WI Web Staff
Blacks Still Shoulder Weight of High Unemployment
Saturday, 10 March 2012 18:20 Published in National
Despite reports of a rebounding economy, joblessness among Africa Americans – like gas prices -- have continued to dip, then escalate.
According to the latest U. S. Labor Department findings, as of February 2012 the unemployment rate for blacks hovered at 14.1 percent compared to 13.6 for January, and 15.8 percent the month before.
With more 200,000 jobs created last month by the economy, the fluctuations -- which likewise impacted Latino workers -- have been difficult to explain.
The jobless rate among black teens also increased to 17 percent in February – and overall, the statistics indicate there probably won't be much change for blacks or Latino job seekers as the year progresses.
Bill Rodgers a Rutgers University economist who studies racial inequities, said in an interview that the labor department's unemployment data exemplifies a sausage-like quality. He added that it's better to consider unemployment trends over 12-month periods.
Acording to Rodgers, the black employment outlook is mixed.
Black men appear to have gained jobs since February 2011 in manufacturing, construction and the service sector. And while government employment held steady this month, deep staff cuts in state and local government have hit black women particularly hard. Indeed, government agencies, a sector that has slashed about 500,000 jobs since February 2010, employed just over one-quarter of black women before the recession began. That has caused the number of black women with jobs to fall, although that number held steady in February, Rodgers was attributed to saying in the recent Huffington Post interview.
Former Prince George's County councilmember Leslie Johnson -- convicted of destroying evidence in her husband's pay to play scheme – has reported to the all-women Alderson Federal Prison.
Johnson reported Friday (March 9) to the facility in rural Western Virginia, that's known as "Camp Cupcake," and where TV hostess Martha Stewart served a sentence on federal charges.
Upon entering the facility, Johnson, 60, began serving a one –year and one-day sentence that was imposed late last year. She admitted in November 2011 to following her husband's instructions to flush a $100,000 check from a developer down a toilet and hiding nearly $80,000 in her under wear.
Johnson's is married to former Prince George's County Executive Jack Johnson, 63, who reported to prison in February after being convicted in the long-running scheme that netted him as much as $1 million in bribes and favors.
In honor of Black History Month, NBC4 honored The Washington Informer for 47 years of publishing positive news about the African-America community. The event took place Feb. 28 during a reception at the TV station's studios in Northwest.
NBCUniversal President and General Manager Jackie Bradford (c) joined news anchor Pat Lawson Muse (l), who presented an award to Washington Informer Publisher Denise Rolark Barnes (2nd right) and staff members (l-r) Shevry Lassiter, Charles Sutton and Ron Burke. Standing between Muse and Rolark Barnes is McDonald's franchise owner Isaac Green, sponsor of the NBC4 Black History videos featuring The Washington Informer which aired during the month of February.
The "Wiz Kids" are the Washington Wizards official kid's dance team. The team consists of 26 boys and girls ages 7-13 from the D.C. area who amaze Wizards fans with their high-energy performances and impeccable dance skill! On Saturday, March 3, the "Wiz Kids" entertained fans during the half-time period of the Wizards vs. Cleveland Cavaliers game. In this photo, the "Wiz Kids" exit the basketball court after their performance./Photo by John E. De Freitas.
More UDC basketball photos at www.informerphotos.com
In celebration of Black History Month, the Pioneer Award was created by the Washington Wizards and Amtrak to recognize African-Americans within the Washington, D.C. community, who through hard work and dedication, have positively impacted the communities in which they live. During halftime of the Wizards vs. Magic game on Wednesday, Feb. 29, 2012, the Wizards and Amtrak recognized this year's recipients: Dr. Betty Jo Gaines, Executive Director at Bright Beginnings, Inc.; Natalie Randolph, Head Coach of the Coolidge High School varsity football team; and Neal Henderson, Founder of the Fort Dupont Ice Hockey Club. All three recipients are pioneers in their own right, and their ongoing contributions continue to enrich the Washington, DC community. "We are excited to join forces with Amtrak to present these deserving individuals with the Pioneer Award," said Washington Wizards Executive Vice President Greg Bibb. "They have distinguished themselves and provided an outstanding example by improving our community and we are proud to honor them for their efforts."/Photo by John E. De Freitas.
More sports photos at www.informerphotos.com
Wizards guard John Wall (2) out-sprints fellow No.1 draft pick Kyrie Irving in the second half of NBA action at Verizon Center on Saturday, March 3. The Wizards defeated the Cleveland cavaliers 101-98 snapping a six-game loss. John Wall (24) and Jordan Crawford (31) were the leading scorers. At the end of the game to the surprise of fans confetti and streamers came down from the rafters. Former Wizards all-stars Antawn Jamison, playing his first return game at Verizon Center, scored 29 points. Wizards Head Coach Randy Wittman commenting on Wall's play said,"John (Wall) has been playing well. I like where he's been going with his decision making. As a coach you want to prepare them, get them ready and let them play. John's getting a understanding of where I want the ball, whose hands I want the ball in, what plays to run without having to look over at me every time. That's the growth of the point guard and he's made great steps over the past couple of weeks."/ Photo by John E. De Freitas
More sports photos at www.informerphotos.com
Whitney Houston Leaves All to Bobbi Kristina
Thursday, 08 March 2012 01:36 Published in Arts & Entertainment
Pop music legend Whitney Houston, who died early last month at age 48, has left all her possessions to her daughter, Bobbi Kristina.
According to reports, Houston's will was signed in 1993 and filed March 7 in Atlanta. She leaves all of her furnishings, clothing, personal effects, jewelry and cars to her only child, who turned 19 earlier this month.
While Houston's money will be put in a trust, Bobbi Kristina --- whose father is Bobby Brown of New Edition fame -- will get part of it on her 21st birthday.
She will reap another portion when she reaches age 25, and the remainder will be turned over to Bobbi Kristina at age 30. Meanwhile, she can receive money from trustees of Houston's estate to pay for college, purchase a home or to jump-start a business.
DC Public School Unveils Middle Grades Plan for Ward 5
Wednesday, 07 March 2012 15:39 Published in Local
Options Include Standalone School, Two New Programs at Existing Schools
District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) will offer compelling new programs for middle grades at three Ward 5 schools, including a stand-alone Arts Integration and World Language middle school at Brookland; an International Baccalaureate program at Browne Education Campus; and a middle school Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) integration program at McKinley, DCPS officials announced March 6 at a Ward 5 community meeting.
The announcement, which followed months of community visioning and feedback meetings as part of the Ward 5 Great Schools Initiative, also included proposed grade configurations for these schools and other Ward 5 schools that either feed into these schools or accept their students at the high school level.
A total of 1,180 middle school seats will be available through these three options that cover neighborhoods in the northern, central and southern parts of Ward 5.
"When families in Ward 5 demanded better educational options for their children at the middle school level, we listened and responded with rigorous and compelling programs that will prepare students for success in high school and beyond," DCPS Chancellor Kaya Henderson said. "I am excited by the portfolio of middle grade programs that we designed with the input of the community and expect Ward 5 families to agree and respond by filling the seats we're creating."
In surveys conducted during fall 2011, most Ward 5 families and community members signaled a preference for a standalone middle school (38 percent of about 800 respondents); 29 percent preferred a preschool to Grade 8 education campus; and 24 percent preferred a grades 6-12 program. Families also emphasized a need for more rigorous academic curriculum and a variety of compelling middle grade options.
Currently, middle grades in Ward 5 are served by seven education campuses. To maximize the resources needed to provide a quality education in an education campus, ideally, schools should have a minimum 300 middle school students in each site (or a total 2,100 students for the current Ward 5 configuration). Ward 5 middle grade programs currently enroll 790, a shortfall of 1,310 students.
Those numbers, combined with community preferences, led to a proposal in November to create a portfolio of one education campus, a middle grades program at McKinley Technology, and a standalone middle school for a total 1,180 quality middle school seats for the 2013-2014 school year. Over the past three months, DCPS officials have worked with Ward 5 families and community members to determine a final plan for school sites, grade configurations, feeder patterns, and programming for these options.
That plan includes the following: Brookland Middle SchoolA standalone Brookland Middle School would cover the northern portion of Ward 5, offer 500 middle grade seats and feature arts integration and world languages programs. In an arts integration programs, teachers weave the arts into lesson plans; schools host at least two guest artists or performances a year; students present what they learn in at least two public showcases; and half of the teachers participate in artist-in-residence programs each year.
In world language programs, schools offer at least two languages; provide high school credits for some classes; provide yearlong programs with a goal of 135 minutes of instruction time each week; and educators specialize in the languages they teach. Browne Education Campus
Browne Education Campus, which already offers a grade 6-8 program, will serve the southeastern portion of Ward 5 with 300 and feature an International Baccalaureate (IB) for the primary years (preschool-Grade 5) and the middle years (grades 6-8). An IB curriculum is one of the ways we can see more rigor, increased student outcomes, and a specialized curriculum.
In an IB primary years program, teachers and students assess student work; the curriculum covers traditional subjects and interconnects them as well (for example, a social studies lesson may incorporate math concepts); and students acquire a holistic understanding of six themes: Who we are; where we are in place/time; how we express ourselves; how the world works; how we organize ourselves; and sharing the planet.
In an IB middle years program, student work is assessed with guidance from the International Baccalaureate; there is an emphasis on formative assessment; courses include Language A and B, physical education, sciences, arts, math, technology, and humanities; and five perspectives, or ?areas of interaction? are factored in each subject. McKinley Middle School STEM integration
In a STEM integration program, features include grade-level team collaboration; at least two showcases of student work; STEM-related competitions; and interaction with STEM professionals each year. Next steps
At the March 6 meeting, families and community members were asked to sign up for committees and working groups that will focus on recruitment and outreach, school-based transition, and building renovation.
These committees and working groups will work with DCPS officials over the next year and a half to finalize details before the 2013-14 school year, the targeted opening date.
The National Urban League is set to release the 2012 State of Black America (SOBA) report at historic Howard University on March 7, launching a yearlong campaign, "Occupy the Vote to Educate, Employ & Empower" at a monumental Town Hall event.
The 2012 State of Black America report includes the Equality Index providing a statistical diagnosis of the status of Blacks, Hispanics, and Whites as well as essays by a host of political, business, and community leaders including Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, president and CEO of the National Urban League Marc H. Morial, singer John Legend, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, entrepreneur and author Steve Stoute, and a host of others with prescriptions for the employment and education crisis facing the nation. With new voter ID laws and voting rights under attack, the 2012 State of Black America will inspire you to "Occupy the Vote" in this important election year.
Free and open to the public, the Town Hall will feature community and thought leaders, a coalition of Civil Rights organizations, and YOU, as we "Occupy the Vote to Educate, Employ, and Empower!"
LIVE WEBCAST
If you are not in the Washington D.C. area, you can view the LIVE WEBCAST on www.iamempowered.comand be a part of the national conversation on Facebook and Twitter (#SOBA12, #OccupyTheVote). Be sure to TUNE IN and join the conversation!
Black Clergy's Campaign to Get 1 Million Registered to Vote on Easter Sunday
Monday, 05 March 2012 21:47 Published in National
BALTMORE, MD -- A coalition of African American Clergy recently announced the launch of a new voting initiative entitled "The Empowerment Movement." The faith-based voting initiative will bring together leaders of the faith based community of all denominations, designed to move the African American Community forward in politics, education and economics with the use of Christian principles.
The Rev. Dr. Jamal Bryant, pastor of the Empowerment Temple in Baltimore, has been named president of the organization. Their mission is a massive undertaking, with a goal to register one million voters on one day, Easter, April 8, making Guinness World Book history for democracy, by challenging every black church in the United States to register 20 people on that day.
There are an estimated 500,000 black churches in America, and more than 5 million unregistered voters within the black church. Recently, representatives of leading black Christian organizations held a closed door summit to strategize on a collective effort of the church preparing for the November elections. As a result, the Empowerment Movement was formed.
The Empowerment Movement, a non-partisan organization, was launched with the support of the AME Church, AME Zion, Cogic, Progressive, Bible Way Churches, Full Gospel, Gospel Music Workshop of America, CME, United Covenant Churches, Harvest Churches, Fellowship of international Word of Faith, Church of God, Rep. Elijah Cummings, members of the Congressional Black Caucus, the NAACP and the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, to name a few.
Bryant, 40, has broken the stereotype of yesterday's clergyman. He is the leader of a new breed of ministers who embrace the idea of capitalizing on the ever- increasing marketplace of Internet and technological innovations to spread the gospel.
With more than 8,000 members, Empowerment Temple in Baltimore, and approximately 35,000 followers on Twitter, Facebook and MySpace, Bryant believes that "God is not just in the church; He is also in technology."
As a result, Bryant's mission is to "empower people spiritually, develop them educationally, expose them culturally, activate them politically, and strengthen them economically."
ADVERTISMENT
ADVERTISMENT