"If a man happens to be 36 years old, as I happen to be and some truths stand before the door of his life, some great opportunity to stand up for what is right and that which is just, and he refuses to stand up to live a little longer, and he's afraid his home will be bombed, or he wil lose his job, or he will be shot down or beaten by state troopers he may go on to live to be 80, but he's just as dead at 36 as he would be at 80. And the cessation of breathing in his life is merely the belated announcement of an early death of the spirit-A Man Dies when he refuses to stand up for which is right, or for justice or for which is truth."- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 1965

Not afraid to be the person you have to be. Not struggling with Self worth, Shakespeare said it, but it goes back to ancient times: “To Yourself Be True.” The everlasting question about one’s identity simply translated: Be Your Self, the opposite of being lost, a vagabond wanderer. How does Haitian art speak to you? Does it stab in the heart? You walk into an exhibition, to find a painting; a woman piercing the night, armed with a dagger. A closer look: She wears nothing but a small child, which she holds in a tight grip around her bosom. For a brief moment, do you flashback into a long time ago, when you too, carried a dagger into the night, just like that woman. But how did the painter know to paint just that picture of so long ago? Haitian art survives the human race with all its errors and terrors. Without struggle, it sustains tragedies, resilient to transit generations despite of man’s nature. How does the Nago rhythm sound, this three-part staccato, calling ancient warriors into the battlefield? Want to rip it to pieces? A reminder, a submerged thought; another flashback, not even related to the rest you construe as deja vue. Is it a feeling, riding from the chest, to the shoulders, scapula, and straight to the head? Plant your feet; it is thunder when you hear the Nago rhythm, and wonder, “Why do I always feel so when I hear the Nago! Uhm" That old Haitian soul in the new artist living in a world deemed right to interpret and validate it as the soul of a country: Just As You Like! Running free, in a new world, oh but that old Haitian soul has materialized! Have you seen its presence in the written pages? Tears run down your cheeks begging not to sum it up in artistic value but in Haitian art remains life. For it is a small minority: looking to observe the next beauty in any shape form, to communicate with another ‘Old Haitian Soul,’ materialized and blended in this new world. Despite its malleability the Haitian artist who purges her/his soul, remains limited, restrained, and unable to evolve with the flow of time. For the few who have attained status through education and worldly exposure, their art form generally does not surpass that of their illiterate counterparts. What causes Haitian art to flourish and remain original? It is that which differentiates the Haitian character, that distinct archetype lays in the spiritual. Where would Haitian art stand if it relied on the philanthropy of admirers to sustain the artist? The mean would justify the end but that world does not exist for a majority struggles to keep afloat drowning in a mount of inspiration with little outlet. For the younger generation, let us pray a gentler, kinder world to receive both the art and the artist. Let us pray for socialization to seep through and re- evaluate what we value. That process is entirely up to human kind; Haitian art has proven to outlive the best of us. This warrior will not be defeated even at the expense of its mediums.

What do you get you when you mix Drumline, You Got Served, and Spike Lee’s School Daze? Stomp The Yard is three movies balled into one. Predictable and typical, the plot is simple; a young man screws up and makes a change in his life to become a better person. Stomp The Yard lets moviegoers in on an age-old style of dance customarily done in black fraternities and sororities, demonstrating complex moves and creating rhythmic sounds by using their bodies. It’s exciting to watch, but in between the powerful dance sequences, we’re handed a corny plot, revolving around D.J., well played by Columbus Short, a Los Angeles street dancer. After DJ and his crew win an underground dance contest, heavy on intimidation and aggression, he and his crew, including his brother (played by R&B sensation, Chris Brown), are attacked by the competition, a wanna- be gang. The brother is killed and DJ catches a case. To keep from doing time, through strings pulled by his Aunt Jackie (Valerie Pettiford, Half & Half) and Uncle Nate (Harry J. Lennix, Ray), he’s off to college. At Truth University, a fictional historical African American institution in Atlanta, loosely based on a mixture of Morehouse and Spellman, DJ falls for the beautiful April (Meagan Good, Roll Bounce), who is the girlfriend of Grant (Darrin Henson, Soul Food), a disrespectful and pretentious ass who is next in line to lead the Gamma Xi Nu fraternity, and the daughter of the university’s uppity Provost who wants more for his daughter than a brother from the wrong side of the tracks. DJ’s raw talent, as a hip-hop inspired dancer, places him at the center of a fierce rivalry between two fraternities—seven-time champion, Gamma Xi Nu, and Theta Nu Theta. Initially dismissive of the tradition of stepping, he “gets his mind right” after April urges him to visit Heritage Hall, where he wanders into a museum of Greek prominent historical figures and is convinced by photographs of Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, Coretta Scott King and, most prominently displayed, Esther Rolle of the Good Times fame, that he should step. His choice is not the obnoxious, do- whatever-it-takes-to-win, Gamma Xi Nu, but for the more studious, brotherhood of Theta Nu Theta. Short and Good deliver charming performances despite having feeling as though I’ve sat through the same plot several times over. It helps that Short, in addition to being a terrific, athletic dancer, emerges as a genuinely shy but proud brother feeling his way through unfamiliar territory. Somehow, he makes DJ’s selfishness seem more defense mechanism than character flaw. While the supporting roles are all underwritten, none of the actors does anything to annoy the audience. Henson almost wins my empathy as he loses April, portraying a man who can’t believe his girlfriend is so fickle she’ll leave him for a freshman with a rap sheet). R&B singers Chris Brown and Ne-Yo have small roles, as members of DJ’s crew, that eventually accumulates, but neither makes much of an impression. Thanks to director Sylvain White, Stomp The Yard was a long-form video with a lot of quick cuts and slow motion Matrix effects that doesn’t always serve well for the choreography. Short is a professional choreographer, and his dancing seems unstuck in time. How he can break his movements down to such small elements, keep them so precise and in such rigorous rhythm, yet keep the whole thing on track and moving forward with beauty and discipline is something to see, and the best part of the movie, despite the lack of originality. Jessica Tilles is the publisher of Xpress Yourself Publishing, LLC, and the author of Anything Goes, In My Sisters’ Corner, Apple Tree, Sweet Revenge, Fatal Desire and Unfinished Business.

The Original, The Most Conscious, The Best Going Strong Since 2001, For The People, By The People: MEDGAR EVERS COLLEGE FILM & CULTURE SERIES Presents A Special Screening Of The Feature Film: 'WE DON’T DIE, WE MULTIPLY' The Robin Harris Story Tuesday, February 6, 2007 We Don't Die We Multiply: The Robin Harris Story is an independent documentary based on the life and career of the late comedian Robin Harris. In this documentary, a group of black comedy giants of today pay tribute to RobinHarris. The film creates a ful pootrait of the comedian on and off the stage by exploring life and legacy. It includes exclusive rare footage of the comedian, interviews with family, fans and comedians of today including Bernie Mac, Cedric The Entertainer, DL Hughely, Joe Torry, Tobert Townsend and many more. The film will be followed by a community Q&A session with the filmmaker and long time industry leader Topper Carew, creator of the television sitcom 'Martin', starring Martin Lawrence. ADMISSION IS FREE!!! Medgar Evers College Founders Auditorium ♦ 1650 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY Open Mic hosted by MEC Radio DJ '718' begins at 6:30 P.M. Film & Culture Series program begins at 7:00 P.M. sharp! For more information call (718) 270-6096 or email miles@mec.cuny.edu EDUCATING-ORGANIZING-MOBILIZING Take the #2, 3, 4 or 5 train to the Franklin Avenue stop. The auditorium is between Crown & Montgomery Streets.

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"Let me tell you something about niggers, the oppressed minority within our minority. Always down. Always out. Always complaining that they can't catch a break. Notoriously poor about doing for themselves. Constantly in need of a leader but unable to follow in any direction that's navigated by hard work, self-reliance. And though they spliff and drink and procreate their way onto welfare doles and WIC lines, niggers will tell you their state of being is no fault of their own... It's time for ascended blacks to wish niggers good luck. Just as whites may be concerned with the good of all citizens but don't travel their days worrying specifically about the well-being of hillbillies from Appalachia, we need to send niggers on their way." - John Ridley in December's Esquire MagazineThere is a disturbing new trend in the mainstream media lately, namely, the emergence of African-American conservatives willing to do the bidding of right-wing whites by blaming poor black folks for the host of social ills visited upon those still stuck in the slums. Rabidly racist, these Negro-cons are not above referring to ghetto dwellers by the N-word, as if those who've escaped have achieved some sort of honorary white status.More shocking than their self- hating disdain for the average African-American, is the unchecked access these Uncle Toms have to major communications outlets, provided they are prepared to condemn their own kind in a manner which one ordinarily associates with the Ku Klux Klan. Take for example, John Ridley, who just this month was granted space in both Time and Esquire Magazines. In the former, he makes a shocking case for the word "Nigger" in a piece entitled "Why I'm Good with the N-word." He argues that comedians like Richard Pryor, Dave Chappelle, Eddie Murphy and Chris Rock "have advanced the racial debate" somehow by working this slur into their acts, concluding "We need this word." We get a good idea of exactly why the untalented Mr. Ridley, a failed stand-up comic, is an advocate for the epithet in his Esquire article where he makes liberal use of the patently-offensive term. Repeatedly referring to impoverished blacks as "niggers," because of the high unemployment, incarceration and out-of-wedlock birth rates in the 'hood, he never once pauses to reflect on the exploitative and marginalizing societal forces which have consciously collaborated to strand the bulk of the black community in a virtually-inescapable cycle of inhumane living conditions for generation after generation. Instead, he vents about his own people's shortcomings for a full four pages, before extolling the virtues of Republicans like Condoleeza Rice and Colin Powell, as if skin color no longer matters in America because of the accomplishments of a couple of sell-outs on behalf of oil companies and war profiteers? How come Condi could fly instantly to the Middle East to intervene when Kaytusha rockets started raining down on Israel, but was too busy shopping for shoes to show any concern for the refugees stranded on rooftops right after Katrina? Though meandering unedited, as if a stream-of- consciousness rant, the meanspirited monologue in Esquire does have a prevailing theme, that successful African-Americans owe nothing to the least of their brethren. "It's time for ascended blacks to wish niggers good luck," he summarizes in a most condescending and un-Christian manner. Though he will now undoubtedly be the toast of the electronic town square as he makes the rounds of talk shows on cable-TV networks, this vile backstabber deserves to be shunned for the irreparable harm he is doing to the hopes and aspirations of millions by feeding bigots all the fuel they need to rationalize a color-coded agenda of continued intolerance. Lloyd Williams is an attorney and a member of the bar in NJ, NY, CT, PA, MA & US Supreme Court bars.

Excerpt from Be A Thriving Artist, Not A Starving Artist --future release- Oprah Winfrey has Maya Angelou, Diana Ross has Berry Gordy Jr., Mariah Carey had Tommy Mottola, and Cleopatra Bell has Coach Kristi Lucariello. I remember praying to God and writing it out as a goal, “I want a coach to help me reach my personal and professional goals.” At that time I didn’t have the money to pay a coach, some coaching fees start at $150.00 hour, however I had a strong desire to work with one. I had enough faith in God and my angels of prosperity that they would work it out! Wow! Surprise! God has a way of answering your prayers bigger and better than you can imagine. I remember hearing about Coach Kristi Lucariello, www.performanceinpractice.com, from Bonnie Ross- Parker, www.bonnierossparker.com, the author of Walk In My Boots-The Joy of Connecting. Kristi was starting a Women’s Entrepreneur Success Group lovingly known as WE Success. She created this group as a way for her to give back. She asked for a love offering of five to ten dollars; if you weren’t able to give, that was fine, because no one was monitoring. The money we collected was given back to us, if we wanted a scholarship to participate in an event. The group met every week for about two years with ten to twenty women attending. This group was an opportunity to share our dreams, share resources, and what was going on within each of us. It also gave me the biggest opportunity to expose my limited thinking and my self defeating belief system. Until that moment, I wasn’t aware that I had any. Kristi would open up with our WE Success Prayer, and we would share. Here is an example of my sharing: “Hi, my name is Cleopatra Bell. I am a screenwriter, and I have branded myself as the feel good writer with a twist of spirituality. My passion is to write inspirational scripts for film, television, and the Internet that will impact the lives of people in a positive and empowering way.” Come on now, be honest, doesn’t that sound rich? With my toastmaster experience www.toastmasters.org I know how to let it roll off my tongue with smoothness. Coach Marietta Durack Edwards, www.starmakercoaching.com, and Kristi helped me tweak my brand. There was just one problem; I had a lot of duality in my belief system which I’ll discuss later and was too attached to how it would happen which prevented it from coming true. I’ve written numerous scripts; Souls Connecting, In A Year, I’ll Be Married, and The Secret to Life are just a few. I’ve taken many screenwriting and writing classes. I’ve been featured in magazines. I’ve had several subscriptions to many screenwriting and writing magazines, won honorable mention in a screenwriting contest, and served on the board of Women in Film Atlanta. I remember sending Kristi an article from Essence magazine that detailed the struggle of being Black and female in Hollywood. She brought the article to the group. I was so embarrassed that I could have died, but I held back my tears that day. Kristi verbalized my biggest fear, since I was Black and female I wouldn’t have an opportunity in Hollywood. If I did, I would have to fight for it. This is one of the things I feared. I realized that Kristi and I had two different legacies she is White and I am Black. One thing I learned, the memories of your ancestors are lodged in your genes. I wonder how many millions of Black people are operating from this paradigm and have chosen to give up completely. Rutha Zackery once told me, “Many times you may have opposition, however, you’re still limitless.” I accept that I am responsible for creating my success. I have even read in certain inspirational books to look for challenges; however, most people don’t want them. Many people will take the path of least resistance or self-medicate with drugs and alcohol. Being Black and living the Black experience is unique in many ways; for example, my race has been programmed to believe in limitations and expect hardships because of our race. Of course, the group encouraged me, I could make it. My WE Success Sister Sandra Gardner, CEO of Gardner Unlimited, gave me a copy of Time magazine featuring successful Black women. However, that wasn’t enough, because deep down inside, I still felt even though they had achieved success, that wasn’t my story. I recognized inside myself that I am an individual part of a culture, however we are on this journey of life and people evolve at different rates. Kristi helped me when she shared these words, “Once you clear this block it will help you, your family, and your community.” She stressed that what I focus on expands in my life--there are plenty of writing opportunities for me--that should be my focus. I thank her for her opinion. Since we are talking about Hollywood, one of the beliefs is, “It’s not what you know but who you know.” I felt like I wasn’t well connected, since I wasn’t the daughter of Michael Eisner, CEO of the Walt Disney Corporation. Kristi stressed over and over again, we are connected to THE SOURCE (GOD), and we must trust and have faith in that source to give us our heart’s desires. Always focus on adding positive feelings and emotions to what we want to create. Never give any energy or emotions to what we don’t want to create in our lives. I have always gone to church. The truth is, I have intellectually known spiritual truths, but I didn’t internalize them. I learned that from Coach Elyse Hope Killoran, www.choosingprosperity.com; Coach Kristi presented her materials to the group, and they were quite helpful in releasing duality in my thinking. Elyse Hope Killoran turned me on to my current life coach Kathy Atkinson www.eftdownloads.com. Her coaching deals with how to flow your energy using Emotional Freedom Techniques to raise your vibration in creating your heart’s desire. Kathy has been able to assist me in releasing self-defeating beliefs and patterns by using Emotional Freedom Techniques. I have always had clarity about what I wanted out of my life, but I realized I spent more time focusing on the size of the gap between where I am and where I want to go. Copyright © 2007 Cleopatra Bell CLEOPATRA BELL is an Artistic Coach, Keynote Speaker, Workshop Leader, recovering Starving Artist, and the Author of Be A Thriving Artist, Not A Starving Artist, (How To Manifest Your Artistic Dreams Without Struggling) --future release--. She also enjoys facilitating her workshops Be A Thriving Artist Now and Goal Setting For The CreativeTypes. If you would like to participate in these popular workshops for artists, please contact www.spruillarts.org , 770.394.3447 or cleopatrawrites@yahoo.com for more details.

The Black Digital Elite; African American Leaders of The Information Revolution by John T. Barber Most discussions of the digital divide focus on the gap between African Americans and others when it comes to using, and benefiting from, the technological and business opportunities of the information age. Although many African Americans are locked out of the information revolution, others are an integral part of its development and progress. Barber profiles 26 of them here, engagingly and informatively blending biography with insight and analysis. Documenting history as it is being made, this book features achievers in all fields of relevant endeavor, including scientists, business leaders, power brokers, and community leaders. Among them are Robert Johnson, CEO of Black Entertainment Television; Richard Parsons, CEO of AOL Time-Warner; congressmen and other policymakers in Washington, D.C.; and men and women who are working to bridge the digital divide in satellite radio, web-based portals, and on the ground with IT workshops. This book is not just about business success or technological progress. The African American "digerati" are solving one of the great social challenges of the 21st century: creating a black community that is prosperous in a society that has changed from being a land-based industrial society to a cyberspace- based information society. Despite talk of a digital divide along lines of race and class, media analyst Barber asserts that African Americans have been actively involved in the development and progress of information technology. He offers profiles of 26 black Americans who have made significant contributions to the advancement of technology....Barber highlights black scientists, policy makers, educators, and entrepreneurs who have advanced technological development in the U.S. Barber also illustrates how many of those he profiles are using information technology to address social issues. —Booklist December 15, 2006

“We have a powerful potential in our youth, and we must have the courage to change old ideas and practices so that we may direct their power toward good ends.” --Mary McLeod Bethune, Educator/Founder, Bethune- Cookman College (1875–1955) THIS ARTICLE IS COMPLIMENARY FROM Bahiyah Woman Magazine (BZine) During my second year of teaching, I had a student in my Social Studies class who tried her best but just couldn’t pass my quizzes or tests. My job was not to be complacent with her performance but to help lift her to the next level. I decided to try Gardner’s Eight Multiple Intelligences. This student turned out to be an Interpersonal (leader) learner. She loved to work with her classmates on various tasks. To tap into this talent, I provided extra opportunities for her to work in cooperative learning groups, and she was usually elected the leader of any given group because of her keen interpersonal skills. As a result, she began to succeed academically in my class and ended the semester with an A. Many factors aided her ascension into the next level of academic achievement, but the most important factor was the faith I had in her and the willingness to ensure she succeeded academically and personally. Most students will do anything to live up to your faith in them, but they have to believe your faith is genuine. Once she gained a little taste of confidence, there was no stopping her. When Nothing Seems to Work Although I was successful in helping this child overcome her behavioral problems, sometimes the answers are not so easy to find. Teachers must work with the unique learning needs of many children, not just one. We must determine if the problem is academic or behavioral, as well as factor in the parent’s attitude regarding the issue at hand. Teachers will be more positive, supportive, and helpful with children whose parents are highly involved. Teachers also tend to be much more reactive to an African American child’s behavioral problems than academic ones. Obviously, there are no easy answers about what to do when attempts to eliminate academic failure and behavioral problems have failed. It is vitally important that parents and teachers not give up on these children, no matter how daunting the challenge might be. However, sometimes it can be helpful for parents, educators, etc. to take a break and step back for a while so that they can evaluate the situation with a clear head. To ensure success, parents with school-aged children should: Take some time everyday to focus on other aspects of their lives, such as friends, hobbies, education, etc. that don’t involve thinking about the child’s problems. Such a breather will help lessen any resentment they may feel toward the child and assist in preventing burnout. As often as possible, try to focus on what the child does well in school—either academically or behaviorally. It’s easy to become so wrapped up in the problems of children that parents may overlook their wonderful qualities and the things they do right every day. Parents should encourage their children to recognize their strengths and feel good about themselves. Children need to know that their parent’s love is unconditional, even if acceptance of their behavior is not. Work with teachers, counselors, and others in the community to maximize opportunities for the child to interact with those who can provide education, guidance, and mentoring. Provide enjoyable activities in which the child excels— in computers, art, sports, the performing arts, etc.— in order to boost self-esteem and resiliency. Talk to the child about what needs to improve academically and behaviorally in a non-threatening manner. Consider other educational alternatives, such as home schooling, outside tutoring, therapy, etc. Provide positive feedback to teachers and administrators who work with the child, as this will motivate them to do even more to assist them. Avoid ridiculing the child or the teacher, as this can cause both to be less vigilant in their efforts. Avoid blaming self for the child’s problems, as this can lead to feelings of depression and guilt that are not helpful to anyone. If needed, the parent should talk to a trusted friend or counselor outside the situation to discuss any feelings of frustration, guilt, worry, etc. to avoid feeling overwhelmed and alone. Parents should avoid those who speak negatively about the situation. Avoid comparing the child to any other child, as such comparisons can make the child feel unloved and devalued and will lessen the motivation to improve. Matthew Lynch is an Exceptional Education Teacher at Sykes Elementary School, CEO of Lynch Consulting Group, LLC, and a Doctoral Candidate at Jackson State Mississippi. He is also the author of Closing the Racial Academic Achievement Gap, and an upcoming children’s book, entitled Matthew and the Money Tree. Mr. Lynch is a contributing columnist for The Black Suburban Journal, Blagazine, and Emerging Minds. Born and raised in Mississippi, he currently resides in Jackson, Mississippi.

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