AROUND THE REGION
You Can Say It Like A Pro! Let us help you develop the communication skills to compete and win! ■ Executive Presentation Coaching ■ Media Training ■ Image Branding De : Sade Photo
■ On-Camera Coaching
nis.c deden ww.sa nnis/w
Doris McMillon President
om
C O M M U N I C AT I O N S
Bishop John R. Bryant, Senior Bishop AME Church listens to a speaker during a press conference with clergymen representing the African Episcopal Church at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. on September 2. (Freddie Allen/NNPA News Wire Service)
Bishop Reginald T. Jackson, chair of the Social Action Commission for the Black Methodist Coalition, speaks during a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. on September 2. (Freddie Allen/ NNPA News Wire Service)
301.292.9141/FAX 301.292.9142/Mobile 703.819.0920 doris@mcmilloncommunications.com/www.mcmilloncommunications.com
AME Church Calls for End to Racism By Stacy M. Brown WI Contributing Writer When Barack Obama won election in 2008 and then repeated the feat in earning a second term four years later, it was a watershed moment in race relations in the United States. At least, that was the hope of so many residents, particularly those in the African-American community. “So many people thought that with a black president, race is no longer a problem in the country,” said Bishop Reginald T. Jackson, the chair for the Social Action Commission of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in New Jersey. The religious organization recently held a news conference at the National Press Club in Northwest to present ideas and plans for elected leaders and others to take action to end racism. Naturally, the news conference took on the tone of a Sunday morning sermon as other ministers joined Jackson in the call for “Liberty and Justice,” the theme of the 10 a.m. event. “Many in the United States are in denial that race relations is still a problem,” Jackson said, as a banner above the speaker’s podium carried the sign, “Justice and Righteousness.” Staccato Powell of the AME Zion Church in North Carolina, Bishop Lawrence Reddick of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in Illinois, Jim Winkler of the National
Council of Churches and Bishop George Battle of the AME Zion Church in Arkansas also addressed a crowded Press Club. The group focused attention on the need for criminal reform, education, economic justice, gun reform and voting rights. They said the numerous acts of violence that have plagued the African-American community, including the tragic murders at the Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina earlier this year only served to motivate religious officials who used the tragedy as an opportunity to help steer the country in efforts to confront and address issues that lead to such violence. On June 17, nine members of the Mother Emanuel AME Church were murdered by a white man during their weekly bible study. Just a few days later at a general convention in Salt Lake City, Utah, presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and President of the House of Deputies the Rev. Gay Clark Jennings issued a letter calling on Episcopal congregations to participate in a national day of “Confession, Repentance, and Commitment to End Racism Sunday.” The event occurred on Sept. 6. “Our sisters and brothers in the African Methodist Episcopal Church have asked us to make that solidarity visible. We asked all Episcopal congregations to join this ecumenical effort with prayer and action,” Jefferts Schori said. Further, racism will not end with
www.washingtoninformer.com
the passage of legislation alone; it will also require a change of heart and thinking, Jackson said. “This is an effort which the faith community must lead and be the conscience of the nation,” he said. “We called upon every church, temple, mosque and faith commuDenise Rolark Barnes nion to make their worship service Independent Beauty Consultant on Sunday a time to confess and rewww.marykay/drolark-barnes.com pent for the sin and evil of racism, 202-236-8831 this includes ignoring, tolerating and accepting racism, and to make a commitment to end racism by the example of our lives and actions.” Racial reconciliation through prayer, teaching, engagement and action is a top priority of the Episcopal Church in the upcoming triennium, Jefferts Schori said. Participating in “Confession, Repentance, and Commitment to End Racism Sunday” on September 6 is just one way that Episcopalians can (301) 864-6070 undertake this essential work, she said. “Our history as a church includes atrocities for which we must repent, MCCOLLUM & ASSOCIATES, LLC saints who show us the way toward ADA, Age Discrimination, Benefits, Civil Rights, the realm of God, and structures COBRA, Contracts, Deaf Law, Defamation, Disability Law, that bear witness to unjust centuries Discipline, Discrimination, FMLA, FLSA, FOIA, of the evils of white privilege, systemic racism, and oppression that Family Responsibility, Harassment, HIPPA, OSHA, are not yet consigned to history,” National Origin Discrimination, Non-Compete, Please set all copy in upper and lowercase, flush left as indicated on artwork at these point sizes: Consultant name in 11-point Helvetica Neue Bo Jefferts Schori‡ Beauty said. Consultant in 9-point Helvetica Neue Light;Discrimination, Web site or e-mail address in 9-point HelveticaAct, Neue Retaliation, Light; phone number in 9-point Helvetica Race Rehabilitation To thefor Independent Beauty Consultant: Only Company-approved Web sites obtained through the Mary Kay® Personal Web Site program may “We are grateful the companSeverance Agreements, Sexual Harassment, Torts, ionship of the AME Church and Whistleblowing, Wage-and-Hour, Wrongful Discharge other partners as we wrestle with our need to repent and be reconciled SERVING MARYLAND, DC, & NORTH CAROLINA to one another and to the communiwww.jmlaw.net (301) 864-6070 jmccollum@jmlaw.net ties we serve.”WI
EMPLOYMENT LAWYERS
The Washington Informer
Sept 10 - Sept 16, 2015
5