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Mary J. Blige Gets Golden Globe Nod

D.J.Reed Adds Walter Camp All-American Award

Thousands Could Lose Health Care Under New Tax Bill

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The Valley’s

Volume 33 Number 7

Observer Group Newspapers of Southern California

An Icon of Black Journalism Dies at 99

Simeon Booker

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Contributor Simeon Booker, a trailblazing Black journalist, who covered the Civil Rights Movement for the iconic African American magazines EBONY and Jet and who was the first Black person to work as a full-time Washington Post reporter, has died.

Booker, who’s credited with playing an integral role in delivering the story of Emmett Till’s murder, was 99.

“As Chairman of the NNPA, I know that we honored Simeon Booker during Black Press Week for his overall excellence of journalism and certainly he is someone that has been very, very important to our industry,” said Dorothy Leavell, the national chairman of the NNPA and publisher of the Crusader Newspapers in Chicago, Ill., and Gary, Indiana.

“His presence will be deeply missed. Even though he lived a long life, we still mourn and we send our sympathies to his family and want them to know that he was highly-appreciated at the NNPA and the Black Press around the country,” Leavell said.

Simeon Saunders Booker, Jr. was born on August 27, 1918, in Baltimore, Maryland to Roberta Waring and Simeon Saunders Booker, Sr., a YMCA director and minister, according to his biography published by The HistoryMakers.

After his family moved to Youngstown, Ohio, Booker became interested in journalism through a family friend, Carl Murphy, the owner and operator of “The Afro-American” newspapers, also known as “The Afro,” in Baltimore, Md. In 1942, after receiving his bachelor’s degree in English from Virginia Union University in Richmond, Booker took a job at the The Afro-American as a young reporter.

In 1945, he moved back to Ohio to work for the “Call and Post.”

Five years later, Booker was the recipient of the Nieman Fellowship from Harvard University to study journalism and develop his talent as a reporter. After leaving Harvard in 1951, Booker became the first fulltime Black reporter at “The Washington Post.”

In 1954, Booker was hired by the Johnson Publishing Company to report on current events in its weekly digest, Jet. In 1955, Booker helped to redefine the role of Jet and the entire Civil Rights Movement with his famous coverage of the Emmett Till murder and trial, turning an all too familiar event in the Deep South into a national tragedy that united the Black community.

Booker remained on the dangerous frontlines of the Civil Rights Movement, reporting on the 1957 integration of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. In 1961, Booker rode with the Congress on Racial Equality (CORE) Freedom Riders through the Deep South.

When the buses were firebombed in Anniston, Alabama, Booker arranged the Freedom Riders’ evacuation with U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy.

Continuing his work of in-depth reporting, Booker toured Vietnam and interviewed General Westmoreland for Jet in the mid-1960s.

In 1964, Booker outlined the importance of the ongoing Civil Rights Movement in his book, Black Man’s America.

Booker covered every presidential election since the Eisenhower

Thursday, December 14, 2017

Funeral Held for SC’s 1st AfricanAmerican Chief Justice ORANGEBURG, S.C. (AP) _ He was the first African-American to serve as South Carolina’s chief justice, and she was the first woman.

The Times and Democrat of Orangeburg reports that on Saturday, Jean Toal remembered her friend Ernest Finney Jr. as “brilliant, strategic and wonderfully persuasive.’’

The memorial service for Finney was held Saturday at the Elmore Chapel at Claflin University in Orangeburg. The 86-year-old Finney died Dec. 3.

Toal succeeded Finney on the state Supreme Court. The two were acquainted since her college days, when she was among white students who held voter registration drives with black students.

Finney was elected to the S.C. 3rd Circuit Court judgeship in July 1976. Nine years later, he was appointed to the state Supreme Court, then became chief justice. He retired in March 2000.

Journalist Simeon Booker, center, is presented with a Phoenix Award at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s annual Legislative Conference Phoenix Awards Dinner in Washington, Saturday, Sept. 18, 2010. (AP Photo)

Administration in his 53 years with Johnson Publishing until he retired in 2007.

In 1982, Booker received one of the most prestigious awards in journalism, the National Press Club’s Fourth Estate Award.

“A legend who served generations well,” tweeted Reverend Jesse Jackson, the founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. “The best at what he did. A freedom fighter for the ages.”

Popular CNN White House Correspondent April Ryan wrote: “Thank you Simeon Booker for your stories that exposed truth this na-

Iconic Black journalist Simeon Booker died on December 10, 2017. (Wikimedia Commons)

tion did not always want to see and or read. History.”

Leavell said she hopes that someone among today’s young journalists will be the next Booker.

“Although he wasn’t actively practicing his profession any longer, his presence was one of those things that we all regret losing. We hate to see a chapter close with what Simeon provided to the Black Press,” she said. “I’m saddened, but it calls for the need for us to develop younger, Simeon Bookers as we are all standing on the shoulders of those who came before us and who set [such lofty] standards.”

San Francisco Native Becomes City’s 1st Black Woman Mayor

By PAUL ELIAS Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ San Francisco Board of Supervisors President London Breed has become the city's acting mayor following the sudden death of Mayor Ed Lee. The San Francisco native on Tuesday also became the city's first African-American woman mayor.

Breed is a lifelong San Francisco resident who grew up in public housing in the same district she now represents.

She had been considered likely to run for mayor after Lee's second _ and last _ term expired in 2019.

The remaining 10 board supervisors had elected her president.

They can choose her to serve as temporary mayor or appoint another person.

She will remain mayor until the June 2018 election if the board can't decide.

Black Faith Leaders Encourage Their Flocks to

Sign Up for Obamacare

By Freddie Allen NNPA Newswire Editor-In-Chief Faith leaders in the Black community are encouraging members of their congregations to sign-up for healthcare coverage during the Affordable Care Act’s open enrollment period that ends on December 15. \Reverend Edwin Sanders, the senior pastor and founder of the Metropolitan Interdenominational Church in Nashville, Tenn., said that supporting positive dialogue about healthcare is a part of the faith tradition.

“We lift up healing as a benefit of our relationship to the God that we serve; we talk about the God who is a healer,” said Sanders. “There is a way in which those of us who are disciples, especially in the tradition of Jesus Christ, have a commitment to trying to make sure that we sustain these kinds of opportunities for people to get healed in our communities.”

Sometimes, that commitment means working with political leaders.

Congressman James Clyburn (D-S.C.) helped

FFRREEEE!!

to launch the “Soul 2 Enroll” campaign, a national healthcare initiative aimed at mobilizing faith communities during the open enrollment period of the Affordable Care Act, also known as “Obamacare.”

During a recent press conference on Capitol Hill, Clyburn said that faith is about much more than a relationship between you and the God you serve.

“We are instructed that ‘faith without works is dead,’” said Clyburn. “If your brother or sister comes to you hungry or naked—and I believe if James were writing his epistle today, he would add sick—you feed them, you clothe them and provide them with healthcare.”

Pastor Marquez Ball of Uplift Church in Laurel, Maryland said that healthcare is not a game to score political points.

“Healthcare is a whole life issue,” said Ball.

Uplift Church is just one of the organizing faith partners for the “Soul 2 Enroll” initiative.

That group also includes: the National African American Clergy Network, Joseph A.C. Smith Ministries, the National Action Network, the Network Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, the Skinner Leadership Institute, The United Church of Christ and Values Partnerships.

During a discussion about

Reverend Edwin Sanders, the senior pastor and founder of the Metropolitan Interdenominational Church in Nashville, Tenn., said that supporting positive dialogue about healthcare is a part of the faith tradition. This photo was taken during a panel discussion on the role of faith leaders in fighting the AIDS epidemic during the 2017 CBCF Annual Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. (Freddie Allen/AMG/NNPA)

the Affordable Care Act (ACA) between congressional and faith leaders, Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner, the co-chair of the National African American Clergy Network, said that despite the budget cuts imposed on the ACA by the Trump Administration, the faith community is marching forward.

“The faith community knows how to do one thing: we know how to make bricks with no straw and we’re going to do it again,” said Williams-Skinner. “Healthcare is not a privilege; it is a right of every child of God.” Williams-Skinner continued: “My Bible teaches that Jesus’s ministry was about healing and helping the afflicted and lifting up those that are wounded…we must do that with the Affordable Care Act.” Reverend De-Ves Toon, the national field director for the National Action Network (NAN), said that NAN has helped to sign people up for healthcare coverage through the ACA since 2013 in more than 100 cities.

“All of our chapters have health and wellness committees that are doing on-the-ground outreach in their perspective cities,” said Toon.

“We just don’t focus on this during the open enrollment period, we do this year-round.”

Toon added: “We will continue to do outreach to encourage people who might be afraid of the process to enroll for healthcare under [the Affordable Care Act].”

Sanders said that because of the rich oral tradition of the Black community, everyone from the American Heart Association to local community health centers comes to the doorsteps of the church to promote answers to health problems.

“God is the one that gives the intellect, God is one that gives the wisdom to doctors and to researchers to help them to develop the modern day cures that are increasingly available, but we need to make sure that more is done to make sure those cures and those medical responses are available to [our congregations],” said Sanders. “So, I believe that God is working miracles through the researchers, who are developing new ways to treat diseases and to address health problems.”

Sanders continued: “As far as the open enrollment period, I think it ought to be a message that we are including in every worship experience that we have, as a people. For indeed, it is through our efforts and our tradition that we don’t let these moments pass us by.”

Statement from Senate President Pro Tempore Regarding Leadership Transition

SACRAMENTO – California Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles) released the following statement Thursday December 7th, 2017: “For nearly four years, it’s been a profound honor to lead a unified, progressive and collaborative California State Senate. Together, we’ve put the public interest over individual ambitions and made enduring progress on behalf of millions of Californians.

“Unfinished work remains - and so does our Senate’s important tradition of seamless and peaceful leadership transitions.

“To that end, I have announced to our Senate Democratic Caucus that a formal vote to elect our next Senate President pro Tempore will be held in early January and a formal transition later in the year.

“Better yet, I’m pleased to announce that our Caucus is unified in support for Senator Toni G. Atkins of San Diego to serve as our next President pro Tempore.

“We aren’t just making consensus - we’re making history.

“Four years ago, our Caucus elected the first Latino leader in over a century to lead the California State Senate - and, next year, Senator Atkins will become our first ever woman to be elected Senate Leader.

“Toni is a leader of great experience, achievement and integrity, and I have every confidence that she will lead America’s most accomplished legislative chamber to even greater heights.

“As always, I thank the members of the Senate for their confidence, camaraderie and unwavering commitment to the future of this state.

“Working together, I look forward to another year of extraordinary progress.”

Apple Makes Deal for Song Recognition App Shazam SAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ Apple has bought Shazam, the maker of a song-recognition app that Apple’s digital assistant Siri has already been using to help people identify the music playing on their iPhones.

The companies didn’t disclose the price of the acquisition announced Monday. Technology news site Recode previously reported Apple is paying about $400 million for Shazam, citing three unidentified people familiar with the deal.

Apple Inc. issued a statement describing Shazam as “natural fit’’ with its services.

“We have exciting plans in store, and we look forward to combining with Shazam,’’ Apple said. The Cupertino, California, company declined to say whether Shazam’s app will still be available after the deal closes.

Some of Shazam’s features conceivably could be blended into Apple’s music streaming services, which has accumulated more than 27 million subscribers since the company created it in 2015.

Siri began drawing upon Shazam’s technology to answer questions about songs as part of a 2014 update to the iPhone’s operating system.

The Shazam deal marks Apple’s biggest acquisition in music since paying $3 billion for Beats Electronics’ line of headphones and music service in 2014.

Digital services have been playing an increasingly important role for Apple as the sales of iPhones _ the company’s main moneymaker _ have slowed. Software and other services generated $30 billion in revenue during Apple’s last fiscal year, a 23 percent increase from the previous year.

Shazam was founded in 2002 and made one of the first apps for the iPhone. It has about 250 employees working at its London headquarters and seven other offices in the U.S., Australia and Germany.

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World & Nation THE VALLEY’S NEWS OBSERVER

The ANC Battle for South Africa’s Presidency Heats Up

Dr. Kevin Williams says that finding enough patient volunteers is often a challenge in conducting clinical trials.

Ask Dr. Kevin: Understanding Clinical Trials and Sickle Cell Disease in the Black Community

By Dr. Kevin Williams Chief Medical Officer, Pfizer Rare Disease Unit This article is the third installment in the “Ask Dr. Kevin” series, brought to you by Pfizer Rare Disease in collaboration with the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) to increase understanding of sickle cell disease.

Clinical trials are critical to bringing new medicines to people who need them, particularly those affected by conditions with limited treatment options, such as sickle cell disease (SCD). These studies, which determine the safety and effectiveness of new investigational treatments, rely on the participation of volunteers. Without enough volunteers, researchers are unable to complete the research required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to evaluate if a new drug should be made available to patients. Therefore, the only way to get any drug approved by the FDA and accessible to patients in need is through clinical trials.

Unfortunately, findinV g enough patient volunteers is often a challenge in conducting clinical trials, and this has been particularly true for trials exploring new treatment options for SCD, which occurs in one out of every 365 African American births. Although African Americans make up 12 percent of the U.S. population, they comprise only 5 percent of clinical trial participants overall.

Fear and misunderstanding about clinical trials likely contribute to the difficulty of recruiting participants. Recently, Pfizer and the NNPA collaborated on a national poll consisting of 741 participants to learn more about perceptions of SCD and clinical trials in the African American community. A majority of respondents indicated a willingness to participate in future clinical trials for SCD, if given appropriate knowledge and recommendations from health care professionals. Of those who indicated that they would not participate in clinical trials, ‘fear of uncertainties’ was the most cited reason.

To help address some of these uncertainties, I’m here to answer the most common questions about clinical trials. It is my hope that this information will help you make an informed decision should you or a loved one choose to participate in a clinical trial in the future.

Are clinical trials safe?

Strict guidelines and supervision are in place to protect the safety of people who take part in studies—from careful study design to periodic monitoring of study data by independent experts. That said, clinical trials are designed for research purposes, and because of this, there is some level of risk involved. However, before an investigational drug can be given to clinical trial volunteers, researchers must complete a rigorous screening and preclinical testing process (in the laboratory and in animals), which can take up to six years to complete.

If I participate in a clinical trial, will I get a “sugar pill” or placebo instead of a real drug?

Participants in a clinical trial using a placebo will always be informed if there is a possibility they could be receiving the placebo, which looks identical to the real drug but does not contain the active ingredient.

However, the vast majority of studies are not placebo-controlled trials, and patients in the clinical trial who are not receiving the drug under study will receive the current standard of care available to the public.

Patients who take part in clinical trials will never be asked to sacrifice quality of care.

Will it be expensive to participate in a clinical trial?

Patient care costs are generally covered by health insurance, as they are for tests and treatments you would receive even if you were not involved in the research. The majority of participants in clinical studies receive at least some reimbursement from their health insurance. Most often, the clinical trial sponsors will pay for the study therapy and insurance companies will pay for the routine care procedures, such as blood tests.

Before participating in clinical trials, I recommend checking with the researchers regarding your financial responsibilities as a patient, as well as with your health insurance carrier regarding coverage.

How do I find out about clinical trials?

You can always talk to your doctor; however, he or she may not know about all available clinical trials that might apply to you. Only approximately 1 in 5 patients say that their health care professionals have talked to them about participating in a clinical trial.

As for resources, the National Institutes of Health has an online database that is a great tool to search for appropriate trials: https://clinicaltrials.gov. Another great resource is “I’m In,” a campaign to build awareness about the importance of diversity in clinical trials, especially among African Americans, Asian Americans, and Hispanic populations.

You can find more information on Pfizer’s Clinical Trial page, too.

What’s the timeframe for clinical trials?

I’m often asked, “Why does a new treatment take so long?” The short answer is that treatment takes as long as it does because the cardinal rule of medicine is “First, do no harm.” Thus, the development of a new therapy is a multi-stage, complex process that has to meet the highest standards of patient protection.

Clinical trials, which generally take 5 to 10 years, are at the center of the rigorous science that demonstrates the safety and efficacy of a medicine and provides a thorough view of its benefits and risks, and is the only avenue to bring medications to patients in need.

The next Ask Dr. Kevin article will appear next year. Meanwhile, here are resources to find more information about sickle cell disease, the collaboration between the NNPA and Pfizer Rare Disease, and a new nationwide poll conducted by Howard University to deepen understanding and gauge perceptions around SCD and clinical trials among African Americans.

Dr. Kevin Williams is the Chief Medical Officer for Rare Disease at Pfizer. He pursued medicine after being inspired by his father’s work as a general practitioner in his hometown of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Dr. Kevin is passionate about raising awareness and increasing understanding of sickle cell disease in the African American community. You can follow Pfizer on Facebook and Twitter.

Thursday December 14, 2017

Lindiwe Sisulu, the nation’s minister of Defense and Military Veterans, is among the candidates for the ANC’s next president. In this photo, Lindiwe Sisulu, participates in a ceremony, during a visit to Brazil. (Wikimedia Commons)

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Contributor The African National Congress (ANC), South Africa’s governing social democratic political party once led by the late Nelson Mandela, faces perhaps its most contentious and controversial election yet.

On Dec. 18, the party will vote for its next president, a contest that puts former health minister Nkosazana Clarice Dlamini-Zuma against Deputy Prime Minister Cyril Ramaphosa and three others including Lindiwe Sisulu, the nation’s minister of Defense and Military Veterans.

“South Africa is governed by the Tripartate Alliance of the ANC, South African Communist Party and Congress of South African Trade Unions and this ANC alliance has fractured into multiple competing groups each headed by a sort of warlord,” said Eric Louw, an associate professor at the University of Queensland in Australia. “Each warlord runs a patronage network which dispenses wealth and jobs within a government system that has become highly corrupt.”

Louw has worked at several South African universities; his research includes the role of Pax Americana on South African transformation.

The ANC is wrestling with serious fractures in the party and has been for at least a decade, said Nicholas Rush Smith, an assistant professor of Political Science at the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership at The City College of New York.

Smith’s main research focuses particularly on South Africa and he’s working on a book titled, “Resisting Rights: Vigilantism and the Contradictions of Democratic State Formation in Post-Apartheid South Africa.

“The ANC will choose a party president in December who will likely stand for South Africa’s presidency in national elections in 2019,” said Smith. “The two leading candidates for the ANC presidency represent factions of the party that are either support or oppose current President Jacob Zuma.”

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the former chairperson of the African Union Commission and Zuma’s ex-wife, is viewed as supportive of

Zuma, while Ramaphosa, the current Deputy President, represents a faction opposed to Zuma.

“Regardless of who wins, the factionalism within the ANC will likely continue to deepen, particularly if the party continues to lose voteshare at the 2019 election to opposition parties,” Smith said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., the president and CEO of the NNPA, said South Africa needs leaders who will care about the people they’ll lead.

“I endorse, support and salute the effective leadership of H.E. Lindiwe Sisulu to be president of South Africa,” Chavis said.

Regardless of who becomes South Africa’s next president, the candidate faces serious challenges, Smith said.

“Unemployment is rife and inequality is deepening. The next president will face major questions about how to alleviate these problems; problems that have bedeviled every post-apartheid president, suggesting that there are no easy answers,” he said.

An early September poll showed Sisulu emerging as the leading female candidate to lead the ANC and the country.

South Africa’s Times Live has Sisulu with a 29-percentage point lead over her closest rival‚ Dlamini-Zuma.

Dlamini-Zuma’s support dropped from 28 percent on July 12 to 23 percent by August 11 while Sisulu‚ whose support had already seen significant gains‚ saw her lead stretch from 45 percent to 52 percent in the same period.

“Comrade Lindiwe Sisulu believes now is the time to elect a female president. She is of the view that the more female candidates there are‚ the better,” Sisulu spokesman Makhosini Nkosi said. “As far as we are concerned‚ we are trying to get Lindiwe Sisulu elected president. That is the mandate of the branches that nominated her.”

Nkosi added that the campaign was focused solely on getting Sisu-

B. Riley Financial, Inc. Assists Sonim Technologies, Inc. in

$37 Million Capital Raise

B. Riley Principal Investments Serves as Lead Investor LOS ANGELES, Dec. 12, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- B. Riley Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ:RILY), a diversified financial services company, announced today that it assisted Sonim Technologies, Inc. (“Sonim”) and its stockholders in successfully raising $37 million of capital. Sonim, a leading manufacturer of ultra-rugged phones for the toughest conditions, will use the proceeds to fund several growth opportunities, including its public safety platform, and to purchase stock from existing stockholders.

The funding includes $27 million of equity capital and $10 million of subordinated debt capital through a revolving credit facility, which were raised by B. Riley Financial’s operating subsidiaries, B. Riley FBR, Inc. and B. Riley Principal Investments, LLC. B. Riley FBR, a leading investment bank, served as Sonim’s financial advisor, sourcing the equity and debt provider on both transactions. B. Riley Principal Investments, a group that makes proprietary investments in public and private companies, served as the lead investor in the debt and equity transactions. As part of the financing, Kenny Young, CEO of B. Riley Principal Investments will join the Sonim Board of Directors.

“The teams at B. Riley Financial have a deep understanding of our capital needs and how we plan on allocating the proceeds,” said Bob Plaschke, CEO of Sonim. “Sonim is committed to innovating the best ultra-rugged cell phones to meet the increasing demands of workers in rugged, commercial and public safety markets around the world. This financing provides us the resources to build the additional solutions the public safety market desperately needs and to support the rollout of dedicated broadband networks across the U.S.”

“We are pleased to have been able to assist and provide a multitude of services to Sonim, including serving as the lead investor,” said Bryant Riley, Chairman and CEO of B. Riley Financial. “Our history with Sonim, combined with our experience and the firm’s diverse platform, enabled us to source an effective solution that will advance Sonim’s business objectives.”

About Sonim Technologies, Inc. Sonim Technologies (http://www.sonimtech.com/) is the only US manufacturer of mission-critical smart phone based solutions designed specifically for workers in extreme, hazardous and isolated environments.

The Sonim solution includes ultra-rugged mobile phones, business-process applications and a suite of industrial-grade accessories, collectively designed to increase worker productivity, accountability and safety on the job site. Sonim’s industry-leading, 3-year comprehensive warranty has redefined customer expectations of rugged technology. The company is headquartered in San Mateo, Calif., and offers its products with mobile operators around the world.

About B. Riley Financial, Inc. B. Riley Financial, Inc. is a publicly traded, diversified financial services company which takes a collaborative approach to the capital raising and financial advisory needs of public and private companies and high net worth individuals. The Company operates through several wholly-owned subsidiaries, including B. Riley FBR, Inc., Wunderlich Securities, Inc., Great American Group, LLC, B. Riley Capital Management, LLC (which includes B. Riley Asset Management, B. Riley Wealth Management, and Great American Capital Partners, LLC) and B. Riley Principal Investments, a group that makes proprietary investments in other businesses, such as the acquisition of United Online, Inc.

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lu elected ANC president in December.

A recent analysis revealed that residents of South Africa remain concerned with the practice of funneling state expenditure to suit the business agenda of the elite.

However, Dlamini-Zuma said in a recent radio interview that it wouldn’t matter if she focused on state capture and that there was nothing she could do about it beyond recommendations already made.

“The issue of state capture, you know I’m not in government, I can’t do much about it myself,” Dlamini-Zuma was quoted as saying in the interview published by The Citizen in South Africa.

Earlier, she said, “once state capture was dealt with, the country could then focus on the most important things, such as poverty and unemployment.”

Roger Southall, a politics and sociology professor at Wits University in South Africa, said he thinks the battle for the succession within the ANC will ultimately be a fight between Dlamini-Zuma and Cyril Ramaphosa, the ex-unionist turned businessman and millionaire who has been accused of fomenting the Marikana massacre, a 2012 incident that occurred during a strike at the Marikana mine in South Africa.

The strike ended when police opened fire, killing 34 miners.

“The odds now seem against Dlamini-Zuma while Ramaphosa seems to be picking up not just his own genuine support, but people bailing out of the Zuma faction,” Southall said. “Whatever the result, it’s war within the ANC and there could be a split. The opposition could pull off the need for a coalition government, as the ANC is so obviously at war with itself.

Southall continued: “Many hope this will happen as the ANC is not merely now corrupt, but devoid of ideas.”

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Thursday December 14, 2017

Features

THE VALLEY’S NEWS OBSERVER A3

New Enrichment Program for Black Girls Transforms Lives

By Candace J. Semien The Drum/NNPA Member At a time when many messages for young girls seem to be conflicting, Baton Rouge teens are experiencing an influx of organizations and programs designed to show them how amazing and powerful they are in the world. From Black Girls Rock on a national scale to the local Womanhood101 initiative and the TransfHERmation program, the brilliance of teen girls are being magnified and strengthened.

“I believe girls are a special gift from God and they should be nurtured as such,” said Quintina Ricks, founder of TransfHERmation, an enrichment program for girls.

For two years, more than 20 girls have experienced TransfHERmation at T. Simmons and Company in Baton Rouge where they developed businesses, vision and mission statements, brand names, and taglines to reflect their value system. These values were explored during sessions on gratitude, respect, public behavior, and relationships.

The girls created products for their business—most opting for cosmetics—using raw materials and scientific principles to manufacture lipsticks, lip gloss, soap, and candles. During an interactive, real-world stimulation, they took on adult responsibilities and purchased homes, cars, insurance, and childcare services.

As part of their transformation experience, the girls learned strategies to improve and maintain healthy diets, relationships, hygiene, and finances. “Critical to their success and quality of life will be their ability to make healthy lifestyle choices relative to managing stress and friendships,” said Ricks. “We teach young ladies to prioritize their greatest asset which is their health.”

TransfHERmation is Ricks’ brainchild, which she started in 2014 as an exhilarating, multi-faceted summer program that she designed to help girls improve their self-awareness, self-love, and self-worth. Ricks is owner of Ten40 Solutions. She said she is an accountant by trade, event designer by passion, and youth developer by purpose. It is within the structure of her TransfHERmation program that Ricks is able to be most creative in reaching the girls.

“When we invest in young people, the return on that investment is immeasurable. We build the female leaders of the future,” she said. The Drum talked with Ricks to learn more.

THE DRUM: How was this experience designed to be transformative? Quintina Ricks: Our goal is to build the female leaders of the future. There’s no denying that women are making huge contributions all across the globe in all walks of life. It’s also no secret that women face unique challenges relative to crushing stereotypes and breaking through the proverbial glass ceiling. Our desire for these girls is that they embrace their femininity, understand their power, harness their creativity, identify their strengths, and visualize their future.

TD: Why was this age group targeted? QR: This year’s camp experience was developed specifically for teenage girls. Adolescence is an important time. These young ladies are making critical life decisions that will either serve a setbacks or set ups for long term success. We want

to equip these young ladies with the information, tools, resources, and mentors to make solid life decisions.

TD: What life lessons did you want this experience to teach or be reveled to participants? QR: Our curriculum is designed to expose these young ladies to lessons that focus on leadership, introduce the concept of entrepreneurship, teach principles of saving/investing, and also highlight STEM careers and women who are thriving in those fields. Self-esteem, self-love, and self-care is emphasized throughout the camp experience.

We want these girls to walk away feeling powerful.

TD: How did this year meet or exceed your expectations? QR: This year exceeded our expectations despite some internal hurdles that we had to cross. Typically when we sponsor these types of programs, we plan over 6-8 months. This year, we pulled the camp together in less than a month. Our businesses were swamped with new clients, which is a good thing, but we didn’t know, if we would have the time or the capacity to host the camp this year. We decided collectively that we had to make it a priority and we were able to pull it off. It was well attended. We worked with an amazing group of girls.

TD: What were the memorable transformative moments? QR: The responses that we get from the parents are always telling for me. When you get an email celebrating academic or social growth that makes all the hard work and sacrifices well worth it. We had a diverse group of girls in attendance this year. Some were from upper middle class households, attending high performing schools, taking family vacations, etc. Other camp participants came from extreme poverty. One young lady in particular had not attended school regularly since the flood. Her mother was on the verge of eviction. They had no water or utilities in their apartment. Fortunately the young lady was comfortable enough to tell us what was going on. Our team was able to get her enrolled in school, purchase uniforms, connect her family with job placement assistance, and reconnect their utilities. Were it not for the camp this particular kid would’ve probably dropped out of school and eventually been homeless.

TD: How does this program fit within your company’s work or mission?

QR: Our company is obviously very diversified in terms of its divisions and the products and services that we offer. The common theme across the entire organization is our commitment to giving back to the communities that have contributed to our success. The way we choose to give back is through building human capital. Investing in young people feels good from an individual standpoint, and it’s smart from a business standpoint. The return on investment is so significant that it’s virtually immeasurable.

For more information about TransfHERmation, visit http://transfhermation.com or follow the group on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/transfhermation.

The Drum is a member publication of the National Newspaper Publishers Association. Learn more about becoming a member at www. nnpa.org.

Quintina Ricks, is the founder of TranfHERmation, a summer enrichment program for girls.. (Quintana Ricks)

Young girls work on a business project during a TransfHERmation session. (Quintana Ricks)

Young girls participate in a TransfHERmation session. (Quintana Ricks)

Sparing with President Trump Over Civil Rights Museum

By Lauren Victoria Burke NNPA Newswire Contributor When two members of the Congressional Black Caucus, longtime Mississippi Congressman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and civil rights legend Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), heard that President Donald Trump planned to attend the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum dedication ceremony, they both announced that they would forego the event.

The White House was critical.

On December 7, White House spokesperson Sarah Huckabee Sanders said, “We think it’s unfortunate that these members of Congress wouldn’t join the president in honoring the incredible sacrifice civil rights leaders made to right the injustices in our history. The president hopes others will join him in recognizing that the movement was about removing barriers and unifying Americans of all backgrounds.”

From that statement, you might never have guessed that the White House spokesperson was referring to a civil rights leader: Congressman John Lewis.

“It’s laughable that the White House is criticizing John Lewis and Bennie Thompson for not attending the opening of a civil rights museum that honors the sacrifices of ...wait...John Lewis, Bennie Thompson, and many others,” said CBC Chairman Cedric Richmond (D-La.).

“This White House is not serious about civil rights. From dismantling the civil rights division in [the Department of

Justice] to equating peaceful people who protested racism to neo-Nazi’s and White supremacists, they just don’t get it.”

In a joint statement on December 7, Thompson and Lewis wrote: “After careful consideration and conversations with church leaders, elected officials, civil rights activists, and many citizens of our congressional districts, we have decided not to attend or participate in the opening of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum.”

The statement continued: “President Trump’s attendance and his hurtful policies are an insult to the people portrayed in this civil rights museum. The struggles represented in this museum exemplify the truth of what really happened in Mississippi. President Trump’s disparaging comments about women, the disabled, immigrants, and National Football League players disrespect the efforts of Fannie Lou Hamer, Aaron Henry, Medgar Evers, Robert Clark, James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner, and countless others who have given their all for Mississippi to be a better place. After President Trump departs, we encourage all Mississippians and Americans to visit this historic civil rights museum.”

Trump visited a few southern states the weekend before the special election to fill the Alabama Senate seat of former Senator Jeff Sessions, who is now the U.S. Attorney General.

Civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) (pictured) and Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) declined invitations to attend the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum dedication ceremony, when they learned that President Donald Trump was also invited. This photo was taken during a Congressional Black Caucus press conference on police brutality at the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. in 2016. (Freddie Allen/AMG/NNPA)

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THE VALLEY’S NEWS OBSERVER

Thursday December 14, 2017

Meet Shohei Ohtani Shoehei Ohtani pitches for Japan’s national team against Mexico in 2016 (Getty Images)

By Cam Buford Whatsgoodinsports.com This 6ft. 4in, 213 lb. right-hander from Iwate, Japan Shohei Ohtani boasts an overhand delivery and throws a four-seam fastball which is known to average 96 mph. This is complimented by his 87mph forkball and a variety of other pitches. His raw pitching talents have been compared to Justin Verlander by some MLB scouts, though he has a lot of ground to make up to live up to comparisons of the recent World Series Champion. As he does average more than 3 base on balls per 9 innings pitched for his career.

Initially wanting to come to the MLB directly out of high school, Shohei Ohtani was the first pick of the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fight-

ers in the 2012 Draft. It was here that he recorded the fastest pitch by a Japanese pitcher at 102.5 mph. The dynamic left-handed swinger Ohtani also played outfield for the Hokkaido Nippon- Ham Fighters.

Additionally, the multi-talented has been timed at 3.8 seconds from the batter’s box to first base showing off his running ability. That is similar to the fastest players currently in Major League Baseball.

When Shohei finally decided to come over to join the MLB, he consulted with multiple teams to inquire about their plans to use his talents. He also wanted to play on the West Coast where he Is likely to find many more of his countrymen, while testing his talents amongst the best baseball players in the world. Though very athletic, Shohei has had his share of injury concerns.

Ohtani underwent the platelet-rich plasma injection in his right elbow in California this past October. This increasingly popular PRP treatment was given to Ohtani as a preventive measure. Yet other pitchers, such as Chris Sale and Zach Greinke have used this procedure to treat inflammation and irritation and missed only a few starts in 2014 and 2013 respectively.

Having missed many games in 2017 due to lower body injuries Shohei Ohtani was forced to sit out the World Baseball Classic as a result of lingering effects of ankle injuries. He subsequently had surgery on that injured ankle in October. This led one team official to note, “Worst case scenario, if he loses two years,” and “even if you wind up paying $60 million for four years.”

We shall see how this pans out for the newest player of the Los Angeles Angles of Anaheim. They are paying a healthy salary for this multi-faceted player, they need to acquire even more talent on their ball team to become contenders in the American League. Seeing how the New York Yankees just traded for Giancarlo Stanton, the National League Most Valuable Player from this past season. They will be teaming him up with the 2017 American League Rookie of the Year, Aaron Judge. Let me know what how you expect Shohei Ohtani to fair against major league talent this upcoming season in the comment section of whatsgoodinsports.com.

Worsening National Debt Problem

By Charlene Crowell Communications Deputy Director, Center for Responsible Lending In case you haven’t yet heard, Richard Cordray, the first-ever Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) resigned in late November. President Trump’s unlawful appointment of Mick Mul-

vaney to serve as the Bureau’s Acting Director signals a distinct shift in the Bureau’s future.

Since enactment of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act, this column has chronicled how the consumer’s ‘financial cop-on-the-beat’ was working on their behalf. Besides powerful enforcement authority to bring nearly $12 billion in restitution and forgiveness to financial-

What’s Good NFL Week 15 Supremacy Ranking

By Cam Buford Whatsgoodinsports.com As we approach Week 15 in the National Football League once again it’s time to reveal our What’s Good Supremacy Rankings. This is time when most of the better teams in the league separate themselves from the pack. Though many injures have ravaged most teams in league, this remains the point when the cream rises to the top:

In reverse order we have listed what we believe to the be the top performing teams in the NFL; #10 Seattle Seahawks- Not only have the injuries to key players caught up to them, they lack of offensive talent is making it tough for Russell Wilson to pull out win after win, week after week. #9 New Orleans Saints- The loss to their division rival has dropped them in our Supremacy Rankings. As It has become evident that if their two-headed monstrous running game is hampered in any way, that their QB Drew Brees will have a tough time, against playoff caliber teams, winning games on his own. #8 Atlanta Falcons- Though the defending NFC Champs remain erratic, their big win against their division rival this past week has earned them the eighth spot in our Supremacy Rankings this week. Their potent offensive along with a young, athletic defense remains a formidable combination. #7 Los Angeles Rams- The Rams has dropped in our Supremacy Rankings this week due to their tough loss against the Eagles. The Rams did show that they are able to score points and stay in any game, they were just outmatched by the league’s highest scoring team at home on Sunday. They still have a chance to win their division with a win this week against their division nemesis. #6 Carolina Panthers- With a big win at home this week and the late season development of Newton; who is now looking like the 2015 MVP. While being complimented by Kuechly and their tough, opportunistic defense which continues to keep them in each game. #5 Jacksonville Jaguars- These young Jaguars are showing they are

ready for prime time! With awesome talent on the defensive side of the ball, their strong running games allows the young Blake Bortles to be a game manager with minimal expectations. This combination has all but cemented a playoff birth, and will make them a scary team to play in January. #4 Minnesota Vikings- Their QB Case Keenum needs to be given a lot of credit for keeping this offense afloat. Their ball control offense and tremendous defense remains a championship combination and with the unfortunate injuries on the NFC, they have a chance to represent the conference in the big game to be played in the new Vikings stadium come February. #3 Pittsburg Steelers- Just as winter embarks on us, so does the Steelers late season development. Though their unfortunate injury to Ryan Shazier will open up the middle of their defense, Big Ben, Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell will find a way to outscore most offensives they face. Until proven otherwise, they are comfortably the second-best team in the AFC. #2 New England Patriots- Even with their tough loss against their division rival. The Patriots remain the class in the AFC! At the age 40 Tom Brady is in contention for the league’s MVP; team him with the cerebral Bill Belichick and the Patriots have earned the top spot in the AFC. #1 Philadelphia Eagles- In what appears to be the final game of Carson Wentz’s season due to his unfortunate ACL tear, he’s played like the league’s Most Valuable Player all season. With their opportunistic defense and solid running game the Eagles have earned our Top ranking of the all important What’s Good Supremacy Rankings.

Though our Supremacy rankings remain a fluid situation week to week. We will revisit this list based on what we see from the NFL over the next couple week one final time before the playoffs begin. This is how we see the best teams in the league thus far, I’d be interested to know how differently you have the teams ranked as compared our NFL Supremacy Rankings. Please Reach out and let me know What’s Good at www. whatsgoodinsports.com.

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ly-harmed consumers, CFPB’s director is also legally empowered to promulgate rules that bring clarity and transparency over a range of financial services.

The ballooning and unsustainable debt of student loans is a key area in which the CFPB took strong enforcement actions during the Obama Administration, but the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue pledged to curb CFPB’s actions and appointed an Education Secretary, Betsy DeVos, to delay if not deny much of what CFPB accomplished, particularly in student lending.

For example, the “Gainful Employment” (GE) rule was finalized in 2014 and took effect in 2015. Even so, Secretary DeVos has called for a new negotiated rulemaking process for it and another key rule known as “Borrower Defense to Repayment” that was set to take effect this year.

With neither rule available to financially harmed consumers, a series of negotiated rulemaking sessions on each was scheduled to revisit both rules. From November 13-15, the first negotiated rulemaking was held on the rule known as “Borrower Defense to Repayment.” This week (December 4-7), another rulemaking session was convened to address the GE rule.

Thousands of students who enrolled in now-defunct programs were left with debts that the Department’s delay in rulemaking only worsens. What they do have are academic credits that no accredited educational institution will accept, and/or certificates and degrees that do not provide the requisite skills and knowledge in the fields studied. Any delay in their ability to secure financial forgiveness adds only more stress to an already lengthy wait. Additionally, schools with poor performing records continue to enroll students and increase the scope of the national student debt crisis.

Currently, the Department of Education has approximately 95,000 pending complaints seeking relief under the Borrower Defense rule.

When the negotiated rulemaking session for the “Borrower Defense to Repayment” rule was held, participating consumer advocates noticed a slant towards business interests compared to those who supported consumers and students. The rulemaking session included industry lobbyists, representatives of for-profit colleges, consumer advocates and government officials. Participant requests to make the proceedings publicly accessible were denied. The Department of Education refused to allow live-streaming of its rulemaking, despite its availability and that it is frequently utilized at every level of government.

“These sessions and rules will impact millions of Americans, most of whom do not live in the District of Columbia or cannot afford to miss days at work,” noted Ashley Harrington, a policy counsel with the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) and a negotiated rulemaking participant. “Many of those left outside the meeting room and its process are the very same students who have been and will continue to be most affected by predatory practices at the institutions these committees are examining.”

Harrington continued: “With over 44 million Americans in debt for $1.4 trillion in loans, we all need as much transparency as possible.”

This precedent set by the mid-November rulemaking does not bode well for the session on the GE rule. This rule would require that career and technical training schools lead to income levels that enable its students to afford their student loan repayments.

Particularly for Black and other consumers of color, higher education has been preached as the best way to earn entry into America’s middle class, and reach financial independence. To finance educational costs, many of these consumers borrowed more heavily than other consumers before unfortunately discovering what they were promised was not being delivered.

While student borrowers grapple with rising debts, a recent CFPB report showed that, during the past five years, more than 50,000 student loan complaints were filed. Additionally, more than 10,000 other related debt collection complaints were filed on both private and federal student loans. As the report details student loan complaints by state, it is proof that student debt is indeed a national problem on multiple levels.

For example, CFPB’s analysis found that the growth in the number of student loan complaints exceeded 100 percent in 11 states: Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington State and West Virginia.

The largest number of student loan complaints came from one of five states that tallied 2,600 complaints or more: California, New York, Florida, Texas and Pennsylvania. In these states and three others—Geor-

Charlene Crowell says that Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’s delays of two critical financial service rules is hurting consumers. In this photo, DeVos speaks at the 2017 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland. (Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons)

gia, Illinois and Ohio—debt totals tallied by complaints ranged from a low of $53 billion in Georgia, to a state high of $129 billion in California.

Commenting on these findings, Seth Frothman, CFPB’s Student Loan Ombudsman said, “These complaints help us to recognize and work to stop industry practices that harm consumers and can serve as the first step in a process that halted industry practices harming some of the most vulnerable individuals, saved hundreds of millions of dollars for tens of thousands of student loan borrowers, and strengthened aspects of the student loan repayment process to protect millions of consumers.”

Transparency has been CFPB’s watchword, not just in student loans, but in every lending area. Now with a new Acting Director, a slow drag on rules could turn into a stop. And all the while, consumers with any unresolved or pending complaints on file with CFPB are forced to wait to learn their financial fates.

“The ‘Gainful Employment’ and ‘Borrower Defense to Repayment’ rules work together to protect borrowers and their families at both ends of college attendance,” noted CRL Policy Counsel Whitney Barkley-Denney, a participant in the GE negotiated rulemaking. “If properly enforced, GE would stop deceptive and predatory programs from enrolling new students.”

Barkley-Denney concluded: “Borrower Defense to Repayment helps borrowers who have already been deceived get back on their feet.

Borrowers and taxpayers deserve to know that the Department of Education is looking out for them from the time they are making their enrollment decisions until they finish paying their last student loan.”

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Entertainment Mary Blige, Mariah Carey, Nick Jonas get Golden Globe Nods Thursday December 14, 2017

THE VALLEY’S NEWS OBSERVER A5

D.J.Reed Adds Walter Camp All-American Award

By Earl Heath Contributing Sports Writer After the regular season has concluded for D.J. Reed of Kansas State its time to collect some post season awards. Reed was recently named Walter Camp All-American second team as a punt returner.

In the 10 game he played the 5-9 -190 pound junior had 15 kickoff returns for 530 yards a 35.3 average per return and one touchdown.

He averaged 17.1 yards per punt return on 15 returns and a score.

The athletic Reed is electric on the field and sat out the final two games of the season due to an undisclosed injury.

He was also named big 12 first team all-defensive team. He had 43 tackles (37 solo) 6 for a loss to go with five interceptions.

He was name team defensive MVP. The Bakersfield native Help lead the Wildcats to a 7-5 (5-4 Big 12) season and a birth in the Cactus Bowl against UCLA 6-6 (4-5 PAC-12) on December 26.

He will be honored at the Walter Camp Foundations annual dinner in New Haven Connecticut on Saturday January 13 ,2018 at Yale University. The event will also be seen on ESPN. The foundation will also recognize three individuals informer Ohio state running back Eddie George (Alumni Award), Lee Corso ( Distinguished American Award)and NFL standout and former Georgia Tech wide receiver Calvin Johnson (Man of the Year Award.

ADD Walter Camp : MCDermott Lexus of New Haven is the sponsor: Joining Reed will be Rashad Penny (San Diego State ) a second team selection. The Norwalk native is the Nation’s leading rusher (2,027 yards. Running back Bryce Love of Stanford (1st team ). Love rushed for 1973 yards and 17 touchdowns.

FILE - In this Nov. 27, 2017 file photo, Mary J. Blige arrives at the 27th annual Independent Film Project’s Gotham Awards in New York. Blige was nominated for two Golden Globe awards on Monday, Dec. 11, 2017, including one for best original song for “Mighty River,” featured in “Mudbound.” (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File) Kansas State Defensive Back D.J. Reed (Kansas State courtesy Photo)

TV One Cancels Roland Martin’s NewsOne Now

By Stacy M. Brown The Washington Informer/NNPA Member The only Black daily newscast on television is no more.

TV One is canceling Roland Martin’s morning show “NewsOne Now” due to budget cuts “They called a meeting on Wednesday and told the staff they were canceling the show. They’re having significant financial problems and they have to scale back,” a source told The New York Post.

“After four years of award-winning programming and distinguished service to our viewers as the only Black daily newscast on television, the network has made the difficult decision to suspend the production of NewsOne Now as a daily morning news show. The last live show is scheduled Thursday, December 21, 2017,” TV One’s Interim General Manager Michelle Rice wrote in a memo.

The news shocked staffers—including Martin—as the network had just expanded the morning show to two hours in September, according to Page Six. “There were lots of tears…The staff was completely caught off guard,” Page Six reported a source as saying.

Neither Martin nor his producers returned calls on Wednesday seeking comment.

TV One management did not return messages on Wednesday.

According to Page Six, the memo added: “While we will continue our long-standing partnership with Roland Martin to ensure his important voice can be heard across all Urban One platforms examining issues of importance to the Black community, we regret this decision adversely affects several of our valued colleagues whose positions will be eliminated with the suspension of the show.”

The news caught viewers off guard and many, including high-profile journalists, took to social media.

“Maybe if the viewers make enough noise, TV One will reconsider canceling Roland Martin’s NewsOne Now,” said journalist Jawn Murray.

“The only news show geared toward African Americans—and ditch the dozen or so Black crime shows they air.”

Author and media personality Tariq Nasheed tweeted: “Damn…

TV One just canceled Roland Martin’s NewsOne show.”

Gregory H. Lee, Jr., the editorial director at NBA.com and the past president of the National Association of Black Journalists called the cancelation of NewsOne Now “crazy.”

Lee wrote: “Roland Martin’s morning show had real substance and covered the issues of our community.

On Thursday morning, Martin read more from the memo that was sent out to employees of the Urban One company.

“We are committed to providing quality news content to our viewers, but now realize a daily news program is not sustainable in this current financial climate,” Martin read from the memo. “Our plan is to take a moment to regroup and restructure NewsOne Now in 2018 under a new format that will serve the needs of our diverse audience and the business.”

Martin noted that, during the show’s run, there were a number of stories that were covered on NewsOne Now that weren’t covered anywhere else.

“For me, my voice will not be silenced,” said Martin. “You have numerous platforms, numerous opportunities the ability to be able to communicate with folks through social media as well, that voice will always be there, speaking to our issues.”

Martin continued: “The most important thing for us to understand is that we move forward…speaking to our issues and our concerns. I understand that a lot of people are hurt and disappointed by this…between now and December 21 we’re going to keep doing our jobs, keep giving folks hell, keep holding folks accountable and doing and saying what is required.”

The Washington Informer is a member publication of the National Newspaper Publishers Association. Learn more about becoming a member at www.nnpa.org.

TV One cancels Roland Martin’s NewsOne Now. Urban One plans to bring back NewsOne Now under a different format.

(Screenshot/YouTube.com)

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By MESFIN FEKADU AP Music Writer NEW YORK (AP) _ Mary J. Blige is dancing into the Golden Globe Awards as a double nominee _ for her acting and songwriting _ while Mariah Carey, Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood and Nick Jonas are some of the other popular musicians also nominated.

Blige earned nominations Monday for her work in the Dee Rees’ period film ``Mudbound.’’ She’s up for best supporting actress in a motion picture and best original song for ``Mighty River,’’ which she co-wrote. ``I feel so good. I’ve been thanking God all morning long. I’ve been up since my phone has been ringing,’’ the 46-year-old singer said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. ``Mudbound,’’ released on Netflix last month, follows two neighboring families _ one black, one white _ on a hardscrabble farm in 1940s Mississippi. Blige plays the role of Florence Jackson, a mother and sharecropper’s wife.

They filmed last summer in New Orleans, around the time Blige announced she was divorcing from her husband and former manager. She said she took all of the emotion from her personal life and put it into the film. ``I would come over to (my acting coach’s) house and I would be going through it. And she would say, `Take all of that mess and give it to Florence. Give everything to Florence.’ And I just gave Florence everything that was good, bad, vulnerable, that was strong, that was sad, that was disappointing,’’ she said.

Blige detailed the very public breakup and infidelity claims on her album, ``Strength of a Woman,’’ released in April. ``2016 was the year that I didn’t know what the heck was going on. As women we have intuition, we don’t know exactly what’s happening, we just feel everything. I know I feel everything. And I just gave ... everything I was feeling to Florence,’’ she added.

Blige, who grew up in New York, said trips to the South to visit her family also helped her connect to the character: ``I would see my grandmother and my aunts and they were this woman Florence, so I saw this woman a lot. I think I probably have her in my DNA.’’ She also said it was tough transforming from Mary J. Blige, the 9-time Grammy-winning R&B superstar, to Mary J. Blige, the actress. ``I wear a lot of wigs and weaves and things like that, but for this I had to wear my own textured hair, which I was never really wanting to do, especially without a perm,’’ Blige said. ``And

(Dee Rees) was like, `No, I want nappy edges. I want Florence to look like she’s a sharecropper’s wife, and it was a little hard disconnecting from Mary J. Blige because she’s been around for a minute. So it was hard to get rid of her, but once I got rid of her Florence actually liberated Mary. So it was sad but beautiful at the same time.’’

Blige’s two nominations are the only ones ``Mudbound’’ earned Monday.

The singer shares her best original song nomination with Taura Stinson and Raphael Saadiq, the singer-songwriter-producer who has worked on hits for Solange, D’Angelo, Erykah Badu and himself.

Blige’s competition includes Carey, who is nominated for the Christmas tune ``The Star,’’ from the animated movie of the same name. Carey co-wrote the song with Marc Shaiman. ``Listen, I’ve been a fan of Mariah Carey since Mariah Carey came out. It’s a beautiful thing to see all of your peers at the same time being blessed and nominated and recognized for our work,’’ Blige said.

Jonas is also up for best original song for ``Home’’ from the animated film ``Ferdinand.’’ ``For me songwriting is my outlet, the way that I express myself and the way that I share my stories. It’s been the through line of my life since I was about seven years old,’’ said Jonas, who shares his nomination with Justin Tranter and Nick Monson. ``To be recognized for ... a song about my family and my loved ones makes it that much sweeter.’’

Jonas and Carey are first-time Globe nominees; Blige was up for an award at the 2012 show for ``The Living Proof ’’ from the film, ``The Help.’’

Other best original song nominees include Oscar-winning composers. Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, the husbandand-wife songwriting duo behind ``Let It Go’’ from ``Frozen,’’ are nominated for ``Remember Me’’ from the film ``Coco,’’ while Benj Pasek and Justin Paul _ who earned an Oscar this year for ``City of Stars’’ from ``La La Land,’’ are up for ``This Is Me’’ from ``The Greatest Showman.’’

Greenwood earned a nomination for best original score for ``Phantom Thread.’’ Other nominees include Hans Zimmer for ``Dunkirk,’’ Alexandre Desplat for ``The Shape of Water,’’ Carter Burwell for ``Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’’ and John Williams for ``The Post.’’

The 75th annual Golden Globes will air live on January 7, 2018.

MY PERSONAL TESTIMONY

In 2005, I was diagnosed with Scleroderma, and Interstitial lung disease and was given no more than five years to live. Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease that is known to causes hardening of the skin, and the internal organs. When it was detected the disease had already spread to both lungs. I was put on harsh medications to try and slow down its progression because there is no cure for the disease and to this day there is still no cure! And if that wasn’t enough, my mother died unexpectedly….Where was God in all this?

I began to sink into deep depression, but thankfully I had the prayers and support of my wonderful husband and family I also had the prayers and support from my church family. I will never forget Mother Clemons, who gave me healing scriptures during this time and she told me to read them daily.. I began to do as she told me, and I soon began to feel healing take place in my mind and body..That has been over12 years and I am still

here, and no longer taking any medications for the diseases. In 2013 I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer... Thank God I was able to apply those healing scriptures that I had hidden in my heart...

God seen me through this dark time just as before.

On Nov. 27th, my testimony will be heard all around the world. My prayer is that if just one soul be blessed through my testimony then all my pain will have been worth it all!

I’m excited to share with you some of those same scriptures that held me together during those dark and lonely times in my life...

The bible says that Death and Life are in the power of the tongue. What are you speaking over yourself? Your words can produce or pronounce life or death..

If you would like to purchase a copy of this powerful cd please email me at yolandanorwood@gmail.com or you can also download a copy. I look forward to hearing your testimony!

Local

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THE VALLEY’S NEWS OBSERVER

Thursday December 14, 2017

DJ Lab Now Offered at San Fernando Library LOS ANGELES COUNTY (December 12, 2017) - Following this year’s debut of Compton Turns the Tables (CTTT) in February, a free beginners DJ workshop, and later South Whittier Turns the Tables, LA County Library continues the spin-off series at the San Fernando Library.

San Fernando Turns the Tables will begin a 9-week DJ workshop on January 12, 2018, concluding with a live performance featuring the graduates. Modeled after the original CTTT program, which was funded by the California State Library’s Library Services and Technology Act grant, the subsequent programs are supported with funds from the County of Los Angeles Board of

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Supervisors.

“LA County Library offers many learning opportunities to all of our customers. We have a variety of workshops at our libraries including language workshops, art classes, STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) activities, writing lessons, tutoring help, immigration and citizenship seminars, financial sessions, and more. The Turns the Tables DJ lab is a

unique learning opportunity that our staff has created for young adults,” said LA County Library Director Skye Patrick.

The next DJ workshop will be hosted at East Los Angeles Library. LA County Library hopes to expand the program to even more locations.

“After successfully launching the Turns the Tables series in Compton and South Whittier, our goal is to expand the DJ

workshop to other library communities. Thanks to the Board of Supervisors’ financial support and their commitment to performing arts education, this program continues to grow,” said Patrick.

Prospective students, between 15-21 years old, interested in the DJ workshop at San Fernando Library may apply online at colapublib.org/DJLab, by January 10, 2018.

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Covered California Hits the Road LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Covered California kicked off an eightstop bus tour on Tuesday to promote enrollment in health insurance and alert uninsured consumers about a key deadline that is approaching.

While Covered California’s open-enrollment period runs through Jan. 31, consumers must sign up by Dec. 15 if they want their coverage to begin on Jan. 1, 2018. In addition, a recent analysis shows that the price of coverage is lower than last year for most consumers.

“Covered California is back on the road, making sure that consumers know they need to sign up by Dec. 15 if they want their health care coverage to start at the beginning of the year,” said Peter V. Lee, executive director of Covered California. “We’re seeing the lower costs to consumers bringing people to our door. We don’t want to leave anyone behind.”

The bus tour will make stops at locations throughout the state where local artists will paint murals to attract attention and promote health and wellness. A total of 16 murals will be painted at sites such as enrollment centers and community buildings.

“The ‘Covered in Art’ project is a living demonstration of the fact

that health care is local and that Covered California is woven into the fabric of local communities,” Lee said.

The tour will begin with two stops in Los Angeles before heading to Palm Springs, Fresno, Modesto, Sacramento, Chico and Redding.

A recent Covered California analysis found that the net monthly premiums for enrollees who receive financial help are on average 10 percent lower than what new and renewing consumers paid last year. The lower prices are a result of more financial help being available for consumers who qualify for assistance. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is designed to protect consumers by providing more premium tax credits when premiums rise.

“With Friday’s deadline to get coverage that starts Jan. 1, we want to make sure that consumers know about the increased financial help that is available to help bring health care coverage within reach,” Lee said.

Covered California also wants consumers to know that while the enrollment deadline for most states is Dec. 15, Californians will have through Jan. 31, 2018, to explore their options and select a plan that best

fits their needs. While consumers can sign up for coverage in the month of January, if they wait until then, their coverage will not start until Feb. 1 at the earliest.

Since 2014, more than 3 million people have purchased health insurance through Covered California, and nearly 4 million have enrolled in the state’s Medi-Cal program. Together, the gains have cut the rate of the uninsured in California by more than half.

Consumers interested in learning more about their coverage options should go to www.CoveredCA.com where they can get help to enroll. They can explore their options and find out if they qualify for financial help by using the Shop and Compare Tool. They can also get free and confidential enrollment assistance by visiting www.coveredca. com/find-help/ and searching among 800 storefronts statewide, or more than 17,000 certified enrollers who can assist consumers in understanding their choices and enrolling, including individuals who can assist in other languages. In addition, consumers can reach the Covered California service center by calling (800) 300-1506.