Amar’e Stoudemire launches a children’s book series

NBA star Amar’e Stoudemire is set to release a new book series for middle-school-aged children.

The books are to be published by Scholastic in a series called STAT: Standing Tall and Talented.

Co-written by Stoudemire with the Scholastic team, the New York Knicks captain’s first book of the series, Home Court, is about his life as a 6’11″ middle school student who plays basketball, baseball and football with his friends in Lake Wales, the small Florida city where he grew up.

According to a Scholastic spokesperson, the series is likely to be ongoing, although just three books have been commissioned to date.

Eleven-year-old Amar’e Stoudemire has a lot going on. He loves to go skateboarding in the park. He takes his school work very seriously. He helps out with his dad’s landscaping company. And he likes to play basketball with his best friends—but just for fun. When a group of older kids start disrespecting his boys on their neighborhood basketball court, there is only one solution. Amar’e must step in and use his athletic ability and intelligence to save the day. This experience leads Amar’e to realize that basketball is his true passion.

STAT is based on the life of All-Star NBA sensation Amar’e Stoudemire, who overcame many obstacles to become one of the most popular figures in sports today.

“Kids need to enjoy reading and not see it as a chore,” said Stoudemire, a “proud father of three” who says he didn’t read enough as a child and is now “always” reading to his kids (ages 7, 5 and 4). He said he wrote STAT to give kids more opportunities to read books for fun.

The books are just part of Stoudemire’s efforts to promote child literacy. The Amar’e Stoudemire Foundation works to “creatively inspire young people to avoid poverty through education.”

“It gives a lot of messages about the responsibility of working and doing homework and learning to be leaders with my friends and be a positive influence,” said Stoudemire.

Source: http://thegrio.com/2012/08/13/amare-stoudemire-launches-a-childrens-book-series/

Latipha Cross Truly Inspiring Story, She Overcame Homelessness And Two Bouts Of Cancer To Earn a Full Track And Field Scholarship!!-- Video Inside

Latipha Cross Truly Inspiring Story, She Overcame Homelessness And Two Bouts Of Cancer To Earn a Full Track And Field Scholarship!!-- Video Inside -- Latipha Cross Truly Inspiring Story, She Overcame Homelessness And Two Bouts Of Cancer To Earn a Full Track And Field Scholarship!!-- Video Inside

Latipha Cross Truly Inspiring Story, She Overcame Homelessness And Two Bouts Of Cancer To Earn a Full Track And Field Scholarship!!-- Video Inside -- Latipha Cross Truly Inspiring Story, She Overcame Homelessness And Two Bouts Of Cancer To Earn a Full Track And Field Scholarship!!-- Video Inside

Latipha Cross Truly Inspiring Story, She Overcame Homelessness And Two Bouts Of Cancer To Earn a Full Track And Field Scholarship!!-- Video Inside

Source: http://hiphopnews24-7.com/profiles/blog/show?id=3090479%3ABlogPost%3A2477260&commentId=3090479%3AComment%3A2477984&xg_source=activity

Ninety Days to Start Gaining Wealth

Who wants to be rich? Is it possible to gain wealth in these times of economic turmoil, where uncertainty and disillusionment prevail?


For Veronica, a person worthy to be placed in every success story book, what you need is a head start. In every page of her book to financial freedom, she provided the secrets of becoming a millionaire or even a billionaire in a step-by-step procedure that starts in the first ninety days of seriously pursuing your financial goals.


About the Author
A native of Albuquerque, NM, Mrs. Veronica Brooks was appointed in the Department of Defense in 2000 and appointed in Acquisition field in 2005 through the NAVFAC Professional Development Center (PDC) program. She completed an Associate Arts Degree in Political Science from Florida State College, Bachelors Degree in Business Administration, and Dual Masters Degree in Business Administration Management and Human Resource Management. Presently, she is serving as the Supervisory Contracting Officer at Naval Air Facility, Atsugi, Japan.


Her previous assignments include: Fleet Industrial Supply Command(FISC) Naval Regional Contracting Center in Manama, Bahrain that consist of contacts that are essential to meet Central Command (CENTCOM) requirements throughout the Middle East, Southwest Asia, East Africa, the Indian subcontinent, and Department of Defense (DoD) activities in the United States. Resident Officer in Charge of Construction (ROICC) and Integrated Product Team (IPT) at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, FL, Secretary for Naval Air Depot Jacksonville, FL and Department of Dependent Schools (DoDDs) Office Automation Assistant in Zama American High Schools, in Japan.


Veronica M. Brooks is Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) Level III certified. Member of National Contract Management Association (NCMA), African American Federal Executive Association (AAFEA), Voluntary Leader of non-profit organizations that is gear toward mentoring women, children, and families. Her personal decorations include the Presidental/Congressional Recognition Award for Business Woman of the Year from 03-07 Published in the Wall Street Journal for Businesswomen of the year Award 01-07 Published in the Wall Street Journal for Outstanding Leadership Award of Business Advisory Council 11-06. Special Act Award of outstanding performance (6 Awards).


She is married to AMEC Glen E. Brooks (retired USN), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and has three young men Joe, Eugene and Quintail.


Hobbies: Having fun with the family; Horseback Riding, Creating Wealth, and Traveling.

Great Black Speakers

WHAT IS GREAT BLACK SPEAKERS ?

Great Black Speakers was founded in January 2007 by Lawrence Watkins, a 28 year old, successful entrepreneur. Great Black speaker’s bureau is committed to providing excellence, reliability, and an elevated measure of integrity on a daily basis. Check out this quick video that explains how we can help you and your organization:

WHAT DO WE DO ?
Great Black Speakers Bureau is a speakers’ bureau that helps Universities, Corporations, and High Schools find high quality, African-American speakers for different events.

We currently have over 200 speakers that are a part of our bureau and have worked with various colleges and universities around the nation. A great benefit of Great Black Speakers is that we have speakers that fit all price ranges. We work very closely with our speakers and clients to ensure that they receive the best experience possible. The speakers we represent are very well trained in their craft and are able to provide keynote speeches, workshops and seminars, panel discussions, as well as conferences.

Great Black Speakers is devoted in helping you find the right speaker that will convey an unforgettable message to your organization. We take pride in our work and will guarantee great service by providing you with speakers who are reliable and devoted to our company’s mission.


Great Black Speakers also assist African American speakers with the opportunity to increase their exposure. We offer services to help speakers advance, promote and manage their speaking career to achieve future success.

Source: http://www.greatblackspeakers.com

Beyoncé Knowles Charity Work, Events and Causes

Beyoncé Knowles – the 26-year-old soulstress from Destiny’s Child – is not only one of the great survivors of the music industry, but also someone who cares deeply about people.

The list of charities she supports is both long and varied, but perhaps the greatest contribution she has made is the Survivor Foundation, an organization she founded with fellow Destiny’s Child Kelly Rowland to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. The foundation’s accomplishments are many, including the Music World Cares Christmas Carnival that enabled over 300 low-income households to enjoy a fun-filled day of food, entertainment, a visit from Santa Claus and free toys from the toy giveaway. The singer also held a series of food drives before her concerts in 2006 to collect the food that was so desperately needed by victims.

Beyoncé was also an Ambassador for the 2005 World Children’s Day, and released “Stand Up For Love,” the anthem for the event which takes place annually around the world on November 20 to raise awareness and funds for children’s causes.

Beyoncé donated a handbag to an auction benefitting Women's Fund for Scotland. But her concern for people is sometimes more discreet, as was shown when she visited two people who were injured during a fireworks accident at one of her concerts, arriving at the hospital shortly after the concert ended. Head nurse Darryl Williams said, “She was just very concerned about the people injured in the audience. It was unannounced and we kept it very low-key so that she could spend time with them.”


Beyoncé Knowles has supported the following charities:

46664
American Foundation for AIDS Research
Artists for Peace and Justice
Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes
Candie's Foundation
Clinton Bush Haiti Fund
Clothes Off Our Back
Entertainment Industry Foundation
Feeding America
Food Bank For New York City
Kids Wish Network
Love Our Children USA
Miami Children's Hospital Foundation
MusiCares
Music Rising
Oxfam
Phoenix House
Save The Music Foundation
Stand Up To Cancer
Survivor Foundation
The Lunchbox Fund
The Samburu Project
Women's Fund for Scotland

Read more: http://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/beyonce-knowles#ixzz2L9ssZPm1
Follow us: @looktothestars on Twitter | looktothestarsorg on Facebook

Zora Ball, First Grader, Becomes Youngest Person To Develop Mobile Game App (PHOTO)

At 7 years old, Zora Ball has become the youngest person to create a mobile video game.

The app was unveiled at the University of Pennsylvania's Bootstrap Expo last month, the Philadelphia Tribune reports.

Ball developed the game using programming language Bootstrap, which is usually taught to students between the ages of 12 and 16, to help them learn concepts of algebra via video game development.

According to Mashable, Ball also successfully reconfigured the app when asked to do so at the Expo, silencing anyone who may have thought that her older brother -- a STEM scholar of the year -- helped her program the game.

Staff at Harambee Institute of Science and Technology, where Ball attends first grade and an after-school program, anticipate she'll do great things.

"I am proud of all my students," Tariq Al-Nasir, who heads the STEMnasium Learning Academy, told the Courier. "Their dedication to this program is phenomenal, and they come to class every Saturday, including holiday breaks."

Last year, the Huffington Post wrote about Kelvin Doe, a 13-year-old from Sierra Leone who created batteries and generators using materials he picked up around the house. Three years later, he became the youngest person to be invited to MIT's Visiting Practitioner's Program.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/04/zora-ball_n_2586140.html?comm_crv

Infographic – Black-owned businesses are on an Upward Trend in the US

Source: http://www.angelinvestmentnetwork.net/2013-02/infographic-black-owned-businesses-are-on-an-upward-trend-in-the-us