Dr. Ethelene Jones Crockett Outstanding Alumni Award Winner: Leland Bassett (2012)

My maternal grandmother, Ethelene Jones Crockett, was born in 1914 in St. Joseph, Michigan and grew up in Jackson, Michigan. She attended Jackson Community College (JCC) and graduated from University of Michigan. She married George Crockett, Jr. who was an accomplished lawyer, judge and congressman in his own right, and they had three children (including my Mom!) before she decided to attend medical school at Howard University in 1942.

Grandmother Crockett served her medical internship at Detroit Receiving Hospital but completed her residency in a New York City hospital because no Detroit hospital would accept an African American woman. She became the first Black female Ob/Gyn in the state of Michigan in 1952.

She retired from active practice in 1972. In 1978 she became the first woman president of the American Lung Association. Unfortunately, she died later that same year.

My grandmother was larger than life. I loved her very much.  I'm sure that she would be pleased to know that Detroit businessman Leland Bassett is the recipient of the 2012 Dr. Ethelene Jones Crockett Outstanding Alumni Award.  The Dr. Ethelene Jones Crockett Award is presented to a person who has displayed a positive and personal involvement in the betterment of humankind and has ongoing contact with JCC.  [SOURCE]

Bassett, who graduated from the college in 1964, is chairman and chief executive officer of Bassett & Bassett, communications managers and counselors, in Detroit. He has pioneered the application of human communication sciences and strategic planning in public relations, corporate communications and strategic communications for more than 30 years.

Congratulations to Mr. Bassett ... he's officially part of our 'village' now!

'E' is for Excellence Award: 10 Excellent Blogs

So many folks are heading to Facebook that the landscape for pure-bloggers is changing. One of the things that I see less nowadays are the informal blogging awards that used to be given out so often. A few years ago I was blessed to receive the 'E For Excellence' Blog Award'.

I would like to re-ignite that particular award. There is only one rule -- after receiving the 'E For Excellence' Blog Award, you must pass it on to 10 more excellent blogs. Here are the ten blogs that I would like to share this award with today:

1. BDPA Education and Technology Foundation Blog - This blog shares information about fundraising, funding sources and BDPA programs. BDPA seeks to advance the careers of African Americans in the information technology industry.
2. Black Web 2.0 - This blog is great about discussing the wealth of exceptional innovation, talent, and ambition of Blacks in the technology and new media industries in an opinionated and authentic voice.
3. Booker Rising -This is a blog for Black conservatives. The sheer volume of quality blog posts blows me away every day.
4. Depraved Mindset - This is a blog for the radical progressives who wish to expose the world to the truth and promote the create a more just society.
5. Field Negro - This blog gets more comments on its daily posts than any other non-entertainment blog in the world. He has great rapport with his blogging community ... and his social commentary is always on point for Black America.
6. For Harriet - This blog works to elevate the voices of Black women online and off.
7. Jack & Jill Politics - This is the most prominent political blog in the afrosphere. JJP prides itself on providing a Black bourgeoisie perspective on U.S. politics.
8. The BrownWatch - This blog provides news for people of color.
9. The Intersection | Madness & Reality - This blog talks about the injustices AfricanAmericans face, politics, and the reverent or irreverent. RiPPa uses his sense of humor and sarcasm to convey his opinion, and whether others agree with him, it isn’t his concern.
10. TNT: Truth ... Not Tasers - This blog tracks all taser-related deaths in North America. I admire the passion and comprehensive nature of the reporting done on this blog.

Congratulations to each of 'em for doing what they do! I hope that all villagers will take a moment to visit these ten Excellent Blogs.

Nominations Open for 2011 Black Weblog Awards (Apr 18 - May 7)

We want to encourage all of our blog readers to take a moment to support the 2011 Black Weblog Awards.  You have the ability to nominate your favorite blogs about any and every topic.  The nomination service is open through May 7th.  Not only do we want you to make nominations ... but, we hope that you will spread the word about this online award program to others in your sphere of influence.

Nominations:

• Nominations are open from April 18 - May 7
• The official Nomination site is here.
• You provide the web address (URL) for your favorite blog in each category as well as your name and email address on the nomination form and that's it.
• There are 37 categories.

Voting:

• Finalists will be announced the week of May 15
• Online voting commences May 16 – June 17. 
• Again, you will need to cast your vote (your valid email address will confirm you are a person and not a bot).

Winners will be announced live at the Black Weblog Awards Ceremony during the 2011 Blogging While Brown Conference in Los Angeles, California.

Here are the categories:

Best Blog Design (This category is for well-designed blogs that incorporate a unique and eye-catching visual web design, keen use of typography, and a killer layout)

Best Blog Network (This category is for Black blog networks. Blog networks should be comprised of at least three blogs with content updated regularly, include some level of quality control, and include some type of blog network indication which links to the blog network’s site.)

Best Blog Post Series (This category is for a series of posts in a blog about a particular topic. Posts can be fiction or non-fiction, but post series must be linked by a common and identifiable theme with the ability to skip forward or backwards through the series for judging purposes.)

Best Business Blog (This category is for blogs that talk about the modern business world.)

Best Culture Blog (This category is for blogs which analyze and discuss Black culture and/or the African diaspora with respect to art, dance, Black history, music, and other related content.)

Best Cooking or Food Blog (This category is for blogs which focus on food and/or recipes. Blogs may also include restaurant and product reviews.)

Best Faith-Based Blog (This category is for blogs which feature unique religious and spiritual content from any religion or faith.)

Best Fashion or Beauty Blog (This category is for blogs which cover the topics of beauty, fashion, clothing, cosmetics, design, accessories, personal styling, and other related content for either men or women.)

Best Film Blog (This category is for blogs which promote or discuss films, actors, film culture, and other related content.)

Best Gaming or Comics Blog (This category is for blogs which promote or discuss films, actors, film culture, and other related content.)

Best Gossip Blog (This category is for blogs that focus on the reporting, satire, and lampooning of celebrities and pop culture.)

Best Group Blog (This category is for a single blog which is updated by a group of people (two or more people. This blog can be about any topic.)

Best Health or Wellness Blog (This category is for blogs that focus on health, fitness, living green, and overall physical wellness.)

Best Hip-Hop Blog (This category is for blogs that focus primarily on hip-hop culture, including urban fashion, current events, hip-hop music, and other related content.)

Best Humor Blog (This category is for humor blogs or blogs which feature humorous content. All sites comedy-related, including humor sites, sites spotlighting comedians, and sites that simply make you laugh.)

Best International Blog (This category is for blogs of any topic that are based in countries other than the United States. The country of origin for the blog must be clearly identified for judging purposes.)

Best LGBT Blog (This category is for blogs that relate to or are about the LGBT community, including news, pop culture, or personal stories)

Best Microblog (This category is for the following types of microblogs: Twitter profiles, Tumblr blogs, or Posterous blogs.)


Best Music Blog (This category is for blogs that focus on music; blogs can provide downloadable mp3s, and may cover more than one genre of music. The majority of the blog should be about music, not satire on pop culture.)

Best New Blog This category is for blogs of any topic which have been started on or after September 1, 2010.)

Best Parenting or Family Blog (This category is for blogs which center around the topics of family, raising children, families, etc.)

Best Personal Blog (This category is for blogs written by individuals about themselves or about others. Blogs do not have to adhere to a specific theme, but should specifically be about the blogger’s life.)

Best Photography Blog (This category is for blogs which present and feature photographs taken by the blog author.)

Best Podcast Series (This category highlights podcasts — serialized audio files available to download — on any topic.)

Best Political or News Blog (This category is for blogs which are about politics or current newsworthy topics.)

Best Science or Technology Blog (This category is for blogs which feature content about biology, chemistry, physics, technology, the Internet, and the various realms of science)

Best Sex or Relationships Blog (This category is for blogs which discuss or analyze romantic or interpersonal relationship topics, sexual health or other sexual or relationship topics.)

Best Sports Blog (This category is for blogs which discuss or analyze anything sports-related, including professional sports teams, fantasy sports, sports players, and other related content.)

Best Teen Blog (This category is for blogs of any topic where the author is anywhere from 13-19 years old.)

Best Travel Blog (This category is for blogs which explore world travel, travel plans, tourism, travel writing, or other related content.)


Best Video Blog/Vlogger (This category highlights blogs which feature original video content by the blog’s author on any topic. Blog content must be primarily video content.)

Best Writing in a Blog (This category is for blogs which have exceptional writing.)

Blog of the Year (The blog of the year has it all: great writing, frequent posts, active comments and a strong reader base)

Blog to Watch (This category is for that great blog that not everyone knows about…but should! It’s undiscovered. It’s a best kept secret)

Best Lifestyle Blog

Best Plus-Sized Fashion Blog

Best Automotive/ Car Blog

Best Green/ Nature/ Outdoor Living Blog

I hope that you take a moment to nominate those Black-owned and Black-operated blogs that you've been enjoying over the past year!

Top 50 Amazing Tech Tastemakers

Soulclap to Angela Benton and the other leaders of Black Web 2.0 for creating a forum to identify and celebrate the Top 50 Most Notable African American Technology Tastemakers.

Black Web 2.0 tells us that tastemakers are the developers, the thinkers, and the risk takers. They're the entrepreneurs that sink their last dollar into their dream, the writers who report on it, and the evangelists that spread the word. Tastemakers are not influenced, they create influence and they do it through amazingly bold and innovative action. They are redefining the world of tech and ensuring the digital revolution will be televised, tweeted, blogged, and crowd-sourced.

Black Web 2.0 is seeking insights and feedback from you to determine the majority of the spots on this year's Top 50 Amazing Tech Tastemakers. If there's a person that should be included on the list, vote for them in "Submit Your Own Tastemaker". The tastemaker with the most votes will move to the top of the list.

I would love to see BDPA members represented on this list. After all, BDPA has been working to advance African Americans in the IT industry from the 'classroom to the boardroom' for over 35 years.  The BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) has given out $318,000 in scholarship funding to over 150 students since 1999.  Much of this work has been done under the radar.  Here is an opportunity to share some love for the efforts of BDPA over the years.   I noticed that @BDPA is currently one of the options for you to vote on. Anyhow, I encourage you to check out who made the list and submit your own!

Good News Tuesday: William Marcus King, BDPA Epsilon Award for Professional Achievement

William Marcus King (State Farm Insurance) is the winner of the 2010 Epsilon Award for Professional Achievement presented by National BDPA and WorkplaceDiversity.com.

BDPA Epsilon Awards recognize individual achievement by technologists who are nominated by BDPA chapters or corporate sponsors.

Nominees for the Epsilon Professional Achievement Award Nominees are highly experienced professionals well who have made significant achievements in technology or information technology in industry or government. Their specific degree earned is less relevant than the significance of the work and the nominee’s achievements as a role model and leader for other minorities in the field.

William Marcus King was the Director sponsor of Innovative Challenge/Breaking Form Initiative at State Farm Insurance.  The Innovation Challenge/Breaking Form initiative encourages IT employees to develop and present ideas that can be quickly assessed for viability. Each IT employee has the opportunity to choose his own work schedule, benefits package and work environment from a series of options that range from the traditional to the innovative, with an emphasis on mobile and collaborative work environments

Mr. King also improved the effectiveness and efficiency of the solution delivery business within the Systems Department.  His leadership was a contributing factor to the increase in productivity of the Systems Department and reduced the solution delivery expenses of the department. William’s responsibilities included establishing the vision, strategy, and approach of this Initiative. Breaking Form facilitated improvements within the department, creating a strong foundation for the years ahead. During this assignment, William reported to the CIO of State Farm’s Systems Department.

The Electronic Village joins all villagers in congratulating William Marcus King on his 2010 Epsilon Award for Professional Achievement.  State Farm Insurance is one of the best places for IT professionals to work because of the innovation and character of people like William!

I look forward to meeting Bro. King at the 32nd annual National BDPA Technology Conference. How about you?

Good News Tuesday: Cheryl Terry, BDPA Epsilon Award for Outstanding Technical Contribution

Cheryl Terry (Wells Fargo Bank) is one of the winners of the 2010 Epsilon Award for Outstanding Technical Contribution presented by National BDPA and WorkplaceDiversity.com.

BDPA Epsilon Awards recognize individual achievement by technologists who are nominated by BDPA chapters or corporate sponsors.

Nominees for the Epsilon Outstanding Technical Contribution Award are presented to individuals who perform technological functions and have designed, managed, developed, or assisted in the development of a product, service, system, or intellectual property that is a substantial achievement. The nominee’s work is the prime consideration, regardless of title or degrees earned.

Cheryl Terry is a systems architect who ensures availability and security of several of Wells Fargo’s most business-critical systems in the mainframe and midrange environments. For the past two years, she has served as Chief Systems Architect for the Mainframe Resiliency Program and achieved many successes around enhancing Wells Fargo’s mainframe environments, helping to ensure that her customers can transact business with the bank when and how they choose. Additional standout accomplishments: Cheryl authored a Living Target Architecture document for Wells Fargo’s mainframe groups and implemented an online wiki that has fostered collaboration across these groups and serves as a fully searchable online reference book complete with cross-links and diagrams.

The Electronic Village congratulates Cheryl Terry on her 2010 Epsilon Award for Outstanding Technical Contribution. I hope that many villagers check out career opportunity at Wells Fargo Bank!

I look forward to networking with Cheryl Terry at the 32nd annual BDPA Technology Conference.

African American Film Critics Association Selects 'Precious' as Top Film of 2009

Villagers will recall that this blog participated in an interview with Morgan Freeman about his role in 'Invictus'. We are proud to report that Mr. Freeman was selected as Best Actor 2009 for his role in that film!

The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) named 'Precious' as the Best Picture of 2009. Directed by Lee Daniels, the Lionsgate release captured a majority vote by the organization, which is comprised of African American media professionals from across the nation. Founded in 2003, AAFCA announced this year’s honors at its first live event last night in Los Angeles.

Nicole Beharie earned AAFCA recognition as Best Actress 2009 for 'American Violet.' With the first unanimous vote in an acting category in the organization’s history, Mo’Nique was selected Best Supporting Actress for 'Precious.' Anthony Mackie earned Best Supporting Actor recognition for his performance in 'The Hurt Locker.' Lee Daniels was named Best Director for 'Precious,' with a tie for Best Screenplay between Ron Clements, Rob Edwards, John Musker for 'The Princess & The Frog' and Geoffrey Fletcher for 'Precious.'

“In 2009, the film community produced a dazzling array of performances from African-American talent both in front of and behind the camera,” states Gil Robertson IV, AAFCA Co-Founder. “This year’s selections give a strong indication that the film community is becoming more committed to a wider range of stories that entertain and educate.”

AAFCA bestows the Special Achievement Award to Michael Jackson, whose seminal film 'This Is It' captured a lifetime of exemplary creative expression.

The organization’s Top Ten list of film honors includes “Up In The Air,” “The Hurt Locker” and “Good Hair.”

“The films selected for 2009 reflect a fascinating combination of work that both entertains and addresses themes and issues of cultural importance,” remarks AAFCA President, Wilson Morales, editor of Blackfilm.com.

The African American Film Critics Association’s Top Ten Films of 2009 are as follows in order of distinction:

1. Precious
   
2. The Princess and The Frog
   
3. Up In The Air
   
4. The Hurt Locker
   
5. This Is It
   
6. American Violet
   
7. Goodbye Solo
   
8. Medicine for Melancholy
   
9. Good Hair
   
10. Up
    

• Best Actor - Morgan Freeman, “Invictus”
  
• Best Actress - Nicole Beharie, “American Violet”
  
• Best Supporting Actress - Mo’Nique, “Precious”
  
• Best Supporting Actor - Anthony Mackie, “The Hurt Locker”
  
• Best Director - Lee Daniels, “Precious”
  
• Best Screenplay (tie) - Geoffrey Fletcher, "Precious" and R. Clements, R. Edwards, J. Musker, "The Princess & The Frog"
  
• Special Achievement - Michael Jackson

Villagers, I have to admit that I haven't seen vast majority of the winning films. I plan to add all of them to my Netflix queue. I am grateful that AAFCA honors excellence in cinema by creating awareness for films with universal appeal to Black communities, while emphasizing film about the Black experience and those produced, written, directed and starring performers of African descent.

Do you think that these 2009 award winners are right? Did AAFCA miss anything?

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.

2009 Black Weblog Award Winners

Over 8,000 votes by the blogging public determined the winners of the 2009 Black Weblog Awards. A second award in each category made by a group of judges. Maurice Cherry and his crew at the Black Weblog Awards are to be commended for putting together this recognition.

Here are the 2009 winners:

Best Blog Design
Popular Vote: My Brown Baby
Judges’ Vote: Black Digerati

Best Blog Post Series
Popular Vote: “Starving Artists” Series on 25 Magazine
Judges’ Vote: “Wet Wednesdays Erotica” Series on Naked With Socks On

Best Business Blog
Popular Vote: BDPA Foundation

Judges’ Vote: BDPA Foundation

Best Culture Blog
Popular Vote: Afrobella
Judges’ Vote: FreshXpress .:. The PULSE of Young Black America

Best Faith-Based Blog
Popular Vote: Infinite Gen
Judges’ Vote: Reflections of a Jazz Theologian

Best Food Blog
Popular Vote: FlavorDiva.com
Judges’ Vote: FlavorDiva.com

Best Gossip Blog
Popular Vote: The Fury
Judges’ Vote: The Fury

Best Group Blog
Popular Vote: MESH.
Judges’ Vote: Very Smart Brothas

Best Health and Wellness Blog
Popular Vote: Mother Knows Best
Judges’ Vote: Mother Knows Best

Best Hip-Hop Blog
Popular Vote: GangStarr Girl
Judges’ Vote: The Rap Up

Best Humor Blog
Popular Vote: Awesomely Luvvie
Judges’ Vote: TWiB! This Week in Blackness

Best International Blog
Popular Vote: Ebony Intuition
Judges’ Vote: black and (A)broad

Best LGBT Blog
Popular Vote: Xem VanAdams
Judges’ Vote: Xem VanAdams

Best Microblog
Popular Vote: @brotherjesse
Judges’ Vote: @elonjames

Best Music Blog
Popular Vote: GangStarr Girl
Judges’ Vote: Industry Plug

Best New Blog
Popular Vote: Three Ways to Take It
Judges’ Vote: FreshXpress .:. The PULSE of Young Black America

Best Parenting and Family Blog
Popular Vote: My Brown Baby
Judges’ Vote: spelhouseLove

Best Personal Blog
Popular Vote: Brother Jesse Blog
Judges’ Vote: Blog It Out, Bitch

Best Photo Blog
Popular Vote: Swagger: Paris, New York
Judges’ Vote: Street Etiquette

Best Podcast
Popular Vote: Man and Wife
Judges’ Vote: Man and Wife

Best Political/News Blog
Popular Vote: Postbourgie
Judges’ Vote: The Field Negro

Best Science/Technology Blog
Popular Vote: Urban Science Adventures! (c)
Judges’ Vote: The Koalition

Best Sex and Relationships Blog
Popular Vote: Single Black Male
Judges’ Vote: Single Black Male

Best Sports/Recreation Blog
Popular Vote: Ed The Sports Fan
Judges’ Vote: Ed The Sports Fan

Best Style and Fashion Blog
Popular Vote: Mane & Chic
Judges’ Vote: The Fashion Bomb

Best Teen Blog
Popular Vote: Houseofaura.com
Judges’ Vote: I (heart) That

Best Video Blog
Popular Vote: Xem VanAdams
Judges’ Vote: TWiB! This Week in Blackness

Best Writing in a Blog
Popular Vote: Very Smart Brothas
Judges’ Vote: The Black Snob

Blog of the Year
Popular Vote: Brother Jesse Blog
Judges’ Vote: TWiB! This Week in Blackness

Blog to Watch
Popular Vote: Mane & Chic
Judges’ Vote: FreshXpress .:. The PULSE of Young Black America

And the winner of the Aaron Hawkins Award is…
Bill Cammack! - Bill Cammack is an Emmy Award-Winning freelance video editor who has focused his attention on the New/Social Media space.

Share your thoughts on the 2009 Black Weblog Award winners. Did you choice win? Do you feel that some deserving Black blog was left out this year? Any new learnings from this year's list? In other words ... share your thoughts in the VILLAGE VOICES area below!

BDPA Foundation Blog is a 2009 Black Weblog Award Finalists

I am proud to announce that my other blog, BDPA Foundation, is a 2009 Black Weblog Award finalists in two categories: Best Business Blog and Best Science/Technology Blog.

Voting is open for all villagers thru September 1st.

The Black Weblog Awards founded in 2005 to give recognition to Black bloggers (and those of the African diaspora) which were largely overlooked by other Internet award events online. What started out as a barely-known event has now grown into an international showcase. With participants from over 90 countries, the Black Weblog Awards stands out as one of the most widespread Internet award events for Black bloggers.

Call to Action: Please click here and vote for our blog! Winners are announced during the first week of September.

'E' for Excellence Award

We are honored to receive the 'E' For Excellence award from Maryannville. Maryannville is a popular blog created by Mary Ann. Mary Ann traveled from border-to-border and coast-to-coast before settling in a town with zip code 'E-I-E-I-O'. I met Mary Ann during the Blogging-To-Fame contest two years ago. She is a powerhouse blogger. As such, it meant alot when she shared this award with us.

The rules state that after receiving the Excellent Blog Award, you must pass it on to 10 more excellent bloggers. Here are the ten bloggers that I would like to share this award with today:

• Michael Lang (Black Digerati)
• Ajuan Mance (Black on Campus)
• Kyra Hicks (Black Threads)
• Angela Benton & Markus Robinson (Black Web 2.0)
• Khepera (Electronic Drum)
• Tanisha Mathis (Essential Presence)
• Baratunde Thurston & Cheryl Contee (Jack & Jill Politics)
• Keith Owens (The 'D' Spot)
• Janet Shan (The Hinterland Gazette)
• Grata (The Village)

Congratulations to each of 'em for doing what they do! I hope that all villagers will take a moment to visit these ten Excellent Bloggers.

Splash Award

The Electronic Village is going to share blogging awards more frequently in the coming weeks. Today, we share the 2009 Splash Award with some deserving blogs. This is an award given to alluring, amusing, bewitching, impressive and inspiring blogs.

The Rules:

• Put the logo on your blog post.
• Nominate up to 9 blogs which allure, amuse, bewitch, impress or inspire you.
• Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
• Let them know that they have been splashed by commenting on their blog.
• Remember to link to the person from whom your received your Splash award.

My nine nominess for a Splash Award are:

1. Field Negro - Field still provides the most amusing posts about current events every day.
2. Sojourner's Place - SjP created one of the most alluring blogs in the afrosphere. I love the look, feel and content of her blog.
3. A Political Season - Aaron (does Alaine every post?) provides the most impressive and well-researched political blog posts in the afrosphere. The only problem is that he sees things from the skewed perspective of the Republican Party.
4. Black Women Blow the Trumpet - BWBTT is one of the most bewitching blogs in the afrosphere for Black men. The blog's purpose is to uplift Black women ... which means the posts are often hard on brothers. I can't wait until my daughters were old enough to read and appreciate it!
5. Black Web 2.0 - Angela and Markus have put together a truly impressive team of bloggers to share tips, reviews and video interviews on everything related to the next generation of the Internet.
6. Afro-Netizen - Chris was the first blog to add us to their blogroll when we first got started. I'm impressed that the brother was part of a multi-million dollar buy-out of his company (and blog) last month!
7. daddyBstrong - MacDaddy inspires me this month with his series on Black poets that we should know.
8. What About Our Daughters - Gina inspires with her actions. She created both the Michelle Obama Watch blog and the Blogging While Brown Conference.
9. Regina's Family Seasons - Regina inspires me with her blog posts about hr family. She keeps it real and she serves as a strong matriarch for her peeps.

I hope that villagers will take a moment to visit my nominees for this Splash Award. I also hope that each of my nominees will take a moment to share this Splash Award with other deserving blogs.

Helping Hand: Much Obliged and Paying It Forward

One of my favorite blogs is Sojourner's Place. The vibe and flow from that blog is uplifting in every sense of the word. As such, it filled me with joy to learn that Sojourner honored this blog with her 'Helping Hand' award. Later I was honored by A Slant Truth and Regina's Family Seasons with this same award.

Sojourner commits her life to "leaving the pile higher than (she) found it". She seeks to "pay that help and support forward" to those new to the blogsphere. As such, she created the "Emblem of the Helping Hand" as a token of her appreciation for blog mentors and a source of encouragement for those who are up and coming.

The rules for this award are simple:

• Select 10 bloggers: 5 you consider your blogging Helping Hand then "Pay it Forward" by extending your "Helping Hand" to 5 additional bloggers in support and encouragement for their efforts.


• In passing on the Emblem, each recipient must provide the name of blog or blog author with a link for others to visit.


• Each recipient must show the Emblem and put the name and link to the blog that has given it to her or him.


• Link the Emblem to this post: Helping Hand: Much Obliged and Paying it Forward so that others will know it origin and impetus.


• If you have not already done so, show your recipients some love by adding them to your blog roll, Technorati Favorite list, or in any other way to further let them know that their blog voice is important to you and being heard.


• Add your name to The Helping Hand meme at my new blog entitled The Emblem of the Helping Hand and don't forget to leave a comment as a permanent record of all Helping Hand recipients.


• Display the rules

To my Blogging Mentors, please accept this "Emblem of the Helping Hand" as a symbol of just how much your help, support, and encouragement has meant to me during the past 6 months.

1. African American Political Pundit - I came close to resigning my membership in The AfroSpear a few months ago. AAPP stepped up with a phone call and other support to work things out in such a manner that I could remain with this progressive group of bloggers. I appreciate his helping hand very much!
2. Blacks Gone Geek - I have worked with Milt Haynes for a number of years in BDPA. In fact, I served as national president-elect of that crew during the two years (2002-2003) in which Milt was national president. Milt urged me to get engaged in Web 2.0 world for many months before I finally did so. I am glad to publically acknowledge the helping hand that Milt has provided to me over the years.
   
3. Dallas South Blog - Shawn Williams is a brother who quietly and effectively takes care of business through his blog. He attended the Jena 6 protest march last year. He served as a credentialed blogger at the Democratic National Convention earlier this year. He worked behind the scenes on Urban Policy issues for the Obama campaign. Over the past few weeks he has promoted his blog with a weekly Constant Contact message. I plan to follow in his footsteps over the coming weeks. It is for these reasons that I acknowledge the helping hand of this powerful blogger.
4. plezWorld - Plez is an AfroSpear colleague. Many people talk the talk ... but Plez is a brother that walks the walk. He stepped up as a volunteer for a thankless task. This award is my way of saying, 'Thanks'!
5. Ultraviolet Underground - PurpleZoe opened up my eyes and heart to the impact of human rights abuse in Darfur, Tibet and elsewhere. More to the point, she created a forum, Roots of Humanity, and a monthly blogging campaign, Am I Not Human?, to bring awareness of human rights issues to our blog readers. She is a sister with a powerful aura and I appreciate her cyber-glow.

I'm "Paying it Forward" to the following blogs. These are blogs that are doing it and doing it well. Each has a very special place reserved just for them in the Electronic Village. I encourage you to visit, leave a comment, and if are so inclined give subscribe to them as well. Cause we bloggers are fragile and need your support and encouragement.

1. Black Threads - My sister, Kyra, is the person who got me into blogging in the first place. I want to 'pay it forward' to her because she deserves it. She is an eCommerce marketing manager, author, and quilter. She just co-wrote her third book, "Liberia: A Visit Through Books". It follows on the heels of her previous books for children and quilters. She is currently collecting info on President Obama Quilts!
2. Blogging While Brown Conference - One of my favorite blogging moments this year was being a presenter and attendee at the 1st annual Blogging While Brown conference hosted by Gina McCauley in Atlanta GA. I look forward to attending the 2nd annual BWB Conference in Chicago and I hope that many of you will be there as well.
3. Clark Thought Leadership - Julius Clark is an up-and-coming leader in the IT industry. I've known Julius for a number of years. I always knew that the young brother could throw down in the hospitality suite ... I now know that he can throw down in the boardroom as well. Julius is president-elect for BDPA Charlotte chapter and I want to 'pay it forward' on the success of his brand-new blog.
4. Keep It Trill - One of the most dynamic bloggers that I've met in recent weeks is Kit. Her writing skills and her willingness to be an activist in the afrospere inspire me. As such, I want to 'pay it forward' by supporting her in any manner possible as we move into the new year!
5. SES: Science, Education & Society - This is a blog created by The Urban Scientist. Science is not a subject discussed very much in the Black community. This blogger is consistent in bringing good information and open dialogue about science for any person of African descent interested enough to visit. I 'pay it forward' in the hopes that more of us will find and support this great blog(ger)!

Well, I hope that you take a moment to visit with the 10 blogs shown on my two lists. Each of them inspired or supported me during these past 6 months. I will close using the words of Sojourner ... MUCH OBLIGED! VERY MUCH OBLIGED!

Top 50 Best Blogs of 2008 Award

We were surprised and honored to be included on Marenda's list of the Top 50 Best Blogs of 2008. Her blog, Living Life Abundantly, has risen on the Villager's Black Blog Rankings from BBR #96 to BBR #19 over the past year because of the excellent information she provides to her readers.

This is our second year in a row being on Marenda's list. We will do all that we can possibly do to earn her respect again in 2009.

We'd like to beat the drums for other AfroSpear bloggers that made her list this year: Eddie Griffin (BASG) (BBR #178), Field Negro (BBR #9), From My Brown Eyed View (BBR #241), Raw Dawg Buffalo (BBR #16), Science Education & Society (BBR #457), and Vanessa Unplugged (BBR #311).

Blogging Star Award

UPDATE: AAW from Musings About a Muddled World honored us with this award on 10/13/2008 "for being a source of info especially to black bloggers." It is nice to be recognized by your peers in the blogosphere. Below you will see who I shared the award with a few weeks ago.

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Asante sana to Pop Culture Dish, Presented by Malcolm for taking time to award the Electronic Village with the Blogging Star Award. This award was originated by Barb at Skittles' Place. This award is for bloggers who shine their light throughout the Blogoshere. Some do it with humor, others with creativity, and others with their kind and thoughtful natures. We all know more than a few of them so why not give them some recognition?"

It is my pleasure to spread the love to others for the second year in the row. I am giving the Blogging Star award to the following bloggers:

• Funky Brown Chick - I follow over a hundred people on Twitter. My favorite by far is Twanna. She is a sex, dating and relationships writer in New York City. Her blog is highly personal and shares insights on her daily life. I never watched much of Sex & The City when it was on television ... but, my take is that Twanna's blog is our nubian version of that show!
  
• Sojourner's Place - This blog is designed from the perspective of the professional African American woman ... however, I think that nubian brothers benefit from the wisdom of Sojourner as well. Sojourner created the Helping Hand Award and Sunday Inspirations. All villagers need to check this blog out. I'm pleased to be able to present Sojourner's Place with this award.
• The Happy Go Lucky Bachelor - Mike is usually one of the first villagers to share his village voice on our 2-3 posts per day. Mike's blog is excellent. He provides quotes, videos and commentary on cultural and social events of the day. I appreciate Mike's support and encourage villagers to check out his blog!
• UltravioletUnderground - Purple Zoe is the subcultural alternative soul behind this blog. She doesn't follow the way of the masses. She embrace quality art and conscious activity. I am proud to partner with PZ and others on the Roots of Humanity blog. This sista proves that the power is in the minds and hearts of 'the global people'. I am glad to provide her blog with this recognition.
• Young Black Professional Guide - This blog continues to innovate. Fredrick and the others that create and maintain this blog provided us with RSSPect.org last year. This blog inspired the recent 'Day of Blogging for Justice: Community Organizers' with their initial post in reaction to Sarah Palin speech at the Republican National Convention.

All honorees are asked to do the following: (a) Proudly display it on your blog along with a link to who gave it to you; (b) mention that it originated at Skittles' Place so Barb can follow it's journey; and (c) Pass it on to any blogger(s) you think should have it.

Villagers, do you have any thoughts on these five blogs that you care to share with us?

I Love Your Blog Award

There are many villagers that quietly join us to enjoy the posts and comments without sharing their village voice. Our blog never seems to get much in the way of COMMENTS in comparison to our daily hits. I appreciate the stealth villagers as much as those that are move 'vocal'.

One of my stealth villagers is Tey, a busy working Filipina mom living in Toronto. Tey publishes 'My Daily Thoughts'. Tey presented us with the 'I Love Your Blog Award' "... for his informative posts about Black people (just love it)."

I appreciated the love last year when she gave our blog the award. I figure it was time to share some love with other blogs that deserve it. The Electronic Village presents the 'I Love Your Blog Award' to five others that we read and enjoy often. They are more than welcome to pass along the award to other blogs which they love to read as well and so on.

1. RaceWire - This blog comes strong and correct with information about both race and politics.
2. TransGriot - Monica Roberts is a powerful voice for transgender issues in person and through the afrosphere. I've learned that all of us have concerns about politics and life choices. Monica is a goals-oriented sista with great insights shared on her blog.
3. Black Tennis Pro's - Shelia provides a constant flow about African American tennis players from the amateur ranks up through world's #1 Serena Williams. I haven't played tennis for many moons, however I do enjoy my stealth visits to this blog.
4. Sojourner's Place - Sojourner just competed a complete overhaul of her blog template. It is unique and it is perfectly suited for her flow. SjP is one of my favorite blogs in the universe!
5. BDPA Detroit TAC - Cliff Samuels publishes this technology-based blog. Cliff is a colleague and rarely do technology blogs catch a break when it comes to blog awards ... so I hope some villagers will visit Cliff and show him some love!

Congratulations to all of you and thanks for writing such great blogs. Villagers, who are the blogs and bloggers that YOU love?

Arte y Pico Award

A Slant Truth, Hagar's Daughters and Regina's Family Seasons presented 'The Arte y Pico Award' to the Electronic Village. It humbles me to know that this blog is seen in such a positive light by such powerful sisters as Regina and Hagar's Daughters!
Regina noted that our blog "...is definitely doing great things in and for the community."

Hagar's Daughter wrote, "Villager blends the seriousness of the day with inspirational stories, political cartoons, and musical interludes on Old School Friday."

We will do our best on the Electronic Village to continue uplifting the African American community with our blog commentary over the coming weeks and months.

Rules of the Arte y Pico Award:

• You have to pick 5 blogs that deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also for contributing to the blogging community, no matter what language
• Each awardee has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.
• Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself.
• Each award winner should provide a link to the Arte y Pico blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award.

Here are five (5) blogs that I think show Creativity, Fabulous Design, Interesting Material or Contribute to the blogging community:

1. Black Women Vote - Let me warn you! This blog is not for the faint of heart. SheCodes comes hard and she comes correct in her strategic approach to Sister power. Her weekly podcasts and her ability to play chess while most of us are playing checkers is something that is quite remarkable. Her blog should be on the RSS-feed for any female villager!
2. Blogging While Brown Conference - This blog is contributing in a major way to the blogging community. Visit this blog created by Gina McCauley to learn more about the first international conference for bloggers of color. I will be there! I hope you can make it on July 25-27, 2008 in Atlanta, GA.
3. MartyBLOGS - Martin Lindsey is the creator of this blog. Marty is one of the first bloggers that I met when I came into the afrosphere. I have watched him evolve his blog over the past year so that it reflects his 'actionist' world view. He summarizes his blogging style as follows: "Handle business, take care of things, then move on."
4. Now That's What I'm Talking About - Theo Johnson operates this blog. Theo is another blogger that I met when I first entered the blogging game. Not only does he have an interesting blog, Theo is also a regular podcaster. It is for those reasons that I encourage villagers to check out this creative blog and blogger!
5. Roots of Humanity - This is a blog that strives to uplift the quantity and quality of information flowing to the blogging community about human rights abuses around the world, especially in Darfur and Tibet. Danielle Vyas, Eddie Griffin and Purple Zoe provide the creative energy behind this blog..

I encourage all villagers to check out these creative blogs. Let me know what you think about my five selections. What say u?

Share the Love Award

I am honored to accept the Share the Love Award from one of the 'Original Villagers' -- Danielle of Modern Musings.

The 'Sharing The Love' Award, was created by Blogger Crystal at “Memoirs Of A Mommy” blog, in honor of donor who saved her one month old’s life a year ago. Cyrstal’s son Noah celebrated his first birthday thanks to someone who gave the gift of life.

In Crystal’s own words, here are the rules of the Share the Love Award:

“Share this award with all those blogs out there that you love. All the people who make you smile. All those that make you laugh. All those that make your day. All those that leave uplifting comments on your blog.

**All I ask, is that you include a link to this post with the award and ask your recipients to do the same**

I created this award in Honor Of The Donor That Saved Noah’s Life. I share this award with those of you whose love and friendship have enriched my life and made my world a better place.I hope by passing this award around the blogging world we can all help raise awareness of the need for Organ Donation.”

It is in that spirit that I share the love with…

1. Aaron Laramore, creator of A Political Season - This young brother has a powerful and analytical mind that it lets run loose on politics as it impacts on people of African descent. His blog is not for the weak-minded.


2. Invisible Woman, creator of Black Cinema At Large - A very creative sister with experiences, perspectives and commentary on all things related to Black folks in television and movies. I haven't quite figured out if she loves or hates Terrance Howard!


3. Janet Shan, creator of Black Political Thought - Her political commentary and analysis is second-to-none. She uses her blog to battle the wanton violence in her native Chicago. Finally, I appreciate her recent decision to use images, photos and such in her hard-hitting blog posts!


4. Plez Joyner, creator of plezWorld - I appreciate this brother for two main reasons. First, he made commitment to post a blog on each and every day of this year! Second, he is a committed AfroSpear volunteer that maintains the group's automated blogroll.


5. Regina, creator of Regina's Family Seasons - Regina made an organizational decision recently that saddened me very much. However, I came to realize that her support of my blog through her comments and her consistently positive and uplifting messages on her own blog are both aspects of her that I cherish. I'm proud to be able to share this award with her.

Anyhow, I encourage all villagers to check out these five blogs. Join me in sharing some love with these talented brothers and sisters! What say u?

BlackPerspective.net Best Black Blog Finalists

I see that our blog is one of 20 finalists for the BlackPerspective.net Best Black Blogs award. Here is the full list of finalists (in alpha order):

• Angry Black Bitch
• Black and Missing
• Black Looks

• Booker Rising
• Chimeric Day Dreams
• Electronic Village
• Ill Doctrine
• Jack and Jill Politics
• Kenyan Pundit
• Mrs. Grapevine
• Nah Right
• Oliver Willis
• Pam’s House Blend
• Prometheus 6
• Raw Dawg Buffalo
• The Angry Black Woman
• The Field Negro
• Too Sense
• Undercover Black Man
• What About Our Daughters

It is an honor to be on a list with these other powerful brothers and sisters. I encourage villagers to check out these other blogs. I understand that the winner will be announced by BlackPerspective.net before the end of the month.

Any thoughts you care to share on these 20 blogs or on the contest in general?

'E' for Excellence Award

We are honored to receive the 'E' For Excellence award from Maryannville. Maryannville is a popular blog created by Mary Ann. Mary Ann traveled from border-to-border and coast-to-coast before settling in a town with zip code 'E-I-E-I-O'. I met Mary Ann during the Blogging-To-Fame contest last year. She is a powerhouse blogger. As such, it means alot when she shares this award with us.

The rules state that after receiving the Excellent Blog Award, you must pass it on to 10 more excellent bloggers. Here are the ten bloggers that I would like to share this award with today:

• Aaron Laramore (A Political Season)
• Clifford Samuels (BDPA Detroit)
• Janet Shan (Black Political Thought)
• Yobachi Boswell (Black Perspective)
• Invisible Cinema (Black Cinema)
• Louis Pagan (Latinopundit)
• Danielle Vyas (Modern Musings)
• Plez Joyner (PlezWorld)
• Professor Kim (Professor Kim's News Notes)
• Grata (The Village)

Congratulations to each of 'em for doing what they do! I hope that all villagers will take a moment to visit these ten Excellent Bloggers.