July 16, 2011
VOL. 3 Edition Number 42
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The Power of Everyday People
Page 1 The Populace Now
What’s Inside This Issue? Cover Page Photo: Haiti after the earthquake Patrick A. Sellers Publisher
Haiti Seventeen Months Later pg. 2
Get up! Let’s Go! pg. 3 (New Writer Alicia Redmond)
Bobbie Collins Editor-In-Chief Jeremi Baker Technology Demetra Robinson Public Relations
The Growing number of Published Black Authors pg. 4 Alabama State University pg. 5 My Family pg. 6 (Publisher Patrick Sellers’ family in Ruleville, MS)
Contributors Bill Quigley, Alicia Redmond, Buffy Griffin, William Vann III, Patrick Sellers
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Page 2 The Populace Now
Haiti Seventeen Months Later By Bill Quigley, a Louisiana Correspondent Haiti experienced a major earthquake January 12, 2010. Tens of thousands died, estimates range from 65,000 to 230,000 people killed. About 2 million more people were displaced. Haiti was already the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere with a per capita income of about $2 a day. Seventeen months later, Haiti remains deeply wounded. The numbers below give an indication of some of the challenges that remain for the Haitian people.
rized as “red” because they may fall at any moment. USAID Draft Report 2011. Homeless 250,000 to 800,000 people in and around Port au Prince Haiti are still living under flimsy tents or tarps where water and electricity are scarce, security is poor and people are exposed to diseases. UN Report – January 2011 and USAID Draft Report 2011.
Housing 570,000 people in Haiti have moved back into 84,000 buildings which are heavily damaged and marked by engineers as “yellow” because they may collapse in foul weather or in the event of another tremor. USAID Draft Report 2011. “I see little children sleeping next to the heavily cracked walls every day,” said one of the experts quoted in the USAID report. 465,000 people have moved back into 73,000 buildings that are so terribly damaged they are designated for demolition and are catego-
166,000 people living in tents have been threatened with evictions, nearly one in four of the people living under tarps and tents. International Organization for Migration, April 2011. 1000 people were illegally evicted at gunpoint from three tent camps in the Delmas suburb of Port au Prince during one week in May 2011. They are part of a series of illegal evictions of over 50,000 homeless people in Haiti in the last several months. June 16, 2011 human rights complaint filed with the Inter American Commission on Human Rights by IJDH, CCR, BAI and Trans Africa.
Health 320,000 cases of cholera have been reported in the epidemic in Haiti since the earthquake. Center for Economic Policy and Research (CEPR) Haiti Reconstruction Watch. 170,000 people with cholera have been seen at hospitals. CEPR. 5335 people have died from cholera since the epidemic started. CEPR. 172 temporary toilets serve the approximately 30,000 people living in tents in downtown Port au Prince around the National Palace . That is one toilet for every 174 people. Haiti Grassroots Watch June 9 2011 report. Zero is the number of people who died of cholera in Haiti before the earthquake. The epidemic originated with UN troops brought into Haiti whose waste was inadequately treated and (Continued on page 8)
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Page 3 The Populace Now
Get Up! Let’s Go! By:
Listen…Can you hear that? It’s the sound of success! One of the definitions for success is “the accomplishment of an aim or purpose”. So, the sound I’m hearing is one of you moving forward in your purpose! The last 3 years have been a rough time for most of us; a time of transition, loss, and/or change, on personal, professional, and even spiritual levels. Whether what has taken place in your life was induced by you, or induced by God, He will use it for your good…if you are one that loves Him (Romans 8:28). There is a story in Judges, chapter 19, about a Levite (a servant of God), and his concubine (a secondary wife). I encourage you to read it. Although it is a little harrowing, deep within it is a word from the Lord for you. In the verses preceding the ones below, the concubine has been turned over, with the permission of her husband, and possibly even at his hand, to an angry mob of men who raped and abused her “until dawn”. At “daybreak”, she arrived at the home where she and the Levite were guests. The verses I want to focus on are the following…27 and 28: 27When her master got up in the morning and opened the door of the house and stepped out to continue on his way, there lay his concubine, fallen in the doorway of the house, with her hands on the threshold. 28 He said to her, “Get up; let’s go.” But there
Alicia Redmond
was no answer. Then the man put her on his donkey and set out for home. The message I received is this…that many of us of have been through the fire; tossed out into the world and abused and/or taken advantage of by its’ systems, (government, credit, legal, etc..) and many times because we are simply ignorant of how they operate; or as I said before by our own hand, i.e. lack of discipline in certain areas. Also many of us have been abused and/or taken advantage of, by those in authority over us, our employers, husbands, pastors, etc. Well…I’m here to let you know that “DAYBREAK” IS HERE. Now, the word says that “her hands (were) on the threshold”. Hands symbolize the work that God has given YOU to do. Your “personal” work or your PURPOSED work. What are you gifted to do? What do you have a burden for? It’s TIME to start MOVING TOWARDS, and WALKING IN, your purpose. And guess what? A threshold is defined as the “beginning”, or “point of entry”, NOT the end! So while you may feel like you are at the end of your rope, you are JUST BEGINNING! And there may be those in your life
who are saying to you “Get up…Let’s go” but they don’t have the POWER to HELP you do it! But God is speaking to your spirit today and saying to you by the POWER of the Holy Spirit…GET UP! LET’S GO! It’s time for you to arise from the “dead place” you are in and MOVE! Start (or start again) your business! Your ministry! Your product idea! Your song! Your movie! Your book! He is saying if you will call on HIS name (again), believe on HIS name (again), trust in HIS name (again)…HE will answer and show you the way!!! Go forth and be encouraged! God is with you AND for you. And if He is for you, who can be against you?
Living in Purpose, Alicia Redmond
Page 4 The Populace Now
The Growing Number of Published Black Authors By Buffy
Griffin, A North Carolina Correspondent
Growing up, I found that I loved reading mystery novels and because my mom censored what I watched on TV and read in books, I was limited to what my eyes could view. Sadly, I was limited even more, due to the lack of black author representation on the shelves of libraries and book stores accept for some poetry and other material I viewed as boring lit at that time. So like many, I grew up on VC Andrews and Nancy Drew mysteries. Secretly, I still enjoy a good VC Andrews novel.
I've noticed a rise of black authors in print over the last two decades and I must say that I like what I see from those who have gone the traditional publishing route as-well-as Indie, POD publishing and those that have dared to start his/her own publishing firms. But, how did they get their start? It's simMany of these authors are not bestple, deciding to take their writing both serisellers per se, at least not according to ously and to the next level, choosing the traditional publishing standards. Instead, way of E-Publishing and Indie Publishing. In these writers are referred to as mid-listers many cases, this takes place as the writer (the equivalent to a continues B lister in Holly- Sadly, I was limited even more, due to the to submit wood). Yet, they are lack of black author representation on the queries considered the with the backbone of the shelves of libraries and book stores accept hopes of publishing industry being for some poetry and other material I as they are responpicked up sible for the major- viewed as boring lit at that time.by an ity of published agent and publishing firm. Others have titles. They are able to do this because they decided to start their own publication firms know how to change with the market, use as a way to publish in a traditional manner. pen names and a few other tricks of the trade to publish various works. Often, these works are in a variety of genres and inTo establish themselves as a writer – cludes ghost writing (for those with great soon-to-be author, platform building by ideas but, can seem to put the story toword-of-mouth, online networks and webgether).
sites are used as a way to keep down expense. Sending teasers of written projects and release dates keeps their audience interested and wanting to purchase the finished product.
Of course there is more that goes on behind the scenes but, I'm just grateful to see more representation from African Americans in print.
Page 5 The Populace Now
Alabama State University By William Vann III, a Michigan Correspondent Just recently The University of Michigan was summoned by a federal court to rescind a law called Proposition 2 and ordered to support affirmative action and to admit students on the basis of race and gender. This sends a message to many minorities that there are still many challenges with respect to equality here in the United States. Now that the University of Michigan is forced to uphold affirmative action, it will be no surprise if tactics that were practiced more than 60 years ago are still being implemented on the U of M campus today and some minority students get left in a state of arrested development in terms of identity and how to deal with the serpent called racism. Symbolically speaking, would a king cobra snake teach a young mongoose what it really is and what it can do. No! Sym-bolically speaking, a King Cobra would not tell a young Mongoose that he or she is immune to snake bites. The same concept can apply to minority students attending one of the 101 Historically Black Colleges or Universities for undergraduate studies for the first time, and learning about the “Mongoose Concept” as opposed to attending a Big 10 College where they may just be considered a number and possibly never learn who they really are in the midst of being gainfully employed. Years after the “I have a Dream Speech,” many minorities have attained the right to attend expensive Big
10 undergraduate colleges and universities getting good-paying jobs. But after a period of time, these students may not feel connected to that particular undergraduate college or university. Historical Black Colleges and Universities may have a different effect. Whether you get a higher paying job or an average paying job, HBCU Alumni are on a mission to recruit future students to their undergraduate alma mater because they understand that the “HBCU concept” is more than just a school. It is a spiritual experience. Alabama State University has just that effect. At ASU you are taught that the purpose of going to college is not just to get a high -paying job. When entering ASU you are entering into a sacred band or Society of Friends. A high-paying job is a benefit, as you grow into a highly sought after candidate for a "particular time." Sooner or later you may own your own business. Henceforth, Alabama State University teaches her offspring that the students presently attending Alabama State University are reaping the benefits of former slaves who started a teacher's college that originated from a church called Beulah Baptist. The reason the name changed is because of government funding. In essence, when students attend Alabama State, they are symbolically attending Beulah Baptist Church. It must be known that Alabama State University was in many ways the secret
headquarters of the Civil Rights Movement. Because hotel accommodations were practically non-existent, civil rights leaders, including Dr. King secretly camped out at the "President’s Mansion" on campus to plan, strategizing and negotiating the challenges that lay ahead. Moreover, Alabama State University continues to produce some of the finest graduates, some include; former Civil Rights leader Rosa Parks, Illinois Secretary of State Jessie White, and Former Chicago Mayor Eugene Sawyer. With these and other great people in mind we must continue to support HBCUs and in particular, Alabama State University.
The Populace Now
Page 6
MY Family I spent a week with my family in Ruleville, MS (Go Tigers!!!!). This page is not big enough to capture every one of my family members, because we have a BIG family. Each person that you see in these photos represent the true meaning of Family and I love them. I really had a magnificent time during my stay and I will return there again real soon. Thank you family for all your love and encouragement.
Cousin Kim
Cousin Kenard
My Father
Cousin Willie
Cousin Dexter
Cousin Vanessa Cousin Francis
Doggie Fingers
Cousin Linda
Cousin Paige
Thank you Aunt May, I Love YOU!!!!
My Mother Cousin Frank
Uncle Johnny
“PRICE!�
Haiti Seventeen Months Later discharged by UN subcontractors into rivers used by people for washing, cooking and bathing.
tion. (Another $1 billion was allocated for relief funds to reimburse US emergency and humanitarian activities).
US Funds for Reconstruction of Haiti Human Rights $918 million is the amount allocated by Congress for US reconstruction development in Haiti in July 2010. May 2011 GAO Report on Haiti Reconstruction. $184 million was actually obligated as of March 2011. May 2011 GAO Report on Haiti Reconstruction. Another $63 million was allocated to emergency services. May 2011 GAO Report on Haiti Reconstruc-
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In 1998, the United Nation Commission on Human Rights received the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement which guarantee human dignity and human rights to many groups of people including all people displaced by natural disasters. On a visit to Haiti , the UN expert on internal displacement said, “ Haiti is living through a profound humanitarian crisis that affects the human rights of those displaced by the disaster.�
The people of Haiti are our sisters and brothers. The systematic violation of their human rights is a violation that must push us to greater solidarity and action. Do what you can.