The Urgency of NOW

Last month, $2.7 million in federal stimulus money was awarded to the Nashville Career Advancement Center. Partnering with Meharry Medical College and the Oasis Center, 600 jobs created for teens needed to be filled through the grant. A sign up sheet was passed around at the Oasis Center board meeting asking for volunteers. This sounded like such a unique event that I could not help but put my name down.

I imagined all the possibilities and the huge difference this venture would make in the lives of so many teens. An idle mind is the playground for the devil; I can hear my grandfather muttering. Daddy kept folks busy by wearing us down with work. This was his quick fix for the long hot days of summer and it kept us out of trouble.

With Daddy's words in my head, I volunteered not knowing what to expect. Information about the job fair was sent to schools and the media, but we had no way of knowing how many teens would attend. Be ready for the unexpected I was told by our fierce leader, Hal Cato. I sensed from his tone that he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. The forecast was uncertain for the weekend and a first time job fair for teens had no room for the unknown.

Upon my arrival at Youth Opportunity Center @ 8:15am, I found the command center tent packed with teens. They came early and I sent up a prayer for the volunteers to get here soon. The job fair was scheduled from 10:00-3:00. By 9:00am, young people were everywhere. They were hungry for jobs. I looked outside and my heart skipped a beat and swelled with joy. As far as the eyes could see, folks were in line to snap up the ultimate teen prize, a summer job. It looked like an American Idol audition with kids from ages 14-19 wrapped around the building. How many jobs do we have, I questioned myself and everyone around me? After taking a second and third look outside, I wondered if we were "Jack" and the fast growing lines were going to become gigantic beanstalks.

Some of the vendors that participated at the unprecedented event were: Publix's, the Frist Center, BCN, Goodwill, Youth United, Metro Health Department, Hands on Nashville. Applications from Foot Locker, the Gap, Hobby Lobby, Aeropostle, Subway, Hibbet Sports, Sports Authority, Arby's, Shoe Carnival and a host of others were available for the teens to fill out and turn in. We even had a room filled with computers for writing resumes and several volunteers to assist. No details to finding a summer job were overlooked.

As I was celebrating the crowd swelling by the minute outside, my mind was grasping the harsh reality of the state of young people on the inside of the building. As the line to the resume center extended to the floor below, the questions at the table that I was covering for Youth United were alarming and frightful.

What is a resume, I was asked by a 12th grader graduating from high school next month. A 10th grader could not spell his street name. And an 11th grader put her MySpace account for her email address. When asked if she had any inappropriate pictures on her MySpace page, she countered my question with what does inappropriate means. With the quickness of a sixteen year old with no tact, I said, "Skanky". As we both stood summing the other up, she finally said, "Oh, I got a few of those on my page." As she stared back at me wondering when I learned Chinese, my eyes filled with tears. I wanted to cry on the spot. As I tried to regain my composure, I gave her a hug and told her to take her pictures off her page ASAP. She was the first of hundreds that I asked the same question throughout the day. My tears were of sadness for our young people.

At that moment, I wanted to yell at folks who buy cell phones for kids that can not write their home address. I wanted to yell at a system called "no child left behind" but does not prepare them to get ahead. I wanted to find someone to scream at and answer how can an eighteen year old not know what the hell is a resume. I wanted to yell at politicians that would rather waste billions on bankers than put millions into our educational system. My yelling would eventually go in circles and solve absolutely nothing. After my conversation with the young lady blew my high, I decided to roll up my sleeves and go to work. My "volunteer" role turned into educator, advocate, and straight up ole' school street woman with life lessons to share.

I wore many hats that day, but the root of my actions was the heart of a mother. I prayed that if someone saw my kids in the same predicament they would scold and love all in the same breath. I was mom to many, asking questions and taking names. How are you doing? What are your future plans? Pull up those pants and turn that cell phone off when I am talking to you. No, you cannot use sexygirl69@hotmail.com for your email address. That looks a hot ghetto mess and you know it. Let me hear your voice mail on your cell phone. Take that message off now, no potential employer is going to listen to that while waiting to leave you a message! Yes, the kids were looking at me as if I was from planet Mars and I was staring right back as if they were from my house.



For the young ones that walked in with dress shirts, ties and nice attire, praises and hugs were bestowed abundantly. To those who came with resumes in hand, I made darn sure their applications were "APPROVED". An A for going the extra mile and an A for knowing what you know. Several were headed to college and I could not hide my pride. I gave my address to many to send me an invitation to their graduation and I was going to make sure they got acknowledged from our board to encourage them on their journey. I told everyone of them that we were cheering for their success. By the end of the day I came to the conclusion, it did not matter if they were interview ready, had no clue about a resume, or came because a friend said come on let's go. They were in the building and we were there to help them. The adults had the responsibility to make a difference in their life, if only for one day. I took that responsibility seriously and thankful that I got a chance to serve our teens.

No matter what neighborhood we live in, every child is someone's kid and they are all our children. Our children today are our future in a few years. Our kids are hurting and I refuse to close my eyes and say it is not my problem. The Oasis Center is one of several agencies leading the way helping young folks get an education, be leaders today, and be a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves. But families, places of worship, educators, and the community at large must step up as well. Working together for the greater good is the only hope we have to helping our future have a future. No one group can do it all and no one should even attempt to try. It really takes a village to raise a child as our world grows smaller and harder to navigate. If grown folks are getting weary and losing their footing, imagine the challenges of being young and starting to take baby steps on the road called life.

There are many flaws in the "system" but we cannot blame everything on everybody. There is no time for finger pointing. We must take responsibility for where our kids are today starting with parents first. This is not a post about morals but quite simply a reality check from the real world. Sometimes we have to call things as we see them. We got to do better by being better.

It took me three weeks to finally pen my thoughts from that wonderful day. I am still processing some of it. I spoke with several and shared my concerns and my experience. I am hoping that we take what we learned that weekend and institute job readiness skills that would include not only resume writing, but interviewing skills and dressing for success classes as well. We got the space, and plenty folks that saw what I saw are more than willing to volunteer.

Thanks to the following groups for their hard work on that day: The Nashville Urban Partnership Academic Center of Excellence (NUPACE) at Meharry Medical College, the Nashville Community Coalition for Youth Safety, Nashville Career Advancement Center and Youth United/Oasis Center. I will never forget my first teen job fair. And I hope that this will become a proud tradition in Nashville.

For more information about summer youth jobs go to http://www.nupace.mmc.edu.

Photos:
Kafrisha Morrow
Kafrisha@aol.com
Free Spirit Photography

Roland Martin of CNN interviews Ben Jealous about the NAACP's Lawsuit

Roland Martin, political correspondent for CNN and The Tom Joyner Morning Show, interviewed NAACP's CEO Ben Jealous about the law suit against Wells Fargo and several other banks for institutionalized racism. Mr. Jealous addressed the records that banks must make public about their lending ratios. Jealous stated that many of the blacks applicants were put in subprime loans that actually qualified for conventional loans. Jealous also stated that African American were targeted specifically for this type of discriminatory practices.

I read the lawsuit several times prior to my posting several weeks ago but I thought it would be interesting to pull out several key points of the lawsuit to further expand on my original post.

The suit states:
5. Wells Faro Bank, N.A. and Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Inc target the African American community by capitalizing on their relative lack of experience in dealing with banking institutions and mortgage loans. Upon information and belief, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. and Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Inc. are aware of the African American Community's susceptibility to predatory lending practices, but nonetheless engage in policies and procedures that they know will result in African Americans being steered toward less favorable loans.

6. Indeed, in 2006, the Center for Responsible Lending, a non-profit research organization, found that even when income and credit risk were accounted for, African American were still 31% to 34% more likely to receive higher rate subprime loans, and that the disparities between them and Caucasians with the same risk factors were "large and statistically significant."

These particular points intrigued me more so than others in light of recent charge to hold folks accountable by Tavis Smiley. Again this is not a personal attack of Tavis, only a charge to him to do his research and get back to the community that he often admonishes to educate ourselves on the issues, to know all the facts, and to dig deeper in our pursuit of being empowered.

Section 11. states The NAACP brings this class action lawsuit seeking declaratory and injuctive relief based upon the Fair Housing Act, Equal Credit Opportunity Act, and the Civil Rights Act.

According to the NAACP's research, along with several other independent organizations, black folks have been targeted by Wells Fargo because the bank knows most blacks are easier prey for predatory lending practices. Knowledge is power. Nothing teaches you more than to be educated not only about how to achieve the American dream of home ownership but also not to be fleeced while trying to achieve that dream.

What is even more disturbing is that the poor and uneducated were not the only victims of the lending practices of Wells Fargo. Black folks, who qualified with their credit and income, were ripe for the picking as well. Wells Fargo did not have any preferences. If they were black, they more than likely were charged higher fees than their counter part, according to the NAACP's lawsuit.

When we see the name of Wells Fargo as the title sponsor of a Black think tank event, one would naturally assume that this bank is above reproach and is an advocate for the people that attend these type of functions. With all of the "leaders" of the community flanked on stage trying to show their love for the people by screaming about the injustices committed by the Bush administration and holding the present administration accountable for deeds not yet committed, one would hope they would have addressed predatory lending practices as one of the main issues that hold the community of color back. These same confessors of love for color folks and the need to empower the masses were flown in, housed, and wine and dined by a Bank that is being alleged to have committed the same type of injustices committed by President Bush. This hypocrisy is seen all the time in the community of color and rarely, if ever, challenged. To challenge this type of influence peddling, pimping the poor and misinformed in my book, would be considered attacking, and God knows we would not want to speak the truth and get it confused with attacking.

After posting about this two weeks ago, I am glad to see that this subject matter was addressed on Black radio. Thank you, Roland Martin. Wells Fargo name was mentioned several times but it was not the only bank guilty of these allegations Mr. Jealous said. There are fourteen total but Wells Fargo has committed more violations that any of the other banks. Could that be because it was marketed directly to thousands of blacks folks being charged to hold others "Accountable"?

I suggest that everyone take a minute or two and read the lawsuit at www.naacp.org.

Wells Fargo's rebuttal in the Wall Street Journal can be read @
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123696424931521297.html

Roland's interview with Jealous:
http://v3.player.abacast.com/player/player.php?pid=reachmedia_tjms&mediaurl=http://wm-ondemand.abacast.com/reachmediainc/032609/ROLAND.wma&gateway=http://asx.abacast.com/dynamic/reachmediainc.asx

Tavis has not issued a statement as of yet. Stay tuned.

When Gotcha Journalism Works

Before cable television, a politician's fibs could take a few years to catch up with him/her. In the age of instant replay and You Tube, we have seen the media expose a lie quicker than you can change the channel. "Hang'em high" mobs are already planning replacement parties for Senator Dodd (D-CT) and Treasury Secretary Geithner. The fallout from the AIG bailout has left many not trusting any words uttered by our elected officials.

Senator Dodd outright denied having anything to do with the changing of the bill regarding AIG executive compensations. He was the first to go on record regarding the matter. Before he could reach for his Grecian Formula, CNN and other media outlets were researching to find out who changed the provisions in the bill that allowed bonuses to executives who were responsible for the derivative mess in the first place. Derivatives are generally used as an instrument to hedge risk, but can also be used for speculative purposes. AIG took unnecessary risks and did whole lot of speculating.

By the end of the night, the media had zeroed in on two individuals: Senator Dodd and Treasury Sec. Geithner. Both denied responsibility and pointed the finger at the other. When the wash was hung out to dry, Dodd tales were very dirty. AIG contributed more money to Dodd's campaign than any other elected official. AIG is headquartered in Connecticut. Dodd had changed the bill at the eleventh hour.

In true drama queen fashion, Senator Dodd was on the early morning shows the next day giving "what-had-happened was" type statements. He was shown his previous declarations of innocence over and over and asked to explain himself. His interviews should be mandatory viewing for anyone considering public office. By the end of the day, his white hair was turning yellow from the glare of the camera lights. He was caught. He knows it. And we know it.

"Gotcha" journalism, which is often used for sound bites to mislead and misinform, worked in this case. The public was not being feed the truth. American taxpayers are outraged and taking their disgust to the streets.

Currently, Senator Dodd is Chairman of the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee and sits on the Rules and Administration Committee. Both committees are very powerful and will have a crucial role in how our economy recovers from the previous administration's eight years of spending, deregulation, and two forgotten wars.

According to www.change.gov the duties of the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee:
Rule XXV, Standing Committees

(d)(1) Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, to which committee shall by referred all proposed legislation, messages, petitions, memorials and other matters relating to the following subjects:

* Banks, banking, and financial institutions.
* Control of prices of commodities, rents and services.
* Deposit insurance.
* Economic stabilization and defense production.
* Export and foreign trade promotion.
* Export controls.
* Federal monetary policy, including the Federal Reserve System.
* Financial aid to commerce and industry.
* Issuance and redemption of notes.
* Money and credit, including currency and coinage.
* Nursing home construction.
* Public and private housing (including veterans housing).
* Renegotiation of Government contracts.
* Urban development and urban mass transit.

(2) Such Committee shall also study and review on a comprehensive basis, matters relating to international economic policy as it affects United States monetary affairs, credit, and financial institutions; economic growth, urban affairs, and credit, and report thereon from time to time.

The Rules and Administration Committee is to investigate:
(C) Corrupt practices

As our lawmakers fight to save many banks and a few homes, Senator Dodd will be a central figure in the process because of his rank in the Senate. He will chair oversight for many of the projects that are being funded by the stimulus package. He not only chairs the committee that deals directly with the housing and bank legislation, he is on the committee that oversees investigations of illegal allegations of our elected officials. Essentially, he will police himself. A blind man can see the conflict of interest in this situation.

As we are protesting and demanding the heads of the AIG and taxing bonus payments that were legally approved, I suggest looking at the committee members that rushed to sign a bill KNOWING AIG and other institutions were going to receive funds that would make a mockery of the bailout. Our law makers are placing a higher priority on bailing out corporations and taking care of the top 10% of income earners in the country than creating jobs and real economic development for Main Street. Members of the House and Senate should receive Oscars for the feigned shock and awe that is being directed at AIG. This is business as usual.

Senator Dodd is exposed and the public has been educated that we must truly read the fine print. Hopefully, the next bill will not cost us $165 million to learn what is in it. To my friends in Connecticut, start the party.

I Fought a Blooming Tree and Nearly Died

I have lived in Tennessee for over twenty years and I love it here. It has a hometown feel and big enough to not get bored with life. There is always a luncheon, gala, or ball to support your favorite charity and enough Star power to light the night sky. The city's charm captured me and would not turn lose.

One thing that I did not count as part of living here was battling allergies. I would hear about a folks who had watery eyes and the sniffles form time to time but I did not realize they were suffering. When someone would call in to work sick because they had allergies, I would laugh and think you got to be kidding me. I would immediately think they were lying or lazy.

In early 2005, my laughter and judgment stopped abruptly . Like a child with asthma, I suddenly had troubling breathing. The walk to my truck was only a few steps but it felt like a country mile. By the time I got inside the truck, I was breathless and could feel my eyes swelling. I had no clue what was happening to me.

As the spring moved in, my symptoms got worst. I was bedridden for days wondering why I was so out of it, swollen and gasping for air. In May, I was sharing with a friend about my plight and she advised me to see a doctor for my allergies. Allergies? Allergies do not leave one feeling an inch from death's door. I found her information hard to digest and finally went to the doctor to find answers. Sure enough, I was diagnosed with allergies and given a prescription. Cured, I thought.

Not so for me. My allergies were "special", like me. My first prescription was about as effective as giving me bubble gum to cure the flu, I was switched to another brand. And another. And another. My agony lasted until September when the temperature cooled. When '06 rolled around, I was prepared mentally but still made several trips to the doctor for relief. Shots were introduced and I was told that I was highly allergic to pollen. My arm was stuck and probe until I looked like the Michelin Tire Man. My doctor warned me to avoid two flowering trees, the Bradford Pear and Dogwood trees.

The trees I remembered from my childhood were Magnolia, Pecan, and Oak. I asked to see a picture of the blooms. When I saw the flowers, I recoiled and became teary eyed. My entire subdivision was beautifully landscaped with those trees and several were in my yard and my neighbors' yards. No wonder I felt like death, I was surrounded by blooms that were killing me.

On my drive home, I said to hell with the neighborhood beautification crap. Those flowers got to go. After arriving home, I started cutting as many of the lower branches off my trees. Defying the pollen and swelling by the second, I pulled up tulips and went after the rose bush as well. Gasping for breath and barely standing, I did not stop until everything with a bloom within my reach was chopped up and carried off. I felt strong mentally but sick as dog. I was covered in bumps and welts and my eyes were small slits on my disfigured face. I might die, I thought, but at least I put up a good fight. I saw my neighbors watching me with dismay. Their lawns were manicured and picture perfect. Their friends(or neighbors) did not destroy flower gardens. I did not care, I was never going to be asked to Chair the Antique Garden and Flower Show, anyway.

I felt smug for the moment but my life had changed. Although a few blooms were gone, I still had to outfit my home with special filters. I spent thousands on ventilators and air purifiers. A house that once had plants and pictures galore, was stripped down to the bare walls. The carpet was taken out and replaced with tile. Nothing that attracted dust was considered attractive anymore. Beds that once had colorful comforters,linens and decorative throw pillows, were stripped and remade with allergen resistance pillowcases and plain white sheets. My home life focused on what kept the pollen, dust mites, and anything that could make me whiz outside. I was living like a vegan without meat. I nearly died trying to fight blooming trees and plants.

As for the blooms in my yard, what I thought was a done deal was apparently a pruning. I woke up one night with that awful gagging feeling. Holding my throat,I knew right away that a flower blooming was somewhere nearby. At sunrise, I looked out the window and what I saw reminded me of the bogeyman in my dreams. The blooms that I thought I had gotten rid of were back, bigger and brighter than ever. They were leering at me, daring me to come outside.

I went to the doctor that morning and was put on steroids. Steroids! Big girl pills for sure. I was going to get bigger than Oprah. No amount of exercise was getting rid of steroid fat. Before I would throw in the towel and die of pollen or fat, I decided I was going to become an informed patient. I became internet savvy, researching holistic and natural ways to fight my allergies. I was determined not to be on steroids for long. I even found an allergy suffers' support group. Yes, I know what you are thinking but I was desperate. I was sick of being sick.

In my support group, the suffers had a trick for every trade. Most of us were transplants to Nashville and were not aware of Nashville's high pollen count reputation. I wondered if I was being fooled into joining a cult but I went faithfully every month with my tissue box, sniffling and begging God to end my misery.

One month last year, a prayer was heard. In walked a woman into one of our meetings looking like a gypsy and smelling herby. She came with a few suggestions that I had not heard before. Before the evening ended, she pulled out pills that she highly recommended. She vowed we would feel better. I thought a hidden camera joke was being pulled on me. No one questioned her and grab the pills. I got one and went to the bathroom. I said a quick prayer and swallowed. Hey, do not judge and I nearly died fighting a blooming tree!

Within a few hours, I started feeling a little better. I called some of my fellow suffers and asked what the heck was happening. I felt better and wanted to make sure I was not taking anything illegally. If it was illegal, I needed to know how to get more.

I founded out that the pill was bee pollen. Bee pollen...life is a joke. I kill bees for a living! A pest control operator was taking bee pollen to ended her ailments. God does have a sense of humor. For the last eight months, I have taken bee pollen pills along with liquid B-12. This routine has literally cleared up any problems with my allergies. I have not been to a doctor in several months. Flowers are in full bloom in Tennessee and for the first time in several years, I have been able to enjoy evening walks. And I have lost weight.

Hopefully, I have ended my battle with the blooms. All trees in my yard were topped or shredded for paper. If you are an allergy suffer, become an informed advocate. Don't suffer silently or alone.
For a support group in your area visit:
www.allergysupport.org
www.allergies.meetup.com

"The State of the Black Union" sponsor is sued by the NAACP

While I was reading over the lawsuit filed by the NAACP for predatory lending practices, my eyes kept returning to Wells Fargo. My something-smells-funny nose kept sniffing until I looked across my desk and saw the program guide from the recent State of the Black Union (SOTBU). In large font was the Wells Fargo logo, title sponsor of the event. I wondered if the NAACP had any dialogue with Tavis Smiley prior to the lawsuit being filed. The bank that is being sued for institutionalized racism sponsors a think tank for black folks. (You cannot make this stuff up.)

Wells Fargo has sponsored the SOTBU for several years. SOTBU was the brainchild of Tavis Smiley and birthed from his weekly commentary on the Tom Joyer Morning Show. Tavis Smiley quit the TJMS in April of last year and moved on to other projects that needed more of his attention. One of those projects is to hold President Obama accountable for his political record and campaign promises made on the campaign trail as outlined in his recent book.

From his book:
“During the run-up to the 2008 presidential election, while I was still the resident political commentator on the Tom Joyner Morning Show, I caused quite a stir among the listeners, who are largely African-American, by insisting that we hold then Senator Barack Obama accountable for both his political record and his campaign promises. I wasn’t singling him out, but rather applying the same standard to him that we should apply to all.

I feel now, as I did then, that it is our responsibility as engages citizens to expect now-President Barack Obama to live up to the promises that made him an appealing candidate… As Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail reminds us, ‘Human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability; it comes from the tireless efforts of men willing to be coworkers with God, and without this hard work, time itself becomes an ally of the forces of social stagnation.’

So, let us take Dr. King’s lead… and go forth and make real the promise of our democracy.” -- Excerpted from the Foreword (pages xii-xiii)

The SOTBU website states "Some of the most influential thinkers, entertainers, and political leaders of our time gather each year to discuss the State of the Black Union during Black History Month. Presented annually in February by Tavis Smiley Presents, the symposium was created to educate, enlighten and empower America by bringing people together and engaging them in thoughtful dialogue, leading the way to constructive action."


The man who has written a book titled Accountable, has accepted sponsorship for years from a bank that is being accused of forcing blacks into subprime mortgages while whites with identical qualifications got lower rates. Class-action lawsuits were filed against Wells Fargo and HSBC in federal court in Los Angeles. Los Angeles was also the host city for the State of the Black Union.

My words may anger some but this is equivalent to a child molester opening up a neighborhood daycare center. It is this type of irony in the black community by leaders and organizations that keeps folks from getting ahead. "Leaders" play nice and accept money from the very organizations that causes the most harm and perpetuate media stereotypes. This happens in many communities but it is perverse in the communities of color.

Does this means Tavis is going to turn his journalistic intuition on Wells Fargo and hold them accountable? I hope so. These are serious charges being leveled at a time when banks that are behaving badly are receiving TARP bailouts. Is he going to compile the number of loans that were given to blacks vs. whites and research the information and give it to the board of directors of Wells Fargo? Will he ask for their resignations? Now that is taking action. Will he help them be a better bank by helping them exam how they conduct business with people of color? Will he turn down their sponsorship next year and take their logo off his website with a link to their mortgage department? That would be worthy of an NAACP Image Award! Is this not what several of the panelist ask often when others accept sponsorship or advertisement from organizations that do not toe the line when allegations or perceived racist misconduct occur? All the time.

Tavis has always asked his listeners and viewers to be watchful and test everything and everyone. How did Wells Fargo allege predatory practices get around Tavis who would not allow then Senator Obama to campaign without a thorough scrutiny of the issues and his character? President Obama who has been on the national political scene less than ten years is being exam microscopically by Tavis. While SOTBU, Tavis and the same panelists year after year have held meetings with very loud megaphones on radio and television turned blind eyes to the practices of Wells Fargo and others. Practices that have gone on much longer than President Obama has been in the White House according to the time line stated in the NAACP lawsuit.

Many of the speakers at Tavis'2009 SOTBU event were the same faces sitting in the audience for the 2009 NAACP Image Awards. The award show was televised on the Fox Network, which was the subject of a boycott. (You cannot make this up.) Some body's PR people are not talking to the other folks' legal department and the legal department is surely not talking to the marketing representatives. In the fragile world of sponsorship and raising dollars for mega events to show accountability, this sounds like a church split or at the very least biting the hands that sponsor/televise your events. This is enough to leave one confused and bewildered.

Before I am accused of being a hater, my beloved grandfather started the NAACP in our town in Mississippi. He stepped out on faith and held meetings when it was considered a death wish to do so. He stood by his principles and gained the respect of everyone including his critics. Not one sponsor paid for meetings that enlightened, encouraged and empowered his fellow man. He received numerous awards and accolades for his work in the field of civil rights. Daddy received letters from Presidents, Governors and other notables as well as those that made a difference that wore no title at all. "Fair is fair," he said often. "Don't have a rule for one that you can't have for the other," would be his cry. Daddy's motivation for working hard to ensure others had the right to vote was based on his love for mankind. Daddy was all about fair play, even if it meant ticking off folks who sat on panels. (I learned from the best.)

I like Tavis and his work. My critique is exactly what Tavis asks of the public. I will be the first to say he has done much for many. But elusive sponsorship dollars have a way of making folks look the other way. Demands cannot be made of one and not hold everyone else to the same standards. That include corporations who sponsor think tanks regarding accountability. As "engaged citizens", we need to hold each other accountable, seek transparency and make sure we are doing due diligence with everyone. Since Tavis has rightly challenged everyone to hold our President accountable for promises made, let us make sure Tavis does not stop with the President who has resided at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue less than six months.

I do hope that Tavis get back to us with any research on Wells Fargo and the outcome of the lawsuit by the NAACP. I think his findings should be included in the next State of the Black Union or at the next NAACP Image Award Show. I suggest getting Jon Stewart from The Daily Show to be host. Now that I would pay to sponsor, no questions asked.

CNN cancels the D.L. Hughley Show ...AND?

My inbox was flooded with several press releases last week with the headline; CNN cancels the D.L. Hughley Show. My reaction was the same as most bloggers, AND?! It was not the earth shattering news that it was hyped to be. The show was not a funny show nor was it engaging. D.L. never "broke" anything, let alone deliver a good show.

As if sensing a way out, Comedy Central canceled "Chocolate News" with David Alan Grier the same week. Knowing several individuals connected with both shows, I hate that they are without a job in this economic times. But as I have stated to my friends, the shows were boring and not news worthy. D.L. and David are great comedians and actors. They sell out clubs and arenas all the time. Both men have been on top rated sitcoms. However, they did not translate well into the satire news segment.

I do not know if it was the team of writers or the network or what, but D.L.'s show was in poor taste most of the time. The most entertaining moment for the D.L. Hugely Show came courtesy of Michael Steele. When Mr. Steele stated he was in charge of the RNC, the clip of Steele and D.L. was played over and over again. The coverage of the clip (not the show) got more viewers than the show received since it debut.

I thought the clip of D.L. and Steele was going to send the show a new audience who would tune in out of curiosity over the Steele saga. But as Steele was busy apologizing for his statements to D.L. about who's really in charge of the RNC, CNN was breaking the news that they were canceling D.L.'s show.

On the Tom Joyner Morning Show this week, D.L. explained that the hectic pace of the show and the fact that he lived on the West Coast and the show was based in New York led to a mutual agreement that CNN and D.L. ended this cultural experiment amicably. No mention of the horrible ratings, the lack of substance AND the outcry from many who wondered "WHY?" from the beginning.

I hope D.L. continue to share his point of view, he challenges us to think outside of the box and not to believe the hype. In the future, I hope "The Most Trusted Name in News" would not rent out their studios for comedy night theater.

D.L. on Tom Joyner
http://v3.player.abacast.com/player/player.php?pid=reachmedia_tjms&mediaurl=http://wm-ondemand.abacast.com/reachmediainc/031209/DL.wma&gateway=http://asx.abacast.com/dynamic/reachmediainc.asx

NFL Great, Brig Owen, Speaker for Minorities in Pest Management

Richard Diggs, Brig Owen, and Ka Tsu at Legislative Day 2009


NFL record holder and DC philanthropist, Mr. Brig Owen, shared his success on and off the field with members of Minorities in Pest Management(MPM) at Legislative Day for NPMA. Brig Owens, Esquire, is a partner in The Bennett Group, a sports management and real estate development firm. In addition to representing a number of professional athletes in football, basketball and hockey, the firm specializes in developing and managing commercial office buildings in Washington, D.C.

Prior to founding his own firm, Mr. Owens, served as assistant executive director and associate counsel to the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) from 1979-1984. While with the NFLPA, Mr. Owens was a member of the negotiating team that developed a new collective bargaining contract with the National Football League. In addition to his responsibility in the operation of the Players Association, he developed the Association’s Financial Planning, Career Counseling and Employee Assistance Abuse Programs. Mr. Owens also created the Professional Athletes Youth Foundation and Community Service Department of the NFLPA where he raised over $10 million to implement a Youth Development Programs in ten cities across the nation. This program developed by Mr. Owens, was selected by the Department of Education as one of the top exemplary program in the United States.

Brig Owens is a former thirteen year veteran of the National Football League and seven year player representative and defensive captain for the Washington Redskins. After being drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1965, Mr. Owens was traded to the Redskins in 1966 to begin his twelve year career as a Redskin defensive back. Mr. Owens holds the number two spot for most passes intercepted (36) by a Redskin, holds career records for most yards on interception returns (686) and most interceptions returned for touchdowns. In addition, he was selected as one of the 70 Greatest Players in the Washington Redskin history.

Among his many accomplishments, Mr. Owens served a s a member of the Central Caribbean Task Force and served on former Vice President Mondale’s Task Force on Youth Employment. He presently serves on the Lombardi Foundation, NFL Players Agent Advisory Board, NFL Players Tryst Foundation, National Board of Medical Examiners, Visual Greens.com Board, Venture Philanthropy Partners Board and Greater Washington Community Foundation Board. He also developed a highly recognized Leadership Drug Prevention Program in Washington, D.C. middle and high schools called Super Leaders. In addition, he and his partner are sponsors of the “I Have a Dream” program which guarantees a student a college education if they stay in school, maintain their grades and graduate from high school.

Brig Owens, who is a published author, graduated from the University of Cincinnati (where he was an All American football player), attended Antioch School of Law, and received his Doctorate of Juris Prudence from Potomac Law School.

(MPM members would like to thank Richard Diggs, CEO of Alexandria Pest Services, for securing Mr. Owens for this engagement.)

Photo credits Brig Owen and Ka Tsu

Jane Pauley Keynote Speaker at the "Power of the Purse" Luncheon

In 1998, The Women's Fund held its first fund raising event, Power of the Purse. The event and its accompanying Tribute Book are intended to celebrate, honor, and inspire the mothers and daughters, sisters and cousins, friends and mentors, and community leaders of Middle Tennessee for, among other things, their accomplishments, generosity, love and wisdom. The success of the event has contributed to the overwhelming growth of The Women's Fund and the availability of more grant dollars for non-profit programs benefiting women and girls.

Since its inception in 1998, the luncheon and Tribute Book for A Celebration of Women have raised over $1,000,000 (net) for The Women’s Fund.

Started by a committee of community leaders that decided to make a difference, The Women's Fund is dedicated to increasing support in Middle Tennessee for programs serving women and girls. The Women's Fund was established in 1994 both to raise women's awareness of their own philanthropic potential and to increase and perpetuate financial support for community programs that address the needs of women and girls.

The Women's Fund awards funding to programs that address the following needs:

* Achievement of economic self-sufficiency for women
* Prevention of violence and crime against women and girls
* Promotion of health and physical well-being for women and girls

Thanks to its generous supporters and volunteers, The Women’s Fund has donated $300,000 to 50 different non-profit organizations covering a range of services to women and girls throughout Middle Tennessee spanning the areas of arts and cultural education, health and human services, victim’s support services, domestic violence intervention, drug rehabilitation, and job training. In just nine short years, the average grant has increased from a total of $4000 in 1995 to over $57,000 worth of grants in 2006! The Women’s Fund is committed to continue to grow our endowment and grantmaking capability for the benefit of countless women and girls throughout Middle Tennessee.

2008 The Women’s Fund Grant Recipients

Actors Bridge Ensemble
Avalon Center
Bridges of Williamson County
Care Net Pregnancy Center
City of Life
Families in Crisis
Friends in General
Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee
Grace M. Eaton Child Care Center
Hope Clinic for Women
Magdalene
Mary Parrish Center
Mending Hearts
Nashville Cares
Nurses for Newborns
Sexual Assault Center
Renewal House
Shelter, Inc.
Women Are Safe
YWCA Weaver Domestic Violence Shelter

Mary Gambil and Beth Moore are Chairs of this year's event. I have been busy working on the auction committee. The purses for the auction are beautiful! All of the women have worked hard on this event and I proud to be part of it.

The Power of the Purse Luncheon 2009
March 9, 2009 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Hilton, Downtown Nashville

$200 Luncheon Ticket
($125 of the luncheon ticket is tax deductible)

Unsung Heroes

There are unsung heroes in every community. Unsung heroes often have no desire for praise or worship. They are never pictured in photos covering public events or functions and they usually dread being the center of attention. Many of us know an unsung hero who has touched our lives in one way or another. One of my unsung heroes is Brandon Hill, a community organizer and youth leader at the Oasis Center.

He gives his time and attention to young people of this city and his heart is always at the center of every action. Brandon is quick to identify leadership potential in a young person even when family, schools, and the courts see a problem child.

For the last four years, he has worked in the area of youth leadership at the Oasis Center. Currently, he works with the Youth Engagement & Action team. This group of young people connects youth with community and city leaders to effectively address social problems within the city of Nashville. While many of society’s biggest problems (education, health care, economy) have the greatest impact on young people, the youth are rarely invited to the table to share their voices on these issues. Brandon's work involves educating young people on important community issues and prepares them to take action to address the problems.

By engaging students, Brandon helps them to see they are the solution to many of the issues they are facing daily. He encourages them to take control of their futures by being leaders today. Brandon shares a common thread with many of the youth that he leads; he has firsthand experience with living in areas that are impoverished and underserved. Brandon often contributes personal anecdotes about his teen years and his experiences as a youth ministry leader. Several times a week, I ask a young person what lead them to the Oasis Center. Most tell me, "Brandon spoke at my school".

Brandon Hill was born and raised in Nashville. He spent a good deal of his childhood in the infamous James A. Cayce Homes. Brandon and his brother were raised in a loving single-parent home. Living in one of Nashville’s poorest neighborhoods and attending some of the city’s lowest-performing schools had a great impact on Brandon’s life and prepared him to work with young people who face these challenges today. After graduating from high school, Brandon returned to the James A. Cayce Homes, still a teen himself, to work with youth in his old neighborhood. After college at the age of 21, he was given the task of leading the Teen Outreach program at the Martha O’ Bryan Center. Working there taught him a great deal about the state of Nashville’s youth as well the challenges the city must face in learning to support them.

Recently, Brandon and a band of young brothers spoke about their struggles, dreams, accomplishments and what the future holds from young people of color perspectives. While students from age 15-19 imparted wisdom beyond their years; their leader, Brandon, stated his greatest accomplishment in 2008 was accompanying Kanesha Butler to the White House. Kanesha, a teen with Youth United, was a guest of the President and Mrs. Bush. He did not mention the numerous awards that several programs won under his leadership. Seeing the young folks on stage with Brandon and Hal Cato, executive director of the Oasis Center, left me in tears and an overwhelming sense a pride for an organization that cares so deeply for the young people of this city.

As I close, I will leave you with a few words from Brandon:

Young people have always been, and will continue to be, one of our community’s greatest resources. Unfortunately, they are also one of our most over-looked, under-appreciated, and under-valued resources. Much of this is due to a distorted perception of youth. Many times youth are seen as destructive, violent, and void of any desire to improve their lives or the lives of others. Because of these views, adults are convinced that they must create ways to “fix” youth which leads to a never-ending cycle of negativity and cynicism.

My ultimate goal is to end this cycle. My work is about creating better connections between young people and the communities in which they live in. I hope to inspire young people and adults to find better ways to communicate and work together to offer solutions to the problems we face as a community.

There are many heroes like Brandon Hill in our community. Let us support them and let them know how valuable they are to our community and to our young people. To see the many programs offered by the Oasis Center for young people visit them on the web at www.oasiscenter.org or stop by the Youth Opportunity Center to find many unsung heroes in action.

"Be the change, you want to see in the world."
Ghandi

The Nation’s First “First Promise Place”, To Be Dedicated in Nashville

Nashville’s Youth Opportunity Center, which has been named the nations first “Promise Place” by America’s Promise Alliance, will be dedicated on Saturday, February 28th, from 10 a.m. until noon.

Mayor Karl Dean will participate in the formal building dedication and open house at the 1700 Charlotte Pike facility that houses representatives and offices for ten different youth-serving organizations.

The Youth Opportunity Center (YOC) will serve thousands of youth in Middle Tennessee annually through nine collaborating agencies that collectively offer more than 30 different programs, including health care, job assistance, counseling, education support, emergency residential services and youth leadership opportunities. It also includes a 1,800-square-foot conference and training center that will be home to Nashville’s “Quality Counts” initiative.

The YOC marks several “firsts” in the history of Nashville. It will provide the city’s first college access center, the city’s first teen clinic, and the city’s first drop in center for runaway and homeless youth.

“In addition to giving youth throughout Nashville a one-stop shop that addresses almost any need they would ever have, the Youth Opportunity Center is also going to save our community tremendous resources through an innovative back-office administrative partnership with the member agencies”, said Jim Kelley, President of the Oasis Center Board of Directors. “It is truly a win-win-win”.

The YOC will serve as a model for communities across the nation as the country’s first “Promise Place” by America’s Promise Alliance, the nation’s largest partnership committed to providing youth with the Five Promises – caring adults, safe places, a healthy start, an effective education and opportunities to help others. Promise Places deliver all of these supports under one roof.

The formation and operation of the YOC has been and will remain truly a community effort. l The organizations providing YOC services are STARS Nashville and Kids on the Block, Oasis Center, United Neighborhood Health Services, the Nashville Prevention Partnership, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee, Metro Nashville Public Schools, GalaxyStar, the Nashville Career Advancement Center, Hands on Nashville and Mid-Cumberland Human Resource Agency. The capital campaign to fund the project has raised 97% of its $8.5m goal through local individuals, businesses and foundations.
“The true impact of this collaboration will be told in the years to come,” said John Robinson, chairman of the board of STARS Nashville. “It is extraordinary to witness the concept coming to fruition, a handful of like-minded youth agencies banding together to provide a continuum of care for each deserving young person who walks through any door at the Youth Opportunity Center. For us, for our youth, there is no wrong door. All doors lead to opportunity, healing, hope and empowerment. It just feels right.”

Chandra Cheeseborough to Speak At Woodmont

Yesterday, I got to spend time visiting history. I did not take a long drive or pay to go out of town to visit a monument. I went across town to Tennessee State University. I was meeting with Coach Cheesebourgh two time Olympic Gold Medalist.

As I walked into Gentry Center, as I have done a thousand times before, I noticed the number of large photos dedicated to the thousands of talented athletes that have been educated and trained on the campus. The long walk down the corridor to Coach's office upstairs was awe inspiring. It took me forever to get up the steps because I lingered over ever piece of information that each photo provided. Having a son training in the same facility that the great athletes of days gone by trained in gave me even more reason to be in awe. I was meeting with Coach Cheeseborough to finalize her speaking engagement. The woman who I have read about in countless news articles, magazines, and history books was sharing with me pieces of her life. I was honored and extremely proud of her.

Coach Cheesseborough is by far one of the most celebrated women in sports. Chandra Cheeseborough-Guice broke into the track and field record books at the tender age of 16. She won the national indoor 200-yard dash in 1979, 1981, 1982 and 1983. She made history at the 1984 Games when she became the first woman to win gold medals in both relays, held less than an hour apart. Cheeseborough later became a coach and returned to Tennessee State. She was named head coach of both men and women in 1999. She also has served as an assistant coach for the U.S. team at the 1999 Junior Pan-Am Championships. Coach Cheeseborough was also coach for the 2008 Olympic Track and Field Team.

Coach Cheeseborough will speak at Woodmont Hills, 3710 Franklin Road, Nashville, Tennessee on Wednesday, February 25 at 6:30. Join us if you will. We will have several items from Coach Cheeseborough's personal collection on display.

Burris played the Race Card and Lost

I have tried not commenting on Senator Burris going to Washington. But I could not help myself after several days of reviewing what he said he did not say. His original press conference announcing his appointment was riddled with age old racial antics with his paid cheerleaders shouting "lynching" from the pulpit, I mean podium. The circus atmosphere that surrounded Burris' appointment and his non-stop media appearances claiming no part in the "pay-to-play" Chicago politics, left many wondering what to do with the mild mannered politician.

My concern was not about him at the time but what was being said to get him to Washington. The cry of racism and many southern terms that usually stop folks dead in their tracks because no one wants to be accused of being a racist (publicly) seemed to be the main focus instead of his views of the issues that we are facing as a country. Job losses and unemployment, Wall Street and the bailout, the economy, and the forgotten war were not topics surrounding Burris' appointment. The lynching cries were being thrown around as casually as a Clarence Thomas book review. The Congressional Black Caucus piled on their agenda and the question of what kind of Senator Mr. Burris would make for the State of Illinois was lost in chorus of racial inequality and unfairness to seat him because he was black. The argument by many in the CBC that there are no Black Senators, was not a credible means to seat Mr. Burris. The race card was played by all and Mr. Burris went to Washington without a real examination of what he stood for in regards to some of the most pressing issues our nation has ever faced. "Give us a Black Senator", even if under a cloud of legal confusion and political ramblings, was the cry that was heard and followed. He was appointed case close. (Or so we thought.)

This knee jerk reaction that we must have someone black no matter the circumstances leaves blacks folks often looking crazier than the person they are trying to make into an instant hero. This only contributes to the racial divide that we have in our country in spite of Obama's election to the highest office in the land. It leaves less room for dialogue with the soon to be minority majority. Preachers who are quick to hold vigils for the ousted Governor and questionable politicians only fan the flames. I am always amazed at bible folks who gather to pray over public figures gone wild or stupid, than gathering to teach and encourage young people to go to school and get an education. Vigils for black on black crime and supporting educators would be a better use of that precious commodity called time, I would think. Oh wait, the cameras do not show up for these types of events. Never mind, keep reading.

When younger minds use their voices to speak up and out, our dissent is met with an even louder cry of "ignorance" or ignored all together. What is now becoming more evident, that this tactic is more generational than substance. In the blogger sphere, the Gen Xs and Gen Ys blogged often that something was not quite right with Burris' appointment but no one knew what. There was a wait and see attitude. There was nothing wrong with Burris speaking with Governor Blagojevich about the vacant Senate seat. There was nothing illegal about campaigning for him either. This is done all the time. It became illegal when the conversations by the Govenor were recorded on tape by the FBI with a price tagged attached to the seat cushion. Ouch. What role Burris played will be determined once his story congeals. Daddy would say often, "playing with a dog with fleas, you usually walk away with fleas". Senator Burris later summed up his talks as equivalent to petting a puppy. He failed to mention that the puppy was in the cage with his flea ridden mother. And that he has bought a few bags of dog food for the litter. "Minor" details that get lost when we have a chorus yelling behind you.

As my rant comes to a close, I urge color folks to use our collective resources frugally. There are many, many issues that need our attention surrounding the area of race and race relations. We need to quit wasting time on issues that do not contribute to closing the ever-widening racial gap. Knee jerk reactions need to be kept to a minimal or least get all the facts. Get preaching folks to become nurturers and teachers of the young and leave the fleas and dog poop to those who decide to play with the dogs in the first place.

Monkey Madness

After reading this post that was sent to me and I immediately wanted to share it with my readers with a disclaimer. I DO NOT agree with the author's assertion that the chimp cartoon was misinterpreted. I actually wanted to take it out before reposting it. Since that is what the talking heads do nightly on the news, I did not want to intimidate that behavior that I loath. But I think she made some valid points that I do not believe in dismissing everything that she wrote.

The following article was written by Jehmu Greene.

Brown vs. Monkey

A political cartoon is misinterpreted and African American organizations and their talking heads immediately see an opportunity to make noise. Meanwhile, a famous black woman is beat down by her equally famous black boyfriend and commentary in the black community centers around, "What did she do to cause it?" Why are some African Americans so cowardly when it comes to addressing black-on-black violence? There is no end to the activists' displays of outrage when racism is perceived. Yet, the silence is deafening, drowned out only by the hypocrisy and ignorance when the perpetrator is black.

Rupert Murdoch may be public enemy number one for the progressive community, but he and his posse at the New York Post are not sanctioning the abuse and killing of black women. The beating Rihanna experienced at the hands of Chris Brown was tragic, but definitely not uncommon. The leading cause of death for African American women ages 15 to 45 is intimate partner homicide. Yes, black men are killing young black women in such high numbers it beats out accidents and every illness you can imagine. Where is the outrage? Where is the boycott? Where is the speech? I have never received a call to action email on behalf of black women affected by domestic abuse - at a rate 35% higher than our white counterparts.

When the Chris Brown incident became public where was the cry for attention to this issue by the megaphoniacs? The only commentary posted on CNN.com was written by Leslie Steiner, while one of the most prominent black CNN contributors was ranting about Valentine's Day. Michael Baisden had an 'enlightening' exchange on his radio show about if they should even be discussing the incident. If? Really, Michael? Would he ask that question if a white cop beat up a black boy? Absolutely not. Some will say it is not fair to compare the monkey cartoon to the "Chrianna" event or police brutality to domestic abuse. It is about priorities, people. It is time to stop hiding our dirty laundry in the closet or making excuses for it. Black-on-black violence is decimating our communities and has been for quite some time. An apology from the New York Post is not going to save the life of any black person. Imagine if the NAACP had publicly pulled support for Chris Brown's nomination for an Image Award similar to what Wrigley's Doublemint Gum and the Got Milk campaign did by removing him as a spokesperson? Maybe, just maybe, one young black male would learn an important lesson - never hit a woman. How can gum and milk peddlers have more integrity about their images than the NAACP Image Awards?

It is time for the black community to adopt a zero tolerance policy against domestic abuse. Bottom-line, what Chris Brown did to Rihanna was a teachable moment - an opportunity for the black community to coalesce and show the world we are taking action to address a pressing issue affecting us all. Cartoon-gate is a misguided media stunt that will further create a chilling effect on free speech and ultimately have little impact on the lives of black people. To my friends at Colorofchange.org, Al Sharpton's National Action Network, and the NAACP please put the protest signs down and refocus the media spotlight on issues that actually matter. If you have to boycott something, boycott Chris Brown.



I gave her article credence because I believe we only focus on the headlines and not the substance. If Al Sharpton's group really wanted to put a dent in Murdock's empire, they would have gone after the golden egg called MYSPACE. Yes, MYSPACE! With newspapers filing for bankruptcies on a daily basis, boycotting one is almost a joke. Hit where it hurts. Millions are connected on MYSPACE. Start de-friending Murdock, then you really would make checks bounce. But that is the difference between hype and sacrifice. How many would actually give up their MYSPACE account.

My grandfather often told me about his days of marching for voting rights in the sixties. When a protest was organized to break down walls and to stop the demoralizing treatment of blacks, they truly sacrificed. No grand standing. Straight boycotting. When they said do not ride the bus, folks walked. They walked rain, sleet or shine for one year in Birmingham! Folks were hurting physically to achieve those goals. Today is different in many aspects and much has been accomplished by those who fought for the freedoms that you and I experience today. But we still must address issues that are systemic in our everyday existence. The economic fight is often viewed as comical because of the "leaders" who shout for apologies that have no substance. This does not change attitudes or bad behavior this just give the media folks two minute sound bites that further dilute the issues.

The cartoon was horrible, no question about it. And it reflects the sad reality that some still do not see why it was so outrageous. But if you really want Murdock's News Corp to change attitudes or least pay attention, take every black and white child in America off MYSPACE and give them a book to read. Wow, how soon can we start. Now, let us end this month by dealing with black on black crime and educating young men not to beat women. This would address many issues that do not get the megaphone attention they deserve.

Michelle Obama and My Stimulus Check

When I read the new stimulus cuts that have been signed into law, I must admit it was not very much in the bill that is going to help me and my family right now. Today, tomorrow, or next Wednesday at 4:00pm for that matter. I know I am not going to get a loan anytime soon, nor will the fifteen dollars extra go into my lint lined pockets. But then again, I am one dollar from being a millionaire and twenty-five cents from being bankrupt. That is the life of many pest control operators at the moment.

When I think of the weatherization part of the bill, where everyone will get a tax incentive to fix up their homes to keep warm in the winter and cool in the summer,I get a little ticked. If we are going to help everyone with their homes, I wonder why Congress did not throw pest control services in there with everything else. Can we get everyone's bugs under control? Now, if that was part of the package,I might be signing a different tune.

Times like this got me putting two careers to work. My part time career, got an ace in the hole with the Obama's new stimulus plan. It is not written in the bill per se but it is up close and in your face. That ace is the First Lady, Michelle Obama. Mrs. Obama has given new life to women of color in the fashion industry and many young designers. Her style and poise are making the every day woman look good and she put curves in couture. She got me working out twice a day because the agents are calling. After a brief hiatus from the fashion pages, I have been called back to work thanks to Mrs.O. Ad agencies are calling to put black models in the pages of magazines, in television commercials, and film projects. For me, life has been very, very good lately due to Mrs. O's influence. Mrs. Obama has single handily done what no agent or diversity program could do for me, she made it acceptable and a must have to feature black women in a positive and flattering light in the advertising and fashion industry. Gone are days are putting Lil' Kim on the cover of any magazine.

And to go one step further, one agent said "we are looking for mothers, executives types, and you are not excluded if you are over forty." Thank God. Real women with real ages, not someone who looks like she had not eaten a two piece ever in her life. Curves are okay. This is heaven. I have been in and out of the business for nearly twenty-plus years and I am hearing things, I never thought I would hear. Black, a mother, in her forty is now the IN look for fashion.

Mrs. O has given me an unexpected stimulus. She is changing the face of the fashion industry by just being her self. Half naked, girls with ribs showing are no longer in style. Women who are act like teens will not be the new cover girls. Drama and dysfunction is out of style. Real hair is okay! J Crew is the new JC Penny and ordering off line has replaced shopping at the mall. Being a mom and raising your kids while never letting them forget that you have several degrees, is not only good for the fashion industry but good for families as well.

I did not get much from the new law signed this week directly, but I got far more than I expected when the Obamas decided to go to Washington. I got Mrs. O as a fashion icon, a role model and a new life on an old career.

Award Winning Civil Rights Reporter to Speak in Nashville

Howard Witt, the ground-breaking journalist who broke the Jena 6 story in 2006, will speak to the public and student journalists at 1 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 18, in Lipscomb's Shamblin Theatre and again Wednesday evening at 6:30 at Woodmont Hills Church.

The Jena 6 story, involving the trial and public outcry surrounding several African American teens accused of assaulting a white teen, became one of the most significant racial controversies of our decade. Witt was recognized in 2007 as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in National Reporting for his coverage of civil rights issues.

Witt will speak on "Writing Stories that Change Lives."

Among many stories of international significance, he covered the Lockerbie bombing, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the ouster of Ceausescu, the release of Nelson Mandela and the end of apartheid, the Moscow coups in 1991 and 1993 and the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Since 2003, Witt has been stationed in Texas. In 2005, he wrote a series documenting the long-term aftereffects of the Oklahoma City bombing on survivors and first responders, as well as a series tracking the resurrection of Antoine's Restaurant, a New Orleans icon crippled by Hurricane Katrina.

He is the Southwest bureau chief of the Chicago Tribune, based in Houston. He joined the paper as a summer intern in 1982 and during his nearly 25 years at the Tribune, has been a national correspondent, foreign correspondent and editor. He left the paper in 1999 and was editor in chief of the Washington City Paper in 2000-01. In late 2001, Witt returned to the Tribune, joining the paper's Washington bureau as chief diplomatic correspondent.

Witt has won the Nieman Foundation's Taylor Award for Fairness in Journalism, the American Judicature Society's Toni House Journalism Award, and the Chicago Bar Association's Herman Kogan Award.

Reality TV and the Business of having a bunch of Kids!

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Update: Mom of Octuplets did her first interview on the Today Show. I got the weird feeling that I was watching Angie Jolie without the adoptions but the same expression on her face. I am Angel Jolie. Geez, God help me I am trying not to judge here.

I was watching the Today Show when I learned of the mother in California who had not a set of twins, not triplets, but eight babies. I was working out on my Gazelle and my first reaction was to touch my stomach to make sure there was nothing in my outdated uterus. I thought "God help her" and put the thought quickly out of my mind.

I must say I recoiled in horror when I learned later that the mom had six other kids. All under of the age of seven. I immediately thought damn The Gosselins and the Duggars. Jon and Kate Plus 8 and 17 kids and Counting are reality shows on TLC Channel that follow large families around documenting what it is like to raise a van load of kids. Reality TV has warped our vision of everything decent in America.

What ever happened to having a bunch of kids because you did not know having that two or three kids was okay? I come from a family of big families. My mother was number four from a litter of twelve, my dad was the youngest of eight, and I am the oldest of five. 4-8-5, box and straight. I lived in a small town where your family size determined how long you stayed for choir practice or if your team won a state championships. (So please don't think I am against anything about the number of kids or who can and cannot have kids). I was raised before the days of fertility clinics and donated sperm banks. I can hear my granddaddy saying, "why would you want people seeing you raising your kids, that is what you suppose to do?" The man who raised his children's children would not find it very exciting having cameras following him as he whipped our butts for various offenses throughout the day.

My concern is that we are seeing gigantic families being glamorized by reality tv and impressions have been drawn that the more kids you have the more money you make. This is not the real world. TLC Channel makes a fortune from The Gosselins and the Duggars and they in turn have become very wealthy sharing their families with the world. And I ain't mad at them.

But to the untrained eye or unschooled mind, many do not see the number of assistants that show up to produce an episode or the reported number of churches and volunteers that give to help serve these families. Nor do you see the PR agents contacting companies for product placements on the shows and every conceivable free item they can get. One mention of a brand on any given episode can be worth its weight in gold. Everyone wants to see these families lives and to see them succeed. Although we may question their ethics, it WAS cute at one time to wonder how do they managed with all those kids in this day and time.

The Duggars started off as a family who was living out their religious beliefs. But after several appearances on morning programs over the years, the idea to pitch this wholesome brood to the public at large led to a number of lucrative deals and a weekly TV show. They now have eighteen children and counting. Mrs. Duggar had her kids the old fashion way, "Oops, honey I am pregnant, again."

Kate and Jon Gosselin got in on the act with their kids and we saw a different type of parenting show. Kate had a little help from fertility drugs and she believed her miracle children should be helped out by everyone. This was the first time we actually heard someone say, "You owe me help, I got a bunch of kids that I planned to have." This show does not come off as wholesome and we can see where this couple is a younger more edgier reality-tv generation. Kate was the first "mother" from TLC that had a little of 'Real Housewives of OC' air about her. Drama and dysfunction seem to be okay in their household. While the Duggars may leave you baffled, they had a fan club following from day one. Kate and Jon Gosselin did not bring natural wholesomeness to the your local channel right away. For everything the Duggars represent; order, grounded, spirituality and perkiness, the Gosselins are just the opposite. Chaotic, self-centered, religious, and bitchiness. The two shows represent two generational mindset on raising kids in front of the cameras. Both are making pay dirt and both are selling us a delusional world. A world that may have influenced our California mom to step off the edge and take the plunge into the world of actually producing babies for a television deal and product endorsements for her and her children. Folks this has just gotten ugly.

A single mother living with her parents, the world is not going to be as gracious and as loving to her and her decision to raise fourteen kids. The hospital bill for one preemie along can run into the hundred of thousands. We see this was planned out without a plan other than "here are my babies, let's make a deal". This is where the gravy train got derailed. There will be takers(offers and deals galore) but it will not be without outrage. Where Kate Gosselin left off, this mom stepped in and said I will take this another mile or so.

She is responsible for her decision to have her kids, but my goodness, flip the switch and darken her skin a bit and the outcry would be louder. Single mom making bad decisions and living off the government would be the headlines in much larger print. Where is Anne Coulter on this issue by the way? Wouldn't she be a perfect guest speaker at the next OB-GYN fertility convention?

Back to reality television shows depicting motherhood as a paid adventure. In my mom getting-together-for-drinks-while-raising-teens club, all of us are screaming what the hell is going in America. The club member with four kids was nearly in tears trying get to our monthly meeting. Her kids practices were all scheduled at four different parks. No one had anything good to say about the mom in California. Are we mad and want to get an endorsement deal with paid assistants? Well, of course. But truth be told, no amount of money in the world could get me to try to raise more than my lot of three. Love my darlings dearly, but love my sanity even more.

Reality Television should be renamed to Altered Reality. It has desensitized us to the truth and leaves false expectations for those who have not learned that most of the shows are scripted. I do not know what will happen with the mom. I hate that she was not given serious counseling prior to making this decision. I hope the doctors who participated in this get hauled before the medical review board. I pray for the grandparents who seem to have been caught in the middle of watching a grown child make a decision that will affect all of them. Most of all, I pray for her children. I hope they get the support they need. They did not ask for any of this. In the meantime, I hope that reality shows depicting parenting as pay-to-play adventure get canceled before a young mom decide to bring 12 kids into the world for the mother of all deals.

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Gimmicks, Race, and the RNC

I have lived in several Red states all of my life. Born and raised in the Magnolia State, lived for a stint in the swamp lands of Louisiana, and I am raising my kids in the volunteer state of Tennessee. I will always be the girl from Mississippi and I learned to love cultural diversity from Louisiana, but the great state of Tennessee has help shaped my world view more so than any of the other states. All have taught me that a Repub does not make a conservative and every conservative is not a Repub.

The Grand Ole party not only has a visual image problem but it is in a place that we normally see Demos; absent of leadership, trying to figure out who they are and what group is their base. President Bush's fall from grace made the Repubs' reputation take a nosedive in the area of public trust and perception. Big government and outrageous spending that would feel right at home with the Demos, seemed to cloak the Bush Administration like a warm blanket. A message was sent in 2006 that the country was not happy with business as usual, but it took the elections of 2008 to really nail the casket shut. Many folks were buried alive politically. A few, however, managed to dig themselves out of their Rovian graveyard. But hanging out with the walking dead is only popular among morticians and grave diggers.

Senator McCain's decision to pick Governor Palin was brilliant in strategy, but dumb in execution. Clinton supporters were yelling and screaming to the high heavens for a minute there. They would have voted Strawberry Short Cake in office immediately following Senator Clinton's primary defeat because they wanted a woman so badly. A cartoon character would have sufficed as long as she was a female. Picking a woman was a good call for McCain but the plan lacked intelligence. Those 18 million cracks needed sealing. Gov. Romney (IMHO) would have been a deal sealer and would have made those of us who were hurting in the pocket feel safe and secure (money wise). Many moderate Repubs would have spent more time analyzing the issues than wondering if Palin was sane or not.

Watching Palin come unglued right before America's eyes, was not how to win an election. It was at times too painful to watch. Palin and that hail Mary pass was a gimmick and it backfired on the Repub party. Senator Obama went on to become our 44th President. Folks had enough of buffoonery and gimmicks.

Now, the RNC is trying the same gimmicky move with Michael Steele. Electing a black man to prove that the RNC is up for the challenge of becoming more diverse and inclusive will be tested earlier than later. Race, gender, faith, and sexual orientation will ALL be part of the diversity dialogue with the good folks at the RNC. Many of these conversation have not been had in my neck of the woods. As a matter of fact, some on this list are not even considered. I live in the land where the "Happy Negro" song originated. I socialize and do business with Repubs and Conservs daily. Michael Steele WILL NOT bring diversity to the RNC is my hunch based on my years of sitting at my grandfather's feet listening to him discuss politics. Daddy believed strongly "never try to play tricks with folks, you will get burned every time!"

Diversity is a state of being, a mindset if you will, not all about color. Having a black man in charge does not rally the troops, especially if the troops tend to see things in black and white. Mainly white. Ask Speaker Pelosi and she will confirm my assertion. Well, maybe not publicly.

It will take daily efforts of being totally intentional in reaching out to minorities,women, and everyone else from now until 2012 to make any headway in that area. It take years to break down barriers and it is rarely done in one election cycle. I remember attending McCain/Palin rallies and personally hearing "terrorist", "monkey", "nigger" and the like to the tunes of many of my beloved CMA songs. I was sent the Magic Negro CD for Christmas. Folks will not forget these enduring heart to heart monologues and shouts of love quickly.

I enjoy hearing both sides of any argument. I love to make my decisions based not on a party view but what is the greater good for my family, my business, my customers, and of course my country. I plan to visit Mr. Steele in DC when I make my annual trips for several legislative days that I will be attending regarding women and minorities in business, and an industry meeting. I am hoping that he will not give me lip service or talking points. I have shared with him in the past that forming a group to help speak to diversity issues does make an organization diverse or even open to diversity. Often diversity is only a side topic or regulated to a department in many non-minority organizations. I belong to several. Many of these organizations rarely sit in meetings and say "hey, we need more diversity". They see me and believe "we are covered". It only happens if pressure from the outside, and in rare cases from the inside, address the issues and then and only then a mad dash is made to pull a "token" somebody to fit the agenda of looking diverse. How many times I have seen this? Let me count the ways!

I am part of a group, at the moment, where everyone on our committee is coming to the same conclusion that the organization is only giving the group lip service and has very little intention in becoming more diverse. The staff is non-color, the board is non-color, and the few of us trying to make a difference, have gotten tired of the step-children antics that are being played out right in front of us. At a time where diversity is very IN, and folks are scrambling to at least pretend they see EVERYBODY, some folks are still slow to embrace diversity and inclusiveness. Even when it is presented as good business model vs. it is the right to thing to do. Money usually can get every ones' attention. Usually. Change has come to Washington, but not everyone is going to change.

Michael Steele has a huge task ahead of him, if he is to bring the RNC closer to the year 2002 by reaching out to embrace others (and by others, I do mean others) than where it is now, 1964. Mr. Steele's success will be determined if the RNC see a need to be inclusive. He will be the the Toast of the Town and not a piece of light bread. I do hope he is successful although I think the motives are suspect. But even good things can come from bad intentions. At least it will be a learning curve for participants as well as spectators. One thing about toast, it must be watched because it can easily burn.