ONYX Magazine January / February 2009

January / February 2009 Volume 12, Number 1 $3.00

Michelle Robinson: Verizon Executive & Trailblazer A Salute to Black History: 146 Years after the Emancipation Proclamation BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD OF FLORIDA • FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT SUPPORTERS OF ONYX MAGAZINE

TABLE OF CONTENTS Onyx Magazine • January-February 2009 • Volume 12, Number 1

146 Years After the Emancipation Proclamation

12 22 COVER STORY Michelle Robinson: Trailblazer First African President of Verizon’s Southeast Region

By Lucia Reid

18

Dr. LaVon Bracy on the Obama Experience

11

“When Are WE Going to Get Over it.?

Brian Coleman: First African American to Hold Leadership Position in DSGO

By Dr. Andrew Manis”

DEPARTMENTS

27 Life Style: Celebrate Health with Sandi

29 Business: Failure Not an Option for The Allied Group

30 Information Technology : Should African Americans be blog-

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ging?

Capitol News

15 Kevin Thomas’ Thoughts on the Bail Out

16

New Black Stereotypes

by Karyn Beach

32 Florida Scope

Jones His Class of 1978 Celebrate 30 years and more

38 Photo Gallery

20 Ron Lewis, Jr.: L2 Unlimited.Com

26 Onyx Magazine called it right in 2000: Mia Jones Up and Coming

42 Karyn Beach (Soul Diva) offers tips to help you keep your New Yearʼs Resolution

The Lottery Supports Florida’s Commitment to Education The Florida Lottery The Florida Lottery was created by a constitutional amendment in 1986 for the purpose of generating additional moneys for public education in the state of Florida.

To that end, each year the Florida Lottery transfers billions of dollars to the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF) to benefit public education.

Commitment to Education Although Florida Lottery contributions make up only a portion of the state’s overall investment in education, the Lottery is very proud of its commitment to public education.

In its support of public education, the Florida Lottery has contributed more than $19 billion to the EETF since the first transfer was made in February 1988.

Lottery dollars are used to help support public schools, including school construction and maintenance projects, K-12 funding, community colleges, state universities, The Florida Lottery has funded college financial aid and scholarships for more than 350,000 Bright Futures students statewide. scholarships.

Bright Futures Scholarships The Bright Futures Scholarships Program, which is fully funded by the Florida Lottery, was created in 1997 by the Florida Legislature to assist students in pursuing post-secondary educational and career goals. Since the program’s inception, the Lottery has contributed more than $1.99 billion to send more than 350,000 Florida students to college.

© 2008 Florida Lottery – Advertorial

Classrooms First and Classrooms for Kids Programs The Classrooms First and Classrooms for Kids programs utilize Florida Lottery revenues to fund school district projects for new construction, renovation, remodeling, and major repair and maintenance of educational facilities. To date, more than $3.9 billion in Lottery profits have contributed toward the funding and planning of an estimated 780 public school construction and renovation projects throughout the state.

All Floridians are our Beneficiaries It is the Florida Lottery’s efficiency in generating money for education that has made it a model for state lotteries nationwide. In fiscal year 2007-2008, the Florida Lottery generated net sales of more than $4 billion, allowing it to transfer a record-breaking $1.28 billion to the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund, surpassing the previous year’s record by more than $20 million. Coming off a record year in terms of net sales and money for education, sales and profits are at all-time highs, and the Lottery’s administrative costs are at all-time lows. With the continued support of residents, the Lottery can continue to make significant contributions to public education.

Grassy Lake Elementary School, in Lake County Florida, opened in August 2007. Built with Lottery funds, this 90,462 square-foot, two-story elementary school provides classrooms for 940 students in grades K-5.

For the sixth consecutive fiscal year the Florida Lottery has transferred more than $1 billion to the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund.

For more information on how the Florida Lottery contributes funds to education, please visit www.flalottery.com.

When you look at the big picture, the Florida Lottery is a win-win for all Floridians.

East Lee County High school, built with Lottery funds, opened in August 2007. The construction of this two-story, 325,000 sqare-foot school provides classrooms for 2,000 students.

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Onyx Magazine

January February 2009

HELP US KEEP FLORIDA INFORMED...

E-mail your stories, announcements, celebrations and events to –– info@onyxmagazine.com

“...It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt...I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character....�

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

When Are WE Going to Get Over It? Spoken from a White Perspective For much of the last forty years, ever since America "fixed" its race problem in the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts, we white people have been impatient with African Americans who continued to blame race for their difficulties. Often we have heard whites ask, "When are African Americans finally going to get over it? Now I want to ask: "When are we White Americans going to get over our ridiculous obsession with skin color?

Recent reports that "Election Spurs Hundreds' of Race Threats, Crimes" should frighten and infuriate every one of us.

Having grown up in "Bombingham," Alabama in the 1960s, I remember overhearing an avalanche of comments about what many white classmates and their parents wanted to do to John and Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King. Eventually, as you may recall, in all three cases, someone decided to do more than "talk the talk."

Since our recent presidential election, to our eternal shame we are once again hearing the same reprehensible talk I remember from my boyhood.

We white people have controlled political life in the disunited colonies and United States for some 400 years on this continent.

Conservative whites have been in power 28 of the last 40 years. Even during the eight Clinton years, conservatives in Congress blocked most of his agenda and pulled him to the right. Yet never in that period did I read any headlines suggesting that anyone was calling for the assassinations of presidents Nixon, Ford, Reagan, or either of the Bushes. Criticize them, yes. Call for their impeachment, perhaps. But there were no bounties on their heads. And even when someone did try to kill Ronald Reagan, the perpetrator was non-political mental case who wanted merely to impress Jody Foster.

But elect a liberal who happens to be Black and we're back in the sixties again. At this point in our history, we should be proud that we've proven what conservatives are always saying -that in America anything is possible, EVEN electing a black man as president. But instead we now hear that schoolchildren from Maine to California are talking about wanting to "assassinate Obama."

Fighting the urge to throw up, I can

January / February 2009

African American to the presidency.

I still don't believe I'll live long enough to see us white people get over our racism problem. But here's my three-point plan: First, everyday that Barack Obama lives in the White House that Black Slaves Built I'm going to pray that God (and the Secret Service) will protect him and his family from us white people.

Second, I'm going to report to the FBI any person I overhear saying, in seriousness or in jest, anything of a threatening nature about President Obama.

Dr. Andrew M. Manis only ask, "How long?" How long before we white people realize we can't make our nation, much less the whole world, look like us? How long until we white people can once and for all- get over this hell-conceived preoccupation with skin color? How long until we white people get over the demonic conviction that white skin makes us superior? How long before we white people get over our bitter resentments about being demoted to the status of equality with nonwhites?

How long before we get over our expectations that we should be at the head of the line merely because of our white skin? How long until we white people end our silence and call out our peers when they share the latest racist jokes in the privacy of our whiteonly conversations?

I believe in free speech, but how long until we white people start making racist loudmouths as socially uncomfortable as we do flag burners? How long until we white people will stop insisting that blacks exercise personal responsibility, build strong families, educate themselves enough to edit the Harvard Law Review, and work hard enough to become President of the United States, only to threaten to assassinate them when they do?

How long before we starting "living out the true meaning" of our creeds, both civil and religious, that all men and women are created equal and that "red and yellow, black and white" all are precious in God's sight?

Until this past November 4, I didn't believe this country would ever elect an

Third, I'm going to pray to live long enough to see America surprise the world once again, when white people can "in spirit and in truth" sing of our damnable color prejudice, "We HAVE overcome."

It take a Village to protect our President!!!

Dr. Andrew M. Manis is the Associate Professor of History at Macon State College, Macon, GA. and the author of five books: Macon Black and White, Southern Civil Religious in Conflict: Civil Rights and the Cultural Wars, Birmingham Revolutionaries; A Fire You Can’t Put Out; Southern Civil Religions in Conflict: Black and White Baptists and Civil Rights. He also serves on the steering committee of Macon's Center for Racial understanding.

Dr. Manis earned is bachelor’s degree at Samford University, and M Div., Ph.D. from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY., specialty study in American religious history, University of Chicago, Divinity School.

Dr. Manis has served as interim pastor of Providence Baptist Church - Macon, GA, 1996-1997; and First Baptist Church, Altavista, VA, May 1994-Sept.

1995. He is also the recipient of numerous awards.

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Dr. LaVon Bracy on the Obama Experience I am a native Floridian. My dad, who was president of the local branch of the NAACP, was very involved in the civil rights struggle. He pastored a church in St. Augustine, Florida during the time when there was much unrest. In those days, he would bring students from what was then Florida Normal College in St. Augustine to demonstrate at lunch counters in downtown St. Augustine.

My mother, a public school teacher, lost her job because of my father’s (Rev. Thomas A. Wright) civil rights activities. She was blackballed from St. John’s County Public School System (St. Augustine) and had to go to the next county to seek employment in Bunnell, Florida.

My Dad refused to stop his activities with the NAACP. The threats got worse and we were told that the Klan was going to wipe out the entire Wright family––the father, mother and all four children. My parents subsequently made the decision to leave St. Augustine after a cross was burned at our home, and the St. Augustine Police Department could not guarantee the safety of our family.

We left St. Augustine by night (2:00 a.m.) hoping that no one would see us. My mother (Affie), made my father promise that he would no longer be the president of the NAACP, because his activities could potentially cost her another job.

We moved to Gainesville, Florida where my father became pastor of Mr. Carmel Baptist Church. My mother began to teach school again. Within six months,

my dad was president of the Alachua County Branch of the NAACP. Mother was upset to say the least. Shortly thereafter, my dad was fully engaged and speaking “truth to power.”

His first action in Gainesville as president of the NAACP was to sue the Alachua County Public School System for ignoring the desegregation order. At the time, all public schools were still separate and unequal. The lawsuit was won and Alachua County was ordered to integrate the schools.

My dad had difficulty trying to find parents who would allow their children to enroll in the all white Gainesville High School. He was successful at finding a 10th and 11th grader to transfer, but he needed a senior so that it would not take two years before an African American would graduate. I was a senior in 1964 and decided to forego my senior year at the all black Lincoln High School and go to Gainesville High.

It would take too long to really tell you about that year. I am now 60 years old and it is still the worst year of my life. After experiencing so much resistance, evil and hatred, it has taken years to heal and sometimes I believe that I have not reached complete healing and restoration from such an unfortunate experience.

I spent my adult life active in civil rights and working hard for the causes of justice and equality. I got married, had two children and remained active in the political

landscape. I worked on campaigns and was devastated by the results of the 2000 election. With the Supreme Court ruling the election for George Bush, I thought I would never live to see Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream become a reality.

After four years of George W. Bush, I wanted to see if there was any potential candidate in the Democratic Party that would blossom at the 2004 convention.

My assessment of John Kerry, the presidential nominee, was that he was too much of an elitist to win and was not effective as a campaigner. I volunteered many hours for his cause, but did not feel inspired by him.

It was in 2004 while watching the Democratic National Convention, that I first heard a young senator from Chicago, Illinois named Barack Obama. I screamed,

clapped and cried as he spoke. When he finished, I told my husband that he would be the next President of the United States in 2008. My husband called me crazy and said it was not possible. I rushed to my laptop and Googled his name so that I could find out all I could about the young senator from Illinois.

My husband, who is a minister and considers himself a historian, began to tell me why Obama had no chance of winning. P proceeded to tell him that he would run and I would be working as hard as I could to help him make history.

I began to pay close attention to what was happening in the U.S. Senate so that I could focus on what my potential candidate was doing.

In 2006, Senators Barack Obama and Bill Nelson came to Orlando to give a Washington update to the people. I told my husband that we had to go and get there early so that we would have a chance to have some conversation with the next president.

We did just that. The meeting was held at a local church. We were able to have a great conversation and have some one-on-one conversation with Obama as well as with Bill Nelson. My husband took a lot of pictures and I told him that I needed him to make copies of the pictures because they would have great meaning in the future.

My husband did so to quiet my conversation, not that he had any faith in what I said.

When Barack Obama officially announced his candidacy, I was ecstatic. I rushed on the Internet to see how I could be one of the first to give him a donation. I wanted to make sure that I did all I could to help him win.

I was so confident that he would get the nomination; I told my husband that I was going to the Democratic Convention as a delegate for Barack Obama. I had never gotten involved at the level of wanting to be a delegate. I had to research to process for becoming one.

In my search, I discovered that there were 10 women running for one delegate seat as an Obama delegate. I organized as thought this was a major campaign. I announced my candidacy through You-Tube and sent emails to everyone I knew in my district. I sent out mailers. I had volunteers working with signs, t-shirts and literature.

I won convincingly with 78% of the votes cast. I knew then that I was headed to the convention in Denver. Meanwhile, there was a cloud hanging over Florida because our state legislature had moved the Primary

January / February 2009

Election date so that it would take place before the Iowa Caucus. The Democratic National Convention (DNC) stripped the state of all 212 votes. I knew that before it was all over, the matter would be resolved.

In the interim, I was busy doing my part. I met all the Obama paid and volunteer staff and decided that I needed to work at getting as many people registered as possible. I set a goal of registering 1,000 new voters. No place was off limits. My kids told their friends, “My mother will literally stalk you down for a voter registration application.” I would do an absentee ballot request for those I felt would not get to the polls.

As August approached for the convention, I was excited about the experience of being a delegate for Florida. My husband accompanied me to Denver. He, took was excited and now a great Obama supporter!!

There was much discussion about Florida.

I went home energized and determined to do all I could to help deliver the 1-4 corridor.

Our vote was restored and we had the best seats in the convention hall. Everyone in authority told us that if Obama wins Florida, he would be the next President of the United States. We knew that the key in Florida would be the Interstate Four (I-4) corridor. I live along the I-4 corridor.

Among the Florida delegation, I told them that those of us living along the corridor would deliver, and to make sure that South Florida delivered in big numbers.

The Denver convention was phenomenal. The captivating moments for me were Senator Ted Kennedy’s speech and Thursday night’s acceptance speech by Barack Obama. I cried at both of the events.

Obama’s speech was emotional, inspirational and electrifying. I had to pinch myself to make sure it was real. My mind went on re-wind to the bad experiences of St. Augustine and Gainesville High and to see someone of color accept the nomination for the President of the United States was overwhelming, I could not believe it was really happening.

I returned home from the convention energized and determined to do all I could to help deliver the I-4 corridor. Up until October 5th, we were registering voters. I wrote the names and addresses of those I registered and kept it in touch with them–– especially those who had completed absentee ballot requests. I described the absentee ballot to them and told them to call me when it arrived, because I would make sure that their absentee ballot vote would count.

I was busy going all over the city of Orlando answering questions and picking up absentee ballots. I was a familiar face at the Orange County Supervisor of Elections Office. Everyone knew me by name.

Each night before going to bed, I would go over in my mind, what I did for the campaign on that day, and ask myself, if there was something else that I could do. I would reminiscence about the convention and the promise of delivering the I-4 corridor, and I would tell myself, “Tomorrow, I had to do more.

I made most of the rallies that the Obama team made to Central Florida. By the time November 4th arrived, I was nervous and knew that it was my last day to take persons to the polls or collect any absentee ballots.

I had decided that I would not go to any parties on election night, because I wanted to watch the results at home. I had a knot in the pit of my stomach. I was so nervous. I could not eat or drink anything. I could not sit. I just stood and paced the floor. From the beginning, the results were looking really good. I screamed and hollered when Obama was declared the 44th President of the United States. He won the State of Florida. He won the I-4 corridor. In Orange County (Orlando), in 2004, John Kerry won the county by 1,000 votes. In 2008, Barack Obama won Orlando by 85,000. I was overcome with emotion. My phone began to ring off the hook. Those on the line were crying as I was. The 44th President of the United States would be a person of color…I kept repeating as I cried, the words spoken by Dr. Martin Luther King in his “I Have a Dream” speech… “One day we would be judged by the content of our character and not the color of our skin.”

I had made my reservation for inauguration long before Obama won. I knew that if the Lord would allow me to see January 20, 2009, I would wake up in Washington, D.C. to witness the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States of America.

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House Democrats have elected Rep. Franklin Sands as House Democratic Leader and Rep. Geraldine F. Thompson as House Democratic Leader Pro Tempore for the 2008-2010 Legislative term.

House Democrats have elected Rep. Franklin Sands (E-Weston) as House Democratic Leader and Rep. Geraldine F. Thompson (D-Orlando) as House Democratic Leader Pro Tempore for the 2008-2010 Legislative term.

Sands and Thompson were elected to their respective posts unanimously by the House Democratic Caucus during its organization meeting today.

Sands, 68 was first elected to the House in 2004 and served as a Democratic Whip in 2005 and 2006. Thompson, 60, was elected in 2006.

this great state as a Democratic Leader Pro Tempore,” she said. “I am excited and ready to work with my colleagues in the Florida Legislature to address the challenges of our state, including advocating for needed improvements in our education system, working for increased access to health care for our residents and making Florida a leader in the production of renewable energy.”

In addition, Sands announced during the caucus meeting that Rep. Keith Fitzgerald (D-Sarasota) will serve as Democratic Policy Chair and Rep. Evan Jenne (D-Dania Beach) will serve as Democratic Whip.

With Florida’s economy in a slump and darker economic times on the immediate horizon, Sands said it will take a bipartisan approach to address the state’s needs.

“It is our responsibility to move Florida forward, and we extend the hand of friendship to our colleagues across the way to ensure success,” Sands said. “We are faced with some very important issues. We cannot afford more budget cuts in education and health care, and we must ensure continued protection for our fragile environment.”

“It is an honor to elected by my fellow Democrats to this important position,” Sands said.

Thompson echoed Sand’s commitment to work in a bipartisan fashion with legislators to address the state’s pressing needs.

“I consider it a blessing and an honor to serve the people of

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January / February 2009

What to Do? Kevin Thomasʼ Thoughts on the Bailout Congress has just recently approved $700 billion dollars to bail out financial corporations, plus guaranteed trillions more. On top of that the Federal Reserve has given well over a trillion dollars to bail out banks and other institutions that are too large to fail (what ever that means). The government has relieved the pressure on AIG (American International Group) by giving them $85 billion dollars, and for good measure is going to give AIG a few billion more.

What does America get out of this great Tsunami of money being created by the Government and the Fed; we the Americans get to renegotiate our loans so we can continue to pay the very financial institutions that we are bailing out with trillions of our tax dollars. Oh yeah, the FDIC will raise the insurance coverage on bank deposits from $100,000 to $250,000 (forget the fact that the average American has less than $1,000 saved).

It is clear that “We the people… in order to form a more perfect union” are going to have to fix the problem with America and capitalism ourselves. The entire government (which by the constitution works for the people) with out a doubt have shown that they are in power to protect their paymaster—the corporate world. It is interesting that when a report came out that over 40 million Americans do not have health insurance—our government could not find the money for universal health care. Now that the corporate world is in big trouble financially, the mantra is “by any means necessary” in winning the fight to save Wall Street.

What do we do—seeing that we are on our own? We have to start saving. We are not going to get back above water with credit and debt (even though the powers that be will try desperately to convince us of this thought). Any and all money that passes through your hands you must save a minimum of 10%. Every time that you get a dime of money you have to save a penny. Every dollar you get save a dime. If you get ten dollars save a dollar, and so on. From today on we have to save every chance that we get. How much should you save? Ten percent!

But here is the rub. In the near future it will do you no good to try to save in American Dollars. Bear with me, while I try to explain something that is so esoteric that 1 in 10,000 can not properly explain it, and that is Inflation. The strange part about trying to explain inflation is one of the best definitions that I have ever heard is in the Webster Dictionary.

Inflation- a continuing rise in the general price level usually attributed to an increase in the volume of money of credit.

Because our government is allowing the Federal Reserve to print and make all the money that is needed to save the (so-called) elite class, that the increased volume of dollars is decreasing our purchasing power. The more dollars that are conjured into our economy the less power our dollars has to purchase. It is similar to what happens with soup. The base of the soup is water. The water is what makes soup taste good or work (if you will). We all agree that water in soup is a good thing, but if you add to much water the soup will began to loss its flavor, and if you continue to add water you will only have a soup in name. This is how money works. In America money is at the base of our capitalist society. Money is a good thing in America, but like the soup, the more money you put into circulation the less value the money has that is already in the economy. If the pouring of money into the economy gets to be too much, the country will have an economy in name only. The money becomes worthless (see Zimbabwe). For God’s sake do not let this economy get so bad that we have deflation. That is worse, but that is a story for another day.

What do we do? Did you know that in the Constitution it states that it is only two types of money—silver and gold coins. In Section 10 of the Constitution it states “No state shall… make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payments of Debts.” I could not find the section in the Constitution about paper dollars from the privately owned quasi governmental Federal Reserve System.

Because of inflation the only way that we can truly save today is once you start putting away 10% of all gross (pre-tax) earnings, you will have to begin to exchange all of your Federal Reserve Notes into real assets. Dollars are not real assets. They are created from debt (this is also a story for another day), but trust me when I tell you that they are not an assets to hold today (read about fiat money and fractional reserve lending).

In my humble opinion I believe the number one way to save is to go back to saving the original constitutionally approved forms of currency, and that is collecting U.S. minted silver and gold coins.

You can do this by going to your neighborhood coin dealer, or by going directly thru the U.S. mint itself. As with all things of value, you have to work at learning about precious metals and the numis-

Continued page 17 January / February 2009

Onyx Magazine

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The New Black Stereotypes

By Karyn Beach

ust hearing the names – Sambo, Stepinfetchit, and Mammy – makes a lot of black folks cringe. The words are only the tip of the ice berg though. It’s the images that do the most damage: the lazy but loyal slave, the ignorant black man who shuffles his feet and slurs his speech and the overweight black woman in the Aunt Jemima get-up. As Marvin Gaye once sang, “It makes me wanna holler and throw both my hands up.”

Fortunately in the new millennium, we have put many of those stereotypes to bed.

A Stepinfetchit character could never last on today’s television screen. We have come a long way … or have we?

Today we see a wider range of the African-American experiences on television and in films. Shows like The Unit, Grey’s Anatomy, Dirty, Sexy Money and others show, African-Americans as, leaders, surgeons, and billionaires. Yes, they are black but they are also a lot more. And, to its credit, 24 has had not one, but two, AfricanAmerican presidents. Now that fact has followed fiction and we have elected an African-American to the nation’s highest office, surely, broad-based stereotypes must be a thing of the past. Right?

Wrong. While these tried and true images of African-Americans may have fallen by the wayside, a new crop has come up to replace them. Like the old stereotypes, they conjure up equally strong images.

The Sassy Sista She’s a neck-twisting, lip-curling, eyerolling, fiery ball of attitude. She is not happy (she is never happy) and she’ll let you know it in her own ghetto-fabulous way.

She’s loud. She’s bossy. And, she has no problem waving one of her long acrylic nails in your face. You have seen her in any host of

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commercials or in small roles in all kinds of movies.

Sassy Sistas that immediately come to mind include, Niecy Nash on Reno 9/11, New York from Flavor of Love and I Love New York, Mo’Nique in Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins, and, literally, the grandmother of them all - Madea from the Tyler Perry movies. Others would include Taraji P. Henson playing an old school sassy sista in Talk to Me and a sassy baby mama in Baby Boy. Paula Jai Parker in Hustle & Flow and Tasha Smith in Why Did I Get Married and Daddy’s Little Girls are a few of the more memorable ones.

The Flaming and Fierce Brotha

she is self-centered would be an understatement. In fact, she woke up one morning with the sun in her eyes and got mad because she hadn’t told the sun it was time to rise!

Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth from The Apprentice is the definition of the conniving, self-absorbed Reality Diva. In fact, she was so good that she went on to VH-1’s The Surreal World and Fear Factor. Another that comes to mind is Eva Marcille (formerly Pigford) from America’s Next Top Model. She was such a diva her nickname was Eva the Diva! The Real Housewives of Atlanta would also fall into this category.

The Thug

He’s not just gay. He’s super gay. He’s wearing more make-up on than a cover girl and has swish in his hips than a hula girl during an earthquake. Strangely enough, he has a lot in common with the Sassy Sista.

He’s also prone to neck-twisting, lip curling, and eye rolling. He can have an attitude too – and when he does – watch out!

He might be in a gang or he could be your run-of-the-mill rough neck. Either way, he’s done time or is doing something for which he will eventually do time. He is the quintessential bad boy. He’s menacing and macho. He’s the embodiment of strength in overdrive and he usually falls on the wrong side of the law.

The Flaming and Fierce Brotha is normally not the main character but he is a member of the ensemble cast who steals scenes and is always ready for his close-up!

Peaches the hairstylist on Girlfriends, Flame the Flight Attendant in Soul Plane (played by Gary Anthony Williams), and several popular radio gossip personalities fit this fabulous bill.

Not surprisingly, a lot of rappers that turn to acting start out in the thug stereotype. 50 Cent in Righteous Kill and Get Rich or Die Tryin; The Game in Street Kings; and DMX in Cradle to the Grave all fit the thug stereotype. Fact-based shows like BET’s American Gangster also glorify this type.

The Reality Diva This sista is normally portrayed as being a little smarter than the Sassy Sista. She has to be smart to be so conniving and devious.

The Reality Diva is always up to something and will stab you in the back faster than you can say, “Is that a knife in your hand?” To say

The fact that we have stereotypes at all shows that we have a long way to go, but when you consider that these new stereotypes exist alongside more vivid and diverse African-American characters, it’s easy to see how far we’ve come.

Karyn Beach is the editor of DivaSoulSista.com, a movie review site.

January / February 2009

Continued from page 15

matic field. Do not just jump in buying coins—study. A good place to start is by purchasing “The Official Red Book: A Guide Book of United States Coins, by R.S. Yeoman.”

I did not include jewelry in with gold because of the karat system. All gold jewelry is based on 24 karat system. When your jewelry say 14 karat gold, that means that it is 14/24 (fourteen over twenty four) parts gold and 10/24 parts something else (copper, nickel, or some other base metal) which adds up to 24/24 parts.

This will not work in your favor if you need to sell or barter your jewelry. Plus if your jewelry has diamonds, in a crunch no one knows if that carbon has value (once again a story for another day).

Gold and silver coins are a great investment, but they are not the only way to save. You can invest in just about anything that will naturally go up in value over time. This does not include the stock market, your 401k, or what ever else that is out there. I said we have to invest, not gamble at this time. Most may not understand what I mean, but if the Government waives the “Mark to Market” rule on Wall Street (which I think they will), you will be doing nothing but gambling when it comes to stocks.

Here is a small list of things that are worth investing in at this time: 1. Gold, silver, platinum, palladium (Precious metals) 2. Land (especially land that has the ability to produce) 3. Water ( it one day will be more valuable than gold) 4. Collectables (antiques, old cars, jewelry, etc.)

The list is not limited to these four items.

We live in a troubled time, and it looks like it is every man and woman for them selves. You may not be able to stop the train wreck that is happening right before our eyes in America, but we can at least prepare ourselves that we can get off of the tracks before it is too late.

By Kevin Thomas, The author of the book “Catch22: The Book That Will Change the Way You See Life.”

January / February 2009

Onyx Magazine

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PEOPLE

Brian Coleman: First African American to hold top leadership position in the DSGO 18

Onyx Magazine

January / February 2009

Dr. Coleman is a Fellow in the Pierre Fauchard International Honorary Dental Society, was appointed by former Governor Jeb Bush to the Health Care Information Infrastructure Advisory Board...

Dr. Brian O. Coleman was recently installed as President of the 500+ member Dental Society of Greater Orlando (DSGO), and President Elect of the Central District Dental Society that has 1,500+ members. These organizations were established in 1940 and 1926 respectively. Dr. Coleman is the first African American to hold the top leadership positions for both organizations. Since their inception, the dental societies have stood for quality and integrity. They perform a wide variety of services for both its members and the public. Through programs such as “Give Kids A Smile” and “The Dental Care Access Foundation”, they have also provided dental services to thousands of low income and uninsured individuals.

Dr. Coleman is humbled and honored beyond words to serve as the 68th President for the DSOG. He acknowledges the legacies of African American dentists and doctors for their sacrifices. It is through their educational and professional guidance that made it possible for him to assimilate and grow within our community. He was the impetus for the DSGO creating the Dr. Oscar Sistrunk Award. Dr. Sistrunk was a well-known African American dentist who gave unselfishly to the Orlando community.

He was Dr. Coleman’s mentor and a man who despite racial inequalities overcame and thrived.

Dr. Coleman is a native of Chicago, Illinois and received his doctorate in dental medicine from Southern Illinois University.

Afterwards he served our country for five years at home and abroad as a Lieutenant

January / February 2009

Commander in the United States Navy Dental Corps. He has been in private practice for over 18 years and maintains a state of-theart dental facility in Winter Park.

As a general family dental practitioner, he is involved in all facets of comprehensive dental healthcare, with a special emphasis on dental disease prevention.

Dr. Brian Coleman’s wife, Yvonne

Dr. Coleman and his staff, strive to provide the highest quality treatment to their patients. They are also an integral part of the Central Florida community and have volunteered their time at health fairs, the Special Olympics, the African-American Male Summit, the American Diabetes Association and for the Salvation Army.

Through education and establishing positive relationships, they hope to make a difference in helping others understand the importance of good oral healthcare and the impact it has on a person’s overall health.

Recognized for his business acumen and philanthropic giving, Dr. Coleman has been awarded Fellowship in the International College of Dentists. Founded in 1927, the International College of Dentists is recognized around the globe as the preeminent international dental organization dedicated to the recognition of outstanding professional achievement, meritorious service and the continued progress of the profession of dentistry for the benefit of all humankind. Following a rigorous screening process, Fellowship in the International College has been awarded to less than 1% of dentists practicing in the United States and

to approximately one-tenth of a percent globally.

Dr. Coleman is a Fellow in the Pierre Fauchard International Honorary Dental Society, was appointed by former Governor Jeb Bush to the Health Care Information Infrastructure Advisory Board, on the advisory board of Citizens Bank of Florida, a member of Florida Citrus Sports, the Orlando Museum of Art, Beta Xi Boulé, the National Dental Association, the African American Chamber of Commerce, the Occusal Study Club of Central Florida, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, the National Association of Black Scuba Divers and several other professional organizations. He is a recipient of the FDA “Project Dentist’s Care Award”, for his commitment to the underserved population of Central Florida and has been a nominee for Orange County’s Community Service award. He has received numerous other honors including the Rosa Parks Award from the African American Male Health Summit, with the City of Orlando naming April 7, 2007 as Dr. Brian O. Coleman Day. Dr. Coleman is married to Yvonne Loggins-Coleman, President of LCB International and a radio personality with Smooth Jazz 103.1 WLOQ.

Onyx Magazine

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The young professional, mentor, actor and producer of upcoming film Memories of Murder, Jacksonville, Florida native, Ron Lewis, Jr., is a natural when it comes to conducting business. In his short tenure as CEO of e-commerce business, L2Unlimited.com, Ron has proven to withstand the test of challenges, learn the art of negotiation and appreciate the benefits of sowing good seeds.

Currently, a Business Administration student at the University of Phoenix, the budding entrepreneur manages his vibrant umbrella business enterprises –L2 Unlimited Promotional Products, L2 Unlimited Athletics and L2 Unlimited Entertainment-with younger brother, Marcus Lewis which was created in 2005. Successfully, they’ve garnered both local and national media attention in both print and broadcast media (urban business magazine NV, Florida-based African-American business magazine, Onyx and Multi-cultural Magazine InF o c u s , Jacksonville-based newspaper, Florida Times Union and on local news stations, and more.) because of their impeccable character and uncompromisable business acumen. Further L2 Unlimited is Certified with and is the Youngest Florida Minority Supplier Development Council Member. With this certification, Ron’s business has been able to garner business from companies such as University of North Florida, IAP-Hill Corporation, Goodrich Corporation, Convergys and many other large corporations.

Boselli Foundation for Kids. Spending time with youth has enabled Ron to share his experiences and triumphs as a black male graduate of an inner-city school. Further, Ron thoroughly understands the vital importance of mentoring after being privileged to have several wellrespected role models and a strong parental support system. Continuing his efforts, he is a member of 100 Black Men as a mentor and volunteer. He is a speaker and mentor at Florida Community College Pre-collegiate programs as well as the Boys & Girls Club of America. In his quest to find other volunteer efforts, he became a member of the FreeMasons, as they provide a vast amount of opportunities to give back to his community. As a young man, he worked on many local campaigns for City Council, Congress, House of Representatives and more. He recently became a member of ImpactJax, the young professionals program within the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce.

Truly setting the pace for greatness in his future, Ron has earned the distinctive honor of Up & Coming Youth Entrepreneur by the First Coast Business Alliance, Inc. during the annual Mixing with the Stars and was nominated by the Jacksonville Business Journal as an Up and Coming All-Star under 30.

Truly setting the pace for greatness in his future, Ron has earned the distinctive honor of Up & Coming Youth Entrepreneur by the First Coast Business Alliance, Inc. during the annual Mixing with the Stars and was nominated by the Jacksonville Business Journal as an Up and Coming All-Star under 30.

As an observant and concerned business leader within his crime-ridden community, Ron has committed countless hours in mentoring black male youth through Kessler Mentoring Connection and tutors and mentors inner-city youth at the Tony

January / February 2009 September / October 2008

Aside from making a difference in the community and the business world, Ron is also turning heads in the fashion and entertainment scene. This debonair young man is pursuing an acting career after receiving an abundance of requests for fashion productions and other events. He’s had small roles in HBO’s Recount, Never Back Down and The Year of Getting To Know Us. He will be starring in and producing upcoming Thriller, Memories of Murder, opposite Leslie Easterbrook (Halloween), Bill Mosely (Halloween) and Rosa Blasi (Strong Medicine). Memories is looking to shoot in the Tampa, Florida area. He’s also presented comedy shows and networking receptions with business consortium, Focused on Business. He has an honest respect for women, children and family, having close relationships with his own family. His personality is laid back but fun. He was told by his acting coach, Cindy Hogan (Veronica Mars, Fashion House), that he should never stop smiling because his smile leaves a lasting impression on all who encounter him. He is currently in acting workshops with Tasha Smith (Daddy’s Little Girls, Why Did I Get Married). Ron is just an allaround business, not just a business man.

(Manager: Dana Lewis – 904-757-1342 / 904-635-9969)

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Trailblazer Michelle Robinson First African American President of Verizon’s Southeast Region Poised to Lead Technological Transformations That Are Empowering Our Communities

By Lucia Reid

tf er A

spending an afternoon interviewing the new president of Verizon’s southeast region, Michelle Robinson, I gained a greater appreciation of how broadband technology and wireless innovation in entertainment, commerce, education and healthcare have changed our existence. Most importantly, I recognize that these technological tools are especially vital for minorities as these tools and services can be utilized to overcome economic, environmental, educational, and social obstacles and disparities. Equally important, I believe that when leveraged properly, wireless and wireline broadband technology can positively impact the future of African Americans on an individual, family, and community level.

As a wife and mother raising two young boys in Tampa, and Verizon’s new southeast region president, Michelle Robinson is committed to ensuring that all communities are full beneficiaries of Florida’s growing broadband infrastructure. Robinson recognizes the need for families, communities and businesses to take advantage of these new

January / February 2009

communications services, and products and is determined to do her part to ensure we can.

Michelle Robinson utilized her intellect, experience, creativity, and leadership skills to rise through the ranks to become a key executive of Verizon, one of the top communications corporations in the nation. She began her career at Verizon as a public policy advocate in 1998 in Irving Texas. Since that time, her performance and dedication have led to promotions that have crisscrossed the nation including: manager-regulatory support, Irving Texas; director-regulatory policy, Tampa Florida; vice-president-regulatory policy, San Francisco California; and senior vice president southern region, in Alpharetta Georgia. In these aforementioned positions, she was responsible for shaping and advancing public policy strategies for the communication giants’ landline, wireless and enterprise business segments.

In her new position, Robinson brings

her talent and skills to the helm of an organization which has over 11,000 employees in the state of Florida alone. She is excited about the transformative power of broadband and she confidently rises as a key leader in an advanced communications company at this extraordinary moment when broadband can have a profound impact on Florida’s economy, education, healthcare, and climate change.

In our interview, Robinson provided an example of the power of broadband in the area of education. Robinson stated that today, teachers can take advantage of valuable resources via broadband technology by accessing Verizon’s Thinkfinity.org. Using this free portal, PK-12 teachers across all disciplines can utilize ready-for-classroom lesson plans, games, and interactives developed by the nation’s best educational content organizations free of charge. And when teachers use the site they can breathe a sigh of relief because it is all standards based. A free resource, Thinkfinity.org

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means that teachers no longer have to spend as much of their personal time and money on preparing lesson plans when the classroom is empty, giving them more time to focus on student achievement when the classroom is full.

Robinson is leading Verizon as it continues to move beyond services typically associated with communications companies.

Specifically, Robinson is steadfast in expanding and promoting the utilization of broadband to allow for better access to care, patient empowerment, and improved quality of care. Broadband technology can help improve patient-doctor interaction in rural and some urban areas where health care facilities and practitioners are scarce. This is due to the fact that wireline and wireless broadband technology is increasingly available in all sorts of communities enabling doctors to monitor patient vital signs, conduct visual examinations and interview patients, even when they’re not in the same location. Additionally, in lieu of relying on a patient’s own memory of his or her personal health history, electronic medical records (EMR) can give patients precise

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Onyx Magazine

knowledge about their own medial history that is easily and securely shared with medical practitioners in both emergency and non-emergency situations. “Technology can vastly improve the quality, efficiency, and accessibility of health care information which promises enhanced services for all of Florida’s citizens,” affirmed Robinson.

Robinson is also energized by the ways in which broadband services can assist with Florida’s conservation efforts. Robinson commented that “Telecommuting can save on fuel costs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and allow for more time to spend with our families. Online newspaper subscriptions and paying bills online can also reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These are just a few of the many ways that broadband can be utilized to help our environment.”

“Verizon is leading by example in our commitment to Florida’s environment” stated Robinson. “I applaud Governor Charlie Crist’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gases in Florida and we are proud of our work in the area of climate change.” Recently, Verizon installed 140 solar panels at its central office building in Hillsborough

County. The project is expected to reduce the building’s normal power consumption by 5.5 hours per day. Verizon’s other initiatives include pursuing network equipment and building energy-reduction initiatives; utilizing alternative energy sources in the network, buildings, and fleet; developing a fleet of hybrid vans and service vehicles; and promoting the company’s technology as an alternative to travel. “I welcome any partnership opportunities to encourage other forms of renewable energy” said Robinson.

Robinson emphasized that in the Tampa Bay Region, Verizon is transforming its network using state-of-the-art fiber technology to deliver the best in broadband directly to customer homes. This project, known as Verizon FiOS, is unique for two important reasons. First, no other communications company in Florida is transforming its network to bring the future of technology to customer homes. And, second, the Tampa Bay Region is the only area in Florida that now has this technology. According to Robinson, “Verizon’s fiber project is important because our customers now

January / February 2009

enjoy best-in-class products and services at competitive prices. It’s also important because, as a community, leaders in the Tampa Bay Region are beginning to understand how to leverage this unique technology to address some of the community’s difficult societal challenges such as health care, education, transportation, conservation and more.” Robinson intends to work with communities, local and state government, and other businesses to facilitate improving the quality of life for all Floridians by providing support that goes beyond the products and services that her company offers. Robinson proudly stated that “our commitment goes beyond providing the very best in innovative products and service; we are committed to continue our relationship with the state of Florida as a good corporate citizen. We believe in investing in the communities we serve. “ In 2007, the Verizon Foundation contributed nearly $1.2 million to more than 100 nonprofit organizations in Florida to improve basic literacy skills, create new and diverse approaches to technology based learning and help domestic violence victims. Additionally, every year Verizon’s employees donate thousands of hours of personal time with non-profit organizations that support the communities we live and work in.

As we wrestle with today’s difficult challenges and we face these unpredictable times, we can rest assured in the guidance and direction that is provided by Robinson.

As the southeast region president for Verizon, we believe that Robinson will make sure that minority communities are not left behind and are provided the opportunity to utilize the vast sea of communication tools and products for the betterment of all.

Robinson currently resides in Tampa, Florida with her husband John and two children, John IV and Ethan.

January / February 2009

Onyx Magazine

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Onyx Magazine Called It in July / August 2000: New Leadership on the Horizon: Young, Vibrant, Brilliant and Black

A

native of Jacksonville, Mia Jones was reelected to the City Council to represent District 10, in May 2007, for her second and final term. During her tenure on the Council she has shown herself to be a leader among her peers.

In 2007, Mia was recognized by her peers across the state and began serving her second term as the 2nd Vice President for the Florida Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials. She Chaired the Florida League of Cities Home Rule Administration Council and was a member of the Leagues 2005 & 2006 Legislative Committee. Also in 2005 she went on to become an Alumnus of the XXIV Class of Leadership Florida, whose mission is to build a strong, diverse statewide network of leaders with a shared commitment to connect our communities and to make Florida a better place in which to live and prosper. In 2003, she completed the IX Leadership Florida's Local Government Leadership Program, which brings elected officials from all over the state together to network, learn from each other and outside experts, and helps to build skills that will make them more effective leaders.

Mia is a results oriented advocate for economic development throughout underserved areas throughout her community. Since being elected Mia Jones has remained true to her platform of Promoting Economic Development, Partnering in Education, both inside and outside of her district, Promoting a long term solution to Infrastructure Disparities and supporting activities that will increase the Safety of the citizens she represents. She introduced and successfully championed legislation that addressed: Voting Irregularities, Early Voting Sites, Rede-

velopment of Blighted Areas and the Relocation of the Head Start Program from a contaminated site, to name a few.

Mia is the former Director, Minority Business Affairs for the Duval County Public Schools where she was responsible for ensuring the administration and development of the Minority Business Development and Assistance Program. She began her career with the Duval County Public Schools in 1995, as the Supervisor of Affirmative Action after serving as the Equal Em-

Mia Jones is the youngest of three children born to Lawrence and Hannah Jones. She was educated in the Duval County Public School System and graduated from William M. Raines Senior High School (Class of 1986). She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and an MBA in Human Resource Management from Florida A & M University (FAMU).

She is an active member at Bethel Baptist Institutional Church and she believes the most important thing one can do is to keep your priorities in perspective: Christ, Family and Community.

Mia made the decision to run for State Representative of District 14 and won.

The reason she gave for this decision was to ensure that her community has quality representation.

She is committed to making the State of Florida and especially the City of Jacksonville a better place for all to live, work and raise a family. Simply put, Mia Jones is a community trustee who has delivered proven results.

ployment Opportunity (EEO) Assistant to the Mayor's Office of Equal Employment (1992-1995).

Community and Civic Activities During her tenure as President of the JRE Lee (Jacksonville) Alumni Chapter, Mia established a $100,000 endowed scholarship fund for deserving students from her community to attend Florida A&M University. In March 2006, she cofounded and sponsored the Celebrate Life 5K Walk & Run along with the Johnson Family YMCA. This annual event places a spotlight of the need for the community to make positive life choices as it relates to their physical and mental health and wellbeing. Mia Jones enjoys golf and has hosted the Pink Lady Charity Golf Tournament, an event committed to supporting various non-profit programs that positively impact

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Celebrate Health with Sandi Morais Dick Gregoryʼs Triumph Sandi Morais over Cancer

Jamaican-born Sandi Morais is a graduate of Florida International University.

Sandi has been a fitness expert for twenty-five years. She taught physical education at Sunset Christian Academy for seven years.

Sandi wrote a fitness column for Caribbean Today newspaper and Caribbean Contact newspaper. A biography that she wrote for cancer survivor Cathee Roach- Connor has been published in a book titled "Psalms in the Dance of Life."

Sandi Co-wrote a musical titled Sacha on Broadway with Philip Michael Thomas. She coproduced and hosted Sandi's Workout and Reggae Muffins, a children's health and fitness show for Miami's WLRN Cable Tap Television. She has been featured in Ms. Fitness, UpScale and Sister 2 Sister magazines. Sandi has been a guest on NBC 6 South Florida Today, WLRN Channel 17 and New York City TV Profiles with host Micky Burns. Sandi is the author of Tune-up fitness book and Recipe for Life vegetarian cookbook, and the creator of the Tune-up 30 min. workout.

Sandi currently writes the Sistah Health Column for Wow magazine. Email smorais1@bellsouth.net website: www.sandimorais.net

January / February 2009

Born October 12, 1932 in St. Louis, Missouri Dick Gregory made a name for himself as a comedian, civil rights activist, athlete, author and nutritionist. He is rated number 81 on Comedy Central’s 100 greatest comedians of all time. As an activist Dick Gregory played a major role in the civil rights movement with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., fighting for equality and justice for minorities. It was because of his commitment and dedication to nonviolence in the late 60’s that he became a vegetarian. Before he became a vegetarian he had ballooned up to 350 pounds. He smoked four packs of cigarettes and drank a fifth of Scotch everyday. After he adapted the vegetarian lifestyle and gave up his unhealthy habits, he noticed that his lifelong battle with ulcers and his sinus congestion had improved with the change in his diet. As a result of his discovery he began to further research the vegetarian lifestyle. He was so impressed with the health benefits that he decided to become a spokesperson for vegetarianism. He spoke extensively on the health benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle at churches, schools and universities.

Dick Gregory was also an excellent runner in high school. He was awarded a track scholarship to Southern Illinois University. The desire and love for running never left his heart. In the early 1970’s he got involved in running marathons. He even challenged himself and ran a marathon from Chicago to Washington D.C., urging the United States government to take action against world famine. In 1984 he founded Health Enterprise Inc., a company that distributed weight loss products. The company was established out of a deep concern that he had for the lack of health food stores in the African American community.

Two years later, he introduced the Slim-Safe Bahamian Diet, a powder diet mix to the health food market. The Slim-Safe Bahamian Diet became a favorite with the general public.

During the 1990’s Dick Gregory continued his fight as a civil rights activist but his biggest fight

came in 2001 when he made an announcement to the world that he was diagnosed with lymphoma the worst form of cancer. This was truly a shock.

Dick Gregory spent his life fighting for civil rights and lecturing on health and nutrition, now he was faced with a form of cancer that his doctor said was incurable. Because he was always a fighter, the champion in him would not accept the diagnosis as his fate. Being a man of continuous prayer he knew he had to step up his game and pray to God for more wisdom, knowledge and understanding. In addition to praying he knew as a nutritionist that he had to do more research on health and nutrition.

After doing extensive research Dick Gregory decided to take the holistic approach to fight his cancer. In his biography it states. “He refused traditional medical treatment – chemotherapy – and with the assistance of some of the finest minds in alternative medicine, put together a regimen of a variety of diet, vitamins, exercise, and modern devices not even know to the public.” His decision paid off. In 2005 Dick Gregory triumphed over cancer. He has become a warrior for the fight against cancer using his experience to lecture on the importance of diet in fighting cancer. He has helped millions of his fans around the world to understand that cancer is curable. At the young age of seventy-five he is still vibrant and full of life. It was such an honor to interview a man who is a true humanitarian and a giant in the health industry. In closing my interview with Dick Gregory, I asked him what was his prayer for the world, and he said. “Peace.”

For more information on Dick Gregory visit: www.dickgregory.com

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Movies: Worst of the Worst W

hen I started DivaSoulSista.com, the tag line was “We watch bad movies so you don’t have to.” 2008 will not go down in history as a stellar year for movies. In fact, my review partner Thomas and I have endured more than our share of stinkers this year. Don’t get me wrong, there were some highlights. The Dark Knight took the Batman saga to another level. Robert Downey Jr. added his considerable talents to make Iron Man the beginning of a solid franchise and brought controversial comedy to his role in Tropic Thunder. With The Family That Preys, Tyler Perry brought forth some of his best work yet.

Meet Dave: A comedy is sup-

The Love Guru: Remem-

posed to be funny. You are supposed to laugh, chuckle, or at least smile while watching one. It is rare that I see a comedy and don’t laugh even once. Meet Dave is that rare film. I never laughed. I never chuckled. I didn’t even smile. Actually, I groaned, winced and frowned throughout.

Eddie Murphy and Gabrielle Union should be embarrassed by this hot mess of a movie.

ber the Mike Myers who made you laugh in Austin Powers and way back when on Saturday Night Live? Well, that Mike Myers is nowhere to be found in The Love Guru.

It’s a movie filled with tired jokes about midgets and male endowments as well as poor performances by Alba, Justin Timberlake, Meagan Good and Myers himself.

Mirrors: A decent premise goes

But just because there were so many of them, I wanted to recap some of the worst films of the year; in an effort to save you the misery that Thomas and I had to experience. When you see these titles on the rack at Blockbuster or in your Netflix queue, don’t even give them a second look.

horribly wrong in Mirrors. Kiefer Sutherland sets out to find the horrifying secrets held in the mirrors of an old, burned-out department store. Soon the haunted reflections begin to follow him home and everywhere he goes, putting his life and the lives of his family in danger. The preposterous plot gets more outlandish and absurd by the minute.

Deception: This was billed as

88 Minutes: It’s a shame that

a ‘sexy thriller,’ yet it lacked both. When you have to fight the urge to sleep in a thriller, there is a good chance that it’s not that thrilling. When you laugh during the ‘sex’ scene, chances are it’s not sexy. Deception is also a movie that doesn’t know when to end. You think it’s wrapping up and it’s over and there’s another scene and another and another.

Al Pacino ends up on my worst list twice. It isn’t surprising though that the same director that directed Pacino in Ridiculous, oh, I’m sorry, Righteous Kill, is the same one that directed 88 Minutes. Pacino plays a forensic psychologist who has been told by a murderer he helped put away that he has 88 minutes to live. 88 Minutes is actually 108 minutes of increasingly mindless fluff.

Righteous Kill:

I never

thought I was put a movie starring both Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro on my worst list. The two legendary actors play detectives on the search for a vigilante serial killer.

I went into this film with the highest of hopes. I walked out of this film annoyed and angry that the talents of two powerhouse actors were completely squandered. Ridiculous Kill would have been a better name!

Don’t Mess with the Zohan: If I ever meet Adam Sandler, I’ll be tempted to punch him for making me endure this nonsense. The Zohan is an Israeli Secret Service superstar who leaves that life behind to pursue his dream of becoming a hair stylist in New York. It’s actually worse than it sounds. It beat out Meet Dave because I think I laughed once.

Babylon A.D.: Here we go — another one of those dark, dismal, and dreary futuristic thrillers. Whatever happened to the future being a bright and happy place? Anyway, a former bounty hunter, Vin Diesel must escort a mysterious woman with special powers from Russia to America. And, as Thomas said in his review, “One word comes to mind while describing this movie and that word is “over”, as in... overacted, overly complicated, and over-the-top.”

Drillbit Taylor:

Drillbit

Taylor is the down-on-his-luck guy who takes a job protecting a group of nerdy high school students. If that run-of-the-mill plot isn’t enough to make you take a pass on this movie, know this: there is a ‘rap battle’ in this movie so bad and so cringe-worthy that it makes Vanilla Ice seem like a rap god.

You’ve been warned. Rent these DVDs at your own risk!

Karyn Beach is the editor of DivaSoulSista.com, a movie review site.

Failure Is Not An Option For The Allied Group

By Roger Caldwell

In the competitive business of staffing, where the level of the bar is determined by results, The Allied Group stands poised and prepared for the challenge. Strategically, under the direction and tutelage of its president/CEO, 31 year old Tezlyn-Figaro-Turner, the vision, mission and purpose of the business has unlimited potential. As a women/minority owner with a compelling, confident, and engaging personality, Tezlyn-Figaro-Turner represents the culmination of excellence as one of the community and business leaders of her generation.

Tezlyn is indicative of a new generation of leaders who understand the concept of speed, and leveraging the success of her business on building relationships. She is compassion, caring, and friendly on the human side of her business, but at the end of the day, Tezlyn-Figaro-Turner is emphatic about profits and the bottom line.

By the age of 30, Tezlyn held many middle and upper management positions in several Fortune 500 companies while devoting a large portion of her free time to community organizations. She worked as a Division Director for Ajilon Professional Staffing, Chicago Division Director for Robert Half International, General Motors Acceptance Corporation, Southwestern Bell, and Geico Insurance. As a community advocate she started an association for Women in Communication UNT, and was a member of Big Brothers, and Big Sisters of North Texas.

Tezlyn-Figaro-Turner was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and at 10 she

January / February 2009

knew she was destined to be an entrepreneur, because she talked herself into a part-time job as a neighborhood sitter.

There were very limited choices in her community, and most women were pregnant either using or selling drugs for their boyfriends. Based on her limited choices Tezlyn decided to join the United States Air Force Reserves Security Police at 18, and most people including her recruiter expected her to quit or fail.

Instead of failing Tezlyn used this experience as catalysis to develop discipline and learn to operate in survival mode. In her police academy training class, she started with 20 women and at the time of graduation there were only four left, due to the fact that a 23 pound M-60 weapon was no easy task.

This instilled in Tezlyn the confidence that she had the ability to deliver with results under challenging conditions and circumstances.

This experience was a defining moment that helped clarify and affirm her determination, independence and persistence in her life. As a multi-talented entrepreneur, Tezlyn uses the words of Dr. Martin Luther King to stay engaged, on track, and motivated.

“After one has discovered what he or she is called for, he should set out to do it with all of the power that he has in his system.

Do it as if God almighty ordained you at this particular moment in history to do it.”

At the National Urban League Conference, Tezlyn exemplified the spirit of the words of Dr. Martin Luther King. In three

months, Tezlyn and her organization were able to recruit, organize, and train, 300 nonpaid volunteers with logistics and shifts for the national conference in 2008 in Orlando.

In addition, her non-paid volunteers have been utilized by the 100 Black Men Annual Conference and the Tom Joyner Family Reunion.

Tezlyn has a thirst to be an asset and a spark in this Orlando community and she understands the essence of partnership. Her goal is “to empower people to empower themselves” and build relationships that she can maintain from “the cradle to the grave.”

She is a minority/woman on the move, and her next major challenge is to keep her team motivated, by providing professional training opportunities not only for survival but to thrive within the community.

As a trailblazer and multi-talented business leader, Tezlyn has hosted her own television show on Bright House Network, North Texas Television, and currently the co-host of The Don Mille Radio Show.

When the older generation is complaining about the younger generation, there are many in their late twenties and early thirties, who are taking care of business. Tezlyn represents a new generation of leaders who are not caught up in emotion, but are driven by results.

These leaders understand that we live in a multi-cultural and diverse community, and education, research, and knowledge will be fundamental in building relationships. Tezlyn is positioning her business to take advantage of the tremendous opportunities available in the Orlando market. She is determined to succeed and failure is not an option.

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Should African Americans Be Blogging?

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Onyx Magazine

There is a mounting influx of digital technologies that are embedding themselves in the lifestyles of people in the Black community. One of these is the act of Blogging, Webster’s dictionary describes blogging as, “diary: a personal chronological log of thoughts published on a Web page“.

African Americans are rapidly moving into the digital age that is embracing cosmopolitan ideas and multicultural nuances with the help of technology. The inclusiveness of technology is taking many minorities into the 21st century where they are connecting to the world.

Blog (web log) technology is web based and inclusive to all people regardless of color and culture; thus allowing a euphoria of ideas and intellectual exchanges. There is an estimated eight million bloggers in America (The State of Blogging (2005), Pew Internet & American Life Project).

Change blends with the traditions of traditional living, lifestyle and technology inclusion; technology is infused in all aspects of life and is expanding daily. In order to compete African Americans need to accept change and embrace the execution of productivity tools that are prevalent in the business and educational world. There is so much technology available in our businesses and schools of secondary and higher education––the question is, are our teachers and business leaders being taught the appropriate use of these technologies that are becoming relevant in the business and educational world, and are they willing to share their knowledge?

Not only should African Americans be exposed to these technologies, they should be using them. If not, they may again be hindered by ignorance, and unprepared to do business on a global scale. The possibility of expanding and encouraging knowledge, requires the proficiency of reading (literacy/comprehension) and writing (cre-

ative thought process). Blogging requires the participation of writers and readers involved in a symbiotic relationship that is dependent upon each other.

Statistically, African Americans are behind in technology applications and implementation (digital divide) professionally and educationally. The areas of reading (literacy/comprehension) are challenging areas for those that struggle not too just read, but comprehend (understand) what they read.

The old adage of, “if you want to keep something secrete write it down”, is applied to those who do not strive to increase their knowledge through reading and educational exploration.

Blogging is a new world, a world of digitized created writings on a multitude of subjects to which readers can consume and interactively respond. Teacher, Joel Arquillas states, ”I like the fact that it is a living document. Students, parents, teachers and the community can comment or discuss the stories that I post”. Where does that leave our business community when it comes to gaining new incites in business and cultural awareness? The act of blogging opens doors to avenues of business ventures to expand literary and informational talents and understand the power of the reader or audience.

It has been said that blogging compares to the Guttenberg’s press (http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Pa ge). Arquillos also states that his students “learned the power of writing and being able to defend their view.” No one is excluded from connecting to others with like ideas, business interests or controversial opinions. All that is needed is for a person to connect.

Why is blogging important to African Americans? Because of the wealth of information that is important to educational and professional growth––greater than MySpace (myspace.com) and Facebook (facebook.com) social networking sites. African Americans need to become aware of the po-

September January / /February October 2009 2008

tential to expand their knowledge base locally and globally in areas of politics, economics, business, medicine, education and cultural diversity. Many African Americans, unfortunately, have a ”head in the sand” mentality when it comes to technology usage and application in business and in some cases education and medicine. Blogging allows the participants to be co-creators in this age of digital media that is transforming social interaction, taking social networking to new levels of cognitive growth; not just empirical information that is irrelevant and in some cases professionally and socially detrimental. Is blogging going to be another technology that passes African Americans by, therefore leading people to be ignored, ignorant (to it’s applications) and disconnected from using a protocol (digital tool) for cultural, business and professional enrichment? African Americans should continue to embrace new media and new technologies especially in the digital world were the access to information can mean “the difference in a promotion and upward mobility in business or being stagnant and living in a dark closet digitally disconnected” (Gladzena Young, PHH).

Blogging is a new wave for cyber-publishing for African Americans to share their stories, ideas, passions, and in some cases rants and raves. This media is not about complaining about perceived or experienced injustices, although in the case of the Jena 6 it was an effective tool for the distribution of information, and an opportunity to share cultural, historic and enriching perspectives on the African American plight in American and the judicial system.

Textual manipulation is not the only option, but blogging can be spiced up with photos and video that is more personal and interactive. The opportunities are endless as to what a writer can do, what they can share and how they can engage discussions.

Blogging instills creativity, empowerment and critical thinking skills into our people that allows for their talent in writing. The very nature of the Internet is allowing peo-

September January / February / October 2009 2008

ple to not just retrieve information, but post information that may compete with resources of traditional newspapers and magazines at a fraction of their cost of publication.

The capability for African Americans to launch their own newspaper, magazine, radio and even television shows at a very low cost is within the grasps of a person with a computer that can support this technology. If the mind-set does not change for many, African Americans will once again be left out, disconnected and have a limited impact to social, business and political issues. Our voices will once again be like distant rumblings of thunder that most people disregard as insignificant and a distraction…

We as a people must embrace technology and all that it has to offer, all the possibilities of imagination, self-empowerment, and cultural enhancement. Blogging is just the tip of the digital iceberg.

The Internet, Podcasting, Wikis, Chatting along with Blogging are all interactive and self directed tools that avail themselves to cognitive growth and connection to multicultural awareness that is being embraced and welcomed to all our communities.

Technology is about communication between peoples. Let us start communicating and engaging creative skills in our writing to inform and empower, go forth and Blog…

By William Jackson william.Jackson@ewc.edu

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FLORIDA SCOPE

“Never Could Have Made It” Jones High Class of 78 Celebrates 30 Years

By Cheryll Daniels ORLANDO - They came from all walks of life––representing career choices such as, teachers, entrepreneurs, recording artist, attorneys, DOC workers, the financial industry and the list continues. But most importantly they were alumni of Jones High School joining forces and celebrating the Labor Day weekend together. It was the 30-year anniversary of the1978 Jones High graduates.

The weekend events included 70s party, breakfast at Golden Coral, white linen party at the Peabody Hotel and culminated with a family picnic at Barker Park just west of downtown Orlando.

Wendell Perry graciously offered his home as the location for the Friday night 70s Party. He and his wife, Deidre, effectively transformed there home into a 70’s house – complete with a disco ball and strobe light. A room was set up with memorabilia, pictures, newspaper clippings and photos of classmates that are no longer with us.

Upon arrival each classmate received a necklace with their laminated senior picture to wear that evening and for the remainder of the weekend events. What is a reunion without T-shirts? Yes, we had it all, including the T-shirts, which were distributed later that evening. Small flashlights were

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passed out for the song - you guessed it, “Flashlight” by Parliament. Laughter, hugs, and reminiscing filled the rooms.

The next morning, classmates, those who could make the 9am call and those who could not attend the night before, met at the Golden Coral for breakfast. Lorraine Benjamin blessed the food with a heart-felt prayer of unity and blessings of praise. And of course those who were absent for the roll call the night before were ribbed for of all the fun they missed. More pictures, laughter, and stories were told that morning as a prelude to the evening to come. What a great way to start your day.

Saturday evening everyone gathered at the Peabody for the White Linen Party where the décor was absolutely stunning – white draping, roses, and pearls adorned the room (30 commemorates the year of Pearls), and let us not forget the “Tiger” figurines. The evening’s program consisted of a song by graduating “Tiger” and gospel recording artist Leon Josey. Icebreaker questions brought everyone up to date on events in the lives of the class of 1978. There was recognition of committee members with special awards presented to Donnalla Desue, Felicia Johnson, Wendell Perry, and Malvin Williams for all their hard work in the organization of events for the past 12 months leading up to the 30-year finale.

Classmates were also encouraged to briefly spotlight their businesses. We concluded with a special candle lighting ceremony was performed for those classmates who are no longer with us.

Finally Sunday, which was the last day of special events. A family picnic was held Barker Park – classmates brought their spouses, children, grandchildren and nieces. More classmates attended the picnic than were unable to attend the other festivities - kites and a bounce house were provided for the children. There was also karaoke, but what is a bar-be-que without the Electric Slide and the Cupid Shuffle.

The menu consisted of ribs, chicken, greens, potato salad, chips, and candy; it was a wonderful day and a fantastic weekend. With the promise to get together more often we all agreed, “We are family.”

Members of the hardworking committee were Eddie Benn, Vanessia Bulger, Michael Bynum, Cheryll Daniels, Donnalla DeSue, Terry Hopkins, Felicia Johnson, Wendell Perry, Wilbert Riley, Jeanette Robinson, Joann Spradley and Willie Washington

January / February 2009

Front Row (L – R) Jeanette Robinson, Felicia Johnson; Second Row (L - R) Willie Washington, Dorothy Griffin, Donnalla DeSue,Terri Hopkins, Louwanza Hightower, Diane Dobson, Georgia McMinns-Crenshaw, Lorraine Benjamin, Malvin Williams, Donna Thomas, Yvonne DeBoise, Jennelle Parrish; Back Row (L - R) Wendell Perry, Wanda Johnson, Vanessa Henderson, Joe Bush, Dorothy Griffin, Ray Riley, Lester Wright, Renee Bryant, JoAnn Spradley, Clarence Spinks, Eddie Benn, Anthony Davis, Milton Spradley, Cheryll Seays-Daniels

January / February 2009

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Florida Scope

Bethune-Cookman University Receives Federal Grant to Outfit Robotics Lab: $223,000 Awarded through National Science Foundation Program Today, Bethune-Cookman University (B-CU) announced that is has been awarded a $223,000 grant by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to purchase robotics equipment for the institution’s Robotics and Embedded Systems Research Laboratory (RESRL). The grant was awarded through NSF’s Major Research Instrumentation program which helps colleges and universities purchase scientific equipment needed to conduct research and enhance student learning.

The funding will be used to purchase four sets of Pioneer 3-AT mobile robot systems and 10 AmigoBot mobile robots. Both types of robots are manufactured by MobileRobots Inc., a leading provider of intelligent mobile bases and autonomous navigation systems. The Pioneer 3-AT systems and AmigoBot are used for academic and research applications by institutions including Stanford University, the SRI Artificial Intelligence Center, and many Defense Department research grantees.

At B-CU, the mobile robots will be used in faculty and student research that focuses on developing new ways to program networked robotic equipment to adapt and perform in partially known, changing or unpredictable environments. B-CU researchers will apply innovative approaches that go beyond the fairly simple scenarios commonly involved in this field of research. The results of this research will have immediate real-world applications in industry for factory-floor automation, large scale sensor networks for environmental sampling, and search and information acquisition in hazardous environments.

In addition, the B-CU computer science & engineering department will use the networked robot systems for course study and research in the areas of sensor networks, microcontroller and wireless communication. Students from the environmental science and biology programs will have access to the equipment for study and research in the areas of environmental sampling. An estimated 40 engineering students, 47 computer science students and 35 environmental science and biology students will be involved in research that uses the mobile robot systems. The equipment will

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also be available to summer science programs at B-CU to help motivate young learners to pursue college studies in science, technology and math.

Overseeing the grant award and robotics research are three BCU faculty: Dr. Morrison Obeng, department chair, computer science & engineering; Dr. Jing Wang, assistant professor of computer science & engineering; and, Dr. Xiaohe Wu, assistant professor of computer science & engineering. Recent publications by these faculty members include: J. Wang, M. Obeng and X. Wu, “Adaptive NN stabilization of uncertain nonholonomic mechanical systems,” accepted by the 2nd International Symposium on Systems and Control in Aerospace and Astronautics, 10-12 December, 2008, Shenzhen, China.

J. Wang and M. Obeng, “A distributed recursive cooperative control systems for networked nonlinear systems with limited communications”, to be submitted to the IASTED International Conference on Intelligent Systems and Control (ISC 2008), Orlando, November 16 - 18, 2008.

X. Wu, M. Obeng, J. Wang and T. Yang, “Comparison Study of Three Types of Temperature Sensors Suitable for Embedded System Applications”, 2008 International Conference on High Performance Computing, Networking and Communication Systems (HPCNCS-08), Orlando, Florida, USA, July 2008.

Elizabeth Poston Strategic Communications Advisor Bethune-Cookman University

Dr. George Cooper Scheduled to Meet with Alumni and 23 Jones High School Students The president of South Carolina State University, Dr. George Cooper, is coming to Jones High school Tuesday, December 30, 2008 . His mission is to meet with the alumni to talk about the state of the University, and to meet with the 23 students (and their parents) from Jones High that have already been accepted to the University.

For further info please call the President Wardell Sims at 407 293 3350 or Ramona Manning 407 629 5089

January / February 2009

B-CU Names Dr. Castell Bryant to University Cabinet Position Experienced Administrator to Serve as Interim VP of Academic Affairs Bethune-Cookman University President Trudie Kibbe Reed announced that Dr. Castell V. Bryant has been appointed interim vice president of academic affairs for the university. The appointment became effective December 1.

Dr. Bryant brings more than 20 years of expertise in higher education to B-CU, including experience as campus president for several campuses of Miami-Dade College and as interim president of Florida A&M University (FAMU). She is a former member of the FAMU Board of Trustees and the Florida Board of Governors, a panel charged with governing Florida’s university system. Dr. Bryant received her undergraduate degrees from Florida A&M University and her doctorate in education from Nova Southeastern University.

“Dr. Bryant is an experienced administrator whose commitment to excellence in higher education is unparalleled,” commented President Trudie Kibbe Reed.

“She will be able to hit the ground running as we prepare for a series of important accreditation visits. On behalf of the entire BCU family, I want to welcome her to our campus.”

“I am honored to be joining the administration of Bethune-Cookman University,” noted Dr. Bryant. “This institution has such a rich legacy of academic excellence and community service. I look forward to working with Dr. Reed and the dedicated team of B-CU faculty and staff to ensure that the tradition continues for generations to come.”

President Reed also noted that Dr. Bryant played an important role making the

January / February 2009

Florida Classic a financial success for both B-CU and FAMU. Working together when Dr. Bryant was interim president of FAMU, she and Dr. Reed collaborated on a variety of fiscal accountability and budget measures. Last year, B-CU and FAMU each received $1.6 million from the annual football game and its related events. Prior to 2005, each institution was averaging less than $500,000 annually.

During her high school years in Jasper, Florida, Dr. Bryant was fortunate enough to have a teacher who was a graduate of Bethune-Cookman College. Field trips to the Bethune-Cookman campus were always on this teacher’s agenda, and part of this wonderful experience was the opportunity to personally meet with Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune. “It is an honor and privilege to work with someone who has personally been in the presence of and dialogued with our illustrious founder. Dr. Bryant’s leadership will help to further sustain and energize our founder’s legacy of faith, scholarship, and service,” noted President Reed.

Dr. Marilyn Sutton-Haywood recently resigned from the position of vice president of academic affairs for health reasons.

LBS Special Angels Golf Classic The 2nd Annual LBS Special Angels Golf Classic will be held on June 6, 2009.

We will have a great day of golf at the beautiful Country Club of Miami, in Miami Gardens, Florida. This tournament will benefit The LBS Special Angels, Inc., whose mission is to provide emotional and financial assistance for families with children who are Blind, Visually Impaired, or are challenged with any other Special Needs. We strive to educate families and communities-at-large through workshops, conventions, and seminars about the benefits and opportunities to promote normal lifestyles for all of these children. The LBS Special Angels, Inc. was founded by Leon Bain Stewart, a 15 year old blind boy who was born with bilateral retinoblastoma, cancer to the eyes. This disease left him totally

blind! At the age of six (6) weeks old, he had his eyes removed and replaced with prosthetic eyes for cosmetic purposes.

Leon has been listed as a young philanthropist by the Miami Herald Newspaper, since 2002. In spite of many challenges, Leon lives a life that is exceptionally normal.

Being blind has only encouraged him to use all of his other senses to his advantage. For example, he rides bikes, plays basketball and video games. In addition, he knows how to play the piano, the keyboard and drums.

He also sings with the N'VISION band.

These are but a few of his outstanding accomplishments. We are extremely proud and astonished by his determination and confidence.

Although Leon's primary residence is here in Miami Gardens; he is a ninth grader at the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind, in St. Augustine, Florida. There he is taught basic life living skills. Weekend visits at home are joyous occasions for Leon; as he looks forward to displaying his talents and sharing with other Special Needs Kids such as himself.

The Golf Tournament will include three (3) Flights: 1st Flight - Stroke Play; 2nd Flight – 2 Man Scramble; and, 3rd Flight - Novice Players. We will have a hearty lunch and awards reception following the golf tournament. Featured events for the day will include: $100.00 Putting Contest, $300.00 Dollars Shot for all Flight Winners, $500.00 Hole-in-One Contest, Longest Drive Contest, Closest to the Pin Contest, Sponsor Gifts, 52 Card Picks, Mulligans, Players Gifts, Prizes and Awards, Raffles, Volunteer Gifts, Super Tickets, Auction & Much More.

In order for us to continue this path of excellence, that provides inclusive opportunities for our Special Needs Kids, we need your help!! Every golfer, gift or donation will make a difference in all of these Special Needs Kids lives. Please help us carry on this worthwhile mission. Send your tax deductible donations to:

The LBS Special Angels, Inc. 2841 N.W. 171st Terrace Miami Gardens, Florida 33056 Phone: 786-274-9220 Theodore Hicks, Tournament Director

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Florida Scope

B-CU Staff Member Selected As Emerging Leader by National Organization Joyce Ellenwood, assistant director of academic advisement at Bethune-Cookman University (B-CU), has been named an “Emerging Leader” by the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA). She is one of ten honorees who make up the organization’s 2008-2010 Class of Emerging Leaders.

Other colleges and universities represented in the program include: the College of William & Mary, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Indiana University Bloomington, and University of Texas at Arlington.

As part of this prestigious program, Mrs. Ellenwood will work closely with a designated NACADA mentor to increase her involvement with the national organization as well as develop her overall leadership abilities and expertise in academic advisement.

“This is a tremendous honor for Mrs. Ellenwood. It is a validation of her hard work, dedication to academic excellence, and commitment to our students” noted Dr. Marilyn Sutton-Haywood, B-CU’s vice president of academic affairs. “It is also a great opportunity for Bethune-Cookman

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University. We will all benefit from the knowledge and resources she will be able to tap as a leader of this national group.”

“I am very excited about the opportunity that the Emerging Leaders Program offers my career and the wealth of knowledge it will bring to make B-CU a stand-out in terms of our academic advisement and the support we give our students,” said Mrs. Ellenwood.

At B-CU, Mrs. Ellenwood develops and implements programs that help students achieve academic success. She advises freshman students on their academic and career goals, helps them manage the transition to college in their first year, and teaches a Freshman Seminar. Earlier this year, she helped develop a new freshman mentoring program for students having difficulties with their studies. The first semester of the Freshman C.A.M.P. (Consortium Academic Mentoring Program) saw significant success improving academic outcomes for students.

Subsequently, she presented the program to the Florida Developmental Education Association and participated in a roundtable discussion about the program at the Florida Department of Education’s Connections Conference.

Mrs. Ellenwood has more than ten years experience in education motivating students to succeed. Prior to coming to BCU, she held positions at Rutgers University and the University of Tulsa. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and Psychology from Seton Hall University and a Master’s degree in Athletic Administration from James Madison University.B-CU Names Dr. Castell Bryant to University Cabinet Position, Experienced Administrator to Serve as Interim VP of Academic Affairs.

What Is Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival (TBBHF)?

January 15 - 24, 2009

TAMPA - The Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival (TBBHF) is a ten-day cultural event that features speakers, musicians, artists, poets and craftspeople locally and nationally. The festival begins the week-end before and ends the week-end after the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday to promote diversity and cultural sensitivity. Activities are geared towards children and adults. Each day of this ten-day experience provides all attendees with an opportunity to increase their awareness of African and African-American culture and history.

The festival has two main components: (1) Cultural Enrichment activities and (2) a 2-day Street Festival. The Cultural Enrichment Activities include: (a) A Living History -- this event is comprised of several media's, film, exhibit and person(s) who were directly involved in a historically significant event in the history of the United States (b) social empowerment speakers who have had experience on the world stage dealing with issues important to the African Diaspora and (c) events that highlight diversity in entertainment that include music, spoken word, art and more

January / February 2009

CONTINUED FROM PG 26

MARCHING 100 ROAD TO WASHINGTON TALLAHASSEE - Florida A&M University's Julian White received a phone call Friday evening during band rehearsal that he'll never forget.

A man told White, FAMU's director of bands and music chairman, that his 420member Marching 100 was selected to participate in President-elect Barack Obama's Inaugural Parade on January 20. White asked the man a quick question.

"Would you mind repeating that?"

White turned on the cell phone's speaker and put the phone close to a neighboring microphone. Then, the news was repeated to hundreds of band students.

"Pandemonium just broke out," White said.

Students began pulling out their own cell phones to tell friends and family, White said.

"Within 10 to 15 minutes, it was all over the United States," White said.

White couldn't help getting euphoric from the news. He went to his office to place a call to FAMU President James Ammons.

Ammons said, "This is definitely where we wanted to be. Of all the bands in this country to be selected . . . I think this reinforces that the 'Hundred' is truly America's band."

Student band president Ralph JeanPaul said, "Words can not express how we

January / February 2009

feel. We consider this to be a great privilege for the band to be a part of this historical event."

Congressman Allen Boyd, D-North Florida, also offered well wishes after hearing the news.

"It is a tremendous honor that President-elect Obama has chosen FAMU's Marching 100 to be a part of this historic occasion.. Performing in the Inaugural Parade will be something that these students will never forget, and I know that they will make FAMU and North Florida very proud," Boyd said by news release.

The Marching 100 also took part in the inauguration for President Clinton.

For this inauguration, White and other colleagues had to complete an extensive application. They sent a DVD of the band's marching performance as well as audio clips and a 50-page media kit with the band's accomplishments.

But that was just the first step. The band must raise $90,000-$100,000 to pay for three nights of lodging and travel expenses to and from Washington D.C., White said.

"We are really going to need the help of our supporters, the FAMU community, our alumni and the local community," White said.

the lives of her constituents. She is a member of the Mary L. Singleton Memorial Breakfast Committee, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and a Life Member of FAMU National Alumni Association.

Mia continues to serve as a member of the Board of Essential Capital (formerly JEDCO), the Healthy Start Coalition Advisory Board, the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce – Economic Inclusion Executive Committee, Neighborhood Lending Partners North Florida - Community Advisory Board, Social Compact – Community Advisory Board, the Children's Ministry at Bethel Baptist Institutional Church and she Chairs the Multicultural Tourism Committee of “Visit Jacksonville”.

Over the years she has served on the Executive Committee of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce as the Chairman for Area Councils (2002), as President for both the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce Northwest Area Council and the First Coast Business Alliance (FCBA) in 2001. Additionally, Mia holds or has held memberships in the Jacksonville Community Council, Inc. (JCCI), JCCI Forward, Leadership Jacksonville (Class of 2000).

During her tenure as President of the local FAMU Alumni Chapter (1994-1998), she led the organization in establishing a $100,000 endowed scholarship fund that is used to provide financial assistance to students from Jacksonville who have decided to attend FAMU. Mia Jones has received numerous awards and recognition for her service to the community, including the 2005 Clanzel T. Brown Award presented by Jacksonville Urban League, being named the U. S. Small Business Administration District Minority-Small Business Champion of the Year, National Association of Minority Contractors in Northeast Florida Advocate of the Year (2005) and Lady of the Year presented by the Bob Hayes Track & Field Committee (2005 & 2007), just to name a few.

Learn more about the campaign by visiting www.miajones.org or you may call (904) 563-4481 or email her at mlanesej@yahoo.com.

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THE HONOREES AND THE ONYX AWARDS COMMITTEE

HONOREES Business: Communication:

Charles Jackson Benjamin Cain Kimberly Kassis Community Service: Atty. Pearl C. Smith Education: Beecher Whisenant Performing Arts: LeRoy Darby Cultural Diversity: The Boeing Company United Space Alliance Public Service: Brevard Cty. Chapter of The Links Fifty Plus and Bridging Publishers’ Award: Dr. Joseph C. Phillips Lifetime Achievement: General Titus C. Hall (The honorees will compete in the Statewide Onyx Awards)

Charity Awards Banquet: Florida Council of Deliberation Ancient Accepted Scottish Rites Southern Jurisdiction PHA

Left: Joe Caldwell, Deputy of the Orient State of Florida & Panama Canal Zone

Orlando Regional Issues Conference: Florida Conference of Black Legislators

Rep. Priscilla Taylor, District 84 Palm Beach Matthew Carter, Chairman Florida Public Service Commission Joseph A. Gibbons, Florida Legislative Black Caucus Chairman

Mignon L. Clyburn, Chair South Carolina Public Service Commission

Senator Gary Siplin District 19 Orlando

Sen. Larcenia Bullard District 39 Miami

Rep. Charles Chestnut, District 23 Gainesville

January / February 2009

Rep Mia Jones, District 14, Jacksonville

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Ready, Set ... Goal

By Karyn Beach

The beginning of the year has become notorious for the dreaded New Year’s resolution. In fact, so many Americans are disillusioned with this ritual that the number of people making them has dwindled from 88% to less than 50%.

what kind of job you are looking for and where you will look, among other things.

Admittedly, there is a certain ease that comes from ‘going with the flow’ but if you go with the flow, you’ll end up wherever that flow takes you and more often than not, that’s not where you want to go.

The news isn’t much better for those who continue to engage in this tradition.

Statistics show that of those who still resolve to make changes, 75% stick it out for the first week. By the end of the first month that number decreases to 64%, and after 6 months, just 46% of people who set a goal for the New Year are still sticking with it.

Your plan should also include contingencies for when things go wrong because they will. You’ll cheat on your diet.

You’ll splurge on some big ticket item that wasn’t in your budget. You’ll smoke those cigarettes. These kinds of setbacks are part of the process. The real test is what you do afterwards. Do you give up or do you get up?

A Department of Labor study says that the top three reasons people don’t meet their goal are: procrastination (33%), lack of discipline (24%) and not having a game plan (19%).

In my teleseminar, Feelin’ Fine in 2009, I’ll be discussing some strategies that will dramatically increase the probability of you sticking to your goal and achieving it.

Stop Shoulding I maintain that one of the reasons people don’t accomplish their goals is because they don’t have goals that they are passionate about or motivated to accomplish.

They have the goals they think they should have.

Should goals are born out of what we think others want and expect from us.

You should stop renting and buy a house.

You should go back to school and finish your degree. You should stop smoking.

While those things might be nice, if you don’t really want it for yourself and for your own reasons, you should consider getting rid of that goal.

Should goals increase the likelihood that you will procrastinate. Should, have

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to and must are some of the most demotivating words in the English language.

“I have to go to the gym” “I shouldn’t take that smoke break.”

“I must stay away from the chocolate.”

Say those phrases out loud and you will actually feel the energy draining from your body as you say them. The goals that matter are the goals that you want and need to accomplish. These are the kinds of goals that will get you out of bed in the morning.

Fail to Plan and You’re Planning to Fail If you could accomplish your goal without thinking about it, if it were easy or simple, if your goal could be accomplished overnight or, better yet, in your sleep, you would have done it by now. Even goals you are passionate about need a plan for their achievement.

If your goal is to run a half marathon, then you will need to train and you’ll need a plan in order to make the most of that training. When to train? How to train?

How long to train? If your goal is to find a new job, you need a plan that describes

When you are planning your goal, have a few steps in place you can take when you make a mistake. If you have that big catered lunch at work, plan on having a light dinner or taking an extra walk in the evening. If you spend when you should have saved, find an area of your budget you can cut back on or just return the purchases.

Knowing beforehand how you will handle that setback can make it easier to get back on track when those inevitable potholes appear in your road.

It Takes a Team Success doesn’t happen in a vacuum.

So have a team in place that can support you as you pursue your goal. When you get discouraged, have a friend you can call. Get a workout buddy. Find a financial planner who can help you with your budget. Look for people who have the expertise you need or who can provide you with emotional support and encouragement as you seek your goal.

Make 2009 the year your dreams come true!

Karyn Beach is a life coach. To register for her Feelin’ Fine in 2009 teleseminar, visit her at www.losetheexcuses.com

January / February 2009