ae ) aera aC ‘ing Fastern North Carolina's Minority Communities Since 1 a es ‘ aadinl en ee ncaa tar nena tntecncnn RET ETN: ite | = _ — “4 Complimentary Iseui ‘Please Take Ong (etait Value: 50 Conte oR wien ” te T[TOASD 2ouA4O4- @eTTtTAuss4y AASAQLY ON now dnoay eu By MICHAEL WINES LILONGWE, Malawi - Since Nov. 10, 1999, Lackson Sikayenera has been incarcerated in Maula Prison, a dozen iron-roofed barracks set on yellow dirt and hemmed by barbed wire just outside Malawi's capital city. He eats one meal of porridge daily. He spends 14 hours each day ina justice scandalously uneven. But by African standards, Malawi is not the worst place to do time. For many of Africa’s one million prison inmates, conditions are equally unspeakable - or more so. The inhumanity of African prisons is a shame that hides in plain sight, cell with 160 other men, packed Black Beach Prison in Equatorial on the concrete floor, unable even Guinea 18 notorious for torture. to move. The water is ditty: the Food is so scarce in Zambia’s jails toilets foul. Disease is rife. But the worst part may be that in the case of Mr. Sikayenera, who is accused of killing his brother, the charges against him have not yet even reached a court. Almost certainly, they never will. For sometime after November 1999, Justice officials lost his case file. His guards know where he is. But for all Malawi’s courts know, he _that officers had deemed 50 does not exist. prisoners incorrigible. Then, : dispensing with trials, they ex- ‘Se “Why is it that my file is miss- ecuted them. - ing?” he asked, his voice a mix of a rage and desperation. “Who took Even the African Commission’s my file? Why do.I suffer like this? Should I keep on staying in prison just because my file is not found? For how long should I stay in taan?. Bor f ” democracy activist. who herse there. In Africa, they would be and courts, Said Marie-Dominique _ ssopimneneniettes «.»..PTiS0N ihmates have not. a Prise For how long? spent eee Tarn enind . hotels.” _ , Parent, the Malawi-based ‘regional "% THs EVTESCTY GION awe "led: "Piola ‘as tt thy : " ae. This is life in Malawi's high- under a dictatorship. . director of Penal Reform Interna- abiding citizens, the world’s fourths of Mozambique’s prison- - Most African governments spend ’ security prisons, Dickens in the tropics, places of cruel, but hardly unusual punishment. Prosecutors, judges, even prison wardens agree that conditions are unbearable, confinements intolerably long, that gangs wield it as an instrument of power. Congo’s prisons have housed children as young gs 8. Kenyan prisoners perish from easily curable diseases like gastro- enteritis. . When the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights last visited the Central African ic’s prisons in 2000, it heard special representative for inmates has not Visited an African prison in 18 months. There is no money, said the representative, Vera Chirwa, a “The conditions are almost the same,” Ms. Chirwa said. “In Malawi, in South Aftica, in ique, in almost every country I have visited. I’ve been to Eranice, and I’ve seen the prisons little on justice, and what little is spent goes mostly to the police tional, a British advocacy group. Prisons, she said, “are at the poorest nations have little incen- tive to improve convicts’ lives. But, then, not everyone in African _ prisons is a convict. GOLDEN LEAF FOUNDATION AWARDS $1.5 MILLION Chancellor James H, Ammons received a mock check for $15 million from the Golden LEAF Foundation to purchase equipment need for the DOLLARS augment these competencies in the areas of QC/QA regulatory affairs, intellectual property, physiology of expression systems, immobiliza- tion chemistry, statistics of product development and bio separation level.” BRITE is a part of the statewide initiative to make North Carolina a TO NORTH CAROLINA CEN- Two-thirds of Uganda's 18,000 ers, and four-fifths of Cameroon's Even in-South Africa, Africa’s most advanced nation, inmates in STORY CONTINUES pg4 Edgecombe — County Sheriff’s Office continues to - Serve a oun “This award is truly wonderful,” The Edgecombe County Sheriff’s said Dr. Li-An Yeh, director of Office is responsible for criminal ms BRITE. “This award will allow us investigations, traffic offenses, in to take this program to the next service of cfiminal and civil processes, narcotic investigations, alcohol beverage control enforce- ment, court security, transport Biomanufacturing Research Institute and Technology Enterprise Center _ premiere provider of skilled prisoners, central communications of Excellence. From left to right: Chancellor Ammons, Valeria Lee, vorkers or the biotechnology for all county emergency ScIViCES, president of the Golden LEAF Foundation; Courtney Mills, program officer with the Golden LEAF Foundation and Jessie Bunn, member of the Golden LEAF Foundation Board of Directors. NCCU’s 95th Anniversary Gala, OFFICE OF PUBLIC RE. NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY industry. BRITE is one segment of the comprehensive training effort. The BRITE Center will provide laboratories for under- graduates and outstanding scholars conducting research in several areas Critical to biotechnology and “Remembering a Giant... 99 Shown at the memorial services for Mr. Nobles, or sometimes to operation of the detention center and most recently, animal control. Under the direction of Sheriff James L. Knight, the Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office continues to serve a population of 55,000 CONTACT: SHARON SAUNDERS | citizens of Edgecombe County in PAMELA TOLSON biomanufacturing. referred to as “Billy Myles” was his eldest son, Steven M. Nobles of the most effective, efficient and At NCCU'’s 95th Annivers tion. We believe it will help North Of the 160 biotechnology Atlanta, Ga., his daughter, Ms. Rita Nobles Rhem, and his youngest During 2004, a octets 98 Gala, the Golden LEAF Founda- Carolina to move from its present companies located across the state, son Adam “Chad” Nobles, both of Greenville, NC. Also Bishop Pana wore answered The sheriff's tion awarded perpeny ta ah Ase in ihe . 68 an Bare be) Blake Phillips, funeral director (shown with microphone), holding the office, which consist of 50 swom $1.5 million to the university as _ tion of biomanufacturing compa- —_is projectéd that there will be a Um with Mr. Nobles’ remains is one his granddaughters, Danielle officers answered over 35,418 calls art of a “Capital Equipment for __ nies,” | 98% increase in jobs in the Rhem and standing in the background is Mr, Nobles’ grandson for service, served over 22,800 es patie alenetd for Through the Institute, NCCU pharmaceutical - a - ee Michael Rhem. Mr. Nobles was known worldwide for his writing No. evictions and oper pastes, e Biomanufacturing Researc ugh the Institute, manufacturing industries, a 10: : . +e tad ari . ‘ Institute & eae Enterprise _ will develop an academic degree —_ increase in R & D jobs in physical, si i Be was mos ses GLI: males on the Ed Sullivan 1,958 arrest. (BRITE) Center of Excellence. ° program in at the baccalaureate, engineering and life sciences and a Ow, Dack in the days, (Jim Rouse Photo) 7 master's and doctoral degree 146% increase in jobs in the The Traffic Unit issued over 400 The grant will be used to levels. medical and diagnostic laborato- citations, including DWI, safety urchase equipment for the BRITE ries industry, belt/child safety seat, speedi acility, which is scheduled to open in 2007. and laboratory work, uniquely Carolina State University and the from the Rocky Mount Harley “The University is extremely qualifying them to become highly North Carolina Community Davidson Dealership, which will be honored to receive this award and illed workers for this industry, College System formed a consor- added to the traffic unit. The the support from the Golden LEAF Further, NCCU’s schools of tium with state's biotechnology officers will be assigned to run | Foundation to help NCCU become _ business and law will industry to develop a comprehen- radar to aid in enforcing speed limit a leader in biotechnology,” said seminars and courses targeted at sive educational program to create laws. They will work a! f Chancellor James H. Ammons. marketing and regulatory policies * highly skilled workforce. traffic onic ted details j eek “We believe we can create a for the biotechnology industry, . Mw.. traffic acelden ns viable and expanded workforce Building upon the core competen- , — fun ts traffic control, amons traditional end non- cies of 's current science Seen at the Memorial Services held for Mr. William “Bo” Nobles were eral escorts, parades and other traditional students as well as curriculum, the biotechnol the Jones brothers affectionately known as “Pop” (standing left) and special details, They will also diversify the workforce popula- —_ laboratory experiences will Bro. Mule (seated), along with Zack “The Maestro” Reddick. educate the public on traffic safety. These students will cycle through numerous biotech modules Last year, NCCU, North we (Jim Rouse photo) DWLR and NOL. The Sheriff's Office has purchased 2 motorcycles _ Story continues... page 6 — init ae = oe ne By George E. Curry Despite a landmark Supreme Court ruling upholding the legality of the University of Michigan’s law school affirmative action program, affirmative action increas ing attacks, sometimes with the complicity of the Justice Department. A recent example involves a letter the Justice Department sent to officials at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale charging that three graduate fellowship programs designed to increase underrepresented women and people of color are unfair to Whites and males. The Justice Department said if the STU programs are not terminated by Friday, it will sue the institution. University officials have requested 4 meeting and an extension to avert a legal showdown. The three fellowships under attack are the Proactive Recruitment and Multicultural Professionals for Tomorrow, the Graduate Dean’s Program and the Bridge to Doctorate. University officials told “the Daily Egyptian, the campus newspaper, that 129 such fellow- ships have been awarded since 2000, with 12 percent going to sige he oes make no effort to increase the presence of people of color on campus. Less than 8 percent of Southern Illinois University’s 5,500 gradu- ate students are Black or Latino. The attacks on affirmative action are being led by Right-wing think tanks, notably the Center for Equal Opportunity, headed by Linda Chavez and based in Sterling, Va. It has filed complaints with the Justice Department against SIU and North Carolina State Univer- sity. Even more troubling than attacks on programs designed to end the under representation of people of color and women is the way that many universities have caved in without putting up a fight. Roger Clegg, vice president and general counsel for the Center for Equal Opportunity, told the Daily Egyptian newspaper: “We have contacted hundreds of schools over the past few years about programs like this. The overwhelming majority have changed the programs after we contacted them.” In other words, the think tank has been able to accomplish through threats what it could not achieve in the U.S. Supreme Court. The attack on affirmative action extends beyond graduate fellow- ship programs. Last year, Clegg testified before the Texas Senate Subcommittee on Higher Education to oppose even the 10 percent plan favored by President Bush. Under the program, the top 10 percent of each graduating class is guaran- teed admission to the University of Texas. The cruelest hoax is that the likes of Clegg are citing laws specifi- cally designed to help African- Americans — the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment and Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act that prohibits discrimination based on race, color or national origin — to dismantle programs that, if successful, would close the gap between people of color and Whites, . In an effort to identify’ all ‘race. ”" and gender-conscious programs — presumably so that they, too, can be attacked — Clegg’s group has drafted what it calls a model “Racial and Ethnic Preference Disclosure Act” for states and the federal government to adopt. The proposal for federal legisla- tion would require annual reports from all institutions of higher education that receive federal funding. . \ Section 2 of the draft legislation states: “This report shall: begin ~ with a statement of whether race, color, or national origin is_ considered in the student — admission process (if different departments within the institu- tion have separate admission processes and consider race, color or national origin differ-- ently, then the report shal} provide the information required by this report for each depart- ment separately).” This is part of a larger campai by the misnamed Center for =" Equal Opportunity to eliminate all programs that address racial inequality. It has compiled a 41- page list of legal provisions in every state that it finds objection- able. Among them: an Alabama law that requires that half of the trustees of predominantly Black Alabama State University be desler icans, an oe provision that requires that five of the nine members of a Women's Business Ownership . Council be female, a Kentu law that requires that school board screening committees in communities where people of color constitute at least 8 percent be represented by at least one member, and a Colorado law that insists that financial institutions holding state investment funds give priority for business loans to women and people of color. Prodded by the Civil Rights Movement, the nation has made progress in reducing racial, ethnic and gender discrimina- tion. However, that progress will come to an abrupt halt if right- wing groups are successful in their campaign to eliminate all race-, ethnic- and gender- cons¢ious corrective programs. Sadly, so-called progressives have failed to counter the Right- wing attack on affirmative action. ~ George E. Curry is editor-in-chief of the NNPA News Service and BlackPressUSA.com. He appears — on National Public Radio (NPR) three times a week as part of “News and Notes with Ed Gordon.” To contact Curry or to book him for a speaking engagement, go to his Web site, www.georgecurry.com. 45 - Block Revitalization Plans Nearing Close: What - Abou ” By Susie Clemons Greenville, NC \Ctemens Jt. Drive? Greenville, NC - Earlier this year, in July, The Minority Voice News reported that West Greenville Focus Group (WGFG), 4 Coalition of residents, neighbor- hood groups, community organi- zations and businesses owners, Were uneasy on the proposed West Greenville Revitalization Plans. To revisit the matter the Greenville Redevelopment Commission approved plans for Center City - West Greenville Revitalization in a landslide vote of 6 to 1, over the objections of West Greenville residents, The City of Greenville Planning and Zoning Commission Placed those plans on hold pending an investi- gative review into concerns raised by WGFG through its spokesman ~~ Mr. Ozie Hall Jr. The Planning and Zoning t investigation is nearing a close. They and WGFG members have been, in recent months, under intensive labor negotiating ayer es policy affecting West Greenville resi- dents iness owners. etigh concessions have been made, this month the City of Greenville sponsored a town hall meeting at Mount Calvary Church, on Line Avenue in Greenville, NC, to share addi- tional planning details, hear community concerns and to answer questions. Those persons primarily in attendance were WGFG members, SCLC and NAACP representa- tives and a few others. Troubling news Came to a representative from the Minority Voice News from several West Greenville residents who said they would not be in the audience later that evening, as church attendance had been requested elsewhere inside the 45 - Block area. No matter that much of the proposed changes indicate a return of West Greenville to its former desirable status; some citizens are still concerned that there may be more missing from well intended discussions and remaining negotiations. In particular, some business Owners want to ensure that they get a fair shake in the deal, including market value should they have to relocate their business. Similarly, area home owners want to ensure they are not haphazardly pushed aside for the commercial expansion of the 10" Street Business . FG members are watit for Martin Luther King Drive to become the commercial node for Black business as it is designated to remain a major thoroughfare t MLK Jr. Drive? _ Recently, Greenville City Department Head of Planning and Community Development, Merle Flood, Community Preservation and Revitalization Senior Planner, Carl Rees, and Greenville City Senior Planner, Christopher Davis, granted the Minority Voice News a meeting to shed light on these issues and also to offer history on the Center City — West Greenville Revital- ization project planning. Merle Flood explained that stra- tegies for which are the umbrella for the proposed comprehensive look for all of Greenville, during a time when any number of - projects were being discussed and acted upon. The main factor of planning was which projects would come first and what type of planning would be necessary to make West Greenville the community it used to be, said Flood. In particular, the 45 - Block Revitalization strategy was perceived as having a plan of ongoing project improvement and development over an 8 year time frame. The City Aaa aide , explai ood een of several key targets: 1). Remove to the blighted | conditions of the West Greenville neighborhood, 2)..Get home increased from the current to at least 50% at a bare pepe existing how's the issue 0 sing in need of repair, be it owner or renter occupied. 4). Begin working with code enforcement officials to get those types of situations fixed. __ Blackonomi You Aske You have heard the saying, “Be careful of what you ask for, you just might get it;” and it’s really true, When the Trent Lott debacle was upon us I was shouting, “Let him stay; don’t ask for his resignation.” Obviously those who wanted him to step down won that battle, but I wonder what will happen now that he is no longer the leader of the U.S. Senais There were those who asked the Senate to censure Lott instead of defrocking him, namely, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), and I commend them for that. Time will tell if their suggestion was-the best, and I think we will find out very quickly. In my opinion, it would have been q better for Lott to remain in his position because during‘his numerous apologies he also made some very interesting statements. He said some things for which he could have been held accountable to Black folks, thus opening the door for possible concessions on our behalf. But nooooo, we wanted him out because he said what he’d been feeling and thinking for years, and this time we not only heard him (I assume we also heard him in 1982 when he said the same thing), we paid attention tot) 8 he rss If we had not gone along with his Republican cohorts, Armstrong Williams leading the charge, we would be able to say to old Trent, “Hey, didn’t you say you support ative action? Aren’t you the guy who said you didn’t really appreciate the contributions of ~ by James Clingman MLK, but now after a recent epiphany you are a changed man?” We could have asked Trent Lott several questions in reference to his apologetic statements, but now African-Americans can hold him accountable for nothing. It was really funny how things played out. The CBC asked for Lott to be censured, John Lewis attepted his apology saying, “Let’s move on,” Armstrong Williams decried Lott’s remarks as unacceptable in the party with the “big tent,” and finally, after he was granted permission by his boss, Colin Powell spoke out _ against Lott’s remarks as well. The whole thing smacked of ridiculous theater, if you ask me. The Republicans saw:this Lott thing as a way‘to engender Black folks and.to take greater advan- tage of the Democrats’ laxity when it comes to their primary “minority” voting block. George “Dubya” has an agenda he is desperately trying to ram through, and scapegoat Trent Lott proved to be an unwilling assistant. Bush ,could not afford to be derailed and Lott was not such a big deal that he could not be sacrificed. To top it all off, Black folks, at least those who just had to have Lott outta there, played a major role and actually helped Bush in the process. I bet it was congrats and attaboys all around the big tent when Lott stepped down. I don’t know what the new majority leader will do for Black folks, if anything, but already Black folks are stepping to the front of the line to endorse him, praise him, laud him, and hold Bill Frist up as though he were the Messiah himself. I guess we’ ll have to wait to see. But with Lott, we knew what we had, and we finally had something on him. What do they say about the bird in the hand? I hope you can see this is all charades and more of the same when it comes to politics. Bush sacrificed Lott, but he re-nomi- nates Charles Pickering for federal Judge (A payback to Lott?). So much for the “big tent.” Bush says he’s concerned about the poor and downtrodden, but he puts forth an economic program that will give the richest among us a windfall, while the poorest get little or nothing. Our president _ also has issued a brief that speaks against the use of affirmative action in admissions at the University of Michigan, a case now before the U.S. Supreme Court. Lott said he supports affirmative action; I wonder what “Uncle Clarence and the Supremes” will say. Bush is determined to go to war in Iraq and sacrifice more young lives, and he needs the support of the-American people. Trent Lott was an obstacle to that support, and he had to go. As for the role of Black folks in this whole thing, Jerry Falwell said it best in a recent interview about Lott.I paraphrase: We are about to go to go to war, and now is a time when we have to let everyone know, especially Blacks, that they are important to this country. I guess so, Jerry, especially when we will the primary victims of the war. It’s a shame we can’t be as highly regarded any other time. Yes, we should be careful, very careful about what we ask for, because we may get something worse than what we already had. Just remember, politically speak- ing, Bill Frist owes Black folks nothing. He made no commit- ments, no promises, and no deals, except those deals he may have already made with a few Black people. But that’s cool; it’s just politics, right? James E. Clingman, an adjunct Professor at the University of Cincinnati’s African-American Studies department, is former editor off ry: Cincinnati Herald Newspaper nai Aisa darian Chamber Commerée: He \hosts the raitio’"" program, “’Blackonomics,” and is the author of the book, “Economic Empowerment or Economic Enslave- ment-We have a Choice.” He can be reached at (513) 489-4132, or by e- mail at jclingman@blackonomics.com. The final 45 - Block Revital- ization Plan Proposal will include 3 elements of importance in its overall design, Carl Rees advises: Refurbishment and potential expansion to Sadie Salter Schools; Multi-genetational recreational opportunity; Economic Incubator to include job training center, events center, and space for adult educa- tion instruction. 10" Street Connector According to Merle Flood, the 10" Street Connector has been in the works for quite some time, approximately 10 years. Current plans regarding its placement neithef call for the removal of homes along Farmville Boulevard nor have final plans for its location been approved. More importantly, according to Flood, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) will not only have the final word on the Connector placement, but the State of North Carolina will be responsible for negotiating with effected residents, not the City of Greenville as held by some. According to Flood, “ tti- mately, we will do everything to not only make sure those home owners understand the process but we will assist those home owners with viable area relocation. Currently the 10" street connector has no permanent placement as yet, and for-us to make any kind of plans with that federal highway adminis- tration money, we must comply with their standards”. . Relocating West Greenville Residents City of Greenville planning officials Merle Flood, Carl Rees and Christopher Davis all agreed that the City of Greenville is not interested in moving lations of people from that area. The goal, they stressed, is to work with as many existing residents as is possible to make the experience of me ownership a reality. To accomplish this, added / Christopher Davis, a positive transformation to the neighborhood must be achieved so that people want to live there and to move there; that includes renters and ~ home owners alike, as well as consumer business such as physi-. cian offices and similar profession- als. He further noted that for any "of this to work and to have lasting; existing and future area home Owners must get involved and become good stewards of their property and of their. community. Carl Rees pointed out that while. he was not working on the project in the beginning, that he is aware of meetings that were held with current West Greenville residents and also those held with West Greenville leaders to seek out their community concerns. He further acknowledged, “those concerns were entered into the redevelopment plan proposal, they were: additional commercial Services; economic stimulus; neighborhood updates and o portu- nity for home ownership; arf and security; sidewalk, storm drain and lighting improvement, additional occupant dwelling code enforce- ment; a return of the neighborhood to its former appeal,” said Rees. Additionally he noted, these are very real issues that the planners are using as a blue print into this final stage of planning. Home Ownership Key to Improy- ing Blight in West Greenville Based on models of other success- ful neighborhoods, it is assumed that the crucial factor to im ving West Greenville is increased hoa Ownership; with that positive clement addressed then too are those earlier mentioned community Concerns addressing safety, security and increased neighborhood value. “Since Greenville has become an entitlement city to get federal funding, West Greenville has always been a target area [for improvement]. It’s only that a larger target area — North Greenville- from the river down to Dickerson over to Memorial, that noted Christopher Davis. Furthermore, he added, that many of those updates were not visible or as dramatic; however, of those improvements is include the City of Greenville’s successful residential development, Country Side Estates. That in mind, ideally the goal is to convert renters into homeowners, where the City of Greenville provides assistance. For example, two renters within the 45 — Block Revitalization area have been successfully converted to home owners. There also are several new homes undergoing construction in the Revitalization area. They are located between McKinnely Street and Douglas Avenue. Also diversity in housing is a major factor in all of this to include duplexes and apartment develop- ments... possibly something similar to Macgregor Village, added planning official Christopher Davis, who further stated “in its final stages we want West Greenville to reflect America.” NEXT ISSUE: Cleaning Up Undesirable Properties Questions or comments can be addressed to: Some Basic Guidelines : 1. Be careful with your appearance. 2. Honor other people’s territory. 3. Expand your knowledge. 4. Honor your working hours. 5. Be friendly. 6. Keep personal information to yourself. 7. Be positive and supportive. 8. Keep an open mind. 9. Follow through. 10. Listen, 12. Solve your own problems. 13. Work hard. 14, Donot bein too big a hurry to advance. Commonsense Statements 1. Talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person. 2. No one likes to take orders. ° 3. Ask questions instead of giving direct orders. 4. Praise is the sunlight to the warm human spirit. Give the other person a fine - reputation to live up to. a Use encouragement. 7. Make the other person happy about doing the thing you suggest. 8. Learn to speak effectively — prepare for leadership. 9. Give honest and sincere ‘appreciation. . Don’t criticize, condemn, or complain — the 3C’s for failure. 11. Become genuinely concerned about others. 12. Show respect for the other person’s opinion. SOME TRUTHS.... 1. Anyone can have a wed- ~. ding, but only God can create a marriage. 2. A boss should have not have to tell a Christian to use his time well or to Work hard. 3. For better or worse, you will reap what you show. 4. Our tongue can be our own % worst enemy. 5. Beware of judging. 6. Hate evil; love good. A godly person will be known as one who does what he says he will do. God is looking for : ordinary people to do extraordinary work. 9. Words and actions must agree “Million More March” I asked my co-worker, Angela McWayne, about her bus trip to the Million More March on October15, 2005. Here are the, highlights of our interviews. > 1. Who organized the trip? There was an organizing committee made up of people from the Nation of Islam, SCLC, ECU Students, and other people from the Greenville community. 2. When/where did you leave from? About 150 Greenville residents met at C.M. Eppes recreation center late Friday night, October 14th to meet the buses that would take us to Washington DC where we would meet up with others participating in the March. 3. How was the ride up there? The ride to Washington was uneventful. The bus left about midnight but most people on our bus slept knowing that we would have a long day on Saturday. A tape of the Million Man March was on TV for those wanting to watch 4. What did you do when you first got off the bus? We arrived in Washing- ton, DC around 4am on Saturday morning. It was of course still dark so all the people from our bus began walking from 7" to the Mall. We arrived at the Mall around Sam. The Marshals from the Nation of Islam were already in position and greeting our group as we entered. It excites me anytime that I see my people moving towards something positive. This was no exception. .5, What was your itinerary while there? Arriving at the Mall around Sam we had the opportu- nity to walk around prior to the program beginning at 9am, As we approached the Mall, al- though still dark out, you could see the lights illuminating around the Capitol. In the distance you could hear morning prayers for the various faiths being offered up. ; The opening program began around 9am with Marion Mayor giving the welcome. Afterwards we heqrd testimonials from various leaders. A tribute to victims and survivors of Hurri- canes Katrina and Rita was next on the agenda and I was amazed that with the number of people in attendance, the respect shown across the Mall as the moment of silence was called. Next the Millions More Movement Priority Issues was discussed which included an international connec- tion and a youth perspective. We heard from some who spoke in opposition of the war and others who brought attention to violence in the streets of our nation. I had the pleasure of hanging with Ms. Fannie Mae Sharpe and her granddaughter during the program. There were many people in attendance including Ms. Sharpe who wore buttons, carried signs, or wore tee shirts of loved ones who were taken away from their families much too soon. It was touching to see these people connect with one another in asking what had happened to their loved one. I sensed that it was good for them to be in an environ- ment were they could share their story with someone who had been through a similar experience, One thing that saddened me were the number of tee shirts with small children on the front and on the back to read signs such as, “Stop the Black on Black Hatred”. And “Stop the Black on Black Vio- lence”... At this point in the program, I was able to meet up with my son so it made the experience more valuable knowing that of all the places he could have been on a Saturday, he chose to experience this historical event. 6. Comments on the march and speaking? Another person on the bus that I would like to recognize is Mr. Benny Roundtree. In 1980 I was visiting my aunt in Swan Quarter, North Carolina, A black man by the name of Allen Taylor was picked up by an officer and taken to jail. By the time-he was released, I remember his face yf By Gregory Whitfield being disfigured from the beating that he says he received from a particular officer who had a reputation in that community for that type behavior. I remember Mr. Roundtree being one of the leaders that came into that community to attend the meetings and eventually leading us on a march against the city and that particular officer. That march back in 1980 was my first and the Millions More March was my largest gathering. Thank you Mr. Roundtree for continuing in the struggle.Some of the highlights from the March that stuck with me were 1) Minster FaRRAKHAN’S SUGGESTION THAT MINORITIES COME TOGETHER AND FORM OUR Own Pouca Parry, “POP”. (Parry or THE Poor’ OR THE “PARTY OFTHE Por. E’’). 2) Minister FARRAKHAN SUGGESTION THAT WE POOL.OUR MONEY TOGETHER TO HORM THE FOLLOWING MINSTRIES HERE IN THE US. A), Deparmventor DEFENSE B) DDePARTMEENT OF AGRICULTURE: ©) Demrmenror Arr & Qucrure bD) Derarienror TRADE & COMMERCE E) Demremenror Jusnce ') Deepak MienTor INFORMATION a) Deparment or SCIENCE & THOHNGLOGY H) DePARTMENT THAT UNITES THE SmrntuarCommuniry 0 Deenerenror Heart & HUMAN Servick: J) DeparTMENT OF EDUCATION There were people who did not attend for various reasons. If you want to view the speeches from the privacy of your own home the website if you have a computer is: hitp:// news/mmm2005, him . Additional comments and feelings I wish that each of you who were not there could have been there. Interview by Gregory with Angela MeN Assistant with Eastern Area Health Education Center esd T ale at IS THERE A BALM IN GILEAD? (Excerpts from a challenge to the black church) BY THE REV. EARL D. TRENT, PASTOR =, FLORIDA AVENUE BAP- TIST CHURCH IN WASHING- TON, DC | We in the black church must first take a look in the mirror and see what stares back for a number of reasons. First, it is our mandate and mission to care for our community. We are commissioned to be the light and the salt, the preserving agent, of the world of your people. The Black church has a vital role in promoting a high school code of conduct and ending the inappro- priate behavior that shackles our minds. Too often sexual : behavior, abuse, and sexyal harassment in both pulpit and ~ pew are ignored or laKeled an “indiscretion” and never seri- ously addressed. We further fail to urge and model fiscal respon- sibility for the dollars that pass through our hands, and we fail to actively support our own people in business. Secondly, the Black church is virtually the only institution that Suejette Jone: Book Review: “Is Bill Cosby Right? Or Has the Black Middle Class Lost Its Miid?” By: Michael Eric Dyson On May 17, 2004, Bill Cosby stepped to the podium in Washington, DC’s Constitution Hall to receive an award for his philanthropic endeavors during an event commemorating the 50" Anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education decision. Kam Williams comes forth to” offer a critical review of Dyson’s book. He quotes: When Cosby opened his mouth, instead of lauding the efforts of civil rights pioneers, he bitterly scorned poor blacks for not holding up their end of the deal. On and on Cosby went, beating black parents and youth for their numerous faults, his ramblings united by one theme: the miserable condition of the black poor brought on by their own self-destructive behavior. Cosby’s remarks are not the isolated ranting of a solo gun Slinger, but simply the most recent, and the most visible, shot taken at poor blacks in more than century-old class war in black America. His views are widely held among the Afristocracy: upper middle class blacks and the black elite who rain down fire and brim- stone upon poor blacks for their deviance and pathology. If Cosby’s claim is that the black poor have lost their way, then | don’t mind suggesting that the black middle class has, in its views of the poor and its support of Cosby’s sentiments, lost its mind. I wonder whether Bill Cosby has had any regrets over delivering his thought-provok- ing speech essentially calling upon the black community to reorder its priorities in terms of education, employment, and culture. If not, he certainly might after hearing how very intinvate aspects of his own personal life have been held up to public scrutiny in Dyson’s book. Dyson, ordained street minister and the author of many books on African-American earned his doctorate of divinity Letter To The Editor: MICHAEL W. GARRETT Greenville Board smart to approve school uniform plan Monday, November 07, 2005 The decision by the Pitt County Board of Education to begin having elementary school students wear uniforms is a huge step in the right direction, The board is to'be com-mended for having the courage and wisdom to do what is neccesary to remove the overbearing influence that the profit-motivated fashion industry exerts over the lives and household budgets of families with school-age \ is soley controlled by Black folk (although in some areas that is no longer true.) Liberation is about ownership and control. Third, the Black church is the most fluid as an institution in our interclass structure. It is the only place where the strength of class division loses some of the its detrimental impact. I emphasize some. Unfortunately, class and color divisions still have a great deal of unspoken influence in our lives. What will we see as the Black church when we look in the mirror? Black Americans go to church at a higher percentage rate than any other group in America. Our preachers preach better. Our services are livelier - and longer. We give a higher percentage or our income to the church more than any other group in America. We are represented in all the major. denominations and have led the Pentecostal and now the Full Gospel Movement, yet we lead the nation in five major negative categories: more crime, more unemployment, more disease and bad health, more AIDS, and more SID (sexually transmitted disease) exist in our neighbor- hoods than in any other neigh- of at Princeton and currently teaches another Ivy League institution, namely , the University of Pennsylvania. He also serves as the self- anointed guru and spokesman for the Hip Hop generation, at least in the hallowed halls of academia. This gangsta rap apologist can always be depended upon to lend his pen and voice to the spirited defense of the so-called thug life. As a critic who has reviews several of his books, I have been so overwhelmed by the earlier work of Dyson that I had long since dismissed him as an intellectual. li i -More given to a superficial sensationalism than to any- thing of substance. How else might one respond to his building a biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., around a false FBI allegation that the slain civil rights leader was gay? Or, by constrast, his uncritical veneration of Tupac Shakur despite the late Tapper’s profane, violent, and self-destructive ways? In fact, I found one so awful, that I put in unreturned calls to Dyson’s colleagues to ask why they had praised it on the back cover, because it was readily apparent that they couldn’t possibly have bothered to read it. It is no surprise to see Dyson cashing-in on the celebrity of another icon, since Cosby’s controversial remarks certainly have generated considerable publicity while initiating a healthy debate in African- American circles, After reading is Bill Cosby right? I have both good news and bad news to report. The good news is that this is the first Michael Eric Dyson book which I found to be coherent, absorbing and entertaining. The bad news is that its title is misleading, for rather than a debate about any tensions between poverty- stricken balcks and the African-American upper - crust, mostly mounts to a no holds barred assault on Cosby’s private life. Dyson covers everything froni Cosby’s alleged love child, Autumn Jackson, to his son Ennis’ murder to his strained relationship with his legitimate daughter Erinn, who has had her well-publicized borhoods in America. Nearly forty percent of Black America is below or near the national poverty line. What is wrong with this picture? The grim, haunting truth is that “the harvest is past, the summer is ended,” and we are not doing very well. These are harsh words '.and a harsh evaluation. Stop, figure out who is to blame. If the God we serve is just, why are we at the bottom heap of society as a people? Though we worship and ' pray loud and long, the undeni- able fact is that we as a people are losing ground. To continue in the same manner of preaching and teaching on traditional and the latest fad themes and simply continuing to do “what we have always done” is a highly ques- _tionable course of action. It does not mean we have lost our faith, but we must face the reality that what we are doing can be out of step with the needs of our people and out of step with the will of God. Let us acknowledge the depth of our problems and do something about it. “A charge to keep I have, a God to glorify, who gave His Son my soul to save, and fit it for the sky.” Words by Charles Wesley (1707- 1788). The most common tune is by Lowell Mason. Book Review: “Is Bill Cosby Right? Or Has the Black Middle Class Lost Its Mind?” battles with both drug addiction and sexual assault at the hands of Mike Tyson. I was surprised to learn that Cosby had been a high school dropout, that he has used the N-word on stage, and that he cared enough about his Jello, Kodak, and Ford endorse- ments to refuse to take a DNA’ test, and to have his out-of- wedlock offspring prosecuted and imprisoned for blackmail to avoid risking a hit on his image by way of proof of paternity. Yes, Dyson does touch on the black class war and generational divide, but he delineates his position on those conflicts, and rather eloquently, right'in'the ~~ rather eloquently, righ inthe quently; each chapter opens with a quote from Cosby’s infamous speech which touched off the controversy and is followed by well-researched attempts to prove him a hypocrite in relation to his own words by pointing out his moral fallings at various stages of his life. I have no idea what Dr. Cosby did to tick Dr. Dyson off this badly. And while I may be the first to admit that this sort of invasion of privacy makes for a fascinating read, it by no means settles the debate about any of the social issues it pretends to address. For in a most infuriat- ing fashion it simply scratches the surface again and again, only to uncover more surface in each instance. This is a book you can’t put down for all the wrong reasons. CODA: Michael Eric Dyson is sched- uled to deliver the upcoming commencement address at NCCU in Durham, NC. CORRECTIONS: In the previous article that | wrote, the headline should have read: “Overwhelmed but not Over- come”. Also, it was erroneously printed that Dr. Cornel West is a Professor at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Dyson is a Professor at the University of Pennsylvania. There was no mention of Dr. West's position. However, Dr. Cornel West is a Professor at Princeton Univer- sity. Respectfully submitted: Suzejette A. Jones children. Illiteracy is the No. 1 barrier against overcoming poverty. We can never begin to irradicate illiteracy until we remove the significant barriers to learning; especially during the early and formative years, A student whose self esteem is lowered because his or her parents simply can't afford the cost of keeping up with fashion trends will not do as well in their studies be-cause part of their concern and attention is directed toward what they and others are’ feeling and saying about who's wearing what. The opinions of their peers mean everything to many young kids and even older ones, The predictable argument that the cost of uniforms will be a needless burden to low-income families is thoughtless nonsense. Also, expect those who rountinely spend hundreds on fashionable clothing to feel cheated because they will lose a means by which to be able to boost their egos by de- meaning others who don't have hundreds to spend on fashion fads. As school wardrobes become a non-factor, students will have to win friends and popularity the old- fashioned way — with good character, humility and treating others as they wish to be treated. Peace Mee Meets Ves Newmpaper eet. “12008 r Lica by Piece have waited Seven years to see a judge. Some of Aftica’s one million or so _ prisoners - nobody knows how many - are not lawbreakers, but ‘victims of incompetence or corrup- ion or justice systems that are we ad understaffed, underfinanced and overwhelmed. Kenya’s former prisons commissioner sugges lat year that with peopes egal representation, a fifth of his nation’s 55,000 prisoners might be declared innocent. aa The most immediate and apparent inhumanity is the overcrowding . that Africa's broken systems breed, _ Compounded by disease, filth, -abuse, and a lack of food, soap, _ beds, clothes or recreation. A ee ¢ survey of 27 African governments by Penal Reform International found that national prison systems operated, on average, at 141 : percent of capacity. Individual - prisons were even more jammed: Luzira Prison, Uganda’s largest, holds 5,000 in a 1950's facility built for 600. . Babati Prison in ‘Tanzania, built for - 50 inmates, housed 589 as of - March. Malawi’s 9 ,800 inmates, living in effectively the same cells that were too crowded when they housed 4,500 a decade ago, are luckier than many. Three years ago, half the prisoners had yet to go before a judge. Under a pioneering program run by Penal Reform International : and financed in part by the British : government, paralegals have - winnowed that to fewer than one in - four - among the lowest rates in sub-Saharan Africa. Yet the flood of newly accused still * outstrips Malawi's ability to deliver justice. “This is not a hotel, where we can * accommodate no more than our e+e @ @ eee ie SEES $7 OCC COMM Dea al ees ¢ @ Eien Fenaiation leapt Pepaadbn cically, or capacity,” said Tobias Nowa, Malawi's commissioner of prison operations. “We must accommodate whomever is sent to us.” has catalyzed the robles of Africa’s prisons. Freedom has permitted lawlessness, newly empowered citizens have demanded : order - and governments have delivered. Malawi's prison population has more than doubled since the — dictatorship ended in 1994, But its justice system is $0 badly broken that it is hard to know where to begin repairs. Malawi's 12 million citizens have 28 legal aid attorneys and eight prosecutors with law degrees. There are jobs for 32 prosecutors, but salaries are so low that the vacan- cies go unfilled. So except in special cases like murder and manslaughter, almost al! accused go to trial without lawyers. The police prosecutors who try them have only basi¢ legal training. And the lay magistrates who sit in judgment are largely unschooled in the law. Justice Andrew Nyirenda, 49, the chief of Malawi’s High Court, said the system had been swamped by the growth and rising complexity of crime since Malawi became a democracy in 1994. “There are conspiracies to commit crimes, drug trafficking, even human trafficking, and instances of lower-level white-collar crimes where people are literally swindling institutions,” he said. “These are extremely complicated cases for people who have not been trained sufficiently. We get convictions that aren’t supposed to be convictions, and acquittals that aren’t supposed to be acquittals.” Pacharo Kayira, one of the eight prosecutors, seconds that. “I’ve done so many cases where I don’t agree with the conviction by the lower court,” he said in an inter- view here. “It’s not the best situation, to say the least.” Malawi’s police officers can take two years merely to send prosecu- tors their report on a homicide. Prosecutors need months more to decide whether the case should be taken to a lower court, the start of a legal process that lasts years. Malawi's High Court, which must pass judgment on all capital crimes, has not heard a single homicide case in the last year. There js no _ money to assemble lawyers, a locales where the crimes cooug no money to empanel juries as ~ required since 1995; no money for the written record that the Supreme Court needs for its mandatory review of convictions. Ishmael Wadi, Malawi's director of "public prosecutions, said his eight prosecutors had a backlog an untried fraud and tax-evasion cases, 173 robbery and theft cases, 388 fatal accident cases and 867 homicide cases. “When the offenses occur, they send the files to this office,” he said, “The files keep on coming, so. the number keeps increasing. So what do you do? You accumulate the files, keep them nice and put them on the shelves.” And the caseload is rising. Capital crimes - homicide, rape and manslaughter - - consume all the time of legal-aid lawyers and prosecutors. While they process about 380 homicides ,a year, 500 to 600 other homicides are committed. Shortages of judges, prosecutors and lawyers ensure that justice is both sluggish and mean. Many inmates sit in cells for lack oft bail that can total less than $10 or $20. The interminable wait between arrest and courtroom torments the innocent and lets the guilty escape justice. Evidence in police stations is misplaced or discarded. Wit- nesses die and move away. Mr. Kayira, the prosecutor, encoun- ters such cases far too often, after much life has been wasted and long terms already served, by both the innocent and the guilty. — “There have been many times when I have used the discretion me as a prosecutor to tell the police to release a person who has been there five, six years,” he said. “I look at their file and say to myself, ‘There isn’t the evidence here to _convict this person.’ “ For prisoners like Lackson Sikayenera, their cases lost in a system that only sporadically works, the only alternative is to hope someone hears their pleas for help - ot to make a new life. The Road to Prison Built 40 years ago to house 800 inmates, Maula Prison, on a recent visit, held 1,805 inmates, all but 24 them men, Mr, Sikayenera lives in Maui: ’s Cell 3, one of 160'in a P ig the size of a two-car garage. Once a farmer near Dowa, a dirt- road village 25 miles north of Lilongwe, Mr. Sikayenera was sent here after he killed his elder brother Jonas. Their father, he said, gave hira a choice tobacco plot that pen Claimed was rightfully his. Jonas threatened.to kill him if he did. not surrender it. Lackson refused, he said, and Jonas at- tacked. “To protect myself, I took a hoe handle and hit my brother on, the forehead, and he fainted,” he said. “Then I went to the police to report that I had harmed my brother.” The police jailed him, then moved him to Maula Prison a week later. That was more than 2,100 days ago. awakens the rest-each night for mass turnovers. The most privi- leged inmates sleep on their backs, ringing the walls of the cell. Everyone else sleeps on his side. . “It is so unhygienic here,” Mr. ' Sikayenera said. “Basically, if you need any source of water, you have to get it from the toilet, The showers, most of them are broken. There is a lot of dysentery. A lot of the time, the water isn’t running.” Maula Prison’s commanding officer, an expansive man named Gibson Singo, disputes none of ~ that. “They were designed for 50 or 60 people in one cell,” he said. “But now it’s 150, 155. If you talk of human rights, there is no way you can put 150 people in one room.” Maula and four nearby prisons split a monthly state allotment of | $12,500, from which Mr. Singo must pay Maula’s 124 employees and meet inmates’ needs. Maula’s share is laughably small. There are no prison uniforms, no blankets, no soap, save what charities provide. The only food is nsima, corn mush leavened, with beans or meat from the prison rabbit hutch. The only drink is water. The mush is boiled in massive tubs outside the prison, where wardens moved the kitchen after hungry inmates began fighting over the food. The old kitchen is now a rudimentary school, its lessons scrawled in chalk on the walls. about one Pan 60:1 inmates, The average for American prisons. is one death per 330 inmates. It could be worse: Zomba Prison, 100 miles south, loses one in 20 inmates annually. But it is bad enough. story concludes.... pg8 “Heel/Sew Quik pera i Ps ' Carolina East Center ly Across From Ryan Steak House Suite #24 3400 South Memorial Drive ‘Open Mon-Sat 10AM-8PM Telephone (252) 756-0044 Cornerstone r Christian Top 20 Gospel/Praise & Worship Music, Clergy(Choir Robes, Church Supplies, Books, Bibles, Greeting Cards, Gifts, Wedding & Social Invitations, Songbooks, Sunday School &: Vacation Bible. saa Materials and much more!!! | Commentaries Now Available! ay through Friday |2p-6p Saturday |Oa-4p Comerstone Christian Bookstore 1095 Allen Road, Greenville, NC Bus: 252.752.3846 Fax: 252.782.4405 Free Financial Aid Information ti For Students & Parents 3 figure out the franca! ald process # find Information about ac hod ered pee and grants » save money an duction loaru for students and parents &D talkto financial old spectatat 2 com plete ald forrres ond ire www.CENC org Page 7 The Minority Voice Newspaper November 4 - 11, 2005 , , ‘ Local Student Honored Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Terrell Owens acknowledges the media wie ent ne as he arrives for his arbitration hearing Friday in Philadelphia. Eagles High School Students” coach Andy Reid suspended Owens Nov. 5 for a series of incidents that. : included public criticism of the organization and quarterback Donovan McNabb. Following his suspension, Owens is expected to be deactivated for the rest of the season _ CNOK JASMINE HIGHSMITH With the tise of crime among young people today, whenever one of our youth prepares to achieve success in life we should acknowl- edge them. It gives us great pleasure to recognize Jasmine Highsmith for her accomplish- ments. Jasmine has several awards to her credit which include; the National Science Award,the Editors Choige Award, and the National Honor Roll just to name a few. At the time of.this writing Jasmine can now add “Poetic Writing” to her resume. We would also like to thank Ms Jasmine Highsmith for giving us the opprtunity to share with our readers her first published writing: I’m no Longer Mad To my Dad I’m no longer mad that you didn’t try to find me. I’m no longer mad that you died and left without me. I’m no longer mad that you didn’t say goodbye. . I’m no longer mad, but how: can I stillcry? — I’m no longer mad because you appear in my dreams, telling me hi and saying that you miss me. I’m no longer at the heart- ache tha you once caused. I'm no longer mad that you left me without a father, I’m no longer mad because I forgive you for everything. I now realize that you loved me and that you wanted to be with me always. so now I'm saying I love you too and I’m sorry for reject- ing you, I'm sorry that you’re gone and that you might be all alone, I’m no longer mad that you didn’t try to find me. I’m no longer mad that you died and left without me. I forgive you for everything that happened, But Dad, I miss you and I’m no longer mad. (SUES arte ce Larcie Hardy Vines worked as a teacher’s assistant in the public school system for thirty- two years, after graduating from Pitt Community College. Now retired, the author enjoys sewing and singing from her home in North Carolina. She also sings in many churches, Combining her love of reading and writing with her general enthusiasm for helping children, Mrs, Vines has written When Mr, Rayfiell Made Stone Soup, her first witellubead te tr Page 8 The Minority Voice Newspaper November 4- 11,2005 “This person might be given 500 -Millions: pg4 ; beside the chalk artwork, is a list — —- of rules, laws that are both days of cleaning the cell.” > prosaic and telling: Do not make — : . . 1 at noise when the lights are off.Do After 20 or so, the offender might | not smoke during prayers. be taken again to.a cell judge, who . can grant a reprieve. a ; Prisoners must be clothed, lést a a . bare body excite sex-starvedmen. “The reason why there is all this “Sodomy is not allowed in. this hierarchy is to find conflict | © house,” one rule states. resolution,” Mr. Sikayenera said: _ “So there is no chaos. And it’s . . A cell hierarchy maintains order. effective. In most of the cells, you A minister of health checks daily _find there is no fighting. People for sick prisoners and arranges don’t break the rules,” : medical care. Mr. Sikayenera is the magistrate + al ‘How They Survive If justice outside the prison is of Cell 3. For six years, noone in : ee eae slow to come, inside it is swift, Malawi's justice system has “It’s just unbearable,” said lest unrest ensue. Cell policemen —_ decided whether he should be — Frances Daka, 32; jailed on ‘an. “arrest” rule breakers, and cell ©. punished or freed. But in prison, _ unresolved murder charge since magistrates hear evidence and _ elevated by seniority andfellow _. 2002. “We make ourselves live. pronounce sentences. . : inmates’ respect, he metes out just to survive,” - mercy and retribution with an _ “Let's say someone was helping —_ even hand. And without Sa Survive they do, in ingenious himself while the others are - delay.“When a case comes up,” he.” eating,” Mr. Sikayenera. said. ee ee fashion. On each cell’s wall, said, utterly without irony, “it is na. The Cllalienerdlive Portan Dediestion ef the late W. H 3 dealt with. Right there.” reese The| morative Portrait Ded 7 : i ; a | ara | Robinson from whom the Robinson School is named was unveiled Sunday, October _ |» ECU’s SBTDC Director Returns from Mississippi after 16,2005 at 3PM atthe W. H. Robinson Elementary School Media center. te a 4 : Helping Katrina Victims iy Coan The principal, Mr Bruce Gray, welcomed the approximate fifty people who attended, not know how to apply for federal... followed by comments from The Reverend Michael Dixon, Pitt County Board of Educaton eaeee@eeene w Gulfport, Mississippi where she assisted business owners filing for federa! assistance after hurricane Katrina. Along with about 30 other SBTDC volunteers from around the country, seven of which were from North Carolina, Wilburn traveled to Gulfport expecting the demeanor Of people to be somber. What she said she did not expect was the physical devastation resulting from Katrina. | By Jennifer Robinson V t federal". as'a business. counselor: She was “grpeuerteaee ee ' Pane ve ost rammwnencnan ons of ont ke without the help of the named director of the Eastern - Remarks were given by Mrs. Rebecca Thomas,artist, with Mrs. Thomas and f GREENVILLE, NC - East S cause it requires an = Region SBTDC earlier this ear. site swe the Sita to oe? . : | Carolina University’s Small enormous amount of paperwork, g ep ils year. = Mrs. Beatrice Maye, the former principal’s wife, Mr. Calvin Henderson, community leader [ Business and Technology she said, recalling her experiences. — The SBTDC focuses on mahage-. and Pitt County NAACP Chairperson and Mrs. Doris Harper, a student under Mr. i Development Center (SBTDC) 0 aan o- cuoline a ment counseling, addressing issues 3 = . | i Director, Carolyn Wilburn, aftermath of Hurricane Floyd. including financing, ‘marketing, i | ; ' | recently returned. to joan North human tesources, operating, © A special thanks goes to the Town of Winterville,the portrait donors. A reception followed. i Carolina after a two-week stay in “Not only were we there to*help as business planning, and feasibility | “Sections of Gulfport looked like a tent city,” said Wilburn. “Everywhere you looked there were tents. Entire families are still living in tents outside their homes. For some, that plot of land is all they have left, and they do not want to leave it. It is heartbreaking knowing that people are living in such a state: however, they continue to remain very hopeful to return to normal soon.” SBTDC volunteers worked through the Small Business Development Center at the University. of Southern Missis- sippi in Gulfport and had an office at a‘local ‘hospital which was closed for reconstruction prior to the storm. Throughout her two-week stay, Wilbum aided approximately 20 to 25 people in filing federal assistance for their homes and businesses. Many people would North Carolinas National College Savings Program professional business counselors, we also served somewhat as’ personal counselors,” said Wilburn. “We listened to their stories about what they had been through. This was an important part of understanding both their personal and professional loss.” The city of Gulfport experienced 30 to 40 foot storm surges, spreading as much as 'six miles inland, flooding homes and businesses. Some structures still have standing sections, but: many others have nothing left at all, “I was here in 1999 when hurri- cane Floyd hit, so 1 knew what - these people had been going through,” said Wilburn. “It took many months for eastern North Carolina to recover from the effects of the flooding as a result of Floyd. That made me more = emotionally attached to the disaster in Gulfport. I was glad to be able to return the favor after'the help our area received six years ago from people across the country.” When New Orleans is considered safe to enter, SBTDC volunteers will _probably-be sent in-to do the re a same type of work they did in Gulfport, helping business owners and the community reestablish itself. Wilburn has been with the SBTDC since its inception in November 1985, serving most of her 20 years This 529 plan offers: Lan-lre CurIngs [ leville contributions No enrollment Lees assessment for small and midsized _ businesses. Their purpose is to help businesses grow and to expand economic development in our region. The ECU office serves a 12-county area including = Beaufort, Carteret, Craven, Edgecombe, Greene, Jones, . Lenoir, Martin, Pamlico, Pitt, . Wayne and Wilson counties, - The SBTDC is part of ECU’s Regional Development Services. RDS is one of the university’s gateways through which its considerable outreach and applied research resources are made available. By the use of its re- sources and expertise of ECU faculty and students, RDS creates exceptional opportunities for the community to address concerns in eastern North Carolina, ulfport Wilburn” - SBTDC Director Carolyn Wilburn waits to help Katrina victims at a make- shift Small Business Development Center in Gulfport, Mississippi which was housed in a local hospital closed for reconstruction. eae ame itulations ...” Shown above is the Bish Tovely Wife; Mirs. Brown, their datightePalt PAs tor’s Anniversary that was held at the City : (Jim, Rouse Photo) - “It’s A Celebration Cong “Mt. Calvary FWB Chure » hil Dixie at the Pas Chairwoman Sister Multiple investment options Use at virtual any college, anywhere CENC orySavings SUOHALN A459 ae . of North Carolina © Ceili beads toe, (ge S04 The Orgran Cow epeen te Wath Care tet Autor Os + orem TU Pestle bop Pome red € varvtilla bedi ny ‘hers : win Oe lay i aa mget ad oad. |b fe! a! 004.09 oy Fos oe pre bd] 0 ites Ay