minority reporter week of feb 25 - mar 3, 2013

7/29/2019 Minority Reporter Week of Feb 25 - Mar 3, 2013

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1 www.minorityreporter.net|feb 25 - mar 3|2013www.MinorityReporter.net

From Information to Understanding

MinorityReporter

rochesternyvol.6 no.12 feb 25 - mar 3 2013

Is New Yorks $7.25 per hour minimum wage

unlivable?


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2 www.minorityreporter.net|feb 25 - mar 3|2013MinorityReporterOfe Ae:

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busInEss MAnAgErPauline McCleary

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cOPy EdItOrGary McLendon

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Art dIrEctOrCatie Fiscus

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EdItOrIAL stAFFLisa DumasDelani Weaver

Sharese Hardaway

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EdItOrIAL AssIstAntClaribel Oliveras

AdvErtIsIngDave McCleary

Lucy Smith-Fulmore

[email protected]

PHOtOgrAPHyTemple Boggs, Jr.

Todd Elliott

cOLuMnIstsGloria Winston Al-Sarag

C. Michael Tillman

Rev. Michael VaughnVincent Felder

Diane Watkins

Mike Dulaney

Davy Vara

Ayesha Kreutz

Minority Reporter, Inc. is a family of publicationsand other media formats committed to fostering selfawareness, building community and empoweringpeople of color to reach their greatest potential. Fur-ther, Minority Reporter, Inc. seeks to present a bal-anced view of relevant issues, utilizing its resourcesto build bridges among diverse populations; takingthem from information to understanding.

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In This Issue:

{COVER Pg 8 - 9

Is New Yorks $7.25 an hourminimum wage unlivable?

{LOCAL Pg 4 - 5

Rochester Mayor not happy withdecision to move MCC to Kodaksite

School 19 gets therapy dog to helpreach students

ALex White announces run forMayor

Wheeler Coleman named ChiefInformation Ofcer for ExcellusBluecross Blueshield

Democrats propose gun ban inMonroe County ofces

{STATE Pg 6

NY Health Chief: Longer gas-drilling study needed

{NATIONAL Pg 12 - 13

For many, Black History notenough from Obama Administration

Civil rights leader applaudObamas new initiatives

{COLUMNS: Pg 14-15 For Zions sake, I will not keepquiet...Isaiah 62:1

by Gloria Winston al-saraG

Rochester Police try everything towin communitys trust and respect

by davy vara

Through the Lens of RCTV: July64, fty years later

by carvon eison

1 www.minorityreporter.net|feb18 -24 |2013www.MinorityReporter.net

FromInformationto Understanding

MinorityReporter

rochesternyvol. 6 no.11 february 18 -24 2013


unlivable?to include your event on this calendar email us at

[email protected]

CALENDAR

february

SEND US YOUR

FEEDBACKEDITOR@

MinorityReporter.net

19Black Heritage Story TellingTime: 1:00 p.m.Location: Ryan Community Center -530 Webster Ave.Featuring local storytellers

22Gospel FridaysTime: 12:30pm - 1:00 p.mLocation: City Hall Atrium - 30 ChurchSt.Visit our Gospel Fridays page to viewvideo samples from previous yearsSchedule: Feb. 1: Tina Jackson;

Immaculate Conception Choir. Feb. 8:Mt. Olivet Baptist Church Choir .Feb. 15: School of the Arts Choir. Feb.22: Charlie Wells and the OriginalVoices of Clouds

22 - 24Special Olympics New York StateWinter GamesTime: 8:00pmLocation: Riverside Convention CenterOver 650 athletes and coaches fromacross the state will participate in the2013 State Winter Games, featuringFloor Hockey at the RiversideConvention Center, Figure Skating andSpeed Skating at Genesee Valley IceRink, Nordic Skiing at Bristol Mountain,

Snowshoeing and Alpine Skiing atSwain Mountain.Join us for the 2013 State WinterGames! All events are free and opento the public. Winter Games is one ofthree annual state games and morethan 3,500 total competitions held eachyear throughout New York. Nearly 850athletes and coaches will be joining usfrom around the state. Recurring daily.For more information on volunteeringemail [email protected] or call1-800-836-6976. Register via Onlinehttp://sonewyork.vsyshost.com/

22Black Heritage Conference 150 YearsSince the Emancipation Proclamation:

How far have we come.Time: 8 a.m. to 4 p.mLocation: 1 Lomb Memorial DriveKeynote speaker: Rev. Dr. MarvinMcMickle, President, ColgateRochester Crozer Divinity SchoolTickets: $75 general; $50 students.Can be purchased from the CityBureau of Youth Services, 2nd oorof Sibley Bldg., 25 Franklin St., or CityHall Room 202A.

2311th Annual Black Heritage GalaTime: 6:00 p.m.

Location: Rochester Plaza - 70 StateSt.Tickets: $50 per person, can bepurchased from the City Bureau ofYouth Services, 2nd oor of SibleyBldg., 25 Franklin St., or City Hall Room202A. For more information about theHeritage Gala, call 428-9857 or visitwww.blackheritagerochester.org.

24Baobab Community DialogueTime: 7:00pmLocation: 728 University AvenueProled: Race in Civic Circles

25WXXI African-American Educational

Awareness FilmTime: 7:00pmLocation: The Little TheaterThe Powerbroker: Whitney YoungsFight for Civil Rights

28150 Video PremierTime: 6:00pmLocation: 8 Manhattan Square DriveContact: 585-428-9857. FREE event.

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GUEST EDITORIAL

As a small child I grew up with a veryreligious grandmother and great

grandmother. Spending me with mygrandmother, youd hear her sayingthings like, God is always listening toyour prayers, so be careful what youpray for.

One of her favorite sayings was: Hemay not come when you want him,but hes always on me. If you calland trust in him, he will come andprotect you!

During those youthful years, I spentsome summers in the south with mygreat grandmother. She was just asheavy with her hand as she was withher religion. So, when we got intotrouble she would rst lay that hand

on you and then back it up with sayingslike. You beer thank God for keepingme from killing you, because he justgave you a second chance. Then shewould break into a shout! My God isa God of second chances!On January 10, all of these sayingsnever seemed to be more true to me.I had a re at a rental property on theEast side. I could not get workers, soI took it upon myself to do the workmyself on that warm 50 degree day. Ittook me almost three hours to start,because I didnt have any help, andsomething kept telling me not to getup there.

So, nally I started the work, and whilemoving the ladder across the roof itdisconnected from the roof and slido the roof.I began ipping and grabbing foranything as I rolled down the roof tothe edge.As I hit the edge of the roof, I wentover the edge head rst toward theconcrete driveway. I began to go overthe edge, and called out, God, pleasedont let me hit my head!

Suddenly, I heard a voice call out tome. Then it felt like someone washolding me, and the next thing I knew,

I had landed feet rst. I broke a bonein my right foot and totally shaeredmy le ankle.

As I lay on the ground, and in theambulance and on the hospital bed,sharing my tesmony about the voiceand what it said and did, no one couldbelieve that I had survived.

Not the people seeing me fall, not the

remen or the ambulance personneland especially not the doctors and

nurses at the hospital. The doctorswent as far to say I should be dead ortotally paralyzed.

People whom I didnt know werecoming to my hospital room stangthat I was being talked about aroundthe hospital and that I was sharing atesmony, and they were asking tohear it. The next day they put a screwin my le foot and sent me home for aweek to prepare for the ankle surgery.One week later I returned for the anklesurgery. Before the doctor took me into operate, I asked him. How longwould it be before I could start tryingto train for track again?

He responded. You will never runagain. We are hoping that you willbe able to stand by June or July and inAugust, we will send you to therapy tolearn how to walk again.

I then told him I wasnt accepngthat because I had to run again, and Ibegan to pray. I also prayed about notwanng to take pain medicaon.

What was the outcome? I never tookone pain pill the enre me from therst day unl today. I began walking inMarch, two months aer my surgery.I began running in June at Johnnie B.Wiley stadium. I have been on the

Insanity Workout program for morethan 12 weeks, since November.

When I walked into the hospital formy March doctors appointment, theintern ran out of the room to informthe doctor that I had just walked in formy appointment.

The doctor came in and said: Whatare you doing walking? How are youwalking?

I responded, Doc, you are the Doctor,but God is the Healer!I am a living tesmony. When you callHim, He comes, and He truly is a God

of second chances!

Willie A. Price, PO Box 603, Bualo, NY14215www.WillieAPriceSpeaks.com716-316-7776

Second Chance by Willie a. price


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4 www.minorityreporter.net|feb 25 - mar 3|2013LOCAL

Rochester Mayor not Happy with Decision to Move MCC to Kodak SiteRepublican lawmakers of the MonroeCounty legislature voted Tuesdaygiving Monroe Community College(MCC) the go-ahead to purchase a

former Kodak site downtown on StateStreet; but some including RochesterMayor Thomas Richards are notcheering this decision.

Richards said he believes more meand public debate should have beenallowed before making a decision.The public did not get a chance toparcipate in this decision and I feartaxpayers will be le to pay a bill theycan ill aord, Richards said.

The new State Street site is expectedto cost the county $72-million tobuild. But, just last week Gilbert Winn,Managing Principal of Winncompanies,and owner of the Sibley Building whichcurrently houses MCCs downtowncampus made an oer to MCC ocials

he says would have saved them$18-million dollars.

Winn, Friday, February 4, unveiled

an impressive new building and a listof its benets including a dedicatedentrance for MCC with everythingupdated, expanded classrooms, andaccessible parking, all at a price heguarantees at $57-million.

But MCC ocials said the Kodak sitewas beer suited for a campus of thefuture.

It is unfortunate that the Republicancaucus of the Monroe CountyLegislature opted not to take the meto adequately study and address themyriad of quesons surrounding thepurchase and the operaon of the oldKodak site for use by MCC. Richardssaid in a statement to media. I wantto say here-and-now, that the cost

to purchase and renovate the Kodakspace is just one concern as there is analternave that is $18 million cheaper.

Richards supports the Winn proposal.Cing the operang costs of the Kodaksite and how the costs would befunded, he said the college is buyingtwice the amount of space they need.They are also purchasing an enreheang and cooling plant - not just fortheir space - but for the enre KodakTower complex. MCC will now haveto nd a way to operate the plant andbecome a small ulity company andnot just a college.

Democrats in the Monroe CountyLegislature also voted against thelegislaon and sought to delay thevote for several months.

We want nothing more than to seeMCC succeed. As County Legislators,

we also have a responsibility to ensurelocal taxpayer dollars are protected, said Democrac Leader Carrie M.Andrews (D-Rochester). Before vong

to approve this purchase, we need tosee that the state has contributed itsshare of $36 million for this project.The State Legislature sll has to voteto approve $24 million of that fundingand given the states scal challenges,we need to make sure were notpurchasing a building without thefunding to renovate it.

Richards says he has a list ofunanswered quesons.

The hard part to understand is thatthere is no rush needed here. MCChas a new ve-year lease at Sibleyand there is no one beang a path topurchase the Kodak site.

School 19 Gets Therapy Dog to Help Reach StudentsIn collaboraon with NaonalEducaon for Assistance Dog Services, anon-prot organizaon for therapeucservices dogs, School No. 19 has nowadded Blaze, a Labrador retriever, toits sta of full-me employees.

Blaze, who was named by theWorcester Massachuses FireDepartment, just arrived from theNEADS organizaon and is alreadyvising various classrooms, the school

said.

Cered school psychologist, AngelaMullally, is leading the eort toestablish an animal-assisted therapyprogram for students at the school.

Mullally currently works with studentsdiagnosed with severe emoonaldisabilies, which she says alsoincludes challenges in building andmaintaining social relaonships.

We have a high concentraon of

Special Educaon students in ourbuilding, so its dicult to nd new and

innovave ways to address the needswere seeing here in the building, saidMullally. Aer some of the readingIve done on therapeuc animals, Ithought that would be a good way toreach those kids.

According to a press release fromthe City School District, researchshowed that therapy dogs reducestress, anxiety, fear, depression, andaggression in people. They also seem

to help increase self-esteem, self-concept, social skills, posive behavior,

and physical acvity.

We just got started last Thursday,Mullally said. Were not doing a lotof therapeuc work yet, but right nowwere laying the groundwork and hesbeing very well received.

She plans to use Blaze to work withchildren by teaching them how to bepaent and compassionate, as well asby teaching them how to care for an

animal, the District said.


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5 www.minorityreporter.net|feb 25 - mar 3|2013LOCAL

ADOPTBirth Date: December, 1997

shellawn, better known as Shelly,is a sweet and outspoken teen who lovesall things Tinkerbell. Her hobbies includedrawing, painting, singing and shop-ping. She also enjoys playing kickball,basketball and board games. Shelly isa good student who gets along well with her peers and enjoys math,social studies and public speaking. She is a friendly and funny positivethinker who is also a great communicator. She likes to help others andhopes to one day become a pediatrician or a lawyer. Shelly needs aloving and patient adoptive family.

If youre interested in learning more about Ysannah orother waiting children, visit:

www.childenAwaiinPaen.o o all 585-232-5110.

Wheeler Coleman Named Chief

Information Officer for Excellus BlueCross BlueShieldRochester, NY Excellus BlueCrossBlueShield has appointed Wheeler G.Coleman to be senior vice presidentand chief informaon ocer for thenonprot health insurer and its parentorganizaon, The Lifeme HealthcareCompanies.

Coleman has nearly 30 years ofexperience in informaon technologywith Health Care Service Corp. (HCSC),where he led the consolidaon and

opmizaon of mulple informaontechnology plaorms and wasresponsible for IT strategy, enterprisearchitecture, technology standards, ITporolio investments, resource andvendor management, the IT budgetand merger/acquision integraon.

Informaon technology is cricallyimportant to our success, andWheeler is the right person in the rightposion, said Christopher Booth, CEO

of The Lifeme Healthcare Companies.

Coleman, who will begin his newposion Feb. 4, will report directly toBarry Thornton, Senior Vice Presidentof Customer Sasfacon and BusinessTechnology.

Wheeler has signicant experiencein leading an organizaon throughchanges in people, process andsystems, said Thornton. Im very

excited about his addion to ourcompany and team.

Coleman earned an MBA from theUniversity of Notre Dame and aBachelor of Science degree in applieddata processing from Northern IllinoisUniversity. He and his wife, SharonJohnson Coleman, have two children.

Democrats Propose Gun Ban in Monroe County OfficesMonroe County Democrats introducedlegislaon Monday to restrict gunowners from bringing concealedweapons into county oce buildings.

Under current policy, anyone witha concealed carry permit is legallyallowed to bring a gun into any countyowned or leased property.

Carrie Andrews, D - Rochester, theDemocrac leader who sponsored thelegislaon, said, Given the prevalenceof gun violence in our country today,it is unreasonable that people canwalk into a government building witha gun. Certainly even responsible gun

owners understand why guns arenot permied in federal buildings,courthouses, and other municipalproperes, it should be no dierentfor county buildings.

Andrews pointed out that schoolbuildings and Rochester City Hall aretwo municipal buildings where gunsare banned.

There really is no need to bring a guninto the County Oce Building. Wehave armed depues here who areauthorized and trained to protect bothour employees and the public; wedont need extra guns oang around,added Glenn Gamble, D-Rochester, aco-sponsor of the legislaon.

The bill would exempt law enforcementpersonnel from the prohibion.

The Shooters Commiee on EducaonCommiee is in opposion to thebill, however. According to reports,County Legislature does not have the

authority to regulate handguns in anyway, SCOPE said.

In addion, Monroe CountyRepublican Majority Leader AnthonyDaniele stated, As with all proposedlegislaon, we will consider thisacon. However, it is worth nong thatMonroe County has had an eecveweapons prohibion in Countybuildings in place since 1991.

Nonetheless, stated Andrews, thecurrent prohibion applies to everyoneexcept for people with concealed carrypermits. I believe its unnecessary toallow people to carry a weapon into a

county building and it s me to update

the law to eliminate that excepon,she said.

Andrews also stated that the countycertainly has the right to prohibitguns or other deadly weapons inbuildings it owns or leases and thatthe law does not violate anyonesSecond Amendment rights.

The proposal is now being consideredby Legislature president Je Adairwho will assign it to a commiee. If itpasses at the next commiee meeng,the bill would then be up for a nalvote on April 9.

Alex White Announces Run for MayorLocal businessman Alex Whiteannounced Monday that he will runfor Mayor as a candidate seeking anendorsement from the Green Party.

At a press conference on the steps ofcity hall, White cited ongoing problemsthat have been le unresolved bycity government such as crime,vacant lots and empty oce space,declining graduaon rates, povertyand overspending as the reasons thatmovated him to join the race.

There are almost 4000 vacant housesin our neighborhoods and almost 2million square feet of empty oce

space in the center of our city, hesaid. Crime is rampant on our streets,and many in our community do nottrust the police to handle this. Less

than 50 percent of our most preciouscommodity, our youth, are graduanghigh school. Poverty is two and a halfmes the naonal average and our cityruns a 30 million dollar decit everyyear.

Whites announcement followsjust aer Mayor Tom Richards, aDemocrat, announced last week hewill be running for re-elecon thisyear, as well as city council presidentLovely Warrens statement that she is

also considering her opons to run.

Aer decades of struggle we neednew soluons that work, he said. It

is me to build a government that canimplement real sustainable soluons.

In the special elecon for mayor in2011, White ran on the Green Partycket winning nine percent of thevote.

A Green Party spokesperson said theycurrently have several candidatesseeking endorsement for various racesand will soon be starng the interviewprocess.

Alex White


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6 www.minorityreporter.net|feb 25 - mar 3|2013STATE

780 JOSEPH AVENUEROCHESTER, NY

WE WANT TO KNOW [email protected]

let your voice make a difference!

Howmanyyouthneedmentors?

Just onetheonewhoneedsyou.

A message from the Boomer Mentor Project of Rochester Mentors at Lifespan.

Youve got what it takestomake a difference in

the life of a child.

Call 271-4050 or visit www.RochesterMentors.org

NY health chief:Longer gas-drilling study neededBy MARY ESCH

Associated Press

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) _ Environmentalgroups praised state regulators fordelaying a decision on shale gasdevelopment unl a more in-depthhealth study is nished, but landownerseager to reap prots from their mineralresources were frustrated at anotherdelay in a rulemaking process that haskept drilling on hold for 4 1/2 years.

``Were glad to hear that theyrenot pung an arcial deadline oncompleon of the regulaons, andgiving the sciensts me to do thescience, said Deborah Goldberg, anaorney for Earthjusce.

Nick Schoonover, a landowner insouthern New York who organized acoalion of landowners ve years agoto pursue gas leases, said Tuesday thedelay is ìrresponsible. Thats all thereis to it.

The Department of EnvironmentalConservaon had faced a deadlineWednesday to complete itscomprehensive environmentalimpact study of drilling for gas usinghigh-volume hydraulic fracturing, orfracking.

DEC Commissioner Joe Martens saidTuesday that the deadline will be

missed, meaning regulaons due tobe released Feb. 27 will be delayed.Martens said he expected HealthCommissioner Nirav Shahs review tobe done in a few weeks.

But Martens said issuing of permitsfor shale gas drilling could begin evenwhile regulaons are being nished,if the Health Departments reviewnds the Environmental ConservaonDepartments impact study adequatelyaddresses health concerns.

But if the Department of Health review``nds that there is a public healthconcern that has not been assessedin the (environmental impact study)

or properly migated, we would notproceed, as I have stated in the past,Martens said.

Goldberg said it would be illegal forthe state to issue permits before theregulaons were nished. `Ìf theytry to proceed without rules, well besuing them in court, she said.

Shah said he needed more me toreview recent studies. He said hisreview focuses in parcular on therelaonship of fracking to the health

impacts of drinking water, as well as

other areas such as air quality andcommunity impacts.

``Commissioner Shah is correct thatthe state needs to take the me todo a comprehensive study of thehealth eects of fracking to protectthe public health, said biologistSandra Steingraber, a leader of thean-fracking movement. ``We arecondent that such a review will showthat the costs of fracking in terms ofpublic health are unacceptable.

A coalion of landowners is consideringa lawsuit over the states repeateddelays in compleng regulaons andissuing drilling permits.

``Were incredibly disappointed thatour state could not get this done, saidSco Kurkoski, a lawyer represennga large coalion of landowners inthe southern part of New York nearthe Pennsylvania border where gasdrilling is most likely to start. ``Wevebeen at this for 4 1/2 years. Ohio wasable to accomplish their revision toregulaons in eight months.

Karen Moreau, execuve director ofthe New York State Petroleum Council,said industry best pracces and stateregulaons ``have proven eecve inthe safe use of the hydraulic fracturingprocess for more than 60 years and in

over a million wells.

Shah noted several studies that havebeen iniated or published by thescienc community: an EPA studyon potenal impacts of frackingacvies on drinking water, due to becompleted in 2014; a Geisinger HealthSystems study in Pennsylvania, whichis analyzing health records in areaswhere shale gas is being developed;and a study recently announced byresearchers from the University ofPennsylvania in collaboraon withsciensts from Columbia, JohnsHopkins and the University of NorthCarolina.

`Às we have been reviewing the scopeof these studies, I have determined_ and prudence dictates _ that theDOH Public Health Review will requireaddional me to complete based onthe complexity of the issues, Shahsaid.

He said he and his team will be inPennsylvania and Washington incoming days for briengs on thestudies. He said he has also extendedthe terms of outside researchersassisng in his review.


7/16



8/16

8 www.minorityreporter.net|feb 25 - mar 3|2013COVER STORY

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) Workers who make lowwages making hotel beds, ringing up groceries,delivering pizza and tending tables in New Yorksay the proposed hike in the states minimumwage wont erase all their nancial worries.

But it will help.

The priority for that extra 20 dollars monthwould be probably something other thanmacaroni and cheese and chicken all theme, said Myrna Capaldi, a singlemother in Kingston who

makes $8.59 an hourworking with HeadStart families.

Lawmakers inAlbany areconsidering aproposal byGov. AndrewCuomo toincrease thestate minimumwage from $7.25to $8.75 an hourin July. AssemblyDemocrats proposed making it $9 an houraer President Barack Obama in his State of theUnion address this week proposed hiking the

federal minimum wage, also $7.25 an hour, to$9 in stages by the end of 2015.

Cuomo has described the current minimum

wage,which works

out to about $15,000 a yearfor full-me work, as unlivable.

Many people making the minimum ora lile above it agree.

Its prey dicult to put bread on the table andmake sure I have enough gas to get to work, said

Capaldi. Andto pull up tothe gas pumpand the price

of gas has yetagain gone up

but your hourlysalary has not.

About 5 percent ofhourly wage earnersin New York state

make the minimum

or below (like workerswho receive ps), accordingto federal gures. The proposed

hike would also directly aect workersmaking more than minimum but lessthan $8.75. Those 747,000 workersmake up 9 percent of the states workforce, according to an analysis by thelabor-backed Fiscal Policy Instute.

Who are those workers?

Opponents of a wage hike note that many areteens with part-me jobs sll living at home. Butthe FPI analysis says more than eight in 10 of thepeople making $8.75 or less in New York are atleast 20 years old. Most are women and almosthalf these low-wage earners work at least 35

hours a week.

In the Bronx a borough with a persistentlyhigh poverty rate a state-high 12.5 percent ofworkers make $8.75 or less an hour, accordingto the FPI analysis. A number of largely ruralupstate counes like Montgomery, Steuben andEssex, also had high rates.

Whether rural or urban, people on the low endof the wage scale tell similar stories of neverhaving enough money to keep up.

In Queens, Kassandra Guzman, an 18-year-oldhigh school student, works seven days a weekand said she sll has trouble saving for collegeaer helping her parents pay their bills. Capaldi,who is raising a teen makes a lot of macaroni and

shops at Goodwill on Wednesdays, which arehalf-price days.


unlivable?

Cuomo has described the current minimumwage, which works out to about $15,000 ayear for full-time work, as unlivable.


9/16

9 www.minorityreporter.net|feb 25 - mar 3|2013COVER STORY

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Its really hard, somemes wedont even make rent unl twoweeks aer its due, said 20-year-old Joselyn Flower, who lives in theIthaca area.

Flower is an $8-an hour hotelhousekeeper who went onmaternity leave aer she and herpartner had a daughter a monthago. He makes $8 an hour, too. Theyall live in a one-bedroom apartment.

The extra $1.50 an hour forminimum wage earners could grossan extra $60 a week for full-mers.How much more people makingslightly over would reap depend onwhether their employer raises themto the new minimum.

It wouldnt buy much, but I wouldfeel the dierence, said BrandonMontes, a senior at FordhamUniversity who holds down twolower-wage jobs. Its expensive tolive in New York and every lile bithelps.

Flower said: Its not going to makeit easy, but it certainly will make it alot less hard.

Opponents of the hike, includingsome business interests, say theincrease would actually hurt thoselower-wage workers who wouldget laid o by employers unable toaord suddenly higher payroll costs.

Economists have debated that point

for years. Opponents point to apeer-reviewed study last year thatconcluded New Yorks minimumwage increase from $5.15 to $6.75over two years beginning in 2004coincided with a roughly 20 percentdrop in employment for less-skilled,less-educated 16- to 29-year-olds.

The evidence is mixed, said MahewFreedman, an assistant professor atCornell Universitys Department ofLabor Economics. And if there arenegave eects, he added, a hikein the wage does not seem to beas vicious a job destroyer as somefear.

Its not going to make it easy,but it certainly will make ita lot less hard.-- joselyn floWer

It wouldnt buy much, but Iwould feel the difference-- brandon montes


10/16

10 www.minorityreporter.net|feb 25 - mar 3|2013Black History MontH FaMily Day

Join Us attHe MeMorial art Gallery

sUnDay, FeBrUary 24, 2013

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THE GOOD HUMOR MAN

NATIONAL

By Jacquelyn Williams and Bianca Brown

(TriceEdneyWire.com) As millions prepared to

watch President Obamas State of the Union Addresson Tuesday, interviews in recent weeks reveal thatthe historical signicance of the rst Black Presidenthas given way to a string of high expectaons.

The thrill is gone, said 32-year-old postal workerKeith Reid of Landover, Md. We need to move awayfrom our xaon on the history President Obamamade by becoming our rst Black president andfocus more on his execuon of the plaorm he ranon.

Expectaons have risen for President Obama ashe enters his second term in oce, with manysupporters seeking soluons to unresolved issues.This weeks State of the Union Address was expectedto lay out President Obamas economic plan. Butsupporters and crics alike are looking for signicant

change as the unemployment stascs of his mostloyal constuents - African-Americans - remain indouble digits.

President Obama has done a lot for the economybut I think he needs to focus more on strugglingcommunies that were suering long before andwell aer the recession, said 27-year-old bankerStacy Warner of Los Angeles.

Ancipaon is especially high because many policalobservers argued that the President was limited inhis rst term for fear of losing his re-elecon bid.

Hes done a phenomenal job so far, but now that hedoes not have to worry about geng [re-elected], Iwant him to be a lile tougher on issues that he feelsstrongly about, like automac gun restricons, said

24-year-old fourth grade teacher Josephine Brownof Palo Alto, Calif.

The gun control issue has landed squarely in thelaps of the White House and Congress since the Dec.17 mass killings of 20 rst graders at Sandy HookElementary School in Newtown, Conn. The debatenow rages between some, like Brown, who wantmajor gun restricons and others who want morecontrols on the people who are allowed to buy them.

Either strategy raises a queson about how toend gun violence that has raged in inner cityneighborhoods for decades.

Im hoping to see him reduce the number of assaultweapons available on the streets, said Pastor ByronCraig of Macedonia Bapst Church in Norristown,

Pa.

Some civil rights leaders, including Marc Morial,president/CEO of the Naonal Urban League, sayghng gun violence alone wont help city streets.Like Morial, many believe the socio-economicatmosphere of poor communies must also bestrengthened along with any form of gun control -including, jobs, housing and educaon.

I would really love to see Barack Obama focus oneducaon reform, said Ndidi Obasi, a sophomore inmedia studies and producon at Temple Universityin Philadelphia. He oen speaks about workinghard to make sure that our children have a beerfuture, but that future starts now in the classroom.Its insane to think that in 2013 our zip codes slldetermine whether or not we get a good educaon.

The second inauguraon of President Obama waslled with references to the historic anniversariesin 2013, including the 150th anniversary of theEmancipaon Proclamaon and the 50th anniversary

of the 1963 March on Washington. But, there was nodirect reference to the modern day racial dispariesendured by African-Americans.

This was a disappointment to some. By no meansis the President weak. But theres me when thebulldog in you needs to come out in order for thingsto get done especially when dealing with those whoaspire to hold you back, expressed 81-year-oldKorean War veteran Wendell Merri.

There are other issues that are not as prominentas race, gun violence and educaon. But theyare equally important, points out Norristown, Pa.resident, James Brown.

I would like to see President Obama do somethingabout the environment, says Brown. If we keepdigging it up and poisoning the earth, the soil wontbe able to produce crops and I want to stop breathingpolluted air.

At the beginning of President Obamas rst termhe pushed one of the hardest hing aacks on airpolluon in US history using his execuve powers.This legislaon would have brought carbon dioxidelimits to power plants, imposed new fuel eciencylaws for cars and put billions of dollars into cleanenergy projects. But, in 2012 the Republicancontrolled House of Representaves passed theStop the War on Coal Act, aecvely reversingPresident Obamas eorts.

Randall Don, a New York lm maker, says hewould like to see him work on energy again. ButDons reason has lile to do with air polluon.

Coming up with ways to harness the newopportunies for energy will create jobs, which

I think is obviously incredibly important to theeconomy, he said.

That is the recurring issue, an economy that has le

many with a feeling of hopelessness that they leastexpected under a Black president.

All I want is for Obama to be a lile more vocal,explained Judy Butler, a rered 64-year-old ofWashington, D.C. He has to speak up for those whocannot speak up for themselves.

Though the naon is led by the President, the FirstLady also plays a major roll in the White House.Dorothy Wilson, a rered resident of Prince GeorgesCounty, Md., is First Lady Michelle Obamas nextmove.

Im excited to see what Michelle Obama has instore this term also. She did a good job at creangawareness to obesity and supporng the troops,Wilson said.

Vietnam War veteran Michael Lyes also applaudedthe First Ladys support of the troops and is also

comforted by the Presidents promise to bring homethe troops from Afghanistan.

I almost jumped for joy when Obama talked aboutending war. It is something so traumazing to beput in the front line of war, its me to come home,said Lyes, who was tearful aer explaining his warexperience.

In a naon overrun with controversial issues, all ofwhich appear to be priories, there are some whosimply want to see the President succeed in being agood family man.

Even though I dont agree with many of his policies,I do think he is a good father and a good person, saidShannon Gibson. I would like to see him connuehis devoon to his family in his second term.

Writer Mignon Hemsley contributed to this arcle.

For Many, Black History Not Enough from Obama Administration


13/16

13 www.minorityreporter.net|feb 25 - mar 3|2013NATIONAL

Civil Rights Leaders Applaud Obamas New Initiatives

By Hazel Trice Edney

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - Two Weeksago, a group of civil rights leaders, ledby Naonal Urban League PresidentMarc Morial, threw down the gauntlet,strongly urging President Obama toaddress the jobs crisis and economicsin Americas urban communies.

Gauging applause following ObamasFeb. 12 State of the Union address,he is at least beginning to meet thedemand.

We applaud President Obama formaking clear his focus on job creaonand preparing our youth for success

in college, work and life as the keysto economic prosperity for ourcommunies and country. We echo hiscall for swi passage of the AmericanJobs Act, which we believe will levelthe playing eld for many Americanswho have yet to benet from theeconomic recovery, said Morial in astatement immediately following thespeech.

NAACP President Ben Jealous agreed.The President knocked it out ofthe park, he said in an interview.The President understands thatpersistent poverty and violence areconnected. This was a response to ourcall for clear and real soluons to the

jobs crisis thats been plaguing ourcommunity.

His rst State of the Union speech inhis second term, the president waspressured by high expectaons. WithAmericas gun violence suddenlyspreading from the inner cies into thesuburbs with a rash of mass shoongs,his challenged was in part to speakto them both with equal compassion.However, an even greater challengewas to address the clearly dierentcauses of the violence one being theeconomic crisis in Black communiesthat the civil rights leaders havehighlighted.

Tonight, lets also recognize thatthere are communies in this countrywhere no maer how hard you work,it is virtually impossible to get ahead.Factory towns decimated from years ofplants packing up. Inescapable pocketsof poverty, urban and rural, whereyoung adults are sll ghng for theirrst job. America is not a place wherethe chance of birth or circumstanceshould decide our desny. And thatswhy we need to build new ladders ofopportunity into the middle class forall who are willing to climb them,Obama said in the speech, marked byrepeated applause.

He connued, Lets oer incenves

to companies that hire Americanswhove got what it takes to ll thatjob opening, but have been out ofwork so long that no one will givethem a chance anymore. Lets put

people back to work rebuilding vacanthomes in run-down neighborhoods.And this year, my administraonwill begin to partner with 20 of thehardest-hit towns in America to getthese communies back on theirfeet. Well work with local leaders totarget resources at public safety, andeducaon, and housing.

Most recently, Chicago has becomethe central point of media aenonon gun violence because of the killingof 15-year-old Inaugural majoree,Hadiya Pendleton, whose parentswere guests at the State of the Union.They were guests of First Lady MichelleObama, who had aended Hadiyas

funeral. Aer the speech, the Presidentalso went to Chicago, speaking at HydePark Career Academy near the site ofHadiyas murder.

Theres no more important ingredientfor success, nothing that would bemore important for us reducingviolence than strong, stable families-- which means we should do moreto promote marriage and encouragefatherhood, he said, in a deeplypersonal address.

Dont get me wrong. As the son of asingle mom, who gave everything shehad to raise me with the help of mygrandparents, I turned out okay, he

said. So weve got single moms outhere, theyre heroic in what theyredoing and we are so proud of them.But at the same me, I wish I had had afather who was around and involved.

In the speech that was punctuatedby light laughter and applause, thePresident also underscored some ofproposals from the State of the Unionsuch as improvements on publicsafety, educaon and housing as wellas raising the minimum wage to $9 anhour.

The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr., who, theweek before the State of the Union,called for President Obama to Come

home, said he is also pleased with theheadway the Obama administraon ismaking in addressing urban crime andpoverty.

The point is that Chicago exposes thecomplexies of the urban crisis, whichrequires some plan for reconstruconbecause its been so destroyed, Rev.Jackson said in an interview. The issuein Sandy Hook was guns in the handsof a wild man and the gun culturefor sport. In Chicago, like Balmore,like Memphis, like New Orleans itsdrugs in, guns in, jobs out, housesforeclosed, driving poverty and 40-50 percent unemployment. Thats adierent combinaon.

Jackson said he agrees with thePresidents ideas on backgroundchecks and mental health checksbefore the purchase of handguns.

But theres much more need in Blackcommunies, he said.

Urban America requires somethingfar more massive than the lack ofguns. He proposes a reconstruconbank with trillions of dollars to rebuildcommunies. You cannot bring thecommunies back. You cannot revivethe communies on the banks thatdestroyed them for greed and prot.You need a reconstrucon bank.

Regardless of what the proposals are,most will need to pass a bier anddivided Congress.

In that regard, U. S. Rep. Jim Clyburn

(D-S.C.) encouraged the parsanshipto end for the sake of a new beginning.

Forty years ago, Dr. Marn LutherKing, Jr. stood at the Lincoln Memorialand proclaimed We refuse to believethat there are insucient funds inthe great vaults of opportunity ofthis naon. Tonight President Obamastood in the well of the U.S. Houseof Representaves, and echoed Dr.Kings senment. He took up themantle of Dr. King in declaring, Itis our unnished task to make surethat this government works on behalf

of the many, and not just the few;that it encourages free enterprise,rewards individual iniave, andopens the doors of opportunity toevery child across this great naon of

ours, Clyburn said in a statement. Iapplaud his vision, and I look forwardto working with the President andmy colleagues in Congress to get ourcountry on a path of opportunitythrough economic development, jobcreaon and invesng in educaon,infrastructure and innovaon to moveour country forward. For too long,we have been hearing why it cant bedone. President Obama reminded ustonight that it can be done, we justhave to have the polical will to do it.

Naonal Urban League PresidentMarc Morial

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14 www.minorityreporter.net|feb 25 - mar 3|2013Theviewsexpressedonouropinionpagesarethose

oftheauthoranddonotnecessarilyrepresentthepositionorviewpointofMinorityReporter.OPINION/EDITORIAL

The Revolution is Computerized on Social NetworksFor those of yousing aroundwaing fora revoluonperhaps youneed to knowyou are inthe middle ofone. Thanksto ChristopherDorner, former

Los AngelesPolice Department ocer some of theinjusces that have occurred withinthe law enforcement community areabout to be corrected. If you have nothad your head in the sand then youknow by now that Christopher Dorner,

an alleged killer is being sought inconnecon with the murder of twocivilians, and one police ocer.

The events that have transpired since-Sunday, February 3 appeared toescalate on Thursday, February 7,2013.

My intent is not to revisit informaonthat is available everywhere you look.My intent is to discuss how a man who is accused of murdering innocentpeople by some becomes a folk heroto others.

I have monitored and read with greatinterest over 50 Facebook pages,

alone, that have been created eitherby Christopher Dorner, his supporters,and in very few cases his haters. I havecalculated thousands of supportersand those who choose to likehim. My rst reacon was that lawenforcement will never capture thisman. He has too may people willingto hide him and support him. Manyare unafraid to state why. Their toneis not new, their concerns either.Enough is enough. Law enforcement

in most major cies in the U.S. hashad their share of complaints, chargesof corrupon, brutality and racism.For years I supported the concerns ofleadership like Rev. Raymond Gravesand others, who tried to keep in theforefront the concerns of the RochesterPolice Department. Aer digesngChristopher Dorners Manifesto asix-page leer he wrote and publishedonline in an aempt to clear his name I became closer to understanding theevents we are now witnessing.

When I discovered one of the vicmsallegedly murdered by him wasthe daughter of the former LAPDpolicemen now turned lawyer who

represented him in a failed aemptto appeal his case; my mind quicklyrevisited the local events that led upto the killing of Alicia McCuller, theincarceraon of Michael Florence, andthe Rufus Fairwell case.

Somewhere there is a scripture thatspeaks to a child paying for the sinsof the father. I dont know this to bethe case, or if any of what I am sharingto be fact, but it sure is plenty of foodfor thought.

Nothing is new. Christopher Dorner tome is no more than the re-incarnatedspirit of Huey P. Newton co-founder ofthe Black Panther Party or American

Indians Russell Means and DennisBanks just to menon a few I nd tobe true modern day revoluonaries.Those familiar with history may recallhow Russell and Dennis held thefederal government at bay for 72 days,refusing to surrender. Any revoluonthat is successful is led only by thoseunafraid to die for what they believein. That fact alone I am condent hasthe LAPD concerned about who andwhat they are dealing with. Not onlyhave they trained Christopher Dorner,he states emphacally he plans to useeverything they taught him againstthem.

Sounds like a modern day Spook Who

Sat By The Door, (a 1973 lm whichsarizes the civil rights struggle in theUnited States of the late 1960 andaempts to focus on the issue of blackmilitancy).

Christopher Dorner is considereda hero to many. Some are playfullycalling him Rambo, the Dark Knightand other pet names that suggestthey would join his army if he wasrecruing. Historically, unrest has

spawned civil wars.

Christopher Dorner has touched somemighty big nerves, and exposed theraw pain that exists in those who havebad experiences or treated unjustlyby law enforcement. Most peopledont have the means, the courageor the vehicle by which they evenfeel comfortable complaining. We allknow that complaining could easilyconstute harassment against you oryour family.

Just ask Davy Vara, a consistentadvocate who shines a spotlight onany appearance of injusce by lawenforcement.

Fear silences man, but someone likeChristopher Dorner has seemingly putin place a legimate forum by whichmuch stands to be corrected. And Isuspect some wrongs will be rightedabove and beyond the connes of theLAPD.

I understand Christopher Dorner. Ipersonally know how it feels whenfolks lie on you to get you removedfrom their presence, when you dontsupport their agenda.

Even though I was trained eecvely tohandle rearms as a Black Panther, myChrisan values tend to kick in when

pushed to consider taking someoneelses life.

But, when folks reach out to destroyyour life and hurt your family, to me, itis only human nature to want to strikeback. Some liars truly need to be morethan thankful that God keeps his handon me.

Christopher Dorner said in a noteto Anderson Cooper, he did not lie.Christopher Dorner in responseto those who queson his allegedkilling of innocent folks, clearly statessomemes you have to close someeyes to open others.

As callous as it may sound, the truthis revoluons seldom occur withoutblood shed. Jesus bled for all of us.Does this mean I condone what he hasdone, if in fact he killed anyone? No,but I do understand what is drivinghim. To me regardless of how themedia tries to make him look like amad man, I aint buying it.

Christopher appears to have beenplanning and strategically calculang

his every move. It appears he has beenworking the plan since 2008, includingthe false trail he le by a truck he setare leading folks to search a mountainin the cold for him all night while hemay have been in Mexico.

He does not come across like some ofthe lunacs who have barged up intoschools killing innocent children and intheaters and just opened re.

I dont perceive him to be suicidal orthink he will turn a gun on himself.He is truly a home grown terrorist, awarrior on a mission.

He has vowed to clear the only thing a

man truly possesses in this world andthat is his name. I believe him.

His court case has already beenrevisited and the aws have beenhighlighted in the media. God onlyknows how this will end. But, I suspectwhen and before it ends, revoluon willhave prevailed in the law enforcementarena, naon wide. He has put thefear of God in the LAPD and at least40 oces he named as target in hismanifesto.

The $1 million reward recently postedsuggests to me he will never make it tocourt, if captured.

I am personally suspect of the waythe criteria for the reward is worded.The oer is conngent on his arrestand convicon. So in fact, if one of hissupporters decides to collect, and if heis killed at anyme before he gets tocourt, that reward will never be paid.

Charlie Sheen and Rev. Jesse Jackson,among others, know it and havereached out to Christopher aempngto get him to surrender. They bothpersonally know the harm that lies cando to someones life. It is unfortunate itis taking all of this for a man to clear hisname just because others allegedlyused him as a pawn in their game ofdeceit, corrupon and injusce.

The revoluon is computerized onsocial networks, and this movementis ironically being led by ChristopherJordan Dorner, a former cop.

GLORIA WINSTON AL-SARAG

strAIgHtNO CHASER

----------------------------------GloriaWinstonAl-SaragisaCommunityActivist,Writer,Communicator,PoliticalActivist.SheisanativeRoches-terianandhasbeeninvolvedwithnumerouscommunityorgainzationsinRochester.ContactGloriaat:[email protected]

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15/16


R o c h e s t e r sPolice ChiefJ a m e sSheppard, andMayor ThomasR i c h a r d s ,have spentt h o u s a n d sof taxpayerdollars onb i l l b o a r d sreading WeveGot your Back!

and On the Same Team.

These billboards were plasteredthroughout mostly African-Americanand Lano neighborhoods in an

aempt to buy the communitysrespect.

When it did not work they triedsomething else.They came up with Fish with a Copand several Rochester police ocerswent shing with kids in the dirtyGenesee River.When it did not work they tried

something else.

They came up with Skate with a Copand several Rochester police ocerswent skateboarding and BMX bike-riding with kids at an indoor skatepark.

When it did not work they had an idea.

They thought... Hey, lets take a fewselect kids (black and Lano) shoppingat Eastview Mall, with funds donatedby the community, so ocers wonthave to spend their own money!

The way the RPD looked at it, it wouldmake for great news, having ocerstaking inner-city minority kids to themall.

But again, that did not work.

Chief Shepard then turned to socialmedia. He used Twier to hold TwierTown Hall sessions with community

members once a week for one hour inJanuary.

Despite Rochesters mainstream,corporate-run, cop-loving news mediaspinning stories that the Twier TownHalls were successful, they werent.

In fact, the response was not whatChief Sheppard hoped for.

So, you guessed it, Chief Sheppard desperate to try anything andeverything to erase a long historyof misconduct, corrupon, racialproling, abuse and killing of African-Americans and Lanos by the RPD has once again teamed up with Mayor

Richards.Drum roll, please. ... Shoptalk isthe name of Chief Sheppards latest,desperate move.

In this one Sheppard and Richardswent to a Monroe Avenue barber shopto have conversaons with youngmen in the community and give them

a chance to voice their opinions on anopen forum.

Too bad that for the most part,Rochesters African-American andLano community are too spineless,afraid and complacent, to have shownup to that barber shop and call thesellout chief and the millionaire mayorout.

Too bad theres no unity in the African-American and Lano community.

And too bad that minories inRochester connue to allow Rochesterpolice to prole, abuse and kill ourown people, and are then so gullible

they play into Chief Sheppards andMayor Richards game the gamewhere Sheppard, himself a black man,and a millionaire white mayor, pretendto care about minories in Rochester.

Theviewsexpressedonouropinionpagesarethoseoftheauthoranddonotnecessarilyrepresentthe

positionorviewpointofMinorityReporter.OPINION/EDITORIALRochester Police Try Everything to Win Communitys Trust and Respect

DAVY VARA

Although July

2014 seems along way o, itsa pivotal pointin Rochestershistory. Itmarks the 50thA n n i v e r s a r yof what hasb e c o m eknown as theRochester Riotsof July 64.

During that three-day orgy ofanger, the pent-up frustraon anddisillusionment within Rochestersblack community erupted in violencethat destroyed neighborhoods

throughout the 3rd and 7th wards,further eroded relaons betweenpolice and the citys black residents,racked up arrest records, injured manyand le some for dead. For the rstme during the era of civil rights, theNaonal Guard was called out to quellviolence in a northern city. Suddenly,Rochesters long-simmering racialtensions could no longer be ignored.

The lm July 64, a documentaryby ImageWordSound, explores thisdisturbing me through interviewswith many city leaders in charge at theme, and through historic lm footageand photos.

As we approach the 50th Anniversaryof July 64, the me is ripe to re-visitthe issues that caused a sore to festerand explode within our community

to understand where we are today, so

that we can never again be accused, asConstance Mitchell asserts in July 64,of having our head[s] in the sand.

Where do police/communityrelaons stand today? Have theyimproved? Could one incident torchany groundwork that has been laidtoward a more harmonious, lessdistrusul relaonship between thepolice and local residents?

Is the low graduaon rate amongRochesters black and Lan malepopulaon symptomac of deeperissues that need to be addressed, andif so, what are they?

What is the role of the church todayin sustaining the spirituality of thecommunity and guiding people towardpeaceful change?

In the past ve years, the enrenaon has experienced a deeplytroubled economic climate. Howhave economic condions aectedRochesters African-American Cizensin comparison with other populaonswithin the city?

In the past y years, downtownRochester has changed dramacally.Center city was hit by a downturn asretail moved to the suburbs. Todaysbusiness development organizaonsare working to restore Center City toits former viability. How has the shitoward the suburbs aected the blackcommunity? Have housing condions

improved, or are black residents

stranded in decaying corners of ourcommunity?

How have race relaons changed?Using Minister Franklin Florenceswords from July 64, is there sll acurrent of quiet rage running deepwithin the community?

Between now and July 2014,ImageWordSound and RCTV willcollaborate on exploring these issuesthrough interviews with city leaderssuch as Mayor Thomas Richards, PoliceChief James Sheppard, RochesterCity School District SuperintendantDr. Boltan Vargas and others whoseperspecves are important on these

issues. In an upcoming series, RCTV

will explore how todays environment

is aecng a whole socio-economicclass and these discussions will betelevised.

If you are a Rochester resident and youhave a unique perspecve to share onthe contemporary issues menonedabove, or if you have a previouslyundisclosed story, perspecve ormemory of what happened duringthose three days of July 64, I invite youto contact me. Please call my oce atRCTV and leave a short message aboutwhat you would like to discuss on myvoicemail at 325-1238, ext. 211.

Carvin EisonGeneral Manager

RCTV15

Through the Lens of RCTV: July 64, Fifty Years Later

CARVIN EISON

Let your voicebe heardTell us what you think at:

[email protected]


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minority reporter week of feb 25 - mar 3, 2013

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