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Greetings!
Happy New Year and welcome to 2006. We are only
two weeks into the new year and it has already
proven to be a busy one for me, as well as a
prosperous one.
I pray that everyone has made life changing choices
as opposed to making resolutions that you'll never
keep. I challenge everyone to pick at least two life
changing goals and map out a plan and outline and
then implement that goal. Two that I am choosing
to make (out of ten) are 1) Take the literary world
by storm, and 2) Improve my health.
I hope that you enjoy this issue and get at least one
thing out of it, as we try to stay informative, exciting
and fresh.
Remember that life is short, so be good to one
another, be good to one another, and most of all be
good to God, for without Him, everything is null and
void. Until Next Time!
Blessings & Prosperity in 2006!
~~Yolanda
| First in Unity |
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Presenting Your Story for Publication in First in Unity -
Stories of Sisterhood An Anthology of Stories Written
by Women of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. ISBN
1-893719-07-3 Managing Editor Linda Everett Moyé,
J.D. Co-Editors: Rita Roberts Hedgespeth Karyne
Jones Rhonda Janel Scott, Esquire Crystal B. Taylor,
Ph.D. Cover art printed with permission © Peggy Van
Buren.
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| The Self-Publishing Symposium: Strategies for Success! |
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March 12, 2006 Schomberg Center for Research in
Black Culture New York, NY - Learn.Network.Grow! -
Keynote Speaker: Vickie Stringer, Author/Owner,
Triple Crown Publications "How to Succeed in the
Publishing Game" We welcome you to attend "The
Self-Publishing Symposium: Strategies for Success,"
March 12, 2006 and take full advantage of what this
phenomenal event can do for your business.
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| Brooklyn, New York - CACCI Inducts CEO of PA Public Relations Co. as 2006 Business Visionary |
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contributed by Phil Andrews
On December 15, 2005 the Caribbean American
Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. inducted
Phil Andrews, CEO of PA Public Relations Co.
(www.papublicrelations.com) as a 2006 Member
Visionary at its Annual Christmas Cultural
Extravaganza. This year, the event was held at the
elegant Eden Palace, located at 420 Flushing
Avenue, Brooklyn, New York. Mr. Andrews was
inducted along with 39 CACCI Member Business
visionaries.
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| Looking Back Over 2005 - The Year of Uncertainty |
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Where does one start when they begin to recap
2005? If I had to sum it up in two words, my choice
would be “utter disaster”. As I went through a video
that displayed the year in videos, I was immediately
brought to tears as the video recapped the
aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and bloodied bodies of
children after a suicide bomber victimized Iraq.
Looking at these images caused me to take a
moment to pray to God above and thank Him for all
my many blessings. For we have no idea just how
blessed we are. We spend our time piddling over
menial things and complain about what we don’t
have. I wasn’t there, in Louisiana or Mississippi, but
looking at the video, gave me a better understanding
of why someone would feel all was lost enough to
commit suicide.
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| Pre-Order Your Copy Of "Circumstances" Today |
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Order Now Until January 20, 2006 And Receive 15%
Off, Plus FREE S&H. Also Be Entered Into A Drawing
For A Chance To Win One Of Several Prizes.
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| Sonya D. Hudson-Payne |
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Sanya D. Hudson-Payne
Special Education teacher and host of the Sistah
Circle ( monthly circle to Empower, Educate and
Encourage woman), Advisor and sponsor of ACES
(Accepting Challenges Experiencing Success)
to release debut novel
Seasons Of Love
Taylor Morris grew up in the brutal streets of New
York and blossoms into a vision of beauty.
Effortlessly evolving from a naïve little girl into a
force to be neither crossed nor reckoned with, Taylor
triumphantly does so with the ease of an experienced
painter who creates her own masterpiece. She is an
up-and coming dancer and actress who oozes charm
and bleeds ambition. Young, beautiful, intellectual,
and sophisticated, Taylor is a femme-fatale who has
left men heartbroken and women wishing they were
her.
Brandon Wellington is every woman’s fantasy with his
alluring physique and irrepressible charm. At a young
age, he sets himself apart from the rest of his peers
as he becomes one of the hottest fashion designers
Harlem has ever seen, making him a “ghetto
superstar” to all those around him. His ambition to
become everything his father wasn’t fuels him to
make a name for himself not only on the streets, but
all over the world. Armed with street credibility, an
unrelenting hunger for success and a passion to rise
to the top, Brandon is a double edged sword that has
the ability to tantalize your erogenous zones or cut
into the essence of your very being.
When Taylor and Brandon meet, it is love at first
sight. Both believe they have finally met their
match. Neither of them expected to fall in love since
they viewed relationships as mere pit stops on their
way to accomplishing their goals. To them love was
a game and nothing to be taken seriously. But, when
love unrepentantly attaches onto their hearts with a
vice grip, hand in hand, they make each other a part
of their dreams.
As their dreams come true and they are set to
announce to the world their place as the epitome of
a power couple, someone tries to destroy their future
and the love that has established permanent
residency in their lives. Will Taylor and Brandon fight
for their love, or allow jealousy and envy to break
their bond ensuring that nothing and no one stands
in the way of their success?
COMING JANUARY 2006
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| The Georgetown Project’s 2006 Assets Conference Promises a Message Worth Holding On to and Speakers Who Will Ensure Your Grip! |
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WHEN: February 2-3, 2006
WHERE: First Baptist Church,
Georgetown, TX
REGISTRATION: WEB or WALK-IN $165 (Adult)/
$100 Youth (18 and Under
About Keynote
Speaker
MARK SCHARENBROICH founder of “Building
Connections”
Speaking in more than 3500 schools, Mark
Scharenbroich, has spent his career working in the
field of education sharing messages of how to
improve school performance by improving school
climate. His messages remind us of the significant
correlation between a student’s success in the
classroom and the quality of the personal
connections in the school house. Mark is known
internationally as a writer, performer and director of
several award winning-programs on leadership and
school climate. He has earned a Silver Screen,
Golden Apple and an Emmy award. Mark has also
been inducted into the National Speakers Association
prestigious Speakers Hall of Fame. Mark resides in
Minnesota with his wife and their three children.
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| 2005 Tax Changes |
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He’s baaaaaaaaack! Yes Uncle Sam is coming to a
neighbor near you. It’s tax season again for those of
us who file our taxes once a year. This article is
simply a resource for some of the changes that may
affect your 2005 tax return. Some changes include
qualifying children , car donations, mileage rates and
retirement savings. Please find the information
below, compliments of your friendly IRS website:
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| Get Fit In '06 |
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Did you make plans to lose weight this year? I
know, you're REALLY going to do it this time. This
time, you're not going to quit two days before
Valentines Day. Umhmm. Riiiiiiiiiight
Well how about trying something different for a
change? Instead of making a resolution to lose
weight, how about making a life changing goal and
get healthy? What’s the difference you ask? I’m
glad you asked.
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| Celebration of African American Authors 2006 |
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- Saturday, February 4, 2006
- Ralph Ellison Library
- 2000 N.E. 23rd Street
- Oklahoma City, OK 73111
- Time – 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m
Time to meet and chat with African American Authors
You will be able to purchase personalized
autographed copies of their books
Refreshments will be served
Opportunity to know how to publish your own story
and exchange ideas
The following authors will be present:
Vincent Alexandria
Dr. Moe Anderson
ReShonda Tate Billingsley
Sean Chandler
Meisha C. Holmes
Yolanda Johnson
Patricia A. Jones
Shandra Love
MBridges
Myrna Roberts
Dr. Gayle Rogers
Crystal Perkins Stell
Rhonda Swan
Serena K. Wallace
John A. Wooden
Roxanne Zeigler
Sponsors: Oklahoma City Urban League Young
Professionals, Ralph Ellison Library, Joy & Trinity
Printing, B&B Catering, and The Brooks Clinic
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| POWER DATA FOR THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MARKET: |
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- · 54% of the African American population
lives in the South Alabama, Florida, Georgia,
Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Texas and Virginia are the states
that have an African American population of 1 million
or more.
- · The number of US residents that are
African American is 36.4 million people.
- · African Americans make up 12.9% of the
population.
- · The median age for the African American
population is 29.5 years.
- · There are 3.9 million African American
married couples.
- · Amongst the population of African American
families, 2 million are married couples with their own
children under 18
- · There are 11.8 million African American
children under the age of 18 in the US.
- · 41% of African American children live in a
home maintained by their mother, while 34% live in a
two-parent household and 13% reside with a grand
parent.
- · In the US there are 823,500 black-owned
businesses that generate $71 billion in revenues.
- · African American owned businesses make
up 4% of the nation's 20.8 million non-farm
businesses and 27% of its 3 million minority owned
firms
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Celebrate the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King |
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Why do we celebrate Martin Luther King Day? Why
do YOU celebrate Martin Luther King Day? Is it
because he was an African American? Or it is
because everyone else does? Or perhaps you do
because it is another day off work? All the preceding
reasons are the WRONG reasons.
You SHOULD be celebrating Martin Luther King Day
because of what HE stood for. Martin Luther King Jr.
stood for and fought for equality and freedom for all
mankind. During his short stay on this earth, Mr. King
fought for the rights that many of us have today.
On Tuesday, January 15, 1929, a little black boy was
born in Atlanta, Georgia to the proud parents Martin
Luther King Sr. and Alberta Williams King. Growing
up, Mr. King scored so high on his college entrance
exams, that he skipped both the 9th and 12 grade
and began attending Morehouse College at the age
of just fifteen. In 1948, Mr. King would graduate
with a Bachelors degree in Sociology from
Morehouse. Shortly after, Mr. King studied at Crozer
Theological Seminary and the University of
Pennsylvania. After graduating with honors, Mr. King
went on to attend Systematic Theology at Boston
University, while studying at Howard University. He
was awarded his Ph.D. in 1955. In addition, Mr. King
received more than a dozen Honorary Degrees from
various institutions.
In 1948, Martin Luther King Jr. was ordained as a
minister at the age of nineteen. After completing his
studies at Boston University, Mr. King became Pastor
of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery
Alabama where he would pastor for five years. Mr.
King would return to Atlanta, Georgia to co-pastor
with his father at Ebenezer Baptist church until his
death in 1968.
Dr. King is best known for his position with the Civil
Rights Movement. He headed the Montgomery,
Alabama bus boycott, which lasted 381 days. At age
35, Mr. King was the youngest man, second American
and THIRD black man to be a recipient of the Nobel
Peace Prize. Mr. King leaves a number of outstanding
achievements, awards and honors. Many may not
know it, but Mr. King was also a literary scholar
adding six books to his resume.
On March 7, 1965, Mr. King attempted to organize a
March from Selma to Montgomery’s state capital, but
the mission was aborted when a mob and the police
clashed against demonstrators. That day would later
be known as Bloody Sunday. It was a major turning
point in the Civil Rights Movement. Mr. King had a
non-violent strategy for freedom and unity. He
attempted to delay another March, the following day,
after meeting with former President Lyndon B.
Johnson, but was unsuccessful marchers continued
against his wishes. Without the presence of civil
rights workers the marches were met again, with
violent protest. Police brutality against the marchers
was broadcast across the nation and caused public
outrage across the nation. Another attempt to
march was made yet, the next day, but it was ended
when Mr. King stopped the procession at the Edmund
Pettus Bridge, oddly enough, something that he had
negotiated with city leaders; before hand. This did
not go without consequence, as many within the
movement were angered. Finally on March 25th,
with the support of President Johnson, the march
went full speed ahead. There was speculation and
debate on the purpose of the march. Some charged
that the reason for the march was to protest the
desperate condition of blacks in the South. The
march DID however; make specific demands to end
segregation in public schools, meaningful civil rights
legislation, racial discrimination in employment, and
protection for civil right workers from police brutality,
a minimum wage for ALL workers and self-government
for D.C.
The march turned out to be a success, with over a
quarter of a million people of various diverse
ethnicities attending the event. It was then that
King delivered his infamous “I Have A Dream Speech”,
which you hear playing in the background of this
webpage if you have your speaker volume up.
On April 4, 1968, one year, two months and seven
days BEFORE my birth, while standing on the balcony
of the Lorraine motel in Memphis, Dr. King was shot.
He was in the city to assist sanitary workers in a
protest against low wages and hazardous work
conditions. Funeral services were held for Dr. King on
April 9th, at both Ebenezer Baptist Church and the
campus of Morehouse University. The president
claimed that day as a day of morning as flags flew
half-staffed. He was laid to rest on Freedom Plaza,
which is now a national historic site and landmark.
On June 8th, James Earl Ray was arrested in London,
England and would return to Memphis on July 19,
1969, over a year later, to stand trial for the
assassination of the great civil rights leader.
Surprisingly, Mr. Ray pleaded guilty and was
sentenced to 99 years in the Tennessee State
Penitentiary. Mr. Ray, who later contended that he
was innocent, died of liver failure in Nashville,
Tennessee.
Read on
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Martin Luther King Jr. - Celebrate The Holiday January 16, 2006
"Circumstances" Release and Happy Hour-Jan 20th, Addison, TX
Brother 2 Brother Symposium-April 7-8, 2006, Dallas, TX
Subscribe Today!
July 21 - 23, 2006 - Denver, Colardo
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