Black Horizons; 2312; Clean Lung

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry Hello, and welcome to Black Horizons, I'm Chris Moore. Today we'll get a glimpse of something called Performance P Speaking with a group titled the wind spirit movement. You'll also get some important information on how you can keep your lungs clean and thus live a longer, healthier life.

But first, we want to take a look at drugs in the black community and the dramatic action taken by one local state representative to bring attention to the problem. Joining me now is state representative Joseph Preston. Mr. Preston, about a week or so ago, you took some dramatic action ordering employees in your Larama Street office not to go to work because of the drug activity, the level of drug activity right outside of your office. It's pretty unprecedented that a state representative would do this. Can you give us some of the reasons as to why you did it? Basically, I drove back from Harrisburg and it was on early on a Wednesday. When I drove up there, there was a large conglomerate of people openly selling drugs on my corner. People just driving up, people getting in the car, money being transferred, somewhere between 25 to 35 people on the corner. I called my secretary and told her to stay put.

She told me that she was ready to leave but she was nervous about to leave the building. Is this normal activity? This has been normal. The last couple of months has just increased at a level where you're having a large, again, a large profusion of people just openly selling drugs. Disregarding the police, the only people that they were really run from is a camera man. I know you're not a law enforcement official, but what is it that you as a state representative can do to move these guys off your block other than say, hey, buddy, move? And can you realistically say that? I mean, as an individual? Well, basically what I said as an individual, and I guess having a title, I said my cup run it over. I gave a two day notice to the mayor's office and told her that she would be getting a letter that I had sent my office staff home because the living and working conditions within this community were unsafe. People had an open fear because of the drug trafficking. We know

that some of these young people, 14, 15, and 16, and 17 year old kids who were dealing with drugs are carrying heavy weapons. They didn't want to catch the bus anymore. People, these kids were openly standing in front of some of the drugs, as far as the stores, corner grocery stores and things like that. People were just scared. The store owners privately would tell me that they were frightened and they wish they would be able to do something too. I've called the police several different times, and the police had responded to come down and have them move. But as soon as the police leave, they were right back again. They were intimidated by the people standing out there in front of their store. This starts at 7 .30 in the morning. It goes on until about 11 o 'clock at night, and it's seven days a week. It's too bad. They're here in modern times that you have people who are actually controlling the streets and intimidating people enough that they want you to leave. What was the mayor's reaction to your demand? The mayor's action

was, I think, positive. It was responsive. I've had a long working relationship with Commander Moffett and Commander Assistant Police Chief Bufert down. She gave instructions and the police have agreed to come back with a clear plan. This cannot be an overnight issue. But what we, citizens, are going to have to do, and the responsibility, as far as the city is going to be, is to provide a safe environment where people can walk down the street. There's no question about that, but you know the history of these kinds of get tough actions. And I don't know what's been proposed, and maybe you would elaborate on it. Maybe you don't want to. But what happens is, they'll run them off Larimer and Meadow, and they'll move down to Lincoln Avenue and bother someone else. It's not going to stop just by running them off your corner because you're a prominent person. Well, currently they have moved. They've moved only a block of them, and then the police came and they've moved them again. We're going to have to continue the pressure. We're going to have to continue to move them and move

them. The citizens are going to have to participate. My next step is I have a call in to our local district attorney, Bob Colville, because another issue that has come, and I can understand the police, you arrest someone, and they're back out on the street again. You know, there's been somebody who's been arrested three times already, supposedly within the last couple of months. It's right back out on the street. And the question is, how was this going to happen? And after this, we're going to have to go to the courts. Lynn Hayes Freeland took some dramatic footage that apparently was taken from your office windows looking down on some of these guys. It was obvious when I saw that on KDK that there was heavy drug activity, but it's going to have to be deeper than what we're talking about. It's like a balloon with a weak pressure point. They're going to go wherever there's no pressure. You're going to run them from corner to corner to corner. And again, the police have the problem. You arrest them before they complete the paperwork, the guys back out on the street. The jail is under orders to release the criminals who are not killing people. Where is it going to go? What are you

going to do? And I mean that in the next part. I'm not an expert, but you're a state official that people look to to say, let's do something, and here's the plan. Well, first of all, this is a city issue. I'm doing the job of a city official now. This is where I've stepped down to, because I've had to go down to the city. This is a different, but within the state, we have been neglectful as far as not pumping up the money as far as adequate jail sales are concerned. That's our part. President Bush, whatever it was with his drug war, I haven't seen anything decrease if anything is increasing and it's getting worse. We're going to have to be responsive as far as city officials are going to be concerned, state officials and federal officials. This is more than just a war. This is a matter of life and death for generations to come. I have seen very complimentary editorials on channel four from Paul Long. I've seen letters to the editors that say it's about time someone spoke up and did something. And indeed, what you did was laudable, but I've also seen criticism

from Councilman Dwayne Darkins saying why would he close his office that way? Nobody can even get any word from your constituents. Well, the word still gets out, and I'll say this to Councilman Darkins. Right now, I'm doing his job. If he was doing his job, I wouldn't have to be out there going down to see the mayor. He's the person who's responsible on a local level. Nine months ago, I sat down and I talked to him. I also talked to Bob Pitsch, which is not in my district in Wilkinsburg, and Cara Whitfield, who's a Councilperson, Bob Pitsch being the mayor, and said, you know, we've got a problem. I want to be able to work with you and try to put this together. I waited nine months. Bob Pitsch has been working and dealing with it. You just started seeing major suites between Wilkinsburg and homewood. I don't know about, and I get very nervous when I hear a gentleman such as Councilman who I respect to a point. But for him to openly say this, when nine months ago, I told him to get going. I waited nine months.

Time is over. So I started putting the different things together in the community. You said you told him, perhaps it was your approach that he didn't appreciate? I don't do that. It was nine months ago. He is the local official. I respect the person's territory, and that's the only way. You've seen his efforts putting up signs about crack houses, identifying them, those kinds of things that you're not saying he's not doing anything. They called me about that, and I was on a waiting in the state university. I don't know where he got some comments about I refused to attend his meeting. He's either his campaign manager or a staff person who has consulted Jeff Thomas. And I told him I was going in the university. There's a question that I found out about this up very quickly. About 20 seconds. Go ahead. These posters. Who was liable if they go up on the wrong house? Who's responsible for that? It's a very serious situation. And doing something like getting your campaign headquarters is not the appropriate place of my campaign. Okay. Well, thank you for being here. We appreciate it, and we love your actions, and what you're trying to do. A point out that Councilman

Dawkins is due up next for another interview. We recorded it before Representative Preston was here, though, so he will have no reaction there. It was recorded prior. We'll get him back and ask him about these very questions. Representative Preston and other local officials are battling drugs on the home front, and so are many other officials around the nation. But what are young people doing to confront the many problems that they face? There are youngsters out there who are doing good things. Malcolm Jamal Warner of The Cosby Show tells us more. You know, almost every day you picked up the paper and you read something bad about kids. But there's lots of good news, too. All across the country, ordinary teenagers are doing extraordinary things to make the world a better place. I'm Malcolm Jamal Warner, and I hope you join me when we meet some of these kids and hear their stories on cool moves teams together. Cool moves on WQD, Wednesday, May 1st at APM.

Making the right moves today also may mean giving up smoking and other habits that could inhibit your ability to live till a ripe old age. Here to tell us more are Ruth Bell, Reverend Dwayne Darkens, and Rhonda Galloway, all working with the Clean Lung Project. Ms. Bell, I want to start with you because you are the health professional among the guests that we have here. Blacks and access to the health system. Are we not accessing it as we could or should and why? Well, I think that if the healthcare community could figure out why we are not accessing it more, we could solve some of that problem. Access is a part of it, but a bigger part of it is the responsibility that we do not take for ourselves. Lung cancer and cancer in general occurs far more often in the Afro -American community than it does in the White community. Are you saying that if we were to look at some of the early signs of cancer, which are well known and well publicized, and other early

signs of respiratory diseases, for example, or high blood pressure, well, there are no real signs of that, I guess. But we would be better taken care of if we took care of our own health better. Exactly. We are now in the state when we talk about health of looking at prevention. Prevention means trying to get things before they get you. Okay. Well, then what Ms. Galloway is the clean lung project and what will it work on? I imagine in the area of prevention. In the area of prevention, we specifically target cigarettes and the use of tobacco, and we do prevention, and we also do cessation, and trying to focus in on getting African -American people to look at their tobacco use and limit or eliminate it. A lot of people don't want to hear that who are smokers. They enjoy their cigarettes, and they want to continue to enjoy them. This building, WQED, is a no smoking

environment. You should hear the complaints of the people who have to go outside and stand in the cold to smoke their cigarettes. Well, that's the wave of the future, and the future is now. And many, many people, businesses, there's a city ordinance that says you cannot smoke in certain areas. And smokers are complaining, and non -smokers are complaining about people who smoke. So it's give and take, and we must help people who want to be helped. I'm not here to tell people you have to quit smoking. I'm here to tell you, these are the facts. If you want to quit, we can help you. Reverend Dawkins, as a community leader, what is your role in all of this? My role in this is that I'm the chairman of the Clean Long Project, also that some going on two years ago, we had confronted the tobacco industry, and regards to the Clean Long and told them that I was going to go to Patrick Meteor, Gateway Ivertizement, and ask them in the black

community, because cigarettes, tobacco, is more prevalent in those areas, because blacks has the tendency or African Americans has the tendency to buy. And I asked them to remove from their billboards in the Home Abortion area any avertizement in regards to cigarette smoking, that was Patrick Meteor, and also Gateway Ivertizement. Do you request... Do you own deaf ears? No, my request did not fall on deaf ears. I asked them to remove it, and replace it with some other type of avertizement, and that they did. Wait a minute now, I drive through home with all the time. I don't live there. I still see advertisements for billboards. We have on billboards. We had an agreement, and they would be conducive in doing so. We asked them for a three -month period. Since then, some of our members of the Clean Long Project

Advisory Board, such as Robert Fickling, is on our board. And in no longer smokes, he has had Patrick Meteor to remove from the side of his building the board completely. So you've had some success. But you recognize, all three of you recognize that cigarette companies target blacks, they target women. Women, we've seen the pharaoh over different brands that have been targeted toward both women and blacks, and how companies have been made to back up, although just a little bit, in terms of their strong marketing in those areas. They feel those are the only places the market is going to grow for people. You don't expect them because of this capitalistic system to just back off because you say it's a nice thing to do, do you? Excuse me, they're spending a third of their advertising budget in the African -American community. These are the tobacco industry. And they're doing it in many different ways. They not only advertise cigarettes, but they advertise beauty pageants,

employment, scholarship funds. They're advertising in our papers that we read. And it's hard to resist. It's hard for black papers. It's hard for colleges and other people to turn down those scholarship funds or other funds that promote some of the programs that we're doing too. So people are going to continue to smoke. Yeah, but Chris, you want to remember something else. When you speak of colleges, and I heard you talk about WQED here, you may not be aware what has happened to the University of Pittsburgh. They have gone smoke free. I know. Okay then, but that was through the efforts of one of our efforts of this program of clean lung. Our next target right now. You take clean lung, take total credit for that? Now hold on. Yes, I'm taking credit for it. And I'm also going to take credit for what's going to happen with the Board of Education because we're asking them to do the same thing. You know, the bottom line, Chris, is the health issue. Lung cancer and most of the cancers occur a far greater in the African American community. We smoke more than the white community.

Strokes and high blood pressure occur far more often in the Africa. But what are you going to do? We know we lead in all these terrible indicators in every way. What is clean lung going to do? You have a smoking cessation program? We have a unique smoking cessation program being that it is by mail. It's a self -help program. And in addition to sending information, we also have a counselor who does one -on -one individual counseling over the telephone. Statistics have said that people who are going to quit smoking do so by themselves without a group. So that's absolutely right. You mean all these filters and other programs that quit smoking are pretty much worth? We don't use them. We don't use them. If we're going to do it, we're going to do it on our own. It's a personal decision. It's a

personal decision. Isabel? It truly is a personal decision. And every individual does have to make the decision on his or her own. But that's the bottom line. If we in this project can call to the attention to the Afro -American community how much we are affecting ourselves, our own health. And you know, when you look at all of the other struggles that we're in out there, which are out there and which we do not have as great a control. And then we think back to help. Think back to this situation. We can quit smoking. We can really lower our chances of getting lung cancer. Let's get away if I'm watching this program now and I'm a smoker. And I wish to do something about it as a phone number. Oh, it's so easy to do all they have to do. Oh, that's what everybody said. It is. It is so easy to do. And even if they're just thinking about thinking about quitting, they can call 255 -7391 and leave their name, their

address. And the best time for somebody to get back to them and call them and find out more about their smoking habits. Repeat that number please. It's 255 -7391. Reverend Dawkins, you've targeted the University of Fit. You've targeted the school board. They're next. Anyone else on the agenda? No, I'm just so glad as a city councilman that we were able to present legislation and also that abandoned, you know, cigarettes being sold across the counter. It's now by machines but they haven't working. That is working. The young people are staying away. They can't sell it. They can't sell it. The small stores, businesses, and they do not have machines cannot sell cigarettes because through the department of building inspectors, our inspectors are going around. If they're caught, they're fine. Who wants to be a fine? That's a lot of funds. That's a lot of funds. Oh, yeah, there's some huge funds. How much? It's heard anywhere from 100 to 500 dollars. Chris, you should know that 90 % of

smoking habits develop in young people. So that program is really important because it's aimed at young people. That is correct. I mean, if you can effectively stop a habit before it gets started, it's far easier than what we're struggling with now. Okay. I just have to say thank you to Patrick and Gateway Media, who has graciously donated billboards to the Clean Lung Project. It's public service. It is. I'm going to make a point to ride through home. We want to have you back here. All three of you. And particularly you because I'm going to go through home with it and look and see if it's indeed that's true. I was in the hill this morning. I know it's not true there. But thank you all for being here. Would you repeat that number one more time if people want to call running? Two, five, five, seven, three, nine, one. Okay, thank you for being here. We appreciate it. That's good information. Clean Lungs, they can help you do so many of things so much better, including biking, swimming, and even becoming a better performance poet. What's that you say? Well, let me show you what I mean by presenting to you Michelle Doughton of the

Wind Spirit Movement. Yes. This is dedicated to all people who have found themselves once lying upon the ground in need of getting up and trying again. Like a rock falling faster and faster, the force of gravity reaches out its arms. And only a second later someone lies upon the ground. Skin ripped open, bones broken, all that was is not only shattered pieces that must somehow be picked up and put back together when broken wings mend. Change must follow. Tears dry up and vision becomes clear. Feet once again find themselves planted on solid ground and taking flight no longer seems just a child's fantasy. Step by step forward motion is made. And fear leaves finding no place in the heart when broken wings mend. One must consider flying again. The hand of determination can be used to brush off the dust of stagnation. The waters of patience can be used to wash away the dirt and grime of desires to give up, give in, and quit when broken wings mend. We can begin to understand what it is to become an old man or an old woman and still be striving for

perfection. Having fallen from the skies that we call life many times, we can begin to comprehend what is meant having heard wise say when broken wings mend. One must consider flying again. Michelle Dalton welcome back to Black Horizon you've been here before. Yes thanks for having me. Performance poetry. I thought that was a term that you invented but I understand now it's really not news. No performance poetry came in with the last poets Nikki Giovanni, Gil Scott Heron, and even further back Aussie Davis and Ruby D used to do performance poetry while reading Langston News is simple. Now it's more than just, I've seen you perform other works and it's more than just you reciting a particular poem at any given time. You add a lot of different elements into what you do. Yes, right now I'm beginning to work with L .J. Records and we're going to come out with performance poetry

with the full band music behind it and everything. I didn't know L .J. had a record store. L .J. Records. L .J. Records. L .J. Records. Well we're going to be working on putting a tape out and like you said we do use many different forms. Sometimes it is spoken word. Sometimes it's music, sound effects, hand spoken word. Sometimes it's the guitar and spoken word. Sometimes it's actually singing. Okay, now you are harking back to all the soul folks, the last poets kinds of stuff. Drums, guitar, maybe other different things where you go back and forth and the guitar may talk to the poet and vice versa. Is that the kind of feeling that you're talking about? Yes, when I remember the last poets I remember when the revolution goes. Right, and all that high energy and that this is the way we feel at a time when everybody was saying, well you know

if we put this particular record out, they'll go for this one. Boy it's a love song, they'll go for it. And performance poetry is this is what the artist has to present, the reality of what the artist feels. And in that way other people can respond to it because it's real. It's not just fabricated to make money. What do you develop your passion for your work? Because I think you're right, most poets are not rich people. Unfortunately, well I'm talking about, you're a remark about not fabricated to make money. Poets are just not rich people, most of them. I mean they may be appreciated and we may look at the dead poets so to speak and admire their work and their books and that sort of thing. But it's almost like being an artist, a visual artist and any other respect too. But those paintings may sell for huge sums now. But that's why I'm taking it more into an artistic vibration where I may do the love piece. But it's a piece of love that came from my life. Is this something you think

everyone will accept? Everyone will never accept everything. And no matter how great it is, everyone is never going to accept it. Okay, let me rephrase the question then. And well enough people accept it so that Thad Mosley, for instance, says a sculptor, says he produces the work he likes to produce. And he works as a postman because he knows if he's producing what he likes, he doesn't expect everybody to buy it. So what I'm saying to you is do you think enough people will buy this that you'll be able to make a decent living off? Yes. And one way I can say that is your show here. People call me and they tell me, Michelle, I've seen you on television. When can I come and see your show? Now once they're in the... I'm sure glad you made it down today. Once they're in the concert hall and the show goes out to them, they embrace it. Okay, speaking of concert halls, what venues will you be performing in in the next couple of weeks?

On the 13th, we'll be at the artery in Shady Side. It's on April the 13th. On May the 17th, we'll be at Carson Street Gallery. So outside? Yes, on the south side. And also on April the 21st, we'll be at Edinburgh, taking part in one of their shows. And in June, we're going to do the Pennsylvania. That's when I'm hoping to bring performance poetry out in its finest. And once and for all, let the Pittsburghers know who are my people because I was raised before. Let them know that this is a viable, entertaining, enlightening, educational event that you cannot afford to miss. Because when it's gone, it's gone. Okay, well thank you for being here. I appreciate your passion for your work. And you're welcome to come back. And thank you for your support. Okay, anytime. You can

experience the wind spirit movement at the artery in Shady Side Saturday, April 13th at 6 p .m. For more information, simply call 381 -1922. That number again is 381 -1922. Well, that's all the show that we have time for today. Please join us next week when we'll wind this rascal up and do it all over again. I'm Chris Moore. Thanks for being here. And don't forget, Bepepp reminds you. Get out and vote in each and every election. Do that. I'm Chris Moore. Bye. Bye.

Bye. Bye. Bye.