March 2013

G O O D N E W S F R O M T H E C H U R C H A N D C O M M U N I T Y

March 2013 www.thepositivecommunity.com $2.95

THE WOMEN’S ISSUE

Delta Sigma Theta Turns 100

Peter W. Carmel, MD

The Neurological Institute of New JerseyCenter of Excellence at The University Hospital

Robert F. Heary, MDChirag D. Gandi, MD E. Jesus Duffis, MDJames K. Liu, MDIra M. Goldstein, MD

Charles J. Prestigiacomo, MD

The Neurological Institute of New Jersey offers comprehensive neurological care and treatment of brain, spinal cord andhead/neck conditions, with a full range of conservative and surgical neurological interventions.

As faculty members at UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, our team of experienced neurosurgeons is committed to providingthe highest level of care at The University Hospital and to our clinical affiliates in the northern New Jersey region.

The Neurological Institute of New Jersey Proud recipient of the 2012 Healthgrades™ Award of Excellence in Neurosurgery

One of 11 Centers of Excellence at The University Hospital, which provide the State’s advanced medicalservices and specialty care programs.

To reach the Neurological Institute of New Jersey please call us at: 973-972-2323, or go to: www.njneurosurgeons.com.

UH Positive Community Ad 8 x 10.5 final_Layout 1 1/11/13 4:30 PM Page 1

Come to the center of it all! one center street, newark, nj

For tickets and full 2013 spring schedule visit njpac.org or call 1-888-GO-NJPAC

Jersey Moves! Dance FestivalA celebration of dance in the Garden State with American Repertory Ballet, Bani Ray, danceTatics, New Jersey Tap Ensemble, Nimbus Dance Works, and Timothy Kochka with The Davis Academy

Sat, Apr 27 at 7:30

Take 6 and Hezekiah Walker Jazz Meets GospelPresented at NJPAC in association with Jazz Roots.

Fri, Mar 29 at 8:00

San Francisco SymphonyMichael Tilson Thomas, conductorYuja Wang, pianoFri, Mar 22 at 8:00

KodoOne Earth Tour 2013: Legend Sat, Mar 24 at 4:00

Earth, Wind & FireFri, May 3 at 8:00

Aretha FranklinNJPAC & Newark debut!Sat, Mar 30 at 8:00

TracesTheater Meets CircusSat, May 4 at 8:00 Family 4-Pack $100*

* Call for details.

As seen on America’s Got Talent

Alvin Ailey®

American Dance TheaterFri, May 10 at 8:00 Sat, May 11 at 8:00 Sun, May 12 at 3:00 Premieres and Ailey Classics!

Yam

ick Le

bron

Ph

oto:

Andr

ew E

ccles

Wattstax (1973) Film/Discussion with Nelson GeorgeFri, Apr 5 at 7:00 This award-winning documentary highlights the 1972 Wattstax music festival and, by extension, the African American community of L.A.’s Watts district. Organized by Memphis’s Stax Records to mark the seventh anniversary of the Watts riots, Wattstax includes concert footage of Isaac Hayes, The Staple Singers, Luther Ingram, and more, and includes interviews with Richard Pryor, Ted Lange, and others. Special guest panel discussion includes: George Clinton (Parliament Funkadelics) and Melvin Van Peebles (director, Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song).

New Series

PosivtiveComm_7x9.5_MAR_colorad.indd 1 2/26/13 2:09 PM

CONTENTSM a r c h 2 0 1 3

&also insideGuest Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

My View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Gospel Train. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

On Call. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

The Fitness Doctor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

The Way Ahead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

The Last Word . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

FeaturesCOVER STORYDELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY,INCORPORATED CELEBRATES 100 YEARS

Environmental Justice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Sojourner Truth Leadership Circle . . . . . . . . . 23

Archiving for Your Organization . . . . . . . . . . . 24

There’s Still Time for Scholarships . . . . . . . . 26

Honoring Harriet Tubman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Marian Thompson Wright Lecture Series. . . . 35

Sweet Freedom: The Story of Calas . . . . . . . 38

Remembering Bayard Rustin . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Beaver Hats, Butterflies & Dragonflies . . . . . 49

Trailblazers Honored at Beth Israel . . . . . . . . 52

New Hope B.C. Comes to Extended Care . . . 53

SECTIONS

MONEY ............................................14

GREEN.............................................20

EDUCATION......................................23

CULTURE..........................................35

HEALTH............................................52

31(First Row): Winona Cargile Alexander, Madree Penn White, Wertie Blackwell

Weaver, Vashti Turley Murphy, Ethel Cuff Black, Frederica Chase Dodd;

(Second Row): Osceola Macarthy Adams, Pauline Oberdorfer Minor, Edna

Brown Coleman, Edith Mott Young, Marguerite Young Alexander, Naomi

Sewell Richardson, Eliza P. Shippen; (Third Row): Zephyr Chisom Carter, Myra

Davis Hemmings, Mamie Reddy Rose, Bertha Pitts Campbell, Florence

Letcher Toms, Olive Jones, Jessie McGuire Dent, Jimmie Bugg Middleton,

Ethel Carr Watson.

Cover photo courtesy of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. The original artwork is a life-sized painting on canvas by artist Tarleton Blackwell, which hangs in the National Headquarters.

Real Planning, Real SolutionS. that’S ouR Calling.

oFFeR YouR eMPloYeeS Real RetiReMent BeneFitS

(not just PennieS FRoM heaVen .)

Wouldn’t it be nice to give those who are so faithful, hard-working and loyal the kind of retirement benefits they really deserve?

Now you can. In fact, when you add social security benefits to the equation, career members can enjoy their golden years with as much as 86%* of their pre-retirement income. Others can retire quite handsomely, too.

And no one will have to worry about where their next nickel is coming from. To learn more, send for our free guide, “Faith in Numbers,” or download it now at: MMBB.org/benefitsolutions. Or call 1-800-986-6222.

*Source: 2010 Retirement Income Study. Based on 15+ years of participation.

6 The Positive Community March 2013 www.thepositivecommunity.com

Reserve Your Seat(s) by Calling: Mrs. Bernadette Bedford, 516-617-1933

Mrs. Marie Bright, 718-968-5148 Trustee H. Arba Hall, 646-660-5990

Ms. Tanni Martin, 917-407-1205 Ms. Coreen Parks, 646-573-4427

Min. C. Gardner-Brim, 646-221-7673 Mariners’ Church Office 212-233-0423

“An Evening of Inspiration” with songs from her new CD “LOVE IS”

Friday, March 22, 2013 7:00 p.m.

@ Mariners’ Temple Baptist Church, 3 Henry Street, NYC 10038

Featuring: Host/Spoken-Word Artist, Gha’il Rhodes Benjamin, Renewed Vision Ensemble, Saxophonist Seaton Hancock,

Prophetic Worshipper Kalisha Brown, Musician Scott Burrows, and opening group Rosie Mendoza-McCamery & Anointed Vessels of Praise

VIP Seating: $50 $40 General Seating in Advance $35/seat for Groups 10+ (Advance) $45 at the Door

Mrs. Bernadette Bedford, Anniversary Chair Rev. Dr. Henrietta Carter, Senior Pastor

The Mariners’ Temple Baptist Church 218th Anniversary Committee presents

MELBA MOORE IN CONCERT

GREAT TO PROGRESS

The clergy organizations, churches, community businesses and institutions listed below have committed to the purchase of at least 50 magazines per month at $1.00 each (one-third of the cover price) or support this publication through the purchase of advertising. Find out more by calling 973-233-9200 or email [email protected]

“The Positive Community magazine does outstanding work in promoting the good works of the Black Church. All churches

and businesses should subscribe to and advertise in The Positive Community. Please support this magazine, the only one

that features good news about the black community.”—Rev. Buster Soaries, General Baptist Revival, May 20, 2010

C ALLOLLRAbyssinian B.C., Harlem, NYRev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts III, Pastor

Abundant Life Fellowship COGIC,Newark, NJSupt. Edward Bohannon, Jr, Pastor

Antioch Baptist Church., Brooklyn, NYRev. Robert M. Waterman, Pastor

Archdiocese of New YorkBrother Tyrone Davis, Office of Black Ministry

Berean B.C., Brooklyn, NYRev. Arlee Griffin Jr., Pastor

Bethany B.C., Brooklyn, NYRev. Dr. David Hampton, Pastor

Bethany B.C., Newark, NJ.Rev. Dr. M. William Howard, Pastor

Beulah Bible Cathedral Church, Newark, NJGerald Lydell Dickson, Senior Pastor

Black Ministers Council of NJRev. Reginald T. Jackson, Exec. Director

Calvary Baptist Church, Garfield, NJRev. Calvin McKinney, Pastor

Canaan B. C. of Christ, Harlem, NYRev. Thomas D. Johnson, Pastor

Canaan B.C., Paterson, NJRev. Dr. Gadson L. Graham

Cathedral International., Perth Amboy, NJBishop Donald Hilliard, Pastor

Childs Memorial COGIC, Harlem, NYBishop Norman N. Quick, Pastor

Christian Cultural Center, Brooklyn, NYRev. A.R. Barnard, Pastor

Christian Love B.C., Irvington, NJRev. Ron Christian, Pastor

Community B.C., Englewood, NJRev. Dr. Lester Taylor, Pastor

Community Church of God, Plainfield, NJRev. Dr. Shirley B. Cathie., Pastor Emeritus

Concord B.C., Brooklyn, NYRev. Dr. Gary V. Simpson, Pastor

Convent Avenue Baptist Church, New York, NYRev. Dr. Jesse T. Willams, Pastor

Ebenezer B.C., Englewood, NJRev. Jovan Troy Davis, M.Div.

Emmanuel Baptist Church, Brooklyn NYRev. Anthony Trufant, Pastor

Empire Missionary B.C., Convention NYRev. Dr. Ronald Grant, President

Evening Star B.C., Brooklyn, NYRev. Washington Lundy, Pastor

Fellowship Missionary B.C., Newark, NJRev. Kippie C. Brown, Pastor

First AME Zion Church, Brooklyn, NYDr. Darran H. Mitchell, Pastor

First B.C. of Lincoln Gardens, Somerset NJRev. Dr. DeForest (Buster) Soaries, Pastor

First Baptist B.C. of Teaneck, NJRev. Marilyn Monroe Harris, Pastor

First Bethel Baptist Church, Newark, NJH. Grady James III, Pastor

First Park Baptist Church, Plainfield, NJRev. Rufus McClendon, Jr., Pastor

Friendship Baptist Church, Harlem, NYRev. James A. Kilgore, Pastor

General Baptist Convention, NJRev. Dr. Guy Campbell, President

Grace B. C., Mt. Vernon, NYRev. Dr. Franklyn W. Richardson, Pastor

Greater Abyssinian BC, Newark, NJRev. Allen Potts, Senior Pastor

Greater Faith Baptist Church,Philadelphia, PARev. Larry L. Marcus

Greater Friendship Baptist Church,Newark, NJRev. John Teabout, Pastor

Greater New Hope Missionary B.C., NYCRev. Joan J. Brightharp, Pastor

Greater Zion Hill B.C., Harlem, NYRev. Dr. Frank J. Blackshear, Pastor

Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement (HCCI)Drek E. Broomes, President & CEO

It Is Well Living Ministries, Clark, NJRev. Kahlil Carmichael, Pastor

Jesus Christ Family Church, Brooklyn, NYRev. Jason Sumner, Senior Pastor

Macedonia Baptist Church, Lakewood, NJDr. Edward D. Harper, Pastor

Mariners’ Temple B.C., New York, NYRev. Dr. Henrietta Carter

Messiah Baptist Church, East Orange, NJRev. Dana Owens, Pastor

Metropolitan B.C., Newark, NJRev. Dr. David Jefferson, Pastor

Mother A.M.E. Zion Church, HarlemRev. Dr. Gregory Robeson Smith, Pastor

125th St. BIDAfrican American Heritage ParadeAmerican Diabetes AssociationAmerican Heart Association, Northern, NJBrown Executive Realty LLC,Morristown, NJCity National BankEssex County College, NJGreater Harlem Chamber of CommerceMedgar Evers CollegeMildred Crump, Newark City CouncilNAACP New Jersey*NAACP, NY State Conference*New Brunswick Theological SeminaryNew Jersey Performing Arts CenterNew York Theological SeminaryNew York Urban LeagueNewark School of TheologyRazac Products Co., Newark, NJSchomburg CenterThe College of New RochelleUnited Way of Essex and West HudsonWBGO-88.3FMWest Harlem Group Assistance, Inc.WKMB-1070AM

MAKE THE DIFFERENCE!

THANKS FOR YOUR

SUPPORT!!!

Mt. Calvary United Methodist Church,Harlem, NYRev. Tisha M. JerminMt. Neboh Baptist Church, Harlem, NYRev. Dr. Johnnie Green Jr., Pastor

Mt. Pisgah B.C., Brooklyn, NYRev. Dr. Johnny Ray Youngblood, Pastor

Mount Olive Baptist Church,Hackensack, NJRev. Gregory J. Jackson, Pastor

Mount Zion B.C., S. Hackensack, NJRev. Dr. Robert L. Curry, Pastor

Mount Zion Baptist Church, Westwood, NJRev. Barry R. Miller, Pastor

Mt. Olivet B.C, Newark, NJRev. André W. Milteer, Pastor

Mt. Zion AME Church, Trenton, NJRev. J. Stanley Justice, Pastor

New Hope Baptist Church, Metuchen, NJRev. Dr. Ronald L. Owens, Pastor

New Hope Baptist Church ofHackensack, Hackensack, NJRev. Dr. Frances Mannin-Fontaine, Pastor

New Life Cathedral, Mt. Holly, NJRev. Eric Wallace, Pastor

New Zion B.C., Elizabeth, NJRev. Kevin James White, Pastor

Paradise B. C., Newark, NJRev. Jethro James, Pastor

Ruth Fellowship Ministries, Plainfield, NJRev. Tracy Brown, Pastor

Shiloh B.C., Plainfield, NJRev. Dr. Gerald Lamont Thomas, Pastor

St. Anthony Baptist Church, Brooklyn, NYRev. Dr. Duane E. Cooper

St. John Baptist ChurchCamden, NJRev. Dr. Silas M. Townsend, Pastor

St. Luke Baptist Church of Harlem, New York, NYRev. Dr. Johnnie McCann, Pastor

St Luke B.C., Paterson, NJRev. Kenneth D.R. Clayton, Pastor

St. Albans, NY COGICRev. Ben Monroe

St. James AME Church, Newark, NJRev. Ronald L. Slaughter, Pastor

St. Matthew AME Church, Orange, NJRev. Dr. Lanel D. Guyton, Pastor

St. Paul Community B.C., Brooklyn, NYRev. David K. Brawley, Pastor

The New Hope B.C., Newark, NJRev. Joe Carter, Senior Pastor

Thessalonia Worship Center, Bronx, NYRev. Dr. Shellie Sampson, Pastor

Union Baptist Temple,, Bridgeton, NJ Rev. Albert L. Morgan, Pastor

Walker Memorial B.C. Bronx, NYRev. Dr. J. Albert Bush Sr., Pastor

White Rock B.C, Edison, NJJason D. Greer, Pastor

World Gospel Music Assoc., Newark, NJDr. Albert Lewis, Founder

Zion Hill B.C, Newark, NJRev. Douglass L. Williams, III, Pastor

Businesses & Organizations

Roll Call for PC_March_13.qxd:Roll Call for PC Document.qxd 3/4/13 12:30 PM Page 1


PASTOR ALBERT MORGANGUEST EDITORIAL

Albert Morgan is pastor of the Union Baptist Temple, Bridgewater, NJ

In honor of the sesquicentennial observance of theEmancipation Proclamation we remember that we havecome this far by faith. In his book Up from Slavery (1901),

Booker T. Washington recalls a time in Virginia, early in 1865:

As the great day drew nearer, there was more singing inthe slave quarters than usual . . . Most of the verses of theplantation songs had some reference to freedom . . .Some man who seemed to be a stranger (a United Statesofficer, I presume) made a little speech and then read arather long paper—the Emancipation Proclamation, Ithink. My Mom, while tears of joy ran down her cheeksshe explained to us what it all meant. In the 1998 PBS series, The Black Church, researcher

Marilyn Mellowes, wrote, “For those who yearned for free-dom, the Emancipation Proclamation signed by AbrahamLincoln on Jan. 1, 1863, seemed to re-enact the Exodus storyof the ancient Israelites: God had intervened in human his-tory to liberate his chosen people. But the stroke of a presi-dential pen did not eliminate poverty and dislocation, chaosand uncertainty.” On Memorial Day 1963 in Gettysburg,Pennsylvania, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson stated:“One hundred years ago, the slave was freed. One hundredyears later, the Negro remains in bondage to the color of hisskin . . . To the extent that the proclamation of emancipa-tion is not fulfilled . . . we shall have fallen short of assuringfreedom to the free.” Who could carry the cause forward?—The church.

On August 28, 1963, the March on Washington was held.Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. called for economicand civil rights for African-Americans. At the LincolnMemorial the “I Have A Dream” speech, which galvanized anation for racial equality, was delivered.

Reverend Dr. King had a rich history on which to draw.W.E.B. DuBois described the preacher as “the most uniquepersonality developed by the Negro on American soil,” aman who “found his function as …the supernatural avengerof wrong, and the one who rudely but picturesquelyexpressed the longing, disappointment, and resentment ofa stolen and oppressed people.”

We’ve Come This Far by FaithDr. King could draw on the strength of a South

Carolinian, Reverend David George. He recorded the firstAfrican-American congregation in Silver Bluff in 1758. Dr.King could call on the wisdom of Bishop Richard Allen,founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1816,the first independent African-American denomination. InBishop Allen’s autobiography he states, “We deemed it expe-dient to have a form of discipline, whereby we may guide ourpeople in the fear of God, in the unity of the Spirit, and inthe bonds of peace, and preserve us from that spiritual des-potism which we have so recently experienced.”

Dr. King could draw from the perseverance of ReverendE.C. Morris, the first president of the National BaptistConvention, USA. In his 1895 sermon, The Sad Result ofDivided Leadership, he stated “the work of educating andevangelizing the world is before us... Jesus, that hero ofCalvary who led the monster, Death, in chains, is ourleader…the victorious Banner of the Cross can be seen infront of us, we should take courage and go forward, notfearing our foes, and leaving the results with God.”

Dr. King could draw on the homiletics of his contempo-rary, supporter and friend, Reverend Gardner C. Taylor,founding member of the Progressive Baptist Convention.Dr. Taylor stated in Faith in the Fire, “We have won our faithin fire . . . We know that we are not alone. Faith still lives!Faith is not burned. Promises are not scorned. Faith guidesus, holds us, and sustains us. By faith, the impossible willcome to pass . . .” Do you think Dr. King could imagine thepresidency of Barack Obama?

The Emancipation Proclamation was a beginning. Thesacrifice of our ancestors is to be remembered. In summary,Deuteronomy 6:4-12 states: “Write these commandmentsthat I’ve given you today on your hearts. Get them inside ofyou and then get them inside your children . . . When God,your God, ushers you into the land He promised throughyour ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give you . . .make sure you don’t forget how you got there—Godbrought you out of slavery in Egypt.”

Yes, every home needs a copy of We’ve Come This Far byFaith calendar. Continue to lean on the Lord!

To commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation

The Positive Community & The Grand Jubilee Committee

present ...

An instAnt clAssic! This beautiful 12-month calendar

is filled with captivating images of African-American spirituality and culture

Order your copy today!

Churches: Place your bulk orders NOW.Credit Cards accepted: Call 973-233-9200

Send Check or Money order to

The Positive Community133 Glenridge AvenueMontclair, NJ 07042

Allow 2 weeks for delivery

Only $19.99!

including postage & handling

We’ve Come This Far By Faith2013 COMMEMORATIVE

CALENDAR

Get Your

Calendar!Share the

Vision

She Calls Me “Ma”She’s a great mother, a loving wife, a

professional event planner. She’s my daughter-in-law, Lauren.

This is Women’s History Month. My daughter,Deirdre, would have made a great profile. Then, again,my editors from back in the day would say, “Theresa,that’s a bit much,” so I chose to write instead, aboutLauren. She is the niece of Doris Coley, one of the orig-inal members of the 1950s girl group, The Shirelles. Ikeep trying to get her to put together a one-woman showin tribute to Doris but sadly, so far my suggestion has fall-en on deaf ears.

She came into the life of my son, Bert, a number ofyears ago. In fact, I went to school with her late father,Larry. Her mother, Ernestine, is an incredibly brilliantwoman and so Lauren has learned well. She calls me“Ma” and I like it. It’s like having two daughters. She’sbeen traveling a lot of late. Soon it will be Utah, Arizonaand then—Ta da—Switzerland! Nice work, if you canget it, no? Of course you realize it took a lot of negoti-ating to arrive at the relationship we have today. Timeand maturity take care of all things; maturity on every-body’s part.

She and Bert are wonderful parents to my grand-daughter, Leah. As you’re raising children you can onlyhope that they digest some of the things you’re trying toteach them. Both of them understand the value of a fam-ily unit with God at the helm.

Lauren and I talked on the telephone recently andshe has begun to do some things she had seemingly castaside for a minute, as the kids would say. But she hasresumed being engaged in a full life and I said to her,“Lauren, I’m glad you’re there.” No, not geographicallysome place but emotionally there. It’s a beautiful thing.

She is a graduate of Douglass College (now DouglassResidential College and part of Rutgers New Brunswick).Douglass is one of the great female institutions of high-er education. And, she has remarkable verbal and aca-demic skills. A number of years ago, she founded a ZetaPhi Beta chapter in the city of Paterson and it’s stillgoing strong. She is faithful to her church, The

REV. THERESANANCEMY VIEW

Rev. Nance is pastor of The Church by the Side of theRoad in Passaic, NJ. She is also a radio talk show hostand documentary filmmaker.

LISTEN TO THE POSITIVE COMMUNITY HOURON WKMB 1070 AM HARVEST RADIO, MONDAYS, 1:30–2:30 P.M. WITH HOSTTHERESA NANCE.


Committed to The Word Ministries, but more important-ly, she is faithful to her God. And that’s a good thing.

Her father faced some challenges in his lifetime; myheart used to ache for Larry. But unlike many who useunsettling situations to engage in a marathon of medioc-rity, Lauren has risen above those days and carved out aproductive life for herself.

One day she may write a book. One day she shouldwrite a book. One day I’m hoping for a book because herjourney has been a fascinating one. My hat’s off, so tospeak, to my daughter-in-law, Lauren, the love of my son’slife. Oh, and maybe she’ll do that one-woman show, too.

Lauren Nance

Thursday, april 11, 2013

Mandarin OrienTal new yOrk80 Columbus Circle at 60th Street

New York, New York 10023

Silent Auction & Reception - 6: 00 PMDinner - 7:00 PM

Diane T. Ashley Antonio Ibarría Jack Lund Kyung B. Yoon

The BOard Of TrusTeesof

new yOrk TheOlOgical seMinaryis honored and pleased to present the

2013 urBan angel awardees:

Diane T. AshleyChief Diversity Officer, Federal Reserve Bank of New York and

Former Chair, NYTS Board of Trustees 2002-2012

The Rev. Dr. Katharine R. HendersonPresident, Auburn Seminary

Antonio Ibarría, Sr. Chairman, Save Latin America and

Publisher and CEO, El Especial & El Especialito

Jack LundPresident and CEO, YMCA of Greater New York

Kyung B. YoonExecutive Director, Korean American Community Foundation

For additional information, visit www.nyts.edu/gala or contact Karen Leahy at 212-870-1203; or e-mail: [email protected] Riverside Drive, Suite 500, New York, NY 10115 | (T) 212-870-1211 | (F) 212-870-1236 | www.nyts.edu

Katharine R. Henderson


Unstoppable MovementQuarterly Session of North Jersey Missionary Baptist Association

N orth Jersey District Missionary Baptist Association recently held its quarterly session at Metropolitan Baptist Church in Newark. The theme: Unstop-

pable Movement. Moderator Rev. Lester Taylor presided over the 5-day conference that included Christian educa-tion, lectures and soul stirring preaching and song!

With much anticipation, the final evening was devoted to worship, praise and song—the musical featuring the mighty voices of the North Jersey Mass Choir.

Dr. Albert Lewis, World Gospel Music Association president, who is celebrating 30 years as a local television broadcaster and host and producer of gospel music television.

Moderator Lester Taylor, pastor, Community Baptist Church of Englewood

Rev. Ralph Branch, pastor, Mt Calvary Missionary B.C., Newark; Rev. Joseph Jones, Monumental B.C., Jersey City with Deacon Richard Stanard, president, Laymen’s Movement of the General Baptist Convention of NJ

Panzy King, Metropolitan B.C. and Karen Waters, Community B.C. of Englewood

Rev. Michael Jordan, pastor, Mt. Olive B.C., East Orange and Rev. John Gamble, pastor Smyrna B.C., Newark

Photos: Vincent B

ryant

www.thepositivecommunity.com March 2013 The Positive Community 13

T he Office of Black Ministry of the Catholic Arch-diocese of New York held the annual Archdiocesan Black History Month Mass Celebrating the National

Day of Prayer for the African American & African Family. The event, glorious in colorful pageantry and deeply spiritual in prayer, was held at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Sunday, February 3, 2013.

Bishop Joseph Osei-Bonsu in recessional for the conclusion of the Mass

Some members of the Charles Barbour/Dolores Jefferson Memorial Combined Choir

L–R: Brother Tyrone Davis, CFC, executive director of the Of-fice of Black Ministry Archdiocese of New York; His Eminence Edward Cardinal Egan, Archbishop Emeritus of NY; Bishop Joseph Osei-Bonsu, president of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference; guest homilist, Fr. George W. Quickley, S.J., pastor of St. Patrick Church in Oakland, CA and Fr. Gregory Chisholm, S.J. pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Church in Harlem, NY

National Day of Prayer

Guest Homilist Fr. George W. Quickley, S.J.

preaching from the pulpit at St. Patrick’s Cathedral

Priests around the altar at St. Patrick’s Cathedral including His Eminence, Edward Cardinal Egan (center) Fr. Jim Goode O.F.M. (to his left) and (far right) Fr. Gregory Chisholm, S.J.

National Day of Prayer banner being carried in for the procession of the Mass.


MoneyB u S i N e S S , M o N e y & w o r k

Restoring Relevance

NJ Chamber hosts Circle of Achievement Awards

E ach year, during Black History Month, the African American Chamber of Commerce of

New Jersey (AACCNJ) recognizes Af-rican Americans who have attained a significant level of accomplishment in business, education, politics, com-munity, sports and entertainment. The 2013 Circle of Achievement Awards Gala was held on Saturday, February 16, at the Hyatt Regency in New Brunswick.

Mike Ricketts, president and CEO of Quality Packaging Special-ists International (QPSI), was pre-sented with the Business Award. Sheryl Huggins Salomon, manag-ing editor of The Root, the online magazine, received the Entertain-ment Award. Judy Smith, founder and president of Smith & Compa-ny, was acknowledged as the recipi-

ent of the Politics Award. The key-note speaker at this year’s Gala was Carla Harris, managing director and senior client advisor at Morgan Stanley. Deborah Collins, Esq., ex-ecutive director of Small Business Development and Affirmative Ac-tion, County of Essex presided as the mistress of ceremonies.

This year’s event was a literal who’s who of business leaders, government officials and media from throughout the state of NJ and beyond. After a spectacular reception, with over 200 attendees, Hosea Johnson, chair-man of the AACCNJ, gave opening remarks about how rapidly the econ-omy is changing and the importance of African American businesses effec-tively competing in the new business environment being fueled by techno-logical advances.

John Harmon, president and CEO of the AACCNJ, emphasized that the AACCNJ is able to position African American businesses for economic opportunities through-out the state of New Jersey. “We want to be able to advocate on be-half of businesses that are ready to do business, which means acquir-ing the proper credentials. This will help the AACCNJ achieve the mis-sion of the Chamber – growth and sustainability of African American businesses.” Mr. Harmon laid forth a challenge to all in attendance to “consider how you might invest your resources, intellectual capital or in-fluence to strengthen the organiza-tion so that we can expand the suc-cess of African American businesses while favorably impacting communi-ties where they domicile.”

Deborah Collins and John Harmon


Tax Tips for 2012The REMEDY for your TAXING CONCERNS

Hudson Etienne Sr, EA, ATP, ATACEO and Chief Strategist – TAX DRx

Q1. Can I deduct my girlfriend who lives with me?

Generally the answer is no. There are various tests that must be met for someone to be claimed as a dependent. One of the tests is the “relationship” test. If the person was a qualifying relative that you provided 50% support and they lived with you all the entire year and made less than $3,800 of earned income, then the answer could be yes. (You’ll receive even more tax advantages if you marry.)

Q2. I donated my time or service to a charity; how can I benefit from it on my taxes?

Sorry- you cannot deduct the value of your time for the services you pro-vided. However you may deduct the actual travel expenses incurred or use a mileage allowance of 14 cents a mile. This can be taken on Schedule A as a non-cash contribu-tion. And if you provided professional services in lieu of cash, ask the organization for an “in-kind letter” of donations for your records.

Q3. What is a 1099-C and why did I receive this?

When you make a settlement with a credit card company, the amount of for-given or cancelled debt is considered income and is reported to the IRS. A 1099-C, or cancellation of debt tax notice. It reports the amount of money you need to include on

your tax return. For example, if you settle $5,000 in debt with your credit card company you might still owe the IRS $2,000 in taxes - and it is important to know the IRS is not as forgiving as the credit card companies. *There is an exception for mortgage debt canceled on your primary residence, as this canceled debt is not considered income.

Q4. Where’s my IRS or State refund?

Finding out the status of your refund is easy. Just Go to the IRS website www.irs.gov at Where’s My Federal Refund? You will find the status of your NY or NJ refund by going to the NY Division of taxation and NJ Division of Taxation website, respectively. You will need to know the exact amount of the refund, tax form, your filing status and tax ID number.

Q5. Can I postpone the gain on the sale of my home if I buy another house?

No- That was an old rule that has not existed since the 1980s. Currently, if you are single and live in your home for 2 out of the last 5 years, you can exclude up to $250,000 of the gain. A married couple filing jointly can exclude up to $500,000 of the gain. Any gains that exceed these amounts would be taxed at the capital gains rate.any tax costs to you or your gift recipients.

(877) 908-1040 www.taxdrx.com

(877) 908-1040 Call TAX DRx and we will provide you a free consultation where you may ask us any questions you want about filing your taxes... here are some FAQs

Many have asked these questions, what’s yours? Call 877-908-1040 or visit us at TAXDRx.com

L–R: Len McTier, Madison Lawrence Industries and Malcolm Dunn, B.O.S.S. Tunnel Vision Center

L–R: AACCNJ Board Chairman Hosea Johnson, Johnson & Associates, Inc. with honoree for Business Mike Ricketts, president/CEO QPSI

L–R: Mayor Jamel C. Holley of Roselle, NJ with Charles Smith, Comcast

L–R: Victoria and James Golden, AACCNJ Board Member

Carla Harris

L–R: Jessica Judkins, AACCNJ staff; Jean Escarpeta, Silpada Jewelry, wife of Board member and Jacqueline Baptiste, executive assistant ACCNJ

L–R: Khadijah Judkins and Noelle Baptiste – Gala Volunteers


CMIT Solutions of Northern Union County

CMIT Solutions has the answers to all your technology questions, from Windows tips and tricks

to malware protection to cloud computing.

CoNTaCT US for a free, No-oBLIGaTIoN TeCHNoLoGY aSSeSSMeNT,

and you’ll understand why CMIT Solutions is the trusted technology advisor for

1000s of small businesses across the nation.

Cecil Cates • [email protected]

55 Union Avenue Suite 114 • Summit, NJ 07901www.cmitsolutions.com/nunioncounty

WHAT'S AN SSL CERTIFICATE, AND DO I NEED ONE FOR MY WEBSITE?

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is a cryptographic protocol that secures data sent across networks, including the Internet. SSL uses an authenticated key issued by a third-party certificate authority to validate a website's legitimacy. Most web users experience SSL certificates in the form of https (as opposed to http) prefixes in a URL.

Plainly put, an SSL certificate tells your web browser that the site you're visiting is actually what it purports to be, and enables the website to send and receive information in an encrypted format.

Does your website need one? Not necessarily. If your web-site just contains information about your business like location, what you do, or customer testimonials (i.e., information meant for the general public), then you probably don't need one.

However, you do need one if your website performs any of the following functionalities:

• Any kind of e-commerce (ordering, billing, payments, etc.)• Microsoft Exchange email web access• Access to certain kinds of databases via a web browser, especially ones subject to regulatory requirements• Access to vendor portals

There are some caveats to the above list (e.g., if you accept payments through a third-party service like Paypal, you may not need one), as well as situations where an SSL certificate might offer other benefits.

For an in-depth analysis of your business's SSL needs, contact a trusted technology advisor.

If You’re Readyto Buy a Home, We are ready

to Help.The State of New York Mortgage Agency offers:

up to $15,000.00Down Payment Assistance

for Housing

1-800-382-HOME(4663)www.sonyma.org

Subcontracting Opportunities: Trucking & Disposal Furnish & Install Curbs & Sidewalks Furnish & Install Pavers Furnish & Install Wall Cladding Systems Furnish & Install Warning Strips Furnish & Install Precast Panels Furnish & Install Ceramic Tiles Lower-Tier Subcontracting Opportunities: Supply or Install Roofing Fabricate or Install Misc. Metals Supply or Install Escalators Supply & Install Elevators Supply or Install Mechanical Systems Curtain Wall, Louvers, Glass Canopies Acoustical and/or Plaster Work Supply or Install Architectural Finishes Furnish or Install Ceilings

E.E. CRUZ & TULLY CONSTRUCTION CO.

A JOINT VENTURE

C-26010 2ND AVENUE SUBWAY 96th STREET STATION FINISHES, MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL, & PLUMBING

SYSTEMS—$324.6 Million Project

DBE OUTREACH EVENT MARCH 21, 2013 ● 9AM-12PM

2 BROADWAY ●20th FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM C ● NEW YORK, NY 10004

E.E. Cruz/Tully, JV is looking for qualified union subcontractors and/or vendors to participate on the Second Avenue Subway Project which has a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Goal of 20%. If you are a certified DBE firm specializing in one of the areas mentioned above, and would like to meet with us to find out more about the opportunities on this pro-ject, please RSVP to Jeana Titre at [email protected].


T here are several corrections for the story titled Wellness Interactive Hosts Mt. Calvary Women’s Ministry on page 46 of our November, 2012 issue:

Wellness Interactive is located in South Orange, NJ not West Orange as the article stated. The Wellness Lounge is located at 14 South Orange Avenue in South Orange. The phone number is 973.275.3868. Mt. Calvary Bap-tist Church is located in Englewood, New Jersey. Rev. Dr. Vernon C. Walton is the pastor. —JW

Is my face red…

Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce Holds Forum on obamacare

The correct caption for the photo above is: Enjoying the afternoon are L-R: Kim Todd, Wellness Lounge PraiseMoves instructor; Wanda Cleaves, Leonie Avery, Rev. Thurselle Watts; Ronnetta Coleman-Morse, Wellness Lounge Upcycling Jewerly instructor; Mother Laverne Walton (pastor’s mother), Jeannette Lee and Hope Dwyer

T he Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce hosted their 2nd Quarterly Regional Business Breakfast Exchange and Dialogue, focused on in-depth

discussion on topical issues of major importance to New York and beyond.

The theme of the event on February 21, 2013 at the Harlem State Office Building was "OBAMACARE": Exam-ine & Discuss The National Affordable Healthcare Act; its current & future impact on individuals, businesses, unions, government and the entire Health Care Industry.

L–R: Dr. Maurizio Trevisan, provost, the City College of New York & dean, the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education; Dr. Jo Ivey Boufford, president, New York Academy of Medicine; Keynote Speaker, Hon. David A. Patterson, former governor of New York and distinguished professor at The Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine; Barbara Edmonds, director of Field Operations, District Council 37 AFSCME, AFL-CIO and Marko Nobles, senior consultant at The Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce/Partner Injoy Enterprises

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100 Black Men of New York50th Anniversary Celebration

M ore than 500 friends and associates gathered at the New York Marriott Marquis Grand Ball-room on Thursday, February 21, 2013 for the

50th anniversary celebration and 33rd annual benefit gala of One Hundred Black Men, Inc. of New York City (OHBM). The event, which saluted five national civic and business leaders raised nearly $700,000 for OHBM programs and scholarships. Honorees are Hon. David N. Dinkins, former New York City Mayor and One Hun-dred Black Men founder; Hon. H. Carl McCall, former New York State Comptroller and Chairman, Board of Trustees, SUNY; Kevin Newell, executive vice presi-

Talia Young, VP Public Affairs, City National Bank

Vivian Pickard president of GM

FoundationGeneral Motors

Corporation

L–R: Honorees David N. Dinkins and Carl Mcall with NYC mayor-al candidate William Thompson

dent and global chief brand officer, McDonald’s Cor-poration; Vivian Pickard, president of GM Foundation, General Motors Corporation; and James Reynolds, Jr., chairman & CEO, Loop Capital Markets. Eytone Ruiz, Andrew Lyttle and Tochukwu Agouji were honored as Mentors of the Year.

Dari Alexander, anchor of Fox 5 News, and David Ushery, anchor of NBC News 4 New York and host of The Debrief with David Ushery, served as co-emcees Enter-tainment was provided by the Eagle Academy Ensemble. United Voices of Abyssinian Baptist Church and singer Meli’sa Morgan.

L–R: Preston Pinkett, president City National Bank and Ebony R. Meeks next to her father, Congressman Gregory Meeks

L–R: OHBM Past President Philip Banks, Jr. honoree Carl McCall and current President Fitzgerald Miller

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Berean’s Red & White Gala

B erean Baptist Church is a nearly 163-year- old church in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York.

In 1989, the Berean Community and Family Life Center (BCFLC), a health and wellness non-profit organization that serves the surrounding neighborhoods, assisting seniors, mothers, and children, was founded.

On February 16, 2013, the organization held its Red and White Gala: Caring Hearts and Helping Hands in Raleigh, North Carolina where there is a sister Berean Baptist Church, both with Rev. Arlee Griffin, Jr. as senior pastor. Rev. Byron Benton is the pastor of Berean Raleigh. The event paid tribute to and honored those individuals who have supported and pushed the BCFLC forward in its mission and work. The new executive director is Marsha Scipio.

Among the honorees were Congressman Edol-phus and Mrs. Gwen Towns, members of Berean Baptist Church - Brooklyn; Willie Armstrong, of Armstrong Funeral Home in Brooklyn and Deacons Joseph and Kathleen High, members of Berean Baptist Church of Raleigh, NC.

L–R: Pastor Byron Benton, Deacon Joseph High and

Senior Pastor Arlee Griffin, Jr.

Former Congressman Edolphus “Ed” Towns and wife Gwendolyn Towns, honorees, take a twirl around the dance floor


www.thepositivecommunity.com June 2009 The Positive Community NA

GoGreenS A V I N G O U R P L A N E T — S T E P B Y S T E P

GREEN ENERGY GUIDENo Cost and Low Cost Ways to Save Money and Energy

There is no excuse not to do your part. It doesn’t take a great deal of time or money to pitch in and help

keep our planet beautiful and more importantly, functional for ourselves and the generations to come.

Check out these easy no cost or low cost tips to make your life and the entire world a greener place.

• Turn off everything not in use: lights, TVs, computers, etc. • Check furnace or air conditioners (AC) filters monthly, and clean

or replace as needed. Dirty filters block air flow through yourheating and cooling systems, increasing your energy bill andshortening the equipment’s life.

• During hot months, keep window coverings closed on the south,east, and west windows. In winter, let the sun in.

• Glass fireplace doors help stop heat from being lost up the chim-ney. Close the fireplace dampers when not in use.

• Activate “sleep” features on computers and office equipmentthat power down when not in use. Turn off equipment during longperiods of non-use.

• When cooking, keep the lids on pots. Better yet, use a microwaveoven instead.

• Dress appropriately for the weather, and set your thermostat tothe lowest possible comfortable setting. On winter nights, put anextra blanket on the bed and turn down your thermostat more.

• In summer, use fans whenever possible instead of AC.• Take five-minute showers instead of baths. Do only full loads

when using the clothes washer or dishwasher.• Switch to cold water in top loading energy-inefficient washing

machines to save energy and up to $63 a year—detergents for-mulated for cold water get clothes just as clean.

•Lower the temperature on your water heater. It should be set at“warm,” so that a thermometer held under running water reads nomore than 130 degrees.

• Only heat or cool the rooms you need—close vents and doors ofunused rooms.

• Install low-flow showerheads and sink aerators to reduce hot water use.

• Seal and weatherstrip windows and doors to keep heat or air conditioning from escaping.

• A water tank insulation wrap costs about $20 and helps hold theheat inside. Add pre-cut pipe insulation to exposed pipes goinginto your water heater—it is cheap and easy to install. If you’restarting with an uninsulated tank, the energy savings should payfor the improvements in just a few months.

• Use mastic (a gooey substance applied with a paintbrush) not ducttape to seal all exposed ductwork joints in areas such as the attic,crawlspace, or basement. Insulate ducts to improve your heatingsystem’s efficiency and your own comfort.

• Storm windows can reduce heat loss by 25–50 percent during thewinter. Plastic sheeting installed on the inside also helps.

• Look for the ENERGY STAR label, found on more than 40 differentproducts such as TVs, furnaces, cell phones, refrigerators, air conditioners and more.

Incandescent light bulbs are outdated; 95 percent of the energyused goes to heating the bulb, adding unwanted heat to your homein the summer. Replace your five most used light bulbs with ENERGYSTAR compact fluorescent bulbs to save $60 each year in energycosts. These light bulbs use two-thirds less energy and last up to 10times longer. Use dimmers, timers, and motion detectors on indoorand outdoor lighting. Consider safer, more efficient ENERGY STARtorchiere lamps rather than halogen torchieres, which can causefires. Halogen bulbs are expensive to use.

NO COST LOW COST

www.thepositivecommunity.com June 2009 The Positive Community NA

GoGreenS A V I N G O U R P L A N E T — S T E P B Y S T E P

GREEN ENERGY GUIDENo Cost and Low Cost Ways to Save Money and Energy

There is no excuse not to do your part. It doesn’t take a great deal of time or money to pitch in and help

keep our planet beautiful and more importantly, functional for ourselves and the generations to come.

Check out these easy no cost or low cost tips to make your life and the entire world a greener place.

• Turn off everything not in use: lights, TVs, computers, etc. • Check furnace or air conditioners (AC) filters monthly, and clean

or replace as needed. Dirty filters block air flow through yourheating and cooling systems, increasing your energy bill andshortening the equipment’s life.

• During hot months, keep window coverings closed on the south,east, and west windows. In winter, let the sun in.

• Glass fireplace doors help stop heat from being lost up the chim-ney. Close the fireplace dampers when not in use.

• Activate “sleep” features on computers and office equipmentthat power down when not in use. Turn off equipment during longperiods of non-use.

• When cooking, keep the lids on pots. Better yet, use a microwaveoven instead.

• Dress appropriately for the weather, and set your thermostat tothe lowest possible comfortable setting. On winter nights, put anextra blanket on the bed and turn down your thermostat more.

• In summer, use fans whenever possible instead of AC.• Take five-minute showers instead of baths. Do only full loads

when using the clothes washer or dishwasher.• Switch to cold water in top loading energy-inefficient washing

machines to save energy and up to $63 a year—detergents for-mulated for cold water get clothes just as clean.

•Lower the temperature on your water heater. It should be set at“warm,” so that a thermometer held under running water reads nomore than 130 degrees.

• Only heat or cool the rooms you need—close vents and doors ofunused rooms.

• Install low-flow showerheads and sink aerators to reduce hot water use.

• Seal and weatherstrip windows and doors to keep heat or air conditioning from escaping.

• A water tank insulation wrap costs about $20 and helps hold theheat inside. Add pre-cut pipe insulation to exposed pipes goinginto your water heater—it is cheap and easy to install. If you’restarting with an uninsulated tank, the energy savings should payfor the improvements in just a few months.

• Use mastic (a gooey substance applied with a paintbrush) not ducttape to seal all exposed ductwork joints in areas such as the attic,crawlspace, or basement. Insulate ducts to improve your heatingsystem’s efficiency and your own comfort.

• Storm windows can reduce heat loss by 25–50 percent during thewinter. Plastic sheeting installed on the inside also helps.

• Look for the ENERGY STAR label, found on more than 40 differentproducts such as TVs, furnaces, cell phones, refrigerators, air conditioners and more.

Incandescent light bulbs are outdated; 95 percent of the energyused goes to heating the bulb, adding unwanted heat to your homein the summer. Replace your five most used light bulbs with ENERGYSTAR compact fluorescent bulbs to save $60 each year in energycosts. These light bulbs use two-thirds less energy and last up to 10times longer. Use dimmers, timers, and motion detectors on indoorand outdoor lighting. Consider safer, more efficient ENERGY STARtorchiere lamps rather than halogen torchieres, which can causefires. Halogen bulbs are expensive to use.

NO COST LOW COST

EarthTalk®e - The environmental Magazine

Environmental Justice

EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E - The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine.com). Send questions to: [email protected]. Subscribe: www.emagazine.com/subscribe. Free Trial Issue: www.emagazine.com/trial.

T he environmental justice movement was born in Sep-tember 1982 when a group

of poor residents of rural Warren County, North Carolina laid down in front of trucks transporting waste containing toxic PCBs to a nearby landfill. Those primarily African American activists eventually lost their battle to keep toxic waste out of the area, but their actions even-tually led to an executive order by President Clinton in 1996 that insti-tutionalized the U.S. government’s duty to identify and address “dispro-portionately high adverse health or environmental effects of its policies or programs on low-income people and people of color.” It also mandat-ed that the federal government look for ways to prevent discrimination by race, color or national origin in any federally funded programs dealing with health or the environment.

In the time since, many other low income or minority groups—Latinos, Asians, Pacific Islanders, Native Ameri-cans and others—have learned to raise their voices and stand up against the discriminatory locating of hazardous waste landfills and transfer stations, polluting factories and utilities, and

other triggers for bad air quality and compromised waterways and soils across the U.S. and beyond.

Some of the better known environ-mental justice groups came to be out of specific struggles in their own local neighborhoods. Concerned Citizens of South Central LA (Los Angeles) was created to fight the now infamous LANCER incinerator in the late 1980s, and today provides leadership on en-vironmental and other social justice issues throughout southern California. Likewise, Mothers of East LA, origi-nally formed to stop the building of a prison in an East Los Angeles commu-nity, has become a strong voice against incinerators and other waste process-ing and landfill facilities interested in moving to the area.

Elsewhere, West Harlem Environ-mental Action formed in 1998 to fight (unsuccessfully) the building of the North River Sewage Treatment Plant in West Harlem in New York City. De-spite that defeat, the group is now a leader on environmental justice issues around New York State. And the Deep South Center for Environmental Jus-tice began with humble activist roots but is now in high demand helping ru-ral communities in Louisiana’s “Can-

cer Alley” protect themselves from further degradation and harm at the hands of oil refineries and other heavy industry located there.

Several national organizations now devote significant resources to these issues. The Center for Health, Envi-ronment and Justice (CHEJ), which emerged out of the 1970s Love Canal controversy when the U.S. government relocated 800 families from their pol-luted Niagara Falls, New York neighbor-hood, today functions as an activist clear-inghouse for related issues. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has devoted significant resources to environ-mental justice efforts, including help-ing to identify cancer clusters in poor communities near heavy industry. Many Sierra Club local chapters battle environ-mental discrimination in their neigh-borhoods. And the federal government today provides millions of dollars to environmental justice projects through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other agencies.

CONTACTS: Mothers of East LA, www.moth-ersofeastla.com; West Harlem Environmental Action, www.weact.org; Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, www.dscej.org; NRDC, www.nrdc.org; CHEJ, www.chej.org; Sierra Club, www.sierraclub.org; EPA; www.epa.gov.


Our Brother’s Keeper

providing affordable housing/ revitalizing communities

SAVE THE DATE THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013

11th Annual “let us break bread together”

awards dinner reception 6PM | dinner 7PM

prince george ballroom

15 E. 27th street new york, ny 10016

honoring

darryl c. towns commissioner and ceo

new york state homes and community renewal

curtis l. archer President

Harlem Community Development Corporation

Michael beal Vice President

JP Morgan Chase

maxine griffith Executive Vice President

Government & Community Affairs Columbia University

angela e. guy

Senior Vice President Diversity & Inclusion

L’Oreal USA, Inc.

Discount parking available








honoring






JP Morgan Chase



angela e. guy


L’Oreal USA, Inc.









honoring






JP Morgan Chase



angela e. guy


L’Oreal USA, Inc.









honoring






JP Morgan Chase



angela e. guy


L’Oreal USA, Inc.









honoring






JP Morgan Chase



angela e. guy


L’Oreal USA, Inc.









honoring






JP Morgan Chase



angela e. guy


L’Oreal USA, Inc.


Concert Series

K

J A Z Z

I D S

f eer20th Anniversary

April 6Bobby Sanabria & Ascension

Newark Symphony Hall1020 Broad St., Newark, NJ

April 13Mimi Jones QuartetMontclair Art Museum

3 South Mountain Ave., Montclair, NJ

April 20Lenny White Quartet

Newark Museum49 Washington Ave., Newark, NJ

April 27Lauren Hooker

Luna Stage555 Valley Rd., West Orange, NJ

May 4Michael Wolff

NJPAC Victoria Theater1 Center St., Newark, NJ

More information can be found atwww.wbgo.org/kids

Spring 2013

All Performances at 12:30pm.


Vision to Victory: Working Together in UnityGBCNJ hosts Congress of Christian education

T he Congress of Christian Education, an auxiliary of The General Baptist Convention of New Jersey. Inc. presented its 35th Annual Workers Conference, “Vision to Victory: Working Together in

Unity.” (Nehemiah 4:6) The conference took place Friday and Satur-day, February 1-2, 2013 at First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens in Somerset, NJ. Each day was filled with opportunities for learning, wor-ship and fellowship.

The guest preacher for the conference was Rev. Dr. James S. Allen, pastor of Vine Memorial Baptist Church in Philadelphia, PA. Minister Leatha G. Williams, is Congress president; Rev. Evans L. Spagner is State director; Linda Y. Martin is State dean; Dr. Joseph E. Woods, is general secretary of GBCNJ; Rev. Dr. Guy Campbell, Jr. is president; Rev. Dr. De-Forest B. Soaries, Jr. is senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens, the host church.

L–R: Rev. Dr. Guy Campbell, Rev. Dr. James S. Allen and

Rev. Evans L. Spagner

L–R: Rev. Dr. DeForest B. Soaries with Dr. Joseph E. Woods

Rev. H. Grady James, pastor, New Bethel B.C., Irvington

L–R: Dr. Edward Daniel Harper, pastor of the Macedonia Baptist Church, Lakewood, NJ. and Rev. Evans L. Spagner

L–R: Rev. John Teabout, moderator, New Hope Baptist Assoc.; Rev. Tracey Brown, moderator Middlesex Central Baptist Assoc. and Rev. Dr. David Jefferson, pastor Metropolitan B.C., Newark

L–R: William Mitchell, Horizon NJ Health with Min. Louise Roundtree, Good Neighbor B.C, Newark

L–R: Charlotte Kinsey and Paula Valenzuela, both with United Healthcare and Jill Merri-man of Two River Theater, Red Bank, NJ

Photos: karen w

aters

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. ® Registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. ®’ and SM Registered and service marks ofHorizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey. © 2011 Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey. Three Penn Plaza East, Newark, New Jersey 07105.

“We know our community.We live here.”

“I feel the need to make a difference, not only in my life, but in the lives of others. I am involved in health issues facingpredominantly the African-American and Latino community. I understand what it’s like to come from humble backgrounds.

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield lives in New Jersey and we believe in access to quality healthcare for every resident.To me......it’s as important as breathing air.”

Horizon NJ Health can help you and your family, too.If you are uninsured, enroll in our NJ FamilyCare or NJ FamilyCare ADVANTAGE plans.

To see if you’re eligible, call 1-877-7NJ-HEALTH (1-877-765-4325)

Dr Philip Bonaparte, Chief Medical Officer, Horizon NJ Health

HorizonNJ Health


EducationT e A C H i N G , L e A r N i N G , M A k i N G A D i F F e r e N C e

Sojourner Truth Leadership Circle

Leadership Through The Lens of African-American Female Faith

And Social Justice Leaders

A uburn Theological Semi-nary has launched the So-journer Truth Leadership

Circle (STLC), an eight-month fel-lowship program designed to explore new paradigms in female leadership through the lens of black female faith and social justice leaders. Existing ste-reotypes and historically biased nar-ratives of the “selfless” black female leader have contributed to a struc-tural deficit in female leadership, put-ting the long-term sustainability of so-cial justice movements at risk.

Twelve female African-American leaders of diverse faith, ages and social justice expertise will partner with Au-burn to deeply explore the integration of self-care into their lives using meth-odologies that transform their vision of activist ministry and leadership.

“The strength mandate has too of-

ten forced black women into painful silences about their own needs even as they push relentlessly to serve oth-ers,” said Melissa Harris-Perry, who played an important role with Auburn in launching the program and who wrote Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes and Black Women in America. “Black women believe it is their responsibility to overcome life obstacles alone and to achieve despite having fewer physical, emotional, and social resources.”

The impact of these expectations on black women activists is profound. They suffer critically high rates of hy-pertension, obesity, depression and other health issues. And he impact is not confined to individuals but cre-ates larger structural issues for social justice movements.

“The history and experiences of black women have much to teach us

all about what can be achieved when faith-inspired female activists are at the helm --- and also about the price we pay when we commit ourselves to a larger cause without also honoring ourselves in the process,” said The Rev. Dr. Kath-arine Rhodes Henderson, president of Auburn Theological Seminary.

As part of the program, partici-pants will develop best practices for self-care, create a community of Black women leaders for support and participate in regular webinars and retreats about self-care practices and how they can enhance prophetic lead-ership. At the end of the program, fellows will provide insights into best leadership practices that embrace wholeness and wellness as an essen-tial component of leadership.

List of participants on page 58

Melissa Harris-Perry

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BC


Archives Why Bother? Why Archives are a Necessity, Not a Luxury

T o remain ignorant of things that happened before you were born is to remain a child. For what is the worth of human life unless it is woven into the life

of our ancestors by the records of history.” — Cicero As church leaders and community workers in to-

day’s fast-paced world, we are busy, treading water in a multitude of tasks just to take care of today and tomor-row, and do not have the luxury to think about the past. Between running from one committee meeting to another, writing sermons, and finding funding for vari-ous programs, who has the energy to devote to archives? We are so focused on the present and the future we do not have time to think about the past. The prevailing feeling seems to be, “Why should I bother with all that all stuff in the basement?” or “Why do I need to worry about the past? It is not going to help me today or in the future.” Contrary to these beliefs, we cannot escape our past; it is all around us and informs everything we do. In the words of the historian David McCullough, "History is who we are and why we are the way we are." Archives are our link to that past, and having an archival program in place will ensure that that link will be preserved.

The use of archival material is a way to promote your institution’s place within the community. There is a reason that companies so often use the word, “Since …” Historical continuity builds a sense of trust. It is a way to demonstrate that your organization plays a vital and active role in the community. It is a way of illus-trating that you have been there for the community, and will continue to be. Many granting organizations want proof that you will be able to carry out your plans. Being able to produce a documented record of success can help show this.

“ An archival program can help save both time and money. There is no need to beat a dead horse or recreate the wheel. Being able to research past policy decisions, reports and events can help an organization to run more efficiently. Knowing why certain policies were adopted can save immeasurable time that might otherwise be spent in useless debate. It offers a sense of accountability. Knowing what programs have not worked in the past can also save time. It can help you to figure out why a program did not work and how to make the necessary changes.

An archival program is not just a way to preserve his-torical and institutional records, but also a way to ensure proper records management. We live in a very litigious environment, and the ability to produce the right documentation can be vital in a lawsuit. Institutions can lose lawsuits or get into legal trouble because of poor or nonexistent records.

Not all records are created equal. Archiving does not mean keeping every document ever created. Knowing what to keep and what not to keep not only saves space but also helps one to locate and identify the records needed. Questions regarding past policy issues, events, legal issues, and requests for photographs can send staff scurrying like archeologists frantically searching through boxes, crawling through basements, and mak-ing desperate phone calls to former staff in search of answers. Having your records in order will allow you to be able to have these answers at your fingertips. Having an archival program in place is not just about preserving the past; it is also about ensuring that the present and future are properly documented and captured.

Dr. Kevin McGruder, chair, Department of History, Antioch College and former chair of the Abyssinian Baptist Church Archive Ministry.Photo: Bob Gore

By BoB Gore

Continued on page 43


Nyack, NY • New York, NY

• Master of Divinity• Master of Arts• Master of Professional Studies• Certificate Programs• Doctoral Degree

ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS361 Broadway, New York NY 10013Call 866-42-NYACK or visit our websiteat www.nyack.edu!

We are Proud to Rank in the Top Ten Nationally in African-American Graduates and First in New York State

SAVE THE DATE! Information Sessions for Summer & Fall 2013 Classes

Brooklyn Campus - Tuesday, April 23Bay Shore Campus - Wednesday, April 24Manhattan Campus - Thursday, April 25

For more information visit: touro.edu/gseinfo Call: 1-888-TOURO-02

TOURO COLLEGE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

Touro College is an Equal Opportunity Institution

facebook.com/WeAreTouro @WeAreTouro

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Scholarships Are Still within reach

PuSH excel Scholarship Program offers Several

By HeLeNe Fox

C ollege is the key to economic freedom for all Americans, yet a college degree is becoming less and less affordable for the average student in

the U.S. Over the past several years, PUSH Excel has awarded over three million dollars to deserving students enrolled in colleges and universities across the country. PUSH Excel Scholars attend a variety of institutions and take pride in the fact that ninety percent of PUSH Excel Scholars graduate from college.

The PUSH Excel Scholarship Program was created to assist young people who are qualified but lack the financial resources to attend college. The goal of the program is to develop servant leadership potential in the scholarship students and encourage a spirit of so-cial justice and social change.

Scholarship recipients will be selected from the pool of applicants who apply for a particular scholarship and meet the minimum criteria provided in the guidelines. There are no geographical limitations — applicants are selected from across the nation. Applications will be evaluated by a committee of educators and corporate executives.

There are four (4) different scholarships; applicants may apply for only one scholarship, so they should apply for the one that best fits their situation.

The application deadline for 2013 is April 15th. Applicants will be notified of the results by May 31.

Jesse L. Jackson Sr. Fellows Scholarship - Awarded to motivat-ed and dedicated high school students who demonstrate academic excellence and outstanding character, selected fellows receive a one-time award of $5,000.00.

Cirilo McSween Scholarship - Students majoring in business, achieve academic success and play an active role in their commu-nity, scholarships are given in honor of Rainbow PUSH Coalition Board Member and New York Life’s first African American agent, Cirilo McSween. The scholarship award is $2,500.00 and may be renewed for up to four years.

ora Lee Sanders Scholarship - Named for educator Ora Lee Sanders who believed that all children should have the

opportunity to attend college. This scholarship is open to all stu-dents who can demonstrate financial need, have a minimum grade point average of a 2.5, and play an active role in their community. The scholarship is $1,000 awarded for one year and may be re-newed for up to four years.

Presidential Choice Scholarship - A discretionary scholarship awarded to students who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to addressing social justice issues and engaging in advocacy, and to those individuals who understand and practice the gift of service. Scholarship recipients will receive $1,000.00 each year for four years, depending on their academic standing, achievements and/or the discretion of the president of PUSH Excel or the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.

To apply visit http://www.pushexcel.org/page/s/2013-push-excel-scholarship-application


Honoring Harriet Tubman

Legislation to establish National Parks in Maryland and New york introduced in Congress

… Again!

By HeLeNe Fox

H arriet Tubman was born in Dorchester County, Mary-land, where she spent nearly

30 years as a slave. She escaped slav-ery in 1849, but returned for more than 10 years to Dorchester and Caroline counties where she led hun-dreds of African Americans to free-dom. Known as “Moses” by African-American and white abolitionists, she reportedly never lost a “passen-ger” on the Underground Railroad.

This year is particularly signifi-cant to the legacy of Harriet Tub-man because March 10, 2013 marks the 100th anniversary of Harriet Tubman’s death. Tubman lived to be 93 years old and passed away in Auburn, NY, in the rest home that bears her name and that she estab-lished specifically for the care of ag-ing African Americans.

In February, congressional lead-ers and civil rights activists joined together to advocate for the passage of The Harriet Tubman National Historical Parks Act, which would es-tablish two National Historical Parks, one in Maryland and one in New York. The congressional members and leadership from the NAACP, National Organization for Women, National Urban League and the Na-tional Council of Negro Women say that duel parks honor the legacy of freedom fighter and American hero Harriet Ross Tubman.

In Maryland, The Harriet Tub-man Underground Railroad Na-tional Historical Park would include

historically important landscapes in Dorchester, Caroline and Talbot counties that are evocative of the life of Harriet Tubman including her likely birthplace, where she worked as a young girl, where as a teenager she worked as a seamstress, and par-cel that is believed to be the location of one of the first safe houses along the Underground Railroad. The park would also mark the place in Caroline County where Harriet Tub-man escaped slavery in 1849.

In New York, The Harriet Tub-man National Historical Park would include important historical struc-tures in Auburn, New York. They include Tubman’s home, the Home for the Aged that she established, the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Zion Church, and the Fort Hill Cem-etery where she is buried.

Democratic Senators from New York Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand are sponsors of the bill in the Senate, along with Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara Mikulski (both D-MD). Rep. Dan Maffei (D-NY) is sponsor of the bill in the House of Representatives.

“Harriet Tubman is a remark-able American hero who continues to inspire me today,” said Sen. Gil-librand. “Her unwavering commit-ment to helping others while risk-ing her own life in the long fight for equality has left an indelible legacy. This national park in Auburn, NY would provide an important place where men and women of all back-

grounds can come together and re-flect on the significance of her life.”

Representing National Council of Negro Women, Dr. Thelma T. Daley, vice chair, noted “Harriet Tubman’s legacy simply cannot be overstated! Without her, we would lack a leader-ship and social justice model that has endured over these 100 years since her death. Honoring Harriet Tubman with a permanent and prominent place in both Maryland and New York is the honorable thing to do. Her footprints are still found on the contours of the civil, gender and human rights move-ments today. The National Council of Negro Women has a vested interest in making sure that our children and the children throughout the nation know that Harriet Tubman lead the way—for each of us, for them and for the gen-erations yet to be born!”Karen Hill, executive director of

the Harriet Tubman Home in Au-burn, spoke at the news conference announcing the legislation citing a 1999 documentary by the A&E cable network in which scholars ranked Tubman among the top 100 people who affected the world in the pre-vious 1,000 years. “The bill is long overdue,” she said.

Bills to establish the parks have been introduced previously, but none gained the support that this one seems to have garnered in this year of the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, so sponsors and advocates are hopeful that this year will be different.

It’s happening at

in Columbia MarchFriday, March 1–Friday, March 29

Exhibition: Collecting Oriental Books, 1886-1936Chang Octagon Exhibition Room, Rare

Book & Manuscript Library, Morningside campus

An exhibition in tribute to Richard Gottheil and A.V. Williams Jackson. For more info, call (212) 854-7309 or visit https://alumni-friends.library .columbia.edu/news.html.

Friday, March 1–Sunday, June 30

Exhibition: The Quarter-centenary of the House of RomanovRare Book & Manuscript Library, Morningside campusFor more info, call (212) 854-7309 or visit https://alumni-friends.library.columbia.edu/news.html.

Friday, March 1

Mozart’s Cosí Fan Tutte8:00 p.m. Union Theological Seminary

Cosí Fan Tutte performed by the Opera Company of Brooklyn and Barnard Music. Tickets $10/$5 students and seniors. For more info, call (212) 854-5096 or visit www.barnard.edu/events.

Saturday, March 2

Jazz Theater: My Coma Dreams3:00 p.m. Miller Theatre, Morningside campus

A critically ill musician is rushed to a hospital, where, in a coma, he enters a dream world full of surreal comedy and ineffable beauty. Music composed and performed by Fred Hersch; written and directed by Herschel Garfein; starring Michael Winther and Fred Hersch & Ensemble. For more info, call (212) 305-1952, email [email protected] or visit www.narrativemedicine.org.

Tuesday, March 5

Women’s History Month Lecture Strategic Scrapbooks: 19th-century Activists Remake the Newspaper6:30 p.m. Sulzberger Parlor, Barnard campus

Speaker: Ellen Gruber Garvey, professor of English, New Jersey City University. For more info, call (212) 854-5096 or visit www.barnard.edu/events.

Music at St. Paul’s Columbia Classical Performers6:00 p.m.

St. Paul’s chapel, Morningside campus

An assortment of Columbia’s talented instrumental performance groups. For more info, call (212) 854-1487 or visit www.columbia.edu/cu/earl/music.html.

Wednesday, March 6

The Writing Lives Series: An Evening With Nick Hornby

6:15 p.m.Rennert Auditorium, Kraft Center, Morningside campus

Speaker: Award-winning novelist and screenwriter Nick Hornby in conversation with Saskia Hamilton, Barnard College. For more info, call (212) 854-8443 or visit www.heymancenter.org.

The Bigger Picture Series: Joseph Stiglitz and Ramin Bahrani6:00 p.m.

Miller Theatre, Morningside campus

The inaugural event of the series presents the film Wall Street, followed by a discussion about economic inequality with Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz and filmmaker Ramin Bahrani, both of Columbia University. For more info, call (212) 854-2875 or visit www.arts.columbia.edu.

Thursday, March 7

Comics at Columbia: The Golden Age6:00 p.m.523 Butler Library, Morningside campus

Speakers: author Larry Tye; Batman producer Michael Uslan; and former president of DC Comics Paul Levitz. For more info, call (212) 854-7309 or visit https://alumni-friends.library.columbia .edu/news.html.

The Creative Writing Lecture Series: Wells Tower

7:00 p.m. 413 Dodge, Morningside campus

Tower is the author of the short story collection Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned and the recipient of two Pushcart Prizes and the Young Lions Fiction Award from the New York Public Library. For more info, call (212) 854-2875 or visit www.arts.columbia.edu.

The Land Was Ours: African American Beaches from Jim Crow to the Sunbelt SouthNoonLehman Center, 406 International Affairs, Morningside campus

Speaker: Andrew W. Kahrl, Marquette University. For more info, call (212) 854-2927 or email [email protected].

Theater: Eye Piece3:00 p.m. & 8:00 p.m. Minor Latham Playhouse, Barnard campus

A searching inquiry into the personal meaning and the mythological, historical, artistic and social significance of the loss of vision, written and directed by Obie Award-winner Rinde Eckert. Tickets $10/$5 students with CUID. For more info, call (212) 854-5096 or visit www.barnard.edu/events.

Monday, March 11

New York Business History Forum: The Business of Building the United States Capitol6:30 p.m. 523 Butler Library, Morningside campus

Speaker: Guy Gugliotta, author of Freedom’s Cap: The United States Capitol and the Coming of the Civil War. For more info, call (212) 854-7309 or visit https://alumni-friends.library.columbia.edu/news.html.

Café Columbia: Manhattan Street Grid: The Surprising Legacy of John Randel Jr.6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.PicNic Café, 2665 Broadway at 102nd Street

Speaker: Marguerite Holloway, professor of journal-ism, Columbia University. $10 per person. Seating is limited. For more info, call (877) 854-2586 or visit www.cafes.columbia.edu.

Tuesday, March 12

The Money Series: Should Business Schools Have a Future? 6:15 p.m. Common room, Heyman Center, Morningside campus

Speaker: Rakesh Khurana, Harvard Business School. For more info, call (212) 854-8443 or visit www.heymancenter.org.

Pop-Up Concerts: It’s Complicated6:00 p.m. Miller Theatre, Morningside campus

Ensemble Signal takes the audience on a mini- exploration of the wildly different ways composers confront complexity and virtuosity. For more info, call (212) 854-7799 or visit www.millertheatre .com/events.

Race, Riots and Roller Coasters: Segregated Recreation in AmericaNoonLehman Center, 406 International Affairs, Morningside campus

Speaker: Victoria W. Wolcott, State University of New York at Buffalo. For more info, call (212) 854-2927 or email [email protected].

Music at St. Paul’s C & S C New York6:00 p.m. St. Paul’s Chapel, Morningside campus

New York City-based Korean Christian group plays classical favorites. For more info, call (212) 854-1487 or visit www.columbia.edu/cu/earl/music.html.

Friday, March 15

Stargazing and Lecture: Cosmic Candles 7:00 p.m. Pupin, Morningside campus

Speaker: Ashley Pagnotta, Columbia University. Lecture will be followed by stargazing with telescopes, weather-permitting. For directions, weather and more info, visit http://outreach.astro .columbia.edu.

Wednesday, March 27

Democratic Citizenship and the Public Good6:30 p.m. James Room, Barnard Hall, Barnard campus

Photo exhibit and panel discussion with Kimberley Johnson, Barnard; Dorian Warren, Columbia University; and Rickie Solinger, historian and cura-tor of “Claiming Citizenship: African Americans and New Deal Photography.” For more info, call (212) 854-7072 or visit www.barnard.edu/events.

Italy at Columbia Concert Series: Music of Busoni, Carter and Mozart7:00 p.m.

The Italian Academy, 1161 Amsterdam Ave., Morningside campus

Rolf Schulte, violin, and James Winn, piano. For more info, call (212) 854-2306 or visit www.italianacademy.columbia.edu.

Thursday, March 28

Amiable With Big Teeth: Discovering Claude McKay’s Long-lost Novel6:00 p.m.

523 Butler Library, Morningside campus

Speakers: doctoral candidate Jean-Christophe Cloutier and Brent Hayes Edwards, professor of English and Comparative Literature, Columbia University. For more info, call (212) 854-7309 or visit https://alumni-friends.library.columbia.edu/news.html.

Friday, March 29

Assess: Chile at Columbia1:00 p.m. Wood Auditorium, 100 Avery, Morningside campus

Architects and planners discuss recent urban projects, public space and architecture in Chile, including redevelopment interventions after the 2010 earthquake. For more info, call (212) 854-3414 or visit www.arch.columbia.edu/events.

Friday, March 29

Baseball vs. HarvardNoon Baker Athletics Complex, 218th Street and Broadway

Game two of this double header will begin at 3:00 p.m. For more info, call (212) 854-2535 or visit www.gocolumbialions.com.

All events are open to the public. This is a sampling of them. For additional events or general information, visit www.columbia.edu or call (212) 854-2871. For Columbia sports info, visit www.gocolumbialions.com. Guests in need of disability services should call (212) 854-2284 prior to the event.

Getting to Columbia The Morningside Heights campus is located at 116th Street and Broadway.By subway: No. 1 train to 116th Street station. By bus: M4, M11, M60 or M104.

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In this their centennial year, the line sisters of DeltaSigma Theta Sorority, Inc. are boldly carrying thetorch of sisterhood for what is the largest organization

for African-American women in the country. With itstheme A Sisterhood Called to Serve: Transforming Lives,Impacting Communities, the Delta women stand proudlyon the shoulders of their founders whose insatiable pas-sion and commitment inscribed black women’s agendainto the national equation for human rights.

The year was 1913, an era punctuated by racial strifeand gender inequality. Around the world women werebreaking bread and crossing swords with the powers thatbe as the campaigning for the suffrage movementpeaked. Internationally the Panama Canal was nearingcompletion and at home the first coast-to-coast pavedhighway was opened. And Delta Sigma Theta Sororitywas born.

On the campus of Howard University in Washington,DC, 22 brave, dynamic young women had a vision ofimproving life in their community. They determined thattheir collective strength would be used to promote aca-demic excellence and provide assistance to persons inneed. On January 1, 1913 they established Delta SigmaTheta Sorority as a means of expression for those ideals.One hundred years later, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority,Inc. boasts more than 250,000 members in 900 chaptersin the United States, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Germany,Jamaica, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the U.S.Virgin Islands. The sorority was incorporated as a nation-al organization in 1930 and has a five-point programmat-

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

BY GLENDA CADOGAN

ic agenda that includes: economic and educationaldevelopment, international awareness, physical andmental health and political awareness and involvement.

Led by National President, Cynthia M. A. Butler-McIntyre, the Washington-based organization hasplanned a full year of celebration that began with aTournament of Roses Parade in Los Angeles on the firstof January, 2013 and will culminate with its 51st NationalConvention from July 11–17.

“This [year] is not only a momentous occasion for ourorganization, but a testament to the power of all womendetermined to change the world for the better and be avoice for the underprivileged and underserved,” saidButler-McIntyre. “If it were not for our founders’ innateawareness of the power within every black woman andthe realization of a need for an increase in social con-sciousness on their campus, we would not be the organi-zation we are today.”

Cynthia M. A. Butler-McIntyre

Crimson, Cream and CommunityService


COVERSTORY

On New Year’s Day, The Delta Torch, a burning sym-bol of the passion and commitment that has fueled theorganization, was lit. The torch will make stops in 22cities before the tour culminates at the NationalConvention in Washington, D.C.

March 3, was another special day in the life of DeltaSorors from across the country as they joined with otherleading organizations in a reenactment of the Women’sSuffrage March of 1913. The Deltas created history as theonly African-American women’s organization in atten-dance in that momentous march. It marked the first offi-cial act of public service and social advocacy in the orga-nization’s rich history.

“The participation of Delta Sigma Theta’s Founders inthe Suffrage March displayed their fervent nature andcollective strength,” said Butler-McIntyre. “Theircourage, while standing together with other women todemand changes in governing laws that denied womenone of this country’s most basic privileges and rights, isthe example of social advocacy that has led and sustainedDelta Sigma Theta for a Century.”

Other Centennial events included a Founders’ DayWeekend in January and Delta Days in the Capital, aseries of meetings examining public policy and politicalissues led by the organization’s National Social ActionCommittee.

“The women of Delta Sigma Theta have been andremain a vital contributor to the success of our commu-

nities and a defender of rights of all people,” said Butler-McIntyre. “We are going to take this year to honor therich legacy of our 22 Founders, celebrate the inheritancethey generously placed in our hands, and humbly takeup the torch they lit for us to carry and pass on to thenext generation.”

By far one of the most celebrated Delta woman is thelate Dorothy Height, the organization’s 10th NationalPresident, who was installed in the basement of a BaptistChurch in San Antonio, Texas in 1947. She is creditedfor taking the organization “onward and upward” andsecuring its national headquarters in Washington, DC.But Delta women have made their mark in every field ofendeavor. Notable sorors include: Mary McCleodBethune, Shirley Chisholm, Lena Horne, Dr. BettyShabazz, Cicely Tyson, Vashti M. Mckenzie, JudithJamison, Dr. Regina Benjamin, Ruby Dee Davis, OlympiaScott, Nikki Giovanni and Johnnetta B. Cole.

As of the writing of this article, the Delta Torch was inLittle Rock, Arkansas. As it passes through city after city,sorors from Los Angeles to Tokyo are going to be reener-gized and in so doing recommit themselves to “sister-hood, scholarship and service.” Certainly, in the nearfuture this commitment will translate into increasedglobal social action because as “Ella’s Song” by BerniceJohnson of Sweet Honey in the Rock reminds us: [those]“who believe in freedom cannot rest…until it comes.”

(L–R) Notable Sorors:

Shirley Chisholm, Lena Horne,

Cicely Tyson, Nikki Giovanni

continued on next page


Delta Sigma Theta has been a positiveand rewarding experience for me. Ipledged in 1973 at the University ofHouston in Zeta Sigma Chapter. It was atthis time that I had the opportunity to gothrough the pledge program under theguidance and wisdom of Soror BarbaraJordan. Her passion for sisterhood cap-

tured my attention and instilled the meaning of unconditionallove and acceptance of each other into my life. I never forgother stressing “Always let others see you at your best.” That pas-sion for sisterhood remained with me and when I came to NewYork City I looked up Delta Sigma Theta in the telephone bookand called to explain that I was here alone and did not knowmany people. Doris Dingle, then President of the HarlemChapter said with so much love, “Well you have 90 sisters here”and invited me to a meeting. It was my first introduction toHarlem and I immediately became active on the Founder’sCommittee, which afforded me the opportunity to meetFounder Osceola Adams. The number of rich experiences inmy life because of Delta Sigma Theta are immeasurable. Fromwalking the street and meeting a Soror wearing her tee shirt todeveloping long lasting relationships — I LOVE DST.

Barbara Askins President & CEO125th Street BID

My experience as a member of DeltaSigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated hasbeen extremely inspirational and reward-ing. Many of the women in Delta aremovers and shakers in all aspects of theworld and have been important role mod-els in my life. Whether it is in education,government or the arts, you will always

find a Delta woman at the forefront. In addition, it has beenrewarding because at our core is service. Personally, I haveworked with the disadvantaged and needy and helped youth indeveloping and building self-esteem through workshops.As a current member of the Nassau Alumnae Chapter, I haveestablished a bond with 33 women — my line sisters — who area very special part of my life. We have supported each otherthrough triumphs and trials and I can’t imagine my life withoutthem. Tonya L. Cantlo-CockfieldCounsel to the Housing, Corporations and Cities CommitteesNew York Senate Democratic Conference

What does it mean to be a Delta? I imme-diately think of service — selfless serviceto my community, my country and theworld. Soror Shirley Chisholm said,“Service is the rent we pay for the privi-lege of living on this earth.” Members ofDelta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. get thatmessage first and foremost. We also

understand that our sorority is a sisterhood striving for excel-lence and a business that the community depends on each andevery day. Reflecting on the centennial, I can’t help but feelpride in the work we have done so far and at the same time, feeljoy and anticipation of the service to come in the next 100 years.

La Rhetta Bradley, President Central Jersey Alumnae Chapter

Wow! 100 years as a sisterhood. CENTEN-NIAL is such a phenomenal word with astrong meaning. What a special feeling it isfor me to be a part of such a historic occa-sion. Over 25 years ago, as a high schoolstudent, I began a journey that I knew inmy heart would one day include becominga member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority,

Inc. and when I look around at my Sorors and see the pride, joyand excitement that exist amongst us, I know it was a journeyworth taking. The legacy created by the work of our 22 Foundersin 1913 has paved a way for over 300,000 women in 2013 to con-tinue the sisterhood, scholarship and service they dedicatedtheir lives to. I hold Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. near anddear to my heart. The bonds and relationships developed arejust a small part of a bigger picture that embraces serving com-munities around the world and no matter where I go, I canalways look around and say how proud I am to be a Delta Girl!

Renee P. Evelyn, President Montclair Alumnae ChapterDelta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.Social Work SupervisorNJ Division of Child Protection and Permanency

In October 1985, I became a member ofthe Montclair Alumnae Chapter of DeltaSigma Theta Sorority, Inc., an organizationdedicated to Sisterhood, Scholarship andService. I had always known that thewomen of Delta were the leaders and com-munity organizers who reached out to pro-vide education about various issues. They

also took the next step and implemented programs to makesure people continue to receive education on these issues.

Being a member of this wonderful sorority has helped me tobecome a leader. As a member of the Montclair chapter, I servedas the sergeant-at-arms, chaplain and the second vice president.I also served as the chair of the scholarship committee. Delta hasafforded me the opportunity to make a difference in my com-munity and has paved the way for me to serve as president ofanother distinguished women’s organization.

Odessa H. JamesPresident, North Jersey Unit National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, Inc.

Hail Delta!


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Discover our panoramic views for your corporate or social event by contacting (973) 242-0658 or [email protected] or visit www.MetroRoomNJ.com.

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A PHENOMENAL WOMAN

Mrs. Rhoda Ann Wil-liams struck a royal pose in her easy chair

and savored the good wishes of family and friends who had come to celebrate her birth-day. With a warm, inviting smile she greeted everyone as

charmingly as a sweet 16-year old. But in fact, Mama, as she is affectionately called, is celebrating an even more spectacular milestone – she is 106 years old.

Born on February 15, 1907, Mrs. Williams has lived a full life and with her strength, stamina and courage continues to inspire others to do the same. An unapologetic woman of God, Miss Williams willingly shared the secret to a long life with everyone who greeted her – “Serve God with all your heart,” she whispered to her guests over and over. And at ev-ery opportunity, she punctuated the moment with her praise mantra: “Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise him all creators here below. Praise him above the heavenly host. Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.”

According to those who bore witness on her behalf, Mrs. Williams has enriched the lives of those around

her through her joyous and sincere love for God and her faith. For 35 years she has been a member of the Flatbush Seventh Day Adventist Church and is a vigilant missionary who never misses an opportunity to minister to young children, teenagers and adults.

A native of Jamaica, WI she has lived in Brooklyn since her migration to the United States in 1970. With her husband, Thomas, whom she outlived by many years, she fought hard times to raise five children into successful and accomplished citizens. She worked as a nanny and ran a small business selling food and confectionary.

Today she can count among her offspring and their progeny, a vice president at IBM; a pilot; a nurse; a lawyer; an entrepreneur of several major businesses; an administrator of large worldwide companies; a contrac-tor; a physician’s assistant; a chemist; a teacher; a soldier in the armed forces; a principal and chief radiographer to the Island of Jamaica.

At the age of 106, Mrs. Rhoda Ann Williams still lov-ingly makes tea for her daughters and routinely carries fish to her son’s house. Indeed Mama can say, like the poet Maya Angelou, “…I am a woman/Phenomenally/ Phenonomal woman/That’s me.”

By AyoriNDe


CultureL i F e , M u S i C , A r T & L i T e r AT u r e

Marion Thompson Wright Lecture SeriesLargest Audience ever Comes out For This year’s Lectures

I t was standing room only on Saturday, February 16, as crowds packed into the overflow rooms at Rutgers-Newark’s Paul Robeson Campus Center

for the 33rd annual Marion Thompson Wright Lecture Series sponsored by the Rutgers Institute on Ethnicity, Culture and the Modern Experience, led by Distin-guished Professor, Historian and Lecturer, Clement A. Price, moderator. In observance of the sesquicentennial (150th) anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, the theme of this year’s event, Emancipation and the Work of Freedom, attracted perhaps the largest audi-ence in the history of the lecture series.

An illustrious assemblage of experts gave lectures on topics including: Self Emancipation, African American Marriage, Slavery and Freedom: What Did the Slaves Think of Lincoln? Emancipation and Enslaved Women on the Civil War’s Battlefields and more.

The day’s activities concluded with a reception and tour of the Newark Museum collection related to the Civil War and Emancipation. –AAC

Clement Price, PhD

Steven Hahn, specialist on history of nineteenth-century

America, African-American history, the history of the

American South, and the inter-national history of slavery and emancipation at the University

of Pennsylvania

Tera Hunter, professor of History and the Center for African American Studies at Princeton University

Thavolia Glymph, associate professor of history and African and African Ameri-can studies at Duke University

Newark Mayor Cory

Booker

James Oakes, distinguished professor of History and

Graduate School Humanities at the Graduate Center of

the City University of New York

Mezzo-soprano Lori Brown Mirabal, principle of Opera Soup Productions sings the Negro National Anthem


T he New Hope Baptist Church of Metuchen and the NAACP Metuchen-Edison Area Branch held their 14th Annual Martin Luther King Program

on Sunday, January 21, 2013. The theme entitled, Where Do We Go From Here? is the title of a speech delivered by King at the Southern Leadership Conference in Atlanta, Georgia on August 16, 1967. The program was led by the Metuchen-Edison Area Interfaith Clergy Associa-tion and included remarks by Mayor Thomas Vahalla, Metuchen; Mayor Antonia Ricigliano, Edison and Mayor Sharon-Robinson Briggs, Plainfield.

They each addressed issues our nation faces today including the needed improvement in the education system, how to prepare workers of today for the jobs of tomorrow, gun control and the pro-tection of voter rights. Two late civil rights leaders

NAACP Metuchen-Edison Area Branch Executive Committee Members L–R: Steven Stewart, Stephany Kim, Mary Martin, Marilyn Matthews, Hyacinth Reynolds, Pattie Zamore and Branch President, Reginald Johnson

New Hope Diaconate Chair, Frances Moore (r) presents a scholarship check to Taryn Jones, who was one of four area high school seniors to receive the Martin Luther King Jr. Student of the Year Award. Scholarships are presented each year as a result of the generous offerings from the congregation. L–R: Timothy Barrow, Andre Williams,

Stephan Lally, Kira Cudjoe, Jordan Hargwood, Taryn Jones and Kandie Hartwell-Lawrence

Black History Month at New Hope BC Metuchen

By MAriLyN MATTHewS

from New Jersey who passed away in 2012—long time Congressman Donald Payne (23 years) and U.S. Attorney General (under President Lyndon B. Johnson 1965-1966) Nicholas Katzenbach, received special tributes at the event.

In a special presentation, the New Hope Youth marched around the church protesting the social and economic injustices of today while Deaconess Kim-berly Moore-Jones explained. “…in order to answer the question ‘Where Do We Go From Here?’ we must recognize where we are now. We must continue to speak up for justice and speak out against atrocities that discriminate, oppress and depress all people.” The youth marched out with the words of the song "Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around" echoing throughout the sanctuary.

Over 300 community parishioners of diverse faiths came out to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. King.

ABOVE:Members of the Metuchen-Edison Area Interfaith Clergy Association L-R: Rev. Jeffrey Howell, Rev. Dr. Ronald L. Owens, Rev. Dr. James Miller, Rabbi David Vaisberg, Rev. Mark McCreary, Rev. Dr. Annari Griesel, Rev. Barbara Crafton, Rev. Dolores Davision and Cantor Jacquie Shucat-Marx

Senior Pastor of the New Hope Baptist Church, Rev. Dr. Ronald L. Owens and Rabbi Vaisberg of Temple Emanu-EL, exchange friendly words in the pulpit.


Legendary Richard Smallwood

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Everyone loves a bake sale. I fondly recall my moth-er and I baking cakes, cookies and brownies toraise money for field trips, the cheerleading

squad, the French Club and every other school functionwhen I was a child. The nickels, dimes and quarters weearned from the sales of sweet baked goods helped pur-chase museum tickets, new cheerleading sweaters andlunch in Little Italy—all things that were important to anAmerican teenage girl. Even today, I still bake. And Irecently found out that my entrepreneurial husbandsometimes sells my wares at his job in the interest ofkeeping his waistline svelte and subsidizing his lunchcosts. And he gets paper money for each slice or cup-cake, rather than coins. Imagine that! But long before ina land not so far away, sugary sweet fritters were sold onthe streets of New Orleans in hopes of buying somethingfar more precious… Life.

They are called “calas” and were once a popular streetfood much like New York City pretzels and zeppole, butthey were sold in New Orleans by slave women and freewomen of color from the early 1700s until around 1940.Calas are rice fritters, perhaps a cousin to the more pop-ular beignets everyone loves and associates with The BigEasy. They are a West African food brought to the Statesby slave women, but their monetary and historic valueare tied exclusively to the Crescent City Creole cultureand the marketplaces where women would roamthrough crowds advertising “Belles calas! Tout chaud!”

“Beautiful calas! Very hot!” is the English translation

Sweet FreedomThe Story of Calas

of the call that brought customers back weekly. DuringFrench rule in New Orleans, the Code Noir or the BlackCodes ordered that slaves were given a day off onSunday. Ingenious hard workers, many slave women tookthe day off as an opportunity to earn money and ven-tured to the squares and markets to sell their sweet, puffyrice mixture to customers who had never tasted anythingquite like them. The codes also stipulated that if a slaveapproached his or her master with a reasonable offer tobuy his or her freedom, the master had to accept it. Thuswas born “freedom fritters” as calas became known.

Calas meant empowerment! Calas were somethingbrought from Africa (Ghana) by African women; some-thing they had continued to prepare after being broughtto America. Because they only required a few simpleingredients, a treat that could be made by slaves usingleftover rice flavored as savory or sweet.

In 1763, the Treaty of Paris ceded control of the portcity to Spain. With Spanish rule came the term“coartación” that allowed slaves to purchase their freedomin successive payments for an estimated fair value. Whilemanumission was the act of freeing a slave outright—either out of generosity or for payment, coartación wasthe state of a slave who was in the process of making pay-ments for freedom. That slave became legally known as acoartado and achieved a nominally higher social standingthan regular slaves. Coartación also meant that once theprocess of purchasing freedom had begun, the pricecould not be changed, nor could the agreement of sale—even if a master sold the coartado, the new master had tohonor both the agreement and the original price.Coartados were considered less desirable for sale, howev-er, since potential buyers were aware of their impendingfreedom. Entering the process helped protect familiesfrom being separated. Coartación was the light at the endof the tunnel and calas was one vehicle that drove thou-sands through the tunnel to the other side—to freedom.

Once freed, women continued to sell calas, makingtheir living as street vendors. They often saved the prof-its to be used to purchase the freedom of a spouse, childor other loved one. Some slave owners claimed the prof-its as their own in an effort to halt or slow the pace of thepurchase of freedom. But thousands of slaves were freedby coartación and calas had something to do with that.

New Orleans reverted to French control in 1801 andthen came under American rule with the Louisiana

BY R.L. WITTER

Slaves were promised free-

dom that never came; but the

calas remained.


Purchase in 1803. Women still roamed the marketplaceswith baskets perched atop their heads. They still called topotential customers, “Belles calas! Tout chaud!” ButAmerican slavery was quite different from European slav-ery and all of the proceeds were now the property of slavemasters and mistresses. Coartación and the mandate thatmasters must allow slaves to purchase their freedombecame things of the past. Slaves were promised freedomthat never came; but the calas remained.

With thousands of free black people in New Orleans,the calas women continued to make and sell differentvarieties—shrimp calas, crab calas, calas with powderedsugar and honey. Slowly, however, the number of vendorsdiminished until finally, around 1940 there was only oneknown calas vendor left in the city. Historians believe thatthe rationing that took place during World War II is whatlikely put an end to calas vendors. But calas survived inCreole and African American households throughoutthe years. They were often served to “maskers” duringMardi Gras when they stopped by for a bit of respite fromparading.

Calas have recently enjoyed a resurgence in NewOrleans restaurants and now appear on the menus of sev-eral respected eateries. One, The Old Coffee Pot, boaststhat calas have been a menu staple for decades.Ironically, the renewed interest in the rice fritters is large-ly credited to Poppy Tooker, a Louisiana radio show host

who also teaches classes on cooking traditionalLouisiana dishes. Tooker takes pride in relating thestory of calas to all who will listen and repeats themantra “Eat it to save it!” Tooker also happens to bewhite. She once related the story of how she was makingcalas for a convention and had a chef come in to assisther. She said the chef was “as white as me” and that afterpreparing the calas he told her how it took him back tohis childhood. He then told her, “My grandmother wasblack.” It is also rumored that a respected and notedwriter of New Orleans origin once said, “if you have thecalas tradition in your family and y’all think you’re whitefolks, you have to look a little harder in your back-ground.”

Regardless, calas is a part of African American histo-ry and tradition and should be shared with pride. Withthat, I share a calas recipe with you and hope you makethem, eat them and enjoy them a little bit more nowthat you know that they helped free slaves.

1. In bowl, combine rice, flour, sugar, baking powder, saltand nutmeg and mix well.

2. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.

3. Heat vegetable oil for deep-frying to 360-degrees.

4. Carefully drop rice mixture by spoonfuls into hot oiland fry until brown.

5. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

6. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar. Serve hot.

Rice Calas (makes 12)

2 cups cooked long-grain white rice6 tablespoons all-purpose flour3 heaping tablespoons sugar2 teaspoons baking powder1/4 teaspoon saltDash of nutmeg2 large eggs1/4 teaspoon vanilla extractVegetable oil (for deep-frying)Confectioners’ sugar

Illustration of Calas Woman from 1886 edition of Century Magazine


BY PATRICIA BALDWIN

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old.Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do younot perceive it? —Isaiah 43:18

Grace & Peace!

Spring and springtime refer to the season where rainfalls to clean and nourish the earth, flowers begin tobloom and the seeds planted (in the earth or in spir-

it) begin to grow. It is also used as a metaphor for the startof better times. So what’s new in the life of Gospel music?Let’s start with labels —record labels that is. Verity Recordsbecame RCA Inspiration as of January 2013. RCAInspiration will be led by Geo Bivins. The good news con-tinues as exceptional musician and producer StanleyBrown, who aided the signing of artists Deon Kipping,Jason Nelson and Latice Crawford, is now the senior direc-tor of A&R. With Brown’s more than 20 years of experiencein the music business, this label is in very capable hands.Stay tuned for new music from William Murphy —keepingthis label’s longevity alive. Speaking of longevity, would youbelieve it’s actually been 20 years for Kurt Carr and 25 yearsfor Light Records’ Ricky Dillard in the music ministry?These men are celebrating in a powerful way—Kurt with adouble CD project that’s in stores now with guests JudithMcAllister (“Let Everything”), Lorraine Stancil-Lawson(“We Cannot Be Silent”) and Vonnie Lopez. Ricky also hasan all-star tribute in the works. We’re hearing that DonaldLawrence and Take 6 are somewhere in the mix of thissoon-to-come extravaganza.

Reality TV has ventured into the Gospel world latelyand it looks like there is more to come. With the successof Mary Mary, others are joining the trend. Sunday Bestseason two participants Latice Crawford and Jeff Spainhave been given an opportunity on their new show onthe Centric network, Almost Married. Pastors Marvin Sappand Kim Burrell also have pilots for their own individual

reality TV series that can be seen online. It’s only a mat-ter of time ‘til they get picked up by a TV network.

BET has picked up a show about a family you mayhave heard of—I’ll give you a hint, the mother is KarenClark-Sheard. Singer Kierra “KiKi” Sheard and producerJ. Drew Sheard, Jr. will share their family life on theirown terms in their new show, The Sheards. The show willtake a closer look at the family’s life with the ups, downsand in-betweens of it all. Karen went into a coma and wasgiven a two percent chance of surviving after complica-tions from what should have been a simple medical pro-cedure; Kierra’s engagement to one of the most promi-nent young pastors in Detroit was cancelled, and J. DrewJr. is an unwed father with baby-mama drama.

The Gospel music world is a small world after all andit is becoming more evident as several new artists areemerging with debut CDs that almost seem to be related.Examples include season five Sunday Best winner JoshuaRogers and runner up Alexis; dReam Center’s WilliamMurphy’s protégé Tasha Cobbs; Brooklyn’s own and KirkFranklin’s singer, Anayshia Figueroa; and songwriterextraordinaire for the greats, Deon. Multitalentedsinger, songwriter and producer, Fred Hammond is com-ing out with something new also, but he won’t be alone.He has joined some of the most creative male voices inthe game of gospel and R&B — David Hollister, BrianCourtney Wilson and Eric Roberson in the new group,UT (Urban Tenors/United Tenors).

One more thing, Lovetta “Lovey” Goodman’s liverecording project was mentioned in a previous column asMarch 15th, my apologies. The set date is May 15, 2013.

On that note, remember we all have a charge to keep, adestiny to fulfill and a song to sing. Keep praying for oneanother and preparing our lives for what’s to come. Selah!

In loving memory of my sister Belinda Baldwin and my cousin,Tomeka A. Baldwin.

The Gospel According to Spring


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Bayard Rustin: An Unsung Hero

for Equality

A decade before Rosa Parks' arrest for refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus, police dragged Bayard Rustin off a bus in Ten-

nessee for the same act of protest. When pressed about why he was resisting segregation, Rustin gestured to a young white boy seated at the front of the bus. "If I sit in the back," Rustin said, "I am depriving that child of the knowledge that there is injustice here, which I believe is his right to know."

Bayard Rustin, an often unsung hero of the civil rights movement, spent his entire life exposing injustice in our nation. Even before he served as lead organizer of the 1963 March on Washington where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. declared his dream, Rustin was labeled a Communist and a radical by the government. When he traveled to the segregated South during the first-ever Freedom Rides, he experienced a barrage of racial slurs and violence.

But in America, in the 1950s and 60s, no label stuck to Bayard Rustin quite like "homosexual." As an openly gay man, Rustin was attacked by everyone -- Congress-men and activists, black and white -- simply for living openly. Yet, at a time when few others would, Rustin proudly wore that label.

To Bayard Rustin, fighting for his equality as a black man, while leaving his identity as a gay man unspoken, would have been an unthinkable betrayal. It was his firm belief that silence about either identity meant he ac-cepted the system of discrimination that allowed hatred about both to persist.

Long before it was easy or safe, Rustin was motivated to live openly. He could have hidden the fact that he was gay. When confronted about it, he could have lied

-- that's what everyone did in those days. But Bayard Rustin was exceptional. He lived openly because to do otherwise would be a missed opportunity in exposing the injustice and intolerance he, along with other mem-bers of the LGBT community, experienced.

Despite a lifetime lived in service to justice and non-violence, Rustin's legacy was marginalized by his sexual-ity. His 1987 New York Times obituary demonstrated the evasive language about LGBT people that was all too common in the media just a few short years ago. The obituary skirted the topic of his being gay and referred to his longtime partner by euphemism only. Even today, his name is not nearly as well known as the other greats of the Civil Rights movement.

We should not forget trailblazers like Rustin. Out of dedication to his life and legacy, let us uplift the stories of LGBT African-Americans who felt and still feel the bur-dens of discrimination -- those whose very lives illustrate the insistent fact that the fight to treat all people equally is both this country's greatest accomplishment and its great-est unfinished obligation.

Today, the National Association for the Advance-ment of Colored People, the nation's oldest civil rights organization, and the Human Rights Campaign, the na-tion's largest LGBT civil rights organization, are proud to work together toward equality. And we're proud that President Barack Obama used his second inaugu-ral address to link the Civil Rights movement and the LGBT Equality movement. But long before a president like Barack Obama was even possible, Bayard Rustin was preaching an equal future. We shouldn't forget his sacrifice, and the greatest tribute to his legacy would be to finish his work.

By BeNJAMiN ToDD JeALouS NAACP PreSiDeNT & Ceo

Photo: Courtesy of Smithsonian


AprilEducation

IssueTo Advertise Call:

973-233-9200or Email:

[email protected] rates & deadlines

Upcoming SpecialIssue!

Starting an archival program can seem daunting, but The Interchurch Center has developed a program to help start and guide you on your way. On April 23, 2013, The Library of The Interchurch Center is conducting an all-day conference on Archiving & Records Management for Non-Professionals. The workshops are designed for staff members and volunteers of local churches and community organizations who are responsible for their organizations’ historical material but have little or no knowledge of archival practices. All sessions will be conducted by profes-sional archivists from Columbia University, The Founda-tion Center, General Theological Seminary, NYU, Rutgers University, Seton Hall University, and United Methodist Archives. You will learn how to organize, preserve, evalu-ate and make use of your organization’s records. Topics to be covered include: what to keep and what not to keep; preservation; reference/outreach; exhibits and artifacts; oral history; and funding. Participants will come away with a knowledge of archival policies and procedures as well as practical solutions on how to put into practice what they have learned to move forward with archival programs for both their organization and their own histories.

The cost of the conference is $35.00 per person, $25.00 retirees, and $20.00 for students. Fees include continental breakfast, lunch, closing reception, and con-ference materials. For more information on the work-shop or to register please contact Tracey Del Duca at [email protected] or call 212-870-3804.

ARCHIVESContinued from page 24


Babyland Executive Director HonoredFor Five years of exceptional Leadership

O n February 21, 2013, Wesley N. Jenkins was honored at the Robert Treat Hotel’s NJN Studios for his remarkable ability to lead Babyland Family Services, Inc. into a new era. Babyland Family Services, Inc. is a

Non-Profit comprehensive family services organization located in Newark, NJ with services including a Domestic Violence Shelter and a Children Together Shelter. Babyland also has programs such as Foster Care, Childcare, Parent Education, Anger Management, Batterer’s Intervention, a Women’s Support Group and on On-site Family Success Center.

As this agency celebrates 45 years of service to the community, Wesley’s dedication, vision, humanitarianism, and style have allowed this organization to breathe a new life. The cornucopia of guests at the event consisted of a plethora of State and Local Government Officials, colleagues, longtime Baby-land supporters, friends, family and staff.

Wesley N. Jenkins with Michel-lene Davis, Esq., SVP for Policy Development and Government Affairs, Barnabas Health.

E. Garcia Murray Babyland Board member

NJ State Senator Theresa Ruiz

I f you are a businessman or woman and looking for ways to increase productivity and sales, need help in determing your networking needs either online or one-to-one, looking for funding or just want

to increase your business, the Brain Trust initiative Power Breakfast is right up your alley. Entrepreneurs from throughout the region are flocking to the quarterly events at the Newark Club. Andrew Frazier of A&J Management hosts the events, which always features dynamic speakers who are successful in their own right.

Details for the April 17th Power Breakfast are being completed. Call 973) 851-6382 or visit www.aj-mgmt.com for more information.

Power Breakfast

L–R: Andrew Frazier, president /COO, A & J Management; Atinuke Akinwunmi, VP, PurH20; Laurana Edwards, principle, Profit Marketing Solutions; Jeff Dunn, executive director, Boss - The Business One Stop Service, Plainfield, NJ; Jilletta Riley, executive director - Employee Ben-efits, Small Business and Identity Theft Specialist, Legal Shield

L–R: John Webb, CEO and Man-aging Partner, Quantum Reach was featured guest speaker at the January 30th Power Breakfast

L–R: Don Viapree, director, Government Affairs, Cablevision; Ray Thomas, senior pastor, Word of Life Church; Keith Dozier, president, Innovative Restoration and Facility Services; Ken Miller, president, Intelligent earth Services, LLC


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Join Reverend John H. GamblePastor,

Smyrna Baptist ChurchNewark

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AAHPC's 20th Annual Interfaith Breakfast

“Healing our Generational Divide”

Parade Technical Advisor Linda W. Brashear presents Selfless Service Award to Mr. Younis Moheisen of Kings Restaurant, joining the presentation are Irvington Mayor Wayne Smith, Congressman Donald M. Payne Jr. and Newark City Council President Anibal Ramos.

L–R: Chairman Donald Bernard Sr. with the morning’s speaker Pastor Lynda T. Rassman from Saint Paul AME, Pleasant-ville, NJ and former Assemblyman William D. Payne (2012 Parade Grand Marshall)

O n Saturday, February 23, 2013, the African American Heritage Parade Committee hosted their 20th Annual Interfaith Spiritual Breakfast at the Renaissance Newark Airport Hotel beginning at

9:00 a.m. and continuing until noon. The Committee pays tribute each year to Black History month with this spiritual gathering. Well over 200 guests came out to join in spiritual uplift and communal spirit.

This year’s theme will focus on the principle, “Healing Our Genera-tional Divide,” through dance, song, music and a spiritual message that mirrors culture and creates community awareness. The breakfast fea-tured an uplifting message from Pastor Lynda T Rassmann, Saint Paul AME, Pleasantville, NJ. Mary W. Cudjoe, Roseville Manor; Mr. Maurice Levy, Paramount Assets and Younis Moheisen, Kings Family Restaurant & Catering, Inc. were presented with the Founder John A. Thomas Self-less Service Award.

Parade Chairman Donald Bernard Sr. joins community partners representing Beth Israel Medical Center

For information, please call Rev. Shawn T. Wallace at (973) 621-2151

Conference Preacher:Rev. Dr. Ralph D. West, Senior Pastor

The Church Without Walls, Houston, TXRev. Gregory J. Jackson,Host Preacher

Friday, April 5Saturday, April 6, 2013Mount Olive Baptist Church

260 Central Avenue Hackensack, NJ 07601

2013 Institute on Church Development“Developing Healthy Churches to Impact Communities for Christ”

United Missionary Baptist Convention of NJ, Inc.Kenneth D.R. Clayton, Convention President


Arringtons renew wedding Vows

O n their 50th wedding anniversary First Lady Patricia and Rev. Lee Arrington renewed their wedding vows before family and friends at

a celebration at Paradise Baptist Church in Harlem where Rev. Arrington is senior pastor. Rev. Reginald Williams, pastor of Charity Baptist Church in the Bronx officiated.

L-R: Rev. Reginald Williams, First Lady Sandra Williams with the happy “newlyweds” First Lady Patricia and Rev. Lee Arrington.

Photo: Bruce M

oore


Beaver Hats, Butterflies and Dragonflies

W ith the healing light of art as his therapy, Marcus Malchijah tried desperately to navigate through the darkness of the tragic loss of his

6-year-old son. The end result of his maiden creative endeavor was a hat. The hat was a simple design but the colors were striking. However, the true essence of this hat was that it became an external expression that quieted his internal turmoil. And with it an enterprise was born.

“All I wanted to do was keep my brain occupied,” he told The Positive Community Magazine. “I was 30 years old at the time and had never made a hat. But once I sat at the sewing machine it became second nature.” With a new “hattitude” this native of Guyana established Mal-chijah Hats and 18 years later the store is one of the best known for custom made hats in New York City.

The only boy in a family of four, Malchijah was raised by a grandmother and great grandmother after his mother left Guyana in pursuit of the American Dream. “I was 4 years old when my mother left my three sisters and me in the care of my grandmother and great grand-mother, who taught me how to sew. It took about eight years before she could reunite the family but I am eternally grateful for those years I spent in the Guyana and the profound influence it has on my life.”

In fact, Malchijah credits his early childhood in the Caribbean as the main contributing factor in his expert use of colors. “For those formative years of my life I was surrounded by color,” he said. “Everywhere there were dragonflies, butterflies and the croton plants, which we called the ‘coat of many colors.’ So when people say that I have a way of putting colors together, I tell them, ‘God was not color shy so neither am I.’”

From his base on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, Malchijah continues to weave his magic attracting a clientele which ranges from celebrities to people from all walks of life. And though he prefers to call himself a simple craftsman, his artistic creations have been worn by the likes of Jada Pinkett Smith, Erykah Badu, Third World, Mary Wilson of the Supremes, the Ringmaster of the Uni-versoul Circus, the church ladies of The Color Purple, Ben Vereen, theatrical and music groups.

By GLeNDA CADoGAN

Continued on next page

Marcus Malchijah

Photos: Glenda Cadogan


But despite the fact that he adorns celebrities, it is working with church groups-- especially in the large numbers – that presents some of the most rewarding moments for Malchijah. “I have worked with church groups of 60 or more people who need to be uniformed but yet want a hat suited each member’s personal taste,” he explained. “So in these cases my approach is to have them agree on a color. Once that is established, I can create several variations of a design and the result is usu-ally stunning.”

But perhaps the biggest challenge for this artist comes with doing bridal parties. According to Malchijah, de-signing a hat for the mother of the bride is “an intricate matter. It’s important to consider that to the mother of the bride, this is also a shining moment,” he said, adding, “but of course the bride must not be outdone. It is always a challenge to make sure that the mother is fabulous enough so she can have a great moment. I am happy that at the end it always works out well.”

According to Malchijah, though it was 17 years ago that he lost his only son, some days the pain feels “as fresh as yesterday. But the healing is in the art,” he said. “It is in making people happy and sharing beauty with the world.”

Offering himself as a living example, Malchijah encourages others to find the beauty in their individual creative expression. “Even in your darkest moments there is light at the end of the tunnel,” he said. “I am proof of that pudding.”

HATSContinued from previous page

Rev. Kevin J. White

CorreCTioN:New Zion Baptist Church

On page 42 of our February 2013 issue,

a photograph of Rev. Dr. Timothy West was incor-rectly identified as Rev. Kevin J. White, pastor of New Zion Baptist Church in Elizabeth. Rev. White was honored by the congregation of New Zion on the occa-sion of his 10th pastoral anniversary at a banquet on November 16, 2012, at Pines Manor in Edison. The correct photograph of Rev. White appears here.

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HealthP r e V e N T i o N , T r e AT M e N T & C u r e

Black History Month Program at Newark Beth israel

Local Trailblazers Honored

T he 150th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proc-lamation (1863-2013) was highlighted and the achievements of a diverse group of trailblazers were

celebrated as a standing room only crowd looked on at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. Music, singing and an inspirational word from guest speaker Rev. Ronald Slaugh-ter, pastor of St. James AME Church in Newark, completed the Black History Month program.

Serving as emcee of the celebration, John A. Brennan, MD, MPH, president and chief executive officer of New-ark Beth Israel Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of New Jersey, remarked, “This is an extraordinarily es-sential part of our culture at Newark Beth. We have as-sembled people who have contributed to Newark’s prog-ress and promise from our singers to our guest speakers and our honorees. We have posters and displays in the patient discharge lobby that tell the story of the impor-

tant role that African Americans have played in shaping our lives and our country. This year we’re focusing our program on the Emancipation Proclamation.”

In his message, Rev. Slaughter asked “What Happens When Faith Meets Determination?” stirring the crowd of more than 200 community residents, St. James A.M.E. Church members and The Beth staff members. “The Eman-cipation Proclamation simply offered our people a glimmer of hope and an opportunity for freedom,” he explained. “The questions that permeate within my mind and my spirit today are ‘What hope are we offering the 21st century per-sons who work 40 to 50 hours a week, yet still cannot feed their families? What hope are we are offering those today who are struggling with chronic illnesses and cannot afford health care and medication?’” He challenged the audience to find ways of addressing issues of “racism, classism, sexism

ATTIRE FIT FOR A QUEEN: L–R: Atiya Jaha-Rashidi, RN, director of Patient Experience at NBIMC and Children’s Hospital of New Jersey and Harriet Reaves, data manager, Epidemiology & Infec-tion Prevention at NBIMC.

L–R: John A. Brennan, MD; Marilyn Harris, Rev. Ronald Slaughter, Jerry LaMothe, Carolyn B. Thompson-

Wallace, Rev. Eric Beckham and Darrell K. Terry, Sr.



The New Hope Baptist Church Opens Satellite Location at Newark Extended Care

P astor Joe Carter of The New Hope Baptist Church and Newark Mayor Cory Booker offici-ated at a ribbon cutting ceremony at Newark

Extended Care on Wednesday, February 13, 2013. The event celebrated the revitalization of the facility with the renovation of an entire floor and overall improvement initiatives for residents and the surrounding community. The festive Mardi Gras theme featured a live jazz band.

“I really wanted to be here at this event because I’ve been visiting this community now for over a decade, and there is a warmth and professionalism here; a sense of spirit and love, and this is how, in my opinion, we should be caring for each other,” stated Mayor Cory Booker. “I’m also very happy to see that you are investing so much capital in making what was a very solid community even that much better.” Among the improvements on the floor, which will accommodate 86 people, are new beds, furniture, fixtures, a beautiful dining area and

family lounge, which includes a fireplace. In addition to a focus on renewal and improvement,

quality nursing care, top doctors and improved safety, this occasion also marked the new partnership between Newark Extended Care and The New Hope Baptist Church of Newark, which will begin providing regular Sunday church services at the facility.

“We are looking forward to starting New Hope Baptist Church here at Newark Extended Care. We will have afternoon services here every single Sunday, and not just for the residents but for the family members and for those in this community,” commented Pastor Joe A. Carter of New Hope Baptist Church. “We are just ex-cited for the opportunity to get to know you even more and to partner with the wonderful people you already have here,” he said.

L–R: Morton Paneth (owner of Newark Extended Care); Mayor Cory Booker; Councilman At Large, Carlos Gonzalez (Newark Municipal Council); L’Tanya Williamson (Director of Dept. of Child & Family Well Being); Pastor Joe Carter; Dr. Nelson Aluyah (NEC Doctor); Dr. Adeniyi Ogunkoya (NEC Doctor); Elke Stein, (NEC Administrator)

Pastor Joe Carter, New Hope Baptist Church, Newark



A D V E R T O R I A L

In the U.S., 6,000 liver transplants are performed each year. The liver is the second largest organ in your body and is located under your rib cage on the right side. It weighs about three pounds and is shaped like a football that is flat on one side. The liver performs many jobs in your body. It processes what you eat and drink into energy and nutrients your body can use. The liver also removes harmful substances from your blood.

UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL: NEW JERSEY’S LARGEST LIVER TRANSPLANT PROGRAM

T here are only two liver transplant programs in New Jersey. We are the first and the largest,“ says

Baburao Koneru, MD, chief of liver transplant and hepatobiliary surgery at University Hospital in Newark. Dr. Koneru launched the program in 1989 and that year, 15 transplants were per-formed. Since then, he and his team have transplanted more than 1,300 liv-ers, currently averaging 45 to 50 trans-plants a year. One-quarter of these pa-tients have liver cancer.

Other major reasons for liver transplan-tation include hepatitis C, alcoholic cir-rhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis, Wilson's disease and other serious disorders. The team also per-forms approximately 150 major liver operations annually for those requiring special care short of a transplant.

The liver transplant program is orga-nized around a multidisciplinary team that includes surgeons, hepatologists (liver specialists), physician assistants, social workers, a psychiatrist with ex-pertise in transplant issues, and finan-cial coordinators to help navigate the maze of payment and reimbursement. Nurse coordinators (pre- and post-op) are available 24/7 to serve as the liai-son between the transplant team and patients, overseeing the logistics of surgery and recovery.

“

The University Hospital liver unit ac-commodates patients who are poten-tial transplant candidates; those who are listed for transplant and await a donor organ. The University’s surgeons are skilled at handling the most com-plex cases. For example, one young woman from Jersey City came to Uni-versity Hospital as a critically ill high school student. There she ultimately underwent three liver transplants over a four-year period. Her healing process spanned several years, but she did make a full recovery. “Most patients who survive the first year will remain healthy for 10 to 15 years or more,” says Koneru.

Another patient, a 57 year old male, battled a devastating illness that left him pale and weak, vomiting and losing weight. Diagnosed with advanced cirrho-sis, he was advised to go straight to the liver transplant center at University Hos-pital. "They will save your life," his doctor said. On March 10, he received a new liver in a grueling 12-hour operation. The next morning, his wife was amazed to find him sitting up in his hospital bed, eating a light breakfast. "I couldn't be-lieve the transformation in my husband — in less than a day," she said.

Transplanting an organ is not unlike staging a large, complex opera. There is so much drama — some of it life and death. The starring players — physi-cians, patients, nurses and myriad sup-port staff — often face obstacles and conflict. There's the quest for a ‘holy grail'— in this case, a healthy liver.

“Most patients are referred by their physi-cians, but some people find us by them-selves,” says University Hospital nurse coordinator Maureen Hester. “When they come here, they're frightened. They expect to go on the transplant list right away, but it doesn't work that way.”

Patients are first examined to deter-mine whether they are transplant can-didates. The workup includes evalua-tion by transplant hepatologists and surgeons, cardiologists, social workers and dietitians. A psychiatric workup

includes support for patients and evaluation for drug and alcohol abuse - both primary factors in hepatitis C infection. Transplant candidates with alcohol or drug-related illness must agree to give up these substances completely. Their names will not go on the waiting list until they complete six months of sobriety.

Those who are accepted into the pro-gram go on a national waiting list un-til a liver becomes available. Statistical formulas are used to predict which patients' are in the greatest need of a new liver and they are placed higher on the list. Patients' placement on the list changes as their health status changes.

The wait for a liver can be days, weeks, or months. It's part of the drama. When the call finally comes that a liver is available, the patient and the team are ready. And in the best-case scenario, there is a happy ending.

To reach the Division of Liver Transplant and Hepatobiliary Surgery at University Hospital in Newark, call 973-972-7218.

Baburao Koneru, MD, chief of liver transplant and hepatobiliary surgery at University Hospital in Newark

Dr. Koneru making hospital rounds

On Call withDr. Bonaparte

Column


Advantage plan members by takingstrong steps that limit the amountthese plans spend on administrativecosts, insurance company profits,and things other than health care.

Q: Will I be able to keep my doctor?A: Of course you can keep your doc-tor. If you already have a health careplan you are satisfied with, you donot have to switch to another plan.You can keep your current insuranceplan.

Q: I haven’t been able to get insurancebecause I have a preexisting condition.How will I be able to get insurance underthe ACA?A: Beginning in 2014, health insur-ance companies will not be allowedto discriminate against individualsbecause of a pre-existing or chroniccondition. Insurance companies willonly be allowed to vary premiumswithin limits, based on age, tobaccouse, family size, and geography.Health insurance companies wouldbe prohibited from denying cover-age to any American because of apre-existing condition or fromcharging higher premiums to cer-tain enrollees because of their cur-rent or past health problems, gen-der, occupation, or small employersize or industry.

Question: Since the passage of theAffordable Care Act (ACA), (commonlyknown as Obamacare), I can’t say I real-ly understand the law. What do I as aconsumer and user of health insurancepolicies need to know?

Answer: Now that the political andlegal limbo surrounding the law hasgone, we need to understand what isreally going on with this law andwhat it means for each of us. Hereare some questions and answersabout the Affordable Care Act:

Q: How many Americans who are nowuninsured will get coverage under theACA?A: As many as 30 million may be ableto gain coverage under the ACA.

Q: Are some parts of the law already ineffect? If so, what has changed so far?A: Yes, adult children under the ageof 26 can be covered by their par-ents’ existing health insurance cov-erage. Also, before the law’s advent,insurers could drop your coverage ifthey felt that your condition mightbe too costly to cover. They can nolonger do that.

Q: If I don’t have insurance, do I haveto buy it?A: The ACA mandates that every-one who is uninsured will berequired to buy health insurance.You can, however, choose to pay apenalty instead of buying insurance.As well, if you do not want to buyinsurance, no matter your income,you have a choice to decline. Youwill be required to pay a $695 fine,or 2.5 percent of your income,whichever is greater.

Affordable Care Act Q & AQ: How will I buy insurance if I don’treceive it through my employer?A: A system of affordable insuranceexchanges is now being set up bystates or the federal government andwill be operational in 2014.Exchanges will allow individuals andsmall businesses to compare healthplans, get answers to questions, findout if they are eligible for tax creditsfor private insurance or health pro-grams like NJ FamilyCare, and enrollin a health plan that meets theirneeds.

Q: If I cannot afford to buy insurance,what should I do?A: If you are one of the few peoplefor whom the cheapest or most avail-able insurance policy you can findcosts more than 8 percent of yourincome, you will not be made to buyinsurance. However, there will stillbe a multitude of options availablefor people who are uninsured, suchas Federally Qualified HealthCenters (FQHCs) throughout NewJersey.

Q: How does the new law impact seniors?A: The ACA strengthens Medicare,offers eligible seniors a range of pre-ventive services with no cost to thebeneficiary and provides discountson drugs when in the coverage gapknown as the “donut hole.” If youhave high prescription drug coststhat put you in the donut hole, younow get a 50% discount on coveredbrand-name drugs while you’re inthe donut hole. The donut hole willbe closed completely by 2020.

Q: What about Medicare Advantage?A: Starting in 2014, the ACA offersadditional protections for Medicare

PHILIP M.BONAPARTEM.D.ONCALL

Chief Medical Officer, Horizon NJ Health/Officer of Horizon BlueCross Blue Shield of New Jersey and Vice President of Clinical Affairs

For more information,please go to

www.healthcare.gov.

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. ® Registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. ®’ and SM Registered and service marks ofHorizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey. © 2011 Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey. Three Penn Plaza East, Newark, New Jersey 07105.

“We know our community.We live here.”

“I feel the need to make a difference, not only in my life, but in the lives of others. I am involved in health issues facingpredominantly the African-American and Latino community. I understand what it’s like to come from humble backgrounds.

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield lives in New Jersey and we believe in access to quality healthcare for every resident.To me......it’s as important as breathing air.”

Horizon NJ Health can help you and your family, too.If you are uninsured, enroll in our NJ FamilyCare or NJ FamilyCare Advantage plans.

To see if you’re eligible, call 1-877-4-KIDS-NJ.

Dr Philip Bonaparte, Chief Medical Officer, Horizon NJ Health

HorizonNJ Health


There are many notable women throughout historyand March is the month we have set aside to cele-brate their accomplishments. Women such as

Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, MyrlieEvers, Sonia Sotomayor, and survivor of Birmingham’sSixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing in 1963,Carolyn McKinstry. All of these ladies are notablewomen despite the obstacles, challenges and personalissues they had to endure. Just because you are a notablewoman does not mean that you are without some per-sonal issues.

Take my good friend and client Ms. Alma Smith—apowerful woman in business, faithful servant at ShilohBaptist Church in Plainfield, NJ and longtime activemember of the prestigious Links organization. A notablewoman indeed! Yet she has been faced with a few chal-lenges and issues concerning her physical fitness andhealth.

Ms. Smith has battled hypertension due to anunhealthy lifestyle void of exercise and healthy eating.When Alma called me about a year ago (after readingthis column in The Positive Community magazine), herblood pressure was elevated and she was approximately35 pounds overweight. Compounding these serioushealth issues, she did not know how to exercise toachieve her desired health and fitness goals.

This notable woman needed help as well as a plan.After obtaining clearance from her physician to start myprescribed exercise plan, I immediately started her walk-

KAHLILCARMICHAELTHE FITNESSDOCTOR

A Notable Woman

Kahlil Carmichael is the Pastor and Founder of It Is Well Living Church located in Monroe, NJ.He is the CEO of the Fitness Doctor Inc., a Fitness Rehabilitation and Wellness Consultationcompany. To contact Kahlil to become spiritually and physically fit visit www.itiswellchurch.comor call 732-921-3746

Disclaimer: The information contained in this column is of a general nature. You should consult your physician or health care professional before beginning any exercise program or changing your dietary regimen.

ing 1 mile 3-4 times per week, performing 100 crunchesper day, and meeting for 30 minutes two times per weekwith yours truly!

Well I am happy to report that after a year of workingout consistently, intelligently and with supervised intensi-ty, Ms. Alma has lowered her blood pressure and (underthe guidance of her physician) will soon be off all bloodpressure medication! She has successfully lost weight,improved her strength, and even looks forward to work-ing out. Hallelujah!

There was a notable woman in the bible that, despitelosing her son, was able to declare, “It is well.” (2 Kings4:26) And it was this declaration that kept her movingforward by faith until her son was miraculously broughtback to life by the Man of God!

Many notable women throughout history havedeclared “It is well” despite facing unimaginable circum-stances and challenges. I want to encourage all mynotable sisters who are challenged by obesity and obesityrelated illnesses to be persistent, keep moving forward byfaith, exercise consistently and eat healthy, all whiledeclaring that “It is well.” God honors that kind of faith!Don’t believe me? Just ask Ms. Alma Smith!

Here is a great workout that any notable woman can do!

• Walk 1 mile 3 times per week. Record the time ofeach mile and try to beat the time from your previ-ous walk.

• Do 100 crunches per day! Break them up by doing25 in the morning, 25 after lunch, 25 before dinnerand 25 before bed.

• Do 50 bicep curls per day with 5–8lb weights (adjustfor your strength level).

• Get some rest/sleep at least eight hours per night.

“There is an urgent need for committed activists to be empowered to care for themselves physically, mentally and spiritually for the many years that will be required for true advancement of justice, and I am proud to be contributing to this important work,” said Lisa Anderson, Director of Women’s Multifaith Education. “Self-care gives me a new heart for feel-

and the outrageous health care costs. I cannot offer you any new Emancipation Proclamation myself, but through the lenses of my own history I can offer you hope through the story of my ancestors who showed me exactly what happens when determination meets faith.”

Following Rev. Slaughter’s remarks, Dr. Brennan and COO Darrell K. Terry, Sr. recognized the honor-ees for their tremendous contributions to the greater Newark community as well as the health care and en-tertainment industries. They are: Trevor Forbes, MD, chairman of the Department of Psychiatry NBIMC and CHoNJ; Rev. Eric Beckham, pastor of Clear View Bap-tist Church in Newark; Carolyn B. Thompson-Wallace, former executive director and co-founder of the Inter-national Youth Organization (IYO); Jerry LaMothe, a respiratory technician at NBIMC, who is also an award-winning filmmaker and founder of Tru Life Films. Beth employees Kim Armstrong Green, Rainey Lassiter and Kasoundra Clemons were the featured singers and Ms. Alma Beatty, the former vice president of Commu-nity Relations, was acknowledged for establishing the annual Black History Month Celebration at the Beth more than 10 years ago.

The Beth also hosted a reception recognizing black doctors who have participated in international medical missions and conducted community service in Newark and throughout Essex County.

“We are so deeply thrilled to be working with Pastor Carter and The New Hope Baptist Church,” added Ms. Elky, assistant administrator. “With our various pro-grams designed for empowerment and wellness, we are happy to add another dynamic, one of spiritual revital-ization to our residents and their families. We are really looking forward to it.”

Also in attendance were Newark Councilwoman-At-Large Mildred Crump; Councilman-At-Large Carlos Gonzalez; L’Tanya Williamson, director of the Newark Department of Child and Family Well Being; Iris Alva-rez, Office of Aging program coordinator of Newark Department of Child and Family Well Being; and many members of the healthcare community through-out the city.

For photo gallery, visit: http://tinyurl.com/newhop-eextendedcare

About Newark Extended Care: Newark Extended Care is a 430-bed health care facility that has been identified as a top performing Skilled Nursing Facil-ity for 2012 by the American College of Health Care Administrators. For 40 years, Newark Extended Care has provided seniors with skilled nursing services including rehabilitation services, respite care and care for serious illnesses or disabilities 24-hours a day delivered by highly skilled registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and certified nurse’s aides.

TRAILBLAZERSContinued from page 52

NEW HOPEContinued from page 53

ing, a new back for bearing the load, new eyes for seeing with compassion and a new spirit for loving the people.”

Auburn Theological Seminary equips bold and resilient leaders who can brid ge religious divides, build community, pursue justice, and heal the world. Learn more at www.AuburnSeminary.org

LEADERSHIP CIRCLEContinued from page 23

The first participants are:

• Jennifer Bailey, food justice advocate and Master of Divinity student at Vanderbilt University, Nashville

• Tina Frundt, anti-trafficking advocate and recent “Frederick Douglass” Freedom Award-winner, Washington, D.C.

• Emma Jordan-Simpson, child advocate and associate pastor of Concord Baptist Church of Christ, New York City

• Janyce L. Jackson, LGBTQ Equality and HIV/AIDS activist, pastor of Liberation in Truth Unity Fellowship Church, Newark, NJ

• Denise Kumani Gantt, women’s health and arts advocate, artistic and executive director of the Village of Arts and Humanities, Joppa, MD

• Yavilah McCoy, Jewish social and racial justice advocate, director of Dimensions Educational Consulting, Newtonville, MA

• Brenita Mitchell, homeless and domestic violence advocacy, doctoral student, United Theological Seminary, Carteret, NJ

• Aleese Moore-Orbih, domestic violence activist, director of Advocacy for Victims of Abuse of the Evangelical Covenant Denomination, Durham, NC

• Farah Tanis, black women’s human rights advocate, executive director of Black Women’s Blueprint, Brooklyn, NY

• Melinda E. Weekes, movement building strategist, managing director of the Applied Research Center, Brooklyn, NY

• Je-Shawna C. Wholley, LGBTQ advocacy, Programs and Outreach associate at the National Black Justice Coalition, Temple Hills, MD

• Lisa Williams, anti-trafficking activist, founder of Circle of Friends Celebrating Life, Inc., Atlanta, GA


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Resurrection Sunday occurs in March this year.Usually, it happens in April. And even when it is inApril, it falls within different April weeks in differ-

ent years. What’s up with that? Why does the date of themost important Christian celebration shift so drasticallyfrom year to year?

It is because Good Friday and Resurrection Sundayare determined by a lunar calendar, while in America wedeal mostly with a solar calendar. Solar calendars base ayear on the time it takes for the earth to circle the sun,which is slightly more than 365 days.Lunar calendars measure a year by thecompletion of a certain number ofcycles of moon phases, such as fromNew Moon to New Moon, which hap-pens approximately 12.37 times everysolar year.

The Gregorian solar calendar, thecalendar most widely used in the UnitedStates and throughout the world, con-tains 12 months, January throughDecember. As you know, each monthcontains 28 to 31 days, and February,which usually has 28 days, gets a dayadded every four years (leap year) tocompensate for the quarter of a day lostduring every 365-day year.

The Jewish lunar calendar also has 12months: Tishrei, Marcheshvan, Kislev,Tevet, Shevat, Adar, Nisan, Iyar, Sivan, Tammuz, Av, andElul. The dates of Good Friday and Resurrection Sundayare determined by this Jewish lunar calendar.

More precisely, the Jewish calendar is “lunar-solar.”Since the basic Jewish calendar consists of 12 monthscontaining 29 to 30 days each, the result is a lunar calen-dar year that is approximately 11 days shorter than abasic solar year. So, to get back in sync, an additionalmonth is added every two or three years. Should we callit a “leap month?” This assures that Jewish holidays occurat about the same season every solar year, although ondifferent Gregorian calendar days.

What’s all this got to do with Resurrection Sunday?

Jesus Christ was born of a Jewish earthly parent, lived andministered mostly in an ancient Jewish environment, wascrucified during the Jewish holiday called Passover, andwas resurrected on the third day afterward (counting theday of His crucifixion as the first day), as recorded in theGospels.

In the Old Testament, Exodus Chapter 12 records that,more than a millennium before Christ’s birth, God com-manded the ancient Israelites to commemorate Passoverin future generations. God was about to lead the ancient

Israelites out of Egypt, where they hadbeen oppressed for centuries. To effec-tuate this exit, God was about to imposeon the land of Egypt the last of severalplagues: the death of the first born ofhuman families and of livestock. But inorder for the people of God not to benegatively impacted, God instructedthem to place the blood of sacrificedlambs over their doors, so that when theAngel of Death flew over to carry outthe sentence, he would see the bloodand skip (i.e. pass over) them.

As Jesus Christ prepared to begin hisministry centuries later, John 1:21records that upon seeing Jesus, Johnthe Baptist —the prophet, announcedto his followers, “Behold, the Lamb ofGod who takes away the sin of the

world!” Christ’s crucifixion was the final, perfect sacri-fice, so that no further lambs, cattle, or whatever needbe sacrificed ever again, neither to atone for human sinsnor to provide a path to life. Jesus Himself is the Way. Itwas appropriate that Christ’s death and resurrectionoccurred at Passover.

Since the celebrations of Good Friday andResurrection Sunday are tied to Passover, their celebra-tion dates remain tied to the Jewish calendar. So, fromyear to year, we Christians be shoutin’ “He got up!”around Passover time (whether we realize it or not), onwhatever date Resurrection Sunday happens to fall, inApril or March.

MWANDIKAJI K.MWANAFUNZITHE WAYAHEAD

Why Does Resurrection Sunday Come in March this Year?

PublisherAdrian A. Council, Sr.

Editor-in-ChiefJean Nash Wells

Associate EditorR. L. Witter

SalesAngela RidenourAdrian Council, Jr.NGS Communications, Inc.Satori MPR

Church/Community Affairs CoordinatorFaith Jackson

Contributing WritersSonja GracyDr. Phillip BonaparteLinda ArmstrongMwandikaji K. Mwanafunzig.r. mattoxRosemary SinclairPatricia BaldwinRev. Theresa NanceRev. Reginald T. JacksonHerb BoydGlenda CadoganToni ParkerHelene FoxRev. Dr. Joanne NoelRev. Dr. Johnny Ray YoungbloodWilliam ParrishJeanne Parnell

PhotographersBob GoreWali A. MuhammadSeitu OrondeRev. Dr. William L. Watkins, Jr.Darryl HallVincent BryantDonovan GopieLinda PaceHubert Williams

Art Direction & LayoutPenguin Design GroupMartin Maishman

The Positive Community Corp.133 Glenridge AvenueMontclair, NJ 07042973-233-9200Fax: 973-233-9201Email: [email protected]: thepositivecommunity.comAll contents © 2010 The Positve Community Corporation.All Rights Reserved. This publication, in whole or in part,may not be reproduced, stored in a computerized or otherretrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by anymeans whatsoever without the prior written permission ofThe Positive Community Corporation. Any opinionsexpressed herein are solely the opinions of the writer(s)and not necessarily those of The Positive CommunityTM,its management or staff. The Positive CommunityTM

reserves the right to retain all materials and does notassume reponsibility for unsolicited materials.

March 2013 Vol. 13, No. 3

GOOD NEWS FROM THE CHURCH AND COMMUNITY

www.thepositivecommunity.com

The Last Word

BY R.L. WITTER


A s the year 2013 begins to fly by,we find ourselves markingWomen’s History Month. I

find it apropos that Women’s HistoryMonth is celebrated in March, themonth that “comes in like a lion andgoes out like a lamb.” We’ve all heardof “Old Man Winter,” but notice thatspring is thought of as a feminine sea-son, always represented by a femalecharacter, often “Mother Nature.”The legend of Mother Nature datesback to Greek mythology and theyoung Persephone, the daughter ofDemeter, the goddess of the harvest.Persephone was kidnapped by Hadesand taken to the underworld to serveas his queen. Distraught, Demeterrefused to allow any crops to growand thus sentenced mankind tofamine and the slow, painful death ofstarvation. The mighty Zeus, king ofthe gods, had to intervene and orderPersephone returned to her motherin order to prevent the catastrophe.Because Persephone had eatenpomegranate seeds, the food of thedead, she was relegated to spendingpart of each year in the underworldand due to Demeter’s grief, they were barren months—winter. UponPersephone’s annual return, flowersbloomed, seeds sprouted and naturewas reborn—spring.

If ever there was a cautionary taleabout the power and vengeance ofwomen, that was it. Thankfully, we ofthe fairer sex prefer to use our powerfor the greater good. Thoughts ofrenewal bring to mind great womenlike Mother Clara Hale, the Harlemicon who went from daycare providerto foster mother and helped morethan 1,000 children born addicted todrugs. Her legacy, Hale House, con-tinues her work more than 20 yearsafter her death. I’m placing MotherHale in the lamb category but weknow she must have had some lionessmoments to have advocated and cared

for all of those children whose liveswould have been unfathomably direwithout her.

With the fate of the Voting RightsAct in the news lately, Fannie LouHamer comes to mind as well.Without her there might not havebeen a “Freedom Summer” in 1964and a Voting Rights Act of 1965 forpeople to question today. Mrs. Hamerfought tirelessly so that you and I canvote today and reminded us that“Nobody's free until everybody'sfree.” We’ll place her squarely in thelioness column.

Of course, none of the rights andprivileges we enjoy today would bepossible without education, and MaryMcCleod Bethune was both an educa-tor and a civil rights activist. Not onlydid she found a school for AfricanAmerican girls that eventually becameBethune-Cookman University, but shealso headed several women’s organiza-tions and later became an advisor toPresident Franklin D. Roosevelt. Shewas a college president when womensimply weren’t college presidents.Mrs. Bethune didn’t know the mean-ing of limitations and if she did, theycertainly did not apply to her. Her tal-ents as an educator and advisor leadme to believe that Mrs. Bethune wasboth lioness and lamb.

If these women were not impressiveenough individually, please know thatall three of them were also membersof the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority,Inc., whose founders grace the coverof this issue. Mother Hale, Mrs.Hamer and Mrs. Bethune proudlyrepresent the ladies of the crimsonand cream and their mission ofSisterhood, Scholarship and Service.As the sisters of Delta Sigma Thetamake history in celebrating their orga-nization’s centennial, we thank themprofoundly for their commitment tomaking the world a Positive Community,one chapter at a time.

We Are Women, Hear Us Roar

National Women’s History Month

Women Inspiring Innovation Through Imagination: Celebrating Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

NJEA salutes innovative women making history each and every day.

New Jersey Education Association…working for great public schools for every child. Barbara Keshishian, PresidentWendell Steinhauer, Vice PresidentMarie Blistan, Secretary-TreasurerVince Giordano, Executive DirectorRichard Gray, Assistant Executive Director/Research

“Don’t let anyone rob you of your imagination, your creativity, or your curiosity. It’s your place in the world; it’s your life. Go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live.”

Dr. Mae Jemison, American physician and NASA astronaut. She became the first black woman to travel in space.

March 2013

Documents

Transcript of March 2013