Spotlights...

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.

Black History Month-2009

Brown Diamond Spotlight

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…”

~ Most Honorable Viola Tyler (Goings)

Founder of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated

Breaking News: Isaac Hayes Found Dead

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.

Tuesday's National Night

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...

Some additional photos below...

Back to the Blog-O-Sphere!

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...

SO PARIS HILTON IS READY TO LEAD?

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

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.

Please keep positivity going and negativity dead.

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".

Source: All Headline News



That's all for now... Sorry, I've been gone for so long, but I'm working on it. You guys know how that can be. Until next time... TTFN!

Will Demps

Will Demps... football player... at Janet Jackson's album release party... Just because I love Will Demps...

Karamo settles down...

Karamo of the Real World Philadephia on MTV has "settled down". But, wasn't he the one who had serious issues with interracial dating? Well, nonetheless, more power to both of them. I wish them the best.

It's a girl... 2 of them.

Sean "Diddy" Combs and, long time on/off girlfriend, Kim Porter are expecting twin girls. In an interview in the upcoming Nov. issue of Vibe, Diddy talks about the pregnancy, marriage, and God. Get the story here.

Congratulations goes out to Diddy and Ms. Porter.

Keep them in your prayers.

A rapper's wife gave birth Thursday, but the scene quickly turned to tragedy after their newborn girl was pronounced dead.

Rev Run, a.k.a. Joseph Simmons, shocked fans last year when he announced that his wife Justine was pregnant on his MTV reality show "Run's House."

Justine's pregnancy was the cliffhanger on the MTV show last season. It generated intense interest among viewers who have been anxiously following the pregnancy and awaiting the birth.

Simmons, a member of the legendary rap group Run DMC, was at Valley Hospital in Ridgewood New Jersey Tuesday for the birth of his child. Doctors delivered the baby via c-section, revealing a cruel twist of fate -- the baby girl was born with organs outside the body. The newborn died a short time later.

TMZ has learned that MTV cameras were inside the hospital at the time of the birth, though we do not know if they were in the delivery room.

Source: www.tmz.com

Protect your Children

A five year old girl is brain dead after a three day coma, caused by what was thought to be a routine dental operation to cap some of her teeth and some fillings. Diamond Brownridge, a kindergarten student, has been in a coma since she lost consciousness and stopped breathing for possibly an hour or more on Saturday while receiving three different types of sedatives from Dr. Hircham K. Riba of Little Angel Dental Office in the Little Village section of Chicago. Dr. Riba is a licensed specialist in dentistry, has a dentist controlled-substance license, and has a dental-sedation permit. He's also been a dentist in IL since 1997 and has had no disciplinary actions against in that time. Diamond's mother, Ommetress Travis, did not stay in the room with her while she was receiving the procedure and says that she did not receive any information about the possible risks. It has been reported that she is in fact brain dead, many of her organs are not working, and she's on life support, listed in critical condition. It is expected that the family will make a decision on whether they will keep her on life support. Right now, they are simply praying for a miracle.

Get the story at the Chicago Sun Times .

*** Please for all of the parents out there. Insist on being in the room at all times with your child for procedures like these. Not all doctors are stand up people. Who knows what these people could be doing to your child while you are out of the room. ASK QUESTIONS! If you are uncomfortable with something, do your own research first. Get a second opinion. But, please be informed and be present. ~ Future

Women's Rights Activist, Safia Ama Jan, a provincial director for Afghanistan's Ministry of Women's Affairs, was slain outside her home in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar on Monday, said Tawfiq ul-Ulhakim Parant, senior adviser to the women's ministry in Kabul. Ama Jan, a teacher for more than three decades, was known for being an active proponent of women's rights in the former Taliban stronghold. Ama Jan also ran an underground school for girls during the Taliban's rule. Mullah Sadullah, a regional Taliban commander, claimed responsibility for the killing in a telephone call to The Associated Press. Although, it was impossible to verify the claim.

Get the rest of the story at AOL News.

"Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice challenged former President Clinton's claim that he did more than many of his conservative critics to pursue Osama bin Laden, and she accused President Bush's predecessor of leaving no comprehensive plan to fight al-Qaida. 'What we did in the eight months was at least as aggressive as what the Clinton administration did in the preceding years,' Rice said Monday during a meeting with editors and reporters at the New York Post. " Get the rest of the story here.

I happen to think both of these two are great and have done much for the advancement of minorities and women. However, I am inclined to side with Mr. Clinton just because Ms. Rice supports President Bush. We all have a job to do, but we all have to also hold ourselves up to a certain set of moral and ethics. We aren't perfect and need to get to a certain status to be able to make a difference... I suppose. But, dang... How much more is it going to take for her to bail out on him... ~ Future

Here she is folks, our own little "out and proud" lesbian. You knew we had to have at least one on the show. Although, I suspect at least one other person on the show to be still closeted. "Hey twin girl!" <:: waves::> LOL.

On a serious note, Megan Morris is a bartender from San Francisco. She has a B.A. in Media Studies with a minor in African Studies, and is an aspiring filmmaker. She also survived a plane crash at the age of 9, where her mother died from hypothermia keeping her warm. Check her out on America's next Top Model, Wednesdays on the CW network. Get the rest of the story at AfterEllen.com.

***

And, let's not forget our other favorite rainbow chicas from ANTM:

Kim

Nik

Ebony

Michelle

Sarah

Leslie

But, the rest of you can't hide forever. (Kyle, Naima, Eva...) LOL j/k... But, not really.

Moving on...

My Brown Diamond of the Moment is:

Calvin Broadus b.k.a. Snoop Dogg

"The Hip Hop Congress announces its support for Snoop Dogg in his recent efforts to use music to stem gang violence in his home region of Southern California. With 5 chapters and an artist coalition in the Southern California region, the Hip Hop Congress hopes to help Snoop's efforts by continuing to promote positive hip hop events that help to educate all people in the Southern California region about the positive aspects of Hip Hop. "

Get the rest of the story at Soundslam.com.

Miss Cleo comes out of the closet.

MISS CLEO COMES OUT!!!

Call me now, I'm out of the closet... LOL

Get the story at The Advocate.

Rosie Outs Oprah and Gal Pal Gayle

Rosie O'Donnell stated on the View yesterday that she believes everyone is "a tiny bit gay" and has used her gaydar to tell Oprah and Gayle, in not so many wordsd, that it's time to come out. Rosie! Do you not know what happens to people when they cross Ms. Sofia?!? If you value your job at The View, it would be in your best interest to avoid the use of Oprah, Gayle and the words gay or lesbian in the same sentence. While Mrs. Harpo's people have yet to respond, I am certain that Oprah is somewhere seething just waiting to say, "I said, Hell Naw..."

Get the story here.

Yesterday, the California Supreme Court was scheduled to receive briefings on a case where a woman was denied infertility treatments by her doctors because of her sexual orientation. Despite California's civil rights law, the San Diego county doctors say they have the right to deny Guadalupe Benitez treatment because of their religious beliefs.

I thought when you become a doctor, you take an oath... to help people regardless of race, sex, gender, religion, sexual orientation, etc. Ms. Benitez is about to stick it to those jerks good...

Get the story at PlanetOut.

David Mays and Ray "Benzino" Scott, founders of the Source Magazine, are set to release their newest venture, Hip Hop Weekly, October 16. Hip Hop Weekly will cover film, TV, music, fashion, sports, and celebrity news. So, basically, it'll be the Source again, only in a weekly format. Get the rest of the story at All Hip Hop.

Ed Betz, the AP

Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela, has called President George W. Bush "the devil" at an assembly of the United Nations. He accused Washington of world domination and exploitation of "peoples of the world." It's about time someone manned up and said what they really think of Bush. Get the rest of the story here.

Christina Vidal, former child star of Freaky Friday, Taina, and Life With Mikey fame, is set to appear as a regular on the CW network television show Girlfriends. Vidal will play a tough celebrity fitness trainer. You may remember she was the first Puerto Rican/ American child actress to have a leading role in an American motion picture (Life with Mikey). She is also the younger sister of actress Lisa Vidal. The Girlfriends season premiere airs on the CW network on Sunday, Oct. 1.

VIDEO OF THE DAY!

Goapele - Closer