classique magazine april 2010 issue

TM

Russell Parker Accounting Firm - Page 6

Interesting Accomplishments of President Obama ....................... pg 8

Youth Talent Audirions and Show ................................................... pg 7

Russell Parker opens additional tax preperation office ................... pg 6

Black and White Elegant Ball ......................................................... pg 10

Fight Strokes by Walking ............................................................... pg 10

Guide to the Inside:

A Positive Connection with Faith and Technology- Annette De Lavallade

As Information Technology (IT) made rapid transformation and altered the pace of how the public and private industry made changes in processing information, Sharon Cates-Williams was moving right along with it. Starting out over 30 years ago as a Word Pro-cessing Supervisor and Instructor for the American Business Institute she soon realized that she had found her niche.

A graduate of Baruch College, Cates-Willians worked in the private sector for 17-years as vice president in the Global Technology division at Lehman Brothers Inc., New York, where she supported Investment Banking and Fixed Income divisions located in US, Eu-rope, South America and Asia. She traveled extensively between branch offices deliver-ing innovative (IT) solutions and services and designed and implemented the firm’s first multi-language computer based training program. Additionally, she played an integral part in the design and adoption of the Firm’s premier brand strategy campaign. “That was such an extraordinary time for me as a young African American female in an all Caucasian male environment. I had to have impeccable communication and business skills and exert a level of confidence that was reinforced by spiritual strength and resilience,” she reported.In the aftermath of Sept.11th, Cates-Williams decided to make a change and work in the public sector. Her finely honed skills and capacity for understanding the intricate and complex working of IT positioned her to demonstrate how well women and African Americans excel in IT. She quickly took the public sector industry by storm with her vibrant, bright and self-assured attitude. In 2004, she became the first African Ameri-can Commissioner of the Department of Information Technology for the Town of North Hempstead in Nassau County, NY. There she spearheaded the implementation of Long Island’s first 311 non-emergency constituent response system. “I was very familiar with the New York City and Baltimore, MD implementations. This was only supposed to be a two month feasibility assessment. I ended up being appointed Commissioner after two months.”

Her selection as Chief Information Officer (CIO) for Suffolk County in 2006, distin-guished her as the first African American woman CIO in County history as well as the highest ranking African American woman in the Steve Levy administration. In partner-ship with Stony Brook University’s Center of Excellence in Wireless and Information Technology (CEWIT) and the Suffolk County Wireless Commission, Cates-Williams was instrumental in developing the bi-county Long Island Wireless Initiative to blanket 900 square miles with multi-tier wireless services for constituent and public safety use. She commented, “Broadband and wireless initiatives are my passion. Ensuring that all citizens

Sharon Cates-Williams, Deputy Chief Information Officer for the Office for Technology of New York Statecontinued on page 3

ClassiqueApril 2010 • Volume 10, Issue 3

FOR CLASSY UNIqUE PEOPLE • We Only Print Positive Information. FREE Monthly MagazineSubscription Rate $2.00

2 • [email protected] April 2010

Classique TM

Dear Readers,

By now you know that the census is counting all residents of the nation. The capital region has an opportunity to position itself to have access to millions of federal funds for school programs, day care facilities, day care services, se-nior services etc. But these funds are disbursed based on census population numbers. More importantly, we can increase political representation with higher mail back returns. The Capital Region African Heritage Complete Count Committee has a website with current information on it. If you have not completed and mailed back your census form, please do it today.

Our cover story features an outstanding woman of our region who has sig-nificant accomplishments in a field often thought to be the domain of men. She has also demonstrated how her personal relationship and faith in God sustained her as she left her fate in His hands. I hope you enjoy reading about

her and her advice for our young people.

Our phenomenal President Barack Obama still needs your prayers. In spite of accomplishments which far ex-ceed that of many predecessors, he has not received his just credit for all that he does and is doing. We found a listing of many of the exceptional strides he has made on behalf of our country and we are detailing them for you. So, please keep him on your prayer list.

We are slowly gaining new ad clients. Please let them know where you saw their ad. It does make a big difference to them.

We are in the final stages of getting our website. It will be classiquemagazineinc.com. It has been a long time in development, but thanks to my son, Michael, it will be available with copies of past issues up to a year ago.

Sincerely,

April 2010Volume 10, Issue 3

•Publisher & EditorAnnette De Lavallade

•Graphic Designer

Melissa Miller•

Contributing WritersEmma Blake

Barbara BrooksGavin Cook

Marcella GreenNyla Jordan

Benita L. Law-DiaoDonald HymanErica Mortimore

Claudette RamirezStephanie Tullis-Washington

David WilliamsFaith Williams

Jacqui C. Williams•

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Your voice needs to be heard by store owners, churches, non-profit organizations and service providers. Advertisers need to know that their money is well spent advertising. So, the next time you shop somewhere tell the person taking your money that you decided to shop there because you read or heard about them as a result of their ad in Classique Magazine or any other media.

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are connected to the internet at affordable prices and suitable speeds is a worthy cause in my book.” In 2008, Cates-Williams was appointed Deputy Chief Information Officer for the Office for Technology, where she is re-sponsible for overseeing the administra-tion of one of the largest and most secure technology enterprises in New York State. She leads the IT Delivery Services group responsible for four mainframe data cen-ters, over 2,000 servers and storage devices, the state’s centralized email and calendar-ing system, supports a local network of 1,000 sites, nearly 35,000 workstations and 50,000 user accounts, telephony and video services, application and website develop-ment, centralized user identity and access management, disaster recovery and man-ages the NYS Broadband Program Office. “I truly have a big job that leverages all the skills I have obtained over the years. You

have to absolutely love technology to operate on the CIO level. To manage an operation this size requires both strategic and operational expertise. ”

While Cates-Williams has enjoyed a great career in technology, her life has not escaped a few challenges. Cates-Williams was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease at a time when her career was at its peak. She explained, “I found the entire situation scary and incredible to believe. Here I was excelling in my career. I had just been promoted to Vice President in Global Technology at Lehman Brothers and did not anticipate any distractions of this magnitude. I had never really had any major illness in my life. Now I was faced with the unknown. But it was my faith in God and family that brought me through. Once I made the conscious decision to put my treatment in His hands, I was on the road to recovery. This experience taught me that I could not worry about things that were not in my con-trol. I could not worry about losing my position or traction on the corporate ladder. I had to focus on God and where he was taking me right then and there. If I truly believed Gods Word and promise for my life, I could either approach this challenge with that knowledge or walk through it worried, unfocused and concerned about the outcome. I chose to trust and 15 years later He has never failed me. Weeping may endure for a night, but JOY comes in the morning when you keep your eyes stayed on Him. ” With more than 30 years experience providing vision, strategy and solutions for busi-ness, her strong family and religious foundation has been the keys to her success. Cates-Williams is involved with women’s education and mentor programs, actively participates in educational events for young adults and children, and holds membership with sev-eral prestigious community and national organizations including the Girls Scouts, Junior Achievement, and is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

When asked for her prediction of how information technology will shape young people’s lives, she responded, “Young people have a tremendous opportunity to pursue a career in IT. With all of the Twittering, Facebook, blogging, gaming and open application develop-ment source code available on-line these days, it is hard to predict what life will look like in the coming years. I grew up on the Jepson’s and watched Maxwell “Get” Smart make a wireless phone call through a black shoe. Much of that futuristic technology exists today. Young people are already developing skills that they can easily turn into careers in the future. Technology is everywhere you look and the possibilities are endless. As I explained to a group of high school girls just last week, if you like fashion but don’t think you have what it takes to make it as a designer, you can still have a future in the industry of choice by being the person behind the scenes that takes a fashion designers vision and visually represents it on a computer screen on virtual models.”

Continuing she said, “Many of the activities young people do today is now being turned into real jobs. Songstress Alicia Keys recently advertised a position for a “Head Blogger” for her new website designed to empower women. Who knew blogging and texting would pay a salary and turn into a potential career. I was once offered the opportunity to work for a well know and successful rapper who was expanding his business and needed some-one to head up his new technology division. While that was not exactly the arena I saw myself working in, the fact that these types of businesses and new opportunities were being birthed was something not thought to be possible 5-10 years prior. Young people, as early as 5 years old are already being offered courses on Computer Gaming. If you just look at the advanced level of electronic devices young folks ‘don’t leave home without’ to-day, the professional space will automatically adapt just to satisfy this new workforce that requires constant connectivity. When I think about it, things are not really all that differ-ent from when I was growing up and was fascinated by what I could do on a typewriter. I had very limited tools and was able to produce impressive documents using only two fonts (Pica and Elite) with no ability to erase or un-do mistakes. I had the same passion for my Underwood, Olivetti and Smith Corona typewriters that they have for their iPhones and DSI’s. Even though I was not able to put the typewriter in my pocket and it had no data storage capability, creativity was the key to success for me. Things appear to be easier today due the evolution of technology, but creativity and thinking outside the box are still criteria for success. ”

Offering guidance to students she stated, “Young people today are mesmerized by technol-ogy but some think they can manipulate the computer and gain enough knowledge for a career without going to college.” She offered the following practical advice, “As for college, I will always recommend young people pursue higher education. Higher education gives

you the competitive advantage necessary in this global economy. You are not only compet-ing with your classmates on U.S. soil, but the job market today is a global arena and higher education can set the foundation necessary to move from ‘Good to Great’. However, I often speak to young people who express a lack of interest in proceeding with education beyond high school. I appreciate their honesty and advise they consider alternative op-tions. Young people are all interested, if not passionate, about something. Options such as community colleges or trade schools can help them expand upon their talent and skills often times turning them into a lucrative and sustainable career. Let’s face it, young folks today have very active minds that cause them to think and see things from different angles. Many have no idea how some of their ideas can turn into future careers. You have to put yourself in an environment that will encourage you to shape ideas that you think are meaningless into something useful to others. I challenge them to research the creation of Google, eBay and Twitter.”

Drawing a mental picture, she summarized, “As you walk the streets with your iPhone or other handheld device, what types of applications would you like to have access to? I mentioned to a colleague the other day my frustration with not being able to find my car in a crowded lot. He instantly showed me an application on his handheld that tracks and saves the location of his car in a parking lot. He realized he needed something after spend-ing 1.5 hours looking for his car after a long vacation with his family. These types of real world experiences are what advance the development of technology and who better than our young population to push this agenda. But they must expose themselves to the tools needed and some form of education is necessary. Higher educational institutions also need to fine-tune to better attract this next generation by offering courses and degrees in wireless technologies, on-line business management, virtual marketing and other virtual technologies. On-line degree programs are on the rise. Self paced study is indeed the future. I see our young people gravitating towards these types of careers and advanced courses.”

CIO Magazine recently named her ‘CIO to Watch 2009’ for her exemplary technology leadership and public service. In 2007, Cates-Williams was nominated ‘New York State Chief Information Officer of the Year’. She has been honored by the New York Heckscher Museum of Art for her community service and promotion of math and science programs for children; she has received the Long Island Professional Women Achiever’s Award; Long Island Business News Top 50 Women Award; LISTnet Diamond Award; Women Achiever Against the Odds Award; and is a recipient of the March of Dimes Women of Distinction Award.

Having been recognized for mastering various IT applications, she was asked how IT will transform government. She stated, “Anything that will make government more efficient and provide citizens with instant real time data is viewed as business critical today. In-teroperability of public safety networks and expanded use of broadband in the home are a must. More than 80% of the population no longer transacts business face to face. Electronic licensing and permitting, web application development, social networking and e-commerce (ability to pay for services on-line) are key business drivers today. DMV has done a great job in enabling citizens to register and renew permits and licenses on-line and the use of electronic tax filing has become routine. Recruiters only communicate with potential applicants on-line and the use of social networking sites (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn) are used to market and communicate real-time activities and events. The bank-ing industry and public sector have developed successful benchmarks for paperless and electronic communication. Government, unfortunately, is always a step or two behind the curve, but due to the need to reduce costs while maintaining acceptable service levels, dis-cussions are happening across the country on topics such as shared services, technology consolidation, and the development and implementation of the new buzz words “Private Cloud” or “Cloud Computing “in general.”

Commenting on IT in today’s market, “The economic situation almost forces govern-ments to rely on technology as a panacea to the problem. You will find CIO’s reporting directly to the Governor in many states and our President Obama certainly has an ap-preciation for technology as evidenced by the hiring of the first ever Federal CIO and the inclusion of $7.2 billion in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) or stimulus to advance broadband adoption. I sent him a Tweet to thank him for including this unprecedented amount of funding in this historic bill. To date New York State has re-ceived more than $500M of this funding to expand wireless and broadband infrastructure and improve broadband adoption in the home and communities.”She is a member of Macedonia Baptist Church where she serves on several committees. As one of the praise devotion singers, she has regaled church members with her Maha-lia Jackson/ Aretha Franklin vocal combination of old gospel with a capacity for leading songs that inspires the congregation to engage in singing with her. “Singing is such a big part of who I am. It is a gift that I don’t take lightly and if I can help someone through the gift of song, than I take comfort in knowing that I am fulfilling the purpose for which it was given to me.”

Cates-Williams resides in Albany, NY with her husband Andre, who is a church deacon at Macedonia Baptist Church. Smiling she emphasized “Andre is my rock. I could not have accomplished the things I have done in my career without his love, guidance and constant support.” She is the mother of two daughters Christina and Langston. “Christina is my step daughter, but there is nothing secondary about our relationship. I consider her to be my own. I am very proud of the young woman she has become and feel honored to have her in my life. She is very independent and has made career choices that we may not agree on, but she is smart, self assured and confident in whom she is. She knows I have her back (and she has mine). She is a great big sister to 8 year old Langston. Langston is amazing. She has a personality that makes her seem much older than she is. She touches my heart in ways that I never imagined. After focusing so many years on my career and then overcom-ing the challenges of the Hodgkin’s disease, I never imagined I would have these two won-derful young ladies in my life. God is so awesome. You never know what is ahead of you, but I love this journey I am on and approach it with much appreciation and joy every day.” Classique applauds Cates-Williams for her occupation and Christian connectivity. She mused, “One of my favorite quotes is from Maya Angelou ‘When you know better - you do better’. I don’t need to add anything to that. Just live it.”‘

A Positive Connection with Faith and Technologycontinued from front cover


MAy 9, 2010

BOYS AND GIRLS CHOIR OF HARLEM ALUMNI IN CONCERT AT SAINT ROSE

A passion for music. Spontaneity. Im-provisation. Artistic expression.

All will be on display when The Boys and Girls Choir of Harlem Alumni En-semble under the direction of Terrance Wright performs in concert at The Col-lege of Saint Rose.

The concert will take place Thursday, April 22, at 7:30 p.m. in the Kathleen McManus Picotte Recital Hall, Massry Center for the Arts, 1002 Madison Ave., Albany . Admission is $20, or $5 with a Saint Rose I.D.

The concert is a presentation of Pre-miere Performances II at The College of Saint Rose. For more information, con-tact Bernadette Speach at 518-337-4871 or [email protected].

In 1968, Dr. Walter Turnbull advertised the choir’s first rehearsal in the church

bulletin, and 20 boys came to the basement of Ephesus Church in Harlem . From that small church choir, The Boys Choir of Harlem grew to a world-renowned performing arts and educational institution. The Boys and Girls Choir of Harlem Alumni Ensemble, created in February 2007 under Terrance Wright, is a natural offspring of The Boys and Girls Choir of Harlem Alumni Association. Through their training with the Boys Choir of Harlem Inc., members of The Alumni Ensemble, ages 17 and up, are experienced, success-ful professionals and ambassadors of the world.

The Alumni Ensemble features a variety of vocal styles ranging from classical, gospel and spiritual to jazz and R&B. The Ensemble has performed with Natasha Bedingfield on the “Today Show” summer concert series, recorded with Yankee great Bernie Williams on his second CD for Reform Records and performed on “Good Morning America” for President Obama’s inauguration. In 2009, The Alumni Ensemble was chosen to open the season at Saratoga Performing Arts Center and was the only choir invited to represent the United States at the China Shanghai International Arts Festival.

Opened in 2008, the critically acclaimed Massry Center for the Arts features the 400-seat Kathleen McManus Picotte Recital Hall, Esther Massry Art Gallery , choral and instru-ment rehearsal rooms, teaching studios, piano labs and classrooms. Albanyjazz.com re-cently bestowed its “Local Hero Award (Venue Division)” on the center, while Metroland named it the region’s “Best New Arts Complex” for 2009. The $14 million, 46,000 square-foot gem is certified LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold, rank-ing it among the Capital Region’s most energy-efficient and Earth-friendly buildings.

On the Web: www.strose.edu The College of Saint Rose Experts Directory online: www.strose.edu/expertsdirectory.

Escape to Martha’s VineyardConsider the other Paradise. Theocean, for example, with gusty

waves: fish, smells, lava.Or the hotel, where people from everywhere

have gathered to unwind from hard work back home. Or the dogs with their

fast breathing, their energy and excitement. Theircuriosity of how their vacation will be.

Thus the place cultivates love, exudes joy, and wegrow rich, grow strong, as wepermit dogs to kiss our ears.

Leonard A. Slade, Jr.Copyright© 2010

POETRY CORNER


CONTACT ADMISSIONS AT 518.438.3111, X 217 OR [email protected]

OPEN HOUSETHURSDAY, APRIL 22ND •5:30-8PM

Admissions presentation begins at 5:30pm.Bring your transcript and be accepted if qualified!

FOUR-YEAR DEGREE: RN-BS NURSINGTWO-YEAR DEGREES: ACCOUNTING • COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS • EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATIONGENERAL STUDIES • LIBERAL ARTS (CONCENTRATIONS IN ENGLISH, PSYCHOLOGY & RELIGIOUS STUDIES/PHILOSOPHY)MANAGEMENT • NURSING • OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT • PARALEGAL • RESEARCH TECHNOLOGIST

CERTIFICATES: BEREAVEMENT STUDIES • GERONTOLOGY • PARALEGAL • PRACTICAL NURSE • TEACHING ASSISTANT

W W W . M A R I A C O L L E G E . E D U

DMO Music and Creative Arts Ministry presents our First Annual Symposium

April 23 - 24, 2010 at Empire Christian Center, 1524 Central Avenue - Colonie, NYMore information can be found on my website: http://dmomusicncreativearts.com or

call 1-877-869-9263 Min. Theresa M. Odom-Surgick, Executive Director

On Friday, April 23rd at 7pm, there will be a Gospel Musical Drama entitled “Born to Die” depicting the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ - There is no admission

fee (free-will offering)

Saturday, April 24 beginning at 9:30am - 3:30pm there will be workshops:

Topics: 1. Opening General Session for All Attendees: The Essence of Praise and Worship - Instructor, Pastor Rhonda J. Ferguson of Remenant Empowerment Ministries, Cleveland, TN Breakout Classes following General Session: 2. Church Music Ministry for Music Directors, Ministers of Music, Praise Leaders, Choir Members: Instructor, Pastor Rhonda J. Ferguson 3. Mime is My Ministry: Sis. Tammy Thomas of St. John’s COGIC, Albany, NY 4. Puppets are My Ministry: Bro & Sis. Ernest Everett of Mount Moriah Ministries, Glenmont, NY 5. Dance is My Ministry: Tiffany Gabourel of Fort Washington, MD; Debra Hendron and Tomona Vanzant of Empire Christian Ctr. , Colonie,NY 6. Whose Line is it Anyways - Drama: Sis. Seirrah Hart & Krystal-Rose Surgick of Empire Christian Center, Colonie, NY

Registration Fee for workshops: $15/per person or $10/per person with group of 10 persons or more and $5/per child

Saturday, April 24 - 7pm Arts Concert: Youth Mass Choir, Plattsburgh State University

Choir, Liturgical Dance by Surinity Dance team of Cleveland, TN, ECC Anointed Voices and Much More - No Admission Fee (Free-Will offering)

FROM WALL STREET TO THE STREETS OF HAITISaint Rose Commencement to Feature CNBC Anchor and Haitian Health Foundation Leader. The College of Saint Rose will celebrate its 87th Annual Commencement with ad-dresses from groundbreaking CNBC anchor Maria Bartiromo and Dr. Jeremiah Lowney, founder and president of The Haitian Health Foundation, and by awarding degrees and certificates of advanced study to more than 1,700 sudents. Commencement will be held Saturday, May 8, at 10 a.m. at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center , Saratoga Spa State Park , Saratoga Springs . The College will award bachelor’s and master’s degrees from each of the four academic schools and certificates of advanced study from the Thelma P. Lally School of Education. In addition, Bartiromo and Lowney will receive honorary degrees. The Class of 2010 will join more than 28,000 alumni of Saint Rose, more than 50 percent of whom live and work in the Capital Region.

“Whether they are reporting on corporate America or seeing an endless stream of pa-tients, Maria Bartiromo and Dr. Jeremiah Lowney make the time to give back to the world community – Maria to many groups through her passion for financial literacy and raising money for several charities, Jeremiah to the medically underserved people of Haiti . It is truly a privilege for The College of Saint Rose to recognize Maria and Jeremiah for their contributions to the public good. I look forward to celebrating their accomplishments as well as those of the newest Saint Rose stars: our graduates, each of whom deserves our praise and support,” said Saint Rose President Dr. R. Mark Sullivan. Admission to the ceremony is by ticket only. Saint Rose will stream the ceremony live on the Web at http://its.strose.edu. Maria Bartiromo: In 1995, Bartiromo made history when she became the first journalist to report live from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on a daily basis. She covered breaking news for “Squawk Box,” the network’s unscripted and fast-paced business morn-ing program. Today, Bartiromo anchors CNBC’s “Closing Bell with Maria Bartiromo” and serves as host and managing editor of the nationally syndicated “Wall Street Journal Report with Maria Bartiromo,” recently rated the most atched financial news program in America . Bartiromo joined CNBC in 1993 after five years as a producer and assignment editor with CNN Business News. She has written weekly columns for BusinessWeek and Mi-lano Finanza, as well as monthly columns for Individual Investor, Ticker and Reader’s Digest magazines, and she has been published in the Financial Times, Newsweek, Town and Country, Registered Rep and the New York Post. Her first book, Use the News: How to Separate the Noise from the Investment Nuggets and Make Money in Any Economy (HarperCollins, 2001), was on the bestseller lists of The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and USA Today. Bartiromo’s latest book, The 10 Laws of Enduring Success, was published in March by Crown Business, a division of Random House Inc. In 2004, The Union League of Philadelphia honored Bartiromo with its prestigious Lin-coln Statue Award, for significant contributions to the U.S. Four years later, she received a Gracie Award® in the Outstanding Documentary category for her documentary “Greens-pan: Power, Money & the American Dream” and an Emmy in News and Documentary for her “Bailout Talks Collapse” coverage. This past December, the Financial Times featured Bartiromo as one of the “50 Who Shaped the Decade.” In addition, Bartiromo has been nominated for a CableACE Award and a Gerald Loeb Award for Distinguished Business and Financial Journalism

Even with her many anchoring and reporting duties, Bartiromo makes time for civic and community service. In addition to serving on the New York University board of trustees, she is on the board of the Girl Scout Council of Greater New York as well as PENCIL (Pub-lic Education Needs Civic Involvement and Leadership), a non-profit group focused on improving New York high schools. Bartiromo also is a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum and a member of The Council on Foreign Relations and the board of governors of the Columbus Citizens Foundation. Dr. Jeremiah Lowney: The umbrella of care provided by The Haitian Health Foundation brings health services, hope and the opportunity of a future to over 225,000 of the poor-est and most broken people in more than 100 rural mountain villages. The foundation’s roots stretch back to 1982 when Lowney, a Connecticut orthodontist, traveled to Port au Prince to provide free dental care to the poor. After working for three years in Port au Prince and other areas of Haiti with Mother Teresa’s Sisters of Charity, Mother Teresa requested that Lowney move his small group’s outreach to the rural city of Jérémie in southwest Haiti , an area that suffers a dearth of health care.

Lowney’s volunteer effort developed into an outpatient health care facility called “Klinik Pep Bondye-a,” an outstanding public health outreach to mountain villages, house and latrine construction for the poorest villagers, animal distribution, feeding facilities, educa-tion support and other programs. Lowney has been practicing orthodontics since 1966, after a stint as Dental Officer in the U.S. Navy Dental Corps. He also serves as an adjunct professor in the Department of Community Health at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. Committed to continuing education, he maintains active memberships with such professional orga-nizations as the American Dental Association, American Association of Orthodontists, Northeast Society of Orthodontists and the Connecticut State Society of Orthodontists. Lowney is a Fellow of the American College of Dentists and the International College of Dentists.


(l-r) Kevin McNamara, Grey Smith, Sandra Wallace, Owner: Russell Parker, Allison Pat-ton, Consultant: Sheldon Goddard, David Abrukin, Daniel Marabi

272 Lark St. & 681 Western Ave., Albany 482-5623, [email protected]

After 32 years of experience as a highly qualified IRS Agent, Russell Parker retired from employment in 2002 and established his privately owned business at 681 Western Ave. Today he works out of 2 locations: the Western Ave. address, and at 272 Lark Street where he proudly watched the golden let-ters of The Russell Parker Tax Accounting Firm sign goes up in February 2010.

Russell read an article printed in the USA Today Newspaper on March 18, 2010, which stated that the average cost for Fed-eral and State preparations were $129 with-out itemized deductions, and $229 with itemized deductions. The Russell Parker Tax Accounting Firm will prepare these same tax returns for a flat fee of $85 with-out any additional hidden costs or fees.

For 8 years Russell Parker was a coordinator for an IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, and for the last 11 years he has provided free tax counseling and tax returns preparation for the Albany Damien Center, which is a community center for individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS in the Capital Region.

The firm also offers valuable experience to college students by providing an informal in-ternship. The above picture includes current and past SUNYA students who have partici-pated in this internship.

RUSSELL PARKER TAX ACCOUNTING FIRM


Entire Chicago HS Graduating Class Going to College

All 107 students in the first graduating class of Chicago high school Urban Prep are heading to college. Founded in 2006, the all-male, all-African-American charter school in Englewood that emphasizes a uniform of em-broidered blazers and ties, set out to improve its students odds of getting in to college and getting ahead.

“There were those who told me that you can’t defy the data,” Tim King, founder and CEO of school told Chicago Tribune. “Black boys are killed. Black boys drop out of high school. Black boys go to jail. Black boys don’t go to college. Black boys don’t graduate from college. They were wrong.”

To celebrate the achievements of the Class of 2010, Chicago’s Mayor Rich-ard Daley and the city schools chief Ron Huberman surprised the student body at their Friday morning assembly meeting, where school officials told the class that they would be rewarded with a free prom.

When the senior class started high school, only four percent of them could read at grade level. Now they are all off to 72 schools--including Howard University , Rutgers University, University of Illinois and DePaul Universi-ty--around the country.

“I’m them,” the school’s director Kenneth Hutchinson--who hails from the inner-city Chicago neighborhood where Urban Prep is based--told the Tri-bune. “Being accepted to college is the first step to changing their lives and their communities.”

God Speaks While I am Sleeping(Sunday morning)

On Sunday, I do not want to crawl out of my bed.At 6 A.M., my body does not want to move,

Resting from graded students’ papers with D’s and F’s scribbledin red the night before.

Outside birds hum, the morning is quiet, The miniature dachshund sleeps.Lord, I say, this rest is needed. This is essential.

I’ll go to church next Sunday.

Didn’t I wake you, he replies. Just because, You are tired doesn’t meanI won’t replenish your spirits or calm your soul., I’ll give you one hour to get up and dress for the singing and praying and preaching in my

House where I am more real and therapeutic than any dreams you’ll ever have.

Leonard A. Slade, Jr., Copyright© 2010

POETRY CORNER


A Century of Service

In CSEA’s nearly 100 years of history, Beulah Bailey Thull truly stands out among the union’s leaders. Her 1934-35 tenure as president of the association remains as the only time a woman served in that position. But Bailey Thull’s contributions throughout her years of involvement were not mere window-dressing, they were significant and substantive.

A graduate of Cornell University at a time when few women even attended college, Bailey Thull was an activist for women’s right to vote, a founder of the New York State League of Women Voters, Rensselaer County historian, and by the time of her involvement in the Association of State Civil Service Employees (as CSEA was then

known), a leading expert on tax policy.

It was through this expertise that she cultivated contact with Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelt which led to his tacit recognition of the association as a legitimate representative of state employees, paving the way for tremendous growth and accomplishment.

During Bailey Thull’s term of office, the association pioneered a voluntary group

insurance program, enrolled state institutional employees and made strong advances in

improving the working lives of all state employees – All milestone achievements

that endure to the present day.

HistoricalFiguresSeries_Beulah_10x7.indd 1 3/4/10 8:46 AM

Have you Missed President Obama’s Accomplishments So Far? Interesting article on Obama for those who think he has done nothing. The media is not our friend and remember, the revolution will NOT be televised. The brother is BAD and I mean it in a good way. Let’s continue to keep him in prayer. God is not through with him yet. I am always being asked to grade Obama’s presidency. In place of offering him a grade, I put together a list of his accomplishments thus far. I think you would agree that it is very impres-sive. His first six months have been even more active than FDRs or LBJs the two standards for such assessments. Yet, there is little media attention given to much of what he has done. Of late, the media is focusing almost exclusively on Obama’s critics, without holding them responsible for the uncivil, unconstructive tone of their disagreements or without holding the previous administration responsible for getting us in such a deep hole. The misinformation and venom that now passes for political reporting and civic debate is beyond description.

As such, there is a need to set the record straight. What most impresses me is the fact that Obama has accomplished so much not from a heavy-handed or top-down approach but from a style that has institutionalized efforts to reach across the aisle, encourage vigorous debate, and utilize town halls and panels of experts in the policy-making process. Beyond the ac-complishments, the process is good for democracy and our democratic processes have been battered and bruised in recent years.

Let me know if I missed anything in the list (surely I did).

“Robert P. Watson, Ph.D. Coordinator of American Studies Lynn University “Email: [email protected] President Barack Obama has:

1. Ordered all federal agencies to undertake a study and make recommendations for ways to cut spending2. Ordered a review of all federal operations to identify and cut wasteful spending and prac-tices3. Instituted enforcement for equal pay for women4. Beginning the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq5. Families of fallen soldiers have expenses covered to be on hand when the body arrives at

Dover AFB6. Ended media blackout on war casualties; reporting full information7. Ended media blackout on covering the return of fallen soldiers to Dover AFB; the media is now permitted to do so pending adherence to respectful rules and approval of fallen soldier’s family8. The White House and federal government are respecting the Freedom of Information Act9. Instructed all federal agencies to promote openness and transparency as much as possible10. Limits on lobbyist’s access to the White House11. Limits on White House aides working for lobbyists after their tenure in the administration12. Ended the previous stop-loss policy that kept soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan longer than their enlistment date13. Phasing out the expensive F-22 war plane and other outdated weapons systems, which weren’t even used or needed in Iraq/Afghanistan14. Removed restrictions on embryonic stem-cell research15. Federal support for stem-cell and new biomedical research16. New federal funding for science and research labs17. States are permitted to enact federal fuel efficiency standards above federal standards18.. Increased infrastructure spending (roads, bridges, power plants) after years of neglect19. Funds for high-speed, broadband Internet access to K-12 schools20. New funds for school construction21. The prison at Guantanamo Bay is being phased out22. US Auto industry rescue plan23. Housing rescue plan24. $789 billion economic stimulus plan25. The public can meet with federal housing insurers to refinance (the new plan can be com-pleted in one day) a mortgage if they are having trouble paying26. US financial and banking rescue plan27. The secret detention facilities in Eastern Europe and elsewhere are being closed28. Ended the previous policy; the US now has a no torture policy and is in compliance with the Geneva Convention standards29. Better body armor is now being provided to our troops30. The missile defense program is being cut by $1.4 billion in 201031. Restarted the nuclear nonproliferation talks and building back up the nuclear inspection infrastructure/protocols32. Reengaged in the treaties/agreements to protect the Antarctic33. Reengaged in the agreements/talks on global warming and greenhouse gas emissions34. Visited more countries and met with more world leaders than any president in his first six months in office35. Successful release of US captain held by Somali pirates; authorized the SEALS to do their job


If you don’t want to miss what’s happening around town, we’re your go-to.

Your Community Paper.Told ya.

The carnival schedule was

on page 2.

BaptismWater was poured over his head,Voices in unison rejoiced in song.

He returned to his seatAt the high altar

Soaked with the spiritHis left hand on his wife’s thighOne with his wife in the flesh

A new creature now one with Christ.

Leonard A. Slade, Jr., Copyright© 2010

POETRY CORNER36. US Navy increasing patrols off Somali coast37. Attractive tax write-offs for those who buy hybrid automobiles38. Cash for clunkers program offers vouchers to trade in fuel inefficient, polluting old cars for new cars; stimulated auto sales39. Announced plans to purchase fuel efficient American-made fleet for the federal govern-ment40. Expanded the SCHIP program to cover health care for 4 million more children41. Signed national service legislation; expanded national youth service program42. Instituted a new policy on Cuba , allowing Cuban families to return home to visit loved ones43. Ended the previous policy of not regulating and labeling carbon dioxide emissions44. Expanding vaccination programs45. Immediate and efficient response to the floods in North Dakota and other natural disasters46. Closed offshore tax safe havens47. Negotiated deal with Swiss banks to permit US government to gain access to records of tax evaders and criminals48. Ended the previous policy of offering tax benefits to corporations who outsource Ameri-can jobs; the new policy is to promote in-sourcing to bring jobs back49. Ended the previous practice of protecting credit card companies; in place of it are new consumer protections from credit card industry’s predatory practices50. Energy producing plants must begin preparing to produce 15% of their energy from re-newable sources51. Lower drug costs for seniors52. Ended the previous practice of forbidding Medicare from negotiating with drug manu-facturers for cheaper drugs; the federal government is now realizing hundreds of millions in savings53. Increasing pay and benefits for military personnel54. Improved housing for military personnel55. Initiating a new policy to promote federal hiring of military spouses56. Improved conditions at Walter Reed Military Hospital and other military hospitals57. Increasing student loans58. Increasing opportunities in AmeriCorps program59. Sent envoys to Middle East and other parts of the world that had been neglected for years; reengaging in multilateral and bilateral talks and diplomacy60. Established a new cyber security office61. Beginning the process of reforming and restructuring the military 20 years after the Cold War to a more modern fighting force; this includes new procurement policies, increasing size of military, new technology and cyber units and operations, etc.62. Ended previous policy of awarding no-bid defense contracts63. Ordered a review of hurricane and natural disaster preparedness64. Established a National Performance Officer charged with saving the federal government money and making federal operations more efficient65. Students struggling to make college loan payments can have their loans refinanced66. Improving benefits for veterans67. Many more press conferences and town halls and much more media access than previous administration68. Instituted a new focus on mortgage fraud69. The FDA is now regulating tobacco70. Ended previous policy of cutting the FDA and circumventing FDA rules71. Ended previous practice of having White House aides rewrite scientific and environmental rules, regulations, and reports72. Authorized discussions with North Korea and private mission by Pres. Bill Clinton to secure the release of two Americans held in prisons73. Authorized discussions with Myanmar and mission by Sen. Jim Web to secure the release of an American held captive74. Making more loans available to small businesses75. Established independent commission to make recommendations on slowing the costs of Medicare76. Appointment of first Latina to the Supreme Court77. Authorized construction/opening of additional health centers to care for veterans78. Limited salaries of senior White House aides; cut to $100,00079. Renewed loan guarantees for Israel80. Changed the failing/status quo military command in Afghanistan81. Deployed additional troops to Afghanistan82. New Afghan War policy that limits aerial bombing and prioritizes aid, development of infrastructure, diplomacy, and good government practices by Afghans83. Announced the long-term development of a national energy grid with renewable sources and cleaner, efficient energy production84. Returned money authorized for refurbishment of White House offices and private living quarters85. Paid for redecoration of White House living quarters out of his own pocket 86. Held first Seder in White House87. Attempting to reform the nation’s healthcare system which is the most expensive in the world yet leaves almost 50 million without health insurance and millions more under insured88. Has put the ball in play for comprehensive immigration reform89. Has announced his intention to push for energy reform90. Has announced his intention to push for education reform

Oh, and he built a swing set for the girls outside the Oval Office

...Have You Missed President Obama’s Accomplishments So Far?


“An Evening with Melba Moore”

“An Evening with Melba Moore” is a benefit concert for the Hamilton Hill Arts Center. Melba Moore is a Tony Award winning, Grammy Nominated

Singer and Artist who has mesmerized audiences for over 30 years. A deeply spiritual person, Melba is a strong advocate for children and is proud to be a part of this wonderful event. Please join us for Melba Moore’s debut

concert in Schenectady, NY at the Proctor’s GE Theater.

Tickets are available online or at the Proctors box office for $25.Visit www.tickets.proctors.org

Does your business or organization value the arts and believe in build-

ing stronger communities. Consider becoming a sponsor!!! Sponsorship information is available on our website or by emailing info@hamilton-

hillartscenter.org. Becoming a sponsor is a great way to promote your busi-ness and help your community.

Individual and business sponsors are invited to a special VIP reception with

Melba Moore. Sponsorships start at $100.00

AmeriCAn HeArT AssoCiATion rAPid ACCess jour-nAl rePorT: Walking associated with lower stroke risk in women...

DALLAS, April 6, 2010 — Women who walked two or more hours a week or who usually walked at a brisk pace (3 miles per hour or faster) had a significantly lower risk of stroke than women who didn’t walk, accord-ing to a large, long-term study reported in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association. The risks were lower for total stroke, clot-related (ischemic) stroke and bleeding (hemorrhagic) stroke, researchers said. Compared to women who didn’t walk:•Women who usually walked at a brisk pace had a 37 percent lower risk of any type of stroke and those who walked two or more hours a week had a 30 percent lower risk of any type of stroke.

•Women who typically walked at a brisk pace had a 68 percent lower risk of hemorrhagic stroke and those who walked two or more hours a week had a 57 percent lower risk of hemorrhagic stroke.

•Women who usually walked at a brisk pace had a 25 percent lower risk of ischemic stroke and those who usually walked more than two hours a week had a 21 percent lower risk of ischemic stroke — both “borderline significant,” according to researchers.

“Physical activity, including regular walking, is an important modifiable behavior for stroke prevention,” said Jacob R. Sattelmair, M.Sc., lead author and doctoral candidate in epidemiology at Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, Mass. “Physical activity is essential to promoting cardiovascular health and reducing risk of cardiovascular disease, and walking is one way of achieving physical activity.” More physically active people generally have a lower risk of stroke than the least active, with more-active persons having a 25 percent to 30 percent lower risk for all strokes, ac-cording to previous studies.“Though the exact relationship among different types of physical activity and different stroke subtypes remains unclear, the results of this specific study indicate that walking, in particular, is associated with lower risk of stroke,” Sattelmair said.Researchers followed 39,315 U.S. female health professionals (average age 54, predomi-nantly white) participating in the Women’s Health Study. Every two to three years, par-ticipants reported their leisure-time physical activity during the past year — specifically time spent walking or hiking, jogging, running, biking, doing aerobic exercise/aerobic dance, using exercise machines, playing tennis/squash/racquetball, swimming, doing yoga and stretching/toning. No household, occupational activity or sedentary behaviors were assessed.

They also reported their usual walking pace as no walking, casual (about 2 mph), normal (2–2.9 mph), brisk (3–3.9 mph) or very brisk (4 mph). Sattelmair noted that walking pace can be assessed objectively or in terms of the level of exertion, using a heart rate monitor, self-perceived exertion, “or a crude estimate such as the ‘talk test’ – wherein, for a brisk pace, you should be able to talk but not able to sing. If you cannot talk, slow down a bit. If you can sing, walk a bit faster.”During 11.9 years of follow-up, 579 women had a stroke (473 were ischemic, 102 were hemorrhagic and four were of unknown type).

The women who were most active in their leisure time activities were 17 percent less likely to have any type of stroke compared to the least-active women. Researchers didn’t find a link between vigorous activity and reduced stroke risk. The rea-son is unclear, but they suspect that too few women reported vigorous activity in the study to get an accurate picture and/or that moderate-intensity activity may be more effective at lowering blood pressure as suggested by some previous research. Stroke is the third leading cause of death and a leading cause of serious disability in the United States, so it’s important to identify modifiable risk factors for primary prevention, Sattelmair said.

An inverse association between physical activity and stroke risk is consistent across gen-


ders. But there tend to be differences between men and women regarding stroke risk and physical activity patterns.

“The exact relation between walking and stroke risk identified in this study is not directly generalizable to men,” Sattelmair said. “In previous studies, the relation between walking and stroke risk among men has been inconsistent.”

The study is limited because it was observational and physical activity was self-reported. But strengths are that it was large and long-term with detailed information on physical activity, he said.

Further study is needed on more hemorrhagic strokes and with more ethnically diverse women, Sattelmair said.The American Heart Association recommends for substantial health benefits, adults should do at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity or a combination.

Co-authors are: Tobias Kurth, M.D., Sc.D.; Julie E. Buring, Sc.D.; and I-Min Lee, M.B.B.S., Sc.D. Individual author disclosures are on the manuscript.The National Institutes of Health support-ed the study.

Editor’s note: The American Heart Associa-tion’s Start! initiative is celebrating National Start! Walking Day on Wednesday, April 7 by encouraging all Americans to grab their sneakers and get moving! Walking for as lit-tle as 30 minutes a day will improve circula-tion, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and promote weight loss. Find a local Start! Walking Path near you by visiting www.startwalkingnow.org.

Statements and conclusions of study au-thors published in American Heart Asso-ciation scientific journals are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the association’s policy or position. The association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. The association receives funding primarily from individuals; foundations and corpo-rations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations and fund specific associa-tion programs and events. The association has strict policies to prevent these relation-ships from influencing the science content. Revenues from pharmaceutical and device corporations are available at www.ameri-canheart.org/corporatefunding.

NR10-1060 (Stroke/Sattelmair) Contact Information: Sattelmair can be reached at [email protected]. (Please do not publish contact informa-tion.)

Additional Resources:•For more information on physical activity, click here: Exercise and Fitness•For more information on stroke, visit the American Stroke Association Web site: strokeassociation.org.•Downloadable video stock footage and animation which includes physical activity may be found at http://americanheart.me-diaroom.com/ then click “multimedia.”

Dr. King Career FairThursday, April 15, 2010

1:00 pm - 5:00 pmEmpire State Plaza Convention Center

Albany, New York

Meet with businesses about employment opportunities.Talk with training providers about updating your skills.

The State of New York is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.

Registration and Workshops begin at 12:00 p.m.

1-888-4-NYSDOL www.labor.ny.govContact the New York State Department of Labor for more information.

Workshop #1: Career Fair SuccessMeeting Room 4

Meeting Room 5

...Walking associated with lower stroke risk in women...

Albany High School’s award winning* Theatre Ensemble presents

“INTO THE WOODS”Stephen Sondheim’s twisted take on Grimm’s fairy tales

Directed by Ward Dales

Thursday, April 29 • 7pmFriday, April 30 • 7pmSaturday, May 1 • 7pm

Sunday, May 2 • 2pm

Albany High School, 700 Washington Avenue

Tickets:Adults $15 at the door or $13 if purchased by April 23 •Students and seniors $5

Advance-sale tickets: contact Nan Weltz at 928-8620 or [email protected]. You also can mail checks payable to the Albany High Theater Ensemble to Albany High School

c/o Jeff Weltz, 700 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12203.

classique magazine april 2010 issue

Documents

information technology

african american woman

technology annette

processing information

county history

nassau county

african americans

young african american