Cowboys of Color: Harold Cash and Vincent Jacobs on Living Your Best Life Radio with Genma Holmes

Remember growing wanting to be a cowboy or cowgirl? The old western movies captured all of our imaginations. But rarely did we see cowboys who reflected the diversity of the west and our country.

On Saturday, July 12, 2014, listen to men who careers have been in the rodeo, true American Cowboys of Color. Tune in to hear from legendary heroes, Harold Cash and Vincent Jacobs. Listen to them share how they broke racial barriers to tour the rodeo circuit and how they are making sure the complete story of the American Cowboy is told accurately.

Harold Cash who was inducted into the Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2010 credits his education from Prairie View  A& M College to him being a part of the Rodeo. Listen to him share highlights from his stellar career as rodeo star, working in the oil business, and owning the first Black Country Western Club in Houston, Texas. Cash believes in bring others along on his journey. Hear him share how he honors others who have gone before him on the rodeo cirucut.

Vincent Jacobs, a 50-year resident of Barrett Station, is recognized as a legendary African-American Cowboys in Texas. At 15, he was introduced to competitive bull riding, and in 1970 he was one of the first black men to ride in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Hear him share what it was like to be a trailblazer among trailblazers. Jacobs will be inducted into the Rodeo Hall of Fame on in July.

Living Your Best Life Radio, radio that empowers, inspires, and motivates you to live your BEST life, can be heard on 760 AM in the Middle-Tennessee Region, Tune In, military bases, and streamed live on U-Stream.TV from 9-10AM CST. This show will also air on WTST, a member of the HBCU radio network (XM 142).

Follow the #cowboysofcolor hash tag on Facebook and Twitter.

More About the Rode Hall of Fame Mission

The National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum and Hall of Fame is dedicated to honoring and documenting the lives of men and women who have made exemplary contributions to Western Heritage, past and present.

More About Harold Cash

For years Harold was a spectator with his grandfather, however in 1967 hometown cowboy friends Elijah and Charlie Davis entered him into his first rodeo at the S.P. Picnic Ground. Thus his rodeo career began. Thereafter in 1969 Cash teamed up and traveled with his mentor, “The World Greatest” Willie Thomas, Sr. to cities and states such as Chicago, Denver, New York, Washing D.C. and Oklahoma participating in rodeos. Even though Cash rode bulls, he specialized in Bare Back Riding. He was an expert at riding the “Bad One’s” especially those that stock contractors thought no one could ride. One memorable ride was when Harold Cash rode a horse in Washington, D.C. known as the horse of the year named “Playboy” owned by the Thera Latting Rodeo Production of Robbins, Illinois. Cash won the All American Rodeo Association Champion Bare Back Buckle in1979 and 1981. Along with numerous trophies and Awards in his rodeo career, in 1995 Cash won the Old Time Rodeo Association Bare Back Buckle, which is when he retired from the arena.

In 1982, Cash became the Co-owner of the first Black Country Western Club in Houston, Texas with his friend Myrtis Dightman. In 1985, he became the sole owner of the “Tie Down Saloon” Country and Western Club in Texas City, Texas. In addition, some of Harold Cash’s community accomplishments are, Master Mason Grand Lodge 112, - Logos Bible Institute, Houston, Texas, - Ike Carden Rodeo Association - Over the Hill & Future Cowboy Rodeo Association, - Galveston County Fair & Rodeo Association - Houston Livestock show and Rodeo Black Professional Cowboy & Cowgirl Association – Texas House of Representatives Honored as an outstanding example of a Texas icon-A real cowboy –and the President of the All American Youth Rodeo Association.

More About Vincent Jacobs

Vincent Jacobs is an American cowboy who grew up in the 1940s. He challenges what is written as history with factual information about the American West and speaks often at schools and colleges about the accuracy of American History. He notes many movies about the "Wild West" are Hollywood versions of stories that omit the role of black cowboys in our Western culture. Jacobs states many stories were changed to make material for a number of films like The Lone Ranger which was said to be inspired by Bass Reeves, a former slave who had an illustrious career as a U.S. Marshall. Also, the film, The Searchers, is based on a novel by Alan Le May, which was inspired by legendary Brit Johnson, a famous black cowboy. In recent years, black characters appear more in films such as Wild West Posse, Unforgiven, and Django Unchained. But Hollywood has ignored the ethnic diversity of the cowboy in American West which is considered the birthplace of America where Americans made ​​a difference to people of European descent. The West is seen as a frontier where white people showed their courage but does not depict many people of color who had no rights under the U.S. Constitution were just as courageous and made many historical contributions to our society in spite of the circumstances that prohibited them from being considered citizens. Jacobs still fights for all Americans who have contributed so much to recognized and honored.

Jacobs has been recognized by many organizations and is honored to be nominated into the Rodeo Hall of Fame.

Growing Trend... Blaming Women to Justify Violence

The Memorial Day weekend began with horrific murders in Isla Vista, California. Elliot Rodger, a misogynistic 22 year, turned his anger towards sorority women who he felt rejected him decided he would “punish” women who he felt a sense of entitlement to their bodies went on a mass killing spree. He killed six individuals, severely wounded nine others and committed suicide with a self-inflicted gunshot to his head.

On Friday, Rodger sent a one hundred and forty page manifesto to family and friends detailing how he would extract “retribution on reckoning day.” Prior to his manifesto, Rodger a college student at Santa Barbara City College, posted messages on forums and You Tube sprouting his delusional views, his lonely existence, and constant questioning why women were not interested in him. Rodger could not understand why a good looking “Eurasian with a shiny black BMW” could not get a date in a town filled with pretty blondes who rather spend time with a Black man instead of him.

Rodger had been in counseling since the age of eight years old. Rodger’s father was the assistant director of Games of Thrones and his mother once dated George Lucas and worked with Stephen Spielberg. Rodger was the very essence of white privilege. A young man who seemed to have it all, had bottled up rage that intensified over the years and he blamed women for it. Rodger’s indignation against women led him to plan to kill all of the members of the Tri Delta sorority house located near the campus of the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Crime scene from Isla Vista shooting.

After stabbing to death his roommates, Rodger left his home on Friday evening determined to kill the sorority women. His attempts to get inside of the sorority house was foiled so he turned his hate on three women walking by and shot them several times at point blank range. Two of the three he shot, died outside of their sorority house. 

UCSB students gather at candle light vigil.

After he shot the sorority women, he drove around firing from his BMW while using his car as a weapon as he drove over anyone that was in his way. The hatred oozing from one man towards women has left six families struggling to comprehend losing a child away at college in such a senseless planned attack and a college community stunned at the rage that was inflicted on the innocent.

Rage against innocent women is being played out internationally as well. As we enter the sixth week of the Nigerian kidnapped school girls by terrorists, Boka Horam, the helplessness of their parents can be felt around the globe. Men with guns decided to burn a school to the ground and carry off young women and girls who were being educated as a show of masculine power to world leaders. Men with guns did not rage war against other men with guns, another country, their government or other militia. No, Boka Horam, which means Western education is sinful, decided to show what their definition of brute force by taking young women and girls in the middle of the night. To the dismay of the world, the Nigerian government and other countries have not been as quick to look for them as countries were willing to comb the bottom of the sea for months to search for passengers on a missing plane.

  

Nigerian School Girls in video provided by Boka Horam

To further torture the families of the kidnapped Nigerian school girls, Boka Horam videoed their kidnapped victims to proclaim that the young women and girls would be sold into slavery or married off to the lowest bidder if Boka Haram political prisoners were not released.  The young women and girls were the focus of violence; not the military, not the government, or other factions but the females in the countryside were targeted to accomplish the sadistic will of a terrorist organization.

  

Violence towards women is not just committed or cheered on by men. Bravo TV has help perfected violence-for-entertainment that pay great dividends to the network. The Real Housewives series have been steadily ramping up the friction between the women on the scripted show. Each year, the antics of the cast have continued to include more and more physical confrontations. In March at a taping, members of the Real Housewives of Atlanta took their personal grievances to another level that was aired in April. Porsha Williams after being taunted by Kenya Moore, assaulted Kenya Moore in a moment that was deemed “the weave snatch seen around the world.” Porsha decided to put an end to Kenya’s put downs and literally drug her by the hair across the floor while kicking and clawing the entire time. Instead of many condemning the attack, social media weighed in and many believed Porsha was justified in her actions. Bravo condemned the attack but continued to replay the show over and over every weekend since the initial showing of the reunion show in April. The network has been rewarded handsomely for continuing to show the violent profanity laced episode. The ratings of the Real Housewives of Atlanta netted Bravo it highest ratings since debuting the franchise and has spun off a number of ‘pundit style’ shows where the cast member discuss the fight. Each spin off or follow up show was heavily advertised and all have been highly rated. The demographics of viewers of Real Housewives of Atlanta are ages 24-54 year olds. There is no denying that the majority who watch the show, often called Sunday’s guilty pleasure, are women.

In order to address the ever increasing violence towards women that can take the form of revenge perpetrated by the misogyny ranting of an obsess sexless fiend, to political kidnappings around the world, to degrading reality shows disguised as entertainment, women must be willing to denounce all violence towards women. Women must stand united and strong in the narrative and not cherry pick one violent act over the other. Women must be the first to come to the aid of another woman. Often, that starts right in the places we often overlook; women groups, our communities, on the job, and in our places of worship. Until women condemn violence toward women first, violence towards women will continue to escalate and will be used to justify entertainment, political grandstanding, or a mass killing spree.


Photo credits: LA Times, New York Times, Gif Bravo TV 

Former NBA Owner Charles L. Ewing, Sr. Talks Ongoing NBA Saga on Living Your Best Life with Genma Holmes

The saga surrounding Donald Sterling's leaked racist rants came under more scrutiny after his self professed silly rabbit and adviser, V. Stiviano, gave a confusing interview on ABC's 20/20 that was torturous to watch. To help us understand the "culture" of NBA owners Living Your Best Life Radio with Genma Holmes reached out to former owners of the Memphis Grizzlies, Charles L. Ewing, Sr. and Fred Jones.

Join us on Saturday, May 3, 2014 to hear Charles L. Ewing, Sr. give us a glimpse into the life of being an NBA owner. Mr. Ewing, CEO of Ewing Moving Services, will share his past experiences and how it relates to current events surrounding Donald Sterling and the culture of NBA owners. He will share about the journey to becoming an owner that included thoroughly being investigated. Every aspects of his life, personal and professionally, and the lives of his family, close friends, and business associates were put under the microscope before he was accepted as a minority owner of the team.

Mr. Ewing will talk his meetings with then 28 owners and try help us understand, in layman terms, the bylaws and constitutions of NBA. Mr. Ewing will give us an inside view of being a minority executive and not a basketball player in the NBA. Mr. Ewing will also try to answer questions like: Why has the media not pursued interviewing more minority NBA owners like him and Mr. Jones? Why has the media focused been on the players more than owners who set the tone for the team? Do other NBA owners believe they "own" the players? Did being an owner of a NBA team change how he did business with majority companies after he left the NBA? He will share lessons learned from his time as NBA owner and how is applying those lessons in his life today.

This show promises to empower, to inspire, and to motivate you to live your BEST life. Living Your Best Life Radio is heard on 760AM in the Middle Tennessee Region, the Inspirational Network, military bases, Tune In, and live streamed at Ustream.TV from 9-10AM CST.

More About Charles L. Ewing, Sr.

“To Whom Much Is Given Much Is Required” 

The President/CEO, Charles Ewing, Sr. donates his time and resources to numerous charitable causes. He serves on several local, regional and national boards of directors in hopes that he can help make life better for those around him.  The employees of the company are encouraged to follow his example and do the same.  Ewing Moving Service, Inc. is committed to giving back to the community. 

Below are some of the present and past organizations that Ewing Moving Service, Inc. supports: 

• Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis
• Soulsville USA, STAX Music Academy & The STAX Museum of American Soul Music
• Society of Entrepreneurs
• The University of Tennessee
• St. Louis Federal Reserve Board
• Memphis District Laymen’s Movement
• Regions Advisory Board
• Grizzlies Foundation
• City of Memphis Mayor’s Advisory Council 

More About Ewing Moving

 Ewing Moving Service, Inc. is an independent local and long distance relocation service specializing in complete packing and warehouse storage. Established in 1980 by Charles L. Ewing, Sr. The company is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, with an additional office in Nashville, Tennessee.

The company provides relocation services for residential and commercial clients throughout the continental United States and internationally.

We aim to assure the quality of the customer's experience from the beginning to the end of their move. We stand behind every service commitment and we employ friendly, skilled, knowledgeable people who are professionally committed to meeting your needs.

2013 Guide to Jewish Nashville is Hot Off the Press

Two years ago, I was given a copy of the Jewish Observer by a friend who read an article I had written in the another media outlet. Being a lover of diversity, the newspaper became one of my favorite papers to read.

I became so fond of the Jewish Observer that I decided I would advertise my companies in their publications. Beginning in June, my ads will run in every issue of the paper and next year's Guide to Jewish Nashville.


In the meantime, grab the current issue of the 2013 Guide to Jewish Nashville. Featured stories includes the works of artists Kaaren Kirschwith Engle, Kim Phillips, and Zev Goering, who embrace their Jewish heritage. You also find an intriguing story about a dresser that helps solves a 60 year old family mystery.

Interiors by Zev

The Jewish Guide is filled with a comprehensive listing of congregations, organizations, and educational opportunities.  It can serve as a handy reference all year long. The Jewish Observer, the only Jewish newspaper covering Middle Tennessee. It is published by the Jewish Federation of Nashville twice a month.

 Look for the Holmes Pest Control ad in the paper and Living Your Best Life ad on the website.

The President's Cabinet Appointments Highlight Larger Issues in the Black Communitiy

President Obama made history again with his re-election. But his second term has been scrutinized by the left and the right. In his second term, his first round of nominees for his cabinet was white males. This caused some to question his loyalty to the millions of minorities, women,  and members of the GLBTs who elected him. When another Black business owner asked my thoughts about the lack of minorities being considered or appointed, I replied, “The issue is much bigger than black or white. Black Americans have allowed ‘white is right’ to become systemic in thinking. We, like White folks, have failed to embrace diversity or to accept our own for one reason or another. We have forgotten to look back at history and note that we did NOT overcome by ‘black is maybe but white is right.’ 

Let us take a look at how we arrived at the dilution of diversity by first looking at Affirmative Action. In the 1960s, at the height of the Civil Rights movement, we called on our elected leaders to challenge the country’s acceptance of the discrimination of Blacks in all areas of government contracting agencies. President Kennedy answered through his executive order, 10925, mandating “affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed and those employees are treated fairly during employment, without regard to race, creed, color, or national origin.”* Although a presidential executive order was being implemented and, in many cases, being enforced, Jim Crow, the law of the land in the Old South did not roll over and die. It took on a more covert way of staying a live by heavily saturating its principles of white is right into the enforcement of the new policies.

In the Old South, Jim Crow laws, written and unwritten, mandated where a Black person could sit, shop, eat, or use a restroom. Also, Jim Crow laws dictated how a Black person should look at a White person and how closely he should stand next to or walk beside a White person. Though Jim Crow was not the law of the land in the North, the North had its own insidious version. Blacks were systematically siphoned into areas of cities that were expressively ‘black’ and into jobs, schools, and the like that were considered ‘black’.

With dueling sets of laws--federal vs. state and local--once again our country found itself at war.  Although an undeclared war, our country was still fighting President Lincoln’s war a hundred years later. Instead of Confederate soldiers with cannons fighting for state’s rights to retain slaves in cotton fields, laws were instituted to confine Black people to horrible economic conditions equivalent to slavery with an invisible master.

After the death of President Kennedy, a new president, President Johnson addressed affirmative action. He stated, “Nothing is more freighted with meaning for our own destiny than the revolution of the Negro American...In far too many ways American Negroes have been another nation: deprived of freedom, crippled by hatred, the doors of opportunity closed to hope...But freedom is not enough. You do not wipe away the scars of centuries by saying: Now you are free to go where you want, and do as you desire, and choose the leaders you please. You do not take a person who, for years, has been hobbled by chains and liberate him, bring him up to the starting line of a race and then say, 'you are free to compete with all the others,' and still justly believe that you have been completely fair...This is the next and the more profound stage of the battle for civil rights. We seek not just freedom but opportunity. We seek not just legal equity but human ability, not just equality as a right and a theory but equality as a fact and equality as a result...To this end equal opportunity is essential, but not enough, not enough.**   

Every President has served a racially divided country. And rules are not always the same for every racial group in interpretation and implementation. There are racial divisions, in spite of all of our accomplishments as a nation; and these divisions seem to pull at the fibers of our country despite our ever increasing growth of minorities who have become national leaders, business owners, college presidents, astronauts, and even pest-control operators. In every genre, great men and women from every ethnic background have defied odds to add to the rich diversity of this nation, even electing a President whose parents are members of two races, not once but twice. Yet the President struggles with an issue inherent in the belief of a very large number of folks in this country: white is right, that is, white American male is right.

Under President Obama, the unwritten rules of how business gets done in our country have not changed. While these unwritten rules present both opportunities and obstacles for working with congressional and business leaders, the President must deal with perception just as much as reality. In reality, a majority of voting Americans voted for President Obama. But the perception is that more did not vote for him. No matter how many numbers show the wide margin of his win, by design, the President’s opposition rack up more air time on cable news shows than those who support him. 

Along the same lines of reality vs. perception, because a corporation says it believes in diversity or has a minority supplier program does not mean that the culture of the company is accepting of diverse individuals, which includes Congress, an entity that governs the business affairs of our country. Although our country has become more diverse, there are members of Congress who struggle with the idea of diversity. One reason, diversity cannot be pigeon-holed into the paradigm, “American white male is right.” 

At one time, Black Americans were the largest minority group. When diversity programs were mentioned, it was the code for “We do business with Blacks.” But in the last decade, doing business with Black Americans was no longer a litmus test for diversity. Diversity has grown to mean global inclusiveness. Women, individuals with physical disabilities, and members within the GLBT communities are all part of diversity inclusion. Many are CEOs or senior management decision-makers for global corporations. 

Because of global diversity, minorities, who may not even consider themselves as a minority, are sitting at the table as decision-makers and do not need executive orders to be given access to employment, housing, or an education. By the way, Hispanics/Latinos are the majority of the minority groups. But Asian business owners are the fastest growing in our nation and are one of the highest income earners.

Culturally speaking, most minority groups turn first to each other’s businesses for goods or services before venturing outside of their communities. By being intentional with their spending dollars, these communities are strengthened economically and engender more buying power. Local power combined with fiscal numbers gives them a seat at the table for national dialogue. These communities become producers vs. consumers. When communities are strong producers of their own wealth by doing business within their communities, they can intimidate or become intimidating to outsiders.

If a community allows an entity to divide and conquer it without much opposition, the community soon becomes a doormat and gets very little to nothing in return from the entity. Instead, the community should take a page out of the book of another community that appears to have successful business practices, especially of diverse ethnic groups, and demand reciprocity at a comparable rate. Black Americans are slow in accepting this concept.

Some local Black business owners rarely have a community-first mindset. In Nashville, Black- owned means ‘last-selected’and 'less-than-your-quoted-price' to other Blacks when buying. It does not matter what area of town one may in reside; it seems to be the prevailing thought. “Nashville’s Black Elite” can be the worst offenders while screaming for economic inclusion from corporate America. When asked about this practice, “You know how we are,” is the standard reply. As far as Blacks have come in leading the way to gain equality for others, we are often last in helping one another to achieve or maintain economic stability in our businesses, to support our families, to give back to our communities, and to prepare to contribute to national dialogue, not photo opportunities.

Our national leaders have much work to do, both moral and legislative work. Our country issues are bigger than Black and White issues, much bigger. As the President works through years of systemic racial biases [he must do] that are woven into the fibers of our country, he must intentionally choose leaders who will embrace our growing global diversity and who will practice inclusiveness. In the same vein, Black business owners must work through years of being treated as inferior. For many have begun to believe that the goods and services of our own people are ‘less than.’ Hence, Black business owners [as a whole] need a new paradigm shift that can remove the systemic thinking that has inculcated and has embedded into the fibers of the community.

To make the shift, Black business owners should begin to intentionally seek out goods and services of one another. This action will help strengthen dialogue within the Black community. They have to become educated in the ways and means of the global marketers and use the finesse of the dialogue of the smaller community to access the larger global market. They must keep in mind that this training is pertinent to opening the doors to financial empowerment.

If Black Americans do not embrace and complement each other like leveling compounds running on an uneven floor, we will continue to be overlooked at the table for national conversations and leadership roles and will continue to be stepped on or stepped over. But in order to change this, we must start with the man or woman in the mirror, not the President. Economic empowerment starts in your neighborhood and local communities not in Washington, DC.

*President John F. Kennedy’s Executive Order 10925 was signed March 6, 1961
** President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Commencement Address at Howard University Commencement June 4, 1965

HBCU Digest Founder Jarrett Carter on Living Your Best Life with Genma Holmes

 Join Living Your Best Life with Genma Holmes as we profile organizations and leaders who lead by example. With extraordinary acts of kindness and charitable giving that help countless lives daily, these organizations and leaders embody "Be the change you want to see in the world".

Throughout 2013 listeners will hear from presidents of organizations who are global change agents. We will also hear from CEOs of social enterprise businesses who are changing communities and college educators who are taking their students out of the classroom and into surrounding neighborhoods to learn and serve others.

Alcorn State University 2012 HBCU of the Year

On Saturday,  March 2, 2013 we continue to hear from powerful voices in higher education  as we welcome HBCUDigest.com founder, Jarrett Carter. Tune in to hear why Jarrett Carter, an HBCU alum, began an online daily news site dedicated to the coverage of HBCUs. Listen as Jarrett Carter discusses HBCU Digest, the role and relevancy of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and the upcoming 3rd Annual HBCU Awards. Hear his insights on past HBCU School of the Year winners and why recognizing the accomplishments of HBCUs are important.

Jarret will also share why the importance of teaching media advocacy to HBCUs  should be part of every school's strategic plan for long term growth and stability while competing for the best and brightest students  now and in the future.

Living Your Best Life, radio that empowers, inspires, and motivates you to live your BEST life, is heard on 760AM in the Middle Tennessee Region, the Inspirational Network, military bases and lived streamed at Ustream.TV from 9-10AM CST.

More About Jarrett Carter

Jarrett Carter, Founder of HBCU Digest

Jarrett L. Carter Sr. is the Founding Editor of HBCUDigest.com, an online daily news blog dedicated to coverage of historically black colleges and universities throughout the United States. He is also the host of HBCU Digest Radio, a weekly talk radio program covering societal, cultural and institutional issues at HBCUs, and the Founder and Executive Director of the Center for HBCU Media Advocacy, a national non-profit organization working to enhance HBCUs' new media and media outreach opportunities.

A native of Seat Pleasant, MD., Carter graduated from Morgan State University in 2003 with a Bachelor's degree in English with a journalism concentration.

Carter lives in Baltimore with his wife, Dr. La Keita D. Carter and two sons, Jarrett Jr. and Landen.

More About HBCU Digest

 The HBCU Digest is a daily blog/news curation resource, providing news synopsis, links and commentary on stories about America’s historically black colleges and universities. Started in January 2010, the site has grown from a news aggregation site (taking portions of content from other sources) to providing breaking news from outlets throughout the United States, original features and editorials, and special content unique to HBCU students and alumni culture. The HBCU Digest is also available on a weekly worldwide Internet broadcast, HBCU Digest Radio, which can be heard Thursdays at 6 p.m. EST.

Select editorials from the Digest are syndicated on the Huffington Post. Headlines from all HBCU Digest posts, along with regular commentary and reader Q&A’s are syndicated on Twitter, Facebook and Google Plus. Content is also available through RSS feed. The Digest is published Monday through Saturday.

The HBCU Digest delivers news and information on all aspects of HBCU culture. Student life, alumni affairs, leadership, community, entertainment and sports. The Digest solicits press releases and media advisories from HBCUs and organizations supporting HBCUs.

The HBCU Digest is regularly read by HBCU students, alumni and administrators. Additionally, the Digest is a popular resource for editors and reporters looking for in-depth information on HBCUs. In 2011, the Digest was read by more than 250,000 people in all 50 states and in more than 173 countries around the world – about four times the attendance of the largest HBCU football classic in the country, the Magic City Classic between Alabama A&M and Alabama State.

Lambda Theta Alpha, Iris Montes, and Jennifer Reyes on Living Your Best Life with Genma Holmes

Join Living Your Best Life with Genma Holmes as we profile organizations and leaders who lead by example. With extraordinary acts of kindness and charitable giving that help countless lives daily, these organizations and leaders embody "Be the change you want to see in the world".

Hear from Greek fraternities and sororities who are global change agents. We will also hear from CEOs of social enterprise businesses who are changing communities and college educators who are taking their students out of the classroom and into surrounding neighborhoods for real world life lessons and to serve others. Listen to young men and women who are energized to help make a differences in their communities and regions by challenging status quo and shattering glass ceilings.

 On Saturday, October 20, 2012, tune in to learn about the first Latina Sorority in the US, Lambda Theta Alpha. Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) 's journalism student, Iris Montes, President of MTSU's Delta Iota Chapter of Lambda Theta Alpha, will share about the sorority's rich history and  mission. We will also hear from Jennifer Reyes, news reporter with News Channel 5, about her life as journalist and celebrity reporter. Our show will  be compelling as we hear from Iris who is preparing for a career in journalism and electronic media while active in many organizations and Jennifer, a media veteran, who has covered the news in several cities, hosted a magazine show, and produced segments in other countries.

Living Your Best Life, a radio show that empowers, inspires and motivates one to live their BEST life, can heard on 760 AM in the Middle-Tennessee Region, military bases, and streamed live on U-Stream.TV from 9-10AM CST.

More About Lambda Theta Alpha

Colors: Burgundy and Grey Principles:
Unity, Love and Respect
Goals: Scholarly excellence, empowerment of Latinas and the universal woman, cultural and political awareness, and community activism.

Founded at Kean University, in NJ in December of 1975.

Lambda Theta Alpha was the first sorority ever created to cater towards the needs of Latinas in the nation.

The purpose of the organization is to create a support group for Latinas in higher education, and unite the Latino community on campus.

Lambda Theta Alpha was established as an academic sorority. LTA is not an exclusionary organization.

The LTA National Philanthropy is St. Jude Children's Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

Lambda Theta Alpha is a member of the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO).

Lambda Theta Alpha is a fully insured organization which covers all of its chapters. Each chapter of Lambda Theta Alpha is recognized by its respective institution. Sisters at each chapter enjoy complete participation in campus activities.

Lambda Theta Alpha has established Alumnae Chapters. Lambda Theta Alpha has established Graduate Chapters. Lambda Theta Alpha has established chapters throughout New Jersey, Connecticut, Puerto Rico, New York, Maryland, Florida, California, Pennsylvania, Texas, Arizona, Michigan, Illinois, Virginia, Tennessee, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Georgia, Idaho, North Carolina and Washington.

Lambda Theta Alpha is proud to be recognized as the 2000-2001, 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 recipient of the Sorority of the Year award from NALFO and Latinogreeks.com.
Orientation: Women of all ethnicities.

More About Iris Montes

Iris Montes, 21, is a third-year student at Middle Tennessee State University. She was born and raised in Jacksonville, FL. At the age of 15, she moved to Tennessee. She started studying at MTSU in Fall, 2010. Iris has is majoring in Electronic Media Journalism, and Global Studies. She became a member of the Delta Iota Chapter of Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority Incorporated, in Spring 2011 and is currently president of the Delta Iota Chapter of Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority Inc. and vice president of the Multicultural Greek Council. Iris is also a founding member of "Better Together," an Interfaith Organization, on MTSU's campus.

More About Jennifer Reyes

Jennifer Reyes joined the NewsChannel 5 This Morning team in March 2012.
Jennifer grew up in Indianapolis and graduated from Ball State University with a Marketing degree. She got her start in news in her hometown of Indianapolis working for the local Univision affiliate, first as a weather anchor and later as a news anchor and producer.

While at Univision, she interviewed many local and national celebrities, and broke stories that got national and international attention. Four years later, wanting to expand her knowledge in the business, she went on to work for WITI, the FOX affiliate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She joined their news team first as a helicopter traffic reporter and later as a general assignment and feature weekend reporter.

Following her four-year stint at FOX, she moved back to Indianapolis where she worked as a freelance reporter for the #1 station in the market, NBC affiliate WTHR. While there she contributed reports to NBC, MSNBC, and Telemundo.

Before moving to Nashville, Jennifer worked as a celebrity reporter for US Weekly and Life & Style Weekly in Los Angeles, California. She also produced and hosted a local magazine style show and worked for executive producers Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony.

Jennifer is a true bilingual reporter fluent in both written and spoken Spanish and English. One of her greatest career achievements include having the opportunity to travel to Mexico to produce a segment for PBS.

In her free time, Jennifer enjoys traveling, reading, exercising and checking out new restaurants.

Jennifer Cole and Rebecca Berrios on Living Your Best Life with Genma Holmes

Living Your Best Life with Genma Holmes will celebrate Artober Nashville throughout the month of October with the Frist Center for the Visual Arts and the Metro Arts Commission. Tune in as we shine the spotlight on art, culture, history, and community.

On Saturday, October 6, 2012 join us to hear Jennifer Cole and Rebbecca Berrios of the Metropolitan Arts Commission. Hear them share how Artober Nashville has grown by leaps and bounds in less than two years and how the city of Nashville's growing art scene helps us to embrace the rich, diverse, cultural growth of our region. Jennifer and Rebecca will give us an overview of the month and share how art the art community "inspire people through art to look at their world in new ways".  Artober Nashville is a one stop portal to finding events in theater, music, art, and dance from October 1-31in Music City.
  
Living Your Best Life, radio that empowers, inspires, and motivates you to live your BEST life, is heard on 760AM in the Middle Tennessee Region, the Inspirational Network, military bases and live streamed at Ustream.TV from 9-10AM CST.

More About Jennifer Cole and Rebecca Berrios

Jennifer Cole stepped into the role of Executive Director of the Metropolitan Nashville Arts Commission in 2009. After success at the helm of numerous high-profile national projects with Points of Light Institute and Hands On Network, she brings a unique skill set to public art in Nashville. Cole recently released the Creative Vitality Index Report—a survey that put the creative character of this city into tangible terms. Through hard data, Cole uses this survey to tell the story of the centrality of the arts in Nashville. Gifted with a vision for the future and grounded by a sense of responsibility to Nashville’s roots, Cole is taking public art in the Music City to the next level.
Excerpt from Nashville Arts Magazine

Rebecca Berrios  is the Community Events Manager for the Metropolitian Nashville Arts. Rebecca joined Metro Arts in July 2011. Her role as community project coordinator includes managing the Gallery and the Artist Registry, coordinating Artober Nashville and leading various initiatives to expand and support the arts in Nashville.
 

 More About Artober Nashville

Artober Nashville is a month-long celebration of arts and culture in Nashville, designed to inform and inspire the community’s awareness of and participation in the array of activities during the month of October. It is held in conjunction with National Arts and Humanities Month, designated by Americans for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. The goal for Artober Nashville is for every Nashvillian to experience the arts. The Metropolitan Nashville Arts Commission and NowPlayingNashville partner with dozens of arts and cultural organizations throughout Nashville to highlight the depth and breadth of arts activities with official Artober Nashville events. The celebration includes all arts and cultural activities, including visual and performing arts, music, craft, film and commercial businesses that may present arts activities. Enjoy an Artober Nashville signature event during the month. Purchase an Artober VIP Pass. Find out more about the Yelp Check-In Challenge. Connect with Artober Nashville on Facebook and Twitter to share updates and events with friends and family!

History
In recognition of National Arts and Humanities Month, the Metro Nashville Arts Commission and NowPlayingNashville.com hosted the first Artober Nashville celebration in October 2011. They partnered with more than 160 arts and cultural organizations to highlight the depth and breadth of arts activities with official Artober Nashville events. More than 660 events were posted through NowPlayingNashville.com on the Artober Nashville website.

Partnering organizations included: the Nashville Symphony, Ballet, Opera; TPAC; Tennessee Repertory Theatre; Frist Center for the Visual Arts; Film Nashville; Nashville Shakespeare Festival; Street Theatre; Watkins College of Art, Design & Film; NECAT; Jazz Workshop; Southern Word; Global Education Center; Nashville Public Library; Belcourt Theatre; Arts & Business Council; Actor’s Bridge Ensemble; the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; the International Black Film Festival; Fifth Avenue of the Arts; Nashville in Harmony and Vanderbilt University.

National Arts and Humanities Month

 Every day we celebrate the arts, but October is the month to commemorate the arts in a big way. It is National Arts and Humanities Month—the largest annual celebration for the arts and humanities in the nation! National Arts and Humanities Month (NAHM) is a coast-to-coast collective recognition of the importance of culture in America. It is designed to encourage all Americans to explore new facets of the arts and humanities in their lives, and to begin a lifelong habit of active participation in the arts and humanities. From hosting a Creative Conversation or arts center open house to securing a mayoral proclamation or better newspaper coverage of the arts, people in every community across the United States can celebrate NAHM by helping recognize the contributions of cultural organizations in their region.

Text INSPIRE to 99000 to win a VIP Pass
Text INSPIRE to 99000 to win a membership the Frist Center

Photo credit: Jennifer Cole/Nashville Arts Magazine
                      In Studio shots/Genma Holmes

Heritage, History, Education: Dr. Cassandra Mauelito-Kerkvliet on Living Your Best Life with Genma Holmes

Join Living Your Best Life with Genma Holmes as we profile organizations and leaders who lead by example. With extraordinary acts of kindness and charitable giving that help countless lives daily, these organizations and leaders embody "Be the change you want to see in the world".

Hear from Greek organizations and their national presidents who are global change agents. We will also hear from CEOs of social enterprise businesses who are changing communities and college and university presidents and educators who are taking their students out of the classroom and into surrounding neighborhoods for real world life lessons to serve others.

I met Dr. Cassandra Mauelito-Kerkvliet at Lipscomb University's Women, Leadership and Faith Conference in October, 2010. Dr. Mauelito-Kerkvliet's keynote message was so powerful and compelling that many attendees are still discussing her wisdom she shared with us. Her words from that faithful day ignited a fire in me that lead to several collaborative projects that launched Living Your Best Life! Her impact on me has been repeated often to the listeners of Living Your Best Life and readers of Genmaspeaks

On Saturday, September 1 2012, as part of our back to school series, you will hear from Dr. Cassandra Mauelito-Kerkvliet, President of Antioch University and the great, great granddaughter of Navaho Chief Mauelito. She will share about her life and her Navajo heritage, American history that has been left out of history books, and how she is impacting the world of education with her leadership. Tune in to hear from an educator who will empower, inspire, and motivate you to live your BEST life.

Living Your Best Life, a radio show that empowers, inspires and motivates one to live their BEST life, can be heard on 760 AM in the Middle-Tennessee Region, military bases, and streamed live on U-Stream.TV from 9-10AM CST.

Up close with Dr. Cassandra Mauelito-Kerkvliet

On July 15, 2007, Dr. Cassandra Manuelito-Kerkvliet became president of Antioch University Seattle and the first Native American woman to ascend to the presidency of an accredited university outside the tribal college system. How she found her way to Antioch is a rich story enhanced by her leadership in higher education, her Navajo ancestry and her deep understanding of inclusiveness.

What drew you to Antioch Seattle?
I was invited to apply for the position. Soon after investigating the University's website, I saw myself as having a place here. The Antioch philosophy of giving back to the community is so much a part of my life. My beliefs in higher education access and inclusiveness also drew me to Antioch and I intend to spread that message.

What key strengths do you bring to your role as Antioch’s president?
I stand firm in my values and integrity, it's important to me to walk my talk. It's how I work. I'm energized by the positive results of my approach. I bring a synergy and new direction to community building. I feel I can increase Antioch's enrollment, increase its diversity and access for all students, faculty, staff and administrators who come from all walks of life. I want to create access for students who may never have believed they could be part of Antioch. I'm good at opening doors.

Through collaboration, networking and mentoring, I've become connected in higher education. Although I served as the first woman president of Diné College on the Navajo reservation in Arizona and New Mexico, the majority of my career has been spent in mainstream higher education working in minority student services programs at Oregon State University, University of Oregon, University of New Mexico, New Mexico State University and University of Wyoming.

I'm excited about new ideas and program initiatives for Antioch. I want to inspire people with new hope and energy and instill a broader vision of what we can achieve.

What challenges do you see in the months ahead?
One of my goals is to increase our presence in Seattle. Antioch has a special niche in this city and we need to do further outreach. I want to promote our story – our successes – to a broader audience and cultivate donors so they understand the importance of scholarship giving and the merits of what it provides for our students.

Students here have amazing stories about their Antioch experiences. Alumni describe their education as transformational and the best investment they could have made. More people need to hear what students have to say.

I also hope to encourage changes in the admissions process to reduce the application processing time. The more we review our current practices, the more we improve our responsiveness to students who apply to our programs.

I approach my leadership and decision making like weaving a tapestry, where we work across disciplines and from the bottom up as well as from the administration down. I want to focus on people who never before have been acknowledged or appreciated. I would encourage people who have been on the sidelines, because I believe everyone is invaluable to our University community.

The challenge for me, personally, entails a balancing of my emotional, physical, intellectual and spiritual lives so I can be at my best as Antioch Seattle's president.

You have said your leadership style is distinctly different. How so?
When I was a graduate student, my internship supervisor shook a finger at me and sternly asserted I would never be successful as a leader because my leadership style was so different. My leadership style is distinctly different. I want people to be able to approach me and be comfortable in my presence. My experience and training in counseling and social work have helped me be a compassionate leader.

A way for me to strengthen our community is to show both professional and personal sides of myself. Sharing my personal life brings me much closer to the people I work with and shows my vulnerability. For example, I brought some of my Native traditions to Antioch's Convocation.

Most importantly, I've been able to gauge my ability to succeed. In one of my first classes in my doctoral program, I recall being asked why I wanted to be an administrator. "One day, I want to be a college president," I enthusiastically responded. I was confident in what I said I'd do, not once at Diné College, but twice, now that I'm at Antioch.

Can you describe your upbringing?
I was born and raised in Laramie, Wyoming, where there were no other Indians other than my family, and we grew up experiencing discrimination. My parents were blue-collar workers—but individuals who just needed to be respected. I recall how my parents wanted to keep our Navajo culture intact, and every weekend and weather permitting, we drove more than 650 miles to our reservation in New Mexico so we could stay connected to our Navajo ways and our extended family.

My mother had an 11th grade education and my father an 8th grade education. They shared stories about how they were sent to Indian boarding schools where they were subjected to physical and emotional abuse. Yet they encouraged us to never give up on education and that they would support us with their prayers.

They also reminded us of our great, great grandfather Chief Manuelito, who had the foresight to see the importance of education. When he signed the Navajo Treaty of 1868, he said, "Education is the ladder to success. Tell my grandchildren to climb that ladder." His words have guided me throughout my life. I honestly believe I am where I am because of my deep family love, support and connection to my ancestors.

I frequently turn to my traditions and ceremonies with an eagle feather I carry. It reminds me to call upon my ancestors for guidance and spiritual support. I use it to remind myself to have respect for honor those who work with me.

You have been described as especially intuitive.
Before I arrived at Antioch, I started telling myself it was a matter of when – not if – I got to Antioch. I could empathize with the issues expressed by individuals and groups I met during my interviews and I wanted to fit that experience into my leadership. It's a big part of me and how I nurture my personal and professional relationships – what Navajos refer to as k'é, a relationship not just with people, but with our environment as well. Relationships are important to me.

Two stories speak to this relationship building. The first one deals with an individual I nurtured in my work at Oregon State. An elderly woman sent the equivalent of a dollar a day or $365 to support an Indian student with an annual scholarship contribution. Each year, I'd send her a photo of the student who benefited and made sure we both wrote thank-you letters. One day, the president of the university called me to his office and asked about my contact with this individual. She had generously left OSU nearly one million dollars in her will to be used for Indian scholarships.

Then, when I was president at Diné College, I dreamed about meeting the internationally renowned Navajo artist R.C. Gorman. And later I did develop a special relationship with him. As our friendship grew, he made a donation to the College of his personal library collection and many original pieces of art. It became the largest private gift ever received by the college. We remodeled our college library to house his gifts. Before his death in 2006, he presented me with a beautiful and personal gift of one of his works, which he named "Cassandra."

Photo credits: Lipscomb University

Heritage, History, Quilts, and My Grandmother

Where did my summer go? The time flew by quickly but I am basking with the memories that I made with my grandmother over the summer. My initial summer plans were drastically altered after the Frist Center for the Visual Arts opened the Creation Story: Gee’s Bend Quilts and the Art of Thornton Dial. I went to media day with the expectation of seeing another great exhibit by the museum that I love dearly.

I had not expected to experience, at the media preview, the tidal wave of emotions that overcame me when I walked into the exhibit. Seeing the proud work of the women of Gee’s Bend hung throughout the Ingram Gallery, watching Mr. Dial sit quietly with his family, and reading the stories that accompanied the work of Bill Traylor left me in awe and grateful to the organizers of the exhibit. Each piece of art work spoke to my heritage of being raised and influenced by strong willed women in Mississippi who made a way out of no way; who saw beauty when others saw thrash or garbage; and who pushed the importance of reading as if your life depended on it. Many times, it did. By the time I made it through the colorful historical quits, Thornton Dial’s huge pieces, and the drawings of Bill Traylor, my eyes fought and lost the battle with tears. My face was revealing my internal conflict.

My tears flowed freely for people who are hidden away in rural communities all over the South. My tears were for those who created masterpieces with no formal art training, even less education. My tears were for the stories that were being told through art that embraced history and culture with abandonment. All of the art made me proud of being born and raised in the rural South. But there was a special bonding with the quilts that happened instantly. The quilts whispered my name as I stood in front of them admiring the delicate but strong workmanship. At one point, I closed my eyes tightly and visualized my grandmother sitting in her favorite chair stitching fabric together chatting away as she blocked out the world that could be cruel to a group of people tucked away in the middle of nowhere.

The exhibits awaken in me a deep longing to see my grandmother immediately. I called home several times after the media preview discussing the exhibition to my grandmother. I could hear the smile in her voice as I described the quilts to her. My grandmother added to my excitement by sharing about her grandmother who quilted also. My grandmother’s grandmother, named Big Mama, was dearly loved by our family. Her long snowy white braided hair was as famous as she. Big Mama had lived with much notoriety being one of the oldest Mississippian living for several years. She lived to the ripe young age of 109! One of Big Mama's quilts is at the Smithsonian Institute. The story of my grandmother's grandmother and my grandmother's mother history of quilting is written about in the book A Communion of Spirits by Roland L. Freeman.

My grandmother, her mother, Ma Dear; and her grandmother, Big Mama; were known quilters in our small community. My grandmother shared with me how Big Mama taught her to quilt and Ma Dear taught one of my aunts to sew. My grandmother tells me that every time we are together. But each time, I listen as if I heard it for the first time. The more my grandmother talked about her grandmother, the more I prepared for a trip home to visit my grandmother. It was two weeks from the opening of the Frist Center's Creation Story until I laid eyes on my precious grandmother.

When I walked into the nursing home where my grandmother resides, she was sitting with her back to me in the dining hall. I sneaked up behind her and whispered in her ear, “surprised!” She looked up at me and said with conviction, “I knew you were coming home!” Giving her a big hug, I realized that not only are we alike in many ways, but we have a wireless connector that speak the unspoken between the two of us. “I could hear it in your voice,” she said with a smirk. My visit home was timed perfectly to celebrate her birthday.

I spent the next few days tending to my grandmother’s every whim, spoken and unspoken. Nails manicured, new clothes, pearls, and a new do were all on the list of fun things to do with my grandmother. We celebrated her birthday in style. I invited everyone in town to come, and it felt like all they showed up. My grandmother loved the attention and was glowing from the kind words shared by many at her birthday extravaganza.

Over the next few days, we discussed quilting, “po’ people luxury items”, politics, and other colorful topics that keep me writing for years to come. She shared Ma Dear and Big Mama stories as well. Town gossip was not left off the list. We laughed at the unrepeatable and shucked and jive like two hens. My days with my grandmother came to an end much too quickly.

As my attention turned to the long goodbye, my grandmother told me, “Take what is yours back to Nashville.” Yours was a Grandfather clock that my grandmother had promised me throughout my childhood. She had mentioned the clock to me on several occasions over the years but I usually declined stating that I would get it when “that” happened. Thinking about losing my grandmother and gaining a clock was not something I found easy to talk about. The clock was not a material possession for me but a reminder of the precious time spent with my grandparents over the years and the quality of time they invested in their grandchildren, not one, but all of us.

After seeing the Gee's Bend exhibit at the Frist Center, this visit home was different. The Gee Bend’s Quilts reminded me of the importance of cultural heritage and an appreciation of family keepsakes. I called my aunts to discuss the clock going back with me and to my joy all cheered that I was finally taking possession of the clock. As I kissed my grandmother good-bye and hugged her not wanting to let go, I told her I was getting the clock. She smiled brightly and said “Don’t forget to grab you a quilt from the closet.”

As I entered my grandparents’ home on the way out of town, memories of my grandfather and grandmother came flooding back. I sat in my grandfather's chair remembering him and choked back tears at the thought of facing life without my grandmother. My aunts had cleaned and neatly organized my grandmother’s treasures. I walked over and touched the clock. The power of years of patriarchal and matriarchal love permeated me. I went into my grandmother’s bedroom and in the corner were hats that she had worn over the decades in decorative hat boxes with my name on them. Some were hats that I had given her as gifts over the years. Along with my grandmother's hats were my grandfather's fedoras he had worn daily. The boxes of hats left me stunned. I cried as I loaded the items into my truck. The priceless clock was wrapped tightly and secured. The hat boxes and bins covered the entire back cab.

My grandmother words to me before I left the nursing came to mind. I ran back into the house and opened one of her closets filled with clothes and coats. At the top of the crowded space were blankets, quilts, and comforters. I smiled to myself as I thought about my grandmother being a woman of meager means but was known for having “nice things”. I slowly unfolded a quilt from the shelf. Volunteering at the Frist made me instinctively looked around for a pair of white gloves as I handled a masterpiece. What a priceless gift I was given, a much used and very faded quilt from my grandmother.

I was deep in thought as I made my way back to Nashville. I was mentally planning another visit to my grandmother sooner than usual. I wanted to spend as much time listening to her stories and laughing about the unrepeatable. My truck was loaded with treasure rich with family history. I could not wait to get them home to start telling stories and gathering family keepsakes to pass along to my children's children.

The grandfather clock represented precious commodity call time, it's priceless value, and how everyone’s life is measured. The hats showed me how my grandparents were still giving me their best even though one is no longer with me. My grandmother’s quilt gave me a sense of responsibility to document the history and culture of my family and my community.

When I returned home, I saw the Creation Story exhibit again (and again and again). Each time I left the show, I was reminded of the power of God and how he created the women in my life who are unique and wonderfully made. My great-great grandmother, great-grandmother, grandmother, mother, and aunts all made a way out of the no way and have given me spoken and unspoken directions all of my life. Like the Gee's Bend Quilts on display at the Frist Center, the women in my family are truly works of art.

The Creation Story: Gee's Bend Quitls and the Art of Thornton Dial and Bill Traylor
Drawings from the Collections of the High Museum of Art and the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts

May 24-September 3


For More Info on the Folk Art Exhibit at the Frist Center click here and here.

Photo Credits: Genma Holmes