uts august 2010 edition health and wellness

More than a magazine...It’s a lifestyle

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UTS 6th Annual Health & Wellness Edition

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African American WellnessPage 9:

President Wyclef? Haiti would be hell for former Fugee

Page 14: Swim Or Die

Page 27:Broadway Plays geared toward blacks are a hit

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

–Eubie Blake

Welcome to the 6th Annual Health and Wellness edition of Urban Trendsetters. Once again this year we are the media

sponsor for the African American Male Health Walk in Columbus 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 Americans often suffer a greater percentage of incidence of many of the leading health 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 UnitedStates.

What you can do now ?According to Healthy People 2010 (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 2010, is focused on two overarching goals:

1. Increasing Quality and Years of Healthy Life and2. Eliminating Health Disparities. To measure the

health of the United States over the next 10 years, a series of Leading Health Indicators have been developed

reflect the major health concerns in the UnitedStates at 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 to measure progress, and their importance as public health issues.

Some key health indicators 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

The state of African American health today According to the National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities, over the last twenty years, the overall health of our nation has improved significantly, however there are persistently higher rates of disease and death in African Americans as well as other minority populations. Some of the reasons why health disparities exist are lack of access to health care, poverty, discrimination and cultural barriers.

Some examples of health disparities include: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 14th (for more information view the advertisement on page &). 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

Sharon S. Gordon

TEAM UTSPublisher/CEOSharon S. GordonUrban Trendsetters, LLC

Contributing WritersDelois R. WrightLes BrownA. Christina DunlapMykayla BryantTamara Fournier DistributionW. Cobre’ Gordon

PhotographyRon Cash

Production/GraphicsSharktooth IMD, LLCRon Cash

Promotions Margo L. WadeTracy Taylor

Sales

Inside Sales AssistantsJessica GolidayKeshia PetersonJennifer Mulligan

ColumbusBrenda SpencerDenis LigginsErica Cooper

Dayton/CincinnatiTamiko TroutmanJuanita Michelle Sanae

Office ManagerAnnie Prysock

Copyright

Urban Trendsetters is published and distibuted monthly by Myshbre’ Media and Communications, LLC. Our offices are located at 899 East Broad Street, Suite 450A Columbus, OH 43205. Publisher reserves the right to edit, reject or cancel any advertisement or editorial at any time. Publisher will not be responsible for checking accuracy of items submitted for publication or for more than one wrong insertion of advertising copy. All contents of this publication are copy written 2008 by Myshbre’ Media and Communications.

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From The Publisher

Urban Trendsetters | More Than A Magazine. It’s A Lifestyle6 August 2010

Community

Columbus, Ohio – Federal grant scams are sweeping through Ohio, Attorney General Richard Cordray warned today.

“Since early June, my office has received more than a dozen reports of Ohioans who were targeted by scammers posing as grant officers,” Cordray said. “Many of the calls appear to originate in the 202 area code. This creates an illusion of legitimacy because 202 is a Washington D.C. area code.”

The reported scams are reaching consumers through phone calls, e-mails and letters sent through the U.S. Postal Service. All use the term “grant” and most require the recipient to pay a percentage upfront before acquiring the “free” money.

“Scammers are targeting Ohioans

who are in a weakened position. It’s an approach that preys upon the desperation and hope of struggling individuals, and it is reprehensible,” Cordray said. “I encourage anyone who receives an offer that sounds too good to be true to contact my office at

(800) 282-0515 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting for more information before taking any kind of action. This is a good time to check in with other family members, especially older family members, to make sure they understand how to avoid these kinds

of problems.”Cordray offers the following tips to

avoid the “grant” scams: • Be wary of mailings that

appear to be from federal, state or other governmental agencies. Don’t assume that a letter or postcard is

actually from the government just because it uses words such as “federal,” “stimulus package” or “grant.” Even if the sender’s name sounds official or legitimate, the originator might be phony.

• To determine if a letter, e-mail message or service is really from the

government, contact the government agency in question from a number you know to be correct. For example, log onto the agency’s actual Web site, such as www.irs.gov, and use a phone number or e-mail address suggested on the site.

• Be skeptical if you receive a “grant” check or other unexpected check in the mail. It may be a fake check scam. If you are instructed to deposit the check and use the money to start services associated with the stimulus plan, or if you are asked to send some money back, keeping a portion of the check for yourself, it is most likely a scam.

• NEVER send money to a stranger through a wire transfer service. Don’t trust requests for advance fees or upfront payment.

Ohioans who feel that they are the targets of scams should contact Cordray’s office at www.SpeakOutOhio.gov or (800) 282-0515

Federal Grant Scams Targeting Ohioans

Ohioans who feel that they are the targets of scams should contact Cordray’s office at www.SpeakOutOhio.gov or (800) 282-0515

Urban Trendsetters | More Than A Magazine. It’s A Lifestyle August 2010 7

Community

Cincinnati, Ohio – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland announced the designation of the Cincinnati Consumer Marketing Hub as an Ohio Hub of Innovation and Opportunity. The hub will bring together the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, Procter & Gamble, Kroger Company, the University of Cincinnati and Macy’s to strengthen and create job opportunities in Ohio’s consumer marketing industry.

“Cincinnati’s Hub designation will assist this region’s already strong business and educational community in attracting young creative talent, new companies and job opportunities in consumer marketing to Ohio,” Strickland said. “Targeted investments in Ohio’s urban regions and businesses are a critical piece of our economic development strategy to create jobs and strengthen Ohio’s economy.”

The Consumer Marketing Hub of Innovation and Opportunity will focus on promoting entrepreneurship, economic development and commercialization in the consumer marketing industry, providing the intelligence, insight, innovation, and infrastructure to sell Ohio’s products and services. The state’s investment of a $250,000 grant, administered by the Ohio Department of Development, will assist the hub.

The Consumer Marketing Hub is a key initiative of Cincinnati’s regional action plan to transform the local economy and grow talent and jobs

for Southwestern Ohio. The hub is expected to contribute to the region’s goal of creating 200,000 new jobs by 2020, while also helping to attract and retain highly-skilled young talent.

Hub partners will be supported by global brand-building organizations such as Landor, Bridge Worldwide, LPK and consumer marketing service companies such as Dunnhumby USA and AC Nielsen/Buzzmetrics.

“Cincinnati is known around the world for our consumer goods corporations. From P&G to Macy’s, to Kroger, to Landor, to LPK — Cincinnati is a worldwide leader in this area,” Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory said. “This new Hub designation and the partnerships that it creates will allow us to grow in our area of expertise in a much more coordinated manner. I want to thank the Governor for his leadership in developing a growth strategy for Ohio that builds upon our strengths.”

“There is no other community in Ohio and in fact few around the world that has Cincinnati’s unique set of consumer marketing assets and capabilities,” said Ellen van der Horst, President and CEO, Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber. “Through this Hub designation, the State recognizes both the historic strength of the Cincinnati USA region as a center for consumer marketing excellence and also the opportunity to build on and leverage this expertise to benefit businesses

throughout Ohio. I applaud the State for granting this hub designation; it will serve as a cornerstone of our efforts to establish Cincinnati as the ‘Silicon Valley of consumer marketing.’”

Ohio’s Hubs of Innovation and Opportunity are supported by the Ohio Department of Development and work to leverage a region’s resources and investments to attract clusters of connected businesses, encourage new investments and an influx of talented workers and help to create new opportunities to grow jobs and develop Ohio’s key industries.

“The Ohio Hubs are vital to the continued economic success of our state’s communities,” said Mark Barbash, Assistant Director of the Ohio Department of Development. “Today’s investment in the Cincinnati region will further enhance Southwest Ohio as a globally recognized hot-spot for consumer marketing and branding.”

This is the fourth Ohio Hub

designation, following the Northwest Ohio Solar Energy Innovation Hub announcement in Toledo last week, the Cleveland Health and Technology Corridor Hub announcement in Cleveland in June, and the Ohio Aerospace Hub announcement in Dayton last September. The Ohio Hubs program develops a unique, concentrated environment that spurs innovation, company growth, employment, capital investment, product sales and community development in designated areas.

To be designated an Ohio Hub a region must identify core strengths and develop a strategic plan for urban revitalization. The designation consists of a commitment from both the state and region to work collaboratively and target economic development efforts toward building upon those identified strengths.

Governor Strickland Announces Ohio Consumer Marketing Hub of Innovation and Opportunity in Cincinnati


-- In an address to Members of Congress and participants attending a Congressional Black Caucus meeting, Robert L. Johnson, founder and chairman of The RLJ Companies, called for a national discussion about the growing wealth gap which he referred to as a “wealth gap Tsunami threatening African American families”. He cited the recent Institute on Assets and Social Policy at Brandeis University study, among other studies, which conclude “the wealth gap between white and African American families has more than quadrupled over the course of a generation; the racial wealth gap increased by $75,000, from $20,000 to $95,000; and, at least 25 percent of African Americans have no assets.” According to the U.S. Census data, “white household median net worth is 10 times that of Black households. The median net worth for African Americans was $11,800 compared to $118,000 for whites.”

In response to addressing this compelling national crisis, Johnson stated that, “We must admit the harsh reality of a history of institutionalized racism and economic discrimination against African Americans is the primary cause of wealth disparity between Black and white Americans” and “we must be willing to talk about race recognition remedies at the highest levels of government as well as between Black and white Americans.”

Johnson suggests that the wealth disparity between African Americans and whites compares to the “compelling national interest test” cited in the Supreme Court’s Adarand decision where the Court ruled ‘a racial or ethnic classification must serve a compelling interest and must be narrowly tailored to serve that interest.’ In his remarks to the Caucus, Johnson listed several race recognition policy initiatives that could be discussed. For example, allow African American families earning less than $250,000 annually to defer all federal income taxes, without interest, provided tax savings are placed into a 401(k) type savings account which

can only be drawn out at retirement or upon death at which time the government would be reimbursed for the deferred taxes. He pointed out that this would allow the gain on the 401(k) investment to be available to the families at retirement or passed on to future generations.

“I wish the answers to close the wealth gap were as politically palatable and acceptable as proposals to make our public schools better for minorities, to retrain minority workers for the new jobs market, and aggressively enforce laws against racial and economic discrimination. Over the years, this Nation has been committed to all of these objectives, but this effort will not close the Black wealth gap. I recognize that public policy based on race is extremely provocative and controversial but controversy should not prevent a reasonable dialogue about a societal dilemma that is real and economically devastating in its potential to millions of African Americans,” he concluded.

Johnson’s complete remarks can be found below and at www.rljcompanies.com.

REMARKS BY ROBERT L. JOHNSON: A Wealth Gap Tsunami Confronts Black America:

A wave of statistics predicts that a wealth gap Tsunami is threatening African American families. Consider these facts: “The wealth gap between white and African American families has more than quadrupled over the course of a generation; the racial wealth gap increased by $75,000, from $20,000 to $95,000; and, at least 25 percent of African Americans have no assets” according to the Institute on Assets and Social Policy at Brandeis University.

A study by United for a Fair Economy stated “for every dollar of white per-capita income, in 1968, African Americans had 55 cents and only 57 cents in 2001. At this pace, it would take African Americans 581 years to get the remaining 43 cents and achieve income parity with whites.”

According to U.S. Census data, white household median net worth

is 10 times that of Black households. The median net worth for African Americans was $11,800 compared with $118,000 for whites. According to a 2007 Pew Charitable Trusts study, “nearly half of African Americans born to middle-income parents in the late 1960s plunged into poverty or near-poverty as adults” and “forty-five percent of black children whose parents were solidly middle class in 1968 – a stratum with a median income of $55,600 in inflation adjusted dollars – grew up to be among the lowest fifth of the nation’s earners, with a median family income of $23,100.”

These indisputable facts point out that middle income whites have far more wealth than even some high income African Americans. Equally disturbing, educational success achieved by many Blacks has not led

to racial wealth equality. The current economic crisis that we confront will only serve to exacerbate and magnify the growing wealth disparity.

How do we address this compelling national crisis? First, we must admit that a history of institutionalized racial and economic discrimination against African Americans is the primary cause of wealth disparity between Black and white Americans.

Unless this harsh reality is addressed, the wealth gap will continue unabated and we will confront a society where many black Americans are the recipient of entitlements and white Americans are faced with making transfer payments to support the economic well being of these African American families.

I wish the answers to close the wealth gap were as politically

( Continued on page 11)

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StateBob Johnson Urges National Dialogue Based on Recognition of Race...To Address Alarming Increase In Wealth Gap Between Black and White Americans Johnson Argues that Wealth

Gap Compares to “Compelling National Interest Test” Which Could Justify Race-Recognition Remedies


In its hit song “Haiti”, the Konpa group System Band rhapsodizes about the hard luck country, bemoaning its troubled history, particularly in the last 25 years.“Nou eseye ou ak dokte, nou eseye ou ak milite, nou eseye ou ak pwofese, nou mem eseye ou ak pe, a la mise,” bellows Isnard Douby, the band’s lead singer with his trademark nasal baritone delivery. “We tried a doctor, we tried the military, we tried a professor, e even tried a priest.”Now we may have to add singer to System Band’s list of failed leaders from various professions, if Wyclef Jean, the Haitian former front man of the hip-hop group the Fugees succeeds in his bid to become president of Haiti. Last week, Jean held a meeting in New York with many Haitian community leaders to strategize and now media reports say that he is seriously considering a run for the presidency in November.If Wyclef thought that growing up poor in Newark may have been difficult, he will find out that hardscrabble past is more like living in the hills of South Orange when trying to tackle Port-au-Prince’s intractable problems. It will be a major coup if he manages to get on the ballot, get elected and govern successfully. He would be the first to achieve that feat in the country’s 206 year history as a republic.The rumors of his intended run surely has created a buzz in the Haitian American community, with several people saying that the presidential bug that ails many Haitians has not eluded the hip-hop star who rose

to international stardom in the mid-1990s.Wyclef is respected by almost every Haitian because he has embraced his Haitian roots unlike many other famous sons and daughters of the troubled Caribbean nation. Before Wyclef, many stars with Haitian parents would never publicly admit their ancestry. You might hear rumors that this person and that

person is Haitian, but it was never acknowledged. Wyclef made being Haitian cool again after we fell out of favor as the exotic black Frenchmen of the late 1960s and 70s.For that he will always be respected, if not loved. He literally wrapped himself in the Haitian flag while he accepted a Grammy in 1997. It was the apex of Haitian pride, particularly in the United States where it wasn’t easy to be Haitian since the influx of boat people began arriving here in the 1980s.Wyclef made a brief performance last month at Kreyolfest, The Haitian Times’ signature festival in Brooklyn, to the delight of the crowd who went wild when he graced the stage. He sang for about five minutes and left.Still, I think Wyclef would be making the biggest mistake of his life by entering the most impossible situation in the world. New York City’s Mayor Michael Bloomberg told me last year during an interview that while he had a difficult job running the Big Apple, Haiti’s then Prime Minister

Michelle Duvivier Pierre-Louis had an impossible job. The task at hand is insurmountable even the casual observer of Haiti.For a while, Wyclef had denied that he harbored any political ambitions, even though many people saw his philanthropy as a veil for his interest in politics. He told CNN’s Anderson Cooper that he was only supporting his “uncle”, Haiti’s ambassador to the

U.S., Raymond Joseph. But the challenges in post-earthquake Haiti appear to have shattered his common sense. This is by no means a jab at this celebrity. In the last 20 years, I’ve watched many people be chewed up and spit out while trying to help Haiti. I’ve also seen many killed in the process. Even if the most successful presidents and political leaders in North America were to convene an all-star team to help lead

Haiti, I doubt they would succeed.The problem in Haiti is not the lack of leaders per se, though most of them have been scoundrels. The crucial problem is that the country has become a society of cynics and a people who would rather be anywhere but in Haiti. You have two types left in Haiti, those who have too much at stake to leave and those with nothing at stake to stay. Bill Clinton has been tapped to be the UN Special Envoy to Haiti and in interviews he has voiced deep disappointment about the situation on the ground.The first thing Haiti needs is to build a society from scratch. It needs to train people to think and act for the collective good and not for their narrow self-interests. How else do you explain that the average Haitian house -- the owners’ financial lot notwithstanding - is impeccably tidy. While the trash piles sky high on the streets of all major cities. I know of CEOs of private enterprises and executive directors of government ministries who lament the fact that

they can’t find a decent secretary to type a grammatically correct letter. The goods ones are working in Miami and Manhattan.Wyclef has been successful at reinventing himself. He refashioned his brand as an entrepreneur -- philanthropist while most of his contemporaries in the music industry are being profiled on VH1’s “Where Are They Now?” But entering the world of Haitian upper echelon make Washington’s brass knuckle politics seem like Power Rangers.After almost a dozen years, I decided to quit my position at the New York Times to launch the Haitian Times. Idealistic and at the top of my game, I thought this would be welcomed with open arms. I thought I was bringing energy and experience to the community. That move was immediately viewed suspiciously by many who wondered why I was leaving my comfortable perch at the nation’s most prestigious news organization to toil in the community trenches. Motives were given. He was a CIA plant; the New York Times was behind the move. It never dawned on anyone that I was driven purely through a sense of noblesse oblige and that I saw my community was at a critical crossroad and needed such a publication to help it navigate through the complicated and complex world that is the United States.I was able to last this long by relying mostly on non-Haitian businesses interested in tapping the Haitian community. Unfortunately, when you’re dealing with Haiti itself, you’re on your own and there have been few success stories to report out of the place. The irony is that the country is brimming with energetic, entrepreneurial people, the kind that America yearns for. No wonder we’re doing alright in this country.Wyclef is going to need all the help he can muster to navigate this treacherous water in which he is about to dip his toes. He will have to understand the true meaning of the word Yele, or scream. He will be doing it everyday.

State NationalPresident Wyclef? Haiti would be hell for former Fugee

By Garry Pierre-Pierre


Global

- The IMF says it has canceled Haiti’s $268 million debt and will lend the earthquake-devastated country another $60 million to help it with reconstruction plans.

The International Monetary Fund said Wednesday the decision is part of a plan for long-term reconstruction after the Jan. 12 magnitude-7 quake, which killed as many as 300,000 people. The three-year loan carries a zero interest rate until 2011 which

then rises to no more than 0.5 percent.The Washington-based fund says

its moves should encourage aid contributions to the impoverished country. “Donors must start delivering on their promises to Haiti quickly, so reconstruction can be accelerated, living standards quickly improved and social tensions soothed,” IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn said in a statement. In Haiti more than six months after the quake, rubble and

collapsed buildings still dominate the landscape.

The number of people in relief camps has nearly doubled to 1.6 million, while the amount of transitional housing built is minuscule. Crime is more prevalent since the quake, with attacks in camps terrorizing thousands, especially women and girls.

Most of the $3.1 billion pledged for humanitarian aid has paid for field

hospitals, plastic tarps, bandages, and food, plus salaries, transportation and upkeep of relief workers.

At a March conference, donors pledged a total of $9.9 billion -- money that is separate from the humanitarian aid -- to help Haiti recover.

But less than 2 percent of it has been delivered. The rest is mired in bureaucracy and politics of the more than 60 countries and organizations that pledged to help.

— First lady Michelle Obama showed off her throwing arm Tuesday after making a pitch to Major League Baseball to help her fight childhood obesity. She announced that MLB and the MLB Players Association will team with the White House in the Let’s Move campaign, which promotes exercise and healthy eating for America’s youth. “To the entire MLB Players Association and all 30 players who agreed to be part of the public service advertising campaigns, it just means so much to these kids to see you guys joining in this,” Obama said at Oriole Park at Camden yards, home of the Baltimore Orioles. “Your voice means so much more to them than anything we could say.”

After the formalities, dressed casually in a print top, white pants and sneakers, Obama joined members of the Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays in a clinic for kids from local baseball teams. Obama participated in all three stations for about a half-hour, playing catch, throwing grounders and shouting encouragement to the children. Obama showed she knows her way around a baseball field.

Before the session, she threw a few pitches in the bullpen to Tampa Bay ace David Price and was clearly pleased with her performance. Then, after joining the kids on the field, Obama displayed her defensive prowess, deftly deflecting a high throw

from one of the youngsters that was headed toward her face. Price said the first lady’s pitching arm isn’t bad.

“She tried her own conventional grip and didn’t really throw it where she was trying to,” Price said. “Then she tried the four-seam grip, which we’re all teaching, and she threw it much better. She did well.” Hours later, wearing an Orioles jersey with the No. 44 on the back, Obama passed up the opportunity to put her fastball on display. Instead, she stood between two youths who shared the honor of throwing out the ceremonial first pitch before Baltimore’s game against the Rays. Obama then ende d her day at the ballpark by walking to each dugout and shaking hands with players from both teams. The Let’s Move campaign, according to Obama, is designed to end childhood obesity “so that kids grow up healthier to pursue their dreams.” By adding Major League Baseball to the program, Obama hopes to reach a broader audience through 30 public service announcements featuring players from each team. The first lady of baseball, Sue Selig, wife of MLB commissioner Bud Selig, thanked Obama “for bringing childhood obesity to the forefront and bringing it national attention.”

Minutes before the news conference began, a few rain drops fell from the sky. By the time Obama

was introduced, the clouds parted and the sun bore down on the field.

“Kids, I know you are hot out there, (but) truly this is all about you,” Obama said. “Everything we are doing is because of you and it’s important for you to know that. ... The truth is lots of kids just aren’t getting enough healthy foods and they aren’t getting enough exercise.”

Former big leaguer Tony Clark, now director of player relations for the MLBPA, said, “Major leaguers are looking forward to working closely with the first lady and Let’s Move to find ways to educate children and their parents about how to exercise, eat right and make healthy lifestyle choices.

“As a parent, I know firsthand the challenges facing kids. I understand the powerful lure of television, cell phones, computers and video games. However, it’s time for all of us — kids and parents alike — to get unplugged and get off the couch.”

Pointing toward Price and Orioles outfielder Adam Jones, Obama told the children: “When these players were kids they found a spot that they loved. And they practiced and practiced and practiced until they were better at it than anybody else. And we want you guys to do the same thing. That’s why we are here.”

IMF cancels $268 million Haiti debtBy theGrio

Michelle Obama Teams Up With MLB for ‘Let’s Move’


Family reunion season has arrived! Family reunions give families a chance to reconnect with loved ones from across the country, reflect on fond memories, share news and achievements, and welcome new additions.

Food is a big part of the celebration. From recipe swaps to barbeque bragging rights, many of the most cherished memories involve eating. But while grandma’s famous fried chicken and auntie’s sweet potato pie may be mouth-wateringly delicious, they are also high in fat and calories. As a result, instead of

creating healthy traditions, we may be inadvertently passing down to our children a legacy of obesity.

Childhood obesity rates have more than tripled in the past 30 years, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. The problem also has caught the attention of First Lady Michelle Obama who has made combating childhood obesity a national priority. Her “Let’s Move” campaign aims to turn the tide of childhood obesity within a single generation.

The problem of obesity is among the most prevalent in the African-American community. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, one in three American children ages 2 to 19 is overweight or obese, and African-American children have some of the highest rates. Near- and long-term impacts of childhood obesity are indeed serious. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

* obese youth are more likely to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease such as high cholesterol or

high blood pressure;* children and adolescents who

are obese are at greater risk for bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and social and psychological problems such as stigmatization and poor self-esteem;

* obese youth are more likely than youth of normal weight to become overweight or obese adults and at greater risk for adult health problems such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, cancer and osteoarthritis.

However, the good news is that obesity is preventable and reversible, and a good place to start is at home, including extended-family gatherings like reunions. Family gatherings can become opportunities to introduce healthy habits by experimenting with different vegetables and meatless dishes, and getting people to exercise through sports and other physical activities.

This reunion season, UnitedHealthcare is continuing its efforts to help fight childhood obesity with “The Generations of Wellness Virtual Family Reunion,” a new, interactive online tool designed to put a healthy spin on this year’s big family gatherings.

The Virtual Family Reunion site, www.uhcfamilyreunion.com, offers free health and wellness information and guidelines on how to incorporate healthy choices into the event. For example, a “Food” section provides nutritional information and alternative healthy food choices that are lower in saturated fat and calories.

A “BMI Calculator” enables visitors to type in their weight and height to find out if they have a healthy body mass index, and a “Clinical Checklist” reviews common health checkups such as mammograms and prostate screenings.

The Virtual Family Reunion website also teaches children active ways to entertain themselves instead of logging on to the computer and tuning out. Users can try the “Dance Area” to learn how many calories are burned through praise, hip hop and/or old-school dancing.

We must all remember that being overweight or obese is more than just an appearance issue; it’s a serious health issue. By adopting proper nutrition and becoming active, we can start positive traditions early for our children and create some healthy new ones to win the fight against obesity.

Young & Trendy

Fight Childhood Obesity By Making Family Reunions A Healthy AffairBy Corliss Hill, national director, UnitedHealthcare’s Generations of Wellness

FITNESS CAN BE FUNShaun T and the Fit Kids are bringing the fun and fitness to help kids of every age achieve a healthy lifestyle! Plus get snack tips, a label-reading guide, and a FREE cool wall poster!

Log Ontowww.teambeachbody.com/sharonsgordon

614-679-7318


EducationEmbattled ex-football star Clarett back in class at Ohio

By theGrio

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State University says former football star Maurice Clarett has been granted re-entry to pursue his degree after he spent more than three years in prison.

Ohio State spokesman Jim Lynch says in a statement that Clarett started classes on Monday after he was readmitted by the College of Education and Human Ecology, where he was originally enrolled.

Clarett says in a statement that it is a “surreal feeling to be back at Ohio State” and that he doesn’t want to be a “distraction or nuisance” to the football team or other students.

Clarett led the Buckeyes to the 2002 national championship in his only college season. He pleaded guilty in 2006 to aggravated robbery and carrying a concealed weapon, and served 3½ years in a Toledo prison, where he took college-credit courses.

( Continued From Page 8)palatable and acceptable as proposals to make our public schools better for minorities, to retrain minority workers for the new jobs market, and aggressively enforce laws against racial and economic discrimination. Over the years, this Nation has been committed to all of these objectives, but these efforts have not and will not close the Black wealth gap.

I suggest that if we are serious about closing the wealth gap we must first be willing to talk about race recognition remedies and this discussion must take place at the highest levels of government as well as between Black and white Americans. I recognize that public policy based on race is extremely provocative and controversial, but controversy should not prevent a reasonable dialogue about a societal dilemma that is real and economically devastating in its potential to millions of African Americans.

Therefore, to initiate this dialogue, I submit the growing wealth gap qualifies as a “compelling national interest” permitting the government to enact “narrowly tailored” policies based on race. In the Adarand case, the Supreme Court ruled “a racial or ethnic

classification must serve a compelling interest and must be narrowly tailored to serve that interest.” In my opinion, the wealth gap between Black and white Americans meets that test.

Here are my public policy suggestions to address this compelling national problem and to get the conversation started.

The Federal Government should:1. Allow black businesses to be

eligible for government set aside contracts if they own 10 percent of a business rather than the existing 51 percent due to the 10-to-1 wealth gap between Blacks and whites -- the African American owner must retain control of the board of directors and voting control. Significantly increase the dollar volume of set aside contracts for Black businesses at all government agencies.

2. Encourage majority-owned businesses to invest in black-owned companies by significantly reducing or deferring the taxes on the economic gain from those investments similar to the FCC “tax certificate policy” which motivated majority-owned media companies to sell properties to minorities.

3. Allow African American families earning less than $250,000 annually

to defer federal income taxes, without interest, provided tax deferrals are placed into a 401(k) type savings account which can only be drawn out at retirement or upon death at which time the government would be reimbursed for the deferred taxes. The gain on the 401(k) investment would be available to the families at retirement or passed on to future generations.

4. Create a Treasury-backed fund to securitize short-term borrowing or emergency loans made by minority banks or other lending institutions to African American families provided these loans are marketed and made in a regulated and transparent manner. The securitized loans would encourage banks and lenders to make short-term or emergency borrowing available at reasonable rates and end payday lending as we know it today.

5. Require large banks under the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) to fund a nationwide marketing campaign targeted to the African American community, particularly young adults that will focus on financial literacy and savings.

Many of these proposals are incorporated in some form or another in current policy and are usually

based on economic disparities i.e. poor versus rich. This philosophy does not acknowledge the racial nexus of wealth disparity between Blacks and whites. With African Americans facing a wealth gap Tsunami, I believe the time to do that is now.

About The RLJ CompaniesThe RLJ Companies, founded

by Robert L. Johnson, is an innovative business network that provides strategic investments in a diverse portfolio of companies. The RLJ Companies seeks to target undiscovered or underserved markets then exercise solid management to achieve results. Within The RLJ Companies portfolio, Johnson owns or holds majority interests in businesses operating in banking, private equity, hospitality, automobile dealerships, entertainment, and video lottery terminal (VLT) gaming. The RLJ Companies is headquartered in Bethesda, MD, with affiliate operations in Charlotte, NC; Orlando, FL; Little Rock, AR; Los Angeles, CA; San Juan, PR; and Monrovia, Liberia. Prior to founding The RLJ Companies, Johnson was founder and chairman of Black Entertainment Television (BET). For more information go to www.rljcompanies.com.


Family Trends

By Bonnie Davis

A sense of belonging, a thirst for knowledge and love are reasons why families everywhere make annual pilgrimages throughout the United States and abroad to reconnect with kinfolk. Some 82 million Americans will participate in family reunions this year, according to Budget Travel Magazine, which notes that 44 percent of leisure trips taken by African-Americans include family visits.

While African-Americans have long prized family gatherings, Roots, the 1977 televised miniseries, caused a surge in more detailed, organized and even elaborate family reunions in the 1980s and 1990s, says Ione Vargus, a professor and dean emerita at Temple University who founded and directs its Family Reunion Institute.

“After Roots, people got very motivated to seek out their own family genealogy,” says Vargus, “It was like a movement. I saw it as a strength of the black family.”

In Memphis, Tenn., Pamela Guy-Strayhorn and her cousin, Darin Leake Sr., demonstrate their forefathers’ strength that included fighting in the Civil War and raising their offspring with the belief to always put family first.Today, as Guy-Strayhorn and Leake

prepare for the Guy Family Reunion in 2011, they expect nearly 700 people to attend the five-day event. In 2007, the family’s first reunion since 1991, between 350-400 people showed up, says Leake. Two years later, in 2009, 450 were in attendance. Much of the reunions’ success can be tied to Leake who created and maintains a website that includes a welcome letter, daily inspirations, reunion photos, registration information and more. Leake says he started the website after finding old family photographs in a shoebox after his grandfather’s death in 2002.

Along with the website, Guy-Strayhorn says she employs a personal touch by calling about 400 relatives once a month just to stay in touch.

“I’m so excited,” she says while ticking off the list of events for next year’s reunion that will include tours of nearby Civil War sites, skating, a movie night, banquet, church service and a farewell brunch. “I love family and always have because we were raised to love family and there was never a thing as too many people. We do this because it’s building our family back up. Family has always been the backbone for African-Americans, and these days you can’t make it without family.”

Here are some steps and tips developed by Vargus that will help ensure a successful family reunion.

Ten Steps for Planning a Family Reunion

© Ione D. Vargus, Ph.D

Family Reunion Institute1. Eighteen months or a year before,

form a planning committee of about six people. Include young people. Send a communication that a family reunion is being planned. Include a survey that asks for preferences regarding accommodations, dates and costs.

2. Do some preliminary thinking. Think of the who, what, when and where. Who will come, where will it be held, when will it be held and what will you do. Also, how many days will it be?

3. Compile a list of relatives with names, addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses. Arrange alphabetically

4. Designate responsibilities to different members of the host family or committee:

Hotel or siteProgram developmentRegistrationCommunicationsTransportationFoodMemorabilia or SouvenirsYouth Development (Special

Activities for youth)FundraisingFamily Heritage (How to present at

reunion)5. Select location and facility.

Can people get to the location from the airport or train station? Will you need meeting space, hospitality room, banquet room, group meals, and picnic equipment. Can the hotel and other places where activities will be held, accommodate the disabled, particularly those in wheel chairs?

6. After site and date have been determined, communicate this information. Outline different options for activities and ask for family interests. Mention if there will be additional fees.

7. Figure out how you’re going to raise money to pay for up-front expenses such as postage, duplicating, stationary, telephone, and deposits for hotel, food, transportation or other services.

8. Develop program from responses of the family. Send registration form and indicate final payment date.

9. Six to four weeks ahead send out another communication regarding final plans and agenda. If people haven’t paid registration fees, and made facility reservations, urge them to do so immediately.

10. One to two weeks before reunion, confirm all hotel and facility arrangements, payments, activities and other details. Verify transportation arrangements if people are flying in from out of town and the location is not easily accessible.

Three don’ts.1. Don’t be intimidated by what

other families are doing at their reunions. They may have been at it a long time.

2. Don’t overextend yourself. If this is the first reunion, don’t be too expansive.

3. Don’t book hotel reservations for people. Have family members make their own.

Biggest Problems.1. Where to have the reunion can

be a problem if elders want to come but are somewhat immobile. Getting the money to help family members who can’t afford it

2. Getting responses to the invitation. Family members don’t let you know they are coming and you have to plan for food and the number of hotel rooms. Or if you have a registration fee, they don’t send in money. Think of what you will do when people show up unexpectedly.

3. Up-front finances. May have to have fundraisers.

4. Arranging for transportation if people are flying in from out of town and the location is not easily accessible.

The do’s and don’ts of family reunions


Do You Know The A.M.E. Church?On a Sunday in 1787 a group of

African-Americans were kneeling in prayer when they were

asked to stop and return to the balcony of the St. George Methodist Church so the worship

service could proceed and by not moving fast enough some of these individuals were forcibly

removed. This injustice gave birth to the African Methodist Episcopal Church (A.M.E.C.) and

from that day to this, the members of this denomination have been

working to improve the lives of people from every

background and from every walk of life.

The AME Church has a legacy which lives out the meaning of Proverbs 31:8-9 “Open your mouth for the speechless, in the cause of all who are appointed to die, Open your mouth, judge righteously and plead the cause of the poor and needy.” (NKJV) These words of scripture tell those who can, to stand up, to speak up and empower those who cannot stand and who have no power. In the African

Methodist Episcopal Church, faith in God and love for your brother and sister are not words spoken only in a Sunday worship service. These words of action set the goals, give birth to n e e d e d min is t r ies a n d guide the activities of its members each day of the week. Since the 1955 when Brown Chapel AME Church opened its doors to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Selma, Alabama to plan the C i v i l Rights Movement, the AME Church has been opening its doors to speak up for and empower people on a global basis.

From Jacksonville to Johannesburg, Los Angles to London, Montreal to Monrovia the twenty Episcopal Districts of the African Methodist Episcopal Church touch the lives of people on five of the seven continents that call this planet home. The Third Episcopal District of the AME Church is comprised of the State of Ohio, the State of West Virginia and the Western half of the State of Pennsylvania with its office headquarters located in Columbus, Ohio under the direction of Presiding Bishop C. Garnett Henning, Sr.

Many people think that when they see AME shield of the Anvil and the Cross, they are looking at just another symbol of a Black Church. What many do not realize is they are really looking at is a piece of history. The oldest Black College, the oldest Black newspaper, the oldest Black religious denomination in the United States and the first Black female Bishop of a major mainline denomination in this country. The story of the AME Church is written in lives of the slaves it helped lead to freedom through its churches on the Underground Railroad. The story continues in the countless lives of the individuals it educated when no schools would

teach them and no colleges admit them. The AME Church is not just a place of worship to visit on Sunday, it is a place to remember the past, to enjoy the present and make plans for

a glorious future. The AME Church: A

Foundation of Social JusticeOn a Sunday in 1787 a group of

African-Americans were kneeling in prayer when they were

asked to stop and return to the balcony of the St. George Methodist Church so the worship

service could proceed and by not moving fast enough some of these individuals were forcibly

removed. This injustice gave birth to the African Methodist Episcopal Church (A.M.E.C.) and

from that day to this, the members of this denomination have been working to improve the

lives of people from every background and from every walk of life.

The African Methodist Episcopal Church was not begun because of some disagreement over the meaning of a portion of scripture or some opposing view of how to begin a new way of life or living. The AME Church was came to life because one people of color decided another people of color had no right to pray to the God they both were serving. Social Justice became the foundation on which Bishop Richard Allen and others would build the new life freed former slaves and individuals escaping slavery could build their lives.

The AME Church has a legacy which lives out the meaning of Proverbs 31:8-9 “Open your mouth for the speechless, in the cause of all who are appointed to die, Open your mouth, judge righteously and plead the cause of the poor and needy.” (NKJV) These words of scripture tell those who can, to stand up, to speak up and empower those who cannot stand and who have no power. In the African Methodist Episcopal Church, faith in God and love for your brother and sister are not words spoken only in a Sunday worship service. These (Continued on page 15)

Do You Know The A.M.E ChurchJourney


New Birth Christian Ministries Pastor: Bishop Kenny Moore 3775 Refugee Rd. Columbus, OH 43232 Phone#. 614-236-9080 Fax#. 614-236-9092 www.nbcmonline.com

Second Baptist Church Pastor: Rev. Howard T. Washington 186 N. 17th St. Columbus, Ohio 43203 Phone #: 614-253-4313 614-253-4313 www.secondbaptistcolumbus.com

New Salem Missionary Baptist Church Pastor: Keith A. Troy 2956 Cleveland Ave. Columbus, OH 43224 Phone #: (614) 267-2536 (614) 267-2536 www.newsalemcares.com

Church Directory

Journey

(Continued on page 14) words of action set the goals, give

birth to needed ministries and guide the activities of its members each day of the week. Since the 1955 when Brown Chapel AME Church opened its doors to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Selma, Alabama to plan the Civil Rights Movement, the AME Church has been opening its doors to speak up for and empower people on a global basis.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. met in the sanctuaries of AME Churches when no other places were open and available to him. Since the 1950’s and through the years since, the AME Church sanctuaries and fellowship halls have served as meeting places for groups working to improve the lives of the poor, the needy and those who lacked the power and the voices to speak up and be heard. Sunday worship services were designed to lift the spirits of the people while the others days of the week were used to empower and lift the daily living standards of the communities in which the AME Churches were located.

From Jacksonville to Johannesburg, Los Angles to London, Montreal to Monrovia the twenty Episcopal Districts of the African Methodist Episcopal Church touch the lives of people on five of the seven continents that call this planet home. The Third Episcopal District of the AME Church is comprised of the State of Ohio, the State of West Virginia and the Western half of the State of Pennsylvania with its office headquarters located in Columbus, Ohio under the leadership team of Presiding Bishop C. Garnett Henning, Sr. and Supervisor Ernestine Lee Henning. Bishop Henning believes you cannot have a positive life changing impact on an individual’s spirit and not address the needs of the body and the place where that body calls home.

Job training, educational opportunities, neighborhood safety watches, employment services, back to school haircuts and hairdo’s, voter registration, school supplies giveaways, parenting classes, cooking classes, sporting teams and events, taking people to the polls to

vote and community involvement are just a few of the activities local AME Churches sponsor and are involved in to make life better their members and their communities. Bishop Henning encourages each local Pastor to be involved the daily life of the community in which the local church is located. A local church is not just a building on a street it is a place where lives are lived, changed and improved. Bishop Henning reminds all of his Pastors and preachers, the local church was once the center of life in the Black community and it still has its place of importance in the Black community.

Many people think that when they see AME shield of the Anvil and the Cross, they are looking at just another symbol of a Black Church. What many do not realize is they are really looking at is a piece of history. The oldest Black College, the oldest Black newspaper, the oldest Black religious denomination in the United States and the first Black female Bishop of a major mainline denomination in this country. The oldest piece of Black owned property in this country, the property on which Mother Bethel AME Church stands in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The story of the AME Church is written in lives of the slaves it helped lead to freedom through its churches on the Underground Railroad. There are AME churches in Ohio which were stations on the Underground Railroad which still hold worship services each Sunday. The story continues in the countless lives of the individuals it educated when no schools would teach them and no colleges admit them. Wilberforce University and Payne Theological Seminary have been educating individuals since the mid 1800’s and are still in operation today. The African Methodist Episcopal Church is not just a place of worship to visit on Sunday, it is a place to remember the foundation of the past, to enjoy living in the present and make plans for building a glorious future.

List Your Church For Only

$25/yr


The professional nomenclature has now become household words. Children as young as six can now speak of “Ritalin,” and “ADHD” with stunning efficiency of what these words mean. Teachers and principals are telling single-parent mothers that their sons need “CYCLERT” and “ADDERALL.” Special education children are telling their instructors that they cannot be suspended from school for more than ten days because they have an “IEP.” Teenage boys are blaming their behavior on “I didn’t have my pill today.”

As soon as children begin to show signs of a learning challenge parents are racing off to the schools begging for psycho-educational evaluations believing that their children have “learning disabilities” although they have just began to learn. Collectively, we have created a monster that is wreaking havoc upon Black boys in America the explication of which is central towards a correct understanding of the underachievement and socio-economic marginalization of Black

men in the United States.The Umar Abdullah-Johnson

Theory of Black Male Alienation posits that a five-stage cycle of institutional repression exists that has effectively sent more black men to jail than it has to college. Any attempt to reverse this war against America’s most misunderstood population begins with a firm analysis of the process and it’s origins in boyhood. Americans, including Blacks, have become so desensitized to the pain of Black boys

and so expectant of their failures that their pain is often overlooked and their achievements treated like occasional glitches in a system that has successfully made Black boys a permanent underclass in this country.

The five stages of the Abdullah-Johnson theory of Black Male Alienation are 1) Miseducation, 2) Psychotropic Medication, 3) Mass Incarceration, 4) Frustration/Irritation, and 5) Extermination. It is the job of all Black institutions, parents, elected officials, clergymen and leaders to fight to keep our young men from falling into any of these aforementioned stages. Nearly every Black man in America has already been through one of these stages or

is at-risk for being sucked into one at this very minute. This brief article cannot properly address the historical underpinnings of each stage in this vicious cycle but rather it seeks to draw everyone’s attention to seven (7) facts regarding life as a Black boy in America.

FACT #1: Black boys are turned off from public education based upon the treatment they receive by a primarily White female teacher population beginning in kindergarten and intensifying by middle school.

FACT #2: Black boys are referred for learning disability and special education support programs intentionally to remove them from the general student population due to routine behavior problems thusly preparing them for a life of marginalization and prison.

FACT #3: Black boys are sent to detention centers and juvenile delinquent programs which interrupts their schooling and encourages school drop-out especially in states where returning to public school after such a placement is illegal.

FACT #4: Prisons are being used as concentration camps for Black men to be detained since the society-at-large is not interested in hiring these men by equipping them with decent livable wage jobs.

FACT #5: American society is more responsible than any Black man for the destabilization of the Black family by stealing fathers away from sons and thusly removing role models and over-burdening Black women with the dual role of both working for and raising their children without any paternal assistance.

FACT #6: The war on drugs has been a war on Black men and has served to destroy the Black community and strip it of its most valuable resource, its men.

FACT #7: Black boys are more likely to be put on dangerous psychiatric medications for emotional problems while White boys are more likely to receive valuable psychotherapy for

the causes of their behavior problems, which come with no side effects.

This information has been written to serve as a warning to the Black community, and all of America, to stop institutionalizing and brain drugging our sons. They are normal children and can be successful like other youth, and will respond to love and proper treatment like anyone else.

To this end, I am offering free psycho-educational workshops for parents and community organizations to train them on how to protect their sons from premature and unnecessary labeling, drugging and illegal discipline practices that take place everyday in our public and charter schools. The training will highlight five areas of practice: a) special education law and procedure, b) school discipline law and procedure, c) disruptive behavior disorders and psychiatric medicine, d) effective behavioral modification strategies for Black boys and e) the history of Black boys in public education.

If you are interested in hosting this free training, anywhere in the U.S., please do not hesitate to contact me.

Umar R. Abdullah-Johnson is a nationally certified school psychologist & kinsman to Frederick Douglass. He is also the founder

of the National Movement to Save Black Boys (NMSBB). He can be reached at (215) 989-9858 or [email protected]

“Drugs & Jail When All Else Fails” - The Psycho-Academic War Against Black Boys

By Umar R. Abdullah-Johnson

Trendsetters Speak


I’m one of the lucky ones. When I was 4-years-old my father had an in-ground pool built in the backyard of my Baltimore home. And then he immediately hired a swim teacher to come to our house every Saturday like clockwork to teach my sisters and me the ways of the water. Though he grew up in inner city Baltimore of meager means, my father (and my mother) had learned how to swim at young ages. And what was clear to them from the start was that in order to be safe--and have fun in the summer especially--you had to know how to swim.

If only this were so for most African-American families today! Instead, a recent study commissioned by USA Swimming and conducted by the University of Memphis reveals a shocking truth. Not only do most black kids not know how to swim, the concept of “most” is not an exaggeration. Actually about 70 percent of black youth across America cannot swim.

Unfortunately, this lack of swimming skill is not translating into safe behavior in pools and oceans

in this country. When the Fahrenheit is climbing and folks are looking for relief, the water is usually the most alluring (and cooling) destination they seek.

Therein lies the problem. We’ve already seen tragedy strike communities across the country this summer. A few weeks ago a 12-year-old Dominican immigrant from Harlem, Nicole Suriel, lost her life in the rip tide at a beach in Long Island. Nevermind that camp counselors didn’t heed the warning that no lifeguard was on duty at that stretch of beach or the greater reality that this girl couldn’t swim.

Children have wandered or fallen into backyard pools, drowned on beaches and otherwise lost their lives this year because of a basic lack of swimming skills. The American Red Cross reported that about 5,000 drowning or near drowning accidents are reported annually in America. Worse still, according to the University of Memphis study, “the fatal drowning rate of African-American children ages 1-14 is 2.6 times higher than that of white children in the same age range.” This is scary stuff, especially

considering how many thousands of children routinely load onto school buses and go on swimming excursions everyday in America.

After the Suriel drowning, there was an audible hush among campers’ parents. What can they do to protect their children?

Enter 26-year-old Olympic gold winner Cullen Jones. The 2008 gold medalist is set on changing this tragic tide. The winner of the 4 × 100 freestyle at the Beijing Olympics has teamed up with Make a Splash, a national water safety initiative created by USA Swimming Foundation, and is traveling across the country sounding out a safety message to all youth. His delivery is hauntingly authentic

considering his foray into swimming started with a near drowning. Jones’ moment of truth came at age five.

“I was at a water park on an inner tube, and I ended up almost drowning in the pool,” Jones explains. EMS had to come and resuscitate him.

As in many black families, Jones didn’t know how to swim because his mother didn’t value the skill. He says, “My mom did not make swimming a priority. I guess they [his parents] thought maybe later in life I would learn how to swim.”

That all changed on his near-death day. Immediately, Jones explains, “my mom wanted me to know how to swim, so she enrolled me in swim lessons. She was afraid of the water, and she wanted me to love the water and enjoy the water and not be afraid of it like she was.”

Those first lessons turned into a lifelong love of the competitive sport.

“I started off with just taking lessons,” Jones said. “But then when I was eight, I swam in my first swim meet because my friend was a swimmer and I got really competitive,

which runs in my family as a lot of people in my family are competitive as basketball players. I got really excited about swimming and my mom asked me if I wanted to be on a competitive team and I said yes. I have been competitively swimming ever since then.”

Jones has primarily been going at it alone, in the sense of his nearest peers. He acknowledges that especially when he was growing up, the kids who lived near him were into other sports. “Growing up the people in my neighborhood did not swim. Most of them played basketball and the typical African-American sports. I was different.”

Cullen Jones is committed to making sure that other kids choose to be different too. Because being different--as it relates to learning to swim--may just save your life. It wasn’t until right after the Olympics, Jones admits, that he realized how important it was to get out and share the message.

“Someone came in front of me and showed me the stats of black swimmers and I was shocked,” he says. “I knew they were bad, but not that bad. In my community, most people do not consider swimming as a life skill, but it is. I want to teach people that it is extremely important to know how to swim.”

The statistics revealed by this study are staggering. While lower income black families lead the ranks of children who do not know how to swim, interestingly, the cost of learning to swim was not their biggest deterrent. Fear topped the list.

“Parents are combating their own fear of the water and projecting that fear onto their children,” Jones said. “It would be better to teach your kids how to be near the water and how to swim.”

Also high up on the list of obstacles was vanity.

“One of the big things that I saw in the University of Memphis study was the nervousness with physical appearance,” Jones said. “When I look at my own mother, who spends

(Continued on pg 27)

Swim or die: The battle to save black kids from drowningBy Harriette Cole

Fit & Trendy


Travel Trends

For more than 50 years, African-American museums have made it their primary mission to preserve and educate visitors from around the world on the history of African-Americans and their ancestors. So whether you are planning your next family vacation or you just want to learn more about African-American heritage, no matter what time of year, we’ve got you covered. The Grio researched 10 African-American museum spots, all of whom illustrate the courageous lives and selfless contributions of African-Americans--from the early slavery days and modern times--how they managed to persevere with the help of faith, culture and artistic expression and how their legacy continues to thrive.

Check them out.

Du Sable Museum of African-American HistoryChicago, Founded 1957Located in the great city of Chicago the Du Sable Museum of African-American

History is one of the oldest museum establishments dedicated to the study and conservation of African-American history, culture and art. This spring the museum is expected to usher in the new exhibit The Black Panthers: Making Sense of History, celebrating 40 years since the party was first founded. The exhibit will feature more than 50 historic photographs illustrating the history of the party and its impact on African-American culture.

Museum of African American History

Boston, Founded 1963Located in the heart of New England,

the Museum of African-American History in Boston has become one of the city’s most hailed institutions. Among the museum’s unique features is a walking tour (there’s an interactive online version too) called the Black Heritage Trail, which explores the history of Boston’s 19th century African-American community. Guests will also have a rare opportunity to visit The Abiel Smith School, known as the first publicly funded schoolhouse in the country for African-American children

(1835).

Charles Wright Museum of African-American HistoryDetroit, Founded 1965Detroit may be known as the “Motor City,” but among the African-American

community the Charles Wright Museum of African American History is a key destination spot. One of its most prominent exhibits is And Still We Rise: Our Journey through African American History and Culture where patrons will experience 22,000 square feet of more than 20 galleries outlining the lives of African slaves and their journey through present-day Detroit.

African-American Museum of Philadelphia

Founded 1976Known for their Annual Heritage Gala, the African-American Museum of

Philadelphia is the city’s landmark establishment featuring several exhibits including Audacious Freedom: African Americans in Philadelphia 1776-1876, which consists of two galleries including an interactive timeline with historical illustrations exemplifying their vast contributions to the environment, education and religion.

California African American Museum

Los Angeles, Founded 1981Los Angeles might be nicknamed as the “City of Angels,” but for many within

the African-American community, the city is best known for the California African American Museum, which is home to an eclectic range of exhibits such as Harlem of the West which explores Jazz, Bebop and Beatnik clubs of the 1940s, 50 and 60s in San Francisco’s Fillmore District and the Dance Theatre of Harlem, an exhibit that captures the choreography, costumes and dancers from the historic Harlem theatre scene.

National Great Blacks in Wax Museum

Baltimore, Founded 1983With its life-size wax figures, the National Great Blacks in Wax Museum could

rival Madame Tussauds thanks to its extensive collection of African-American pioneers from all walks of life - consisting of everyone from prominent blacks enlisted in the military, human rights activist Malcolm X, to female abolitionists like Sojourner Truth.

National Civil Rights Museum

Memphis, Founded 1987Patrons will experience the awe-inspiring National Civil Rights Museum,

located at the infamous and now former Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King, Jr was assassinated on April 4, 1968. Among its humbling exhibits is its recreation of the August 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in which civil rights organizers sponsored one of the largest peaceful demonstrations where approximately 250,000 people participated.

Negro Leagues Baseball Museum

Kansas City, Founded 1990Avid baseball fans are in for a one-of-a-

kind experience when visiting the Negro Leagues Baseball Museums. Located in Kansas City, Missouri, the museum is 10,000 square feet of hundreds of photographs, never-before-seen film exhibits, and collections, including several bronze sculptures of African-American baseball pioneers.

African Burial Ground National Monument

Manhattan, Founded 1993When visiting this U.S. National Park located in Lower Manhattan, patrons

will not only have the opportunity to experience a 90-minute walking tour that begins on the steps of the Federal Hall National Memorial and ends at the African Burial Ground National Monument Memorial highlighting how slaves impacted New York City society as we know it, but guests will also get to explore the museum’s visitor center containing several exhibits and artifacts.

National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

Cincinnati, Founded 2004When people want to learn about

the events that took place inside the Underground Railroad where thousands of slaves escaped to freedom, they turn to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center located in Cincinnati. From Slavery to Freedom, just one its many exhibits, chronicles three centuries of slavery beginning with its inception to

its fall, illustrating how slaves lived and how they were eventually became free.

Make 10 African-American museums your next destination


Fashion & Beauty Trends

Atlanta, GA (BlackNews.com) -- Health is an increasing concern in the African American community and especially among women. Disproportionate medical statistics, unhealthy lifestyles, obesity, economic imbalance, healthcare reform, rising healthcare costs and shirking healthcare coverage, all work against the African American woman striving to improve her health and lead a more holistic lifestyle.

On August 7-10, 2010 Black Health Magazine will be hosting its 2nd National Black Women’s Health and Beauty Conference entitled, “Celebrating A Healthier You.” The conference will be held in partnership with the Bronner Brothers International Hair Show at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia.

The event is an opportunity for dynamic African American women from all across the United States and beyond to come together to discuss issues affecting them. “African-American women face both high rates of chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, and longstanding barriers to patient education and access to treatment. Pfizer is hard at work on solutions and proud to sponsor a conference that empowers women to chart a strong course for good health” says Dr. Freda C. Lewis-Hall, Chief Medical Officer, Pfizer Inc.

The conference goal is to target and influence African American women who are disproportionately affected by major health issues and illnesses to live a more balance, healthy and holistic lifestyle. “Educating the community about key health and wellness issues is incredibly important to ensuring Black women age with grace and dignity,” says Edna Kane-Williams, Vice President of Multicultural Markets for AARP. “We are delighted to work with Black Health Magazine and its National Black Women’s Health and Beauty Conference to help Black women stay healthy and live their best lives after 50.”

Attendees can look forward to an exciting mix of dynamic workshops,

networking opportunities and special events including a one of a kind session facilitated by Dr. Vikisha Fripp-Vincent on “Black Women and Plastic Surgery” and its long term effect on a woman’s overall health. Dr. Fripp-Vincent is a regular columnist with Black Health Magazine and is available to answer plastic surgery questions at www.blackhealthmag.com.

“The hopes, wishes, ambitions, aspirations and plans of a person are all represented under the general heading of health” says Marcus Oaks,

Chairman and Executive Director of the Black Health Medical Research Foundation, a 501 (C) 3 non-profit organization. “Therefore, education and responsiveness are crucial elements in helping African American women shift paradigms to improve the quality of their overall health.”

Additionally, attendees will have the opportunity to attend the star studded National Health Awards Banquet honoring 25 of the Most Influential African Americans in Healthcare, Medicine, Pharmaceuticals and Health

Foods Industries. There will also be a special awards presentation for Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Dr. Ian Smith, Regina Benjamin, M.D. 18th U.S. Surgeon General and Alonzo Mourning. Reed Tuckson, M.D., Executive Vice President and Chief of Medical Affairs with UnitedHealth Group will deliver the banquet keynote address. The Mistress of Ceremonies for the event will be CNN Anchor Fredricka Whitfield.

The session speakers for the event are Mary E. Stutts of Elan Pharmaceuticals and author of “The Missing Mentor,” Dr. Freda Lewis-Hall of Pfizer, Inc., Dr. Vikisha Fripp of Premiere Plastic Surgery and Associates and Maxine Brown-Davis formerly of the Procter and Gamble Company.

Corporate Sponsors for the conference include Pfizer, Inc., UnitedHealth Group, AARP, Johnson and Johnson, Merck American Cancer Society, ConAgra Foods, Wellstar and Premiere Plastic Surgery and Associates.

Registration cost for the 2010 National Black Women’s Health and Beauty Conference is FREE. Attendees can register for the conference online at www.blackhealthmag.com. Later that evening, conference attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy live entertainment from comedian and actor “Bill Bellamy” as he performs at the Bronner Brothers International Hair Show. On August 8th – 10th conference attendees can take advantage of more health forums, hair and beauty events at the Bronner Brothers International Hair Show. For a complete listing of sponsors, program, event schedules and bios of our speakers, please visit the conference websites at www.blackhealthmag.com and www.bronnerbros.com.

National Black Women’s Health and Beauty Conference: Celebrating A Healthier You

Contact Me TodaySharon S. Gordonwww.sharongordon.soulpurpose.net614-679-7318

SWIM OR DIE (Cont. from page 17)

quite a bit of money to get her hair done, for her to get it wet it is like throwing that money away. I completely understand that. But learning to swim is a lifelong skill. It is like riding a bike; you will never forget how to do it. But unlike riding a bike, swimming can save your life.” Even with this effort to teach swimming skills, it’s curious as to whether there will be a significant shift in awareness and action in the black community. Being on the frontlines, Jones says he believes he is making some headway.

“It does help to have a gold medal. A lot of people get inspired by that,” he said. “I kind of stand on my soapbox and say how important this initiative is. I direct people to go to makeaplash.org. It really is a resource for a lot of people. If your kids know how to swim, make sure your neighbor knows how to swim. We have to make sure that every kid knows how to swim because it is so important.”

While cost may not be a factor for all, the Make a Splash program

in partnership with Conoco Phillips is committed to reducing or eliminating the price of classes as broadly as possible. So far, there are more than 200 partner programs in 39 states.

And the future, through Jones’ eyes, seems bright. “In 2012, we are hoping that every state has local partners,” he said. “Now, more than 350,000 people have been affected by Make a Splash. The numbers are continuing to grow.”

And that’s particularly important, because one tendency among young people needs to be counter-balanced, namely their common belief of invincibility.

“Drowning is terrible,” Jones states. “I know a lot of kids and they look at the person next to them, who knows how to swim, and they say they do too. Parents need to understand that by not giving their children swim lessons, they are not water safe. If they can’t swim 20 yards, from one side of the pool to another, they don’t know how to swim and they are not ready to be in the water alone.”

Jones’ advice to black youth: “I would tell kids to be honest. If they cannot swim, no matter who around

them can, get a life vest and be safe. It is better to be safe then to be drowned.”

This is a lesson Jones learned early on. With the help of his mother, he turned a potential tragedy into ultimate victory. Did he envision this as a young boy?

“I never thought that I would ever become an Olympian. I grew up in the

inner city. The Olympics was not an opportunity for me. I was just really competitive with the guy next to me and I took baby steps to get there. I set a goal and I am just happy that I can be a part of the initiative that is so connected to my own life and is something I feel so strongly about.”

Advertise in the September 2010 Edition of UTS

Special Features Include:

• Fall Fashion 2010

• Education-Knowledge is KEY!

Advertisement Deadline: August 20, 2010Edition Drop: August 27, 2010

Call 866-970-4887 [email protected] For the September Media Guide Log Onto: www.urbantrendsetters.com


Handle Your Business

New Jersey mom Angela Logan is whipping up a unique way to fight foreclosure on her home: baking cakes.

The Teaneck homeowner is trying

to sell 100 apple cakes, for $40 each, by July 26th to make a key payment on the home she’s lived in for 20 years.

Why cakes?It’s the only idea for

raising money “that my kids didn’t laugh at,” Logan said.

The aroma in Logan’s tiny kitchen in Teaneck was sweet as she baked four of her so-called “mortgage apple cakes”...but she’s bitter about a home improvement project that went wrong, starting her downward economic spiral.

She claims the contractor “messed up about $20,000 worth of plumbing and thousands of dollars worth

of other stuff.”A year later, the work on her house

remains half-done.Several of the actress and

standup comedian’s paychecks were

also frozen when one of her talent agencies shut down.

She’s since applied for the new federal mortgage program to help homeowners in distress, and figures this is a way to help with the first jumbo payment.

Several media outlets reported on her distinct tactics, and now she’s well on her way to reaching her goal.

“The e-mails are full, the phones are ringing off the hook and we’re just grateful and thankful that people have come to our rescue,” Logan said. “Now we think we can really make it, because we got enough cakes to bake!”

Besides baking, Logan is studying to become a nurse to supplement her acting.

She says if she can make that July 26th payment, any other bake sale money will be icing on the cake.

NJ woman bakes cakes to pay mortgageBy theGrio

GREEN


By Andrew MorrisonPresident, Small Business CampThe Bureau of Labor and Statistics reports that the unemployment rate

for teens this summer is expected to be 26.4 percent -- the highest number since they began tracking in 1948. Double that number and you begin to come close to the unemployment rate for black and Hispanic teens. Summer jobs that many of us were accustomed to growing up are virtually non-existent. Research shows a direct correlation to criminal activity and lack of meaningful work experience among teens.

What’s the solution?

We could demand that the federal government allocate more dollars for summer employment programs and make sure that the state spends the money wisely. This political option should be pursued. As a business coach and someone who built a multi-million dollar company in my 20s, I suggest that all of us can also pursue a practical approach as well. Instead of helping a teen find a job -- how about helping them to create one?

Here’s what you can do to help a teen or young person start their own business this summer.

1) Listen for their Passion. Teens have their own unique voice, dress and style. I know that you despise the tongue-ring, tattoo and sagging pants. A constant attempt to correct their behavior prevents you from listening to their dreams, desires and goals. Despite any outward appearance of apathy, all teens have something that inspires them. There is an activity that they will cause them to jump out of bed at 6am. Listen carefully and you can uncover it.

2) Connect Passion to Project. Find a two-month project. You can keep your teens interest by showing how they can achieve tangible results in a specific period of time. It’s not always about the money. Not everyone is motivated by money. Maybe there is a service project that a young person could take the lead-on. Cleaning-up a park, preparing food for the homeless and reading to children are examples of projects that can occupy a teen and look good on their college application.

3) Bring their Friends. Peer pressure is the most powerful force on the planet. If you really want to keep a teen involved then make sure to invite their friends. They know which friends will take this business or service opportunity seriously. Any disagreements that arise serve as opportunities to improve their conflict resolution skills. The team approach will also help them to recognize and appreciate each others gifts and talents. That “shy” kid who they avoid may have the graphic design skills they need to start a clothing line.

4) Recruit a Mentor. Now that you have a team and idea in place, you can significantly increase their odds for success by asking a business person or executive to serve as a summer mentor. It’s best if the individual had some experience in the industry that your teens plan to pursue. You could contact Score, chambers of commerce, local retailers or Rotary clubs to find a mentor.

7 Ways To Help Teens Start A Summer Business

5) Raise Start-up Money. The teens may need capital to get started. Help them create a one-page description of their idea and begin to share it with friends and relatives. Most concepts should require less than $500 to get started. Encourage them to find 5 people to invest $100 each and offer a promissory note that pays 10 percent interest in six months. Seeking investors may be the least glamorous task but this will determine if they are serious about making money this summer.

6) Events Are Hot! People enjoy going places during the summer. Maybe your teen business owners could work with an organization to promote a trip. Make sure they have at least six weeks to promote the event.

7) Internet Money is the Best Money. Billions are spent online each year. Teens could use eBay to list a neighbors items and take a commission on each sale. CreateSpace can be used to sell books, CDs and DVDs on-demand with no initial investment. Do you have an idea for a design or saying? Then CafePress and Zazzle is the place to create custom t-shirts, posters, bags and etc. without paying a penny.

Andrew Morrison is the President of Small Business Camp. The company provides high-impact marketing strategies for entrepreneurs, executives and non-profit leaders. Andrew has as trained thousands of entrepreneurs from Hawaii to Nigeria and appeared on Oprah. Visit www.smallbusinesscamp.com to receive his no-cost report entitled, “Identifying and Growing Any Business Idea in 16 Weeks”.


Auto Trends

A distinctly American entry into the competitive performance sedan segment

By Emile Bouret For over a century, Cadillac has

symbolized the American luxury car. And in 1908, the Royal Automobile Club of England - the automotive authority of its day - awarded Cadillac the Dewar Trophy for distinguished automotive achievement. It was this award that became the basis for Cadillac’s slogan, “Standard of the World.”

To be honest, that slogan hasn’t been spoken in the same sentence as Cadillac for a very long time - we’re talking decades. Yes, the first generation CTS was a good car, but it wasn’t a great car. The XLR? One look at sales numbers will answer that one: good effort, but not great. And let’s not even get started on the front-wheel-drive Cadillacs.

Now with its second generation CTS, Cadillac is showing some of its old form once again. The performance of the newest Cadillac is competitive with the imports in its segment, and the design of the car is distinctly American with tons of Cadillac DNA.

The faceted, sharply-angled surfaces of the Art & Science design language that we first saw in production on the original CTS has been further refined in this latest evolution. Cadillac has gone away from the strict origami look and introduced more soft surfaces to the crisp lines for a more balanced look.

The CTS also ushers in the new

Cadillac CTS Part 1: Design Reviewcorporate grille first seen on the stunning Cadillac Sixteen concept car that stole the show at the North American I n t e r n a t i o n a l Auto Show at Detroit in 2003. That showcar’s influence on the production CTS can be

seen elsewhere as well. From the front view, there are vertical headlights inspired by the concept car’s. In side view, the influence on the C-Pillar is evident - and very nicely done. And lastly, from the rear view we find proper Cadillac-style vertical taillights that are more pronounced and confident than what we got on the first generation CTS. These signature Cadillac design cues play well together, making the design of this new CTS the best Cadillac effort since, well, since before I was born!

Now, there are a couple of elements that in my opinion don’t work that well. For starters, there is the seemingly obligatory front fender vent. Can someone please tell me why this has become the new design must-have? We’re seeing these on everything from economy cars to SUVs. The fact is, they’re unnecessary in nearly every case, and on the Cadillac CTS, they just seem forced. But as these vents have become synonymous with “sportiness” don’t expect them to go away anytime soon.

The other design element that seems like an afterthought is the sculpted-in highlight at the bottom of the body’s side. It’s just not very well done. The same element on the Sixteen concept car and even on the first generation CTS was better executed.

These small, subjective elements aside, the new CTS is a styling homerun, giving Cadillac a strong entry into a very competitive

segment that includes some great cars. That may not merit a reissue of the “Standard of the World” slogan, but it’s a great start.

Cadillac CTSPerformance- Acceleration: Direct injected V6

pulls adequately (at best) - if you want planet-destroying power, get a 550 hp CTS-V

- Handling: Good compromise between sport and luxury - leaning toward the luxury side of the equation

- Braking: A bit more dive than expected, but effective nonetheless

Design- Exterior: The best execution

of Cadillac’s Art & Science design language so far

- Interior: Nothing short of the best American car interior

Utility- Comfort: Larger cabin than

its obvious competitors with every convenience option imaginable

- Space: Bigger than a 3-series BMW, smaller than a 5-series makes for a good amount of space inside

Safety- Dynamics: Good, stiff chassis has

the moves to get you out of trouble- Technology: Airbags in all the

right places, plus one of the best stability control systems out there

Value- Price: Well positioned given its

size and content- Mileage: Direct injection helps

the engine deliver decent mileage - that you can use regular unleaded also helps

Emotional Appeal- Heart thumpin’ factor: While a

great looking American sedan, there’s not much in it emotionally - if you need an adrenaline shot, get the “V”

- Fun to spank: A bit underpowered to be really naughty behavior, but the limited-slip differential helps a ton

SPECIFICATIONS• Layout: Front engine / Rear

wheel drive• Engine: 3.6 liter, direct-injected,

DOHC V6• Power (SAE): 304 hp @ 6300 rpm• Torque: 273 lbs-ft @ 5200 rpm• Redline: 6500 rpm• Gearbox: 6 speed automatic• Curb Weight: 3980 lbs.• 0-60 mph: 6.0 sec.• 1/4 mile: 14.5 sec.• Top Speed: 155 mph

(electronically limited)• Mileage: 17 city / 26 highway• Base Price: $42,105• Competitors: BMW 335i,

Mercedes-Benz C350, Infiniti G35

Jason Moore(614) 607-8189


With the All-Star game just passing, it might be fun to look at some of the many former Columbus stars with African-American heritage that have played in the Mid Summer Classic.

The first former African-American Columbus player to play in the All-Star game was pitcher Brooks Lawrence of the Cincinnati Reds in 1956. Lawrence was a great multi-sport star at Miami of Ohio. He and fellow pitcher Bill Greason were the first African-Americans to play for Columbus in the 20th Century with the 1954 Red Birds.

The Columbus Jets (1955-1970) produced a number of famous All-Stars. Pitcher Bob Veale was a hard throwing right-hander. With the Jets on August 10, 1962, Veale set an International League record by striking out 22 Buffalo Bisons in nine innings.

In the era that produced Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Juan Marichal, Bob Gibson, Jim Bunning, Tom Seaver, Nolan Ryan and Steve Carleton, Hall of Famer Lou Brock said Veale was the most intimidating pitcher he ever faced. Veale was the toughest

major league pitcher of his generation to hit a home run against.

Outfielder and home run champion Willie Stargell was a teammate of Veale’s on the 1962 Columbus Jets. “Pops” went on to play in seven major league All-Star games before being elected to The National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

First baseman and outfielder Al Oliver (1968

Jets) banged out 2,742 hits and was a batting champion during his 18 year major league career and appeared in seven All-Star games.

Other former Jets that appeared in the Mid-Summer Classic were catcher Manny Sanguillen (three), second baseman Dave Cash (three), second baseman Gene Baker (once), outfielder Manny Mota (once), and pitcher Dock Ellis, who started the

1971 game for the National League.One of the beauties of minor league

baseball is that not only do you get to see the upcoming superstars before the rest of the country but you also get to give a final curtain call to many former greats. A good example of this was when the Jets signed former National League All-Star Sad Sam Jones in 1964. Jones started his career in the Negro Leagues before becoming one of the most dominating pitchers in the 1950’s. After the 1963 season, Jones had a cancer operation and signed with the Jets. He was named the International League’s

MVP in 1964 and pitched the Jets to the pennant the following season. Jones’ played for the Jets for four seasons before retiring as a Columbus legend.

Columbus outfielder Mike Easler won the International League’s batting title in 1978 and was the first Clipper to appear in an All-Star game when he was named to the National League’s squad as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1981.

Other Clippers who had curtain calls in Columbus after their All-Star appearances were outfielder Darryl Strawberry, who appeared in eight All-Star games, Tim Raines (seven games), pitcher Doc Gooden (five games), outfielder Bobby Bonds, Barry’s dad (four games), Lynn McGlothlin (once).

So which Clipper with African-American heritage has played in the most Major League All-Star games? That would be Yankees’

shortstop Derek Jeter (Clippers 1994-95, 98), who has played in eleven Mid Summer Classics!

Jeter was just 20-years-old when he first a played for the Clippers in 1994 but Columbus fans recognized right away that he was special! He was named to the International Leagues All-Star team in 1995 and was named Clipper of the Year that same season.

The Yankees’ Gold Glove shortstop won the American League Rookie of the Year Award in 1996 and has gotten better with age. He has led the Yankees to seven World Series. In 2000 he won both the All-Star game and World Series MVP awards.

The former Clipper has passed Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig and is now number one on the Yankees career hit list after surpassing such legends as Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle.

Over the past half century Columbus has had a number of players of African-American decent that have not appeared in the All-Star games but had great careers.

After graduating from Moorhead State, Donn Clendenon chose baseball over contract offers from the Cleveland Browns, New York Knicks and the Harlem Globetrotters. While playing for the Columbus Jets, he was named the International Leagues MVP in 1961 and called up to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Clendenon played in the majors for a dozen seasons highlighted by being named the 1969 World Series MVP with the Miracle Mets.

After his playing career Clendenon became an attorney in Dayton, Ohio.

Another multi-sport star that played for the Clippers was Deion Sanders. Sanders was a two time All-American defensive back at Florida State before joining the Clippers. The centerfielder played for Columbus from 1988-90 before becoming one of the few men to play in both the major leagues and the NFL at the same time. Deion went on to be the only man to play in both the World Series and the Super Bowl.

Sanders was an analyst on the CBS’ NFL Pregame Show after his playing days.

The Clippers have had a galaxy of All-Stars over the decades and is very proud of the team’s rich tapestry of diverse heritages.

Columbus All-Stars


Some of the biggest hit shows currently on Broadway are attracting an increasing number of black theater-goers. From the musical Fela to the hit play Memphis, the percentage of African-American attendance on Broadway is apparently on the rise. What’s more, plays and shows have actually begun marketing to their new-found audience.

In this edition of “Positively Black”,

NBC’s Tracie Strahan found out what’s behind the surge in black attendance and what it means for the future of

Broadway.Strahan spoke with

New York Times writer, Patrick Healy, who notes that the audience diversity for shows like Memphis is especially unique.

“Oftentimes, African-Americans only make up about 3 or 4 percent of an audience, but with Memphis, you saw so many African-Americans and Hispanics coming in of all ages and that

seemed really new and different to me,” remarks Healy.

Healy believes that the changing face of the audience is further persuaded by new marketing strategies that focus on the black theater-goer. And with big name actors like Denzel Washington and Dennis Haysbert taking the stage, audience members are sure to take

notice.“This is an untapped market. There

are plenty of African-Americans who want to, not only hear the music, but learn a great history lesson.”

Memphis’s own J. Bernard Calloway

joined in on the conversation and expressed hopes that a larger black audience will translate into more black roles.

“When people come out and have the experience of seeing my work and our show, writers will sit down and say, ‘Hey, we need to start writing in more black characters and accepting more scripts about the African-American culture.’” predicts Calloway.

Calloway’s wish may come true as upcoming black-themed shows like The Scottsboro Boys and The Mountain Top, based on the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., suggest that the black theater-goer is here to stay.

Broadway plays geared toward blacks are a hitBy Lana Schupbach

Arts & Entertainment

“The Dayton African American Cultural Festival (DAACF) provides for the coming together of diverse people to celebrate the richness of the African American experience through activities that promote art, education and health.”

We are excited to announce the

2nd Annual Dayton African American Cultural Festival (DAACF). The Dayton African American Cultural Festival will be held at Riverscape Metro Park Downtown Dayton on Saturday, August 28, 2010 from 12:00p.m. until 9:00p.m.admission is free!

The Dayton African American Cultural Festival (DAACF) is a fun filled family oriented event that will

feature the richness of the African American cultural experience. We anticipate 6,000 attendees from the local region. This event will create opportunity for the Dayton region to join in the celebration of African American entertainment, art, education and health awareness.

The Dayton African American Cultural Festival program includes

a live performance from National Recording Artist Kelly Price! And other local entertainment (music & dance), health screening and literature, visual art display at the 5/3

Baseball Dragons Stadium, food and merchandise vendors and celebration!

The DAACF is partnered with the City of Dayton, Five Rivers Metro Parks, and the African American Visual Arts Guild. Also this year’s festivals sponsors include: Premier Health Partners, CareSource, Urban Trendsetters News Magazine and Media, WROU, WDAO and WRCX TV40. We believe this collaboration demonstrates our commitment to the community as well as to the success of the festival.

For more information please call (937)890-8986 or visit DAACF.Blogspot.com


Fashion

For the last few months, famed Cameroonian photographer Mario Epanya has been on a campaign to convince Vogue publisher Condé Nast to create an African version of its hallmark magazine. He went as far as creating fictitious magazine covers, featuring models from the African Diaspora. Apparently, Epanya’s bid was rejected by Condé Nast, according to an announcement recently on his Facebook page.

Epanya’s campaign to display black beauty and fashion was inspired by his fashion designer mother, as well as to develop support for Africa’s budding fashion scene.

“I read my first Vogue in 1979 and have been buying it regularly ever since,” Epanya said in an interview. “I always felt that African creativity was not represented. I think today’s women would like to re-appropriate their image. Beauty is diverse and we aspire to have more of a diversity of choice. I say, why not?”

Condé Nast has not officially given a reason for “why not” yet, but is anyone really surprised by this? The company publishes Vogue in 18 countries as

well as other magazines like Glamour, W and Allure. With the occasional cover photo of Naomi Campbell, Alek Wek or Liya Kebede, all of these magazines for the most part feature unrealistically thin white women who look like they just purged at the nearest toilet.

Some thought this trend was on the verge of changing two years ago when Italian Vogue published an issue featuring all black models. That issue was so popular that ad sales went up 30 percent and it was the first in Condé Nast’s history to be reprinted to satisfy demand. This all went against conventional wisdom that black models don’t sell magazines.

However, despite the success of this issue, Condé Nast still doesn’t see the potential in African Vogue.

However, my anger is not necessarily

directed towards Condé Nast; I want to know why the black community is still depending on the mainstream media to present us. Magazines like Ebony, Jet and Essence were created out of a need to fill voids that weren’t being met in white publications. Unfortunately, these voids still need to be filled in 2010, despite having a black president and first lady in the White House.

Today there are more than enough brains, money and resources in our community to make an all-black fashion magazine a reality. Instead

of calling for a boycott of Vogue, we should take our collective anger and tap into the entrepreneurial spirit within the African Diaspora to present ourselves in a magazine the way we

want to be seen. If the “black issue” of Italian Vogue is any indicator, a magazine created by us would not only be a lucrative

cash cow, but could also change the standard of beauty worldwide.

When Epanya said on his Facebook page that although his African Vogue

bid is over, and that his experience is the “beginning of something,” I think he meant to say that his magazine was Condé Nast’s loss is a window of opportunity for us.

Why African Vogue is considered out of fashionBy Talia Whyte

“there are more than enough brains, money and resources in our community”


2010

Gate Admission Prices

• Adults (ages 13-59) $10

• Youth (ages 5-12) $8

• Senior (ages 60+) $8

• Children (under five) Free

• Discounts on Admissions

and Ride Wristbands

July 28 - August 8Save on gate admission

prices with $6 tickets available through August 8 at Kroger, participating AAA locations with AAA membership and Ticketmaster outlets. Purchase ride-all-day wristband vouchers (to be redeemed at the Fair for a wristband) for only $19 at Ticketmaster outlets through July 27 only.

Rides

$1 coupons. Most kiddie rides require one coupon; super kiddie and spectacular rides require two coupons; super spectacular rides require three coupons. Special ride-all-day wristbands are available for $22.

Stroller, Wagon, Wheelchair and Locker Rentals

Available only at the Cardinal and OHIO Gates.

• Stroller: $9/day; • wagon: $13/day; • manual wheelchair: $15/day; • electric cart: $50/day, $30 after 5 pm;• lockers: $1/day.

Supplies are limited and available for rent on a first-come, first-served basis.


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