“Perhaps the surest test of an individual’s integrity is his refusal to do or say anything that would damage his self-respect.” – Thomas S. Monson
Malveaux Discusses the ‘Race to the Bottom’ Page 24 •
C e l e b r a t i n g 4 8 Ye a r s o f S e r v i c e
•
Serving More Than 50,000 African American Readers Throughout The Metropolitan Area / Vol. 48, No. 34 June 6 - June, 12, 2013
Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast on Aug 29, 2005, causing billions of dollars of damage and a death toll in the thousands. /Photo courtesy of Dan Anderson
African Americans Disproportionately Affected by Disasters Studies Show Blacks Unprepared By Stacy M. Brown WI Contributing Writer The tornado which devastated an Oklahoma town last month has once again sparked debate about emergency preparedness, particularly in the African American community where disaster readiness hasn’t always been a
priority. “We’ve seen the effects of September 11, Hurricane Katrina, and other disasters. We’ve also seen the effects they have had, especially on black people,” said Cindy Vaughn, a Prince George’s County resident. “However, we (African Americans) tend not to pay too much
attention to these things and that’s one of the main reasons why we’re not always prepared when natural disasters and other tragedies strike,” she said. The attitude toward preparedness among America’s black population remains nonchalant despite frequent disaster occurrences and rising death tolls, ac-
cording to several studies. Officials at the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University in New York recently completed a study, “Planning for Responding to and Recovering from Disasters,” which revealed that African Americans are likely to view themselves as being more at-risk
Visit us online for daily updates and much more @ www.washingtoninformer.com. Seniors Recognized for Athletic Abilities Page 18
Scripps National Spelling Bee Names New Champion Page 22
from man-made disasters such as terrorist attacks, industrial and power plant accidents, or nuclear bombs. Fifty-four percent of blacks in the survey said it was likely they would experience a major disaster within the next five years, See PREPAREDNESS on Page 8
Follow us on
Historic Golf Course Celebrates Its Heritage Page 26
and on DCTV 95 & 96