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Celebrating 80 Years
March is Women’s History Month. Who is your Shero?
1938 2018
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Nebraska’s Only Black Owned Newspaper Vol. 80 - No. 6 Omaha, Nebraska
Friday, March 23, 2018
EMILY’s List Endorses Deidre DeJear for Iowa Secretary of State
Deidre DeJear
WASHINGTON, D.C. – EMILY’s List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, has endorsed Deidre DeJear for Iowa Secretary of State. Stephanie Schriock, president of EMILY’s List, released the following statement: “Deidre DeJear has spent her career helping Iowa’s small business owners and making sure Iowans’ voices are heard at the ballot box. She started her own business that provides marketing tools and strategies to help boost local businesses and nonprofits. Deidre also spearheaded efforts to provide financial education to more than 100,000 Iowans with the United Way of Central Iowa’s Financial Capability Project. And as Iowa African American Vote Director for the campaign to re-elect President Barack Obama in 2012, she registered thousands of new voters and increased turnout in the African American community.” “At a time when it’s critical we elect secretaries of state who understand the importance of fair, wellrun elections and responding to the needs of small businesses, EMILY’s List could not be prouder to endorse an experienced leader like Deidre DeJear for Iowa Secretary of State.” Last summer, EMILY’s List placed Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate “On Notice” for his record of creating onerous and unnecessary voting restrictions and his failure to defend the voters of his state against President Trump’s sham ‘voting commission.’
Students Nationwide Use Their Voices to Protest Gun Violence Students across the country, including metropolitan Omaha, spilled out of classrooms by the tens of thousands on March 14, chanting slogans like “No more silence” and “We want change” as part of a coast-to-coast protest over gun violence prompted by last month’s massacre at a Florida high school. The #ENOUGH National School Walkout was intended to pressure federal and state lawmakers to tighten laws on gun ownership despite opposition by the National Rifle Association (NRA), the powerful gun rights advocacy group. With some students dressed in orange, the color adopted by the gun control movement, the walkouts began at 10 a.m. local time in each time zone and were scheduled to last 17 minutes. Many rallies went longer. The duration was a tribute to the 17 students and staff killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., on Feb. 14. It was the latest in a series of shootings that have plagued U.S. schools and colleges over the past two decades. While many school districts gave their blessings to the walkouts, others said anyone who participated would face discipline. Many students defied the warnings and left REUTERS school anyway. They included over two dozen at Lindenhurst High School on New York state’s Long Island, who were at first suspended, then had their punishment reduced to detentions, according to a senior and the school superintendent. In Parkland, thousands of students slowly filed onto the Stoneman Douglas school football field to the applause of families and supporters beyond the fences as law enforcement officers
Public Opinion in Nebraska Maps Clear Direction for Lawmakers
The Nebraska Values Project, a public opinion research initiative of the Holland Children’s Institute, reveals Nebraskans’ support differs from that of state lawmakers. “The ‘Nebraska Values Project’ public opinion research results draw clear conclusions – Nebraskans overwhelmingly support more state attention on building the middle class through investing in healthcare and education at every level, and providing better opportunities for good paying jobs, retirement and benefits,” said Holland Children’s Institute CEO Hadley Richters. “A broad agreement exists that state elected officials should be more focused on giving families the tools they need to succeed, instead of eliminating community programs and reckless cuts to spending.” “The research reveals itself as a guide for state lawmakers.” said Richters. “Nebraskans make clear they believe the state should focus more investment to support families in Nebraska and build the middle class.” Richters continued. “Lawmakers may also take note that the majority of Nebraskans believe that currently the legislature and governor are solely focused on helping only big corporations and the wealthy.” What Nebraskans believe the state’s
priorities should be: • Nebraskans placed the highest level of importance on career and vocational training expressing near unanimity (96%) who believe it should be a focus of investment in the state budget and a large majority (67%) saying it should be of major or largest focus. • Nebraskans believe that providing incentives to businesses to create quality jobs with benefits, are key components to building a stronger middle class (78%). Paid family leave (71%) and paid sick leave (77%) were also strongly supported. • A vast majority of Nebraskans believe expanding after school and voluntary pre-kindergarten will help build a stronger middle class (71%), and free community college classes (69%), and it should be noted that a majority of conservatives favor free community college (60%), and providing parents with state tax credits for early childhood programs (62%). • Access to affordable child care is incredibly popular across the board. Among those with children under age 18 at home, nearly all favor expanding access to affordable child care (93%), and of those without children at home are also in favor (69%). • Almost unanimously Nebraskans See Public Opinion continued on page 3
“We Brunch Together” – March 25. See In the Village for Details.
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looked on. News helicopters hovered overhead. Ty Thompson, the principal, called for the “biggest group hug,” and the students obliged around the 50-yard line. “We want change!” students chanted on the sidewalks outside the school. “Can you hear the children screaming?” read one of the signs. But not all students in Florida were in favor of gun control. About 80 miles north of Parkland at Vero Beach High School, chants of “No more silence, end gun violence,” were countered by shouts of “Trump!” and “We want guns” from other students, according to video posted by local newspaper TCPalm. At New York City’s Fiorello H. LaGuardia
High School, crowds of students poured into the streets of Manhattan, many dressed in orange, symbolic of the bright color worn by hunters to avoid being shot by accident. “Thoughts and prayers are not enough,” read one sign at LaGuardia, a jab at a response often uttered by lawmakers after mass shootings. In Akron, Ohio, hundreds of students wearing orange t-shirts with black targets on the front
Important: Polling Place Changes in Wards 1 and 2 There are four polling places that will be affected in the North Omaha area for the 2018 May Gubernatorial Election. The polling place changes are as follows: Ward 2 - Precinct 2 – Those who voted at Florence Christian Church, 7300 North Ridge Drive, will now vote at Trinity Lutheran Church, 6340 N. 30th St. Ward 2 - Precinct 11 – Omaha Home for Boys was unable to be a polling place for this election cycle and those voters will now vote at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and School, 5020 Grand Ave. Ward 2 - Precinct 23 – Florence Elementary is under construction. Therefore, people will now vote at Florence Christian Church, 7300 North Ridge Drive. Ward 1 - Precinct 31 – is a new polling place and these voters will vote at Joy of Life Ministries, 6401 N. 56th St. Voters whose polling place will be affected by these changes will be sent a postcard in April. Rather than going to their polling place on Election Day, voters have the option to request a ballot be mailed to them. Voters wishing to request an early voting ballot can visit www.votedouglascounty.com, and on the home page under Quick Links choose Vote Early and download the application. More information can be obtained on the Douglas County Election Commission website at www. votedouglascounty.com or by phoning 402-444VOTE (8683).
walked out of Firestone High School. At Granada Hills Charter High School in Los Angeles, students laid prone on the field of a football stadium to form a giant #ENOUGH, symbolizing the thousands of youth who die of gun violence every year in the United States. Although Omaha Public Schools and Papillion/ LaVista Community Schools students were on Spring break, many high school students from Bellevue East, Duchesne Academy, Millard East, Millard North and Millard South held various types of protests. Gross, Mercy and Skutt Catholic high schools held prayer services. Students at Columbine High in Colorado remembered the 1999 massacre at their school that began an era in which mass shootings became common in U.S. schools. “I grew up in a community still haunted by the tragedy from 19 years ago,” said 16-year-old sophomore Abigail Orton. The walkouts were part of a burgeoning, grassroots movement prompted by the Parkland attack and came 10 days before major protests planned in Washington and elsewhere. Survivors have lobbied lawmakers and President Donald Trump in a push for new restrictions on gun ownership, a right protected by the U.S. Constitution’s Second Amendment. “We don’t feel safe in schools anymore,” said Sarah Chatfield, a high school student from Maryland, standing with hundreds of other protesters outside the White House. Chanting “Hey hey, ho ho, the NRA has got to go!” students, many of whom will be able to vote in 2020, marched to the U.S. Capitol, where See Gun Violence continued on page 3
Black History Month Art Contest Winners Announced U.S. Cellular and Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands recently hosted a celebration to recognize the first Black History Month Art Contest winners. The following artists were honored: First place: Aapril Boothe, age 13 of the North Omaha Club, won a $250 gift card for her Barack Obama portrait. Second place: Kennedy Grace, age 16 of the Westside Club, won a $150 gift card for her Beyonce Knowles portrait. Third place: Raheem Briggs, age 13 of the North Omaha Club, won a $100 gift card for his Kobe Bryant portrait. “U.S. Cellular is very excited to celebrate with staff and students from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Aapril Boothe with her Barack the Midlands for the initial Black Obama portrait. History Month Art Contest,” said Jonathan Thorndyke, U.S. Cellular’s area sales manager for eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa. “At U.S. Cellular, we are committed to the education of young people in Omaha. This art contest gives us the opportunity to acknowledge the talent of our youth by commemorating African-American icons that have influenced the course of history, while celebrating the diversity of our country.” The contest invited Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands members to create an original 8.5-by-11-inch piece of artwork in commemoration of influential African-Americans. The public voted on the top 10 finalist entries throughout February at two Omaha U.S. Cellular stores.
Don’t Miss the Education Train the Trainer Special Section in the – April 6. April 6 Issue. See In the Village for Details.
COMMENTARY/YOUTH NEWS This Issue’s Shero is... Blacks in the Military Katherine Johnson We Must Defend Those Who Defend Us
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By Attorney Ben Crump The military is one of our nation’s most revered and essential institutions, filled with courageous men and women who willingly sacrifice so much for our nation’s greater good. It is a point of pride among African Americans that black soldiers have served in the military since the American Revolution and the War of 1812 – long before they were even recognized in law as full-fledged people. So I was particularly touched to be selected as recipient of an award given in the name of one of the first true black military heroes, Col. Charles Young. Born in neutral Kentucky while the Civil War was still raging, Charles Young in 1889 became only the third African American to graduate from West Point and, later, the first black U.S. national park superintendent and first African American to achieve the rank of colonel in the U.S. Army. We also share a brotherhood through the same fraternity, Omega Psi Phi. In March, the Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument will mark his 154th birthday, where it will be my great fortune to receive the Trailblazer Award. This will be presented during festivities at the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center in Ohio. Every award, every honor, is something to be cherished. But it is particularly humbling to be recognized in the name of such a trailblazer. I have spent my career working to bring justice to African Americans and all people of color, just as Col. Young spent his life dispelling common myths about what blacks were capable of – or, more accurately, what most folks figured they were not capable of. In Col. Young’s day, it was simply an accepted fact that blacks would not receive the same kind of opportunity as their white counterparts. For example, Col. Young was denied becoming the 1st black general of the military, even though he was more than qualified, simply because white superior officers did not want to take orders from a black general. They claimed that he was not medically fit enough to receive such a promotion – in true Col. Young fashion, he rode his horse over 100 miles to prove his fitness for duty. Just like Col. Young, the Buffalo Soldiers heroically showed just what black soldiers were capable of contributing through hard work, dedication and service at a time when half the
Ben Crump with picture of Col. Young country did not want to even acknowledge they were whole citizens. In the end, Col. Young died 26 years before President Harry Truman issued an executive order officially ending racial segregation in the military. At least, that was the idea. The reality is that racism continues to infest all branches of our military, even if more subtly. The nonprofit advocacy group Protect Our Defenders carefully examined almost 10 years of data to identify racial disparity in the military. Not surprisingly, they found it in abundance. Their report last year found that across every branch, black service members are as much as 2.5 times more likely to face military justice or disciplinary action than their white counterparts. “Military leadership has been aware of significant racial disparity in its justice process for years, and has made no apparent effort to find the cause of the disparity or remedy it,” the organization declared. The report also showed that the problem was progressively getting worse, not better. The example of men like Charles Young show us that people of color can endure, and even thrive, within the nation’s military despite a culture of racism, whether official or otherwise. But it’s equally clear that people of color should not have to overcome such a challenge, in the military and in society in general. I am committed to doing everything within my power to see that the oppressed find justice wherever possible. That is why it is such a tremendous honor to be recognized in Col. Young’s name. It is time for our nation to live up to the promise that Charles Young saw when he looked at America.
Mentoring Matters By Debra L. Shaw There are two broad types of mentoring relationships: formal and informal. Formal mentoring relationships are set up by an administrative unit or office in a company or organization, which solicits and recruits qualified individuals who are willing to mentor, provides training to the mentors, and then helps to match the mentors with a person in need of mentoring. While formal mentoring systems contain numerous structural and guidance elements, they still typically allow the mentor and mentee to have an active role in choosing who they want to work with. Formal mentoring programs which simply assign mentors to mentees without giving these individuals a say
have not performed well. Even though a mentor and a mentee may seem perfectly matched “on paper,” in practice, they may have different working or learning styles. As such, giving the mentor and the mentee the opportunity to help select who they want to work with is a widely used approach. Informal mentoring occurs without the use of structured recruitment, mentor training and matching services. Informal mentoring arrangements can develop naturally from business networking situations in which a more experienced individual meets a new employee, and the two strike up a rapport. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mentorship) “One of the things I keep learning is that the secret of being happy is doing things for other people,” a quote from Dick Gregory. This quote is so true and thought provoking for all to Shaw continued on page 9
ve ce r se p a e R r s y! u a yo tod
Omaha Star Spring Education Special Edition
“Preparing for the next step” April 6, 2018 Deadline for Ads and Materials: March 28, 2018 For specific quotes or information contact: Phyllis@omahastarinc.com • 402-346-4041 ext. 4
Being handpicked to be one of three black students to integrate West Virginia’s graduate schools is something that many people would consider one of their life’s most notable moments, but it’s just one of several breakthroughs that have marked Katherine Johnson’s long and remarkable life. Born in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia in 1918, Katherine Johnson’s intense curiosity and brilliance with numbers vaulted her ahead several grades in school. By thirteen, she was attending the high school on the campus of historically black West Virginia State College. At eighteen, she enrolled in the college itself, where she made quick work of the school’s math curriculum and found a mentor in math professor W.W. Schieffelin Claytor, the third African American to earn a PhD in Mathematics. Katherine graduated with highest honors in 1937 and took a job teaching at a black public school in Virginia. When West Virginia decided to quietly integrate its graduate schools in 1939, West Virginia State’s president Dr. John W. Davis selected Katherine and two male students as the first black students to be offered spots at the state’s flagship school, West Virginia University. Katherine left her teaching job, and enrolled in the graduate math program. At the end of the first session, however, she decided to leave school to start a family with her husband. She returned to teaching when her three daughters got older, but it wasn’t until 1952 that a relative told her about open positions at the all-black West Area Computing section at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics’ (NACA’s) Langley laboratory, headed by fellow West Virginian Dorothy Vaughan. Katherine and her husband, James Goble, decided to move the family to Newport News to pursue the opportunity, and Katherine began work at Langley in the summer of 1953. Just two weeks into Katherine’s tenure in the office, Dorothy Vaughan assigned her to a project in the Maneuver Loads
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Branch of the Flight Research Division, and Katherine’s temporary position soon became permanent. She spent the next four years analyzing data from flight test, and worked on the investigation of a plane crash caused by wake turbulence. As she was wrapping up this work her husband died of cancer in December 1956. The 1957 launch of the Soviet satellite Sputnik changed history – and Katherine Johnson’s life. In 1957, Katherine provided some of the math for the 1958 document Notes on Space Photo Credit: NASA Technology, a compendium of a Katherine Johnson series of 1958 lectures given by Glenn’s Friendship 7 mission, engineers in the Flight Research from blast off to splashdown, Division and the Pilotless but the astronauts were wary Aircraft Research Division of putting their lives in the care (PARD). Engineers from those of the electronic calculating groups formed the core of the machines, which were prone to Space Task Group, the NACA’s hiccups and blackouts. As a part first official foray into space of the preflight checklist, Glenn travel, and Katherine, who had asked engineers to “get the girl” worked with many of them – Katherine Johnson – to run since coming to Langley, “came the same numbers through the along with the program” as the same equations that had been NACA became NASA later that programmed into the computer, year. She did trajectory analysis but by hand, on her desktop for Alan Shepard’s May 1961 mechanical calculating machine. mission Freedom 7, America’s “If she says they’re good,’” first human spaceflight. In 1960, Katherine Johnson remembers she and engineer Ted Skopinski the astronaut saying, “then I’m coauthored Determination ready to go.” Glenn’s flight of Azimuth Angle at Burnout was a success, and marked a for Placing a Satellite Over turning point in the competition a Selected Earth Position, a between the United States and report laying out the equations the Soviet Union in space. When asked to name her describing an orbital spaceflight in which the landing position greatest contribution to space of the spacecraft is specified. exploration, Katherine Johnson It was the first time a woman talks about the calculations that in the Flight Research Division helped synch Project Apollo’s had received credit as an author Lunar Lander with the moonorbiting Command and Service of a research report. In 1962, as NASA prepared Module. She also worked for the orbital mission of John on the Space Shuttle and the Glenn, Katherine Johnson was Earth Resources Satellite, and called upon to do the work authored or coauthored 26 that she would become most research reports. She retired in known for. The complexity of 1986, after thirty-three years at the orbital flight had required Langley. “I loved going to work the construction of a worldwide every single day,” she says. communications network, In 2015, at age 97, Katherine added another linking tracking stations around Johnson the world to IBM computers extraordinary achievement to in Washington, DC, Cape her long list: President Obama Canaveral, and Bermuda. awarded her the Presidential The computers had been Medal of Freedom, America’s programmed with the orbital highest civilian honor. Biography by Margot Lee equations that would control the trajectory of the capsule in Shetterly
United Way of the Midlands’ Community Spotlight
United Way Invests in Programs for Families to Build a True Pathway Out of Poverty Currently there are more than 51,000 households in the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro where the occupants pay 30 percent or more of their family income on rent, which is 45 percent of all metro households who pay rent or a mortgage. Professionals in the world of personal finance and banking, as well as writers of federal policy aim for people to spend less than 30 percent of their household income on rent or mortgage. Dedicating more than that amount means less income is available for other basic needs like healthy food, medical care and transportation. It also limits a family’s ability to address their financial risk in proactive ways such as building a savings account or purchasing insurance. If incomes unexpectedly decrease or unexpected expenses occur, families can be at a high risk for eviction and that could mean moving, perhaps more than once. When a family is forced to move frequently, they lose stable community connections which creates excess stress and results in negative health outcomes. Neighborhoods provide access to essential resources, such as employment, education, healthcare and retail such as food outlets or pharmacies. Isolation from these resources makes it more difficult for residents to successfully utilize them, causing a ripple effect through other elements of health, such as education, employment and stable environment. When children move from one home to the next, it can result in poor classroom performance, higher dropout rate and problems in early adulthood such as depression. Studies have shown that when housing is affordable and accessible, our neighbors and our neighborhoods thrive – children do better in school, seniors are healthier longer and more socially connected, parents and children experience more positive mental health, workers are more productive, trips to the emergency room are reduced, and families have more disposable incomes to boost local economies. Fundamentally, the key to housing stability is maintaining a steady income and maximizing every dollar. As a result, the primary services offered by many of United Way of the Midlands’ (UWM) funded programs are financial education and homeownership classes, as well as intense
case management that incorporates peer support programs to create a network for first-time homeowners and those who aspire to be. Housing stability investments offer: • Programs that operate on a “two-generation” principle by providing services to both parents and children • Programs working to transition formerly homeless families from shelters to more permanent housing • Programs that work with families to increase their annual income by accessing local and federal resources, for example, the Earned Income Tax Credit and tax preparation services * In 2017, close to 5,000 individuals received free tax services (supported by UWM funding) resulting in more than $10 million in tax returns, $3 million of which was in Earned Income Tax Credits. These programs create opportunities for families to decrease debt, increase credit scores, secure financial assets and in doing so, build a true pathway out of poverty. UWM is honored to be awarded grants from the Siemer Institute and Lincoln Financial Group to fund targeted programming to connect families in poverty to stable housing. In 2017, UWM-funded programs delivered over 30,000 services to local individuals and families and helped sustain and maintain their housing. By 2025, UWM will help ensure 65 percent of residents in the OmahaCouncil Bluffs community are financially stable so they can support themselves and their families. Please visit UnitedWayMidlands.org for more information. About United Way of the Midlands Thanks to donors, volunteers and community partners, United Way of the Midlands (UWM) is not only focused on addressing our community’s human needs today; it is focused on what can be and what should be. It is building on today’s strong partnerships to create even more comprehensive human service efforts tomorrow, so our community can solve some of the root causes of poverty. UWM is community-based, community-focused. Thanks to those who share their strength, UWM is COMMUNITY STRONG.
NATIONAL NEWS THE OMAHA STAR Page Seven Under Siege By The CBC: The Political Trump Calls for Death Penalty Betrayal Of Black America Again for Drug Dealers
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(BlackNews.com) – “Our Black politicians did it to us again,” Rev. William Owens, the president of the Coalition of African American Pastors (CAAP), said passionately during a press conference Feb. 13 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. He was referencing what he and 20 other national black leaders felt was the worst representation by the CBC (Congressional Black Caucus) demonstrated during the televised State of the Union Address. The tone set by the CBC angered numerous national black leaders, prompting many groups to convene in Washington, D.C. to address what they considered was a severe misrepresentation and a disservice to the achievements of blacks in this country. Rev. William Owens, the president of CAAP, joined by over 20 national leaders such as Stephen Broden: Senior Pastor Fair Park Bible Fellowship, President Protect Life and Marriage, Dr. Alveda King: Civil Rights For The UnBorn, Bishop Leon Benjamin: Coalition Of Leaders United, Shirley Husar: CEO Urban Game Changers, Rev Dean Nelson: Frederick Douglas Foundation, Rev Derek McCoy: Urban Cure, Dr. Randy Short: International Human Rights Association For American Minorities, Dr. Johnny Hunter: Life Education and Resource Network, Jonathan Alexander: Liberty Counsel Action, Suzzanne Monk: Political Pundit from Chicago, Johnny Rice for Congress (D.C.), Kenneth McClenton: President of Exceptional Conservative Show, joined forces to expressed their disappointment and mismanagement of the People’s power entrusted to the Congressional Black Caucus. “The disgrace before the global community by the CBC (Congressional Black Caucus) during the State of the Union Address was the worst I have ever witnessed in my life as a black father, educator, civil rights
activist, and man of faith. Our elected officials’ demonstration of childish behavior; sulking in their seats, texting, pretending to be disinterested, was distasteful. We did not elect children, we thought we had leaders,” indicated William Owens. Collectively the leaders called to question what they characterized as “foul demeanor” and demanded either the CBC start “REPRESENTING or GO AWAY.” Also, CAAP launched an online petition “CROSSROAD” that will be hand-delivered to CBC members’ offices to demonstrate the will of the people. In addition, the multifaceted group rolled out its new 2018 Black Agenda to counter the fallout among younger blacks who have lost interest in political engagement in hopes of inspiring civic engagement. To attract a younger demographic, the group is utilizing social media platforms to promote the hashtag #representorgoaway. Many of the speakers at the press conference extensively expounded on what numerous officials don’t want known about the current effectiveness of the CBC. Rev. Owens and others indicated “What began 46 years ago in March 1971 has morphed into the greatest breach of trust in the black community since Reconstruction. Our precious black children are not on the minds of the Congressional Black Caucus, they care more about the rights of undocumented immigrants and football players who don’t stand for the national anthem than they do about our families and precious children.” Various group leaders made strong pleas to the black community to embrace this position with openness and to hear the total message citing, “We, meaning Black Americans, have been sidelined by traitors in Washington.” CAAP’s president, Rev. Owens, also mentioned that last year his media relations office contacted Congressman John Lewis, Rev. Al
Sharpton (who purports himself as a civil rights advocate for the voiceless), and Attorney General Jeff Session pertaining to the documented research conducted by prestigious Yale University researchers published in USA Today in 2016. The article detailed racial bias and poor treatment of preschool-age black children, with special emphasis on black boys. CAAP requested several meetings to initiate a national dialogue, but was met with resistance. “Not one elected official or civil rights leader has responded to date or called for an inquiry. This is a shame. If our children are not protected at this tender age, what kind of future will exist for them when lawmakers don’t care enough to take up the just cause to fight and utilize the power of their office? My office sent copies of the Yale research to many and to this very day, no serving black politician in Washington, black news reporters (and we reached out to many) and sadly, even the black clergy, have responded. This is really tragic,” said Owens. Unfortunately, this issue is very personal to Rev. Owens and his wife, Dr. Deborah Owens, whose then 4-year old son experienced racial discrimination in his preschool. The Owens, after documenting many instances which they cited were deeply troubling, immediately removed their son after school officials failed to correct the problems in a timely manner. Rev. Owens said he thought his son’s troubles at his preschool were isolated until he discovered the article published in USA Today in 2016 written by Yale University Researchers citing this was a national problem. He also said it was alarming to read that black teachers were worse than whites. To date, over 50 online groups have attached their support to this cause. Join the conversation and sign the CROSSROAD petition. Visit www.caapusa.org.
Woman Faces Only Probation for Disgusting Crime By Kaitlyn D’Onofrio Former University of Hartford student Brianna Brochu, who harassed her Black former roommate and smeared bodily fluids on her belongings, not only faces a mere probation for her disgusting crime but may avoid a criminal record altogether. Brochu rubbed her used tampons on Chennel “Jazzy” Rowe’s backpack and claimed to stick Rowe’s toothbrush “where the sun doesn’t shine” while the two roomed together at Hartford. As punishment, Brochu, who also avoided a hate crime charge, must perform 200 hours of community service, 50 of which will be completed at a literacy group and another 50 at a social services organization. Her mental health will also be evaluated. If she completes the service hours and remains trouble-free for two years, the charges Brochu faced of breach of peace and criminal mischief will disappear after only two years. Rowe attended the hearing and did not oppose accelerated rehab for Brochu, who was expelled from the school following the incident. However, she called her former roommate’s actions “acts of hate” that left her traumatized. “By giving her this second chance, I hope she will change her ways and finds love for all mankind no matter what race,” Rowe said at the hearing. Brochu said her relationship with Rowe went south when Rowe started making fun of her and posted a video of her snoring on social media. Rowe eventually requested a roommate change, at which time Brochu took to Instagram to declare victory. “Finally did it yo girl got rid of her roommate!! After 1-1/2 months of spitting in her coconut oil, putting moldy clam dip in her lotions, rubbing used tampons on her backpack, putting her toothbrush places where the sun doesn’t shine, and so much more I can finally say goodbye Jamaican Barbie,” Brochu wrote in a post. Brochu later told police she exaggerated her behavior “to appear funny.” But smearing tampon blood on Rowe’s backpack was true, she said, and she admitted to licking Rowe’s utensils and plate.
Whatever Brochu’s actions were, they left Rowe frequently ill, suffering from a prolonged sore throat “to the point where I had extreme throat pain that I couldn’t sleep, to the point where I couldn’t speak,” she reported early on. The University of Hartford has roughly 5,000 undergraduate students, which are 56 percent white, 16 percent Black, 12 percent Latino, 3 percent Asian and less than one percent Native American. According to Judge Omar Williams, even if the charges are erased from Brochu’s record, the internet will continue to punish her long after the two years pass. The Hartford Courant reported: “Friends, potential employers and even potential romantic partners will learn of Brochu’s conduct with a simple internet search, the judge said. Even her own children might one day learn about their mother’s misconduct. “ ‘The internet has a long memory and you will have to do a lot of good to live down these allegations,’ he said. The judge urged Brochu to embrace diversity and the opportunity it gives one to grow, to not waste her opportunity at a second chance and to move forward. ‘You can let this case define you or bury it beneath your accomplishments,’ he said.” Scot X. Esdaile, president of the state’s NAACP chapter, expressed disappointment when the hate crime charge was rejected and maintained this view after the hearing this week. “There’s a system for white people and there’s a system for Black people,” he told the Hartford Courant. “That’s what we face every day.”
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING - CITY OF OMAHA HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 2018 ACTION PLAN On Wednesday, March 28, at 7:00 P.M., the Planning Department will conduct a public hearing on the 2018 Action Plan. This meeting will be held in the Legislative Chamber of the Civic Center, 1819 Farnam Street, Omaha, Nebraska. All requests for sign language and other interpreters will require a minimum of 48 hours advance notice. If alternative formats are needed, all requests will require a minimum of 72 hours advance notice. Please notify Jim Anderson at (402) 444-5150 Ext. 2019, if arrangements need to be made. Entrance to the building is handicap accessible on the Farnam Street side. General public parking will be available in the Omaha/Douglas Civic Center Parking facility directly west of the Omaha/Douglas Civic Center on an hourly basis using the level “A” tunnel to enter the Civic Center. Access to the parking garage is available on the Harney Street side of the parking structure. The Consolidated Plan is a document prepared under the requirement of Section 105 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act as amended (Public Law 101-625). Completion of a Consolidated Plan is required for the City to participate in the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships, and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) programs. The Omaha Planning Department will receive written comments regarding the Consolidated/Action Plan of the City through April 27, 2018. Comments should be sent to: City of Omaha Planning Department Omaha/Douglas Civic Center 1819 Farnam Street, Room 1111 Omaha, Nebraska 68183
By Kaitlyn D’Onofrio President Donald Trump blew yet another dog whistle to his support base of racists when he called for the death penalty for drug dealers at a Pennsylvania rally recently. Trump called the option to pursue the death penalty for drug dealers “a discussion we have to start thinking about.” “Do you think the drug dealers who kill thousands of people during their lifetime, do you think they care who’s on a blue-ribbon committee?” he asked the crowd. “The only way to solve the drug problem is through toughness. When you catch a drug dealer, you’ve got to put him away for a long time.” Trump was in Pennsylvania rallying for Rep. Rick Saccone, a Republican who was seeking a seat in Congress during a special election. According to Trump, drug dealers “kill 5,000 people with drugs because you’re smuggling them in and you’re making a lot of money and people are dying.” “That’s why we have a problem, folks. I don’t think we should play games,” he went on. “Now, I never did polling on that – I don’t know if that’s popular, I don’t know if that’s unpopular. … But these people are killing our kids and they’re killing our families, and we have to do something. We can’t just keep setting up blue-ribbon committees with your wife and your wife and your husband, and they meet and they have a meal and they talk, talk talk talk, two hours later, then they write a report.” Trump’s attack on Rep. Maxine Waters, who in the same speech he said has a low I.Q., was much more straightforward to his racist support base. But it doesn’t take much to read between the lines on his drug dealer comments, either, as they follow a pattern for the president. Trump’s racist views precede his presidency. He for years has questioned whether former President Barack Obama was born in the United States or not, fueling the unfounded “birther” movement. An archive of Trump’s tweets includes at least 85 where he references the “birther movement,” dating back to 2011. (In 2012 he chose to tweet about it on the anniversary of Sept. 11 – twice.) In 1989, Trump publicly called for the death of five Black and Latino teens who were wrongly accused of raping a white woman. The teens, dubbed the Central Park Five, were the subject of four full-page ads Trump placed in New York City’s daily newspapers. He spent $85,000 on the ads and wrote, “Muggers and murderers should be forced to suffer and, when they kill, they should be executed for their crimes.” So where do the drug dealer comments fit in? Data has shown that Black people in America are more likely to be arrested for
drug-related crimes than white people – even though, statistically, they use drugs at similar rates, and whites are more likely to sell drugs. And this trend is not new. A study from the Brookings Institution in 2014 reported: “Whites were about 45 percent more likely than blacks to sell drugs in 1980, according to an analysis of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth by economist Robert Fairlie. This was consistent with a 1989 survey of youth in Boston. My own analysis of data from the 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows that 6.6 percent of white adolescents and young adults (aged 12 to 25) sold drugs, compared to just 5.0 percent of blacks (a 32 percent difference). “As for drug use, just 10 percent of blacks report using illegal drugs within the last month, which is not statistically different than the rate for whites.” A report from the National Research Council reached similar findings. “… the prevalence of drug use is only slightly higher among blacks than whites for some illicit drugs and slightly lower for others; the difference is not substantial. There is also little evidence, when all drug types are considered, that blacks sell drugs more often than whites.” The gap has closed slightly since the 1980s, but not because Black sellers are being arrested less often. There has just been a stronger focus on marijuana arrests, which more often involve white people. “Absolute numbers of blacks arrested for trafficking in cocaine and heroin have not fallen significantly; they simply make up a smaller percentage of overall arrest numbers that are rising,” the research states. A 2016 analysis from Politifact found that Blacks go to prison more often because they’re more likely to get caught – for two reasons. “They’re more likely to get caught selling drugs, as Michael Tonry, professor of law at the University of Minnesota, [said.] ‘Whites are more likely to sell to people they know, and they much more often sell behind closed doors. Blacks sell to people they don’t know and in public, which makes them vastly easier to arrest.’ “Blacks arrested for drugs are more likely to be sent to jail because they’re more likely to have had a previous run-in with the law. Police tend to patrol high-crime areas more aggressively, which tend to be the poor areas, which have a higher proportion of minorities. Thus, they’re more likely to be stopped for something and have a rap sheet once a drug charge comes along.” An earlier investigation found that Blacks tend to have longer prison sentences than whites. This was not the first time Trump called for the death penalty for drug-related crimes, making a similar claim earlier this month in light of the opioid crisis.
NOTICE OF FINDING OF NO SIGNFICANT IMPACT AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS Date of Publication: March 23, 2018 City of Omaha, Nebraska 1819 Farnam Street Omaha, Nebraska 68183 (402) 444-5150 These notices shall satisfy two separate but related procedural requirements for activities to be undertaken by the City Of Omaha. REQUEST FOR RELEASE OF FUNDS On or after April 9, 2018 the City of Omaha will submit a request to HUD for the release of Community Development Block Grant and HOME funds under Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended (42 USC 5301 et seq.) and HOME Investment Partnerships Act (42 USC 12701 et seq) to undertake the following project: Project Title: Neighborhood Action and Fact Revitalization Area Purpose: Funds will be used in this area from March, 2018 to December, 2020, possibly extending into 2021, for revitalization efforts including, but not limited to home rehabilitation projects, demolition of degraded structures, construction of new homes, and neighborhood capacity building efforts. Location: Approximately Wirt St to Sprague St, 24th St to 27th St Estimated Cost: Approximately $3,400,000 of Community Development Block Grant funds, and $200,000 HOME funds FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT The City of Omaha has determined that the project will have no significant impact on the human environment. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is not required. Additional project information is contained in the Environmental Review Record on file at the Omaha Planning Department, Suite 1111, 1819 Farnam Street, Omaha, Nebraska, and may be examined or copied weekdays 8:00 A. M. to 4:30 P. M. The Environmental Review can also be found on the Planning Department’s website at https://planninghcd.cityofomaha.org/holistic-neighborhood-revitalization/neighborhood-action-fact. Comments may also be submitted through the Planning Department’s website. PUBLIC COMMENTS Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to the City of Omaha Planning, Housing and Community Development division. All comments received by April 9, 2018 will be considered by the City of Omaha prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds. Comments should specify which Notice they are addressing. RELEASE OF FUNDS The City of Omaha certifies to HUD that William Lukash, in his capacity as Provisional Assistant Director of Planning, consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. HUD’s approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows the City of Omaha to use HUD program funds. OBJECTIONS TO RELEASE OF FUNDS HUD will accept objections to its release of fund and the City of Omaha’s certification for a period of fifteen days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if they are on one of the following bases: (a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the City of Omaha; (b) the City of Omaha has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 58; (c) the grant recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by HUD; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58, Sec. 58.76) and shall be addressed to HUD at 1616 Capitol Ave, Suite 329, Omaha, NE68102, 402-492-3101 . Potential objectors should contact HUD to verify the actual last day of the objection period. William Lukash, Provisional Assistant Director, City of Omaha Planning Department
YOUTH/EDUCATION NEWS March 23, 2018 Holy Name Students Visit State Capitol Black Panther Essay Contest Holy Name’s 4th graders Looking for Youth to Participate spent the day in Lincoln
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The Mildred D. Brown Memorial Study Center is pleased to announce its 2018 essay contest based on the movie Black Panther. Students in grades 8-12 are encouraged to explore what the movie means to them and to contemporary African and African-American peoples and cultures. Awards will be presented for each grade level; first place authors will receive $200 and be featured in The Omaha Star Newspaper, second place authors will receive $100, and third place authors will receive $50. Students may use one or more of the following prompts as inspiration: (a) Talk about the role models in Black Panther. Who are they, and what character strengths do they exhibit? How does T’Challa demonstrate courage, integrity, and even teamwork? ‌ (b) Why is it important for superheroes to be diverse? How is Black Panther an example of both racial and gender diversity compared to other superhero films? Why does representation of black characters matter in movies and books and on TV? ‌ (c) How does the movie explore issues related to race and race relations? Why is Erik/Killmonger’s perspective
on the world so different from T’Challa’s? Is one right and the other wrong? Why, or why not? ... (d) What is the movie’s message about global responsibility? Do you agree with the view that the Black Panther should keep Wakanda safe at all costs ‌ or with the idea that Wakanda should help less-stable, less-advanced nations and communities by sharing their resources? ‌ (e) How does the movie inspire us to think about what Africa might look like today without the legacy of colonialism? How did it inspire you to see the science and technology of Wakanda? ‌ and/or (f) Overall, what do you see as the significance of Black Panther for contemporary African and African-American peoples and cultures? There is further application information at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iy9zenU HDe6Py1K74aFM1EXWlxE8Fg7I0zooNZm FpkQ/edit. Essays should be grammatically correct and 750-1000 words (double spaced; 1� margins; 12 point Times Roman). The deadline for submissions is April 27; submit essays to mdbmsc1938@gmail.com.
visiting the State Capitol and the UNL football stadium. They even got to watch the unicameral in action from the balcony. On the way back to Omaha they stopped at the Holy Family Shrine. The entire trip was paid for by a grant through the Nebraska Arts Council.
Below: Students gaze at artwork on the rotunda ceiling.
City Sprouts Urban Farming Internship Applications Open City Sprouts is launching its 2018 Urban Farming Internship and applications are now available. Now in its 6th year, this paid internship offers young adults ages 16-20 training in agriculture, horticulture, culinary arts, public health and life skills, all while being immersed in a dynamic and supportive work environment, where every day is a new adventure. In 2018, City Sprouts will host 12 interns at City Sprouts, 4002 Seward St., and 4 interns at City Sprouts South, 1815 N St. City Sprouts interns work as a team to assist with regular crop maintenance including planting, watering, weeding and harvesting at the Decatur Urban Farm or City Sprouts South garden. Interns market produce and other goods at the weekly City Sprouts Farm Stand and promote City Sprouts in the community through site visits, school visits, presentations and events. Our interns get the opportunity to work with diverse groups or individuals in indoor and outdoor settings. Interns learn about healthful cooking and have the chance to cook and serve meals to the team and guests, and they have
cleaning responsibilities in and around the education center, gardens, and farm. Applicants must be 16-20 years old, be eligible for free or reduced meals, and have an interest in agriculture, horticulture, nutrition, culinary arts and/or education. Interns are expected to work outside and have the ability to lift up to 50 pounds. Interns work Saturdays, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., in May and August, and Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., in June and July. Selected interns may have the opportunity to extend the internship into September. Shar Paw, 2017 City Sprouts Intern, said “I loved building the aquaponics system and harvesting the potatoes. In the future, I look forward to having my own garden and aquaponics system.� Applications are available now. Interviews will take place on April 14. For more information and to download the application, please visit http://www.omahasprouts.org/urban-farminginternship. For questions, please contact Roxanne Draper at director@omahasprouts.org.
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Application Deadline Extended for Competition Rockville Centre, NY – The Center for Science Teaching & Learning (CSTL) has extended the application deadline for the 2018 Spellman High Voltage Electronics Clean Tech Competition to March 30. This unique international research and design challenge for pre-college youth encourages scientific understanding of real-world environmental and energy use challenges. This year’s theme is “Solving Climate Change.� Teams are challenged to identify and analyze specific problems associated with climate change in detail before designing a clean technology solution. Monetary prizes are provided to the top 10 finalists with $10,000 awarded to the winner. The competition is pleased to announce that the winning team will also be flown to Rome, Italy to be guest presenters at the World Congress on Climate Change in September 2018. Teams of young people from around the globe are urged to participate in the competition. For information or to submit an application, visit www.cleantechcompetition.org. The competition’s goal is to foster students’ deeper understanding of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) related concepts, recognize outstanding talent and prepare the next generation of globally competitive innovators. CSTL, a not-for-profit organization with a
mission of encouraging science learning and literacy, is accepting applications from high schools representing teams of 1 to 3 students between ages 15 and 18. The competition’s finals will take place at Stony Brook University in Stony Brook, N.Y., on July 12. Teams will present to judges and display their innovative solutions. “The Spellman HV Clean Tech Competition is an important and engaging program created to inspire and motivate students from around the globe to focus on STEM education and careers. Students who participate gain important skills and discover the many exciting opportunities that careers in science, technology, math and engineering have to offer,� said Dr. Ray Ann Havasy, Director of The Center for Science Teaching & Learning. “It is important for us to strongly support the next generation of STEM leaders and play an instrumental role in generating the international attention the Competition deserves,� says Dr. Loren Skeist, President of Spellman HV Electronics. Spellman High Voltage Electronics, the Competition’s major sponsor, is a leader in high voltage technology in the medical, industrial and scientific fields. For information about, CSTL or the 2018 Spellman HV Clean Tech Competition, visit www.cleantechcompetition.org or phone 516-764-0045.
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Keynote Speaker Tamika Stembridge, Esq. of Philadelphia, PA Execu ve Director of the dfreeÂŽ Global Founda on
Metropolitan Community College, Fort Omaha Campus
Saturday
April
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Swanson Conference Center, Bldg 22 9:00am– 2:30pm (registration begins at 8:30) Cost: $10.00
For more informa on on sponsorship or vendor opportuni es please contact Dr. Idalene Williams or Angelia Thomas at 402-281-3398. To register visit www.eventbrite.com/ moneyma ers2018