vol. 47 no. 46 phone: 512-476-0082 email: [email protected] ... · ‘my trib-ute’ is my...
TRANSCRIPT
INSIDE
RAPPIN’Tommy Wyatt
TPATPATPATPATPATEXASPUBLISHERSASSOCIATION
www.TheAustinVillager.com This paper canbe recycled
Vol. 47 No. 46 Phone: 512-476-0082 Email: [email protected] June 5, 2020
CIVIL UNREST GRIPS OUR NATION
By Melissa Fontenette-Mitchell - (AUSTIN, TX) - On Sunday, May 31st protesters chantedoutside the Capitol “I can’t breathe”. The protest is in response to the deaths of GeorgeFloyd in Minneapolis and Michael Ramos in Austin. Floyd died in police custody onMonday, and Ramos died after an Austin police officer fired his rifle at him in late April.
Photo credit: Melissa Fontenette-Mitchell
A protester in Minneapolis carries a U.S.flag upside down as buildings burn behind
him. Photo credit: Julio Cortez/AP
Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen marches and speaks withdemonstrators on Monday, June 1, 2020, as they peacefully
protest the death of George Floyd at the hands ofMinneapolis police. (Hart Van Denburg/CPR News)
In Salt Lake City on Saturday, protesters joinedothers across the nation to decry the death ofGeorge Floyd. Jeffrey D. Allred/Deseret News Protesters in Atlanta, GA, destroy police car during demonstrations.
Minneapolis portest in solidarity against the death of George Floyd.
Protesters and National Guardsmen face-offon East Lake Street, Friday, May 29, 2020, inSt. Paul, Minn., (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
, let us ALL take a breath!
A New CivilRights
MovementUnderway!
When I turned on myTV last weekend, I wasreminded of the CivilRights Movement morethan 50 years ago. Iparticipated when I wasin college in MarshallTexas. At that time, thestudents from bothBishop College (where Iwas a student) and ourcross town rivals WileyCollege joined the Sit-InMovement. We were demonstrating(peacefully) on behalf of themany Black students fromthroughout the South whowere being arrested forsitting at lunch counters. Itwas the modern CivilRights Movement. Theleader of that movementnationally became Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr..King became the leader ofthe movement after he wentto jail for coming to the aidof Rosa Parks. Parks wasarrested because she wouldnot give up her seat on thecity bus to a Whitepassenger. The movement of NonViolent Protest was putin motion; and was inplace druing the CivilRights Movement. Thatwas the time that policewere given the right tokill Black peopleanytime they saw fit. Theregretable thing aboutthis is, like today, noneof the police or otherWhite men were everconvicted of murder.And most of them werenever brought up oncharges. After the Civil RightsBill was passed, unfairtreatment was reduced,but never outlawed. As aresult, Black Men andother minorities are still atrisk of being killed at willby people who believethat their rights comesbefore others. Local demonstratorswent to the Police Stationto remind the city leadersthat we still have casespending in this city onPolice Officers who havenot been charged for kill-ing unarmed citizens. It istime to demand fairtreatment by people who arepaid to protect all of us.
NFL commissionerslammed for
insincerity response.See PROTEST
Page 4
African Associationof Central Texas
provides relief kits.See COVID-19
Page 6
Gospel artist releasesextraordinary
compilation album.See BUTLER
Page 3
SayHis
Name.
Page 2 ~ THE VILLAGER/June 5, 2020 THE COMMUNIQUÉ www.theaustinvillager.com
We Want YOU!Advertise With
TheVILLAGER
www.theaustinvillager.com THE BULLETIN THE VILLAGER/June 5, 2020 ~ Page 3
Felix Bamirin, PastorGRACEWAY CHRISTIAN CHURCH
Experience Grace For LifeCall: 682.472.9073 l Email: [email protected] l
Visit: www.gracewaycca.org
JOIN US This SUNDAY / THURSDAY@ 12424 Scofield Farms Drive, Austin, TX 78758
SUNDAYS 10:30 A.M., THURSDAYS 7:30 P.M.
New Lincoln Missionary Baptist Church2215 E. 8th St.,
Austin, TX 78702Going to Higher Heights,
Trusting God along the way.Sunday School 9:00am
BTU: 10:00amMorning Worship - 11:00 amChurch Phone (512) 477-2714
Cell Phont (512) 585-0744Email: [email protected]
www.newlincolnmbc.orgRev. Darron E. Patterson
Pastor
(By Parmer Lane Baptist Church building,behind Wells Fargo)
Romans 5:1 Therefore, having beenjustified by faith, we have peace
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ
“This life, therefore, is notrighteousness, but growth in righteousness;not health, but healing; not being, butbecoming; not rest, but exercise. We are notyet what we shall be, but we are growingtoward it. The process is not yet finished,but it is going on. This is not the end, but itis the road. All does not yet gleam in glory,but all is being purified.” --- Martin Luther
Olive Branch Fellowship of Austin / All Faith Chapel4110 Guadalupe St. Bldg #639 Austin, TX 78751
Sunday MorningWorship @ 11: am
Kenneth Hill,Pastor
Imani Community ChurchDavis Elementray Auditorium
5214 West Duval Road
Sunday School - 9:00 A.M.Worship Service - 10:00 A.M.
Power Hour Bible Life Group - 6:00 P.M.
Imani Complex & Office,11800 Mustang at Duval
Austin, Texas 78727
Visit:imanichurch.comOffice: 512-343-9300
Rev. Dr. JacquelynDonald-Mims
Globalizing the Gospel
A Ministry That Ministers
Edward M. Fleming,Sr. Pastor
OLIVET BAPTISTCHURCH
DOUBLE
GROCERY“R”
450l East Martin Luther King Blvd.*We cash ALL Tax Refund*Checks *Check Out
Country Boyz Fixin’s4140 E. 12th Street, Austin, TX 78721
Featuring Fish, Poboys, Hot Wings, Pork Chops,Homemade Gumbo, Shrimp and Alligator
DINE IN ORORDER TO GO
Mon - Fri: 11 am - 8 p.m.Saturday: 12 noon - 5 p.m.
Closed SundayCall (512) 928-5555
DAVID CHAPEL Missionary Baptist ChurchSUNDAY
Christian Education 9:15a.m. | Worship 10:30 a.m.Nursery Available
WEDNESDAY |Worship 1st Wed. monthly 7:00p.m. | Bible Study 7:30p.m.
Dr. Joseph C.Parker, Jr.
Senior Pastor
2211 East Martin Luther King Jr., Blvd.Austin, TX 78702
Office: 512-472-9748 Fax: 512-472-5399Website: www.davidchapel.orgEmail: [email protected]“A Church with a Heart
for The Community”
Pastor J. R. Roberson& First lady
Lillian Robertson
BETHEL-ST. PAUL UNITED BAPTIST CHURCH877 W. Hempstead, Giddings, Texas 78942
Weekly ScheduleSunday School 9:00 a.m.
Sunday Worship 10:45 a.m.Wednesday Night Bible
Study 6:00p.m.(979) 542-2784 Church(979) 540-6352 Home
1179 San Bernard Street,Austin, TX 78702, 512-478-7023
Sunday Morning Bible Study, 9:00 A.M.Sunday Morning Worship, 10:15 A.M.Visit our website @ www.obcaus.org
Do you have church news?Would you like to purchase
a monthly ad for yourchurch?
Inquire TODAY!Send your information to [email protected]
or call 512-476-0082
Hopewell Primitive Baptist Church690 TX-21 West, Cedar Creek, TX 78612
Sunday School9:30 a.m.
Morning Worship10:30 a.m.
Elder Carl E SheltonPastor Ph: (512) 626-3660
Hope thou in God -Psalm 42:11
WEBBERVILLEEBENEZER MISSIONARY
BAPTIST CHURCH
Give thanks to the Lord for heis good. -Psalms 136:1
Sunday Morning Worship11 AM
Sunday School 10 AM
1314 Weber St,Webberville, Tx 78653
(512) 276-7917
Pastor W. B. Routt, Jr.Cell # (512) 694-1877
Agape Baptist ChurchAgape Baptist ChurchAgape Baptist ChurchAgape Baptist ChurchAgape Baptist ChurchIn “THE CENTRE” Bldg. F-15
7801 North Lamar Blvd. (S.E. Corner of North Lamar and 183)Austin, Texas 78752
AGAPE: A church for all people. “Where Jesus Christ is Magnified and the LoveHe exhibited is Exemplified.” Come, received God’s Unconditional Love for you.
For there is No Greater Love!
H. Ed Calahan, Pastor
Church ServicesSun. School – 9:30a Sun. Worship – 11:00a
Mid-WeekThurs.: Praise, Prayer and Bible Study – 7:00PM
Call: 454-1547 for transportationWeb: www.agapebcaustintx.com
Award-Winning Producer & Songwriter Myron Butler HelmsAndrae Crouch Compilation Project “My Tribute”
By JoJo Pada and Naomi Richard
(VILLAGER) - Texas Gospel artist Myron Butlerhonors trailblazer and music icon Andrae Crouchwith the release of an extraordinary new compila-tion album on June 26, 2020. Named after Crouch’sfamed single, “My Tribute” brings together talentsfrom all genres affirming the late artist’s immenseinfluence in music. The album will precede a globalonline tribute event on July 1, 2020 on what wouldhave been Crouch’s 78th Birthday.
Crediting Crouch with moving Gospel musicbeyond the church walls, today’s artists pay hom-age on “My Tribute” to celebrate the legend’s lifeand legacy. The compilation is executive producedby Butler and is available for pre-order now on allplatforms. “My Tribute” will be released on June26, 2020 via Red Alliance Media, in advance of theJuly 1 event where fans, artists, musicians, and pas-tors will share their own individual ‘tributes’ to theiconic artist.
Butler, the brainchild of “My Tribute” says,“There are so many legends in gospel music thathave directly affected the shape of our currentmusical landscape. One of the biggest architects ofcontemporary gospel music and the one who had aprofound influence on me musically was AndraeCrouch! His musical impact transcended so manyboundaries and touched countless lives. ‘My Trib-ute’ is my reflection, my homage to the life, legacy,and music of the genius that is Andrae Crouch
#thisismytribute.”Crouch, who passed away in 2015, was widely
known as the ‘Father of Modern Gospel music.’Along with his group, The Disciples, Crouch madean unmistakable, historic and indelible mark onGospel music. Among his trademark songs are “MyTribute (To God Be the Glory),” “Soon and Very Soon”and his first, “The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power.”Crouch transcended the Gospel genre with his workin pop, rock and contemporary Gospel music.Andrae Crouch won seven Grammy Awards; con-tributed to the Lion King and The Color Purplesoundtracks; and finally, he has featured work withMadonna, Michael Jackson and more.
Myron Butler is a multiple Grammy and StellarAward winner, a music producer, singer-songwriter,music director, vocalist, organist and pianist. His workincludes backup to Kirk Franklin, Marvin Sapp, SmokieNorful, Donald Lawrence and Yolanda Adams. Hisgroup Myron Butler & Levi is well-known and deco-rated. Butler lives in Dallas, Texas and he attends ThePotter’s House Church under the leadership of inter-national icon Bishop T.D. Jakes.
“My Tribute” is available for pre-order onhttps://smarturl.it/MyTribute.
Cover Image courtesy of Ignition PR.
Myron Butler directs Super Bowl Gospel Choir inOakland, California (2016). Photo by Naomi Richard.
Austin Census Office Resumes OperationsJune 1 for Austin and Travis County
(AUSTIN, TX) — The U.S. Census Bureau, incoordination with federal, state and local health of-ficials, will open up their Austin Area Census Office(ACO) and resume operations on Monday, June 1,for Austin and Travis County.
Temporary field and office staff have beentrained to observe all social distancing protocols andwill wear official government-provided personalprotective equipment. The health and safety of Cen-sus Bureau staff and the public is always a top pri-ority.
Travis County is one of a handful of Texas coun-ties that does not have Update Leave householdsto visit, but surrounding counties in Central Texasdo. The Williamson County ACO, which re-openedlast week, services 20 area counties and will havecensus staff people in these communities deliver-ing 2020 Census invitation packets. This operationis contactless and follows the most current federal,state and local health and safety guidelines.
The Census Bureau will deliver 2020 Census
invitations and paper questionnaires at the frontdoors of roughly 5.1 million stateside householdsduring this operation. This is crucial to ensure a com-plete and accurate count of all communities, whichhelps guide hundreds of billions of dollars in publicand private sector spending per year.
People are strongly encouraged to respondpromptly to the 2020 Census using the ID numberincluded in the questionnaire packet. Respondingwith a census ID or the paper questionnaire helpsensure the best count of their community. Peoplecan respond online, by phone or by using the paperform in the packet.
For more information, please visit the 2020Census COVID-19 operational adjustments page.
Page 4 ~ THE VILLAGER/June 5, 2020 HEADLINES www.theaustinvillager.com
Attorney General Keith Ellison Takes over George Floyd Murder CaseBy Stacy M. Brown | NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent | @StacyBrownMedia
(NNPA) - Minnesota Attorney General KeithEllison has taken over the prosecution of ex-policeofficer Derek Chauvin in the murder of GeorgeFloyd, an unarmed and handcuffed African Ameri-can who died because of the actions of Chauvin andother officers.
“It is with a large degree of humility and greatseriousness, I accept for my office, the responsibil-ity for leadership in this critical case involving thekilling of George Floyd,” Ellison said during a newsconference in Minneapolis.
“We are going to bring to bear all the resourcesnecessary to achieve justice in this case,” he pro-nounced.
Ellison’s appointment came following a tele-phone meeting between hip-hop icon Jay-Z andMinnesota Governor Tim Walz.
JAY-Z described the conversation as “very ear-nest” and thanked Governor Walz.
“Earlier today, Governor Walz mentioned hav-ing a human conversation with me – a dad and ablack man in pain,” Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn
Carter, wrote in a statement.“Yes, I am human, a father and a black man in
pain, and I am not the only one. This is just a firststep. I am more determined to fight for justice thanany fight my would-be oppressors may have.”
Walz noted that the icon came to him “not asan international performer, but dad, stressing to methat justice needs to be served.”
Walz’s selection of Ellison comes as uprisingsare taking place around the country and abroad. Italso comes as Floyd’s family and their attorney, BenCrump, have demanded that the other three offic-ers involved face charges.
The family remains outraged that Chauvin isthe only officer arrested so far, and prosecutors haveleveled just the relatively minor third-degree mur-der charge against the cop.
Ellison, a former congressman from Minnesotawho ran for chair of the Democratic National Com-mittee in 2017, noted that he was accepting the leadon the case with “a large degree of humility andgreat seriousness.”Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison
Michael Jordan declares, “We have had enough”By Terrance Harris | Associated Press
(AP) - Chicago Bulls legend and Charlotte Hor-nets owner Michael Jordan is lending his voice tothe unrest that is growing from the senseless kill-ing of Houston native George Floyd, an unarmedblack man, by a police officer last week in Minne-apolis.
Floyd’s death has sparked a national outragewhich is playing out in sometimes violent protest incities across the nation. Jordan, who is not beenknown for being vocal on social issues in the past,made his disdain known in a statement Sundayevening.
“I am deeply saddened, truly pained and plainangry,” Jordan said in statement. “I see and feeleveryone’s pain, outrage and frustration. I standwith those who are calling out the ingrained racismand violence toward people of color in our country.We have had enough.”
Last week, the nation watched as video showedFloyd lying next to a police car crying out for help whilewhite Minneapolis police Derek Chauvin kneeled onhis neck for over eight minutes with three other po-lice officers watching without attempting to defusethe situation. Floyd was later pronounced dead andafter public outrage, Chauvin was fired and thencharged with third degree murder.
The other three officers were fired also but
have not been arrested or charged with a crime.In the meantime, the nation is up in arms as
rallies and protest are unfolding in cities across thenation. There have been clashes between angrypeople and police officers along with looting andother violence.
President Trump fanned the flames with dis-paraging words and threats toward the protestersin Minneapolis, in front of the White House andacross the nation.Athletes and coaches at the college and professionallevel have been speaking out since the incidentstarted. Jordan broke his silence Sunday.
“I don’t have the answers, but our collectivevoices show strength and the inability to be dividedby others,” Jordan said. “We must listen to eachother, show compassion and empathy and neverturn our backs on senseless brutality. We need tocontinue peaceful expressions against injustice anddemand accountability. Our unified voice needs toput pressure on our leaders to change our laws, orelse we need to use our vote to create systemicchange. Every one of us needs to be part of the so-lution, and we must work together to ensure jus-tice for all.
“My heart goes out to the family of GeorgeFloyd and to the countless others whose lives have
Michael Jordanbeen brutally and senselessly taken through acts ofracism and injustice.”
‘Shame on you’: NFL’s Roger Goodellaccused of hypocrisy in protest responseBy By Janelle Griffith | NBC NEWS
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell ata press conference in New York in 2014.
[Alex Goodlett / Getty Images file]
(NBC NEWS) - NFLcommissioner RogerGoodell is being accusedof hypocrisy and insin-cerity in his response tothe death of GeorgeFloyd and the proteststhat followed across thecountry.
Critics pointed tothe league’s handling ofColin Kaepernick and hisprotest against policebrutality in 2016, sayingGoodell and the leaguehad deliberately stifledKaepernick and so hadno right now to appearto be siding with protest-ers and their cause.
“Save the bulls—,”said Houston Texanswide receiver KennyStills in response toGoodell’s statement.
On Saturday,Goodell addressedFloyd’s death and that oftwo other AfricanAmericans, Breonna Tay-lor in Kentucky andAhmaud Arbery in Geor-gia, and the widespreadoutrage that has fol-lowed.
“The NFL family isgreatly saddened by the
tragic events across ourcountry,” Goodell said.“The protesters’ reac-tions to these incidentsreflect the pain, angerand frustration that somany of us feel.”
Full coverage ofGeorge Floyd’s deathand protests around thecountry
He continued: “Ascurrent events dramati-cally underscore, thereremains much more todo as a country and as aleague. These tragediesinform the NFL’s com-mitment and our ongo-ing efforts. There re-mains an urgent needfor action. We recognizethe power of our plat-form in communitiesand as part of the fabricof American society.”
Director AvaDuVernay, an ardentcritic of the NFL,tweeted: “Shame onyou. This is beyond hol-low + disingenuous.”
“This is a lie,” shecontinued. “Your actionsshow who you are.You’ve done nothing butthe exact opposite ofwhat you describe here.
Keep Mr. Floyd’s nameout of your mouth.Shame on you + the‘consultants’ of this trav-esty of an organization.”
Michael Shawn-Dugar, a writer for TheAthletic, said on Twitter,“Colin Kaepernick askedthe NFL to care aboutthe lives of black peopleand they banned himfrom their platform.”
Floyd, a 46-year-oldblack man, died Mondayafter a white Minneapo-lis police officer knelt onhis neck for more thaneight minutes during anarrest. The officer, DerekChauvin, was arrestedFriday and charged withthird-degree murderand manslaughter. Heand three other officersinvolved in the arrestwere fired the day afterFloyd’s death.
‘Shame on you’Don Winslow, a
crime and mystery nov-elist, also citedKaepernick in his criti-cism of Goodell’s state-ment.
“I love pro football.But this message fromthe @NFL is completely
RIDICULOUS. It’s laugh-able on its face,”Winslow tweeted. “Agroup of billionairewhite guys who de-stroyed @Kaepernick7’scareer and punished andhurt the careers of blackplayers protesting haveno credibility to sendthis message.”
Kaepernick, thenquarterback for the SanFrancisco 49ers, begankneeling during the Na-tional Anthem beforegames in 2016 to protestracial inequality and po-lice brutality againstpeople of color.
After no teamsigned him as a freeagent, Kaepernick filed agrievance with theleague, accusing ownersof colluding to keep him
from playing. In 2019, heand a former teammate,Eric Reid, who was thefirst player to joinKaepernick in protest,reached a settlementwith the NFL.
Kaepnernick hasnot played in the NFLsince 2016. Reid has.
In response to thecriticism, the NFL said ina statement Sunday:“We would point you toour ongoing InspireChange social justice ef-fort which works closelywith players and clubsand our partners at ThePlayers Coalition andNFLPA. One of the keypillars of the work is im-proving community andpolice relations andcriminal justice reform.”
The statement said
Goodell “has also spenttime working directlywith players and law en-forcement officials intheir communities tounderstand the issuesand identify areas wherewe can help bridge therelationship.”
CEO of 49ers is alsocriticized
Jed York, CEO of the49ers, also came underscrutiny after he an-nounced in a statementSaturday night, amid na-tionwide protests, thatthe team would donate$1 million to “local andnational organizationswho are creatingchange.”
“People through-out our country are hurt-
See KAEPERNICK, pg 5
www.theaustinvillager.com THE REVEALER THE VILLAGER/June 5, 2020 ~ Page 5
ing,” York said.“Emotions are raw, andrightfully so. Heinousacts have been commit-ted in recent weeks. Be-fore we are able to real-ize impactful change, wemust first have the cour-age and compassion ashuman beings to cometogether and acknowl-edge the problem: blackmen, women, childrenand other oppressed mi-norities continue to besystematically discrimi-nated against.”
York added that theteam “is committing tosupport the legislativepriorities of the PlayersCoalition,” an organiza-tion founded by NFLplayers in 2017 to op-pose social injustice andracial inequality.
Reid responded in atweet: “Nobody wants
Ex-NFL exec says‘it was wrong’ not to sign
Kaepernick In 2018Continued from page 4
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, right, and safety Eric Reidkneel during the national anthem on Sept. 12, 2016. Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP file
your money Jed. Wewant justice. We’ve al-ways wanted justice.Y’all are truly diluted.”
He also said York“begged” him not tokneel.
In subsequenttweets, Reid said, “Oneday y’all will realize thattruth and justice are theanswer.
“I see that a lot ofy’all think that it takesmoney to get justice. Itdoes not. It takes moneyto facilitate injustice.Justice is easy, the sys-tem chooses not to giveit,” Reed tweeted Satur-day night.
York did not imme-diately return a requestfor comment Sunday.
Ex-NFL exec says ‘itwas wrong’ not to signK a e p e r n i c kIn 2018, the NFL an-
nounced that it wouldfine players who did notstand during the na-tional anthem or playerscould choose to remainin the locker room with-out penalty. The policywas shelved monthslater.
President DonaldTrump had praised thepolicy but said it did notgo far enough.
One former NFL ex-ecutive, Joe Lockhart,said this weekend that“now is the moment tosign” Kaepernick andurged the Minnesota Vi-kings to do so.
“I was wrong. Ithink the teams werewrong for not signinghim,” he wrote in an op-ed published Saturdayby CNN. “Watchingwhat’s going on in Min-nesota, I understand
how badly wrong wewere.”
The NFL said in re-sponse Sunday: “Colin isa free agent. Clubs maysign him if they chooseto do so.”
Lockhart, who wasa league spokesmanfrom 2016 to 2018 anda White House press sec-retary in the Clinton ad-ministration, saidKaepernick became thesymbol of black men be-ing treated differently
than white men inAmerica.
“That symbol of ra-cial injustice was rein-forced every day thatColin sat on the outsideof the football world,”Lockhart wrote. “It mayhave seemed like a goodbusiness decision for theclubs to not sign him,and it certainly wasn’t il-legal, but it was wrong.”
Sherrilyn Ifill, presi-dent and director-coun-sel of the NAACP Legal
Defense and EducationalFund, responded toLockhart’s op-ed.
“Actually, now isthe moment for RogerGoodell to step to a mi-crophone and offer a fulland complete apology toMr. Kaepernick,” Ifilltweeted Saturday. “Toannounce his commit-ment to supporting Mr.Kaepernick’s charities.And to signing Mr.Kaepernick to an NFLteam.”
George Floyd’s homegoing to be held in Houston on June 8-9By Defender News Service
(DEFENDER) - George Floyd’s funeral will be held in Houston on June 9,at 11 a.m., the family’s attorney Ben Crump announced Monday afternoon.
Floyd’s family and loved ones will have a public viewing on Monday, June8 from 12 noon to 6 p.m. at The Fountain of Praise.
The homegoing celebration for Floyd will be held the following day onTuesday, also at The Fountain of Praise. It will be a ticketed event with moredetails forthcoming.
The memorial and funeral arrangements were announced during a pressconference where the family revealed the findings of an independent autopsyinto Floyd’s death a week ago after a Minneapolis officer held his knee onFloyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes.
WHAT: Public Viewing and Homegoing Celebration in Remembrance of George FloydWHERE: The Fountain of Praise, 13950 Hillcroft Ave., Houston, Texas, 77085WHEN: Public Viewing, June 8, 2020, 12 noon-6 p.m.; Homegoing celebration (ticketed event), June 9, 2020, 11 a.m.A memorial was created by protesters and well-wishers on the spot where
George Floyd was slain in Minneapolis by a police officer.
Medical examiner, family-orderedautopsy agree: George Floyd’s
death was a homicideby Lorenzo Reyes, Trevor Hughes and Mark Emmert | USA TODAY
(USA TODAY) - Boththe Hennepin CountyMedical Examiner’s of-fice and an autopsy com-missioned by GeorgeFloyd’s family have ruledthat the death of Floyd– in an incident that hastriggered nationwideunrest – was a homicideand the 46-year-old’sheart stopped beatingwhile police restrainedhim and compressed hisneck.
The medicalexaminer’s report re-leased Monday listed“cardiopulmonary arrestcomplicating law en-forcement subdual, re-straint and neck com-
Dr. Michael Baden and Dr. Allecia WilsonPhoto courtesy/Ben Crump Law
pression” as the cause ofdeath. It came hours af-ter Floyd family attorneyBenjamin Crump held apress conference to an-nounce the findings of afamily-commissionedautopsy.
The family autopsystated “asphyxiationfrom sustained pressurewas the cause” of Floyd’sdeath.
Dr. Michael Badenand Dr. Allecia Wilsonperformed the autopsyand said there was “neckand back compressionthat led to a lack of bloodflow to the brain,”Crump said Monday.
They added that
“weight on the back,handcuffs and position-ing were contributoryfactors because they im-paired the ability of Mr.Floyd’s diaphragm tofunction.”
Floyd died May 25after a Minneapolis po-lice officer knelt on hisneck for several minuteswhile he was handcuffedon the ground, cryingthat he couldn’t breatheand pleading for help.The incident has galva-nized outrage, sparkingprotests and violencethroughout the U.S.
Monday’s medicalexaminer’s report indi-cates that its finding “isnot a legal determina-tion of culpability or in-tent, and should not beused to usurp the judi-cial process.”
That autopsy found“no physical findingsthat support a diagnosisof traumatic asphyxia orstrangulation,” accord-ing to the document,which suggests Floyd’sexisting health condi-tions – coronary artery
disease and hyperten-sive heart disease – com-bined with being re-strained by police andany “potential intoxi-cants in his system” con-tributed to his death.
Baden and Wilsonsaid it appeared thatFloyd died at the scene.
“What we found isconsistent with whatpeople saw,” Baden said.“There is no otherhealth issue that couldcause or contribute tothe death. Police havethis false impressionthat if you can talk, youcan breathe. That’s nottrue.”
Bystanders, who
begged officers on thescene to intervene, re-corded Floyd’s death onvideo and shared theimages on social media.After they went viral,Floyd’s death sparked aweek of protests in Min-neapolis and most majorU.S. cities.
Floyd was arrestedon suspicion of trying touse a forged $20 bill.
Chauvin wascharged with third-de-gree murder and man-slaughter. He is in cus-tody in a state prison.Three other officers whowere on the scene havenot been detained orcharged with any crimes.
All four officers werefired the day afterFloyd’s death.
Gov. Tim Walz saidSunday that AttorneyGeneral Keith Ellisonwould lead prosecutionsin Floyd’s death.
Activists havepressed HennepinCounty Attorney MikeFreeman to charge theother three officers andhave demonstrated out-side his house.
Crump called forChauvin’s charge to beelevated to first-degreemurder and for theother three officers in-volved at the scene to bearrested.
Page 6 ~ THE VILLAGER/June 5, 2020 DIASPORA www.theaustinvillager.com
Pictured left to right: Kelly, Samantha, and Binta.Photo by Tsoke (Chuch) Adjavon
Americans Across the NationProtest George Floyd’s Death
VILLAGER NEWS -Throughout the UnitedStates, there have beenprotests in regards toGeorge Floyd's tragicdeath at the hand ofthe Minneapolis police.George Floyd's murderis not an isolated extra-judicial killing, but it isa widespread occur-
rence of police brutal-ity against Black Ameri-cans.
Austin, Texas dis-played peaceful proteststhat began Saturday,May 30, 2020. Con-cerned citizens pro-tested in front of theAustin police depart-ment. At one point, APDfired tear gas and rubberbullets. While the Aus-tin Justice Coalition can-celed their Sunday pro-test on the South Step of
by Tsoke (Chuch)Adjavon
VILLAGERColumnist
the capitol, Central Texasresidents organized asecond protest.
Not only has therebeen protest in theUnited States, but alsoforeign countries. GhanaPresident Nana Akufo-Addo and his cabinetcondemned the killing ofGeorge Floyd. Demon-strators are tired of thefact police officers whohave killed Black Ameri-cans can get away withsuch a heinous crime.
The African Community HostCOVID-19 Event
VILLAGER NEWS - As COVID-19 gripped our community, numerous orga-nizations have stepped up to support and provide relief to community mem-bers. As some members of our community see their work out cut or furlough,some organizations see the need to be the bridge that can help the commu-nity. Just recently, the organization Africans in Central Texas held a COVID 19relief effort.
On May 30, 2020, the group called Africans in Central Texas held a COVIDrelief effort in front of a local African grocery store. During this event, theyhanded out relief kits, which had a roll of toilet paper, facemask, and handsanitizers. According to Philip Akem, acting president of this organization, "itis important for us to show that the African Community is engaged in helpingthe community at large.
Constable Elect Tonya Nixon stopped by to salute the effort of the CentralTexas African Community.
by Tsoke (Chuch) Adjavon VILLAGER Columnist
The Power of the District Attorney
VILLAGER NEWS -As we know, GeorgeFloyd was killed by Min-neapolis police officers.Before murdering Floyd,
Amy Klobuchar
by Tsoke (Chuch)Adjavon
VILLAGERColumnist
some of these Minne-apolis police officers hada long history of policemisconduct that oc-curred when AmyKlobuchar (US Senator)was the district attorneyin Hennepin County,Minnesota. As formerDistrict Attorney in
Hennepin County,Klobuchar never pros-ecuted deadly policeshooting or brutality.However, she wouldleave it up to the grandjury. As a result, the cityof Minneapolis would fi-nancially settle with thefamily of the deceased.
Unlike other Stateand County elected offi-cials, the District Attor-ney has the power toopen up an investigationand can even prosecutepolice misconducts.Since former District At-torney and now USSenator Amy Klobucharfell to do, then it has cre-ated a climate and cul-ture of abuse within theMinneapolis police de-partment.
Although US Sena-tor Amy Klobuchar failedto investigate or evenpolice officer, she hasrecently called for theseofficers to investigate.However, some peoplebelieve that her calls toinvestigate these officeris a political move be-cause she’s now on a
national stage. Also, shehas been on the short listof Democratic Party
nominee for presidentshort list for vice presi-dent.
Barbara’s Book Bag:The Water Dancer
By Ta-Nehisi Coates
Book Review byBarbara Williams
This novel, “TheWater Dance,” is the firstfictional endeavor by Ta-Nehisi Coates. At first, Iwas reluctant to read an-other slave narrative,because most of thetime they leave me emo-tionally drained withtheir accounts of whip-pings, chains, cottonpicking and inhumanetreatment and abuse ofthe enslaved. But I de-cided to give it a go.
The title “Water
Dancer” symbolizes thememory and the neednot to forget to remem-ber the great power, (the main character in thebook, ) he can pull fromthat memory is a superpower.
Hiram Walker, themain character in thebook, was born into sla-very or “tasked people”and lost all memory ofhis mother, who was soldaway when he was veryyoung. He was gifted, tal-ented, smart and cre-ative. His memory wasincredible and was prin-cipal throughout thebook.
Years later, whenHiram survived an acci-dent on the river, thatclaimed his half-brotherslife, he discovered hehad some mysteriouspower related to water.He escapes from the Vir-ginia Plantation and aftermany brushes with
death arrives in theNorth. Throughout thestory Hiram resolves torescue the family he leftbehind.
Three women areprominent in his life.Harriet Tubman whotrained him in the Under-ground Movement, thewoman who raised himand the woman hewanted to love.
The book was veryinteresting, well re-searched and insightful.Although I didn’t like theending, the author leftan open enough typeending for the reader toform their own opinionabout the outcome oflife for Hiram Walker af-ter his return “home.”
Rating: 5 out of 5stars
Travis County Healthand Human ServicesP.O. Box 1748, Austin, Texas 78767(512) 854-4100 Fax (512) 854-4115
TRAVIS COUNTY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG)
EMPLOYMENT | PROPOSALS | PUBLIC INFORMATIONFOR SALE | FOR RENT | BIDS | MISCELLANEOUS
www.theaustinvillager.com CLASSIFIEDS THE VILLAGER/June 5, 2020 ~ Page 7
Are you interested in doingbusiness with the City of Austin?
We are here for you!City of Austin
Purchasing OfficeVendor Registration
www.austintexas.gov/department/purchasingFor information on the City of Austin’s Minority/
Women-Owned Procurement Program please contact theSmall & Minority Business Resources at 512-974-7600or visit www.austintexas.gov/smbr.
By John Harris Jr. | Villager Sports Columnist
Leave it to University of Texas basketball coachShaka Smart to show how it’s done
Shaka Smart
(VILLAGER) - Dur-ing a time when collegebasketball and footballcoaches (mostly white)are falling all over them-selves to share theirthoughts about policebrutality against blackpeople, Smart (not sur-prisingly) is among thefew coaches to offer a
sensible, relatable,down-to-earth messageto his student-athletesas well as the public.
Unlike many of hiswhite peers, Smart, whois black, didn’t general-ize about the murder ofGeorge Floyd by a whiteMinneapolis police of-ficer that has beenviewed by millions andignited a firestorm ofprotests across theUnited States. HBCUbasketball coach LeVelle
Moton, who runs themen’s program at NorthCarolina Central, toldESPN Radio that whitePower 5 coaches showtheir concern for blackplayers on their teamsbut become silent anddon’t show the sameconcern when blacks arekilled by police.
Smart, whose ros-ter is dominated byblack players, like somany Division I basket-ball and football pro-
grams, penned his re-cent Twitter poststraight from the heart.
“I’ve struggled toarticulate the sadnessand anger I’m still feel-ing days after hearingGeorge Floyd’s words.They still echo in mymind. “I can’t breathe ...Everything hurts ...Momma ... Please!
Smart continued:“This was a human being.This was preventable.”
Not seeking politi-cal correctness like someof his white coachingpeers who wanted to beon record that they ad-dressed the feelings ofconfusion, anger andhelplessness experi-enced by their black stu-dent-athletes but didn’tgo far enough, Smartmet the situation head-
on.“Racism impacts
schools. Racism impactshealth care. Racism im-pacts housing. Racismimpacts job opportuni-ties. Racism impacts po-licing., These are facts.”
Here is whereSmart separated himselffrom the pack. Speakingfrom the perspective ofa black man, Smart of-fered more than wordsof confusion, anger andhelplessness. More im-portantly, he also of-fered solutions.
“None of us has allthe answers,” Smartwrote. “But there areactivists and expertswho’ve been deeply im-mersed in the hard workin righting the wrongs ofsocial injustice. Theyneed our help.
“In Austin, checkout the work of MeasureAustin, Austin JusticeCoalition, Austin AreaUrban League, BlackMamas ATX, the Centerfor the Study of Raceand Democracy, and theCenter for Innovation inRace, Teaching and Cur-riculum.”
Words to live byand learn from. Morepower to Shaka Smart.
It’s Official: Norman ElementaryWill Become Norman-Sims
(AUSTIN, TX) - This month, the Austin ISD Board of Trusteesapproved the renaming of G.W. Norman Elementary School toNorman-Sims Elementary School. The renaming will go into effectfor the 2020-21 school year.
Formalizing the Norman-Sims name honors the contributionsof both Mary J. Sims and G.W. Norman to Austin ISD, who togetherserved over 100 years as educational leaders in Central Texas.
The district initiated the renaming process in April by solicitingnominations from the community. Of the 162 name submissionsreceived, 86% nominated “Norman-Sims.”
Food BankAnnounces
JuneDrive-through
EmergencyFood
Distributionsfor Austin
AreaWHEN & WHERE:
Saturday, June 6ACC Highland
6101 Highland CampusDr, Austin, TX 787528:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 13Nelson Field
7105 Berkman Dr Austin,TX 78752
8:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 20Del Valle High School
5201 Ross Rd, Del Valle,TX 78617
8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Thursday, June 25Nelson Field
7105 Berkman Dr Austin,TX 78752
9:00 a.m.-Noon
The Central Texas Food Bank will distribute free food inthe Austin area to help those who are facing increased foodinsecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic. To adhere to so-cial distancing requirements, pickup will only be available tothose with cars. No walk-ups will be allowed. Please makeappropriate space in your trunk or hatch before arriving atthe event. We also ask that you attend this event only if youare facing true food insecurity since our resources arestretched to the limit.
The Food Bank is also in need of volunteers to assistwith these events. Anyone interested in volunteering, visitthe Food Bank’s website, centraltexasfoodbank.org, and clickon “Volunteer” to sign up.
Invitation to Comment on the PY20 Action PlanTravis County is eligible to receive an estimated $1,163,952 in CommunityDevelopment Block Grant (CDBG) funds from theU.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to benefit TravisCounty low- to moderate-income residents who live in the unincorporated areasof the county or the Villages of San Leanna and Webberville. The funds are forProgram Year 2020 (PY20), October 1, 2020 to September 30, 2021. An AnnualAction Plan has been drafted detailing how the funds will be spent in PY20.
You can comment on the proposed PY20 Action Plan by attending the public hearingor by sending your comments in writing via postal mail or e-mail.
COMMENT PERIOD AND DRAFT DOCUMENT
Comments will be accepted for 30 days beginning June 24, 2020 at 8:00 a.m. and endingJuly 24, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. Beginning June 24, 2020, a draft of the proposed Action Planand a related summary will be available for download on the Travis County CDBGwebpage at https://www.traviscountytx.gov/health-human-services/cdbg or available forreview at any of the seven Travis County Community Centers listed below:
Travis County Community Center at Del Valle@3518-D FM South 973, Del Valle, TX 78617
Travis County Community Center at Pflugerville@15822 Foothills Farm Loop, Bldg. D, Pflugerville, TX 78660
Travis County Community Center at Oak Hill@8656-A Hwy 71 W., Suite A, Austin, TX 78735
Travis County Community Center at Jonestown@18649 FM 1431, Jonestown, TX 78645
Travis County Community Center at Manor@600 W. Carrie Manor, Manor, TX 78653
Travis County Community Center at Palm Square@100 N. IH-35, Suite 1000, Austin, TX 78701
Travis County Community Center at Post Road@2201 Post Road, Suite 101, Austin, TX 78704
PUBLIC HEARINGThe public can provide comments by attending the Public Hearing scheduled for Tuesday,July 14, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. at Travis County Commissioners Courtroom, 700 Lavaca,Austin, TX, 78701.MAILING YOUR COMMENTS
The public can also mail their comments to: CDBG Program, Travis County, HHS, P.O.Box 1748, Austin, TX 78767 or e-mail them to the CDBG program [email protected].
Travis County is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. Reasonable modifications and equal access tocommunications will be provided upon request. Please call 512-854-3460 for assistance. To requestthat an American Sign Language or Spanish interpreter be present at the public hearing, please contactCDBG staff at least five business days in advance.
Page 8 ~ THE VILLAGER/June 5, 2020 THE DISPATCH www.theaustinvillager.com
Solidarity Protests for George Floyd Goes Worldwide
George Floyd protest on Trafalgar Square in London, England.Photo credit: John Sibley | Reuters
Demonstrators in Berlin protest the death of George Floyd at the handsof police in Minneapolis. Photo Credit: Sean Gallup | Getty Images
Demonstrators flood the streets in Houston protesting the killing of George Floyd.Photograph by Mark Felix / AFP / Getty
Fireworks go off in front of police, who fight with protesters in front of policeheadquarters in St. Louis on Monday, June 1, 2020. The small group of
protesters was originally part of a much larger group demonstrating earlier inthe afternoon against the death of George Floyd.
Colter Peterson–St. Louis Post-Dispatch/AP
A mural of George Floyd paintedon a remnant of the Berlin Wall.
Photograph byOmer Messinger/Sipa/AP
Protesters in Italy demonstrate in front of the USconsulate. Mairo Cinquetti/NurPhoto/Getty Images
Black Lives Matter demonstration in front ofthe US Embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Ida Guldbæk Arentsen / Ritzau Scanpix