Articles
NAACP Town Hall : It's time to end the war on drugs
Category: Metro Written by Tene Croom
STATE REP. ED GAINEY
Brandi Fisher believes the war on drugs is really about a war on Africa-Americans.
“The war on drugs feeds prisons and turns our communities into prisons outside of those four walls,” she said.
Fisher, president, Alliance for Police Accountability, was among the panelists in the NAACP town hall meeting, “Ending the War on Drugs.”
The town hall meeting was part of the civil rights group’s Northeast Regional Civil Rights Training Institute.
Panelist Michael Skolnik, Global Grind editor and chief and political director to business magnate Russell Simmons, evoked the memory of slain civil rights leader, Rev. Martin Luther King, to make a point.
“When I see the destruction that this horrific and unjust war has caused specifically to Black communities, but also Latino communities as well, across this country; I think about what King said about the rights you take for granted are worthless unless you fight for those same rights for others.” Skolnik said to the hundreds of people gathered in the auditorium at CCAC’s Allegheny Campus.
He talked about being White and why because of his race he should do more to champion against the ills facing the African-American community.
“I have a responsibility with that White privilege to do something,” he said.
The war on drugs, Skolnik said is perhaps the issue that he and Simmons care the most about ending.
Also on the panel was Pennsylvania State Rep. Ed Gainey who got personal as he discussed the scourge of drugs. He recalled how the high-rise in East Liberty, where he grew up, has been ravaged by the illegal narcotics trade.
“In 20 years I’ve seen so many drug addictions. People sleeping in the stairways. People sleeping in the laundry room. Human feces. Children walking by this every single day,” he said.
But, Gainey did more than lament how bad things were in the neighborhood of his youth. Speaking in a tone, much like a preacher delivering a fiery sermon on Sunday morning, he denounced what he called the “federal lie.” He zeroed in on the much quoted theme of former first lady Nancy Reagan whose idea in the 1980s for young people to not get hooked on drugs was to just say no.
“It was the biggest lie I ever heard in my life.” Gainey said while pointing out what he saw as a federal government contradiction after Mrs. Reagan launched that drug abuse campaign.
“From that time on how many wars have we financed with drug money? We stipulated an economy out of drug money and then we created sub-cultures called the penitentiary. Ran drugs through the African-American and Latino communities. Fueled the jail system through drugs that they bought to fund the war.”
Celebrated hip-hop artist Jasiri X takes record companies and rappers to task for contributing to the problem. He cited a popular song by Rick Ross that referenced cocaine, that he heard being heavily played on a New York City radio station.
“A lot of time as artists, we’re glamorizing the very thing that’s imprisoning and hurting our community,” he said.
But through his organization, One Hood, hip-hop has made positive changes in communities, Jasiri X said, where there might be problems because people didn’t get along because someone was from a different “hood” or neighborhood.
“We use hip-hop, being from the hip-hop generation, as a way to begin to do things to bring these communities and neighborhoods together.”
(Reach Tene’ Croom at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .)
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Last Updated on Friday, 10 May 2013 14:58
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Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers... Teachers attract students with innovation
Category: Metro Written by Rebecca Nuttall - Courier Staff Writer
NINA ESPOSITO-VISGITIS
According to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan teachers are the greatest in-school factor that impacts student achievement. For this reason the Pittsburgh Public School District’s teachers must adapt to meet the needs of the district’s African-American students who make up nearly 60 percent of the student population, but trail in achievement.
Last Updated on Thursday, 09 May 2013 13:53
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CCAC President Johnson, finalist for Cleveland college position
Category: Metro Written by Rebecca Nuttall - Courier Staff Writer
ALEX JOHNSON
According to a letter received by the New Pittsburgh Courier, Community College of Allegheny County President Alex Johnson could be leaving CCAC to take a position as president of Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland.
Last Updated on Friday, 10 May 2013 09:51
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NAACP head says Orie Sisters’ sentence just; Judge orders re-sentencing for ex-Justice Melvin
Category: Metro Written by Christian Morrow - Courier Staff Writer
Former state Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin, right, and sister Janine Orie, left, arrive for court with a family member on May 7, for sentencing for their February convictions on corruption in Orie Melvin's election campaign. The sisters avoided prison time for their corruption convictions but were sentenced Tuesday to house arrest for what a judge called crimes of "arrogance." (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
Following the May 7 sentencing of former state Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin and her sister on public corruption charges, NAACP Pittsburgh Unit President Connie Parker said she received several calls complaining that they should have gone to jail.
Last Updated on Friday, 10 May 2013 15:04
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Giving back focus of Cash’s NAACP speech
Category: Metro Written by Tene Croom
SWIN CASH
PITTSBURGH--“I’ve always been committed to coming back and helping not only kids in my community, but also where I play.”
Those words from Swin Cash, a McKeesport native, who was back in her hometown as the keynote speaker at the Pittsburgh NAACP’s 59th annual Human Rights Dinner.
The Olympian and WNBA star, born Swintayla Marie Cash, sometimes had the scores of people gathered in the ballroom of the Wyndham Grand Hotel Downtown laughing. She explained how sports were always in her really large family. Her mother had 12 siblings and she had 75 first cousins.
There was never a doubt, Cash proclaimed, that she was going to play ball.
“Sports was always there. When we were playing football in the backyard. And whether I thought I was going to be playing for the Steelers one day,” she said.
As chuckles spread across the room to the Pittsburgh Steelers comment, she acknowledged them.
“Yeah, I really did think that,” the 33 year old Cash proclaimed with a smile.
Everyone listened to Cash with rapt attention as she talked about something very close to her heart, her charity, Cash for Kids.
“It’s so important for us to give back to our youth and keeping them engaged in not only activities with sports, but also cultural activities,” she said. “We have kids if they want to go in to learn more about the sciences and math and learn more about education or about drama or about being a hair stylist. We’re pushing them to be whatever their calling is.”
Her WNBA home is the Windy City, where she plays for the Chicago Sky. However, Cash lives in Atlanta when she’s not playing.
The 6 foot one and 162 pound powerhouse used her hands for more than dunking a basketball. She’s written a book, “Humble Journey: More Precious Than Gold,” that chronicles her amazing journey playing basketball both professionally and in the Olympics.
With all that she has accomplished at such a young age, Cash explained just what keeps her going.
“What will your legacy be? Not as the NAACP. Not as Cash for Kids. Not as every other foundation that’s in this room. What will your individual legacy be? What will people say about you? That’s what motivates me,” she said.
Receiving the Judge Homer S. Brown award were Pittsburgh Steelers legend, Mel Blount, founder of the Mel Blount Youth
Last Updated on Thursday, 09 May 2013 13:59
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