Download - Winter Issue 2009
2009–2010
njpac.org 1-888-go-njpac (1-888-466-5722)
Upcoming events
sat, Feb 20 at 7:30Kenny garrett Bandravi coltrane QuartetSax appeal exclusive to NJPAC
sat, mar 6 at 8:00cassandra Wilsonwith special guest esperanza spaldingAn unforgettable night of Contemporary jazz
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebrationfeaturing Smokie Norfulwith special guest speaker the Rev. Dr. Joseph Lowerythe njpac debut of this grammy®, Dove and stellar award-winning singer-songwriter
thursday, jan 14 at 7:00
Michael Garner Digs Into New Role. . . . . . . . . 1
Getting Your Piece of the Stimulus Pie . . . . . . . . 8
NY/NJ Minority Suppliers Awards Gala . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
CONTENTSW i n t e r 2 0 0 9 – 1 0
&also inside
FeaturesCelebrating the MLK Holiday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Vernon Williams: Pastor on Deck. . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Israel Embraces Ethiopian Jewry . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Dr. Marco Mason Honored . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Newark’s Monsignor Nwaorgu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
NBUF: Black Philanthropy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Visiting the White House. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Harlem Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Guest Editorial. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9My View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10From the Heart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Single, Satisfied & Saved . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Gospel Train . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51Ask Dr. Palmer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58The Fitness Doctor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60The Way Ahead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69The Last Word . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Special Section
20COVER STORYAndrew Young:Reflections of MLK
Cover L-R: Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rev. Ralph Abernathy,and Rev. Andrew Young Photo: Corbis
CAMPUS LOCATIONS■ CNR BROOKLYN CAMPUS
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VISIT WWW.CNR.EDU I E-MAIL [email protected]
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Due to the unprecedented success experienced as a
collaboration of churches, in the Borough of churches,
the founding and organizing pastors of Brooklyn
Congregations Together (BCT) have called for a time of
reflection, reevaluation and preparation. Our Lord Himself
did so even with the Apostles. Therefore, the year 2010, we
have chosen to operate on a reduced calendar!
The Martin Luther King observance (Friday, January 15, 2010),
the Palm Sunday Parade and Worship Service (Sunday, March
28, 2010) and our work with 32BJ shall continue. All other
programming will be put on hold!
Our immediate goals are to set schedule for reflection,
reevaluation and preparation, for ourselves, the Men’s
Division, Women’s Division and our Youth.
This is a needed time for prayer, study, self examination and surely
preparation!
We are asking all designated leaders to prepare for the schedul-
ing of such times. The BCT headquarters will be primary site
for these gatherings.
We thank God for all that has been done through us thus
far, and we do not believe that God has brought us this far to
leave us. We will put as much energy and time as necessary
into becoming even better instruments in possession of the
Holy Spirit for the future.
Together in the Spirit of the King,
BCT Pastors
Officers President & Founding Member
Rev. Lawrence Aker Cornerstone Baptist Church
Vice President & Founding
MemberRev. Dr. Daran Mitchell
First AME Zion Church
Servant-Leader & Founding Member Rev. Dr. Johnny R. Youngblood
Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church
Group Counselor/Moderator &
Organizing Member Rev. Dr. Clive Neil Bedford Central Presbyterian Ch
Founding MembersRev. Henry Cabbagestalk III,
Pentecostal House of Prayer
Rev. Frederick Ennette Bedford Central Presbyterian
Bishop Eric Figueroa New Life Tabernacle Rev. Clinton M. Miller Brown Memorial Baptist Church
Organizing MembersRev. Amziah James Brighter Way Baptist Church
Rev. Jesse Sumbry King Emmanuel Baptist Church
Rev. Dr. Curtis Whitney
Mt. Sinai Baptist Church
Rev. Dr. David Hampton
Bethany Baptist Church
Rev. David K. Brawley St. Paul Community Baptist Ch.
Rev. Steven Carter Mt. Ararat Baptist Church
Rev. Dr. James Thornton
Salem Missionary Baptist Church
Rev. Dr. James Green Universal Baptist Church
Rev. Melvin Anderson Another Chance Ministries
Rev. Shaun Lee Mt. Lebanon Baptist Church
Rev. G.T.M. Jones Greater Zion Shiloh Baptist Ch
Rev. Anthony L. Trufant
Emmanuel Baptist Church
Mailing Address:Brooklyn Congregations Together
c/o Cornerstone Baptist Church
574 Madison Street Brooklyn, NY 11221
Telephone: 718-636-7628
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.bctinc.org
B r o o k l y n C o n g r e g a t i o n s To g e t h e r
F o u n d e d 2 0 0 6
GREAT TO PROGRESS
T he following clergy organizations, churches, community businesses and institutions have committed to the purchase of at least one hundred
magazines per month at $1.00 each (50% off the cover price) or support this publication through the purchase of advertising for their events,
services or consumer products. THIS IS ONLY A PARTIAL LISTING.
All of the above have embraced a practical community building ideal that encourages self acceptance, self reliance and self
respect.Enroll your church, business, school or organization today. Contact The Positive Community at 973-233-9200 or e-mail
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today because a positive community is everybody's business . . . it really pays to care!
C ALLOLLRBlack Ministers Council of NJ
Rev. Reginald T. Jackson, Exec. Director
Beulah B.C., Newark, NJ
Rev. Gerald L. Dickson, Pastor
Bethany B.C., Brooklyn, NY
Rev. Dr. David Hampton, Pastor
Office of Black Ministry
Archdiocese of New York
Brother Tyrone Davis, Exec. Director
General Baptist Convention, NJ
Rev. Dr. Guy Campbell, President
United Black Clergy of Westchester Inc.
Rev. Dr. Franklyn W. Richardson, Pastor
Mt. Olivet Baptist Church, Harlem
Rev. Charles A. Curtis, Pastor
Harlem Congregations for
Community Improvement (HCCI)
Lucille McEwen, President & CEO
Manhattan District AME Churches
Rev. Harold Rutherford, Presiding Elder
Greater Zion Hill B.C., Harlem
Rev. Dr. Frank J. Blackshear, Pastor
Greater New Hope Missionary B.C., NYC
Rev. Joan J. Brightharp, Pastor
Calvary Baptist Church, Garfield, N.J.
Rev. Calvin McKinney, Pastor
Salvation & Deliverance Church, Harlem
Apostle William Brown, Pastor
Grace B. C., Mt. Vernon, NY
Rev. Dr. Franklyn W. Richardson, Pastor
Paterson’s Pastor’s Workshop*
Rev. Dr. James Kuykendall, President
Nazarene Congregational Church,
Brooklyn—Rev, Conrad B. Tillard, Pastor
St. Paul Community B. C., Brooklyn
Rev. Dr. Johnny Ray Youngblood, Pastor
Rev. David K. Brawley, Pastor Successor
Childs Memorial COGIC, Harlem
Bishop Norman N. Quick, Pastor
St. John AME Church, Harlem
Rev. James E. Booker Jr., Pastor
The New Hope B. C., Newark
Rev. Joe Carter, Senior Pastor
Greater Allen Cathedral, Queens, NY
Revs. Floyd and Elaine Flake, Co-Pastors
St. Matthew AME Church, Orange, NJ
Rev. Reginald T. Jackson, Pastor
The Cathedral International,
Perth Amboy, NJ
Bishop Donald Hilliard, Pastor
St. James AME Church, Newark, NJ
Rev. William L. Watley, Pastor
Paradise B. C., Newark, NJ
Rev. Jethro James, Pastor
Fellowship Missionary B, C,, Newark, NJ
Rev. E.T. Byrd, Pastor
Community Church of God, Plainfield, NJ
Rev. Dr. Shirley B. Cathie., Pastor Emeritus
Abyssinian B. C., Harlem
Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts III, Pastor
Metropolitan B. C., Newark, NJ
Rev. Dr. David Jefferson, Pastor
Masjid Imam Ali K. Muslim, Newark, NJ
Imam Akbar Muhammad
Concord B.C., Brooklyn, NY
Rev. Dr. Gary V. Simpson, Senior Pastor
St Luke B. C., Paterson, NJ
Rev. Kenneth D.R. Clayton, Senior Pastor
First B.C. of Lincoln Gardens,
Somerset, NJ
Rev. Dr. DeForest (Buster) Soaries, Pastor
Christian Love B..C, Irvington, NJ
Rev. Ron Christian, Pastor
Canaan B. C. of Christ, Harlem
Rev. Thomas D. Johnson, Pastor
Berean B. C., Brooklyn
Rev. Arlee Griffin Jr., Pastor
Mt. Neboh Baptist Church, Harlem, NY
Rev. Dr. Johnnie Green Jr., Pastor
Bethany B.C., Newark, NJ.
Rev. Dr. M. William Howard, Senior Pastor
The Bozeman Law Firm
New York Urban League
The United Way of Essex
and West Hudson
University of Medicine & Dentistry of NJ
The Sharing Network
The College of New Rochelle
Essex County College, NJ
New York Theological Seminary
Newark School of Theology
City National Bank
125th St. BID
Businesses & Organizations
Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce
Schomburg Center
American Diabetes Association
Birdel's Tapes & Audio, Brooklyn
New Jersey Performing Arts Center
Windows Over Harlem
African American Heritage Parade
Committee, NJ
Razac Products Co., Newark, NJ
Amerigroup New Jersey, Inc.
Davis Chiropractic, NJ
Apel Travel/Alken Tours, Brooklyn
WBGO-88.3FM
WKMB-1070AM
Inner City Broadcasting
African American Muslims for
Interfaith Relationships (AAMIR)
The Committee to Preserve Our
Heritage and Tradition—Harlem,
Muhammad Idris, Chair; Anna
Muhammad, Committee Member
Community Bank of Bergen County,
Garfield, NJ
Mildred Crump, Newark City Council
American Heart Association,
Northern NJ
Medgar Evers College
Carver Federal Savings Bank
New Brunswick Theological Seminary
NAACP, NY State Conference*
NAACP New Jersey*
National Black United Fund*
MAKE THE DIFFERENCE!
THANKS FOR YOUR
SUPPORT!!!
* New to the Roll Call
World Gospel Music Association
Dr. Albert Lewis, Founder, Newark, N.J.
Shiloh B.C., Plainfield, NJ
Rev. Dr. Gerald Lamont Thomas, Pastor
Community B.C., Englewood, NJ
Rev. Dr. Lester Taylor, Senior Pastor
Walker Memorial B.C. Bronx, NY
Rev. Dr. J. Albert Bush Sr., Pastor
Rev. Ben Monroe, St. Albans, NY COGIC*
New Jerusalem B.C., Queens, NY*
Rev. Dr. Calvin Rice, Pastor
New Zion B.C., Elizabeth, NJ
Rev. Kevin James White, Pastor
Mother A.M.E. Zion Church, Harlem
Rev. Dr. Gregory Robeson Smith, Pastor
Thessalonia Worship Center, Bronx, NY
Rev. Dr. Shellie Sampson, Pastor
Mt. Olivet Baptist Church, Peekskill, NY*
Rev. Adolphus Lacey, Pastor
Friendship Baptist Church, Harlem, NY*
Rev. James A. Kilgore, Pastor
Newark Dist. of AME Church, Newark, NJ*
Howard Grant, Presiding Elder
First Bethel Baptist Church, Newark, NJ*
H. Grady James III, Pastor
PNC Bank
Celebrating 225 Years of Theological Education Oldest Seminary in North America
www.thepositivecommunity.com Winter 2009–10 The PPoossiittiivvee CCoommmmuunniittyy 9
guesteditorialUnderstanding King’s Dream in the Age of Barack Obama
In his lecture after receiving the Nobel
Peace prize in Winter 2009–10
President Barack Obama attributed his
political success to the leadership, vision
and sacrifice of Martin Luther King, Jr. In
so doing he articulated the deep sentiment
that inspired many people to support his
presidential candidacy and contribute to
the greatest political reversal ever experienced by an oppressed
people. There is no doubt that the election of Barack Obama
is the most dramatic manifestation of Dr. King’s sublime opti-
mism and prophetic gifts. Who else besides King really believed
in 1963 that skin color would ever be an insignificant factor in
America—especially in a presidential election during the life-
time of Kings children? Three of Martin King’s children were
eyewitnesses to this glorious achievement. And the world stood
in awe of a nation whose Supreme Court had once defined the
forebears of Mr. Obama as being only sixty percent human and
now would have a descendant of that legacy appoint its future
members. What a miracle in our lifetime!
But there is a growing undercurrent of frustration with
President Obama among African Americans that is bubbling to
the surface of our discourse. The crass depiction of the conver-
sation is the question “is Obama black enough?” A more analyt-
ical approach to the Obama presidency has begun asking
whether or not we have elected Bush III or a tanned version of
Bush Lite. The questions are generally murmured quietly in
black circles even as pollsters document the bedrock support
that the President has among black voters. So how do we assess
the status of Dr. King’s dream in the light of having elected our
first black President?
First, it is completely possible to celebrate the historic signifi-
cance of President Obama while holding his administration
accountable on issues raised by Dr. King. Remember—Dr. King’s
dream was much larger than the inclusion of individual black
people in historic positions. In fact, the ascendency of individu-
als into positions of influence and power has always been a strat-
egy and not a goal. The color or party affiliation of a political
leader does not matter at all if that leader does not pursue an
agenda that addresses the critical problems of the day.
And for King the prevailing question was one of justice:
When would all Americans have equal access to the rights and
opportunities available in this great nation? And how would this
nation resolve the lingering effects of systemic injustices that
are the cause for the disparities that exist in so many areas
today? In response to these questions, having a black president
is not as important as it is to have a president that will have the
right priorities. And when Mr. Obama’s priorities reflect a com-
mitment to his political interests over his commitment to
answering these questions, the legacy of King compels us to
help him change his priorities just as Dr. King helped
Presidents Kennedy and Johnson.
But what is also important to remember is that Dr. King’s
dream made some assumptions about black people and our
internal values as a people. Dr. King espoused a doctrine of
“revolutionary excellence” where black people would do every-
thing possible to strive and achieve in spite of the injustices
heaped upon us. When he challenged the larger society to see
beyond the prejudiced view imposed upon us by skin color, he
added by inference a challenge to black people to offer as an
alternative the calling card of the content of our character.
King assumed that if we gained the right to vote that we would
vote. That if we gained the right to attend the schools of our
choices that we would have the desire to learn. He never imag-
ined that we would undermine—by our own behavior, lack of
motivation or failure to act—the rights that he fought for us to
have. King never foresaw our enslavement to the consumer cul-
ture and personal debt. Nor did he ever envision a day when we
would be more afraid of violence in our neighborhoods than
we were of violence inflicted by the Ku Klux Klan.
And these are issues that cannot be resolved by a black presi-
dent. These are matters that must be addressed in a manner not
unlike the emergence of the movement that King led—local
efforts responding to similar problems all over the country.
The election of Barack Obama closes one of the ugliest
aspects of one of the most glaring contradictions of our young
democracy. But there are many chapters that remain: Those
that have been written by the United States government—we
should expect and demand leadership from our President and
those that are self imposed—we should expect and demand
leadership from ourselves.
BY DEFOREST B. SOARIES, JR.Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens in Somerset, NJ
MLK: A Profile in Courage
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. possessed the courage to
live and the courage to die. His tenacity to do both
speaks volumes about this great man who could
have, to use the black church vernacular, lived on a flow-
ery bed of ease, but instead chose to fight for his people—
black people, poor people, disenfranchised people. And
we are all the better for having had him in our midst, if
only for 39 years.
I was conversing with a longtime friend and she
recalled having told her three children to exit this world
having made it better than it was when they first entered.
Suffice it to say King did exactly that. His was an upscale
life by anybody’s standards. Yet, he chose the way of the
cross and carried his cross daily as Jesus admonished all
believers to do. His cross was to love when that love was
not reciprocal from many. Sure, many who lived through
those tumultuous times will tell you they were followers of
“The King of Love” as Nina Simone referred to him while
paying tribute in song. But, truth be told, he often was
called disparaging names like, “handkerchief head,”
“Uncle Tom” and “Martin Loser King”—and those were
some of the better things said about him.
He never lost his focus. Amazing. He never lost his pen-
chant to love, not because he was loved back, but because
this was and still is God’s mandate for those who follow
Him. King, I dare say, might be a bit miffed at the apathy
that has reared its ugly head in black America. Black
men—many of them marched to Washington, but some
of those same men have not found their way to march to
the corners of the asphalt jungle and help to put an end
to the slaughter on street corners of Anywhere, USA.
Many of our black sisters have demeaned themselves
for 15 minutes of fame on cable TV and 30 pieces of sil-
ver—all to shake their behinds before a world that already
decided to despise people of color just because of an acci-
dent of birth.
Martin would be pleased about President Obama, I’m
sure, but would he be pleased about some of the stances
our president has or has not taken in some instances?
REV. THERESANANCEMY VIEW
Rev. Nance is pastor of The Church by the Side of theRoad in Passaic, NJ. She is also a radio talk show hostand documentary filmmaker.
LISTEN TO THE POSITIVE COMMUNITY HOURON WKMB 1070 AM HARVEST RADIO, MONDAYS, 1:30–2:30 P.M. WITH HOSTTHERESA NANCE.
10 The Positive Community Winter 2009–10 www.thepositivecommunity.com
What good is it to laud the legacy of this man if we who
remain won’t move forward to go one better? I recall on
“brother” Gil Noble’s Sunday show watching Ambassador
Andrew Young, Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth and Rev. C.T.
Vivian openly weep when they remembered what King
gave up because he loved in spite of the struggle and
hatred he faced throughout his short but meaningful life.
I weep, too, but not for the same reason. I weep because
I see my beloved community regressing in so many areas
where we should be at the forefront. But, we press on. We
persevere. We agitate. We march. We demand. We do
those things because King and others like him thought it
not robbery to have their lives shortened so we could have
the privileges they never lived to see.
Dr. Clifford B. Janey, Superintendent“These people reported to the principal’s office on November 13, and made a difference in the life of a Newark Public Schools’ student.”
Abington AvenueDennis Torsiello - Principal
Santiago Paniagua - President - Dominicana News EnterprisesJulia Castro - Dominicana News Enterprises
Academy of Vocational CareersDr. Glen Wilson - Principal
Rory Sparrow - Former New York KnicksLarry Glover - The Glover Group
Alexander StreetJacqueline Blamo-Hawthorne - PrincipalLatina Byrd - Newark Fire Department
American History HighRobert Gregory - Principal
Mayor Cory A. Booker - City of NewarkRev. Dr. Forrest Pritchett - Program Director - Seton Hall University
Ann StreetLinda Richardson - Principal
Eliana Pintor - The Newark Public Schools Advisory Board
Arts HighDr. Norma Fair-Brown - Principal
Divad Sanders - SLAM Global Enterprises
Avon AvenueDenise Cooper - Principal
Gwen Williams - Essex County Courts
Barringer HighDr. Jose Aviles - Principal
Steve Adubato, Sr. - North Ward Center
Barringer 9th Grade AcademyNelson Ruiz - Interim Principal
Dr. Alfred Davis - Davis Chiropractic
Belmont RunyonDorothy Handfield - Principal
Pastor Vincent Rouse - Pleasant Grove Baptist Church
Benjamin FranklinSusan Taylor - Principal
Mary McCraw - One Newark Education CoalitionRaymond Ocasio - LaCasa de Don Pedro
Bragaw AvenueTony Motley - Principal
Richard Uniacke - Community Food Bank
Branch BrookJoseph Cullen - Principal
Lou LaSalle - St. Barnabas Hospital
BroadwayAlejandro Echevarria - Principal
Charlie Rubin - Amelior FoundationSenator Theresa Ruiz - NJ State Senate
Burnett StreetRoy Wilson - Principal
Juan Rivera - The Newark Public Schools Advisory Board
Camden MiddleDr. Shirley Brewton - PrincipalCelia King - Leadership Newark
Marques-Aquil Lewis - The Newark Public Schools Advisory Board
Camden StreetLaVonne Pack - Principal
Patricia Barksdale - Bank of America/Merrill Lynch
Central HighRas Baraka - Principal
Anne Jacobson - Victoria FoundationDr. Antoinette Ellis - NJ City University
Chancellor AvenueEugene Brown - Principal
Anthony D. White - Parental Involvement Exchange
Chancellor Annex Eugene Brown - Principal
Rhonda Auguste - The Wight Foundation
Cleveland StreetZakiyyah Abdul Razzag - Principal
Steve Marshall - Home DepotIrene Cooper-Basch - Victoria Foundation
Dayton StreetRon Karsen - Interim Principal
Ethan Collins - Bank of America/Merrill Lynch
Dr. E. Alma FlaggJames Mitchell - Interim Principal
Gem Tullock - WBGO
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.Anita Ziyad - PrincipalSharon Fisher - Emblem
Saundra Rogers - Council for Airport Opportunity
Dr. William H. HortonKimberly Wright-White - PrincipalDarwin Walker - Pennoni Associates
East Side HighDr. Mario Santos - Principal
Lee Jorge - Dale Insurance GroupRebecca Nackson - Audible.com
Eighteenth AvenueBarbara Ervin - Principal
Reggie Thomas - Anheuser BuschZondra Sykes - The Club House
Elliott StreetEva Ortiz - Principal
Paula Baratta - Newark Public Library
Fifteenth AvenueMalcolm Outlaw - PrincipalChris Hilabrant - T-Mobile
First AvenueKathy Duke-Jackson - Principal
Jerome Robinson - Nicholson Foundation
Fourteenth AvenueAlyson Barillari - Principal
Isaiah Mobley - Wakefern Food CorporationBrenda Sherman - McCarter & English
George W. CarverWinston Jackson - Principal
Damian Santamauro - Attorney
Harriett TubmanDeborah Davis-Terrell - Principal
Craig Drinkard - Victoria FoundationSteve Adubato, Sr. North Ward Center
Hawkins StreetJoseph Rendeiro - Principal
Arcelio Aponte - City of Newark
Hawthorne AvenueLaShawn Gibson-Burney - Principal
Issac King - Brantley Brothers
Ivy HillKeith Barton - Principal
Mildred Antenor - Seton Hall University
John F. KennedyDr. Glenda Johnson-Green - PrincipalBrian Feinstein - Payless Shoe Source
Lafayette StreetMaria Merlo - Principal
Anthony Azevedo - Pereira & Azevedo, LLC
LincolnJames Montemurro - Principal
Deborah Jones - Chubb Group of Insurance Companies
Louise A. SpencerKevin Guyton - Principal
Ronald Glover - Newark Police Department
Luis Munoz MarinArmando Cepero - Interim PrincipalBarbara Kukla - Sole Practitioner
Madison AvenueJennifer Carlisle-Peters - Principal
Milton Balkum - United Way of Essex
Malcolm X ShabazzDr. Donna Marable - Principal
Maple AvenueDeneen Washington - Principal
Paula Sabreen - Family Connections
McKinleyCarolyn Granato - Principal
Marie Moore - Cogswell Realty
Miller StreetShakirah Miller - Principal
Etta Denk - Bank of America/Merrill Lynch
Mount VernonBertha Dyer - Principal
Reginald Burch - SLAM Global EnterprisesDesarie Ball - TD Bank
Newark VocationalDeborah Mitchell-DeBerry - Principal
Miles Berger - Robert Treat Hotel
Newton StreetJames V. Carlo - Principal
Courtney Allen - Unitarian Universalist Congregation
NJ Regional DayCharles Manzella - Principal
Adrianne Davis - North Ward Center
Oliver StreetMariana Golden - Principal
Augusta C. DaRocha - Millennium Bank
Park ElementarySylvia Estevez - Principal
Ilicia Watkins - Pepsi Bottling GroupAmy Dietrich - Pepsi Bottling Group
Peshine AvenueWanda Brooks-Long - Principal
Winston Jones - Focus Point Communications
Quitman StreetJacquelyn Hartsfield - Principal
Tharien Arnold - The Newark Public Schools Advisory Board
Rafael HernandezJuan Carlos Ruiz - Principal
Sharon Salvador - SLAM Global Enterprises
Ridge Street/Early ChildhoodEmil Garruto - Principal
Michele Sceppaguerico - North Ward Center
Roberto ClementeYolanda Mendez - Principal
Roseann Isasi - Pepsi Bottling GroupStacey O’Rouke - Pepsi Bottling Group
Roseville AvenueRose Serra - Principal
Dina Fede - Alcatel-Lucent Technologies
Samuel L. BerlinerWilliam Heady - Principal
Alison Bryant - Windsor Gardens Care Center
Science ParkLamont Thomas - Interim Principal
Christian Benedetto, Jr. - Hopkins, Sampson & Brown
South 17th StreetClarence Allen - Principal
Carla L. Thomas - New Jersey State Police
South StreetKaren George-Gray - Principal
Barry Carter - The Newark Star-Ledger
Speedway AvenueGerald Samuels - Principal
Rhonda Wilson-Duncan - TD Bank
Sussex AvenueJoAnn Gilmore - Principal
Felipe Chavana - Newark Legal ServiceEric Friedman - FOCUS
Technology HighMona Dana - Principal
Josh Weston - ADPDr. Monique McRipley Ollie - Johnson & Johnson Pharmacy
Thirteenth AvenueLynn Irby-Jackson - Principal
Awilda Perez - FOCUSWilliam Stephney - Joseph Media, Inc
University HighClaude Bey - Principal
Donyea Hoffman - Clinton Hill Community Resource Ctr.
Weequahic HighJohn Tonero - Principal
Oscar S. James II - City of Newark
West Side HighDr. Kevin West - Interim Principal
Joe Carter - New Hope Baptist ChurchStanley Weeks - City National Bank
West Side 9th Grade AcademyDara Crocker - Vice PrincipalSabur Guy - City of Newark
Wilson AvenueMargarita Hernandez - Principal
Luis Nogueira - Exit Realty Lucky Associates
Thank you to more than 100 influential businessleaders who spent November 13 as a principal for a day in one of Newark’s 75 public schools. They join the more than 500 pioneers who, since 1996, have served as Principal for a Day. And because of their commitment to public school education, the Newarkcommunity now knows what a difference a day makes in the life of a child. To become a Principal for a Day, call (973) 733-7360 or visit www.nps.k12.nj.us.
It might seem presumptuous of me to tell the King
of Kings who created the universe and gave breath-
to my being that I accept His will for my life. But
the losses and pain that will come to me through life’s
trials are OK with me. Others may find it difficult to
understand my attitude, however I know that my
Savior suffers with me when I am in pain and that He
cries with me. In His word He promises to wipe away
our tears (Isaiah 25:8) and to give believers everlasting
joy. Thus far, His words are true—and He has given
me the unspoken desires of my heart.
Because He has promised to never leave me
(Hebrews 13:5), I know He walks beside me forever.
His word warns us that we will have tribulations, but
He tells us to lay our burdens upon Him and He will
give us rest (Matthew 11:30 & John 16:33).
In my despair over her death, I had anticipated that
without my beloved daughter this would be the most
difficult holiday season of my life. But His grace is
healing my heart each day and I have survived the ulti-
mate loss. What was once the most excruciating pain I
could have imagined has evolved into a gentle tug of
the remembrances of the 47 Christmases we had that
make me smile.
So I want to tell him, “It’s OK, Lord. I miss her but
I know she is in glory with you. Thank you for drying
my tears. Thank you for giving her eternal joy. I see
and feel your love and compassion in loved ones with
whom you surround me. Others may not understand
how I can say these things after such a loss, but you
have proven to me the unfathomable depth of your
love. Because you have promised a glorious reunion
for all believers, I realize that my separation from my
daughter will be merely like the wink of an eye com-
pared to the eternity we will spend in the mansion
that you are preparing for us. (John 14:2)
ROSEMARYSINCLAIRFROMTHE HEART
It’s Okay, Lord
12 The Positive Community Winter 2009–10 www.thepositivecommunity.com
IT’S OKAY LORD
© Rosemary Sinclair
Dear Lord, because you walk beside me everyday
I do not fear the trials that you have said will come my way
And when I face the certain losses that will grieve me
My comfort is that you will never leave me
So through my tears I cannot help but say
Sometimes it hurts so much, but Jesus, it’s OK
HACKENSACK UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER’SHEART & VASCULAR HOSPITALHackensack University Medical Center announces the construction of its new,
state-of-the-art hospital within a hospital dedicated to patients with cardiac and
vascular disease and the renowned doctors who take care of them. Our world-class
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with cardiovascular disease – strokes, aneurysms, peripheral artery disease, blocked
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14 The Positive Community Winter 2009–10 www.thepositivecommunity.com
SONJAGRACYSAVED, SINGLE &SATISFIED
It’s that time of year again. You can tell by the sights,
sounds and symbols. There are the fa-la-la-la-la’s and
“ho-ho-ho’s,” city sidewalks sprinkled with plump and
skinny Santas, your “Harry & David” catalogs full of
cashew nut gift sets and spiral sliced hams and figures of
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, along with miles of
Christmas wreaths and toy soldiers and images of playful
lovers under thick little sprigs of mistletoe.
Mistletoe. It’s the holiday’s purported love leaf for
lucky couples who’ve made it to December (I’m kid-
ding). I’ve actually only seen real mistletoe once, but as
a single I’m acutely aware of it and the season’s other
symbols that have the power to drive a “feening,” single
female mad.
While loads of single women ache over knowing there
will be no mistletoe moments or girlfriend-boyfriend gift-
swapping for them come Christmas, I can certifiably say
with a wee bit of pride that I checked out of that club sev-
eral seasons ago. I may not have a man to “help to make
the season bright,” but at least I can say this long-time
single’s going to be alright. I “bob and weave” my way
through the season.
I learned a few man-less Christmas’ ago that a wellness
attitude and some well-placed words work wonders for a
season full of house-hopping and old folks “who don’t
mean no harm” with their barrage of “still single?” senti-
ments. I’m sorry; I know I should be better behaved. But
when old-timer Mr. Bud bugs me with his big holiday hug
and a loud “Girl, you still single!!??” I can’t help but
think while suffocating in our mothball-scented squeeze,
“Yes Mr. Bud. And you’re still nosy.” I then give a polite
and playful “Sure am”! before moseying over to the food
table for a couple of green olives and some potato salad.
Some women go bonkers over holiday situations like
these, but not me. I refuse to. You see, I earnestly believe
that there are tons of things worse than being single
around Christmas. A thinly-veiled bad marriage is one of
them. What could be worse than beaming for a
Christmas family photo one minute, then boiling over
unhappy feelings in secret about a marriage that may not
make it past May the next? I’ve seen that happen more
times than I can count, hence my unsinkable spirit
No Mistletoe Woe
around these spirited times. I’ve taught myself to be
buoyant, busy and grateful everyday of the year as a prel-
ude to the year’s grand holiday season finale. An attitude
of gratitude is what I believe is the happy single’s key.
The beautiful thing that keeps me going this blessed
time of year is gratefulness, indeed, and the fact that I’ve
a lot to be thankful for. Family, good friends, and even
folks like the meddlesome “Mr. Bud” all help to make my
holiday seasons memorable in the spirit of the great God
who initiated the holy-day (holiday). Gratitude and the
sheer sublimity behind the time of year we commemo-
rate Christ’s birth is the thing that pulses this single
through the season. Call me what you will, but I’m still
down with the Winans. I can hear Brother Marvin
singing it now, that the “real meaning of Christmas is
Christ.” It’s part of the reason this single sashays, and not
limps, through all this Merry Christmas merriment.
With these principles in mind, I’ll be just fine this
Christmas and I hope my fellow single sisters will too. I
may not get a quick kiss from a cute guy underneath a
cluster of mistletoe this Christmas, but you know what?
That’s okay. I’ve still got a lot to be happy about this spe-
cial time of year. I’ve got God, my family, friends, great
places to go and fun things to do. And I think that all of
those things are the perfect prescription against a dread-
ful case of “single-girl-mistletoe-woe.”
Merry Christmas!
www.thepositivecommunity.com Winter 2009-10 The Positive Community 15
We believe communities are built on the goodwill and energy of the people who belong to them.That’s why we’re proud to support your needs.
When individuals succeed, their community succeeds too.
Please visit us:Arena Branch @ Prudential Center46 Edison PlaceNewark, NJ 07102Phone: 973-596-2625
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Ahead, Inc. (Adventures in Health, Education and Agricultural Devel-opment) is an award-winning volunteer based people-to-people orga-nization that has worked in the most distressed rural areas of Africa since 1985 providing services in rural health centers, mobile health clinics, schools, under trees and anywhere a group can gather. At their recent fundraising/awards dinner at the River Room in Harlem, honorees were television personality Montel Williams; Dr. Brian Harp-er, COO/medical director of Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention; George Hulse, vice president of External Affairs, Health-First, Inc.; Deputy Brooklyn Borough President Rosemond Pierre-Louis and Hon. David N. Dinkins.
L-R: George Hulse, Elvira & Irving Williams, AHEAD founders; Rosemond Pierre-Louis, Montel Williams, Donna Williams, DDS and Dr. Bruce Harper
Forging Ahead
Photo: Wali Am
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Join US as the #1 recreational activity enjoyed by all people of all ages returns to HARLEM!!
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16 The Positive Community Winter 2009-10 www.thepositivecommunity.com
Honoree Robert F. Kennedy Jr. & Kenneth Cole
Toni Faye, with NAACP President Ben Jealous & Mistress of Ceremonies Michelle Miller
Elinor Tatum, Publisher New York Amsterdam News
Charles Sessoms & Sybil Chester
Lisa Davis Esq., Mrs. Michelle Paterson, Mrs. Joyce Dinkins
Dan & Alicia Bythewood
Joyce Mullins Jackson & Hon. Bernard Jackson
Kim Cooper & Sheena Wright
Hon. Charles Rangel & Hon. David Dinkins
Photos: Margot Jordan
www.thepositivecommunity.com Winter 2009-10 The Positive Community 19
EmploymEnt opportunity
Become a professional Foster parent
this is more than a job, it’s a calling.
Jeanette, professional Foster parent
rodney, professional Foster parent
200 Robin Road • Paramus, NJ - 07652www.cafsnj.org
Children’s Aid and Family Services has been helping children whose families are unable to care for them since 1899. Our professional foster parents, like Jeanette and rodney, are committed to helping vulnerable adolescents lead independent, fulfilling lives. In fact, their careers are being parents. they live with teen-agers and provide a stable, nurturing home environment.
If you are in a committed relationship, want to be a positive role model to vulnerable teenag-ers and provide them with a loving, stable, family home life, we’d like to hear from you. To learn more, call our recruitment specialist at (973) 762.5887.
Our professional foster parents live in agency-owned homes, receive salaries and generous benefits. Support is provided every step of the way.
The Leaguers Inc., Serving Newark Children and Families for 60 Years.
The Vision Continues
O n October 30, 2009, The Leaguers Incorporated cut the ribbon on their
new 42, 000 square foot head-quarters — a white glazed brick veneer façade with blue tinted glass and multi-colored glass accents at 405-425 University Avenue in downtown Newark.
1948,The Leaguers is the oldest African American non -profit in the state of New Jersey. The organization’s former home, The Leaguers Incorporated Community Center, at 731 Clinton Ave., serves as the after-school program for children ages 5-12, the Youth-In-Partner-ship program for youth ages 13-19, the I AM Interven-tion and Mentoring for youth, and houses the South Ward site for the Mayor’s Office on Aging.
The agency is proud of the quality service they pro-vide to children and families and of the many successful alumni such as Congressman Donald Payne, former As-semblyman William Payne, former Energy Secretary Hazel O’Leary, singer Dionne Warwick, State Senator Ronald Rice and many doctors, educators and other professionals.
L–R: Yvonne Lowen, president Board of Trustees and CEO/Executive Director Veronica Ray cut the ribbon
Dorece Bishop, Assoc. Director, Parent & Community Services
The building is the fulfillment of a long awaited vision of Executive Director/CEO Veronica E. Ray and The Leaguers Board of Trustees and will be an asset to New-ark and complement the many new developments and renovations in the downtown area.
The planning for the new building began in 2000. Construction began in 2008.
Founded by Mary B. Burch and incorporated in
L–R: Veronica Ray, Walter K Frye, CFO; Newark Councilman Donald Payne Jr., Rep. Donald Payne and Yvonne Lowen
Photos: Vincent Bryant
20 The Positive Community Winter 2009–10 www.thepositivecommunity.com www.thepositivecommunity.com Winter 2009–10 The Positive Community 21
According to Ambassador Young, 77, they also shared the same guilt of “being privileged in a world where many were impover-ished. It meant that we shied away from individuals and concen-trated on breaking down those walls and barriers that kept us from being brothers. I remember that Martin would often tell me that he admired the Good Samaritan but he did not want to be one. He said: ‘I do not want to spend my life picking people up from the Jericho Road after they have been robbed and beaten. I want to change the Jericho Road so that they are not beaten and robbed.’”
He went on to say that Dr. King was passionate about break-ing down the dividing walls of hostility, legal walls between whites and blacks in the South. “Much of our effort was devoted to break-ing down those walls that defined our own American system of apartheid. I think we were successful in doing that. It is the reason we know of Dr. King today. It is why he won the Noble Peace Prize. And sadly, it is probably why he was killed,” he added.
A top aide to Dr. King during the Civil Rights Movement, Am-bassador Young is today one of the strongest voices from that era. He subsequently served three terms in the United States Congress and in 1977 was named Ambassador to the United Nations by President Jimmy Carter. He also served two terms as Mayor of At-lanta and was co-chairman of the Centennial Olympic Games in 1996.
As vice-president of the Southern Christian Leadership Confer-ence he embraced Dr. King’s vision for non-violent social change. However, he feels that Dr. King’s true message has been missed. “As a nation we have interpreted Dr. King’s message as one of race. But in fact, his real message was overcoming violence with love,” says Young. “He truly believed that we needed to learn to live together without hatred, fear and violence.”
To the world, Dr. King is an iconic figure who dreamed what—in his time—seemed like the impossible dream. But to Ambassa-dor Young, he was also a teacher from whom many lessons were learned. “The greatest [lesson] I’ve learned from him is never be content with things as they are. He taught us to dream and plan ways to make them what we think they should be in reality. In so doing, he set aside a broad mandate for the SCLC—to redeem the soul of America from the triple evils of racism, violence and poverty.”
Those days on the protest lines were some tough ones for the freedom fighters of the day. According to Dr. Young, even as they sang “We Shall Overcome,” he believed it in his heart but did not see the promise being fulfilled in his lifetime. “I am convinced that as we were walking from Selma to Montgomery, if I had said to Martin that I would be Mayor of Atlanta one day, he would have told me, ‘Boy, you have been in the sun for too long. Go sit un-der a tree and cool off.’ He believed that our grandchildren would have gotten there, and I would have agreed with him,” Dr. Young continued.
And yet, though he believes that the legal walls of racism have been broken through, he says that the full victory is yet to be won.
As chairman of GoodWorks International, a specialty consulting group based in Atlanta, GA, Ambassador Young continues to work to slay the triple headed dragon that still breathes fire in America and the world. “I believe that I have some years still left in me,” he mused. And in his continued fight to end violence and poverty he uses his grandmother’s words and the lyrics of a song to keep the fire burning. “My grandmother would say: ‘Be not anxious for tomorrow. Let today’s own trouble be sufficient unto the day.’ With this advice, I’ve learned to take one day at a time and not to look too far down the road. I use those words to remind me to enjoy the flowers, the sunlight and the friends and most of all to celebrate my spirit each and every day.” And on those dog days when the fires may not burn as brightly, he quietly hums the words of Rev. James Cleveland’s old standard:
I don’t feel no ways tired/ We’ve come too far from where we started from/Nobody told us that the road would be easy/I don’t believe He brought us this far to leave us.
coverstory
www.thepositivecommunity.com Winter 2009-10 The Positive Community 29
A fter 30 years the State of Israel finally recognized Sig’d the Ethiopian Jewish commu-
nity’s major festival at an official cer-emony at the President’s residence in Jeruselem.
"We are delighted to be part of this historic step," said Avi Masfin, deputy director of the Israel Associa-tion for Ethiopian Jews (IAEJ), one of the organizations instrumental in gaining recognition for the ancient Ethiopian Jewish holiday. "After 30 years of aliya (immigration to Israel), this official event is finally a sign of real recognition for the culture and tradition of Ethiopian Jews in Israel."
Taking place 50 days after Yom Kippur, on Heshvan 29 (the second month of the Jewish calendar), Sig'd is traditionally marked by members of the Ethiopian community in a reli-gious ceremony on Jerusalem's Haas Promenade. Spiritual leaders known as Kesim lead the people in a series of prayers in the Ethiopian Jewish language of Gez, calling for a Jewish return to Jerusalem, and individuals are urged to repent for any wrongs done in the past year. This year the holiday falls on November 16.
Two years ago, during the fes-tival the IAEJ called on the state to include Sig'd among the country's national holidays as a mark of recog-nition for the 110,000-strong immi-grant community. In August 2008 it became a national law requiring the state to mark the festival in an official ceremony and giving people the option of observing the day by not working. The national education curriculm must also include lessons about Sig’d and its significance for Ethiopian Jews.
"Sig'd is a good opportunity for us to become familiar with the prac-tices and traditions of the Ethiopian Jewish community and learn about their history," commented a spokes-man for President Shimon Peres.
At Last!State of Israel Honors ethiopian Jewry
"The Beta Israel (Ethiopian) community is a natural and inseparable part of Zionist history and of the culture and people of the State of Israel. We are very proud of the contributions they have made to Israel in sports, science, arts and security," he added.
While recognizing the integration of Ethiopian Jewry into mainstream Is-raeli society, Masfin said it was still important to recognize that the Beta Israel had "its own rich history and tradition."
As well as the opening event at the president's residence on Monday morning, there were workshops and cultural events throughout the entire month of November, including the annual religious and cultural gathering on Jerusalem's Haas Promenade on November 16.
Photos and Story by Irene Fertik
Four prominent Ethiopian Jewish leaders meet with Israeli President Shimon Peres
Ethiopian Jewish Rabbis in the temple Blowing of the traditional Jewish Shofar
30 The Positive Community Winter 2009-10 www.thepositivecommunity.com
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www.thepositivecommunity.com Winter 2009–10 The Positive Community 1
SPECIAL SECTION
Thousands of minority and women owned business en-terprises (M/WBEs) across the metro area expect to hear their cash registers ring loudly in the coming year
as savvy business executive Michael Garner digs into his new role as the first Chief Diversity Officer for the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) in New York.
Garner, a results-oriented advocate for minority business owners with a unique niche marketing strategy and unequiv-ocal track record of success, was tapped by New York State officials to develop a comprehensive program that would en-able area minority business owners to secure lucrative con-tracts with the MTA, one of the largest procurers of vendor
goods and services in New York. Prior to joining the MTA in February, 2009, Garner was senior director of business development for the New York City School Construction Authority (SCA) with more than 15 years of service at the agency.
Under his direction, the SCA Mentor Program actively recruited M/WBEs across the city for a program that guided them through the often arduous and cumbersome process of training, certification, funding and bonding—issues that seemed to plague M/WBEs more than others. The mentor program was so successful that it garnered national praise and various aspects of it are being emulated by other en-tities—larger and smaller—including the city of Chicago. Many expect that Garner will replicate the success of the SCA at the MTA.
However, revamping the M/WBE supplier program at the MTA is a daunting task. For example, in terms of size, the MTA employs more than 71,000 employees, maintains seven various agencies; serves a dozen counties and is cur-rently experiencing an operating budget shortfall estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars. The SCA em-ploys about 900 employees and has a budget of about $11 billion.
Additionally, the MTA has done some major reorganiza-tion and shifting in its senior executive ranks. Most notably, former London Transit executive Jay Walder took over as CEO/Chairman in October and vowed to make “major and significant” changes at every level of the agency.
New Opportunities for Minority Businesses at MTAMichael Garner digs into his new role as the first Chief Diversity Officer By Glenn Townes
continued on next page
2 The Positive Community Winter 2009–10 www.thepositivecommunity.com www.thepositivecommunity.com Winter 2009–10 The Positive Community 3
Also, the MTA was criticized for making it extremely dif-ficult for some small business owners to tap into its mul-timillion-dollar coffers. Some entrepreneurs contend that the agency requires them to submit extensive certification paperwork and complete complex and involved training in order to just become registered with the agency—with no guarantee of securing a contract. As a result, many M/WBEs are excluded from vending opportunities on multimillion-dollar projects such as the mega Second Avenue subway, the Fulton Street Transit Center and various bridge and tunnel rehabilitative projects. To that end, the MTA is constantly under scrutiny by the media and grassroots organizations such as Straphangers.org.
Garner, however, seems unfazed by the criticism or chal-lenges and remains squarely focused on the task at hand—significantly increasing the number of minority vendors that do business with the MTA. “The MTA Mentor Program is modeled after the SCA program and is focused on small business development beginning with the creation of an MTA Construction Training and Information Technology Program,” Garner said in a recent interview with The Posi-tive Community. “Legislation is pending that that will allow us to have contracts under $1 million for small businesses to bid on.”
The New York Senate Bill 5987— Bond Waivers for Small Contractors—passed the State Assembly in June 2009. It was ini-tially written and sponsored by Assemblyman Keith Wright and introduced in the Senate by Senator John Sampson.
Under the plan, a small business mentoring program would be established at the MTA, which would partner the businesses with construction managers. Among other things, the agency would be allowed to waive bid, payment and
performance bond requirements for small businesses (M/WBEs) participating in the mentoring program. Gov. David Paterson has indicated that he would support the bill.
Additionally, in November, Garner moderated a panel discussion in conjunction with McGraw-Hill and New York Construction magazine that introduced various other aspects of the new MTA program. “The MTA awarded more than $7.5 billion in total contracts last year—with about $242 million going to M/WBEs including white females,” he said. “That was without even trying. We will exceed that total this year after implementing some of the modules of our small business development program.”
Another initiative Garner highlighted was a new state of the art web-based software system that will enable the MTA to effectively monitor and enforce the agency’s M/WBE goals. The system will accurately track how and where con-tracts are awarded. It is similar to a program introduced last year by New York State officials in Albany that allows poten-tial vendors and others to review the breakdown of awarded state contracts.
To that end, the issue of city contracts not being awarded fairly and consistently to M/WBEs has remained a conten-tious issue for New York City officials over the past several years, with critics—M/WBEs and politicians— alleging that city contracts are still not being awarded to minority-owned businesses. Last October, New York City Comptroller
MTA SPECIAL SECTION
Garner, a results-oriented advocate
for minority business owners with
a unique niche marketing strategy
and unequivocal track record of suc-
cess, was tapped by New York State
officials to develop a comprehensive
program that would enable area
minority business owners to secure
lucrative contracts with the MTA,
one of the largest procurers of ven-
dor goods and services in New York.
MTA SPECIAL SECTION
2 The Positive Community Winter 2009–10 www.thepositivecommunity.com www.thepositivecommunity.com Winter 2009–10 The Positive Community 3
and former mayoral candidate William Thompson issued a lengthy press release besmirching the New York City agency —Small Business Services (SBS) for continuing to fall em-barrassingly short in implementing policies and procedures regarding the awarding of city contracts to M/WBEs.
Thompson noted that nearly half of the city agencies that are required to submit formal statistical data to his office failed to do so. When the numbers were finally crunched, the number of M/WBEs awarded prime contracts with the City stood at a paltry 14 percent of a projected goal of about $108 million. And two years prior to the most recent castiga-tion of the agency, outgoing New York City Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum called the agency “ineffective when it comes to supporting women and minority owned businesses.” Both Thompson and Gotbaum contend that M/WBEs will find better opportunities for contracts with the state of New York.
Michael Jones-Bey is the executive director of the Empire State Development Corporation Division of Minority and Women’s Development in Albany, NY. Among other things,
MTA SPECIAL SECTION MTA SPECIAL SECTION
Jones-Bey oversees how contracts with the Empire State are awarded—with a focus on how M/WBEs are repre-sented. Under Jones-Bey and Paul Williams, executive director of the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY), New York significantly increased busi-ness with M/WBE providers from 4 to 22 percent in one year. Jones-Bey was instrumental in bringing Garner to the MTA and noted that he is a proponent of many of the M/WBE initiatives implemented by Gov. Paterson.
“As the MTA’s new Chief Diversity Officer, Mike [Garner] will have a much larger stage to perform [his magic],” Jones-Bey said. “The global economic crisis has hit small, minority and women businesses here in New York particularly hard. Mike [Garner] joining the MTA is like an agent signing a marquee player.”
Finally, Garner said there will continue to be plenty of opportunities for M/WBEs to reach into the deep pockets of the MTA throughout the next several years. “I know we will achieve great results at the largest and best transportation organization in the world—the MTA,” he said.
<<. . . the issue of city contracts not being awarded fairly and con-sistently to M/WBEs has remained a contentious issue for New York City officials over the past several years, with critics—M/WBEs and politicians— alleging that city con-tracts are still not being awarded to minority-owned businesses.>>
111 Broadway, Suite 501, New York, NY 10006 212.563.0280www.LiRo.com
The LiRo Group is proud to participate in the New York City School Construction Authority’s Mentor Program,
developed by Michael Garner.
congratulates the
Metropolitan Transportation Authority and its Operating Companies
on the launch of their
Small Business Development Program under the leadership of
Michael Garner, Chief Diversity Officer
THE LIRO GROUPPROGRAM & CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT
ENGINEERING ENVIRONMENTAL ARCHITECTURE
4 The Positive Community Winter 2009-10 www.thepositivecommunity.com
Jamaica BusinessResource Center90-33 160th StreetJamaica, NY 11432
Phone: 718-206-2255Fax: 718-206-3693Web: www.jbrc.org
Your One Stop Shop for Small Business Assistance
Jamaica BusinessResource Center
Queens, Nassau & Suffolk Minority Business Enterprise CenterQueens International Trade CenterDASNY’s New York Technical Assistance Team
OUR SERVICES INCLUDE:Business Information CenterBusiness Advisory GroupCapital and Bonding AccessCredit Counseling and RestorationLicenses, Permits, and Other Regulatory MattersUniform Minority and Women Business Certification/BA CertificationContract ProcurementWorkshops and Seminars
Bita, Inc.
150 West End Avenue, Suite 17B
New York, New York 10023
P (212) 316-9000F (212) 380-6300
Woman-Owned BusinessInterior General Contractor
Proudly Supporting“ ”Mentoring MWBE BusinessesMOVING FORWARD AT THE MTA
Ms. Modarres
President
Bita, Inc.
150 West End Avenue, Suite 17B
New York, New York 10023
P (212) 316-9000F (212) 380-6300
Woman-Owned BusinessInterior General Contractor
Proudly Supporting“ ”Mentoring MWBE BusinessesMOVING FORWARD AT THE MTA
Ms. Modarres
President
We support Michael Garner as he continues to blaze a path for small businesses in New York.
Thanks for all
your energy!
“Congratulations and much success to Michael Garner and his team
on the launching of the MTA's new Small Business Development Program.”
Jamlech Construction Co. Inc.194-18 117th Road
St. Albans, NY 11412
718-525-2392John Lewis, President
Building Tomorrow’s Vision Today!
MTA SPECIAL SECTION
MTA SPECIAL SECTION
6 The Positive Community Winter 2009-10 www.thepositivecommunity.com
Construction
Ashnu International, Inc
NY/NJ Minority Supplier Development Council
2009 Partnership Awards
T he New York & New Jersey Minority Supplier Devel-opment Council (The
Council) honored outstanding business partnerships between minority entrepreneurs, Fortune 500 companies and government agencies at the Partnership Awards Gala on November 13 at the New York Marriott Marquis.
The “National Corpora-tion of the Year Award” was presented to Turner Construc-tion Corporation. Bank of New York Mellon was honored with the “Regional Corporation of the Year Award.” Susan Hogan, manager, Supplier Diversity, Public Service Enterprise Group Inc (PSEG) received the “Coor-dinator of the Year Award.” The Council’s first “Agency of the Year Award” went to The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey. Jonah Cooper, Jr., presi-dent, Worldwide Virtual Acad-emy Inc and director, Business Development, Rutgers Univer-sity, earned the first “Chairman’s Award.”
The “Supplier of the Year” awards went to Beverly White, founder and president, BKW Transformation Group and Ranjini Poddar, co-founder and president, Artech Information Systems – both New Jersey based women-owned companies.
The New York & New Jersey Minority Supplier Development Council, the National Minority Supplier Development Council’s 2008 “Council of the Year,” has approximately 200 corporate members and 1,300 certified mi-nority businesses. Its jurisdiction spans from Albany, New York to Trenton, New Jersey.
L–R: Chairman’s Award winner Jonah Cooper, Jr., Worldwide Virtual Acad-emy/Rutgers University with Stephen Jackson, RoaDDoggZ Productions
The Council honored corporate members Turner Construction and PSEG with Partnership Awards(L-R) Joy Crichlow, Con Edison and The Council chairman emeritus; Daniel Sung Park, Eclaro and The Council MBEIC chair; Lynda Ireland, president & CEO, The Council; Hilton O. Smith, Turner Construction and The Council chairman; Susan Hogan, Public Service Enter-prise Group (PSEG) and The Council vice-chair
Photos: Tyrone Rasheed
MTA SPECIAL SECTION
T D X C O N S T R U C T I O N C O R P O R A T I O N
C O N S T R U C T I O N M A N A G E R
3 4 5 S e v e n t h A v e n u e , N e w Yo r k , N Y 1 0 0 0 1 212 279 1981 212 279 1983 FAX
w w w . t d x c o n s t r u c t i o n . c o m
TDX Construction
Corporation is
proud to support
the Metropolitan
Transit Authority’s
Small Business
Development
Program
MTA SPECIAL SECTION
8 The Positive Community Winter 2009–10 www.thepositivecommunity.com www.thepositivecommunity.com Winter 2009–10 The Positive Community 9
A s contractors and construction professionals con-template economic survival over the next several months, it becomes crucial to develop new business
opportunities. Many of these opportunities will show up in traditional places, but still others will present themselves in places you have not looked before now. Did you know your firm may be eligible for opportunities in the transportation sector under the federal Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program operated by the U.S. Department of Trans-portation?
While emerging businesses have to find niche markets to compete, minority and women owned businesses (M/WBEs) would be well served to investigate potential contract oppor-tunities with state transportation projects in New York and New Jersey that are funded in part with federal dollars and in most cases, funds from the American Recovery and Rein-vest Act of 2009 (ARRA). Firms should also know that while state utilization goals can be as high as 15 percent for MBE’s and 7 percent for WBE’s, DBE participation requires a goal of 20percent on all DOT projects receiving federal dollars or ARRA funds. So as you plan for the recession understand that ARRA or the “Stimulus Package” will pump close to $3 billion of much needed cash into new and existing state transportation infrastructure projects in the NY metropoli-tan area that are expected to be completed by 2012.
Firms who have transportation experience or can merge their services in partnership with other transportation sector businesses stand to gain both ground on their competitors, and perhaps cash—even during this historic recession. Out-lined here is a brief strategy for tapping into the lucrative ARRA-funded transportation sector of the construction in-dustry and insulating your business against recession loses.
Utilizing DBE Certification as a Bullet-Proof Recession Buster
Businesses with owners who can qualify as socially or eco-nomically disadvantaged and maintain at least 51 percent ownership and control of the business can be certified as Dis-
advantaged Business Enterprises (DBE), leading to a poten-tial new pool of projects. Surprisingly, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) defines disadvantaged individuals as 51 percent owners with a personal net worth of less than $750,000, excluding any equity in their primary residence and/or ownership interest of their business. The DOT pre-sumes certain groups are disadvantaged, including women, Black Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, Asian-Pacific Americans, Subcontinent Asian-Pacific Ameri-cans, or other minorities found to be disadvantaged by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Furthermore the DOT also enforces size limits for disadvantaged businesses allowing them certification as long as their average (3 year) gross revenues do not exceed $22,410,000.00. These could include a large percentage of all certified firms in the NY and NJ minority business community. If your firm has been searching for new ways to stem the tide of this economic downturn and can qualify based on the criteria set forth, I implore you to either immediately start the DBE certification process, or develop a targeted plan of action for maximizing the potential you currently have as an existing DBE-certified
Getting Your Piece of the $3 Billion “Stimulus-Filled” Transportation PieEven in the recession, NY and NJ transportation projects will still yield over $3 Billion by 2012By William S. Parrish Jr., LEED AP
MTA SPECIAL SECTION
<<While emerging businesses have
to find niche markets to compete,
minority and women owned busi-
nesses (M/WBEs) would be well
served to investigate potential
contract opportunities with state
transportation projects in New York
and New Jersey . . . >>
MTA SPECIAL SECTION
8 The Positive Community Winter 2009–10 www.thepositivecommunity.com www.thepositivecommunity.com Winter 2009–10 The Positive Community 9
firm. Create a roadmap to drive your firm to new profits, while riding the wave of the ARRA funded infrastructure rebuilding efforts.
Finding the Upside in the Downturn Even in the midst of this recession, the nations’ largest
public works project is underway across the Hudson River from New Jersey. The $8.7 Billion Trans Hudson Tunnel is scheduled for completion in 2017, and is expected to gener-ate 6,000 construction-related jobs and 44,000 to 50,000 new permanent jobs. Over a third of this eight year project is funded by ARRA funds ($3 billion), allowing certified DBE firms entry to a 20 percent requirement pool of opportuni-ties, which could provide a very nice cushion against this rocky economy. Add in New York State’s approved $1.17 bil-lion in ARRA funds with another $1.02 Billion from New Jersey and we have a cash infusion for local projects that could defeat a downturn over the next two years.
Furthermore if your firm is a certified DBE and still holds other certifications such as M/WBE, you may create new business opportunities and further specialization for your firm and employees while assisting larger firms in achieving compliance with their own or government agency diversity initiatives. Competing in the transportation sector of the construction industry carries barriers to entry which can be extremely high, requiring a great deal of specialization and equipment as well as technical capability. DBE firms that can quickly develop, transfer or add these core competencies to their offerings can become willing partners and a great complement to a larger partner that may have been compet-ing exclusively in the transportation sector and could benefit from an emerging business perspective. Another caveat to this strategy is that emerging DBE’s can now lower barri-ers to entry and gain specialty experience, which can create new business models and revenue streams, further protecting those firms from any downturn in the economy. In a period of economic uncertainty, assess the situation and find the upside in the downturn.
Multiply Your Efforts and Gain Momentum through Associations
In addition to value in partnering with larger firms to add a missing perspective or break down barriers to entry, emerging business owners should consider how partnering with firms their size or smaller can multiply their efforts and gain momentum, market share and influence on state DOT projects. Associating your firm with firms offering the same services and in some cases different services when pursuing a large transportation or ARRA funded contract can create competitive advantage for a group or consortium of busi-
nesses. In our firm we often use the term “Co-Opetition” which suggests that the folks you compete against today will, can and in some cases should be the firms you pool resources with and compete with tomorrow. If the largest global competitors in the architectural, engineering and con-struction world can join forces to target multi-billion dollar infrastructure design assignments, why shouldn’t emerging DBE’s build associations that allow them to collectively gain the same edge (Parsons joint-ventured with Tishman Con-struction Corporation and Arup has been awarded a con-tract by NJ Transit to provide engineering services on Phase 1 of the $7 billion Trans-Hudson Express Tunnel, the biggest transportation project in New Jersey in decades—to provide design oversight; make independent cost estimates to vali-date those made by the engineering team; develop a master project schedule for the engineering, permitting, and con-struction phases).
Lastly, these associations can also add value for emerging firms seeking to procure legislative support to gain recogni-tion of critical issues and needs affecting firms on federally funded infrastructure projects.
For local firms, the next several years will prove to be very difficult on the surface, but the challenge will be to dig deep and unlock hidden potential in the massive infrastruc-ture projects currently ongoing or planned for completion by 2012. At the very least there will be over $2 billion in projects started within the year, requiring a DBE workforce for construction and professional services firms of at least $400 million in contracts. If your firm has a plan to stave off extinction during this recession, it must include examina-
MTA SPECIAL SECTION
<<Furthermore if your firm is a certi-
fied DBE and still holds other certi-
fications such as M/WBE, you may
create new business opportunities
and further specialization for your
firm and employees while assisting
larger firms in achieving compliance
with their own or government agen-
cy diversity initiatives.>>
continued on page 11
MTA SPECIAL SECTION
10 The Positive Community Winter 2009-10 www.thepositivecommunity.com
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MTA SPECIAL SECTION
44 The Positive Community Winter 2009-10 www.thepositivecommunity.com
B eating the Odds: 8 Practical Principals to Material and Spiritual Abundance is a slim volume of a book—but it shines as brightly as a diamond.
Based on the 25th chapter of the book of Matthew, it does a thoroughly wonderful job of breaking down the last three parables Christ taught on his way to Calvary: the stories of the wise and foolish virgins, the Talents and the coming of Christ and the Last Judgment — then relating them to everyday life in the cycle of pre-paredness, positive productivity and giving back.
In his first book, which took about seven months to write, Monsignor Anselm Nwaorgu’s observations will leave you rethinking your actions and what you can do to make your life better. The book came about as a result of his teaching on the parable of the talents. “In my reflec-tion, I found that that particular parable had a lot of rel-evance to how we manage life on earth and also reflected on the journeys of myself and many others I know who have been able to achieve their goals not because it was easy to get there, but because they were able to plan and beat the odds that came along the way,” he said.
The pastor of Blessed Sacrament/St. Charles Bor-romeo Roman Catholic Church, Father Anselm as he is known in Newark’s Clinton Hill community, has led a life dedicated to the Catholic Church. He describes his calling as something that grew from “a childhood fantasy to an adolescent dream that matured into adult reality.” Coming from a large, strong and faithful family of the Ibo tribe in the western part of Nigeria, his extended family included a cousin/godfather who is a priest.
Playing at celebrating mass with other children when he was just six, young Anselm served as an altar boy for several years and attended a junior seminary. When he was in high school, his mother asked him if he still had his heart set on becoming a priest. His answer was immediate and affirmative. Further study in Nigeria earned him a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy, and Mas-ter’s degrees in Systematic Theology, Counselor Prep and Pastoral Ministry. He received a Ph.D. in Counsel-ing Psychology from Seton Hall University in 1988.
Pastor Nwaorgu was recruited by the Vocationist Fa-thers to come to America and be trained as a Diocesan priest and ordained, then go back to establish congrega-
tions in Nigeria. Instead he made a home in Newark and worked as a staff psychologist at Eric J. Feldman Child/Family Development Center, Mount Carmel Guild in Newark, and as an adjunct professor at Seton Hall and Jersey State universities. As a licensed counselor, he not only offers guidance to members of his parish, but to Ibo Catholic immigrants from Nigeria.
Pastor of Blessed Sacrament/St. Charles Borromeo since 2001, he was instrumental in combining two sepa-rate caucuses of African Clergy and African Women Reli-gious into the African Conference of Catholic Clergy & Religious in the United States (ACCCRUS) and served as the first president of the organization.
In June, 2009 Father Anslem received news that ren-dered him almost speechless. His Archbishop, the Most Reverend John J. Myers called him to tell him that Pope Benedict XIV had elevated him to the status of Mon-signor. His formal investiture and installation, held at Newark’s Sacred Heart Cathedral September 13, made him the first African-born priest to become Monsignor in the U.S. Catholic Church.
Dieudonné Ndouga, General Secretary of the Nation-al Association of African Catholics in the US (NAACUS) reflects the pride that all African Catholics feel because
The Odds Are on Father AnselmNewark Priest Writes First Book While Revitalizing Parish
by g.r. mattox
Monsignor Anselm Nwaorgu signs a copy of his book for East Orange resident Crystal Jones.
He describes his calling as something
that grew from ‘a childhood fantasy
to an adolescent dream that matured
into adult reality.’
“
”
Phot
o: g
. r.
mat
tox
www.thepositivecommunity.com Winter 2009-10 The Positive Community 45
Serving Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Union Counties.
The Catholic Elementary Schools in the Archdiocese of Newark
Opening hearts, minds and doors.
The Catholic Elementary Schools in the Archdioceseof Newark offer a positive, encouraging and safeenvironment where children can grow in body, mindand spirit. Our caring, qualified teachers provide astrong academic foundation – over 97% of Catholicschool graduates advance to college.
The Catholic Elementary Schools in the Archdioceseof Newark are deeply committed to helping studentsdevelop into productive, responsible adults and citizenswith goals and direction in life. And although Catholicfaith-based values are basic to our education, religiousdiversity is an integral part of our classrooms.
Catholic Elementary School is the start of a smartinvestment in your child’s future. To help familiesmange tuition, we offer flexible payment programs.This value-based education is well worth the cost.
Then again, so are your children.
To learn more about the Catholic ElementarySchools in the Archdiocese of Newark,
please call (973) 497-4258.
Para mas informacíon sobre las Escuelas Católicas Elemtales de la Arquidiócesis de
Newark, favor de llamar al (973) 497-4258.
of Father Anselm’s elevation. Describing him as a man of warmth, kindness, easiness and availability, Ndouga said that Father Anselm’s impact among African Ameri-cans and African-born Catholics in the U.S. is notable. “His dedication and attention to the religious and spiri-tual needs of those he comes in contact with daily make his pastoral approach very remarkable,” he said. “His homilies are to the point and usually captivating. We are keen on and hold Msgr. Anselm in high esteem and we have high hope for him.”
At Blessed Sacrament/St. Charles Borromeo, Father Anselm has a personal satisfaction in the renewed hope and revitalization of the parish. Attendance is up, and a youth choir adds new spark to services on fourth Sun-days. The church holds meetings every Friday to address the social, spiritual and biblical needs of parish youth as well as organize community service activities. The com-ing summer promises a massive youth jam combining the eight parishes in the Newark area.
The church has turned from one that was dependent on the Archdiocese to one that has been self-sufficient for the past four years. “We are working to see that this parish need not be in fear of closing,” he said. He hopes to expand his ministry of the Word through prayer breakfasts open to the community, and to expand the hot meal program to twice a month.
Father Anselm is intent on keeping the reason for this season relevant. In planning to do a lot of reflec-tion, making resolutions to become more of what God wants him to become and just being thankful, as well as having revivals to preach in Connecticut, he compares Christmases he celebrated as a boy with the way they are celebrated here: “When I was growing up,” he remem-bered, “I was very happy because I would get a new suit of clothes, but most of the celebration was communal, and the community celebrated for the next eight days. It was a time of rejoicing and reconnecting and re-building, and it was a very precious time because it was when people, no matter where they were, or where they worked, they always came home. It was a time families came back together, the community reconciled and celebrated with one another.
“When I came here I found that the celebration is there, but there is more commercialism. There is a bigger emphasis on buying gifts, and that communal celebration takes a back seat,” he continued. “And by the 26th you would not know there was Christmas. It speaks of how we relate to God and ourselves. The reason for Christmas is to remember who we are in relationship to God.”
The New Year will also find Father Anselm working on a new book, perhaps based on Luke 19, which will be about making U-turns in life to get back to where we need to be when we meet obstacles in life. This, like his other work, is another step in a life of focus and vision and a desire to put people on the right and righteous path.
50 The Positive Community Winter 2009-10 www.thepositivecommunity.com
50 Years of ServiceCornwall College Old Boys Celebrate
T he New York Chapter of the Cornwall College Old Boys’ Association (CCOBANY) chose Saturday, November 21, 2009, as the date to roll out the
red carpet for over 300 ‘Old Boys’, their families and specially invited guests in celebration of the 50th Anni-versary of the establishment of the chapter in the metro New York area.
The reunion dinner dance and awards gala, which climaxed a year-long calendar of celebratory events, was held at Terrace On The Park in Corona Queens cel-ebrating a half century of benevolence of the NY unit to the Cornwall College school community.
Four who have given of their time and resources to the school in Montego Bay, Jamaica and the wider New York City community were recognized during the awards ceremony. Ms. Pat Chin, president of VP Records Distributors and Dennis Hawthorne, President/CEO of Dennis Shipping Company were honored for commu-nity service. CC alums, Winston Jarrett (NYC) received
the Man of the Year award and Gerry Chambers (JAM), president of the Montego Bay chapter received the distinguished service award. Cornwall College ‘Old Boy’ Kingsley Thomas, voted Gleaner Company Man of the Year delivered the keynote address.
Trevor Tomlinson, in his second term as president of the organization is the fifteenth person to head the chapter since the late Vincent Kentish got things started in 1959.
Pat Chin Dennis Hawthorne
Winston Jarrett Gerry Chambers
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54
givingbackThe Collective Spirit of Planned Giving
A series of on-going articles on philanthropyfrom the National Black United Fund
During the holiday season we are
bombarded with images and
messages intended to heighten
our sense of giving. The media turns
its influential attention to organiza-
tions, churches, politicians and
celebrities in an abundant display of human generosity.
The spirit of giving becomes—at least for a moment—
our unifying theme and sense of purpose.
But what if, instead of a seasonal impulse, destined to
peak and then retreat—giving was sustained? What if, a
plan that outlived the commercial stimulus of the mod-
ern day holiday season kept the tide high and helped all
boats rise? Can you imagine this? A plan for us to take
care of our people—ourselves. Can you imagine postal
workers, teachers, city employees, investment bankers,
entertainers, professional athletes, ministers, churches,
mosques, celebrities, grocery store clerks—everyone. All
hands on deck, contributing to a fund that could be
responsibly invested and maintained by our own people.
Imagine a fund so large that the interest alone would pay
for a great education for every child, a home and some-
one to care for all in need; the space for every artist to
create and the support that every black entrepreneur
needs to compete. What if every person in our commu-
nity lived with the assurance of knowing that if they need-
ed help, their sisters and brothers could and would pro-
vide it. Bah humbug you say—black people just don’t
have it like that. And even when we do, that’s not how we
do things. We can’t plan that big, act that big, live that
big or give that big.
Well, a little jaunt back into the not so distant history
reveals a different reality. When “Sistah Sara” believed
that getting to the Promised Land required her personal
sacrifice to help achieve a reward that she knew she was
unlikely to see, she planned to give. What mattered to
“Sistah Sara” and “Brother Joe” was something much
greater than personal attainment or individual recogni-
tion. They embraced a sense of purpose that superseded
their own personal motives and the limitations of the
here and now. They had internalized the notion that the
legendary theologian Howard Thurman so eloquently
expressed in his visionary book, Disciplines of the Spirit:
If, out of a [person’s] fundamental commitment to God, he [she]
is led to work on behalf of a fulfillment so high that its full realiza-
tion is not even in sight, then he [she] must interpret his[her]
share as that of participating in a collective destiny as far removed
from the present as the divine event itself. Instead of looking for-
ward to a rounded fulfillment or achievement of his [her] goal,
he[she] knows that his[her] role is but a part of a larger whole.
A thoughtful study of our shared history illuminates
one fundamental truth. What brought us ALL through as
a people was the knowledge that the sum of the whole is
greater than that of the part. The wiser of us hold fast to
the same audacious ideal as Lyndall, a “seeker after
truth,” says in Olive Schreiner’s Dreams of the Hunter:
Where I lie down worn out, other men [women] will stand,
young and fresh. By the steps that I have cut they will climb; by
the stairs that I have built, they will mount. They will never
know the name of the man [woman] who made them. At the
clumsy work they will laugh; when the stones roll they will curse
me. But they will mount, and on my work; they will climb, and
by my stair! They will find her, and through me!
All of us can do more to create the change that we
know we need. Let this be the year that we collectively get
serious and focused about who we are, what needs to be
done, and how we’ll make it happen. Take another look
at what you can do. It’s not too late to plan to give.
BY WILLIAM T. MERRITPresident/CEO of the National Black United Fund
continued on page 66
The Positive Community Winter 2009–10 www.thepositivecommunity.com
58 The Positive Community Winter 2009–10 www.thepositivecommunity.com
quiet time everyday to find out what is
going through your mind. What do you
want to think? Make a plan and find out
how to create input. It’s called study.
Actions: What actions make up your
habits? Break them down. What actions
make up our good habits?
Habits: Our habits include both good
actions and bad actions. Think about
those you have tried to develop and
failed, as well as, those you have tried to
extinguish and failed.
Character: Who are you? Our character
is both our combined good and bad
traits. Observe the difference between
the opinions about our character of
those who love us and those who don’t.
Destiny: Where are you in your life?
Knowing about the relationships
between thoughts, words, action, charac-
ter and destiny helps us analyze our lives
and implement actions for change. The
ability to adapt and change throughout
the seasons of our lives is one of the most
important tools that we can use to mind
our minds and maintain good mental
health.
Dear Dr. PalmerOver the years, I have come to understandthat good mental health is as important asgood physical health, in fact they go hand inhand. Any suggestions on how the averageperson can maintain good mental health?—Signed, A Beautiful Mind.
Dear Beautiful Mind:Throughout history, wise thinkers have
shared their teachings on how human
beings should pay attention to their
minds and their mental health.
Socrates, Pythagoras, and The Oracle
in the movie The Matrix have encour-
aged us to “Know Thyself.” The founder
of Psychoanalysis, Dr. Sigmund Freud,
told us that “Love and work are the cor-
nerstones of our humanness.”
Siddhattha Gotama, the spiritual teacher
who founded Buddhism told us to “elim-
inate suffering.” The Holy Qur’an,
Chapter 28, Book 32, Number 6311
teaches us that “A strong man is not the
one who wrestles, but controls himself in
a fit of rage.”
Recently, I had the good fortune to
hear one of the wise thinkers of today
speak at a seminar. This wise thinker is
Dr. Freeman H. Hrabowski, the
President of the University of Maryland,
Baltimore County. He graduated from
Hampton at age 19, he received his
Ph.D. at age 24, and he is the co-author
of books about raising academically suc-
cessful African American males and
females. A child leader in the civil rights
movement, Dr. Hrabowski was promi-
nently featured in Spike Lee’s documen-
tary “Four Little Girls.” He is a consult-
ant to the National Science Foundation
Minding Your Mindand the National Institutes of Health and
was named one of America’s Best
Leaders by US News and World Report. Dr.
Hrabowski teaches that:
Thoughts Lead To WordsWords Lead To ActionActions Build HabitsHabits Form CharacterCharacter Is Your DestinyLet us examine this for a moment.
Thoughts are electrical impulses that
activate brain centers to generate images.
Words are the verbalization of thoughts
interpreted into symbols specific to the
ethnicity and culture of the speaker.
Actions are coordinated behaviors to
express beliefs and ideas within formal-
ized socio-cultural structures. Habits are
a series of activities or actions condensed
into routinized patterns to achieve
hoped for results. Character is the endur-
ing habits that we have configured into a
personality style that is superimposed on
all life events to seeking successful out-
comes in disparate situations. Destiny is
the path in life on which we have been
propelled.
Words, thoughts, actions, habits, char-
acter, and destiny are all tools that we can
use to mind our minds and maintain
good mental health.
Words: Listen to your words. Listen to
what comes out of your mouth. How does
it sound? How does it affect people?
What do you want to stop saying? What
do you want to start saying? What do oth-
ers want or not want to hear from you?
Make a plan.
Thoughts: Listen to your thoughts. Find a
JOHN M.PALMERPh.D.ASK DOCTORPALMER
John M. Palmer, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologistwith a practice in New York City and is presently theExecutive Director of Harlem Hospital Center and theRenaissance Health Care Network .
Disclaimer: The information contained in this column is of a
general nature and cannot substitute for the advice of a med-
ical professional. Even if a statement made about health is accu-
rate, it may not apply to you or your symptoms. This article
should not be construed as an attempt to offer or render a
medical opinion or otherwise engage in the practice of medi-
cine. Readers are strongly advised to seek the advice of a quali-
fied medical professional.
Have a question for Dr. Palmer?
Write to him c/o The Positive Community magazine,
www.thepositivecommunity.com Winter 2009-10 The Positive Community 59
The Day Harlem Hospital Center Saved the Civil Rights Movement
E very day, thousands of people walk through the doors of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Pavilion at Har-
lem Hospital Center. Patients, staff, and visitors all walk past the elegant bronze plaque mounted in the lobby of the build-ing. The building was named in honor of Dr. King several years after Harlem Hospital Center saved his life, and as a result, saved the Civil Rights Movement. The history of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the Civil Rights Movement, and Harlem Hospital Center are bound together in a story of service, strength and survival.
The story bears repeating. On Septem-ber 20, 1958, while signing copies of his book Strive Toward Freedom in Blum-stein’s Department Store on West 125th Street between Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. and Frederick Douglas Boulevards, Dr. King was stabbed in the chest with letter opener by Izola Curry, a black woman. He was rushed to Harlem Hospital Center. Where doctors indicated that he narrowly escaped death because the weapon had lodged in his chest near his aorta in such a way that he might have died if he so much as sneezed!
In a letter written from the inpatient unit on the sixth floor of Harlem Hospital Center, Dr. King asked that the crazed woman not be jailed and instead be treated at a mental hospital. She was later diagnosed as criminally deranged.
Dr. Aubrey de Lambert Maynard headed up the medical team who was credited with saving Dr. King’s life. Dr. Maynard was a surgeon who specialized on treating the heart, chest, and abdo-
Phot
os c
ourt
esy
of H
arle
m H
ospi
tal
BY JOHN M. PALMeR, PH.D.exeCuTIVe DIReCTOR, HARLeM HOSPITAL CeNTeR
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with his wife, leaving Harlem Hospital after his near fatal trauma
men. At the time of Dr. King’s stabbing, Dr. Maynard was the Chief of Surgery at Harlem Hospital Center, but he had a long history with the hospital, having joined the staff as a surgeon in 1928. Dr. May-nard’s professional reputation was well known. His innovative work in establishing a division of thoracic surgery and improvement of surgi-cal procedures at the hospital did much to enhance the Hospital’s reputation in the medical community. In an interview with the New York Times in 1996, Dr. Maynard remembered how significant he felt it was for Harlem Hospital that Dr. King had been treated there: “It was a momentous time for Harlem Hospital Center because it was a man of Dr. King’s position who was known all over the world for what
Dr. Emil Naclerio stands beside a sedated Martin Luther King in Harlem Hospital
Continued on page 66
60 The Positive Community Winter 2009–10 www.thepositivecommunity.com
Year after year I watch as my
neighbors put up their
Christmas decorations the
day after Thanksgiving. Although
Christmas is most assuredly on my
mind I can’t say that it occupies the
sense of urgency needed to actually
get me to go into my basement and
maneuver fans, suitcases, and
stored summer clothing to reach
the decorations. In fact we have
made it a tradition to put our tree up on Christmas Eve.
As my youngest children observe the lights and mechan-
ical deer going up around them, they begin a daily litany
of, “Is it Christmas today?” They are waiting, but more
than anything they are anticipating the joys of
Christmas. That is what this season of Advent is about—
anticipation. Advent means the “coming” or the
“arrival.” More than 2,000 years ago the birth of Christ
was long anticipated, because of the promise of hope
that His birth represented. Advent also represents the
anticipation of the second coming of Christ. This antici-
pation is a cornerstone of Christian faith.
Let me ask you a personal question: Are you healthi-
er now than you were in December 2008? Before you
answer, you need to really look at things objectively. I
understand that you may still be a little overweight—
okay, maybe a lot overweight. I realize that your blood
pressure is still elevated six months after the diagnosis,
and I sympathize with you concerning your ongoing bat-
tle with diabetes. But to analyze your goals objectively, a
proper perspective will help you remain focused.
The conversion based upon scale weight was not dra-
matic, but you may have decreased your percentage of
body fat. Your physician is challenged by the fact that
your blood pressure still remains elevated. These are
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genuine concerns, but I believe with the proper perspec-
tive progress is imminent. You never walked on the tread-
mill prior to 2009. Now as we approach 2010, you have
actually hired a personal trainer or joined a gym. Look at
the progress.
Diabetes concerns persist but you’ve recently changed
your eating habits and can anticipate your best year,
nutritionally speaking. You have reason to be hopeful.
Instead of looking back at what you have not accom-
plished on your journey towards a healthier life, look
ahead—anticipate what you can achieve through the
grace of God and your consistent efforts to participate in
your health and healing. Think about how you’ll look
and feel. Anticipate that new dress or pants—sizes small-
er than last year. As you are waiting to achieve your goals
celebrate your success and continue to believe the prom-
ises of God.
The best way to ensure continued success for meeting
your health and fitness goals are to set up systems that
will keep you accountable. A great system of accountabil-
ity designed to help you maintain an effective and consis-
tent exercise program, is the Fit Care Program offered
through It is Well Living Ministries. This program allows
individuals with hypertension, diabetes and other obesi-
ty related illnesses to receive personal training and fit-
ness programs at very little cost. The ministry covers most
of the cost. To find out if you are eligible for low cost per-
sonal training and fitness programs, please call 732-921-
3746 or visit www.livewellfaith.com.
For more information on how to start a low cost exer-
cise program please call (732) 381-2880 and ask for the
Fit Care program.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this column is of a general nature. You should consult your physician or health care professional before beginning any exercise program or changing your dietary regimen.
FIT COMMUNITY
Fridays at 10:30 AMLong Branch Senior Center
Mondays at 7:00 AMRosegate Bible Study
The best way to ensure continued
success for meeting your health and
fitness goals are to set up systems
that will keep you accountable.
62 The Positive Community Winter 2009-10 www.thepositivecommunity.com
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ostracized; they’re already in a difficult situation. You say you’re a child of love; you should be embracing them and trying to share that so-called ‘Jesus’ that you say you worship with these young people who are in the muck and the mire.
“So many of our churches are doing so many things, so many things,” he continued, “but right outside that church door a child is dying. I know a group of preach-ers that would not come out the door of the church to help when two young men were shooting. I know a group of preachers that were approached and were begged to please come out. They would not come out, but they lined up to do the funeral services of a 13-year-old boy. They say that young people have to come into the church, well, the bible that I read says that Jesus went into the highways and byways and He attracted the people. Even groups of preachers rejected Martin Lu-ther King when he had a prophetic word for the people, but now everybody wants to be associated with him.”
Harlem is a safer community than it has been in the past, but gangs, drugs and crime still lurk and leap from dark shadows. Through it all, the P.O.D. makes his mission and message clear to every young person with whom he comes in contact: “I preach hope and I chal-lenge the people to change. I want them to know that there is God.”
P.O.D.Continued from page 28
we put your health first
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The benefit information provided herein is a brief summary, but not a comprehensive description of available benefits. Additional information about benefits is available to assist
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64 The Positive Community Winter 2009-10 www.thepositivecommunity.com
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66 The Positive Community Winter 2009-10 www.thepositivecommunity.com
he was doing. For him to be brought to Harlem Hospi-tal for a dangerous thing like that, where his life was at stake, it was a challenge. Could Harlem Hospital show that it was up to this task? You see, it was a city hospital, and it was looked down upon. It was up to me to show the world that I could be done there.”
The actual surgery on Dr. King was performed by Dr. John W.V. Cordice and Dr. Emil Naclerio, both attend-ing physicians in the Department of Surgery.
There are many things today that our youth take for granted. Being able to sit down in any restaurant and be served. Being able to purchase property and live in any community, being able to attend any high school, college or university. Before the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. brought national attention to these injustices, the civil rights we so take for granted were not available to African Americans.
If Izola Curry’s plan had worked, there very well might not have been a civil rights movement. Were it not for Harlem Hospital Center, there may not have been a civil rights movement. There might not have been a March on Washington. On September 20, 1958, Harlem Hospital Center saved the civil rights movement.
John M. Palmer, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist with a practice in New York City and is presently the Executive Director of Harlem Hospital Center and the Renaissance Health Care Network .He is a regualr contributing to The Positive Community with a bi-monthly column, “Ask Dr. Palmer.”
HARLEM HOSPITALContinued from page 59
GIVING BACKcontinued from page 54
Consider donating an insurance policy, personal proper-
ty, establishing a charitable remainder trust, or setting up
a fund at a black philanthropic organization. The
National Black United Fund and other respected black
philanthropic organizations can help you create a strate-
gic giving plan that reflects your values and will benefit
you, your family and the community all at the same time.
As the holiday season comes to an end and a new year
is ushered in, we in the black community should be
reminded of who we are as a people and what our collec-
tive responsibilities are as black Americans. There are
thousands of black people who are attempting to meet
the needs of our communities through their organiza-
tions and programs. They need money to plan, grow and
build for the prosperity of our future as a people and they
should be able to turn to us, their family for help.
This year, may the liberating expectations of Umoja,
Kujichagulia, Ujima, Ujamaa, Nia, Kuumba and Imani –
consume us all.
The National Black United Fund is a public philanthropic institutionfounded in 1972. Its mission is to create, support, and sustain social,economic, cultural and educational institutions through the enhance-ment of Black philanthropy at the local level. For more informationabout how you can give back to your community, call 973-643-5122 orvisit www.nbuf.org.
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68 The Positive Community Winter 2009-10 www.thepositivecommunity.com
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www.thepositivecommunity.com Winter 2009–10 The PPoossiittiivvee CCoommmmuunniittyy 69
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of KingHerod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is theone who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east andhave come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was dis-turbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all thepeople’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where theChrist was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, for this iswhat the prophet has written: “But you, Bethlehem, in the land ofJudah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of youwill come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.”—Matthew 2:1-6 (New International Version)
W hy were Herod and all of Jerusalem disturbed?
First, let’s establish that “all of Jerusalem” did
not mean every Jerusalem resident. It meant
the Jerusalem power structure, which, at Jesus’ birth,
included King Herod, his family, the Roman military
overlords, the Jewish ruling council (Sanhedrin), and
the three powerful Jewish parties from whom the ruling
council was drawn: the Sadducees, Pharisees, and teach-
ers of the law (“scribes” in some translations).
Note further that Herod had not been born king of the
Jews. Born an Idumite, he had been elected “king of the
Jews” by the Roman Senate around 40 B.C. during a strug-
gle for control of Judea involving Romans, Parthians, and
Hasmoneans. After Herod re-conquered Judea for the
Romans in 37 B.C., his power base was delicately balanced
on Roman military might and cooperation with Jewish
institutions and organizations. Thus, toward the end of
Herod’s reign around the time of Christ’s birth, the com-
plex, self-interested Jerusalem power structure viewed as a
threat the mere mention that someone other than Herod’s
sons was “born” king of the Jews.
During the centuries leading up to and including
Christ’s birth, the term “magi” (magus, singular) referred
broadly to castes of learned men, astronomers, astrologers,
interpreters of signs and dreams, magicians, and sorcerers
who originated from areas east or north of Palestine.
Various scholars associate the magi with Medea,
Persia, Chaldea, and Arabia. Magi had political and reli-
gious influence in Persia and perhaps other states not
controlled by Rome. Matthew does not specify how many
magi came to Jerusalem. The Western tradition of three
magi probably stems from the three gifts that they
offered to the infant Messiah: gold, frankincense and
myrrh. A Syrian tradition identifies 12 magi; there may
have been more.
Thus, it is even more understandable that Herod and
his power partners were concerned when folks influen-
tial in states just beyond the Roman Empire’s borders
arrived in Judea’s capital city seeking someone other
than Herod as king.
The magi have also been identified with
Zoroastrianism, a religious system that embraces a
supreme deity opposed by an evil cosmic entity. The
magi who arrived in Jerusalem appear to have been
“God-fearers,” a term historians apply to persons who,
although from pagan cultures, recognized that the God
worshipped in Jerusalem was God, and travelled to that
city to worship Him.
God-fearers were, in a sense, outsiders looking in.
They were not genealogical descendents of Jacob/Israel.
They sought God, not genealogy. Since the Messiah’s
birth, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, the peo-
ple of God are identified by faith (being “born again”)
rather than genealogy (physical birth). “But you are a
chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peo-
ple belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of
him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful
light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the
people of God…”—1 Peter 2:9-10 (NIV)
There came a man of God, more than 1,900 years after
Christ’s ascension, who, though scholarly and wise, and dis-
turbing to the power structure, was not a magus. Rather
than being on the outside looking in, he gazed from inside
“royal priesthood” out toward the world’s social injustice,
poverty, racial oppression, and useless war. To mitigate such
evils, he applied Christ’s teachings by leading non-violent
direct action. He said of himself, “I just want to do God’s
will.” He cited the prophets: “But let justice roll down
like waters, and righteousness like an ever flowing
stream.”—Amos 5:24 (Revised Standard Version)
Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and
hill shall be made low; the uneven ground shall become
level, and the rough places a plain, And the glory of the
Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it togeth-
er…”—Isaiah 40:4-5 (Revised Standard Version)
We happen to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr.’s
birthday during the month after which we commemo-
rate the Messiah’s birth. Let us not deify MLK. But let
us always acknowledge that the King born 2,000 years
ago reigns forever, and the work of his kingdom
is ongoing.
MWANDIKAJI K.MWANAFUNZITHE WAYAHEAD
Of Magi, Messiah and MLK
The Last WordBY R.L. WITTER
70 The Positive Community Winter 2009–10 www.thepositivecommunity.com
Between November and January, four
major holidays are celebrated by the
majority of American people:
Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day
and Martin Luther King Day. In reality, we
should be celebrating five occasions—
especially American people of color.
Much in the same way that the spirit of
Christmas seems largely replaced by com-
mercialism and consumerism, the celebra-
tion of January 1 has been largely reduced
to a day of recovery from over-imbibing
coupled with non-stop football.
But what about that other day of cele-
bration? I know we all rejoiced last January
20 for the inauguration of Barack Obama,
the first African American U.S. presi-
dent—but that’s not the occasion I have in
mind. What about celebrating January 1 as
not only the first day of a new year, but as
the date that marks our freedom from slav-
ery? The Emancipation Proclamation,
which took effect on January 1, 1863 made
it possible for the historic occurrence on
January 20, 2009. Any question of the
sacred nature of the date should be
quelled by the words of Booker T.
Washington, who was a nine-year-old
Virginia boy at the time:
Some man who seemed to be a stranger (a UnitedStates officer, I presume) made a little speech and then read a rather long paper—theEmancipation Proclamation, I think. After thereading we were told that we were all free, andcould go when and where we pleased. My mother,who was standing by my side, leaned over andkissed her children, while tears of joy ran downher cheeks. She explained to us what it all meant,that this was the day for which she had been solong praying, but fearing that she would neverlive to see.The Emancipation Proclamation
changed the lives of thousands of black
people on January 1, 1863 and by July 1865,
it had freed 4 million. Think about that for
a moment—people who went to bed as
slaves on December 31, 1862 awoke as free
people the next morning. Granted, not
everyone exercised their new-found free-
dom, but they had a legal right to do so.
The freedom granted by the
Emancipation Proclamation meant more
than just a potential end to back-breaking
labor and the sting of the whip on the
already-broken back. It meant an end to
families being separated at the whim of a
master with the desire to sell a young boy
just coming of age. It meant black women
having more freedom over their own
bodies and fewer children born of a mas-
ter’s rape.
While the Proclamation freed slaves,
the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S.
Constitution outlawed slavery. That law
benefitted not only Negroes, but
Caucasians from Ireland, Scotland and
Germany among other European immi-
grants who labored as indentured ser-
vants. President Abraham Lincoln risked
his presidency as well as his life so that
Negroes could live as free American peo-
ple and have the right to vote. Our
improved well-being and freedom may not
have been the impetus for his actions, but
they were, in fact, the result.
Much as Lincoln labored for our legal
freedom, Martin Luther King, Jr. labored
for our actual freedom—the freedom to
live and work where we like, shop and eat
where we desire and be recognized as citi-
zens, rather than second-class citizens.
Sadly, just as Lincoln’s beliefs, actions
and dedication precipitated his assassina-
tion, so did Dr. King’s. But for the
Emancipation Proclamation, there would
be no Booker T. Washington, orator, edu-
cator, author and political leader; no civil
rights movement, no MLK Day, no Barack
H. Obama, orator, educator, author and
President of the United States.
Unfortunately, Dr. King never saw his
dream come to fruition and many of us
are still waiting hopefully. This January 1,
after reaching for the aspirin but before
reaching for the remote, I will celebrate
the New Year and my freedom. And
I’ll pray that I live to see the dawning of
the dream.
PublisherAdrian A. Council, Sr.
Editor-in-ChiefJean Nash Wells
Associate EditorR. L. Witter
SalesAngela Ridenour
Adrian Council, Jr.
NGS Communications, Inc.
Satori MPR
Contributing WritersSonja Gracy
Dr. Phillip Bonaparte
Dr. John Palmer
Mwandikaji K. Mwanafunzi
g.r. mattox
Rosemary Sinclair
Patricia Baldwin
Rev. Theresa Nance
Rev. Reginald T. Jackson
Herb Boyd
Glenda Codogan
Toni ParkerHelene Fox
PhotographersBob Gore
Wali A. Muhammad
Seitu Oronde
Rev. Dr. William L. Watkins, Jr.
Darryl Hall
Herb Glenn
Vincent Bryant
Art Direction & LayoutPenguin Design GroupMartin Maishman
The Positive Community Corp.133 Glenridge AvenueMontclair, NJ 07042973-233-9200Fax: 973-233-9201Email: [email protected]: thepositivecommunity.comAll contents © 2009 The Positve Community
Corporation. All Rights Reserved. This publication, in
whole or in part, may not be reproduced, stored in a
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The Positive CommunityTM reserves the right to retain
all materials and does not assume reponsibility for
unsolicited materials.
Winter 2009–10
GOOD NEWS FROM THE CHURCH AND COMMUNITY
www.thepositivecommunity.com JANUARY 1ST: THE FORGOTTEN DAY OF CELEBRATION
NATE ROBINSON
TONEY DOUGLAS
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The members of the New Jersey Education Association are proud to honor Dr. King’s life and legacy by working to provide every child with a great public school education.
Barbara Keshishian, PresidentWendell Steinhauer, Vice PresidentMarie Blistan, Secretary-TreasurerVincent Giordano, Executive DirectorRichard Gray, Assistant Executive Director/
Research Director