WWW.TRIANGLE TRIBUNE.COM The Triangle Dozens arrested after health-careBy Christina protest Sandidge ASSOCIATED PRESS RALEIGH – The head of the North Carolina NAACP was among more than 30 people arrested Tuesday during a demonstration against Republican RIBUNE lawmakers' refusal to expand Medicaid coverage – the latest in a long string TTHE TRIANGLE’S CHOICE FOR THE BLACK VOICE of protests the NAACP and members of the Moral Monday movement have waged since the GOP returned to power in 2013. With zip-ties on their wrists, the Rev. William Barber and 31 other pro- VOLUME 19 NO. 9 WEEK OF JUNE 4, 2017 $1.00 testers were led away by police as supporters continued protest chants in support of health care for all. Before Tuesday's arrests, a group comprising of doctors, health care work- ers, clergy and others marched through the hallways and gathered near the Bounce TV and offices of House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate leader Phil Berger, where Black Kids Swim other protesters sat outside. Police also arrested some protesters who had entered Harnett County Republican Sen. Ronald Rabin's office. partner to save Demonstrators wanted the General Assembly to expand health coverage to poor and disabled people. They also protested in support of preserving black lives in the the federal health care law passed under former President Barack Obama. water. "We never come to get arrested," Barber told the media. "But what we do come to do is exercise our constitutional right." The arrests came after complaints received by officers, General Assembly Police Chief Martin Brock said. Those taken into custody will face second- degree trespassing charges, Brock added. In a statement released before Please seePROTEST/2A Black Sessions AIDS orders Institute severest announces drug penalties 30-day By Stephanie Carson N.C. NEWS SERVICE campaignBLACK AIDS INSTITUTE RALEIGH - A directive from U.S. Attorney General The Black AIDS Institute, the Jeff Sessions could shift nation’s only think tank focused additional burdens on the on the impact of HIV upon black state's already crowded communities, has announced a prison system and place a national, digital-community disproportionate number campaign, “30 Days of HIV.” of minority defendants in Launching May 27 and ending jail. on National HIV Testing Day Last week, Sessions an- (NHTD) June 27, the campaign nounced he was directing consists of three core elements: federal prosecutors to pur- an online community calendar sue the most severe penal- to promote HIV and health-re- ties possible, including lated events serving black com- mandatory minimum sen- munities, an Instagram tences. storytelling series titled “In The Calling his new policy a Life,” featuring images of the life return to the war on drugs experiences of black, gay, bisex- of the 1980s and '90s, ual, transgender, queer men, Anita Earls, executive direc- and daily actions to mobilize tor of the Southern Coali- black communities and those tion for Social Justice, said who serve them. the shift takes the nation “Even though it is not in the backwards when it comes news to the extent it was a few to handling offenders. years ago, HIV/AIDS is an ongo- "I think it's not justified ing, and among some sectors, from a policy perspective," tragically growing crisis in black she said. "It doesn't make communities,” said Phill Wilson, the public safer, it's not a the Institute’s president and way to address the prob- CEO. lem of drugs, and it's a “Black gay and bisexual men change that this adminis- in the United States have a 50- tration is making for ideo- percent lifetime HIV-infection logical reasons without any rate. Black women still represent basis in fact." 61 percent of the new HIV infec- Sessions' announcement tions among women. Our house SARAH MAGARGEE reversed a policy change is still on fire, and we don’t put in place by then Attor- seem to notice.” Calvin F. Morrow, 93, left, and Simeon Holloway, 96, stand proudly under the new historic ney General Eric Holder in The campaign will create marker at the corner of Franklin and Roberson streets in Chapel Hill. 2013 that directed prose- awareness, fight stigma and cre- cutors to avoid charging ate solutions to curb HIV among nonviolent defendants black Americans, who bear the with offenses that would heaviest burden of the epi- trigger long mandatory demic. minimum sentences. According to the Centers for Black naval band honored Earls and others are con- Disease Control, black Ameri- cerned that the shift will cans accounted for 45 percent mean overcrowding of jails of HIV diagnoses in 2015 and a large number of mi- though they comprise just 12 mony, were the Navy’s first in the military. It is an absolute withBy Sarah Magargee historical marker nority defendants being percent of the population. African-Americans to serve in honor to be here today.” CORRESPONDENT placed in the prison sys- Young, black gay men are at Naval capacities other than as Calvin F. Morrow, 93, one of tem. greatest risk and stand a 50 per- CHAPEL HILL – Forty-four cooks and stewards. four surviving band members, Under the previous pol- cent risk of acquiring HIV during black musicians who formed “The B-1 band paved the way stood in the hot sun sharing icy, Holder instructed pros- their lifetime. the B-1 U.S. Naval Band 75 for African-Americans in the memories from 75 years ago ecutors to pursue lesser The online community calen- years ago were honored with a U.S. Navy,” said Captain K.L. when the B-1 band marched charges for defendants not dar will feature HIV and health- historical marker at the corner Collins, commanding officer of daily down Chapel Hill’s belonging to large-scale related activities in black of Franklin and Roberson the United States Navy Band. Franklin Street as flags were drug trafficking organiza- communities during the 30 days Streets in Chapel Hill last week- “Music is often described as raised and to play “Taps” as tions, gangs or cartels. leading into NHTD. end. the universal language. For the flags were lowered. Earls said she is concerned Organizations that have These men, two of whom at- B-1 band, music is the way “We marched down this about the additional de- planned health fairs, HIV testing tended the unveiling cere- they broke the barriers of race Please see MARKER/2A mand on public resources. or other outreach activities dur- "You're paying for all ing this timeframe are invited to these people to be incar- submit the events to pavniat- cerated for life, through [email protected] for inclusion your federal tax dollars," on the calendar. she said, "so it impacts you "It is an opportunity for every- in that sense and those tax one to see all the facets of what dollars could be contribut- it is to be a black and male in views from the directors of the Car- to take me to metro performances ing to the community America,” said Gerald Garth, the NCBy Sarah museum Magargee honors ballerina olina Ballet and the Dance Theater because she could get me in for CORRESPONDENT much more effectively if Institute’s manager of preven- of Harlem, and a discussion with free.” RALEIGH – Debra Austin broke they were spent in very dif- tion and care. Austin. For more information, visit The training was intense, requir- through the racial barrier in ballet ferent ways." “While HIV care, prevention www.africanamericanarts.org. ing rehearsal three times a week at when she became the first female According to the Ameri- and education are a major part A New York City native, Austin a sister school in the Bronx and Sat- black ballerina to dance at the New can Civil Liberties Union, of the black gay experience, began dancing at the age of 8. Her urday rehearsal at Carnegie Hall. York City Ballet and again in 1982 four in five inmates serving there is so much more. Many of parents initially enrolled her in a The hard work paid off and at the as the first African-American female time for drug offenses are us are artists, thinkers, fathers, school in the community of age of 12, Austin was awarded a full principal dancer of a major Ameri- African-American or His- husbands and have transitioned Riverdale, Bronx, where she danced scholarship to dance at the School can ballet company. panic. and evolved in many ways well for several weeks until the instruc- of American Ballet in New York City, Austin will be honored for her A report from the U.S. De- beyond the scope of HIV.” tor said she “had no talent.” Ap- a feeder school for the New York achievements June 4 with an exclu- partment of Justice found All aspects of the campaign palled, her parents insisted they City Ballet. While studying at the sive conversation and film screen- that more than a third of will be housed on BAI’s website, would find someone who would school, she attended the Profes- ing at the North Carolina Museum drug offenders in federal www.blackaids.org, and pro- teach their daughter and took her to sional Children’s School, squeezing of History in downtown Raleigh. prison had either no or moted daily via multiple social a school based out of Carnegie Hall. in academic studies between re- Hosted by the Triangle Friends of minimal criminal history media platforms: Facebook, There, Austin was trained by a hearsals. African-American Arts, “The Black prior to their sentence. Twitter, Instagram. soloist in the New York City Ballet.