100 Black Men

Anthony Asadullah Samad, Ph.D.  |   OW Contributing Columnist
Sep 15 2011

Between the Lines

My friend, Tavis Smiley, has a new documentary out on the plight of the Black male in America.

It’s a subject that has been part of the intellectual and academic discourse for the past decade. For the last five years, it has been the No. 1 issue in public education. For the past four years, it has been a subject of intense debate in Los Angeles, which has the worst large school district in the nation, right here in Tavis’ own backyard.

Sep 13 2011

Open call for students grades 9-12

Celebrating 25 years, the signature Los Angeles based program has assisted more than 21,000 African-American students into college
 
LOS ANGELES – Since 1986, the Young Black Scholars (YBS) college preparatory program has assisted more than 21,000 Los Angeles area Black students into college—and the program is looking to increase that number with the start of the 2011-12 academic school year.
 

Juliana D. Norwood  |   OW Staff Writer
Oct 21 2010

Changing the lives of our young Black men

Founded by Ricky Lewis of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. Tau Tau Chapter, in Compton, Calif., the Omega Educational Foundation is a non-profit organization that emphasizes community development, mentorship, and character-building in young men ages 8 to 18 years old.

During the past 17 years, the Omega Educational Foundation has touched the lives of more than 3,400 young men in the Greater Los Angeles area.

Oct 21 2010

Charles E. Blake Pastor of West Angeles Church of God in Christ and Presiding Bishop of the Church of God in Christ was honored

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Pastor of West Angeles Church of God in Christ Bishop Charles E. Blake, ((L-R), receives the man-of-the-year award from 100 Black Men of Los Angeles Inc. Chairman of the Board of Directors Albert E. Dotson, Esq.

Charles E. Blake Pastor of West Angeles Church of God in Christ and Presiding Bishop of the Church of God in Christ was honored with the prestigious man of the year award at the 2010 100 Black Men of Los Angeles Inc. gala held at the Beverly Wilshire on Oct. 15.

David L. Horne, Ph.D.  |   OW Contributing Columnist
Oct 14 2010

Practical Politics

Last week’s column suggested the establishment of a series of political strategic planning sessions for those very serious about changing the paradigm of our Black political existence, especially the probable consequences of the path we are now on. Juggle the figures however you want, unchecked and uncorrected, we are headed straightforwardly to political oblivion.
 

Across Black America

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.

California
Allied Integrated Marketing recently announced it is launching a new African American marketing division, Allied Moxy. The new division will create innovative campaigns that integrate publicity, promotions, digital and grassroots outreach to speak directly to the full diversity of African American consumers. Spearheading Allied Moxy are industry veterans Kim Walters and Gloria Jones. Walters will oversee national strategy from Los Angeles, while Jones will oversee regional/local strategy from Washington, D.C. Walters brings more than a decade of marketing experience working with entertainment companies such as Codeblack Entertainment, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, and A&E Lifetime Television, as well as consumer brands such as KIA and L.A. Gear and awards programs such as NAACP Image Awards and Soul Train Music Awards. Jones has been with Allied for five years running publicity and promotional campaigns for clients, including Universal Pictures, Focus Features and Relativity Media, and previously worked for WBDC-TV in D.C. and MTV Networks’ Nick @ Nite and TV Land.

 

Representing Los Angeles and Center Theatre Group, Tyler Edwards, a senior at the Orange County High School of the Arts, placed third at the national finals of the fifth annual August Wilson Monologue Competition (AWMC) at Broadway’s August Wilson Theatre in New York City. “I am thrilled . . . I’m so glad that I took it for L.A. the first time we got up . . . that’s what we’re talking about!” said an elated Edwards following the competition. Edwards, an aspiring actor, describes the soaring, lyrical monologues found in the plays by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson as “very inspirational,” and said prior to the Los Angeles Regional Finals of the August Wilson competition, “I would love to share a bit of that inspiration with any audience, in hopes that they leave with more appreciation than they walked in with.”

 

Georgia
Bounce TV, the nation’s first-ever over-the-air broadcast television network for African Americans, will launch a second new original comedy series, “Uptown Comic,” on June 18, immediately after the series premiere of the just-announced sitcom “Family Time.” “Uptown Comic” is a half-hour series featuring stage and skit performances by some of the hottest up-and-coming comics in the country. The show is currently in production in front of a live studio audience at the longest-running African American comedy club in the U.S.—Uptown Comedy Corner in Atlanta. Actor and comedian Joe Torry (Russell Simmons’ Def Comedy Jam) hosts. “Family Time,” a half hour situation comedy created by Bentley Kyle Evans ( “The Jamie Foxx Show,” “Martin,” “Love That Girl”) and produced by Evans and partner Trenten Gumbs is set to launch Monday, June 18, at 8 p.m. The series premiere of “Uptown Comic” will follow and be seen weekly at 8:30 p.m. (All Times Eastern.)