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July 27, 2016 The Skanner Page 7 Arts & Entertainment Dr. Julianne Malveaux Talks to Kam Williams About New Book By Kam Williams For The Skanner News D r. Julianne Mal- veaux has long been recognized for her progres- sive and insightful ob- servations. She is a labor economist, noted author and colorful commenta- tor. Her contributions to the public dialogue on issues such as race, cul- ture, gender and their economic impacts are shaping public opinion in 21st Century America. Dr. Malveaux is the founder and President of Economic Education, a 501-c3 organization focused on personal i- nance and economic policy education and their connection. Here, she talks about her new “ Dr. Julianne Malveaux with you again. KW: You’re welcome. What inspired you to publish “Are We Better Of?” JM: People will be talking about the Obama legacy for decades, and I wanted to include my voice in the analysis of this presidency. This is presidency, explores the way Obama was treated by the political estab- lishment and also how this irst black president treated “his” people. In the epilogue, I use num- bers to tell the story of African American gains and losses during this presidency. and unemployment is lower, but the unemploy- ment rate gap remains large. Black child pover- ty is higher. As I write in the epilogue, “Yes we can. No he didn’t. President Obama didn’t push black people backward, but he missed the opportunity to move us forward.” KW: How did you de- cide which articles to in- clude in the book? JM: Wow! That’s a great question. It was quite a process to narrow more than 400 columns down to 80. I write weekly, though, and I don’t al- ways write about Presi- dent Obama, so that was the easy elimination. Sometimes, I repeat myself, and that was a second elimination. I worked with a team, in- KW: In the introduc- tion, you ask, “How does President Obama treat his people?” before criti- cizing him for not recip- President Obama didn’t push Black people backward, but he missed the opportunity to move us forward book, “Are We Better Of? Race, Obama and Public Policy.” Kam Williams: Hi, Juli- anne, thanks for another opportunity to interview you. Dr. Julianne Malveaux: Greetings, Kam. I hope you are well. Thanks for the opportunity to talk a column collection, or as one colleague called it, “history in real time,” recounting my perspec- tive on the highs and lows of this presidency from an African Amer- ican perspective. More than simply a column collection, the book has a substantial introduction that frames the Obama cluding a great editor who, as the project came together, suggested oth- er additions and elimina- tions. It was a process. KW: Well, are we bet- ter of ater eight years of Obama? JM: The economy is better than the one Pres- ident Obama inherited, rocating the overwhelm- ing support he’s received from the African-Amer- ican electorate. You say, “He scolds instead of uplits, and ofers tepid gestures to our needs.” What do you think he could have done in terms of jobs, housing and edu- cation? JM: If some of the recovery money had gone to cities instead of states, the urban pop- ulation, read “Black” and “Brown,” would be better of with recovery jobs. While the banks got big bailouts, a sizeable chunk of African Amer- ican wealth evaporated because so many people lost homes. Some of the federal programs to help homeowners were never fully implemented. And President Obama’s pick of Arne Duncan as Sec- retary of Education was abysmal. Cutting HBCUs was unconscionable. See INTERVIEW on page 11 Review cont’d from pg 6 as a counselor but as a cosmetologist. Rachel’s protege “Butterly,” a recov- ering schizophrenic, exhibits consid- erable promise at braiding hair. The optimistic mother of three explains that she picked her nickname because she’s begun to blossom ater being in a cocoon marked by depression and paranoia. Still, she misses her mur- dered big brother and worries about an incarcerated son. 65 year-old Edward, a college grad, recounts how, at 26, his life was de- railed when he was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic. A classical- ly-trained lautist, he nevertheless holds onto his dream of one day play- ing with a professional orchestra. The spa’s second in command is Dar- lene, a survivor of child abuse who recounts how she was teased mer- cilessly growing up about her hair, her looks and for being in the foster care system. One of her customers is shown taking delight in being taught to read, while another proudly pro- nounces “I am not my symptoms, I am not my diagnosis.” "The Hollywood Beauty Salon" was directed by Glenn Holsten who is perhaps best known for another stel- lar documentary set in Philadelphia, "The Barefoot Artist." He’s done it again, here, with this moving collec- tion of poignant personal portraits powerfully illustrating the utter in- domitability of the human spirit. Excellent HHHH Unrated Running time: 88 min Studio: Glennilms / FreshFly