Raising awareness on mental health with “Walking in my Blessings” Golf Classic

By Michael Moore and Okon Ekpenyong

Picture Credit: Les Rutland
Picture Credit: Les Rutland

It was perfect weather for the 4th Annual John A. Moman Memorial Golf Classic held at the prestigious Winchester Golf Course in Canal Winchester, Ohio with over 80 participants.  The very well-landscaped golf course sits in the middle of one of Canal Winchester’s most beautiful residential neighborhoods.

The John A. Moman Golf Classic organizer and founder, Chevez Moman, created “Walking in My Blessings.” The efforts and goals are to raise awareness in the African American community on mental health, provide a safe space where an open discussion on mental stress and trauma can be spoken about, and provide support as a community. All donations will benefit the efforts of “Walking in My Blessings.”

Community activists, council members, family, and friends all came out to show their support for this great event and enjoy a little golfing at the same time. Legendary coach James ” Satch” Sullinger, father of former Ohio State basketball star Jared Sullinger, was also in attendance.

“We have tried everything else except for unity,” Sullinger said.

Al Edmonson, a well-known community leader across Central Ohio, had the longest drive contest at 289 yards on a par five. The Golf classic Courage Award went to Mr. Craig Avery Sr, who is battling cancer. Despite undergoing chemotherapy every week, he always finds the time to golf with friends and family every Sunday, including the Jam Memorial Classic.

Chuck Brown, Robert Thomas, Glenn Collins, and New York Sam were this year’s winning duo shooting under 61 for the classic.

Stacie Baker, a council member representing the entire city of Reynoldsburg, was one of the players.

“Being able to support a great event like the Jam memorial golf tournament is a win because this event promotes giving back to the community,” said Stacie Baker.

“It is truly an honor and privilege to support the Jam Memorial classic. When an African American male in the community gives back, and the local entrepreneurs and business leaders support scholarship and service, it lifts our entire community”, Councilwoman Meredith Lawson-Row said. The event was a complete success, to say the least, having over 80 golfers come out to show support and unity, not just in the neighborhood but in the entire.

Originally posted by:  , August 31, 2021

Editor: Deba Uwadiae

A DIFFERENT TIME, A DIFFERENT PLACE

A DIFFERENT TIME, A DIFFERENT PLACE

By
Tonisha Chapman

 

June 25, 2021

In sports, we always like to discuss “Who is the Greatest of all Time.” However, the discussion often goes more in the world of basketball these days. Ever since LeBron James stepped on the basketball scene and proclaimed himself “King James,” the comparison discussion has begun about Lebron vs. Michael.

This particular discussion brings out everyone’s point of view and their criteria for determining who deserves the title “The Greatest of All Time.” For example, some people look at how many championships an individual has, while others want to throw statistics and off-court actions into the mix.

On the note of statistics and off-the-court actions, those are not valid in my opinion because you are talking about two highly different times when it comes to the climate of the NBA. When Jordan entered the league, the norm was for players to go to college for at least three years and then enter the NBA draft.

These days, you can go after one year of college or directly from high school. So when people want to start trying to compare LeBron & Michel’s stats, I say, “not valid, because LeBron has five years minimum on Michael Jordan.” Remember Michael Jordan when to college for three years, and took a 2 ½ season break after the killing of this father and then retired in 1998, then he came back two years later in 2000. So LeBron has seven years on Michael as far as years in the league, so it does make sense that LeBron would surpass Michael Jordan in some, if not all, stats.

The other criteria factors what LeBron & Michael have done off the court with their “athlete celebrity status.” Some believe that LeBron surpasses Michael because of everything he has done in the community, especially with the racial injustice situations worldwide in the past couple of years.

Some believe that Michael Jordan was a sell-out off the court, especially after his infamous comment, “Republicans buy shoes also.” However, when you look at the climate of the NBA then and now, you can tell that there is a big difference. When Jordan was playing, the owners had more control over basketball operations and the player’s actions off the court. Players did not have the power to be able to vocal like they do today.

Before the players gained control of the league, they had to choose their battles carefully because each move could have affected them financially in a big way. Now the players have more control of the league. Now they can dictate where they go, who they wish to play with, and what organization. Also, I do think social media has given the players more power as well. On another note about player power and control, I heard some compare what Aaron Rodgers is doing in Green Bay to how Michael Jordan & Scottie Pippen handled things in Chicago when they discovered that the general manager wanted to replace them.

It was commented on that what Michael and Scottie did was a bad thing. However, it was not because they did not have the control to get rid of the general manager like they do today. So before people judge Michael for his off-the-court contributions or lack thereof. His statistics at the end of his career and how he handled certain situations with management. Remember this he didn’t have the control and power that LeBron, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, etc., has today. Back then, the front office controlled daily operations, and now it seems a player has more control. These days, players have the power to be vocal and have the ability of social media to assist their causes. Just remember this:

A DIFFERENT TIME, A DIFFERENT NBA

No. 15 OSU looks to rebound after a tough loss

COLUMBUS, Ohio – After the postponement of Sunday’s game, No. 15 Ohio State will get back out on the court Thursday afternoon when it hosts Purdue. This will be the lone meeting between the two teams this season. Both teams are looking to get back on track as each is coming off a loss their last time out. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. and the game will be streamed live on BTN Plus+

Ohio State and Purdue are hooking up for the lone time this season when the two teams meet at Value City Arena on Thursday. The Buckeyes hold a 47-31 edge in the all-time series between the B1G foes and are 24-9 in games played in Columbus. Ohio State is itching to get back out on the court as well as not have played in over a week because of the postponement of the Northwestern game on Sunday. The Buckeyes are 12-3 on the season and 8-3 in Big Ten play.
Purdue opened conference action 2-1 with wins over Penn State and Nebraska but has since dropped nine of its last 10 including five straight. The Boilermakers are coming off a 75-57 setback to Rutgers at home last Sunday. Kayana Traylor (13.9 ppg) and Brooke Moore (10.9) are the two Boilermakers averaging in double figures. Dorka Juhasz was named to the Naismith Midseason Player of the Year Watch List. She is one of five players from the Big Ten on the list.  Juhasz is riding a five-game double-double streak. That is the longest streak since Jantel Lavender did it five games in a row in 2010. Juhasz is also just 89 points away from 1,000 in her career.

Aaliyah Patty had her streak of seven consecutive games with 10 or more points snapped on Wednesday at Wisconsin. But she is still averaging 12.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per game this season.  All five Buckeye starters are averaging in double-figures led by Jacy Sheldon at 16.3 ppg.  Braxtin Miller is the team’s leader both on and off the court but the Buckeyes sure need her on the court. Her numbers may not be eye-popping but her veteran presence can’t be quantified by a number. She fouled-out for the second time this season and just the third time in her collegiate career on Wednesday. The Buckeyes have lost both times she has fouled-out and Oklahoma State also lost to Iowa State on Jan. 24, 2018.  Miller has had at least one steal in every game but the first game this season.

15/11 Ohio State vs. Purdue
Date: Feb. 18, 2021
Time: 4:00 p.m.
Venue: Columbus, Ohio — Value City Aren

Martha Ermias (Personal & Business Coach) talks about adapting in COVID-19 times

Experts say the impact of COVID-19 has been much more damaging psychologically than health wise. Though there have been over 2 million 30 thousand deaths so far, 60 million others have survived the disease. However, everyone has suffered the effect of the pandemic in one way or the other. One of the greatest impacts of the Coronavirus has been global stress which could be stronger and more dangerous at individual level. Prior to COVID-19, motivational speakers engaged their audiences in topics far different from an unexpected pandemic. Now amid the Coronavirus and the stress that has accompanied it, has motivational speaking adapted to the topic of the day. Martha Ermias is a leading motivational speaker in the Ethiopian and Eritrean community in the United States. She joins us to explain how COVID-19 has shaped her thoughts.

 

African Fiesta 169 – Ebangha Njang talks about latest SA MAJESTE mag

When you educate a man, you have educated an individual, but when you educate a woman,  you have done so for an entire nation, so goes an old adage. When a musician held that the woman is the mother of humanity and must be treated with subtlety,  he was making a great point. Then, a woman to celebrate other women deserves every single accolade she gets. These reflections are translated into SA MAJESTE, this leading magazine that tells stories of how young women are striking the cords of success, in a bid to inspire their kind. Its publisher,  Ebangha Njang,  presses the magazine’s mouth-watering 7th issue on AFRICAN FIESTA this Saturday. Join us as from 9:30am EST  (3:30pm gmt +1) on www.apex1radio.com Catch up then!

Ohio State Edges Iowa

COLUMBUS, Ohio – In a grind-it-out team effort, No. 17 Ohio State handed No. 11 Michigan its first loss of the season in an 81-77 matinee on Thursday.

Six Buckeyes scored nine or more points in the game led by sophomore Jacy Sheldon with 20 points. Sheldon’s three-pointer with:45 seconds left gave the Buckeyes a 76-74 lead, and they never trailed the rest of the way.

Fellow sophomore Madison Greene finished with 15 points, while Dorka Juhasz added 14 points and seven rebounds in limited minutes due to foul trouble. Tanaya Beacham stepped into a starting role for the injured Aaliyah Patty, and she finished with 10 points and four rebounds.

Senior Braxtin Miller simply played hard, and she willed the team down the stretch. Miller finished with 10 points but grabbed a team-high eight rebounds and dished out a team-high five assists.

Rebeka Mikilasikova scored nine points and pulled in four rebounds.

The story of the game was Michigan forward Naz Hillmon. She scored a school-record 50 points and grabbed 16 rebounds. But just four Wolverines scored in the game, and they were just 2-of-20 from long range.

Ohio State led by four at the break and pushed the lead all the way out to 16 points at 63-47 with two minutes the play in the third quarter. The Buckeyes looked as if they would cruise home for the win. But Michigan’s defense stepped up in the fourth quarter.

The Wolverines opened the fourth on a 13-1 run as the Buckeyes missed their first six shots. A Beacham lay-in with 1:58 play was the first field goal of the quarter for Ohio State, and its only other field goal came on Sheldon’s clutch three with under a minute to play. The Buckeyes were 10-of-12 from the free-throw line in the final quarter.

The win was the Buckeye’s first over a ranked team this season. They will have another shot on Monday night as Ohio State welcomes No. 7 Maryland to Columbus. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m., and the game can be seen on ESPN2.

#sportzkelzdiva
Picture of the scores- Credit -OSU

THE CASE FOR MORE REGULATIONS IN BIG TECH

For many legal and economic analysts at the center of the industry, the virtual lack of meaningful regulations governing Big Tech has been a cause of concern for years. From Microsoft and Google to Facebook and its many assets, Silicon Valley has seemingly operated outside the bounds of federal anti-trust laws since the birth of social media platforms as we know them. Those charged with regulating mergers and acquisitions within the context of preserving a competitive economy have given a wide berth to Big Tech companies, imposing fines that amounted to a gentle wag of the finger against some of the wealthiest corporations in the world. It is unclear whether this hesitancy is spurred by willful negligence or an astonishing lack of appreciation on the Federal government’s part regarding the sheer strength of power and influence wielded by Big Tech companies across all sectors of society, and around the world.

The anti-trust lawsuits filed against Facebook this week are the first of its kind since 1998 when Microsoft found itself in the crosshairs of a similar case brought by the FTC. Yet, even as a singular economic power in technology, Microsoft’s influence was restricted to the economic sector. Facebook, on the other hand, has faced countless accusations over the years of unethical and dangerous practices that have resulted in real-time, quantifiable consequences impacting the course of politics, social justice, and the rise of extremist and nationalist agendas the world over.

Four years after the presidential U.S elections in 2016, there have been numerous investigations detailing Russian interference through misinformation campaigns run on Facebook. The tech firm has always insisted that they were not complicit yet reports compiled through data collected from internal reports and data analysis clearly shows that the Facebook’s top executives were fully aware that the platform’s algorithms were evolving divisive and polarizing engagement in an effort to attract user attention and increase time on the social media platform.

Also in 2016, Facebook’s dominance as a news source in Myanmar resulted in extremist violence targeting the Rohingya and triggering a humanitarian crisis in the region that left hundreds of thousands displaced. Faced with having to take account by US Senate Committees and foreign governments, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg admitted that the platform had in essence been weaponized against the Rohingya. In a now familiar refrain, he blamed its algorithms and claimed ignorance, promising yet again to create more stringent checks and balances in an effort to provide a more informed user-experience, and filter out hate-based groups on the platform.

Only last week, Amnesty International brought our attention to a new iteration of the danger of Facebook. Perhaps in an effort to absolve itself of complicity in human rights abuses, early last year Facebook announced it would defer to local laws in countries around the world. In so doing the platform now aids government cyber-trolls and henchmen in identifying and tracking down political dissidents and activists, as was the case in Vietnam just last week where 70 online activists were arrested and imprisoned for varying acts of peaceful dissent.

While the anti-trust lawsuits are a step in the right direction in holding tech giants accountable, they don’t go nearly far enough. With the advent and accelerated development of psychographic technology, the problem with Facebook and tech companies that capitalize on influencing human behavior is only going to get worse. And governments around the world had better take note by crafting clear and decisive legislation and penalties that shackle the ambitions of any globally monopolized technological power.

Music: Path to African American Success Stories

Music: Path to African American Success Stories

By Jessie Prysock

Defining the African American impact on American music is a near-impossible task. African American influences are so essential to American music that one could argue that there would be no American music without them. Historically, we can trace the evolution of African American music to the Transatlantic Slave Trade, when the forced migration of thousands of Africans ended in the American colonies, each man, woman, and child carrying the rich and melodious heritage of African song and dance. It was these sounds of Africa that echoed through the plantations of their new home, consoling and strengthening them in the face of their adversity, evolving as they passed from one to another for generations to come.

Many of the musical instruments that accompanied early African American music, like the banjo and the drums, have their predecessors in the traditional instruments of African music. During the Reconstruction and Jim Crow era, African American music truly began to evolve beyond its African origins, spurred by European influences and the broader Americas. African American musicians with the freedom to create and perform beyond the borders of their enslavement took to the stage. A musical heritage true to the journey and culture of African Americans began to take shape. The earliest rendition of musical genres attributed to African American culture is the blues.

Pioneered by the great Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith, the Blues are a musical genre that spawned countless variations for decades to come, from the Memphis Blues to the Mississippi Blues, country blues to electric blues. Following close on the heels of the blues was jazz, a sound that was big and bold as the blues were as personal and intimate. Characterized by big bands replete with a huge array of instruments, jazz was the African American answer to the European opera. And like the blues, jazz left room for a slew of variations that gave birth to the indisputable greats that crossed color lines and international borders cementing African American musical contributions as the gold standard in the industry; names like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Dizzie Gillespie, and Count Basie.

In modern times, African American music continues to dominate the global music industry. Rap and hip hop emerged almost simultaneously and immediately took the world by storm. Rap sprung from inner-city neighborhoods in a gritty and poetic verse that struck back at the systems of social and economic oppression bearing down on African American neighborhoods across the country, was quickly adopted around the world.

We’ll bring you the conclusion to this report next week (Saturday, December 19th.2020).

Author of a new memoir discusses her life in public safety

Guest: Melissa McFadden (Author of the book, “Walking the Thin Black Line: Confronting Racism in the Columbus Division of Police)

Assistant Producer: Okon Ekpenyong, News Editor: Nuwayla Mazrui-Helmrich – News Producer: Marcel Adig – News Anchors: Nuwayla Mazrui-Helmrich & Ernest Kanjo. We do not own rights to songs played on the station

Dr. Hassan Tetteh, MD (Thoracic and Cardiac Surgeon) on Covid-19 Vaccine

Guest: Dr. Hassan Tetteh, MD (Specializes in Clinical Informatics, Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery)
Assistant News Producer Okon Ekpenyong – News Editor: Nuwayla Mazrui-Helmrich – News Producer: Marcel Adig – News Anchors: Nuwayla Mazrui-Helmrich & Ernest Kanjo. We do not own rights to songs played on the station