14 apr by Black Business News Group

Publisher’s Message

hile there has been much outrage over the perceived racist comments made by Donald Sterling, owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, it appears no one is really talking about what is the true meaning of "racism" and its origin, especially as it relates to black folks. The dictionary defines racism as "actions, practices or beliefs, or social or political systems that consider different races to be ranked as inherently superior or inferior to each other". Adolf Hitler supported his beliefs by his country's actions and practices. The founding fathers of this country supported their beliefs by supporting, if not allowing slavery to manifest and grow. The Ku Klux Klan's racist beliefs are supported by their clandestine and suppressive actions. Donald Sterling's private beliefs may deem to be racist, but there is not a significant amount of evident to support that neither his actions, nor his practices were that of a true vehement racist. As noted on page 50 in this month's publication, ever since the first African step foot on American soil, there was racism applied to blacks. Moving to the

Black Business News Group P.O. Box 43159 Los Angeles, CA 90043 USA 323-291-7819 Fax: 323-298-5064

www.blackbusinessnews.net PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Earl “Skip” Cooper, II

ASSOCIATE EDITORS Sarah Harris Dean L. Jones

ENTREPRENEUR EDITOR Kim Anthony

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Belinda Foster

PRODUCTION MANAGER Narishima Osei

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS LaSandra Stratton Dean Jones Linda Ware

GRAPHIC DESIGN Sarah Harris Phallu Morgan

STORY EDITORS Wanda Flagg Jennifer Marie Hamilton

PHOTOGRAPHY Ian Foxx Sabir Narishima Osei

CONTENT ADMINISTRATOR La Sandra Stratton

present, racism in our country has taken a full cycle and has become part of America's fiber. Blatant and institutional racism was the target of the Civil Rights Movement in the 50's for equity. The movement encompassed a social movement with the goal ending racial segregation and discrimination against blacks. The movement was supported at the executive, legislative and judicial branches of our government, as well as the private sector to address the effects several hundred years of oppression of black folks, end legalized discrimination and provide a helping hand, primarily to African Americans, in moving up the economic latter. The Civil Rights movement created affirmation action programs in an effort to create a level playing field in the public and private sectors. In the "60"s, the term "affirmative action" was first introduced by President John Kennedy as a method of redressing discrimination that had persisted in spite of civil rights laws and constitutional guarantees. It was later supported by the actions of President

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see Publisher's Message on page 54 3  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

About

ABOUT THE BLACK BUSINESS NEWS GROUP… The mission of The Black Business News is to inspire and inform public and private sector industry representatives on the importance of smart small business growth. As a versatile source of socioeconomic development activity news, the publications of the Black Business News Group impart current local, national and international industry and social trends and news affecting small businesses across the United States of America (USA), providing guides to greater access to financial capital, management efficiencies, business education, mentorship opportunities and social media networks. The goals of the Black Business News Group include: •

promoting USA-based black-owned business enterprises to a world wide audience.

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offering business growth enhancing information on education, exhibitioning, international trading, technology, industry trends, and more.

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exploring major public and private sector contracting methods to educate black-owned and operated enterprises.

•

gproviding an affirmative influence for emerging entrepreneurs by sharing innovative de-sign and creative cultural content that expos-es them to the history of black enterprisess and urges them to participate in the USA’s future.

•

advocating and promoting on behalf of black-owned businesses by promoting the need for expanding an economic foundation that supports an unfettered and selfsustained urban society with USA job creation and economic opportunity, where blacks work, live and operate viable businesss enterprises.

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Procurement Exchange Summit Black Business News Group Publications Black Business News Black Business News International Black Business News Travel Africa

Contents

BLACK BUSINESS NEWS…APRIL/MAY 2014 GOVERNMENT… 10 12 14 16 17 20 22

Ambassadors of Global Entrepreneurship Raise the Wage ACA is a Success! Emergency Preparathon. Be Prepared Working to End Extreme Poverty Connecting Young African Leaders Climate Change Action Plan

BUSINESS… 34 35 36 39 40 43 46 56 59

Profit from What Sets You Apart Don't Shoot Yourself in the Foot Dr. Dru Billionaire to Be New Perspective on Marketing New Black-Owned Hand Bag Firm is Growing Russell Sims is Hiring!

Jet Mag goes Digital Masters Degree in Technology Entrepreneurship Online Change All of Your Passwords, NOW!

ENTERTAINMENT… 32

BBN/Show Biz Buzz

PUBLIC INTEREST/COMMUNITY…

COLUMNS

3 - Publisher's Message 70 - Take A Look! 114 - Books to Consider... 117 - Calendar 119 - Resources

74 76 79

First Lady Visits China Dorothy Height Gets Google Doogle Honor USAID Launches Grant & Award Competition

INTERNATIONAL… Travel Supplier Conferences in Africa

SPONSORS 6 - Black Business Association

87 88

SPECIAL SECTION…

SPECIAL SECTIONS

102 Shopping Gallery Cover image - Phallu Morgan

28 50

New US Trade Offices in Africa

BBA's Salute to Black Women Racisim in America

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Presidential Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship

he Presidential Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship is a firstof-its-kind collaboration between 11 of America's most inspiring and prominent entrepreneurs, the White House, the Department of Commerce, and our Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development partners. Our goal is to harness their energy, ideas, and experience to help develop the next generation of entrepreneurs both at home and abroad. President Obama announced that the Administration would form a committee of entrepreneurs, to be chaired by Secretary Pritzker, last October during the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. “I am honored that President Obama asked me to bring together some of America’s most dynamic

businesspeople to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs in the U.S. and around the world,” said Secretary Pritzker. “America’s entrepreneurial spirit has always been a key driver of our economic growth and success. Through this group, we will take what we know about transforming innovative ideas into thriving companies and share that knowledge around the country and the world. “Beyond generating tremendous economic and employment benefits at home, our entrepreneurial spirit is also one of America’s greatest exports. Not only are our entrepreneurs broadly recognized and admired, but all over the world countries are eager to replicate American practices of embracing and learning from failure; networking, teaching, and encouraging creativity; and creating entrepreneur-friendly regulatory environments. Through their work,

the Presidential Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship will seek to increase the number of successful startups in the U.S. and around the globe, spurring economic growth and job creation.” Research indicates that new and young companies are responsible for virtually all new job growth across the United States. Not only do they create positions for those entering the job market for the first time, but they also absorb workers who may have been laid off from companies that are contracting. Members have agreed to participate in an ongoing dialogue with policy makers globally to discuss how to create an environment where creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship can grow and thrive. They will also participate in outreach and mentorship activities to help promote start-up culture, and energize their own personal and professional networks to challenge

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Government and inspire budding entrepreneurs and raise awareness of the many resources available to them. During their meeting, President Obama thanked members for their commitment to this cause and discussed the critical role that entrepreneurship plays in spurring job growth and sparking innovation. He urged them to use the PAGE platform to help others learn from their experiences, benefit from their networks, and inspire new business owners to create economic opportunity in their own communities, throughout the country and across the globe. The inaugural members of PAGE are: • Rich Barton, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman, Zillow • Tory Burch, Chief Executive

Secretary Pritzker

• •

•

Officer, Tory Burch; Founder, Tory Burch Foundation Steve Case, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Revolution Helen Greiner, Founder and CEO, CyPhy Works; CoFounder, iRobot Corporation Reid Hoffman, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman, LinkedIn Quincy Jones, Chief Executive Officer, Quincy Jones Productions Salman Khan, Founder and Executive Director, Khan

Academy • Daphne Koller, Co-Founder and President, Coursera • Hamdi Ulukaya, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Chobani • Nina Vaca, Chief Executive Officer, Pinnacle Technical Resources • Alexa von Tobel, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, LearnVest The Obama Administration has worked to dramatically increase the prevalence and success of entrepreneurs across the country and around the world. The White House Startup America initiative is an “all-hands-on-deck” effort to expand access to capital, accelerate innovation, and promote private sector efforts to strengthen the Nation’s startup communities. . The Department of Commerce supports entrepreneurship through its delivery of our strategic priorities on data, innovation, and trade and investment. As the primary voice of business in the Administration, the Department produces policies and initiatives that help in the establishment and success of new start-ups as well as the growth and competitiveness of existing businesses. The news about PAGE is part of an anticipated series of administration announcements on the topic of

advancing entrepreneurship. Other recent and upcoming announcements include: • a collaboration between the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) to expedite and increase entrepreneurial activity emerging from research; • proposed rules will be announced by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to attract and retain talented foreign entrepreneurs and other highskill immigrants; • a couple of TechCamps hosted by the State Department for women entrepreneurs in El Salvador, Colombia, and Argentina; and • a newly launched U.S. Global Development Lab (The Lab www.usaid.gov/GlobalDevLab) from USAID that aims to help create, solve and scale innovative solutions to global challenges by applying rigorous scientific, business, research, and technological expertise (see page 18).  www.whitehouse.gov/the-pressoffice/2014/04/07/readout-president-smeeting-presidential-ambassadors-globalentrepreneur http://beta.commerce.gov/news/pressreleases/2014/04/us-secretary-commercepenny-pritzker-announces-inauguralmembers

Quincy Jones, Quincy Jones Productions

http://entrepreneurship.org/Blogs/PolicyForum-Blog/2014/April/Administration-GoesAll-In-on-Global-Entrepreneurship.aspx

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Government

RAISE the WAGE "What every American wants is a paycheck that lets them support their families, know a little economic security, pass down some hope and optimism to their kids. And that’s worth fighting for." – President Obama, March 5, 2014

n his State of the Union address, President Obama called on Congress to raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 an hour, and announced he would issue an Executive Order to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 for the individuals working on new federal service contracts. Raising the minimum wage nationwide will increase earnings for millions of workers, and boost the bottom lines of businesses across the country. Today, the real value of the minimum wage has fallen by nearly one-third since its peak in 1968. And right now, a full-time minimum wage worker makes $14,500 a year, which leaves too many families struggling to make ends meet. www.whitehouse.gov/raise-the-wage www.cnsnews.com/image/obamasigning-minimum-wage

President Obama signs an executive order increasing the minimum wage for federal contract workers. (AP photo) 12  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

President Barack Obama, joined by Vice President Joe Biden, delivers a statement on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in the Rose Garden of the White House, April 1, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

President Obama: "7.1 Million Americans"

ello everybody, Last night (March 31, 2014), the first open enrollment period under the Affordable Care Act came to an end. And this afternoon, we announced that 7.1 million Americans have now signed up for private insurance plans through the new Health Insurance Marketplaces. 7.1 million. That doesn't count the more than 3 million young adults who have 14  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

Government gained insurance under this law by staying on their families' plans. It doesn't count the millions more who have gotten covered through the expansion of Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program. It doesn't include the more than 100 million folks who now have better care -- who are receiving additional benefits, like mammograms and contraceptive care, at no extra cost. Now, millions of our fellow Americans have the comfort and peace of mind that comes with knowing they're no longer leaving their health and well-being to chance. For many of them, quality health insurance wasn't an option until this year -- maybe because they couldn't afford it, or because a pre-existing condition kept them locked out of a discriminatory system. Today, that's changed. And while our long-broken health care system may not be completely fixed, it's without question a lot better. That's something to be proud of -- and there's no good reason to go back. Regardless of your politics, or your feelings about the Affordable Care Act, millions more Americans Promoting the Affordable Care Act Top: First Lady Michelle Obama with First Dogs Bo & Sunny. Below: Bill Nye, the Science Guy, President Barack Obama and Dr. Neil de Grasse Tyson, Aastrophysicist and Cosmos series Moderator.

with health coverage is something that's good for our economy and our country. At the end of the day, that is what this law -- and the other reforms we're fighting for, from a 21stcentury immigration system to a fairer wage for every American who's willing to work for it -- are all about: Making sure our country lives up to our highest ideals.

I am thankful to be your President today, and every day. And I am proud that this law will continue to make life better for millions of Americans in the years to come. Thank you. President Barack Obama  www.whitehouse.gov/ blog/2014/04/01/president-obama7-million-americans

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Government

The PrepareAthon! campaign is directed as part of President Obama’s Presidential Policy Directive 8: National Preparedness. On April 30, 2014 and throughout the spring, America’s PrepareAthon! activities will focus on preparing individuals, families, workplaces, K-12 schools, institutions of higher education, houses of worship, and communitybased organizations for tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and wildfires. • Be Smart: Know your hazards in your community. Download guides to learn how to prepare (http:// community.fema.gov/connect. ti/AmericasPrepareathon/ view?objectId=3221904). • Take Part: Plan activities and host an event locally on April 30. • Prepare: Practice a drill or have a discussion (http:// community.fema.gov/connect. ti/AmericasPrepareathon/ view?objectId=3220272&exp=e1)

about preparedness. Participation can include being a part of community emergency planning, hazard-specific drills, group discussions, and exercises. Get involved by registering as a participant in America’s PrepareAthon! at www.ready.gov/

prepare, and stay tuned into the discussion on Twitter by following @PrepareAthon. 

www.whitehouse.gov/ blog/2014/04/04/america-sprepareathon

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Government

U.S. Global Development Lab to Help End Extreme Poverty

he U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has launched the U.S. Global Development Lab (www.usaid.gov/globaldevlab), a broad partnership with universities and the private sector that will support innovative solutions in water, health, food security and nutrition, energy, education, and climate change aimed at reaching at least 200 million people in the next five years. As part of this new initiative, USAID is also increasing the number of scientists and technology experts in the Agency, including 65 fellows from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Reflecting the proven impact of science and innovation, USAID has increased its investments. In 2008, USAID spent roughly $127 million to support

research and development. Today, the Agency spends $611 million— not only on research, but also on innovation and applied solutions in science and technology. “To solve our most intractable development challenges, USAID has established a new way of working, bringing on board the best and brightest staff and new partners, all working in concert to help end extreme poverty,” USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah said at the public launch event in New York City. “The Lab will engage a global community of inventors, academics, researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, and corporate leaders in science and technology to invent, test, and scale the most promising and cost effective solutions to end extreme poverty.” The launch event featured a keynote address by former

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who has been a strong supporter of the use of science, innovation, and partnerships to further U.S development goals. Administrator Shah also announced a new USAID Research and Innovation Fellowships program ( w w w. u s a i d . g o v / RIFellowships), which, this year, will send more than 60 accomplished, young U.S. leaders in science, technology and innovation to apply their technical expertise to work on development challenges at universities, research institutions, NGOs, and private sector companies in 12 developing countries. The Lab’s Cornerstone Partners include a large crosssection of corporations: Cargill, Cisco, Citi, Coca-Cola, DuPont, GlaxoSmithKline, Intel, Johnson & Johnson, Microsoft, Nike, Syngenta, Unilever, and Walmart; civil society organizations and foundations: Care, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Catholic Relief Services, Global Impact Investing Network, Plan, Save the Children, the Skoll Foundation, World Vision, the National Academy of Sciences, and the Smithsonian Institution; universities: The University of California at Berkeley, Duke University, Johns Hopkins University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Michigan State University, Stanford University’s Freeman Spogli Institute, Texas A&M University, and the College of William and Mary; and a bilateral donor: Sweden. see Development Lab on page 18

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Government

Get Your 2013 Federal Taxpayer Receipt Want to know how your federal taxes are spent? President Obama is keeping his promise to make sure Americans like you can easily see what you're getting for your taxes. Just enter a few pieces of information, and the Taxpayer Receipt gives you a breakdown of how your tax dollars are spent on priorities like education and veterans benefits. Follow the Link to get your 2013 federal taxpayer receipt: www.whitehouse.gov/2013-taxreceipt.

Development Lab from page 17

These partners bring cutting-edge technologies, advanced research and development capabilities, farreaching networks of customers, suppliers and community

organizations, and more than $30 billion in independent investments in emerging markets through science, technology, innovation and partnerships. USAID is also testing mobile technology solutions to development challenges in several

countries to better reach target groups with improved information and encourage greater participation in decision-making.  www.usaid.gov/asia-regional/pressreleases/usaid-launches-us-globaldevelopment-lab-help-end-extremepoverty

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THE WHITE HOUSE WORLD TRADE WEEK, 2014 BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION Commercial ties build partnerships between nations and spur growth across the world. Here in America, trade bolsters our small businesses, which make up 98 percent of our exporters and create nearly two out of every three new jobs. During World Trade Week, we celebrate these benefits, and we redouble our efforts to promote trade while protecting workers, safeguarding the environment, and opening markets to new goods stamped, "Made in the USA." My Administration is dedicated to supporting high-quality American jobs through exports. In 2010, I launched the National Export Initiative (NEI), and since then our determined focus on exports has helped more American small and medium-sized businesses and farmers create jobs by selling their products abroad. We are now selling more American goods and services overseas than at any time in our history. Last year alone, our exports supported 11.3 million American jobs. Earlier this month, my Administration renewed its commitment to creating American jobs by launching a new phase of the National Export Initiative, NEI/NEXT. This new phase will build on the NEI's success by helping companies find export opportunities, gain access to financing, and move their goods across borders. NEI/NEXT will also open markets around the world while ensuring a level playing field for American companies. My Administration is also helping American companies strengthen their global competitiveness by investing in cutting-edge manufacturing techniques. Over the past 4 years, factories that once went dark have turned on their lights again, and the United States has seen the first sustained growth in manufacturing jobs in over two decades. As we ensure the next technological revolution is American-made, we must also create new opportunities to sell our goods throughout the world. Alongside our partners in the Asia-Pacific, we are working to complete negotiation of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which will lower barriers to trade, create jobs in America and across the Pacific, and open up markets to our exports in the world's fastest-growing region. And to grow prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic, we launched negotiations with the European Union on a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. America's economic strength is a source of strength in the world. As our global economy evolves, as countries forge ever-stronger links, the United States must not stand on the sidelines. If we do not shirk from this challenge, if we continue to embrace the grit and innovative spirit that has always defined our Nation, I am confident America's best days lie ahead. NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 18 through May 24, 2014, as World Trade Week. I encourage all Americans to observe this week with events, trade shows, and educational programs that celebrate and inform Americans about the benefits of trade to our Nation and the global economy. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand fourteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-eighth.

BARACK OBAMA

Government

Connecting Young African Leaders with the U.S. and One Another By Macon Phillips

hat do you do when nearly 50,000 young Africans apply for 500 spaces in President Obama’s inaugural Washington Fellowship program, the opportunity for young African leaders to learn new skills and build lasting partnerships in the United States? President Obama recently announced his answer to this question: The Young African Leaders Initiative Network – or YALI Network – is a virtual community that connects young African leaders with resources from the U.S. government and to one another. Thousands of young Africans have already joined the YALI Network. They have participated in virtual programs, signed up for online

courses, and are eager to shape Africa’s future. That’s why President Obama, Secretary Kerry, and the United States are committed to helping them succeed. With nearly two-thirds of Africa’s total population below the age of 35, it has never been more important to support these young African leaders as they gain the skills and develop the networks to thrive in business, government, and civil society. Through the YALI Network, the United States can help these young African leaders as they strengthen their democratic institutions, spur their economies, and forge an enduring partnership between Africa and the United States.

What is the Washington Fellowship? The Washington Fellowship is the new flagship program of the President’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). This program will bring over 500 young leaders to the United States each year, beginning in 2014, for leadership training, academic coursework, and mentoring, and will create unique opportunities in Africa to put those new skills to practical use in propelling economic growth and prosperity and strengthening democratic institutions.

Welcoming Promising Leaders to the United States Leaders will attend U.S. universities for an academic institute in one of three areas: business and entrepreneurship; civic leadership; and public management. Coursework and training in each of these sectors will focus on the skills young African leaders need to run better ministries, start and grow businesses, and serve their communities. The initiative will grow to 1,000 young leaders each year. Washington Fellows will spend six weeks at top American universities and colleges that will provide tailored programs in the sectors above,

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Government leveraging top faculty, cutting-edge curricula, and local opportunities to impart practical professional and leadership skills. Formal university institutes will be augmented by workshops, mentoring, and networking opportunities with leaders in each field, as well as internships across the United States. For example, U.S. agencies such as the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and the Export-Import Bank have offered to host Washington Fellows as interns to expose them to the U.S. workplace and practices, and build their technical skills. The Fellows will also have the chance to interact with the President during an annual Summit in Washington, D.C., along with other senior U.S. government, business, and civic leaders.

Committing Resources to Developing Young Talent Through YALI, the United States has invested significant resources to enhance leadership skills, spur entrepreneurship, and connect young African leaders with one another and with Americans. Since 2010, the State Department has held fifteen exchanges specifically for young African leaders and sponsored 1,283 sub-Saharan scholars through its educational and cultural affairs programs. U.S. Embassies have awarded small grants totaling $750,000 to YALI alumni groups supporting youth development in Africa. Other State Department-led efforts, such as LIONS @FRICA and Apps4Africa, have focused on building an entrepreneurial ecosystem to encourage broad-based economic growth and opportunity for young entrepreneurs – partnering with the private sector to run startup competitions, grow incubators, and develop innovative new products to address local and business and development needs.

USAID has worked with local governments and institutions to strengthen access to education, workforce training, and skills development to help young Africans have the skills needed to enter the labor force. Since YALI’s inception, USAID has invested more than $100 million in over 76 partnerships with African universities to help train a new generation of African leaders in health, agriculture, education, environmental science, technology, and other sectors. Currently USAID’s Higher Education Solutions Network—a $25 million per year program—partners with African and U.S. higher education institutions, using science, technology and engineering to educate future leaders and research solutions for the greatest challenges in development. To further expand YALI, USAID will establish regional hubs to enhance leadership and training opportunities in Africa and better leverage over $200 million in ongoing youth programs and initiatives, such as university partnerships and vocational training, on the continent. Other Departments and Agencies have reoriented their programs and strategies to contribute to the goal of empowering and providing opportunities for youth in Africa. The Department of Labor, for example, is investing in efforts to promote safe youth employment and business opportunities as alternatives to child labor, including a new $3 million program in Uganda to educate and

train youth for quality jobs. The U.S. African Development Foundation is investing $5 million in training and placing thousands of Somali youth in paid internships and jobs, in addition to supporting small business start-ups. YALI participants have leveraged this support and gone on to start youth-driven organizations and networks, advise their governments, and establish new and vibrant businesses – all showcasing the extraordinary talent and promise of the young leaders who are transforming the African continent and their communities.

Still Seeking Partners: Engage with the next generation of African leaders! In partnership with the private see YALI Network on page 22

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Government

Climate Change and President Obama's Action Plan The Administration has released the Third U.S. National Climate Assessment (NCA), the most authoritative and comprehensive source of scientific information to date about climate-change impacts across all U.S. regions and on critical sectors of the economy. The report, a key deliverable of President Obama's Climate Action Plan, confirms that climate change is not a distant threat — it's affecting us now. The report highlights climate changes that are happening now in the United States and further changes that we can expect to see throughout this century. This NCA embodies the concept of “actionable science” called for in the President’s Climate Action Plan. It communicates the impacts of climate change according to geographic region of the United States, and by economic and societal sector— including agriculture, energy, and

health. These tailored findings help translate scientific insights into practical, useable knowledge that can help decision-makers and citizens anticipate and prepare for specific climate-change impacts. For instance, the report finds that, on the whole, summers are longer and hotter, with longer periods of extended heat. Wildfires start earlier in the spring and continue later into the fall. Rain comes down in heavier downpours. People are experiencing changes in the length and severity of seasonal allergies. And climate disruptions to water resources and agriculture have been increasing. And the report confirms that across America, people are experiencing climate-change impacts that are not uniform. In the Northeast, for example, communities are affected by heat waves, more extreme precipitation events, and coastal flooding due to sea level rise and storm surge.

In the Southwest, drought and increased warming foster wildfires and increased competition for scarce water resources for people and ecosystems. These and the other essential findings in the new NCA are the result of a three-year analytical effort by a team of over 300 climate scientists and experts, informed by inputs gathered through more than 70 technical workshops and stakeholder listening sessions held across the country. The resulting product was subjected to extensive review by the public and by scientific experts in and out of government. This process of unprecedented rigor and transparency was undertaken to ensure that the findings of this report rest on the firmest possible base of expert judgment. Understanding of climate change and its impacts on our Nation continues to grow. This National Climate Assessment is a key step to further expand the knowledge

YALI Network

YALI partners by offering access to training programs and job opportunities; special placement in innovation hubs and incubators; access to grants and investment; and leadership roles within community organizations, advisory boards, and NGOs. Your resources, networks, and skills can deeply enrich the program by helping to identify promising young leaders and providing opportunities for Fellows to accelerate their growth and leadership trajectory. Become a YALI partner and you can:

• Invest in a new generation of young African leaders who are shaping the continent's future. • Reinforce our commitment to an enduring partnership between the United States and Africa. • Help young African leaders develop skills and networks to build their countries and communities.

from page 21

sector, host country governments, international and regional bodies, and civil society organizations, the U.S. Government is building a wide spectrum of high quality opportunities for Washington Fellows to put their skills to use. Combined with intensive training in the U.S., this broad array of opportunities for alumni in Africa can be a springboard to leadership across a range of critical sectors. Already, multinational corporations, local NGOs, and regional institutions have become

E-mail AfricanLeaders@usaid. gov for more information on how to become a partner. To get the latest information about the Network, visit: http://youngafricanleaders. state.gov/contact. 

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base in ways that are immediately relevant and useful to business owners, resource managers, public health officials, and community leaders who are living and working on the front lines of climate change. We applaud the many contributors to this report and urge all Americans to get informed about how climate change is affecting their own regions by visiting www. globalchange.gov. The NCA includes reports for the states of the Union. Use the links below for information on what has and will be occuring in your state. State Reports Alabama: www.whitehouse.gov/sites/ default/files/docs/state-reports/ALABAMA_ NCA_2014.pdf Alaska: www.whitehouse.gov/sites/ default/files/docs/state-reports/ALASKA_ NCA_2014.pdf Arizona: www.whitehouse.gov/sites/ default/files/docs/state-reports/arizona_ nca_2014.pdf Arkansas: www.whitehouse.gov/ sites/default/files/docs/state-reports/ ARKANSAS_NCA_2014.pdf California: www.whitehouse.gov/ sites/default/files/docs/state-reports/ CALIFORNIA_NCA_2014.pdf Colorado: www.whitehouse.gov/ sites/default/files/docs/state-reports/ COLORADO_NCA_2014.pdf Connecticut: www.whitehouse.gov/ sites/default/files/docs/state-reports/ CONNECTICUT_NCA_2014.pdf Delaware: www.whitehouse.gov/ sites/default/files/docs/state-reports/ DELAWARE_NCA_2014.pdf Florida: www.whitehouse.gov/sites/ default/files/docs/state-reports/FLORIDA_ NCA_2014.pdf Georgia: www.whitehouse.gov/sites/ default/files/docs/state-reports/GEORGIA_ NCA_2014.pdf Hawaii: www.whitehouse.gov/sites/ default/files/docs/state-reports/HAWAII_ NCA_2014.pdf Idaho: www.whitehouse.gov//sites/ default/files/docs/state-reports/IDAHO_ NCA_2014.pdf Illinois: www.whitehouse.gov/sites/ default/files/microsites/ostp/ILLINOIS_

NCA_2014.pdf Indiana: www.whitehouse.gov/sites/ default/files/microsites/ostp/INDIANA_ NCA_2014.pdf Iowa: www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/ files/microsites/ostp/IOWA_NCA_2014.pdf Kansas: www.whitehouse.gov/sites/ default/files/docs/state-reports/KANSAS_ NCA_2014.pdf Kentucky: www.whitehouse.gov/ sites/default/files/docs/state-reports/ KENTUCKY_NCA_2014.pdf Louisiana: www.whitehouse.gov/ sites/default/files/docs/state-reports/ LOUISIANA_NCA_2014.pdf Maine: www.whitehouse.gov/sites/ default/files/docs/state-reports/MAINE_ NCA_2014.pdf Maryland: www.whitehouse.gov/ sites/default/files/docs/state-reports/ MARYLAND_NCA_2014.pdf Massachusetts: www.whitehouse. gov/sites/default/files/docs/state-reports/ MASSACHUSETTS_NCA_2014.pdf Michigan: www.whitehouse.gov/sites/ default/files/microsites/ostp/MICHIGAN_ NCA_2014.pdf Minnesota: www.whitehouse.gov/sites/ default/files/microsites/ostp/MINNESOTA_ NCA_2014.pdf Mississippi: www.whitehouse.gov/ sites/default/files/docs/state-reports/ MISSISSIPPI_NCA_2014.pdf Missouri: www.whitehouse.gov/sites/ default/files/microsites/ostp/MISSOURI_ NCA_2014.pdf Montana: www.whitehouse.gov/sites/ default/files/docs/state-reports/MONTANA_ NCA_2014.pdf Nebraska: www.whitehouse.gov/ sites/default/files/docs/state-reports/ NEBRASKA_NCA_2014.pdf Nevada: www.whitehouse.gov/sites/ default/files/docs/state-reports/NEVADA_ NCA_2014.pdf New Hampshire: www.whitehouse. gov/sites/default/files/docs/state-reports/ NEWHAMPSHIRE_NCA_2014.pdf New Jersey: www.whitehouse.gov/ sites/default/files/docs/state-reports/ NEWJERSEY_NCA_2014.pdf New Mexico: www.whitehouse.gov/ sites/default/files/docs/state-reports/ NEWMEXICO_NCA_2014.pdf New York: www.whitehouse.gov/ sites/default/files/docs/state-reports/

NEWYORK_NCA_2014.pdf

North Carolina: www.whitehouse. gov/sites/default/files/docs/state-reports/ NORTHCAROLINA_NCA_2014.pdf North Dakota: www.whitehouse. gov/sites/default/files/docs/state-reports/ NORTHDAKOTA_NCA_2014.pdf Ohio: www.whitehouse.gov//sites/default/ files/microsites/ostp/OHIO_NCA_2014.pdf Oklahoma: www.whitehouse.gov/ sites/default/files/docs/state-reports/ OKLAHOMA_NCA_2014.pdf Oregon: www.whitehouse.gov/sites/ default/files/docs/state-reports/OREGON_ NCA_2014.pdf Pennsylvania: www.whitehouse. gov/sites/default/files/docs/state-reports/ PENNSYLVANIA_NCA_2014.pdf Rhode Island: www.whitehouse. gov/sites/default/files/docs/state-reports/ RHODEISLAND_NCA_2014.pdf South Carolina: www.whitehouse. gov/sites/default/files/docs/state-reports/ SOUTHCAROLINA_NCA_2014.pdf South Dakota: www.whitehouse. gov/sites/default/files/docs/state-reports/ SOUTHDAKOTA_NCA_2014.pdf Tennessee: www.whitehouse.gov/ sites/default/files/docs/state-reports/ TENNESSEE_NCA_2014.pdf Texas: www.whitehouse.gov/sites/ default/files/docs/state-reports/TEXAS_ NCA_2014.pdf Utah: www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/ files/docs/state-reports/UTAH_NCA_2014. pdf Vermont: www.whitehouse.gov/ sites/default/files/docs/state-reports/ VERMONT_NCA_2014.pdf Virginia: www.whitehouse.gov/sites/ default/files/docs/state-reports/VIRGINIA_ NCA_2014.pdf Washington: www.whitehouse.gov/ sites/default/files/docs/state-reports/ WASHINGTON_NCA_2014.pdf West Virginia: www.whitehouse. gov/sites/default/files/docs/state-reports/ WESTVIRGINIA_NCA_2014.pdf Wisconsin: www.whitehouse.gov/sites/ default/files/microsites/ostp/WISCONSIN_ NCA_2014.pdf Wyoming: www.whitehouse.gov/ sites/default/files/docs/state-reports/ WYOMING_NCA_2014.pdf 

www.whitehouse.gov/climate-change

23  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

SALUTE TO BLACK WOMEN

Entertainment

BBN Show Biz Buzz By Linda Ware

Prince

rammy winning legend, Prince, will be headlinging the 20th Annual Essence Festival in New Orleans.

Terry Crews

Halle Berry

scar Winning Actress Halle Berry is starring in a new TV sci-fi series produced by Steven Spielberg. “Extant” airs on CBS July 9th.

udge Greg Mathis is producing a new tv talk show on BET Television Network hosted by actress/singer Keke Palmer. The show is titled The Keke Palmer Project and it will debut in the summer of 2014.

ctor Terry Crews rose to fame for his comedic roles in White Chicks, Everybody Hates Chris. Crews is in talks to host Who Wants to be a Millionaire.

Keke Palmer

Jill Scott Judge Greg Mathis 32  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

Entertainment

rammy award winning songstress, Jill Scott, received an honorary doctorate from her alma mater Temple University for her contributions to art and music. It was a touching moment for Scott as

film is set to debut on August 1st.

Eddie Murphy Anthony Anderson

nthony Anderson and Laurence Fishburne are set to produce the new comedy pilot, Blackish, for ABC television.

everly Hills Cop 4 is returing to production with Eddie Murphy starring as Axel Foley. The film should be arriving in theatres March 2016.

Andre 3000 she spent her early years studying secondary education there prior to her rise to stardom.

Queen Latifah

ueen Latifah signed on for the biopic about the life of the Empress of the Blues, Bessie Smith.

Pattie LaBelle

atti LaBelle is returning to Broadway to star in the summer production of After Midnight along with R&B Legends Gladys Knight and Natalie Cole where they will bring to life the music of Duke Ellington recreating the sound of jazz in Harlem’s Cotton Club. 

Chadwick Boseman

J J

imi Hendrix’ biopic film, All Is By My Side, starring Andre 3000 opens in theatres June 13th. ames Brown’s biopic film, Get On Up, stars Octavia Spencer, Viola Davis, Jill Scott, and Chadwick Boseman. The

Ocatavia Spencer

Viola Davis

33  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

Business

f you want to gain and keep good clients and boost profits, you must clearly understand and keep top of mind the benefits your products or services offer that set you apart from the competition.

Know Your Customer Before you can begin to effectively communicate those benefits that set you apart, you must define your target customer as narrowly as you can. Then get to know how they think, and what’s meaningful and important to them. Understand the challenges they face in business and life that your products could solve. Ask yourself what problems they’ll gladly pay to resolve.

Identify Your Rivals You also need to know who your competitors are and the products they offer that are similar to yours— their features, benefits, pricing, strengths and weaknesses.

Define Your Differentiators From your target customers’ perspective, describe all your products’ benefits—those differentiators that set them apart. Make a list of all these differentiators and how they will directly affect your customers in positive ways to make their lives easier, or help them save time and/or money. Then go over the list again and delete any benefits that your competition could also claim. Use the remaining benefits to market and sell your product. Note: Price shouldn’t be a differentiator. There will always be someone willing to sell for less.

How to Profit From What Sets You Apart By Victoria Munro

Plus, price-driven customers may not be the kind you want. You can learn a lot by talking with your best clients. Ask them why they chose you over the competition.

Refine Your Message Using your list of benefits, write down how your products will meet your target clients’ perceived needs. Understand the related emotions—remember, people make buying decisions based on emotion—and use this information in your marketing communications. Consistently and clearly communicating to prospective clients what sets you and your products apart and how this benefits them is key to your success.

Update and Profit from What Sets You Apart In our rapidly changing world, clients’ needs and wants are also constantly evolving. You must

regularly assess and revise the list of benefits you offer and your message. Review the list often and adjust it to address your potential clients’ most current perceived needs. This will involve some time in research and a lot of thought, but the results will be rewarding. Plan now to create or review, and perhaps revise, your list of unique benefits and your message. Then go sell what truly sets you apart.  About the Author: Victoria Munro is cofounder (along with husband Dave Block) of Make-it-Fly® LLC, a company dedicated to creating success for small-business owners through creatively designed programs and tools. Victoria has started and run nine different businesses. To receive FREE business success articles with tips to help you with your business, sign up for their award-winning ezine, “In-Flight Refueling,” at: www.Make-it-Fly.com, and receive a free copy of the eBook, Get More Done in Less Time: 101 Quick and Easy Time Tactics & Tips.

34  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

Business

Are You Shooting Yourself in the Foot? Tips to Help You Get the Right Message Across By Victoria Munro

•

professional. Understand your audience and make sure that what you have to say is a worthwhile investment of their time. Write articles for professional journals and industry publications your target customers read.

hat sort of an impression are you really making? As we seek to gain new customers, many of us overlook the obvious—how we appear to those we want to influence most. Making a positive impression, whether in person, through printed materials or via the Internet, is worth thinking about.

Via Printed Marketing Materials

Your Message

•

To ensure you evoke a positive response, you must be crystal clear about what you want to say. Distill the essence or core of your message into the fewest possible words so that it can be heard or read in 15 seconds or less. Take time to craft your message. Make it clear, concise and compelling.

•

In Person •

•

Gain visibility by joining associations for industries or professions related to what you sell. Establish yourself as an expert by giving informative speeches on topics related to your business. Hone your presentation skills to give talks that are polished and

Design quality marketing materials that accurately portray who you are and what you offer. Convey a professional image that will help customers and prospective customers feel comfortable and confident about you and your company. Consistency is important. Make sure all your stationery, brochures and other promotional materials look like a cohesive family. Use these to create growing brand awareness within your target market. Your business card may be the only representation of you and your company that you’ll leave with someone. Dollar for dollar, it’s probably your most powerful marketing tool. Keep it simple, clear, and easy to read and understand. Never leave home without it—keep a stash of extra cards in your glove box, briefcase and computer bag.

Through Your Company Website •

Make sure the appearance—

•

the look and feel—is appropriate for your type of business and is consistent with your print materials. Your website should reflect your business personality, whether it’s formal, fun, high tech, etc. Organize the navigation so that visitors can easily find what they’re looking for. Your visitor’s finger is on the mouse button—you only have six to eight seconds to capture his or her attention. It’s even more important to communicate your message in a clear and compelling way here.

Keep your target customers in mind as you get your message out. Seek to understand them and what’s important to them. Whether you’re communicating one on one, as a speaker to an audience, via printed material or through your website, put your best foot forward and make sure you present a consistent, professional image with a memorable and meaningful message.  About the Author: Victoria Munro is cofounder (along with husband Dave Block) of Make-it-Fly® LLC, a company dedicated to creating success for small-business owners through creatively designed programs and tools. Victoria has started and run nine different businesses. To receive FREE business success articles with tips to help you with your business, sign up for their award-winning ezine, “In-Flight Refueling,” at: www.Make-it-Fly.com, and receive a free copy of the eBook, Get More Done in Less Time: 101 Quick and Easy Time Tactics & Tips.

35  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

Dr. Dre

is family and friends refer to him as Andre Young. Fans and music industry execs know him as Dr. Dre. Regardless of how an individual knows him, one thing is certain. Dr. Dre has arrived to heights that no hip hop artist has arrived to in terms of global success as an independently successful entrepreneur. An astute businessman, Dr. Dre remains a staple in the entertainment headlines for his sharp savvy moves that are innovative when it comes to the business of hip hop. Dre came to national recognition initially as a budding rapper with the

cutting edge super group NWA that hit the music scene transforming the lyrics and boundaries of HipHop culture opening the window to explore the stories of police brutality, harassment, racism, drug selling and all the elements that made up the socio-economic challenges of the “Hood.” The group’s appeal proved lucrative with cd sales in excess of 10 million units during the group’s rise to fame. Fast forward to the breakup of the group, Dr. Dre moved into the driver seat from artist to business entrepreneur and CEO of his own label, Aftermath Entertainment,

where he established himself as one of the industry’s most savvy producers developing multiple acts to star status including Grammy Award winning HipHop artist, Eminem. In addition to the demands of the label, Dr. Dre found time to develop his own brand of headphones, Beats by Dr. Dre. As an entrepreneur with an eye for innovation, Dr. Dre founded Beats Electronics, LLC. along with his business partner, Jimmy Iovine. With the surge of sales of headsets from Beats Electronics, LLC, Dr. Dre has evolved to demonstrate his mastery of product

36  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

Business

Dr. Dre: HipHops' First Black Billionaire by Linda Ware

Jay-Z and Dr. Dre

design and merchandising in reference to meeting the demands of today’s consumers in this digital and electronic consumer age. According to sources, Dr. Dre has graduated to a new level of business success through with his current negotiation with Apple underway. Talks are underway to

sell Beats Electronics to Apple for a total of 3.2 Billion dollars. Dr. Dre has made it clear to the public in a recent video post that he is well on his way to become the first official billionaire in hip hop. It is noted that while all of the business negotiations are in process, Dr. Dre made it a point

to appear with his partner Jimmy Iovine at the University of Southern California campus to donate 70 million dollars to support arts and education. A philanthropist, artist, producer, CEO and entrepreneur all in one, Dr. Dre is the epitome of an outstanding businessman in leadership and innovation. 

37  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

Let Us Help You Grow Your Business to New Heights. To take your business to the next level, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s essential that you choose the right financial partner. At East West Bank, we offer all the products and services you expect from a big bank with the high level of personal attention you expect from a local bank. Our bankers have over 40 years of experience helping minority businesses reach their financial goals. We look forward to working closely with you to customize a financial solution tailored to your unique situation. For more information about East West Bank and our solutions for businesses, please call: 1.626.768.6729 www.eastwestbank.com

Equal Housing Lender

Member FDIC

A Different Approach to Marketing By Victoria Munro and Dave Block but the rewards personally and financially are well worth the investment. Our world is changing rapidly. We can’t depend on marketing strategies that have worked in the past. Solid, caring, trust-based relationships will be key to thriving in the future. The following suggestions will help you achieve this.

Ask these questions to help you understand what your clients really want: •

chieving success in today’s economy demands a different approach to marketing and relating to current and future clients. We can no longer rely on marketing strategies that have worked in the past. Rather, knowing that people choose to do business with those they know, like and trust, we should focus on developing those relationships. Building strong relationships, based on trust, is key to finding and keeping loyal clients—the kind who will refer you to their friends and colleagues. Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines trust as “Assured confidence on the reliability, character, strength, or truth of someone or something.” Building such relationships is especially important to those who work closely with clients, such as lawyers, accountants, consultants, coaches, realtors, financial planners and insurance agents. Following through on commitments made is essential to building relationships of trust. Finding out and responding to what your clients, and future clients, truly want, need and expect will further strengthen this bond. Ideally, you should aim to become a trusted advisor. Building strong relationships based on trust takes time and effort,

•

• • •

What would you expect in an outstanding relationship with a (fill in the blank) lawyer, coach, insurance agent, etc.? Have you worked with a (fill in the blank) before? On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being terrible and 10 being terrific), how would you rate that relationship? If the answer is less than a 10, ask what it would have taken to bring this up to a 10. How do you prefer to communicate: by email, phone or in person? How much explanation and detail would you like when we communicate? What do you consider the most important aspect of customer service? Tell me about your biggest customer service frustration.

Give really good referrals: •

Find out who would be an ideal customer for each of your clients. Then be on the lookout for these companies or individuals, tell them about your client and suggest they connect.

Cultivate a sincere interest in each of your clients: •

Get to know and appreciate them personally. Find out what makes them tick. In casual conversation, ask about their family, interests, hobbies, passions, books they enjoy, etc.

Record your clients’ information: •

Use your CRM (contact resource management) database to keep in touch often.

Keep Top of Mind: •

• •

Think about different ways to ‘touch’ clients, for example: email, handwritten notes, birthday cards, breakfast, lunch, coffee or a ballgame together. Brainstorm other creative ways to communicate with your clients, and how you can make these ‘touches’ more meaningful. Record your actions and ideas. Each quarter, take a few minutes to review their effectiveness. 

About the Authors: Dave Block and Victoria Munro are co-founders of Make-it-Fly® LLC, a company dedicated to creating success for small business owners through creativelydesigned programs and tools. Dave is known as the “Master Networker” in the business community and loves sharing how to become a successful business owner by learning the art of networking. Victoria has started and run nine different businesses.. To receive FREE business success articles with tips to help you with your business, sign up for their awardwinning ezine, “In-Flight Refueling,” at: www.Make-it-Fly.com, and receive a free copy of the eBook, Get More Done in Less Time: 101 Quick and Easy Time Tactics & Tips.

39  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

Business

In The Bag — Budding Black-Owned Handbag Brand Grows Sales Beyond $350K in a Year

r. Sylvia is the name that many call him; however, designer Gregory Sylvia, a designer brand of leather goods and accessories, handbags and wallets, is not a single designer at all. Gregory Sylvia is the brain child of Gregory and Terri “Sylvia” Pope. The Popes officially started sales in 2012 and have experienced a steady growth ever since. After a year and a half, company sales surpassed $350K. Gregory and Terri “Sylvia” started their brand as a means to fill a gap that they noticed in the marketplace. After noticing a lack of presence of

African Americans producers in the leather goods industry they felt that it could be a place where they could be successful and make an impact. Soon after, the couple went to work on their brand-developing a vision, establishing a brand name, drafting logos, designing products, etc. As stated by Gregory, “From our start we saw the lack of blackowned producers in this arena and we wanted to bring some diversity… and not just diversity, but excellence along with the diversity.” Terri adds “We also saw us doing this together as a means to encourage people to follow their dreams and

bring marriage and family to the forefront.” Headquartered in Charlotte, NC, the Gregory Sylvia line is featured on their official website (www. GregorySylvia.com). The company is dedicated to providing beautifully designed pieces that uphold high standards of quality craftsmanship while providing excellent customer service. For information about Gregory Sylvia, call 980-272-8770 or e-mail admin@gregorysylvia. com.  PRESS CONTACT: Gregory Pope, admin@GregorySylvia.com, 980272-8770

40  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

SERVING THE INDUSTRY and the TRADE PIPE - VALVES - FITTINGS - METALS - TOOLS PROCESS CONTROLS - INSTRUMENTATION - WATER WORKS

Brandon Supply Corporation is a world class distributor of industrial supplies. Brandon has been proven to be a dependable source of supply to the petrochemical, power generation and waterworks industries providing fast and reliable service. Brandon, in maintaining the policy of selling only superior products, represents only the nation's top manufacturers.

SBA CERTIFIED We offer a full range of valves for all piping applications, pressure tubing in all sizes and schedules, a complete line of fittings, flanges and couplings in all metallurgies. We also offer a full range in PVC, HDPE and other materials.

Clarence D. Scott, CEO CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS 14120 Gannet Street Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670

MAILING ADDRESS P.O. Box 5354 Buena Park, CA 90623

Phone: 562-921-0407 | FAX: 562-921-5945 800.238.5906 (Outside California) www.brandonsupply.com | cdavis@brandonsupplycorp.com

ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED

Hip-Hop Mogul Russell Simmons is Hiring Interns — and More

ussell Simmons, known to many as the Godfather of Hip-Hop, is looking to hire both interns and employees to work for one of his companies, GlobalGrind.com. The popular web site chronicles celebrities (and blogs), lifestyle content, entertainment news, fashion, music, and politics with an authoritative voice. He is particularly looking for college students with an interest in and expertise in the areas of

editorial, social media, graphic web design, product management and business development. Internships are located in New York City and are for college credit only. All internships provide a great opportunity for college students to gain valuable work experience in their field of study and learn from some of the best talent in the industry at a high-profile start-up company. Students with a passion for music, entertainment and social media are especially encouraged to

apply. From time to time, the company also has part-time and full-time jobs available. For more details and/or to apply, visit: www.findinternships. com/2014/04/russell-simmonsinternships.html. To search hundreds of other 2014 internship and job opportunities, visit: www.FindInternships.com.  PRESS CONTACT: Find Internships, info@findinternships.com

43  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

Business

Real Times Media Strikes Content Partnership with EURWeb.com

eal Times Media (RTM), a multimedia company focused on urban news and entertainment which includes a robust digital media operation and the nation’s largest African American-owned family of newspapers, has entered into a content partnership agreement with Lee Bailey’s EURweb.com (www.eurweb.com), one of the largest and most influential African American-oriented websites on the Internet. Also known as Electronic Urban Report, EURweb.com is recognized as a leading source for urban entertainment, sports, politics and opinion. Founder and CEO Lee Bailey is a legendary broadcaster dating back to his days as a radio DJ on black stations in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles in the 1970s. “Partnering with Lee Bailey and EURweb.com presents a tremendous opportunity for Real Times Media," said Hiram E. Jackson, CEO, Real Times Media. “Our websites and print publications feature great content created by outstanding writers and editors. This exciting new agreement with

Lee Bailey and EURweb.com will make us even better, as we tap into Lee’s news, entertainment and opinion content from around the country.” Under the terms of the agreement, Real Times Media will publish stories and articles from EURweb.com on its company-owned websites and their print counterparts: Atlanta Daily World (www. AtlantaDailyWorld.com), Chicago Defender (www.ChicagoDefender. com), Michigan Chronicle (www. MichiganChronicle.com), and New Pittsburgh Courier (www. NewPittsburghCourier.com). The partnership, one of the first of its kind among two leading black-owned content companies, will benefit the Real Times Media brands through increased audience reach. "We are proud to enter into this relationship with Real Times Media and its newspapers and websites,” said Lee Bailey, Founder and CEO of EURweb.com. “For us, this marks the start of a syndication strategy for our great editorial content, and we are proud to begin this with Real Times Media.”

ABOUT REAL TIMES MEDIA Real Times Media (RTM) is a multi-media company focused on urban news, lifestyle information, and entertainment. Built on iconic brands whose legacies extend back more than 100 years, RTM’s family of companies include: Who’s Who Publishing

Company, the premiere platform for celebrating African American achievement, the nation’s largest African-American owned and operated news organization including the Atlanta Daily World (www.AtlantaDailyWorld. com), Chicago Defender (www. ChicagoDefender.com), Michigan Chronicle (www.MichiganChronicle. com), and New Pittsburgh Courier (www.NewPittsburghCourier.com), along with RTM Digital Studios, an archival image licensing arm which houses more than two million photos, articles and other artifacts documenting the past 100 years of the African American experience.

ABOUT EURweb.com Launched in 1997, EURweb. com is one of the largest news and entertainment websites on the Internet for urban and AfricanAmerican audiences. The site attracted just under 4 million unique site visitors in 2013 according to comScore, a leading, independent Internet analytics company. EURweb.com’s internal analytics showed more than 12 million unique visits. The comScore rating ranked EURweb.com in the top 15 of all black websites in 2013.  www.realtimesmedia.com

45  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

Business

John Johnson holds the first copy of his magazine Jet. Photo provided

he covers of JET magazine captured the attention of African-Americans and others, and even those who pretended not to notice the blackowned publication. From its July 31, 1952, edition featuring Eartha Kitt on the front in a two-piece bikini with a caption proclaiming her as Broadway’s newest darling; to the March 3,

1962, feature of Martin Luther King Jr., which chronicled the civil rights icon’s path from the pulpit to politics, the covers of JET could best be described as memorable. “I used to collect JET magazine covers,” said Terry Gilmore, a wedding photographer who lives in Northeast. “I always thought what it would be like to have the job of shooting these

famous black people and putting them on the cover of such a great and dignified black magazine,” said Gilmore 56. After more than six decades, JET will no longer publish. Owners of the Chicago-based magazine have decided to stop its print editions and go digital-only beginning June 30. Digital editions of JET will be available through $20 yearly subscriptions. “This allows Johnson Publishing (JET’S parent company) to have different configurations under one umbrella, which is the JET magazine app, JETmag.com, the print Ebony magazine and Ebony.com,” said Desiree Rogers, Johnson Publishing’s CEO. “We’re reaching customers where they want to be reached in whatever distribution channel they want to be in,” said Rogers, 54. Linda Johnson Rice, the chairman of Johnson Publishing, said readers

JE aD M

ET to be Digital Magazine

of the magazine shouldn’t take the announcement as a goodbye, but embrace it because the company will be better positioned to provide great content. “Almost 63 years ago, my father, John Johnson, named the publication JET, because, as he said in the first issue, ‘In the world today, everything is moving faster. There is more news and far less time to read it,’” said Rice, 56. “He could not have spoken more relevant words today. We are not saying goodbye to JET, we are embracing the future as my father did in 1951 and taking it to the next level,” she said. Founded in 1951 by John H. Johnson, JET began by chronicling the early days of the civil rights movement. The magazine gained national attention after the murder of 14-yearold Emmett Till in Mississippi in 1955. Till’s mother, Mamie Till, demanded that the casket remain open for the funeral so that the world could see exactly what the perpetrators did to her son.

JET editors decided to publish the photographs which resulted in public outrage and ultimately brought to the forefront the serious issues of racism in America. Also, the photographs became the major catalyst that sparked the civil rights movement. “I remember my grandmother telling me about those pictures when I would talk to her about black history, but even though she kept that magazine and it was in our house, she never would show them to me,” said Kadeesha Moore, 45, a Capitol Heights resident and government employee. Despite publishing the Till photographs, JET gained acclaim for its weekly covers that featured a who’s who in black politics, entertainment and in popular culture. The many memorable covers include the December 24, 1970 photograph of the Jackson Five with a young Michael Jackson; the January 14, 1971 picture of comedian Flip Wilson in the character of “Geraldine,” the February 1, 1973 feature on Marvin Gaye; the February 17, 1977 Muhammad Ali exposé; Grace Jones’ May 14, 1983 cover; and the December 14, 1992 collector’s

edition where Whitney Houston graced the front of the magazine with her “Bodyguard” movie co-star, Kevin Costner. Another of the memorable covers, include the cast of the movie, “The Wiz,” which starred Diana Ross, the late Jackson, Richard Pryor and Nipsey Russell, from October 26, 1978 and, the late Houston graced the magazine on November 5, 1990, where she talked about one of her most anticipated records, “I’m Your Baby Tonight.” “One glance at these covers and it’s clear to see that JET has created a legacy within the magazine industry that will never be forgotten,” said Julee Wilson, a columnist for the Huffington Post. “While the publication still plans to keep us abreast of happenings in the black community via the Web, we’ll miss holding those iconic issues in our hands,” Wilson said.  http:// washingtoninformer. com/news/2014/ may/21/jet-magazinestops-presses

SPECIAL REPORT-RACISIM IN AMERICA

RACISM IN AMERICA: IS THERE AN EXIT STRATEGY?

he comments made by National Basketball Association team owner Donald Sterling, have seriously breathed new life surrounding the dialogue of racism in America. It is an interesting coincidence that our current U.S. President Barack Obama is related to the first documented black African enslaved in America. (Source: Ancestry.com) The irony is this first enslaved black African is the 11th great-grandfather of Mr. Obama related through his mother's lineage, and not his father's Kenya heritage. This long ago relative was an indentured servant in Colonial Virginia, named John Punch, who was punished for trying to escape his servitude in 1640 by being enslaved for life,

marking the first documented case of slavery for life in the colonies, which occurred decades before initial slavery laws were enacted in the State of Virginia. Accordingly, the custom of enslaving a race of people in America became entrenched and its malevolent precedent has a tendency to resurface still today, giving rise to the fact will racism ever be fully eradicated in America. There have been significant results from Americans attempting to right civil wrongs, most recently being the black civil rights movement that helped to bring an end to racial segregation and discrimination in public places. This era is generally earmarked as starting with the May 17, 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court's

unanimous (9–0) decision stating separate educational facilities are inherently unequal, and its abrupt conclusion with the April 4,1968 assassination of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Memphis Tennessee. The 1964 civil rights act, the 1965 voting rights act, and the 1968 Fair Housing Act represent the monumental federal legislative initiatives that were produced from the struggles made during the civil rights movement. A major higher education, parity in employment and contracting equities were ensured from these aforementioned laws by taking Affirmative Action. Even still, the term "affirmative action" was first used in the United States by President John F. Kennedy on

50  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

SPECIAL REPORT-RACISIM IN AMERICA March 6, 1961 in signing Executive Order 10925 to promote actions of non-discrimination. In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson issued Executive Order 11246 requiring all government employers to take "affirmative action" to hire without regard to race, religion and national origin. These bold and positive measures taken to help reduce and eradicate racism in America have unfortunately detoured along the roads of equitable inclusion over our country's vast network of business and social integration to develop complete racial and class

speaking out against the collective Supreme Court's racist ruling to end Michigan’s affirmative action. The high court’s 6-2 decision on April 27, 2014 upheld a voterapproved change to the Michigan Constitution in 2006 that forbids the state's public colleges to make race, gender, ethnicity or national origin a factor in college admissions. This thinking by the majority Michigan voters and court justices should serve official notice that racism no longer exists in America and we can go back to business as usual before the 20th century civil rights movement. Presumably,

repaired from the purposeful harm and malicious blockage to constitutional sovereignty. So, why not democratically impose the 1996 California Civil Rights Initiative (Prop 209) to begin the unraveling of Affirmative Action across the country. This enacted law took place only 30 years after attempting to improve 328 years of systemic racism in America institutions. Sarcastically highlighting the meager corrective measures of racism serves to show how our national debate remains important. Economic parity in this country is undoubtedly intentionally skewed

ties. The current culture in America for affirmative action in higher education is to routinely ban it from being considered a fair practice. Just last month, the US Supreme Court Justice members delivered a major opinion that if the states do not want to consider race-based admissions in public education they are perfectly within their rights of democratic rule. Sadly, our nation spoke considerably way more vehemently about the comments of a confused eighty year old billionaire than

future generations will have full access to economic liberties in all sectors of American culture. The worries and concerns over race have all been resolved, as the civil rights movement accomplished it mission of making higher education a way to secure universally sought after economic liberties for black people. The casualties of enslavement are removed and resolved dating back from 1640 and carried through to 1968. Hundreds of millions of black lives have been collectively

away from black Americans. This is of course a broad based claim as a wide variety of blacks have significant outward signs of wealth and financial stakeholder-ship in the American economy. Nonetheless, the barriers to entry for the majority of blacks living in America are scorched with influential bigotry, such as in law enforcement, judicial processing, land baron housing, long-term incarceration strategies, access to capital and the general public mistrust on multiple black inclusion. Racial profiling is at times

51  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

SPECIAL REPORT-RACISIM IN AMERICA so out of control that the same race members practice poor judgment and mistrust of those people that look like themselves. The methods and means to end racism in America appear to have no end in sight. One reason that this may be is due to the fact that those people descending from plantation owners and those who receive a lion's share of opportunity from being white in America see that they have no role in this dilemma. Why should they, as when these insidious practices began they were not born, consequently the mere act of extending an apology for stripping life away for generations of black people is not their concern. The indigenous American Indians were nearly stamped out completely by the same ruling class, however, concerns that the government

sanctioned activity had gone too far, public policies of apology were enacted and sovereign nations with financial reparations were provided to preserve a harmed race. Blacks were never offered any comparable admission of wrong doing, except for Affirmative Action. Black inequality was taken to harsh and extreme conditions after being crudely enslaved with ensuing Jim Crow laws, which prohibited blacks from ever being equally accepted into all levels of American enterprise. The clandestine Jim Crow laws were widely enforced and covert measures of these laws remain in place still today. One may not believe this, but if you listen closely to the archived remarks of Donald Sterling a whisper of Jim Crow culture is referenced in his rational reasoning for not wanting

blacks to use a particular section of his designated basketball arena seats. He repeats that it is the culture that limits his authority to freely share his public space with blacks. Donald Sterling is basically sharing with the world that racism persist and if one wishes to have supreme wealth in this country one must abide by concealed rules; rules that make the playing the field where blacks in a selected space must not be included, whether on a one-on-one basis, or in mass. This is how the dialogue must be addressed if there will ever be a countrywide strategy to end to racism in America. 

52  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

Author: Dean Jones

SPECIAL REPORT-RACISIM IN AMERICA

RACISM: THE BITTER FRUITS OF ECONOMIC COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

acisim is now the dominating discussion in the United States, again, because of the words of a man, Donald Sterling. From the day the first slave set foot on american soil in Jamestown, Virginia in 1607,

"tobacco was on the verge of a boom" thus firmly establishing American enterprise on the backs of slaves. This structure is, even to this day, maintained as the practice of 'Economic Competitive Advantage', the taking of rights from African Americans and giving rights to White Americans. Many Supreme Court cases have sustained this scheme, Plessy v Ferguson, "We as freeman still believe that we are right and our cause is sacred" to Dred Scott v

Sanford where the Supreme Court ruled the "Missouri Compromise", laws regulating slavery in free states unconstitutional, stating "Slavery is protected in the Constitution." In the matter of Loving v. Virginia", the Supreme Court rulled national, state and local laws barring interracial m a r r i a g e unconstitutional, and Brown v. Board of Education, effectively reversing 100 years of Jim Crow "Separate but Equal" laws. Yet, the foundation of our house remains s e v e r e l y damaged. And today, in 2014, by the stimulus of social media short lived fame, glory and punishment, we are motivated to invade the privacy of a man, Donald Sterling, draw and quarter him in the digital public square as our new villain, with not a lot of talk about restoring balance, but merely to hammer the gut into oblivion. And the fruits of the fever to stone Mr. Sterling? From Slavery to 'Jim Crow' laws, which literally destroed the infrastructure of African American persons, familiies, communities

and society, deeming it illegal and punishable by imprisonment or death, to engage in progressive interactions with White Americans and institutions, to modern day the re-brandings such as 'Segregation, Discrimination, Voter ID Restrictions and Gerrymander', the beat goes on. Now the ugly face of Economic Competitive Advantage appears in modern form in the coupling of Supreme Court decisions such as Citizens United v. Federal Election Committee and Boling v. Sharp, the anti-affirmative action case. It's time to stop looking to indict each other and look to reconstruct pathways to do deals together. As has become over abundantly clear at this defining hour, the boot of Economic Competitive Advantage doesn't really care about your race, color, creed or sexual orientation, in this peculiar way, I guess we are all Black now. Look at DOW 500, NASDAQ, or the historical list of United States Senators. Not too many Blacks populate these rolls right? And with the Roberts' Court declaring this as that "Jubilee Year", that glorious day of reconciliation that our grandparents sang about in church, it is now up to each individual and corporate entity to awaken, in the privacy of our own deliberations, and act affirmatively to right this ship and do business together, in spite of a perceived darkness that lurks within the recesses of the minds of our counter parties.  Author: Tony Speak @TonySpeak

53  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

SPECIAL REPORT-RACISIM IN AMERICA Publisher's Message from page 3

Lyndon Johnson. However, by the late '70s, "reverse discrimination" became an issue, epitomized by the famous Bakke case in 1978 in California. Allan Bakke, a white male, had been rejected two years in a row by a medical school that had accepted reportedly less qualified minority applicants. It was documented that the school had separate admission policies for minorities and reserved selected number of places for minority students. The Supreme Court outlawed quota systems in affirmative action programs, which in this case had discriminated against a white applicant. In the same ruling, however, the Court upheld the legality of affirmative action per se. The next cycle was fueled by "angry white men," and a few questionable black men (which we might classify as "Uncle Toms"), that launched a backlash against affirmative action programs. To conservatives, they perception system was a zero-sum game that opened the door for blacks while it shut the door on whites. In a country that prized the values of self-reliance and pulling oneself up by one's bootstraps, conservatives resented the idea that some unqualified minorities were getting a free ride on the American system. "Preferential treatment" and "quotas" became expressions of contempt. Yes, while the media headlines focused on Mr. Sterling's private inappropriate and offensive remarks, there was not a lot of front page coverage given to the U.S. Supreme Court decision to uphold a Michigan constitutional amendment that banned affirmative active in admissions to the state's public universities. It was another

sign that the highest court in the law, which many blacks have looked to for protecting racial and ethnic minorities, had abandoned us. This placed a nail in the coffin in affirmation action programs not only with Michigan's public university, as well as business and commerce throughout the country. Since Sterling remarks, has there been any constructive dialogue in corporate America to address racism in the workplace? What efforts have been made to radicate racism within their own corporate culture? We don't have to affirmation action programs if in the public and private sectors have incorporated fairness and inclusion of all, including the under-represented. We need to weed out racism not just amongst NBA owners, but also from public and private sectors. Let us hold both the public and private sectors of our economy accountable for fighting racism and bigotry. Programs such as affirmative action and preferential admission policies were designed to combat hundreds of years of discrimination and exclusion. We cannot become disillusion about what racism really is about in America. As publisher of a national news outlet geared to African American business owners and entrepreneurs, I ask our corporate partners and stakeholders to increase their efforts of combating racism, as well as increasing business and procurement opportunities for African Americans. In the month of June, the United States Black Chamber (USBC), in conjunction with the California Black Chamber of Commerce, California Council of Black Chambers and Black Business Association (BBA) will be present a special "Access to Capital, Contracting and Entrepreneurial Training" workshop in Los Angeles, June 9 at the Sheraton

LAX Hotel. The major event sponsors are Wells Fargo, Google and Black Enterprise. The Black Business Association will be hosting their 40th Annual Award Dinner in recognition of Black Music Month, June 25, 2014 at the Downtown Los Angeles Hyatt Hotel. The BBA will focus on the business behind the music. In March, the BBA had a highly successful Salute to Black Women Business Conference Vendor Fair & Awards Luncheon, which included a highly outstanding workshop sponsored by Northrop Grumman entitled "Role Models for Success", geared to young ladies ages 13 to 18. Lastly, as evident by the new digital media economy, Johnson Publication announced that they are converting all media outlets for their Jet Magazine to digital. Jet Magazine, the number one newsweekly for African Americans will not only be sold in printed format, and will only be assessable via online, the similar format as the Black Business News has operated since 2009. 

Earl “Skip” Cooper, II

Pubisher/Chief Executive Officer

54  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

Business

University of Maryland

University of Maryland Launching Online Master's Degree in Technology Entrepreneurship by Rhea Kelly

his fall, the University of Maryland (http://mte.umd. edu) will offer a new online master's degree program in technology entrepreneurship. Put together by the A. James Clark School of Engineering's Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (Mtech) (www.eng.umd. edu) through the UMD Office of Extended Studies, the 30-credit, 15-month Master of Technology Entrepreneurship (http://mte.umd. edu) will take students through the entrepreneurial process, from concept development and prototyping to business model generation and customer validation. It will also focus on legal aspects of entrepreneurship, financial and innovation management and growth strategies. Students will enroll in two 3-credit courses over five 12-week terms. Courses include: • Innovative Ideas and Concept Development;

• Strategies for Managing Innovation; • Business Modeling and Customer Validation; • Innovative Thinking; • Creative Design, Prototyping and Testing; • Market Development and Commercialization; • Legal Aspects of Entrepreneurship; • Financial Management and New Venture Financing; • Corporate Technology Entrepreneurship; and • Fundamentals of Technology Startup Ventures. In addition, students will have access to Mtech's first online incubator, where they can take advantage of: • video-based coaching and advising; • mentoring; • networking; and • connecting promising startups with additional support,

which could include funding introductions. Mtech incubator graduates and success stories include two billion-dollar companies (Martek Biosciences and Digene Corporation), hybrid engine inventor PAICE Corp., Squarespace and more than 100 additional technology-based ventures. The approximate cost of the master's program is $19,500, plus books and fees, payable in five installments over the 15-month period.  http://campustechnology.com/ articles/2014/04/02/universityof-maryland-launching-onlinemasters-degree-in-technologyentrepreneurship.aspx?=ct21

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Business

Small Business Investment Companies (SBIC)

favorable rates through the federal government. •And the national economy benefits as the small businesses financed by SBICs continue to create jobs and generate tax revenues.

Where can I learn more? Visit the SBIC Program pages ( w w w. s b a . g o v / c o n t e n t / s b i c program-overview-0), including the FAQ, for more information about the SBIC Program. Still have questions? Email askSBIC@sba. gov. 

id you know that the Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) program has been helping high-growth small businesses get financing since 1958? That's right – for more than 50 years, SBICs have facilitated the flow of long-term capital to America’s businesses. There are thousands of small business success stories, but here are a few you probably recognize: Costco, Apple and Staples – just to name a few.

funds (the SBICs) that finance small businesses.

How does it work?

What are the perks?

SBA doesn't finance businesses directly. For the SBIC program, the Small Business Administration (SBA) partners with private investors to capitalize professionally-managed investment

•Small businesses can receive equity capital, long-term loans and expert management assistance. •Investment managers can add to their own private investment capital with funds borrowed at

MOBILE BLACK BUSINESS DIRECTORY

Download the App Add your Business Information Be found by new & old clients

DO IT TODAY! http://aroundthewayapp.com

http://trayvonmartinfoundation.org 57  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

Business

RIO 2016 OLYMPIC COMMITTEE Partnership & Contract Opportunities For a list of current Rio 2016 Olympic Sponsors visit: http://rio2016.com/en/organising-committee/partners

Your American Contact: joel.Reynoso@trade.gov

For information on the Games visit http://export.gov/brazil/games/index.asp

For information on participating in or supporting the Voting Rights Act restoration movement visit these and other organization websites: • 50th Anniversary March on Washington - http://50thanniversarymarchonwashington.com.

• National Action Network - http://nationalactionnetwork.net/mow/

• NAACP - www.naacp.org

• National Urban League - http://nul.iamempowered.com

• Rainbow/PUSH Coalition - www.rainbowpush.org

Verizon is joining forces with AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and a number of other businesses and community organizations to help promote safe driving through

It Can Wait. http://itcanwait.com

• Project Vote - www.projectvote.org

Grow With

A crowdfunding platform for projects and ideas benefiting the African-American community. www.blackstartup.com

58  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

Change ALL of Your Passwords NOW!

t's called the Heartbleed Bug, and if you haven't heard about it yet, you will very soon… Some computer security experts are calling it the worst security breach ever. So if you've ever entered passwords, credit card numbers or any other personal information into a "secure" web page over the last two years, you need to pay attention, and take action... Heartbleed is one of the biggest, most widespread vulnerabilities in the history of the modern web. It's a software bug that allows a knowledgeable hacker to siphon off private information entered into supposedly "secure" pages of the internet. Specifically, the bug is only found in software that uses the encryption software known as OpenSSL. Unfortunately, about 66% of all websites and web apps run on OpenSSL. That means if you've ever entered personal data into a site that you thought was secure because the address started with "https:" … well, it may not have been as secure as you thought. And your sensitive data may have already been stolen hundreds of times. Plus, it's not just websites that are affected. Lots of apps, email services, instant messaging clients, network routers and even printers can use OpenSSL. The worst part is that any past security breaches are impossible to detect. So no one really knows how

much damage has been done. That's why Heartbleed hasn't had more widespread media coverage yet. When people can't put a real number on how much data has been stolen, it becomes hard to grasp and newsmakers don't know exactly how to report it. But just because we can't quantify the impact doesn't mean you can

ignore this problem. Most major sites have already installed security patches … but if your data has already been stolen, it may be too late.

How to Stop the Leak?

The first step is to change passwords on all the sites that you use. If you want a list of sites that use Open SSL, you can find lists on the internet. They include many major sites like Google (Gmail), Yahoo, Instagram, Dropbox, TurboTax and a host of other popular sites. As long as the vulnerable version of OpenSSL is in use it can be abused. Fixed OpenSSL (www.openssl. org/news/secadv_20140407.txt has been released and now it has to be deployed. Operating system vendors and distribution, appliance vendors, independent software vendors have to adopt the fix and notify their users. Service providers and users have to install the fix as it

becomes available for the operating systems, networked appliances and software they use. The official site for more info on this security bug is http://heartbleed. com. 

59  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

Business

Hear More Founders on Khan Academy Entrepreneurship Series

LaKeshia Grant

ew content posted recently on the Kauffman/ Khan Academy Entrepreneurship Interview Series features founders of five vastly different companies whose innovations have reinvented their industries. Adding to a collection of founders already featured in the series, the latest contributors share how they started in their garage, home or apartment with an idea and today run growing companies. Presented in a conversational format with accompanying

illustrations, the 14 videos feature five entrepreneurs who share insights that include ideas for how to pivot from startup to growth stage, how filing patents can protect intellectual property and how navigating the challenges of running a business is like sailing through unexpected currents. The entrepreneurs featured in the new interview series are: • Jason Christiansen, president and CEO, Rigid Industries, projecting LED technology manufacturer and distributor • LaKeshia Grant, CEO, Virtual Enterprise Architects, IT consulting firm • Linda Jeschofnig, co-founder, Hands-On Labs, science distance learning materials and services • Renaud Laplanche, founder, Lending Club, online credit marketplace • Dave Smith, CEO and founder, TekScape IT, technology consulting services Founders already featured in the series include Giles Shih, president and CEO of BioResource International; Lara Morgan, founder of Pacific Direct; Marc Ecko, founder of Ecko Unlimited; Richard Branson, chairman of the Virgin Group; T.A. McCann, founder and CEO of Gist; and Zach Kaplan, CEO of Inventables. Personal lessons and insights from accomplished entrepreneurs are the basis of the Khan Academy online interview series produced

by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. The series represents the first entrepreneurship content to be added to the Academy's vast collection of free online educational tutorials and learning resources, potentially inspiring its 6 million student users a month.

Since launching in the fall of 2013, the series has generated more than 144,000 views. The Kauffman Foundation will continually add new content featuring more entrepreneurs. To see the Kauffman/Khan entrepreneurship interview series, go to https://www.khanacademy. org/r/entrepreneurship.  www.kauffman.org/ newsroom/2014/04/kauffman-addsinsights-from-more-founders-onkhan-academy-entrepreneurshipseries?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_ medium=Opticast&utm_ campaign=Ideas_At_Work_4_10_14

61  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

TO RECEIVE COMPUTER Attend 3 Hour Boot Camp Monday – Friday 10am – 1pm 4pm – 7pm Saturday 11am – 2pm Locations: Vary – Call For Schedule Questions: Call (323)754-3116 or Email: info@laoic.org

FOR

Mother's Day

OR ANY SPECIAL OCCASION

The 88th World Trade Week & International Trade Delegates Luncheon & Trade Fair May 15, 2014 Hilton Long Beach 701 W. Ocean Blvd. Long Beach, CA 90831 Schedule: 8:30–11:00AM FTA Workshop 11:00AM Trade Fair 12:00 Luncheon Cost Per Person: $70 Single Seat Luncheon $100 FTA Workshop and Luncheon

Information/Registration: info@foreigntradeassociation.com

1-888-223-6459 PROGRAM: The FTA Morning Workshop ‘Trade Transformation with CBP and Industry’ will provide an informative and interactive discussion with CBP and industry representatives on trade transformation such as ACE, Simplified Entry Process, Centers of Excellence & Expertise, and the CBP Trusted Trader programs. A presentation of the Majorie M. Shostak Distinguished Service Award will follow. Ms. Angela Ellard, US House

May 15, 2014 Radisson Hotel 2200 E. Holt Avenue, Ontario, California 91761

Information & Registration www.worldtradeconference-ie.us The 20th Annual Inland Empire World Trade Conference is the region's premier conference for U.S. manufacturers seeking to expand business internationally. This year the Conference is designed to focus on the redefinition of the resources available to local U.S. businesses for export. It aims to be able to provide a relevant path into understanding international trade in today's economic market through a 3-hour panel discussion from top executives in banking, legal, logistics and government. A B2B meeting after the Conference proper shall provide the venue for closer consultation and networking among attendees. Join us as we push to BUILD LOCALLY and together GROW GLOBALLY. of Representatives, Ways & Means Committee Chief Trade Counsel, will share her insights on pending future and current trade legislation that may critically impact your business. She will discuss prominent trade issues including, but not limited to: the extension of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP); consideration of the Miscellaneous Trade Bill

(MTB); ongoing negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), the Trade in International Services Agreement (TiSA), the World Trade Organization, and recently introduced Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities Act (also known as Trade Promotion Authority).

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Business

Technology:

Take a Look! by LaSandra Stratton Check out what these firms and organizations have to offer for your personal interests, personal wealth building, and business expansion opportunities. http://tether.com/ Tether is an application that allows you to have full Internet access on your laptop anywhere using your smartphone's data plan. No more WiFi hotspots, extra data plans or costly Air Cards!

All you need to do is run Tether on your smartphone and on your computer, establish a connection and you're good to go. No fumbling with settings or configurations! In addition to being the easiest solution, we pride ourselves on being the fastest solution out there. Don't believe us? Give us a shot versus any of our competitors or even air cards. We know you will be pleasantly surprised. www.zoobean.com At Zoobean, we know that parents and familes play the most important role in building their children's literacy. With so much stuff out there and so little time, we cu-

rate remarkable apps, books, and guides just for your child. Everything we do is part of our mission to encourage literacy and help you give your kids a head start. We all know that children who are not reading at the level of their peers by age eight risk facing the "third grade cliff." Everything we do at Zoobean is inspired by three values: Love, Inclusion, and Remark-ability. Love: A family's love is boundless, inspiring us to want the best for our children, our friends and communities. Inclusion: We empower you with a diverse set of stories and resources, so you’re better equipped to help your children imagine and achieve anything. Remark-ability: It may not be in the dictionary, yet we believe in it. We’re dedicated to offering you the most current resources available: great books, apps and expert resources to build your children's literacy. Try our personalized selection service (www.zoobean.com/subscriptions/customize/age), browse our free library of apps and books (www.zoobean.com/apps), and discover Zoobean. www.cosmicraygun.com Here at Cosmic Ray Gun we currently accept all kinds of books. If you have a novel or a comic book

that you would like for us to distribute then we will help you reach readers all around this world. We understand that setting strong roots giveis you the best chance at reaching your goals. That is the most important thing. That’s why at CRG we try to give you the maximum exposure possible and we will continue to add stores to our distribution system to make that happen – its our main goal. We will do everything in our power to give you the best chance of reaching new readers and helping you reach your revenue goals.

We offer services for regular ePubs and Fixed Layout ePubs. We try to keep your book file size as small as possible without affecting the quality of your book besee Take a Look! on page 71

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www.facebook.com/NBMBAAhq

Take A Look! from page 70

cause we understand stores like Kindle work off file size and the bigger the file size the less money in your pocket. We also offer a wide, and growing, range of analytic services to help you manage your publishing business. Visit our website and sign up for our newsletter to keep up to date on your possibilities in the ePublishing world.  Submitted by LaSandra Stratton, Chief Content Administrator of the Black Business News.

71  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

First Lady Michelle Obama, Joins Tai Chi class at Chengdu No.7 High School, Chendu, China

Community/Public Interest

First Lady Michelle Obama Visits China

irst Lady Michelle Obama traveled to China for an official visit – and she invited young people across America to join her. During her trip, Mrs. Obama met with students at the Stanford Center at Peking University, Beijing Normal School and Chengdu No. 7 High School to discuss the power and importance of education, both in her own life and in the lives of young people in both countries. She also visited historical and cultural sites, from the Great Wall to the Terra Cotta Warriors, and shared it all with the public! Here’s how people in the U.S. — and around the world — followed along: • The First Lady's travel journal:

Each day, the First Lady posted a daily travel blog, complete with videos and photos. • Podcast series: In an audio series, First Lady Michelle Obama shared some of the interesting facts about Chinese history and culture as she experienced it. • Ask the First Lady: In the weeks leading up to the trip, hundreds of young people submitted questions for the First Lady. During the visit, Mrs. Obama recorded video responses and engaged directly with young people on social media. Use the hashtag #FLOTUSinChina. • Follow on social media: You could follow along through the First Lady’s Twitter and Instagram accounts. More ways people engaged online: • “Exchange for a Day” with Discovery Education: From Peking University in Beijing, the First Lady answered questions submitted by classrooms around the country, as part of Discovery Education and the White House’s

First Family with the President of China. L-R Sasha Obama, Marion Robinson, First Lady Michelle Obama, President Xi Jinping, Madam Peng Liyuant, Malia Obama. Andy Wong/AP Photo

"Of the People" webinar series. • PBS Global Learning and Diplomacy Collection: As part of a new collection of resources, students and classrooms around the U.S. accessed educational resources and collections about the history and culture of China. • CNN iReport Assignment: iReporters in the U.S. and around the world submitted questions for the First Lady about study abroad. • Q&A with Youth in China: The U.S. Embassy invited their social media followers on Chinese microblogging websites Sina and QQ Weibo to post questions for the First Lady. While in China, Mrs. Obama answered questions about her visit. The First Lady's responses are posted in Mandarin on the Embassy’s social media platforms.  www.whitehouse.gov/issues/ foreign-policy/first-lady-china-trip www.whitehouse.gov/photos-andvideo/photogallery/first-lady-visitschina

Community/Public Interest

Dorothy Height, Civil Rights Icon, gets a Google Doodle By Amy Hubbard

Dorothy Height, at right in one of her trademark hats, was on the stage during the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech on Aug. 28, 1963. (Associated Press)

orothy Height, an icon for civil rights as well as women's rights, was celebrated with a

Google Doodle (www.google.com/ doodles/dorothy-irene-heights-102ndbirthday-born-1912) on March 24,

2014 which would have been her 102nd birthday. Height stood on the same stage

76  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

Community/Public Interest as Martin Luther King Jr. as he told of his dream, was often the lone woman at strategy sessions during the peak of the civil rights struggle, and for 40 years was "laser-focused" on advancing the rights of African American women. But Height was "not nearly as well known as her male contemporaries," as her 2010 L.A. Times obituary

Betty Friedan, Gloria Steinem and others, she helped found the National Women's Political Caucus in 1971. Height's lack of fame, the New York Times noted on her death in 2010 at age 98, could be because she was marginalized on two fronts, "pushed offstage by women’s groups because of her race and by

notes. Given her extraordinary life, her relative lack of renown may be one of the most striking things about Height. She was an exceptional young student who was accepted to Barnard only to be refused upon her arrival in 1929. "They did not know that I was not white," Height later said. The school had already met its quota of black students for the year -- two -- "and so when I got there I was turned away." She earned her bachelor's in education and master's in educational psychology from New York University. Later, as a YWCA executive in the 1940s, she oversaw its racial integration. She was a staunch civil rights activist and collaborated on strategy with King and others during the peak of the movement in the 1960s. She led the National Council of Negro Women for 40 years, from 1957 to 1998. Alongside

black groups because of her sex." Yet it's easy to see the core of steel in Dorothy Height. The inscription on the Congressional Gold Medal she received in 2004 includes these words: "We African American women seldom do just what we want to do, but always what we have to do." She spoke in a 2009 interview with Althea Legal-Miller about the power of black women during the civil rights movement. (Listen to the interview excerpt. http://bingdev. binghamton.edu/jwh/?page_id=250)

"When you read about the civil rights movement, you read more about the great men," she said. "The backbone of the civil rights movement was made up of women, children and youth." She recalled a civil-rights-era incident in which a police officer threatened her life. She was at a train station on an oppressively hot

day in North Carolina, standing with white colleagues. "They had this little colored waiting room. It was a dingy little room," she said, and she stood with white colleagues on the platform, trying to stay cool. "A policeman came and told me I should not be here with these white women" and told her to go to the colored waiting room. "I said, 'But here's my train.'" He insisted. She refused. "He said, 'If you go to that train, I'll blow your brains out,'" Height said. Two white colleagues accompanied her to board the train. She recounted the story later to Roy Wilkins, the prominent civil rights activist. He told her, "If you had been a man, you would be dead." "So in a sense," she said, "women could move a little more freely ... There were times that women could do things that men could not." Realizing that, she said, many women felt the need to act. Height spent a lifetime working to fight racism and sexism. She may be lesser known, but her legacy is deep. As Marian Wright Edelman wrote in 2006: "Her fingerprints are quietly embedded in many of the transforming events of the last six decades as blacks, women, and children pushed open and walked through previously closed doors of opportunity."  http://www.latimes.com/ nation/nationnow/la-nann-dorothy-height-googledoodle-20140324,0,2990471. story#ixzz2xpYvqnkU

77  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

Community/Public Interest

USAID Launches Second Round of All Children Reading: A Grand Challenge for Development Grant and Prize Competition he U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), in partnership with World Vision and the Australian government, launched the second round of All Children Reading: A Grand Challenge for Development (ACR GCD). This international grant competition will make available a total of $2.7 million for innovations and programs that leverage the transformative power of technology to leapfrog existing infrastructure challenges and empower children to read.

groundbreaking new technologies and approaches that open doors of opportunity for every child everywhere by giving them the power to read.” This second round of ACR GCD continues to focus on the creation and expansion of scalable, lowcost education tools that improve literacy opportunities for children in the early grades. Emphasis will be placed on improving reading through technology-based, costeffective innovations from the global science, technology, education, and

individuals to create innovative software that can be used to draft early grade reading materials in local languages. This initial prize – designed to amplify the overall initiative – is the first of many themed prizes to be offered throughout All Children Reading’s second round. The All Children Reading Grand Challenge for Development was established by USAID in 2011 to seek solutions to improve reading skills for children in the early grades, helping USAID reach its goal of getting 100 million children

Applications are now being accepted at www. AllChildrenReading.org. “Two hundred and fifty million children in the world are unable to read--an unacceptable fact that will limit their potential for the rest of their lives,” said USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah. “We are calling on entrepreneurs and innovators around the world to focus on this challenge and design

broader development communities in three focus areas: • Mother tongue instruction and reading materials • Family and community engagement • Children with disabilities

reading by 2015. To learn more about All Children Reading, the second grant competition, and the Enabling Writers prize go to: www. allchildrenreading.org. 

In conjunction with this second grant competition, the All Children Reading partners announced a $100,000 ‘Enabling Writers’ prize that calls for organizations and

www.usaid.gov/news-information/ press-releases/feb-27-2014usaid-launches-second-round-allchildren-reading-grand-challenge

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Community/Public Interest

Connect The Dots "We're raising “seed capital” to build a web portal focused on VIRTUAL LEARNING for people of African descent.

hy? Because we have a different LEARNING STYLE. We are oral, visual, tactile, experiential, and kinesthetic learners. FraserNet will create original content and aggregate existing content that excites our senses and makes it easy and fun to learn critical skills. Included “free of charge” will be 4 new innovative learning and sharing tools within the portal. Key areas of learning will be; business and wealth building skills and wellness. -George C. Fraser We want to help create the next generation of top Black achievers. We will use all of the efficiency of the Internet to help people connect quickly and more efficiently, without wasted time and effort. This is the key to helping Black businesses and careers thrive in this challenging environment. Some of the web, tablet, and mobile technologies we want to incorporate include webinars, hangouts, VOIP (voice over the Internet), video networking, and video conferencing. With these tools we can provide real time online business and wealth building. We will also build a culturally specific, self-populating online directory to compete with the best now available. “The Connect the Dots Movement will help fund a hot new site that focuses on Black

How Much Do You Need to Retire?

idelity Investments (www. f i d e l i t y. c o m / v i e w p o i n t s / retirement/8X-retirementsavings) says that you should save at least eight-times your ending salary for retirement. If your ending salary is $80,000, you should've saved $640,000. If it's $120,000, you should have a retirement account balance of at least $960,000. To meet these goals, Fidelity advocates a gradual savings program, as outlined below: Age 35 45 55 65 67

Multiple of Income Savings Target 1X 3X 5X 7X 8X

According to the above plan, that means you should have saved onetimes your current salary by age 35, then three-times by age 45, and so on. Is eight-times your current salary enough? Maybe. But what if it's not—then what happens? One study (www.aon.com/ excellence and skills building, a place where they can go to get help and their questions answered. This free portal just might be the connection we need between generations,” says Fraser. This movement involves rolling out four new tools in 2014 which will allow us to update, expand, and improve our global database and information delivery system

human-capital-consulting/ thought-leadership/retirement/ survey_2012_the-real-deal.jsp) by Aon Hewitt—the human-resources consulting firm—says you should put aside even more: 11-times. Either way, both Fidelity and Aon Hewitt assume retirees will need 85% of their last year's income to maintain their lifestyle. But keep in mind: Most people need less money as they move through retirement. According to the Bureau of Labor Consumer Expenditure Survey (www.bls. gov/cex/csxstnd.htm), spending steadily drops as retirees age into their late 70s. Estimates on the drop vary from 1-3.7% per year. Of course, all of these numbers are based on averages. You can get a better idea of what you'll actually need with the retirement income calculator (https://retirementplans.vanguard. com/VGApp/pe/pubeducation/ calculators/RetirementIncomeCalc. jsf) at Vanguard.com.  https://col129.mail.live.com/default. aspx?id=64855&rru=inbox#!/mail/ InboxLight.aspx?n=1338331519&rru=inbo x&fid=1&mid=ae3e77d1-b6bb-11e3-a999d89d675c7930&fv=1!n=135817488&rru=in box&fid=1&mid=f6f7927d-b6ab-11e3-96cf001e0bcc07aa&fv=1

for short and long term coaching and training. Additionally expanding FraserNet’s ability to click the “send” button to connect, communicate and mobilize the Black world around opportunities and issues that are most important today, tomorrow and in the future. Get all of the details at: www. indiegogo.com/projects/connectthe-dots--2. 

80  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

Community/Public Interest

have to all pitch in to make things work,” said Tony, who helps support his family working as a tutor. “Now we won’t have to worry about loans and I can focus on my studies.” Tony plans to major in mechanical

scholarships to 460 students. More than 1,400 high school seniors applied for the 2014 scholarships, a 92 percent increase over the previous school year. Students’ growing exposure to STEM courses comes as no surprise to Jon Gundry, superintendent of the Pasadena Unified School District, and he praised Edison International for inspiring students to pursue such challenging fields of study. “I appreciate the fact that Edison is encouraging kids to go into STEM

engineering with an environmental specialty at either Harvard University or Stanford University. Yvette Gonzalez, program manager, Community and Education Investments for SCE, said presenting Edison scholarships to deserving students is one of her favorite parts of the job. “These students are amazing,” she said. “Edison International has a long history of supporting education and underrepresented students who we believe will be successful in their academic pursuit of STEM studies, and make important contributions to their communities and society.” Since 2006, Edison International has awarded nearly $4 million in

careers because I really believe it is the future,” he said. “This is the future for our students.” Brenden Dickerson, a senior at John Muir High School in Pasadena, said it feels wonderful to receive an Edison scholarship and “to know I have people behind me to help me succeed in life.” Brenden’s favorite subjects in school are mathematics and science, and he plans to major in mechanical engineering in college. He’s appreciative of Edison International and its leaders for supporting students like him. “I would say thank you very much, for the money, the whole scholarship, the whole recognition is very amazing and I do appreciate it,” said Brenden. 

SCE Awards $1.2 Million in Scholarships to Edison Scholars By Southern California Edison

amille Schlesinger stood among the lunch benches at Chino Hills High School shaking her head in disbelief. “I’m pretty much in shock right now,” she said. Camille had just learned she is one of 30 high school seniors across Southern California Edison’s (SCE) service territory named a 2014 Edison Scholar and the recipient of a $40,000 scholarship offered by Edison International, the parent company of SCE. Each scholar lives in or attends public or private high school in SCE’s service area and plans to pursue college studies in the science, technology, engineering or math fields, also known as STEM. Under the $1.2 million Edison Scholars Program, each student will be awarded a scholarship valued at $40,000 and paid over four years. For Camille, the scholarship will allow her to attend the school of her choice and pursue her dream career in computer science. “It wouldn’t have been possible without the scholarship,” she said, wearing an Edison Scholar medallion around her neck. “It’s so nice of Edison to give back and help us, so we can help you and help the world in return. This is fantastic. Thank you so much.” For Tony Hua, a South El Monte High School senior, also named an Edison Scholar, the financial support is welcomed and will be a tremendous help to him and his family. “My family’s not that rich. We

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Community/Public Interest

Camille and Bill Cosby Scholarship in Science

he Camille and Bill Cosby Scholarship in Science (www. temple.edu/vpus/fellowships/undergrad-opportunities/documents/ CamilleandBillCosbyScholarshipApplication2014-15.pdf) is awarded to college juniors enrolled at Temple University. It is specifically for students who are majoring in one of the natural sciences and who have graduated from Simon Gratz, Germantown, Central or Girls High School. Students must be enrolled as juniors at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. One scholarship is awarded each year. The required grade point average is 3.25. The scholarship is renewable an additional year as long as the student maintains a grade point average of 3.0 or above. Students may apply through Temple University. They must demonstrate financial need and are required to submit a letter of recommendation from a member of the faculty. Bill Cosby is a well-known comedian and superstar who himself won a scholarship and attended Temple University. He grew up in the impoverished neighborhood of Germantown, North Philadelphia, and established the scholarship to help other students in that area achieve their dreams of a higher education. The deadline for this scholarship is usually in MAY of each year (May 12, 2014), and the award amount is usually $3,000. For more details, visit www.temple.edu/vpus/fellowships/undergradopportunities/internal-scholarships-fellowships.html. 

Quote of Note... “Walmart already has the most on-site solar capacity of any company in America and now plans to double that capacity. Walmart's investment in solar capacity could save the company $1 billion a year in energy costs. Walmart's investment in solar capacity could save the company $1 billion a year in energy costs.” President Barack H. Obama www.whitehouse.gov/the-pressoffice/2014/05/09/fact-sheet-presidentobama-announces-commitments-andexecutive-actions-a.

82  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

SAVE THE DATE!

ETHIOPIA BUSINESS & INVESTMENT FORUM Fostering Private Sector Partnerships for Economic Development WHEN? Friday, August 1, 2014 8:00 am – 4:00 pm

2151 Avenue of the Stars, Los Angeles, CA 90067 WHY ETHIOPIA? Harnessing the power of its large population and abundant labor force; political and social stability; and investment incentives and protections; Ethiopia has achieved some of the highest economic growth rates across Africa over the past decade. The government of Ethiopia also has undertaken considerable reforms to improve the country’s business climate, enhance its attractiveness, and raise its infrastructures to international standards to make investment in Ethiopia favorable to all prospective investors. HOW? The forum will showcase the vast business and investment opportunities for U.S. organizations that exist in Ethiopia in the areas of agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure, hotel and tourism development, and mining, amongst others. U.S. organizations can also take advantage of the “Power Africa” initiative by investing in the country’s enormous renewable energy resources, such as wind, solar, geothermal, and hydroelectric power. WHO’S COMING? The delegation will be led by the highest possible executive of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) and will include senior cabinet ministers and Ethiopia’s leading private sector companies.

TOURISM | ENERGY | INDUSTRIES | AGRICULTURE | CONSTRUCTION For more information, please contact: Ambassador Zerihun Retta, Consul General, Consulate General of Ethiopia in Los Angeles at 310-616-6910; Mr. Esayas Gotta, Deputy Consul General, Consulate General of Ethiopia in Los Angeles at 213-365-0017 or investethiopia@ethioconsulatela.org; or Dwayne Gathers, Gathers Strategies, Inc. at 213-236-3554 or dgathers@gathersstrategies.com For online registration, click - register Or enter the following URL into your browser https://arcsoftus.wufoo.com/forms/ethiopian-business-investment-forum/ Embassy of Ethiopia Washington DC

Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Addis Ababa

Ethiopian Consulate General Los Angeles

International

TRADE MISSION: DIVERSIFYING INVESTMENT IN ANGOLA May 29 - June 5, 2014

The U.S.-Angola Chamber of Commerce has postponed its Trade Mission until the 4th Quarter of 2014. The US-Angola Chamber of Commerce (USACC) was informed on May 21st by Boeing that due to administrative circumstances beyond their control, the anticipated dates for delivery of the TAAG 777 had to be shifted. Subsequently this means that the USACC Trade Mission to Angola originally scheduled for May 29 to June 4, 2014, will also have to be changed to a later date which will be conveyed in due course â&#x20AC;&#x201C; anticipated to be in the fourth quarter of 2014. USACC sincerely apologizes for any inconvenience this unavoidable shift in schedule may have caused you and do hope that you will still be able to join us on this great mission at its rescheduled date. If you have already paid, USACC will be pleased to reimburse your fee for the trade mission. Upon receipt of your instruction please be advised that this reimbursement will take approximately four business days to be credited back to your account. Please know that you and your company are important to us at the U.S.-Angola Chamber of Commerce and our partner ANIP. We would like to sincerely thank you for your support and understanding. Should you have any additional questions or concerns, please contact Maria da Cruz Gabriel (1-703-203-6481).

AFRICA TRAVEL WEEK April 28-May 3, 2014

IBTM Africa

Cape Town International Convention Center Cape Town, South Africa 28th - 30th April 2014 www.africatravelweek.com

An event comprising of three co-located shows –

WTM Africa, IBTM Africa and

ILTM Africa encompassing Africa’s inbound and outbound markets for general leisure tourism, luxury travel and the MICE/business travel sector brought to you by Reed Travel Exhibitions (www.reedexpo.com)

2nd - 3rd May 2014

28th - 30th April 2014

International

IBTM Africa WTM Africa Attracting Wide on Growth Range of Suppliers From Mode Travel Daily Media From

Travel Daily Media

ith the recent development of its Hosted Buyer program IBTM Africa is gaining momentum. The registration is now live for the event at www. ibtmevents.com/ibtmafrica. IBTM Africa is scheduled to take place at the Cape Town Convention Centre from 28-30 April 2014. The programme will provide meetings industry buyers an opportunity to business with a number of suppliers from across the continent, with pre-scheduled appointments. The organisers will personally select 50 meetings professionals based on their business influence and buying power in the region. The senior decision makers will be across Europe, Americas, Middle East and Asia Pacific, representing corporations, associations and agencies. David Dodgeon from Green

Route, who will attend IBTM Africa with a group of international buyers commented, “Trade shows are one of the most effective ways of obtaining and securing new business. The continent offers a huge contrast in

he inaugural World Travel vention Centre (CTICC) with supMarket Africa is attracting port from the City of Cape Town and exhibitors from various the Western Cape Government and sectors ahead of its launch in May, is expected to be the biggest ‘fam organisers h a v e revealed. Companies focused on leisure, luxury and meetings travel will be present at the show including Dreams 4 Africa, S u n w a y Table Mountain, Cape Town, S a f a - South Africa ris and Cooks Air Tours and Safaris. trip’ the city has seen with more WTM Africa will be held at the than 4,500 visitors and exhibitors. Cape Town International ConThe event is running from 2-3 May as part of Africa Travel Week, which also includes ILTM Africa and IBTM Africa. Pieter Mey, managing director of overland vehicle firm and WTM Africa exhibitor Indaba Explorations said: “We see WTM Africa as a great opportunity to showcase our services to the world and are proud to be exhibiting at the first ever WTM Africa. Tourism Africa needs a terms of culture and history and is fresh new face and venue and this well situated in terms of flight routes might well prove to be it.”  and global access.”  www.traveldailymedia.com/203232/ www.traveldailymedia.com/202909/ wtm-africa-attracting-variousibtm-africa-on-growth-mode suppliers

87  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

International

New U.S. Trade Oﬃces in Africa Will Support New Opportunities From allAfrica.com

he planned opening of new U.S. trade offices in four African countries demonstrates the U.S. commitment to supporting Africa's developing economies, a top U.S. trade official says.

"As a new member of the Department of Commerce team, I'm very excited to be a part of this major expansion," U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Global Markets Arun Kumar said in an April 28 Commerce Department blog post. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker announced the expansion of trade offices on April 17. She said that, in

2014, the Commerce Department's International Trade Administration will open offices in Angola, Ethiopia, Mozambique and Tanzania, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of State. These four new offices, in addition to one to be opened in Burma, will bring the knowledge and experience of U.S. trade specialists into some of the world's most rapidly developing economies. Sub-Saharan Africa is one of the fastestgrowing economic regions in the world, Kumar pointed out in his blog post, adding that the International Monetary Fund predicts continued growth throughout the continent, as

part of a broad continental economic transformation. "Our new offices will support White House initiatives like Trade Africa and Power Africa, which have spearheaded a larger campaign to bolster development throughout the continent," Kumar said. Trade Africa is a partnership between the United States and sub-Saharan Africa, launched by President Obama in July 2013, that seeks to increase internal and regional trade within Africa and expand trade and economic ties between Africa, the United States and other global markets. Power Africa is an initiative President Obama announced in June 2013 that aims to double access to power in subSaharan Africa. "As U.S. companies look to ship goods to Africa, help increase electrical capacity, or help improve transportation networks, they will receive unparalleled assistance and expertise from our staff," Kumar said. "With our new offices on the continent, we will be able to find partners for American companies, help navigate regulatory hurdles, and support the development that will make Africa thrive." As this expansion takes place, Kumar said, "these markets are where we will truly see the mutual benefits of trade." U.S. companies "will bring the infrastructure and ideas that improve quality of life for citizens and they will support the partnerships that spur innovation among local businesses," he said. The expansion announcement "is just the start," Kumar said, adding, "I'm very excited to see how this expansion will help support existing partnerships, create new opportunities, and bring about the kind of development that is only possible through global trade."  http://allafrica.com/ stories/201405010730.html

88  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

www.starrafricanrum.com product of Madacascar

8-9 May 2014 - Girassol Indy Congress Hotel & Spa, Maputo Now in its 3rd year, The Annual Powering Africa: Mozambique Meeting will bring together key participants from the public and private sectors in dynamic dialogue to shape the future of Mozambique’s power sector as well as helping you to understand where the best investment opportunities lie, and how to access them. Power projects worth an anticipated US$12 billion are understood to be in the pipeline as Mozambique’s industry expands and new coal and gas reserves are exploited to fuel new capacity. In 2012, Mozambique discovered estimated gas reserves of 160TCF, which mean the country now has the fourth largest gas reserves in the world, behind only Russia, Iran and Qatar. www.energynet.co.uk/event/powering-africa-mozambique-2014?utm_source=EmailExternal&utm_medium=AfConf&utm_term=AfConf&utm_ content=AfConf&utm_campaign=AfConf 89  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

International

EX-IM Bank 2014 Annual Conference April 24-25 Omni Shoreham Hotel Washington, D.C. www.exim.gov/newsandevents/events/annualconference/2014

Celebrating 80 Years of Exporting

"Meet me @BETExperience!"

www.USVIalliance.org

International

www.zambiausachamber.org

African Stock Exchanges • Bolsa de Valores of Cape Verde - www.bvc.cv (in Portuguese) • Bond Exchange of South Africa - www.bondexchange. co.za • Botswana Stock Exchange www.bse.co.bw • Bourse Regionale des Valeurs Mobilieres - UEMOA (Abidjan, Ivory Coast) - www.brvm.org • Casablanca Stock Exchange (Morocco) - www.casablancabourse.com/bourseweb/index. aspx • Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange (Tanzania) - www. dse.co.tz

• Douala Stock Exchange (Cameroon) - www.douala-stockexchange.com/index_us.php • The Egyptian Exchange - www. egx.com.eg/English/homepage. aspx • Ethiopia Commodity Exchange - www.ecx.com.et • Ghana Stock Exchange - www. gse.com.gh • Johannesburg Stock Exchange (South Africa) - www. jse.co.za/Home.aspx • Khartoum Stock Exchange (Sudan, in Arabic) - www.kse. com.sd • Libyan Stock Market - www. lsm.ly/_layouts/membership/

• • • •

• •

•

• • •

login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fEnglis h%2fPages%2fdefault.aspx Lusaka Stock Exchange (Zambia) - www.luse.co.zm Nairobi Stock Exchange (Kenya) - www.luse.co.zm Malawi Stock Exchange - www. mse.co.mw Mozambique Stock Exchange (in Portuguese) - www. bolsadevalores.co.mz Namibian Stock Exchange www.nsx.com.na Nigerian Stock Exchange www.nse.com.ng/Pages/default. aspx Stock Exchange of Mauritius www.stockexchangeofmauritius. com Swaziland Stock Exchange www.ssx.org.sz Tunisia Stock Exchange - www. bvmt.com.tn Uganda Securities Exchange www.use.or.ug

Read the last issue of The Exchange Magazine www.nse.co.ke/media-center/ecommunique/exchange-magazine/ category/50-free-version.html)

92  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

Thursday Blues at Uncle Darrow‛s High Noon-2pm Every Thursday

Come by for lunch and relax to blues & jazz from our house band! 2560 S. Lincoln Blvd. Marina del Rey North East corner of Washington & Lincoln

“LA Times Magazine favorite cajun food”

310-306-4862

www.uncledarrows.com 93  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

BUSINESS FORUM SERIES

2014

AFRICA, MIDDLE EAST, & INDIA

Private Consultations with U.S. Commercial Diplomats

Individual meetings with visiting U.S. commercial diplomats from 19 markets, including:

Details/Registration:

• • • •

Afghanistan Algeria Egypt Ghana

• • • •

India Iraq Israel Jordan

• • • •

Kenya Kuwait Lebanon Libya

• • • •

Morocco • South Africa Nigeria • United Arab Emirates Qatar Saudi Arabia • West Bank

Compete. Win. Grow. Throughout Discover Global Markets: Africa & The Middle East, attendees will: • Identify and gain access to emerging markets and opportunities. • Obtain the tools necessary to succeed in foreign markets. • Leverage government contacts and resources to compete successfully.

What to Expect: • One-on-one meetings with U.S. commercial diplomats. • Dynamic market exploration sessions. • Private matchmaking appointments with maquila plant buyers from nearby Mexico. • Multiple networking opportunities.

http://go.usa.gov/WMPP Event Dates May 1–2, 2014 Location Embassy Suites San Antonio Downtown Riverwalk 125 East Houston Street San Antonio, TX 78205 USA (210) 226-9000 Participation Fee If registered by April 10: $315 After April 10: $395 For More Information Michael Rosales (210) 472-4020

michael.rosales@trade.gov Larry Tabash (512) 936-0039

larry.tabash@trade.gov

Sessions to Include: • Industry panels on oil and gas, renewable energy, aerospace and defense, healthcare, information technology and communications, education, and transportation and security infrastructure. • Market entry strategies, export financing options, and risk mitigation. • Country-specific and industry-specific information and opportunities. • High-profile keynote speakers.

1311-03-02-11

The Premier Europe Business Event in 2014! Risks & Rewards from London to Moscow! Date: June 3-4, 2014

Location: Los Angeles, CA Venue: Hyatt Regency Los Angeles Downtown

What to Expect: •One-on-one meetings with U.S. Commercial Diplomats •Dynamic market exploration sessions •Multiple networking opportunities •Insight from high-profile keynote speakers Session Topics Include: •European Overview: an in-depth examination of the Transatlantic Trade Relationship •Complying with EU regulatory requirements •Developing a financial strategy for selling to Europe, Russia and Turkey •Managing VAT and other tax implications •Country-specific and industry-specific outlook and opportunities •Market entry and risk mitigation strategies •E-commerce and data privacy laws QUICK LINKS: •Register Now! www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?EventID=1502778 •Agenda http://export.gov/california/ca/DiscoverEurope/agenda/index.asp •Conference Details http://export.gov/california/ca/DiscoverEurope/index.asp •Become a Marketing Partner http://export.gov/california/ca/DiscoverEurope/marketingpartners/index.asp Registration Fee: •$299 Early Bird–until 4/25 •$349 STANDARD–until 5/23 •$399 Final Price Hyatt Regency Los Angeles Downtown (http://thelahotel.com): Ask about our Discover Conference Rate! For Information Contact: Rafael Patino, Rafael.Patino@trade.gov Supporting Organizations: WIT-LA (Women in International Trade- Los Angeles Chapter) World Trade Center – Long Beach LAEDC (Los Angeles Economic Development Council) FTA (Foreign Trade Association)

International

TANCon Africa 2014: Entrepreneur Conference The African Network (TAN)

October 17-18, 2014 Lagos, Nigeria www.tanconf.org If you need further clarifications, please send e-mail to the organizing committee at tancon2014@theafricannetwork.org.

Fostering Economic Empowerment & Development Via Entrepreneurship

www.imex-frankfurt.com

FraserNet, Inc. | 2940 Noble Rd., Suite 203 | Cleveland Heights | OH | 44121 frasernetinfo@frasernet.com

Internationl

One Africa:

Tell the US Government that North Africa is Africa Too!

oin with and support the United Africa Organization’s campaign to petition the U.S. Department of State to include the whole African continent under its Bureau of African Affairs.

Why? The State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs, led by Assistant Secretary Johnnie Carson, currently excludes Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia and Western Sahara from its agenda. Instead, the aforementioned countries are grouped with the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, together with Iran, Iraq, Israel and others. This artificial distinction between North Africa and the rest of Africa

negatively impacts US foreign policy relations throughout the entire continent of Africa. We unequivocally reject the argument that North African countries are outside the scope of African affairs. North Africa is geographically and historically part of the African continent, and all fifty-three (53) independent African states, including North African countries, are represented in the African Union (AU). It would be far more productive for the State Department to engage with the entire continent of Africa, including North Africa, under its Bureau of African Affairs. We are one Africa, from the Cape to Cairo, indivisible and bound together! Therefore, no square inch of African

land should be excluded from African affairs.

Sign The Petition!!! Go to www.change.org/petitions/ one-africa-tell-us-state-departmentthat-north-africa-is-part-of-africa and sign the online petition to support this important proposition. Next tell everyone you know to sign. 

www.uniteafricans.org

RESOURCES FOR GOING GLOBAL Event: Secretarial Energy Mission to West Africa • May 18-23, 2014 Secretary Pritzker will lead an Energy Business Development Mission to West Africa with stops in Ghana and Nigeria from May 18-23, 2014. This business development mission will promote U.S. exports to Africa by helping U.S. companies’ launch or increase their business in the energy sector in West Africa. This mission will assist U.S. businesses in initiating or expanding exports to the region by: • Arranging business-to-business introductions; • Providing market access information; and • Facilitating access to government decision makers. For more information, visit: http://export.gov/ AfricaEnergyMission2014

Workshops: 2014 Export University – Workshop Series • Feb 19, April 17 – June 3, 2014 Location: LA LAW LIBRARY 301 West First Street Los Angeles, CA Time: 1:30PM-5:00PM (MCLE classes are 12:15 – 2:15PM) Cost: $20 ($35 for MCLE classes) per class • Finding & Entering New Markets - Apr 17 • Export Sales/Port & Airport Security - May 8 • MCLE: Int’l Trade Research & Resources - May 21 • Incoterms - May 22 • Export Trade Finance & Insurance - Jun 5 • MCLE: Int’l Sales Contracts,Invoices & Etc. - Jun 18

• Freight & Logistics: Delivering Export Goods - Jul 10 Registeration: http://www.lalawlibrary.org/index.php/ classes-events/export-u.html

Event: The 20th Annual World Trade Conference: Building Locally, Growing Globally Location: Radisson Hotel Ontario, California Cost: $75 The California Inland Empire District Export Council (CIEDEC) with the U.S. Commercial Service, U.S. Department of Commerce celebrating 20 years of collaborative work in promoting and expanding international trade and business. Register at: http://www.worldtradeconference-ie.us

Event: MEXPORT Trade Show Location: 8863 Siempre Viva Rd., San Diego , CA 92154 Time: 10 AM to 5 PM Cost: Visitor attendance to the event is free of charge. MEXPORT is a leading exhibition for promoting trade and business between manufacturing plants and industrial suppliers and service providers. MEXPORT features exhibitions from industrial suppliers and service and draws attendance from plant managers and purchasing managers from Cali-Baja Mega Region manufacturers. The event is organized annually by the Otay Mesa Chamber of Commerce with support from the Center for International Trade and Development and the U.S. Commercial Service. Register at: www.mexport.org Inquiry at: mexport@otaymesa.org

• Legal Do's & Dont's - Jun 19

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RESOURCES FOR GOING GLOBAL Website The newly redesigned Commercial News USA website makes it easier for buyers around the world to find American companies with products and services ready for immediate export and

Event: “A Practical Guide to Selling Cosmetics Overseas” in FTA Countries" Location: In country Speakers include U.S. Commercial Service in-country specialists to discuss markets, distribution channels, pricing, trends and more. Regulatory specialists will explain the registration process. Impact of the Free Trade Agreements will be outlined.

• Peru - April 15, 2014 www.icmad.org/events/upcomingevents/9535877f-0078-cca5-772f-

0b382a18eb6b • NAFTA - June 3, 2014 www.icmad.org/events/upcomingevents/9535877f-0078-c9a8-8d640b382a1a4808 • Panama - June 24, 2014 www.icmad.org/events/upcomingevents/9535877f-0078-c470-f4ad0b382a1b3e00 • Chile - July 22, 2014 www.icmad.org/events/upcomingevents/9535877f-0078-c569-82e40b382a1cb662

Workshop: Sporting Goods Exporters 2014

Free Workshop • May 2, 2014 Location: Cal State San Marcos 333 S. Twin Oaks Rd. Markstein Hall #105 San Marcos, CA Time: 9 am – 11:30 am Cost: FREE The export opportunities for sporting goods companies are growing as the industry grows. Good potential exists in the Latin American and Middle Eastern markets, particularly where Free Trade Agreements exist. Come to this free export workshop to hear from industry specialists on exporting, the market in Mexico, new export financing programs for small businesses, and how to obtain free assistance in expanding your sales to international markets. Inquire to:: Carrie.Brooks@trade.gov or call 858-467-7034.

for U.S. exporters connect with buyers worldwide. Commercial News USA features hundreds of products and services from U.S. exporters. For more information and/or to review the current issue of the magazine, please visit www.thinkglobal.us. ᏊᏊᏊᏊᏊ The U.S. Commercial Service Your Global Business Partner. With offices across the United States and in more than 75 countries, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration uses its global Network and international resources to connect U.S companies with international buyers worldwide. If you have any questions about these initiatives, please contact your local U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist. To find the trade specialist nearest you please visit www.buyusa. gov/home/us.html or contact Bobby Hines at bobby.hines@trade.gov. 

Marketing: Promote Your Company on the New Commercial News USA

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Returning to Africa? African Repatriation is an invaluable online resource for any African national who is thinking about returning to Africa. Our industry articles and specialist editorials provide the latest sector information. Why not find out for yourself and become a part of our growing community today? www.africanrepatriation. com

Career Opportunities in Africa Search and apply online for the latest vacancies in Africa with African Talent. We provide candidates and employers with the tools and resources needed in today’s competitive job market. For employers, we offer numerous options to feature your jobs in Africa and for candidates, reviewing the most recent job vacancies in Africa is a fast, easy process. Uploading your CV is simple and takes just a few moments. www.africantalent.com 100  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

Cultural Interiors West &

Cordially Invited Cultural Interiors West 5573 West Pico Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90019 Experience our exciting array of products from Cards to Cupcakes, African Masks, Asian Teacups, Healthy Herbal Teas, Gourd Purses, Candles, to Furniture

Artwear Handpainted Handbags, Skirts, Tees, Accessories, Calendars, Wall Hangings & More! http://gbabysworld.blogspot.com Gbabyartwear@hotmail.com or Gbabyart345@gmail.com Find Gbaby Products at the “Collective” http://www.atthecollective.com 280 Elizabeth Street, Atlanta, GA

Hope to see you soon!!! In the meantime visit us on Facebook www.facebook.com/pages/CulturalInteriors-West/140688362658236

JJ’s Belizean Cuisine 2618 W. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90008 1-323-293-2926

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Collection Bed, Bath & Beyond

http://bsmith.com/shop

Bernahu Asfaw & Getahun Asfaw

1041 S. Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90019 323-938-8827 or 323-938-8806 • Fax: 323-932-6047 messob@gmail.com • www.messob.com

Open 7 days a week • 11am - 11pm

The Economic Turn Around in the USA is in Our Hands •Buy Products Made or Assembled in the USA •Hire One New Employee •Eat an Extra Meal Out Each Week •Start/Grow a Business to Generate Wealth & Jobs

Buy Black  Save Black  Invest Black 108  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

Eso Won Books African American Books 4327 Degnan Boulevard Leimert Park, Los Angeles

Give the Gifts of Knowledge! Come see our unsurpassed collection of books, music, videos, children’s books, and games!

323-294-0324

www.esowonbookstore.com  //esowon.booksense.com for Calendar of Events

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Books to Consider... Why Soccer Matters by Pelé

puts the game in perspective. This is Pelé’s legacy, his way of passing on everything he’s learned and inspiring a new generation. In Why Soccer Matters, Pelé details his ambitious goals for the future of the sport and, by extension, the world.  www.amazon.com/Why-Soccer-Matters-Pel%C3%A9/ dp/0451468449

Success Through Stillness by Russell Simons

or decades, fans have agreed on one thing: the greatest player of all time was Pelé—Edson Arantes do Nascimento. Now the legendary star, ambassador, and humanitarian shares a global vision for what soccer can accomplish. Now he shares his story, his experience, and his insights on the game for the very first time. A national treasure, he created pure magic with his accomplishments on the field: an unprecedented three World Cup championships and the all-time scoring record, with 1,283 goals in his twenty year career. For the first time ever Pelé explores the recent history of the game and provides new insights into soccer’s role connecting and galvanizing players around the world. He has traveled the world as the global ambassador for soccer and in support of charitable organizations such as Unicef, promoting the positive influences soccer can have to transform young men and women, struggling communities, even entire nations. In groundbreaking detail and with unparalleled openness, he shares his most inspiring experiences, heartwarming stories and hard-won wisdom, and he

n the New York Times bestseller Super Rich, Russell Simmons proved that to be rich is more than just having money in the bank—wealth is about balance, joy, and conscientious living. In Success Through Stillness, Simmons shows the connection between inner peace and outward success through interviews with other successful leaders in various industries, and how learning to be still has been instrumental in his own career. Simmons attributes his meditation practice with changing his life for the better and says that there is no “bad” way to meditate, only different forms for different people. In this highly anticipated new book, Russell Simmons guides readers into finding greater clarity and focus, and explains how to be healthier in both mind and body. Simmons breaks down what he's learned from masters of meditation into a guide that is accessible to those unfamiliar with the practice.  www.amazon.com/Success-Through-Stillnesssee Books to Consider on page 115

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Books to Consider from page 114

Meditation-Simple/dp/1592408656

Hubert Harrison: The Voice of Harlem Radicalism, 18831918 by Jeffrey B. Perry

ubert Harrison was an immensely skilled writer, orator, educator, critic, and political activist who, more than any other political leader of his era, combined class consciousness and anti-white-supremacist race consciousness into a coherent

political radicalism. Harrison's ideas profoundly influenced "New Negro" militants, including A. Philip Randolph and Marcus Garvey, and his synthesis of class and race issues is a key unifying link between the two great trends of the Black Liberation Movement: the labor- and civil-rights-based work of Martin Luther King Jr. and the race and nationalist platform associated with Malcolm X. The foremost Black organizer, agitator, and theoretician of the Socialist Party of New York, Harrison was also the founder of the "New Negro" movement, the editor of Negro World, and the principal radical influence on the Garvey movement. He was a highly praised journalist and critic (reportedly the first regular Black book reviewer), a freethinker and early proponent of birth control, a supporter of Black writers and artists, a leading public intellectual, and a bibliophile who helped transform the 135th Street

Public Library into an international center for research in Black culture. His biography offers profound insights on race, class, religion, immigration, war, democracy, and social change in America. http://cup.columbia.edu/book/9780-231-13910-6/hubert-harrison

Civil Rights Activist Fred Davis, who marched alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., paid $6,000 for this billboard. Davis believes men who sag their pants portray an image of crime and poor education.

Calendar April… 4th Greenling Institute 21st Annual Economic Summit Annual summit using the theme "21st Century Majority: Empowering a New Nation" will be held in Oakland, CA. www.greenling.org

Attend the MEDWEEK Conference (National Minoirty Enterprise Development Week Conference) being held at the Washington Hilton in Washington, DC. Participation information is available on the website www/medweek.mbda.gov.

September TBA

The conference will be held in Lagos, Nigeria under the theme " Fostering Economic Empowerment & Development Via Entrepreneurship". Participation and sponsorship information is available on the website or send an email inquiry. www.tanconf.org tancon2014@theafricannetwork.org

BBA Business Entrepreneur Training Institute Conducted in partnership with the Business Division of West Los Angeles College. The 15-week training program prepares the serious entrepreneur for operating a highly successful business. Participation fee is $75 and includes a one-year BBA membership and a certificate of completion. For information visit the website or send an e-mail inquiry. www.bbala.org mail@bbala.org

October 28th-May 2 8th M 3rd 3d

17th-18th

Africa Travel Week Take in three expos in one at Africa Travel Week to be held in Cape Town, South Africa. Participation information is available at: www.reedexpo.com www.africatravelweek.com.

TANCon Africa 2014: Entrepreneur Conference

June 25th BBA 40th Annual Awards Dinner Plan to attend the Annual Salute Conference and Awards Luncheon. Participation and sponsorship information is available on the website or send an e-mail inquiry. www.bbala.org mail@bbala.org.

23rd BBA 2014 Procurement Exchange Summit The Summit, Conference and Luncheon will be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Downtown Los Angeles. Participation and sponsorship information is available on the website or send an email inquiry www.bbala.org mail@bbala.org. 

July 31st-August 1st Connecting Business With Opportunity 117  April/May 2014  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net  1-323-291-7819

Resources Media Africa Interactive Multimedia Press/Content Agency in Africa www.africa-interactive.com Africa World Press Books www.africaworldpressbooks.com African Vibes Magazine www.africanvibes.com The African World www.theafricanworld.tv Africast TV www.africast.tv AllAfrica http://allafrica.com Black Wall Street Times http://bwstimes.com Black Business News Group www.blackbusinessnews.net Black Press USA www.blackpressusa.com BridesNoir www.bridesnoir.com CuisineNoir www.cuisinenoirmag.com DiasporaVoice www.blogtalkradio.com/diasporavoice Publish Africa http://wow.gm/publishafrica Rock Me Africa //rockmeafrica.com

www.causecast.com www.causecastfornonprofits.com Continental African Chamber of Commerce www.continentalacc.org Pan African Film Festival www.paff.org United African Organization http://uniteafricans.org Zambia-USA Chamber of Commerce www.zambiausachamber.org

Investment/Development Africa Reports www.africareports.com African Development Bank www.afdb.org African Export - Import Bank //afreximbank.com/afrexim/en AfrigadgetTV www.afrigadget.com The Exchange Magazine www.nse.co.ke YouTube Educational Channels http://teacherswithapps.com/197-educational-youtube-channels-know Ventures www.ventures-africa.com

U.S. Government

Organizations Africa Leadership Forum http://africaleadership.org The African Union www.au.int/en Black Business Association www.bbala.org CauseCast

Commerce Department www.doc.gov International Trade Administration http://trade.gov Minority Business Development Agency www.mbda.gov Small Business Administration www.sba.gov State Department www.dos.gov White House www.whitehouse.gov

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