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Winning Projects for Voice of the Citizen Budgeting for Public Safety Vote
840 votes were cast by local residents and business owners over the past two weeks as part of the Voice of the Citizen Budgeting for Public Safety initiative. This initiative gave the community the chance to vote on what they feel their specific neighborhood needs. The Southwest quadrant winner was the Jobs for Life career and community education program which will provide job referrals and mentors for 30 adults and tutoring for 60 youth in science, technology, engineering and math. The project also includes seminars on block club leadership, civic engagement, financial literacy and home buying as well as a youth disaster recovery workshop that teaches skills in disaster preparation. The winning project in the Southeast quadrant includes civic engagement opportunities like traffic calming discussions and implementations, neighborhood enhancement projects such as mini-Clean Sweeps, gardens, landscaping and community collaboration events such movie nights, health fairs and holiday celebrations. The Northwest quadrant winner was entitled Crime Prevention through Environmental Design. The items to be funded in this project include tactics to encourage pedestrian traffic and discourage loitering, street drug sales and gambling. These would be high visibility pedestrian crossing signs, increased brightness of street lighting in select areas, outdoor caf seating for rotating use among the quadrants restaurants, stores and delis, sidewalk plantings and hanging baskets and vacant storefront art. The Northeast quadrant winner was the GIS Scholars Program. The VOC funding will allow the program to add 5 to 10 more students to take part in after-school training in the operation of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology. The students will create a mapping project designed to assist with crime prevention in selected areas. They will collect data and identify crime rates through the mapping technology, create maps to plot variables surrounding crime such as property ownership, poverty, proximity to services and others. They will publish and share their results. Mayor Thomas S. Richards dedicated up to $200,000-up to $50,000 per city quadrant-to be spent on projects that were wholly created and developed by citizens. The winning projects are scheduled to proceed to the implementation phase in January.
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have provided her grandfather. A public inauguration ceremony is scheduled for noon Saturday, Jan. 4 at the Auditorium Theatre, 885 E. Main St. Doors will open at 11 a.m. and seating will be available on a first-come, first-
served basis. All are welcome. Warren is Rochesters fifth elected mayor, Rochesters first female mayor, the first African American female mayor and the youngest to take the position.
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Today, I begin one of the most important journeys of my life with obvious sadness tempered by
Warren said it was vitally important that her grandfather be with her at the first moments of her Mayoral term. She thanked her many supporters who prayed that he could participate in the inauguration. She also thanked the URMC staff for the excellent care they
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LOCAL
Mayor Lovely A. Warren Presides at Swearing-in Ceremony for Fire Chief, Interim Police Chief
Beginning her term with a focus on public safety, Mayor Lovely A. Warren presided at the Swearing-in Ceremony today for Fire Chief John P. Schreiber and Interim Police Chief to Michael Ciminelli. Public safety is the most important function of government, and I am confident that Chief Schreiber and Interim Chief Ciminelli will lead their Departments in a manner that earns the respect and trust of the people of Rochester, said Mayor Warren. Chief Schreiber has more than 30 years experience in the fire service including 25 in the Rochester Fire Department. He most recently served as the Rochester Fire Marshal. Interim Chief Ciminelli has more than 35 years experience in law enforcement, including 17 with the Rochester Police Department. He most recently served as Deputy Chief of Administration. At the request of the chiefs, the initial swearing-in ceremony was conducted with a small audience of friends and family in City Hall. Rochester City Court Judge Teresa Johnson administered the oath of office. I want to take this opportunity to thank these two men and all the men and women of the Rochester Fire and Police Departments for their commitment to protecting our citizens and visitors, Warren said. I also want to thank the families of our police officers and firefighters for the sacrifices they endure to support loved ones in such challenging jobs.
them and help them find a better path, just as Tim did. Our message to our youth is that you don't have to end up where you start. We are proof positive that you
can make changes. You can find a better way, Warren said. We are very thankful that Tim was able to take this experience and use it turn his life around in a positive direction.
LOCAL
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Local family celebrates christmas with the homeless
By Delani Weaver Over 100 homeless men, women and children were given an early Christmas party at the Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County. Several volunteers and sponsors from all around the city did their part to make sure that the homeless brought in Christmas with a smile from the small idea of a local family who lives to give, officials stated. Olivia Bradley-West, her husband Norman West and her children threw a Christmas party for the homeless in the Kate Gleason Auditorium of the library. Bradley-West said she got the idea from a smell in the library. I had a meeting at the central library for the boys book and on the way to the conference room, I inquired about the smell, Bradley-West said. It smelled like campfire. I asked a lady if there was a fireplace somewhere, and she said no. She said one of the things that contributes to that smell is that there are homeless people that live underneath the building. They reside in the library during the day and at night they go underneath the building and make campfires, and the smell circulates through the ventilation system. West said, initially, she never intended to throw a party for the homeless. She and her family planned on making bags and giving them to the homeless instead. We had been in the process of making Be a Blessing Bags, which were bags that were filled with toiletries for the homeless. But we werent sure which homeless people to give them to. So we decided with the lady at the meeting that we would have the party there, and then it turned into this huge thing, Bradley-West said. Hot food and drinks were prepared for the people and families in need. Bingo, raffles and other games were played for prizes that included gift baskets filled with food and snacks, sweatshirts, socks, hats, scarves, cosmetics for the women, and gloves. Children were given brand new toys, books, and games from Santa Claus as well as a book reading from BradleyWests two sons Jeremiah and Joshua West, who are authors of the childrens book Champions of Change, Live to Give. I feel bad for them. Nobody should be homeless, and we want to make changes in the community, Jeremiah, 8, said. I feel very blessed with everything that I have, and I think that they need help more than I do, said Joshua, 6. The party was sponsored by Triedstone Missionary Baptist Church, Church of Love, Tops Friendly Markets, Homewood Suites and several others. I think this is something we want do every year, Bradley-West said. I havent bought one Christmas present for my family; Ive been so focused on this event. I think we should get the focus off ourselves, and get it onto someone who is really in need because this is going to be a cold winter. Imagine living outside. Its just making it harder for those people. Her husband, Norman West said, In addition to that we want to try and connect them with resources after this event. So, throughout the year, they have places they can go to have a hot meal. So, were putting together little laminated cards that will have where to get hot meals from Monday through Sunday, and on the other side will be shelters. If Jesus is glorified, and these people have hope, Im happy, Bradley-West said. The West family said they thank all sponsors and volunteers.
NATIONAL
James Avery of Fresh Prince fame dead at 68
NEW YORK (AP) - James Avery, the bulky character actor who laid down the law at home and on the job as the Honorable Philip Banks in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, has died. Averys publicist, Cynthia Snyder, told The Associated Press that Avery died Tuesday in Glendale, Calif., following complications from open heart surgery. He was 68, Snyder said. Avery, who stood more than 6 feet tall, played the family patriarch and a wealthy attorney and judge on the popular TV comedy that launched the acting career of Will Smith as Banks troublemaking nephew. The sitcom, which aired on NBC from 1990 to 1996, was set in the Banks mansion, where Smiths character was sent from Philadelphia when things got tough in his own neighborhood. Contd on next page
PUZZLES NATIONAL
James Avery...FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
Fans came to know the imposing Banks as Uncle Phil. Avery liked to say that the way to be an actor was to act, and he had a busy and diverse career before, during and after Fresh Prince. His TV credits included Greys Anatomy, NYPD Blue and Dallas, and among his many films were Fletch, Nightflyers and 8 Million Ways to Die. His voice alone brought him many jobs, notably as Shredder in the animated TV series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. According to Snyder, he will be seen in the film Wish I Was Here, directed by Zach Braff and scheduled to premiere later this month at the Sundance festival. Avery grew up in Atlantic City, N.J., and served in the Navy in Vietnam in the late 1960s. After returning to the states, he settled in California and studied drama and literature at the University of California at San Diego.
James Avery
When you text a driver, you take their eyes off the road for as long as it takes to drive the length of a football eld at 55 mph; F.Y.I. thats
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COVER
A
By Delani Weaver
Almost every seat in the Auditorium Theatre was filled with Rochester residents, community leaders and elected officials as Lovely Warren was welcomed as the new Mayor of Rochester. The inauguration for the first African-American female to be elected Mayor of Rochester was an emotional event with several attendees either laughing or in tears throughout the event. The inauguration began with a slideshow of pictures of different events and appearance throughout Warrens campaign. Following the slideshow, the Master of Ceremonies, Ron Thomas thanked outgoing Mayor Thomas Richards for his work as mayor and his support of Mayor Warren after his announcement to end his campaign. Several students from the Rochester City School District participated in the event, including the national anthem which was sang by School of the Arts student Timothy Mitchum, children from The Montessori Academy led the Pledge of Allegiance, a dance performance by the Borinquen Dance Theatre, a tribute to Warren from her high schools step team The Wilson Pearls and a dance by School of the Arts student Hajah Fisher accompanied by music from Timothy Mitchum. It is a great day for Mayor Lovely Warren, said New York State Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer. Lovely Warren, no one put a silver spoon in your mouth. You got here the old fashioned way. You earned it. The first woman and African-American to be elected onto the Monroe County Board of Supervisors Constance Mitchell said, She needs us to become a community of family, looking out for each other and looking out for her. Today I pass the torch to Lovely. I wish her well, I wish her success and I pray that God leads her down a successful path. Seeing Barack Obama become the first Black President, seeing Bill Johnson become our first mayor of color, seeing you (Warren) become our first female mayor. What a blessing thats been. Scott Fearing, acting Executive Director of the Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley said, We look forward to working with Mayor Warren to create a Rochester that focuses on livability Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender people are part of all identities. New York State Assemblyman David Gantt, who Warren previously worked for and refers to as a father said, There are those who are saying, shes just gonna be a David Gantt clone. Believe me, those are people who dont know Lovely WarrenI did not get her to run for mayor. She did it on her own. Mayor Warren was presented with the family bible by Mary McClaryHill and took the Oath of Office with Judge Teresa Johnson in place of Cecil McClary, Sr. In a stirring speech that left many in tears, Mayor Warren gave thanks to the community of Rochester, her family, friends and volunteers who have supported her throughout her campaign and shared her plans for the city of Rochester. She dedicated her speech to her grandfather Cecil McClary, Sr., who passed last week after witnessing Warren being sworn in as Mayor of Rochester from his hospital bed. I am truly and deeply honored that you are her to share this special day with me, Warren said. On March 22, 2013 I stood a few miles from here and said that together, we have the power to make history. Rochester, you did it. We did itI know this isnt going to be easy, but I am going to fight for changes and outcomes with the fierceness of a parent defending their child, because I am.
Lovely Warren
COVER
Lovely Warren and husband Timothy Granison New York State Democrat Senator Chuck Schumer
Constance Mitchell
Lovely Warren
Lovely Warren
NATIONAL
GED test overhauled; some states opt for new exam
WASHINGTON (AP) - The GED test, for decades the brand name for the high school equivalency exam, is about to undergo some changes. On Thursday, an upgraded GED exam and two new competing equivalency tests offered in several states will usher in a new era in adult education testing. The GED (General Educational Development) exam was created in 1942 to help World War II veterans who dropped out of high school use college benefits offered under the GI Bill. This will be its first face-lift in more than a decade. The revamped test is intended to be more rigorous and better aligned with the skills needed for college and todays workplaces. The new test will only be offered on a computer, and it will cost more. What consumers pay for the test varies widely and depends on state assistance and other factors. Even before its launch, officials in many states have balked at the cost increase and at doing away with paper-andpencil testing. At least nine states New York, New Hampshire, Missouri, Iowa, Montana, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine and West Virginia - severed ties with the GED test and adopted one of the two new tests that are entering the market. Three others - Wyoming, New Jersey and Nevada - will offer all three. Tennessee will offer the GED test and one other, and other states are expected to decide what to do in the coming months. That will leave test takers, adult educators and states grappling with new questions: How do you best prepare students for the tests? Which is best, by price and quality? How will the tests be accepted by the military, employers and colleges? The advent of new tests has sent thousands of test takers rushing to complete sections of the old test they had left incomplete. Once the upgrade happens, the old scores of partial passers will no longer be accepted. Angst is the good word to describe this time in adult education, said Lennox McLendon, executive director of the National Adult Education Professional Development Consortium. Marty Finsterbusch, president of ValueUSA, a resource organization for adult learners, said he fears there will be a lot of unintended consequences and hes worried about adult learners getting caught up in the crunch of this. For example, he said, he wonders what will happen to someone who partially passes a test in one state, then moves to another state that doesnt offer that type of exam. The system will work itself out eventually, but how many people are going to get hurt in the meantime? Finsterbusch said. More than 700,000 people took the GED test in 2012. The average test taker is about 26, and many people seeking a high school equivalency diploma are poor. Nationally, about 40 million American adults lack a high school education. The GED test has been owned by the nonprofit American Council on Education since its inception. Molly Corbett Broad, president of ACE, said that when it became clear a new test was needed she wanted it to include materials that would help test takers better prepare for the exam and get linked to resources that would help them plan. To do that ACE enlisted a partner, the for-profit company Pearson Vue Testing. The new test can make results available quickly and collect data that will help teachers better understand how their students did on the exam, so teaching can be adjusted. The changes to the GED test opened the door for states to begin looking for alternatives, and two vendors
responded. One was Educational Testing Service, a nonprofit that also administers the Graduate Record Examination. It developed a high school equivalency exam called the High School Equivalency Test, or HiSET. The other was CTB/McGraw-Hill, a forprofit company that is helping states develop assessments of Common Core standards, which put an emphasis on critical thinking and spell out what reading and math skills students should have at each level. It developed a high school equivalency test called the Test Assessing Secondary Completion, or TASC. Both say they offer a quality test at a lower price. They also allow their tests to be taken without a computer and are open to accepting the scores of GED test takers who have partially passed the old test that recently expired, as long as their state approves. Amy Riker, national executive director for HiSET, acknowledged that both new vendors have a lot of work to do to educate people about the new exams.
Broad, from ACE, said she likes the idea of competition and said it will keep everybody on their toes. In Lowell, Mass., Ben Morrison is a GED test instructor at the United Teen Equality Center, which works with former gang members and others doing on-the-job training and GED test preparation. Morrison said that whatever is ahead, his center will adjust its program because the equivalency diploma is critical for the job prospects and self-confidence of the youth it works with. We know that having that credential will make our young people more employable, Morrison said, so regardless of what test it is that they need to pass to get that credential, I can look at it and pull it apart and figure out how to get them through. ___ Online: http://GED.com http://HiSET.ets.org http://www.tasctest.com
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SCLC Wins Historic Victory In School Name Change from KKK Leader
(TriceEdneyWire.com) - The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) has assisted in scoring a major victory against the relics of racism in Jacksonville, Florida as the Duval County School Board last week voted 7 0 to change the name of Nathan B. Forrest High School. The School was named after Forrest, the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, in 1959 when the United Daughters of the Confederacy successfully lobbied the city of Jacksonville to rename the school in response to the U.S. Supreme Courts Brown v. Board of Education decision which outlawed segregation in schools and public accommodations. According to community activists in Jacksonville, there have been numerous attempts to change the name of the school over the last fifty year, but those attempts were unsuccessful. This time around organizers argued that the name of the school was an embarrassment to the city. Because of the many failed attempts there werent very many people who were confident that it would happen, said Opio Sokoni the local SCLC President in Jacksonville. We got it done because the city saw that the activists were unified and took high quality actions to educate the public about who this man was. It was very hard for those wanting to keep the name to overcome Forrests record of atrocities, added Sokoni. According to Sokoni, Nathan B. Forrest amassed his fortunes in the late eighteen hundreds buying, selling and enslaving human beings in Tennessee. He also employed slave catchers that would capture enslaved human beings who were seeking freedom. During the U.S. Civil War, he is best known for being responsible for the worst massacre during that conflict. He was reported as giving the orders to kill over three hundred surrendering, Black Union soldiers, women and children at Fort Pillow. Soldiers who wrote about the affair said that the river ran red for over 200 yards from the blood of the slaughtered. Last month, the Duval County School Board voted to go through the process to see whether the name would be changed. That process included surveys given to the students, alumni and the surrounding community. There were also several forums where the community could voice their opinion on the issue. Both sides were in attendance and made impassioned arguments for their sides. The SCLC led an action that pulled together a coalition of organizations which included the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition, Change.org, the New Jim Crow Movement, the NAACP and the Florida New Majority- as well as a few individuals. One of those individuals was Omotayo Richmond who placed a petition on Change.org which gained close to two hundred
thousand signatures from around the country. ___ Sokoni claims that organizers were able to utilize technology and an old Civil Rights strategy to help tip the scales in their favor. Just like the 1960s Birmingham movement, we took children out of school, went to the major streets near the school, and while buses of students passed by we held up signs advertising our position, said Sokoni. We caught the morning and evening traffic which also included parents
going to work. We then wrote letters to board members and used social media to create the buzz among the students and throughout the city. The tally from the surveys showed that two thirds of the students voted in support of the name change. The next step is for the school to vote on a new name and mascot The school currently goes by the Rebels and incorporates the Confederate flag as part of its mascot. This was for the children, said Sokoni. Now they can lift their heads up high and show their diplomas with pride.
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NATIONAL
search at the White House. That day, it was taken into an East Room ceremony where President Obama bestowed 16 Presidential Medals of Freedom. It was finally flagged Dec. 6 at the airport security gate, where Officer Washington took no chances. I saw something in here that looked like a letter opener, but it looked rather sharp, she said, removing the purse from the x-ray belt and beginning to search. Despite the sharpness of the letter opener, it apparently did not violate airport security. The list of Prohibited Items on TSA.gov doesnt even mention letter openers. Washington gave a one-sentence explanation as to why it was not allowed on the plane. Its to our discretion, Maam, she said. As the Secret Service successfully handles hundreds of events a year during which the President and/or First Lady conduct rope line greetings, the loose letter openers indicate all loopholes are not closed. A lot of what happens in many instances is determined by what the President wants to do, said U. S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, ranking Democrat and former chair of the Homeland Security Committee. For example, he noted that President Clinton would unexpectedly go to a McDonalds or greet people who have gone through no security. So, I think those are some of the risks associated with it, Thompson said. Stressing how Secret Service agents put their lives on the line every day to protect the president, Thompson concluded, Im confident that the Secret Service does a good job. I know that when I chaired the Committee, the President had more threats on his life than any other President before him. So we were able to, even before he became President, we got him a security detail there early; and obviously theyve done a good job. But, even with that, there are still potential vulnerabilites that a president or any other person with a detail just has to face.
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OPINION/EDITORIAL
Mr. Robertson closely would see that 1) the views he expressed were his personal views, 2) they were done at a time when he was not working for the network where the reality show airs, and, 3) he did not demean homosexuals, he just pointed out what the bible says. It is a sad day in our nation when the personal views a man shares on his own time are enough to get him dismissed from his job. That is the height of intolerance. What if a practicing homosexual working for a Christian organization provided comments for a magazine on his own time, and that Christian organization put him on suspension for his views? There would be protests, the media would completely denigrate that Christian organization, and President Obama might even go on television to say something about it. The reaction would not be the same. Therefore, it leaves one to conclude that, we live in a nation which has become (or is trying to become) one that is tolerant of every viewpoint, except Christianity. As Christians, were going to have to be very vocal about our beliefs before the very gospel we preach, and the free speech we have as a right to speak it, is taken away! We must not put our heads in the sand; there is a well-coordinated plan being formulated to silence Christians. We have to remain vigilant, or we will wake up one day and all bible-believing Christians will find themselves like Mr. Robertson, dismissed because he dared to not only believe the word of God, but also to speak it! As I said in the beginning, I have never seen Duck Dynasty, but I have heard the comments of Mr. Robertson, and I stand with him as a Christian who will not be silenced in the face of a false tolerance purported by our society. We must stand up when an injustice is done, and what is being done to this man is just the beginning. If we allow it to occur, only God knows what the tolerant society will not tolerate from Christians! -------------------If you would like to contact me, please email me at mvaughn.seniorpastor@ newwineskin.org
True Intolerance
For my last column of 2013, I have decided to dive into a topic that has just come up within the last two weeks. It is regarding statements made by the star of the reality show than even those who have taken lives through terrorist acts. I believe that an endangered species in America is the bible-believing Christian. Those who believe homosexuality is a sin that will cause someone to end up in hell, right next to the adulterer, and those killing innocent babies, unless they repent. It is not that homosexuality has been singled out; it is just the subject of what got Mr. Robertson into trouble. God loves the homosexual, He loves the adulterer and He loves the abortionists. However, He hates the sin of homosexuality, the sin of adultery and the sin of abortion. For a society that tries to say it is tolerant of peoples views, the truth is that this only holds true to those who hold views consistent with liberals. This nation has been founded upon Christian principles, and those principles are being eroded in the name of tolerance while the very core of what made our nation great is being dismissed. Those who read the comments of
C. MICHAEL VAUGHN
Duck Dynasty.
I have never seen the show, and most likely never will. However, I am going to come to the defense of the man who is at the center of the controversy, and make the case that what he and all Christians who believe in the bible face is true intolerance. In our society, everything is ok to say and do unless you are a Christian who truly believes what the bible says. If you are a Christian who wants to commit adultery, practice homosexuality or support abortion, you are good to go, and fit right into the society that calls itself tolerant. However, if you believe the bible, and do your best to follow what the word of God says, you are more persecuted
STRAIGHTno ChaseR
OPINION/EDITORIAL
standard, best-in-industry store security protocols and cultural sensitivity efforts that can be adopted by retailers across the country. 6. Government Shutdown/Effects of Sequestration: The across-the-board sequestration budget cuts that went into effect this year slashed funding for Head Start, youth job training, long-term unemployment benefits and other critical human service and safety net programs. With the nations highest unemployment rate at 12.5 percent, these cuts fell especially hard on African Americans, who still have double-digit unemployment. The 17day Government Shutdown in October also had an out-sized impact on African Americans who make up a large share of the Federal workforce. Thankfully, Congress has taken necessary steps to avoid a repeat in January 2014. However, while governing by crisis has ended for now and there is partial relief from sequestration cuts, a major flaw of the budget deal is its failure to include a crucial extension of federal jobless aid where more than 1.3 million workers will immediately lose unemployment benefits - a vital source of income that covers basic family needs. 7. African American Leaders Convening (AALC)/Release of the 21st Century Agenda for Jobs and Freedom: On August 23, 2013 at the National Urban Leagues Redeem the Dream Summit during the 50th Anniversary March on Washington celebration, national civil rights leaders joined together - for the first time - for an historic release of a policy agenda addressing five urgent domestic goals for the nation - the 21st Century Agenda for Jobs and Freedom. It covers critical areas including jobs and the economy, healthcare, education, voting rights and criminal justice system reform. The document was the result of months of joint meetings convened by me, along with Rev. Al Sharpton/National Action Network; Benjamin Jealous/NAACP; and Melanie Campbell/National Coalition on Black Civic Participation with nearly 60 of Americas leading civil rights, social justice, business and community leaders. 8. Rise of Economic Inequality: While the richest one-percent have seen their incomes rise astronomically over the past 20 years, millions of middle class and low-wage workers are falling into poverty and struggling to make ends meet. This phenomenon worsened in the wake of the recession - and has only widened through the recovery. This growing inequality is not only unjust; it is unstainable for our economy. This year, Pope Francis, President Obama and a growing number of economists sounded the alarm. 9. The Death of Nelson Mandela: On December 5th, the world lost one of the greatest champions for freedom, justice and peace ever to walk this Earth. After 27 years of political imprisonment as a leader in the fight against apartheid, Mandela was released from prison in 1990. In 1994, he became South Africas first democratically elected president. His leadership was marked by his constant reliance on forgiveness, reconciliation and unity in the building of a new South Africa. His life and legacy will forever inspire the world. 10. Banner Year for Black Films: This year was a notable one for Black films ranging from the true event-inspired stories of the The Butler, 12 Years a Slave, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, and Fruitvale Station to the highly anticipated Best Man Holiday and holiday classic Black Nativity. From the National Urban League family to yours - we wish you a blessed holiday and a Happy New Year. In the words of Oprah Winfrey, Cheers to a New Year and another chance for us to get it right. --------------------Marc Morial is President/CEO of the National Urban League.
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