E2W NEWS

Michael N. Dickerson a national of Trinidad and Tobago, Executive Director of DICKERSONS HURBZ R US LTD., Certified Consultant by the Diabetes Resource Center, Inc. and the Center for Nutritional Medicine, Georgia, USA. Specialized in the promotion of natural and organic products through his radio programme ‘Health Talk With Big Mike’ on 106.5fm and 91.9fm and to date has helped improve the health and lifesytle of thousands of listeners throughout Trinidad & Tobago, the region and internationally. A highly sought after natural health consultant, whose vision it is to establish a network of healthy lifestyles by stimulating humans in their God given potential to not only achieve, but to maintain health to its crest through nutrition and natural remedies.

Michael Dickerson (Big Mike): Tel. 1-868-346-2612
Kelvin Duke: Tel. 1-868-758-4225
#19 Market Street Arouca, Trinidad, W.I
Email:hellobmike@gmail.com

The historical Bay; East Oakland, California. Once know as a thriving middle class black town. This area has had it’s share of chaos. Especially around the 90’s. 97th St. 98th St. and 96th St. also known as the “hood”. At first glance you will see poverty, an d the residue of a very strong drug culture in the East Oakland. It would not be surprising to notice the dilapidation in certain areas of the town, but there is a gem from this are, and everyone loves her. It’s Keisha Cole.

Keisha Cole raised in this area, and found a way to prosper; despite her own personal family issues. Growing up in East Oakland alone is rough, but to become an accomplished singer/performer is like searching for gold in these streets. Keisha Cole has had a positive impact on the place in which she comes from and represents.

Keisha Cole has not forgotten where she has come from, nor does she hide the painful past of her childhood. Every year, Ms. Cole comes back to her home town and is affectionately welcomed. She sponsors events for the people of the town to have a good time. One such event is, “Keisha Cole Day”. A day of fun excitement and all types of activities for the young and old.

Usually held on the last Sunday of the month. The event is special to the youth of the town. With very few people to look up to, the youth of East Oakland have an official “star” to model after, Keisha Cole.

For sixteen and a half (16 1/2 ) years, I fought with every breath in my body to prove my innocence. On Oct. 5, 2011, the third Circuit Court of Appeals Vacated my life sentence on the grounds of, “insufficient Evidence”, which is equal to not Guilty verdict, Barring a Retrial. The prosecution quickly filed for Re argument, which was Denied. Under the appeal issue on which my conviction was Overturned, I was eligible for immediate release. The prosecution only had one appeal left, that would be to the U.S. Supreme Court. The U.S. Supreme Court only reviews two (2 %) percent of the cases that come across their desk in the whole United States. So the chances of the prosecution being heard was almost impossible.

On January 16, 2012 I had a Bail Hearing in Federal Court in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. At this hearing, I had people testify to my character and my freedom. The hearing went GREAT. On January18,2012 I was finally released from PA. D.O.C. for the crime I never had anything to do with. Finally, I got a chance to rid myself of these clothes that didn’t belong to me. My Legal Team met me outside the prison. We drove directly to Philadelphia where the rest of my Legal Team awaited my arrival. When we arrived, we all met in a huge conference room with at least thirty (30) people in it. My brother and friend came from New York. We all celebrated for a couple of hours, then I headed HOME finally, back to New York with my brother and friend.

Soon as we hit New York, I started clothes shopping. After that, headed to see the family. In February my friends threw me a welcome home party. It took me by surprise how much love and support I had after all this time. I went and got my license and got a car, which I needed for the job I started working at. It was like I had never left. I started doing speaking engagements about “Wrongful Convictions”. My first two were at Widener University. My Lead attorney and his wife taught Law there. It was a great experience. I also started speaking at local Community Centers for the youth every other week.

Finally, I was putting my life back together. I met someone that I used to correspond with, Jeffrey Deskovic. Jeffrey had also done sixteen (16) years for a crime he never committed. Jeffrey opened his own Justice Foundation, and helped me with a lot of re-entry things. We became best friends. Between working, speaking engagements and enjoying life, it seemed there weren’t enough hours in the day. I met a lot of other exonerees and famous attorneys whom I read about while in prison. Only now, I was there and had my own story to tell. I made a lot of contacts through traveling in these circles, met a lot of good people who shared my misfortune (Wrongfully Convicted).

May 29,2012, is the day I don’t think I’ll ever forget. I was at work when I got a call from my Lead attorney. I couldn’t understand him because he was literally crying. What I did hear was, “The United States Supreme Court, GRANTED the prosecution Cert. Petition REINSTATED your conviction. Without allowing Briefs or Oral Arguments all at one time Per Curiam”. It hit me like a TON OF BRICKS. Once my attorney got himself together, he went on to say he never saw anything like this happen before. It was unheard of. As our conversation continued, he let me know that they were going to want me to turn myself in eventually, so I should enjoy my freedom while they tried to keep me free until Re-arguments.

I left work and went to my new Legal Advocates, Jeffrey Deskovic Foundation for Justice Offices. Once I begun calling family and friends informing them what had taken place. While doing that, my New York attorneys were on the phones with my Pennsylvania attorneys trying to come to grips with what had taken place. My feelings were completely numb, as if I were dreaming. My worst nightmare was coming back to haunt me, when I thought it was all over. My lady and my cousin came to pick me up. For the next couple of weeks we worked hard trying to make sure when I did go back, it would be a short stay.

I spent my remaining time with my family and friends. This was a very emotional time in my life.I had to make some important DECISIONS. Me and my new Legal Team, from New York traveled to Philadelphia to meet my Legal Team there. This was also VERY emotional, We are very close and this was the first time they’d seen me in months. We always called each other. I can’t discuss what we spoke about due to my pending appeal. I can say that I feel VERY CONFIDENT in my chances with this group of people. My time had came, June 14,2012 I turned myself in to SCI Camp Hill at 2 o’clock p.m.. to once again fight to clear myself. INNOCENT BUT WEARING GUILTY CLOTHES PART TWO (2).

huem-I +, born in New Orleans and raised in L.A.. I was always in a position where I felt that I had to adapt to my surroundings. I lived in Atlanta for a year and a half. Moving from different states plays a big role in my character. My childhood hero was Jesus, I saw everyone the same and wanted to love people like him. My family and I went through the struggle of moving to California. We were dirt poor with nothing.We lived in hotels for periods of time. My mom didn’t know how we were going to eat.Those were the the times in my life when I decided that I would never judge another person by their looks. But I would judge them by their actions.As a young kid, and not having enough food to eat myself, I would give food to homeless people in the same situation as I was in.

All that I could remember about my childhood in New Orleans is my old neighborhood. I will never see it again because of Hurricane Katrina. Not only did we lose what used to be the 9th ward, but all possessions like my prized books, (I really miss my poetry). My mom would scrape up what she could to feed us, and made a way out of none. Through all of our struggles we kept the faith that our situation would change. Now we have something.

Currently living in Inglewood California, I met my producer, UPRYZE at Inglewood H.S.. We were both involved with other rap groups and kept meeting up with each other. Now we come together to make music for the world. huem-I and UPRYZE.Check out our unique sound and lyrical content.

On September 9, 2007 Hope gets the news that her eldest and only son was killed in combat defending his country in the war against terrorism. Initially, the news of her son’s death damaged her heart and temporarily crippled a loving tight knit family, until the day she accepted the reality of the situation and began to deal with it. Expressing and converting her pain into words and actions in the form of books, plays, and humanitarian efforts in honor of her son SSG. Courtney A. Hollingworth.

Hope Hollingworth Coaxum is a native of Yonkers, N.Y. she is a wife, mother and professional, but the very foundation of her life is centered on her family. She attended Pace University and studied business. After receiving her master’s degree she took a position on Wall Street with a major investment firm. After working there for several years she decided to relocate and work for a company in Westchester, N.Y. to be closer to her husband and two younger children.
Working in Westchester gave Hope more time to focus on her family’s growth and development. Something that Wall Street wouldn’t allow her to do because of the long demanding hours and pressures to produce in Corporate America. The sacrifice that she made for her family is one that she doesn’t regret because she was still able to excel professionally; more importantly, she had the opportunity to see her family grow and blossom, which is something that no salary or position could provide.
Eventually, her son Courtney graduated from high school and decided to serve his country and go into the army; which is a decision that she was uneasy about in the beginning , then realized that it was a choice that he had made. So, as a mother and the backbone of her family she supported his decision and was behind him one hundred percent. He finally went to boot camp in Ft. Hood Texas and he came back a different person. “My son came back a man, he came back strong, confident and disciplined.” All of the qualities he always had deep within boot camp brought them out to the surface. “He was now a soldier, he was proud and I was proud of him.”
After about three years in the service 9/11 happened, and now her son was directly involved in the war on terrorism. “War changes the way people see things in life and I noticed a shift in his mentality. However, he always assured me that everything was alright, but a mother is always concerned about her offspring and I kept him in my prayers daily.”
“I would watch the news, listen to the radio and read the newspapers and see that the war was escalating and getting more dangerous. I would see the casualties of war and always be concerned about my son. I would hear about it and even see it on T.V., but one would never think that it would happen to you or a family member. In situation like this you don’t get a phone call you get a knock on the door.”
After the death of her son, Hope’s humanitarian efforts increased tenfold. She has increased her support of the men and women in the armed forces. In 2010 she became the “President of the Yonkers, New York, Gold Star Mothers” She has also become affiliated and works closely with other organizations that have shared the same platform such as “Fueled by the Fallen,” “Tower of Hope” “War-front to the Home-front, Inc.,” and “Step Into Their Boots” only to name a few.
The death of her son also activated something in her that was lying dormant, which is the ability to express herself in the form of writing. This form of healing that she uses for herself is inspirational, motivational, and educational for herself and many others. www. Books By Hope Hollingworth Coaxum To be continued…

By: Jerome Enders Contact: Jeromeenders@gmail.com www.JeromeEnders.com