Photos by Iniko McNeil & Jordan Booker

Iniko McNeil Data News Weekly Contributor

It’s Homecoming Season for schools across the city. For most Historically Black Universities, the Annual Coronation to crown a Mr. and Misses are a traditional feature of Homecoming activities, marked with ballgowns, tuxedos and sashes. Often left out from the traditional nature of these activities are non-binary and LGBTQ students.’

Introducing: The Pride Gayla. (sub)
Honorary Queen: New Orleans native and artist-in-residence: Laveau Contraire.

Pronouns: “Any” “Yeah! She, her, they, whatever I look like at the time,” Contraire said as she headlined the second ever Pride Gayla organized by the Office of Inclusion and Social Justice at Xavier University of Louisiana, the country’s only Black and Catholic HBCU, where officials said they are working to ensure that university and its activities welcomes and reflects all students.

The Pride Gayla on Oct. 12th in the university’s Ballroom focused on the theme “Visible Voices” celebrating the work of LGBTQ artists and activists like Contraire. It was the centerpiece of a full Pride Week from Oct. 11th – 18th, that included resources from medical professionals on sexual and mental health and navigating gender, a “Barber & Beauty Shop” talk on the norms of masculinity and femininity, a yoga session to promote well-being and ending with an “HBCU Out Day” in collaboration with the Human Rights Campaign to promote confidence in students affirming their identity.

“It’s amazing because I didn’t get to go to an HBCU so to have this love at an HBCU was just so monumental for me because it makes me feel at home, and I am giving back to the community and people that look like me, so it is just mine blowing,” Contraire said at the Gayla.

Attendees at the Annual Gayla enjoyed a three-course meal while networking and creating community with fellow LGBTQ+ community members along with allies, determined to be themselves and share an intentionally created safe space.

“I think events like this such as our Pride Gayla are super important for our voices and our students’ voices to be heard and tonight’s theme is visible voices,” said Glenn Caston, Xavier’s Inclusion and Social Justice Officer in the Division of Student Affairs.

“What we are trying to do is create institutional change and policy so using these platforms to hear from our students and to really welcome them into the space to ensure their voices are seen in everything they do is what our office focuses on,” said Caston, who also serves as the Head Cheerleading Coach at Xavier.

While legislation in many Southern states is making initiatives around inclusion and equality in the classroom harder for educators, Caston said it is even more important for educators and administrators to allow space for classroom curriculum and environment to reflect all students in the classroom.

“A you can see; legislation right now is pushing out these curriculum … In my opinion it is absolutely necessary to have our students in discourse. They need to be finding themselves wrestling with tough concepts and tough curriculum so that they know not to repeat it.”

Affirmation is not only about being comfortable speaking and standing in one’s truth. It also entails having visual, physical, relatable representation. Contraire embodied that self-acceptance at the Pride Gayla, transforming as a self-described “drag queen extraordinaire.”

The event held a sacred place for Contraire, who said she was inspired to see that institutions in her native city are creating space and celebrating all genders and gender identities, even when historically, they may have been isolated or marginalized.

“The option to be more free and be more daring,” Contraire said. “Because, I always say if I can get on stage looking like this, and doing all that you can, be bold in your everyday life and maybe you’ll wear that extra outfit that you thought was a little too much for the function but if you can come to a Laveau Contraire Concert and see her doing that then maybe you can step out in your sparkles or whatever.”

This article originally appeared in New Orleans Data News Weekly.

By Candace J. Semien, Jozef Syndicate reporter

Erin White has entered a phase where life is seeming to come full circle.

Yes, post covid, post surgeries, post career challenges, and during her turn into the forties, White—a 40-year-old Louisiana microbiologist—is living in a stage of life when you realize the path you are on is purposeful.

White excelled in math and science at McKinley Middle Magnet and Baton Rouge Magnet High. She earned a master’s degree in molecular biology and undergraduate degrees in microbiology and physics.

For years, she’s researched and dissected microscopic skin cells, studied cell cycle regulation, cultivated topogenic bacteria, and probed cancer cells—nearly three decades after her mother gave her a microscope.

“I still have that thing.” White laughs. “That is where it all began.”

The microscope that she received in elementary school became a harbinger for the work and purpose White carries today.

“Though my degrees are accomplishments, I only really ever mention one—the BS in microbiology. Had all gone to plan, I would have had a full BS in physics, not just a BA, and a doctorate in cell cycle regulation. Those two degrees represent failures to me; points in my life where I was showing signs of burnout and weakening mental health. These failures continue to drive me to succeed, push harder, and never accept less than, again.”

That desire is pushing White to use her aptitude for research and science to help others through her sootheURskin products at Thomas Therapeutics and her social enterprise Black Women’s Wellness.

“I have realized over time that I am a natural leader, though it is not a position I always race to occupy. I am sarcastic and have a dry wit. And, lastly, I am a good bit of a nerd,” she said. “I love the feeling I get from solving problems. I actually get giddy.”

White said she is most inspired by her maternal grandmother Bobbie June Simmons Thomas, the first Black teacher at Baker High School. “There were so many students that looked up to her. And I think that knowing this made her shoulders fall back and her head that much higher. She knew the trail she was blazing and the footprint she would leave behind. The blood that runs through these veins is most definitely that of dominion,” said White.

“I can only hope to make her proud,” she said. “My body of work is beginning to show my lineage—not to say that any of my ancestors were widely-known leaders, I mean, neither am I. But they were leaders in their own right.”

Through her therapeutic products—balms, soaps, tinctures— she is solving dermatological, beauty, and esteem problems for thousands who use Thomas Therapeutics.

It began when White returned home from college and noticed her younger sister’s eczema hadn’t cleared but had worsened. “She never really seemed to grow out of the childhood plagues of infection. She had eczema surrounding her eyes and inside her eyelids. It was inside her elbows, behind her knees, on every surface that experienced friction.”

As a researcher, White hypothesized. “There’s got to be a natural way to clear this up. So, we started the search for a natural, steroid-, and antibiotic-free remedy. We scoured the pharmacies and pharmacy departments of our local area. Everything contained a steroid: cortisone or hydrocortisone. Upon seeking assistance in dermatologists’ offices, we were loaded with topical steroid and antibiotic cream combinations or even oral medicines of similar content.

She began researching natural ways to treat and heal dermatitis. The end-product became the start of Thomas Therapeutics which was “not only moisturizing and hydrating but also anti-itch—allowing the skin to heal itself,” she said.

“There are several ways to decrease inflammation naturally, to decrease itch naturally and give skin its integrity back and balance its moisture,” she said.

She knew nature worked and botanical extract would stop inflammation. To that end, Thomas Therapeutics’s line of products are blended to decrease the discomfort of irritated, dry skin. “They decrease inflammation and itch. They allow the skin to heal itself,” she said.

With her microscope and research nearby, White–who is affectionately called Sensitive Skin Scientist–said she is at home in the organized chaos of her innovations lab. “(It is) where I belong. I am a problem solver and that is where I solve them.”

Even during the COVID-crisis, White stayed true to her focus. “While I am a soap maker, I did not jump to make hand sanitizers and other gimmicky products. I felt like it was just feeding into the fearmongering and taking advantage of what little was known versus what we did not know about the virus at the time. As a direct result, I had very slow sales during the beginning of the pandemic.”

“It gave me time to pause. It gave me time to reflect on where my business was going and whether I wanted to continue to have a business at all.” White said she learned to maintain discipline in all things and that feeling an emotion is a choice. “I am learning to take cues from my surroundings. I listen to my body. I listen to the Creator and creation. This has become an important practice for me simply because these are constants.”

Then, White’s mission expanded into Black Women’s Wellness, a social network for women across the world.

Jozef Syndicate: We evolve, and life circumstances shape us. Was there an event that shifted your journey?

White: The entire COVID-19 experience has shifted my journey and changed my trajectory. Between 2019 and now, we have experienced a global pandemic on a scale never before seen. In the Fall of 2020, I’d become fed up with “Say Her Name” and “I Can’t Breathe.” I was tired of being locked away with my outlets to the outside world telling me that this was no safe space to be Black or especially, a Black woman.

I participated in a virtual panel discussion on hair and skin health with the Urban League of Louisiana Young Professionals of New Orleans and was granted the ability to network online. But I felt there was something more that had to be done. It was too much to endure alone in my office or alone in my home. Feelings of rage, exhaustion, anger, and hurt were common to me. And I knew that other Black women felt them, too.

Jozef Syndicate: What did you do as a result?

White: In September of that year, I set up the inaugural Black Women’s Wellness Panel. I had experts in mental health, nutrition, financial health, maternal health, and even spiritual health. We logged on to the virtual platform the evening that a hurricane was actually terrorizing Baton Rouge. Reception and connectivity were horrible, but we trudged through a discussion on why we all of us were feeling these emotions. The differences that we had long been trained to hide were being revealed.

We talked about code-switching and professionalism, we talked about our hair and professionalism. We discussed the violence against us and our people. And in the end, we prayed a little, we meditated a little, and I think we felt a small sense of relief because we’d created a safe space for those discussions to occur. My mission was no longer just about skin health but also skin color. The ultimate goal is to breed confidence.

Jozef Syndicate: What has your journey been like that has led you to this day? Why is there a need for BWW?

White: In my personal journey, I have had to deal with feeling “less than.” I was never liked as a child—too dark to be a pretty or even a girl. I was a depressed child. Dark skin and even darker patches where eczema left its scars, oozing plaques that had yet to heal. I even had eczema at the corners of my mouth, making it painful and unsightly (in my own opinion) to smile. My hair was frizzy and natural until maybe middle school.

I remember the hot combs, curling irons, and rollers that marked holidays, school picture days, and other special occasions. I hated my hair. I hated my skin. I didn’t like myself. At every point of self-acceptance, there was a rebuttal from my father, but my mother and grandmother would build me up.

White: Black Women’s Wellness began because I realized that my childhood was not an anomaly. We need safe spaces for these discussions. We tiptoe around white fragility, racism, and inferiority complexes. We need spaces where explanations are neither required nor desired. We need spaces where Black women are beautiful in all of our shades, shapes, and sizes. So, I am creating that space. Black Women’s Wellness events evoke meaningful discussion, provide delicious healthy meals, and promote rest among a group that is so often overwhelmed, overextended, and overwrought.

Jozef Syndicate: What would you desire others to remember about you?

White: I would like to be remembered for my lineage and how I have made them proud. I would like to be remembered for the supportive roles I’ve played in the lives of friends and family.

By James B. Ewers Jr. Ed.D., Houston Forward Times

Racism is a longstanding social illness in the United States of America. Seemingly, there is no cure for it.

It has been with us for as long as I can remember. The result of it has created heartache and heartbreak.

Lives have been lost and it has left the stain of disgrace on this country. Accomplishments, it could be argued, are sometimes overshadowed by our blatant disregard for some members of our beloved community.

I know for sure that racism will be around for as long as I live. It has been a part of my life experiences.

Unfortunately, and I say this with no pride, I have witnessed racism up close and personal.

I have been around long enough to watch the many levels of racism that exist in this country.

For example, we have had educational racism. Segregated schools were the norm until the case, Brown versus the Board of Education of Topeka ended it.

Did that stop us from getting an education?

The answer is a resounding no!

Black colleges, now called Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), were founded in order that higher education was afforded to African Americans.

At this moment, HBCUs are the hottest and most talked about educational venue in the land.

Everybody wants to attend an HBCU. I am a graduate of an HBCU (Johnson C. Smith University), and I know the power and influence they have.

The right to vote has always been problematic for African Americans. It is a fundamental right for all Americans, according to the Founding Fathers.

The problem is that the ‘current fathers’ don’t see it that way.

Will that stop us?

The answer is another resounding no!

African Americans are now voting in record numbers and that trend will continue.

There are states in this union that are creating trumped-up rules to keep us from exercising our privilege at the polls.

Some in this country have taken racism below ground zero. There are people in our states who hate Black people and want to kill us.

That is a powerful statement, yet it is factual and true.

Interestingly, there are citizens who believe the opposite. I suspect their experiences are different, and they live in an almost contactless America.

If you are one of those people, pay close attention now.

Racial tragedy struck Buffalo, New York, on May 14^th.

Hate came up from the ground and reared its inhumane and immoral head.

Ten Black people were murdered by a White man who hated Black people.

It’s that simple and that sad.

Payton S. Gendron, 18 years old, was the shooter. He also injured 3 people as well during this shooting spree.

The victims were assaulted at a Tops Friendly Markets store and the victims ranged in ages from 20-86.

This crime of hate is unthinkable and was done with malicious intent.

The killer was not a Buffalo resident. He drove approximately 200 miles from Conklin, New York, to commit this heinous crime.

Gendron had already scouted out the place for his crime. He knew that many African Americans shopped at that location. That is sick beyond words.

According to reports, Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said, “We found some things that show he was here in early March, and then again, we know he was here on Friday, basically doing reconnaissance on the area.”

Gramaglia added, “He was in the store, both on Friday and Saturday.”

These statements were made by him to CNN’s Erin Burnett.

Payton S. Gendron surrendered to police after this life-altering atrocity.

America, where are we headed? Only time will tell.

The post Racism Rears Its Ugly Head in the Buffalo Shootings appeared first on Houston Forward Times.

By Edwin Buggage, Editor-in-Chief Data News Weekly

An Inspirational Journey
The Anthony Bean Community Theater (ABCT) continues to be a leader in bringing quality productions to the stage. For over two decades garnering many awards along the way lead by Anthony Bean, it is more than just theater, but is aimed at telling positive stories about African Americans, changing narratives, and empowering the community.

While ABCT have been in existence for over 20 years, Anthony Bean’s history with theater goes back to the 1970’s while still a teen, he and his older brother, the late Monroe “Jomo Kenyatta” Bean began the Ethiopian Theater in 1973. “I remember when we first began, and back then the debate was centered on should Black theater be more message oriented or aesthetic. I feel as Black people in the arts this is something that continues to this day. But I feel that you can do both, this is what we do over at ABCT. We have stories that challenge our community to be better, but we execute it in a way that considers the highest standards of quality in set design, costumes, and other aspects of production.”

Planting the Seeds of Greatness
Throughout his career in theater, Bean always was committed to teaching the craft of acting. Today, many of his students are getting into prestigious programs such as NOCCA, Julliard and working in television and film. One of his early students is acclaimed actor, businessman and advocate of all things New Orleans’ Wendell Pierce. “I saw something in him early, I could see the seeds of greatness in him even when he was young. I am glad that I was able to be part of his journey. He and so many others make me proud, knowing that my they too are not simply just creating great art, but are interested in empowering and giving voice to the aspirations of our community. Showing our city at its best,” says Bean of his work that continues to give his life purpose and meaning.

It Takes A Village
Over the years, Bean’s work has been recognized by national celebrities including the late Redd Foxx, who hosted a fundraiser for him in the 1980’s. Local icons such as Irma Thomas and the late Allen Toussaint have also been supporters and have been the subjects of plays produced by Anthony Bean. In a city where the political landscape mirrors the greatest of stages with its drama and intrigue, Bean has found a way to get the support and put on the stage many who are or have been elected leaders in the City of New Orleans. “I remember getting the support of the City’s first Black Mayor Ernest “Dutch” Morial, I can say I have lived to see us take the reins of power. Today though, we must consider how to use it to help those who need it the most in our city.” He adds, “Others who have been instrumental in helping ABCT is Gail Glapion, who was on the New Orleans School Board, and is on the board of ABCT, she continues to be a supporter and advocate for the theater. Of course, I cannot forget City Councilmember Oliver Thomas, who as a longtime friend has always been committed to young people and supporting ABCT.”

Life, Legacy, and Empowering the Next Generation
As Bean continues to seal his legacy, he recently opened an the ABCT Actor Studio. It is home to a teen TV Show what’s going on and rehearsal space and classroom blazing the trail for the next generation. “My life is one that is dedicated to giving and service. Of showing that we can own something that can empower our community. That has been my mission from day one because I feel I have been blessed and it is my job to bless others with the tools to live their best lives and aspiring to reach higher.”

Anthony Bean Summer Camp is presently holding audition for his Performing Arts Youth Summer Camp for more information call 504-862-Play.

This article originally appeared in New Orleans Data News Weekly.

By Bre’ionya Irvin, Data News Weekly Contributor

Black women have made history in 2020 in American politics and in 2021 they begin the challenging work of empowering all women, particularly as the country aims to recover from the COVID-19 Pandemic.

“More than 22 million women have been forced out of the workforce in the past year, and many of them were Black women,” said Vice President Kamala Harris in her opening remarks for the 10th Annual Black Women’s Roundtable National Virtual Summit titled “Women of Power” this year.

The summit which ran from March 24th through March 28th featured many of the influential, and trailblazing Black women, teens and girls who have been at the forefront of public and civic life in recent years.

Important speakers like; Melanie Campbell, (President and CEO of the Black Women’s Roundtable), Vice President Harris, Housing and Urban Development Secretary, Marcia Fudge, joined other business and community leaders to speak not only about the challenges they face as Black woman, but how Black women can cope, recover from trauma, and rise above the challenges.

“They are women who work in industries that have been devastated. Women who work in jobs that didn’t pay enough even before, and have disappeared now,” Harris said of the impact of the pandemic on women.

“They run small businesses that are struggling to stay open, and with day cares closed and schools remote, they are juggling responsibilities at work and at home. I want you to know that President Biden and I see it all. The power of Black women and the pain Black women are experiencing,” Harris told attendees of the virtual summit.

More women have been laid off from their jobs or cannot find a job because most essential jobs aren’t typically looking to rehire women at this time, or Black women in particular, the presenters shared. The pandemic has worsened poverty levels in Black communities, and most Black families continue to struggle to find affordable, adequate housing.

“Job losses, due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, have set labor-force participation among women back to its lowest point in more than 30 years,” said HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge. “In 2019, more than 500,000 people experience homelessness,” Fudge added.

The numbers have increased now that the pandemic has hit. In recognizing Women’s History Month, Fudge reflected on the roll women have played in laying the foundation for the household and for society.

“The fact that through the ages it was women who carried the water, smoothed the rocks, broke the walls, shattered the ceilings, and saved and sustained families, communities, countries, and people,” Fudge said. “That is the legacy from which we benefit. We drink the water they carried and the wells they dug. Even today we drink from wells we did not dig. I am grateful for all the strong women who defied place, and time, and circumstance,” Fudge added.

Additionally, today, women are setting new records. Fudge noted that women are leading the way in becoming homeowners, breaking new records and closing the gender gap in all areas. She noted recent data that showed women have emerged as key home buyers, with single women owning more homes now than single men, about 1 and a half million more.

“Women are breaking the stereotypic holds of ‘men having more power than women,’ or ‘a woman will never be as good as a man,’” Fudge said.

As the country aims to recover economically from the pandemic, White House Director of Domestic Policy, Susan Rice said that women are operating in key positions in federal government to pull the nation out of the economic slump from COVID-19.

“My pledge to you is that we will not shy away from these challenges, we will continue to make the federal government accountable for advancing equity for families across America,” Rice said in her remarks. The history of this nation from reconstruction to the Civil Rights Era, to the 2020 election showed that Black workers, families, and voters, especially Black women, have never stopped pushing this country forward, and demanding that the nation live up to its highest ideals, Rice said.

“May their struggle galvanize us. May their perseverance inspire us, and may their courage embolden us to keep marching forward as we continue this vital work together,” Rice said.

Harris shared that it is this sisterhood of Black women that has pulled the Black community through hard times in the past and will continue to do so in the future.

“Over the past year, faced with this devastating pandemic, Black women have been true heroes,” Vice President Harris said.
“The power of Black women is undeniable. We see it in the ballot box, and in the boardroom, in state houses, and in the Halls of Congress,” Harris added.

Vice President Kamala Harris delivered the opening address for the 10th Annual Black Women’s Roundtable National Summit on March 24, 2021.

U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Marcia Fudge, delivered the keynote address for the Annual Black Women’s Roundtable Women of Power National Summit.

Former Ambassador Susan Rice, who currently serves as the Director of the United States Domestic Policy Council spoke at the Annual Black Women’s Roundtable Summit that was held virtually from March 24th to 28th, 2021.

The post Empowering Black Women in America appeared first on New Orleans Data News Weekly.

By Edwin Buggage Editor-in-Chief, New Orleans Data News Weekly

The Race to Reform the District Attorney’s Office
In these historic times, there are many things that are happening that are shifting the cultural landscape and conversations about justice, equity, and fairness. New Orleans, while a jewel of a city in many ways is ground zero for a Criminal Justice System that’s rife with archaic, inhuman practices, that make it the most incarcerated city in the nation, jailing people at twice the national average.

The recent race for District Attorney brought these issues front and center, with both candidates pledging to reform the office and balancing the needs for public safety along with equity for all regardless of race, class, or gender.

Jason Williams Makes History; Becoming only the Second African American District Attorney of New Orleans
When all the votes were counted, Jason Williams defeated Keva Landrum and is now tasked with the job of making the public confident that the District Attorney’s Office can deliver on the promises of reform.

Speaking of the failures of the present Criminal Justice System and his agenda he says, “It has denied justice for too many in our community, especially Black men, and has not made our families safer. I will lead an office that rejects a win-at-all-cost culture and replaces that with a culture that is laser-focused on decreasing violent crime like murder, rape, and armed robberies. I will lead an office that prioritizes community engagement and transparency to rebuild public trust and partnership.”

The Search for Justice, Equity and Fairness…All Voices Matter
Many of the problems with the system lie in that there is not enough diversity in the voices that are in the room when making decisions around policies relating to public safety and measuring their impact on the City and its residents. Consequently, this practice produces adverse results, leading to over-policing, persecuting, and prosecuting some communities while others are being protected and served.

Williams, who says during the campaign and in his work on reform efforts are shaped by his many years of being involved in these efforts will help him bring a diverse pool of people to the table to come up with solutions.

“This campaign was a community-driven effort. It was going to be a community effort reflective of the diversity of experiences, the diversity of thought, the diversity of complexion, the diversity of gender in the City of New Orleans. And that same diversity of thought and inclusion more broadly is what we will use in this fight to reform the Criminal Legal System. This new era of criminal justice will look different than it ever did to increase public safety in every neighborhood,” Williams said during his victory speech surrounded by his supporters.

What’s Needed to Lead through Turbulent Times
In the outgoing administration of the District Attorney’s office, there is a perception problem on several fronts. Williams says his varied portfolio of experience makes him armed with the skill sets to restore public confidence that the office needs. Further, he states that under his charge, the D.A. Office will operate with integrity and transparency producing better results for the people of New Orleans.

“As City Council President and Criminal Justice Committee Chair, I developed public dashboards to increase information sharing and transparency with the public. I will do the exact same thing as DA so that the public has the information needed to hold me accountable. I also developed the Jerome Smith Criminal Justice Citizen Advisory Council to allow citizens to help set priorities in criminal justice and law enforcement budget priorities. As District Attorney, I will establish a Citizen Advisory Board of Advocates and victims to help ensure we are hearing of the needs, responsive, and rebuild trust.”

David vs. Goliath…The Politics of New Orleans
D.A. Elect Williams during his victory speech at times sounding prophetic speaking of those who’d been wrongly accused and later exonerated. Then likening himself to winning this election as a David vs. Goliath moment, as he saw much of the political establishment back his opponent. Not deterred, he took his case to the people. Feeling vindicated, he said to rousing applauds and shouts of amen to his supporters spanning the gamut of people citizens of the City he said, “When you put God first all things are possible if you put God and a slingshot you can take that giant out. We put people first, we listened to the people of New Orleans and not political machines.”
It is in this spirit of all voices contributing to the conversation that shapes this reform effort that Williams says will guide him as the next District Attorney of New Orleans.

“I believe in New Orleans we can create a blueprint that can be used throughout the south and the country. To accomplish this, it will take everybody in this City to implement and execute reforming this Criminal Legal System; and make the most incarcerated city in the world the fairest, most humane and with have justice and safety for all regardless of what part of town you are from.”

A Positive Vision to Becoming a Better and Safer City
With his victory, Jason Williams is making history; becoming only the second African American District Attorney in the City’s over 300-year history is optimistic about the potential direction of his office and the Criminal Justice System as a whole something that will benefit all the people of the City and improve the quality of life for all its citizens.
“It is now with the future of New Orleans in my mind that I must pledge to you as your next District Attorney that I will be one that you can be proud of.

The post Jason Williams Wins District Attorney’s Race appeared first on New Orleans Data News Weekly.