Edition - 2016 Vol. 12 Issue 6
Feature Contents
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06 A Chat with Nikki Giovanni
Legendary poet, writer, activist, and educator shares her thoughts on life
08 Remembering Robin Williams
Multitalented Actor Made People Laugh for Nearly 4 Decades
10 Raheem DeVaughn [Interview]
The Latest Happenings of R&B Singer Raheem DeVaughn
13 Health: Cold Weather Tips for Diabetic Foot Care 14 Fitness Expert Tony Little Overcomes Challenges Pop Icon discuses tragedies, family and career [Exclusive Interview]
18 Trent G the Messenger Mission
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Hip Hop artist inspires the generation with his prowless music
20 Actress Tanna Frederick Youth Initiative Hollywood actress Makes a Difference in the Community
26 Jason Feng: Tribune Album Review
Regular Content Just Thinking
By Dorothy Robinson
Life is full of surprises, happiness, heartaches and pain. Life is more important than you think it is. What you make of it‌ I could go on and on but I must stop there. And always remember, Life is no game. Take it serious not delirious.
Cover Photo: Tony Little and family
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04 Editor’s Page 05 Letters/ Awareness 09 Business/ Profile 09 Words of Encouragement 13 Health Solutions 19 Technology / Arts and Culture 20 Sports Community 22 Remembrance / Legends 26 Album-Book-Movie Review(s) 26 Know Your Rights Teen: College Spirit Section
Editor ’s Note :
From this Day Forward
CONSCIOUSNESS “Urban Inspiration”
STAFF
Founder & Editor Aaron Robinson
Senior Vice President Mozella Malone
Administrative Asst. Julia M. Robinson Josephine Robinson Consultant Frank Robinson Fred Robinson
Public Relations Marketing / Promotions A&M Marketing Group
Advertising Agency A&M Marketing Group MediaBids
On my journey in life I would later come to realize that people who have grown to have a great amount of success or wealth had to encounter a profusion of challenges, suffering and facing many trials-and-tribulations to get to their status. Many people judge or assume that people have always has an easygoing and fruitful life, whether it’s material items or wealth. Moreover, their heart and the greatness in which they have done for many often gets looked overlooked due to how society or others may view them, or perceive them to be. In this edition of Consciousness Magazine, we would like to introduce you to significant individuals who ultimately gained a large amount of success and accomplishments. They will discuss not only their artistry, furthermore their challenges and humble beginning. We will also provide help topics and share valuable information that you can apply to your life and endeavors in hopes for you to continue to have a prosperous and quality life! Enjoy!
Aaron Robinson Founder & Editor
Photographer
A&M Marketing Group
Graphic Design / Web Designer
A&M Marketing Group
Illustrator / Comics Eric Plaut
Proofreader
Tocarra Eldridge
Writers/Journalists
Tocarra Eldridge Dr. Shanessa Fenner Elder Lee M. Harris, Sr. Sirrocco Hogue Darnell Jodan Eric Plaut
Special Correspondent Russell Norman Hector De La Rosa
Reviews
Tocarra Eldridge Darnell Jordan Hector De La Rosa Aaron Robinson
Contributors ACFAS
Special Thanks
Readers and Supporters
Views expressed by advertisers and/or press release are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Consciousness Magazine™. Consciousness Magazine™ will not be held responsible or liable for advertisers misinformation, misprints, or typographical errors, etc., herein contained.
About Consciousness Magazine™
“Keeping our Pen on the Pulse of the Community” Consciousness Magazine “Urban Inspiration,” is committed to raising the level of consciousness of the residents in our community. The mission of Consciousness Magazine is to promote understanding, make a difference in society, touch hearts, as well as, emphasize positive celebrities and significant social figures through strong articles and compelling visuals. This publication embraces ethnicity and multicultural, in hopes of bringing different cultures together in peace and friendship. Consciousness Magazine 4
Consciousness Magazine™ requires that all advertisement be in compliance with all applicable laws and be truthful and not offensive or detrimental to individuals, groups, or businesses. Consciousness Magazine™ reserve the right to revise, delete, objectionable words or phrases, and refuse any advertising it deems unacceptable. Subscription rates; $24.00 per year (6 Issues) Consciousness Magazine™ ISSN:1553-5568 is published by Robinson Publishing, Inc. Postmaster: Send address Change and Subscription Orders to: P.O. Box 2496, Kankakee, Illinois 60901, Phone: (312) 715-7884 Email: info@consciousnessmagazine.com. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the Publisher. ©2016 Consciousness Magazine™. All Rights Reserved.
Business and Music I really enjoyed the article on Mr. OTG. He is proof that you can be more than a music producer. As a businessman, he gave great advice on how to be self-sustainable and how to create economics on your own. Thanks for sharing this great piece of work.
Consciousness Awareness:
Dominique Wilkins Educate the Masses about Diabetes
Ron Hill Atlanta
NBA Hall of Famer I truly appreciate the piece Consciousness Magazine wrote on Dominique Wilkins. It’s amazing to see what an former NBA player does after retirement. However, in his article you focused on his heath, in which he has diabetes. Those were really great tips that the Hall of Famer shared. It is true that you can still have a healthy lifestyle while having a disease. What an amazing article guys! Will Alleson Chicago
Hip Hop and Health Thanks for highlighting the interview with Bone Thugs-N-Harmony member Krayzie Bone. I really love, the way that you talked about his health issue as oppose to the details of his music career. I think that it’s important at times to know what a person is going through instead of looking at the glamour of their life. Keep up the awesome work. Tony Reynolds Idaho
Help Tips Continue to share amazing stories, and help tips. As the world continues to change, I realize that it is never too late to grow and look deep within yourself to better yourself as an individual. This magazine has continued to raise my level of consciousness, as well as keeps me motivated and inspired. Thanks for all of your contributions. Rachell Menes Houston
Write to us: We want to know what you’re thinking.
Send emails to info@consciousnessmagazine.com. Include your name, address, and telephone number. Letters may be edited for clarity and/or length. For Customer Service and Subscriptions visit us at www.consciousnessmagazine.com.
The last 17 years I feel better now than I did 17 years ago. This occurred because I did make that lifestyle change. I think one of the things that really helped me is my partnership with Nova Nordisk. It’s been a wonderful relationship. It has given me a platform to talk about diabetes nationally, and to really continue talking about my own bout with diabetes. People really have to find out what works for them. That’s why I am here doing this educational piece so that people can get healthy options. One of those healthy options is that we send people to our website which is called DiabetesDreamTeam. com which gives peoplehealthy options and the opportunity to just go on our website where they can see how to build your own Diabetes Dream Team thru diet, exercise and education. I think the thing that is most important is getting screened, because you have to get screened to see where your health is, to see if you are a person that is prone to diabetes or if you have an elevated sugar level. Screenings give you an idea of where your health is so if something goes wrong you know how to fix it. That’s the thing I stress more than anything. Secondly, when you make a lifestyle change, that doesn’t mean you have to go to the gym and become some muscle man (laugh). Just get yourself physically moving, because you have different ages and sizes. People do different things as far as physical activity to keep them healthy. You have to find out what’s comfortable for you.
Written and interviewed by Dr. Shanessa Fenner
“Someone You Should Know Nikki Giovanni is a living legend. She is a poet, writer, activist, and educator. At the age of 73, she continues to write and teach others how to bring out their inner creativity. I had the pleasure of speaking with her about her latest book and enjoyed the great advice on writing. Shanessa Fenner: What is your latest project that you are working on? Nikki Giovanni: I am writing my latest book entitled “A Good Cry.” It started because I became aware that no matter what the myth is about women crying all the time, women do not cry. When your husband, mother, or sister dies you bury them and you get things done. You sell the car, rent the house, and just do things you have to do and you don’t have time to mourn. It dawned on me that a lot of people my age don’t really know how to mourn. My doctor says we have high blood pressure because we don’t take care of ourselves. I think we have high blood pressure because we keep a lot of things inside. We need to take time for ourselves. I think if we would learn to
cry our blood pressure would go down and we would be better. As women we have to take better care of ourselves. SF: Do you ever experience writer’s block? NG: I really don’t because I don’t believe in it. If you have writer’s block it means you do not know enough. You probably don’t know what you are writing about. You need to go and get some more information. You need to relax and get more in tune with yourself. SF: What is your viewpoint of the black women and men being killed by the police? NG: I think policemen should not have guns. The British police do not have guns. If the police do not have guns the community looks out for the police the same way the police look out for the community. The police is there for the community and I think the police should look like the community. There should be many more black men and women helping to patrol the community. I think one of
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Remember that every day you don’t have to write but every day you must read. That’s what is important. You must read something.
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the things that happened with the old Ku Klux Klan is that they joined police forces. So what they do now instead of lynching black guys they just go and shoot them. It is an amazing thing to me that John Hinckley Jr. who shot President Reagan is only 61 years old and he is out of prison. He can actually vote in this election. I think that is a damn shame because if you are an 18 or 19-year-old black male and you were picked up for smoking marijuana, then you have a conviction and you won’t be able to vote. So I think a lot of craziness is going on. It’s time that human beings stop killing each other.
SF: My favorite poem that you wrote is “Woman.” What inspired you to write it? NG: I am a woman and you notice a lot of times women don’t write about themselves. I have a friend who teases me all the time and tells me that the only thing I really love in life are little, old ladies. That is the truth because I have such an affection for old, black ladies. They’ve done so much and yet they remain positive and go forward with a good spirit. I don’t go to church as often as I should and if my grandmother was here I would be going. I love the poem. Thank you.
SF: Let’s talk about the Virginia Tech shooting. I am aware that you knew the student. NG: It is very sad and it is something that I do not talk about a lot. Now that the Orlando shooting has occurred we are no longer the most people killed. Mr. Cho needed to be put away. I think that nobody wanted to admit that something was wrong with this young man. I was teaching him and I requested to my department head that he be taken out of my class. We embraced our sadness and we moved on. We have done everything we know how to do right now if there would be another event of that nature we could tell students. Even at that no matter how we look at it if somebody is determined to take a machine gun and kill a lot of people it’s going to happen. I think that it is time for America to quit worshipping guns. That’s a bad idea.
SF: What kind of advice do you like to give writers? NG: To remember that every day you don’t have to write but every day you must read. That’s what is important. You must read something. If I don’t read anything else I read the comic section. When I get my newspaper I want to know who was born on this day, what happened on this day, and then I read my horoscope. So that just makes my day go forth and after that I read the comics. I really like “Red and Rover” and “Pickles.”
SF: What do you think makes good writing? NG: Good writing is a good story. I teach creative writing to a young audience. I had the extreme pleasure of teaching Kwame Alexander almost ten years ago. I am so proud of him. He won the Newbery Award for best novel for “The Crossover.” A good story teaches you something and lets you become involved with the character. I can’t read murder books and on television I don’t look at anyone get killed. It really bothers me and I don’t find people dying entertaining. One of the things I look for in good writing is character development and of course you’re looking for images and metaphors. You look at how the book is developing a metaphor. Most of my reading is nonfiction. I read to learn something. I was a history major in college and I continue to love history and how we learn how this planet has evolved and how we have evolved with each other. I’m excited about what I learn when I pick up a book.
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Dr. Shanessa Fenner (Journalist / writer)
ROBIN WILLIAMS NO WORDS NEEDED (1951-2014)
Interviewed and Written by Written By Eric Plaut
For those growing up in the 1970’s and 80’s, a lot of us can remember when Robin Williams appeared on the small screen. Although he worked on The Richard Pryor Show in 1977, Williams’s big break came a year later. He appeared on an episode of the family sitcom Eight is Enough before he appeared on Happy Days as a character that gave him television immortality: Mork, an alien from Ork. Shortly after Robin’s appearance on Happy Days, the show’s creator the late Garry Marshall had been given the green light to do a spin-off series. Titled Mork and Mindy, Williams and Pam Dawber starred as the leading characters. This sitcom was the golden ticket to a promising— and diverse—career for Robin Williams. “MOST LIKELY NOT TO SUCCEED” Robin McLaurin Williams was born on July 21, 1951 in Chicago. His parents were Robert, an executive for Ford, and Laura, a former model from Jackson, Mississippi. (One of Laura’s great-grandfathers was Anselm J. McLaurin, a senator and the 34th governor of Mississippi.) Robin had two older half-brothers—McLaurin Smith and the late Robert Todd Williams, who passed in 2007. Robin grew up in Lake Forest, Illinois, a suburb north of Chicago. He attended Gorton Elementary School and Deer Path Middle School. Robin was an introverted yet imaginative boy. He could amuse himself for hours playing with toy soldiers in the basement of the family home. On the other hand, Robin used humor to make his mom Laura laugh, and to get her attention. “(My mother) was the only woman who left Joan Rivers speechless,” he said gleefully in a 2002 interview.
The Williams family moved to Bloomfield Hills, Michigan in 1963. Robin attended Detroit Country Day School, where he eventually became Class President. He also came out of his shell by playing numerous sports such as soccer, basketball and wrestling. Four years later, his dad Robert retired early from the Ford Motor Company and moved his family to the San Francisco area. Robin finished his secondary education at Redwood High School in nearby Larkspur. His graduating class voted him to be the “Funniest” and, ironically, “Most Likely Not to Succeed”. “ONE LITTLE SPARK OF MADNESS” Following his graduation from Redwood High School, Robin Williams tried his hand at college. He began at Claremont (CA) Men’s College, majoring in Political Science. But Robin left soon after, transferring to the suitcase campus of the College of Marin in Kentfield, CA, which is north of San Francisco. He spent three years there and found his calling in theatre. Robin’s most noted role at the school was when he played Fagin in Oliver! His impromptu comedy and humor impressed his professors and colleagues even back then, though the College of Marin knew that he had to move on. Robin eventually won a full scholarship to one of the best acting schools in the United States. In 1973, Robin was one of 20 students accepted into the Juilliard School of Drama. It was a dream come true for him! Located in New York City, Juilliard is known as a top school for those pursuing their dreams in drama, music, play-writing and dance. Fellow alumni in drama have Continue on page 22
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Business Profile
THE WEIGHT OF THE WORLD Written by Eric Plaut
Have you ever felt that the weight of the world was on your shoulders? Sometimes this analogy makes us feel like Atlas. When people are dealt with a burden like this, we can tend to lose our sense of direction. Fear can emerge from this conundrum, causing us to worry that we have nowhere to go—in other words, having no destination for us to get to. Our worries tend to vary with each of us. It could involve a job search, work, family, friends and/or relationships with others. Anxiety and our worries tend to feel like a burden to us. Most people don’t wish to delve into their emotional luggage with others. But in this case, it’s perfectly all right to confer with a small handful of family or friends whom you trust. I’ve once heard how someone had so much emotional luggage. He joked that all of it could have overloaded the baggage train at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. Angst, when it doesn’t get resolved, tends to follow people around, however. It can bring them to a standstill when they don’t know what to do about it. So where do we turn to? One idea is to write down both of our worries and fears on a piece of paper. This way it not only gets out of your system, but you can see what needs to be done. It’s important for us to visualize—see—what we’ve written on paper. That way you need to look at what needs to get done. It’s that simple. But writing it down and looking at what needs to be done is only the simple part of the equation. Now it’s time to roll back our sleeves and to get ready and do the work. Remember what the inventor Thomas Edison said about his definition of the word genius? According to Edison, he said that: “Genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration.” We all have something we excel at. Why not try and find out what it is? In other words: If you’re serious about getting something
done, get ready to do a lot of work. You might have to do it over and over again until you either get it right or you find out what you’ve been looking for. Remember while Edison failed over 10,000 times to make the incandescent light bulb, he was never discouraged when it didn’t work. He just kept on working until he got it right. “Why have I not failed in making the light bulb?” he once asked a friend. “It’s because I’ve discovered 10,000 ways that it wouldn’t work!” Now it’s time for you to get back to your list of things to do. Sometimes it’s best to either write down the most important item first to the least one necessary. Others might recommend writing down a list of tasks from the smallest one to the greatest. Only you can decide what works best for you. It might be wise to write out your to-do list either weekly or daily. If you write out a daily one, just make certain to write out today’s goals the night before. That way you’ll have them already written on paper when you wake up the following morning. You’ll already have a head start! Another important reason to have this to-do list is to write down one’s worries and fears. The late Zig Ziglar once had an acronym for FEAR—which he referred to as “False Evidence Appears Real”. Sometimes it’s important to just do the job (think of that endorsement for Nike shoes!) Once it’s done, you can look back on this troublesome task with a sense of accomplishment! However, remember that no Continue on page 12
Words-of-Encouragement
Inspirational Quote By Isiah Thomas (NBA Hall of Famer)
Whenever any of us can show up and give of our time, and I know it’s easy to write a check, but when we give our time to one of those little kids, we create and make a memory which is more valuable than the dollar
(Excerpt taken from a prior interview with Consciousness Magazine.)
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A chat with
Grammy nominated
R&B Singer
Raheem DeVaughn Interviewed and written by Tocarra Eldridge
R
ecently, I had the opportunity to speak to R&B singer, songwriter and actor Raheem DeVaughn. Here is what the Grammy nominated singer had to share with the readers regarding his recent role in the play Love Jones, along with his current and upcoming projects. Tocarra Eldridge: How did you get involved and become a part of this amazing musical, Love Jones the Musical? Raheem DeVaughn: They sought me out. I got a call internally from my camp, and they were interested in me coming on board. When I spoke to the director and the producer, I was pretty much sold on it. When they told me everybody that was involved – who else they had confirmed, I was cool. TE: Love Jones, the movie, was a classical film. Was there any gratification or excitement for you to become a part of this musical?
RD: Yeh, of course! It was probably one of the dopest black films that came out in the last 25-30 years. So, definitely, it was great vibes when it dropped. Great characters and the story line is dope. It wasn’t the typical story line. It is a positive black film. It covers the spectrum of black love, spoken word, all those different things. It was broad. It was dope! I definitely was excited with the fact that it was like Love Jones too, although this is the musical and it doesn’t depict the exact same story line as the film or the interpretations of the original art form. TE: Is this your first time having a role in a musical stage adaptation, if so why and how has this been different or unique for you? RD: This is not my first time doing a play, but definitely on this caliber…this is my first time. Before, it [my first play] was like an annual holiday thing, something that took place
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locally in D.C. This time it’s national. I’m hearing everybody say the same thing, that this is the first time that it’s been done like this. It’s much more to the format and structure of doing it, not to mention MC Lyte spearheaded us doing the soundtrack for it as well. I wrote a song that is now the title track for the play, which is titled “Love Jones” also. There are a lot of great opportunities for me to expand, but also still grow and expand as an actor in that nature – but also musically doing some stuff in a different direction. It’s kind of like a whole other blueprint. I’m seeing a different format of how I can market music as well. TE: Do you see yourself landing more acting roles in future stage plays, or possibly movies, television, etc.? RD: Oh, I’m deep in it now! (Laugh) If it’s something to add to the resume, I’m definitely doing it. We laugh and joke about it – I’m kind of like the guy with the warped sense of humor; I’m always trying to keep everybody laughing and in good spirits while we are on the road. It’s going to be a lot of acting going on. There are a lot of different shows that I’m a fan of that I would love to possibly be a part of in the future. Now, I look at myself as like I want to earn my worth and take it seriously. From what they say, I’m a natural, so it’s all good. TE: As an accomplished singer, what keeps Raheem DeVaughn inspired and motivated? RD: What keeps me inspired and motivated – I’m self motivated; I strive to be great. I don’t take no for an answer. I strive to be different too. I understand that being different makes you stand out, and it’s cool. I don’t necessarily want to be the second person to do it, I want to be the first person to do it. If I am the second, I’m going to be a lot more successful than the first person. Being the first has its pros and cons. At the end of the day, I just enjoy what I do. I look at it as more of preserving a culture moreso than always business. I’ve always made my business choices when they need to
be made, but it’s about the culture, the message and integrity that gives respect for the craft. TE: Do you have any advice for upcoming singers who are looking to be successful as yourself? RD: Definitely explore all the different avenues. Entertainment – from singers to Broadway – you don’t have to be your conventional R&B singer, putting out mixtapes and trying to grind so hard. If I knew 20 years ago what I know now, I would have been doing what I’m doing, but everything happens for a reason. On the same token, be a student of it; explore and try different things, because you don’t know what door is going to open up or what opportunity is going to be that ticket to prepare you for the next level. TE: Would you like to add anything in closing? RD: I got a new album coming out in the next few months [titled Footprints on the Moon]. The official single is out, it’s called “Footprints on the Moon”. My next album is a hip hop/ soul album. It’s very socially conscious. The people that like my 2010 album will thoroughly enjoy the Footprints on the Moon album. The single is available now on ITunes. This is a collaborative effort album – myself and a brother named Wes Felton. He’s out of the Washington DC area as well. He’s a poet, MC, singer, great live performer and great songwriter. Collectively we call ourselves The CrossRhodes. Even on a hiatus we’ve always put out music independent. We haven’t put out music together in anywhere from 10 to 15 years. With the kilometer of where the music business is and all that is going on in the world, we felt like it was time to get back in the lab and start making music. So, be checking for it. https://twitter.com/Raheem_DeVaughn https://www.instagram.com/raheem_devaughn
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THE WEIGHT OF THE WORLD (Continues from page 9) matter how big or small the project is, break it down into steps. Starting at Point A (and picturing the finished work in your mind at Step Z), the journey itself down the road is something to look forward to each and every step of the way.
done. Talking it out with a friend or a family member can help as well as feel like they have a sounding board. Make certain to divide a task—whether large or small—into steps. Remember that it isn’t the destination that entirely counts. It’s a process of steps that gets us there from A to Z.
One thing to remember is: don’t ever try to go around your problems or ignore the tasks you’d like to accomplish. You’ll never get anything done that way. There may or may not be any shortcut for one to take. It all depends on the issue at hand.
Also remember that there’s no shame in asking for help with issues such as one’s health or career issues. Those matters, however, need to be sought out and helped by a professional. And isn’t it a relief when you can let a serious matter drop? Reward yourself with something nice when you can let that figurative boulder slip off of your shoulders!
As mentioned before, you may want to talk to a family member or a mutual friend about whatever is troubling you. For health questions though, please contact your primarycare physician. As for questions on the job hunt or career changes, go talk with a counselor. Sometimes one needs to contact a professional, especially with these two latter issues. They could save one time and money if brought up with the right person in the first place. And time, to some, is the new currency. In conclusion, don’t feel burdened by too many things in your life. Writing down one’s thoughts, ideas and fears can help one feel less troubled once they see what needs to get
AUTHOR’S NOTE I wish you all the best of luck to you in your job search. Ideas to motivate and to move oneself forward are always out there. Just be certain to not copy someone entirely though bits and pieces for inspiration are fine—as long as they’re not trademarked! Remember that one’s invention inspires another’s innovation. Also, remember that Consciousness Magazine and I don’t take any responsibility for anything written in this article. End the year 2016 on a high note!
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HEALTH Solutions
Cold Weather Tips for Diabetic Foot Care Foot and ankle surgeons urge patients to make adjustments for winter
Anyone can have a foot problem. For people with diabetes, however, the possibility of incurring even a common foot issue can lead to infection or serious complications and even amputation. As a precaution, it is important for those with diabetes to take preventive measures, including making seasonal weather adjustments, according to the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS). “With an already compromised system, patients with diabetes are prone to poor blood circulation and nerve disease in their extremities. As such, it is important they don’t solely rely on their senses but instead make provisions based on factors, such as a change in climate, to help maintain healthy feet,” said Michigan-based foot and ankle surgeon and ACFAS Fellow Member Michael Ambroziak, DPM, FACFAS. To help patients stay healthy, ACFAS provides the following five winter diabetic foot care safety tips. 1. Keep your feet dry. When it comes to your feet, rain, snow and slushy weather have something in common: they cause dampness. Moisture that collects between your socks and your feet and toes can form bacteria, which can lead to an infection. Patients with diabetes should change out of wet or damp socks, and towel dry their feet as soon as possible, remembering to pay close attention to the area between their toes. 2. Moisturize your feet. Use a moisturizer daily to keep dry skin from itching or cracking. But, don’t moisturize between the toes—that could encourage a fungal infection. “Poor circulation associated with diabetes often decreases the moisturizing glands in patients’ feet who are diabetic, leaving their feet more susceptible to severe dryness,” said Dr. Ambroziak. Even everyday activities during colder weather, such as warming feet by the fire or adjusting the heat on their feet in a car, can present issues for patients with diabetes. They should be mindful of red, shiny areas on their feet, which can be warning signs of skin on the brink of breaking down. 3. Avoid direct heat to your feet. A safer way for someone with diabetes to minimize dryness and
the chance of burning their feet is to keep direct heat away from that area. Diabetes can cause nerve damage in the feet, making the simple task of warming them in the winter rather intricate for someone with diabetes. Dr. Ambroziak adds, “With the numbness caused by neuropathy, diabetic patients may not feel when their feet are burning. As a result, they can experience second- or third-degree burns, which can cause serious foot problems.” Patients with diabetes should not put their feet in hot water – they should test bath water with their hands or a thermometer first. Also, avoid using warming aids on the feet, such as electric blankets, heated shoe inserts and heating pads. To keep your toes toasty during cooler temps, ask your foot and ankle surgeon to recommend moisture-wicking socks that will keep your feet dry and warm. 4. Get the right shoes. Selecting the best winter footwear is a tedious process for many people, but having diabetes brings about an even bigger set of concerns. “In any climate, patients with diabetes should wear well-fitted shoes with supportive soles and a wide toe box to reduce cramping. During the colder seasons, extra thought should be given to sock texture and how the weather will affect walking conditions,” said Dr. Ambroziak. 5. Get periodic foot exams from a foot and ankle surgeon. Dr. Ambroziak concluded, “Because patients with diabetes are highly sensitive to foot issues, they should see a foot and ankle surgeon regularly as a preventive measure.” With proper foot care, patients with diabetes can lessen their chances of incurring a foot issue. With regular visits, a foot and ankle surgeon can notice alarming changes in their patients’ feet and provide the appropriate treatment. For more information on diabetic foot care or to find a foot and ankle surgeon in your area, visit ACFAS’ patient education website at foothealthfacts.org.
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Fitness Expert Tony Little Overcomes the many Harsh Challenges in Life {Exclusive Interview}
Interviewed & written By Tocarra Eldridge
Consciousness Magazine 14
Fitness
expert Tony Little has inspired and motivated millions of people around the world to get in shape and live healthier. While continuing to make a positive difference in other people’s lives, many were unaware that he was faced with multiple adversities and horrific moments through out his personal life. He would eventually overcome and survive four fatal car accidents, his struggle with prescription drugs and alcohol, owing millions of dollars to the IRS, and his biggest challenge of all, when he and his wife Melissa twin sons were born three-and-a-half months premature. I had the opportunity to have an uplifting inspiring and enriching interview with Tony Little, who is one of the most-recognized faces in pop culture. Over the course of his career, he has sold over $3 billion worth of products and continues to have success both in his personal and professional life. Here is what he had to share with the readers. Tocarra Eldridge: You have twin boys, children Chase and Cody who were premature at birth and still struggles with some of the health issues at 6 years old that they did at birth. Can you tell me a little about their conditions today? Tony Little: Yes! Well first of all, they both make us laugh and smile every day. Cody, who is more on the autistic spectrum, can memorize everything, and just totally comes back and tells you everything. One day he just sat up in bed and recited the whole Dr. Seuss book. (laughs) He’s not a nonverbal; he is verbal. He loves attention. The issues that we have more with him is on the occupational therapy side. We want to make sure that someday he understands the words that he is talking about, and that he can function on an everyday basis by himself. Chase talks to himself and everybody all the time. He is quite the amazing kid. He’s a little salesman. He is really smart. He has no autistic spectrum or issues. Something just doesn’t seem right about a 6 year old talking like that. (laughs). But both are amazing. Kids are why we work hard, to try and make sure they have something that we didn’t have growing up. Tocarra: Regarding your children Chase and Cody’s health, was there a reason it took you a while to come out about them publicly? Tony: I really never thought about going to the media with anything with the kids. It was not a thought of mines.
It was more of a thing later on, as far as with the success of everything that was going on. Another reason why was because at the time, we were going thru this really hard time with our babies, who were miracle babies. They were like 1lb and 14oz each. They were in incubator type beds in the hospital. The hospital had strict instructions. They wanted to make sure you feed them within a 20 minute period. [Also at the same time] my comptroller or accountant was stealing from us. So, that was in all the newspapers, because I caught him stealing. Then my next mission became obviously the family and kids, but my next mission after that became trying to make sure he went to prison. So, that took about a year or more before he finally got sentenced. I had to make up over millions of dollars that disappeared, so we had two tragedies that had to be turned around into success stories.
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What you say in your mind most of the day is what’s going to transfer to your life.
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Tocarra: Due to their illness, were there any concerns that this would affect your family, and also your successful career? Tony: It’s kind of an interesting thing, the babies don’t affect anything. It’s probably because I’m an entrepreneur or I’m self employed, so that gives me a little more room to do things. But, at the same time you would say ‘oh self employed people have to work all the time and they’ll never have time for the kids’. In a situation like ours we can make a choice. Whereas, if I had a day job or a 9 to 5 job I couldn’t make the choice; my employer would make the choice. Since we’re [my wife and I] are self employed, we’re both able to make a choice for our children first. Obviously, that also allows us to work around and keep our jobs, keep our hours and keep our money flowing. Tocarra: What words of encouragement would you share with parents who have similar health issues as your children? Tony: I know everyone has a different situation. Mines can’t be translated to everyone’s. The only thing I can say is what I’ve always said in my life, ‘there’s always a way.’ My mother was my strong influence in my life. I’ve always believed that there’s always a way. You have to look at it that way. ‘You can’ is always going to give you
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more results than ‘you can’t’ . You have to move forward and try to do the best that you can do. You have to get creative. It’s no different, we all have to sell. You have to sell somebody to marry you, or date you, or the college that you may want your kids to go to. (laughs) You’re always constantly selling, but you have to sell yourself on you first, and your ability to be able to think outside the box when it’s so important to your family. It’s a mindset thing. I’m an exercise guy, and exercise keeps me strong both physically and mentally. There were many down times in my life, and I’m sure in millions and millions of people’s lives, when all of a sudden they do take up exercise, and it does allow them to blow off some stress; it does allow them to think about life, and it does allow them to empower themselves like your magazine does for people. What they need to do then is start loading up and reading all of the books and magazines that do give you empowerment type messages that program you to constantly remember that you can do anything you believe in, and that there’s always a way around an obstacle. When people are putting out powerful messages about how you can take care of yourself, believe in yourself, exist in this world and handle anything for you and your family, it gives you a much better edge to be successful for yourself and your family. Tocarra: Outside of your children, you have faced many challenges in your life, such as drug and alcohol abuse, living in poverty, living through 4 fatal accidents and much more. What was one of the most challenging aspects in your life that you had to overcome and how did you overcome it? Tony: I was not always a great kid. I grew up in a small town in Ohio. I hung around a lot of kids that were older than I was. We lived in the country, so I was probably a whole lot for my single mom to handle. My mom was a pretty strong person. She was a very spiritual person; she believed in God and religion. She put herself thru college with her master’s degree with four kids. I learned a lot from her, but during the days when she moved me to Florida, I didn’t want to make any friends here, because I had left all of my friends in Ohio. It was hard for me in the beginning, because I didn’t want to make friends, I did not want to lose them again. When she changed my environment she changed my life for the better, because she made a strong move for me to be in a environment to change my position myself. I started getting into sports, etc. What happened was, early on I became a very successful body builder at a very young age. So, at the time my goal was to become Mr. America. I made a quick trend upwards into that area, and then I was hit by a drunken school bus driver about 4 to 6 weeks before the
Mr. America show. Long story short, I got injured and I was just a mess. But I was 4 or 5 weeks out from Mr. America and I wasn’t going to give up. I did continue to train, although in a lot of pain, but I couldn’t do hardly what I wanted to do to get in the best shape of my life. So, I placed 5th in my category. Then I fell apart. I didn’t have a job, and I didn’t have this or that. So, I was in a little one bed apartment downtown. Having very little savings, I was drinking Half & Half with instant breakfast to keep my calories up because I did not have a lot of food at the time. I got depressed; I fell down. I caught up with bad friends again, and next thing you know you’re drinking and taking all kinds of stuff. It was a real bad cycle. I was just fortunate enough to have somebody watching over me, to have a strong mother who influenced me and also to have a strong God that talked to me. I saw my first exercise show on TV in that little apartment one day, and decided that I wanted to do my own television show. I went down to the local television station and said, “I want to do my own fitness show.” And they kind of looked at me, because I was a little overweight at the time. (laughs) [I wanted to] do my own show and help people understand how to work out before they work out. The guy was like, “well, you can do anything you want, but it’s going to be $5,500 for 13 shows.” I said “ok I’ll do it,” and I signed the agreement. Then I went home and realized that I didn’t have any money. (laughs) However, I was stoked, so I was motivated. That decision right there made me go home to figure out how I was going to get the money. I developed a cleaning service on paper called T&T Cleaning Services. I wrote the description and what I could do to try to help alleviate a lot of the problems that health spas were having in wet areas. I went out and sold $60,000 in contracts that day to health clubs. And that gave me my money to start my television show. Tocarra: After living through all of these events and challenges in your life, how do you continue to stay motivated and inspired, especially when it comes to encouraging millions of people around the world? Tony: It’s easy. Life is short. You have to have a different mindset. There’s so many things that you have to make decisions on, and I guess I tend to believe simply. I believe you have to think positive and you have to program your brain to think positive at all times. Every success that I’ve had came off of an adversity. So, I found that out of all of the adversities that I had, they turned into victories when I was just positive and moved forward off of that wall that was behind me. The minute it happens you have to immediately go forward; you have to continue moving forward, and not look back. Otherwise, you’re going to get into the position of falling down, and
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Continue on page 24
Gutta Gospel Creator Changes Lives Through Music Interviewed and written by Aaron Robinson - Editor Photo credit: Vara Entertainment Group
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rent G, a.k.a. The Messenger continues to utilize the power from his gift of music to touch the youth and young adults around the word. Reaching the streets with his Gutta Gospel, a genre he created, his aggressive and serious message would have his fans and listeners have a very different outcome versus listening to typical hip hop music. I had the opportunity to speak with Trent G. Here is what he had to share during a recent interview regarding his inspiration for touching people with his music, giving back to the community and making a difference in society. Aaron Robinson: What do you believe separates you from hip hop artist? Trent G: My delivery and aggression when I rap, I demand attention. I demand to be listened to when words come out of my mouth. A lot of rappers today, they don’t do that, it’s more like they’re talking. They don’t put any passion into what they are doing. My passion is very intense when I rap. Aaron: Your artistry is rooted on the foundation of your belief in God. With that said, what do you believe is your ultimate goal or mission, not only as an artist but as an individual? Trent G: My goal for the music is to reach people all over the world with the Word of God and to change peoples’ lives, because music can touch you in a way to make you change your life and make you want to have something better for yourself. Music is a very powerful tool to use. You have some things people can’t say, but they can say it within their music. When people hear my music I want them to be changed, I want them to be touched. I want them to say ‘hey, I want to come out of this negative lifestyle I’m living.’ Aaron: There are many Christian hip hop artists who have a challenge being accepted in the music gospel arena by traditional pastors and traditional church goers or believers. What are your thoughts on this? Trent G: You said the keyword, tradition. They are afraid to come out of the box. They are afraid to rock the boat a little bit. People like that, they have to understand that this is a new generation. We’re coming up in a new generation where tra-
ditional gospel is not reaching the urban community. I think t’s people like that who give gospel hip hop artist a hard time, they do not see and they don’t understand the change. Aaron: When it comes to the community or giving back, what are some of the efforts or community initiatives that you partake in or are involved with? Trent G: We have a food pantry in Englewood, Chicago. We give to the homeless. We go to schools within the city of Chicago and we put on concerts for the students. We go out and talk to the teens and talk to the youth on the street. We pray for them. I give to the homeless; I pray for people with need. I do what I can until God blessed me with more to bless them more.
Aaron: You are from the Southside of Chicago where many youth’s lives have been taken away from them. What do you believe are some of the solutions to counteract violence in this city? Trent G: I believe that we are the solution. And when I say we, I mean the people that are from that community…people that use to live that lifestyle as far as the drugs and the gangs and things like that. Another solution is the church. People within the church, we have to come out more. There can be many solutions. I believe the people are the solutions to a lot of the problems that are going on. If you would just open your mouth and say something to these kids, words can change their life.righteousness pays off in long run. Being evil and doing dirt… it doesn’t last. Instagram: https://instagram.com/trentgthemessenger/ YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/user/treal21? SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/trentgthemessenger
Consciousness Magazine 18
Written by Darnell Jordan
This past June, fine art photographer and painter Reisha held her first solo show at the William Hill Gallery in Chicago, IL. The event was an intimate affair that celebrated her latest collection, Hemme Fatale. With Hemme Fatale, Reisha offers a glimpse into the evolution of masculinity. The collection consists of thought-provoking portraits that range from a clean-cut gentleman in a top coat and fedora (circa 1940s), to a current-day hipster sporting a full beard and man-bun. “It’s not a criticism, it’s an observation. What it meant to be a man 20 or 30 yrs ago is not the same now. It’s tricky for everybody involved, including women, relationships, workplace, and family. I think there’s a big discussion there,” says Reisha. The idea of masculinity has always been a controversial topic. Traditionally, there has been a solid line between what’s considered to be masculine and feminine. Society relentlessly enforced that line, spewing ridicule to those who dared to cross it. However, over the years we have seen that line become a faint shadow, opening the door for a more liberal society. Reisha cleverly displays that shift in many of her portraits of men, where she uses both feminine and masculine attributes in the same piece. “I use floral print and feminine ideas to blur the lines so you can look at it a different way. You usually see men in harder lines, harder colors”, she says. Each of Reisha’s pieces start with a background. She then creates an outline and begins a jig-saw puzzle process of filling the outline with individual pieces of paper, other
materials, and color to bring her vision to life. The process is so intricate that it usually takes her a few months to complete each piece. “It gets to a point where they get difficult for me and I have to put them down, not work on them, and then just come back to them,” says Reisha. What stood out to me most about Reisha’s art is how her method of using various types of paper and material allows her to create amazingly textured pieces. At most art shows, artists have a strict “no-touching” rule, especially if the pieces are delicately made. Surprisingly, Reisha invites viewers to touch her art, feel the texture, and take in the energy. Reisha started in photography and naturally evolved into art. She excels in portraits, which is highlighted in her current collection. She plans to eventually branch out into more scenic pieces. Self taught, Reisha takes great pride in creating every aspect of her art. “I framed everything myself, and stained the wood. So, everything I did myself.” Her preceding collections are We Are Everything, Alpha Female, and Collaboration of Sexy. Such as a true artist does, she has done a remarkable job at reflecting the times we live in through Hemme Fatale. In a country currently full of tension and division, creative expression is more important than ever. I’m extremely excited to see what Reisha has in store for the world!
Written and interviewed by Aaron Robinson - Editor
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hen some people think of Tanna Frederick, what may come to mind is that she’s a successful actress that we love to enjoy watching and performing in stage plays, television and film. Nonetheless, she is an accredited writer and producer, an amazing surfer, intelligent businesswoman and celebrated environmentalist. For several years, Frederick has been involved with Here to Serve, a 501 (c) charity that is in cooperation with the community which provides assistance to caregivers and families who are going through threatening health crisis. The organization is founded by Kathleen Quintas, an incredible woman who is a caregiver to her son and husband who are both cancer survivors. Frederick has come to build a tremendous relationship over the years with Quintas after meeting her at a panel. During a recent interview with Tanna Frederick, I had the privilege to speak to her about her involvement with Here to Serve and many other initiatives that she holds dear to her heart. “My parents both got diagnosed with cancer within the same year. I knew how terrifying it could be when you had your own past experience with cancer and you certainly have a family with it, not one family member, but two family members. They help you get on your feet, they help you look at the resources, you can call for medical needs, for errands that you need done, and for grocery shopping. They are a big support of families who have certain needs or diseases.” While being a part of Here to Serve, Frederick has experienced a great amount of gratification as well as shown support from others for her parents. She shares her testimony. “I sort of feel like I’m repaying all of the
wonderful people who helped me out during that time in my life. If you can’t prevent children from getting sick then let’s support them through the sickness, and their family and make sure that their home environment is not a stressful environment when they’re already dealing with so much.” Frederick also serves on the Board of Directors at Tumelo Home, which is a charity that provides full residential care and training to children with severe and profound mental disabilities, located in Johannesburg, South Africa. Frederick has been responsible for founding Project Save Our Surf, a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of the ocean and its freshwater. Every year she holds an annual event to raise thousands of dollars for various clean water initiatives and ocean charities. “I just thought, well there are a lot of non-profits out there for oceans but that can never be enough in terms of clean water. You’re watching 9 and 10 year olds go out and knowing that they can’t go out because it’s been raining in the summer and you go out and surf some days and it’s very still and full of garbage. And you’re like oh gosh, the kids are going swimming in the water! You just want to create a better world for the next generation,” she explains passionately. Over the years the LA stage actress has been an extraordinary actress. She has directed theater and directed stage plays such as “Why We Have a Body” and “A Safe Place.” As an actress, she has starred in Henry Jaglom’s feature films such as “Irene in Time” and “Hollywood Dreams,” where she has been compared to actresses such as Bette Davis. Another Henry Jaglom’s film includes “Just 45
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Minutes From Broadway” which originated from a stage play at The Edgemar Theater where she co-stars opposite Judd Nelson. “It was great and it was really fun and surprising. It ran for a year in Los Angeles. So many people loved the play and kept coming back. Usually in films, the weird one in the family would be the actor, but in this play “Just 45 Minutes From Broadway” the weird one is the civilians; it’s not the actor, so it’s fun. So Henry decided to run it into a film and I was a little worried about having running the play for so long. The transition from stage to film may come across as being stale. It was really actually fascinating once we got on set for filming. The results were great. I always wanted to transfer some things from stage to film and be a part of that,” excited explains the movie star. Frederick became involved in theatre during the fourth grade and has been performing ever since. Today, she has received awards such as the Distinguished Young Alumni Award from her Alma Mata, the University of Iowa. She has won and received numerous awards for Best Actress at multiple film festivals, and the Maverick Award from the Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival, just to name a few. As a stage and film actress she gives her thoughts on both. “If you are on screen you’re applying to a camera. The nice thing about being on film is you know that certain captures awaits certain parts of your character that you work on. The great thing about stage is you have this audience who comes to watch you, there just to focus on the entire show and there’s such a great serenity that goes on with the audience and actors on stage. I find it very invigorating. You don’t really get that on film. Nonetheless, I believe both really have helped me grow into an actor. I believe that actors should concentrate equal on stage and film.”
be on your life movie rail. If you have a dream, go for it; don’t look back and don’t say what if! You better be true to yourself in terms of what you’re passionate about, in terms of following your passion, in terms of what you want to leave in the world.” Encouraging and inspiring local filmmaking and local filmmakers in her community, as well as giving back to her hometown, Frederick has created The Iowa Independent Film Festival and originated Project Cornlight that aims to develop Iowa-based films and other projects showcasing Iowa. She shares timeless advice for aspiring actresses who have been affected by continuous rejections in the film industry. “Don’t listen to the no’s. Just do everything that you can to filter out the negative energy and keep the positive feedback in your mind. I think it’s definitely a mind game and the biggest part of it is if you can ‘hang in the industry.’ If you stay in the game and have a positive attitude, you would eventually get work. Once you decide you are an artist, it doesn’t matter what credits you have, it doesn’t matter who you hang with; it doesn’t matter what’s on your resume. Being an artist is more than credentials and what you’ve done. Declare yourself an artist and be proud of that fact, and don’t give up and start moving forward.” Visit Tanna Frederick at http://www.TannaFrederick.com and http://www.projectsaveoursurf.org
A lot of work goes into being an actress. For those who have a vision that wants to make it into a reality - sometimes have to believe in their vision - for it may never be too far out of reach. “I believe since it’s your dream to be an artist and it’s your dream to be an actor, you should do what you want to do in life that will fulfill you,” says the Hollywood actress as she begins to empower those who are anticipating on becoming what they have set out to do with their life. “I go and I speak at my Alma Mata, University of Iowa, and speak where ever I can to students. I really believe that regression is something that should never
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Photos courtesy of Guttman Associates
Robin Williams- No Words Needed cont. from page 8 included Kevin Kline (who won an Oscar for BestSupporting Actor as the bungling thief Otto West in A Fish Called Wanda), Val Kilmer (“Ice” in Top Gun) and Bern Nadette Stanis (Thelma Evans in the TV sitcom Good Times). Robin’s classmates included Mandy Patinkin (“Inigo Montoya” from The Princess Bride), William Hurt (Broadcast News) and Christopher Reeve—who portrayed the Man of Steel in four Superman films. Reeve and Williams, who became lifelong friends until Reeve passed away in 2004, were the only students picked by actor John Houseman (The Paper Chase) to be admitted into the Advanced Studies program during their first year at Juilliard. Robin was ecstatic to belong to such a prestigious group. He felt that he had reached a great milestone in his life. “You’re only given one little spark of madness,” he once said. “You mustn’t lose it.” Robin was considered one of the top students in his class. However, when he was a junior, John Houseman told his up-and-coming protégé that he had “learned enough” at Juilliard. It was time for him to move on again. (Robin
would later receive an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from Juilliard in 1991.) Despite Houseman’s intentions being good, receiving this news was a crushing blow to Robin. Being letting go like that may have affected him for the rest of his life.
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Nanu! Nanu!” was the catchphrase of Robin’s character Mork as the giant egg soared from Ork, into space and landing in Boulder, Colorado.
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“PLAY WAS HIS PASSION” After he finished at Juilliard, Robin Williams returned to the West Coast. He tended bar for a while before he managed to get up on stage to perform comedy. Robin’s stage debut was at the Holy City Zoo in San Francisco, which closed in 1994. He met his first wife Valerie Velardi, who worked as a waitress, while he tended bar and did his stand-up comedy. They married in 1978, and were divorced ten years later. Their son Zachary was born in 1983. Robin’s breakthrough came in 1977 in both film and television. He played two roles in the movie Can I Do It ‘Till I Need Glasses? On the small screen he appeared on Eight is Enough and on Laugh-In, as well as numerous roles on The Richard Pryor Show. The following year, Robin appeared as Mork from Ork on Happy Days. Then came the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) sitcom spinoff Mork and Mindy—and the rest was history. “Nanu! Nanu!” was the catch-phrase of Robin’s character Mork as the giant egg soared from Ork, into space and landing in Boulder, Colorado. As Mork literally broke out of his shell at the beginning of each episode, one could sense that Robin was also a butterfly, ready to emerge from his own cocoon. Williams and Pam Dawber would star in 91 episodes of Mork and Mindy (95 in syndication). Every week Mork would experience something new on Earth and, at the end of each program, report his findings to the never-seen Orson (voiced by the late Ralph James). Robin’s impromptu style was even used back then. His shtick as Mork included using a finger to drink water from
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a pitcher and standing on his head when seated in a chair. “Play was his passion” as Happy Days and Mork creator the late Garry Marshall once noted. Robin enjoyed comedy and parody. One of his mentors—Jonathan Winters—was brought in as “Mearth”, the title characters’ son during Mork and Mindy’s final season. (Winters, who passed away in 2013, also portrayed Mindy’s Uncle Dave McConnell in one episode during the third season.) While Robin thrived through comedy and parody, another ABC show What’s Happening featured during a dream sequence their own version of Mork and Mindy. The episode, titled The Last Page, had the late Fred “Rerun” Berry and Shirley Hemphill portray Mork and Mindy. Rerun wore Mork’s red outfit and boots, forgoing his trademark red beret with a brown wig. Rerun’s Mork was called back to Ork by his cousins and fellow aliens Gork and Stork, played by his two buddies Raj and Dwayne (Ernest Thomas and Haywood Nelson). A chicken cackles in the background and the two aliens arrive in a flash. Rerun’s Mork quips: “It was a threeminute egg! Ark, ark, ark!” Raj, as Gork, drinks the wine he’s been served by putting the corks in his ears. Before he “drinks” the wine though, Gork passes a cork to his traveling companion. “Cork, Stork?” Raj asks Dwayne. “No thanks—I’m driving!” “A LIGHTNING STORM OF COMIC GENIUS” “He was a lightning storm of comic genius.” This was how the film director and occasional actor Steven Spielberg perceived Robin Williams. “Our laughter was the thunder that sustained him,” said Spielberg who directed him in 1991’s Hook. Robin portrayed a Peter Pan who finally grew up. Spielberg’s quote describes Robin Williams accurately. While he was still performing as Mork, Robin won the title role of the gruff, spinach-eating sailor in the 1980 film Popeye. Resembling the iconic character created by E.C. Segar, Robin played the sailor man just like his cartoon counterpart. He devised the walking-on-water bit himself. Robin also used a few bits based from the cartoon classics such as twirling the pipe in his mouth, using his pipe as a periscope while he swam underwater and the “old twister punch” which he used during the boxing match with Oxblood Oxheart (portrayed by the late Peter Bray). Directed by the late Robert Altman (M*A*S*H, Gosford Park), Popeye was filmed in Malta. Its town “Sweethaven”, dubbed as the “Popeye Village”, has been a tourist attraction for over three decades. Popeye’s cast also included Shelley Duvall as Olive Oyl, Donovan Scott as Olive’s brother
Castor, Paul Dooley as Wimpy and the late Paul L. Smith as the film’s antagonist Bluto. Altman’s grandson Wesley Ivan Hurt portrayed Swee’pea, the baby boy adopted by Popeye and Olive (Hurt, according to the Internet Movie Data Base—imdb.com, only acted in Popeye; as of 2006, he is a teacher.) Two of the film’s co-stars have fond memories of Robin. Michael Christensen worked with him on Popeye. Mike played Splatz the Janitor and tells of a time when they worked together on the Big Apple Circus in New York City. “That December (in 1980), during our Lincoln Center run, I invited Robin to make a guest appearance with me and the other Big Apple Circus clowns, Barry Lubin, Jeff Gordon and Carlo Pellegrini,” Mike said. “He did and that is the (enclosed) picture you have. Robin was the Professor in the sketch we did entitled Clown School.” “A VERY KIND AND SPIRITUAL MAN” Carlo Pellegrini, who’s known as Mr. Amazing from the Amazing Grace Circus, also appeared in Popeye. Carlo played Swifty the Short-Order Cook who prepared Wimpy’s hamburgers. He also took on two other roles in the film—as a waiter and as a popcorn vendor. Carlo has fond memories of working with Robin, whom he describes as a “very kind and spiritual man”. Being a circus clown and not a comedian from Los Angeles, Carlo thought that Robin never perceived him to be “competition” or a “threat”. The two performers hung around a lot during the downtime; many of their conversations centered on philosophy. Several times in Malta when the cast wasn’t filming, the crew would have an Improv Night. One evening when no one would volunteer, Carlo jumped up—and Robin joined him. Though reluctant at first, Carlo quickly realized that one of the greatest Improv comics of all-time was willing to work with him. “It will be all right,” Robin reassured Carlo. “Just keep saying: Yes!” Carlo admitted that he was a bit nervous through the final “Yes!” but in retrospect he was grateful to Robin Williams for helping him to succeed that night. Once their routine concluded, Robin quietly told Carlo: “It’s okay. You have a knack for (Improv). Let’s work on it together for another time.” Carlo Pellegrini concludes his memory by saying how Robin “was gracious, manic, insane, high from his success, crippled in the film (Popeye) because it was his first and he wasn’t very relaxed in the environment…and he was on fire in his head…gracious and spiritual is how I will remember him.”
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[Read Full Interview Online]
Tony Little (Continues from page 16) that’s the hardest thing to get out of. It’s all mindset to me. I did a lot of interviews before, and I owned 7 different trademarks on You Can Do It! People are amazed what you are able to trademark. I trademarked it many many years ago. People always say, ‘well yeah you are strong willed and you always say you can do it, but what about the people who can’t do it’. And I always say ‘the people who can’t do it are usually the people who think they can’t do it.’ You have to think you can do it. If you change your mindset you can change your life. I think there should be a lot of more speakers out there talking about how it’s not as complicated as people make it to be. If you say ‘I can’t’ – what are your chances versus ‘I can’? There’s definitely an edge there. What you say in your mind most of the day is what’s going to transfer to your life. I’m a common sense type of thinker. It’s just better to think that way because you have better chances. I’ve always thought positively. Tocarra: Coming from rags-to-riches, what did you believe you did differently from anybody else to achieve this amount of success and accomplishments in your life or career? Tony: Many years ago I changed my thought pattern. I was on a cover of a magazine many years ago. [The subject] was about ‘Where are they all now?’ I was the only picture. The reason they interviewed me is because why I am still here, and where is everybody else that I started with. I said it was because I evolved. I realized that if I can teach you how to exercise and take care of yourself, then I can also teach you how to sleep better, as well as how to wear footwear that will give you more benefits than negatives towards your fitness. So, I developed more of a positive lifestyle type company, and developed products that enrich our lives and help us do better for ourselves. That’s where I expanded.
for the network. It’s growing; I started out with a bison hotdog and a bison burger under the BodybyBison label. Now I have 36 products under bison. I started selling it 5 or 6 years before it became classified as a superfood. I own a footwear line called Cheeks, and it’s one of the largest brands around. We sell millions of pairs of shoes. A lot of people would not know it, but I own about 60 patents, a couple hundred trademarks, and multiple URL’s. Early on I really thought you had to attach your IP (intellectual property), because there’s a group of people that will just watch something and try to take advantage and rip you off. So, I valued protecting my intellectual property. Tocarra: Before we end the interview, would you like to add anything else? Tony: No, I don’t think so, you’re pretty darn thorough. (laughs) This has been a totally different interview than I’ve had in a very long time, and it’s been very good! For more information about Tony Little please visit http://www.tonylittle.com/
Tocarra: Tony, over the course of your career, you sold over 3 billion dollars worth of products. What are some of your recent products that are available to the general public? Tony: In the Wall Street Journal, they had this huge article on bison. There’s a big demand for bison. Approximately 9 or 10 years ago I started my BodybyBison company with a gentleman who is also partners with Wolfgang Puck. I remember bringing it to a home shopping network. I told them that I wanted to sell bison. They’re all like ‘what’s that’? (laughs) Nobody thought it could be done. To this day it’s the largest food business Consciousness Magazine 24
Reviews
Album Review: Jason Ferg: Tribune By Hector De La Rosa @Here_2_Edutain_ homeless to the many injustices Chicagoans experience present day. “Marvelous” takes listeners to memory lane as it pens the life experiences of a Chicagoan from withstanding ice cold winters; subsist summers where violence triples in death toll, cope with corrupt politics to a failing school system. Though the city life is viewed as a discordant reality, Ferg manages to see the virtuous in the debauched.
Chicago, the prideful city of Wind, is notorious for its splendor in landscape and culture just as its gangland violence monstrously publicized in media as evident in the Chi City emcee Jason Ferg album Tribune and its single “Time (Shecago)” featuring the soulful trumpet sounds of Sam Trump. Here, Ferg creates the perfect analogy in song comparing the city to a woman one can treasure and adore same time have distain for her. Tribune performs as an important piece of art for the Chicago music scene, viewed more of a historic landmark putting on for his city in the music platform. The hip-hop artist pays reverence to his hometown in practices: titling the album named after a popular Chicago newspaper and embodying musical styles that originate yet shape the Chicago music landscape fashioning acoustic, soul, neo-soul, poetics, and hip-hop to hip-hop/ soul fabricating a glorious sound. “Chicago Fire” featuring Jisun epitomizes the city’s triumphant spirit of overcoming tragedy from the fire that took place in history in 1871 that killed and left many residents
This album has “Something to Say” about Jason Ferg’s artistry principally at an era in hip-hop music where the trends of mumbling lyrics serve as gibberish and lacking in artistic quality. Tribune came out at a monumental year where golden era hip-hop music resurrected with releases of Common, De La Soul, to A Tribe Called Quest, in addition, to a time where politics is askew and the racial divide widened. The artist provides hope to the desolate (“Soul Searching”) - forgotten people of the ghettos on both Southside and Westside of Chicago that are at an uproar with agony that comes with life. It is with consideration that Ferg’s artistry is a blessing providing healing and empowerment. The album superbly comes to an culmination with the power to the people single “Thriving” featuring Ram & Truth, which lets listeners know Chicago residents are still standing through adversity. In balance, Jason Ferg splatters a canvas of majestic things about his city through his album yearning to jettison the nihilism associated with the city while his soul eulogizes on painful events that take place. Tribune, defined as ‘Champion of the People,’ is a celebration of being a proud Chicagoan. It campaigns unity and strength making music lovers walk away feeling prideful in making a contribution to change in destroying and rebuilding the city. Rating: Conscious: 5 out of 5 ratings
Parental Advisory: Views and opinions expressed in album, book or movie reviews within this publication reflect the opinion of their respective author and do not necessarily represent those of the publisher and editors.
Know Your Rights!
(1) Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.
Article 27 (2) Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.
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