Page 12 - 2021 MAHOGANY REVUE 02 APARIL

6B MAHOGANY REVUE 02 APRIL 2021
HOW THE 1ST US CITY TO

~~KEEPING IT NATURAL~~
FUND REPARATIONS FOR
LEARNING TO SAY NO
BLACK RESIDENTS IS
MAKING AMENDS
by Mae Johnson

No is Not a Dirty Word
CONTINUED FROM

As expressed by Annie PAGE 1A
Lamott, "no is a complete
sentence." The word no is
often considered to be a Dino Robinson is the
sentence because the founder of the Shorefront
implied subject and verb Legacy Center in
associated with it, is one Evanston, an archive dedi-
that could be naturally cated s...
assumed from the
surrounding its frame of But records paint a clear
reference. This article is picture of exactly how
about not being afraid to
say NO. racial inequality developed
in the city.
No Explanation Needed
"Black community mem-
In today’s hurry up and get bers were moving through-
there society, the need to out Evanston and forming
say no is missing in most … Black pockets in the
people's vocabulary. You city of Evanston,"
cannot say no because you Robinson said. "It caused and far
will feel guilty and afraid the white community to removed from public Today, white people in
that no one will like you
anymore. If you say no, start panicking, like, 'What transportation and the Evanston make nearly
you will upset the masses do we do about this?' city's downtown. double the income and
and people will judge you one-word statement of no; message. In all, no is a According to Robinson's have double the home
harshly. However, you you will know when the perfectly good answer; Articles, reports and stud- report, homes in the area value of their Black neigh-
can and should learn to time arrives. In addition, learn how to use it when ies were conducted on the had smaller lot sizes, and bors according to the most
say...NO. never feel you must always you feel victimized. Black community to dis- at the time, many had no recent U.S. Census. This
explain why you gave a no cuss what should be done, electricity, water or sew- racial wealth gap is preva-
It is Perfectly Fine to answer. That should be Words to Live By: No is Robinson said. And ers. lent nationally, with Black
Say No. your choice and how you a perfect declaration, Americans possessing less
feel at that moment. learn how to use it. Evanston, like many cities "The only option to buy in than 15% of the wealth
it is acceptable to say no Sometimes it is best to across the country,
when you feel simply say no and not add embraced the practice of Evanston was basically in that White Americans

uncomfortable about doing anything additional to your For more information on redlining. the 5th Ward," Robinson have, according to the
something that takes you statement. Oftentimes, this article, contact Mae said. "Banks in Evanston Federal Reserve 2019
out of your comfort zone. when you add too much Johnson at 850-284-7185 "Redlining was a federal would not loan to Black Survey of Consumer
There is a time and a place verbiage, your no gets lost or maenotes39@ mail.com project to determine the families for housing [and] Finances.
when you should use the in the context of the market values of areas and the real estate agencies
neighborhoods," Robinson would not show you any- Black residents who lived
BLACK CHESS CHAMPION TO explained. "[There were] thing other than the 5th through redlining in
Evanston -- and their
four categories, 'A' being Ward."
descendants -- are eligible
VIRTUALLY TRAIN the highly desired area, 'D' In the late 1940s, the city for reparations. That
the lower, lowest-value
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE FOR properties. The 'D' areas also demolished some includes 98-year-old,
were usually relegated to homes belonging to Black Benjamin Gaines Sr. and
FREE ON GOOD DEEDS DAY the Black community. 'D' families that were outside his son, Benjamin Gaines
Jr. The Gaines family
of the 5th Ward -- or phys-
was always in red."
ON APRIL 11TH ically took them from their moved to Evanston in
foundations and moved 1959.
In Evanston, Black resi-
dents were moved into a them into the redlined
triangle-shaped area that boundaries. "We did something that
became the 5th Ward, not a whole lot of Black
deliberately segregating "The historic redlining families were able to do in
them from white families, impacts our community Evanston," Gaines Sr. told
sought-after property, and today," Rue Simmons said. ABC News. "That's build a
ultimately, wealth. "That map still is the map house from the ground
of our concentrated Black up."
The 5th Ward was bor- community, our disinvest-
dered by what was then a ment, our inferior infra-
CONTINUES NEXT ISSUE
sewage canal on one side structure." CONTINUES NEXT ISSUE
BUY “GET CLEMENCY NOW” SOLD IN
BOOKSTORES

In celebration of this year’s is recognized around the change the lives of others –
Good Deeds Day, Orrin world for his mentoring especially young people.”
“Checkmate” Hudson, a work in the community via
national mentor and award- his Atlanta-based nonprofit Hudson has been dubbed
winning community called Be Someone. During the “Pied Piper of
activist, is offering a free his free virtual training, he Positivity” by CNN for
online training session via will use a giant chessboard coaching his students to a
Zoom on Sunday, April 11, to teach strategies on statewide chess champion-
from 3pm to 5pm EST. The problem-solving and ship and three citywide
event will open to both success. chess championships. His
youth and adults, age 8 to program has served 65,000
88. As an international Once an at-risk youth students since 2000. He has
chess champion, Orrin will himself who followed a even been awarded the
be giving away free path of personal hardship George H.W. Bush Points
strategies to help both and heartache, Orrin has Of Lights Award and the
young ones and older ones been a champion for the prestigious FBI Director’s
alike to clearly understand community for more than Community Leader Award.
that there are consequences 20 years. He says his
for every move they make training is “designed to Those interested in joining
in life. provide constructive tools his upcoming free event
Hudson, who has been for life.” can use the following link
featured in People to log on Zoom on April
Magazine, on the cover of “The game of chess 11th at 3pm EST:
Chess Life Magazine, and changed my life,” says https://zoom.us/j/77046564
on Good Morning America, Hudson. “Now, I use it to 45

BLACK FATHER GETS

CUSTODY OF HIS DAUGHTER

AFTER SHE WAS SECRETLY

ADOPTED

Christopher Emanuel, a
Black father from South
Carolina whose daughter
was adopted without him
knowing, has finally
gained full custody after an
intense court battle. Since
then, he has also founded
an organization called the With that, he was sup- out-of-state adoptions with Emanuel as court
Sky Is The Limit posed to be notified if the under special circum- records cleared showed his
Foundation to help other child was put up for adop- stances, including when a paternal rights were termi-
fathers who are going tion. But when a family child is biracial. nated without his permis-
through the same ordeal. filed a motion to adopt sion. He was then granted
In 2014, Emanuel said his Skylar on February 19, Emanuel endured a sole custody of his daugh-
girlfriend, who is white and 2014, Emanuel wasn’t lengthy court to dispute the ter.
whose family did not hurt, I was confused he listed himself on informed. adoption. He said at some
approve of their relation- because I wanted to insure February 4, 2014 on the point, he even considered To help other fathers with
ship, placed their newborn that I could be there for my Responsible Fatherhood The adoptive family, who just adopting his own similar cases, Emanuel’s
daughter Skylar up for child,” he told WACH Registry, a South Carolina were from San Diego, were daughter back as he almost foundation has recently
adoption without his per- News. database for those who able to adopt Skylar even lost hope he would see her launched a Kickstarter
mission. fathered a child but were though they’re from anoth- again. campaign that aims to end
Since Emanuel knew that not married. er state due to a South adoption trafficking in the
“I was lost, man, I was his girlfriend was pregnant, Carolina law that allows After a year, a judge sided US.