The African-American faith community has traditionally been absent from efforts to fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The church’s message has ranged from the denial of the epidemic and how it is impacting the Black community to the vilifying and ostracizing of those infected.

RENEE BEAMAN

However, through the work of organizations like Beautiful Gate Outreach Center in Wilmington, Del., this trend has turned in the opposite direction. The center, which is located in Bethel AME Church, works to eliminate the spread of HIV/AIDS and offers support for those with the disease.

For every primary election, 12th Ward Chairwoman Rev. Jacqueline Fielder holds a candidates forum for the residents in her district. At these forums, constituents receive information on what their elected officials have done and what prospective officials would do differently.

Unfortunately most ward chairmen on the Allegheny County Democratic Committee are not like Fielder. Their contact with those they represent can range from occasional meetings or informational flyers to nothing at all.

JACQUELINE FIELDER

“Per our bylaws, our job is to get out the vote. Our people need to be engaged and educated in this electoral process. I think we should accommodate the needs of the community,” Fielder said. “I think by doing a lot of events it puts pressure on the title holders. Sometimes we go door to door. I think we go over and beyond the bylaws of what’s required of us.”

In the primary election May 18, citizens will have the chance to run for committee seats on the ACDC as all members are up for re-election.

On a soggy Sunday afternoon in May, Pittsburgh residents gathered at the Westin Convention Center Hotel Downtown to attend the third annual New Pittsburgh Courier All-City Awards Luncheon, honoring the best players and coaches in football and basketball.

GIVING SUPPORT—Judge Dwayne Woodruff with wife Joy.

The luncheon, which was re-established in 2008 at the behest of Assistant to the Publisher Stephan Broadus, honored inner-city high school athletes and their coaches for outstanding performances in football and basketball. Courier Managing Editor, Ulish Carter, Advertising Manager Eric Gaines, and Editor and Publisher, Rod Doss, joined Broadus to hand out trophies and medals; Gaines also gave the invocation.

by Pharoh Martin

(NNPA)—Legendary singer, actress and dancer Lena Horne died Sunday night at the New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center at the age of 92. The Brooklyn-born entertainer was the first Black performer to be signed to a long-term contract by a major Hollywood studio. She went on to achieve international fame as a singer. The cause of her death has not been reported.

LENA HORNE

Horne was the epitome of African-American beauty, and as a versatile and iconic performer made her name from a variety of entertainment platforms including the big screen, where she was the first African-American actor to sign a long-term contract to a major Hollywood studio; in music, where she won four Grammy awards, and in night clubs, where she extensively toured despite the racism that plagued her era.