Video Game Innovation Fellowship for Minority Youth

Leaders on Fast Track (LOFT) has partnered with the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) to run the ESA LOFT Video Game Innovation Fellowship. We are asking all villagers to take a close look at this fellowship opportunity.  Your goal is simple: create a video game or application that can inspire social change in your community.

• Eligible: Minority youth ages 16-24
• Reward: 20 winners will receive $1,000 grants and a trip to DC
• Deadline: August 15, 2014.

What's Your M.O.? Video Contest

There are a number of remarkable young 'uns within the reach of our 'electronic village'. We encourage them to get with Monique Coleman and GimmeMo to enter the What's Your M.O.? video contest for youth.





Coleman, an actress, singer, activist and United Nations Youth Champion dedicated to empowering today's youth, created What's Your Mo as a chance for teens to tell what their Mo' is, what teens are passionate about, and what they are doing to make a difference.

This contest is for teens ages 13-to-18. Videos must be :60-:90 seconds. Videos must be uploaded to YouTube with the tag "What's Your M.O.?" and the link emailed to communications@ysa.org. The winning video will be featured on Coleman's online show at Gimmemo.com and the winner will receive a personal 15 minute Skype video call with Coleman.

The deadline is November 28, 2011 ... so get busy!

Top 10 Villagers of the Year

This blog tracked the top Black blogs for a number of years. We no longer have the Black Blog Rankings ... however, soulclap to Bookerista for giving us the idea of creating another list of the top Black bloggers out there. We've opened up the process to all villagers!

Which Black online presence - activist, blogger, expert, Facebook analyst, journalist, pundit or Twitterer - do you believe stood out this year and should be on the Top 10 list? Who made a special mark? Who do you believe should get special shine as 2009 Villager Of The Year? [NOTE: the Villager himself is not eligible!]

Put your nominations in the comments thread below, or email them to blog@elecvillage.com.

Giveaway Contest * Young Black Professional Guide

Drumbeats from Young Black Professional Guide let us know about a giveaway contest that they are hosting over the next week. They are encouraging villagers to make a donation to a non-profit this week. They look to announce ten winners on March 14th. The winners will receive a copy of Bill Cosby's book, Come on People: On the Path from Victims to Victors.

I encourage you to make your donation to either the BDPA Education & Technology Foundation or the Cincinnati Business Incubator. You can click on either link to make an immediate online donation that will provide you with an immediate receipt. Use the receipt to become eligible for the YBP Guide contest. At the same time you will be supporting two non-profits that I believe in very much!

AfroSpear Bloggers in Black Weblog Awards

I'm back!. Most of the few weeks were spent living out of a suitcase. I visited my parents in Los Angeles at the early part of the month. Last week I was in Washington DC for 29th annual BDPA Technology Conference in Washington DC. I have quite a bit to catch up on. So this is just a quick reminder that all villagers should take a moment right now to cast their The AfroSpear:

• The Field Negro - Best Blog
• Black in Business - Best Business Blog
• Black Women in Europe - Best Business Blog or Best International Blog

You are on your own for the rest of your votes, however, Paula Mooney reviews some of the contestants and shares info on some of the judges as well. Anyhow, make sure that you get your votes in before the polls close on August 31, 2007 ... with winners announced on September 5.

YouTube Challenge for Peace in Iraq

One Million Blogs for Peace is hosting a YouTube Challenge that looks for videos promoting peace in Iraq. Anyone who signs up as part of One Million Blogs for Peace is eligible to win by simply submitting a video posted to YouTube from August 15 thru September 30, 2007. The winner gets a $50 Amazon.com gift certificate and some other stuff. However, the real winners are the rest of us that will be motivated and encouraged by the creative peace-based videos on YouTube!

I encourage all Villagers participating in this contest to let us know about it with a comment to this post! The Electronic Village is proud to be one in a million as a blog that wants peace in Iraq.

Do you see your favorite blog on this list yet?

2007 Black Weblog Awards

The Electronic Village began operations in January 2007. As such, we have little chance for recognition in the 2007 Black Weblog Awards contest. This year, each category will have two winners. The voting public will submit websites for blogs via a nomination form from August 1-15. The winners will be announced on September 5.

Click here to submit your nominations. No longer do we have to sing the blues for being ignored by the larger blogosphere ... here we are creating our own awards to honor dozens of quality Black-owned and operated blogs! Voting will begin on Thursday, August 16. Although we don't expect to be in the mix ... we hope that all villagers will take a moment to participate in the process.

Fatherhood & Inspiring Americans

There are some blogging events coming up that I wanted to share with villagers. One of them is brought to you by Rosemarie (Miscellaneous Matters). She is calling for everyone to post a poem, message or letter about your greatest memory of your father or fatherhood. The timing is right and I hope that many villagers will consider participation in this effort.

Kyra Hicks (Black Threads) is part of the growing Afrosphere. She points out to villagers that the Smithsonian is looking for Inspiring Americans - and your vote counts! Here's your chance to share your thoughts with the Smithsonian, nominate your favorite historical or contemporary villager, your teacher, your mentor, or any person who motivated you to do better!

Villagers, are you aware of other events on the upcoming calendar that we should share while we are sitting around the Electronic Village baobob tree?

I've Been Schmoozed!

The blogosphere is a wondrous creation in cyberspace. Imagine a pebble dropped in the center of a still lake ... ripples growing larger in concentric circles ... impacting on more and more parts of the lake ... until massive waves come crashing down on the shore. That is how the blogosphere is at times. I entered the Blogging to Fame contest in late May. One blogger becoming famous in that venue is Anna at Box1715. Anna also is a regular contributor to our Manic Monday meme. She is a remarkable woman who is taking some powerful and proactive steps to deal with numerous life challenges.

Anyhow, Anna presented me with a Schmooze Award!

This is what Anna had to say:

"Villager has an awesome blog that serves not only to educate but to involve his community members in many valuable discussions. While Villagers blog is aimed mainly at the African American culture, his community is very diverse and he fosters that diversity through his comments and interactions with those of us from differing cultures. He has posted many wonderful stories and it is always a pleasure to see what new ideas he is writing about."

Origin of the Schmooze: Mike at Ordinary Folk and his friend Danielle have created the new Power of Schmooze award. This is an award passed on to those who foster Blogging Community Involvement.

There are I have 4 bloggers I would like to share this with, as these are all wonderful individuals who take great care to foster the community spirit.

Danielle - Modern Musings
http://www.taureandevi.blogspot.com/

Danielle was one of the first bloggers that joined our Electronic Village community. She continues to be supportive in a number of ways. Danielle is a politically conscious woman, mother, wife, student, writer, poet, seeker and member of the global human society. Her blog facilitates grassroots "Intelligence Gathering" concerning prominent issues facing America and serve as an outlet for her random thoughts and inspirations. She brings together a wide variety of people into her blogging community. She introduced a number of the regular features that we employ here on the Electronic Village. In many ways, she is my blogging role model.

Kimberly & Frederic - Young Black Professional (YBP) Guide
http://ybpguide.com/

YBP Guide is a forum of multiple perspectives and advice to support the many challenges that young Black professionals face. I used to be a YBP [sigh!]. I'm more of an OG-BP at this stage of my life. However, I appreciate what Kimberly and Frederic have done with YBP Guide. Their blogging mission is to empower readers with the knowledge and inspiration to foster progression and productivity in the Black community. Kimberly and Frederic have taken the concept of Blogging Community Involvement to the next level with the creation of rsspect.org. This new project increased the networking and exposure of blogs that feature content related to Black culture.

Bronze Trinity - Man I Need Something To Do
http://bronzetrinity.efx2.com/

Most volunteer organizations have a small nucleus of people that seem to do most of the work. Often in that small nucleus is a person that doesn't have a formal office or title ... however, based on her work she is viewed as a leader. I place Bronze Trinity in that category. She is one of the politically conscious Black bloggers working to create a movement known as the Afrosphere. Bronze Trinity saw the vision and implemented a remarkable Afrosphere newsletter that is a comprehensive portal for the Black blogger community. You can find a list of AfroSphere blogs over in the left-hand navigation bar of the Electronic Village. I encourage you to check out some of the outstanding blogs that make up the AfroSphere nation! More importantly I encourage you to pay homage to the young sister known as the Bronze Trinity. She embodies the statement, 'Lead by Example'.

Morgen - It's a Blog Eating Blog World
http://morgenfiles.blogspot.com/

I haven't interacted with Morgen very much. I'm not certain that we have alot in common. However, I appreciate the Blogging Community Involvement that Morgen engenders with his various memes such as Manic Monday or Wordless Wednesday. He was also a large influence on the peace movement with bloggers. Anyhow, it is through Morgen that I have met a remarkable variety of bloggers from all around the world. Morgen is like that pebble that drops in the lake. His blogging efforts result in large waves of diverse villagers coming to our online shores.

Well Villagers ... do you have any candidates for the Power of Schmooze Award based on your travels in cyberspace?

5 More Blogs That Make Me Think

It hasn't been a full three months yet since my first blog post. It is wonderful to have an outlet such as this to share insights and thoughts on the issues of the day. My hope is that the Electronic Village becomes a daily destination for others in cyberspace interested in talking about Black culture, family, information technology, science fiction, small business development or any number of other topics. I ask that you imagine yourself sitting in the shade under our baobob tree ... enjoying libations and good company of other villagers ... sharing your comments, insights and thoughts.

We are pleased that our imagery appeals to a growing number of visiting villagers. One of the first people to visit with us was Jim Walton (Black in Business). Jim named the Electronic Village as one of the five blogs that make him think. Not Fearing Change did the same thing last month. It is humbling that both of these experienced bloggers feel we deserve The Thinking Blogger Award. My responsibility is to return the favor. I must abide by the rules of this award and name five blogs that make me think.

The first 5 blogs that make me think are still going strong.

Here are 5 more:

1. African American ~Black~ Opinion - This is actually a repeat from last time. However, I am even more intriqued by the direction that Bro. Rock is taking his blog. He is providing a portal for other bloggers in the Afrosphere to make their voices heard. This blog is one that I read daily. You may want to check 'em out regularly as well.
2. the field negro - I absolutely love the House Negro of the Day and Movie of the Day features that field announces every day. He recently shared his thoughts on 'patio negros' that caused some introspection on my part. I'm probably a 'patio negro' at this stage of my life. Come correct to the field negro ... or don't come at all. However, if your self-esteem is high, then I recommend the field negro blog to anyone interested in candor about race relations issues in our country.
3. Fort Wayne African American Independent Woman - credo is the creative genius behind this blog focused on local, regional, and national politics, race relations, community affairs, economic development for small businesses. She is generous in her comments here on the Electronic Village. She was the first to introduce me to the concept of the Afro-Spear. Her blog consistently gives me reasons to sit back and ponder the state of things.
4. The 'D' Spot - Keith is one of the best writers that I've seen in the blogosphere. He uses words to paint a picture. He takes the time to look at issues from a variety of perspectives in a humorous manner. The 'D' Spot focuses on issues related to Detroit, however, anyone that lives in any big city in America will find posts on this blog that resonate with them.
5. Paula Mooney - Paula has a self-titled blog that moves from topic to topic. Quite a few of her posts are about entertainment issues. However, I come back to her blog most of the time to pick up tips on how to monetize my blog. She has been very candid about the money she's earned from blogging. I find her tips easier to understand than many of the other power bloggers out there. Anyhow, I do recommend Paula's blog for any of us newbie bloggers that think we want to get some nickels and dimes back from our online efforts.

These are five more blogs that make me think. Obviously, there are dozens of other blogs and bloggers out there that we enjoy here in da Village. Many of the ones that we enjoy are included in our Afrosphere, Cool and Nubian blogrolls over in the left-hand navigation bar. However, the rules of this meme limit me to handing out the award to only five blogs. It is now the responsibility of these five villagers to write a post with links to 5 blogs that make them think.

Have you visited any of the five blogs listed above? Do you have any comments on them that you would like to share?

5 Blogs That Make Me Think

The evolution of the Electronic Village over the past couple of months has been a joy to experience. I started this blog with an idea that it would become an online oasis where elders from other parts of cyberspace would be willing to sit by our baobob tree in the center of the Village and share their wisdom with us. The stories we would tell around the fire would vary -- Alkebulan, Black culture, economic inclusion, family, information technology industry, science fiction, sports, youth education and other ecletic commentary would be shared in the Village.

It appears that our efforts are appreciated. A 30-something sister with an aptly-named blog, Not Fearing Change, nominated us for a Thinking Blogger Award. She wrote, "The Villager writes about social controversial topics. Items such as race; environment; social conditions. I have only been recently introduced to the blog. But I am slowly but surely becoming a common visitor. As well the Villager was oh so kind to sign me up for a new blog movement – I will let the Villager explain…"

My responsibility is to share the Thinking Blogger Award with five (5) blogs that make me think. There are many blogs and bloggers that I have come to read and respect. However, the five that I tag with this award are:

1. Cincinnati Black Blog - I came across this blog over two years ago. It was the first and only blog that I read for most of those two years. It is run by Nathaniel Livingston. I respect Bro. Livingston for his persistence and consistency in sharing his controversial view of life for Black folks in Cincinnati, Ohio.
2. Black Threads - My sister, Kyra Hicks, is a world-reknowned expert in the field of African American quilters. She published two books, a website and a blog on the topic. She is the one that explained to me that I could create a blog at no cost. I'm not a quilter, but, I admire the concentrated focus that Kyra puts into her blog.
3. African American Opinion - I seek out bloggers of color. I seek out blogs that have information uplifting for people of African descent. Bro. Rock is the blogger that brings together more information for African Americans than I have seen in any four other blogs combined. It truly is a remarkable effort and I highly recommend this blog to anyone with an interest in nubian thought.
4. The Federation - I don't publicize it much ... but, I'm a science fiction fan. I've read most books written by Isaac Asimov, Octavia Butler, Robert Heinlein, Frank Herbert and Larry Niven. I saw most episodes of ST:DS9 and ST:Voyager. So, it may not be surprising that the next blog that makes me think is based on a diary of a harassed Starfleet Officer in the 24th Century on the Star Trek of Life. I enjoy the photos, posts and the overall theme of this blog. The blog author goes by the moniker, 'Jean Luc Picard'. His blog makes you think and smile at the same time.
5. Modern Musings - My favorite blogger is Danielle. Her random thoughts (musings) on a wide variety of issues always makes me think. She demonstrates a willingness to share her thoughts on some of the tough social issues of the day. Many of the design elements of the Electronic Village came as a result of my wandering in her blog. Hey, let me know if you figure out her profile photo ... is she laying down or what?

Anyhow, these are the five blogs that make me think. I encourage you to visit each of them and share your comments as you feel the spirit to do so.