The Westside Gazette

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THE WESTSIDE GAZETTE POST OFFICE 5304 FORT LAUDERDALE, FL 33310

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID FT. LAUDERDALE, FL 33310

PERMIT NO. 1179

VOL. 45 NO. 4

50¢

A Pr oud PPaper aper ffor or a Pr oud PPeople...Sinc eople...Sinc Proud Proud eople...Sincee 1971

THURSDA THURSDAYY, MARCH 3 - WEDNESDA WEDNESDAYY, MARCH 99,, 2016

South Florida stylist JoAnn 'Silky' Rolle and daughter Shynice Ashley share insights after their Bronner Brothers International Beauty Show experience

What is coming out of our homes? “But if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to practice piety in regard to their own family and to make some return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God.” — 1 Timothy 5:4 (NASB) By Bobby R. Henry, Sr

By Charles Moseley Ever since she was a little girl around the age of 10, Jo Ann “Silky” Rolle enjoyed doing hair for her family and friends. Eventually she became known as one of South Florida’s top hairstylists, specializing in natural hair styles. During a stint with the Trendsetters Natural Hair Beauty Salon, Rolle along with her daughter Shynice Ashley, recently took part in the annual Bronner Brothers International Beauty Show held in Atlanta, Ga. on Feb. 20-22, 2016. The mother and daughter team now have set their sights on creating a new business venture aptly named Silk and Honey Glam Co., aimed at taking styling to the next level. The new company will provide hairstyling, nails and makeup services and also offer Silk & Honey Virgin Hair and other retail hair and beauty products in the near future. Rolle has been in the hair care profession for 21 years. Rolle originally hails from Boston, Mass. but grew up right in the heart of Fort Lauderdale’s African American Community in the Parkway neighborhood. She also spent a brief stint in Alamogordo, N.M. as a teenager along with her younger brother, Thomas. Rolle credits her mother for

South Florida stylist Jo Ann “Silky” Rolle and daughter Shynice Ashley, an aspiring stylist, during the recent Bronner Brothers International Beauty Show, in Atlanta, Ga.

instilling in her a strong work ethic and independent nature. Those assets helped Rolle professionally and personally. Rolle, a single mom, raised her three children- Ashley, James, and Tyson - while building a career as a hair stylist. “My mother was the late Cobretha Belle Rolle of Fort Lauderdale. She had nine children and I am the seventh child out of seven girls and two boys. She raised us all as a single parent but always instilled God first, love for others next and to never give up on our goals and dreams. She worked very hard to provide for us and always made a way. I remember my mother pressing our hair as a kid and telling us about how she did all the hair pressing in Dixie Court when she was a young girl. And she was my very first inspiration to be a professional hairstylist someday,” said Rolle. The Bronner Brothers International Beauty Show is at the top of the list when it comes to showcasing every aspect of the health and beauty industry relating to women of color, in the world. People from across the globe come to participate in hair styling competitions which include: Andis Total Look Barbering Competition; Nail Art Competition; Student Rising Star Competition; Grab Bag Competition & Dare To Inspire Competition. (Cont'd on Page 10)

Trailblazers’ memorial construction targets new unveiling date By Lillian E. Small The Trailblazers of Broward County have set a new date for the unveiling and presentation of its Memorial Legacy Project to the citizenry and others who have a vested interest in this endeavor. Construction of the memorial at Sistrunk Park experienced some technical delays but has now resumed. The completion is expected well in advance of the event which has now been scheduled for March 26, 2016 at Sistrunk Park (near the east coast railroad tracks) from 10 a.m. to 12 Noon. The program for this event will fondly and reverently pay homage to the many early settlers who laid the groundwork for the northwest area of the city. It will commemorate the establishment of a multidisciplinary community that began building in response to the needs of the families who had settled in this area. The knowledge and understanding of the whys and wherefores of our past is a fitting reminder of whose shoulders we stand on, and the importance of acknowledging how those relationships impinge upon our present lives in this community. The sculpture is that of the Sankofa bird whose head faces the opposite way of its body. This mythical bird flies forward

A group of these dedicated community members is pictured here in front of Dillard Elementary and High School, now known as the Old Dillard Museum. Mary Laramore Smith, who spearheaded the move to have the school declared a national landmark, is seen standing directly behind the fourth teacher from the left on the front row. Many of you will recognize your teacher on this picture. with its head turned backward. For us, its literal meaning is, “We must go back and reclaim our past so we can move forward.” Its symbolism is the belief that the past serves as a guide for planning the future; thus it is this wisdom of learning from the past which ensures a strong future. It is meant to inspire as we come into the fullest understanding of who we are and what our lives should add to the legacy of our being.

Pleading Our Own Cause

The northwest community, though striving to provide for immediate needs of survival as its community building progressed, understood that education would be a priority concern for the many residents who were also building their families. Teachers and a place to teach were needed. The humble beginnings of our education community are well documented. Sometimes however, we neglect to recognize those dedicated teachers, those

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tireless members of our community who touch the lives of all other professions, unsung and unheralded, and many times unappreciated. In the manner of Sankofa, The Trailblazers salute these teachers, those who came before them, and those who have followed in their footsteps to serve our youth. We are the benefactors of great teachers who were there to instruct and inspire, enrich and enhance our lives.

There is a West African (Ashanti) saying which says, “The ruin of a nation begins in the homes of its people.” Based upon the evidence of what is occurring across this nation and the world, that old saying is becoming a reality at an alarming rate. Never mind statistics; if we were to speak openly and honestly, we would say that the decline of the American family is at hand, regardless of how we want to define what a family is. The term family has been modified to include examples of non-traditional views and values. To say that those examples are causing this downward spiral would be minimizing the plight and thereby cheapening the much needed critical evaluation of the cause. We see the effects constantly of our deteriorating homes. Drug abuse, teen alcoholism, and suicides. The list goes on and on. Our schools seem to be losing the battle to fully educate our children because of the fallout from broken homes. Gang related activities and racism could be attributed to the collapse of our institution called the FAMILY. Hell, if domestic violence is on the increase what can we expect? Sure, there are outside forces that persistently attack the delicate membrane of the family structure. These forces have not just arrived on the scene; they’ve been around since the beginning of life. Remember: “There is nothing new under the sun.” The only thing that is new is how we have chosen to deal with that which is trying to penetrate our protective constitution. (Cont'd on Page 13)

Bernie vs. Hillary: Who’s better for Black Voters? eit her? Super T uesda Is botth? N Neit either? Tuesda uesdayy is s it bo giving Blac k vvo oter s a ttough ough c hoice. Black ers choice.

Democratic presidential candidate former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders shake hands at the start of their MSNBC Democratic Candidates Debate at the University of New Hampshire on February 4, 2016 in Durham, N.H. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images By Lauren Victoria Burke So which one will it be, folks? If you’re voting on the Democratic side are you going for Bernie Sanders or Hillary Clinton? Who really has the interests of the Black electorate at heart? A lot is at stake when in 2016, 31 percent of the eligible voters will either be Black or Hispanic. The furious competition to win Black voters on the Democratic side is giving us something we haven’t seen in over

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50 years — a real fight for the Black vote by talking about issues that pertain to African Americans while individuals and activists call out the candidates. The contrast from 2008 would give you whiplash. Then-Sen. Barack Obama was devoted to a colorless campaign that avoided specific talk of race and policy prescriptions. (Read full story on www.westsidegazette.com) MEMBER: National Newspaper Publishers Association ( NNPA), and Southeastern African-American Publishers Association (SAAPA) Florida Association of Black Owned Media (FABOM)


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