Across Black America

Dec 20 2012

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

California
The board of directors of the Black AIDS Institute elected new officers to take on the challenges and opportunities in 2013 and lead the organization in a new strategic direction while continuing to tackle the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Black communities. The new board chair is Neil Lowe, Ph.D. Lowe is a partner at NoLimitss, a boutique business intelligence and data analytics firm focused on new revenue identification and organizational transformation. He has served on the Institute’s board for six years, most recently as first vice chair. The officers have the task and responsibility of leading the Institute in a new direction. The approach includes five strategic objectives: fully implement the Affordable Care Act; support people living with HIV to come out of the closet; increase demand for treatment; integrate biomedical and behavioral interventions; and promote organizational retooling for an evolving response to the AIDS epidemic in a post-healthcare reform world and one where biomedical interventions will play an ever increasing role in ending the AIDS epidemic.

Singer Toni Braxton said she is happy to be home after being admitted to a hospital for treatment of lupus, an autoimmune disease that affects a high-percentage of Black women. Officials at a Los Angeles hospital admitted the 45-year-old singer on Dec. 14. Physicians also treated her for blood clots.

District of Columbia
Alterations will be made to a controversial paraphrase carved into the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The plan, which must be submitted to the Commission of Fine Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission, calls for the removal of paraphrase, “I was a drum major for peace and righteousness.” The memorial opened in 2011, and the paraphrase immediately became a source of controversy because it was taken out of context, complained Maya Angelou, the poet and writer. The wording made it sound as though King was boasting, Angelou said. The full quotation, taken from a 1968 sermon King delivered two months before his assassination by James Earl Ray, reads: “I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter.” Work on the removal will begin in February and be completed by spring 2013.

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

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Across Black America

Dec 13 2012

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

California
Hooper Avenue Elementary School has become the second certified Nature Explore Classroom within the Los Angeles Unified School District after receiving national certification from the Arbor Day Foundation and Dimensions Educational Research Foundation. As the nation’s second largest school district, LAUSD is on the cutting edge of a growing movement to broaden outdoor learning opportunities for children, particularly in urban areas where many grow up missing out on nature-rich experiences. Nature Explore Classrooms are part of the Nature Explore program, a collaborative project of the Arbor Day Foundation and Dimensions Educational Research Foundation developed in response to the growing disconnect between children and nature. Certified Nature Explore Classrooms help fill the void by integrating research-based outdoor learning into children’s daily lives.
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With Christmas right around the corner, dating website WhatsYourPrice.com conducted a study to reveal which cities were on the naughty or nice list. WhatsYourPrice.com surveyed 2,750 members in Los Angeles to find whether the City of Angels would live up to its name. Forty-one percent of Angelenos admitted to being guilty of “envy” more than three times every week, earning its place at No. 4 on the “Naughty List of American Cities.” WhatsYourPrice.com conducted a study using members from different cities in the United States out of the website’s more than 450,000 worldwide users. The study examined which of the seven deadly sins each person was guilty of and approximately how often they committed them. The cities with the most people who committed a sin more than three times every week were placed on the naughty list. Overall, results found the United States was most guilty of “pride” this year with about 30 percent of Americans admitting to committing the sin more than three times every week. Among the “Naughty List of American Cities” was Los Angeles, which beat out Las Vegas for the No. 4 spot, while the “Nice List of American Cities” included surprises such as Tampa at No. 3 and New Orleans at ninth place.
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RollingOut CEO and Publisher Munson Steed, center, poses with honorees and hosts of the 2012 Mirror Mirror Awards—Hollywood. Colgate Optic White, RollingOut Magazine and RollingOut.com recently presented the Mirror Mirror Awards—Hollywood honoring, Vanessa Bell Calloway (“Shameless”), Elise Neal (“Belle’s”), Kyla Pratt (“Let’s Stay Together”), Naturi Naughton (“The Client List”), Joyful Drake (“Let’s Stay Together”), Necole Bitchie (NecoleBitchie.com), Dawn Richard (“Dirty Money”), Kym Whitley (“Animal Practice”), and Gloria Govan (“Basketball Wives LA”) as entertainment industry trendsetters who embody the style, elegance and glamor of Hollywood. The event was hosted by Sharif Atkins (“White Collar”) and BET reality star Toya Wright (“Toya: A Family Affair”), who were joined by more than 200 Hollywood tastemakers and celebrity guests.

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

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Across Black America

Dec 6 2012

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

California
Actors Hill Harper and Nate Parker have partnered to host the 5th annual Manifest Your Destiny Toy Drive. Originally created by Harper’s nonprofit foundation of the same name, the charity event will be held in conjunction with the USMC Toys for Tots Program on the evening of Tuesday, Dec. 11, at Playhouse Nightclub in Hollywood. Last year, the Manifest Your Destiny Toy Drive yielded the most donations of any event of its kind in Southern California. More than 1,000 toys were collected; a record the foundation is determined to break this holiday season. This year’s event will feature a celebrity host committee, including Gabrielle Union, Isaiah Washington and Nicole Scherzinger, along with food, beverages, entertainment, toys and guest gift bags made possible by CBS, Ogo Sport, Miss Jessie’s, Popchips, Chambord Black Raspberry Flavored Vodka, 1iota, Cupcake Cuties Cupcakery, Diabolo Beverages, DJ B. Hen and GoodWoodNYC. Harper and Parker’s intentions are to utilize the toy drive as a vehicle to raise awareness for less fortunate youth in Los Angeles.

District of Columbia
The U.S. Commerce Department’s Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) will announce the 2012 National Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week award winners. This year’s awards recognize the outstanding contributions of 12 private sector, nonprofit entities and leaders in the categories of lifetime achievement, leadership, access to capital, exporting and manufacturing that have had a major impact on the growth of minority business enterprises. The winners will be honored during the 30th Anniversary MED Week Conference. “Through effective advocacy, entrepreneurial success and economic impact, the individuals and firms selected for these honors have shown exemplary commitment to the minority business sector,” said David A. Hinson, MBDA national director. “They are pillars in their communities who help to create jobs and keep our nation competitive in the global economy. MBDA and the U.S. Department of Commerce are pleased to pay tribute to these outstanding leaders and firms and the entrepreneurial spirit they embody and promote.”

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

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Across Black America

Nov 29 2012

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

California
When asked by the leadership of Share Our Strength to support an effort to feed America’s youth, USA Network star Sharif Atkins (“White Collar”) knew exactly how he could assist, by producing a public service announcement that might inspire others to support the cause. With a simple belief that “No child should grow up hungry in America,” Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign attempting to end childhood hunger in America by ensuring all children get the healthy food they need, every day. The campaign connects kids in need with nutritious food and teaches their families how to cook healthy, affordable meals. The campaign also engages the public to make ending childhood hunger a national priority.

District of Columbia
As Congress convenes to determine the fate of the 50 million Americans living in poverty and a shattered middle class stalled in a jobless recovery, broadcaster Tavis Smiley is calling on everyday people from coast to coast to urge President Barack Obama to convene a White House Conference on the Eradication of Poverty in America. Smiley will moderate a nationally televised discussion, “Vision for a New America: A Future Without Poverty,” 6:30 p.m.-9 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013, at George Washington University’s Lisner Auditorium, 730 21st St. NW, Washington, D.C. Taking place just days before the presidential inauguration, the event is free and open to the public. Doors open at 5 p.m., and advance registration is required at www.tavistalks.com/visionforanewamerica.

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

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Across Black America

Nov 15 2012

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

Arizona
With 5.4 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s today, African Americans are twice as likely to be diagnosed with the disease. As awareness continues to grow around Alzheimer’s, the new Alzheimer’s Prevention Registry created and led by Banner Alzheimer’s Institute allows concerned individuals to enroll and help further research in an effort to treat and prevent the disease. A new survey shows nearly half of U.S. adults have a personal connection to Alzheimer’s disease. According to a national survey for the Banner Alzheimer’s Institute, the results also found more than seven in 10 adults, or 218 million Americans, worry about memory loss or the disease for themselves or a loved one.

California
The Los Angeles Lakers will hold ceremonies to honor three of their all-time great players during the 2012-13 season. In the first of these events, on Friday, Nov. 16, the Lakers and Staples Center will unveil a statue of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at Star Plaza outside the center. Kareem’s statue will join those of former Lakers Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Jerry West; former Kings hockey great Wayne Gretzky, boxer Oscar De La Hoya and former Lakers broadcaster Francis “Chick” Hearn. Abdul-Jabbar was a member of the Lakers from 1975-1989. He finished his career as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer (38,287), a record that still stands today. His accolades include six NBA championships (1971, ‘80, ‘82, ‘85, ‘87 and ‘88); six time NBA MVP (1971, ‘72, ‘74, ‘76, ‘77 and ‘80); 10 time All-NBA First Team; Five-time All-Defensive first team; six time All-Defensive Second Team and 19 time All-Star. Abdul-Jabbar was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995.
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The 22nd annual NAACP Theatre Awards, presented by the NAACP Beverly Hills/Hollywood Branch, was recently held at the Directors Guild of America in Hollywood. It was appropriately themed “A Salute to Black Theatre.” According to the African Theatre Ensemble, “through pioneering creative efforts, theater has become functional, collective, and committed as reflected in the unique rituals and particular historical perspectives of African and African American people. African Theatre is ritualized through music, poetry, dance, folklore, and religion, thus creating a theater art form that serves a greater purpose than theater for theater’s sake. The mission of the African Theatre Ensemble, therefore, is to strengthen our identity, confirm our history, and concretize our future directions.”

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

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

California
San Diego college students and volunteers will carry out their sixth home restoration project on Wednesday, July 10 through Sunday, July 14. as part of the “Healing our Heroes’ Homes” (H3) program created by the nonprofit Embrace. The five-day effort will take place at the home of medically retired Marine Corps Capt. Sarah Bettencourt. Bettencourt served with many different units across the country during the Global War on Terrorism and developed a rare neurological disorder in 2008. With a focus to restore the homes of disabled veteran homeowners, H3 falls in line with Embrace’s mission to mobilize college-student volunteers and community members to serve less fortunate members of civilian and veteran communities. The project for the Bettencourts’ home includes kitchen and bathroom remodeling, building ADA-compliant disability ramps, widening their driveway to ADA standards, widening doorways and landscaping.

District of Columbia
The 2013 Smithsonian Folklife Festival will showcase its five-year community research project on African American identity with the program “The Will to Adorn: African American Diversity, Style, and Identity.” This multicity collaboration examines the history and culture of the aesthetics of African Americans. The festival will be held June 26-30 and July 3-7, outdoors on the National Mall between Seventh and 14th streets. “Whether we realize it or not, we are all dress artists. The way we compose our look is a creative expression of our ideas about who we are and who we aspire to be,” said Diana N’Diaye, program curator. “This program explores the diversity of African American traditions of style, but also teaches young people the importance of documenting their own culture and saving that information for themselves and future generations.”

This Week in LA

The Black Music History of L.A.

May 27, 2013
Dinner celebration

May 27, 2013
Walk-a-Thon

June 1, 2013

Across Black America