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Volume 97 Number 36 | APRIL 22-28, 2020 | MiamiTimesOnline.com | Ninety-Three Cents TWO SIDES OF A HOMELESS PLIGHT A two-sided fight may cost the vulnerable a win PENNY DICKERSON [email protected] he Miami-Dade County community learned that a public citizen known to be homeless passed away from coronavirus on April 17. He was a 26-year-old resident of the Chapman South Homeless Assistance Center in Homestead, Florida. At his family’s request, his name was withheld. His life not onlyT mattered, he represents a vulnerable population in dire need of COVID-19 testing and shelter. While homeless advocates are aligned in their intent, an unkind divide exists between two influential men. Their reconciliation could leverage all efforts to provide for the homeless. “People’s perception of the homeless is jaded, discriminatory and unfair. We are not complaining about being here. We are grateful, humble and appreciative.” —Metris Batts-Coley, sales and marketing director, Dunns-Josephine Hotel BLACK-OWNED BUSINESS BRIDGES THE GAP Historic Overtown welcomed Dunns-Josephine Hotel to the neighborhood in December of 2019. The Harlem Renais- sance-themed bread and breakfast is adjacent to cruise ports and the airport with 50% of the clientele being inter- national travelers. It is also situated blocks from tent city occupied by the homeless community, their new clientele. Owner Kristen Kitchen and the Miami Dade County Homeless Trust have Book oversees a $68.5M budget engaged a contract to assist the Henderson was handcuffed last greater good. to implement the homeless plan. week. Now, his work continues. COVID-19 CONTRACT WITH “My job is to guard the money Ron Book is a prison lobbyist HOMELESS TRUST and stretch it as far as any rubber The Miami Times reported April 1 with a conflict of interest and The band…I am cheap, frugal and my that the business first experienced Homeless Trust is not doing enough favorite word is free, but I refused an pandemic-related occupancy follow- to help our most vulnerable popu- offer of 2,000 rapid antibody tests because they are ing the cancellation of the Miami lation. I am a doctor not funded by the Trust nor flawed and not FDA approved. Everything Dr. Hen- Gardens Jazz in the Gardens music am I afraid of Book’s power. During this pandem- derson is saying about me is baseless. He is a liar!” festival scheduled March 13-15. ic, I felt compelled to do more.” Kitchens was quoted to have said, —Ron L. Book, Esq, “We had 42 cancellations in 24 “ Chair of the Miami-Dade County Homeless —Armen Henderson, M.D. SEE BOOK 6A Batts-Coley “ SEE BOOK 6A SEE ARMEN 6A Dorrin Rolle ‘The Governor’ has died at 75 His positivity radiated lasting legacy the progres- from the University of North- Former Miami-Dade commissioner through his trademark say- sive educator left behind for ern Colorado in 1973. ing, “You done good”— as he an entire community. In 1972, Rolle began his leaves a well-respected legacy never forgot to relay the pos- public service career with EMAN ELSHAHAWY friend to many, who depart- itive reinforcement message EARLY LIFE AND CAREER the James E. Scott Commu- [email protected] ed this earth on Sunday, April among Blacks who demon- Born and raised in Miami, nity Association (JESCA) as 19, 2020, at age 75 after a long strated exemplary commu- Rolle received his Bachelor a social worker. He served The city of Miami and its battle with health issues. nity efforts and success in of Science in elementary ed- as president and CEO of the Black community will mourn Widely known as Dorrin Miami. ucation from Tallahassee’s community association-- the loss of Dorrin Delano “The Governor” Rolle, the Despite his departure from Florida Agricultural & Me- which has 260 employees, Rolle, former Miami-Dade community advocate was a this realm to the next during chanical University (FAMU) and an annual budget of $7 commissioner, committed committed leader with civil these unprecedented times, in 1967 and later earned his million. social-services director and service rooted in his core. Dorrin Rolle many will remember the Masters Degree in education SEE ROLLE 6A Today BUSINESS................. ................................. 8B FAITH & FAMILY ...................................... 7D POEMS AND 87° CLASSIFIED ............................................. 11B FAITH CALENDAR ................................... 8D PASSION IGNITE IN GOOD TASTE ......................................... 1C HEALTH & WELLNESS ............................. 9D 8 90158 00100 0 LIFESTYLE HAPPENINGS ....................... 5C OBITUARIES ............................................. 12D 1C INSIDE Editorials Cartoons Opinions Letters VIEWPOINT BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY | APRIL 22-28, 2020 | MiamiTimesOnline.com MEMBER: National Newspaper Periodicals Postage Credo Of The Black Press Publisher Association paid at Miami, Florida The brother killer (ISSN 0739-0319) The Black Press believes that America MEMBER: The Newspaper POSTMASTER: Published Weekly at 900 NW 54th Street, can best lead the world from racial and Association of America Send address changes to Miami, Florida 33127-1818 One Year CHARLES M. BLOW, columnist, The New York Times national antagonism when it accords Subscription Rates: THE MIAMI TIMES, Post Office Box 270200 to every person, regardless of race, $65.00 – Two Year $120.00 P.O. Box 270200 Buena Vista Station, Miami, Florida 33127 creed or color, his or her human and Foreign $75.00 Buena Vista Station, Miami, FL A few weeks ago, Hannah Sparks of The New Phone 305-694-6210 legal rights. Hating no person, fearing 7 percent sales tax for Florida residents 33127-0200 • 305-694-6210 York Post reported on “a morbid — and chilling- H.E. SIGISMUND REEVES Founder, 1923-1968 no person, the Black Press strives to ly astute — new slang term for the coronavirus GARTH C. REEVES SR. Publisher Emeritius help every person in the firm belief that pandemic: boomer remover,” because the virus GARTH C. REEVES JR. Editor, 1972-1982 all persons are hurt as long as anyone is held back. has proved particularly deadly for the elderly. RACHEL J. REEVES Publisher and Chairman But, because it is also disproportionately deadly for men and for Blacks, I worry about how it will affect Black men in particular, and have come to use another chilling term to characterize it: a “brother killer.” Science vs. myth: the COVID-19 crisis And I fear that the worst may be yet to come, at least until BILL FLETCHER, NNPA Newswire Contributor treatments are developed and a vaccine discovered. There are silent populations of Black men, largely removed from public Trump’s decision to cut ask why that is? Was it for view and public consciousness, who will remain vulnerable funding for the World Health fear that reality would have long after we “open the country back up,” whatever that looks Organization (WHO)— an impact on his election like, and return to some semblance of normalcy. which we warned about last wishes? Or does he truly be- For these men, the devastating effects of this virus may be week—is yet another exam- lieve, in the words of the co- as much about pre-existing social conditions as pre-existing ple of his efforts to obscure median George Wallace, that medical ones. reality and distance himself “…that’s the way I see it, and These are the people living on the edge of society, existing from any responsibility for that’s the way that it ought to in the shadows, our own iteration of untouchables, exempt the mess that the USA finds be…” from America’s sympathies — the homeless, the incarcerated, itself in as a result of his han- Throughout the course of those living with H.I.V./AIDS. dling of the COVID-19 crisis. this Administration we have According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, There is a deeper problem, seen, time and again, a dis- a total of 552,830 people were experiencing homelessness on however, than Trump’s ap- missal of facts and science. a single night in 2018. And while Black people were only 13 parent narcissism and scape- The clearest case is proba- percent of the population, they made up 40 percent of the goating. We are seeing the bly in connection with the homeless population. Who will even test this population for consequences of avoiding environment and the efforts the virus? People with homes and jobs are finding it hard to reality and replacing reality underway to reverse nearly get tests, and some are being outright refused. with what can, at best, be de- fifty years of legislation and As the Pew Research Center pointed out last year, at the scribed as wishful thinking. practice to address pollution end of 2017 there were nearly a half a million people in fed- In the last couple of weeks, brushed aside scientific evi- elected officials with the Ad- and global warning. But one eral and state prisons, and a plurality of those prisoners were very damaging information dence and concerns regard- ministration’s nonsense, it is can also see evidence of this Black. has emerged regarding the ing the pandemic, downplay- time for a reckoning when in the Administration’s il- Nine out of 10 inmates are male. There were nearly handling of the COVID-19 ing its spread and the depth it comes to reality. Should logical withdrawal from the three-quarters of a million Americans held in local jails in crisis by the Administra- of the problems we were decisions by government in Iran nuclear deal, despite all 2018, and about a third of them were Black, according to the tion. It now appears that encountering. It was only in the face of crisis be based reliable evidence of Iranian Bureau of Prison Statistics. In fact, the rate at which Black as early as December 2019, March that they were forced on wishful thinking? Self-ag- compliance with the agree- people were jailed was nearly three times the rate at which the Administration was be- to shift gears.