POV_October_1_2012

S
ince I wrote my
September article on
the procedure being
followed by Springfield to
select a casino, things have
changed for the better. As
you may recall, Springfield’s
mayor announced his plan
to isolate the selection of a
casino developer to his
own office. He intended to
select one out of all of the
bidders and submit his
selection for a public vote.
He made it clear that the
City Council would play lit-
tle or no role in the pro-
cess.
It was a bad plan that
gave the appearance of
backroom dealing. As our
September paper was
going to press, the mayor
was changing his tune
thanks to some solid
advice from the Chicago
law firm of Shefsky &
Froehhlich, Ltd, which the
city hired to guide it
through the casino devel-
opment process. By the
time our September issue
hit the street, the mayor
had taken the law firm’s
advice and opened up the
I
t was a tough week
for the Jackson side
of my family. The
week was marked by
three funerals and the
mourning that attends
to such. All of the
deaths were from natu-
ral causes and all, but
one, unexpected. And
by today’s standards, all
of the well-liked
deceased were very
young – one 32,
Kendall Harris; another
46, Dennis Forbes; and
the other, my wife’s
brother, James Jackson,
57.
I
don’t care if you’re downtrod-
den and discouraged, older and
less mobile, young with dimin-
ished enthusiasm, miles away, apa-
thetic, disappointed or just bothered
by the rain or bad transportation, as
too often is the lame excuse. Vote!
Whatever excuse you might conjure
up to justify not going to the polls in
this crucial election is unacceptable
unless you are dead, a condition
which past elections have shown is
not even, itself, an absolute justifica-
tion for not exercising one of the
most important tools of democracy.
Vote! Just infuse your con-
sciousness with recollections of the
times we couldn’t vote or were
intimidated into believing that we
shouldn’t. Think back to the times
when Black folks were beaten and
killed fighting for the right to vote.
Think about Bayard Rustin, Martin
Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X and
Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. and many
others. Giants all! They put their
necks on the line so that we could
enjoy our democratic rights. They all
sacrificed for us and many died pre-
mature, violent deaths for the cause,
personified in history by not only the
death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
P O I N T O F V I E Wwww.afampointofview.com Our Community Newspaper october 1, 2012
688 Boston Road
continues to page 15
continues to page 24continues to page 24
IT WAS A
TOUGH WEEK
By Frederick A. Hurst
SPRINGFIELD CASINO
BACK ON TRACK?
State Representative
Benjamin Swan
President
Barack Obama
Senatorial Candidate
Elizabeth Warren
WORDS ARE FREE!
“They documented a 30 million-word gap
between the vocabularies of children by age 3
from welfare and professional families. This
means that a child from a low-income family
has heard 30 million FEWER WORDS by age
3 than his peers from a professional fami-
ly….What I know beyond a shadow of a
doubt is that parents are their children’s most
important teachers.”
By Sally Fuller – 7
TOGETHER WE CAN SAVE
OUR BABIES
“…but there is ONE REASON why we must
work together to change how and where our
babies sleep, for every sleep, and that is to save
our babies.”
By Dr. Andrew Balder, M.D. and Julie
Skogsbergh Pimental, M.A. – 9
BE CONNECTED, BE THE
BRIDGE…
“Health Disparities in the African American
community are being documented at alarming
rates. According to the Center for Disease
Control, 2008’s data reflects that “African
Americans had the highest age-adjusted all-
causes death rate of all races/ethnicities.” In
addition, African Americans had the highest
age-adjusted death rate for heart disease, can-
cer, diabetes, and HIV/AIDS, the top three
being Heart Disease, Cancer, and Stroke (in
that order).”
By LaMara Hunter – 10
YES, VIRGINIA, RACISM
STILL EXISTS…
“The reason there is such a gap between the
amount of discrimination reported by blacks
versus how much whites believe it exists is
because whites neither experience racism nor
acknowledge the racism or discrimination
experienced by blacks and other people of
color. This is because they don’t have to know
or acknowledge it.”
By Rev. Talbert W. Swan, II – 12
LIVE LIFE LISTENING
“God clothes the lilies of the field. God
watches over the birds of the air. God
takes care of my yesterday, my today, and
my tomorrow. If I trust Him enough to
unplug the distractions of the alerts, dings
and rings, I can begin to experience the
fullness of God and His abundant life.”
By Rev. Dr. Atu White – 26
V O T E !ByFrederick A. Hurst
James Jackson graduates
from Westfield State Univ.
POV_October_1_2012_POV_October_1_2012.qxd 9/25/2012 4:33 PM Page 1

african american point of view page two october 1, 2012

COVER
 VOTE!
 IT WAS A TOUGH WEEK
 SPRINGFIELD CASINO — BACK ON TRACK?
BUSINESS & FINANCE
Financial “Cents”........................................................................................8
Financially Yours ........................................................................................8
CLASSIFIED..............................................................................................32
COMMUNITY
Call to the Cause.........................................................................................13
Community Focus ......................................................................................20-21
Community Information...........................................................................5
Community Perspectives...........................................................................12
Events...........................................................................................................33
Latin@ Groove...........................................................................................16
Leadership Pioneer Valley.........................................................................14
EDITORIAL
AF-AM Newsbits.......................................................................................4
Connecticut Bits .........................................................................................22
From the Publisher’s Desk (“It Was A Tough Week” continued) .....24
Press Release: America Votes Act of 2012............................................25
EDUCATION
Education & Hope.....................................................................................6
Inventor of the Month..............................................................................6
Reading to Succeed ....................................................................................7
FEATURES
Be Connected, Be the Bridge To Affinity and Beyond........................10
City Council Sidelines $10,000 Transfer of State St. Shopping Ctr...14
Head Start Celebrates 15th School Year in Springfield........................17
FOOD & FASHION
A Gentlemen’s Fashion Sense ..................................................................29
HEALTH
Health Matters...........................................................................................9
LIVING
Inspirational Thoughts..............................................................................23
Life’s Challenges .........................................................................................23
PHOTO GALLERY................................................................................18-19
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES...........................................................15
RELIGION
Religious Point of View: Rev. Dr. Atu White........................................26
Religious Directory.....................................................................................26-27
SPORTS
Black Sports International.......................................................................30-32
THE ARTS
Children’s Book Corner.............................................................................28
Inhale Music < Exhale Life......................................................................29
Mama’s Boyz................................................................................................3
Pen & Ink.....................................................................................................28
CONCONTENTSTENTS
african american point of view page three
AN AFRICAN AMERICAN POINT OF VIEW
october 1, 2012
LOCATE OUR ADVERTISERS
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: THIS ISSUE
Point of View is a monthly news journal with an African American orientation. It is dis-
tributed free to select locations in Hampden and Hampshire counties and in Connecticut.
Letters, articles and comments appearing in the newspaper reflect the opinions of the con-
tributors and do not constitute an endorsement by POV and are subject to editing. POV
assumes no responsibility for photos, articles, letters, press releases or unsolicited mate-
rials. Decisions as to the editing and publishing of material are based on space availabil-
ity and the discretion of the publisher and editor. Distribution locations are listed on our
web site. POV assumes no financial responsibility for failure to publish an advertise-
ment, incorrect placement or typographical errors in its publication. Advertisers are sole-
ly responsible for the content of their advertising and claims and offers contained within
their advertising. POV reserves the right to refuse advertising for any reason. No portion
of this publication may be reproduced without written permission.
Affordable Airport Car Service --------------------15
Alden Baptist Church ------------------------------27
American International College -------------------16
Baystate Medical Center ---------------------------11
Bethel AME Church--------------------------------27
Branford Hall Career Institute --------------------21
Bytebak Computers---------------------------------21
Canaan Baptist Church of Christ------------------27
Caring Health Center ------------------------------34
Center for Human Development------------------5
Committee to Elect Benjamin Swan --------------13
Community Legal Aid, Inc.------------------------14
Family Church---------------------------------------27
Freedom Credit Union------------------------------8
Fresh Anointing Ministries COGIC---------------27
Gentle Smiles Family Dentistry -------------------9
Hall & Hall Siding----------------------------------15
Home Inspections by Marco, LLC.----------------15
Jeffrey’s Suit Rack ----------------------------------29
Jesus Christ Enlightened Christian Bible Seminary 27
Lewin’s Boutique------------------------------------23
Macedonia COGIC ---------------------------------27
Martin Luther King, Jr. Presby. Comm. Church 27
MBC Realtors ---------------------------------------15
Mount Calvary Baptist Church--------------------27
New Life Calvary Baptist Church -----------------27
OG1Gold--------------------------------------32 & 36
Progressive Community Baptist Church----------26
Roberta B. Johnson/Real Living Real Estate -----15
Shiloh SDA Church---------------------------------27
Solid Rock Community Baptist Church ----------27
Springfield Dept. of Health & Human Serv.-----7
Springfield Neighborhood Housing Serv.---------12
Springfield Technical Community College -------7
STCC Diversity Council Speaker Series-----------2
St. John’s Congregational Church-----------------27
The Boys & Girls Club Family Center------------2
The C.H.A.I.N. Fund ------------------------------35
The Springfield Black Expo------------------------3
The SHINE Program-------------------------------13
Third Baptist Church-------------------------------27
Trinity United Methodist Church -----------------27
Wesley United Methodist Church-----------------27
Westfield State University -------------------------21
X-Bankers Check Cashing -------------------------15
AN AFRICAN AMERICAN Point of View
688 Boston Road, Springfield, MA 01119
Phone: (413) 796-1500 l Fax: (413) 796-6100
E-mail: info@afampointofview.com l Website: www.afampointofview.com
PUBLISHER: Frederick A. Hurst EDITOR: Marjorie J. Hurst
SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS
Black Sports International Melvin Wm. Bell, Editor
Call to the Cause Kirk Smith
Children’s Book Corner Terri Schlichenmeyer
Community Perspectives Rev. Talbert W. Swan, II
Education & Hope Gianna Allentuck
Features Nicole Blais
Bud L. Williams
Financial “Cents” Walter D. Woodgett
Financially Yours Samuel N. Wilson, Jr.
Health Matters Doris Harris, Editor
LaMara Hunter
Inhale Music < Exhale Life Heshima Moja
Inspirational Thoughts Willette H. Johnson
Inventor of the Month Carroll G. Lamb
Latin@ Groove Magdalena Gómez
Leadership Pioneer Valley Lora Wondolowski
Life’s Challenges Dr. Sweets S. Wilson
Mama’s Boyz Jerry Craft
Men’s Fashions Jeffrey S. Clemons, Sr.
Pen & Ink Brenda’s Child
Juanita Torrence-Thompson
Reading to Succeed Sally Fuller
Religious Point of View Rev. Dr. Atu White
PRODUCTION
Artistic/Layout Dir. Marie Zanazanian
Marketing Director Marjorie J. Hurst
Photographer Edward Cohen
Website Designer Marie Zanazanian
The Springfield Black Expo
OCTOBER 13, 2012 at 11AM„ 6PM
PLEASE JOIN US FOR THIS FREE
COMMUNITY EVENT FEATURING:
***LIVE ENTERTAINMENT ***FASHION AND HAIR SHOW
***COOKING DEMO ***INFORMATIVE PRESENTATIONS
***FOOD ***SHOPPING ***RAFFLE PRIZES AND MORE!
SPRINGFIELD CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL
1840 ROOSEVELT AVENUE
SPRINGFIELD, MA

MITT’S 47%
The really sad part about Mitt
Romney’s 47% comments is that
he made them to an elite crowd of
rich, White men who wanted to hear
them.
SPRINGFIELD MAY HAVE A
HARD TIME COMPLYING
The first thing that came to my
mind when I heard that the State
Casino Commission was going to
develop stringent requirements for
minority involvement in every phase
of casino development and operation
was that Springfield is going to have a
hard time complying. I am fortunate
enough to have had enough exposure
to programs that are designed to
involve minorities and women to be
able to distinguish scam programs
from genuine programs. And
Springfield has never had a genuine
program nor have the powers that be
wanted one. Unfortunately, its con-
tract compliance programs, its out-
reach to minority businesses, and its
minority employment record have
always been scams except for on the
surface where enough is done to
allow a claim of legitimacy where
none exists. If they want Springfield
to remain a viable competitor for a
casino, I recommend that Springfield
officials contact Bridgeport Mayor
Bill Finch and/or his assistant,
Deborah Caviness, who oversees
Bridgeport’s minority involvement
programs, which have been spectacu-
larly successful to the benefit of
minorities and the city of Bridgeport.
WHAT WE NEED
“What they – we – need is for
the left and right to stop
using us like hardware. What we need
is for would-be leaders to approach us
with agendas tailored to our concerns.
Talk about how you’re going to bring
investment to the inner city. Talk
about ending the mass incarceration
of young black men under the failed
War on Drugs. Talk about job train-
ing. Talk about restoring the voting
rights of ex-felons. Talk about fixing
schools.” (Leonard Pitts, The
Springfield Republican, September 13,
2012)
OBAMA AND ROMNEY
“Not since John F. Kennedy
faced Richard Nixon, a gold-
en boy pitted against a five o’clock
shadow, has U.S. presidential politics
united such constitutionally different
beings. One man is singularly literate,
the other exceptionally numerate.
One educated himself by reading
books, the other scrutinizing balance
sheets. They’re further divided by
what they have in common. Both are
outsiders, heirs to persecution, one
because of the color of his skin, one
because of the nature of his fate.
(And both are descended, strangely,
from polygamists.) Both have an
overdeveloped sense of duty, one
because he came from nothing much
and the other because he was born
with everything.” (The New Republic,
September 13, 2012)
NOT AGAIN!
Trenton, New Jersey’s Black
mayor, Tony Mack, was just
arrested for agreeing to accept a bribe
in connection with a parking garage
project that never was. Mack and his
accomplices agreed to accept
$100,000 from an undercover federal
agent who proposed constructing the
parking garage on city land although
the construction plan was bogus.
What a fool! He’s not on Wall Street
and he is a Black elected official. He
should have known better. To quote
someone who I can’t recall, he got
“stuck on stupid and dazzled by
dumb.”
SPEAKING OF “AGAIN!”
Former Detroit mayor, Kwame
Kilpatrick, who went to jail for
lying under oath about an affair with
an assistant, is back in court again on
charges of accepting bribes while
serving as Detroit’s mayor. His con-
tractor father is a co-defendant.
They’re not Wall Street bankers.
They’re not White elected officials or
White contractors. What does it take
for Black elected officials to under-
stand that America does not work the
same for Black folks as it does for
White folks? Just ask California’s
Maxine Waters who is about to be
subjected to a Congressional ethics
hearing for doing what White
Congress members have done
throughout the ages, peddling influ-
ence for her constituents and family.
(She was properly acquitted.) We
Black folks have to work harder, work
smarter and remain as pure as the
driven snow. It may not be fair, but it’s
real.
BLACK FOLKS HAVE
ALWAYS RELIED ON THE
COURTS FOR VOTER
RIGHTS
One day Republicans will regret
trying to turn back the clock on
voter rights for African Americans.
We fought hard and bled for those
rights and won’t abide by efforts by
the Republican Party to take them
back. Fortunately, the courts are with
us. Laws designed to suppress the
Black vote have been overturned in
Texas, Ohio and Florida and seem to
be on the way out in Pennsylvania and
other states.
NO MEDICAL EVIDENCE
Thank the election gods for
Missouri Republican
Representative Todd Akin who made
the dumbest remarks about rape I’ve
ever heard. “If it’s a legitimate rape,”
he said, “the female body has ways to
try to shut that whole thing (pregnan-
cy) down.” His remarks woke up many
women (and men) to the extremes to
which the Republican Party has fallen.
NOT YOU, TOO, DUNKIN’
DONUTS!
We have yet to see the outcome
of the lawsuit but an African
American couple has filed a discrimi-
nation lawsuit accusing Dunkin’
Donuts of steering it to less-produc-
tive minority neighborhoods while
awarding better franchises to White
franchisees. They also allege that
Dunkin’ lied to them about how much
money their stores would make. They
filed for bankruptcy in 2007. The jury
is still out.
BOOZE RULES: THIS LOGIC
I DON’T UNDERSTAND!
Let me see if I can understand the
logic. The state eliminated “happy
hour” that allowed restaurants and
bars to serve discounted booze to
patrons because it encouraged exces-
sive drinking that led to serious
drunken driving and other inebriation
related incidents, many of which were
life threatening. Now that casinos are
coming with their free booze, the state
is now considering legalizing “happy
hour” again to make the restaurants
and bars competitive with the casinos.
This logic I don’t understand.
THIS RACE THING IS
STUBBORN AND PERVASIVE
Thirty security employees at
Boston’s Logan airport filed a
complaint claiming that security per-
sonnel were using a special behavioral
identification program designed to
identify potential problem passengers
in a discriminatory manner. As report-
ed in The Boston Globe (August 21,
2012), “The idea is to use behavioral
tics to identify travelers who merit
extra scrutiny, instead of relying on
random chance or unscientific hunch-
es…. But in practice, according to the
30 employees who lodged the com-
plaint, black and Latino passengers
were much more likely than whites to
be referred to the State Police. The
whistleblowers alleged that screeners
were under pressure to meet a month-
ly quota for referrals, and that some
had resorted to crude stereotyping,
pulling Latinos traveling to Miami and
well-dressed black men out of
line….One of the painful ironies of
the allegations at Logan is that the
screening system, if it works as
designed, should actually lessen the
risk of racial profiling.”
I SUPPOSE WE’RE
SUPPOSED TO BE
GRATEFUL!
Congratulations Condoleezza Rice
and shame on you Augusta
National Golf Club for taking so long
to invite a Black woman into member-
ship. All the club did by coming
around so late in the game with
women (Darla Moore was also invited
in) is remind us of how long it took
and of how many years excellent
Black golfers were barred from com-
petition in the major golf league and
from membership in clubs like
Augusta National that hosts the
majors. We don’t owe anybody a thank
you or a word of praise for doing the
right thing after doing the wrong thing
and justifying it at the highest levels
for so many years and saying nothing,
even now, about their many colleagues
who continue to practice the same bad
anti-racist and anti-feminine behavior.
AF-AM NEWS b i t s
page four october 1, 2012
african american point of view

african american point of view page five october 1, 2012
DURING DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE
AWARENESS MONTH,
CHD PRESENTS
CONFERENCE
TACKLING ISSUES
FOR AT-RISK GIRLS
SPRINGFIELD — The Center for
Human Development (CHD) will
present its eight annual “Through
Her Eyes” conference at the
MassMutual Center on October 18,
2012. This day-long event designed
for educators, social workers, direct
care staff, family members, and con-
cerned citizens, will address current
methods and practices for dealing
with girls facing challenges at home,
in school, and in society, from trauma
and neglect to aggression and addic-
tion. Fittingly, during National
Domestic Violence Awareness
Month, the conference schedule will
have a significant focus on domestic
violence prevention.
This year’s guest speaker and
workshop presenter, Sil Lai Abrams
from New York City, is a writer,
domestic violence awareness advo-
cate, and prevention activist. Her per-
sonal experience with overcoming
depression, addiction, sexual assault,
and domestic violence is the motivat-
ing force behind her deep commit-
ment to helping others create
empowered lives and healthier rela-
tionships, and ending violence against
women and children. She has
appeared on ABC, FOX, BET,
CourtTV, and True TV as an expert
on relationships and domestic vio-
lence, and has been featured in
national magazines including Oprah,
UPTOWN, EBONY, Black Enterprise,
and Sister 2 Sister. Abrams will deliver
the keynote address, setting the tone
for the conference, and present an
afternoon workshop titled “Love
Shouldn’t Hurt: Nine Steps You Can
Take to End Domestic Violence.”
Other workshop presenters will
include local educators, doctors,
attorneys, and social workers who will
round out the day with workshops on
a range of related topics including:
violent teen relationships, the con-
nection between girls’ feelings and
behavior, writing for healing and per-
sonal growth, the Title IX law and
repercussions, sensory processing,
trauma, and attachment disorders,
HIV/AIDS and girls, arts-based edu-
cational activities, and working with
transitional aged youth.
Through Her Eyes is being
sponsored by the Women’s Fund of
Western Massachusetts, W.B. Mason,
Sir Speedy, Hampden Bank, Bulkley
Richardson, the Springfield
Department of Health and Human
Services, H.L. Dempsey Co.,
Greenough Packaging and
Maintenance Supplies, the
MassMutual Center, the Bookworms,
and the Area Health Education
Center.
For more information or to reg-
ister for the Through Her Eyes con-
ference, please visit
www.chd.org/throughhereyes.
EIGHTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Empowering Girls through Social Change
Thursday, October 18, 2012
MassMutual Center | Springfield, MA
Keynote Speaker:
Sil Lai Abrams
Inspirational speaker, author,
domestic violence awareness
and prevention activist, and
relationship expert for the
online version of EBONY.
Hosted by
Thisday-longeventdesignedforeducators,socialworkers,
direct care staff, family members, and concerned citizens,
willaddresscurrentmethodsandpracticesfordealingwith
girls facing challenges at home, in school, and in society,
from trauma and neglect to aggression and addiction.
For more information or to register, visit
www.chd.org/throughhereyes
C O M M U N I T Y
COMMUNITY INFORMATION
Sil Lai Abrams
SAVE THE DATE!
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
CHD will highlight Cancer House of Hope and Disability
Resources programs with Keynote Speaker,
Jothy Rosenberg, cancer survivor, amputee and
host of TV show “Who Says I Can’t”
www.chd.org/WeAreCHD

K
ids don’t allow barriers, such
as the rules of science, to
block their creative genius.
Once they understand a problem,
they seek a solution.
Twelve six graders (six boys and
six girls) at the Afrikan-Centered
Education Collegium Campus in
Kansas City, Missouri identified a
practical problem ― how to keep
lunches in school lunch boxes sani-
tary. They did this after working on a
robotics project as a First Lego
League robotics team. Their idea was
stimulated by the nation’s problem in
2011 with cantaloupes that caused an
outbreak of Listeria in people. In that
year, 146 persons were infected in 28
states. There were 30 deaths and one
pregnant woman had a miscarriage.
The vehicle for their genius was
the “Connect a Million Minds,” a
campaign sponsored by Time Warner
Cable, i.am FIRST and will.i.am of
the Black Eyed Peas. The cam-
paign’s purpose is to connect
young people to science, technolo-
gy, engineering and mathematics.
The group’s inventive idea was to
protect food items by placing
ultraviolet lights in school lunch
boxes. The lights, operated by bat-
teries, can kill 99% of any bacteria
on fruits and vegetables in ten sec-
onds.
The students, under the guidance
of their mathematics teacher,
worked to turn their ideas into a
useful product. According to the
Kansas City Star Newspaper, “She
watched them taking their markers to
white boards, filling them with their
ideas, [and] working as teams.” Some
exciting outcomes from the project
are that two of the team members
went to Los Angeles and met with
will.i.am at his mansion and recorded
their rap song, “Cantaloupe Rap”.
They also met with President Barack
Obama at the White House Science
Fair. Their lunch box is now in the
patent pending stage at the U.S.
Patent and Trademark Office.
THE LAWS
OF HOPE
By Gianna Allentuck
I
n this Country, we have laws for
mostly every activity ― how to
cross the street, drive our car, live
with our neighbor, treat our body,
love our partner, etc. When we break
these laws ― if we are caught ― we
are penalized and punished. Held
accountable to the standards valued
by society and God. But what of the
laws of hope. Can we ever be found
liable for the crime of holding too
much hope…?
Often I have been accused of
wearing rose colored glasses, as
though this life vision is a negative.
On a daily basis, I serve in a world
where children and families endure
poverty, domestic challenges, abuse,
and neglect; and I am faced with the
realities of a world that is not always
rosy. Walking blindly through life
without recognition or understanding
of the adversity faced by so many
would be impossible for me. Just as
impossible for me, however, would be
to live a life without hope.
Though as a cancer survivor
hope is engrained in my heart and
soul, the force also springs from the
spirit and energy of those individuals
and community partners with whom I
collaborate every day. One such part-
ner is Sheriff Michael J. Ashe and the
Hampden County Sheriff
Department (HCSD). From the
Sheriff himself to the Personnel at
the Western Mass Correctional
Alcohol Center to the Educational
Support Officers at Brookings to the
Volunteers on the Community
Accountability Boards (CAB), the
HCSD is a model of dedicated
service toward redemption ― toward
hope.
Serving as a volunteer member
of the HCSD CAB program, I am
exposed on a regular basis to the lives
lived by many offenders, and am edu-
cated by each as to the sadness, dev-
astation, anger, and despair that so
often clouds their lives. What I also
learn from their stories, however, is
the buoying hope that pervades the
HCSD. Not all are ready yet to
acknowledge the presence of this
hope, but many do; and most appre-
ciate that the tether for this buoy is
held by the Sheriff and all who serve
HCSD.
These past years in my role as
Adjustment Counselor at Brookings
Elementary School, I have been
blessed by the opportunity to collab-
orate with HCSD personnel on sever-
al levels. From each interaction what I
learn is that the hope they hold is not
only for the offenders they counsel,
guide, and support and for the lives
they hope to prevent from going
astray, but also for the members of
the communities for which they
serve. This level of service is inspired
by a leader who believes in the human
spirit ― in the power of hope. Who
believes in educating offenders, indi-
viduals, and organizations by sharing
knowledge and resources intended to
increase chances for productivity and
success for all.
Much like the work of schools,
the HCSD intends to educate and
engage all in creating positive law-
abiding citizens. To enforce not only
the laws of the land, but, more
importantly, the laws of hope…
Author’s Note: ― Education is
the foundation for life, please contact
Gianna at 703.930.0243.
african american point of view page six october 1, 2012
E D U C A T I O N
E D U C A T I O N & H O P EE D U C A T I O N & H O P E
Gianna Allentuck is
an Adjustment
Counselor at Elias
Brookings School,
Volunteer, Wife and
Mother. For questions
or comments on uniting
in hope, call (703)
930-0243
Carroll G. Lamb is
Executive Director of
The Institute of Black
Invention & Technology,
Inc.
413-256-6407
www.tibit.biz
I N V E N T O R O F T H E M O N T HI N V E N T O R O F T H E M O N T H
UVC LIGHT SANITIZING LUNCH BOX
By Carroll G. Lamb
will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas and Isis from
the Afrikan-Centered Education Collegium
Campus in Kansas City, Missouri with
Lunch Box Prototype
6th graders from the Afrikan-Centered Education Collegium
Campus in Kansas City, Missouri work on project.
M’Kese (left) and Isis (right)
key members of the UVC Sanitizing
Lunch Box invention team

WORDS ARE
FREE!
By Sally Fuller
W
hen I first began this work
focused on very young
children and their early lit-
eracy development, I read about the
“30-million-word gap.” Hart and
Risley (research done in 1995) closely
observed families from three socio-
economic levels, actually counting the
word interactions between parents
and their children from professional,
working class and welfare families.
They documented a 30-million-word
gap between the vocabularies of chil-
dren by age 3 from welfare and pro-
fessional families. This means that a
child from a low-income family has
heard 30 million FEWER WORDS
by age 3 than his peer from a profes-
sional family.
I was blown away by this
research, because, in my experience,
WORDS ARE FREE! And I can
honestly say that this research became
the inspiration for my work.
Raised as the youngest of three
children by a mother who was an
English teacher for 46 years, I can
only tell you that words were impor-
tant, a free-flowing commodity in my
house. Writing them, spelling them,
making a coherent sentence out of
them…that was what we did. For fun,
much of the time!
We had conversations and my
mother always answered when I asked
“Why?” Language games. Rhyming
games. Reading aloud. Acting out sto-
ries. That was what my mother and I
did together. In long car rides to the
beach or short rides to my grandpar-
ents’ house.
I am now finished reminiscing!
In addition to the Hart Risley
study, there is research that proves
that the most critical time in a child’s
brain development is the first five
years of life.
The Hart Risley study + the
brain research are a convincing com-
bination. I need no more proof.
What I know beyond a shadow
of a doubt is that parents are their
children’s most important teachers.
Their teaching begins at birth, with
cooing and responding to the baby’s
smiles and noises. It continues with
reading aloud and telling stories and
singing and talking to the child. It
happens in the grocery store, on
walks in the parks, in rides in the car
or the bus. In whatever language is
spoken in the home.
This has been shown to make a
significant difference in a child’s
school readiness and preparation for
success.
What I know every day in my
work on Reading Success by 4th
Grade, the work that I am privileged
to do for the Irene E. & George A.
Davis Foundation, is that I wish for
every child to have a mother like
mine. A consummate teacher who
gave me words and more words. And
those words were free.
A city full of mothers (and
fathers!) who surround their children
in words, through talking, singing,
storytelling and book reading offers a
powerful way to change the opportu-
nities for academic and life success
for all our children.
Let’s share this important mes-
sage throughout the community
because we know that every parent
wants his/her child to succeed.
Giving a child WORDS and more
WORDS can help to make that
happen.
Words are free.
african american point of view page seven october 1, 2012
E D U C A T I O N
atchWWaatch Financial Aid TV!atch Financial Aid T
C website to learn everCon the ST
w about the Fkno
.stcc.eduwww
Click to watch!
thing you need toyC website to learn ever
al & State Financial Aid process!ederw about the F
.stcc.edu
Click to watch!
thing you need to
al & State Financial Aid process!
Exceptional Education. Proven Results.
Springﬁeld T
Or scan her
echnical CommuTTe
e to watch!Or scan her
echnical Community College
R E A D I N G T O S U C C E E DR E A D I N G T O S U C C E E D
Sally Fuller heads the
Reading Success by 4th
Grade (RS4G) initiative for
the Irene E. & George A.
Davis Foundation, to build
community support and align
efforts for all Springfield’s
children to read proficiently
on the 3rd grade MCAS.
www.readby4thgrade.com

FINANCIAL PRES-
SURES SQUEEZE
THE “SANDWICH
GENERATION”
By Samuel N. Wilson Jr.
T
he “baby boomers,”
Americans born between 1946
and 1964, are moving like a
wave into their fifties and sixties.
Unfortunately, many of them are fac-
ing dual financial pressures. Their kids
may need help paying for increasingly
expensive colleges. Their folks are get-
ting older and living longer, and
boomers may be called on to make up
the shortfall in their parents’ retire-
ment income, or to pay for long-term
care. On top of that, boomers are
struggling to provide for their own
retirement and pay for their groceries.
No wonder they feel squeezed.
If you’re part of the “sandwich
generation,” take heart. Careful plan-
ning and a little diligence can help to
alleviate some of this pressure.
First, identify your priorities.
Then set realistic goals to address
them, putting the bulk of your finan-
cial resources and energy toward
meeting the most important goals
first.
RETIREMENT. You may have to
rethink your retirement target age in
light of other financial demands, like
college tuition and care for elderly par-
ents. Working longer can have d i s -
tinct benefits. Besides funding an
accustomed lifestyle for a few more
years, working longer and leaving
your retirement accounts intact will
give the funds more time to grow.
EDUCATION. If your child is still
young, start saving early and invest for
growth. If your child is ready
to start college but isn’t financially
prepared, consider letting him or her
finance a portion of the cost by work-
ing or obtaining loans. College-age
kids have their working lives ahead of
them and can use their future income
to repay loans.
PARENTS. For many, helping to pay
for the high cost of a parent’s long-
term care is a priority. A year in a
nursing home can cost $30,000 or
more. At some point, your parents
may need your financial help to cope
with such high expenses. In the mean-
time, suggest that your parents
consider options such as long-term
care insurance.
If you’re facing some of these
issues and would like help analyzing
your options, consider consulting
with a financial advisor.
H
ave you recently received a
pension buyout offer? If so,
you need to decide if you
should take the buyout, which could
provide you with a potentially large
lump sum, or continue accepting your
regular pension payments for the rest
of your life. It’s a big decision.
Clearly, there’s no “one size fits
all” answer — your choice needs to
be based on your individual circum-
stances. So, as you weigh your
options, you’ll need to consider a vari-
ety of key issues, including the
following:
Estate considerations — Your
pension payments generally end
when you and/or your spouse
dies, which means your children
will get none of the money. But if
you were to roll the lump sum into
an Individual Retirement Account
(IRA), and you don’t exhaust it in
your lifetime, you could still have
something to leave to your family
members.
Taxes — If you take the lump sum
and roll the funds into your IRA,
you control how much you’ll be
taxed and when, based on the
amounts you choose to withdraw
and the date you begin taking
withdrawals. (Keep in mind,
though, that you must start taking
a designated minimum amount of
withdrawals from a traditional IRA
when you reach age 70½.
Withdrawals taken before age 59½
are subject to taxes and penalties.)
But if you take a pension, you may
have less control over your income
taxes, which will be based on your
monthly payments.
Inflation — You could easily
spend two or three decades in
retirement — and during that
time, inflation can really add up.
To cite just one example, the aver-
age cost of a new car was $7,983
in 1982; thirty years later, that fig-
ure is $30,748, according to
TrueCar.com. If your pension
checks aren’t indexed for inflation,
they will lose purchasing power
over time. If you rolled over your
lump sum into an IRA, however,
you could put the money into
investments offering growth
potential, keeping in mind, of
course, that there are no
guarantees.
Cash flow — If you’re already
receiving a monthly pension, and
you’re spending every dollar you
receive just to meet your living
expenses, you may be better off by
keeping your pension payments
intact. If you took the lump sum
and converted it into an IRA, you
can withdraw whatever amount
you want (as long as you meet the
required minimum distributions),
but you’ll have to avoid withdraw-
ing so much that you’ll eventually
run out of money.
Confidence in future pension pay-
ments — From time to time, com-
panies are forced to reduce their
pension obligations due to unfore-
seen circumstances. You may want
to take this into account as you
decide whether to continue taking
your monthly pension payments,
but it’s an issue over which you
have no control. On the other
hand, once your lump sum is in an
IRA, you have control over both
the quality and diversification of
your investment dollars. However,
the trade-off is that investing is
subject to various risks, including
loss of principal.
Before selecting either the lump
sum or the monthly pension pay-
ments, weigh all the factors carefully
to make sure your decision fits into
your overall financial strategy. With a
choice of this importance, you will
probably want to consult with your
financial and tax advisors. Ultimately,
you may find that this type of offer
presents you with a great opportunity
— so take the time to consider your
options.
african american point of view page eight october 1, 2012
B U S I N E S S & F I N A N C E
Walter D. Woodgett
can be reached at
413-827-8383 or
talkincash@
comcast.net
F I N A N C I A L “ C E N T S ”F I N A N C I A L “ C E N T S ”
MORTGAGES
Federally insured by NCUA. Shares and deposits in excess
of NCUA limits are fully insured by MSIC.
HomeOwnershipHas
NeverBeenEasier
F I N A N C I A L L Y Y O U R SF I N A N C I A L L Y Y O U R S
Samuel N. Wilson Jr.,
Certified Public
Accountant, owns an
accounting firm in
Bridgeport, CT and is
an investment advisor.
He can be reached at
samuel_wilson_cpa@
sbcglobal.net or
203-368-6086.
FROM BRIDGEPORT,FROM BRIDGEPORT,
CONNECTICUTCONNECTICUT
SHOULD YOU TAKE A PENSION BUYOUT?
By Walter D. Woodgett

S
pringfield PROJECT BABY is a
team dedicated to reducing
infant deaths in the city of
Springfield. We believe that “the
death of one child is a family tragedy,
and the death of more than one is a
community tragedy.” It is in this spir-
it that we are calling on the
community ― parents, grandparents,
aunts, uncles, faith-based, as well as
community organizations ― and ask
that you join us in our efforts to
decrease the number of infant deaths
in Springfield.
It is important to note that most
infant deaths are related to premature
birth and birth defects. The third
leading cause is Sudden Infant Death
Syndrome (SIDS) and Sudden
Unexpected Infant Death (SUID).
This is the category we are focusing
our efforts on because over the past
six years, between 2006 and 2011,
there have been a total of 34 sudden,
unexpected infant deaths in
Springfield (Massachusetts SIDS
Center). Twenty of the 34 deaths, or
nearly 60% of the cases, were associ-
ated with an “unsafe sleep environ-
ment” or an “unsafe sleep position,”
and the majority of babies were
African-American and Latino.
So, where is the safest place for my
baby to sleep, and what is the safest
position for my baby to sleep?
According to the American Academy
of Pediatrics Safe Infant Sleep
Recommendations and The
Massachusetts Department of Public
Health, the safest sleeping environ-
ment for a baby is as easy as ABC…
A = Alone
B = on her Back
C = in a Crib
This sounds easy, but it is not the
way most babies are put to sleep or
nap every day. There are many differ-
ent reasons why this is the case, but
there is ONE REASON why we must
work together to change how and
where our babies sleep, for every sleep,
and that is to save our babies...
ALONE:
Babies are safest sleeping alone,
whether to protect them from anoth-
er person rolling over on them, or
from the nose being so close to some-
one else that they can not breathe
effectively. They should sleep in the
same room as the parent. Some par-
ents think that being in bed with their
baby allows them to be more attentive
to their baby’s hunger or fussiness.
Perhaps in some cases, but we all
know that babies are pretty good at
letting us know when they are hungry
or uncomfortable ― they cry!
However, we believe that the babies
at highest risk of SIDS/SUID do not
arouse and fuss like other babies,
putting them in even MORE danger
when really close to someone else. We
also recognize the comfort of being
close to your baby, and can only ask
that we each think of the risk as well.
Sleeping with a baby is particular-
ly dangerous if the child is under 3
months, premature, a parent
smokes, drinks or uses or takes
drugs that may make them even a
little drowsy.
ON HER BACK:
The “Back to Sleep” campaign, start-
ed over 20 years ago, has markedly
reduced SIDS deaths around the
world by over 50%, yet many more
African-American babies are put on
their tummies and sides to sleep than
are white babies. After all, that’s how
we adults were probably put to bed as
infants, and we are still here, aren’t
we? Or, as members of Project Baby
were told, in no uncertain terms,
“Everybody knows that a baby on its
back is more likely to choke when it
spits up.” Actually, and anatomically,
that is not the case (see FIGURE
below). The AAP recommends back
to sleep for every sleep, and on the
tummy for play.
IN A CRIB:
A crib or other firm sleep surface
specifically designed for a baby is the
safest place for an infant to sleep. If
you cannot get a crib, look into a Pack
‘n Play or another smaller, less expen-
sive sleep surface. Babies should not
sleep on couches, recliners, adult
beds, or child beds as the surfaces are
soft and can block the nose and,
believe it or not, babies can wiggle
around and get caught at
the edge of the surface.
We have seen babies die in
all of these locations the
last 6 years. Infant sleep
surfaces should not have
loose blankets, stuffed
toys, pillows, bumper
pads, or cushions. All of
this goes against the
images that the manufac-
turers are selling us in
their advertising. Here is
an example of a safe sleep environ-
ment and position (see FIGURE
below).
For more information on safe
sleep, speak with your baby’s health
care provider or the nursery staff
when you deliver.
Please check our facebook page
for resources, or if you are interested
in joining our efforts within your
neighborhood or organization, you
can connect with us at:
www.facebook.com/safeinfantsleep
For additional resources, please
visit:http://www.healthychildren.org/
English/ ages-stages/baby/sleep/pages/A-
Parents-Guide-to-Safe-Sleep.aspx
Julie Skogsbergh Pimentel is a member of the
Springfield FIMR team, Project Baby, and the
state of Massachusetts newly created Safe Sleep
Taskforce. She is a PhD student at UMass
Amherst in Anthropology, and is doing her disser-
tation research on safe infant sleep in Springfield.
She is also an adjunct faculty member at Westfield
State University in their Ethnic & Gender Studies department.
Authors:
Dr. Andrew Balder is a Pediatrician
and Assistant Professor of Medicine at
Tufts University School of Medicine. He
is the Medical Director at BMCHP and
also practices at Mason Square Health
Center. He directs the Springfield Fetal
Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) Team,
and Project Baby, FIMR’s safe sleep initiative.
african american point of view page nine october 1, 2012
H E A L T H
H E A L T H M A T T E R SH E A L T H M A T T E R S
Doris Harris,
Editor
Prevention Specialist
Caring Health
Center, Inc. Doris
can be contacted at
dorharris77@hot-
mail.com
TOGETHER, WE CAN SAVE
OUR BABIES…
By Dr. Andrew Balder, M.D. and Julie Skogsbergh Pimentel, M.A.

african american point of view page ten october 1, 2012
BE CONNECTED,
BE THE BRIDGE…
TO AFFINITY
AND BEYOND!
By LaMara Hunter
H
ealth Disparities in the African American
community are being documented at
alarming rates. According to the Center for
Disease Control, 2008’s data reflects that “African
Americans had the highest age-adjusted all-causes
death rate of all races/ethnicities.” In addition,
African Americans had the highest age-adjusted
death rate for heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and
HIV/AIDS, the top three being Heart Disease,
Cancer and Stroke (in that order).
Hearing those statistics caused me to take a step
back and look at my own family and see what we
were doing wrong and how we could be a part of
helping to bring these numbers down. For me, it was
personal, as I had lost my grandmother to Diabetes.
She suffered a stroke and was living off 20% of her
heart function due to several heart issues. She passed
away three years ago on February 13. After her
death, I moved back to Springfield from Florida
with a mission to make a change and become part of
a solution for my family and the surrounding com-
munity, helping those who have lost so many to
these same health issues.
Working for Baystate Health (BH) was a step in
the right direction and I was happy to be part of an
organization that put their community first. When
the Office of Diversity & Inclusion first introduced
affinity groups, also known as Employee Resource
Groups (ERG), my first instinct was to sign up for
one that I could relate to, one where I could really
use my resources and connect them to Baystate’s
mission, but to my surprise, an affinity group for
Black employees hadn’t yet been created. So I
inquired about starting one and with the help of
many supportive co-workers, we were successful.
Today, more employees are connected and they
feel a sense of inclusion because matters that are
important to them are being addressed. Our ERG
has contributed to that atmosphere and has set the
tone for building a stronger employer/employee
relationship, and a stronger connection to the
African-American community, which represents
approximately 1/4 of Baystate’s patient base. BE
Connecting is an internal network of Baystate
employees who share a common interest with a mis-
sion to support both the organization and the
employee, one that wants to assist with identifying
underlying issues, and one that can help bridge the
cultural gap.
These affinity groups show employers to be
“open-minded” to what employees have to say with
regard to employment issues and concerns about
how we can make our workplace a better place.
ERGs have been shown to significantly improve
productivity and job retention. That’s great for
Baystate, but it was their community involvement
that really opened my eyes to the type of organiza-
tion Baystate is. Not only does it show our employ-
er as compassionate and honest about what it sets
out to do for the community, it also creates a posi-
tive energy in the eyes of those that we serve,
strengthening the community ties.
Through participating in this ERG, I was
empowered and inspired to want to do more and
give back to the community. Taking note of the state
of Black Health, I called on our local officers at the
American Heart and American Stroke Associations
and shared the goals of our ERG, hoping to be a
valuable asset to both Baystate and the community.
Their support has been overwhelming. We knew
that together we could assist one another with reach-
ing our goals and we’re doing just that.
This relationship was highlighted during the 4th
Annual Power To End Stroke Gospel Brunch, which
took place this past May. BE Connecting became a
part of this annual community awareness celebra-
tion. We understand that we have to meet patients
where they are in order to help them achieve their
overall health goals so they can enjoy a better quali-
ty of life.
The relationship between the American Heart
and Stroke Associations and Baystate Health is a
very special one. It’s a unique blend of knowledge,
wisdom and experience, one that can hold an impor-
tant key linking Baystate to the community through
the eyes of Black employees. Connecting healthy
community programs to resources is what it’s all
about. It not only recognizes the need, but looks for
ways to fulfill it everyday with quality and compas-
sion and if that’s not the BH way, then I don’t know
what is!
Pictures courtesy of Leonard W. Underwood
Dr. Yolanda Phillips, former Emergency
Medicine fellow, Baystate Medical Center
LaMara Hunter, BE Connecting’s Chair and
Power To End Stroke (PTES) Advocate and
Christine Scott, PTES member
Kimberly Williams, Baystate Health Interim
Director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion
and Sheila Harris, Information Services
Manager and Vice-Chair
Dr. Shirley Whitaker and Yolanda Marrow, RN,
MSN, BE Connecting Member
Co-Pastor, Johnetta Baymon, PTES ELT Chair;
Dr. Shirley Whitaker, Baystate Health Renal &
Hypertension; Barbara Headley, M. Div, D.
Min., Certified Leadership Trainer, Coach,
Speaker, Physical Therapist; and Nikki Burnett,
Regional Vice President, American Heart &
Stroke Associations, New England
H E A L T H

african american point of view page eleven october 1, 2012
Remember to Schedule
Your Annual Mammogram.
Experts recommend yearly screening
mammography starting at age 40
with no upper age limit. Call today.
Springfield, Baystate Breast & Wellness Center: 413-827-7400
Springfield, Baystate’s Comprehensive Breast Center: 413-794-2222
Greenfield, Baystate Franklin Medical Center: 413-773-2233
Ware, Baystate Mary Lane Hospital: 866-531-8378
CS124753 9/12

T
he Springfield Branch
NAACP recently requested a
meeting with the four compa-
nies vying to place a casino in
Springfield to ascertain their plan to
ensure the inclusion of residents of
color in construction work, profes-
sional services and permanent
employment should a casino become
a reality in our city. The response on
the blogosphere by mostly white
anonymous posters was typical: vitri-
ol, laced with racially coded language,
accusing me of being a racist and
black folk of being lazy and unquali-
fied for the positions that will poten-
tially be created by such a project.
Somehow, the request for fairness
toward equally qualified and skilled
residents of color got interpreted as a
request for quotas and preferential
treatment for unqualified people on
the basis of race. That came as little
surprise from folk who consistently
view the world through a bigoted
lens.
The Greenlining Institute recent-
ly released a study called “Post Racial:
Americans and Race in the Age of
Obama,” which examines three years
of survey data that says that black and
white Americans are still miles apart
regarding their perceptions of equali-
ty or inequality among blacks and
whites. It identifies racial bias among
whites as a potential reason for that
difference in perception. The survey
found a link between white people’s
perception of blacks and whether
they believed discrimination to be a
major problem in today’s society.
When asked how much discrimina-
tion currently exists in America,
66.4% of blacks said there was “a
lot.” Among Latinos, 46.9% gave that
answer. But only 16% of whites said
they thought “a lot” of discrimina-
tion existed in today’s America. The
majority of whites said there was
either “some” (44.4%) or “a little”
(39.5%) discrimination.
White people who said there was
“some” or “a little” discrimination
were more likely to agree with state-
ments such as “Irish, Italians, Jewish
and many other minorities overcame
prejudice and worked their way up.
Blacks should do the same without
any special favors,” and “It’s really
just a matter of some people not try-
ing hard enough; if blacks would only
try harder they could be just as well
off as whites.” Dr. Daniel Byrd, the
study’s primary author, disagrees with
this notion. “Americans are diversify-
ing and if we want to keep ahead and
keep America going forward, we have
to acknowledge these disparities. If
we don’t, it makes it hard to tackle
them,” said Byrd.
Tim Wise, a featured speaker at
our most recent Lift Every Voice
Lecture Series and anti-racist essayist
and activist, does work that often
deals with white responses to
racism. He says that white disbelief in
black claims of discrimination is
nothing new ― and that white people
need to take a closer look at why so
many people of color believe they are
subject to prejudice. “I think they
need to reflect on why there’s such a
division,” said Wise, who is white.
“There’s only two ways you can inter-
pret it: You can either interpret that
[black people] are insane and border-
line neurotic, that they don’t know
their own life; or you could look at it
and say maybe black people do know
their own life, and maybe it’s worth
listening to them about it.”
The reason there such a gap
between the amount of discrimina-
tion reported by blacks versus how
much whites believe it exists is
because whites neither experience
racism nor acknowledge the racism or
discrimination experienced by blacks
and other people of color. This is
because they don’t have to know or
acknowledge it. Most whites have lit-
tle awareness of their white privilege.
They‘re so used to having the benefits
that come with being white that they
don’t even realize they have them.
They also aren’t aware of their privi-
lege because the system has encour-
aged them not to be aware.
Whites who will admit that
racism exists may be aware of how
racism hurts others, but they’re rarely
aware of how it benefits them.
Without acknowledging the privilege
they hold, they will never be able to
understand the experience of people
of color. The first step to dealing with
racism is to acknowledge that it is
alive and well and that the deck is still
heavily stacked against blacks and
other people of color.
As people granted unearned
privileges by their own whiteness, it is
the moral and ethical duty of whites
to find ways to combat racism as
opposed to accusing blacks of playing
some mystical “race card” each time
they feel uncomfortable with being
confronted with the reality of white
racism.
Racism is real. Denying that
racism exists only perpetuates it.
african american point of view page twelve october 1, 2012
Rev. Talbert W.
Swan, II is Pastor
of The Spring Of
Hope Church Of
God In Christ
C O M M U N I T Y
COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVES
YES VIRGINIA, RACISM STILL EXISTS:
A CHALLENGE FOR WHITES TO
COME OUT OF DENIAL
By Rev. Talbert W. Swan, II
VOTE ON TUESDAY,
NOVEMBER 6TH
AS IF YOUR LIFE
DEPENDED ON IT„ IT DOES!

C O M M U N I T Y
EMBRACE
DIVERSITY
AND
EXPERIENCE
TRUE
INCLUSION
By Kirk Smith
Ethnicity…Religious affilia-
tion…Lifestyle…Home environ-
ment…Socio-economic status…
Familial background…Education
level…Physical Appearance…
Athletic ability…Artistic tal-
ent…Political belief…
D
iversity comes in many
forms. In fact, by its truest
definition, diversity is
immeasurable. No two individuals
share identical experiences, habits, or
backgrounds, so trying to define
diversity is nothing more than an
exercise in futility.
Young, old, black, white,
male or female ― every
human being has value.
Respecting our differences
and appreciating the value that
comes from them is how we
achieve genuine inclusion. In
order to do that, we need to
delve beneath the surface. It’s
not enough to simply notice
that someone’s skin is a differ-
ent color than our own. More
importantly, who is that per-
son and what do they repre-
sent? How might you learn
from his cultural experience?
How might her background
help you grow as a person?
Why not just embrace our
differences and learn to cele-
brate them for the value they bring?
Too often organizations measure
diversity by looking at who is at the
table, instead of listening to who is at
the table. I once read that reasonable
people don’t have to get their way in a
discussion. They just need to be
heard and know that their input was
considered and responded to. Isn’t
this what inclusion is really about?
Isn’t this how our society can truly
benefit from real diversity?
Our organization (the Y) has
recently established a Diversity &
Inclusion Committee, a subset of our
corporate board, to help us grow in
our understanding and hold ourselves
accountable to measurable improve-
ments when it comes to being more
diverse and inclusive internally and
externally at every level amongst our
staff, volunteers, members, partici-
pants and partners.
Answer the call to the cause:
Take a step beyond recognizing diver-
sity at its basic level. Allow others to
be heard and allow yourselves to real-
ly listen. Ultimately, inclusion is the
offspring of embracing, celebrating
and mandating diversity. As leaders in
our community, we have to be
thoughtful, strategic and intentional
when it comes to influencing the
improvement of our collective social
environment. Inclusion is a beautiful
thing!
african american point of view page thirteen october 1, 2012
CALL TO THE CAUSE
Kirk Smith is
President & CEO,
YMCA of
Greater Springfield
413-739-6951
www.springfieldy.org
Don’t Trade Ben’s
Real Record of
Legislative
Accomplishment
for Campaign
Promises . . .
PAID FOR BY THE COMMITTEE
TO RE-ELECT BEN SWAN STATE
REPRESENTATIVE, 815 STATE
STREET, SPRINGFIELD, MA
01109 BENJAMIN SWAN,
JR. TREASURER FOR MORE
INFORMATION VISIT US ON OUR
WEBSITE AT: www.repswan.org
BEN SWAN
REELECT
STATE REPRESENTATIVE
INTEGRITY,WISDOM,VISIONANDDEDICATION
Ben has secured tens of millions of dollars for Springfield. Money for educational aid,
for the city, for community policing, for grants to prevent gang violence—funds for
road repair and money to tear down blighted properties. Ben secured funding for
home care for seniors, new first time home-buyer programs, outreach services for
veterans, HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention and substance abuse prevention and
treatment programs.
Ben maintains and staffs a district office on State Street with regular hours to keep in
touch with the people of this district and for constituent services. And everyone is
welcome to come by and discuss their concerns personally. Ben is here for the people
of our district—and their concerns always come first.
So remember, on Tuesday, November 6th, re-elect Ben Swan State Representaive.
The Democrat Leading the Way for Springfield
VOTE IN THE FINAL ELECTION
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6TH
THEIR FIGHT IS OUR FIGHT
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent
about things that matter.”
Attorney General Eric Holder
“We need – and the American people deserve – elec-
tion systems that are free from discrimination, free
from partisan influence, and free from fraud. And we
must do everything within our power to make certain
that these systems are more, not less, accessible to
the citizens of this country.”
“Protecting the right to vote, ensuring meaningful
access, and combating discrimination must be
viewed, not only as a legal issue – but as a moral
imperative. And ensuring that every eligible citizen
has the right to vote must become our common
cause.”

Chicopee, MA ― Leadership Pioneer Valley (LPV) officially kicked-off the
2012-13 leadership development class of 40 emerging and established leaders at
its “Reach Beyond Opening Reception” at the MassMutual Conference Center
in Chicopee.
The culturally and geographically diverse class of men and women from
non-profit, private, educational and public organizations throughout Hampden,
Hampshire and Franklin Counties filled the reception with energy, enthusiasm
and commitment to the future of the Pioneer Valley.
Leadership Pioneer Valley is addressing the critical need to build a diverse
network of leaders who aspire to work together across traditional barriers to
strengthen the region.
The new class members will take part in a ten month program of experien-
tial learning that will take place at locations up and down the Valley ― from
Westfield to Easthampton, Greenfield, Springfield and beyond. The field-based
and challenge-based curriculum is specifically designed to help the class mem-
bers refine their leadership skills, gain connections, and develop a greater com-
mitment to community stewardship and cultural competency.
“The curriculum builds on the strong feedback from our inaugural class
with some adjustments to make this an even stronger program,” explains
Leadership Pioneer Valley Director, Lora Wondolowski. “The program is divid-
ed equally between seminar-style days that will focus on advanced leadership
skills and field-experiences, where participants will get a hands-on view of com-
munities throughout the Valley.bers will address a regional need.”
LPV’s inaugural class alumni were a big part of the reception ― welcoming
and encouraging the next class. Alumni member Rev. Dr. Calvin J. McFadden,
Sr., Pastor of St. John’s Congregational Church gave the invocation while
Raymond Berry of the United Way of Pioneer Valley and Brittney Kelleher of
Westfield Bank gave advice to the incoming group.
“Being an exceptionally comprehensive leadership program, LPV will chal-
lenge you to tap into a new skill set, enabling you to grow both personally and
professionally. LPV will educate and inspire your class to embrace leadership
skills and leverage those skills against the opportunities and challenges of the
Pioneer Valley, making a difference, one step at a time. As the course advances
and you get to know a truly remarkable group of individuals, I strongly encour-
age all classmates to reach out to one another outside of the scheduled class and
further develop and cherish these new relationships,” remarked Kelleher.
LEADERSHIP PIONEER VALLEY 2012-2013 CLASS
Jessica Atwood Franklin Regional Council of Governments
Jeff Bagg Town of Amherst
Krista Benoit Dietz & Company Architects, Inc.
Suzanne Bowles Alliance to Develop Power/ADP
Nancy Buffone University of Massachusetts Amherst
Nicolle Cestero American International College
Kristin Cole Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce
Ayanna Crawford YMCA of Greater Springfield
Nicholas Criscitelli MassMutual Financial Group
Laurie Davison Westfield Bank
Charity Day Franklin Co. Regional Housing &
Redevelopment Authority
Roshonda DeGraffenreid Baystate Health
Kyle Kate Dudley Drama Studio, Inc.
Julie Federman Town of Amherst
Tony Franco United Bank
Julie Gentile Hampden Bank
Jeannette Gordon New England Farm Workers’ Council
Erica Johnson Pioneer Valley Planning Commission
Lori Kerwood Cooley Dickinson Hospital
Dawn Koloszyc Cooley Dickinson Hospital
Ljuba Marsh Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School
Julio Martinez-Silvestrini, MD Baystate Health
Irma Medina Holyoke Community College
Donald Mitchell Western Mass. Development Collaborative, Inc.
Georgia Moore Cooley Dickinson Health Care Corp
Benjamin Murphy United Way of Hampshire County
Glenn Posey Western Massachusetts Electric Co.
Jon Queenin Specialty Bolt
Jason Randall Peter Pan Bus Lines
Lidya Rivera Springfield Housing Authority
Debra Roussel Town of Amherst
Alfonso Santaniello The Creative Strategy Agency
Mark Sayre MassMutual Financial Group
Sarah Schatz Sarah’s Pet Services, LLC
Maureen Trafford Community Foundation of Western MA
Emmanuel Vera MassMutual Financial Group
Janice Watson YMCA of Greater Springfield
Tracye Whitfield City of Springfield
Danielle Williams GADA
Anthony Wilson City of Springfield
african american point of view page fourteen october 1, 2012
LEADERSHIP PIONEER VALLEY
As Director of
Leadership Pioneer
Valley, Lora is
passionate about
strengthening the
Pioneer Valley.
Contact her at
413-737-3876 or
www.leadershippv.org
C O M M U N I T Y
LEADERSHIP PIONEER VALLEY
ANNOUNCES 40 MEMBERS
OF 2012-13 CLASS
Classmembersareeager tomakea differenceinthePioneer Valley
CITY COUNCIL SIDELINES $10,000 TRANSFER
OF STATE STREET SHOPPING CENTER
By Bud L. Williams, City Councilor At-Large
During recent City Council busi-
ness, we halted the transfer of
the shopping center property located
at 870-880 State Street which had been
proposed by City Community
Development officials following a
recent “Request for Proposals” pro-
cess. City officials asked the Council to
approve execution of a Quitclaim
Deed to sell the property, which is val-
ued at $391,000 on the City Assessor’s
rolls, for $10,000 to Lorilee
Development LLC. The same group
was also slated to purchase the adja-
cent apartment building, which the
City Council approved.
Once I pointed out the discrep-
ancy between the supposed value and
the consideration stated in the order
before it, the Council voted not to
approve the sale, and acted instead to
send the matter to the City Council’s
Planning and Economic Development
Sub-Committee.
I just feel that when we are sell-
ing, or maybe giving away, a property
for $10,000 that is valued at almost
$400,000, the Council and the taxpay-
ers need to know what is going on. I
would like to know how much the city
could get if it put that property on the
open market, and if we are not getting
that much in cash, what else are the
taxpayers getting out of this besides
cash, and how much are private parties
benefitting.”
It was later announced that
review of the matter will be taken up
by the Sub-Committee on Planning
and Economic Development at a
meeting to be held in the next few
weeks somewhere in the Mason
Square area. If you are interested in
attending, call the City Council Office
at (413) 787-6170 for more specific
information as to the exact date, time
and place.

in Memphis, but also by the June 21, 1964 deaths in
Neshoba County, Mississippi of James Chaney,
Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner, and
more who were lynched because of their efforts to
register African Americans in the South to vote.
The least you can do for these unselfish heroes is
vote!
And, if nothing else can convince you to vote,
think about the “suppression” movement being
run all over the country by Republicans who have
engineered the passage of state laws designed to
discourage Black folks and Hispanics from voting.
The Republicans figure if they can change early
voting dates, pass identification laws, rig voting
hours, selectively under man polls in minority dis-
tricts, and otherwise obstruct the ability of minori-
ties to vote…we will not overcome these artificial
barriers designed to “suppress” our voter turnout
by discouraging us from voting by loading us up
with obstacles so they can win elections here and
around the country. Prove them wrong. Vote!
We should vote in even larger numbers than in
the past presidential election and show the
Republicans that we are not ignorant and cannot be
distracted by nonsense and that we remain deter-
mined to overcome their unfairness and will not
allow their party to muscle us back to a time when
our right to vote was legally hindered by poll taxes,
unreasonable qualification tests, violence and
intimidation, all of which the “suppression” move-
ment is designed to replace. Besides voting because
it is our sacred right and moral obligation to our
ancestors, ourselves and our posterity, we need to
vote to show the politicians who make up the mod-
ern day extremist Republican “suppressors” that
we remember their history and will not allow it to
be repeated.
Vote!
Vote for Ben Swan. Vote for Elizabeth Warren
and vote for the other Democrats. But most of
all, vote to give President Barack Obama the
four more years he deserves. Don’t let yourself
down.
Vote!
african american point of view page fifteen october 1, 2012
PROFESSIONAL SERV I C E S
X‐BANKERS, Inc.
Bridgeport, CT Locations
875 East Main Street
966 Main Street
1245 Main Street
1358 Boston Avenue
Other CT Locations
31 Church Street, New Haven
60 S Main Street Waterbury
135 Connecticut Ave., NorwalkSUPPORT YOUR COMMUNITY BYSUPPORT YOUR COMMUNITY BY
SUPPORTING THESE ADVERTISERSSUPPORTING THESE ADVERTISERS
CARING, PERSONALIZED REAL ESTATE SERVICES
Office: (413) 886-0010 Fax: (413) 886-0011
925 Carew Street, Springfield, MA 01104
MBCMBC
R E A LTO R SR E A LTO R S
Maher & Migdalia
Khatib Owners Hablamos Español
mbcsells@comcast.net
Specializing in Siding, Repairs on
siding, Insulation, Windows,
Roofing, Drywall, Flooring, Painting
and much more!
413-273-4022
VOTE!
continued from page 1
blogs.clarionledger.com
U.S. Representative John Lewis (D. GA) beaten by Alabama State Troops in Selma, Alabama
on “Bloody Sunday” five months before passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Law

L A T I N @ G R O O V EL A T I N @ G R O O V E
C O M M U N I T Y
I
f you know in your heart that you
are meant to do something that
will benefit others, do it. Don’t
have the money or the support to do
it? Do it anyway ― the money and
support will come. In April of 2009,
Maria Luisa Arroyo and I wanted to
publish a book. We plowed ahead
ready to self-publish if necessary. It
would be the first multicultural, inter-
generational and multi-genre book on
bullying ever published that would
feature famous as well as first time
authors, many of them from
Springfield. Two years later, one of
the most prestigious, independent
publishers in New York City,
Skyhorse, took on the project. The
response turn-around time was less
than one hour ― unheard of in the
publishing business.
This past summer I had the
opportunity to work with youth from
Lawrence as part of the Salem State
University Upward Bound Program
(UB) and the SmART Schools
Summer Institute (SS) for educators
in Providence, Rhode Island. SmART
Schools also sponsored one of the
Teatro V!da youth ensemble mem-
bers, Eilish Thompson, as an intern
for which she will earn college credits.
Eilish was able to attend invaluable
arts integration for literacy work-
shops, working beside a very enthusi-
astic and responsive cross-section of
high school educators and teaching
artists.
Both program directors, Wendy
Porter-Coste (UB) and Eileen Mackin
(SS), their staff and teachers, were
immediately able to connect the dots
between anti-bullying work, literacy
and creating a safe space for learning.
Both programs used the bullying
anthology Bullying: Replies,
Rebuttals, Confessions and Catharsis.
The 55 primarily Latino and African
American high school students in the
Upward Bound program all hand
wrote their reviews of the book.
Every single one of them identified
with one or more authors in the book
and were excited about reading it ― a
tribute to the book authors ― many
of them youth, some educators, and
all of them honest and direct.
The overarching theme of the
UB students’ touching and articulate
responses was that they no longer felt
alone in their struggles with bullying
and other forms of violence. One
student, Isaura Jimenez, wrote:
“Bullying is a book that has touched
and inspired me. By reading the sto-
ries in this book, I have realized that
many of us suffer in silence, but our
stories are powerful and can make a
difference in our communities.” The
book is also being read by youth who
are being trained in sustainable organ-
ic farming at Seeds of Solidarity farm
in Orange, MA. We have received
responses to the book from as far
away as Liverpool, England, as it
reaches urban, rural and suburban
audiences alike.
Ask the students of Springfield
who are dropping out of school
because of fear what they think of
bullying. Then ask them what THEY
think we should do about it. Find out
what they have to say about how all of
us, the adults meant to keep them
safe, are doing so far. They are the
experts of their own experiences and
we can all learn a lot from them. The
book is just one tool, a place to begin
the conversation.
Notation: Huffington Post Writer, Adam
Kirk Edgerton, EndorsesAnthology, “Bullying:
Replies, Rebuttals, ConfessionsandCatharsis,”
which was publishedby SkyhorsePublishingin
NYC, distributed by W.W. Norton. Teatro
V !da youth writers are highlighted.
Congratulationstoall of theauthorsandkudos
to co-editor, Maria Luisa Arroyo! In a tweet,
Mr. Edgerton alsoremarkedthat theanthology
isa “gamechanger.” Goto
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ada
m-kirk-edgerton/the-bully-in-
us_b_1663786.html
african american point of view page sixteen october 1, 2012
Magdalena Gómez is
the Co-founder and
Artistic Director
of Springfield’s first
and only Latin@ the-
ater, Teatro
V!da. Ms. Gómez has
been a teaching artist
for over 35 years.
ACTIVATE YOUR VISION
By Magdalena Gómez
American International College
The Master of Science in
Nursing program at American
International College is an
innovative web-blended
program that enables you to
earn your degree within
24 months. Our curriculum is
Two thirds
of our classes are online,
schedule to your working
schedule, and practice what
you learn.
Give Yourself
the Chance to
Give to Others
Learn more
www.aic.edu/msn | 413.205.3700

I
f you are fortunate enough to wake up every
morning and have a career that you love then
your name must be Janis Santos. The month of
October is Head Start Awareness Month and this
school year marks the 15th year
Holyoke Chicopee Springfield Head Start, Inc.
has been providing services for children and fami-
lies living in Springfield.
In my office at the corporate headquarters of
HCS Head Start are newspaper clippings and pic-
tures scattered across a small round table and Janis
Santos, Executive Director, begins to reminisce
over the past 15 years. Curious myself, I ask her
why the then Holyoke/Chicopee Head Start decid-
ed to expand, doubling its size both in enrollment
numbers and communities served back in 1997. I
have worked for Janis since 1996 and saw firsthand
how the small nonprofit transformed into the sec-
ond largest Head Start program in New England;
but to hear the story told by Mrs. Santos is a real
treat. Hints of capacity building, sustainability, col-
laboration, advocacy and strong board governance
are sprinkled throughout the past of this organiza-
tion.
Taking the opportunity to share the history of
the organization she answered, “Our
Head Start program began in 1965
when the Junior League in Holyoke
wrote a grant; by the way, our agency
was one of the first Head Starts in the
country,” she adds. She continues,
“Over the years the agency grew to
include Chicopee, Granby, Ludlow and
Palmer. The decision to apply in 1997
to provide services to children and
families living in Springfield was made
by the entire staff at our program.”
She remembers the day she called a
meeting of all of the staff―the parent-
led Policy Council and the Board of
Directors―and told them that the Springfield com-
munity needed a new grantee to serve 700 children.
“If we succeed,” I told them all, “it will double the
size of our program and change how we do busi-
ness.” She recalls that meeting turning into a pep
rally of sorts and the staff and parents stood up
and said if we provide high quality services to fam-
ilies and children we serve now, then the Springfield
children deserve the same. Holyoke/Chicopee
Head Start, Inc. did apply and the rest is history or
maybe its herstory. But I digress.
Transitions can be very challenging
and change is not always greeted
with a smile. I asked Janis how that
first year was from her perspective.
Taking a deep breath, she tells me,
“As with any change or new way of
doing things, people and communi-
ties alike are a little apprehensive
about what will happen with a new
agency in their city. We had three
months to get the program up and
running, which meant hiring and
training staff, finding new classroom
space, enrolling children, finding
office space and the list goes on.”
Janis recognized that she had the
support and willingness from her
current staff and Board but building
positive relationships with the city was the key. “We
realized we needed a lot of help and support from
the community in order to succeed.” With a smile,
she says, “Mayor Michael Albano stepped forward
and appointed a Transition Team to assist us:
Attorney Frederick Hurst, City Councilor Bud L.
Williams, Reverend Morris Goggins and Mayoral
Aide Andre Dickerson.” Collaborating with the
existing early childhood community here in the city
was also contributory to the transition into new ter-
ritory. “My colleagues, Jim Bell of the then
Springfield Day Nursery, Michael Denny of New
North Citizens Council and James Ward of Early
Childhood Centers of Greater Springfield support-
ed us in the city.” Though there were stumbling
blocks and growing pains along the way, help from
the Transition Team and countless others (too
numerous to mention) kept HCS Head Start mov-
ing forward.
Finding bright, safe, child-friendly spaces was
and is a priority for HCS Head Start. Up until 1994,
Head Start programs across the country were not
african american point of view page seventeen october 1, 2012
HEAD START CELEBRATES
15TH SCHOOL YEAR IN
SPRINGFIELD
By Nicole Blais, Director of Community Engagement, HCS Head Start, Inc.
C O M M U N I T Y F O C U SC O M M U N I T Y F O C U S
C O M M U N I T Y
Governor Paul Celuchi, Executive Director Janis Santos,
Mayor Michael Albano, and Head Start Children
Senator Brian Lees, Mayor Michael Albano,
Governor Paul Celuchi, Bud L. Williams,
Janis Santos and Frederick A. Hurst
continues to page 34
Mayor Michael Albano, Rep. Benjamin Swan, City
Councilor Bud Williams, School Committee Member Marjorie
Hurst and Executive Director Janis Santos at Eastern Avenue
Center dedication

african american point of view page eighteen october 1, 2012
Around Town & . . .
Members of the Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover committee pose at the bench
in Forest Park dedicated in Carl’s memory after their recent
scholarship run-walk event
Area members of Greek fraterni-
ties and sororities at their annu-
al Pan-Hellenic picnic
Members of the Mason Square Health Task Force distribute health and
wellness information at the Old Hill Block Party held
at Springfield College
Eighth grade students from South End Middle School present at the
City of Springfield’s Mayor’s Citywide Violence Prevention Task Force
“Peace First: A Community Leadership Luncheon,”
with Mayoral Aide Darryl Moss
Members of D.R.E.A.M. Studios after their recent “Addicted To Dance”
performance which took place at the Paramount Theater in Springfield

african american point of view page nineteen october 1, 2012
From left: Dr. Ruth S. Njiiri recognized for her contributions to the
African Hall Steering Committee, Committee member My-Ron
Hatchett, 2012 Ubora Award recipient E. Henry Twiggs,
2012 Ahadi Youth Award recipient Dana Adrianna Lawes,
and Committee member Gwen Miller
. . .In The Community
Volunteers gather at the recent Inroads Scholarship Golf tournament
at TPC River Highlands Golf Course in Cromwell Ct
with tournament director Greg Jones (upper right)
Former Ubora recipients gather at this year’s reception. Seated from left:
Bette Webb, Geraldine Garner, 2012 honoree E. Henry Twiggs,
Barbara Lanier. Standing from left: Chester Gibbs, Albert Garner,
Allyson Gouzounis, Raymond Jordan and Jesse Lanier
The 2012 Enshrinement class pose at the Naismith Basketball Hall.
From left: Derek Barksdale accepting for his father Don Barksdale,
Tammy Harrison accepting for the All American Red Heads, Reggie
Miller, Phil Knight, Ralph Sampson, Katrina McClain, Don Nelson,
Hank Nichols, Chet Walker, and Jamaal Wilkes.
Not pictured are Lidia Alexeeva and Mel Daniels
Viola S. Goodman (seated) celebrated her 100th Birthday with her
family during the September 2nd service at Bethel AME Church.
They are joined by Rev. Angelo Dawson (front row far left)
Some of the Tiffany Hall Memorial CPR Training Day task force
members are from left: Atty. Ellen W. Freyman, Kirk Smith, Deleney
Magoffin, Wanda Givens, Marie Graves, Rick Lee, Maria Perez,
Dan Hall, Helen Caulton-Harris and Sheila Hall.

Chicopee, MA ―
The National
Association of
P r o f e s s i o n a l
Women (NAPW)
recently announced
that the association
has launched an NAPW chapter in
Chicopee, MA.
The new chapter will be headed by
Latoya D. Bosworth, author and special
education teacher for the city of
Springfield. NAPW provides on-line
seminars, pod casts, webinars, and educa-
tional tools and is organized to help fos-
ter networking and career development
skills that enable members to achieve
personal and career success. To date,
NAPW has over 300,000 members
throughout the United States.
“I am thrilled to be heading up the
newest NAPW chapter and look forward
to being a part of the growth of the
association in Chicopee,” says Latoya
Bosworth. “I’m confident that the addi-
tional face-to-face exposure to area
members and the greater sense of cama-
raderie that is sure to evolve through reg-
ular attendance at our local meetings,
NAPW’s Chicopee chapter members will
soon be experiencing a new, higher level
of value and satisfaction,” Bosworth
points out. She can be reached at 413-
218-0418.
HARTFORD — Long-time
Hartford activist and Community
Renewal Team’s (CRT) Director of
Community Services, Elizabeth
Horton Sheff, received an apprecia-
tion award from the city of Hartford
for her dedication and support for the
city’s Grandparents Program at the
10th annual Grandparents Day Family
Fair at Bushnell Park on September 8.
Horton Sheff was presented a
plaque “in appreciation for many years
of commitment and support” of the
program she founded that aims to
strengthen family relations and pro-
vide information on support services
for grandparents who are raising their
grandchildren. Sheff initiated the pro-
gram in 2000 during her tenure on the
Hartford City Council. The initiative
also resulted in the construction of
housing units to support these “grand-
families.”
CRT’s Generations Campus,
which is a vibrant housing community
in Hartford’s North End for grandpar-
ents raising grandchildren, was also
awarded with a plaque of appreciation
on Grandparents Day this year.
Horton Sheff was instrumental in ini-
tiating the idea for Generations and
was closely involved with planning the
different social components of what
Generations has become—which is an
award-winning campus that empowers
families through case management,
educational opportunities, community
projects and programs that enable the
individuals to become mentors and
leaders in life.
Horton Sheff has a long history
of public service and has committed
much of her professional life to the
causes of disenfranchised groups,
communities and families. She served
several terms on the Hartford City
Council during the period of 1995 –
2008 where she championed Hartford
citizen causes such as the “Campaign
for Civic Pride,” that increased com-
munity participation in city boards and
commissions; the “Keep Them
Reading” literacy campaign; and she
also hosted the “Community Council”
public access TV show to engage resi-
dents on pressing matters being
addressed at city hall.
She is perhaps best known for the
successful landmark Supreme Court
case Sheff vs. O’Neill (1996) that chal-
lenged the obvious disparities in edu-
cational opportunities available to chil-
dren residing in Hartford when com-
pared to the children in surrounding
suburban school districts. Her son,
Milo, was a fourth grader at the Annie
Fisher Elementary School in 1989
when she worked with civil rights
lawyers to file suit. As a result,
Hartford students can now apply to
more than 20 magnet schools
throughout the greater Hartford
region. This has given families educa-
tional options that were never available
in the poorest and most isolated
Hartford neighborhoods prior to the
case.
The city’s Grandparents Program
is designed to provide social support
services—and links to them—for
grandparents who gain permanent
legal custody of their grandchildren.
This includes help for those interested
in subsidized housing, a grandparents’
support network, and educational
activities focused on family develop-
ment and other supports. Those inter-
ested in more information about the
Grandparents Program can contact
the city of Hartford Senior Services
Division at (860) 757-4738.
For more information about the
Community Renewal Team, please
visit www.crtct.org or call (860) 560-
5600.
Community Renewal Team, Inc. is the desig-
nated Community Action Agency for
Middlesex and Hartford Counties and is the
largest non-profit provider of human services in
Connecticut. The agency’s mission is Preparing
Our Community to Meet Life’s Challenges.
The mission is achieved each day by helping
people and families become self-sufficient while
making sure basic needs are met. CRT’s pro-
grams include Head Start, Meals on Wheels,
energy assistance, supportive housing and shel-
ters, and many others, serving people in more
than 60 cities and towns in both our core
catchment area and throughout Connecticut.
www.crtct.org
ELIZABETH HORTON SHEFF AWARDED
FOR SERVICE AT 10TH ANNUAL
GRANDPARENTS DAY
Longtime Community Organizer Honored for the Founding of Hartford’s Grandparents Program
african american point of view page twenty october 1, 2012
C O M M U N I T Y
Elizabeth Horton Sheff displays
award at Bushnell Park for
Grandparents Day Family Fair
on September 8th.
POV PEN & INK CONTRIBUTORS RECOGNIZED
New York―The
prestigious Small
Magazine Review,
connected to Small
Press Review,
picked MOBIUS,
THE POETRY
MAGAZINE for
the 5th consecutive year as one of the
best poetry magazines. Editor-in-Chief
Juanita Torrence-Thompson is assisted
by Senior Associate Editor Dominick
Arbolay, Associate Editor and proofread-
er, Cindy Hochman of
Harrison/Hochman “100 Proof,”
Proofreader Barbara Hantman, all in NY,
and Ellaraine Lockie and Bill Roberts
from the West Coast and mid-west
respectively.
In addition, Small Magazine Review
wrote a glowing review of MOBIUS,
THE POETRY MAGAZINE’S 29th
Anniversary edition starting with the
headline one dreams about, “JUST
WONDERFUL!”
Juanita Torrence-Thompson says
there are a few copies left. She also urges
you to check out the special 30th
Anniversary issue due in November,
2012. Torrence-Thompson promises a
poetic lineup of Who’s Who, as well as
our tri-state, nationwide and internation-
al poets. See website soon and watch for
announcement of MOBIUS’ special
30th Anniversary New York reading at:
www.mobiuspoetry.com
NAPW LAUNCHES LOCAL
CHAPTER IN CHICOPEE, MA
MOBIUS, THE POETRY MAGA-
ZINE HITS ANOTHER HOME RUN
Latoya D.
Bosworth
Juanita Torrence-
Thompson

african american point of view page twenty-one october 1, 2012
T E R R E L L H I L L ’ 9 2
Principal of High School, Inc.
Avid gardener
WeAreWestﬁeld.com
We are
Westﬁeld.We are explorers and scholars, builders and innovators, artists and athletes,
dream seekers and care takers. We are a community of possibilities — onsite,
online and in touch. PRIVATE QUALITY. PUBLIC VALUE.
Career placement assistance | Day & evening schedules | Financial aid available for those who qualify
NORMINGFLASSESC
LAIMSCHTEALLTH
ASSISTTAAALCEDIM
ERAPYHTASSAGEM
WTTWENRETUPMOC
FESSIONALFROP
RC/AHVVA *
:ORFOWN
IALISTCPES
ANT
ERAPY
TNEMEGANAMGNIKROW *
RAINERTITNESS *
TSRRTAYULINARRYC *
C O M M U N I T Y
24TH ANNUAL
STONE SOUL FESTIVAL
Celebrates Another Successful Year

EARN STATE TAX CREDITS: SUPPORT
WAKEMAN BOYS & GIRLS CLUB
Wakeman Boys & Girls Club announced that it
received approval from the State of
Connecticut to participate in the state’s
Neighborhood Assistance Act, which provides
state tax credits to Connecticut corporations and
businesses that contribute to approved Club pro-
jects. Club Executive Director David Blagys said,
“This year companies can choose to support our
Stratfield Clubhouse Outreach at McKinley School,
educational programs at our new Smilow-
Burroughs Clubhouse in Bridgeport, or long over-
due energy upgrades at our Southport Clubhouse.”
Eligible companies (C or S corporations) that con-
tribute to the energy upgrades of the Southport
Clubhouse will receive a 100% state tax credit.
Corporate contributors to the Stratfield or Smilow-
Burroughs Clubhouse programs will receive a 60%
state tax credit. Wakeman Boys & Girls Club cur-
rently serves nearly 4,000 members from through-
out Fairfield, Westport and Bridgeport. The
Southport Clubhouse conducts more than 100 ath-
letic, educational and leadership development pro-
grams annually. The Stratfield Clubhouse staff pro-
vides onsite programming to 400 1st - 8th graders
from four local schools, as well as a host of school-
based activities at McKinley School. The Smilow-
Burroughs Clubhouse, which opened in June 2011,
has already served more than 700 children in grades
3-12 with programs designed to support their aca-
demic pursuits, while also providing recreational,
cultural, and leadership opportunities that were
previously unavailable to them. For more informa-
tion about Wakeman Boys & Girls Club and the
Neighborhood Assistance Act, contact Dave
Blagys at 203-259-4805 or visit www.wakeman-
club.org.
BRIDGEPORT COUNCIL MEMBER
PAOLETTO APPOINTED
Congratulations to Bridgeport City Council
member Richard M. Paoletto, Jr. who has been
invited to become a member of the State, Local,
Tribal and Territorial Government Coordinating
Council, a panel which works together with the
Department of Homeland Security and state, local,
tribal and territorial governments for the national
goal of critical infrastructure protection. Paoletto is
the Deputy Director of Housing and Commercial
Code Enforcement for the city of Bridgeport and
serves as the point person for the city’s critical
infrastructure and key resources in the Emergency
Operations Center.
HARTFORD MAYOR PEDRO SEGARRA
AN “ULI” FELLOW
The Urban Land Institute (ULI) Daniel Rose
Center for Public Leadership has named
Mayor Pedro Segarra, of Hartford, Connecticut,
along with three other mayors of major U.S. cities
to serve in fellowships for the Center through 2013.
Segarra’s local team will join those led by the may-
ors of Austin, Texas; Louisville, Kentucky and
Tacoma, Washington. The purpose of the fellow-
ship program is to provide city leaders with the
insights, peer-to-peer learning, and analysis needed
to successfully build and sustain their cities. Mayor
Segarra has been instrumental in planning and
building infrastructure projects throughout the city,
including leading efforts to make Hartford’s down-
town area more walkable and vibrant for residents
and visitors,” said ULI Chief Executive Officer
Patrick L. Phillips. “We are confident that the
Hartford team will spend their year in the Daniel
Rose Fellowship developing critical tools and
strategies using placemaking and public investment
to attract private investment to further the city’s
economic development. The Center is unique in
how it facilitates collaboration among leaders in
land use “by bringing competent, honorable and
knowledgeable” participants together from the
public and private sector. Leaders explore commu-
nity and development issues, while discussing solu-
tions to regional land use problems. “Each has
much to learn from the other. The more knowl-
edgeable and better trained people are on both
sides of the table, the more effective they (the
working relationships) are. The most successful
projects invariably reflect those relationships. The
Daniel Rose Fellowship is the flagship program of
the ULI Daniel Rose Center, established in 2008 by
the ULI Foundation Governor Daniel Rose. The
Center aims to empower leaders in the public sec-
tor to envision, build and sustain successful 21st
century communities by providing access to infor-
mation, best practices, peer networks and other
resources to foster creative, efficient and sustain-
able land use practices.
SPRINGFIELD’S DAVID PANAGORE
LEAVES HARTFORD
David Panagore, Chief Operating Officer and
former Director of Development Services
for the City of Hartford since 2008, is leaving “in
order to pursue other professional opportunities.”
Panagore’s last day was September 14, 2012. Mayor
Segarra also announced that Corporation Counsel
Saundra Kee Borges will serve as Interim Chief
Operating Officer while a national search is per-
formed to identify a permanent replacement.
“David played an important role upon my taking
office in 2010. The immediate successes we cele-
brated, the demolition of the H.B. Davis Building
and Capital West, stabilizing the budget and
increasing the Rainy Day fund, are just a few of the
hallmarks he helped me move forward. He is cre-
ative and knowledgeable and I have no doubt that
he will have great success no matter what he choos-
es to do next,” said Mayor Pedro E. Segarra. “I am
truly grateful to have served Hartford and Mayor
Segarra,” said David Panagore. “The opportunities
that I have helped to restructure and professional-
ize the operations, and the projects I have been able
to work on, like Capewell, Colt, iQuilt, and the One
City, One Plan have moved the City forward and
they were all professionally rewarding. I will miss
the staff, the City of Hartford and the many friends
that I have made over the last 5 years. I am looking
forward to the next chapter in my life.”
ANOTHER SUCCESS!
Icannot express my full
and sincere appreciation
to all of the sponsors, the
exhibitors, the advertisers,
the volunteers, the staff, the
workers at the MGM Grand
at Foxwoods, the board of
directors, the speakers, the
panelists, the moderators
and the attendees for their
participation and support of
the 2012 GNEMSDC
Business Opportunity Fair and Expo. Every year I
wonder can it get better, and I have to share my
view that this year was special. Not only did the
changes in the program design seem to increase the
energy level, but every session seemed to speak to
the needs of attendees.
THANK YOU TO 2012 BUSINESS
OPPORTUNITY TRADE EXPO
VOLUNTEERS
Al Tawrel - Northeast Utilities
Alice Turner - Alice Margie Turner, M.Ed.
Annie Pagano - ITI
Anurag Sharma - MyCom
Brandie Cannady - Creative Solutions
Charles Federick Sr. - CF Electrical Service
Colleen Flaherty - W&R/RCI/FTI
Doreen Blades - US Eco Products, Corporation
Ecem Akarra - Bannerker
Eric Hutchison - Rose International Inc
Francesco Pagano - ITI
Gail Williams - Alegre Communications Inc
Gianne Doherty - Creative Solutions
Grace DiBenedetto - BCBSMA
Janet Wooten - VCU
Kyong - Industrial Safety
Patricia Latimer - NStar/CLP
Stephan Jackman
Tony Brennan - ACP Facility Services
Valrie King - Ratheon
african american point of view page twenty-two october 1, 2012
C O N N E C T I C U T
Dr. Fred
McKinney

POV_October_1_2012

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (13)

Similar to POV_October_1_2012

Similar to POV_October_1_2012 (15)

POV_October_1_2012