julianne Malveaux

Commentary “When They See Us” is important, not because it tells the story of five young men— Raymond, Yusef, Antron, Kevin, and Korey— who were scapegoated, but because it reminds us that this case is but the tip of the iceberg.

Thanks to the Innocence Project and other dedicated people, these men were exonerated, their convictions vacated, and a financial settlement awarded to them, providing them with about a million dollars for every year incarcerated. How many young men of color, though, are unjustly arrested, tried, and convicted. How many have been so railroaded that after of hours of interrogation (as with Raymond, Yusef, Antron, Kevin, and Korey) they choose to confess to crimes they did not commit because they are frightened. Their vacated sentences and their financial settlement is some form of vindication, but as they all have said, nothing can bring those years back. Some are angry, some are depressed, and some have offered themselves as speakers to talk about the flaws in the criminal just-us system. Korey Wise, who got the most substantial financial settlement because of the longest time he spent in jail, generously donated $190,000 to the Colorado Innocence Project.

The ugly underbelly of this story is the White women who insist that these young men must have been guilty of something.

Linda Fairstein, the prosecutor in the case, is depicted as benign of the rules and withholding evidence. Why? Because she could. She is the epitome of Becky, of Miss Ann, of a White woman who was prepared to ruin young lives, even though there was no evidence to tie Raymond, Yusef, Antron, Kevin, and Korey to the rape of Trisha Meili. Fairstein has been spanked in the court of public opinion, being so vilified that she has stepped down from the board of her alma mater, Vassar College. But she is adamant in her insistence that she did nothing wrong. Even though she lied. Even though there was a weak train of evidence, with no DNA. Even though. But she is a privileged White woman who took her ticket to ride into author stardom. The Mystery Writers of America chose to rescind her award. Good for them!

And then there is the victim, Trisha Meili.

No one should have experienced the brutality that she did. She is entitled to grace, understanding, and compassion. She is not entitled to accuse young men whose DNA was not on her, whose alleged attack on her was not verified. Even as we applaud her survival, we abhor the ways she supports the corrupt Linda Fairstein and the police officers who coerced false confessions from the accused young men.

I remember 1989. I remember the inflammatory press describing young Black and Brown men as animals off “wilding.” I remember writing and talking about the inhumanity of their descriptions and about the lies the press inflamed. And I remember one Donald Trump who was so outraged that he spent $85,000 to take out full-page ads asking that five young men get the death penalty for a crime they did not commit. He has yet to apologize. He doesn’t do that. He is the one who needs to be incarcerated.

I am grateful to Ava DuVernay for her sensitive production of this story, as well as to Ken Burns for an earlier documentary. I am mindful that these accused men are the tip of the iceberg. The coercion that they experienced happens every day. And I am thankful that the Innocence Project supports the wrongfully incarcerated. But at the bottom line, y’all, I’m mad as hell. What can we do about it?

(Julianne Malveaux is an author and economist.)

FORUM

Watching a father and son (NNPA)—You must have seen Bill Fletcher Jr. this video. A father speaking with his pre-verbal son about the season finale of Empire. The video went viral at warp speed and DJ Pryor— the father—was overwhelmed by the outpouring of emotion that the interaction with his son evoked.

I have watched the video several times and love it. What especially struck me, and continues to, is that Pryor does not speak “baby talk” to his son, Kingston Jierre. He is holding a conversation and his son is attempting to do likewise. The son looks back and forth between the television and his father, moves his hands around and offers commentary. It does not matter whether his words make no sense. This was just the sort of interaction that needs to happen with a child at that age.

This video stands in contrast to what I frequently see with parents who ignore their children in favor of a cell phone call or listening to music, on the one hand, or yelling at their children on the other hand.

When my daughter was about the age of Pryor’s son I distinctly remember being out of town and calling home. I would always make a point of asking my wife to put my daughter on the phone so that she could hear my voice and so that I could hear hers. One evening I

Commentary

called, and my daughter got on the phone. It was remarkable. It was just like the Pryor video. My daughter held a conversation with me…in gibberish! But she did it so well with changing intonation, chuckling and seemingly asking me questions.

I realized in that moment that she was on the verge of talking.

It is not just that the Pryor video is adorable. It reminds the viewer of the components of love that must exist between a parent and child.

Pryor was not holding his son in any particular manner; in fact, he was not holding him at all. The two of them were looking back and forth between each other and the television. Pryor was taking his son very seriously and you could tell that the son felt that in a very deep manner.

The sort of interaction between father and child as seen in the Pryor video should remind us that our work to raise our children is communicated through actions, words, gestures and the look in one’s eyes.

Pryor and his son, Kingston Jierre, are lucky to have one another. And, although she is not in the video, I am sure that the child’s mother contributed immensely to a situation whereby the son was ready to engage his dad.

(Bill Fletcher Jr. is a proud father and grandfather.)

A straight pride parade?

When I was a According to teenager, I read Boston Magazine, J. Pharoah Doss in the Sunday Mark Sahady, paper the KKK vice president of was planning a “Super Happy rally in a big city.

Fun America,” The opinion writhas organized er argued that counter-demonthe city shouldn’t strations in the grant the KKK a past. In 2017 permit to parade Sahady organized around and proa “Rally for the mote bigotry. The city officials didn’t Republic” which drew less than 100 want to waste resources protecting people. In 2018 Sahady organized a the KKK from counter-demonstrators pro-gun rally to protest March For and refused to grant the permit.

Our Lives, the nationwide march for I showed the newspaper to my stricter gun policies after the Parkfather. He said, the KKK had a right land, Fla. school shooting that killed to march. But counter-demonstrating 17 people. was counterproductive. It would give Now, Sahady filed a discrimination the KKK the publicity they desperate- complaint with the city and Boston ly sought. The best thing to do was to officials are working with the group ignore them. on a “Straight Pride Parade.” SaI disagreed and sided with the hady’s group believes straight people counter-demonstrators. are an “oppressed majority.” Sahady The ACLU took up the KKK’s plight stated the event is a response to the and the KKK had their rally. I saw it identity politics of the left, and “this on the news. There were hundreds of is our chance to have a patriotic counter-demonstrators behind police parade in Boston as we celebrate barricades shouting expletives while straight pride.” a KKK speaker addressed a crowd of But a social psychologist would see less than 35 White supremacists. A straight through Sahady’s boast of couple of counter-demonstrators got patriotism. arrested trying to bust through the Psychologists say pride has two police barricade. antithetical meanings. The term in It was ridiculous. the LGBT’s Pride Parade refers to The city officials foresaw the comthe consciousness of dignity, worth motion, but violated the KKK’s of praise, and a fulfilled sense of first amendment rights by trying to belonging. Sahady’s use of the term prevent it. The counter-demonstrators means an irrational and corrupt felt it was their duty to express their sense of one’s own status. This type disapproval of a KKK rally in their of pride is synonymous with hubris, city, but were their actions a countmeaning: Extreme pride, dangerer-demonstration or a direct confronous overconfidence combined with tation? arrogance.

Recently, the Washington Post ran Philosophers have debated for centhis headline: It’s LBGT pride month, turies whether or not pride was a vice but three guys in Boston want a peror a virtue. mit for a “Straight Pride Parade.”

It’s both.

There’s a group called “Super Happy The mayor of Boston said, “The city Fun America.” It’s a combination of Boston cannot deny a permit based of the two factions in the previous on an organization’s values.” example. Like the KKK, they have But when pride is a vice, the ability few supporters, and they’re planning to ignore becomes a virtue.

(J. Pharoah Doss is a contributor to the New a summer event to counter Boston’s Pittsburgh Courier.)

LGBT Pride month.

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A. Scott Bolden

Commentary

U.S. attempt to erase Harriet Tubman (NNPA)—With uniquely American hypocrisy, the Trump Treasury Department has pushed back the 2016 plan to put escaped slave and Underground Railroad heroine Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill. Tubman would be the first African American woman featured on U.S. currency.

The $20 currently features a former president, Andrew Jackson, who not only owned slaves, but ordered the death march of thousands of Native Americans. Euphemistically called “Indian Removal,” the Trail of Tears made way for White settlers to claim millions of acres of southern land.

The attempted erasure of Tubman represents yet another move in the Trump playbook to disconnect racial reality from White fantasy.

In the fantasy of White supremacy, traitors like Jefferson Davis and other Confederates are memorialized for being freedom fighters—the freedom of Whites to own Black human beings and work them to death—while a woman who risked her life time and again to free enslaved people is simply dismissed. Ignored. Erased.

In the fantasy of White supremacy, White people are always justified in killing unarmed Black men, women and children, either with their own guns or by aiming the unquestioned power of the police. No act is too repugnant, even those resulting in the sexual abuse or death of immigrant children in American custody, if it can be framed as a defense of White superiority.

In the fantasy of White supremacy, the FBI spent millions in time and treasure to plant false evidence of Communist influence on Martin Luther King—while in reality, Russians today are using the racial tension in American to incite violence and paralyze our society, while they work towards global dominance.

By erasing Tubman, the Trump forces again deploy their most effective weapon in the quest to maintain power—the unholy alliance of racism and misogyny.

Because in America, it seems, freedom is for Whites only, and more specifically, for White men.

To be sure, Trump has ordered his own digital Trail of Tears, as he rolls back civil rights protections for people of color, for women, for immigrants fleeing starvation or oppressive regimes, for LGBTQ people, for the poor and the voiceless.

And currently, the cognitive dissonance in America has reached a new, critical level of psychosis. As a nation we exalt independence, freedom and equality—we boast of our shining city on the hill. Yet our shining city was built on genocide of the native peoples, enslavement of Africans and exploitation of immigrants.

Without a doubt, every people and every culture on Earth have had to deal with unpleasant facts of its history—America is not special in that regard. Where most of White America goes off the rails is in completely denying and minimizing the facts of racial oppression. This erasure makes racial reconciliation—and true equality—impossible to achieve.

In 2019, Harriet Tubman should be a respected and lauded icon for people of every race and ethnicity. Did she not personify American ideals, at the risk of her own life?

As a Black woman in antebellum times, she was vulnerable to capture, prison, assault or lynching, but did she falter? Did she not refuse to kneel to any man or any king?

Did she not fight for freedom against overwhelming odds?

Are these not the qualities we hold dear in our American heroes?

Instead, Tubman is erased.

Instead, our current administration embraces the slave owner, the mass murderer, the White supremacist—and calls him a hero.

For a psychiatric patient—in this case, White America—the reality of racism, misogyny and oppression is incompatible with their self-identity as lovers of freedom and defenders of equality. But instead of taking the painful but therapeutic steps to achieve reconciliation and closure, the patient has opted instead to self-medicate, and maintain the delusion of White supremacy at all costs.

Jackson, a president who authored one of the cruelest and most brutal acts in American history, is a Trump hero, which is perfectly logical—they share a deep, entitled belief in the superiority of White men, and a world order in which Manifest Destiny is not a just doctrine but a divine right.

Jackson should never be forgotten. He should be remembered always as an example of what kind of horrors our leaders can inflict when their values and morals are wildly askew.

Trump will be remembered in the same light—if enough of us survive to tell the story.

And despite their best efforts, the legacy of Harriet Tubman can never be erased. She embodies the spirit of everything our nation claims to stand for, and each one of us—every race, every gender—should be proud to call her our fellow American.

(A. Scott Bolden is the current Managing Partner of the Washington, D.C., office of Reed Smith and former At-Large Member on the Executive Committee of the firm.)

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METRO/SPORTS

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

JUNE 12-18, 2019

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Shujuane Martin is new Chief Operating Officer of PIC of Westmoreland/Fayette Inc. The New Pittsburgh Courier has learned that Shujuane Martin of Mt. Pleasant, formerly of West Mifflin, has been named Chief Operating Officer for the nonprofit organization Private Industry Council of Westmoreland/Fayette Inc. According to a press release, Martin began her tenure at the Private Industry Council of Westmoreland/Fayette Inc. (PIC) in 2003, working in the organization’s welfare-towork programs as a Case Management Specialist.

In 2005, she moved up to the position of Program Coordinator and was promoted again in 2008 as Project Supervisor. In this program, she has worked with over 4,000 low-income families with eliminating barriers to achieve financial self-sufficiency.

Brown also has supervised the organization’s 2009 ARRA-funded Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-housing program which served over 300 families on the verge of homelessness.

In this program, families were assisted with financial rental and utility assistance and with finding employment for continued stability.

In 2012, Brown was promoted to Director of the Head Start/Early Head Start/PA Pre-K Counts programs in the Early Childhood Development division of PIC. Having been successful in the implementation of those programs, Brown was promoted to Vice President of Early Childhood in 2017, then Senior Vice President of Early Childhood in 2018, where she was responsible for overseeing the imple-

mentation of the Beaver County Head Start/Early Head Start, Fayette County Head Start/Early Head Start and PA Pre-K Counts programs as well as the organization’s technology department.

As the Chief Operating Officer, Brown is now responsible for the daily operation of the organization.

Prior to her employment with PIC, Brown was a women’s basketball coach for the California Area School District.

Brown is a two-time graduate from California University of Pennsylvania with a Master of Science and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. Brown was a standout basketball player during her undergraduate years and a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. In

2013, she was awarded the Jennie A. Carter award for being a local outstanding community member.

Brown was a Head Start child and attributes her success and ambition to her involvement in the Head Start program and most importantly, her spiritual upbringing. In wanting the same success for her children, she was also a previous PA Pre-K Counts parent.

Private Industry Council of Westmoreland/Fayette Inc., is a nonprofit organization dedicated to building tomorrow’s workforce in southwestern Pennsylvania. Founded in 1983 and currently located in Greensburg, it administers over two dozen programs in three divisions: Early Childhood Development, Education, and Workforce Development.

SHUJUANE MARTIIN

Braddock Borough employee Steelers training camp will Phyllis J. Anderson graduates be here before you know it! from Pitt’s GSPIA The New Pittsburgh Courier has learned that Phyllis J. Anderson, a native of Lincoln-Lemington, recently graduated from the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA) with a master’s degree in Public Policy & Management.

Upon completion of the master’s program, Anderson was awarded with the International City/County Management Authority’s (ICMA) Certificate for Local Government Early Career Service as well as the Gloria Fitzgibbons Memorial Award for her strong academic performance and demonstrated leadership potential in the fields of Public Affairs and Planning.

Anderson is currently working in local government with the Borough of

PHYLLIS J. ANDERSON Braddock, where she is gaining skills towards her

career goal of being a City Manager.

•I would be lying…you would be lying… the whole courtroom would be lying (sorry, a little Al Pacino there “And Justice For All”—you don’t know).

A n y w a y, anybody that tells you they had the Toronto Raptors beating the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Championship would be lying. But, seeing is believing, and by the time you read this “The King” will surely be dead…unless!?!

•Speaking of being a reader…and not you because you’re reading…but for those who don’t…you need to put them on point.

Every African American within reach should be reading and subscribing to the New Pittsburgh Courier. C’mon Man! •Just in case you thought it was over, it ain’t over. Your Pittsburgh Steelers will report to Saint Vincent College on Friday, July 26 for their 54th consecutive training camp.

And, this year’s cry is “Redemption!” The

cancer has been removed, egos are back in check and the ultimate objective has been reestablished. The team is going to the Super Bowl; not individuals, the team!

Camp runs until Aug. 15. Practice is free to all visitors each day from noon to 6 p.m. Special note—you can get your photo with a Steeler legend daily from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

•Hey, just a word to the wise. Summertime is here. That means you have to be ever more aware, eyes wide open, no texting and driving—kids all around you!

•You know you want this movie review, so shut up and take it like a grown-up. And, this one’s not for everybody, but if you loved “Bennie and the Jets” then you’ll love “Rocketman,” the movie. I give it three basketballs.

•As always, it is your duty and in your best interest to vote Donald Trump out of office!!!

•GAME OVER!

Overtime

Bill Neal

Gone are the egos—time for the Steelers offense to shine in 2019 By the time that you read this article, Steelers minicamp 2019 will be going full blast. However, let’s take a look backward before we prematurely blast forward to training camp and the 2019 NFL season. First and foremost, the Steelers had nine, count em, nine receivers that participated in the recently-concluded OTAs—Ryan Switzer, Donte Moncrief, James Washington, Tevin Jones, Trey Griffey, Eli Rogers, Juju Smith-Schuster, Diontae Johnson and Diontae Spencer.

I can almost guarantee you that one or both “Diontaes” probably won’t be warming the bench on Sept.

8 for Pittsburgh when they travel to Foxborough to face the New England Patriots

to begin the 2019 season.

The primary reason that this column has been focused on the wide receivers is because there has been a great deal of emphasis put on the departure of Antonio “all I care about is breaking the record of Jerry Rice” Brown and the evaporation of his 104-catch season last year.

In 2018, Switzer had 36 receptions for 253 yards, Washington had 16 catches for 217 yards, and Rogers had 12 receptions for 79 yards. The newly-acquired Moncrief played for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2018.

Moncrief should adapt to Ben Roethlisberger rather easily because he has played with six different quarterbacks since

Inside Conditions

Aubrey Bruce his 2014 rookie year in Indianapolis. He started out with Andrew Luck as a rookie in 2014 and for part of his second season until Luck was injured.

Then after the stint with Luck came Jacoby Brissett, Matt Hasselbeck, and Scott Tolzien. He played with two quarterbacks in 2018 in Jacksonville, Blake Bortles and Cody Kessler. Even in

light of the fluctuating QB scenario in 2018, Moncrief still had 48 receptions for 663 yards and had one 80yard reception, showing that he can be a deep threat outside or a slot receiver.

With “Big” Ben at the helm, I expect Moncrief to have at least 70 catches in 2019. If Moncrief makes it through minicamp and training camp without suffering any

major injuries, he will be a force for the Steelers in 2019.

As far as becoming accustomed to the styles of multiple quarterbacks, Moncrief told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in March: “It was pretty tough. It was just something you had to try to get used to. There are different throws, seeing different ways guys threw the ball. It was kind of difficult, but it was something we knew was coming, and we had to get used to it. I’m looking forward to playing with Ben, a Hall of Fame guy. I get a chance to play some years with him and catch a lot of balls.”

The upcoming 2019 season will be a chance for all of the Steelers’ offensive

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players to shine, just not one player. This is the opportunity for the offense to show its true mettle. The offense can make 2019 a year of no whining but a year of wining and dining.

This can be a banner year, no more smashing and dashing, turning Gatorade coolers over on the sidelines, no more self-centered tantrums and no more sitting at home losing money being a “mister potato head” as opposed to being a couch potato during a designated bye week.

Don’t say that I said this but: “If certain people can be constructive on Sundays maybe they won’t have the time to entertain not one but two girlfriends with a penchant for expensive jewelry.”

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