Urban Views Weekly June 17, 2015

June 17, 2015 Scholar of the Week – Maurice Coleman

Freedom, History & Fathers

Celebrating

2 Urban Views Weekly | June 17, 2015 www.UrbanViewsWeekly.com

Letter ToThe Editor

VOL. 8, ISSUE 24

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NEW LOCATION!

Bon Secours Heart InstituteForest Ave. & Glenside Dr.

June 25, 20156:30pm-8:30pm

THURSDAY

Central Virginia African American Chamber of CommerceEmail: [email protected] • Phone: 804-823-7745

Join the chamber by going online to www.CVAACC.org

Free Admission for CVAACC members • Non-members $20.00Please RSVP via the www.CVAACC.org Event Calendar

Bon Secours Heart Instituteat Reynolds Crossing

7001 Forest Ave, Richmond, VA 23230

Setting a few hours aside for a midyear financial checkup in June or July can help you review how you’re doing with savings, investing, spending and debt. It can give you the opportunity to spot irregularities and adjust your budget well in advance of year-end.

If you already work with a qualified financial or tax advisor, consider discussing this review process with them so they can guide you to any specific money issues you should be tracking.

Start by requesting at least one of your three credit reports. The idea is to make sure your credit balances are accurate and to check closely for any irregularities that might signal identity theft. Federal law requires that each of the major credit agencies – Experian, Equifax and TransUnion – give you your most recent credit reports for free (https://www.annualcreditreport.com/index.action) once a year.

If you discover unusual charges or accounts you didn’t open, alert your advisors, take any steps they recommend, and otherwise follow the U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s step-by-step identity theft guide (http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/feature-0014-identity-theft) to help you take action. Remember to stagger receipt of each of your credit reports throughout the year so you have the opportunity to catch potential irregularities every few months.

Next, turn to your budget or start one if you’ve never made one before. The midyear review should focus on whether adjustments can be made to save or invest more or pay off more debt if more money is coming in from a raise or other resources. If spending is up by midyear, it’s always important to know why and whether funds can be reallocated to better purpose.

Review your retirement and whether you’re maximizing your contributions at work or in your own personal retirement accounts. Those who reach age 50 by the end of the calendar year will be able to take advantage of additional catch-up contribution allowances to beef up their balances as they approach retirement.

Midyear is also a good time to check the adequacy of one’s emergency fund (http://www.practicalmoneyskills.com/calculators/emergency). Emergency funds help keep you from tapping your credit or savings balances in a sudden cash emergency. The amount of money you keep in your emergency fund should fit your needs, but consider a balance of four to seven months of everyday expenses in case there’s a short-term job loss or an emergency repair. Consider keeping a year-round list of potential home, car or personal expenses and decide whether your emergency fund is adequate or you might need to set up other savings accounts

The DealBy Jason Alderman

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Your Midyear Financial Checkup

3 www.UrbanViewsWeekly.com Urban Views Weekly | June 17, 2015

June 20 | 10am-2pm | Byrd Park | Richmond, VA

This event is about closing streets to cars and opening them to the public—for one day —to create a healthy, sustainable and vibrant RVA street experience. FREE and open to everyone to do what they wish —run, walk, bike, roller blade, Zumba, hula hoop, WHATEVER! The event will take place throughout Byrd Park.

Vendors will line the park with free activities for the entire family! To be a vendor you must offer something that promotes an active and healthy lifestyle and sign up in advance!

Public Invited to NAACP Meeting

The Richmond NAACP Branch will have its June regularly scheduled monthly meeting at the Richmond Justice Center “previously Richmond City Jail” on June 23rd, at 6:30 p.m. This meeting is open to the public; however, those wanting to attend must contact the NAACP so they can be a part of the group’s count. Everyone must be at the Justice Center by 6:00 p.m. in order to be properly signed in and to be escorted as a group.

Sheriff Woody will address the membership and questions will be allowed. The business of the NAACP will take place from 6:30 - 7:25 p.m., and a brief tour of the facility will take place from 7:30 - 8:30 pm.

One of the goals for the Richmond Branch is to be more accessible to the community, even the community behind bars. Many of our complaints come from the penal institutions, and hopefully in the near future we may have an active chapter operating as a vital program from inside our Justice Center.

For more information contact Lynetta Thompson, President Richmond NAACP Branch

Balfour Beatty Construction is hosting a Subcontractor Outreach for SWaM Certified Businesses

Project: Virginia Treatment Center for Children, Richmond, VA. When: Friday, June 26, 2015 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM Place: Auditorium of the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU 2924 Brook Road Richmond, VA 23220 We will discuss the upcoming bid packages and status of design.

Following the information session (approx. 11:00 a.m.) a pre-bid meeting will be held for Package 1: Earthwork and Utilities, Concrete, Abatement and Demolition, General Condition items and Structural Steel. Registration is required: https://vtccswam2.eventbrite.com

For questions please contact:Layli Pietri, Minority Business Development Manager, [email protected] (703) 218-1338


TanyaFree.com/Urban Views Weekly PollAfrican Americans passing for White have long been documented in our community, but how about Whites passing as Black? Rachel Dolezal, head of the Spokane, Washington branch of the NAACP and prominent spokesperson for the African American community, has been accused of being dishonest and deceptive with her identity. Self-described as partly African American, her birth certificate reportedly reveals that she was born to two Caucasian parents.

What’s Your Take? Do you have a problem with passing, and is it OK to be “transracial?Check out the story and respond to this week’s poll at TanyaFree.com and the Urban Views Weekly FACEBOOK Page. Listen to the Tanya Free and Friends Talk Show Wednesdays @ 2 p.m. on WCLM1450AM streaming LIVE @ TanyaFree.com and BlackTalkRadioNetwork.com.

How do we stop using excuses as a conversation starter, or icebreaker, when starting a meeting? We all know people who start conversations by making excuses for why they are late, unprepared, and haven’t completed what they committed to do. First comes the excuse; then comes a focus on the content of the excuse. A meeting to review fundraising progress can turn into a discussion of traffic, construction, family illnesses, the weather, and before you know it 15 minutes have passed.

Excuses send the wrong message to people who are serious about meeting. They have come prepared and are ready to work. These could be staff, board members or volunteers. One thing is certain: they didn’t show up for excuses. The fact that your organization is a nonprofit doesn’t mean that excuses should be tolerated. Excuses cannot be a part of our culture. We have to rethink how we communicate.

Here’s why: excuses turn people off. When you invite someone to work with you on your fundraising, they are giving their valuable time. They assume you are serious about fundraising and want to get things done. You will run people off if you spend 10 minutes trying to remember what people committed to at the last meeting, and another 10 minutes discussing why those things didn’t get done.

We are telling you the truth. Organizations, large and small, are always seeking talented people to join their fundraising campaigns. What many don’t know is that disorganization and excuses can keep all but the most dedicated of people away from the table. They don’t have the time to waste.

These words may sound harsh, but they are the truth that is not told. If you want to grow from one level of fundraising to another, look at how you conduct meetings; how you hold each other accountable; and the extent to which excuses dominate the meeting.

What do we mean by accountability? Doing what you say you’re going to do, and doing it by the time you committed. Oh, did we mention doing a good job?

If you lead with excuses, you can stop. Set realistic timeframes. Make commitments you can keep. Get support for developing better time management skills. Whatever it takes, stop leading with excuses. Make your word your bond.

If your team members lead with excuses, check in with them in advance to see if they need assistance and are progressing in a timely manner.

As a manager and leader of volunteers you have to be focused, upbeat and set a positive tone. Be a motivator. Be creative. Have a plan B and a plan C. Be prepared: show the people you are working with that you value their time. Your leadership should be infectious and elevate your volunteers to the highest level.

Copyright 2015– Mel and Pearl Shaw

Mel and Pearl Shaw position nonprofits, colleges and universities for fundraising success. For help with your fundraising, visit www.saadandshaw.com or call (901) 522-8727.

FUNdraising Good Times

Excuses: the scourge of nonprofit fundraising

Civic Beat

www.CVAACC.orgCentral Virginia African American Chamber of Commerce

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Home is a place you grow up trying to get away from and grow old trying to get back to --- This quote often makes me think of things my father said as we grew up. He consistently embodied words like integrity, determination and discipline, making them life lessons personified instead of merely cliché platitudes. As children, we often do not appreciate what our parents are trying to teach us through the so-called house rules that illuminate the requirements we are expected to fulfill as a member of the family. When we enter into adulthood, have children and grandchildren of our own, the depth of the words and lessons we were taught begin to reveal themselves to us with each year that passes and every experience we live. The words of our parents become the wisdom on which we begin to depend. My father always said, “A fool will expose himself and all you need to do is wait. And it won’t take long.” Oh, how often my father’s words have proven to be true. “Just be patient and that ‘fool’ will trip himself up without any help from you.” Daddy was right on every occasion!

The things my father taught me are so imbedded in the foundation on which I stand, it would take an entire library to recount them all. Like many other fathers of his generation, he taught his children with an abundance of love, wit and style, while at the same time an intense urgency that underscored the need to impart a level of preparation that would guarantee our success in a world that was more hostile than friendly. He always said, “You’re black and a girl, you’re gonna have to be twice as good to be even and three times more just to get ahead.” Anyone raised Black in America heard those exact words or some semblance of them from their parents.

I remember one time upon learning that I was not applying myself adequately to a class I was taking because, as I put it, “The teacher just didn’t like me.” My father said, “What kind of stupid excuse is that?” Then he laughed out loud. “She doesn’t have to LIKE you. She’s got her degree, what

have you got?” I shrugged my shoulders, having no adequate response other than, “Nothing.” He always preached, and I mean like an evangelical preacher on a Sunday morning, that knowledge was power and that without an education we would never fulfill our God-given potential.

We always celebrated success in our house, but never with gifts or financial enticements. No. I never got paid for bringing home an A on my report card. A simple good job, a smile and a pat on the back was our

reward, and it was enough to keep us working hard. My father set an example of success we all wanted to emulate, and in the end we did. He (with mom) raised six children, and all of us have a college education. There are 2 medical doctors, 2 with doctoral degrees, and 2 holding executive leadership roles with major corporations.

My father has always been a very successful man. He believes to the core of his being that he has the BEST children in the world, and don’t even talk to him about his grand and great grandchildren. If we are the “BEST”, it can only be attributed to the way that we were RAISED and of course---to the things my father taught us.

Happy Father’s Day Daddy, and to ALL the Fathers who have dedicated themselves to teaching their children how to fulfill their God-given potential, Happy Father’s Day to you, too.

Up Next Week: Can you CHOOSE to be Black?

ViewPoints By Dr. T

Tawnya Pettiford-Wates, Ph.D.Founder and Artistic DirectorThe Conciliation Project andAssociate ProfessorVirginia Commonwealth UniversityDrT@Margins2theCenter.comwww.theconciliationproject.org

Things My Father Taught Me

to address bigger needs.

Make sure your tax withholding levels are correct. This is particularly important if your income has changed during the first six months of the year and you might be closing in on a higher or lower tax bracket. Consult your tax advisor for assistance, and the IRS features its own withholding calculator (http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/IRS-Withholding-Calculator) to help you decide.

Finally, make sure all your recordkeeping is up to date. Midyear is a good time to look over all

your spending, saving and investment records to make sure all the numbers add up and underlying paperwork is in order. Also consider online banking, investing and bill payment as a way to save more time and money.

Bottom line: Taking a midyear break to review your finances gives you a thoughtful opportunity to spot errors, adjust your budget and save on taxes.

Jason Alderman directs Visa’s financial education programs. To Follow Jason Alderman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PracticalMoney.

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Dr.Tawnya Pettiford-Wates and Dr. Thaddeus H. Phillips, Jr.

For the second year, the City of Petersburg will sponsor a Juneteenth festival, which celebrates freedom, fathers, faith, family and friends for all. Brian C. Little, Sr., Petersburg’s Director of Cultural Affairs, Arts & Tourism, sees this as an opportunity to give back to one of America’s oldest free Black communities. “People of all nationalities should join in this celebration of Freedom as the city commemorates the sesquicentennial of this freedom in Black history,” says Little. “Freedom reaches further than a color line. It also unites people of different backgrounds and celebrates humanity.”

Juneteenth began as a holiday created 150 years ago by slaves freed from bondage. President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862, but it took close to three more years before the full emancipation of America’s slaves was completed. Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free.

Join the City of Petersburg for this celebration on the historic Pocahontas Island! The City of Petersburg will celebrate this freedom and our fathers, granddads, uncles and those special men in our lives during the Juneteenth Freedom Festival on Sunday, June 21 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

“We are excited to host the Juneteenth Celebration again in Petersburg on Pocahontas Island,” comments William E. Johnson, III, City Manager. “It is a time for the city to really showcase our special history and the legacy that Petersburg has as a community, and it is a great way to celebrate the past and the future with the special father and sons celebration.”

Pocahontas Island is one of the hidden gems of Petersburg. By the 1800s, Pocahontas Island had one of the United States’

largest known populations of free Blacks residing in its neighborhood. It was a place for commerce, integration and

freedom as it was home to the Underground Railroad. Petersburg will recognize this American treasure as it commemorates that 150th anniversary of the American Civil War and Emancipation.

The event will start at 1:45 p.m. with the unveiling of a commemorative permanent historic marker from the Virginia Department of Historic Resources for the legacy of Pocahontas Island.

“The freedom celebration commemorates the end

of the American Civil War and slavery and the beginning of Emancipation. Even though April officially marks this historical event, many people in the south didn’t know that they were free until June 19.” said Little. “Activities that day will allow guests to enjoy this history through art, music, food, tours and more.”

This year’s event will be packed with a strong punch of talent, both local and international. Locally, the festival will showcase Blues Flash Band, Mosby Memorial Mass Choir, James Saxmo Gates and Cora Harvey Armstrong. Our Master of Ceremony for the day is the renowned radio personality Cavell Phillips.

The event will also bring an international feature, serving as host to Cuban artist Salvador and Surinamese artist Adiante Franszoon. These two gentlemen set the stage for bringing the festival to a larger audience and allowing the region to experience a special treat as Salvador unveils an emancipation mural and Adiante shows people how to carve wood and make unique items for the home, or gallery. There will be other crafters from the region joining these two artists to round out the cultural arts offerings for the day.

Ezibu Muntu African Dance Company will lead guests to the stage from the historic marker ceremony. That’s where Salvador will be primed and ready to unveil his artwork and dedicate it to the City of Petersburg. His mural will depict the African

experience in the Americas through images of drums, masks and other symbolism. The artwork will rest in the City’s collection and will be on public display beginning in July at the Petersburg Area Transit building on Washington Street.

Juneteenth FREEDOM Festival Program

1:30 p.m. Drum call 1:45 p.m. Dedication of Pocahontas historic marker 2:00 p.m. Processional led by Ezibu Muntu African Dance Company 2:15 p.m. Welcome and Prayer 2:20 p.m. Unveiling of Emancipation Mural - Salvador 2:30 p.m. Ezibu Muntu African Dance Company 3:00 p.m. Scavenger Hunt (gather around check-in table) 3:15 p.m. Cora Harvey Armstrong 3:30 p.m. Petersburg Ballet

6 Urban Views Weekly | June 17, 2015

Salvador

Cora Harvey-Armstrong

Juneteenth Freedom Festival in Petersburg

7 www.UrbanViewsWeekly.com

Salvador

3:45 p.m. William Green & the Mosby Memorial Mass Choir 4:15 p.m. Blues Flash Band 5:00 p.m. James “Saxmo” Gates & Desiree Roots

An exhibit by the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia, Pocahontas Island Black History Museum, and historic tours led by Petersburg Historic Foundation will also be available during the event.

Other events include:- Stories of Freedom, Ancestors of Our Past: Dylan Pritchett, a native of Williamsburg, is a full time

storyteller, taking his African and African-American folktales throughout the country. - Through the Eyes of Coretta: Theresa G is a Christian Entertainer and a Living History Storyteller. Her wide range of characters includes Rosa Parks, Elizabeth Keckley and Sally

Hemmings. Ms.G has traveled across the country presenting her one-woman play, Through the Eyes of Coretta. - Ezibu Muntu, African Dance and Cultural Foundation is a professional organization of dancers, drummers, entertainers and other individuals dedicated to invoking a better-educated, positive understanding of African culture, values, traditions and the cultural arts as a whole. Through exposing the community-at-large to educational and artistic programming based on African culture and art forms, Ezibu Muntu hopes to enrich the diversity of the community and reintroduce basic African concepts of family and community into society by informing and exhibiting.- Vintage Dawn is a trio that has only been in existence a few months. They choose vintage because of its relations to fine wine and dawn because of a new day. Individually, they are veteran musicians who have joined together to produce jazz, gospel, R & B and country music.- Ban Caribe is an exciting blend of Latin, Caribbean and Soulful Rhythm and Blues. Music based on the Afro-Clave all held together with pulsating percussion. The musical compositions and arrangements are spiritually inspired by the rhythmic beats and chants of African music.- Pocahontas Island Museum is a stop on the Underground Railroad and home to a treasure trove of artifacts and other historical items of interest that displays over 200 years of Black history. Black History and Civil War expert, Richard Stewart is the museum’s founder and orator who delights in taking museum visitors on an oral journey of Black history in Petersburg. - Special Balloon Designs with Uncle Curt entertains at parties of all kinds. His balloon designs have been featured in international publications for Balloon Artists and enjoyed countless times by adults as well as children!

New to the festival this year is an “old school” games area where hopscotch, cards, chess and other favorites might be found. This was a part of the heart of entertainment for many in the mid-1900s and it’s

still a favorite among recreational activities today. So be sure to bring your game face on and enjoy the fun. The children’s area will have inflatables, and make and take items for youth as well as some favorite games too.

The rain date for this event is Sunday, June 28. This event is open to everyone to attend. For more information, please call (804 733-2430.

Other Juneteenth events across the area:Richmond’s Cultural Ambassador, Elegba Folklore Society will present Juneteenth 2015, A Freedom Celebration on June 19-21. This year the Society is collaborating, again, with Baltimore’s Ile Ise Ejiogbe Ifá Temple.

The Symposium will be held 6:00–10:00 p.m., Friday, June 19, on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University in the Academic Learning Commons, 1000 Floyd Avenue 23284, Room 1107. Author and activist, Bobby Seale, is the keynote speaker. The historic Manchester Dock, 1308 Brander Street 23224, on the south bank of the James River, was an entry port for Africans being brought into the Americas to be sold into slavery, and it is the site for In Reflection, 4:00-11:00 p.m., Saturday, June 20. On Sunday, June 21, the Esu Festival happens at Richmond’s African Burial Ground, 16th & Broad Streets, 4:00-7:00 p.m. This year’s theme is in keeping with the 2015 observance of the 150th year after the end of slavery in 1865 -- and Self Determination. One hundred years after the end of enslavement,

America was again focused on a movement for civil rights in 1965 -- key occurrences only 50 years ago and where, today, Black Lives Matter.For tickets or more information visit www.efsinc.org, visit Elegba Folklore Society’s Cultural Center, 101 E. Broad Street in the downtown RVA Arts District or contact the Elegba Folklore Society at (804) 644-3900 or at [email protected].

Juneteenth Freedom Festival in PetersburgJ. Chevont’e Alexander


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Scholar of the Week

From the young age of 6, Maurice Coleman has had an interest in sports. He first got into sports by playing team football, and as he grew older he also began to play basketball. With a passion for sports, he plans to further his education by pursuing a career in the field of sports education. “My future plans to pursue sports medicine is highly based on the fact that I would love to pursue a career that I love, and a career where I can impact other lives,” Maurice said.

Throughout high school Maurice stayed involved with sports as a member of his school’s basketball team. “We won state championships, so it was a great experience,” Maurice said about his time on his high school basketball team. By being a team member he learned about leadership, character and how to be a hard worker. As college quickly approaches, Maurice said there are many lessons he will take with him from high school. For example, he learned to always be a good person and maintain good people skills at all times.

He will continue playing basketball this fall when he starts attending University of Maryland Eastern Shore. “Team sports pumps teamwork into your blood,” Maurice said about the sport. “No matter what the situation may be you will always think

of others first.” Being on a team makes him want the best for everybody, not just himself, “and that’s a life lesson that a lot of people don’t understand.”

By majoring in sports medicine, Maurice will be able to stay involved in sports after school. “I love sports and I would like to help people who need help to get back into sports,” Maurice said. Not only will he enjoy his work, but he will also be able to

impact other peoples’ lives. While he has been in high school, he already tries to impact the community. He has volunteered at the SOL Carnival and with breast cancer awareness programs.

Maurice is also interested in traveling. “Traveling to different cities opens your eyes to new experiences, and it makes you want to see what else is out there in the world,” Maurice stated in an essay. “Traveling with your friends and

teammates makes it even more special.”

One of Maurice’s biggest influences in his life is his father. He is an inspiration because of “the hard work he put in to provide for his family.” Maurice hopes to continue to be a hard worker as well. The most important thing he wants the community to know about him is that he “will be successful.”

By Janeal Downs

Maurice Colemanof George Wythe High School

GPA: 3.58

College of Interest: University of Maryland, Eastern Shore

Major Community Service: SOL Carnival, Breast Cancer Awareness Programs

Strong Interest: Basketball, Sports medicine, traveling

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According to Mona Gohara and Maritza Perez, medical doctors writing for the Skin Cancer Foundation website, Caucasians are the primary victims of skin cancer. However, everyone, regardless of skin color, can fall prey to it. Unfortunately, many patients and even some physicians are under the impression that non-Caucasian people are immune to this disease. That is one reason people of color are diagnosed with skin cancer at later stages. These delays mean that skin cancers are often advanced and potentially fatal, whereas most skin cancers are curable if caught and treated in a timely manner. Tragically, this is what happened to legendary reggae musician Bob Marley: What was dismissed as a soccer injury under his toenail turned out to be an aggressive form of melanoma that ultimately caused his death at 36. Mr. Marley’s story reminds us why both medical providers and the public need to be educated about skin cancer and skin of color.

Symptoms of underlying health problems can usually be spotted somewhere on your skin. It is the largest organ system in your body. Your skin exposes your health secrets.

That’s why a regular self-examination is essential. You can detect a problem early and have it treated before it becomes a major concern.

Skin cancer is among the most common and dangerous types of cancer. If you spent your youth sunning yourself on the beach or performing yard work under the sun, you should regularly check your skin. Also, people who have a family history of skin cancer should check themselves regularly. If you spot anything unusual, or something that makes you curious, consult a dermatologist for further evaluation.

WHAT TO DO

Conducting regular skin self-examinations is the best way to check for development of skin cancer. The best time for a self-exam is when you get out of a shower or bath. Make sure you have plenty of good lighting. You will need a full-length mirror and a hand-held mirror.

Become acquainted with your birthmarks, moles, and other marks. Familiarize yourself with their look and feel.

Check for anything new:

— A new mole that is unlike your other moles

— A new red or darker color flaky patch that seems a little raised

— A new flesh-colored firm bump

— A change in the size, shape, color, or feel of a mole

— A sore that doesn’t heal

Check yourself from head to toe:

— Look at your face, neck, ears, and scalp. A comb or a blow dryer can move your hair so you can better see the area. A relative or friend can help in hard to examine spots such as the scalp.

— Look at the front and back of your body in the mirror. Then, raise your arms and look at your left and right sides.

— Bend your elbows. Look carefully at your fingernails, palms, forearms (including the undersides) and upper arms.

— Examine all sides of your legs. Also check your genital area and between your buttocks.

— Sit and closely examine your feet, including your toenails, your soles, and between your toes.

A regular examination will help you understand what is normal for you. It might be helpful to record the dates of your skin exams and note how your skin looks. If a physician has taken photos of your skin, compare your present condition to the photos to help check for changes. If you find anything unusual, contact your doctor.

Preventative measures are the best way to detect any possible signs of skin cancer or other conditions. The sooner skin cancer is detected, the better the chances are of doing something for it.

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804.649.6868Office: (

Office Hours: Mon-Fri 9AM-5PMHow to Check Your Skin


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Urban Views Weekly June 17, 2015