THE URBAN EXPERIENCE March 2019 VOLUME 4 | ISSUE 11 The Urban Experience 1
individuals feeling empowered after they have heard the stories of others. Make sure to check out Stories to Tell My Daughter on Sunday March 17th. Doors open at 4:00p.m. at Grandview University. Tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite for $20. March is a special month for many different reasons. Students and teachers would tell you they are excited for Spring Break. If you are Dr. Suess fan, there is the celebration of his birthday with Read Across America. I love the month of March because it’s Women’s History Month! I don’t believe we celebrate women as we should. Women wear many hats such as wife, sister, aunt, cousin, girlfriend, co-worker just to names a few. This month I wanted the front cover to show woman who are making a difference, and I believe will go down in history in Iowa as one of the greats. Here is a little about each of the women on the front cover. Emily Lang teaches Urban Leadership for Des Moines Public Schools and is the Urban Arts Coordinator. She is cofounder of RunDSM and makes an impact on young people each day as she encourages them to use their voice to speak up for all to hear. Teresa Zilk has phenomenally put on Stories to Tell My Daughter. She creates an environment that leaves Mary Campos is an icon and activist in our community, she is the first Latina co-chair of the Iowa Brown-Black Presidential Forum, a member of the Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame, and one of the founders of the Iowa Democratic Hispanic Caucus. Ying Sa is the founder and Principal Certified Public Accountant at Community CPA. Ying works tirelessly and selflessly in her community and shares her expertise with her clients. Ying has been honored with many awards in volunteerism, entrepreneurial, and community spirit. Deborah Berry is a former State Representative who served district 62, and is currently the Executive Director of the radio station KBBG. She has made an impact in her community and according an article recently written in the Waterloo Courier, Berry wants to continue to build KBBS into the powerful media center that will teach youth the importance of having a voice (community learning center) and empower all listeners in communities to be active and participate in making the community “one.” Catherine Williams who is known as a trailblazer and is over 104 years young was a deputy commissioner of the Iowa Shekinah Young is the Executive Director of the Back 2 School Iowa and was this years Influencer of the Year Finalist. She is a driven leader who is currently in the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute class of 2019. Shekinah has a passion for this community and continues to be a change agent. All these women have made their mark in the communities they serve. They are true servants and give of themselves without expecting anything in return. I’m excited to watch them in 2019 and the years to come! Take the time this month to give a shout of to women who have impacted your life. Happy Women’s History Month to you all! -Dwana Bradley Department of Social Services, and the highest-ranking African American official in Iowa state government when she retired in 1981. She held the first statewide training program for foster parents of special needs children and wrote the department’s first foster care study. Elaine Estes was the first African American Executive Director of the Des Moines Library and the first woman to hold the position in 50 years. She was recognized by DSM Magazine’s Sages Over 70. She has served and been a champion in the African American Community for years.
WRITERS & STAFF Editor-In-Chief Dwana Bradley Contributors Bert Moody Pastor Rosezine Wallace Hal Chase Margo Jones Gary Lawson Celeste Lawson Lori A. Young Copy Editor Virgina Smith Pastor James Wilson Greg Harris Angela M. Jackson Virginia Smith Teresa Bradley Shyasia Barker Cle’Shai Harden MAGAZINE OUTLETS Broadlawns 1801 Hickman Road, Des Moines, IA 50314 CareMore 1530 East Euclid, Des Moines, Iowa 50313 Cardinal Cleaners 1245 21st, Des Moines IA 50311 Cardinal Cleaners 835 Hull Ave, Des Moines, IA 50316 Central Library 1000 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309 DMACC Urban Campus 1100 7th Street, Des Moines, IA 50314 DSM Brew Coffee Co. 300 Martin Luther King Jr. Pkwy, Suite 140, Des Moines, Iowa 50309 Drake Diner 1111 25th Street, Des Moines, IA 50311 Eastside Library 2559 Hubbell Ave. Des Moines, Iowa 50317 Evelyn Davis Center 801 Suite #3, University Ave, Des Moines IA 50314 Fifields Pharmacy 501 University Ave. Des Moines, IA 50314 Iowa-Nebraska NAACP 1620 Pleseant Suite #210, Des Moines, IA 50314 Forest Library 1326 Forest Ave, Des Moines, IA 50314 Franklin Library 5000 Franklin Ave. Des Moines, Iowa 50310 Hy-Vee 3330 Martin Luther King Jr. Pkwy, Des Moines, IA 50310 John R. Grubb YMCA 11th Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50314 Johnston Library 6700 Merle Hay Rd. Johnston, Iowa 50131 Northside Library 3516 5th Ave. Des Moines, Iowa 50313 Mr. Bibbs 2705 6th Ave, Des Moines, IA 50313 Senior Polk County 2008 Forest Ave, Des Moines IA 50314 Smokey Row Coffee Co. 1910 Cottage Grove, Des Moines, Iowa 50314 Southside Library 1111 Porter Ave. Des Moines, Iowa 50315 The Great Frame Up 5515 Mills Civic Parkway Suite #150, West Des Moines, IA 50266 The Des Moines Civil and Human Rights 602 Robert D. Ray Drive, Des Moines IA 50309 The Urban Dreams 601 Forest Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50314 Traditions Grooming Parlor 1111 E. Army Post Road Ste. 154 Urbandale Public Library 3520 86th Street, Urbandale, IA 50322 Urbandale Chamber of Commerce 2830 100th Street, Suite 110, Urbandale, IA 50322 West Des Moines Library 4000 Mills Clive Pkwy, West Des Moines, Iowa 50365 The Zone of Comfort 3829 71st Street, Suite B, Urbandale, IA 50322 Also Available at churches, our directory can be found on our website at dsmurban.org Graphic Designer Ashle` Easley Dr. Eric Johnson Jeremy Barewin Tiffany Braxton Donnetta Austin Howell Dixon Tenelle Thomas (Queen T) Dani Relle The Urban Experience 3
INDEX DISCLAIMER The Des Moines Urban Experience provides news, opinions and articles as a service to our readers. The views and opinions, political endorsements or statements expressed in the Des Moines Urban Experience publication do not necessarily represent the writers, columnists, editors, publisher, management or its agents. The Des Moines Urban Experience reserves the right to edit or not publish comments and/or articles in printed, mobile or digital format. Therefore, we cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or reliability of information written by external parties. No Part of any of our publication, whether in print or digital may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, photocopying, electronic, mechanical or otherwise without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.
06 Livin with a Purpose 26 32 Trinitee Stokes 38 Art & Music Health And More! March Issue SUBMIT YOUR NEWS TO: dsmurbannews@gmail.com JOIN OUR EMAIL CLUB AT: joindsmurban@gmail.com BECOME AN OUTLET OF THE URBAN EXPERIENCE MAGAZINE Contact Dwana Bradley at contactdsmurban@gmail.com ADVERTISE WITH THE URBAN EXPERIENCE MAGAZINE dsmurbanads@gmail.com The Urban Experience 5 14 Bloodline What’s Inside?
by Dr. Eric Johnson on Purpose
Political Realism, Economic Stability, and Spiritual foundations…. The legacies of Black Women The Urban Experience 7
The impact of women on the development of civilization is undeniable and oddly enough well documented, all that is necessary is for one to look for it with purpose and intent. However, any account of women’s contribution to all areas of human development is fraught with all the burdens of race, inequality, and misrepresentation. There is much to be learned from the role of women in Islam or the impact of women in the workforce both globally and within the continental U.S. In fact, examining the contribution of women as whole in an area or context can be and should be overwhelming by the sheer volume of the information available. There is an African parable that states “ How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” This piece highlights the political, economic and spiritual legacies of Black women. There is no single achievement or development in the Black community over the last four hundred years that was not only impacted by Black women but more than often it was they who led the charge. While the involvement of Black women has often been either understated, misrepresented or omitted they continue to brawl with sexism and exploitation within the black community while serving as warrior and protector to and from external dangers to their families. The ability of Black women as a group to both heal and fight simultaneously is nothing short of incredibly wonderous. The ability of Black women to build practical political coalitions that serve to meet the objectives of multiple communities and remain clear on the goals of their families and communities warrants admiration and respect. In addition, the economic burdens Black women have had to bear at every socio-economic level are often difficult to imagine let alone calculate and assess. The spiritual legacy of Black women is often unconventional given the long history of exploitation within many religious traditions. Despite that very real and complex challenge Black women have sought change both within many religious traditions as well as forging progress in many non-western and non-traditional spiritual frameworks. Black women’s use of political realism to speak truth to power, build coalitions, and advance the struggle of their families and the general Black community is unmatched. Women like Sojourner Truth and Maria Stewart both born slaves learned to connect issues of freedom and abolition to broader political movements and thus gain political allies outside the Black community. Later women like Ida B. WellsBarnett and Mary McCloud-Bethune used similar approaches to build coalitions for education and anti-lynching campaigns. In 1968 Shirley Chisolm being the first Black woman elected to Congress was unapologetic in her animus for both race and sex discrimination built a coalition that sent her to the United States House of Representatives. While the Honorable Shirley Chisolm will be remembered as the first Black woman to campaign for a major party’s nomination for President of the United States, it is important to give a context to the legacy that informed her and the one she left behind. In 1973 Barbara Jordan joined her in the United States House of Representatives as the first Black woman from a southern state to be elected to Congress. The legacy of coalition building, and family protection continues to this very day with the recent election of Lucy McBath in Georgia’s 6th district. Her son was killed for playing his music too loud and she developed an alliance centered on gun violence. While certainly Black women putting their names
COMMUNITY The 19 newly-elected judges are Sandra Peake, Judge Ramona Franklin, Judge Maria Jackson, Germaine Tanner, Angela Graves-Harrington, Cassandra Holleman, Tonya Jones, Dedra Davis, LaShawn Williams, Latosha Lewis Payne, Linda Dunson, Toria Finch, Erica Hughes, Lucia Bates, Ronnisha Bowman, Michelle Moore, Sharon Burney, Shannon Baldwin, and Lori Chambers Gray. on the ballots are significant contributions, that should not overshadow the millions of Black women who continue to observe political inequality but continuously show up at the polls to represent the interest of their families and communities. The political legacy of Black women using the electoral process to achieve progress is often overlooked, misrepresented, or sometime omitted all together. The economic stability Black women have provided to the Black community is both historical and comprehensive. It has been said “educate women and their community will prosper.” No where is this more apparent than in the Black community. While it is true that men make more than women for doing the same job, it is also true that women dominated fields tend to pay less on average than fields dominated by men. While White women make about 87 cents for every dollar a man makes, for Black women that number is significantly less about 68 cents for every dollar. Consider that nearly 63% of Black children live-in single-family homes head by the mom. When you combine that most black children live-in singlefamily homes with their moms, Black women make less on the dollar than both White and Asian women, the economic legacy begins to take shape on those facts alone. Certainly, it must be acknowledged that there are systemic forces that have significantly contributed to this reality. Factors such as the criminal justice system, educational inequality, social pressures related to racism, and underemployment/ unemployment of Black men are not insignificant as we try to understand the economic legacy of Black women. They spread less resources around for more people. Despite the economic challenges faced by Black women they find ways to make a way out of no way. While there have always been economic moguls like Madam CJ Walker, Clara Brown, Annie Malone, Maggie Lean Walker; but it is the Black women who have had the least who have made the most significant contribution to the economic stability of the Black community. Those Black women whose names history did not record but their lives paved the way for everyone who followed. In almost every way possible Black women have helped lay the foundation for a spiritual legacy in the Black community. While Black women have often been prohibited both by custom and regulation from leadership positions in church hierarchy that has not prevented them from filling the pews every week. The number of Black women who attend a weekly faith based gathering significantly out numbers the number of Black men who claim similar habits. The Urban Experience 9
This is further evidenced by the studies that indicate that Black women are the most religious demographic in the United States. Black women report daily prayer habits at rates that out numbers Black men nearly 2 to 1. The fact that Black women have been from the very beginning the cornerstone of the Black family’s spiritual foundation is not at question. This piece simply serves as evidence for what Black women have been doing for their families and communities and by extension the nation for the better part of 400 years. This article represents a moment to acknowledge some hidden heroes. The legacy of Black women is in many ways broader than what has been identified in this examination, they have contributed significantly to every field of study, area of activity, and method of progress not just for the Black community but for the whole nation. The legacy they have developed and continue to build upon often represents the epitome of progress, and the greatest exemplar of advancing the struggle that can ever be identified. So, this Women’s History Month we highlight the donations and influences of Black women because in very measurable ways the nation is better because they are here. While Black women have made monumental contributions as individuals, it is their collective legacy that is the subject of this analysis. They continue to live the 19th century mantra “Lift as you climb” and we are all better because of it.
ad The Urban Experience 11
Iowa Juneteenth Observance A Program of The Des Moines Urban Experience Magazine “Marking 29 Years of Service to the Iowa Community” 2019 Iowa Juneteenth Observance Essay Contest Sponsored by Drake University To: Iowa High School Students, Grades 9 - 11 From: Nakia Ewing Iowa Juneteenth Observance nakiae78@gmail.com Subject: 2019 Iowa Juneteenth Observance ‘Essay Contest’ Juneteenth’ is an international observance marking the end to slavery on June 19, 1865. Juneteenth will celebrate 154 years of celebration during 2019. The Iowa Juneteenth Observance will mark its 29th anniversary as well. On April 11, 2002, Governor Tom Vilsack signed legislation establishing Juneteenth as an official day of recognition in Iowa that is observed annually on the third Saturday in June. This year’s theme for Iowa Juneteenth 2019 is “Reclaiming Our Time: Together We can do More.” ELIGIBILITY: The essay contest is statewide and open to “all students” enrolled in grades 9 through 11. We encourage essayists to enlist the guidance of a teacher or other adult when completing the essay. The essay contest serves as an inspirational vehicle for youth to strengthen appreciation for: 1) scholarship; 2) cultural diversity; and 3) the enhancement of community relations. ESSAY QUESTION: “Write about an unsung historical figure. Explain their contribution to society and why it’s important to preserve their legacy?” CONTEST RULE REQUIREMENTS: 1) Essays must be a minimum of 500 words and not exceed 700 words; 2) Essays may be typed or word-processed (double spaced); 3) Essayists must use at least 5 sources of information from books, newspapers, magazines, or websites which must be listed (cited) on a separate page and submitted with the essay; 4) Submit a color photo (portrait style – headshot), and 5) Complete the Student Information Form provided with this application which can be accessed at www.iowajuneteenth.com TOP HONORS: Each of the three winning essayists will receive a trophy. In addition, the first-place winner will receive a $1,000.00 cash prize, the second-place winner will receive a $500.00 cash prize, and the third place winner will receive a $250.00 cash prize. The trophies and cash prizes are scheduled to be presented at an Iowa Juneteenth Observance awards ceremony in Des Moines (TBA) and winning essayists must be present to receive their trophies/cash prizes. DEADLINE: Submit your essay, along with the Student Information Form, your photo, and your list of reading sources, by email, on or before Friday May 3rd, 2019, to Nakia Ewing at nakiae78@gmail.com or send the original essay by regular mail (postmarked by May 3, 2019) to: The Urban Experience Magazine Iowa Juneteenth Essay Contest PO Box 3092, Des Moines, Iowa 50316 Note: Students who are family members of the: 1) Iowa Juneteenth Observance Planning Committee; The Urban Experience Magazine, or Drake University administration, faculty, or staff - are ineligible for the essay contest. For additional information, please contact: Nakia Ewing at nakiae78@gmail.com ****Complete the Student Information Form**** 2018 Iowa Juneteenth Observance Essay Contest Sponsored by Drake University
The Urban Experience 13
Buxton, Iowa’s NOTABLE BLOODLINE
COMMUNITY Iowans celebrated African-American History Month during this past February, and I attended a function that displayed an important historical significance regarding the descendants of African-Americans who once lived and worked in Buxton, Iowa. Buxton was an unincorporated small city that was founded by the Chicago and Northwestern Railway company as a coal mining town in 1895. During that time, trains were powered by coal, and Buxton was rich coal resources. In order to find more economical labor to work the coal mines, the company hired many of their laborers from the South, particularly AfricanAmericans. At one point, African-Americans comprised the largest percentage of the Buxton population. As the African-American population grew, their growth spawned African-American professionals as well, such as teachers, lawyers, and doctors. One lawyer, George H. Woodson, was a co-founder of the ‘Niagara Movement’, which later became the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Although Buxton has no residents, Its historical relevance lives on via being placed on the National Register of Historic Places. On February 7, I was privileged to be able to interview United States Senator, and Presidential Candidate, Cory Booker. When my daughter (Celeste) and I arrived at the event where the interview was scheduled to take place, we met up with Iowa State Representative Ruth Ann Gains as we walked from the parking area. As we entered the building, Representative Gaines, Celeste, and I all sat at the same table. As the official program for the evening commenced, LizZ Sharp (check her out on Facebook), a coorganizer of the event (and a likely candidate for induction into the Central Iowa Jazz Hall of Fame), announced the purpose and schedule of the gathering. I’ve known LizZ as a past headline performer at an Iowa Juneteenth Observance event. While guests were getting their food, I noticed Lori Young sitting at a table on my right. Lori and I had collaborated on a Targeted Small Business workshop for an Iowa Juneteenth Observance when she was with the Iowa Economic Development Authority. I saw several other people at the event that I have know for some time, or had recently met. Last, but not least, I had a chance to shake the hand of a senior lady who was recognized as the eldest living descendent from Buxton, Ms. Alma Morris. I was impressed that LizZ Sharp, Lori Young, Alma Morris, and others at the event who are relatives and descendants from Buxton, Iowa. In addition, the person who I had come to interview, United States Senator Cory Booker, is also a relative and descendant of Buxton, Iowa. Courtesy of University of Iowa Libraries and Archives, Osborn, Nancy, “Buxton Wonders Baseball Team,” 1915 As the demand for coal decreased, due in large part to using resources other than coal to power trains, the population of Buxton declined until the last coal mine was closed in 1932 and the town was void of residents. Iowa remains rich in African-American history, not just in February, but all-year round! The Urban Experience 15
COMMUNITY Gary Lawson is a freelance writer who focuses on various aspects of public affairs. p He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Central State University, and a Vietnam-era veteran who served as a Commissioned Officer in the U.S. Army. His work experience includes various administrative and management positions in the public and private sectors to include serving as the inaugural director of the Iowa Commission on the Status of AfricanAmericans and a member of the Human Rights Council within the Iowa Department of Human Rights. He has held membership with various national and state organizations, and is the recipient of numerous national, state, and local awards to include induction into the Iowa African-American Hall of Fame. Since the 2000 national election cycle, Gary has donated his time to conducting interviews that include business, public service, and political leaders on the national, state, and local levels for the purpose of enriching Iowans’ understanding of minority issues and better informing voter participation. ROSEZINE B. WALLACE Senior Pastor Grow Up Ministries Church 1217 SW Army Post Road Des Moines, Iowa 50315 WORSHIP IN THE WORD Sunday Mornings @ 10AM Bible Study - Tuesdays @ 7PM Phone/Fax: 515.285.3084 GrowUMC@gmail.com www.GrowUpMinistries.com Come Grow… Grow Up with Us! RICKI KING Ricki@RootsToBranchesGenealogy.com www.RootsToBranchesGenealogy.com
The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) will be setting our FY 2020 - 2022 Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) goals for Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funded projects. In establishing our three-year DBE goal we are seeking public participation on our goal-setting process from minority, women, general contractor groups, community organizations and other officials or organizations who could be expected to have information concerning the availability of disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged businesses, and the effects of discrimination on opportunities for DBEs. 49 CFR Part 26.45 is the federal regulation, which the Iowa DOT must follow in establishing our DBE Goal. Please send your comments on how the Iowa DOT should establish our FY 2020 - 2022 DBE goal for Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funded projects to: Sree Mitra Office of Public Transit Iowa Department of Transportation 800 Lincoln Way Ames, Iowa 50010 We have set up meetings for the Iowa DOT to comply with the federal DBE goal setting process. These meetings will be held in person and via teleconference. Please email: sreeparna.mitra@iowadot.us to have your name added to the e-mail distribution list to receive instructions on the dial-in information. Meeting to discuss the goal setting process: May 7, 2019 1:00 PM-2:00 PM Iowa Department of Transportation Admin. 1st Floor South Conference Room 800 Lincoln Way Ames, Iowa Meeting to discuss the proposed goal: June 17, 2019 1:00 PM-2:00 PM Iowa Department of Transportation Admin. 1st Floor South Conference Room 800 Lincoln Way Ames, Iowa Please contact Sree Mitra at 515-239-1806 if you have any questions about the DBE goal setting process. The Urban Experience 17
COMMUNITY Celebrating 110 years of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)! Ida B. Wells-Barnett: Her Life, Legacy and the NAACP This year marks the 110th anniversary of the NAACP, so we think there’s no better time than now to highlight the role of those often-unsung heroes, who nevertheless made significant contributions to African-American history. Each month we will feature a different individual, sharing their historical background, career, and their role in civil rights. Our inaugural article features the life and legacy of Ida B. Wells-Barnett and her significant contributions to America and to African-American culture. It was fewer than six months before President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation that, in 1862, Ida B. Wells was born into slavery in Holly Springs, MS as the first of eight children of James and Elizabeth Wells. The Wells’ family like other enslaved families in the confederate states were declared free by the stroke of Lincoln’s pen January 1, 1863. The Wells’ family believed that education was the key to upward mobility in this newly organized American paradigm. Her father was one of the founders and a member of the board of trustees of Shaw University, now Rust College, the school at which Ida B. would begin her studies at an early age. However, at 16-years-old, she had to drop out of college when both of her parents and three of her siblings died from yellow fever. The courage and strength she showed during this time would become her legacy. While elder family members encouraged her to split up the family, Wells said, “no,” instead, she took on the role of mother and father. She dropped out of school and with the help of her grandmother, cared for her four remaining siblings. Her grandmother watched the children during the week so that she could work as an elementary school teacher in Holly Springs, MS.
COMMUNITY In 1883 two more of her siblings died and Wells decided to take up the offer of one of her aunts and move with her remaining two siblings to Memphis. She worked as a teacher in the Shelby county school system and during summer “vacations” she continued her education at Fist University in Nashville and Lemoyne-Owen in Memphis. Building on the courage she had affirmed earlier, in 1884, Ida entered into her journalism career and commenced her battle-ready stance for activism. On a day in May of that year, she purchased a firstclass ticket for (30 cents) to board the Chesapeake & Ohio train from Memphis to Nashville. She made a conscious decision to sit in the ladies’ car. However, black women were not considered ladies even when they had purchased first class tickets, they were confined to the colored car. When Wells was confronted by the white conductor and asked to move back to the colored car, she refused. The conductor proceeded to remove her from the car; she resisted-so much so that he called on the help of white passengers. With their help, he physically threw her from the car. This did not rest well with Wells; she sued C&O railroad and won the case in the Circuit Court of Shelby County. With her victory, the newspaper headlines read: “A Darky Damsel Obtains a Verdict for Damages…What it Cost to Put a Colored Teacher in a Smoking Car… $500.” [1] Regardless of the headline, Ida had won a victory for the race, for black women, and, in light of her damaged reputation, her true-womanhood pride” [2] Several years later, in 1887, the Tennessee Supreme Court overturned the lower court’s decision. Enter, Wells’ journalism career. Immediately after the incident on the C&O train, she wrote about the incident in The Living Way, a Black church weekly. While she continued to teach, her journalism career took off. She continued to write weekly for The Living Way and took on a position as editorial writer for the Evening Star in Washington, DC, and by 1889, she was the editor and co-owner of The Free Speech and Headlight, both black-owned newspapers-the latter located on the famous Beale Street in Memphis. It wasn’t long before she was fired by the Shelby County School District because of her www.zumi.com facebook.com/zumicollection Twitter @ZumiCollection The Urban Experience 19
COMMUNITY published criticisms of the abhorrent conditions of black, segregated schools. In 1892, Ida published her research on lynching in Southern Horrors: Lynch Law in All Its Phases. In it, she concluded that Southerners cried rape as an excuse to hide their real reasons for lynching: black economic progress, which threatened white Southerners with competition, and white ideas of enforcing black second-class status in society. [3] In 1895, she wrote and published The Red Record, a pamphlet that described lynching in the United States post-1863. In it, she detailed struggles of her people in the South since the Civil War. She said that more than ten thousand Black people hand been killed in cold blood without the formality of judicial trial. [4] Her writings would catapult her career to national and international prominence. Because Wells was not able to gain needed support to curtail the unwanted treatment of Blacks in this country, she reached out to the Great Britain and traveled there several times to win their support and influence. She would continue to carry on this work when she moved to Chicago. In 1895, Wells married Ferdinand Lee Barnett, Jr., an attorney, who like Wells, was committed to the same work as she was. While Wells-Barnett continued her anti-lynching work, she also planted her foot in the larger issues of Civil Rights for African Americans. Now Wells-Barnett, Ida began working with the likes of Frederick Douglass, W.E.B. DuBois, Booker T. Washington, and others; however, they as did members of the colored women’s clubs and white suffragists, considered Wells-Barnett too radical. One well-known story of her “radicalism” occurred in 1913, the day before the inauguration of Woodrow Wilson. The white National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) held a parade in DC with participants from across the country. They were calling for universal suffrage. Of course, Ida b. WellsBarnett and a sizable Black delegation from Chicago attended. They were soon approached by white leaders of the Chicago delegation and told that they wanted to keep the parade entirely white; therefore, the Black suffragists were to go to the back of the parade line and march with the “colored delegation.” Rather than doing that, Wells simply waited with the spectators and as soon as the parade approached, much to the White leader’s chagrin, Wells jumped in the front line of the parade with other suffragists. Her extraordinary tenacity put her at odds with other black leaders as well as white women, such as Susan B. Anthony. Undaunted, she continued her work as a civil rights leader. In 1908 when a race riot broke out in Springfield, IL, civil rights leaders, both Black and White said, enough is enough, they put their hands, hearts and minds together and the NAACP was born, Ida B. Wells-Barnett was a founding organizer of this premier civil rights organization in 1909. Ida B. Wells-Barnett and Ferdinand had four children. Wells-Barnett lived a life worth living and died in 1931 in Chicago at the age of 68. [1] Giddings, P.J. (2008). Ida: a Sword Among Lions. Harper Collins. New York, NY [2] Ibid [3] Wells, I.B. (1892). Southern Horrors: Lynch Law in all its Phases. The New York Age, New York, NY [4] Wells, I.B. (1895). The Red Record: Tabulated Statistics and Alleged Causes of Lynching in the United States. Reprinted in 2005 by the Project Gutenberg e-book. The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them – Id B. Wells-Barnett Submitted by Anita Fleming-Rife, Ph.D Forest Avenue Library 1326 Forest Avenue dmpl.org | 515.283.4152 Are You a Graduating Senior With College Plans? Ask about the Fall 4 Learning Scholarship Ad sponsored by the Friends of the Forest Avenue Library.
It's important to take the time to acknowledge the uniqueness of the deceased: the individuality of their personality, and the uniqueness of their life's path. Not just for them, but for you; it affirms the relationship, and leads to healing after loss. Honoring their life is truly an act of love – for the both of you. “WE’RE FAMILY” PHONE: (515) 309-6550 3500 SIXTH AVENUE DES MOINES, IA 50313 HENDERSONSHP.COM The Urban Experience 21
COMMUNITY In March 1, 2014, President Barak Obama proclaimed that “through the grit and sacrifice of generations, American women and girls have gained greater opportunities and more representation than ever before. Yet they continue to face workplace discrimination, a higher risk of sexual assault, and an earnings gap that will cost the average woman hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of her working lifetime.” A woman’s imprint on history, disparities of today S ince 1981, Women’s History Month has been a part of American history. What started out as a week celebration is now dedicated to the entire month of March. What an accomplishment. Even more empowerful is the women who made this movement even possible. Their efforts and sacrifices have changed the face of America; or at least it’s mask. In his proclamation, March 2, 2005, George W. Bush stated that “during Women’s History Month, we celebrate the ac ments of our Nation’s wom For generations, America women have helped build our great Nation through their leadership as writers, teachers, artists, politicians, doctors, and scientists, and in other professions. As mothers, daughters, and sisters, women have supported an strengthened American fa ilies and communities. W are at the forefront of entrepeneur ship in America, creating millions of new jobs and helping to build our Nation’s economic prosperity.” While Bush’s statement holds true to several of these characteristics - women truly serve as our leaders from the moment of birth - there still remains uncertainty in the name of equality. There is still a lot to be overcome, barriers yet to be dissolved, glass ceilings yet to be broken. “We all know that if we are going to make a difference, it’s going to take common goals... collaboration and a certain degree of stubbornness.” Polk County is a unique place for African Americans and Africans to live. The historically small numbers of Black people compared to the predominant White population living in Polk County has created an environment with distinct economic challenges tunities. or those who have lived in her urban areas within the United States or in war-torn countries on the African continent, the relative safety of life in Polk County is an important factor in building a life here. Comared to inter-ethnic violence in Sudan or epidemic gun violence in neighborhoods hicago, neighborhoods in ty provide relative calm and security for families who have experienced individual and collective violence. For a woman of color, however, these barriers and inequalities are even greater. Across the United States, there is increased focus on racial and economic inequality. Potent and challenging analyses examine the complex historical and structural barriers Black families face in building household wealth.
COMMUNITY Furthermore, Over 28 percent of Polk County’s African American and African households are headed by a single female. In comparison, just over 11 percent of Polk County’s total households are headed by a single female. According to the 2016 Polk County Health Report, 36 percent of African American and African households with children in Polk County live at or below the federal poverty line. In comparison, 13.5 percent of the total Polk County population lives at or below the poverty line. This means that over 28 percent of single mothers carry an even heavier burden of facing obstacles embedded into a systemic process, which inevitably is passed down to the next generation. This is not so say that none of these women have left their own historic imprint in society. However, their disposition has made their achievements that much more deserving. And I think it is safe to say that along side these remarkable women stands another woman of strength and tenacity, empowering her to press for ward regardless of the obstacles in her way. It is this kind of support system that has propelled the movements of the past and which will continue to be a vital component in future endeavors when it comes to progress for women of color. “We all know that if we are going to make a difference, it’s going to take common goals ... collaboration and a certain degree of stubbornness,” said Arlinda McKeen, of the State Public Policy Group, in a recent interview with the Des Moines Register, regarding the One Economy Report. “The report is the first to lay out disparities that black people face in Iowa’s most populated county,” added Teree Caldwell-Johnson, chair woman of The Directors Council and board member of Des Moines Public Schools. “I think this will really lift up, from a qualitative and quantitative perspective, the significant challenges we face as a community,” she said.The One Economy initiative continues to make strides in bringing awareness to the disparities people of color experience in Polk County. However, the movement could not be possible without the courage of those who decided to take a stand against injustice. Why not leave your imprint in history and take that stand too? Join One Economy in the fight to bring about change in the face of structural racism, and overcoming barriers and glass ceilings that have been The Urban Experience 23
COMMUNITY What Happens when Women Start Marketing Themselves as “Certified Women Owned?” A recent MarketWatch.com article asked the question, “What happens when female-led companies label their products ‘women-owned?” and notes the successes of women-owned companies that have labeled their products with their certified status. The article cited a study conducted by Walmart, where it surveyed 1,200 shoppers and noted that 90 percent of female shoppers said they would go out of their way to buy a product marked as “woman-owned”. Additionally, a 2017 survey by Cone Communications found that 84 percent of consumers would buy a product because a company stood up for an issue they cared about. Iowa Targeted Small Business owner, Deshara Bohanna, owner of Design Fetish, agrees with the surveys’ findings after seeing a “woman-owned” label during a recent shopping experience. “It caught my attention and made me more interested in the company,” Deshara said. “People do feel more connected to woman-owned companies because women tend to give back to their communities.” Knowing a woman designed a product helps Bohanna have faith in the product itself. “I think women know how to design and create for women. You have a like mind that is creating something for you to use.” (Deshara Bohanna, pictured in the Design Fetish studio). The businesses listed in the MarketWatch.com article had been certified by a national third-party organization which charges businesses a fee up to $1,250 to be certified, “based on the size of their budget.” For companies not interested in paying a fee for certification, the Targeted Small Business program provides eligible Iowa businesses with an option to get certified at no cost.
COMMUNITY Once certified, businesses are given the Targeted Small Business badge, and are encouraged to use it to promote their brand as “certified” to potential customers who are interested in purchasing from specific business owners. Additionally, being certified through a third-party as a diverse-owned business can help get a foot in the door with companies that have established supplier diversity goals. “It can be hard to permeate those walls,” Bohanna said. Having a third-party certification allows larger companies to identify and connect to businesses that will help them meet the companies’ core values. While Bohanna’s products are sold in the retail market, promoting a company through a mechanism such as the Targeted Small Business program can be effective in any industry. Recently, presenters at the Meet the Buyer forum, a collaborative effort between the Greater Des Moines Partnership and the Targeted Small Business program, spoke about their company or organization’s supplier diversity goals that Targeted Small Businesses can help them meet. These networking events also offer an opportunity for companies to connect with businesses that they otherwise may not have been aware of. Alliant Energy is a great example of a company that frequently uses the Targeted Small Business directory to identify diverse business owners to partner with. When the new Targeted Small Business Directory was launched last year, Jeanine Penticoff, Alliant Vice President of Customer and Engagement Solutions, noted Alliant energy recognizes the value of contracting with local businesses and having diversity in its supplier base. “We’re really excited about the new Targeted Small Business portal. This will make it so much easier for us to identify Iowa businesses that can be potential bidders for our projects.” To learn more about networking events and how to get certified for free through the Iowa Targeted The Urban Experience 25 Small Business program, please visit www. iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/tsb
COMMUNITY
COMMUNITY I had the pleasure of talking to Ms. Trinitee Stokes who is wise beyond her years. She was one of the keynote speakers for the Many Shades of Colour Conference which took place on March 2nd, 2019. I was in awe of her maturity for only being 12 years old. I was touched by her words and I believe you will be as well as you read the interview below. Can you tell our readers who you are, what you’ve done, and what you’re currently doing? Trinitee: I was on KC Undercover on Disney Channel for three years, I’m reoccurring on Disney Channels Coop and Cami Ask the World, and I hosted Disney Channels first live game show Quizney which was fun. I just released my new book Bold and Blessed. You are a young person doing many different things and wearing different hats so how do you balance it all? Trinitee: Sometimes it can get a little tricky because I still must balance my academics, balance having fun, and relaxing. So during the day I do 4-5 hours of school and after that I’ll do something creative, hang out with my friends or do something else that I enjoy doing like reading a book or coloring something, but I’m always working on my craft so I try to balance it by doing a little bit everyday of something that I’m working toward. You’ve talked a little bit about your book. Tell me the name of your book? Trinitee: Bold and Blessed Tell me a little about where the title came from and what it is that you want your readers to get when they read the book. What does phrase Bold and Blessed means to you? Trinitee: Picking the title was very difficult, I think that was one of the hardest things to choose because the title is what everyone is going to remember so we were kind of thinking what is something that is going to stick out about me and what do I want to stick out about other people and I was thinking well, I’m a very bold person and I just happen to live a very blessed life so we were like bold and blessed and then it’s like how to stay true to yourself and stand out in the crowd. It’s something that I do, and I think it’s something that others kind of need to do as well so that’s how we came up with the title. What I want my readers to get out of Bold and Blessed is that they can do anything. You have to be able to stand out in the crowd and be you and be unique because God created you the way that you are and everything about you and the way that your designed is perfect to a tee. You may have one eyebrow that is higher than the other, you might be able to reach someone specifically with that so everything about you is perfect, and you don’t want to change that, and I want to convey that to the readers. Bold and blessed to me means being who you are, just loving yourself unapologetically no matter what and being able to say hey this is me, I love myself, I know myself value, I know my self-worth, I have high self esteem and self confidence like it or not that’s me. What led you to bring Trinitee to the Many Shades of Color Conference this year: Valerie: That, I’m going to share with you what I shared with Trinitee’s mother when she first came in. Trinitee had come across my social media and so I’ve been seeing different things that she had been doing so, I had her in my mind as a keynote for this years conference and it was Valora who called me one day , the day I was thinking we should go with Trinitee she calls me and says, “What about Trinitee?” it was supposed to be. It was totally about everything she just said her message of being true to herself really let that be what guides you and leads you though it all and not comparing yourself to what everyone else is saying and holding yourself to some superficial standard but bringing what you have from within to share with the world as she has done so beautifully The Urban Experience 27
COMMUNITY that is what led is to Trinity. She aligns so perfectly with our mission and vision, she is incredible, and we love her. Valora: We were toggling between two different people and it was when I saw her book Staying True to Myself, and that’s when I called Valerie and I was like let’s go with Trinitee. Her message is what we want to convey to our young girls and that’s why we bring in the youth to talk to the young people because their parents can say it and they might not listen, but when it comes from another youth they hear I can achieve anything that is put in front of me as long as I stick to that and that’s why she is here with us. What is the message that you are going to convey when you speak at the Many Shades of Colour Conference? Trinitee: The message from me is really to know your worth. You know you should be able to know your worth and have high self-esteem and have self confidence because once you get all that in you will be able to show it from the outside because it’s inside out, not outside in so once your able to know and love yourself from within then you be able to be bold and have the courage to say, “Hey, I want to do that” I’m gonna set my goals, I’m gonna reach that, I’m gonna dream, I’m not gonna let anybody hinder me, I’m not gonna let anybody tell me that I can’t do it. Those are things that come from knowing your worth and self-esteem and that’s what I can’t wait to share. You are trying to get your book Bold and Blessed into the schools share more about this Trinitee: Bold and Blessed is a book and it’s not just necessarily for kids it’s such a book that all ages need because all ages might be struggling with their own issues in their own way, but you know there is a question and answer section in Bold and Blessed, there is fan q&a, there are pictures and questions for you to answer in the back so it’s like an interactive book and it’s something that I wanted. I really want to share that with people because not a lot of people my age are able to stand strong in their faith and especially in the entertainment industry not to waver to what other people think is cool and what other magazine’s are saying is trending to change your look up because that’s not in right now and there aren’t too many people right now that I know who are doing that. I wanted to encourage my peers that hey, I’m doing it was hard for me at first, but now I’m able to do it easily, and I want to share with you so that you can do it easily so that way there will be more people who are changing the game and being more trendsetters instead on following the trend. Let’s talk about your faith. How do you maneuver your faith in the entertainment industry? Trinitee: Well it’s difficult, it’s a daily struggle, not from the faith perspective but sticking to your guns and saying, hey no, that doesn’t agree with my beliefs, it doesn’t agree with my standards, and that doesn’t seem right. There have been times that we had to turn down roles that didn’t quite agree with me and my beliefs that I have, and it’s been difficult, but I believe that being strong in my beliefs has brought me this far. I do keep God first in my life, I make sure that the people around me keep God first in their life because that’s so important. He is the maker of all, and He created me to do His purpose. If I go away from His plan for my life, I’ll just be talking. I won’t have the impact that He has created me to have so that’s why I think I must stick to my guns in the entertainment industry. It’s been hard and It’s been challenging you know not many kids my age stick to their beliefs, so I’ve had to be the example and not go to certain events and certain parties because I know it’s not a good place for me to be. I’m trying to grow up and impact the world and I can’t always do that by going where everyone else goes.
COMMUNITY For young women who deal with self-confidence and self-esteem issues and have a hard time standing out in the crowd and being bold, what words do you have for them? Trinitee: I would tell them that you must believe in yourself, you must believe in yourself before others will believe in you, you must love yourself before others will love you, you have to remain confident in who you are. Look in the mirror and love who you see. I share in my book Bold and Blessed about how important and impactful that has been in my life and I think that’s where faith comes in as well. There have been plenty of times where I’ve had bad days, and I didn’t feel like getting out of bed and didn’t think my hair was great that day, but I remember I have a purpose, and everybody has a purpose. When you realize your purpose, you will be able to ignite that fire and be able to impact the world on your own level. I also think social media can play a part in having low self-esteem and self-confidence especially now because people think oh if I get a negative comment then that means whatever they say is true and that’s not true everybody has their own opinion that’s why I like to keep my distance from social media because I don’t want it to get in my head. This month is women’s history month. Are there women who have impacted you for the young woman that you are now and the woman you want to become? Trinitee: My mom has been one of the most impactful women in my life because she is an example of how I want to be when I grow up. She’s impactful and remains holy in all different aspects of her life. She is a great mom and a great friend, and she also teaches me how to be a virtuous woman, she sheds wisdom on different things that I might be going through so she is one of the most impactful women in my life. Dwana: I want to thank you for taking time to talk to me. Your spirit is beautiful and every time you say something it touches me, and I completely get why you were chosen to speak at the Many Shades of Colour Conference. You are going to be amazing. Thank you for taking the time today. The Urban Experience 29 Thank you.
COMMUNITY MAV Activist Acquitted of Child Endangerment Calvetta Williams was found not guilty on Friday March 1st by a Polk County District Court jury. Williams is the founder of Mothers Against Violence. Make sure to check out the April edition of the Urban Experience Magazine as Calvetta Williams shares her story in her own words.
COMMUNITY WOMEN OF EXCELLENCE by Donneta Austin Woman of Excellence I would like to express admiration and respect for the outstanding achievements you have accomplished. Thank you for being fearless, bold, courageous women who took a step in leaping into your greatness. Through your gifts, talents, and abilities you were able to conquer a challenge and face what was ahead. You are the epitome of all things being possible with dedication, hard work, and belief in God. -Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. There are several women who have made a difference in this world. To name a few: Tina Turner 1939-Present Singer, Song writer, Dancer, Actress, Musician, Producer, Choreographer andThe queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll! She has sold more than 200 million records worldwide and noted for her powerful vocals and energetic presence. Wangari Maathai 1940-2011 Environmentalist, Political Activist, Writer Wangari founded The Green Belt Movement which helped women in rural Kenya to plant trees, combat deforestation, restore sources of fuel for cooking, created jobs, and stopped soil erosion. Naomi Sims 1948-2009 Model, Writer, Businesswoman Thank you for being role models of what it means to walk by faith and not by sight. Your inspiration and drive is what will push the next person in line to pursue, go beyond, and think about what they thought they weren’t capable of doing is possible. Author: Donnetta Austin Be.encouragedbyone@ gmail.com Book: “Never Retire God” on Amazon Facebook: Be Encouraged, Inspirational Books by Donnetta Austin The Urban Experience 31 Before Sims black women weren’t hired as cover models. She hired her own photographers to jump start her career. In 1968 she became the first AfricanAmerican model to appear on the cover of “Ladies Home Journal”.
THE GREAT FRAME UP SUPPORTS AFRICAN ARTISTS: ELIZABETHCATLETT
Arts & Music DES MOINES, IOWA – As a local custom frame retailer and art gallery, The Great Frame Up in West Des Moines enjoys supporting the visual arts. This month we introduce readers to graphic artist and sculptor originally from Washington, D.C. – ELIZABETH CATLETT. No other field is closed to those who are not white and male as is the visual arts. After I decided to be an artist, the first thing I had to believe was that I, a black woman, could penetrate the art scene, and that, further, I could do so without sacrificing one iota of my blackness or my femaleness or my humanity. — Elizabeth Catlett Elizabeth Catlett (April 15, 1915 – April 2, 2012) was an AfricanAmerican graphic artist and sculptor best known for her depictions of the African-American experience in the 20th century, which often focused on the female experience. She was born and raised in Washington, D.C. to parents working in education, and was the grandchild of freed slaves. It was difficult for a black woman in this time to pursue a career as a working artist. Elizabeth Catlett devoted much of her career to teaching. However, a fellowship awarded to her in 1946 allowed her to travel to Mexico City, where she worked with the Taller de Gráfica Popular for twenty years and became head of the sculpture department for the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas. In the 1950s, her main means of artistic expression shifted from print to sculpture, though she never gave up the former. Elizabeth Catlett’s work is a mixture of abstract and figurative in the Modernist tradition, with influence from African and Mexican art traditions. According to the artist, the main purpose of her work is to convey social messages rather than pure aesthetics. While not very well known to the general public, her work is heavily studied by art students looking to depict race, gender and class issues. During her lifetime, Catlett received many awards and recognitions, including membership in the Salón de la Plástica Mexicana, the Art Institute of Chicago Legends and Legacy Award, honorary doctorates from Pace University and Carnegie Mellon, and the International Sculpture Center’s Lifetime Achievement Award in contemporary Artistry Catlett is recognized primarily for sculpting and print work. Her sculptures are known for being provocative, but her prints are more widely recognized, mostly because of her work with the Taller de Gráfica Popular. Although she never left printmaking, starting in the 1950s, she shifted primarily to sculpture. Her print work consisted mainly of woodcuts and linocuts, while her sculptures were composed of a variety of materials, such as clay, cedar,mahogany, eucalyptus, marble, limestone, onyx, bronze, and Mexican stone imagery arises from a scrupulously honest dialogue with herself on her life and perceptions, and between herself and “the other”, that is, contemporary society’s beliefs and practices of racism, classism and sexism. Elizabeth Catlett work revolved around themes such as social injustice, the human condition, historical figures, women and the relationship between mother and child. These themes were specifically related to the AfricanThe Urban Experience 33 (cantera). She often recreated the same piece in several different media. Sculptures ranged in size and scope from small wood figures inches high to others several feet tall to monumental works for public squares and gardens. This latter category includes a 10.5foot sculpture of Louis Armstrong in New Orleans and a 7.5-foot work depicting Sojourner Truth in Sacramento. Much of her work is realistic and highly stylized two- or threedimensional figures, applying the Modernist principles. Other major influences include African and preHispanic Mexican art traditions. Her
COMMUNITY Arts & Music American experience in the 20th century with some influence from Mexican reality. This focus began while she was at the University of Iowa, where she was encouraged to depict what she knew best. Her thesis was the sculpture Mother and Child (1939), which won first prize at the American Negro Exposition in Chicago in 1940. Elizabeth Catlett subjects range from sensitive maternal images to confrontational symbols of Black Power, and portraits of Martin Luther King, Jr., Harriet Tubman and writer Phyllis Wheatley, as she believed that art can play a role in the construction of transnational and ethnic identity. Her bestknown works depict black women as strong and maternal. The women are voluptuous, with broad hips and shoulders, in positions of power and confidence, often with torsos thrust forward to show attitude. Faces tend to be masklike, generally upturned. Mother and Child (1939) shows a young woman with very short hair and features similar to that of a Gabon mask. Her linocut seriesThe Black Woman Speaks, is among the first graphic series in Western art to depict the image of the American black woman as a heroic and complex human being. Her work was influenced by the Harlem Renaissance movement and the Chicago Black Renaissance in the 1940s and reinforced in the 1960s and 1970s with the influence of the Black Power, Black Arts Movement and feminism. Elizabeth Catlett was more concerned in the social messages of her work than in pure aesthetics. “I have always wanted my art to service my people – to reflect us, to relate to us, to stimulate us, to make us aware of our potential.” . . . .”I don’t think art can change things,” Catlett said: “I think writing can do more. But art can prepare people for change, it can be educational and persuasive in people’s thinking.” Catlett also acknowledged her artistic contributions as influencing younger black women. She relayed that being a black woman sculptor “before was unthinkable. ... There were very few black women sculptors – maybe five or six – and they all have very tough circumstances to overcome. You can be black, a woman, a sculptor, a print-maker, a teacher, a mother, a grandmother, and keep a house. It takes a lot of doing, but you can do it. All you have to do is decide to do it.” Early life Catlett was born and raised in Washington, D.C. Both her mother and father were the children of freed slaves, and her grandmother told her stories about the capture of blacks in Africa and the hardships of plantation life. Catlett was the youngest of three children. Both of her parents worked in education; her mother was a truant officer and her father taught in Tuskegee University, the then D.C. public school system. Her father died before she was born, leaving her mother to hold several jobs to support the household. Catlett’s interest in art began early. As a child she became fascinated by a wood carving of a bird that her
COMMUNITY Arts & Music father made. In high school, she studied art with a descendant of Frederick Douglass. Education Catlett completed her undergraduate studies at Howard University, graduating cum laude, although it was not her first choice. She was also admitted into the Carnegie Institute of Technology but was refused admission when the school discovered she was black. However, in 2007, as Cathy Shannon of E&S Gallery was giving a talk to a youth group at the August Wilson Center for African American Culture inPittsburgh, PA, she recounted Catlett’s tie to Pittsburgh because of this injustice. An administrator with Carnegie Mellon University was in the audience and heard the story for the first time. She immediately told the story to the school’s president, Jared Leigh Cohon, who was unaware of it as well and deeply appalled that such a thing had happened. In 2008, President Cohon presented Catlett with an honorary Doctorate degree and a one-woman show of her art was presented at The Regina Gouger Miller Gallery on the campus of Carnegie Mellon University. At Howard University, Catlett’s professors included artist Lois Mailou Jones and philosopher Alain Locke. She also came to know artists James Herring, James Wells, and future art historian James A. Porter.Her tuition was paid for by her mother’s savings and scholarships that the artist earned, and she graduated with honors in 1937. At the time, the idea of a career as an artist was far-fetched for a black woman, so she completed her undergraduate studies with the aim of being a teacher. After graduation, she moved to her mother’s hometown of Durham, NC to teach high school. Because Catlett became interested in the work of landscape artist Grant Wood, she entered the graduate program of the University of Iowa. There, she studied drawing and painting with Wood, as well as sculpture with Harry Edward Stinson. Wood advised her to depict images of what she knew best, so Catlett began sculpting images of African-American women and children. However, despite being accepted to the school, she was not permitted to stay in the dormitories, instead having to rent a room off-campus. One of her roommates was future novelist and poet Margaret Walker. Catlett graduated in 1940, one of three to earn the first masters in fine arts from the university, and the first African-American woman to receive the degree. In 2006, Kathleen Edwards, the curator of European and American art, visited Catlett in Cuernavaca, Mexico and purchased a group of 27 prints for the University of Iowa Museum of Art (UIMA). Catlett donated this money to the University of Iowa Foundation in order to fund the Elizabeth Catlett Mora Scholarship Fund, which supports African-American and Latino students studying printmaking. Elizabeth Catlett Residence Hall on the University of Iowa campus is named in her honor. After Iowa, Catlett moved to New Orleans to work at Dillard University, spending the summer breaks in Chicago. During her summers, she studied ceramics at the Art Institute of Chicago and lithography at the South Side Community Art Center.In Chicago, she also met her first husband, artist Charles Wilbert White. The couple married in 1941.In 1942, the couple moved to New York, where Catlett taught adult education classes at the George Washington Carver School in Harlem. She also studied lithography at the Art Students League of New York, and received private instruction from Russian sculptor Ossip Zadkine, who urged her to add abstract elements to her figurative work. During her time in New York, she met intellectuals and artists such as Gwendolyn Bennett, W. E. B. Dubois, Ralph Ellison, Langston Hughes, Jacob Lawrence, Aaron Douglas, and Paul Robeson. In 1946, Catlett received a Rosenwald Fund Fellowship to travel with her husband to Mexico and study. She accepted the grant in part because at the time American art was trending toward the abstract while she was interested in art related to social themes. Shortly after moving to Mexico that same year, Catlett divorced White. In 1947, she entered the Taller de Gráfica Popular, a The Urban Experience 35
COMMUNITY Arts & Music workshop dedicated to prints promoting leftist social causes and education. There she met printmaker and muralist Francisco Mora, whom she married in the same year. The couple had three children, all of whom developed careers in the arts: Francisco in jazz music, Juan Mora Catlett in filmmaking, and David in the visual arts. The last worked as his mother’s assistant, performing the heavy aspects of sculpting when she was no longer able.In 1948, she entered the Escuela Nacional de Pintura, Escultura y Grabado “La Esmeralda” to study wood sculpture with José L. Ruíz and ceramic sculpture with Francisco Zúñiga. During this time in Mexico, she became more serious about her art and more dedicated to the work it demanded. She also met Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, and David Alfaro Siqueiros. Career Much of her career was spent teaching, as her original intention was to be an art teacher. After receiving her undergraduate degree, her first teaching position was in the Durham, NC school system. However, she became very dissatisfied with the position because black teachers were paid less. Along with Thurgood Marshall, she participated in an unsuccessful campaign to gain equal pay. After graduate school, she accepted a position at Dillard University in New Orleans in the 1940s. There, she arranged a special trip to the Delgado Museum of Art to see the Picasso exhibit. As the museum was closed to blacks at the time, the group went on a day it was closed to the public. She eventually went on to chair the art department. Her next teaching position was with the George Washington Carver School, a community alternative school in Harlem, where she taught art and other cultural subjects to workers enrolled in night classes. Her last major teaching position was with the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas at the National Autonomous University of Mexico(UNAM), starting in 1958, where she was the first female professor of sculpture. One year later, she was appointed the head Art | Memories Conservation Materials | Commercial & In-Home Consultation Bring in this ad for 30% Off Your Custom Framing Order! West Glen Town Center 5515 Mills Civic Parkway #150 West Des Moines, IA 50266 515-226-2310 westdesmoines.thegreatframeup.com For millions of prints - shop our online store shopthegreatframeupart.com
Arts & Music of the sculpture department despite protests that she was a woman and a foreigner. She remained with the school until her retirement in 1975. When she moved to Mexico, Catlett’s first work as an artist was with the Taller de Gráfica Popular (TGP), a famous workshop in Mexico City dedicated to graphic arts promoting leftist political causes, social issues, and education. At the TGP, she and other artists created a series of linoleum cuts featuring prominent black figures, as well as posters, leaflets, illustrations for textbooks, and materials to promote literacy in Mexico. She remained with the workshop for twenty years, leaving in 1966. Her posters of Harriet Tubman, Angela Davis, Malcolm X and other figures were widely distributed. Although she had an individual exhibition of her work in 1948 in Washington, D.C., her work did not begin to be shown regularly until the 1960s and 1970s, almost entirely in the United States, where it drew interest because of social movements such as the Black Arts Movement and feminism. While many of these exhibitions were collective, Catlett had over fifty individual exhibitions of her work during her lifetime. Catlett’s work can be found in major collections such as those of the Museum of Modern Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Library of Congress, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, National Museum in Prague, the Toledo Museum of Art, the Clark Atlanta University Art Galleries, the Palacio de Bellas Artes n Mexico, the Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Iowa,the June Kelly Gallery and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York. The Legacy Museum, which opened on April 26, 2018, displays and dramatizes the history of slavery and racism in America, and features artwork by Catlett and others. Catlett was the subject of an episode of the BBC Radio 4series An Alternative History of Art, presented by Naomi Beckwith and broadcast on March 6, 2018. For more information- www.wikipedia.org and Credits The Urban Experience 37 We currently feature originals, prints, sculptures and framed artwork of numerous African American and Iowa artists in the gallery. To see some of the prior artists featured visit www.westdesmoines.thegreatframeup. com and our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ tgfuwdmiowa. Please follow us on Pinterest www. pinterest.com/tgfuwdm and Twitter @tgfuwdm. About The Great Frame Up Founded in 1972, The Great Frame Up, Inc. is a custom picture framer, offering more than 1,000 custom frames, mat styles, ready to hang framed art and local artwork. The West Des Moines location of The Great Frame Up opened in 2005 and is located at 5515 Mills Civic Parkway in the West Glen and is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 10- 6pm; Thursday 10- 8pm & Saturday 10- 5pm.
Health The medical providers from the Broadlawns Eye Clinic have compiled overview information about this serious eye disease and have provided some proactive measures that can be undertaken to protect yourself and your loved ones from developing this condition. What is AMD? Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is a common eye condition and a leading cause of vision loss among people age 50 and older. It causes damage to the macula, a small area in the center of the retina and the part of the eye needed for sharp central vision. For some individuals, AMD advances slowly so vision loss goes unnoticed for a prolonged period. In other cases, AMD progresses more rapidly and can lead to a loss of vision in one or both eyes. AMD does not lead to complete blindness; however, the loss of central vision can significantly impede daily activities such as reading, driving, cooking and fixing things around the house. Who is at greatest risk of AMD? The disease is most likely to occur for individuals who are age 55 and older. Smoking doubles the risk of AMD. Caucasians are more likely to develop the disease than African-Americans or Hispanics. Individuals with a family history of AMD • Eat a healthy diet that is rich in green leafy vegetables and fish • Maintain normal blood pressure and cholesterol levels • Avoid smoking • Exercise regularly • Wear sunglasses • Dietary supplements, if advised by your eye doctor How do I know if I have AMD? It is very important to have regular eye exams, particularly as you age, or if you have any of the risk factors associated with AMD. The eye exam should include the use of eye drops to widen the pupil. This provides a better view of the back of the eye and helps the eye doctor detect the earliest signs. If you have an advanced stage of AMD, a specially trained low-vision optometrist can prescribe certain tools to magnify or improve the contrast of everyday print and objects including: High powered reading glasses Lighted and digital magnifiers Can AMD be prevented? There is currently no known cure for AMD, but there are things that you can do to minimize your risk of developing the disease and possibly slow the progression if you are diagnosed with the condition. Preventive suggestions include:
Health Large print and speech output computer software Reading machines Talking watches, clocks and calculators Broadlawns Eye Clinic and our highly skilled team of medical providers are here to attend to your overall eye health, including examinations, injections, surgical procedures, eyeglasses and contact lenses. Here’s to your eye health! Best Regards, Christopher Blodi, MDMonique Root, ODJesse Westrum, OD email: hiringmadeasley@gmail.com or text: 309.550.3415 The Urban Experience 39
CHILD & ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY Our Child and Adolescent Psychiatry team provides a full spectrum of services from evaluation to counseling. Our providers have experience treating a variety of mental health conditions such as ADHD, depression, anxiety, trauma and obsessive compulsive behaviors. Deanna Boesen, MD Teresa Dolphin-Shaw, DO Kathleen Adams, ARNP Patricia Ferlitsch, ARNP Cassie Welsh, LMHC Broadlawns Medical Plaza | 1761 Hickman Road | (515) 282-5695 | www.broadlawns.org
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