JAN | FEB 2014
MOD MILLENNIAL | A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Defining Our Brand Art organizations are a
personal passion of mine. My
experience working for a legal
CONTRIBUTORS
non-profit designed for artists and art organizations
Kimberly Elliott
cultivated my desire for an is the only outlet for
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themselves emotionally. I am
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art, culture, and community.
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online cultural magazine. Art individuals to truly express WELCOME MODERN MILLENNIALS! If you are reading this you
are a Modern Millennial. I welcome you to our lifestyle
brand. The vision of Modern Millennial came during my
last semester of law school. I
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type of law that would fulfill me personally and
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community and blogging.
passionate about connecting Mod Millennial focuses on
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encompassing all issues and
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Millennial is my passion. I am
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10 THINGS You Should Know by 25 Your Favorite
Cocktail, and A Back Up One . . . Natural Hairstyles are always better than a Bad Weave . . . Beer & Pizza or Wine & Sushi . . . How You Feel About the “N-‐word” . . . Your Most Flattering Photo Angle . . . Your Best Friend . . . Your First Love . . . Your Favorite Book . . . Your Favorite Album . . . Your Favorite Poet!
Seven Things #ModMillennials Are Talking About . . .
1 The passing of Nelson Mandela 2 Idris Elba and Chiwetel Ejiofor 3 Mega Millions $636M Jackpot 4 XXII Winter Olympic Games 5 African American or N*&^%? 6 #BlackPeopleDont 7 Valarie June
WHO, Said What?
"For all you kids watching at home, Santa just is white... Just because it makes you uncomfortable doesn't mean it has to change. Jesus was a white man, too." Megyn Kelly
"School Is The Tool To Brainwash The Youth." Jayden Smith
"The middle class. Since when in America do we have classes? That's Marxism talk." Rick Santorum
—it says that I wanted to eat her p***y. I've never said that in my life to her, I would never do that. I'm happily married. I've got more than enough to eat at home." Rob Ford
"It's just what they are— they're jokes.... Most jokes are about Jewish people, rednecks, black folks.... I can't determine what offends another person." Paula Deen
"I think we disproportionately stop whites too much and minorities too little." Michael Bloomberg
“I was doing films during the hiatus, having a thriving producing life. But, you know, I make plans and God laughs. “ Kerry Washington
“Flaws are my favorite . . . There’s nothing I love more than a good facial scar.” Emma Stone
“We live in a town that rewards pretending, and I was pretending to be fierce and fearless for a very long time.” Gabrielle Union
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COMMUNITY | NEWS
ARE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
LEADING
OUR KIDS TO PRISON? We send our children off to school knowing they will be educated academically, hoping they are educated socially and praying they don’t get left behind. The public school system is the basis for social structure. Graduation rates, college matriculation, and employment measure student success while dropout rates clearly indicate academic failure, and prison matriculation rates indicate a failure of students to adapt socially. Inadequate resources, mismanagement, and ineffective disciplinary policies place students with behavioral problems at a grave disadvantage in public schools. The school to prison pipeline refers to educational practices that push students from the public school system into the juvenile criminal justice system. Students face severe punishments for basic behavioral infractions. Under zero tolerance policies students are disciplined excessively for bringing scissors or nail clippers to school, making hand gestures, and other minor infractions. When students are suspended and expelled they are usually left unsupervised, these students then engage in destructive activities repeating a cycle of destructive behavior. These same students
with disciplinary issues repeatedly fall behind in coursework. This pattern heavily contributes to students failing to matriculate through the public school system. Within minority communities policy decision makers place incarceration ahead of education, state and local governments spend more funding on incarceration programs and disciplinary systems than educational initiatives. Along with funding issues the public school disciplinary system is inundated with racial and wealth disparities. In some cases disciplinary issues are rooted in a lack of behavioral structure beginning in the student’s home and displayed in schools. Students from various socio-‐economic backgrounds face different challenges and need different resources to succeed. Basic behavioral infractions should not be treated punitively absent and escalation in behavior. Students of color are negatively affected at greater rates than students of majority backgrounds. When students of color face harder disciplinary punishments for the same infractions the system is broken.
CHALLENGING THE PRISON PIPELINE IN YOUR COMMUNITY Challenging the school to prison pipeline begins with becoming involved in your local community. Make it your business to know the school board members, principals, and teachers in your community. It is necessary to judge potential or current school board members for their business acumen and experience. School districts in heavily populated areas juggle millions of dollars in budgets, expenses, and deficits. District wide funds management deeply impacts how resources are dispersed. Mismanagement of funds creates grave consequences for schools. As a citizen, parent, or involved student it is important to challenge controversial school board decisions. Make your voice heard by attending local city council and school board meetings. Always be sure to research potential members for their experience, expertise and vision. In some jurisdictions school board members are elected by default after running unopposed. Although school board members are essential to thriving school systems they are not responsible for all school policies. Some policies are determined by state legislatures, every school district has an accompanying state senator and state representative. It is important to understand the impact of proposed or enforced policies on the schools in your community. Become an active member in your community by first attending parent teacher conferences, and school board meetings. Local newspapers frequently publish pressing school board issues. As students, parents, and teachers we must stay involved to hold those in position to make changes accountable. www.gadoe.org www.ed.gov www.georgiastandards.org
The Word: Municipal Elections Municipalities conduct elections regularly, but absent a Presidential race enticing voters to the polls, these elections largely go unnoticed. Incumbents run unopposed on platforms advocating the same old standards, sadly absent a public system of checks and balances there is no need for societal leaders to demand innovation in fledging neighborhoods. These elections matter because elected officials make decisions that impact communities for decades; the future development of Fort McPherson will be determined by current elected officials from East Point and Atlanta, the demolishment or future development of Turner Field will be predetermined long before the Braves leave in 2016, the emergence of Porsche in Hapeville is the result of strategic planning by state and local officials. Issues like, school funding, zoning, and development are the sole responsibility of school boards; when administrative fees easily outpace school funding in mismanaged districts elections can breath life into a community or easily choke a neighborhood struggling to survive. Funding for judicial officials, police departments, juvenile programs, and health departments come from local municipalities in conjunction with state and federal funding programs. A failure to comply with funding program regulations will place your neighborhood in jeopardy. Tip: Know Each Candidates Political Agenda
General Motors Names Female CEO, A First for Big Car Industry Why Glaxo Won’t Pay Doctor’s To Sell It’s Drugs Anymore Retirement Flurry Creates Openings for Both Parties in 2014 Comparing the Failures of Bush and Obama When Minority Students Attend Elite Schools November Was The Warmest November on Record This Chart Blows Up the Myth of the Welfare Queen Why Other Countries Teach Better
HEADLINES Thinning the PHD Herd One in 200 Pregnant Women Claim to be Virgins The Moment Mitt Romney Realized He Lost His Presidency The Real History of the Word Redskin Ukraine Saved From Bankruptcy Bitcoin Sinks After Chinese Action Zimbawe’s New Cash Cows Two Winning Tickets for US Jackpot Yankees Hit With $28 Million Luxury Tax Budget Deal Offers A Reprieve From Washington Paralysis In Typhoon Area, Kerry Warns of Threats of a Warming Planet
BUSINESS | DIY 75 % of all
Internet traffic is directed to social media websites.
200
Nearly million Facebook users are mobile only.
93% of marketers use social media for business.
9%
Only of US companies employee bloggers.
10 WAYS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR
SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE
One understand your audience; when are your followers most likely to use social media
Two know your value; you do not have to be available 24/7 Three know your brand; scrutinize what you say because someone is always listening Four know your competition; use your social media to distinguish your brand from others Five post on time; whenever there is breaking news or major events Six know your partner brands; if you are a producer repost musicians and songwriters Seven know your industry leaders; in your chosen industry follow the thought leaders Eight quality over quantity Nine connect all your social media accounts; minimize your time posting so you can be working Ten what’s beef?; social media instigators will use your brand to grow theirs
CROWD FUNDING: IT CAN WORK FOR YOU! Taking your idea from thought to inception can be incredibly difficult when you face funding challenges but no need to worry there is crowd funding. Crowd funding is a great tool to promote your business online and raise start up funds. What is Crowd Funding? Crowd funding websites allow individuals to create public fundraising campaigns for the purpose of raising start-‐up funds. Since 2009 Kickstarter, the largest crowd funding website, has raised over $700M dollars to fund close to 100, 000 projects. Kickstarter allows individuals to circumvent traditional investment avenues for public funding. With Kickstarter users create a project along with minimum funding requirements. Members of the public are allowed to pledge certain amounts towards the projects funding goal and in return receive a small gift or token of appreciation. If you want to record an album, write a novel, or start a magazine Kickstarter is a great opportunity to reach people interested in your project. Indiegogo is the second largest crowd -‐ funding platform. It operates on the same general basis as Kickstarter but allows
funding for more diverse projects. Kickstarter excludes projects involving food, beauty, and educational topics. The key difference between Kickstarter and Indiegogo is Indiegogo does not require the project to be fully funded to distribute profits. Indiegogo offers a tiered or fixed payment plan depending on how much of the project you fund. Like with any financial funding avenue there are limitations. Kickstarter and Indiegogo may take as much as 12% of your profits and your project may be subject to rigorous standards before funds are released. How to Make It Work The best way to insure success with a crowd funding campaign is to begin promotion as soon as possible. It is important to promote your brand along with the brand of the crowd-‐funding platform. Think and plan your crowd funding campaign as you would a regular business plan. Successful campaigns set realistic goals and provide adequate funding perks, the more creative the perks the better your chance of success. www.kickstarter.com www.indiegogo.com
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WOMEN THRIVE IN TECHNOLOGY Sheryl Sandberg shook the tech world with her book, Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead. Sandberg, COO of Facebook, challenged women to engage themselves in their careers. According to Sandberg “women must become bulldogs in the boardroom to achieve success.” The book examines the obstacles preventing women from reaching their career peak. Sandberg argues that women should attack societal gender roles and break down personal barriers in order to be successful. Sandberg’s argument was met with strong criticism from some women’s groups because she is a member of a small circle of elite powerful women who do not face the same challenges of average working women. In the introduction of the book, Sandberg attempts
to address the elephant in the room, writing “acutely aware that the vast majority of women are struggling to make ends meet and take care of their families. Parts of this book will be most relevant to women fortunate enough to have choices about how much and when and where to work.” While Sandberg’s statement serves as an appropriate disclaimer for the book’s intended range it fails to eliminate Sandberg’s responsibility to all women. The percentage of women leading Fortune companies is extremely small. The percentage of minority women leading is even smaller. When a woman of Sandberg’s caliber attempts to advise women, a simple disclaimer ignoring the tougher issues women face will not suffice. Despite Sandberg’s failure to address
important challenges facing women, women are thriving in technology. The tech space like many other fields is dominated by men but also suffers from a deeply rooted misogynistic culture. Tech developer, Adria Richards, caught major backlash for addressing inappropriate sexual comments she overheard at the Santa Clara technology conference. As a result of the backlash, Richards was fired from her job with SendGrid, a Colorado based email delivery company. Richards was also subjected to violent threats for voicing her opinion. Since leaving SendGrid, Richards has used her newly found platform to support emerging startups and mentor minority students and women. Follow her on twitter @adriarichards. Emerging Leaders to Watch Erin Horne Montgomery, National Association of Minority Digital Entrepreneurs Montgomery is the executive director for NAMDE. The organization is dedicated to bringing minority digital enterpreneurs together. The organization was founded in September 2010. NAMDE’s mission is to “cultivate an ecosystem that fosters access to opportunities and information promoting growth and wealth creation for its members.” The organization is headquarted in Washington, DC with a satellite office in Silicon Valley. Montgomery left communications consulting to lead NAMDE into the technology future. Kimberly Bryant, Black Girls Code Kimberly Bryant founded Black Girls Code in 2011 after recognizing a need for engineering mentoring programs in her community. The program specializes in introducing young girls of all racial backgrounds to web design, video game design, computer programming, app development, and robotics. Bryant has branded herself a leader in the coding industry; she
received the White House Champion of Change in Tech Inclusion Award in July 2013. Bryant was inspired to start the program after her daughter attended a coding summer camp where she was one of three females. Today there are less women engineers than there were twenty years ago. Bryant sees BGC as the Girl Scouts of technology; her mission includes training 1 million girls by 2050. According to Bryant, “if you can code, you will never go hungry.” www.blackgirlscode.com Sian Morson, Kollective South After visiting Atlanta for Digital Undivided’s START weekend Sian Morson packed up her things and moved. In October the former Oakland resident opened Kollective South in Atlanta’s Castleberry Hill neighborhood. KSouth is one of the very few co-‐working spaces south of Atlantic Station. The founder of Kollective Mobile, Morson launched KSouth to bring tech innovation to urban areas. KSouth plans to offer classes on mobile ideation, Word Press, HTML, and CSS. Morson is currently writing, Learn Design for iOS Development, to be published by APress. Atlanta Tech Village The emergence of Atlanta Tech Village in Buckhead brings a Silicon Valley, Silicon Alley designation to Atlanta’s tech community. This co-‐working development started as the vision of tech entrepreneur, David Cummings. Cummings converted a 100,000 sq. ft. office building off Piedmont Rd into working spaces for tech entrepreneurs. The spaces are available at reasonable prices for 90-‐day memberships. The community atmosphere encourages tech innovation and growth. Cummings chose Atlanta because the market was ripe for a co-‐working space. Atlanta is already home to emerging tech giants ScoutMob and MailChimp along with logistics leader UPS.
CULTURE | NEWS
2013 was an amazing year for most but a horrible year for some, #Mod Millennial reviews the GOOD, BAD, RANDOM, & UGLY of 2013.
GOOD Kendrick Lamar’s Control verse brought lyrical competition back to Hip Hop Beyonce’s Superbowl XLVII performance Miley Cyrus brought twerking to the masses Twitter announced IPO Juicy J returns to rap after hiatus Massai Warriors seek royalties
2013
GOOD, BAD, RANDOM & UGLY
#BlackTwitter Phillip Agnew of Dream Defenders Beyonce’s unexpected album release Tamar Braxton, first album at 36 Gabrielle Union starring in BET’s Being Mary Jane Nicki Minaj dominates pop culture from American Idol to Kmart Macklemore & Ryan Lewis The Heist Kerry Washington nominated for an EMMY Aja Brown elected mayor of Compton
Condola Rashad in Romeo & Juliet on Broadway Mindy Kaling’s The Mindy Project The Best Man Holiday ensemble cast
RANDOM Mister Cee’s sex scandal Beyonce lip-sync’s Inauguration George Zimmerman domestic violence charge
Don Cheadle in Showtime’s House of Lies
George Zimmerman joins twitter
Affordable Care Act
Gucci Mane’s Twitter meltdown
BAD Russell Simmons All Def Digital Harriett Tubman Parody
Kerry Washington private marriage Harry Belafonte calling out JayZ
The endless Government Shutdown
UGLY
Taraji P. Henson killed off on CBS Person of Interest
Keyshia Cole v Michelle Williams
Miley Cyrus inventing twerking
Teyana Taylor v Rihanna
Passing of civil rights leader Nelson ‘Madiba’ Mandela
Chris Brown v Drake Club Brawl
Paula Deen and the ‘n-word’
Chris Brown and Rihanna reuniting
Rebecca Black’s Friday and Saturday
Tamar Braxton v K Michelle
Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. and wife Sandi sentenced to prison Zimmerman acquitted for the murder of Trayvon Martin Chicago’s crime rate and the murder of Hadiyah Pendelton World Hunger, Poverty & Global Warming
Lauryn Hill’s tax evasion Atlanta Falcons Football Criminalization of marijuana possession Mass incarceration Student Loans and the rising cost of public education
SHEKINAH WANTS TO BE EVERYTHING BUT
BLACK . . . AND I CAN RELATE
The idea of race is a social construct but I digress, there are ethnicities of people. Racial disparities and issues are the center of most political and educational controversies, thus discussing race is always controversial. We as people associate certain stereotypes with certain races based on our limited experiences. The media does an awesome job of broadening our racial horizons. In an episode of VH1’s ‘The Family Hustle, Shekinah expresses her desire to be white “because white people don’t have problems.” As misguided as her statement was I can relate to having the same mentality. Growing up poor surrounded by drug addicts of one race inevitably shapes your opinion of the race of people as a whole. In my experience, the race was African-‐American. As a child I only had negative experiences with black people. Don’t get me wrong, I had examples of successful black people in my community but they were an anomaly and not the norm. This gave me a false opinion of people from other races; I often assumed their good fortune was because they were not black. For too long I could only relate positive experiences to people of different races than mine. Fortunately, as I grew older I ventured outside of my comfort zone to learn people are people. Poverty, drug addiction, and physical abuse affect people in the same ways no matter the race.
YONCE’ In her most artistic work, Beyonce tackles everything from sexism and jealousy to classism. Undoubtedly, I was impressed with her artistry. She released an entire visual album with no promotion and little fan fare. Beyonce never fails to make great music and enticing visuals but in this album she reveals a portion of her soul. The first cut off the album Beyonce, ‘Pretty Hurts’ analyzes society’s infatuation with perfectionism. Being beautiful can be stifling if you desire to be intelligent and artistic. Anything counter to society’s ideal of beauty places you at a grave disadvantage. Raised as a beauty queen in the video for ‘Pretty Hurts’ she destroys her trophies. In an emotional scene she releases the anger and resentment she felt for being limited by being beautiful. In ‘Haunting’ we learn even more about her personal life. The video portrays a manikin-‐ esque family surrounding a dinner table. While Beyonce travels through the hallway of the home, each room reveals some level of darkness. The album is not about pain or struggle but it is about honesty. In other cuts off the album she discusses her sexuality and vulnerability. Beyonce, the album, is an achievement to her personal growth and artistry since her last album, 4. Yonce is currently on hiatus from her world tour, which resumes in February.
WHAT ABOUT YOUR FRIENDS? By Kim Elliott
Growing up we seemed to be surrounded by musical groups left and right, from N’SYNC and Boyz II Men to Destiny’s Child and TLC. They were producing hit after hit and on camera they all seemed like the best of friends, but just like everything in life: ‘Nothing lasts forever.’ Eventually, we started seeing these musical groups venture into their solo careers. Everyone was wondering ‘were they just putting on a show? Was this just for the money? And were their friendships even real?’ We don’t really know why many of these groups dissipated, but what we do know is that we have all experienced the dissolution of a friendship in a similar manner. Why is it that we tend to form strong bonds or cliques that ultimately grow apart? There is no doubt the connection was real and seemed easy to create. Friendship is based on sharing similar interests and goals. Many of your goals in school were to have endless amounts of fun, do some studying, graduate, and become successful. You and your friends probably studied together, partied together, and hopefully graduated together. However, as time went on, you found it harder to keep those connections you formed because just like TLC you grew into your own person. Your goals changed after graduation; sometimes so do our friendships, especially those friendships based in convenience. It’s all about convenience. You simply bonded with these friends because you worked together, or found yourselves at the same parties. As you grow older, you realize true friendship is about building a foundation of trust and support. We all have friends that are nothing like us but somehow you still find that you are closer to them than ever before. It’s because no matter how different you two may be, you still believe in them and support them. We all have those friends that are simply convenient whether it is having the company or not going to a party alone. It’s convenience but it’s not friendship. So ask yourself if you trust that person? Would they be there for you? Or would they let you down?
DATING IN ATLANTA “Hard because the male to female ratio is so high, there are five to six women per datable guy” @HeavensHeather, 25 “Difficult because Atlanta is a single city, it is a melting port of people trying to party and live the fast life” @_Alaric, 25 “If you are in a relationship it works because there is a lot of activities and experiences to share with your partner” @KimmeyP, 25 “Different because it accepts everyone regardless of sexual orientation. So whatever your scene is, you can and will find it here” @MacBrown, 25 “Dating is difficult because the grass may be greener on the other side but it is always greener where you water it. So no matter who you are dating you have to nurture the relationship.” @NiaDanielle_, 25 “Impossible” @Wedaddy787, 26
ART | WINTER GUIDE
WINTER The evolution of the artist is central to the evolution of music. As an avid music fan and blogger I love discovering new voices. I am passionate about sharing those voices with the world. I have searched high and low for some of the best emerging artists out right now. Some of these artists you will know very well and others will be music to your virgin ears. I promise you their melodic tones and arrangements are well worth the exploration. Although the word genre fails to accurately describe each artists’ eclectic style and range it conveys the general aesthetic surrounding the sound. In this winter music guide you will find artist that cover a range of musical genres. BOSCO The Atlanta native released her first visual project for the single ‘Slippin’. Hellobosco.com DEE GOODZ The Nashville native is
GUIDE MUSIC
currently working on new music including releasing Family, Friends, & Money in early 2014. Goodz released Donny Cash earlier this year. ZENDAYA Zendaya’s first single “Replay’ has garnered serious attention from music executives. The Disney protégé always dreamed of becoming a serious pop vocalist. She is set to release here first studio album this year. LAURA MVULA Mvula hails from Birmingham, United Kingdom. She is an English soul singer who began her career with the group Black Voices. Mvula signed to RCA after several showcases. Her sophomore album, Sing
To The Moon, was released March 4, 2013. Produced by Steve Brown, Mvula’s album won two MOBO awards. Mvula was originally scheduled to perform in Atlanta November 16, rescheduled for April 28. ANDREW ST. JAMES Andrew St. James is a singer/ songwriter from San Francisco, CA. The deeply intuitive songwriter released his first EP at the age of seventeen. He recently released Doldrums on Fortune Records. St. James credits Bob Dylan, Robert Hunter, and Jerry Garcia as some of his favorite songwriter’s. LUKE JAMES Luke James Boyd hails from New Orleans, Louisiana. He began his musical career in the late 90’s as a member of the trio Upskale. He is currently Beyonce’s opening act on the Ms.
Carter World Tour. His EP ‘Whispers In The Dark’ produced the hit single Strawberry Vapors. James recently released the visual effects for Strawberry Vapors. MACKLEMORE & RYAN LEWIS
and performer. He is a native of Winston Sale, North Carolina. He is currently opening for Janelle Monae while he places the finishing touches on his debut album, The Good Dreamer. His leading single, I-‐69, is generating buzz among music bloggers. He is also a member of the The Heist is one of my favorite Wondaland Arts Society. album’s of the year. The rapper and DJ combo created a CURTIS WILLIAMS debut masterpiece. The native Atlanta rapper is Macklemore & Ryan Lewis are the founding member of the TOP TEN currently on their first world rap duo, Two-‐9. He recently tour. Both men hail from released a critically acclaimed #Mixtape Flows Seattle’s underground music mixtape, Half Forgotten of the scene. DayDreams, available now of YEAR livemixtapes.com. One of his SCHOOL BOY Q best tracks, Philmore Slim, School Boy Q emerged on the features Chicago’s Vic Mensa. MIGOS Young Rich scene as a member of TDE Niggas Entertainment His recent VIC MENSA mixtape release spurred the Mensa hails from Chicago. He RICH HOMIE QUAN Still hits Collard Greens and There was an original member of the Going In Reloaded He Go. The Los Angeles native group Kids These Days, which released his first mixtape in broke up in May 2013. FUTURE FBG the Movie 2008. He plans to release his Mensa’s first solo appearance HUSTLE GANG GDOD first studio album came on Chance the Rappers #OXYMORON on February 25, Acid Rap. He followed up that MMG Dream Chasers III 2014. appearance with the release of his first major mixtape, JOEY BADASS Summer TORI KELLY INNANETAPE, spurring the Knights Kelly has over 600,000 hits Lovely Day and Magic. YouTube subscribers with KEVIN GATES Luca more than 55 million views. AUGUST ALSINA Brasi Story She is a cover artist, Star This Def Jam signed artist, Search and American Idol hails from New Orleans. He is YOUNG SCOOTER Street Lottery Alum who is gearing up for her a singer, songwriter dedicated debut album release. She has to sharing his craft with the released to critically acclaimed world. His first EP, Downtown: LIL DURK Signed to the Streets EP’s Handmade Songs and Life Under the Gun, spurred the Foreward. hit single I Love This Sh*t. He RICH HOMIE QUAN emerged onto the music scene I Promise to ROMAN GIANARTHUR after releasing two critically Never Stop Goin’ In Roman is a composer, acclaimed mixtapes’, The producer, singer, arranger, and Product and The Product 2.
Jasmyn Ward explores her rural upbringing in this deeply personal memoir. The author of the critically acclaimed, Salvage the Bones, takes a break from writing fictional prose to explore the stories of five men. In discovering each man’s story she learns more about herself. Over a period of four years Ward lost five men dear to heart. Although these deaths were unconnected the situation made her reexamine her community. The memoir brings to light the pressure poverty places on men. Ward is currently an assistant professor of creative writing at the University of South Alabama. Lawrence Otis Graham is an attorney and author. He is a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School. In his third book, Our Kind of People: Inside America’s Black Upper Class, he explores the world of elite blacks. The book details the small circle of blacks living privileged lives, including the Links, Boules, Deltas, and Jack and Jill. Graham carefully addresses the historical importance of the black elite’s, and their obsession with the right schools, families, churches, social clubs, and skin complexion. Graham is also the author of The Senator and The Socialite: The True Story of America’s First Black Dynasty. He currently writes Westchester Magazine online political column, Point of View.
MOD MILLENNIAL BOOK CLUB In Keeping Hope Alive, Dr. Hawa Abdi details her journey from a young village girl the director of one of Somalia’s largest hospitals. Abdi was one of her country’s first female gynecologists, a tough feat in a country where female genital mutilation is normal. Abdi founded the DHAF, which operates hospitals and schools. Over the last twenty years she has helped more than 90,000 refugees. She is a Nobel Peace Prize, nominated, Somali human rights activist. Waiting to Exhale, author Terry McMillan explores the relationships between dysfunctional family members in her latest book, Who Asked You?, “BJ already has her hands full dealing with her adult children, two sisters, an ill husband, and her own dreams— all while holding down a job as a hotel maid. The drama unfolds through the perspectives of a rotating cast of characters, pitch-‐perfect, each playing a part, and full of surprises.”
INNOVATION | NEWS
Will
Turner Field Turn Over A New Leaf
While the Atlanta Falcons were busy negotiating how to stay in Atlanta the Braves silently negotiated a deal to move to the Suburbs. The Braves decision to abandon Atlanta, its home for the last fifty years, came as a shock to most sports fans. As a native of Atlanta I was appropriately appalled. Funding and traffic issues prompted the Braves to move to Cobb County giving them an opportunity to create a vast entertainment complex in a thriving neighborhood. The majority of Braves tickets are purchased north of Atlanta making Cobb a reasonable location. The current Braves stadium is located in the heart of Atlanta’s tougher areas, the Mechanicsville and Summer Hill communities are known more for violence than thriving economies. In 1963 mayor Ivan Allen chose Summer Hill as the location for the city’s first stadium. The original Fulton County Stadium was built by 1964, eventually hosting the Braves and Falcons. Allen’s promises to make Summer Hill a thriving business district were quickly abandoned as more than 100,000 people fled the city for the suburbs. After this period of ‘white flight’, Atlanta’s 1996 Olympic bid brought another successful infusion of federal funding to the Summer Hill area however the city spent millions building the Centennial Olympic Stadium, devoting very little money to the surrounding community. The Centennial Olympic stadium was converted to Turner Field in 1997.
Envisioning new uses for Turner Field requires little imagination; the location is great for another sports venue. Turner Field is easily accessible by highway and public transportation. The stadium could house Georgia State’s football team or a Major League Soccer franchise. Summer Hill may be a casualty of the Braves moving north of Atlanta if nothing is done to create sustainable economic infrastructure. The neighborhood fails to thrive the five months during the offseason because it is completely dependent on Braves games for economic survival. The area from McDaniel St to Fulton Ave along Ralph David Abernathy is ripe for business. Bullpen is the only restaurant within walking distance to Turner Field. Economic districts thrive on restaurants, shopping areas, living spaces, and working communities. An influx of $100M, three times less than what the Braves wanted for development would easily transform the area.
With a $250M funding infusion from Google Ventures, Uber allows virtually anyone to advertise transportation services and immediately connect with customers. Uber creates tangible jobs for America’s working class while also creating entrepreneurs. The mobile-‐based company envisions expanding into a variety of service areas, eventually offering a motorcycle pickup service, mariachi-‐band delivery service, and an ice cream truck delivery service.
The expansion of Uber, however, is not without limitations. Uber is currently battling several cities over transportation regulations. Major cities, like Washington DC, consider Uber a Taxi Company, and taxi companies must meet strict regulations to operate within city limits. Apart from meeting regulations Taxi companies are responsible for paying taxes and fines. Often these fines are met through a fixed price for services, in contrast Uber encourages price fluctuation allowing drivers to set minimum prices. Currently thriving, in places like Atlanta, Uber will never enter the Miami market because of regulations setting the minimum price for limo rides. Although Uber will face challenges growing its business into other urban cities, Google’s investment gives them serious negotiating room. Apps like Uber offer tangible solutions for using digital innovation to create middle class jobs.
Is StumbleUpon the next wave in social networking? Surprisingly, StumbleUpon is not an overnight tech success, the company is more than a decade old, however they recently found new growth among mobile users. Although, StumbleUpon has not experienced its Pinterest or Twitter moment yet it is producing steady revenue. Thanks to its mobile users, it is currently profitable and expects to grow revenue as much as 30 percent. Similar to Tumblr, StumbleUpon acts like a bookmarking service but without the need to constantly share postings the website allows subscribers to channel surf the web. A subscriber experiences an advertisement about once every twenty clicks, giving StumbleUpon and advantage over its competitors, who may struggle to integrate advertisements. The beauty of Stumbleupon compared to other socially based mobile
ventures is it requires little to no text interaction; the system operates based on clicks and searches allowing recommendations to automatically evolve to the subscribers taste. Garret Camp, StumbleUpon’s co-‐founder and CEO, want’s to figure out, “How to make it easy to browse, rather than type, what you’re looking for?” Camp asserts, “The more effective your recommendations are without textual input, the better experience you can deliver on a small screen.” www.StumbleUpon.com
Mergers & Acquisitions FIAT stock rises to 16.4% after Chrysler
On Thursday, January 2, the Italian automaker announced they purchased the remaining shares of Chrysler from UAW. Fiat stock is currently traded on the Milan Stock Exchange but they plan to announce a listing on NYSE. The deal, valued at over $4 Billion dollars, ends the feud between Fiat and the UAW Trust. The deal will close June 20th, making Fiat 100% owner of Chrysler. Fiat purchased a controlling share of Chrysler in 2009, after it emerged from Bankruptcy.
Liberty Media is the majority shareholder in Sirius XM but now it wants the whole company. Liberty would purchase the remaining 48% of Sirius for $10 Billion. Once Liberty takes control of Sirius it will own 100% of the company, valued at over $21 Billion. Liberty made an initial investment in Sirius for less than $1 Billion. In a strategic move, Liberty’s purchase of Sirius could help its partner company Charter Communications make a serious bid for Time Warner Cable.
Google Ventures Has $1.2B Under Management
Liberty Media Wants 100% Ownership of Sirius XM
Over the last year, Google Ventures, made 75 new investments, bringing their total to 225 active start-‐ups. Since opening its doors four years ago, Google has focused on finding the blockbuster deals it missed over the last few years. This month, Google Ventures, will receive an influx of $300M in funding from Google to invest in start-‐ups throughout 2014. GV’s major backed items for 2013 include RetailMeNot, Uber, and Nest.
Style | Beauty
TREAT YOUR FEET Indulge in Several All Natural Pedicures |
Kidman Open Front Box Jacket, $597, Alice & Olivia
Almond Foot Soak Heat one gallon of milk; add 1 drop almond extract and ½ cup water to the milk. Foot Paste Combine ½ cup baby oil with ½ cup coarse sea salt. Soak feet in the foot soak for at least 10 minutes, then scrub feet and lower legs with paste Lemon Olive Oil Recipe Juice a fresh-cut lemon; be sure to keep the rinds. Add lemon juice, lemon rinds and 1 tbsp. olive oil to a bowl filled with warm water, then soak feet for 15 minutes.
Jacquard Full Skirt, $395, Tibi
Grapefruit Foot Soak Mix one gallon heated grapefruit juice, a shot of vodka, and one grapefruit cut into slices. Soak feet for a few minutes and remove. Dip half a lime into ½ cup sugar. Rub it over feet to exfoliate dead skin. Repeat with the other half of the lime, and then soak feet in the grapefruit juice mixture. Buttermilk Soak
Falsetto Printed Pumps, $298, J Crew
Buttermilk mildly exfoliates and conditions skin on feet. Add ½ cup buttermilk to ½ cup warm water and mix in 1 tsp. almond oil. Whisk ingredients with a fork and soak feet 10 to 15 minutes. Read more: http://www.ehow.com/way_5286818_home-pedicurerecipes.html#ixzz2g3B0qnsa
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RECIPES & A Cocktail
Apple Pie Enchiladas
1 large can of apple pie filling 3/4-cup brown sugar 1/2 cup of white sugar 1/2-cup water 1/4 cup of butter (4 tablespoons) 1/4 cup powdered sugar Small soft corn tortillas 2 tablespoons of cinnamon
Pre-heat the oven to 350. Mix water, brown and white sugar, and butter in a saucepan over medium heat bring down to a simmer. Remove. Smear apple pie filling evenly on the center of each tortilla. Fold as neatly as possible, and place on the baking sheet with the folded side facing down. Bake 20 minutes.
Strawberry Margarita Cheesecake
3.8 oz. packages of cream cheese 1-cup sugar 4 eggs ½ cup fresh limejuice 4 tablespoons of tequila 2 tablespoons of Tequila 2 tablespoons of Triple Sec Vodka 1 ¼ cup thinly sliced strawberries 1 graham cracker piecrust
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cream cheese and sugar beating for 5 minutes with electric blender or until smooth. Add eggs one at a time. Stir in limejuice, tequila, a n d triple sec. Spread strawberries evenly across the bottom of piecrust. Pour mixture on top of strawberries and bake 50 minutes to an hour. Chill for five hours.
Basil Vodka Gimlet 1 cup Basil Lemon Syrup, ¾ Cup Vodka, 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 1 cup Ice Garnish | Fresh basil sprigs (preferably lemon basil); lemon zest strips Preparation |Stir together all ingredients in a pitcher until cold, then strain into 8- to 10-ounce glasses (such as Old Fashioned) half filled with ice. For more recipes visit epicurious.com
SPECIAL SECTION | FICTION
HIGH SOCIETY I slowly raise my head while turning in his direction, “Yes, and you are late.” I say clearly. He hesitates, then with a sarcastic tone responds “We will both be late, if you keep stalling.” Surprised by his witty response I submit to his will. Ryan is handsome, tall and slender, with deep brown eyes and a strong bone structure. I just hope he is not annoying, while ‘annoying’ may be a relative term, I’d rather not have the obligation of entertaining a douche bag for three hours while maintaining my flawless beauty in a room full of overly intelligent chicly dressed snobs. I hate when I stereotype large groups of people into one category but some of these social events can be a real bore. While the hobnobbing, networking and shmoosing are happening throughout the night, at some point, there is a speech by some out of touch executive; sadly this usually involves a heart warming story about saving minority children from poverty, trailer parks, fatty acids, or anything extremely rich people imagine poor people need help with. In reality successful people emerge from both worlds equally just as much as fucked up people do, a crack addict and prescription drug abuser are one in the same in my book. The best thing about blind dating is creating my date’s background, seemingly assuming everything about him, from his appearance, mannerisms, and gestures. I imagine Ryan is a recent Ivy League graduate waiting to inherit a brokerage firm from his aging father because he spent his trust fund yatching, and frequenting Vegas Strip clubs after nights of heavy intoxication. He is destined to marry some socialite chosen by his family’s matriarch. He consistently rebels before settling into a life chosen for him at birth.
On the ride over to the Williamsburg Arts Center, Ryan and I delve into conversation. After a few minutes of discussing hot topics, I realize I pre-‐judged Ryan incorrectly. He spent a year in college serving as a teacher in the Delta. A region plagued with poverty, disease, and hopelessness but full of hopeful people. In careful conversation he reveals, “The experience taught me to love all people for their humanism.” In retrospect, I was stunned, ok, that may be an overstatement but I was definitely surprised by his honesty. “Honesty is humanism,” No, he did not just quote my favorite author. I try my best not to blush, after all this is work. Here today, gone tomorrow. We arrive at the Gala, walk the red carpet together, smile, nod, smile, nod, and pose. I leisurely walk to the restroom, taking the time to greet everyone I know including my friends working the party, upon return, Ryan is gone. The mystery surrounding him will have to wait I have artist to research. Drew Smith is an emerging visual artist who specializes in sound integration. Technically, it is a ‘new phrase’ for banging shit will humming and painting.