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of Death

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WE ARE THE SOLUTION TO OUR OWN PROBLEMS

Issue 7 January 8, 2013

A Petition for a Presidential Commutation on behalf of Wayne Akbar Pray has been submitted to the Office of the Pardon Attorney. It is a request that his non-parolable life-sentence be commuted, making him eligible for parole in the near future. His success depends on the efforts and the voice of his community. Below you can find the numbers and addresses of those who are in possession of the Commutation Package. A call to any or all of them on behalf of Wayne Pray could make the difference whether he is returned to his family and community or spends the rest of his years in prison. Please make the call!
Correspondence to the Department of Justice, Office of the Pardon Attorney, may be sent to: Ronald L. Rogers Office of the Pardon Attorney 1425 New York Avenue, N.W. Suite 11000 Washington, D.C. 20530 By Email USPardon.Attorney@usdoj.gov (no attachments) By Phone (202) 616-6070 Congressman John Conyers Washington Office: 202-225-5126 Detroit Office: 313-961-5670 Trenton / Downriver Office: 734-675-4084 You can also visit me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CongressmanConyers. Attorney General Eric Holder Correspondence to the Department, including the Attorney General, may be sent to: U.S. Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20530-0001 By Phone Department of Justice Main Switchboard - 202-514-2000 Office of the Attorney General Public Comment Line - 202-353-1555 By E-Mail E-mails to the Department of Justice, including the Attorney General, may be sent to AskDOJ@usdoj.gov. E-mails will be forwarded to the responsible Department of Justice component for appropriate handling. Fax: (202) 225-7854 Congresswoman Maxine Waters Los Angeles Congresswoman Maxine Waters 10124 S. Broadway, Suite 1 Los Angeles, CA 90003 Phone: (323) 757-8900 Fax: (323) 757-9506 Washington, DC Congresswoman Maxine Waters 2344 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-2201 Congressman Donald Payne Jr.!103 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-343 Newark Office 60 Nelson Place 14th Floor (LeRoy F. Smith, Jr. Public Safety Building) Newark, NJ 07102 Phone: (973)-645-32136

Why? Because it is your right!

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!!!!!!Issue!7!

January!8,!2013!

issue,!date!

Notes From the Editors Desk

Nature Abhors A Vacuum
I remember the first time I came across the above saying, and the context in which it was then used. The topic then was politics, and how in a power vacuum, someone or some organizations, seem to step forward to fill the empty space. As time passed I came to realize, that this saying was analogous across a broad spectrum of subjects. Indeed, upon closer inspection it appeared to be applicable in virtually every arena. For the young, gifted and Black, the leaders, as well as the followers, these dynamic organizations were a place to expend the energy and drive that is a unique by-product of youth. For the driven, and sometimes no nonsense young men, the Nation of Islam or the Black Panther Party represented a venue, a platform from which to launch their often lofty goals. For every youngster that found the gun or the dope bag to sell. There were two others that found safe harbor in the Nation of Islam, the Black Panther Party or a host of other similar and dynamic organizations that then proliferated through their respective cities. However, over time these organizations began to fade, some morphing from movements to institutions, while others became topheavy and bureaucratic, with little to any grassroots support. The NAACP increasingly became the organization of many of the youths parents and grandparents, while the Black Panther Party, which is now near decimated by the orchestrated attacks of the FBI and its COINTELPRO Program was pushed to the margins, and the Nation of Islam though still relevant on many fronts, no longer stood center stage in the urban experience, the vacuum continued to grow, incrementally, but steadily. By the late Eighties, to early Nineties, that cycle was complete. Inner city youths by that time, had no idea of what the NAACP's acronym even stood for. The Panther's for so long a near constant in most inner cities, became little then a curiosity, for the young to watch on TV, occasionally. None of this occurred suddenly. If it had, perhaps people would have noticed. However, happen it did. Suits and Bow Ties were slowly replaced by head rags, big T Shirts and Baggy Jeans. Black Berets slowly gave way to Red and Blue Bandanas. Young men that formerly would have vied to be Lieutenants and Captains in the Nation of Islam, or Ministers of Information or such in the Black Panthers, now vied to be Shot Callers, OGs or having Stain. The vacuum that nature is said to abhor had been filled. Now the Testosterone and Adrenalin that would have found its way to organizing Breakfast programs with the Panthers or Mass Rallies with the Nation of Islam, now found itself directed to orchestrating drivebys or gang initiations. I read somewhere once that there is a Chinese character that symbolizes both chaos and opportunity. In some regards the current state of affairs in our urban communities is analogous to that Chinese character. In neighborhoods now often strangled by poverty and overrun with crime, the pillars of these neighborhoods which once served as a viable alternative to the streets, i. e the Boys and Girl Clubs, the gyms and Boxing Clubs have all virtually vanished and the sense of camaraderie and team play that was part and parcel to those organizations, vanishing with them.

The Nation of Islam, the Black Panther Party, SNCC, even the NAACP and the Urban League, all had an electrifying presence in urban communities across the country.#
However, five or six weeks ago as I sat contemplating the dire plight of the inner cities, it struck me that the saying had particular bearing on what is happening or has happened in urban communities across the country. Looking back, perhaps twenty-five or thirty years ago, I realized that the cultural dynamics that were once the virtual beating heart of urban America has slowly, but decidedly began to disappear. All during the Sixties, throughout the Seventies and into the early Eighties, the overwhelming presence of many of the Afro centric and nationalistic organizations in inner cities was palpable. With their ranks swollen with the testosterone driven young, these organizations had an energy and electricity that was contagious, in the best sense of the word. The Nation of Islam, the Black Panther Party, SNCC, even the NAACP and the Urban League, all had an electrifying presence in urban communities across the country. Young, bow tie wearing Muslims, selling bean pies and Final Call news papers, fierce young Black men and boys wearing Black Leather jackets and Black Berets, were an electric presence throughout urban America.

The Nation of Islam or the Black Panther Party represented a venue, a platform from which to launch their often lofty goals.(
Human beings are a social animal, they seek to mingle, to socialize, they seek camaraderie. In the absence of these organizations and the fading of dynamic organizations previously in mention, our kids found their neighborhood gangs. Yet, in them there existed camaraderie, cohesion of sorts, albeit more often than not destructive, and horribly misdirected. However, in a vacuum it had resonance, it had currency. It is within this framework of their camaraderie that rests the sleeping seed of opportunity. And therein for us sits the challenge. We will not be able to dismount these gangs. For, many of these kids, the gangs are all the family they have. Yet, I believe that with innovative approaches and with the aid of transcendental men with street creed, we can redirect them. There my brothers and sisters lays our challenge, this is the gauntlet that has been thrown down at our feet. Akbar Pray Editor-in Chief

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!!!!!!Issue!7!

January!8,!2013!

issue,!date!

Study!tracks!30!years!of! Newark!murders!as!'infectious! disease'!

December 27, 2012 at 4:11 PM

By David Giambusso and James Queally/The Star-Ledger NEWARK Homicides in Newark have spread through the city over the past 30 years like an infectious disease and can be tracked and treated like a public health issue with prevention, inoculation and treatment, according to a study by Michigan State University. The study, among the first to track murder through the lens of medical research, is part of a widening trend among local leaders and the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to treat violent crime like a medical condition. Newark native Jesenia Pizarro and April Zeolis, professors of criminal justice at Michigan State, analyzed the 2,366 homicides that occurred in Newark between 1982 to 2008 and tracked how and where they spread throughout the city. Their report, titled "Homicide as Infectious Disease," said the clusters originated in the Central Ward and moved south and west. Like other diseases, homicide clusters have a source, a mode of transmission and a susceptible population, the report said, indicating the violence erupted in the citys high-rise housing complexes, and spread south and west as those complexes were destroyed, and poverty spread throughout the city.

"Many diseases have been tracked in this way, including most prominently cancer clusters," Zeoli said in an interview. The research bolsters efforts by local leaders to combat crime outside of law enforcement. "I just think that, nationally, people are beginning to recognize the kind of inter-relatedness of dealing with violence," said South Ward Councilman Ras Baraka, who has long called for violence to be dealt with not just by police, but with a battery of social services. "We can outline exactly where the crimes take place and we know every demographic about the people in the area." Citing the coordination of agencies after Hurricane Sandy, Baraka said Newark should combat violence the same way. "We began to identify the areas that were hit the hardest and attacked them with food, attacked them with light," he said, referring to Sandy. "That kind of logic has to be employed when you talk about crime in the city." The report, published in Justice Quarterly, also identifies areas that were relatively immune from violence. Researchers hope to examine those areas and determine what makes populations more resistant or more vulnerable. Similar to academics, city leaders and residents have known for awhile those factors usually include poverty, broken homes and poor education. "(Residents in depressed areas) may feel more isolated. They may use homicide as their own tool for social control," Zeoli said. "You may fear for your life and you may arm up." The paper also shows homicide clusters existed before clusters of gangs or an influx of firearms. "What it really tells us is that firearms and gangs are not the only sources of this homicide infection," Zeoli said. "There was something there before." The two said their paper is the first step in a long-term project, which they hope will shed light on the causes and prevention of violence in Newark. "What, ideally, we would like to do is get back to before the race riots and almost get to case zero," Pizarro said. Her upbringing and love of the city is what led Pizarro, also a graduate of Rutgers, to select Newark for the study.

"I wanted to do something for my community and my city," she said. While Baraka praised the work of the two researchers, others were less enthused. "This is an important step forward in the

"Any work thats being done to get better understanding about violence and how it is merging in urban communities is welcomed...
Chief Medical Examiner, Roger Mitchell method by which we map changes in violent behavior, however it does not extend to the step of saying how to inoculate people against violence or how to prevent the violence from spreading," said Rutgers University criminal justice professor Wayne Fisher. Fisher said while the cluster maps are a useful way to track violence, simply knowing the general area where a homicide will occur is not useful to police. "Suppose that you can predict that its going to spread into a given area, what does that mean?" he asked. A long time proponent of classifying violence as a public health issue, Regional Medical Examiner Roger Mitchell applauded the reports focus on the prevention of killings rather than responding to them. "Any work thats being done to get better understanding about violence and how it is merging in urban communities is welcomed... so that everyone that is in the field can start looking at this violence problem through a different lens," he said. Mitchell praised the report for looking beyond the stereotypical causes associated with violence gang and drug activity and looking deeper at the societal issues in Newark that sometimes give rise to bloodshed. Police Director Samuel DeMaio, who helped the researchers compile their data, said the report supports his position that Newark has to use alternative crime fighting methods. "I think what it shows us is that the answer to eliminating the problem is not just getting people off the street because its not going to change the social behavior," DeMaio said. "A person thats a drug dealer is not going to change from being arrested. What it shows us is we need to start way earlier and more on the social end of it. We have to get these kids

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!!!!!!Issue!7!

January!8,!2013!

issue,!date!

What Makes Judges and Prosecutors Tick?

By Rudy Williams

In#this#modern#day#Sodom#and#Gomorrah,#more# scum#rise#to#the#top#than#creamDand#more#bullies# and#cowards.#

! All!cowards!arent!bullies,!but!all!bullies!are!cowards!and! both!envy!natural!tough!guys.!!Tough!guys!get!the!prettiest! girls,!drive!the!flyest!cars!and!seem!to!have!all!the!fun.!! Thus!they!wish!to!be!one!and!always!have,!ever!since!they! received!their!first!ass!kicking!by!one!on!the!playground!in! elementary!school.! ! But!they!were!too!timid!and!soft!to!roll!with!the! bad!boys.!Instead,!they!joined!the!safety!patrols!and! learned!how!to!kiss!ass!and!suck!up!to!authority!to!gain! favors,!power!and!the!protection!of!a!seemingly!invincible! infinite!gang,!the!government.!! ! When!they!grew!up!and!became!prosecutors,!and! judges,!they!could!hardly!wait!to!unleash!their!long! suppressed!fear,!fury!and!envy!on!the!real!tough!guys!who! happened!to!cross!their!paths,!and!who!they!hate!with!a! volcanic!passion.!!Their!life!mission!is!to!break!natural! tough!guys!and!destroy!the!unbreakable!ones!through! imprisonment.! ! A!good!disguise!is!a!better!defense!than!a! thousand!bodyguards.!!Thus!now,!instead!of!hiding!behind! their!teachers!skirts!and!coattails,!these!clever!forked! tongue!chameleons!hide!behind!prestige,!titles,!arcane! laws!and!the!rulings!that!they!concoct!from!mixing!English! polysyllables!with!voodoo!and! Latin.!!In!other!wordspure! bullshit.!

However,!their!outsized!power!and!continuing!success!is! largely!predicated!upon!the!simple!fact!that!only!very,!very,! very!few!men!and!women!are!truly!astute,!mature!or!strong! enough!to!handle!the!naked!truth!of!a!vast!organized!evil! controlling!them!and!society!to!the!extent!it!does!in! Amerikkka.!!People!still!need!to!believe!in!a!grown!up!version! of!a!loving!and!white!Santa!Claus!whos!going!to!come!down! from!heaven!to!kick!the!Devils!black!ass!to!save!them!and!the! world.!(The!Devil!was!supposed!to!had!gotten!out!on!him!the! first!time.)! ! Even!when!confronted!with!overwhelming!superior! evidence!to!the!contrary,!they!run!from!the!ugly!truth!and! cling!to!pretty!lies.!! ! Bar!Association!lawyers!are!in!the!dream!selling! business.!!They,!of!all!people,!know!that!justice!is!just!a! mirage,!especially!in!federal!courts.!!Every!other!nigga!in! prison,!even!the!smartest!of!the!smart,!and!the!toughest!of! the!tough,!cling!desperately!to!the!illusion!that!hes!going!to! be!one!of!the!fortunate!few!who!win!the!2255!Lotto.! ! Pouring!their!heart!and!souls!into!the!digms!they! get!caught!up!for!decades!and!decades!imitating!lawyers!in! the!hope!of!beating!the!best!crooks!in!the!world!(except!for! the!international!banksters)!at!their!own!game.!!After!30!years! at!it,!the!in!up!in!wheelchairs!or!on!crutches!with!only!piles! and!piles!of!denied!motions!to!show!for!their!absolute! undying!faith,!diligence!and!devotion.!Sad!but!true.!!Call!me! Jerimiah!if!you!wish!but.but.!!!! ! No,!there!is!a!silver!lining!at!the!end!of!the!rainbow,!a! tested!and!proven!way!to!make!Pharaoh!let!a!rare!nigga!go.! Its!called!UCC!Law.!!When!time!allows!me,!I!will!expound!on! it.!!The!good!news!is,!I!look!to!be!home!within!the!next!couple! of!years.! Love,! Rudy!

In books stores Spring 1013!

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!!!!!!Issue!7!

January!8,!2013!

issue,!date!

The!Akbar!Pray!Foundation!For!Change!! !

W.A.R ON FED INMATES..

by Jamil Ta'mir Cornish theres a war going on while most of us are sleeping not heads on pillows but pertaining 2 our thinkin but-how we gon fight without no ammunition without some type of knowledge we aint got a chance of winning first of all the question is what are we fighting for? that "so called" american dream of one day owning a store? nah, that must be the p.i.p wthin the bigger picture and, if thats all u see and want then maybe u are nigga! the true definition of it meaning ignorant and stupid saying it cant be done when you've never tried to do it. this war aint even fair they got us all runnin for cover in the midst of all the chaos we are shooting one another retreating from our positions upholdin the front line whats viewed as friendly fire they call black on black crime! killin three birds wit one stone made of chrome the suspect- the victim- and the child at home, asking mommy why daddy dont come home no more? now they have become the casualties of war...

whats even more bizarre is that most dont care and, those that do, cant do a thing from in there, but-stare at the floor and go mentally a.w.o.l. the good and bad times you remember them all it's all the same story from the pens to ft. dix from the camps 2 the walls that talk in a.d.x still haunted by the ghost and theory of willie lynch tryin 2 figure out why it made so much sense and-why we cant tear out the roots of the curse then-plant it over 2 put the whole curse in reverse then-i would love my friend like i love my brother different mother but-willing 2 die for one another imagine if we had the same weapons at hand we wouldnt owe that man we would own that land we would know his plan, which is easy to understand, when ur briefed day by day by an inside man the plan begins, now-stop lookin for help.. it aint comin! take a good look at yourself either you want it or u dont- either u will or you wont.. either you swim your way home or you die on the boat tis is war and the battle is fought within your mind if you quit then you die, if you try then you survive cause we aint gettin no pardons we get no immunity we aint breakin out of there cause we aint got no unity we aint even got faith to step out of the boat, wit life jackets-that means we aint got no hope so we aint going no where until this war is over so we better man up and start actin like soldiers!

www.apffc.org!! APFFC!on!Facebook!

''Jamil'' 5!

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!!!!!!Issue!7!

January!8,!2013!

issue,!date!

Fake Poem
ORIGINAL POETRY BY SEMAJ THOMAS

by Jerry Francois

I gave an older inmate with life a dagger today, And told him to stab me in the neck as if he had hate. He softly looked me in the eyes and questioned me " Why? " " My lady killed my spirit " was replied while glossy eyed. He sat me down and divulged jewels for me to live by, To simplify and to successfully complete my time. His compassion and wisdom made this poem the result, It's so amazing how, Love, can fluctuate a mans pulse. Since my eyes serve as dams which tame my aquatic feelings, My heart has drowned and now is inept to Loves dealings. I can't believe my happiness and thoughts for a tomorrow, Have been replaced bt sadness, grief as well as sorrow. A myriad of thoughts swirl around in my mind, A lot of second guessing if, indeed, I've missed signs. I've heard quite a bit, Love, can make one blind, Excusing the obvious, thinking our One has arrived. Wanting so bad to feel as if we're complete, Reciprocation could be minimal, yet happily received. Now that I've rode Loves ride in Lifes amusement park, I've learned letting emotions override logic isn't smart. Emotional healing is sought through the means of R&B, Let time serve as CoCo Butter to lighten scars in me. Now my outlook on, Love, is of a business point of view, Success through performing what's contractually agreed to.....

I I I I I I I I I I

am Crystal Antonia Castro am awkward and thoughtful. wonder why this world is so full of hate. hear music blasting. see crowds of people cheering. want a better future. am awkward and thoughtful pretend to act like I don't care. feel like I can't do anything to help. touch the clouds. I worry about the next generations. I cry when I feel pain. I am awkward and thoughtful. I understand it won't get better if we act like nothing is happening.

I I I I I

say it could be different. dream about this world being a better place. try to pretend I'm not scared. hope I see the world get better before I go. am awkward and thoughtful!! a(

Crystal(is(a(7th(grader(at( Blommfield(middle(school.(She(is( budding(writer(with(a(large( following(on(Wattpad(under(the( penname( xDancingWithTheDeadx

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!!!!!!Issue!7!

January!8,!2013!

issue,!date!

Akbar Prays Recommended Reading List

The Price of the Ticket, by Frederick Harris The historical significance of Barack Obama's triumph in the presidential election of 2008 scarcely requires comment. Yet it contains an irony: he won a victory as an African American only by denying that he was the candidate of African Americans. Obama's very success, writes Fredrick Harris, exacted a heavy cost on black politics. The New Jim Crow, by Michelle Alexander A stunning account of the rebirth of a caste-like system in the United States, one that has resulted in millions of African Americans locked behind bars and then relegated to a permanent second-class statusdenied the very rights supposedly won in the Civil Rights Movement. Brainwashed: Challenging the Myth of Black Inferiority, by Tom Burrell Ad man, Burrell calls out negative images of African Americans in the media for perpetuating the myth of black inferiority. In Brainwashed, he examines the history of the myth and how contemporary culture reinforces it The Black Count: Glory, revolution, betrayal and the real Count of Monte Cristo, by Tom Reiss Who was the real Count of Monte Cristo? In this extraordinary biography, Tom Reiss traces the almost unbelievable life of the man who inspired not only Monte Cristo, but all three of the Musketeers: the novelist's own father. Starting At the Scratch Line, by Guy Johnson Raised in the steamy bayous of New Orleans in the early 1900s, LeRoi "King" Tremain, caught up in his family's ongoing feud with the rival DuMont family, learns to fight. But when the teenage King mistakenly kills two white deputies during a botched raid on the DuMonts, the Tremains' fear of reprisal forces King to flee Louisiana.

While,!I!am!not!without!sin,!and!am!not!judging!those! who!put!a!price!tag!on!their!merits.!but!boy!what!a! mistake!that!is.!Never,!ever!underestimate!anyone!who! knows!a!little!bit!about!a!lot!of!things.!!! I!end!this!letter!I!have!written!to!you!and!myself,!with!a! simple!message!to!all!who!have!carried!the!burden!of! someone!elses!entitlement:!!Regardless!of!your!economic! situation,!your!present,!you!past!or!the!direction!of!your! future,!this!message!is!to!remind!us!all!that!there!is!nothing! that!should!stand!in!between!our!efforts!for!the!sake!of! others!and!our!responsibility!to!ourselves.!!It!is!our!right.!! The!time!has!come!to!get!strong!and!real.!Many!of!us!have!! sat!down!too!long,!allowing!people!to!take!advantage!of!us.!

BY#OMIFALADE#
I!am!often!amused!by!this!word,!which!describes!the!belief#that# one#is#deserving#of#or#entitled#to#certain#privileges,!especially! when!it!take!the!form!of!what!I!can!do!or!give!to!friends,!family! or!even!situations.!Are!there!people!who!really!believe!they!are! entitled!to!control!what!we!do!or!say!in!our!personal,!social,!and! political!as!well!as!our!religious!lives?!!For!a!very!long!time!I!have! sat!by!the!sidelines!listening!as!people!talk!and!ridicule;!take!and! take!more,!not!worrying!or!wondering!what!would!become!of! people!like!you!and!I,!because!they!are!too!absorbed!with! themselves!to!ever!realize!that!their!way!is!not!my,!way!nor! your!way!and!will!never!be.!! !I!do!not!think!that!I!am!an!ogre!or!a!monster!where!you!cant! just!talk!to!me!about!anything.!I!had!better!home!training!than! that.!!Yet!most!people!just!cannot!man!up.!They!just!leave!and! never!talk.!In!the!past!it!has!bothered!me!so!much,!that!I!would! put!myself!in!a!state!of!depression,!even!becoming!become!very! angry!at!times.!Yet,!through!it!all!people,!still!felt!entitled!to!my! support,!assuming!that!20,!40,!50,!or!even!a!hundred!dollars! could!ever!buy!my!loyalty,!friendship,!or!even!my!selfHworth.!!

NOW!IT!IS!MY!TURN!TO!SPEAK!FOR!YOU!AND!ME:! ! I!AM!ETITLED!TO!BE!TRUE!TO!MYSELF.! !I!AM!NOT!BITTER,!! NOR!AM!I!BROKEN,!! I!HAVE!FINALLY!OPENED!MY!EYES.!! I!AM!NO!LONGER!ANYONES!KEEPER.! !I!AM!RESPONSIBLE!TO!LOOK!AFTER!MYSELF!AT!ALL! TIMES! !WITH!THE!UNDERSTANDING!AND!KNOWLEDGE,! !THAT!MY!REACTIONS!ARE!MERELY!A!CAUSE!OF!MY! ACTIONS.!!

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!!!!!!Issue!7!

January!8,!2013!

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Zodiac Characteristics and Personality By Omifalade

The following explanations on personality characteristics of the signs of zodiac will help you understand the basic traits of each sun sign. Read on to know the common zodiac characteristics that you share with fellow members of your star sign.

Sign
Aries Mar 21 - Apr 20 The Ram Symbol: Ruler Planet: Mars Element: Cardinal Fire Taurus Apr 21 May- 21 The Bull Symbol: Ruler Planet: Venus Element: Fixed Earth Gemini May 22 - June 21 The Twins Symbol: Ruler Planet: Mercury Element: Mutable Air Cancer June 22 - July 22 The Crab Symbol: Ruler Planet: Moon Element: Cardinal Water. Leo July 23 -Aug 21 The Lion Symbol: Ruler Planet: Sun Element: Fixed Fire Virgo Aug22 - Sep 23 The Virgin Symbol: Ruler Planet: Mercury Element: Mutable Earth

Characteristics
Willful, feisty, selfcentered, courageous, bold, foolhardy, independent and straightforward.

Career
Supervisory or leader position. They need to be control and therefore will not shy from taking the lead. Routine job with a stable boss as they are dutiful employees.

Love
Aggressive in love and very intent. They are extremely faithful with their partner if they are happy in a relationship. Loyal partners, affectionate, possessive and love to demonstrate their love physically.

Negative Traits Compatibility

Cold hearted, reckless and ruthless. Leo and Sagittarius

Practical, creative, loyal, possessive, temperamental, sensually indulgent, down-to-earth, dependable and persistent Curious, elusive, unpredictable, changeable, versatile, childlike, romantic, playful, friendly, talkative and have a keen intellect Cautious, protective, nurturing, secretive, instinctive, needy, sensitive, funny, empathetic and deeply complex people.

Jealous, inflexible and resentful

Capricorn and Virgo

Writer, communicator, Not suited for routines, need challenges and incentives in their jobs.

Supportive partners and are found to be independent, creative and inventive in bed.

two personalities and can turn out to be confusing and intriguing at the same time

Libra, Aquarius and Gemini.

Suited for the business world. They excel in family businesses and like to serve others and take care of others. They do not like working alone. Team leader, where they get recognition and are able to work independently

Love deeply, like to please their partners with their allconsuming love

Moody, needy and emotional

Scorpio and Pisces

Distinctive, goal oriented, loyal, provocative, demanding, flamboyant, selfmade, warm, outgoing, sincere and loyal people. Discriminating, realistic, analytical, reliable, selfcontained, knowledgeable, predictable, street smart, detailed and modest people.

Faithful partners who demand loyalty from their partners. They are very amorous lovers

Bossy, conceited, intolerant and have a false pride

Aries, Sagittarius and to some extent Libra

They are workaholics and overachievers. They tend to over-analyze things and for them work is life.

Intellectual and detached partners who believe in an equal give and take relationship

Introverted, judgmental and people who do not forgive easily

Taurus and Capricorn

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!!!!!!Issue!7!

! Love

January!8,!2013!
Negative Traits
Resentful, overindulgent, spiteful, indecisive and gullible.

issue,!date!

Sign
Libra Sept 24 - Oct23 The Scales Symbol: Ruler Planet: Venus Element: Cardinal Air Scorpio Oct 24 - Nov 22 The Scorpion Symbol:
Ruler Planet: Recently assigned to Pluto

Characteristics
Harmonious, intellectual, sophisticated, seductive, elegant, creative, witty, balanced, sociable and maintain their status quo. Intense, magnetic, erotic, challenging, secretive, powerful, broody, passionate, immovable and penetrating

Career
Creative, artistic and thorough. Mentally stimulating, balanced, ordered and challenging. Excellent networkers. love to debate and investigate things. Prefer to solve problems and issues themselves and like to work alone instead of in a team. Focused, determined, intellectual jobs. Adventurous, innovative, creative ideas, prefer to work under pressure Leadership ability, good time management, follow strict time tables, good investment decisions, extremely ambitious, workaholics Analytical, serving, socially aware, imaginative and excellent planners, love working on large projects and implementing new things. They follow no routine and take a lot of time to think. They are original in their ideas and are good in areas related to poetry and art

Compatibility
Gemini and Aquarius

True romantics are heart and are a bit of flirts. They are good listeners and tend to be loyal and fair in relationships. Creative, loyal and adventurous partners. In tune with their partners, thus, able to give them everything they want without ever having to ask. Upbeat attitude in relationships, loyal mates. They are always open and honest with their significant others.

Jealous, demanding and unreasonable

Cancer and Pisces

Element: Fixed Water Sagittarius Nov 23 - Dec 22 The Archer Symbol: Ruler Planet: Jupiter Element: Mutable Fire Capricorn Dec 23 - Jan 20 The Goat Symbol: Ruler Planet: Saturn Element: Cardinal Earth Aquarius Jan 21 - Feb19 The Water Bearer Symbol: Ruler Planet: Uranus Element: Fixed Air Pisces Feb 20 Mar- 20 The Fish Symbol: Ruler Planet: Neptune Element: Mutable Water

Adventurous, hilarious, extrovert, romantics, spirited, unstoppable, generous, happy and open minded

They do not forgive easily. They are tactless, vengeful and pushy.

Aries and Leo

Organized, respectful, devoted, classy, materialistic, serious, staid, ambitious and practical.

Strong partners in relationships, loyal and work hard to build a strong future. They tend to be emotionally aloof and more practical. They are friendly and are very loving towards their partner

Not social, defeatist attitude, puts blames on others and are obstinate

Taurus and Virgo

Original, idealistic, rebellious, independent, inventors, open minded and honest.

Unfaithful, cold, scattered and emotionally unavailable

Gemini and Libra

The Pisces zodiac sign is the 12th sign of the zodiac. Pisceans are dreamy, erratic, creative, romantic, compassionate, elusive, imaginative, sensitive and kind people

They are deeply and strongly devoted to their partners and will put their partners needs before their own.

These people are too sensitive. They may have a low self-esteem, greedy and escapist nature.

Cancer and Scorpio

Spirit!Says! ! !

The!Inner!Universe:!A!Guide!to!Meditation! ! !

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!!!!!!Issue!7!

January!8,!2013!

issue,!date!

The New Testament of the Christian B.I.B.L.E. ( I turn the word Bible into an acronym- Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth ) states that Yehoshua (Jesus) is the word (of God) made flesh in an attempt to render him a unique individual (the one and only Son of God), yet the authors slip and make Yehoshua state that all men will do greater things, in reference to the miracles which were supposed to be the evidence of his divinity, thus revealing the divinity in all men. When a word of Power (deity) is awakened and becomes functional in our "psyche," we gain possession of its talents and powers. Once this understood, then it will be C.L.E.A.R. (Conscious Life Energy Advancing Righteousness). Ancient Afrikans Do Not "anthropomorphizes their Gods. It is the other way around. That the Gods resemble Man is because Man is made in the likeness of God and the host of metaphysical intelligence (Gods) that it has created through which to make and administer the world. The Afrikan scholar/ priest has no problem in innerstanding that a Supreme God (presider) can create and administer the world through a number of agencies to whom have been delegated dominion or presidency or governorship or god-ship over specific spheres of activities. This is no different from the hierarchical administration of the physiological functions of our bodies, or of the government of a nation, business, etc. Once we innerstand the categorical relational abstractness of the term "God", then we are in a position to fully comprehend how Man and God are of the same category of being, but the un-evolved man cannot perceive the connection between things, and fails, thus, to see the unity between " the gods " with each other, and with the Supreme God.

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One of the most important teachings to come out of Kamit (Ancient Egypt) is that man must place the utmost importance upon the quest of knowing self. The unsuspecting might believe that acquiring of knowledge of self is a simple act of studying the appropriate literature. But we have already seen in day-to-day living that mankind seems to be incapable of acquiring knowledge which is dependent on certain aspects and divisions of the spirit, which when awakened and developed in the Ausar (God)Man avails him (or her) with an ability to develop solutions to problems for which there are no precedents. Unless we experience our " true self," we can only believe what we are taught. The spiritual traditions of most cultures are in agreement that man is made in the likeness of GOD. The 'evolved' Man directly experiences and knows his divinity. So when I speak of spiritual evolution, I am referring to the gradual coming into being of the hierarchal faculties of the evolved Man/Woman. When there is Self-Knowledge, there is a direct experience that the essence of one's being is unconditioned. As a result, ones true Self lacks predetermined, automatic behavioral response patterns. There are no automatic thought or emotional reflexes because our consciousness is focused in a realm of existence where the energy that is the basis of all creation is undifferentiated, infinite and eternal. This is the meaning of the statement that Man is made in)the likeness of God. If our true self is the likeness of God, then what must we call that part of our early evolution, which we identify with, albeit are not the likeness of God? The term person, which literally means through (per), and sound (sona), implies that a part of our being serves to convey (per) a sound (sona). This insight, which is totally alien to Westerners, would make full sense to an ancient Kamitian as it is common practice in their culture to teach people how to manifest any personality type through the use of words of power metaphysical sound and technology.

Imagine a person who believes that all of his problems must be solved by the Supreme leader, i.e., the president of the country. When the unevolved man (sahu) sees the Evolved Man (Ausar) healing and affecting nature through the power of their words and spirit, he then talks ignorantly, but fluently of course, about "miracles", "the supernatural", "only son of God", etc. When there is knowledge of self, each man/woman is a deity (Ausar/ Auset) and can attain his/her power to the degree of their ability to consciously realize themselves as such. Even after examining this treatise some of you may still be asking: " If man is made in the likeness of God, then why is this fact not evident in our daily experience?" In the same way that a three year old has the faculties of an adult in a latent state, so do the majority of people today, have their divine faculties in a dormant state. Ankh "Heru" Ma'at Hetep

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!!!!!!Issue!7!

January!8,!2013!

issue,!date!

An!Interview!with!Joseph!Jazz!Hayden!
Jazz!Hayden!describes!himself!as!a!sidewalk!executive.!Included!among!his!many!titles!are! SelfHconfessed!hustler;!entrepreneur;!scholar!and!convicted!felon.!!But!his!greatest!legacy!will! be!his!passion!for!justice!in!his!beloved!Harem,!where!his!efforts!to!stop!the!practice!of!STOP! and!FRISK!have!made!him!one!of!the!citys!premier!grassroots!activist.!!APFFC!had!the! privilege!and!pleasure!of!a!conversation!with!Mr.!Hayden.!!!

APFFC: Mr. Hayden, I guess anyone from the Harlem area is more than familiar with the name that you are otherwise known as Jazz. What is the source of your renown, both past and present? Jazz Hayden: Well, the name Jazz came when I was a teenager. I wanted to be a jazz musician. This love of Jazz was nurtured by my Aunt and Uncle, who I used to visit every Sunday since I was about 7 or 8 years old. They introduced me to Jazz, art (they were both painters), literature, and geography. Every time my friends saw me, I had albums under my arms so they called me Jazz." As for my renown: I grew up in Harlem and lived a full life there. As a young black male I was subject to all of the traps and pitfalls of growing up in Harlem of the forty's, fifties, etc. I dropped out of school, into the streets and, because I didn't have any job skills, into the underground economy. The streets led to me going to prison at the tender age of sixteen. That was a turning point in my life. Upon release I became a sidewalk executive. I hustled, owned social clubs, a restaurant, and variety store. With these activities comes a certain renown and reputation. APFFC: Before APFFC elected to interview you for our 2013 newsletter, our staff did a Google search of you and found out that you have been in some regards at the forefront of the efforts to stop the Stop and Frisk policies that the police department has employed in the Harlem area and a few of the other boroughs. Where do your efforts and that regard stand now? Jazz Hayden: I've always had a sense of community and an intense dislike of bullies. Police in communities of poor people and people of color are, for the most part, bullies in uniforms. Stop and frisk policy and practice disproportionately impact blacks and Latinos. There has been a growing push back. to this abusive policing, especially in communities of color. My team and I have been filming the police for over four years. Our videos of stop and frisk have been aired repeatedly on ABC, MSNBC, News 1, and Manhattan Neighborhood Network. We have been covered in the NY Times, The Village Voice, The Amsterdam News, and the Daily News. We have also been covered in the Middle East and Europe. APFFC: If, as you have implied, in some of your other writings that the police are at fault in most if not all of these matters, do you think or believe that this would be any differently if the officers that patrol these urban areas were African American or Hispanic American officers? If, so why? If, not, why not? Jazz Hayden: During the period of slavery we had "house negroes" and "field negroes", we still have these two categories. Where do blacks in law enforcement fit? House negroes of the first order! My last to arrest, in retaliation for covering the police, have been by blacks and Latinos. Need I say more? APFFC: What you see as ultimate solution to this problem? Jazz Hayden: Community control of policing. Residency requirement. APFFC: New York, like New Jersey, has over the last ten or fifteen years seen a steady rise in gangs in our respective communities. What do you think is the root cause of this phenomenon and how do you think tempering this problem could be best addressed? Jazz Hayden: There are so many variables at play. I would say that a primary cause is the culture. Everywhere you look violence is the number one solution to every problem. The government, the police, the movies, the music, etc. This spills over into personal relationships. Gangs are a substitute for whole and caring families. Many kids find in gangs what is missing at home. Then there are the external variables: poverty, homelessness, joblessness, and lack of access to the opportunity structure. We need caring communities. We need programs and institutions that provide outlets for the energy that is bubbling inside of our youth. APFFC: If, you had an opportunity to speak to the various alleged " shot callers " of these assorted gangs, what would you tell them? Jazz Hayden: I would like to walk him through his life and see how he got where he is. Then I would take the present and make it a fork in the road. What will happen if he pursues the path he is on (prison, death), and what could happen if he pursued an alternative? Find out more at:

All!Things!Harlem!

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!!!!!!Issue!7!

January!8,!2013!

The Akbar Pray Foundation For Change Mission Statement

The Akbar Pray Foundation For Change (APFC) is a not for profit grassroots organization, dedicated to redirecting the lives of our urban at risk youth. It has been and remains our organizations mantra that " we are the solution to our own problems." It is our core belief that there are those within our communities, if so engaged, who can help turn the tide of crime, delinquency and recidivism which grips the lives of so many our inner city youth. Operating from the premise that to effectively attack or address any problem you must start at its root, we have begun a program in some of our citys schools and group homes, where we supply speakers, mentors, CDs and written material from the organizations founder, which cuts to the heart of the problem experienced by many of these youths. Some times working with former gang members, inner city icons and others that have what is referred to as street cred, we have been able to achieve remarkable results. Expanding on our mission, we continuously recruit individuals from various work disciplines to aid in educating young men and woman with marketable skills. To those ends we have engaged people both inside and outside our community to come to our classes and or workshops to share and discuss the ups and downs, ins and outs of a wide range of work disciplines and careers. Never favoring one career path over any other, we have invited professors, urban fiction writers, successful members of the hip hop industry, general construction contractors and a Superior Court Judge to these open discussions and Socratic Circle seminars. Again, it is our core belief that "we are the solution, to our own problems." In closing. We invite your participation in this noble undertaking.

APFFC Officers
! Executive!Director! Akbar Pray Director!of! Operations! Milagros Harris ! ! Director!of!Finance! Qasim S. Abdul Karim ! ! Director!of!Public!! Relations! Toni Johnson ! ! Director!of!Human! Resources! Rahman Muhammad

RIP Connecticut Sandy Hook School Shooting Victims - 12/14/12

Twas' 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38 when 20 beautiful children stormed through heaven's gate. their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled the air. they could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there. they were filled with such joy, they didn't know what to say. they remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day. "where are we?" asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse. "this is heaven." declared a small boy. " we're spending Christmas at God's house." when what to their wondering eyes did appear, but Jesus, their savior, the children gathered near. He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same. then He opened His arms and He called them by name. and in that moment was joy, that only heaven can bring those children all flew into the arms of their King and as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace, one small girl turned and looked at Jesus' face. and as if He could read all the questions she had He gently whispered to her, "I'll take care of mom and dad." then He looked down on earth, the world far below He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand, "Let My power and presence re-enter this land!" "may this country be delivered from the hands of fools" "I'm taking back my nation. I'm taking back my schools!" then He and the children stood up without a sound. "come now my children, let me show you around." excitement filled the space, some skipped and some ran. all displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can. and i heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight, "in the midst of this darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT." Written by Cameo Smith, Mt. Wolf, PA

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