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February 11 - 17, 2016
Up until now, Mexican citizens were unable to oficially recognize themselves as “Afro-
Mexican” on national censuses.
The last time people of African descent in Mexico were counted was in the 19th century. That is set to change in the upcoming
2020 census. Already, a preliminary 2015 survey — conducted in preparation for the 2020 census — found that some 1.4 million people identify as Afro-Mexican.
The disciplinary board of the
Texas State Bar afirmed it’s decision to disbar Charles
Sebesta, a former prosecutor who oversaw the wrongful death sentence of Anthony Graves.
Graves spent 18 years in prison, including 12 on death row, for a iery multiple murder he did not commit. The court found that Sebesta secured Graves’ conviction by withholding key evidence and suborning false testimony. Graves was sentenced to death in 1994 and close to execution twice.
State Senator Marlon Kimpson iled a bill on Tuesday to remove the Confederate battle lag from The Citadel’s Summerall
Chapel. The bill will amend the South Carolina Heritage
Act to allow for the removal of
Civil War-era battle lags dis
played in religious structures or chapels on college campuses by the school’s board of directors.
Currently a two-thirds majority in the General Assembly is needed to remove the lag.
The Benedict College women’s basketball won their only game last week, but dropped in both national polls. Benedict dropped one spot to 16th in this week’s USA Today Sports
Division II women’s basketball poll. Benedict fell two spots in the Women’s Basketball Division II Media Poll, sponsored by D2SIDA, falling to 20th. The
Lady Tigers are 21-2 overall.
They received 240 points from the panel of 27 Division II women’s basketball coaches.
(Photos on page 10)
Thousands of people celebrated Black
History Month at the Karamu Statewide Black
History Parade and Festival, held Saturday,
February 6 in downtown Columbia. The
The event continued at Martin Luther King,
Jr. Park with the Black History Festival. The featured artist was gospel recording start Joshua parade began at the intersection of Harden
Rogers. The festival also included contemporary history makers, live entertainment and more.
The event took place because of a partnership and Gervais streets. National recording artist
Angie Stone served as this year’s grand marshal. Dozens of loats, motorcycles, cars and marching bands participated in this year’s parade.
between F.U.N.D.S. Inc. and the City of Columbia
Parks & Recreation Department. The Karamu
Statewide Black History Parade and Festival was founded and planned by Oveta Glover.
Richland County and several community partners are seeking nominations for the
Modjeska Monteith Simkins
Award to recognize residents’ efforts in the areas of civil rights and social justice.
The irst-time award, sponsored by the Richland
County Community
Development Department, the S.C. Human Affairs
Commission, the City of
Columbia and other partners, honors the life of Simkins, a
Richland County native who became one of the state’s leading civil rights activists from the 1930s until her death in 1992.
The Simkins award winner will be announced April 9,
2016, as a part of a two-day event – Civil Rights: It Still
Matters – to commemorate
National Fair Housing Month and Title VIII of the 1968 Civil
Rights Act. Continuing legal education classes on housing issues will be offered April 8 and the Simkins award winner will be named April 9 during a luncheon at a free fair housing conference.
“Richland County is fortunate to have many people who generously give back to the community through volunteering, public service, charitable giving and social activism,” said Richland
County Council Chairman
Torrey Rush. “While this award will honor Modjeska
Simkins’ life, it also will shine a light on the good works many people are doing now to improve the lives of others.”
Nominees can be from the areas of politics, business and non-proits, as well as people who have worked behind the scenes to advance causes
Simkins advocated – including furthering access to decent and safe housing.
Simkins was a co-founder of Victory Savings Bank, the irst and only black-owned bank in South Carolina to offer loans for real-estate purchases.
She also personally helped families facing inancial crisis to keep their farms. In addition,
Simkins co-owned Motel
Simbeth, which provided exclusive accommodations for black tourists, who often had dificulty inding lodging in the then-segregated South.
Conference organizers say submit a written statement prior to testifying before the
S.C. Senate. Her response: “I don’t need a statement. I am the statement.”
“This award, in her honor, represents a statement and serves as a testimony to all who believe in the concepts and principles that make this nation great,” Buxton said.
The deadline for nominations for the Modjeska
Monteith Simkins Award is
Feb. 29. Nomination forms are having an award in Simkins’ honor helps keep her legacy alive and ensures younger people know the history of the civil rights champion who was born in 1899 and died in 1992 at the age of 92. In 2015, the
Richland County Conservation
Commission funded a booklet,
Modjeska Monteith Simkins, A
South Carolina Revolutionary.
“There can be no higher honor than to receive an award named for someone who committed their body and soul to the cause of justice and freedom,” said Raymond
Buxton II, Commissioner of the S.C. Human Affairs
Commission. “Modjeska
Simkins represented the best in all of us and today serves as an icon to those who continue the ight for equality.”
Buxton recounted the time Simkins was asked to available at several locations countywide:
· Modjeska Monteith Sim
kins House, 2025 Marion St.,
Columbia
· Richland Library branches
· Richland County Recreation
Commission facilities
An electronic application can be downloaded or completed online at www.
rcgov.us.
For more information on the award, contact Marvin
Caldwell, of the S.C. Human
Affairs Commission, at 803-
737-3179 or mcaldwell@ schac.sc.gov. For more information about the
Community Development
Fair Housing Month activities, contact Jocelyn Jennings, of the
Richland County Community
Development Department, at
803-576-2055 or jenningsj@ rcgov.us.
By Nate Abraham Jr.
BUSINESS OF THE WEEK
Some people search the world trying to ind the perfect business. But Daniel and Kysha Frazier, owner of Popcorn
Heaven, went home to ind theirs.
Daniel and Kysha grew up in Waterloo, Iowa.
“It is a small town in the Midwest,” Daniel recalled. “I grew up there, and my father was a pastor. My family still lives there, and my wife’s family does as well.”
The couple both attended college in Iowa, and after graduation they moved to Michigan in 1999 to begin their careers
– Daniel as a network engineer, Kysha as a college administrator.
They spent about a decade in Michigan. Eventually, they settled in Fort Mill, South Carolina.
Even though they loved their careers, the couple always wanted to become entrepreneurs. The Fraziers kept their eyes open for the right opportunity. One day, on a trip back to Iowa, they found it.
“I went home to see my daughter graduate, and my mom told me that I had to go see this popcorn shop,” Daniel recalled.
“I walked into this small shop in this small town, and the trafic was busy and people were talking about how good the popcorn was.”
The store, called Popcorn Heaven, was owned by Daniel’s childhood friend Reshonda Young.
“My dad and her dad were best friends,” Daniel says, “so I knew her. I was excited because of the type of person she was and the success she was having. At the time, I wasn’t even a big popcorn eater, but now I love popcorn. I sampled all the lavors, and she has between 50-60 lavors. The quality of the product set
Popcorn Heaven apart from any other company.”
Daniel had to ind out more about the business.
“I talked to my friend Reshonda, and then called my wife and said ‘I think we found the perfect opportunity’,” said Daniel.
“When we came back and she saw it, I could see it in her eyes.”
Daniel said that they were sold on the way the product was made, the quality of the product, and how Reshonda had everything set up. They decided to license the concept and open their own stores. A kiosk space was available in Columbiana
Mall, so on December 30, 2014, the Fraziers opened their irst location.
The kiosk was successful, so in October 2015, the couple opened their second Popcorn Heaven in a traditional store space in a mall in Gastonia, North Carolina.
“It is a lot bigger and we can offer a lot more product,” said
Daniel. “It is a blessing to be able to open two stores within the span of a year.”
But the Fraziers don’t plan on stopping with just two stores.
“We have just signed an agreement to open a stand-alone store in the Ballantyne area of Charlotte,” said Daniel. “I am really excited. We will be able to do all of our lavors, as well as fudge, candy-coasted pretzels and nuts. I am also excited because we will be able to provide more employment opportunities. We are breaking ground this week, and hope to have a grand opening in June. We still live in Fort Mill, so our goal was to eventually have a stand-alone store in the Charlotte area.”
Daniel says that they have been successful so quickly because they serve a high-quality, fresh product.
“We make our popcorn fresh everyday,” said Daniel. “We don’t use powders. For instance, with our cheddar lavor, we actually melt the cheddar and tumble it. So when you eat it, you can tell that it is coated. You can taste the freshness and cheddar.”
Cheddar is always a big seller, but Popcorn Heaven has nearly 60 lavors on the menu. Because of the space available,
Daniel regularly rotates them on the menu.
Popular lavors include Salt & Vinegar, Zesty Buffalo,
Continued on page 2