Letter from the Publishers
Date posted: October 18, 2021
Wishing you health and wellness
Our loyal readers stir deep gratitude in the Las Vegas Black Image family. You are the inspiration for our commitment to confronting negative images with the uplifting stories and photos that are the hallmark of this magazine each month.
Thanks to the inimitable singer and her outstanding team, Erykah Badu graces the cover of this month’s issue — which also ushers in the “Las Vegas Black Image Magazine Health Initiative: Go to the Doctor,” sponsored by Intermountain Healthcare. We kicked off the initiative with Caravan for Mammogram — and are gearing up to deliver a continuous flow of health information, health resources, and opportunities to build personal relationships with medical professionals dedicated to your wellness.
Wellness was also at the center of Las Vegas Black Image: At the Beach. It was a tremendous success and we thank all who attended this health and wellness event in La Jolla, Calif.
Also in this issue: our heartfelt prayers go out to the families of Melvin “Beetle” Ennis and Deejay Rashad “Certified” Mullins. You both have done so much to uplift our community and you will never be forgotten. Rest in Peace.
The city is abuzz with the success of the Las Vegas Raiders, and we captured the excitement of fans who came out to the Death Star for the season’s first home game.
Remember to pick up your FREE copy of Las Vegas Black Image Magazine each month at all participating Albertsons supermarkets, Clark County-Las Vegas Library branches, cultural arts centers, and select businesses. Also, upon request, you can receive Black Image Magazine along with the Las Vegas Review Journal newspaper
If there is a particular story that you would like to see featured in Las Vegas Black Image Magazine, email us at: cdalasvegas@gmail.com.
Charles Tureaud & Kimberly Bailey Tureaud
Publishers
Library District, RTC to Offer Free Entertainment Options
Date posted:
Library District, RTC to Offer Free Entertainment Options
Transit riders in the Las Vegas metropolitan area can now access free movies, ebooks, audiobooks and magazines, thanks to a new partnership between the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) and the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District.
The Library District is bringing the library on board all RTC buses through its easy-to-use Libby app. RTC transit riders in the Southern Nevada service area can now join thousands of local residents who already enjoy this easy-to-use, free app.
“Our mission is to connect with the public, wherever they are, and enable them to enjoy the library’s digital collection,” said Kelvin Watson, executive director of the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District. “Our partnership with the RTC introduces new audiences to the educational, entertaining, and life-changing resources that the library offers every day. This opportunity makes it easy for riders to learn more about our programs and offerings, then visit one of our branches in person for an upgrade to a free all-access library card, and enter our wonderful world of discovery!”
“Our agency is committed to increasing accessibility for our customers, and this is a unique way that we can help support our riders with tools and resources to grow, learn and enrich their lives.” Said M.J. Maynard, RTC Chief Executive Officer. “We are excited about this meaningful collaboration with the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District to bring the library straight to our transit riders who may not have the ability to access a library location.”
Using a digital device, riders can access the Libby app with RTC Wi-Fi or by scanning the QR code inside each bus. Once downloaded, riders can simply sign up by entering their mobile number and the library system will instantly verify the new account, allowing immediate access to customers to begin borrowing eBooks, audiobooks, magazines and movies at no cost. For those who do not ride the bus, the Libby app is available for all residents and can be downloaded via the Apple app store, Google Play, or through QR codes featured at RTC transit centers, on buses and bus shelter advertising.
HISTORIC BLACK VEGAS | The Fire Inside
Date posted: October 14, 2021
The Fire Inside
BY CLAYTEE D. WHITE
How James Walker and Monroe Williams began changing the face of the Las Vegas Fire Department.
The story of the Black presence in the City of Las Vegas Fire Department begins with James Walker and Monroe Williams. That beginning ends with Dave Washington, who became the first Black fire chief and the trajectory continued into near-equality. In the 1960s, systemic racism in employment filtered through many job categories.
When opportunity struck, Williams was working at a local market in the Westside community.
“I was working behind the meat counter as a butcher in Ranch Market. A guy named James Walker came in and we were talking at the meat counter. He said, “I’m planning on going to the fire department.
I said, ‘The fire department? I never thought about that.’ So he said, ‘Why don’t you go down and put in an application?’ So I did.
“He and I got on and started the training program together. They took one bed and put our names on the bed. They separated us by putting him on one shift and putting me on the other shift. So he slept in the bed on one shift and then the next shift, I slept in the same bed.”
They were the first Blacks in the department. Walker left for different opportunities but Williams became a captain after 18 years with the department.
“After 18 years, I made captain, which was kind of unique because there was an ad in the paper that stated that today, four people were promoted to captain,” said Williams. “John Doe had been on the fire department for six years, John Smith had been on the department for 8 years, and Joe Doe had worked for ten years. And Monroe Williams has been on the fire department for 18 and a half years.”
In those 18 ½ years, Williams blazed a trail for many other Blacks including the man who would become the first Black fire chief, Dave Washington. He entered the department in 1974, after the time when the dinner plate used by a Black person would be thrown in the garbage so no one else would have to use it. Standing on the shoulders of many black men, Washington paved the way for women to enter the department.
“I was a training officer when women first came on the department,” said Washington. “I overheard brothers saying, ‘They’re going to be taking our jobs.’ I told them no one’s going to take your job if you are prepared for that next promotion. I just believe that everybody has a right to choose a type of employment. I’ve seen women that make some men look like chumps.”
Washington became fire chief in 2001. Serving as the chief wasn’t always easy.
I had a praise team because [people and issues] were coming at me every kind of way they could, Washington said. “I also had a civilian advisory board. I did not use them often but I recruited them after my first two or three years as a fire chief. But as far as the praise team – I would often say, ‘Let’s go to lunch, I need a special prayer.’ Or sometimes these people would just call me and say, ‘I’m going to pray for you today.
Ten Ways to Teach Your Kids About Money
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Ten Ways to Teach Your Kids About Money
By Craig Kirkland, EVP/Director of Retail Banking, Nevada State Bank
Craig Kirkland, EVP/Director of Retail Banking, Nevada State Bank
If you want your children to become successful and responsible adults, start by teaching them how to make good choices about money. Follow these 10 steps to give your kids a good financial education:
1. Prepare yourself to be a good teacher. Tap into the myriad of online tools and resources that teach you how to explain money management to your kids.
2. Talk with them about money. Carve out a time when you’re not distracted by TV or digital devices, then have a real conversation and actively listen to what they say.
3. Give them a weekly allowance. The amount itself is not important. It’s the fact that you are entrusting them with money and guiding them on how to make good choices in spending and saving it.
4. Even small children can learn how to save. Get an old-fashioned piggy bank or use any kind of container with a lid. Then, go through the steps of counting the money and putting it away in the bank.
5. Explain why it’s important to save a portion of their money, how it’s possible to save up for a large purchase, and how compound interest works. Set savings goals and track how you’re doing.
6. Open a savings account in their name. Although bank accounts can easily be opened online, bring them into a bank branch so they see how money is handled and how banks work.
7. Show older children how to leverage technology in banking – how you can deposit a check with your phone or tablet, pay bills online, check activity on your account, etc.
8. Talk about wants versus needs. Then, try to model the behavior. If you’re shopping, point out which things are necessary and which are only “nice to have.”
9. Talk to older kids about responsible use of credit, including the pitfalls of using too much credit. Explain how interest and fees can make it difficult to pay back what’s been borrowed.
10. Let them know that you envision a bright future for them. “When you go to college…”; “When you start your own business…”; “When you buy your first home…”
Financial literacy has a myriad of benefits and can help ensure that children develop good money habits and achieve financial success throughout their lives.
HEALTHIER YOU: Addressing disparities in the impacts of breast cancer
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Addressing disparities in the impacts of breast cancer
BY DR. ANNETTE MAYES, OB/GYN
DR. ANNETTE MAYES
As we acknowledge Breast Cancer Awareness Month for October, it is important to also be aware of health disparities. Black and white women in the United States are diagnosed with breast cancer at about the same rate, but Black women are 40 percent more likely to die of it.
Many breast cancer survivors are advocating to overcome the disparities in treatment between white women and women of color. Inequities infiltrate everything from who gets screened for genetic mutations like BRCA — which significantly raise a person’s risk of breast cancer — to which populations are being studied in clinical trials for new cancer therapies.
Researchers need to better understand how breast cancer shows up in Black women and the lack of representation in clinical trials. Guidelines published March 2018 in Journal of the American College of Radiology recommend that doctors use screening methods such as an MRI or ultrasound when screening high-risk groups for breast cancer, including Black women.
Black women are also more than 10 percent more likely than white women to develop breast cancer before age 50. And a study of women over the age 40, (published in Cancer Medicine) found that breast density was a significant factor in Black women who were diagnosed with aggressive subtypes of breast cancer, including triple-negative. The study found that Black women were 2.7 times more likely than white women to be diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer.
Research is certainly going to be a huge driver of improvement in health disparity — identifying where the disparities exist and understanding their causes, whether these be biological differences, social determinants of health, provider bias, and more. Collaboration between patient advocacy groups, innovative technology offerings, academics and life sciences researchers — breaking down these silos — will be crucial as well in addressing this complex issue.
For more information, call Las Vegas All Women’s Care at (702) 522-9640. Or visit us at 700 Shadow Lane #165 in Las Vegas.
4th Annual Caravan for Mammogram
Date posted:
Also, the 4th Annual Caravan for Mammogram took place in Las Vegas with 103 participantes for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This event targeted black women because all medical studies indicate black women are the first to die from breast cancer.
The ladies gathered with their cars at the Las Vegas All Women’s Care facility to decorate their cars in Pink. Each lady received a big pink decoration bag when they arrived at the Caravan for Mammogram event. The ladies enjoyed decorating their cars together in fellowship while listening to great music from the event Deejay.
Metro police volunteers arrived at the Caravan for Mammogram beginning site to escort the parade of caravaning cars to the Las Vegas strip where tourists and locals cheered on the parade of decorated Pink cars as they passed by.
The parade of caravaning cars drove to the end destination at Town Square outdoor mall where the ladies enjoyed a wonderful lunch at Echelon Events Center, live entertainment by EC Adams and welcoming words from Intermountain Healthcare executive representatives.
Sound Decisions
Date posted:
Jayson Sawyer is bringing back live music and changing the game while he’s at it.
BY TYRA BELL-HOLLAND
Even a year of canceled and postponed live entertainment couldn’t deter JABM founder and CEO Jayson Sawyer, who remains on a trajectory to become a leading force in live music for Las Vegas and throughout California.
The latest venue to benefit from Sawyer’s talents: the 7-acre Craig Ranch Regional Amphitheater, nestled inside 170 acres in North Las Vegas. When he toured the amphitheater in May, Sawyer knew that he could bring some much-deserved attention to this little oasis inside a sprawling park — complete with a lake — in hopes of partnering with local organizations to enhance the experience for concertgoers and being at the center of the post-COVID comeback.
For Sawyer, JABM is more than a name — it’s a legacy passed down by his father. A Black-owned entertainment and events company, it was founder in 2020 by a small group of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs with a vision. They formed the company with one mission in mind: pioneering change across the industry while positively impacting the communities they serve.
Appointed CEO in January 2020, Sawyer comes from a tech sales background — having worked most recently at LeanData and Adobe. Applying business methodologies typically used in a startup environment, Jayson has led JABM in make significant strides in their first year with several shows in the Bay area such as “BMW Night Under the Stars” featuring comedian Earthquake. In Las Vegas, his first summer concert at Craig Ranch Amphitheater — with Cypress Hill, Atmosphere and Producer/DJ Z-Trip — was triumphant. It was summertime in Las Vegas, scorching hot. How would this affect ticket sales and attendance? What was realized is that this community was ready to embrace outdoor festivals, to celebrate life, and be connected by the music which meant something. It was more than a concert; it was a lifeline to many and single-handedly placed this little jewel in the desert on the live music map.
So what’s next? None other than the queen of neo-soul, Erykah Badu. Quickly becoming one of the most anticipated shows coming to Las Vegas.
“As guidelines and restrictions begin to ease regarding the pandemic, you can expect to see more JABM events being rolled out nationwide,” said Sawyer. “These curated live experiences allow for every patron to feel like a VIP from the moment they step into the door. A standard that JABM commits to upholding as the company scales.”
PEACE: We face what comes
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The emotional strength of a woman is God’s gift to the world. She holds the tide from threats and disasters. The storm comes when we least expect it, but that rumble within your heart will ignite your armor. Protection is not external. In all reality it is an internal manifestation of one’s will.
Your personal mental space is the soul of your movement. Fueling up on positive energy, thoughts, and your beautified environment will make space for understanding. Living moment-to-moment will reduce the strife that knocks at the unknown. You will find your way. It is the universal promise that some forget. All will evolve to another time and your journey will have another interpretation.
Living intentionally with a focus on your mind, body and spirit is your stuff. The stuff others might try to grab away to fertilize their disrupted existence. No. Give yourself back your stuff. The stuff that makes you who you are. The person humanity needs you to be — authentic.
Power up and remember what your ancestors gave. The price has already been paid forward for the pathway to be clear. Only you control the fog that can make what is seen suddenly invisible. Move the static and block the noise that births anger, self-pity, and sorrow.
You got this. The sun does come out regardless of circumstance. You can hold steady or let go. Remember the life you have is yours and peace is waiting for you to summon it.
Las Vegas Black Image at the Beach
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Once again we want to thank Intermountain Healthcare for their support for the Las Vegas Black Image Magazine’s Health Initiative. The health initiative kicked off with our Las Vegas Black Image Magazine’s At the Beach event whereby participants received: Meditation coaching, yoga, hiking, massage therapy and more.
Las Vegas Black Image: At the Beach was much more than a sold-out fundraiser to support the magazine’s Health Initiative — it was a gathering centered on self-care through fun, friendship and focus in the idyllic La Jolla section of San Diego, Calif. Want to join us next year? Reach out to cdalasvegas@gmail.com. Until then, enjoy these scenes from unforgettable festivities that included an opening meet-and-greet atop Hotel La Jolla, yoga on the beach, poolside massages, hikes, meditation, and an evening barbecue followed by a bonfire on the beach.
