Wordless Wednesday: Look Out Below!

Cost of Freedom Project

Open Letter to Proud Black Voters,

I am writing to ask for your support for the Cost of Freedom Voter ID App, a user-friendly app that will cut through the confusion and help voters get an official photo ID.





As you know, the Justice Department blocked South Carolina from implementing its voter ID law; rulings on Texas and Mississippi are pending. As of this writing, strict photo ID requirements will be in effect in Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Tennessee and Wisconsin. There’s a 50-50 chance that Pennsylvania, a battleground state, will enact a voter ID law this year.

In 2000, we didn't know about the butterfly ballot design or clogged punch-card voting machines. Today, we know millions of citizens do not have government-issued photo ID. In Wisconsin, a swing state, 55% of African American men and 46% of Latino men do not have a driver’s license. Similarly, 49% of Black women and 59% of Latino women lack an official photo ID.

Among African Americans aged 18-24, 78% of Black men and 66% of Black women do not have a driver’s license. If the Wisconsin election is close, photo IDs could affect the outcome.

Casting a provisional ballot is not a solution. In 2008, 1,000 voters in Indiana were turned away because they did not have government-issued photo ID. That may not sound like a lot but George W. Bush won Florida by 537 votes.

Florida Rep. Frederica Wilson told MSNBC: "All of a sudden after the 2008 election, these (voter ID laws) miraculously appear. Why? Because we have a Black president in the White House and it is to stop all of the people of color from … coming out to vote."

The Cost of Freedom Voter ID App will quickly give users information on how to get a voter ID. With the rollback of hours at the DMV and bureaucratic delays in processing requests for birth certificates, voters cannot wait until September to get ready. They need to be educated about their state’s photo ID requirements and provided assistance now.

Please visit the Cost of Freedom Voter ID App campaign today and make a pledge. The civil rights generation fought for the right to vote. As voter ID laws proliferate across the country, it’s now our responsibility to remove impediments to the ballot box.

The struggle continues.

Sincerely,
Faye Anderson, Chief Evangelist
Cost of Freedom Project

Rev Al's National Action Network Joins Blogging While Brown Conference

The 5th Annual Blogging While Brown Conference announced that Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network (NAN) executive director Tamika Mallory will be a conference panelist during the June 1-2, 2012 event in Philadelphia.

“We are thrilled that Ms. Mallory will be participating in our political activism panel in a very important discussion amongst those who use social platforms and their influence to be catalysts of change within their communities. The panel will be a dialogue between traditional civil organizations and younger activists during a presidential election year. Mallory has continuously demonstrated that our individual voices can be powerful when joined together and social media makes such a collective effort an effective means to peacefully organize political and social action,” states Blogging While Brown founder Gina McCauley.

Mallory has been a member of the NAN since age 20 and was recently named as one of Ebony Magazine’s 30 most influential national leaders under 30 and she was publicly applauded as “a leader of tomorrow” by Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama, Valerie Jarrett. She is currently being heralded as one of the youngest champions of the civil rights movement. Since a child, Mallory has participated in rallies, marches, vigils and protest with her parents who were founding members of NAN.

As Executive Director Mallory has spearheaded NAN’s anti-violence initiative and lead the organization to many significant achievements. Those achievements include shaping the organizations commitment to equal standards for women and African Americans in the music industry and the elimination of misogynistic and racist language in music. Mallory was single-handedly responsible for mobilizing thousands of protestors across the country for the National Day of Outrage.

By participating in Blogging While Brown Mallory seeks to engage new leaders in the African American community. By marrying the traditional civil rights organization with today’s powerful social networking tools Mallory seeks to address the emerging issues facing today’s African American community such as healthcare, education and employment, to make a difference in the lives of young African Americans.

Register today for Blogging While Brown Conference as the early registration rate expires on March 1, 2012

1976 Blue and White Newspaper (Los Angeles High School)

That is me sitting down (2nd from the left) with the other members of the journalism class that produced the high school newspaper -- the Blue and White -- back in 1976. I was a 17-year old brother with a large afro back then. But, I guess my desire to write and report was born back then ... and still lives today via my blogs.

I decided to publish this photo as a way to get myself back engaged in daily blog posts here on the Electronic Village. We'll see if I can rev up my engines again over the coming weeks and months!

Obama's Weekly Address: An All-Of-The-Above Approach to American Energy

President Obama talks about how important it is to embrace an all-of-the-above approach to addressing our nation's energy challenges.





Oil companies receive $4 billion every year in taxpayer-funded subsidies, despite continually bringing in record high profits. Meanwhile, gas prices are on the rise—just like they were this time last year—and the same people funding those subsidies are paying more at the pump for the gas they need to get to school and work.

Video of the Day: President Obama Sings 'Sweet Home Chicago'

Last night, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama hosted an incredible group of performers for a night of blues music as part of the PBS "In Performance at the White House" series. After a little encouragement from the legendary B.B. King, the President took the mic from Mick Jagger, and sang a few lines from, "Sweet Home Chicago." Watch:





How can you not want this man to stay in the White House for another four years?

Malcolm X: Our Own Black Shining Prince

On this date, February 21, in 1965, El Hajj Malik El Shabazz (Malcolm X) was assassinated. I was six years old at the time. I didn't have a conscious idea of who the brother was or what he meant to our people and our nation. I learned about him as a young man when I read The Autobiography of Malcolm X. Like many brothers in America ... I don't sit with my back to the door as a result of reading that book.

More importantly, I learned what it meant to have a strong inner determination and character to rise above your surroundings and your situation to truly do wonderful things for your family, your community, your nation and our world. In my view, Martin Luther King, Jr would never have been as effective if there had not been a Malcolm X.


46 years ago, Malcolm X was taken from us.

I encourage all Villagers to take time and remind yourself about the impact that this one man had on our life and times. Ossie Davis gave a 2-1/2 minute eulogy of Malcolm X that is some of the most powerful words ever uttered about the essence of the man. Here is part of it:

"There are those who will consider it their duty, as friends of the Negro people, to tell us to revile him, to flee, even from the presence of his memory, to save ourselves by writing him out of the history of our turbulent times. Many will ask what Harlem finds to honour in this stormy, controversial and bold young Captain - and we will smile. Many will say turn away - away from this man, for he is not a man but a demon, a monster, a subverter and an enemy of the Black man - and we will smile. They will say that he is of hate - a fanatic, a racist - who can only bring evil to the cause for which you struggle! And we will answer and say to them:

'Did you ever talk to brother Malcolm? Did you ever touch him, or have him smile at you? Did you ever really listen to him? Did he ever do a mean thing? Was he ever himself associated with violence or any public disturbance? For if you did - you would know him. And if you knew him - you would know why we must honor him.'

Malcolm was our manhood ... our living Black manhood!"

You can hear the words from Ossie himself on this YouTube clip:






And we will know him than for what he was and is - A Prince - our own Black Shining Prince - who didn't hesitate to die, because he loved us so.

Villagers, what is your memory of Malcolm X? How did you first learn about this brother?

10 Steps to Cope with Technology Fatique

The Electronic Village exists because of the advances in technology. However, it is based on the imagery of a simpler time when we built relationships by face-to-face conversations and sat down over a meal with one another. Sometimes we just get tired. It is with that thought in mind that I offer 10 steps to cope with technology induced fatigue.

1. Turn it off! Every computer, cellular phone or electronic device has an on and off switch. Use it! When you take time off -- shut off your personnel communication devices.
2. Take time off! This might seem silly, but, one of the most damaging mistakes overachievers make is failing to take time off. For some reason, we try to be responsive to the needs of others, and "stay ahead of the game". Take some time for yourself.
3. Turn down the noise! It seems that everywhere I go these days there is music, electronic noise and voices in the background. Some days it is just extremely noisy! If you have important work to do -- find a quiet place and space to do it.
4. Remember three words that begin with the letter N -- No, Not now,
   Never. These three words are extremely powerful words to gain control of your time and create some breathing space.
5. Rest! Take time to sleep, take a break or play. Don't focus so much on your goals and results that you don't take time to rest and sleep.
6. Stop Doing, Just BE! Sometimes doing nothing is a'ight! It is so easy with our hectic lifestyles to be too busy to enjoy the simple things; conversations with our children, walks or a good book. Being a human being has its advantages -- take time to do nothing. When is the last time you listened to the birds singing outside in the backyard?
7. Reflect! Take time to evaluate and determine if the direction you're heading is where you want to go. Do you feel trapped? Conflicted? Torn between priorities or values?
8. Get in Alignment! Are you out of alignment with your own priorities, goals and values? It's one thing to set a goal to climb a mountain -- it is quite another to have climbed a mountain and suddenly discover you are on the wrong peak. Create a list of values -- those things that you cherish most about your life -- and then evaluate if the time you are spending on daily tasks are in alignment with your values.
9. Make more life room! How much time, effort and energy is something worth? The answer is -- it depends. It depends on your values, priorities and goals. The key is to make sure that you do not allow anything to take up any more room in your life than you deem worthy. You may have to rearrange and say no -- to be able to make room for the things that are the most important to you -- but, if you don't, no one else can do it for you!
10. Be Good to Yourself! Brothers and sisters, you deserve it! You deserve to enjoy the best that life has to offer! Embrace it -- cultivate a sense of expectation. A sense of wonder and surprise. Be willing to be pleasantly surprised. Life may be waiting to hand you a wonderful gift -- make sure you have the foresight and vision to be able to see it. There is no one else on this planet like you -- you are unique. No one else on the planet knows what you know or has had the experiences you have had. Be good to yourself!

Do you have other suggestions for this list?

Village Gift Idea: Day Clock

DAY CLOCK - What day is today? You don't know? Then you need a Day Clock. It's uniquely designed to keep track of weekly events like your golf day, card night, movie night, and so much more. It's ideal for vacations and cruises when it's easy to lose track of the day.

Obama's Weekly Address: Continuing to Strengthen American Manufacturing

President Obama describes a series of steps to strengthen American manufacturing and create jobs here in the United States.





The President has been focused like a laser on the economy and creating jobs. Others are worried about contraceptives and rubbers and such ... while President Obama seems to be fighting for the regular peeps in American. Anyhow, do you have any thoughts on this week's message from the President?

OURstory: Shani Davis

I went ice skating only once in my life. Most of my time was spent on my butt. I suspect that my example isn't much different from other Black folks of my generation. Ice skating rinks aren't very prevalent in our neighborhoods. That is why I had much respect for Shani Davis when he became the first Black to win an individual gold medal in Winter Olympic history on this date in 2006.

He captured the men's 1,000-meter speed skating race in Turin, Italy. After crossing the line and spotting his time, the first guy to break 1:09 on the slow Turin ice, Davis thrust his right fist in the air. As he coasted along the back straightaway, he raised both arms toward the roof of the Olympic oval, and then put his hands on his head in obvious relief.

It was a great sports moment for Black atheletes in America. What is your favorite memory of the Winter Olympics?

Entrepreneurs Discuss 'How To Avoid 7 Common Traps'

BDPA New Jersey chapter marketing director Derris Boomer is leading an aggressive effort to provide a monthly webinar series designed to advance the careers of African Americans in the IT industry from the classroom to the boardroom. The February 2012 webinar was focused on those BDPA members interested in moving forward as entrepreneurs or business owners. The guest speaker was Hicks Enterprises chief executive officer Wayne Hicks (known on this blog as 'Villager'). The topic was 'Small Business Opportunities in a Down Market: How to Avoid 7 Common Traps'.

The back-and-forth exchange of ideas by the presenter and the online participants was both enlightening and educational. Here is the 14-page PowerPoint deck used by the presenter during the webinar:

Small Business Opportunities in a Down Market

View more PowerPoint from Wayne Hicks

Our hope is that BDPA members across the nation will review the webinar seminar series offered by our New Jersey chapter ... and add relevant webinars to your personal calendar. Ongoing professional education is an important part of the BDPA experience!

Taser Death: Johnnie Warren (Dothan, AL)

A Houston County sheriff's deputy has been placed on paid administrative leave as authorities continue to investigate the death of a 43-year-old Johnnie Kamahi Warren who was handcuffed following a bar fight in Dothan, Alabama. [SOURCE]

Dothan Police Chief Greg Benton insists that his officers did the right thing when they electrocuted an UNARMED and HANDCUFFED man who was already in their custody.

It should be interesting to see how this taser-killing gets worked out over the coming weeks and months.

The Alabama Bureau of Investigation is investigating.

Villager Shares 'Inspiration and Focus' on VoiceAmerica's 'What Matters' Radio Show

Your 'Villager' was interviewed last month by Certified life coach Mary Beth Lodge.  Mary Beth interviewed me on her VoiceAmerica Internet radio show, 'What Matters' in an episode title, Goals: Inspiration and Focus.  

The promo for the show read:

Discouraged about the impact you can have? Ever think that one person doesn’t have much influence? One person, focused and passionate, can make a tremendous difference! This week we are joined by R. Wayne Hicks, executive director of the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation. BDPA was founded in 1975 out of concern that minorities were not adequately represented in the workforce of the then emerging computer industry. BETF, the Education and Technology Foundation of BDPA is a 501(c)3 nonprofit charity established in 1992 to financially support student education and technology initiatives.

Wayne Hicks

An active leader in the organization since 1988, Wayne has followed his passion for education and applied his skill and dedication to expanding opportunities for disadvantaged youth across the country. Working at both the local and national level, Wayne is the embodiment of the ripple effect. Listen in and gain an inspiration for your own passion and purpose.

Click here to listen to the archived version of the radio show interview.

I was very happy to share the great works being done by BDPA under the umbrella of its Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program.  I informed Mary Beth and her audience about the great young people that BETF has been providing college scholarships over the recent years.

I found this video on Mary Beth's website and thought that you would enjoy it as well!




Anyhow, I hope y'all enjoyed the video and the radio show interview!

Happy Birthday: Bill Russell, 78 Years Old Today

I truly dislike the Boston Celtics! I would rather root for any other sports team in the history of the world. I was born and raised in Los Angeles. I grew up in an era when the Los Angeles Lakers were consistently bitch-slapped by the Celtics. All I could do was truly dislike everything about the Celtics.

I am now a grown-azzed man, but, I still truly dislike the Boston Celtics. One thing changed over the past few years. I have come to respect the engine of their legacy ... Bill Russell.

His college basketball team won 55 straight games, including NCAA championships in 1955 and 1956. He was on gold-medal winning basketball team at the 1956 Olympics. His NBA team won 11 NBA championships, including eight consecutive from 1959 to 1966. He was a five-time league MVP (1958, 1961-63, 1965), 12-time All-Star Game participant (MVP in 1963), Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year in 1968 and The Sporting News Athlete of the Decade in 1970. He averaged 15.1 ppg and 22.5 rpg for his career.

In 1967, the Celtics made Russell the first Black NBA head coach. Russell led Boston to the 1968 and 1969 NBA titles.

After awhile it becomes counterproductive to playa-hate on a brother that is as good as Bill Russell. It is for that reason that I pay homage to him today. I still truly dislike the Boston Celtics ... but, I got much-respect for Bill Russell.

Happy Birthday Mr. Russell!

Obama's Weekly Address: Extending the Payroll Tax Cut for the Middle Class

President Obama urges Congress to extend the payroll tax cut to prevent a tax hike on 160 million hardworking Americans. Back in December, Congress faced this exact same predicament. People all over the country tweeted, emailed and wrote to explain how losing $40 each check would affect them. Ultimately, thanks to our stories, Congress did the right thing and passed a two-month tax cut extension. It’s more important than ever that we make sure our story is part of the debate here in Washington.





It is hard to believe that the Republicans in congress are so dim-witted that they continue to fight a losing battle. Why are they so obtuse on this issue?

Heart of a Lion: Nelson Mandela

Valentine's Day is coming up in a few days ... but, the best example of HEART may be the international hero Nelson Mandela. His life personifies heart. He led the fight against apartheid with extraordinary vigor and resilience after spending nearly three decades of his life behind bars. He sacrificed his private life and his youth for his people, and remains South Africa's best known and loved hero.


Mandela was born July 18, 1918. He was jailed in November 1962 for leaving the country illegally and for incitement to strike. While serving the sentence he was charged with sabotage and sentenced to life imprisonment.

In prison Mandela demonstrated his heart by never compromising his political principles. He was always a source of strength for the other prisoners. Nelson Mandela's reputation grew steadily. He was widely accepted as the most significant Black leader in South Africa and became a potent symbol of resistance as the anti-apartheid movement gathered strength. He consistently refused to compromise his political position to obtain his freedom.


More people watched his release from prison on February 11, 1990 than any other prisoner in the history of the world. Some even analyzed the details of his speech he gave on his release! He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. He served as president of South Africa from 1994-1999.

Mandela has honorary degrees from more than 50 international universities. Nelson Mandela retired from public life in June 1999 and he currently resides in his birth place - Qunu, Transkei.

Villagers, do you remember your participating in protests against apartheid? Do you remember how you felt when Mandela was finally released from prison? Can you deny that this quite man of peace found a way into your heart?

Taser Lawsuit: Robert Ricks (Alexandria LA)

The Alexandria Police department electrocuted 23-year old Robert Ricks last year. The police tased him twice and he died after the second shot of 50,000 volts of electricity. Ricks was unarmed. In fact, at the time of the second taser shot he was in police custody. The coroner later claimed that the cause of death was 'excited delirium'.

The family of Robert Ricks is not satisfied with the explanations or the excuses given by the police department, Taser International or any of the other 'powers-that-be'. As a result they filed a lawsuit of wrongful death. [SOURCE]

"I just want to ask them what, what happened? What happened?" said a frustrated Lawrence Ricks, father of Robert Ricks.

TASER International says while its their policy not to comment on pending litigation, the want to remind people that the cause of death was "excited delirium," not the taser gun.

Commonsense tells me that the young man wasn't going to die that day if he hadn't been electrocuted TWICE by the police officers. Commonsense tells me that an unarmed many didn't need to die if the police handled the situation better ... without relying on an instrument of death to keep the young man quiet.

Happy Birthday: Alice Walker, 2/9/1944

It always bothered me that the 'Color Purple' never received proper recognition during the Oscar ceremonies in the early 1990s. The director and actors in that flick were outstanding. Who cannot still remember when Oprah Winfrey got medieval on her husband and her father-in-law?

The movie never exists if the book wasn't written first. Alice Walker was born on this date in 1944. She is an African American author, speaker, and poet. [SOURCE]

Born Alice Malsenior Walker in Eatonton, Georgia, she was educated at Spelman and Sarah Lawrence colleges. Walker is responsible for a number of writings.

Most of her material portrays the lives of poor, oppressed African American women in the early 1900s. The Third Life of Grange Copeland (1970) is about the emotional growth of an African American man. Meridian (1976) follows the life of an African American woman during the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Walker won the American Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize for her best-known work, the novel The Color Purple (1982).

Possessing the Secret of Joy (1992), explores the tradition of female circumcision still practiced in some parts of Africa. By the Light of My Father’s Smile (1998), depicts a Christian missionary family, focusing on the relationship between the father and the three daughters and the relationship between Christianity and the spiritual traditions of the African community in which the family lives. Walker’s volumes of poetry include Revolutionary Petunias and Other Poems (1973) and Goodnight, Willie Lee, I'll See You in the Morning (1979).

Her nonfiction works include the essay collections In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens: Womanist Prose (1983), Living by the Word (1988), The Same River Twice: Honoring the Difficult (1996) and Anything We Love Can Be Saved (1997). In 2004, Walker has published her first book in six years, "Now Is The Time To Open Your Heart."

Do you have a favorite book by Alice Walker? Is there a part of Color Purple that you always remember when you think of that movie (or book)? My favorite thing about Alice Walker in recent years was her timely endorsement of Barack Obama!

Let's Move! Michelle Obama Accepts Jimmy Fallon Fitness Challenge

I suspect that most 'villagers' are not up after midnight to watch the Jimmy Fallon talk show. Most of you have seen how First Lady Michelle Obama held an impromptu push-up challenge with Ellen DeGeneres last week. Fallon decided to one-up DeGeneres with hula-hoops, potato sacks and dodge ball. Check out the video:






I think it is wonderful that our First Lady continues to find ways to find childhood obesity. I encourage you to take a moment to learn more about Let's Move!

OURstory: Harry McAlpin

President Barack Obama created history when he held is first White House press conference as our first African American president. I wonder if he will be aware of the history created on February 8, 1944 when Harry McAlpin was the first African American journalist admitted to a White House press conference. [SOURCE]

He was working for the National Negro Press Association and the Atlanta Daily World. On that day, McAlpin was waiting to go into the Oval Office, where they had press conferences at that time, when a white reporter from the New Orleans Times-Picayune spoke to him. The reporter who was head of the White House Press Correspondents Association said, "Harry, we're not happy that you're here, but we can't stop you from going to these press conferences. However, if you don't go to these press conferences, we will come out afterward and we will tell you everything that happened. You will have the exact same notes we do. You will find it possible to write the same stories that we do. And, if you don't go, we will let you join the White House Press Correspondents Association."

McAlpin went into the press conference and at the end of it he made a point of going by President Franklin Roosevelt's desk. Roosevelt shook McAlpin's hand and said, "Harry, I'm glad to have you here."

In 1947, the Negro Newspaper Publishers association and some individual news correspondents were accredited to the Congressional Press Galleries and the State Department. The early journalists accredited were James L. Hicks, Percival L. Prattis and Louis Lautier.

I hope that someone lets President Obama in on this historical factoid as he goes into his first White House press conference tomorrow.

Rest in Peace: Iyisa Hicks (1970-2010)

Rest in Peace
Iyisa Hicks (1970-2010)

National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (February 7, 2012)

National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is a day to focus attention on the staggering toll HIV continues to take on the Black community. It is also a day of hope – a day on which we recognize the progress we continue to make towards ending this epidemic in our communities.

When we look at HIV/AIDS by race and ethnicity, Blacks have more illness (Blacks represent only 12% of the U.S. population, yet account for 45% of new HIV infections and 46% of people living with HIV disease in 2006); and more deaths (Blacks accounted for 57% of deaths due to HIV in 2007 and the survival time after an AIDS diagnosis is lower on average than it is for most other racial/ethnic groups). In 2009, Blacks accounted for 44% of all new HIV infections.

The AIDS diagnosis rate per 100,000 among Black adults/adolescents was 9 times that of whites in 2008. The AIDS diagnosis rate for Black men (85.5) was the highest of any group, followed by Black women (39.9). By comparison, the rate among white men was 10. The rate of new infections is also highest among Blacks and was 7 times greater than the rate among whites in 2006.

Among the U.S. population overall, Blacks are more likely than whites to report having been tested for HIV in the last 12 months (40% compared to 14%). Among those who are HIV positive, CDC data indicate that 33% of Blacks were tested for HIV late in their illness—that is, diagnosed with AIDS within one year of testing positive for HIV (in those states/areas with HIV name reporting); by comparison, 30% of whites and 36% of Latinos were tested late.

In 2009, an estimated 16,741 Blacks were diagnosed with AIDS diagnosis in the US, a number that has slowly decreased since 2006. By the end of 2008, an estimated 240,627 Blacks with an AIDS diagnosis had died in the US. In 2007, HIV was the ninth leading cause of death for all Blacks and the third leading cause of death for both Black men and Black women aged 35–44.

The number of new HIV infections per year among Blacks is down from its peak in the late 1980s, but has exceeded the number of infections among whites since that time; new infections have remained stable in recent years.

A recent analysis of 1999–2006 data from a national household survey found that 2% of Blacks in the U.S. (among those ages 18–49) were HIV positive, significantly higher than whites (0.23%). Also, the prevalence of HIV was higher among Black men (2.64%) than Black women (1.49%).

At some point in their lifetimes, 1 in 16 Black men will be diagnosed with HIV infection, as will 1 in 32 Black women.





From 2005–2008, the rate of HIV diagnoses among Blacks increased from 68 per 100,000 persons to 74 per 100,000. This increase reflects the largest increase in rates of HIV diagnoses by race or ethnicity.

Of all Black men living with HIV/AIDS, the primary transmission category was sexual contact with other men, followed by injection drug use and high risk heterosexual contact.

Of all Black women living with HIV/AIDS, the primary transmission category was high risk heterosexual contact, followed by injection drug use.

Of the estimated 141 infants prenatally infected with HIV, 91 (65%) were Black (CDC, HIV/AIDS Reporting System, unpublished data, December 2006).

There are approximately 1.1 million people living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S, including more than 500,000 who are Black. When we know better, we tend to do better and we hope having an idea of how big this epidemic is in the United States alone will help gain your support for this effort. Generations to come will look back at us and wonder why HIV/AIDS was, or will they?

Let's make it history in our lifetime.

Happy Birthday: Chris Rock (1965 - )

On this date in 1965, Chris Rock was born. He is an African America comedian, author, recording artist, actor, and talk show host.





Chris Rock is a unique talent. What is your favorite memory of this birthday brother?

Taser Lawsuit: Douglas Boucher (Mason, OH)

Mason police officers tased 39-year old Douglas Boucher in December 2009. He died. The police didn't see anything wrong with it. No charges were filed against the two officers. The family of the dead man see it differently. Boucher's family filed a federal lawsuit. [SOURCE]

The autopsy didn't indicate that the taser was the cause of death.  The lawsuit claims that the two police officers used excessive force on a mentally ill person. The family seeks compensatory and punitive damages from the city of Mason and officers Daniel Fry and Sean McCormick.

The two police officers were not called onto the scene. They just stopped by the same Speedway gas station where a female clerk was serving Mr. Boucher. When the police arrived, the clerk alleged that Boucher was harassing her. The two officers asked Boucher to go outside. The officers were attempting to handcuff Boucher when he wrestled away and hit Fry in the head with his one handcuffed hand, according to the police. When he tried to go after the clerk again - she had come outside - McCormick attempted to use a Taser on him. The first shot failed, but the second electrocution with the 50,000 volts from the taser gun knocked Boucher to the ground. He hit his head on the concrete and died.

The lawsuit claims that "Mason police officers arrested him, tased him in the chest and in the back and then, while he was on the ground, struck him with a police baton, kicked him and tased him five more times."

The report issued by the Ohio powers-that-be did note that the police officers failed to 'spark test' their taser guns ... to the device may have given off more that the 50,000 volts of electricity specified by the manufacturer.

Happy Birthday: Bob Marley (1945-1981)

Bob Marley was born on this date (February 6) in 1945. He was a Jamaican singer and songwriter whose name more than anyone represents reggae music, the tenets of Rastafarianism, and the struggle of the economically and politically oppressed. [SOURCE]




via videosift.com

Village Tip: Increase Sales by Making a Promise

We make promises all the time. Cross my heart and hope to die; swear on my mother's grave; the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God. These are all promises. Whether these statements are used to make a false promise or not, they all do one thing; they make the person who receives the promise feel more secure.

Entrepreneurs quickly learn that one of the quickest ways to get a potential customer's attention is to make a promise. In marketing, that promise should be the first thing they see, so it should be embedded in the headline.

A headline should appeal to an immediate need. Regardless of who your target audience is, all people have the need to feel secure; to know that an advertised product or service can fulfill the advertised claim. That is where the promise comes in.

Now, this doesn't mean that you should say the words "I promise," only that they should be implied. Offer a benefit and phrase it in a way that says, "We are completely confident in what we claim."

But beware the false promise. Though plenty of advertisers make them, a false promise will only sell a product or service once. Your success as an entrepreneur is based on repeat sales ... so don't do something that may help you today, with negative consequences for you in the future.

If you want to create long-term customers, make a promise that your product or service can fulfill. Once they see you are as good as your word, they will feel utterly secure. And security is what really sells a product.

Happy Birthday: Hank Aaron, Greatest Baseball Player of All Time

My favorite team growing up in southern California was the Los Angeles Dodgers. As such, I have a vivid memory of Hank Aaron hitting homerun #715 ... the one that pulled him ahead of Babe Ruth. He hit it during a game against the Dodgers. Al Downing was the Dodger pitcher that gave up the most famous home run in history.

These are the memories that came to mind today. I join with other villagers in wishing a blessed 77th birthday to Henry Louis Aaron. He was born on this date in 1934.

Read a great historical view of Aaron's childhood and baseball career here on the African American Registry. One aspect of his career that inspired me occurred early in his career:

After only a short time in the Negro Leagues, the Milwaukee Braves recruited Aaron. He joined the Braves' system in 1952 and was sent to the minor leagues. There he became one of the first Black players to break the color line in the Deep South; a dangerous proposition in the last, desperate days of segregation that was legally enforced by Jim Crow laws. After one season in Wisconsin, Aaron found himself playing for a Jacksonville, Florida team in the South Atlantic League. Fans insulted him constantly, and even some of his teammates hurled racial slurs at him. Hotels and restaurants were closed to him because he was Black. The situation was only tolerable because Aaron showed such talent and because he was young. Somehow the heightened tension inspired Aaron. During his year with the South Atlantic League, he led the circuit in batting average, doubles, runs scored, total bases and runs batted in. He was voted League Most Valuable Player for 1953.

Aaron retired in 1976 with record 755 home runs and 2297 runs batted in. One week later he began a new phase of his career, as director of player development for the Braves. Aaron was one of the first Blacks hired in a major league front office. Throughout his tenure with the Braves' management, he has called for more Black participation in the business end of baseball.

Hank Aaron has been a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame since 1982.

What do you know or remember about Hammerin' Hank?

Obama's Weekly Address: It's Time for Congress to Act to Help Responsible Homeowners

President Obama continues his call for a return to American values, including fairness and equality, as part of his blueprint for an economy built to last.

OURstory: Rosa Parks (1913-2005)

Rosa Parks was born February 4, 1913. She didn't seek notoriety. She was simply a quiet and resolute woman who stood up by sitting down. She became an American civil rights activist.

Rosa McCauley grew up in Montgomery, Alabama and attended the all-Black Alabama State College. Rosa and her husband Raymond Parks were active in Montgomery's chapter of the NAACP. She worked as the chapter's youth adviser; on voter registration drives and was secretary of the NAACP’s Montgomery branch in 1943. As the 1950’s began, the segregated seating policies on public buses were growing as a source of resentment and bitterness within the Black community in Montgomery.

Blacks were required to pay their fares at the front of the bus, and then board again through the back door. The white bus drivers would harass Blacks, sometimes driving away before they were able to get back on the bus. On December 1, 1955, Parks took her seat in the front of the "colored section". When the driver asked Parks and three other Black riders to give up their seats to whites, Parks refused and was arrested; she soon agreed to let the NAACP provide legal council. Rosa Parks' case was filed in United States District Court, which ruled in her favor, declaring segregated seating on buses unconstitutional, a decision later upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Rosa Louise McCauley Parks was more than an inadvertent symbol; she was an experienced activist with strong beliefs. whose arrest for refusing to give up her seat on a bus set in motion the turning point in the African American battle for civil rights. Parks and her husband relocated to Detroit in 1957, where in time, Congressman John Conyers hired her as an administrative assistant, a position she held until 1987.

Rosa Parks, a committed activist died on October 24, 2005. On October 30th, and 31st of that year, she became the first woman to lie in honor in the vast circular room under the Capitol dome. By voice vote the House agreed to the action "so that the citizens of the United States may pay their last respects to this great American."

Black Unemployment Rate Drops to 13.6% in January 2012

The United States added 243,000 jobs in January 2012 - far exceeding expectations of about 150,000 jobs - and unemployment rate dipped to 8.3 percent. Job growth was widespread last month in the private sector, with large employment gains in professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, and manufacturing according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

There are about 12.8 million unemployed people in the country. The unemployment is the lowest its been in almost three years. The trend of positive employment news continues to grow under the leadership of President Obama.

The news also contained positive progress for the Black community.

The unemployment rate in the Black community took a big dip in January 2012 to 13.6%. This compares to previous months:

• Dec 2011 - 15.7%
• Nov 2011 - 15.5%
• Sep 2011 - 16.0%
• Aug 2011 - 16.7%

The overall message for the US economy is good. This is the seventh straight month with over 100,000 people entering the workforce. The rate of unemployment in the Black community is still out of whack with what we see nationwide, but at least the statistics are trending in a positive direction.

What is your opinion of the unemployment data that was released today?

OURstory: 15th Amendment

On this date in 1870 the 15th amendment was ratified. Republicans wanted the 15th Amendment passed to obtain the vote of the freed slaves.

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Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

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The 15th Amendment ensures the right to vote to all male citizens of the United States, regardless of color or previous condition of servitude. The 15th Amendment opened the door for the elections of African Americans to the US Congress and to Southern local and state offices.

Many women suffragists such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony had worked alongside Black suffragists like Frederick Douglass to gain suffrage for both groups. But when the 15th Amendment passed, it angered many women suffragists terribly, and some of them even spoke out against Black suffrage.

OURstory: Dr. Bernard Harris

Did you know that Astronaut Dr. Bernard Harris was the first African American to walk in space on February 2, 1995?

Dr. Harris was the Payload Commander on STS-63, the first flight of the joint Russian-American Space Program. He fulfilled his childhood dreams and became another pioneer in Black history.

This is not the first time we have talked about the impact of African Americans in the space program. You may recall that we showed this video of space history that isn't well known:






Did you ever dream of being an astronaut?

Wordless Wednesday: RIP Don Cornelius - Love, Peace and Soul

Happy Birthday: Langston Hughes (1902-1967)

Langston Hughes was born in Joplin, MO on this date in 1902. He began writing poetry while attending Central High School in Cleveland, OH. He was educated at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania.

Click here to view most of the literary works of Langston Hughes!

He was an influential figure in the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920's. Hughes spent time in Paris and after returning to the United States, he worked as a busboy in Washington, D.C. It was there in 1925, that his literary skills were discovered after he left three of his poems beside the plate of American poet Vachel Lindsay, who recognized Hughes's abilities and helped publicize his work.

Langston Hughes was active in social and political causes, using his poetry as a vehicle for cultural protest. He traveled to the Soviet Union, Haiti, and Japan, and he served as the Madrid correspondent for a Baltimore newspaper during the Spanish Civil War. Hughes wrote over 50 books and his drama Mulatto was performed 373 times on Broadway. Hughes also became known for the character Jesse B. Simple that he created in the 1940's for the Chicago Defender & New York Post. The humor and dialect of Jesse Simple disguised his common sense while depicting the everyday American experiences of Black citizens.

Langston Hughes died in 1967.

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Let America be America Again
LANGSTON HUGHES 1938
Originally published in Esquire and in the International Worker Order pamphlet A New Song (1938)

Let America be America again. Let it be the dream it used to be. Let it be the pioneer on the plain Seeking a home where he himself is free.

(America never was America to me.)

Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed-- Let it be that great strong land of love Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme That any man be crushed by one above.

(It never was America to me.)

O, let my land be a land where Liberty Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath, But opportunity is real, and life is free, Equality is in the air we breathe.

(There's never been equality for me, Nor freedom in this "homeland of the free.")

Say, who are you that mumbles in the dark? And who are you that draws your veil across the stars?

I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart, I am the Negro bearing slavery's scars. I am the red man driven from the land, I am the immigrant clutching the hope I seek-- And finding only the same old stupid plan Of dog eat dog, of mighty crush the weak.

I am the young man, full of strength and hope, Tangled in that ancient endless chain Of profit, power, gain, of grab the land! Of grab the gold! Of grab the ways of satisfying need! Of work the men! Of take the pay! Of owning everything for one's own greed!

I am the farmer, bondsman to the soil. I am the worker sold to the machine. I am the Negro, servant to you all. I am the people, humble, hungry, mean-- Hungry yet today despite the dream. Beaten yet today--O, Pioneers! I am the man who never got ahead, The poorest worker bartered through the years.

Yet I'm the one who dreamt our basic dream In the Old World while still a serf of kings, Who dreamt a dream so strong, so brave, so true, That even yet its mighty daring sings In every brick and stone, in every furrow turned That's made America the land it has become. O, I'm the man who sailed those early seas In search of what I meant to be my home-- For I'm the one who left dark Ireland's shore, And Poland's plain, and England's grassy lea, And torn from Black Africa's strand I came To build a "homeland of the free."

The free?

Who said the free? Not me? Surely not me? The millions on relief today? The millions shot down when we strike? The millions who have nothing for our pay? For all the dreams we've dreamed And all the songs we've sung And all the hopes we've held And all the flags we've hung, The millions who have nothing for our pay-- Except the dream that's almost dead today.

O, let America be America again-- The land that never has been yet-- And yet must be--the land where every man is free. The land that's mine--the poor man's, Indian's, Negro's, ME-- Who made America, Whose sweat and blood, whose faith and pain, Whose hand at the foundry, whose plow in the rain, Must bring back our mighty dream again.

Sure, call me any ugly name you choose-- The steel of freedom does not stain. From those who live like leeches on the people's lives, We must take back our land again, America!

O, yes, I say it plain, America never was America to me, And yet I swear this oath-- America will be!

Out of the rack and ruin of our gangster death, The rape and rot of graft, and stealth, and lies, We, the people, must redeem The land, the mines, the plants, the rivers. The mountains and the endless plain-- All, all the stretch of these great green states-- And make America again!

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Do you have any thoughts about Langston Hughes? What is your favorite literary work by Bro. Hughes?