UPW URBAN PRO WEEKLY
OCTOBER 4 - 17, 2021 • VOL. 10 NO. 4
INSIDE TWO CLASSES OF 1968 CITY ARTS FEST HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH CELEBRATIONS
LANEY HOMECOMING GAME 2021 Photo by Vincent Hobbs
Eddie Bussey 706-772-9800
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Hispanic Heritage Month Events at Augusta University •HOY will host a “travel fest” exhibition at noon Sept. 22 in the breezeway of the Jaguar Student Activities Center. •Multicultural Student Engagement (MSE) will host a Multicultural Monday event honoring Hispanic heritage at 11:30 a.m. Sept. 27 in the lobby of the J. Harold Harrison, M.D. Education Commons. MSE will give out free churros from Taqueria el Patron and prompt students to ask themselves, “What does Hispanic heritage mean to you?” •MSE will host “Being Latinx or Hispanic at AU,” a cultural education event, at 6 p.m. Sept. 28 in the ballroom of the JSAC. This event will feature speakers and Hispanic music and food. •LMSA and HSDA will host lotería, the Mexican version of bingo, at 2 p.m. Oct. 6 on the patio of the Harrison Commons. Snacks and refreshments will be provided. •HSDA will host a charla (“chat”) at noon Oct. 8 in the Harrison Commons, room 1110. At the event, which is open to all dental students, Dr. Charmelo Silva will discuss head and neck exams. •MSE will host Latin Dance Night at 6 p.m. Oct. 15 in the Oak Hall Connect Space.
RAFAEL LOPEZ’S illustration from his book MY NAME IS CELIA, a tribute to Cuban-born Queen of Salsa CELIA CRUZ
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month Sept. 15 - Oct. 15
UPW URBAN PRO WEEKLY
OCTOBER 12 HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH CELEBRATION AT AUGUSTA TECHNICAL COLLEGE
PUBLISHER Growing Augusta: Arts, Agriculture, & Agency LLC http://www.growingaugusta.co +1 (706) 751-2537 SALES & MARKETING http://www.growingaugusta.co/upw +1 (762) 233-5299
11:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M.
CONTRIBUTORS K.L Gordon Olivia Gaines Rickey Jones Latasha N. Louis Layout/Design : UrbanProMedia
FILM
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A Hollywood producer with Augusta roots, Nichelle Protho presents little known story of Immaculate Conception Academy’s lost class of 1968 “I hope this film would depict an aspirational community with thriving businesses and social components and highlight one of the significant forces who stepped in to fill the void in public education; and how this preparation equipped a group of students for the next step in revolutionary change in a small southern town.” — Joseph Floyd Augusta, Georgia’s historic Imperial Theater will premiere a new and socially impactful documentary called Two Classes of 1968 at a private screening on Saturday Oct. 2nd. The special screening will be held for cast & crew, as well as a small group of local leaders, historians, class alumni, and other special guests. The film is about a group of idyllic AfricanAmerican Catholic School students shocked by the abrupt closure of their beloved Immaculate Conception Academy High School, which was nestled inside a Black working class & professional neighborhood, called The Golden Blocks, in the Savannah River port of Augusta, Georgia. Feeling abandoned by the school & separated from the nuns that had taught & nurtured them, this senior class became agents of social change when they accepted a history-making opportunity to integrate the esteemed Aquinas High on the hill. Two Classes of 1968 is a coming-of-age story set under the bright lights of the Civil Rights Movement. The film is narrated by Hill Harper (The Good Doctor, Get On The Bus) and has brief appearances by former Ambassador to the United Nations and mayor of Atlanta The Honorable Andrew Young, former principal ballerina with the Dance Theatre of Harlem Karen Brown, as well as Broadway and Lion King star Russell Joel Brown (both Augusta natives). Main Title art is by Augusta native Salonika Rhyne (www.srdgallery.com/). After the film’s premiere in Augusta, it will be submitted to select film festivals. For more information and to follow the film’s journey, visit https://www.facebook.com/ TwoClassesof1968. Two Classes of 1968 was produced & directed by Nichelle Protho (World Wide
Nate: African Adventures, Undercover Brother); written by Monice Mitchell Simms (2019 PGA Power of Diversity Workshop Alumna and BET+’s Redeemed) & Nichelle Protho; and executive produced by Aquinas High School 1968 alumni Terrye Thompson and Joseph Floyd. Reflecting on the project, Protho said, “I made this film to serve as a love letter from the Class of 1968 to their old neighborhood, to generations of ICA alumni who came before & after them, and to the spirited Franciscan Nuns who taught them well. They were kids who ventured out of their beautiful Black bubble, became accidental activists, and handled their unexpected assignment with dignity and grace.” Terrye Thompson aptly summed up her experience as a member of the Class of 1968, “Sometimes learning is disguised, reveals itself maybe fifty years later.” Additional film producers also include Robert Lester Lowry, Darryl Wharton-Rigby (Stay, Detention), and Monice Mitchell Simms. The film was financed with support of alumni, historians, activists and friends. “I’m passionate about being historically literate and intensely personal, and Two Classes of 1968 is a critical contribution to the cultural preservation of the Black community of 20th century Augusta, GA,” said Protho, “and I knew this was the right film to start making my contribution.” Joseph Floyd said, “I hope this film would depict an aspirational community with thriving businesses and social components and highlight one of the significant forces who stepped in to fill the void in public education; and how this preparation equipped a group of students for the next step in revolutionary change in a small southern town.”
“Two Classes of 1968 is a critical contribution to the cultural preservation of the Black community of 20th century Augusta, GA.” — Nechelle Protho
Nechelle Protho
Salonika Rhyne
Terrye Thompson
Hill Harper
Joseph Floyd
Robert Lester Lowry
There are a limited number of seats available for interested media at the screening and meet and greet at the Imperial. Contact Rhian with RedWolf as soon as possible. Space is delegated on a first reserve basis. MEDIA CONTACT: Rhian Swain EMAIL: rhian@redwolfadvertising.com MOBILE: 706.414.3116
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Two Classes of 1968
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EDUCATION
Dangerous Education; Safer Schools
Have we suggested to our kids that there is a proper time and place for violence? Or have we wholly denied violence as ever being a viable option in any situation? BY MATT WILLIAMS
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few weeks ago, two hallway fights interrupted my teaching day. …Nothing new. It happens in schools across the county; it shouldn’t happen, but it does. When fights occur, they bring a stop to instruction because, frankly, our kids (and some adults) have a thirst for rock-em’-sockem’. It’s exciting to them because it’s out-of-the-ordinary; violence is discouraged religiously, so violence is always a box-office smash. We give no place to violence… and that’s actually our problem. Let me explain. Because medicine can be dangerous, we administer medications to our children until they’re old enough to administer it to themselves. Because driving can be dangerous, we transport our children until they’re old enough to operate vehicles intelligently and transport themselves. Because mass media can be dangerous--- if we’re good parents--we determine what viewing and listening is suitable for our children until they can separate fantasy from reality and entertain themselves. Surely violence is as dangerous as any of these… but do we ever add violence to our children’s repertoire? Have we suggested to our kids that there is a proper time and place for violence? Or have we wholly denied violence as ever being a viable option in any situation? On the surface it sounds crazy. But we clearly understand this seemingly-crazy notion--- teaching violence to our children--- as it pertains to firearms. When children are mature enough, some of us find gun ranges and may take our entire families to learn the ins and outs of gun safety; everything from dismantling a firearm and putting it back together, to cleaning it, to learning when, where, and how to appropriately put firearms to use. Some parents take their little ones on hunting trips and teach them what it is to kill, whether for sport or survival. What’s interesting about
this level of violence is that--- and we pray it remains this way--- 97% of the time it’s not guns our children have to deal with in their every day lives. It’s pushing, shoving, punching, kicking, tripping and the verbal, physical, and psychological provocations which lead to these “tussles” we see on school campuses via social media. We teach non-violence and anti-violence as a rule. It’s a good idea, in theory. Strict adherence to these notions nudges most people towards using their words and their minds to resolve conflicts. The vast majority of altercations can, indeed, be solved without violence… as long as intelligent people are involved on both sides. Sadly, this luxury is not always afforded to us; as gunrights advocates often suggest, what too often happens is bad people with violence on their side and good people having nothing but their wits. Unfortunately, this is inevitable when we stick to a strict non-violence/anti-violence mantra with our kids--- we end up with good young people who are not prepared physically nor mentally to defend themselves when cornered. Not only young people, but adults; many adults are so committed to non-violence that, in hostile environments--- whether at home, in schools and other places of employment, or in public spaces--- they don’t know how to navigate people who become aggressive and invade their space. I want to suggest a new approach. Well… not really a “new” approach, but an old approach that we tend to scoff at (frankly, due to liability issues). …I think we should teach violence in schools. Now, before you laugh, I’m willing to bet within 10 miles of your house is at least one kid who either has been physically attacked at school or who has felt threatened while on their school campus. In response, some parents have enrolled their kids in martial arts classes--- boxing, taekwondo, karate, etc. What did their kids learn to do in those class-
es? “They learned to fight.” …Sure! But if you know anything about martial arts training, you never only learn to fight. In fact, you spend a significant amount of time learning how not to fight, learning when to fight, and learning the potential consequences should you choose to fight. You learn about your mind--that anger is a natural part of us and that well-managed anger is actually an ally. On the other hand, if one doesn’t demonstrate control over their mind and emotions while training, they lose the opportunity to continue their training; thus, the better disciplined students become better equipped to defend themselves. Teach violence in schools, and teach it early. Teaching violence actively brings violence to the surface where it can be brought under control before it emerges on its own. It kills several birds with one stone. 1) It engages young students on topics of anger and ego in their developmental stages so that they can mature with self-control and discipline. 2) Like any Physical Education program, it builds musculature, tenacity and endurance which puts our students in better health and with better focus and better self-images. 3) It lessens the availability of “targets”--- both on and off campus, it reduces the number of students who can be preyed upon. 4) It better acquaints students with school disciplinary procedures, as they come to know and expect consequences for their behaviors. 5) It gives students an opportunity for accomplishment to help them build self-esteem. 6) It creates a greater sense of community by guiding students in uniform routines and exercises, which builds culture. 7) It gives students a safe, controlled space to encounter and get a better understanding of violence so that they learn not to take violence lightly. I can go on and on about why this idea works. I can cite examples of other nations where violence has been incorporated in their education model for years with favorable
results. Imagine campuses full of strong children who feel good about themselves, who know how to carry themselves confidently and assert themselves, who will go through proper channels before taking matters in their own hands, and who have control of their emotions and identity, making them less likely to become bullies. The irony is, this is a safer campus than the campuses we currently walk, where our children come to school with low self-esteem, where they feel they need to target weaker peers and dominate one another to build their self-images, and where their emotions allow them to be easily manipulated and distracted. The campuses we currently walk, in truth, are pressuring faculty and staff to take the initiative to “learn violence”; frankly, we’re tired of having to add submission holds, crowd control, and warning signs of impending conflicts to our lesson plans. And Lord knows, if we get involve we risk liability, but if we don’t get involved we risk liability; basically, we do what’s in our hearts to do and hope for the best. Which brings up another point: if the chief reason we don’t teach violence in schools is liability issues, then we may as well teach violence in school anyway… because we still have liability issues. I’ve known pastors who have worked in boxing clubs while also working in ministry, and at no point did I think it an odd pairing; even David in the Bible says, “Blessed be the Lord my God, who teacheth my hands to fight...” We practice an incompetent style of peace--- a pacifism that encourage victimization by denying the existence of and potential for violence, as if looking away from violence will make violence disappear. Creating a climate of peace requires lowering the incentive for and free development of violence; rarely do people use force when they feel they will be met with equal or greater force. Even children. What we teach, we bridle; to teach violence is to bridle violence.
Artist Check In
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Shout Going Home We’d up and grab handfuls of sunlight-pick it like it was cotton. Push handfuls of it into a long sack slung over one shoulder and every now and then look into the sack, and when the weight of light was too much to bear we’d take that sack and drop it right where we was standing and go shootin’ down the road Lawd I’m comin’ home.
poet & photographer george edward buggs Bird of Prey
SPORTSVIEW
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Mister Wildcat (L) and Miss Laney (R) walk down the Laney field during halftime at homecoming. The Wildcats defeated the Glenn Hills Spartans 42-0 in the final score. The afternoon game featured tail-gating, the crowning of the homecoming king and queen, and other school festivities. (Sept. 18, 2021 Augusta, GA) Photo by Vincent Hobbs/ Sports Journal
GROUND GAIN for the Laney HS Wildcats. Photo by Vincent Hobbs
Maliyah Taylor (L) and Neimen Sullivan (R) celibrate after being named Homecoming Queen and King. Photo by Vincent Hobbs
DOWNTOWN
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Broadway actor and singer Russell Joel Brown performs at the Augusta Arts City Festival. (September 17, 2021 - Augusta, GA) Photo by Vincent Hobbs
A Mini Arts Festival
The J Soul band horn section accompanies Broadway actor and singer Russell Joel Brown at the Augusta Arts City Festival. Photo by Vincent Hobbs
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ONWRITING I Want to Write better Well. BY OLIVIA GAINES Being a dynamic writer is all about word choice. A painter begins with a few flicks and twists of his wrist with a color concept in mind. For example, the fall foliage of a meadow will start with oranges and yellows. The same mindset is required for writing well. Unlike television or movies, the wording has to draw in the reader and keep them engaged by painting an image in their mind’s eye. This is called world-building. You are creating a landscape for the action of the story to occur. Now, how do you accomplish such a task with limited painting skills? Easy. Watch me work. Start with an introductory sentence. The dog ran down the street. This sentence is grammatically correct and includes a subject and a verb. However, if you want to write well, let’s take the same sentence, which is functional, and make it flourish. The giant, great Dane ran down the street. Mr. Foley’s big black great Dane ran down the street. Mr. Foley’s horse-sized great Dane, Pumpkin, ran down the street. Mr. Foley’s horse-sized great Dane, ironically named Pumpkin, lumbered and galloped down Chancey Street, chasing the school bus. Now, I’m engaged and want to know what happens next. Is Mr. Foley’s son on the school bus, or is Pumpkin going to scare the Dickens out of those kids and chase them all over the place? Your reader will also want to know what happens next and will continue to read. That is the art of writing well. Writing well is a simple act of replacing the paintbrush with a pen and allowing your imagination to create a scene, one word at a time. Each word is one more leaf on the tree, in orange, yellow, or a tinge of green until the colors of Fall are filled in. When you are done, you can sit back and stare at the beauty of the world you’ve created with words. Olivia Gaines USA TODAY Bestselling Author Romance Writer with Heart & Humor Get Social with me https://linktr.ee/ogaines
Land Development Conference Registration is now open for the Augusta Georgia Land Bank Authority’s first annual Land Development Conference on Oct. 6th and 7th. Topics include everything from Opportunity Zones and Tax Credits to Economic Investment in the region and Deal Structuring. Register now to ensure your seat for what will be the premier conference of the fall in Augusta. http://www.arctax. com/210/Conference
THANK YOU, CSRA
The Jessye Norman School of the Arts will host an entirely virtual Benefit Concert on October 10th at 4 PM, featuring celebrated jazz artist Wycliffe Gordon. Mr. Gordon is a renowned musician, composer, conductor, and arranger who arranged the theme song to NPR’s “All Things Considered,” as well as an original member of Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. The school had previously intended to hold an in-person concert, but given the surge of COVID-19 cases and the strain placed on local ICU’s, the school decided to change the program’s format. The concert this year is dedicated to the late Ann and Ellis Johnson, passionate supporters of the Jessye Norman School of the Arts and prolific philanthropists for local arts and education. Ann and Ellis Johnson were key in helping the school become the institution it is today, offering free tuition, free meals, free transportation, and free academic assistance to every student. According to JNSA, the school aims to change life trajectories one child and one family at a time. “Following conversations with our stakeholders and our Board Members, we decided it just wouldn’t be consistent with our values to continue forward with an in-person concert,” says Executive Director Gary Dennis. “We want to do everything we can to help fight the surge in COVID cases. We believe that the virtual concert will be an intimate way to experience worldclass live music, and appropriately honor our supporters while keeping our students and families as safe as possible.” The Jessye Norman School of the Arts provides completely free, high-quality arts education to local low-income students, and their annual Benefit Concert is their biggest fundraiser of the year. If you are interested in sponsoring this event, please contact the school at execdir@jessyenormanschool.org.
#gardencityjazz june 27 : july 25 code: UPW text UPW to (706) 528-6855
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The Jessye Norman School of the Arts Announces Fully Virtual Annual Benefit Concert with Wycliffe Gordon and Friends
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COMMENTARY
Have Black people abandoned the legacy of R&B music? A WAVE OF NEGLECT COULD BE BLURRING THE LINES BETWEEN R&B, HIP-HOP, AND ROCK MUSIC.
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n August 4th, 2021, The National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame announced its 10th Class of Hall of Fame Inductees with little to no fanfare. The number of inductees has now risen to over 200. The lack of media interest and attention is one thing, but there are other alarming segments of the population that have allowed apathy to sink in, when it comes to honoring and respecting R&B music history and its legends: American R&B fans and more specifically, AfricanAmerican R&B fans. One of the huge factors for this wave of neglect could be the blurring of the lines between R&B, hip-hop, and Rock music. Billboard’s charts started listing R&B and Hip-hop together on Dec. 11th, 1999 to reflect the blending and mutual influence that each genre had on the other. Radio stations started playing hiphop and Contemporary R&B on the same stations. R&B artists and hiphop artists frequently made cameos on each other’s songs. R&B artists started rapping and hip-hop artists started crooning. When it comes to R&B and Rock music, one of the biggest factors in R&B’s loss of identity is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Every year, rock purists bemoan the fact that an R&B or hip-hop artist like Jay-Z has been inducted into the Rock Hall. On the flip side, R&B artists and their fans are constantly grumbling about their
favorite artist being slighted or overlooked by the Rock Hall. Some of these R&B artists are already inducted by the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame, but if you were to ask many R&B fans, they would exclaim that they didn’t know there was a National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame. What’s even sadder is the fact that many R&B artists that are inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame, don’t even mention their National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame induction. Who’s to blame for the lack of respect for the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame, which is a federally trademarked organization established in 2010 with eight induction ceremonies under its belt? Could it be the lack of respect by the artists themselves, or is it a collective and shared responsibility by the entire community of R&B fans, the majority of whom are Black? In the Black Community, we have always complained about not having our own. We have always realized that seeking validation from non-black institutions is a slippery slope that often leads to marginalization and heartbreaks. Despite history being the best teacher, the R&B community finds itself struggling to be recognized for being the most sampled, most groundbreaking, most innovative, and most influential genre ever produced. Legendary R&B artists are constantly begging for scraps to fall off of the table of the Rock and Roll
Letters: Georgia women must make a stand for their rights Fifty-one percent of the population in Georgia are women. In fact, women outnumber men in all but ten states. The time is now to stand up for Women’s Reproductive Rights and Women’s Health. Evident today are unequal pay parity for the same job and a lack of balance when it comes to equal opportunities for women. You see, women have no hidden agendas, yet we are overlooked and told what we can and cannot do. We need more women in leadership roles. Sisters, voting is another platform for fighting back. Let’s take a stand and stop this abuse. — Betty C. Reece
Hall of fame, only to be patted on the head and told to wait until next year. Why beg for scraps from somebody else’s table, when you can pool your resources and not only buy your own table, but also your own food? Well, National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame Foundation CEO/ Founder LaMont Robinson is not a literal carpenter, but he has been on a tireless crusade to honor R&B legends for the past 11 years, by pitching the idea for a permanent monument, in the form of a R&B Hall of Fame, that would bring jobs and a huge economic impact to wherever it is placed. What’s been the reception from the urban communities that he’s pitched this idea to? So far, it’s been an uphill battle. He often runs into obstructionist politics, hidden agendas, and negativity in the press. The shared vision should be the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame being a once in a lifetime opportunity to affect generations of young AfricanAmerican kids, who can visit a safe space, where their culture is respected and they can see positive images of people that look like them. Instead, the main thrust of the conversation is: HOW MANY CITIES HAVE YOU PITCHED THIS TO? HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PAY FOR THIS? Hailing from the city of Cleveland and now residing in the Detroit area, Robinson has always wanted to see the NRBHOF be supported in an urban area that would be rejuvenated by its presence. Robinson believes
that the positivity of such a sanctuary would reduce crime, blight, and poverty. Robinson also went on to say that he thinks if he were to pitch this concept to other countries like Great Britain or American cities without a Black urban center like Las Vegas or Miami, that it would be a hit. So, who really should bear the brunt of honoring the legacy of R&B? Who benefits the most from R&B? Who created R&B? When you ask these three questions, you may get a variety of answers from people on two of the questions, but there should be a unanimous consensus on the creation of R&B. If R&B is going to be honored, it’s going to take a push from the Black community. Secondarily, artists, corporations, and record companies that benefit from R&B should also be called to action. Now is a grand opportunity for a city to step up and claim this project. Now is a perfect opportunity for a grassroots campaign in the Black Community to take ownership of a multi-billion-dollar genre that they created. Don’t let all the years of discrimination, Jim Crow, violence, and persecution that our R&B artists had to face be in vain. Let’s make this project a reality!” Corey A. Washington Author of Plain Talk Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 and the Jimi Hendrix books: Nobody Cages Me and Jimi Hendrix Black Legacy https://www.jimibl.com
A message of assistance to America’s entrepreneurs from the federal SBA its flexibility and affordability – allowing est businesses can access this crucial entrepreneurs to hire and retain employ- capital, we created a one-month excluees, and purchase needed equipment sive window for businesses requesting and inventory. Now, we’re making the program even more flexible to meet your needs. •The SBA has increased the amount of funding that can be borrowed from $500,000 to $2 million for qualified applicants. •We have authorized COVID EIDL funds to be used to pay and prepay commercial debt and make payments on federal business debt. •We have also made sure that small businesses have time to recover from COVID-19 impacts by further deferring payments – so you won’t need to start repaying these loans for two years after your loan origination date. •In addition, to help ensure our small-
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11 $500,000. — SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman
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At the SBA, we continue to work hard to deliver assistance to America’s entrepreneurs. We have been inspired by the grit and determination we have witnessed as our nation’s small businesses have pivoted and adapted over the past 18 months. However, with the Delta variant, the struggle is far from over. Small businesses across the country continue to need financial relief to get to the other side of this crisis. As part of President Joe Biden’s recently announced COVID-19 Action Plan, the SBA has improved the COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program to better meet the needs of small businesses. The COVID EIDL program has helped millions of small business owners survive the impacts of the pandemic with
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Black Restaurant Week June 13 - 19, 2022