UPW Urban Pro Weekly

UPW URBAN PRO WEEKLY

The art of springboard D I VI N G

José “Joey” Mendez (L), head coach of CSRA Diving, with student-athlete Rebecca Jones.

Photo by Vincent Hobbs/Sports Journal

APRIL 20 - 30, 2017 VOL. 6 NO. 13

LACROSSE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT EVANS GOALKEEPER MACKENZIE REEVES prepares to throw the ball back into action during a lacrosse conference game against Greenbrier at the Knights home stadium.

Photo by Vincent Hobbs/ Sports Journal

Preachers, sagging pants, & black leadership • KEN MAKIN Commentary Dion Parsons & The 21st Century Band

April is Jazz Appreciation Month Go out this weekend and hears some real jazz Dion Parsons with Wycliffe Gordon See BackPage

UrbanProWeekly - APRIL 20 - 30

2017

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We dare to jump Experience the fun and competition of springboard diving!

CSRA Diving is actively recruiting new divers for the club.

Open to all ages and skill levels.

We train on the 1-meter and 3-meter springboards.

Skill Levels - NOVICE, JUNIOR OLYMPIAN and MASTER categories Stop by and see us at the Augusta Aquatics Center, 3157 Damascus Rd., Augusta, GA 30909 or call at (706) 829 - 6309 You can email CSRA DIVING - admin@csra-diving.com Practice hours: Tuesday and Thursday, 5pm - 7pm Every other Monday, 5pm - 7pm

The top players from Georgia and S. Carolina will square off this weekend.

Photo by Anthony Hooker This weekend the best high school basketball talent from the region will be on display at the CSRA “Battle of the Border” High School All-Star Basketball Classic, hosted by Gerald White. Eight teams will compete on Friday, April 21 and Saturday, April 22 at various venues across the city of Augusta. The teams include a boys’ and girls’ team from South Carolina, a boys and girls’ team from the Atlanta area and 2 girls’ and boys’ teams from Georgia schools in the CSRA. ON FRIDAY, APRIL 21: Teams will play at two sites - Richmond Academy and Evans High School (girls 6 p.m. and boys 7:30 p.m.);

ON SATURDAY, APRIL 22, all eight teams will play at Augusta University’s Castleberry Fieldhouse, beginning at noon. There will be girls’ games at noon and 4 p.m.; boys will play at 1:30 and 5:30 p.m. At 3 p.m. There will be a threepoint shooting contest (boys and girls) and a dunk contest (boys).

Also on Saturday, the Lucy C. Laney Lady Wildcats and the North Augusta Lady Yellowjackets will be recognized for winning the state championship in their respective classifications. For tickets can be purchased by going to www. csraallstarclassic or by contacting Trevor Welchel, Caroline Johnson or Gerald White at csraallstarclassic@gmail.com.

Creative Impressions Presents 15th Annual Summer Music Workshop at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church St. Alban’s Episcopal Church will be hosting Creative Impressions’ 15th Annual Summer Music Workshop. This two week workshop will take place July 10th – 21st and is open to youth ages 12-­18. It is during this workshop that youth are exposed to various genres of music, are taught music theory and literacy, and are exposed to other art forms to include African dance and drama. Augusta native an international clinician, Mr. Trey McLaughlin, facilitates this workshop.

What: Summer Music Workshop Where: St. Alban’s Episcopal Church | 2321 Lumpkin Rd, Augusta, GA 30906 When: July 10th – July 21st Cost: $150.00 For more information call at 706-­664-­9022

Purchase your Tickets at EventBrite by searching for “Pooka, Pinot and Polish”, via www.simplydivinenaturals.com or just stop by Simply Divine Naturals Eco-Chic Sundry Shop, 601 Broad Street (corner of 6th and Broad Street), Augusta, Ga. Discounts are available for Military and Students. Limited Seating. Have a question?

Call 706-644-9796 or send an Email to info@simplydivinenaturals.com.

Sponsors welcome and Vendor space is available until April 26th.

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2017 CSRA All-Star CSRA “Battle of the Border” High School ​A ll-Star Basketball Classic • April 21-22

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UrbanProWeekly - APRIL 20 - 30

2017

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The aerial poetry of

Diving

A candid conversation with José A. “Joey” Mendez of CSRA Diving Divers compose aerial poetry with our bodies, and there is nothing like the feeling of flying through the air doing the unbelievable and hitting the water fast and hard.

BY VINCENT HOBBS UPW: When did you first become involved in diving?

MENDEZ: Officially, I became a diver while attending college in Cleveland, Ohio in 1993. Unofficially, I was diving from a very young age. I grew up on the island of Puerto Rico and cliff diving was something you did when you went with your friends to the beach. Back in those days, cliff diving wasn’t what it is today. We were just a bunch of dumb kids jumping off from rocks and any ledges or piers — landing in the water and hoping to not hit anything on the way down. You swam to shore and did it all again having fun the whole day.

There was no formal training — your friends would do a somersault, and if you dared, you tried it. Hopefully, you did not smack (hitting the water out of entry position) when you hit the water. That is how we learned.

I was self-taught through trial and error. In 1993, when I went to college, my school had a diving team. I decided to try out and I made it and things took off from there. I learned everything I could. That year, I made it to the NCAA championships! Not too bad for a kid from Puerto Rico with no formal training. I was having a ball, it was so much fun! I stayed with that team until I joined the military in 1997.

UPW: What attracted you to the sport?

MENDEZ: It’s the artistry of the sport that attracted me. There is a daredevil in me and I love to flirt with danger. When it comes to diving, it’s a passion. Diving is a part of me, it’s who I am, and for me, diving is like music to a musician. Diving is art —

nothing more, nothing less. Musicians compose music. Divers compose aerial poetry with our bodies, and there is nothing like the feeling of flying through the air doing the unbelievable and hitting the water fast and hard. And like a magician, you disappear before the crowd’s eyes and there’s barely a ripple in the surface. I can see a dive a thousand times, and I get just as excited as the first time I saw the dive performed.

UPW: How long have been coaching diving?

MENDEZ: About six years. When I joined the military, access to diving was harder, mainly because of military commitments and only a few places where I was stationed had a diving board. If the base had a pool, I would dive on it. Most of the coaching I did was for friends or someone who happened to be at the pool when I was messing around in the diving boards and wanted to learn something. I was always happy to teach them. My daughter started diving in May 2015 and then my coaching got serious. I started assisting at the Augusta Diving Club (now CSRA Diving). I contacted USA Diving and went through the certification process to become a full diving coach (up to Olympian). I also simultaneously did the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) coaching certification and last year I got certified for the Georgia High School Association (GHSA). That allowed me to coach at all levels and help me to do my part in keeping the sport alive.

UPW: What is CSRA Diving?

Student-athlete Rebecca Jones stands on the springboard as she preMENDEZ: CSRA Diving is a pro- pares to dive at the Augusta Aquatics Center. Jones, who hopes to gram I would like to fully develop compete in the 2020 Olympics, is currently training for an upcoming USA Diving Region 3 meet to be held in Orlando, Florida. (April 17, 2017 - Augusta, GA) - Photo by Vincent Hobbs/Sports Journal Continued on page 7

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Divers compose aerial poetry with our bodies, and there is nothing like the feeling of flying through the air doing the unbelievable and hitting the water fast and hard.

José “Joey” Mendez, head coach of CSRA Diving, poses for a photo at the Augusta Aquatics Center. CSRA Diving helps to train young divers and provide scholarship and athletic competition opportunities for aspiring diving athletes. (April 17, 2017 - Augusta, GA) - Photo by Vincent Hobbs/Sports Journal

Diving from page 6 in this area, and it is the beginning of a dream of mine. In Puerto Rico, there is an Olympic High School and it is an educational institution that is one-of-a-kind. It originated as a center of development for youth sports talent on the island, and it grew into a school for the development of athletes. It provides them opportunities to develop as athletes by giving them the best facilities and coaches the country has to offer - all free of charge. The school does this through sponsorships and educational grants, and other financial incentives to run the program.

CSRA Diving, a non-profit corporation, is my first step in modeling that program to minimize the training and coaching costs. We do this through club memberships, athletic scholarships and sponsorships.

We have several qualified athletes in the scholarship program. We pay 100 percent for training, travel, and equipment through fundraising events, donations and sponsorships.

We reinvest everything into in our athlete’s development and training.

We also pay for and maintain for all of our coaches’ certifications, which

can be pretty expensive for them and we invest heavily in coaches’ education so we can always have top-notch coaches available for the divers. There is also a “dive-into-college” program, where we push our divers to collegiate coaches for athletic scholarship opportunities. We maintain a network of 300 diving collegiate coaches and our divers are promoted to these coaches several times a year to improve scholarship prospects. We also have Olympian mentor Lantz Lamback, a Paralympic champion swimmer who has won eight Paralympic medals, including two gold medals, teaching athletes the mental game and the sports psychology they need to train at these higher levels.

and former Level 7 gymnast. She came to the club fifteen months ago.

She spent eight years training and competing in gymnastics until an injury caused her to retire. After taking a break to heal, she started training with me and fell in love with diving. She took the last eight years in gymnastic and turned every ounce of that training towards diving and she has just exploded as a diver. She has all the characteristics that make an elite athlete - tenacious, disciplined, hard-working, fearless, focused, and motivated. Becca is a student of the game. She wants to learn, asks questions, and researches dives. She is determined to become an Olympian, and nothing is going to stop her. She believes in herself!

UPW: One of your Olympic-aspiring divers, Rebecca Jones, has qualified to compete at the USA Diving Region 3 meet in Orlando, Florida later this month. What are some of the characteristics necessary for an athlete to succeed in diving as a competitive sport at this level?

UPW: When UPW covers swim and dive competitions, there isn’t a lot of diversity among the competing athletes. Do you have any thoughts on how more minority students can be recruited into the sport?

MENDEZ: Oh, man! Becca is awesome! She is an amazing athlete and super coachable. She is 15 years old

MENDEZ: Honestly, schools don’t really push diving because of a lack of certified diving coaches and there is also there is a lack of understanding about the sport. If schools promoted

it, we would see more diversity in the pool. Plus, diving has a stigma that it is a dangerous and expensive sport. We are actually one of the safest sports, and we have really low injury rates.

Diving is not expensive - all you really need is a swimsuit and a towel.

I want diversity, I want to see more of it - but just like everything else, you just need to promote it. High school is the best place to get free coaching, but it barely scratches the surface into the competitive diving culture and lifestyle. Diving is a small community, and the opportunities for scholarships are vast. I call it the best-kept athletic secret in the collegiate world.

Money is out there for minority athletes and a good coach should be able to help their athletes get it. People just don’t know that there is diving in the Augusta area. You will be surprised how often we hear “I did not know that this even existed in the area, or that there is a national-level diving team representing the CSRA”.

UPW: Apart from diving and coaching, what are some of your hobbies?

MENDEZ: My family is my hobby. I like to go scuba diving, kayaking, fishing and sports shooting. I like to go to the movies and theater. My wife and I love the arts, so we try to escape any time we can.

CSRA Diving is based at the Augusta Aquatics Center, 3157 Damascus Rd. Augusta, GA 30909 (706) 829 - 6309 admin@csra-diving.com Practice hours: Tuesday and Thursday, 5pm - 7pm Every other Monday, 5pm - 7pm

SPORTS

SOCCER

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WESTSIDE’S QUATAJ JACKSON moves the ball down the field during a game against Josey at the Eagles’ stadium. The Patriots defeated the Eagles 9-0 in the final score. (April 11, 2017 Augusta, GA) - Photo by Vincent Hobbs/Sports Journal (At Left) WESTSIDE’S ROCKY MEIJA kicks the ball down the field during a game against Josey at the Eagles’ stadium.

(At Right) WESTSIDE’S QUATAJ JACKSON (L) battles for control of the ball against T.W. JOSEY’S GREGORY JACK (R).

(April 11, 2017 Augusta, GA) - Photo

by Vincent Hobbs/ Sports Journal

9 UrbanProWeekly • APRIL 20 - 30, 2017 T.W. JOSEY SOCCER PLAYER ISAIAH GILBERT (L) battles Westside’s Braydon Aikens (R) for control of the ball during a game at the Eagles’ stadium.

The Patriots defeated the Eagles 9- 0 in the final score.

(April 11, 2017 Augusta, GA) - Photo

by Vincent Hobbs/Sports Journal

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EVANS JUNIOR EMMA MEZZACAPO runs the ball down the field during a lacrosse conference game against Greenbrier at the Knights home stadium. The Lady Wolfpack narrowly defeated The Lady Knights 7-6 in the final score. (April 13, 2017 - Augusta, GA) - Photo by Vincent Hobbs/Sports Journal

SPORTS

LACROSSE

EVANS LACROSSE COACH SHERRY RICHARDS (R) instructs the team during a lacrosse conference game against Greenbrier at the Knights home stadium.

The Lady Wolfpack narrowly defeated The Lady Knights 7-6 in the final score.

(April 13, 2017 - Augusta, GA) - Photo by Vincent Hobbs/Sports Journal

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EVANS SOPHOMORE IZZY RUSSELL (L) takes possession of the ball as Greenbrier’s Claire Cates (R) defends during a lacrosse conference game at the Knights home stadium. The Lady Wolfpack narrowly defeated The Lady Knights 7-6 in the final score.

(April 13, 2017) - Photo by Vincent Hobbs/ Sports Journal

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MAKIN’ A DIFFERENCE COMMENTARY by Ken Makin WHO WEARS THE PANTS?

“Sagging” ordinance raises concerns about the courage of Black leadership

T

he idea of “wearing the pants,” whether in the workforce or in a relationship, suggests dominance and executive decision-making.

In other words, whomever wears the pants wields the power. Simple, right?

It is with this idiom in mind that I challenge an idiotic and shortsighted proposal by Super District 9 Commissioner Marion Williams.

Commissioner Williams is leading the charge on a “sagging pants” ordinance, which would ban the practice and possibly lead to fines.

“Your mother, your father and your wife shouldn’t have to ride down the street and look at other people’s underwear when they’re walking down the street,” he explained at a recent committee meeting.

I’ve said a lot of things about this proposed ordinance. I have talked about the irony and the tragedy of a Black commissioner (who also serves as a pastor) who presides over multiple Black districts passing an ordinance that would promote racial profiling. I have also talked about a Black elected official’s most important responsibility, regardless of location or position, should be to improve the economic plight of Black people.

Ultimately, one question keeps coming to mind: “Who wears the pants?”

It’s not the Augusta Commission.

If that group, which has a majority of six Black commissioners,

UPW Urban Pro Weekly Willis Foreman Road Hephzibah, GA 30815

Proposed “Saggy” pants ordinance would promote racial profiling. wore the pants, they would focus on serving their mostly Black constituency through economics instead of respectability politics. (Respectability politics is the notion that if you dress well and speak well, you will be prosperous and “respected.” We saw how that worked for Dr. King.)

If Commissioner Williams and his Black colleagues “wore the pants,” they would undo the work of the “Gang of Six,” the collection of six WHITE commissioner who, close to a decade ago, greatly cut into city services and made controversial executive decisions without batting an eyelash.

Don’t think for a second that our

commissioners don’t know what’s going on in their districts. They know the problems and won’t fix them. Why? Because of fear.

The same thing is happening among our Black pastors. The problems of the Black community are economic in nature and are enforced through White supremacy. Black leaders know this and are scared to challenge the system because the backlash could cost them their livelihoods, and in some cases, their very lives.

Again, we saw how that worked for Dr. King. He was the standard of “respectability politics.” He was gunned down as if he was less than a man.

URBAN PRO WEEKLY Publisher URBAN PRO WEEKLY MEDIA 706-306-4647 urbanpromedia@yahoo.com

CEO / Sales FREDERICK BENJAMIN SR. 706-306-4647 editor@urbanproweekly.com

It is inexcusable for anyone who represents Black leadership – elected officials, pastors and PARENTS – to pass the buck to a supremacist system, chock-full of crooked cops and dangerous legislation.

The moments leading up to the type of proposal that Commissioner Williams is presenting are the same type of moments that led up to the “War on Drugs.”

It is shameful that men who campaign on a pedestal of Blackness and campaign on behalf of the “common man” end up being nothing more than carriers of generations of supremacy.

It’s pretty bad when the editorial of a controversial newspaper that has a love-hate relationship with Black folks in Augusta gets it right, and the people’s commissioner gets it wrong: “While there are decency laws on the books, you can’t legislate dignity or good taste. That comes best from prudent upbringing or creative teaching – not from a police officer.”

The Chronicle gets it and the commissioner doesn’t? Lord help us.

There are two gaps we need to figure out in the Black community AND FAST – the wealth gap and the generation gap.

The wealth gap is an issue of economics. We need more than jobs, we need ways to make money and pass it down to our kids.

Continued on next page

Contributors VINCENT HOBBS Photography & New Media KEN MAKIN contributing columnist

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Profit from legal medical marijuana is not worth the cost The bible says the devil took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. Then, the devil said to Jesus, “All this I will give you, if you bow down and worship me.”

Likewise, when it comes to marijuana, the same devil tempts AfricanAmerican entrepreneurs with the promise of tremendous profit if they will, “bow down and worship him.”

For this reason, legalized marijuana

is a government sanctioned wolf in sheep’s clothing that will eventually consume its share of lives in the black community.

Moreover, the African-American being seduced by government lies is nothing new. Legalized marijuana just happens to be the most recent lie. That is why, the term medical marijuana and its legalization campaign, is the type of lie that would be appreciated by Adolph Hitler who

said, “Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it.” However, the problem is legalization and adding the term medical does not lessen marijuana’s well documented harmful effects to the human body.

Nevertheless, naked greed overshadows the negativity of marijuana use. Unfortunately, for the love of money many African-Americans will believe the lie and exploit each

other by buying and selling a harmful product sanctioned by a corporate controlled government. Thus, what was true of the past is true of the present. For black people, the words of Malcolm X ring true. He said, “You’ve been deceived, hoodwinked, bamboozled, led astray, run amok.”

Only truth and courage will break the cycle.

Makin from page 12

would rather blame our kids and young adults for society’s problems than to look in the mirror.

We need to do more than tell our kids to tighten their belts around their waist. We need to tighten up when it comes to facing the real

issues in our community.

is available at soundcloud.com/ makinadifference. Updates on the show are available at facebook. com/makinadifferenceshow. Ken can be reached by email at makinadifferenceshow@gmail.com or by text at (803) 270-2331.

The generation gap is an issue of empathy and communication. It’s time out for beating on our kids’ psyches. It speaks to the self-esteem of our entire community that we

Saggy-Pants Laws Target Minorities Saggy-pants laws violate a ba­sic First Amendment right to free speech and the liberty interest in expression. Clothing style is one of the most personal forms of expression. An individual’s liberty interest is a basic right that falls under the same category as the other liberties guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution.

Like stop and frisk and other so-called crime-fighting initiatives, saggy-pants laws invite trouble. Based on “a look,” police target certain communities, usually the Afri­ can-American community, even though people of all races wear pants that might fall under the legal prohibitions. This racially based profiling leads to a disproportionate number of African Americans being stopped and searched unnecessarily, which in turn leads to unnecessary arrests for questionable minor offenses. The fact is that no link has been found between wearing saggy pants and increased crime or threat to public safety—but clothing has become a pretext to stop and search people for other things.

Many people, especially older, find the saggy pants trend objectionable, but does it qualify as a criminal act?

Benjamin Chavis, former executive director of the NAACP stated in a New York Times article, “I think to criminalize how a person wears their clothing is more offensive than what the remedy is trying to do.”

— Marjorie R. Esman / New America Media

Ken J. Makin is the founder of “Makin’ A Difference,” a media conglomerate that incorporates podcasting/radio, social media and commentary. The podcast

Kevin Palmer, Martinez, GA,

COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION OF RICHMOND COUNTY The Richmond County School System will accept bids and request for proposals until 3:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 10, 2017, for the following: 1. Choir Formal Attire for Select High Schools RFQ#17-783 2. Choir Robes for Select High Schools RFQ#17-778 3. Elevator Service and Maintenance RFP#2017-010 4. Engineered Child Safe Wooden Playground Mulch Refurbishment RFP#2017-015 5. Fresh Produce and Eggs 2017 -2018 RFQ#17-17-775 6. Group Vision Insurance Plan RFP #17-777 7. Long Leaf Pine Straw Plantings Bedding RFP#2017-006 8. Nutrition Services Paper Products 2017-2018 RFQ#17-774 9. Routing Software for Transportation Department RFP#17-781 10. School Bus Seat Repair Supplies RFQ#17-779 11. School Bus Transmissions RFP #17-780 12. Xerographic Paper RFQ#17-782 Bid specifications may be obtained by contacting Cecilia Perkins in the Business Office at perkice@boe.richmond.k12.ga.us or 706-826-1298, on our web site at www.rcboe.org/bids, or at Richmond County School System, Central Office 864 Broad Street, 4th Floor, Augusta, GA 30901.

The Richmond County School System reserves the right to reject any and all bids and to waive technicalities and informalities.

COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION OF RICHMOND COUNTY By: Dr. Angela D. Pringle, Secretary

UrbanProWeekly • APRIL 20 - 30, 2017

LETTERS

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Bulletin Board Prescription Drug Take-Back Day The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office will be conducting a prescription drug take back day on Saturday April 29th from 9:30 am to 2:00 pm at the CVS pharmacies located at 1520 Walton Way and 2902 Peach Orchard Road.

This program provides a safe, convenient and responsible way for our community to dispose of unwanted and outdated prescription drugs while keeping the environment safe and reducing the chances for abuse of the drugs.

Church Anniversary RUNS MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH, 717 Williston Red, Beech Island, SC cordially invites you to our 146 Church Anniversary on Sunday, May 7, 2017 at 8 am.

Elder Reginald S. Hinton, Jr. of Raleigh. NC will be our guest minister. Rev. Stevie W. Berry is our pastor.

Jefferson High Celebrating the Arts Program The Jefferson High Alumni Association of Bath, SC will present Celebrating the Arts: The Jefferson High School Legacy on Saturday, April 29, 2017, at 3:00 p.m. The event will be held at the Old Storm Branch Baptist Church, 195 Storm Branch Road, North Augusta, SC. The program will feature former students and friends who participated in or were influenced by various aspects of the fine arts curriculum of Jefferson High School. The community is invited. There is no admission charge. An offering will be accepted.

Jefferson High School singers and friends are invited to participate in the Jefferson High Legacy Choir for this event. Choir rehearsal will be held on Thursday, April 27, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. at Old Storm Branch Church under the direction of Rev. Elroy Wilson.

Contact 803-593-2960 for additional information.

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Richmond County Richmond County Health Department 706.721.5800 Richmond County 706.721.5800 706.721.5800 www.ecphd.com

UrbanProWeekly • APRIL 20 - 30, 2017

ARE YOU AT RISK?

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UPW backpage

Dion Parson & The 21st Century Band with special guest Wycliffe Gordon WYCLIFFE GORDON is presenting a listening room in an intimate jazz club setting on April 22, 2017. The feature artist is DION PARSON AND THE 21ST CENTURY BAND, and Wycliffe is their guest artist.

Enjoy a pop-up jazz club in historic downtown Augusta during Jazz Appreciation Month 2017. Maserati’s, located at 302 Sixth Street, will feature two dinner shows.

The 21st Century Band, comprised of seven of the world’s finest musicians, features a fresh innovative sound that boasts a superb mix of jazz and US Virgin Islands traditions such as Quelbe, and other Caribbean infusions like reggae, calypso, soca, mento, ska, zouk, steel pan, chutney, and funk with New Orleans and African overtones.

Together with leader and Grammy-award-winning drummer and composer Dion Parson, these supremely talented artists deliver their special brand of Caribbean Jazz with down-home sophistication and a high energy level that has audiences—young and old—soaring to their feet time and time again. Their sold-out performances have garnered rave reviews from fans and critics alike.

For information on show times and ticket prices call +1(7620233-5299 or visit info@gardencityjazz.com

Grammy-Award winning artist Dion Parson and the 21st Century band visits Augusta on Saturday, April 22.