8 14 2013

VOL. 62, No. 32

Open letter www.tsdmemphis.com

August 8 - 14, 2013

75 Cents

Supt. Dorsey Hopsonʼs stops at Shelby County Schools on Monday included this visit with Southwind Elementary School students. (Photo: Shelby County Schools)

Supt. Hopson marks historic start of 2013-14 At the end of the first day of school Monday (Aug. 5) in the new Shelby County Schools system, new Supt.

Dorsey E. Hopson II Esq. reached out to parents and the community with a special letter.

Here’s what he conveyed:

David “Big Swole” Roseʼs image and likeness are the inspiration for the image in the Harley-Davidson Iron Elite Patch, which salutes African-American riders. (Photo: Larry Perry)

How to become a Harley-Davidson ‘logo’ – without really trying!

Atlanta rider helps company go hard after AfricanAmerican market besmith@tri-statedefender.com

by Bernal E. Smith II It took Jerry West a dynamic career and years of basketball brilliance before it happened to him.

It took Michael Jordan less time (in his rookie year) and the marketing brilliance of Nike (1985) to make him into one.

David “Big Swole” Rose?

Well, he did it with mind-blowing speed, going from relative obscurity to brand logo in just a

matter of months. Rose did so by revealing and embodying the unique and significant connection (as well as potential) between African-American motorcycle riders and the Harley Davidson brand.

Following a January discussion with John Comissiong, director of Market Outreach for the African American Segment of Harley-Davidson, and a number of subsequent meetings, magic began to happen.

Rose not only convinced Comissiong that Harley-Davidson needed to step up its game in targeting a loyal and lucrative market, he become the face of the resulting effort.

Under the Iron Elite campaign, Harley-Davidson identi-

H- 9 2o - L - 7 5o Iso T-Storms

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REGIONAL TEMPS LITTLE ROCK NASHVILLE JACKSON, MS

Friday H-98 L-76 H-90 L-73 H-94 L-73

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SEE HARLEY ON PAGE 5

• Music industry mourns the loss of George Duke. See National, page 6.

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Saturday H-93 L-73 H-86 L-72 H-93 L-72

fies, edifies and shares the history and stories of AfricanAmerican riders and their custom bikes. The company, which markets itself as fulfilling dreams of personal freedom, even created a special patch, which brings us back to the “new logo” himself. Big Swole’s image and likeness, bike in tow, are clearly the inspiration for the image in the patch, which reads “African American Riders, Celebrating 110 Years.”

Submitting videos that piqued Comissiong’s interest, Rose brought attention to the

- INSIDE -

MEMPHIS WEEKEND

FRIDAY

Harley Davidson pays tribute to African-American riders with a special, limited edition Iron Elite Patch.

Iron Elite Patch

• Black and white views converge on intermarriage.

See Opinion, page 4.

Sunday H-91 L-73 H-85 L-70 H-93 L-72

• Director’s view: “Lee Daniels’ The Butler.” See Entertainment, page 8.

George Duke

• Deltas say good-by to Rep. Lois M. DeBerry. See Legacy, page 10.

“The first day of our school year is undoubtedly a historic day for our 145,000 Shelby County Schools students and for all of Shelby County.

Words cannot express how thankful I am for everyone who has worked so hard over the past several years to ensure we were prepared for this moment.

“As you are well aware, the past several months have been particularly demanding as we have transitioned to a unified school district. Though we have all faced a number of challenges, our students continue to impress me.

Despite the merger-related distractions that are ever-present across our community, our students have received numerous national awards, made impressive academic gains, received prestigious scholarships and competed at the highest levels in sports and other extra curricular activities. The families of our students deserve much credit for keeping our students focused, as do our teachers and principals for their continued dedication.

“Although we have reached an incredible milestone by opening school this week, our work is far from finished. Our core mission is to teach and ensure that students are collegeor career-ready when they graduate.

This mission has always and will continue to require a team effort. Therefore, I ask you to please stand by our principals and our teachers who are so committed to our students and this

BACK TO SCHOOL • CHEF TIMOTHY: Let children cook and learn.

• iTEEN REPORT: Back to school thoughts and advice.

• Star treatment greets Hanley students.

See page 11.

•

mission.

“I recognize that the changes we have gone through have been very emotional and that trust and belief in our district leaders has wavered at times. Please know that one of our primary goals remains to continue building a culture of strong community engagement and dependable customer service. Thus, we will be transparent in all of our actions and willingly seek stakeholder input on important issues.

“As the billboards around town say, these are our students, and they need our support. We all want the same for our children and all children in Shelby County – a quality education. There will certainly be more challenges ahead; yet, if we move forward together with a laser-like focus on student achievement, I know we will succeed.

“Our parents and community stakeholders play a vital role in the success of this school district, and we thank you for being our partners in your child’s education. I hope your first week of school is a great one, and I wish the best to every student and family throughout the 2013-2014 school year.”

Major sentencing reform needed, says AG Holder TSD staff

In an interview with NPR that aired Wednesday, Atty. Gen. Eric Holder said there are too many people in prison and it is time for federal sentencing reform.

He could announce major changes as early as next week.

“The war on drugs is now 30, 40 years old. There have been a lot of unintended consequences,” said Holder in the NPR segment. “There’s been a decimation of certain communities, in particular communities of color.”

Bill Piper, director of national affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance, said Holder is right to condemn mass incarceration and racial disparities in the criminal justice system.

“Both he and the president have an opportunity to leave a lasting legacy by securing substantial, long overdue drug policy reform,” said Piper.

A team of lawyers at the Justice Department is reportedly working on proposals that Holder could present as early as a speech next week. Some of the proposals could include de-prioritizing low-level drug offense. “(We) can certainly change our enforcement priorities, and so we have some control in that way,” Holder

Atty. Gen. Eric Holder

said. “How we deploy our agents, what we tell our prosecutors to charge, but I think this would be best done if the executive branch and the legislative branch work together to look at this whole issue and come up with changes that are acceptable to

both.”

Holder’s remarks come amid what some describe as “unprecedented momentum for major criminal justice reform.” For example: • Several bi-partisan reform bills have been introduced in Congress and a left/right consensus is building.

• A few months ago, a coalition of over 175 artists, actors, athletes, elected officials and advocates, brought together by hip-hop pioneer Russell Simmons and Dr. Boyce Watkins, presented an open letter to President Obama urging him to tackle mass incarceration and drug SEE HOLDER ON PAGE 2

Page 2

Got their backs…

NEWS

August 8 - 14, 2013

Drumma Boy joined the Memphis Gun Down/Summer Night Lights event last Friday (Aug. 2) at Ed Rice Community Center in Frayser. He encouraged the youth to focus on their education because “that is what REALLY matters!” Memphis Gun Down / Summer Night Lights was Mayor AC Wharton Jr.ʼs initiative to keep parks and community centers open longer to give kids constructive activities during the summer in an effort to curb gun violence. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

HOLDER

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

policy reform.

• Voters in Colorado and Washington voted to end marijuana prohibition last November.

• Sen. Patrick Leahy, the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has said he wants to have hearings on both sentencing reform and resolving the state/federal conflict over marijuana.

Meanwhile, the Drug Policy Alliance is urging the Obama Administration to support bipartisan sentencing reform legislation in Congress, such as: • The Safety Valve Act, introduced by Democratic Sen. Leahy and Republican Sen. Rand Paul, and in the U.S. House by Democratic Congressman Bobby Scott and Republican Congressman Thomas Massie. The bills

‘Leaders and Achievers’ were saluted during Comcast’s Scholarship Award Luncheon at the Pink Palace Mansion and

would allow federal judges to sentence nonviolent offenders below the federal mandatory minimum sentence if a lower sentence is warranted.

• The Smarter Sentencing Act, introduced by Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin and Rep. Sen. Mike Lee, which would lower mandatory minimums for certain drug offenses, make the recent reduction in the crack/powder cocaine sentencing disparity retroactive, and give judges more discretion to sentence certain offenders below the mandatory minimum sentence if warranted.

• The Public Safety Enhancement Act, introduced by Republican Congressman Jason Chaffetz and Democratic Congressman Bobby Scott, which would allow certain federal prisoners to be transferred from prison to community supervision earlier if they take rehabilitation classes, saving taxpayer money while improv-

GETTIN’ IT RIGHT! Museum on July 16. A TSD photo from the event incorrectly identified Miss. State Rep. Pat Nelson. Photos from

ing public safety.

The Drug Policy Alliance is also advocating that the Obama Administration: • Nominate a drug czar who is going to prioritize reducing the federal prison population and undoing racial disparities.

• Issue directives keeping federal law enforcement from interfering with state efforts to regulate marijuana instead of criminalizing it “The U.S. is at a pivotal moment right now where fundamental change to our bloated, racially-biased criminal justice system is possible,” said Piper.

“But change isn’t inevitable; it will take significant leadership by Attorney General Holder, President Obama, and both Democrats and Republicans in Congress.”

(This story reflects information from the Drug Policy Alliance. For more information, visit www.drugpolicy.org.)

the event are available under “Featured Photos” at www.

TSDMemphis.com.

Tri-State Defender

NEWS

Tri-State Defender

Page 3

August 8 - 14, 2013

Memphis author pens national bestselling crime thriller Carving a niche in international romance market

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Author Latrivia S. Nelson has firm roots in Memphis as a graduate of The LeMoyneOwen College and as a marketing and public relations professional with over 14 years of experience with some of the cities most recognized organizations. She leans on that background to write her steamy love stories and incorporate all things Blues City in her books.

“Memphis is so rich with culture until if I never wrote about another locale in the world, I’d still have plenty of subject matter,” said Nelson.

“Each day, I find something or someone new to write about. It never gets old or boring. All you have to do is step outside of your door and you’re bombarded with notable personalities.”

Her latest novel, “The World in Reverse,” has topped several Amazon best sellers lists, including #1 for African Amer-

Double Tree lands grant from TVA

Double Tree Elementary School has been awarded a grant from Tennessee Valley Authority to help implement new STEM-related (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) software in classrooms.

The new software, provided

by WeatherBug Schools, offers advanced weather technology and interactive classroom tools for schools. Representatives

Black and white views converge on intermarriage. See page 4

ican Mystery and #1 for organized crime.

And it’s all a b o u t Memphis politics, police and crime.

“I was sitting on a Latrivia S. b e n c h Nelson downtown having lunch when I thought up the idea after reading a news article. The characters just fell in place over time, but they have no real counterparts,” said Nelson. “The book is simply one big what-if scenario.”

“The World in Reverse” is a sequel to her first book, “Ivy’s Twisted Vine,” and centers around one of Nelson’s former leading characters, Nicola Agosto, a white Memphis police officer, his African-American wife and four children.

During the course of an inves-

from TVA will officially present the $1,000 check at Double Tree on Monday, Aug 12 at 8 a.m.

LaKeisha Smith, a fifthgrade teacher at Double Tree Elementary, secured the TVA grant after submitting a proposal explaining how Double Tree students will benefit from using WeatherBug. With WeatherBug technology, teachers can use weather data to incorporate science, math and geography lessons from the classroom into interactive learning activities,

tigation into a series of child murders, Agosto is accused of using excessive force against an African-American suspect, suspended from the department and accused of being a racist.

To solve the city’s biggest case, protect his family and clear his name, he enlists the help of the seedy Russian mafia organization he had once been in charge of investigating to uncover a bigger conspiracy that includes a local politician and a fellow officer. The journey includes a riot that erupts downtown during a vigil, bombings and shootouts. And it ends with an even bigger twist.

With 14 novels under her belt, Nelson has had five national bestsellers in the last three years. After going through a pain-staking divorce, many of her readers questioned if she could come back strong.

“My most popular novel was based around my experiences at Camp Lejeune and the passion of my marriage. When I announced my divorce to my readers as the reason that they wouldn’t see new work for me for a while, the rumors started.

It didn’t help that the next book

BRIEFS & THINGS such as weather forecasting.

WeatherBug also offers software that helps detect severe weather and alert the community.

“WeatherBug Schools is a wonderful initiative…students and the community will have the unique opportunity to experience the effects of weather by analyzing data and essentially forecasting the weather,” said Smith.

“We are fortunate that TVA supports initiatives that enhance STEM education and strengthen the school-commu-

that I released, “The Contingency Plan, didn’t do so well,” said Nelson.

“But I stayed focused. I realized that I needed to get my personal life in order and find peace through prayer in order to truly write something of quality. My readers deserved it and so did I.” As a romance author, Nelson has set records, writing the largest interracial romance novel in the genre, “Ivy’s Twisted Vine,” in 2008. She also had three books on Amazon’s Multicultural Best Sellers List at the same time in 2011. “The World in Reverse” has now topped her former record as the largest interracial thriller to date with 741 pages.

Nelson, who owns RiverHouse Publishing, LLC in Mid-Town, has six authors whom she represents.

“The great thing about owning and running your own business is your ability to control your message and grow your ideas. I was taught by the best. RiverHouse Publishing has been a blessing, because I not only have had my own dreams realized, I’ve been able to help others reach their own nity connection.” The TVA grant will place Double Tree one step closer to obtaining WeatherBug technology this fall.

(For more information about WeatherBug Schools, visit weather.weatherbug.com.)

B-A-M-M! targets 2013 SHC Classic

For the first time, Bust-AMove-Monday!, also known as B-A-M-M!, will formally support the Southern Heritage

goals. It’s hard work, but it’s truly fulfilling.” (“The World in Reverse” is available for $5 via e-book on Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes

and Noble’s nook. It will be available in paperback format on Sept. 1. For more information, visit www.latrivianelson.com.)

Classic.

B-A-M-M! has impacted the Memphis community by patronizing one black-owned business at a time since 2001. Classic football game tickets between Tennessee State University and Jackson State University will be available through B-A-MM! Aug. 11 through Sept. 4.

Cash and checks will be accepted.

Delivery is available for orders of 4 or more tickets.

To purchase Southern Heritage Classic tickets through B-

A-M-M! or for more information, contact Ann Chester at 901-258-4404; visit www.bustamovemonday.com.

As always, the Southern Heritage classic will feature an array of events including concerts, a college fair, the Classic Battle of the Bands and the Classic Parade. For more information on the Southern Classic, visit Heritage www.southernheritageclassic.com.

This year’s game is Sept. 14 at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.

Page 4

OPINION

Tri-State Defender

August 8 - 14, 2013

John H. Sengstacke Publisher (1951 - 1997)

The Mid-Southʼs Best Alternative Newspaper

A Real Times Newspaper

• Bernal E. Smith II President / Publisher • Dr. Karanja A. Ajanaku Executive Editor

Black and white views converge on intermarriage

I’ve long believed a succinct modern definition of marriage can be found in America’s Declaration of Independence: as “the pursuit of Happiness.”

In that sense, then, it’s no coincidence that the phrase comes at the end of the document’s famous assertion: “We hold these truths to be selfevident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” – connecting a time-honored human rite to the conventionally-accepted human right of freedom.

Nowhere, in the American context, has that link between the rite and the right been more apparent than in society’s stance toward marriage between blacks and whites. And no more so than today, when intermarriage between Americans of different racial and ethnic backgrounds is more common than ever; and samesex marriage has made historic breakthroughs in acceptance; and the nation’s first black president is the child of an interracial marriage.

That’s why the finding of a just-released Gallup survey that black Americans and white Americans are approaching a point of unanimous tolerance about black-white intermarriage is so important: Because the fact that 96 percent of blacks and 84 percent of whites express approval of intermarriage – an average of 87 percent – indicates a great deal about America’s present and future.

We know about the past of blackwhite intermarriage in America.

Whites, driven by crackpot assertions of racial purity and the “practical” necessities of slavery, banned it by law during the slave and Jim Crow eras. Not until California’s Supreme Court struck down that state’s law in 1948 – when a total of 24 other states had such laws and state and federal courts routinely dismissed challenges to them – did the racist restriction of the rite begin to lose power.

The Supreme Court’s famous 1967 decision in Loving v. Virginia invalidated the intermarriage bans in the last 16 backward states. But even so, whites’ attitudes toward intermarriage remained mired in the past.

A 1969 Gallup survey found that while more than 1 of every 2 blacks expressed approval of intermarriage, less than 1 in 5 of whites did. By 1983, black approval was at 71 percent; white approval at 38 percent.

Not until 1997 did white approval pass the 60 percent mark; and not until 2005, when black approval was at 87 percent, did White approval break 70 percent.

The current valuable Gallup survey, conducted over four weeks from early June to early July, just presents the data. It wasn’t designed to explore the reasons behind the rise in tolerance.

But of course doing so is imperative.

One source of the progress is obvious: The landmark immigration act Congress passed in 1965, four months after the Voting Rights Act, produced a huge wave of imLee A. migrants of color Daniels from Asia, Latin America, and to a lesser extent, black African nations that sharply increased the number of Americans who are people of color.

That first wave of new Americans had by the 1980s married (largely among themselves) and birthed a sizable second-generation – their children – who grew up thoroughly Americanized. In numerical terms, it’s the marriage record of that generation and Americans who’ve married in the last decade that have made intermarriage a common fact of American life.

Now, one in seven American marriages are between people of different racial or ethnic backgrounds – and together white-Hispanic American and white-Asian American marriages account for more than half of them.

The 558,000 married couples in which one spouse is black and the other white make up only about 11 percent of all intermarriages and less than 1 percent of all married couples in America.

Those two facts underscore the central role black-white intermarriage continues to have: as a source of inspiration to the acceptance of intermarriage in a broader sense; and specifically to the fight for same-sex marriage; and, finally, as lighting-rod for the continuing racist sentiment in American society.

The Gallup survey findings are not a recommendation for thinking those attitudes have completely disappeared. The virulent slurs against President Obama’s parents and him as their child testify to its continued grip on the diseased minds of some Americans, including some in high places. So does the stunning explosion of racist tweets against the nowfamous Cheerios interracial advertisement of late May. But it’s equally important to note that while the racist tweets initially had the element of surprise on their side, the huge outpouring of support for the ad from the decent denizens of the Twitter-verse conveyed the same message as the Gallup survey’s data: the overwhelming majority of Americans accept that this human rite is a human right. (“Lee A. Daniels is a longtime journalist based in New York City.

His latest book is “Last Chance: The Political Threat to Black America.”)

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Mail to: In The Mail, Tri-State Defender, 203 Beale St., Ste. 200, Memphis, TN 38103 E-mail: inthemail@tri-statedefender.com Maximum length: 300 words (subject to editing for clarity)

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Tri-State Defender Platform

1. Racial prejudice worldwide must be destroyed.

2. Racially unrestricted membership in all jobs, public and private.

3. Equal employment opportunities on all jobs, public and private.

4. True representation in all U.S. police forces.

5. Complete cessation of all school segregation.

6. Federal intervention to protect civil rights in all instances where civil rights compliance at the state level breaks down

DISTRIBUTION: Tri-State Defender is available at newsstands, street sales, store vendors, mail subscription and honor boxes throughout the Greater Memphis area. No person may, without prior written permission of the Tri-State Defender, reprint any part of or duplicate by electronic device any portion without written permission. Copyright 2013 by Tri-State Defender Publishing, Inc. Permission to Publisher, Tri-State Defender, 203 Beale Street, Suite 200, Memphis, TN. 38103. Back copies can be obtained by calling the Tri-State Defender at (901) 523-1818, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.

Saving our seed – A gathering of African-American men

On Saturday (Aug. 3), 200-plus African-American men from throughout the Memphis region came together for the second time in as many weeks to address a variety of issues specifically relating to African-American men.

Radio and television talk show host, Thaddeus Matthews, initially called the gathering. The response to that call was substantially larger and more diverse than most would have expected. Initially coined “The Black Men’s Summit,” the crowd included men from all walks of life. Minister Anthony Muhammad and The Nation of Islam’s Mosque #55 facilitated this second gathering. Local pastors, gang members, business owners and community activists all made their presence known and their voices heard.

Having participated in many political and social gatherings for many years, and having been active in a plethora of community affairs, I listened to these men with an experienced ear toward grassroots organization and a hope that this was not another one-time event that would soon fade into the abyss of egotism and self-promotion. I quickly became aware that this was not the normal fist pumping, over hyped rally that would end with no follow through.

Minister Muhammad opened the gathering with a well-developed audiovisual presentation on the meaning of “movement” and the need for a common goal and purpose. His presentation was followed by an open and substantive discussion

from the attendees. The topics ranged from “reaching out to African American youth” to creating a network of men who would intervene and interact with African-AmeriJavier Michael can men recentBailey Sr. ly released from regional penal institutions. The level of intellectual discussion was impressive and the promises of continued participation was overwhelming.

Recent national reports on the plight of the African-American male certainly justify and under gird the need for such gatherings.

The United States Justice Department reports that there is a 60 percent chance that an African-American male over the age of 24 will come into contact with the criminal justice system in one form or another. Similar reports indicate that there are 40 percent more AfricanAmerican men in prison than there are in colleges and universities.

With such statistics as a backdrop, the presence of such a large group of men gathered together with a common purpose is nothing less than promising.

Local elected officials and traditional community leaders were noticeably absent from the gathering.

One must wonder how such an event could occur in the heart of Memphis’s urban center, with so

many men reaching out for answers, yet those persons elected to lead this community either chose not to attend, or were so disconnected from their constituency that they were not aware of the event. In either case, the absence of recognized leadership clearly makes this a grassroots effort.

Memphis has been saddled with extremely high rates of incidents of violent crimes, a juvenile justice system that is bursting at the seams, and an unemployment rate of over 10 percent. It is my belief that a grassroots movement geared toward community outreach by African-American men is one particular remedy for these socioeconomic ills. When the common man decides to take charge of his community in such a positive manner, and begins to serve as the protector of his community and its youth, the mission of “saving our seed” is within reach.

I applaud the organizers of this event and those who have committed to keeping it going. There will be another meeting of these men next Saturday at Pursuit of God Christian Church, 3172 Signal Street, in the Frayser community. It is my hope that this third gathering of African-American men will be as successful as the prior gatherings, and that the roots of this movement will take hold.

(Javier Michael Bailey Sr. is a former Memphis attorney and current CEO of Javier Bailey Capital Group, Inc. You can find him on Facebook and at javierbailey.com.)

‘Data Book’ puts light on conditions affecting children, community In “Data Book 2013: The State of Children in Memphis & Shelby County,” The Urban Child Institute explores social and economic conditions affecting optimal brain development for babies ages zero to three, and subsequently outlines critical areas that need improvement.

Research findings show that the environment and community in which a child is born Tarrin and raised conMcGhee tributes greatly to her future well being, while the health and well-being of its children determines a community’s future.

Now in its eighth year of publication, the “Data Book” includes improved community health statistics for Memphis and Shelby County that offer cause for pause and abbreviated celebration.

But other figures serve a stinging reminder of just how much more work is required to build a thriving community that prioritizes the wellbeing of its youngest and most vulnerable citizens.

Numbers don’t lie

Community health determines the strength of the local economy, which in turn, determines how well positioned a city is for success.

Statistically, birth outcomes are a key indicator of overall community health. In recent years, Memphis made headlines for having the highest infant mortality rate in the nation, with criticism likening its poor birth outcomes to some third world countries.

According to the latest census figures, 246,887 children currently reside in Shelby County and Memphis has over 48,000 children under five, representing nearly a third of all residents under 18.

New figures found in the “Data Book” reveal that between 200911, the infant mortality rate in Shelby County declined by about 25 percent. This reduction reflects advancing efforts to expand access to quality care and resources to support expecting and new mothers as well as women of reproductive age.

The percentage of Shelby County mothers receiving no prenatal care continues to decline, and dropped to 5.6 percent in 2011 from 8.9 percent in 2009.

In other good news, The Urban Child Institute reports that over the past five years, the birth rate for teenagers has also declined by 26 percent.

Two years ago, the high teenage pregnancy rate in Shelby County hovered between 15-20 percent and sparked a sensational media frenzy following a surge of pregnancies that occurred at Frayser High

School. Shortly thereafter, government and community leaders introduced the “No Baby” campaign.

The initiative, presented by Girls Inc., garnered nationwide attention and placed renewed local focus on eliminating teen pregnancy.

New reality

While community health statistics for Memphis and Shelby County are still not ideal, improved figures prove that through collaborative, committed, and sustained efforts, progress is possible. But for the sake of our children, who will someday take the reins of leadership, we must pick up the pace and do a better job of healing the biggest sore spot.

Poverty continues to play a leading role in the “Data Book” storyline, and in predicting future outcomes for Shelby County. Thirtynine percent of Memphis children live in poverty and more than half of Shelby County children are considered poor or low-income.

According to The Urban Child Institute, children born into poverty or low-income families face a greater risk of experiencing turmoil, violence and instability in their homes and/or neighborhoods. When these factors are present during the first three years of life, they can hinder optimal brain development and cause emotional, social, behavioral, and academic challenges that span a lifetime.

While research shows that it is still possible for children to thrive despite early economic hardship, achieving future financial independence and security will prove to be more challenging. A recent study conducted by economics professors from Harvard University and the University of California-Berkeley found that a child from a family living at or below the poverty level in the Memphis area has only a 2.6percent chance of ever earning a six-figure income.

This revelation in itself is devastating, but it also shows that as current statistics stand, more than half of the children who currently live in

Shelby County will have to work extremely hard as adults to beat the odds stacked against them during childhood, and still may never catch up to their more-fortunate peers.

Looking ahead

What can be done now to ensure that more children are prepared to excel, and also increase Shelby County’s potential for success? Improving education outcomes and eradicating poverty are undoubtedly the greatest obstacles to tackle and overcome.

While progress in these two areas may seem elusive, there are small action steps that government and community leaders and residents can take to address both simultaneously. As research shows that a child’s brain reaches 80 percent of its adult size and weight by age 3, parents of young children are encouraged to engage in activities to nurture and stimulate healthy development such as touching, talking, reading, and playing.

But the responsibility of preparing kids for a lifetime of achievement requires a community-wide effort and should not fall solely to parents. Studies show that communities that support early childhood development programs that promote school readiness, like pre-k, see an average of $5 returned for every $1 invested. Children who attend prek earn higher grades in school, which ultimately leads to increased chances for college attainment, higher earnings, and better overall quality of life.

To pull out of the quicksand in which existing economic and social conditions have placed our community, we must continue and increase individual and collective efforts to build and sustain a local talent pool with the knowledge and skills to put it on solid ground.

(For additional insight on ways to protect the future well being of children and to strengthen Shelby County, download the full version of the “Data Book” at www.theurbanchildinstitute.org.)

BUSINESS

Tri-State Defender

ON OUR WAY TO WEALTHY

Entrepreneurship:

“ You want to stand out. ... You want people to see your bike in the midst of a plethora of bikes and it be identifiable.” — David Rose.

How do I get my product into stores

Over the years I have come across some pretty unique products invented by folks eager to earn a profit from their product development of prototypes, samples and/or creations.

From cookies to generators and sauce to hair products, the ideas are plentiful. But it takes a team and a plan to truly succeed on a large scale.

Now there is a difference between having your product placed in a few “mom and pop” stores and having them in Wal-Mart stores across the country. Let’s discuss what it takes to bring your product to “retail ready.”

Have a plan

An organized plan makes the process much easier to accomplish. The plan is the map to introduce the product and/or brand to retail. Decide early on if the plan is to “go small” or “go big” box retail.

But either way, a plan is needed. Consider starting small, which may include flea markets, farmer’s markets and smaller retail stores.

Once you have a track record and a sales record, larger stores may gain interest.

Know the stores

Is your product high end or bargain? This will determine which stores to target. Identify the stores that you believe would carry your product. Research everything you can possibly find about the stores. Many stores will have the process of adding products to their inventory online, which may include contact information for buyers. If you do not find anything on the web, simply email them for information.

Know your product

Prior to convincing a retail store to carry your product, it is imperative that you clearly know the features and benefits of your product, what makes it different from what they currently carry, and why the retailer should carry it over their current product. It is only natural to believe that your product is the best since you have invested time and money into it. But you must be able to articulate what makes your product better and different, size, price or otherwise.

Know the competition

To position your product against the competition, you must know the competition very well. Know their contents, packaging, pricing and how much shelf space they have in the stores. But most of all, know how you compare to the competition.

Retail pricing

Pricing is important in the retail world. The wholesale price is typically double your cost and the retail price is typically double the wholesale cost. So as an example: your cost is $1, wholesale is $2, and retail would be $4. Make sure your website offers a shopping cart so that purchases can easily be made.

Branding the product

Unless this is the first and last product you will introduce to retail, you want to build a brand and accompanying brand loyalty. The loyal customer typically connects with the brand rather than the product. From product inception, the goal is to build customer loyalty by having a story that touches the customer in some way.

Remember, long-term success at retail is based on brand extension, which includes bringing more products to retail such as additional flavors or sizes of the primary product.

Professional packaging

A label that looks like it was designed by your 8 year old will never work at retail. A handmade label will not work unless it is professionally de-

Page 5

August 8 - 14, 2013

signed to appear “homemade.”

Retailers have an image of professionalism to project to its customers Carlee and clienMcCullough tele. Your packaging must make the retailer look good. The packaging must be sturdy enough to protect the contents but appealing enough to attract a buyer.

Promotional items

Product on the shelf when no one knows it is there is a recipe for disaster. Promotional products such as samples, posters and point-of-purchase displays go a long way to create customer awareness.

Product samples

Most retailers want to see and touch the product prior to purchasing it for their shelves. The availability of product samples is much needed. The retailers will be observing the packaging, labeling and contents.

Brag bag

If your product has received great press, publicity or promotion, include it in your package. Good publicity makes selling the product easier for the retailer. The articles may answer additional questions the store representative may have.

Hire an ISR

For efficiency, consider hiring the help of an independent sales representative.

The ISR typically already has a relationship with the stores and can help get your foot in the door. They are usually paid a commission of 10-15 percent of sales. This saves you in that you do not have to pay up front and the ISR is not on payroll. Their participation as a team member now frees you up to focus more on the business.

Delivery ready

Now that the store has made an order, the product should be ready for delivery.

The retailer should not have to wait months to receive the product while your production catches up with orders.

Time is of the essence.

(Contact Carlee McCullough, Esq., at 5308 Cottonwood Road, Suite 1A, Memphis, TN 38118, or email her at jstce4all@aol.com.)

‘Putting your stamp on it’ besmith@tri-statedefender.com

by Bernal E. Smith II An avid Harley-Davidson bike rider, Memphian Cedric Wright – owner/operator of the downtown Avis Rental Car – was among those enjoying the Harley-Davidson camaraderie in Greater Memphis last weekend.

Wright has a beautiful piece of machinery, even by my nonbiker standards. It is burgundy and chrome with some of the coolest customizations: 23inch front wheel with “23” cut outs in it; and a “wanging” stereo system that includes a DVD player just for starters.

“The purchase of the bike is many times the least expensive thing,” said Wright. “Custom wheels, handle bars, stereo systems, lighting and more are usually done after purchase.

We truly make a personal statement with our bikes and love riding!”

David “Big Swole” Rose, the Atlanta biker who has teamed with Harley-Davidson to help the company acknowledge and make a positive statement to one of its most

HARLEY

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

unique bikes and activities of his Atlanta-based club. He also demonstrated the loyalty of African-American riders to the Harley-Davidson brand, and, more importantly, the unique way African Americans enjoy the product – dynamic and expensive customization done with a focus on creativity, functionality and swagger.

“I sent him videos showing our club here in Atlanta and the incredible customized bikes of our members and the way we roll,” said Rose. “It was unique to any of the stuff they were featuring up to that point. I got that call saying they were coming to Atlanta.”

Comissiong met with Rose and the rest is, well, history making.

“From that initial meeting to the visit in Atlanta, I’ve done three promotional videos with Harley-Davidson. They’ve used my image on the patch and on their website,” Rose said, explaining the explosive development of the Harley Davidson relationship. “They’ve literally made me into a logo and the campaign has taken off.

“The interesting thing is that it has expanded beyond just the African American segment to really reach the entire brotherhood of riders. It’s gotten to the point where people of all backgrounds that are bikers have embraced the patch and the entire notion of the Iron Elite campaign, 110 years of Freedom.”

According to Rose, HarleyDavidson is hosting Iron Elite parties across the country in

This bike is Memphian Cedric Wrightʼs “personal statement.” (Courtesy photo)

important market segments, puts it this way: “You take it and you personalize it. You want to stand out.

You want to be original. You

two or three different cities every month using the materials and images featuring his likeness. It appears there is a unique “cool” factor representing a lifestyle that has been captured in the campaign, and Rose has become the embodiment of it. The lifestyle includes sleek, customized bikes and custom helmets, all the accompanying clothing, including vest with patches and cigars. And, most importantly, the connection of the brotherhood of riders actually on the road doing what they love to do – RIDE! Rose was in Memphis for the National Bike Riders

want people to see your bike in the midst of a plethora of bikes and it be identifiable,” said Rose.

“You want to be out at a

Round-Up (NBR) held in Tunica, Miss. July 31-Aug. 3. On its website, the NBR describes itself as “…a gathering of brothers and sisters with a common interest of motorcycling and socializing in a noncommercialized atmosphere, but due to changing times we’re leaning in the direction of commercialism but we still hold to being a grass roots operation.”

In line with the commercial end of things, Harley-Davidson and its Iron Elite campaign had a significant and welcomed presence at the annual roundup, passing out materials and giveaways, including the

restaurant or bar and they see your bike and say, ‘That’s Big Swole’s bike!’ And that’s what it’s all about … making it yours, putting your stamp on it!”

patches baring Rose’s image.

Many of the thousands of bikers in town for the NBR weekend motored their way throughout Greater Memphis, and Beale Street was a major destination. Following his TSD interview, Rose and his PR team (led by former Memphian Larry Perry) visited Beale Street, and it was clear from all the photo requests and autograph requests that the campaign has been a hit, making him a rising star in the biker circuit.

(Bernal E. Smith II is President/Publisher of The New TriState Defender.)

Page 6

NATION

August 8 - 14, 2013

Vandals mark racial slurs on Jackie Robinson statue

by Dominique Debucquoy-Dodley CNN

NEW YORK – Vandals defaced a statue of Jackie Robinson outside the Brooklyn Cyclones baseball stadium, marking racial slurs and symbols on it, park and police officials said Wednesday.

A swastika, “anti-Semitic comments” and the n-word were written in black marker on the statue and its base sometime between the end of the Cyclones game Tuesday night and 7 a.m. Wednesday morning, according to a spokesman for the New York City Police Department.

The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating the matter as a possible bias incident. The Cyclones and police are reviewing security camera video, hoping it will lead them to a suspect or suspects, said Brooklyn Cyclones Director of Communications Billy Harner.

No arrests had been made (at TSD press time) The Parks Department has already managed to remove

Jackie Robinson in 1954 (Photo: Look Magazine Photograph Collection/Library of Congress)

the majority of the graffiti, Harner said. The statue is a likeness of Robinson and teammate Pee Wee Reese.

The Brooklyn Cyclones’ stadium is just steps away from Coney Island’s famous boardwalk. The team is the minor league club associated with Major League Baseball’s New York Mets franchise.

Jackie Robinson was the first African-American base-

ball player to play with a modern-era Major League Baseball team, the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947.

His jersey number, 42, was retired in 1997, though it is still worn by New York Yankees closer, Mariano Rivera.

The film “42,” which was released in April, tells Robinson’s story of breaking the color barrier in the sport.

Usher’s ex-wife cites son’s pool mishap in custody bid CNN

by Alan Duke Singer Usher Raymond’s ex-wife is asking a judge to give her custody of their two children after the oldest suffered a “near-death accident.”

Five-year-old Usher Raymond V nearly drowned “in a swimming pool and is currently hospitalized in the intensive care unit of the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Hospital,” Tameka Foster said in an emergency motion filed Tuesday in a Fulton County, Georgia, court.

Her son “is doing much better,” according to a Twitter posting by Foster on Wednesday afternoon. The mother has been with him at the hospital since she learned of the accident Monday, her lawyer told CNN. A hearing is set for an Atlanta courtroom Friday afternoon for the motion, her lawyer said. The other child, Naviyd, is 4 years old.

In a statement released Wednesday, Usher said: I am blessed and fortunate to say that my son Usher V is doing well and is recovering. I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of prayers, love and support for my family’s well-being.

The singer did not address his ex-wife’s allegations or the upcoming hearing.

Usher won primary custody of the children last year after a bitter court fight in which Foster accused the singer of being an absentee father.

Foster renewed her arguments based on Monday’s ac-

cident, contending the singer “continues to excessively travel, utilizes thirdparty caregivers to supervise Usher the minor children rather than personally exercising parenting time and providing supervision for the minor children.”

Her motion alleges that Usher is away from Atlanta – where she and the children live – “in excess of 85 percent of each month.” He refuses to let her see the children when he leaves town, saying he “would rather the nanny raise the children,” Foster contends.

Foster also complained that her ex-husband does not talk to her about issues affecting the boys, “including school enrollment and summer activities.”

The private school in which he just enrolled them is more than an hour from her home, she said. And, Usher has not given her the phone number to the home he moved to with the children in June, she said.

Tameka Foster’s tweets posted Wednesday read: “Cabin fever.. But I’m so happy to say that my son is doing much better. Talking & asking for food. Thank you for ur well wishes & prayers.” and “....And no I haven’t gone anywhere or done anything. #Relax” Foster blames the swimming accident on “the negli-

gence and failure to properly supervise” the children. Usher’s aunt was in charge of the children when the oldest son “suffered a near-death accident while left unsupervised in a swimming pool,” the motion contends.

“I need an ambulance,” his aunt, Rena Oden, told an emergency operator in a call to 911. “My nephew was in the pool, and I couldn’t get him, I tried to get him.” A recording of the call was made public by police Tuesday.

The aunt, a housekeeper and another woman were “unsuccessful in pulling the victim from the pool drain,” but two men who were installing sound equipment in the home rushed to help, the report said.

“They’re doing CPR on him now,” Oden told the operator.

“Is he coming around? He’s breathing!”

Sound technician Eugene Stachurski rescued the child from the drain and used CPR to revive him on the side of the pool, the police report said.

About five minutes into the recording, Oden told the operator that paramedics had arrived at the home and had taken over.

The child was “conscious, alert and breathing” when the ambulance took him to a hospital, where he was kept overnight for observation, the police report said.

Usher’s former stepson – also Foster’s son – died in a watercraft accident on a north Georgia lake last year.

(CNN’s Tory Dunnan and Marylynn Ryan contributed to this report.)

Music industry mourns the loss of George Duke CNN

by Breeanna Hare Jazz great George Duke, a visionary keyboardist, producer, composer and arranger, has died in Los Angeles. He was 67.

The Grammy-winning artist was known for blending jazz with rock, funk, R&B and Brazilian sounds, creating music that moved beyond boundaries. Over the course of his lengthy career, which spanned nearly 50 years, the prolific musician collaborated with notables such as Miles Davis, Michael Jackson, Anita Baker and Frank Zappa.

According to a statement from his record label, Duke was being treated for chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

“We are all devastated by the sad news of George’s passing,” said Mark Wexler, general manager of the Concord-Telarc Label Group. “He was a great man, a legendary, one-of-a-kind artist; and our hearts go out to his family.

George will be missed by all.”

A California native, Duke was inspired to play the piano after catching a Duke Ellington

performance as a child. In 1997, he told USA Today he remembered “seeing this guy in a white suit, playing this big thing, which I later found out was a piano. He had all these guys around him, and he was waving his hands conducting, and he spoke very intelligently and seemed to be having a good time. ... I told my mom, ‘I want to be him.’ That moment in time set the stage for me.”

An alum of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and San Francisco State University, Duke would become renowned for his skills with the keyboard, and according to Rolling Stone magazine had released more than 40 albums.

“I was in a rock band, I played with a bunch of Brazilians, I played R&B with Parliament-Funkadelic and all of that,” he said in an interview, according to the New York Times. “I mean, I’ve done jazz with Miles Davis and Cannonball Adderley. It’s a goulash.

It’s a gumbo.”

His most recent album, “DreamWeaver,” was composed following the death of his wife, Corine. It was re-

leased on July 16, and debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Chart, according to his record label.

Several stars in the entertainment industry, from Quincy Jones to Janelle Monae, have mourned the loss of the jazz giant.

“Rest in Peace to my brother and collaborator George Duke,” Jones tweeted. “A great musician, a greater friend.” “#GeorgeDuke merits the highest praise,” added Questlove of The Roots. “Frank Zappa (beyond genius Genius) loved & respected Duke. that means somethin.”

“George Duke rest in peace,” Monae posted. “He was an inspiration to us.’

Duke’s son, Rashid, shared his gratitude for the support his family has received.

“The outpouring of love and support that we have received from my father’s friends, fans and the entire music community has been overwhelming,” he said in a statement. “Thank you all for your concern, prayers and support.”

(CNN’s Carolyn Sung contributed to this report.)

Tri-State Defender

RELIGION

Tri-State Defender

Page 7

August 8 - 14, 2013

RELIGION BRIEFS

BOOK REVIEW

From ‘a mess’ to ‘something amazing’

Holy hip-hop artist Mr. Del signs ‘Soul Ties’ Sept. 7

Mr. Del knows a few things about breaking away from toxic influences. The holy hip-hop artist is bringing that knowledge to print in “Soul Ties: How to Detox From Toxic Relationships,” out now via iTunes and e-book retailers. Del will speak and sign copies of the book on Sept. 7 at the Booksellers at Laurelwood.

The book explores the three relationships that Mr. Dell sees are the cornerstone to a person’s heart: friendships, kinships and skinships.

When these important relationships become toxic, they can affect our own growth and well-being, he says. Mr. Del guides his readers toward healthy relationships that provide nourishment for the soul through understanding the situation, uprooting from the damage caused and untying from the toxic bond.

Mr. Del also recently released his seventh full-length album, “Faith Walka, via Universal/Dedicated Music Group. The album and book will be available in a bundle at a discounted rate at MrDel.com for one week only leading up to the book signing.

The book-signing event begins at 4 p.m.

Rapper/song-writer/producer Mr. Del is a former member of the Oscar winning, platinum selling secular rap group Three-Six-Mafia.

He has now “rededicated his life to Christ and his message has changed to promote righteousness rather than sin.” He can be found each Sunday and Tuesday serving as the pastor of the church he founded, City of Refuge Church.

“I was raised in poverty, surrounded by drug dealers, gangs and community violence. My mother was addicted to crack cocaine and alcohol. I rarely went to church… (Yet) somehow God’s grace found and saved me when no one and nothing else could...

“God’s Graffiti takes a look at young men and women in the Bible who overcame family and community challenges… Their stories give us some practical guidance for our own lives.

“You have the ability to do amazing things through your faith in God, the courage to try something different, and the help of a few committed people.”

– Excerpted from the Introduction (pages xiv-xv)

Sadly, this is an era when the bulk of African-American children are being raised by single-moms with little investment in their lives on the part of their deadbeat baby-daddies. The absence of a father figure in the home ostensibly plays a big role in the high dropout, unemployment and crime

rates presently plaguing the black community.

Romal Tune could just as easily been another statistic. After all, his mother was a crack head who never took him to church. And the absence of his dad meant he grew up on the streets where he got mixed-up with the wrong crowd and started dealing drugs by the time he was a teenager.

Miraculously, however, he found Christ and came to see the light and, benefitting from a new purpose, eventually graduated from both Howard University and Duke Divinity School. Today, Rev. Tune routinely ministers to the underserved as the founder of a couple of organizations dedicated to at-risk youth.

God’s Graffiti is a mix of memoir and motivational resource designed as a prescription to put juvenile delinquents on a proper path. The book’s title was inspired by the author’s observation of how the Lord often “takes what looks like a mess and transforms it into something amazing.”

What makes the opus very relevant is how it relies on scriptures to re-

mind the reader of the humble beginnings which many a Biblical figure had to overcome en route to finally flourishing. Again and again, from the prostitute Rahab, to the abandoned Ishmael, to the orphaned Esther, to the unfairly accused Joseph, we see how these unlikely heroes ultimately conquered their considerable challenges.

For instance, Moses, the prophet who would part the Red Sea prior to leading his people to the Promised Land, was born a slave. To his credit, he survived being placed as an infant in a basket on which was allowed to drift away on the Nile by a mother desperate to save her son from certain death at the hands of the pharaoh’s henchmen.

Written in a down-to-earth style certain to resonate with the targeted demographic, God’s Graffiti simultaneously addresses such salient subjects as bullying, sex, suicide, eating disorders, drugs, alcohol, divorce and abusive relationships. A timeless tool offering profound, faith-based advice for troubled teens in need of reasons to believe in a better tomorrow.

“Godʼs Graffiti” “Inspiring Stories for Teens”

By Reverend Romal Tune Judson Press Paperback, $13.99 184 pages

Meet Samuel Green, an 8-year-old preacher: ‘God has my back’ The Grio

by Lilly Workneh Meet Samuel Green, an eight-yearold boy from Jackson, Miss. who made his way to “The Today Show” for the impressive speeches he delivers as a preacher.

The pint-sized student appeared on the show Wednesday morning (Aug.7) and talked to hosts Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb about his passion for preaching and the confidence he has at the pulpit.

Young Samuel Green on “The Today Show.”

“I really don’t get nervous because I know God has my back,” Green

said.

His mother said she realized Green’s gift after he was invited to speak at a church in Birmingham, Ala. “I was very surprised, my husband and I were very surprised just to hear Samuel preach without any notes or anything,” his mother Joann Green said.

Beverly Coleman has been the young boy’s mentor since he was just over a year old and joined the mother and son on the show to talk about Green’s academic skills.

“He was brought to me at 13

months (and) by 18 months I knew he was gifted academically,” Coleman said, adding that Green’s work matched that of students almost twice his age.

For now, Green said he plans to continue to deliver sermons and hopes one day to expand his profession to become both a preacher and a pediatrician.

He said: “I want to grow up to be a preacher and a doctor that takes care of children.”

(Follow Lilly Workneh on Twitter @Lilly_Works.)

BRIEFLY: New Sardis Baptist Church will celebrate the 21st anniversary of its pastor, Rev. Dr. L. LaSimba Gray on Sunday, Aug. 18th. Services begin at 8 a.m. and 11 a.m.

DEADLINE

Deadline for all religion articles is Monday, 5 p.m. Send items to Tri-State Defender, 203 Beale St., Suite 200; Memphis, TN 38103, Email items to editorial@tristatedefender.com.

Call (901) 523-1818 for details.

‘Celebration of Love’

First lady emeritus Virginia Hill Davenport was honored last Sunday (Aug. 4) at Shiloh Baptist Church at 1670 Gaither St. Her late husband, the Rev. Herbert Davenport Jr., pastored Shiloh and died last year. Rev. Davenport became a part of the musical group The Limptations as a student at Booker T. Washington High School and the group sang at the special service. (Photo by Tyrone P. Easley)

PRAISE CONNECT -A WEEKLY DIRECTORY OF MINISTERS & CHURCHES-

METROPOLITAN BAPTIST CHURCH Dr. Reginald L. Porter Sr., Pastor

767 Walker Avenue Memphis, TN 38126

ASSOCIATE MINISTERS

901-946-4095 fax 948-8311

Rev. Davena Young Porter Rev. Linda A Paige Rev. Luecretia Matthews SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES

SUNDAY Sunday School .....................8:30 am Morning Worship Service ....10:00am

WEDNESDAY Bible Study .........................10:30 am Mid-Day Prayer Meeting .....12 noon Evening Prayer Meeting........7:00pm FRIDAY Cable Channel 17 ............... 8:00pm

Dr. & Rev. Mrs. Reginald Porter

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

— Proverbs 1:7

—Ecclesiastes 9:11

ST. ANDREW A.M.E. CHURCH 867 SOUTH PARKWAY EAST Memphis, TN 38106

(901) 948-3441

Early Morning..........7:45 AM Church School..........9:45 AM Morning Worship......11:00 AM Bible Study For Youth and Adults Tuesday - 7:00 PM “Spirit, Soul, and Body!”

AM 1070 WDIA Sundays, 10:00-10:30 AM

TV Cable Access Broadcast Tuesdays, 7:30 PM, Channel 17 Website:www.saintandrewamec.org Child Care Center (901) 948-6441 Monday-Friday 6 AM- 5:30 PM Emergency Food Pantry & Clothes Closet Wednesday 6 PM-8 PM

Rev. Kenneth S. Robinson, Pastor Rev. Marilynn S. Robinson, Pastor

“Ministering to Memphis-Spirit, Soul and Body”

ENTERTAINMENT Tri-State Defender, Thursday, August 8 - 14, 2013, Page 8

‘Lee Daniels’ The Butler’ Special to The New Tri-State Defender

by Kam Williams

Lee Daniels – best known for directing and producing the Academy Award-lauded film “Precious” – talks about his new picture, “Lee Daniels’ The Butler,” a civil rights epic recounting the real-life story of an African American who served in the White House at the pleasure of eight presidents, from 1952 to 1986.

Kam Williams: Hey Lee, what a phenomenal film!

Lee Daniels: Did you like it?

KW: I loved it!

LD: Thanks, Kam.

KW: I was born in the Fifties, so all of the ground you cover in terms of the father-son relationship and the civil rights movement resonated with me and touched me very deeply.

LD: That makes me feel good. Thank you very much.

KW: So, what inspired you to make the movie?

LD: What attracted me to the project was the father-son story, which I looked at as a love story with the civil rights movement as a backdrop. That was intriguing to me both because I’d had issues with my own dad, and because I have issues with my teenage son. I think the father-son love story is a universal one which transcends color. That’s what was sort of there on the page, but it wasn’t until I started shooting that we began getting into the Woolworth’s sit-ins and the Freedom Riders with the Molotov cocktails that I asked myself, “What have I stumbled upon?” It was then that I realized the film was much bigger than just the father-son story.

Forest Whitaker (left) and Cuba Gooding Jr. in “Lee Danielsʼ The Butler.” (Photo: The Weinstein Company) sure, I broke down in tears.

KW: You did a masterful job of portraying the tensions and differences between the civil rights and Black Power generations.

LD: There was no right and wrong. Cecil (played by Forest Whitaker) was right and so was his son (played by David Oyelowo). You’ve got a problem when neither is wrong, yet you have a conflict.

KW: Did you decide to tackle the civil rights material because of the Trayvon Martin shooting?

LD: No, it hadn’t happened when Danny Strong wrote the script, including the line “Any white man can kill any of us at any time and get away with it.”

KW: You got Oscar-winners in Forest Whitaker, Cuba Gooding Jr., Jane Fonda, Vanessa Redgrave, Robin Williams and Melissa Leo, and Oscar-nominees in Terrence Howard and Oprah Winfrey to come aboard. How were you able to assemble such an outstanding cast?

LD: My usual way… throwing out a net, and fishing. (LOL) This one was easy because the material was so good. The actors I approached took the bait because they wanted to serve the material. We really didn’t have any money to pay them, so most of them lost money in relation to what their normal acting fee would be.

KW: Harriet Pakula-Teweles asks: “How has the tempest over re-using the title “The Butler” affected you?

LD: Well, I just finished editing the movie five days ago. …when I’m working on a movie, it’s like being in a cocoon. I consider it like giving birth, and I don’t leave the bubble, because if I do, then it’s bad and affects the child. But I was pulled out for a minute when my kids told me

Terrence Howard (left) and Oprah Winfrey in “Lee Danielsʼ The Butler.”

(Photo: The Weinstein Company)

about something they saw online. I didn’t even hear about it from the studio. It disturbed me, but I didn’t have time to think about it.

KW: Well, it’s now called “Lee Daniels’ The Butler.’

LD: The MPAA (Motion Pictures Association of America) gave me that title and I still don’t know how to feel about it. I just finished giving birth to the movie.

“Lee Daniels’ The Butler.” It sounds like “The Greatest Show on Earth!”

KW: Well , Tyler Perry, Dino De Laurentis and others are famous for placing their names before the title.

LD: I’m not Tyler Perry. I’m not Dino De Laurentis. I think it’s a bit much to put

one’s name in front of the film. It makes me uncomfortable. Here’s the thing. Insiders like you know the whole story and about the legal issues, but not the average person. I worry that young kids in Oklahoma or Alabama might end up asking, “Who is this filmmaker to be so full of himself?” That bothers me. The MPAA handed down this edict. So, I don’t know how I feel about it right now. Ask me tomorrow. (Chuckles)

KW: My eyes must have welled up at least a half-dozen times while watching the film. As the director, you must be too close to the film for it to have that sort of emotional effect on you.

LD: No, when I actually sat down all alone to watch the final cut just for plea-

KW: I also appreciated the evenhanded way in which you approached each of the presidents Cecil served under, like how Reagan could give his African-American help a raise to make their pay equal to that of whites, while hypocritically still supporting apartheid in South Africa.

LD: Ain’t that interesting? We don’t make Kennedy out to be a goody twoshoes either.

KW: Editor/legist Patricia Turnier was wondering whether you’ve seen the TV miniseries “Backstairs at the White House?”

LD: I did. I think it was a great movie for its time, but I wanted to avoid the episodic feeling of that film.

KW: Patricia also asks: “What message do you want the public to take away from “The Butler?”

LD: I hate that question, Patricia, because it forces me to be philosophical. …I think the message is that we have got a long way to go. I hope that this film rips a scab off the sore that is racism in America today.

KW: Thanks again for the time, Lee, and best of luck with the film.

LD: Thanks, Kam.

Was an African-American cop the real Lone Ranger?

CNN

by Sheena McKenzie More than a century before Johnny Depp wore a terrifying crow headpiece in new Disney film “The Lone Ranger,” another hero of the Wild West was carefully arranging his own remarkable disguise.

Sometimes he dressed as a preacher, at other times a tramp, and occasionally even a woman.

But beneath the elaborate costumes was always Bass Reeves – a 19th-century Arkansas slave who became a legendary Deputy U.S. Marshal, capturing more than 3,000 criminals with his flamboyant detective skills, super strength and supreme horsemanship.

Sound familiar? As one historian argues, Reeves could have been the real-life inspiration behind one of America’s most beloved fictional characters – the Lone Ranger.

“Many of Reeves’ personal attributes and techniques in catching desperadoes were similar to the Lone Ranger,” says Art Burton, author of “Black Gun, Silver Star: The Life and Legend of Frontier Marshal Bass Reeves.”

“He was bigger than the Lone Ranger – he was a combination of the Lone Ranger, Sherlock Holmes and Superman,” Burton told CNN. “But because he was a black man his story has been buried. He never got the recognition he deserved.”

Legendary Lone Ranger

It’s a world apart from the fictional Lone Ranger, who remains one of most the iconic Wild West heroes of the 20th century.

First appearing on a Detroit radio station in 1933, the masked man on a white stallion who brought bad guys to justice was hugely successful, with the series running for over two decades. It spawned novels, comic books and an eight-year TV show starring the most iconic Lone Ranger of all – actor Clayton Moore.

Indeed, Disney’s new film – featuring Armie Hammer as the Lone Ranger and Johnny Depp as his trusty native American Indian sidekick Tonto – is just the latest in a long line of films depicting the legendary lawman.

So what’s that got to do with Bass Reeves – one of the country’s first African-American marshals, who was born almost 100 years before the Lone Ranger made his radio debut?

Hi-Ho Silver!

Quite a lot, argues Burton, pointing to similarities such as their gray horses, penchant for disguises, use of American Indian trackers, and unusual calling cards – Reeves gave folks a silver dollar to remember him by, while the Lone Ranger left silver bullets.

As for the iconic black mask, the link is more symbolic. “Blacks at that time wore an invisible mask in a

One historian believes that this 19th-century Deputy U.S. Marshal, an Arkansas slave named Bass Reeves, was the real-life inspiration for the Lone Ranger. In his book on Reeves, Art Burton points to similarities such as their gray horses, penchant for disguises, use of American Indian trackers, and unusual calling cards. (Photo: Courtesy of Art Burton)

world that largely ignored them – so in that societal sense, Reeves also wore a mask,” said Burton, a lecturer at South Suburban College in Illinois.

“When the Lone Ranger first started appearing in comic books he wore a black mask that covered his entire face. Why would they do that? There was a deep

physiological connection going on.”

Then there’s the Detroit link.

Many of the thousands of criminals captured by Reeves were sent to the House of Corrections in Detroit – the same city where the Lone Ranger character was created by George Trendle and Fran Striker.

“It’s not beyond belief that all those felons were talking about a black man who had these attributes and the stories got out,” said Burton.

“I haven’t been able to prove conclusively that Reeves was the inspiration for the Lone Ranger, but he was the closest person in real life who had these characteristics.”

Real life superhero

In fact, if the newspaper clippings, federal documents, and handeddown stories are anything to go by, Reeves wasn’t just a lawman – he was a 6-foot-2 inch moustachioed muscleman who was so honorable he even arrested his own son.

Born a slave in Arkansas in 1838, Reeves headed to the Civil War front line in the 1860s, working as a servant for his master in the Confederate Army.

While there, he managed to escape to the Indian Territory – now the state of Oklahoma – living with native American Indians and learning their languages and tracking skills.

So renowned were the father-of10’s shooting skills and horseman-

ship, that in 1875 he was appointed Deputy U.S. Marshal.

“He was a big guy for his time,” said Burton. “If you got in a fight with Reeves it was the worst decision you could make in your life – it accounted to suicide.

“He was also an excellent horseman – the Indians taught him how to make himself appear smaller in the saddle, helping him with disguises.”

Such was the skilled rider’s love of horses, he even bred them on his farm. Indeed, many of the first U.S. jockeys were African American slaves who had originally worked in their master’s stables.

Lost legacy?

In his 32-year career, Reeves became a Wild West celebrity, with folk songs springing up about the marshal with almost mythical strength.

He died in 1910, at the impressive age of 71, just as segregation laws were starting to take effect in his home state.

Last year, a seven-meter bronze statue of Reeves, in all his gun-slinging glory atop a horse, was unveiled in Fort Smith, Ark. “He’s one of America’s most important heroes and it’s sad his story isn’t known more than it is,” said Burton. “But unfortunately, the majority of black history has been buried.

“Even today, nobody knows where Reeves is buried – I like to tell people he’s still in disguise.”

ENTERTAINMENT

Tri-State Defender

Page 9

August 8 - 14, 2013

HOROSCOPES

August 8–14, 2013

Iyanla Vanzant says black women are ‘out of order’ The Grio

by Alexis Garrett Stodghill Iyanla Vanzant is making yet another splash with a video that has gone viral due to her special brand of wisdom. Calling black women “out of order,” the self-help guru spoke to web site Madame Noire on her concerns with the mental and emotional wounds black women accept from others – and mutually inflict.

Fresh off discussing her OWN special “Daddyless Daughters” on the Melissa Harris-Perry show, in which she examines the psychological issues of women growing up without fathers, Vanzant made these statements to specifically address the persistent difficulties of AfricanAmerican women.

“We have such a rich culture, as women in this country, descendants of the parent race of humanity,” Vanzant told Madame Noire. “We have such a rich culture, and in that culture, there are roles and purposes, and powers, and

we live in a society now where women are commodities, where women are demeaned, diminished, demoralized in ways that we accommodate. And if we really understood who we are as feminine representations of the creator of the universe, some of the things we experience in life, like crying when the unemployed boo boo leaves us, and we really understood who we are, we wouldn’t be so apt to let other people define us, and confine us. We are out of order!”

perpetuating a vicious cycle.

“We’re out of order – let me just go right ahead and say it, let me just ask forgiveness now,” she said, “there’s no reason for us to continue to have children with men who don’t honor us and don’t take care of their children. Out of order!”

Black women rendered spiritually sick

Betrayals between black women?

Vanzant decried the fact that black women allow men and other people to treat them in ways that render them “mentally, emotionally, and spiritually sick.”

But, she also called on African-American women to accept responsibility for the fact that, by having children out of wedlock with men who are not ready to be fathers and partners, they are

Iyanla Vanzant

In addition, Vanzant chided black women who “dishonor, betray, and defile one another.”

Women have supported her through life’s difficulties, not men, so it is unimaginable to Vanzant that black women so often, in her opinion, are their worst enemies.

“Sleep with your sister’s husband! What?

Pluck your eye out right now,” she said of one example of what to her is a prevalent trend.

OPENING THIS WEEK

Kam’s Kapsules:

Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

by Kam Williams

For movies opening Aug. 9, 2013

BIG BUDGET FILMS

“Elysium” (R for pervasive profanity and graphic violence) Sci-fi thriller, set in 2154, in a world where the wealthy live on an exclusive space station while the rest of humanity is stuck on a polluted, overpopulated planet that’s looks like a Third World slum. Plot revolves around an ailing factory worker’s (Matt Damon) attempt to reach the heavily-fortified, orbiting retreat for some urgently-needed cancer treatment. With Jodie Foster, Alice Braga and Sharlto Copley.

“Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters” (PG for scary images, mild epithets and fantasy violence) Logan Lerman reprises the title role in this sequel based on the Rick Riordan novel of the same name which finds the son of Poseidon and his pals presently embarking on an epic journey in search of the fabled Golden Fleece.

Cast includes Alexandra Daddario, Brandon T. Jackson, Leven Rambin and Stanley Tucci.

“Planes” (PG for mild action and rude humor) Animated adventure about a rickety, farm crop duster with a fear of heights (Dane Cook) who with the help of a veteran aviator (Stacy Keach) prepares to compete in a famous, highflying aerial race against the dastardly reigning champ (Roger Craig Smith). Voice cast includes Val Kilmer, Teri Hatcher, Cedric the Entertainer, Brad Garrett, John Cleese, Sinbad

and Larry the Cable Guy.

“We’re the Millers” (R for pervasive profanity, crude sexuality, drug use and full-frontal male nudity) Raunchy road comedy revolving around a cash-strapped pot dealer (Jason Sudeikis) who enlists the assistance of a stripper (Jennifer Aniston), a latchkey kid (Will Poulter) and a teen runaway (Emma Roberts) to smuggle two tons of marijuana out of Mexico by posing as a family on vacation. Ensemble includes Ed Helms, Luis Guzman, Nick Offerman, Thomas Lennon and Kathryn Hahn.

INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

“I Give It a Year” (R for profanity, sexuality and graphic nudity) Romantic comedy examining the toll exacted on a newlywed couple’s (Rose Byrne and Rafe Spall) marriage when the groom starts spending time with his ex-girlfriend (Anna Faris) while the bride finds herself attracted to a business client (Simon Baker). With Alex Macqueen, Minnie Driver and Stephen Merchant.

“In a World…” (R for profanity and sexual references) Lake Bell wrote, directed and stars in this dysfunctional family comedy as an aspiring voiceover artist attempting to follow in the footsteps of her movie trailer legend father (Fred Melamed), despite the fact that the field is dominated by stentorian-throated males.

Cast includes Geena Davis, Rob Corddry, Jeff Garlin and Nick Offerman.

“Jug Face” (R for profanity, sexuality and gory violence) Hillbilly horror flick about a teenager (Lauren Ashley Carter), impregnated

by her brother (Daniel Manche), who tries to escape from her backwoods community of redneck moonshiners when she becomes aware of their plan to sacrifice her to a wild animal in a deep pit.

“Lovelace” (R for nudity, profanity, drug use, domestic violence and graphic sexuality) Amanda Seyfried plays the title character in this sexplicit biopic about Linda Lovelace (1949-2002), popular porn star-turned-anti smut crusader who claimed she’d been forced to perform at gunpoint by her domineering husband (Peter Sarsgaard). Ensemble includes James Franco, Sharon Stone, Juno Temple, Adam Brody, Chris Noth, Robert Patrick, Eric Roberts and Hank Azaria.

“The Machine Which Makes Everything Disappear” (Unrated) Bait-and-switch documentary in which aspiring actors answering a casting call are instead merely interviewed about what life is like in the former Soviet bloc nation. (In Georgian with subtitles) “Off Label” (Unrated) Prescription drug expose’ highlighting the explosion of the use of pharmaceuticals in America as seen through the eyes of eight unique patients.

“Prince Avalanche” (R for sexuality) English-language adaptation of Iceland’s Either Way, the odd couple comedy about a loner (Paul Rudd) who leaves the city for the country with his girlfriend’s (Gina Grande) halfwit brother (Emile Hirsch) to spend the summer painting traffic lines along a rural roadway ravaged by wildfire. With Lance LeGault, Joyce Payne and Lynn Shelton.

ARIES Don’t let worry put a strain on your relationships. Concentration is key, but be as light hearted as possible. Open up to romantic feelings. Let love come to you. It may come from inside.

TAURUS The time has come to forgive and forget.

Take the first step in reconciling a friendship. You thought no one knew, but you may be romantically attracted to an old pal.

GEMINI When you let go of pain and fear you are a force to be reckoned with. Use your talents for regeneration to create a new reality for yourself, one that is filled with joy and happiness. Turn away from inner thoughts that are anything less than positive.

CANCER Treat yourself with kindness, and let love be your guiding light. The past few weeks have been rather hard on your personality, but you’ve come through a troubled time with flying colors.

LEO Critical voices should be tuned out this week. You are in the mood for a pleasant week and you shouldn’t let anyone keep you from your just rewards. Relax with friends who you can share positive vibes with.

VIRGO Unexpected company may arrive, or an invitation may be extended. Use good judgment and set realistic boundaries to protect your valuable personal time. Drive carefully.

LIBRA Your rewards come not only from what you do, but from who you are!

Give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back and work some wonders. You are full of positive energy this week; use it to your advantage.

SCORPIO Practical matters may seem like nuisances that are only there to spite your sunny mood this week. The vibration has its place though, and if you apply yourself to practical things, you’ll have a lot accomplished by the end of the week.

Avoid spinning your wheels on impossible projects or relationships.

SAGITTARIUS Excellent vibrations accompany you to meetings and appointments or anywhere where your gifts of communication can be used. You’ll have managers eating out of your hand if you choose to exercise a little charm.

CAPRICORN Charming, simply charming! You have everything going for you this week, so make the most of it. You are capable of handling many projects, and equally capable of asking for help if you need it.

AQUARIUS If you acknowledge your need to be with someone this afternoon, the universe will probably provide. Ask for help if you need it. There are many resources available to you that you could be drawing from. All you have to do is ask.

PISCES Watching the sunrise will help quell any impatience that may arise within you this week. As you watch the sun kiss the sky, imagine that the universe is embracing you with love.

Page 10

Saying farewell…

Rep. Lois M. DeBerryʼs husband, Charles Traughber, and Tish Towns, who the late Rep. DeBerry treated as “her very own daughter,” at the Delta Sigma Theta service.

LEGACY: LOIS M. DeBERRY August 8 - 14, 2013

Sorors’ salute…

Tri-State Defender

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. members – local, regional and national – attended the Omega Omega Service for Rep. Lois M. DeBerry at Cane Creek Baptist Church last Friday (Aug. 2). Funeral services and a legacy celebration for Rep. DeBerry, who also left a son, Michael Boyer, were held Saturday. She died Sunday (July, 28) at age 68. (Photos: Tyrone P. Easley)

COMMUNITY

Tri-State Defender

CHEF TIMOTHY

The school bell rings again

Let children cook and learn to see life as never before

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

by Chef Timothy Moore

It’s that time again – the beginning of another school year. So many emotions are brewing for parents right now. Some are full of joy and relief, while others feel fear of the unknown as to what each day Dr. Timothy will bring.

It seems like Moore yesterday that we were off to our own first day of school. We were so excited to be embarking on our first day of a new experience; yet we were also very nervous seeing so many strangers and wondering if they were feeling the same way. Then we hear a voice telling us that everything will be fine, because all those strangers were no different than us. They were all going to the same place, and even though they were nervous too, they were also excited and ready to begin their journey of surprises that awaited them.

Go back in time for a moment and reflect on how you felt your first day of school. Remember how you smiled into the mirror at your reflection of what you were wearing, who you met that day and how you got to school. Some children walked a “country mile,” some rode an old school bus, and others were dropped off by their parents. They all had the same feeling though, and that was they did not want to leave the comfort of their parents.

The time with your children flies by so fast. It’s like you look at them one day and they are small tots, and the next day they are all grown up. We should enjoy every moment we can with our children.

We should love them and tell them how special they are every day.

We, as parents, sometimes get so caught up in our lives that we fail to look at our children’s needs and what they need from us. We put so many unimportant things first and forget what is truly important. All we need to do is think back to when we were that age and remember that an apple doesn’t fall far from a tree, just a new branch.

Our children have feelings and emotions that are rapidly developing at a young age. It is so important that we express our emotions to them daily and discuss with them how it’s OK to express their feelings also. If we neglect to do this, they are sure to have some problems – either in their early years or later as adults.

The school bell rings and we are happy as our children will begin or return to school. But let us not forget as we are molding our future generation of leaders that it is not all about the ABCs, but also learning social skills, nutrition and physical activity.

Times have changed and our children don’t come home to the smell of those fresh baked yeast rolls and those homemade chocolate chip cookies any longer. Instead, those nutritious meals that our mothers used to cook for us have now – at least too often – been replaced with processed junk food that is affecting our children’s young minds.

It’s time to stop and take control of our health. Let’s start preparing healthy meals and stop being junk food addicts. Take control of our health before it takes control of us with some unwanted disease.

Let us pledge to be healthy and help our families to be healthy by preparing at least four meals a week at home and ditch the junk food and fast food. The key to the success of this is to get your children involved. Let them learn and discover the joy of cooking and being creative in the kitchen.

The future of our next generation of healthy living begins today with the young bright minds of our children. So let them cook and learn to see life as never before.

(Dr. Timothy Moore teaches nutrition, heart disease and diabetes reversal through a plant-based lifestyle. He is a professional speaker, wellness coach and personal plant-based chef. He is the author of the new best selling book 47 Tips To Reverse Your Diabetes’’. He can be reached by email at cheftimothy@chef timothymoore.com or visit him on the Web sites at www.cheftimothymoore.com or www.twitter.com/cheftimmoore.)

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August 8 - 14, 2013

iTEEN REPORT

Back to school thoughts and advice

preparing you for your senior year and eventually college.

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Deidra Shores

The time has come for waking up early and staying up late with homework.

That’s right, school. As of Monday morning, students all over the MidSouth are back in classrooms with Deidra their pencils Shores sharpened and binders handy.

Personally, I’m a bit nervous about my junior year in high school. I haven’t always had the best study habits and this year is when I need them most. This isn’t 10th grade anymore. More is expected of you and you have greater responsibilities.

Now that I’ve gotten my permit and started driving, I really am starting to understand the importance of this year as a whole.

I spoke with five Memphis teenagers about what they hope to get out of their junior and senior years of high school. Kayla Little, Eboni Johnson, Angelica Owens, Latifa Alijuma and Fredrick Alexander spoke with me about high-school life, including the things they are excited about and the things they fear.

Kayla Little is a junior at Cordova High School, where she is heavily involved in the Cordova High chamber orchestra. She has practice after school throughout the week and is involved in performances at various places around the city. Not only is Kayla a gifted violinist, she’s also involved in the MIFA C.O.O.L pro-

Kayla Little

Angelica Owens

gram – a college readiness program that provides the basics and more so that students are ready the day they head off for college.

One step closer to graduating, Kayla says she’s Eboni ready for all the Johnson excitement the 11th grade will bring with all old and new friends.

Now, along with excitement, also come fears about the junior-year standardized tests that play a major role in the pursuit of college.

I asked Kayla for her advice to new sophomores. She said, “Take yourself a bit more seriously…grades and classes are more serious now than you think they are.”

Eboni Johnson, a senior at Middle College High School, has taken an interest in photography and it’s now a big part of her life in and outside of school. She is a part of the modeling society and a dedicated member of her school’s volleyball and basketball teams.

Her upcoming senior trips have her

Latifa Alijuma

Fredrick Alexander

excited, as well as being a part of student council and homecoming.

Eboni’s advice for incoming juniors is that hard work is the key. She says if you do it right, you will really understand the meaning of hard work. She also says that new juniors should try their hardest on the A.C.T and take it as often as possible with the goal of getting better and better.

Eboni says that what scares her most is that she’s finally about to go off to college. There’s only one year left of living at home. She’s really focused on making the best grades she can and meeting every requirement for graduation.

Southwind High School senior Angelica Owens is an author, with a new book due for release in September. She loves shopping, sports, writing, and above all, talking.

With the end of high school in sight, Angelica is buckling down and getting prepared for college. Extremely excited about the senior prom, she isn’t afraid of anything about her senior year because she has been preparing for a while.

Here’s her advise to the juniors: “Study like your life depends on it, because you have an endless number of tests.” Junior year, she says, must be taken very seriously because it’s

Latifa Alijuma is a junior at Cordova high school and heavily involved in activities in and out of school, including F.B.L.A., future business leaders of America. She is also in the national Spanish honors society, which prepares students for the future in business. They frequently volunteer in disadvantaged neighborhoods and schools. They also compete in regional and national competitions.

Latifa has set a lot of personal goals for her junior year and she’s ready to accomplish them. She is taking all advanced placement classes and trying her best to pass them so she can get college credits.

Her words of advice for rising sophomores are that it’s easy to get really lazy. But don’t do it. She says most tenth graders don’t understand the importance of the year until it’s over.

Fredrick Alexander is a junior at Frasier High School, where he plays basketball. Now that he is a junior, graduation is feeling real, he said.

He’s already looking into different colleges and universities, where he wants to major in engineering.

He says what frightens him is the idea of several tests ahead. He is preparing for the A.C.T and S.A.T. and hopes to do well on both.

Fredrick says that if he could give a word of advice to a new sophomore it would be to stay active in school and stay on top of your grades. Every little effort counts, he says.

(Deidra Shores, former NBC “Today Show Kid Reporter” and student at Cordova High School, is the TSD iTeen Reporter.)

Hanley Students walk through a balloon-adorned arch with college flags supporting Aspires motto – “College for Certain.”

Star treatment greets Hanley students Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Aspire Public Schools opened its first school outside of California on Monday (Aug. 5) and for the students at Hanley Elementary School that meant star treatment.

Students filed into Hanley on a red carpet, passing under a balloon-adorned archway.

Each registered student received a free uniform shirt.

“This is our inaugural school year in Memphis,” said James Willcox, Aspire’s chief executive officer. “Our team has been planning for this day for over a year and is excited about bringing our educational model to the students here in Memphis.”

Hanley Elementary is the first school assigned to the national charter management organization as a part of the Achievement School District.

“What is unique about Aspire is our coprincipal structure that allows our teachers to receive more support from the principal,” said Allison Leslie, executive director Memphis.

The principals are Nikita Reed from Memphis and Barbara Harris from Aspire Public Schools in Los Angeles. Each is responsible for leading her team of kindergarten through fifth grade classes. The students will begin every day with a motivating morning assembly led by the principals.

“Our focus is preparing students for college,” said Harris. “We will determine our students’ greatest needs and tailor the curriculum to ensure they receive a quality education that will result in their success.”

As a native Memphian and former assistant principal at Hanley, Reed is optimistic about

James Willcox, the CEO for Aspire, was on hand to register Hanley Elementary students on their first day of school. (Courtesy photos) the new school year and what opportunities are ahead for the students.

“I decided to work for Aspire because it gave me a chance to return to Orange Mound and serve the students and families here,” said Reed. “Being able to return as a principal and enhance the students’ education played a big role in my decision to join Aspire. I anticipate greatness this school year.”

In addition to serving students in grades K5, the Hanley campus will also house two Pre-K classrooms under the leadership of Porter-Leath.

(Aspire operates 37 high-performing, public charter schools serving 13,000 students in underserved communities across California and in Tennessee. For more information, visit www.aspirepublicschools.org.)

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August 8 - 14, 2013

Tri-State Defender