Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 17 September 2004 — Page 26

THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2004

PAcg.ca

HUD center to host community unity

STYLE

By ERICKA C. WHEELER Staff Writer

Since the September 2002 tornado’s that blew through the southern and eastern part of the city, many residents have fought together in efforts to bring their communities back together. Of those effected were residents of the Amber Woods apartments located near 38 th and Mitthoffer, on the eastside of the city. The apartments were severely damaged and those residents lost homes, all of their belongings, and many even lost hope. The community banned together and the apartments were rebuilt and the much needed neighborhood center was there for many residents during their times of need. As a part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Pathway to the Future Learning Center was created under the umbrella of the recently developed Neighborhood Networks. The

federally funded initiative reaches out to build and rebuild neighborhoods. These centers help lowerincome families with skills that residents may lack in; including healthcare, education, job training and providing information about seminars and workshops that take place in the city. Currently HUD operates with approximately 500 Neighborhood centers in the nation and nearly 700 more centers are underway. “We are here so that the community can come and unite. We want everyone in need to come and obtain resources to provide to their families and to others who are not aware of what the community has to offer,” said Pathway Executive Director La Keisha Jackson. On Saturday, Sept. 18 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Amber Woods residents and others around the community will celebrate their 3 rd Annual Community-Day Experience. The event put on by Pathway to the Future Learning

Center will host health screenings, voter registration, banking services, safety and educational programs and talent shows. Pathway has rallied over 20 sponsors to help support the cause. “Family strengthening is our whole goal,” Jackson said. “With our annual event we have flourished, received more publicity, more community involvement and many more volunteers.” Through the program, parents and children are able to obtain educational training programs, job readiness skill and computer training. “Anybody from the far east to the far west are invited to come and attend the festivities in store this weekend. We look forward to a wonderful celebration,” Jackson said. This event is in its third year and more than 30 organizations participated in last year’s event, along with a host of residents.

KanyeWesLdominates Source nominaHons

NEW YORK (AP) - Rap-per-producer Kanye West has received a leading seven Source Hip-Hop Music Awards nominations, while Ludacris got six. West’s nominations included best album, video, lyricist and producer of the year. Jay-Z, Ludacris, Lil Flip, Twista and Juvenile will battle for male artist of the year while Youngbloodz, Ying Yang Twins, 8Ball and MJG, Westside Connection and OutKast duke it for group of the year. The Source Awards will be handed out Oct. 10 in Miami, as they have been since 2001. David Mays, The Source magazine’s co-owner, also is

planning a political rally during the Source Awards weekend which will go beyond just asking people to

vote.

“The hiphop community and

media

coverage has sur-

rounded this simple concept of people voting,” Mays told Associated Press. “That’s certainly a valuable thing, but this event is more about a very concrete agenda for the youth

Kanye West

of America. I think it’s the thing that’s been missing in the hype. The needs of young people are not being addressed by politicians.” Mays is inviting the Bush and Kerry daughters — who appeared at the recent MTV Video Music Awards — as well as a boatload of celebs and political types to debate the issues during the rally. “If you want us to vote, you’ve got to address these issues,” Mays declared. The Source Awards will air Nov. 30 on BET.

► Continued from Page CIO “One of the unique aspects of the fashion show is that our runway models for the evening are actually role models. They are prominent, successful women from the community as well as women who are part of our Dress For Success program.” One of the women who will be participating in the fashion show is Carla Jones. She says she was impressed and thankful that such an organization exists although she’s nervous about walking the runway. “The entire experience I’ve had with Dress For Success has been pleasant and the women were wonderful and it inspired me to volunteer,” she said. “I’m excited about modeling but I’m nervous as well. It’s an honor that they chose me out of all the people that they could have picked.”

Fatality reveals more Black women are cops despite dangers

JADA

► Continued from Page CIO In some cases, intussusception may follow a recent bout of gastroenteritis (sometimes called stomach flu). Gastrointestinal infections may cause swelling of the infectionfighting lymph tissue that lines the intestine, which may pull one part of the intestine into the other. Intussusception is most common around the age that infants are being introduced to solid foods. It has been suggested that the introduction of new foods may also cause some swelling of the lymph tissue in the intestines, increasing the chance of developing an instussusception. Diagnosis and treatment If a doctor suspects that a child has an intussusception, he or she will do a detailed patient history with the parent. The doctor will then perform a physical exam on the child, paying special attention to the abdomen.

By TONYAA WEATHERSBEE BlackAmcrlcaW9b.com When New Orleans police officer LaToya Johnson was fatally shot last month while trying to serve commitment papers to a mentally unstable man, her 10-year-old daughter became an orphan - and she became a poignant statistic. The 27-year-old became the 31st Black female police officer in the United States to be slain in the line of duty - in a profession where the recruits are becoming younger as the streets are becoming more dangerous. “The average age of a slain officer is 32,” Berneta Spence, director of research for the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington, told BlackAmericaWeb.com. “Many of them are just starting families, or have young children...” “Now more gang members are out there, and there are more dangerous and unstable criminals out there. But it is these young kids who are out here enforcing the

law.”

According to news reports, Johnson went out to serve commitment papers to 38-year-old Chester Solomon. Solomon’s family had called the police requesting he be committed for psychiatric evaluation - and police said Solomon was unstable and had not been taking his medication. Johnson was shot numerous times after she entered the house, police said. Her partner called for backup, and the officers who responded fatally shot Solomon in a bedroom. Solomon’s 55-year-old half-brother was also found dead in the house as well, apparently from multiple gunshots. Johnson’s death made her the third female police officer to be slain this year, Spence said, and the only Black female officer to be killed thus far in 2004. Of the 105 officers slain this year, 10 were

Black.

The first woman police officer to be slain in the line of duty was

a Black female - Gail Cobb of Washington, D.C. She was killed in 1974 while investigating a robbery in a parking garage of the nation’s capital. Cobb was only 24. But while police work is becoming more dangerous, Spence and other law enforcement officials say they doubt if it will do much to discourage Black women - many of whom are single mothers - from choosing careers in law enforcement. That’s because besides the lure ofjob benefits, Black women decide to become police officers for the same reasons that many other people decide to become cops - to make a difference. Johnson wanted to make a difference, ?aid Marlon Defillo, a deputy chief with the New Orleans Police Department - and she was on her way to doing so in a big way. “She worked for me in my bureau as a recruit, and she was outstanding,” Defillo said. “She went to the University of New Orleans, and she played basketball. She lived in New Jersey for a

while.”

“But she came back here because she wanted to work in this community.” Defillo said it was hard to say whether Johnson’s death would impact his department’s efforts to recruit Black women to the force. She was one of 227 Black women on the New Orleans’ police force, he said. “Law enforcement is not for everyone, and those who decide to join law enforcement understand that it can be quite dangerous,” Defillo said. “I think a certain type of person is drawn to this work,” said Joe Akers, an official with the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives. They usually want to better their community. Many times, they’ve had a family member who has been devastated by drugs.. .it happens in almost every family, but it affects our community a little bit

more.

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