by Yolanda M. Johnson

Oh Yeah! If you’ve been anxiously waiting, wait no more. The 2005-2006 Football Season is here. The opening kickoff was started by a performance by the Rolling Stones, Santana, Kanye West, and other performers in Detroit at Gillette stadium and the Los Angeles Coliseum. The events in the two locations led into the season opener at Gillette Stadium between the New England Patriots and the Oakland Raiders. Much to my satisfaction and glee, Oakland lost!

For my fellow Cowboy fans, not a bad way to start off the season eh? The infamous Cowboys beat the San Diego Chargers! Yooohooo!

On Sunday, San Diego will play the Denver Broncos. I think that one’s a no brainer. San Francisco will go against the Eagles. Now, I don’t like the Eagles the least bit, but I’m sorry San Fran, my money is on Philly. On Monday My Boyz will be playing the Redskins. In the famous words of Raymond Usher and Lil John “Yeah!”.

What would the beginning of football season be without a few injuries? Well Philly’s QB McNabb is not sure he will play in the home opener against San Fran. My money is still on the Eagles. B’More Ravens corner back, Deion “Must Be The Money” Sanders is out with a hamstring injury. Yo Deion, perhaps you need to stop doing the cha cha slide in the end zone after a touch down.

And what is football without a little drama. Tsk. Tsk. Dolphin running back Ricky Williams, suspended?? Trick or Treat. Ricky is elgible to return to the field mid October.

Last but not least. I’m not a Saints fan, but in light of the obvious, I wish the New Orleans Saints a successful season. Second to the Cowboys of course. For a complete listing of the 2005-2006 NFL season, visit www.nfl.com.

by Monique Bruner

Postpartum Depression (PPD) is a real problem within the African American community. This young African American mother thought she was doing the right thing by quitting her job to be a stay-at-home mom. But less than a month after the birth of her second daughter, she realized something was terribly wrong. “I felt like I was in a bottomless pit, real dark”, she said. She remembers hearing people say, “women have babies every day; get over it; get real”.

by Monique Bruner

When rodeo first began, the concept of clowns developed as a way to entertain spectators in between events and to keep the children in the audience from becoming restless. The clowns’ role has evolved greatly since then, with one clue being that clowns on the rodeo circuit today are known as “bullfighters”. Three different categories of rodeo clown represent three different jobs. The “bullfighter” is primarily concerned with protecting the cowboy. A “barrelman” remains in a barrel during the cowboy’s ride and emerges to distract the bull if needed. “Comedy clowns” are primarily crowd entertainers.

Meet Nancy Gilliam AMAG Intern Sponsor

Nancy Gilliam is an accomplished performing artist and author. The first national Miss Phi Beta Sigma (1981)is a graduate of the Fiorello H. LaGuardia Highschool of Performing Arts and earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts degrees from C.W. Post Center of Long Island University and the University of Southern California respectively.

Meet M. Bridges AMAG Intern Sponsor

Though her love for the written word and all forms of artistic expression began in Mrs. Horton’s first grade classroom, MBridges never considered writing as a career. Holding a pen and creating stories was just a part of the author’s biological make up. While attending the University of Houston, MBridges was a columnist for the campus newspaper, The Dateline. It was there that she discovered the addictive joy of having an audience for her work. In addition to writing her weekly columns, her poetry and short stories were featured in the campus literary journal, The Bayou Review.

In 2002, Maryann Reid was invited by USATODAY to write a novella for the acclaimed Open Book section of their website. In Jan/Feb, her series, "Single Black Female" ran for several weeks and attracted a whole new audience to her already popular first book, Sex and the Single Sister. In 2003, Reid wrote Use Me or Lose Me, a spin off to Sex and published by St. Martins.

A woman, always exploring her options, Reid obtained her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Miami in May 2004. She is a regular guest and relationship advisor on on radio and television shows, most recently, for Life & Style, a syndicated daytime talk show seen on Oxygen and UPN.

Her third book Marry Your Baby Daddy will be published by St. Martins Press in Sept 2005. Reid interviewed hundreds of couples with children to find out what their goals, concerns and issues were concerning their relationships. She discovered a group of "baby mamas and baby daddies" who love each other and defeat the negative stereotypes perpetuated by some forms of popular culture. She wanted to show this group in their best light and address serious issues surrounding the black family structure. A structure, which until recently had over 60% of black women married by age 30. Today, 70% of children are born to single or unmarried black women.

by Dr. Leon Dickerson

Abandoned Brown Stones and other buildings that for years created an eyesore in Harlem have been renovated and sold to those able to afford the high price to live in “New Harlem, New York.” In my 57 years as a resident of Harlem, I have seen neighborhoods in the community go from bad to worst. It seems like only yesterday that Rev. Calvin Butts, Pastor of Abyssinian Baptist church, led his drive to rid the community of bill boards advertising alcoholic beverages aimed primarily at the black community. Everyone knows that alcoholism and illicit drugs have plagued the Harlem community forever.

Thursday, September 22, 2005 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM T New York (240 W. 52nd St.) .

VH1 pays homage to the hip hop pioneers who transformed the genre into a true cultural phenomenon with the second annual "VH1 Hip Hop Honors." Hosted by Russell Simmons and Reverend Run, this year’s celebration will honor LL Cool J, Big Daddy Kane, Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five, Notorious B.I.G., Ice T, Salt –N– Pepa, and the film Boyz N The Hood.

Screening party guests will get the opportunity to watch "VH1 Hip Hop Honors", as it is taped at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City . The evening will include performances by Kanye West, Eve, Nelly, Common, Jazzy Jeff, Snoop Dogg and Missy Elliott. Additional performers, presenters, and special guests will be announced as they are confirmed. The show will premiere on VH1 Monday, September 26 at 9PM.

TICKETS: $75 TABLES of 10 : $1,000 (with Grey Goose Bottle Service) (Includes Open Bar and Food All Night) TO PURCHASE CALL UniQue Webster 212.846.5220

Screening Party Host Committee-- Adair Curtis, Akilah N. Joseph, Anel Pla, Catherine Daniel, Creme Magazine, James Lisbon, James Watts, Jelani Bandele, Kym Oglesby, Lamonia Brown, Malaika Moran, Michael Wiles, Nelea 'Lea' Johnson, Renee Zuckerman Knapik, Saideh Page-Browne, Sapphire Howard, Tesa Anewishki, Tina Imm, Tina Turner- Andrews, Tracey Delio, Tracy McGraw, Zev Norotsky

The VH1 Save The Music Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of education in America’s public schools by restoring music programs in cities across the U.S., and by raising public awareness about the importance of music participation for our nation’s youth.

African American Performing Arts Community Theatre is auditioning for August Wilson’s King Hedley II, Monday, September 5th, 2005, Tuesday, September 6th, 2005, Monday, September 12th, 2005 and Tuesday, September 13, 2005 at 6:00 pm at Carrie P. Meek Senior and Cultural Center and Black Box Theatre at 1300 NW 50th Street in Miami, Florida. The show runs November 3rd – December 4th, 2005. Needed two African American women and three African American men to play the roles of Tonya (30’s-40’s), Ruby (50’s- 60’s), Mister (20’s- 40’s), Stool Pigeon (50’s –60’s) and Elmore (50’s- 60’s). Directed by Teddy Harrell, Jr. Non Equity, Pay. Audition requirements: resume and headshot, One-minute monologue (possibly for unfamiliar talent). For information or to set an appointment call or email to AAPACT at 305-751-4043 or aapact@yahoo.com.

‘All Power To The People!, The Black Panther Party And Beyond’ - Is a chilling documentary on America's "Secret War". All Power to the People! examines problems of race, poverty, dissent, and the universal conflict of 'the haves versus the have nots'... the nightmarish scenarios that ensue when fearful governments maintain 'status quo' political power at all costs; brazenly breaking their own laws to entrap political opponents, thus fomenting armed rebellion. U.S. Government documents, rare news clips, and interviews with both ex-activists and former FBI/CIA officers, provide deep insight into the bloody conflict between armed political dissent and governmental authority in the U.S. of the 60s and 70s.