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After Surviving Horrific Car Crash, Errol Spence Jr. Ready to Prove He’s the Best

Arguably one of our generation’s best fighters, undefeated (26-0) welterweight boxing champion Errol Spence Jr. was riding high after defeating Shawn Porter in 2019.

He couldn’t have known he was on a path that nearly ended his life. Just a month later, photos surfaced of Spence’s demolished vehicle. One look at the condition of Spence’s Ferrari and many critics wondered if he would ever be able to fight at the same level again.

As speculation about Spence’s health circulated, more graphic footage hit the Internet revealing just what one of boxing’s pound-for-pound best had endured. Somehow he walked away with no broken bones. He came back with something to prove.

 

 

Many thought Spence’s career was over. It hasn’t been an easy road, but a little more than a year later, Spence is finally ready to defend his WBC and IBF welterweight titles on Dec. 5 against the dangerous Danny Garcia of Philadelphia.

Spence opens up about facing Garcia, the car accident, fighting in Dallas and much more.


Zenger: What’s up with you?

Spence Jr.: Nothing much, tired of doing interviews (laughing).

Zenger: They gave you country-ass livestock and acres! You are a full-fledge farmer now! (laughing).

Percy Crawford interviewed Errol Spence, Jr. for Zenger News (Photo courtesy of Percy Crawford)

Spence Jr.: Yeah, man. Well, I’m not a farmer, I’m a ranch hand. Farmers got all types of fruits and things like that, I just got cattle. So, I’m a ranch hand. I got horses, cows, I’m going to get some chickens in here when this fight is over with and some more horses and stuff like that. I’m a real Texas boy now.

Zenger: That’s a lot of work. Do you get a hand with it, or is it mostly you right now?

Spence Jr.: Me and my dad. I have people come and put horseshoes on and stuff like that.

Zenger: Danny Garcia got into the ring after your win over Shawn Porter, and we see fighters enter the ring all the time. Sometimes those fights come to fruition, sometimes they do not. From the outside looking in, it seems this fight was fairly easy to make. Is that accurate?

Spence Jr.: It was easy to make for the most part. Danny Garcia and myself have the same advisor, so we only had to talk to one person. I feel like it was basically simple, A to B. There was no negotiation or anything.

Zenger: Where Ángel García seems to irritate other opponents and their camps, it seems like you like the fact that he believes in his son so much to make such boastful statements when discussing Danny.

Spence Jr.: I mean, that’s what he’s there for. He’s the man’s father, so it’s only right that he does believe in him. And he’s his trainer too, so it’s only right that he believes in him. I’m not irritated by him. I’ve been seeing his dad talk crazy to other people and everything, but he’s been showing me a lot of respect. I don’t have anything bad to say about him. I just think that it’s a father that believes in his son and he knows how to pump his son up. I feel like the way he be ranting and stuff like that, it’s a way to get his son ready for the fight.

“For me, it was the anniversary, and I just wanted people to see my journey. How hard it was to get to the point where I am now? I just wanted people to see how hard it was. It wasn’t an easy comeback journey to get to where I am now.” (Ryan Hafey/Premier Boxing Champions)

Zenger: Aside from the Kell Brook fight where there seemed to be a little animosity, you always seem to share a mutual respect with your opponents. Do you have a mutual respect for Danny as a fighter and his body of work?

Spence Jr.: I think so. He is a great fighter, I’m a great fighter. I respect his skills and the opponents that he fought, he respects the opponents that I have been in there with, and I feel like, it’s going to be a great fight come December 5. So I appreciate him taking this fight. I know he appreciates me taking the fight and putting my two-belts on the line to fight him. He’s coming to my hometown; I appreciate that too. I feel like it’s going to be an electrifying fight in front of my hometown. I just want everybody to tune-in to Fox PPV or grab their tickets because it’s going to be a one-sided legendary fight for myself.

Zenger: I remember we spoke years ago when you first fought in Dallas and you were kind of hoping that it would become a thing. Now, you have the fanbase, the city behind and it is a thing. It’s gotta be a great feeling to have that thought manifest into what it is now?

Spence Jr.: Definitely man! Fighting at home, I just feel like a lot of fighters don’t get a chance to do that or can do that, but they don’t put butts in the seats. At the end of the day I feel like I’m able to do that and put on great performances when I do that. I’m not losing or anything like that. It’s basically shutout decisions. Last time I fought in Dallas, it was a unanimous decision, the time before that it was a knockout.

The other time was a knockout too. So, every time I have fought there it has been great performances. I want to continue to do that on December 5th and if this all goes well maybe I can come back sometime soon and fight again.

Welterweight world champion Errol Spence, Jr. prepares for a match against Danny Garcia on Dec. 5 in his hometown at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Ryan Hafey / Premier Boxing Champions

Zenger: It feels like you are the chosen athlete in Dallas right now and maybe even the entire state of Texas. With so much violence in Dallas of late, do you hope your fight and your story can bring a little bit of unity to the city?

Spence Jr.: Definitely! It’s been a lot of crazy stuff happening in Dallas. Hopefully, my fight will bring people together, everyone stay safe so nothing tragic happens. I want to see everybody come together. Praying for Dallas.

Zenger: How do you view Danny as an opponent and size him up from being around him?

Spence Jr.: He’s tough. He can be rugged. He’s a guy with a great chin. I feel like he is a counterpuncher with great timing. He is a guy that will punch when you punch, or he will take a punch to give a punch. That’s basically how I size him up. He’s not quick, he’s not fast, he just does everything right.

Zenger: You eventually shared the picture of you in the hospital bed after your car accident. What made you share that picture? Was it just a matter of letting people see what you overcame, your journey leading to December 5th?

Spence Jr.: For me, it was the anniversary, and I just wanted people to see my journey. How hard it was to get to the point where I am now. I just wanted people to see how hard it was. It wasn’t an easy comeback journey to get to where I am now. It was real hard. I put it out to remind people that you can persevere through anything. The power of the mind and staying focused, if you really want something if you put your mind to it, you can do anything and you can persevere through anything.

Zenger: You look to be in amazing shape, physically, how do you feel?

Spence Jr.: I feel good physically. Mentally I feel great. I’m just 100% focused. I’m just ready to put on a great performance, man.

This is something I’ve been waiting for. This is my second opportunity, not only in boxing but in life. I’m not nervous at all or anything like that. If that was anybody else, probably wouldn’t be here right now or they would probably be a vegetable. For me, it’s about staying focused and getting ready for the task at hand and that’s winning in front of my hometown.

Zenger: It didn’t even seem like an option for you to take a fight against a lesser opponent to test out your mental and physical standings after the crash. Why not?

Spence Jr.: I was going to fight him [Danny Garcia] before my accident.  For me, I felt 100%, I felt prepared and I felt like Danny Garcia is the type of guy, his record, who he is and his name, he was going to push me to get back to 100%. I couldn’t slack off because if I would’ve slacked off, there’s a chance that he could have beat me. So, I knew that I had to focus and have tunnel vision and make sure that I’m all the way back. If I do that, I will make this a great, entertaining but one-sided performance.

Zenger: Always great talking to you, good luck and I look forward to December 5.

Spence Jr.: Appreciate it!

(Edited by Daniel Kucin, Jr. and David Matthew)



The post After Surviving Horrific Car Crash, Errol Spence Jr. Ready to Prove He’s the Best appeared first on Zenger News.

Housing Inequality, Political Violence, Black & Brown Workers Left Behind

By Charles Ellison, the b|e note

Although housing insecurity affected communities of color long before COVID-19, the current pandemic continues to exacerbate inequalities. As early as April 2020, 32 percent of Black adults and 41 percent of Latinx adults experienced job loss due to the pandemic, compared with only 24 percent of white adults.

Black and Latina women have seen the largest drop in their employment-to-population ratios since February, with Black women in particular seeing jobs come back at a rate that is 1 1/2 times slower than that of white women. Although all racial and ethnic groups have faced record unemployment, the Black-white unemployment gap has persisted throughout the pandemic.

For Asian Americans—who have been particularly targeted by racist responses to the coronavirus crisis—unemployment rates have soared to 11 percent in July, compared with 3 percent during the previous year, and they remain historically high as the pandemic continues. 

Lost and reduced income has worsened already difficult situations for many. During the pandemic, renters of color have reported less overall confidence in being able to pay their next month’s rent and have reported not having paid the previous month’s rent on time at disproportionately higher rates than their white counterparts. (see Figures 1 and 2)

With communities of color also navigating the collective pain of higher rates of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths, they must face additional medical and funeral costs in addition to potential lost employer-sponsored health insurance and reduced household income due to unemployment—or worse, the loss of an income-earner’s life.

“This Scary Statistic Predicts Growing US Political Violence — Whatever Happens On Election Day” Read MORE …

“The tendency is to blame Trump, but I don’t really agree with that,” Peter Turchin, an evolutionary anthropologist at the University of Connecticut who studies the forces that drive political instability, told BuzzFeed News. “Trump is really not the deep structural cause.”

The most dangerous element in the mix, argue Turchin and George Mason University sociologist Jack Goldstone, is the corrosive effect of inequality on society. They believe they have a model that explains how inequality escalates and leads to political instability: Worsened by elites who monopolize economic gains, narrow the path to social mobility, and resist taxation, inequality ends up undermining state institutions while fomenting distrust and resentment.

Building on Goldstone’s work showing that revolutions tend to follow periods of population growth and urbanization, Turchin has developed a statistic called the political stress indicator, or PSI. It incorporates measures of wage stagnation, national debt, competition between elites, distrust in government, urbanization, and the age structure of the population.

Turchin raised warning signs of a coming storm a decade ago, predicting that instability would peak in the years around 2020. “In the United States, we have stagnating or declining real wages, a growing gap between rich and poor, overproduction of young graduates with advanced degrees, and exploding public debt,” he wrote, in a letter to the journal Nature. “Historically, such developments have served as leading indicators of looming political instability.”

“Black, Hispanic, and Young Workers Have Been Left Behind by Policymakers, But Will They Vote?” Read MORE …

Black voters have faced a 150-year struggle against voter intimidation and suppression tactics and the multilayered legacies of slavery. Black Americans are also disproportionately disenfranchised by state laws that ban convicted felons from voting—even, in some states, after they have served their full sentence. Given the U.S.’s high incarceration rate and systemic racism in the criminal justice system, this is just one more way the Black vote is suppressed.

Black voter registration and participation rose after the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965; while Black voting rates would continue to lag behind white voting rates, the gap had narrowed significantly—particularly in the South. In 2008, the gap essentially closed, and in 2012, Black voting rates exceeded white voting rates (Figure A). However, Black voting rates dipped below white voting rates in the 2016 presidential election, asreports of voter suppression and intimidation increased relative to previous elections.

Hispanic voter turnout has been persistently lower than both Black and white voter turnout: In the 2016 presidential election, Hispanic turnout was reported by the Census Bureau at 47.6%, compared with 65.3% for non-Hispanic white voters and 59.4% for Black voters (Figure A). The reasons for low Hispanic turnout are not necessarily easy to determine and often get told one story at a time. Like Black voters, Hispanic voters have been hampered by voter suppression efforts and face disproportionate disenfranchisement due to felony convictions. Many face language barriers. The Hispanic population is also much younger (with a median age of 30 in 2018) than the white population (with a median age of 44)—and, as discussed below, younger adults are less likely to vote.1

Women Leaders on Sen. Harris Replacement: “One Is Not Enough, Zero Is Unacceptable.”

By Antonio? ?Ray? ?Harvey? ?|? ?California? ?Black? ?Media? ?

The California Democratic Party Black Caucus (CDP Black Caucus) joined hands with other women organizations this past weekend?. Their goal: to turn up the pressure on California Gov. Gavin Newsom to appoint a Black woman to replace outgoing Sen. Kamala Harris in the U.S. Senate. 

During the virtual “Keep the Seat” news conference, which representatives from the National Organization for Women (NOW) and Black Women United (BWU) attended, the organizers explained why Gov. Newsom should appoint a Black woman. They also gave reasons why he should narrow his options to U.S. Representatives Karen Bass (D-CA-37) and Barbara Lee (D-CA-13).

“This is a pivotal time in California history. I hope together we can bend the moral arc of history towards justice, together, by ensuring that the most underrepresented and marginalized community retain a significant representation in California by appointing a Black woman to replace Kamala Harris,” said Taisha Brown, chairperson of the CDP Black Caucus. 

Brown continued, “Our call is for all of you to join us in saying to Gavin Newsom, our governor, that we are not going to accept anything but a Black woman. I think it’s critical that we emphasize that.”

Currently there are three African Americans serving in the United States Senate. Two of them are men (Cory Booker, a Democrat from New Jersey, and Tim Scott, a Republican from South Carolina). Harris, the junior Senator from California, is the only African American woman with a seat in the upper house of the United States Congress. 

But with Harris’s imminent ascendency to the Vice Presidency of the United States, there will be no African American woman in the US Senate after Jan. 20, 2021.

In response, the CDP Black Caucus has put out a call to action under the slogan “One is not enough, and zero is unacceptable.”

“We have a Thanksgiving message for Gov. Gavin Newsom. Our goal is to have 250 every day until Thanksgiving. We need you to speak up. Make a call and let Gov. Newsom know that Black women have been the backbone of the Democratic Party as voters, organizers, and we deserve representation in the United States Senate,” said Kendra Lewis, a representative for the CDP Black Caucus. 

Dr. Maulana Karenga, professor and chairman of Black Studies at California State University Long Beach, was also one of the “Keep The Seat” speakers. Karenga, who is also the founder of the annual spiritual and cultural celebration Kwanzaa, said he “stands strong” with the CDP Black Caucus’s push to keep a Black woman from California in the U.S. Senate. 

“First of all, no one is more qualified than the two women mentioned — Bass and Lee. It’s not a gift. It’s recognition overdue. It’s also a service to the Democratic party. Black women have been the backbone of this party. So, it is debt owed to them,” he said. 

Over the weekend, several top women Democratic Party donors in California also urged Newsom to select a woman of color. About 150 of them have placed a letter in full-page ads in two newspapers — the LA Times in Southern California and the San Francisco Chronicle in Northern California — making their request known to Newsom. 

“Women of color are the core drivers of electoral progress in our country, and their voices should be heard in the nation’s highest governing body. California is fortunate to have a strong pipeline of women of color in elected office who are prepared to serve; as Californians and political supporters, we look forward to you selecting one of them,” the letter read. 

The California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) and other Black leaders in the state have also called on Gov. Newsom to fill the seat with an African American woman.  

The CLBC members also sent a letter to Gov. Newsom making their case for why Bass and Lee should be at the top of his shortlist of candidates. They cited the women’s lengthy legislative experience coupled with their broad foreign policy knowledge. 

Before the election on Nov. 3, Newsom said that he was getting pressure from different groups in the state about who he should appoint to replace Harris. He also acknowledged that he feels the weight of making that important decision and predicted that his choice would not please everyone.  

“The stress of having to choose between a lot of friends, to choose between quality candidates, and the fact that whoever you pick, there are going to be a lot of people who are going to be upset, disappointed, that it wasn’t this or that, I don’t even want to get my arms around that until I have the privilege of having to make that decision,” Newsom said in an interview with Los Angeles’ FOX 11.

Gov. Newsom can either decide to make an appointment to complete Harris’s term or he can call  a special election.

Meet the Black Woman Just Named Co-Chair To President-Elect Joe Biden’s COVID-19 Taskforce

Submitted by Because of Them We Can

President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris announced their advisory council to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic with some of the nation’s leading doctors and scientists. At the helm is Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith with her co-chairs Dr. David Kessler and Dr. Vivek Murthy.

“Dealing with the coronavirus pandemic is one of the most important battles our administration will face, and I will be informed by science and by experts,” President-elect Biden said in a press release. “The advisory board will help shape my approach to managing the surge in reported infections; ensuring vaccines are safe, effective, and distributed efficiently, equitably, and free; and protecting at-risk populations.”

Dr. Nunez-Smith comes from Yale University, an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, Public Health, and Management at the Yale School of Medicine. Her research focuses on marginalized communities’ health and creating an equitable and accessible healthcare system for all.

“Everyone is affected by this pandemic, yet the burden is disproportionate,” Nunez-Smith said in a statement. “We know communities of color are grieving at high rates and are facing substantial economic impact. The transition advisory board is setting a course for everyone in our country to experience recovery.” 

According to the Yale press release announcing her appointment, “Munez-Smith is an internist and an expert in healthcare equity, is the founding director of Yale SOM’s Pozen-Commonwealth Fund Fellowship in Health Equity Leadership, which trains healthcare practitioners to address disparities in healthcare access and outcomes that affect people of color and other vulnerable populations. She is also the founding director of the Equity Research and Innovation Center at the Yale School of Medicine.”

Her official Yale bio lists Dr. Nunez-Smith as the Deputy Director for Health Equity Research and Workforce Development for the Yale Center for Clinical Investigation, Core Faculty in the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars Program, and Research Faculty at Yale’s Global Health Leadership Institute. She comes from the Virgin Islands, earned a BA from Swarthmore College, an MD from Jefferson Medical College, and an MHS from Yale University.

We’re glad to have you on our nation’s team on this road to recovery! Congratulations, Dr. Nunez-Smith.

Source: Because of them we can

“Bible Prophecy is Being Fulfilled Right Before Our Eyes and No One is Paying Attention!”

By Lou Yeboah

Woe, Woe, Woe!

Wake up and wake up now, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.” [Romans 13:11]. The final countdown and signs of the seven-year tribulation are rising all around us. The warnings are there. The signs are there. The thunder is growing, the lightning is on the horizon, and the dark clouds are gathering. I tell you, we are living in the most significant and important time in Bible-prophecy history, yet no one is paying attention. Woe, Woe, Woe!

If you consider yourself a follower of Jesus, “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” [Luke 21:36]. And if you want to know how close we are in Bible prophecy, then watch Israel and compare it to God’s Word. Israel is the key to the end time prophecy and the City of Jerusalem is the center stage.

Consider the message and understand the vision: [Daniel 9:24]. The final seven year countdown, begins when this world figure known as the Antichrist initiates a peace covenant with Israel. Done [?]: “Israel and the UAE agreed to full normalization of relations in a phone call with President Donald Trump marking the first peace treaty between Israel and an Arab country in 25 years.” [Moving the United States Embassy in Israel back to Jerusalem and recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel].

“STRIKING ANOTHER HISTORIC AGREEMENT: President Donald J. Trump brokered a peace agreement between Sudan and Israel – the third such agreement between Israel and an Arab-Muslim nation in less than three months. “Today, Israel and Sudan have agreed to make peace and to normalize their relations in another landmark agreement. In the coming weeks, the two countries will begin negotiations on cooperation agreements in agriculture, economy, trade, aviation, migration issues, and other areas of mutual benefit. This historic peace agreement follows similar agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Israel and the Kingdom of Bahrain. The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Sudan are the first Arab nations to normalize relations with Israel in over 25 years.”

QUOTE President Donald J. Trump ? “They are choosing a future in which Arabs and Israelis, Muslims, Jews, and Christians can live together, pray together, and dream together, side by side, in harmony, community, and peace.”

Can you hear me now! Bible prophecy is quickly being fulfilled in rapid succession. End time prophecy is being fulfilled one after another. Watch and pray! The final seven year countdown has begun.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Nearly a Half-Century into Legendary Career, Lenny Williams Still Doing ‘Fine’

Lenny Williams launched his solo career in 1974 with “Pray for the Lion.” In April 2020, a full 46 years later, he’s still making records. His latest studio album, “Fine,” is his 18th. Few recording artists have shared Williams’ consistency and longevity.

Best known for his 1975 hit, “’Cause I Love You,” Williams has been sampled by top artists in the industry. Steve Harvey dedicated a segment in the hit comedy movie, “Kings of Comedy,” to Williams, highlighting the impact of the hit love song.

Today his delivery is as smooth and passionate as it was in the 1970s, and the accomplished R&B and soul singer has no plan to slow down.

Williams discussed the necessary adjustments he has made in order to remain relevant in the music industry his new album, “Fine,” the challenges that Covid-19 posed during the record’s release and his love of boxing.

Lenny Williams remains consistently relevant. (Photo courtesy Lenny Williams)

Percy Crawford interviewed Lenny Williams for Zenger News.


Zenger News: You are very health conscious, and because of that you don’t age one bit. How are you keeping so fit and looking so young?

Lenny Williams: You know, it’s very important to me, because I know that all the statistics and all the research says if you’re healthy you live longer. It helps your mind fight Alzheimer’s and stuff like that. So physical fitness has always been very important in my life.

Zenger: I love the new album “Fine” for many reasons. I love the diversity of the album. I love that you gave us 15 songs. It just hits all the benchmarks for a great album. Did you intentionally make this a diverse album?

Williams: In a way I was trying to create a diverse album because I was working with Levi Seacer. Most of the songs I’ve done on the album, Levi produced. He was the bass player and the guitar player for Prince and the New Power Generation Band. He had played with Sheila E. and people like that. He was able to help me with making the album have a diverse sound. I really enjoyed that.

Percy Crawford interviewed Lenny Williams for Zenger News (Photo courtesy of Percy Crawford)

Zenger: You released this album in April, at the same time the country was shutting down and Covid was being taken very seriously. Did that affect the album and plans you had for the album?

Williams: Yeah, it definitely did affect it, that Covid virus. Because in terms of promotion and things of that nature, I haven’t been able to get out on the road to support the project or things like that. So I had to be like these youngsters in terms of employing some skills of using the Internet and things of that nature. That’s kind of been new territory for me. We’re learning on the job.

Zenger: Things are definitely different in terms of ways to get your music out now, as opposed to when you first came around. You use Instagram effectively and wisely. How have you learned to navigate the Internet and use it to your benefit?

Williams: I’m just feeling my way through it. I’m using my wife to help out. She’s pretty adept at it. I have a daughter that is a computer scientist so she helps some. I also have a grandson and he’s pretty good with it. Kids just kind of grow up with it, you know. He’s 17, so he helps me. We are just finding our way through it. We’re using the services of people we know that are referred to us. We don’t get into the negative aspect of it. We don’t even respond to any negativity. We haven’t had much negativity come our way, though.

Zenger: There was a time I never thought cassette tapes would be obsolete. Obviously I never thought CDs would be obsolete. Yet here we are. What are your thoughts on music being streamed now and the streaming platforms being able to get your music out so quickly?

Williams: It’s really interesting. We have been—when you say straddling the fence, that’s kind of how we’ve been doing it. I got some CDs made because of people in my age group. They still like their CDs. And then the younger crowd, or the crowd that’s kind of in the middle, they like going to Spotify and those various outlets and download it or stream it or whatever. We’re just adapting to the times. If you don’t get with it, you just get run over. We just have to do what’s happening. Progress just moves and you have to move with it or just get left behind. We are just adapting and going with the flow.

Zenger: Do you have a favorite track on this “Fine” album?

Williams: I really like the song “Fine.” I really like the song “Southern Girl.” I really like the song “All Night” that I did with my friend “DOA,” Derek Allen. He is quite a producer. I did two songs with him. He just got through producing Kem’s new album. I’m really excited about those songs. You gotta listen to it. It’s hard to pick just one, but right now we are just concentrating on “Southern Girl.” That’s our single right now. Actually, this week it came in at #45 on the media-based charts, so we are really excited about that.

Zenger: “Southern Girl” is my favorite. I love that Southern soul sound. And “Say So” is another amazing song. But you are right, the entire album can be played with no skips.

Williams: It’s interesting to hear you say you like “Say So,” because that was our first single. We thought that we would successfully be able to have a hit with that. I think it would have been a gigantic single, but unfortunately it came out right with the Covid virus. We were moving up the charts and then they had the blackout day and certain things happened that stalled it. And radio is a difficult beast to conquer right now in this era, especially if you are an older artist. Just trying to navigate radio is a tremendous undertaking. But I’m not quitting. We are just going to keep on keeping on.

Zenger: Is there anyone you wanted to collaborate with that you have not had the opportunity to work with yet?

Williams: I definitely haven’t conquered all of my musical goals yet, so yeah, there are all sorts of people I would like to collaborate with or work with. Kanye—although him and Twister sampled me, I never worked with Kanye directly or been in the studio with him. I would definitely like to do that. Dr. Dre is somebody I would like to go in the studio with. David Foster, the great producer from Canada. I’d really love to go in the studio with him. There are just so many people. I wouldn’t mind doing a collaboration with Beyoncé. I think that would be nice. There’s all kinds of things I would like to do musically.

Zenger: “’Cause I Love You” has 56 million views on YouTube on a single search. To make a song released in 1975, and to still have it viewed so much and revered so much, that has to be an amazing feeling of timelessness.

Williams: Most definitely! It’s just amazing to sit here and think, I could just sit in my little music room back in the day, me and my friend, Michael Bennett. To sit at the piano and write that song. We actually did it twice. We did it on my first album after I left, Tower of Power. We did it on the Motown album, and it didn’t have the talking in it, and it was a little more up-tempo. It wasn’t fast but it wasn’t as slow as it is now. We went on the road singing it for about a year. Then we slowed it down and put the talking in it. And then I had left Motown and went to ABC Records and we put it out and, boom! It hit and it’s just amazing. I go do shows and I see people my age and their kids, their kids’ kids and their great-great grandkids and all of them know the words. It’s just mind-boggling and it’s humbling for sure.

Lenny Williams, right, is pictured with former professional boxer Zab Judah, left. (Photo courtesy of Lenny Williams)

Zenger: To capture that many generations is amazing. Also, with attention spans being so short now, for a seven-minute song to still be relevant is impressive.

Williams: It actually was longer than that. Frank Wilson my producer said, “We gotta leave some of this out,” (laughing). So, that’s kind of interesting. Everybody talks about the passion that’s in that song. And they say, “That girl must have really hurt you,” and I say, “Well, part of it is autobiographical and part of it is just seeing and listening and talking to friends when they have difficulties in a relationship.” And then another thing that happened is, the day I recorded it Andraé Crouch and Sandra Crouch, his twin sister, came to the studio. And I’m singing this song and here is the greatest gospel singers of that era just looking down my throat as I’m singing, so you know I had to dig deep. I had to try and impress Andraé. Get him to waive his hand, say hallelujah or something. So, that contributed to a lot of that passion in that song.

Zenger: I was always a huge Lenny Williams fan. Then I’m watching your TV One’s “Unsung” and discover you are a huge boxing fan, and that put you over the top for me. What made you gravitate to the sport and become a fan?

Williams: Yeah! I love boxing. When we came from Arkansas to California we moved to Oakland. We lived right in the back of the church. Right across the street from the church was the boxing gym, and right down the street from the church was the radio station. So my three loves, the church, boxing and radio, were all right there. As a kid I can just leave home and walk to each one of them. It was real interesting. When I was a teenager, I was in Boys’ Camp. At the gym one day this guy was up in the ring, and he’s just standing there. Everybody was in the gym, but nobody would get in the ring to box him. And I had never boxed before, but I had seen it. I been around it, watching the fights with my dad, and going over to the gym and watching it. I had grown up around it. I was like, “I could outbox him.” I don’t know what made me say that. I got in there and I was slipping punches. It was like it was a natural thing. And I beat the guy. Everybody was like, “Ah, you can box?” I had never been in a ring before. I just used to watch it for hours and hours. I guess by watching it I just absorbed it. I just became a big boxing fan and would go to the gym all the time, hit the bag and jump rope, and try to watch all the fights. As a matter of fact, I was working in San Francisco with a youth group and talking to the principal we noticed that most of the boys at lunch time would go to the park and smoke weed. So, we instituted a boxing program at the school. We would have the kids come down and teach them techniques and stuff. Devin Haney was actually one of the kids who we influenced back in the day.

Zenger: That’s awesome. Do you have a favorite fighter, past or present?

Williams: Floyd Mayweather without a doubt is my favorite current fighter, or fighter from this generation. I would say one of the greatest fighters of all time that I grew up watching is Sugar Ray Robinson. I got to be pretty good friends with Muhammad Ali. I met a lot of fighters. I actually got the chance to shake the hand of around 10 to 12 heavyweight champions. But right now I think Floyd Mayweather. A lot of people get surprised when I say that, but it’s called prizefighting and he’s won the biggest prizes. You definitely have to say that Floyd is the king of the hill for sure.

Zenger: I remember a picture surfaced with you and Sam Watson, and I wanted to reach out to Sam to get an interview with you. I’m glad I was able to find you and get it. This has been an honor.

Williams: Sam is my good, good friend. Al Haymon also. I used to work for Al back when he was doing music shows, back in the day. We were promoting music shows back in the ’70s and ’80s before he got into boxing. I love boxing. It’s my favorite sport. I try to sit around here and throw left hooks and jab a little bit. I got a heavy bag out there and a speed bag and I try to work on it every day.

(Edited by David Matthew and __________________.)



The post Nearly a Half-Century into Legendary Career, Lenny Williams Still Doing ‘Fine’ appeared first on Zenger News.

A Mammogram? ‘It’s Not a Fun Process’: Male Breast Cancer Survivor Shares His Journey

By Percy Crawford, Zenger News

After a rare diagnosis, Aubrey Glencamp began the fight of his life — and won.

October was dedicated to breast-cancer awareness. Pink symbolizes Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This potentially deadly form of cancer claims more than 42,000 lives a year. Usually detected in women, there are rare cases when the disease is discovered in men.

Aubrey Glencamp is one of them.

According to research, only 1 in every 833 men are diagnosed with breast cancer. After a double mastectomy and chemo in 2016, Glencamp, who was diagnosed at 33, is now cancer-free. He credits early detection as the key to beating the disease.

(In fact, mammograms are one of the best forms of prevention and early detection of breast cancer. One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetimes.)

Glencamp, who lives in Northern Florida, hopes his experience serves as a reminder that no one is exempt from breast cancer. He encourages other men to share their story, rather than suffer in silence. Helping to remove the stigma that breast cancer is a “woman’s disease,” is a part of his mission.

His story is one of inspiration and determination — he even had a miracle baby along the way.

Zenger: How are you doing today?

Aubrey Glencamp: I’m feeling fine. I’m still taking the medication Tamoxifen. I have some side effects, usually weight gain. I’m not having the hot flashes I first had. Next year, I should be done it.

Zenger: Has Covid affected your recovery?

Glencamp: No! Since I’m four years out, it hasn’t really affected it, but at the same time, I’m still careful and try not to congregate because I’m at high risk.

Zenger: In 2016, your wife actually discovered the lump in your chest. You were dieting and working out a lot, so at first you were not concerned because you thought it was some sort of fatty tissue. When did it become real and how?

Glencamp: In February 2016, I was laying a certain way and she happened to touch that exact spot. “What is this bump on your chest?” she asked. I had no idea. It didn’t even register to me. I went to the doctor that same week and got checked. Even my doctor was thinking it was fatty tissue. We weren’t thinking breast cancer. He didn’t think it was anything to really worry about and told me to continue living my life.

I was getting ready to do a Fitness Bootcamp at the time. He said: “Continue to do what you’re doing. Don’t worry about it.” Probably four weeks later, I went for my first appointment, which happened to be a mammogram.

Zenger: Aside from the lump that your wife discovered, you didn’t feel sick or any other symptoms, correct?

Glencamp: No. I had no other symptoms. Some guys will get some kind of blood or discharge, or inverted nipple. I didn’t have anything like that. At that time, I didn’t even feel it.

According to research, only 1 in every 833 men are diagnosed with breast cancer. Glencamp credits early detection as the key to beating the disease

(Photo courtesy of Aubrey Glencamp)

Zenger: After you were diagnosed and did your research, I’m sure you discovered that a male being diagnosed with breast cancer was super-rare.

Glencamp: It’s pretty rare. As far as percentages are concerned, it’s a 1% net, depending on where you do your research.

Zenger: What was the most difficult part of your cancer ordeal?

Glencamp: It may have been just getting over the stigma. Here you are as a male being diagnosed with breast cancer. And there wasn’t a lot of information out there. So, prior to me being connected with The Men’s Breast Cancer Coalition, I had no idea of any male that had breast cancer, other than Richard Roundtree. (Roundtree is the actor who played private eye John Shaft in the 1971 film “Shaft.”)

Even in my family, no one had breast cancer. I didn’t have any reference as to what to expect. And most things were geared toward women.

Zenger: Were you able to maintain some of your normal way of living?

Glencamp: It definitely changed. Prior to that, I was doing half-marathons, Spartan Races, 5K’s, 10K’s, you name it. Even leading up to my surgeries, I had a race every weekend, because I didn’t know when I was going to be able to race again. Once surgery happened, I actually had a double mastectomy. I had both removed just in case. And my levels went down. My bones were a lot sorer. Just going through chemo and trying to get back in that lifestyle. I haven’t been as active as I was prior to the diagnosis. That part of my life has changed.

Zenger: And there was a fear that you wouldn’t be able to produce children.

Glencamp: Yeah! They said once you start chemo, there’s no telling if chemo is going to make you sterile or what chemo is going to do to you. They were trying to get us to go to a fertility clinic, but by the time we got work figured out and made all the doctor’s appointments, I just never got a chance to go. And then God blessed us two days before my surgery with the news that my wife was pregnant. My daughter is definitely our miracle baby.

Zenger: Does she know that she is a miracle baby and why?

Glencamp: She’s only three, so it’s still early. She sees the scars, but as far as me having cancer, she has no idea.

Zenger: What does it mean to you to be a survivor?

Glencamp: It means a lot. The reason why I share my story is because I wanted other men to know that it was OK, that there are other guys out there supporting them. I’m working on a blog to let them know what to expect — and that there is life afterwards. You always have that thought that something could come back. I was Stage 2 HER2 positive, so it was aggressive, and by the time I had surgery, it had reached my lymph nodes. So, I’m constantly worried if something may come back, but while I’m here, I definitely want to share my story and hopefully save a life or two for somebody that may not have checked. They may start checking and be able to find something through early detection.

(Photo courtesy of Aubrey Glencamp)

“The reason why I share my story is because I wanted other men to know that it was OK, that there are other guys out there supporting them,” Glencamp said. 

Zenger: I also read you mentioned not realizing what women went through in terms of how uncomfortable a mammogram is. I’m sure that was a teachable moment, as well.

Glencamp: It’s not a fun process. Now when I go for check-ups, it’s more of the physical feeling around trying to make sure there are no bumps. That process was definitely different and just going through that procedure shed the light on what women have to go through, and that pressure and how uncomfortable it can be.

Zenger: What advice would you give anyone diagnosed with breast cancer?

Glencamp: Have faith and a great support system around you. The biggest thing for me and something I have always shared was, don’t treat us any different. If someone is going through cancer, don’t cry around me. I’m going through this, if I’m smiling and putting on a brave face, then I want you to, as well.

What you do in private is completely up to you, but while I’m smiling and joking, I want you to do the same thing or stay away from me (laughing). I would say, just have a positive outlook. Know that you can, while you’re here, do the best that you can to enjoy life to its fullest.

Zenger: You are a true inspiration, brother. Always stay in the fight, and I appreciate you sharing your story with me.

Glencamp: Thank you. I appreciate it.

(Edited by Fern Siegel and Allison Elyse Gualtieri)

Commentary: Urgent Steps Are Necessary to Address Implicit Bias in Early Education??

By Black Men for Educational Equity | Special to California Black Media Partners

The school to prison pipeline starts as early as preschool for our youngest Black learners.

According to the U.S. Department of Education (2016-2017), Black children face issues with preschool access and exclusion, and are prone to receive harsher discipline than non-Black students who display the same behavior. 

Statistics show that Black children are 15% of the K-12th?grade student population; however, they are 36% of students suspended at least once. Too many Black early learners are bounced around between multiple preschools or childcare programs like urban nomads.

During the height of the George Floyd protests, a group of?African American men with professional experience in education, policy, research and social work formed?Black?Men for Educational Equity (BMEE) to address implicit bias in early education. Over the last five months, BMEE examined the disparities and inequalities that exist in the system for young Black children and have created a plan of action for addressing these systemic issues.

To combat this problem, BMEE is calling on the California Legislature to ensure that Black preschoolers are not excluded from important educational components and success through implicit bias and structural racism.?Having access to quality preschool, fair treatment in the classroom, and equal opportunity for success are all crucial components in helping our Black preschool students succeed now, and for generations to come. 

Too often, the three “B’s” predict a preschooler’s risk of expulsion: “big, Black and boy.” Black children are expelled at twice the rate of white children, particularly if they are bigger or taller than their peers. Research reveals this is less about the physical characteristics of the child and more about what is going on in the teacher’s mind, than what the child is doing.?Although there is great need in California for preschool and childcare services, preschool is not compulsory.? 

Preschools in California currently can exclude students prior to even attempting to teach them based on subjective behavioral expectations. These unfounded behavioral expectations are often fraught with implicit bias and hidden from research as providers are not required to track or report reasons for exclusion, expulsion, or suspension.?It is tantamount to expulsion without any process or notice of rights, and contrary to long term public policy.? 

Young Black children, particularly Black boys, are too often victims of an education system that fails them and stifles their potential to succeed. When Black children are held to different standards for learning and behavior and even worse, higher standards are seen for them in preschool, it furthers the systematic racial divide. 

“It is important early education staff shift from destructive approaches to discipline and towards research-informed best practices,” commented Dr. Judy D. White, Riverside County Superintendent of Schools. “The Research is clear that when teachers are supported with resources and evidence-based training, preschool can help young children build crucial social-emotional and pre academic skills. A child’s ability to successfully navigate social and emotional learning at a young age is a major factor in educational success.? Exclusionary discipline such as suspension isolates the children most in need of social-emotional development, and results in poor educational outcomes. We want all preschoolers to experience an inclusive and welcoming learning environment.” 

While legislators have made efforts to address preschool accountability, such as?AB 752 by Assemblywoman Blanca Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) which proposes?a series of interventions and referrals before expelling a child,?there remains a hole the size of Mount Everest in California’s early learning accountability and teacher training system.?? ? 

California should establish developmentally appropriate policies and structures to provide support to preschool providers by clarifying definitions for suspension and expulsion in preschool and providing due process.? Due process should come before any sort of expulsion to help ensure?disciplinary?practices are not abused. It is long past time for California to take measurable action to eliminate exclusionary practices that contribute to the preschool to prison pipeline. 

Preschool providers should collect and track data on rates of expulsion and suspension in early learning and preschool settings. At a minimum, four dominant categories should disaggregate the data.?They are:?sex, race, ethnicity, and disability status.?Information could be housed locally and by the state. Preschool providers should also be required to provide due process before kicking a student out. 

“California’s early learning and care system continues to suffer from historic and structural racism and sexism,” according to Dr. Mary Ann Dewan,?Santa Clara County Superintendent of schools.?”Policies and procedures such as?incentivizing?providers to expel children who are deemed ‘problematic’, paying a higher reimbursement for part-day preschool than full-day preschool and directing CalWORKS recipients to lower-quality childcare programs serves to perpetuate the inequities caused by structural racism and sexism.? Now that we know better, it’s time to do better.” 

 “BMEE is here to shake up the system and not maintain the status quo,” said Khaim Morton, owner KRM Strategies and BMEE Member. KRM strategies specializes in the advancement and application of comprehensive legislation and government affairs strategies. “All Black children deserve an opportunity to succeed. Research shows that implicit bias demonizes Black children before they get to kindergarten. BMEE’s vision is to remove stigmas that Black preschoolers are subjected to and support policy solutions.” 

About the Authors 

BMEE is a group of?African American men with professional experience in education, policy, research and social work.

Letter to the Editor: Is It Safe to Have Thanksgiving Dinner This Year?

By Dr. Arabia Mollette

Recently, many of my friends and relatives have asked me questions and expressed their concerns about hosting Thanksgiving celebrations in their homes. Some of the questions included: “How should we handle Thanksgiving dinners as the numbers of coronavirus cases rise?”; “Is it possible to host a safe Thanksgiving dinner at home?”; “Is it safe to have them at all?”; “Are there ways to prevent the spread of the coronavirus while sharing meals?”; “How many people is it safe to invite to dinner during a global pandemic?” 

While it is important for families to create memories together, if you decide to host Thanksgiving dinner this year, it is important to consider and implement proper safety precautions, as uncertainties that exist around the pandemic remain. Please find tips below on how to remain safe in preparation for the Thanksgiving holiday.

The safest measurement is to grant yourself time to understand the risks, plan ahead and/or participate in a virtual Thanksgiving gathering. The good news is food has not been shown to be a risk factor in transmission. However, the greatest risk factor for COVID-19 stems from person-to-person transmission. Therefore, I strongly recommend you know the infection rates in your community and the communities your guests live in. This varies from state-to-state and even within counties. If the community spread is high or growing, you may want to consider doing a virtual dinner or postponing it. I urge you to talk with your elders and relatives who are in high-risk groups about not attending the in-person Thanksgiving dinner because of the possibility of becoming sick with the novel coronavirus.

Require guests, who would like to attend dinner, to schedule a COVID test with their PCP, at a local drug store or an Urgent Care at least two weeks in advance. This would not only allow everyone to know their status, but it would provide comfort in knowing no one is at risk of contracting the virus if the result is negative. Be kind and explain the significance of taking these safety precautions. If you receive a negative test result, be sure to implement two weeks of strict social distancing before attending the celebration. If your test result is positive, you should inform your friends and/or relatives, quarantine for 14 days, then get retested.

In the event a Thanksgiving gathering is scheduled, guests should still be required to wear a mask, practice physical distancing and regularly wash their hands. Advise your guests to keep their face masks on when food and drinks aren’t being consumed. Please avoid sharing utensils, food or drinks at all times. I suggest using disposable and environmentally safe service ware, utensils and tablecloths, to avoid the exchange of bodily fluids.

If you live in an area where the weather is warm and you have a backyard, take advantage of that space for physical distancing. If you live in a colder climate, consider how many people you can accommodate safely indoors. Keep it intimate, since being close to others can potentially put one at risk and touching common surfaces is the second-highest risk in contracting COVID-19.



ABOUT DR. ARABIA MOLLETTE

Dr. Arabia Mollette is the embodiment of strength, perseverance and empowerment. She is living proof that you can overcome adversity, as she is a product of the foster care system, homelessness and poverty. In the span of six years, Dr. Mollette witnessed her mother attempt suicide, experienced domestic violence and suffered the traumatic loss of her four-month-old son at the hands of his father. Six years later, her youngest sister was murdered while riding in a friend’s car. These traumatic incidents, in addition to countless others, fueled Dr. Mollette’s desire to study medicine in order to make a difference in her community, a community plagued by crime and poverty. 
 
After receiving a full scholarship to study medicine at the Latin America School of Medicine in Havana, Cuba, Dr. Mollette relocated to Cuba, where she studied and lived for seven and a half years. After she matriculated from medical school, Dr. Mollette completed her residency as an Emergency Medical Resident Physician at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. She is now an Emergency Medicine Physician in New York.
 
Every other year, Dr. Mollette travels to Sierra Leone to volunteer and assist in medical efforts. In addition to her health care efforts, Dr. Mollette has the opportunity to give back to her community through her podcast, The Visit with Dr. Arabia Mollette. Past guests have included Vivica A. Fox, Vanessa Simmons, Rolonda Watts, Selena Hill and Teresa Weatherspoon and more.

Dr. Arabia has been featured on CNN, Dr. Oz, NY Daily News, Cheddar TV, PIX 11 and a host of other media outlets. 

McDonald’s Appoints Tiffanie Boyd As New U.S. Chief People Officer

By Dana Givens, Black Enterprise

Fast-food giant McDonald’s is moving toward making their senior leadership more diverse. This week, the corporation announced the appointment of Tiffanie Boyd to assume the role of senior vice president U.S chief people officer.

The former General Mills human resources manager brings a vast amount of experience working in a range of roles including human resources leadership, supply chain, and foodservice. The Minnesota resident worked for the company for 23 years before transiting to McDonald’s.

In a company memo written by EVP, Global Chief People Officer Heidi Capozzi, McDonald’s expressed how Boyd’s appointment was a part of its larger mission toward its commitment to its consumers.” As part of our 2021-2022 U.S. Own the Ambition plan, Crew Experience is our most important growth priority,” the company wrote. “In partnership with owner/operator leadership, we intend to make bold moves for our people as we roll out our Employee Value Proposition and People Purpose throughout the System.”

The news comes after the company recently announced the appointment of Reginald Miller to serve as the company’s global chief diversity equity and inclusion officer.

“I’m proud to join a company with such a powerful brand and broad presence across our country. I look forward to working with franchisees to bring the McDonald’s values to life through our people and their employee experience, as well as the communities in which we operate,” says Boyd in a statement sent to BLACK ENTERPRISE.

“My goal is to ensure that McDonald’s is a place where people love the work they do, have opportunities to grow, and can make a meaningful contribution to society. As I step into my role, my first priority will be to spend time with employees, managers, crew, owner/operators, and other partners who bring the iconic McDonald’s brand to life.”