It Takes a Village
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Lighting The Road To The Future Satchmo Summer Data Zone Fest Highlights Page 6 “The People’s Paper” August 10 - August 16 , 2019 54th Year Volume 15 www.ladatanews.com A Data News Weekly Exclusive A Champion’s Journey Ed Reed From St. Rose to the NFL Hall of Fame Page 2 Newsmaker State & Local Iconic Gene’s Po-Boy It Takes Closes A Village Page 4 Page 5 Page 2 August 10 - August 16 , 2019 Cover Story www.ladatanews.com A Champion’s Journey Ed Reed: From St. Rose to the NFL Hall of Fame Ed Reed holding Super Bowl Trophy. Ed Reed at Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Edwin Buggage the Baltimore Ravens . community where he was encouraged to excel . Many Editor-in-Chief It is a long way from his early beginnings in Destre- of those who played a part in shaping his greatness han, LA ., as today he joins the ranks of the greats of were on hand in Canton for the induction ceremony . the NFL recently being inducted in the Pro Football Steven Murdock Sr ., who grew up next door to From Destrehan to Destiny Hall of Fame . Reed and was one of his extended family members Ed Reed is an athlete who personifies excellence and mentors growing up . “Our connection runs deep; both on and off the field . Throughout his illustrious Building A Winning Team he grew up one house away from my family’s house . football career, he’s been a champ, breaking records Ed Reed is one who has chosen to be a role model His dad and my older brother grew up together,” he and winning a national title in college and then as a and an inspiration to future generations . This spirit says while in Canton awaiting Reed’s induction into the professional, winning the Super Bowl as a member of comes from his growing up in a close-knit family and Pro Football Hall of Fame . “Coming up he was like a Cover Story, Continued on page 3. DATA NEWS WEEKLY P.O. Box 57347, New Orleans, LA 70157-7347 | Phone: (504) 821-7421 | Fax: (504) 821-7622 INSIDE DATA editorial: [email protected] | advertising: [email protected] Terry B. Jones Contributors Art Direction & CEO/Publisher Edwin Buggage Production Pubinator.com Edwin Buggage E. Benjamin Cover Story . 2 Commentary . 8. Editorial Submissions Editor Andreanecia Morris datanewseditor@ Renetta Perry bellsouth.net Newsmaker . 4 Special . 9 Lauren Poteat Managing Editor Advertising Inquiries Jay Conner datanewsad@ Calla Victoria State & Local News . 5 Entertainment . 10. Effram Hill bellsouth.net Executive Assistant Distribution City of New Orleans Data Zone . 6 National News . 11. June Hazeur On The Run Accounting Diva Dionne Character Courier Services Please call 504-309-9913 for subscription information or to obtain a back issue of the paper ONLY. Dated material two weeks in advance. Not responsible for publishing or return of unsolicited manuscripts or photos. www.ladatanews.com Cover Story August 10 - August 16 , 2019 Page 3 Cover Story, Continued from page 2. little brother to me and seeing him become the man he is today makes me proud .” Lawrence Haynes III also grew up with Reed and his family and was like a big brother to him as well . He says that as a youngster Ed saw them doing things with their lives related to sports that took them out of the neighborhood and was inspired by them . He also made the trip to Canton . With pride beaming from his voice he says, “We knew he was special it is not surprising to see him reach this level of great- ness . Early on he saw some of us including his Uncle Tim Reed go Destrehan and Baltimore . Recently, off to college, we all got scholar- he took a piece of land in his old ships and Ed saw us go away and neighborhood he and his friends do things outside of the neighbor- played on and made it a park for the hood and it inspired him to want to young people of St . Rose . do something more .” Haynes speaks of this great ges- Ed Reed at Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony ture by his friend, “Ed has made Making a Difference a career out of giving back . In St . Ed Reed is more than just an ath- Rose where we all started in an area lete, he’s used his visibility to have a behind our house called it the park, platform to speak on various social now he’s made it an official park . issues . During his time in Canton, It’s what we needed when we were Reed used his wardrobe to send a kids this is a great thing for our message about issues of social jus- community .” tice, one day wearing a T-shirt bear- ing the faces of young Black people Inspiring Greatness killed in police-related or racial in- Ed Reed’s life has been a suc- cidents . cess on many levels and positive He also used his time during his proof that a rose can grow out of induction ceremony to speak about concrete . And with the right team the recent mass shooting in El Paso . around giving encouragement He was emotional, compassionate and support you can be a cham- and thoughtful and centered on so- A winning team - left to right: Gregory Baker, Tim Reed, pion in life . lutions to many of the ills of society Steven Murdock, Lamus Haynes, Brian Wesco, DeForest A sentiment that’s expressed by and the importance living a life of Cornish and Lawrence Haynes III. Haynes, “Ed embodies what some- serving others . one if their talents are nurtured and “You know mental illness is one they have positive people in their of the biggest problems in our lives . It shows it doesn’t matter world,” Reed said . “It really kills . where you start and that anyone So, I’ve got to say prayers to the can achieve greatness . Ed’s not families that have experienced the only achieved greatness on the mass shootings the last couple of field, but off it by giving back and days . Just in general across this serving others . I am really glad country, it’s something we really to be here sharing in this special need to address .” moment with my little brother Ed Steven Murdock and Ed Reed, “Our connec- tion runs deep; he grew up one house away Reed, who is an example of the Building a Field of from my family’s house. His dad and my older best that is in all of us .” brother grew up together,” he says while in Reed in his Hall of Fame Speech Dreams and Inspiring Canton awaiting Reed’s Induction into the the Next Generation Pro Football Hall of Fame. “Coming up he summed up his feeling about how Through his foundation Reed was like a little brother to me and seeing anyone can become a champion puts his money where his mouth Through his foundation Reed is putting his money where him become the man he is today makes me and become great, “Everyone has his mouth is by giving back to children in New Orleans, proud.” is by giving back in New Orleans, Destrehan and Baltimore. their own greatness . Whether you reach your own greatness depends on your environment, your struc- ture, the company you keep and your attitude .” Continuing he said, “There will be good and bad, right and wrong . Your reaction of choice, good or bad, has consequences that affect you and those around you . No mat- ter what, encourage those around you and yourself . I stayed encour- aged and no matter what, I was fo- cused . I tell you, each one of you, stay encouraged . Encourage each other . Help somebody . We should . We’re supposed to . That’s what be- Steven Murdock, Karen Reed, Mother of Ed Reed and Lawrence Haynes III Ed Reed with Father Ed Reed Sr. and former teammate and fellow ing a human is about, leaving this NFL Hall of Fame Inductee Ray Lewis. place better than we got it .” Page 4 August 10 - August 16 , 2019 Newsmaker www.ladatanews.com Iconic Gene’s Po-Boy Closes... Customers Reflect on their Experiences E. Benjamin and the people who worked there Data News Staff Writer were also great . It was a place that was popular with both locals and out of towners people were in and out there all the time . Yes, we loved dat place and it will be missed .” Samantha Beaulieu: Actress and Filmmaker “Gene’s Po-Boys is a New Or- leans Staple! It was “The” late night spot…especially for your out of town guests! Gene’s was so New Orleans! In true NOLA Fashion, ev- Glenn Summers: Photographer and eryone who worked there had big Visual Artist colorful personalities and treated all “My best memories of Gene’s customers the same; I think that’s Po-Boys were hearing the quick one of the reasons more “well- wit of old man Mr . Whitey taking known” people love New Orleans . orders at the register then you had Because they can go to places like to come and correct him . It was a Gene’s and no one’s going to bother great place to go late at night to get them . It takes a lot to impress us good food and also meet people . It New Orleanians .” was symbolic of an age of New Or- leans pre-Katrina that I sometimes miss .” James Andrews: Musician and Singer “I loved going there when I was a little kid .