Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 18 January 2002 — Page 1

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SPORTS Get the 4-1-1- on The Pacers Academy

PEOPLE & TRENDS Emmis and Radio One launch community fund

BUSINESS Shifting gears in retirement planning

Four Sections

NDIANAPOLIS

INDIANA’S GREATEST WEEKLY NEWSPAPER

VOLUME 107 ■ NUMBER 3 ■ FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2002 ■ PHONE 317/924-5143 ■ www.indianapolisrecorder.com ■ 754

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Revelations WTLOAM1310 The Light launches new program ‘Revelations.’ Read more on page C-1.

Staff and Wire reports

Privacy phone list signup Feb. 20 is the deadline to sign up for the 2nd quarterly telephone privacy list. Hoosiers who sign up by 11:59 p.m. on that date will be added to to the list that will take effect in April. The privacy list prevents most telemarketers from calling. Those who are already registered for the first list don’t have to reregister. It is free to register and can be done on the Internet at: www.in.gov/attomeygeneral or by calling 1-888-834-9969. It is suggested that residents register early. -Haw Goodwill store to open Goodwill is the latest retailer to open a store in the booming retail district near Emerson Avenue and Southport Road on the Southside. Goodwill’s new store will open 9 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 24. At 15,000 square feet, the site offers a spacious sales floor, three checkout lanes and a drive-through donation area. Donations of clothing and household items to Goodwill are tax deductible and are accepted during store hours—Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday 12 noon to 6 p.m. This is Goodwill’s third store on the Southside. Others include 8011 S. Meridian in Perry Township and 709 U.S. 31 in Greenwood. ROAR to discuss Black male/female relationships The Recorder On Air Report will tackle Black male/female relationships as relationship expert Dr. Lorraine Blackman talks about what people An do to have healthy marriages and romantic relationships. The show will air Friday, Jan. 25 and Sunday, Jan. 27 at 3 p.m. The ROAR is a weekly public affairs program that airs on WDNI-TV 65 every Friday and Sunday at 3 p.m. (Comcast Cable Channel 99; Time Warner Cable Channel 20) Children’s Museum admission The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis has raised general admission prices. The new general admission prices are: Free for youth under age 2; youth (2-17) $4; adults $9.50; and seniors 8m BRIEFS, Pag* A2

Gossip, girlfriends and girl power

Short film takes light-hearted look at the intimate friendships Turn to The Recorder’s Arts & Entertainment section on C-1 to read more about Indy’s modem day griots. Following in the African tradition of skillful storytelling, these local Hoosiers reveal powerful stories about Black culture.

By ANARti V. HOLMES Recorder Editor The idea came to her just like that — clear, focused, very natural. While local documentary producer Nicole C. Keamey-Cooper was sitting around her house last year trying to figure out a way to expand the product offering of her then 2-year-old production company, Envision Pictures Productions, it dawned on her to produce a short film about a very basic thing “sisterfriends” and good girlfriends do — talk on the See FILM, Page A7

King events Here are some events celebrating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Jan. 17 Noon-1p.m.—“In Remembrance of Martin” at the Indiana Historical Society. Jari. 18 9 a.m.—Holy Angels Catholic School student observance. 10:30-11:30 a.m. — “Happy Birthday Martin Luther King” during story hour at the Indiana Historical Society. Jan. 19 8 p.m.—“APiece of My Soul” at the Madame Walker Theatre. Admission $17. Jan. 21 9 a.m.-noon — Men, Boys, Fathers and Sons Breakfast at Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church.

Continuation of Dr. King’s dream requires action over apathy

By TYSHA HARDY-SELLERS Recorder Correspondent As many celebrate the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday this week, local political, business and social leaders want to remind all that work is still to be done to fulfill the civil rights leader’s dream of equality. Dr. King outlined that before race relations would improve, and the vision of the “I Have a Dream” speech was to come to fruition, the economic, educational and political divide must end. So where are we now in fulfilling that dream? “We must work harder and smarter,” said state Rep. William Crawford. “We failed to understand the fullness of his message. Although there have been some advances made, we still need to ensure that we have the ability to access good jobs and be able to move up; raise families in neighborhoods of our choosing; and have our children attend high quality schools.” Rep. Crawford said that the focus, in regards to King’s message, has been on the romantic parts of his message — that we can all get along. “We have focused on civil versus human rights. Human rights should be the priority, then the civil rights would be a result. Our youth are subjected to a lower quality of education because of economic factors; there is still racial and gender discrimination; the glass ceiling is still in place for women and racial minorities; and there are still segregated neighborhoods in which we don’t have the right or ability to move into. We all must have the ability to play on the same level,” he explained. The legislator continued, “Some have become apathetic and want to watch and wait for things to happen. To truly continue Dr. King’s legacy, we must define and 8m ACTION, Pag* A2

Speaker at King dinner embodies continuing struggle for freedom and equality By OSEYE T. BOYD Staff Writer Although he was bom on Jan. 15, the national holiday commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birth will be celebrated Jan. 21. On the third Monday of January, people from all backgrounds will give honor to a man who lived and died for civil rights. In honor of Dr. King’s holiday, the Black Student Union at IUPUI will sponsor the 32nd annual IUPUI Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dinner. The keynote speaker for this year’s dinner will be Minnijean Brown-Trickey, one of the nine students who integrated Little Rock High School in 1957 and were known as the Little Rock Nine. According to Tia Morse, committee member for the dinner, Brown-Trickey was chosen because she embodies the continuing struggle for freedom and equality. “It was a pick between I think four nominees, and she just seemed like she resembled what we were looking for this year. She’s still fighting for civil rights, equal opportunity and the community,” Morse said. While the dinner is the main event for the holiday, it actually ends a day-long observance for many IUPUI staff, faculty, students and community volunteers. Following King’s legacy of community service, IUPUI will have the fourth annual “Day-on” for the holiday as opposed to using the holiday as a day off. Volunteers will Sm EQUALITY, Pag* A2

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Young man finds voice through the arts By ANAR£ V. HOLMES Recorder Editor

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Derrick Johnson points to the large ceramic mask that hangs on a wall inside the small comer of space within the Indianapolis Art Center and beams with pride and joy. “This is called One in A Million and it kind of shows all of the demons that were in me when I was going through a bad time in my life,” said the 19-year-old Johnson, who is an arts apprentice at the Broad Ripple art

center.

“But you gotta see this new mask I’ve been working on.” Johnson leaves the small comer and retrieves his latest project that features an unfinished large face, smiling from

ear to ear.

After getting out of a bad relationship with a possessive girlfriend, the storm is over and Johnson’s art work now reflects a more carefree spirit. If eyes are the window to one’s soul, then an artist’s art is a mirror into the inner workings of its creator. “Derrick’s work is very gestural, emotional and expressive, he likes to make strong, heavy masks,” said Gloria Pearson, director of outreach for the Indianapolis Art Center and coordinator of its Artist Mentor Apprenticeship Program. “Within many of his masks is a theme of conflicting emotions — sadness mixed with anger and being afraid.” Pearson and Johnson’s mentor Rick Greiner have served as an extended support base for the young man who has found a creative outlet to express things he says he would never be able to verbalize. Like many young teen-agers, Johnson had little vision for his life before entering into the apprenticeship pro-

gram. “When he started here he had bad eye contact, a bad attitude and didn’t smile a whole lot,” said mentorGreiner. “He used to just sit around and not do much. He has grown as a person and I’m proud of him.” Johnson said personal problems that included an unhealthy relationship and other issues robbed him of his self esteem and ability to trust others. “What really made me want to settle down and try this art thing was that Rick and some of the other people here stayed on me. They saw my potential,” said Johnson. “Then I saw other people doing artwork and they were making money selling it, and I figured that I wanted to make money too and for me to do that meant I had to work for it.” That was a year ago. Since that time, Johnson has

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