BBA News OCT '09

September 2009

In This Issue‌ 6

Middle Class Task Force

8

National Broadband Plan

10 Health Care Reform 34 African & American Leaders Meet at UN 53 SBA ARRA Report

Pres. Obama Has His... You Get Yours!

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

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

Affirmative Integration Trends Impact Small Business Procurement

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or the sixth consecutive year, on November 5, 2009, the Black Business Association (BBA) will present its vital PROCUREMENT EXCHANGE SUMMIT that vigorously generates and resourcefully assembles major telecommunication, gas, electric, and transportation corporations to meet distinctively with small business owners. The major public and private sector participating organizations this year represents a combined annual spend of over $50 billion. In view of that, there is a significant opportunity for improving open access and supplier engagement, where the BBA encourages all small businesses to attend this powerful forum to seek selling opportunities.

Every particiapant should make plans to join the ‘One-On-One Match Making’ portion of the summit that facilitates meeting sessions between procurement management personnel and sellers at set times during the day.

In order for entrepreneurs to thrive they require access to capital, especially in a tight credit market. This is why the BBA is giving two topical workshops: Thriving During an Economic Downturn; and Do Procurement Opportunities Exist Through the Stimulus Plan?

The PROCUREMENT EXCHANGE SUMMIT is being held at the Sheraton Gateway Hotel (LAX), 6101 W. Century Blvd., Los Angeles, CA. To register, visit our web site www.bbala.org.

Proud sponsors setting the pace for effective supplier inclusion and support to this event include SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON, WELLS FARGO BANK and BRANDON SUPPLY CORPORATION. Our event partners

include COMERICA BANK, SEMPRA ENERGY, US BANK, VERIZON, and HONDA. The BBA is grateful to the California Public Utilities Commission, African American Supplier Engagement Collaboration, National Black Business Council, and California Black Chamber of Commerce for their long-standing support to the PROCUREMENT EXCHANGE SUMMIT. Today, the BBA’s reason for coordinating events like this is more critical than ever based on the progressive changes occurring in America. Contrary to progressive trends in abolishing racial and gender bias, a portion of the climate and attitude toward socioeconomic parity in America is moving to a negative state since President Barack Obama took the oath of office to serve all Americans. Having a Commander-In-Chief who is identified 50% black, has given some public and private sector professionals who influence buying the decisions a rationale to disregard the need to ensure equal access to contracts. A percentage of American business leaders have come to the conclusion that extending equal opportunity to all as an obsolete state of affairs.

A poignant reminder that recent in-

tegration is impacting professional wisdom was recently illustrated during President Barack Obama’s speech to the full US Congress, and a southern state congressman on national television ill-manneredly executed a breach of decorum by shouting ‘you lie’ to the President. Another example is how the media glamorizes the former Alaskan governor’s worldwide charade spewing out misinformation about President Obama’s executive actions and proposed health care reform to benefit the entire US citizenry. Her illegitimate dealings are subversive, not unlike the aforementioned congressman, a behavior indicative of how a person’s race can drive some to unwarrantable conduct.

Preceding this despicable behavior was the over turn of the State’s affirmative action guidelines led by the habitual conservative Ward Connerly, coupled with 54 percent of Californians voting Proposition 209 into law on November 5, 1996. Many consider this a plausible and systematic action to fully dismantle black socioeconomic development. Although highly unlikely, without neighborhood reform these unfortunate annulments of progressive unity is revealing a present-day Jim Crow

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

see President’s Message page 41

Over 35 years of service Founded 1970 Starlett Quarles, urban X marketing

CORPORATE PARTNERS

Black Business Association 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 W. Gladney ▪ C. Collins

PHOTOGRAPHY Ian Foxx ▪ Sabir • N. Osei

LAYOUT/TYPESETTING Lion Communications Copyright © 2009 by Black Business Association.

All Rights Reserved.

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, Administrative Consultant Brett Byers, Special Projects Consultant

COMMITTEE COORDINATOR

AEG American Honda Motor Company AT&T Bank of America The Boeing Company California Lottery Citibank Coca-Cola Enterprises Comerica Bank Department of Water & Power Donald Sterling Corporation 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 WellPoint Wells Fargo Bank Lyceum Management Services, Ex Officio Hollis Smith, Ex Officio Paulette Williams, Ex Officio

AFFILIATES African American Unity Caucus Association of Black Women Entrepreneurs Black Women’s Network California Black Chamber of Commerce California Council of Black Chambers 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

In This Issue…

3 President’s Message

New Trends Impact Small Business.

5 Middle Class Task Force •College Affordability 7 ARRA Impact Report Health Care Reform: 10 The Obama Plan 11 Reform Won’t Be Easy 14 Public Option a Must Have 19 California Energy Plan 20 2009 Medal of Freedom Awards 22 Bernanke-Minority Community Economy 29 Prepare for a Possible Pandemic 34 Africa Focus President Obama Meets with 26 African Leaders

55 SBA News ARRA Impact

60 Calendar Executive Promotions

•Mignon Clyburn, FCC Commissioner Pg 8 •Adolfo Carrion, Director, White House Office of Urban Affairs Pg 25

Columns

30 - Take A Look!

32 - Financial Management 52 - Books to Consider...

BBA Action Alert

14 - Health Care Reform-Contact Congress

Cover image - White House Photo

4 T September 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Vice President Joe Biden listens as Secretary of Education Arne Duncan answers a question from the audience during a Middle Class Task Force event on College Affordability at the University of Missouri St. Louis, Friday, April 17, 2009. Official White House Photo by David Lienemann

THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Vice President

Vice President Biden Holds Middle Class Task Force Meeting on College Access and Affordability www.AStrongMiddleClass.gov

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he White House Task Force on Middle Class Families, chaired by Vice President Joe Biden, held a meeting at Syracuse University in New York to discuss ways to help families save and pay for college. The meeting, “Making College More Accessible and Affordable for Middle Class Families,” also highlighted specific im-

provements the Administration is making to the overall process of paying for college. The Vice President was joined today by Secretary of Treasury Timothy Geithner, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Syracuse University Chancellor Nancy Cantor, State University of New York Chancellor Nancy Zimpher and other higher education experts.

“I know how challenging it is for parents and students who are trying to save or pay for college,” said Vice President Biden. “We should be making this process easier, not more difficult, and we’re starting by tearing down barriers so that middle class families have the means to send their kids to college.”

Earlier this year, the Task Force held its first college affordability discussion in St. Louis, Missouri. At this meeting,

the Vice President asked the Treasury Department to look into 529 plans and find ways to make them more effective and reliable for middle class families.

A 529 plan, offered by states, provides a convenient, tax-preferred way for families to save for college, and works much like ROTH IRAs, wherein contributions are made with after-tax income, returns accumulate tax free and distributions can be for qualified educational expenses without taxes. Based on a study of best plan management practices, the Treasury Department today provided recommendations that can be implemented now to make 529 plans more accessible, effective and reliable for the middle class. To view the full study and recommendations, please

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

see Task Force on page 6

Task Force from Task Force page 5

go to: www.treas.gov/press/releases/ docs/529.pdf.

“Today, we have identified several ways to make these plans more effective and reliable for middle class families,” said Secretary of Treasury Geithner. “By encouraging all states to offer low-fee, age-based index funds and by encouraging greater competition among state plans, we can help make the dream of a college education a reality for millions of middle class families.”

“We have to educate our way to a better economy. That’s why we have an agenda to make college affordable and

accessible to everyone - recent high school graduates, adults wanting to improve their careers, laid-off workers needing new job skills,” said Secretary of Education Duncan. “As the President told high school students yesterday, if you drop out of school, you’re not just quitting on yourself, you’re quitting on your country. We also want to send the message that we’re not quitting on you.

We’re providing the resources you need to go to college and succeed there.”

The complicated and intrusive Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) creates an obstacle to college affordability. By asking 153 questions, many of which have little or no impact on student aid eligibility, FAFSA imposes an unnecessary ordeal on 16 million students and parents every year, and more than a million students who are

Dr. Jill Biden introduces Vice President Joe Biden during a Middle Class Task Force event on College Affordability at the University of Missouri St. Louis, Friday, April 17, 2009. Official White House Photo by David Lienemann

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eligible for student aid fail to fill out the form. While the Administration is currently seeking legislation removing 29 of the most difficult questions from the form, it is also streamlining the form by tailoring it to individual students, skipping unnecessary questions, and allowing many students to electronically retrieve their tax information from the IRS and enter it into the online FAFSA. Two key members of the Task Force, the National Economic Council (NEC) and the Council of Economic Advisors (CEA), today released a report discussing the need to simplify the process of applying for federal student aid, describing President Obama’s plan for simplification and analyzing the potential impact of such improvements on Pell Grant recipients. To view the NEC/ CEA report, please go to: http://www. whitehouse.gov/assets/documents/ FAFSA_Report.pdf.

Today, the Task Force also released a full staff report diagnosing the existing barriers to higher education in America and highlighting ways for middle class families to better access higher education.

The staff report examines factors that limit students’ access to higher education, including income inequality, mobility, cost of college, and debt load. The report reiterates the Administration’s belief that a student’s merit should be the determining factor in getting into, and graduating from, a good school, because a clear pathway to a college education is a clear pathway into the middle class. President Obama has set a goal that by 2020, America should once again lead the world in the proportion of adults with a college degree.

A central goal of the Middle Class Task Force is to ensure that public policy is helping middle class families to realize their aspirations. The President, the Vice President and the Middle Class Task Force are committed to making sure that every student has the opportunity to earn a postsecondary credential or degree.

The full staff report is available at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/assets/ documents/MCTF_staff_report_barriers_to_college_FINAL.pdf. &

6 T September 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Economic Impact Report of the ARRA Now Available www.bbala.org EMBAR

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by ARRA rein September cipients, and 2009. The full will surely report may be lead to new viewed on the findings Black Business and refine Association webments to site - www.bbala. our analy org. sis.

HE The series of reT B e F O ACT 009 T OF 2 IC IMP NT AC E CONOM ports represent our c ause E M T E S H T EINVE AND R government’s efforts VERY of this O C E ICAN R ORT to actualize the provi- AMER P i n h e rE R RLY UARTE 09 sions for accountabil0 2 ent unFIRST Q , 0 1 BER SEPTEM ity and transparency certainty, we have aprequired in the 2009 proached the task of evaluating the ARRA impact of the ARRA from a wide The Council of Economic Advisors range of perspectives. Importantly, (www.whitehouse.gov/administrathe different approaches yield retion/eop/cea) appointed by President markably consistent findings. Both Obama prepare the quarterly reports. time-series econometric analysis The CEA states the following in the reand standard economic modelport conclusion. based analysis indicate that the This report provides an initial asRecovery Act has helped to change sessment of the economic impact the trajectory of the economy. The of the American Recovery and Reestimates suggest that the ARRA investment Act of 2009. Because will likely add about 3 percentage we are still in the early stages of points to real GDP growth in the the Act, it must be reiterated that all third quarter and will have raised of are findings are preliminary and employment by roughly 1 million subject to substantial uncertainty. relative to what would have hapLater reports will be able to exampened without stimulus. &

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Economic Recovery Websites

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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

TSA Secure Flight Information Secure Flight is a program to provide uniform watch list matching by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to enhance the security of domestic and international commercial air travel through the use of improved watch list matching.

Under the Secure Flight program, airlines will be required to collect Secure Flight Passenger Data (SFPD) including a passenger’s full name (as it appears on the passenger’s non-expired government issued ID), date of birth, gender, and TSA issued Redress Number (if available).

TSA is implementing Secure Flight in phases. Airlines working closely with the TSA will begin collecting SFPD from customers at the time of ticket purchase in the Fall of 2009.

For more information, visit www. tsa.gov/what_we_do/layers/secureflight.

7 T September 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Mignon Clyburn, New FCC Commissioner Addresses the National Broadband Plan Speech for the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

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he Joint Center is a great model for success in the public policy arena and a carrier of a mission that its President and Executive Director not only preaches but practices.

I am both moved and challenged by Ralph Everett’s charge: to lead the way for a more promising America for all people, by relentlessly exploring policy options and inspiring action at all levels of society. This is a charge that we all must keep. And by your presence here today, you are affirming that this is a charge that we all must keep.

For the record, I want to assure you that this is a charge that I know I must also keep. I proudly recognize and am humbled by the fact that but for the sacrifices and the investments of the Ralph Everetts of the world – not to mention the Bill Kennards, Michael Powell’s and the Emily Clyburns – I would not be standing before your today, poised to uphold this Center’s mission of improving the socioeconomic status and overall health of our communities.

I will continue to look to Ralph and other members of his staff for their thoughts on how to tackle some of the most challenging issues we face in this ever changing world of communications.

I am sure you all know that the FCC has been busy working on the National Broadband Plan, due to Congress in February, which seeks “to ensure that all people of the United States have access to broadband capability.”

I’m sure we all accept the premise that broadband has the potential to posi-

tively transform the lives of all Americans. But if we, as a collective, fail to meet the challenges that come with this stated goal, we risk turning our digital divide into a digital canyon. Broadband is changing and will continue to change the way we receive essential services and interact with one another.

Deploying broadband to all corners of the country is obviously one priority.

But merely making broadband available to all sectors of this nation is simply not enough. While it can be said that most of the country is currently wired for some kind of broadband, a large percentage of Americans – and a disproportionate number of African Americans – have not adopted broadband in their homes.

The price of broadband is clearly one factor. For some people – especially in these tough economic times – without assistance, no measure of desire to have broadband will get them connected. But price is only one factor.

Reputable studies make clear that millions of Americans have chosen not to adopt broadband for reasons other than price. It’s a point that bears repeating – even where affordability is not an issue, many people aren’t making broadband a priority.

My goal is to better understand why, and to take the steps necessary to ensure that all Americans understand what’s at stake. We are at a technological crossroads, and we need our broadband plan to make a difference when it comes to adopting the technology.

If we are to approach the issue of adoption appropriately, we cannot look for a one-size-fits-all solution. Rather, we must strive to understand what

makes all kinds of consumers tick, and we must learn, accept, and address the reasons why those who have rejected broadband have done so.

The African American community presents an excellent template for this project. It is well documented that advanced technology is often not a stumbling block for African Americans. Wireless adoption – the use of handheld, mobile devices among African Americans is off the charts. Just perhaps, by exploring why mobile has been such a success among African Americans, we can identify better ways to encourage the adoption of broadband in that particular community.

Before delving into the nitty-gritty, however, let’s first take a step back and look at what the FCC has in front of it for the next five months.

In order to produce a thoughtful, meaningful plan by February, the Commission has had to mobilize quickly to build a robust record in a remarkably short period of time. To accomplish this, in August, the Commission initiated a series of workshops designed to bring together well-known experts on communications networks and policy, along with new voices from other backgrounds and other disciplines—including those from The Joint Center. The workshops – which are still ongoing – are addressing both the big, overarching issues of a national broadband strategy – deployment, adoption, benchmarking and the like – as well as more discrete issues, such as broadband’s impact on energy independence and the future of the nation’s transportation system.

If it weren’t apparent already, the workshops have made crystal clear

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

see Broadband Plan on page 26

If You Have Health Insurance More Stability and Security • Ends discrimination against people with pre-existing conditions. Over the last three years, 12 million people were denied coverage directly or indirectly through high premiums due to a pre-existing condition. Under the President’s plan, it will be against the law for insurance companies to deny coverage for health reasons or risks.

• Limits premium discrimination based on gender and age. The President’s plan will end insurers’ practice of charging different premiums or denying coverage based on gender, and will limit premium variation based on age.

• Prevents insurance companies from dropping coverage when people are sick and need it most.

The President’s plan prohibits insurance companies from rescinding coverage that has already been purchased except in cases of fraud. In most states, insurance companies can cancel a policy if any medical condition was not listed on the application –

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even one not related to a current illness or one the patient didn’t even know about. A recent Congressional investigation found that over five years, three large insurance companies cancelled coverage for 20,000 people, saving them from paying $300 million in medical claims $300 million that became either an obligation for the patient’s family or bad debt for doctors and hospitals.

Caps out-of pocket expenses so people don’t go broke when they get sick. The President’s plan

The Obama Plan: Stability & Security

President Barack Obama addresses a town hall meeting on health care insurance reform inside a hangar at Gallatin Field in Belgrade, Mont., on Aug. 14, 2009. (Official White House photo

by Pete Souza)

will cap out-of-pocket expenses and will prohibit insurance companies from imposing annual or lifetime caps on benefit payments. A middle-class family purchasing health insurance directly from the individual insurance market today could spend up to 50 percent of household income on health care costs because

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there is no limit on out-of-pocket expenses.

Eliminates extra charges for preventive care like mammograms, flu shots and diabetes tests to improve health and save money.

The President’s plan ensures that all Americans have access to free preventive services under their

10 T September 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

see Obama Plan on page 13

Michelle Obama: Health Care Reform Won’t Be Easy

By KATIE ESCHERICH

First Lady Talks to ‘GMA’ About Health Care, Nutrition, Fitness and Her Favorite Food

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s the debate over health care reform escalates on Capitol Hill and in the White House, first lady Michelle Obama told “Good Morning America” in an exclusive interview that “no system is going to be perfect” and “it’s not going to be easy.”

The argument between Republicans and Democrats cen-

ters around the Obama administration’s proposal for a government-sponsored health insurance plan, or “public option,” that would

compete with private insurance.

Despite the contention over the merits of the plan and as how it would be funded, the first lady told “GMA” she thinks success is possible now because “more and more people are ready for this kind of reform.”

“The country has moved to another point in time,” she said. “It’s not going to be easy, but you have more people who are ready to try to figure it out. And hopefully that will ultimately make the difference this time around. “ The first lady acknowledged that her involvement in promoting nutrition, wellness and prevention “is to me one of the true keys of changing the health paradigm in this country.”

The first lady sat down with “Good Morning America” co-anchor Robin Roberts in the grandchildren’s garden in the White House South Lawn. The stepping stones into the garden have handprints of former presidents’ grandchildren, beginning with Lyndon Johnson. Young people are at the center of the first lady’s focus on nutrition, one that begins in her own home.

“We try to do more meals as a family,” she said.

“Just sitting together and having dinner has made a huge difference in how we eat and enjoy food.”

And the old adage about eating your veggies is alive and well in the White

House.

“Sasha likes peas and Malia is a pretty big broccoli fan,” she said.

The first lady said she and her husband try to set a good example when it comes to diet and exercise, but pointed out that they are fortunate to have the resources to make it a priority.

“The truth is, people are busy and they’re stressed and they’re tired,” she said. “That I know. And far be it from me to be a part of adding any more stress to anyone’s lives because ‘Michelle Obama did it; that means I have to do it.’ I have a lot of help. I’ve got a mother here, I’ve got resources. I would be remiss in not acknowledging that. But I would also urge people to think about the small things that they can do within their control.”

She added that her passion for children’s health stems from her personal experiences as a working mother.

“Probably like most moms, working mothers, working parents, there is a period when you struggle to figure out with a busy schedule, how do you feed your kids and make sure that they are eating healthy?” she said.

Health Care at Home: ‘Government Can’t Do It All’ She recalled a time when the Obama family was eating take-out and “a lot of easy, fast foods&I saw it starting to take a toll on my kids’ health.”

The family’s pediatrician suggested they change Malia and Sasha’s eating habits, and during the campaign she said they began eliminating processed food and adding fruits and vegetables to their diet, and to cook more and eat out less.

11 T September 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

grow your own food, what it means to eat something that’s grown locally, because what I found was that kids are very simple. They eat what tastes good and if a carrot tastes good, they’ll eat it. And what we’ve found is that freshly grown food is -- it just tastes better. “

First Lady’s Favorite Food: French Fries First lady Michelle Obama, right, and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius listen to remarks during an event on the need for health insurance reform and its impact on women and families on Sept. 18, 2009, at the White House.

“I feel more energized,” she said. “I feel more invigorated when I’m following a healthy routine. And if I feel that way, I can only imagine how my kids feel. So you know, this is something that we can take on in this country.”

Expressing concern about the high childhood obesity rates in the AfricanAmerican and Latino communities, the first lady said those trends lead to diabetes and other chronic illnesses “that we will be paying for as a nation.”

Obama said she was “hesitant to use the word crisis” when it comes to childhood obesity, but said that “we have to turn the page” and embrace healthier lifestyles.

“I don’t think we have to call it a crisis to make change. It is what it is,” she said. “You can look in your own neighborhoods, in your own families, in your own lives and see the truth of that. So we don’t need someone to label it to know that we can fix it.”

“Government can’t do it all,” she said, emphasizing the big impact of “little, incremental changes” like walking more and limiting soda.

“Those things will eliminate obesity and cut down on costs. I mean, we’re spending about $120 billion additional a year on our health care system as a result of these sort of chronic illnesses that you see that are connected to obesity. We already know that.”

Obama said her focus was on “talking with young people before these habits are ingrained about what it means to

Students from the Bancroft School in Washington, D.C., participating in a program with the White House Kitchen Garden have “learned so much about where food is grown,” Obama said.

“They take this information back. They educate their parents. They start asking for changes in their own diets.”

The first lady said that while knowledge is crucial, it doesn’t solve the problem that fresh fruits and vegetables aren’t readily accessible or affordable in many communities. The administration would be focusing on improving the nutritional value of government-provided meals for children, she said.

“Through the lunch programs, more and more kids, particularly in this economy, are getting breakfast and lunch at school. And we need to do a better job of making sure that those meals are as healthy as they can be. “ Outside of schools, she said, people are replicating the 1,100-square-foot garden on the South Lawn, which she said cost less than $200 to plant.

“There are thousands and thousands of community gardens that are being planted in urban environments and in rural communities all over this country,” she said. “What we’ve tried to demonstrate is that it’s not easy, but it’s not impossible, and it’s not economically

out of reach& Now I have gardeners and people who help take care of it, but there are also people who are coming together around their neighborhoods to do what we’re doing here at the White House.”

And even the first family indulges in guilty culinary pleasures from time to time. The first lady said she can relate to her husband’s penchant for Five Guys Burgers and Fries.

“I love french fries: my favorite food,” she said. “That’s part of what we try to teach our kids. It’s not about never, ever. There are some people who make that choice. We’re not one of those. I love food. It’s really about balance and choices.”

“My hope is that if I play a role in sort of ringing the bell of prevention and wellness and exercise, if that changes somebody’s life or it sets a new tone for the next generation, I think that can be helpful.”

Copyright © 2009 ABC News Internet Ventures http://abcnews.go.com GMA/Politics/ story?id=7882279&page=1

2009/10 Events September •Black Busines Day November •Utilities Procurement Exchange Summit & Awards Luncheon March •Salute to Black Women April •Trade Mission to Washington, DC May •Black Business Awards Luncheon • Call for information •

323-291-9334

12 T September 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Obama Plan from page 10

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health insurance plans. Too many Americans forgo needed preventive care, in part because of the cost of check-ups and screenings that can identify health problems early when they can be most effectively treated. For example, 24 percent of women age 40 and over have not received a mammogram in the past two years, and 38 percent of adults age 50 and over have never had a colon cancer screening.

Protects Medicare for seniors.

The President’s plan will extend new protections for Medicare beneficiaries that improve quality, coordinate care and reduce beneficiary and program costs.

These protections will extend the life of the Medicare Trust Fund to pay for care for future generations.

Eliminates the “donut-hole” gap in coverage for prescription drugs.

The President’s plan begins immediately to close the Medicare “donut hole” - a current gap in its drug benefit - by providing a 50 percent discount on brand-name prescription drugs for seniors who fall into it. In 2007, over 8 million seniors hit this coverage gap in the standard Medicare drug benefit. By 2019, the Presi-

dent’s plan will completely close the “donut hole”. The average out-of-pocket spending for such beneficiaries who lack another source of insurance is $4,080.

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If You Don’t Have Insurance Quality, Affordable Choices for All Americans • Creates a new insurance marketplace – the Exchange – that allows people without insurance and small businesses to compare plans and buy insurance at competitive prices. The President’s plan allows Americans who have health insurance and like it to keep it. But for those who lose their jobs, change jobs or move, new high quality, affordable options will be available in the exchange. Beginning in 2013, the Exchange will give Americans without access to affordable insurance on the job, and small businesses one-stop shopping for insurance where they can easily compare options based on price, benefits, and quality.

• Provides new tax credits to help people buy insurance. The President’s plan will provide new tax credits on a sliding scale to individuals and families that will limit how much of their income can be spent on premiums. There will also be greater protection for cost-sharing for out-of-pocket expenses.

Quote of Note...

“And if we want to achieve true equality for women, if that is our goal; if we want to ensure that women have opportunities that they deserve, if that is our goal; if we want women to be able to care for their families and pursue things that they could never imagine, then we have to reform the system. We have to reform the system. The status quo is unacceptable. It is holding women and families back, and we know it.”

First Lady Michelle R. Obama

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Provides small businesses tax credits and affordable options for covering employees. The President’s plan will also provide small businesses with tax credits to offset costs of providing coverage for their workers. Small businesses who for too long have faced higher prices than larger businesses, will now be eligible to enter the exchange so that they have lower costs and more choices for covering their workers.

Offers a public health insurance option to provide the uninsured and those who can’t find affordable coverage with a real choice.

The President believes this option will promote competition, hold insurance companies accountable and assure affordable choices. It is completely voluntary. The President believes the public option must operate like any private insurance company – it must be self-sufficient and rely on the premiums it collects.

Immediately offers new, low-cost coverage through a national “high risk” pool to protect people with preexisting conditions from financial ruin until the new Exchange is created. For those Americans who cannot get insurance coverage today because of a pre-existing condition, the President’s plan will immediately make available coverage without a mark-up due to their health condition. This policy will offer protection against financial ruin until a wider array of choices become available in the new exchange in 2013.

For All Americans Reins In the Cost of Health Care for Our Families, Our Businesses, and Our Government • Won’t add a dime to the deficit and is paid for upfront. The President’s plan will not add one dime to the deficit today or in the future and is paid for in a fiscally responsible way. It begins the process of reforming the health

13 T September 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

see Obama Plan on page 42

Congressman Rush: Public Option Must be in the Health Care Reform Legislation

U

. S. Congressional Representative Bobby L. Rush (D-IL) has re-affirmed his strong support for a public option in the final health care reform legislation currently winding its way through Congress.

“It’s time for the conversations to come to an end and for those of us who are responsible for legislating to do exactly that.

From the days of my youth through the entire course of my adult life I have always stood for a health care system that covers everyone who needs it– regardless of their ability to pay. I believe the only requirement for people to receive health care is that they be sick.

America deserves health reform now.

“To those who fear that comprehensive health care reform will advance without a strong public option that will

force private insurance companies to compete for patients, I say ‘fear not,’ as I believe all of us should refuse to let this historic opportunity pass us by.

“From the first day this session of Congress was gaveled to order, I have worked tirelessly with Chair-

man Waxman and other members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee to advance comprehensive reform legislation that makes structural reforms– including eliminating the insidious practice of refusing insurance coverage to those with pre-existing conditions–in

legislation that I believe should have broad appeal on both sides of the aisle.

However, over the course of the August recess, given the outrageous behavior that has been fueled by those business and political interests that continue to benefit from the status quo, I say enough is enough.

“The House Energy and Commerce Committee was the last committee to adjourn before the August recess as we were determined to report a comprehensive bill out of our committee.

Before we did, we worked around the clock to advance to the House floor a strong bill (H.R. 3200) that includes several important amendments I and others put forth, including a provision that eliminates the so-called “pay-fordelay” practice that allows drug manufacturers to delay the introduction of affordable generic drugs into the market–a practice that is financially detrimental to consumers.

“I fully intend to see this process through to the end in the form of comprehensive reform legislation that insures every American and reduces costs for consumers. No option I’ve seen, to date, is set to force private insurance companies to do the right thing short of a public option.

“That’s what I stand for, that’s what I intend to vote for and any bill that does not include an effective public option simply will not get my support.” &

ACTION ALERT! Let Your Congressional Representatives and Senators Know How You Want Them To Vote!

Write, call or e-mail your federal representatives today! Give voice to your opinion.

The citizens of this nation need a comprehensive health care plan. Pass legislation that includes a Public Insurance Option and No Insurance Industry Buyout.

Find congressional contact information at: www.house.gov and www.senate.gov.

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

October 22, 2009 5:00 - 9:00 PM Ontario Convention Center 2000 E. Convention Center Way Ontario, CA 91764 Join Inland Empire chambers and business organizations for the ultimate business networking event!

Mix and mingle with business people representing hundreds of industries and companies in and around the Inland Empire. Inland Empire’s Largest Mixer is a great opportunity to reach small to large companies, meet new clients and learn how the different chambers of commerce and business organizations can make your business grow.

Mixer admission: $20 per person at the door (no checks or credit cards accepted) or Purchase Online www.largestmixer.com/iemixer No Registration Necessary Parking: $8

15 T September 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Apps.gov to Bring Cloud Computing Down to Earth

By Vivek Kundra, U.S. Chief Information Officer

T

he Obama Administration has just launched Apps.gov to help continue the President’s initiative to lower the cost of government operations while driving innovation within government.

Apps.gov is an online storefront for federal agencies to quickly browse and purchase cloud-based IT services, for productivity, collaboration, and efficiency. Cloud computing is the next generation of IT in which data and applications will be housed centrally and accessible anywhere and anytime by a various devices (this is opposed to the current model where applications and most data is housed on individual devices). By consolidating available services, Apps.gov is a one-stop source for cloud services – an innovation that not only can change how IT operates, but also save taxpayer dollars in the process.

The federal government spends over $75 billion annually on information technology (IT). This technology supports every mission our government performs— from defending our borders to protecting the environment. IT is

essential for the government to do its work, and it is essential that we have access to the latest and most innovative technologies.

However, federal agencies and departments encounter many difficulties in deploying new IT services and products. Procurement processes can be confusing and time-consuming.

Security procedures are complex, costly, lengthy and duplicative across agencies. Our policies lag behind new trends, causing unnecessary restrictions on the use of new technology.

Past practices too often resulted in inefficient use of purchased IT capabilities across the federal government. We are dedicated to addressing these barriers and to improving the way government leverages new technology.

Now, we can start to address some of these challenges by adopting the use of cloud computing in the federal government through Apps.gov.

Cloud computing is defined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology as a computing model where IT capabilities are delivered as a service over the Internet to many us-

ers. Like a utility such as electricity or water, cloud computing allows users to only consume what they need, to grow or shrink their use as their needs change, and to only pay for what they actually use.

With more rapid access to innovative IT solutions, agencies can spend less time and taxpayer dollars on procedural items and focus more on using technology to achieve their missions.

We are just beginning this undertaking, and it will take time before we can realize the full potential of cloud computing. Like with Data.gov, Apps.gov is starting small – with the goal of rapidly scaling it up in size. Along the way, we will need to address various issues related to security, privacy, information management and procurement to expand our cloud computing services.

Over time, as we work through these concerns and offer more services through Apps.gov, federal agencies will be able to get the capabilities they need to fulfill their missions at lower cost, faster, and ultimately, in a more sustainable manner. & www.apps.gov • www.data.gov

16 T September 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Please Join Speaker Karen Bass and the

47th Assembly District People’s Council for a

2009 Policy Outcomes & Opportunities Town Hall Monday, September 21st 6:30 - 8 p.m.

Junior Blind of America 5300 Angeles Vista Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90043

To R.S.V.P. please call 323-937-4747 or email amanda.martin@asm.ca.gov R.S.V.P. Deadline: Thursday, September 17th

Speaker Bass will recap the past legislative session and provide an insider’s scoop on the California economy, healthcare, clean energy, public safety and more. It has been an unprecedented year with more action to come! Join us to discuss what we can all do to ensure our communities have a strong voice within the ongoing debates.

Editorial - Alliance for a 21st Century Water System

Why We Need a Comprehensive Solution to the Water Crisis

C

alifornia is in the midst of a water crisis that is impacting communities from the Bay Area to San Diego. The cost of water is rising, which hurts the most vulnerable members of society first. But in many areas, everyone will have to pay more for less water.

There are viable solutions to this crisis that have been identified and endorsed by the Governor’s Delta Vision Commission.

The need now is for California’s business and community leaders to get involved and send a message to Sacramento that piecemeal approaches won’t work. California needs a comprehensive solution to the water crisis.

Repair the Delta: Restoring the environmental health of the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta must be the starting point.

Invasive species, declining water quality, industrial pollution, toxic discharges upstream and in the Delta, and a host of other problems have caused fisheries to collapse.

Climate change, rising sea and salinity levels, deteriorating levees, and the threat of a cataclysmic earthquake threaten to disrupt water supplies for two-thirds of the state’s residents. Protecting Delta water quality, enhancing habitat and fisheries, and preserving the values of the Delta as an evolving place are all essential elements of a comprehensive solution to the water crisis.

Peripheral Canal: Moving the intake points for the state and federal water systems from their present location in the southern Delta to a location on the Sacramento River will benefit Delta fisheries and safeguard water quality for 25 million people. Delta Vision, the independent Public Policy Institute of California and experts at the University of California all agree that moving the intakes and building a peripheral canal instead offers the best and most economical choice for meeting the needs of the environment and the public. And the costs of building the canal will be paid by the people who use it – not the taxpayers.

New Storage: Without adequate storage facilities, California every year loses billions of gallons of fresh water that could be used to supply cities and farms. In addition, climate change is profoundly altering the operation of existing dams and driving the need for new ones. With decreasing snowmelt, new infrastructure will be needed to manage water resources for both fish and people.

Integration of the Two Water Systems: California’s State Water Project and the federal Central Valley Project form the backbone of the modern water system that drives $30 billion of the state’s economy. Integrating the operation of the two systems under state authority would increase the efficiency of water deliveries, reduce costs for water users and improve maintenance.

Affordable Water Supply: In addition to making water supplies more reliable, we also need to ensure that they will be affordable. Water users - not the taxpayers - are willing to pay the costs of new conveyance and storage facilities and for necessary environmental mitigation in the Delta. That is because water ratepayers will get a direct benefit. But that’s all they should pay for.

The Legislature must resist efforts by special interests who want to impose ongoing water taxes in the form of fees to the cost of water in order to fund ongoing governmental programs, regional economic development, and environmental activities not specifically covered by the Bay Delta Conservation Plan.

Forcing water users to pay a water tax for programs that do not directly benefit them will only drive up the costs of water for everyone, impede economic growth, disproportionately impact vulnerable communities and reduce the flexibility needed to meet the multiple needs for water for both economic and environmental purposes. &

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

Give the Gift of Knowledge Today!

• • • • • • • • •

Black Educational Events, the producer of the Angel City Classic, has just released a comprehensive guide to Historically Black Colleges and Universities, HBCU Today (www.hbcutoday.net.)

For the past three years, we have held the Angel City Classic in Los Angeles, California, with the purpose of enhancing awareness of the cultural and educational opportunities available at HBCUs, particularly among youth in western geographies.

As we interacted with youth in high schools and organizations to promote the Classic, we have been continually asked for information on HBCUs. This experience motivated us to publish a comprehensive resource guide that would provide articles on the cultural and educational opportunities offered at our nation’s HBCUs. Here’s what you can expect from this ultimate guide that is not being sold in stores--only through www.hbcutoday.net: Detailed profiles of all 104 HBCUs, including full-color campus photos and up-to-date contact information Articles on the history and relevance of HBCUs from award-winning Washington Post writer Hamil Harris, former USA Today sportswriter Michael Hurd, and Prairie View A&M president Dr. George C. Wright Overviews of programs offered at HBCUs, including Florida A&M University’s School of Journalism and Howard University’s School of Divinity A step-by-step guide to applying for college A full listing of scholarship resources and black college tours A geographic HBCU locater for quick and easy reference Full-color reproductions of artwork from The Kinsey Collection, one of the most notable collections of AfricanAmerican art in the country Over 300 hundred pages of information, including notable HBCU graduates and HBCU trivia An invaluable resource for students, parents, counselors and alumni alike!

The book is the perfect resource guide, written and designed to help students, parents, teachers, coaches, and youth leaders better understand the cultural and educational experiences and opportunities available at HBCUs. It is also the perfect gift that could make all the difference in how a youth in your family, or within your sphere of friends, might receive the information that could impact his or her choice of a college or university for secondary education.

Black Educational Events will continue to be a most effective supporter and promoter of our nation’s HBCUs. More projects and products are currently in the pipeline.

To purchase HBCU Today, go to www.hbcutoday.net to order the books you need today!

Airlines Reaped $10.25 Billion in à la Carte Fees in 2008 According to a report issued by consulting firm IdeaWorks, global airlines took in $10.25 billion in “ancillary revenue” in 2008, generated from à la carte pricing of meals, exit-row seating, baggage fees and other previously complimentary services.

Ancillary revenue for 2008, a year in which airlines began to un-bundle these services in response to surging jet fuel prices, was 345 percent more than it was in 2006, the last year that

IdeaWorks released its study.

The five airlines that took in the most ancillary revenue in 2008 were American, United, Delta, Ryanair and Qantas.&

OUR ECONOMIC RECOVERY PLAN OERP

Do Business with BBA Member Businesses & Advertisers

18 T September 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Governor Signs Executive Order to Advance State’s Renewable Energy & Create New Jobs

A

dvancing California’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing the state’s renewable energy, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed an Executive Order (EO) directing the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to adopt regulations increasing California’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) to 33 percent by 2020 - first established by the Governor’s directive last year. The Governor’s EO upholds California’s leadership in environmental policies and builds on AB 32 goals by ensuring California will have the flexibility needed to use renewable energy sources for 33 percent of our state’s energy consumption by 2020.

Today’s action will provide clear, permanent direction for creation, delivery and servicing of California’s renewable energy projects, which will help avoid another energy crisis while achieving our renewable energy goals.

“Three years ago, I signed AB 32 and committed California to roll back our greenhouse gas emissions a nation-leading 25 percent by 2020.

We’ve made a lot of progress since then, but we still have a lot of work to do to reach our goals,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “So I am taking action today to make sure California remains a pioneer in clean energy and clean jobs and directing the California Air Resources Board to enact regulations to reach our 33 percent renewable energy standards by 2020. With this investment in renewable energy projects, California has a bright energy future ahead that will help us fight climate change while driving our state’s

green economy.”

The Governor’s order places the highest priority on renewable resources that will provide the greatest environmental benefits that can be developed quickly and support reliable, efficient and cost-effective electricity system operations including resources and facilities located throughout the Western Interconnection. Working with the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), the Independent System Operator (ISO) and the California Energy Commission (CEC), CARB must adopt these regulations by July 31, 2010.

Last November, Governor Schwarzenegger built on his commitment to accelerating the state’s renewable energy standard and signed Executive Order S-14-08 to streamline California’s renewable energy project approval process and increase the state’s RPS to the most aggressive in the nation at 33 percent renewable power by 2020. The Governor also called on the legislature to pass legislation increasing the state’s RPS to meet that target and, in May, sent legislative leaders a letter outlining what would need to be included in legislation – most importantly, that it increase the state’s renewable energy portfolio standard while protecting ratepayers and creating a healthy market.

Unfortunately, the bills the legislature recently passed are unnecessarily complex. For that reason, the Governor is taking action administratively today to increase California’s RPS to the

highest in the nation – 33 percent by 2020.

In 2007, the Governor called for an acceleration of the RPS, and signed SB 107 by Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) requiring investor owned utilities to have 20 percent of their electricity come from renewable sources by 2010.

Previously, state law passed in 2002 required that this target be achieved by 2017.

In September 2006, the Governor signed the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, California’s landmark bill that established a first-in-the-world comprehensive program of regulatory and market mechanisms to achieve real, quantifiable and cost-effective reductions of greenhouse gas emissions.

The law will reduce carbon emissions in California to 1990 levels by the year 2020. AB 32 requires CARB to develop regulations and market mechanisms that will ultimately reduce California’s greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2020. Mandatory caps will begin in 2012 for significant sources and ratchet down to meet the 2020 goals.

The Governor has also called for the state to reduce carbon emissions to 80

percent below 1990 levels by the year 2050.

The Governor has led California in establishing laws and policies aimed at helping to promote renewable energy and fight global warming, including: • In September 2008, Gov. Schwarzenegger signed AB 1451

by Assemblyman Mark Leno (DSan Francisco), AB 2466 by Assemblyman John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) and AB 2267 by Assemblyman Felipe Fuentes (D-Sylmar) to

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

see Energy on page 44

Presidential Medal of Freedom Awards

IPresident Barack Obama hugs Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient actor Sidney Poitier during the award ceremony in the East Room of the White House, on Aug. 12, 2009.

LPresidential Medal of Freedom recipient Joseph Medicine Crow shows a drum to President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama during a reception for recipients and their families in the Blue Room of the White House on Aug. 12, 2009.

(Official White House photos by Pete Souza)

P

resident Obama’s first Medal of Freedom Awards were presented in a ceremony at the White House in August.

The 16 honorees for 2009 include: actor Sidney Poiter, actress Cita Rivera physicist Stephen Hawking, Sen. Ted Kennedy, Billie Jean King, former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the late San Francisco Mayor Harvey Milk, South African freedom fighter Bishop Desmond Tutu, former congressman and cabinet secretary Jack Kemp, U.S. civil rights freedom fighter the Rev. Joseph Lowery, canceer health care advocate Nancy Goodman Brinker, health care provider to the homeless Dr. Pedro Jose Greer, the last living Plains Indian war chief Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow, the first female president of Ireland Mary

Robinson, human geneticist Janet Davison Rowley and Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Muhammad Yunus.

The White House said this year’s list of recipients, to be honored were chosen as “agents of change.” “These outstanding men and women represent an incredible diversity of backgrounds,” the president said in a statement. “Their tremendous accomplishments span fields from science to sports, from fine arts to foreign affairs.

Yet they share one overarching trait: Each has been an agent of change.

Each saw an imperfect world and set about improving it, often overcoming great obstacles along the way.“ &

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

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Ben Bernanke and the Minority Community

By Steven Turner The Slaton Insurance Group

W

hile in Washington D.C. recently with members of The Greenlining Institute, Earl “Skip” Cooper, II of the Black Business Association had an opportunity to speak with Ben Bernanke, Chairman of the Federal Reserve. During this informal meeting, Ben Bernanke remarked that

the recession in the United States is “very likely over”.

He might

$20 Billion in Infrastructure Building Bonds Can Mean Money for You!

Sign Up Now for the California Construction Contracting Program If your business provides services, from asphalt to porta-potties; from backhoes to fencing; from catering to architectural and engineering services, now’s the time to prepare for the upcoming reconstruction projects from Caltrans and other municipal agencies.

FREE construction-related business management advising and training is available through the California Construction Contracting Program.

Contact the El Camino College Small Business Development Center (SBDC) for more information or visit www.buildcalifornia.org.

El Camino College SBDC 13430 Hawthorne Blvd.

Hawthorne, CA 90250 310.973.3177 www.southbaysbdc.org

be right that a recovery is underway, but African American businesses are still waiting to see the economic upturn to this severe financial crisis.

Not only the African American business community, but also small and minority businesses want to know what caused this financial crisis, how can we prevent from happening again, and when will we get to experience some good news. Banks are not lending, unemployment rates are historically high, and here in California they actually had to resort to issuing IOU’s in lieu of hard currency. Yet, the recession might be over.

While Mr. Bernanke’s charge does not include the economic recovery of small businesses, it does include the stability of our central banking system, which is a vital part of the engine that drives entrepreneurial and business development in this country. Ben Bernanke came to Washington, D.C. from academia rather than from banking. He is not beholden to the business sector, let alone to small and minority business owners. He is a student of financial history and knows of economic cycles of booms and busts. He is well aware of the savings and loan crisis of the late 1980s, with the advent of the Resolution Trust Corporation, the Asian financial credits, the collapse of Long-Term Capital Management in 1998, and the bursting of the dot-com bubble in 2001.

Bernanke knows the pattern where the market peaks, banks are panicking and the Fed is called in to the rescue, using its tools of lowering interest rates and providing credit to maintain banks’ liquidity.

Now might be the time for small businesses to save net earnings, and to borrow for operational costs - assuming banks loosen up on credit. Chairman Bernanke indicated that interest rates for the foreseeable future are likely to stay low for a long-term, keeping the cost of borrowing more attractive than it has been in decades. And, this is also great for banks!

There are a number of smart people running many of our financial institutions and they are constantly seeking ways to take advantage of lax regulasee Minority Community on page 37

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

24 T September 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Carrion to Head White House Office of Urban Affairs

P

resident Barack Obama announced the following White House post: Adolfo Carrion, White House Director of Urban Affairs.

President Barack Obama said, “I look forward to working with this talented leader to bring long overdue attention to the urban areas where 80 percent of the American people live and work. Vibrant cities spawn innovation, economic growth, and cultural enrichment; the Urban Affairs office will focus on wise investments and development in our urban areas that will create employment and housing opportunities and make our country more competitive, prosperous, and strong.”

President Obama and Vice President Biden created the White House Office of Urban Affairs to develop a strategy for metropolitan America and to ensure that all federal dollars targeted to urban areas are effectively spent on the highest-impact programs. The Director of Urban Affairs will report directly to the president and coordinate all federal urban programs.

Adolfo Carrion, White House Director of Urban Affairs, has served two terms as Bronx Borough President and one term as the President of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO).

As Bronx Borough President, Carrion oversaw the creation of 40,000 new units of housing in seven years, 50 new schools, $7 billion in capital and infrastructure expenditures, and over $400 million in new parks and parkland renovation. Prior to his service as Bronx Borough President, Carrion

represented the 14th City Council District on the New York City Council and also served as an urban planner at the NYC Department of City Planning and

a teacher in the New York City Public Schools. Carrion received his bachelors in World Religions and Philosophy from King’s College in 1985 and his

Masters in Urban Planning from Hunter College in 1990.

Mr. Carrion states that President Obama has made smart investment and smart growth a top priority for his administration. Not for its own sake, but because the President believes that we ought to be investing in what’s good for America’s future.

Last year the President said to the nation’s mayors at their annual conference, “we need to promote strong cities as the backbone of regional growth…. we also need to stop seeing our cities as the problem and start seeing them as the solution…strong cities are the building blocks of strong regions, and strong regions are essential for a strong America…” This in a nutshell is why the Office of Urban Affairs was created. Our job is to advance a new federal vision that recognizes cities and metropolitan areas as dynamic engines for our economy, and develop federal policy built on these strengths. & urbanaffairs@who.eop.gov www.whitehouse.gov

Pew Trusts’ Study Highlights Clean Energy Economy The Pew Charitable Trusts, based in Washington DC, released a study earlier this summer highlighting the growth of the clean energy economy in the United States over the past decade. According to the study, “Between 1998 and 2007, jobs in the clean energy economy grew at a national rate of 9.1 percent while traditional jobs grew by only 3.7 percent. By 2007, more than 68,200 businesses across all 50 states and the District of Columbia accounted for more than 770,000 jobs, despite a lack of sustained government support in the past decade.” In an age where the economic recovery is on most everyone’s mind, the findings from the Pew Trusts’ report corroborate the argument that clean energy provides an economic boost as well as the environmental benefit. www.pewtrusts.org • http://2ndgreenrevolution.com

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

Broadband Plan from page 8

how essential broadband is to our wellbeing. Not only has broadband begun to transform many aspects of our daily lives – just think about email, online banking, YouTube, websites that help consumers compare prices – but it is imagining anew what our basic social fabric looks like.

Perhaps the best example is telemedicine. Those of you in the audience from South Carolina know full well that the best health care simply does not reach some of the poorest, most rural and isolated areas of the state.

With telemedicine – the ability to exchange essential and real-time information with a physician in a distant community – Americans once relegated to second class healthcare, have a chance to receive the care they deserve. A broadband linkup can – and this is no exaggeration – be the difference between life and death.

Broadband can also drive job creation at a time when it is sorely needed. For example, at one of our broadband workshops, we heard from Timothy McNeil, the Director of Development for the National Conference of Black Mayors, who told the story of a small rural community in Georgia just a connection away from landing a critical call center contract. Representatives of the National Conference met with a major airline to pitch the idea of moving some of their overseas call center operations to a rural community outside of Atlanta, which has been devastated by the economic downturn. The idea appeared to be a winner but for one key component. The airline uses voice over IP technology to operate its call centers. And that community simply did not have access to high speed services.

With no broadband, talks ceased, and that community, already hard-hit by the loss of manufacturing jobs, lost out on a golden opportunity.

This is an example where unencumbered Internet access could have been an incredible economic stabilizer. Indeed, when a community has access to broadband – and an unencumbered Internet – it can be the great equalizer.

It permits any individual or group with a great idea to have equal access to the public.

Just last week, my office met with a telecom carrier from out west, in cattle country. Remarkably, in a very rural area, his company makes DSL available to nearly every single one of its subscribers. Within this company’s rural service territory is a business that teaches English over the Internet, to people in South Korea and other countries. This business, which obviously could not exist without broadband, provides part-time employment for

mer small business owner myself, I can tell you from personal experience that savings of this kind can make or break any small operation.

The bottom line is this: We are rapidly becoming a world in which the Internet will be the only way that people can accomplish their most essential tasks and apply for critical services. Each day, more and more employers accept only on-line applications for jobs. Before long, many government services – federal, state, and local – will only be accessible through the Internet. Internet billing – both receiving and paying – is becoming ubiquitous. And, if I am invited back someday – who knows – you may all be seeing a virtual Mignon Clyburn instead of the real thing.

It is a must that we focus on how we get broadband out to those Americans who are not yet “passed” by it. We have to find ways to encourage investment, and consider if we should provide more universal service support for broadband.

There are many hard at work on this problem, and I intend to work closely with my fellow Commissioners and the Commission staff to find solutions. But what I will be spending much of my waking hours tackling over the coming weeks is the issue of broadband adoption. You see, while nearly 90% of Americans have broadband available to them in one form or another – putting the definition of broadband aside for the moment – only 63% of Americans actually subscribe. When it comes to African Americans and those in poverty, the numbers drop considerably: Only 46% of African Americans use broadband at home, and only 35% of Americans with an annual household income below $20,000 use broadband at home. And while individuals in many categories have shown strong adop-

OpenInternet.gov is a place to join the discussion about the important issues facing the future of the Internet. Through this site you can stay connected to all Federal Communication Commission activities on the issue, and share your thoughts and ideas on open Internet.

400 people. Another example from the same company: thanks to broadband, ranchers can sell their cattle over the Internet with the help of video, saving the burdensome transportation and related costs of displaying their animals in person, and adding to their bottom line.

Now, I can’t tell you the difference between a bull and a steer, but as a for-

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

see Broadband Plan on page 40

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27 T September 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Nine Steps to Prepare Your Business for a Pandemic Source: Baseline Briefing www.baselinemag.com

A

s fears of a Swine Flu pandemic grow, you need to make sure your organization is ready to deal with business and IT continuity issues.

1. Consider the Impact of Missing People Within Your Organization Plan for 40% of your staff to be absent. Do you have the cross-training, documentation, tools, and support to continue working with a significantly lower level of expertise? Consider whether it may be an option to share support roles from two or more geographic areas, to minimize impact on the potentially hardest-hit locale.

2. Revisit and Reassign Responsibilities If your workforce or organization has been restructured recently, some people may not be fully trained in their roles. Consider single points of failure among your staff from a knowledge perspective, and take action to identify alternate staff and to provide some level of cross training.

3. Consider the Impact of Missing People Outside Your Organization Expect similar absenteeism at key vendors should a pandemic develop.

Review support relationships, and ask partners and vendors to share how they intend to meet requirements. Consider multiple vendors to diversify your risk, and develop those relationships now.

4. Consider the Requirements and Priorities of Your Internal Customers Business operations throughout the company may change based upon the local impact of the pandemic. Align resources to meet vital operations, and ensure that basic business operations can continue.

5. Consider the Impact of More People Working From Home Assess your infrastructure for remote workers, including technologies and support services. Home workers will

still need application support, login and password support, and hardware support. You may see an increase in learning and awareness needs—how do I use remote access? Why can’t I get to X system?

6. Prepare for Lights Out Systems will continue running, but may degrade as maintenance is unavailable. Schedule planned maintenance now. Ensure system documentation is up to date and readily accessible by support staff working in a remote location. Encourage cross-training. Apply what you’ve learned from earlier tests.

7. Understand Your Vulnerabilities How will you provide remote support? How will you do preventive maintenance—particularly hardware maintenance? How would you deal with the loss of limited expertise? What systems

require special care? How will you handle call volumes? Focus on solutions that can be implemented quickly and provide the greatest benefit against the pandemic threat.

8. What Should I Do Now—Today?

General business preparedness for a pandemic should be covered by each business unit. For technology teams, consider limitations in people, process, or technology that would be exposed if your organization needs to respond to a “typical” disaster while operating without 40% of your staff 9. What If I Have No Pandemic Plan?

You still have some time to prepare.

Determine who will make critical decisions in the face of a pandemic, and work with any corporate leaders or crisis management structure. Understand your vulnerabilities looking at systems and data to some extent—but particularly at process and people. & Source: SunGard Availability Sevices: www.availability.sungard.com/Pages/Default.aspx

Investment News In 2010 investors saving for retirement will have an opportunity to convert traditional IRAs into Roth IRAs, paying no federal taxes on the transaction until 2011 and 2012. Before 2010, anyone making $100,000 or more annually couldn’t make such conversions. The advantages of the Roth IRA are well known. Because they are funded with after-tax dollars, qualified distributions are tax-free, although unless certain criteria are met, Roth owners must be 59½ or older and have held the IRA for five years before tax-free withdrawals are permitted.

As no withdrawals are actually required, high-net-worth individuals can pass untouched Roth accounts to future generations.

For personalized advice on whether converting your traditional IRA funds into a Roth account could benefit you, contact a certified financial advisor. $

29 T September 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.usaspending.gov USAspending.gov, a re-launch of www.fedspending.org, provides information to the public, as collected from federal agencies, in an easy to use website. The data is largely from sources: the Federal Procurement Data System, which contains information about federal contracts; and the Federal Assistance Award Data System, which contains information about federal financial assistance such as grants, loans, insurance, and direct subsidies like Social Security.

USAspending.gov presents data in a different way than found in many other transactional databases. This is

generally done for the convenience of users so data is more understandable and accessible.

citizens may participate in addressing the water policies of the state visit the Alliance for a 21st Center Water System/California website.

www.timeanddate.com The company is committed to providing people with free time and date related information that may be specialized but not widely available from other sites. Time and Date AS has developed applications and services found on www.timeanddate.com, including: the World Clock; calendars, holidays and date calculators; various time-related calculators; Time Zone News; sun and moon calculators, including a day and night world map; a free digital clock for websites; and much more.

www.californiawatersavers.com In 2009 alone, experts at the University of California estimate that water shortages caused by the drought and regulatory requirements will cost California’s economy more than $1 billion and eliminate more than 35,000 jobs.

To learn more about the drought’s effects on the state and how California

http://2ndgreenrevolution.com 2nd Green Revolution website is dedicated to presenting pertinent information on the clean energy economy.

With a focus on renewable energy, smart grid, energy efficiency and sustainable development, 2nd Green Revolution aims to provide analysis, insight and an informative viewpoint on issues relating to the next green revolution.

The “Second Green Revolution” is the technological transformation of energy production, distribution, and consumption to green, clean, and sustainable methods taking place in the first half of the 21st century. & Submitted by LaSandra Stratton BBA member, Chair of the BBA International Trade Committee.

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

Financial Management:

Electronic Registry Makes Your Medical Wishes Known Universally

by Attorney Caprice L. Collins

A

ttorney Caprice L. Collins was recently recognized for going “above and beyond” the professional call of duty to her client’ healthcare wishes by a national advance directive registry.

For more than 5 years, Attorney Collins has been registering her clients in a service that provides instant electronic access to her clients’ healthcare directives. With this service, these directives enable hospitals and doctors, right on the spot, to know her clients’ medical wishes.

“My clients truly appreciate the peace of mind that this registry gives them,” said Attorney Collins. “They know that they have excellent documents that we worked together to create. And they also know that they have the best tools available to help their wishes be

honored out in the real world, where it counts,” concluded Attorney Collins.

The DocuBank registry wallet card that her clients carry provides immediate access, 24/7/365, to the client’s healthcare directives (also called advance directives), which can include a healthcare power of attorney, living will, HIPAA release, or other documents.

Hospitals can obtain the documents from DocuBank via fax or the website www.docubank.com. The wallet card also displays important allergies, medical conditions, and emergency contacts.

Having patients’ healthcare directives available at the hospital when they are needed is essential. “But in most cases,” explains DocuBank President, Randi Siegel, “these papers are locked up in safe deposit box or stuffed in a file drawer, where they do no good at all.”

Having a DocuBank card also af-

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fords clients protection in less obvious ways. If clients come to the hospital without their advance directives, the hospital may give them new forms to fill out. “Being admitted to the hospital is stressful enough already,” added Attorney Collins. “It’s not a good time to try to remember the important decisions that we’ve already made or to start over completely from scratch.”

“Attorney Collins chooses to protect her clients from all of these access problems by registering them in an electronic registry like DocuBank,” Siegel continued. Some estate planning attorneys, like Attorney Collins, even pay for the client’s membership because they think it’s that important.

“Attorney Collins has been working with us for a long time; we are pleased and honor her commitment to her clients.”

DocuBank, a national and international registry based near Philadelphia, began operating in 1994 and has enrolled over 165,000 members. & Caprice L. Collins, a member of the Black Business Association, is a top rated Harvard Law School trained attorney, fellow alumni with President Elect 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/Central Los Angeles 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 “inspiring, entertaining and easy-to-understand.”

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

International:

26 of African Continent’s Leaders Hold Talks With President Obama at UN

by Reed Kramer allAfrica.com

A

frican issues were in the spotlight when President Barack Obama hosted a luncheon for some two dozen African heads of state and government at the United Nations on the first day of the annual opening session of the General Assembly in September 2009.

“This event focused on how the United States can work in partnership with African governments to strengthen

African economic and social development,” U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice told reporters.

“The luncheon talk focused primarily on three topics: job creation, especially for young people; creating a more conducive climate for trade and investment; and ways to mobilize African agriculture to create jobs and help feed the continent,” she said.

Three leaders have been asked to

Top: President Obama speaks before the UN Generaly Assembly. Second Row (l-r): President Kikwete, President Johnson-Sirleaf, President Kagame

address the issues. Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf spoke about youth and jobs. President Paul Kagame of Rwanda spoke about investment, and Tanzania’s President Jakaya Kikwete discussed agriculture. They were selected to highlight the progress their countries are making under their direction, U.S. officials said.

A number of the leaders that took part in the lunch made last-minute decisions to come to New York after White House invitations were issued.

Because only the top leader in each country was invited, several presidents opted to attend rather than leave their countries unrepresented at the highprofile event.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who made a seven-nation, 11-day trip across Africa earlier this year, played a major role in shaping the luncheon and attended as well, the official said.

President Obama make his first appearance as U.S. president at the United Nation’s General Assembly, where he took part in a climate change summit, addressed the General Assembly and chaired a high-level Security Council meeting on nuclear disarmament before leaving for the G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh.

Ambassador Rice said the Heads of State luncheon offered an “unprecedented” opportunity for the president “to engage with leaders from African countries on the issues that are frankly most pressing to them.”

Former U.S. President George W. Bush held several group sessions with African presidents at the White House, and, in 2002, met with 11 leaders in three separate gatherings while he was attending the General Assembly opening debate in New York. But the Obama Heads of State Luncheon represented the first time an American head of state had hosted such a large number of his African counterparts. The Honorable Jean Ping, African Union Commissioner, also attended the luncheon.

President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf

34 T September 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

see African Leaders on page 36

Protect the Gorilla Campaign Launched

“A FEW NOTES ON AFRICA” New Chair for USADF

by Paul Mwijagye

allAfrica.com 19 September 2009

I

n an unprecedented move, renowned Hollywood celebrities will be in Uganda to launch the “Friend a Gorilla Campaign”. The official launch of the campaign is on 26th September.

Some of the celebrities include American actor Jason Biggs who stared in movies like The Glitch (2007) and My Best Friend’s Girl (2008). Others include Simon Curtis (TV Series: Five Days-2007, Hunter-2009), Nicholas Brendon (Blood on the Highway-2008, The Portal-2009), Eddie Kay Thomas (American Dad-2005 to 2009, Blind Dating-2006, Venus and Vegas-2009), and Kristy Wu. In addition, South African celebrities such as TV personality Rose Mutene, Hlub Mmopi and Fared Khimani are expected to attend.

The celebrities will be on 23rd Track, the newly habituated mountain gorilla family called Nshongi which is the biggest ever habituated gorilla family in the region.

They will also engage in various community projects such as giving talks to school children, volunteering at community health centres and visiting women’s associations.

On 24th September, the stars will engage in the first of the three major events which will be the grand launch of the Nshongi gorilla family at Rubugiri in Kisoro district, South-western Uganda.

Under this campaign, people who have a Facebook account will be able to befriend gorillas and pay one dollar

Jack Leslie, currently Vice Chairman of USADF and Chairman of Weber Shandwick, the world’s leading public relations and publicaffairs firm, is President Obama’s appointee for Chairman of United States African Development Foundation (USADF).

The USADF is an independent Federal agency established to support Africandesigned and African-driven solutions that address grassroots economic and social problems. USADF provides grants of up to $250,000 directly to under-served and marginalized community groups and enterprises. The grants help organizations create tangible benefits such as increasing or sustaining the number of jobs in a community, improving income levels, and addressing social development needs. USADF is a public corporation with a seven member Board of Directors who are nominated by the President and confirmed by the United States Senate. www.usadf.gov

Heads of State to Meet Venezuela is hosting the 2nd African-South American heads of state summit from September 26-27, 2009 on Margarita Island.

When announcing the summit, President Chavez said Latin America and Africa are crufor each gorilla they befriend.

A Gorilla Gala at Serana Hotel Kampala will crown all the activities and it is expected to attract prominent socialites, celebrities, members of the diplomatic community and corporate organizations among others.

A total of 34 mountain gorillas in the Nsongi family have been habituated in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for viewing. The group is believed to be the largest in the world.

Habituation is a process through which wild animals get used to human presence without losing their wild character.

A team led by Benjamin Bayenda, who has tracked gorillas for 20 years, habituated the gorillas since the beginning of last year. “We believe the gorillas are ready for tracking because

cial in creating a multipolar world. “Africa is at the core of the world.”

He called for accelerated development of the region’s gas system, search for better industrial development and promotion of food and pharmaceutical production, which both Africa and Latin America needed most.

President Chavez said the forthcoming African-South American summit would advance the agenda on strengthening bilateral relations in such areas as scientific, political, economic and energy sectors.

He said the summit would also touch issues of the prevailing global economic and financial crisis, creation of a bank to link Latin America and Africa, alternative currency for trade and creation of an educational system to attain a better education for the youth on both continents.

African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) ALMA is tasked with ensuring that more than 240 million insecticide-treated bed nets are distributed throughout malaria-endemic countries on the African continent by the end of 2010, with the aim of ending unnecessary deaths from the disease by 2015. Malaria kills almost one million Africans every year and affects over 200 million more, mostly pregnant women and children under five years of age, SEE YOU ON THE CONTINENT. &

of the way they are responding,” said Bayenda.

Bayenda said only six tourists would initially be allowed to track the gorillas, adding that after about a month when they are used to their presence, the number will be increased to eight.

Lillian Nsubuga, the Uganda Wildlife Authority spokesperson, said the animals are endangered and only 700 live in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. She said out of the 28 groups in Bwindi only six had been habituated. She said the groups are Mubale, Habinyanja, Rushegura, Nkuringo, Bitukura and Nsongi.

Nsubuga said the gorillas lived in families led by an alpha male who protects the group.

Gorilla tracking contributes half of the nation’s tourism revenue. &

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

African Leaders from page 34

President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf addressed the luncheon gathering on youth and jobs.

President Sirleaf told the luncheon that Liberiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s postwar recovery was hinged upon providing training and jobs, especially for the youth most of who were affected by the Liberian civil war in a number of ways.

She said bringing the young people into the fold of the labor market was a daunting challenge for most African nations as they confront with very large youth populations.

(l-r) UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, U.S. President Barack H. Obama, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice.

The Liberian leader noted the kind of pressure that puts on labor markets as more and more young people enter the labor market every year and stressed the need for job creation efforts to catch up with that, in addition to education efforts so people are ready to take on those jobs.

She then emphasized the need for finding programs that were supportive for women and girls, noting that her administration was making very impressive strides in that direction with the assistance of her partners.

President Paul Kagame of Rwanda talked about trade and investment in see African Leaders on page 41

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

Minority Community from page 22

tion in the financial marketplace. For example, the phenomenal growth of the derivatives market over the past 20 years has made all our big banks far more interconnected, and hence systemically risky. If one bank fails, the others fail with it. It is outrageous that, one year after the second greatest financial collapse in our country’s history, there are no new broad financial regulations to prevent a repeat of what took place.

With over $600 trillion of unregulated

derivatives, banks continue to excessively leverage, and bonuses based on paper profits continue to remove investor liquidity from the market. The industry has changed, is more complicated and minorities must come with their “A” game.

I applaud the Obama Administration for seeking regulators from outside of the banking industry. In the past, the same people who were running our financial institutions were the same as the regulators who were assigned to monitor the industry. Mr. Bernanke might prove to be good for the country, and good for minority businesses, too.

Let’s hope so. &

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

What is â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pass It On!â&#x20AC;? ???

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n a few weeks Africare will launch an exciting new campaign to connect you to people overcoming major challenges impacting the African continent-- issues like unsafe drinking water, food insecurity, and the growing

number of children orphaned by AIDS. Our new â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pass It On!â&#x20AC;? campaign will carry these messages around the world through a series of powerful testimonies and unique stories told directly by the individuals who see, work with, or benefit from Africareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s assistance on the ground. The stories come from more than 20 African nations, covering a variety of key issues. They all carry positive messages of growth and empowerment on the African continent!

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

“Starting Your Own Business” This SCORE workshop is an ideal starting point for anyone starting a new business. In one six hour session you can obtain information you’ll need to get your business off to a proper start. This could take you five appointments or more in different parts of town to accomplish. All this and more is covered in an informal setting where you are encouraged to get your questions answered. A mustattend for any aspiring entreprenuer.

Economic Recovery Websites

T

he websites shown here provide information on the American Economic Recovery Process. Monitor the nation’s economic life cycle for yourself.

The President • www.whitehouse.gov National Economic Recovery • www.recovery.gov Track Health Reform • www.healthreform.gov Middle Class Task Force • www.AStrongMiddleClass.gov Council of Economic Advisors • www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/cea

Thursday, October 1, 2009 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM

U.S. Department of Education • www.ed.gov/index.jhtml

Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce

U.S. Department of Commerce • www.commerce.gov

350 South Bixel Street Wells Fargo Room Los Angeles, CA 90017

Federal Communications Communications/ARRA • www.fcc.gov

$40 at the door; $35 if you pre-register at www.scorela.org

Caltrans • www.dot.ca.gov/Recovery

U.S. Department of Energy • www.energy.gov U.S. Treasury • www.ustreas.gov Grants.gov • www.grants.gov California’s Economic Recovery • www.recovery.ca.gov

seating is limited

Don’t miss the opportunity to voice “your opinion” on the San Pedro Waterfront Project! A project of international significance at the Port of Los Angeles. The project will impact the economic vitality and growth not only of the region, but far reaching as it relates to commerce, international trade, transportation, local jobs and small business enterprises. It is time for everyone to have their say!

If approved, the San Pedro Waterfront Project will generate: •thousands of good-paying jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in tourism and business services spending for businesses in the Harbor Community and throughout greater Los Angeles.

•as many as 4,100 cruise related jobs in the future and 800 jobs serving waterfront businesses and non-cruise operations. During construction design and build-out, the project could generate more than 13,700 one-year-equivalent jobs, including 7,100+ direct construction and design jobs.

Testimonies may be in writing or you can request a card to speak at the public hearing before the Board of Harbor Commissioners on Tuesday, September 29th at 6 pm at the Boys & Girls Club at 100 W. Fifth St., San Pedro, CA. To read more about the San Pedro Waterfront Plan, please view the premiere edition of the Port of Los Angeles LA Waterfront E-Newsletter! You’ll get the latest information on the waterfront projects in Wilmington and San Pedro and even a couple of new video productions - www.lawaterfront. org/eNewsletter/pola_eNewsletter.html.

Broadband Plan from page 26

tion growth over the past couple of years – including senior citizens, who have nearly doubled their adoption rate -- from 19% in 2008 to 35% in 2009 – adoption rates among African Americans have remained stagnant.

It goes without saying that these figures are alarming. And it is essential that we understand why these adoption rates are so anemic.

Again, there is no doubt that the price of broadband is one stumbling block. According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project – the source of most of the data I’m using today – the average monthly bill for broadband service in April 2009 was $39, a 12% increase from the previous year. Moreover, broadband users who say they have just one provider where they live – which is 21% of home high-speed users – report an average monthly bill of nearly $45, or $540 annually. For many Americans, these prices represent a serious investment.

But studies and other anecdotal evidence make clear that price is but one factor in why many Americans have yet to bring broadband into their homes.

According to Pew, one-half of American adults who do not use the Internet cite “relevance” as the reason why they don’t use broadband. Not availability, not affordability, but relevance to their lives.

On the adoption side, our challenge is to figure out exactly why those Americans who could otherwise afford broadband decide not to use it. The one thing I know is that there is not one simple answer.

In the telecom world, we are always talking about the “last mile”: the physical piece of wire, or fiber, or cable that takes the network out to the customer premises. But when it comes to broadband, I tend to think of the last mile not as a mile, per se, but rather as two half miles. Yes, we have to make sure that broadband infrastructure reaches everybody. But as we know, deployment is only half of the battle. The other half – the other half-mile, if you will – is all

about whether or not the consumer chooses to engage with the technology.

We can extend broadband infrastructure to every single person in America, but if the consumer says “no, thanks,” have we really made progress? Is that consumer better off? Is the country better off?

In my view, the answer is no. If we

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was signed into law

by President Obama on February 17th, 2009. The FCC is currently working in coordination with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to perform the FCC’s role under the Recovery Act. Specifically, in conjunction with the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program established by the Act, the FCC has been tasked with creating a National Broadband Plan by February 17, 2010. The Recovery Act states that the National Broadband Plan shall seek to ensure all people of the United States have access to broadband capability and shall establish benchmarks for meeting that goal. solve our deployment challenges, but too many Americans are still no closer than they were to the benefits that

broadband has to offer, then the last mile might as well be a thousand.

In short, the adoption half of the last mile is every bit as important as the deployment half. And only when we come to understand each consumer’s mindset, will we be able to develop a viable and robust plan for adoption. Are there racial or ethnic considerations?

Geographical components? Is age a factor? Is there a mistrust of technology? How do we convey relevance to people in remote areas, including Indian country?

In other words, we have to hear from consumers and really listen to what they tell us about their lives. Listening and learning are paramount.

The answers to these and related questions should give us a better insight into the adoption patterns of African Americans. If we can take some of the lessons from our wireless experience – and I can tell you right now I think we can – and apply them to broadband, we have a good shot at success.

If we look the other way, however, I can pretty much guarantee you that these patterns will linger.

And quite frankly, many of these answers will not be found in Washington, DC. We can and should study the problem here from one dimension, but if we want to view broadband through the people’s eyes, we have to put on our community glasses. We have to get out on the road, meet and talk with consumers, and have them share their thoughts about broadband. For me, my outside-the-Beltway inquiry will begin on October 6 in Charleston, South Carolina. I’ll be holding a formal workshop on adoption in the “Holy City,” and then will venture out into rural Charleston County to hear directly from consumers about broadband. And at every opportunity between now and February, whenever I travel, I will make time to meet with real consumers – not just focus on the statistics on the page – and talk about why they have or have not adopted broadband. And I will be particularly focused on the groups that have lagged behind in adoption.

None of what I’ve said so far is meant to dispute that our National Broadband

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

see Broadband Plan on page 49

African Leaders from page 36

Lakewood Country Club, 3501 Carson Street, Lakewood, CA 90807 • 8:30 am - 2:30 pm

President’s Message from page 41

mindset as elected and appointed leaders formally and openly amend State constitutions to prohibit their public institutions from considering race, sex, or ethnicity in contract engagement and the pursuit of educational betterment.

This bad blood is tearing away progressive parity gains going backwards like a socioeconomic cancer. If you do not think it is a national occurrence as in California, Michigan passed a similar change of heart amendment entitled the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative.

Coincidently, Michigan is the worst hit State in the Union by the recession.

The unchecked action of these US leaders sends a message to those who

have a predisposition for moving away from implementing supplier inclusion processes to recklessly charge ahead.

US racial integration reached significant plateaus when the late great Thurgood Marshall became the first African American to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States in 1967, over forty years ago. However, no one then remotely thought it was time to discontinue an active aim at improving civil rights. So why would professionals automatically think an elected President with African blood be the time to abolish a means toward racial harmony?

In our country, we should consider ourselves fortunate avoiding contestable hostilities from the unabashed slavery and Jim Crow Laws perpetrat-

Africa. Rwanda was just named the world’s top reformer in the World Bank’s report Doing Business 2010: Reforming through Difficult Times, Kagame noted, and he described Rwanda’s experience in creating a favorable investment climate. Kagame stressed the importance of regional initiatives and infrastructure, and outlined how the United States could be more supportive of initiatives that will create longterm growth in Africa.

Kagame also talked about health issues in Africa, acknowledging the importance of existing global health initiatives and calling for more attention to be paid to broad health infrastructures.

Tanzania’s president, Jakaya Kikwete, led the discussion on agriculture and agriculture-led economic growth in Africa. According to Michelle Gavin, special assistant to the president and senior director for African affairs at the National Security Council, participants’ discussion of the new $20 billion international commitment on food security, announced at the Group of Eight Summit, was an opportunity to get African leaders’ insights on this issue.

President Obama kept his remarks brief and used the lunch as an opportunity to listen to what the African leaders had to say on these issues.

In particular, President Obama highlighted the importance of partnership and creating opportunity in Africa, through creating jobs, encouraging investment and strengthening the agricultural sector and agricultural productivity. The president also used his opening remarks to stress the importance of addressing corruption head-on to promote trade, investment and jobs creation. &

see President’s Message page 49

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

U.S. Department of Education Launches “I Am What I Learn” Student Video Contest

S

ecretary of Education, Arne Duncan issued a video announcement encouraging students to respond to the President’s call to take responsibility for their education.

Students aged 13 or older are invited to create videos up to 2 minutes long, describing the role education will play in achieving their dreams, and the goals they will set for themselves to get there. The top three videos will each win a $1,000 prize, issued by the US Department of Education. Students can submit videos until November 2.

There are no style restrictions - so be creative!

The contest rules are as follows: • Video must be 2 minutes or less in length •

Each video must be submitted by an active student, age 13 and older

•

Contestants chosen as finalists will be contacted through their YouTube account and must respond within 7 business days to confirm eligibility

•

Students under the age of 18 must submit a parental consent form

•

The Department of Education’s website (www.ED.gov/IAmWhatILearn) must be featured in the video

•

The video must be unique in content

•

The video must convey the importance of education as well as the student’s individual academic goals

Learn more about the contest at www.Ed.gov/IAmWhatILearn.

Obama Plan from page 13

•

•

care system so that we can further curb health care cost growth over the long term, and invests in quality improvements, consumer protections, prevention, and premium assistance. The plan fully pays for this investment through health system savings and new revenue including a fee on insurance companies that sell very expensive plans.

Requires additional cuts if savings are not realized. Under the plan, if the savings promised at the time of enactment don’t materialize, the President will be required to put forth additional savings to ensure that the plan does not add to the deficit.

Implements a number of delivery system reforms that begin to rein in health care costs and align in-

•

centives for hospitals, physicians, and others to improve quality.

The President’s plan includes proposals that will improve the way care is delivered to emphasize quality over quantity, including: incentives for hospitals to prevent avoidable readmissions, pilots for new “bundled” payments in Medicare, and support for new models of delivering care through medical homes and accountable care organizations that focus on a coordinated approach to care and outcomes.

Creates an independent commission of doctors and medical experts to identify waste, fraud and abuse in the health care system.

The President’s plan will create an independent Commission, made up of doctors and medical experts, to make recommendations to Congress each year on how to promote greater

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

•

•

efficiency and higher quality in Medicare. The Commission will not be authorized to propose or implement Medicare changes that ration care or affect benefits, eligibility or beneficiary access to care. It will ensure that your tax dollars go directly to caring for seniors.

Orders immediate medical malpractice reform projects that could help doctors focus on putting their patients first, not on practicing defensive medicine.

The President’s plan instructs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to move forward on awarding medical malpractice demonstration grants to states funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality as soon as possible.

Requires large employers to cover their employees and individuals who can afford it to buy insurance so everyone shares in the responsibility of reform. Under the President’s plan, large businesses – those with more than 50 workers – will be required to offer their workers coverage or pay a fee to help cover the cost of mak-

“It will provide more security and stability to those who have health insurance. It will provide insurance to those who don’t. And it will lower the cost of health care for our families, our businesses, and our government.”

– President Barack Obama ing coverage affordable in the exchange. This will ensure that workers in firms not offering coverage will have affordable coverage options for themselves and their families. Individuals who can afford it will have a responsibility to purchase coverage – but there will be a “hardship exemption” for those who cannot. & www.whitehouse.gov.

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

Energy

Rainbow PUSH LA Trade Bureau Re-Opens

from page 19

build on California’s commitment to increase renewable energy use.

AB 1451 builds on the state’s solar power usage by continuing a property tax exclusion for projects that utilize solar panel energy and expanding the exclusion to builderinstalled solar energy systems in new homes. AB 2267 builds on the state’s green economy by requiring the CPUC to grant incentives to eligible California-technology manufacturers. This bill also requires the Energy Commission to give priority to California-based companies when granting awards and will not only create jobs for hardworking Californians but will attract more clean-tech and green-tech companies to the state. AB 2466 will increase energy efficiency and help protect the environment by authorizing local governments to receive a utility bill credit for surplus renewable electricity generated at one site against the electricity consumption at other sites.

•

•

We are excited to inform you about the reestablishment of the Rainbow PUSH LA Trade Bureau with Mr. Mishael Israel as Executive Director of Rainbow Push/Citizenship Education Fund Los Angeles.

Mr. Israel’s responsibilities at Rainbow Push LA relate directly to the implementation of economic, social, and education initiatives, as well as growing the office to become a strong voice for our constituents and Trade Bureau Members. As an entrepreneur, Mr. Israel remains steadfast in spearheading supplier diversity, business education, and building solid relationships with trading partners.

Rainbow Push LA is implementing two important projects for our Trade Bureau Members and we need your updated contact information.

•An inaugural Trade Bureau meeting in mid-September •Connecting our Trade Bureau members with our Trading Partners for the purpose of doing business Rainbow Push LA is committed to connecting our members to new opportunities that will not only bring us through the recession, but beyond it. Our innovative ideas are expressed through powerful programmatic pieces that are designed with everyone in mind.

In 2007, Governor Schwarzenegger furthered his historic leadership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lower California’s reliance on foreign oil by signing Executive Order S-01-07 that established the world’s first Low Carbon Fuel Standard for transportation fuels sold in California. The standard will reduce carbon content in all passenger vehicle fuels sold in California by at least 10 percent by 2020 and more thereafter.

In 2006, the Governor announced his Million Solar Roofs Plan to provide 3,000 megawatts of additional clean energy and reduce the output of greenhouse gases by three million tons, equivalent to taking one million cars off the road. Now known as the California Solar Initiative, the $3.3 billion incentive plan for homeowners and building owners who install solar electric systems will lead to one million solar roofs in California by 2017.

Please use the information below to contact the Los Angeles office to request a contact information form that may be completed then faxed or e-mailed to us. The information will reconnect us with you and will aid Mr. Israel in his upcoming meetings with corporate trading partners.

Regina Black, Office Manager Rainbow PUSH/CEF Los Angeles New Address: 1313 W. 8th Street, Suite 232 Los Angeles, CA 90017 Office Number: 213.483.3500 Fax Number: 213.483.3577 Email: rblack@rainbowpush.org Website: www.rainbowpushla.org •

Announced as a component of the California Solar Initiative in 2007, the New Solar Homes Partnership (NHSP) aims to create a self-sustaining market for solar homes and gain builder commitment to install solar energy systems. A new home that qualifies for the NSHP is at least 15 percent more efficient than the current building standards.

California’s push to fight global warming and increase renewable energy will also boost our economy. According to an economic study by the University of California at Berkeley and Next 10, California’s policies will create as many as 403,000 jobs in the next 12 years and household incomes will increase by $48 billion. &

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

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

Queen Aminah’s Clothing BALDWIN HILLSCRENSHAW MALL African Marketplace Boutique, Suite #285 323-293-3277

Bernahu Asfaw or Getahun Asfaw

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 At-Risk Teen Girls, Teen Mothers, and Adult Women

OUR ECONOMIC RECOVERY PLAN OERP

Do Business with BBA Member Businesses & Advertisers

1041 S. Fairfax Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90019

Order Via the Internet Wines of the Black-Owned wineries of South Africa.

Register at TheArtfulGrape.com.

The Artful Grape will do the rest.

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Open 7 days a week 11am - 11pm

The wines will be delivered to your door.

Rooibos Tea House African Red Tea Imports

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Locations: Downtown Culver City: 9537 Culver Blvd.

310-202-5453 City of Compton: 2600 E. Alondra Blvd.

310-638-7871 www.honeyskettle.com Open Sunday-Thursday 11am-10pm Friday-Saturday 11am-11pm

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

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

Procurement Trade Mission to Washington, D.C.

Black Business Association 6 National Black Business Council California Black Chamber of Commerce 6 National Black Business Association

BBA 6 NBBC 6 CBCC 6 NBBA Supported by the U.S. Small Business Administration/Los Angeles District

The Trade Mission that Targets Federal Contract Procurement Dollars for Your Business!!

PARTIAL LISTING OF FEDERAL AGENCIES

Department of Transportation Department of Defense General Services Administration Department of Agriculture Housing and Urban Development Veterans Administration Department of Energy Department of Commerce

APRIL 2010 Washington, D.C. q Send Me Information on the Trade Mission TODAY!

NAME ______________________________________________

For more information, contact:

Black Business Association P.O. Box 43159, Los Angeles, CA 90043 Tel: 323.291.9334 6 Fax: 323.291.9234 mail@bbala.org 6 www.bbala.org

BUSINESS ____________________________________________ ADDRESS ____________________________________________ CITY ________________________________________________ STATE _____________________________ ZIP CODE ___________ TELEPHONE __________________________________________ FAX ________________________________________________ E-MAIL ______________________________________________

President’s Message

Broadband Plan from page 40

from page 41

ed for so long by acclaimed countrymen. There are no annual reminders of past atrocities on blacks, or an annual memoriam surrounding the bombing deaths targeted at the black church and illegal lynching carried out by American racists, or the indignation of separate but equal regulations, or the complete disengagement from a culture’s place of origin and an obliterated legacy of generational heritage.

Well, the BBA understands its role and appreciates fully how corporate leadership in purchasing and supply

chain management is the most poised environ for affecting a true balance of effective product/service prioritization in pursuit of socioeconomic obedience.

Supplier development and ethical outsourcing serves for the best practices to remedy this era of economic adversity and a move to cost-effective civility through small business investment.

We look forward to your positive and productive participation at the 2009 PROCUREMENT EXCHANGE SUMMIT. &

and

Comedy Night

Plan must be data-driven.We must know, with as much specificity as possible, where broadband is deployed and where it isn’t; who is buying broadband and who isn’t; which markets are competitive and which are not; what speeds are available, and how much customers are paying. Assembling and sorting through all this data is one of the greatest challenges the FCC faces over the next five months.

My concern is merely that we cannot get completely lost in our charts and graphs and forget that, when it comes to broadband adoption, we are talking about the individual needs of diverse people. Put differently, I see this human element not as a substitute for the factual foundation for a decision; but rather, a critical enhancement of it.

I hope you can all tell that I am excited and passionate about our National Broadband Plan. To date, the FCC has done many things the right way – being focused on transparency, attempting to foster public participation, and involving staff from all parts of the agency. But if we are to end up with a successful product that reflects the view of American consumers, we must now go find them, talk to them, and learn from them, and ensure that they are at the heart of everything that we do and a central component of our analytical framework.

Again, I thank the Joint Center for inviting me to speak, and I thank all of you for coming today. The FCC is eager to have your input on the Plan, so I hope we can keep this dialogue going.

Together, we can work to ensure that the rich promise of our technological future reaches all Americans, from our urban centers to our rural hamlets to our tribal lands.

I thank you. & www.fcc.gov www.broadband.gov www.openinternet.gov

Join the Fun! Share the Laughs!

49 T September 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

12th Annual Awards Luncheon

October 13, 2009

Monica Lozano Publisher & CEO La Opiniรณn Member, President Obamaโ s Economic Advisory Council

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Books to Consider...

Before You Put That On: 365 Daily Style Tips for Her by Lloyd Boston. A man of style and substance, Lloyd is the author of three coveted style books: Men of Color (Artisan); Make Over Your Man (Doubleday); and, Before You Put That On (Simon and Schuster).

He was a regular national event spokesperson for both Hilfiger and Lenscrafters.

In like fashion, Lloyd has been a style lecturer to numerous brands including Giorgio Armani, American Express, American Airlines, Johnson & Johnson and Yahoo! Boston’s writings and style philosophy have been featured in numerous publications including: Elle, Glamour, InStyle, O Magazine, People, Real Simple and The Wall Street Journal. www.lloydboston.com

Held at a Distance by Rebecca Haile. A story of a personal journey to reconnect to a land and its people and to events that led to the exodus of her family. Rebecca retraces personal painful memories and along the way enages her readers to a degree few books have managed. Rebecca raises issues of the survival of old Ethiopia and what Ethiopianness really means. She offers a new perspective to these questions.

Her book forces Ethiopians to ask numerous questions that they have forgotten to ask. www.amazon.com &

Malik’s Books Online

M

alik’s Books has closed operations in the Baldwin Hills Mall. Malik’s is now operating as an online bookstore. Malik’s is now available to serve our customer’s needs 24/7 via the world wide web with bigger deals and a larger selection. We will remain as active in the South Los Angeles community as we have always been.

Please visit us at www.Malikbooks.com and/or www.autographbooks. com. For other information give us a call at 818-564-5694.

If you want to coorespond with us, send letters to Malik’s Books, 3939 Crenshaw Boulevard, #324, Los Angeles, CA 90008.

Thank You again for all your support and patronage over the years and visit us on the Web. &

Malik’s Books

www.Malikbooks.com • www.autogrpahbooks.com malikbooks@att.net • 818-564-5694

Back To School is Happening at the Black Book Stores!

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!

Book Signings in September.

All signings are at 7:00 pm 9/15 Donna Michelle Anderson “How to Pitch a Reality TV Show”.

9/16 John Buntin “LA Noir”.

9/23 Kwadow Obeng, “We Are All Africans” 9/24 Derek Fisher, “Character Driven” signing only.

9/25 a special evening hosted by Tananarive Due for E. Lynn Harris, who recently passed. Harris’s book “Mama Dearest” will be featured.

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

52 T September 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

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, October 13th “For everyone interested in doing business with Metro”

Listen to

KDEE 97.7FM Watch & Support the Africa Channel!

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.

The California Black Chamber Foundation’s Radio Station

LIVE on Your Computer

www.kdeefm.org

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

Thursday Blues at

Uncle Darrow‛s High Noon-2pm Every Thursday

Come by for lunch and relax to blues and jazz from our house band!

2560 S. Lincoln Blvd.

Marina del Rey North East corner of Washington & Lincoln

“LA Times Magazine favorite cajun food”

Joseph Business School (JBS) ANNOUNCES THE START OF THE 2009-2010 TERM

OCT 10, 2009-JUNE 2010 REGISTER BY SEPTEMBER 18, 2009

SATURDAY STUDY SESSIONS WILL BE HELD AT ZOE CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP OF WHITTIER 10252 MILLS AVENUE. WHITTIER

JBS TEACHES ENTREPRENEURS HOW TO START AND OPERATE PROFITABLE AND SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES USING BIBLICAL AND

310-306-4862

www.uncledarrows.com

OUR ECONOMIC RECOVERY PLAN OERP

Do Business with BBA Member Businesses & Advertisers

PRACTICAL PRINCIPLES.

For registration information, please contact Personal Services Plus Event Management Company at (626) 791-3847 or email courtney@personalserivcesplus.com.

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

Government:

SBA’s Economic Recovery Efforts and Impact f your small business is stressed meeting expenses during these economic times, the U.S. Small Business Administration has a new loan program designed just for you.

The SBA received $730 million in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) to help unlock the small business lending market and get capital flowing again to America’s small businesses.

SBA eecovery efforts impact on the economic environment to date include: o Loan Volume Has Increased 60 Percent: As of September 11, SBA has supported $10.2 billion in small business lending1 with the approval of $7.5 billion2 in loans since Feb. 17. Since

I

From Feb. 17 to September 11, more than 1,100 lenders that had not made a loan since Oct. 2008 made 7(a) or ARC loans. Of those, over half had not made a loan since at least 2007. o Broad Support to Small Businesses: A significant share of loans supported by Recovery Act funding has gone to rural (26 percent), minority-owned (19 percent), women-owned (19 percent), and veteran-owned (9 percent) businesses4. o Secondary Markets Uptick with 7(a) Loans: After months of reduced activity and lower premiums, the SBA 7(a) secondary market is picking up and premiums are beginning to recover. From May to August, the average monthly

the signing of ARRA, weekly loan dollar volume has risen 60 percent in the 7(a) and 504 programs, compared to the weekly average before passage3. o More Lenders Making Loans:

loan volume settled from lenders to broker-dealers in the 7(a) secondary market has been $335 million, providing lenders with additional liquidity to increase lending. o ARC Loans Reaching Small Businesses: As of September 11, SBA has approved over 2,200 ARC loans totaling over $72 million.

SBA Recovery Programs:

Alberto G. Alvarado, Director Los Angeles SBA District Office

To date, SBA has implemented programs for nearly all of the $730 million in SBA Recovery Act funding, including: o Eliminating and reducing fees for borrowers on 7(a) loans and for borrowers and lenders on 504 loans.5 o Raising to 90 percent the guarantee on 7(a) loans from 75 percent and 85 percent depending on the size of loan.5 o Doubling the surety bond guarantee from $2 million to $5 million, providing small businesses with another tool to help them compete for federal con-

struction and service contracts.5 o Assisting struggling small businesses with the new ARC loan program, which provides no-interest, deferred repayment loans of up to $35,000 to viable businesses to help them make debt payments.5 o Providing refinancing opportunities for certain eligible loans into SBAbacked 504 loans for expansion and job creation. o Expanding access to investment capital for small businesses by increasing funding levels for SBA-licensed Small Business Investment Companies.

The SBA has also implemented two new programs that complement the Recovery Act measures and increase access to capital for small businesses by: o Expanding 7(a) loan eligibility to more than 70,000 small businesses through a temporary alternate size standard. o Offering inventory financing for eligible auto, RV, boat and other dealerships under the new Dealer Floor Plan Financing pilot program. &

1 Gross loan approval value. Typically, due to cancellations and loan amount reductions, 15–20% of gross approvals are not disbursed.

2 Includes estimate of 504 third-party first mortgages (calculated as 125% of SBA 504 debenture portion due to the typical “50/40” split between the third-party and SBA portions of a 504 loan) 3 Comparison of average weekly gross approvals in the 7 weeks before ARRA signing to average weekly gross approvals since then, normalized for market holidays and the system disruption caused by a Washington, DC water outage (August 7, 2009) 4 Demographic data is self-reported on loan applications; categories are not mutually exclusive.

5 Temporary authorization under the Recovery Act.

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

Drug-Free Work Week is a public awareness campaign that highlights the importance of being drug free to workplace safety and encourages workers with alcohol and drug problems to seek help.

Visit www.dol.gov for details.

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

Leimert Park Village An African American Cultural, Retail, Foods & Entertainment Center.

Degnan Boulevard between

Crenshaw & Leimert Blvds.

43rd Street-43rd Place, Los Angeles

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Shop, Eat, Relax in

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Culture, Retail, Entertainment Fairfax Boulevard

between Pico & Olympic in Los Angeles

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

Lucy Florence Culture Center 3351 W. 43rd St. Leimert Park Village Los Angeles, CA 90008

Shop our boutiques Enjoy our Cuisine Exquisite Venue for your Special Event ……

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.

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International Edition Black Business News

To be added to the International Edition mailing list send e-mail:

mail@bbala.org

OUR ECONOMIC RECOVERY PLAN OERP

Do Business with BBA Member Businesses & Advertisers 58 T September 2009 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Calendar September…

3rd

Center, Washington, DC. Go to www.africacncl. org for details and/or to register.

purchase admission and get more information online at www.largestmixer.com/iemixer.

October…

25th-30th

5th-7th

Fifth International African Diaspora Heritage Trail Conference The conference in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania will creates a unique and inspiring learning environment where government officials, institutional representatives, historians, educators, artists, cultural policy analysts, architects, media, tourism marketing officials, preservationists and interested individuals—all committed to the development of viable African Diaspora heritage destinations may gather to explore trends, experience cultural expression, participate in professional development sessions, examine model heritage trail programs and enjoy networking with their colleagues. For more information about the conference visit the ADHT website, www.adht. net, or contact Henderson Travel Service / Henderson Associates, Inc., the official conference management company via conference coordinator, Cyndie Graddy at (301) 650-5700 ext 507 or diaspora@hend.com.

Forum Africa 2009 Discover new prospectives of commercial development on African and American continents during this unique event at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Canada. For detailed information visit www.forumafricanada.com.

BBA Economic Development Luncheon Thursday from 11:30 am to 2:00 pm join featured speakers are: Donna J. Gambrell, Director of Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund and Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Member, Congressional Financial Services Committee and Chairperson, Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity in discussing how the current administration’s economic stimulus plan effects job creation, business development and community empowerment. City Club on Bunker Hill, 333 Grand Avenue, downtown Los Angeles. R.S.V.P. or request information by calling 323-291-9334 or sending an e-mail to mail@ bbala.org. Also visit the BBA website at www. bbala.org.

Solar Decathalon U.S. Dept. of Energy & “Powered by the Sun” will hold a solar energy focused event on the National Mall in Washington, DC that includes workshops, exhibits and a contest in which teams must design and build enerigy-efficien homes powered exclusively by the sun. For information visit http://2ndgreenrevolution.com.

23rd

10th

How To Do Business With Costco Contact Score LA or call 818-552-3206 for information or to register to attend the business development workshop: COSTCO Wholesale - Its History, People and How You Can Do Business With Them at the Los Angeles Athletic Club, downtown Los Angeles.

23rd-26th 39th Annual Legislative Conference The Congressional Black Caucas Foundation’s annual meetings will be held in Washington, DC at the Washington Convention Center. Contact debraalc2009@gmail.com.

25th Small Business Quality Management Training The Black Economic Council (BEC) will conduct this valuable training program at the Airport Hilton Hotel, Oakland, CA from 9am to 5pm. For information or to register call 866-856-4570 or visit the website at www.blackeconomiccouncil.org.

29th-October 1st 7th Biennial U.S. – Africa Business Summit The Corporate Council on Africa conference will be held at Walter E. Washington Convention

5th-11th Africa Design Expo Unique exibit and showcase for African designers and artists will be held at the Eko Hotel, Lagos, Nigeria. For information visit www.africadesignexpo.com.

9th-13th & 15th-19th

Joseph Business School (JBS) The fall term of the JBS begins. JBS trains Christians who are called to be entrepreneurs how to start and operate profitable and successful businesses using biblical and practical principles as well as empowers them to release God’s anointing to prosper and establish God’s Kingdom on earth. FALL TERM APPLICATIONS ARE DUE September 18, 2009.

Call the Joseph Business School for details at 562.906.5000.

13th CEDLI &CARAT 12th Annual Awards Luncheon At the Millennium Biltmore Hotel, 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. Call 424-832-0591 or send email to Cecily L. Jackson at cjackson@caratnet.org for event details.

22nd Inland Empire’s Largest Mixer III Attend the ultimate business networking event!

Mix and mingle with business people representing hundreds of industries and companies in and around the Inland Empire. 5:00 - 9:00 PM, Ontario Convention Center, 2000 E. Convention Center Way, Ontario, CA 91764. Mixer admission: $20 cash per person at the door or

November…

5th 6th Annual BBA Procurement Exchange Summit & Awards Luncheon The annual business development event will be held at the Sheraton Gateway LAX Hotel, Los Angeles. The program will include One-on-One matchmaking sessions with utilities and corporate buyers, the “How to do Business with Utilities” workshop and the Awards Luncheon. For information call 323-291-9334. &

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

Send your event notice to:

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

Calendar at mail@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!

V

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%

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

“We’re Fired Up and Ready to Go”

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.

Entrepreneurial Business Development Diversified H Subdivision H Product-Mix & Creating Jobs Across America City by City H State by State National and International Trade Exchange

“Yes We Can” “Something New and Excitingly Different on the Horizon” Commercial

Residential

Genell Brown, Artist Designer

Our Community Source Contact: Keasha L. Charles

888-988-8551 Phone & Fax

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.

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

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63 T September 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.

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

Choose to care.

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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.

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El Segundo 2321 Rosecrans Avenue El Segundo

800-888-3595

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www.comerica.com

Wilshire-Crescent Heights 6301 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles