How could we spotlight President Obama, without spotlight Mrs. Michelle Obama? We couldn't! There has NEVER been a first lady of such poise, dignity, and intelligence in the White House. Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, our first lady graduated from Whitney Young High School as its salutatorian, was a member of the National Honor Society, graduated Cum Laude from Princeton University with a degree in Sociology and received her law degree from Harvard Law School. Mrs. Obama is a mother first, but is a leader in the truest sense of the word. Without her support and presence, it is doubtful that President Obama would be Mr. President. No other woman could have gotten him to where he is today.
Michelle Obama's tauted many victories over her career, as an attorney, a professor, and campaigner for her husband. However, her most recent victory over Ty Inc., the maker of Beanie Babies, hows the power a woman of color can have, and now wields. Ty Inc. began distributing dolls with the names of "Marvelous Malia" and "Sweet Sasha", which seemed to be modeled after Mrs. Obama's own two daughters. Although the company denied there was any correlation, the company has decided to rename the dolls after our first lady stated that it was "inappropriate" to have sold such dolls without the permission of the family.
I am looking forward to all of the positivity and insight Mrs. Obama brings with her to the White House.
Congratulations to all of my sorors, celebrating 89 years of FINER Womanhood!
So, here we are in 2009 and I must say that it has begun with a bang! My president's black. My SuperBowl XLIII Championship coach is Black... And, I am officially BLUE! That's right!!! Your girl is not only studying for a Masters degree in Public Policy and International Affairs; I am also officially a member of the finest sorority there is: Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, INCORPORATED! So, for all of my sorors and frat reading this, a big BLUE-PHIIII and much dove love to each and every one of you!
We're doing big things this year. So, for this month, I will do my very best to update the blog daily with spotlights on my favorite people of color who are doing big things, on the local, national, and international stage...
Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th president of the United States of America. Against unthinkable odds, our president rose from obscurity to create a legacy builty on integrity, morality, hard work, and intelligence. Never have we had a president like President Obama. It feels so good to say that. Color/ Race aside, because we cannot and should not deny his Caucasian ancestry, he is poised, polished, and personal. He carries himself like a man should, always keeping his faith and his family foremost. We haven't seen the likes of him in many years, and not even Bill Clinton can touch his swagger. Not even McCain, Bush, or even Hillary could stop his shine. President Obama is a force to be reckoned with. In his first two weeks in office, he has closed Guantanamo and pushed the stimulus bill through Congress. It also comes as know shocker that he was Time magazine's person of the year! His dedication is apparent. I am sure we are all looking forward to seeing his next steps to rebuild our country.
In Sports news...
Mike Tomlin is the youngest Superbowl winning coach, the 3rd African American coach to make it to the big game, the 1st African American head coach in Pittsburgh Steelers history, and the 2nd African American coach in NFL history to win the Superbowl.
Mr. Tomlin is a graduate of William and Mary College, where he was a 3 years starter wide reciever/ tight end and majored in Sociology. He's married with 3 children and is a fellow Greek, being a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated.
It's plain to see that Brown Diamonds are doing big things in 2009. What are you doing in your community? Do you know someone who deserves a little shine, a little bit of the spotlight? Send us a message or post a comment. Until next time...
"There is a Zeta in a girl regardless of race, creed, or color who has high standards or principles, a good scholarly average, and an active interest in all things…”
Yesterday, the world experienced the loss of Bernie Mac, one of the original kings of comedy. Today, we have been shocked to learn that Isaac Hayes, 65, was found dead next to his treadmill. Hayes was found by a family member, who was unable to resuscitate him. Two unnerving losses so close together really makes people think about their own mortality. Both pioneers in their respective fields will be sorely missed.
So, Tuesday was the 25th annual National Night Out Against Crime, where communities nationwide band together to combat crime. The assertion is that the in order to fight crime in the streets, you need to know your neighbors. You must know who, what, when, where, why, and how things are occurring in your community. Youth must interact in a positive forum with law enforcement officers, and the community at large must make efforts to provide meaningful exchange with law enforcement and lawmakers. The Paterson community was no exception.
I was fortunate enough to be able to commune with members of my church family and the community around the church. Operation CeaseFire worked collaboratively with New Christian Missionary Baptist Church, 16 Bridge St., Paterson, NJ, in order to provide a safe venue for children and adults to come outside of their homes and have an enjoyable evening. The block was restricted to traffic, the children played double-dutch and basketball, and hot dogs, burgers, and soda were free for all.
A trolley of politicians and police officers were shuttled in to make nice with the locals and take pictures before moving on to the next location in the city. Many of which seemed genuinely pleased to partake in the games and laughs. Rev. James Salmon Sr. was pleased with the turnout and felt that the night was an overall success.
Perhaps, if the city spent more time reaching out to the community, its members would not be so apprehensive and fearful to speak up and out against the violence and crime which runs rampant in this city, and others like it around the country...
So here I am back to the drawing board. It's been nearly two years since I last blogged. Life had caught up with me, and needless to say, I had to make some sacrifices.
But, now I'm back, with a degree under my belt and a new lease on life. So, today's blog is just a reintroduction of sorts...
Paris Hilton responded via video to a recent ad by John McCain's campaign in which his opponent, Barack Obama, is compared to Hilton and Britney Spears. The original ad asserts that Obama is merely a celebrity.
First, it is incredulous that McCain would even think to compare Mr. Obama to two young women, who both have major issues with drugs, alcohol, and the law. Paris Hilton having been jailed for a DUI (more than one, actually) and Spears having been in and out of rehab, several times. If McCain truly believes that Obama is nothing more than a mere celebrity, he could at least make a credible comparison. I have never seen Obama in a mugshot, nor have I seen him being carried in or out of a rehabilitation center.
Second, as Hilton's mother so eloquently stated in The Huffington Post:
"I've been asked again and again for my response to the now infamous McCain celebrity ad. I actually have three responses. It is a complete waste of the money John McCain's contributors have donated to his campaign. It is a complete waste of the country's time and attention at the very moment when millions of people are losing their homes and their jobs. And it is a completely frivolous way to choose the next President of the United States. "
I really couldn't have said it better myself. It is wasteful, frivolous, and irresponsible on McCain's behalf to allow such a tactless and tasteless ad to be plastered all over the internet for the world to see. It is bad enough that the entire world is laughing at the U.S. for all of the poor choices made by our current upside-down, book-reading president. If John McCain is serious about earning the presidential nomination and bringing about improvement in our country, he needs to first delve into the real issues of this country: the economy, the war, and returning this country to the great nation it has always been.
Finally, it is sad when Paris Hilton can deliver a "campaign ad" that is more creative and more relative to the issues than the actually candidate she's spoofing. Her spin on McCain's "Celebrity" ad was ten times more hilarious and 100 times more relevant than anything that has come out of the McCain camp. Whomever wrote Hilton's ad, because undoubtedly she could not have come up with such a wondrous ad, should be commended, because not only is it interesting, but it is also enlightening. Hilton highlights an important point, "Why can't we splice two mediocre ideas of two opposing candidates to create a solution which will benefit the constituents?" Are we too hung up on the battles that we are completely forgetting the war?
Tucker Bounds of McCain's camp had this response for TMZ.com:
"In the unkindest cut of all, McCain's spokesperson Tucker Bounds tells TMZ that on the subject of energy, Paris is deeper than Barack. He says, "Sounds like Paris is taking the 'All of the Above' energy approach that John McCain has advocated -- both alternatives and drilling. Perhaps the reality is that Paris has a more substantive energy plan than Barack Obama."
While I abhor Hilton normally, I applaud her for stepping into the fire, even if it is only for personal gain.
Ed Bradley, CBS news reporter, and 26 year veteran with "60 Minutes" succumbed yesterday to his battle with leukemia. Bradley received early notoriety for his earring, which was, and still is, highly unusual for a male journalist to wear on air. As an award-winning journalist, Bradley "broke racial barriers" to become one of the most acclaimed journalists on television, as well as in the history of CBS. He is known also for having the only exclusive interview with Oklahoma City bomber, Timothy McVeigh, as well as his coverage of many hard-hitting topics like the reopening of the Emmett Till Case. He was 65. Please keep his family in you prayes. And, you would be doing yourself a great disservice if you don't read the entire article at http://news.aol.com
It has been confirmed by BV Newswire that Gerald Levert has died of a massive heart attack. More news to come as it becomes available. Please keep his family in your prayers.
And, Alicia Keys and Iman hosted The Black Ball for the "Keep A Child Alive" benefit last night at the Hammerstein Ballroom in the NYC last night. I love to see celebrities giving back and trying to promote the youth. Iman is and will always be fabulous. A Keys is definitely on the come up in my book, because she seems to genuinely care about people and not just her fame. Keep it up.
Beyonce may be coming on board to play a lesbian role opposite Eva Longoria in the upcoming film adaptation of "Tipping the Velvet", a Victorian novel about sexual repression. When asked what she thought about the upcoming opportunity, she replied, ""We've had 'Brokeback Mountain' so the time is right for this divine novel to get the same treatment".
