Ferguson – One Year Later A Precinct Reporter Group Publication – The Community’s Newspaper – ServingLong Beach and Surrounding Communities [email protected]“I wholly disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it” – Voltaire Your Resource for Over 15 Years Vol. 18 - No. 26 Thursday, August 13, 2015 100 BMOC Get Students Thru Maze By Dianne Anderson Staff Writer As committee chair of economic development for the 100 Black Men of Orange County, Dr. Gerald Parham finds it hard not to think about the money side of education. While the scientist in him knows that it is a multifaceted problem, he sees the biggest culprit with the cost of the UC and Cal State system is disinvestment in public education by the state of California. Probably the tallest wall is competing with other priorities in the state budget, such as the criminal justice system. Instead of educating kids at $20-30,000 for a university degree, the tragedy is watching kids warehoused at $40,000 or more per year in prison. Even as crime statistics decline, prisons con- tinue to swell with young Black men. He said it seems everyone up and down the chain stands with something to gain. “A lot of people are making money, the people who construct the prisons, the people who pro- vide the health care, the lobbyists, security con- tracts, the guards are making money,” he said. “Everyone is getting paid.” Dr. Parham was one of several education pan- elists at a recent Democratic Clubs of Coastal Orange County Community Forum on Public Education, where he talked about barriers to nav- igating children through the educational maze. Besides sheer economics, he sees another type of poverty taking root in the Black community. These days, children and youth seem to be giving up on their futures at a very young age. “There aren't people in their life to give them the pat on the back, to tell them good job, that they're important, and things will get better,” he said. Statistically, he said less than 10% of young Black men qualify for normal admission to the state university system, and most of them are also not getting into community colleges. But, the cost of education is hurting the community beyond economics. The solution is not so out of reach. Growing up in South Central and parts of East Los Angeles, he said that he didn't come from a wealthy back- ground, but the family never lacked for love and support, which made all the difference to his Long Beach Basketball Shoots For Top Spot Long Beach State loses five seniors, and five starters, from last year's squad but the 49ers have plenty of optimism for the 2015-16 season. With a roster that is as talented as any during the coach’s tenure at LBSU, the Beach returns two of its top five scorers from last year in juniors Branford Jones (7.0 ppg) and Travis Hammonds (6.4 ppg) and also welcomes back a starter from the 2013-14 team, A.J. Spencer who missed last season with a knee injury after averaging 9.1 points per game in 28 starts as a junior. The 49ers will get an influx of talent from the Division I ranks as well, as three transfers become eligible for their first season at the Beach. Senior Nick Faust spent three years as a starter at Maryland, and the athletic guard will be an immediate impact player. He is joined by two sophomores in Gabe Levin and Roschon Prince. Levin averaged 11.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per game on the way to All-Freshman Team honors in the West Coast Conference. The 2014, Roschon Prince was the Gatorade California High School Player of the Year out of Long Beach Poly, and returns to his hometown after one season at USC. Meanwhile, Evan Payne also joins the Beach for the upcom- ing season in his redshirt year from LMU. Payne scored 18 points per game last sea- son, leading the Lions in scor- ing and will be another great addition for the 49ers. Three other letter winners return for the 49ers in Temidayo Yussuf, Justin Bibbins and Anson Moye. Yussuf started in ten games for the Beach as a freshman, scor- ing in double figures three times and put- ting up one double-double in the frontcourt. Bibbins spent the season as the backup point guard for three- time first-team All-Big West selection Mike Caffey, while Moye saw action in 12 games (Cont. on Page 5) (Cont. on Page 8) Barbara Morrison was one of many jazz luminaries to wow the crowd at the 28 th annual Long Beach Jazz Festival held last weekend. See the related story on Page 2. A Taste of Culture Through Fences (See Page 3) By Dianne Anderson Staff Writer For the uninitiated, previews and openings of blockbuster performances may all seem a bit intimidating and Broadway- esque for those who have never experienced the dazzle of the- ater lights. Dr. Minnie Douglas, Vice President of the International City Theatre Board, hopes her program can help demystify the venue. For some parents and stu- dents, she said the excitement of live theater may seem too out of reach simply because they're nervous about trying something new. “It’s just like introducing our students to the college campus. If you've not gone somewhere, there's always the fear of the unknown,” she said. On September 13, about 200 students, many for the first time, will attend a free matinee, fol- lowed by after-dialogue about the award-winning American classic play, Fences. “After the production they'll meet with the actors and actress- es and have a discussion about the play,” Dr. Douglas said. Long Beach Unified School District will host two busloads of students from Jordan and Poly High schools to experience the Pulitzer prize winning story of Troy Maxson, the fictional Negro League powerhouse player, who was locked out of a career by the big leagues during the 1950s. Dr. Douglas said the story is as relevant today as it was back then. “It's a live production to show how people have been able to overcome, especially in the times we're living in now,” she said. “We’re hoping that it will have an impact, and that we'll have good dialogue.” With parental consent, the Student to Stage event is open to all students at both high schools. Along with the program's gala scholarship fundraiser, she said they hope to get more African American students involved because many have never attended live theater before. “It is an opportunity for stu- (Cont. on Page 5) Voting Rights Threatened as Voting Rights Act Turns 50 By Jazelle Hunt Washington Correspondent Washington (NNPA) — As the nation marks the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, civil rights groups and leaders, union rep- resentatives, elected officials, and citizens gathered at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. to address the threats to voting rights today. “We stand here today with two missions: To celebrate the signing of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, and to recommit ourselves to making sure that the victory won 50 years ago will not be wiped away by a Supreme Court that has shown us supreme dis- respect by gutting a key section of the Voting Rights Act,” said Charles Steele, Jr., president and CEO of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), which co-spon- sored the rally. “The illegitimate rea- son for this action is that it’s all about politics…where people figure if they can suppress 10 to 15 percent of the Black vote, they can steal an elec- tion.” Section 4 gave the voting law teeth; it provided an objective meas- ure for discriminatory practices, and flagged the states that had discrimi- nated against Black voters. Section 5 mandated that these flagged states could not change voting procedures without first clearing the proposed changes with the U.S. Justice Department or a federal judge in Washington. The states could be exempted from such requirements upon proving they no longer discrim- inated. Two years ago, in a 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court found Sections 4 and 5 unconstitutional. The conservative majority ruled that the measure, based on practices and data from the 1960s, was no longer relevant in today’s racial and political climate. Two hours after the ruling, the Texas attorney general authorized a voter ID law that the Justice Department had previously blocked as a civil rights violation. According to the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law, 22 states passed new voting restric- tions in time for the 2014 midterm elections. Voting faces other challenges as well. Thanks to felony disenfran- (Cont. on Page 3) Charles Steele, Jr. Photo by Ann Ragland Travis Hammonds Dr. DeVera Heard received the Outstanding Breast Health Advocate Award recently as the OC Circle of Promise Initiative moved into the second year of advocacy for African American women and breast cancer. Dr. Heard is a board member of the Komen African American Community Partnership, and she also works with the Orange County Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Orange County Section of National Council of Negro Women, and the Orange County Heritage Council.
As committee chair of economic developmentfor the 100 Black Men of Orange County, Dr.Gerald Parham finds it hard not to think about themoney side of education.
While the scientist in him knows that it is amultifaceted problem, he sees the biggest culpritwith the cost of the UC and Cal State system isdisinvestment in public education by the state ofCalifornia.
Probably the tallest wall is competing withother priorities in the state budget, such as thecriminal justice system. Instead of educating kidsat $20-30,000 for a university degree, the tragedyis watching kids warehoused at $40,000 or moreper year in prison.
Even as crime statistics decline, prisons con-tinue to swell with young Black men. He said itseems everyone up and down the chain standswith something to gain.
“A lot of people are making money, the peoplewho construct the prisons, the people who pro-vide the health care, the lobbyists, security con-tracts, the guards are making money,” he said.“Everyone is getting paid.”
Dr. Parham was one of several education pan-elists at a recent Democratic Clubs of CoastalOrange County Community Forum on PublicEducation, where he talked about barriers to nav-igating children through the educational maze.
Besides sheer economics, he sees another typeof poverty taking root in the Black community.These days, children and youth seem to be givingup on their futures at a very young age.
“There aren't people in their life to give themthe pat on the back, to tell them good job, thatthey're important, and things will get better,” hesaid.
Statistically, he said less than 10% of youngBlack men qualify for normal admission to thestate university system, and most of them are alsonot getting into community colleges. But, the costof education is hurting the community beyondeconomics.
The solution is not so out of reach. Growingup in South Central and parts of East Los Angeles,he said that he didn't come from a wealthy back-ground, but the family never lacked for love andsupport, which made all the difference to his
Long BeachBasketball Shoots
For Top SpotLong Beach State loses five seniors, and five
starters, from last year's squad but the 49ers haveplenty of optimism for the 2015-16 season. Witha roster that is as talented as any during thecoach’s tenure at LBSU, the Beach returns two ofits top five scorers from last year in juniorsBranford Jones (7.0 ppg) and Travis Hammonds(6.4 ppg) and also welcomes back a starter fromthe 2013-14 team, A.J. Spencer who missed lastseason with a knee injury after averaging 9.1points per game in 28 starts as a junior.
The 49ers will get an influx of talent from theDivision I ranks as well, as three transfersbecome eligible for their first season at theBeach. Senior Nick Faust spent three years as astarter at Maryland, and the athletic guard will bean immediate impact player. He is joined by twosophomores in Gabe Levin and Roschon Prince.Levin averaged 11.1 points and 7.2 rebounds pergame on the way to All-Freshman Team honorsin the West Coast Conference. The 2014,Roschon Prince was the Gatorade CaliforniaHigh School Player of the Year out of LongBeach Poly, and returns to his hometown afterone season at USC. Meanwhile, Evan Payne alsojoins the Beachfor the upcom-ing season inhis redshirt yearfrom LMU.Payne scored18 points pergame last sea-son, leading theLions in scor-ing and will beanother greataddition for the49ers.
Three otherletter winnersreturn for the49ers inT e m i d a y oYussuf, JustinBibbins andAnson Moye.Yussuf startedin ten games forthe Beach as afreshman, scor-ing in doublefigures threetimes and put-ting up onedouble-double in the frontcourt. Bibbins spentthe season as the backup point guard for three-time first-team All-Big West selection MikeCaffey, while Moye saw action in 12 games
(Cont. on Page 5) (Cont. on Page 8)
Barbara Morrison was one of many jazz luminaries to wow the crowd at the 28th annual LongBeach Jazz Festival held last weekend. See the related story on Page 2.
A Taste of CultureThrough Fences
(See Page 3)
By Dianne AndersonStaff Writer
For the uninitiated, previewsand openings of blockbusterperformances may all seem a bitintimidating and Broadway-esque for those who have neverexperienced the dazzle of the-ater lights.
Dr. Minnie Douglas, VicePresident of the InternationalCity Theatre Board, hopes herprogram can help demystify thevenue.
For some parents and stu-dents, she said the excitement oflive theater may seem too out ofreach simply because they'renervous about trying somethingnew.
“It’s just like introducing ourstudents to the college campus.
If you've not gone somewhere,there's always the fear of theunknown,” she said.
On September 13, about 200students, many for the first time,will attend a free matinee, fol-lowed by after-dialogue aboutthe award-winning Americanclassic play, Fences.
“After the production they'llmeet with the actors and actress-es and have a discussion aboutthe play,” Dr. Douglas said.
Long Beach Unified SchoolDistrict will host two busloadsof students from Jordan andPoly High schools to experiencethe Pulitzer prize winning storyof Troy Maxson, the fictionalNegro League powerhouseplayer, who was locked out of acareer by the big leagues duringthe 1950s.
Dr. Douglas said the story isas relevant today as it was backthen.
“It's a live production toshow how people have beenable to overcome, especially inthe times we're living in now,”she said. “We’re hoping that itwill have an impact, and thatwe'll have good dialogue.”
With parental consent, theStudent to Stage event is open toall students at both high schools.Along with the program's gala scholarship fundraiser, shesaid they hope to get moreAfrican American studentsinvolved because many havenever attended live theaterbefore.
“It is an opportunity for stu-(Cont. on Page 5)
Voting Rights Threatened asVoting Rights Act Turns 50
By Jazelle HuntWashington Correspondent
Washington (NNPA) — As thenation marks the 50th anniversary ofthe Voting Rights Act of 1965, civilrights groups and leaders, union rep-resentatives, elected officials, andcitizens gathered at the MartinLuther King Jr. Memorial on theNational Mall in Washington, D.C. toaddress the threats to voting rightstoday.
“We stand here today with twomissions: To celebrate the signing ofthe 1965 Voting Rights Act, and torecommit ourselves to making surethat the victory won 50 years agowill not be wiped away by a SupremeCourt that has shown us supreme dis-respect by gutting a key section ofthe Voting Rights Act,” said CharlesSteele, Jr., president and CEO of theSouthern Christian LeadershipConference (SCLC), which co-spon-sored the rally. “The illegitimate rea-son for this action is that it’s all aboutpolitics…where people figure if theycan suppress 10 to 15 percent of the
Black vote, they can steal an elec-tion.”
Section 4 gave the voting lawteeth; it provided an objective meas-
ure for discriminatory practices, andflagged the states that had discrimi-nated against Black voters. Section 5mandated that these flagged states
could not change voting procedureswithout first clearing the proposedchanges with the U.S. JusticeDepartment or a federal judge inWashington. The states could beexempted from such requirementsupon proving they no longer discrim-inated.
Two years ago, in a 5-4 vote, theSupreme Court found Sections 4 and5 unconstitutional. The conservativemajority ruled that the measure,based on practices and data from the1960s, was no longer relevant intoday’s racial and political climate.
Two hours after the ruling, theTexas attorney general authorized avoter ID law that the JusticeDepartment had previously blockedas a civil rights violation. Accordingto the Brennan Center for Justice atNew York University School of Law,22 states passed new voting restric-tions in time for the 2014 midtermelections.
Voting faces other challenges aswell. Thanks to felony disenfran-
(Cont. on Page 3)Charles Steele, Jr. Photo by Ann Ragland
Travis Hammonds
Dr. DeVera Heard received the OutstandingBreast Health Advocate Award recently asthe OC Circle of Promise Initiative moved intothe second year of advocacy for AfricanAmerican women and breast cancer. Dr.Heard is a board member of the KomenAfrican American Community Partnership,and she also works with the Orange CountyChapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority,Orange County Section of National Council ofNegro Women, and the Orange CountyHeritage Council.
Ferguson – One Year LaterYour Resource for Over 30 Years
A Precinct Reporter Group Publication – The Only Black Publication Serving All of Orange County
As committee chair of economic developmentfor the 100 Black Men of Orange County, Dr.Gerald Parham finds it hard not to think about themoney side of education.
While the scientist in him knows that it is amultifaceted problem, he sees the biggest culpritwith the cost of the UC and Cal State system isdisinvestment in public education by the state ofCalifornia.
Probably the tallest wall is competing withother priorities in the state budget, such as thecriminal justice system. Instead of educating kidsat $20-30,000 for a university degree, the tragedyis watching kids warehoused at $40,000 or moreper year in prison.
Even as crime statistics decline, prisons con-tinue to swell with young Black men. He said itseems everyone up and down the chain standswith something to gain.
“A lot of people are making money, the peoplewho construct the prisons, the people who pro-vide the health care, the lobbyists, security con-tracts, the guards are making money,” he said.“Everyone is getting paid.”
Dr. Parham was one of several education pan-elists at a recent Democratic Clubs of CoastalOrange County Community Forum on PublicEducation, where he talked about barriers to nav-igating children through the educational maze.
Besides sheer economics, he sees another typeof poverty taking root in the Black community.These days, children and youth seem to be givingup on their futures at a very young age.
“There aren't people in their life to give themthe pat on the back, to tell them good job, thatthey're important, and things will get better,” hesaid.
Statistically, he said less than 10% of youngBlack men qualify for normal admission to thestate university system, and most of them are alsonot getting into community colleges. But, the costof education is hurting the community beyondeconomics.
The solution is not so out of reach. Growingup in South Central and parts of East Los Angeles,he said that he didn't come from a wealthy back-ground, but the family never lacked for love andsupport, which made all the difference to his
Long BeachBasketball Shoots
For Top SpotLong Beach State loses five seniors, and five
starters, from last year's squad but the 49ers haveplenty of optimism for the 2015-16 season. Witha roster that is as talented as any during thecoach’s tenure at LBSU, the Beach returns two ofits top five scorers from last year in juniorsBranford Jones (7.0 ppg) and Travis Hammonds(6.4 ppg) and also welcomes back a starter fromthe 2013-14 team, A.J. Spencer who missed lastseason with a knee injury after averaging 9.1points per game in 28 starts as a junior.
The 49ers will get an influx of talent from theDivision I ranks as well, as three transfersbecome eligible for their first season at theBeach. Senior Nick Faust spent three years as astarter at Maryland, and the athletic guard will bean immediate impact player. He is joined by twosophomores in Gabe Levin and Roschon Prince.Levin averaged 11.1 points and 7.2 rebounds pergame on the way to All-Freshman Team honorsin the West Coast Conference. The 2014,Roschon Prince was the Gatorade CaliforniaHigh School Player of the Year out of LongBeach Poly, and returns to his hometown afterone season at USC. Meanwhile, Evan Payne alsojoins the Beachfor the upcom-ing season inhis redshirt yearfrom LMU.Payne scored18 points pergame last sea-son, leading theLions in scor-ing and will beanother greataddition for the49ers.
Three otherletter winnersreturn for the49ers inT e m i d a y oYussuf, JustinBibbins andAnson Moye.Yussuf startedin ten games forthe Beach as afreshman, scor-ing in doublefigures threetimes and put-ting up onedouble-double in the frontcourt. Bibbins spentthe season as the backup point guard for three-time first-team All-Big West selection MikeCaffey, while Moye saw action in 12 games
(Cont. on Page 5) (Cont. on Page 8)
Barbara Morrison was one of many jazz luminaries to wow the crowd at the 28th annual LongBeach Jazz Festival held last weekend. See the related story on Page 2.
A Taste of CultureThrough Fences
(See Page 3)
By Dianne AndersonStaff Writer
For the uninitiated, previewsand openings of blockbusterperformances may all seem a bitintimidating and Broadway-esque for those who have neverexperienced the dazzle of the-ater lights.
Dr. Minnie Douglas, VicePresident of the InternationalCity Theatre Board, hopes herprogram can help demystify thevenue.
For some parents and stu-dents, she said the excitement oflive theater may seem too out ofreach simply because they'renervous about trying somethingnew.
“It’s just like introducing ourstudents to the college campus.
If you've not gone somewhere,there's always the fear of theunknown,” she said.
On September 13, about 200students, many for the first time,will attend a free matinee, fol-lowed by after-dialogue aboutthe award-winning Americanclassic play, Fences.
“After the production they'llmeet with the actors and actress-es and have a discussion aboutthe play,” Dr. Douglas said.
Long Beach Unified SchoolDistrict will host two busloadsof students from Jordan andPoly High schools to experiencethe Pulitzer prize winning storyof Troy Maxson, the fictionalNegro League powerhouseplayer, who was locked out of acareer by the big leagues duringthe 1950s.
Dr. Douglas said the story isas relevant today as it was backthen.
“It's a live production toshow how people have beenable to overcome, especially inthe times we're living in now,”she said. “We’re hoping that itwill have an impact, and thatwe'll have good dialogue.”
With parental consent, theStudent to Stage event is open toall students at both high schools.Along with the program's gala scholarship fundraiser, shesaid they hope to get moreAfrican American studentsinvolved because many havenever attended live theaterbefore.
“It is an opportunity for stu-(Cont. on Page 5)
Voting Rights Threatened asVoting Rights Act Turns 50
By Jazelle HuntWashington Correspondent
Washington (NNPA) — As thenation marks the 50th anniversary ofthe Voting Rights Act of 1965, civilrights groups and leaders, union rep-resentatives, elected officials, andcitizens gathered at the MartinLuther King Jr. Memorial on theNational Mall in Washington, D.C. toaddress the threats to voting rightstoday.
“We stand here today with twomissions: To celebrate the signing ofthe 1965 Voting Rights Act, and torecommit ourselves to making surethat the victory won 50 years agowill not be wiped away by a SupremeCourt that has shown us supreme dis-respect by gutting a key section ofthe Voting Rights Act,” said CharlesSteele, Jr., president and CEO of theSouthern Christian LeadershipConference (SCLC), which co-spon-sored the rally. “The illegitimate rea-son for this action is that it’s all aboutpolitics…where people figure if theycan suppress 10 to 15 percent of the
Black vote, they can steal an elec-tion.”
Section 4 gave the voting lawteeth; it provided an objective meas-
ure for discriminatory practices, andflagged the states that had discrimi-nated against Black voters. Section 5mandated that these flagged states
could not change voting procedureswithout first clearing the proposedchanges with the U.S. JusticeDepartment or a federal judge inWashington. The states could beexempted from such requirementsupon proving they no longer discrim-inated.
Two years ago, in a 5-4 vote, theSupreme Court found Sections 4 and5 unconstitutional. The conservativemajority ruled that the measure,based on practices and data from the1960s, was no longer relevant intoday’s racial and political climate.
Two hours after the ruling, theTexas attorney general authorized avoter ID law that the JusticeDepartment had previously blockedas a civil rights violation. Accordingto the Brennan Center for Justice atNew York University School of Law,22 states passed new voting restric-tions in time for the 2014 midtermelections.
Voting faces other challenges aswell. Thanks to felony disenfran-
(Cont. on Page 3)Charles Steele, Jr. Photo by Ann Ragland
Travis Hammonds
Dr. DeVera Heard received the OutstandingBreast Health Advocate Award recently asthe OC Circle of Promise Initiative moved intothe second year of advocacy for AfricanAmerican women and breast cancer. Dr.Heard is a board member of the KomenAfrican American Community Partnership,and she also works with the Orange CountyChapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority,Orange County Section of National Council ofNegro Women, and the Orange CountyHeritage Council.
Page 2 Thursday, August 13, 2015 Tri-County Bulletin/Long Beach Leader
Gerald Albright
Long Beach Jazz Festival CoolsCrowd With Smooth Jazz
By Michelle Carrier-Davis
A cloudless California day,a plethora of award winningjazz and R&B artists, greatfood and libations brought thecrowd out in droves to the 28thannual Long Beach JazzFestival aptly titled “Rooted inJazz and Reaching Beyond.”
The grassy knolls of theRainbow Lagoon was coveredwith colorful blankets, chairsand brightly hued beachumbrellas brought to accom-modate the rhythm and bluesenthusiasts and jazz aficiona-
dos who came to partake in thefestivities. Families, couplesand groups of friends werehyped to see their favoritegroups perform.
The lineup featured musi-cians from different genres ofmusic including soul, latinjazz, smooth jazz and somegood ole old school R & B. Nomatter who was on stage, theyshowed why they had beeninvited.
The three day event washeld August 7th-9th featuringsome of the top names in theindustry. Kicking off day one
was the incomparable StanleyClarke Band, jazz guitarist EarlKlugh, trombonist JeffBradshaw, the very talentedsongstress Chrisette Micheleand keyboardist and singerFrank McComb. The musi-cians set the tone for the fol-lowing days of musical enter-tainment at its finest.
“I’ve attended the LongBeach Jazz Festival every yearfor the past 10 years and I havenever been disappointed,” saidRon Lewis.
Day two included leg-endary performer Stephanie
Feeding the Homeless
Councilman Andrews HonorsAlice Robinson and Friends
Sixth District CouncilmanDee Andrews honored AliceRobinson and Friends for theirservice of feeding the hungry atthe 12th Anniversary of theFeeding in the Park, last week atMartin Luther King, Jr. Park inLong Beach.
Over the past twelve years,Ms. Alice has prepared andserved over 11,000 hot home-cooked full course meals toeager smiling faces at the Park.Out of her own senior incomeand generous donors, she andher friends have prepared themeals on a monthly basis.
Ms. Alice is 77-year-old andhas been married to her husbandBennie for 56 years. She is orig-inally from Tuscaloosa,Alabama; however, she has livedin the 6th District of LongBeach since 1957. Since herretirement in 1998, she startedvolunteering her time to improvethe Long Beach community. Ms.Alice has two daughters, RosieCade and Vanessa Conner, whovolunteer to help their motherfeed the hungry as well.
The “Friends” includes anumber of retired seniors andcommunity volunteers that assist
Ms. Alice in serving the hotmeals each month. The numberone request for food is spaghetti.They also serve meatloaf, beefstew, and corn. Menus haveincluded such things as friedchicken, bar-b-cued chicken,ribs, corn bread, sausage, beans,rice, greens, salads, cakes, bis-cuits and gravy.
For those in need of a hotmeal, Friends of Alice Robinsonserves a free meal every firstWednesday of the month atMartin Luther King, Jr. Park. Formore information, call 562)570-6816.
Mills who had the crowd up ontheir feet grooving, formingmakeshift dance floors acrossthe venue to songs that themultitudes knew each lyric too.Soulful crooner KeithWashington made a surprisevisit and accompaniedStephanie in a rendition of“Feel the Fire” that had thecrowd on fire! Bassist AndreGouche kept the crowd atten-tion, demonstrating his mas-tery of his instrument. TheJazz All Stars: saxophonist andflutist Jakiem Joyner, guitaristMarc Antoine and keyboardistBrian Simpson showed whythey are called the All Stars…these gentlemen did theirthing. Eric Darius serenadedthe crowd with his soulful sax-ophone, playing all of his wellknown hits. The great and veryhumble Jonathan Butler keptthe crowd moving as hebrought the house down withsongs from his catalog of hits.The multi-talented and multi-instrumen-talist, Brian Culberson broughtnight two to a pleasurablecrescendo, setting the stage forthe day 3 performances.
“My husband and I havebeen attending for years. Thisis a great place for us to havesome couple time, hear goodmusic and have a good time”said Yolanda Coleman.
Sunday’s line up featuredlegendary R & B artist Kenny“Babyface” Edmonds, whosesoulful stirrings of songs keptthe crowd swaying to his beats.Keyboardist Marcus Johnsonwarmed up the crowds for theacts that followed with hisamazing keyboard skills.Billboard chart topper GeraldAlbright enthralled the audi-
Jonathan Butler
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ence with his mastery of thesaxophone. Newcomer MaraHruby is a dynamic singer,with a passion filled voice thatbelies her young age. Japaneseborn fusion jazz artist KeikoMatsui delighted the crowdwith her effortless playing ofthe keyboard. Crowd favoritethe Al Williams Jazz Societywas a perfect fit for this festi-val. Rainbow Promotions
closed the show with popularjazz artist Poncho Sanchezwhose latin sounds moved thecrowd to meringue.
For the past 28 yearsRainbow Promotions has continued to provide an out-standing jazz concert series.Each year the bar rises, and Ifor one am looking forward toseeing who will be performingnext year.
Photo: Andy Witherspoon
the United Nations in Geneva,Switzerland, to charge the U.S.government with human rightsviolations for police violenceand the militarized response inFerguson.
Gormon was on that trip aspart of the Ferguson to Genevadelegation, along with Brown’sparents and a team of humanrights lawyers and activists ofcolor.
“It was surreal…to see thatthe [United Nations Committee]delegates were actually sayingMichael Brown’s name, and rec-ognizing his parents being in theroom. But the United States gov-ernment [representatives] didn’tmention his name, didn’t men-tion his parents, none of that,”Gormon said. “The part that wasjolting was to see how our gov-ernment could lie. The lack ofaccountability is telling, and youcould see why we’re in thepredicament we’re in.”
Today, the Ferguson move-ment has changed the way thenation talks about police vio-lence and the system that enablesit.
Samuel Sinyangwe and hisknack for statistics are helpingfuel this change. His first cre-ation, MappingPoliceViolence.org, is a crowd-sourced data-base of all reported policekillings since 2013. Launched inDecember 2014 in collaborationwith We The Protestors, it alsoincludes police homicide data bystate and city; the races, identi-ties, and death circumstances ofeach victim (starting in 2014);and national trends over timewith monthly breakdowns.
“I think [data] changes peo-ple’s perspective. When we firstlaunched Mapping PoliceViolence, it really made it clear
that Ferguson is everywhere….Very visually, we’re able toshow that this is happening allover the country, it’s happeningon a scale that a lot of peopledidn’t believe,” he said.
Sinyangwe said while story-telling is helpful in appealing topeople’s conscience, data will bea key to institutional change.
“People in positions ofpower and influence are morereceptive to data than stories. Intheir positions they hear all kindsof stories from all kinds of peo-ple, and they have to sift throughwhat the trends are in order to setpolicy,” he said, adding that datacoupled with activism is a “lan-guage” that gets the attention ofthe powers that be.
Over the past year,Sinyangwe and a team of volun-teers have launched other sites.CheckThePolice.org is a still-developing registry of policeunion contracts, in effort toexamine how police departmentsinvestigate themselves and holdtheir officers accountable.There’s alsoProtesterProgress.org, whichdetails the movement’s gains andvictories, in terms of publicopinion polls, legislation, andother wins.
And there certainly havebeen victories.
Sinyangwe, McKesson, andGormon all say that people aremuch more politically engagedand aware, both in the St. Louisarea and across the nation.
“There’s a new politicalcommunity,” McKesson said.“People came together…a newcommunity was born, with allthe joy and drama of a family.That is a seemingly simple thing,
By Jazelle HuntWashington Correspondent
Washington (NNPA) — It’sbeen one year since the murderof Michael Brown galvanizedthe Ferguson, Mo. communityand forced the nation to face thehorrors of police violence. Andas the activist slogan asserts, theensuing protests have become amovement, not just a moment.
“One of the most powerfulthings about the movement ishow it started. It started withpeople coming out of theirhomes in mourning, and theirstate being aggressive. Andthose people…made a decisionto stand up in the face of stateterror, and not go home,” saidDeRay McKesson, a well-
known Ferguson protester andorganizer, whose websiteWeTheProtesters.org has servedas a hub for Ferguson-relatedinformation.
“And then more peoplejoined, and more people joined,and it became a living movementwithout needing a committee tostart it, without one charismaticleader to start it. The peoplestarted it. That is the enduringstrength of the movement.”
On August 9, 2014, CheerazGormon was in her hometown ofSt. Louis, just south of Ferguson,when people began texting herabout the shooting.
“My baby brother was mur-dered on August 13, 2013. Soright before the one-yearanniversary of his transition, I’m
getting all these text messageslooking at Michael Brown layingon the ground all night,” shesaid. Her brother was 27, andwas killed in the crossfire of afriend’s domestic violence trou-bles.
“I was already grieving, butbasically this needed to be done.We needed to be out in thestreets, we needed to organize.So my grieving actually got puton hold.”
The artist, activist, andaward-winning writer took to thestreets, like hundreds of otherordinary people in the Fergusonarea. They first gathered thatevening at the site whereBrown’s blood still congealed onthe asphalt. The following nightsbrought tear-gas and rubber-bul-
let police assaults on protesters,33 arrests for looting, and thetorching of a QuikTrip gas sta-tion at the protests’ ground zero.
The following week broughtcurfews, more military-likeresponses, media crackdowns,and mass arrests. Successivenights of protest followed daysof community cleanups andservice. The first day of schoolin the Ferguson-Florissant dis-trict was delayed a week. Agrand jury failed to indictWilson, and the National Guardwas called in even before theannouncement.
The movement went nation-al, with shutdowns of majorroadways, commercial boycotts,activist disruptions of Whitecommunities, community serv-ice efforts, and celebrity benefitconcerts across major cities. Itwent international with trip to
Tri-County Bulletin/Long Beach Leader Thursday, August 13, 2015 Page 3
(Cont. on Page 8)
Ferguson – One Year Later
chisement laws, 6 millionAmericans cannot vote – 13 per-cent of Black men fall into thisgap, which is seven times thenational average, according tothe Brennan Center. States with aRepublican majority in the statehouse are also closing pollinglocations, chipping away at earlyvoting, and redrawing districtlines to dilute the voting powerin communities of color.
Two 2016 Democratic presi-dential candidates were presentat Thursday’s rally in the shadowof the King Memorial on theMall, and both expressed strongdisapproval of this current stateof affairs.
“Anybody who is suppress-ing the vote, anybody who isintentionally trying to keep peo-ple from voting – because thatcandidate knows that people willvote against him or her – thatperson is a political coward,”said Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). “That person is undermin-ing American democracy.”
Democratic candidate WillieWilson, a Chicago businessman,talked about the difficulty oflong-shot candidate participatingin the political process.
“I am a product of the VotingRights Act and an example ofwhat happens when that right is
gained,” he stated, sharing hislife story as a young sharecrop-per with a seventh-grade educa-tion turned international busi-nessman, among other success-es.
“When I ran for mayor ofChicago…it cost me more than$200,000 just to get on the bal-lot. When I finally goton…50,000 people, my support-ers were told they weren’t on the[registered voter] roll. When Iam denied, you are denied.”
Democratic candidateHillary Clinton sent her regardsvia letter, which was read aloud.Her platform on voting rightsincluded declaring Election Day
a federal holiday; restoring vot-ing rights to people with crimi-nal records; and automatic, uni-versal voter registration at 18years old.
No Republican candidatesattended the event.
“I’m a little concerned todaybecause…we sent invitations toevery presidential candidate. Notone Republican candidate haschosen to show up. I don’t knowof one major outlet reporting ofthe Voting Rights anniversarytoday, as if we do not have aproblem,” said Martin LutherKing III. “So I have mixed feel-ings today, and whenever I come
Voting Rights Threatened(Cont. from Page 1)
to this site I’m reminded that thework is not done.”
This year marks severalmajor anniversaries in the strug-gle for Black rights, includingthe 150th anniversary of eman-cipation, the 50th anniversary ofthe Watts riots, and the 50thanniversary of Bloody Sunday InSelma, Ala., which helped makethe Voting Rights Act a reality.
This week the NAACPkicked off its historic, 860-mile“America’s Journey for Justice”relay march from Selma, Ala. toWashington, D.C.
“We have to march in 2015because the Voting Rights Actwill not be restored any otherway. This march is a demonstra-tion that’s tied to education andlegislation, not commemora-tion,” said Cornell Brooks, pres-ident and CEO of the NAACP.“They decimated the most effec-tive part of the most effectivecivil rights legislation. This con-stitutes a desecration of thememory of our forebears.”
Noted activist and comedianDick Gregory spoke at length onvoting rights, his activism, andthe perils of American racism.
“We built everything, nowwe’re going to ask them forsome bull—-? They reduced us,and we believed it,” he said. “Iwouldn’t be here now had I notseen people willing to die forthis Voting Rights Act. We stillhave that same power.”
Two bills aimed at repairingthe damage by the SupremeCourt are pending in Congress.The Voting Rights AmendmentAct seeks to restore Sections and4 and 5 with a new measurebased on more recent voter sup-pression practices and data. TheVoting Rights Advancement Act,sponsored by Rep. Terri Sewell(D-Ala.) in the House, does thisand more, expanding the reachand protections of the originallaw.
“We have one of the lowestvoter turnouts in the world. Weshould be trying to figure outhow to increase voter turnout,not reducing the low numberswe already have,” Steele said.
“Let’s not forget how we gotto this point. Not only was bloodshed on the Edmund PettusBridge in Selma, Ala., some peo-ple actually gave their lives….But they wouldn’t let nobodyturn them around. And we ain’tgonna let nobody turn usaround.”
Martin Luther King III Photo by Ann Ragland
DeRay McKesson, Cheeraz Gormon, and Samuel Sinyangweshare their impressions of Ferguson one year after Michael
Brown’s killing. Credits, l-to-r: Shawn Roller; Donna Burch; Ariel Matos
Telephone: (909) 889-0597 Fax: (909) 889-1706
Prec in c t Repor t e r GroupArt Townsend – Founder
(1965 - 1989)
Precinct ReporterServing Inland Southern CaliforniaAdjudicated a Legal newspaper of general circulation on July 24, 1974 case number162020 by the Superior Court of San Bernardino County. The Precinct Reporter ispublished every Thursday by the Precinct Reporter Group, 670 N. Arrowhead Ave,Ste B, San Bernardino, CA 92401.
Tri-County BulletinThe Only Black Publication Serving All of Orange County.Adjudicated a Legal newspaper of general circulation on July 15, 1988 case numberA143589 by the Superior Court of Orange County. The Tri-County Bulletin is pub-lished every Thursday by the Precinct Reporter Group, 2401 E. 17th Street, #152,Santa Ana, CA 92701. Telephone: (714) 547-4118
Long Beach LeaderThe Community’s Newspaper serving Long Beach and Surrounding Communities.Established as a newspaper of general circulation on January 23, 1997. The LongBeach Leader is published every Thursday by the Precinct Reporter Group, P.O. Box91055, Long Beach, CA 90809. Telephone: (562) 490-3299.
Copyright 2015Member: National Newspaper Publishers Association
West Coast Black Publishers AssociationAssociated Press
Page 4 Thursday, August 13, 2015 Tri-County Bulletin/Long Beach Leader
We Must DoMore to CloseAchievement
GapBy Julianne Malveaux
Thousands of pages have been written about the achievementgap – the fact that White kids score higher than either Black orLatino kids who sometimes sit right next to them in classrooms.And despite hundreds of millions of dollars spent to close theachievement gap, the National Assessment of Educational Progressreported last year that the gap was unchanged in both reading andmath between 2009 and 2013.
Why?African American students are as capable for learning as
Caucasian students are, if they have the same quality of teachers,schools, and learning material. But many researchers have docu-mented the differences in school quality between inner cities andelsewhere. Some researchers will explain the achievement gap byfocusing on poverty, challenging family backgrounds, or other fac-tors.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that often, teacher attitudes deter-mine the ways some studentsare treated, and some of theways that they learn. Oftenlarge classroom sizes and, yes,unruly students, contribute toteacher burnout for whichthere is little relief.
Multiple and complex fac-tors go into explaining theachievement gap. But in thevery shortest of runs, while wewait for public policy to shiftand for legislators to put moremoney in our schools, some ofus can help close the achieve-ment gap. Too many of usseem too challenged to helpour own kids, yet parental
involvement is needed to keep close touch with teacher and admin-istrators and to provide our children with challenging educationalexperiences.
Some of us, retired and with adult children, could make a differ-ence by giving a few hours a week to a child who needs supplemen-tary education. I’m all for a shift in public policy. K-12 educationhas been neglected, from a policy perspective, by too many citiesand states. Too often when there are budget cuts, education takes abig hit. Schools are closed, classrooms are overcrowded, and nec-essary classes in the sciences, in civics or physical education, areeliminated. In most schools across the country, the arts (music, the-ater etc.) have been removed entirely.
Reading facility may be the foundation of the achievement gap.Some researchers say that African American children enter highschool with a word gap as high as 30 million (which means theyhave heard 30 million fewer words than their Caucasian counter-parts). Some allege that children are not the only ones to have aword gap –Valerie Strauss, writing in the Washington Post earlierthis year, wrote that as many as a million “state licensed and nation-ally credentialed” early childhood educators are at risk for function-al illiteracy. Many of these workers earn such low wages that thebest educated and most qualified teachers are not interested in earlychild education. Thus, while President Obama has called for univer-sal kindergarten, where are the teachers who will take kindergartento the next level?
Until policy is changed and we put our money where ourmouths are, closing the achievement gap is a short run parental andcommunity challenge. I know some parents who start reading totheir child in the womb, who allow toddlers to turn pages and lookat pictures (and words) to get them ready for reading, who talk totheir children even when they know their offspring can’t understanda word they are saying. Other parents may sing and occasionally sittoddlers at the dinner table, even though they know a child mightholler or make a mess.
Children are headed to school this month and next, and many of
By Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.
Almost daily there is another fatal case of racially-motivatedpolice brutality that occurs against a Black American woman, manor child. What is happening to Black people in America? What iscausing this resurgence of bigotry, violence and brutality?
The occurrences of other serious injustices are also growing:voter suppression, economic inequalities, mass incarceration, aswell as racial discrimination in education, housing, environment,employment, and health care.
Taken together, these injustices represent staggering violationsof the fundamental humanrights of Black America. Ibelieve it is time once again topetition the United Nations foran international response to theviolations of the human rightsof Black Americans, just asMalcolm X had proposed.
Human rights may definedas those universal rights thatare inherent to all humanbeings. In 1948, the UnitedNations adopted the UniversalDeclaration of Human Rights.The preamble states,” Whereasrecognition of the inherent dig-nity and of the equal andinalienable rights of all mem-bers of the human family is the
foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.”Thus, our chant today “No Justice, No Peace!” is rooted in inter-
national law.There are some who will question the effectiveness of calling
upon the United Nations to introduce and pass a resolution to stopthe human rights violations of Black people and others in the U.S.We live in a global economy and a geopolitical world. I believe,therefore, if international sanctions were to be imposed by the U.N.on the U.S. because of systematic and racially-motivated humanrights violations, it would serve as an effective deterrent.
We should recall that back in 1947, W.E.B. DuBois led theNAACP to petition the United Nations to protest the deadly and dis-criminatory treatment of Black Americans. The document thatDubois and the NAACP presented to the U.N. was titled, “AnAppeal to the World.” They cited in their U.N. petition a litany offacts detailing widespread lynching, racial discrimination, as wellas documenting the inequalities in housing, employment, educa-
tion, voting rights and health care.The new form of lynching today is the use of deadly police force
and actions that lead to the unjustifiable deaths of Black Americans,most of them unarmed. Not only are our civil rights being denied,but also our human rights are being systematically violated.
It is relevant to today’s state of affairs in Black America to readthe following quote from the NAACP U.N. petition 68 years ago:“At first [the American Negro] was driven from the polls in theSouth by mobs and violence; and then he was openly cheated; final-ly by a ‘Gentlemen’s agreement’ with the North, that Negro wasdisfranchised in the South by a series of laws, methods of adminis-tration, court decisions, and general public policy, so that today,three-fourths of the Negro population of the nation is deprived ofthe right to vote by open and declared policy.”
Twenty-one states have implemented some type of voter sup-pression law or policy that is directly targeted at Black Americansand others who have been historically denied equal justice. Thereare 113 voter suppression proposals pending in 33 states. Thisaction comes on the heels of the U.S. Supreme Court gutting a keysection of the1965 Voting Rights Act that requires jurisdictions witha documented history of racial discrimination to pre-clear and vot-ing laws with the Justice Department or a federal judge inWashington, D.C.
The audacity of W.E.B. Dubois, the NAACP, and in particularBlack newspaper publishers who were members of the NationalNewspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) in the 1940s helped tolay the groundwork for the building of the modern Civil RightsMovement. We are challenged yet again to speak out, organize,mobilize, and to protest. But we must also build stronger institu-tions and businesses that we own. Going back to the U.N is a tacti-cal move to reassert our human rights.
Yes, we affirm that “Black Lives Matter!” We have an obliga-tion to generations past and future to demand that federal and stategovernments take more action to stop the injustices that we face.We all should now be preparing for the massive “Justice Or Else”mobilization in Washington, D.C. on October 10 that will be web-cast and video streamed to millions of people throughout the worldin different languages. It’s time to stop our human rights from beingso carelessly violated.
(#BlackLivesMatter #JusticeOrElse #BlackPressUSA)
Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. is the President and CEO of theNational Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) and can bereached for national advertisement sales and partnership proposalsat: [email protected]; and for lectures and other professionalconsultations at: http://drbenjaminfchavisjr.wix.com/drbfc
By Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.
After three days of peaceful demonstrations marking the one-year anniversary of Michael Brown’s fatal shooting in Ferguson,Mo., yet another African American man was shot by police there.While the facts are still unclear, the tragedy will surely add to thenational protests challenging our racially biased structures of crim-inal injustice
A week earlier, a young, unarmed man was shot to death by apolice officer in Seneca, S.C. Only this young man was not Black,but White.
According to CNN, Zachary Hammond was fatally shot whilein a Hardee’s parking lot. He was 19 years old and on a date. Thepolice officer was conducting a drug investigation and claims thathe shot Hammond in self-defense when the unarmed teenager drove
his car at him. A small amountof marijuana was found in thefront passenger compartment.
Police said the target of theinvestigation was notHammond but his date. Anindependent autopsy showed,however, that Hammond wasshot in the back, contradictingthe official story. “He was a 19year old, 121 pound kid killedbasically for a joint,” familyattorney Eric Bland said.
CNN reported that if thishad been an African Americanvictim, it would have receivednational attention. That is truenow, but only because an
active movement of demonstrators have made it so. In fact, virtual-ly the only protests to Hammond’s death were issued by#BlackLivesMatter activists on social media.
One year after Michael Brown’s fatal shooting in Ferguson,unarmed Black men are still seven times more likely than Whites todie by police gunfire, according to a new study by the WashingtonPost. So far this year, the Post reports, 24 unarmed Black menhave been shot and killed by police – one every nine days. The Postreports that 585 people in total have been shot and killed by policethrough August 7. [The Guardian databasereports 700 have beenkilled by police].
There is no question that African American men are a greatestrisk. After the Michael Brown killing in Ferguson, national protestshave forced reform of the police and of mass incarceration policiesonto the national agenda. The names of those who died from police
violence – Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Samuel DuBose, WalterScott, Tamir Rice, Freddy Gray, Sandra Bland and more– are etchedin public memory because demonstrators have demanded justice forthem.
The non-violent protests of demonstrators and the Black churchhave forced community after community to respond. AfterFerguson, and with the spread of cameras that have caught thepolice in lies, the police are no longer completely immune. In 24states, reform measures – many focused on requiring body cameras– have been introduced. These are merely the first stirrings ofchange. But the killings haven’t stopped.
While African Americans are at disproportionate risk from thestructural and human biases of our criminal justice system, weshould not forget that working and poor people of all races sufferfrom police excessive use of force. Police kill more Whites thanBlacks. Of the 700 killings it has recorded, the Guardian reportsthat 340 were White, 179 Black and 101 Hispanic. The Postreports that African American men were 40 percent of the unarmeddeaths, but Whites and Hispanics made up the majority.
The system has a class bias, as well as a race bias. An investiga-tion by Alternet’s Zaid Jilani revealed that in the first five monthsof this year, 95 percent of police killings occurred in neighborhoodswith average incomes under $100,000. There were no killings inneighborhoods with incomes of $200,000 or above.
Not surprisingly, lower income Whites are more likely to saypolice abuse of authority is on the rise than middle or upper incomewhites.
Excessive force puts White lives at risk, as well as those ofBlacks and Hispanics. But the silence of the White community andof the white Church is deafening. The victims of police abuse areleft to seek justice on their own.
We need people of conscience in the White community to joinwith the growing movement grounded in the African Americancommunity to demand reform. Too often, police don’t live in thecommunities they patrol. They are armed to the teeth, but oftenreceive too little training in how police can help build a communi-ty rather than simply occupy it.
People of all races and all incomes care about safe streets. Theywant their children protected; their parents able to walk outsidewith security. This is as true of impoverished African Americanneighborhoods as it is of upscale suburbs. But one year afterFerguson, it’s clear we all have a stake in dramatic reform of theAmerican way of policing, if the police are to be trusted as protec-tors and not threats.
Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. is founder and president of the Chicago-based Rainbow PUSH Coalition. You can keep up with his work atwww.rainbowpush.org
(Cont. on Page 5)
One Year After Ferguson:Change Still Must Come
Stop Violations
U.N. Should Show the U.S.That Black Lives Matter
Tri-County Bulletin/Long Beach Leader Thursday, August 13, 2015 Page 5
Touching the individual • Transforming the community • Impacting the world
REACH CommunityChurch
‘Power Hour’
Adult Bible Study: 7:50am
Worship Service: 9:30am
Administrative Office:22600-D Lambert St., Suite 1006, Lake Forest, CA 92630949-597-0700 • www.reachcommunitychurch.com
Pastor TTommy SStewart
By Margaret Mansfield
Faith, Family and Film:The International Faith andFamily Festival, part of T.D.Jakes’ MegaFest, returns toDallas Aug. 20-22, bringing withit a roster of movies that mightappeal to those who aren’talready part of the Jakes faithful.Among those screening are:Captive, the latest film starringDavid Oyelowo from Selma;The Jones Family Will Make aWay, the acclaimed documen-tary about the Texas gospelgroup; and 3 1/2 Minutes, TenBullets, the talked-about docu-mentary about the confrontationat a Florida gas station in 2012between black teen Jordan Davisand white adult Michael Dunnthat ended in Davis’ death.
Oyelowo will be making anappearance for his film while apanel for 3 1/2 minutes willinclude Sybrina Fulton (themother of Trayvon Martin) andBenjamin Crump (the lawyerwho represented Martin’s fami-ly). Other guests during the fes-tival include TV producers MarkBurnett and Roma Downey whowill be leading a morning-inspi-ration session.
The festival is also screeningthe Diversity in Cannes ShortFilm Showcase, presented origi-nally as part of the French festi-val’s “Beyond Borders” event.
Briefly: Damita is backwith new music. Her new single,
“True Love,” is in rotation onradio. The song, produced byFred Jerkins for DarkchildGospel...Gerald “Da GospelTruth” Jones is prepping for the
Sunday ServicesChristian Discipleship Teaching & Training – 8:15 AMMorning Worship and Praise Service – 9:45 AMCommunion Service (1st & 3rd Sundays) after morning worship Thursday Night Alive, Prayer & Bible Study – 7:00PM New Christian Training Encounter and Fellowship Every Sunday Morning
Rev. Curtis P. Roberson Pastor(714) 541-9346 Email: [email protected]
Graceland Community Church1817 W. 3rd Street Santa Ana, CA 92703
The Church where Christ, Caring and Sharing Count
Elder Maxwell Deadrick
New Spirit Baptist ChurchRev. Leon W. Clark, Pastor – Teacher
4300 Westminster Ave.Santa Ana, CA 92703 (714) 741-0590
www.sbccurchfamily.com
Christ Our Redeemer AME ChurchRev. Mark E. Whitlock, Pastor45 Tesla, Irvine, CA 92618949-955-0014www.corchurch.org
Sunday Worship Services 8:00am and 10:30am1:00, COR West, Univ. of California, Irvine, Cross Cultural Center
release of the first installment ofhis branded compilation project,Independent Spirit: The Best ofIndependent Gospel, Vol. 1, instores on Friday, September 4.Finally, Congrats to Sarah JakesRoberts (daughter of BishopT.D. Jakes) and her new hus-band, Pastor Touré Roberts, whoare expecting their first childtogether. This is the second mar-riage for each who, combined,have five children from previousrelationships. This makes babynumber six.
This week’s scripture: Ihave rejoiced in the way of Yourtestimonies, As much as in allriches. Psalm 119:14
dents to see another life andshow an appreciation and seesomeone in action. The focus ison live theater,” she said.
International City TheatreArtistic Director and Producer,caryn desai, said that for severalyears the city's resident profes-sional theater company has host-ed community partnerships toraise college scholarships, andbring the diverse communitytogether.
Partnering with the schooldistrict, last year their thirdgrade program hosted 480 class-room visits between LongBeach and Wilmington, wherestudents learned to write theirown productions, write a scriptand present it on stage.Recently, they finished its lowcost Summer Youth
Conservatory, where kidslearned how to work with each other, and trained for audi-tions.
Most of all, she said the artsand culture energy has been aweinspiring for the students.
She said exposure to the the-ater also takes kids a step furtherwith strengthening their studies,creating healthy expressions,and promotes academic devel-opment across other profession-al fields.
“If we're not teaching chil-dren how to think creatively, wemay not have artists in thefuture, but we also may not havescientists, or innovators, inven-tors or entrepreneurs,” she said.
For more information, see<http://ictlongbeach.org/>
Fences(Cont. from Page 1)
last season.Finally, the 49ers return red-
shirt freshman Alex Rifkind,who will see his first season ofaction alongside a freshmanclass of four players in NoahBlackwell, Lorne Currie, MasonRiggins and LaRond Williams.
The 49ers will once againhave one of the nation's toughestnon-conference schedules. Inaddition to hosting BYU and SanDiego State, Long Beach Statewill travel to Oklahoma State,Colorado State, UCLA,Pepperdine, Oregon and Arizonabefore closing out the non-league slate with a trip to Duke.
Dan Monson passed SethGreenberg and Jerry Tarkanianto become the winningest coachin Long Beach State history lastyear, now with 135 total victo-ries during his eight years ashead coach at the Beach. Duringhis tenure, Monson has led theBeach to three Big West champi-onships and the 2011-12 NCAATournament. Monson alsoreached 300 wins last seasonover a career spanning 18 sea-sons at Long Beach State,Minnesota and Gonzaga.
Men’s Track and FieldLong Beach State track &
field alum and volunteer assis-tant coach Colin Dunbar was therunner-up in the hammer throwat the NACAC Senior AreaChampionships in San Jose,Costa Rica, recently
Dunbar, who was one of twoAmericans competing in thehammer on Sunday, secured thesilver medal with a toss of 235-04. That mark was better thanthe previous meet record, buttrailed Cuba's Roberto Janet by afew feet (238-07).
Dunbar was selected to rep-resent Team USA based on hissixth-place finish at the U.S.Outdoor Championships in June.He owns a lifetime best of 241-04.
Dunbar graduated from LongBeach State in 2011. As a senior,he led the Beach to a Big Westteam title by personally account-
Long Beach Basketball(Cont. from Page 1)
them need parents, or involvedcommunity contributors, to helpthem get there without beingburdened by the achievementgap. The gap that starts early – inpreschool or kindergarten –grows over time. Caucasiansgraduate from high school at arate of 86 percent, compared to73 percent for Hispanics and 69percent for African Americans.Yet, we say that a well-educated
workforce is a key to ournation’s future prosperity. Weneed to change the spending pol-icy that supports the achieve-ment gap, and until that happens,we need to reach out, a child at atime, to make a difference.
Julianne Malveaux is anauthor and economist. She canbe reached viawww.julian-nemalveaux.com.
Close Achievement Gap(Cont. from Page 4)
ing for 29 points. Dunbar wasthe conference champion in thehammer and discus, while alsofinishing third in the shot put andsixth in the javelin. He wasnamed the USTFCCCA WestRegion and Big West Men'sField Athlete of the Year. Dunbarwent on to earn All-Americahonors in the hammer and dis-cus.
The NACACChampionships is an eventorganized by the NorthAmerican, Central American andCaribbean Athletics Association.
Women’s GolfLong Beach State seniors
Kassidy Teare and ShawneeMartinez will travel to Portland,Ore. to take part in the USGA115th Women's AmateurChampionship at the PortlandGolf Club.
"The women's amateurchampionship is about as com-petitive as it gets for us as ama-teurs," Teare said. "I'm reallylooking forward to learning fromthis experience no matter whathappens out there next week."
"I'm looking forward to thecompetition next week,"Martinez said. "This is my firsttime qualifying for the amateurchampionship and I'm also look-ing forward to learning from theother players."
Teare and Martinez will beamong a field of 156 golfers thatwill play 36-holes of stroke playon Monday and Tuesday, withthe low 64 scorers advancing tomatch play beginning onWednesday. The 36-hole final isscheduled for Sunday, August.16.
This marks the first time inprogram history two LBSUgolfers have advanced to aUSGA women's amateur cham-pionship in the same year.
Buying or Selling Your Home?Serving All of Southern California
JORDAN SAGE GROUPOffices located in Claremont, Covina, Moreno Valley’
Redlands and SouthCoast MetroEach office independently owned and operated
SociallySpeaking
By Jacqueline Johnson
Great and fun birthday cele-bration hosted by Sandy Stangfor Ross "Roscoe “ Bogan lastweek at Original Mike's...and theoh so fabulous Derek Bordeauxgroup...The Family ReunionPicnic (**special Thanks toVeronica Paulson), before usedothers’ opinion...this is mine.This year felt like a FamilyReunion ...The National Councilof Negro Women “NCNW”President Dr. DeVera Heardcoordinated with the Bid WhistClub, the Wiley L. KimbroughLodge #91, Black HistoricalSociety, GreenFoundation...family and friendsand community overall to bringtogether more than 200 attendees...Good and Plenty Food, music
and fellowship...Think it wassooh good to see what can beaccomplished when we worktogether ...also T. Leon Berry ischair of this year’s men's day atJohnson Chapel, August 16(this Sunday) at 10:45...and theSanta Ana Block Party is nowscheduled for September 26,instead of the 19th...JamesSharpton has always given somuch to our community anddeserves support. “It's to let yourheart ($money) go where yourfeet can't follow”...Yes watchedand enjoyed recent debate, whatI didn't hear was to refer to anyperson with name calling is dis-respectful and should not be con-doned. You know if a whitefemale can be called names,N*%$*r ain't too far behind...
Til next week
Page 6 Thursday, August 13, 2015 Tri-County Bulletin/Long Beach Leader
(Black Swan) perfectly lit cine-matography; Billy Fox’s (Hustle& Flow) ultra-tight and smartediting; the production design(Shane Valentino), art direction(Christopher Brown) and setdecoration (Christopher Carlson,Jeffrey Kushon) that recreates’80 and ‘90s Compton to a T;and costume design by KelliJones (Sons of Anarchy) that isnever garish, always suitable,right down to the last gold chain.
The tech credits, acting, andwriting are superb, but the lion’sshare of accolades must go todirector F. Gary Gray. From thefilm’s opening sequences you’requestioning who pulled all ofthis together so perfectly, and it’shim. Certainly when a film fea-tures an ensemble cast of rela-tively unknown actors and allgive universally strong perform-ances, credit goes to the directorfor guiding them. There is notone flawed, imperfect, plasticmoment in this entire movie.Gray should be proud for realiz-ing all the potential of this his-toric movie.
This is a monster film. Youwill walk out feeling like youhave been entertained, educatedand emotionally fulfilled. Eightmonths into the year 2015, andthis is the only perfect film thathas hit the theaters. This is it.
Visit NNPA Film CriticDwight Brown at DwightBrownInk.com.
generation.“There was a lot of expecta-
tion and hope,” he said.Within the 100 BMOC, he
said that student support hasbeen the priority. Over the years,his program has focused on academical development and cultivating emotionalresilience.
But of all of the success withthe nationally recognized organ-ization, he said his Passport tothe Future and, Bakari, meaning'one who will succeed' inSwahili, have shown consistentresults year after year in OrangeCounty. Eventually, he wouldlike to see those programs imple-mented in every community inthe nation.
In recent years, Dr. Parhamhas also helped charter both theLong Beach chapter, which hasseen good success, and more
School Maze(Cont. from Page 1)
recently, the Inland Empirechapter.
Each year, the100 BMOChosts about 60 to 70 students,helping guide them through highschool and on to higher educa-tion. So far, in the 20 years thatthey've been running the 100BMOC program, he said 90 per-cent the kids have graduated andwent on to higher education. Inthe past few years, the programhas seen 100 percent of partici-pants go off to college.
In his program, the studentsspan the range, from up from"1.9 trying to be 2.3" to superachievers at 4.0 GPA.
“Every kid has a promise andgenius. We try to exercise andcultivate some of the talentalready in them. That's ourgoal,” he said.
To join “the 100” seewww.100bmoc.org
UC Contractors GrowingRanks of Working Poor
The University ofCalifornia’s continued relianceon private contractors is drivinga growing number of UC work-ers—primarily immigrants andpeople of color—into poverty,according to new research byAFSCME, the UC system’slargest employee union.
The report, entitled “Working in the Shadows: HowOutsourcing at the University ofCalifornia Adds to the Ranks ofCalifornia’s Working Poor,”examines both national and UC-specific employment trendsthrough the eyes of UC’s grow-ing army of subcontracted work-ers. These workers do the samejobs as career UC employees,often for years on end, but for asmuch as 53% less pay with few,if any benefits.
The research notes thatbetween 2009 and 2014, tempo-rary and subcontracted employ-ment relationships (also knownas “contingent” labor) havegrown at nine times the rate oftraditional employment acrossAmerica. And at UC, whereenrollment grew by 9,000 andhundreds of new facilities cameonline during this period, thenumber of UC service workersactually decreased.
“It’s sad to see that the struc-tural changes in our economythat have proven to increasepoverty and income inequalityhave taken root at a public insti-tution that professes socialmobility and ladders to the mid-dle class,” said AFSCME 3299Research Director ClaudiaPreparata. “This research makesit clear that without a dramaticpolicy shift, the only thing likelyto expand faster than UC cam-puses is the number of contin-gent UC workers living in pover-ty.”
While UC refused to supply
a complete list of its contractsand contractors, AFSCME hasuncovered at least 45 contractsfor custodial, grounds keeping,building maintenance, food serv-ice, parking and related servicesin its research, as well as astatewide RFP for contractors towork in the UC Health system.These contracts cover thousandsof individuals who do the samejobs as career UC workers--butwho are employed by privatecontractors for a fraction of thepay, few benefits, and no voiceon the job.
Kin Wing Kwong, an immi-grant from China who hasworked as a subcontracted custo-dian at UCSF Medical Center (inaddition to holding two otherjobs) for as little as $10.74/hour(or 35% less than a career UCworker doing the same job) since2012, is one of many workersprofiled in the research whodescribe the hardships created byUC’s subcontracting practices.
“Our baby needed to get aseries of vaccinations recom-mended for 6-montholds. Itwould have cost us somethinglike $300 or $500, but we…hadno choice but to wait,” Kwongrecounts.
Far from “temporary,” theresearch also documents multi-ple strategies employed by theuniversity to retain contractworkers for years on end—withpermanent work stations, UCSupervisors, and no recourse forunsafe working conditions ormistreatment on the job.
One such worker recountedthe day she was asked by a UCDavis Medical CenterSupervisor to clean an area sus-pected of Ebola contamination.
“I didn’t receive any training[on how to properly clean anddecontaminate an Ebola-infectedarea], not even on the spot. Itwas really scary but all I couldthink about was holding on tomy job.”
A recent ProPublica study
found that temporary workersare 50% more likely to getinjured on the job.1 And agrowing body of research andpress reports has linked a varietyof contractors to abuses rangingfrom wage theft to harassment ofemployees.2
“The problem here is not justthe outsourcing—it’s the shame-fully low wage, benefit, andsafety standards to which thesecontractors are held,” said UC Student AssociationBoard Chairman Kevin Sabo. “Afirst class university should notbe allowing any of its workers tobe treated as second class, yetthat is precisely what is happen-ing at UC.”
Much of the existingresearch on the plight ofCalifornia’s temporary and sub-contracted workforce has beenproduced by UC’s own LaborCenter at Berkeley.3 Among thefindings from this prior researchare that so called “temporary”workers "are twice as likely...tolive in poverty, receive foodstamps, and be on Medicaid."
“The University ofCalifornia system shapes thelives and future of California’scitizens and its economy,” saidEli Moore, Program Manager forUC Berkeley’s Haas Institute fora Fair and Inclusive Society.“Given the public support it hasenjoyed, its historic and continu-ing role serving the people ofCalifornia and it’s public mis-sion, the university shouldensure that all people who workon its campuses earn a fair andequitable living wage.”
The report concludes withcalls for specific policy reforms,including less contracting out ofwork customarily performed bycareer UC employees and higherwage standards for UCContractors, to ensure UC’sgrowing army of subcontractorsreceive the same pay as careerUC workers doing the samejobs.
State Senate AppropriationsCommittee Chairman RicardoLara (D-Bell Gardens) has intro-duced a measure, SB 376, toenshrine these very principlesinto law. He recently made thecase for reform in a recentSacramento Bee Op-Ed.4
“There is no reason that anypublic institution should be sub-sidizing business models built ona foundation of poverty and sec-ond-class treatment of commu-nities of color. But it is happen-ing, ironically, at the same insti-tution that has been soundingalarms about the problem.”
Lara’s measure has alreadypassed the State Senate and two
Assembly Committees with bi-partisan support..
For its part, UC has recentlyenacted a minimum wage pro-posal that will apply to its con-tract workers, though it stoppedshort of guaranteeing equal payfor equal work and said that theproposal will not “supplant orminimize” its current contract-ing practices.5 However, con-sistent with the findings of“Working in the Shadows,” thetrue scope of those practicesremains far from clear. UC hasbeen unable to specify the num-ber of contract workers whowould be impacted by its policychange, despite repeated
inquiries from reporters.6“UC’s minimum wage pro-
posal is a small step forward inthat it acknowledges the univer-sity’s complicity in creatingpoverty and enabling theexploitation of subcontractedworkers of color,” saidAFSCME 3299 PresidentKathryn Lybarger. “But by reaf-firming its intent to use privatefirms that profit by creatingpoverty for its permanentstaffing needs and opposing leg-islation that would guaranteesubcontracted workers equal payfor equal work, UC is not offer-ing a solution—they are onlyperpetuating the problem.”
Ferguson(Cont. from Page 3)
but powerful.”In Ferguson and other places,
voter turnout and informed civicparticipation is up. The JusticeDepartment has issued tworeports on the area’s systematicracism, discrimination, and civilrights violations. And severalstates have passed laws address-ing police conduct and accounta-bility.
But much has remained thesame. McKesson said theFerguson Police Department hasgotten worse. Gormon adds thatmost of the officials involved inallowing Darren Wilson to evadejustice are still in place. Andalthough police killings havedeclined since the movementbegan, police have killed 320Black people over the past year;of the unarmed Black peoplekilled in 2014, six were youngerthan 18 years old.
Over the weekend, manycities remembered MichaelBrown with ceremonies, rallies,activism, religious services, andcommunity service.
“A year isn’t enough time –we’re still in the throes of it.With everything that we’re deal-ing with…all the Black peoplethat have died in police custody,recently – it’s just a lot,”
Gormon said. “The trauma hasnot stopped. It’s weird how itjust feels like one long day.”
Those on the ground have aneye toward the future.
Sinyangwe wants to create adatabase that analyzes policedepartments’ policies and proce-dures against their homiciderates to see what the best depart-ment policies are in preventingpolice violence.
“And developing a miscon-duct database of police officerswould be huge, because againwith these union contracts, a lotof times the records areexpunged after a certain time,”he added. “A lot of these officershave committed the same sortsof brutality in the past, but
they’re not being held account-able for that [and] they’re beingrehired.”
McKesson believes that thenext step is figuring out how touse new tools and collectivevoice to end police violence.
“We are all close to trauma inBlackness – in many ways we’reall on the frontline,” he said, giv-ing thanks for his friends andstating that all Black peopleshould practice self-care, regard-less of their level of activism.
“I believe that we will win. Idon’t know what that looks like.I want to believe that the policemay look back, and might reflecton their role, but I have no indi-cation that that will happen. I amtired, but not weary. The samespirit that began this movementin August and sustains it is thesame spirit that I know will bepivotal to us.”
StraightOutta
Compton(Cont. from Page 7)
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Film Review:
Straight Outta ComptonBy Dwight BrownNNPA Film Critic
Warning: This isn’t somechump change Sundance indiemovie about the rap groupNWA. Nor is it a should-have-gone-straight-to-DVD after-thought about hip-hop culture.This is a full-fledged, big-budgetlooking homage to the L.A. rapscene that smartly, emotionallyand historically capsulizes thelife and times of Eazy-E, IceCube, Dr. Dre and everyonearound them who caused the bigbang that popularized WestCoast rap music. This is anOscar-caliber film. This movie isa monster.
You’ll need to give yourundivided attention to the 2 hour,22 minutes of footage. Blink orgo get popcorn and you’ll missan integral piece of music andcultural history that defined thetimes. You won’t learn how leg-endary rappers such as Tupacand Snoop Dogg entered the rapscene, or how Suge Knighthooked up with Dr. Dre, or howDr. Dre met producer JimmyIovine.
From the film’s firstmoments, you know you’reexperiencing greatness becauseeverything seems so real: thevisuals of Compton streets, thestrong bass beats in nightclubs,the ghetto fabulous clothes, theJheri curls, the police arrests.The performances, the dialogue,the plotline – it’s all amazinglyauthentic. It’s as if you are a flyon the wall peeking in or a narcduring a drug bust watching it all
go down.Instantly the thought occurs:
Who orchestrated all this andwhy is it so good? Once you readthe productions notes, it allmakes sense. Ice Cube (Friday),Dr. Dre and Eazy-E’s widowTomica Woods-Wright are co-producers of their own story. F.Gary Gray, who shot Ice Cubevideos (e.g. “True to the Game”)back in the day, and has gone onto direct urban dramas (Set itOff) and comedies (Friday), isat the helm. That’s why whatyou’re viewing is so graphic.These guys lived it. They’re justsharing their experiences.
It’s 1986 and 16-year-oldO’Shea Jackson, aka Ice Cube(O’Shea Jackson, Jr.), is gettinginvolved in drug deals that don’tend well. Twenty-one-year oldAndre Romelle Young, aka Dr.Dre (Corey Hawkins), is awannabe record producer/DJstill living with his mom, Verna(Lisa Renee Pitts), and hisyounger brother. He’s focusedon his music, and not working.Mom, who had him as a teen andis holding down two jobs tomake ends meet, isn’t having it.She’s in his face: “People said Iwould be shit. You would beshit. I’ve worked hard. I refuseto let you throw that all away!”Next thing you know, Dre is outon the streets, with his prizedLPs in tow, couch-surfing. EricLynn Wright, aka Eazy-E (JasonMitchell) uses his entrepreneur-ial skills selling drugs, but at age23, he’s burned out and the thugshe does business with are drop-ping like flies.
Call it a confluence. Thethree decide to pool their talentsand change their focus to writ-ing, producing and performingrap music. Now, Dr. Dre is a DJin local Compton clubs, workingalongside DJ Yella (Neil BrownJr.). Ice Cube and MC Ren(Aldis Hodge) are young emceesstarting to form fierce rhymes.Eazy-E has enough drug moneyto invest in producing. Hebecomes the leader. They formRuthless Records, cut music andbecome NWA – Niggaz WitAttitudes. An ambitious musicmanager, Jerry Heller (PaulGiamatti), promises them gigsand a future. The rest is history,or urban folklore, depending onhow you look at it.
The group comes up at a timein L.A., during the RonaldReagan’s years, when gang vio-lence is rampant and police bru-tality is the norm. Their rapmusic reflects the chaos in theirenvironment and the rest of theworld is shocked by their graph-ic lyrics that some feel glorifycrime (“Gangsta Gangsta”),exploit women (“A Bitch Iz aBitch”) and verbally assault cops(“F— Tha Police”). When theguys tour, it’s safe to say theydon’t perform at church socials,the National Organization ofWomen events or fundraisers forthe Patrolmen’s BenevolentAssociation.
Along the way, membersleave the group, some are cheat-ed out of money and bad bloodtakes hold. There are goldrecords, arrests, condemnations,orgies, babies, threats, TV
By Antracia Moorings
New Edition Revisited:New Edition, the male vocalgroup that developed from abubblegum kid group to adulthitmakers, will be the focus ofan original miniseries for BETthat will premiere in 2016. Themembers of the group--BobbyBrown, Ricky Bell, MichaelBivins, Ronnie DeVoe, JohnnyGill and Ralph Tresvant--havesigned on as co-producers of thethree-night miniseries, which isbeing produced by Jesse CollinsEntertainment and BETNetworks. “From our beginningin the Orchard Park Projects inBoston to Hollywood and every-thing in between, just like theTemptations and the JacksonFive--we are ready to retrace ourfootsteps and show everyonehow we got here,” the group saidin a statement. “For the fans allover the world, this one’s foryou.” The group’s hits include“Candy Girl,” “Cool It Now,” “IfIt Isn’t Love,” “Can You Standthe Rain” and “Mr. TelephoneMan.” New Edition has had arocky history, with several
breakups and reunions.Wheeling and Dealing:
HBO has signed a new overallfirst-look deal with producerRussell Simmons and his newmedia company All DefDigital (ADD). The unioncalls for the Def Jam Recordsco-founder and his digitalteam to develop new projectsfor the cable channel. His pre-vious two-year deal includedan executive producer role onSteve McQueen’s upcominglimited series “Codes OfConduct.” Simmons currentlyhas three HBO projects in theworks through ADD, includ-ing the Shaka King comedy“These Are My Friends,”which follows four real-liferap and hip-hop artists as theystruggle to keep their dreamalive. A series based on theBroken Lizard comedy troupeand a show based on ADD’sweekly live comedy nights arealso on deck. Also, Simmons andStan Lathan are producing a DefComedy Jam 25th AnniversarySpecial that will feature an all-star lineup of comedians. “HBOhas been like a home to me for a
generation,” saysSimmons. “Together, wehave discovered new voic-es and helped launchemerging artists thatdeserved a mainstreamplatform. I am even moreexcited by the next genera-tion of talent and showsthat we are developingthrough All Def DigitalTV.”
Sharing Beliefs: Thisfall, Oprah Winfrey pres-ents the landmark televi-sion event “Belief,” aweek-long documentaryseries airing over sevenconsecutive nights thatdepicts how people with awide range of beliefssearch for deeper meaningand connection with theworld around them. Thedocumentary series willexplore humankind’songoing search to connect
with something greater than our-selves, traveling all over theworld, and to places “camerashave rarely been,” in search ofthe origins of our diverse faiths.The series will premiere onSunday, October 18 at 8 p.m.ET/PT on OWN: Oprah WinfreyNetwork. “For the past threeyears, my team and I have beenworking to find the most com-pelling and thoughtful stories offaith, love and devotion fromaround the world,” said OprahWinfrey. “This truly has beenmy heart’s work, to be able toshare stories like these thatreflect our world and explorehumankind’s ongoing search toconnect with something greaterthan ourselves.”
Briefly: Orange Is the NewBlack star Uzo Aduba and Glee’sAmber Riley are set to joinNBC’s live production on TheWiz, While Aduba will take onthe role of Glinda the GoodWitch, Riley will playAddaperle, the Good Witch ofthe North and Glinda’s sister.
Finally: Actor Idris Elbacreated history with Maximmagazines’s September fashionissue. “We’ve never in U.S.Maxim history had a man on thecover solo,” Maxim editor-in-chief Kate Lanphear said.
Russell Simmons
Oprah Winfrey
appearances, rivalries, betrayals,and revelations. They growapart. Will they come backtogether?
As you watch NWA blow upand flame out, and get a feel forwhat life was like behind therisqué MTV videos, you alsowatch the truth about the L.A.police department unfold. TheRodney King incident exposedthe practices NWA cataloguedyears before. You’re not onlywatching the history of WestCoast rap, but the evolution ofL.A.’s inner city community andrace relations.
It is a credit to the story by S.Leigh Savidge (Welcome toDeath Row), Lan Wenkus(Private Resort) and AndreaBerloff (World Trade Center),which evolved into an astute
screenplay by Berloff and new-comer Jonathan Herman, that allthe pieces fit so neatly together.You never feel like anything ismissing, or that characters aren’tsaying what’s on their mind, orthe storytelling is not leadingsomewhere important. A lot ispacked into the brilliant andrevealing script.
Casting actors who are notrecognizable faces helps the cin-ema vérité factor. For all practi-cal purposes, they are the rap-pers, girlfriends and entourage.Corey Hawkins nails the ethere-al essence of Dr. Dre. CastingO’Shea Jackson Jr. as his dad IceCube was a stroke of genius andis absolutely haunting. PaulGiamatti as the helpful but devi-ous manager exhibits the rightamount of smarm. Burly stunt-
man-turned-actor R. MarcosTaylor walks like a hardenedfelon on death row and oozes anevilness that exudes SugeKnight. Jason Mitchell has thewidest array of emotions to playas Eazy-E, who is gangsta toughand then extremely vulnerable.If there is a surprise scène-steal-er it’s Lisa Renee Pitts as Verna.The opening scenes are pivotaland she sets them off perfectly asthe exasperated mom who wantsher kids to succeed and survive.Her time on screen is short, herperformance is huge.
Accolades should be lav-ished on the technical crew:Joseph Trapanese’s(Nightcrawler) compellingscore; Matthew Libatique’s
(Cont. on Page A-8)
Tri-County Bulletin/Long Beach Leader Thursday, August 13, 2015 Page 7
Page 8 Thursday, August 13, 2015 Tri-County Bulletin/Long Beach Leader
4 pita bread rounds, cut in half forming 8 pockets
1 cucumber, cut into 1/2-inch slices1 tomato
1/2 red onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices2 cups romaine lettuce, cut into
1-inch pieces1/4 cup feta cheese
1 pound leftover beef brisket
In small bowl combine all Greek dressingingredients. Set aside.
Build charcoal fire for direct grilling.Place pita bread directly over hot coals(approximately 450°F) and cook for 1minute on each side or until grill marksare visible. Place cucumbers, wholetomato and onion directly over hot coals(approximately 450°F) and cook, turningonce, for 4 minutes or until they brownand start to soften.
Remove vegetables from grill and dice.Place vegetables into medium bowl andstir in dressing. Let mixture stand for 5minutes before adding romaine lettuce and feta cheese.
Fill each pita pocket with leftover beefbrisket and grilled Greek salad.
Build a charcoal fire with Kingsfordcharcoal for indirect cooking by situ -ating coals on only one side of grill,leaving other side void.
Cover entire brisket with beefbouillon base. In small bowl, mix dry rub ingredients and coat brisketwith rub. When cooker reaches 225°F,place brisket on void side of grill andclose lid. Cook for 4 hours, untilinternal temperature reaches 160-170°F.
Remove brisket from grill and placein shallow baking dish or disposablealuminum pan. Pour beef broth overbrisket and cover pan with aluminumfoil. Place baking dish in cooker for an additional 1-2 hours, until internaltemperature reaches 185°F.
Remove baking dish from grill and let meat rest undisturbed for 20-30 minutes. Slice brisket acrossgrain and serve.
FAMILY FEATURES
Although brisket is generally regarded as a cool weather dish, you may be surprised how this ultimate comfortfood works in delicious recipes that help you hang on to the fading days of summer.
A traditional Barbecued Beef Brisket prepared low and slow over a charcoal grill is sure to be a crowd pleaser for a backyard tailgate or a casual gathering with friends. Leftovers can help warm up a cool morning with a decadentserving of Barbecue Benedict, and you can look forward to a Grilled Greek Salad Pita with Beef Brisket for a tastymidday meal.
As any grill master knows, achieving grilling greatness begins with a charcoal fire. These recipes, created by worldchampion pitmaster Chris Lilly, showcase how Kingsford® Charcoal can help you achieve an authentic smoky flavorthat will delight the taste buds of your family and friends. Each briquet contains natural ingredients and real wood for a delicious cookout every time.
Find more recipes featuring your favorite grilled meats at www.kingsford.com.
3 tablespoons of your favorite KC Masterpiece barbecue sauce
In small bowl, mix onion marinade ingre -dients. Pour marinade into resealableplastic bag and add onion strips. Letmarinate for 30 minutes.
For sauce, place egg yolks, vinegar andwater into stainless steel bowl and vigor -ously whip until mixture is thickened anddoubled in volume. Place bowl over saucepan con taining barely simmering water(just below boil), making sure bottom ofbowl does not touch water. Whiskcontinuously, making sure eggs don’t gettoo hot or they will scramble. Very slowlydrizzle melted butter into mixture whilewhisking rapidly until mixture thickensand doubles in volume. Remove from heatand stir in remaining sauce ingredients.
Build charcoal fire for direct grilling.Place onion strips in grill basket and cookdirectly over hot coals (approximately450°F), stirring often for 5 minutes or until onions brown and start to soften.Remove onions from grill and set aside.
Place English muffin halves directlyover hot coals for 2 minutes or untiltoasted. Remove each from grill and top with leftover beef brisket, grilledonions and a poached egg. Drizzle withBarbecue Benedict Sauce.
