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Broward County's Oldest and Largest African American Owned and Operated Newspaper A Pr oud PPaper aper ffor or a Pr oud PPeople...Sinc eople...Sinc Proud Proud eople...Sincee 1971 VOL. 44 NO. 52 50¢ THURSDA THURSDAYY, FEBRUAR FEBRUARYY 4 - WEDNESDA WEDNESDAYY, FEBRUAR FEBRUARYY 10 10,, 2016
Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies fatherhood mentoring program holds eighth annual graduation program: 'There’s No Hood like FATHERHOOD!'
Let’s do our part in recording our History correctly “Only give heed to yourself and keep your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your sons and your grandsons.” Deuteronomy 4:9 (NASB)
By Charles Moseley
Twenty-three fathers participated in the eighth annual fatherhood mentoring program graduation ceremony.
By Bobby R. Henry, Sr.
There is an African proverb which states, “It takes a village to raise a child.” These words of wisdom are also applicable when describing a special fatherhood mentoring program sponsored by Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies (HMHB) here in Broward County. Recently, 23 fathers participated in the eighth annual fatherhood mentoring program graduation ceremony on Jan. 27, 2016 at Joseph C. Carter Park in Fort Lauderdale. The graduates participated in a 12-week program designed to help them become better equipped to face the challenges of fatherhood. Volunteers from all walks of life joined together to share information and resources which program participants then in turn could apply to their particular situations as fathers.
As we step into the presence of our glorious past through our recorded histories, we should make sure that it is the correct recorded History. I raise this point for several reasons, but mainly so we don’t perpetuate the mistruths that seem to have become customary and so readily adopted by us-for whatever reason, i.e. convenience, apathy or shame. This misrepresentation of the truth has led to the miseducation of the Negro; in all its aspects. From the ratification that has allowed Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life to be regulated to the circumference of a city block in what has morphed from a lifetime Dream to a nightmare. Our Black History is so diverse that it has been embedded in us with whips and chains held in the hands of those who capitalized on the slave trade and who fathered many of our ancestors. (Cont'd on Page 5)
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5000 Role Models of Excellence Project participates in the Annual Native Floridian, returns home MLK Parade and makes profound and heart wrenching statement after pursuing her dream Students carried caskets to symbolize impact of gun violence on community and called for an end to the violence Gwen Belton Communications Director MIAMI, FL—Over 200 participants from the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project led the 39th Annual
Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade on Jan. 18, 2016, and called on the community to “Stop The Violence” that is destroying families and communities. Representing 10 Miami-Dade county Public Schools, the Role
Former Detroit mayor said Michigan governors knew about Flint’s water problems By Frederick H. Lowe Special to the Trice Edney NorthStarNewsToday.com (TriceEdneyWire.com) Kwame Kilpatrick, the former mayor of Detroit, claims Michigan governors Jennifer Granholm and Rick Snyder knew about Flint’s water problems long before they received national and international attention because of the water’s high lead content. “Gov. Snyder is misleading people by saying he recently found out about the issue,” Kilpatrick wrote in a Facebook post from a federal prison where he is serving 28 years. “More than likely, he is being viciously, aggressively and deliberately untruthful.” Kilpatrick is appealing his sentence. Granholm was Michigan’s governor from 2003 to 2011. He added that Gov. Gran-
Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick claims Michigan’s governors knew about Flint’s water problems since 2004. holm, Snyder’s predecessor, also was well aware of the issues with the Flint Water Department and their inability to produce contaminant-free water moving forward. He noted the state couldn’t afford the equipment and the technology to do so. Snyder has been governor since 2011. (Read full story on www.thewestsidegazette.com)
Pleading Our Own Cause
Models carried signs calling for an end to the gun violence that has claimed the lives of numerous South Florida students. To symbolize the deep impact of gun violence on the community, students in white gloves carried child-sized caskets and rolled adult caskets along the entire route of the annual MLK parade. The various signs read: “This is not What Dr. King Wanted,” “Young Gifted and Dead,” “Let Me Live,” “Put Your Guns Down,” “No More Murders,” “Our Community Is Not a War Zone,” and “Stop Killing our Kids.” As the white caskets passed, the solemn look on the faces of the people in the crowd and their applause signaled their solidarity and support of Role Models message. Congresswoman Wilson, founder of the
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5000 Role Models of Excellence Project, released the following statement: “We organize forums, town hall meetings and symposiums on gun violence all the time; but who is in attendance, grieving parents, family members and supportive organizations, and never the shooters. We must reach those who are committing these crimes. We hope that the heart wrenching sight of little boys carrying caskets that symbolize the hundreds of children killed by gun-violence presents a vivid picture to the killers, shooters, murderers and gang bangers of the effects of their actions. Let this be a wake-up call and persuade them to put down their guns and end this senseless violence,” said Congresswoman Wilson.
Actress Martina Sykes, daughter of a preacher and a native Floridian, has returned home after pursuing her dream of becoming a star! Words of wisdom and lessons learned along the way have helped her to remain focused as she’s navigated Broadway. Sykes is no stranger to the stage. This talented singer/actress has been blessed to grace many stages across the country. Most notably in the Tony awardwinning musical Hairspray, and critically acclaimed productions of Little Shop of Horrors and the classic Broadway hit, Rent. Most recently, Sykes has taken on multiple roles in the Hit Broadway Smash - Motown The Musical. Among the many
Sykes stops by Bethany to help celebrate Transforming Lives Month. Sykes plays the parts of Mary Wells (the legendary singer and trailblazer) and Gwen Gordy (sister of Berry Gordy, Jr. - founder of Motown).
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characters she plays, the parts of Mary Wells (the legendary singer and trailblazer) and Gwen Gordy (sister of Berry Gordy, Jr. - founder of Motown) are included. Motown - The Musical debuted in Chicago, and is currently touring the United States. The Miami premiere of the musical is coming to the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of MiamiDade County now through Feb. 7, 2016. Sykes affirms, “This musical is not to be missed, if you’re a fan of Motown.” She encourages the audience to clap and sing, scream and shout, and simply engage fully in the production, and have fun! (Cont'd on Page 9)
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