Faith Based Journal 18 by d-mars.com

Community Journal Faith-based

Non-Profits

Jan - Feb 2013

Psalm 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.

Foundations

Community Organizations

Inspire, Inform & Educate

18 th Edition

It’s All About Community!

Olympic Gold Medalist Gabrielle “Gabby” Douglas Comes To Houston

INSIDE

The Power Of Faith By Kevin Sinclair The power of faith is greater than the power of knowledge, just as the CEO of an organization has more power than a junior manager.

Jalene Mack

The Deep End of the Pool By Rod White Sometimes in life, we all find ourselves in the deep end of the pool called life.

How You Can Make a Difference You can be a part of something greater and have a positive impact on your community when you volunteer.

8th Annual All-Star Gospel Celebration Tomeka B. Holyfield former Ms. Black Texas and a native Houstonian brings Gospel to NBA All-Star Weekend for the eighth year in a row with MPAC: Cultivating Interest a star studded celebration of faith and inspiration. Continued on page 4

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Behind The

Journal

Publisher’s Message

Keith J. Davis, Sr.

SR. PUBLISHER Keith J. Davis, Sr. VICE PRESIDENT Kevin Davis

Welcome to our new Community Journal. We want the world to know what’s happening with Houston’s African American non-profit, faith-based, and social and civic organizations. Join us monthly as we put you in the know about where to go to support these great organizations that are doing tremendous things to make us Houston Proud! As always again, thank you for your continued support of d-mars.com. When you support d-mars.com, you are supporting more than just our company; you are supporting the communities in which we live and work. Working together, we can succeed in making positive things happen.

EDITING CONSULTANT Sharon Jenkins OPERATIONS COORDINATOR Johnny Ray Davis, Jr. ACCOUNTING MANAGER Eugenie Doualla

CONTENTS

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Onyebuchi Okoh C.T. Foster Eric D. Goodwine

8th Annual All-Star Gospel Celebration with Tomeka B. Holyfield ........................................... MPAC: Cultivating Interest of Performing Arts by Exposing, Educating and Entertaining ...... Texas Legislative Black Caucus 2013 Hosts the African American Legislative Summit ........ MLK Day Celebration with AKA Sorority Honoring Veterans at a Local Retirement Home ...... The Power of Faith .................................................................................................................... The Deep End of the Pool .......................................................................................................... How You Can Make a Difference .............................................................................................. Buffalo Soldiers National Museum 13th Annual Gala .............................................................. Silver Lake Church hosts 1st African-American National Spelling Bee ....................................

PHOTOGRAPHY L.C. Poullard Grady Carter Tony Gaines MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR Andrea Hennekes LAYOUT & GRAPHIC DESIGNER Ferland Antwine DISTRIBUTION Booker T. Davis, Jr. Rockie Hayden CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Rose Carter Alverna Austin Rod “The Storyteller” White Kevin Sinclair Family Features

MR. D-MARS Tip of the Month “ In every community, there is work to be done. In every nation, there are wounds to heal. In every heart, there is the power to do it.” ~ Marianne Williamson

d-mars.com 7322 Southwest Fwy, Suite 805 Houston, Texas 77074 713-272-9511 . Phone 713-272-6364 . Fax www.d-mars.com

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th Annual All-Star Gospel Celebration with Olympic Gold Medalist Gabrielle Douglas

moment and acknowledge the phenomenal nominee’s and the incredible work they’ve done in the community. So many times we are bombarded with negative images of professional athletes, and pastors, but we rarely hear about the individuals who are making a difference in people’s lives. This platform allows us to applaud them for their amazing compassion and dedication to people.” All while enjoying the HOTTEST Gospel Concert Ever!” Confirmed Sponsors on board this year thus far are WALGREENS as the ASGC SLAM DUNK CORPORATE SPONSORS and The Word Network. Media Sponsors Include: D-MARS, The Belle Report, Gospel Truth Magazine, Path Magazine and KTSU Choice 90.9

2013

SL A M DUNK HONOREES and Olympic Gold Medalist Gabrielle “Gabby” Douglas, NBA All-Star Tracy McGrady, CleRenda McGrady, CNN’s/TV ONE’s Roland Martin, Lauretta PrieceThe COOKIE Lady, and some of the HOTTEST gospel artists are coming to Houston, Texas for the 8th Annual All-Star Gospel Celebration. Tomeka B. Holyfield former Ms. Black Texas and a native Houstonian brings Gospel to NBA All-Star Weekend for the eighth year in a row with a star studded celebration of faith and inspiration. The 8th Annual All-Star Gospel Celebration (ASGC) will honor Olympic Gold Medalist Gabrielle “Gabby” Douglass, NBA All-Star Tracy McGrady and wife Life Coach CleRenda McGrady, Journalist and Political Analyst Roland Martin, Lauretta Pierce-the Cookie Lady and 5 local Pastors-A. Louis Patterson Jr., Pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell, Pastor Rudy Rasmus, Pastor Terrance Johnson and Pastor Reginald DaVaughn Sr. The star studded event will be held during the 62nd NBA All-Star Weekend, Saturday, February 16, 2013, at the Arena Theatre! Co-Hosted by Pastor Paula White and various celebrity guests who will pay tribute to NBA Players, NBA Coaches, sports figures and high profile individuals who effect change in the lives of others and portray a positive image that is

people for their PURPOSE, PLAN and PLATFORM by lending a HELPPPPing Hand. The focus is on assisting abused and battered women and their children by providing support counseling, education and resources that will help to transition these individuals back into society as viable citizens in homes and communities. To learn more about The HELPPPPing Hands Foundation, visit them at www. TheHelpingHandsFoundation.us About the HELPPPP Agency: The Helpppagency was birthed in 2005, as a full service event planning and management company based in Atlanta Georgia, owned and operated by Tomeka B. Holyfield. The Agency gained national attention in 2006 after producing the FIRST EVER Red-Carpet event in the Christian community. The event recognizes and celebrates local pastors, sports figures and celebrities who share in the faith. The All-Star Gospel Celebration, now in its 8th year, has become a staple event during NBA All-Star Weekend. www.AllStarGospelCelebration.com To Purchase Tickets: www.store.thehelppppagency.com For Sponsorship Opportunities TEAM HELPPP at 877.841.8088 info@theHELPPPPagency.com

both inspiring and motivating. The event will consist of red carpet arrivals, special celebrity guests, and uplifting musical performances from national recording artist Israel & New Breed, James Fortune & Fiya, Brain Courtney Wilson and Season Five of BET’s Sunday Best, Alexis Spight! “For the past 7 years we’ve brought faith and inspiration to NBA All-Star Weekend, we are the FIRST and ONLY Gospel Event working in conjunction with NBA Entertainment,” exclaimed Tomeka B. Holyfield, Creator and Executive Producer of the All-Star Gospel Celebration. “It is an exciting time for the local community, NBA Players and their loved ones to take a

FM. Proceeds from the day’s events are donated to The Helpppping Hands Foundation dedicated to assist abused and battered women and their children throughout the world. About The HELPPPPing Hands Foundation: It is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization designed to meet the needs of and empower women and children everywhere since 1997. For the past 14 years they’ve been Helping, Empowering and Preparing

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Media Credentials/ Interview Schedule Tomeka B. Holyfield Gabby Douglas other event participants Girl in Charge Public Relations Amy Malone, Owner 323-972-4081 alt 310-946-8231 amy@gicpublicrelations.net www.gicpublicrelations.net

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MPAC: Cultivating Interest of Performing Arts by Exposing, Educating and Entertaining By Rose Carter

alene Mack, realizing she had invaluable knowledge as a business woman, entertainment lawyer, playwright, producer and actress had a dream. Her circle of high profile clients, industry colleagues and contacts ranging from all facets of the performing arts right at her fingertips inspired her to make it a reality. She perceived this as an opportunity to give back to her community, expand the growth of the performing arts industry, and make dreams come true. Thus, she created her Texas based Non-Profit, Mack Performing Arts Collective, affectionately known as Mack P.A.C. Its mission: “Cultivating the interest of Performing Arts by exposing, educating and entertaining.” In honor of Black History Month, Mack Performing Arts Collective (MPAC) presents Black MPAC 2013, a one day event of an Acting Wor k s hop, Fi l m m a k e r sWor k s hop,

Entertainment Business Panel Discussion, and Cocktail Party hosted by Actor Malik Yoba. All the day’s events collectively known as “Black MPAC” will be presented on Saturday, February 9, 2013 at Midtown Art Center located at 3414 La Branch, Houston, Texas 77004. The Cocktail Party will be held at Nvy Lounge located at 2707 Milam Street in Midtown from 8pm to 12 am. This is a charitable engagement whereby MPAC’s main objective is to raise funds to support the organization’s education and performance programs and operations. Ticket purchases and donations made for all events will allow MPAC to fulfill a part of its purpose by providing free passes to workshops, panel discussions, and performances held for Black MPAC and throughout the year to very deserving teens and young adults who may not otherwise have the chance to attend these kind of

events or get this close to Hollywood because of financial restraints or access. “I have a passion for teaching and I welcome the opportunity to share my gifts.”--Malik Yoba, Black MPAC 2013 “I am so excited. These are the kinds of charities I love getting involved with. Educating kids and young adults interested in the Arts is what I love doing.”—Golden Brooks, Black MPAC 2012 Best known for his roles in the Disney classic, Cool Runnings, and the hit Fox television series New York Undercover, Malik Yoba has proven himself as a man driven to raise consciousness through the use of his many talents. As an actor, musician, activist, educator, inspirational speaker, playwright, entrepreneur and author, Yoba tackles his quest to educate people and communities across the world on the value of accountability, integrity and leadership with fierce humbleness. Yoba is most widely known for his love for the arts. Since 1989 he has been in over 25 films including, but not limited to Copland, Smoke, Blue in the Face, Hooked Up, Harlem Aria, Vote for Me, Ride and Dreaming in Black and White, winner of Best Film at the 2003 Phoenix Film Festival. In 2005, he starred in the comedy Kids in America a feature, alsostarring GeorgeWendt, Rosanna

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Arquette and Nicole Ritchie. That same year he playedrecurring character Ice: The Bounty Hunter on Fox’s Emmy awardwinning comedy Arrested Development and co-starred in the Warner Bros. film Criminal opposite John C. Rielly and Diego Luna. A veteran of 11 network/cable television series or pilots, Yoba has been in several series on top network and cable channels, including starring in TNT’s first series Bull (TNT),NBC’s short lived series Kingpin, Raines opposite Jeff Goldblum, a recurring role in the 2003-2005 seasons of Girlfriends (UPN) and a series regular in the F/X Network series, Thief (March 2006) with Andre Braugher and Linda Hamilton. In 2007, he starred in Tyler Perry’s widely successful Why Did I Get Married?, and the sequel Why Did I Get Married Too?. In 2009, Malik played Commander Ted Shaw on the ABC series Defying Gravity. He also wrote, directed and starred in the BET.com web series ShopTalk and recently wrapped the indie feature Recalled (2012). Today, Yoba can be seen on SyFy’s Alphas with David Strathairn, which was recently picked up for a second season –summer 2012. He also recently wrapped the Lifetime movie “Betty and Corretta” where he played Martin Luther King Jr. opposite Angela

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Bassett’s “Corretta” due out Feb 2013. Yoba’s book, Please Return My Phone Call! Preventing the Demise of Personal and Professional Relationships, is THE handbook for business and interpersonal relationships that is rapidly challenging the thought processes of students, individuals, business owners and billion dollar corporations as it pertains to interpersonal communication, integrity, accountability, leadership, and proper follow through. In the entertainment industry for over 20 years, Yoba cannot be labeled as just an actor. Despite his professional and personal accomplishments, he continues to energize young people by challenging their ideals, behaviors and values. His desire to ignite change is expressed in many forms – artistically, pro-socially and educationally. Black MPAC: 1st Event of Saturday, February 9, 2013 from 10am-1pm: “The Working Actor w/ Malik Yoba Workshop 2nd Event of Saturday, February 9, 2013 from 10am-1pm: Greg Carter and Dan Garcia’s Filmmaking & Video Production Workshop. 3rd Event of Saturday, February 9, 2013 from 1:30pm-3pm: Panel Discussion, “Black MPAC: The State of Film and

Television”. 4th Event of Saturday, February 9, 2013 from 8pm-11pm: Cocktail Party. Location is Nvy Lounge at 2707 in Milam Street in Midtown Houston. Mack Performing Arts Collective MPAC is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation founded January 24, 2011. Its mission: Cultivating the interest of Performing Arts by exposing, educating and entertaining. Reflecting upon founding MPAC, “I realized I had invaluable knowledge as a business woman, entertainment lawyer, playwright, producer and actress, and having a circle of high profile clients and industry colleagues ranging from all facets of performing arts, it gave me resources most often times out of reach of others. This was the opportunity to give back to my community, expand the growth of the performing arts industry, and make dreams come true”. – Jalene Mack, Founder.

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Texas Legislative Black Caucus 2013 Hosts

The African American

Legislative Summit

he 2013 African American Legislative Summit is almost here! You won’t want to miss this year’s event. The African American Legislative Summit, which is sponsored by HEB, will take place from Sunday evening, Feb. 24th through Tuesday afternoon, February 26th. The theme of the upcoming Conference is “From Texas to Africa and Back” and will highlight the bonds and ties between the people of Texas and Africa. With an expected 4,000 attendees, the 2013 Summit is slated to be better than ever. We are proud to announce that the keynote speaker at the Scholarship Awards Banquet on Monday, February 25th will be none other than the young, bright, innovative and accomplished Mayor of Atlanta, Kasim Reed.

2013 African American Legislative Summit Details

The Conference will kick off on Sunday evening, February 24th with the Blacktie invitation only, Chairman’s Dinner at the Bob Bullock State History Museum in Austin. On Monday morning, the

Conference will begin in earnest in the House Chamber at the State Capitol. Following the opening plenary session, we will have a series of riveting panel discussions in the Capitol, then a luncheon on the Capitol Grounds. After the lunch, the Conference will shift to our host site, the beautiful Hilton Hotel in Downtown Austin where we will have dignitaries and noted celebrities to bring you even more stimulating panels and discussions. Later that evening, the TLBC Scholarship Awards Banquet will commence in the Hilton Hotel Ballroom, where we will honor the 2013 TLBC Scholarship Recipients. On Tuesday morning, the wellreceived Community Awards Banquet takes place at the Hilton Hotel and then the Conference wraps up with our final series of panels at the Hotel. With the roster of noted personalities and events planned, this Summit will be one to remember!

Chairman’s Award Dinner honoring Milton Carroll

The Chairman’s Award Dinner honoring Milton Carroll, underwritten by Blue Cross Blue Shield & Centerpoint, will take place at 7p on Sunday, February 24th at the picturesque Bob Bullock State History Museum a mere 3 blocks away from the State Capitol. This invitation-only blacktie affair will honor the multitude of achievements of Mr. Milton Carroll. An innovator in the Oil & Gas industry, Mr. Carroll also serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors at Centerpoint, Inc. & Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas. A native Texan, the accomplishments of Mr. Carroll’s stellar business career are second to none. He is well deserving of this token of appreciation by the Texas Legislative Black Caucus for his inspirational achievements as an African American business man, who has excelled in a variety of endeavors in the business world. The Texas Legislative Black Caucus proudly salutes a fellow trailblazer at the inaugural Chairman’s Award Dinner. For questions, please email: texaslegislativeblackcaucus@gmail.com.

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Jan - Feb 2013

MLK Day Celebration

with AKA Sorority Honoring Veterans at a Local Retirement Home

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The Power Of Faith By Kevin Sinclair

hink back to when you were a child and you watched a friend or an older sibling ride a bicycle. You felt a desire start to build in you to be able to do that, too. The more you saw them having fun riding their bicycle, the more desire you had to have one also. Finally, you were able to persuade your parents to get you a bicycle. With the help of a parent or older sibling, you learned to ride it. As your proficiency at riding a bicycle grew, your belief in your ability to do so became stronger. When your belief became very strong, you developed faith that you could do it any time you wanted to. Once you had faith that you could ride a bicycle, you did so without much conscious thought. The same thing happens with everything that you believe you can do. When your belief in your abilities to do it becomes strong, you develop faith that you

can do it whenever you want to. The power of faith is greater than the power of knowledge, just as the CEO of an organization has more power than a junior manager. The power of faith is so superior to any technology that we presently have, that it is an injustice to equate faith with technology. When the power of faith is placed into action, the amount of work that we can accomplish becomes greater and greater, and whatever our purpose may be, we will positively scale the heights. The power of our faith changes how we perceive the value of our abilities. If our belief in our capabilities is strong, we know that our ability will allow us to accomplish whatever we decide to undertake. The power of faith is like the mystery of love. You know it is there, but you cannot see it. You feel it working and guiding you, but like the air that you breathe to sustain your life, it is not visible. Only the results

of its presence prove its existence. We think of faith as having the ability to move mountains (which it can), but the power of faith is as subtle as it is dynamic. The power of faith is relative to how much one truly believes something is possible. If you truly believe with every fiber of your being that you can do something, your mind will find a way to accomplish it. A good example of this was Terry Fox, the one legged Canadian Hero who ran a marathon a day to raise money for the Cancer Society. Even professional marathon runners cannot run a marathon a day. However, this young man had faith that he could do it, and in all kinds of weather he ran a marathon a day for weeks, running from the east coast of Canada nearly to Thunder Bay where cancer over took him. The power of faith is what miracles are made of. The power of faith is not seen in

spectacular healing miracles or in getting people to laugh or make animal noises. It is seen in the everyday accomplishments of people who do things that no one expects them to be able to accomplish. However, they have so much faith in their capabilities that they confound their critics and accomplish something that seems to be impossible, like the blind man who climbed Mount Everest and the young university lad who was allowed to play the last few minutes of a basketball game and scored 27 points. You too can do anything that you want to do if you develop faith in yourself. Do not let anyone tell you that you cannot and do not doubt yourself for a minute. Kevin Sinclair is the publisher and editor of my-personal-growth.com, a site that provides information and articles for self improvement and personal growth and development.

The Deep End How You Can Make a Difference of the Pool By Rod White

hen I was about ten years old, I loved to follow my cousin (Jr.) everywhere he would go. He and his friends were older and it was cool hanging with the older boys. It gave me “Cred” so to speak. One Saturday afternoon, I followed Jr. to the YMCA. We were going swimming. I had just begun taking swimming lessons in junior high school and I was excited! In swim class, I had learned to ‘glide’ the width of the pool quite smoothly. I knew I would be able to make it across the pool and could not wait to show off my newfound skills. We arrived at the ‘Y’; we showered and then went to the pool area. The procedure was for everyone to line up around the pool and await the whistle from the lifeguard before we could begin the swim session. I took my place on one side of the pool ready to glide the width. As the whistle blew, all of us dived into the pool… I glided and it was exhilarating! I thought to myself yes! I am going to make it! What I have not told you is that even though I had not fully learned to swim that I had dove into the “deep end” of the pool. I was attempting to glide in ten feet of water! After gliding for what seemed like plenty of time to have reached the other side, my forward motion stopped! My thought processes went into slow motion. “Uh-oh I am no longer moving.”

I “went under” and started to panic! Being only ten, all I could remember were the old cartoons that depicted drowning victims. You know the ones… if they went under three times, the third time they would drown. At that moment, I thought I was going to drown! I started flailing about and screaming for help. “Help me! Somebody help me! I felt a hand in my back, the hand felt large enough that it covered my entire back! The hand pushed me. I discovered that I was less than a foot from reaching the wall of the pool. I turned to thank whomever it was that had pushed me but there was no one there. There was no one within 10 feet of me. Even though I was ready to give up, but for the grace of God, I would have drowned. I accepted three things that day. The first thing that I accepted was that the hand of God baptized me! In the absence of man, I was “saved!” The second was that I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal savior! The third thing I accepted was to “never give up” on my goals, because the moment we quit is the moment that we could miss our blessing(s). Sometimes in life, we all find ourselves in the deep end of the pool called life. My prayer is simply that if you do not already have a bible-based church to call home, find one. Accept Jesus Christ as your personal savior and never give up before you receive your blessing!

t’s not uncommon for people to feel they can’t really impact the larger social issues of the day; that the problems are too big for one person to make a difference. But that isn’t true. You can be a part of something greater and have a positive impact on your community when you volunteer. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said that life’s most persistent question is, “What are you doing for others?” In his sermon, “On Being a Good Neighbor,” published in the book “Gift of Love: Sermons from ‘Strength to Love’ and Other Preachings,” (Beacon Press 2012), King said that the Good Samaritan was good “because he made concern for others the first law of his life,” and challenged his people to serve others in difficult life situations. Not only does volunteering benefit others, but it makes you feel good, both mentally and physically, according to the 2010 United Healthcare/VolunteerMatch “Do Good. Live Well.” survey.

Tips for Becoming a Volunteer

• Evaluate what you have to offer. Think about what skills you have that could be used to help others. Organization and communication skills, a green thumb, crafting or musical abilities, even being a good listener – they can all be valuable resources to local organizations. • Find causes and issues that you care about. If your time and efforts are spent in an area of passion, rather than just obligation, you’re more likely to enjoy the work and stick with it longer. • Check out the organization.

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Request an interview, visit the site and talk to other volunteers. You need to make sure that the organization and the volunteer duties are a good fit for you.

Ways You Can Serve

There a several national days of service – Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service (www.mlkday.gov), 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance (www.911day.org), and Global Youth Service Day (www.gysd.org). But you don’t have to wait for a special day. Here are some ideas to get you started: • • • • • • • •

Local food banks Clothing drives Disaster preparedness Reading with children Book drives Community gardens Helping military families Tutoring

You can look for other ideas and opp or t u n it ie s t h rou g h you r lo c a l community organizations, schools, and houses of worship. You can make a difference. If you’re still not sure, take some inspiration from one of Dr. King’s prayers, “Lord, help me to accept my tools. However dull they are, help me to accept them. And then Lord, after I have accepted my tools, then help me to set out and do what I can do with my tools.” You can find more inspiration from Dr. King in collections of his writings at www. thekinglegacy.org. -Family Features

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Buffalo Soldiers National Museum Thirteenth Annual Gala Celebrating Our Military Generals Friday, February 22, 2013

he Buffalo Soldiers National Museum (BSNM) wants the world to know that it will hold its Thirteenth Annual Black-Tie Benefit Gala and Silent Auction as part of our overall Capital Campaign. The gala will be held on Friday, February 22, 2013, in the Grand Ballroom at the George R. Brown Convention Center, 1001 Avenida de las Americas, Houston, Texas 77010 at 6:30 p.m. This year’s theme is “Honoring Our Military Generals.” This will be an unprecedented gathering of military elite at a civilian event in the history of the United States. Nineteen (19) African American two (2), three (3) and four (4) star generals and admirals from all branches of the military will be represented. The event begins with a Silent Auction, followed by a military-style program, dinner and scholarship presentation. The Buffalo Soldiers National Museum held a “Soft

Opening’ for its new 23,000 ft. facility, the historic Houston Light Guard Armory, on November 8, 2012. Proceeds from this benefit will benefit Phase II of the restoration/ renovations. The Houston Light Guard Armory is located in the historic Houston Museum District at 3816 Caroline Street. It is the new home of the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum. In 2008, the BSNM purchased the Armory from the City of Houston. The 23,000 square foot, three-story facility features new exhibits, new programming, and a green building concept. The key programs of the facility are educational outreach, research center, leadership development, military library, veterans’ registry and oral history projects. Phase I has been completed, and approximately $2.1 million dollars is required to complete the build-out of the 2nd and 3rd floors. This museum is the only one of its kind in the United States and highlights the achievements/contributions of African American soldiers in the defense of America. The completion of the restoration/renovation process of the landmark Houston Light Guard Armory, built in 1925, culminates the end of Phase II by finishing the second floor “Main Gallery” exhibit space. The end of Phase I has allowed the former site of the BSNM (1834 Southmore Boulevard) to transition to the Houston Light Guard Armory. The Buffalo Soldiers National Museum (BSNM) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, founded in January 2001. The mission of the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum (BSNM) is to educate, preserve, promote and perpetuate the history, tradition and outstanding contributions of America’s Buffalo Soldiers from the Revolutionary War to present. BSNM achieves its mission through its educational programs, historic research, the arts, the environment, school tours, performing arts, teacher workshops; youth outreach programs, school appearances, and exhibits. The museum creates and disseminates knowledge about the history of the Buffalo Soldiers and their service in the defense and development of America. We invite you to visit our new location so that you can see firsthand what we have achieved and why we need your assistance with educating the world on the historical significance of the Buffalo Soldiers. For questions please contact Mildred Tate at (713) 298-2471 or mildred@ buffalosoldiermuseum.com. We thank you in advance for your support Media Inquiries Contact: Steven Tatum 404-391-0613 statum@3dsmultimedia.com

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1st African-American National Spelling Bee Silver Lake Church hosts 1st African-American National Spelling Bee

By Alverna Austin

n Sunday, January 13th at Silverlake Church of Pearland, Winners of the 1st African American National Spelling Bee Championship (AANSB) were presented their trophies: First PlaceMary Bello, Second Place – Ashley Williams, and Third Place - Niaha Dyson. These students were nurtured and attended by the Girls and Boys Prep Academy. The African American National Spelling Bee Championship, Inc. was created by Robert Garner, a Houston businessman who understands that reading is the gateway to success. In order to excel in reading, you need to have an appreciation of what you have read. Fundamentally, you need to know how to spell. It was the actualization of his life experiences that led Garner to establish the First African American National Spelling Bee Championship, Inc. in May 2011. It is his dream to expose urban middle-school children to what took him a while to discover. His vision is to move our children “from the video store to the book store.” Garner also believes in leaving a legacy to our children – a legacy that includes building self-confidence and a relentless

attitude toward achieving greatness through education. Ultimately, he wants to level the playing field by making education a sport. Unique to this spelling bee, the competitors will see the winners as positive goal models with whom they can identify. Skills emerge through competition and students can build confidence that will hone their abilities to succeed in a multitude of disciplines including oral presentation, the sciences, the arts, and athletics. The Mission of the African American National Spelling Bee Championship, Inc. is to give urban middle-school children in grade levels 6 through 8 the opportunity to test their skills within their peer group. The AANSBC objective is to improve students’ spelling skills; increase their vocabulary, reading appreciation and writing, nurture their confidence level, and build life skills that will carry and sustain them for the 21st Century.

Check out our Web Site at wwwaansbc.com Find us on Facebook at African-American National Spelling Bee Championships Inc Experience Our World of Marketing and Communication

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