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POV_April_1_2015_POV_April_1_2015 3/26/2015 5:01 PM Page 1 AfAm Your VOICE Your COMMUNITY POINT OF VIEW Your POINT OF VIEW www.afampov.com Our Community News Magazine april 1, 2015 AFRICAN AMERICANS AND AUTISM: WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW CHAIRMAN “…one statistic that directly affects the African American community will go often unmentioned. African American children experience on aver- JEFFREY E. age an 18 month diagnostic disparity behind their counterparts. Why is this significant? Because early intervention services end at age three.” By Jacqueline Williams-Hines – 14 POINDEXTER, TOGETHER WE CAN FIGHT SUB- STANCE ABUSE “Nearly 1,000 people in Massachusetts died of ESQUIRE unintentional opioid overdoses in 2013, more than double the number of motor vehicle deaths By Frederick A. Hurst and a 46 percent increase over the previous year.” By Senator Eric P. Lesser – 17 ongratulations to Attorney Jeffrey E. Poindexter for APPRECIATING COMMITTED breeching a barrier that I never expected would be LIVES Cbreeched in my lifetime. When I was growing up, the “I will remember the commitment demonstrated Greater Springfield YMCA board membership was off limits by others who cared little about fortune and fame, for Black folks with the occasional exception. The title itself but rather cared about improving the quality of life for our people and, by extension, our nation projected a sterile, white male image that for Black folks, read as a whole.” “keep out.” Lists of its all-white, male Board of Directors had By Dr. Donald Brown – 24 always read like a who’s who in area power circles. And until OP-ED recently there had never been a significant effort to change “While weaving together a feeble logic intended things. That is until its Chief Executive Officer Kirk Smith ar- to educate the leaders of Iran on the virtues of our constitutional system of government, this gang of rived on the scene. 47 has openly allowed their personal animus for Attorney Jeffrey E. Poindexter the President to undermine our system of govern- continues to page 15 ment and its national security by directly inter- fering with diplomatic relations.” By Victor Woolridge – 27 “BLACK LEADER?” BELIEVE AGAIN “God, I believe that as long as you reign there is WHAT’S THAT? still a glimmer of hope. I choose to prove you right. The laughter of the birds, the playing of By Frederick A. Hurst squirrels and the warmth of the sun reminds us s I write this follow-up arti- true. Nor did it matter that it probably of your resurrected power.” By Dr. Atu White – 28 cle on Black leadership, I’m needed to be written. All that mat- reminded of Dr. E. Franklin tered to them was that he publicly ex- MUSINGS ON SOCIAL JUSTICE A “Here are white men poised to run big marijuana Frazier who wrote the book “Black posed a way of life among his peers businesses, dreaming of cashing in big – after 40 Bourgeoisie.” Frazier was a distin- that he accurately documented as su- years of impoverished black kids getting prison guished sociology professor at perficial. And he was never forgiven time for selling weed, and their families and fu- Howard University in Washington, for this perceived public social re- tures destroyed. Now white men are planning to D.C. His book explored what he saw buke of the Black “elite” of his time. get rich doing precisely the same thing?” By Zaida Govan as the hyper-inflated pretentiousness As I resume the task of writing (quoting Michelle Alexander) – 34 of the Black “middle class” and was about “Black leaders,” I feel a little JACKIE ROBINSON ATHLETICS AND so explosive that Frazier’s own bit like Dr. Frazier must have felt as RECREATION COMPLEX Howard University colleagues black- he was putting revealing words on “The University of California at Los Angeles… balled him until the day he died. It paper that he had to know would subject, the subject of Black leader- announced that it is naming a series of recreation ship can be a political minefield and and athletics facilities in honor of Jackie Robin- didn’t matter to his detractors that make many of his peers “uncomfort- son, the legendary four sport Bruin star who went much of what he wrote about was able.” Like his Black bourgeoisie continues to page 15 on to break the color barrier in Major League Please visit, follow, subscribe, comment, like, tweet, read or explore www.facebook.com/ https://plus.google.com/ www.twitter.com/ Baseball…” AfAmPointofView +PointofViewSpringfield AfAmPointofView By Black Sports International – 36 on our website at: www.afampointofview.com or www.afampov.com POV_April_1_2015_POV_April_1_2015 3/26/2015 5:01 PM Page 2 afam point of view page two april 1, 2015 CITY OF BRIDGEPORT I would like to thank everyone who helped make the 2015 Business Expo a success. A special thanks to our generous financial sponsors International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers #488 & Viking Construction. Without your support this event would not have been possible. Last but not least Bill Finch, Mayor Deborah A. Caviness, Senior Program City of Bridgeport, CT THANK YOU to all the businesses that participated. Administrator, Office of the Mayor Small & Minority Business Resource Office 2015 BUSINESS EXPO EXHIBITORS Absolutely Fabulous Photography Earth Environmental Consultants O& G Industries Advantage Payroll Services Energize Connecticut Operation Fuel African American Point of View Epifano Builders Olivier Kpognon Photography Albertus Magnus College Erection Welding Optimus Health Care Alliant Insurance Falcon Advertising Qwik Pack & Ship All About Ties Fusco Corporation Paradise Organic Drinks Allure Dental Group GBAPP Park City Communities Aries Construction General Assembly Bridgeport Delegation Peoples United Bank Aron Security Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority Posh Kids Boutique Bismark Construction Hall Neighborhood House Preventive Health Care Solutions Black Chamber of Commerce HEDCO Posigen Solar Solutions Bridgeport Landing Development Home Depot SBA Bridgeport Neighborhood Trust HPS Enterprises Score BPT-OIC IHC International Sister Soldier Environmental Cleaning C.A. Howard & Associates IMEL Productions Springboard Consulting Cablevision of CT Inner City News State Farm Insurance CEDF International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Southwest Community Health Center City of Bridgeport: CitiStat Jewelry of Less The Back Stroke City of Bridgeport: Fire Department Juneteenth of Fairfield County Tiaa Cref City of Bridgeport : Police Department KDC Jewelry Tree Tim’s Enterprises City of Bridgeport: Minority Business Resources KenChar Natural & Organic Products Tri-State Realty Community Capital McBride Electrical Contractors Trinity Consultants CT PTAP McLo Designs & Graphics True Image Apparel CT Dept. of Consumer Protection Metric Restaurant United States Postal Service CT Department of Labor Morganti Construction Viking Construction CT Office of Tourism Nantes Solutions WDJZ Radio Station David Lerner Associates New England Ballet Company Xcetera by Moochie DECD Neighborhood Revitalization Zones Your Mind in Bloom Doctor’s Express Nutmeg Planners Zanni Ani Organic Gourmet Snacks POV_April_1_2015_POV_April_1_2015 3/26/2015 5:01 PM Page 3 afam point of view page three april 1, 2015 BUSINESS & FINANCE AN AFRICAN AMERICAN Point of View Financial Cents................................................................................................10 688 Boston Road, Springfield, MA 01119 Social Media Marketing ..................................................................................10 Phone: (413) 796-1500 ● Fax: (413) 796-6100 CLASSIFIED....................................................................................................35 CON E-mail: [email protected] ● Website: www.afampointofview.com CON www.facebook.com/ https://plus.google.com/ www.twitter.com/ COMMUNITY AfAmPointofView +PointofViewSpringfield AfAmPointofView Call to the Cause .............................................................................................16 Point of View is a monthly news journal with an African American orientation. It is distributed Community Focus – CT.............................................................................42-43 free to select locations in Hampden and Hampshire counties and in Connecticut. Letters, Community Focus – Springfield................................................................18-20 articles and comments appearing in the newspaper reflect the opinions of the contributors Congratulations Corner ...................................................................................30 and do not constitute an endorsement by POV and are subject to editing. POV assumes no Events ............................................................................................................. 41 responsibility for photos, articles, letters, press releases or unsolicited materials. Decisions as to the editing and publishing of material are based on space availability and the discretion Good News..................................................................................................... 30 of the publisher and editor. Distribution locations are listed on our web site. POV assumes Latin@ Groove................................................................................................18 no financial responsibility for failure to publish an advertisement, incorrect placement or ty- Leadership Pioneer Valley ..............................................................................16 pographical errors in its publication. Advertisers are solely responsible for the