Commemorative Special Edition - Jan 2009 by Black Business News Group

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U.S. Small Business Administration 2007 Award Winner “Journalist of the Year”

JANUARY 2009

PRESIDENT

BARACK H. SPEAKS TO THE PEOPLE

President’s Message Earl “Skip” Cooper, II President/Chief Executive Officer

Black Business Initiatives for 2009

h e n y o u have everything you need in the way of sound leadership, reaching favorable outcomes is a proper planning issue. The majority citizenry believes in our incoming national leadership as sound, as do we. Getting the New Year off with a bang, the Black Business Association (BBA) has initiated undertaking a much stronger role in impacting public and private procurement opportunities for African American business enterprises. There is no doubt that major buying entities are already hard at work, looking for better ways to control and contain costs. In that process, I hope that more buying professionals will take time to create unique relationships with suppliers and outsourcing partners that share that same work ethic. The BBA represents an entire community of black business owners whose sole survival hinges on cost containment and reduction. On a separate but related note, January 20, 2009 will propel in new rays of hope, with the tremendous amount of attention being focused upon the Barack Obama Administration. There will undoubtedly be increasingly complex regulatory, environmental and ethical requirem e n t s coming from this new era of federal

government and, historically speaking, new rules have often resulted in the exclusion of smaller voices relative to gaining access to meaningful contracts and opportunities. To avert this unfortunate worst practices scenario, the BBA’s top initiative for 2009 rests an emphasis on revenue growth and innovation. African American business owners will need to highlight their value and worth with products and services that offer innovation and progressive applications, with the vigorous competition to come as companies seek to re-establish themselves following the devastating market decline left by the outgoing Bush Administration. Aside from government’s role in this sagging economy, contract bundling contributed heavily to this state of affairs. A true free enterprise system is impossible when its best practices are fulfilled through partnership exclusivity. The tanking economy and nearcollapse of major financial institutions stems largely from aggregated purchasing business models. The BBA does not agree with contract bundling practices and encourages every executive manager to revisit such policies and seek methods that will reach the broadest base of quality relationships with smaller-company suppliers. This American and global economic debacle touches every facet of product and service delivery. When we look at coming out of this enormous slump, the BBA’s 2009 initiative will be to make exigent requests for procurement personnel to re-examine their practices of contract bundling with exclusive suppliers. The challenge will be that, if procurement professionals are not given new executive direction to reduce the bundles, then cost containment may

have an even tighter control on increased contract bundling, causing small business initiatives to fly straight out of the window. I am encouraged to see a number of mid-sized companies seeking African American subcontractors to submit joint bids on public contracts. The BBA office receives numerous requests per day of firms seeking qualified subcontractors. However, the key with securing such firms is to not wait until there is a requirement due. The time to secure subcontracting partners is all of the time. We are in this economic experience together as joint deliverers and users of quality products and services. There is no need or excuse to wait to the last minute to secure potential matches, as the BBA is well positioned to develop strategic partnerships now! Your membership in the BBA is very important. Join us in our activities this year, so we all thrive and prosper. &

2009 Events

February •Black History Month Celebration March •Salute to Black Women Conference/Luncheon May •Annual Awards Dinner June •Black Music Month Business Conference • Call for information •

323-291-9334

3 T January 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Over 39 years of service Founded 1970

In This Issue… 3

CORPORATE PARTNERS

PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Earl “Skip” Cooper, II

PRODUCTION MANAGER Narishima Osei

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS T. Fins ▪ W. Gladney ▪ C. Collins ▪ H. Edney S. Quarles ▪ K. Anthony ▪ M.C. Townsend

PHOTOGRAPHY Ian Foxx ▪ Sabir • N. Osei • N. Vernon

GRAPHIC DESIGN SaveTheDate

BBA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Ted Davis, Chairman IsComp Systems, Inc. Nathan Freeman, Vice Chairman Figueroa Media Group, Inc. Eugene Jones, Secretary NVA Financial Group, Inc. Kevin M. Caliup, Treasurer AIA/E-World Strategy Narishimah Osei, Parliamentarian Osei & Associates Gwen Moore, Director GEM Communications Candida Mobely-Wright, Director Voices, Inc. Angela Walton, Director Melador Technologies, Inc. Angela Reddock, Esq., Legal Counsel

STAFF Earl “Skip” Cooper, II, President/CEO Kesha Vontreese, Administrator

COMMITTEE COORDINATOR Starlett Quarles, urban X marketing

AEG Worldwide AT&T American Honda Motor Company Bank of America The Boeing Company California Lottery Citibank Coca-Cola Enterprises Comerica Bank Department of Water & Power Fannie Mae IBM Kaiser Permanente LAEDC Los Angeles World Airports Northrop Grumman Corporation Raytheon Company S.C.R.P.C. Sempra Energy Southern California Edison Swinerton Builders Toyota Motor Sales, Inc. Turner Construction Company Union Bank of California USBank Verizon Walt Disney Company Washington Mutual WellPoint Wells Fargo Bank Lyceum Management Services, Ex Officio Hollis Smith, Ex Officio Paulette Williams, Ex Officio

AFFILIATES African American Unity Caucus Association of Black Women Entrepreneurs Black Women’s Network California Black Chamber of Commerce The Greenlining Institute Minority Business Enterprise Legal Defense & Education Fund National Black Business Council The National Association of African American Chambers of Commerce The National Black Chamber of Commerce Pan African Film & Arts Festival Recycling Black Dollars

Quote of Note... “In the end, that’s what this election is about. Do we participate in a politics of cynicism or a politics of hope?”

Barack H. Obama

10 12 23 27 29 30

BBA President’s Message Black Business Will Rise by Hazel Edney, NNPA Obama Accepts the DNC Nomination. Obama Accepts the Presidency of the USA International Coverage of Obama Campaign Profile of Barack H. Obama The Obama Effect by Starlett Quarles, urban X marketing

35 Meaning of Obama Victory by Atty. Caprice Collins 36 Public Works Projects Coming 38 Wendy’s World by Wendy Gladney

43 Profile of Michelle Obama 46 Obamabilia Economy by T. Fins

50 SBA & Business News 53 Social Media Aids Win by Kim Anthony, Urban Enterprise 2.0

58 In Memory 62 Entertain! Educate! Earn! by M. C. Townsend 63 Calendar 64 Obama’s Good Deed

Black Business Association P.O. Box 43159, Los Angeles, CA 90043 USA 323-291-9334 Fax: 323-291-9234 mail@bbala.org www.bbala.org

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5 T January 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

GOVERNOR ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER

January 2009

Black Business Association It is a pleasure to join you in congratulating President-elect Barack Obama. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s presidential election was concluded in a historic way, with the election of our first African-American President. Our Golden State had a great role in this race, not only in choosing our next president, but by shaping the issues that were debated and raised to a national level. California plays an important role in the success of the United States, and I know we will continue this proud legacy. I look forward to working with President-elect Obama, both from across the country and across the aisle, as he brings new energy to tackle the challenges our nation faces. Once again, I am proud to extend my congratulations to Presidentelect Obama, and I send my best wishes to your organization for a successful year. Sincerely,

Arnold Schwarzenegger

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We All Have a Testimony...

former LA Laker, Entrepreneur

Colin Powell

Maya Angelou

former Secretary of State

Poet, Author

“We’re very, very proud to have a new American President who also happens to be African-American ... As I watched [the news anchors call the election] – pretty moving moment. Everybody cried ... I am overjoyed.” &

Obama is the Man Americans Admire the Most, by Wide Margin in Poll by Susan Page, USA TODAY

Earvin “Magic” Johnson

month before his auguration, Americans choose Barack Obama as theman they admire most in the world, according to a new USA TODAY Gallup Pool. It’s the first time a president-elect has topped the annual survey in more than a half -century. &

“We are growing up. My God, I’m so grateful. We have elected a black man to talk for us, to speak for us. We, blacks, whites, Asians, Spanish-speaking, Native Americans, we have done it.” &

“Jumped up for joy, we were hollering and screaming. And then we started crying. As African-Americans we’ve made great strides. I think what this says is you can really become anything in life you want to become. It’s really a wonderful thing that we can be able to witness this.” &

James Blake Professional Tennis Player “I am proud. I am very proud of Barack Obama. I believe in him and I believe that he will do good things for this country.” &

Oprah Winfrey

Hon. Herb J. Wesson, Jr.

Talk Show Host, Entrepreneur

Los Angeles City Councilman

“Barack Obama’s historic election has moved us forward into the light of a better day, and hope for a better future for everyone in this country. He is a great man who will be equal to great challenges. ” &

“It feels like hope won. It feels like there’s a shift in consciousness. It feels like something really big and bold has happened here, like nothing ever in our lifetimes did we expect this to happen.” &

8 T January 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr.

Hon. Diane E. Watson

Rainbow/PUSH Coalition

U.S. Congresswoman, California

“There’s a great sense of joy. I just wish Dr. [Martin Luther] King were here to share it. He would be overjoyed. But he would also know that we have challenges beyond the election. He would be proud of where we are but he would remind us that we are not all the way there yet, until we wipe out poverty and illiteracy and end these unnecessary wars.” &

Rev. Al Sharpton National Action Network

”You realize it’s not a dream, it’s reality. There’s euphoria and a tremendous sense of burden to achieve real change.” &

I extend my heartfelt congratulations to President-Elect Barack Obama on his 2008 stellar victory. I look forward to working with the new president on issues important to the constituents of the 33rd Congressional District and all Americans.” “I feel that President-Elect Obama will ‘hit the ground running’ by immediately addressing our crucial domestic needs: repair a struggling economy, provide affordable housing, foreclosure moratorium, universal health care, lower prescription drug cost for seniors, jobs, student loans and education finance reform.” “In addition, I support the President- Elect’s plan to end the costly war in Iraq. I wish him good health, God’s speed and much success.” &

Ayuko Babu

Executive Director Pan African Film & Arts Festival “The ascendancy of Barak Obama to the presidency offers unparalleled opportunities for the Pan African world both domestically and internationally. 1) Those opportunities will be found in such areas as providing more credits and guarantees for small businesses to engage in International trade. 2) On the domestic front, he will be able to increase the number of loans the Small Business Administration gives out to minorities. Also he will be in the position to try to ensure that there is more fairness and equity in the Small Business Administration procedures. I have a great deal of faith that he and his Attorney General will be able to vigorously enforce the law against racial discrimination in the small business lending area. 3) I think he will increase the cultural and business exchanges throughout the pan African world. He is very sensitive to the reality that culture and business go hand in hand and that one enhances the other. For Example: The Pan African Film & Arts Festival is both a showcase for pan African art and cinema, and is also a business which promotes the distribution and sales of black films and the sale and exhibition of

fine arts. All these opportunities are based on the fact that he expects us to mobilize support for these programs. That mobilization must take the form of marches, demonstrations, text messaging, emailing, p h o n e calls and possible boycotts. If we do not stand up and mobilize in support of him than he will not be able to carry out his programs. Institutionalized racism is widespread and entrenched. It can only be overcome by having a strong leader like Barak, and a strong base like us. Our work is cut out for us. &

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Black Businesses Will Rise With Others, Says Obama Economic Advisor By Hazel Trice Edney, NNPA,

ime Warner Chairman Richard “Dick” Parsons, a member of President-elect Barack Obama’s Transition Economic Advisory Board, says Black

Richard “Dick” Parsons and other minority-owned businesses, which dominate the rock bottom of the economic crisis will be swept upward as the bailouts and stimulus strategies begin to work. “We all know it’s the people on the bottom who suffer most. But you’ve got to fix it on a holistic basis. You’ve got to get credit going,” Parsons told a standing room only audience at the Howard University School of Business last week. “No one is unaware of on whom the burden falls the heaviest. That’s just a reality. But, how do you make things better for the people at the bottom? How do you make things tolerable? How do you make things bearable? You’ve got to fix the whole system so that it works top to bottom.” Parsons was responding to a student’s question about how the Obama administration would specifically attend to the woes of “minority businesses” as much of the focus appears to be

on bailouts of banks, lenders, major corporations and even the automotive industry. Parsons says the excitement of an incoming new president will give people the hope and confidence to help jumpstart spending and keep the economy flowing. But the reality is that America’s economic condition at the moment is very bad. “How bad is it? Actually, it’s pretty bad,” he told the audience of Howard business students, professors, and economists. Parsons says the high hopes for the new and historic administration of President Barack Obama after the Jan. 20 inauguration are fearful because people tend to overestimate what he can do single handedly. “One of my big concerns and fears for our incoming president is that the expectations for this guy are so off the charts. People think that he can walk on water,” he said to chuckles in the audience. “You know, he may be able to walk on water, but he’s not going to get this economy turned around in a nanosecond. There’s no silver bullet. I just hope somehow that we can really get people really grounded in what’s going to have to happen to get us out of this so that their expectations for a President-elect Obama can become somewhat more realistic.” A member of Howard University’s board of trustees and former Time Warner chief executive officer who recently led the entertainment corporation out of its own financial woes, Parsons gave the first hints of the strategy that Obama may use to strengthen the failed economy. “The real problem is that virtually most of the growth around the world over the last half a dozen years has been funded through credit,” he said. “Banks jumped off the rail and started lending money to people who didn’t have the jobs or financial strength to otherwise pay the loans back and the

housing crisis started with this spiral downward.” He said the economic rescue must start at the top of the economic chain because without credit, businesses will fail, jobs will be lost and people will not have money to spend. “First, businesses can’t get access to credit. That means they can’t build new plants, can’t replace obsolete or worn out equipment, they can’t innovate as progressively as they were before. That means jobs begin to go away,” he explained. They begin to cut costs – human capital - and begin to ask, ‘How do we get people off the payroll?’’’ Then, he said, people “stop spending, don’t have jobs, can’t pay credit cards.” Recently the U. S. House and Senate passed a $700 billion economic bailout largely for Wall Street investment bankers and lending institutions across the nation. “They are not saving these people because they are their friends,” Parsons said. “You’ve got to save them because they get credit to people and they will get jobs to people who need jobs. So, you have to look at it in a balanced way.” Still, people want immediate relief, he conceded with understanding. “People are hurting. People are losing their jobs. People are scared. What can we do to get this thing jumpstarted…to get the engine going again?” He says the following are a few points that Obama can start to focus on: He said, first he must explain to the American people what happened. “How did we go from prosperity to what seems like the brinks of depression?” I think that if people understand what happened and if their leader would articulate a path forward, that will help them,” Parsons said. “People will have to say, ‘I understand what’s going down’. And that the man has a plan will restore some confidence. That’s a plus.” Then the economy must start going again, he said, pointing to the need for “some kind of stimulus package that has some kind of tax relief for the middle and lower class.” There must also be some kind of infrastructure investment and development that includes roads, rails, bridges,

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see Business Will Rise on page 11

broadband fibers and business needs, he said. “My guess is that you’re going to see people debating how much stimulus and in what direction the stimulus will go,” he said. Among the most recent industries pleading for help is the automotive industry. Parsons said the failure of the automotive industry – which he said affects 15 percent of America’s payroll – could plummet the nation into fullfledged depression. “You can’t let these guys go down. You just can’t let it go down because then you’re talking de-

pression…You could be talking about levels of unemployment exceeding 20 percent and we’ll be under depressionlike conditions.” But, credit is key to all, he said. “As soon as the credit stuff is resolved then [people will] start buying cars again.” I think that frankly, the fact that we have a new president, is going to give people a sense of courage and optimism that will help materially. Among the following are some of what Parsons also outlined as “keys to recovery”: the banks must gain courage to start lending again; more banks must

consolidate; with consolidation must come more regulation; and though more than a million housing stocks will crumble, many will be taken over by new housing stock. Recovery will happen, Parsons concludes: “We will get out of this slowly. We didn’t get into it overnight. We won’t get out of it overnight... The good news is not whether we will be able to recover, the question is when and how much pain is going to be experienced [by the business community] in the period between now and the recovery.” &

Quote of Note... “Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it’s only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential.”

Barack H. Obama

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Democratic National Convention

The Remarks of Senator Barack Obama Upon Accepting the Nomination to be the Party’s Candidate for the Presidency of the USA

o Chairman Dean and my great friend Dick Durbin, and to all my fellow citizens of this great nation: With profound gratitude and great humility, I accept your nomination for the presidency of the United States.

next vice president of the United States, Joe Biden, I thank you. I am grateful to finish this journey with one of the finest statesmen of our time, a man at ease with everyone from world leaders to the conductors on the Amtrak train he still

son could achieve whatever he put his mind to. It is that promise that has always set this country apart, that through hard work and sacrifice, each of us can pursue our individual dreams but still come

Let me express my thanks to the historic slate of candidates who accompanied me on this journey, and especially the one who traveled the farthest-- a champion for working Americans and an inspiration to my daughters and to yours -- Hillary Rodham Clinton. To President Clinton, who last night made the case for change as only he can make it; to Ted Kennedy, who embodies the spirit of service; and to the

takes home every night. To the love of my life, our next first lady, Michelle Obama, and to Sasha and Malia, I love you so much, and I’m so proud of all of you. Four years ago, I stood before you and told you my story of the brief union between a young man from Kenya and a young woman from Kansas who weren’t well-off or well-known, but shared a belief that in America, their

together as one American family, to ensure that the next generation can pursue their dreams as well. That’s why I stand here tonight. Because for 232 years, at each moment when that promise was in jeopardy, ordinary men and women, students and soldiers, farmers and teachers, nurses and janitors, found the courage to keep it alive.

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see Acceptance on page 14

Democratic Convention Acceptance Speech from page 12

We meet at one of those defining moments, a moment when our nation is at war, our economy is in turmoil, and the American promise has been threatened once more. Tonight, more Americans are out of work, and more are working harder for less. More of you have lost your homes, and even more are watching your home values plummet. More of you have cars you can’t afford to drive, credit card bills you can’t afford to pay, and tuition that’s beyond your reach. These challenges are not all of government’s making. But the failure to respond is a direct result of a broken politics in Washington and the failed policies of George W. Bush. America, we are better than these last eight years. We are a better country than this. This country is more decent than one where a woman in Ohio, on the brink of retirement, finds herself one illness away from disaster after a lifetime of hard work. This country is more generous than one where a man in Indiana has to pack up the equipment he’s worked on for twenty years and watch it shipped off to China, and then chokes up as he explains how he felt like a failure when he went home to tell his family the news. We are more compassionate than a government that lets veterans sleep on our streets and families slide into poverty; that sits on its hands while a major American city drowns before our eyes. Tonight, I say to the American people, to Democrats and Republicans and Independents across this great land: enough! This moment, this election is our chance to keep, in the 21st century, the American promise alive. Because next week, in Minnesota, the same party that brought you two terms of George Bush and Dick Cheney will ask this country for a third. And we are here because we love this country too much to let the next four years look like the last eight. On Nov. 4, we must stand up and say: “Eight is enough.”

Now let there be no doubt. The Republican nominee, John McCain, has worn the uniform of our country with bravery and distinction, and for that, we owe him our gratitude and respect. And next week, we’ll also hear about those occasions when he’s broken with his party as evidence that he can deliver the change that we need. But the record’s clear: John McCain has voted with George Bush 90 percent of the time. Senator McCain likes to talk about judgment, but really, what does it say about your judgment when you think George Bush has been right more than ninety percent of the time? I don’t know about you, but I’m not ready to take a ten percent chance on change. The truth is, on issue after issue that would make a difference in your lives, on health care and education and the economy, Senator McCain has been anything but independent. He said that our economy has made “great progress” under this president. He said that the fundamentals of the economy are strong. And when one of his chief advisers, the man who wrote his economic plan, was talking about the anxiety Americans are feeling, he said that we were just suffering from a “mental recession,” and that we’ve become, and I quote, “a nation of whiners.” A nation of whiners? Tell that to the proud auto workers at a Michigan plant who, after they found out it was closing, kept showing up every day and working as hard as ever, because they knew there were people who counted on the brakes that they made. Tell that to the military families who shoulder their burdens silently as they watch their loved ones leave for their third or fourth or fifth tour of duty. These are not whiners. They work hard and give back and keep going without complaint. These are the Americans that I know. Now, I don’t believe that Senator McCain doesn’t care what’s going on in the lives of Americans. I just think he doesn’t know. Why else would he define middle-class as someone making under $5 million a year? How else could he propose hundreds of billions

in tax breaks for big corporations and oil companies but not one penny of tax relief to more than 100 million Americans? How else could he offer a health care plan that would actually tax people’s benefits, or an education plan that would do nothing to help families pay for college, or a plan that would privatize Social Security and gamble your retirement? It’s not because John McCain doesn’t care. It’s because John McCain doesn’t get it. For over two decades, he’s subscribed to that old, discredited Republican philosophy -- give more and more to those with the most and hope that prosperity trickles down to everyone else. In Washington, they call this the Ownership Society, but what it really means is, you’re on your own. Out of work? Tough luck. No health care? The market will fix it. Born into poverty? Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps, even if you don’t have boots. You’re on your own. Well, it’s time for them to own their failure. It’s time for us to change America. You see, we Democrats have a very different measure of what constitutes progress in this country. We measure progress by how many people can find a job that pays the mortgage; whether you can put a little extra money away at the end of each month so you can someday watch your child receive her college diploma. We measure progress in the 23 million new jobs that were created when Bill Clinton was president, when the average American family saw its income go up $7,500 instead of down $2,000, like it has under George Bush. We measure the strength of our economy not by the number of billionaires we have or the profits of the Fortune 500, but by whether someone with a good idea can take a risk and start a new business, or whether the waitress who lives on tips can take a day off to look after a sick kid without losing her job an economy that honors the dignity of work.

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see Acceptance on page 16

Democratic Convention Acceptance Speech from page 14

The fundamentals we use to measure economic strength are whether we are living up to that fundamental promise that has made this country great, a promise that is the only reason I am standing here tonight. Because in the faces of those young veterans who come back from Iraq and Afghanistan, I see my grandfather, who signed up after Pearl Harbor, marched in Patton’s Army and was rewarded by a grateful nation with the chance to go to college on the GI Bill. In the face of that young student who sleeps just three hours before working the night shift, I think about my mom, who raised my sister and me on her own while she worked and earned her degree; who once turned to food stamps but was still able to send us to the best schools in the country with the help of student loans and scholarships. When I listen to another worker tell me that his factory has shut down, I remember all those men and women on the South Side of Chicago who I stood by and fought for two decades ago after the local steel plant closed. And when I hear a woman talk about the difficulties of starting her own business, I think about my grandmother, who worked her way up from the secretarial pool to middle-management, despite years of being passed over for promotions because she was a woman. She’s the one who taught me about hard work. She’s the one who put off buying a new car or a new dress for herself so that I could have a better life. She poured everything she had into me. And although she can no longer travel, I know that she’s watching tonight, and that tonight is her night as well. I don’t know what kind of lives John McCain thinks that celebrities lead, but this has been mine. These are my heroes. Theirs are the stories that shaped me. And it is on their behalf that I intend to win this election and keep our promise alive as president of the United States. What is that promise? It’s a promise that says each of us

has the freedom to make of our own lives what we will, but that we also have the obligation to treat each other with dignity and respect. It’s a promise that says the market should reward drive and innovation and generate growth, but that businesses should live up to their responsibilities to create American jobs, look out for American workers, and play by the rules of the road. Ours is a promise that says government cannot solve all our problems, but what it should do is that which we cannot do for ourselves, protect us from harm and provide every child a decent education; keep our water clean and our toys safe; invest in new schools and new roads and new science and technology. Our government should work for us, not against us. It should help us, not hurt us. It should ensure opportunity, not just for those with the most money and influence, but for every American who’s willing to work. That’s the promise of America, the idea that we are responsible for ourselves, but that we also rise or fall as one nation; the fundamental belief that I am my brother’s keeper; I am my sister’s keeper. That’s the promise we need to keep. That’s the change we need right now. So let me spell out exactly what that change would mean if I am president. Change means a tax code that doesn’t reward the lobbyists who wrote it, but the American workers and small businesses who deserve it. Unlike John McCain, I will stop giving tax breaks to corporations that ship jobs overseas, and I will start giving them to companies that create good jobs right here in America. I will eliminate capital gains taxes for the small businesses and the startups that will create the highwage, high-tech jobs of tomorrow. I will cut taxes -- cut taxes for 95% of all working families. Because in an economy like this, the last thing we should do is raise taxes on the middleclass.

And for the sake of our economy, our security, and the future of our planet, I will set a clear goal as president: In ten years, we will finally end our dependence on oil from the Middle East. Washington’s been talking about our oil addiction for the last thirty years, and John McCain has been there for twenty-six of them. In that time, he’s said no to higher fuel-efficiency standards for cars, no to investments in renewable energy, no to renewable fuels. And today, we import triple the amount of oil as the day that Senator McCain took office. Now is the time to end this addiction, and to understand that drilling is a stopgap measure, not a long-term solution. Not even close. As president, I will tap our natural gas reserves, invest in clean coal technology, and find ways to safely harness nuclear power. I’ll help our auto companies retool, so that the fuel-efficient cars of the future are built right here in America. I’ll make it easier for the American people to afford these new cars. And I’ll invest 150 billion dollars over the next decade in affordable, renewable sources of energy; wind power and solar power and the next generation of biofuels; an investment that will lead to new industries and 5 million new jobs that pay well and can’t ever be outsourced. America, now is not the time for small plans. Now is the time to finally meet our moral obligation to provide every child a world-class education, because it will take nothing less to compete in the global economy. Michelle and I are only here tonight because we were given a chance at an education. And I will not settle for an America where some kids don’t have that chance. I’ll invest in early childhood education. I’ll recruit an army of new teachers, and pay them higher salaries and give them more support. And in exchange, I’ll ask for higher standards and more accountability. And we will keep our promise to every young American -- if you com-

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see Acceptance on page 18

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Democratic Convention Acceptance Speech from page 16

mit to serving your community or your country, we will make sure you can afford a college education. Now is the time to finally keep the promise of affordable, accessible health care for every single American. If you have health care, my plan will lower your premiums. If you don’t, you’ll be able to get the same kind of coverage that members of Congress give themselves. And as someone who watched my mother argue with insurance companies while she lay in bed dying of cancer, I will make certain those companies stop discriminating against those who are sick and need care the most. Now is the time to help families with paid sick days and better family leave, because nobody in America should have to choose between keeping their jobs and caring for a sick child or ailing parent. Now is the time to change our bankruptcy laws, so that your pensions are protected ahead of CEO bonuses; and the time to protect Social Security for future generations. And now is the time to keep the promise of equal pay for an equal day’s work, because I want my daughters to have exactly the same opportunities as your sons. Now, many of these plans will cost money, which is why I’ve laid out how I’ll pay for every dime, by closing corporate loopholes and tax havens that don’t help America grow. But I will also go through the federal budget, line by line, eliminating programs that no longer work and making the ones we do need work better and cost less because we cannot meet 21st century challenges with a 20th century bureaucracy. And Democrats, we must also admit that fulfilling America’s promise will require more than just money. It will require a renewed sense of responsibility from each of us to recover what John F. Kennedy called our “intellectual and moral strength.” Yes, government must lead on energy independence, but each of us must do our part to make

our homes and businesses more efficient. Yes, we must provide more ladders to success for young men who fall into lives of crime and despair. But we must also admit that programs alone can’t replace parents; that government can’t turn off the television and make a child do her homework; that fathers must take more responsibility for providing the love and guidance their children need. Individual responsibility and mutual responsibility -- that’s the essence of America’s promise. And just as we keep our keep our promise to the next generation here at home, so must we keep America’s promise abroad. If John McCain wants to have a debate about who has the temperament, and judgment, to serve as the next commander in chief, that’s a debate I’m ready to have. For while Senator McCain was turning his sights to Iraq just days after 9/11, I stood up and opposed this war, knowing that it would distract us from the real threats we face. When John McCain said we could just “muddle through” in Afghanistan, I argued for more resources and more troops to finish the fight against the terrorists who actually attacked us on 9/11, and made clear that we must take out Osama bin Laden and his lieutenants if we have them in our sights. John McCain likes to say that he’ll follow bin Laden to the Gates of Hell, but he won’t even go to the cave where he lives. And today, as my call for a time frame to remove our troops from Iraq has been echoed by the Iraqi government and even the Bush administration, even after we learned that Iraq has a $79 billion surplus while we’re wallowing in deficits, John McCain stands alone in his stubborn refusal to end a misguided war. That’s not the judgment we need. That won’t keep America safe. We need a president who can face the threats of the future, not keep grasping at the ideas of the past. You don’t defeat a terrorist network that operates in 80 countries by oc-

cupying Iraq. You don’t protect Israel and deter Iran just by talking tough in Washington. You can’t truly stand up for Georgia when you’ve strained our oldest alliances. If John McCain wants to follow George Bush with more tough talk and bad strategy, that is his choice, but it is not the change we need. We are the party of Roosevelt. We are the party of Kennedy. So don’t tell me that Democrats won’t defend this country. Don’t tell me that Democrats won’t keep us safe. The Bush-McCain foreign policy has squandered the legacy that generations of Americans -Democrats and Republicans have built, and we are here to restore that legacy. As commander in chief, I will never hesitate to defend this nation, but I will only send our troops into harm’s way with a clear mission and a sacred commitment to give them the equipment they need in battle and the care and benefits they deserve when they come home. I will end this war in Iraq responsibly and finish the fight against al-Qaida and the Taliban in Afghanistan. I will rebuild our military to meet future conflicts. But I will also renew the tough, direct diplomacy that can prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and curb Russian aggression. I will build new partnerships to defeat the threats of the 21st century: terrorism and nuclear proliferation; poverty and genocide; climate change and disease. And I will restore our moral standing, so that America is once again that last, best hope for all who are called to the cause of freedom, who long for lives of peace, and who yearn for a better future. These are the policies I will pursue. And in the weeks ahead, I look forward to debating them with John McCain. But, what I will not do is suggest that the senator takes his positions for political purposes. Because one of the things that we have to change in our politics is the idea that people cannot disagree without challenging each other’s character and patriotism. The times are too serious, the stakes are too high for this same partisan playbook. So let us agree that patriotism

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Democratic Convention Acceptance Speech has no party. I love this country, and so do you, and so does John McCain. The men and women who serve in our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and Independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a Red America or a Blue America, they have

surely we can agree on reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies in this country. The reality of gun ownership may be different for hunters in rural Ohio than for those plagued by gangviolence in Cleveland, but don’t tell me we can’t uphold the Second Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals. I know there are

served the United States of America. So I’ve got news for you, John McCain. We all put our country first. America, our work will not be easy. The challenges we face require tough choices, and Democrats as well as Republicans will need to cast off the wornout ideas and politics of the past. For part of what has been lost these past eight years can’t just be measured by lost wages or bigger trade deficits. What has also been lost is our sense of common purpose our sense of higher purpose. And that’s what we have to restore. We may not agree on abortion, but

differences on same-sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in the hospital and to live lives free of discrimination. Passions fly on immigration, but I don’t know anyone who benefits when a mother is separated from her infant child or an employer undercuts American wages by hiring illegal workers. This, too, is part of America’s promise, the promise of a democracy where we can find the strength and grace to bridge divides and unite in common effort. I know there are those who dismiss

such beliefs as happy talk. They claim that our insistence on something larger, something firmer and more honest in our public life is just a Trojan horse for higher taxes and the abandonment of traditional values. And that’s to be expected. Because if you don’t have any fresh ideas, then you use stale tactics to scare the voters. If you don’t have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run from. You make a big election about small things. And you know what it’s worked before. Because it feeds into the cynicism we all have about government. When Washington doesn’t work, all its promises seem empty. If your hopes have been dashed again and again, then it’s best to stop hoping, and settle for what you already know. I get it. I realize that I am not the likeliest candidate for this office. I don’t fit the typical pedigree, and I haven’t spent my career in the halls of Washington. But I stand before you tonight because all across America something is stirring. What the naysayers don’t understand is that this election has never been about me. It’s been about you. For eighteen long months, you have stood up, one by one, and said enough to the politics of the past. You understand that in this election, the greatest risk we can take is to try the same old politics with the same old players and expect a different result. You have shown what history teaches us that at defining moments like this one, the change we need doesn’t come from Washington. Change comes to Washington. Change happens because the American people demand it, because they rise up and insist on new ideas and new leadership, a new politics for a new time. America, this is one of those moments. I believe that as hard as it will be, the change we need is coming. Because I’ve seen it. Because I’ve lived it. I’ve seen it in Illinois, when we provided

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see Acceptance on page 21

Earl G. Graves, Sr. Chairman/Publisher, Black Enterprise

Technology:

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www.change.gov

“I deeply believe in Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Joe Biden for the presidency and vice presidency of the United States of America. I believe passionately in Obama’s vision for the country. That’s why I’ve spent my time, money and resources doing everything I could to get him elected our next president.” &

Russell Simmons Producer, Entrepreneur

Quote of Note... “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”

Barack H. Obama

Participate in the governance of the United States of America. The policy teams will be asking for citizen feedback. It’s up to you to respond. Visit the website and join the discussions.

www.quackenworth.com The Quackenworth Publishing Company is a publisher of children’s books, software, and educational materials.

Coming up in 2009: mywritingwizard. com, a new wittybittybunch website, promshare, new digital books, and much more! The company also provides professional development and consulting services to K-12 schools. They specialize in assisting school districts with developing programs and instructional strategies that integrate technology into the daily curriculum. Visit the website for information on submitting manuscripts for new books and educational games. Quackenworth is located in Los Angeles, California.

www.timegreenfilms.com “The vision of the hip-hop generation and its young people is in full and glorious effect tonight. While many older Americans, who marched and struggled so hard so Senator Obama could run for president of the United States never dared to believe in his candidacy’s real potential, young people, particularly the hip-hop community, had faith and their imagination became our reality.” &

Award winning writer, producer and director Tim Greene has produced the single release M.L. King-Anthem For An American Hero. He is releasing the song worldwide via the internet. Listen to or download the moving tribute absolutely free now by going to www.timgreenfils.com and clicking onto the MYSPACE link. & Submitted by LaSandra Stratton, BBA member, Chair of the BBA International Trade Committee.

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Democratic Convention Acceptance Speech from page 19

health care to more children and moved more families from welfare to work. I’ve seen it in Washington, when we worked across party lines to open up government and hold lobbyists more accountable, to give better care for our veterans and keep nuclear weapons out of terrorist hands. And I’ve seen it in this campaign. In the young people who voted for the first time, and in those who got involved again after a very long time. In the Republicans who never thought they’d pick up a Democratic ballot, but did. I’ve seen it in the workers who would rather cut their hours back a day than see their friends lose their jobs, in the soldiers who re-enlist after losing a limb, in the good neighbors who take a stranger in when a hurricane strikes and the floodwaters rise. This country of ours has more wealth than any nation, but that’s not what makes us rich. We have the most powerful military on Earth, but that’s not what makes us strong. Our universities and our culture are the envy of the world, but that’s not what keeps the world coming to our shores. Instead, it is that American spirit that American promise that pushes us forward even when the path is uncertain; that binds us together in spite of our differences; that makes us fix our eye not on what is seen, but what is unseen, that better place around the bend. That promise is our greatest inheritance. It’s a promise I make to my daughters when I tuck them in at night, and a promise that you make to yours, a promise that has led immigrants to cross oceans and pioneers to travel west; a promise that led workers to picket lines, and women to reach for the ballot. And it is that promise that forty five years ago today, brought Americans from every corner of this land to stand together on a Mall in Washington, before Lincoln’s Memorial, and hear a young preacher from Georgia speak of his dream. The men and women who gathered

there could’ve heard many things. They could’ve heard words of anger and discord. They could’ve been told to succumb to the fear and frustration of so many dreams deferred. But what the people heard instead, people of every creed and color, from every walk of life, is that in America, our destiny is inextricably linked. That together, our dreams can be one. “We cannot walk alone,” the preacher cried. “And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back.” America, we cannot turn back. Not with so much work to be done. Not with so many children to educate, and so many veterans to care for. Not with an economy to fix and cities to rebuild and farms to save. Not with so many families to protect and so many lives to mend. America, we cannot turn back. We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to march into the future. Let us keep that promise, that American prom-

ise, and in the words of Scripture, hold firmly, without wavering, to the hope that we confess. Thank you, God bless you, and God bless the United States of America. &

Quote of Note...

“Change has come to America.”

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Barack H. Obama

Barack Obama Election Night Presidential Acceptance Speech Grant Park Interaction with the voters on November 4, 2008

f there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer. Its the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference. Its the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled - Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America. Its the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day. Its been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America. I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and hes fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Governor Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nations promise in the months ahead. I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from

his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the Vice Presidentelect of the United States, Joe Biden. I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last sixteen years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nations next First Lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy thats coming with us to the White House. And while shes no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure. To my campaign manager D a v i d Plouffe, my chief strategist David Axelrod, and the best campaign t e a m ever assembled in the history of politics - you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what youve sacrificed to get it done. But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to - it belongs to you. I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didnt start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington - it began in the back-

yards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston. It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to this cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generations apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; from the not-so young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth. This is your victory. I know you didnt do this just to win an election and I know you didnt do it for me. You did it because you understand

the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us.

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see Presidency on page 24

Presidency Acceptance Speech from page 23

There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how theyll make the mortgage, or pay their doctors bills, or save enough for college. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair. The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America - I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you - we as a people will get there. There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who wont agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government cant solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way its been done in America for twohundred and twentyone years - block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand. What began twentyone months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek - it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you. So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this finan-

cial crisis taught us anything, its that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers - in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people. Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House - a party founded on the values of selfreliance, individual liberty, and national unity.

vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too. And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world - our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand. To those who would tear this world down - we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security we support you. And to all those who have wondered if Americas beacon still burns as bright - tonight we proved

Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, We are not enemies, but friends...though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn - I may not have won your

once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from our the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope. For that is the true genius of America - that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow. This election had many firsts and

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Presidency Acceptance Speech many stories that will be told for generations. But one thats on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. Shes a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing - Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old. She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldnt vote for two reasons - because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

he months, weeks and days leading up to the final confirmation that a blackman had made history by being elected President of the United States of America brought about intense emotions for me. Throughout my life, I had never imagined that something like this could actually happen. It’s not that I didn’t believe it could happen. I just never thought about the possibility of “it” happening. To see, President-Elect Barack Obama carry the weight of hundreds of years of oppression, degradation, and injustice on his shoulders was a sight to behold. Even more astounding, was his ability to remain calm and poised and strong as he flicked oﬀ the attacks of nay sayers and unbelievers in his ability to lead a new nation. For the first time in my 64 years of living, I said boldly, “I am proud to be an American.” President-Elect Barack Obama

And tonight, I think about all that shes seen throughout her century in America - the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we cant, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can. At a time when womens voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can. When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, represents new hope and renewed optimism in our society. Although the forecasts for the state of our economy are dim, the American people have been quick to ignore the “bad news”, because not only is there a new horizon in the distance, but there is also “a new sheriﬀ in town.” On January 20, 2009, the world is set to change as new leadership positions itself to finally become a country of the people. You see, Whites didn’t elect Barack Obama, Blacks didn’t elect Barack Obama, Mexicans didn’t elect Barack Obama, Asians didn’t elect Barack Obama, but WE elected Barack Obama. There is a long narrow road ahead of us now. But, I am convinced that with President-Elect Barack Obama in oﬃce, the new administration will be forced to be truly accountable to the American people. That is what blacks have fought for all these hundreds of years. Accountability. Now let us be accountable to one another. Let us finally see that as long as we work together, there is nothing that we can’t accomplish. In closing, I leave you with what I consider to be the new Negro Spiritual--

she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can. When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can. She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that We Shall Overcome. Yes we can. A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can. America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves - if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made? This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time - to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth - that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we cant, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes We Can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America. &

”Yes We Can!” Aubry Stone President/CEO California Black Chamber of Commerce

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March on Washington, 45 years ago that coincided with the party’s event. During my first encounter with Barack Obama at an event at Chicago State University when he was then campaigning for the US House of Representatives, one woman maintained that he stood no chance of unseating the incumbent Bobby Rush, because of his name. With a broad smile, he stressed that he would not disown his name, adding that what matters most in an election was one’s ability to initiate a plan that would help improve the lot of the people. Introducing myself later as a Ghanaian, I expressed the hope that he would advance the interests of Africa, if he was elected to the House. Nodding his head in agreement, he reminded me of what I knew about him. “You know my dad is from Kenya,” he stated. In November, the election of Barack Obama to the White House saw celebrations across Africa, especially in Kenya where his step-grandmother (centre) was the centre of media attention. BBC News

International:

Obama’s Bid Inspires Africans by Nii Okaijah, educator and journalist based in the US When Barack Obama, son of a Kenyan father and a white American mother, mounted the platform before a vast cheering crowd of 80,000 people on August 28 in Denver to accept his nomination as the Democratic Party’s candidate for November’s U.S. Presidential election, it was a proud historic moment for people of goodwill, especially black people.

e is set to compete against Republican party’s John McCain, 72, a long-time senator and a Vietnam war hero. Obama, 46, is also a U.S. Senator, a former Illinois state senator, community activist, and law professor at the prestigious University of Chicago. As the first black person to be nominated by a major American party for the contest, Obama’s election as president of the world’s most powerful nation would have tremendous positive impact not only on the people of African descent

in the US but on black people worldwide. Although Obama did not make overt mention of his race in his eloquent acceptance speech, he referred to the African background of his father and the

Visit to Kenya In accepting the party’s presidential nomination, he again referred to his father’s Kenyan background. Asserting that he had stayed with his father barely for a month, he said that his life had been shaped more by his father’s absence. During his first visit to Kenya in his 20s, he reportedly burst into tears when he visited the graveside of his father and grandfather. He had since visited the country twice, to introduce his spouse, Michelle, to his relatives and as a member of the U.S. Senate subcommittee on Africa. During their visit, see Bid Inspires on page 28

Susan Rice to be Next UN Ambassador from BBC News

arack Obama’s UN ambassador, Susan Rice, will hold cabinet rank, in a sign of Mr Obama’s plan to work more closely with UN member states than the administration of George W Bush has over the last eight years. Ms. Rice worked in the Clinton administration from 1997 to 2001 but backed Mr Obama for the Democratic nomination because see Rice on page 29

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Bid Inspires Africans from page 27

Obama and his wife took AIDS tests in order to encourage the people to do so. He is the pride of his people, and during the visits he mingled freely with members of his family, engaged in customary rites and addressed the Kenyan Parliament.

Barack Obama talks with Kenyans during visit to the Republic of Kenya, East Africa

In all his speeches, he warned against corruption and assured communities of support in their development programs. He has six half brothers and sisters in Kenya. In addition to Kenya, Obama has visited a number of African countries including South Africa, Ethiopia and Chad, where he stressed that Africans ultimately must be responsible for helping themselves. “He is truly a son of Africa,” declared Kenya TV of Obama.

Martin Luther King Although Obama has run an essentially non-racial campaign, he has not lost sight of the historic moment, which has been made possible by the sacrifices of thousands of people before him, including the late civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King. He recognized the 45th anniversary of the “March on Washington” where King made his famous “I have a Dream” speech, that laid the foundation of the civil rights movement that Obama clearly culminates. “It is that promise that 45 years ago today that brought Americans from every corner of the land to stand together on a Mall in Washington before Lincoln’s memorial and hear a young

preacher from Georgia speak of his dream,” Obama noted. “What people heard that day was that America, our destiny is inextricably linked that together our dreams can be one.” With his voice rising as he spoke these words, the crowd stood and thousands waved American flags. Obama was two years old in 1963 at the time of the March on Washington, but Rep. John Lewis D-Ga, a veteran civil rights leader, is proud of Obama’s commitment to the movement. “For those of us who stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial or whom the years that followed may have lost hope, this movement and his moment is a testament to the power and vision of Martin Luther King Jr.,” he said. Equally proud and supportive of Obama is King’s son, Martin Luther King II. “We are all children of the dream, he is all over in our hearts and minds,” he said of his father. “But not only that, he is in the hopes and dreams, the competence and courage, the righteousness and the readiness of Barack Obama.” His nomination is a realization of

some sorts of the King’s dream and an affirmation that with hard work and determination people can overcome bondage and injustice and achieve human dignity. One person who has been highly supportive of Obama in this process is Senator Emil Jones Jr., president of the Illinois Senate. At a recent meeting, he described Obama as his adopted son, and he is proud to have contributed to his early political growth when Obama served in the Illinois General Assembly. “He is a remarkable man,” he said, adding that when he assumes the U.S. presidency, the fate of black people not only in the U.S. but worldwide, would change.

Obama and Ghana’s Nkrumah

In terms of worldwide black struggle, one is tempted to draw a parallel of some sorts between Obama’s leadership in the U.S. and the leadership of Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president, in the African liberation struggle. In part, Obama’s acceptance speech in which he declared repeatedly, “Now is the time” bore resemblance to Nkrumah’s demands, “Self Government Now” for Ghana. That led to Ghana becoming Africa’s first country south of the Sahara to achieve independence in 1957. Trained and educated in the U.S., Nkrumah, who was no stranger to the toils and struggle of black people, stated, “the black man is capable of managing his own affairs.” Declaring Ghana as a country for all black people, Nkrumah attracted to the African nation hundreds of black Americans including W.E.B. DuBois, the great Black American activist/scholar. Coincidentally, DuBois died in Ghana on the day of the March of Washington. Du Bois, was directorgeneral of Africana Encyclopedia and his wife was the director of Ghana Television. Barack Obama supporters in South Africa - wearing their In recognition of his immense supportive t-shirts - gathered together in Cape Town at contributions to the Black cause, he was given a state an all night election party. Photo: Emily Jamieson. burial in Ghana, an honor

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Profile of Barack H.Obama II from www.change.gov • President-elect Barack H. Obama will take office of January 20, 2009 • He was a U.S. Senator from the State of Illinois from January 3, 2005 to November 16, 2008 • He was a State Senator representing the 13th District of Illinois from January 8, 1997 – November 4, 2004 • He was born August 4, 1961 in Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.A. • His birth name is Barack Hussein Obama II • His alma maters include Occidental College, Columbia University and Harvard Law School

• His professions include Community Organizer, Attorney, Law School Lecturer, Author and Politician (State Senator, U.S. Senator, President of the United States) • He is the first African American to be elected President of the United States of America • He is married to Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama, an attorney • His immediate family includes wife Michelle and daughters Malia Ann and Natasha • His net worth is approximately $1.3 million

Bid Inspires Africans

Honorable Susan Rice from page 27 from page 28

which would have been denied him in the U.S. Following the path of earlier leaders, Obama has chosen to participate in the American political process, and if he is elected as the next US president it would usher a new chapter in US-African relations. Also, it would encourage more people of African descent to run for political office, aspire to own businesses and social services to improve the lot of their people and restore their human dignity. More than any American politician, Obama has brought spotlight to Africa and enabled it to catch the eye of Americans in no other better way. His election would inspire Africans to greater heights. May the hand of God the Almighty and our ancestors guide Obama to victory and steer him away from the evil one. & Tuesday 9 September 2008 Africa News www.africanews.com The author is an educator and journalist from the Republic of Ghana, who is now in the U.S.A. He is a former news editor for the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation. His articles have been published in many American newspapers. Professor Okaijah teaches communication courses at universities and colleges.

of his opposition to the Iraq war. She is also an advocate of tough action to end the killing in Darfur. Testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in April 2007, she supported the idea of military action to force the Sudanese government to halt the massacres. Rhodes Scholar Ms. Rice, a protege of former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, was the youngest assistant secretary of state in history when appointed by Bill Clinton in 1997, as assistant secretary of state for African affairs. Ms. Rice told the New York Sun in January that she was drawn to support Mr. Obama because of his position on Iraq, saying that he had made “the same unpopular choice I had made” despite huge pressure in Washington to support the war. Growing up, Ms. Rice dreamed of becoming a senator for the District of Columbia. She graduated in history from Stanford University, then went to Oxford as a Rhodes scholar, where she completed a Ph.D. in International Relations. Despite having a doctorate, and being an African American, she is no

Quote of Note... “My parents shared not only an improbable love, they shared an abiding faith in the possibilities of this nation. They would give me an African name, Barack, or blessed, believing that in a tolerant America your name is no barrier to success.”

Barack H. Obama

Len Canty Chairman, Black Economic Council “While President-Elect Barack Obama becoming the 44th president of the United State is an historical event, his election will not necessarily change the economic conditions for Black Americans. As FDR reportedly told A. Philip Randolph when he was asking the president to enact certain laws to end racial discrimination, “Go out there, and make me do it.” We have to stay involved in the political process and make President Obama mindful of the need for economic parity for people of color.” & relation of the current Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice. Born in 1964, she is married to an ABC producer, Ian Cameron, and has two children. &

29 T January 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

The Obama Effect by Starlett Quarles

was recently asked as one of Los Angeles’ emerging community economic development leaders, “How has the election of President-Elect Barack Obama impacted me, as well as members of my generation?” Instantly one of the first words that came to mind was Inspiration. Mr. Barack Obama has definitely inspired me to achieve far beyond my dreams. I never imagined I’d live to see a Black President during my lifetime. Hope. During these challenging economic times, he also gives me a sense of hope in the re-emergence of the new black economy. As a product of the Civil Rights movement, I’ve been fortunate enough to see a growing generation of black millionaires and enterprising entrepreneurs. …and the best is yet to come. Lastly Courage. As AfricanAmericans, the election of PresidentElect Barack Obama truly represents our strength, tenacity and will to go beyond our fears and insecurities by stepping into new horizons with limitless potential. However the aforementioned are just my thoughts, as I experience them from my prism. While I am a member of gen neXt, I do not represent our interpretation of the election of President-Elect Obama. I am just one voice. Below are some other reflections from our emerging pool of gen neXt business and community leaders.

Kari Williams

24, President Mahogany Hair Revolution www.MahoganyRevolution.com

s a young entrepreneur, PresidentElect Obama’s elevated success is inspirational. Although he is leading one of the greatest countries in the free world, it appears as if other nations around the world have also adopted him as their leader. Leadership is not easy and he exemplifies the qualities of a leader that I plan on adopting and using in my own business model as I lead my staff and future employees. It’s empowering to see a black man in power and in spite of the historical difficulties we have had in the past and the present, he does not resort to negativity, manipulation or deceit to gain respect or maintain his position of authority. What an awesome example!! I am a y o u n g , black female business owner with the odds s t a c k e d against me. I have felt sometimes that I might have to step outside of my calm composed demeanor to get the respect I deserve from other business owners in my field or when making business transactions. Sometimes it is hard for men and women much older than me to take me seriously and respect my business policies. I often find that I have to assert myself in a way to make sure I can conduct my business properly. Observing Barack and the way he ran his campaign gave me a renewed since of assurance that I have nothing to prove. I don’t have to become the stereotyped “Peaches” as described by Nina Simone in her song “Four Women.” If I hold my peace, stay confident in my abilities and knowledge, maintain my values and vocalize my opinions and objectives assertively, I can rise to success and become a shining example of proper leadership

Starlett Quarles, President, urban X marketing like our new leader Barack Obama.

Eric George Gooden

31, Real Estate Professional New Media Entrepreneur The Bedford Group www.BPPLA.com

ur world as we know it has progressed into a Digital Era that is destined for change, innovation and democratization. Barack Obama believes that the nation’s rules ensuring diversity of media ownership are critical to the public interest. As an African American Man and an emerging leader in New Media Enterprises, Barack Obama’s Blueprint as President has had a positive impact on me and my generation. Obama’s views on technology, the

30 T January 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

see Eﬀect on page 32

31 T January 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Obama Effect from page 30

economy and the internet allow for more Google’s and EBay’s to rise from humble beginnings to great innovations for a new generation. In this Digital Age, the internet has evolved into a platform of free expression and free exchange of ideas. Companies like YouTube and Facebook allow entrepreneurs like me to democratize the media through an open internet and diverse media outlets with no government deliberations and decision making. Barack Obama said he will protect the openness of the internet; support the principle of network neutrality & preserve the benefits of open competition on the World Wide Web. I believe that Obama and Biden will help to ensure that our goods and services are treated fairly in foreign markets; preparing us to participate in a 21st Century Economy. This impact provides a renewed sense of hope and optimism for me and future generations to come. To know we have the ability to take part in our growth as a nation and rebuild our economy is a journey worth traveling. I look forward to walking this path to greatness and standing on the shoulders of giants. In the word’s of the great Dr. King “Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”

Sherylin Jones

38, 6th Grade English/Social Studies Henry Clay Middle School www.lausd.k12.ca.us/Clay_MS

bama’s victory on November 4, 2008 was historic on so many levels. The obvious ones are that he is the first African American to be elected

to the Oval Office and that the African American Deferred Dream is no longer deferred. The not so obvious ones are that I was able to look into the eyes of my students, those who look like me and those whose familial backgrounds mirror mine, and say, “Yes We Can! Si Se Puede!” On the day following the election, I gave my students the opportunity to write about this pivotal moment that will forever impact my life and found that my students felt the same way. I will cherish the day that the American people spoke loudly and clearly that “It is time for a CHANGE!” As for the next four years, I pledge my support to our President, and I send my blessings. I am so proud to live in a democratic society where our individual voices are heard. & About urban X marketing Starlett Quarles is President of uban X marketing (urban X) is a marketing firm that offers a unique range of creative and communication services. urban X is full service agency that provides urban marketing, branding and public relations services to real estate-related professionals and businesses, developers, financial institutions, and government agencies. urban X specializes in urban markets. Through the use of integrated marketing strategies the firm builds brand consistency within the real estate and community development industries; as well as within the emerging ethnic marketplace. Although urban X is a real estate-based marketing firm, its founding principles are based on a distinct social mission: to help revitalize the physical and socioeconomic health of urban enclaves. uban X marketing’s expressed purpose is to provide advisory services that help fulfill their corporate mission, while also helping firms gain brand awareness in new urban markets.

gen neXt Quote of Note... “The thing about hip-hop today is it’s smart, it’s insightful. The way they can communicate a complex message in a very short space is remarkable.”

Barack H. Obama

Frank Schaeffer Author

A hundred years from now Obama’s portrait will be placed next to that of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt. Long before that we’ll be telling our children and grandchildren that we stepped out in faith and voted for a young black man who stood up and led our country back from> the brink of an abyss. We’ll tell them about the power of love, faith and hope. We’ll tell them about the power of creativity combined with humility and intellectual brilliance. We’ll tell them that President Obama gave us the gift of regaining our faith in our country. We’ll tell them that we all stood up and pitched in and won the day. We’ll tell them that President Obama restored our standing in the world. We’ll tell them that by the time he left office our schools were on the mend, our economy booming, that we’d become a nation filled with green energy alternatives and were leading the world away from dependence on carbon-based destruction. We’ll tell them that because of President Obama’s example and leadership the integrity of the family was restored, divorce rates went down, more fathers took responsibility for their children, and abortion rates fell dramatically as women, families and children were cared for through compassionate social programs that worked. We’ll tell them about how the gap closed between the middle class and the super rich, how we won health care for all, how crime rates fell, how bad wars were brought to an honorable conclusion. &

32 T January 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

2EDPD *UDEV 1HZV +HDGOLQHV LQ WKH $PHULFDV 1RYHPEHU

Operation HOPE joins the nation in commemorating the inauguration of our 44th President, Barack H. Obama.

While one dream is realized, a new chapter of hope begins in our mission to empower the underserved through “silver rights”. “Hope is on the way….” John Hope Bryant, Chairman

35 T January 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Obama Pledges Public Works on a Vast Scale E arly in December, President-elect Barack Obama promised to create the largest public works construction program since the inception of the interstate highway system a half century ago as he seeks to put together a plan to resuscitate the reeling economy. With jobs evaporating and the reces-

sion deepening, Mr. Obama began highlighting elements of the economic recovery program he is trying to fashion with Congressional leaders in hopes of being able to enact it shortly after being sworn in on Jan.20. His address on the subject followed the report on Friday indicating that the country lost 533,000 jobs in November alone, bringing the total number of jobs lost over the past year to nearly 2 million. Mr. Obama’s remarks showcased his ambition to expand the definition of traditional work programs for the middle class, like infrastructure projects to repair roads and bridges, to include newera jobs in technology and so-called green jobs that reduce energy use and global warming emissions. Mr. Obama’s plan, if enacted, would be in part a government-directed industrial policy, with lawmakers and admin-

istration officials picking winners and losers among private projects and raining large amounts of taxpayer money on them. It would cover a range of programs to expand broadband Internet access, to make government buildings more energy efficient, to improve information technology at hospitals and doctors’ offices, and to upgrade computers in schools. ”It is unacceptable that the United States ranks 15th in the world in broadband adoption,” Mr. Obama said. “Here, in the country that invented the Internet, every child should have the chance to get online.” President Bush and many conservative economists have opposed such large-scale government intervention in the economy because it supports enterprises that might not survive in a free market. That is the crux of the argument against a government

bailout of the auto industry. But Mr. Obama proposes to charge ahead, asserting that extensive government support is needed to preserve and create jobs while building the latticework of a 21st century economy. Although Mr. Obama put no price tag on his plan, he said he would invest record amounts of money in the vast infrastructure program, which also includes work on schools, sewer systems, mass transit, electrical grids, dams and otherpublic utilities. The green jobs would include various categories, including jobs dedicated to creating alternative fuels, windmills and solar panels; building energy efficient appliances, or installing fuel-efficient heating or cooling systems. Critics to Obama’s idea contend that public works spending is a poor response to tough economic times, saying it has not been a reliable catalyst for short-term growth and instead is more about politicians gaining points with constituents. Mr. Obama implicitly tried to counter such arguments by invoking the federal interstate highway program, seen as one of the most successful public works efforts in American history. Mr. Obama also responded to criticism of waste and inefficiency in such programs by promising new spending rules, like a requirement that states act quickly to invest in roads and bridges or sacrifice federal money. Time will tellwho is right in this potential solution to our economic woes. &

Quote of Note... “Americans...still believe in an America where anything’s possible - they just don’t think their leaders do.”

Barack H. Obama Photo by Nyema Vernon

36 T January 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Source: NY Times

Wendy’s World by Wendy Gladney

Wendy Gladney

his issue of the Black Business News is highlighting President Barack Obama, his Inauguration as well as his new Administration. As an Event

Manager, my attention is drawn to a specific young lady by the name of Desirée Rogers who will hold the official title as the “White House Social Secretary.” Ladies and gentlemen, this is a big deal because this means she will hold the key to not only what happens in the White House, how it will happen, and WHO will get an invitation! The White House Social Secretary is responsible for the planning, coordination and execution of official social events at the White House, the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the United States. These events can be as simple as a tea for the First Lady or a sit down dinner for up to 200 guests. She must be well versed in protocol for both domestic and international events and guests. Ms. Rogers is the first African American to hold this position. Although she’s a friend of the Obama’s, she paid dues leading up to this position by taking on the responsibilities of being Michelle Obama’s “Traveling Chief of Staff” during the campaign.

Desirée Rogers The White House Social Secretary will have the responsibility of making the “House” everyone’s in America. She states…”we are inviting all of America and all of the world to share in that splendor.” She guarantees us that there will be some changes, and you won’t be able to predict what will happen and how it will look. What you

38 T January 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

see Wendy’s World on page 60

SCLC OF GREATER LOS ANGELES & SCLC DREAM FOUNDATION PRESENT

JANUARY 9-15 JANUARY 9

King Week Kick-Off & Press Conference

JANUARY 10

Multi Faith Prayer Breakfast

JANUARY 13

SCLC Mixer

JANUARY 14

Town Hall

JANUARY 15

32nd Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Dinner Celebration

www.sclclosangeles.org

We All Have a Testimony... Honorable Jan Perry

Los Angeles City Councilwoman

“January 20, 2009 will be a historic day for our nation as President- elect Barack H. Obama is sworn-in as our 44th President of the United States. Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream and we are now witnessing that dream become a reality. Congratulations to our new President and I wish him and his entire family all the best as they begin their term in oflice.” &

Spike Lee Film Maker

Grant Hill

“I’m relatively young but I never really thought in my lifetime an AfricanAmerican would get this close to winning and to have it happen would be just remarkable. It’s inspiring and hopefully it can open some doors, change perceptions, do a lot. It’s already done a lot. I think it’s important to say my support for him is not because he’s an African-American. It sends a message and it’s an important message. Hopefully we can continue to improve on our race relations, not just in politics.” &

Star Jones

“It’s a great day, it’s a beautiful morning, a new dawn, a new beginning - not just in America but the world over.” &

Barack H. Obama

President, Energy+Plus

Professional Basketball Player

Lawyer, Entrepreneur

“Now is the time.”

Emmett Cash III

“If he had lost tonight he would have been able to go home tonight and say I lost being me, but he won being him, which means he can lead being him with no regret.” &

“The election of Obama brings openings for self-help opportunities. Yes, we all can! There is a new business climate imposed on the world that will allow the new, the innovative, and those who are smart and progressive the opportunity to participate in the global market. It is important that we develop ways to finance our involvement in this world using new approaches. We must look within our extended world family and create instruments that allow that family to participate in this climate based on one of the oldest principals known to mankind - building a better road to financial stability - and others will join if we take the lack of upfront capital out of the business equation. We at Energy+Plus have implemented such a program in the U.S.A. and Africa. We have buyers because our plan is sound. We have national and international participants because we allow them to participate using their good will and expertise. We work with individuals to create wealth not governments, but we get government approvals. We use the good faith of the United States government and join its programs where possible only it they are inclusive. The banking industry has not been inclusive for the urban business community. We know how to operate with out its support. This is the time to join urban America with those new and open communities of the world willing and waiting to join us.” &

40 T January 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

HISTORY.

OurWeekly celebrates President Barack Obama January 20, 2009 Embracing hope and change.

www.ourweekly.com

Profile of Michelle L. R. Obama First Lady, United States of America

ichelle Robinson was born on January 17, 1964, in Chicago, Illinois to Fraser Robinson III, a city water plant employee and Democratic precinct captain, and Marian Shields Robinson, a secretary at Spiegel’s catalog store. Michelle can trace her roots to preCivil War African Americans in the American South; her paternal greatgreat grandfather, Jim Robinson, was an American slave in the state of South Carolina, where some of her family still reside. She grew up in the South Shore community area of Chicago, and was raised in a conventional two-parent home. The family ate meals together and also entertained together as a family by playing games such as Monopoly and by reading. She and her brother, Craig (who is men’s basketball coach at Oregon State University), skipped the second grade. By sixth grade, Michelle joined a gifted class at Bryn Mawr Elementary School (later renamed Bouchet Academy). She attended Whitney Young High School, Chicago’s first magnet high school, where she was on the honor roll four years, took advanced placement classes, was a member of the National Honor Society and served as Student Council Treasurer. She graduated from high school in 1981, and went on to

major in sociology and minor in African American studies at Princeton University, where she graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in 1985. At Princeton, as part of her requirements for graduation, she wrote a thesis entitled, “Princeton-Educated Blacks and the Black Community.” She obtained her Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Harvard Law School in 1988. While at Harvard, she participated in political demonstrations advocating the hiring of professors who are members of minorities. Michelle met Barack Obama when they were among very few African Americans at the Sidley Austin law firm , The couple married in October 1992, and they have two daughters, Malia Ann (born 1998) and Natasha (known as Sasha) (born 2001). Michelle Obama will be the first African-American to become the First Lady of the United States. She looks forward to working on the issues close to her heart-supporting military families, helping working women balance work and family, and encouraging national service. “My first priority will always be to make sure that our girls are healthy and grounded,” she says. “Then I want to help other families get the support they need, not just to survive, but to thrive.” &

43 T January 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

State Wide News! California Council of Black Chambers ▲▲▲

Martin Luther King, Jr./ Black History Celebration and Parade Saturday, January 17, 2009 10 am Moreno Valley, California Volunteers Needed. Call

951-697-7772 ▲▲▲

Legislative Welcome Reception January 28, 2009 Sacramento, California

California Black Chamber of Commerce Call

916-463-0177 ▲▲▲

Black Business Festival 2009

Saturday, February 7, 2009 9am - 9pm • Ontario, California

Take Advantage of our “Early Bird” Booth Price Discount of 25%. Call Anthony at

909-648-5227

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globalstars@msn.com ▲▲▲

Market Your Business Add your business to the Bay Area Black Yellow Pages website directory. Click on “add a business” at www.bayareablackyellowpages.com

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44 T January 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Books to Consider... Books by Honorable Barack H. Obama, 44th President, USA Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream Change We Can Believe In: Barack Obama’s Plan to Renew America’s Promise &

(left) Mrs. Lillian Mobley, Community Activist and Queen Nzinga R. Heru, International President of the Association for the Study of Classical African Civilizations (ASCAC) with a signed copy of author President-elect Barack Obama’s

Eso Won Books

African American Books 4331 Degnan Ave., Leimert Park, Los Angeles

“Give Books as Gifts to Friends & Family”

King Day • Black History Month Historic Presidential Inauguration Check out our unsurpassed collection of books, music, video, children’s books, and games!

323-294-0324 • www.esowonbooks.com //esowon.booksense.com for Calendar of Events

book “The Audacity of Hope” during a book signing given by Eso Won bookstore at the California African American Museum, Los Angeles. Find “The Audacity of Hope”, other books written by President-elect Obama

and an array of commemorative publications and memorabilia at Eso Wan in Leimert Park or Malik bookstore in the Crenshaw-Baldwin Hills Plaza. &

45 T January 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Photo by Sabir

Jevika, 15

need and want

Earlington Secondary SchoolDurban, South Africa

Remember not my name nor my face Remember the smile you put on my face A smile to show that there is hope For people who feel there is no hope Remember me - the one you inspire The one you’ve showed that the colour of you skin Should not hold you back Or put you of track Through thick and thin

Obama Magic I see you as a black strong man You inspire me and I’m a great fan Your perseverance and determination never dies You never give up even if you’ve had so many tries You’ve proved to everyone that race is not an issue And set all that aside to make us realise what is true Change we need And you are the seed To help us all grow To make the people show Just how much we need the change You are the perfect person to make that positive change To help us all grow into mature plants And give the people what they really

I look up to you and always know You’re my inspiration and my hero To make a change that people need Definitely shows your commitment indeed You take the initiative and have a passion to lead And in the end you will definitely succeed I know I may just be one person But remember that this one person along with the rest Have high hopes for you to do your best I hope all you do brings you good karma To me, the change has begun, Barack Obama!

FUSE Featured U.S. Exporter As the on-line directory of U.S. products featured on U.S. Commercial Services websites around the world, FUSE gives U.S. companies an opportunity to target specific markets in the local language of business. Listings are offered to qualified U.S. Exporters seeking trade leads or representation in over 50 markets around the world. To find out more about FUSE log on to our website at: www.buyusa. gov/home/fuse.html or contact International Trade Specialist Bobby Hines by e-mail at bobby.hines@mail.doc.gov or by phone at 213-8944231. To find 2010 World Cup opportunities visit: www.buyusa.gov/southafrica/en/sep2008.html. &

The “Obamabelia” Economy by Thia Fins

hen Barack Obama made history by winning the presidency of the United States on Nov. 4th, celebrations broke out around the world. People in Kenya cheered the election results seen on state-run television. South Africans huddled around radios and TVs hearing history being made. Israeli’s danced with joy; as did Germans. Now as the Harvard Law School graduate prepares to take on leadership of America, he is impacting the USA as well as many parts of world in a way no other American president has ever done. The impact, called Obama-mania by some, is a frenzy of purchasing products with an Obama image or slogan on them. From the ubiquitous T-shirts to bobble-head dolls to commemorative plates to tote bags to reproductions of newspaper front pages, to calendars, to jewelry, to commemorative and special edition publications, people in America are indulging in an orgy of buying. The economic impact of the sales of Obama memorabilia is extremely difficult to calculate because so much of it is being done by street-level vendors. And Americans are not the only ones to get in on the Obama action. In Kenya, vendors have made and are selling T-shirts and bumper stickers with his likeness plastered on them. There is even a beer in the country called Senator, whose sales have jumped since the election. Vendors in Kampala, Uganda’s capital hawk Obama merchandise, and in China the factories are humming as they produce “presidential” plates and mugs. For many, selling these political items is a first time happening. So if you think about it, Obama’s push for “change” is occurring at a level, he probably never thought about or anticipated. &

46 T January 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

COLLECTOR'S

EDITION 2008

EDITION 2008 VOL. LXXIII, NO. 45 • 50 Cents + Ca. Sales Tax

“The Voice of Our Community Speaking for Itself”

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6 - 12, 2008

Barack Obama Elected 44th President of The United States of America

IN OUR LIFETIME !!!

www.lasentinel.net

Government:

Mills Appointed SBA Administrator

Ron Kirk Appointed New US Trade Representative

resident-elect Barack Obama has named Karen Gordon Mills, a venture capitalist from Maine, to head the Small Business Administration (SBA). As someone who invests in small businesses, Mills understands the challenges faced by small business owners and their workers, Obama said. “I am confident that Karen will lead an SBA that will not only help small business owners realize their dreams, but help our nation rebuild our economy,” Obama said. Mills is president of MMP Group, a private equity investment firm in Brunswick, Maine. She also was a founding partner and managing director of Solera Capital, a private equity investment firm based in New York City. She chairs Maine Gov. John Baldacci’s Council on Competitiveness and the Economy and is a member of the Governor’s Council for the Redevelopment of the Brunswick Naval Air Station. Mills also serves on the boards of the Maine Technology Institute and the Maine chapter of the Nature Con-

servancy, and is lead director of Scotts Miracle-Gro, a public company based in Marysville, Ohio. Jobs will be created and America will stay competitive if small businesses grow and prosper, Mills said. Building and growing small businesses is “a defining tradition in America,” she said. “This is a legacy I’m proud to be a part of and promote for our future,” Mills said. Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, recommended Mills for the SBA administrator’s post. “I have worked with Karen over the years, and she is an exceptionally capable individual who always has the interests of our nation’s small businesses in mind,” said Snowe, the ranking Republican on the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee. “Karen has a tremendous background in venture capital and lending, which will prove beneficial during these times in which small enterprises require every tool at their disposal to create new jobs.”

onald “Ron” Kirk was the first African American mayor of Dallas, Texas; he also ran for the United States Senate in 2002. President-elect Barack Obama has designated Kirk for the post of United States Trade Representative in his administration. He will take office following confirmation by the Senate. Kirk is described by associates as a skilled negotiator who has worked well with the business community. U.S. Chamber of Commerce vice president John Murphy says Kirk has a “realworld appreciation for the importance of trade to the economy.” Ron Kirk was chairman for Obama’s campaign in Texas. Kirk’s first challenge will be negotiating at home to create a new American trade and globalization policy that benefits more Americans and thus gains the support of the public and Congress, a majority of whom oppose the statusquo model. Kirk’s recognition that a new approach is needed was conveyed in a 2008 CNN interview, when he said that “we’re never going to have a more responsible trade policy if we don’t change the climate in Washington.” The Democratic platform language reflects Obama’s campaign pledges that trade agreements will not “stop the govern-

see Mills Appointment on page 52

see Kirk Appointment on page 60

50 T January 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Government:

Lisa Jackson Named EPA Chief

s Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Lisa P. Jackson leads a staff of 3,400 professionals dedicated to protecting, sustaining and enhancing New Jersey’s water, air and land, and preserving its wealth of natural and historic resources. Ms. Jackson served as the DEP’s Assistant Commissioner for Land Use Management during 2005. A skilled and dedicated administrator, Jackson headed numerous programs including Land Use Regulation, Water Supply, Geological Survey, Water Monitoring and Standards, and Watershed Management. She focused on developing a system of incentives for stimulating the right growth in the right places. Under her leadership, the DEP crafted regu-

latory standards for implementing the landmark Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act. Jackson joined the DEP in March 2002 as Assistant Commissioner of Compliance and Enforcement after 16 years with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), initially at its headquarters in Washington and more recently at its regional office in New York City. As the state’s chief environmental enforcer, Jackson led groundbreaking compliance sweeps in Camden and

Government:

Small Business Owners and Investors Well Represented in the Freshman Class of the 111th Congress mall business owners throughout the nation are bearing the brunt of the nation’s economic malaise. Soaring energy prices, a housing market in decline, rising healthcare costs, and a tightening credit market have all converged to threaten the survival of many small businesses. Figuring out how to put the economy back on track will be the first order of business for the 111th Congress and the incoming Administration. Representing 99.7 percent of all employer firms, small businesses will no doubt play a vital role in steering the nation’s economic recovery. The freshman class of 2009 includes

MED Week Awards 2009

several new members of Congress with small business experience, both as entrepreneurs and investors. In fact more than one-third of the new members have small business backgrounds. Their presence in Washington, D.C., may provide some comfort to small business owners who, according to a recent poll by the National Association for the Self-Employed, overwhelmingly believe their needs are not being represented or protected in Congress. Wellversed in small business issues themselves, these new members will bring a hands-on perspective to such critical

ED Week, which recognizes the role that minority entrepreneurs play in building the American economy through the creation of jobs, products, and services while supporting their local communities, was established by Presidential Proclamation in 1983. The project is managed by the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) and supported locally by the SBA Los Angeles District Office and the Los Angeles Minority Business Opportunity Center (MBOC) through the Mayor’s Office. The 22nd Annual MED Week Awards will take place March 18, 2009 at the newly opened L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles. The 2009 theme “Launching Green on the Global Scene” em-

see Business Owners on page 52

see Kirk Appointment on page 59

by LaVita LeGrys, Congressional and Public Liaison

Paterson, communities in which the effects of pollution on public health had long been neglected. She launched the environmental initiative following multicultural outreach efforts to inform and involve community residents and businesses. Working with county officials, State Police and the EPA, the DEP then mobilized more than 70 inspectors to conduct upward of 1,000 compliance investigations in the two cities, the first of a series of enforcement sweeps. During her tenure at the EPA, Jackson worked in the federal Superfund site remediation program, developing key hazardous waste cleanup regulations, overseeing hazardous waste cleanup projects throughout central New Jersey and directing multimilliondollar cleanup operations. She later served as deputy director and acting director of the region’s enforcement division. A native of New Orleans, Jackson earned a master’s degree in chemical engineering from Princeton University. She is a summa cum laude graduate of Tulane University’s School of Chemical Engineering. Ms. Jackson, married to Kenny Jackson, is the mother of two sons. &

51 T January 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Business Owners from page 51

issues as healthcare reform, access to capital, tax equity, and energy reform. These new members bring a variety of experiences, from family-run businesses to high-tech startups; farmers and restaurants; landscape architects and real estate agents; veterinarians and craft store owners. Following is a list of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new senators and representatives with small business backgrounds.

Senate Mark Begich (D-Alaska), property development company owner. Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon), computer repair company owner. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), lawyer, rancher, and former trailer company owner. Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire),

Mills Appointment from page 50

Mills will head an agency that has vastly improved its delivery of services and has a dedicated team of civil servants to help carry out the agencyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission.

former jewelry store owner. Mark Warner (D-Virginia), telecommunications and technology venture capitalist.

Chris Lee (R-New York, 26th District), executive of family-owned shock absorber manufacturing business. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-Missouri, 9th District), co-owner and manager of family-owned bank and insurance agency; rancher. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming, At Large), manages family ranch operation. Betsy Markey (D-Colorado, 4th District), ice cream and coffee shop owner; web services company owner. Walt Minnick (D-Idaho, 1st District), founder of gardening retailer chain. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine, 1st District), inn and restaurant owner; former owner of knitting and craft business; farmer. Jared Polis (D-Colorado, 2nd District), Internet entrepreneur and venture capitalist; at-risk charter schools founder. Kurt Schrader (D-Oregon, 5th District), small business owner; veterinarian; farmer. Aaron Schock (R-Illinois, 18th District), real estate developer and home improvement company owner. Harry Teague (D-New Mexico, 2nd District), oil well services company owner. &

House of Representatives Steve Austria (R-Ohio, 7th District), financial services firm owner. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah, 3rd District), public relations firm owner. Mike Coffman (R-Colorado, 6th District), founded two property management companies and a leasing firm. Kathy Dahlkemper (D-Pennsylvania, 3rd District), landscape architecture business owner. John Fleming (R-Louisiana, 4th District), physician; sandwich shop owner. Alan Grayson (D-Florida, 8th District), first president of a phone services company; investor in small companies. Parker Griffith (R-Alabama, 5th District), physician; owner of a funeral home and a nursing home; real estate developer. Brett Guthrie (R-Kentucky, 2nd District), vice president of familyowned automobile die-casting business. Suzanne Kosmas (D-Florida, 24th District), real estate company owner.

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Social Media - Winning Elections and Growing Businesses by Kim Anthony, Urban Enterprise 2.0 If Social Media Helped Elect Our Nation’s First African-American President, How Can it Be Used to Grow Your Business?

t has been well documented that Barack Obama gained a considerable advantage during his campaign by effectively using social media platforms to connect with his supporters and organize his campaign. In fact, the hard numbers are in – data from “Trendrr”,

od, only about 150 million blog posts mentioned McCain. On social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace, Obama also held a clear lead, with 844,927 MySpace friends compared to McCain’s 219,404. On Twitter, Obama has for a total of 118,107 “followers”, while his Republican counterpart’s Twitter account only had 4942 followers in total. While there are many of reasons for why Barack Obama’s campaign gained

Valerie Jarrett, White House Senior Adviser, with some of the tools of social media and business communications used to win the election. an online statistics tool, clearly shows Obama not only lead in using technology to connect to his audience, he had an overall lead in “mindshare” in the “blogosphere” as a whole. For instance, close to 500 million blog postings mentioned Obama since the beginning of the conventions at the end of August. During the same time peri-

a lot more traction on social networks and blogs than his opponents, the numbers are clear – and political campaigns -- especially those at this level, will ignore social media in the future only at their own peril. With that said, the question remains… If Social Media Helped Elect Our Nation’s First African-American President,

How Can it Be Used to Grow Your Business? Nowadays, its is virtually unthinkable for any viable business to not have web presence. Well, it used to be that all you needed to have a “web presence” was a web site. Not anymore. Today business-owners need to think and act in terms of their total presence. And that means if you’re not participating in social media, you’re not really online. Smart business people are now using social networking to support their marketing and overall business strategies. So, What’s changed? If you’ve read any text book on marketing, you probably remember the 4 Ps of marketing: You created a Product, figured out how to Price it, got it Placed in the market, and then Promoted it until it translated to sales. Today’s approach is infused with social media, and leans much more heavily on the 4 Cs of marketing: Content (information) that is filtered based on your target market’s interests, delivered in a Context (platform or environment) that makes it easy to use for people who are starving to make Connections with other people, products, and brands that they can build a Community around. Therefore its…Content + Context + Connections + Community = Social Media Marketing. How can Social Networking benefit my Business? The possibilities are endless, but the following is “Top 10 List” of what you can achieve through social networking: 1. Create an online profile that attracts positive visibility, leading to interviews, coverage and opportunities 2. Recruit qualified candidates and consultant for your projects and programs. 3. Launch, market, and advertise your products and services. 4. Promote and establish yourself as an expert, speaker, or consultant. 5. Build a “fan base” as a musician, artist, actor, author, brand or business. 6. Create visibility for a cause, campaign or social enterprise. 7. Collaborate, share and exchange business information with fellow con-

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see Social Media on page 59

Zizini Safaris, Inc. Zizini Safaris provides the traveller with an unsurpassed and memorable experience of a lifetime in Tanzania. We share with you the beauty of Tanzania; its rich natural resources, warm, friendly people, and a wealth of cultural experiences; offer the opportunity to gain an appreciation of the flora and fauna of these beautiful lands, which will evoke the need to protect and enhance these experiences for today and future generations.

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54 T January 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

We All Have a Testimony... Holly Robinson Peete

Usher Performer, Entrepreneur

Sean Puffy Combs Performer, Entrepreneur

Performer

“Tonight America grew up enough to kick the race obstacle out of our way to progress. I so wish Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman, Barack’s Grandma, my Aunt Sheila, my dad and so many others could be here to witness this transformation towards a more perfect union.” &

“I’m not trying to be dramatic, but I just felt like, Martin Luther King, and I felt the whole civil rights movement, I felt all that energy, and I felt my kids,” he said. “It was all there at one time. It was a joyous moment.” &

“Barack Obama doesn’t represent a color. He represents change. I think this sets us off in the right direction in terms of change of tone. The fact that so many people were encouraged by [his] words … by his message. It was never self-serving, it was always for country. Country first!” &

October 9, 2008

Kim Anthony President, Urban Enterprise Collaborative, Urban Enterprise.org “With Barack Obama in the White House, our work only begins. Now is the time for each of us to come together, in our own communities, in our own towns, to contribute our time, talent, resources and ingenuity in creating a nation that works . . . for everyone.” &

Rosalind Pennington

President, National Black Business Council “Heartfelt congratulations to our new president, Barack Obama! I know in my heart that a change for the better is ahead for all Americans and the world! We should all challenge ourselves and “Dare To Dream the American Dream”! Thank you President Obama for showing us that “If you canconceive it and believe it. You can achieve it!.” &

Malcolm N. Bennett Broker/Owner

Ruth A. Hayles Gen. Manager/Exec. Director

“On behalf of the Minority Apartment Owners Association and International Realty & Investments, two firms that have more than 30 years of experience in all phases of housing, we congratulate Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States. As members of the California and National Association of Realtors, we have worked hard to provide our input to address the housing issues facing our nation. Best wishes to you and your family.” &

Quote of Note... “My job is not to represent Washington to you, but to represent you to Washington.”

Barack H. Obama

55 T January 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

We All Have a Testimony... Curren D. Price, Jr.

California State Assemblyman 1st District

“Congratulations to our 44th President Barack Obama. You campaigned on HOPE. You won on Hope, and now You have given all People the Audacity to Hope for a Better World. You have opened the doors for the world to accept all people without regards to race, color, creed or gender, rich or poor, so that they too can hope for a better future. They believe that all things are possible. I say. LET THE CHANGE BEGIN...” &

Richard Benbow General Manager Community Development Department City of Los Angeles

“President-elect Obama’s urban policy platform includes a comprehensive setof initiatives critical to inner city residents, including affordablehousing, workforce development, education and transportation.” &

David Richardson

Mike Davis

California State Assemblyman 48th District

Obama Campaign Volunteer

“Seeing Barrack Obama be elected president means the work we have put in all our life has finally paid off and I can say now that “I’m proud to be Black and American.” &

“President-elect Barack Obama will be the first African American to be sworn in as President of the United States of America. His work as a member of the Illinois State Senate showed us that he cares about those Denise Loulendo who have been left out and locked Entrepreneur, Copy City out of the process of hope and opportunity in this country. When we reflect on the challenging times of economic uncertainty and the educational, health and business needs this country has before it, the tax credits and limit on spending President-elect Obama will implement are necessary to move our country forward. I believe he will rise to the occasion of executing outstanding lead“I am so proud of Barack Obama. I ership skills. The American Dream feel a great sense of pride and hopewill be something hoped for once fulness. again. I have faith that collectively we When he talks about his vision for can create the kind of achievement all Americans. I want to roll up my which will be the envy of the world. sleeves and begin the work. I love his Obama’s election alone has changed family values and dedication, leading the way America is seen throughout by example. I hope family values are the world. restored to American life.” & I believe Americans can truly have hope that change Sarah Harris is going to come. SAVE THE DATE Media Group, LLC I am proud to be the first legisla“Like millions of mothers and fathers tor in California across our nation, I see the hope and to have endorsed aspirations for a more perfect world Barack Obama through my son’s future. It was an for President of emotional and exhilarating feeling to the UnitedStates be watching with my son on election of America!!!” & night as we witnessed history together.” &

56 T January 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

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57 T January 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

In Memory:

a newsletter in 1984. That newsletter, “Black Perspectives,” evolved a n d changed, not only her life, but many others. In 1989, she founded the Black Business Listings (BBL). Although she had no reserves, she was determined to promote economic development in the African American community. She continued her practice as a full-time psychologist until the demand for BBL allowed her to do so no more. She became a full-time publisher. The next year she began coordinating BlackExpo in Oakland and in 1996 she took over full responsibility for producing the event, after the national, Black Expo USA, removed Oakland from its’ schedule. Howell focused on “raising the bar” and creating a well-produced, multi-faceted, much anticipated event that has something to offer everyone. Since then, Howell made sure that the event offers something for everyone. The event, which drew tens of

thousands every July, including a College Day Program for young people and their parents, a Home Buyers Fair, a Health Fair that aims to reduce the health disparities in the Black community and an Internet Café where young and old can learn more about computer technology and the Iinternet. A variety of vendors, some local and others from throughout the country” were able to connect directly with attendees. Dr. Howell has received numerous awards for her tireless efforts to encourage African American economic development. Most recently, she was awarded the “Community Award” by the 100 Black Men of the Bay Area’s Annual Gala in San Francisco. She was not present to accept the honor. An account has been set up at Alta Alliance Bank for donations in lieu of flowers. For detailed information contact: Adriann McCall, 510-435-0961, adriann.m@sbcglobal.net, or VaShone Huff, 510-2690206, valhuff73@yahoo.com. &

Education Program in 1959. But it was the A.B. Boyd Co. -- a distributor of industrial rubber products, where he started working as a janitor, that gave him a start toward a successful education in the corporate world. Martinez’s eagerness to learn at led him into a salesman post and eventually into management. But his relationship with top management was often rocky and ended in his termination on June 1974. So he started his own company, Able Industrial Products, a month later. Martinez quickly discovered some key differences between being a corporate manager supervising a handful of people and being an entrepreneur responsible

for everyone in his company. Within a decade he had built the firm up to $600,000 in annual gross revenue and in 1990 it brought in $2.2 million. Martinez was elected LBA president in 1984. He was especially proud of the fact that he took the LBA out of the red during the year he served as president the first time. Martinez, who served in both first and second vice president posts, was elected president of the LBA three times. &

Dr. C. Diane Howell 1950-2008

r. C. Diane Howell, publisher of the Black Business Listings (BBL) and producer of the BlackExpo, has died. “She was hospitalized and her condition worsened, “according to an email sent to members of the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce, on behalf of the BBL/Black Expo.” Dr. Howell was a clinical psychologist by training. After graduating from Hyde Park High School in Chicago, she went on to attend Barnard College, Columbia University in New York City where she received her B.A. in Psychology. Determined to go to school and see the world, she then headed for Berkeley, CA where she attended the University of California at Berkeley. She soon became, to her knowledge, the first Black woman to receive a Ph.d. from the Psychology Department at the University, according to BlackEntrepreneur.com. Upon graduation she became licensed as a psychologist and opened a part-time private practice. As a graduate student, she became involved in the Bay Area Association of Black Psychologists, and became the organization’s president in 1983. In order to increase the association’s visibility, she started

In Memory:

Harold H. Martinez 1938-2009

arold Martinez, founder of Able Industrial Products and a leader of the Latin Business Association, was a major force in the Hispanic business community. He achieved hard won success even though he seemed to have all the odds stacked against him - a minority entrepreneur in a corporate world dominated by white males; a high school dropout; and fired from a job he held for more than 20 years. Martinez did get his high school diploma from Lincoln High School’s Adult

58 T January 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

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Social Media

MED Week 2009 from page 53

from page 51

tacts. 8. Do market research on niche ideas or demographics 9. Find and analyze potential partners, investors, and distributors. 10. Build RELATIONSHIPS with potential clients or people who would refer you to new business. As you can see, when technology is leveraged to facilitate and enhance social interaction, a great deal of value can be created. But tread carefully. This savvy audience can be turned off if approached in the wrong way. Learn how to use these new tools properly and they’ll prove to be invaluable in your effort to strengthen existing customer relationships and capture the hearts and minds of new consumers. &

phasizes efficiency; environmentally sensitive products and services; and sustainability in a global marketplace. “Now more than ever given our challenging economic environment, we should salute the diversity and fine accomplishments of America’s small minority businesses. Our Los Angeles region is at the center of this fast growing marketplace of people and ideas. Please join us in this important community celebration,” said Alberto G. Alvarado, Los Angeles SBA District Director. To receive participation and sponsorship information go to the SBA website: www.sba.gov/localresources/district/ ca/la/index.html or contact Aurelio Marquez at (213) 978-0786 or email: aurelio.marquez@lacity.org. &

Kim Anthony is an entrepreneurial coach and consultant who believes that through entrepreneurship, we have the power to create prosperous, self-sustaining communities that work for everyone. For information about mastermind programs, consulting or customizing social media platforms to fit your business model contact Kim at 310-770-7265 or via email at socialmedia@urbanenterprise.org.

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Kirk Appointment from page 50

ment from protecting the environment, food safety, or the health of its citizens; give greater rights to foreign investors than to U.S. investors; require the privatization of our vital public services; or prevent developing country governments from adopting humanitarian licensing policies to improve access to life-saving medications.” This provides a starting place for Kirk’s formulation of a new policy. Among Mr. Kirk’s challenges as U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) will be to obtain modifications to existing agreements to both add improved labor and environmental standards and to remove numerous provisions that conflict with Obama’s priority non-trade policy goals on health care, climate change, energy independence and more. To create the political space needed for Obama to succeed in these areas, aspects of the World Trade Organization agreements must be modified, including provisions covering procurement policy, service-sector regulation (including financial services and health care), food and product safety, access to affordable medicines and more. The unprecedented focus on trade and globalization reform during the recent elections reflects the consolidation of American public opinion that our current trade and globalization model needs a major overhaul. Nearly three-quarters of Americans believe that a “free trade agreement” has had a negative effect on their families. & (See Public Citizen’s report “Presidential Candidates’ Key Proposals on Health Care and Climate Will Require WTO Modifications”).

Wendy’s World from page 38

will be able to depend on is a sister with class will be handling things! Congratulations Ms. Rogers! ▲▲▲ PSP’s upcoming events include…(call 626.791.3847 to find out more about any event listed below) ♦January 9–15, 2009 – King Week 2009 www.sclclosangeles.org

•Jan 9th - Press Conference, City Hall Steps, 10:00am •Jan. 10th – Multi Faith Prayer Breakfast, Holman United Methodist Church, 8:00am •Jan. 12th Town Hall on Women in the Labor Movement, UCLA Downtown Labor Ctr, 6pm •January 13th – SCLC/Business/ Community Mixer, The Townhouse, 6:00pm •January 14th – Town Hall Forum on Failure of Public Education, Bethel AME Church, 6pm •January 15th – 32nd ML King Gala/ LA’s Pre-Inauguration Party, Millennium Biltmore Hotel ♦March 19, 2009 – Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber of Com-

merce (GLAAACC) Economic Gala Dinner, LA Sheraton Downtown www. glaaacc.org ♦May 26–27, 2009 – California Legislative Black Caucus Foundation (CLBCF) Conference, Sheraton Gateway Hotel LAX www.clbcfoundation.org Sincerely,

Wendy Wendy is the founder and president of Personal Services Plus, Inc., an Event Management Company. Visit www.personalservicesplus.com . You can also hear Wendy on Dominique DiPrima’s “KJLH Radio Front Page” Friday Mornings @ 5:00am. A new show “Wendy’s Window” can also be heard Monday, Wednesday & Fridays between 3:00 – 7:00pm on KJLH!

60 T January 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Black Business News International Edition Four issues a year Winter â&#x20AC;˘ Spring Summer â&#x20AC;˘ Fall Call for advertising rates and information. Call to be added to the International Edition mailing list.

323-291-9334 or

e-mail:

FREE!! One Day Mini Boot Camp for Contractors Learn How to Bid & WIN Formal & Informal Contract with Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD)

Wednesday, January 21, 2009 5-9 pm URS Build LACCD Program Management 915 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 810, Los Angeles 90017

Register by e-mail at lmontanez@vedc.org or call 818-907-9922 Covers key business concepts: Labor Compliance; Insurance & Bonding; Contracting & Bidding Process; Certification; Invoicing; Technical Assistance You may attend if you: are a Licensed Contractor with CSLB & in business for at least one (1) year; want to bid on Public Works construction contracts; have a strong interest in partnering with LACCD; want to take your business to the next level. LACCD plans to bid over $100 million over the next 6-9 months

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mail@bbala.org

Entertain! Educate! Earn! Tools for Business Growth...The 3 “E’s” of a Rewarding Business Growth Model by M. C. Townsend, President/CEO, Regional Black Chamber of Commerce, Southern California

pecial Congratulations to President-Elect Barrack Obama. As President/CEO of the Regional Black Chamber of Commerce, Southern California, I have learned during my tenure, that “Great Moments are often born out of great Opportunities”, henceforth utilizing the 3 “e’s” is essential. Entertain... an old adage that many refer to “we as a people can sing and

dance like no other.” Equally noted is Educate… if one chooses to have us, “we as a people” to know something, do not put it in a newspaper, as we don’t read. And lastly, Earn… “we as a people” have in the past often been considered not good wage earners, once again noting...”we as a people” are the highest number on the public assisted pro-

grams. Not withstanding the possible validity of such phrases, I believe all to be far from the truth. Moreover while the validity of such pharses is of little significance, but gravely, more important is for “we as a people” to take full advantage…when opportunities are presented…YES, WE CAN!… the true fact of the matter is, we always COULD! Remember and never forget, time is quite precious. Life is not just the passing of time. Life is a collection of experiences, their frequency, and their intensity. Empower yourself utilizing the the 3” E’s”. Entertain…Entertaining is a core part of accessing resources to your business. Whenever you meet and greet or network, that’s a true form of entertaining. You use whatever craft to empower yourself to interact with other good potential business resources. Educate…Keep educating yourself everyday. Find some kind of material to read daily, gain access to every audible, or visual resource available to you, listen to other prolific people in your surround. Get educated..Stay educated… While a college degree is key, never forget other resources, can be great tools as well, i.e.…social environments, hands-on interactions, and experiences. Mistakes are great tools for educating yourself…educate yourself on how to come correct to the table and not be the food of discussion on the table. Learn & learn so you can EARN & EARN. Lastly, Earn…after careful assimilation of all the vast mediums of entertainment kick in, and all the components of your self-learning from the best educators, turn to the true master …Earning. If it doesn’t make MONEY, it doesn’t make sense. You are in business to make money, to grow, and expand your opportunities of earning revenue. Today society reaps of technology, be on the cutting edge of any and all new beginnings, empower yourself. Craft your source of how to entertain, stay educated, be knowledgeable of your surroundings, as its those around you who will help lift your bottom line. see Entertain! on page 65

62 T January 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Calendar

January 2009… 9th

SCLC King Week 2009 Kick-off & Press Conference For information visit www.sclclosangeles.org or call 626-791-3847.

10th SCLC King Week 2009 Multi-Faith Prayer Breakfast For information visit www.sclclosangeles.org or call 626-791-3847.

13th-16th 12th Annual Rainbow/PUSH Wall Street Project Economic Summit “Fallout From The Bailout” The 2009 summit will be held at the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers, 7th Avenue/53rd Street, New York, New York. Get detailed information and register at www.rainbowpush.org.

13th SCLC King Week 2009 Mixer The 2009 Mixer will begin at 6:00 pm at the Townhouse, 6835 LaTijera. For detailed information call 626-791-3847.

14th SCLC King Week 2009 Town Hall For information visit www.sclclosangeles.org or call 626-791-3847.

15th SCLC King Week 2009 32nd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Dinner Celebration For information visit www.sclclosangeles.org or call 626-791-3847.

17th West Coast Presidential Inaugural Ball “Celebrating Change” Hosted by The Event Planners at The Athenaeum, 551 South Hill Avenue, Pasadena, CA. Reception ~ 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm; Dinner ~ 7:00 pm; Guest Speaker and Spoken Word; Dancing until 11:00 pm; CASH BAR. Attire: Black Tie. Tickets: $100.00 per person (tickets must be purchased in advance). Tickets may be purchased at www.theeventplanners.info. For additional ticket information call 626-429-7567. Martin Luther King, Jr./Black History Celebration & Parade Begis at 10 am in Moreno Valley, CA. To volun-

teer and for details call 951-697-7772.

8th

20th

Awards Luncheon-2009 African American History Month Dr. Carter G. Woodson Scholarship and Awards Luncheon at the Marina Marriott Hotel. For detailed information call Our Authors Study Club at 323-758-4358 or visit www.oasci.org.

Inauguration of the 44th President of the United States of America President-Elect Barack H. Obama will be officially proclaimed President of the United States of America on the steps of the Capitol Building in Washington, DC. Information on the inauguration ceremonies and associated activities may be found at many websites including www. inauguration.dc.gov and www.change.gov. The inauguration ceremony, inauguration address and parade to the White House will be broadcast via television, cable and radio. FAME Business & Credit Management Workshop FAME Assistance Corporation is hosting a FREE Business & Credit Management Workshop sponsored by Citi. Learn how to: ·Grow your business, ·Market your business on a limited budget, ·Increase your sales, ·Finance your business. 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m at FAME Assistance Corporation, 1968 W. Adams Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA. Seating is Limited! Please call (323) 730-7720 to RSVP. FREE Parking at the corner of Western & Adams. Off-street parking is also available. For future classes, visit us on the web at www.FAMEcorporations.org.

28th CBCC Legislative Welcome Reception The annual reception will be held in Sacramento, California. Call the California Black Chamber of Commerce (CBCC) at 916-463-0177.

30th Kick-Off-2009 African American History Month Los Angeles City Hall. For detailed information call Our Authors Study Club at 323-758-4358 or visit www.oasci.org.

February… 7th Black History Bus Tour-2009 African American History Month Departs from Consolidated Realty Board of Southern California. For detailed information call Our Authors Study Club at 323-758-4358 or visit www.oasci.org. Black Business Festival 2009 9 am to 9 pm. Ontario, CA. Take advantage of the “Early Bird” booth price discount of 25%. Call Anthony at 323-291-9334 or sed an e-mail inquiry to globalstars@msn.com for detailed information.

28th

State of the Black Union - 10th Anniversary Free and open to the public. 8:00am-5:00pm (doors open at 6:30 am). Los Angeles Convention Center, South Hall K, Pico & Figueroa, Los Angeles. Register today at www.TavisTalks.com. Program will be broadcast live on C-Span.

March… 14th Oratorical Contest-2009 African American History Month For detailed information call Our Authors Study Club at 323-758-4358 or visit www.oasci.org.

17th-20th US Export Council Trade/ Investment Mission to Dubai and Abu Dhabi The 4th Annual CEO Forum takes place at the Jumeirah Beach Congress Center in Dubai, UAE, March 17th-19th 2009. US businesses that join the mission will receive fully customized, one-on-one appointments with potential buyers, distributors, representatives and business partners in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Visit the website at http://usexportcouncil.com/ forum.html for details. Contact Johnny E. Brown, US Export Council, E-mail: jebrown@ usexportcouncil.com or Bobby Hines, International Trade Specialist, E-mail: bobby. hines@mail.doc.gov, Tel: 213/894-4231.

28th BBA’s Salute to Black Women Conference and Luncheon The annual event will be held at the Omni Hotel, downtown Los Angeles from 8:30 am to 3 pm. Call 323-291-9334 for detailed information. &

For a complete listings of events around Southern California visit

63 T January 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

SAVETHEDATECENTRAL.com

Send your event notice to:

Calendar

at mail@bbala.org.

Obama Helped Stranger 20 Years Ago The Norwegian newspaper VG has reported a truly amazing story about a newly-wed trying to get to Norway to be with her husband, and the stranger who helped pay an unexpected luggage surcharge.The blog ‘Leisha’s Random Thoughts’ has translated the story:

It was 1988, and Mary Andersen was in line at the Miami airport checking in for a long flight to Norway to be with her husband. When it was finally Mary’s turn, she got the message that would crush her bubbling feeling of happiness. “You’ll have to pay a $103.00 surcharge if you want to bring both those suitcases to Norway,” the man behind the counter said. Mary had no money. Her new husband had travelled ahead of her to Norway,and she had no one else to call. “I was completely desperate and tried to think which of my things I could manage without. But I had already made such a careful selection of my most prized possessions,” says Mary. As tears streamed down her face, she heard a ‘gentle and friendly voice’ behind her saying, “That’s okay, I’ll pay for her.” Mary turned around to see a tall man whom she had never seen before. He had a gentle and kind voice that was still firm and decisive. “The first thing I thought was, Who is this man?” Although this happened 20 years ago, Mary still remembers the authority that radiated from the man. He was nicely dressed, with brown leather shoes, a cotton shirt open at the throat and khaki pants, says Mary. She was thrilled to be able to bring both her suitcases to Norway and assured the stranger that he would get his money back. The man wrote his name and address on a piece of paper that he gave to Mary. She thanked him repeatedly. When she finally walked off towards the security checkpoint, he waved goodbye to her. Who was the man? Barack Obama. Twenty years later, she is thrilled that the friendly stranger at the airport may be the next President and has voted for him already and donated $100.00 to his campaign: ”He was my knight in shining armor,”says Mary, smiling. She paid the $103.00 back to Obama the day after she arrived in Norway. At that time he had just finished his job as a poorly paid community worker in Chicago, and had started his law studies at prestigious Harvard University. Mary even convinced her parents to vote for him: In the spring of 2006 Mary’s parents had heard that Obama was considering a run for president, but that he had still not decided. They chose to write a letter in which they told him that he would receive their votes. At the same time, they thanked Obama for helping their daughter 18 years earlier. And Obama replied. In a letter to Mary’s parents dated May 4th 2006 and stamped “United States Senate, Washington, DC’ Barack Obama writes: ‘I want to thank you for the lovely things you wrote about me and for reminding me of what happened at Miami airport. I’m happy I could help back then, and I’m delighted to hear that your daughter is happy in Norway. Please send her my best wishes. Sincerely, Barack Obama, UnitedStates Senator”. The parents sent the letter on to Mary. Mary says that when her friends and associates talk about the election, especially when race relations is the heated subject, she relates the story of the kind man who helped out a stranger-in-need over twenty years ago, years before he had even thought about running for high office. UPDATE: Also, remember this was 1988, when $100.00 was quite a bit ofmoney, compared to today’s value. Truly a wonderful story, and something that needs to be passed along in the maelstorm of fear-and-smear politics we are being subjected to right now. The Ladner Report

64 T January 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Obama in L.A.

clockwise President-elect Barack Obama 1) with Councilman Herb Wesson, 2) campaigning, 3) with Rev. Hunter 4) campaigning photos by Ian Foxx

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