Black Horizons; 2334; Gospel

This is the first time I've ever heard of it, but I'm not sure if you've ever heard of it, but I'm not sure if you've ever heard of it, but I'm not sure if you've ever heard of it, but I'm not sure if you've ever heard of it, but I'm not sure if you've ever heard of it, but I'm not sure if you've ever heard of it, but I'm not sure if you've ever heard of it, but I'm not sure if you've ever heard of it, but I'm not sure if you've ever heard of it, but I'm not sure if you've ever heard of it, but I'm not sure if you've ever heard of it, but I'm not sure if you've ever heard of it, but I'm not sure if you've ever heard of it, but I'm not sure if you've ever heard of it, but I'm not sure if you've ever heard of it, but I'm not sure if you've ever heard of it, but I'm not sure if you've ever heard of it, but I'm not sure if you've ever heard of it, but I'm not sure if you've ever heard of it, but I'm not sure but I'm not sure if you've ever heard of it, but I'm not sure if you've ever heard of it,

but I'm not sure if you've ever hear Today, as we hear from a relatively new group called Unmerited Favor, will also be joined by Pittsburgh's newest and youngest author of National Note, Anika D. Thomas. We'll get her thoughts on Life in the Ghetto, which also happens to be the title of her award -winning book. Before we do any of that, let's turn our attention to the matter of drugs in our community. Recently, we've seen a much welcomed crackdown on open drug dealing in the city's east in. While many residents are happy to see the city take such actions, we still have questions that remain as to restrict law enforcement enough, if not what else should be done and by whom. Here to tell us what they believe needs to be done are Estrella Brooks, Executive Director of the Society Against

Strugs and Randall Taylor, a community organizer for the Pittsburgh Coalition Against Substance Abuse. Welcome to our program. Ms. Brooks, what else needs to be done besides this forceful crackdown? Well, the Society Against Strugs, we're on a mission in the neighborhood to bring a peaceful and spiritual understanding about how we need to control our own mission and our own lives in our community. How can you bring that about? Well, we're hoping that we can bring the business sector, the community organizations and individuals together to see to it that we take care of one another and to try to make our community sound and peaceful and lovable on a spiritual level. When you say spiritual level, exactly what do you mean? I mean that we need to be able to go back to reality, to go back to the days when our parents looked after each other in the neighborhood and we were on a soft, tone spiritual basis and we're hoping that maybe we can teach this to the youth now because they don't

have very good role models. So we want them to understand in order to take care of their spirit, that they have to learn how to become a role model and look at people that are of great substance. You're talking about going back to a day when your mom could grab me if she saw me doing something wrong and vice versa and there was no argument between the parents it was that kid was wrong, right? We would have to understand that in those days and I'm hoping that maybe we can do that again in our community to look out for each other. Randall, is that possible? Well, I think it's very possible but to speak about the crack down, police crack down is basically a very short term answer. Sure the police come into our communities and they bust a few dealers, they bust a few users and the county jail is filled up for a few hours. And they chase them a little further, they chase them a little further, rest them in the morning and someone's taken their place in the evening. But it breaks basically a rule that's needed though, it's part of what's needed, isn't it? Sure, for a short term answer. It addresses a problem for

that day but not for that week and that year. And it breaks a rule that someone can come into our communities and actually make some change for us and do something for us, one, they can't and two, they won't. It's up to us to make that difference. Okay. And through groups like society against drugs, people of like mine coming together to try to make a difference in their community, that's what has to be done. Okay, you all are going to have a community day also that tries to engender this kind of spirit, correct? Yes. And what's going to happen? Community day is going to take place October 12th from 12 o 'clock to 6 o 'clock. We're going to have a lot of festivities going on all day long, we're going to have a drug march parade starting at 12 .30 and then we're going to have festivities in the park. A drug march or an anti -drug march? An anti -drug march, right, excuse me. Yeah, an anti -drug march. And then we're going to have different performers performing on stage and it's going to be that we're going to hope that the community comes together, come out, enjoy themselves and let everyone know that

we're here to take our community back. Who's going to be performing? We're going to have Harold Young, Jazz Trio, yes, we're going to have some children in the community that are dancers and singers. We're going to have a lady by the name of Laverne Corbin, she's a gospel singer. Where will all this take place, friend? Larmravity right there in the park, there can be park on Larmravity, it's our community, we're going to have it right there. Have you seen much cooperation coming together, are people really excited about this? Do they want to participate? Do they understand the underlying message or do you think they might say, oh, it's a festival, somebody's out there singing and just go hang out. No, because this has been an effort that's been going on for two years. Last year we held our first rally and we had about 550 people. We're anticipating on doubling that number this year. So we know that the people in the community really want something to happen. So that we can

all join together and let the people know that we're here. This is our neighborhood and we're going to take it back over and hope that no one else can come in and destroy the livelihood and the spirits of us. Rand, how are you going to get some of the young brothers? I've been up, my church is on Tyoga Street right down from Rosedale and often we go up there to the corner to sort of minister to the folks up there and the brothers look at us like, you know, and you know what I'm talking about. Sure. How are you going to reach some of these young brothers who don't have that kind of home trail training and spirit of family that don't seem to care about a festival and all they want to do is make their money and get paid as they say for them? I can say it is uphill battle. I mean, so much of the values and the morals that have been still to our children are from the schools and from television and I don't think that they're giving them type of values that we as African Americans want to our children to have. In America, the value system is me, my, what I have. But African American values system ought to be we, us, community. And that's what we have to work to instill

in our youth and how you do that is I believe through some of the efforts that society against drugs has had, their summer youth program. We're in the process now, hopefully, of taking over a building where we can offer activities for the youth and through those activities, not just chasing a ball around the field, but to actually give them that, try to instill them with some values, show them some progressive and some conscious and some intelligent black men that they can look up to in respect. And I think through that, showing them an example of how you can live that we can make a change for our youth. Okay, well, we wish you much luck with your efforts and we hope that people who are watching this program will come out and participate. Okay? We hope so too. Thanks for being here. We remind you that East Liberty Community Day will be held October 12th from 12 to 6 pm. And for more information, you can simply call 362 -3544, that number again, is 362 -3544. I've taken a lot of good -natured ribbing about the Emmy Award winning Wiley

Avenue days. I thank all of you who have sent cards and letters or otherwise offered your congratulations. Now it's time to tell you that WQED will air Wiley Avenue days today, immediately following black horizons and probably a pledge break where you'll see me too. So, stay with us or you'll miss something like this. From the thirties through the fifties, Pittsburgh's Hill District thrived. I thought it was the most exciting place I've ever been in my life. In its heyday, the Hill was one of the most lively, prosperous and influential black neighborhoods in America. Those of you that have never seen it really missed something because the Hill at that time was a very, very, very fine place to be. Watch Wiley Avenue days, a new television special about those magic times. Wiley Avenue days, today, immediately following black horizons and a short pledge break where you'll probably see me in a quick chain suit. You know, I want to tell you just a little bit about the Emmy Award ceremony, it was very exciting. I thought when we were sitting at the table, there are some of the staffers from

WQED and my wife and some other folks. We were sitting there and they read all the announcements for all the other shows in the category is. And there were all sorts of great shows that seemed to be very good. They didn't show clips, but there were pictures of Winnie and Nelson Mandela leaving jail with dramatic pictures of their arms raised and that sort of thing. Another one on the Odyssey of Russian Jews and there were all sorts of dramatic pictures and they put up the Wiley Avenue logo and it looked so plain compared to the picture of Winnie and Nelson and the other dramatic pictures. I was going, oh my God, we'll never win. But when they opened the envelope and said the winner is and my wife was beating me on the shoulder, I was so excited. I can't even remember what I said, but I just thank everyone in Pittsburgh for their support that helped make that program possible because I know it meant a lot to you and to Doug Bolton, the co -producer that we had on the program and me too. Also, you know, almost everyone I know loves gospel music, so we're going to continue with Black O 'Ryzes now. People

love gospel music, some for just the music, others for its message. Whatever the reason you enjoy it, I know you'll like my next guest in a segment that we taped just a little while ago and then we reset the set here so you'll see them in the same setting. They are a newly formed group who call themselves unmerited favorite, enjoy. I love it so much,

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I love it so much, I love it so much, I love it so much, I love it so much, I love it so much, I love it so much, I love it so much, I love it so much, I love it so much, I love it so much, I love it so much, I love it so much, I love it so much, I love it so much, I love it so much, they are so much like them that are so deep like these. She's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, her life, she's like you, she's like you, she's like you, her life,

she's like you, she's like you, girl and the way she takes. Your name is worthy to be praised. We love you all, we adore you. We give you the praise. We love you all, we adore you. We love you all. We love you all, we adore you. And joining me now is Ruben Bailey, the second. The name unmerited favor. This has come from. It sounds like God's grace, God's love. That's exactly what it is. The grace of God,

the unmerited favor of God that we all get. That's right. Every day. Okay. Was that your vision, your inspiration for the name? How did you all come together? We came together. I formed a new production company called Grace Productions. It was a dream given to me by God. And the vision to start the group came from that. And being that the company was called Grace Productions, it's only fitting that the group would be called unmerited favor. Okay. You've got your first production coming up, right? Right. Tell us about it. Well, it's going to be at the Carnegie Music Hall on October 5th at 7 o 'clock. We're having John P. Key and the new life community choir and Reverend Ernest Davis Jr. in the Wilmington Chester Mass Choir, which they're currently number one and number two on the gospel charts in the country right now. Okay. Well, we hope that it'll be a huge success and a lot of people will get out there. And we wish good providence to you and Grace Productions in what you're going to do. And I know anytime David Sims is involved as a musician, it's going to be some good music. And you all are going to be performing too, right? Yes, we're going to open up for those two

groups that night. Okay. Well, Ruben, thanks for being here. We appreciate it. And again, good providence to you, Martin. All right. Thank you, Chris. The gospel concert featuring John P. G., John P. Key and the new life community choir of an Ernest Davis Jr. in the Wilmington Chester Mass Choir. And of course, Pittsburgh's own unmerited favor will take place at Carnegie Music Hall on October 5th at 7 p .m. For more information, call 247 -737 -0. It's time now for our weekly Tanner calendar, a listing of all the happenings in the arts in Pittsburgh. Get pinned in paper ready as you will not want to miss any of this information. Well, we told you about it last week and now it's here. The Renaissance City Winds opens its season tonight with from sea to shining sea. Discover the Americas with premier pianist, Patricia Prattis -Ginnings and the American Folk theme set by American or African American composer William Grant Steele. Call 6 -8 -1 -7 -1

-1 for more information or 4 -22 -8 -4 -4 -5. Right after the show to find out more. If music doesn't float your boat, then let the silver screen put wind in your cells. Hallelujah anyhow will premiere at the Carnegie Museum of Art Theatre tonight at 8 p .m. This Matthew Jacob film tells the story of a strong woman preacher forced to assess her life when a former lover reappears. So for the best and independent and foreign films tonight, just say hallelujah anyhow for more information called 6 -22 -3 -2 -1 -2. For those of you who want to broaden your horizons, the School of Art at the Carnegie is accepting registration for their fall classes. Workshops and lectures, the classes cover everything from the art of European Renaissance to listening to classical music. Make it a bonding experience for the entire family and sign up now. The number to call is 6 -22 -3 -2 -8

-8. Around here when we think of make believe it usually refers to a guy named Fred who works down the hall. But in this case it involves the Playhouse Film Repertory and the 23rd International Turnie of Animation. The turnie includes 19 great new animations from around the world. So escape the pressures of reality and enter into a world of animation with the Playhouse Film Repertory. For facts call 6 -21 -66 -01. The Dana Movement Ensemble will perform at the Rosebud Coffee House on October 2nd and 3rd. If your taste and dance is as wide -ranging as your taste and coffee, you'll call 4 -4 -1 -4 -3 -7 -3 for more information. Don't forget about that mostly. His wood and stone sculptures are being exhibited at La Roche College of Art at their gallery nestled in the North Hills. You can catch it until October 4th to find out more called 3 -6 -7 -9 -2 -9 -9. Union Station, the award -winning play by

University of Pittsburgh Senior Marta Effinger, continues its successful run at the Stephen Falls start of Turrim. It'll be there through October 5th. If you want to see a play with strong family values call 6 -4 -8 -7540. Well, that's the Tana Calendar for this week. Don't forget, if you have an RC event and would like to have an announcement on our Tana Calendar, write to us in care of Black Horizons 48 -25th Avenue Pittsburgh PA -15213. Write as always say that if you want to write, you should write about what you know. Anika D. Thomas has taken that advice and done well. She is the winner of the 1998 National Written and Illustrated by awards contest for students in the 10 -13 -age category. The title of her book is Life in the Ghetto. She joins us now to tell us what it's like to become the latest and a long line of nationally recognized Pittsburgh authors. Anika, welcome to Black Horizons. We're glad you're here. How you doing? Hi. You sure? Yeah. You're not nervous are you? A little. Okay. Well,

just talk to me and tell me a little bit about the book. What was your inspiration for it? Well, I had seen it in a Barbie magazine and I was reading through it and I said that Anika won a $5 ,000 call scholarship for writing a book. And so I went to go child for it and I was sitting envelopes for the contest and I got the stuff back. And I didn't know what to write about. So my mom told me to write about my life around living on Fifth Avenue. Okay. And that's exactly what you did. And I want to tell you, I have read the book Life in the Ghetto. Here's a copy of it. You illustrated it also. And I hope you're not embarrassed by this but it is very good. As a matter of fact, it's a point in it when I was almost moved to tears to read about some of the things because I find a lot of similarities between your life and mine, particularly the early years and getting picked on in school and somebody saying, all you like, you don't know what you're going on and wanting to beat up on you. But I guess it is good to have big brothers, huh?

Yeah. What happened with your big brother? What did he do? Well, this boy was messing with me on the bus and he started on salt in my hair and my brother found out about it. He told me downwards where his son worked at and he started, he walked me down there and he told him not to mess with me anymore. And after that, he didn't mess with me anymore, I guess. Yeah. But he got him straight and his father eventually, according to the book, got him straight too and he doesn't bother you anymore. Well, how are you doing in school now? I'm doing okay. Okay. Are you still in the Mr. Pipkin School? No, I'm not good here. You're in Russia now? Yeah. So you're in high school now? Yeah. How do you like that? It's fun. There was another transition for you, everything going all right? Yeah. Okay. You won the $5 ,000 scholarship. Yes. Have you made plans for college yet? What do you want to do? Because in your book, you say you promised your mother you're going to go to college, right? Yeah, I will. I want to take up journalism and I

also want to be a lawyer. Okay. All right. Well, then you're going to have to learn about the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation's Urban Journalism Workshop. Well, we take high school students and have them go through some exercises and actually produce a paper. You think you might be interested in that? Writing stories for the paper? Yeah. Okay. Well, we're certainly going to get you involved in that because I know you're going to do great things. What about the illustrations? Where did they come from in your mind when you started to draw? Well, my company told me what to draw about it. And that's all. And that's what you did. Okay. I want to show this one. This is an episode I guess you see on Fifth Avenue here, the police van. And you tell the story of the guy and his wife who were walking down the street and they were arguing and the police stopped them and started talking before you knew it. They were both in the back of the paddy wagon. Yes. Do you still see that kind of stuff? No. Things have changed? Yeah.

What's better now? It's better because the prostitutes that used to live under us, they don't live there anymore. But it's a little bit different because some of the people that moved down there are a little bit the same. Okay. But things are a little bit better in your neighborhood. Your mom still, does she not let you sit on the porch anymore? She makes us sit on the porch because she doesn't let us go to the bottom of the set anymore. But you still have to sit there where she can keep a watchful eye on you. Yes. And I guess you learned why she didn't want you to go outside, but at least that's what she said in the book. Well, I'm sure the book is available and I hope that you will continue to write and get more publicity and write more stories. And we're going to keep these clips. I tell everybody we keep these clips. So when you come back here and you want to pull it surprise in journalism or your prize winning author, we're going to play this clip from when you were 13 or 14 years old and let you look at that. Okay. All right. We wish you much luck in the future and we hope that you'll continue to write. Okay.

Thanks for being here. We appreciate it. Well, that's another Black Horizons. We're done for this week. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did and we'll join us again next week. Once again, here is unmerited favor and I'll see you next week. Bye. Oh So let's

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