Presorted Standard U.S. Postage Paid Austin, Texas Permit No. 01949 TPA TEXAS PUBLISHERS www.TheAustinVillager.com ASSOCIATION This paper can be recycled Vol. 44 No. 38 Phone: 512-476-0082 Email: [email protected] February 10, 2017 BLACK HISTORY MONTH: INSIDE The Crisis in Black Education Hey, Obama? QUEEN B! Austin provides How’s It Hangin’? by: Mark Kennedy | AP Entertainment Writer an artistic learning RAPPIN’ experience for youth. by: The Associated Press Tommy Wyatt See SUMMIT Named in their Page 2 Honor! During Black History Month, we are featuring a number of former leaders of this community who have streets, buildings, and parks Rev. D. Scott recants named after them to help keep top gang voter their memories alive. support statement. While Black History See TRUMP Month usually focuses on Page 3 National Leaders, many of the In this recent but undated photo made avail- people who have made great able by Virgin.com, former U.S President Barack contributions in our Obama prepares to kitesurf during his stay on community are overlooked. Moskito Island, British Virgin Islands. The And for the new members of former president and his wife stayed on Mosikto our community, they hear the Island owned by Richard Branson, founder of names, but cannot make a the Virgin Group, after he finished his second term as President and left the White House. (Jack connection to the people that Texas commemorates Brockway/Virgin.com via AP) we honor. We thought that it 44th anniversary of would be helpful to post a Roe v. Wade ruling. NECKER ISLAND, tive of Hawaii, told him small memo as to who some See RALLY British Virgin Islands (AP) he was prevented from of these people are and their Page 6 contributions. These will not — Former President surfing by his security be long bios, but it will give Barack Obama, and his detail during his time in Rep. Lloyd the new residents an idea as to wife, Michelle, have spent office. why they were honored by our some time vacationing Branson says after Doggett community. with Richard Branson spending a couple days (Courtesy of Beyonce/Instagram) The first of these is being since leaving the White learning to kitesurf, Introduces featured in this issue; and re- House. Obama bested the bil- NEW YORK (AP) — not immediately respond introduces us to Dr. Everett H. The Virgin Group lionaire in a watersport Blue Ivy is about to be- to requests for comment. Bill to Help Givens. He was a Dentist, but founder put up a blog challenge. come a big sister — twice The news triggered half a also an outspoken community post with pictures and He says inviting the over. million tweets in 45 min- Working activist. Givens Park and video of the ex-president Obamas to his island was Beyoncé and Jay Z utes, according to Twitter. Recreation Center was named kitesurfing off one of “a huge honor.” announced Wednesday on Their daughter, Blue Families in his honor. It is not an easy Branson’s private islands Obama spent his first Instagram that the super- Ivy, was born in 2012. The task to get public places named in the British Virgin Is- days after leaving Wash- star singer is pregnant little girl served as the in- Afford in honor of citizens. And many lands. Branson writes ington vacationing in Palm with twins. spiration for Jay Z’s hit of them are deceased before that Obama, who’s a na- Springs, California. “We have been song “Glory,” and she’s College that happens. However, these blessed two times over. appeared in music videos citizens make contributions to Denzel Washington, Viola We are incredibly grateful alongside her mother. our community by working on that our family will be Beyoncé, who set a our behalf to see that we get Davis, Mahershala Ali and growing by two,” said a record in December for our fair share of civil statement signed “The earning Grammy Award representation. the Cast of Hidden Figures Carters,” Jay Z’s real last nominations in the rock, Regrettably, I did not know Win Big at SAG Awards name. pop, R&B and rap catego- Dr. Givens personally. The news accompa- ries in the same year with However, I have been the By Naomi Richard | VILLAGER Contributer nied a photo of Beyonce her diverse album “Lem- recipient of some of his hard showing a baby bump onade,” announced her work. When I came to Austin while wearing just a bra, last pregnancy at the 2011 as a young man, I heard a lot underwear and a veil, MTV VMAs. Washington, D.C. – about him. One reason was kneeling in front of a back- Beyoncé in October U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D- drop of flowers. The TX), Ranking Member of that the East Austin Beauty See WOMAN, page 2 Pageants were held at the singer’s representative did the Ways and Means Tax Policy Subcommittee, in- Givens Park Swimming pool. The Screen Actors Guild Awards® presented its That was a very popular event My Brother's Keeper troduced today the Ex- coveted Actor® statuettes for the outstanding motion pand American Educa- in our community and the local picture and primetime television performances of 2016 winners would advance on to Coding Makerspace tional Opportunity Act, at the 23rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® held which would help working Miss Black Texas or even Miss • Code VR scenes that can be used to create Sunday, Jan. 29 at the Los Angeles Shrine Exposition families pay for college. Black America. virtual reality websites and apps that can be Center. This legislation is part of a You have to search long and shared with anyone. In a ceremony attended by film and television’s tax package to support the hard to find information about • Interact with entrepreneurs and virtual leading actors, the 23rd Annual SAG Awards® was si- middle class that also in- many of these citizens. And the reality developers and connect to mulcast live coast-to-coast by TNT and TBS at 8 p.m. cluded Ways and Means little information that you can mentors from the tech industry and startup (ET). Committee Ranking Mem- find only leaves you hungry to community. Honored with individual awards were Denzel ber Richard Neal’s legisla- learn more. February 11, 2017 | 10 am – 4 pm Washington, Emma Stone, Mahershala Ali and Viola tion to expand the Earned As East Austin continues to March 11, 2017 | 10 am – 4 pm Davis for performances in motion pictures, and Bryan Income Tax Credit (EITC) make its change from an April 8, 2017 | 10 am – 4 pm Cranston, Sarah Paulson, John Lithgow, Claire Foy, Wil- and Rep. Rosa DeLauro’s African American community May 13, 2017 | 10 am – 4 pm liam H. Macy and Julia Louis-Dreyfus for performances legislation to expand the to one for the new citizens, we Here is an opportunity for boys of color in in television. The Screen Actors Guild Awards originated Child Tax Credit. will have to work hard to make college and grades 11-12 to attend a FREE Cod- awards for the outstanding performances by a motion “Removing financial sure that our citizens who are ing Makerspace at the Carver Museum. picture cast and by television drama and comedy en- barriers to higher educa- no longer among us do not lose sembles. The Actor® for a motion picture cast perfor- their place in our historic 1165 Angelina St.,Austin, TX 78702 tion enables students to community. See DENZEL’S EMOTIONAL SPEECH, page 2 (512) 974-4926 See AOTC, page 7 Page 2 ~ THE VILLAGER/February 10, 2017 THE COMMUNIQUÉ www.theaustinvillager.com Named in their DENZEL: “I was supposed to have Honor faith…but I didn’t have faith” Pictured left to right: Denzel Washington wins Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role. Viola Davis wins Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role. Dr. Everett H. Givens Mahershala Ali wins Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role. On front page, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae and Taraji P. Henson for Hidden Figures, winner of Out- On November 12, 1974, the Parks and Recreation standing Performance by a Cast in a Motion. All photos courtesy of the Screen Actors Guild Awards®. Advisory Board voted to recommend to City Council that the name of Oak Springs Park be changed to Dr. Everett CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 H. Givens Park. The City Council adopted the mance went this year to “Hidden Figures,” while tears, “This film is about unity. We stand here as proud recommendation to rename the park in the memory of Dr. the Actors® for television drama and comedy ensemble actors thanking every member of this incredible Guild Givens, a well known East Austin dentist and civic leader. performances went this year to “Stranger Things” and who voted for us and for recognizing our hard work. In September 1975, approval for construction of a large “Orange is the New Black.” The women whose shoulders we stand on are 3 Ameri- recreation center was given by the City Council. The Parks The acceptance speeches were filled with grati- can heroes: Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Washington and and Recreation Advisory Board again voted unanimously tude, astonishment, frustration with the new Presiden- Mary Jackson. Without them we would not know how to recommend to City Council that the new center be named tial administration, and overwhelming joy of being rec- to reach the stars.” the Dr. Everett H. Givens Recreation Center, and opened ognized by peers. Below are a few highlights of the Mahershalalhashbaz “Mahershala” Ali took home to the public on March 30, 1979.