March 29, 2012

Houston’s Leading Black Information Source

www.defendernetwork.com WEEK OF MARCH 29, 2012 | FREE

Volume 81 | Number 22

H.S. SPORTS WilloWridge track star aviante collins continues tradition P11

H PagE 5

Jasmine guywelcomes roles Actress Jasmine Guy is perhaps best known as Whitley Gilbert on the sitcom “A Different World,” which ran from 1987-1993. She’s also an accomplished singer, dancer, director and writer. Guy currently appears in the film “October Baby,” a true story about a teen who survived a botched abortion as a 24-week-old fetus.

Courtney Lee works for RocketsBefore he became a Houston Rocket, Courtney Lee was part of a trade that rudely introduced him to the business side of the NBA. “Things happen so you can’t take it personal,” Lee says. “You’ve got to just go out there and keep working.” The Rockets are glad to have

Lee working for them, and are pleased with his versatility.

H PagE 10

OPINION

named McDonald’s

CEO

OPINION

P4

NATIONAL

USHER

P8

portrays boxer in film

WHAT’S UP

Stop racial profiling

COMMENTARY

P12

twitter.com/DefenderNetwork

facebook.com/DefenderNetwork

P5

CHAG’S PLACE

defendernetwork.com • Serving the Houston area for over 80 years

DON THOMPSON

Carmen Watkins, Yvette Chargois and Rep. Alma Allen honored during Women’s History Month

Trayvon Martin:Houston demands justice

H PagE 6

Photo by Bob Levey

2 DEFENDER | WEEK OF MARCH 29 | 2012 defendernetwork.com

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Black forecast

The Assassination of the Black Male Image is a compelling exposé of the truth behind society’s racial and sexual

stereotypes of Black men. Author Earl Ofari Hutchinson counters the image of Black men as a population

entrenched in crime, drugs and violence.

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President Obama

Emmett Till

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WEEK OF MARCH 15, 2012 | FREE Volume 81 | Number 20

ENTERTAINMENT Broadcaster Len eLmore Looks at BasketBaLL, Life P6

H PagE 3

Sheila Jackson Lee

applauds ruling

Houston Congresswoman Sheila

Jackson Lee is one of the lawmakers

commending the Justice Department

for blocking Texas from implementing

a controversial voter ID law passed

during the last legislative session.

Jackson Lee said such laws continue

to be passed nationwide, and

are an attack on voting

rights.

Toyelle Wilson

coaches PV champs

Prairie View A&M University

women’s basketball coach Toyelle

Wilson led the Lady Panthers team

to their second consecutive SWAC

tournament championship and secured

a ticket to March Madness. Now in

her second season as the team’s leader,

Wilson is showing why she is one of

the top young coaches in the game.

H PagE 14

OPINION

targets HIV among

Black women

OPINION

P4

NATIONAL

YOLANDA ADAMS

P13

judges

‘Sunday Best’

WHAT’S UP

vanishing

middle classGEORGE CURRY

P16

twitter.com/DefenderNetworkfacebook.com/DefenderNetwork

P6

Star Jones and Pastor Mia Wright at

Metamorphosis Conference

CHAG’S PLACE

Women’s History Month

Blacks who

paved the wayH PagE 8

Halle BerryLauren Anderson

Toni Morrison

Dr. Mae Jemison

Barbara

Jordan

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WEEK OF MARCH 8, 2012 | FREE Volume 81 | Number 19H.S.ZONE YATES, TRAVIS ADVANCE TO STATE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT P11


PAGE 3

Houston declared

unsafe for women

Local activists have declared a state

of emergency in Houston, citing

the city as unsafe for women. The

declaration is due to more than

6,000 untested rape kits in the

possession of the Houston Police

Department and a series of sexual

assaults near Metro bus stops. Since

January, four women have been

assaulted while using bus services.

LL Cool Jscores big on TV

Rapper-turned-actor LL Cool J is one

movie star who made a successful

transition to television. He portrays

an agent and former Navy SEAL on

the hit “NCIS Los Angeles.” Other

stars are fi nding similar success on TV,

such as Taraji P. Henson, who plays

a detective on “Person of Interest.”

Meanwhile, Don Cheadle stars in

“House of Lies.”

PAGE 5

OPINION

discusses

redistricting

SPORTS

P8

NEWSTALK

RODNEY ELLIS

BOBBI KRISTINA

BROWN

P10

talks to

Oprah

WHAT’S UP

Houstonian

emerges

as NBA star

DEANDRE JORDAN

P12

twitter.com/DefenderNetworkfacebook.com/DefenderNetwork

P5

Grady Gaines performs at blues

tribute

CHAG’S PLACE

Voting = PowerNational

Urban

League

State of

Black

America

Report PAGE 6

• 5609 Uvalde Road• 3111 Woodridge Drive• 12035 Antoine• 2121 FM 2920• 24224 Northwest Freeway• 5225 A Buffalo Speedway• 6102 Scott Street

Visit these Locations

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3defendernetwork.com WEEK OF MARCH 29 | 2012 | DEFENDER

localbriefs


newstalkHISD stands by student test scores

SUNNYSIDE WILL GET A FACELIFT with a new clean-up and beautification initiative titled Re-Pride Sunnyside. It kicks off Saturday, March 31, at 8:30 a.m. at Sunnyside Park, 3502 Bellfort. Spearheaded by the Mayor’s Department of Neighborhoods, District D City Councilmember Wanda Adams and State Rep. Borris Miles, Re-Pride Sunnyside will involve the participation of 150 student volunteers from Worthing High School. The project will target the area bounded by the 610 South Loop, Cullen Boulevard, Reed Road and Scott Street. “Sunnyside represents a vital part of Houston’s rich history,” said Mayor Annise Parker…….. UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON BLACK STUDENTS

of the 1960s and ‘70s will reunite in Houston on Saturday, March 31 and Sunday, April 1. The gathering is part of the celebration of 50 years since admission of the first Black student at UH. The reunion will feature educational and social events and a silent auction. Proceeds will benefit SHAPE Community Center. Registration information and a schedule of events are available online at www.uhblackexperience.org.......THE HOUSTON AREA ALLIANCE OF BLACK SCHOOL EDUCATORS (HAABSE) received $25,000 from the Aramark/Quality Hospitality joint venture in honor of the organization’s 25th anniversary. The contribution – named the Larry Marshall Living Legend

Award – was presented at the 2012 Teacher Awards and Recognition Ceremony by Aramak partner Darryl King. “The HAABSE has done an outstanding job marshaling resources and creating advancements in education that make me proud to be a partner and supporter,” King said…….. NORTH FOREST SCHOOL DISTRICT has reportedly paid more than half a million dollars in superintendent buyouts since 2000. The most recent buyout went to Adrain Johnson, who received approximately $134,000 after being placed on indefinite administrative leave in 2011. The Texas Education Agency plans to close North Forest on July 1 and has ordered HISD to annex the 7,500-student district.

Defender News Services

The Houston Independent School Dis-trict is disputing a recent newspaper report that names the district as one of those with suspicious test scores.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution conducted a national analysis of test score data in search of schools with significant score fluctua-tions. The newspaper considers such fluctuations to be possible signs of cheating.

The report analyzed test results for 69,000 public schools and said it found high concentrations of suspect math or reading scores in school systems from coast to coast. The test scores resemble those that entangled Atlanta in a 2011 scandal, in which 178 teachers and 38 principals were found to have participated in cheating in the district.

“HISD has reviewed the results of the testing data analysis performed by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution,” said Superintendent Terry Grier in a letter to the newspaper.

“It is important to note that the strong achievement gains posted by students in the classrooms of the overwhelming ma-jority of HISD teachers have never been called into question.”

The report, however, used Houston as an example of suspect test scores.

“In Houston, for instance, test results for entire grades of students jumped two, three or more times the amount expected in one year, the analysis shows. When children moved to a new grade the next year, their scores plummeted – a finding that suggests the gains were not due to learning,” said the report.

It added that its analysis suggested a broad

betrayal of schoolchildren across the nation. “As Atlanta learned after cheating was un-

covered in half its elementary and middle schools last year, falsified test results deny struggling students access to extra help to which they are entitled, and erode confidence in a vital public institution,” stated the report.

Grier stressed that HISD does not tolerate cheating.

“On the rare occasion when allegations of

possible cheating arise, HISD has demonstrated its commitment to investigating those allegations thoroughly and holding accountable those who are found to have participated in cheating,” he said.

“The Houston Independent School District is committed to ensuring that all students make

strong academic progress each year under the guidance of effective teachers and principals. One of the many ways HISD measures teacher and principal effectiveness is by analyzing their students’ performance on multiple academic exams.”

Grier listed some of the test security mea-sures implemented by HISD in recent years. He said they include:

• HISD teachers no longer administer state-mandated exams to their own stu-dents. Exceptions are made in rare special cases.

• HISD established the HISD Alert Line (800.455.9551) for any-one to anonymously report suspi-cions of testing impropriety.

• On each campus, all testing materials are kept in locked rooms that must be certified by a central office staff member. Only the principal and campus test coordina-tor are permitted to possess keys to these rooms. These rooms are also monitored by video camera where feasible.

• On testing days, HISD dispatches trained test security monitors to witness campus secu-rity procedures, observe classroom testing, and look for signs of testing impropriety. These monitors do not work for the schools to which they

are assigned. Every campus has at least one moni-tor. Larger campuses have multiple monitors.

• From 2010 to 2011, HISD received 31 re-ports of possible testing impropriety. Twenty-two of the 31 cases were referred for further investiga-tion by an independent law firm. In nine of the 31 cases, cheating was confirmed to have occurred.

Continued on Page 9

4

U.S.briefs


DEFENDER | WEEK OF MARCH 29 | 2012 defendernetwork.com

VOLUME 81 • NUMBER • 22WEEK OF MARCH 29, 2012

The Defender newspaper is published by the Houston Defender Inc. Company (713-663-6996.. The Defender audited By Certified Audited Circulation. (CAC). For subscription, send $60-1 year to: Defender, P.O. Box 8005, Houston TX 77288. Payment must accompany subscription request. All material covered by 2012 copyright. (No material herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher).

ColumnistYvette ChargoisSport EditorsMax EdisonDarrell K. ArdisonContributing WriterAswad WalkerWebmasterCorneleon Block

PublisherSonceria Messiah-Jilesadvertising/Client Relations Selma Dodson Tyler associate EditorsReshonda BillingsleyMarilyn Marshall art Director Tony Fernandez-Davila

national

FIVE BLACK WOMEN DIE NEEDLESSLY per day from breast cancer in the U.S., reports a study funded by the Avon Foundation for Women and conducted by Sinai Urban Health Institute. The 2012 Racial Disparity in Breast Cancer Mortality Study found that 21 of the 25 largest U.S. cities have a disparity among Black and Anglo women in breast cancer mortality. Recommendations for preventing deaths include ensuring that all women understand the importance of breast health screening, have access to screening, receive high-quality treatment in a timely manner and complete the recommended therapy……..FEDEX WILL PAY $3 MILLION to settle charges of hiring discrimination brought by the U.S. Department of Labor. The shipping giant will pay back wages and interest to more than 21,000 applicants rejected for jobs at 23 facilities in 15 states, including Texas. The affected workers include men and women of all ethnicities who were rejected for entry-level package handler and parcel assistant positions. Those seeking information on the settlement can call a toll-free helpline at 800-397-6251 or visit http://www.dol.gov/ofccp........ THREE MISSISSIPPI MEN WHO KILLED A BLACK MAN last June pleaded guilty to federal hate crimes, one day after one of the defendants pleaded guilty to the slaying in state court. Dylan Butler, 20, Deryl Dedmon, 19, and John Aaron Rice, 19, are charged in the death of James Craig Anderson, a 47-year-old auto plant worker. Dedmon said he and friends were partying when they decided to find a Black person to harass. They found Anderson in a hotel parking lot and beat him. Dedmon then drove over Anderson, a chilling scene captured on a hotel tape. Dedmon received two life sentences on the state charges. He and his co-conspirators face life sentences on a hate crime federal charge, and up to five years in prison on a conspiracy charge. The victim’s family filed a wrongful death suit against Dedmon but asked prosecutors not to seek the death penalty because they oppose capital punishment.

Supreme Court deciding fate of health care act


After three days of arguments over the validity of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care

Act, the Supreme Court is ex-pected to rule on President Barack Obama’s national health plan in June.

Public interest in the hear-ings was so high that the Supreme Court provided audio recordings and transcripts of the oral argu-ments through its website. Protes-tors for and against the act chanted and marched outside the high court’s building.

Justices offered different opin-ions on the law.

“Those who don’t partici-pate in health care make it more expensive for everyone else,” said Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, in support of the law. “It is not your free choice” to stay out of the market for life, she said.

Justice Anthony Kennedy had another view, and said that the government “is telling an individ-ual he has the obligation, he must act” and buy insurance.

“That threatens to change the relationship between the govern-ment and the individual in a pro-found way,” Kennedy said.

The debate over the health law, dubbed “Obamacare” by some critics, puts the high court in the middle of an intense partisan battle. Republicans are leading

the fight to kill the law either by the court or through congressional repeal.

If upheld, the Affordable Care Act will dramatically change the way insurance companies do business. It would forbid them from denying coverage due to pre-existing medical conditions and limiting how much they can charge older people.

Obama signed the act into law in 2010, saying it would make a difference in the lives of millions of Americans.

“By 2014 when the law is fully implemented, people will be able to purchase private insurance coverage through new state-based markets called exchanges, which will offer a way to get insurance that isn’t provided by – or tied to – an employer,” he said.

“Americans will have the se-curity of knowing they don’t have to worry about losing or finding coverage if they’re laid off, change

jobs, or are self-employed. And further patient protections will take effect: insurers won’t be able to deny care to anyone based on a pre-existing condition, or limit the amount of care they’ll cover over a person’s lifetime.”

Republicans disagree with Obama’s assessment.

“This presidency has been a failure, and the centerpiece of that failure is this piece of legislation…Obamacare,” said GOP presiden-tial candidate Mitt Romney during a campaign stop. “Most Americans want to get rid of it, and we’re among those Americans. I want to get rid of it, too.”

Obama, however, stands by his plan, including parts of the law already in effect.

“The law has made a differ-ence for millions of Americans, and over time, it will help give even more working and middle-class families the security they deserve,” he said.

McDonald’s names first Black CEO

President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act in 2010.


On July 1, Don Thompson will officially become the first African American to lead McDonald’s, the world’s largest food service re-tailer. Thompson will replace Vice Chairman and CEO Jim Skinner, who is retiring after 41 years with the corporation.

Thompson, 48, is currently

president and COO of McDonald’s, and has directed global strat-egy and operations for more than 33,000 restaurants in 119 countries. He previously served as president of McDonald’s USA from 2006 until 2010.

“Don Thompson is well pre-pared for the CEO role, and under his leadership, our company will continue to meet the needs of our

Continued on Page 9

5defendernetwork.com WEEK OF MARCH 29 | 2012 | DEFENDER

entertainment


What’sup

Jasmine guy welcomes different roles

USHER calls his upcoming movie role “incredible.” He will portray Sugar Ray Leonard in “Hands of Stone,” a film about Panamanian boxer Roberto Duran. Usher is currently training for the role while working on an album abroad. “If you guys see me running around London that’s what it is,” he said. “If you see me in the corners boxing, I’m doing that while working on this album.” Leonard won world titles in five different weight divisions. He retired from boxing in 1997 after making several comebacks……..QUEEN LATIFAH remains one of the hardest working women in Hollywood. She will star in the Lifetime remake of “Steel Magnolias,” which chronicles the lives of six women who congregate in a Louisiana beauty salon. The cast includes ALFRE WOODARD, JILL SCOTT, ADEPERO ODUYE

and mother-daughter duo PHYLICIA RASHAD and CONDOLA RASHAD. Latifah also joins TERRENCE HOWARD in the film “House of Bodies,” a thriller about a deaf boy who develops a friendship with a phone operator and gets entangled in a series of murders……..BOBBY WOMACK has been diagnosed with cancer after being hospitalized with a bout of pneumonia. His longtime friend BOOTSY COLLINS wrote on Facebook that Womack was in the first stage of colon cancer but was upbeat about his future. He asked fans to send Womack prayers and “love vibes.” Womack’s latest album, “The Bravest Man in the Universe,” is scheduled for a June release……..ARETHA FRANKLIN celebrated her 70th birthday at a New York City hotel. The celebration included a sit-down dinner, dance performance

and jazz concert. Guests included Rev. Al Sharpton, Diane Sawyer and Aretha’s one-time fiancé, Willie Wilkerson. The Queen of Soul announced that she is reuniting with Clive Davis for a new album……..WHITNEY HOUSTON’S family found some closure with the release of autopsy reports. “We are saddened to learn of the toxicology results, although we are glad to now have closure,” said Patricia Houston, the singer’s sister-in-law and manager. The Los Angeles County coroner’s office determined that Houston, 48, accidentally drowned after an apparent heart episode, with cocaine as a contributing factor. Results showed that Houston also had marijuana, Xanax, the muscle relaxant Flexeril, and the allergy medication Benadryl in her system when she died Feb. 11 at the Beverly Hilton.

By KAM WILLIAMSDefender

Born in Boston in 1962, Jasmine Guy is a Renais-sance woman with dancer, actress, singer, director and writer on her resume.

She performed in the Broadway productions of “The Wiz,” “Leader of the Pack,” “Grease” and “Chicago,” and she also served as a stage director and choreographer on numerous occa-sions.

Still, the versatile entertainer remains best known for her work in television, especially for creating the iconic char-acter Whitley Gilbert on “A Different World.” Her other TV credits have included recurring roles on “The Vampire Diaries,” “Fame,” ‘Touched by an Angel,” “Melrose Place” and “Dead Like Me.”

On the big screen, Jas-mine appeared in such movies as “School Daze,” “Harlem Nights” and “Stomp the Yard 2.” She is the author of “Evolution of a Revolutionary,” a book about the life and journey of Afeni Shakur, and she released an album on Warner Brothers Records in 1990.

She is currently producing director of Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre Company in Atlanta, where she resides with her daughter.

Here, she talks about her new movie,” October Baby,” a faith-based morality play inspired by the true story of a troubled teenager who discovered she survived an attempted abortion as a 24 week-old fetus.

KW: Did you do anything differ-ent to prepare for this role?

Jasmine: I knew Nurse Mary. There was little to prepare, just my ownexperience lent myself to the character.

KW: Was there anything differ-ent about working on “October Baby” from other films you’ve done?

Jasmine: The cast and crew were very positive, warm, and inviting. I feltcomfortable and embraced on set.

KW: This dramatic role is very different from the comedies you are known for? What attracted

you to “October Baby?”Jasmine: I was attracted to Nurse

Mary because she was older and alone, full of stories to share and secrets she had harbored for many years.

KW: What’s your secret to em-bodying memorable characters?

Jasmine: I always try to honor a character by being honest and truthful

to who they are, in spite of my own personality and beliefs. I also like to embody them physically and

remove my own thoughts, walk and mannerisms from

their portrayal.KW: What

message do you think people will

take away from “Octo-ber Baby?”

Jasmine: I think people will be reminded to

be safe and thoughtful in their intimate relationships and not

just use sex for recreational purposes.KW: How did co-directors Jon

and Andrew Erwin protect the subtle emotional drama from the politics that surround the movie’s incendiary topic?

Jasmine: In my one scene in the movie I felt Jon and Andrew left me to interpret Nurse Mary as I saw her. They created a freedom on the set that was uplifting and created a confidence that was contagious.

KW: “A Different World” cre-ated a positive impact on the African-American community in terms of college enrollment. What is your as-sessment of today’s images of African Americans onscreen?

Jasmine: I’ve always known the greatness of Black people. We come from intellectuals, philosophers, educa-tors and activists. We are not a mono-lithic group of people bound by color. It is up to us as individuals, parents, teachers and communicators to teach that to our people and our broader com-munity. I think it’s dangerous to depend on the media or the entertainment industry to facilitate that knowledge.

KW: You directed the musical “I Dream” and the play “The Colored Museum.” Would you consider direct-ing a movie in the future?

Jasmine: I would love to direct a movie, something I really like with a great cast. What a dream!Jasmine Guy

6 DEFENDER | WEEK OF MARCH 29 | 2012 | defendernetwork.com

coverpage


By ASWAD WALKERDefender

The growing national uproar over the pursuit and killing of unarmed, 17-year-old Trayvon Martin and the inexplicable lack of response by law enforcement regarding Martin’s killer, George Zimmerman, has come to

Houston. Multiple rallies have been held as Houstonians

lend their support to calls for the arrest of Zimmer-man and for a movement that extends beyond the case.

Texas Southern University students and SHAPE Community Center’s 3903 Almeda location recently hosted separate rallies on the same day with similar agendas.

Attendees and organizers ranged from members of the Nation of Islam and the New Black Panther Party to union representatives, civic club captains and local families.

A common theme rang through all events – demands that Zimmerman be held accountable for his actions. Local activist Deric Muhammad spoke of individual accountability, leading rally participants gathered at SHAPE in a declaration of personal responsibility to love themselves and their brothers and sisters around them.

“We can’t protest the negative actions of others against us if we do not address the violence we inflict upon each other,” said Muhammad.

Also speaking at the SHAPE event was Bobbie Tolan, a young Black male who was shot in his own driveway by a Bellaire police officer three years ago – an officer who was found not guilty of any wrongdoing.

Tolan urged rally participants to remain vigilant in seeking justice, a message that was expressed

a few hours earlier at the Texas Southern rally by speakers including Gary Bledsoe, head of the Texas NAACP; Rev. William Lawson, pastor emeritus of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, and Jylise Smith, TSU’s NAACP Student Chapter president.

College student participationSome TSU students attended the campus rally

to learn more about the Martin case while others were clear on what they hoped the national outcry for justice would produce.

“I’m really not too informed about the situation. I just know that it was a killing of a 17-year-old boy who had a hoodie on, Skittles and an Arizona [tea],” said TSU freshman Ryan Pierce.

“That’s basically why I’m here,” Pierce said. “It could have happened to me, being a young African-American male. I’m just hoping to see that the killer gets whatever any other killer would get. He should be held to the same standards of anyone else who kills somebody.”

Sophomore accounting major Shariese Martin believes the case should focus solely on Zimmer-man’s actions, which included following Martin, ignoring police directives to stay in the car without approaching him, and fatally shooting the teen.

“It has nothing to do with race, or if Trayvon was right or if he was wrong. Zimmerman broke all protocol,” said Shariese Martin. “If [Zimmerman] would have done what he was supposed to do, it would have never got to this point.”

TSU freshman biology major Jamilah Morris attended the rally because she personally felt a con-nection to Martin’s death.

“I had three brothers who were killed with no justice too, so this really hits close to home,” said Morris. “Justice for Trayvon means that the person who did this gets what he deserves. He should be put away. And it shouldn’t be just for Trayvon, but for all the people who get away with [murdering Black youth]. It needs to stop. This is bigger than Trayvon.”

Elected officials speak outEarlier, rallies were held at Emancipation

Park in Third Ward and on the steps of City Hall downtown.

U.S. Reps. Al Green and Sheila Jackson Lee were in attendance at the City hall rally, along with members of the NAACP, LULAC and other orga-nizations and churches.

“We’re here to shed light on the injustice, not only in the Trayvon case but all cases of injus-tice,” said Reginald Lillie, president of NAACP Houston.

Congressman Green, dressed in a black hoodie, echoed the crowd’s sentiments regarding Zimmerman when he said, “We will not rest until there has been an arrest.”

“We are announcing that Houston today is joining the official Trayvon Martin movement,” said Jackson Lee with bag of Skittles in hand.

Following Trayvon’s death, Jackson Lee wrote a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder requesting that the Department of Justice is investigating conduct a “thorough and complete federal investigation into the serious allegations made against Neighborhood Watch Captain George Zimmerman, regarding the fatal shooting of an unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin” and an investigation into the Sanford PD’s handling of the case.

“The Department Of Justice must look into why [Zimmerman] has not been arrested,” said Jackson Lee. “I am deeply troubled and con-cerned about the rising tide of violence among America’s children.”

The day that Jackson Lee wrote the letter, the Justice Department announced that its Civil Rights Division, in conjunction with the FBI, would conduct an independent investigation paral-lel to that of the local authorities in Florida.

At a press conference held in Sunnyside,

Green said: “My hope is that the investigation by the Department of Justice, along with the work of the grand jury that has been convened, will bring justice to Trayvon’s family. I support that the Department of Justice investigates the February 26th shooting death of this young man and I pray that they respond appropriately.”

Speakers at the Houston rallies concurred with Deric Muham-mad that the fight for justice for Trayvon Martin and others is a marathon rather than a sprint.

“Let this not be a moment, but rather a movement,” said Muhammad.

Texas Southern University students organized a campus rally to protest the killing of Trayvon Martin. Photo by Bob Levey

coverpage


7

Trayvon’s parents relive ‘nightmare’

By George E. CurryNNPA Special Contributor

On the night of Feb. 26, Tracy Martin and his girlfriend had gone out to dinner in Sanford, Fla., leaving his 17-year-old son, Trayvon, be-hind at the townhouse with plans to watch the NBA All-Star game scheduled to be televised at 7 p.m. from Orlando’s Amway Center.

Trayvon decided to walk to a nearby 7-Eleven conve-nience store to pick up a bag of Skittles candy and a can of iced tea before settling in to watch East vs. West all-stars.

On his way back to the gated community, however, Tray-von was stalked by George Zimmerman, a non-Black neighbor-hood watch captain armed with a 9-millimeter handgun and a head full of stereotypes about African-American males.

According to 911 tapes, Zimmerman, 28, told the emer-gency police dispatcher that he had spotted a suspicious young male walking in the neighborhood. “This guy looks like he’s up to no good. He is on drugs or something.” Zimmerman said, “These —holes. They are always getting away.”

When the dispatcher asked Zimmerman if he was fol-lowing the young man in his vehicle, Zimmerman confirmed that he was. The 911 operator said, “OK, we don’t need you to do that.” Still, Zimmerman continued to follow Trayvon, who was unarmed. At one point, Zimmerman got out of his SUV, confronted Trayvon and fatally shot him in the chest.

Tracy Martin was unaware that his honor roll son, who was visiting from Miami, had been killed around 7 p.m. that Sunday.

Martin, along with Trayvon’s mother, Sybrina Fulton; Benjamin Crump, the family lawyer; Al Sharpton and former New York Gov. David Patterson participated in an exclusive telephone conference call with more than three dozen publishers from the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA).

Martin told publishers how he learned that his son had been killed.

“I had been out to dinner. When we got back between 10:15 and 10:45, he wasn’t at home. The night before, he had been to the movies with my nephew, who had recently moved

up to the Orlando area from Miami. Every time Trayvon would come up here, they would find something to do. Usually they would go to dinner. My nephew is 20 years old, a very respon-sible young man. So there was not panic at that moment that he was not home.

“I made several attempts to call his cell phone and it was going straight to voicemail. I called my nephew’s cell phone and it was going straight to voicemail. So at that point, I figured they had been in the movies because they would always go to the movies.”The next morning

Tracy Martin and his girlfriend went to bed. But the next morning, the day Martin and his son had planned to return to Miami, he learned that Trayvon still wasn’t back in the house. Tracy called his nephew again, this time reaching him and learning that Trayvon wasn’t with him.

“I had [his girlfriend] call juvenile justice, just to check and see if anyone by the name of Trayvon Martin had been picked up. No Trayvon Martin,” Tracy said. “My next call was to the Seminole County Sheriff’s Department to see if any kid had been picked up.

“My third call was to a non-emergency number at the Seminole County Sheriff’s Department and I informed them that I was filing a missing person’s report. I let them know it hadn’t been 24 hours, but it was unusual for Trayvon not to return home. I told them we were supposed to be leaving that morning when we woke up.

“They asked me a few questions about him: date of birth, height, complexion, weight and they told me they would dispatch a unit. Five minutes later, she called me back and asked what he was last wearing. I gave them a description of the clothes that he had on last. She said a unit would be out.”

At that point, Tracy Martin still had no clue that his son was dead.

“I got up, got on clothes, went outside because I knew my kid was going to walk back up to the door,” Martin said. “In-stead, three cars pulled up to the door, one of them an unmarked police vehicle.

“The first officer approached. I introduced myself and told him I was filing a missing person’s report. The second person to

Green said: “My hope is that the investigation by the Department of Justice, along with the work of the grand jury that has been convened, will bring justice to Trayvon’s family. I support that the Department of Justice investigates the February 26th shooting death of this young man and I pray that they respond appropriately.”

Speakers at the Houston rallies concurred with Deric Muham-mad that the fight for justice for Trayvon Martin and others is a marathon rather than a sprint.

“Let this not be a moment, but rather a movement,” said Muhammad.

Houston’s national presenceLocal community leaders, including Jackson Lee

and Green, have not only participated in Houston’s rallies for Trayvon Martin, but also travelled to Florida to support Martin’s parents and attend rallies in the city where the crime occurred.

Kofi Taharka, national chairman of the National Black United Front, and Bishop James Dixon,

pastor of Community of Faith, also made the journey. Dixon recently introduced a new campaign to area leaders, “Be Your Brother’s Keeper, Not Your Brother’s Killer,” to promote the concept of multi-racial brotherhood and the sanctity of life by discouraging violence.

Continued on Page 8

Tracy Martin (center) and Sybrina Fulton (right), parents of Trayvon Martin, take part in a New York rally.

Some students wore hoodies during the TSU protest.Photo by Bob Levey

Trayvon Martin... Continued from page 7

approach was a plainclothes detective. He asked me if I had a recent picture of Trayvon and it just so happened that I had taken a picture in my camera, maybe a week or two prior to the incident. I showed them the picture. He told me to give him a second.” The nightmare begins

Martin recalled what the officer did next.“He walked to his vehicle, retrieved a folder

and asked could we go into the house. We walked into the house. He told me he was going to show me a photo and that he was going to ask me if this was my kid. And he pulled out the photo. From that point, it’s been like a nightmare.”

That nightmare was compounded by the decision not to arrest or prosecute Zimmerman, who admitted killing Trayvon.

Led by Attorney Benjamin Crump, the fam-ily has been making the rounds of national televi-sion programs to share their story – and to express their outrage that Zimmerman hasn’t been brought to justice. Protests, many of them led by college students, have taken place across the country.

“In the Black community, we all see Trayvon in ourselves,” Sharpton said. “We all subcon-sciously know that we’re born as suspects rather

than citizens and that’s what Trayvon was – he was a suspect.”

After three weeks of mobilizing on social media, keeping the story alive in Black newspa-pers and African-American radio, the mounting pressure forced Sanford, Fla. officials to release the 911 tapes.

Those tapes – which show that Zimmerman disobeyed the 911 dispatcher’s directive that he not follow Trayvon – along with the decision not to arrest Zimmerman, forced Police Chief Bill Lee to temporarily step down as police chief.

On April 10, a grand jury will be convened to determine whether Zimmerman should be indicted. Both the U.S. Justice Department’s civil rights division and the FBI are looking into the case to determine if any federal statues were violated.

Sybrina Fulton is still living with the pain of her son’s death.

“It just reminds me of an awful dream,” she told publishers. “It just seems like the pain goes away temporarily and then it comes back. It just feels like my heart is just heavy. I still have tears, I still cry. It’s just difficult. Each day is just difficult to get by.”

New Black Panther Party offers $10,000 reward

Defender News ServicesThe New Black Panther Party is offering a bounty of $10,000 for the

capture of George Zimmerman, the Florida neighborhood watch captain who killed Trayvon Martin.

Speaking at a protest in Sanford, Fla., party leader Mikhail Muhammad recited the phrase, “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.” He called on 5,000 Black men to mobilize and apprehend Zimmerman.

“If the government won’t do the job, we’ll do it,” Muhammad said.New Black Panther members addressed what they called the inaction of

local and state government officials and accused them of lying and delaying justice.

They also said Angela Corley, the appointed special prosecutor in the case, was an enemy of the Black community.

“She has a track record of sending innocent young Black men and women to prison,” Muhammad said.


opinion

Defender commentaryDo your part. Stop racial profiling!

As the outcry surrounding the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin contin-ues, one of the issues in the case concerns racial profiling. It is a major problem across America, and occurs 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Trayvon’s family traveled to Washington, D.C. recently to meet with lawmakers study-ing racial profiling and hate crimes. The Martins believe that their son was targeted by neighborhood watch captain George Zimmer-man because he was a young Black man walking in a gated community.

“I think it was just in his mind that he was going to confront my son,” Tracy Martin said of Zimmer-man. “Whether my son was doing anything or not, he just wanted a confrontation.”

Many in our community agree with Tracy Martin. Trayvon wasn’t burglarizing a house, stealing rims or carjacking a neighbor – he was minding his own business. If Zimmer-

man had left him alone as he was instructed to do, Trayvon would still be alive.

According to the ACLU, the legal definition of racial profil-ing is “the discriminatory practice by law enforcement officials of

targeting individuals for sus-picion of crime based on

the individual’s race, ethnicity, religion or

national origin. “Examples

of racial profil-ing are the use of race to de-termine which drivers to stop for minor traf-

fic violations (commonly re-

ferred to as “driv-ing while black or

brown”), or the use of race to determine which

pedestrians to search for illegal contraband.”

It might be time for a new, broader definition of racial profiling. African Americans continue to be singled out and discriminated against sole-ly because of the color of their skin. It doesn’t matter if they’re rich or poor, young or old, male or female. It doesn’t matter if they’re dressed in a business suit or wearing a hoodie.

At one time, we were racially profiled when we tried to sit at the front of the bus or drink from a public water fountain. Today we are likely to be profiled when we apply for a loan, interview for a job, try to buy a house or attempt to rent an apartment.

This type of racial profiling is a major injustice and it has to stop. That’s why it’s also time for a new movement to combat an issue that impacts African Americans on so many different levels.

Change begins with each of us. We must make our voices heard, register to vote and cast our ballots. We must hold police departments, the judicial system and elected officials account-able.

We must rally and march to show our non-violent resistance to racial profiling.

We must get off our behinds and do our part to stop racial profiling.

9defendernetwork.com | WEEK OF MARCH 29 | 2012 | DEFENDER

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68 million customers around the world every day,” Skinner said. “With Don at the helm, I am extremely confident in the future of Mc-Donald’s.”

Andy McKenna, chairman of McDonald’s board of directors, agreed with Skinner.

“As we look to the future, the board has every confidence that Don’s strategic leader-ship and global business insight make him the ideal CEO,” McKenna said.

“His track record of performance as presi-dent and COO of McDonald’s Corporation and president of McDonald’s USA speak to his qualifications to further drive the company’s momentum.”

Thompson said he is “honored” by the board’s decision, and described Skinner as a “leader, mentor and friend.”

“I’m humbled to take the baton as CEO of McDonald’s,” Thompson said. “Our manage-ment team is strong and will remain focused on the Plan to Win and on our three global priorities – optimizing the menu, modernizing the customer experience and broadening our accessibility to even more customers.

“Our franchisees, suppliers and employees are committed to ensuring that McDonald’s is our customers’ favorite way and place to eat and drink,” Thompson said.

Thompson received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University and be-gan as an electrical engineer with McDonald’s in 1990.

In addition, 21 employees investi-gated for possible cheating have been recommended for termination, non-renewal of contract, or agreed to resign/retire during or immediately following those investigations.

HISD said it agreed that “the kind of statistical analysis performed by the newspaper can be a useful tool for identifying classes of students whose test scores either increased or decreased more than might be normally expected.

“Experts caution, however, that such analyses do not provide evidence that testing improprieties occurred. Instead, the results of this sort of analysis should be used as a starting point for further research into the many factors that may have resulted in a significant swing in academic performance.”

The district also identified what it called “shortcomings in the newspaper’s methodology that warrant consider-ation.”

Grier wrote a letter to the HISD community as well.

“I want you to know that HISD takes these allegations seriously and does not tolerate cheating,” he said.

“We believe that adults who par-ticipate in cheating are robbing their students of the quality education they deserve. I also want you to know that I believe in the integrity of the over-whelming majority of educators working in Houston schools.”

HISD... Continued from page 3

McDonald’s... Continued from page 4


sportsCourtney LeeRockets versatile star is all business


TX4944_HNDF_EOG_AFAM_0329.indd3-20-2012 1:17 PM Tommy Salazar / Tommy Salazar

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By MAX EDISONDefender

Please excuse talented Rockets guard/forward Courtney Lee if he doesn’t come off as a real excit-able guy. The NBA will make you that way.

Drafted in the first round by the Orlando Magic (22nd overall) in 2008, the

former Sunbelt Player of the Year from

Western Kentucky quickly excelled and became a fix-ture in the Magic

rotation. The Magic made it

to the NBA championship in 2009, eventually losing to the Lakers four games to one.

One year in the league, playing with one of the more talented teams in the league and the most domi-nant young center in the game, what could be better than that?

In year number two Lee was rudely introduced to the business side of the NBA. Shortly after the Finals, Lee was part of a five-player deal that sent him to the New Jersey Nets, one of the NBA’s worst teams. Some would say he went from the pent-house to the outhouse in one season.

Lee’s second season as a Net had some high marks. He led the Nets in steals (93), three point shots made (76), and free throw percentage (86.9%). He even had a 30-point performance. Yet the Nets were a horrible basketball team finishing with a 12-70 re-cord, and only the fifth team in NBA history to lose 70 games in a season.

Lee’s career took an upswing of sorts following his second season. On August 11, 2010, he was part of a four-team trade that saw him become a Houston Rocket.

Rocket GM Daryl Morey was down-right giddy after trading to acquire Courtney, a player they had been fond of for quite some time.

“This is a guy who we were focused on acquiring in the [2008] draft,” Morey said. “We were trying to acquire Courtney when he went to Orlando and then he went to New Jersey.

“He’s very versatile. He can defend multiple spots – for sure the 2-guard but also can guard 1s and some 3s,” Morey contin-ued. “He’s a very solid cutter and shooter with a very high basketball IQ. We see the upside in his game. He played 16 playoff games and started in the NBA Finals [his

rookie year].” Playing on three teams in four years

can drain the enthusiasm out of a young player, but Lee has adopted a profes-

sional attitude.

“It’s the NBA, it’s a business. Things happen so you can’t take it personal,” Lee said. “You’ve got to just go out there and keep working. If you take care of your game, the game will take care of you. If it’s the city you want to be in or the team you love, you’re still playing basketball. You got to be professional about it.

“It’s been frustrating at points, but the best way to get over it is to be prepared and continue to work, so when you get your opportunity, like I’m in right now you just go show what you’re capable of doing,” he added.

“That’s part of being a professional. You’re in the NBA, there’s always going to be somebody better or somebody the coaches like. Whatever it is you’ve got to keep working and stay positive.”

A versatile athlete capable of playing three positions, Lee has been an asset and a valuable commodity for Rocket coach Kevin McHale.

“I played a little bit of point in col-lege when our point guard went down,” McHale said. “My first year in the NBA they had me do a lot of point guard work and that definitely benefitted me in the long run. The main thing is to go out

there and play hard whether it’s guarding 2s or 3s; just being interchangeable gives us more options.”

In his second year as a Rocket, Lee has had to accept a role coming off the bench. With the injury to Kevin Martin, Lee is once again starting and playing outstanding basketball. His attitude remains team first at the thought of re-turning to the bench when Martin comes back.

“I’ll continue to do what I’ve been doing – working hard. When he comes back, if they ask me to sit then I’ll go back to the bench and when I come in, I have to make sure I’m ready. I’ll come out with a spark and try to give the team a lift any way I can.”

As a young player with playoff experience, Lee likes what he see’s with this Rocket squad and thinks they are playoff-bound.

“I’ve been to the championship series with Orlando and then was sent to New Jersey, so I’ve seen both sides of it. Everybody on this team wants to compete and wants to fight. Once you have that the sky’s the limit. You give yourself a great chance to make the playoffs.”

In his second season as a Rocket Courtney Lee has been a valuable asset.

A versatile player, Lee is a lethal offensive

weapon and outstand-ing defender.

h.s.zone11defendernetwork.com WEEK OF MARCH 29 | 2012 DEFENDER

sportsbriefs


Coleman wins national leadership grantPatrick Coleman II of Pearland Dawson High School has won a National Leadership Grant sponsored by NCSA Athletic Recruiting and the National Football League Players Association. The leadership grant is awarded to student-athletes throughout the U.S. in all sports from football to track and field. These athletes qualify for the grant based on leadership in their community, academic achievements, athletics and a written essay.

McNally to host football clinic in HoustonJim McNally, widely-regarded as one of the top NFL of-fensive line coaches in the country, will host a Texas Foot-ball Masters offensive line clinic April 4-5 at the West-chase Marriott Hotel in Houston. The offensive line guru has 28 years of experience in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, New York Giants and Cincinnati Bengals. Terry High School head football coach and clinic coordinator Tim Teykl, who met McNally while coaching the offensive line at TCU in the 1980s, calls the chance to hear McNally in person, “an opportunity of a lifetime.” The clinic will have three sessions on fundamentals, zone principles and plays along with pass blocking and protections. Fees begin at $80 for individuals and $235 for groups of three to five. For information, Tekyl can be reached at 832-223-3567 or [email protected].

High school Heisman applications being acceptedWendy’s is accepting applications for the annual Wendy’s High School Heisman Award, which honors student-ath-letes for their academic achievement, community service and athletic prowess. The six boy and six girl finalists will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City for the ceremony. Students can apply for the award at www.wendysheisman.com.

Astros trade Bourgeois to Kansas CityJust when you were starting to get the slightest hint of Astro/MLB fever, the hometown team sends you crash-ing back to reality. The Astros recently traded Houston home-grown outfielder Jason Bourgeois along with catcher Humberto Quintero to the Kansas City Royals for left- handed pitcher Kevin Chapman and a player to be named later. Bourgeois grew up in the Northeast region of town and played Little League baseball in the Smokey Jasper Park along with Carl Crawford (Boston Red Sox) and Michael Bourn (Atlanta Braves). Bourgeois had been competing this spring with Jordan Schafer for the starting centerfielder position. Schafer was arrested dur-ing the offseason and charged with felony possession of marijuana. With the trade of Bourgeois the Astros again will likely begin the 2012 season without an African-American player on the roster.

Shaw wins the women’s Division II crownThe Shaw University Lady Bears representing the CIAA recently won the NCAA Division II Women’s basketball crown. Shaw defeated Ashland 88-82 in an overtime thriller in San Antonio. It was the first national champi-onship for Shaw, an HBCU. The Lady Bears were paced by junior guard Sequohah Griffin who scored 24 points. Coached by Jacques Curtis, the Lady Bears lost in the D-II national semifinals last season to eventual champion Clayton State. They had won 15 straight game and 26 of their last 27. Shaw becomes the first women’s HBCU to win an NCAA national championship since Hampton University in 1988.

Collins continues a family tradition

By DARRELL K. ARDISONDefender

His genealogy is im-peccable, so Aviante Collins knows there’s good reason why at 6-foot-5 and 300

pounds, he can run 100 meters in a little over 11 seconds. He ac-complished that while running into a headwind at the Texas Southern Relays two weeks ago.

“My father and mother both ran track,” said Collins, after winning the shot put competition in the high school division of the Victor Lopez Classic Track Meet held at Rice University. “I will be forever grateful to them for blessing me with this size and speed. Now it’s up to me to do something with it.”

Collins has visions of one day playing in the National Football League at either offensive or defensive tackle. He also wants to make the U.S. Olympic Team in the shot put or possibly the discus.

“I’m much stronger in the shot put right now,” he said. “It’s more of a power event and the discus is more finesse. Everything hasn’t fallen into place yet for me in the discus.”

A senior at Willowridge High School and winner of a bronze medal in last year’s state shot put competition, Collins is hoping to cap his prep career with a gold medal-winning performance in the University Interscholastic League state meet in two months.

Undefeated in the shot put thus far during the 2012 season, Collins will get a sneak peek of the facility where the state meet will be held this weekend at the annual Texas Relays.

“Last year was my first time at the state meet and I was a little ner-vous,” he said. “It took me a while to settle down and I finally made a good

throw on one of my final attempts.”Collins has already decided to

play college football and participate in track and field at Texas Christian University (TCU). That’s the same school where his father (Bill) became an All-American as a sprinter and where his brother Lavon currently competes as a hurdler. His oldest brother Arte is a member of the Texas Southern men’s track squad.

“Right after I completed my

trip to TCU, I was convinced it was the right place for me,” he said. “I’ve got family tradition there and I know people in the area. I talked with some guys that will be my teammates and everything felt right.”

Collins will report to TCU on June 1. After going through three head coaches in four years while playing football at Willowridge, he is looking forward to joining a stable coaching environment.

“It was a tough situation since we weren’t having team success,”

Collins said. “Yet I wasn’t about to let that keep me from earning a football scholarship. I went out and won my individual battles every week and for-tunately somebody took note of it.”

He plans to major in kinesiol-ogy and minor in criminal justice. His favorite subjects in school are English and science and his favorite food is Italian. If he could solve any world problem, it would be to find a cure for cancer.

If he needed any further proof of his family’s good genetics, it came over the past 10 months when his father contracted a rare ner-vous system disorder called GBS. There is no known cure or treatment for the syndrome and when GBS works its way into the upper extremities, most people are left paralyzed.

Although left very ill, Bill Collins was fortunate only his lower extremities were affected and it kept him from walking. After losing 41 pounds, the Col-lins’ family patriarch began to gain his strength back. He spent months in the pool before beginning to run once again.

The comeback was capped recently at the Masters Indoor Track and Field Championships held in Bloomington, Ind. While competing in the

men’s 60-and-over division, Bill Collins set a masters division record when he covered 60 meters in 7.58 seconds

Then the elder Collins an-chored the Houston Elite’s men’s 60-and-over 4X200 meter relay squad to a record-setting time of one minute, 41.53 seconds.

“It just proves what having faith and working hard to achieve a goal can do for you,” said Aviante Collins. “That has been instilled in me from a young age.”

n Birthdate – April 21, 1993n Birth sign – Taurusn Favorite color – Redn Favorite book – “Black Boy”n Favorite recent movie – “Project X”

about aviante Collins

Willowridge track star Aviante Collins

12

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DEFENDER | WEEK OF MARCH 29 | 2012 defendernetwork.com

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH…..The Honey Brown Hope Foundation celebrated Women’s History Month by paying tribute to 15 Houston-area women for their leadership and community involvement. The honorees included Rep. Alma Allen, Valencia Bell, yours truly Yvette Chargois, Monica Garcia, Gloria Griffin, Nailah Hendrickson, Shelly Kennedy, Erica Lee, Jalene Mack, Irene Walker-Paul, Linda Ragland, Courtney Rose, Nicole Sonnier, Wretha Thomas and Carmen Watkins. Each woman was presented with the Women Improving the Nation - “W.I.N. Award.” The organization was founded by Tammie Lang Campbell and its mission is to offer multicultural literature, environmental awareness, diversity appreciation, drama, writing, character building and voter empowerment programs. Judy Foston and Katiera Winfrey served as mistresses of ceremonies and other program participants included Rev. Dennis Campbell

Jr., Shar-day Campbell, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Councilman Larry Green and Fort Bend County Commissioner Richard Morrison. The keynote speaker was Lecia Brooks, director of outreach for the Southern Poverty Law Center. A musical selection was performed by recording

artist Charlene “Charlie Berry” Tombar. Congratulations!……….WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT FAIR…….DeVry University-Houston Metro’s Student Services Department celebrated Women’s History Month by hosting an empowerment fair to inspire women to take full advantage of their capabilities to strengthen their confidence, leadership, health and finances.

Presenters included Dr. Kim Nugent, Stephanie Black, Dean Esmeralda Garcia, Kim Bady and Holly Ham. They also presented the Leadership Award to Phyllis J. Bailey, business owner and president of 3B Resources Group Public Relations LLC. The Student Leadership Award was presented to Angie

Eggins. We salute Jay Paragans, David Eaker and the entire staff for a great event. Continued success!........BLUE TIE GALA……Regina and Ronald Jackson founded the Elliott Chandler Foundation and named it after their sons, Parker Elliott and Langston Chandler. It supports the development of leaders of tomorrow by providing financial support and critical assistance to deserving young men with a demonstrated record of academic performance and an interest in pursuing a degree from a higher learning institution. They recently celebrated their 2012 Blue Tie Gala at the Junior League of Houston with about 300 guests in attendance. This year’s keynote address was delivered by Dr. Rod C. Fluker Sr., vice president for enrollment and student success at College of the Mainland. Ms. Chag was the mistress of ceremonies. Entertainment was provided by Gregory Daniels, saxophonist; Traiveon Dunlap, vocalist; Michael Gatlin, poet and F. Ryan Coleman-Ferebee, who served as the DJ. Fabulous evening!.....From Chag’s Place to your place, have a blessed week!

Honorees Nicole Sonnier, Gloria Griffin, Linda Ragland, Courtney Rose and Wretha Thomas

Honorees Carmen Watkins, Ms. Chag and Rep. Alma Allen Shar-day Campbell, Lecia Brooks, Tammie Campbell and Rev. Dennis Campbell, Jr.

Stephanie Black, Phyllis Bailey, Jay Parahams, Kim Nugent and Kim Bady

Janell Hodges and Juluette Bartlett-Pack Phyllis Bailey, David Eaker, Jay Parahams and Angie Eggins

Founders Regina and Ronald Jackson Keynote Speaker Dr. Rod Fluker Janette Hammond and Jennifer Holmes

March 29, 2012

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