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8/7/2019 Washington D.C. Afro-American Newspaper, March 5, 2011
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Volume 119 No. 30 www.afro.com $1.00
Copyright 2011 by the Afro-American Company
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MARCH 5, 2011 - MARCH 11, 2011
Hear the AFRO on The DailyDrum, Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Join the AFROonTwitter and Facebook
CarmelosTrade Reignites
Knicks-HeatRivalry B4
Black-ownedStationary Co.Offers DiverseOptions B2
Assault on Unions isan Attack on BasicCivil Rights A7
OpinionFirst LadysVacationMeal SparksControversy
By Valencia Mohammed
Special to the AFRO
Another controversy befell Washington, D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray recently when one
of his top aides was abruptly terminated just one day after he was publicly praised for his
performance.
The latest turmoil follows numerous stories of alleged scal mismanagement, unjustied
high salaries for top aides and cronyism by the mayor and D.C. Council Chairman KwameBrown.
Sulaimon Brown, 40, was a special assistant to the mayor in the Department of Health
Finances, and claimed he was relieved of his duties due to political pressures by Councilman
David Catania (Ind.-At-Large) and was the subject of a smear campaign.
Youre not a good t, Brown said he was told by Wayne Turnage, director of the
department.
Wayne Turnage told me that Catania told him if he didnt let me go he would not conrm
Fired Aide to D.C. MayorGray Claims Setup
By Sirdonea Davis
Special to the AFRO
With summer quickly approaching, many eager
teens began their search for employment with the
One City Summer Youth Employment Program
(SYEP), which was launched on Feb. 25. As
hundreds of the Districts youth and parents owed
inside the Department of Employment Services
(DOES) building to attend the Midnight Madness
kick-off event, bright smiles and optimism dawned
on many faces.
SYEP was established to prepare and provide
essential work experience for 12,000 District youth,
ages 14 to 21. Midnight Madness, the rst of several
events held throughout the city, was created to assist
with the application process, mainly providing
computers for those without Internet access as well
as DOES staff to assist. We didnt want the lack
of Internet access to keep people from applying
to the program. We kept it open until midnight
as a convenience to working parents, agency
spokeswoman Dy Brown said.
Many teens came prepared with the required
documentation, including a Social Security card,
proof of residency and valid e-mail address. The
children seem to be getting smarter this year.
Many have already brought some of their required
paperwork, Brown said.
The event was organized to ensure a smooth
and quick transaction, having the applicants in-and-
out in as little as 20 minutes. The program opened
3:15 p.m. Feb. 25 and by 6 p.m. over 4,500 had
already applied, with many still arriving. At AFRO
press time, Brown said DOES had received 12,000
applications, but she encouraged youth to continue
submitting their applications since there is a waiting
list.
The program was initially established by former
Mayor Marion Barry. This year Mayor Vincent
Gray implemented critical changes with hopes of
enhancing and enriching the program. The most
notable change is that the program will be smaller
and tailored more to the individual needs of youth.
We cut the participant level to 12,000 to make sure
everyone is getting the most out of the program ... in
order to nurture and mentor, Brown said.
The number of applicants for the One City
Summer Youth Employment Program
exceeded the 12,000 goal in just oneweekend. Continued on A5
By Zenitha
Prince
Washington
Bureau Chie
D.C.
Unmasked &
Undressed,
the memoir
of Lillian
McEwen,
a formerjudge and ex-
girlfriend of
Supreme Court
Justice Clarence
Thomas, hits
the shelves
March 5. But,
as the author
told the AFRO,
this book is
denitely
not for the
G-rated crowd.
While the tale
chronicles the
often painful
journey of the
writer from the despair of a
dysfunctional, abusive home
to the travails and triumphs
of a Capitol Hill and judicial
career, it is a trail marked
with sex lots of it. And
Thomas gures prominently
literally and guratively
in this tale. McEwen gushes
over Thomas prowess
and fantasy [package],describing his body as
coffee-bean ... velvet-
covered cement. He was a
national treasure, she said,
one she shared with other
women in mnages trois
and in a voyeuristic pleasure
palace. And she described her
then-lover as being easily
aroused, with a strong
interest in pornography.
In a one-on-one interview
with the AFRO, McEwen
shared her thoughts about
Thomas, about love and lust,
mental illness, suicide and
about evil and the will to
survive it.
AFRO: So Im guessing
that this book is going
to make retirement more
exciting.
LM: Most denitely
[Laughs]
AFRO: At the end of your
book you seem to suggest why
By Gregory Dale
AFRO Staf Writer
District students arecutting classes at alarming
rates, but a proposed
plan by the Metro Transit
Authority would monitor
their whereabouts with an eye
to cutting down on student-
related crimes while they usethe rail system.
This school year, police
have picked up over 3,700
truant students and delivered
them to school, according
to Councilmember Sekou
Biddles ofce. Meanwhile,
recently released Metro data
reveals that in 2010, there
were 2,012 arrests, 507 of
which involved youths. In
total, the transit authority
reported 2,279 crimes, up
from 1,440 in 2006.
Weve seen statistics
that there are increased
increments of crime amongschool-age students during
the day when they should
be in school, so it would
follow that those crimes being
committed during school
hours could possibly happen
on the Metro as well, D.C.
Councilmember Sekou Biddle
told the AFRO in a recent
interview.
According to the
Washington Post, Metro and
city ofcials are considering
strapping restrictions on
students riding on its train
and bus routes. Under the
proposed guidelines, students
would be issued passes
with a chip that contains
identication information.
They currently use passes
without IDs at a reduced fare.
The AFRO reached outto Metro for comment, but
did not receive a response by
press time.
But, a spokesman for
the District Department
of Transportation told the
Postthat if implemented,
the program could restrict
Metro usage past 8 p.m. and
on weekendsthough teens
would still be allowed to
travel at a regular priced fare.
Locals Welcome Metros Proposed Student RestrictionsPlan Targets Truancy, Student Crime
AFRO File Photo
Metro ocialsare consideringembedding
identication dataon the cards used
by students in a bid
to reduce truancyand violence
among its young
riders.
Continued on A5
Continued on A8
Courtesy and AP Photos
Former District judge Lillian McEwen
shares details about her sex life withformer boyfriend, now-Supreme Court
Justice Clarence Thomas, in her newmemoir, D.C. Unmasked & Undressed.
Clarence Thomas Stars in Sexually Charged Memoiryou wrote it, but what were
your reasons? And why now?
LM: Its a book that I had
always planned to write and
had always been pressured
to write. I never understood
why it was that my friends
and family kept saying,
Youve got to write a book,
Lillian. And really it wasnt
until I nished the book that
I realized that my life waskinda unusual. I wasnt really
thinking of it that way while
I was living it. The impetus
for my retirement was really
the same as the impetus for
writing the book as a catalyst.
And that is, one of my best
friends in life had died and it
made working at the position
I had very difcult. And then
my mother was dying at the
same time. My brother died
within a few weeks of mymothers death and it just
seemed like it was time to
assess my life and gure
out for myself what was
important. It was also time
to relieve a lot of stress that
I had been feeling for many
years from the pressure of
reporters, the pressure of a
public description of what our
relationship had been between
me and Clarence. And I just
thought it was time for me
Continued on A5
Courtesy Photo
A2
Thousands Apply for Retooled Summer Jobs Program
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A2 The Afro-American, March 5, 2011 - March 11, 2011
AFRO National BriefsFirst Ladys Vacation Meal Sparks
ControversyRadio host Rush Limbaugh recently took
to the air waves to criticize rst lady Michelle
Obamas eating habits.
According to a report by Vail Daily, the rst
lady dined on a pickled pumpkin salad, arugula,braised ancho-chile short rib with hominy, wild
mushrooms and sauted kale while visiting
Vail, Colo. with daughters Sasha and Malia.
During his Feb. 21 radio broadcast,
Limbaugh called Obama a hypocrite for eating
short ribs amid her Lets Move campaign
targeting childhood obesity. Limbaugh
inaccurately calculated the short rib to be 1,500
calories; Vail Daily later reported the ribs to be
about 600 calories.
If were supposed to go out and eat
nothing, if were supposed to eat roots and
berries and tree bark, show us how, Limbaugh
said. The problem is
and dare I say this it
doesnt look like Michelle
Obama follows her own
nutritionary dietaryadvice.
He went on to critique
the rst ladys physique,
saying her body is not like
models on the cover of
Sports Illustratedmagazine
or baseball player Alex
Rodriguezs girlfriends.
Criticism of the
appearance of the
presidents wife has surface
in other quarters.
BigGovernment.com,
a news blog, recently
posted a cartoon depicting
an overweight Obama
gorging on hamburgers
and demanding PresidentObama shut up and pass
the bacon.
However, former
Republican presidential
candidate Mike Huckabee is
defending Obama.
According to a CNN
blog report, Huckabee told
reporters, I do not think
shes out there advocating that the government take over our
dinner plates. In fact shes not. Shes been criticized unfairly by
a lot of my fellow conservatives.
He also supported the rst ladys Lets Move campaign.
If you really want to talk about obesity, lets talk about it as
a national security issue, Huckabee added. Its
an economic issue, but it is a national security
issue because at the trend were going, we better
hope we dont have a war with anybody because
were not going to have anybody who can pass
the physical to wear the uniform. Thats pretty
scary. So, rather than us condemn Michelle
Obama, I think we ought to be thanking her and
praising her for what shes done.
N.Y. Black Anti-Abortion Billboard
RemovedA contentious anti-abortion billboard in
Manhattan that linked Blacks to excessive
abortions was removed by an outdoor advertising
rm Feb. 25, CBS News reported.The ad, created by pro-life nonprot
organization Life Always, showed a Black girl
under the text, The most dangerous place for an
African-American is in the womb.
The message prompted an outcry from both
Black activists and city residents.
They dont have to single out African-
American children. They could have said the
most dangerous place for a child is in the womb,
Byron Wright, a Brooklyn resident told an NBC reporter after
spotting the ad from his ofce window.
The Rev. Al Sharpton applauded the advertising company
for removing the billboard and reportedly cancelled a planned
protest.
They got a lot of attention, but they may not have gotten a
lot of support, he told CBS.
But Life Always representatives said the bold billboard
was designed to spark discussion about disproportionally highBlack abortion rates.
They said that abortion clinics including Planned
Parenthood target minorities, and claim that
twice as many black babies die from abortion
procedures than from violent crimes, AIDS,
heart disease, cancer and motor vehicle
accidents combined.
I do understand that it is a provocative
message, but it is a message thats sourced in
fact; it is not hyperbole. It is a truth that needs
to be confronted. It is one that needs to be
talked about in our community, Pastor Stephen
Broden, a board member of the nonprot, told
MSNBC.
He said that more babies are aborted than
are born each year in New York City.
A Planned Parenthood spokesman took the
ads message as a direct attack on the clinic.
To refer to a womans legal right to an
abortion as a genocidal plot is not only
absurd but it is offensive to women and to
communities of color, Planned Parenthood
spokesman Christine Quinn said in a statement.
Every woman deserves the right to make
health care decisions for herself and I will
continue to ght to protect this basic right and
against this sort of fear mongering.
Prior to its removal, the billboard was
scheduled to remain up for three more weeks,
according to CBS.
Super Slim Models Fail to Sway Black Womens Self-
PerceptionA new study led by a University of Florida researcher
shows that African-American women are less likely to develop
negative body images based on media ideals.
According to the report, earlier studies showed a negative
correlation between extremely thin models and womens
perception of their own bodies. However, the recent study
led by Heather Hausenblas found race also plays a factor in
womens body dissatisfaction and the medias inuence.
Were bombarded with media images of whats considered
ideal. We wanted to measure the inuence of race on how
that makes women feel about their bodies, said Hausenblas,
who conducted the research with doctoral student NinoskaDeBraganza, in an interview posted on the schools website.
We know that African-American women report less body
dissatisfaction overall than Caucasian women, who are the
most affected of all ethnicities. But to my knowledge, no study
on media inuence had ever taken the ethnicity of the models
into account.
Hausenblas showed two sets of images to 31 White and
30 Black undergraduate students. Both sets of photographs
featured White female models, but one set showed extremely
thin women with bodies generally considered media ideals.
The other set included photos of women with more average
builds.
While African-American women reported no change in
body dissatisfaction after viewing both sets of slides, the White
participants said they experienced more body dissatisfaction
after observing the media ideal models.
Spectator Asks, Who Will Shoot Obama?Ga. GOP Reps Failure to Condemn Draws Fire
Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.) is receiving national attention after
a spectator at one of his recent town hall meetings in Athens,
Ga. asked, Who will shoot Obama?
According to The Athens-Banner Herald, the question came
after the congressman rst asked who had driven the farthest to
attend the Feb. 22 town hall meeting. After the attendee blurted
the comment, the crowd began to laugh.
Without apparently condemning the comment, Broun,
according to the Banner-Herald, nevertheless responded
by stating, The thing is, I know theres a lot of frustration
with this president. Were going to have an election next
year. Hopefully, well elect somebody thats going to be a
conservative, limited-government presidentwho will sign a
bill to repeal and replace Obamacare.
After the incident drew national headlines and criticism
toward Broun for not immediately condemning the comment,
he released a statement Feb. 23 expressing his thoughts afterthe spectators question and his reason for not condemning it.
I was stunned by the question and chose not to dignify
it with a response; therefore, at that moment I moved on to
the next person with a question, Broun said in a statement,
according to The Politico newspaper. After the event, my
ofce took action with the appropriate authorities. I deeply
regret that this incident happened at all. Furthermore, I
condemn all statements made in sincerity or jest that
threaten or suggest the use of violence against the president
of the United States or any
other public ofcial. Such
rhetoric cannot and will not be
tolerated.
According to The
Washington Post, Secret
Service ofcials got in contact
with the person who made the
comment and found that it wasan elderly person who now
regrets making a bad joke.
Broun drew criticism last
month for one of his tweets
during President Obamas State
of the Union address. According
to Politico, Broun tweeted, Mr.
President, you dont believe in
the Constitution, you believe in
socialism.
The next day, he declined to
back down from his comments,
telling CBS News, I stick by
that tweet.
AP Photo/Virginia Postic, File
In this Jan. 27 photo, First Lady MichelleObama discusses nutrition at Fort Jackson
in Columbia, S.C. to promote healthy
eating. She was recently criticized by RushLimbaugh about a meal she ate during
vacation.
AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta
President Barack Obama waves as he arrives at the White
House in Washington, Feb. 22.
Your History Your Community Your News
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By Lango Deen
Special to the AFRO
Its been 25 years of inspiration, Ted Childs, a retired
diversity executive at IBM Corp., said Feb. 19 at the 25th
annual Black Engineer of the Year Awards in the Washington,
D.C.
The Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA), producedby Career Communications Group, showcases African-
American talent in science, technology, engineering and math
and provides students with pathways to lucrative technical
careers.
Its an opportunity to connect at a high level of intelligence
and capital with business people who are interested in science,
mathematics and engineering and who never get an opportunity
to recognize or connect with one another, said David
Steward, founder and chairman of St. Louis-based Worldwide
Technology Inc., who attended the event. It shows the
intellectual capital in the Black community and the leadership
in the Black community and the value we bring to this society
and this country and the world.
Over the past two decades, BEYA has put Black minds
together with major employers such as IBM Corp., Booz Allen
Hamilton, Raytheon Co., Boeing, Northrop Grumman, NASA,
the National Security Agency and the U.S. Navy Recruiting
Command to promote job opportunities in science, technology,engineering and math (STEM) elds.
The theme of the 2011 BEYA STEM Conference was
Listen, Learn, Lead. Throughout the three-day event,
students and professionals presented panel discussions and
events focusing on career development, diversity and science,
technology, engineering and math education.
More than 100 companies and organizations supporting the
rise of young Blacks into technical careers were on display at
the BEYA Job Fair, one of several recruitment, recognition and
retention events held at the conference.
The Black Engineer of the Year Award, along with others
presented during the ceremony on Saturday, recognizes true
pioneers who have achieved exceptional career gains in
government and industry, who have already merited lifetime
achievement recognition, and who have energized their
companies and their communities alike.
BEYAs top award, the 2011 Black Engineer of the Year,
was presented to Lloyd Howell, executive vice president ofBooz Allen Hamilton. Twenty other category award winners,
including Boeing Senior Vice President Wanda Denson-Low,
were also recognized for innovation, career advancement
and diversity programs. Boeing considers diversity to be a
strategic advantage in attracting the best talent available and
enabling innovation by bringing together different viewpoints,
said Norma Clayton, vice president Learning, Training and
Development for Boeing. Many Boeing people have received
BEYA awards over the years, and the awards are a terric
conrmation that we are on the right track.
In Howells acceptance speech, he said he felt honored to
be selected as the 25th Black Engineer of the Year. I wake up
everyday excited to make a difference, he said.
Howell, a Philadelphia native, praised the BEYA culture and
shared a little-known story: He was one of the young athletes
in Jim Ellis all African-American swim team, depicted in the
2007 lm Pride starring Terrence Howard. Howell lauded
the inspiration of Ellis quiet struggle against racism andbureaucracy.
Howell serves as volunteer assistant coach for DC Heat,
a youth basketball team. On behalf of Booz Allen Hamilton,
he has supported the United Negro College Fund and Lincoln
University.
His involvement with UNCF is not unusual in this
community. BEYA has a history of persuading employers to
recognize the strength of engineering departments at historically
Black colleges and universities.
The HBCU Engineering Deans Roundtable has fostered
cooperation between hiring ofcers and even a new industry-
academic partnership: AMIE (Advancing Minorities Interest in
Engineering). Scholarships, internships, donation of laboratory
equipment and loans of professionals for faculty positions have
all come out of the connection.
BEYA is the brainchild of Career Communications Group
CEO Tyrone Taborn, who also publishes a number of diversity
titles including US Black Engineer & Information Technologymagazine.
Tyrones vision is inextricably linked to democracy and
Americas economic system, and our responsibility to it is
realized not just for Black America, Hispanic America or Native
America but for America, Ted Childs said.
BEYAs rst event was held February 1987 at Morgan State
University in Baltimore.
The timing of the event was not accidental, said Eugene
M. DeLoatch, veteran dean of the School of Engineering
at Morgan State and longtime chairman of the Council
of Engineering Deans of Historically Black Colleges and
Universities. It was planned to coincide with observance of
National Engineers Week and to serve historically as a tting
tribute to those close to Black History Month.
Bill Granville was a high-ranking oil executive when he
attended BEYA in 1987. He led a positive report with Mobil.
Mobils CEO, seeing that diversity and inclusion made business
sense, wrote a letter to o ther Fortune 500 CEOs, telling them
he had discovered a talent development program he thought
they should support.
The rest, as they say, is history. Top defense contractor,
Lockheed Martin Corp., has co-hosted BEYA for more than a
decade, and corporate attendance reaches to the executive levels
of management.
You see these major corporations get excited Raytheon,
Lockheed, Boeing these major players and their CEOs,David Steward said. And they are there to recognize the
signicant contributions these African-American engineers and
leaders not only make to business, but to society.
In the mid-1980s, when BEYA was initiated, Black
representation among the nations 1.6 million engineers was
only 2 percent 32,000 men and women. By the turn of
the millennium, many baby boomers were heading towards
retirement and there was a need for younger professionals to
take their place in the workforce.
Demand for qualied STEM professionals has grown
considerably in the past 25 years, and it will only continue to
expand, said Taborn. Our advancements come from intrepid
engineers and technologists, from business executives bold
enough to take chances.
And BEYA has become an important hub for these intrepid
engineers and bold executives to connect with one another. Its
exciting to be around, Steward said. Its contagious.
Additional reporting by Garland L. Thompson
In Praise Of Black Engineers
BEYA: Where Corporate America Meets and Encourages Black Talent
Photos by Glenwood Jackson Studio
Boris Kodjoe and Lloyd and Patricia Howell posed for aphoto after Lloyd Howell received the Black Engineer of
the Year Award.
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March 5, 2011 - March 11, 2011, The Afro-American A5
In addition, youth will be required to apply for the
program instead of simply registering. The new application
process includes using the online application portal,
preparing a rsum, completing an online orientation course
as well as in-person soft skills training. SYEP has also
partnered with
Bank One DC
to provide the
students with free
checking accounts.
With youth
unemployment
rates on the rise nationally doubling from the two previous
summers District youth are not only competing among
themselves for employment but also with college graduates
seeking the same entry-level positions. Mayor Gray and
his ofcials say the programs changes will better equip the
Districts youth so they have an advantage. We believe
these changes will give vital essentials for the workplace as
well as in life ... something they can take with them in the
future [after the program], said Brown, Statistics show that
those prepared while they are younger are more successful in
the future.
Former participants speak highly of the program. Its
given me a lot of work experience by placing me in different
jobs each year, said 18-year-old Darrias Beverly, a third-
year participant.
Even those new to the program have high hopes and
expectations. This is my rst year but Ive heard good
things about it .... Well see how it goes, said Deidre
Hargler, who brought her 14-year-old daughter to apply.
Some are unsure about the program changes. I
heard they were making changes which I dont like. Its
complicating things and they are keeping kids from getting
a job. Thats not good, said Diane Worlock, whose son has
been in the program for two years. These kids need jobs
keeps them out of trouble.
Continued from A1
Summer Employment
Continued from A1
Thomas Memoir to tell my own story in myown words. The book is an
assessment of my own life.
AFRO: Throughout your book you talk about some of the
mechanisms you used to cope. Had you ever before this book,
looked at your life, assessed it and dealt with some of the
underlying issues?
LM:The only reason that I was able to survive and ourish
and become as successful as I was, was because I, throughoutmy entire life, had been engaged in a constant search of how
to live my life, how to view myself in relation to other people
and how to become the kind of a person that I had some kind of
respect for. So it was really a long-term process of nding these
means by which to gure out how to live my life.
AFRO: If Clarence Thomas had not been a Supreme Court
Justice would he have gured so prominently in this book?
LM:Yes. The reason is because he was without a doubt
the most important relationship that I had other than the
relationship with my daughters father. I was married to
the same man for about 13 years, and the relationship with
Clarence lasted about six years, so he was an important part of
my life.
AFRO: Was it love or just lust?
LM: Its a little difcult for me to tell the difference between
the two in the way that I lived my life. Mostly what happenedwas that if I was in an intense sexual relationship with someone
for a signicant length of time and by that I mean more than
three months or so I began to love that person; I began to be
emotionally attached to that person. And it wasnt anything that
I could really help. In Clarences situation, I had known him and
become really good friends with him for many months before we
had a romantic relationship.
AFRO: Have you had a call or do you expect a call from
Justice Thomas or his wife, Virginia about this book?
LM:Well, seeing as how she called Anita Hill ...
[LAUGHS] after so many years for something that she
probably shouldnt have expected, theres no telling whats
going to happen with Ginni Thomas in reference to a call to me
about this book. But certainly I expect no such communication
or call from Clarence. Hes not going to be happy.
AFRO: You did something that was, perhaps, improbable
to some people which was to make Clarence Thomas into asexual creature and you were pretty descriptive. So, why take
the chance in terms of giving all those details and airing your
time and life together?
LM:Well, what chance do you think it is? The chance that
I would be ridiculed or hated or that I would be despised or
judged to be a slut? [LAUGHS.] Is that the chance that were
talking about here? [LAUGHS.]
AFRO: Its quite possible ...
LM:You have to remember that I am not the only
person who was active with Clarence during this period of
time. What happened was when Anita Hill testied against
Clarences conrmation in the Senate, that door got opened as
far as his sexual life and personal relationships with women.
Even though he and the Republicans tried to shut it, there were
women who were lined up to testify about what it was he had
said to them or what kind of working relationship they had had
with him and that sort of thing. So the door was already openedpretty wide before it became time for me to write the story of
my life.
AFRO: You seem to suggest throughout your book and in
your statements a little while ago that the Clarence Thomas
we (the public) sees is a faade. So who is the real Clarence
Thomas as you knew him?
LM:Clarence, like most of us, is wearing a mask that is
Courtesy Photo
rmly afxed because of his age. The real Clarence, at this
point, I dont really know what he is, because there is a point in
time when the person themselves you dont even know whats
important to you, you dont know what your values are, you
dont know what your heart really tells you, you dont know
what your real personality structure is after youve been hiding
yourself and transforming yourself over so many years. But theClarence that I knew and appreciated and that I hoped would
remain the true Clarence certainly is not sitting on the bench.
Hes a person with a wonderful sense of humor who listens to
people, is compassionate, cares about his family and is loyal.
The person whos on the bench is the person, however, who
started a transformation when I knew him.
Read Full Interview on AFRO.com.
Continued from A1
Metro
A preliminary testing of the
program is set to be launched
at the Districts School
Without Walls.
Locals seem to be
welcoming of the proposal if
it means better security for
the system.
Iyyetta Hawkins, a District
resident and mother of a
14-year-old daughter, said she
at out refuses to ride some of
Metros bus lines because she
feels her safety would be in
jeopardy.
Im afraid to ride the
X2 buses and I dont let my
daughter ride them either,
Hawkins told the AFRO. Ive
witnessed a couple occasions
where students break into
ghts on the back of the bus
because there is no security,
police presence or cameras.
Its just a no-no for me.
The rail lines have also had
their considerable shares of
student-related crimes, as some
incidents have made their way
into national headlines.
Last August, more than
70 teens were involved in a
massive brawl on Metros
Green Line at both the
Gallery Place-Chinatown and
the LEnfant Plaza stations.
After the scufe, four teens
were injured and three were
arrested. And there have been
more recent incidents of theft
and violence.
Since the incident, ofcials
have taken steps to enforce
the citys curfew and Metro
has beefed up security in and
around stations.
According to the Post,
ofcials are set to review the
ridership changes over the
summer.
Riding the Metro is just
like riding a carits not
a right, Kenneth Barnes,
CEO and founder of the local
nonprot Reaching Out to
Others Together (ROOT) told
the AFRO. Its a privilege to
be able to drive a car and there
are certain restrictions that
you have to abide by in order
to drive that car. I think the
same thing in this particular
instance. You cannot ignore
the fact that we have some
extremely violent children.
Now, thats a small minority,
but the violent children should
be monitored because they
become predator and prey.
-
8/7/2019 Washington D.C. Afro-American Newspaper, March 5, 2011
6/16
A6 The Afro-American, March 5, 2011 - March 11, 2011
March 3-13
Washington D.C.
Independent Music Festival
2011
Various locations. Theannual Washington D.C.Independent Music Festivalwill run with the annual lmfestival and spotlight theourishing local music scene.For more information: dciff.org.
March 4
Caf Groove For Teens
Publick Playhouse, 5445Landover Road, Cheverly, Md.7 p.m. In this monthly teenprogram, experience the mixof dance, poetry and visual artfrom local youths. For moreinformation: 301-446-3232.
Paige In Full
Atlas Performing Arts
Center, 1333 H St., N.E. D.C.6-7 p.m. Witness this mash-up of poetry, dance and livemusic that tells the story ofa young womans coming ofage story. $15-$20. For moreinformation: 202-399-7993.
When Will It End? Slavery
Now, Slavery Then
Kelly Miller MiddleSchool, 301 49th St., N.E.
D.C. 7:30-9:30 p.m. In thisthought provoking dancemusical, learn how todaysyouths are challenged bydecades of troubles and ndout how you can break thechains. $20-$25. For moreinformation: 202-388-1274.
March 5
Omega Psi Phi Annual
Talent Hunt
Robinson High School,5035 Sideburn Road, Fairfax,Va. 12 p.m. The Psi AlphaAlpha chapter of Omega PsiPhi will host their annual talenthunt, hosted by the RobinsonMinority Student Association.Guests are urged to bring atleast one canned food item.For more information: 703-489-6467.
Quest: Five Stages on the
Road to Romance
The Bridge, The MajesticMovie Theater, 900 EllsworthDrive, Silver Spring, Md.9-11:15 a.m. In this messageseries, learn where you areon the road to romanceand discover strategies thatwill help you navigate towhere you want to be. Formore information: www.thebridgedc.org.
Chocolate Lovers Festival
2011
Old Town Fairfax, MainSt. and University Drive,Fairfax, Va. 8 a.m.-10 p.m.Tantalize your sweet toothat this event that celebratesall things chocolate. Formore information: www.chocolatefestival.net.
March 6
Love 2 Dance Summit
Joes MovementEmporium, 3309 Bunker HillRoad, Mt. Rainier, Md. 9 a.m.Celebrate your love of dancewith the community at thisfun-lled day of workshops,performances and more. Formore information: 301-699-1819.
March 7
NOBCO HIV Awareness
Session
Washington Marriott
Wardman Park Hotel,2660 Woodley Road, N.W.D.C. 10 a.m. The NationalOrganization of Black County
Ofcials (NOBCO) will hostan HIV awareness sessionfor more than 100 futureleaders during the AnnualLegislative Conference ofthe National Association ofCounties (NACO). For moreinformation: 202-350-6696.
March 8
Mardi Gras on U Street 2011
Club Liv, 11th and Ustreets, N.W. D.C. Bringsome Bourbon Street avorto D.C. in this Mardi Grascelebration. $10-$15. For moreinformation: mardigrasdc2011.eventbrite.com.
March 11Shaquille ONeal Presents
the All Star Comedy Jam
Lincoln Theatre, 1215
U St., N.W. D.C. 8 p.m.Comedians Corey Holcomb,Aries Spears, MichaelBlackson and Henry Welchcome to D.C. for this nightof laughs. $33-$73. For moreinformation: 202-397-7328.
March 12
Wellness Works!
Greater Mt. Calvary HolyChurch, 610 Rhode IslandAve., N.E. D.C. 10 a.m.-2 p.m.Learn how to lead a happier,
healthier life through stressreduction, exercise and healthyeating at this workshop seriesfor the entire family. For moreinformation: 202-889-7296.
AKA Women and Girls
Conference
Catholic University ofAmerica, Pryzbyla Center,620 Michigan Ave., N.E. D.C.9 a.m.-4 p.m. The Xi OmegaChapter of the Alpha Kappa
Alpha Sorority will hostits fth annual Women andGirls Conference featuringworkshops, panel discussionsand more. For moreinformation and to register:
www.akaxo.org.
March 12-13
Travel and Adventure Show
Returns to D.C.
Washington ConventionCenter, 801 Mount VernonPlace, N.W. D.C. Various
times. Exhibitors from a widevariety of exotic and excitingdestinations across the worldwill display thousands oftravel opportunities, idealfor every budget. $9-$15.For more information: www.adventureexpo.com.
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: :
Community Calendar
-
8/7/2019 Washington D.C. Afro-American Newspaper, March 5, 2011
7/16
March 5, 2011 - March 11, 2011, The Afro-American A7
I had to make my
own living and my own
opportunity! But I made it!
Dont sit down and wait for
the opportunities to come.
Get up and make them!
Madam C.J. Walker,
trailblazing African-Americanbusinesswoman.
There is a silver lining in
the dark cloud of the great
recession. A new CensusBureau report reveals that
from 2002 to 2007 the number
of Black-owned businesses in the United States increasedby 60.5 percent to 1.9 million more than triple the national
rate. According to Census Bureau Deputy Director Thomas
Mesenbourg, Black-owned businesses continued to be one ofthe fastest growing segments of our economy, showing rapid
growth in both the number of businesses and total sales duringthis time period.
The reasons for this are many, beginning with the long
history of African-American entrepreneurship in response topoverty, high unemployment and discrimination. Consider the
case of Madam C.J. Walker, the daughter of slaves who, in the
early 1900s, turned her dream of nancial independence into a
hair care and cosmetics business that revolutionized the beauty
products industry, created good paying jobs, and made her awealthy woman and philanthropist.
Like Madam C.J. Walker, many African Americans may
have turned to entrepreneurship in the years covered by theCensus Bureau study because of high unemployment in our
communities. The fact is Black unemployment never got back
down to where it was before the recession in 2001. So in effect,what we are seeing is a bit of entrepreneurship by necessity.
Theres also an economic independent streak, particularlyamong emerging generations in the Black community. Building
a business gives great satisfaction and cushions them from the
shock of losing jobs because of economic down cycles.New York State leads the country with more than 204,000
Black-owned businesses, followed by Georgia and Floridarespectively. From 2002 to 2007, nearly four in 10 of these
businesses operated in the health care and social assistance;
and repair, maintenance, personal and laundry services sectors.The retail trade and health care and social assistance sectors
accounted for 27.4 percent of Black-owned business revenue.
The survey also found that in addition to an increase in the
number of Black-owned businesses, annual sales increased by
55 percent to $137.5 billion.I recently called on federal, state and local governments
to develop a hyper-focus on Black- and minority-owned
businesses. Every city, county, and state needs to have a planthat focuses on small and minority business. There is a spirit
of entrepreneurship out there that needs to be nurtured and
energized.While the Census Bureau report is generally good news,
we know that Black businessesstill make up only 7 percent of
all companies and they tend to
be smaller and have lower grossreceipts than other businesses.
Black-owned businesses are also
often hampered in their revenue growth by a lack of capital,connections and contracts.
What I hope this report says loudly and clearly to the
investment community is that you are missing an emergingmarket in the United States. If minority businesses are growing
at a faster clip than overall businesses, imagine what the growthrate would be if those barriers were eliminated or lowered.
We need the investor community to look at this report and
recognize that they are missing an incredible opportunity.
Marc H. Morial is the president and CEO of the National
Urban League.
(TriceEdneyWire.com)
It looks like Cairo hascome to Madison, said
conservative Republican
Rep. Paul Ryan, as 50,000citizens took over the states
Capitol building. He got thespirit right, but the location
wrong. In Madison, folks
wearing Packers jerseys standtogether with folks wearing
Bears colors. Madison is
this generations Selma, theepicenter for the modern
battle for basic human rights.
In 1965, the drive for basicvoting rights was stalled in the U.S. Senate. President Johnson
pushed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to stop demonstrating.Instead, Dr. King went to Selma. Selma was not a big city, but it
held a mirror to the nation. There, on Bloody Sunday, peacefuldemonstrators were met with dogs, clubs and hoses, and touchedthe conscience of a nation. Two days later, Johnson, invoking
the famous words, We shall overcome, introduced the Voting
Rights Act. Five months later it was signed into law.Today, the assault on basic rights is accelerating. The
economic collapse caused by the gambols of Wall Street
destabilizes public budgets at every level, as tax receiptsplummet and expenses caused by unemployment rise. Yet
Wall Street gets bailed out, and working and poor people are
squeezed to pay to clean up their mess.In states across the country, conservatives have used this
occasion to assail public workers and their unions. Theydemand not only rollback of pay and benets, but push laws to
cripple if not ban public employee unions, destroying the
right of workers to organize and bargain
collectively.
Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin, aself-described Tea Party governor, leads
the most egregious of these efforts. Upon
election, he signed into law millions intax breaks for business. Then, pointing to
the budget crisis, he demanded not onlyharsh concessions from public workers
dramatic hikes in what they pay for
pensions and health care but cripplinglimits on their right to negotiate, limits on
any pay increases and an annual vote to
see if the union survives. As if to aunthis power grab, he exempted the unions
police and reghters that endorsed
him in the election.The right to organize, to bargain
collectively and to strike are basic humanrights enshrined in international law. To
this day, the U.S. champions independent free trade unionsacross the world even as Walker and his ilk seek to crushthem at home. With the U.S. suffering more extreme inequality
than Egypt, and the Supreme Courts decision in Citizens
Unitedgiving corporations and billionaires a free pass to distortour elections, unions are virtually the only counter that workers
have. Thats why the right has targeted unions; that is why
every citizen has a stake in their survival.In Wisconsin, the public employees accepted the harsh
concessions demanded by the governor, but rejected the attack
on their basic rights. Teachers, nurses and other public workersstood up. Democratic state legislators left the state, blocking
the effort to ram the legislation through. Students, ministers andprogressives rallied to their side. The demonstrations are now
entering their second week. Across the country, just as in the
Opinion
Rev. Jesse Jackson
Sr.
Assault on Unions is an Attack onBasic Civil Rights
Marc H. Morial
To Be Equal
The Growth of Black-Owned Businesses: Entrepreneurship by Necessity
If Tunisia kicked down the
door of the Arab imagination
by showing it was possible to
topple a dictator, Egypt drewa blueprint of non-violence
for the house of revolution
that detailed how to demolish
a stubbornly entrenched
dictator and now in Libya a
mad man is trying to burn
down the entire house rather
than face eviction.
For 42 years, Col.
Moammar Gadhas antics
have blinded too many to a
brutality they nally see on full display as he desperately tries
to quash the most serious uprising against his rule. If too many
chose to not see, Libyans have known all too well.
Half the struggle for Libyans has surely been getting the
world to move beyond Gadha the Clown, a role he seems to
have uninhibitedly embraced. Who hasnt been distracted by the
eclectic wardrobe, the Kalashnikov-armed female bodyguards,and the tents he would pitch at home and abroad for talks with
ofcials.
A source of embarrassment for Libyans, Gadha has never
been a joke: disappearances, a police state, zero freedom of
expression and poverty for at least a third of the population of
country tremendously wealthy thanks to oil.
For years, Gadha squandered that wealth on causes and
radical violence abroad that he chose because they epitomized
the enemy of my enemy is my friend school of diplomacy. In
2003, just as the U.S. became mired in Iraq and its non-existent
weapons of destruction, Gadha realized no one was scared
of him anymore and voluntarily gave up his weapons of mass
destruction programs.
When the world has paid attention to his crimes it has
invariably been to those against non-Libyans such as the mid-
air bombings of a French airliner over Niger and of a Pan
Am airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland. Once he compensated
families who lost relatives in those attacks, Gadha became
persona grata and money and business deals came and wentalong with high-level dignitaries.
Gadha was a guest of the leaders of Italy and France and
former British Prime Minister Tony Blair with businessmen
in tow of course visited Libya soon after Gadhas
rehabilitation.
Oil, business and arms deals have always trumped the rights
of the Libyan people who long suffered his crimes yet rarely
if ever saw compensation let alone the same attention and
condemnation as that of the crimes that kept Libya a pariah
state for so long until Gadha learned to bribe the worlds
conscience into forgetting.
I visited Libya in September 1996 for the 27th anniversary
of the revolution a military coup that a 27-year-old Gadha
led to topple the monarchy and since which he has ruled. Some
were optimistic that Gadhas revolution could herald a new
Libya but it didnt take long for his brutality to stamp out any
such hopes.
During the 1970s, police and security forces arrestedhundreds of Libyans who opposed Gadha or those the
authorities feared could oppose his rule: violent suppression
of student demonstrations, imprisonment and disappearances
of every political and social group you can imagine from
academics to journalists, Trotskyists to members of the Muslim
Brotherhood, all labeled enemies of the revolution. In case
anyone questioned Gadhas bloodlust, there were even a
number of televised public hangings and mutilations of political
opponents, rights groups say.
In the 1980s authorities introduced a policy of extrajudicial
executions of political opponents abroad, termed stray dogs.
What is believed to be the bloodiest act of internal repression
under Gadhas rule occurred just a few months before I arrived
in Tripoli with a group of journalist from Cairo. Very few, if any
of us, knew though. More than 1,000 prisoners were shot dead
by security forces on June 28 and 29, 1996 in Abu Salim prison,
Tripoli. It wasnt until 2004 that Gadha publicly admitted to
the Abu Salim killings. Relatives of the murdered men have
refused compensation in place of judicial process.One of Gadhas crimes that I was aware of during my visit
was the disappearance of former Libyan foreign minister turned
dissident Mansour Kikhia. Egyptian agents abducted Kikhia
during a visit to Cairo in December 1993 while attending a
meeting of an Arab human rights organization he had helped
found. Kikhia had asked for Egyptian security protection while
in Cairo but agents of now toppled Egyptian dictator Hosni
Mubaraks regime handed Kikhia over to agents of Gadhas
regime, who spirited the dissident to Libya, where he is believed
to have executed and buried in the Libyan desert.
I interviewed his wife Baha Omary Kikhia in 1994 as she
visited the region trying to nd out what had happened to her
husband. I think of her now as I hear many Libyans I know
whose relatives have been disappeared in Libya wonder if
theyre still alive, hoping for the best as they hear of Gadhas
all-out attempt to quash the uprising.
And so I watch in awe at the breathtaking courage of
Libyans, rising up again it is an insult to think this is the rsttime, for they long have resisted Gadhas tyranny and bloody
crackdowns on dissent.
The Tunisian revolution left every Arab dictator in fear,
Egypts toppling of Mubarak left them terried even one of
the U.S. best allies in the region could fall. And here they watch
a psychopathic dictator unleash his full horror on pro-freedom
demonstrators and still fail to terrify them into submission. The
Italian foreign minister has said reports that 1,000 people have
been killed in seven days of uprising are credible.
The price of toppling Gadha will be steep. But Libyans will
topple him and in doing so they will bring down with him the
castles of fear our dictators thought they had fortied.
You can read more from Mona Eltahawy at www.
monaeltahawy.com.
Running on Crazy
Mona Eltahawy
civil rights movement, people of conscience are holding vigilsand protests in support. This is a Martin Luther King moment.The effort by the governor and his right-wing allies to divide
private sector workers from public sector workers is an old
trick. In the South, race was used to divide. The tricks perfectedin the South right-to-work laws, barriers to unions are
now coming north.
Madison, like Selma, is not a major city. It isnt Chicago orNew York or Los Angeles. And it isnt Cairo. It is the epicenter
of the battle for Americas democracy, and it is as American asLexington, Concord, Gettysburg, Montgomery and Selma.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson is a civil rights leader, former
presidential candidate and president of the Rainbow/PUSH
Coalition.
Black-owned businesses are also often hampered in theirrevenue growth by a lack of capital, connections and contracts.
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8/7/2019 Washington D.C. Afro-American Newspaper, March 5, 2011
8/16
him as director for the
agency, said Brown.
But Turnage, at hisconrmation hearing on Feb.
25, denied that he made theremark. Catanias ofce also
claimed there was no validity
to the allegation.
Ben Young, publicinformation ofcer for
Catania, said the councilmanhad a conversation with the
director on Feb. 23, one day
prior to Browns dismissal,and briey mentioned
Browns upcoming
appointment. However,
Young said the councilman
did not instruct the director toterminate Brown.
The controversy may
stem from the results ofBrowns background check,
which revealed a previously
unknown criminal past.According to records
obtained from the D.C.Superior Court, Brown had
been charged with several
misdemeanor simple assaults,second-degree theft, unlawful
entry, assault with a deadly
weapon and ammunitionviolations dating back to
1991. He was not convicted
for any of the alleged
offenses.
But Brown was also the
subject of a civil protectionorder led in February 2007
by a mother to protect her
13-year-old daughter fromBrowns alleged stalking. The
order also asserted that Brown
claimed to be a police ofcerand on numerous occasions
inappropriately gave money tothe teenager as well as spent
time alone with her.
Brown emphatically deniedthe allegations of the civil
protection order and claimed
he was not living in the Districtat the time of the allegations.
The rst I ever heard of
this was yesterday, Brown
told the AFRO on Feb. 25.
Someone is trying to set me
up. Is there a court seal on thedocument? When all this is
over, I will be vindicated.
In the 2010 mayoral race,Brown became a major ally
of Gray toward the middle of
the campaign.Brown questioned why
the mayor has turned his backon him so quickly without
properly investigating the
matter. Doxie McCoy,spokeswoman for Gray, said
Turnage was responsible
for the decisions related toBrowns employment.
Browns rsum reected
his competency for his
position, according to Grays
transition ofce.
The mayor isdisappointed with this
outcome. Nonetheless, he
stands by Mr. Turnagesauthority. Mayor Gray wishes
Mr. Brown well, McCoy
wrote in a Feb. 25 statementto the AFRO.
Something seems awfullystrange, said longtime
advisory neighborhood
commissioner AnthonyMuhammad. One day Mayor
Gray is praising Sulaimon for
his excellent work ethics. Thenext day it seems Gray allows
the attacks to happen without
questioning or investigating
anything.
The possibility that the
Gray administration had notthoroughly screened high-
level coterminous appointees
has also raised questionsabout the vetting process used
for appointees.
Its disappointingthat in an early mayoral
administration there wouldbe so many cases of poor
stafng decisions, said
Lorenzo Morris, professor ofpolitical science at Howard
University.
Brown is currently onpaid administrative leave. His
termination is scheduled to
become effective on March 11.
A8 The Afro-American , March 5, 2011 - March 11, 2011
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F . . :
By Tia Lewis
Special to the AFRO
There is, perhaps, no name more synonymous with
Washington, D.C., than Bens Chili Bowl. Known for its
half smokes and spicy chili, the 53-year-old restaurant hasbeen a pillar on the U Street corridor since its opening and is
now being preserved and celebrated in an exhibit at George
Washington Universitys Estelle and Melvin Gelman Library.
Located on the seventh oor of the Africana ResearchCenter, the display shows information such as payroll records
from the eatery and photos of its famous patrons, includingPresident Barack Obama, Bill Cosby and former District Mayor
Adrian Fenty. The archives give visitors a glimpse into the lifeof the late proprietor and famed restaurateur, Ben Ali and the
growing legacy of the Ali family.
Dr. Bernard Demczuk, assistant vice president of the Districtof Columbia Relation at George Washington University and
friend of the Ali family, categorizes the restaurants success and
its founders roots as the American Dream.If you think about it, this is the great American story. You
got segregation in Washington in the 50s and now look at it
today. You got probably the most diverse restaurant in the city.Its a reection of Americas progress, Demczuk said.
In 1958, Ben and Virginia Ali used $5,000 to beginrenovating a building at 1213 U St. which is now the historic
landmark, according to the restaurants website. Even during
challenging periods such the 1960s riots, the citys drugepidemic in the mid 1970s, and the late-1980s U Street Metro
renovation, the family-owned eatery has kept its doors open.
This is a business thats 50 years old. This is a businessthats stayed in one place for this time, said Dr. Meredith
Evans Raiford, director of George
Washington Universitys Special Collections
Research Center, speaking about theuniqueness of Bens. Unlike corporation
that may have a room full of les this is a
family where you will nd things in theirhome, in their ofce spaces so as you are
cleaning up you will nd something related
to the business.
Dr. Raiford credits the longevity of therestaurant to perseverance and community
interaction, while Dr. Demczuk uses the oldadage, what goes around, comes around to
qualify Bens endurance.This concept of if you give back to the
community, if you are part of the community,
if you do good, it good will come back,Demczuk said. It rings true, as in 53 years,
Bens has never been robbed.
Even with such an extensive record ofsuccess and giving back to the community, Bens treasure
is still its food. They brought the American ideal food, the
hotdog, and what theyve done is introduced new culture byadding chili to it. Its the Trinidadian culture meets America,
added Dr. Raiford. Its a good example of differences comingtogether to make something great.
Ben Alis children have continued to add on to the legacy.
The eatery has since added Bens Next Door, which touts adifferent menu but maintains the Chili Bowl atmosphere, and a
visitors center above it. Bens Chili Bowl also has a location at
Washington National Stadium and an online store.We are looking into retailing, franchising and expanding all
the gifts Washingtonians have given us, says Nazim Ali. [We
will continue to look for] the opportunity to do more with what[we] have been given.
Ali said he is thankful and glad to share the legacy of
his father and the restaurant through the exhibit. It feelsincredible. I am happy that the history of Bens and the
family will continue to be available for students, scholars andhistorians for years to come.
The exhibit at George Washington University will be open
until mid-summer. For information, go to www.gelman.gwu.
edu. To purchase food or gifts from Bens, visit the website at
www.benschilibowl.com.
Bens Chili Bowl Gets Exhibit
Virginia Ali, Ben Alis widow views the display case holding pieces from the
Bens Chili Bowl collection at GWs Gelman library.
Photo by William Atkins / The George Washington University.
Continued from A1
Fired Aide
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March 5, 2011 - March 11, 2011, The Afro-American B1
The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) honoured Black History Month by hosting the Second Annual Avoice HeritageCelebration on Feb. 9, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Nortwest Washington, D.C. Reps. Chaka Fattah from Pennsylvania andDonna Edwards of Maryland co-emceed the evening along with mistress of ceremonies Andrea Roane, WUSA-TV morning
anchor. The dinner and awards program honored the following for their work in preserving African-American legislativehistory and for their commitment to cultivating minority civic engagement, public discourse on African-American history, or thepreservation of important historic artifacts through philanthropic or programmatic support: Distinguished Individual Award to
Debra Newman Ham, Ph.D., a specialist in African-American history and culture and currently a professor of history atMorgan State University; CBC Member Preservation Award to former Rep. Ronald Dellums, one of the 13 foundingmembers of the Congressional Black Caucus and former mayor of Oakland, Calif., and Distinguished CorporationAward to the Coca-Cola Co., in recognition for its long history of recognizing the role of African-American
history through its outre ach and communication strategy. The intimate evening also ser ved as a fundraiserfor Avoice: African American Voices In Congress. The Avoice Virtual Library is a premier source of
information about historical and contemporary African-American policy issues importantto researchers, academics, educators and students. African American members ofCongress have helped shape this nation through legislation that has enhanced theAmerican experience for all, said Rep. Donald M. Payne, D-N.J., CBCF chairman.
Capturing and preserving the history of the litany of contributions areessential to understanding our history, the history of
the nation and to preserve the legacy of change
by African-American membersof Congress for futuregenerations.
Rep. James Clyburn (2nd, right) with somecongressional interns: Amilca O' Conner, PrinceSefa-Boakye and Camille Migirt.
Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.) and Dr. Elsie Scott,president/CEO, CBCF Inc.
Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.)and Rep. Donna Edwards(D-Md.).
Rep. Donald Payne(D-N.J.), CBCF chair,speaks to the guests.
Louis Scott, Dr. Elsie Scott and Rev. WalterFauntroy, former CBC member/D.C. delegate.
Former CBCmember RonaldDellums, stand-ing, greets afellow Caucusfounder Rep.John Conyers(D-Mich.)
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), RonaldDellums, Preservation Award recipient, Rep.Donna Edwards (D-Md.) and Rep. Donna M.Christensen (D-V.I.).
Rep. Donald Payne(D-N.J.), Rep. ChakaFattah(D-Pa.) and Rep. Emanuel Cleaver
III (D-Mo.), chairman,Congressional Black Caucus.
Rev. Walter Fauntroy andRep. John Lewis (D- Ga.).
WUSA9 News Now morninganchor, Andrea Roane, holds upthe Avoice award.
Rep. Edwards presents the DistinguishedIndividual Award to Dr. Debra NewmanHam, professor of history, Morgan StateUniversity; Andrea Roane looks on.
Rep. John Lewis presents theDistinguished Corporation Awardto Norman Ross, director, FederalGovernment Aairs, The Coca ColaCo.; as Andrea Roane looks on.
Former CBC member RonaldDellums received the CBCFMember Preservation Awardfrom Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.)
Members of the CBC with the honorees, Norman Ross, Ronald Dellumsand Dr. Debra Newman Ham along with Dr. Elsie Scott (far right).
Honoree Ronald Dellumswith Andrea Roane.
PhotosbyRobRoberts
More than 150 business and community leaders onFeb. 15 attended PNC Banks Black History Month
event, featuring keynote speaker Dr. Khalil Gibran
Muhammad, the incoming director of The Schomburg Centerfor Research in Black Culture at the The New York Public
Library. The talk, entitled Looking Backward, MovingForward: Why Black History Matters More Than Ever in theAge of Obama, was moderated by the Washington Posts
Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Eugene Robinson. Dr.
Muhammad, 38, is currently history professor at IndianaUniversity and is the author of an acclaimed interpretive
book in African-American studies, The Condemnation of
Blackness: Race, Crime, and the Making of Modern Urban
America, published by Harvard University Press. A great-
grandson of Elijah Muhammad, Dr. Muhammad was selectedfrom a pool of more than 200 candidates to succeed HowardDodson Jr. as the next director of The
Schomburg Center, the worlds leadingrepository of the global Black
experience. In addition to
enjoying the talk, guests weretreated to a lovely cocktail
reception comprised of
gumbo, Hoppin John, mac-and-cheese and collard greenrolls all catered by LeJon Williams of Catering by Chef.
Attendees also were entered into a rae to win a copy of
Dr. Muhammads book, or Eugene Robinsons new book,Disintegration: The Splintering of Black America.The event
was held at PNC Place, the banks beautiful new regionalheadquarters in downtown Washington, D.C.
Eugene Robinsonlistens as Dr. Khalil
Gibran Muhammaddescribes his plansfor the 80-year-old
Schomburg Center.
David Bowers,vice president
and Washington,D.C., impactmarket leader
for EnterpriseCommunityPartners, poses
a question to thespeakers.
Greater Washington Board of Trade VP for Government Relations, DanielFlores; PNC Bank Regional President Michael N. Harreld; GEICO VP of
Public Aairs Rynthia Rost; Washington PostAssociate Editor EugeneRobinson; and PNC Bank Retail Market Executive Richard Bynum.
Corey A. Grin, president and CEO, 2GIP; Adrena Ill, DoubleBack Productions,LLC; Sylvia Cyrus, executive director, Association for the Study of African
American Life and History (ASALH); and Robert Stanton, senior advisor to thesecretary, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Terri Copeland, community development market manager,PNC Bank; Dr. Khalil Gibran Muhammad; and Debra Stepp,
ASALH member.
Rynthia Rost, VP of Public Aairs, GEICO; Barbara Lang, president/CEO, DC
Chamber of Commerce; Andrew Russell, executive VP, PNC Bank; Gerald Lang;and Angie Fox, president/CEO, Crystal City Business Improvement District.
PNC VP of CorporateCommunications Sonia
McCormick holds theshbowl while EugeneRobinson selects the
winner.
Maria Nagorski, executive director, Fair Chance; Tina Campanella, executivedirector, Quality Trust for Individuals with Disabilities; Dr. Carolyn B. Rudd,
president & CEO, CRP, Inc.; and Liz Cammack, director of development, QualityTrust for Individuals with Disabilities.
Photos Courtesy PNC Bank
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B2 The Afro-American, March 5, 2011 - March 11, 2011
By Charlene CrowellNNPA Columnist
For more than 60 years,Thomsen Reuters and the
University of Michigan havetracked consumer trends andopinions. In their most recentsurvey, released recently,consumer condence rose
to its highest level in threeyears. For the rst time inmore than six years accordingto the survey, consumersreported hearing more positive
than negative economicdevelopments.
Also, a new reportfrom the Federal DepositInsurance Corporation (FDIC)examined bank prots. Inthe last quarter of 2010,lending institutions coveredby this federal regulatoryagency netted $21.7 billion.Moreover, 62 percent of theseinstitutions reported growthin their quarterly net incomefrom a year ago. Comparedto their $1.8 billion net lossin the fourth quarter of 2009,it is clear that banks are in arecovery mode.
Unfortunately, the samecannot be said for manyconsumers and homeownerswith mortgages. Forexample, while consumercondence is climbing, itisnt rising equally across allhouseholds. The Reuters/University of Michigan studyfound that condence in theeconomy rose by nearly 10percent among consumerhouseholds with earnings of$75,000 or more. But, amonglower income households,condence fell by 1.4percent. This difference inperspective was attributed by
the survey to more favorablejob and income prospectsamong upper incomehouseholds.
Another example: a newreport from the MortgageBankers Associationshows that the number ofhomeowners currently insome stage of the foreclosureprocess increased during thethird quarter of 2010. As aresult, more than ve millionhomeowners with mortgagesthat are 60 days or moredelinquent remain at risk offoreclosure.
The nancial troubles fallmore heavily on communitiesof color too. For example,a 2010 CRL research report,found for every 100 African-American homeowners,11 have either lost theirhomes or at imminent riskof foreclosure. For Latinofamilies, the gures areeven worse 17 of every100 Latino homeowners areaffected by foreclosures.These widespreadforeclosures have drainedan estimated $350 billionfrom communities ofcolor. Additionally, alternative
nancial services such as autotitle and payday loan storesare heavily concentrated inthese same communities ofcolor. And, in these highly-visible neighborhoods, thepeople who frequent thembecome poorer from the highfees assessed.
In 2011 and beyond ifthese troublesome trendscontinue, they will worsenthe racial wealth gaps thatare already too broad. TheInstitute on Assets andSocial Policy (IASP), part ofBrandeis Universitys HellerSchool for Social Policyand Management, reportedlast year that the wealth gapbetween Whites and Blackswas now $95,000, comparedto $20,000 in 1984.
It seems that while someeconomic recovery hasbeen accomplished, there ismore much more to beaccomplished.
Charlene Crowell is
the Center for ResponsibleLendings communicationsmanager for state policyand outreach. She can bereached at [email protected].
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Business
By Stephen D. RileyAFRO Staf Writer
Allyson Yuille doesnt look quite like Martha Stewart.Her skin is a tad darker, her lips a bit fuller and her style ofdress somewhat different, but her ambitions remain the same.The Los Angeles native made the near 2,700-mile trek fromthe West Coast to the East, arriving in Washington, D.C. in2006 before transforming herself into one of todays mostinteresting entrepreneurs. In February, Yuille launched SweetPotato Paper, a stationary company that provides customizedlines of invitations for people of color just in time tocoordinate with Black History Month.
Although the company is still fresh, Yuilles craving forSweet Potato Paper actually began in 2009, when she wasbusy planning her own wedding. After scavenging throughseveral invitations trying to nd a Harlem Renaissance theme,all that the 31-year-old could nd were conventional invites.From family reunions to anything that had to do with peopleof color what I found was really stereotypical, Yuille said. Itwas either outdated or had some sort of st or Kente cloth.
From there, Yuille took matters into her own hands.She gave up her search and simply styled her own invites,prompting a clamoring from friends and family who alsowanted more personalized invitations. With a backgroundas an advertising and marketing director, Yuille applied herefforts and intuitiveness to her new craft. I taught myself howto do a lot of different things by reading different books andusing it surprisingly to learn a lot of the design software thatsout there.
The illustrations for Sweet Potato Paper serve severalmulti-cultural celebrations. From Da de los Muertos toChristmas, the stationary companys range of diverseinvitations is unmatched. Since its launching, things havegone really well for Sweet Potato Paper without anymajor advertisement. Although business has blossomed sofar, Yuilles plans for success arent nished. She has a goalin mind and its modeled after one of the most successful
business women over the past few years.My whole goal is I really want to be, and I hope this
makes sense, like an urban Martha Stewart, Yuille said. Iwant to be the person who can talk about hostessing parties butfocused on the different types of parties for people of color. Iwant to do that for every culture: just really highlight the waythat they celebrate and how invitations and different thingscan be used to successfully promote that particular cultures
event.Sweet Potato Paper has a chance to be a trendsetter. With a
name and service thats unique among its peers, staying powerseems certain for the newborn business. Perhaps its arrivalfalls just in time for a wakeup call to stationary companieseverywhere. Were not the minority anymore, Yuille added.The number of Latinos and African Americans together makeup a majority of America but yet theres not a lot of things outthere for us.
For more information Sweet Potato Paper visitwww.sweetpotatopaper.com
Local Stationary Company Caters to People of Color
Sweet Potato Paper oers stationary for every occasion.Courtesy PhotosIn February Maryland resident Allyson Yuille launched
Sweet Potato Paper, a stationary company that provides
customized lines of invitations for people of color.
When Will the Financial Tide Turn Towards Average Consumers?Survey Finds Hopes High Among Wealthy, But Still Low Among Working Households
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March 5, 2011 - March 11, 2011, The Afro-American B3
By Kristin Gray
AFRO Managing Editor
The Maryland Institute
College of Arts campus is
bustling with individuality
and a hodgepodge of
students fully immersed
in myriad forms of artistic
expression. Within minutes,
its apparent that cliques and
social pecking orders have
little room at the Bolton Hill
neighborhood school, where
students with rainbow-colored
locks or a face pocked with
piercings fail to raise an
eyebrow.
On an uncharacteristically
mild February afternoon,celebrity makeup artist Reggie
Wells and famed alter ego
photographer Derek Blanks
returned to their alma mater,
which at 185 years old is one
of the nations oldest and
most prestigious art schools.
Walking through the maze-
like hallways of the Eddie
and Sylvia Brown Center,
Wells absorbed the mash-
up of student artwork that
lines nearly every surface of
the window-laden building.
Today, multi-hued patchwork,
pastoral images from El
Salvador and an ornate bust of
the late rapper Tupac are onlya fraction of the artwork on
display.
Its a legacy of
craftsmanship and creativity
that Wells, a 1971 graduate, is
ercely proud of.
The biggest honor I can
ever give is to come back
to this school and give a
speechI was so blessed to
get a four-year scholarship,
said Wells as he reected on
his time at MICA. Because
we were artists, you could
be a fool, you could be
outspoken, you could do
anything and theyd say, Oh,
thats a student thats reallyinto art. We spread love;
thank God it was the 60s, a
time when you could spread
love. So they were smoking
and spreading love at the
same time.
He lets loose a hearty
laugh that echoes down the
empty hallway before adding,
I felt really comfortable here
and not overwhelmed.
The schools Black
Student Union is gearing up
for its annual benet fashion
show in April and the two
notable alumni are back to
direct a promotional photo
shoot. The Emmy Award-winning makeup artist has
returned to MICA for the
second time in three months,
which he admits is not easy
to do, but its for my school.Perhaps best known as
the tour de force behind
media mogul Oprahs glam
squad, Wells is the author of
makeup how-to guide Face
Painting and his work has
appeared on the covers of
Essence magazine 108 times.
Most recently, he debuted the
cosmetics line Hissyt, which
aims to take the mystery
out of awless makeup
application.
Not bad for a little
colored boy from Pulaski
Street.
Ive got 36 years in the
business right now. After 36years you really have a story,
said Wells, who is working on
an autobiography detailing his
By Gregory Dale
AFRO Staf Writer
Go-go music may have been what originally spurred
guitarist Valentino Jacksons career, but his distinct versatility
didnt allow him to stay moored to the genre for long.
After picking up a guitar at just 4 years old, the Maryland
native got his start playing with local bands across the
Washington, D.C. region before he even hit 13. While in
junior high school, Jackson joined the Experience Unlimited
Band (E.U.) and the group performed at various clubs across
the area. Though the band drew a sizeable following in their
hometown, they experienced tremendous success after their
performance of Da Butt in the Spike Lee jointSchool
Daze. Jackson later went on to pursue pop music and worked
with a bevy of notable artists. He was inducted into the Rock
and Roll and Go-Go Halls of Fame.
Now, Jackson, 55, is a member of the pop/rock group
NYC. The group recently released their rst single Dance
My Tears Away, which was distributed by the Sony Red
label. The AFRO spoke to Jackson abo
