Freedom Marches on Through Finding Our Folk Tour
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Lighting The Road To Freedom Brass Bands & Data Zone Secondlines What’s it all about? Page 8 “The People’s Paper” February 25, 2006 39th Year Volume 35 www.ladatanews.com The Soul of New Orleans Freedom Marches On Through Finding Our Folk Tour Page Newsmaker Inside Data Mayor’s Race Heats Up! Shani Davis Skates Field of Contestants into History Grows Page 5 Page 4 Page February 5, 006 New Orleans Data News Weekly www.ladatanews.com COVER STORY Members of the Finding Our Folk tour on their New Orleans stop. The March for Freedom Rides On By: Edwin Buggage ecently we lost a luminary figure in Coretta Scott King, wife of young people, but in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina a group of Rslain leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Martin Luther King young people are setting out to change that perception. Jr. a man who articulated the struggle for equality giving it a voice Finding Our Folk is a group of young people traveling around the that’s been heard throughout the world and today is honored with a country by bus in the spirit of the freedom riders of the 1960’s creating holiday in his name. awareness about the plight of the survivors of the worst natural Since his death some say the level of activism has decreased since disaster in modern history. Albert Sykes is one of the chief organizers the famed days of the Civil Rights Movement. Some would go further of the Finding Our Folk tour. He may seem like an unlikely candidate and say there is a vacuum in the area of leadership, particularly among of what some would think an activist is supposed to look like. Sykes is Continued next page. DATA NEWS WEEKLY Mailing Address: PO Box 5033, Atlanta, GA 30302 INSIDE DATA (404) 223-5958 Fax (404) 223-5491 [email protected] Editorial & Business Office: 170 Northside Drive, Suite 506, Atlanta, GA 30313 State & Local Trailblazer Cheryl Mainor News Managing Editor Art Direction Cover page 6 Terry B. Jones & Production CEO/Publisher Contributors Paul Mainor for page 4 Edwin Buggage MainorMedia Jawna Williams Cheryl Mainor Business Manager, Jesse Jackson Contributing Story Opinion Advertising Director Glenn Summers Photographers National News Sandra Isley Christopher Mercadel Renetta Perry Lloyd Dennis Glenn Summers page 10 & 13 Editor-in-Chief Eric Joseph Reginald Mitchell Jr. page page 11 Zenitha Prince James Terry III NNPA Newswire Newsmaker Data Zone Special Report Please call (404) 223-5958 for subscription information. Dated material two weeks in advance. Not responsible for publishing page 5 page 8 page 14 or return of unsolicited manuscripts or photos. www.ladatanews.com New Orleans Data News Weekly February 5, 006 Page 3 Continued from previous page. young, black, with a gold toothed we have Civil Rights elders who smile, and hip hop swagger, but he teach people how to organize in is also armed with determination, their communities, and onsite we intelligence and the charisma of have spiritual and mental health many of his predecessors in the professionals that help people march towards freedom, fairness who need that as well.” and equality. They feel this multifaceted As the tour stopped in New approach is necessary and in line Orleans and as the sounds of the with how the struggle for civil Hot 8 Brass band blared, and the rights needs to be addressed in Black Men of Labor and many this our digital age so they have others second lined down Oretha a website called findingourfolk. Castle Haley Boulevard he stood org. They believe many young people are using newer RU021906AA_6_37x10 2/14/06 3:07 PM Page 1 mediums to deal with and Veteran New Orleans activist Fred Johnson supports Finding Our Folk fight the age old problem of injustice; a fact sometimes overlooked by some says New Orleans resident and long time activist and Finding Our Folk supporter Fred Johnson. Who himself in the early 1970’s was as a member of the Afro- American Society took SAVE $300 part in a demonstration consisting of primarily students they marched on 99 the School Board to make 399 Martin Luther King Jr. After Mail-In Rebates HDTV Ready birthday a holiday. He feels that young Finding Our Folk Organizer Albert Sykes shows that people are doing things but young people have a major contribution to make to the 23" WXGA LCD TV community it’s generally overlooked widescreen flat panel by the media who often by on the median observing and portrays young people in a discussing the goals of the tour, negative light. “We have young and his road into activism. “I like people who are doing things, EXCLUSIVE many others sat and watched but this is a new struggle, the NEW! for several days as the city filled times are different and how we BUILT-IN TV TUNER with water and by looking at the deal with these problems are OLEVIA 23" Flat Panel LCD TV Monitor response I observed something different.” He continues, “But too Model LT23HVX 942-624 699.99 In Store Price - 200.00 OD wasn’t right. Then myself and often what happens is that there Mail-In Rebate - 100.00 Mfr Mail-In some others who I worked with is not enough emphasis on what’s Rebate = 399.99 After Mail-In Rebates Side View in the Young People’s Project got going on that’s positive in our together to see how we as young community instead so much of people could get involved and give what’s negative is highlighted.” % our perspective.” With that the But that has not stopped the Save Over 50 genesis of the Finding Our Folk Finding Our Folk tour bus from on Sandisk MP3 Players After Mail-In Rebates 512MB tour was set in motion. rolling through towns informing As the tour ensued their bus and enlightening people that SAVE $50 After Mail-In has made several stops in the young people are on the move 99 Rebates Southern Region, among them and on the rise and fighting for 29 Houston, Baton Rouge, New the people in the Gulf Region. SANDISK® Sansa™ 512MB MP3 Player Orleans, and his native state of That in fact there is an antidote to 918-120/544-514 Actual capacity may vary. While supplies last. Mississippi. Sykes says, “Initially the misconception that all young 79.99 In Store Price - 40.00 OD Mail-In Rebate we wanted to go throughout the people are apathetic and don’t - 10.00 Mfr Mail-In Rebate = 29.99 After Mail-In Rebates South and document and bring care about the community. Young $ attention to the stories of the organizers like Albert Sykes SAVE 40 survivors and what they went along with many others are a new through.” Their program is a breed of activists armed with the 99 FREE® After Mail-In Memorex 128MB USB Drive Rebate multifaceted one that uses both knowledge passed on by Fred With purchase of ANY media spindle (475-634, a $19.99 value) Available in store only. 19 traditional activism blended with Johnson and other veteran civil more technologically sophisticated rights activist. 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They have 332-629 *†Call Waiting/Caller ID service required program consists of by saying “In the passion and fortitude of those Available in store only. from your local telephone company. our tour we start with breakfast, who came before them, recently 3 WAYS 1.800.GO DEPOT officedepot.com 1.800.GO DEPOT then we have story circle where the first part of their tour ended (1.800.463.3768) AOL keyword: (1.800.463.3768) to TO SHOP: CALL CLICK COME BY people share what their feeling and these young people with fax: 1.800.685.5010 officedepot locate a store near you and going through, plus we have Finding Our Folk have shown the NASCAR® is a registered trademark of The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. workshops.” Sykes continues, “We march towards freedom, justice Prices and offers expire 2/25/06 (unless otherwise noted). Some products and offers may be available in store only. Quantities limited to in-stock items only. have digital storytelling where and equality will continue in the The name Office Depot and the Office Depot logo are registered trademarks of The Office Club, Inc. survivors can record their stories, days to come. Page February 5, 006 New Orleans Data News Weekly www.ladatanews.com STATE & LOCAL NEWS Mitch Landrieu to take on Return for New Orleans Nagin for N.O. Top Spot Poorest Not Clear Yet by Cheryl Mainor hasn’t been a factor In a firestorm of controversy During that same HANO in mayoral elections surrounding statements made committee meeting where the in the city since the by New Orleans City Council controversial statements were departure of Landrieu’s President and other members delivered, officials with HANO father Moon Landrieu of the Council, which were shared their plans. It is clear that in 1978. Landrieu’s interpreted by many as an some residents who lived in public place in this race will unwelcoming back to the city housing before the storm will be potentially define the by those in public housing on able to return.