- Invest In Family- - African American Voice · the medicine against death.” - African Proverb...

January 2017 www.africanamericanvoice.net

“Money is not the medicine

against death.”

January 2017 Free

“Money is not the medicine

against death.”- African Proverb

KEEPING THE COMMUNITY INFORMED SINCE 1991

Inside this Issue:It’s Tax Time! - 4 | DeVry University Students to Benefit from $100 million FTC Settlement - 7

U.S. Military Presence in Africa Continues to Grow - 10

Happy New Year! 2017

- Invest In Family-719.528.1954 | AfricanAmericanVoice.net | [email protected]

Small Business Committee: The House Small Business Committee has pledged to make a better way in the handling of its business. Yes, 2017 is shaping up in a very promising way. Article link: http://www.nationalbcc.org/news/latest-news/2888-a-better-way-begins-today-press-release-from-the-sbc

Dr. Ben Carson: The Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs set the date for Carson’s confirmation hearing for Secretary, Housing and Urban Development. The hearing is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 12, at 10 a.m. Eastern. We believe Dr. Carson would bring commitment to this huge responsibility and look forward to working with him. (See more from NBCC on page 11)

NBCC NationalBlackChamber of Commerce® Progress Report|www.nationalbcc.org

Photos, Amazon.com; Margotleeshetterly.com

Hidden Figures book cover; author Margot Lee Shetterly

By Hope Wabuke

(TheRoot) - Even before the publication of Margot Lee Shetterly’s Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race, the rights to the film version of the book—starring Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson and Janelle Monáe—had been sold. This comes as no surprise: The story of these brilliant African-American female “human computers” who were instrumental in calculating the math necessary to propel rockets into space is fascinating. The only surprise is that this

Hidden Figures: Meet the Black Female MathGeniuses Who Helped Win the Space Race

Before you see the star-studded fi lm featuring Taraji P. Henson and Octavia Spencer, check out the book about these amazing black women who worked for NASA.

Continued on page 9

story has not been told before.Novelist Toni Morrison says, “If

there’s a book that you want to read but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” Enter Shetterly, who grew up in Hampton, Va., the site where this mathematical research was done—and who also knew first-hand many of the black women who had been employed to do these mathematical calculations.

“The idea that black women had been recruited to work as mathematicians at the NASA installation in the South during the days of segregation defies our expectations and challenges much of

McCormick Place Chicago, Illinois Transcript by whitehouse.govTHE PRESIDENT: Hello, Chicago!

(Applause.) It’s good to be home! (Applause.) Thank you, everybody. Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you so much. Thank you. (Applause.) All right, everybody sit down. (Applause.) We’re on live TV here. I’ve got to move. (Applause.) You can tell that I’m a lame duck because nobody is following instructions. (Laughter.) Everybody

have a seat. (Applause.) My fellow Americans -- (applause) --

Michelle and I have been so touched by all the well wishes that we’ve received over the past few weeks. But tonight, it’s my turn to say thanks. (Applause.) Whether we have seen eye-to-eye or rarely agreed at all, my conversations with you, the American people, in living rooms and in schools, at farms, on factory floors, at diners and on distant

Remarks by President Barack Obama in Farewell Address

Full remarks continued on page 14Photo, Whitehouse.gov

2 January 2017www.africanamericanvoice.net

In June 2016, the African American Voice celebrated its Twenty-fifth Anniversary, and in so doing will become the longest-running Black monthly newspaper ever published in Southern Colorado and the largest Black monthly serving Colorado Springs Metro, Denver Metro and Pueblo.

The Voice is the brainchild of publisher and owner James Tucker, who conceived the idea while serving in Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq during the Gulf War. James’ goals then, as now, were to awaken the larger community to the needs and untapped potential of African Americans living in Colorado, while at the same time, bringing to the state broad awareness of the diverse mix of local, regional, national and international issues that have, and will continue to have, an impact upon their lives. In addition, the Voice is committed to promoting and preserving United States history.

With a primary investment of his own time and money, assistance from the former veteran-owned Hispania newspaper, Bob Armendariz, and a few advertisers, contributing writers and editors, James has not only managed to keep the paper alive, but also nurtured its steady growth. With the rise of right-wing intolerance, however, publishing has become a challenge. The climate for Blacks has become hostile and unfavorablein Colorado.

The African American Voice is a free monthly newspaper that after serving Colorado Springs Metro, Denver Metro and Pueblo areas with a statewide distribution of 10,000 has transitioned to a global presence; Online only through its website:www.africanamericanvoice.net.

James TuckerPublisherPhone: [email protected]

Undray TuckerAssociate PublisherHoward Smith (Independent Contractor)

H-zero DesignsLayout and Graphic DesignReginald WatsonWebmaster

Columnists:Harry C. AlfordJames ClingmanCharlene CrowellKim Farmer

The Black Press CreedThe Black Press believes that America can best lead the world away from racial and national antagonism when it affords to all people – regardless of race, color or creed – their human and legal rights. Hating no person and fearing no person, the Black Press strives to help every person in the firm belief that all are hurt as long as anyone is held back.

Th e African American Voice is published monthly by Th e African American

Voice Newspaper, Inc. Th e contents of this publication are copyrighted by Th e

African American Voice Newspaper, Inc. Reproductions or use of content in any manner

is prohibited without prior written consent.

African American VoiceP.O. Box 25003Colorado Springs, CO 80936

Contact us at 719.528.1954 or [email protected]

The African American Voice is the best source for monthly Black news online.

Especially news that the mainstream media is scared to present to the world.

In 2017 the African American Voice will broaden

the issues it brings to its readers both national

and international. The Black community is

global and the Voice intends to address global

Black issues by continuing to bring issues the

mainstream media will not report on to

the forefront.

3 January 2017 www.africanamericanvoice.net

COMMUNITY NEWS

Daytona Beach, FL. - U.S. News and World Report named Bethune-Cookman University (B-CU) as the 24th best Historically Black College/University (HBCU) in the nation. The highly respected media outlet recently released a list of 80 ranked institutions based on: graduation/retention, peer assessment, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources and alumni giving. B-CU is also ranked among top liberal arts colleges and engineering programs. To view the 2017 listings, please vist:http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/bethune-cookman-university-1467

B-CU has nearly 4,000 students currently enrolled, which is a record high for the institution. With the progression of academic achievements from students and faculty, B-CU has worked diligently to offer additional programming that will cultivate successful and career-ready graduates. “We are continuously Ascending to Greatness at B-CU; and I am very proud of the work that we are doing,” says President Edison Jackson. “I do believe that one day B-CU will top the list!”For more information, please contact Ursula James: [email protected] or (386) 481-2975.

Edison O. Jackson, Ed.D.President, B-CU

Dr. Edison O. Jackson is the sixth president of Bethune-Cookman University. After having served eleven months as interim president, Dr. Edison O. Jackson accepted the appointment to become the sixth president of Bethune-Cookman University on March 20, 2013, bringing with him a wealth of experience and knowledge in administering the affairs of educational institutions. In September 1983, Dr. Jackson served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Academic Officer at Essex County College in Newark, NJ. He assumed the Presidency of Medgar Evers College of The City University of New York on September 1, 1989. Before accepting the challenge to lead the team at Medgar Evers College, he was President/Superintendent of Compton Community College in California from July 1985 to August 1989.

640 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard Daytona Beach, FL 32114 | Phone: (386) 481.2000

www.cookman.edu

About B-CU On October 3, 1904, a very

determined young black woman, Mary McLeod Bethune, opened the Daytona Literary and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls with $1.50, faith in God and five little girls: Lena, Lucille, and Ruth Warren, Anna Geiger and Celest Jackson. Through Dr. Bethune’s lifetime the school underwent several stages of growth and development and on May 24, 1919, the Daytona

Educational and Industrial Institute was changed to Daytona Normal and Industrial Institute. In 1923 the school merged with Cookman Institute of Jacksonville, Florida (founded in 1872) and became co-ed while it also gained the prestigious United Methodist Church affiliation. Although the merger of Bethune’s school and Cookman Institute began in 1923, it was not finalized until 1925 when both schools collaborated to become the Daytona-

Cookman Collegiate Institute. In 1931, the College became accredited by the Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools of the Southern States, as a Junior College with class B status, and on April 27, 1931, the school’s name was officially changed to Bethune-Cookman College to reflect the leadership of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune.

Bethune-Cookman Universitywww.cookman.edu

BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY TOPS U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT RANKINGS FOR 2017

B-CU Is Among 25 Best HBCUs in the Nation for Undergraduate Education

Eight years ago, Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole became the the director of the National Museum of African Art after a long career in higher education. Just last month, she announced her retirement from the museum.

Diversity, inclusion, and equality have been crucial tenets of Dr. Cole’s leadership. As past president of the Association of Art Museum Directors, she stated “Museums must boldly, indeed bodaciously, commit to rethinking about what takes place in

“You can tell a ripe corn by its look.”- African Proverb

Photos, Bethune-Cookman University

A Moment in “Herstory”

Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole

our museums, to whom our museums belong, and who the colleagues are who have the privilege of telling important stories through the power of science, history, culture, and art.” Dr. Cole has pursued that value within our own museum through the appointment of the Smithsonian’s first chief diversity officer, a national workshop on diversity and inclusion, and a special session of Museum Day Live! focused on women and girls of color.

Continued on page 12

“Museums must boldly, indeed bodaciously, commit to rethinking about what takes place in our museums, to whom our museums belong, and

who the colleagues are who have the privilege of telling important stories through the power of science, history, culture, and art.”

- Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole


– the IRS estimates that there will be over 250 million filed by 2018 with revenues of $11 billion!. Compared to our percentage of population (13%), Black owned tax preparation businesses should have revenues of at least $1 billion. As far as I am concerned, ComproTax alone should be a billion-dollar business, considering it has some 220 affiliates throughout the nation.

One advantage that ComproTax brings to its customers is year-round services. That’s because ComproTax is more than a tax preparation service. While most of the large chains only come into our neighborhoods for four months or so, until around April 15. ComproTax is always there, providing

BLACKONOMICS

Jackie MayfieldPresident & Co-Founder

Frederic ZenoChairman of the Board of Directors &

Honorary Co-FounderYusuf A. Muhammad, AFSPCo-Founder, Executive Consultant & Chair-

man of the Department of Tax Education

Craig D. JohnsonCo-Founder, CTI-Income Tax Professional,

Tax Trouble Consultant

James Clingman

Having written many articles on what takes place from January through April, each year, relative to our tax payments and refunds, I understand that we need reinforcement and repetition on certain issues. Just as advertisers and marketers understand the power of continuous exposure to their messages, Black folks need the same thing, especially when it comes to getting us to act on basic, sound, practical, and collective economic and business principles. So please take a little time to read my latest repetitive missive on one of this nation’s finest Black owned businesses— ComproTax .

The tax preparation industry generates between $6 billion and $9 billion annually, which indicates that there are plenty of tax returns to go around

Tax Preparation Training, Insurance Products, Bookkeeping Services, Payroll Services, Business Mentoring, and Small Business Consulting.

Additionally, ComproTax Founder, Jackie Mayfield, and his two co-founders, Yusuf Muhammad and Craig Johnson, believe in something many Black businesses only talk about: Giving back. They return some of their profits to community activities and charitable causes, and they provide sponsorships for many Black events across the country. In other words, they are “Conscientiously Conscious” business owners.

Mayfield states, “When it comes to tax preparation, you have a lot of choices. So, why choose ComproTax? ComproTax provides complete and professional tax preparation and bookkeeping services with the personal attention that you deserve. We have over 220 offices nationwide and we are steadily growing. In addition to our convenient office locations, we have hundreds of mobile affiliates that will come directly to you. Our tax preparers are committed to ongoing training to ensure that you get the best service and the best tax refund available. In short, we offer a vast network of trained professionals that are ready to serve you in tax season and out of season.”

He continued, “At ComproTax we are about relationships. We work hard to get your business and develop a relationship of trust. We do this by being knowledgeable about new laws and requirements that affect your taxes, being reliable, and being confidential. That’s why our customers come back to us year after year. Don’t trust just anyone to handle your taxes and confidential books. Contact a ComproTax professional and begin a relationship with someone that you can trust.”

One thing I personally love to brag about is the Compro Event Center, a full-service convention center built, owned, and operated by ComproTax a few years ago and located in Beaumont, Texas. Managed by Fred Zeno, another ComproTax stalwart and long-time business associate to Mayfield and the co-founders, the Event Center is

a spacious and luxuriously appointed venue that can be used for weddings, various meetings and conventions, parties, and banquets. I am proud to say that THE One Million Conscious and Conscientious Black Contributors and Voters will hold our quarterly Training and Orientation gathering there January 6-8, 2017. It would be great of other Black groups would do likewise; it is one thing to talk about supporting Black venues, but it is much better to act upon those words.

ComproTax was founded in 1982 and has since created a platform for true economic empowerment via entrepreneurship, by modeling a high level of conscientious consciousness in addition to merely talking about it. As Brother Mayfield said in a speech 16 years ago at a MATAH conference in Philadelphia, “Not only should we be conscious, our consciousness must be disturbed enough for us to do what must be done to achieve real economic power.”

To that I say Ase (Ashe) and Amen!We should support this and other

Black owned businesses that believe in reciprocity and providing top-quality goods and services to their customers. For more information on ComproTax and to find an office near you, go to www.comprotax.net or call 1-888-884-2829. In any case, however, use a competent Black owned tax firm this year.

James ClingmanWriter on Economic Empowermentwww.blackonomics.com

It’s Tax Time!

Images, ComproTax


BLACK BANKS

“A small house will hold a hundred friends.” - African Proverb

ALABAMACommonwealth Na onal BankP.O. Box 2326Mobile, AL, 36652(251) 476-5938, X105(251) 476-9488 Fax

Liberty Bank and Trust660 Adams AvenueMontgomery, AL, 36104(334) 262- 0800(334) 262- 0838 Fax

CALIFORNIAOneUnited Bank3863 Crenshaw Blvd.Los Angeles, CA, 90016(323) 290-4848(323) 290-8245 Fax

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIAIndustrial Bank4812 Georgia Avenue, NWWashington, D.C., 20011(202) 722-2014(202) 722-2040 Fax

FLORIDAOneUnited Bank3275 NW 79th St.Miami, FL, 33147(877) 663-8648

GEORGIACi zens Trust Bank75 Piedmont AvenueAtlanta, GA, 30303(404) 575-8300(404) 575-8311 Fax

Carver State BankP.O. Box 2769Savannah, GA, 31402(912) 233-9971(912) 232-8666 Fax

KANSASLiberty Bank & Trust1314 N. 5thKansas City, KS, 66101913-321-7200

KENTUCKYMetro Bank900 S. 12th St.Louisville, KY, 40210(502) 775-4553(502) 775-5323 FAX

ILLINOISLiberty Bank & Trust Co.1111 S. Homan AvenueChicago, IL, 60624(773) 533-6900, X239(773) 533-8512 Fax

Seaway Bank & Trust Company645 East 87th StreetChicago, IL, 60619(773) 487-4800(773) 487-0452 Fax

LOUISIANALiberty Bank & Trust CompanyP. O. Box 60131New Orleans, LA, 70160(504) 240-5161(504) 240-5166 Fax

MARYLANDThe Harbor Bank of Maryland25 West Faye e StreetBal more, MD, 21202(410) 528-1882(410) 951-1858 Fax

MASSACHUSETTSOneUnited Bank100 Franklin Street, Suite 600Boston, MA, 02110(617) 457-4400(617) 457-4435 Fax

MICHIGANFirst Independence Bank44 Michigan AvenueDetroit, MI, 48226(313) 256-8466(313) 256-8811 Fax

Liberty Bank & Trust9108 Woodward Ave.Detroit, MI, 48202313-873-3310

MISSISSIPPILiberty Bank & Trust2325 Livingston Rd.Jackson, MS, 39201(601) 987-6730

MISSOURILiberty Bank & Trust4701 Troost Ave.Kansas City, MO 64110(816) 822-8560

NEW JERSEYCity Na onal Bank of New Jersey900 Broad StreetNewark, NJ, 07102(973) 624-0865(973) 624-1879 Fax

NEW YORKCity Na onal Bank of New Jersey382 W. 125th St.New York, NY, 10027(212) 865-4763

NORTH CAROLINAMechanics & Farmers BankP. O. Box 1932Durham, NC, 27702(919) 687-7800,X-816(910) 687-7821 Fax

PENNSYLVANIAUnited Bank of Philadelphia30 S. 15th Street, 12th FloorPhiladelphia, PA, 19102(215) 351-4600 X105(215) 231-3673 Fax

SOUTH CAROLINASouth Carolina Community BankP. O. Box 4251545 Sumter StreetColumbia, SC, 29202(803) 733-8100, X1104(803) 254-0150 Fax

TENNESSEECi zens Bank1917 Heiman StreetNashville, TN, 37208(615) 327-9787(615) 329-4843 Fax

Tri-State Bank of Memphis180 S. MainP. O. Box 2007Memphis, TN, 38101(901) 525-0384(901) 526-8608 Fax

TEXASUnity Na onal Bank2602 Blodge StreetHouston, TX, 77004(713) 387-7401(713) 387-5040 [email protected]

VIRGINIAFirst State BankPO Box 6400,201 N. Union StreetDanville, VA, 24541(434) 792-0198(434) 792-4978 Fax

WISCONSINSeaway Bank & Trust Company645 East 87th StreetChicago, IL 60619(773) 487-4800(773) 487-0452 Fax

Directory of Black Banks in the United States of AmericaCompiled by Black Enterprise


AFRICAN AMERICAN CONNECTIONS

Ol’ HenrysDown-home grub, including barbecue brisket,

catfish, burgers & breakfast, served in a casual space.

8600 Airport Rd, St. Louis, MO 63134

(314) 736-6800

The Best Soul Food!

Visit www.africanamericanvoice.net

We strongly encourage your family and friends to read the African American Voice online and to spread widely!

Call 719.528.1954 for more information.

See other African American Voice Connections and Resources Online!

www.africanamericanvoice.net

Support Ms Opal Lee in preserving Black Heritage.

Twitter: @Opalsw2dc

S1 January 2017 www.africanamericanvoice.net

January 2017 Special Supplement

A Tribute toDr. Martin Luther King Jr.

(January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968)

I attended Rust College in Holly Springs, Mississippi and joined the Iota Gamma Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity in 1974. One of the reasons I joined was based on the outstanding Black men that were members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and their commitment to serving Black communities. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is an Alpha Man. Throughout my life I have tried to follow in the footstep of my outstanding brothers.As I reflect on my struggle as a Child of God, Black man, single parent, Advocate, Educator, Veteran, Publisher of African American Voice and Humanitarian, I am proud of the contributions made by some of the famous Alpha men on this page. It has not been easy because I have had to challenge and remind some of my brothers that I will not go along to get along and we have a moral obligation to stand up for justice and keep our ancestors struggle alive.The African American Voice remains steadfast in our mission to keep the community informed and in our mission to uphold the Black Press Creed. One of our goals is to improve the quality of life for African Americans. As a veteran, we support justice and equality for all citizens. My name is James Tucker and I am proud of our achievements.This page is dedicated to outstanding Alpha Men.James TuckerPublisherAfrican American Voice

“A person is a person because of other persons.” - African ProverbThis page was donated by Dr. James Tucker

W.E.B. Du BoisJournalist/Educator/Activist

Lloyd L. GainesScholar/Activist

Adam Clayton Powell Jr.Activist/Preacher/Politician

Paul RobesonSinger/Actor/Activist

Everett B. WardGeneral President of Alpha Phi Alpha

Dick GregoryActivist

Cornel WestAuthor/Activist

Roland MartinJournalist

Alpha Phi Alpha Brothers

S2 January 2017www.africanamericanvoice.net

CIVIL RIGHTS 2017

REMEMBER REV. EDWARD PINKNEYStop the Corruption in Berrien County!

What's really Happening to the People of Benton Harbor

The thrust [of the Berrien county courthouse] is to physically remove and destroy families through the use of the criminal justice system. Every

person they can put in jail; every person whose voting rights they can revoke with a felony conviction; every person they can cause to lose their

job by putting them on probation; every person they can cause to lose the ability to pay for basic necessities through imposing ruinous court

costs and probation is all part of the process. In the 1960s, it was called Negro removal. In Bosnia, it was called ethnic cleansing. It could be called

genocide, the removal of the minority population for the purpose of redevelopment of the land. That’s what’s happening in Benton Harbor and

the foremost leader of the resistance is Rev. Edward Pinkney.

--Civil rights attorney, Hugh "Buck" Davis

BANCO (Black Autonomy Network community Organization)http://www.bhbanco.org/

Twitter: @FreeRevPinkney, @Justice4Pinkney

B A N C Oblack autonomy network community organization working for economic and social justice in Benton Harbor, MI ...exposing state and local NAACP corruptionhttp://www.bhbanco.org/

PRISON RADIOListen to Rev. Pinkney on Prison Radio. http://www.prisonradio.org/media/audio/rev-pinkney

Top Ten Civil Rights ViolatorsThe following organizations manipulate and control certain civil rights organizations with corporate dollars

AT&T

Wells Fargo

Comcast|NBCUniversal

Walmart

The Coca-Cola CompanyPublisher’s Note: Just Say No to Civil Rights Organizations that continue to support Civil Rights violators by having them fund their organizations

Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights ActProhibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex,

or national origin.

Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights ActNo person in the United States shall, on the grounds of race, color, or

national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity

receiving federal financial assistance.

Target

Toyota

Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company

MillerCoors

CBS Corporation

S3 January 2017 www.africanamericanvoice.net

KING’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS

“He who is destined for power does not have to fight for it.” - African Proverb

The Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

■ Leader of the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955

■ Co-founder and first president of Southern Christian Leadership Conference

■ Birmingham Campaign

■ Instrumental role as Civil Rights leader, leading to Lyndon B. Johnson signing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law

■ Received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964

■ Great March on Washington

■ ‘I Have a Dream’ speech defined the Civil Rights Movement

■ Advocate for non-violent protest methods

■ Set the foundation for civil rights organizations that exist today

■ Solidified forever as a part of African American and Civil Rights History and role model

S4 January 2017www.africanamericanvoice.net

ORGANIZATIONS

[email protected]

BLACKONOMIC$

BANCOPhone: (269) [email protected]

B A N C OSUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS FIGHTING FOR OUR COMMUNITY!

The Coalition For Change, Inc.(202) 810-5985www.coalition4change.org

Financial Juneteenthwww.financialjuneteenth.com

National JuneteenthObservance FoundationPhone: (662) 392-2016/(662) [email protected]

NBCC NationalBlackChamber of Commerce®

National Black Chamber of Commerce®[email protected]: (202) 466-6888Fax: (202) 466-4918www.nationalbcc.org

The National Black United FrontGDeaniii@aol.comnationalblackunitedfront.orgwww.nbufront.org

Roots to GloryPhone: (410) 429-0804Mobile: (410) [email protected]

ONUSPhone: (202) [email protected]

Ferguson ActionFerguson Action is an organized social movement that is dedicated to ending police brutality in the United States. Ferguson Action demands the end of racial profiling and abuse of police force.www.fergusonaction.com

e

RELENTLESS, PRINCIPLED, ORGANIZED RESISTANCE DRIVEN BY LOCAL PEOPLE AND SUPPORTED BY PASSIONATE BELIEVERS

THE INJUSTICE BOYCOTTJOIN THE BOYCOTTwww.injusticeboycott.com

www.facebook.com/injusticeboycottwww.twitter.com/WeWillBoycott

“Negroes … sometimes choose their own leaders but unfortunately they are too often the wrong kind. Negroes do not readily follow persons with constructive

programs. Almost any sort of exciting appeal or trivial matter presented to them may receive immediate attention … and liberal support.”

- Carter G. Woodson

Rev. Edward PinkneyFounder

Jerroll SandersPresident & CEO

James ClingmanFounder

Harry C. AlfordCo-Founder, President & CEO

Dr. Conrad WorrillNational Chairman Emeritus

Rev. Ronald V. Myers, Sr. M.D.Founder & Chairman

Tanya Ward JordanPresident & Founder

Ada Anagho BrownPresident

Dr. Boyce WatkinsFounder


FINANCIAL NEWS

Charlene Crowell

“Money can’t talk yet it can make lies look true.”- African Proverb

(BlackPressUSA) - For the third time in two years, a large for-profit college has faced charges of defrauding its students. This time the charges stem from promises of jobs and incomes that never materialized.

On December 15, the suburban Chicago-based DeVry University agreed to a $100 million settlement to end a lawsuit filed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Filed in January, the FTC charged that from 2008 to 2015 the for-profit institution engaged in deceptive marketing and advertising.

According to FTC, prospective DeVry students were told in recruitment and in advertising that 90 percent of its graduates secured employment in their chosen fields within six months of matriculation. A second institutional promise was that one year following graduation they would earn incomes that were 15 percent higher than those earned by graduates from other colleges and universities.

Under the settlement terms, DeVry will pay $49.4 million in cash to qualifying students who were harmed by the deceptive ads, as well as provide $50.6 million in debt relief. The debt being forgiven includes the full balance owed—$30.35 million—on all unpaid private student loans that DeVry issued to undergraduates between September 2008 and September 2015, and $20.25 million in student debts for items such as tuition, books and lab fees.

“When people are making important decisions about their education and their future, they should not be misled by deceptive employment and earnings claims,” said FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez. “The FTC has secured compensation for the many students who were harmed, and I am pleased that DeVry is changing its practices.”

Once approved by federal courts, DeVry will be required to immediately notify the students who will receive debt relief as well as credit bureaus and collection agencies of the impending debt forgiveness. DeVry will also release transcripts and diplomas previously withheld from students due to outstanding debt, and will cooperate with future requests for diplomas and transcripts and related enrollment or

graduation information.This most recent settlement is yet

another reminder of how some of the largest for-profit colleges have failed their students and caused them to become indebted without the educational credentials promised.

California’s Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education issued an emergency decision on August 26, directing ITT Tech and its subsidiaries to cease enrollment of any new students at 15 locations across the state. At the time, the for-profit school was also under investigation by other state and federal offices.

Once the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) determined that ITT Tech was “not in compliance”, and was “unlikely to become in compliance” with accreditation standards, it lost access to federal student aid before ceasing operations of its national online programs as well as its 130 campuses located in 38 states. As many as 45,000

students had been enrolled at ITT Tech.Just days before Christmas, John

King, U.S. Secretary of Education, upheld a September decision that terminated the Department’s recognition of ACICS as the accrediting agency for nearly 240 institutions – most of which were for-profits. Education determined that ACICS failed to meet several regulator criteria and was therefore outof compliance.

Even earlier in 2014, CFPB sued Corinthian Colleges, Inc. for luring tens of thousands of students to take out private label loans, known as “Genesis loans,” to cover expensive tuition costs by advertising bogus job prospects and career services.

More than 60 percent of Corinthian school students defaulted on these high-cost loans within three years. Corinthian also used illegal debt collection tactics to strong-arm students into paying back those loans while still in school. Even for borrowers who did not default, interest rates were more than twice as expensive as interest rates on federal loans.

Corinthian Colleges was forced in 2015 to close its 107 campuses while its parent organization, ECMC

Group agreed to multiple stipulationsthat included:

• $480 million in debt relief for Genesis loan borrowers;

• An end to improper debt collection practices; and

• The removal of negative information from student borrowers’ credit reports.

Unfortunately, these three colleges and universities often perpetrated their

frauds against veterans and peopleof color.

The men and women who earned GI benefits, as well as Black and Latino consumers — many of whom are first-generation college students, do not deserve to be exploited in the pursuit of higher education.

“There must be more vigorous efforts to prevent schools that use deceptive practices from accessing federal student aid in the first place,” remarked Whitney Barkley-Denney, a policy counsel with the Center for Responsible Lending.

“We’ve seen the fallout from these abusive recruitment practices over and over again.”

Fortunately, two recent federal developments may curb these kinds of educational quagmires.

On December 15, President Obama signed into law the recently-passed Career Ready Student Veterans Act. It will prevent the Veterans Administration from approving programs for GI bill benefits if graduates are ineligible for licensure in related occupations.

Similarly, a new U.S. Department of Education rule addresses post-secondary distance education learning, requiring that colleges be authorized to operate in states where their students live. To participate in federal student aid programs, these post-secondary distance education programs must affirmatively certify that enrolled student borrowers are able to obtain state licensure in their field of study.

“While these rules are a step in the right direction,” noted Barkley-Denney, “they also underscore the need for states to increase their own role in higher education oversight…States can prohibit schools from enrolling students into programs for which the school is not properly accredited and therefore students are not eligible for licensure in their field.”Charlene CrowellDeputy Communications DirectorCenter for Responsible Lendingwww.responsiblelending.org BlackPressUSAwww.blackpressusa.com

DeVry University Students to Benefit from $100 million FTC Settlement

Photo, DeVry

“Unfortunately, these three colleges and universities often perpetrated their frauds

against veterans and people of color.

The men and women who earned GI benefits, as well as Black and Latino consumers — many of whom are first-generation college students, do not deserve to be exploited in the pursuit of

higher education.”


HEALTH

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By Dulce Zamora

(WebMD) - You’ve decided it’s time to start exercising. Congratulations! You’ve taken the first step on your way to a new and improved body and mind

“Exercise is the magic pill,” says Michael R. Bracko, EdD, FACSM, chairman of the American College of Sports Medicine’s Consumer Information Committee. “Exercise can literally cure diseases like some forms of heart disease. Exercise has been implicated in helping people prevent or recover from some forms of cancer. Exercise helps people with arthritis. Exercise helps people prevent and reverse depression.”

And there’s no arguing that exercise can help most people lose weight, as well as look more toned and trim.

Of course, there’s a catch. You need to get -- and keep -- moving if you want to cash in on the benefits. This doesn’t necessarily mean following a strict, time-consuming regimen at the gym -- although that can certainly reap benefits. The truth is you can get rewards from many different types and levels of exercise.

“Any little increment of physical activity is going to be a great boost to weight loss and feeling better,” says Rita Redberg, MSc, chairwoman of the American Heart Association’s Scientific Advisory Board for the Choose toMove program.

Your exercise options are numerous, including walking, dancing, gardening, biking -- even doing household chores, says Redberg. The important thing is to choose activities you enjoy, she says. That will increase your chances of making it a habit.

And how much exercise should you do? For heart health, the AHA recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, such as walking, on most days ofthe week.

Yet “if you’re getting less than that, you’re still going to see benefits,” says Redberg. “It’s not like if you can’t do 30 minutes, you shouldn’t do anything, because you’re definitely going to see benefits even at 5 or 10 minutes of moving around.”

Ready to get started? Health and fitness experts helped WebMD compile this beginner’s guide to exercise, including definitions of some common exercise terms,

sample workouts, and recommendations on home exercise equipment.

A way to measure the intensity of your exercise is to check you heart rate or pulse during physical activity. These should be within a target range during different levels of intensity.

For example, according to the CDC, for moderate-intensity physical activity, a person’s target heart rate should be 50% to 70% of his or her maximum heart rate.

Get ReadyThe first step to any workout routine

is to evaluate how fit you are for your chosen physical activity. Whenever you begin an exercise program, it’s wise to consult a doctor. Anyone with major health risks, males aged 45 and older, and women aged 55 and older should get medical clearance, says Cedric Bryant, PhD, chief exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise.

But no matter what your medical condition, you can usually work out in some way.

“I can’t think of any medical issue that would get worse from the right kind of exercise,” says Stephanie Siegrist, MD, an orthopedic surgeon in private practice in Rochester, N.Y.

After assessing your fitness, it helps to set workout goals. For example, do you want to prepare to run a 5K? Hit the gym five times a week? Or just walk around the block withoutgetting winded?

“Make sure the goals are clear, realistic, and concise,” says Sal Fichera, an exercise physiologist and owner of New York-based Forza Fitness.

Whatever your goals and medical condition, approach any new exercise regimen with caution.

“Start low and go slow,” advises Bryant. Many beginners make the mistake of starting out too aggressively, only to give up when they end up tired, sore, or injured, he says. Some get discouraged because they think an aggressive workout will produceinstant results.

“Generally speaking, when people go about it too aggressively early in the program, they tend not to stick with it over the long haul,” says Bryant. “What you really want to do is to develop some new habits that you can stick withfor a lifetime.”

Fitness DefinitionsEven long-term exercisers may have

misconceptions about exactly what some fitness terms mean. Here are some definition of words and phrases you’re likely to encounter:• Aerobic/cardiovascular activity.

These are exercises that are strenuous enough to temporarily speed up your breathing and heart rate. Running, cycling, walking, swimming, and dancing fall in this category.

• Maximum Heart Rate is based on the person’s age. An estimate of a person’s maximum age-related heart rate can be obtained by subtracting the person’s age from 220.

• Flexibility training or stretching. This type of workout enhances the range of motion of joints. Age and inactivity tend to cause muscles, tendons, and ligaments to shorten over time.

Contrary to popular belief, however, stretching and warming up are not synonymous. In fact, stretching cold muscles and joints can make them prone to injury.

• Strength, weight, or resistance training. This type of exercise is aimed at improving the strength and function of muscles. Specific exercises are done to strengthen each muscle group. Weight lifting and exercising with stretchy resistance bands are examples of resistance training activities, as are exercises like pushups in which you work against the weight of yourown body.

• Set. Usually used in discussing strength training exercises, this term refers to repeating the same exercise a

Fitness 101: The Absolute Beginner’s Guide to ExerciseHow to get started with an exercise program.



“You must judge a man by the work of his hands.” - African Proverb

BLACK HISTORY

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what we think we know about American history,” writes Shetterly.

Simply put, this book is the story she needed to write.

“As a child, I knew so many African Americans working in science, math and engineering that I thought that’s just what black folks did,” writes Shetterly.

This was her normal. There was Mrs. Land, a NASA mathematician who taught Sunday school every Sunday morning. There was Katherine Johnson, who worked on computing the trajectory for John Glenn’s space flight. There was Dorothy Vaughan, who wrote the textbook on algebraic methods for the mechanical calculating machines used throughout the department.

And these women are just the beginning.“I can put names to almost 50 black

women who worked as computers, mathematicians, engineers or scientists at the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory from 1943 through 1980, and my intuition is that 20 more names can be shaken loose from the archives with more research,” writes Shetterly.

But Shetterly is careful to note that what seemed normal to her did not come easily to this previous generation. Her father, growing up during segregation, had a passion for engineering but was told to become a physical education teacher instead.

“In those days,” writes Shetterly, “college-educated African Americans with book smarts and common sense put their chips on teaching jobs or sought work at the post office.”

Shetterly’s father’s love of engineering—“he built his first rocket in junior high metal shop class”—would not let him give up his dream. Still, it was not easy: “As late as 1970, just 1 percent of all American engineers were black—a number that doubled to a whopping 2 percent by 1984,” writes Shetterly. “Still, the federal government was the most reliable employer of African Americans in the sciences and technology: In 1984, 8.4 percent of NASA’s engineers were black.”

Hidden Figures shines a much-needed light on the contributions of black women in science and technology that have been vastly overlooked. In prose that is engaging and compelling, Shetterly refutes the commonly held stereotype that STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields are the province of men, specifically white men. Black women

have been doing this work for ages. Before desktop computers, black women were the computing machines, using their vast intelligence to determine the orbital trajectories of space flight and

accomplish other leading discoveries in aerodynamics and engineering.

“Even as a professional in an integrated world, I have been the only black woman in enough drawing rooms and boardrooms to have an inkling of the chutzpah it took for an African American woman in a segregated southern workplace to tell her bosses she was sure her calculations would put a man on the Moon,” Shetterly writes.

It is this empathy with her subjects—her ability to put herself in their shoes—that brings the narrative to life. Steeped in history and thorough research, Shetterly also crafts richly drawn portrayals of these black women who were mathematicians, engineersand scientists.

In vivid, specific detail, Shetterly paints the personal and professional lives of these black women who were vital to America’s scientific advancement. We see their brilliance in their work; we see the ever-present institutional racism; we see the racist microaggressions from white colleagues; we see the inevitable “Colored Only” signs on drinking fountains and bathrooms in their workplace Langley. And yet these

women were responsible for some of the greatest scientific advancements of the age.

This is a book that should be required reading in schools—both as a history

of science and technology and an inspiration for young black women to succeed in STEM fields. This is history that needs to be told; this is history that is still an ever-present reality for women

of color working in STEM fields.By celebrating these black female

“human computers,” we give credit to the work of black women that has, like the achievements of black women in so many other fields, historically been ignored. In Shetterly’s clear, vibrant prose, we have a compelling, thoroughly researched narrative that is in a class of its own. A groundbreaking, deeply inspiring read.

Hope Wabuke is a Southern California based writer and a contributing editor at The Root. Follow her on Twitter@HopeWabuke.

Hope WabukeContributing EditorThe Root www.theroot.com

Hidden Figures: Meet the Black Female MathGeniuses Who Helped Win the Space RaceContinued from page 1

Left to Right: Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson

“Even as a professional in an integrated world, I have been the only black woman in enough drawing rooms and

boardrooms to have an inkling of the chutzpah it took for an African American woman in a segregated southern workplace

to tell her bosses she was sure her calculations would put a man on the Moon.” - Margot Lee Shetterly


INTERNATIONAL NEWS

By Eugene Puryear

In 2006, just 1% of commandos sent overseas were deployed in the U.S. Africa Command area of operations. In 2016, 17.26% of all U.S. Special Operations forces—Navy SEALs and Green Berets included—deployed abroad were sent to Africa. As recently as 2014, that number stood at 700—a 41% increase in two years.

These numbers come to us via Nick Turse reporting in The Intercept about the massive increase in U.S. military operations on the African continent. This buildup under the Obama administration has been mostly done on the down low, only occasionally making headlines, but it has been massive. Read the article here: https://theintercept.com/2016/12/31/u-s-special-operations-numbers-surge-in-africas-shadow-wars/

This is also not the only expansion of U.S. military power across the African continent in recent memory either. The American military is spending $100 million to build a new drone basein Niger.

At least 1,700 special ops soldiers are deployed across 33 African nations at any given time. The stated mission by the U.S. government is “supporting African military professionalization and capability-building efforts.” The U.S. military buildup also clearly is something of a joint project with France. In documents highlighting why they were building the new Nigerian drone base, the military noted that it “supports French regionalization.”

France has deployed roughly 3,000 troops across five of its former African colonies, allegedly as “counter-terror” forces.

France and the United States have created a vast archipelago of bases across the continent for power projection. And as we have seen, have also put thousands of boots on the ground, as well as planes, and drones in the air.

While both countries say very little about this, and cloak much of it in secrecy, it is clear a fairly major war is already being fought in Africa by the United States and the EU through African proxies as well as their own forces. If we look at where these forces are concentrated, we get an idea of the broader strategy.

In the Horn of Africa region, principally Somalia, the United States—after destabilizing the first real government there in two decades—has

been waging a war where African proxy states, in exchange for money, weapons, and training, are currently conducting an occupation and war against insurgent Al Shabab. Why did the U.S. government originally destabilize the country in 2006? Principally to insure that no unreliable government was located along one of the world’s most prominent shipping lanes.

The other major concentration of soldiers is in the Sahel region, principally Mali and Niger. Again the

surface level reason for them being there are Islamic insurgencies in those two countries, as well as Nigeria and Libya. These countries also happen to be rich in human and material resources, and border others with similar attributes. The rhetoric from Western nations of not allowing either a spiral of instability or a “Salafist” government is a code word for not letting the jewels slip from their hands, so to speak.

While a bit of reading between the lines is required, these motivations are

fairly revealed in the U.S. government’s own documents. In the “posture review” submitted in 2016 to the Senate Armed Forces Committee, the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) spoke directly to their own mission:

“Command continues to pursue the objectives of strengthening democratic institutions, spurring economic growth, trade, and investment, advancing peace and security, and promoting opportunity and development throughout Africa … Relatively small but wise investments

… today offer disproportionate benefits to Africa, Europe, and the United States in the future … helping to build African institutions capable of … protecting their populations, enabling economic prosperity, and expanding the ruleof law.”

Quite clearly the general emphasis is on connection nation-building (along Western “democratic” lines), stability, and economic “growth.” In other words, in strengthening the ability of resource and human-rich states to participate in

Photo: Seyllou/AFP/Getty Images

the broader capitalist economic system.It is important that we connect this to

a broader strategy that harkens back to the cold war attempts to control Latin America. In the 1960s through 1980s, Latin America, strategically important to the United States, erupted in a wide variety of left-wing insurgencies, a mortal threat to the United States that feared a hemispheric shifttowards socialism.

In the wake of Vietnam, boots on the ground in Latin America was not a possibility. Instead the United States built up a number of hard right authoritarian states, many led directly by the military. The U.S. nurtured ties with the security establishments lavishing them with cash, weapons, and training that allowed them to control their countries with an iron fist. In return, they made sure political forces hostile to the IMF/U.S. policies of austerity were never able to emerge, brutally drowning most of them in blood in dirty wars from El Salvador to Argentina.

The U.S. is now taking a similar strategy into resource-rich Africa. Using the ties to the military and gifts of arms and training, the U.S. is building relationships with a number of nations where the quid pro quo is clearly to act in the general broad interests that the United States would like to see, and if they have to crush an opposition demonstration or two—well the U.S. will just go ahead and look theother way.

Eugene PuryearLiberation Newswww.liberationnews.org

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U.S. Military Presence in Africa Continues to Grow

“The other major concentration of soldiers is in the Sahel region, principally Mali and Niger. Again the surface level

reason for them being there are Islamic insurgencies in those two countries, as well as Nigeria and Libya. These countries

also happen to be rich in human and material resources, and border others with similar attributes. The rhetoric from Western nations of not allowing either a spiral of instability or a “Salafist” government is a code word for not letting the

jewels slip from their hands, so to speak.”


Look forward to the new year, 2017, as light years better than 2016. The former year’s economy was challenging. Here in Chevy Chase, Maryland, one of the wealthiest communities in the nation, high end department stores closed their doors in mass. Families, even rich families, are cutting back on spending. They have no faith in our future economy. However, that is going to change. The stock market is still carrying the surprising “Trump Bump” and will soon soar over the 20,000 mark. In contrast to 2016, investors will soon have a new confi dence. That means happier days in front. Those shuttered stores will reopen under new banners and a resurgence in employment levels.

Politics in 2016 was downright ugly. The worst I have seen in my life. But in November it came to a head and burst. We are now picking up the “pieces” and a new atmosphere is forming throughout the nation. Foreign plants are moving back to the United States bringing thousands of new, good paying jobs. The job market is active especially with all the political positions opening due to the change in administration.

Foreign affairs have been a little shaky. For the fi rst time in history, our Secretary of State lambasted our closest ally, Israel, in a formal meeting at the UN and the White House agreed with him. This betrayal is very shocking. However, our incoming President publicly stated to Israel to “stay strong” as he will be sworn in January 20 and things will become much better regarding our relations with each other. Enemies of Israel – beware!

For the fi rst time in modern history, our navy does not have one aircraft carrier out to sea. This is signifi cant and shows that our military is underfunded. Morale is slipping and that is a scary state of affairs. It is critical that our military returns to its previous position. If a nation like ours is not prepared for war and its leadership is unmotivated then war is certainly what we will get. It appears that Congress is going to renew its commitment to our military via more funding and recruitment. The sooner this is done; the better America will be.

The public is becoming increasingly optimistic. I could tell from most people this season saying “Merry Christmas” as opposed to “Happy Holidays”. It is so nice to see. People proud of their religion as opposed to being politically correct. If you love Christ, shout it out!

Once again jobs are available big time in the federal government work place. This happens every 4 or 8 years as the new administration pushes out the political hires from the previous administration and fi lls those positions with their new crew. This is no secret! If any of you want to look or try it, go on the Internet, and apply for a good paying government job with 30 days sick leave and 30 days vacation - that’s sixty days off with pay! Here is the website: HTTPS://APPLY.PTT.GOV/.

These jobs aren’t just in Washington, DC. Every city has a noticeable amount of federal jobs. Many of the new bosses will be looking for Republicans. There aren’t too many Black republicans and that could be a good thing. For Blacks that means there is a shorter “line”. Opportunities will be exponentially greater. Consider that. There are 9 - 11 regions in the federal government structure (depending on the agency or department). Within each region are various district offi ces located throughout the nation. Zero in on the district you want to apply for work. Indicate that on your resume or the online application. These job opportunities will fi ll up within the next 3 – 5 months. Get busy!

Section 3 of the HUD Act has been in existence since 1968. This is a job training program for residents of public housing or people living under the poverty level. It is the best job training program the federal government has put on the “books”. However, no administration has ever implemented it. Something tells me that this administration will be the fi rst one to implement this law. Go Google “Section 3 of the HUD Act” and learn about this. Any project with HUD funding is supposed to follow this program. They aren’t now but that is about to change.

Yes! Indeed, the times are changing for the better. Those who believe should go for it and enjoy this ‘new ride’. 2017 is going to be the best year for those who believe it.

Harry C. AlfordCo-founder, President / CEONational Black Chamber of Commercewww.nationalbcc.org

BLACK BUSINESS

“Every woman is beautiful until she speaks.” - African Proverb

Harry C. Alford

NBCC NationalBlackChamber of Commerce®

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2017 Is Going To Be Fantastic!


NATIONAL NEWS

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Dr. Cole is also leading our museum’s successful participation in the Smithsonian Campaign. Already, we have raised 95% of our $15 million goal. Help us give Dr. Cole the send-off she truly deserves—with your support, we can raise the final $500,000 before she departs in March! Contributions can be directed toward the Johnnetta Betsch Cole Fund for the Future, our museum’s initiative to fund our core mission in her honor. Text your donation to 202.836.6622, or donate online: https://africa.si.edu/support/donate/?mc_cid=2a93cc272a&mc_eid=4ed810de04.

Show Dr. Cole you care about the mission of this museum—we cannot do it without you! As Dr. Cole is fond of saying, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” Join us on this journey.

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A Moment in “Herstory”Continued from page 3


NATIONAL NEWS

certain number of times. For instance, a weight lifter may do 10 biceps curls, rest for a few moments, then perform another “set” of 10 more biceps curls.

• Repetition or “rep.” This refers to the number of times you perform an exercise during a set. For example, the weight lifter mentioned above performed 10 reps of the bicep curl exercise in each set.

• Warm up. This is the act of preparing your body for the stress of exercise. The body can be warmed up with light intensity aerobic movements like walking slowly. These movements increase blood flow, which in turn heats up muscles and joints. “Think of it as a lube job for the body,” Bryant explains. At the end of your warm-up, it’s a good idea to do a littlelight stretching.

• Cooldown. This is the less-strenuous exercise you do to cool your body down after the more intense part of your workout. For example, after a walk on a treadmill, you might walk at a reduced speed and incline for several minutes until your breathing and heart rate slow down. Stretching is often part of a cooldown.Sample Workouts for Beginners

Before beginning any fitness routine, it’s important to warm up, then do some

light stretching. Save the bulk of the stretching for after the workout.

Once you’re warmed up, experts recommend three different types of exercise for overall physical fitness: cardiovascular activity, strength conditioning, and flexibility training. These don’t all have to be done at once, but doing each on a regular basis will result in balanced fitness.• Cardiovascular activity. Start by

doing an aerobic activity, like walking or running, for a sustained 20-30 minutes, four to five times a week, says Bryant. To ensure you’re working at an optimum level, try the “talk test”: Make sure you can carry on a basic level of conversation without being too winded. But if you can easily sing a song, you’re not working hard enough.

• Strength conditioning. Start by doing one set of exercises targeting each of the major muscle groups. Bryant suggests using a weight at which you can comfortably perform the exercise eight to 12 times in a set. When you think you can handle more, gradually increase either the weight, the number of repetitions, or number of sets. To maximize the benefits, do strength training at least twice a week. Never work the same body part two days in a row.

• Flexibility training. The American College on Exercise recommends

doing slow, sustained static stretches three to seven days per week. Each stretch should last 10-30 seconds.To learn how to perform certain

exercises, consider hiring a personal trainer for a session or two, or take advantage of free sessions offered when you join a gym.

Home Exercise EquipmentExercise doesn’t have to be done

at the gym. You can work out in the comfort of your own home. And with calisthenic-type exercises such as squats, lunges, pushups, and sit-ups, you can use the resistance of your own weight to condition your body. To boost your strength and aerobic capacity, you may also want to invest in some home exercise equipment.

Experts offer their thoughts on some popular home exercise items:• Treadmill. This best-selling piece of

equipment is great for cardiovascular exercise, says Bracko. He recommends starting out walking at a low intensity for 30 minutes and applying the talk test. Depending on how you do, adjust the intensity, incline, and/or time accordingly.

• Free weights. Barbells and dumbbells make up this category of strength-training equipment. Dumbbells are recommended for beginners. Fichera suggests purchasing an 18 pound adjustable dumbbell set, which can be adjusted in 3 pound increments.

• Other strength training equipment. This includes weight stacks (plates with cables and pulleys), flexible bands, and flexible rods. Fichera says flexible bands are good for beginners, especially since they come with instructions. But he doesn’t recommend them for long-term use; your muscles will likely adapt to the resistance and need more of a challenge.

• Exercise ball. Although instructions and/or a companion video can accompany this gadget, Bracko worries that beginners may use exercise balls improperly. “Some people fall off or can’t keep the ball still,” he says. But if you enjoy working out with an exercise ball, it can provide a good workout.

• Exercise videos and DVDs. Before working out with a home exercise video or DVD, Siegrist recommends watching through it at least once to observe the structure and proper form of the workout. To further improve form, she suggests working out in front of a mirror, if possible, or having someone else watch you do the exercise.

Dulce ZamoraWeb MDwww.webmd.com

Fitness 101: The Absolute Beginner’s Guide to ExerciseContinued from page 8

Photo, PBS Newshour

By Workers World

This is a violent capitalist country. Shootings, beatings, murders occur every day. It is historical fact, beginning with the war against Native people, slavery, the lynchings of African Americans in the South and the brutal treatment of Mexicans in states stolen from that country, that people of color have been — and continue to be — much more likely to be attacked and killed by whites than the other way around.

Police and racist vigilante killings of Black and Brown people occur so often that a whole movement, Black Lives Matter, has arisen in protest. Police violence has spurred people with cellphones to capture digital proof that so often contradicts and exposes the official versions of these incidents.

It is important to keep this in mind when reacting to the terrible news that four Black youth in Chicago are alleged to have kidnapped and beaten a young white man with mental disabilities while shouting racial insults. The four have been charged with hate crimes.

Blurry parts of a video that purportedly shows the torture of the young man went viral on the internet and have been shown repeatedly on television.

But the same media showed only a passing interest last June when a video was released of two white teens and their mother beating and almost drowning a Black youth at a summer camp near Chicago, while yelling racial slurs. (tinyurl.com/huys88b)

And back in 2012, seven white teens in Chicago were videoed beating and kicking an Asian boy as they robbed him

in an alley. While they also yelled racist slurs, the case was not treated as a hate crime. Nor did it get more than passing publicity. (tinyurl.com/z64nwd7)

Is the present case attracting so much attention because the victim, who apparently suffered no permanent injuries, has mental disabilities? That, absolutely, should evoke public sympathy.

But what about similar victims of police killings? A paper issued in March 2016 by the Ruderman Family Foundation reported: “Disability is the missing word in media coverage of police violence. Disabled individuals make up a third to half of all people killed by law enforcement officers.”

Whether they’re white or Black, shouldn’t there be the same concern for

people with disabilities who are victims of the police? People who all too often needed medical attention but were shot dead instead?

What stands out in the handling of this case is that Fox News and the rest of the pro-Trump, right-wing media have used it to attack Black Lives Matter, claiming that the movement against police violence has incited “racial hatred” against white people. That’s what is so hypocritical about theirso-called concerns.

Because media coverage never names the real “racial hatred” — racism and white supremacy. This bigoted hatred provides the rationale for oppressing and exploiting people of color.

Black Lives Matter is a movement

against the specific hatred that is racism, especially what is acted upon by the armed forces of the state. When people of color fight back against the hatred of racism, this is not hatred — it’s self-defense.

We all must fight to end the oppression of racism. One way for white people to join that fight is to support the Black Lives Matter movement.

Oppressed Black and Brown people must be free to determine their own destiny. Only then can genuine feelings of empathy and concern replace the hatred, isolation and anger generated by this oppressive and exploiting racist system.

Workers Worldwww.workers.org

Chicago and Racist Oppression


PRESIDENT OBAMA’S FAREWELL

military outposts -– those conversations are what have kept me honest, and kept me inspired, and kept me going. And every day, I have learned from you. You made me a better President, and you made me a better man. (Applause.)

So I first came to Chicago when I was in my early 20s. And I was still trying to figure out who I was, still searching for a purpose in my life. And it was a neighborhood not far from here where I began working with church groups in the shadows of closed steel mills. It was on these streets where I witnessed the power of faith, and the quiet dignity of working people in the face of struggle and loss.

AUDIENCE: Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!

THE PRESIDENT: I can’t do that. AUDIENCE: Four more years! Four

more years! Four more years!THE PRESIDENT: This is where I

learned that change only happens when ordinary people get involved and they get engaged, and they come together to demand it.

After eight years as your President, I still believe that. And it’s not just my belief. It’s the beating heart of our American idea –- our bold experiment in self-government. It’s the conviction that we are all created equal, endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights, among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It’s the insistence that these rights, while self-evident, have never been self-executing; that We, the People, through the instrument of our democracy, can form a more perfect union.

What a radical idea. A great gift that our Founders gave to us: The freedom to chase our individual dreams through our sweat and toil and imagination, and the imperative to strive together, as well, to achieve a common good, a greater good.

For 240 years, our nation’s call to citizenship has given work and purpose to each new generation. It’s what led patriots to choose republic over tyranny, pioneers to trek west, slaves to brave that makeshift railroad to freedom. It’s what pulled immigrants and refugees across oceans and the Rio Grande. (Applause.) It’s what pushed women to reach for the ballot. It’s what powered workers to organize. It’s why GIs gave their lives at Omaha Beach and Iwo Jima, Iraq and Afghanistan. And why men and women from Selma to Stonewall were prepared to give theirs, as well. (Applause.)

So that’s what we mean when we say America is exceptional -- not that our nation has been flawless from the start, but that we have shown the capacity to change and make life better for those who follow. Yes, our progress has been uneven. The work of democracy has always been hard. It’s always been contentious. Sometimes it’s been bloody. For every two steps forward, it often feels we take one step back. But the long sweep of America has been defined by forward motion, a constant widening of our founding creed to embrace all and not just some. (Applause.)

If I had told you eight years ago that

America would reverse a great recession, reboot our auto industry, and unleash the longest stretch of job creation in our history -- (applause) -- if I had told you that we would open up a new chapter with the Cuban people, shut down Iran’s nuclear weapons program without firing a shot, take out the mastermind of 9/11 -- (applause) -- if I had told you that we would win marriage equality, and secure the right to health insurance for another 20 million of our fellow citizens –- (applause) -- if I had told you all that, you might have said our sights were set a little too high. But that’s what we did. (Applause.) That’s what you did.

You were the change. You answered people’s hopes, and because of you, by almost every measure, America is a better, stronger place than it was when we started. (Applause.)

In 10 days, the world will witness a hallmark of our democracy.

AUDIENCE: Nooo --THE PRESIDENT: No, no, no, no, no

-- the peaceful transfer of power from one freely elected President to the next. (Applause.) I committed to President-elect Trump that my administration would ensure the smoothest possible transition, just as President Bush did for me. (Applause.) Because it’s up to all of us to make sure our government can help us meet the many challenges we still face.

We have what we need to do so. We have everything we need to meet those challenges. After all, we remain the wealthiest, most powerful, and most respected nation on Earth. Our youth, our drive, our diversity and openness, our boundless capacity for risk and reinvention means that the future should be ours. But that potential will only be realized if our democracy works. Only if our politics better reflects the decency of our people. (Applause.) Only if all of us, regardless of party affiliation or particular interests, help restore the sense of common purpose that we so badly need right now.

That’s what I want to focus on tonight: The state of our democracy. Understand, democracy does not require uniformity. Our founders argued. They quarreled.

Eventually they compromised. They expected us to do the same. But they knew that democracy does require a basic sense of solidarity -– the idea that for all our outward differences, we’re all in this together; that we rise or fall as one. (Applause.)

There have been moments throughout our history that threatens that solidarity. And the beginning of this century has been one of those times. A shrinking world, growing inequality; demographic change and the specter of terrorism -– these forces haven’t just tested our security and our prosperity, but are testing our democracy, as well. And how we meet these challenges to our democracy will determine our ability to educate our kids, and create good jobs, and protect our homeland. In other words, it will determine our future.

To begin with, our democracy won’t work without a sense that everyone has economic opportunity. And the good news is that today the economy is growing again. Wages, incomes, home values, and retirement accounts are all rising again. Poverty is falling again. (Applause.) The wealthy are paying a fairer share of taxes even as the stock market shatters records. The unemployment rate is near a 10-year low. The uninsured rate has never, ever been lower. (Applause.) Health care costs are rising at the slowest rate in 50 years. And I’ve said and I mean it -- if anyone can put together a plan that is demonstrably better than the improvements we’ve made to our health care system and that covers as many people at less cost, I will publicly support it. (Applause.)

Because that, after all, is why we serve. Not to score points or take credit, but to make people’s lives better. (Applause.)

But for all the real progress that we’ve made, we know it’s not enough. Our economy doesn’t work as well or grow as fast when a few prosper at the expense of a growing middle class and ladders for folks who want to get into the middle class. (Applause.) That’s the economic argument. But stark inequality is also corrosive to our democratic ideal.

While the top one percent has amassed a bigger share of wealth and income, too many families, in inner cities and in rural counties, have been left behind -- the laid-off factory worker; the waitress or health care worker who’s just barely getting by and struggling to pay the bills -- convinced that the game is fixed against them, that their government only serves the interests of the powerful -- that’s a recipe for more cynicism and polarization in our politics.

But there are no quick fixes to this long-term trend. I agree, our trade should be fair and not just free. But the next wave of economic dislocations won’t come from overseas. It will come from the relentless pace of automation that makes a lot of good, middle-class jobs obsolete.

And so we’re going to have to forge a new social compact to guarantee all our kids the education they need -- (applause) -- to give workers the power to unionize for better wages; to update the social safety net to reflect the way we live now, and make more reforms to the tax code so corporations and individuals who reap the most from this new economy don’t avoid their obligations to the country that’s made their very success possible. (Applause.)

We can argue about how to best achieve these goals. But we can’t be complacent about the goals themselves. For if we don’t create opportunity for all people, the disaffection and division that has stalled our progress will only sharpen in years to come.

There’s a second threat to our democracy -- and this one is as old as our nation itself. After my election, there was talk of a post-racial America. And such a vision, however well-intended, was never realistic. Race remains a potent and often divisive force in our society. Now, I’ve lived long enough to know that race relations are better than they were 10, or 20, or 30 years ago, no matter what some folks say. (Applause.) You can see it not just in statistics, you see it in the attitudes of young Americans across the political spectrum.

Remarks by President Barack Obama in Farewell AddressContinued from page 1




But we’re not where we need to be. And all of us have more work to do. (Applause.) If every economic issue is framed as a struggle between a hardworking white middle class and an undeserving minority, then workers of all shades are going to be left fighting for scraps while the wealthy withdraw further into their private enclaves. (Applause.) If we’re unwilling to invest in the children of immigrants, just because they don’t look like us, we will diminish the prospects of our own children -- because those brown kids will represent a larger and larger share of America’s workforce. (Applause.) And we have shown that our economy doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game. Last year, incomes rose for all races, all age groups, for men and for women.

So if we’re going to be serious about race going forward, we need to uphold laws against discrimination -- in hiring, and in housing, and in education, and in the criminal justice system. (Applause.) That is what our Constitution and our highest ideals require. (Applause.)

But laws alone won’t be enough. Hearts must change. It won’t change overnight. Social attitudes oftentimes take generations to change. But if our democracy is to work in this increasingly diverse nation, then each one of us need to try to heed the advice of a great character in American fiction -- Atticus Finch -- (applause) -- who said “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view…until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”

For blacks and other minority groups, it means tying our own very real struggles for justice to the challenges that a lot of people in this country face -- not only the refugee, or the immigrant, or the rural poor, or the transgender American, but also the middle-aged white guy who, from the outside, may seem like he’s got advantages, but has seen his world upended by economic and cultural and technological change. We have to pay attention, and listen.

(Applause.) For white Americans, it means

acknowledging that the effects of slavery and Jim Crow didn’t suddenly vanish in the ‘60s -- (applause) -- that when minority groups voice discontent, they’re not just engaging in reverse racism or practicing political correctness. When they wage peaceful protest, they’re not demanding special treatment but the equal treatment that our Founders promised. (Applause.)

For native-born Americans, it means reminding ourselves that the stereotypes about immigrants today were said, almost word for word, about the Irish, and Italians, and Poles -- who it was said we’re going to destroy the fundamental character of America. And as it turned out, America wasn’t weakened by the presence of these newcomers; these newcomers embraced this nation’s creed, and this nation was strengthened. (Applause.)

So regardless of the station that we occupy, we all have to try harder. We all have to start with the premise that each of our fellow citizens loves this country just as much as we do; that they value hard work and family just like we do; that their children are just as curious and hopeful and worthy of love as our own. (Applause.)

And that’s not easy to do. For too many of us, it’s become safer to retreat into our own bubbles, whether in our neighborhoods or on college campuses, or places of worship, or especially our social media feeds, surrounded by people who look like us and share the same political outlook and never challenge our assumptions. The rise of naked partisanship, and increasing economic and regional stratification, the splintering of our media into a channel for every taste -- all this makes this great sorting seem natural, even inevitable. And increasingly, we become so secure in our bubbles that we start accepting only information, whether it’s true or not, that fits our opinions, instead of basing our opinions on the evidence that is out there. (Applause.)

And this trend represents a third threat to our democracy. But politics is a battle

of ideas. That’s how our democracy was designed. In the course of a healthy debate, we prioritize different goals, and the different means of reaching them. But without some common baseline of facts, without a willingness to admit new information, and concede that your opponent might be making a fair point, and that science and reason matter -- (applause) -- then we’re going to keep talking past each other, and we’ll make common ground and compromise impossible. (Applause.)

And isn’t that part of what so often makes politics dispiriting? How can elected officials rage about deficits when we propose to spend money on preschool for kids, but not when we’re cutting taxes for corporations? (Applause.) How do we excuse ethical lapses in our own party, but pounce when the other party does the same thing? It’s not just dishonest, this selective sorting of the facts; it’s self-defeating. Because, as my mother used to tell me, reality has a way of catching up with you. (Applause.)

Take the challenge of climate change. In just eight years, we’ve halved our dependence on foreign oil; we’ve doubled our renewable energy; we’ve led the world to an agreement that has the promise to save this planet. (Applause.) But without bolder action, our children won’t have time to debate the existence of climate change. They’ll be busy dealing with its effects: more environmental disasters, more economic disruptions, waves of climate refugees seeking sanctuary.

Now, we can and should argue about the best approach to solve the problem. But to simply deny the problem not only betrays future generations, it betrays the essential spirit of this country -- the essential spirit of innovation and practical problem-solving that guided our Founders. (Applause.)

It is that spirit, born of the Enlightenment, that made us an economic powerhouse -- the spirit that took flight at Kitty Hawk and Cape Canaveral; the spirit that cures disease and put a computer in every pocket.

It’s that spirit -- a faith in reason, and

enterprise, and the primacy of right over might -- that allowed us to resist the lure of fascism and tyranny during the Great Depression; that allowed us to build a post-World War II order with other democracies, an order based not just on military power or national affiliations but built on principles -- the rule of law, human rights, freedom of religion, and speech, and assembly, and an independent press. (Applause.)

That order is now being challenged -- first by violent fanatics who claim to speak for Islam; more recently by autocrats in foreign capitals who see free markets and open democracies and and civil society itself as a threat to their power. The peril each poses to our democracy is more far-reaching than a car bomb or a missile. It represents the fear of change; the fear of people who look or speak or pray differently; a contempt for the rule of law that holds leaders accountable; an intolerance of dissent and free thought; a belief that the sword or the gun or the bomb or the propaganda machine is the ultimate arbiter of what’s true and what’s right.

Because of the extraordinary courage of our men and women in uniform, because of our intelligence officers, and law enforcement, and diplomats who support our troops -- (applause)

-- no foreign terrorist organization has successfully planned and executed an attack on our homeland these past eight years. (Applause.) And although Boston and Orlando and San Bernardino and Fort Hood remind us of how dangerous radicalization can be, our law enforcement agencies are more effective and vigilant than ever. We have taken out tens of thousands of terrorists -- including bin Laden. (Applause.) The global coalition we’re leading against ISIL has taken out their leaders, and taken away about half their territory. ISIL will be destroyed, and no one who threatens America will ever be safe. (Applause.)

And to all who serve or have served, it has been the honor of my lifetime to be your Commander-in-Chief. And we all owe you a deep debt of gratitude. (Applause.)

But protecting our way of life, that’s not just the job of our military. Democracy can buckle when we give in to fear. So, just as we, as citizens, must remain vigilant against external aggression, we must guard against a weakening of the values that make us who we are. (Applause.)

And that’s why, for the past eight years, I’ve worked to put the fight against terrorism on a firmer legal footing. That’s why we’ve ended torture, worked to close Gitmo, reformed our laws governing surveillance to protect privacy and civil liberties. (Applause.) That’s why I reject discrimination against Muslim Americans, who are just as patriotic as we are. (Applause.)

That’s why we cannot withdraw from big global fights -- to expand democracy, and human rights, and women’s rights, and LGBT rights. No matter how imperfect our efforts, no matter how expedient ignoring such values may seem, that’s part of defending America. For the fight against extremism and

President Barack Obama hugs a home owner while viewing her flood-damaged home in the Castle Place subdivision in Zachary, near Baton Rouge, La., Aug. 23, 2016. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)





intolerance and sectarianism and chauvinism are of a piece with the fight against authoritarianism and nationalist aggression. If the scope of freedom and respect for the rule of law shrinks around the world, the likelihood of war within and between nations increases, and our own freedoms will eventually be threatened.

So let’s be vigilant, but not afraid. (Applause.) ISIL will try to kill innocent people. But they cannot defeat America unless we betray our Constitution and our principles in the fight. (Applause.) Rivals like Russia or China cannot match our influence around the world -- unless we give up what we stand for -- (applause) -- and turn ourselves into just another big country that bullies smaller neighbors.

Which brings me to my final point: Our democracy is threatened whenever we take it for granted. (Applause.) All of us, regardless of party, should be throwing ourselves into the task of rebuilding our democratic institutions. (Applause.) When voting rates in America are some of the lowest among advanced democracies, we should be making it easier, not harder, to vote. (Applause.) When trust in our institutions is low, we should reduce the corrosive influence of money in our politics, and insist on the principles of transparency and ethics in public service. (Applause.) When Congress is dysfunctional, we should draw our congressional districts to encourage politicians to cater to common sense and not rigid extremes. (Applause.)

But remember, none of this happens on its own. All of this depends on our participation; on each of us accepting the responsibility of citizenship, regardless of which way the pendulum of power happens to be swinging.

Our Constitution is a remarkable, beautiful gift. But it’s really just a piece of parchment. It has no power on its own. We, the people, give it power. (Applause.) We, the people, give it meaning. With our participation, and with the choices that we make, and the alliances that we forge. (Applause.) Whether or not we stand up for our freedoms. Whether or not we respect and enforce the rule of law. That’s up to us. America is no fragile thing. But the gains of our long journey to freedom are not assured.

In his own farewell address, George Washington wrote that self-government is the underpinning of our safety, prosperity, and liberty, but “from different causes and from different quarters much pains will be taken…to weaken in your minds the conviction of this truth.” And so we have to preserve this truth with “jealous anxiety;” that we should reject “the first dawning of every attempt to alienate any portion of our country from the rest or to enfeeble the sacred ties” that make us one. (Applause.)

America, we weaken those ties when we allow our political dialogue to become so corrosive that people of good character aren’t even willing to enter into public service; so coarse with

rancor that Americans with whom we disagree are seen not just as misguided but as malevolent. We weaken those ties when we define some of us as more American than others; when we write off the whole system as inevitably corrupt, and when we sit back and blame the leaders we elect without examining our own role in electing them. (Applause.)

It falls to each of us to be those anxious, jealous guardians of our democracy; to embrace the joyous task we’ve been given to continually try to improve this great nation of ours. Because for all our outward differences, we, in fact, all share the same proud title, the most important office in a democracy: Citizen. (Applause.) Citizen.

So, you see, that’s what our democracy demands. It needs you. Not just when there’s an election, not just when your own narrow interest is at stake, but over the full span of a lifetime. If you’re tired of arguing with strangers on the Internet, try talking with one of them in real life. (Applause.) If something needs fixing, then lace up your shoes and do some organizing. (Applause.) If you’re disappointed by your elected officials, grab a clipboard, get some signatures, and run for office yourself. (Applause.) Show up. Dive in. Stay at it.

Sometimes you’ll win. Sometimes you’ll lose. Presuming a reservoir of goodness in other people, that can be a risk, and there will be times when the process will disappoint you. But for those of us fortunate enough to have been a part of this work, and to see it up close, let me tell you, it can energize and inspire. And more often than not, your faith in America -- and in Americans -- will be confirmed. (Applause.)

Mine sure has been. Over the course of these eight years, I’ve seen the hopeful faces of young graduates and our newest military officers. I have mourned with grieving families searching for answers, and found grace in a Charleston church. I’ve seen our scientists help a paralyzed man regain his sense of touch. I’ve seen wounded warriors who at points were given up for dead walk again. I’ve seen our doctors and volunteers rebuild after earthquakes and stop pandemics in their tracks. I’ve seen the youngest of children remind us through their actions and through their generosity of our obligations to care for refugees, or work for peace, and, above all, to look out for each other. (Applause.)

So that faith that I placed all those years ago, not far from here, in the power

of ordinary Americans to bring about change -- that faith has been rewarded in ways I could not have possibly imagined. And I hope your faith has, too. Some of you here tonight or watching at home, you were there with us in 2004, in 2008, 2012 -- (applause) -- maybe you still can’t believe we pulled this whole thing off. Let me tell you, you’re not the only ones. (Laughter.)

Michelle -- (applause) -- Michelle LaVaughn Robinson, girl of the South Side -- (applause) -- for the past 25 years, you have not only been my wife and mother of my children, you have been my best friend. (Applause.) You took on a role you didn’t ask for and you made it your own, with grace and with grit and with style and good humor. (Applause.) You made the White House a place that belongs to everybody. (Applause.) And the new generation sets its sights higher because it has you as a role model. (Applause.) So you have made me proud. And you have made the country proud. (Applause.)

Malia and Sasha, under the strangest of circumstances, you have become two amazing young women. You are smart and you are beautiful, but more importantly, you are kind and you are thoughtful and you are full of passion. (Applause.) You wore the burden of years in the spotlight so easily. Of all that I’ve done in my life, I am most proud to be your dad. (Applause.)

To Joe Biden -- (applause) -- the scrappy kid from Scranton who became Delaware’s favorite son -- you were the first decision I made as a nominee, and it was the best. (Applause.) Not just because you have been a great Vice President, but because in the bargain, I gained a brother. And we love you and Jill like family, and your friendship has been one of the great joys of our lives. (Applause.)

To my remarkable staff: For eight years -- and for some of you, a whole lot more -- I have drawn from your energy, and every day I tried to reflect back what you displayed -- heart, and character, and idealism. I’ve watched you grow up, get married, have kids, start incredible new journeys of your own. Even when times got tough and frustrating, you never let Washington get the better of you. You guarded against cynicism. And the only thing that makes me prouder than all the good that we’ve done is the thought of all the amazing things that you’re going to achieve from here. (Applause.)

And to all of you out there -- every

organizer who moved to an unfamiliar town, every kind family who welcomed them in, every volunteer who knocked on doors, every young person who cast a ballot for the first time, every American who lived and breathed the hard work of change -- you are the best supporters and organizers anybody could ever hope for, and I will be forever grateful. (Applause.) Because you did change the world. (Applause.) You did.

And that’s why I leave this stage tonight even more optimistic about this country than when we started. Because I know our work has not only helped so many Americans, it has inspired so many Americans -- especially so many young people out there -- to believe that you can make a difference -- (applause) -- to hitch your wagon to something bigger than yourselves.

Let me tell you, this generation coming up -- unselfish, altruistic, creative, patriotic -- I’ve seen you in every corner of the country. You believe in a fair, and just, and inclusive America. (Applause.) You know that constant change has been America’s hallmark; that it’s not something to fear but something to embrace. You are willing to carry this hard work of democracy forward. You’ll soon outnumber all of us, and I believe as a result the future is in good hands. (Applause.)

My fellow Americans, it has been the honor of my life to serve you. (Applause.) I won’t stop. In fact, I will be right there with you, as a citizen, for all my remaining days. But for now, whether you are young or whether you’re young at heart, I do have one final ask of you as your President -- the same thing I asked when you took a chance on me eight years ago. I’m asking you to believe. Not in my ability to bring about change -- but in yours.

I am asking you to hold fast to that faith written into our founding documents; that idea whispered by slaves and abolitionists; that spirit sung by immigrants and homesteaders and those who marched for justice; that creed reaffirmed by those who planted flags from foreign battlefields to the surface of the moon; a creed at the core of every American whose story is not yet written: Yes, we can. (Applause.)

Yes, we did. Yes, we can. (Applause.) Thank you. God bless you. May God

continue to bless the United States of America. (Applause.)White Housewww.whitehouse.gov

President Barack Obama gives a Challenge Coin to Jacob Leggette and 10 other Kids Science Advisors in the Oval Office, Oct. 21, 2016. Leggette met the President earlier this year at the White House Science Fair where the nine-year-old inventor suggested bringing together a group of kids to share their thoughts on science. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)


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