www.mississippilink.com VOL. 23, NO. 10 DECEMBER 29 - JANUARY 4, 2016 50¢ Happy New Year from the Mississippi Link For some girls, First Lady rivals Beyonce’ With final press briefing as a role model of 2016, president Obama reflects on his record By Freddie Allen Managing Editor/NNPA Newswire President Barack Obama used his last press conference of the year to reflect on the accomplish- ments of his administration over the past eight years. “As I was preparing to take of- This April 20, 2016 file photo shows First Lady Michelle Obama giving fice, the unemployment rate was a hug to a child during the annual White House Take Our Daughters on its way to 10 percent. Today, and Sons to Work Day event attended by the children of Executive Of- it’s at 4.6 percent – the lowest in fice employees, young people from Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, nearly a decade,” said Obama. SchoolTalk, and the D.C. Child and Family Services Agency, in the East “We’ve seen the longest streak of Room of the White House in Washington. The feel-good initiatives of First job growth on record, and wages Lady Michelle Obama have served as both inspiration and eight years of have grown faster over the past teaching moments for many families. AP PHOTO/JACQUELYN MARTIN few years than at any time in the past 40.” By Leanne Italie life and be happy.” Even as the economy ap- Associated Press Her dad is a retired Army proaches full employment, how- NEW YORK – Healthy food colonel and the teen admires ever, the black unemployment and plenty of exercise. The Mrs. Obama’s shout-out for rate (8.1 percent) is almost twice challenges military families military families. And when the white unemployment rate face. Education for girls around the First Lady put in the White (4.2 percent), according to the President Obama speaks during his last press conference of 2016 at The White House. FREDDIE ALLEN/AMG/NNPA the globe. House garden, “it made me Labor Department; a gap that has The feel-good initiatives of think about eating better food persisted since the federal gov- 20 million of them,” said Obama. of asthma, diabetes and cardio- whites, and black males have the first lady Michelle Obama have and losing weight,” Inara said. ernment started collecting sepa- “For the first time in our history, vascular disease. shortest life expectancy com- served as both inspiration and “Without her I’m not sure I rate jobs’ data for blacks nearly more than 90 percent of Ameri- “Health disparities are par- pared to other groups.” eight years of teaching mo- would have done that.” 50 years ago and that no presi- cans are insured.” ticularly striking in the burden Obama also noted that his ad- ments for many families. So Norfolk, Virginia, 10th-grad- dent has been able to address. Still, disparities in health- of AIDS and HIV diagnoses and ministration, over the last eight what, exactly, do they think is er Kassidy Carey canvassed for Obama also touted his admin- care also persist. The uninsured death rates, with blacks experi- years, has dramatically decreased her legacy over a period that Hillary Clinton and has volun- istration’s success with insur- rates for blacks (12 percent) re- encing over eight and ten times the number of troops deployed spans much of the lifetime of teered to advocate for various ing people under the Affordable mains higher than the uninsured higher rates of HIV and AIDS abroad and eliminated Osama today’s kids? social causes through the site Care and Patient Protection Act, rates for whites (8 percent), and diagnoses than whites,” the Bin Laden as well as thousands “I think she stands for kind- DoSomething.org. She was too also known as Obamacare. according to the Kaiser Fam- KFF reported. “Infant mortal- of other terrorists. ness in America,” said Alexis little to remember the presi- “When I came into office, 44 ily Foundation (KFF), blacks, ity rates are significantly higher “No foreign terrorist organiza- Shenkiryk, a 12-year-old in Del dent’s first inauguration, but million people were uninsured. American Indians and Alaska for blacks and American Indians Mar, California. “She really she loved watching the second Today, we’ve covered more than natives have a higher prevalence and Alaska natives compared to Obama encouraged me to try harder, one. She’s a regular First Lady Continued on page 3 and she promoted a lot of good watcher. things for everyone, not just “Oh, I love her,” said Kas- certain people.” sidy, who has already decided Alexis was jealous when her on law school when the time 24-year-old sister got to at- comes. “I just think she’s really ‘We Shall Not Be Moved’ march aims to tend President Barack Obama’s well composed, and she’s an 2008 inauguration. Over the empowering person. years, said Shenkiryk’s mom, Kiki Emordi is 8 and in the send Trump message on MLK weekend Rhonda Moret, the goodwill third grade in Richmond, Tex- the first lady was able to pass as. Her parents are originally By Hazel Trice Edney on to her girls overflowed from from Nigeria and her mother, Trice Edney News Wire the White House. Ngozi Emordi, teaches English The march announced by the Rev. Al Sharpton shortly af- “We’re a biracial family,” as a second language. ter Donald Trump was elected president is now taking shape Moret said. “We’ve had numer- “She’s a bold woman,” said for January 14 and will aim to send a clear message to the ous conversations discussing the elder Emordi, who also has president-elect in the “spirit and tradition of Dr. Martin Luther how one’s race or background two older girls and a son. “Any King Jr., said a statement from Sharpton this week. are truly irrelevant and how we black girl can just see Michelle “The 2017 march will bring all people together to insist on should value one’s character and know she can dream big. change and accountability,” said Sharpton. “Martin Luther above all else.” She says to these girls it doesn’t King Jr.’s struggle for civil rights didn’t end with his death, Inara Abernathy, a 17-year- matter where you come from or it’s a fight we take on each day. The political players may old in Nashville, Tennessee, what you look like, you can be change but our goals stay the same. Trump and his adminis- has absorbed many life lessons anything that you want to be.” tration need to hear our voice and our concerns.” of her own from the First Lady. Lesson learned, as far as Kiki He continues, “Participants will demand accountability not “She’s strong and beautiful is concerned. She is forever on just from President-elect Trump but from Senate and Con- and she makes me feel beauti- the hunt for any news of Mrs. gress members who are charged with overseeing the Criminal ful, too,” Inara said. “I feel like Obama, whether it’s about a Justice Reform Act, the Voting Rights Bill, Supreme Court I can accomplish things when I fresh speech or fabulous outfit. nominations and other Trump political appointments. Our think about her.” “I really look up to her as a movement, #WeShallNotBeMoved, will send a clear message Then there’s bullying. role model,” she said. to those in power that the fight for equal rights and justice for “I was bullied a lot when I At 7, Jordan West of Roches- all continues,” he states. was little and she taught me ter, New York, has already met The four top concerns outlined involve police reform, mass how when I got bullied to just don’t think about it,” Inara First Lady March said. “Ignore them. Live your Continued on page 3 Continued on page 3 Notable Celebrity Some of the AP’s top 10 news Share this issue with a friend Deaths best films of 2016 stories of 2016 by mailing it to: Inside Page 3 Page 18 Page 13 LOCAL 2 • THE MISSISSIPPI LINK DECEMBER 29 - JANUARY 4, 2016 www.mississippilink.com Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated celebrates 58th Debutante Scholarship Cotillion The Mississippi Link Newswire Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, In- corporated – Alpha Delta Zeta Chapter announces the winners of its 58th Debutante Cotillion held at the Jackson Conven- tion Center December 17. Al- pha Delta Zeta Chapter spon- sors this presentation annually making it the longest running debutante cotillion comprised of young African-American la- dies in the state of Mississippi. The theme for this year’s cotil- lion was “Millennial Pearls of Grace.” Through the Zeta’s distinct debutante program, highly qualified young ladies were se- lected by the sorority to culti- vate and develop sound charac- 2016 Zeta Debutantes seated L to R: Myia Bolden, Kyra Montgomery, Brittany Thomas (Miss Blue – 1st runner-up), Tikiya Jones, Jalila Haynes (2016 Miss Debutante), Corleesha Taylor (Miss ter, social principles and strong White – 2nd runner-up), Alexis Warner (Miss Silver- 3rd runner-up), and Alexseya Whiting along with members of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated – Alpha Delta Zeta Chapter career aspirations. These tools served as a foundation so these Miss. Miss Haynes will repre- Bolden; 3rd Place – Jalila young ladies will be a positive sent Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, In- Haynes impact on society as they grow corporated – Alpha Delta Zeta Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, In- into adulthood. Chapter from now through De- corporated – Alpha Delta Zeta The 2016 Zeta Debutantes cember 2017 at various func- Chapter is a non-profit com- prepared for this year’s presen- tions, events and other appear- munity conscious, action ori- tation by attending charm, eti- ances.