Presorted Standard U.S. Postage Paid Austin, Texas Permit No. 01949 This paper can be recycled Vol. 39 No. 25 Website: theaustinvillager.com Email: [email protected] Phone: 512-476-0082 Blog: EastAustinCommunityInfoCenter.blogspot.com November 4, 2011 Memorial for Austin’s First African American Firefighters RAPPIN’ Tommy Wyatt Statewide Disproportionality and Disparities Meeting There is no question that there is Disproportionality and Disparities in many areas in our community. And as we review the causes of these differences, we sometimes feel powerless to Dedication program draws large crowd to witness the historic affair. do any thing about the problem. The City of Austin dedi- African American firefighters which depicts the likenesses of But there is help on the horizon. cated a new memorial for Afri- and station them in East Austin. Davis, Greene, and Kindred. For The Texas Health and Human can American Firefighters with a On September 2, 1952, Willie Ray future generations of residents Services Commission has been ceremony on Saturday, October Davis, Roy Greene, and and visitors, the memorial will reviewing the situation in Texas 29 at the George Washington Nathaniel Kindred joined the convey the impact of these men’s for the last year and has issued Carver Museum & Cultural Cen- Austin Fire Department during lives and honor their service to a report on their findings. Ac- ter. City officials and fellow a controversial period of racial the City of Austin. The memo- cording to their findings, the firefighters recognized Austin’s integration. These men reported rial will reside on permanent loan main reason for these disparities first three African American to Station 5 on Lydia Street in at the Carver Museum & Cul- is that the systems are not equal. firefighters: Mr. Willie Ray Davis, East Austin. Prior to 1952, no tural Center. And the only way to make them Mr. Roy D. Greene, and Mr. African American had been The unveiling and dedica- equal is to make changes in our Nathaniel Kindred, Sr. KVUE’s hired under civil service law to tion coincides the National Arts system. Quita Culpepper served as the work as a firefighter in the state and Humanities Month The work on this project has emcee and the program culmi- of Texas. (NAHM), a coast-to-coast col- been done by Joyce James, As- nated with the unveiling of the In 2008, the City of Austin lective recognition of the impor- sociate Deputy Executive Com- memorial sculpture created by Art in Public Places Program re- tance of culture in America. missioner for HHSC and her artist Jerald Evans. The dedica- leased a call for Texas artists to NAHM is designed to encour- staff. They are now ready to tion ceremony was open to the submit their qualifications to cre- age all Americans to explore new share the information with the public. ate a bronze memorial sculpture facets of the arts and humani- rest of the state. They will be In 1951, local African commemorating the three ties in their lives, and to begin a sponsoring the 1st Annual American community leaders led firefighters. Dallas-based sculp- lifelong habit of active partici- HHSC Statewide Dispro- by Dentist Dr. Everett Givens tor Jerald Evans was commis- pation in the arts and humani- Memorial features photos of Willie Ray Davis, Roy D. Greene and portionality and Disparities sioned to create the sculpture, Nathaniel Kindred. urged Austin City Council to hire ties. Meeting which will take place on Thursday, November 17, 2011 Is Local News Serving at the Crowne Plaza Hotel , 6121 Free expo heats up kids’ interest in North IH-35, in Austin. The Your Community? event will be from 8:30 am to 4:30 Science and Engineering pm. A public forum in East Austin on the As a results of the work that crisis in local media coverage has been done during the last 5 The School of Journalism should have been, and it might years, there have been legisla- at The University of Texas at be getting even worse. tion passed in support of the Austin, Huston-Tillotson Uni- A recent FCC report ex- program. The latest of these is versity and KAZI-FM will co- amined the state of local cover- Senate Bill 501 passed during sponsor a community forum to age and developed proposals to the 2011 Legislative session that discuss and make recommenda- improve it. Steven Waldman, a gives HHSC the authority to tions on the crisis in local media veteran journalist and the establish an Interagency Coun- coverage in the Digital Age. The report’s principal author, is trav- cil to examine and make recom- forum will feature journalist eling around the country to dis- mendations to the Legislature to Steven Waldman, lead author of cuss the report and the deeper eliminate disproportionality and a Federal Communications Com- questions it raises. disparities in HHSC and other mission (FCC) report on the Waldman will be the state agencies that serve vulner- state of local media coverage. featured speaker at this com- able populations. The event will be Sunday, munity event in East Austin. This program has explored November 6, 5:00 pm. at Huston- He will be introduced by Glenn multiple systems like education, Tillotson University, the Agard- Frankel, director of the School both universities and school dis- Lovinggood Auditorium, 900 of Journalism at The Univer- tricts, juvenile justice, all Health Chicon Street. Parking available sity of Texas at Austin. His pre- and Human Services Systems, on Chalmers Avenue. sentation will be followed by including Department of family The revolution in digital a panel discussion among lo- Services, and Department of media has created a vibrant cal leaders and media experts, Assistive and Rehabilitative land-scape of possibilities for led by Laura K. Smith, profes- Services, Texas Native Ameri- Bus promoting Science and Engineering to roll into Austin Saturday faster and cheaper news distri- sor of journalism and mass can Tribal Communities, the ju- Building on its hugely to inspire the next generation of experiments by Dr. Kold. bution and more ways to con- communication at Huston- dicial systems, Court Appointed successful inaugural Science scientists and engineers by fea- Science and technology sume information. Local televi- Tillotson. The panel will in- Special Advocates (CASA and and Engineering Festival in 2010, turing hands-on, interactive ex- are indispensable tools for em- sion and radio stations, news- clude Michael Fabac, News others. MAES is proud to announce the hibits. powering people and should be papers and a flood of innova- Director of KXAN-TV, Alberta This Center wants to be the second annual Texas Science “Once parents see the re- supported with efforts that pro- tive Web start-ups are using an Phillips, editorial writer and hub for addressing disproport- and Engineering Festival, offer- sources in the state, they start mote curiosity toward science array of digital tools to improve columnist for the Austin ionality and disparities in Texas ing thousands of students and asking, ‘What is available for my and the intelligent use of tech- the ways they gather and dis- American-Statesman, and a by laying the foundation for the their families the opportunity to child in terms of education, ca- nology. seminate the news. These tools representative from KAZI-FM. Texas Model to become an op- “discover their world.” reer and applied knowledge?’” Current sponsors of the have helped topple governments Audience members will erational framework for our state The free, two-day expo said Enrique Gomez, Co-Chair of Festival include Texas High in the Arab world and are pro- also be invited to talk about and the rest of the country. The is going to take place at the Aus- the Festival. School Project, L7 Enterprises, viding Americans with powerful the news coverage and infor- November 17 conference is tin Convention Center on No- Upon entering, visitors Connect a Million Minds – a new ways to consume, share mation needs of East Austin bringing participants from vember 5-6, 2011 from 10 am to 5 will go on a journey rejoicing the Time Warner Cable Initiative, and even report the news. and other under-covered around the state to educate them pm. It is a celebration of every- latest in science and technology The Navy, Prairie View A&M, The Digital Revolution, Texas communities and the on the next step that will be used thing science. One of the primary with headline demonstrations, Google, IBM, Exxon Mobil, however, has shattered old busi- steps that government and to correct many of the inequi- missions of the festival is to fos- shows, hands-on games and lec- Dell, CIA, Texas Publishers ness models for news and infor- other institutions could take to ties that still remain in many of ter the development of our tures. The festival promises to Association, Science in the mation, caused massive job cuts help improve coverage. our systems in the state. nation’s youth to pursue careers deliver two great days of inclu- Movies, Shell and and produced a shortage of lo- Funding for this event is For questions about the meet- and leadership roles in science sive and substantial enjoyment Soulciti.com. The Texas Sci- cal, professional accountability provided by the John S. and ing contact Melissa Rosario at and engineering by creating fueled by the best scientific and ence & Engineering Festival is reporting. This could lead to James L. Knight Foundation. (512) 487-3396 or email her at awareness and increasing com- educational resources in the area hosted by MAES, Inc., a non- more government waste and lo- For more information, [email protected]. munity engagement. all geared towards making sci- profit organization, and is pre- cal corruption, less effective contact Glenn Frankel, Director James believes that the only Continuing the tradition ence interesting, relevant, and sented in conjunction with the schools and other serious com- of the UT School of Journalism, way to solve many of the prob- this year, the Festival will com- fun.