volume XXvIII, Number 52 Nashville, TN December 26, 2014
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Is Iggy Azalea Really“White Washing” Hip-Hop Music? — Can’tWe All Just Get Along?Nationwide — 24-yearold Australian recordingartist Iggy Azalea hasbeen the subject of con-troversy in recent weeksas some are starting toaccuse her of “whitewashing” rap music.Signed in 2012 to T.I.’sGrand Hustle Records,Iggy has several hitsunder her belt including“Black Widow”,“Work”, “Bounce”, and“Change Your Life”.Quick AdsenseWordPress Plugin:http://quicksense.net/
It all started with rap-per Azealia Banks whocriticized Iggy for tryingto sabotage “blackmusic”. During an inter-view on New York’s Hot97, Azealia said, “I feel,just like in this country,whenever it comes to ourthings, like black issuesor black politics or blackmusic or whatever,there’s always thisundercurrent of kind oflike a, ‘F–k you,'” Shewent to say, “That IggyAzalea s-t isn’t betterthan any f-king blackgirl that’s rapping today,you know? … IggyAzalea is not excellent.”
But several otherartists came to herdefense
Rapper/producer Q-Tip told Iggy in a publi-cized tweet, “You are ahip hop artist who hasthe right 2 express her-self however she wish-es.”
Rapper T.I., whohelped discover Iggy,also chimed in. Hetweeted, “I know u don’tdeserve all da negative s-t that comes your way.But like I’ve told ubefore, it just kindacomes wit da territorywhen u gain so muchpositive attn SO FAST!… I know u know justlike I do it COULD BEA LOT WORSE.”
Meanwhile a contro-versial dialogue hasstarted on local radio sta-tions across the country,debating on whether ornot white artists have theright to become rappers.
“It Doesn’t Matter IfYou Are Black or White”
Black Eyed Pea rap-per/songwriter Will.i.amtweeted Iggy saying:“Hip-Hop Is globalnow…it doesn’t matterif your white orblack…thanks for con-tributing & spreadingour culture positively.”He added in anothertweet, “It saddens methat people are making abig deal about race inhiphop & notethics…today’s ethicsgoes against our founda-tion”
Meanwhile, rapperLupe Fiasco tweeted
Continued on page 5A
City reacts,mourns loss ofNYPD officersSee page 2A
See page 7BSee page 1B
by Freddie Allen,NNPA senior WashingtoncorrespondentWASHINGTON, D.C.(NNPA) – In an oval officemeeting that some havecalled historic, a group ofyoung activists met withPresident Obama to discussthe crippling effects of policebrutality in the Black com-munity, the militarization ofpolice departments and theneed for systemic reformthat sparked months ofprotests following the shoot-ing death of Michael Brown,an unarmed Black teenager,in Ferguson, Mo.
The young activists list ofdemands included: thedemilitarization of localpolice departments, invest-ing in community-ledrestorative justice programs,and enhancing data collec-tion of police activity at thefederal, state and local lev-els.
Tef-Poe, a St. Louis hip-hop artist said that the move-ment is gaining tractionamong young people and abridge is also being builtbetween the young activistsand the older generation.
“People are starting tojump on board at an alarmingrate and the next move is tosustain this and to push forreal comprehensive account-ability concerning racial pro-filing and police brutality,”said Tef-Poe.
Following his meetingwith community stakehold-ers faith leaders and lawenforcement officials onbuilding trust between policeand the community,President Obama said thatwhen any part of theAmerican family does notfeel like it is being treatedfairly, that’s a problem for all
of us.“It’s not just a problem
for some. It’s not just a prob-lem for a particular commu-nity or a particular demo-graphic. It means that we arenot as strong as a country aswe can be,” Obama said.“And when applied to thecriminal justice system, itmeans we’re not as effective
in fighting crime as we couldbe.”
The president announceda number of key proposals,including the creation of atask force that will identifybest practices to buildstronger ties between policedepartments and the commu-nities they serve, reformingthe controversial 1033 pro-
gram and promoting the useof body cameras. The presi-dent said that he wants toinvest $263 million, includ-ing $75 million to buy50,000 such cameras.
According to a recentreview of federal programsthat send equipment to local
Young activists push Obama on police reform
Tennessee is joining 24other states in a lawsuitchallenging the recentimmigration actions byPresident Barack Obama.
After pondering thedecision for several weeks,in a statement MondayTennessee Attorney GeneralHerbert Slatery said it wasin the state's best interest tosue the president.
"While the subject of theexecutive action was immi-gration, the lawsuit is notabout immigration," Slatery
said in a news release."It is really more about
the rule of law and the limi-tations that prevent theexecutive branch from tak-ing over a role constitution-ally reserved for Congress.The executive directivesissued by the White Houseand Homeland Security con-flict with existing federallaw."
Earlier this year Obamaannounced he would signexecutive orders to helpdelay deportation and pro-
vide work permits for asmany as 5 million undocu-mented immigrants in theU.S. Immigration reformactivists welcomed the plan,but Republicans across thecountry and in Tennesseeimmediately cried foul, say-ing the president didn't havethe authority to take suchaction.
Tennessee Republicanlawmakers were quick tolaud Slatery's decision. Aspokesman for Gov. BillHaslam said the Knoxville
Republican has confidencein Slatery' position.
"( Haslam) believesthere was an opportunity tohave a real discussion onwhat immigration policyshould be, and the presi-dent's actions took thatopportunity off the table,"said spokesman DaveSmith.
Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, R-Blountville, said he wasproud Slatery decidedTennessee would stand up tothe president's "truly shock-
ing display of executivearrogance." Former stateSenate judiciary committeechairman Sen. Mae Beavers,R-Mt. Juliet, also thankedSlatery for challengingactions she considered "anunconstitutional usurpationof power."
U.S. Sens. LamarAlexander and Bob Corkeralong with Rep. DianeBlack, both R-Tenn., issuedstatements applauding
State joins lawsuit challenging immigration orders
By Jazelle HuntRonald Lewis was stand-
ing on a street with his broth-er, who was selling drugs.When police were approach-ing, Lewis warned his broth-er. Both were arrested. Thatminor, almost reflexive reac-tion, led to Lewis sharing adrug possession charge withhis brother as well as chargesof being an instrument of acrime.
His lawyer advised himthat he could win a trial.Later, that advice became aplea offer. Without beingtried, Lewis accepted a B-class misdemeanor convic-tion, served no time inprison, and was releasedfrom probation early forsteady compliance.
That was 10 years ago.Lewis, now 35, feels he ispaying again for his pastmistake.
“I paid that lawyer$10,000…I didn’t knowwhat [the deal] entailed. Ididn’t know the impact itwould have on my life,” hesays. After going through thecriminal justice system,Lewis entered a vocationalprogram and earned an engi-neering license.
He says, “I thought lifewould begin for me…but Ihave had so many doorsslammed in my face, I knowwhat wood tastes like.”
According to a newreport from the Center forAmerican Progress (CAP),as many as one in threeAmericans has a criminalrecord. Despite being com-monplace, this status can
cause lifelong socioeconom-ic challenges.
The report, titled, “OneStrike and You’re Out: HowWe Can Eliminate Barriersto Economic Security andMobility for People withCriminal Records,” paintsthe picture with an array ofnumbers:
Ninety-five percent of
people who are incarceratedat any level will be released.
Each day, this is the casefor more than 600,000Americans who served timein prison.
Each year, nearly 12 mil-lion people move throughlocal jails.
With a criminal record, it’sone strike and you’re out
Ronald Lewis still faces challenges from a brush withthe law ten years ago. (Courtesy Ronald Lewis)
President Obama and senior staff gets an earful from Ferguson youth leaders (NNPA Photo by Freddie Allen).
Continued on page 5A
Continued on page 5A
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Nashville, Tenn. – TheCenter for Green Schools atthe U.S. Green BuildingCouncil (USGBC)announced today that Rep.Brenda Gilmore ofNashville, Tenn. is one ofthe 2014 “Best of GreenSchools” recipients. Theaward recognizes 10 indi-viduals, institutions, projectsand events representing thebest environmental efforts inschools across the countrythis year. Rep. Gilmore, astate representative fromTennessee's 54th District, isbeing recognized in thePolicy Maker category. Thelist highlights the nationalleaders and innovators inschool sustainability for theyear.
As the chair and founderof the Tennessee GreenSchools Caucus,Representative Gilmore hasworked with colleagueswithin Tennessee and acrossstate lines to promote activi-ties that improve the placeswhere our children learn.Over the past four years, shehas utilized her position ofleadership to share bestpractices with state legisla-tors from around the coun-try, invited neighboring law-makers from across the aisleto testify in Tennessee andhas spoken at nationalforums on the importance ofgreen schools. In 2014,Representative Gilmorechampioned legislation thatencourages school districtsto utilize less toxic products
and schedule all cleaningand maintenance acts attimes that limit student andstaff exposure to healthharming chemicals.
“I’m so honored toreceive this award from sucha fine organization,”remarked ReprepsentativeGilmore. "As elected offi-cials, we have a responsibil-ity to leave things better thanwe found them, that includesthe environment. There is nogreater instrument for socialchange than our schools,that’s why I have worked sohard on these issues.”
“Selecting the Best ofGreen Schools honorees isan exciting and challengingprocess, as there are so manyfantastic examples of effortsbeing made in communitieslarge and small,” saidRachel Gutter, Director,Center for Green Schools.“Some of the honorees go
Rep. Brenda Gilmorereceives nationalrecognition
Rep. Brenda Gilmore
Continued on page 5A
Page 2A Nashville PRIDE www.pridepublishinggroup.com December 26, 2014
NAShvILLe P*R*I*D*eThe Voice of a Proud Community www.pridepublishinggroup.com
Staff and AffilatesAdministrationPublishers: Meekahl Davis, CEO
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Editorial DepartmentEditor: C. Ailene LydiaManaging Editor: Jomilla NewsomStaff Writers: Jennifer Gerald; David Lawrence; Wanda ClayContributing Writers:Alvin Campbell; T.A. Spence; Reeju DavisGeneral Columnists:Bill Dorian; William T . Robinson, Jr.
Church Columnists: Rev. Robin H.Kimbrough; Rev. William Watson, Rev.Barbara Woods-Washington;
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The Nashville PRIDE (USPN 003861) is published once a week at 40.00 for one year,$80.00 for three (3) years by PRIDE Publishing Inc.,805 Bradford Ave., Nashville,TN37204. Periodicals postage paid at mailing offices in Nashville, TN, 37229. POST-MASTER: Send address changes to PRIDE Publishing Inc., PO Box 60487, Nashville,TN 37206. Service by NNPA wire. Articles submitted for publication are subject to edi-torial rights of PRIDE Publishing Inc.. PRIDE Publishing Inc. accepts no responsibili-ty for loss or damage to unsolicited articles, photographs or art.For subscriptions and advertising rates call: (615) 292-9150. E-mail - News andEditorials: [email protected] Advertising: [email protected]
National/State/Area News
Explore area travelspotsat www.tnvacation.com
Dec. 29-Jan. 2Memphis – Children canexplore the universe aroundthem at Out of This WorldSpace Camp 9 a.m. to 4p.m. daily at The Children’sMuseum of Memphis. Thefee is $150 per student withsnacks and lunch included.Dec. 31Counce – Have a groovyNew Year’s Eve at the“Peace, Love & Pickwick”party with live entertain-ment by Magi, party favors,and a New Year’s Daybrunch at Pickwick LandingState Park. Tickets are $275a couple.Chattanooga – Have aNew Year’s Rockin’ Evewith musical guests TheBeaters in the ImperialBallroom at ChattanoogaChoo Choo.
Memphis – Enjoy anaction-packed day with TheNinja Turtles complete withface painting, temporarytattoos, a Ninja ScavengerHunt and more at NinjaNew Year’s at Noon 10 a.m.to 1 p.m. at The Children’sMuseum of Memphis.Jamestown – Enjoy a NewYear’s Eve Hike with apotluck dinner, interpretiveprograms, and finally, amidnight hike starting at 8p.m. at Pickett State Park.Through Jan. 3, 2015-Bristol, Tenn. /Va.--One ofthe largest Christmas lightshows in the U.S. can befound at Ford Speedway inLights Powered by TVA 6-10 p.m. nightly. The drivingroute is approx. four milesand features 2 million lightsand displays. The entranceis new this year, starting atthe Bristol Dragwayentrance on Hwy. 394.
Guests can enjoy a slidedown Chill Hill, and take aturn around the JohnsonControls Ice Skating Rink.Through Jan. 3-Memphis– Christmas at Graceland isan annual event that has tra-ditional lights and decora-tions, a life-size Nativityscene, Santa and muchmore originally displayedby Elvis. Through Jan. 4, 2015--Chattanooga – Enjoy morethan a dozen holiday pro-grams during HolidaysUnder the Peaks 10 a.m. to6 p.m. at the TennesseeAquarium. January 8--Clarksville,T N - - F i n a n c i a lEmpowerment WorkshopSeries at the TennesseeCAreer Center, 523Madison Street, Suite B.,from 9 a.m.-12 noon. Toregister call Renee at 615-248-1981 ext. 117.
Local ......................................... 3A
Editorials .................................. 4A
Continuations .......................... 5A
Pulpit, Pew & Public .............. 6A
Real Estate ............................... 8A
Our Times ............................... 1B
Education ................................ 2B
Honoring Our Troops ............ 3B
Health ...................................... 4B
Business ................................... 5B
Leisure ..................................... 6B
Sports/Continuations ............. 7B
People ...................................... 8B
Our Times Section
by Herb BoydIn no way should the
names of Michael Brownand Eric Garner be associat-ed with the shooting deathsof two police officersSaturday in Brooklyn, saidthe Rev. Al Sharpton at apress conference Sundaymorning at the headquartersof the National ActionNetwork.
“It is not only morallywrong to use the names ofthese families,” Sharptonsaid, referring to the mes-sage left by the killer, “butit’s hurting the cause thesefamilies are fighting for.” Hesaid what they want to see isa “system that is fair foreveryone.”
Gwen Carr, the mother ofGarner who was killed in achokehold by Officer DanielPantaleo in July, under-scored Sharpton’s com-ments, stating: “I don’t wantmy son’s name connectedwith violence. We are aboutpeaceful nonviolence.”
Garner’s widow, EsawGarner, expressed her heart-felt condolences beforerelinquishing the micro-phone to Sharpton, who
played one of the threateningmessages he has receivedrecently. It wasn’t audiblebut he repeated the message,which said: “Stop killinginnocent people—we willget you.” He said he hadturned the messages over tothe FBI. The press confer-ence ended without anyonetaking questions.
The press conference wascalled in the wake of theshooting deaths of OfficerWenjian Liu and RafaelRamos, who were shot incold blood as they sat eatingin their patrol car byIsmaaiyl Brinsley. The killerthen hurried to a nearby sub-way station where he appar-ently killed himself.
Brinsley had arrived inBrooklyn, where he wasborn, from Baltimore wherehe reportedly shot his ex-girlfriend and then used herphone to text messages thathe was going to kill somepolice officers in revenge ofthe deaths of Michael Brownand Eric Garner. It was thatconnection that promptedSunday’s press conference atNAN.
This was a troubling
moment for Mayor deBlasio, already caught in thethroes of protesters outragedby the non-indictments inFerguson and Staten Islandas well as angry police offi-cials who believe he hassided too much with the pro-testers. “Our hearts areheavy,” he said Saturdayevening at a press confer-ence from WoodhullHospital in Brooklyn withPolice Commissioner BillBratton, Council SpeakerMelissa Mark-Viverito, andBrooklyn D.A. KenThompson nearby. “We losttwo good men who devotedtheir lives to protecting all ofus. When a police officer ismurdered, it tears at the fab-ric of our society.”
The two officers, “wereshot and killed with no warn-ing, no provocation,” saidBratton. They never had achance to draw their guns.
“My deepest thoughtsand prayers are with the fam-ilies of the police officerskilled in the line of dutytoday,” said Public AdvocateLetitia James in an email.
City reacts, mournsloss of NYPD officers
Rev. Al Sharpton and the family of Eric Garner at the National Action Network (photoby Herb Boyd, New York Amsterdam News).
Continued on page 5A
#DoTheMath, a short yetpithy hashtag, is stokingconversation in Californiaand beyond about the long-debated funding of educa-tion versus prisons. Thephrase, pushed by theCalifornia Endowment, isgaining traction as the out-look on young minorities’lives has become a nationaltopic in light of recent policebrutality and racial bias alle-gations.
In its billboards,California Endowmentasserts that on average, thecost of prison is about$62,300 in contrast to$9,100 for students. Anotherbillboard points to the for-mation of only oneUniversity of California(UC) campus since 1980compared with 22 prisons.The prison-funding estimateis based on data from theCalifornia Budget Project.
The foundation has seed-ed some of the state’s busiestfreeways with eye-catchingbillboards to raise awarenessabout the state’s emphasis onspending to support its cor-rections system rather than
education. The #DoTheMathhashtag, though not solelyused by CaliforniaEndowment, has attractedattention in social media.
“The communityresponse is very encouragingand the message was veryquickly embraced, which isalways nice to hear. It’s notjust people being nice. With
social media and other met-rics, we have a way to quan-tify how well messages aredoing,” said Mary LouFulton, senior program man-ager for CaliforniaEndowment.
Although CaliforniaEndowment is essentially a
Prison vs. education, health costs#DoTheMath campaign makes sense
Continued on page 5A
Even though N.Y.C.Mayor Bill de Blasio hascalled for a time out as far aspolice demonstrations areconcerned, protesters aren’tlistening.
The bottom line is thatactivist groups in New YorkCity have rejected a call bythe mayor to hold off on anynew demonstrations untilafter the funerals of twoNYPD officers who wereambushed and murdered
Saturday in Brooklyn.The killings have aggra-
vated tensions betweenpolice, City Hall, and pro-testers who have staged reg-ular demonstrations since aStaten Island grand juryrefused to indict an officerearlier this month in connec-tion with the death of 43-year-old Eric Garner.Amateur video shows theofficer putting Garner in anillegal chokehold while
questioning him over thesale of untaxed cigarettes.
“We are in a very diffi-cult moment. Our focus hasto be on these families,” deBlasio said Monday at policeheadquarters. “I think it’s atime for everyone to putaside political debates, putaside protests, put aside allof the things that we will talkabout in all due time.”
However, Rev. AlSharpton told Reuters lateMonday that de Blasio’srequest was too “ill-defined”to heed.
“Is a vigil a protest? Is ita rally?” Sharpton asked.
Another group, TheAnswer Coalition, said itwould go ahead with a long-planned march Tuesdayevening, and denounced themayor for what it called an“outrageous” attempt to chillfree speech.
A few dozen protestersstaged a ‘die-in’ at GrandCentral Terminal beforemarching toward TimesSquare.
Despite Mayor de Blasio’s callfor break in demonstrations,NYC protesters won’t stop
NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio
Donate reusable heavyduty shopping bags to beused for food bags for veter-ans and their families.Contact [email protected] Stand DownTennessee, 1125 12th Ave.S. 615-248-1981.
December 28--P.E.N.Networking "Party With APurpose" Liberia's fightagainst Ebola Benefit at TheFleming Center, 2015 WestEnd Avenue from 6-10 p.m.with entertainment fromDJE.J.B MD & Cobalt BlueFashion Show featuringQueens Collection byBluffin. The admission is adonation. Pledges are beingrequested that can be paidby Martin Luther KingDay. For more informationcall 615-400-5493.
December 29 – Livemusic and a free concertwill be the highlights of theMusicFest and Battle of theBands as part of the festivi-ties for the Music City Bowl
5-7 p.m. in downtownNashville.
Through Jan. 3, 2015 -- Gaylord Opryland’s “ACountry Christmas” bringsclassic Christmas entertain-ment with sensational deco-rations, entertainment andsome of the most delectablefood anywhere. The eventalso features the Radio CityChristmas Spectacular,ICE! and more.
Jan. 10--European andAmerican art historians willgather to present a publicsymposium to coincide with“Sanctity Pictured: The Artof the Dominican andFranciscan Orders inRenaissance Italy” 10:30a.m. to 4 p.m. at the FristCenter for the Visual Art’sAuditorium.
January 24--AgingMatters: "End of Life"Screening and Panel discus-sion at Fondren Hall,Harambee Auditorium,
1:30-3 p.m.
Through January 25 –The newest exhibition“Sanctity Pictured: The Artof the Dominican andFranciscan Orders inRenaissance Italy,” the firstexhibition to examinetogether the art ofFranciscans andDominicans during the peri-od of their height in power,will run at the Frist Centerfor the Visual Arts.
--Narconon would like to
remind families that the useof addicting drugs is on therise, take steps to protectyour family from drug use.If you know anyone who isstruggling with drug addic-tion get them the help theyneed. Call for a freebrochure on the signs ofaddiction for all drugs.Narconon also offers freescreenings and referrals.800-431-1754 or DrugAbuseSolution.com
---
December 26, 2014 www.pridepublishinggroup.com Nashville PRIDE Page 3ALocal News
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The Davidson CountySheriff’s Office (DCSO) cel-ebrates its 31st year of pro-viding free, safe, and soberrides home to those ringingin the New Year inNashville. The project aimsto save lives and is com-pletely run by DCSOemployee volunteers. Threepick-up locations around thecounty will be provided,including: Second Avenueand Church Street;Demonbreun Street at theRoundabout; and Five Pointsin East Nashville.
“For 31 years now,employees from the sheriff’soffice are offering soberrides home to those whohave had too much to drink.All you have to do is go toone of our Sober Ride pick-up locations,” Sheriff DaronHall said. “The Sober Rideprogram is a Nashville tradi-tion and we are proud to con-tinue offering this free serv-ice year after year. Residentsand visitors alike shouldmake the right decision and
go to one of these locationsto get a sober ride.”
All drivers are sheriff’soffice employees and manyof the more than 100 volun-teers have made Sober Ridetheir New Year’s Eve tradi-tion. Volunteers took morethan 800 people home lastyear. Drivers will take peo-ple home or to a hotel, not toanother party or bar, andserves Davidson Countyonly. Operating hours arefrom 10 pm New Year’s Eveto 2 am New Year’s Day. Noreservations accepted.
“Nashville is a top desti-nation city for New Year’sEve, so we will have a lot oftourists and locals celebrat-ing in front of a nationalaudience. For the first timeever, the downtown celebra-tion is being featured onDick Clark’s New Year’sRockin’ Eve television spe-cial,” Hall said. “We wanteveryone to have a fantasticnight; however, the mostimportant decision you canmake this holiday, or any
day for that matter, is to notdrink and drive. Anyonedrinking this New Year’sEve should choose a soberride, arrive home safely, andstay out of our jail.”
Hall encourages anyonein the downtown area tomake alternative plans for asober ride. Adding it’s “vir-tually impossible” to effec-tively move many people outof the downtown area whencrowd expectations are pro-jected to be over 75,000. Theclosest Sober Ride pick-uplocation near the downtownfestivities is Second Avenueand Church Street.
Sheriff’s Office volunteersoffer sober ridesPick-up at three differentplaces around Nashville
Party with a purposeLiberia’s Fight Against EbolaBenefit to be held Dec. 28th
The African American Cultural Alliance (AACA) are joining withP.E.N.Networking in hosting a "A Party With A Purpose ", Liberia's FightAgainst Ebola Benefit. The event. Will take place on December 28th at theFleming Center, 2015 West End Ave. from 6pm to 10pm. Pictured above is theentertainment for the evening, DJ MD & Cobolt Blue. They will present a fash-ion show featuring Queens Collection by Buffin. The public is invited to share inthis event as we come together to support this great cause. The admission is a donation. We will be accepting pledges that can be paid out byMartin Luther King Day in January 2015. For more information contact Charles H. at 615-400-5493.
Hands On Nashville ishonoring Martin LutherKing, Jr.'s legacy of servingthe community with twodays of action that willimprove Nashville's commu-nity centers.
The nonprofit is askingfor volunteers to help honorKing on Jan. 17 and 19 withtwo to three hours of theirhelp for improving four ofMusic City's communitycenters. HON is expectinghundreds to help improvethe Cleveland, Coleman,Hadley and Looby commu-nity centers.
"Specifically atColeman, we have a lot ofwhite walls, and those white
walls have taken a prettygood hit once the centeropened in 2008," said
Stevon Neloms, facility
honor MLK’s legacy bybecoming hON volunteer
Continued on page 5A
Volunteer paints walls at a community center
NASHVILLE – More than4,600 students with access tothe StrIDe program are usingit, according to the latestNashville MTA youth rider-ship numbers.
Nashville Mayor KarlDean announced the pro-gram at his State of Metroaddress last May, andNashville MTA and MetroPublic Schools implementedthe program at the start ofthis current school year.Students in grades 9 through12 can ride MTA buses at nocost simply by showing theirschool authorized studentID.
“Giving high school stu-dents the freedom to accesscity buses opens up opportu-nities for them to go toschool, internships, jobs andother activities,” MayorDean said. “These ridershipnumbers show that our stu-dents appreciate transporta-tion options, and I believethis partnership with MTAand Metro Schools will leadto even more young peoplelearning about mass transit
and riding city buses to getwhere they need to go.”
In October andNovember, nearly 21 percentof students with access to theStrIDe program used theservice on school days. Thenumbers also indicate thatstudents are utilizing it onweekends with Saturday rid-ership averaging 1,393 andSunday ridership averaging894 passenger trips.Average daily ridership ofstudents using their StrIDecard during Metro Schools’fall break in October was1,785.
“Total youth ridershiphas increased 8 percent, andthat’s a good thing,” MTACEO Steve Bland said. “TheStrIDE program has helpedintroduce public transit to anew audience that hopefullywill use bus service continu-ally as a reliable and effi-cient form of transporta-tion.”
Youth riders presentlymake up more than 22 per-cent of Nashville MTA cus-tomers.
“We believe that as thestudents become more famil-iar with the opportunitiesthat the StrIDe programoffers, more will take advan-tage of it,” Bland added.
The youth transit pro-gram was an idea that waschampioned in Metro's 2010child and youth master planby Councilman RonnieSteine. In its 2013 educationreport card, the NashvilleArea Chamber of Commercerecommended expandedyouth mobility to allow formore school choice. Thispilot program was developedfrom these two initiatives.
“We are grateful for thepartnership with MTA,”Director of Schools Dr. JesseRegister said. “StrIDe givesstudents more equitablechoices in high school,allowing them to choosewhat they study based ontheir individual interests, nottheir zip code. This is a greatstart with thousands of stu-dents taking advantage ofthe opportunity. We know itwill only continue to grow.”
For more informationabout bus routes or sched-ules, call MTA CustomerCare at (615) 862-5950 orvisit the MTA website atNashvilleMTA.org.
Metro youth ridershipprogram starts out strong
StrIDe initiative offersno cost bus rides
by William T. Robinson, Jr.I don’t think you will find
anyone who loves the festiveseason surroundingChristmas as much as I do. Ilove the colorful vibrant dec-orations coming at you, forc-ing you to smile and appreci-ate the beauty of your sur-roundings. I love the smellof Christmas with the livetrees and wreaths and cakesand pies being baked for theholidays. And what can bemore uplifting than thesound of Christmas carolsinundating the air. It’s a feelgood time for me, and a timethat makes me ever moreappreciative of the love ofGod.
At one time, Christmaswas the ultimate event to cel-ebrate and focus on God’slove for humanity. With thebirth of Jesus the Christ, Godshowed his love for us byproviding a savior for theworld. But now it seems thatthe ultimate purpose ofChristmas is being dilutedand even trivialized. While itshould be a time of fellow-ship and goodwill towardyour brethren, you find thosewho wish to diminishChristmas’ true meaning, allfor the sake of respecting therights of others who don’tshare the Christian faith.
I, in return, only ask forthe right to praise and honorthe gift of my salvation,meaning no harm to thosewho may not share myviews. I find it ironic that ina time promoting harmonyand goodwill toward yourbrother man that by mani-festing visibly that goodwill,
it is determined as offensive. I, for one, respect the
right of anyone to worship asthey please as long as theydon’t cause harm to others. Idon’t believe any religionprovoking harm to others isof God or translates truespirituality. However, as aChristian, I feel that myrights are being violatedwhen I can’t publically cele-brate my love for the birth ofmy savior. I say this becausepublically acknowledging orshowing any religious ref-erence to Christ, which isreally the reason for the sea-son, seems to be discouragedor challenged as disrespect-ful to those of other faiths.Something is profoundlywrong with this perceptionbecause I don’t feel anyoneis being forced to changetheir religion—but rather tosee how those who loveChrist embrace his cominginto the world. It is a time oflove, sharing, giving, andrejoicing. But it appears as ifChristians are being made todownplay this great occa-sion. No one should feelforced to participate or be
ostracized because theydon’t agree with Christmasbeing recognized as the birthof Christ, the Savior. Ourcountry seems to recognizeevery other group’s right toworship aside fromChristians on whose beliefsthis country was spiritualfounded.
More emphasis is beingput on not using the word‘Christmas.’ Instead we referto the ‘holiday season,’which includes many otherevents, e.g.: Hanukkah,Kwanzaa, and even the NewYear. That is fine. However,those who acknowledge thistime basically as Christmasshould not have to apologizefor not being politically cor-rect. The truth of the matteris that by using the excuse ofbeing politically correct, youare trivializing what manyconsider to be ‘Christmas.’More emphasis is put onSanta Claus, which in allhonesty promotes capitalism(buying gifts). While it isnice to give presents if youchose, let’s not ignore thesmokescreen to promoteChristmas through capital-ism. Many of the very retail-ers promoting the holidayseason don’t believe inChrist. It is all about the dol-lar bill.
Celebrate as you will, butI will unapologetically honorthe Christmas season bypraising and honoring myGod for his ultimate gift, hisson. I only feel pity for thoseChristians who have acqui-esced to a world trying totrivialize or eradicate theirGod.
Page 4A Nashville PRIDE www.pridepublishinggroup.com December 26, 2014Editorials
The editorials on this page do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publishers or staff of this newspaper.
by Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.President Obama’s his-
toric announcement that theU.S. is restoring diplomaticrelations with Cuba, aftermore than five decades ofstrategic political and mili-tary opposition, is today res-onating positively through-out Black America. It is inthe economic, cultural andpolitical interests of 42.7million Black Americansacross the United States tofocus on the new emergingopportunities to strengthenrelationships with the peopleand government of theRepublic of Cuba.
“In the most significantchanges in our policy inmore than 50 years,” saidPresident Obama, “we willend an outdated approachthat, for decades, has failedto advance our interests, andinstead we will begin to nor-malize relations between our
two countries. Through thesechanges, we intend to createmore opportunities for theAmerican and Cuban people,and begin a new chapteramong the nations of theAmericas.”
A key question that needsto be asked is: How will thechanges that PresidentObama highlighted aboutCuba afford BlackAmericans in particularmore opportunities to estab-lish joint ventures and otherbusiness relationships withthe people of Cuba? Toooften some of us limit our-selves to lengthy debatesabout our changing world,but miss out on a chance toparticipate in helping toactually shape and build newworld realities.
Our worldview hasalways included internation-al perspectives. Our con-sciousness is informed not
just by what might be popu-lar domestically at any givenmoment in time, but alsohow we see the internationalstruggle for freedom, justiceand equality.
In Black American edu-cation, literature, music,sports, business, religion andother cultural realms wehave witnessed the benefitsof defining and securing theinterests of African peoplethroughout the world.
I vividly rememberJames Baldwin encouragingme to understand better whatwas meant by the slogan‘Viva Cuba!’ Baldwinhelped me to see the rela-tionship between the CubanRevolution and the AfricanLiberation Movementagainst imperialism, colo-nization and the sufferings ofneo-colonialism in the 1960sand 1970s.
‘Viva Cuba’ became syn-
onymous with ‘Viva Africa!’Angola and Namibia, as wellthe African NationalCongress (ANC) in SouthAfrica, all benefited from theenormous sacrifice and sup-port that Cuba rendered tosouthern Africa during the1970s and 1980s.
Now that Cuba is onceagain the subject of solidari-ty for some and renewedridicule from others, Ibelieve it is important forBlack Americans to activelysupport for our brothers andsisters in the island nation ofCuba. More than 11 millionpeople live in Cuba. The2002 Cuban census puts theBlack population at 10%,mulatto 23.8%, Asian onepercent and Whites at 65%.Most estimates place thepeople of color figure at 40-60% of the population.
I have been to Cubamany times, and each time I
am reminded how Africanculture and Latin culturehave fused together extraor-dinarily well in Havana, thecapital city, and in the otherurban and rural areas of thenation.
I thank Harry Belafonteand others for helping toinspire the current genera-tion of Cuban poets, writers,musicians and hip-hop artistsin Havana who will certainlynow have a stronger chanceto spread their artistic geniusthroughout the world. Weshould remain vigilantbecause the forces of repres-sion and ignorance are stillactive.
Predictably, some conser-vatives have alreadyannounced plans to haveCongress block Obama’splan to designation of a U.S.ambassador to Cuba. Theeconomic blockade of Cubais a matter that only the U.S.
Congress can end throughlegislation. But the will ofthe people can forceCongress to do the rightthing regarding Cuba. Let’scontinue to stand up andspeak about Cuba and therest of the world. This is nota time for Black America tobe silent.
Blacks should support normalizing relations with Cuba
Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.
by Jineea Butler One of my mentors asked
me why I was so quiet andnot making my voice heardin the streets protesting forjustice. First, because ‘ICan’t Breathe.’ I am still inmourning over all thesebabies being gunned downby the people who are sup-posed to protect us. It goesback to what I have beensaying all along is the HipHop’s ‘Dilemma’—the com-mon distasteful physical,emotional and/or mentaltrauma people are experienc-ing when coming into con-tact with members of the HipHop community.
I am beginning to thinkthat the ‘Hip Hop Dilemma’may need to be classified asa psychological disorder.This is a testament to thepower of Hip Hop and itsability to generate transfor-mative energy through themusic and lifestyle so muchso that people could kill us.
The common factor inmost of these situations isthat the victims are all youngBlack males who resemble astereotype—in most cases, aHip Hop stereotype. HipHop is not the cause, but it’sthe stimulus that is triggeringthese reactions. The imagesthat are created around whoand what a ‘thug’ in theBlack community looks likeis drawn from the imagesusually associated with Hip
Hop.The old expression that
‘we all look alike’ stillapplies today. How cansomeone who is ill informedabout the culture differenti-ate between someone who isdoing crime and someonewho is just dressing to makea statement. Let’s admit weboth need to make somechanges in how we roll.
We can clearly see whensomeone in our communityis up to no good vs. someonewho is getting jiggy with it.But can everybody else? Ifno one was doing any crime,and no one looked like andcarried out criminal activi-ties, then we couldn’t lose.But I think the part we don’twant to acknowledge is theelement in our communitythat is giving these peoplethe impression that theirlives are in danger. And that
is the common denominatoron how they are winningthese cases.
The misunderstanding isthat White America thinkswe are ignoring the crimethat is going on in the streetsand then raising hell aboutthe officers who work to pro-tect the community and‘accidentally’ kill one of ourchildren.
They don’t understandwhy we don’t protest allBlack lives lost with thesame vigor we are protestingpolice killings. Their ques-tion to us is: Why aren’t youraising hell about the 50 peo-ple who got killed by theirown people between the EricGarner and Michael Brownverdicts? Their lives mattertoo.
To some in the Hip Hopcommunity, the deaths ofEric and Big Mike are casu-alties of war (collateral dam-age) because they think weare living in a kill or bekilled war zone. Their confu-sion over our lifestyles gen-erates repressed feelings,and these feelings areexploding and creating thesesituations. The argumentfrom much of WhiteAmerica is ‘yes, we need tofix the police problem, butwe also need to fix thisBlack-on-Black crime prob-lem.’ And they are right.
They are using the lawagainst us and we have to be
smart and strategic about ourmoves. The pressing fear haslit a fire, now we are afraidof one another. If we got allthis strength in numbers, it’stime to turn to our youngmen and women in our com-munity and say ‘enough isenough.’ Stop the killing sowe have a leg to stand onwhen someone violates a fel-low Citizen of Hip Hop. Ifwe are going to hold every-body else accountable, let’sattack the crime problemwith the same vigor we arechanging the criminal justicesystem. Let’s talk that tough
talk to ourselves and stop theinfighting, selfishness, back-stabbing and killing.
We have a clear visionabout what fairness in thecriminal justice systemshould look like. Let’s alsohave a clear vision of theeducation system. Let’s getour children up to speed tocompete with the rest ofAmerica. It’s not enough toask the police to be moreunderstanding of our culture.We need to be more under-standing of others’ and ourcultures and more vigilantprotecting our children on all
fronts. Don’t just tell meBlack lives matter. Show me.
People have lost respectfor who we are as a people.They know our bark is big-ger than our bite. People arenot always reacting to ourchildren out of pure racistbehavior. Rather, they arereacting because of whatthey are being trained tothink about us. Let’s use thismomentum as a springboardfor resurrection. Let’s plannew goals for our communi-ty.
Let’s look like we think,and let’s play like we win.
Time to reform ‘thug’image of hip hop
Jineea Butler
By Charlene CrowellNNPA Columnist
The groundswell forcriminal justice reform hasbecome nearly daily head-line news. Demonstrationsspanning the nation andmany parts of the globe havedemanded justice for thoselives taken by questionableand fatal police behavior.
Yet, Black America alsosuffers from another kind ofinjustice that is economic innature and as pervasive as itis cruel. According to a newanalysis of the FederalReserve’s Survey ofConsumer Finances, Whitehousehold wealth stands at13 times that of Black house-holds. Similarly, when Whitewealth was compared to thatof Latino households, thewealth gap was more than 10times.
After accounting for totalhousehold financial assetssuch as savings, investments,and business equity, the PewResearch Center then sub-tracted all indebtedness,including mortgages, install-ment loans, credit cards stu-dent loans and more. Theresults in dollar values deter-mined that the median networth of White householdsin 2013 was $141,900. ForBlacks and Latinos, howev-er, median net worth wasonly $11,000 and $13,700,respectively.
The authors of the report,Richard Fry and RakeshKochhar, wrote, “[F]inancialassets such as stocks, haverecovered in value morequickly than housing sincethe recession ended. Whitehouseholds are much morelikely than minority house-holds to own stocks directlyor indirectly through retire-ment accounts. Thus, they[Whites] were in better posi-tion to benefit from therecovery in financial mar-kets.”
This reasoning mayapply post-recession; butAmerica’s racial wealthdivide has existed through-out most of the nation’s his-tory.
For example, for morethan 200 years enslavedAfricans and their descen-dants worked with no wages.Emancipation freed formerslaves; but few opportunitiesfor immediate gainfulemployment existed.Although Reconstruction ledto some short-lived econom-ic gains, the “Black Codes”that soon followed with JimCrow laws and practicesreversed most financialgains. America’s ‘coloredwages’ continued for severaldecades until 1960s federalcivil rights legislation calledfor equal employment andbanned racial discriminationin employment, publicaccommodations, housingand voting.
It is also noteworthy toremember that early federalhomeownership programswere structured in ways thatdiscriminated against Blackborrowers. For example, theFHA and GI Bill’s housingprograms had severe biasesagainst urban homes andneighborhoods with largenumbers of minorities. Thesepolicies and practices led tothe virtual exclusion ofBlack families in obtainingaffordable and sustainablemortgages.
At the locale level,restrictive covenants bannedpeople of color from neigh-borhoods, regardless of theirability to afford homes.Some restrictive covenantsexisted even in communitiesthat did not officially man-date racial segregation.
The CommunityReinvestment Act (CRA),enacted in 1977, requiresdepository institutions suchas banks and credit unions touse safe and sound practicesto meet the credit needs ofcommunities where theyoperate – including low andmoderate-income neighbor-hoods. In May 1995 andagain in August 2005, CRA’sregulation was substantiallyrevised and updated.
Even with CRA, howev-er, predatory lenders consis-tently targeted consumers of
color in their own neighbor-hoods. Often in the absenceof full-service, mainstreamfinancial services, thesefringe lenders arrived toexploit financial needs inurban areas. In the process,valuable dollars have beendrained from wallets andlivelihoods.
For example, 2012research by the Center forResponsible Lending (CRL)found that:
Black and Latino fami-lies bore $1 trillion of thenation’s $2 trillion in lostwealth due to the concentra-tion of subprime mortgagesin communities of color;
Auto loan interest-ratemarkups cost consumersnearly $26 billion each year;and
Borrowers in lower cred-it tiers pay up to 68 percenthigher monthly payments onprivate student loans than onsafer federal loans.
If economic injustice isallowed to continue,America’s disturbing wealthgap trends will underscorewhat the 1960s KernerCommission report predict-ed: two Americas divided byrace.
As a New Year begins, adifferent kind of resolution isin order: Economic justicefor all.
Charlene Crowell is acommunications managerfor the Center forResponsible Lending. Shecan be reached [email protected].
December 26, 2014 www.pridepublishinggroup.com Nashville PRIDE Page 5AContinuations
“Every day, New YorkPolice Officers put them-selves in harm’s way to pro-tect us, and we honor theservice of New York’sfinest.” Later, after theSunday’s press conference,in an interview with attorneyJonathan Moore, who repre-sents the Garner family, said
that he and the family arewaiting until the federalauthorities complete theirinvestigation before they goforward with their lawsuit.
Moore also represents thefamily of Akai Gurley whowas killed on a darkenedstairwell in East New Yorkby the police in November.
He said he is awaiting theoutcome of the investigationthere as well, which will behandled by D.A. Thompson.Moore said Thompsonappears to be sensitive to thesituation and “we will haveto give him the benefit of thedoubt,” as they move toimpanel a grand jury.
NYPD officers... from page 2A
health advocacy organiza-tion, officials say communi-ty issues such as educationhave an impact on health andquality of life, which is whythe organization focuses onrelated concerns. The#DoTheMath campaign is anextension of the foundation’sBuilding HealthyCommunities initiative, a10-year program introducedabout five years ago.
Spending figures on thestate’s prisoners have risensignificantly since 1994when the state enacted thecontroversial ‘3-Strikes’ law.During 1994-95, the statespent an average of $33,391per inmate, adjusted forinflation, an 87% increase.The increase is attributed toseveral factors, includinghigher staffing levels,employee raises that out-paced increases in the cost ofliving, and an increase in thecost of healthcare forinmates, according to areport released in Februaryfrom the California BudgetProject. The report notes thegeneral increase in correc-tions spending is not due to agrowing prison population.There is a marginal declinein prisoners projected for2014-15 compared to 1994-95.
“This idea of ‘Do TheMath,’ which is a very sim-ple comparison, comparinghow much we spend each
year in California to keepsomeone in prison, com-pared to what we spend tosupport a child in our Kthrough 12 school system, itjust doesn’t add up,” shesaid.
According to Fulton,shortly after the initiativebegan, the foundation visitedcommunities to gauge stu-dents’ experiences in school.Much of the feedbackaligned with research indi-cating some of the chal-lenges to a student’s successand gateway to healthy andprosperous lives.
“In our research [and]outreach on the communitylevel, one of the things weheard from young peoplewas the extent to which theywere being suspended fromschool for minor misbehav-ior. Some of them two, three,five times a year and youthof color, particularly AfricanAmerican and Latino boyswere suspended at the high-est rates of all,” said Fulton.
“The young peopleunderstood right away whatthe research tells us, which isthat if you are suspendedfrom school, your chances ofdoing well are not as goodbecause you miss school,you fall behind, you areunsupervised, more chancesto get into trouble, morelikely not to finish highschool, more likely to beinvolved with the justice sys-
tem.”Californians for Safety
and Justice, a non-profit ini-tiative under the TideFoundation, was among sev-eral groups to swiftlyembrace the #DoTheMathcampaign. The #DoTheMathcampaign coincided withCalifornians for Safety andJustice’s public educationcampaign #SchoolsNotPrisons, which launched lastsummer. The campaignincluded Twitter chats withThe California Endowment,Color of Change, andnotable activists includingHarry Belafonte, Jasiri X,and Russell Simmons. Theorganization also produced avideo with Simmons to sup-port the campaign, said MikeSmith, director of communi-cations for the organization.
Smith hailed CaliforniaEndowment’s initiative as a“bold and compelling cam-paign” that questions howmoney is spent on prisonsinstead of prevention.
“The public has increas-ingly questioned the value ofspending so much money onprisons. [#DoTheMath] and#SchoolsNotPrisons armedconcerned Californians withthe facts and gave them away to say, in a unifiedvoice, that we want to investscarce taxpayer resources insmart safety priorities,” saidSmith.
Prison vs. education... from page 2A
coordinator at Coleman ParkCommunity Center. "It's niceto get those walls back tolooking great."
Volunteers can choose toeither prepare each centerfor painting on Jan. 17 from8-9:30 am or 10 am-1 pm, orhelp with painting on Jan. 19(MLK Day) from 9 am tonoon.
Additionally, this year'stheme is ‘Protecting andServing Our Neighbors’ towhich the Nashville Fire
Department will be teachingvolunteers fire preventionmeasures.
Today, Hands onNashville is one of thelargest volunteer resourcecenters in the world. In2013, HON connected orreferred more than 123,000volunteers to service oppor-tunities.
They offer more than 300volunteer opportunities tothe community each monthvia their partnerships with
Nashville-area nonprofitorganizations and our ownHands On Nashville pro-gramming.
Hands On Nashville’smission is to meet communi-ty needs through volun-teerism. They connect vol-unteers to critical issues fac-ing the Middle Tennesseecommunity such as hunger,homelessness, and environ-mental issues
To become a volunteer,go to <www.hon.org>.
honor MLK’s legacy... from page 3A
similarly, saying: “Iggy has aplace in HipHop…herplace….” He later added,“Leave that girl alone unlessyou gonna beat her ass in aone on one. Until then, sheain’t the first and will not bethe last.”
And Iggy Said…“Thanks Lupe and
Will.i.am what you guys saidwas really nice and i appre-ciate it.”
“It’s completely fine andI’m used to it by now. i don’t
lose any sleep over it.”“How you feel about me
blending musical genrestogether doesn’t bother me,no one is making you sup-port or buy pop rap albums.”
So just how successful isIggy Azalea?
In just two years, Iggybecame only the fourth solofemale rapper ever to top theHot 100. She also joined TheBeatles as the only acts torank at numbers one and twosimultaneously with their
first two Hot 100 hits. Evenmore, she has already passedLil’ Kim as the female rap-per with the longest-leadingnumber one single on theBillboard Hot 100.
Her “Fancy” song hasalready been certified plat-inum with more than 1 mil-lion copies sold. The videoon YouTube has more than400 million views.
Learn more about IggyAzela atwww.iggyazalea.com.
People are talking... from page 1A
about their work quietly, oth-ers are in public positionsand have the attention of anational audience. Every oneof the honorees is a leader,taking risks, setting anexample for others, innovat-ing and diligently pursuing aworld in which every studentattends a green school withinthe next generation. Rep.Gilmore brings people fromall walks of life, from differ-ent political persuasions,together around green schoolissues. She is making wavesin her community andbeyond.”
The recipients of the Bestof Green Schools 2014 willreceive recognition through-out the year from the U.S.Green Building Council, aswell as access to the Green
Classroom ProfessionalCertificate Program, a tool tohelp school staff and educa-tors identify what supportsor impedes healthy, resourceefficient and environmental-ly sustainable learningspaces. They are:
• Business Leadership– Bristol-Myers Squibb(New York, N.Y.)
• Collaboration –State University of NewYork at Buffalo (Buffalo,N.Y.)
• Transformation –Green Bronx Machine(South Bronx, New York,N.Y.)
• Community Event –Learning Gate CommunitySchool (Lutz, Fla.)
• Moment for theMovement – AnnieDonnelly (West Palm Beach,Fla..)
Please visit centerfor-greenschools.org/bestof2014for more information oneach of this year’s honorees.
Rep. Brenda Gilmore... from page 1A
As of 2012, more than4.7 million Americans wereon probation or parole. Mostwill be confronted with theirrecord as they attempt torejoin society.
Research cited in theCAP report estimates that 87percent of employers, 80percent of landlords, and 66percent of colleges use crim-inal and credit backgroundchecks to screen applicants.
By 2012, the FederalBureau of Investigationsreleased six times as manybackground checks foremployers as it had the pre-vious decade. The federallaw that regulates the crimi-nal and credit background-check industry was enactedin 1970, before the Internet;it generally applies to creditscreening, as opposed tocriminal records.
Thus, millions of peoplewho have been arrested –even for exercising theirconstitutional right to protest– and were never convictedor incarcerated, still carrythe stain of having criminalcharges come up in a back-ground check.
Low-income and peopleof color with criminalrecords are often most likelyto fall into a cycle of povertyas a result of their records.The transgression, plus acommon lack of skills and/oreducation, often merge tobar them from employment,and then from the socialsafety net that keeps peoplefrom sliding into deep pover-ty.
In addition to theemployment challenges, dif-ficulties with housing, publicassistance, education andtraining, and economic sta-bility and mobility com-pound their predicament.
In the case of publichousing, for example, feder-
al guidelines bar people withcertain convictions andcriminal activity – mostlydrug-related, but also violentand sexual offenses – fromreceiving assistance.
However, local agenciesmanage federal housing pro-grams and have authority tocreate their own guidelines.In many areas, agencies gobeyond the federal guide-lines to evict or deny hous-ing to entire families if anyone member has anencounter with the criminaljustice system, regardless ofwhether they were ever con-victed.
Similar restrictions existon receiving food assistance,federal grants, and need-based aid for college.There’s also the significantchallenge of debt incurredfrom moving through thecriminal justice system.
The difficulties oftenextend past the person withthe record. The report notesthat as of 2012, more thanhalf of incarcerated adultshave minor children.Currently, more than one infour Black 20-somethingshave had a parent incarcerat-ed during their childhood.
“It affects everybodyclose to you,” says Lewis.“From the moment you getin trouble, it’s a disappoint-ment, it affects your mom….Then your family sees youtrying to turn your lifearound and enduring rejec-tion after rejection. Then thatspills over to your wife andyour kids because yourmood is not the best, andyour sense of self-worth isnot the best.”
There’s a form from hisdaughter’s school that hestill hasn’t signed andreturned. It includes a ques-tion on criminal background.
He says, “I don’t want
them to see her differentlybecause of my record, orthings that I did.”
The report makes severalrecommendations to bothpublic and private sectors onimproving outcomes forAmericans with criminalrecords. Most recommenda-tions center on new or updat-ed legislation in employ-ment, background check reg-ulations, public assistance,criminal justice debts includ-ing child support, education-al aid, and more.
“Providing a clean slateis the single most powerfultool to resolve the obstaclesdocumented in this report,”the authors write. “Congressand the states should enactlegislation to automaticallyseal low-level, nonviolentconvictions after an individ-ual has demonstrated his orher rehabilitation – meaningif he or she has not beenrearrested within 10 years ofconviction. Non-convictionrecords should be automati-cally sealed or expunged, atno charge to the individualand without their needing toapply or petition the court.”
Currently, Lewis is com-ing upon a year beingemployed in his field. Atnight he goes to school toearn an HVAC certification,which will be his third pro-fessional license. In thefuture, he hopes to start hisown company to give peoplesecond chances.
“You have to give peoplesomething to do, somethingthey can be proud of,” saysthe father of two. “You serveyour time, and then it’s likedouble jeopardy becauseevery time you apply for ajob it comes up. It’s onestrike and you’re out. Evenin baseball there’s threestrikes.”
With a criminal record... from page 1A
law enforcement agencies(LEAs), “the programsreviewed do not necessarilyfoster or require civilrights/civil liberties trainingand they generally lackmechanisms to hold LEAsaccountable for the misuseor misapplication of equip-ment. This variation amongfederal agencies makestracking the overall effects,use and misuse of federal orfederally-funded equipmentdifficult.”
Although the group wasencouraged by some of thepresident’s proposals,Ashley Yates, co-founder ofMillennial Activists United,a St. Louis-area civil rightsgroup, said that there needsto be youth voices on thetask force as well.
“There needs to be peo-ple of the Black communitythat are activists in thatroom, there needs to be peo-ple of the Black communitywho are most affected bythis oppression in thatroom,” said Yates. “Youhave to allow space for peo-ple who are affected by thismilitarization and policebrutality to define theiroppression, so that we canactually frame the problemcorrectly.”
Jose Lopez, a lead organ-izer with Make the RoadNew York, a civil rightsgroup focused on Latino andworking class communities,said that collecting and shar-ing data on police activity isinstrumental when it comesto holding police officersaccountable when they breakthe law or violate a citizen’srights. Right now, Lopezsaid, that data is either notbeing collected at the depart-ment level in municipalitiesacross the country or thedata being collected is notvoluntarily shared.
Because the JusticeDepartment relies on localpolice departments to self-report, police shootings andjustifiable homicides, crimi-nal justice experts believethose statistics don’t show acomplete picture.
“It’s absurd that this is allvoluntary,” said Lopez. “Weneed to set a precedent at thefederal level so that statesand cities fill the need toreport.”
Lopez continued: “Weneed to make sure that we’remandating reporting ofpolice precincts the sameway that we mandate report-ing of schools in this coun-try.”
Phillip Agnew, the exec-utive director of the DreamDefenders, a diverse civilrights group founded byyoung people in the after-math of the shooting deathof Trayvon Martin, anunarmed Black teenager inSanford, Fla., said that thegroup of young activistsappreciated the meeting withthe president and that it wasthe result of decades anddecades of work, organizing,and unrest.
“For it to be as historic aswe believe it could be, we’vegot to deliver some mean-ingful policies,” said Agnew.“Until then, we and peopleacross the country, are goingto continue to take to thestreets, we’re going to con-tinue to disrupt the dailyorder, we’re going to contin-ue to make sure that businessdoes not happen as usual,until we see some meaning-ful reform and a clear indica-tion, not only from the presi-dent’s office, but also fromgovernors, mayors andpolice chiefs around thiscountry that Black lives dotruly matter.”
Yates said that the youngpeople protesting police bru-tality and the militarizationof state and local lawenforcement agenciesnationwide need to seePresident Obama use thepower of his position toenact some real change. “Wehave been on the groundmaking the changes that wecan in our community, butthese are high level changesthat we need to see,” saidYates. “These are systemicissues and we need systemicsolutions for them. We need
policy and the backing ofour Black president to saythat this is a racial issue andthat he stands behind us.”
Ferguson protestersscored a win in court lastThursday when Judge CarolJackson of the United StatesDistrict Court for the EasternDistrict of Missouri issued atemporary restraining orderbanning the use of “tear gas,smoke, pepper spray or otherchemical agents againstdemonstrators without firstgiving a clear warning and aclear means of exit.”
The order also said thatteargas couldn’t be usedagainst protesters to punishor frighten them for exercis-ing their First Amendmentrights, according to the pressrelease.
In the press release,Denise Lieberman, a seniorattorney with theAdvancement Project, amulti-racial civil rightsgroup, and one of thelawyers involved in the casesaid that the ruling sends astrong message that policeacting under the UnifiedCommand must respect therights of protesters todemonstrate, and cannot useexcessive tactics to curtailtheir message.
“Police overreach wasexactly what people wereprotesting in the first place,”said Lieberman.
Justin Hansford, an assis-tant law professor at St.Louis University and amember of the Don’t ShootCoalition, called the rulingan “important moment forthe movement” that sprangup in the St. Louis suburband spread across the nation.
“This sends a strong mes-sage to people here andacross the country that teargassing and assaultingpeaceful demonstrators inthe Unites States of Americacompromises our core val-ues,” said Hansford.
“The next step is holdingpolice accountable forinfringing on our vitalhuman and constitutionalrights.”
Young activists... from page 1A
Slatery and denouncing thepresident's actions, as theydid right after Obamasigned the orders.
"Tennessee's voice willhelp send an important mes-sage: the Founders of ourcountry did not want a king,and the American peopledon't want a president whoacts like one. I'm gladAttorney General Slateryhas decided to join thisimportant lawsuit about therule of law in our constitu-tional system," Alexandersaid in a statement.
Tennessee Democrats,including U.S. Rep. JimCooper, D-Nashville, havesupported the president'splan. Stephanie Teatro, co-executive director of theTennessee Immigrant andRefugee Rights Coalition,
said Tennessee took a stepbackward by joining thelawsuit.
"Instead of finding waysto harness the economicpotential of immigrants,who through executiveaction will be able to worklegally and will add mil-lions of dollars to our stateeconomy, our attorney gen-eral has joined the ranks ofanti-immigrant states likeAlabama and Arizona undera frivolous, costly lawsuit toprevent the actions frombeing implemented,"Teatro, said in a statement.
Obama has responded tocritics multiple times,including on a recent trip toNashville to promote hisimmigration actions, sayingthe orders are legal and hehad to act because Congress
chooses not to pass a com-prehensive bill.
Slatery acknowledgedan act of Congress couldsolve any legal problemssurrounding the executiveorders.
"But in the meantime thestate cannot sit on the side-lines of this case, whenunlawful directives of thismagnitude grant lawfulpresence and other rightslike work permits to such alarge number," Slatery saidin the statement.
There are an estimated124,000 immigrants livingin Tennessee illegally, withas many as 50,000 inNashville. Teatro estimated50,000 undocumentedimmigrants in Tennesseewill be able to benefit fromthe orders.
Tennessee joins lawsuit... from page 1A
Page 6A Nashville PRIDE www.pridepublishinggroup.com December 26, 2014
Nashville PRIDe Directory of ChurchesCall for more information, (615) 292-9150
Sunday School 9:30 a.m.Sunday Worship 11 a.m. Pastor Eddie L. Sneed
St. Matthew Missionary Baptist Church
2412 Osage Street (615) 329-0173
Sunday Worship 11:00 a.m. Rev. W.B. Armstrong,
pastor
St. Paul A.M.E. Church3340 West Hamilton Ave.
Nashville, TN 37218(615) 876-7219
Rev. Harold Moses Love, Jr.
www.stpaul-amec.com
Word of Life ChristianCenter International4100 Clarksville PikeNashville, TN 37218
(615) 876-3086 Sunday Worship: 11:00 am
Rev. Alexander Arthur
Pulpit, Pew & Public
December 28--"Night ofComedy with TC Cope" aPre New Year ComedyShow at Manna FromHeaven, 3510 WestHamilton Ave. at 6:00 p.m.Show will feature host,Chris Bond, comedianFemi, DJ Pryor, Sister Crumand many others.
Mondays and Thursdays--Free tutoring of all subjectsat Temple Church, 3810Kings Lane from 5:30 p.m.to 7:30 p.m. For moreinformation call 615-876-4084. Rev. Darrell A.Drumwright is the seniorpastor.
January 17--Clothing GiveAway at 15th AvenueChurch of Christ, 2129 15thAve. N. 10 a.m.-12 noon.(rescheduled fromDecember 20th) To be heldin the fellowship hall. Formore information, call J.Webster at 615-259-2373.
-- Church Calendar --
by Barbara A. WoodsWashington, M. Div.
There is a constant dis-cussion among 'ChurchFolks' about the 'training upof a child in the ways..', or'the lack thereof' in today'sChurch. It is another ofthose nemesis that accountfor so many churches beingvoid of children and youth.Where they are present, thisnew separation of 'Churchand Children' breeds, forme, 'contempt'? Out ofsight, out of mind! There,I've said it.
I am grateful for the 'olechurch' tradition ofChristmas and Easterspeeches. Not quite surewhat the field of 'childhooddevelopment' says in rela-tionship to having learnedto recite which for some ofus became longer and moreextensive speeches whichchallenged our levels ofgrowth, but, standing beforethe Church congregation tospeak these 'rhyming mes-sages of hope' is, undoubt-edly, 'CHURCHhood devel-opment'. Like 'homework',learning our Christmasspeech was 'churchwork' —time spent for this learningwas done with 'no playtime'. Charles Schulzspeaks to this tradition inhis 'Peanuts' Christmas car-toons.
Lucy walks up to Linuswith a sheet of paper in herhand and Linus says, "OhNo! Don't tell me! Notagain?" Handing Linus thepaper Lucy says, "Here'syour piece for the ChristmasProgram." Taking it Linusstarts to read saying, "So thewords spoken through
Jeremiah the Prophet werefulfilled. A voice was heardin Rama, wailing and loudlament. It was Rachaelweeping for her children,and refusing all consolationbecause they were nomore." "Good grief!!" hesays. Lucy: "Memorize itand be ready to recite it bynext Sunday!" Linus in apanic screams "I can't mem-orize something like this ina week! This is going totake research!" He contin-ues, "Who is Jeremiah?Where is Rama? Why wasRachael so upset?" And hecontinues, "You can't recitesomething until you knowthe 'WHO?', the 'WHERE?'and the 'WHY?'!"
Lucy now all up in hisface says to Linus, "I'll tellyou the 'WHO?', the'WHERE?' and the'WHY?!" Shaking her fistat him she continues, "Youstart memorizing right nowor you'll know WHO isgoing to slug you, and you'llknow WHERE she is goingto slug you, and you'llknow WHY she slugged
you!!!" Shaken, Linusstands with the paper fallento the floor saying,"Christmas is not only get-ting too commercial, its get-ting too dangerous!"
On another ChristmasLinus is in the mirror, "Yessir, long pants sure do makethe man!" Lucy: "Fine. Itsthe first time I've seen youin a white shirt in 6months." "Now are yousure you know your piecefor the ChristmasProgram?" Linus: "I knowit backwards, and forwards,and sideways, and upsidedown. I could say it in mysleep!" Lucy: "Yeah. WellI remember last year.. Youalmost goofed the wholeProgram." Linus: "Well thisis 'this year'. And this year Iwon't forget." He contin-ues, "And the angel saidunto them, fear not: for,behold I bring you good tid-ings of great joy which shallbe to all people!" Lucy:"Say, thats pretty good."Linus: "I told you I knew it.I have a memory like aproverbial elephant!" Outthe door Linus continues,"Well I'm going on ahead tothe Church... I'll see youthere." Into the snowynight, "...for, behold I bringyou good tidings of greatjoy which shall be to allpeople! What a memory!"Returning to the house Lucysays to him, "What in theworld? I thought you justleft?" Linus: I did, but Icame back." "I forgotwhere the Church is!"
ing, we look back at theefforts of Watson Grove asthey held an annualCommunity Praise OutreachPicnic in mid-October. The18th annual Watson GroveCommunity Praise OutreachPicnic was held in theEdgehill Community Park,located directly across thestreet from Watson GroveMissionary Baptist Church.
For the second year,comedian Chris Bond andradio personality from760AM, the Gospel, servedas the hosts. There was avariety of entertainmentfrom start to finish followinga devotional by SisterAlfreda Morris-Jernigan.Watson Grove Mass Choirand the House of Prayer ofHoliness Youth Choir eachsung two A&B selections.Other stage performanceswere performed by the fol-lowing: IT Creswell ArtsMagnet School Step Team,Rev. Deborah FosterSteadfast Ministries PuppetMinistry, and Youth forChrist Gospel Rapper KingAntonio, who also shared theword of God with the crowd.
Over 200 people in atten-dance enjoyed praise, wor-ship; free food (provided byFeed the Children, Frito Layand Wendy’s on West End);fellowship; activities for thechildren such as cottoncandy, snow cones, popcorn,inflatable ‘bouncies’ andface painting provided byRev. Dev. Deborah FosterSteadfast Ministries; a cloth-ing give away by theWGMBC Willing Workers;and other communityresources.
“This is one of manyopportunities that the part-ners of Watson GroveMissionary Baptist Churchgive back to the communityand win souls for Christ,”said Yolanda Hockett, mem-ber and event coordinator.
Those in attendance werealso offered the opportunityfor prayer from the WGMBCMinistries who acceptedprayer requests throughoutthe event. GideonsInternational also handed outBibles.
Watson Grove’s newPartner’s Ministry and
Incarceration Ministry hadinformation on hand.
The NeighborhoodHealth Services HealthMobile was on site and con-ducted Blood pressurechecks and provided healthinformation. The WGMBCMen’s Ministry, UsherMinistry, Greeter’s Ministry,and Culinary Ministry wereall involved in the event aswell. Several communityorganizations were on sitewith informational tables,including: Tennessee Dept.of Mental Health and
Substance Abuse Services;Tenn. Commission on Agingand Disability; MeharryProject Cope (HIV/AidsAware; YWCA DomesticViolence; Metro Police Dept.G.R.E.A.T program; MetroHealth Dept.; Next DoorServices for Women; andMetro Social Services.
At the end of the event,each attendee was given abag full of grocery items andschool supplies. WatsonGrove is located at 1415Horton Ave. Rev. John R.Faison, Sr. is the pastor.
Watson Grove hosts CommunityPraise Outreach Picnic
Watson Grove volunteers give back to the community
ThanksLiving Fellowship Meal heldby Wanda Clay
On November 27, the members and friends of WatsonGrove Missionary Baptist Church, affectionately called,‘The Grove,’ hosted an annual ‘ThanksLiving FellowshipMeal’ for the Edgehill community.
“The church has a responsibility to reach out to thecommunity. It is in our DNA to bless the EdgehillCommunity. We must embrace the reality of sameness. Weare all more alike, than we are different,” said John R.Faison, Sr., senior pastor, Watson Grove.
The event was done in conjunction with BelmontUniversity and 760 AM, The Gospel, who also wishes tobless the Edgehill community with generosity.
Other businesses joining in the support of this eventand the citizens of Edgehill (in addition to BelmontUniversity and 760 AM, The Gospel) included: Walmart,Pizza Hut, Hardees, Piggly Wiggly, Nashboro FamilyDental, White Castle, Harris Teeter, Kroger, CVS, BurgerKing and H.G. Hills.
by Robin HarrisKimbrough
As we enter the NewYear, we cannot help butreflect on the challenges andvictories of the past year. Wecan all testify to God’s pres-ence throughout eachmoment in our lives. Thisyear will mark change formany of our lives. Some willgraduate from high school,college, or professionalschool. Some are anticipat-ing a wedding, while othersare just rolling into the NewYear without an expectationof anything different. For usto take advantage of thecrossing over into 2015, wemust do so with great expec-tation. The truth is this yearbrings us new hope, newopportunities, and change forus individually, our commu-nities, and our world. It isour time to take advantage ofwhat this year will bring.“But as it is written: ‘Eye hasnot seen, nor ear heard, norhave entered into the heart ofman the things which Godhas prepared for those wholove Him,” I Corinthians 2:9.
This is how we have tomeet this year, knowing thatwe “ain’t seen nothin’ yet.”We cannot even conceivewhat God has in store for us,but we have to live with theexpectation of somethingbetter and bigger than we caneven conceive. This year we
need to stop being satisfiedwith mediocrity, settling forwhatever life throws ourway. We must live withexpectation in our hearts.Perhaps over the years, wehave suffered hurt, disap-pointment, and rejection.These things can leave uswith either no expectation orperhaps always expectingsomething bad to happen tous. This has the potential ofpreventing us from receivingwhat God has in store for us.We lose faith in ourselvesand we lose faith in God.This year we need to renewour faith, hope, and expecta-tion in God.
It is true that what Godwill do for others, he will dofor you. This year does nothave to be like last year. Itcan be better if we live withthe expectation of knowingthat God has something won-derful prepared for us. Thisyear we can expect to losethe weight, improve ourhealth, get the promotion,finish the degree, completethe book, and most impor-tantly, be delivered fromsome bad habits that havethwarted our relationshipwith God.
We can expect that somethings will happen this yearthat will discourage us. Wewill have setbacks. We willrelapse. We will have a pointin our lives this year when
we will feel like nothing isgoing to happen. It is in thosemoments that we have toremember how much Godloves us, and we have tofocus on our love for Godrather than our circum-stances.
The devil will convinceus that this year is going tobe like every other year—that we are getting too old tostart over or to experiencechange in our lives; time ispassing us by; and we keepliving with the expectation ofdeath.
This year, we need to liveinstead of existing. We canre-start everything in ourlives, no matter how old weare, how sick we feel, or howmany times in the past wehave been disappointed. Nomatter how good things arenow in our lives, things canalways get better.
This year, God is going towalk us into our season, andwe will experience what eyeshave not seen or our heartsconceived. The best is yearto come.
This year
Robin Harris Kimbrough
by Rev. William WatsonOne of the most frequent-
ly used phrases in Christiancircles is ‘The Gospel.’According to a recent study,few adults know what thisterm means. Its literal trans-lation is ‘good news,’ or theperspective that salvation isonly available through thesacrificial death and resur-rection of Jesus Christ, i.e.,a person's acceptance ofChrist as Savior. The studystated that only four out of10 Christians knew this.
In Galatians 1: 6-10, Paulmarvels that converts wereturning away from Him to adifferent gospel so soonafter being called in the
grace of Christ. There arethose today still pervertingthe gospel of Christ. Paul'sastonishment is not thatfalse teachers exist, but thatthe church was followingthem. In verse eight, Paulinvokes a curse on anyone,himself included, distortingthe gospel—even angelsfrom Heaven. Rememberthose who followed DavidKoresh in a compound inWaco, Texas in 1993; or theHeaven's Gate cult in 1997taking their own lives in anattempt to connect withextra-terrestrial visitors.They will not find them-selves excused because oftheir sincerity. Those who
led them will bear a greaterjudgment.
The greatest distortion ofthe gospel today is preached
expressions of faithThe gospel of success Preaching
Christianity in a materialistic society
Rev. William Watson
Continued on page 8A
December 26, 2014 www.pridepublishinggroup.com Nashville PRIDE Page 7A
Thanks to our work with local high schools
like Henry Ford High, graduation rates are up 18%.
And it can happen here too.
To donate or volunteer, go to UNITEDWAY.ORG. BECAUSE GREAT THINGS HAPPEN WHEN WE LIVE UNITED.
WHAT THIS PLACE NEEDSIS MORE CAPS AND GOWNS.
Renewal House, Inc. hasreceived a grant from theTennessee HousingDevelopment Agency thatwill be used to makeimprovements to affordable,safe housing for womenrecovering from drug andalcohol dependence.
The $43,522 HousingTrust Fund grant was one of11 totaling $2.8 million thatwere approved during theNovember meeting of theTennessee HousingDevelopment Agency Boardof Directors.
Renewal House will usethe grant to fund the rehabil-itation of 15 AffordableRecovery HousingApartments in the BordeauxNeighborhood of downtownNashville. Work will be doneon rental apartment build-ings, as well as the buildingthat houses the RenewalHouse Family ResidentialProgram transitional housingapartments.
THDA ExecutiveDirector Ralph M. Perreysaid grant funding wouldassist in improving access tosafe housing for women andchildren who need it.
”The Housing Trust Fund
is open to creative solutions,designed locally,” Perreysaid. “Renewal House is pro-
viding timely maintenance tohousing that serves a popula-tion in need.”
Renewal Housing offi-cials said the funding wouldbe used to perform rehabili-
tation work, and alsoincrease accessibility to theapartment manager’s officeand the parking lot.
State Rep. BrendaGilmore (D-Nashville)praised the collaborationbetween THDA andRenewal House, Inc., sayingit will provide much-neededassistance to women whoneed it.
“Many residents in ourcommunity, especially thosewith special needs, struggleto find safe, decent, afford-able rental housing,”Gilmore said. “I appreciatethe continued partnershipbetween THDA and ourlocal non-profits to expandthe number of affordablehousing options within thecommunity.”
The Housing Trust Fund(HTF) was created by theTHDA Board of Directors toprovide financial support forinnovative, affordable initia-tives that serve the housingneeds of Tennessee’s mustvulnerable residents.
Funding for the HousingTrust Fund comes entirelyfrom earnings generatedthrough THDA’s SingleFamily Mortgage program.
HTF grants are awardedthrough a competitive appli-cation process. Since 2006THDA has provided over$30 million in HTF grants tolocal governments and non-profit organizations acrossthe state.
(NAPSI)—Whether you’reconsidering cashing in onyour equity, downsizing,trading up, moving for achange of scenery or relocat-ing for better prospects, afew smart investments andimprovements can help yourhome stand out from thecompetition so you get topdollar. Even if you’re notplanning on moving anytimesoon, these strategies canmaximize your home’s valueand increase its marketabili-ty:
• Sprucing up the exterior If you think you’ll have a
few years before you move,work on your landscapingnow to give plants time tomature. Look for easy-careperennials such as hostas,which multiply on their own.If you have less time, youcan still achieve a quickmakeover by power washingpaths and siding, painting orupgrading your front doorand keeping the lawnwatered and weeded.
• Removing eyesoresinside
Some minor adjustmentscan help buyers recognizewhat’s great about yourhome. Swap outdated fix-
tures, remove wallpaper andgive everything a deep clean.Replacements don’t have tobe top of the line. They justneed to eliminate hang-upsfor potential buyers.
• Improving the kitchen,to a point
You probably won’trecoup the cost of a fullkitchen renovation butsmaller projects such asupgrading appliances andpainting or refinishing cabi-nets can modernize thespace.
• Refreshing rooms withneutral paint
This is a time-honored tipfor a reason. While seeingyour favorite bold hues onthe walls makes you happy,potential buyers may notagree. A fresh coat of neutralpaint can help them envisiontheir own belongings in thespace.
• Focusing on energyefficiency
The right energy-smartupgrades can assure buyersthey’re seeing an efficienthome where utility bills canbe minimized. Adding insu-lation to the attic and walls
can make a dramaticimprovement in manyhomes.
Consider the windows aswell. Adding a heat-rejectingwindow film such as 3M SunControl Window Film canreduce cooling costs and typ-ically does not change thewindows’ appearance. Since
the window film can rejectup to 99% of UV rays, it canprotect the investment youmade in your hardwoodfloors, rugs, window treat-ments, furniture and art-work.
For further facts, visit<www.3M.com/homeim-provement>.
The Metropolitan Dev-elopment and HousingAgency is accepting applica-tions for its HomeownerRehabilitation Program,which is designed to correcthealth and safety issues inDavidson County owner-occupied homes. The pro-gram preserves existingaffordable housing stock byproviding assistance torepair major housing sys-tems, such as roofing, elec-
trical, plumbing, accessibili-ty and heating, ventilationand air conditioning sys-tems.
Eligible households havean annual household incomeof less than 80% of areamedian income, whichequals $51,200 for a familyof four and $35,850 for anindividual. Preference forassistance will be given tohomes occupied by residentsage 62 or older, people with
disabilities and very low-income homeowners, whoearn less than 50% of areamedian income, whichequals $32,000 for a familyof four and $22,400 for anindividual.
Eligible properties aresingle-family houses or con-dominiums that are theowner’s primary residence.All properties must be cur-rent on property taxes, mort-gages payments and home-
owner’s insurance and floodinsurance, if applicable.
Applications are avail-able at MDHA’s CommunityDevelopment Department at712 South Sixth Streetbetween 7:30 am and 4 pmweekdays. To receive anapplication by mail, requestaccommodation or languageassistance, call 615-252-8530.
Applications will beaccepted on a first-come,
first-served basis until fund-ing is exhausted. To beprocessed, applications mustbe completed entirely andinclude all required docu-mentation.
MDHA does not discrim-inate against any person inprogram or client servicesregardless of race, color, age,national origin, marital sta-tus, sex, disability, religionor any other legally protect-ed status.
Page 8A Nashville PRIDE www.pridepublishinggroup.com December 26, 2014Real Estate
If you have mortgage problems, call 888-995-HOPE for one-on-one expert advice from this free government program.
You’re not alone.
“What will happen to us if we lose the house?”
Applications open for homeowner Rehabilitation ProgramDavidson County owner-occupied houses benefit
Renewal house, Inc. awarded housing Trust Fund grant
From left to right: Everett Cowan, V.P. of Renewal House Board of Directors, StateRep. Brenda Gilmore (D-Nashville), Laura Berlind, Executive Director of RenewalHouse, & Denise McBride, THDA Middle TN Liaison.
Five quick ways to upgrade your home for resale
By rejecting up to 99 percent of UV rays, window filmcan help protect interior investments including hard-wood floors, rugs, window treatments, furniture andartwork.
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in order to fit Christianityinto a materialistic society.I call it ‘the gospel of suc-cess’ or the ‘gospel of pros-perity,’ which is based onthe premise that God wantsto bless you—therefore youcan only expect good thingsfrom Him if you followHim.
The problem with thisgospel is that it ignores thefact that in our Christianlife there will be sorrow;there is suffering; and thereis death.
The key of the gospel of
Jesus is not the avoidanceof life events, but the possi-bility of overcoming them.
My weekly prayer isthat the reader of this com-mentary becomes spiritual-ly inspired of God.Intercessory Prayer is life-giving blood.
Send for a copy of ourIntercessory Prayer by con-tacting: Expressions ofFaith, P.O. Box 330127,Nashville, Tenn. 37203; ore - m a i l<[email protected]>.God bless!
