Newspapers / The Carolinian (Raleigh, N.C.) / Jan. 23, 1992, edition 1 / Page 16
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POWER executives California legislature officials Leola (Roscoe) and Ronald Dellums, tell how they juggle “marital bliss and high-profile careers.” Desiree, a top Illinois Lottery executive, says she and her husband try to make “efficient use of our weekends”; as John, the founder of Chicago’s successful Ariel Capital Management, reports that he tries to find “fun places to go,” because of his wife’s love of traveling. Lawmakers Eyes On Loopholes Among Problems Of Wis. Hate Crimes Law MADISON, Wis. (AP>—An Arab and Jew were among the witnesses who asked that lawmakers pass a bill to eliminate problems they say make Wisconsin’s Hate Crimes law difficult to enforce. A black woman, an Asian-Ameri can man and a prosecutor also asked Thursday for more teeth in the law that provides greater penalties when a crime is motivated by preju dice. “We are all citizens under one roof,” Fahed Raad of Wauwatosa, representing the Middle East Policy Council, told the Senate Judiciary Committee. Whenever anyone victimizes someone else because of his or her race, religion or national origin, he said, “Something is wrong and should be treated very strongly.* “We hope our local cooperation will be contagious and will be suc cessful on the international level as well,” Mordecai Lee, executive di rector of the Milwaukee Jewish Council, said. They and others supported As sembly Bill 507, which would make several changes in the law. The law providesincreased prison terms of up to five years and in creased fines of up to $10,000 if a jury finds that a crime was commit ted solely because of the criminal’s prejudice against the victim’s race, religion, color, disability, sexual orientation, national origin or an cestry. One problem with the present law is that it does not apply to someone who attacks another person in the mistaken belief that the victim is of a certain race, national origin or sexual persuasion, the bill’s sup porters said. That’s what happened in La Crosse when a Japanese man was mistakenly attacked in the belief he was Hmong, scud Paul Kasuda of Madison, representing the Japa nese-American Citizens League. He said there were assaults on people of Asian heritage in Madison, Milwaukee and Appleton last year and the attack in La Crosse in 1990. “In tough economic times, race relations also get very tough,’ said Betty Franklin-Hammonds, presi dent of the Madison Urban League. “It’s as though we need someone to blame.” The bill also would allow in creased penalties even if prejudice is not the sole reason for a crime. Under current law, a defendant can say he beat and robbed a gay man because he needed the money as well as hated homosexuals, said David Feiss of Wauwatosa, speak ing for the Wisconsin District Attor neys Association. “The question here is how much hate is acceptable, and I don’t think that’s a question that we want to try to answer,” Feiss said. The committee took no immediate action on the bill. Health Officials, Community Activists Bout With Inner-City Minority Residents BOSTON (AP)— What was once America's vacation on wheels is being rolled out to combat infant mortality. Spurred by one of the worst infant death rates in the counrty, health officials and community activists are driving the streets of Boston’s inner city inviting minority residents to set a spell in the comfy confines of a 35 foot long motor vehicle. Dubbed the family van, the project is an attempt to bring medical assistance to people unwilling or unable to get to the services themselves. “For people who don’t trust the health system, they need some place them can at least meet us,” Dr. Nancy Oriol, founder and executive director of the van project, said before the van’s maiden voyage Wednesday. Like the “MOMs Van" in Washington, D.C., the Boston project is both a sad sign of the times and a glimmer of hope. “At a time when society's under tremendous pressures,” including the recession and rising unemployment, “every little project counts,” said Dr. Benjamin Sachs, obstetrician-chief gynecologist at Beth Isreal Hospital, had seen a few to have something to celebrate in these hard times.” Oriol’s van idea stemmed from a radio report she heard while driving one day nearly two years ago. Here are the grim statistics she heard on the morning news: In 1969, black babies in Massachusetts died at a rate of 18.8 for every 1,000 live births, 2.8 times the white rate of 6.6 per thousand. In the city of Boston, the numbers were fven worse. Black babies were dying at a rate of 18.2 percent, compared to 5 deaths per thousand for white babies. Oriol, head of obstetric anethesia at Beth Iseal Hospital, had seen a few close calls herself. “I saw two pregnant women who had seizures brought into the emergency room. Neither one of them had prenatel care,” she said. “If somebody had checked their blook pressure, they wouldn’t have been in intensive care.” The Family Van will check blood pressure. It will also offer pregnancy testing and diabetes screening. Most importantly, the 35-foot van, staffed by four health and social service experts, will offer information and education. Staffers will answer questions on housing, insuranoe. AIDS, welfare and drug abuse. “To expect one van in a few neighborhoods to reduce the infant mortality rate is wrong,” said Cheryl Dorsey, Oriol’s assistant on the project and a student at Harvard Medical School and the Kennedy School of Government. “But we will give out a lot of information on things like nutrition and HIV; we’ll increase people's access to services." The van will roll through the streets of Boston's inner city from 1-4 p.m. weekdays, stopping at common meeting places such as markets, churches, soup kitchens and youth centers. At each stop, two people will remain on the van, offering tests and referrals, while two others take to the streets, inviting people to stop by. Before they can hope to make a dent in infant mortality, organizers want to develop a rapport with minority residents. “We want to create a comfortable, safe space so if they want our help we’re here,” said Doresy. “If we push too hard, we’ll lose them altogether.” To help build trust, the van promises anonymous or confidential services. Attack Victim Meets With E. Holyfield , NEW YORK, N.Y. (AP>-A racial attack had at least one ray of sun shine for the 12-year-old victim. He had lunch with his sports idol, heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield. Hie two were brought together last Friday after the champion’s promoter saw a newspaper photo graph of Bryan Figueroa’s room and noticed a Holyfield poster hanging on the wall. “When I read about this horrible thing, I thought about what the kid was going through... and I wanted to talk to him and let him know re venge is not the answer," Holyfield said r The seventh-grader was waiting for a school bus Jan. 13 when ha was jumped by several white youths, taunted and covered with white paint. It was one of more than a dozen racially motivated attacks that have occurred in the city since Jan. 6. The youngster, his face hidden behind a red ski mask because his attackers have not been arrested, said he felt embarrassed, humili ated and defenseless after the at tack. Holyfield, who grew up in an inte grated poor neighborhood in At lanta, said he has never experienced that kind of racial hatred. "We were all poor, that gave ea Tpa ofdag >» common,” ha eaid. Yet he wanted to make aura Bryan didn't M revenge wna the anewer. “I told him to try and haho a far giving heart... to forgive theaa gqyo for what they've done and net hate anybody-” “I will follow hi* werde and net pi out looking for towengo.” they wag star caid. “But fk Mt Mho thnt anyway.” The champion gave Bryan a pair of boxing glove* and “the Irid,” aa Holyfield called him, got the chance to do what few othera have ever don: give Holyfield a right ta the chin l .. 1 I Congratulations AKA Sorority 'i -A 5 COPELAND S ELECTRICAL SERVICE, Inc. Residential Wiring Specialist 2705 Boxelder Court Raleigh, North Carolina 27610 Phone: (919) 839-5683 7 Days Per Week (919) 839-8017 State Licensed EHUMaEM SOmtUkmpeopletabeconfirtinit 517 PYLON DRIVE • RALEIGH, N.C. tyoux Comfoxt U Out Com.mltmM.ni 27606-1491 TELEPHONE 828-6147
The Carolinian (Raleigh, N.C.)
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Jan. 23, 1992, edition 1
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