Dec, 2010 Vol. 26
The importance of HBCU's
h e T
in the Black Community
Beat
Latest in the
Entertaiment World T.I.’s and Chris Browns new movie Takers� Singer Monica makes a comeback Feaured Young Black & Entrprenuer Angela Samuels
Michele Harrison
Young & Black Entrepeneur
Angela Samuels
Angela Samuels
Angela observed how, with women, much of their low selfesteem was tied to their appearance. If they couldn’t find ways to look good, she reasoned, then how could they feel better about themselves? “I saw a lot of younger girls who were bigger and I realized that they grow up thinking they’re different than everyone else, that they’re not a part of society because they’re not a size three,” Samuels says. “I thought that if I could empower them with the self-esteem they need, maybe they would look at life differently and have a better chance to become successful.” She said she chose the name Voluptuous for her company because, “I wanted some-
I saw a lot of younger girls who were bigger and I realized that they grow up thinking they’re different than everyone else, that they’re not a part of society because they’re not a size three.
thing that said “positive,” and something that said “sexy.” And I figured, okay, there’s a word for small, which is “petite.” And it sounds proper. It sounds nice. And I thought, there has got to be some other word for “fullfigured,” “big.” There’s got to be some other word. And I searched, and we came up with “voluptuous.” It said all the things we wanted to say; furthermore, it implied that we are sexy. And that was important to me. And that became the name. Voluptuous had sales of over $5 millions in 2004 and plans to expand across Canada over the next few years. Voluptuous will open a new store in a trendy upscale Mississauga shopping mall with an expect- Plans are also in the works for a location ed spring 2005 grand opening. in Montreal later this year and the West Edmonton Mall in 2006.
BlackEntrepreneurProfile.com
Company: Voluptuous Clothing Position: Founder/CEO Angela Samuels is the Founder and CEO of the Toronto based retail chain Industry: Fashion, Retail Voluptuous Clothing, a store that caters to women sizes 14 to 24. The first VolupCountry: Canada tuous was opened at North York Sheridan Mall in May 2001, followed by Dufferin Mall in May 2002, Scarborough Town Centre in June 2003 and the Vaughan Mills was launched on November 4, 2004. Growing up as a minority and one of six children in the rough Toronto neighbourhood of Jane and Finch, Samuels felt acutely unsure about her chances of succeeding in life. But as a young woman, the drive to survive which had served her growing up kicked in. She would eventually use what she learned from her childhood challenges to improve both her life and the lives of many others. Angela work as a plussized model for three years doing runway shows for designers such as Brian Bailey as well as catalogue and flyer work for stores such as Sears, Wal-Mart and Zellers.She then pursued her studies in the Child and Youth Care Worker program first at Centennial College and then George Brown College. Working with young offenders,
ertai Rick Ross Rick Ross - Teflon Don
Yeah, it’s 2009, but criminality, or at least perceived criminality, is still as important as ever. Case in point: Rick Ross takes his recording alias from the name of a famous drug dealer, and Teflon Don is a nickname for the infamous John Gotti. Reportedly, part of the reason for Teflon Don’s existence is so that Ross will have a place to repudiate the allegations made about him by 50 Cent and say “yes, yes I did sell drugs. I too am street.” It’s always about authenticity in the end.
Entertainment Latest in the
BOX OFFICE & Music
inm ”While the words Passion, Pain and Pleasure immediately invoke sexual thoughts, for me they have become somewhat of a personal mantra because they so accurately describe this time in my life,” says Trey Songz. “The passion I have for my art fuels my drive and work ethic, while the sacrifice of my personal life to benefit my career will always be a source of pain. The pleasure that I derive from my work and my accomplishments make everything worth it. When I began conceptualizing the new album, these three words stuck in my head. They completely infiltrated my creative process, so it was inevitable that they became the album title.“
Trey Songz- Passion Pain & Pleasure
Grammy Award-winning and 10-million-plus selling singer, actress and entrepreneur Monica, returns to the music scene with her very personal J Records/RCA Music Group aptly titled offering, Still Standing. To define oneself as “still standing” is a bold statement, and as her album title actualizes, “whatever happens to me is just a part of my story. It doesn’t define who I am and it hasn’t deterred me from where I’m going.
Monica- Still Standing Takers (Directed by John Lussenhop) This popular movie is about a seasoned team of bank robbers, including Gordon Jennings (Idris Elba), John Rahway (Paul Walker), A.J. (Hayden Christensen), and brothers Jake (Michael Ealy) and Jesse Attica (Chris Brown) successfully complete their latest heist and lead a life of luxury while planning their next job. When Ghost (Tip T.I. Harris), a former member of their team, is released from prison he convinces the group to strike an armored car carrying $20 million. As the “takers” carefully plot out their strategy and draw nearer to exacting the grand heist, a reckless police officer (Matt Dillon) inches closer to apprehending the criminals.
The Importance of HBCU’s in the Black Community In 1993, President William Jefferson Clinton, acting on the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, established the “President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities” through the Office of the Secretary of Education. The Board was charged with creating, preparing, and issuing an annual report to the President on the results of the participation of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in federal programs. The Board was also charged with providing advice to the President and to the Secretary of Education on the needs of these institutions in the areas of infrastructure, academic programs, faculty, and institutional development. Further, the Board was asked to make annual recommendations on how to increase the role of the private sector. This included the role of private foundations in strengthening HBCUs with particular emphasis given to enhancing institutional planning and development, strengthening fiscal stability and financial management, and improving institutional infrastructure, including the use of technology to ensure the long-term viability and enhancement of these institutions. This was and still is an important endeavor in the life of our nation and, in particular, the estimated 105 HBCUs that serve our country and territories. This act is also important because these institutions have played and continue to play a key role in the lives of this nation at large, African Americans, and the black family in
particular. In fact, the black family and historically black colleges and universities are intertwined and have complemented each other for many years. Unlike the thousands of immigrants who flooded American shores throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, African Americans were brought to the country as a source of free slave labor for the fields of the American South and ultimately, as developers of the nation. With the emancipation of slaves as an outcome of the Civil War, the earnest education of newly freed men, women and children finally became an issue. Thus, the birth of the HBCU grew out of this series of events. While many private black institutions of higher education were founded in the years immediately following the Civil War, the Morrill Act of 1890 brought about several additional black public schools to further the educational needs of African Americans who had long been left out of the American pursuit of
happiness. World War II gave birth to the GI Bill of Rights, which accorded every man or woman, including African-American families, access to education and home ownership. Affirmative Action launched in the mid-1960s was aimed at mending some of the past patterns and practices of discrimination that impacted the African-American family, while opening access to higher education to many minority groups and helping America to ensure equal access and a more productive life for black families in general. As remains true today, HBCUs like the newly freed black families of the nineteenth century, often started out with meager resources. What sustained both was the collective dedication and hope for a better future exuded by special people. Yet, in spite of their struggles, ranging from paltry budgets, weakening infrastructures, and turnover, HBCUs and black families have proudly done more with less while simultaneously out-stepping majority institutions in training and producing most of the nation’s black professionals. Similarly, it has been reported that more than 75 percent of all black doctorate degree holders earned their undergraduate degrees at HBCUs. Additionally, approximately 214,000, or 16 percent of all African-American higher education students in the nation are enrolled at HBCUs, which account for only three percent of all higher education institutions in America. Still, HBCUs are important to higher education attainment for numerous African-American families, and these institutions continue to contribute much to the social, economic, and political balance of the country. HBCUs are a jewel in the cap of American higher education despite the scars from centuries of discrimination and inaccessibility heaped upon African-American families. The contributions these schools make to the fabric of American life are indisputable. HBCUs, through their spirit and their numerous programs and services, are especially significant to the African-American family, certainly those in the South. These institutions are
models of perseverance, hard work, quality instruction, meaningful research, and service to their communities, which is a major cornerstone of the American family. It is unfortunate that the question is still being asked today as to whether or not these institutions are needed. The answer is a qualified “yes!” In fact, if these institutions did not exist, they would need to be created because with the deterioration of families in general, the public and private sectors must join alliances to do what it can to help sustain and strengthen the family unit. In other words, it’s good for America and the world. As purports Beverly Daniel Tatum, president of Spelman College, and author of Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? and A Psychologist Explains the Development of Identity, “HBCUs are the preferred choice for many talented Black students. College choice is a reflection of identity--a statement about how you see yourself, who you are now, and who you hope to become. Students are drawn to environments where they see themselves reflected in powerful ways, places where they see themselves as central to the educational enterprise.” Since research continues to show that education, including Extension, is the cornerstone of strengthening families, these institutions cannot be underestimated. Tatum is right. Colleges must be a place where all students have the opportunity and the encouragement to achieve at a high standard. To do so will strengthen the family unit and strong families will ultimately yield a stronger nation.
UNCF
A mind is a terrible thing to waste
THE
BEAT Inspiring Youth in a Community Near You Hosted by Tatyana Ali Your Dollars At Work
BENNETT
COLLEGE FOR WOMEN
The goals of the College continue to focus on the intellectual,
spiritual and cultural growth of young women who must be prepared for lifelong learning and leadership. Since 1930 more than 5,000 women have graduated from Bennett College. Known as Bennett Belles, they continue to be among contributing women of achievement in all walks of life.
MAJORS
Arts Management (Music & Visual Arts Tracks) Biology (Teaching and Nonteaching Tracks) Business Administration Chemistry Computer Science
Elementary Education (K–6) English (Teaching and Nonteaching Tracks) Interdisciplinary Studies Journalism & Media Studies Mathematics Middle Grades Education (6–9) (Teaching and Non-teaching Tracks)
Political Science Psychology Social Work Special Education Visual and Performing Arts, B.F.A degree (Three Tracks: Theatre, Music, and Visual Arts)
Creates By: Michele J. Harrison