PVIL Conference Held at Austin's AT&T CC
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Presorted Standard U.S. Postage Paid Austin, Texas Permit No. 01949 TPA TEXAS PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION TheAustinVillager.com This paper can be recycled Vol. 41 No.25 Phone: 512-476-0082 Email: [email protected] November 8, 2013 $1.25B PAYOUT TO NBFA MEMBERS INSIDE NBFA, a leading national organization that advocates for black and socially disadvan- taged farmers, will showcase a youth track for students during its 23rd annual conference RAPPIN’ on November 8-9, 2013 Co. Commissioner candidate wants to Tommy Wyatt in Columbia, South Carolina. rectify broken tax appraisal process. NBFA President Did your Voter See RACE John W. Boyd has an- Page 2 ID hold up? nounced that the focus November 5 was the first on youth, aimed at get- time for Texas voters to test ting young blacks and the new Voter ID law. In this other minorities inter- election voters needed to ested in farming and have government issued agri-business is one Virginia farmer and civil rights activist, John W. Boyd, Jr., is the founder Central Texas leading photo ID to vote. planned highlight of the and president of the National Black Farmers Association (NBFA). Uper-right : alliance aids a There are a number of gathering, which is ex- Official White House Photo of President Obama with John W. Boyd, Jr. in the struggling non-profit. approved items - A Texas See NBFA, page 2 Oval Office. See FOOD driver license, Concealed Page 6 handgun license, Texas AUSTIN, TX - St. personal ID card, U. S. Javon James Episcopal Citizenship certificate, a Church presents the 19th Military ID, or a Passport. Jackson at annual Jazz at St. James And if you did not have any Concert Series Novem- th ber 8-10, 2013 at St. one of these, you could apply Equip Texas vagrants 19 James’ Episcopal for a free Texas Election ID with financial relief, certificate at the local DPS Church, 1941 inflatus and stability office. Annual Webberville Road, Aus- See ART This election was a good tin. The series opens on Page 7 time for voters to see Jazz at St. Friday, Nov. 8th. The whether or not they had the concert begins at 7:00 necessary ID to vote. If you pm with the Ephraim do not have the proper ID, James’ Owens (trumpet) quin- you have time to get it before tet, featuring Andre the elections next year. Concert Hayward (Trombone), There were no surprises See JACKSON, page 2 Poquito in the election Tuesday: The Series Jazz tenor saxophoist Javon Jackson City of Austin’s $65 million Creek Affordable Housing Bond passed by a 60% margin; all Free National Black Pre-Law Conference Cleanup & of the State Constitutional Blackshear Amendments passed as Offers Game-Changing Knowledge and expected. Elementary There will be a run-off in the Travis County State Rep. Connections to Aspiring Black Lawyers Planting Day District 50 race. The top vote getters in the race were Join with neigh- Mike VanDeWalle (Rep) bors to remove litter with 39% of the votes and and spread wildflower Celia Israel (Dem) with seeds to restore Poquito 32% of the votes. They will Creek to its natural face each other in a runoff beauty! Join your election that is expected to neighbors to plant shade trees and shrubs be held early next year. for the children at While only 15% of the Blackshear Elementary! registered voters turned out Saturday Nov. for this election, it was about 16th 9 AM to 11AM what was expected for this To Volunteer for The 9th Annual National Black Pre-Law Conference and Law Fair will be held from November 15- end of the year election. these events, visit http:/ For those who did not 16, 2013 in Houston, TX. This event reaches out to aspiring Black lawyers to provide an unmatched /goo.gl/HG7fCm vote in this election can still game-changing opportunity for them to gain critical “insider” information, resources and contacts. check to see whether or not See the full story on page 7. they are in line with the new Voter ID law. You can simply PVIL Conference Held at Austin’s AT&T CC go to the Travis County Clerk’s office and have them William Rhoden, keynote speaker at check your items. And the Thursday Night Lights conference should you find that you are honoring the legacy of the Prairie View not in compliance, you have Interscholastic League (PVIL), displays a until March of next year to photo of Barbara Jordan during his talk. make the necessary adjustments. He mentioned Jordan as one of the many 2014 will be a very people who participated in the PVIL. The important election year. We conference took place Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at the will be electing a new AT&T Conference Center. Rhoden, a Governor to replace Rick sports columnist for The New York Times, Perry and the Democratic is the author of “Forty Million Dollar Party will be trying to turn the state Blue (controlled by the Slaves,” which claims that professional Democrats). And you can black athletes are exploited. Photo by look for a lot of political George Hardin. activity to begin soon. Page 2 ~ November 8, 2013/THE VILLAGER www.theaustinvillager.com THE COMMUNIQUÉ NBFA’s Cobell Settlement Provided $3.4B in Compensation for Native Americans continued from page 1 the future. NBFA mem- lending practices. A ment of Agriculture. payout to black farmers bers must find creative protracted legal and leg- After decades of Boyd concluded ways to take part in all islative battle ended waiting, some 18,000 Native American federal programs such when President Barack black farmers have be- farmers also are benefi- as the much delayed Obama signed a bill on gun receiving payments ciaries of the NBFA ad- federal crop insurance December 8, 2010, pro- of $50,000 each, plus vocacy under a related program to compete viding $1.25 billion in $12,500 to cover tax li- agreement known as the with large scale farmers payments to eligible ability, under the settle- Cobell Settlement, said John Boyd Presi- black farmers who en- ment. I am proud to which provided $3.4 bil- pected to be a turn- dent of the NBFA. dured discriminatory have lead the fight that lion in compensation to ing point for the NBFA One major theme of practices by the Depart- resulted in a historic nearly a half million and the future of Black the meeting will be a Native Americans. Farmers. commemoration of the Boyd announced As we celebrate a NBFA’s success in set- that the NBFA will host thirty year struggle to tling a decades-long an information session victory for black farm- struggle for racial fair- for members during the ers, we must focus on ness in federal farm conference. SHEA ENTERS RACE FOR TRAVIS CO. COMMISSIONER PRECINCT 2 proven record of reform I will bring to the and her decades of ex- county commission perience as a local since neither of my op- leader make her the ponents has held most qualified candi- elected office or has the date for the job. record of leadership “Each year, the and reform that I bring.” Travis County Commis- Shea’s most press- sioner Court spends ing concerns include around $800 million in making Austin and revenue, creates policy Travis County more af- that affects more than fordable, in part by fix- one million people, sets ing the city’s broken tax the tax rate, and man- appraisal process which ages thousands of em- she says places an unfair ployees,” Shea says. tax burden on “The court is heavily homeowners. Shea also involved with protect- wants to push for ing our environment, change in the county’s Advertise in the developing our roads economic development VILLAGER! Brigid Shea and highways, oversee- policy and require com- By Charlotte Moore ing our justice system, panies which receive and, really, impacting Travis County tax incen- CENTRAL, TX - our quality of life. These tives to hire more work- For more than 25 years, are profound responsi- ers who actually live in Brigid Shea has been a bilities which demand Travis County. And, tour de force in Austin the most capable of Shea will build on her politics—a natural proven leaders to ex- record as one of the product, she says, of an ecute them. Unlike my area’s most effective en- upbringing which in- opponents, I bring all of vironmental activists by stilled in her the signifi- this experience to the promoting inventive cance of a life dedicated race.” water conservation ef- to public service. As a city council forts and spearheading “My dad was a member, Shea took the the creation of one of the small-town doctor in lead in passing Austin’s most effective disaster North Dakota who al- first domestic partner preparedness programs ways cared for people, benefits program. She in the country. even if they couldn’t also led the effort to cre- Shea has received pay,” Shea said. “My ate the Austin Asian official endorsements mom was a social Employee network to from State Sen. Kirk worker who cared for ensure this segment of Watson, former State the mentally ill, so pub- the city was included in Sen. Gonzalo lic service and being in- Austin’s minority con- Barrientos, former Texas volved in my commu- tracting program. Shea Agriculture Commis- nity just seemed like a has acted as advisor to sioner Jim Hightower normal thing to do.” LCRA, Seton, Vignette, and NAACP President After moving to Green Mountain Energy Nelson Linder. Austin in 1988 to help and other groups.