I spoke with Rev Yearwood this morning about the devastating destruction in Haiti; Hip Hop must act immediately with open hearts and loud voices. We must do all that we can as individuals and collectively to help save the lives of our brothers and sisters in Haiti.
Please make a donation today to Yele Haiti, Wyclef's organization, to support immediate relief to the people of Haiti.
You can use your cell phone to make a contribution.Text "Yele" to 501501, which will automatically donate $5 to the Yele Haiti Earthquake Fund (it will be charged to your cell phone bill).
Or you can visit www.Yele.org and click on DONATE.
The Hip Hop Caucus will be asking you to take additional action soon, as we gain better understanding of the needs in Haiti. We know Haiti will need increased attention and resources from the international community to help it recover from this disaster, so let us ensure that our country does right.
My thoughts and prayers are with the Haitian people whose suffering I can only imagine, and the Haitian Americans who have lost their loved ones.
With great love all things are possible,
Russell Simmons
Founder of GlobalGrind.com
Friday, January 15, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Damon Williams joined a stock investment club
Chicago — Like many Americans, Damon Williams joined a stock investment club to eventually put his children through college.
Unlike many of those Americans, Damon is just 11 years old.
After six years of investing, the ambitious Chicago seventh-grader has a portfolio of more than 30 companies worth more than $18,000 -- $4,000 of that profit. He is one of the estimated thousands of children in investment clubs nationwide who sacrifice an occasional Saturday to sharpen their financial strategies.
"I want to pay my own way through college, buy real estate and see my children graduate from college also," Damon said.
At the rate he's going, he just might do it.
Investment clubs, where members share research and invest as a group or individually, have been popular among adults for years. Many parents say the junior clubs can teach the same money-management skills to their children and help to ensure their futures.
Starting sooner
"I think a lot of parents are starting to realize that investing is not something you start when you're 30, 40 or 50," said Amy Rauch Neilson, teen newsletter editor for the National Association of Investors Corp., a nonprofit organization that supports investment clubs and investors. "They're particularly realizing what an advantage it would have been if someone had taught it to them when they were that age."
April Williams, Damon's mother and founder of the Ujamaa Junior Investment Club, wishes someone had taught her to manage her money earlier. At the age of 30, Williams was a single parent maxed out on all her credit cards and living paycheck to paycheck.
"I felt it was an insane way to live and a terrible legacy for my children," she said.
So Williams taught herself how to invest and turned her life around. She started the adult Ujamaa investment club and later the children's group to teach others how to do the same. The children's club now has 20 members ages 11 to 18.
At meetings of Ujamaa -- Swahili for cooperative economics -- Williams and two other mentors lead the group in games of Monopoly, talks about smart investing and contests.
Williams encourages the children to pay attention to companies they and their families use in everyday life when choosing stocks. Damon used money he earned from modeling and gifts from his mother to buy stock in Marvel Comics and Nike.
"You get to be creative," said Ujamaa member Ashley Baker, 17.
Ashley's mother, Louise Baker, enrolled the teen and her sister Amber, 14, in the club four years ago to give them an early start on financial security. Ashley's portfolio is now worth about $2,000, and Amber's is just more than $1,000.
Children exposed to stock market games, where they invest fake money, have higher rates of financial literacy, according to a study Mandell conducted for the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, a nonprofit group that seeks to educate young people about finances. Mandell suspects investment clubs have the same effect.
But not everyone thinks children should be sinking real money into real stocks.
Laura Levine, executive director of Jump$tart, says children can learn the same skills through stock market games. "They can certainly learn to make mistakes without any real risk," she said.
But Ashley Baker doesn't worry too much about losing money when she invests in companies such as AT&T, Nokia and Krispy Kreme.
"I'm still young and it's there for me, just to be, like, a little extra," she said.
Source: http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2004/oct/19/kids_make_big/
Unlike many of those Americans, Damon is just 11 years old.
After six years of investing, the ambitious Chicago seventh-grader has a portfolio of more than 30 companies worth more than $18,000 -- $4,000 of that profit. He is one of the estimated thousands of children in investment clubs nationwide who sacrifice an occasional Saturday to sharpen their financial strategies.
"I want to pay my own way through college, buy real estate and see my children graduate from college also," Damon said.
At the rate he's going, he just might do it.
Investment clubs, where members share research and invest as a group or individually, have been popular among adults for years. Many parents say the junior clubs can teach the same money-management skills to their children and help to ensure their futures.
Starting sooner
"I think a lot of parents are starting to realize that investing is not something you start when you're 30, 40 or 50," said Amy Rauch Neilson, teen newsletter editor for the National Association of Investors Corp., a nonprofit organization that supports investment clubs and investors. "They're particularly realizing what an advantage it would have been if someone had taught it to them when they were that age."
April Williams, Damon's mother and founder of the Ujamaa Junior Investment Club, wishes someone had taught her to manage her money earlier. At the age of 30, Williams was a single parent maxed out on all her credit cards and living paycheck to paycheck.
Damon Williams, center left, plays Monopoly with Amber Baker, left, Ashley Baker and Brianna Jordan during a meeting of the Chicago Ujamaa Junior Investment Club. After six years of investing, Damon, 11, has a portfolio of more than 30 companies worth more than $18,000 -- $4,000 of that profit.
So Williams taught herself how to invest and turned her life around. She started the adult Ujamaa investment club and later the children's group to teach others how to do the same. The children's club now has 20 members ages 11 to 18.
At meetings of Ujamaa -- Swahili for cooperative economics -- Williams and two other mentors lead the group in games of Monopoly, talks about smart investing and contests.
Williams encourages the children to pay attention to companies they and their families use in everyday life when choosing stocks. Damon used money he earned from modeling and gifts from his mother to buy stock in Marvel Comics and Nike.
"You get to be creative," said Ujamaa member Ashley Baker, 17.
Ashley's mother, Louise Baker, enrolled the teen and her sister Amber, 14, in the club four years ago to give them an early start on financial security. Ashley's portfolio is now worth about $2,000, and Amber's is just more than $1,000.
But not everyone thinks children should be sinking real money into real stocks.
Laura Levine, executive director of Jump$tart, says children can learn the same skills through stock market games. "They can certainly learn to make mistakes without any real risk," she said.
But Ashley Baker doesn't worry too much about losing money when she invests in companies such as AT&T, Nokia and Krispy Kreme.
"I'm still young and it's there for me, just to be, like, a little extra," she said.
Source: http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2004/oct/19/kids_make_big/
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Happy New Year...Handbook 2010
Health:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants..
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games
7. Read more books than you did in 2009 .
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minutes’ walk daily. And while you walk, smile.
Personality:
11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don't overdo. Keep your limits.
14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need..
18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with His/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree...
Society:
25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything.
28. Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
Life:
32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. GOD heals everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change..
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
37. The best is yet to come..
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.
Last but not the least:
40. Please Forward this to everyone you care about, I just did.
I received this in an email and I thought it was really important to spread to everyone.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Nation’s First and Only African-American Owned Computer Supplier in Major Retail, A Unity System, Teams With Office Depot
Deal is third of its kind; CEO to discuss strategy on The Tom Joyner Morning Show
ATLANTA, GA – February 21, 2005 A Unity System (AUS), an African-American-owned computer supplier and distributor and Office Depot, (NYSE: ODP) a leader in consumer and business office products – including retail stores, contract delivery, catalogs and the Internet, has announced the completion of a distribution agreement to offer A Unity System computers at www.officedepot.com. AUS had similar agreements with Kmart and Staples.
A Unity System’s chairman and CEO, Tonee Bell will discuss the relationship and why it is important to AUS’s mission to close the digital divide by offering best value, customizable, computer solutions with Tom Joyner, Reach Media Inc.’s founder, philanthropist, entrepreneur, and radio personality, on The Tom Joyner Morning Show®. The show will air at 6:30 a.m. CST on February 28, 2005.
“Office Depot’s presence in the communities we want to reach makes it a perfect distribution partner. We want to use our business as a platform to build stronger communities that consist of technically prepared and empowered people. We are doing this community by community,” said Tonee Bell, Chairman and CEO of AUS. “Establishing distribution channels like Office Depot and promoting our vision via media venues such as The Tom Joyner Morning Show will not only reach our targeted markets, but help us fulfill our mission,” continued Bell.
As a part of the initial product launch, officedepot.com will feature the following AUS computer systems: Voyager, Eclipse, Premier, Endeavor and Envision.
About A Unity System
A Unity System, Inc. (AUS), founded in July 1999 and incorporated in Atlanta, Georgia in January 2001, is the first minority-owned supplier of personal computers, laptops, servers and related products in major retail stores. AUS offers high quality, high-performing equipment, and one to three-year warranties on parts, labor and on-site repair. AUS provides toll-free, technical support for hardware. AUS constructs its PC’s with high quality name brand components and offers competitive pricing and build-to-order (BTO) systems. www.aunitysystem.com
About Office Depot
Office Depot is a leader in distribution channel - from retail stores and contract delivery to catalogs and e-commerce. With $3.1 billion in online sales in Fiscal Year 2004, the Company is the world's number three Internet retailer. In North America, Office Depot has 969 retail stores in addition to a national business-to-business delivery network supported by 22 delivery centers and more than 60 local sales offices. Internationally, the Company conducts wholly-owned operations in 14 countries via 78 retail stores and 25 distribution centers, and operates 153 retail stores under joint venture and license arrangements in another seven countries. With annual sales of more than $13 billion, Office Depot sells more office products to more customers in more countries than any other company.
About the Tom Joyner Morning Show®
The TJMS, reaching over eight million people every week, is broadcast on over 115 affiliate stations across the United States and is the top morning show in many of the markets in which it is broadcast. TJMS is under the umbrella of Reach Media, which was founded by radio personality, philanthropist and entrepreneur, Tom Joyner. Reach Media also operates various other businesses associated with Tom Joyner including the Tom Joyner Sky Show, the Tom Joyner Family Reunion and various other special event-related businesses. Additionally, Reach Media operates one of the leading African-American targeted Internet destinations, www.blackamericaweb.com and recently developed a Tom Joyner television show in conjunction with TV One, LLC.
For more information on this partnership or to book or schedule an interview with Tonee Bell, please contact:
A Unity System, Inc.
Director of CommunicationsMs. Jewel Daniels
912-354-8888
Source: http://www.aunitysystem.com/latestnews/
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Little Known HBCU Facts
HBCUs enroll upwards of 370,000 students and graduate a significant share of all African Americans receiving degrees. While comprising only three percent of the nation's 3,688 institutions of higher learning, the 105 HBCUs are responsible for producing approximately 23 percent of all bachelor's degrees, 13 percent of all master's degrees, and 20 percent of all first professional degrees earned by African Americans annually. Black colleges and universities contribute to the continuing rise of black intellectuals, professionals, and creative artists which is so evident throughout American society.
- Nine of the top ten colleges that graduate most of the African American students who go on to earn Ph.D.s are HBCUs.
- More than 50 percent of the nation's African American public school teachers and 70 percent of African American dentists and physicians earned degrees at HBCUs.
- Over half of all African American professionals are graduates of HBCUs
- In 2000, Xavier University in New Orleans individually produced more successful African American medical school applicants (94) than Johns Hopkins (20), Harvard (37), and the University of Maryland (24) combined. Two other HBCUs also placed in the top ten producers of medical school applicants, including Morehouse (33), and Spelman (38).
- Spelman and Bennett Colleges produce over half of the nation's African American women who go on to earn doctorates in all science fields; more than produced by the Ivy League's Seven Sisters combined (Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe, Smith, Wellesley, and Vassar Colleges).
- HBCUs significantly contribute to the creation of African American science degree holders: agriculture (51.6 percent), biology (42.2 percent), computer science (35 percent), physical science (43 percent), and social science (23.2 percent).
- HBCUs produce 44 percent of all African American bachelor's degrees awarded for communications technology, 33 percent of bachelor's degrees awarded for engineering technology, and 43 percent of bachelor's degrees awarded for mathematics, and
- HBCUs produce 40 percent of all African American doctorate degrees awarded for Communications.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Think HBCU
When the time comes for you to select a college or a university to attend, please THINK about attending a Historically Black College or University. These institutions of higher education offer degrees in every field imaginable. You will obtain a quality education that you will be proud of for the rest of your life!
Some people have questioned the need for these schools as we know them. For those who question the necessity for their existence I would like to say that these schools are still needed. These schools will be needed until there is parity in the educational funding system across the country, especially in our nation's inner cities. HBCUs understand the challenges of inner city students who may need just a little more support to make it in college. We are there for you because we care, we share and we understand that you may not have been afforded a few things along the way. With that being said, we also attract some of the country's brightest and highest achieving students. We also have very diverse student populations unbeknownst to many. HBCUs are not just for African American students. Our doors are open to everyone!
HBCU campuses provide a very rich social environment which will help to prepare you for the life after college. In addition to earning your HBCU degree, you will have a network of friends that you will stay in contact with for the rest of your life! You also look forward to attending your school's annual homecoming event because of these special relationships.
A majority of today's Black leaders, doctors and entrepreneurs received their degrees from a historically Black college or university. Most of them will also tell you that they are who they are today because of their Black college experience.
Although this site features historically black colleges and universities, the scholarship links are the most important aspects on this site. It does not matter how smart you are. If you do not have the financial resources to complete college, a college degree is just a topic of discussion.
Source: http://thinkhbcu.org/
Some people have questioned the need for these schools as we know them. For those who question the necessity for their existence I would like to say that these schools are still needed. These schools will be needed until there is parity in the educational funding system across the country, especially in our nation's inner cities. HBCUs understand the challenges of inner city students who may need just a little more support to make it in college. We are there for you because we care, we share and we understand that you may not have been afforded a few things along the way. With that being said, we also attract some of the country's brightest and highest achieving students. We also have very diverse student populations unbeknownst to many. HBCUs are not just for African American students. Our doors are open to everyone!
HBCU campuses provide a very rich social environment which will help to prepare you for the life after college. In addition to earning your HBCU degree, you will have a network of friends that you will stay in contact with for the rest of your life! You also look forward to attending your school's annual homecoming event because of these special relationships.
A majority of today's Black leaders, doctors and entrepreneurs received their degrees from a historically Black college or university. Most of them will also tell you that they are who they are today because of their Black college experience.
Although this site features historically black colleges and universities, the scholarship links are the most important aspects on this site. It does not matter how smart you are. If you do not have the financial resources to complete college, a college degree is just a topic of discussion.
| ||||||||||||
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Michael Vick tells Philadelphia high school students to avoid peer pressure
PHILADELPHIA -- Michael Vick, speaking to a group of Philadelphia high school students Tuesday, warned against the dangers of peer pressure and offered himself as a cautionary tale of what can happen when someone is a follower instead of a leader.
The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, who served prison time for running a dogfighting ring, addressed a rapt audience of 200 freshmen on their first day at Nueva Esperanza Academy, a North Philadelphia charter school. He urged the students to make the right choices and to resist the temptation to follow the crowd.
AP Photo/ Joseph KaczmarekMichael Vick addresses students at the Nueva Esperanza Academy in Philadelphia on Tuesday.
"I didn't choose to go the right way, which led to 18 months in prison, which was the toughest time of my life," he said. "Being away from my family, being away from my kids who I adore dearly, and being away from the game of football, doing something so foolish, and I wish I could take it all back.
"I was influenced by so many people when I should have been a leader, not a follower."
Speaking without notes, Vick told the hushed assembly during his 10-minute talk that his poor decisions imperiled the goals he had set for himself.
"Growing up, I had dreams and I always wanted to have this great, lavish life and make it to the NFL, go and accomplish great things and leave a great legacy. That was my goal from a young kid," Vick said. "My future was promising ... at some point, I got sidetracked. I started listening to my friends and doing some things that were not ethical and not right."
He said he tried to do the right things at school and at home, "but I had another side to me, and it was a dark side."
Vick visited the school with Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States. Pacelle has said he met with Vick in prison at the quarterback's request and that Vick sought to work with the group after his release.
Vick and the organization are working on "a national campaign to try to reach especially young people so we can all be voices against organized animal fighting," specifically dogfighting and cockfighting, Pacelle said.
"It's really a test of our character as individuals about being good to those who are less powerful," he said.
Once the highest paid player in the NFL, Vick spent 18 months in federal prison and was suspended from the league following his conviction in August 2007 on charges of conspiracy and organizing the dogfighting ring. He was released from federal custody on July 20 and the Eagles signed him last month.
Several animal rights groups criticized the team's decision to sign the quarterback, saying he is a poor example for young people.
Eagles spokeswoman Pamela Browner-Crawley has said the team has an obligation to the community and work with children particularly, to discourage them from engaging in dogfighting or any animal abuse.
Vick is suspended for the first two games of the regular season and is eligible to play beginning Sept. 27. In two preseason games, Vick completed 11 of 15 passes for 45 yards with one interception and rushed for 36 yards on eight carries with one touchdown.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)