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H. Lewis Smith, Founder of The UVCC
H. Lewis Smith. Author of "Bury That Sucka! Our
Scandoulous Love Affair with The Word", breaks it
DownThe infamous N-Word has caused quite
a stir and
continues to be a hot and sensitive topic regarding
the use of the word. Many are saying it is a term of
endearment. A great number are stating it is
foolish, ignorant and down right disrespectful to use
the word in any variation, while others beg that
increase use of the word will take away the power
and control the word once/has held over Blacks. The
argument for an endearing term has crept its way
into our legal system and was the defense of one
white defendant who used the word when he bashed
a black man in the head with a bat. The
overwhelming use of the word by non-blacks in
particular has also caused a stir, but they (non-
blacks) cry no foul as rappers, actors & comedians
are abusing the word with such frequency, one would
liken to a child playing with a new toy Christmas
morning. The white character, in Spike Lee’s
movie Bamboozled, Mr. Dunwitty said “N" is
just a word. If Old Dirty Bastard (late rapper) can
use it every other word-so can I.”
During the latter part of 2005 I saw press release
regarding a book titled “Bury That Sucka! Our
Scandalous Love Affair With The N-Word and
immediately was interested in not only the rhetoric
and preaching to the choir so to speak, but the
solutions, the author put forth so individuals could
make a move forward and act on the problem.
Beyond the eye opening book, the author, Mr. H.
Lewis Smith, has
also formed an organization titled The United Voices
For A
Common Cause, whose mission “pledges to not use
the n-word as we strive toward cultural integrity and
mutual respect for all Americans and to offer
uncompromising resistance to social forces and
structures which deny or limit our ability to do so; to
promote racial harmony, self-respect, pride and
dignity affirming the highest of standards and values
for our communities.” I did get a chance to talk with
Mr. Smith regarding The N-Word, media, his
organization, his book and action .James
Lisbon.
Good Morning Mr. Smith, it is an honor
to
speak to one at the helm of such an important and
time sensitive movement. Where were you born and
raised? H. Lewis Smith. Thank You. I was
born
and raised in
Hamilton, Ohio . How rampant was the word
when you where
growing up ? When I was growing up I never
heard that
word used in the context and to the extend it is used
today. And to be quite honest I never heard that
word used at all. I might also add that down through
the years I have never had a non-black walk up to
me and call me the n-word. But since becoming an
adult, I can not count the number of times a brother
or sister has addressed me with that word even
though it was being used in an endearing and
affectionate way. Having no idea where I picked the
habit up from, I use to find myself using the word as
well. But once I gained an understanding of the
power of words and the energy that can flow from it
be it positive or negative and after some extensive
research on the n-word itself I immediately refrained
from referring to myself and anyone else in such a
manner. Recently at a home discussion, the
topic was
brought up and some say that the generation today
learned to use the N word by their parents and the
likes of Richard Pryor, Dick Gregory, Redd Foxx, et
al. what is your take on that?
I would say that the nail was hit right on
the head. However—understand— that once Richard
Pryor visited Africa and came back to America he
repented in his ways in terms of using the n-word.
He vowed never again to refer to his brother or sister
as the n-word. From generation to generation this
word has been passed down to enslave a race of
people. This is a plan that was put into action
centuries ago—read the Willie Lynch story and oh
yes Bury that Sucka—and to this very day it is
working to perfection. For 12 years the Holocaust
existed and the Jew is not going to ever let the world
forget it and this is out of respect for themselves
and the memories of those who suffered the
consequences of such inhumane physical acts.
And so what does the African American do, for all of
their ancestors, who were tortured, mentally abused,
murdered all in the name of the n-word? We take
that very same word and use it endearingly,
affectionately, embracing it with all the love we can
possibly give it. What a slap in the face to our
ancestors and the 60s civil rights demonstrators all
of whom had to suffer the epithet of this word while
being crucified. And this is suppose to be an
acceptable and normal behavior?
For centuries the African American’s mind has been
abused and misused and no one gives a damn-the
sentiment seems to be, use me, use me up I don’t
care. Wake-up! Everybody! Stop sleeping in bed.
The most important commodity that we can possibly
possess is our mind- everyone seems to be aware of
that but the African American. That’s why it is
important that those of us who are mentally free to
reach back and free up the minds of the rest of our
brother and sisters. African Americans seem to loose
sight of one salient fact we have always been given
permission to relate and identify to the n-word. And
no matter how you dress it up and sugarcoat the
rationale in changing the meaning of the word, its
going to always boil down to the fact that you have
been programmed, conditioned and trained to
associate yourself with this word. This is no
different from being a parrot, a puppet or a
programmed robot you are simply demonstrating that
you do not have a mind of your own by endearingly,
affectionately embracing this tyrannical word. If
you think you are in control then stop using the
word-f you can. For millions upon millions of African
Americans that is easier said than done. This is why
so many through up their hands and admit that they
are defeated and honestly believe that they do not
have the power to turn this all around. Nothing
could be further from the truth. Your book
(Bury That Sucka, Our Scandalous
Love Affair with the N-Word), is on the money-how
successful have you been getting it into the hands of
those who are in need of your words? It
was a year ago when Bury That Sucka
first came out, America was not ready to embrace its
message and this is in reference to both black and
white America. There has not been a stampede to
the bookstores to get this book as of yet. However,
during this past year the conscientiousness of the
community seems to have come alive and there is
becoming more of an awareness about the cancer
surrounding the n-word, consequently people—like a
sleeping giant—are starting to wake-up and
beginning to see the light and perhaps it’s a
coincidence but Bury that Sucka book sales are
picking up simultaneously as well. What is the
reason/fear, in you opinion, that
adults do not take a more stern approach when our
youth are spewing the N-word with reckless
abandonment? First it must be understood
the psychology
behind this word. The intent and purpose behind it is
to mentally enslave a race of people for centuries to
come. It is no accident that there is a high
incarceration rate among the black male population
or that there is an alarming rate of school
suspensions, drop-outs and expulsions throughout
the Black community. There exists in the Black
community a crisis of monolithic proportions and it
has nothing to do with the color of ones skin but
ones “state of mind”. Just listen to the lyrics from
some of the rappers, the denigration of women with
the b-word, lack of self-respect with the incessant
usage of the n-word, the identity with the gangsta
world. These are all reinforced imageries of the
psychological intent of the n-word. For centuries
the African American community has been a slave to
this kind of imagery and it is all linked to the n-word.
When you are a slave to something it is hard to
break away from it, just ask or simply look at your
drug addict. The day that African Americans can
become strong enough to break the chains of mental
enslavement and the psychological link with the n-
word that’s the day they will truly be free. When
comments such as we are desensitizing the word, we
are taking the sting out of the word are being used it
is nothing more than a way of compensating for the
lack of strength to overcome the enormous sway and
power that this word has over the Black
community. Wake-up! Everybody! It is the job of
the older generation, those of us who truly know
better to educate the younger generation against
the usage of this diabolical word. To fail in this
endeavor is tantamount to black fratricide.
When did you decide to form the United
Voices For a Common Cause and what was the "last
Straw" in your eyes to feel an organization as such
should be out there?Going all the way back
to the 60s civil rights
movement I have always had a gut feeling that
something was amiss, I just didn’t know at the time
what. It wasn’t until years later that I begin to
realize the void of leadership in a particular area.
There is an unspoken sentiment throughout the black
community and that is do not publicly speak ill of any
social issues relative to the community. As a result
of this ill-advised practice the black community as a
whole became stagnant in growth. There is no way
a deficiency can be corrected if is going to be
deliberately ignored. There’s a leadership vacuum to
guide our community out of the dark and into the
light. And that light is discovering who we truly are
and what we are not is the n-word and all that
comes along with it. Centuries ago our minds was
taken, destroyed and reconstructed into the image
of what was conceived to be a n--a. This image
became the pedigree of the African American and we
as a 21st century community have failed to put a
stop to it all. Shortly after the publication of Bury
that Sucka, from a conversation the idea of perhaps
forming an organization to implement some of the
ideas as suggested in the book was born. However,
it wasn’t until it became known that a black male
celebrity was trying to trademark the n-word for
purpose of exploitation and financial gain did it hit
home that enough was truly enough and something
had to be done about all the madness that’s going on
within the three ring circu-the African American
community. The black community is so desensitized
that it has become immune to anything that
contributes to the lowering of its already low
standard values. You either stand for something or
fall for anything. The time has come that our
community stop falling for anything and everything as
though our minds are some kind of wasteland where
you can dump any ole thing on it. And so with that
thought in mind the “United Voices for a Common
Cause” organization was formed. Do you
think the mentality of the word
ranges form state to state-and is your organization
prepared to work several different strategies?
When it comes to the use of the n-word there are
three different mentalities, (a) those who use it (b)
those who do not use it and (c) those who are
indifferent about the matter and could less whether
its being used or not. This is not something that any
one state may have a lock on, the aforementioned
mentalities are prevalent nationwide. Therefore,
from state to state the strategies will basically be
the same with the open mind that some regions of
the country may need some minor changes in
strategy. What can be done, logically, to
stop or
impede the television, cable and movies studios from
scripting the word as a happening non disrespectful
slang? It starts from the bottom up.
Mainstream
Black America must first come to understand the
necessitate of the need to stop using this word and
if for no other reason than simply out of respect for
self and thou neighbor. The only reason the media
takes advantage of the community in this regard is
because the Black community allows it. Understand,
to get respect you must first have some self-
respect. And this is not just a black and white
issue. Africans, Asians, Mexicans, Indians, etc. none
of them hold the African American in high regard.
Most certainly, however, when it comes to being
recognized as talented musicians and athletes we are
given our due. Also, sadly enough, African Americans
don’t hold themselves in high regard otherwise it
would be totally unacceptable to refer to one
another as the n-word.
From the sweat of their brows and backs the
ancestors of African Americans built this country and
are the primary reason America is as economically
strong as it is today so this is our country as much
as it is anybodies. But yet, foreigners come over set
up businesses in the Black community and treat the
African American as though they are second class
citizens. Wake-up! Everybody! To get respect, you
must first have some self-respect. And there is
nothing respectful about running around and referring
to each other as the n-word. You can deceive
yourself all you want about how you are going to
change the meaning of this word. It is more than
just a word it is an image and everybody else in the
world is aware of that all but the African American.
Until mainstream Black America puts its foot down
instead of always shooting itself in the foot, the
media and no one else is going to show the
community any respect. That is just plain and simple
human nature there is nothing racially discriminating
about that. What is the next course of
action for the
United Voices for a Common Cause?
Educate! Educate! Educate! The main
purpose of UVCC is to stem the tide and reverse the
psychological process that’s been implanted in the
minds and hearts of African Americans by way of a
prolonged natural descent. We can not and must
not continue to be the robotic, zombie like creature
that the image if a n-----a portrays. The African
American seems to have no understanding of the
power of the mind, because if they did the n-word
would have been eliminated from their vocabulary
decades ago. UVCC’s mission is to serve as a vehicle
in broadening the community’s understanding about
the power of the mind and in the process take back
what was stolen from them centuries ago, and that’s
their self-respect, pride and dignity.
James: How can people get involved locally?
By becoming a member of UVCC their support of our
cause is a support of themselves which is vital. And
they can do that by going to
http://www.theunitedvoices.org. We need to get
beyond moaning, groaning, complaining and always
pointing the finger at the white man for our ills and
woes while there are three more fingers pointing right
back at us. It is time that we become self-
empowered and start taking charge of our own fate
and destiny. Will this be an organization of
talk or action? This will be an organization of
action but then it goes
without saying that the community must support
UVCC or we will simply be a little dog with a big bark
and no bite. The larger we are membership wise the
more of an influence we can and will be. UVCC is
about self-empowerment and presently the
community has no understanding of the power it can
have once it is united in mind and thought. But they
will. Through your backing and support UVCC will
then be in a position to approach the media
(television, radio, movie and recording industry) and
get them to stop disrespecting the Black community
and refrain from using the n-word. The size of our
membership will dictate as to how serious these
entities will take us.
That is just simply one front where a war will be
waged. The second front is war on the senseless
incarceration of our young black men, this does not
need to be necessary read Bury That Sucka and
you’ll learn to understand why there are other
alternatives than imprisonment. The growing trend
of high school drop-outs, school suspensions and
expulsions can all be brought under control. You are
not helpless to do something about all of this as
some may lead you to believe. It makes no sense for
the Black community to be the minority but yet in
the two aforementioned categories we are the
majority. Indeed. Are there
any "celebrities" or activist
that you are currently looking for to be
spokesman/woman and is a celebrity spokesperson
necessary?For now I’m not aware of a Sidney
Poitier type
celebrity and what I mean by that there is no way
Sidney Poiter would allow himself to be used the way
these celebrities of today are allowing themselves to
be used, he had and still has too much self-respect,
pride and dignity. Simply being a celebrity does not
qualify one to be involved in this fight. Presently,
anti n-word activists are few far and in between.
And, also, at this time the only celebrity that I’m
aware of who is demonstrating a desire to try and
turn things around is Bill Cosby. Some of the
positions he takes may not be popular, and he may
not be 100 % right all the time but when it is all said
and done he’s probably right 95% of the time and
that should not be ignored. I hear you man
hear you.
More Infomation on The UVCC
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Special Thanks to Nancey Flowers for her generous sponsorhip towards the AMAG Intern Program
BRAND NEW PAGE ON AMAG
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A New Season
Welcome to yet another issue of AMAG Online!
AMAG Online! continues to be the premier online
magazine that prides itself with
recognizing those who deserve recognition while
inspiring & entertaining. Our wonderful editor,
Yolanda Johnson, is on a
few other assignments, but remains the head woman
in charge and we will surely miss certain elements of
her style.
Summer has ended, the Kids are back in school, the
leaves are turning beautiful hues, the days are
shorter and another season is quickly coming upon
us. We should use this time to
adjust, plan and continue to be productive,
supportive an dloving individual to one another. For
those of you in the tri-state I woudl liek to take this
tiem to give you a special invite to join AMAG at
Baton Rouge as
we celebrate 5 years in publishing (more info inside
newsletter). We thank you all for accompanying us
on this journey, as we are as interested and amazed
by the articles, interviews and commentaries as you!
Until next time
Peace, Respect & Prosperity
James & Yolanda
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| Malika Codogan Release The Power Of What Lies Within-by Kenisha Subero |
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Color and its significance are used to inspire people
everywhere. Every color having its own meaning, is
a sign of beauty that one woman has taken full
advantage of. Malika Codogan, founder of Jinak
[which means self confidence and pride], uses color
to inspire everyone, but particularly girls between
the ages of 11-17. “As a woman, who was once
a
girl I
have experienced every age between 11-17, and I
know how crucial these years are to a girls growth
and development.” The advocacy of color,
suppy
girls with devices to build self-esteem, self-worth,
and self-confidence. The message she is sending to
these girls are to love, have faith, and believe in
yourself. Her work is to change the lives of girls
within their gullible years. She is attempting to
support, inspire, encourage, and empower them
through color.
Every color has their own meaning. Blue means
intelligence, red means strength, orange means
determination, and purple means wisdom. These
simple colors say so much when used to speak to the
souls and to [at least] change one life of a girl who
doesn’t know herself, or isn’t proud of herself. That is
her goal. There wasn’t much motivation for
Malika growing up. The turning point in her
sometimes dark & desolate life was after hearing a
song by Yolanda
Adams The Battle is Not Yours, It’s The
Lords. “I remember just
like it was yesterday, I sat on the couch and cried
and cried and cried.” The words in the song
touched
her heart, and lead her down a new path. When
Malika lost her daughter several years ago,
she began to see the meaning, beauty and
allurement of color. As the years past by, Malika
became emotionally uplifted and wanted to pass
that feling to the less fortunate; the people who
had something to gain from the world of color. This
was when she decided to do what she loved the
most. The media has played a major role in regards
to the image of what a girl, or what a women should
look like. Most articles in magazines for females are
based on how to loose weight, or what to where, but
doesn’t write about what real beauty is. “Girls
within
that age range (11-17) have false images and
tainted facts of what beauty is and their foundation
of characteristics such as self-esteem, self-worth,
and self-confidence are destroyed before they even
reach woman hood.” Society also plays a major
role on how younger women think and how much
confidence they have in themselves. Malika also
undertsands, just as the media, that younger girls
can easy be influenced, because of the constant
messages forced upon them and their minds, what
looks good and what doesn’t look good, what is
acceptable and what is unacceptable. “Beauty is
much more than what
you look like or what you were, a size two is not
better than a size six, being full figured doesn’t mean
your ugly, be proud to be you because you are
special.” Expansion in her business is in the
future.
Malika currently has a jewelry line, Bracelets by
Definition, a t-shirt line, Sweet Teez’s, and Jinaki
Women would be out in later this month. “You’ll
have to wait for the rest, I can’t give out all my
secrets,” states a smiling Malika. Her biggest
goal is to inspire not only girls within her own
country, but girls internationally because they too
suffer from the same things as American girls.
Malika’s work wasn’t done by herself, the love and
support of her family and friends has kept her going.
Her husband, who is her biggest fan supports
her in all endeavors. Most importantly her
work has been touched by God. The reason of her
business is successful and still functioning is from
the blessing of the lord. “Without him I
accomplish
nothing.”
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To Learn More Click here |
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| Idlewild Film Review With Kam Williams |
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When the visually-enchanting Moulin Rouge was
released in 2001, it caused quite a stir, because it
featured songs by The Beatles, Elton John, David
Bowie, Madonna and other latter-day icons in a
period piece that takes place in 1900, well before
any of them were even born. Despite the glaring
anachronisms, however, the picture went on to land
eight Academy Award nominations, including Best
Picture, thereby opening the doors for others to
take similar liberties with the costume drama genre.
The equally-blasphemous Idlewild represents the first
such attempt to mimic Moulin Rouge’s irreverent
approach to moviemaking, here, mixing hip-hop
into a historical flick set in the Thirties during
Prohibition. The film represents the brash directorial
debut of Bryan Barber, who makes quite a
splash via an elaborate musical throwback replete
with chorus lines reminiscent of an extravagant
Busby Berkeley production like Cabin in the
Sky (1943) or 42nd Street (1933). To date, the
MTV Award-winning Barber is best-known as the
brains behind videos for OutKast, Missy Elliott,
Ludacris, Destiny’s Child, Christina Aguilera and Kelly
Clarkson. In some respects, Idlewild wasn’t much of
a stretch in that he collaborates again with OutKast’s
Big Boi and Andre’ 3000 who co-star in this
bifurcated, bittersweet tale of love and ambition.
The action unfolds at a joint called Church, a free-
for-all speakeasy located in Idlewild, Georgia. As the
movie opens, we learn that lifelong friends Rooster
(Boi) and Percival (3000) were raised on opposite
side of the tracks of this sleepy Southern town. The
former is the street-wise son of a moonshiner, while
the latter comes from a well-to-do family which
made its money legitimately, as undertakers.
As a result, flashy, wheeler-dealer Rooster developed
the perfect personality to serve as the
mcee /headliner at the mob-run nightclub.
By contrast, the shy and soft-spoken Percival, a
mortician by day, arrives at the club most evenings
to play piano as an escape from working for his
overbearing father (Ben Vereen). The roving-eyed
Rooster is married with five kids to the suspicious
Zora (Malinda Williams), a shotgun-toting woman
willing to go the extra yard to keep her man.
Meanwhile, Percy is a lonely, melancholy soul whose
spirits are picked up the day that Angel (Paula
Patton) arrives in town from St. Louis to perform at
Church. Not surprisingly, Rooster’s marriage
disintegrates, just as Percival gradually becomes
convinced that he’s finally found that special
someone he can build his life around. The only other
early premise development worthy of note is the
menacing presence of Trumpy (Terrence Howard), a
hot-headed, ruthless gangster with little respect for
his mentor (Ving Rhames) or anyone else standing in
his way. Idlewild is blessed with a talented cast
which includes, along with all the aforementioned
thespians, Patti LaBelle, Macy Gray, Cicely Tyson,
Faizon Love, Paula Jai Parker, Bill Nunn and comedian
Bruce Bruce. Yet, the film is ultimately somewhat of
a frustrating headscratcher because it fails to
commit to a specific demographic. Visually, the
picture pleasantly harks back to the bygone era of
the Thirties by way of its painstakingly-recreated
sets, classic cars, zoot suits chorus lines and
other appropriate accoutrement. Unfortunately, it
simultaneously undercuts that sense of nostalgia it
might be trying to generate by indulging in incessant
profanity, the N-word, rap music and some horoughly
modern dance moves. This unresolved dilemma might
help explain why the release of this stimulating and
engaging morality play was delayed for two years. A
marketing manager’s nightmare, Idlewild is, like Moulin
Rouge, a rare combination flick which refuses to be
pigeonholed. Regrettably, in spite of several inspired
moments where it exhibits some genuine promise, this
desperate attempt to be all things to all people ends
up sabotaging any potential the overly-ambitious
project had to make a memorable and lasting
contribution to the annals of cinema.
Good (2 stars)
R for profanity, ethnic slurs, nudity, sexuality and
violence.
Running time: 121 minutes
Studio: Universal Pictures
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Read Kam Williams Interview with Idlewood star Paula Patton |
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| "Woman in The Mirror" Empowerment Conference-October 7, 2006 |
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A special invitation to attend the "Woman in
the Mirror" Women's Empowerment Conference!
which is coordinated by Chlarissa Pope of
D2NINE.com and
the Watershed.
The conference, based on the national best-selling
book "Souls of My Sisters: Black Women Break Their
Silence, Tell Their Stories and Heal Their Spirits," will
be held on Saturday, October 7, 2006 at the
Darragh Auditorium in the Main Library downtown in
Little Rock, Arkansas from 9:30AM - 12:30PM. The
luncheon, at Best Impressions Restaurant
located in the Arkansas Arts Center, will begin at
12:30 and end at 2:30PM.
National best selling authors Dawn Marie Daniels and
Candace Sandy will be in attendance at this event
and will launch the first annual 'Woman in the Mirror'
Award ceremony during the luncheon. The Woman in
the Mirror Awards will recognize women who have
shown extraordinary strength of character and
integrity while under difficult circumstances. These
women have persevered and supported their local
communities via education, volunteer work, and
empowerment to pave the way for other women.
Four finalists will be chosen by Daniels, Sandy and
a panel of experts. All finalists will be honored at the
Women in the Mirror Awards luncheon. We are
encouraging people in the greater Little Rock area
to nominate inspiring women who embody the spirit
awards by visiting the d2nine website and posting on
the web board or emailing
womanInTheMirror@d2nine.com. Entries must be
received by September 24, 2006.
The luncheon and conference are free. Women of
all backgrounds are encouraged to attend. SPACE
IS LIMITED so to register, please call Chlarissa Pope
at 501.952.0858 or email
womanInTheMirror@d2nine.com to RSVP. Registration
is on a first come, first serve basis.
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Website |
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| AMAG & Proud Poppa Hold Social Mixer @ Baton Rouge-Harlem's Newest Restaurant |
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Join AMAG & Proud Poppa as two publishing
companies come together to host The
Power Networking Business
Series Fall Social Mixer at Baton Rouge
Restaunt, housed in four story brownstone. Enjoy
complimentary buffett & happy hour from 5-7pm as
you socialize with other business owners,
entreperneurs and artist. End the
night with live jazz from the UpFront Band.
Baton Rouge is located at 458 West 145th Street
between Convent & Amsterdamn avenues. Event is
from 5-8pm but guess are welcome to stay until,
enjoying the decore and delights of that Baton Rouge
has to offer.
Subscription and advertsisng discounts to first
100 attendees. Discounts for AMAG..For The
Conscious Professional, AMAG Online! and Proud
Poppa Magazine. The event is free, but please RSVP
by contacting James Lisbon @ 212-413-9554
To learn more about Proud Poppa log ointo
www.proudpoppa.net and the Power Networking
Business Series
http://powernetworkingseries.com/about_us.htm
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Baton Rouge-The Ultimate Experience |
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| Lit Noire Publishing Releases Check The Rhyme |
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Check the Rhyme: An Anthology of Female Poets &
Emcees is a cross-generational volume of poetry,
featuring the work of 50 thought provoking and
inspirational women writers, lyricists and spoken word
artists from diverse cultures and backgrounds.
Check the Rhyme features eighteen chapters,
revealing poetry that is a representation of both
emerging and established poets who write on a
variety of themes including: beauty and self esteem;
empowerment for youth; hip hop culture; love
relationships; the memory and meaning of home; the
state of our society; Hurricane Katrina’s impact;
artistic and political contributions of legendary
artists; healing from violence; family and
motherhood; jazz music; Black history; and
spirituality. The pages of Check the Rhyme are filled
with insights, experiences and challenges of women
who walk the warrior path, intending to shape the
world with the passion that fuels their dreams.
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| Why Naturally You! Magazine? A Historical Perspective |
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Since the invention of a hair straightening liquid by
Garrett Morgan in the early 1900’s, Black women –
and some men – have used harsh chemicals in
various forms to straighten tightly coiled hair. These
chemicals, even in their present day form, can cause
damage - from dryness and breakage to permanent
hair loss - yet Black women have continued to use
them for manageability, conformity, and a lack of
options.
At the turn of the century, Blacks did not have
access to the products needed to care for their hair
in its natural state, kinky hair was considered
unattractive or unkempt, and choices were limited.
Morgan’s hair straightener, and later Madame CJ
Walker’s hair growth and straightening system, were
seen as solutions to these problems.
In an article entitled “Timeless Elegance: 60 Years of
Beauty & Style,” published by Ebony Magazine in
November 2005, Zondra Hughes outlined style and
fashion trends among black women from the 40’s to
present. From the soft wavy look made popular by
Dorothy Daindridge in the 40’s, to the Afro of the
60’s, and the Jheri Curl in the 80’s, Black women’s
hair has taken many forms.
As we’ve moved into the 21st century, Hughes calls
fashion and beauty trends for Black
women “uninhibited,” as naturals, locs, and braids
have been embraced over chemically processed
styles. Though Black women have worn many styles
throughout history, natural hair has long been
established as more than just a style preference or
fad. In his book “A New Day in Babylon: The Black
Power Movement and American Culture, 1965-1975,”
William Van Deburg states “A natural hair style
served as a highly visible imprimatur of Blackness; a
tribute to group unity; a statement of self-love and
personal significance.”
In addition, natural hairstyles such as braids, twists,
afros, and cornrows do away with the perceived
need for harsh chemicals. This allows women to avoid
scalp burns, hair breakage, and hair loss that often
result from using these products. As such, some
Black women of every generation have chosen to
wear their hair naturally regardless of trends, and
natural hairstyles repeatedly resurface in the
mainstream.
In the past 10 years, there has once again been a
resurgence in natural hair styles. Such books as
and “Let’s Talk Hair,” by Pamela Farrell, released in
1996, and “No Lye,” released by Tulani Kinard in 1997
have led the trend. Celebrities such as Lauryn Hill
and Erykah Badu also influenced trends toward
natural hair in the late 90’s, and Jill Scott, India Arie
and others have kept natural hair in the forefront of
mass media.
Today, a Google search for “black natural hair”
returns 31,000 results, there are over a dozen books
on the topic of natural hair care, several high traffic
websites, and hundreds of salons offering natural hair
services. Still, there is a marked lack of information
on natural hair care in print hair care magazines
targeted to Black women.
Most of the magazines in the Black hair care segment
feature a large number of chemically processed
styles, extensions, and weaves. The “natural looks”
that are presented are often weaves in kinky
textures, or braided styles created with synthetic
hair. There are a few magazines that focus on
braided styles, but the majority of these styles are
created with extensions versus the model’s natural
hair.
When authentic natural hair is highlighted in
magazines, two categories prevail: 1) women with
naturally curly hair versus kinky hair, and 2) women
who wear their hair loced (dreadlocked). The range
of natural hair textures is ignored, and few options
are offered to women who don’t want to loc their
hair.
To address the needs of a third category - those
women who have naturally kinky or "nappy" hair and
wish to wear it "loose" or unloced and free of
chemicals or added hair - Naturally You! Magazine
was launched in 2003.
Naturally You! also includes styles, tips and
information for women with naturally curly and loced
hair, but without overlooking the thousands of
women who simply don't fit into these categories.
It is our belief that wearing one's hair naturally is
indeed "a statement of self-love and personal
significance" as Van Deburg states in his book.
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| PBM’s C.A.P.E. League Completes Amazing Inaugural Summer |
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PBM’s C.A.P.E. League Completes Amazing Inaugural
Summer
Entertainment Industry & Professional Mentors Help
Kick off First Year of arts & Media Youth Program
Washington, DC – This summer, Powerful Beyond
Measure (PBM) officially launched its first program,
the C.A.P.E. League. The ‘League’ is a year-round
program designed to provide a plethora of resources
for the many urban youth who are interested in the
entertainment, media and arts industries. It targets
children from urban communities who cannot
ordinarily afford camps, specialized extra-curricular
activities or enrichment programs. The League is
unique in its efforts to not only expose its members
to the artistic and business sides of various
entertainment fields, but is also committed to
developing them in a variety of other key life areas.
The C.A.P.E. League officially launched on July 22nd.
Through grassroots marketing, word of mouth and
partnerships with other social service programs, the
organization took in 30 members – with 20 young
people on a waiting list. Ninety percent of the
members participate in the program by way of grants
from the Foundation, and thus receive full
membership privileges at no cost to their families.
The League encompasses a variety of elements to
maximize the positive effect the program has on each
child – one of which is a distinctive mentoring
component. This segment is one of the highlights of
the C.A.P.E. League, pairing each member with an
adult who cares as much about their professional
exposure as their personal development . The
program proudly boasts 18 mentors - a mix of
entertainment notables, event/venue executives,
media personalities, entreprenuers and professionals
from the corporate sector. Each mentor was
handpicked by Executive Director, Tracy Press and
volunteers to spend time with their mentee,
responsibly discuss key life issues and expose
mentees to their profession and others. "As an
author and media personality, I am continually invited
to speak to groups of young people, to motivate and
inspire them. Thinking of myself as one who
literally 'wrote the book' on young women's self-
esteem issues, led me to believe that I needed less
talk and more action. Faith without works is dead
and the CAPE League gives me the opportunity to
put the work behind the faith I have in today's
youth," declares mentor and broadcast professional,
Tahira Chloe Mahdi.
Thus far, the program has hosted some exciting
activities, and the mentors have already shown their
dedication to being active participants. In July, the
youth’s first activity was Teen Summit with WNBA
team, the Washington Mystics. Members got to
participate with a panel on AIDS/HIV featuring
celebrities Ashley and Naomi Judd, and recording
artist, Lyfe Jennings. The event was taped for
broadcast, where many members were in the studio
audience and some were chosen to be in a national
PSA to air on ESPN, CNN and other networks.
Mentors Rachel Newman, Production Coordinator of
Special Events at the Kennedy Center and Al Harris,
Computer Engineer/Specialist & Race Car Driver were
on-hand to attend with the youth.
The mentors also help the students stay motivated,
by providing them incentives to uphold the
expectations of the program. In early August,
mentor Angie Gates, Associate General Manager for
the Warner Theater secured tickets for the C.A.P.E
League members and their friends to attend pop
sensations, Chris Brown & Ne-Yo’s concert tour. For
many Leaguers, this was their first concert and an
adolescent’s paradise. To top it off, mentors
Natasha Rennie, Celebrity Publicist (Big Tigger, Terrell
Owens, etc.) and Tray Chaney – actor, HBO’s The
Wire served as chaperones for the evening. Monique
Davis, Mentor and Promotions Manager for Atlantic
Records asserts, “The reason I decided to be a
mentor is to help our kids. They are at an age where
they don't want to go to their parents, but many of
them have no one else to go to...so if I can make a
difference in someone's life, it is a great reward for
both me & the child.”
After a summer of stimulating events, PBM is
currently programming its activities for the remainder
of 2006-2007, to keep the Leaguers interested
throughout the year. Stay tuned for more exciting
update with Powerful Beyond Measure. For more
information about Powerful Beyond Measure or the
C.A.P.E. League, please contact Tracy Press at 202-
415-9520 or powerbeyondmeasure@yahoo.com.
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our
deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond
measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most
frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be
brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who
are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your
playing small does not serve the world. There is
nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other
people won't feel insecure around you. We are all
meant to shine, as children do. We were born to
make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is
not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we
let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other
people permission to do the same. As we are
liberated from our own fear, our presence
automatically liberates others.”
- Marianne Williamson from A Return To Love:
Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles
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