UTS Spring 2014 Edition

Urban Trendsetters News Magazine More than a Magazine it’s a Lifestyle

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The 2014 Spring Shopper’s Special

Celebrating Minority Health Month Join the Urban Trendsetters Fit & Trendy Challenge with America’s Diet Free Life Coach Robert Ferguson, MS CN

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Publisher ’s Message “If I’d known I was going to live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself.

–Eubie Blake

Welcome to the 11th Annual Health and Wellness edition of Urban Trendsetters.

Once again this year we are the media sponsor for the African American Male Health Walk and people throughout the city are working out and gearing up for 5 mile walk for Wellness. Even though African Americans comprise a relatively small percentage of the population, as a minority group African Sharon S. Gordon, Founder / Americans often suffer a greater percentage Publisher of Urban Trendsetof incidence of many of the leading health ters News Magazine conditions in the United States. According to the National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities a division of the National Institutes of Health, the concept of health disparities is defined as differences in the occurrence, death rate, and burden of health conditions that exist among specific population groups in the United States.

What you can do now?

According to Healthy People 2014 (a series of documents which provide a guide for improving the health of our nation’s people) by following some of these recommendations, we as African Americans can significantly reduce the threat of some of these illnesses.

Healthy People 2014, is focused on two overarching goals: 1. Increasing Quality and Years of Healthy Life and Join Me for the Fit and Trendy Diet Free Life Challenge!

2. Eliminating Health Disparities. To measure the health of the United States over the next 10 years, a series of Leading Health Indicators have overall health of our nation has improved significantly, however there been developed reflect the major health concerns in the United States at are persistently higher rates of disease and death in African Americans as the beginning of the 21st century. The Leading Health Indicators were selected on the basis of their ability to motivate action, the availability of data well as other minority populations. to measure progress, and their importance as public health issues.

Some of the reasons why health disparities exist are lack of access to health care, poverty, discrimination and cultural barriers. Some examples of Some key health indicators include: health disparities include: • Physical Activity • Overweight and Obesity • Tobacco Use • Substance Abuse • Responsible Sexual Behavior • Injury and Violence • Access to healthcare These health indicators can be turned into action steps that will improve your health dramatically if you will consider: • Increasing Physical Activity • Reducing Overweight and Obesity • Eliminating Tobacco Use • Eliminating Substance Abuse • Engaging in Responsible Sexual Behavior • Reducing Injury and Violence  Seeking Access to healthcare

Infant Mortality, Heart Disease and Stroke, Cancer, Diabetes HIV/AIDS. Although the statistics are high regarding the state of African American health, there is still good news! Many of the conditions that impact the health of African Americans can be reduced today by making changes in our lifestyle.

Join Urban Trendsetters at the African American Health and Wellness walk on August 9th (for more information view the advertisement on page 11).

In addition, Urban Trendsetters will launch the UTS Fit Club at this years walk so stop by our booth and register. In the meantime log on to www.urbantrendsetters.com for more information on the UTS Fit Club and how you can take your own Healthcare Initiative into your own hands.

Here’s to your health, Dream Big and Often

The state of African American health today According to the National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities, over the last twenty years, the

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Team UTS

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IN THIS ISSUE

Publisher/CEO Sharon S. Gordon

Page 5: Women and Students of Color Disproportionately Raising Children While in College, See Lower Earnings after Graduation

Editor-at-Large Alicia (“A.C.”) Dunlap V.P. Sales & Marketing Lisa Freeman-Williamson Sales Leonette Robinson

Page 6: Microsoft Teams Up With Popular HBCU Web Site To Host VIP Reception For Black HR Professionals In The Maryland, D.C., Virginia Area

Contributing Writers Delois R. Wright Brenda Spencer Mykayla Bryant

Page 7: Why Network Marketing?

Production/Graphics Mayda Sanchez

Page 8: Reverend Jesse Jackson to be honored at the Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference

Online Ashley Corry

Page 9: Is President Obama Hurting (or Helping) Black Businesses?

Distribution Cobre’ Gordon UTS Grind & Go Street Team Copyright Urban Trendsetters is published monthly and distributed the first Thursday of every month as a complementary publication by Myshbre’ Media and Communication, LLC,5773 Emporium Square, Columbus, OH 43219. Publisher reserves the right to edit, reject or cancel any advertisement or editorial

Page 10: You Call That News?!

Page 12: The Urban Trendsetters Fit & Trendy Diet Free Life Challenge Urban Trendsetters Distribution Location

GET YOUR Free Business Listing Premium Directory Launch Specials Available Including,,,,, ADDITIONAL PHOTOS / VIDEOS / AUDIO COUPONS / DIGITAL / PRINT & MORE What is the BEE Business Directory?

The BEE (Black Economic Empowerment) Business Directory is a community resource for locating African Americans in business and to communicate additional businesses, resources and services available to build and enhance opportunities in the community. Our first edition of The BEE (Black Economic Empowerment) Business Directory will launch in Central Ohio. The BEE Business Directory will be published in print and online.

The printed version will be available for distribution September 2014. Our goal is to register over 500 businesses by submission date August 1, 2014. Join Us!

GET LISTED ONLINE TODAY! WWW.URBANTRENDSETTER.COM

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Franklin County Libraries Montgomery County Libraries City of Columbus Columbus Urban League Local Restaurants and Venues Selected Walgreens Columbus Area Kroger Stores Columbus Health Department COMBA Community Non-Profit Organizations Increase CDC Beauty and Barber Shops SBA - Columbus Office SBDC at Columbus State King Arts Complex Columbus Chamber of Commerce The Columbus Settlement Houses ECDI

Would You Like Urban Trendsetters in Your Business Location?

Call Us Today 614-526-8871 Visit Our Website for Our Full List of Distribution Locations www.urbantrendsetters.com

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COMMUNITY Women and Students of Color Disproportionately Raising Children While in College, See Lower Earnings after Graduation

WASHINGTON, -- A new Institute for Women's Policy Research (IWPR) report finds that 4.8 million college students in 2012 had their own dependent children, representing more than one in four (26 percent) of all college students, up from 23 percent in 2008. The report was released today in conjunction with "Lumina Ideas Summit: New Models of Student Financial Support."

The report also finds that women—who are 71 percent of all student parents—are disproportionately likely to be balancing college and parenthood, many without the support of a spouse or partner. Women college students of color are more likely than other college students to have dependent children: nearly half (47 percent) of African American women students, 39.4 percent of Native American women students, and 31.6 percent of Latina students are mothers. Being a student parent is associated with higher levels of unmet financial need, low levels of college completion, and higher levels of debt upon graduation.

Black workers must have a bachelor's degree for their median earnings to equal those of a white worker with an associate's degree, and a master's degree to equal those of white and Asian bachelor's degree holders.

Women with bachelor's degrees earn only 73% of what comparable men earn, and black and Hispanic workers overall with bachelors' degrees earn only 80% of what comparable white workers earn.

Women are much less likely to major in STEM fields: Engineering technologies and computer IT sciences are among the five most common associates' degree majors for men but not for women.

Barbara Gault, IWPR Vice President and Executive Director comments, "To make college more affordaWomen and many communities of color face lower ble, increase completion rates, and improve the outearnings than men, and than white and Asian graduates. Segregation in majors may play a role in differen- comes of college for low-income adults, we must consider new approaches, like expanding child care suptial earnings after graduation. ports for those raising children, and addressing sex and race segregation in college majors."

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EDUCATION Microsoft Teams Up With Popular HBCU Web Site To Host VIP Reception For Black HR Professionals In The Maryland, D.C., Virginia Area Alexandria, VA — HBCUConnect.com, in partnership with Microsoft, recently held a successful diversity recruitment and networking event for Black HR professionals in the Washington D.C. area.

Attended by over 65 guests, including leadership from Microsoft, HBCUConnect.com and National Association of African Americans in Human Resources Will Moss (2nd from left), founder of (NAAAHR), the event allowed attendees HBCUConnect.com, poses with memto make new connections with area colbers from the HBCU Connect/ Mileagues as well as network with Microsoft crosoft team personnel in order to discuss potential the diversity scorecard data we track to career opportunities. measure our progress. It is as much about our attitude and behaviors as leaders and “Microsoft is well-known as a supporter having a sense of empathy for the differof diversity in the workplace,” explains ent experiences that people go through.

Will Moss, founder and CEO of The ability to effectively engage and HBCUConnect.com. “Their opinion is that more diversity leads to more impres- work with others who are different from us is not necessarily an innate skill; it sive innovation and better ideas, two concepts that are especially important in the must be learned.” software and high-tech industries.”

The event was conceptualized, managed and hosted by HBCUConnect.com in The event included a presentation from partnership with Microsoft’s Corporate Gwen Houston, General Manager, DiverHR Staffing team. This is the second sity & Inclusion, whose statement on the event that HBCUConnect.com has exeMicrosoft website states, “Building an cuted with Microsoft; the previous event, inclusive organization is not just about held in 2013, focused on recruiting black

software engineers, a field traditionally dominated by younger Caucasian males.

HBCUConnect.com is planning another event for Microsoft toward the end of May, as well as a career fair in collaboration with the Atlanta Greek Picnic weekend in June 2014.

Microsoft, founded in 1975, is considered a world leader in office productivity software. The company’s workforce recently saw an increase in minorities from 36 percent in 2012 to 38 percent in the 2013 fiscal year.

HBCUConnect.com was established to help students and graduates of Historically Black Colleges and University better connect with each other and with scholarships, internship and career opportunities.

Companies interested in executing similar events targeting African American professionals should contact Daniel Moss at dmoss@hbcuconnect.com.

HR professionals should visit www.hbcuconnect.com/microsoft/hr for more opportunities.

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Why Network Marketing? build a downline of other independent marketers below you. As a result, you stand to gain by earning a percentage of their combined sales.\ Give it some thought. As a traditional marketer, you may be quite happy with the handful of existing customers you already have. But imagine the potential of having a downline of, say, a hundred people who also make some sales and you’re earning a percentage of all those sales!! By having a downline Put simply, Network Marketing is working under you, you can effecjust a way for businesses to distrib- tively multiply the time you put into your work. Imagine having a downute their products. If you have line of 1,000 people each putting in been looking for ways to earn a good residual income from home, only an hour a day five days a week.

In one month 20,000 hours of work then network marketing may be would be done. It would take one the right choice for you. Right person alone 10 years to produce the now, when you are reading this, there are vast opportunities build- same amount of work. ing up in network marketing programs. So this is just the right time So it IS possible, to make huge for you to pitch in and start build- amounts of monthly incomes from network marketing. It isn’t all hype. ing your business.

All you need is some hard work and In network marketing, the work you basic intelligence, as in any other put in today will provide a residual job. So why not try and make this income for you and your family for work? After all, you won’t have to years to come. do the 9 to 5 grind five days a week.

You’ll have more time for your famiThe distribution process, used in tra- ly and yourself. Don’t you find that ditional marketing, moves a product wonderful? from the manufacturer to the warehouse to the wholesaler to the retailer to the end customer. On the other hand, network marketing companies use a network of independent marketers to move the product directly from the manufacturer to the end customer.

As one of these independent marketers, you earn a percentage of the profit on all sales you make. Of course, it’s quite possible for you to earn a good income by selling the product directly to the customer, but the real punch in network marketing lies in the power it gives you to build a downline. You have the freedom to 7

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Business REV JESSE JACKSON TO BE HONORED AT THE BLACK ENTERPRISE ENTREPRENEURS CONFERENCE IN COLUMBUS, OH MAY 14-17 The 2014 Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo boasts highpowered sessions on critical business topics such as Winning Corporate Clients, Finding Angel Investors, Social Media Marketing, Franchising, Doing Business in Africa, Business Coaching, Generating Cash for your Start-up, Using Mobile Marketing, Using Search Engine Optimization to Sell Your Goods and How to do Business with the Government.

Confirmed speakers include:

Don Jackson

Reverend Jessie Jackson

Don Jackson, Chairman and CEO Central City Production will be presented with the Trailblazer Award at the 2014 Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo

T. D. Jakes, CEO, T.D. Jakes Enterprises Rev. Jesse Jackson, Founder Rainbow/PUSH Valerie Daniels Carter, Co- Founder, President & CEO, V&J Holdings Rodney Sampson, author of Kingonomics Amanda Miller Littlejohn, Personal Brand Strategist, AML Consulting Necole Parker, CEO Elocen Group Paul Judge, CEO, Judge Ventures, Co-founder Opportunity Ventures Michael Stone, Founder & Executive Director, Professional Athlete Franchise Initiative Edgar Smith, Founder, Chairman & CEO, World Pac Paper Rumia Burbank, President, VMS365 Frantz Tiffeau, Director, Supplier Diversity, Nationwide Insurance Lisa Ascolese, President, Inventing A to Z Miriam Brewer, Director of Education & Diversity, International Franchise Association Kevin Hicks, Partner, Blackman & Associates Douglas Guy, Peer Africa Karl Turner, Founder ALC Foods Candace Shiver, MBDA Julia Wilson, CEO of Wilson Global Communications Felicia Hatcher, Owner, Feverish Gourmet Popsicles Arsha Jones, Proprietor, Capital City LLC( Capital City Mumbo Sauce)  Ulysses Bridgeman, Jr., Manna Inc.,  Eugene Cornelius, Deputy Associate Administrator, Field Operations, SBA For the aspiring entrepreneur, The Small Business Success™ Bootcamp offers practical advice on how to take your business to the next level. Plus, the Black Enterprise Elevator Pitch Competition will award $10,000 for the best new business idea. The producers of the ABC reality series Shark Tank will also be holding open casting during the Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo in their search to discover the next successful enterprise.

The 2014 Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo hosted by Nationwide Insurance is presented by General Motors and Walmart. Platinum sponsors include FedEx and JP Morgan Chase. Corporate Sponsors include Hilton Worldwide and Huntington Bank. Official Partners includes, PR Newswire, The Firm Development and Urban Trendsetters.

(New York, NY) — Join the Small Business Revolution as BLACK ENTERPRISE holds its 2014 Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo hosted by Nationwide Insurance on Wednesday, May 14 through Saturday, May 17, at the Hyatt Regency Columbus in Columbus, Ohio, with a powerhouse line-up of some of the nation's most accomplished and celebrated entrepreneurs.

An annual highlight of the conference is the presentation of the nation’s top awards for African American business achievement and community involvement. The B.E. Community Empowerment Award which recognizes outstanding achievement of an individual dedicated to the economic empowerment of communities, as a champion of entrepreneurship and business growth, employment opportunities and wealth creation for African Americans, will be presented to civil rights activist and founder of Rainbow/PUSH, Reverend Jesse Jackson at the BE 100s Dinner on Friday, May 16, at the Hyatt Regency Columbus.

Reverend Jackson has been called the "Conscience of the Nation" and "the Great Unifier," challenging America to be inclusive and to establish just and humane priorities for the benefit of all. He is known for bringing people together on common ground across lines of race, culture, class, gender and belief. Reverend Jackson began his activism as a student in the summer of 1960 seeking to desegregate the local public library in Greenville and then as a leader in the sit-in movement. He was soon appointed by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to direct the Operation Breadbasket program. In December of 1971, Reverend Jackson founded Operation PUSH (People United to Serve Humanity) in Chicago, IL. The goals of Operation PUSH were economic empowerment and expanding educational, business and employment opportunities for the disadvantaged and people of color.

Rev. Jackson established the Rainbow PUSH Wall Street Project in 1996, an outFor updates, follow BLACK ENTERPRISE Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo growth of a social justice movement working to secure both equal opportunity and page on Facebook and search the #BEEC2014 hash tag on Twitter. protection under the law for all Americans. Rainbow PUSH Coalition is also championing the need to open up a new era of growth and inclusion of African Americans and people of color in Silicon Valley’s technology industry.

The Black Enterprise Trailblazer Award which will also be awarded at the BE 100s Celebration and Awards Dinner, will be presented to Don Jackson, Chairman and CEO, Central City Production, Inc. Mr. Jackson will be recognized for his pioneering and sustained achievement in business with broad and positive impact on both his industry as well as the community at large. Central City Production produces the Stella Awards annually and works in partnership with Black Enterprise for the production of the Black Enterprise Business Report and Our World with Black Enterprise which are nationally syndicated.

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Business

Is President Obama Hurting (or Helping) Black Businesses?

Harry Alford, founder and CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce

Alford's concern about black businesses Alford uses terms such as "parity" and "inequality gap" in voicing his concerns that there needs to be more progress among black business owners. Currently, about 7.3 percent of all small businesses are owned by African Americans.

Alford looks at this as a good start but certainly not where they need to be. The number of firms owned by blacks and revenue produced by black business owners should be considerably higher in order to place them on equal footing with mainstream American business owners.

So, what does this have to do with the Obama administration?

Specific industries such as engineering, IT, and construction management are underrepresented by blacks. Alford particularly focuses in on the construction industry and points out that Obama is a strong supporter of construction unions. The problem is that construction unions are not strong supporters of small businesses, particularly those owned by minorities, including blacks, Hispanics and women.

In addition, there are fewer Small Business Administration (SBA) backed loans for blacks, and much less federal contract work for blacks. Alford wants to see more African American entrepreneurship, more job creation in black communities and more support for black business owners.

What do you think? Is he right?

Harry Alford, founder and CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce, has positive comments regarding the growth of black businesses For more details about Harry Alford and/or the National Black and is quick to point out that a 60 percent growth rate for black business Chamber of Commerce, visit: between 2007-2007 is good. www.nationalbcc.org But, why does Mr. Alford say that the Obama administration is "not good for business and especially black business?�

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Business

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You Call That News?!

A recent Wall Street Journal (WSJ) business report detailed the inability of Black-owned businesses to be approved for SBA-backed loans made through America's most prolific small business lenders. And while it was satisfying - in a weird kind of way - to have confirmed what Black business owners have known for years, it was however something of a gut punch to learn just how bad the situation has become.

By Ron Busby President, US Black Chamber, Inc.

As you might imagine, there are several reasons this latest report is so disturbing: the economy overall is "rebounding" - at least according to the WSJ report of March 14; as a function of the rebound, SBA lending spiked to $30.29 BILLION in the most recent fiscal year; that Black-owned businesses were approved for 2.3% (1,242!) of the 54,000 SBA-backed loans last year pales in significance only to the further horror that those loans represented a p-a-l-t-r-y ONE POINT SEVEN PERCENT of the dollar value of those loans - $325 million.

(L to R: Ron Busby, President/CEO, USBC; Marion Burns, Chairman, Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce (BCBCC), Beaufort Mayor Billy Keyserling, Larry Holman, President, BCBCC)

of business, or it's bought by another, bigger bank. Unfortunately, it So get this straight: While the economy is (relatively) booming and the seems some banks would rather face the prospect of insolvency or takenumber of Black-owned businesses is skyrocketing (now about 7% of over than lend money to a Black-owned business! the total number of US businesses), federally backed loans to support the growth and development of these businesses is not just One bright spot that we are working furiously to replicate is the success shrinking, it's practically disappearing. Shameful is one way to put it... ...a challenge worthy of a solution is the way we see it! Since the market crisis that saw the average credit score of Black borrowers plummet, and the average size of business loans surpass a million dollars, we also saw: Congress enact the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank), USBC forge a relationship with the National Bankers Association that resulted in $5 million being deposited into Black -owned financial institutions, and - most recently - Maria ContrerasSweet confirmed as the new Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration.

We believe that Administrator Contreras-Sweet - who founded ProAmerica Bank in Los Angeles - "gets it." Our conversations with her lead us to believe that the shrinking numbers of loans to African American businesses troubles her, too, and that she will immediately go to work to make improvements. During her recent confirmation speech, Administrator Contreras-Sweet declared that one of her top priorities would be to ensure that sufficient funding would be granted to the hardworking minority businesses that need it the most. We support utilizing innovative, non-traditional avenues of lending money to minority firms to guarantee success. Continuing the same-old strategies of asking banks to lend to Black firms and expecting a different outcome is insanity!

Among our recommendations to her is enforcement of Section 342 of the Dodd-Frank Act. This piece of the Wall Street Reform Act authored by California Congresswoman Maxine Waters - contains little used (and more rarely enforced) provisions governing the activities of financial institutions AND the federal agencies that oversee their operations. If enforced, Section 342 would fit the description "Community Reinvestment Act On Steroids." In a nutshell, if a bank's hiring practices, procurement policies and lending performance don't demonstrate their commitment to a level playing field, (at least on paper) that bank can't - or shouldn't be allowed to -- borrow money from the Federal Reserve.

L to R: Sach Takayasu, President, Asian/Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce & Entrepreneurship (ACE), SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet, Ron Busby, President, U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. (USBC), Javier Palomarez, President, U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC))

of the

USBC member chamber in Beaufort, SC. Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce (BCBCC) President, Larry Holman, and his team underwent the rigorous training to become a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and have actually begun to make loans to business owners. We believe there is a near term opportunity to capitalize on the South Carolina CDFI success story and improve access to capital for Black owned businesses. Who knows?

Maybe the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. will solve the riddle of access to capital for Black businesses!

If a bank can't borrow money cheaply, it can't lend money at a profit. If a bank doesn't make a profit it's either declared insolvent and goes out

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Fit N Trendy African American Health Alliance: No Penalty If You Finish Signing Up for Coverage by April 15th Go to Healthcare.gov and log in to your online Marketplace application. You can simply pick up where you left off to complete the enrollment process. In order to finish enrolling, you'll have to confirm a statement that you tried to enroll before March 31 but were unable to complete your application.

1. Contact the Marketplace Call Center. Be sure to tell the customer service representative that you tried to enroll before March 31. They can help you finish enrolling by phone. Call 1-800-318-2596 (TTY: 1-855-889-4325). The lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If you enroll by April 15, your coverage will begin May 1, and you won't need to pay the individual responsibility payment (commonly referred to as "the penalty") for the months of 2014 that you didn't have health coverage.

If you started your application for healthcare coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) but didn't finish before the March 31st deadline, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will give you until April 15, 2014, to complete your application.

According to HHS, you can still sign up if you tried to enroll but did not make the deadline because:  You couldn't start or continue your application because you couldn't get through to HealthCare.gov or the Marketplace Call Center;  You encountered maintenance periods that kept you from using the Healthcare.gov site;  You were blocked by Healthcare.gov error screens or similar technical issues;  You were unable to get an appointment with a Navigator or other application assister before the March 31 deadline--or you were working with an assister but didn't finish enrolling in time; or  You sent in an application by mail and didn't get an eligibility result before the deadline.

If you fall in one of those categories, HHS is offering you two ways to complete your application:

Fredette West, Director of the African American Health Alliance, remarked, "If you are confused or get stuck, call the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596 for help. Just don't let time run out on you. Your health is the most valuable thing you own–and, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, you can protect it."

West added, "The ACA provides access to much-needed, high quality, affordable healthcare coverage. Given the volume of pressure on the system since open enrollment began, we commend the wisdom of the Obama Administration in giving those who need extra time a chance to finish signing up." West added, "If you are seeking coverage this year, remember to act quickly as April 15th is approaching quickly."

To finish applying for coverage, go to Healthcare.gov or call the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596. Enrollment assistance is available 24 hours a day in 150 languages.

For information on the African American Health Alliance, visit www.africanamericanhealthalliance.org; email: healthalliance@comcast; or phone: 301576-0845

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THE FIT & TRENDY DIET FREE LIFE CHALLENGE An Interview with Robert Ferguson 1: How did you get started in the diet and nutrition industry?

Robert Ferguson: I’ve always had an interest in nutrition and weight loss, because I grew up watching my mother go from one diet to another. Then, in 1995 I was asked to present a weight loss seminar to a group of women and afterward they made it quite clear that it was the best weight loss talk they had ever heard. It was at this time that I decided to get educated on nutrition and fitness so I would be able to provide detailed recommendations that would contribute toward helping others optimize their situation.

2: What is the basic strategy of the Diet Free Life and how does it differ from other diet programs? Why is this difference so significant?

Robert Ferguson: Diet Free Life is about meeting you where you are and showing you how to eat real food (your favorite foods), lose all the weight you want and never fall prey to conventional dieting again. There are two key unique aspects of the Diet Free Life System. First, when I say meet a person where they are, that includes their financial situation, cultural desires, convenience and taste preferences. Secondly, with the Diet Free Life System you learn why we gain weight so you can reverse it. Frankly put, the primary reason people gain weight is how they consume carbohydrates. And, we are all different. Some people can eat a lot of carbs and not gain an ounce and others seem to put on weight by merely looking at carbs. The Diet Free Life System shows you how to customize how you eat carbs to your unique metabolism. Once you know this number (carb threshold), you can then lose all the weight you want, and begin increasing your carb threshold so you can eat more of your favorite foods without gaining weight.

3: What is the difference between the Food Lover's Diet and The Diet Free Life Program?

Robert Ferguson, Author and Founder of ‘Diet Free Life’

Robert Ferguson: The Food Lovers program has my methodology, which I co-developed with Provida Life Sciences. Food Lovers like the books I

By Sharon S. Gordon wrote prior to rolling this program out is a good program, but it’s a blanket In celebration of Minority Health Month, Urban Trendsetters is proud approach. The Diet Free Life System is the most unique weight loss method to announce our partnership with Robert Ferguson, MS, CN. Robert is available because it helps you identify your carb threshold (the amount of the Founder and CEO of Diet Free Life and board member on the presi- carbs you can eat without gaining weight). Let’s face it, it’s not eating too dential taskforce on obesity for the National Medical Association. Rob- much protein or fat that is causing us to gain weight. It’s carbs. We all have a unique DNA and fingerprint. Well, we have a unique metabolism that reert pioneered the ‘eat to lose’ concept and is once again redefining sponds to carbohydrates differently. The Diet Free Life System helps you weight loss with his NEW CARB STEPPING TECHNIQUE. He’s unlock the gateway to being able to personalize how your body burns off helped over a half-million people lose weight eating real food (their faunwanted body fat. vorite foods).

As an entrepreneur, entertainer, motivational speaker, author, certified nutritionist and fitness expert, Robert has worked with a myriad of Fortune 500 companies, celebrities to include LaToya Jackson, Ricki Lake, Toni Braxton, Julie Roberts, Bobby Bonilla, Fernando Vargas, Mariel Hemmingway, Chaka Chan, Boris Kodjoe, Nicole Ari Parker, Chuy Bravo, Lynn Whitfield and the lead nutrition consultant for the soap opera Days Of Our Lives book “Better Living”.

In an interview with Ferguson we discussed the ‘Diet Free Life’ revolution and more.

4: What does meeting people where they are mean?

Here’s the deal: some people can afford to grocery shop at WholeFoods, and others are faced with discounted stores. Meeting a person where they are includes economically. Whether you’re rich or experiencing poverty, the Diet Free Life System works no matter what you’re budget. All the same, meeting a person where they are takes into consideration cultural dishes. Instead of saying no to fried food, I show people how to eat it and still lose weight.

Again, meeting a person where they are means exactly that – meeting you where you are.

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THE FIT & TRENDY DIET FREE LIFE CHALLENGE 7: Explain the Diet Free Life Challenge?

We have a community website where we have a variety of challenges that includes the weight loss challenge, diabetic challenge, cholesterol challenge and Xtreme Body Challenge to name a few. Simply put, you choose the challenge that is going to provide you with the change you want. People love the idea of participating in a challenge and our Diet Free Life Challenges are result-focused and empowering mentally.

8: What does living diet free mean?

Diet Free is a way of thinking. In short, you either have a diet mentality or a diet free mentality. The goal is to break free of the diet mentality so that food can be the celebration of life. The opposite of a diet mentality is one where you can’t eat that, must eat this and faced with a dozen rules about food. I’ve never met a person who said they want to live life on a diet. Diet free embodies the freedom of choice and an expression of life.

5: Why do traditional diets fail?

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “If you learn only methods you will be tied to your methods, but if you learn principles you can devise your own methods.” There are many methods for losing weight. You can count calories, eat pre-packed food and avoid certain food groups to name a few. But what happens when you stop counting calories or no longer eat the prepackaged food? You gain all the weight back. Diets are about deprivation, restriction and feelings of dejection. With the Diet Free Life System you learn principles so you can make the most of the food you have in front of you. Whether it’s fast food, casual or fine dining, organic or not, when you have the principles you make fat burning meals with whatever foods you have access to.

Register for the chance to win the book Diet-Free for Life Book by Robert Ferguson.

Features Include; Recipes Exercise Tips & More!

Register TODAY!

9: You are currently working with and have worked with many celebs who are they?

6: Is there an exercise component to the proI have worked with Ricki Lake, La Toya Jackson, Chaka Khan, Toni Braxgram? ton to name a few. I’ve also worked with Bobby Bonnilla, Fernando Vargas, I recommend fitness, Reggie Theus and many other elite athletes. Some of my newer clients inbut I begin with food. clude David and Tamela Mann, Kim Burrell and Brely Evans. I recently And the same as food, worked with the soap opera Days Of Our Lives as the lead nutrition consultwhen it comes to fitness ant for their new book Better Living.

I meet people where they are. Some of us 10: What is next on the horizon for Robert Ferguson? haven’t exercised in years and others are I have a lot on my plate right now. I am working with churches in offering a regulars at working out. nutrition and wellness program to their members. I am working on a few In addition to providing television projects that I can’t speak freely about just yet. I have a new infoexercise education, I mercial on television. You can learn more about the infomercial and my Diprovide an 8 week anytime, anywhere fitness plan for all levels of fitness as et Free Life System at www.TryDietFreeLife.com . And you can get your well as provide two workouts on one DVD to make becoming more active church involved with my program by going to www.DFLuniversity.com . easier.

To Join the UTS Fit N Trendy Diet Free Life Challenge log onto click the Diet Free Life Banner on the Urban Trendsetters Website for your 30 Day Free Opportunity.

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CROSSING CULTURES TRAVEL AND TOURS Vision Statement Crossing Cultures Travel and Tours’ vision is to be the most creative gateway to the African Diaspora for all.

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Great Mother’s Day Gift Baskets Sweet Smelling Savour’s Shea Balm A Hydrating Blend of Refined Shea Butter (Naturally Fortified with Vitamins A & E), Soy, Grape Seed Oil & Fragrance. This Balm is Great as a Daily Total Body Moisturizer. It Softens Cracked Heels & Smoothes Rough Elbows. It Fades Blemishes. It provides All Day Moister with an Irresistible Sheen. It’s a Great Pretreatment to Aid in Tanning. Finally, No Need for Perfume/Cologne.

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