Village Tip: Expanding Your Black-Owned Business via Government Grants

Often small business owners seek to grow their business through government grants. Unfortunately, government grants are rarely available to business owners. However, if you are willing to look for them ... then the first place to start is locally. State and local governments are a viable source for providing money to area small businesses. Check out www.business.gov, which lists organizations by state and by industry.

Also, some organizations, like ACCION USA, offer micro-lending and development courses, as well as guidance to small business owners. These organizations provide small loans with considerate repayment terms to those unable to access traditional financing. An additional benefit is that you are linked into the network of other small businesses involved in the program.

Another helpful government agency is the Minority Business Development Agency. There you will find information on both loans and grants.

Obama's Address: 'The President and First Lady Wish Everyone a Happy Holiday Season'

In this week’s address, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.



The 'Electronic Village' joins in welcoming each of you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Are Black People Becoming 21st Century Digital Slaves?

by Phillip Jackson
The Black Star Project

If you are not able to code and if you are not computer literate, you are pretty much a 21st century digital slave. If you don't have access to and are using the internet for personal growth and development, you are pretty much a 21st century digital slave. If you are not encouraging your schools to teach coding and computer literacy to your children, and if you are not allowing your children to learn, read and write code, you are promising your children 21st century digital slavery.

Phillip Jackson

If your children are playing video games, rather than creating video games, they too, will be consigned to 21st century digital slavery. If you are not learning coding yourself, you have relegated yourself to the old way of being educated and the old way of existing. You have made yourself obsolete. You have volunteered to be a 21st century digital slave!

It is time for all people, but especially Black people, to run away from digital slavery to digital freedom and digital excellence! The most widely spoken language in world in the near future is not going to be English, Chinese, Hindi, Swahili or Spanish-it is going to be a language of computer coding. People in every country will speak this language. 90% of all new jobs in the world will require employees to speak this language. You will not be able to live (well) anywhere in the world without this language.

The Black Star Project will offer introductory classes to coding and computer literacy during the holidays. Effective education can no longer occur just between 8:30 am and 2:30 pm, Monday through Friday, for 200 school days a year. Learning has become too important to leave to schools! Learning must be driven by parents, families and communities, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year!

Learning is no longer a local activity, but a global imperative. Just as some slaves became accustomed to chattel slavery, some people are becoming accustomed to the new 21st century digital slavery. The only way to break these bonds that rob people of dignity and freedom are with "new learning".

Old School Friday * The Emotions

Do any of y'all remember The Emotions? I remember them as being three Nubian sisters with powerful voices and lyrics that seemed to hit home more often than not. One of the first songs I remember from this is Don't Ask My Neighbors





My favorite song by The Emotions was on the radio back in 1976. If you listen to the full song you will hear a message that brothers today need to hear more than they needed it back then. Don't you agree?





Finally, it is Christmas time. In fact, the reason that I created this blog post was to highlight this next song -- sometimes it hits home more than I like. Have you ever wondered what the lonely do for Christmas?

Wordless Wednesday: B.B. King

GOP Infighting Makes for 'A Very 2016 Holiday' (VIDEO)

The Democrats like it when the light shines on the internal strife within the Republican Party. That is the reason that they created the following video highlighting infighting among Republican presidential hopeful. The video features GOP Sens. Rand Paul (KY) and Marco Rubio (FL), Rep. Paul Ryan (WI), Govs. Scott Walker (WI) and Chris Christie (NJ) and former Gov. Jeb Bush (FL) all trading barbs with each other during interviews and public appearances.



Who do you think will by the 2016 Republican presidential candidate? I know it will be hard to follow the past two GOP standard-bearers (John McCain and Mitt Romney) ... but, someone has to do it!

Sunday Inspiration: 'The Christmas Scale'

It's hard to believe that the greatest message the world will ever hear is contained in one simple scale.

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This blog will continue to seek out Sunday Inspirations, a meme inspired by Sojourner's Place. Sunday Inspirations is just one way to help get us through the week ahead, the trials we may face, and yes, to say 'Thank You Jesus' and testify! I invite you to participate in this weekly meme as your contribution might serve as an inspiration to someone in need.

Oregon Officers Justified in Taser Deaths of Walter McKelvey and Gregory Price

A Douglas County grand jury has found that police officers in two separate incidents were justified in using taser guns against unarmed men -- both of whom died when their paths crossed with police.

The findings, released by the Douglas County District Attorney's office, involve a March 3 incident in which Douglas County Sheriff's deputies used a Taser on Walter Ray McKelvey, 26, and a June 22 incident in which Roseburg Police officers used a Taser on Gregory Allen Price, 56.

Read the rest of the OregonLive article.

This blog will continue to track taser-related killings that occur in America from time to time. However, we are unable to maintain the daily vigil on this issue that we once kept. Please feel free to let us know if you have any taser-related news that you think we should share in the future.

Wordless Wednesday: Stephen ... House Negro with a Twist

SOURCE: Pinterst, 'Movies: Two Thumbs Up'

Good News Tuesday: 'Uncle Omar' Obama Can Remain in United States

Earlier this year we learned that President Barack Obama's 69-year old uncle ... Onyango Obama ... might get deported back to Kenya after living in the United States for over 50 years. Today, we learn that Kenyan-born 'Uncle Omar', who ignored a deportation order more than two decades ago, was granted permission to stay in the U.S.

Judge Leonard Shapiro made the decision after Onyango Obama, 69, testified that he had lived in the U.S. for 50 years, been a hard worker, paid income tax and been arrested only once.

Asked about his family in the U.S., he said, "I do have a nephew." Asked to name the nephew, he said, "Barack Obama, he's the president of the United States."

Shapiro cited a law that entitles immigrants who are "out of status" to become permanent residents if they arrived in the U.S. before 1972, maintained continuous residence and are of good moral character.

Read the full article.

Spoken Word: 'The System' - Prentice Powell

Prentice Powell is a powerful poet as demonstrated by the following video-clip in which he challenges the Black community with a dark view of the way we are raising the current generation of young people.



What did you think?

Sunday Inspirations: Kirk Franklin

I'm working hard to get the spirit of this song into my being. I'm tired of being held down and I'm ready to stand up and fight for my miracle. I invite all villagers to enjoy the vibe from this Kirk Franklin song!






Anyone else out here ready to make the declaration -- 'This Is It!'.






Perhaps it's time for a true 'Revolution' in our lives ... our community ... and out nation. What say u?