BBA News March 2009 by Black Business News Group

March 2009

In This Issueâ&#x20AC;Ś 5 Cover Story: A Moment of Joy 6 Campaign and Election Reflections 12 Down Market Opportunities 18 Global Women Leaders Recognized 30 Mayor Discusses Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Economic Challenges 31 Small Business Administration

Pres. Obama Has His... You Get Yours! Black Business News

SPECIAL COMMEMORATIVE LIMITED EDITION

Now On Sale! A commemorative limited-edition magazine, unlike any other special tribute issued to recognize the election of Barack H. Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America, has been published by the Black Business Association.

To order your copy, call the BBA office at (323) 291-9334 or email to: mail@bbala.org

Hurry! Buy Your Copy Today - Quantities are limited!

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

Now is the Time to “Tear the Roof Off ”

ealizing the enormous challenges and opportunities that we all face generates arguably the most exciting times in recent history. Whether you are involved in arts and entertainment, sports, finance, industry or environmental concerns, there exists a huge amount of access where everyone willing can make a positive difference. The access doors are becoming more transparent, due in some part to the growth of women taking the helm as captains of industry. The large number of women owning and operating small business concerns, as well as the number of female executives heading public and private corporations, is making a significant impact on how effective open door best practices are being implemented in a wide array of business environs. Never before in the history of our country have women been so visible in making decisions and calling the shots. The workforce itself is predominated by women of all colors. I am excited to celebrate March as Women’s History Month because it drives home the almost tangible reasons for understanding that inclusion is becoming increasingly more real in America. It has been less than nine months since we lost some great business warriors who made a difference in how industry views the twenty-first century woman. Mary Ann Mitchell, founder and chief executive officer of computer consulting firm CC-OPS, positively changed how men view women in technology. Public Relations maven Pat Tobin, founder and president of her namesake firm, positively changed how corporate America now readily ac-

cepts a public relations firm headed by a woman. Dr. C. Diane Howell, publisher of Northern California’s Black Business Listings (BBL), made a highly significant economic impact for smaller black business enterprises by founding and producing the successful Black Expo in Oakland for more than fifteen years. I am looking forward to these “tearing the roof off” type of milestones to reveal some of the most creative business leaders to date. Why? Because these are the very times that call for it, where ready, willing and prepared leaders are in high demand. As reader and supporter, Chuma Okoli, says: “I believe that one of the prime laws of life is the constancy of Change. So when Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States, I knew that finally Change has once again fulfilled its commitment upon us. Following the era of political tyranny, social rot and financial decay of the last eight years, I believe that the days ahead hold for us an era of renewal and regeneration, as Americans and citizens of the world. I believe the days ahead will usher in a chance for us to rediscover ourself as connected to each other with common dreams and expectations. The days ahead would dissipate the oppressive clouds of fear and doubt about our lives, and reveal sunshine of opportunities for us to encounter our potentials to its fullest. The days ahead under the leadership of President Obama, I believe, would launch our self-esteem into the orbit of complete racial liberation,

realizing the fact that our origins are divine and our triumphant destination inevitable. I believe that this change has thrust back the baton of destiny into our hands, and that prosperity will escort us in this race. I thank God for this benevolent change.” You are encouraged to take time to review the special Women’s History Month section in the month’s Black Business News, along with the wealth of other useful information contained in this publication. Also visit our business website (www. bbala.org) for procurement opportunities and business news. On behalf of the BBA’s Board of Directors and its members, I am greatly appreciative for your interest in the growth of African American business.

2009 Events

June •Annual Awards Dinner TBD •Trade Mission to Washington, DC September •Black Busines Day Conference and Luncheon October •Black Busines Day Conference and Luncheon • Call for information •

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323-291-9334

Over 35 years of service Founded 1970

In This Issue… 3 President’s Message

Black Business Association

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

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

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

PRODUCTION MANAGER Narishima Osei

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS T. Fins ▪ R. Gnaizda ▪ C. Collins

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

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

Activist’s stance required for businesses to achieve needed change.

CORPORATE PARTNERS

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

5 Cover Stories: Economic Recovery BBA at PERAB signing

6 California State Budget Bipartisan effort to find solutions, save jobs

7 Stimulus Plan

Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. discusses the Stimulus Plan.

17 Boosting Consumer Credit 8 Women’s History Month Tribute Section •Profiles •White House Council on Women and Girls •Young Entrepreneur •All Female African American Flight Crew

19 Nominate Awardees for BBA Annual Dinner 28 Africa Focus •2010 World Cup tickets now on sale. •Whole Planet Foundation promotes Microloans.

31 Marketing to African Americans 39 Twitter Marketing 43 SBA News

$28 billion in Small Business Credit

51 Calendar

Events around California, the nation, and the world

Over 38 years of service Founded in 1970

Columns

22 - Financial Management

PRESENTS

Salute to Black Women SPECIAL SECTION

CONFERENCE & AWARDS LUNCHEON

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Atty. Caprice Collins

42 - Wendy’s World Wendy Gladney

Cover photo by Walter E. Lamar

Economic Recovery:

BBA at Executive Recovery Advisory Board Initiation and Recovery Initiatives

arl “Skip” Cooper, II, President / CEO of the Black Business Association (BBA), headquartered in Los Angeles, attended the Executive Order Signing Ceremony in the White House establishing the President’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board (PERAB). The signing, by President Barack H. Obama, took place on Friday, February 6, 2009, in the East Room of the White House. Also in attendance representing Southern California was Ms. Rosalind Pennington, President of the National Black Business Council (NBBC) and Mr. Ezekiel Patten, President/Founder, Patten Energy Enterprise. The President made remarks to an audience of small business, women, people of color business owners and labor organizations before signing the Executive Order to create the President’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board. The Advisory Board will provide insight to the President and appropriate staffers as plans are formulated for economic recovery. The new Economic Recovery Advisory Board will be charged with offering independent, nonpartisan information, analysis, and advice to the President as he formulates and implements his plans for economic recovery. The PERAB will provide regular briefings to the President, Vice President and their economic team. The PERAB will be established initially for a two-

year term, after which the President will make a determination on whether to continue its existence based on its continued necessity. Detailed information on PERAB and other programs established by the Obama administration is available on the White House website at www.whitehouse.gov. At this site citizens are also invited to and are able to submit their opinions and comments on the issues facing our nation. A video replay of the announcement and signing ceremony is available at http://www.cspan.org/Watch/watch. aspx?MediaID=HP-A-15203 (or search the CSPAN site using “President’s Economic Recovery”). Information on the Economic Recovery program may be found on www.whiteouse.gov. Also review the information in the boxes on this page. The BBA congratulates President Barack Obama for the decisive actions he is taking to move the nation forward in the area of job creation and long-term economic growth. We encourage our members, other business owners and the community at large to be proactive with President Obama as he works to deliver on his campaign promises and address the

Economic Recovery Websites

he websites shown here have been created to provide Californians with information on the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009. The websites will provide the information on how the funding will be used in California. The State’s website is:

www.recovery.ca.gov The Caltrans website is:

www.dot.ca.gov/Recovery

vital challenges of our nation. For more information on the Black Business Association (BBA) visit www. bbala.org or contact the BBA office at, (323) 291-9334, P.O. Box 43159, Los Angeles, CA 90043.

MBDA Economic Recovery Actions MBDA’s Capital Access Initiative focuses on identifying and implementing innovative financing solutions for minority business enterprises (MBEs) in the current economic and financial environment. As part of this Initiative, MBDA held its first Stakeholders’ Meeting in February 2009 to discuss financing issues impacting minority firms and to identify major areas for public and private sector partners to work jointly to increase the flow of capital to MBEs. The second Stakeholders’ Meeting will be held on March 18, 2009 at the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington, DC 20230. The discussion will focus on accessing TARP Funds, utilizing minority-owned banks, mezzanine financiers and other equity funds that serve the minority-owned firms. The discussions from the meeting will serve as the framework for our upcoming Capital Access Forum scheduled for May 11-12, 2009 in Washington, DC. In addition, MBDA will commission the development of a research study on innovative financing solutions for MBEs. The research study will draw from current research on capital access and use, existing government programs, and new programs that result from private and public sector collaboration. The study is expected to be released at the National Minority Enterprise Development Week Conference in Washington, DC, September 2009.

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California:

Historic Bipartisan Budget Provides Real Solutions, True Systemic Reform and Creates Jobs for Californians

ased off of his “four-legged stool” blueprint, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed an historic budget package to solve California’s $42 billion deficit that takes the necessary steps to reduce spending, bring in new revenue, improve our business climate and create jobs, and make government more efficient. Additionally, the Governor today used his line item veto authority to achieve nearly $1 billion more in General Fund (GF) savings for the state. The bipartisan budget package signed today includes meaningful and lasting reforms for California that will strengthen our rainy-day fund, open up primary elections and eliminate legislative pay raises during deficit years. “We have achieved a great victory for California today. By staying focused on what was best for the people of our state and not the special interests, we were able to come together and solve our $42 billion deficit and also find meaningful and lasting solutions to our broken budget system,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “During a down economy and facing an historic budget deficit we had to make some very difficult decisions, but I am very proud that California is back on the best path forward. We will continue to work with our most important partners - the people of our great state - to ensure we never again face the kind of catastrophic budget scenario we experienced this year.” On top of the $14.9 billion in spending reductions in the budget, the Governor used his line item veto power to save the state an additional $957 million from the 2009-10 budget GF. This includes: at least a 10 percent reduction to most of the Constitutional Offices; replacing GF appropriations with federal funds we otherwise would not receive for higher education; and, finding additional savings within the California Department of Corrections and

Rehabilitation (CDCR). The reduction from most Constitutional Officers’ budgets will achieve $47 million in savings. This reflects equity among all executive branch agencies for the state employee compensation reductions within the budget through furloughs, elimination of positions, overtime reform and reducing paid state holidays. The Constitutional Officers will have the flexibility to implement the savings within their own offices. Higher education will receive federal funding to replace GFs in the amount of $255 million each to the University of California and California State University systems. Additional savings of $400 million will come from CDCR through continued reforms and other cost saving measures that will not jeopardize public safety. The budget includes temporary revenue increases totaling $12.5 billion through a one cent increase in the state sales tax, an increase in the vehicle license fee to one percent and an increase in the personal income tax that federal stimulus funding will likely help offset. The vehicle license fee will also include an additional ongoing 0.15 percent increase that will be dedicated to local law enforcement programs. Additionally, the state will bring in revenue through modernizing the state Lottery and bringing in $5 billion in 2009-10 that will offset the need for additional tax increases or program cuts. With the budget asking Californians to pay more in taxes and also reducing their services, the Governor fought hard to include needed economic stimulus to help create jobs and boost our economy. It includes incentives and gives a competitive edge to companies that are creating jobs for Californians and to encourage companies to expand in and relocate to California. Also, a “new hire” tax incentive will target small businesses that create new California jobs in the coming two years – when

we need them most. The package also provides for more public-private partnerships and design build authority to create more jobs and build projects quicker and more cost-effectively for the taxpayer. As well as, incentives to lure television and movie production back to California. Governor Schwarzenegger was also successful in his push to make government more efficient at a time when California families and businesses are doing the same. The budget includes flexibility for categorical education funding allow local schools and districts to use it as they see best fit to serve children and keep more money in the classroom. And the state will move forward this year to reorganize its IT functions to save an estimated $1.5 billion over the first five years and creates a new streamlined, cabinet-level office for the state’s energy-related functions helping California focus on energy stability and eliminating redundancy. In addition to this, Governor Schwarzenegger delivered on one of his very first campaign promises and was able to secure long-lasting reforms for California through this budget. In this budget the rainy-day fund, or the budget stabilization account, will be increased and reformed making budget spending more predictable and stable. Additionally, through this package, Californians will have the opportunity to enact true reforms for our state including open primaries to provide more moderate candidates and eliminating pay raises for elected officials when California is spending more money than it is taking in. The Governor has been fighting for these kinds of systemic reforms since before he was elected. Finally, these meaningful structural changes to put California back on track will go before voters – and the Governor intends to form a partnership with the people to pass these ballot initiatives.

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Economy:

The No Nothings at the Stimulus Plan by Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., Rainbow/PUSH Coalition

he President has signed the historic recovery bill – pumping $787 billion into the economy in an effort to create 3.5 million jobs. With unemployment spreading, home foreclosures rising, poverty spreading, it will come none too soon. Meanwhile Republicans in the Congress are declaring that they are “back.” They believe that by spurning Obama’s invitation for bipartisan cooperation, and refusing to support the bill, they’ve recovered their identity. What would they do? They claimed that the bill was too big, and that it had too few tax cuts for upper income Americans. Their Senate leader supported a plan introduced by Senator DeMint that was half the size of Obama’s plan, all tax cuts, and featured making the Bush tax cuts permanent two years from now. And they railed at the government spending. “It’s not a stimulus bill. It’s a spending bill,’’ said Senator John McCain, apparently unaware that the whole idea of a stimulus is to spend money to put people to work. “In the history of mankind,” no “federal, state or local” government has ever “created one job,” claimed newly anointed Republican Party leader Michael Steele, who apparently has never served in the military. In the end, the recovery plan passed

with not one Republican vote in the House and only three in the Senate. And those votes had to be won by making the plan smaller – cutting some of the vital relief to states and localities to limit layoffs of police and teachers – and adding more tax cuts, including the fix of the Alternative Minimum Tax which every sensible economist warned would provide far fewer jobs for the dollar than direct spending. But Republicans celebrated their defeat because they believe they’ve put

a marker down for the future. After celebrating George Bush who doubled the national debt with irresponsible top end tax cuts, a costly and unfunded war abroad and wasteful spending at home, Republicans have decided suddenly to become the party of small government and balanced budgets again. Problem is that this position doesn’t make sense at the moment the country faces the worst economic downturn

since the Great Depression. And it won’t make sense in the future either. The fact is that this country has basic needs that must be attended to long term. We need to build a public social contract – starting with affordable health care for all – to replace the private promises now shredded by the corporations. We need to invest in the world class education system – from pre-Kindergarten to affordable college – if we want to be a high wage society in a global economy. We need to build a 21st century infrastructure – from mass transit to fast broadband, new water systems and electronic grids – if we want an efficient economy for business to thrive. All that costs money. All has been starved over the last decades when conservatives argued that tax cuts for the wealthy would create a more prosperous society than critical public investment. Now that the wizards of Wall Street have gambled away some $8 trillion betting that housing prices would never fall, we’ve learned that private speculation can waste a lot more money than government does. It’s going to take more than this one bill to get the economy going. The administration now must deal with the housing crisis, and with reorganizing the banking sector. And it will most likely have to come back for another stimulus bill next year, for this one is probably too small to lift us out of the hole we are in.

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see No Nothings page 25

Women’s History Month Profiles:

Black Women In Leadership Hatshepsut (Maatkare)

Pharaoh of Kemet (Ancient Egypt, Eighteenth Dynasty (1472-1458 BCE) idow of Thutmosis II, Hatshepsut ruled first as regent for his minor son and heir, and then as Pharaoh, a female Horus. Her titles include “King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Maatkare, Daughter of Re.” She is depicted in a fake beard and with the objects that a Pharaoh is usually depicted with, and in male attire, after a few years of ruling in female form. She reported herself heading up a military campaign and going on a journey to the Land of Punt. She disappears suddenly from history, and her son apparently ordered the destruction of images of Hatshepsut and mentions of her rule.

tactics she employed for resisting the technologically superior Portugese army. She was a brilliant strategist and, although past sixty, led her warriors herself never surrenduring. Her death accelerated the Portugese occupation of the interior of South West Africa, fueled by the massive expansion of the Portugese slave trade.

Harriet Tubman (1820-1913)

n 1844, Araminta Harriet Greene married John Tubman, who was a free man. She escaped slavery in 1849 and traveled north. Following her escape she devoted her life to fighting slavery, helping slaves and ex-slaves, and championing the rights of women. Over the course of 10 years, and at great personal risk, she led over 300 hundred slaves to freedom along the Underground Railroad, a secret network of safe houses where runaway slaves could stay on their journey north to freedom. Harriet became known as the “Moses of her people.” She later be-

Queen Nzinga (1583-1663)

n the sixteenth century, the Portugese shifted their slave-trading activities to the Congo and South West Africa. Here, the Portugese encountered the brilliant and courageous Queen Nzinga, who was determined never to accept the Portugese conquest of her country, was an exceptional stateswoman and military strategist, she harassed the Portugese until her death, at age eighty, December 17, 1663. She is renowned for the guerilla

2005) hirley Chisholm, the first AfricanAmerican woman elected to the U.S. Congress and the first to campaign for the presidency, was a passionate and effective advocate for the needs of minorities, women and children and has changed the nation’s perception

came a leader in the abolitionist movement, and during the Civil War she was a nurse, scout, and a spy for the federal forces in South Carolina. After the war, she lived in Auburn, New York, where she founded the Harriet Tubman Home for Aged Negroes and worked for the voting rights of blacks. She died March 10, 1913 in New York.

Shirley Chisholm (1924-

about the capabilities of women and African-Americans. A New York City educator and child care manager, Chisholm saw the problems of the poor every day, and in the 1950s this led her to run for and win a seat in the New York State Legislature. In 1968 she was elected to Congress from the new 12th District. There she supported improved employment and education programs, expansion of day care, income support and other programs to improve inner city life and opportunity. She advocated for the end of the military draft and reduced defense spending. In 1970 she published her first book, Unbossed and Unbought. She served in Congress until 1982 and in 1972 entered several Democratic presidential primaries, receiving 151 delegate votes for the presidential nomination. Her second book, The Good Fight, was published in 1973.

Barbara Jordan (1936-1996)

arbara Jordan was the first Black woman to serve in the U.S. Congress from the South. Throughout her school days she was an honor student

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Black Women In Leadership this office. Jean fled Haiti with her family from Dictator François Duvalier’s regime in 1968. The Jean family settled at Thetford Mines, Quebec. As a student at the

from Black Women page 9

and excelled in debating. She earned degrees in Political Science and History from Texas Southern and in Law from Boston University. She initiated her political service in 1962 and was elected a State Senator in 1967 becoming the first Black woman in the Texas Legislature and the first Black to serve since 1883. She ran for and was elected to Congress in 1972. Both as a state senator and as a U.S. Congressman, she sponsored bills that championed the cause of poor, Black, and disadvantaged people including sponsoring legislation to broaden the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to extend its authority to those states where minorities had been denied the right to vote or had had their rights restricted by unfair registration practices, such as literacy tests. Ms. Jordan was chosen as a keynote speaker for the Democratic National Convention in 1976, and again in 1992. She was the first Black selected to keynote a major political convention.

Michaëlle Jean

er Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean is the 27th and current Governor General of Canada, appointed by Queen Elizabeth II in September 2005. She is Canada’s first Black Governor General. The Governor General of Canada is the vice-regal representative in Canada of the Queen of Canada (Queen Elizabeth II), who is the head of state, and governs in the name of and as representative of the monarch. There is no specific term for

University of Montreal, Jean received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Italian and Hispanic languages and literature and, from 1984 until 1986, taught Italian studies while completing a Master of Arts degree in comparative literature. Jean attended the University of Florence, the University of Perugia, and the Catholic University of Milan to continue her studies in language and literature. Besides French and English, Jean is fluent in Spanish, Italian, and Haitian Creole and can read Portuguese. The Governor General, who has chosen to make youth one of the focuses of her mandate, spoke with close to 300 university students, senators, federal ministers and community leaders in the first-ever student forum on the abolition of slavery and anti-racism held by a Canadian governor general. www.gg.ca/gg.

Amina Salum Ali

er Excellency Madam Amina Salum Ali is the first female Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, African Union Mission to the United States. Prior to her appointment, Amina Salum Ali was one of the long serving cabinet ministers in Zanzibar (United Republic of Tanzania) and served as deputy minister for finance in the URT government. Ambassador Ali is known for her academic and political attributes. She holds an MBA in Marketing from the University of Pune, India; a BA in Economics from the University of New Delhi, India; a Diploma in Financial Management from the Indian Institute of Finance Management in Pune, India; and a Diploma in Market Research and Export Promotion from Prodec Program, University of Finland. She has served in government and leadership positions for many years. As the spokesperson of the African Union in the USA, Ms. Ali represents over 900 million people in more than 53 independent nations and other territories; land area of 30.4 million square kilometers, which is more than three times the size of the United States; and a richly endowed continent with mineral reserves and ranks first or second in quantity of world reserves of bauxite, cobalt, industrial diamond, phosphate rock, platinum-group metals (PGM), vermiculite, and zirconium.

Susan E. Rice

he Honorable Susan Rice is the United States Ambassador to the United Nations and a member of the Cabinet of President Barack H. Obama. Rice was born in Washington, DC. She was a three-sport athlete, student council president, and valedictorian at National Cathedral School in Washington, DC. Rice attended Stanford University, where she received a Truman Scholarship, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history in 1986. She was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. Awarded a Rhodes Scholarship, Rice attended New College, Oxford, where she earned a Masters in Philosophy in 1988 and Doctor of Philosophy in 1990.

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see Black Women page 14

President Obama Creates the White House Council on Women and Girls

resident Barack Obama has signed an Executive Order creating the White House Council on Women and Girls. The mission of the Council will be to provide a coordinated federal response to the challenges confronted by women and girls and to ensure that all Cabinet and Cabinet-level agencies consider how their policies and programs impact women and families. The Council will be chaired by Valerie Jarrett, Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor, and will include as members cabinet-level federal agencies. The Executive Director of the Council will be Tina Tchen, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Public Liaison at the White House. “The purpose of this Council is to ensure that American women and girls are treated fairly in all matters of public policy,” said President Obama. “My Administration has already made important progress toward that goal. I am proud that the

first bill I signed into law was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act. But I want to be clear that issues like equal pay, family leave, child care and others are not just women’s issues, they are family issues and economic issues. Our progress in these areas is an important measure of whether we are truly fulfilling the promise of our democracy for all our people. I am confident that Valerie Jarrett and Tina Tchen will guide the Council wisely as its members address these important issues.” The White House Council on Women and Girls will ensure that agencies across the federal government, not just a few offices, take into account the particular needs and concerns of women and girls. The Council will begin its work by asking each agency to analyze their current status and ensure that they are focused internally and externally on women. In particular, the Council will work

to enhance, support and coordinate the efforts of existing programs for women and girls. The Council will also work as a resource for each agency and the White House so that there is a comprehensive approach to the federal government’s policy on women and girls. The priorities will be carried out by working closely with the President’s Cabinet Secretaries and relevant agency offices that focus on women and families. During its first year, the Council will also focus on the following areas: • Improving women’s economic security by ensuring that each of the agencies is working to directly improve the economic status of women. • Working with each agency to ensure that the administration evaluates and develops policies that establish a balance between work and family. • Working hand-in-hand with the Vice President, the Justice Department’s Office of Violence Against Women and other government officials to find new ways to prevent violence against women, at home and abroad. • Finally, the critical work of the Council will be to help build healthy families and improve women’s health care. The White House Council on Women and Girls will meet regularly, and will serve as a forum for all involved agencies to focus on women. Initial members of the Council insee Women & Girls page 12

First Lady Michelle Obama joins in the applause at the Executive Order signing ceremony in the East Room of the White House, creating the White House Council on Women and Girls. White House Photo/Pete Souza

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White House Council Young Woman Entrepreneur Tackles from Women & Girls page 11

clude: The Secretary of State; The Secretary of the Treasury; The Secretary of Defense; The Attorney General; The Secretary of Interior; The Secretary of Agriculture; The Secretary of Commerce; The Secretary of Labor; The Secretary of Health and Human Services; The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; The Secretary of Transportation; The Secretary of Energy; The Secretary of Education; The Secretary of Veterans Affairs; The Secretary of Homeland Security; The United States Ambassador to the United Nations; The United States Trade Representative; The Director of the Office of Management and Budget; The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; The Administrator of the Small Business Administration; The Director of the Office of Personnel Management; The Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors; The Director of the National Economic Council; and The Director of the Domestic Policy Council. In addition to the initial list of members, the President may designate additional heads of other Executive Branch departments, agencies, and offices. Follow the actions of the White House Council on Women and Girls at the White House website www. whitehouse.gov

Bookstore Retailing

Aprilia Morales invites you to visit Malik’s Books in the African Marketplace on the second level of the Baldwin Hills-Crenshaw Mall, Crenshaw and King Blvd., in Los Angeles. Open seven days a week to meet your personal, business and gifting needs. See the store ad on page 37.

esearch has shown that women business owners think a little differently, and that is definitely the case with Aprilia Morales, co-owner with her husband Malik of Malik’s Books. Morales, a Los Angeles-area native, got involved with the 17-year-old Baldwin Hills/ Crenshaw Plaza book store three years ago, and it has not been the same since. One of the key differences the entrepreneur has made to the bookseller is to bolster its children’s book section. “We have the largest African American kid’s section in Los Angeles. We have more than 1,000 book (titles),” claims Morales, crediting her husband with teaching her about the business of books. “I wanted to empower kids reading,” said the entrepreneur, who noted that the majority of the books featured in the children’s collection are written by local authors like Brenda Roberts, a professor at Cal State University Northridge. In addition to carrying a large selection of children’s books, Morales said she takes the book store to local schools once a month. During these events, youngsters have an opportunity to meet some of the authors as well as hear and learn poetry. And for those who want a little more, Morales has instituted monthly writing workshops at the store that give youth ages 7 to 14 the chance to develop their skills.

“They come in and read a Chapter or two out of the chosen book for the month, then they have to write a short story to be critique, and we do this all in an hour. We critique out loud so that everyone can understand what has to be corrected,” explained Morales, who pulled the idea for the writing workshops from her own childhood. “I did this, when I was young, and it helped me a great deal. So this was my opportunity to implement it in the bookstore,” said Morales, who has never been a teacher, but has always given away books instead of toys as gifts to children. In addition to feeding her passion to help young people fulfill their potential, focusing on children has been a good move for the bottom line at Malik’s Books. Ultimately, Morales wants to expand the book section at Malik’s, which will in turn allow more writing workshops and tutoring session to be held. It will also satisfy her passion to help young people fulfill their creative potential. By Thia Fins

Malikbooks African Marketplace Second Level Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw Mall Los Angeles Visit our On-line Books Tour @ www.Autographbooks.com

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First All Female African-American Flight Crew

frican-American women continue to demonstrate professionalism, intelligence and unlimited potential as they contribute to our overall struggle for unlimited freedom, access and opportunity in America . The women on Flights 5202 and 5106 (a jet owned by Atlantic Southeast> Airlines) have proven that African-American women can do anything if just given a fair opportunity. They made history on Thursday, February 12, 2009 as the first all African American female crew. The team operated flight 5202 from Atlanta to Nashville and flight 5106 from Nashville back to Atlanta. The crew included Captain Rachelle Jones (2nd on right), First Officer Stephanie Grant (1st on left), Flight Attendantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Robin Rogers and Diana Galloway.

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Black Women In Leadership from Black Women page 10

Her career posts include the National Security Council, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs. Dr. Rice is the second youngest and first African American woman US Representative to the UN.

Barbara Lee

ongresswoman Barbara Lee was first elected to represent California’s 9th Congressional District in 1998. A member of the House Appropriations Committee, Congresswoman Lee also serves on the Foreign Affairs Committee on the subcommittees on Western Hemisphere and Africa and Global Health. Congresswoman Lee was sworn in as the Chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) on January 6, 2009. The 42-member CBC is one of the longest standing caucuses in Congress. Her accomplishments include promoting effective, bipartisan legislation to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS and bringing treatment to the infected; authoring or co-authoring every major piece of legislation dealing with global AIDS issues since she was elected to Congress, including legislation that created the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, and the position of Special Advisor for Orphans and Vulnerable Children, and she is a co-author of legislation recently enacted that re-authorizes PEPFAR and US global tuberculosis and malaria programs at a cost of $48 billion over 5 years; recognition in 2005 by the House of the goals of National Black AIDS Awareness Day; and passage of legislation she authorized to allow divestment from companies doing business in Sudan.

Karen Bass

he Honorable Karen Bass is the first African American women to be elected Speaker of the Assembly for the California State Assembly and is the first African American woman in the country to serve in this powerful state legislative role. Ms Bass represents the 47th district in California. She has been a State Assembly Member since 2005. During her first term she was appointed to Majority Whip. In her second term, she was appointed Majority Floor Leader, making her the first woman and the second African American to serve in the position. As the chair of the California Assembly Select Committee on Foster Care, she lead the effort to secure more than $82 million and to implement a host of new laws to help improve the state’s Foster Care System. She has created state laws providing Healthy Families Insurance Coverage to help prevent children from going without health insurance; establishing a small business policy that removes red tape by preventing businesses from filling out duplicate certification forms for the city and state; and providing more than $600 million for Los Angeles Unified School District. Bass created the People’s Council in order for constituents in the 47th Assembly District to get involved in the political process. Before her political career, she founded and ran Community Coalition, a community based social justice organization in South Los Angeles to empower residents to get involved in making a difference. Today, the organization is considered a model to engage the community throughout the country.

The State of Black Women as Entrepreneurs

hange is the theme for 2009, and nowhere is the evidence of change more visible than when you consider women. For years people like Fannie Lou Hamer, Shirley Chisolm, Barbara Jordan, Patricia Harris, Oprah Winfrey and Janice Bryant Howroyd have blazed trails of change in Linda Johnson Rice America. Chairman/CEO, Johnson As we celPublishing Company ebrate women’s history month in March 2009, it is a quite appropriate time to take a look at the state of women as entrepreneurs. According to the most recent Census numbers, there are 6.5 million femaleowned companies, which represents about 28 percent of America’s non-farm businesses. These enterprises employ more than seven million people. There are also 7,231 women-owned businesses with 100 or more employees and these firms generate $274 billion in gross receipts. California can lay claim to having the most women-owned companies within its borders at 870,496 or 13 percent New York is second with 505,077 or 8 percent of all businesses, and Texas is third in number of businesses with 468,705, accounting for 7 percent of all businesses. Minority women owned a larger percentage of businesses compared to non-Hispanic white women, and at 46 percent (of Black firms), African American women controlled the biggest share of companies.

14 T March 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

By Thia Fins

First Lady of the United States of America Michelle L. R. Obama

Financial Program to Boost Consumer Credit Launched

he Federal Reserve has rolled out a much-awaited $200 billion program to spur lending for cars, credit cards, education and small businesses. The program has the potential to generate up to $1 trillion of lending for businesses and households starved for credit, which is the lifeblood of the economy. “We should see immediate benefits” from the program, said Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. The Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility (TALF) was first announced late last year and originally scheduled to start in February. Under the program, the Federal Reserve will buy securities backed by different types of debt including credit card, auto, student and small business loans. The credit crunch — the worst since the 1930s — has made it much more difficult for people to obtain such financing, and those who do can be

socked with high rates. Participants — companies and investors that pledge eligible collateral to back the loan — must request the new government loans by March 17. The Federal Reserve will provide a first round of three-year loans on March 25. “The TALF is designed to catalyze the securitization markets by providing financing to investors to support their purchases of certain AAA-rated asset-backed securities,” the Federal Reserve and Treasury Department said in a joint statement. “The TALF will assist lenders in meeting the borrowing needs of consumers and small businesses, helping to stimulate the broader economy.” The Federal Reserve plans to keep the program running through December but said it could be extended. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner

announced an expansion of the Fed’s program on Feb. 10, saying it also will include support for commercial mortgage-backed securities. The central bank said teams from Treasury and the Fed are analyzing the right terms for the commercial real-estate component. The Fed and Treasury currently anticipate that securities backed by car fleet leases as well as certain equipment — including for heavy construction and for agriculture — will be eligible for Fed funding in its April operation. Participants in the second round of funding must request the government loans by April 7, which the Fed will disburse on April 14. The program, the Fed said, will remain focused on securities that will have the greatest impact to aid the troubled economy and shaky financial markets and that can be added at a low risk to the government. Prior to the financial crisis, banks relied heavily on packaging loans into securities and selling them to fund ad-

17 T March 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

see Consumer Credit page 26

California:

57 Projects Expected to Create Over 11,000 New Jobs in California

overnor Arnold Schwarzenegger has announced the 57 projects that are first in line to receive infrastructure-focused federal economic stimulus funding in California. Totaling $625 million in funding, these 57 projects were voted on and announced by the California Transportation Commission. The West Merced Overhead Project is expected to help boost the local economy and create over 800 jobs – while the 57 projects are expected to create over 11,000 new jobs throughout California. “When President Obama made infrastructure projects a priority, we immediately took action – and are working around the clock to pump this money into our economy to create jobs as quickly and efficiently as possible,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “President Obama was absolutely right to invest federal economic stimulus funding in our nation’s ailing infrastructure – and I made sure California was prepared to jump on this opportunity because we

Our Economic Recovery Plan Do Business with

BBA Advertisers & Member Businesses

know first-hand it’s an effective way to provide a shot to the arm for our economy and put thousands of Californians back to work.” Nearly $565 million of this funding is targeted for projects in the State Highway Operations and Protection Program (SHOPP), including work on rural and urban highways for bridge preservation and roadway safety. These projects are first in line to receive infrastructure-focused federal economic stimulus funding because protecting public safety is the highest priority and preserving the state’s investment in its highway system is highly cost-effective. The remaining $60 million of funding will go towards pavement preservation projects. The scope of work for the West Merced Overhead Project on State Route 99 includes replacement of the West Merced overhead structures to correct structural deficiencies and bring the sight distance up to standard. This

project will also provide vertical and horizontal clearances required by the railroad to these structures. Also included in the project, the Bear Creek bridges located on State Route 99 will be seismically retrofitted. Overall, estimates show California is expected to receive approximately $2.57 billion for highways, local streets and roads, freight and passenger rail, and port infrastructure projects from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) signed by President Obama on February 17. Prior to the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (AARA), the Governor aggressively pushed for infrastructure investment’s inclusion in the federal economic stimulus package and worked to ensure the Obama Administration had a clear picture of the magnitude of infrastructure investment that could be made in California to immediately create jobs. To view the California Transportation Commission’s announcement and list of 57 projects first in line to receive infrastructure-focused federal economic stimulus funding please visit the commission website at: http:// www.caltrans.ca.gov/hq/paffairs/news/ pressrel/09pr3.htm.

The Greenlining Institute’s 16th Annual Economic Summit “Coping With Crisis | Advancing Change” Friday, April 3, 2009 8:30 am - 9:30 pm Our Lady of the Angels Center at Cathedral Plaza 555 West Temple Street, Los Angeles (Downtown) JK Join corporate leaders, economic development practitioners, civil rights activists, health advocates, philanthropists, students, academics, elected officials, and more for this exciting and informative event. JK • Special presentation honoring the legacy of Greenlining founders John C. Gamboa and Bob Gnaizda • Acknowledge the beginning of a new era for Greenlining with Orson L. Aguilar, new Executive Director. • Applaud The Greenlining “Big Brain” Award presention to Earl “Skip” Cooper, President/CEO, Black Business Association. JK Confirmed speakers include: Richard Davis, CEO, US Bank Randall Stephenson, CEO, AT&T Senator Alex Padilla Paul H. Turner, West Angeles Community Development Corporation JK

Membership:

Nominations Are Open - You Name the Winners at the Annual BBA Awards Dinner?

t’s that time of year for Black Business Association (BBA) regular financial members to nominate candidates for the BBA Annual Awards Dinner. Time to assess your business experi-

Demonstrate effective growth in supply chain management for black enterprises •Black Business of the Year BBA member business that exhibits

35th Annual Black Business Association Awards Dinner • June, 2009 ence and give your vote to those corporations, agencies and individuals who served you and/or the community well in 2008. As the access to opportunity has evolved for African American business over these last few years, the categories in which corporations, government agencies and corporate representatives can excell have increased. The categories for 2008 include: •Government Agency Award Agency most responsive in promoting BBA and Black economic development •Majority Corporation Award Contributions to and support of the BBA, the Black business community and demonstrating a high level of responsiveness to Black business enterprise •Community Service Award Support of and contributions to the African American community by community based organizations •Purchasing Agent Award Exceptional support in the purchase of goods and services from members of the BBA •Small Business Lender Award Effective lending of capital to blackowned enterprises enabling expansion, retention, and attraction of firms. •Government Prime Contractor Award Prime contractor most responsive in promoting the BBA and SBA African American 8(A) contractors •Advocate for Inclusion

exceptional business growth while being responsive to community service

needs •Supplier Diversity Award Public or private sector entity that has demonstrated a proven supplier diversity program in the best interest of Arican American entrepreneurs •Corporate Service Award Public or private entitiy support of and contributions to the African American ommunity •Special Recognition Award Corporations or individuals whose contributions and support of the BBA and Black Business community does not fit any of the above categories. The Nomination Ballot is on the BBA website - www.bbala.org. Your nomination must be received in the BBA office by March 31st. Call 323-291-9334 for detailed information.

Down Home Pot Roast Seafood Gumbo Chicken/Chicken Sausage Gumbo Smokey's Rice & Beans www.smokeyrobinsonfoods.com • weloveourcustomers@sfglfoods.com

19 T March 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

20 T March 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Technology:

Take a Look! by LaSandra Stratton Check out what these firms and organizations have to offer for your personal interests, personal wealth building, and business expansion opportunities.

www.recovery.gov Recovery.gov lets you, the taxpayer, figure out where the money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is going. There will be different ways to search for information. When the money is distributed by Federal agencies you’ll be able to see where it’s going -- to which states, to which congressional districts, even to which Federal contractors.

www.WUSA9.com The US Census Bureau is hiring Census Takers in preparation for the 2010 census. Full- and part-time positions are available. Visit the website for details and to download the application and test forms. Salary is $18.00 an hour.

www.africa-asia-confidential. com

and

Comedy Night

Join the Fun! Share the Laughs! Quote of Note... “Civil Rights opened the windows. When you open the windows, it does not mean that everybody will get through. There are people of my generation who didn’t get through. We must creat our own opportunities.”

Dr. Mary Frances Berry

Support the BBA

Africa-Asia Confidential was founded in response to the growing political and economic relations between Africa and Asia and by the need to understand the implications for Africa. It aims to get behind the headlines to analyse the real significance of events, policies and bilateral relations between the two continents.

www.teachthepeople.com

Teach the People is a Facebook application that provides a platform for online education. Each instructor can upload documents, media, and online webcasts. The platform supports an integrated payment system that allows instructors to charge for their online lessons. Submitted by LaSandra Stratton

21 T March 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Financial Management:

Your Team is on Your Side by Attorney Caprice L. Collins

state Planning is like a team sport. In these turbulent economic times, sometimes it may seem like you are going it all alone. However, you’ll find that bringing together a team of qualified professionals will bring you peace of mind as you work towards your goals. Before doing anything else, you must first select the members of your team to help you achieve your goals. This team consists of the following professionals, depending on your goals: •A Qualified Estate Planning Attorney. An estate planning attorney who focuses their practice in the area of estate planning is critical to helping guide you through the intricacies of the area. Whether you are just starting out in life or you are in your golden years, an estate planning attorney can help you make sure your assets are left to your heirs in the manner you desire. •A Financial Planner. A good financial planner is important to make sure you are on track to achieve your retirement and other financial goals. •An Accountant. A good accountant can help you navigate income tax issues and, if you have a business, can make sure the business adheres to accounting standards. •An Insurance Agent. An insurance agent can help you select the right coverage for your needs to shift risks you cannot afford to bear yourself. Life insurance can be particularly useful in estate planning.

Your estate planning attorney can work with you to identify your goals. Once you have identified those goals, your estate planning attorney, working with the rest of your team, can build a game plan to get you to the finish line. The hardest part is defeating inertia and picking up the phone. Once you take the first step, your estate planning attorney will help guide you through the

process and may be able to make recommendations on selecting the rest of your team, if you haven’t yet done so. Now is a great time to get started. The combination of low asset values and low interest rates makes for unprecedented opportunities in your estate planning. Your team is waiting for you to call the first play.

Attorney Caprice L. Collins is a member of the BBA, a Harvard Law School graduate, a member of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys and has been engaged in the practice of law for the last 29 years. For more information or to attend an upcoming seminar, call (310) 677-9787 ext. 5 or visit the firm website at www. collinslawgroup.com.

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BBA

Order Your Copy Today by calling 614-481-7300 or visit the product website at www.whoswhopublishhing.com.

22 T March 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Has the Market Crash Ruined Your Estate Plan? If Your Portfolio Took A Pounding in 2008, Your Estate Plan Probably Needs Some Attention. Join us at this FREE Trust Review Seminar as we discuss… x How to leave your spouse with enough assets to live on comfortably. x Beneficiary designations filed years ago with banks that have since gone through mergers are simply lost. Are your beneficiary designations in order? x How to cover your family’s financial obligations after your death. x How to provide “Remarriage Protection” to safeguard assets for your children from outsiders. x Have there been changes in YOU!

Seating is Limited – Make Your Reservation Today!

SATURDAY, MARCH 21ST, 2009 Seminars at the 10:30will AMbe–presented 12:30 PM

W e s t c h e s t e r - L o y o l a L i bLIBRARY rary WESTCHESTER-LOYOLA 7114 Avenue, 7114W. W.Manchester Manchester Avenue Los Angeles, Angeles, CA CA 90045 90045 Los Refreshments will beBe served! (Light Refreshments Will Served)

Caprice L. Collins is a top rated Harvard Law School trained attorney, fellow alumni with President Barack Obama and a noted speaker on Living Trusts and Estate Planning. Ms. Collins’ law practice is devoted exclusively to estate/business planning and Trust Administration. She is the only South Bay member of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, a distinguished organization of attorneys recognized by Money Magazine and Suze Orman as a first choice for Estate Planning legal services. Her seminars are said to be “entertaining and easy-to-understand.”

Attend and Receive a Free One Hour Trust Review ($350 Value)

Call 310-677-9787 ext. 5 for information or go to www.collinslawgroup.com

No Nothings from No Nothings page 25

Once the economy does recover, we’ll face a fundamental debate about the next economy. We can’t go back to the old version that was built on

bubbles and speculation and blew up in our faces. We’ve got to lay the basis of long term growth and shared prosperity. And that will require a broader and sustained public commitment, with progressive taxes to pay for it. Republicans have not caught up with this reality. They keep selling the same old song -- scorn for government and hosannas for lower taxes. Worse, they’ve imposed a herd mentality on their leaders so none dare stray far enough to think on their own. Republicans have put down a marker all right. One that shows they remain oblivious to the crisis we face and the long term choices we must make.

White House Task Force on Middle Class Working Families

his Task Force is targeted at raising the living standards of middle-class, working families in America. It is comprised of top-level administration policy makers, will hold regular meetings, and conduct outreach sessions with representatives of labor, business, and the advocacy communities. Vice President Joe Biden, Task Force Chair, has opened www.AStrongMiddleClass. gov to receive your questions of and suggestions for theTask Force.

Support the BBA

he 2009 Housing Finance Institute™ (HFI) is providing you with more opportunities for learning than in past years. The HFI team has updated existing courses and developed new ones to ensure you are kept informed of the latest market and policy changes. Don’t miss out on these educational opportunities–register today at www. efanniemae.com (Training & Education/Housing Finance Institute). Get started by selecting the region you are interested in visiting. Or, if you are

unsure of the course or courses you would like to attend, simply select the course title that interests you to read a brief course description. Also review course fees. 2009 HFI Session Locations • Pasadena, CA: Old Pasadena Courtyard by Marriott • March 24 - 26 • Boston, MA: Metro Meeting Centers • May 19 - 21 • Chicago, IL: University of Chicago – Gleacher Center • July 21 - 23

25 T March 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

U.S. General Services Administration • Los Angeles World Airports 5th Annual Opening Doors for Small Business Conference “Providing Opportunities in a Challenging Economy” April 6-8, 2009 • Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles Registration/Information: www.openingdoorscal.com In fiscal year 2007, the federal government awarded $83 billion in contracts to small businesses. Open new doors to your share of the government marketplace by attending or exhibiting at this information-packed small business procurement conference intended to create an effective outreach environment for all small businesses! Through networking and matchmaking, workshops and exhibits, attendees will make lasting connections leading to business development and strategic partnerships in the pursuit of the billions of dollars in federal government contracts awarded to small businesses. The proposed 2009 agenda will feature workshops specifically designed to help small businesses find new government marketplace opportunities in challenging economic times, as well as an enhanced, expanded matchmaking program that promises more productive appointments with federal and state agencies and prime contractors that are specifically "looking for" your product or service offering. You may register at the event’s website www.openingdoorscal.com. Rose Cote, Business Outreach Coordinator, Business and Job Resources Center, Los Angeles World Airports Tel. (310) 417-6490 Ext. 1430 • Fax. (310) 649-3489

Consumer Credit

CALIFORNIA:

from Consumer Credit page 26

ditional lending. That process has financed about 25 percent of all auto, student and other consumer loans in recent years, the Treasury Department said Tuesday, until the credit markets ground to a halt in October. Anil Kashyap, a professor at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, said the program should make it easier for consumers to get loans. But he cautioned that the Fed’s willingness to finance some debt could distort the markets by making other debt securities that lack the government’s backing less attractive to investors. “We’d really rather the credit markets just work properly,” Kashyap said.

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BBA

Councilman Garcetti Lobbies Washington For Federal Funds

os Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti joined a delegation of Southern California civic and business leaders on a trip to Washington, DC where they advocated for federal funding for our region. Garcetti met with key national leaders, including U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, and Secretary of Energy Steven Chu. In addition, Garcetti joined a coalition of Californians in meeting a dozen California members of Congress. "I attended a bipartisan meeting that not only brought together Republicans and Democrats, but Southern Californians and Northern Californians to fight to ensure that our Golden State gets the federal resources we need in this

tough economy. In an impressive show of strength and unity, we filled a hearing room at the Cannon House Office Building," said Garcetti. "Throughout the trip, we've discussed our need for funding that will help us keep people in their homes and allow cities to hire more police to keep our neighborhoods safe. Southern California is America's economic recovery engine -- we need our fair share of recovery funding."

26 T March 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

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310.568.5000 27 T March 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

International:

2010 World Cup Tickets Now on Sale Prepare to Savor the Games in South Africa - www.sa2010.gov.za he 2010 Fifa World Cup kick-off on 11 June 2010 in Johannesburg, South Africa is still 475 days away, but for football fans around the world, another important date has arrived: tickets for the event are now on sale to the general public. Of the 1.65-million World Cup tickets that Fifa has allocated to the general public, just over 570,000 have been set aside for Fifa member country supporters, and 344,000 for tourists who book with Fifa-registered tour operators. That leaves a total of 743,965 tickets that anyone, from anywhere in the world including South Africa, can apply to buy - as of now. Fans can apply online, through www. fifa.com. All ticket orders will be entered into a random selection draw at the same time on 15 April 2009, regardless of whether they were submitted on the first or the last day of the first sales phase, which runs from 20 February to 31 March. Ticket Types and Prices Fans have the choice of matchspecific tickets for the 64 games to be played in the tournament, as well as team-specific ticket series that allow them to follow the country of their choice. These range from three-game ticket series (for three games involving the same country) to seven-game ticket series. Tickets are available in four categories, with prices that vary accordingly. Category 4 tickets are reserved exclusively for South African residents, and were priced the lowest to enable citizens of the host country who would not normally be able to afford World Cup tickets to see the games. While seating may vary from venue to venue, Category 1 seats are generally located alongside the pitch, and range in price from US$160 (for a group match) to $900 (for the final). South Africans paying in rands will pay R1,120

and R6,300 respectively for the same tickets, with a fixed exchange rate of R7 to the dollar being applied. Category 2 seats are generally located alongside Category 1 seats, in the corners, and range in price from US$120 (for a group match) to $600 (for the final). Category 3 seats are generally located alongside Category 2 seats, in the corners or behind the goals, and range in price from US$80 (for a group match) to $400 (for the final). Category 4 seats are located behind the goals, and range in price from R140 (for a group match) to R1,050 (for the final). There’s also an incentive for people bound to wheelchairs to follow the World Cup live. The wheelchair category of tickets, reserved for those who require wheelchairs to attend matches, cost the same as Category 4 seats, regardless of where they are located

- and include a complimentary ticket for the person accompanying the ticketholder to the match. Subsequent Ticket Sales Phases Any tickets left over from the first, “random selection” phase - or released by any of Fifa’s other customer groups - will be sold in a second, “first-comefirst-served” sales phase running from 4 May to 16 November 2009. Two more sales phases - a random selection followed again by a firstcome-first-served phase - will follow the World Cup Final Draw, in which the 32 participating teams will be drawn into eight groups for the tournament. The first of these sales phases will run from 5 December 2009 to 22 January 2010, and the second from 9 February to 7 April 2010. Finally, if there are still any tickets left over, these will be sold in a “last minute” sales phase running from 15 April to 11 July 2010.

Foundation Supports Microloan Programs in Kenya, Ethiopia

he Whole Planet Foundation’s mission is to create economic partnerships with the poor in those developing-world communities that supply our stores with product. Through innovative assistance for entrepreneurship including direct microcredit loans and tangible support for other community partnership projects - we seek to unleash the energy and creativity of every human being we work with in order to create wealth and prosperity in emerging economies. Whole Planet Foundation, a private,

nonprofit organization established by Whole Foods Market, provides grants to microfinance institutions in Latin America, Africa and Asia who in turn develop and offer microenterprise loan programs, training and other financial services to the self-employed poor. Whole Planet Foundation is authorized to work in developing countries where Whole Foods Market sources products. Priority is given to projects that demonstrate financial leverage and potential financial sustainability over

28 T March 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

see Foundation page 29

“A FEW NOTES ON AFRICA” Africa-Asia Confidential Africa-Asia Confidential was founded in response to the growing political and economic relations between Africa and Asia – and by the need to understand the implications forAfrica. It aims to get behind the headlines to analyse the real significance for our readers of events, policies and bilateral relations between the two continents. Despite the growing plethora of free news available from the internet and other sources today, the need for reliable, trustworthy information is even greater. Check it out at www.africa-asia-confidential. com.

Umojanet Terrestrial Network Feasibility Starts The NEPAD e-Africa Commission has initiated a study on the feasibility of its Umojanet Terrestrial Network

Foundation from page 28

time. We look for strategic partnership opportunities in areas of relative political stability. History of the Foundation The Whole Planet Foundation, established in October 2005, represents a significant expansion of Whole Foods Market’s mission to actively participate in our communities. With more than 270 stores and 54,000 Team Members, we now have the scale and scope to give back to the global community. The creation of this foundation directly connects Whole Foods Market customers and Team Members to the villages in developing countries that supply us with products. Establishing these community partnerships will contribute to the economic well being of the communities where we source products. Who is Served • What is the Service Microcredit ignites the tiny economic engines of the rejected underclass of society. Once a large number of tiny engines start working, the stage can be

– a key step in the development of a broadband infrastructure network for Africa. The six-month study will determine what the cost of the network in the various regions will be and focus on the fibre-optic couplings that Umojanet will need to link to the 40,000km Uhurunet submarine cable. The study will cover 23 countries in the Eastern and Southern Africa regions. The results will be presented to prospective investors in the NEPAD Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) that will develop, own and operate the terrestrial broadband network. The SPV will lease or sell Umojanet services to licensed telecom operators in various countries. The e-Africa Commission is also seeking investors for its Umojanet and Uhurunet projects, ranging from telecoms companies to financial investors who are willing to invest over 15 to 20 years. www. eafricacommission.org.

Economic Forecasts/Actions Both the IMF and World Bank have set for bigger things. Microloans are small loans - usually $200 or less - requiring no collateral or contract. They are offered to the poorest of the poor, with a focus on women, wanting to finance self-employment projects that will generate income. Whole Planet Foundation is focusing efforts on the villages and rural communities that supply our stores with products such as tropical fruit, vegetables, tea, and coffee. Giving the poor in these communities access to credit through microloans will enable them to escape the vicious cycle of poverty by allowing them to use their own energy and creativity to help themselves. Projects are active in Nyeri, Kenya and Oromia and Harrar, Ethiopia.

scaled back their forecasts for African economic growth in 2009 with the IMF expecting growth of 3.25% and the World Bank expecting growth of 3.5%. The World Bank has approved a first phase of reforms to increase the influence of developing countries within the World Bank Group, including adding a seat for Sub-Saharan Africa.

Corrupt Practices Settlement KBR and its former parent, Halliburton, were involved in the second largest settlement, US$ 579 million, under the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act after paying more than US$ 180 million in bribes to Nigerian officials to secure the contract to build a gas liquefaction plant in Nigeria.

Flower Industry Suffers The Tanzanian flower industry has been hard hit by the global economic crisis. SEE YOU ON THE CONTINENT.

Whole Foods sources coffee from both regions. Why The Whole Planet Foundation was born out of Whole Foods Market’s desire to give something back to those who have helped us succeed while focusing on the persistent problem of world poverty and hunger. Contributions to the foundation may be given at www.wholeplanetfoundation.org.

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

#ALIFORNIA "LACK #HAMBER OF #OMMERCE &OUNDATION A Renaissance 21st Century Project Presents the African American Leadership & Education Congress

-OVING THE 5RBAN !GENDA March 27 & 28, 2009 Holiday Inn Capitol Plaza • Sacramento, California

3PONSORED IN 0ART BY • • • • • •

AT&T Bicker, Castillo & Fairbanks Comcast Kaiser Permanente Moneytree, Inc. Paciﬁc Gas & Electric

• Southern California Edison • State Farm Insurance • Wells Fargo Bank • Western States Petroleum partial list

'UEST 0ANELISTS • • • • • • • •

California Board of Prison Terms California Dept. of Health Service California Legislative Caucus California Real Estate Corporation Govenor’s Ofﬁce of Technology Internal Revenue Service Moneytree, Inc. National Association of Realtors

• School Districts – Grant Joint Union High School, Oakland, Sacramento Uniﬁed, and San Francisco • Wells Fargo • Yadari Enterprises partial list

3CHEDULE OF %VENTS Friday, March 27, 2009 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Registration

12:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Lunch (Plenary Session) Session 1 – The Importance of Accessing the Political Process

2:30 pm – 5:00 pm

Session 3 – Health Issues & the African American Family Structure Session 4 – Technology & Its Practical Applications in the Urban Environment 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm

7:00 am – 12:00 pm

Registration

8:00 am – 10:00 am

Breakfast (Plenary Session) Session 5 – The Role of the Church in Community Economic Development

Non-Members .............................................................................. $125.00 Students with ID (18-25 years old) ................................................. $15.00 10:30 am – 12:30 pm

1-Day Non-Members ...................................................................... $65.00 Friday VIP Reception Only .............................................................. $30.00

Session 8 – Improving the Delivery of Education

Saturday Breakfast Only ................................................................. $25.00

2EGISTRATION

Enclosed is a: R Check R Money Order

Please include check or money order with registration and make checks payable to CBCC Foundation. Mail to: CBCC Foundation/Leadership Congress 2951 Sunrise Boulevard, Suite 175, Rancho Cordova, California 95742 Charge my credit card: R Visa R MasterCard R Amex R Discover Cardholder Name __________________________________________________ Card# _________________________________________ Expires ______/______ Mail or FAX your registration TODAY! (916) 463-0177 Voice • (916) 463-0190 FAX

Online registration: calbcc.org/leadership.php Name ___________________________________________________________ Organization _____________________________________________________ Address __________________________________________________________ City/State/Zip _____________________________________________________ Phone ___________________________ Fax ____________________________

Session 6 – Affordable Home Ownership Session 7 – Community Wealth Building Strategies

Friday Luncheon Only .................................................................... $40.00

Saturday Luncheon Only ................................................................. $40.00

Leadership Reception

Saturday, March 28, 2009

CBCC Members & Afﬁliates ........................................................... $75.00

1-Day CBCC Members & Afﬁliates ................................................. $50.00

Session 2 – Reducing Crime

12:45 pm – 2:00 pm

Closing Luncheon w/ Keynote

(OTEL )NFORMATION Holiday Inn Capitol Plaza 300 J Street Sacrasmento, California 95814 (916) 446-0100 • www.ichotelsgroup.com Single – $119.00 Double – $129.00 Please contact the Holiday Inn for reservations, and ask for the CBCC Leadership Congress rate. Room reservation deadline is March 8, 2009. The Holiday Inn Hotel Sacramento Capitol Plaza-Downtown/Old Sacramento caters to both corporate and leisure travel and is set in the heart of vibrant & historic downtown Sacramento. Our Sacramento Hotels Old Town has attractions you won’t want to miss. The hotel is located next to the Westﬁeld Mall and Historic Old Sacramento. Make sure to check out The California Railroad Museum. Always remember - “Green is INN”!

Marketing:

Don’t Bypass African-Americans Marketers Make Mistake by Failing to Expressly Target Nearly $1 Trillion Market By Marissa Miley, mmiley@adage.com

n 2008, the country’s top marketers tapped Barack Obama as Marketer of the Year. Many of those same marketers also cut spending directed at the African-American market. With advertisers chasing after niche markets such as mommy bloggers on tools such as Twitter, a “niche” worth $913 billion would seem the sort of market companies would be stumbling over each other to get to. Yet the African-American market has to continually make the case that it’s a segment worth understanding, and one worth a dedicated portion of the ad budget. African-Americans -- and the AfricanAmerican market -- were surpassed in the past five years by the growing Hispanic sector, leading many marketers and the media to focus intently on the “next big thing” in the minority sector. According to Nielsen, total spending in Spanish-language media in the first three quarters of 2008 was $4.3 billion, up 2.7% from the year before. Total spending on African-American media in that time period was $1.8 billion, down 5.3% from the same period in 2007. (Procter & Gamble was the largest spender in both categories.) Still, the African-American segment has buying power of $913 billion, according to 2008 data from the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the University of Georgia. That’s why AfricanAmerican marketing experts are flummoxed that there is an implied question floating around the C-suites in the U.S.: Why bother targeting the demographic specifically? Sales to be made Putting aside high-minded issues such as diversity and multiculturalism, the simple answer is: to make money. “It makes sense to address 40 million people who are African-American if you want to capture their consumer behav-

ior,” said Alfred Liggins, president-CEO of Radio One, pointing out that marketers frequently target niche consumer segments such as new moms, outdoor enthusiasts and foodies. “Why is it an issue when you say that black people are a niche?” The justifications marketers use are many, particularly in a recession: Targeting African-Americans costs too much; it takes dollars away from general marketing; it does not add value. On a recent industry panel, Steve Stoute, founder-CEO of consulting/branding firm Translation, suggested some brands do well with African-Americans precisely because they don’t market to the segment and are therefore seen as aspirational. (Mr. Stoute declined to participate in this story.) Another justification: “They speak English, don’t they?” mocked Pepper Miller, president of Hunter-Miller Group, an African-American market research and consulting firm. She said marketers typically have this reaction b e cause of the s i g nificant Pepper Miller growth of the Latino market over the past couple of decades. “That growth has become a catalyst for corporate America to embrace language as a cultural identifier, not race,” she said. It’s easier, she said, to make the case that a group speaking a different language deserves a unique type of marketing. African-Americans, on the other hand, because they share a common language with white America, are as-

sumed to share the same culture and same interests. Why bother with the research and expense when you can just recycle general-market advertising and maybe throw in a couple of black actors? ‘Profitability and Buy-ability’ “Step one is to recognize both the profitability and buy-ability of these market groups,” said Jason Chambers, author of “Madison Avenue and the Color Line.” Of course, there are some marketers who recognize that. And perhaps it’s no coincidence that they are among the most successful brands in the U.S. Najoh Tita-Reid, former director of multicultural marketing at Procter & Gamble, took the lead on the company’s “My Black Is Beautiful” effort before leaving t h e company l a s t month. S h e pointed to M c Najoh Tita-Reid Donald’s and State Farm Insurance as two large corporations that have invested in the African-American market and met success. “Do you believe one size fits all?” asked Carol Sagers, director-marketing at McDonald’s USA. “Intuitively, you don’t.” “African-Americans have nuances in lifestyle and nuances in language and culture that should be used to leverage communication,” she said. “McDonald’s believes in speaking to all our customers, and speaking to them directly.” African-American and Beyond By speaking to African-Americans, marketers can enhance their positioning in the general market as well -- especially considering how much of mainstream pop-culture gets its start in the African-American community. For example, Ms. Tita-Reid said McDonald’s “I’m Lovin’ It” campaign was

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

see Don’t Bypass page 33

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

Don’t Bypass from DON’T BYPASS on page 31

rooted in hip-hop culture, but had messaging that transcended race and ethnicity and gained popularity around the world. “It’s worth leading with AfricanAmerican insights,” Ms. Miller said. “When companies use these insights to develop their marketing strategies, communication strategies [and] media plans, they have the most effective strategies not only reaching AfricanAmericans, but the general market as well.” State Farm has experienced this with its “50 Million Pound Challenge,” a sponsored weight-loss effort that began in the African-American community. Since the program launched in April 2007, one million Americans have lost 3.5 million pounds. “It now has a life of its own,” said Pamela El, VP-marketing for State Farm. “All races and ethnicities have joined the challenge.”

…black buying power will rise to $1.2 trillion in 2013. “We know through research ... that a way to connect to a different customer is to emotionally connect first and help with that community.” In the pudding The Selig Center estimates that black buying power will rise to $1.2 trillion in 2013 -- and that this number will translate to nearly 9% of the nation’s estimated buying power. “Why people continue to question this customer segment continues to baffle me,” said Mr. Chambers. “The proof is there.” Of course, treating a market knocking on $1 trillion as one cohesive niche is over-simplifying things -- similar to making broad generalizations about Hispanics just because they speak Spanish. Yet it’s another mistake commonly made when marketers do target African-Americans. Published: February 2009 AdAge.com

Quackenworth Launches WittyBittyBunch.com

uackenworth Publishing launched the official site for the Witty Bitty Bunch book series. The website, www. wittybittybunch.com, is targeted at children and parents of children 2 to 6 years of age and features animated stories, coloring and drawing activies, downloadable digital books, and characterbased games. The site is designed to be a co-viewing website encouraging interaction between parents and chil-

dren. What illustrates this is a feature that allows a child to receive a weekly message from their favorite character. “This feature encourages parents to be the gatekeepers of early literacy between the character and the child.

33 T March 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

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

If you’re having trouble making your house payment, you’re not alone. Call us. We may be able to help. If you’re a Countrywide mortgage customer having a difﬁcult time making your house payments, call one of our specially trained Home Retention Specialists. Countrywide wants to help you to keep your home. The sooner we can talk, the sooner we can try to help.

Call Countrywide Mortgage Help: 1-888-200-5872 Reference number: 222 5 AM – 9 PM PT, Monday – Thursday 5 AM – 7 PM PT, Friday

Equal Housing Lender. © 2008 Countrywide Bank, FSB. Member FDIC. Trade/service marks are the property of Countrywide Financial Corporation, Countrywide Bank, FSB, or their respective afﬁliates and/or subsidiaries.

Inc. 500|5000 Awards - Make the 2009 List

he Inc. 500 list of America’s fastest growing privately held companies has been published by Inc. magazine

since 1982. In 2007, the list expanded to the Inc. 500|5000, giving readers a deeper, richer understanding of the entrepreneurial landscape and capturing a broader spectrum of success. For companies who make the list, Inc. will share their story with the world. The top 5,000 will be profiled on Inc.com, while the top 500 will be covered in the September 2009 issue of Inc. magazine. The Inc. 500|5000 also recognizes the top 100 companies in every metropolitan area and industry area, as

www.inc.com well as categories such as Women Owned and Minority Owned business. All honorees are invited to our annual Inc. 500|5000 conference and celebration. You could be a winner!! But you can’t win if you don’t apply. Apply for the 2009 Inc. 500|5000 by April 15th at www.inc. com.

African Marketplace Boutique

Crenshaw-Baldwin Hills Mall, Crenshaw & King Blvd. Los Angeles, California USA

Queen Aminah’s Clothing

New Location! BALDWIN HILLSCRENSHAW MALL African Marketplace Boutique, Suite #285 323-293-3277

A Royal Blend of all natural West African herbs and fiery spices

Specializing in quality products for the whole family imported directly from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and Mali including: •Cultural Clothing for men women and children •Arts, Sculpture, Masks from the African Diaspora •Authentic Jewelry from African Designers Queen Aminah’s Clothing also offers Community Outreach Services: •Fashion Shows for Churches, Organizations and Civic Associations •Black History Presentations for Schools, Churches, Corporations and Government Agencies •Rites of Passage Programs for AtRisk Teen Girls, Teen Mothers, and Adult Women

www.kingspepper.com 323.291.4267 Before you grill, before you bake,

Buy King’s Pepper

and Shake, Shake, Shake! Buy King’s Pepper African Marketplace Baldwin Hills-Crenshaw Mall Los Angeles

Shop with BBA Advertisers & Members

Nails by SaVerne “Your Feet are My Passion”

Citrus Pedicures Spa Style Pedicures Paraﬃn Treatment The Spa Manicure French Manicure Gentleman’s Manicure Hand Facial After Acrylic Care Treatment www.nailsbysaverne.com

by Appointment Only… 4334 11th Avenue, Los Angeles

323-389-0075 3rd Annual Leimert Park Village Book Festival www.leimertparkbookfair.com Saturday, June 6th • 10 am – 6 pm Leimert Park Village Theatre Parking Lot (43rd Street & Degnan Blvd.)

FAME ASSISTANCE CORPORATION FREE CREDIT MANAGEMENT WORKSHOPS HELD EACH MONTH AT

1968 W. ADAMS BLVD., LOS ANGELES

Writers, storytellers, spoken word performers, poets, publishers, artists, illustrators, booksellers & literary vendors Special Highlights: •Four Presentation Stages •Meet the Authors •Children’s Village & Reading Corner •Music, Entertainment •Food Pavilion Court

CALL FOR INFORMATION OR RSVP 323-730-7720

FREE & FUN For the Whole Family!

SPONSORED BY

Eso Won Books • 4331 Degnan Avenue Leimert Park Village • Los Angeles

For Sponsorship & Exhibitor Opportunities call: 323.730.0628

37 T March 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

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

Twitter Marketing: 7 Steps to

Promote Your Business Using Twitter

By Zeke Camusio for Start-Up Nation

witter is a micro-blogging platform. It lets you update your status and lets the whole world know what you are up to. There are millions of Twitter-addicts all over the world, and the number of active users has increased by 900% in the past year. Companies can also use it to promote themselves. On Twitter you will have people “following” you, and you will be “following” others. “Following” is being updated every time a new post is added to one of your contacts’ profiles. Being followed is the same; every time you have something to add, all your “followers” will be updated. The more people that follow you, the more exposure your business will get. But it’s not about adding as many people as you can to your friends list. You need to be smart about building your follower base. The problem is that many companies that try to market using Twitter don’t understand how this community works, and consequently their Twitter Marketing efforts don’t pay off. To help you avert this fate, the following steps will guide you in understanding what to do and what not to do to give your company huge exposure using Twitter. Step 1: Import Your Contacts Twitter allows you to to import contacts from Gmail, Hotmail and your own address book. Do it. Step 2: Make Sure that Your Profile is Complete Fill in all the fields (both required and optional) and include your website URL. You can also personalize your Twitter page to match your company’s branding. Step 3: Understand the Dynamics of Twitter Twitter is a social tool, not a classifieds site. These are some tips that will help you to get followers: • Don’t spam others about your specials • Follow other users • Be active in the community (tweet and post comments about others’ tweets of-

ten) • Only post useful and relevant information • Don’t tweet every 5 minutes. It becomes annoying.

• Engage in conversations. Retweet (reply to others’ tweets) often • Don’t promote your company directly. Do it the smart way. For example, if you sell widgets, write a buyer’s guide about the kind of widgets that you sell and tweet about that blog post. That is useful information. Avoid tweets like “Great Widgets On Sale – Starting at

39 T March 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

see Twitter on page 41

Books to Consider... How Obama Won, by Earl Ofari Hutchinson. In this political analyst Hutchinson, tells how the economy will shape and define the success or failure of the Obama administration. He discusses the promises and the perils that lie ahead for the Obama administration.

Black Inventors: Crafting Over 200 Years of Success by Keith C. Holmes. Holmes set out to counter the idea that Africans have contributed little to the development of the world’s science, technology and agricutural innovations. This book proves that without the inventors, innovations, designers

Eso Won Books

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

“Give Books as Gifts to Friends & Family”

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 and laborers of African descent, in Africa as well as throughout the the African Diaspora, western technology, as we know it today, would not exist. Published by Global Black Inventor Research Projects, Inc., the book is available through the website at www. globalblackinventor.com. E-mail inquires about the book and the research project to info@globalblackinventor. com.

Mississippi to Africa: A Journey of Discovery by Melvin J. Collier. Collier tells of his 14-year journey in excavating the buried history of his maternal grandmother’s family. This

fascinating trail of a seven genealogical and historical journey of discovery that spans time and the distance from northern Mississippi to South Carolina to a specific region of West Africa. The DNA confirmation crowns the achievement. Read excerpts and purchase the book at the website: www. MississippitoAfrica.com.

Mrs. Aprilia Moralles, proprietor of Malik’s Books, invites you to visit the shop in the African Marketplace on the second level of the Baldwin Hills-Crenshaw Mall, Crenshaw and King Blvd., in Los Angeles. Open seven days a week to meet your personal, business and gifting needs. See feature story on page 12.

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

welcome to

youbanking

You

deserve every opportunity to succeed.

You are proud. You are committed. You are a leader. You are an ethnically diverse business owner, and you deserve a bank that can help you fulfill your dreams. Union Bank of California’s Business Diversity Lending program recognizes this and offers a variety of smart financing options and flexible, less restrictive lending requirements.Whether you need short-term financing to help run your day-to-day operations, or long-term financing for new equipment or building improvements, your dream of running a successful business is well within your reach. Invest in you ®

To see if you qualify, stop by your local branch, call 1-888-818-6060, or visit unionbank.com/diversebizloans Crenshaw Branch: Karen Smith, Branch Manager, 3501 W. Jefferson Boulevard, (323) 737-3483 Ladera Heights Branch: Renee Givhan, Branch Manager, 6719 La Tijera Boulevard, (310) 342-1779 This is not a commitment to lend. Financing subject to credit and any applicable collateral approval. Other restrictions may apply. Eligible borrowers must meet all criteria for the Business Diversity Lending program. Financing available to businesses located in California, Oregon or Washington.Terms and conditions subject to change. ©2008 Union Bank of California, N.A. Member FDIC

Using Twitter from Twitter on page 39

$9.99!” Step 4: Build Your Followers Base There are many things that you can do to build your followers base: • Put a link to “Follow Me on Twitter” everywhere (your email signature, forums, website, and business cards) • Every time you post on your blog, invite people to follow you on Twitter • Search for Twitter users whose followers base you would love to have for yourself. See who is following them and follow those users. They will follow you back. • See who is following your friends and follow them. • There are Twitter directories that are great to find members who are likely to follow you. Examples include Just Tweet It and Twellow.

• Use Twitter’s search feature to find profiles that interest you. Use Twitter’s RSS feed to be notified every time a tweet containing a certain keyword is made. Step 5: Balance Your Followers/Following Ratio Try to have a balance between people you follow and people that follow you. If a lot of people follow you and you don’t follow them, they will stop following you. If you are following plenty of people but just a few are following you, you’ll be seen as a spammer trying to grow your follower base as quickly as possible. These are some ideas to keep both numbers balanced: • Grow slow. Instead of adding 200 new friends all of a sudden, add maybe 50 and wait for them to follow you back. Then follow another 50. • Use tools like Friend or Follow. This

tool lets you check who is following you whom you are not following. It also allows you to see who you are following who are not following you. This is the best way to balance your ratio in just a few minutes. • Avoid following others so they follow you, only to stop following them once they are on board following you. If you do this, you will be seen as a spammer.

41 T March 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

seeTwitter on page 53

Meeting Management:

Wendyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s World by Wendy Gladney

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to get to the end of my life and find that I lived just the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well.â&#x20AC;? Diane Ackerman.

he question we must ask ourselves is when all is said and done, what will the dash between the day we were born and the day we die stand for?

During the month of March we celebrate and honor women from all walks of life. The purpose of highlighting women during this month is to bring recognition to the accomplishments and victories theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve achieved in various fields such as, but not limited toâ&#x20AC;Śbusiness, sports, politics, community, socially, humanity, and philanthropy. Globally March 8th represents â&#x20AC;&#x153;International Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day.â&#x20AC;? Studies have shown that women owned businesses employ more women today than traditional corporations. Even if you are a man reading this article it should touch you because we all have a mother (and many were/ are single parents), we have sisters, daughters, girlfriends and wives that all help with the bottom line in our homes. In economic times like these we have

L.A. Business Printing

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Y Fir m Of The

PSPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Calendar of Eventsâ&#x20AC;Ś â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘

â&#x20AC;˘ S

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to really work hard at trying to stretch our dollars and help small businesses stay around. Whenever the opportunity allows you to give back to a woman owned business, try and do so. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a small woman owned business thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been around for approximately sixteen years with at least six women who work with or for me that depend on me keeping my doors open. So I openly thank everyone that supports the work we do in the community. We encourage you to find a way to give back to a woman in need this month. If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know where to begin, we encourage you to learn more about Forgiving For Living, Inc. (www. forgivingforliving.com) 626.791.3849. Forgiving For Living helps women and girls whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve experienced issues surrounded by abuse, abandonment and/ or low self esteem to get their lives back on track. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes alongâ&#x20AC;Ś.You must do the very thing you think you cannot do.â&#x20AC;? Eleanor Roosevelt.

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LA MBOC Conference â&#x20AC;&#x201C; March 18, 2009 GLAAACC Economic Gala Dinner â&#x20AC;&#x201C; March 19, 2009 Joseph Business School Seminar â&#x20AC;&#x201C; April 18, 2009 The PLUS Awards â&#x20AC;&#x201C; April 25, 2009 CLBCF Conference â&#x20AC;&#x201C; May 13â&#x20AC;&#x201C;16, 2009 NBBC/Break the Cycle Reception â&#x20AC;&#x201C; June 11, 2009 Joseph Business School Summit â&#x20AC;&#x201C; June 24 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 26, 2009 Give your all in all that you do. Then the PLUS wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just be more, it will be the difference!

Sincerely,

Wendy L.A. Business Printing

Since 1987

Wendy, a BBA member, 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 DiPrimaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;KJLH Radio Front Pageâ&#x20AC;? Friday Mornings @ 5:00am.

42 T March 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Government:

President’s Budget Overview Backs $28 Billion in Small Business Credit for Fiscal Year 2010

resident Barack Obama’s Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Overview offers full support for the U.S. Small Business Administration’s credit programs, authorizing SBA to support loan guarantees of $28 billion to small businesses.

expectation of demand for those programs. It sets a maximum of $17.5 billion for SBA’s 7(a) General Business Loan Guarantee program, $7.5 billion for the 504 Certified Development Company Loan program, $3 billion for the Small Business Investment Company debenture program and $25 million for the Microloan program. The bill also provides for $1.1 billion in direct disaster loans and provides for the launch of a pilot program to test the use of SBA-guaranteed loans as part of the agency’s response to disaster declarations. Aside from those credit provisions, the proposal: • sustains funding for the agency’s technical assistance and training programs

•

improves federal contracting data and continues reviews of small business size standards to help improve targeting of federal contracting opportunities for small businesses • modernizes core agency information systems, streamlines loan processes and enhances human capital resources The Budget Overview also includes the Obama Administration’s Small Business and Community Bank Lending Initiative. This expands small business credit availability and affordability by unfreezing secondary markets for small business loans as part of the larger plan to revive the flow of credit in the economy.

Self-Employed Women Balance Work, Family Life

Alberto G. Alvarado, Director Los Angeles SBA District Office

Study Compares Self-Employed Women To Wage-And-Salary Earners

The FY 2010 Budget Overview provides a broad outline of the President’s budget priorities, including an appropriation for SBA of approximately $700 million. The full budget proposal with account level appropriation details is scheduled for release in April. The spending cited in the broad proposal would be in addition to the $730 million funding provided for SBA credit programs in the recently enacted Recovery Act. That Act – for which most spending is targeted for use in 2009 and 2010 – authorizes SBA to raise guarantee percentages on some SBA loans to 90 percent, temporarily reduce fees on SBA-backed loans, expand funding for Microloans, and raise the maximum size of SBA-guaranteed surety bonds. The bill outlines maximum authorization levels for SBA credit programs in

elf-employed women are able to spend more time with their children and families, compared to their wage-and-salary earning counterparts, according to a study released today by the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration. The study finds that self-employed women spend about 3.5 more hours per week in household activities than wage-andsalary earning women do, and six more hours than men do. “Previous studies have established that women enter self-employment for reasons other than potential earnings and that life-style factors heavily influence their decision,” said Shawne McGibbon, Acting Chief Counsel for Advocacy. “This study documents that self-employed women’s time-use patterns are in fact different from those of wage-and-salary earning women. Self-

employed women spend less time on work-related activities and more time on household activities and child care.” Advocacy released Self-Employed Women and Time Use, written by Tami Gurley-Calvez, Katherine Harper, and Amelia Biehl, at the National Women’s Business Council’s 2009 Women’s Business Summit in Washington, DC. The report used data from the American Time Use Survey (2003-2006), sponsored by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. The authors found that the largest differences in time use between selfemployed women and men were in the area of secondary childcare, where a parent is at the same location as the child but is primarily engaged in some other activity such as work or house-

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

see Women Balance Work on page 48

All of us together can make ZERO! City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works For More Information: Contact: Ron Milo 213-473-4003 Ronaldo.Milo@lacity.org www.zerowaste.lacity.org

Evaluating the Facility Scenarios For the past 18 months, our stakeholders have identified the guiding principles for the Solid Waste Integrated Resources Plan (SWIRP) and told us what policies and programs will be needed to achieve the Zero Waste goals for the City of Los Angeles. This March series of workshops will focus on what facilities will be needed to meet the goals of SWIRP. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be presenting several different scenarios to stakeholders that combine policies, programs and facilities: t 8IBU EPFT UIF DJUZ IBWF JO QMBDF DVSSFOUMZ GPS TPMJE XBTUF JOGSBTUSVDUVSF BOE service voids? What is missing that we need for the future? What are the population and waste projections for the City through 2030? t "SF UIF SFTJEFOUT PG UIF $JUZ SFBEZ UP iXBML UIF UBMLw BOE UBLF SFTQPOTJCJMJUZ for managing their own waste streams? What small scale/local neighborhood based facilities would be acceptable? t )PX NVDI USBTI EP XF HFOFSBUF 8IFSF EPFT JU HP )PX NVDI UJNF BOE capacity is left at existing facilities? t 8IBU BSF UIF SPMFT PG UIF $JUZ BOE UIF QSJWBUF TFDUPS JO EFUFSNJOJOH XIBU facilities will be needed? t 8IFSF XJMM UIFTF GBDJMJUJFT QPUFOUJBMMZ CF MPDBUFE t "MUFSOBUJWF UFDIOPMPHZ XIBU LJOET PG FNFSHJOH BOE QSPWFO UFDIOPMPHJFT BSF CFJOH FWBMVBUFE CZ UIF $JUZ UP IBOEMF SFTJEVBM XBTUF JO UIF iCMBDL CJOw t *G OFX QPMJDJFT MFBE UP OFX QSPHSBNT IPX XJMM XF NBOBHF UIF Ă¸PX PG material? For example, if recycling became mandatory for everyone, it will require new facilities (or additional capacity at existing facilities). What you tell us will be extremely important for the foundation of the Phase 2 'BDJMJUZ 1MBO SFQPSU 5IJT JT XIFSF UIF iSVCCFS NFFUT UIF SPBEw BOE XF OFFE your help in identifying and planning facilities for the next 20 years. Invite your friends and neighbors and together letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chart a zero waste future that will be environmentally safe and equitable for all of the Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diverse communities.

March 2009 Workshops East Valley Monday, March 23 - 7:00 p.m. Van Nuys State Building (Community Room) 6150 Van Nuys Blvd Van Nuys, CA 91401 Park free in State Building garage

North Central Tuesday, March 24 - 6:00 p.m. El Centro Del Pueblo 1157 Lemoyne St. Los Angeles, CA 90026

Western Wednesday, March 25 - 6:30 p.m. Felicia Mahood Center 11338 Santa Monica Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90025

West Valley Thursday, March 26 - 7:00 p.m. California State University, Northridge Satellite Student Union Building (Fernandeno Room) 9851 Zelzah Ave. Northridge, CA 91330 Parking free in SSUB parking structure (parking validated)

Downtown Daytime Meeting All Areas Welcome Thursday, March 26 - 1:00 p.m. Public Works Building Room SB-7 1149 South Broadway Los Angeles, CA 90015

Harbor

If you need an interpreter (in any language), please let us know at least 72 hours in advance of the workshop you will attend and we will gladly make arrangements.

Tuesday, March 31 - 6:00 p.m. Harbor Community Development Corp. (HCDC) 707 West C Street Wilmington, CA 90744

Start the path to zero waste by bringing your own reusable cup to the workshop.

South Los Angeles

Rememberâ&#x20AC;Ś Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not a Plan Without You!

ALL OF US TOGETHER CAN MAKE ZERO!

Wednesday, April 1 - 6:30 p.m. Expo Center 3980 South Menlo Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90037

SAVE THE DATE: Citywide Zero Waste Conference Printed on Recycled Paper

Saturday, May 30, 2009 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels

As a covered entity under Title II of the American Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of disability and, upon request, will provide reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access to its programs, services, and activities

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.

Zizini Safaris, Inc. 466 Old Craigville Road Centerville,MA 02632 (866) 948 ZIZI (9494) info@zizinisafaris.com www.zizinisafaris.com

Tuesday, April 14th “For everyone interested in doing business with Metro”

Listen to

KDEE 97.7FM Watch & Support the Africa Channel!

The California Black Chamber Foundation’s Radio Station

LIVE on Your Computer

Time Warner • Channel 176

Don’t have the Africa Channel in your area? Call Time Warner at: 1-888-8922253 and ask that the Africa Channel be broadcast to ALL regions of California. For information on the Africa Channel visit www.theafricachannel.com or send an e-mail inquiry to info@theafricachannel.com.

www.kdeefm.org

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

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

Shop with BBA Advertisers & Members

47 T March 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Leimert Park Village

Four Season’s Production Multi-Cultural H Multi-Purpose H Multi-Functional H Multi-Faceted Manufacturing, Productivity, Growth & Expansion Economical H Globalization H Empowerment

“We’re Fired Up and Ready to Go”

An African American Cultural, Retail, Foods & Entertainment Center. Degnan Boulevard between

Entrepreneurial Business Development Diversified H Subdivision H Product-Mix & Creating Jobs Across America

Crenshaw & Leimert Blvds. 43rd Street-43rd Place Los Angeles

City by City H State by State National and International Trade Exchange

Shop, Eat, Relax in

“Yes We Can”

Experience Africa in America

Little Ethiopia Culture, Retail, Entertainment

“Something New and Excitingly Different on the ….Horizon” Commercial

Residential

Genell Brown, Artist Designer

Fairfax Boulevard

between Pico & Olympic in Los Angeles

Our Community Source Contact: Keasha L. Charles 888-988-8551 Phone & Fax

Women Balance Work from Women Balance Work on page 43

hold chores. Moreover, they found that self-employed women also work about 10 fewer hours per week than self-employed men do. Interestingly, the authors also found that relative to men, higher-earning women are slightly more likely to enter self-employment than their lower earning peers are. The Office of Advocacy, the “small business watchdog” of the federal government, examines the role and status of small business in the economy and independently represents the views of small business to federal agencies, Congress, and the President. It is the source for small business statistics presented in user-friendly formats, and it funds research into small business issues. For more information and a complete copy of the report, visit the Office of Advocacy website www.sba.gov/advo.

Lucy Florence Culture Center

Ex-Im Bank Annual Conference

3351 W. 43rd St. Leimert Park Village Los Angeles, CA 90008 Shop our boutiques Enjoy our Cuisine Exquisite Venue for your Special Event ……

75th Anniversary Annual Conference

“Export Finance: A Key to Economic Recovery” April 16-17, 2009 Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, DC

Ex-Im Bank’s Africa team’s feature panel “Africa: Opportunities in the Big 5” will explore commercial opportunities in sub-Saharan Africa with a special focus on Angola, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. Representatives from each country’s mission in the United States will discuss projects in their homelands, focusing on prospective U.S. sourcing and Ex-Im Bank financing assistance. For information: w w w. e x i m . g o v / n e w s / a n n u a l conf/2009/index.cfm

Tinashe @ the Boardroom inside Lucy Florence

We are open daily! 1-6pm

Tote & Satchel HANDBAGS, beautifully restored, one-of-a-kind vintage HANDBAGS, the hottest DESIGNER SHOES, Cuff links, sterling silver jewelry, and Italian handmade Murano glass JEWELRY.

48 T March 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

One Day Mini Boot Camp for Contractors Learn how to bid & win formal & informal contracts with LACCD! The Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) plans to bid in excess of $100 million of construction projects over the next 6-9 months, at several of its college campuses. With the passage of Prop J, there will be additional business opportunities. We are very interested in having you participate in these formal & informal contracts opportunities!

Contract Bidding with LACCD Wednesday, March 18, 2009

5PM - 9PM

Workshop will cover key business concepts in the following areas: • Labor Compliance • Insurance and Bonding • Contracting and Bidding Process • Certification • Invoicing • Technical Assistance You may attend if: • You are a licensed contractor with CSLB and been in business for at least one (1) year. • You want to bid Public Works construction contracts. • You want to build your capacity and take your business to the next level. • You have a strong interest to partner with LACCD. We will teach you how to do business with the #1 Community College District in Southern California. You will leave this workshop with the tools and know-how to bid and perform. Plus get the latest list of projects coming up for bid.

Cost: FREE

Contact Sonya at 818-907-9922 x 235 or e-mail selena@vedc.org Class Location: Pierce College - CSB Conference Room (College Service Building - Next to bookstore) 6201 Winnetka Avenue Woodland Hills, CA 91371 Parking - Admin/Visitor, Lot 1 (off Winnetka Avenue) or Lot 7 (off Victory Blvd.) Parking Permit Machine

Los Angeles Community College District Proposition A & AA Small Business Outreach Program VEDC’s Procurement Assistance Center

Calendar

March… 10th

Energy Education and Career Opportunity Symposium Here perspectives on growth trends, business opportunities and transferable professional skill sets needed in order to enter this dynamic and expanding market. The symposium will be held in the Sempra Energy Building, 555 W 5th Street, downtown Los Angeles, from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm. RSVP required. Send e-mail response to programs@labmba.org or call 818-591-9449. Members-$25 others $35. Parking is $6 in Pershing Square.

Caribbean and in American inner cities. The event emphasis is on bringing communities and businesses together to continue the commitment in helping people in need. The African Family Induction Ceremony initiates eminent African Americans into African families in different African countries. The ceremony serves as a conduit through which the artificial barriers that exist between Africans and their relatives in the Diaspora may be erased and lays a foundation for the formation of a new African family that is inclusive of our cousins outside the geographical boundaries of current African continent. For information on awardees and inductees as well as ticket information visit the website at www.africanfocus.org or call 310-676-7300.

May… 17th-20th

18th BuildLACCD Mini Boot Camp Over the last year, over $2.5M worth of contracts were awarded to attendees of the Boot Camp. The FREE camp will be held in the CSB Conference Room at Los Angeles Pierce College in Woodland Hills from 5 pm to 9 pm. Call 818-907-9922 x235 for detailed information or to register.

22nd Black Marriage Day Black Marriage Day was started to create cultural change in the Black community to rethink the way we look at marriage. Visit www.blackmarriageday.com for details.

April… 3rd The Greenlining Institute’s 16th Annual Economic Summit The annual event will be held at the Center at Cathedral Plaza, 555 West Temple StreetDowntown Los Angeles. Confirmed speakers include: Richard Davis, CEO, US Bank and Randall Stephenson, CEO, AT&T. The Greenlining Big Brain Award will be presented to Earl “Skip” Cooper, President/CEO, Black Business Association. Register Now at www.greenlining. org/summit.

14th Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference & Expo “Shifting Gears: New Markets, New Opportunities” will be held in Detroit, Michigan at the Detriot Marriott in Renaissance Center. The power confernce for entrepreneurs and professionals looking to find new markets and new opportunities in these volatile economic times. Hundreds of deal makers are expected to attend—from aspiring business owners to top-tier professionals—all looking to build networks and seek growth opportunities. Expect innovative sessions, high-powered speakers, and an early peek into the products, trends, and services you’ll need to know about to stay competitive. Find information and registration at www.blackenterprise.com/events/entrepreneurs-conference.

25th AFRICA DAY Worldwide celebration of African heritage. Check your local organizations for scheduled events.

African Goodwill Recognition Awards & Induction Ceremony The awards ceremony to be held at the Veteran Auditorium Complex in Culver City showcases the challenges and accomplishments of men and women whose commitment in great measure has given hope to the poor in Africa, the

G8 Corporate Africa Infrastructure Investment Conference The conference will take place at the Royal Garden Hotel, Kensington in London. Get information at www.corporate-africa.com/nepad2008.

July… 22nd-25th 13th Annual International African American Hotel Ownership / MultiCultural Tourism Summit & Trade Show The 4-day summit will take place at the Doral Golf Resort & Spa. Topics include means of becoming a hotel owner or investor and participating in the tourism industry. Register at www. nabhood.com or call 323-291-9334 for detailed information.

For a complete listings of events around Southern California visit SAVETHEDATECENTRAL.com

Send your event notice to:

Calendar at mail@bbala.org.

20th ANNUAL LOS ANGELES BLACK BUSINESS EXPO

May 1-3, 2009

28th BBA’s Annual Awards Dinner Call 323-291-9334 for detailed information. June…

27th-July 1st

25th

29th-30th

2009 Annual Conference - Rainbow/ PUSH Coalition and Citizenship Education Fund The conference will take place at the Hyatt McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois. Get information or register at www.rainbowpush.org or call 773-373-3366.

LOS ANGELES CONVENTION CENTER TOM BRADLEY (SOUTH) HALL

323-290-4743

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

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION Please complete then submit this form with your payment. Please type or print. Name: Title: Company: Address: City: State: Zip Code: Telephone: E-mail: URL: Type of Business: W/MBE Certified by:

Fax:

Year Established:

NAICS Codes: Briefly describe your products and/or services

New membership Renewal Membership

Select Type of Membership Regular Member-$200 annual dues 51% African-American owned, Voting membership

Corporate Member-$2,500 annual dues Major corporation, Non-voting membership Associate Member-$100 annual dues Non-business owner, Non-voting membership Student Member-$25 annual dues Full-time registered student, Non-voting membership Amount enclosed $ Payment type: credit card Visa MasterCard Card #: Signature Fax Payment to: 323-291-9234

Exp. Date

Payment type: check/money order—make payable to: Black Business Association Mail to: P.O. Box 43159, Los Angeles, CA 90043 USA For information Call: 323-291-9334 Email: mail@bbala.org Website: www.bbala.org

VERACITY REALTY, INC. “Dedicated to Truthfulness” Let us see what we can do for you in both Commercial & Residential finance!

Jonathan Thompson, Commercial Broker Phone: 800-455-2142 Cell: 323-309-2885

Rhonda Thompson, Residential Loan Officer Phone 800-455-2142 Cell: 323-387-9439 CA Dept. of Real Estate, Real Estate Broker: 01781216 *APR: Includes appraisal, title insurance, escrow, points & other loan cost is 6.487%

Marketing Using Twitter from Twitter on page 41

Step 6: Make it Worthwhile to Follow You Tweet interesting stuff. Every time you are about to post something, ask yourself “Is this something I would be interested in?” If the answer is no, chances are that your followers will feel the same way. Step 7: Learn from the Best Find users with several hundred followers and learn from them. See what they are doing right and get ideas

Support the

from them. Done right, Twitter Marketing can lead to positive exposure for your business. Companies have been known to make tens of thousands of dollars from customers that found them through a Twitter account. Depending on your business, Twitter could be one of the most successful weapons in your Internet Marketing arsenal. Source: www.startupnation.com/ series/132/9334/twitter-marketing7-steps.htm

BBA

Open Supplier Certification Process The Verizon Communications Corporation is seeking to identify a greater share of African American-owned and operated businesses to match to potential operating contracts. The data base that Verizon procurement management personnel are instructed to review is the California Public Utilities Commission Clearinghouse. BBA members wanting to expand market opportunities with a telecommunication company should consider completing a supplier certification application. To obtain an application go to the Internet web address www.cpuc.gov and visit the supplier diversity page for an online application. The BBA encourages all members to participate in this process that works to create greater opportunities for all African-American owned and operated firms. Last year the California Verizon Company reported an annual spend with African American owned suppliers in excess of $40 million.

53 T March 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Reach Thousands Leaders in Business and Government YOUR LINK TO BLACK BUSINESS ENTERPRISE and the AFRICAN GLOBAL ECONOMIC COMMUNITY (GAEC) The Black Business Association, SBA 2007 Journalist of the Year, is pleased to invite you to be an integral part of our publication. Black Business News - International. The Black Business News is the oﬃcial voice through which public and private entities advertise business and investment opportunities, gain access to a highly aﬄuent target market via outreach and advertising opportunities.

Black Business News International Edition

Internat

ional Ed

Black B usiness News

•Outreach to Black Businesses in the USA and around the world •Advertorial/Feature Story Advertising •Profiles and Business Listings •Classified Ads and Bid Opportunities

ition

Serving the Glob al African

Econom ic Comm unity

Contents

Fall 2008 USD$5.0 0

Corporat

e Giving: opportu nit EO ing, and ies in health, ed Y charitable more. ucation, hous-

Our readers are BBA members, Black business owners, corporate buyers, prime contractors, community organizations and elected oﬃcials, who all turn to the Black Business News for business development news and information to take their businesses to the next level of profitability and success!

Tourism

ism indust : Investment in Africa ’s all across ry is active, vit al and is tourthe con evident tinent.

Feature Ar “Strateg ticles: ie Engage s For Construc m tisve African ent with the Diaspora ” “Diaspor a Engage Remittan m ces & Be ent: yond” Investm en t Pr of the Re public of oƤle: Moyo Dis Ug

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trict

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Reserve Your Ad Space Today! Call 323-291-9334 • E-mail: mail@bbala.org Special Offer: 50% Discount for Regular Financial BBA Members

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For more information contact: Earl “Skip” Cooper, II at 323-291-9334 E-mail: mail@bbala.org

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

Choose to care. Choose to celebrate. Choose to dream. At Comerica Bank, we choose to care about the dreams and visions of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We choose to celebrate equality and diversity among all people, and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re dedicated to ringing the bells of freedom. Choose to celebrate the dream with us.

Crenshaw 3825 Crenshaw Boulevard Los Angeles

El Segundo 2321 Rosecrans Avenue El Segundo

800-888-3595

Member FDIC. Equal Opportunity Lender.

www.comerica.com

Wilshire-Crescent Heights 6301 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles