Af-Am Your VOICE Your COMMUNITY POINT OF VIEW Your POINT OF VIEW www.afampov.com Our Community News Magazine february 1, 2019 (RACE MATTERS!) SPRINGFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS… CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY “School committee members are well aware that By Frederick A. Hurst there is a disproportionately low number of teach- ay what you may, the rise the “Great migration,” our fami- ers and administrators of color within the district.” By Denise M. Hurst – 6 of two young, Black lies have come a long and far SSpringfield residents to more difficult way than European DON’T LET HISTORY DICTATE serve simultaneously as presi- immigrants, altogether too many “…what remains very clear in my mind, even to dent (Justin Hurst) and vice of whom, too often, still think this day, is the fact that I went to an elementary president (Marcus Williams) of America should be theirs alone. school in Rapid City, South Dakota, and was the only African American child in my school.” Springfield’s City Council is It’s worth mentioning that the By Patricia Spradley – 8 historic. But the back-story is opportunities America offered to even more interesting because European immigrants were far BEYOND THE FIRST FRUITS… the parents of both Justin and more gentle and generous than All woven into the histories. Herstories. Live sto- Marcus were born into families those offered to early African ries – that comprise the foundation of Black His- that can only be described as “immigrants,” who were forcibly tory, but are often never told beyond predominantly black worlds. Often these words – very poor. But their parents taken from Africa to slavery in these experiences – are deemed less than. Not wor- managed to work their way out America and later, after manu- thy. Or irrelevant to the white majority.” of poverty against incredible mission, forced into a Southern By Gianna Allentuck – 9 odds and provide the two and form of apartheid called Jim their siblings with the opportu- Crow that eventually led to their THE BLACK CHURCH’S nity to serve their families, com- flight to an imagined Northern MANDATE… The Black Church cannot continue to remain silent munity and city. promise land in pursuit of a non- about injustices that occur in the very neighbor- Without making too much existent American Dream where, hoods where they minister. To do so undermines of our families’ struggles, which instead, they were herded into our Christian witness.” might have been as American as ghettos where they suffered a By Bishop Talbert Swan II – 15 apple pie except for the slavery more subtle form of apartheid A LEGACY OF FRIENDS and post-slavery struggles that that was gentler though, ar- forced the elders of both fami- guably, more pernicious and One person in my childhood who delighted in hav- City Council President, Justin Hurst ing meaningful conversations with me was Don lies to make the trek north along more durable. and Vice President, Marcus Williams Santito. Don Santito was Afro-Borinqueno, a with so many others as part of continues to page 24 proudly Black Puerto Rican. I had grown weary of colonized adults in my family who denied their Blackness, identifying as Indio….Thanks to friends like Don Santito and Elsie, I grew up know- WHITE PRIVILEGE: ing Black is Beautiful.” By Magdalena Gómez – 16 “THE POWER OF NORMAL” By Tristin Hurst BLACK HISTORY MONTH… “We, as African Americans, can never assume our e all know what white Jewish female friend suggested the are racist. I re- work is done in terms of forging and sustaining our privilege means. It’s obvi- topic of the music video should be plied that I wasn’t places in the annals of history.” Wously an Obama White white privilege. My music teacher certain that he re- Tristin Hurst By John Roberson – 17 House conspiracy to make white and I thought this was a great idea, ally understood people feel bad about themselves. It’s but our third group member sug- what white privilege means. He re- BLACK HISTORY IS LITURGICAL “Black history is inherently liturgical. Because it a good thing the Trump White house gested we use a topic that won’t of- sponded that he is not an idiot and had to be built with less tools and resources than has dispelled this crazy notion. After fend the white people who see the knows what white privilege is. He the history of others, many hands and hearts came all, “white privilege should not be video. The three of us looked at him stated that he understands what I go together to construct it.” talked about because it’s racist to- disdainfully and returned to our dis- through as an African American male By Rev. Marcus Toure B. McCullough – 26 wards white people.” This last philo- cussion. But the third student was in- (Really?!), but classifying it as white sophical comment was made by a sistent so my Jewish friend and I privilege is not the way to reach peo- “IMPROVING THE RACE…” “There is, however, a movement among Afro-Lati- student in my music class. asked for clarification. ple. I muttered to myself that white nos who strongly oppose this mentality (mejorando Two of my three-person music The third student’s point was privilege meant that I had to deal la raza) and are proud of their blackness…” class group decided to create a music that white privilege is not a sincere with people like him every day. By Beverly Guerrero-Porter – 28 video as a long–term project. My cause because not all white people continues to page 25 af-am point of view page two february 1, 2019 af-am point of view page three february 1, 2019 CLASSIFIED/REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS .................36 AN AFRICAN AMERICAN Point of View COMMUNITY 688 Boston Road, Springfield, MA 01119 Phone: (413) 796-1500 ● Fax: (413) 796-6100 CHD - Human Interest ................................................................17 CONTENTS E-mail: [email protected] ● Website: www.afampointofview.com Community Beat .........................................................................19 www.facebook.com/ https://plus.google.com/ www.twitter.com/ AfAmPointofView +PointofViewSpringfield AfAmPOV Community Calendar ..................................................................37 Point of View is a monthly news journal with an African American orientation. It is distributed Community Focus - CT...............................................................22 free to select locations in Hampden and Hampshire counties and in Connecticut. Letters, Community Perspectives.............................................................15 articles and comments appearing in the newspaper reflect the opinions of the contributors Congratulations Corner .........................................................17, 33 and do not constitute an endorsement by POV and are subject to editing. POV assumes no responsibility for photos, articles, letters, press releases or unsolicited materials. Decisions Food for Thought ........................................................................18 as to the editing and publishing of material are based on space availability and the discretion From the State House ..................................................................14 of the publisher and editor. Distribution locations are listed on our web site. POV assumes no financial responsibility for failure to publish an advertisement, incorrect placement or ty- Good News..................................................................................34 pographical errors in its publication. Advertisers are solely responsible for the content of Latina Groove..............................................................................16 their advertising and claims and offers contained within their advertising. POV reserves the right to refuse advertising for any reason. No portion of this publication may be reproduced Law Notes ...................................................................................23 without written permission. Leadership Pioneer Valley...........................................................14 PUBLISHER: Frederick A. Hurst EDITOR: Marjorie J. Hurst Political Happenings - Springfield City Council.....................5, 13 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: THIS ISSUE EDITORIAL Artist in Residence Renée Flowers Law Notes Dr. Bridgette Baldwin, Editor Book Review Feature Azell Cavaan Artie Berns AF-AM Newsbits ..........................................................................4 CHD - Human Interest John Roberson Leadership Pioneer Valley Lora Wondolowski Letters to the Publisher................................................................24 Children’s Book Corner Terri Schlichenmeyer Let’s Connect Beverly Guerrero-Porter Community Beat Kenneth Harris Life’s Challenges Sweets H. Wilson, PhD My View (continues from the cover) ..........................................24 Community Calendar Jynai McDonald Parents & Community Patricia Spradley EDUCATION Community Perspectives Bishop Talbert W. Swan II Pen & Ink Juanita Torrence-Thompson Cover Feature Article Tristin Hurst Berdia M. Brown Early Education & Care ................................................................8 CT - Community Focus Dwight Bachman Early Education & Care Nicole Blais Political Happenings Justin Hurst, Esquire Education & Hope.........................................................................9 Education & Hope Gianna Allentuck Reading to Succeed Sally Fuller Parents & Community...................................................................8 Entertainment Review Yvonne Mendez Religious Point of View Rev. Dr. Atu White, Editor Food for Thought Zaida Govan Rev. Marcus Toure B.