October 2016 Or 413-739-2947 ● Thank You Richard Johnson, Coordinator, and Committee Members Desi Jackson & Cristo Owens for Their Work with the Health Fair
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Af-Am Your VOICE Your COMMUNITY POINT OF VIEW Your POINT OF VIEW www.afampov.com Our Community News Magazine october 1, 2016 WHEN THE STUDENT IS READY “There’s nothing more pleasing for a teacher than hav- ing a student who is ready to learn! That’s when the FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS - teacher appears!” By Patricia Spradley – 6 …DEVASTATING IMPACT OF AN AFTERNOON OF HOPE OPIOID USE “…opioid prescriptions have increased markedly in the By Theresa Jones-Bryant past two decades and now nearly two million people s I sat in my car listening to the last ten minutes in Americas have a prescription opioid use disorder.” By Jim Goodwin – 12 of a talk radio show pontificating on our current Astate of affairs, the political climate, police shoot- …THROUGH HER EYES ings and how African Americans have nothing to lose so CONFERENCE we should recklessly give up our vote that so many people “This dynamic keynote speaker, a former prostitute, sacrificed and died for, I bowed my head in prayer; after shares her life’s compelling story because she desires to help people change their lives.” all, I was sitting in a church parking lot. That’s when I By Willette Johnson – 13 heard it – for such a time as this. I gulped down my last corner of coffee and grabbed my notebook. I was off to DIVIDE AND CONQUER “I had the most heart wrenching experience the other interview the new pastor of Zion Community Baptist day with one of my daughters. She came home and Church, the Reverend Dr. Barbara E. Headley. said, “I can’t believe the racism between black and Zion Community Baptist Church (“Zion”) will be in- Puerto Rican people,” and my heart broke.” stalling its first pastor since the retirement of the late Rev- By Zaida Govan – 16 erend Miles T. Crawford, Jr. Since the church’s inception THE SECTOR G COMMUNITY in Springfield, MA in the Crawfords’ home on Carnarvon MEETING Circle in 1984 to its move from a gymnasium on Plumtree “Residents are the eyes and ears of law enforcement. Road to its current location at 1140 Roosevelt Avenue, Reverend Dr. Barbara E. Headley To reduce disorder, cooperation between police and Zion has been a beacon of hope to many in the commu- community is a necessity and this was certainly on dis- found a small group of people who had been nity. It was this spirit and the feeling of home that res- play at the meeting.” through a lot, but who were there for one another. onated in Dr. Headley’s heart. It was quite evident as she By Kenneth Harris – 17 They may not have the means and resources that a spoke so passionately about Zion. BROADWAY IS COMING lot of big churches have, but whatever they had they TO SPRINGFIELD “And that’s what I found when I came to Zion. I continues to page 38 “Come out and be entertained by amazing perform- ances direct from Broadway, show your appreciation to our talented Dunbar alum who made it onto the New York stage as well as in film and business.” HANNA STRONG IS By Ellen Freyman – 19 MLK CHARTER SCHOOL IS DOING WELL A LEVEL 1 SCHOOL By Frederick A. Hurst “The Martin Luther King, Jr. Charter School of Excel- ’ve been asked by many people played on the soccer team. She was lence community is proud to announce that the school what happened to Hanna Strong. pretty, popular and outgoing and in- is a Level 1 school.” And I am happy to report that she teracted with friends of all races, By MLK Charter School – 25 I is doing as well as can be expected mostly from the sports world―and THANK GOODNESS! THERE’S STILL under the circumstances of an unfor- some as roommates―at least two of TIME. ALDEN BAPTIST CHURCH tunate incident that threw her into the whom were Black and among her WANTS IN! “...Alden Baptist Church can and will gladly donate public eye, unfairly branded her as a best of friends. And, ironically, it was $2,000 to this Museum.” [National Museum of African racist and homophobe and changed after a night of partying that led to an American History & Culture] her life forever. argument with her Black ex- By Emurriel Holloway – 26 Hanna was in her final semester boyfriend that precipitated the inci- Hanna Strong THE ANGUISH OF A LOST LOVE at Syracuse University where she continues to page 5 “The simple most important factor in healing from loss Please visit, follow, subscribe, comment, like, tweet, read or explore on our website at: www.afampointofview.com or www.afampov.com is having the support of other people.” www.facebook.com/AfAmPointofView https://plus.google.com/+PointofViewSpringfield www.twitter.com/AfAmPointofView By Sweets H. Wilson, PhD – 28 afam point of view page two october 1, 2016 She’s more than Your business is the legacy you’ll leave for your family. Whether it’s preparing for the unexpected or passing on the business, the future owner MassMutual can help you create a strategy to achieve your personal business goals. Find out of your business. more at MassMutual.com/Legacy She’s family. LIFE INSURANCE + RETIREMENT/401(K) PLAN SERVICES + DISABILITY INCOME INSURANCE + LONG TERM CARE INSURANCE + ANNUITIES .-,,.+*+-)('&%-%$&-)(#"!+ ("",(*!(.-,,-$+,**,(.+*+-)(&(%,+"-%$(!(.-,,.+*+-)(-%(&*,(-)&-*($! -%&,(-%(,-),(" ",%*-*&,(%,+"-%$( "!+$*,( &,,+((.-,,.+*+-)( "&%)(. ( (-%(&*,(,+,&&-"& ,(.(&(%,+"-%$(!(-%(..( -(*-*(&(%,+"-%$(!( %)(( ( afam point of view page three october 1, 2016 CLASSIFIED ..............................................................................36 AN AFRICAN AMERICAN Point of View COMMUNITY 688 Boston Road, Springfield, MA 01119 Community Beat........................................................................17 Phone: (413) 796-1500 ● Fax: (413) 796-6100 CONTENTS E-mail: [email protected] ● Website: www.afampointofview.com Community Focus ...............................................................14, 36 www.facebook.com/ https://plus.google.com/ www.twitter.com/ AfAmPointofView +PointofViewSpringfield AfAmPointofView Community Focus - CT........................................................22-23 Congratulations Corner .............................................................33 Point of View is a monthly news journal with an African American orientation. It is distributed free to select locations in Hampden and Hampshire counties and in Connecticut. Letters, Events ....................................................................................... 37 articles and comments appearing in the newspaper reflect the opinions of the contributors Food for Thought.......................................................................16 and do not constitute an endorsement by POV and are subject to editing. POV assumes no Good News ............................................................................... 35 responsibility for photos, articles, letters, press releases or unsolicited materials. Decisions as to the editing and publishing of material are based on space availability and the discretion Leadership Pioneer Valley.........................................................16 of the publisher and editor. Distribution locations are listed on our web site. POV assumes Positively Life Changing...........................................................18 no financial responsibility for failure to publish an advertisement, incorrect placement or ty- pographical errors in its publication. Advertisers are solely responsible for the content of Political Happenings - Springfield City Council ......................15 their advertising and claims and offers contained within their advertising. POV reserves the Political Happenings - Hampden County Sheriff’s Race ..........15 right to refuse advertising for any reason. No portion of this publication may be reproduced EDITORIAL without written permission. AF-AM Newsbits.........................................................................4 PUBLISHER: Frederick A. Hurst EDITOR: Marjorie J. Hurst CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: THIS ISSUE Letters to the Publisher..............................................................25 Art for the Soul Rosemary Tracy Woods Health Matters Doris Harris, Editor My View ....................................................................................24 Artist in Residence Renée Flowers Kemar Wallace Children’s Book Corner Terri Schlichenmeyer Invisible Chains Lisa Aronson Fontes, PhD Op Ed: MLK Charter School Is A Level 1 School ....................25 Community Beat Kenneth Harris Leadership Pioneer Valley Lora Wondolowski EDUCATION Early Education & Care Nicole Blais Life’s Challenges Sweets H. Wilson, PhD Education & Hope Gianna Allentuck Mama’s Boyz Jerry Craft Early Education & Care...............................................................9 Parents & Community Patricia Spradley Entertainment Review Moyah Smith Pen & Ink Juanita Torrence-Thompson Education & Hope ......................................................................7 Features Donald Brown Tina Hurst Parents & Community .................................................................6 Tashanna Edwards Political Happenings Justin Hurst, Esquire Ellen Freyman James Gill Reading to Succeed .....................................................................6 Felicia Hunter Positively Life Changing John Roberson Vincent Jackson Reading to Succeed Paul Robbins, Guest Colum. FEATURES Willette Johnson Religious Point of View Rev. Dr. Atu White, Editor CHD to Host The Through Her Eyes Conference.....................13 Theresa Jones-Bryant Emurriel Holloway Ida Janice Scott Your Health American Heart Association Broadway IS Coming to Springfield!........................................19 Food for Thought Zaida