Urban Views Weekly December 23, 2015

Dec. 23, 2015 Scholar of the Week - Michiah Watts

The Christmas Story

2 Urban Views Weekly | December 23, 2015 www.UrbanViewsWeekly.com

In a strategic effort to continue the movement of “Black-on-Black economics” - circulating dollars in the Black community to every extent possible - a group of Black male entrepreneurs led by the U.S. Black Chambers Inc. (USBC) has opened accounts with the D.C.-based Black-owned Industrial Bank.

“In order for there to be a strong Black America, you must have strong Black businesses. In order for there to be strong Black businesses, we must have strong Black banks. So, from my standpoint, this is just a reciprocation for what Industrial Bank has done for our communities for the last 80 years,” said USBC CEO Ron Busby Sr. “There’s a trillion dollars of spending power in our community and we want to make sure that dollar stays within our community. Twenty-eight days a dollar stays in the Asian community, twenty-one days a dollar stays in the Hispanic community. In our community, our dollar leaves within six hours. We have got to change that...Until we have total control of how we circulate our money, our power and respect will continue to be marginalized.”

The 15 young men who gathered in the lobby of the historic Industrial Bank are members of the Black Male Entrepreneurship Institute (BMEI), which is in partnership with the USBC. The meeting took on a celebratory mode

as Industrial President/CEO Doyle Mitchell congratulated Busby for his influence.

“I’m just humbled at the presence of mind that you have displayed since you first came to town and started taking a leadership role with the Chamber of Commerce and came to Industrial Bank and made a $5,000 deposit. You put your money where your mouth is,” said Mitchell. “Our

only solution for us to get out of the situation that we are in as Black people is Black on Black economics. I love and appreciate the way you have taken that forward with this effort.”

Busby recalled that when he made that $5,000 deposit five years ago, he was intentionally choosing Black businesses in every area of his life. Buying a house at the time, he said he made sure he had a Black mortgage company, title

company, home inspector, pest control company, and moving company. “Everybody that touched the transaction was a Black firm. The service was superior and the price was right.”

Since then, Busby has become a leading advocate for support of Black banks and Black-owned businesses. In that regard, USBC has now launched an ongoing fundraising effort for the BMEI, co-founded by Randall Keith Benjamin, Jr. and Howard R. Jean, who accompanied the young entrepreneurs to the bank.

“This is bigger than just a moment or taking pictures. It’s about how can we go out of our way to make sure that our communities are as strong as possible,” said Benjamin.

According to Jean, a BMEI reception and launch will take place Jan. 15, 2016.

“We know that our community banks are the strongest funder of small businesses, particularly Black businesses in the community,” Jean said. “So this is our campaign, starting here at the Industrial Bank in Washington, DC as we launch nationally with BME to encourage and inspire other entrepreneurs - male and female - of all ages to start banking Black.”

Black on Black Economics: Black Male Entrepreneurs Make Strategic Deposit in Black-owned Bank

By Hazel Trice Edney (TriceEdneyWire.com)

USBC CEO Ron Busby Sr. (center left, red tie), with Industrial Bank CEO Doyle Mitchell along with members of the Black Male Entrepreneurship Institute. PHOTO: Ashlei Sutton

“In order for there to be a strong Black America, you must have strong Black businesses. In order for there to be strong Black businesses, we must have strong Black banks.”

3 www.UrbanViewsWeekly.com Urban Views Weekly | December 23, 2015

dom.com

THE SOUNDTRACK OF LIFE IS ELECTRICThere is a soundtrack that accompanies your every day – whether it’s the rolling tumble of the dryer or the coffee pot dripping with your morning cup. But what we often consider background noise is actually an electric score that accompanies our lives. It’s a rich symphony of cadences

and clicks, buzzes, bells, whistles and whirs, and it’s there all the time.


Letter ToThe Editor

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FUNdraising Good Times

Creative Christmas gifts for your favorite nonprofit

Civic Beat

Its Christmas time! And soon to be Kwanzaa. Then New Years! It’s time to celebrate and share gifts. We give to our families and friends. Many of us have already made a gift to nonprofits we hold closest to our hearts. But, there’s always time for more giving. Here’s a holiday gift idea that can extend into the new year: Give a non-financial gift. Here’s what we mean.

First, let us be clear: nonprofits cannot operate without money. That is a fact. But, we also know there are many other things nonprofits need, and you just might be the right person to fill that need. Think about it this way: nonprofits are busy delivering on their mission and vision. Each also has to raise money, market their organization, and take care of business operations such as human resources, accounting, and facilities. They have a lot to focus on. Your non-financial gift can make a big difference.

If you are an attorney, you can donate legal services. If you are an accountant, you can review your favorite nonprofit’s bookkeeping processes and help update if needed. Computer professionals can conduct a technology assessment, and – if you want to “double your giving” – you could invite others to provide some of the products or services that might be needed to help

the nonprofit increase its efficiency or, in some cases, get up-to-date.

There’s something for everyone to offer: basic maintenance, repairs or painting can make a big difference for a nonprofit that has been deferring property maintenance. A team of two administrative

specialists could install new office systems and organize those never-ending piles of paper in an afternoon or weekend.

Marketing is a need for most nonprofits, and something that few can afford. If you have marketing-related skills, you could make a meaningful impact on a nonprofit. If you have a circle of colleagues that want to work with you, you could help a nonprofit change its future. Imagine this: web redesign, setting up a social media program, creating a marketing plan, crafting standard messages that engage donors and the community.

Here’s how you could launch your project. First, reach out to the executive director at the nonprofit you want to give to. Let them know what you are thinking about and ask if your project could be a match for what the nonprofit needs. If it’s a fit, schedule the project for a time that works for all. Remember, Christmas is about more than one day. With this type of gift you can bring joy throughout the year.

Copyright 2015– Mel and Pearl Shaw

Mel and Pearl wish you a Merry Christmas! For more ways you can make a difference in your community visit www.saadandshaw.com

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Xenophobia is the fear of foreigners. This fear is intense and irrational, provoking violence and extreme dislike and distrust, especially of people from other countries or cultures. The United States of America is a country that is full of foreigners and immigrants. Only the indigenous People are not foreigners to this land, this place we call “our” country. No matter that our ancestors came here in a variety of ways and through broadly variant circumstances; some by fleeing their own countries because of poverty, injustice or persecution, some through the violence of enslavement and abduction and still others in search of a better life for themselves and their children. In whatever manner they arrived, they were foreigners, refugees and their native countries dispossessed many. Generations have passed and yet the entire world still sees the United States of America as the nation where, anyone from anywhere can find a place and build a future. They can, with hard work and perseverance, have success in pursuit of the “American Dream.” Ellis Island, in the NY harbor was the place where millions of immigrants and refugees first set eyes on Lady Liberty whose inscription famously reads:

“Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

The “door” that is being touted in contemporary discourse is the one attached to the “WALL” that is going to be built on the southern border of the U.S. to keep people out instead of inviting them in? Oddly paradoxical considering that unless you are of Native American heritage, your ancestors came here from another country, and now you want to keep people from other countries out! These are people who are seeking the same freedom, opportunity

and better life for themselves as all of those who came here before them. There are those refugees whose countries are in the throes of war, ethnic cleansing or religious persecution. The U.S. has always been a beacon of safety and protection for those individuals and families. As a nation whose founders were also fleeing religious persecution, the principles and platitudes upon which the United States finds its fundamental integrity and character as a nation hinge upon being in practice, what we proclaim we are in principle. As a nation, theses four pillars: liberty, freedom, justice and equality define us, and we are, globally, identified as the world’s leading democracy.

Who we are and what we believe as a nation is becoming less clear to the world as more voices from within, rise up to close the door and seal off the borders of the U.S. to immigrants fleeing war, persecution, poverty and uninhabitable conditions. The world is watching as Christians who claim “peace on earth goodwill towards men” at this time of the year more than any other, because it is Christianity’s high holiday. The celebration of the birth of the “Savior of the world.” Although calendars of diverse cultures and religions differ vastly, roughly speaking, it has been several millennia since the birth of Jesus Christ, who according to the Christian faith is the Son of God incarnate. The mother and father of Jesus Christ were refugees fleeing persecution and ethnic cleansing. Had they been fleeing for their lives today, the United States of America, if left to many, would have probably turned them away due to the culture of fear, anti-immigrant, anti- Middle

Eastern xenophobic rhetoric and suspicion running rampant throughout our nation. “Tis the season…but many people, especially people in leadership, claiming to be followers of Christ, are some of the least Christ-like people I know…in a country founded as “…one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for ALL.” Actions speak louder than words. Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Season to ALLUp Next Week: Take your country back to what…from whom…to where?

ViewPointsBy Dr. T

Tawnya Pettiford-Wates, Ph.D.Founder and Artistic DirectorThe Conciliation Project andAssociate ProfessorVirginia Commonwealth UniversityDrT@Margins2theCenter.comwww.theconciliationproject.org

There’s a Jewish refugee… Christians claim to know!

TanyaFree.com/Urban Views Weekly Poll

A recent poll revealed that nine in ten Americans will celebrate Christmas this year, and three quarters of respondents believe in the virgin birth of Jesus. The poll revealed that 67 percent of Americans prefer the greeting of Merry Christmas, while 18% prefer to say “Happy Holidays.”

What’s Your Take? Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays?Check out the story and respond to this week’s poll at TanyaFree.com and the Urban Views Weekly FACEBOOK Page. Listen to the Tanya Free and Friends Talk Show Wednesdays @ 2 p.m. on WCLM1450AM streaming LIVE @ TanyaFree.com and BlackTalkRadioNetwork.com.

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The BeginningAnd it came to pass in those days, that there

went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that

all the world should be taxed.

And Joseph also went up to be taxed with

Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

The King Is BornAnd so it was, that, while they were

there, the days were accomplished that

she should be delivered.

And she brought forth

her firstborn son,

and wrapped him in

swaddling clothes, and laid

him in a manger; because there

was no room for them in the inn.

The Three KingsWhen they saw the star, they rejoiced with

exceeding great joy.

And when they were come into the house,

they saw the young child with Mary his

mother, and fell down, and worshipped

him: and when they had opened their

treasures, they presented unto him gifts;

gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

The Wise MenNow when Jesus was born in

Bethlehem of Judea in the days

of Herod the king, behold, there

came wise men from the east to

Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he

that is born King of the Jews?

For we have seen his star in

the east, and are come to

worship him.”

When they had heard the king,

they departed; and, lo, the star,

which they saw in the east,

went before them, till it

came and stood over where

the young child was.

6 Urban Views Weekly | December 23, 2015

Let There Be Peace On Earth

7 www.UrbanViewsWeekly.com

The ShepherdsAnd there were in the same country

shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch

over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon

them, and the glory of the Lord shone

round about them: and they were sore afraid.

A Message From an AngelAnd the angel said unto them, Fear not:

for, behold, I bring you good tidings of

great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of

David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye

shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling

clothes, lying in a manger. The Saviour is BornAnd suddenly there was with the angel a

multitude of the heavenly host

praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace, good

will toward men.

By Bernard FreemanLet There Be Peace On Earth


For all the planning we do during the holidays, the last couple of weeks before the big parties and family gatherings can trip up the best of budgets.

Perhaps what’s needed are some last-minute tricks to keep overspending to a minimum. Here are a few ideas to get you through.

Track your spending. If you’re close to the upper end of your budget and you’re not quite sure what’s happened, go through those receipts. Maybe you and your partner or spouse are shopping independently, spending too much on gas, meals out or failing to coordinate on the items you need. Maybe the kids are adding items to their lists at the last minute. It’s toughest to say no to kids, so see if there are adult gifts, decorating items or seasonal specialty food you really don’t need to purchase. In other words, if your budget is tight, identify the expenses you can alter and adjust your spending plans.

Don’t ignore the cost of returns. Some retailers are strict about return policies on a host of items, which makes it doubly important to save all your receipts. If you’re giving gift cards, make sure the recipient has the purchase receipt in case the card

doesn’t work. If you’ve bought items online, make sure you keep critical return information and package return stickers in case you need them. However, take one additional step with shipped returns – see whether the seller is charging you more for their convenient shipping label option than shipping the item back locally in your own packaging. Finally, keep restocking fees in mind – some retailers charge in excess of 10 percent of the item’s cost to accept a return, particularly for electronic and mechanical purchases that involve heavy packaging. Ultimately, the best time to check return policies is before you buy, but if you do have to return items, consolidate those trips to save time, gas and money.

“Piggyback” the purchases of others. If you have a large gift list for loved ones or family, be a nosy shopper. Maybe your sister is finally giving her movie freak husband the room-sized flatscreen he’s always wanted. Maybe your nieces and nephews are getting expensive dolls, toys or technology items that require clothes or software of some sort. If you are trying to cut your holiday budget, check in with loved ones to see if you can supplement these expensive gifts with accessories that might be easier on your budget and appreciated just as much. Pitching in for a couple of outfits for the expensive doll – rather than having to

buy the expensive doll itself – saves you money, gives your loved ones a break on the subsequent purchases they’ll need to make and the recipients gets more of what they want. A win-win all around.

Watch out for theft. All the smart shopping in the world won’t lessen the headaches from thieves who target your packages, personal and online data or the contents of your wallet. Fast-approaching holidays and busy schedules can leave us tired and distracted, so keep a close watch on potential risk for identity theft, (https://www.identitytheft.gov) package theft from cars, homes and apartment vestibules. If you take public transportation, use extra caution to keep your money, purchases and personal technology hidden from thieves.

Bottom line: Don’t let the last, busy weeks of the holiday season knock you off budget or threaten your financial security in other ways.

Nathaniel Sillin directs Visa’s financial education programs. To follow Practical Money Skills on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PracticalMoney.

The DealBy Nathaniel Sillin

Don’t Let the Last-Minute Holiday Rush Crush Your Budget

Dr. Carla King is a Richmond native with an amazing passion for Adolescent Health, Childhood Obesity and Nutrition as well as Asthma. But that’s not all. She is the Site Coordinator for the national reading program Reach Out and Read and oversees the family planning program at four sites for the Capital Area Health Network. After receiving her undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia she completed medical school at the University of Maryland-Baltimore. She competed her residency at Howard Hospital in DC. She collected numerous awards all along the way. Finishing her post graduate at VCU she continues to enjoy teaching medical students, nurse practitioner students and physician assistant students in her office. Dr. King is a Capricorn. Her favorite

color is purple. Her favorite movie is ‘The Game’. Her favorite music group is Mercy Me. She loves seafood and her pet peeve is “People that are not Team Players”. The saying that she holds dear is “You reap what you sow”.She is ready to serve you at the Vernon J. Harris Medical Center.

When you ask Dr. Barbara J. Steele what her passion is, she will tell you the children. Oh, and her miniature Schnauzer, Max! After practicing pediatrics in Atlanta for 24 years, Dr. Steele came back to Virginia, near her undergraduate Alma mater, The University of Virginia, to add her expertise

to the Capital Area Health Network & make a difference in the community. The Board Certified Doctor is a member of both the Physician’s Alliance of America and the Physician’s Alliance Health Plan Trust. Dr. Steele’s hobbies include cooking, reading, and relaxing at the beach. Her favorite color is red, her favorite movies are “The Sound of Music” & “It’s a Wonderful Life”, and her favorite music group is Earth, Wind and Fire. The latest book she has read is “The Bully Pulpit” by Doris Kearns Goodwin. Her pet peeve is self-centered people and her favorite saying is “Be True To Yourself”. She is ready to serve you at the Northside Medical Center.

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Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’ -- Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Urban Views Weekly invites you to nominate a person whom you believe best embodies the courage, compassion, integrity, inspiration and vision displayed by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The nominee should live in the Greater Richmond and Petersburg communities.

Two individuals will be selected and featured in our January 2016 Martin Luther King edition.

Letters of nomination should be 400 words or less, and must include the nominee’s full name, address and telephone number. Nominators should include his or her name, address, telephone number and email address.

Help us showcase the good work being done in our community by dedicated heroes and heroines.

2016

Urban Views Weekly6802 Paragon Place Suite 410Richmond, VA 23230 Attention: Visionaries 2016

For more information call: 804.441.6255

The deadline for nominations is Jan. 1, 2016. Submissions may be emailed to Publisher@

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Scholar of the WeekWith her mother being a track coach and her father being a basketball coach, Michiah Watts has always been involved in sports. She started running track when she was about five and started playing basketball in middle school. She said her parents have definitely had a big influence on her love for sports and said it’s in her blood. She was thrilled when she made both the Varsity Girls’ Basketball and Track teams as a freshman. However, when she was running track that year she began to have problems with her hip. “I would try to run as fast as I could and practice hard, but all of a sudden I just had to stop because of the pain,” Michiah wrote in an essay. “At first I thought it was a minor issue, and that if I keep stretching and practicing, it would go away. I was wrong.” When Michiah went to get her hip checked out, she discovered that one of her bones was longer than the other, and the bones were rubbing together with little tissue in between causing the pain.

After undergoing hip surgery and being told she would be back to normal in three months, it took her an entire school year. Michiah said learning how to walk and run again, something she had been doing most of her life, was “the worst feeling in the world.” With her love for sports, unfortunately she had to take a break from basketball and track. When she went back to playing, she went from being the Captain of the basketball team to not getting into any games in her sophomore and junior years. “The surgery didn’t allow me to show my full potential, and it is hard to go from being a great athlete to having to start all over like I never ran or played basketball before,” Michiah stated. After taking some time off, Michiah said she came back “in full force with a better attitude and as a better athlete.” The experience taught her how to appreciate her own ability.

Currently, she focuses on track more. Despite her surgery, she has been involved with sports throughout her time in high school. “I like being a part of the team,” Michiah said. She likes the excitement that comes with basketball and she likes setting personal goals and being able to achieve them in track. She has also played for her school’s volleyball team.

While she has gotten some offers, Michiah is not sure if she will continue playing sports in college but she plans to major in

health science. Her top four choices for college are Howard University in Washington D.C., James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond or George Mason University in Fairfax. “If you work hard with sports and academics, if you work hard to meet your goals, or work hard to succeed like studying, good study habits always put you ahead,” Michiah said when asked what lesson she will take with her

to college. She is not sure which route she will take in the health field, but she does know she likes to work with children.

Outside of sports and school, Michiah’s favorite activity is being a Girl Scout and mentoring others. She enjoys going out in the community and helping. Most recently, she won her silver award after presenting to the council on awareness for drunk driving and driving under the influence. She is also a member of the National Honor Society and the Technical Student Association.

Michiah said her mother is a big influence on her life and she appreciated how as a child she was always inspired to do her best and to be the best possible. She did her best after recovering from her surgery and now plans to do the same as she prepares for college and a life in the health science field.

By Janeal Downs

Michiah Wattsof Richmond Community

High School

GPA: 4.07

College of Interest: Howard University, JMU, VCU or GMU

Major Community Service: West End Striders and The Giving Heart

Strong Interests: Sports and Health

Favorite Activities: Being a Girl Scout

Scholar0of the Week™


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Millions of people dream of becoming their own boss. It is one of the major reasons why so many foreigners emigrate to the U.S.

The Small Business Administration estimates that between 60-80 percent of all new jobs in our country are created by small businesses. America depends on small business. It is the largest creator of jobs. Every community needs the local flavor that a small business can bring. No matter what type of business you are thinking of starting, it will enhance your town or city.

So how exactly can you make your dream a reality?

Ask yourself if you are ready, willing and able to run a small business. This undertaking requires lots of hard work and persistence. Not everyone is up for the job.

A small business owner does many things. You may need to answer the phones or make service calls. Also, you may have to run your own marketing campaign and then become a sales person. Incredible energy is required, as a business owner has to work 12-hour days with little time off.

A great idea and lots of passion are simply not enough. You will need a skill set and expertise that you may or may not have acquired as an employee.

The good news is that if you don’t have these skills, you can learn them. Help is available through your local Chamber of Commerce, Small Business Administration and other not-for-profit agencies. It is important to start training yourself now before it is too late.

If you have a desire to succeed starting your own small business, here are some things to consider:

1. Identify your business opportunity. Take an inventory of your skills, background and expertise. What are you willing to learn? Your passions, interests and hobbies can guide you. If your service involves meaningful work or something you are genuinely passionate about, your long days and hard work will feel fulfilling.

2. Determine if there is a need in the community for your product or service and

research the competition. Understanding your market and competition is always necessary if you want your business to succeed.

3. Understand that you will need to create a mission statement and a detailed business plan. Usually a business plan includes a vision, description of the organization’s structure, how the business will be financed and the capital will be used. Your plan should also include projects of growth and profit or service goals. Businesses with strong, solid business plans are more likely to succeed. It means you have thought of all aspects of the business and can articulate your vision clearly.

4. Determine where you will find the capital to start your small business. Businesses fail because they don’t have enough funding. If you have a good business plan, chances for receiving funding will increase. You will demonstrate skills, forethought and credibility in asking for capital regardless of whether you are asking a bank or a relative.

5. Explore the requirements for doing business in your area. Are licenses and permits required? Do you need to incorporate? At this point, it may be wise to consult the volunteers at the Small Business Administration. They can provide valuable advice about the benefits of

particular business structures: a sole proprietorship, a limited liability corporation (LLC), an S corporation, a C corporation or partnership. Your choice will have an impact on your tax payments, so it is essential to consult professionals about setting up your accounting system.

6. Part of the fun of owning your own business is naming it. The name of your business says everything about it. Put some serious thought into this. Your name should fit your present situation and particular niche now, but it should also fit if you

expand into new products, services and markets.

7. Check to make sure the name is not already in use. Otherwise, you may be forced to abandon your business name due to trademark or copyright infringement.

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Urban Views Weekly December 23, 2015

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