$2 Million Dollar Settlement in Taser-Killing of Everette Howard Jr.

The family of Everette Howard Jr. has settled its claims with the University of Cincinnati and UC police officer Richard Haas. Howard was electrocuted-to-death on the UC campus` on August 6, 2011. After his death, the UC police withdrew all of their Tasers from service.

Three of the elements in the settlement include:

1. Compensation. The University will pay two million dollars plus provide an undergraduate education free of tuition and instructional fees for the two siblings of Everette Jr.
2. Taser Policy. Before Tasers are reissued to officers in the UC Police Department, the public and the Howard family will be notified and UC will receive suggestions from them on Taster training and use.
3. Memorial. UC will install a memorial bench and plaque at the site where Everette Howard Jr. died.

The settlement was made as part of mediation process between the family and the University. I'm glad that tasers have been taken off the hips of University police officers. The fact that they killed this *UNARMED* teenager is reason enough for a change.

Good News Tuesday: Dr. Tonya Matthews (Cincinnati Museum Center)

I think that the Cincinnati Museum Center is a wonderful culture icon for my city. One reason for the continued excellence of the Cincinnati Museum Center can be found in its leadership.

Meet Dr. Tonya Matthews from Cincinnati, Ohio, whose interests have led her to become a scientist, educator, community activist, and a writer/poet. Dr. Matthews received her undergraduate degree from Duke University and her graduate degree from Johns Hopkins University, both in biomedical engineering.

Her career history has been varied, including community science education, creating a biotechnology program with the Maryland Science Center, developing a biomedical science curriculum with Project Lead the Way, and working as a biomedical engineer for the Food and Drug Administration. Dr. Matthews currently serves as the Vice President for Museums at the Cincinnati Museum Center.

Her message to girls:

"My advice for you is to declare a dream and get on the path... any path. If I have learned anything, it is that it really is the journey, not the destination. I have never ended up where I thought I would be, but every moment has been worth it and every place I have ended up has surpassed my dreams."

To learn more about Tanya, visit her FabFems profile at: http://www.fabfems.org/users/tonya-matthews.

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This blog will continue to seek out Good News stories about people of African descent and share them with you each Tuesday. We need to tell the positive and upbeat information about OURstory. We can't depend on others to do it for us. Please pass along any Good News story that comes your way. In the case of bloggers ... we want you to join our Good News parade every Tuesday.

Taser Death: Corey McGinnis (Cincinnati, OH)

It happened again! This time a 35-year old father who was trying to protect his children was electrocuted-to-death by the taser gun of an unidentified Springfield Township (OH) police officer.

Corey McGinnis never regained consciousness after he was electrocuted with a Taser on June 26 by officers from Springfield Township and North College Hill who were called to a big fight in Crutchfield Park. “He collapsed right there on the scene,” his niece said. He was rushed to a local hospital where he died five days after the incident. [SOURCE]

Four of his children were at the park with their father. Two of them, boys ages 15 and 16, were involved in the basketball game when their opponents attacked them.

It will be weeks, possibly months, before the Hamilton County Coroner makes an official ruling on his cause of death. But relatives say they’re convinced the Taser shock must be to blame for the death of McGinnis, a healthy 35-year-old who exercised regularly.

The police won't be able blame this one on drugs or 'excited delirium'.

“We, as people, need to bring some kind of attention to these tasings because Corey is not the first person to die after being tased and he won’t be the last unless we do something,” Corey's niece, Lisa McGinnis said. “It’s supposed to be a safer alternative, but it’s been shown time and time again that people are dying after being tased.”

Family of Teenage Everette Howard is Frustrated by Handling of Taser-Killing Investigation

An Ohio family sends their son to a summer camp at the local university. While staying in the school dorm he is electrocuted with 50,000 volts of electricity from the taser of university cop Richard Haas. The young man -- Everette Howard -- dies. But, the coroner claims that the cause of death is 'undetermined' and nobody in authority is forced to take responsibility for his death.





An 18-year old man is dead and nobody wants to blame the officer's use of a lethal weapon? Is it wonder that the family is frustrated with how this case was handled?

Why So Few Black Technology Entrepreneurs Funded by CincyTech?

I joined over 400 people at the CincyTech annual meeting at the Duke Energy Convention Center earlier this morning. I counted 35 start-up companies and community partners participating in the Start-up Showcase. I visited each of the booths and talked to many of the technology entrepreneurs who have enjoyed success with CincyTech.

CincyTech is a public-private partnership whose mission is to invest in high-growth start-up technology companies in Southwest Ohio. The organization provides management assistance, seed-capital investments and connections to partners who share its mission. CincyTech focuses on opportunities in information technology and life sciences. This is a wonderful opportunity for technology entrepreneurs.

After seeing the CNN's Black in America episode,'The New Promised Land: Silicon Valley' I was very sensitive to the issue of racism that impacts Black technology entrepreneurs when it comes to venture capital funding of start-ups. As such I was disappointed to see that less than a dozen of the 400 people in attendance were African American ... and only three (ConnXus, Innovative Card Solutions and SampleSaint) of the 35 booths were filled with technology companies that were owned and operated by people of African descent.

CincyTech President Bob Coy announced CincyTech’s performance numbers during the meeting. CincyTech has invested $10 million in 28 local start-up companies and helped its companies attract another $100 million in private co-investment since 2007. There were no statistics or emphasis mentioned at any point during the meeting about the dearth of Black technology entrepreneurs being supported by the process.

I am glad to see that there are Black leaders on both the staff and executive committee of CincyTech. That is better than what we saw from the movers and shakers in Silicon Valley.

I suggest that BDPA (local, regional and national) become more aggressive in their engagement with entrepreneurial organizations like CincyTech. I plan to follow-up with CincyTech and its portfolio companies to invite them to learn more about BDPA Cincinnati chapter and the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation. There should be speaker opportunities, company tours for our members and students, internships and perhaps even support for BDPA's college scholarship program.

Perhaps the CincyTech Annual Meeting in 2012 will have a growing level of engagement with Black tech entrepreneurs and start-ups!

Million Father March Endorsed by Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory

I am pleased to learn that Cincinnati mayor Mark Mallory is calling on fathers to drop their children off at school on the first day as part of a nationwide initiative: the Million Father March. He has also asked elected officials to visit a local school on the morning of August 16th, which is the first day of classes for Cincinnati Public Schools. Mayor Mallory will be attending his alma mater, Woodward Career and Technical High School.

"This is a great way to get fathers involved in their child's education. There is a strong connection between attending school on the first day, active involvement by a father, and high student achievement. That is why I am asking all local fathers to participate by dropping their children off at school on the first day," Mayor Mark Mallory said.

The Million Father March was founded by the Black Star Project, a Chicago nonprofit organization. Ten Chicago fathers organized the first March in 1996, and it has grown to a nationwide initiative. Last year, 800,000 men in 500 cities nationwide participated in the Million Father March by dropping their children off at school on the first day. This year the Million Father March predicts that 1,000,000 fathers will participate.

Mayor Mallory hopes that Cincinnati will help The Million Father March reach their national 1,000,000 father goal. All local fathers, mentors, brothers, uncles, and any important figures in a child's life are encouraged to be a part of this initiative by dropping their children off at school on the first day.

I hope that all villagers with children still in public schools will participate in this effort regardless of where you might live. What say u?

Taser Death: Everette Howard (Cincinnati, OH)

It happened again. This time a 18-year old Black man with a promising future was put to death by a taser-happy cop on the campus of the University of Cincinnati. Everette Howard was captain of his wrestling and football teams during his senior year at North College Hill High School. He was also a standout academically ... finishing in the top 10% of his senior class.

He was attending the University of Cincinnati for a college preparatory class. He was scheduled to make the move to Williamsburg (KY) in a few weeks to begin his freshman year at the University of Cumberlands.

He didn't deserve to die.

University of Cincinnati assistant police chief, Jeff Corcoran, said campus police were called to a the Turner Hall dorm room in the early hours of the morning over a report on an assault.   Click here to see the complete UC Police Department (UCPD) report.

When they arrived they saw Everette who police said appeared angry and agitated.

Corcoran says officers ordered the teen to back off, but he refused. He was then killed by UCPD officer Rick Haas ... who may have been too eager to use his taser gun.

The young teenager was unarmed. He was not a threat to the university cop who pumped 50,000 volts of electricity from his taser gun into the young man's body.

When he collapsed to the ground Officer Haas checked his condition, and in his report said he appeared incoherent and seemed to have an 'altered mental status'.   The police are always quick to insinuate that drugs are involved after any taser-related killing.  That seems to be in their procedural playbook for these incidents.   No evidence of drugs ... just call it an 'altered mental status'.

Paramedics attended the stricken student and while they were with him he went into cardiac arrest. He was later pronounced dead at hospital.

Two investigations have been launched because of the incident.

1. An internal investigation will look into the use of force by Officer Haas, who was immediately placed on mandatory administrative leave.  Here are details from the initial report.
2. The second investigation is trying to determine what initiated the original 911 call and whether an assault has taken place.

University chiefs have also suspended the use of Tasers until it can determine what caused the teen's death.  An autopsy has been ordered.

'I want to emphasize we don't know what the cause of the death is at this point,' Corcoran said.

There have been no arrests or criminal charges filed. The only one who needs to be arrested in this case is UCPD Officer Rick Haas -- the UC campus cop with the trigger-happy taser gun.

'We are extremely unhappy and upset at the outcome of this call,' Corcoran said. 'No one wants to see the death of an 18-year-old. It was not anyone's intention. The officer is very distraught.'

Ironically, this was not the first time that Mr. Howard had been tased by law enforcement officers. North College Hill Police electrocuted him back in 2009. Click here to see the North College Hill police reports on the incident.

Worst First Pitch in the History of Baseball * John Wall vs. Mariah Carey vs. Mayor Mallory

John Wall was the #1 pick in the NBA draft last year. He is a world-class basketball player. I guess he didn't fully realize that throwing a first pitch at a baseball game is not the same as throwing a bounce pass in a NBA game.   This pitch was thrown on June 17, 2011.







I live in Cincinnati, Ohio. As such, I'm very proud of our city's mayor. Mayor Mallory is a young brother with a strong family legacy in local and state politics. So, we were surprised, shamed and humiliated when Mayor Mallory made the first pitch last year at a major league baseball game. Take 35 seconds to relive the horror of it all:







Fast forward to May 2008. Someone thinks it is a bright idea for Mariah Carey to throw out the first pitch at a major league game in Japan. Mariah Carey has many skills ... throwing a baseball ain't one of them ... especially when you are wearing 5-inch heels to do so:







John's pitch may have been picture-perfect on the fast break of a basketball game ... Mariah's pitch had better direction ... Mayor Mallory's pitch had more distance. I dunno. Which one do you think earns the honor of being the 'Worst First Pitch in the History of Baseball'?

Taser Lawsuit: Kelly Brinson (Cincinnati, OH)

The family of Kelly Brinson, a University Hospital psychiatric patient who died in January, filed a wrongful death lawsuit in federal court. [SOURCE]

The lawsuit alleges University of Cincinnati Police Division officers used excessive force when they electrocuted the 45-year-old patient who admitted himself to the hospital for mental reasons.

It also alleges the hospital was negligent in its care for Brinson. The hospital was placed under probabtion by the Ohio Department of Mental Health. The department questioned whether police response was too excessive. The probation was lifted in April when the death was attributed to "natural causes" by the Hamilton County coroner's office.

The seven officers involved in the incident, the chief of UCPD, University Hospital and its trustees are among the 16 people including in the suit.

The Smooth Jazz Festival in the Park (Forest Park OH, 8/7/2010)

I encourage all villagers that love jazz music to make plans to hang out on the lawn (rain or shine) for the 2010 Smooth Jazz in the Park Festival™ at Central Park in Forest Park, Ohio, located at Winton & Kemper Road. The music and entertainment is FREE!

The Smooth Jazz in the Park Festival (Forest Park OH)

The lead performer is jazz musician Joe Johnson. There will also be musical performances by Ohio-based bands fo/mo/deep and Blue Wisp Young Lions.

Have you ever been to one of these Jazz in the Park Festivals before?

America I AM: The African American Imprint Comes to Cincinnati Museum Center

America I AM: The African American Imprint
Presented by: Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal
Saturday, June 19, 2010 - Sunday, January 2, 2011

American's other story features artifacts collected from every period of U.S. history, including texts, religious items, music, narrations and media conveying a journey rom struggle to triumph. Discover five centuries of African American history. It's the American story, like it's never been told before, through more than 250 rare and stunning artifacts from all over the globe. The Cincinnati exhibition will also include the Cincinnati Black Brigade Flag; artifacts from Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom's Cabin; and rededicated Spirit Gallery, showcasing the African American church in Cincinnati.






Price
$12.50

Order & Box Office Information
Box Office: (513) 283-7000
http://www.cincymuseum.org/

Venue
Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal
1301 Western Ave.
Cincinnati, OH 45203
http://www.cincymuseum.org/

America I AM: The African American Imprint

I truly appreciated Tavis Smiley back in the day when he was engaged in a series of forums branded as 'Blacks in Technology'. However, his recent tantrums against POTUS have caused me (and most of Black America) to be disappointed in Tavis.

However, even a person with questionable political antennae can do good things. I think that the creation of the America I AM museum exhibit is a positive addition to Tavis' resume.

This traveling museum exhibit celebrate nearly 500 years of African American contributions to the nation through artifacts, documents, multimedia, photos and music. In fact, some have called it 'the largest and most comprehensive exhibition of African American history ever created.'.

I am pleased to note that the America I AM exhibit is coming to the Cincinnati Museum Center in June 2010 for about 6-7 months. Cincinnati isn't your usual suspect for things that uplift Black culture ... however, when someone does good ... it should be acknowledged. Kudos to the leaders of the Cincinnati Museum Center for getting this exhibit to our town!

America I AM is a four-year touring exhibit that premiered in Philadelphia last year. It is currently in Los Angeles CA. The exhibit endeavors to bring together Americans of all cultures, ages, and backgrounds to celebrate and further understand the indelible African American imprint on this country.

The exhibit is HUGE ... containing twelve galleries encompassing over 15,000 square feet. It takes visitors through a journey that spans nearly five (5) centuries of American history ... there has never been a culture and history exhibition as complete and impactful.

My understanding is that Tavis Smiley used his brand and contacts to obtain over 250 rarely toured artifacts from over 70 contributors from across the globe. The exhibition will include the doors to the Cape Coast Castle in Ghana (Doors of No Return), Alex Haley’s typewriter used to write Roots, personal Koran of Malcolm X, the door key and stool from the Birmingham jail cell that held Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., sports memorabilia from Michael Jordan and Arthur Ashe, Muhammad Ali’s robe, a personal loan of Prince's guitar, and much more.

The Cincinnati Museum Center is going to take advantage of this national exhibit to present its internationally significant collection of J.P. Ball photographs -- the largest collection of his works in the world. For those villagers that don't know ... J.P. Ball was a free Black man who settled in Cincinnati in the mid-19th century. An entrepreneur, abolitionist and photographer, Ball was a careful observer and recorder of key transformations of his time.

Anyhow, I hope that the Cincinnati community -- of all races, but particularly African Americans -- support the America I AM exhibit when it gets here in a few weeks. This exhibit can have a positive impact on our community life -- from economics to self-image to youth and community development to social progress to spirituality.

Have you seen the America I Am exhibit yet? Do you plan to do so over the course of its 4-year run?

Taser Death: Kelly Brinson (Cincinnati, OH)

45-year-old Kelly Brinson died on January 23, three days after going into cardiac arrest at University Hospital. Family members say Brinson had a history of mental problems and went to the hospital for treatment. They thought he would be safe there.

University of Cincinnati police chief Gene Ferrara calls the case unfortunate and tragic.

Brinson was being led to a room on the 8th-floor psychiatric ward for medical evaluation, and officers say he attempted to assault one of his escorts. After being initially subdued, Brinson “became violent” again in the examination room and officers, security and medical staff attempted to restrain him. The melee included five officers from the division and members of hospital staff and security.

During the struggle, officer Mark Zacharias pulled out his stun gun and attempted to shoot Brinson, but ended up having to situate the Taser manually to make contact with Brinson’s body.

“Oh, my God, I cannot believe he is not coming back,” said Brenda Brinson, Kelly Brinson’s sister.

Brenda Brinson said she knew her brother needed help just after the new year. Diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic close to three decades ago, his sister said he told her he had been having bad dreams and overall bad feelings since the holidays. He was feeling suicidal.

Derek Brinson said his brother had been talking about the need to get his medications adjusted. Over the years he had mental setbacks and had been arrested on various charges, ranging from assault to disorderly conduct.

Even so, “He was gentle,” Derek Brinson said.

On Jan. 16, Kelly Brinson punched a wall and broke his right hand at his Mount Airy home. His hand and his ring and pinky finger were put into a cast that went up to his elbow.

Two days later, Kelly Brinson went to University Hospital and asked to be admitted to the psychiatric ward, his sister and brother said.

“I knew he was safe and I could rest my mind,” Brenda Brinson said.

The following evening, Brinson’s brother was on a ventilator.

Brenda Brinson said she was told emergency workers spent 19 minutes trying to revive her brother after he was stunned and he never regained consciousness.

The Brinsons said their brother was agitated because his cell phone, which also has a radio, had been taken away from him because he had lashed out at a fellow patient.

“He just wanted to listen to the radio,” Derek Brinson said.

Both Brinsons said their brother had calmed down but were told he became agitated again before being shocked. They were also told that he was given sedatives before he was shocked.

He said, “I’m done,” just before going into cardiac arrest, Brenda and Derek Brinson said hospital officials told them in a meeting that also involved police last week.

“He was dead Wednesday, I just know it,” Derek Brinson said. “They just kept him alive to try and cover this up.”

Officials of the public safety department at the University of Cincinnati (UC) are maintaining that the UC Police division officers followed proper procedure when subduing a University Hospital patient Jan. 20.






Ferrara said the Taser hit Brinson in the upper leg and hip area. The officer tried using the weapon two more times, but Ferrara said a computer printout that tracks the Taser use through a chip suggest the device locked and only shocked Brinson once.

The Brinsons believe their brother also was hit twice with the Taser in the chest, something police officers have been warned to try to avoid doing since Taser International sent out an alert last fall advising police to avoid shocking suspects in the chest.

“We have pictures,” Brenda Brinson said.

What matters most to Brenda and Derek Brinson is that hospital staff and police apparently didn’t try other means, such a straightjacket, to control their brother.

“That was his safe place,” Brenda Brinson said of the hospital.

Brenda Brinson said her brother has been seeking help at UC and other mental health agencies for 28 years.

“He went there for help,” Brenda Brinson said.

Annie Ruth and Eugene Goss Win 2009 Art and Music Pioneer Award

Annie Ruth and Eugene Goss today were named recipients of the 2009 distinguished Art and Music Pioneer Awards. The awards presented annually at the Smooth Jazz in the Park Festival recognize artists who have unselfishly devoted themselves to sharing, reaching, and teaching others through the use of their talents.

This year’s award recipients have a breadth of talent, extensive credits and an exhaustive list of accomplishments.

Annie Ruth, an award-winning visual artist, poet, author, performing artist, community advocate, and philanthropist, whose work inspires and impacts audiences nationally, will receive the Master Artist Award. An artist since she was a young child, Annie Ruth started her art career when she was a junior in high school and she has worked nearly 30 years sharing her gift with the world. Talented in several arts categories she has demonstrated expertise in each.

Annie Ruth earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from National University in San Diego, California and is a trailblazer receiving critical acclaim for her work. Authoring and illustrating more than 15 books, articles and inspirational commentaries for both children and adults, she still finds time to mentor numerous aspiring artists and authors.

Her commissioned art and posters are exhibited in homes and institutions throughout the country. Several of Annie Ruth’s major art commissions include Fifth Third Bank, Profiles in Courage Award, The Presbyterian Foundation, Central Clinic – University of Cincinnati, Children’s for Children/Procter &Gamble. In 2008 Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory commissioned her to create an original work for the National NAACP Convention in honor of Julian Bond.

Annie Ruth stays active in the community, leading causes that impact women, children, the arts, and literacy. For over two decades her work has directly benefited the Greater Cincinnati community.

In 2003, she was the Taft Museum of Art Duncanson Artist-in Residence. Other awards include Girl Scout’s Women of Distinction Award® , YWCA Career Woman of Achievement, an Ohio Senate Commendation for her community service and artistic accomplishments, a Leading Woman Award for Arts & Entertainment, and Enquirer Woman of the Year.

She has been featured in Who’s Who in Black Cincinnati since the publication’s inception. And in 2008 Annie Ruth was one of 3 women selected for Tyra Banks’ Black History vignette, as a woman making history. The vignette was aired nationally on the Fox and Oxygen networks throughout Black History Month of that year.

Annie Ruth served on the Cincinnati Arts Association, Building Diverse Audiences Advisory Committee, as a board member for the Association for the Advancement of Arts Education, and as a consultant for the Ohio Arts Council for at-risk youth.

Because of her commitment to exposing the community to positive art, Annie Ruth founded Eye of the Artists Foundation in 2001 to use the arts to empower and educate the community, with a focus on youth. Through the foundation she reaches children and educators across the country. She collaborates with other artists to create arts education curriculum materials that depict positive African American contributions to society and culture.

The curriculum sets are distributed free throughout urban populations in the Greater Cincinnati area. The foundation has also donated original art collections to schools and non-profit organizations throughout Cincinnati to benefit the public. Annie Ruth said, “I am like a vessel that God pours this tremendous gift into. It’s my job to share this gift with the rest of the world,” and people of the world and especially in Cincinnati have greatly benefited and been inspired by her work.

Eugene Goss, an eclectic jazz vocalist and percussionist, whose natural affinity for showmanship walks close to the boundary line between music and performance, will receive the Master Musician Award. His superb mastery of his art is manifested when he draws deep into the global jazz song book and blends his own mix of deeply felt lyrics, imaginative scat vocal styling’s and a spontaneous sampling of bells, rhythms and chimes. His gifted artistry makes a unique style, a global jazz style, a universal style of performance, where the sum is greater than all of the parts.

Bringing a new transcendence to the jazz idiom, Goss infuses and excites audiences around the globe. His charismatic stage presence comes with a long career of playing and sharing stages with diverse jazz legends such as Jaco Pastorius, Pat Metheny, Miles Davis, Othello Molinerun, Ray Charles, Chaka Khan, Marvin Gay, Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Jon Hendricks, Phyllis Hyman, and Ira Sullivan.

Mr. Goss is the recipient of numerous honors and awards including, Best of Cincinnati City for entertainment and music, the Cammy Award for best jazz vocalist, best male vocalist and best percussionist in a poll conducted by Cincinnati’s Entertainer Magazine, best jazz performance in the Michelob Jazz Search WNOP competition and the Image Maker award. He performs overseas, in concerts, at festivals and for events that benefit the arts and children issues.

A reception will be held at the Forest Park Community Center prior to the concert on Saturday, August 1, 2009. Guests have been invited to meet the award recipients and to greet the talented artists that will be performing later in the evening.

The awards will be presented during the concert which begins at 6:00 pm. The concert attracts jazz enthusiasts from Chicago, Atlanta, Michigan, Columbus, Kentucky and Indiana. More than 8,000 people are expected to attend this year.

The Smooth Jazz in the Park Festival is a free family oriented community arts project sponsored by the City of Forest Park, The Hamilton County Park District, Duke Energy, Community Action Agency, Best Western Hotel, Cincinnati Art Museum, Time Warner Cable, and the Cincinnati Herald.

For additional information regarding the Art and Music Pioneer Awards, Award Recipients, the concert and other festival activities visit http://www.projectartreach.org/.

Cincinnati Business Incubator Video Overview

I served as president of the Cincinnati Business Incubator (CBI) for five years. It is a non-profit small business incubator that spurred economic growth and job creation in Cincinnati, Ohio. I am very proud of the work that we did at CBI during the time I spent there. Here is a video with some feedback from CBI clients, sponsors and board members:






Please share comments that you have on small business incubators ... either in Cincinnati or where you are located. I am curious to learn if other villagers have used incubators to help grow their own business.

Save the NAACP Youth Entrepreneurship Institute

This is an 'Open Letter to NAACP President Ben Jealous'. I invite everyone to voice their own thoughts in the COMMENTS section below. My hope is that we will receive some type of response from Mr. Jealous himself over time.

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Dear President Jealous:

The Electronic Village offers our sincere congratulations on your appointment as President and CEO of the NAACP. The afrosphere stands ready to assist you in any way we can. Black bloggers are optimistic about the outreach that you have made to our online community. Your recent conference calls displayed the power of working cooperatively, thus, serving notice that the NAACP will stand for equity in the public arena, fairness in the corporate sector, and impartial treatment in the criminal justice system.

After talking with you last week I took a deeper look at the NAACP website. It gave me great hope to learn about the Reginald Lewis Youth Entrepreneurship Institute (YEI). For over five years I ran a small business incubator here in Cincinnati. As such, I know the power of entrepreneurship ... especially in these volatile economic times when unemployment is sweeping through the Black community.

You can imagine how disappointed I am to learn that you have decided to cancel this valuable youth entrepreneuship program.

Learning how to become entrepreneurs is so vital to our children and the future they face. It would be wonderful to see such a program located here in Cincinnati. Our town was recently named by Entrepreneur Magazine as a region with three of the top 25 college entrepreneurship programs, University of Cincinnati, Xavier University, and Miami University (Oxford, Ohio), not to mention an outstanding program at Northern Kentucky University just a cross the Ohio River from Cincinnati as well.

In addition, our school board created an entrepreneurship high school eight years ago. Also, our city is the home of a powerful brother, Jim Clingman, who advocates for economic empowerment and youth entrepreneurship in his nationally syndicated newspaper column.

Mr. Jealous, the YEI Program would be a great asset to Cincinnati, as it has been to other cities, and this is a request for your reconsideration of maintaining the program as an individual offering of the NAACP.

Thank you in advance for your courteous consideration of this request.

Sincerely,
Villager, blogger
Electronic Village
Member: The AfroSpear

Cullen Jones: Tiger Woods of the Swimming Pool?

UPDATE: We published this post in March 2007. Last night, Cullen Jones won a gold medal in the 4x100 freestyle relay! If Michael Phelps wins 8 gold medals ... one of them will be courtesy of his teamwork with Cullen Jones!

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Des Walsh, a blogging evangelist living in the Australia area, gave the Electronic Village a heads-up on a sports story that was making a splash Down Under while barely making a ripple here in America. It turns out that that the fastest American in the pool is a man of African descent. Cullen Jones set the American record in the 50-yard freestyle last year ... only a tad off of the world record. He parlayed his speed in the pool into a seven-year endorsement deal with Nike worth potentially more than two million US dollars. That makes him the highest paid sprint freestyler in the world.

Jones is a member of the world record-setting 400-meter freestyle relay team and a potential gold medalist at the Beijing Olympics next year.

I imagine that most Villagers have pride for what this brother has done. Speaking of pride, the timing is real good for the movie of the same name starring Terrance Howard and Bernie Mac. Movie about Black students going to state championship in swimming coming to a theatre near you. [Editor's Note: I'm waiting for the movie that brings us the first team of sistas that make it to the state championship ... Just the dawg in me!]

Back to the point ... it is a good thing that Cullen Jones has a chance to bring a positive spin on diversity for the sport of competitive swimming. Soon people will be calling him the Tiger Woods of his sport. Unfortunately, it is likely his impact will be as neglible for Nubians. Tiger has been on the scene for a decade. Anyone see any other brothers on the PGA Tour? A few more of us watch golf on television when Tiger is playing ... but, the reality is that there simply aren't many African Americans with the financial means to tap into inate golf talent that will allow them to become professionals in the sport.

It could be the same for Cullen Jones. I live in Cincinnati, OH. It is a big budget fight just to keep the community pools open for the summer. Ain't much room for racing up & down a pool that is filled with hundreds of other kids from the neighborhood. As such, it is unlikely that the inate swimming talent inside our African American youth will have a chance to shine. As a result, Cullen Jones will likely remain the only pepper in the salt of the US Olympic Swimming Team photos for many years to come.

Anyhow, I don't begrudge Tiger or Cullen gettin' paid for their talents. However, I am no longer holding out hope that they are pioneers for other people of African descent into their respective country club sports.

On the other hand, the Acting White blog gives another twist to this story. Bro. Collier hopes that the publicity Cullen Jones will get leading up to the Beijing Olympics may result in fewer drowning deaths and accidents for children of color.

What are your comments on Cullen Jones and his world-record success in the pool?

Blackface is Holiday Tradition in Amsterdam

Mark Twain is credited with saying, "When the end of the world comes, I want to be in Cincinnati because it's always twenty years behind the times." I live in Cincinnati ... and there are many times when I agree with Mark Twain's assessment. Today, I learn from an AfroSpear blog, Black Women In Europe, that Amsterdam may be even further behind the times.

Can you believe that they have an annual tradition of white folks wearing blackface in Amsterdam?

Chris Smitherman Makes NAACP Cincinnati Branch More Relevant

We shared with you news of a new president for the NAACP Cincinnati branch earlier this year. It appears at the people are speaking with their checkbooks about the effectiveness of the new leadership. The branch reported a 100% increase in membership in the six months since Chris Smitherman took office as president.

Smitherman said of the increase, "The increase in membership is based on citizens in our community viewing the Cincinnati Branch of the NAACP as relevant and engaged in issues that impact their daily lives.".

Smitherman successfully led a coaliton of groups to defeat a county 'jail tax' issue that had the support and momentum of big business and major politicians in the city. Last night he ended a hunger strike protesting the ridiculous bond that held a Black man in prison for over 60 days for what appears to be a minor transgression. The bail set by a Cincinnati judge in this case was more than the bail OJ Simpson had to pay to Las Vegas judges for release on 11 charges of armed assault.

NAACP is bringing their national conference to Cincinnati next year and it appears that the local branch may be worthy of the honor. Do you see similiar resurgence by the NAACP branch in your town? More importantly, are you a NAACP member?

Gotta Get Goals

Theo Johnson is the creative genius behind the Now That is What I'm Talking About blog. He tagged me with a meme on goals back in April 2007. The original meme was started by Alex Shalman. It has taken over five months ... but, the rhinos in my Electronic Village have elephant-like tendencies ... we never forget! My goals are actually quite simple at this stage of life.

1. Be a better father, son, brother and uncle - This takes many forms. First, I recognize that I need to be a better role model, including showing my children the importance of having God in your life. African proverb says that when there is a difference between a man's actions and his words ... believe his actions. My actions need to improve drastically in terms of my attendance and support of church. It is a tangible action that would be meaningful for my young son and daughters. It would also be something that my mother and sister would like. One thing is certain, I will be a great witness for others based on the ups & downs that I've had in my life. Finally, my nieces could use a positive male role model ... and Uncle Villager is ready to take on that role for the next few decades. I plan to write, call and visit with my sister, nieces and parents on a regular basis. We are located on the four corners of the continent ... so it will take some doing ... but, this is an important goal.
2. Become financially independent - I read with interest a post from Field Negro earlier this weekend. It reminded me of the financial roll that I was on a few years ago. Black Enterprises magazine once gave stats that showed I was in the top 2% of Black folks in terms of family income. However, that house of cards crashed when I managed to mess up my marriage ... get divorced ... and get hit with some whopper child support payments. At the exact same time, I left my corporate gig to start my own business ... and for a few years it seems that I lived off of credit cards and such. In other words, I dug a very big financial hole for myself. Over the past year I have been taking steps on a day-by-day basis to get my sh*t together. My credit score is moving up and my child support payments are timely. My new motto is ,'Start Late, Finish Rich'. I enjoy reading about bloggers that are making big bank. They are an inspiration as well. My former wife is also an inspiration in this regard. Anyhow, my goal is to become financially independent within the next five years.
3. Grow my business - I became a full-time entrepreneur on July 5, 2002. That is when I began my business in earnest. My largest contract was signed with the Cincinnati Business Incubator about a year later. I currently have 48 clients under contract at the incubator. These are some dedicated entrepreneurs and business owners that are looking to create jobs and economic growth in the community. Our most successful incubator client is a 3-year old firm, World Pac Paper, that is now one of the top six Black-owned companies in the city. My consultancy added other contracts and clients over the past year. The joy is that I have been a 1099-brother since July 2002. Those of you who own your own business will understand what that means! Now, I need to take my business to the next level. One thing that I need to do is update and implement a revised business plan. The steps that I took to get my consulting business started have run their course. I now need to take different steps to grow my consulting business over the long-term. As such, my immediate goal is to have a new business plan in place before the end of the year.
4. Provide four-year scholarships for BDPA students - I am the executive director for the BDPA Education & Technology Foundation. I was blessed last month to be able to hand out $40,000 in scholarships to students from Chattanooga, TN; Detroit, MI; Chicago, IL; New York, NY; and Rochester, MN. The scholarships ranged from $500/student to $3,000/student for the winning team from Southern Minnesota. My vision is to hand out 4-year scholarships to these students. If baseball, basketball and football players can get full rides from high school to competing colleges ... why can't these talented information technology students have those same benefits and opportunities. I created the BETF-Blog so that we can communicate more effectively. I hope to hand out the first full 4-year scholarship at the 30th annual BDPA Technology Conference in August 2008.

I have other goals in life that revolve around relationships and such. However, these are the ones that bubbled to the top as I typed out this post today. It is always good to put your goals in writing. We'll need to come back every once in awhile to see how these turn out. My thanx again to Theo for tagging me with this meme. I see that Vanessa and Benin were much more timely in their response to Theo's tag. I gotta get rid of this procrastination-habit!

Anyhow, I get to tag others now. My choices are:

• Adrianne - Black Women in Europe
• Bronze Trinity - Man I Need Something To Do
• Eddie - Eddie Griffin, BASG
• Invisible Woman - Black Cinema at LARGE
• Keith - The 'D' Spot
• Wayne - Field Negro

As we used to say when we were kids ... TAG YOU'RE IT!