What a wonderful weekend I had covering the Jacksonville Film Festival. In all fairness, yes, the additions of the African American films (and their producers and featured actresses) were last minute additions, but we made the best of Friday thru Sunday, and I’m grateful to the Gods of journalism that I was able to “capture” and “cover” some semblance of activity that would best promote the “contingency of color.” It would be a wonderful testament if I could offer commentary that included “color” being an irrelevant barrier in the film industry, but just as difficult as it is for women and men of color to land feature roles, it is equally a challenge for budding and/or established producers/directors/writers of independent films to garner funding for quality production and wide distribution.

I had the extraordinaire opportunity to spend quality time with Los Angeles producer Tim Alexander who is best known for his iconic-cult flick, “Diary of a Tired Black Man.” What’s ironic about meeting Tim is that months prior, I composed a blog titled, “Why it’s hard to date a black woman,” and included his film’s poster image. I’d never seen the film, but gee…I never thought I’d breathe both the writer/producer/director into my life by writing a “harmless” (cough, cough) blog. Let me just say it was a blessing in disguise, because to know Tim Alexander and understand his theatrical mission is imperative to the alternative which is simply being “put off” by his approach. The same is true for my often “rush to judge” personality as people are pleasingly surprised that I am much different than expected, once they give me a glass of Chardonnay (Just kidding…sort of). Actually, most people with a strong creative vibe and drive are an anomaly until you pull back their layers. Tim Alexander hides a very delicate and soft interior, but the journey to that revelation is no joke!

We started the evening with an interview at “Indochine” (Downtown) Jacksonville. He appeared very soft-spoken, didn’t drink alcohol, and was Thai food friendly. Loquacious? You bet. Controlling? Of course. Annoying? Nawwwww.

Tim is just Tim, and again, until you’ve broken bread (or chopsticks) with him, don’t judge the impact of an experienced black man…who just so happened to be “tired” as well. Tired of what? Well, let me just offer the following quote, which is a chauvinistic jewel, “I once dated a woman who would argue with me simply because she could breath,” Alexander said. A week later on Facebook, I told him, “You should have done something to take her breath away.” If it were a harmless tennis match, we’d be “Love-Love,” but Tim serves hard and fast and furious, so by the time we endured dinner, my interview was riddled with insults regarding my journalist style (I write freehand, tape recorders are for politicians…and their mistresses). Besides, my subjects don’t tell me what to ask, I ask what I deem necessary to what I will ultimately write, but that night, Tim was determined to monopolize my flow (I must admit he owns a “sexy sense of angry.”)

The night progressed, and Valerie Jones, Chair of Black Cinema Spotlight had publicity plans for Tim, but we had to venture to the Omni Downtown first. This would have also been a harmless event, but then: Tim Alexander met Cassandra Freeman (Thunder, Lightening Bolts, Dogs seek cover…)

Cassie, as she is affectionately called by those worthy, is a Jacksonville native, Douglas Anderson School of the Arts graduate, and emerging actress who has starred opposite Denzel Washington (“Inside Man”) and was featured during the festival as Lieutenant Rose in the stellar, independent film: “Kinyarwanda.”

Let’s just say, “Cassie did not mince words with Tim and Tim met his match.” It was film worthy and I’m certain at least ONE of them would have earned an Oscar for “Oustanding Defense of A Gender Outside A Quasi Upscale Hotel.” Who won? Well, It’s neither here nor there, because like all artists, they both took the high road, and we all moved on. Actually, they posed for a photo as though nothing had ever been blurted, I mean retorted, I mean..said. They are both smiling in the lovely image below (they both think they won!) All I can say is, “As a woman thinketh, so is she.”(A King James Version revision on my part).

So the night progressed, and Tim rode shotgun with me to our next location which is when I quietly discovered: Tim Alexander is a “narcoleptic.” That man can fall asleep ANYWHERE at the click of a traffic light change. Wow…Let me also add a litany of positive things about him before he reads this and slaughters me with feminist insults: Tim Alexander is one of the most brilliant, confident, determined, hard working men I’ve ever met. He’s a gentle soul, but a man of measure who has an exceptional sense of self. He is a devoted father to two twin sons and is engaged to a most beautiful woman named, “Nyra” who I had the pleasure of speaking to (while driving) and during the few moments Tim was awake, and whenever Tim was awake, he popped his Apple laptop open and shared photos, visions of his mastermind plan, and gazed endearingly at his lovely family.Tim Alexander is 110% devoted to creating films that speak to the more positive and relevant matters of African American families. He is a professed “Social Activist” and founder of “Learning Through Conflict” a company devoted to promoting varied media that inspires.

“When people see my films, I want them to look at themselves, not what’s on the screen,” Alexander said. “People love conflict, but I want them to see something that allows them to see things a different way.” This point of view was more than adequately demonstrated by his debut of “A Mother’s Love.” I literally cried.

It is a magnificent film that is worthy of wide-audience circulation, but preferably, being adapted by a major movie company and, well, I don’t know if that’s what Tim wants, but I do know he wants “Folks” to view it in a theatre near you. At the time of this writing, it debuted in Chicago, Illinois the weekend of December 2nd, 2011. I’ll have to give Tim a call to see how things went. (Yeah, I know…I’m behind the eight ball). By the way Tim, my B1- English IV senior class keeps asking, “Hey, when are we gonna see the rest of that film?”

Moving along with Friday evening, I accompanied Tim to a nightclub to promote his Saturday afternoon viewing which was held in Five Points. (I’m the beautiful individual in the middle of the two “tired black men.”) It wasn’t the best of crowds or opportunity for a “next day” promo, but we made the best of it…Tim made the most of it… and the owner served him some fabulous Tilapia and french fries. I would be remiss if I didn’t say I’ve never been to a West Indian owned ANYTHING that didn’t serve “Ting.” (me devastated Mon.)

I would also be remiss if I didn’t add that Hollywood stunt artist Derrick Simmons debuted his film, “Women Do It Better” and also made a special trip on Thursday prior to the film festival’s opening to Douglas Anderson School of the Arts. Students of Debbie Lee Rouse (Co-chair of the English Department) and my “Critical Theory” crew were thrilled to see his film vignettes as he has appeared in over 100 Hollywood movies for Tyler Perry (he went in the hot tub in “Diary of a Tired Black Woman), tumbled down the steps in “Precious” and was Jamie Foxxes double in “Ray.” Of course there’s more like “The Wire” (great HBO goner…) and Law and Order. I thoroughly enjoyed his film and thought it offered a rather light and humorous side to what women clearly “do better.” We do “IT” better. Now, define your it.

The Jacksonville Film festival proved to be a weekend of “potential” that would have been further enhanced had MORE (or any) African Americans actually showed up to view the films and support ALL artists, regardless of race, creed, or color. Of course African Americans do need and have the right to command more appeal because it’s harder for any Indie (Independent), much harder for an African American Indie, and practically a feat of impossibility for a female indie. But, there are trailblazers, pioneers, examples, and renegades who break through barriers and pave the way for others to follow suit.

Just let me leave you with a reflective thought (Jacksonville): If we fly notable film artists in town from Los Angeles and New York and no one shows up to support them, it looks bad (real bad). Almost as bad as I felt having to explain to Tim Alexander why The Jacksonville Landing is a bust, why our new Courthouse looks like the Parthenon, and why there is a non-moving, passenger-less “Sky Way” track that circles the perimeter of downtown, but never moves. My standard response was, “We have a new black mayor and downtown Jacksonville is getting ready to BLOW UP.” I actually believe the latter and thank my lucky stars that our Film Festival left before our coveted NFL team fired its coach and was sold to a wealthy man from Pakistan. Nevertheless and Nonetheless, we are a city rich with potential, but we need for “every human being with two legs and two eyes” to support the 2012 Jacksonville Film Festival. You never know (All ye of hopes and dreams), the next emerging film success could be you, and it would be a shame if no one ever saw or knew ~

Penny Dickerson 2011

A Whole New World: The Kinsey Collection

An art and history loving African American Family debuts their coveted collection at Walt Disney World

By Penny Dickerson

A Whole New World: The Kinsey Collection

“The Walls” from the Kinsey Collection

If the art of sharing were worth its weight in gold, the amassed cultural treasures of Bernard and Shirley Kinsey would easily personify Ft. Knox. The philanthropist couple have gathered 400 ‘authentic and rare art, artifacts, books, documents and manuscripts that tell the often untold story of African American achievement and contributions.’ The culminating result is an impressive touring exhibit spanning more than 400 years of history aptly titled, “The Kinsey Collection: Shared Treasures of Bernard and Shirley Kinsey.”

More than 3 million people in seven U.S. cities including the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. have been exposed and culturally enriched. And now, a global audience can experience ‘the intersect of art and history’ at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

Earlier this month, The Kinsey Collection opened to the public at the American Heritage Gallery of the American Adventure Pavilion at EPCOT Center where it will remain until 2016. The private unveiling took place during the 6^th Annual Disney Dreamers Academy weekend hosted by Steve Harvey with Essence magazine. The competitive program selects 100 students from across the country to indulge in four days of mentoring workshops facilitated by celebrities like gospel sensation Yolanda Adams, American Idol runner-up Kimberley Locke, Actor Doc Shaw from Tyler Perry’s “House of Payne,” CNN education contributor Dr. Steve Perry, and more.

Bernard Kinsey─patriarch of the namesake collection─also honored the 2013 cohort with a historical lecture, “The Myth of Absence” which aligns with the Kinsey’s ultimate goal: education.

A Disney partnership effectively broadens the collection’s outreach, but a unique agreement with the Florida Department of Education fills a void Kinsey believes is omitted by most African American textbooks. The Kinsey’s self-published coffee-table book bears the collection’s title and has been approved to teach K-12 history in Florida schools.

The publication works in concert with the collection as a visual and kinesthetic educational component. Readers embark upon a 198 page, picturesque journey in print that begins in 1632 and travels to the present. The art of Stephen Duncanson and Romare Bearden are complemented by 17^th century documents from historical abolitionist Frederick Douglass and Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr., whose legacy encouraged everyone to ignite a dream.

“This exhibit presents truth, but is not an exercise in victimhood,” said Bernard Kinsey to a captive room at EPCOT World Showplace. “We have the courage to uplift and do justice to an integral part of American history that dispels the myth that our history is absent from the whole.”

The Kinsey Collection

The Kinsey Collection Opening at Disney World

Cross-referencing visual slides from the collection, Kinsey’s unwavering passion for history reverberated as he described the 1832 slavery ‘Bill of Sale’ that inspired the collection. From his confident podium stance to his matter-of-fact wisdom, he remained candid about everything from the 1619 Mayflower arrival to Buffalo Soldier pride. Images of black bodies lined like sardines beneath a slave ship’s belly were displayed along with the dismay of Dr. Selma Burke’s original mold being used to create Teddy Roosevelt’s likeness on the American dime. The African American sculptor was never given credit. Throughout, Kinsey remained unapologetic in his posture that the African American presence in history is not one of invisibility.

Among the engaged dreamers was 15-year-old Dwight James of Jacksonville, Florida who expressed genuine excitement: “I loved when he said Christopher Columbus didn’t discover America. The Indians found America. America has been re-owned,” said James, who dreams of becoming a writer.

Sharing his sentiments was spoken word artist Husain Abd’Allah from Jamaica, NY. The ninth grade homeschooler is a Schomburg Junior Scholar in African American studies who was intrigued by the gallery, “It was such a wonderful exhibit,” he said. “We got to see how it all came together. They had a lantern where you just turn the handle and it starts giving you an overview of the gallery.”

Most impressive for Abd’Allah was Mrs. Fisher’s Cookbook, the first known cookbook by a Black person. Husein, like many in attandance, had never heard this information prior to The Kinsey Collection.

It was Carmen Smith, Vice President of Creative Development of Walt Disney Imageering whose unwavering vision lead to the Kinsey-Disney partnership. She learned about the Collection from Bob Billingslea, former Vice President of Corporate Urban Affairs and Minority Outreach, and eagerly presented the idea to theme park executives. “We saw this as a unique opportunity,” she said. “More than 20 Disney executives were taken to Los Angeles, California to view the entire collection. It was simply magical! There were no hesitations to bring it to the American Gallery.”

The bulk of the Presidential Award-Winning collection remains housed in a converted wine cellar in the Kinsey’s sprawling Pacific Coast home. Of the 400 available pieces, 40 were hand-selected to comprise the Disney exhibit, but every six months they will be rotated until the entire collection has been viewed. To preserve the integrity and protect from light and moisture damage, some items in the exhibit are facsimiles.

Innovative Disney “Imagineers” teamed to create a gallery experience consistent with attractions throughout the resort’s multiple theme parts. Their daunting task was to build an interactive exhibit that brings African American history to life. Anthony Sparks, M.A. served as the writer/consultant for the project. For more than four months, the University of Southern California scholar and former stage actor (“Stomp”) worked to perfect the exhibit. “The big question was how to make a gallery kid-friendly?” he explained. “My goals were simple: appeal to families, all ages, and create something that worked on many levels.”

The project further involved condensing vast material to tell a cohesive story that was not all inclusive but gave a sense of the African American experience and five tenets of The Kinsey Collection: Hope, Belief, Courage, Heritage, and Imagination. Lanterns, symbolic of the freedom path, were given narrative voice by Academy Award winning actress Whoopi Goldberg. Additional A-list celebrities lending their sound were Chaundra Wilson and James Pickens, Jr. (Grey’s Anatomy), Kerry Washington (Scandal), ABC News Anchor Diane Sawyer, and others.

For Kinsey and wife Shirley, the realization of their cultural inheritance is an overwhelming achievement and accomplishment. “It now has a voice, a name, a personality,” offered Kinsey.

The Kinsey Family serves as a formidable example of African American resilience and strength. The Florida A&M University alums met during the civil rights movement and remain married 40 years later. Both are Xerox Corporation retirees who mastered saving money in their early lives together. The dividends have allowed them to travel more than 91 countries and help raise more than $22 million dollars to support HBCU’s. Their son Khalil currently serves as general manager of operations for The Kinsey Collection. While in grade-school, he exhibited an inquisitive nature regarding his family history. Both parents eagerly addressed his cultural thirst. The rest is Kinsey history.

Penny Dickerson is a Florida-based independent journalist. She is a frequent contributor to the Florida Courier, Florida Times-Union and other regional and national publications. Her work can be viewed at pennydickersonwrites.com.

WHERE DREAMS COME TRUE

March 14, 2013 Filed under METRO Posted by admin

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Florida teens participate in Disney Dreamers Academy hosted by Steve Harvey, Essence Magazine

BY PENNY DICKERSON
SPECIAL TO THE FLORIDA COURIER

High school students converged upon the state last week for the sixth annual Disney Dreamers Academy sponsored by Walt Disney World Resorts with Steve Harvey and Essence Magazine.

The 100 students arrived from as far as California and Vermont with a cluster of Midwestern states represented. Bodacious dreams were packed along with stories as warm as the sunshine during a four-day, three-night weekend held March 6-10.

Each student was challenged to boldly reach for the stars like the foremost signature dreamer: Walt Disney. Among them were 11 Florida “Dreamers” selected from 5,000 submissions.Winning essays articulated everything from cancer adversity to presidential award achievements, and collectively they are the next generation of physicians, journalists, James Beard award culinary chefs, Academy Award-winning actors and Disney Imagineers.

‘How bad do you want it?’
Student Dwight James of Jacksonville was in awe of motivational speaker Jonathan Sprinkles who made a splash so big, he was awarded a Golden Mickie. “He gave one quote I’ll never forget,” said James. “Fear is nothing but false evidence that appears real.”

Keeping it real was thematic for the notable men who inspired. Florida A&M University graduate and film producer Will Packer encouraged teens to, “Stay focused, be consistent, and be known as someone who always delivers with excellence.”

Los Angeles philanthropist and entrepreneur Bernard Kinsey gave a presentation on Black history from The Kinsey Collection, which debuted at Epcot’s American Heritage Gallery.

“Henry Assian Flipper was the first West Point graduate in 1877,” stated Kinsey. “He wasn’t spoken to for four years due to his color and what did he still do? Graduate. How bad do you want it?”

‘Fly Girl 101’
“American Idol’’ runner-up Kimberly Locke left an indelible impression on Reaghan Wooster, a Harvard University bound 14 year-old from Yalaha, which is located in Lake County.

“I was inspired when she shared relationships were not supposed to be abusive,” said Wooster. “I have a stable family environment, but appreciated hearing abuse is not acceptable.”

A “Fly Girl 101” session was facilitated by twin sisters Brandi and Karli Harvey, daughters of Steve Harvey. Celebrity guests included Chaundra Wilson of “Grey’s Anatomy’’; celebrity chef Carla Hall, a co-host of “The Chew’’; and “Sunday Best’’ runner-up Jessica Reedy. Female Dreamers were given tips on everything from skirt length to confidence.

Erica Thomas, 16, from Land O’Lakes, kept it girl-power real. “I’m a Girl Scout,” she remarked. “When is it cool to not help someone? You’re never too old.”

Hands-on workshops
In “Deep Dives,” Dreamers delved into careers guided by industry professionals. Aisha Louis of Hollywood, Fla., was not accepted last year, but dreamed her way into the 2013 class where she wrote a front-page article for a newsletter produced by students during the academy.

“Since last year’s application, my writing skills grew,” Louis explained. “What I thought was my story wasn’t. I learned how to express.”

“They’ve been committed from the start,” said Tanisha Sykes, senior managing editor of Essence Magazine. “I’ve seen them focus, adhere to deadlines, and just have fun. It’s been phenomenal,” she added. Her leadership, along with Demorris Lee of the National Association of Black Journalists, saw the project through.

Marcus Burns, Jr. dreams of becoming an artist. The Jacksonville teen rendered art so impressive during his “dive’’ that Dwayne Edwards, former designer for Jordan Brand Shoes, recommended him for a potential internship.

Actor Lamman Rucker worked with creative dreamers while celebrity chef Jeff Henderson helped hone culinary skills.

Parental pow-wow
“Take care of yourself first. Healthy people raise healthy children,” advised Dr. Steve Perry. The CNN education contributor motivated parents during a personal session. “Beyond liking your kids, you have to lead them. You lead people you love.’’

Perry’s words resonated with parent Terlisa Sheppard, who is fighting stage four breast cancer. She receives chemotherapy but accompanied 14-year-old Alyah Sheppard, whom she calls her “miracle child.” The Orlando family further beat odds in 2011 when daughter Alexis Sheppard was also was accepted into the academy.

A parent or guardian was invited to accompany each Dreamer to the academy. The parents and students had a complimentary stay at the Disney Port Orleans Resort. Most mornings for the students began at 6:30 a.m.

Harvey’s advice
Dreamers were armed with portfolio notebooks and 100 personalized business cards. They were encouraged to network.

Steve Harvey joked with parents, “This weekend was created for the young people with the red shirts on. We just have programs for ya’ll so you can stay out the way.”

Punch lines were frequent but Harvey equally kept it above board.

“Whatever you do, whatever path you choose to take, please, please listen to me, put God right in the middle of your base,” pleaded Harvey. “That’s the best way. It will ensure your success; it will guarantee you get there.”

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Essence Magazine Editor-At-Large Mikki Taylor echoed with purpose. “As you pour into your dreams, please don’t focus on money. It’s just paper…you were created to do more than make paper,” stated Taylor.

“Pursue your dream in the full recognition that your gift is not just about you.”

‘All have a dream’
The World Showplace hosted a celebratory commencement featuring gospel legend Yolanda Adams.

Parents presented Dreamers with class rings by the company Josten, and tearful hugs.

Tracey Powell, Executive Champion of the Disney Dreamers Academy, leads the team responsible for program success. “This year has been fabulous,” stated Powell. “Every group of 100 is different and special, but the commonality is they all have a dream.”

Powell welcomes applications in June from all who dare to dream in 2014.

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What a great time I had covering this event. The “Dreamers” were absolutely incredible young men and women and the Walt Disney world staff displayed their expected perfection and “be our guest” flair. From the beautiful accommodations at the Animal Kingdom Resort to the first parade down to the closing ceremony featuring a lion king performance, it was simply incredible. That is the single, most befitting word that I can offer: incredible. Well done Steve Harvey, essence magazine, and disney!

‘Architect of flavor’ whips up Harvey’s healthy dishes

March 14, 2013 Filed under ENTERTAINMENT, FOOD Posted by admin

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BY PENNY DICKERSON
SPECIAL TO THE FLORIDA COURIER

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Judson Todd Allen is a winner who loves to lose.

He has won a battle with weight, losing more than 135 pounds. He auditioned for the “Next Food Network Star’’ four times before joining the 2012 cast. He again, lost but recalibrated

Now he’s the personal chef to comedian/entertainer/radio/television personality/author Steve Harvey. How Allen landed the gig is the kind of stuff dreams are made of.

“I heard on the radio Steve Harvey was looking for a chef in Chicago,” said Allen. “I was in Tennessee when my business manager called and told me to fly home. I prepared my classic pecan encrusted Chilean sea bass served atop roasted garlic, sautéed spinach infused with lemon and herbs.” Harvey finished the meal and told Allen, “I’ll see you on Monday!”

Launched hot sauce
A background in food science helps the Chicago native mirror Harvey’s varied weight loss and muscle mass goals and says his boss is very well rounded in both diet and nutrition.

During a weight-loss detox, Allen’s European influenced culinary skills were essential in creating Harvey’s rich and creamy soups prepared without butter or dairy.

“I roasted cauliflower and parsnips blended with garlic and herbs,” said Allen, who promotes healthy eating and healthy foods.

Harvey loves hot sauce and was instrumental in the launch of Allen’s signature product called Chef Judson’s All-purpose Habanero Hot Sauce.

Promoted as less hot and more flavor, it’s an all natural, low sodium combination. Allen refers to himself as the “Architect of Flavor’’ – an original brand built for a winner.

For more information on the chef, visit http://www.judsontoddallen.com.

Annual multi-day festival celebrates life of folklorist Zora Neale Hurston with plenty of art, crafts, history

Master Artist Charles Bibbs is renowned for his ability to bring the nuance of African-American culture to life through his visual artistry. The California resident’s work, like the one above, was showcased at the festival.(PENNY DICKERSON/SPECIAL TO THE FLORIDA COURIER)

BY PENNY DICKERSON
SPECIAL TO THE FLORIDA COURIER

The town of Eatonville celebrated the 24th annual ZORA! Festival with the theme: Zora’s Eatonville: Culture as Conservator of Community’s Heritage. The multi-day Zora Neale Hurston namesake event kicked off on Jan. 26 with its traditional pageantry and robust arts and cultural contributions from the African Diaspora to Florida.

A global perspective of the Humanities gave the 2013 occasion a unique educational approach with invited guests from Moscow, Russia and a rare view of Native American life through the lens of award-winning documentary producer Anne Makepeace. The event ended on Feb. 3 with a practical approach to preventive disease for African-Americans by Celebrity Chef Marvin Woods.

The Association to Preserve the Eatonville Community (P.E.C.) has presented the Zora Neale Hurston Festival of the Arts and Humanities since 1990. Broadly known by the exclamatory epithet – ZORA!, this year’s festival marks the conclusion of a two-year celebration of Historic Eatonville’s 125th anniversary as the nation’s oldest incorporated African-American municipality.

Arts and literature
A distinctive voice in 20th-century literature, Hurston is best known for the 1937 iconic novel “Their Eyes Were Watching God.’’

The anthropologist, folklorist, and essayist emerged as a creative force during the Harlem Renaissance and advanced to literary stature as an intellectual who was imbued with a unique ability to vividly portray southern life

Historically deemed nomadic and restless with an exuberant personality and penchant for wearing hats, Hurston was born Jan. 7, 1891 and died Jan. 28, 1960. The festival in her adopted hometown of Eatonville is held each January in her posthumous memory through visual arts, oral history, traditional crafts, film, and, above all – literature.

HATitude a festival tradition
Women wearing brims as wide as their shoulders and pillboxes touting plumes and netted veils convened at the downtown Orlando Crown Plaza for HATitude!

An intimate affair of brunch and haute couture, the tradition is known as the festival’s hottest ticket in town and allows women ages 21 to 54 an opportunity to be “the stars” for an advance price of $50 and $55 at the door. Rhythmic to attitude, HATitude is celebratory of Hurston’s colorful existence and Renaissance flair for finishing outfits with a hat.

Marjorie Phillips chose a standard black felt hat that was complementary to her petite frame and didn’t make as much noise as the more contemporary and flamboyant chapeaus at her table.

“I am not really a hat lover at all, “said Phillips. “I’ve heard so many great things about the brunch, but the most important thing I was told was you can’t get in without wearing a hat. For a few hours, I can learn to love a hat.”

Art in Eatonville
Master Artist Charles Bibbs is renowned for his innate ability to bring the nuance of African-American culture to life through his visual artistry. The southern California native currently resides in Riverside and began his career as a street artist who worked as a supervisor for Boeing aircraft.

“I left aviation and became a full-time artist in 1993,” offered Bibbs. “African-American people created a market for African-American art and I was in the right place at the right time.”

Bibbs cannot boast any formal training, but has a degree in business with a minor in Art. From California streets to Eatonville’s Kennedy Boulevard, the spectacled genius joined colleagues on fine arts lane where he welcomed a continual host of fans and emerging artists eager to meet the man who masters both his people and color.

“I’m a mixed media artist, mainly acrylic and ink,” explained Bibbs. “I’m a believer that you paint by what you know and what you experience and that’s what I’ve done over the years and I’ve been successful at it…the important thing that I preach is that we need to breed collectors. And they need a starting point.

They need to be able to buy a poster and a print and as they move on, they will be able to understand what they are buying through education.”

According to Bibbs, art is based upon affordability and he belongs to a community of artists who seek to merge the efforts of a mainstream and elite audience to advance the art form and opportunities for all. When asked the advice he would give potential artists, Bibbs imparts, “Approach it like a business and not something so special you can’t part with.”

From tofu to turkey
Everybody screamed for the fresh churned, homemade ice cream and additional sugary delights during the popular “Outdoor Festival of the Arts.” Amidst children performing on the steps of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, street peddlers pushed red wagons filled with candy apples down Kennedy Boulevard while vendors prodded visitors into rows of white tents.

For a fixed or bargained price, attendees could purchase everything from pure African shea butter to T-shirts from President Barack Obama’s inauguration. In the biggest tent, adjacent to preferred soul food and fried fish that has watered festival palettes for years, Celebrity Chef Marvin Woods led a one-man campaign to help African-Americans prevent the prevalent diseases that affect our race: diabetes, high blood pressure, and cholesterol. Behind a colorful set of fresh fruit, exotic spices and natural grain ingredients, Woods simultaneously lectured and demonstrated a healthy recipe using either tofu or turkey for chili. 130208_metro01c

“I’m giving you a recipe that is easy and nutritious,” said Woods. “African-Americans are used to smoked meats that are not really naturally smoked, but rather injected with smoke flavors. That’s sodium and creates a high salt intake and leads to diseases that can shorten lives.”

Woods suggested smoked paprika for a spice and the grains Quinoa and Farro as white rice alternatives. Upon sampling the final product, many guests were shocked at their affinity to adapt to the recipe. “I eat any and everything, but I do it in moderation,” explained Woods. “People need to learn the concept of eat more weigh less: 64 ounces of water, five meals a day, and some form of exercise.”

Bridging the Black male gap
Consistent with the festival’s theme, innovative artists represented projects created to give voice to the role of communities in the preservation of heritage.

Houston activist and artist Rick Lowe, founder of Project Row Houses joined Hank Willis Thomas for an opening reception and gallery talk on the cutting edge transmedia art project titled Question Bridge: Black Males.

The brainchild of innovators Thomas and Chris Johnson, the two collaborated with Bayete Ross Smith and Kamal Sinclair to document provocative dialogue that stemmed from a five-channel video installation representing more than 150 Black men in 12 U.S. cities. Considered more of a “megalogue,” the stream-of -consciousness inquiries run the gamut of family, love, sexuality, community, education, and the most prevalent dilemma for today’s black men: violence.

A predominantly female audience attended an evening community engagement and panel discussion on Feb. 1 in the Eatonville Library following a walk-through tour in the Zora Neale Hurston National Museum of Fine Arts on Kennedy Boulevard.

“The project is not just about Black males, it’s about people and how people react when put in a group, and how they react within that group,” explained Thomas.

Featured males posed questions like the poignant, “What is common to us as Black males?” A male responds: “Our commonality is in our history. Our beauty is who we are as Black people.” That respondent then poses his own question and the cyclic inquiry continues.

Captured responses ranged from the candid, “What’s so cool about selling crack?” to an incarcerated Black male in the San Diego prison being asked, “Are you ready for freedom?” A continued “Talk Back” session was held Saturday afternoon during “Family Day.”

Sustaining ZORA!
“We need a little bit of money from a whole lot of people,” pleaded N.Y. Nathiri, director of Multidisciplinary Programs and Chair of the ZORA! Festival National Planners. The committee dedicated a full page in the festival guide outlining their appeal to “those who value ZORA! Festival. The following is explicitly outlined as follows:

“For the first since the P.E.C. began competing for tourist development tax grant dollars (2002), ZORA! Festival 2013 was not recommended for funding. However, on October 16 (2012), in a first-ever, one-time exception, Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs and the Orange County Board of County Commissioners, in a 6-1 vote, allocated the $150.000, $1-for-$1 cash match grant to P.E.C. as long as our organization was able to meet certain stipulations…one of those stipulations was to make a report on April 2013 which addresses how well our organization has been able to expand its funding base; and to demonstrate a “broad public endorsement” of ZORA! Festival by documenting the individual financial investments we receive during “the festival cycle,” i.e. November 1, 2012 – April 30, 2013.”

Their first effort to address the aforementioned was to charge admission. Attendees ages 17 and younger were admitted free. Those older were asked to give a cash donation. The future of ZORA! Festival and Hurston’s cultural legacy rests in the contributions left in envelopes provided by the community. Next year the festival will celebrate its 25th anniversary.

As a matter of fact, these cancer journals ARE about me.

I pray that cancer may never be about you. For those who support my writing, thank you. For those who are hung up over the diction (that means there are three words of profanity in each), I also pray that your pious religious beliefs and judgmental nature(s) will allow you to understand that the Ebony.com journals are the following:

A series.
They’re written in retrospect beginning in 2006.
The goal is to offer a “real” perspective of what cancer is like from diagnosis to suvivorship.
Diction is word choice. I am unapologetic.
I’m real, It’s real, who you?

Cancer is Crazy: Journals in the Raw (Part I)

Debut: May 3, 2013

http://www.ebony.com/wellness-empowerment/cancer-is-crazy-journals-in-the-raw-part-1-967#axzz2SScicOu0

Cancer is Crazy: Journals in the Raw (Part II)

Run: June 3, 2013

http://www.ebony.com/wellness-empowerment/cancer-is-crazy-journals-in-the-raw-part-ii-543#axzz2VYa4ls39

These two entries are the first of a five-part series.

http://flcourier.com/2013/06/20/florida-actress-is-holding-her-own-on-own/

Florida actress is holding her own on OWN

Angela Robinson, a Jacksonville native and former Miss FAMU, has a major role in Tyler Perry’s ‘The Haves and the Have Nots’

BY PENNY DICKERSON
SPECIAL TO THE FLORIDA COURIER

Just in case you haven’t heard, the lovely pillar of grace donning haute couture fashions in Tyler Perry’s “The Haves and the Have Nots” on OWN is none other than Jacksonville native Angela Robinson.

Angela Robinson, wearing gold dress, portrays Veronica Harrington in Tyler Perry’s “The Haves and the Have Nots.’’ She is shown with other cast members in the new series on OWN.
(PHOTOS COURTESY OF OWN)

Cast as the wealthy Veronica Harrington in Oprah Winfrey Network’s (OWN), first original scripted drama series, the former Miss Florida A&M University and musical theater actress is now employed by Tyler Perry Studios based in Atlanta.

Robinson, who also starred on Broadway as Shug Avery in “The Color Purple,’’ now is an integral part of a historical collaboration between media mogul Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry.

More than 1.77 million television viewers embraced the show’s debut on May 29, giving OWN its highest rated premiere ever.

Landing the big role
The rise to stardom was not a quantum leap for Robinson who learned early that the combine of diligence and discipline are necessary to success.

Since “The Color Purple,” she has enjoyed continuous success as a seasoned performer with range.

“I played the Acid Queen in the Who’s “Tommy” [Berkshires] and a dream role – The Witch in Stephen Sondheim’s “Into the Woods” [Atlanta], Robinson shared.

A stroke of luck placed a Tyler Perry Studios casting director in the Atlanta audience who was so impressed, she extended Robinson an audition for “Meet the Browns.” Angela didn’t get the part.

Was she disappointed? Extremely. Landing a part on a Tyler Perry show had been a nurtured goal. One year later, she received a call to submit a taped audition for the role of Veronica.

Serendipity leads to success
A dream deferred for Robinson is better deemed a blessing delayed. She approached the opportunity as simply, “another audition.” Husband Scott Whitehurst helped record the scene, forwarded it to the studios, and they went about life as usual. Robinson has been married to Whitehurst, one of New York’s top acting coaches, for about 17 years.

Rarely tethered to her cell phone, Robinson missed a succession of calls from her agent when the good news arrived: “Tyler Perry Studios wants to fly you to Atlanta tomorrow to audition for Mr. Perry.”

She joined 15 other hopefuls from New York and Los Angeles for a three-hour wait that included insanity pacing and wrecked nerves.

“Auditions are usually filled with anxiety, but I kept telling myself to have fun because I loved this character so much,” stated Robinson. “After my scene, they asked me to read with Gavin Houston who plays my son on the show. It was magic. The next day we each received an offer, and this great blessing unfolded in just four days.”

The Tyler Perry pace
On the set, he is called Mr. Perry. It’s southern respect, but not a mandate. “Tyler Perry is one of the hardest-working directors I’ve ever worked with,” offered Robinson. “He is focused, serious, and he is fair. He began each day of shooting with prayer.”

Perry is credited as writer, producer, and director for the show. Widely known for his cross-dressing comedic character Madea, his “arrive early/stay late” work ethic resulted in 16 episodes being filmed in six weeks.

“It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done,” Robinson confessed.

“Memorizing lines has never been my strong suit, but my stage experience prepared me for television. It took a minute to learn technical adjustments and was scary at first, but I viewed it as acting boot camp and enjoyed the experience.”

Her mother and biggest fan joined her in Atlanta for the tapings.

Among the perks of being in a Perry production was the “state of the art” gym and well-balanced meals. The latter is a must for the former Miss America pageant circuit winner who ascribes to a strict diet and fitness regime.

“Pinch moments” for Robinson included attending a private party at Perry’s home following the premiere of his movie “Temptation.”

A-list celebrities whom she has admired for years were present. Additionally, attending red carpet events render her giddy.

A hometown hurrah
The city of Jacksonville is proud. Floridians everywhere – from her fellow FAMU alums to parishioners at First Baptist Church of Oakland – everyone was claiming Robinson as their own before Winfrey’s OWN catapulted her to primetime fame.

Following each Tuesday airing, social media sites are abuzz and novice predictions emerge regarding the plot’s next twist and turn. Cast members also tweet live during the show.
Robinson’s Twitter handle is angelarobschild. Viewers also can tweet about the show at #havesandhavenots, #tylerperry, #owntv and #mynameisveronica.

An alumnae from William M. Raines High School, she maintains a sincere, classmate allegiance, but has established roots in a new home in Englewood, N.J. where she is an arts minister for Metro Community Church – a thriving ministry with an 80 percent Korean descent membership along with a West Indies/Jamaican representation.

“For many years my husband and I commuted to Brooklyn for church. We made a conscious effort to find a church in our community when we relocated to Englewood,” Robinson explained. “We previously selected ministries based on what it gave to us. This time we chose based on what we could offer and were prepared to serve in a deeper way.”

Having her say
“The Haves and The Have Not’s’’ seeks to parallel the lifestyles of a rich, southern family and their domestic help and families who are poor.

“This is one of the only shows on television with a diverse cast that looks like America: Black, White, Latino, straight, gay, rich and poor,” claimed Robinson.

“It’s important to support this show, because it might inspire other producers to follow Mr. Perry’s lead.”

Robinson pulled from her own southern roots to define Veronica. “A strong, Black woman who is unapologetic for her success is a joy to play,” said Robinson. “I looked at women like Oprah and First Lady Michelle Obama complemented with the acting skills of Phylicia Rashad and Diahann Carroll.”

For Robinson, Father’s Day was bittersweet. Her dad, Willie C. Robinson, didn’t live to witness this achievement, but would have been proud.

“I miss my dad so much,” reflected Robinson, just days after Father’s Day. “He would advise me to make a plan and ask, ‘What do you want to get out of this experience?’ Dad never stayed in an emotional place long; he always brought me back to reality and was one of my greatest teachers.”

Jacksonville’s Ready4Work and 100 Black Men provide hope and skills to young Black men who are searching for jobs.

BY PENNY DICKERSON
SPECIAL TO THE FLORIDA COURIER

JACKSONVILLE – The Florida Department Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles fielded more than 300 inquiries at a job fair earlier this month hosted by Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown and Congresswoman Corinne Brown. Most of the inquiries came from young Black men.

Florida Highway Patrol’s Michael Elder, a background investigator, talks to two young men during a job fair in Jacksonville. Elder was scouting for potential troopers.
(PENNY DICKERSON/SPECIAL TO THE FLORIDA COURIER)

For an ethnic gender too often on the wrong side of the law, Trooper Michael A. Elder was on hand to inspire interest in becoming a state trooper.

“We have openings and two academies starting this year in both August and January,” said Elder. “The six-to-eight-month paid training is held in Tallahassee and participants must be willing to relocate to any one of the 67 counties in Florida upon completion.”

Few qualified applicants
Only five of the 300 attendees who conversed with troopers at the fair will likely qualify as viable candidates, professed Elder, who serves as an applicant background investigator.

While baseline requirements are reasonable – applicants must be 19 or older, hold a high school diploma or GED, be a U.S. citizen, and have a valid state driver’s license – a statistical divide is created by the stringent screening process.

A potential state trooper cannot have a felony arrest record, a domestic violence charge, or tattoos on their face, hands, neck, or fingers. Each applicant must pass a physical agility test, polygraph exam, psychological screening, and a credit check. Investigators even conduct home visits to speak with family members.

For the many Black males who sincerely want to enter law enforcement, the path to becoming a trooper may prove to be impossible.

There’s hope
Jacksonville native Kevin Gay is a member of a presidential advisory council and currently serves on the Florida Department of Corrections’ Prisoner Re-entry Advisory Board. As president and CEO of Operation New Hope, an award-winning, Jacksonville-based community development corporation, he was given an opportunity in 2003 by then-President George W. Bush to pilot the Ready4Work program aimed at assisting ex-offenders.

A felony record adversely affects the employment prospects for innumerable Black males.

Nevertheless, in a single decade, Gay’s initiative has turned dismal outlooks into opportunity and hope.

Poverty, not race
“Our whole issue has been around developing employers in Jacksonville who are willing to hire somebody with a felony,” said Gay. “The criminal justice system really impacted opportunities for many in the urban core to break out of poverty because there were very few employment opportunities, but the real issue of the criminal justice system is not Black or White or morality, it’s poverty.”

The Ready4Work program’s numeral “4” represent the partnership of faith, business, community and criminal justice. According to Gay, “If you create a pathway out of poverty, you’re going to create a pathway out of crime.”

“What we’ve done in America is put everyone in one bucket,” explained Gay. “If you’ve ever been arrested, we sort you in one bucket and write you off and don’t know what to do with you.”

A successful solution has been found in the logistics field, which can be defined as managing of the way resources are obtained, stored and moved to the locations where they are required.

Gay believes logistics companies will be a major employer for the next five to 10 years in Jacksonville.

Through a collaborative effort with Grimes Logistics – one of Jacksonville’s largest business firms specializing in warehouse/packaging/distribution – the Ready4Work program placed between to 80 and100 people; 80 percent were Black males.

A 40-hour course is offered through a partnership with the University of North Florida, and the opportunity to actually obtain logistics certification, makes potential employees marketable and offers leverage to demand higher wages. Jacksonville-based Venus Swimwear is another large distribution company that successfully places Ready4Work participants.

“It’s all an issue of economics,” reiterated Gay. “Grimes now trusts our process enough to use us as their human resource company. They used to extend orders to interview 10 or 15 people. Now they say, ‘you send us 10, we’ll hire those 10.’”

Breaking the cycle
When Gay and potential employers discussed requirements for hiring individuals with felony records, the response was always the same: vet them to make sure they will be on time, exude positive attitudes, pass drug testing, dress appropriately and exhibit a willingness to learn.

“There’s a real science around this system. We have figured it out, and our recidivism, placement, and retention are all good,” explained Gay. “Close to 65 percent of our folks now pay child support, and that’s a testament to the work we do. This whole myth that young Black males don’t want to work or be reliable is simply not true.”

Charles Griggs, president of 100 Black Men of Jacksonville, Inc. leads an organization of professional men who have also identified the perils young Black males face on a daily basis.

“Some folks aren’t always able to circumvent the system when they get in trouble. They are just out of luck,” said Griggs. “We hear often that tattoos are a means of expression. This outlandish body art and dreads have Black males believing they will be accepted into a social rite of passage. As a result, they do what they see on television or mimic their buddies on the street.”

The nationwide organization implements mentoring programs to help promote extended examples for Black males to understand that it is normal behavior to wear a shirt and tie.

‘Real world’ Jacksonville Programmatic solutions
like “A Day in the Real World” are hosted biannually by the Jacksonville chapter, with the next event tentatively scheduled for August of 2013.

Professional men join forces with fraternities like Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. to offer Black males a “one-on-one” integration into society. The inclusion of members who are prosecutors and attorneys helps Griggs’ efforts to navigate prior or existing felony or criminal justice concerns.

“It is extremely important for them to understand that the system is not built for them to be successful. If you fall behind, you stay behind. But being employed makes you a member of an exclusive club,” stated Griggs.

Role-playing
“We present scenarios that give participants total accountability for all the activities they will have to encounter from getting up in the morning to going to bed,” he added.

For an intense day, more than 150 young Black men indulge in fictitious roles like boss and employee, landlord and tenant, or bill collector and debtor. The results teach coping skills for situations from what happens when the car breaks down to what happens to your family when you can’t pay bills in a crisis.

According to Griggs, “These scenarios are real, but where you are in life doesn’t have to be where you remain.”

Young men want more
Darrius Singletary, age 24, and Mishaa Cason, 25, are two enterprising Black males who are relatives. They manage their own car detail business, but long to be a larger part of the community workforce. They want to be in that “exclusive club” of consistent wage earners.
They attended the job fair along with their mother and were pleased to report that Comcast, JaxPort, and Kelly Services each offered employment prospects.

“The state of the economy dictates that we identify all resources to empower people,” stated City Councilwoman Kimberly Daniels, who was also at the job fair.

“My presence [and city leaders] at job fairs is important because it shows we are not wasting time, but are serious about helping people put food on their table.”

SIN – OR CIVIL RIGHT?

April 4, 2013 Filed under FRONT PAGE Posted by admin

Black Floridians are on both sides of the gay marriage controversy

BY PENNY DICKERSON
SPECIAL TO THE FLORIDA COURIER

In the 50th anniversary year of the historic March on Washington and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, the United States Supreme Court was challenged to determine the constitutional boundaries of marriage and family.

A young protester stood in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on March 27 as the court heard arguments on a part of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act that prevents legally wed same-sex couples from receiving certain benefits by defining marriage as between a man and woman.(OLIVIER DOULIERY/ABACA PRESS/MCT)

Last week, two pivotal cases were heard by the high court. Now, an America divided over same-sex marriage, and hopeful same-sex couples with dreams of marriage, await what could be groundbreaking legal decisions.

Proposition 8 and DOMA
California’s controversial ballot initiative known as Proposition 8 defines marriage only as between a man and a woman. It is widely understood as a ban on gay marriages.

The 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, known as DOMA, prevents legally wed same-sex couples from receiving certain benefits by defining marriage as between a man and woman. (Florida has its own version of DOMA that was overwhelmingly passed by the Florida Legislature in 1997.)

In 2008, inspired by California’s Proposition 8, strong support from Florida’s African-American voters led to passage of an amendment to the state constitution, which now bans gay marriage in Florida. Then-Gov. Charlie Crist supported the amendment, as did then-presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Five years and a presidential re-election later, the legalization of gay marriage is front-and-center at the nation’s highest court. Black Floridians are on both sides of the debate.

‘Church’ speaks
Dr. Kevin W. Church, Sr. holds a biblical position on same-sex marriage – as befits a preacher named “Church.”

He is a man of God who has served his country for almost 20 years as both a U.S. Army officer and chaplain. Church is also a certified hospital chaplain, assists homeless veterans through a not-for-profit organization, and serves as team chaplain for the Jacksonville Giants, the American Basketball Association’s minor league championship team.

Church, an author with a Ph.D., has been married to the same wife for almost 30 years and is the father of three grown children.

Church is a traditionalist. He is not a proponent of same-sex marriage.

Adam and Eve
“My view is that first and foremost, the Bible has no errors and does not condone same-sex marriage,” stated Church. “In the beginning, God created Adam and Eve as a male and female. Eve was created from Adam’s rib and the Bible is clear that same-sex (marriage) does not exist…God did not intend a man and a man, but He gives all of us a choice.”

The Liberty University-educated theologian withholds personal judgment.

“As Christians, we love the sinner and hate the sin,” he explains.

130405_front01e I

In his career, Church says he has counseled more than 100 couples that were engaged to be married. He is endorsed by the North American Mission Board, which does not allow him to engage in counseling or conduct a marriage ceremony between same-sex couples. However, he gives spiritual counsel to all who seek it from him.

“Prior to any session, I always pray and let the Spirit lead,” explained Church. “I ask if there has ever been a time when either has accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, and offer an invitation to salvation,” he added.

End times
Church is aware that younger people are more tolerant these days.

“People are gonna do what they want to do, and Christianity will not reach everyone,” Church muses. He cites the hit single, “I’m Doing Me,” by Fantasia Barino of “American Idol” fame.

“Folks in society are ‘doing me’ and the economy is a factor,” offered Church, who supports his theory with Bible verses from II Timothy 3:1-7.
It states, “… in the last days, perilous times will come. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, and unholy…”

The other side
Jeronica Byrd is a 34-year-old divorced Black female who lives in Tampa. She is gay.

A scholar who earned a Master of Science degree in criminology, Byrd has been in a committed same-sex relationship for nine years and is the parent of a 17-year-old son. He is also gay.

Byrd is the founder and executive director of Professional Lesbian Women and seeks to marry her longtime companion. She insists that until same-sex marriage is nationwide and federally recognized, the laws don’t make any sense.

Limited rights
Byrd and her partner share property, vehicles, bank accounts – a life.

DOMA angers her because it prohibits them both from receiving over 1,100 federal benefits, the most important of which is the inheritance tax.

“If we were a federally recognized couple and something were to happen to me, my partner would not have to pay the tax,” Byrd explained.

The privileges heterosexual couples benefit from are often taken for granted by Proposition 8 and DOMA supporters. As an unrecognized legal spouse, Byrd’s partner cannot oblige Byrd’s wishes to be cremated because she can’t enforce a will or defy her surviving family’s decisions. Her partner also cannot make medical decisions, adopt her son or receive parental rights.

“She is the person I love and have built a life with, but it matters not because she is the same gender,” said Byrd. “My feelings for my partner are written on my soul. I need the legal marital protection, not the spiritual.”

‘Don’t need the world’
Conversely, Bruce “Tobi” Ellison does not need a marital or a spiritual ceremony to define his same-sex relationships.

The 37-year-old spiritual advisor, life coach, and author of “I Am the Manifester” promotes “power and well-being” as philosophical dynamics people can control. He believes too many in both the gay and Black community don’t approve of themselves. This is the greater problem.

“I do not need the world or government in my relationships to experience the best love scenario I can have,” argues Ellison. “The government does not control the law of attraction. I can have the life I want without an outside voice dictating what it should look or feel like. I support same-sex marriages because I want people to have the equal rights. I just don’t need it (marriage),” he added.

‘Stop having homosexuals’
Based in Orlando, Ellison has numerous friends who work for the Walt Disney Company, one of several corporations implementing same-sex policies. Disney allows employees to extend some benefits to same-sex partners without marriage.

According to Ellison, hypocrisy has ruined marriage as a religious covenant.

“Heterosexuals who are against same-sex marriage and preach what people should or shouldn’t do need a careful analysis. Their marriage(s) are nothing to hold up to the light, or their five and six divorces,” Ellison admonished.

“How can they talk about the sanctity of marriage? I want no part of it. Also, if they are so against homosexuals, tell them to stop having them.”
Ellison believes he was born gay; it wasn’t a choice.

Willing to pay the price

Willetta “Mamado” Smith agrees with Ellison. She has been openly gay since she was 14 years old, but recognized her orientation as early as age five. She is now 54.

She was an accomplished music industry veteran before doing a two-year stint at Gadsden Correctional Institute in Tallahassee. While there, she used her skills and experience to produce a music CD featuring fellow inmates.

Life didn’t stop for her after she got out of prison. A serial entrepreneur, she now does audio and video production in Jacksonville, including direct-to-video movies.

Mamado is in love and engaged to marry 26-year-old rap artist and model Alea Janae Dennis.

The Jacksonville couple has been partners for three years. They seek all the rights and protections married heterosexual couples enjoy. That’s impossible under current Florida law.

“We’re seeking legal representation to assist us in marrying in another state, perhaps Washington, D.C.,” said Smith. “It may cost up to $5,000, but we’re determined.”

Was the decision to go ‘gunless’ in the ‘Gunshine State’ fatal?

March 28, 2013 Filed under METRO

Editor’s Note: This is the sixth in a series of stories framing the life of James Roland Jackson, III, known as “Jimmy” to his family.

BY PENNY DICKERSON
SPECIAL TO THE FLORIDA COURIER

As reported in this series, 26-year-old Jimmy Jackson was shot on June 2, 2012, at the Silver Fox nightclub while working part time as road manager for rap artist Young Cash, a protégé of popular Florida-based rapper Flo Rida.

The former Florida A&M University business student died 10 days later at Shands Hospital, leaving his supportive family shocked and grieving. His five-year-old daughter Denia no longer has a daddy to tuck her in at night. He won’t cheer at her college graduation, or walk her down the aisle on her wedding day.

Four bullets
Jacksonville Detective Bobbie Bowers, the lead homicide investigator, is calling Jackson’s tragic shooting a random robbery.

Two Black males wearing dark clothing approached Jackson in a pitch-dark parking lot at close to 4 a.m.

He complied with their request for money, but assailants still pumped four bullets into his 6’1” athletic frame as he walked away.

Older brother Anthony Rozier said that Jackson refused to carry a concealed weapon, as is possible under Florida’s liberal ‘concealed carry’ law.

“I don’t need a gun, cause I ain’t gon’ shoot nobody,” Jackson told Rozier.

William “Bill” Burns holds a monthly raffle to win an AR-15 rifle. Proceeds benefit his nonprofit organization “Dream Hunts For Heroes.”
(PHOTOS COURTESY OF PENNY DICKERSON/FLORIDA COURIER)

Millions with guns
There’s no proof that Jackson would still be alive if he had been carrying a gun. But a record number of citizens do plan to shoot whenever necessary. One of every 17 Floridians – more than a million people just in Florida alone – has a license to carry a concealed firearm.

While homicide rates are down, Florida is home to the largest number of gun-carrying permits in the country, giving the peninsula an unsavory moniker: “the Gunshine State.”

Jacksonville has its own Gun Crime Unit, and for good reason. As reported by the United States Department of Justice based on 2011 statistics, the Middle District of Florida, the federal court district were Jacksonville is located, ranks third in the nation for the number of federal prosecutions of firearms-related cases.

In conjunction with Project Safe Neighborhood, a community-based initiative, the Gun Crime Unit meets once a week to discuss the prosecution of gun crimes and includes detectives with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, special agents from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), as well as prosecutors from the State Attorney’s Office.

Easy to get
Many Floridians evidently believe peril is imminent, and they are buying guns. And all you need is money to buy a gun in Florida.

According to a Feb. 27 cover story in Folio Weekly, “No permits, license or identification card is required to buy or possess firearms and ammunition here, unlike in some other states.” (You do need a license to conceal a gun and carry it.)

Ammunition can be purchased for cash at local gun shows. Firearm responsibility requires a permit application.

Fierce debate
The availability of guns is America’s most contentious new debate. From seasoned politicians to neighborhood barbershops hosting Saturday morning court, everyone is weighing in on access to firearms, who has a right to own, and the rampant gun violence sweeping the nation.

A movie theater massacre and last year’s Sandy Hook elementary killing spree has created a nation in fear and rendered public places unsafe.

First gun at 15
Gun shows are held almost every weekend in a Florida city and a large populous of enthusiasts support the culture. Luke Wyatt purchased close to $280 worth of ammunition at a recent Jacksonville gun show.

“I come here to buy ammo because I can’t get it from the store,” said Wyatt. “ The government is making it even harder.”

The Florida State Community College student works part time at Longhorn Steakhouse and uses his earnings to support his hobby.

“I own three guns, a 30.06 long-range rifle, a tactical AR-22, and have access to my parents’ 9mm pistol,” Wyatt boasted.

A revolver like these on sale at a Jacksonville gun show could be similar to the firearm Jimmy’s shooter used.

Guns and target shooting has always been a part of Wyatt’s family life. He was given his first gun at age 15 and is an avid hunter of game.

Racial disparity
The use of guns is racially disparate. According to a March 22 feature in the Washington Post, “Gun deaths are shaped by race in America. Whites are far more likely to shoot themselves, and African-Americans are far more likely to be shot by someone else.”

What’s consistent is that thousands of people are killed – or are killing themselves – with guns.

The Florida-based Trayvon Martin case has intensified the racial debate. Martin was shot and killed last February in Sanford by George Zimmerman, an off-duty neighborhood watchman. The shooter alleged Martin’s behavior was suspicious – he was walking slowly in the rain and wearing a hoodie.

The equally tragic killing of Jordan Davis followed the Martin killing. The 14-year-old was shot to death while sitting in a Dodge Durango with friends at a Gate gas station in Jacksonville.

Michael David Dunn, a White male, pulled up next to the teens and asked them to turn their loud music down. Following a verbal dispute, Dunn claimed he saw a shotgun in their car and sprayed seven shots into the parked SUV. Davis died on the scene; police reported the teens had no gun.

These murders have sparked a national outcry against gun violence; race is a subtext because White men killed both Martin and Dunn.

Jimmy Jackson’s death was different. The shooters were Black. As mass shootings prompt vigils and flags flown at half-mast, mainstream media attention to “Black-on-Black” crime is practically nonexistent.

‘Not a race problem’
David Frum, contributing editor at Newsweek offered the following in a CNN report titled, “U.S. gun problem is not a race problem.’’

“The typical murder has one victim, not many. The typical murder is committed with a handgun, not a rifle. And in the typical murder, both the perpetrator and the victim are young black men. Blacks are six times as likely as Whites to be the victim of a homicide. Blacks are seven times as likely to commit a homicide.”

‘In the wrong hands’
Isaiah Rumlin, president of the Jacksonville NAACP branch, says his organization is very concerned about gun violence.

“It’s a socioeconomic issue that affects our city, state, and nation,” said Rumlin. “We have got to produce better-educated people, produce more jobs, and develop better programs for repeat offenders who are released and return to our communities.”

He additionally calls on parents to do a better job and take responsibility for their children’s actions before tragedy strikes.

“Too many guns are in the wrong hands,” declared Rumlin.

The Rev. R.L. Gundy, pastor of Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church in Jacksonville, also weighed in on the subject. He is the state president of the Southern Christian Leadership conference.

Gundy stated that with “a present mean legislative body and more than 225 federally licensed gun dealers in a state, it creates an environment where people become predators on each other – both Black and White.’’

The community activist doesn’t offer it as an excuse but insists that the current gun culture has been created by society and cites the previous methodology of President Bill Clinton’s as a positive example.

The Clinton administration tracked every gun used in a crime and, statistically, as it was then, Florida tops the list.

“When all of your Black fathers are in jail and there are no jobs, the problem transcends mere socioeconomic and it’s deeper than parents serving as a solution,” Gundy added. “The highest population of Blacks in Florida is in Duval County and 72 percent of all babies born in a Black family are without a father. It becomes a mental health and psychological (issue) too.”

Crimes and justice
A public service announcement uses six quick words to spell out the consequences of committing a gun crime: “Use a gun and you’re done.” Pull a gun –10 years in prison. Fire a gun – 20 years. Shoot someone – 25 years to life in prison.

That’s the penalty facing the individual(s) responsible for Jackson’s murder.

http://flcourier.com/2013/06/20/florida-actress-is-holding-her-own-on-own/

Florida actress is holding her own on OWN

Angela Robinson, a Jacksonville native and former Miss FAMU, has a major role in Tyler Perry’s ‘The Haves and the Have Nots’

BY PENNY DICKERSON
SPECIAL TO THE FLORIDA COURIER