Resilience: Faith, Focus, Triumph

Resilience. It’s not just the title of Alonzo Mourning’s stirring memoir; it’s the stuff he’s made of. Whether petitioning himself into foster care as an eleven-year-old, tirelessly studying his way onto the dean’s list at Georgetown University, making it as an all-star center in the NBA, or returning to peak form after organ-transplant surgery, Mourning has shown enormous inner strength. His faith, his determination, and his courage are what have driven and sustained him throughout his extraordinary life.

In 2000, Mourning was on top of the world: He had a fat new contract, an Olympic gold medal, and a second beautiful child–all that and the fame and wealth he had earned playing the game he loved. But in September of that year, he was diagnosed with a rare and fatal kidney disease. Over the next couple of years, as his health faltered, he retired, unretired, and retired again–and sought to make sense of the rest of his life.

Finally in 2003, after a frantic search for a donor match, Mourning had a new kidney and a new outlook. He vowed to make this second chance count by dedicating his life to others. He resolved that he would consider the disease a blessing, a revelation of God’s plan for him.

Although he battled his way back to the NBA, winning a championship with the Miami Heat in 2006, Mourning believed that the most important and fulfilling part of his life still lay ahead. Basketball, it turned out, was just the vehicle that would allow him to devote his talents and energies to a greater cause.
Alonzo Mourning’s return to basketball glory, already familiar to sports fans and non-sports fans alike, has inspired millions of patients suffering from kidney disease and living with dialysis, as well as organ donors around the world. By sharing his experiences of the physical, emotional, and spiritual roller coaster of illness and recovery, Mourning hopes to deliver a message of faith and fire, hurdles and hope, trust and triumph. Resilience is a story about the meaningful everyday lessons that he longs to share and about the things that truly matter in life.

H.O.P.E. Scholarship

Michelle Janaye and I, Jeffrey Chance, believe that it is our responsibility to invest in the next generation of leaders.  Instead of talking about how we could be the change that we wanted to see, we simply took action.

The  H.O.P.E. (Helping Others Pursue Education) Scholarship Initiative is the fruition of our joint desire to serve. Not only do we want to assist those who have traveled a similar path, but also challenge more HBCU alumni to also reinvest.

Our goal is to raise scholarship money for students and ask them to pay it forward in the future. Help us, help others. - H.O.P.E Directors

Mission
Our mission is to make quality education affordable to deserving students. No student should be denied access to a quality education simply because they lack the necessary funds. Household incomes cannot continue to dictate academic outcomes.

Motto
It does not require a person with lots of money and lots of success to make a difference in society; hard work, determination and a passion for service can turn any dream into a reality.

Strategy
With the assistance of students and alumni in the black college community, frequent fundraisers, and corporate sponsorships, we are raising money to reward deserving students with $500 scholarships.

Source: http://www.thehopescholarship.com/

Jeanette Jenkins

Jeanette Jenkins, founder and President of The Hollywood Trainer is the author of The Hollywood Trainer Weight-Loss Plan: 21 Days to Make Healthy Living a Lifetime Habit and creator of the highly successful Bikini Bootcamp, part of her internationally successful Hollywood Trainer DVD Collection, created to inspire and motivate men and women to live a healthy life.

New for 2011 Jeanette released her 14th & 15th workout DVDs “Power Yoga” &“Blast the Belly Fat”voted top 10 DVD of the year by Fitness Magazine and joined forces with the legendary Jane Fonda to launch Team Jane Fonda’s Workout exclusively for Target. In November of 2011 Jeanette will release the highly anticipated “Sexy Abs” workout with Kelly Rowland.

As a Nike Training Club Ambassador Jeanette has also launched the New 2011 Nike Training Club iphone Application. Users worldwide get an opportunity to build up workout time to unlock Jeanette’s adrenaline pumping, high intensity Hollywood Trainer Workouts!

As one of the country’s leading healthy lifestyle coaches, known best for her holistic approach, results-driven cross-training techniques and supreme ability to motivate,Jeanette helps millions of men &women achieve their health and fitness goals through her international products, challenges and social media outreach on twitter @JeanetteJenkins and Facebook. Jeanette’s work has been featured in columns ranging from Oprah.com and Yahoo.com to NBC’s Today Show, The Dr. OZ Show, The Doctors, Fox News World, The Tyra Banks Show, BET Networks, Access Hollywood, Extra, E! Entertainment and much more.

Jenkins studied Human Kinetics at the University of Ottawa and has earned over 18 international certifications covering nutrition and various methods of training. She is a graduate of the Institute of Integrative Nutrition which is recognized by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners and Columbia University. Her mission is to use her experience and education to teach and inspire men and women to live their best life! Jeanette’s expert advice and products have been recognized by several publications including O Magazine, USA Today,Fitness, Shape, Health, Self, Essence, Ebony, Women’s Health, In Style, Glamour, Marie Claire, Prevention, People & Us Weekly Magazine.

Jeanette is one of the few experts nationwide hand-picked for Nike Corporation's Elite Athletes program and a 7 year Advisory Board Memberfor Fitness Magazine.

Her knowledge and ability to get results is what attracts an A-List client roster. It’s also what keeps her group classes at L.A.’s top fitness clubs jam-packed with celebrity regulars and Hollywood’s hottest bodies. Jeanette’s student and client roster has included Kimora Lee Simmons, Serena Williams, Queen Latifah, Kelly Rowland, Robin Thicke, Paula PattonThicke, Tia Mowry, Chrisette Michele, Christina Applegate, Lauren Velez, Taryn Manning, Ian Ziering, Kendra Wilkinson, Carmen Electra, Holly Madison, Jordana Brewster, Terence Jenkins, Mara Brock Akil, NFL’s Bryant McKinnie, Ty Law and Brian Cox. Terrell Owens describes Jeanette as being "high energy, passionate and knowledgeable. Says Owens, “Jeanette knows how to draw you in and keep you motivated.

Growing up in public housing in Canada, Jenkins was one of three children raised by a single mother and fitness is what kept her focused. A natural athlete, Jeanette found a safe haven in sports, one that taught her the value of discipline and team work, and most importantly instilled self confidence and a “can do” attitude. Jeanette has benefited from social and community services as a child and dedicates her time and support to several non-profit organizations including the School on Wheels Organization the The Los Angeles Downtown Women’s Shelter dwcweb.org and The Samburu Project samburuproject.org

Source: http://thehollywoodtrainer.com/

A Reason to Believe: Lessons from an Improbable Life

“I’ve simply seen too much goodness in this country—and have come so far in my own journey—not to believe in those ideals, and my faith in the future is sometimes restored under the darkest clouds.” —Governor Deval Patrick

In January 2007, Deval Patrick became the first black governor of the state of Massachusetts, one of only two black governors elected in American history. But that was just one triumphant step in a long, improbable journey that began in a poor tenement on the South Side of Chicago. From a chaotic childhood to an elite boarding school in New England, from a sojourn doing relief work in Africa to the boardrooms of Fortune 500 companies, and then to a career in politics, Patrick has led an extraordinary life. In this heartfelt and inspirational book, he pays tribute to the family, friends, and strangers who, through words and deeds, have instilled in him transcendent lessons of faith, perseverance, and friendship. In doing so, he reminds us of the power of community and the imperative of idealism. With humility, humor, and grace, he offers a road map for attaining happiness, empowerment, and success while also making an appeal for readers to cultivate those achievements in others, to feel a greater stake in this world, and to shape a life worth living.

Warm, nostalgic, and inspirational, A Reason to Believe is destined to become a timeless tribute to a uniquely American odyssey and a testament to what is possible in our lives and our communities if we are hopeful, generous, and resilient.

GOVERNOR DEVAL PATRICK is donating a portion of the proceeds from A REASON TO BELIEVE to A Better Chance, a national organization dedicated to opening the doors to greater educational opportunities for young people of color. To learn more, visit www.abetterchance.org.

Steve Harvey Mentoring Weekend

The mission of The Boys Mentoring Weekend Program is to share, teach and demonstrate the principles of manhood to young men, enabling them to achieve their dreams and become men who are strong, responsible and productive.

The goal of The Steve Harvey Mentoring Weekend is to break the misguided traits of manhood and introduce role models who provide positive examples of manhood.

The aim of the Steve and Marjorie Harvey Foundation is to instill the following principles in the boys who take part in The Steve Harvey Mentoring Program.

• Integrity
• Responsibility
• Respect
• Honesty
• Patience
• Discipline
• Service
• Courage

NOMINATION PERIOD: March 6-30, 2012

I want to invite you to the Steve Harvey Mentoring Weekend in Dallas TX. June 14–17, 2012 where I and some of my very good friends will conduct a series of seminars on the principles of manhood, leadership, dressing for success and community empowerment.

If you are a young man between the ages of 13-18 years old you can nominate yourself or if you are someone that know a young man in need of mentoring complete the online application by clicking here or
click here to print and mail your application today.
 
Source: http://www.steveharveymentoring.com/

A. Barry Rand

Addison Barry Rand is chief executive officer (CEO) of AARP, the world's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization dedicated to social change and helping people 50 and over to improve the quality of their lives. Mr. Rand is a dynamic leader and change agent who brings to AARP a proven track record of leading both multibillion-dollar businesses and smaller, private equity-driven businesses. He has served as chairman and chief executive officer of Avis Group Holdings, CEO of Equitant Ltd., and executive vice president, Worldwide Operations, at Xerox Corporation. He serves as chairman of the Board of Trustees of Howard University.

Mr. Rand began his career at Xerox as a sales representative in 1968. From there, he advanced to several senior positions within the company, completing an outstanding 30-year career as executive vice president, Worldwide Operations. He was responsible for the entire value chain for Xerox's $18 billion business, oversaw a workforce of more than 70,000 employees in over 150 countries and helped lead Xerox's financial revival resulting in total shareholder return at twice the rate of the S&P 500. Under his leadership, Xerox became the most diverse company in the Fortune 500 while also being named "America's Best Sales Force" and "Top Training Organization in America." And he was the driving force behind Xerox receiving the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 1989 and again in 1997.

In 1999, Mr. Rand became chairman and chief executive officer of Avis Group Holdings, Inc. He transformed Avis from the second-largest car rental company to the world's leading service and information provider of comprehensive automotive transportation and vehicle management solutions, dramatically increasing the company's value. His successful transformation of the company led to its being acquired by Cendant Corporation in 2001.

In 2003, while serving on the board of Equitant Ltd., an Ireland-based provider of outsourced management services, Mr. Rand was asked to become the company's chairman and chief executive officer. Over the next two years, he expanded Equitant into a global firm and negotiated its successful acquisition by IBM in 2005.

Throughout his career, Mr. Rand has served on numerous boards, including: Teacher's Insurance Annuity Association/College Retirement Equity Fund (TIAA/CREF), Honeywell Corporation, Abbott Laboratories, Ameritech, Avis Group, AT&T Wireless Services, Agilent Technologies, Aspect Communications and Campbell Soup Company.

He has served as the chairman of the Board of Trustees of Howard University since 2006 and has also served on the boards of the Urban Family Institute, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and the Garth Fagan Dance Theatre. He established the Helen Matthews Rand Endowed Scholarship, a $1.5 million program at the Howard University School of Education named in honor of his late mother, a Washington, D.C., public school principal, to encourage students to enter teaching careers in urban school areas.

Mr. Rand continues to serve on a number of boards and advisory committees. He holds a B.A. from American University and an M.B.A. from Stanford University, where he was also a Sloan Executive Fellow. He has received honorary doctorate degrees from six universities. He was inducted into the National Sales Hall of Fame (winning the Thomas J. Watson Award) and is a recipient of the esteemed NAACP Image Award. He and his wife, Donna, have two adult children.

Request A. Barry Rand as a speaker for your event.

Source: http://www.aarp.org/about-aarp/executive-team/info-2009/a_barry_rand.html

Octavia E. Butler

Octavia E. Butler possessed a lifelong interest in science fiction and undertook a noteworthy writing career merging science fiction with previously untapped themes of social issues. An introspective child who grew up in a racially mixed community, she began writing at the age of 10 to escape self-described "loneliness and boredom". While pursuing a degree at UCLA, Butler attended two writing workshops outside of her college studies in 1970. She credits these practicums with giving her the most valuable help with her writing, and with helping her form a kinship with the science fiction community that included author and mentor Harlan Ellison and author Samuel R. Delany.

Butler's first published novel, Patternmaster (1976), is ostensibly a reworking of one of her childhood stories. It became part of the five book Patternist series, which explores biology, as well as topics of power and enslavement. Butler's most renowned novel, Kindred (1979), is also a modern exploration of slavery that she described as "grim fantasy" rather than science fiction. The novel breaks from using science as its underlying concept, and instead focuses on descriptions of societal divergence. Butler's recurring use of metaphoric references to issues of race, social class, gender and religion would become her literary hallmark.

Butler won the first of many Nebula and Hugo awards for her novelette Bloodchild (1984), and would later earn such honors as a MacArthur Foundation "Genius" Grant and the PEN American Center lifetime achievement award. She is notable for being a female African American writer of science fiction—a rarity—but mainly she's notable as one of the most eminent science fiction writers overall.

Source: http://www.empmuseum.org/exhibitions/index.asp?articleID=1480