challenger community news :: april 21, 2010

PRESORTED STANDARDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDBUFFALO, N.Y.

PERMIT NO. 164

Inside:

Notre Dame Names First Black Valedictorian Page 4

Bob Lanier Center Celebrates 20thAnniversary Page 6

White Nationalism on the March... PAGE 14

Black Agenda Report:

Dorothy Height Queen of Civil Rights Movement Dies at Age 98

Page 4

Barbara Echols: “Guard Your Heart” PAGE 5

Health Matters:

A Referendum to downsize the legislature could have a dev-astating impact on Buffalo’s only two African American representatives: Community meeting called to address the issue

Page 3

And Then There Could Be None...

Bob & Gene: The Tyler Perry Buffalo Connection

April 21, 2010

Seeing the dream come true of having an album produced after 40 years is amazing enough. Having music from that album now in three major motion pic-tures and on a Tyler Perry sound-track, is huge. Yet the greatest reward, says Rev. Gene Coplin, is how all this plays into saving our children…Page 9

MYCHALLENGERNEWS.COM APRIL 21, 2010 MYCHALLENGERNEWS.COMAPRIL 21, 2010

INSIDE ROCHESTER Around Town: *May 2: Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc’s 10th Annual Jazz Brunch, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., the Double Tree Hotel in Henrietta. Tickets are $45 per person. *May 4: Spring Books Sand-wiched-In Series: A Mighty Long Way: My Journey to Justice at Little Rock Central High School by Carlotta Walls LaNier with Linda Frazier Page. Reviewed By Van Henri White. 12:12 to 12:52 p.m. Kate Gleason Auditorium. Central Library, 115 South Avenue.

Grassroots Rochester Organization Holds A Candlelight Vigil Highlighting The Need For Comprehensive Immigration Reform ROCHESTER, NY- Reform Immigration For America’s Rochester community organizers gathered on Saturday, April 10th from at 5:00pm at Triangle Park – Twelve Corners, Brighton at the intersection of Elmwood Ave, Monroe Ave and S. Winton Road for a candlelight vigil to highlight the need to get comprehensive immigration passed in 2010. Community members spoke about the need for Comprehensive Immi-gration Reform to happen in 2010 that includes a pathway to citizenship, family unity, strong due process, and workers rights. Reform Immigration For America is a united national effort that brings together individuals and grassroots organizations with the mission to build support for workable comprehensive immigration reform. For more infor-mation on what the Rochester chapter is working on you can contact Ami Kadar at 585.615.9860 [email protected]

RABJ Roundup Back In The Day, Civil Rights Champion Benjamin Hooks Visited Rochester Many Times Benjamin Hooks, the former NAACP executive director who died Thursday, April 15 at age 85, made several trips to Rochester – the city where Frederick Douglass published his famous newspaper, The North Star, which espoused freedom, justice and equality. Before an October 1984 speech – which likely touched on those three issues Douglass fought hard for – Mr. Hooks gave an interview to a Demo-crat and Chronicle reporter in Rochester. Here are some of Mr. Hooks’ observations about the need to for the media to step up its recruitment of minority reporters. “An editor simply has to go out and look for black talent as if he were looking for White talent,’’ said the then NAACP director and former com-missioner of the Federal Communication Commission. Hooks, who served on the FCC in the 1970s, said that the broadcast media – television and radio – had a better track record of hiring minorities than newspapers due to FCC pressure put on owners under that agency’s mandate to regulate the airwaves. “If you have no blacks,’’ he said in the article, “you get a distorted picture.’’ And the reason for Hooks’ visit to Rochester? He was here to address the third annual awards dinner of the Rochester Association of Black Com-municators, a predecessor organization of RABJ (Rochester Association of Black Journalists). Rest in peace, Mr. Hooks, rest in peace – a job well done by a good and faithful servant. Amen! Scholarship Fashion Show The Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. Scholarship Fashion Show : The Blue Review- “From Girls to Pearls” will be held at 6 p.m. April 24 at RIT Inn & Conference Center, 5257 West Henrietta Road in Henrietta. Admission $45. For details, call (585) 764-5043.

In Buffalo at LEGENDS 1088 Kensington Ave.716.833.4633

A Conversation on Education The Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity will present a free community forum on mayoral control of the Rochester City School District and its impact on our public education system from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Friday, April 30 at the Rochester Academy of Medicine, 1441 East Avenue. The doors will open at 6:30 p.m. Panelists include Mayor Robert Duffy, Malik Evans, Rochester City School Board President; Sandra Parker, President of the Rochester Business Alliance; Adam Urbanski, President of the Rochester Teachers Associa-tion; and Lovely A. Warren, Esq., Rochester City Council President.

*Career Workshop, sponsored by Grace Community Village in conjunction with Rochester General Health System, April 26, 1-5 p.m., Grace United Methodist Church, 121 Driving Park Ave., Roch. 922-5465 for more information.

*April 30: An Old School Reunion jam will be held on Friday, April 30, from 8:30 to 1 a.m., at The Diplomat Banquet Center’s Grand Ballroom, 1 Diplomat Way. Tickets are $20. No tickets sold at the door. Special guest deejays for the night: DJ Big Mike, Eazzy E and DJ Gemini. The night’s honorees include: Mike Paz. Little John Smith, the Boogie Man, Tony Price and Ron Dunn. Sponsored by A-Venture Entertainment. For more info, call 585-454-1940.

*May 1: Mt. Olivet Baptist Church and the Alzheimer’s Association Min-istry third annual African American Symposium: “Aging Well” Satur-day, May 1, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., 141 Adams Street. Free and lunch will be served. 1-800-272-3900.

MYCHALLENGERNEWS.COM APRIL 21, 2010

Area Briefs

Thompson Holds Spring Job Fair NYS Senator Antoine M. Thompson will hold a job fair on Friday, April 23 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Pratt-Willert Community Center. “The economy is beginning to slowly turn around and the unemploy-ment rates have dropped,” stated Senator Thompson. “However, there are still many people out there in need of jobs and I hope to be able to assist people in their employment search.” The purpose of the Job and Training Fair is to give employers and attend-ees an open venue to meet and exchange information with one another. Given the current economic times and layoffs in varying sectors all over the country, an event like this is even more necessary to fill the employment gaps. The job fair will include representatives from over fifty companies and free on-site resume help. Please wear appropriate attire and bring at least 25 copies of your resume.

The Metro Buffalo Alliance of Black School Educators will host a Buf-falo School Board Candidates Forum on Saturday, May 1, from 1-3 p.m. at the King Urban Life Center, 938 Genesee Street, Buffalo. Parking is available in the Rich Street lot. Letters of invitation to those perspective candidates successful on the May 4th ballot will be sent as soon as the ballot has been finalized by the Board of Elections. The Forum will be moderated by Rod Watson of the Buffalo News along with two additional members of the Buffalo Community. For more information contact Lois L. Johnson at [email protected]. Metro Buffalo is an Affiliate of NABSE, the largest network of African American Educators in the United States. All are welcome.

Parade Participant Notification The Juneteenth of Buffalo Parade Committee requests that all Drill and Step Teams, participating in this years parade, submit applications no later than May 25, 2010.

JUNE 19 & 20 MLK PARKMailing Address:

P.O. Box 412 Ellicott Station Buf-falo, New York 14205

www.juneteenthofbuffalo.comHeadquarters:

1517 Genesee St. Bflo, NY 14211 Telephone: 716-891-8801

Vendor Applications Juneteenth Festival, Inc. is now accepting applications for June-teenth 2010 (June 19and 20). Please register by mail before May 1. Please note that we will not be responsible for applications mailed or left any place other than our P.O. Box.PLEASE DO NOT MAIL APPLICATIONS TO OUR HEADQUARTERS!Late fees charged after May 1, 2010. No refunds will be issued for applica-tions received after May 1, 2010.Applications received after May 13 may be accepted at the sole discretion of Juneteenth Festival, Inc. Juneteenth Festival, Inc. retains exclusive rights to the sale of sno-cones and french fries.For an application or more infor-mation go to www.juneteenthofbuf-falo.com or call 891-8801.

Juneteenth Float Competition Announced There will be a float competition in this year’s Juneteenth Parade. All interested parties can call 891-8801 or 400-4479.

An Evening of Smooth Jazz and Soul The Harriet Tubman Foundation will present “An Evening of Smooth Jazz and Soul” featuring Lonnie Harrell, Joyce Carolyn, Leah Hall and Critical Mass on Saturday, May 1 at 8 p.m. at the Tralf. The event will be hosted by Rose Salley. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 the day of the show and can be purchased at The Tralf Box Office, 622 Main St. and Doris Records, 286 E. Ferry.

Egriu Announces Candidacy for Congress Last Saturday Eddie Egriu announced his candidacy for Congress before a host of supporters at 550 Genesee Street in Buffalo. “For many years now, the people of this community have been send-

ing professional politicians to represent us in Washington. What has it gotten us?” stated Egriu. “Jobs that continue to be sent overseas while they pass a so-called health care reform law that forces us to buy coverage from the same insurance companies that have been denying us needed care and jacking up our rates for years. Meanwhile, we see zillions being spent to bail out billionaires while the often promised bail out for the average man and woman is nowhere to be found! Enough is enough!” said the local businessman.“I’m not a professional politician or a lobbyist,” says Egriu. “I’m a working man just like most

Western New Yorkers who feel that it’s time for a change in Congress.” He is seeking the seat currently held by Democrat Louise Slaughter . That district, representing New York’s 28th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives, is based in Rochester and Buffalo and includes parts of Erie, Monroe, Niagara and Orleans Counties.

Eddie Egriu (right) with former Council Member David Collins.

Metro Alliance to Host School Board Candidates Forum

Seating Still Available for Senior Breakfast Seating is still available for Senator Antoine Thompson’s annual Senior Breakfast on Saturday, May 1 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Buffalo Convention Center. Call 854-8705 to reserve your seat.

“And Then There Could Be None”Community meeting called by Legislator Betty Grant to discuss plans to downsize the Erie County Legislature and the impact it may have on the only two African American representatives we now have.

If the Erie County Legislature is down-sized from 15 to 11 legislators in the November General Election, how will that effect Betty Jean Grant and Barbara Miller Williams, the only two Black legislators we now have? Will the African American and minority communities be left out completely? An informational community meeting sponsored by Legislator Grant to discuss the Referendum to downsize the legislature and its impact on African Americans, is planned for Thursday, April 26 at the Frank E. Merriweather Library on Jefferson and E. Utica from 6 to 8 p.m. During that session Blacks and other minorities in Buf-falo will have the opportunity to hear from experts about the political and possible Civil Rights violations that such a vote may represent. The theme is, “…And Then There Could Be None.” The panel will include George K. Arthur, former Council President, City of Buffalo; Frank Mesiah, president of the NAACP; and Dennis Ward, Commissioner, Erie County Board of Elections. For additional information contact Legislator Grant’s office at 536-7373 or 894-0914.

Happy Earth Day! Earth Day is a day designed to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth’s environment. It was founded by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in in 1970 and is celebrated in many countries every year. In the United States, Earth Day is celebrated each year on April 22. The United Nations celebrates Earth Day each year on the spring equinox, which is often March 20.

A GREEN SUCCESS! The 2nd annual Buffalo Niagara Green Expo held at the Walden Galleria sponsored by Senator Antoine Thompson last Saturday was a resounding success! Pictured above are some scenes from the event. Approximately 110 exhibitors took part.

Regents Report Card: Buffalo Public Schools Improving The State Board of Regents recently released the 2008 -2009 District Report Card for the Buffalo Public Schools. The Report Card is used to assess school and District growth within the Board of Regents’ system as a measure of accountability. In a document where both strengths and weaknesses are shown, Buffalo schools saw improved scores over the previous year. The Report Card also shows dramatically increased success from the time Superintendent of Schools James A. Williams came to the District, to present. According to Dr. Williams, the upswing represents “the fact that we’ve stayed the course through the Academic Achievement Plan, under the direc-tion of Deputy Superintendent Dr, Folasade Oladele, teachers, administrators and support staff.” In addition, Williams says having longer school days and a longer school year has been greatly beneficial.

Legislators Grant (left) and Williams


WORLD NEWS ROUND-UP

Notre Dame Names First Black ValedictorianIn its 161-year history, an African-American student has never claimed the coveted valedic-torian title at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. However, Katie Washington, a bio-logical sciences major from Gary, Ind., has made history at the school and was recently named the 2010 University of Notre Dame valedictorian, according to the school’s Web site. She will present the valedictory address during commencement exercises in May. Washington has maintained a 4.0 grade point average and has a minor in Catholic social teaching. She has researched lung cancer, genet-ics and co-authored a research paper with her professor, David Severson, whom she’s worked with over the last two years.

“She came into my lab not having any research experience and she just took off,” said Severson. “She is working all the time and taken a lead role in some genetic work we do.” Washington also directs the Voices of Faith Gospel Choir at Notre Dame, serves as a mentor for the Sister-to-Sister program at a local high school and is the student coordinator of the “Lives in the Balance: Youth Violence and Society Seminar.” “Katie is just an amazing person. I don’t know how she does it all,” Sev-erson said. “She’s got priorities in her life of what she wants to do…she does everything outstanding.” After graduation, Washington plans to attend Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and pursue a joint master’s and doctoral progra

Cookbook calls for ‘freshly ground black people’ as ingredient...SYDNEY -- An Australian publisher is reprinting 7,000 cookbooks over a recipe for pasta with “salt and freshly ground black people.”Penguin Group Australia’s head of publishing, Bob Sessions, acknowl-edged the proofreader for the Pasta Bible should have picked up the error, but called it nothing more than a “silly mistake.”The “Pasta Bible” recipe for spelt tagliatelle with sardines and pro-sciutto was supposed to call for black pepper.“We’re mortified that this has become an issue of any kind and why anyone would be offended, we don’t know,” he told The Sydney Morning Herald for a story printed Saturday.“We’ve said to bookstores that if anyone is small-minded enough to complain about this ... silly mistake, we will happily replace (the book) for them.”The reprint will cost Penguin 20,000 Australian dollars ($18,500), but books already in stores will not be recalled because doing so would be “extremely hard,” Sessions said.

Spelman College gets $1 million technology grantSpelman College will use a $1 million grant to increase the number of engineers who are black women.Officials announced Friday that the historically black women’s college got a grant from ExxonMobil. It will allow the college to offer scholarships to women interested in technology-related programs.

Dorothy Height, “Queen” of Civil Rights Movement, Dies at 98 WASHINGTON – Dorothy Height, the leading female voice of the 1960s civil rights movement and a participant in historic marches with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and others, died Tuesday, April 20. She was 98. Height, whose activism on behalf of women and minorities dated to the New Deal, led the National Council of Negro Women for 40 years. She continued actively speaking out into her 90s, often getting rousing ovations at events around Washington, where she was immediately recognized by the bright, colorful hats she almost always wore. Height, who had marched against lynching as a teen in the 1920s and assisted the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and other activists in galvanizing the civil rights movement, died at Howard University Hospital where she had been in serious condition since March 18. In a statement, President Barack Obama called her “the godmother of the civil rights movement” and a hero to Americans. “ It was the second death of a major civil rights figure in less than a week. Benjamin L. Hooks, the former longtime head of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, died last Thursday in Memphis at 85. As a teenager, Height marched in New York’s Times Square shouting, “Stop the lynching.” In the 1950s and 1960s, she was the leading woman helping King and other activists orchestrate the civil rights movement, often reminding the men heading the movement not to underestimate their women counterparts. One of Height’s sayings was, “If the time is not ripe, we have to ripen the time.” She liked to quote 19th century abolitionist Frederick Douglass, who said that the three effective ways to fight for justice are to “agitate, agitate, agitate.” Height was on the platform at the Lincoln Memorial, sitting only a few feet from King, when he gave his famous “I have a dream” speech at the March on Washington in 1963. She lamented that the feeling of unity created by the 1963 march had faded, and that the civil rights movement of the 1990s was on the defensive and many Black families were still not economically secure.“We have come a long way, but too many people are not better off,” she said. “This is my life’s work. It is NOT a job.” When Obama won the presidential election in November 2008, Height told Washington TV station WTTG that she was overwhelmed with emo-tion. “People ask me, did I ever dream it would happen, and I said, `If you didn’t have the dream, you couldn’t have worked on it,” she said.She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1994 from President Bill Clinton. Height was born in Richmond, Va., and the family moved to the Pittsburgh area when she was four. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from New York University and did postgraduate work at Columbia University and the New York School of Social Work. (She had been turned away by Barnard College because it already had its quota of two Black women.)The late activist C. DeLores Tucker once called Height an icon to all African-American women. “I call Rosa Parks the mother of the civil rights movement,” Tucker said in 1997. “Dorothy Height is the queen.”

Dorothy Height

Benjamin Hooks

Katie Washington

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HEALTH MATTERS

PART II-CONCLUSION

“As African people we were basically into preventive health, “ said Dr. Asare. “The African perspective of health is total wellness…we eat and think health…we do not have a system where you have to swallow poison. Food is part of our healing system.”

However one roadblock to our people getting back to the art of healing is the suspicion and doubt we cast upon those mes-sengers/healers who look like us. That, says Dr. Asare, is by design and the media plays a tremendous role in portraying African Americans negatively to Africans on the Continent; and making Africans on the Continent look like savages to African Americans. “The greatest fear of the world today is Black people coming together,” he said. So far they have succeeded, he said, because we have allowed it…”we have embraced the ignorance and the lies…” But whether they like it or not, “we will come together, “ he

declared. Dr. Asare is currently working on a complete health food

medicine” cook book which will enhance the healing process. We can no longer ignore the value of traditional healing, and the first step to healing, he said, is to “get out of the box” of conventional thinking and dependence on Western medicine. “The mind is a very powerful tool. It can kill you or heal you,” he said. “You must choose …to live…”(Dr. Asare, Master Herbalist, Naturopathic Doctor and founder of PAMA Health (Positive Afro-Mental Attitude), is a Traditional Healer from Ghana, West, Africa. An active member of the Ghana National Association of Traditional Healers, he is the author of “Chosen to Heal.” His appearance in Buffalo on March 28 was

“God Cures”

DR. ASARE

Your GED is the “Pathway” to a better career and life. To help you reach that goal, theBuffalo Public Schools Adult Education Division has teamed up with Bryant & StrattonCollege to offer the “Pathways to Success” program, which provides all the educationaltools and support you need to succeed. And it’s ABSOLUTELY FREE!

� Start any time (enrollment is year round)� Learn at your own pace and take your GED exam only when you’re ready� Be part of a friendly, caring college community� Learn from dedicated Buffalo Public School teachers� Get one-to-one tutoring in the College’s Skills Assistance Center� Have full access to computer labs and the college library� Receive transportation assistance to and from campus� Use your GED to go to college, or work with our Career Advisors

to find a better job

Pathways classes are held at Bryant & Stratton College’sconvenient downtown campus, 465 Main Street, 4th Floor.

Pathways classesare forming now.

Call today!

716-884-9120To take advantage of this

FREE program, you must be21 years of age or older.

Earn Your

GEDAnd take the first stepto a better future.

Do it now for FREE!

Guard Your Heart!The steady, rhythmic beat of the heart is the source of the human body’s power. Constant circulation of well oxygenated and nutrient rich blood throughout the body’s vast network

of blood ves-sels to the cells and organs is essential for their growth, repai r and maintenance. To effectively carry out its task, the heart beats approxi-ma te ly 70

times each minute. A reduction in this pace of blood flowing throughout the body can trigger an abnormal heart rhythm. The pace at which the blood flows through the pas-sageways is of supreme importance for an energetic body. The life force of the body is the blood stream; therefore, it is vitally important that the stream of blood exiting from the heart flows smoothly through unobstructed, flexible pas-sageways; especially the arteries. Accumulations of waste, resulting from the incomplete digestion of

foods, hormonal ash, and environ-mental particulates which enter the body through the pores and nostrils from the surrounding atmosphere, set the stage for the development of dis-eases which impair the heart’s performance: heart attack, heart dis-ease and congestive heart failure. To avoid the development of such dis-eases, a proactive approach must be taken The intake of fats, on a daily basis, is one way to discourage the development of dis-eases which impair the heart’s performance. Fatty foods promote or discourage dis-ease processes. Not just any fat will do, however. Monounsaturated fats are the answer for good heart perfor-mance. Olive oil, a monounsaturated fat, is considered a “safe fat” because it remains liquid in the blood vessels. Olive oil guards the arteries from damaging cholesterol build up within the blood vessels. Its antioxidant properties retard the conversion of cholesterol to plaque. In addition, olive oil is a source of vitamin E. Vitamin E effectively dilates (opens) blood vessels, permit-ting improved blood circulation. As a result, olive oil reduces blood pres-

sure, retards the formation of blood clots, and relieves constipation. Cooking with olive oil is not a way to receive all these benefits. Heat destroys all of the benefits. On a daily basis, ingest 1 -2 TEA-SPOONSFUL of olive oil; preferably extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil. Olive oil is available in capsules, bottles and cans. Olive oil in trans-parent bottles should be avoided. If the taste of oil in the mouth is a disgusting thought, consider driz-zling 1-2 teaspoonfuls over lightly steamed or raw vegetables, or baked potatoes. A homemade olive oil dressing can also be used: 1 cup of extra virgin cold pressed olive oil, a clove of fresh garlic, a pinch of crushed red pepper and your favorite herbs; that is, dill, marjoram, oregano, or rosemary. Modify the recipe to your taste, and use it daily as an effective prevention for the onset of heart problems. Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life. (Proverbs 4:23; Amplified Bible)

BARBARA

ECHOLS

eat to live!


Erie Community CollegeSpring Open House Erie Community College will hold its Spring Open House from 4-7 p.m. Wednesday, April 28 at all three campuses.• ECC City Campus, Upper Atrium, 121 Ellicott St., Buffalo• ECC South Campus, Cafeteria, Building 5, 4041 Southwestern Blvd., Orchard Park• ECC North Campus, Library, 6205 Main St., Williamsville High school students, parents and adult learners are invited to explore ECC’s academic programs and ath-letic activities, experience student services and learn about transfer opportunities and exciting new careers. ECC offers more than 90 degree and certificate programs, including programs that lead directly to careers in high-demand fields, such as nurs-ing, CNC precision machining, con-struction management engineering technology and information technol-ogy, as well as programs such as general studies that are transferable to four-year colleges. College staff will be on hand to offer instant admission to ECC. Inter-ested students are asked to bring their high school transcripts or GED scores. ECC will also hold financial aid information sessions at all cam-puses and placement testing will be offered at City and North campuses. Campus tours will be available and there will be refreshments, contests and prize giveaways. For more information, call (716) 851-1ECC or visit www.ecc.edu.

The Bob Lanier Center for Educa-tional, Physical & Cultural Develop-ment, Inc. (BLC) is celebrating its 20th year of service to children and families “helping kids get from where they are to where they need to be”. The agency was created by the Youth Planning Council of the Near Eastside (YPC), an informal group of community, civic, youth serving agencies and religious representa-tives, in 1989. YPC was started by then Deputy Speaker Arthur O. Eve to discuss and act on issues surround-ing children, families and education. Several entities were borne from this effort and The Bob Lanier Center is the longest lasting. Mr. Eve brought the concept to YPC after visiting

Bob Lanier Center Celebrates 20th Anniversary By Elaine T. Blyden, President/CEO

the Jackie Robinson Center in B r o o k -lyn. YPC replicated the pro-gram and decided to ask Bob Lanier for permission to name the agency after him, a local sports great whose com-mitment to youth and children is still being carried out in his position with the NBA and their “stay in school” program. We are grateful for his per-mission and his support. The Bob Lanier Center began in January of 1990 at Hamlin Park School and Kensington High School as an after school youth develop-ment and drop out prevention pro-gram. It branched out to Grover Cleveland High School, School #6, BUILD Academy, School 31 and Poplar School #11. It also briefly provided services at the JFK Center and Edward Saunders Community Center.

Thousands of youth have come through the program which still provides after school services that include tutoring, homework assis-tance, sports/cultural activities and life skills development classes. In 2005 BLC purchased the former Turner Carroll High School at 185 Lang Avenue when it became diffi-cult to continue in school buildings because of school closings and the massive school construction proj-ect. BLC is proud of its efforts and the support it has received over the years. It is calling all former participants and parents, staff and board members, as well as former members of YPC to participate in a 20th Anniversary Celebration Reunion on Saturday, April 24th. There will be a full day of fun, activities, sports, food, music, reconnecting and reliving the past and looking toward the future, begin-ning at 4 p.m. and ending when the last one leaves. Donation is $10.Alumni are asked to email [email protected], [email protected] or call 834-2052 to update us and RSVP.

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How does low-literacy feel? Often, it’s confusing, especially when it comes to everyday tasks that most take for granted. But the Buffalo Public Schools Adult Education Division is doingsomething about this. We’ve been helping Western New York residents improve their levels of literacy for years, and we can help you or your loved one, too. With the ability to succeed on a daily basis comes the ability to succeed for a lifetime.

8633 RevLiteracy 4x9 Challenger.indd 1 3/9/10 10:33:18 AM

The first annual Drug Free Me Teen Mentor Picnic will be held Saturday, April 24th, 2010. Many students from Bennett High School will be invited to come receive par-ticipation certificates. Parents of the

thing up…” “The first miracle is that I’m in the public schools,” he reflected. “and now the music is all over the world.”-The Story Behind the Story- Rev. Coplin’s Project L.E.E. is currently doing attitude develop-

ment and motivational leadership in schools throughout Western New York- mostly suburban – but ironi-cally only one school in Buffalo, School 39. His new found “celebrity” status, he said, gives him greater leverage

when dealing with the teens, who can now “Google” in Bob and Gene and see their accomplishments. “Now when I talk about ‘reaping what you sow, staying focused, and God’s purpose in our lives,’ I’m living proof of that…Bob and I rehearsed every day. We were focused on our craft and God honored that.” Quoting scripture freely, he referred to Proverbs 18.21: “Death and life is in the power of the tongue.” “I ask the children – are you using words of life or words of death?” Just focusing on the power of words, he said, has resulted in tremendous atti-tude change and grade point averages going up. On two separate occasions, after going through PTL (Provoke the Love) sessions which emphasize the power of words, two girls, who had previously contemplated suicide, wrote letters to Rev. Coplin thanking him for giving them the hope they needed to survive. He had special words of grati-tude for Ron Lee, Plant Manager of Dupont Corp. who sponsored 50 kids at School 39, as well as pro-viding volunteers to come into the school and mentor youngsters and a motivational component (com-plete with a stipend) for parents. As a result, over 90 percent of the kids who participated took their grade point averages up. “That’s what happens when a child feels good about him or herself and adults are constantly encouraging them,” he noted. “I thank God for Ron Lee for making it possible for us to go into School 39.” Next year he said his program will start a course in Attitude Develop-ment and Music Therapy. “In 1967 guys went after the girls…the music magnified women and made them feel like queens (i.e. .the Temptations “My Girl”) and that made the men feel like kings,” said Rev. Coplin. “But something happened to our music and our cul-ture, and today women are…totally dogged out. I believe God wants us to start a national movement to instill positive affirmations in our young. In my classroom girls are queens and boys are the kings. They are celebrated not tolerated.” The same thing Project L.E.E. is doing with kids, they’re doing with their prison ministry. Currently Rev. Dr. Fred and Lydia Gelsey are taking the program and “a message of vic-tory” into the prisons weekly. In the future he said that he and Bob are thinking about releasing a gospel album. But what he wants most is to take his seminar on the Seven Sacred Secrets of Success throughout West-ern New York and around the country for adults as well as kids. And it all started with one man’s promise.

“We just wanted an album,” said Rev. Coplin. “But God said, ‘I got something better.’” -A.B.(To contact Rev. Coplin write PO Box 392, Buffalo, N.Y. 14209 or email [email protected])

BUFFALO TYLER PERRY CONNECTIONcontinued

Drug Free Me Teen Mentor Picnic 2010participants are encouraged to come to this event with their children. For the past few weeks profes-sional members from the community have come together to support and empower the students in this pro-gram. The mission of this program is to assist young people with becom-ing responsible and productive in our society by keeping their body free from substances that can lead to unhealthy lifestyles. Achieving this goal will reduce crime, teenage pregnancy, and delinquency among young people in our community.


National Episcopalian Leader to Keynote Regional Conference at St. Philip’s The Union of Black Episcopalians (UBE) of The Episcopal Church will offer its Northeast Regional Conference at Saint Philip’s Episcopal Church, 15 Fernhill Avenue (off Grider). National UBE President, The Very Rev. Dr. Cecil David Williams will deliver the keynote address.

This Conference is being hosted by the local UBE Bishop James Theodore Holly Chapter of Western New York, Kim Greene, Interim President; Michael Hughes, immediate past president. As an historic Black Episcopal Church celebrating its 150th Anniversary (1851-2011), Saint Philip’s is proudly collaborating with the UBE in this endeavor. The UBE is an advocacy organization that seeks to promote the development and interests of all people of the African Diaspora both in the

Church and in society as a whole. The theme of the conference is “Embracing Our Heritage: Living the Baptismal Covenant for the 21st Century.” The day’s activities begin with registration and continental breakfast at 7 am, followed by prayers and the keynote address Rev. Williams. Two sessions of concurrent workshops will be offered: Leadership Development by The Rev. Jennifer Basker-ville-Burrows, Episcopal Chaplain at Syracuse University; and Episcopal Church Structures, by Dr. Alfred Price of Buffalo University. At lunch The Rev. Canon Angela Ifill, director of the Office of Black Ministries of The Episcopal Church, will speak on Domestic Poverty. A music-filled worship experience, featuring the Gospel Music Workshop of America Western New York Chapter Youth and Daughters of Creative Sound, will be offered beginning with a concert by GMWA at 2:40 pm. Cost for the day-long conference is $45; to attend the Awards Dinner only at 5 pm, featuring the VIP Youth Jazz Band, the cost is $25. There is no charge to attend the worship, however one hundred percent of the offering will go to the relief effort in Haiti. Registration must be in by 5 pm on Wednesday, April 21. Checks should be made payable to St. Philip’s Episcopal Church and marked UBE Regis-tration or UBE Dinner. A schedule of activities and registration is available online at the Union of Black Episcopalians website, Northeast Chapter: http://www.ube.org/Regional%20Chapters/northeast-chapters.html For more information, please call Kim Greene (716-510-1330) or St. Philip’s Church (716-833-0442).

Prayer Breakfast A Prayer Breakfast with Pastors Cynthia Bowens, Zandra Lewis and Sadie Davis will be held on Saturday April 24 from 9 a.m. to-12 noon at True Bethel Baptist Church 907 E. Ferry St. where the Host Pastor is State Overseer Darius G. Pridgen featuring The Full Gospel Baptist Fellowship along with the Daughters of Promise. The Director is Pastor Swain. Come and be blessed spiritu-ally and physically.

Advertise Your Church for Just Pennies a Day

Call Ms. Jones @897-0442

Revival at True Praise and Worship It’s Revival time at True Praise and W orship Church, 578 Walden Avenue at 7 p.m. nightly April 27, 28 and 29 with Prophetess Dr. Anita Williams, Host Pastor, Dr. Charles Z. Jones Jr. and First Lady Kathy Jones. For more information call 891-4760 or 507-1931.

Rev. Williams

SIGN OF THE TIMES.... The corner of Jefferson and Genesee...still “Buffalo for Jesus.”

WORSHIPTHIS WEEK!

Tyler Perry Speaks On Forgiveness… “I learned to surrender, which has been the most difficult thing I’ve had to learn in my life... Not my will, but His (God’s) will be done... Part of surrendering meant forgiving his father...If you don’t truly forgive, you hold yourself back. You know the Bible says you need to forgive so that the Father can forgive you, which is totally what I believe.”


When Tyler Perry brings his much anticipated stage play, “Madea’s Big Happy

Family,” to the HSBC Arena April 27, Rev. Gene Coplin will be there. A long time fan of the legendary actor, director, playwriter, and pro-ducer, Rev. Coplin, through his own music, has suddenly found himself connected to the Perry phenomena. Two songs written and performed by Rev. Coplin and his best friend Bobby Nunn of “Bob and Gene” fame over 40 years ago – are being used in Perry’s blockbuster movie “Why Did I Get Married Too.” In addition, two other producers are using their songs - an Italian movie now playing in Italy, as well as the movie “My Family Wedding” with Academy Award winner Forest Whittaker. “I Gotta Find A Way,” written by Rev. Coplin, featured in the Tyler Perry movie, will also appear on the soon to be released movie sound-track. Both “I Gotta Find a Way” and “I Can Be Cool” are used in “My Family Wedding.” Three major movies and a sound-track is huge stuff for any artist. For Rev. Coplin, it’s part of a bigger story - a story of time and space; persever-ance, miracles and ever unfolding connections – and a greater goal – saving our children. Like the amazing Tyler Perry, Coplin’s journey has been a lesson in faith and the power of God.-One Man’s Promise- Over four decades ago the late

Bob & Gene: The Tyler Perry Buffalo ConnectionWilliam Nunn Sr. made a promise to two young boys – one was his son, Bobby, age 15, the other was his son’s best friend Gene Copeland, age 16. The senior Nunn – a visionary and founder of MoDo Records (a studio in his 50 Orange Street basement) – was looking for a way to not only tap into their talent; but save them from the streets during the turbulent sixties. “He told us, ‘I’ll record you if you stay out of trouble and don’t get involved in the riots going on…’ ” recalled Rev. Coplin. Nunn kept his promise, and the boys kept theirs. The first record, “You Gave Me Love” was produced in 1967 followed by “Your Name” and “I Can Be Cool.” Their last release was Marvin Gaye’s “If this World Were Mine.” Writing, singing and performing from their hearts, they dreamed of putting out their own album. But MoDo went bankrupt and their dream went with it. Enter the first “miracle.” Bobby Nunn eventually moved to California where he settled down, and following in his dad’s footsteps, started his own record company. Gene became an ordained Minister, turned to singing gospel music, and along with his wife Terri Ann (also a minister) created his own highly successful motivational program , Project L.E.E. Ministries (Learning and Earning Experiences) - which has helped hundreds of youth stay out of trouble. But admittedly, he

kept the dream in his heart of one day seeing Bob and Gene’s album produced. Forty years later, in 2007, Gene received a phone call. Dap Tone Records out of New York City wanted permission to release their first song, “You Gave Me Love.” A few months later they re-did all of Bob and Gene’s material - even the songs that were finished but never released in Buffalo – and distributed the Bob and Gene album and CD around the globe. When Gene finally received the actual album and CD, “Bob and Gene: If This World Were Mine” he was overwhelmed. Not only had his dream come true, their music was on the Internet and being heard and sold all over the world. -Back to the Future- This year he received another phone call. His friend Bob informed him that not one, but three major motion picture producers were using their songs in their movies. “My immediate reaction to the news was ‘you gotta be out of your mind!’” said Coplin. When he finally saw the movies and heard the songs, “I was just blown away” he recalled. “I wanted to shout ‘that’s my song!’” The greater thrill, he said, was that it magnified Buffalo, and being in “Why Did I Get Married Too” also provided a Buffalo-Tyler Perry Connection. But why, after four decades, would they want Bob and Gene’s music? “Perry’s people must have seen something in the words and rhythms

to the song ‘I Gotta Find A Way,’ ” said Gene. In hindsight, he contin-ued, “the words were prophetic” and fit well into the message the movie attempts to convey. “I was just a teenager walking down Orange Street when the words came to me,” recalled Rev. Coplin. “The song is almost like a prayer, there is so much reference to God.” His goal next Tuesday, is to actu-ally meet Perry. “I’d first like to thank him (and thank God) for raising him up at such a time as this and to choose our music and to put us on the sound track,” he said. Rev. Coplin said he would also ask Perry for his endorsement to

help take their Project L.E.E. min-istry/mentoring program across the country. “I believe that ultimately…God is saying to me, its not so much the music or films, but to magnify what I’m doing with young people in all these schools,” he said. Despite the dreams coming true, the excitement of hearing their music on the big screen, the world wide web, and financial gain from the royalties to come, the bigger picture, he pointed out, is what we can do to save our children. Said Coplin: “I believe that this is the reason the Lord has lifted this

Continued Page 7

Rev. Gene Coplin


On Stage Listings are Free. Write: The Challenger, On Stage, PO Box 474,, Bflo., NY 14208; or email: [email protected]

ON STAGE

*Open Mic & Jam Session every Friday and Saturday New Musician’s Big “6” Club, 600 East North @ Fox;

*Thursday Night Comedy: The New Golden Nugget, 2046 Fillmore

*The Jazz Example with Larry Owens on drums; Greg Piontek on bass; Trigger Gaston on Piano, Bilal Abdullah on Sax; featuring vocalist Lady Lita;9PM,Each Friday at The Anchor Bar.

*Live Piano Jazz: Free every Friday from 6-9 PM. Ms. Diana M. Reeves on vocals and keyboards. Mr. Larry Henderson on drums. Hot Stuff Southern Cafe’, 829 Main St., NF, NY 14301. 716.282.7883. www.hotstuffsoutherncafe.com

*MAZE Featuring Frankie Beverly w/ Teena Marie & Betty Wright, April 23, 7:30 p.m., Blue Cross Arena, Rochester; tickets @ Arena Box Office & Ticketmaster Outlets & Mad Flavors Clothing.

At Buffalo East...1412 Main St. near Utica

(bldg. with “Rising Sun” mural on front). For info: (716) 713-9340

*April 18th, 5:30pm* Theatre Bites presents- “The Matrix” featuring Catherine Y. Robinson.Journey to the center of the Self and see which side wins. Halos and Horns give it a good go!Admission: Freewill donation- *April 25th, 2-5pm*Road Less Traveled Production’s Open Mic(at Buffalo East for this Reading only) Featuring Amrutansh, Jennifer Campbell, David Landrey & Perry S. Nicholaswith open slots availableAdmission - $5 suggested donation

Celebrating American Composers Charles Mingus Charles Mingus (born April 22) was a jazz bassist/composer/pianist/band-leader. In 1971, Mingus was awarded the Slee Chair of Music and taught composition for one semester at State University of New York at Buffalo. The FIRST ANNUAL ‘MINGUS DAY!’ will be held on Thursday, April 22 at 8 p.m. at NIETSCHE’S, 248

Allen St. (716) 886-8539. An evening of music celebrating Charles Mingus will feature Oasis (The Charles Mingus Tribute Ensemble), Sabu Adeyole, director), The Susan Peters Jazz Band, vocalist Khadijah Tall, piano accompanist Sherrie Morris, and others to be announced

*Smooth Jazz and Soul featuring Lonnie Harrell, Joyce Carolyn, Leah Hall and Critical Mass on Saturday, May 1 at 8 p.m. at the Tralf. $25 advance, $30 @ door. Tickets at Tralf Box Office and Doris Records.


The Guitar Lesson “The Guitar Lesson”: That’s what blues guitar legend Buddy Guy’s recent concert at University of Buffalo’s Per-forming Arts center was all about. The sold out concert was truly enjoyed by everyone in attendance. Buddy opened with “Nobody Cares But My Guitar,” and gave a history lesson of how Blues Legends like Howling Wolf, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, and himself caused the so-called British invasion. “The British invasion really was about the likes of Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, and Jeff Beck who all studied under our guitar les-sons,” he revealed. Buddy performed Muddy Waters’ hit songs like “Hoochie Coochie Man,” “She’s Nineteen Years Old,” and “I Just Want to Make Love to You.” Buddy did all of his trademark moves including going into the audi-ence playing an Albert Walker tune, “Love Me With Your Own Free Will.” He thrilled the audience by playing the guitar with his teeth, behind his back, and in between his legs. He played his own hits like “Damn Right, I’ve got The Blues,” “Five Long Years,” and “Feels like Rain.” He closed the show with a thun-derous guitar solo on Jimi Hendrix classic(Buddy taught Jimi guitar licks on the song) “VooDoo Woman,” and his five piece Band known as Damn Right Players got down. If you like the guitar and the Blues this was a must see show! Buddy Guy is a living legend in our presence, and I’m very thankful and honored to have had the opportunity see him one more time!

The RADNEY REVIEW/By George Radney


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Hot dogs have become tools for neighborhood resurgence. On Friday April 30 the Public Safety Committee of the 19th Ward Community Asso-ciation will hold their first Corner Cookout for 2010 at Thurston Road and Midvale Street in Rochester from 4:30 to 7 p.m. These cookouts are part of an effort to fight crime and make a safer and more secure neighborhood for residents. The free cookout offers food, friendly conver-sation among neighbors, a chance to meet Community Association lead-ers and Crime Prevention Officers, and encouragement to become part of a block club. According to Mark Sweetland, event chair, “The purpose of our neighborhood cookouts is to foster community spirit, prevent crime by getting to know your neighbors, and to know who lives in your area - who belongs there. And to have some fun, an enjoyable get together.” The cook-outs last year generated new friend-

Taking Back Thurston Road One Hot Dog at at Time...

ships, as well as networking with Crime Prevention Officers and neigh-bors. In addition a number of youth discovered that there are people in the community who care about them, and they spread that word throughout the neighborhood. Co-sponsors of the first of these community events for 2010 include FoodLink, the Neigh-borhood Service Center, and several block clubs. Anyone is welcome to attend One major activity of the 19th Ward Community Association, thought to be the oldest active community association in New York State, is to coordinate activities that improve the quality of life in the 19th Ward.

Buffalo ReUse Announces Open House and Earth Warming Party Buffalo ReUse will host their 2nd Annual Earth Warming Party and Open House on Saturday, April 24 from 10 a.m. to 4p.m. Community residents are invited to enjoy earth friendly demonstrations, games, workshops, lunch, and live music to celebrate Earth Day and welcome spring! The event will take place at Buffalo ReUse’s The ReSource store on 298 Northampton Street. There will be various activities for children and adults. This year’s Earth Warming Party will include many events such as the Bird Abode Exhibition, a juried exhi-bition of bird houses that incorporate found objects, recycled materials, or green technologies, and the grand opening of the ReUse satellite of The Buffalo Tool Library. For more in formation visit www.buffaloreuse.org, or call Caesandra at 716-885-4131.

THINK GREEN

WAR! WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

MOVE TO GROOVE: Last Saturday’s community physical activity awareness event – “Move to Groove - held at the Buffalo Academy for the Visual and Performing Arts, was a great success. Approximately 200 attended. Pictured above, Miss Barbara’s School of Dance (above) con-ducted the dance segment. Hats off to Miss Barbara and her great staff! Also sponsoring the event was the American Heart Association, Buffalo Public Schools, and Niagara Falls Public Schools.


BiDSPROJECT: BUFFALO PUBLiC SCHOOLS: BPS #203 OLMSTED 5-12 AT KENSiNGTONBids: Sealed bids will be received at the office of LPCiminelli, Inc., 2421 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14214 at 2:00 PM, on May 25, 2010 for the contracts listed below. Pre-Bid Meeting: A pre-bid meeting will be held at BPS #203 Olmsted 5-12 At Kensington on May 11, 2010 at 4:00 PM, located at 319 Suffolk Street, Buffalo, NY 14215. All bidders are urged to attend.Site Tours & information Sessions: Tours of BPS #203 will be available immediately following the Pre Bid Meeting. Contracts: The Project will be constructed using a multiple subcontract format. The following subcontracts will be bid at this time:Contract 100 – Asbestos Abatement / Demolition*Contract 101 – General ConstructionContract 104 – Wood WindowsContract 105 – Drywall/Acoustical Contract 106 – PaintingContract 107 – Plumbing*Contract 108 – HVACContract 109 – Electrical* “Bidders on Contract 101 General Construction and Contract 108 HVAC MUST BE a Certified Woman Owned Business Enterprise or a Certified Minority Owned Business Enterprise as defined in Specification Section 00900 Development and Diversification Plan for Workforce and Business, Section II Business Development and Diversification Rules”. The following Contracts will be bid at a later date:Contract 901 – Building SystemsContract 906 – Flooring Contract 920 – Security (DWT)Coordination between Contracts 100, 101, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, and 109 and Contracts 901, 906 and 920 will be required.Workforce and Business Diversification: It is the policy of the Program Pro-vider to provide equal opportunity for all qualified individuals and businesses, to prohibit discrimination, and to promote full realization of equal opportunity through positive continuing programs. Refer to Section 00900 of this Project Manual, Development and Diversification Plan for Workforce and Business.Definitions: The Owner shall be defined as the City of Buffalo City School District as Agent for the Erie County Industrial Development Agency (ECIDA), Buffalo N.Y. and the Joint School Construction Board. The Owner has retained the services of LPCiminelli, Inc. as Program Packaging and Development Ser-vices Provider herein after referred to as the Program Provider. The Architect for BPS #203 shall be defined as Hamilton Houston Lownie Architects, LLC.Opening of Bids: The proposals will be privately opened.Consideration of Bids: The Program Provider reserves the right to waive any informalities in the bid proposals, to reject any or all bids, or to issue any contract which it deems to be in the best interest of the Project.Bidding Documents: The Bidding Documents may be obtained starting on April 30, 2010, through Reprocraft located at 282 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14202, upon the deposit of $100 per set, by check made payable to LPCiminelli, Inc. Bid deposit will be refunded to bidders returning the Bidding Documents in good condition within 30 days of the Bid Date. To obtain Bidding Documents, contact Reprocraft at (716) 847-6262 Bidding Documents may be examined at the following locations: LPCiminelli, Inc. – 2421 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14214 Buffalo Board of Education Plant Services Department – Room 406 City Hall, Buffalo, NY 14202 F. W. Dodge, 5500 Main Street, Williamsville, NY 14221 Construction Exchange of Buffalo & WNY, 2660 William Street, Cheek-towaga, NY 14227 Apollo Media Resource Center, 1346 Jefferson Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14208 Reed Construction Data, On-Line Viewing Site Only: www.reedconstruc-tiondata.com Builders Exchange, Inc., 180 Linden Oaks, Suite 100, Rochester, NY 14625-2837 Southern Tier Builders Association, 65 East Main St, Falconer, NY 14733 The Outsource Center, 1649 Fillmore Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14211 McGraw Hill Construction: www.network.construction.com Other locations where contractors and subcontractors normally view plans.Plan Holders List: An updated Plan Holders List may be obtained by accessing LPCiminelli’s website at www.lpciminelli.com. The list is updated on a daily basis and can be found under “Bidding” and the school name. Requests for information: Requests for Information regarding BPS #203 Bid Documents shall be submitted in writing to the attention of Mr. Arnie Cubins at LPCiminelli, Inc, fax: (716) 854-6655 or email: acubins@lpciminellicom

END OF SECTiON 00100

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“We wish to plead our own cause. too long have others spoken for us.”-John Russwurm, Freedom’s Journal, 1827America’s First Black Newspaper

“What is planted cannot be uprooted.What is well

embraced cannot slip away.”i CHiNG

Published by Challenger Communityy News CorporationP.O. Box 474

Buffalo, NY 14209Phone: 716.464.3738

Email: [email protected] Every Wednesday

Our news deadline is at 5 pm on the Friday prior to Wednesday publication.

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p.m. Deadline for cameraready/or electronically transmitted ads Friday at 5 pm.

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The Meaning ofThe above image/logo, part of the Challenger flag, corresponds to one of the 81 chapters in Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching. This particular tetragram corresponds to number 27, defined as “The Skillful Exchange of Information.” (From R.L Wing’s book, The Tao of Power.)

“The truth, always the truth--at all costs”

We respectfully submit that the opinions expressed on the editorial pages of this newspaper are not necessairly those of Challenger Community News Corporation or its advertisers.

Speak Out

White Nationalism on the Marchby BAR Executive Editor Glen Ford

The campaign to bring White nationalism, the founding ideology of the United States, fully out of the closet, kicks into a higher gear on the Right’s anti-holiday, April 15. Newt Gingrich and the various tribes of White Rightists unveil their “Contract From America,” a scaled-down version of the manifesto the Republicans rallied around to win control of the U.S. House of Representatives, in 1994. The 2010 “contract” is leaner, built for mass Caucasian consumption. It is written largely in code, the language of obfuscation that American racists speak in an attempt to hide their white supremacist beliefs from others – and, in many cases, from themselves. Indeed, much of American mass political speech is conducted in code, allowing white people to identify each other through terms like “middle class,” “family values,” “taxpayers,” “patriots,” “law-abiding” – terms which, although literally applicable to people of every ethnicity, are understood to mean “good white American citizens.” Corporate media almost universally describe the Tea Partyers as “anti-government” – which is nonsense. They oppose the government providing assistance – economic, legal, educational, real or imagined – to those that are “undeserving,” which in their world consists mostly of folks that can be defined by race, language or religion (using code words, when required by polite society). Naturally, the average Tea Partyer – when sober – will deny having “a racist bone” in his body, but any group whose unifying characteristic is daily engorgement on Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck is, by definition, racist. Anyone who tries to tell you different, is far too tolerant of bigoted behavior, assumptions and speech to be anything but a closet racist, himself. Tea Partyers live in a world of throbbing hatreds that render them damn near incoherent.They shout and hoot and holler in fevered support of political statements with which they cannot possibly agree. For example, the highly popular “Limited Government” plank of The Contract states:“The purpose of our government is to exercise only those limited powers that have been relinquished to it by the people, chief among these being the protection of our liberties by administering justice and ensuring our safety from threats arising inside or outside our country’s sovereign borders.”That means, the government should provide only police, criminal justice and public safety services, and a national defense. No public schools or publicly supported colleges, no tax breaks for homeowners, none of the public supports that “middle class,” “law-abiding,” “patriotic,” “taxpayers” with strong “family values” have been demanding for themselves for the last 65 years. (“And don’t you dare touch my Medicare!”) Any “movement” that actually believed in as shrunken a government as The Contract describes would be either very rich, or very tiny. The plank only begins to make sense when understood as a kind of scatter-shot code talk for restricting government assistance to “worthy” Americans, and cut-ting the flotsam and jetsam people loose. What the Tea Partyers really oppose is a social contract among all the resident peoples of the United States. In this, they are indeed the direct political progeny of the Founding Fathers and the great mass of white set-tlers, who found the very concept of full U.S. citizenship for Africans and Native Americans monstrously repugnant, a devaluation of their superior white selves. Racism in the national womb prevented the United States from forging a genuine social contract between whites and Others. More to the point, white people rejected any relationship that did not recognize and maintain white supremacy. This was to be forever a White Man’s country, expanding as far as might and money could take it – but white, white, white. The white nationalists want their white nation back. But they can’t have it. And, since there can be no bargaining on that issue, there is no reason whatsoever for Blacks and browns and people of good will to engage or humor the Tea Party’s white nationalists. There is nothing to concede to them, and nothing they can offer us to which we are not already entitled.Prominent peace activists are eager to engage the Tea Party, in search of common ground in opposition to government waste through war. It is true that Tea Party darling Rep. Ron Paul, the libertarian Republican and former presidential candidate, fights as hard as anyone on The Hill against bloated military budgets. But the anti-war movement will

"Families' CAN" The next meeting of Prisoners Are People Too will take place on Monday, April 26, 2010, at the Pratt-Wllert Com-munity Center, 422 Pratt Street, in Buffalo at 6:30 - 8:30pm. At this meet-ing, the work of "Families' CAN" (Child Advocacy Network), based in Buffalo, NY, will be high-lighted. "Fami-lies' CAN" helps families of children involved in family court, juvenile justice, PINS (persons in need of supervision), detention and proba-tion. The "Families' CAN" brochure describes this initiative as "…an independent, non-profit organiza-tion, designed, created and directed by family members for the purpose of ensuring access to needed sup-port, information, and services to all families in Erie County raising children with emotional, behavioral, and/or social challenges." Guest speakers will include Mr. Kenneth Pryor who is the Program Coordinator for "Families' CAN" and Ms. Tanya Hernandez who serves as a Family Support Partner in this exceptional program that is described as a network of Western New York families that help one another. Every family has its challenges and when those challenges include complex emotional, behavioral, and/or social needs, "Families' CAN" can provide the resources, support, and guidance that is needed to assure that families are full partners in the evalu-ation and service planning process for their children. Dealing with family court or the PINS process can be daunting. "Families' CAN" provides explanation, direction, and support. This organization also gains family representation on boards of agen-cies that help children. Additionally, it provides training opportunities in special education, advocacy and parent partnerships. Children raised in families which benefit from the services of "Families' CAN," are less likely to engage in anti-social and delinquent behavior. In recent studies, it has been noted that children, age 12 and younger, are engaging in serious delinquent behavior more frequently than chil-dren did 10 or 20 years ago. Many juvenile offenses are minor and are often considered to be part of grow-ing up and therefore go unreported or handled informally. Some are handled with arrest and adjudica-tion. Socio-economic factors such as poverty and miseducation; family

BLACK AGENDA REPORT

KARIMAAMIN

matters, such as divorce and incarceration; medical issues, such as mental health and physical abuse; and social ills, such as substance abuse, can all lead a child down a path that will cause him to do harm to himself or others. How we deal with this will determine what kind of future is in store for the child, the family and the rest of us. Our lives are interrelated in ways that we barely acknowledge. The documentary film being screened on August 26 is entitled "Jail High School." In this short film you will be introduced to two young men, awaiting trial, who are attending high school in Cook County Jail (Chicago). The Consuella B. York Alternative High School is a G.E.D. program, created in 1993, that takes non-violent jail inmates and places them in programs where they receive drug rehabilitation, high school courses, and job training inside the jail. The film shows what it takes to nurture a family, no matter who the "family" is and wherever that "family" may be. The young men at the high school jail and their teachers comprise a family. The same kind of care, concern, and sense of responsibility that is revealed in the film, is exactly the same kind of care, concern and sense of responsibility that defines "Families' CAN" as it strives to help families in our communities. "Families' CAN" is just one organization that encourages us to care for each other and look out for each other. When is the last time that you said to your neighbor, "I've got your back," and meant it? Yes…families can do more, be more, build more, and love more but only if we help each other. This program is sponsored by "The Circle of Supporters for Reformed Offenders" and "Friends of BaBa Eng." For more information: [email protected] and 716-834-8438.

Continued Page 15

Attention Saggers - Pull ‘Em Up!Dear Editor: Listen, brothers and sisters, I am a prisoner in a maximum security prison and I have a very important message fro you that will positively benefit you and make your appearance more presentable. ``The first thing is, “sagging” your pants is not cool and never has been. In several different ways this act is disrespectful, degrading, disgusting, improper and now against the law. That’s right-they’ve mad a “Bill” that forbids the “trend” or “fashion” of sagging your jeans, sweats, skirts, or bikinis. It’s called the “In House Bill” also know as “Saggy Pants Bill.” If you’re saying “so what, I don’t care,” then you’ll be spending some time in jail or spending a lot of hard earned money for disrespecting yourself. I read an article in the ASIS Magazine that your underwear has to be fully covered, including your underwear’s waistline. It’s $500, 93 days to a year in jail or both for sagging. So, pleas pull you pants, sweats, shorts, shirts, and bikinis up. Don’t become me or Remy-Ma’s neighbor, for having your butt, boxers, thongs, panties or anything under your presentable clothing showing. Also, for the African-Americans that are thinking sagging is “cool” and “hip” you’re disrespecting yourselves and all of your African-American brothers and sisters. I say that because ignorant individuals call us “Nig-gers” and “Niggas” and the slang spelling of Sagging is “S.A.G.G.I.N” which is spelled “N.I.G.G.A.S.” spelled backward. I used to always have my jeans, sweats, shorts and even slacks hanging off of my rear. But there comes a time in our lives that we must become mature young and also older adults. -Paul Smith


“Enough Really Is Enough” : It’s Time to Do For Self! Hello again Buffalo. It’s time for our people to do for self and stop depending on Caesar to do it for you. It’s not going to happen. Why would you expect the oppressor to help you? If he did he would have to lay off hundreds of his own people, maybe thousands.

Billions of dollars come into this city based on our poverty. It’s a business. And at this point since it’s not going to help better our condition, we have to do for self. We have to clean up our own communities, hire our own people. Look at all the other communities and who makes up the work force. Look at all the other races. Are their people suffering and killing each other? The kkk has taken off the hood and put on suits, ties, cloaks, robes and a modern way of practicing racism and genocide. It’s live and working. We’ll be implementing one of many “do for self” initia-tives this spring and summer. We’ll be starting an inner city flea market and farmers market right in the heart

of the city. Bring new and used items to sell to make some money. Bring fruits and vegetables to sell, to help people stay healthy. Booths are for rent, used cars will be sold at reasonable prices, and you can learn how to be your own business owner. Start off small and let it grow. If you have a dream and a vision, we will help you become successful. We will also be renting out office space, manufacturing space, retail space and much, much more. Please come and learn how to become self sufficient. Stop spending money where you’re not wanted or where your hard earned dollars are not respected. We have put together the most comprehensive plans that target all of the people who need or want to be helped. We have many opportunities to offer. Come on down to the Wonder Bread Building and see for yourself. We have an oasis in the middle of our neighborhood. We are going to be successful without a doubt. Won’t you join us become suc-cessful also? We are a group of God loving people who work for God to help the people at the bottom of the mountain. We have come a long way and we can’t afford to go back. But if we keep waiting and hoping we will go back to slavery, don’t be fooled by the hype. This condition we live in is real. This is no joke, just look around. How many more children have to die or go to jail for the rest of their life because all the opportunities have been taken from us and replaced with drugs and guns? We will be having weekly meetings from noon to 3 p.m. every Saturday from now on. We will meet and talk about how we will take our neighbor-hoods back, rebuilding them street by street. We had the most successful program last summer in the city, but because of the successfulness we were cut from the city administration stimulus money, while there’s a “rainy day fund” with at least $30 million to $60 million sitting idly in the bank while it’s raining bullets on the lower westside and the whole eastside. Can someone tell us why we can’t get the city to fund our programs? It will cost the city less than $1 million dollars to make it all happen. However its obvious that their plan is to not help us and maybe we will lose the building or lose the trust of our residents, oh but God, yes God has given us a plan that won’t fail. We would like to acknowleldge and thank Bishop Bronner of Elim Christian Ministries for stepping to the plate. Smaller churches, who are barely making it themselves, have also donated . We are prayful that others will see the good in our struggle, and support us as well. In the meantime, the work will continue. We can’t keep meeting and talking, we’ve got to get off our lazy, com-plaining behinds and lead by example. Stop being friends with your chil-dren and reinstate family values. Be real parents! Stop going to church on Sunday but during the week laying up with Tom, Dick and Harry, drinking , smoking, cursing and telling our kids not to do them. And please stop accepting illegal money from your children, which in essence is accepting what they are doing. Our “Enough is Enough” campaign will be held every Saturday from 12 noon till 3 p.m. rain or shine. We all know what the problems are so let’s stop complaining and make a difference. Please step to the plate. We have failed our children but we can turn it around. It’s time we take care of them like real parents. Hire our own, educate our own and stop allowing them to be slaughtered and burying them and visiting them in the storage house better Known as the jail house. Pay a little now towards our movement or pay a lot later with death or commissary. Just keeping it real …(Mr. Jackson can be reached at 570-9165. )

DARNELLJACKSON

Governor David Paterson has pro-posed an additional $1.00 per pack tax on cigarettes. Supposedly, the tax will raise much-needed revenue to help balance the budget and fund vital tobacco pre-vention and cessation programs.Cigarette taxes are a hot topic. Sup-posedly, cigarette taxes are a way governments can achieve two social objectives. The first objective is to reduce the number of citizens who smoke. The government issuing the cigarette tax hopes that the rise in the cost of a package of cigarettes will induce people to quit smoking. The secondobjective is to raise govern-ment revenue. The question is how does the State accurately measure the results of the tax increase other than counting the increase in gross revenue? The actual benefit of the governor’s proposed tax hike will depend on how much of a loss the state incurs in taxable sales as a result of New York’s consumers going to other sources, such as states with a lesser tax, on-line Indian vendors and other non-taxable sources, for their pur-chases. According to a New York State Department of Health report, the state loses between $436 million and $576 million in taxes to the sale of illicit cigarettes. Nevertheless, New York State ignores this, the report charges, “despite the fact that these illicit profits areleaving the state and being sent over-seas to Jordan and Lebanon, among other countries.” In taking the lead in fighting tobacco use, New York has funded tobacco prevention and cessation programs, enacted a strong smoke-free workplace law and a cigarette tax of $2.75 per pack. As a result, it is reported that New York has reduced its adult smoking rate to 16.8 percent and its high school smoking rate to 13.8 percent, both well below the

soon discover that all but a sliver of the Tea Party crowd are belligerent hawks, as racist in their global world-view as in their domestic outlook. Just as they reject a national social contract with non-whites, they reject any compact with other peoples of the world, particularly the non-white ones. White American nationalism is warlike, expansionist, and proud of it – a grave danger to the survival of humanity.BAR executive editor Glen Ford can be contacted at [email protected]

BLACK AGENDA REPORTcontinued

New York State Cigarette Tax……….Who really benefits?By Walter Smith

national rates of 20.6 percent for adults and 20 percent for high school-ers. Did New York State actually reduce the percentage of adult and high school smokers or did they simply lose them as smokers of tax-able cigarettes?At $2.75 per pack, New York has one of the highest cigarette tax rates in the country. New York City imposes an addi-tional tax of $1.50, for a total tax of $4.25 per pack. At the other end of the spectrum, South Carolina’s tax is just .07 cents per pack, Mis-souri’s is .17 cents and Virginia’s is .30 cents. Because New York has the highest cigarette tax in the country, it has become a haven for cigarette bootleggers and coveted territory for ruthless criminals. In March of 2010, a Virginia man pleaded guilty to hiring a hit man to murder a couple he suspected of stealing his bootleg cigarettes. His gang was planning to sell 388,000 cartons in New MYork for a profit of more than $1 million. “This investigation highlights the illicit profits and potential violence associated with those who illegally traffic in contraband cigarettes,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Agent Willie Brown-lee. New York has a long, bloody history of cigarette tax evasion. The Legislature’s plan to add yet another dollar to the tax will further attract this lawless group thereby creating further danger to the public. The cost of a taxable carton of cigarettes in New York City is approximately $95. This is the perfect inducement to a smuggler to buy a truckload of cigarettes in South Carolina and sell them in New York City for a profit of $30 - $45 per carton. Studies indicate states are losing about $5 billion annually in tax revenue because of illegal tobacco sales. A quick check of cigarette smokers along Myrtle Avenue in Brooklyn New York revealed the following facts. Eight out of 10 smokers interviewed were familiar with discount (illegal) cigarettes. When asked what they though of the additional cigarette tax proposed by Governor Paterson, most said the extra tax imposed an extra burden on their limited income. Another question was whether or not they had other sources for cheaper cigarettes other than through boot-leggers? The answer was, you can get them in some candy stores if the owner knows you. One elderly gentleman said, “when I visit my family down south, I stock up on a few cartons.” Cigarette smuggling is a big problem for law enforcement. Most

cigarette smugglers are people with a high disregard for the law. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Fire-arms and Explosives (ATF) has found that Russian, Armenian, Ukrainian, Chinese, Taiwanese, and Middle Eastern (mainly Pakistani, Lebanese, and Syrian) organized crime groups are highly involved in the traffick-ing of contraband and counterfeit cigarettes. In February of 2009, Ali Mohamed, 39 was arrested in Harrisburg Penn-sylvania for transporting between 900 and 1,000 cartons of untaxed cigarettes from Greensboro, N.C. to Brooklyn, New York. The cigarettes’ street value in Pennsylvania would be about $41,000, and in New York about $78,000, police said. Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.), ranking minority member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, said that bootleggers who have immigrated from the Middle East are buying tax-free cigarettes at Indian reservations in upstate New York and reselling themin New York City. Some of the profits are then funneled to terrorist groups, the report contends. The connection to terrorism is no exaggeration. When New York police cracked a smuggling ring in 2005, they uncovered a multimillion dollar flow of funds from New York City to unknown individuals in the Middle East. Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly gave voice to the obvious conclusion: Terrorists prob-ably got the money. Just a few weeks before that 2005 bust, Buffalo-area businessman Aref Ahmed had been sentenced to three years and a month for cigarette smuggling. The feds-said he’d used the racket to fund “scholarships” at terrorist training camps in Afghanistan during the spring of 2001. Going back to 1993, counterfeit cigarette stamps were found in the apartment of the first World Trade Center bombers. Let’s simply count up the cost of the additional tax. Taking under con-sideration, the increased cost of law enforcement, cost of incarcerating convicted smugglers, cost to world governments resulting from terror-ists activities, cost of decreased tax revenue to the State and the excess financial burdens imposed on the poor. New York City smokers cur-rently pay an average of $9 per pack. A pack of illegal cigarettes can be easily purchased in New York City for under $6 per pack. Add an addi-tional dollar in State Tax and the cost of one pack of cigarettes skyrockets to $10.00. When we count up the cost……. Who really benefits?


CITY OF BUFFALO

CiViL SERViCE EXAMS

Account Clerk-TypistTypist / Typist (Spanish Speaking)

Senior TypistFinal Filing Date: May 14, 2010

Exam Date: June 19, 2010City Hall, Room 1001 / 851-5900

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Buffalo Challenger - Thursday onlySize: 1 col. (2) x 2.5”Issue: 4/22 (due Monday)

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Dear Eve: Out of a family of nine children, I am number four. Although for the most part, we seemed to be a happy, healthy and wholesome family espe-cially at suppertime, where all of us could express our achievements at the table. I didn’t have too many achievements as a kid and don’t have many now. Being more of a tomboy I actually looked up to my older brother. I simply wanted to be like him. In fact, I idolized him. We are all grown up now yet I thrive on my brother’s success. I have a degree in Social Work; this kind of work doesn’t interest me at all. To be facetious, what knowledge I have you could stick in your hollow tooth. My older brother is the Principal of a school. I would like to reach suc-cess just as he has. What I need to know is what kind of future could I possibly look forward to?

Slow to StartBridgette

Dear Bridgette: At church, I heard the preacher say: “God has a purpose for every single person in life. I realize it takes some people a little longer than others to find that purpose. Be patient. Your brother seems to have found his niche in life. Try to spend a little more time focusing on what may be in store for you. If what you have done in the past doesn’t please you — why not try a new perspective? I can relate to the large family syn-drome because like you, I am also a member of a large family (almost twice the size of yours). And like you - I also chose a role model (but not from the family). However, it did work for me. When you were young, did you ever dream of what you wanted to be when you grew up? If so, then why not try to follow that dream? Or why don’t you take a trip to your local library? There with the help of a Librarian you’ll find a host of ideas. Be confident that God can bring you to a flourishing finish and read your bible. You will understand better, when you read Hebrew 11 35-37 “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.”

ROOM FOR RENT

Room for Rent-Seeking Senior 50-70 to rent furnished room, queen size bed, wall to wall carpeting, air condition, TV & cable. $300 a month call Charlene at 597-2066.

ViLLAGE OF DEPEW, COUNTY OF ERiE2010 SANiTARY SEWER AND MANHOLE REHABiLiTATiON PROJECT

NOTiCE TO BiDDERS

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, pursuant to a resolution of the Village Board of Depew, New York, sealed proposals will be received and considered by the Village Clerk, Village of Depew, on May 13, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. local time, in the Village Hall, 85 Manitou Street, Depew, New York 14043, at which time and place all bids will be publicly opened and read aloud by the undersigned. Each bid at the time it is received, will be stamped with the date and time of receipt. All bids shall be sealed and clearly marked as follows:

ViLLAGE OF DEPEW2010 SANiTARY SEWER AND MANHOLE REHABiLiTATiON PROJECT

The Contractor’s name, date and time of the opening shall be clearly marked on the outside of the envelope. All blank spaces on the forms shall be filled in, in ink or typewritten, and the bid form must be fully completed and executed when submitted. Only one copy of the bid form is required. All bids shall be submitted on the forms furnished herein and the entire volume including any addenda, shall be submitted in a sealed envelope and addressed to the Village of Depew, 85 Manitou Street, Depew, New York 14043, to the attention of Elizabeth C. Melock, Village Administrator. Bidders must satisfy themselves of the accuracy of the estimated quantities in the bid schedule by examination of the site and a review of the drawings and specifications including addenda. After bids have been submitted, the bidder shall not assert that there was a misunderstanding concerning the quantities of work or the nature of the work to be done. The Contract Documents contain the provisions required for the construction of the project. Information obtained from an agent, or employee of the Owner or any other person shall not affect the risks or obligations assumed by the Contractor or relieve him from fulfilling any of the conditions of the contract. Each bid shall be accompanied by a certified check or bid bond in the amount of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid, and shall be in the form and subject to the conditions provided for in the Instructions to Bidders. The successful bidder will be required to furnish a performance bond and a labor and materials payment bond, each in the amount equal to the Contract Award. A maintenance bond for 100% of the contract price (including change orders) will be required during the maintenance period. Copies of the proposed Contract Documents, Plans, Specifications and Instructions to Bidders will be available April 13, 2010 and may be purchased from the office of Nussbaumer & Clarke, Inc., Gateway Executive Park, Suite 500, 3556 Lake Shore Road, Buffalo, NY 14219 (716-827-8000). There will be a $20.00 charge in the form of two $10.00 checks made payable to the Village of Depew for each set of bid documents requested. For copies of bid documents requiring shipping, an additional non-refundable amount of $15.00 payable to Nussbaumer &Clarke, Inc. is required for handling and ground shipping costs. Neither the Owner nor the Engineer will be responsible for full or partial sets of Contract Documents, including any Addenda, obtained from any other source. Any bidder returning Drawings and Specifications in good condition within 10 days following the bid opening will be refunded the full amount of the deposit. Non-bidders will be refunded one-half the deposit. Material suppliers and anyone returning the Plans and Specifications before the bid opening will be classified as non-bidders. Any bidders requesting more than one (1) set of Drawings and Specifications may purchase the excess, but it is understood that these are not returnable. All bids must be accompanied by a NON-COLLUSIVE BIDDING CERTIFICATE and a Bid Bond in the amount of 5% of bid total. Any bid submitted without such certification and bid bond will not be accepted. Any bid not meeting ALL specifications will not be considered.BIDDERS ON THIS WORK WILL BE REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH THEPRESIDENT’S EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 11246. THE REQUIREMENTSFOR BIDDERS AND CONTRACTORS UNDER THIS ORDER WHICHCONCERN NON-DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT ARE EXPLAINED INTHE SPECIFICATIONS. The attention of the bidder is called particularly to the requirements of conditions of employment to be observed and minimum wage rates to be paid under the Contract. The jurisdiction certifies that all iron, steel, and manufactured goods used in construction, alternate, repair, or maintenance of a public building or public work project assisted with “Community Development Block Grant Recovery” funds under the Recovery Act must be produced in the United States. The Village of Depew is an exempt organization under the Tax Law and is exempt from payment of sales and compensating use taxes of the State of New York and cities and counties of the state on all materials which are to be incorporated into the project, pursuant to the provisions of the contract. These taxes are not to be included in the bid. This contract will be funded wholly or partially with federal funds, and, as such, subject to all federal rules and regulations pertinent thereto, including, but not limited to federal policy of encouraging the participation of minority and women business enterprises as sources of suppliers, equipment, construction and services. The work shall be completed within 90 consecutive calendar days, to begin five (5) days after the “Notice to Proceed” has been issued. The right to reject any and all bids, to waive any informalities in, or to make an award to other than the low bidder, should it be deemed to be in the best interest of the Owner and in accordance with law, are herewith reserved. No bidder may withdraw a bid within forty-five (45) days after the date set for the opening thereof, but may withdraw same any time prior to the scheduled date for the opening of bids.

BY ORDER OF: ELIZABETH C. MELOCK VILLAGE ADMINISTRATOR VILLAGE OF DEPEW, NEW YORKPublished: April 15, 2010

EMPLOYMENT

ADVERTISING PAYS

(716) 897-0442

[email protected]

ADVERTISING PAYS!

Tuesdays 12 NOON - 1 P.M.


EMPLOYMENTCatholic Charities has an excellent professional development oppor-tunity available for the following position:

Mental Health Therapist F/T Mental Health Therapist posi-tion available in Niagara county responsible for exercising consid-erable initiative and independent judgment, ability to accurately diagnose, and treat children, ado-lescents and families. Must be able to follow OMH guidelines and complete required paperwork and willing to do home visits in the community. Candidate must be a licensed qualified mental health professional able to work at least one evening per week.

Interested and qualified candidates may forward resume and cover letter with Job # 201022 to: Catho-lic Charities, 741 Delaware Ave, Buffalo, NY 14209, Attn: Human Resources. EOE/M/F

State University of New York ERIE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Announcement of Professional Vacancy2010-0055CH April 6, 2010

EXECUTiVE ViCE PRESiDENT OF STUDENT AFFAiRS(SENiOR EXECUTiVE STAFF)STUDENT SERViCES

FULL-TiME/PERMANENT EXCELLENT BENEFiTS PACKAGE SALARY COMMENSURATE WiTH EXPERiENCE

DESCRiPTiON: The work involves administering the Student Services Divi-sion of the Community College. This is a highly responsible student services position with the incumbent working under the general direction of the President of the College. The incumbent exercises responsibility for planning, developing, directing, administering and evaluating student services programs and functions, and coordinates budget requests in the student service areas, manages enrollment and College admissions. Critical areas of responsibility include admissions, registration, financial aid, enrollment planning, student retention and athletics. The incumbent will be the chief campus liaison and be responsible for matters relating to administrative campus concerns. General or direct supervision is exercised over other administrators. Does related work as required.

REQUiREMENTS: Comprehensive knowledge of general student service method and theory; comprehensive knowledge of admissions and registration procedures; knowledge of educational procedures and practices; ability to orga-nize, direct and evaluate student services programs; ability to prepare statistical material effectively; ability to get along well with others; sound professional judgment; initiative; physically capable of performing the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.

MiNiMUM QUALiFiCATiONS: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master’s degree in Education or Student Personnel Services and seven (7) years of Student Services or related experience, three (3) years of which must have been in a responsible educational, administrative or supervisory capacity, pertinent non-academic experience is also taken into consideration.

PREFERRED QUALiFiCATiONS: Graduation from a regionally accredited college or university with a Doctorate in Education or Student Personnel Services and five (5) years experience in Student Services, three (3) of which must have been in a responsible educational, administrative or supervisory capacity.

Job #2010-0055CH POSTiNG CLOSES MAY 5, 2010 HUMAN RESOURCES ERIE COMMUNITY COLLEGE 4041 SOUTHWESTERN BOULEVARD ORCHARD PARK, NY 14127-2199

TO APPLY FOR THiS POSiTiON, GO TO: https://jobs.ecc.eduErie Community College is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women, members of minority groups, persons with disabilities, and Veterans are encouraged to apply.

Custodian-For apartment complexes in WNY. Duties include cleaning, mopping, vacuuming, sweeping, empting trash and transporting it to dumpster and keeping grounds litter free. May also assist the Maintenance Technician in minor repairs. Compet-itive pay with excellent benefits. H.S. diploma or GED. Submit resumes and cover letter by 4/28/10 to www.belmonthousingwny.org/jobs. Bel-mont is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse staff EOE/AA

Business Advisor - Niagara County Community College is seeking a Business Advisor for the college’s Small Business Development Center located in Lockport NY. Please see web site www.niagaracc.suny.edu for information, qualifications, and

application instructions. NCCC is a SUNY AA/EOE Institution.

Education Instructor - Niagara County Community College is seeking an Instructor in Elemen-tary Education. Please see web site www.niagaracc.suny.edu for infor-mation, qualifications, and applica-tion instructions. NCCC is a SUNY AA/EOE Institution.

Engineering Asst. Team Leader Trainee for 18-month bridge inspec-tion program in Cattaraugus, Chau-tauqua, Erie and Niagara Counties. Must have Assoc. Degree in Civil or Construction Tech. from accredited program or 18-months FT acceptable engineering technology experience. This is an Equal Employment Oppor-

tunity, all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employ-ment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or marital status. Minorities and women are urged to apply. Send resume to: Abate Associates, P.O. Box 218, Buffalo, NY 14225-0218, Attn: William F. Rugg, PE.

Project Manager Candidate will be responsible for development and administration of affordable housing projects and programs. Qualified candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree and at least two years related experience in the development of affordable housing, such as secur-ing funding, housing project man-agement, utilization of housing tax credits, etc. Or, Masters Degree and at least one year related experience. Technical knowledge of state, federal and private financing programs and applicable regulations is preferred. Submit resumes with salary require-ments by 4/28/10 to www.belmont-housingwnv.org/jobs. Belmont is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse staff. EOE/AA

ADVERTISING PAYS * 716.897.0442


WEEKLY MEETINGS *Stop The Violence Coalition Meeting: 5:30 p.m. 742 Delaware Ave. 882-7882. Fridays. *Buffalo Local Action Committee Meeting (BLAC): 6:30 p.m. Pratt Willert Center, 422 Pratt St. Thursdays *TOPS Club, Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly): 6 p.m.; Edward Saunders Com-munity Center, 2777 Bailey Ave.; 834-6095. Mondays *African Consciousness Workshop: 6-8 p.m.; Frank E. Merriweather Library, 1324 Jefferson Avenue. Mondays *The Israel of God Bible Study Class: 6 p.m.; 372 Feugeron Ave.; 897-2270. Wednesdays *Health and Healing Circles: 3:30-5 p.m.; CAO, 70 Harvard Pl.; 903-3290, Wednesdays *Moot Senior Center “Best Breakfast in Town”: 9-10:30 a.m. 292 High St., Wednes-days *Men and Women Support Groups: 5:30-7 p.m.; 1333 Jefferson Avenue; hosted by Group Ministries, Inc. Thursdays *Alcoholics Anonymous First Step Group: 8-9 p.m.; Memorial Medical Center Auditorium, 621 10th St. Niagara Falls. Fridays *Narcotics Anonymous: 5-7 p.m.; Memorial Medical Center Auditorium, 621 10t St. Sundays *Senior Bridge Club/Poker Club: 1-4 p.m.; Delavan Grider Center, 877 E. Delavan; 896-7021.

ENTERTAINMENT *The Café at Masten & Eaton Presents “Friday Evening Jazz”: 8 p.m.; 230 Masten Avenue; 883-2311. Fridays *Swinging Sundays: 8:00 p.m.-12 p.m.; Colored Musicians Club, 145 Broadway; 855-9383. *“Classic Soul Mixer”: 7-10 p.m.; Pandora’s Restaurant & Bar, 2261 Fillmore Ave. Fridays.

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093-563-167-096-743-234-


see you at the events!

DANCE Dance Lessons with Smooth Steppers: Urban Line Dance, smooth style Ball-room, Steppin’ and Swing; CRUCIAL Center, 230 Moselle St., Saturdays at noon; Tuesdays at 6 p.m. $3; 633-7813. *Line Dancing With Pearl Harris: 6-7 p.m. Pratt Willert Community Center, 422 Pratt St. donation $2. Wednesdays *Community Dance and African Drumming Classes: African American Cultural Center, 350 Masten Avenue, 3 p.m. Saturdays and 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays; $15 monthly; visit www.africancultural.org more information *Line Dancing Lessons, First Shiloh Baptist Church, 15 Pine St., 6:30 p.m. Fridays. 847-6555. Free. *Line Dance Lessons: 10 a.m.-Noon; Martha Mitchell Center, 175 Oakmont St.; 444-2046 or 833-1038, Tuesdays Wednesdays *Line Dance by George Patterson: 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.; Delavan Grider Center, 896-7021, Mondays & Thursdays. *June-Teenth Afrikan Family Time Drum Dance and Song: 6-8:30 p.m.; Gateway-Longview Family Resource Center, 347 Ferry Street. Fridays * Argentine Tango Every Monday with Travis Widrick 7 - 10 p.m. 1st hour begin-ners lesson,The Gallery @ Chow Chocolat, 731 Main St. *Salsa Night Every Wednesday with Calvin and Fanny 7 - 10 p.m .1st hour begin-ners lesson The Gallery @ Chow Chocolat 731 Main St. *Latin Night 1st/3rd Friday with Chun Poh, Salsa, Merengue, ChaCha, Bachata 8 p.m.- midnight, Chow Chocolat 731 Main St. *Urban Ballroom Stepping, Swing, Beginners Salsa (all classes $3, 633-7813); Tuesdays 6-7 p.m. Urban Line Dancing; 7-8 p.m. Ballroom Stepping; Saturdays 1-3 p.m. Ballroom Stepping, West Coast Swing, Beginners Salsa. *Urban Line Dance: Learn some of the latest hot line dances,Mondays Old 600 Club, Mondays 7-9 p.m.; Wednesdays 6:15-8 p.m., ,St. Philips 15 Fernhill. POETRY *Open Mic Poetry: 6:30-9 p.m.; EM Tea Coffee Cup Café, 80 Oakgrove St.

EXERCISE *Senior Fitness Class: 9:45-10:45 a.m.; Delavan Grider Center, 877 E. Delavan; 896-7021; Wednesdays *Exercise for Health: 9:30-10:30; Edward A. Saunders Center, 2777 Bailey Avenue; 332-4381 Thursdays *Open Gym: 5-8 p.m.; Delavan Grider Center, 877 E. Delavan; 896-7021. Fri-days *Tae-Kwan-do: 6-8 p.m.; Delavan Grider Center, 877 E. Delavan; 896-7021. Mondays & Fridays *Senior Fitness Class: 9:45-10:30 a.m.: Delavan Grider Center, 877 E. Delavan; 896-7021. Mondays

RADIO/TV PROGRAMMING *Sen. Antoine Thompson Radio Show, Thursdays 1-2 p.m.; WUFO Radio 1080AM. *Community Health Center of Buffalo, “CHCB TV”Buffalo Pubic Access Sta-tion Mon. @ 9:30 p.m. & Wed.@ 11 a.m.; & on ION Media (Time Warner Ch. 18) Saturdays @ 6:30 a.m. *Pro-Ject Access To A-Free-Ka Radio Show: 3-6 p.m. 1080 AM WUFO; hosted by Ras Jomo; call in 837-111,, Mondays. *Khametic Ascendants Buffalo: 9 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. (nite); Buffalo Channel 20 Video showings; live speakers. Wednesdays *My Time To Be Blessed! Channel 20, Cable TV, Evangelist Gloria Caver-Robinson Gill; Mondays and Fridays 2 to 2:28 p.m. Sundays. *Umoja Presents: 10:30 p.m.; Channel 20. *Jazz Favorites: 9-10 p.m. WBFO Radio 88.7 AM with host/producer Macy Favor and guest. *What’s Happening Buffalo and WNY: 8:30 a.m. MYTV Buffalo; host Esther Smothers.Sundays. *WHLD 1270 AM Real Distinguished Speakers Series: 3-4 p.m.; hosted by Marc L. Fuller, with guest speaker. Saturdays. *Affordable Homes Presents “Mo’ Money “Mo’ Money: 8-8:30 p.m.; WHLD 1270 AM Radio Ministry. Saturdays.

On-Going Events

CALENDAR OF EVENTSA Weekend of Entertainment From The Collective This weekend, members of The Collective, a not-for-profit initiative designed to promote and preserve the cultural arts, will present three great events: *Pine Grill Jazz Reunion Fund Raiser: Friday Night Jook Joint, April 23, 9 p.m. to midnight, featuring Sabu Adeyola & Oasis, Sharon Bailey and the Old School B-Boys, African American Cultural Center, 350 Masten Street; donation $25. Call 884-2013 for more information *George Scott and His All Star Band featuring Melissa Kate, Sat-urday, April 24 at 8 p.m. at Temple Sinai, 50 Alberta Drive, Amherst. $15 per person. $20 at the door. Call 875-7061 for information. *Exhibit Opening Friday, April 23 from 7 to 9 p.m.: A Yemeni Com-munity: The 1970s Photographs by Milton Rogovin, El Museo, 91 Allen Street; 884-1912 for more information or [email protected]

FRiDAY APRiL 23

Job Fair: Pratt Willert Community Center, 9 A.M. – 1 P.M. At The Pratt Willert Community’; Spon-sored by Sen. Thompson.

Black Social Workers monthly meeting, 6 p.m. at the CAO, 70 Harvard Place.

Storytelling Festival: April 23-24, Frank E. Merriweather Library, Jefferson at Utica.

SATURDAY APRiL 24

Bob Lanier 20th Anniversary Cel-ebration Reunion: 185 Lang St., 4 p.m. Donation $10; 834-2052 or [email protected], or call 834-2052.

BUILD Alumni Skating Party: Arca-dia Skating Rink, 30 E. Amherst at Main from 10:30 pm. To 1:30 a.m.; free and open to the public: 698-1176 or 228-8434.

60th Birthday Celebration for Sis. Wanda Strong Thompson Howard: Golden Nugget, 7 p.m. ; $12 advance, $13 at the door; 715-1096. [email protected]

Battle @ Buffalo B-Boy/B-girl (breakdancing) Battle and 1-on-1 All Styles Battle: Verve Dance Studio, 910 Main Street, Buffalo, 7-11 p.m. All ages. $5 admission/$6 to com-pete; hosted by B-boy Dupree with music by DJ Simple.

SEE YOU AT THE EVENTS!


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