Sunday, March 15, 2015

African American Home The Modern Day Black Power Movement




[By ]In the 60's the watchword for African Americans was Black Power. The meaning behind the term meant political, social and economic power for many disenfranchised African Americans.
Over 40 years later a new modern day movement has taken place, and this movement is working to uplift a host of communities across America. Many have coined it the modern day Black Power movement. Unlike the movement in the 1960's and early 70's this movement required no protest, fist clenching or even slogans to empower African Americans.
This movement is homeownership. The African American home has long been the seat of economic power and wealth for people since the beginning of time. Now African American home ownership continues as the tool of economic empowerment for thousands of African Americans.
African American home ownership continues to rise. According the U.S Census Bureau, African-American home ownership continues to reach record levels. According to The 2004 Census Bureau report African-American home purchases reached 49.1 percent, up strongly from 42.3 percent 10 years ago.
With more African Americans realizing the importance of home ownership, money management and education the numbers are expected to rise. The biggest obstacles to the African American home continues to be discrimination.
African Americans still sit at the top of the list when it comes to discrimination, according to the U.S Housing and Urban Development. Discrimination in home loans, home sales, predatory lending practices, home improvement schemes and other categories continue to stifle African American home growth.
Despite the obstacles more African American home purchases have closed in the past 10 years than ever before. Thanks to the many first time home buyer programs many African American home purchases have closed.
The legacy and long-term wealth of millions of African American families can sprout from the power of homeownership. Homeownership has long proved to be the key to long-term economic development and growth of communities.
African Americans continue to find ways to overcome the residue of racism to purchase what to many is the true American Dream. The thought of paying rent burns in the minds of more and more African Americans more now than ever before.
This reflects itself in the risky African American home financing you see many stuck with. Predatory loans with high fees, interest only loans as well as negative option loans dot many African American communities. Many African Americans take these risky loans for the chance to own a piece of the American Dream.
The Dream of not only establishing roots, but having a legacy to pass down to there children and grandchildren. Pride of homeownership is helping to build and rebuild communities across American from large urban centers to rural communities.
Now the challenge is to educate more African Americans on home financing and home management. The challenge is finding help for those African American homes threatened with foreclosure because of predatory lending practices.
Congress and other Federal and State agencies continue to examine solutions, ideas and policies. Meanwhile, African American homeowners must take it upon themselves to seek help and to educate themselves to keep their homeownership dream alive. Yes, the African American home is good for a community and good for America.
Roy Primm has published dozens of helpful articles on building the African American home African American Home As a gift to readers of this site get free ebook 199 Ways To Live Better On Less Money at Cheap Shopping [http://www.shopperscoach.com]

By   |   
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Tuesday, March 10, 2015

In Loving memory of Ato Taffara Deguefe, 1926-2015, governor of the National Bank of Ethiopia during the 70's



Ato Taffara Deguefe, governor of the National Bank of Ethiopia during the 70's, died Friday on the 6th day of March 2015 at age 89 in Vancouver, Canada. He is remembered as the one who revolutionized the Ethiopian banking system. He is one of the founders of the Ethiopian Students Association in the U.S. and was the first to become its president in the 50's.
In his autobiography, Minutes of an Ethiopian Century, he throws light on the derogatory propaganda that Emperor Haile Selassie had a secret treasure in the Swiss Bank. He described the Emperor as a benevolent person who became the victim of his own success.
Recently, I had the opportunity to be introduced to Ato Taffara, through a mutual friend Zion Faya. Zion Faya, an Iranian-Canadian, had interviewed Ato Taffara about the Emperor's character.
For my part, l interviewed Ato Taffara about the history of the old Ethiopian currency notes and how Ethiopia shifted from using silver coins that carried the image of the Austrian Queen, Maria Theresa, to the image of Haile Selassie on paper bills. He emphasized the image of Haile Selassie gave legitimacy and led to the acceptance of paper over silver by the people.    
Despite his illness, Ato Taffara managed to discuss four chapters from his twelve chapter book.
The last interview Zion Faya conducted with Ato Taffara is available on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GkuIZgEHvs

May Ato Taffara’s soul rest in peace
By Mulugeta Haile









Monday, March 9, 2015

Act Now to Defend Assata Shakur: Tell Barack Obama and Eric Holder, Stop Pressuring Cuba to Hand Over Assata



Please tell President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder to stop trying to extradite Assata Shakur, an African American freedom fighter who is living in exile in Cuba.

The U.S. government is using negotiations with Cuba as an opportunity to go after Shakur. Roberta Jacobson, lead U.S. negotiator, testified at a recent congressional committee meeting that she raises Shakur every time she talks with Cuban officials. Jacobson declared that the return of “fugitives" is one of the Obama administration's priorities.

Cuba has said they will not revoke Assata’s political asylum. But those of us in the U.S. need to defend Assata and demand our government immediately cease its efforts.

Who is Assata Shakur? Assata was a member of the Black Panther Party and leader in the Black Liberation Army in the early ‘70s. She was targeted by the FBI’sCOINTELPRO, which is infamous for persecuting Black, Native American and radical activists.  In 1977, Shakur was convicted on framed-up murder charges for the death of one of her comrades and a New Jersey State Trooper. She eventually escaped prison and in 1984 fled to Cuba.

Radical Women members met with Assata in Cuba in 1997. She is a warm, compassionate, and fierce force against racial injustice, police brutality, and poverty.

In a 1998 Open Letter from Assata she states, “I am a 20th century escaped slave. Because of government persecution, I was left with no other choice than to flee from the political repression, racism and violence that dominate the U.S. government’s policy towards people of color… Black people, poor people in the U.S. have no real freedom of speech, no real freedom of expression and very little freedom of the press…Our young people deserve a future, and I consider it the mandate of my ancestors to be part of the struggle to insure that they have one.”

Shakur is not a terrorist. This 67-year old grandmother is an inspiration. And that is why the U.S. wants to discredit and jail her.  They want to paint courageous organizing for equality as criminal, and send a chilling message to people currently mobilizing against police brutality.

In 2013, decades after her supposed crime, the FBI placed Shakur on their top ten Most Wanted Terrorist list and the Department of Justice upped the bounty on her head to $2 million. Now the State Department harasses Cuba to hand her over.

Tell President Obama and Attorney General Holder hands off Assata—demand they:
  • Stop pressuring Cuba to hand over Assata
  • Revoke the $2 million bounty on her head
  • Direct the FBI to take her off their top ten “Most Wanted Terrorist” list
  • Remove Cuba from the state sponsor of terrorism list

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA:
The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20500
202-456-1111 or send an email via the White House’s online form

ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLDER,
U.S. Department of Justice, 950 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20530-0001
202-353-1555 or email AskDOJ@usdoj.gov
 
Assata Shakur deserves our vigorous defense. And by standing up for her we take a stand against criminalizing dissent and for the right to foment change.

In struggle,
Anne Slater
Radical Women

Join Radical Women  you are needed! Connect with a chapter near you or contact the national office at radicalwomenus@gmail.com. You can learn more about RW through The Radical Women Manifesto, an exhilarating exploration of Marxist feminist theory and organizing methods, buy a copy or read it on Google Books. Find other fiery Radical Women writings at www.RadicalWomen.org.

Donations are appreciated! As a grassroots group, Radical Women is sustained by support from people like you. Please contribute online or mail a check, payable to Radical Women, National Office 747 Polk Street San Francisco, CA 94109 USA.

Mailing Address:
Radical Women, National Office
747 Polk Street
San FranciscoCA 94109


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Thursday, March 5, 2015

Women's History Month: The Lynching Of African American Women, 1870 - 1957.



Many of us who are students of history know about the thousands of Black men who were lynched in this nation. However, most don’t know about the many African American women who were also lynched. Last year, I came across a website dedicated to Henrietta Vinton Davis, a prominent and fearless leader in Marcus Garveys’ United Negro Improvement Association (UNIA). The website included a listing of documented cases of African American women who had been lynched between 1870 and 1957. The website provides documented information on these women – their names, dates, places, the reason they were lynched and with whom they were lynched. Reading this made me angry and brought tears to my eyes. Reading the details of these lynchings is hard and painful, but necessary for those who want to know the truth. This is part of our history -- Amerikkkan history – world history -- that must be taught to our children and grandchildren. They will not learn this in school. It's up to us to teach them the true history of the U.S. that proclaims that it’s “one nation under God, with liberty and justice for all.” Right.
These “women,” many of whom were children, were not just lynched -- they were raped and tortured before being hung, shot or burned by mobs of white men. Now days, African Americans ostracize Black people who are Republican. However, the first three women on the list – Mrs. John Simes lynched in 1870 in Henry County, Kentucky and Mrs. Hawkins and her daughter, lynched in 1872 in Fayette County, Kentucky, were all murdered for being Republicans!
Many of these women were lynched for standing up for themselves and their families. If their husband or son was accused of a crime and couldn’t be found, the females in the family were lynched. Entire families, including the children were lynched together. Some were lynched merely because they were Black. Others were lynched because they dared to have a dispute with a white person.
Hannah Kearse was lynched in 1895 in Colleton, South Carolina with her mother and son for supposedly stealing a bible. Jennie McCall was lynched in 1903 in Hamilton, Florida by mistake! Mercy Hall was lynched in 1922 in Oklahoma City for strike activity. Eliza Bryant was lynched May 25, 1926 in Duplin, North Carolina for having the nerve to be successful. The last sister on the list, Mrs. Frank Clay, was lynched November 18, 1957 in Henderson, North Carolina for having a dispute with a white person. I was 3 years-old in 1957.
I'm sure most people don't know about these women, but we must never forget women like pregnant Mary Turner who was lynched May 17, 1918 in Brooks County, Georgia to teach her a lesson. After her husband was lynched, Mary threatened to have those who lynched him arrested. She fled, but the mob pursued her and found her the next morning. She was eight months pregnant when the mob of several hundred took her to a stream, tied her ankles together and hung her from a tree upside down. She was doused with gasoline and set on fire. One of the mob took a knife and split open her womb so that her unborn baby fell to the ground. The baby’s head was then crushed under the heels of her murderers. But, that wasn’t enough for the demonic mob. They finished Mary off by riddling her body with bullets – to teach her a lesson.
Seventeen year-old Marie Scott was lynched on March 31, 1914 in Wagoner County, Oklahoma by a white mob of at least a dozen males. Two drunken white men had broken into her house as she was dressing and raped her. Her brother heard her screams for help, kicked down the door, killed one assailant and fled. Unable to find her brother, the mob lynched Marie. After she was arrested, the mob took Marie from jail, threw a rope over her head as she screamed and hung her from a telephone pole.
Sisters Alma, 16 and Maggie Howze (House) 20, were both pregnant by Dr. E. L. Johnston, a married, white dentist who used them both as his sex slaves, when beaten and hung in 1918 from a bridge near Shutaba, Mississippi for allegedly killing him. Alma was close to giving birth when lynched. Eyewitnesses at her burial said that that the movements of her unborn baby could be detected.
Laura Nelson was accused of murdering a sheriff who had supposedly discovered stolen goods in her house. She was lynched with her 15 year-old son in 1911 in Okemah, Oklahoma. Laura and her son were taken from jail, dragged six miles to the Canadian River, where she was raped by the mob before she and her son were hung from a bridge.
Ann Barksdale (Ann Bostwick) was lynched in Pinehurst, Georgia on June 24, 1912 for supposedly killing her white, female employer. There was no trial and no statement was taken from Ann who authorities claimed had mental issues and should have been placed in a hospital. The mob was in a festive mood when they placed her in a car with a rope around her neck and the other end tied to a tree limb. Her murderers drove at a high speed until she was strangled to death. To make sure she was dead, the mob shot her eyes out and riddled her body with so many bullets that she was “cut in two.”
These lynchings are a part of the "African Holocaust – the Maafa” that some folks, including some Negroes, want us to forget. The Maafa included the Middle Passage, 300+ years of chattel slavery, Reconstruction, Jim Crow/De Facto segregation and continues to this day. Some of those people – African American and white -- who witnessed these lynchings as children are still around.
These African American women, men and children were lynched with the cooperation of local law enforcement – many of whom were leaders of the local Ku Klux Klan. However, there’s a different kind of lynch mob in 21st Century Amerikkka. People of African descent are still being lynched by those who uphold this tainted, blood-stained system – the police, the courts, politicians who make the laws and yes, the media. So when you speak of the modern day lynchings of Brandon Tate-Brown, Phil Africa, Michael Brown, Troy Davis, Trayvon Martin, Amadou Diallo, Sean Bell, Oscar Grant and the countless men of African descent whose lives were unlawfully taken by police and the judicial system, remember our sisters who were brutally lynched by the mob.
Much thanks and praises to the scholars who researched and uncovered this important history. Thanks and continued blessings also to Brother Nnamdi Azikiwe who posted the information on his website. For more information on these lynchings, go to https://henriettavintondavis.wordpress.com/2009/07/22/recorded/.
Once again, I am asking all spiritually-conscious women and men of African descent to join me 3:00PM, Sunday, March 29 at Congo (Washington) Square, 7th & Walnut Streets in Philadelphia for the Second Annual Sacred Libation Ceremony in remembrance of our departed sisters. Although we are doing this in Philly, the ancestors want to be remembered with sacred libation ceremonies throughout the nation. We must never forget these women – our sisters, our ancestors -- who were brutally tortured and murdered.

SAVE THE DATE!
IN REMEMBRANCE OF OUR SISTERS:
BLACK WOMEN LYNCHED IN THE U.S.
BETWEEN 1870-1957
They must not be forgotten!
SECOND ANNUAL SACRED LIBATION CEREMONY
Sponsored by Ile Sango Ewe * Iya Marilyn Kai Jewett, Oni Sango
3:00PM Sharp
Sunday, March 29, 2015 (rain or shine)
Congo (Washington) Square 7th & Walnut Streets
Philadelphia, PA
NO MORE MAAFA! NEVER AGAIN!
Please wear white or light colors (no black or dark colors) Learn the forgotten history:


The 2nd Annual Libation Ceremony in Remembrance of Black Women Lynched in the USA, 1870 - 1957, Philadelphia PA - TheBlackList Pub http://theblacklistpub.ning.com/events/the-2nd-annual-libation-ceremony-in-remembrance-of-black-women-ly




Sunday, March 1, 2015

#WomenLeadForward launches multi-platform program and plans First Silicon Valley "Women and Girls of Color" Conference


-- Responding to Intel Corporation Chief Executive Officer Brian Kranich's call to make Silicon Valley "less white and less male," Dr. Raye Mitchell, an award-winning Harvard University philanthropist, founded the new organization — Women Lead Forward — to provide a forum to help advance Women and Girls of Color and drive diversity, inclusion and growth. --
 WomenLeadForward.com (WLF) launches as a premiere online resource for women and girls of color that delivers effortless access to innovation, technology and entrepreneurial event listings; leadership programs; individual and business profiles; news; market research; career forums; success stories; and organization and media resources. Planning is underway for the inaugural Silicon Valley Women and Girls of Color Conference in Spring 2016. The forum, themed "Women Lead Forward in Living Color" will integrate a full spectrum of information bringing women and girls to center stage.
The just concluded Watermark Silicon Valley Conference for Women that featured Hilary Clinton—former U.S. Secretary of State, U.S. Senator, and First Lady of the United States— demonstrated the growing demand to create a unique place for women in Silicon Valley. “Now is the appropriate time to launch WomenLeadForward.com and announce the inaugural Silicon Valley Women and Girls of Color Conference 2016 to directly engage women and girls of color as unique contributing leaders themselves. Women and girls of color offer a valued stand-alone perspective in the battle for equality and inclusion in leadership,” said Mitchell.
Recent headlines document that diversity inclusion for women and girls of color is visibly missing from the leadership ranks in technology, innovation companies and other segments. WLF provides a solution to that problem as a comprehensive Northern California, national and eventually global online resource for women and girls of color. “The project addresses the unmet needs of thousands of women and millennial women and girls of color who seek a visible platform to tell their own stories,” said Dr. Raye Mitchell, program founder and Chief Innovation Officer. “This program is distinguished from general market women’s leadership projects because one size does not fit all, and what works for general market women and girls advancement cannot be a substitute for the unique experiences and contributions of women and girls of color.”
WomenLeadForward.com rolls out first with its online site that delivers a full customer forum, an information portal and as a connector. The site presents an enhanced customer experience for African Americans and all women of color as a comprehensive, go-to resource and aggregator on events, arts, professional programs, and career development forums. Employers and corporate leaders seeking women of color talent or to promote and advance their diversity inclusion initiatives will find that WLF connects them to a focused and responsive audience.
Future expansion plans for Women Lead Forward in Living Color include a separate television show entirely focused on women and girls of color in global leadership. WLF is also planning to develop an innovation lab, and provide other forums including developing a mobile app to deliver access to rapid response telementoring, vital information, and interventions on demand to empower women and girls to lead forward. Discussions are underway to establish online and on-site professional development programs with the American University School of Professional & Extended Studies as well.

About Women Lead Forward | Dr. Raye Mitchell:
The Women Lead Forward.com (WLF) mission is to increase the visibility and engagement of women and girls of color to grow diversity inclusion opportunities. Drawing from communities with a diversity of backgrounds; experiences; economic conditions; and racial, cultural, and sexual orientations, Women Lead Forward leads change and celebrates the diversity of vision and dreams that create the rich fabric of our community of women and girls of color.
WLF is a membership-based organization that offers premium membership and subscription programs for free. Women and girls service groups are encouraged to subscribe on the organization's website, on Facebook.com/Women Lead Forward and follow @weleadforward on Twitter, with hashtags #BlackWomenMatter, #WomenofColorMatter and #BlackGirlsMatter.
Launching first in San Francisco and Silicon Valley and soon expanding into Atlanta, GA, Women Lead Forward’s is focusing on all aspects of business, non-profits, innovation, technology, entertainment, media and communications, education, healthcare, law, government, and society, WLF is positioned to be the go-to authority to accelerate diversity inclusion for women and girls of color in technology and the innovation economy.
Women Lead Forward’s parent company, The New Reality B-Corp, a California benefit corporation, works closely with The New Reality Foundation, Inc., a California non-profit 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt organization to benefit the community. The New Reality Foundation developed such award winning and highly recognized programs as the G.U.R.L.S.[1] Rock Program for girls aged 8-12; the G.U.R.L.S. Lead Global Leadership Program for girls aged 12+; Girls Lead Forward with co-founder 16-year-old Helen Kassa (www.girlsleadforward.org) and the M.B.A. Series[2]Leadership Forums for millennials of color, started in partnership with Hill Harper—actor, New York Times best-selling author and founder of the Manifest Your Destiny Foundation.

About Dr. Raye Mitchell:
A Harvard Law School attorney turned social entrepreneur, Dr. Raye Mitchell is an award-winning philanthropist, author, speaker innovation/creative consultant and entertainment producer that provides support for women and girls as present and future global leaders. Dr. Mitchell is the founder and Chief Innovation Officer at the New Reality B-corp. Learn more at www.DrRayeMitchell.com.

[1] G.U.R.L.S. stands for growth, unity, respect, leadership and success.
[2] M.B.A. stands for motivated, brilliant achievers.

This information has been distributed through BlackPR.com and BlackNews.com



12 year old Black NJ CEO Essynce Moore of Essynce Couture, LLC launches tour for new book "6th Grade Middle School Chronicles"


-- 12-year old Essynce Moore's book tour for her new book "6th Grade Middle School Chronicles" will kick off with two stops in New Jersey on March 14th and April 18th. -
Youth entrepreneur Essynce Moore began her career at just 6 years old. Now, the tween is the owner of Essynce Couture, LLC, Essynce Couture University (ECU), Essynce Couture Publishing and the center of growing channels of branding that include careers in motivational speaking, acting, and fashion. Moore is also the author of the newly released 6th Grade Middle School Chronicles.
Moore has announced a book tour that is taking her across the nation to meet with press, media, investors, sponsors, and other children who are interested in meeting her and learning all about the new book. 6th Grade Middle School Chronicles is geared to like-minded tweens and tells the story of Moore's 6th grade year. The story is a tale of drama, secrets, heartbreak, and new friends that grabs readers' attention with juicy gossip and the inherent perspective of a pre-teen's day-to-day life.
Moore's book tour is kicking off with two stops in New Jersey. The first event will be held on March 14, 2015, at the Central Ave. McDonald's in East Orange. The second New Jersey event will be held at the Broad St. McDonald's in Newark on April 18. Both New Jersey book tour stops are sponsored by McDonald's - Quintana Organization, Hills Car and Limo Service, and Essynce Couture. A subsequent stop is slated for the second week in April in Atlanta, Georgia, and the event is sponsored by Dogs on Wheels Events and Catering, Diverse New America, Essynce Couture, and Taste Vintage. Essynce Moore Publishing, a division of Essynce Couture, is also interested in meeting clients who are writing a book for children, tweens, and/or teens to assist with publishing.
The 6th Grade Middle School Chronicles book tour serves to connect interested fans, sponsors, press, and media personalities with Essynce Moore's talent that spans acting, writing, fashion, and motivational speaking. In addition, Moore hopes to assist others in the arena of publishing their books, and the book tour will also be conducive to bringing these new clients aboard Essynce Moore Publishing. Those wishing to have their copy of 6th Grade Middle School Chronicles signed by Moore or learn more about Essynce Couture or Essynce Moore Publishing can stop by any of the book tour stops. More information is available at www.essyncecouture.com.

About Essynce Moore
Tweenpreneur, children's stylist, children's fashion designer, actress, motivational speaker, and author Essynce Moore has been in various fashion shows, pageants, and karate tournaments. She has showcased at NY Fashion Weeks and Atlanta Kids Fashion Week, been featured in several interviews, and is a member of the New York Youth Chamber of Commerce.

This information has been distributed through BlackPR.com and BlackNews.com