Black Horizons; 2531; Public Education

I'll be right back to you guys, bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye time bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye Hello this is Black Horizons and I'm Chris Moore. Today some announcements about shows coming soon to QED. You'll want to see them. We'll hear from members of Cuntu Repertory Theatre about a Rob Penny authored play titled Black Pittsburghers. I can't wait to see who's mentioned. Later Gilbert Barry of Barry Enterprises will join us to tell us about minority enterprise and what it could mean to you. In fact we've got a ton of good information for you so let's begin with the Pittsburgh Council on Public Education. Here are Deborah A. Patterson and Amanda Haney to tell us more about a new publication.

They are issuing called Public Voices Public Schools. Welcome to Black Horizons. Glad to have you both here. First of all before we get to the publication tell me about the council itself. What is its purpose? The Pittsburgh Council on Public Education is a 30 -year -old citizen's advocacy group that promotes quality public quality public education in the city of Pittsburgh. Our mission is to inform the citizens of Pittsburgh about quality public educations to provide program and services for them to give us feedback and information and have a forum to exchange information. We're located in Shadyside. Sounds good. Amanda the new publication it's supposed to serve as a forum for debate on on issues around education. Yes there aren't a lot of ways that information. People's concerns, interests in the schools have a place to be aired and this is a way for the community to have

input and also for information to get out there to parents into the community about what's going on in the schools. What about PTO meetings? What about parent advisory councils? What about school board meetings? Is it that people do not attend those? This is an alternative. Certainly those are all important and parent involvement is really critical in those areas but this is something different. This is a way that if there's an issue that parents are concerned about it can be it can be given broader airing and somehow with this kind of broadcasting area that it gets a lot more attention. Okay well let's look at one issue for our example. How about suspensions? Particularly when it comes to minority students or students of color. That's been a sore spot in the Pittsburgh public schools for a while among parents that I have talked to.

How would a parent who's concerned about suspensions or academic achievement gaps those kinds of things express concern? How would you create a dialogue through a newspaper? Well there are a variety of things that a person could do with those concerns. One is that we will take editorial pieces if somebody has strong feelings about something that's going on they can write it up and it can be published. Another way is that we have a column called Ask the Super Intendent and people have questions and feel like they're getting the run -around through forum such as the school board meetings or through their own schools. This is a way to ask question and have any answer. Okay so you all hope to be advocates so to speak for parents and those concerned about education. Is that correct? And you will use this as a tool to do that about all sorts of issues in education. That's correct. You will also publish informative articles that people may read. Yes in fact this this first issue there's a big spread about the black achievement gap

and what's going on in other cities which is another thing that is missing. What's successful in other places what's not successful and what certainly we're covering what the Board of Education is doing but also this is an opportunity for people in the community say whether they think it's going right whether they think it isn't going right. So volume one issue one that I'm holding in my hand is headline alternative schooling for disruptive students making it work. There's been a lot of controversy about that lately and where if any place a school for such students would be located within the confines of the city what do you say in this piece? Well one of the things that we've been able to do is we have some experts locally on alternative education and we were able to talk to some of the people who have seen it work. We certainly what the Board is going to do as far as location nobody knows he had at this point I don't believe but at least we're looking at what are some of what are

the some of the problems and it falls with alternative education but also what are the big problem is location location location right now nobody wants it in their backyard the whole Nimbus syndrome strikes again right? That that's certainly one of the problems. Well how do you approach these kinds of issues because I have not read this and I wish I had so I could really say something about it but I haven't so how do you approach this? What do you tell do you just outline the issue and hope people will be able to use the information? Well this particular article when this went to press the location was changing rapidly and so the article itself deals with alternative education as a vehicle for truly educating students and that rather than taking these kids and putting them in something that looks like jail that the idea that an alternative education is supposed to be something of quality it's supposed to be something of benefit. So if people were to understand that side of it

maybe they would not be frightened about having it located in their neighborhood is that it? Hopefully that that's one of the things that we we hope to achieve but there's there's an attitude that oh if we could just take the bad element society and lock them away then everything will be fine but it just doesn't work that way and who do you help your readership would be there? Everybody's for parents for all citizens senior citizens there are 75 ,000 copies have been distributed throughout the city you can find them at the all schools elementary middle high schools there at the public library there at community centers there at various stores and businesses throughout the city they're in the housing projects housing authority took them free and they're free yes and spy monthly issue and next issue will be out around March 9th March 9th and so people can look for that what sorts of subjects will you be tackling? Well the next issue we're going to be comparing Pittsburgh public schools with some other schools how do they measure up? Also we're going to be looking at issues with the school calendar people especially now with these snow days you know school

is going to be running to who knows when in June and so that's that's another issue we're going to be debuting a new series about the budget so that people can can learn about how the budget process works but also find out what goes on behind the scene okay and if I wanted to contribute something editorially I could as a parent is anyone concerned about education right sure okay just pick up a copy and I'm sure the address and everything is inside and they can get to you right that's correct all right well thanks for being here we appreciate it later tonight a documentary airs on WQED TV about Malcolm X that by all accounts could be called the thinking man's Malcolm it's left alone of over two and a half hours will stop and make you think nevertheless it's on tonight and it's real title is Malcolm make it plain he dared to speak out loud what black America was thinking not a problem of civil rights but a problem of human rights going to be the ballot or the bullet by any mean necessary

you consider yourself militant I can film myself Malcolm Malcolm X make it plain a special presentation of the American experience Malcolm X make it plain airs tonight at eight Gilbert Barry heads Barry Enterprise as he's here to tell us about something he calls minority enterprise welcome to Black Horizon thank you what has been already enterprise well the National Association of Minority Contractors was established in 1969 I'm the Code Director of the Northeastern United States the oldest black organization we have 48 chapters in 48 states and in four countries and what we're famous for is of course in the early 60s we wrote the crochet case that started to set a size for minorities in Richmond Virginia how useful have set a size been well in the earlier stages I think in the early 60s and 70s it was real useful we're seeing a decline now with minorities and actually WBEs are actually taking over WBEs yes

that's women business enterprises yes and they are taking over in what form shape and well right now there's more WBEs than actually MBEs and we're seeing it more at the state level as we monitor the states less statistics there's more WBE companies than MBEs so really us as minorities are losing our foothold that we had in the industry you sound as though you feel it's unfair that women are classified as a minority can gain an advantage well what we see is a lot of majority companies that are turning their company over to their wives who basically takes away the level playing field that we're trying to establish in the workplace so you're saying these women I heard you on Ralph Proctor Show this past Saturday yes and I heard you make a comment saying that these are basically front organizations because the women are supposed to have a role in running the company and they're there in name only while the men the husbands brothers whatever are still

continuing to run the company and it's an unfair competition is that a correct characterization of your remarks that is they are supposed to be in charge of the day -to -day operation actually have a knowledge of the industry that they are performing in and actually are able to actually run that company without no assistance if necessary and you you're saying that that is not the case in a majority of these companies oh yes definitely what is happening is these majority -owned companies are finding that there is a niche in a and a foothold that they can gain by putting their wives or girlfriends or or even daughters now into the company well don't some blacks end up playing those same kinds of rules also as fronts for other companies well you see very little of that because a black female number one is a minority so she has already has an advantage of just being a minority well I'm not talking about black females in particular I'm talking about black male companies when I heard your interview on Ralph's

show and I told several people that you were going to be with me also yeah they accused you of the same thing of being a front for for people on the jail contract well that's totally ludicrous because number one we do the complete payroll for federal payrolls number two I have two of the top black engineers in the city and actually in the state of Pennsylvania Nodromosley was a honor student from Pitt and actually Tony Watson who was an engineer up at the for Melon Stewart and actually dick enterprise on midfield terminal anybody that knows Gil Berry of course I wrote the mayor's executive order that started it's synthesized from Afro -Americans actually I am currently as the co -director sitting up chapters for minorities and actually been an advocate for the Afro -American in in gaining a foot hole in contracts what is Barry's role in the jail project well I have 60 % of the first phase of the contract our job is to actually employ all the labor on that project so you have a lot of subcontractors contractors working for you

well no we are a union outfit what we do is we actually call the hall get union labor union cement finishers union powdrivers we actually have self -perform work down there on the project does that give you any influence with the unions in determining hiring particularly minority hiring because every time I drive by there on the open parts of it I see so few black people maybe they're inside now working does that give you an influence to me a lot of influence I was able to probably take a lot of Afro -Americans from the Mon Valley who never had any kind of experience in the unions and actually implement them in the unions it's a tough process to get in the unions but what I were what I was able to do is actually get the Afro -Americans send them to the union hall and would request them that day and actually put them right on that job our payroll alone documented payroll for Afro -American union workers well we have to do certified federal payrolls we were

spending over a hundred thousand dollars a month with Afro -American union labor on that project you do the payroll yes you personally but you're a company yes we do does the payroll yes we do you handle all that we do a young lady by the name of Ronda dukes who is also a black Afro -American female I actually pulled her from Allegheny General Hospital to run that project for me as far as the payroll Kimberly Clark another Afro -American young lady from the Hill when I first took over that project I immediately notified our NAACP president actual Bill Robinson Councilman darkens and told them to identify Afro -Americans did that I was it yes they did and you able to employ them yes I was is it hard though when you have to go through the unions because I hear stories about unions who and you just mentioned that it's hard to get into the union to begin with yes so if there no blacks in the unions in the unions say well we want to hire members first before we employ any blacks do you run into that kind of stone wall yes you do and that's what I just indicated here when that start happening what I would do is identify Afro -American send them to the union hall

you paying the wages and picking up the wages by them performing you are allowed to actually go out and implement your own people you can send them to the hall they sign up and then you totally you request them how did this how did this agreement with Trafalgar House come about how did it come about and what and and explain again your role in it okay well my agreement came up with Trafalgar House because they had another Afro -American on the on the project prior to Gilbert and for some unseen factors that did not work out I was you don't know why I didn't work well no I don't okay good I don't and I was interviewed for that position because of my union affiliation and also being a Afro -American who understood the trade and it was several months before that happened there was a lot of legal things that we had to iron out there was a contract that I wanted on that project that the other minority contractor had prior to me coming

there that it just totally wasn't agreeable to me and after I ironed out my differences it brought my legal team in and my accountants we start the project okay why is it that you think some people accuse you of being the kind of front but Trafalgar House that you talk about women and minority women contractors a white comment well number one I have a knowledge of what we call construction management and what I am doing here in the Pittsburgh area number one as an Afro -American my total employees are all Afro -American my right now nine yes being a union contractor I can call the union hall and request labor at one point I had over 238 employees over on that project and my concept of doing business is a lot different from other Afro -Americans because number one is number one I'm a union employee so that makes not having your own contractors on the I mean your own labor force on a day -to -day basis that that makes allows you to free up and actually

handle more of the day -to -day management of the company and actually eliminate your payroll you think you think some of this criticism is just sour grapes because you're doing so well well I'd have to say so I started a company in 1984 with $500 borrowed and a $40 station wagon and this year we have sales over $16 million so a lot of times I you know I have a way of actually I feel the way I came up and did business is not traditional in the Pittsburgh area what is your point that you would like to make to the public about the kind of success you've been able to enjoy well it's not the success I'm enjoying is what I would like to say is there's probably a billion dollars worth of work going on out here in the Pittsburgh area and I don't see where any Afro -Americans are actually getting over written contracts from all the work that's going on over 20 million dollars worth of work I think what we need to do is concentrate on who these jobs are going to act unilately and go after some of this work well why are there so many different minority contract associations you say act unilately why can't all the minority contract and I know that they're

at least three different ones yes sir why can't these guys come together and work together and I understand you used to work with one and you don't work with them anymore and they don't want you to be involved I think I think it's not a true statement the black contractors association I was the vice president helped started the black contractors but you no longer work with them right yes we do I would be a day of a Berkeley was just out of meeting at the URA to actually nail nailed down some opportunities for minorities what about the other two the United Minority Contractors Association Charlie Hawkins their president was in my office less than a week ago and we're attending a fair that our association is throwing on tomorrow so all this stuff is just a lot of who -ri and people come to me and tell me all this stuff and it doesn't mean a thing well I think if you I think what you need to do is have a show and have all three of us on it I think that would eliminate whatever we hear out here thank you okay much luck and success thank you okay thanks for being here there are a ton of programs coming to QED in the near future one of them

is called simple justice the show documents the remarkable legal strategy and social struggle that resulted in the US Supreme Court's landmark ruling in Brown versus the Board of Education of Topeka Kansas just happy to see if those nine distinguished right men want to talk about he used the power of the law to fight for justice segregation in and of itself is a form of inequality a victory that was just the beginning watch simple justice a special dramatic presentation of the American experience simple justice as Wednesday February 2nd at 8 .30 p .m. I've seen that program it is really good it's a repeat if you missed it you really want to tune in February 2nd at 8 .30 come to repertory theater is presenting playwright Rob Penny's latest effort called black pitsburgers here are the husband and wife team of actors Carla and Mon Washington to tell us about the play first of all I got to ask you Mon Washington

that's a unique name it's originally from my middle name which is Roma and since I can't stand my first name no I'm not nobody is allowed to call me from my first name okay well I won't even ask you Carla you're not even allowed to call him by the first time he doesn't like it too much what roles do you are played in this production well I play a double role I play Hazel Garland who was the first female editor of the courier in 1971 yes and I also play Mary D who was the first female DJ on W .H .O .D. before became W .A. I did not know her but I did know Mary Garland and in Wale Avenue we featured Mary D and I know of her and have talked to her relatives and they tell me we're both two very very capable women who've been a lot to this area this is 20th anniversary of country right right and celebrating a lot of Rob Penny's plays well since Rob Penny is a very very strong cornerstone in Cuntu Repertories history our

founder and director Dr. Bernal Lilly decided that in his honor that we should do some of his plays and Black Pittsburgh Garz being his most recent one that I know of and we're also going to redo his sensational hit which was Little Willie Armstrong which is what I'm strong Jones right yeah which is what Cuntu started out 20 years ago and that was the first playing we're doing it again for the anniversary can't wait to see it what roles do you play or role do you play mine well I have an understudy role for she's a star in the family okay sort of and then the other character I know that my main character is I'm the husband of the main character so and and a lot of Pittsburgh names dropped in this place oh oh oh yeah what's his name one and two of them a young gentleman whose name is Chris Moore he happens to be mentioned I can't wait to see the mention of this I've never been mentioned in the play I've been mentioned in a lot of places every day whenever

in the play oh yeah we talk about Dr. Ralph Proctor Eddie Edwards who I must say is one of my personal favorites because I recall watching him late night on 22 now he owns the joint and now he owns it so it's good to see the progress that he's taken to get where he's at and they mentioned quite a few other Pittsburghers that you wouldn't even think about Carla who do you like about the production I like it because it brings out more of Pittsburgh's black history which a lot of our young people don't even know exist in the area and it kind of relates to the Wiley Avenue days tape where it brought out a lot of things that happened in the Hill District area we talk about many people from the Hill District even families that were known in the Hill District they might not have been famous but they were just known in area so it brings out a lot of the history that otherwise our children wouldn't hear about have you all been part and parcel of the whole season of

what's going on with Rob Penny plays a lot of works as like what you said oh yeah you know my favorite and and all of those that I've seen so far is good black don't crack right I really like that when I'd had a strong message in it Rob Penny just laid it out there for everybody to take home with he's a sensational playwright and actor and I've seen some of his work through videotapes and I'm kind of jealous oh is this a buddy playwright talking I really admire his work because when he hits the stage or whenever he's working he is working you know and his concentration and focus level is it's superb and they tell me also Vernille Lilly is something to work for and with too I don't I don't think she described his working for but everybody loves being around and she's demanding and and gets things done and and wants things done right and she's just a great person to be around and learn from yeah she pushes you to test your limits because

especially the young African Americans today they kind of hold back and they feel like there's nothing to achieve so what she does she takes you in your medium and makes you excel and she pushes you and pushes you and pushes you tell you start to shine and you're no longer that piece of coal yeah that's fine diamonds oh well foot boy he wrote that would say this piece of tape play it back for us there are a lot of things that people tell me that you learn when you're working with kind to that you just don't play a part in the play that you might be sweeping up and helping constructed putting props on stage taking tickets out front on one production and on stage on another that you learn the whole gamut of what you have to do as far as theater production is concerned is that correct yes yes you not only are an actor you become a janitor you become a roadie you become a golfer you become a construction worker and it's basically you

she makes you learn the whole aspect so that you're not limited and you can leave come to maybe one day and go to another theater company or out on your own and survive and that's what it's all about you're not in your head and agreement oh yes I myself I've always done the singing and acting so I was interested I would have not been interested in sound and lights and stuff it had it not been for vanilla lily and come to and I really benefit you in terms of rounding you out as a performer as as someone who's associated with the theater it makes you much more marketable you're able to go in and say well I not only play this part but I can help you hang those lights yeah that's a good to experience hey we want to thank you all for being here with us and we really appreciate it thank you and we know it's going to be a great production and I look forward to seeing it okay the dates though yeah well no I haven't forgotten okay and you would be now okay black Pittsburgh has previews February 2nd and 3rd it opens on the 4th and

runs the 5th and 6th that following week it runs on the 10th 11th and 12th now all performances are at 8 p .m. with the exception of Sunday February 6th which is at 5 p .m. here's an important footnote all performances will take place at the Masonic Temple across from the Cathedral of Learning and not repeat not not not at Stephen false auditorium so don't go running it down there wondering what happened if you want some more information call 6247298 that number again is 6247298 well that's all for this week folks I hope you'll join me same time same station next week and remember to tune in to my daily radio talk show blog talk on 1550 WCXJ every weekday morning if I don't see you here next week I'll hear you there