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75 CENTS
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Dedicated to the Service of the People that NO Good Cause Shall Lack a Champion and that Evil Shall Not Go Unopposed
In Honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Nebraska’s Only Black Owned Newspaper Vol. 80 - No. 1 Omaha, Nebraska
Friday, January 12, 2018
75 cents
Oprah Calls for Day When No One Has to Say ‘Me Too’ By Taryn Finley Oprah Winfrey assured women and girls everywhere that “time is up” for men in power who have silenced them during her history-making speech at the 75th annual Golden Globe Awards. The media mogul – who holds many titles, including actress, TV host, producer, author and philanthropist – became the first black woman to receive the Cecil B. DeMille award during Sunday’s ceremony. During her acceptance speech, Winfrey recalled sitting on the floor in her childhood home watching Sidney Poitier become the first black person to win an Oscar for Best Actor. “I’d never seen a black man being celebrated like that. And I tried many, many times to explain what a moment like that means to a little girl, a kid watching from the cheap seats as my mom came through the door bone-tired from cleaning other people’s houses,” she recalled. “In 1982, Sidney received the Cecil B. DeMille award right here at the Golden Globe awards and it is not lost on me that at this moment, there are some little girls watching as I become the first black woman to be given this same award.” She also spoke about the power of the press in revealing corruption and injustices, then shifted the focus to the biggest topic of the evening: sexual harassment. “What I know for sure is that speaking your truth is the most powerful tool that we all have, and I’m especially proud of all the women who have felt strong enough and empowered enough to speak up and share their stories,” she said. “I want, tonight, to express gratitude to all the women who have endured years of abuse and assault because they, like mother, had children to feed and dreams to pursue,” she continued. “They’re the women whose names we’ll never know.” Winfrey [referenced] Recy Taylor, a black woman from Alabama who was abducted while walking home from church and raped by six white men in 1944, when she was 24 years old. Taylor’s case, which was investigated by NAACP staffer Rosa Parks, never went to trial and she never received justice. Taylor died 10 days prior to the Golden Globes at age 97. “She lived, as we all have lived, too many years in a culture broken by brutally powerful men. For
Essence Magazine Black-Owned Once Again
too long, women have not been heard or believed if they dared to speak their truth to the power of those men, but their time is up,” she said, as the audience cheered. Winfrey sent a message to those girls watching her accept the award and called for them to usher in a safer future free of sexual harassment. “I want all the girls watching here and now to know that a new day is on the horizon!” she said. “And when that new day finally dawns, it will be because of a lot of magnificent women, many of whom are right here in this room tonight, and some pretty phenomenal men fighting hard to make sure that they become the leaders who take us to the time when nobody ever has to say ‘Me Too’ again.” This is Winfrey’s first time receiving an award at the Golden Globes, though she was nominated for her role in “The Color Purple” in 1986 and again in 2008 as producer on the Best Motion Picture, Drama contender “The Great Debaters.” Each year, the Cecil B. DeMille award recognizes an individual for “outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment.” Winfrey’s long-lasting career, community engagement and impactful influence reflect why the media mogul is deserving of this award. Winfrey first gained widespread [prominence] with her popular local morning talk show, which propelled her to hosting her groundbreaking syndicated show “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” She hosted that program for 25 years. In film, she’s prioritized giving black stories a platform and telling them in meaningful, multifaceted ways. She landed her first acting role in 1985′s “The Color Purple.” She went on to star in and/or produce culturally significant features including “Beloved,” “Lee Daniel’s The Butler,” “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” “Selma” and “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.” Winfrey will also be starring in Ava DuVernay’s forthcoming “A Wrinkle in Time,” which premieres in March. In addition to her career in front of the camera, Winfrey reigns as founder of O, The Oprah Magazine, Harpo Studios and the Oprah Winfrey Network, known for its hit series “Queen Sugar,” “Greenleaf” and “Super Soul Sundays.” Winfrey’s impact on the entertainment industry cannot be overstated.
Legendary North Omaha community activist Vanessa Ward will announce her candidacy for the Democratic Party’s nomination for governor of Nebraska during a press conference Monday evening (Martin Luther King Jr. Day) in the North Ballroom of the Livestock Exchange Building in South Omaha. The announcement will be made at approximately 7:30 p.m. If elected, Ward will be the first female African American governor in American history. Living on a fixed income, Ward will challenge Governor Pete Ricketts, one of the wealthiest men in America. He is the son of T.D. Ameritrade founder, Joe Ricketts, and brother of Chicago Cubs owner, Tom Ricketts. Forbes Magazine estimates the family’s net worth at $2.1 billion. According to financial reports Ward provided to state and federal oversight bodies, Governor Ricketts has spent over $12 million of his own money on his campaigns, and over $500,000 on other campaigns in support of his political agenda.
See In the Village for Details
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By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Contributor In a deal that reestablishes Essence magazine as a totally Black and independently owned entity, Sundial Brands founder Richelieu Dennis recently announced the purchase of Essence Communications from Time Inc. The Essence Communications deal also comes a week after Dennis was knighted in his native Liberia by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who admitted him into the Most Venerable Order of the Knighthood of the Pioneer with the Grade of Knight Commander. Sirleaf reportedly described Dennis as an Dennis “Awesome Hero.” “Talk about surreal,” Dennis said in an interview with NNPA Newswire. “I can’t even bring myself to say [knighthood]. It’s been a phenomenal week.” Dennis said that the purchase of Essence Communications comes with a deep-seated passion and commitment to making sure that, “we are doing everything we can to leverage the power of the business to impact our community in a positive way and to demonstrate that we can run highlyprofitable organizations.” Dennis continued: “We can also leverage the impact and the resources that those businesses generate to drive economic empowerment and social justice in our communities for ourselves and by ourselves.” Dorothy Leavell, the chairman of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) and the publisher of the Crusader Newspaper Group, said that it was good news to hear that ownership of Essence magazine has returned to the Black community. “I hope it’s a trend,” said Leavell. “We do need strong Black ownership in our industry, even as I’m expecting that our Black newspapers will prosper in 2018.” Leavell also said that she hopes that Black entrepreneurs will see the work and products of the Black Press and “seek to restore some light.” Leavell added: “We need more and more publications that depict us in a positive way and that’s certainly what ‘Essence’ has done in the past and I hope they will continue.” While financial terms of the Essence Communications purchase weren’t disclosed, Dennis said he’s not only retaining Essence President Michelle Ebanks, who will continue to run the company, but Ebanks will also join the organization’s board of directors and lead an all-Black executive team at Essence, who will have equity stakes in the business. “I’m overwhelmed with gratitude,” Ebanks told the NNPA Newswire. “The ‘Essence’ brand…has always had a special place in the hearts and minds of Black women and entrepreneurs and leaders like [Dennis] recognized ‘Essence’ and its importance and wants to restore it. This has allowed a dream to come true and we couldn’t be happier.” Ebanks said that it was an extraordinary and special privilege to be part of an organization that would be responsible for elevating Black women in the industry. Dennis said the deal to purchase Essence came together rather quickly after reading an article in the Wall Street Journal about Time Inc.’s intention to sell the company. “The stars aligned. We started to think about the implications of what this would mean if ‘Essence’ were truly bought back into the community and the impact it could have on the audience and on the industry to be able to create our content and to monetize our own content,” said Dennis. “There was never a waiver in the commitment on what ‘Essence’ means to our community.” Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., the president and CEO of the NNPA, congratulated Richelieu Dennis for purchasing Essence magazine and for returning this iconic publication to 100 percent Black ownership. “This is a very timely and an important milestone for the Black Press in America and throughout the world,” said Chavis. “Essence magazine, under the able leadership of Michelle Ebanks, is a valued treasure of Black America and the NNPA acknowledges, with supportive gratitude, Richelieu Dennis for this significant Black-owned business transaction.”
Willie Barney to Headline MLK Event at UNMC/Nebraska Medicine
Community Activist to Announce Bid for Governor
Have coffee with Jasmine Harris Jan. 16
THE DREAM... IS IT STILL ALIVE?
On Monday, the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Nebraska Medicine will once again honor the life and work of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. with a keynote presentation by Willie Barney, founder and president of the Empowerment Network. The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held from noon to 1 p.m. in Clarkson Tower, Lower Storz Pavilion. Barney’s presentation is sponsored by UNMC and Nebraska Medicine. For more than 25 years, Barney has worked in strategic planning, marketing, communications, community building and facilitation. In 2006, he launched the Empowerment Network, a collaborative of residents, leaders, and organizations working to improve the economic condition and quality of life for AfricanAmericans, north Omaha residents and the greater Omaha area. Barney graduated with a double major in economics and business administration from St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa. A strong supporter of lifelong learning, he has continued his education through advanced leadership training including, the Summer Leadership Institute for Community Development at Harvard University and Executive Leadership and Management Training at the Northwestern University Media Center in Chicago.
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Barney
He and his wife, Yolanda, are actively involved in their church as associate pastors and ministers and they have two children. Their focus, passion and purpose is working together with others to see the community and each person reach their full potential.” Food and beverages are available for the first 150 people. Keyboardist Nate Asad and drummer Billy Foeman Quartey will provide musical accompaniment. Parking for off campus visitors is available in Lot 63, located at 40th and Marcy streets from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. A shuttle will run between Clarkson Tower and Lot 63 from 11 a.m. to noon and again from 1-2 p.m.
Discuss the American Promise Jan. 20 See In the Village for Details