Founder and board chair Ora Lee Carroll said she is not giving up control of the East Liberty Concerned Citizens Corporation to developer Emmett Miles.

“The memorandum of understanding was never signed,” she said. “The letter (referenced in last week’s Courier) is not an agreement.”

ORA LEE CARROLL

The May 3 letter, congratulating Miles for being selected by Carroll and the ELCCC board as the nonprofit’s director of housing and retail development, indicated a memorandum of understanding was to have been signed May 15. Carroll said that never happened.

She said she felt hurt.

While best known for their weekly protests against the wars in the Middle East, the Black Voices for Peace are setting their sights on a new issue.

In honor of African Liberation Day and Malcolm X Day, the group hosted a forum to discuss the nation of Haiti. Leading the forum May 22 was Leon Pamphile, Ph.D., a Haitian native and executive director of the Functional Literacy Ministry of Haiti.

AFRICAN LIBERATION DAY—Fred Logan, left, and Leon Pamphile open the Black Voices for Peace forum.

“This is just the first step. We need to put Haiti on our agenda,” said Fred Logan, a member of Black Voices. “In terms of the policy, we need a movement that will force the Obama administration to take a progressive approach to Haiti. I hope we can increase the importance of Haiti to the world at large. “

For the past three years, young African-American men from the greater Pittsburgh area have come together in a college setting to focus on leadership development. This year the Black Male Leadership Development Institute has expanded to allow for more youths and more development.

TOMORROW’S LEADERS—High school students from the greater Pittsburgh area participate in a college-prep workshop during last year’s program.

“The biggest thing is, last year after five days you were done, but this year it’s year round. The learning will continue, the networking will continue,” said Florence Rouzier, director of education, Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh. “We want them to feel a part of strong valued community, that’s a community of strong men and nurturing adults. There are going to be so many opportunities for these young men to model these good behaviors.”

So when she was told that she was being honored for her selflessness with a banquet at the Ascension Hall, Bradford didn’t think she deserved it.

“I don’t like all the hoopla. I just do what I do,” said Bradford. “Everyone always complains about the kids, but when it boils down to it, there’s not a lot for them to do and there are not a lot of volunteers to help people when you need to do something. They are always too busy and there are only a handful of people trying to do something.

PAULETTE BRADFORD