Just My Thoughts and Other Randomness

Cao's non-partisan vote may have been political afterall

2009-11-22T23:18:00.006-06:00

November 16, 2009

Despite what some may argue, second Congressional district Representative Anh “Joseph” Cao (R – La) may not be the health care hero he has been dubbed. Cao, who represents a heavily Democratic district, made headlines when he voted in favor of health care reform.

Recently, he has been hailed as the poster boy for bi-partisan legislation and progress who stood up to his Republican colleagues and voted with the needs of his Democratic constituents. While millions followed the monumental November 7, 2009, Congressional vote for health care reform many supporters of the measure celebrated Cao’s courage to break from party politics.

What most people didn’t pay attention to was the fact that Cao’s vote was recorded after 218 other Congressional members voted for the measure though he said he had decided to support the bill once the Stupak Amendment passed.

When asked if his plan was to not voted until the bill had enough support to pass, he responded with, “Uh, no.” He says that he did not intentionally wait until the number of support hit 218 – the number of votes needed for the measure to pass the House – he went on to explain that he and his colleagues have 15 minutes to vote and that many times they wait until the last minute.

Cao argues that his vote was not contingent upon anyone else’s. However, he did not answer when asked if he had been the deciding vote – would he have still supported the measure. He went on to say, “my commitment is to support the President in his reform bill.”

Despite Cao’s commitment being to support President Obama with health care reform, he voted to replace the bill with the Republican version – that did not address denying people because of pre-existing conditions. After that motion failed, he voted to table the Democratic bill.

Cao goes on to say he voted for the Republican version of health care reform because he thought “there were some provisions in the Republican bill that were good, but still it was only a procedural vote.” He says he did not think his party’s bill was a better measure but that tort reform and other issues needed to be addressed.

After the Cao’s vote on health care reform, his office released a statement saying, “Cao votes for life.” Many people incorrectly assumed that meant he voted for the lives of the millions of uninsured and under-insured Americans. He explained that the statement was in regards to his support of the Stupak Amendment, something that supports the notion that a women’s ability to have the right to choose should be based on how much money is at her disposal.

If Cao’s commitment is truly to support President Obama’s health care bill, he should be one of the first to vote instead of the second to last when the measure goes before the House again this year. Hopefully, his pro-life stance is extended to those who will die without reform in our health care system.

Local legislator makes mockery of the term 'role model'

2009-07-07T15:02:00.003-05:00

The Shreveport Sun
June 29, 2009

Last week – the day before the Legislative Session ended – Shreveport rapper, Hurricane Chris, performed his latest single “Halle Berry (She’s Fine)” on the House floor after receiving a proclamation for his musical accomplishments.

Local State Rep., Barbara Norton introduced the motion by saying she felt it was important to support young people who are doing positive things in their community and inspiring other youth to do the same.

I do not know of the positive contributions Hurricane Chris has or has not made in the community. However, I do know that we must be mindful of who we praise and what we condone especially for the sake of our children who look to us for guidance and examples of what is right and wrong.

Today, far too many of our children believe that in order to find success, they must rap/sing, become professional athletes or even sell drugs or other illegal items. My concern is that this recent proclamation will solidify this myth.

At some point, we have to take a stand and increase our expectations of each other. At some point, we have to teach our sons to have respect for women and teach our daughters to respect themselves.

At some point, we have to look at disrespectful, disgusting, sexist and hateful lyrics and tell our children they are not ok. At some point, we have to tell them that just because you see something on television or hear it on the radio does not make it good or right.

At some point, we need to teach our children (and a number of adults) that their value in life is beyond being someone’s sexual object. At some point, we have to redefine what it means to be a hero in our community.

Yes, Hurricane Chris has made accomplishments in his musical career – but that, alone, does not make him a role model. Role models should be the people in our everyday lives who strive to make life better for the people around and the generations to follow.

Role models are people who are not only respectful but are respectable and radiate a sense of pride. Role models uplift their communities, not take advantage of them. You cannot uplift your community if you play an active role in its downfall.

If a child is disobedient, yet he receives praises for his actions he will continue to disobey. If we celebrate songs that disrespect women, promote drug selling and violence; what are we teaching our children?

Yes, a number of political figures have recently admitted to extra-marital affairs but honestly, how many of our children go around quoting them? We can always look around and see what other people are doing wrong, but it never changes the damages that we have made.

Some people have argued that doing something and rapping about it are not the same, children are not the best at filtering reality from fiction and unless we tell them when things are right and when others are wrong, they may never know.

Right now, the world is looking and laughing at us yet I am only concerned with what our children see. It is my desire that we show them hope, dignity, respect and the path towards a productive future. I ask that we all work together in exposing them to role models who may guide them in this direction.

Michael Jackson touched many lives, the man and the artist

2009-07-07T14:54:00.002-05:00

The Shreveport Sun

June 29, 2009

Many people can, will and have professed their undying love and respect for Michael Jackson and his music. Likely, nothing I say will be original or groundbreaking. Many of us cannot list our favorite MJ song – that is simply impossible as trying to settle on even a favorite album may be too difficult of a task.

I, like many other 70’s, 80’s and 90’s babies, literally grew up to the sounds of the Jackson family. I simply cannot think of a time when his music was not a part of my life. I am certain millions of others feel the same.

And in this group of millions are people who look, sound and live nothing similar to how I look, sound and live. The fact that someone in a far off part of the world that I do not even know exists, understands how I feel right now speaks of Jackson’s reach.

To say that Michael Jackson created music that sounded good is selling him short. What made him and his artistry remarkable is that it felt good. With his piercing vocals, often in depth lyrics, stellar production and likely the best dance moves of our lifetime – he was the epitome of the word entertainer.

Though many people would say entertaining was his forte, I argue that using entertainment to provide social commentary and inspire social change was his greatest strength.

With songs like “We are the World,” “Stranger in Moscow,” “Man in the Mirror,” “Another Part of Me,” “They Don’t Care about US” “Heal the World” and so many others, Jackson used his worldwide platform to expose us all to the harsh realities of the world.

A young boy from Gary, Indiana, a place known for its limited options, grew to become an icon who transcended race, gender, class, culture and other restricting barriers. Michael Jackson changed the world of music and as the first – and likely only – artist to sell a billion records, globally, he obviously touched many lives.

Obama's Victory Overshadows Civil Rights' Defeat

2008-12-19T01:18:00.002-06:00

11/10/08
The Shreveport Sun

President-elect Barack Obama's historic election is one of those rare events that ties in the past with the future. Aside from the country being in dire need of a new type of leadership, Tuesday night symbolized true and significant change in America.

Before this election started, almost two years ago, and maybe up until the results were announced, many African-Americans did not believe that America would ever elect a black as the Head of State. Not because the race does not offer a plethora of sound, valuable leadership but because so many were forced to drink from separate water fountains and dealt with other indecencies under Jim Crow.

Tears of joy, vindication and validation were shed this election night because not so long ago, blacks were not allowed to vote in this country. Not so long ago, blacks were not considered human beings. Not that long ago, slaves built the White House that a President Obama will call home.

On November 4, 2008, generations of Americans were able to witness the fruit of their labor. The World War II veterans who fought valiantly for a country that refused to respect them as citizens; the men, women and children who boycotted the buses that forced them to sit in the back; those who participated in sit-ins and marches, the children who bravely were the first to desegregate schools, the freedom riders, those who suffered beatings or were murdered because they believed blacks deserved the right to vote and those who have demanded equal rights for all were able to see sound proof that what they fought for was attainable in America.

That is reason to celebrate. It is a great time to be an American, many people across this nation will truly feel they are full citizens for the first time in their lives. Children will have more reasons to believe that – if they work hard – it is possible for them to accomplish so many great things. This is a time to reflect on how much has been accomplished in such a short period. But eventually, the reflecting and celebrating must end, then it becomes a time for us to work even harder.

The results of this election represented a significant change in American history, but it also gives us reason to pause and feel a sense of unrest because - despite the fact that major accomplishments were made – there is much work to be done. If we don't protect our children and give them proper healthcare and a good education, what good is it to tell them to dream big? How can we celebrate civil rights milestones when some many people have been stripped of the right to benefit as other taxpaying citizens? Let us keep in mind that while we elected our Nation's first black president, people across this country banned Affirmative Action and people's legal right to marry.

We should all be proud of this great accomplishment; but we must now work together – even harder – to continue to push equal treatment for all. We must demand more of our communities, our leaders, our children and ourselves. Together we can create an America that truly represents liberty and justice for all.

Children's Defense Fund Hosts "From Cradle to Prison Pipeline" Summit in New Orleans

2008-11-03T15:49:00.002-06:00

11/03/08
Louisiana Weekly

Recently, the Louisiana Children’s Defense Fund hosted a “From Cradle to Prison Pipeline Summit” where Marian Wright Edelman, the Defense Fund’s founder, served as keynote speaker. The event took place on the campus of Dillard University of New Orleans.

The summit consisted of panelists who ranged from Orleans Parish students to internationally known child experts/advocates. Registrants traveled from all over Louisiana and other southern states to involve themselves with the “Cradle to Prison Pipeline” campaign.

During a panel discussion on juvenile crime, retired state judge, Calvin Johnson argued that there is no correlation between the growing number of incarcerations and lowered crime. He went on to argue that imprisonment should be left for serious criminals and not those who need healthcare.

Young children spoke out about their concerns, mainly profiling and education. One young man asked, “If I wear dreads, are they going to get me?” State Rep. Cedric Richmond (D -101) said that he would continue to fight in the House to ban assault weapons. Other community leaders urged adults to become more involved in the lives of children and offered suggestions on how to dismantle the pipeline.

The campaign is a national call to action to detour the path that sends many children, most of whom are minorities, to lives filled with crime, arrests, incarcerations and death. Race and poverty are the most common factors among most children associated with the pipeline. Many children are pulled into the pipeline before they ever have a fair chance of becoming successful, healthy, happy, law-abiding adults.

During her address, Edelman charged the audience to invest and take ownership in the responsibility in America’s children. “Nobody raises a child alone...we need to reweave the fabric of family.” She went on to say that children, in particular young males of color need society’s help the most. “What’s happening to our children is a national tragedy, what’s happening to our Black and Hispanic children is a catastrophe.”

She added that we must become educated voters and demand that our delegation’s votes reflect our needs and concerns. Edelman pointed out that Louisiana congressional leaders, are not the most supportive when it comes to the needs of the country’s children, pointing out that Sen. David Vitter overwhelmingly does not vote in best interest of children.

“How is it that they could not find $70 billion to insure all of America’s children last year, but they so quickly found $700 billion to bail out Wall Street?”

Other notable speakers included: ; Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff, Marlin Gusman; State Representative J.P. Morrell; Derwin Buton, Director of Juvenile Regional Services; Opelousas mayor Don Cravins, Dr. Natacha Blain, Director of Children’s Defense Fund National, “American’s Cradle to Prison Pipeline” Initiative; Sedrick A. Muhammad, Founder/ President of Models for Success, LLC; Rev. Torin Sanders, Orleans Parish School Board President; Dana Kaplan - Executive Director, Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana; Dellona Davis - Executive Director, CASA; Cindy Bishop - President, LA Child Care Association; Rep. Joe Salter - Community Affairs Representatives Louisiana Department of Education; Todd Battiste, Vice President, Community Impact Division, United Way GNO; Darryl Kilbert - Superintendent, Orleans Parish School Board and other child advocates, community leaders, parents, social workers, faith leaders and elected officials.

City Councilman reflects on Democratic Convention

2008-11-03T15:47:00.001-06:00

Arizona Informant (Phoenix)

Phoenix city councilman Mike Johnson knew that he needed to attend this year’s Democratic National Convention. Although he would have been excited to spend the week in Denver if Clinton had won the nomination, it wouldn’t have been the same as witnessing a black man accept the Presidential nomination from a major party.

“This is one of the most historic events, as an African American, to attend in life. Having an African American male Democratic nominee for President; this is for me, my children, my parents, my grandparents and their parents,” he added.

Like many, Johnson thought the convention was “excellent, exciting and well put together.” Speakers including Michelle Obama, Hillary and Bill Clinton, Beau Biden (Joe Biden’s son), a list of veterans and other service members all put the convention into perspective and reminded people of the goals Democrats are working towards.

Obama’s nomination is extremely important because it goes to prove that you really can do whatever it is you put your mind to. “My mother always told me that I could do whatever I wanted to do, but now I really see that there are no limitations,” reflected Johnson. “I never thought I’d actually see this day come.”

He went on to explain that this gives children the opportunity to see an educated, well spoken man as a role model instead of them looking up to just athletes, actors/actresses or rappers.

It was hard to find many complaints about the convention, but one was that the hotels were too spread out which prevented delegations from getting to know other states that weren’t housed in their hotel.

The Arizona Delegation had breakfast at 7:30 each morning where they had speakers who focused on issues not only important to the state and the party, but what was important to the country as a whole. Where the country needs to go and how to get it there, fixing the economy, uniting the Democratic Party and making changes in the country are a few topics that were discussed.

For Johnson, the highlight of the convention was Obama’s acceptance speech and Michelle Obama’s opening night speech. He found them inspirational because they gave insight into how they grew up and the power that believing in yourself brings when it comes facing obstacles.

He was so moved by the speeches that he wanted to share the experience with this three children so he sent them text messages from the convention. “I just wanted them to know that I love them and how proud of them I am.” He says of his 36, 35 and 28-year-old children. As parents, we make so many sacrifices so that the next generation can do better than the previous one.

This was Johnson’s first convention and although he doesn’t expect to ever witness something of the same magnitude, he looks forward to participating in many conventions to come.

Johnson says that although Arizona is McCain’s home base and Clinton won the primary, he believes that it is possible, with lots of hard work, for Obama to win The Grand Canyon State. “The last time I checked, McCain was only up by 7 points. If we work hard enough, we can absolutely beat that.”

Louisiana Delegation attends the Democratic National Convention in Denver

2008-11-03T15:44:00.003-06:00

Gambit Weekly (New Orleans)

Hurricane Katrina and the Rebuilding of New Orleans

Though 1,400 miles away, New Orleans and the Gulf coast were on the minds of many in Denver during the 2008 Democratic National Convention. As we approached the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina “Why,” and “How can we prevent this from ever happening again,” were questions repeatedly asked as several attempted to answer.

Mayor Nagin says that having a good relationship with a concerned administration will make a huge difference. “I keep in contact with Sen. Obama and he will handle things differently if we ever find ourselves in that situation again.”

Several programs were held in Denver to study, speak on acknowledge Hurricane Katrina and the devastation that happened afterwards. Speakers, including Sen. Mary Landrieu and Marge Perez, reminded people of the failure of the current administration and the promise that an Obama presidency would provide in regards to protecting the Gulf.

“America can’t afford to let John McCain drown our hopes in more of the same failed policies,” was the sentiment of Jazz singer, Marge Perez, and what she shared with millions of people as she described her experience with a flooded New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.

The need for an effective FEMA was the highlight of Sen. Landrieu’s speech Tuesday evening at the convention. “It's been three years since hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the failure of the federal levee system devastated New Orleans, the region, and parts of the Gulf coast. The Bush White House, the Republican leadership, and FEMA showed up not just late, but unprepared. America deserves a FEMA that works. A FEMA that understands the best ways to leverage the private sector and non-profits. A FEMA that will rebuild our communities with respect, dignity, and determination.”

On Tuesday morning, a media round table to discuss Katrina recovery was moderated by Ted Koppel. The panel included Sen. Mary Landrieu, Donna Brazile, Douglass Brinkley; James Perry, Executive Director of the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center; Rev. Tyronne Edwards, Executive Director of the Zion Traveler Cooperative Center of Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana; Martin Gutierrez, Executive Director of the Neighborhood and Community Services of Catholic Charities in New Orleans, and others.

Later that evening, the Democratic National Convention Committee hosted an event to recognize Friends of New Orleans (FONO), Oxfam America and other organizations affiliated with the Gulf Coast recovery and rebuilding effort. The second part of the event, New Orleans All-Star Jam-Balaya, featured well known jazz musicians and world famous Louisiana cuisine and generated financial support for charities and organizations that have been working to rebuild communities in the Gulf Coast region.

“This anniversary is too important to pass by unnoticed. We are one country, and we stand together in good times and bad,” said Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Governor Howard Dean. “Nearly three years after Katrina, we want the nation to know that rebuilding New Orleans and the Gulf Region is not just a local issue but a national one. The voices of those who were affected by Hurricane Katrina have not gone silent, and it is critical to make sure those who live there and those who were displaced are not forgotten.”

Party Unity at Historical Event

Louisianans whole-heartedly participated with last week’s events from chanting “Who dat say they gonna beat Obama” or giving the Fox News reporters a friendly taunt of “No to Fox,” during Thursday night’s outdoors event.

There’s no such thing as a stranger with these people. Those who started the week as strangers ended it by being friends. Obama supporter from day one or deferred Hillary backers, everyone in the delegation loves Louisiana and champions the causes that are in her best interest.

A void of inspiration was a largely unheard complaint, but many people noted how much it’s been a life-changing event. “History” was the most commonly used word to describe this convention. Many first time convention attendees were able to appreciate that they in person experienced likely one of the greatest moments in American history.

There were many celebrating points at the convention including: finally an end to the Bush administration, the idea that America and Americans can progress from a damaging racist past, Clinton and Obama giving proof that glass ceilings are meant to be shattered and the strengthening of Democratic unity.

Speaker Pro Temp Karen Carter Peterson believes that the convention provided a place for healing that fostered party unity. “I undoubtedly believe this will provide party unity,” she said, “Some people had to go through a grieving period but at the end of the day we fundamentally believe the same things in regards to health care, education, the war and tax breaks.”

Some Clinton supporters wanted to cast their ballots for her before moving on to supporting Obama. One delegate said that he was elected to do that so it’s what he did. But he also went on to note his appreciation for Obama and the candidate’s focus on issues that were important to him.

Demographics of Representation

Louisiana had 76 Delegates. 41 for Obama, 24 for Clinton, 10 Super Delegates and one unpledged add-on. 29 African Americans and one Asian American supported Obama, while 10 supported Clinton. Eight whites supported Obama, 14 for Clinton. 21 women supported Obama, 13 women supported Clinton.

Several delegates and participants from Louisiana were under the age of 36 including delegates Ashley Scott of Shreveport and Brian Thomas of Opelousas. In addition, the Young Democrats of Louisiana (YDL) sent three of its Executive Committee members (Ralph Johnson – President, Katrina Rogers – National Committeewoman and Ricardo Malbrew – Southern Regional Representative) to participate in the Young Democrats of America convention and work with the Louisiana delegation.

Both organizations work towards driving youth participation within the Democratic Party. YDL is open to all Louisiana registered voters who are under the age of 36.

Summary

The weeklong event was one of reaffirmation, renewed energy and re-dedication to the causes that are important to the Democratic Party and the Louisiana Democratic Party.

Statistics of Black Support with the Democratic National Convention

2008-11-03T15:41:00.001-06:00

9/1/08 Sacrament Observer

Historically, African Americans support Republican Presidential candidates at a much lower rate than they support Democratic candidates, especially since 1960. In all likelihood John McCain will have a significantly low black voter turn out for several reasons.

A. McCain is running against Barack Obama, the first black nominee of any major party. B. McCain doesn’t have that great of a political relationship with blacks, many associate his candidacy with him not supporting Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday. C. Some blacks will look at McCain as an extension of George W. Bush, an unpopular President within the African-American community.

There are 208 more participating African American delegates than in the 2004 convention. That is 23.9 percent more black delegates than four years ago. This year, almost one quarter of the delegation was African-American. More black delegates are women (594) than men (485).

There are 41 states with more black delegates this year than in 2004. Several states had significant increases including Massachusetts with an increase of 75. Colorado and Connecticut both increased by 71.4 percent. Virginia had an additional 58.1 percent and Indiana added 50 percent.

Only two states had no black delegates as opposed to six states in 2004. The five states with the largest percentage of black delegates were Mississippi (68.3), Alabama (61.7), Louisiana (59.7), Georgia (58.8) and South Carolina at 50 percent.

In addition to a rise in black participation at this year’s convention, there was also a higher number of blacks in convention leadership roles. Atlanta mayor, Shirley Franklin served as the convention’s Co-Chair, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick was the Co-Chair of the Platform Committee, Alexis Herman served as the Co-Chair of the Credentials Committee, Lottie Shackelord was the Democratic National Committee Vice-Chair and the 2008 Democratic National Convention CEO was Leah D. Daughtry.

According to the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, 80 percent of African Americans have identified themselves as Democratic since 1980. Until Franklin Roosevelt’s introduction of the New Deal, many African American’s supported the Republican Party. The significant shift came in 1964 for Lyndon B. Johnson’s Presidential bid and in support of the party’s pro-civil rights stance.

Resent surveys note that the main concerns for African American voters are high gas and energy prices; along with health care and the war in Iraq.

According to the Census Bureau’s 2004 voting and registration report, there were more black than white voters in Georgia, Mississippi, Illinois and California. For many states that had more whites than blacks voting, the difference was very small.

About a week before the convention, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick said, “The convention will be in perspective of the campaign. This is our campaign and our opportunity to change the course of the country. American people want change delivered by a President who is not afraid to do it. There’s a hunger for change and that transcends party.”

The Obama campaign started with the slogan “Change you can believe in,” but the effort has grown into change you can actually see. “Twenty-five percent of elected Delegates for this convention are African-American,” says Shirley Franklin, “that’s five percent more than in 2004 and a whole lot of percentages more than in 1960.”

Obama's Historic Speech

2008-11-03T15:33:00.001-06:00

8/29/08
The Shreveport Sun

The 2008 Democratic National Convention made history in a number of ways beyond the obvious, an African-American accepting the nomination. Blacks, overall, participated in the convention far more than any other convention in the past.

When Barack Obama made his acceptance speech on August 28^th, he did it 45 years after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led the March on Washington and delivered his “I Have a Dream Speech.” It was also 44 years after Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party member, Fannie Lou Hamer, testified before the Democratic Convention’s Credential Committee.

Without Hamer and King blazing those trials more than four decades ago, there would be no Barack Obama accepting the Democratic nomination in 2008. And that’s what makes Obama’s official nomination so special. Though he didn’t mention race during his acceptance speech, the tears of joy and smiles of accomplishment of those witnessing history said it for him.

State Rep. Barbara Norton says the event brought tears to her eyes. “I knew it was going to happen, I just had no idea that it would happen today…it validated the strength of this country,” she added.

Obama’s nomination is not only proof that the Democratic Party has changed but that the country has changed as he is not only the first black Democratic nominee, he also has a great chance of becoming the next President of the United States, something many could not imagine they would witness within their lifetime. Without a doubt, with our hard work and determination, Barack Obama will be elected the next President of the United States on November 4.

As he noted in his acceptance speech, “Four years ago, I stood before you and told you my story - of the brief union between a young man from Kenya and a young woman from Kansas who weren't well-off or well-known, but shared a belief that in America, their son could achieve whatever he put his mind to…It is that promise that has always set this country apart - that through hard work and sacrifice, each of us can pursue our individual dreams but still come together as one American family, to ensure that the next generation can pursue their dreams as well….It is why I stand here tonight.”

And because of him standing there on August 28, 2008, accepting the nomination to become the Democratic Presidential candidate, many more generations of African Americans will be able to stand there in the future.

Michelle Obama makes black women proud

2008-09-05T01:50:00.000-05:00

August 25, 2008

“Finally, black women have a positive image to look up to,” exclaimed a Democratic delegate who had the opportunity to witness Michelle Obama’s DNC opening night’s speech.

Watching Michelle Obama speak Monday night made the Presidential nomination of Barack Obama a reality.

Though Monday’s events were overall emotional, Mrs. Obama’s speech caused many teary eyes. As the potential First Wife, Obama reached out to America sharing the values and beliefs of her family.

She talked about her parent’s sacrifices and support lead her and her brother, Craig, to make great strides educationally, career wise and with family. “He and my mom poured everything they had into me and Craig. It was the greatest gift a child can receive: never doubting for a single minute that you're loved and cherished and have a place in this world. And thanks to their faith and hard work, we both were able to go on to college.”

Though race was not mentioned during Michelle Obama’s speech, her formal presentation to the country stirred a wide range of emotions from men/women, black/white.

But black women were likely more moved than any other group that evening as many of them saw themselves in Michelle Obama and it felt that she was speaking on behalf of the hundreds of years of women who have somehow found a way to be an excelled employee, devoted wife and adoring mother.

“…Barack and I were raised with so many of the same values: that you work hard for what you want in life; that your word is your bond and you do what you say you're going to do; that you treat people with dignity and respect, even if you don't know them and even if you don't agree with them. And Barack and I set out to build lives guided by these values and pass them on to the next generation, because we want our children and all children in this nation to know that the only limit to the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams and your willingness to work for them.”

More than anything, Michelle Obama’s speech gives young girls a role model who made her accomplishments and contributions to society by hard work, determination, dedication and ambition.

Media portrayals impact self-image

2008-08-04T21:52:00.002-05:00

Published April 20, 2007

“I remember when I was little and told that I can’t be a princess because I’m black and princesses can’t be black,” says teen filmmaker Kiri Davis. Davis’ film, “A Girl Like Me,” is informing people that the self-consciousness caused by poor race relations in America has not changed much in the past 60 years.

Davis, like many young African-Americans, struggles with constant negative portrayals of blacks in the media. Racism, misogyny, colorism, distorted values, a lackluster community base and absent leaders all play major roles in the limited positive images of blacks in the public eye. Davis’ film solidifies this argument.

Nicole Duncan-Smith, youth media specialist and author of the children’s book, “I Am Hip-Hop,” says, “Children cannot be left to their own devices in determining who they are and what their sense of idealized self should be. They come to us for direction and we ought to give it to them.”

A recent development is Disney’s announcement of its first animated black princess. The company’s coming feature film “The Frog Princess” will star Maddy, a black chambermaid
in New Orleans. The tentative setting is the French Quarter in the 1920s.

Many African-American mothers hope this film will assist in giving young black children a boost in confidence when they see a character who resembles them, though Disney has received criticism because of its needy portrayal of women.

The first half of Davis’ film shows young African-American women talking about struggles with self-worth for black girls because of a lack of cultural connection and the need to live up to a European standard of beauty.

The second half covers a doll study created by Dr. Kenneth Clark and his wife, Mamie. His test presented the harmful effects of racism on black children and was used as evidence to support desegregation in the Supreme Court’s 1954 ruling in Brown v. Board of Education.

In the test, kindergarten-aged children are placed in front of a table with two dolls, one white and one black. The children are then asked to select the doll they believe is better. In Clark’s study, an overwhelming majority selected the white doll.

Six decades later, “A Girl Like Me” shows 15 of 21 children tested saying they prefer to play with the white doll, or that the white doll is nice while the black doll is considered bad. One young girl says the black doll is bad and then says she looks like the bad doll. Though disappointing, these results aren’t particularly shocking when a great deal of African-American images portrayed in the media are negative.

Melanie Davis, a fifth-grade teacher at Lakeshore Elementary in Shreveport says it comes from, “the images that they see on TV. Images that don’t especially look like them seem to be the standard of beauty ... not them. It is hard to try and tell a student that they are beautiful on both the inside and the outside when all they see in the media is not their image.”

Despite the fact that many notable scholars, humanitarians, politicians, artists, spiritual leaders
and scientists are of African descent, black children in America are constantly reminded that they are not ideal. English philosopher John Locke argued children are born tabula rasa, or a blank slate, and if that’s the case, some outside source is making a number of black children believe they’re inferior.

Melanie Davis, a fifth-grade teacher at Lakeshore Elementary in Shreveport says it comes from, “the images that they see on TV. Images that don’t especially look like them seem to be the standard of beauty...not them. It is hard to try and tell a student that they are beautiful on both the inside and the outside when all they see in the media is not their image.”

Most importantly, let children know that they are loved for who they are and teach them to love
themselves. Duncan-Smith adds, “I know that my daughter won’t see herself as a queen if I leave it to her 7-year-old mind to interpret her world. It is my duty to place her on her throne.”

■
Katrina L. Rogers is one of several twentysomethings
columnists who appear on Fridays. Send comments
to shreveportopinion@gannett.com.

Katrina L. Rogers: Hillary Clinton Shouldn't be Obama's Running Mate, Here's Why...

2008-06-26T15:35:00.004-05:00

Published June 7, 2008

Sen. Barack Obama is the presumptive Democratic Presidential nominee. Now that this part of the race has been settled the question becomes, “who will be named as Obama’s running mate?” If Clinton and her supporters have a say, she should be on the ticket one way or another and since she isn’t the nominee, she deserves to be the Vice Presidential candidate as she has graciously offered her services for the position for the sake of the party.

Before things got totally preposterous, elementary and rank, I thought an Obama/Clinton or Clinton/Obama ticket would be great.

Then reality set in and the steep slope of Clinton’s downfall began. For every reason that someone can argue for an Obama/Clinton ticket, there are five times as many reasons not to go there. This list could be endless, but I’ll try to keep mine short and simple by stating the obvious or should be obvious.

Clinton is the epitome of a polarizing figure:

While Obama’s campaign was overwhelmingly successful because of his all-encompassing group of supporters; Clinton, her husband and followers were busy making divides. Sen. Clinton made a point of saying that Sen. Obama lacked support from “working, hard-working Americans, white Americans” but how “whites in both states who had not completed college were supporting [her].”

She, President Clinton and a number of her supporters have tried to make race a forefront issue several times. Supporters like Harriet Christian who called Obama an “inadequate black man” and said that she will vote for McCain because the Democratic Party not awarding Clinton all delegates from Michigan disenfranchised her, a New Yorker, can’t be much of an asset.

She believes, or at least has stated that Obama doesn’t have what it takes to be President:

She’s actually gone as far as aligning herself with McCain by saying “I think you'll be able to imagine many things Senator McCain will be able to say….He’s never been the president, but he will put forth his lifetime of experience. I will put forth my lifetime of experience. Senator Obama will put forth a speech he made in 2002.” It doesn’t make much sense to have someone run on your ticket when they’ve implied that your opponent is a better candidate than you.

The Clinton machine is on its way to the chop shop:

It took less than a year to tear down what took decades to create. Let’s face it, today’s Clinton’s aren’t the Clinton’s many Americans grew to love, respect and appreciate. Despite impeachment, Bill Clinton was one of the most popular Presidents in recent history and his strong, determined wife was, though not as liked at times, just as respected. The battle-wounded Clinton legacy is in tatters. Many believed that it would take something extraordinary for Clinton not to become our next President. Well, two extraordinary things happened: Barack Obama and a series of events that will be textbook examples of what not to do in a campaign.

Clinton is trying to force her way onto the ticket:

If Sen. Obama is going to prove himself as a strong leader, he cannot be forced to add Hillary Clinton to his ticket. Trying to force someone to pick you up as Vice President, isn’t the best way to show that you are the best person for the top supporting role in an administration. If she’s trying to tell him what to do now without much of a leg to stand on, can you imagine what would happen if they were in the White House together? Clinton supporter and Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell summed it up nicely to NY1 News “There's no bargaining. You don't bargain with the presidential nominee. Even if you're Hillary Clinton and you have 18 million votes, you don't bargain.”

President Clinton:

He was once an asset but now he’s more of an Achilles’ heel. One of President Clinton’s largest groups of supporters came from the African-American community. But since he tried to discredit Obama’s accomplishments by bringing up race and then accusing the Obama campaign of forcing him (Clinton) to use the race card, his popularity with blacks has dropped. Actually, a number of Bill Clinton’s comments have been serious blunders in his wife’s campaign. He doesn’t have the fanfare he had not long ago; and instead of creating support for his wife, he’s been creating negative headlines for him and her.

People don’t like her:

A number of people voted for Obama because he is seen as the “anti-Clinton/anti-Bush.” They believe that he represents all the good the Clinton’s lack yet he’s void of all of their negative aspects. If not being a Clinton was one of Obama’s more appreciated assets, it wouldn’t be in his best interest to try to give America another dose of them.

She is short on humility and reality:

When it became quite apparent that Obama would win his party’s nomination, Clinton gave a speech. She didn’t concede, she didn’t endorse Obama, she didn’t even acknowledge him. But rather, she said,

“…I understand that a lot of people are asking, what does Hillary want? …I want the nearly 18 million Americans who voted for me to be respected, to be heard and no longer to be invisible. ...this has always been your campaign, so to the 18 million people who voted for me and to our many other supporters out there…I want to hear from you. I hope you'll go to my website...and share your thoughts with me and help in any way that you can. …In the coming days, I’ll be consulting with supporters and party leaders to determine how to move forward with the best interests of our party and our country guiding my way.”

She wants the voice of her 18 million voters heard? They were heard when the votes were counted. The votes aren’t invisible because she and her supporters keep bringing them up and they were counted, that’s how she knows there are 18 million of them. She wants to hear from her supporters and meet with party leaders to determine what she should do next. Is she serious? Why can’t she just accept that she lost her bid fair and square and move on to supporting Obama so that her party can win in the Fall?

Sen. Robert Kennedy:

If nothing else resonates as to why Sen. Clinton should not be on Obama’s ticket, this reason eclipses any argument for or against that happening. This month marks the 40^th anniversary of Sen. Kennedy’s assassination. While campaigning in California, he was struck down while leaving a rally on his behalf. A couple of weeks ago, Sen. Clinton brought up Kennedy’s untimely death when she explained why she should continue to run although numerically, she had no chance of winning. If something were to happen to the President, the Vice President would take over the job. It can’t be in Obama’s best interest to have someone who, if only subliminally, conjures up assassination plots when that person would be the one to benefit from such a tragedy.

Instead of Clinton making things better for herself, she’s helping whoever decides to run against her re-election bid in 2012. The best thing she can do for her party, legacy and future is work as hard as she possibly can on behalf of the Obama campaign and the Democratic Party. She has shown that she is not the best candidate for the party’s Presidential nomination and she’s proven that she is not the best person for the Vice President slot either.

Katrina L. Rogers is a member of The Times Community Board. Send comments by e-mail to shreveportopinion@gannett.com.

Katrina L. Rogers: Look at the bigger picture

2008-05-25T23:38:00.002-05:00

Published 5/23/2008

"If Clinton wins, I'm not voting in November."

"If Obama gets the nomination, he's not getting my vote."

These are comments I've been hearing a lot lately from Democrats who are quite dedicated to their candidate of choice.

Dedication, I understand. But what I don't understand is why people have been moved to support one person so much that it's almost impossible for them to imagine supporting another in the general election if their chosen candidate doesn't win.

I honestly think it's great that people are so involved with the process this year and — seemingly — even more so invested in his or her candidate of choice. But what I don't understand is why people seem to forget that although Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are two different candidates, their policies are almost identical when you compare them to those of John McCain.

In 2000, the saying was "a vote for Nader is a vote for Bush." This year, maybe it should be "if you don't support your party's nominee, you're supporting the opponent."

I'm talking to the women who have vowed to support Clinton at all costs, even if it means not supporting Obama if he wins the nomination. Well, the flaw in that logic is that both Clinton and Obama are pro-choice — an option a McCain-appointed Supreme Court Justice would likely ban.

I'm talking to the people who have decided they will not vote for Obama if, for some reason, Clinton does not win the nomination. The problem is many of these people believe — with all of their hearts — that McCain is void of the competency and compassion needed to be a good leader.

McCain has openly discussed his ignorance when it comes to the economy and how he is "fine" with Americans staying in Iraq for 100 years. He has repeatedly voted against raising minimum wage, he wants to continue giving the wealthy tax cuts at the expense of the middle-class, and he consistently votes against reproductive rights.

McCain says we're better off now than we were eight years ago.

I understand that many people support his stance on these issues; but to the people who don't, doesn't it just make sense to vote for the person with whom you're more ideologically in sync?

I've even heard — several times — that people shouldn't support Obama because Clinton is the only candidate who can beat McCain. I say, well, if she's not going to win her party's nomination, how exactly can she win the general election in November?

This isn't like when the Dixiecrats became their own separate entity; for the most part, there just isn't a radical difference between a number of policies Obama and Clinton both present.

Their histories, backgrounds, approaches are different but I think — in a number of ways — they're both interested in helping a broad range of Americans, something that hasn't happened lately.

So, although I am not telling anyone — explicitly — how to vote one way or the other, I do ask that each of you look at the bigger picture and think of who will more likely play a part in creating your ideal America when you vote in November.

Katrina L. Rogers: All descriptions aside, Obama has the votes

2008-05-09T10:21:00.003-05:00

Published 5/9/2008

If you happened to miss it, the new wave of Hillary Clinton praise is based on her "testicular fortitude." So the woman who has come closest in American history to become president is an honorary man because she supposedly has gumption, strength or something of that nature.

I'll briefly take my womanist stance and say that notion is a bit sexist.

Since when did womanhood become an antonym of strength and courage? And why is it a compliment to honor a woman by awarding her with manly body parts?

When Sen. Clinton comes to mind, I can think of a number of adjectives to describe her — none of which have a thing to do with anatomy.

Typically, when one person in a two-person race is being praised for having something, it's implied that the opponent lacks that — virtue. So while people were praising Clinton on her extraordinary traits, they — in turn — questioned Obama's manhood.

Clinton advisor and CNN correspondent James Carville was very clear about questioning Obama's "completeness" by saying of Clinton, "If she gave him one of her cojones, they'd both have two."

In all honesty, Barack Obama can't afford to ooze of machismo. He can't be all that audacious. He can be but only so acidic with his words. Why, you ask?

Research Emmett Till.

And while verbally castrating someone is nowhere near as damaging as physically doing the deed, it all stems from the same place. No tread is light enough and no kid gloves are soft enough to remove the elephant from the room.

It's there. It'll be there. We may be able to walk around it, but it's staring at us begging for attention. The Rev. Jeremiah Wright briefly placed the spotlight on it, but people were quickly able to move the elephant to another corner.

I am positive the elephant will hit center stage, wearing a tutu and second lining by the time the general election rolls around.

Such irony in the fact that Sen. Clinton wanted to show us that you don't need testicles to become president of the United States and her "gonad-less" opponent may prove her right after all — because at the end of the day, Clinton may have the "conjones" but Obama is the one with the votes.

Small Piece on Non-Profit Orgs

2008-05-06T23:36:00.002-05:00

The PA Debate

2008-04-27T12:14:00.000-05:00

4/14/2008

It’s official, moderators have run out of things to ask the Democratic presidential hopefuls. I spent Wednesday night – like a number of other Americans – watching the Democratic debate on ABC.

And like most people, I was annoyed – at best – by the downright asinine questions. I feel sorry for those in Pennsylvania who thought the debate would help them make a final decision on the candidate they’d support.

But I suppose the event wasn’t a total waste. I do know that Rev. Jeremiah Wright was a Marine and that Sen. Barack Obama does care about America and Americans even if he doesn’t wear a flag lapel pin.

I also learned that Sen. Clinton believes that you can select your pastor and remove this person from your life when he does or says something maybe questionable; but somehow you don’t have those same rights when it comes to your spouse.

I learned that you should know the biographies of your fellow board members – I’m in trouble – and that anyone you meet with is a reflection of who you’ve been, who you are and who you’re going to be.

George Stephanopoulos informed us that about 60% of voters in a recent poll believe that Sen. Clinton is not honest and trustworthy.

That reminds me of one of the biggest, most valuable lessons I learned – if ever caught in a lie, just say you were sleepy. No matter how many times you told that lie, blame it on a lack of sleep. But that’s only after you’re called out and you have no more options. I wonder if that means she may not be the best person to answer the phone at 3 A.M.

Needless to say, I didn’t learn much about things that really mattered. I heard them say something about gun control but based on the caliber of previous questions; I just assumed they meant the number of water guns that a 5^th grader could hold at once.

Asking questions “just because” can be fun, I do it from time to time, but when it comes to selecting the person who has one of the most important jobs in the world, let’s ask questions about the things that truly matter.

For example, are the Saints going to make it to the playoffs this year?

Katrina L. Rogers: Sun's news editor made lasting impact

2008-04-16T22:25:00.001-05:00

Published April 16, 2008

Once a legislator told me that because I write, I'd never die. I understand his point, but I don't especially agree. Anyone can write. In fact, writing is something most people have to do on most days. So being able to write doesn't make you immortal; it's what you do with those words that can make you everlasting.

This is why I can never call Andrew Harris, the former news editor of The Shreveport Sun, simply a writer. Yes, it's true, writing is what he did — incredibly well — but he was much more than a writer.

His words — and actions — will forever have a lasting impact on us. Mr. Harris died recently. And although he won't be around to tell me that he paved the way for me to write columns in The Times, it's only fitting that I take advantage of one of the opportunities he left for me to sing his praise.

Mr. Harris wasn't perfect and though not everyone loved him, I did. As my editor, he taught me a number of things; as my friend and mentor, he taught me so much more. He'd tell me things about himself; some of those things were flattering, others not so much. But at the end of every story, I learned even more about the power and value of will and determination.

Of course, unless he was telling me how he was such a wonderful singer, he taught me about delusion of grandeur too.

To say that he'll be missed is a gross understatement. To say that he left us with a void isn't correct either. It is my belief that it is impossible to leave a void when you've left his kind of legacy. He made a difference, a positive difference, in the lives of countless people.

Because of him, the world is a better place.

He left us with treasures of life lessons, endearing stories, opened doors, inside jokes and memories of his infectious body-shaking laugh.

He left us with enough to fill any void, eventually.

Katrina L. Rogers: Dare to be G.R.E.A.T.

2008-04-10T16:07:00.002-05:00

Published April 10, 2008

About two months ago, I had the opportunity to speak to a group of elementary school children during their Black History Month program.

The program's theme was "Making the Dream a Reality" and I wanted the children to know that despite the contributions people throughout history have made, we all have the capabilities to achieve greatness.

Below is an abridged version of my speech, I hope it can be used as a reminder to us all that all of us are able to be agents of positive change:

Every February, we celebrate Black History Month. We learn about Martin Luther King Jr. and his "I Have a Dream" speech and the March on Washington.

We learn about Rosa Parks, the Montgomery bus boycott and civil rights leaders like Medgar Evers and Fannie Lou Hamer.

Then there are people you may not hear as much about like: P.B.S. Pinchback, the first black governor of any state. Shirley Chisholm was the first black woman to serve in Congress. In 1950, Ralph Bunche was the first African-American to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Dr. Charles Drew invented the blood bank and because of him, we all have a better chance of surviving operations or car accidents.

We learn about important events like Brown v. Board of Education or the signing of the Civil Rights Act. We also learn about people behind those movements and organizations like NAACP, SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) and NCNW (National Council of Negro Women) to name a few. Throughout the year, we are taught about leaders like former Presidents George Washington, Abe Lincoln, FDR and JFK.

We learn about all of these important people I've mentioned and all of the significant things they've accomplished. But, sometimes, we forget that once upon a time they were regular people like you and me.

Life gives us, every one of us, the opportunity to be great. But before you can become great, you must know what it means. Greatness is being the absolute best that you can at all times.

There are five factors to being G. R. E. A. T.:

G — Give back and give thanks: Never forget who you are or the people who are important to you. Say thank you and don't take people for granted. Participate in community service; you can do that by raising money for a cause dear to you, making donations or offering a neighbor a helping hand.

R — Respect: Have respect for yourself, meaning don't do things you know are wrong, obey your parents and don't let people make you feel badly about yourself. Respect others by not doing things you know are wrong; respecting your parents, teachers, classmates and siblings; and don't try to make people feel badly about themselves.

E — Education: Learn as much as you possibly can. Pay attention in class, ask questions when you don't understand.

Read lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of books. Never stop learning; knowledge is power and the more you know, the stronger you become. Stay in school; graduate from high school and go on to college. If you don't want to attend college, learn a trade. Remember, the more education you have, the easier it will be for you to accomplish your goals.

A — Ambition: According to the dictionary, ambition means the desire to accomplish something. So in order to be great, you must want it and be willing to work hard toward it.

T — Think: Whatever it is you want to achieve you have to think, or believe, you can do it. There always will be people who will try to tell you what you cannot do. Don't listen to them. Instead, always remember the great things you CAN do.

Life won't always be easy; it won't always be perfect or fair. Believe in yourself and don't get discouraged because life will not always be hard either. There will be roadblocks but you can get through all of them. Remember that there are people in your life who love and care about you. They support you and want to see you happy and successful.

Katrina L. Rogers: Work toward accomplishing King's goal

2008-04-04T19:15:00.004-05:00

Published April 4, 2008

As we observe the 40th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, we acknowledge how his legacy and impact will continuously play a part in American advancement.

To see the type of progress he played a part in, all you need do is go to The New York Times' Web site and search the 1851-1980 archives for "Shreveport."

"2 Negro leaders seized in South; Held at Shreveport voter rally for mental study" is the first result you will see.The headline is for a June 10, 1962, story about two Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) officials who were arrested during a "Negro voter-registration" event here in Shreveport.

Within the past five years, I have registered a number of voters in Shreveport and never has the thought of being arrested because of it crossed my mind.

That's progress.In 1964, The Voting Rights Act was signed, ensuring African-Americans — and other minorities — the same rights as any other citizen to vote.

Today, Barack Obama — a person who would not have been able to vote in this country 50 years ago — leads the Democratic presidential nominee race.

Again, progress.

The problem with progress is, at times, we spend most of our energy celebrating what has been accomplished — while spending less energy on the things we need to do to continue making progress.

We — especially women and minorities — so easily forget the effort that went into having the right to vote. We'll decide we won't go out and vote because it's raining or the lines will be long while ignoring the memories of those people who were "greeted" by water hoses and forced to walk miles upon miles in order to vote.

That is an example of stalled progress. Though having the right to decide if you want to vote or not is progress itself; not taking advantage of being able to vote — and making a difference — make the progress quite limited.

During King's lifetime, he was able to witness the end of the Jim Crow era and the disenfranchisement of blacks. But one issue he never saw resolved, and one we're still working on addressing, is closing the significant economic gap and lack of balance in this country.

Before King was assassinated, he worked on the Poor People's Campaign, a combined effort with the SCLC that was to demand economic security for people of all races and backgrounds.

This included more economic development, a livable minimum wage and educational opportunities for the poor — all methods of giving poor people the opportunity to make financial advancements.

Though the campaign continued after the assassination of King, and Robert Kennedy, it did not foster the same kind of results as previous similar efforts. Maybe, after 40 years, it's time to revisit formally those issues.

As we celebrate the accomplished life of Martin Luther King Jr. — and the countless, faceless people who worked with him — let us all work toward accomplishing his goal and creating a more economically and socially balanced America.

Katrina L. Rogers: Educate teens on reality of being sexually active

2008-03-28T23:56:00.002-05:00

Published March 28, 2008

One out of every 4 teen girls has a sexually transmitted disease, according to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

That's right, 25 percent of the teenage female population has an STD. Out of a group of four friends, one has an STD. The odds are that in a graduating class of 400 girls, 100 students will have an STD. Unfortunately, 80 percent of those infected have no idea.

It's estimated 3.2 million adolescent females have at least one of the most common STDs — human papillomavirus (HPV), chlamydia, herpes simplex virus and trichomoniasis.

Fifty percent of teenage girls will become pregnant within the first six months of becoming sexually active.

Though consistent and correct usage of the male latex condom can reduce the risk of STD infection, there is no protective method that will 100 percent prevent the transmission of any STD.

These are the facts, but how do we use them to implement change? Typically, when it comes to sex "education" there are two opposing teams. Team A: the abstinence-only sex ed and Team B: the physical health-based sex ed.

Abstinence-only education, or teaching people to postpone sexual activity until they are in a long-term, mutually monogamous relationship, is usually what is taught to middle and high school science students.

Physical health-based sex education forgoes guilt trips and provides people with sexual health information if they choose to participate in sexual activity.

I propose both types of education should be taught to the public, specifically young adults and teenagers.

According to statistics, 50 percent of teenagers are sexually active. That means two major things: One, despite what we see on television and hear on the radio, not everyone is having sex. Two, half of the teenage population is engaging in sexual activities, so abstinence-only education is possibly working only half of the time.

In the 10th grade, I took sex ed with my abundantly educated, deeply passionate biology teacher. She instilled fear into a large group of 15- and 16-year-olds. But, apparently, that fear didn't last too long because before I completed my sophomore year, a number of my classmates were parents; by the time we graduated, that number grew and before we hit 21, well, you get the picture.

If abstinence-only sex education only works with roughly half of the student population, we are failing our children. If we know, for whatever reason, that teenagers and young adults are going to have sex, we should teach them how best to protect themselves in those situations.

It would be invaluable if the definition of "sexual activity" officially included all sexual acts. If not, we will continue to have large numbers of teenagers and young adults who test positive for STDs and consider themselves virgins. The odds are if you do not think you are engaging in sexual activity, you will not consider taking precautions to protect yourself as much as possible.

Refusing to teach young adults and teens proper sexual health has something to do with 1 in every 4 teenage girls having an STD; but so does not taking the time to tell teenagers that peer pressure, skewed media imagery, violent music and other outside influences is not enough to participate in sexual activity.

Parents, guardians, siblings, mentors and community leaders, it's your responsibility to tell your children they should really consider not engaging in sex until they are old enough and responsible enough to make that decision and until they can fairly evaluate and maintain their sexual, mental, emotional, physical and psychological well-being.

The odds are people will engage in sexual activity if they're educated or not. Let us work together to provide the needed tools so people can make the best possible choices.

Katrina L. Rogers is a member of The Times Community Board. Send comments to shreveportopinion@gannett.com.

Katrina L. Rogers: Limited career opportunities uproot young professionals

2008-03-28T23:53:00.002-05:00

Published March 21, 2008

One particularly uneventful Friday evening I asked a friend, "So what do people with promising futures do in this city that feels like a small town?"

His response: "Leave."

So five days after Thanksgiving, 24-year-old Shreveport native LeRodrius McDowell took his own advice, packed up his car and moved to Atlanta.

Leaving doesn't sound all that bad of an idea to the number of college-educated, young adults who happen to reside in what — at times — seems to be a service-based city.

McDowell's reason for leaving: "The lack of career opportunities, lack of culture and the disproportionate balance between those with wealth and those in poverty is the reason I relocated to Atlanta. The pretense of equal opportunity in this city is as wretched as the streets we are subjected to drive on."

KaToya Strange, 25, found herself over 900 miles from home and longing for a return to the Ark-La-Tex."

I miss all of my family, I really don't want to have to travel 15 hours just to get home. The sad part is that I've looked and looked and looked for jobs in Shreveport and the jobs I've found don't offer decent salaries."

McDowell adds, "I have definitely faced roadblocks. Being that I am not interested in starting a career at GM, the hospitals, the call centers, the casinos or KCS, my options are definitely limited. I am expected to accept the same jobs and compensation that someone who just graduated high school would be offered."

These stories aren't atypical as a number of young adults are leaving Louisiana — particularly the northern portion of the state — for greener pastures elsewhere. Strange says she has friends who have all left Shreveport-Bossier City to establish careers in Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York, Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

"They all left home because the area lacks real opportunity. In Shreveport, either you're a teacher or you work on one of the boats," she says.

Locals aren't moving to only large cities for prospects.

McDowell says he has friends who have moved to Carrollton, Texas; Lewisville, Texas; Fayetteville, Ark.; and Farmer's Branch, Texas, just to name a few. They work as recreation specialists, inventory control specialists, team leaders/managers in training and account managers.

"I'd love to come back someday and help build this city into a more culturally diverse place to live, work and play. But today is just not that day," he laments.

Katrina L. Rogers is one of several twentysomethings columnists who appear on Fridays. Send comments to shreveportopinion@gannett.com.

Katrina L. Rogers: I'm frightened to think of obligations that will come if this "reform" does not work

2008-03-28T23:49:00.001-05:00

Published March 2, 2008

I'm a firm believer that, for some, perception is more relevant than reality; and so I was amused that our now governor ran a campaign that might have solidified the idea — for some — that as Louisianans we cheat, steal, kill and only support officials who do the same.

According to Bobby Jindal, being an elected official is a privilege — though I would imagine all citizens who qualify have the right — and to be worthy of that privilege, candidates (and spouses) must disclose their income, source of income, debt and so on.

I'm frightened to think of obligations that will come if this "reform" does not work. I find irony in the fact that the people who uphold the image of Louisiana being an ethically challenged state will be affected by this session in no shape, form or fashion.

Now, if we could only work on the perception the state lacks in education, employment, health care, violent crime control and viable options for anyone under the age of 40.

Katrina L. Rogers: Recommended reading: Don't let February end pursuit of black history

2008-03-28T23:34:00.003-05:00

Published February 28, 2008

Black History Month is almost over, but that does not mean you should stop learning about the experiences of those of the African Diaspora.

One way to learn about the history, legacies, struggles, joys, accomplishments and so on is through reading. Below is a list of books I compiled that will assist in introducing or reinforcing your appreciation for African-American history.

The Sport of the Gods
Author: Paul Laurence Dunbar
Notes: The story of a southern family relocating to New York to start anew but discover their lives in the North are on better tells the familiar story of Blacks during the Great Migration. Published in 1901.

Blues People: Negro Music in White America
Author: Amari Baraka (LeRoi Jones)
Notes: The book follows the history and contributions of African and African American music and their impact on overall American music. Published in 1963.

The Learning Tree
Author: Gordon Parks
Notes: The autobiographical novel of the famous photographer’s teenage years in Kansas. The film adaptation was the first major studio feature film directed by an African-American. Published in 1963.

Native Son
Author: Richard Wright
Notes: Tells the story of Bigger Thomas a young adult who feels trapped and limited in the impoverished South Side of Chicago in the 1920s. Published in 1940.

Things Fall Apart
Author: Chinua Achebe
Notes: Follows the life of Okonkwo, a well-respected elder in his African community. The book also explores how colonization is inevitable distruction. Published in 1959.

The Souls of Black Folk
Author: W.E.B. Du Bois
Notes: Several essays on race and race relations in America written by the noted scholar and and Civil Right’s activist. Published in 1903.

Invisible Man
Author: Ralph Ellison
Notes: Novel explores the struggles of African American men in a predominately-white American society. Published in 1952.

Roots: The Saga of an American Family
Author: Alex Haley
Notes: Fictionalized account of Haley’s ancestors’ experiences of being kidnapped in Africa, the Middle Passage and generations of slavery in America. Published in 1976.

Their Eyes Were Watching God
Author: Zora Neale Hurston
Notes: Novel that tells the life story of Janie Crawford, her transformation and search for love and respect without objectification in her relationships. Published in 1937.

Passing
Author: Nella Larsen
Notes: Novel that explores the complexities of African Americans “passing” for white. Published in 1929.

Coming of Age in Mississippi
Author: Anne Moody
Notes: Autobiography following the life of Moody from childhood to Civil Rights activist. Published in 1969.

Beloved
Author: Toni Morrison
Notes: Fictionalized slave narrative that explores the devastating events and effects of slavery as the protagonist would rather have her children dead than slaves. Published in 1987.

Autobiography of Malcolm X
Author: Alex Haley
Notes: Documents the various transformations of Malcolm X from young criminal to Civil Rights activist representing The Nation of Islam to forming concern for human rights. Published in 1965.

Death of Innocence: The Story of Hate Crime that Changed America
Author: Christopher Benson
Notes: Autobiography of Emmett Till’s mother and how her son’s murder changed her life and history. Published in 2004.

Bullwhip Days, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Confessions of Nat Turner; History of Mary Prince, a West Indian Slave; Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Voices from Slavery: 100 Authentic Slave Narratives, When I Was a Slave: Memoirs from the Slave Narrative Collection, Narrative of Sojourner Truth, Six Women's Slave Narratives, Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Remembers
Authors: Varies
Notes: In order to understand African American history, it is imperative that one understand why and under what conditions most African Americans ended up in America and the autobiographies of slaves should help form that conclusion.

Katrina L. Rogers: The problem with super-delegates

2008-02-21T21:03:00.002-06:00

Published February 21, 2008

I wonder how long it will take before the Democratic Party admits that super-delegates are not that great, nor productive, of an idea.

Because the race for Democratic presidential nominee is a close one, voters are growing more and more concerned that the 800 or so super-delegates will decide the winner.

My issue with super-delegates potentially having so much power this election is that their existence is based on the idea that former and current elected officials are more equipped to select the best candidate for the party.

Super-delegates are the result of the fiasco known as George McGovern's 1972 presidential bid. Apparently, the "powers that be" in the Democratic Party did not have faith that the majority or "regular voters" could select a nominee who could win in the big dance.

The last thing American voters need is a cloud of suspicion surrounding another presidential election. I think two in a row is more than enough. This year the Democratic Party is inevitably going to make history. As an African-American woman, I am excited to see the possibility of a bona fide African-American nominee and a woman presidential nominee.

Many years ago, people would not have been able to imagine this happening. In fact, several years ago, most of us would not have been able to dream this up. We only thought the country was ready for African-American and/or women presidents on television and film. Now we get to see life imitating art.

Because this nominee will mean so much to so many people, I hope with all of my heart that there will be no asterisk by the winner's name. No implications that Hillary Clinton won the nomination thanks to backroom deals or favors owed to her once presidential husband; no whispers of Barack Obama buying votes by making promises of things to come to super-delegates if he becomes president.

In 2004, I worked very hard with voter registration and education. I saw the hope that people had when they decided they would vote to make changes in our current administration. After Bush was re-elected, it was difficult for me to convince people that despite the results, their votes did matter.

How can you tell someone to vote and that being a part of the election process is important if they witness elected officials overstepping the people's voice and selecting a nominee?

In theory, having the people who are to represent us select a nominee should be OK. The issue is that they do not have to vote according to their constituents' wishes and that is a problem.If we elect officials to represent our best interest, maybe we should put pressure on them to vote with the people they represent.

I am concerned that if super-delegates select the nominee, there will be a democratic backlash. But in all honesty, maybe that's not so bad. Maybe the disheartened Democrats who refuse to become Republican will help establish another party that will present us with the multiple options we deserve.

There are two powerhouse political powers in America, but those parties are several parties within a party. Maybe we can have parties that are more aligned with our views instead of having to settle for just left or right. Yes, I know there are several political parties in America, but when it comes to presidential bids, they are limited.

Super-delegate and former Al Gore campaign manager Donna Brazil said on CNN, "If 795 of my colleagues decide this election, I will quit the Democratic Party. I feel very strongly about this."

I have a feeling that if the super-delegates decide the election, she will not be the only one looking for a new political home.

Katrina L. Rogers: BET founder has no room to lecture anyone about 'black issues'

2008-01-22T10:12:00.001-06:00

Published January 22, 2008

As you likely have heard, the founder of BET (Black Entertainment Television), Bob Johnson, decided to take Barack Obama to task on behalf of Hillary Clinton. While introducing Clinton to a crowd at Columbia College in Columbia, S.C., Johnson made several interesting comments in regard to Obama.

"To me, as an African-American, I am frankly insulted the Obama campaign would imply that we are so stupid that we would think Hillary and Bill Clinton, who have been deeply and emotionally involved in black issues — when Barack Obama was doing something in the neighborhood; I won't say what he was doing, but he said it in his book — when they have been involved," said Johnson.

Well, to me, as an African American, I am frankly insulted Robert L. "Bob" Johnson would imply we are so stupid that we would think he has a leg to stand on to even provide commentary when it comes to being involved with "black issues."

Bob Johnson has been the brains, heart and soul — I use all three terms very loosely — behind the downfall of black media in the past 20 years. I suppose Johnson thinks drug use is bad for recreational purposes but if you can make a profit from it, it's fair game, as BET has profoundly aired videos for songs that promote drug use, misogyny, the degradation of women, violence and other ills that affect our communities.

There is something seriously incompetent about a channel that is supposed to be geared towards and represent the black community when it offers mostly monolithic negative and harmful stereotypes in misleading images to our youth. It's deplorable that one of few BET shows that could have offered positive commentary — "College Hill," a reality show about black college students — ended up being just a visual tally board of who could have the most careless sex, drink the most and have the most fights. Wait, I think they showed them studying in one episode.

Great job.

Johnson's statements are as ironic as they come. While he is defending what the Clintons have done in regard to "black issues," he should be trying to rectify all of the damage he has done through the years. If he's so convinced the Clintons have been "deeply and emotionally involved in black issues" maybe he should ask them for advice on how to become involved when it doesn't have anything to do with exploitation and financial gains.

In addition, I question Hillary Clinton's public involvement with such a character. It's slightly contradictory to sell the notion of a female president being revolutionary while having a person speak on your behalf when that person has made a fortune in the business of violence against women and the African-American community.

Maybe Clinton didn't pick up on this, but Bob Johnson is far from a leader in the black community.

There's a reason why Johnson is never mentioned with the same regard as Oprah Winfrey, fellow black billionaire. Johnson isn't especially associated with respectability and integrity; he's associated with BET and no two words could be more opposite of the cable channel.

Obama has been forthright with his past or at least components of it. Bob Johnson, however, lacks the capacity to belittle someone's character based on morals.

Obama was a teenager who decided to change the course of his life and become a productive citizen. Maybe Johnson can ask Obama for advice after the Clintons school him on being involved with black issues.

Katrina L. Rogers, of Shreveport, is a member of The Times Community Board.

Times Community Board issues challenges for new administration, Legislature

2008-01-14T15:07:00.001-06:00

Published January 14, 2008

Members of The Times Community Board offer their thoughts on the threshhold of a new administration and Legislature in Baton Rouge:

New lawmakers can set tone for Louisiana

2008 is a huge political year for the country, but statewise, it may not be more of a big deal outside of Louisiana. With a new governor, a new House and Senate (with mostly familiar faces) and other state officials, this could easily be the beginning of a new start for our state.

My hope is the northwestern delegation can work together towards some common goals for the betterment of this region. I want the people who represent us to do it in a respectful and respectable manner. I hope our newer legislators go to Baton Rouge with an open mind, ready to learn as much as he or she possibly can. I suppose the same can be said for some of our not-so-new representatives, also.

I believe if our delegation can stand together as a formidable unit and Bobby Jindal keeps his word about including the northern half of Louisiana in state affairs, we'll be headed in the right direction. However, I'm concerned with the skimpiness of leadership roles for people from this area. I also don't have faith in all of our local lawmakers, but I believe the ones I do have faith in can provide leadership that will override the faults of our weakest link.

Katrina L.Rogers: Hold entertainers accountable for their actions

2008-01-14T15:02:00.000-06:00

Published on January 13, 2008

Apparently, 7.3 million viewers can make even Nickelodeon turn a blind eye to unwed teenage pregnancies.According to www.nielsenmedia.com, 7.276 million people, two times the average, tuned into the network to watch the season finale of "Zoey 101," the 'tween show starring Jamie Lynn Spears.

Spears, the 16-year-old little sister of Britney Spears, announced her unplanned pregnancy last month. The fourth season of the show that focuses on teenager Zoey and her friends is scheduled to debut next month. Taping of that season wrapped before Spears made her headline-grabbing announcement.

Apparently, there may be talks about the show returning for a fifth season. The very sad part is that it just might make business sense for Nickelodeon to milk — no pun intended — the situation for as long as it can. But what's even more disappointing is that Nickelodeon is known as one of the safer cable channels for children. Even the Cartoon Network shows adult content after dark. So what would picking up the show for another season say to the young, impressionable Zoey fans? Probably that being a teen mother isn't as difficult as people make it out to be and that a kid doesn't stop your dreams of becoming a star or at least getting on the cover of tons of magazines.

Scary.

In a country where abstinence education reigns supreme, we pay dearly because of our ignorance to sexual health. It's unfortunate, and deadly, that countless people (especially teens and young adults) unknowingly walk around with sexually transmitted infections because they don't protect themselves while participating in activities that do not fall under their extraordinary liberal definition of "sexual activity."

If we're trying to protect our children from the hypersexual television shows, movies and music, you might as well put a parental block on Nickelodeon the same way you block Cinemax and BET. How odd that the home of popular children's shows "SpongeBob SquarePants," "Rugrats" and "Jimmy Neutron" is also the home to a show with a 16-year-old star who's also a mother and a "baby's mama."

I thought Disney was doing a bad job by subliminally telling young girls that all of their dreams will come true and they'll be saved as soon as they find a man to take care of them. But now they employ actors who do amateur Playboy shoots between gigs. But then this is the same company that kept using Lindsey Lohan long after her personal demons became public.

I don't believe teenage and/or unwed mothers should be tarred and feathered; I don't think taking nude pictures means you should be completely blacklisted. I don't even think being an alcoholic means you should never work again. But I do believe the people who are in the business of entertaining impressionable young children and teens should be held at a different, higher standard.

Let's stop teaching our children that what these people do is excusable because they're celebrities. I'm all for adults doing adult things when they're not hurting other people, but when you make your money from marketing yourself to children, you should act accordingly.

Katrina L. Rogers is a member of The Times' Community Board. Send comments to shreveportopinion@gannett.com.

The Sincerest, Humblest Apology of 1/8/2008

2008-01-14T14:59:00.001-06:00

Posted on January 8, 2008

I goofed up. I made a mistake.While writing my column on Obama in Iowa, I hadn't decided how I was going to word Rev. Jesse Jackson winning primaries during his Presidential bids, so I skipped the parts where I'd refer to Jackson and wrote everything else.

The problem is that the version I completed, which acknowledges Jackson's accomplishments, was not the one I happened to turn in. In essence, I turned in an incomplete draft.

I turned the column in Friday morning but did not realize the blunder until late Friday evening, when it was too late to switch the stories. I agonized over it all weekend and hoped that I would be able to make changes before it ran, but when I saw in Sunday's paper that it was running Monday, I gave up hope.

I have no problems admitting that I made a mistake and that I’ll make a few more before it’s all said and done.

My biggest regret is that some people take everything that's written in the paper, or said on the news as the ultimate truth. I know that Obama wasn't the first person of color to win a primary, the fact that I know isn't that important. What's important is making sure the people who read my pieces aren't mislead or given inaccurate information.

I stand by my opinions, but I form those on truths and those are the same truths I aim to share with the people who read what I write.

I take full responsibility for my actions and I look at this as a learning experience. I hope that this reminds people that "the media" isn't always 100% accurate but we (I guess it's we and not they) are 100% human. Well, maybe most of us, I think a number of people would dispute Bill O’Reilly, Rush Limbaugh or Pat Robertson being human but for the sake of this argument, let’s assume they’re people.

Katrina L. Rogers: Obama's win in Iowa signifies change

2008-01-14T14:46:00.001-06:00

Published January 7, 2008

I had no idea that the results of the Iowa primary would affect my outlook on things. It's been less than 50 years since the Voting Rights Act, the marches from Selma to Montgomery and Dr. King's "I Have a Dream Speech." So the significance of Sen. Barack Obama becoming the first person of African ancestry to win an American presidential primary is invaluable.

I'm not campaigning for Obama, not saying he's the best candidate. I haven't made that decision yet. But I am left with the impression that people are honestly ready for a change and making those changes happen.

In 2006, voters said they wanted something different; not sure we really got it, but it was said nonetheless. I always stress the importance of voting and voter education but it was never clearer to me than in 2004 why people might feel their vote doesn't matter.

Election Day of 2004 was dark, gloomy and rainy. I saw people who obviously didn't get out that often but found voting an important cause. I was excited because so many people were voting, many just to change our administration. I went to bed — with hope — before knowing the results.

After learning Bush had been "re-elected" I felt like I'd misled people. I thought about how hard it was to get people to see their vote was important and that it would be almost impossible to have them see it after that.

But people didn't give up and Thursday's primary is proof.In a world where America has taken on the task of being the "enforcer of democracy," it's nice to actually see change on the horizon in the U.S.

Many people — both near and many nations away — have died, and continue to die, for the right to vote and elect their leadership.

It's refreshing to think that we actually may be forming the "almost all citizens have a voice" approach to a democratic republic that we're known for having.

When a man who wouldn't have been able to vote 50 years ago wins a primary, I take it as a sign of things to come.

Katrina L. Rogers is a member of The Times Community Board. Send comments to shreveportopinion@gannett.com.

It's Official, I'm Not a Fan of

2008-01-02T21:17:00.000-06:00

Alicia Key(e)s. Okay, I've been saying this for a minute. Since my friend's roommate gave me a copy of "Songs in A Minor."

Don't get me wrong, I think she has some songs that are worth humming when you feel the need to hum something hum-able.

My beef with her, if you can really call it beef --I wouldn't, though I just did -- is probably why so many people thinks she's the flyest of them all.

She's a manufactured as a Lee Press On nail that's already tinted red.

Don't believe me, you never noticed how her crew over at J pushed how she was the anti bump n grind, sing hooks on a track while touching your tummy {Key(e)s 'came out' in the midst of Ashanti taking over the summer and airwaves of 2001 or was it 02?}, classically trained, b-girl stance having, poetic, non-commercialized pop princess of the year? Y'all don't remember that? Remember when J couldn't decide if her 'real name' was Keys or Keyes but they insisted that it was, in fact, her actual surname and it was just destiny, fate that should would become the ubergifted pianist that she was?

Her videos perpetuated the same negative stereotypical imagery of black men that those "I'm in the pen, so I guess I'll write a street novel about the game" books that we all refer to as Urban "Lit."

I understand that a number of songs deal with separation and all, but was there any particular reason that her video love interest was always going to SingSing instead of, say, Stanford? If separation is separation, why go with the negative image? Why couldn't he have gone off to war (or at least basic training for those pre-pick a random Middle Eastern country to bomb War), why not college, why not move across the country because he just got this bomb ass job as an electrical engineer? Why prison/jail damnit?!

Like You'll Never See Me Again sounds like a Prince song.

This is correct and exactly why I don't like the garbage. If I wanted to listen to Prince, I'd listen to Prince. I get it, there's nothing new under the sun; but even the really good remakes have some bit of originality. At least some, at little bit. Every time I hear the song, I feel like it was a recording of some concert in honor of the man. You know, those shows that are usually on BET or VH1 (even MTV had a few) where a younger, sexier artist typically does injustice to the icon's iconic song.

I could go on, but I trust you get the point. I'd much rather listen to Chrisette Michele, at least she's originally boring as hell on her own, with her own monotoness and whatnot. You don't see her swagger jacking from (insert the name of another really boring under 30 singer), now do you?

Katrina L. Rogers: Concerns over HBCUs not valid

2007-11-02T12:54:00.000-05:00

Published November 2, 2007

U.S. News & World Report recently released a list of the top 50 Historically Black Colleges and Universities. As no surprise to many, Spelman College was ranked No. 1.

If you're not familiar with HBCUs, they're just what they say they are; colleges and universities that were founded, specifically, to educate former slaves, the children of former slaves and other African Americans shortly after the Civil War. According to the U.S. Department of Education, there are 103 HBCUs on American soil. Many are located in the South, but there are several in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and the north/south border state Maryland.

In recent years, people have questioned the need for schools geared toward black students. With segregation being over, or at least Jim Crow being deemed illegal, people don't see the need for schools that cater to a specific race.

Another argument that opponents of HBCUs have is that in the "real world" young adults likely won't have the opportunity to surround themselves by only people like themselves. They go on to say there is no diversity on a "black campus" and that you have to learn to get along with all types of people in order to become successful in life.

As the product of an HBCU — I graduated from Spelman — I can say that although those concerns might be sincere, they are not valid. While growing up, I've been the only black student in my entire grade. I know how it feels to be around people who might not be able to relate to you on, at least, some unspoken level.

There is something comforting about retracing the steps of your ancestors and continuing the legacies they created when they had no other options. I chose to attend my alma mater, not specifically because it was a black school, but because it offered me a very rich history of women who have made positive impacts on society.

I was never deluded into thinking I could run away to a small campus and forget all about racism, sexism, misogyny and other ills of the world; though I must admit that being a double majority, if only for a small amount of time, was quite ... freeing.

Despite the fact that I was free of racism and sexism, race, sex and pursuing an advanced education were about the only constants on campus. I went to school with the siblings of all-star athletes, people who grew up on food stamps, children of mega Hollywood stars and students whose parents didn't have more than a middle school education but were determined to insure their children would have better lives.

African Americans, like any other group of people, aren't all cut from the same cloth. While in school, I met a number of people with whom I shared very little background. Diverse does not begin to explain the collection of women who matriculated with me.

Not only did I learn a lot about myself, I learned a lot about other people and formed a better understanding of how the world works. That lesson is much easier when you have professors and classmates from all over the world: Africa, Asia, Europe and South America were some continents represented on campus; there were dozens of countries.

I completely understand that an HBCU education isn't for everyone, but if it's something someone is considering, I highly recommend the journey.

Web site's classified advertising goes overboard

2007-11-02T12:49:00.000-05:00

Published October 28, 2007

Thanks to the World Wide Web, many things in life have gotten a little easier. You don't have to go to the mall anymore because many stores have Web sites from which you can shop directly. Who needs a library when all the information of the world is accessible via your laptop?

And now the Internet, specifically craigslist.org, makes it much easier for people to sell and buy sex. Craigslist is an online community that dedicates pages to some of the more populated cities in the world. One feature of Craigslist is free classified advertising. A number of people use the site to sell or donate puppies, old appliances, instruments and sex.

On the page dedicated to the Shreveport metro area, there's a link for erotic services. Under that, you can select if you are interested in women for men, men for women, men for men or women for women and 17 other male, female, transsexual combinations.

Recently, prostitution via Craigslist has made headlines across the country. Two women were arrested in Slidell in connection with using the site for illegal activity.

Other men and women take the traditional approach to the service and police are cracking down.

Kacee Hargrave, public information officer for the Shreveport Police Department, says 90 percent of prostitution arrests are related to drugs, usually by trading sex for drugs.

Men and women with numbers from Fayetteville, Miami, Texarkana, Houston, Dallas and Lafayette make trips to Shreveport-Bossier City to meet up with clients.

And for those at risk for becoming infected with AIDS/HIV, the Philadelphia Center provides an outreach program.

Although the Philadelphia Center does not specifically target commercial sex workers for its HIV prevention education, Director of Prevention Sylvia McIntyre says if workers for the center see women out working, they'll give them information and condoms.

"Our street outreach is for anyone and everyone who's on the street. We don't limit our resources to just commercial sex workers," McIntyre said.

According to its Web site, one of the goals of the nonprofit organization is to "prevent the spread of HIV by educating the public with regard to how HIV is contracted and how its transmission may be avoided."

They also offer free HIV and other STD testing.

Katrina L. Rogers: Make educated choices before voting

2007-10-24T15:36:00.000-05:00

Published October 19, 2007

It's been said repeatedly that people, specifically young people, need to get out and vote. No one really bothers to explain why voting is important to the 18-30 age group and many don't expect us to be active in the political process.

It doesn't matter if you're old or young, white or black, poor or rich; everyone's vote has the same amount of value.

A number of politicians bet on the fact that younger people do not vote, therefore they're able to get away with things that aren't especially in our best interest.

The issues I've noticed as most important to the under-30 crowd are abortion, legalizing gay marriages, the cost of higher education, if the country will reinstate the military draft, the potential for economic growth and job availability.

The most consistent concerns and complaints I hear are in regards to how this country is being run.

We all should take the time to make sure we're supporting the candidate who not only says he supports what's important to you, but also has a consistent history of doing what he says he's going to do. Saying you support an issue just isn't the same as actually supporting it.

Just because he looks like you or you share the same political party doesn't mean he's necessarily the best person for the job. Collectively, we've all paid the price for party politics. Having Democrat, Independent or Republican behind someone's name doesn't make him or her innately better or worse. It also doesn't make them more or less ethical or honest.

It's easy to vote for the person who has the funniest commercials, the more famous endorsements or who seems less likely to embarrass us on a larger scale, but don't let that distract you from the issues that really matter.

Sadly, some people feel that the best person for the job is one who isn't running. There are probably more people who feel that way than we realize. Last year, I met a man who told me he wasn't going to vote for the New Orleans mayoral run-off because he doesn't "vote for the lesser of two evils."

What are you supposed to do when there isn't someone you can support in an election? Become more active in the primaries.

Work with people and show your support before the qualifying period ends or you can just hope that John Breaux moves back to Louisiana in time for the 2011 race.

It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the political process but it's imperative that we all educate ourselves on the issues that are important to us and finding the candidate who has the most promise of working in our best interest.

Don't vote for someone just because your parents, pastor, local politicians, favorite celebrity or whoever else told you to do so. Vote for the person who supports what's important to you.

We all must do our part in ensuring a better future for the city, parish, state and nation; and educated voting is the first step.

Katrina L. Rogers is one of several twentysomethings columnists who appear on Fridays. Send comments to shreveportopinion@gannett.com.

Homecoming fun shouldn't lead to drunken tragedy

2007-10-17T10:46:00.000-05:00

Published October 13, 2007

October means a number of things: Halloween, the World Series, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and usually, homecoming.

Homecoming is typically the hightlight of the football season and it never matters if your team is above or below .500.

For a number of people, especially the college crowd, homecoming can mean a full week partying and free-flowing alcohol. Oh yeah, you also get to see friends you haven't seen in years and play catch up with everyone.

Unfortunately, drunken partying can lead to drunken driving.

Let's get one thing straight, tipsy driving IS drunk driving. If you're impaired, you shouldn't be operating ANY machinery and certainly not a motor (or any other type of) vehicle.

Although 21 is the legal age for alcohol consumption in Louisiana, the number of high school students with access to liquor is far too high.

Driving while drunk is not limited to people in their 20s or teens. No matter if you've been driving for five months, five years or five decades, you shouldn't drive while inebriated.

Of the 982 Louisiana fatal traffic accidents in 2006, 475 or 48 percent were alcohol-related.

When someone decides to get behind the whell of a car, he's not only responsible for his life but the lives of the people around him.

Often times, the person who dies in an alcohol-related accident wasn't the one drinking.

Many lives and families have been ruined because someone thought she wasn't too drunk to drive. One of the more common characteristics of drunkeness is impaired judgment, so just because you think you're OK, doesn't mean you are.

Because we know that people under the influence don't always make the best decisions, it's imperative that friends and family members step up when we know someone is making wrong choices.

Please, if you know that someone intoxicated is planning to get behind the wheel, stop him or her. Offer them a ride, hail a cab or just take their keys, if you must.

If alcohol, or drugs, use is an important aspect of partying for you, before going out, select a responsible party who won't participate in those events as the designated driver.

A few hours of drunken spelndor are never, ever worth the lifetime of heartache that driving under the influence eventually causes.

Just because you haven't been caught or in an accident yet, doesn't mean that you never will.

Please, be careful and be cautious.

Katrina L. Rogers: Jena: Take a look at the bigger picture

2007-09-24T14:44:00.000-05:00

Published September 22, 2007

No one said that the young men known as the "Jena Six" were innocent of all wrongdoing. But I believe it's very important and productive to look at the bigger picture. Schoolyard fights happen every day,but rarely are those involved charged with attempted second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

Every day young, black men are arrested, charged and prosecuted forvarious crimes. Many times, there are no rallies on their behalf andno outcries from the nation about injustice.

Jena was different.

Jena isn't just a small town in Louisiana where six black kids had afight with a white boy. No, Jena is a microcosm of the sometimes strained and failed race relations in Louisiana, the South and the United States.

Thousands upon thousands of people didn't make their way to Jenabecause six black boys were punished for having a fight. People werein Jena because six black boys were excessively punished for having afight while the punishment for whites pulling out a gun on black students, nooses being hung from a tree on school property, guns being concealed on school property and whites beating up blacks were all not treated with the same conviction and fervor.

Because of that, people from all over this country gathered to stand up against civil and social inequality. Participants from Louisiana, Michigan, Georgia, Delaware, Missouri, Maryland, California and otherstates both near and far all felt that what happened in a small town with a population less than 3,000 is important enough for them to take action.

The rally was a reminder that people care. It was a reminder thatracism is, in fact, alive and well. It helped people realize that race relations have improved vastly in the past 50 years, but thatthere is tremendous work that still needs to be done.

The rally in Jena wasn't exclusive to the six individuals being charged.

People didn't just march for Mychal Bell, Theodore Shaw, Carwin Jones, Robert Bailey, Bryant Pervis and the unidentified juvenile.

They also marched for Genarlow Wilson, Gary Tyler, Megan Williams,Troy Lawrence Jr. and countless others.

Wilson is serving a mandatory 10-year sentence in a Georgia prison and considered a sexual predator because, at the age of 17, he hadconsensual oral sex with a 15-year-old girl. Upon his release, hewill not be able to live with his family because he has a sister who is a minor.

Tyler has been serving a life sentence in Angola since the age of 16 for the 1974 murder of a schoolmate. The murder occurred during the attack of a school bus carrying black children by a white mob displeased with integration. Despite a lack of physical evidence and the bus driver insisting that the shot was from outside the bus, an all-white jury found Tyler guilty. Years later, all witnesses against Tyler recanted their stories saying they were forced to give dishonest testimony because their families were threatened by police.

Last week, Williams, 20, said she was repeatedly raped, burned, choked and stabbed while being held captive by six whites in West Virginia who told her that they don't like black people. Although arrests have been made in the case, people are still troubled by the situation.

In July, New Orleans teenager Lawrence was attacked by Jefferson Parish sheriff's deputies after being pulled over, handcuffed and searched for speeding. The unarmed 5-foot-5-inch, 110-pound Lawrence was punched so hard the assaulting deputy's hand was broken becauseof the contact. After breaking his hand the deputy called for backupand Lawrence said this is when eight to 10 officers assaulted him.

In the Jena case, if reports are correct and prosecutor Reed Walters told students to stop making such a big deal over the nooses and thathe could make lives disappear with the stroke of a pen, he should be disbarred. If sneakers are considered a deadly weapon in Jena, the boots of Jefferson Parish sheriff's deputies that were used to assault Lawrence should be also.

Though many would call the rally a success, there is much more work that needs to be done all over the country. More wrongs need to be corrected. More rallies need to be planned. More voices need to be heard. More justice and equality need to be sought. More outrage. Less Vick, less O.J. Let us be more proactive so that we'll have to be less reactive.

Katrina L. Rogers: 'Kid Nation' brings Orwell, real world to mind

2007-09-18T10:03:00.000-05:00

Published September 18, 2007

More and more, some pieces of 20th Century British literature read like current headlines.

William Golding's "Lord of the Flies" explores the lives of shipwrecked boys and how they regress without supervision, quite similar in theme to the new CBS show "Kid Nation."

One promotion for the show suggests that adults have screwed things up and maybe unsupervised children are more equipped to make better decisions.

George Orwell's two novels, "Animal Farm" and "1984," could be parodies of our current presidential administration. Our current events are an eerie hybrid of those novels, both of which were first published about 60 years ago."

Animal Farm" begins with the coup of a farm by the animals living there. They have decided that they are more capable of managing things than the farmer so they run him off his property.

Hmm, thinking that we're more capable of running someone else's home and taking over so that we can do such, that sounds familiar.

The eventual (animal) leader of the farm, Napoleon, decides to re-write history and suggests that any animal that opposes his dictatorship is a villain.

Since 2001, history has been re-written, distorted and elected officials have been appointed instead of, well, elected. Instead of opponents being called villains, we get words like unpatriotic or lost souls.

Napoleon goes against every principle that "Animal Farm" was founded on, but his lackeys spend a great deal of time convincing the other animals that he is a great leader. They say he is only going against the animals' fundamental beliefs in order to make the farm a better place.

Some of our basic rights go out of the window when it's "believed" that not having them is in our best interest, or something like that. Wiretapping anyone's conversations because we feel like it will keep this country safe and prevent any more attacks on our soil. Keeping airport passengers dehydrated will have them too weak to cause us any harm.

Napoleon's supporters try to convince the other animals of his great doings while they are overworked, hungry and lacking proper shelter. Convincing the destitute that they're under great leadership though they are in dire need? Wow, I'm glad stuff like that doesn't happen in America.

Napoleon sells his greatest supporter (a horse named Boxer) to a glue factory so that he may purchase more liquor and drinking whiskey becomes a habit of his.

That reminds me of soldiers who dutifully serve multiple or extended tours in Iraq. They bravely fight for our country and maybe the thanks one of our injured soldiers could get is a stay in a medical center like Walter Reed.

In the end of the story, all founding principles have been reduced to one line: "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."

In 1776, Thomas Jefferson wrote "all men are created equal." I suppose he literally meant "men" and only those who weren't black or Native American or poor.

There is still a serious lack of equality in America: compare Mississippi's federal recovery assistance to that of Louisiana's. Or compare the differences between education and health care for the rich and poor.

Maybe that promotion had a point after all.

Katrina L. Rogers of Shreveport is a member of The Times Community Board.

Katrina L. Rogers: Hurricance Katrina evacuees find hope in Shreveport

2007-09-02T17:30:00.000-05:00

Published August 29, 2007

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated the New Orleans metropolitan area. Hundreds of thousands of people were forced to evacuate in only a couple of days, if they had that much time.

A number of those people found their way to northwest Louisiana. Since then, many have decided to make Shreveport home. Below are the stories of three people who left New Orleans to escape Katrina and found triumph in Shreveport.

Leonard Weather

Dr. Leonard Weather makes a point of being accessible to his patients even if it means he has to travel all over the state."I typically spend my weekends on the road. I make a point of seeing my patients in New Orleans, Houston, Lafayette and Baton Rouge."

He said his move from New Orleans to Shreveport was smooth because he's been on staff with Willis-Knighton for 10 years. He also added it helps that he and his wife, Dr. Cynthia Montgomery, an OB/GYN, already had a home in Shreveport.

Not having to worry about shelter gave him the opportunity to focus his energy on helping others. "I was communicating with a number of doctors from all over the world who were willing to come to Louisiana to help out. Because of my position with the National Medical Association, I was able to help get doctors to New Orleans," he said.

He's also using those same resources to help other physicians who are still dealing with Katrina-related issues and keeping people updated about the progress of Greater New Orleans.

"I regularly send out e-mails to doctors around the country letting them know how people are dealing with health-care issues, malpractice insurance and uncompensated care. That's in addition to telling them about the city."

A man who got into medicine to help people has stayed true to his initial goal.

He added, "I decided that I wanted to practice gynecology because of the numbers for black women who were misdiagnosed with needing hysterectomies. I want to enhance the quality of health care for all people."

Michelle Coxen

Michelle Coxen says that having her sister, Anita Coxen Loud, and family open their home to not only her, but her entire immediate family gave her an opportunity to succeed in Shreveport post-Katrina.

Before becoming the coordinator of media and public relations at Southern University-Shreveport, Coxen was with the New Orleans Police Department.

In addition to acclimating herself to a new city, she had to get her then 11-year-old son settled. She proudly states that he's doing well and has responded positively to the move.

She describes herself as fortunate because she didn't have to endure a number of hardships that many others experienced. Despite saying there were times when things were "rough financially because of the unexpected transition," she has looked at this as an opportunity to broaden her horizons and has looked at the change as being something positive.

For now, she calls Shreveport home though she'd consider moving back to New Orleans if certain things were in place. "The federal government needs to step up and start correcting infrastructure. There also needs to be reasonable housing and education. They need more businesses in the area."

Coxen considers herself blessed because she didn't lose any family members due to Katrina. She also voiced her gratitude to her family and the SUSLA family for their ongoing support.

"I want people to be inspired and know that they can do whatever it is that they need to accomplish. Yes, Katrina was a tragedy but people should know that they can get through it and move forward," she stated.

Talmadge B. Mitchel

On making the decision to leave his Gentilly neighborhood and permanently relocate to Shreveport, certified public accountant Talmadge B. Mitchel tells a quick story.

"We went to New Orleans, looked at our house, took a picture and said bye-bye house." He said he knows that may sound cold to some but he cannot dwell on things a lot.

"The things I miss can't be replaced. I have my life, my family and my faith. What's more important than that?"

Despite the fact that many people have moved from New Orleans, they're still connected to and concerned about the city. "Although my family moved, I'm in New Orleans a lot. I still have clients in the city."

Being active in New Orleans hasn't prevented him from making Shreveport home. "Of course I feel I am a part of the community," he said. "I was fortunate enough to work on the mayor's campaign and that definitely made me feel a part."

He said the only drawback to relocating is that he has to start his company from scratch and that requires a lot of traveling. "It will take some time, but I don't mind it taking time because I want to do it the right way."

Mitchel isn't sure people are grasping all that must happen in order for New Orleans to heal. "I don't think people understand the difficulty in rebuilding a city that was 80 percent destroyed."

He said his strength comes from his faith, adding, "I know who takes care of me and I know that I'll be taken care of."

These three stories are only a few of many Katrina stories. Each person highlighted stressed the importance of his or her faith and the endless possibility of success despite hardships and setbacks.

Katrina L. Rogers: We can all help in N.O. rebuilding effort

2007-09-02T17:25:00.000-05:00

Published August 28, 2007

Two years ago, the largest, most destructive natural disaster changed Louisiana forever. The combination of a powerful hurricane, an inadequate Corps of Engineers design and a stalled response from the government provided the foundation to devastation all summed up with two words: Hurricane Katrina.

As some battle "Katrina fatigue" and others ponder why recovery efforts seem nonexistent in some areas, many people try to figure out how they can assist in the rebuilding of one of America's greatest cities. I have a short list of things we all can do to help.

Donations

I won't point fingers — at least not now — and say specific national or international organizations aren't using the money they received on behalf of Katrina recovery for Katrina. It goes without saying some entities may seemingly accept money under the guise of one specific effort while sending your hard earned money to, oh let's say, Asia or something.

There's nothing wrong with spreading the wealth, but sometimes you want what you send to go where you were trying to send it. Because of that, I suggest you give directly. If there's an organization, cause or field you're passionate about, give to a local branch instead of giving to huge corporations and hoping some of what you donated trickles down to the intended destination.

Money isn't the only thing you can give. Offer your time. Become a mentor or volunteer with groups or organizations that work on projects important to you. There are always opportunities with grass-roots institutions and they typically offer you a hands-on approach.

Political activism

State Rep. Juan LaFonta, D-New Orleans, says the biggest thing people in Shreveport and around the state can do to assist in Katrina recovery is "put pressure on their local delegation to assist in getting residents back to New Orleans." He went on to add that Rep. Patrick Williams and Sen. Lydia Jackson have been active in ensuring his city has the support it needs to recover.

Let's not limit our voices to our local politicians, we should also let New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Washington, D.C., lawmakers know that we're watching them and we have expectations. Even if you have no personal interest in the area, you should take note that what does or does not happen south of the Ark-La-Tex affects us here. Maybe this is a foreign concept to some, but 64 parishes create one Louisiana and we should act accordingly.

Offer a helping handand understanding

As cheesy and after-school special as it may sound, small gestures really do make a difference. Asking a person how things are coming along, being eager to introduce him or her to a support system, offering an ear or just simple words of encouragement could mean more than you'd ever imagine.

In our lifetime, there may never be a point when people can fairly ask, "When will they get over that?" For many people, especially children, the mental, emotional and social affects of Katrina will be long-term. Yes, people will rebuild houses and get new cars but that doesn't erase the damage of being trapped in subtropical conditions for nearly a week while powerful officials gave us their interpretation of what inadequate leadership looks like.

Most of us will never understand how it feels to lose your home. Not just your physical house but your home, your family, your past and what you thought would be your future. Because most us of won't experience that, we probably aren't in the position to tell people how they should feel.

With that being said, I want to commend all who have bravely endured hardships that many people will never be able to comprehend. Because of that, I don't call them Katrina victims but Katrina survivors.

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Katrina L. Rogers is a member of The Times Community Board.

Debit or credit: Which one is better?

2007-09-02T16:52:00.000-05:00

Published August 17, 2007

Dillard University alum and graduate student Charlotte Lovelace said she was ready to have a credit card when she turned 18.

She said, "Credit cards are for emergency expenses in the event I do not have enough money to cover certain necessities."

Financial discipline is imperative when aiming for a healthy financial record when dealing with credit cards. Sometimes the desire to spend is far stronger than the need to save; that's when debit cards, especially prepaid debit cards, become invaluable.

The difference between a debit card and credit card is that it's usually harder to spend money that you actually have. Credit cards typically aren't as "final answer-ish."

Even better for people who haven't perfected their budgeting skills is the prepaid debit card. This card is sometimes not linked to a bank account but, more importantly, it is not an extension of your checking account.

The prepaid debit card has it's own separate account that only gives you access to the amount of money you've placed into the account. It's similar to a regular debit card except the penalties for spending more than you'd like are limited. Once you've met your limit, you simply cannot use the card until you place more money into the account.

Ken Uffman, of the Louisiana Jumpstart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, says the benefits of using a debit card instead of a credit card don't especially help with establishing financial responsibility and literacy.

He goes on to explain that financial literacy and responsibility are methods to eliminating a number of problems in the future. There are a number of consequences to having bad credit and one of the biggest ones that many people seem to overlook is trouble in the job market. "There are a number of good students who can't get jobs because of bad credit," Uffman says.

He adds, "Though a job search may seem unrelated to bad credit, many companies are beginning to add credit checks in addition to other background checks on applicants before offering a job. For employers, it offers a way of tracking the applicant's level of responsibility."

Lovelace advises young adults against spending money they don't have and what they could possibly never make. She also wishes she would have known about "annual membership fees."

Some tips from Uffman for teenagers and young adults in dealing with credit cards and budgeting:

Pay yourself first.
You cannot properly budget if you have not set aside a specific amount for your savings account.
Before marriage, couples should review each other's credit background and history.
Don't ignore the consequences of defaulting on credit accounts.
Parents should get their teens a low-limit credit card, if getting a card is necessary.
Parents should explicitly explain the downfalls of not being a responsible consumer.
Check credit reports on a regular basis for any incorrect information or identity theft.
If you suspect identity theft make a police report and contact a credit bureau.
Buy credit card reports at least four months apart.
Focus on purchasing your needs instead of your wants.
Remember that once you defer, you will end up paying more for the product than it's worth.
Track your expenses for one month to pick up on and address patterns.

Lovelace says she has no financial regrets but says she's actively saving for the future. When asked if she's concerned about having credit issues in the future she responds, "No, I try to stay on top of things like that."

Unfortunately, she may be the atypical 22-year-old.

Katrina L. Rogers: CNN generation fully engaged

2007-09-02T16:36:00.001-05:00

Published August 3, 2007

I have yet to make it to 25 years, but I vote. I've been a registered voter since I was 18. I've even been registered in two states. I care about politics and policies. I'm familiar with the candidates and I pay attention to what's going on in Baton Rouge.

I always find it so interesting when people say that my generation is an apathetic one. I participated in forums when young black women decided to take a stand against degrading music.

I worked with a group of students who launched their own fundraiser so they could charter buses from Atlanta to New Orleans so that they could assist in rebuilding the city. Shortly after Katrina and Rita devastated the coast, hundreds of students — most between the ages of 17 and 21 — went out and did what they believed needed to be done.

I have spent countless days assisting with voter registration. The majority of those new voters were people 25 and under, a group that is supposedly uninformed, void of passion and disinterested.

According to USA Today, 20 million people under the age of 30 voted in the 2004 presidential election. That's a lot of votes from a group of people who just don't care.

If anything, I'd like to believe that people 30 and under are a special bunch that's ready to implement change both domestically and internationally.

I'm glad that people of this age range are stepping up because the thought of our next group of leaders coming from the crop of individuals born in the early 1970s and teens in the 1980s concerns me.

There's not much wrong with this group besides being credited as extremely selfish with a narrow outlook on life. It's not their fault. They just happen to have parents who made the big switcheroo from civil rights and free love to McMansions and creating yuppies.

My generation, however, was the first to grow up with CNN in our homes. We were small children in elementary school when Bernard Shaw broadcast live from the Gulf War.

More than ever, global communication is readily available which gives us the opportunity to see and hear events from someone else's point of view. That explains why a presidential debate can be held via YouTube and why Bobby Jindal has a Facebook account.

I believe the Internet plays a significant role in how we not only see the world but how we're all ultimately alike in a number of ways, and why we trust that we can — and should — change things for all of us.

Katrina L. Rogers of Shreveport is a member of The Times Community Board.

Article: "Katrina L. Rogers: In Black and White: Media Portrayals Impact Self-Images"

2007-09-02T13:30:00.000-05:00

Published April 20, 2007

"I remember when I was little and told that I can't be a princess because I'm black and princesses can't be black," says teen filmmaker Kiri Davis. Davis' film, "A Girl Like Me," is informing people that the self-consciousness caused by poor race relations in America has not changed much in the past 60 years.

Davis, like many young African-Americans, struggles with constant negative portrayals of blacks in the media. Racism, misogyny, colorism, distorted values, a lackluster community base and absent leaders all play major roles in the limited positive images of blacks in the public eye. Davis' film solidifies this argument.

Nicole Duncan-Smith, youth media specialist and author of the children's book, "I Am Hip-Hop," says, "Children cannot be left to their own devices in determining who they are and what their sense of idealized self should be. They come to us for direction and we ought to give it to them."

A recent development is Disney's announcement of its first animated black princess. The company's coming feature film "The Frog Princess" will star Maddy, a black chambermaid in New Orleans. The tentative setting is the French Quarter in the 1920s.

Many African-American mothers hope this film will assist in giving young black children a boost in confidence when they see a character who resembles them, though Disney has received criticism because of its needy portrayal of women.

The first half of Davis' film shows young African-American women talking about struggles with self-worth for black girls because of a lack of cultural connection and the need to live up to a European standard of beauty.

The second half covers a doll study created by Dr. Kenneth Clark and his wife, Mamie. His test presented the harmful effects of racism on black children and was used as evidence to support desegregation in the Supreme Court's 1954 ruling in Brown v. Board of Education.

In the test, kindergarten-aged children are placed in front of a table with two dolls, one white and one black. The children are then asked to select the doll they believe is better. In Clark's study, an overwhelming majority selected the white doll.

Six decades later, "A Girl Like Me" shows 15 of 21 children tested saying they prefer to play with the white doll, or that the white doll is nice while the black doll is considered bad. One young girl says the black doll is bad and then says she looks like the bad doll. Though disappointing, these results aren't particularly shocking when a great deal of African-American images portrayed in the media are negative.

Despite the fact that many notable scholars, humanitarians, politicians, artists, spiritual leaders and scientists are of African descent, black children in America are constantly reminded that they are not ideal. English philosopher John Locke argued children are born tabula rasa, or a blank slate, and if that's the case, some outside source is making a number of black children believe they're inferior.

Melanie Davis, a fifth-grade teacher at Lakeshore Elementary in Shreveport says it comes from, "the images that they see on TV. Images that don't especially look like them seem to be the standard of beauty ... not them. It is hard to try and tell a student that they are beautiful on both the inside and the outside when all they see in the media is not their image."

Most importantly, let children know that they are loved for who they are and teach them to love themselves. Duncan-Smith adds, "I know that my daughter won't see herself as a queen if I leave it to her 7-year-old mind to interpret her world. It is my duty to place her on her throne."

Katrina L. Rogers is one of several twentysomethings columnists who appear on Fridays. Send comments to shreveportopinion@gannett.com.

Katrina L. Rogers: 'Sicko' quarantine in effect for local theaters

2007-09-02T13:12:00.000-05:00

Published July 20, 2007

Because I'm a resident of "the next great city of the South," I was under the impression that I could hop into my car and head to a local theater so I could catch the latest Michael Moore health care documentary, "Sicko."

Well, I guess I can technically do that if my definition of local is liberal enough.

Longview is the nearest city that's showing the Moore film exploring healthcare — or a serious lack thereof for millions — in America.

Longview is about 70 miles from my house.

If, for some reason, I want to support a Louisiana business and see "Sicko" in state, I'd have to hop on I-49 and head towards the Gulf of Mexico.

Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Lafayette and New Orleans suburb Harahan are the only cities in the state that are showing "Sicko."

Harahan with all of about 10,000 residents, is offering what Shreveport cannot — a screen dedicated just for "Sicko."

Cinemark, the parent company of Tinseltown is showing "Sicko." Well, they're showing "Sicko" in Reno, Nev.

Several "great" cities of the South (Austin, Charlotte, Houston, Atlanta and Dallas) are all showing "Sicko" at local AMC and Regal Cinemas.

We have two Regal Cinemas in Shreveport-Bossier (Regal Bossier Corners Cinema 9 and the Boardwalk Theater) yet, neither are showing the documentary.

So after calling both local Regal theaters several times, I was told by a manager of the Boardwalk Regal that if I wanted to see the film I should go to a larger city.

Thanks.

But Harahan, Longview and, some could argue, New Orleans aren't larger than Shreveport-Bossier City.

Next, I call Regal's corporate headquarters in Knoxville and they tell me the film company, Lionsgate, decides when and where the film is being shown.

Of course, I called Lionsgate next and I was floored by the information the guy on the other end of the phone shared.Well, not really.

He told me, like the local Regal and Regal corporate that "Sicko" is only being shown on 700 screens nationwide. He went on to say, "If you want the movie to be shown locally, call your theater and tell them."

When I asked him how many calls needed to be made before the company took heed, he forwarded me to someone's voice mail. I left a message but I don't really expect to hear anything.

By the way, everyone I talked to said they couldn't give their names. In fact, the manager at the Boardwalk's Regal only gave me the general manager's name, Mike Nelson, after I asked her several times.

I'll leave you with what I got out of this excursion; Hollywood doesn't especially think we're the next great city of the South that we're bound to be and until they start to recognize our unlimited potential, we should call both Regal Cinemas and other theaters like crazy telling them we want to see "Sicko" — and other limited released films — until we get what we want.

Katrina L. Rogers of Shreveport is a member of The Times Community Board.

Hello There

2007-08-23T11:56:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! This blog will be used to "house" my work all in one place. Simple as that. I hope you enjoy and comment are more than welcome.

Be well,

Katrina