AAEA Hollywood

Environmental Poetry

2017-09-14T11:30:00.004-07:00

Brenda Bunting

We Are Earth

By Brenda Bunting

I feel this old earth--

I feel it when it heaves

When souls are newly born

And when they have to leave

I feel this old earth--

I feel it in my knees

In the waters and the tides

And the oceans and the seas

I feel it in the mountains

Topped with snow

And in secret places

Where strange things grow

I feel this old earth--

I feel it in my hands

In the wide and open prairies

All across the land

I feel it still and silent

in the mighty Sequoia trees

Where men with saws and tools

buzz like angry bees

I feel it when it is cruel

And when it is beautifully kind

I feel this old earth dying

Yet beating all the time

Brenda D. Bunting is a socially conscious Poet and Educator, Spoken Word Artist and Workshop Facilitator. Ms. Bunting is in the Poets in Progress (PIP) program through the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities and headed by the Poet Laureate of Washington DC. A University of Kentucky alumnus with her B.A. in English Ms. Bunting has been writing and performing poetry for over 30 years.

Brenda has been published in newspapers, anthologies and journals. She was invited to read her original works at the 2017 Bridge water International Poetry Festival at Bridge water College. She knows the benefits and advocates for the therapeutic use of writing poetry for mental and emotional wellness and healing from traumatic events. Her book of poetry, "Poems of Love and Violence in between Life and Death 2^nd Edition" is available for purchase on Amazon.com. She is a life member of the Kentucky State Poetry Society (K.S.P.S.) an avid hiker and lover of the preserving our environment.

Environmental Poetry

2017-09-14T11:29:00.001-07:00

Brenda Bunting

Pollution

By Brenda Bunting

Ocean seas weep oily tears,

Trees are stripped and raped each year,

Frogs hop to extinction land,

Where honey bees become their friends.

Is there clean air anywhere?

Like politicians really care,

Breaking into tiny grains,

Asphyxiating plastic remains.

Fecal matter reeking foul,

Multiplying billion bowels,

Men and animals eliminate waste,

At a rapid and unprecedented rate.

Contaminated corrupted the purity of seed,

Divinely given for all earth’s needs.

At the genetic level fools play god,

While living in the land of nod.

Evil experiments constantly revealed,

Human subjects on a gerbil wheel.

The sentence slowly comes to light,

As the doomed continue to fight.

The corrosive carriers are everywhere,

Transport across land, sea and air,

Pesticides, chemicals and black oil,

Seep into rivers, streams and soil.

Earth belches back and rebels strong,

With wind and water breaking on,

Men and beast and all alive

Will we continue live and thrive?

Johnson Publishing Sells Ebony to Clear View Group

2016-06-15T08:59:00.002-07:00

Chicago-based Johnson Publishing has sold Ebony, its African-American lifestyle magazine, and the now digital-only Jet magazine to Clear View Group, an Austin, Texas-based private equity firm, for an undisclosed amount. Johnson Publishing will retain its Fashion Fair Cosmetics business and its historic Ebony photo archives, which remains up for sale. The deal, which closed in May, also included the assumption of debt.

A family-owned business throughout its history, Ebony has documented the African-American experience since it first hit newsstands in 1945. It has shaped culture ever since, coming into its own as it reported from the front lines of the civil rights movement during the 1960s in powerful photos and prose.

In recent years, though, Johnson Publishing has seen declining media revenues as it struggled to evolve from print to digital platforms.

Linda Johnson Rice, chairman of Johnson Publishing and daughter of founder John Johnson, will serve as chairman emeritus on the board of the new company.

The new publishing entity, Ebony Media Operations, will maintain the magazine's Chicago headquarters and its New York editorial office, as well as much of the current staff, according to Michael Gibson, co-founder and chairman of African-American-owned Clear View Group. It is the first investment in the publishing business for Clear View.

Cheryl McKissack, who has served as chief operating officer since 2013, will assume the role of CEO of the new publishing entity under Clear View, operating out of the magazine's Chicago office. Kierna Mayo is stepping down as editor-in-chief of Ebony to pursue other opportunities, Gibson said.

Chicago-based Kyra Kyles, who has headed up digital content for Ebony and Jet since last June, will add the role of editor-in-chief of Ebony, Gibson said.

Desiree Rogers, the former social secretary for President Barack Obama who has been steering Johnson Publishing since 2010, will remain CEO, focusing on the cosmetics business, which represents about half of the company's total revenue.

In January 2015, Johnson Publishing put its entire photo archive up for sale, hoping to raise $40 million. The historic collection spans seven decades of African-American history, chronicling everyone from Martin Luther King Jr. to Sammy Davis Jr. The collection is still for sale. (Chicago Tribune, 6/15/2016)

Robert Downey,Jr. Goes Pro Nuclear

2016-04-19T10:29:00.002-07:00

Moonalice Launches Moonalice Radio

2016-03-03T06:12:00.001-08:00

Ben Fong-Torres created the station featuring the band members and their favorite songs,

420 news and music, old and new, representing the spirit of the 60s.

Moonalice, the Bay Area rock band that makes its concerts available, live, on audio and video streams, has added another platform to reach its fans: Its own radio station.

The band, formed by Silicon Valley investor Roger McNamee and the brainchild of the great producer, T Bone Burnett in 2007 because they wanted to create a band with a San Francisco 60s sound. Moonalice band members (Pete Sears, Barry Sless, Roger McNamee, & John Molo) are the focal point of the online station, Moonalice Radio.

The station, says McNamee, reflects the bands eclectic tastes rock, blues, Americana, country, folk, R&B and songs dealing with pot culture and offers band members hosting their own shows.

To build and program the station, McNamee tapped Ben Fong-Torres, a veteran broadcaster who was a DJ on KSAN, the pioneer free-form FM rock station in San Francisco in the 70s, but who is best known as an editor and writer at Rolling Stone.

While doing a biography of Moonalice, Fong-Torres asked McNamee why, since the band was on numerous social media platforms, it didn't have a radio presence.

Said Fong-Torres: He said, Ill do a station if you'll build it.

And so he did. Moonalice brings back the spirit of the Sixties, said Fong-Torres. Their music is loose, free-flowing, and pays tribute to favorite musicians and the roots of American music. The station does the same.

Each member of Moonalice McNamee, Sears, drummer John Molo and guitarist Barry Sless appears throughout the week. On weekends, Moonalice Radio features road manager Big Steve Parish, former roadie for the Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia; social media director Gail Barnes, in the guise of Moongirl, the subject of many Moonalice concert posters, and a DJ show hosted by Fong-Torres (Its pretty close to what I used to do on KSAN). There are also programs featuring acoustic musi and Moonalice in concert.

I didnt want this station to be just a streaming music service, said Fong-Torres. So we have news, historical tidbits, profiles of the artists who create posters for Moonalice concerts, information about pot culture from the podcast, The Hash, and recordings of Moonalice in concert.

Gail Barnes (aka voice of Moongirl and Moonalices social media guru) shares this when asked if Moonalice Radio had a mission. I replied, We share the love through music we love," to which he responded, "You can't go wrong with that motto." With a tight integration into Moonalice's already extensive social media presence of around half a million fans, Moonalice Radio is a great complement to our social ecosystem.

Moonalice Radio, says McNamee, is the place where Moonalices music, and the music of the people who influenced us, is played, 24 by 7 by 365.

Moonalice Radio can be heard, free and commercial-free, via Moonalice.com/moonaliceradio.

About MOONALICE:

Psychedelic, roots-rock band of seasoned musicians mixing a variety of genres with extended musical improvisations.

Band Members: Roger McNamee, Pete Sears, Barry Sless, John Molo and with special guest Jason Crosby

Every show has an original art poster, created by a well-known artist, and with its own unique Moonalice "legend. The poster is given free to all attendees. www.moonaliceposter.com

All Moonalice concerts are broadcast live in HD and available in an online archive shortly after their set. www.moonalice.com

Moonalice on Social media: over 407,000 on Facebook & over 67,000 on Twitter

MOONALICE Band members:

Pete Sears: bass, guitar, keyboards, vocals (Doobie Decibel System, Sam Gopal Dream, Rod Stewart, Long John Baldry, original Jefferson Starship, Hot Tuna, Peter Rowan, Jimi Hendrix, Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh & Friends, Steve Kimock, David Nelson, John Lee Hooker and more).

Barry Sless: lead guitar, pedal steel guitar, bass (Phil Lesh & Friends, David Nelson Band, Kingfish, Cowboy Jazz)

Roger McNamee: rhythm and lead guitar, bass, vocals (Doobie Decibel System (DDS) Duo with Jason Crosby and Doobie Decibel System (DDS) Band with Jason Crosby, Pete Sears, Dan Lebo Lebowitz and Jay Lane. Plus Guff, The Engineers, Random Axes, Flying Other Brothers)

John Molo: drums, vocals (Bruce Hornsby & The Range, John Fogerty, Phil Lesh & Friends, The Other Ones).

Often featuring Jason Crosby: guitar, fiddle, keyboards, vocals (Doobie Decibel System (DDS) Duo with Roger McNamee and Doobie Decibel System (DDS) Band with Roger McNamee, Pete Sears, Dan Lebo Lebowitz and Jay Lane. Plus: Susan Tedeschi, Robert Randolph, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Carlos Santana, Pete Seeger, Eric Clapton, Bruce Springsteen & Dave Matthews and more).

Big Steve Parish: Manager, Road Scholar, Medicine Man, Story Teller. (Grateful Dead family member and co-founder of Jerry Garcia Band).

Moonalices hit single "It's 4:20 Somewhere" has been downloaded over 4.6 million times. You can download it at http://www.moonalice.com/song/its-420-somewhere

MOONALICE photos by legendary photographer, Bob Minkin.Band members from left to right: John Molo, Pete Sears, Barry Sless & Roger McNamee

Jada Pinkett Smith - Begging Diminishes Dignity

2016-01-18T05:27:00.003-08:00

We must stand in our power!
Begging diminishes dignity…
Posted by Jada Pinkett Smith on Monday, January 18, 2016

Richard In His Sly Stone Preacher Outfit

2016-01-07T19:26:00.002-08:00

Sly Stone Wins $5 Million Royalty Settlement

2015-01-27T18:20:00.001-08:00

Sly Stone just scored $5 million thanks to a L.A. jury, which ruled the psychedelic funk singer was done wrong by a former manager who pilfered his fortune.

When Sly was on the skids, his former manager allegedly convinced him to sign over all his royalties to a company the manager picked ... for tax reasons. Sly says the manager assured him he'd be protected.

But Sly says the manager fleeced him, and apparently the jury agreed. The company that got the royalties must pay the frontman of Sly & the Family Stone $2.5 MIL. The manager, Jerry Goldstein, must ante up $2.45 MIL. And the lawyer who worked with Goldstein has to kick in 50K. (TMZ)

Ebony Power 100 List for 2014

2014-11-22T10:04:00.001-08:00

EBONY MAGAZINE UNVEILS ITS 2014 EBONY POWER 100 LIST

Honorees on the 29th Annual List Include Gabrielle Union, LeBron James, Shonda Rhimes, Pharrell Williams, Kevin Hart and T.D. Jakes,

Music Impresario Quincy Jones will receive the EBONY Achievement Award

Gala Celebration in Los Angeles on November 19

EBONY Magazine unveiled its annual EBONY Power 100 list, which salutes the remarkable achievements of African-Americans in 2014. Among the game changers honored this year are NBA player LeBron James, Sam’s Club CEO Rosalind Brewer, television producer Shonda Rhimes, music producer Pharrell Williams, actresses Audra McDonald, Gabrielle Union and Laverne Cox, comedian Kevin Hart, ballerina Misty Copeland and Bishop T.D. Jakes.

Quincy Jones –composer, record producer, artist, film producer, arranger, conductor, instrumentalist, TV producer, record company executive, magazine founder, multi-media entrepreneur and humanitarian –will receive the EBONY Achievement Award. The gala celebration will take place in Los Angeles on November 19, at the AVALON Hollywood.

The EBONY editorial team selected the 100 most influential African-Americans in the country. These achievers have made noteworthy accomplishments over the past year. The list of outstanding leaders highlights individuals from a variety of fields, including business, medicine, sports, media, religion, the creative arts and more. As the curator of the African-American experience, EBONY is proud to showcase these individuals.

These leaders are honored and recognized for changing the course of history and making an enduring and lasting impact in their communities and the world.

The 2014 Power 100 list will appear in the December issue of EBONY, on newsstands the week of November 10. The full list of the EBONY Power 100 can also be found at EBONY.com here.

The December EBONY is also dedicated to the topic of race. The publication looks at race relations in America today, and provides an opinion on why race still matters.

To supplement the feature, EBONY.com will also feature five videos on race relations interviews with thought-leaders including Dr. Ben Carson, Marc Lamont Hill, Melissa Harris Perry, Al Sharpton, Julian Bond, Dr. Cornell West, Marian Wright Edelman, Dr. Steve Perry and many others.

About EBONY:

EBONY is the No. 1 national consumer lifestyle magazine targeting the African-American community. As the longest-running Black publication, EBONY has the largest reach in the African-American print space, reaching nearly 20 million readers annually. EBONY features the best thinkers, trendsetters, celebrities and next-generation leaders of African-Americans. EBONY ignites conversation, promotes empowerment and celebrates aspiration. Available nationwide on newsstands and on all digital platforms, EBONY is the heart, soul and pulse of African-Americans.

Salutation	First Name	Last Name		Power 100 Category 1
Ms.	Rosalind	Brewer	President and CEO of Sam's Club, a division of Wal-Mart Stores Inc.. As of 2014, she is listed as the 64th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes	Power Brokers
Ms.	Jekalyn	Carr	Evangelist, entrepreneur & gospel artist - 17yrs old	Young Leaders
Mr.	Charles	King	Partner/Agent in the Motion Picture Department at William Morris Endeavor Entertainment (WME)	Power Brokers
Mr.	Kevin	Hart	Actor and comedian.	Innovators
Ms.	Viola	Davis	Oscar Nominated Actress (Doubt and The Help)	Cultural Influencers
Ms.	Denise	Young Smith	Apple's vice president of Worldwide Human Resources, responsible for attracting and retaining top talent at Apple	Power Brokers
Ms.	Nicole	Bernard	‎SVP, Audience Strategy at Fox Group, Fox Entertainmet	Power Brokers
Ms.	Zola	Mashariki	Senior Vice President	Power Brokers
Ms.	Shonda	Rhimes	Screenwriter, director, and producer. Rhimes is best known as the creator, head writer, executive producer and showrunner of Grey's Anatomy and Scandal	Innovators
Mr.	Jason	Collins	Professional basketball center for the Brooklyn Nets of the NBA & openly gay basketball player	Firsts
Ms.	Brittney	Griner	Basketball center with the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA	Firsts
Mr.	Levar	Burton	Actor & Executive Producer of Reading Rainbow	Community Crusaders
Dr.	Neil	Degrasse Tyson	Astrophysicist, author, and science communicator.	The Thinkers
Ms.	Gabrielle	Union	Actress (Being Mary Jane)	Cultural Influencers
Mr.	Roland	Martin	Journalist & TV Host (TV One & News One Now)	The Thinkers
Mr.	Keegan-Michael	Key	Comedian & TV Show Producer (Key & Peele TV Show)	Cultural Influencers
Mr.	Jordan	Peele	Comedian & TV Show Producer (Key & Peele TV Show)	Cultural Influencers
Mr.	Kevin	Frazier
Ms.	Lena	Waithe	Writer & Producer (YouTube series “Dear White People)	Cultural Influencers
Mr.	Kwasi	Ennis	NY Teen Accepted To All 8 Ivy League Schools - 17yrs old	Young Leaders
Mr.	Ron	Davis	Activist (Parents of teenager Jordan Davis)	Community Crusaders
Mr.	Phillip	Agnew	Executive Director of Dream Defenders	Community Crusaders
Dr.	Elmira	Mangum, Ph.D.	11th president of Florida A&M University (FAMU)	Firsts
Ms.	Erika H.	James	Emory University's new dean of Goizueta Business School, making her the first African American female to hold that position in the school’s history.	Firsts
Dr.	Valerie	Montgomery Rice	1st female CEO of Morehouse School of Medicine	The Thinkers
Ms.	Lucia	McBath	Activist (Parents of teenager Jordan Davis)	Community Crusaders
Ms.	Oprah	Winfrey	Media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer, and philanthropis	Power Brokers
Rev.	Jesse	Jackson, Sr.	Civil rights activist and Baptist minister	Dream Keepers
Ms	Elizabeth	Dozier	Principal of Fenger High School (Chicago)	Community Crusaders
	The Chicago Robinson West Team		National Little League Champions	Young Leaders
Mr.	Will	Packer	Filmmaker & Producer (Ride Along & No Good Deed)	Cultural Influencers
Mr.	Steve	Harvey	Comedian & TV Host (The Steve Harvey Show)	Cultural Influencers
Mr.	Norman	Francis	President of Xavier University of Louisiana since 1968	Dream Keepers
Mr.	Larry	Wilmore	Writer & Actor (The Daily Show)	Cultural Influencers
Ms.	Stephenie C.	Hill	Vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin’s] Information Systems & Global Solutions (IS&GS) Civil business & she was named the 2014 Black Engineer of the Year	Power Brokers
Mr.	Michael Andrew	Owens	President of The Council of Baptist Pastors of Detroit & Vicinity, Inc	Community Crusaders
Mr.	Stephen	Henderson	Journalist & 2014 Pulitzer Prize Winner for Journalism	Cultural Influencers
Mr.	Kain	Colter	Football Running back and Wide Receiver for the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL	Innovators
Ms.	Maya	Moore	Basketball player for the Minnesota Lynx of the WBNA & the Shanxi Flame of the Chinese league	Champions
Ms.	Laysha	Ward	President of Community Relations for Target and a member of its executive committee	Power Brokers
Mr.	Arnold W.	Donald	President & CEO	Power Brokers
Mr.	Ron	Johnson	Prominent figure in the aftermath shooting of Michael Brown	Community Crusaders
Mr.	Jaylen	Bledsoe	Technology entrepreneur - 16yrs old	Young Leaders
Ms.	Paulette	Brown	President of the American Bar Association. The first woman of color to lead the nation’s most influential lawyer’s group.	Firsts
Mr.	Floyd	Mayweather	Pro boxer, Undefeated as a professional and is a five-division world champion	Champions
Ms.	Claire	Sulmers	Journalist & blogger of 1# destination for multicultural fashion.	Socia Media Influencers
Mr.	Pharrell	Williams	Grammy Award winning musician/entrepreneur Pharrell Williams is a creative force, using music, fashion, and design to express his distinctive style	Innovators
Ms.	Audra	McDonald	Actress and singer. Six time Tony Award winner. Won more than any other actor of either gender, and is the only person to win all four acting categories for either gender	Firsts
Dr.	Danielle	Allen, Ph.D.	An American classicist and political scientist, and UPS Foundation Professor at the Institute for Advanced Study	Firsts
Ms.	Laverne	Cox	Actress, reality television star, television producer, and LGBTQ advocate (co-stars in Orange Is The New Black)	Firsts
Ms.	Michele A.	Roberts	Executive director of the National Basketball Players Association. She is the first woman to hold that position and the first woman to head a major professional sports union in North America	Firsts
Ms.	Sherrilyn	Ifill	President & Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc.	Dream Keepers
Ms.	Natasha	Eubanks	CEO of TheYBF.com	Socia Media Influencers
Ms.	Alexis	McGill Johnson	Chair, Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA)	Community Crusaders
Ms.	Chimamanda	Ngozi Adichie	Writer of African literature	The Thinkers
Ms.	Kara	Walker	Contemporary artist	The Thinkers
Mr.	Shaun	T.	Entrepreneur, celebrity fitness trainer & choreographer	The Thinkers
Ms.	Wendy	Willams	TV Show Host & Producer (The Wendy Williams Show)	Cultural Influencers
Mr.	Michael	Strahan	Talk Show Host & NFL Hall of Famer	Cultural Influencers
Ms.	Misty	Copeland	American Ballerina	Cultural Influencers
Ms.	Sasheer	Zamata	Actress & Comedian (Saturday Night Live)	Cultural Influencers
Ms.	Lupita	Nyongo	Oscar Winning Actress (12 Years A Slave)	Cultural Influencers
Ms.	Bevy	Smith	TV Personality (Fashion Queens)	Cultural Influencers
Ms.	Courtney	Kemp Agboh	TV Show Producer (Power)	Cultural Influencers
Ms.	Ericka	Pittman	Vice President	Cultural Influencers
Mr.	Theodore V.	Wells, Jr.	The National Law Journal named Ted one of “The Decade’s Most Influential Lawyers” and over the years has repeatedly selected him as one of the 100 most influential lawyers in America	Power Brokers
Mr.	Dean	Baquet	A Pulitzer Prize-winning American journalist and the executive editor of The New York Times. He is the first African-American to serve as executive editor, the highest-ranking position in the paper's newsroom	Power Brokers
Ms.	Shante	Bacon	Founder of 135th Street Agency, runs one of the top agencies in the country. With a client list that includes the Oprah Winfrey	Power Brokers
Ms.	Kathy	Thornton-Bias	President of Bang & Olufsen America, the Danish provider of premium, high quality audio and video products	Power Brokers
Rev.	Al	Sharpton	Baptist minister, civil rights activist, television/radio talk show host	Dream Keepers
Ms.	Beyonce	Knowles	Entertainer & Producer	Cultural Influencers
Ms.	Joy-Ann	Reid	Jounalist & Managing Editor of TheGrio.com and an on-air contributor on MSNBC	Dream Keepers
Mr.	Rickey	Smiley & Morning Show Crew	Comedian, Radio/TV Host & DJs (Morning Show Crew)	Cultural Influencers
Mr.	LeBron	James	Basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA	Champions
Dr.	Victor	Garcia	Founder of Buckle Up Campaign	The Thinkers
Ms.	Gale V.	King	Content Partnerships Director at Google where he is in charge of premium film, TV and new media partnerships for YouTube	Power Brokers
Mr.	Michael	Coleman	Mayor of Columbus, OH, the longest active African-American mayor of a major city	Power Brokers
Mr.	Marc Lamont	Hill	Political Pundit, Author & Distinguished Prof. of AA Studies at Morehouse College	Dream Keepers
Bishop	T.D.	Jakes	Apostle/Bishop of The Potter's House, a non-denominational megachurch, 30,000 members	Faithful Few
Mr.	Michael	Sam	Football defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys organization & first openly-gay pro football player	Firsts
Ms.	Tamela	Mann	Actress and gospel singer	Faithful Few
Mr.	Russell	Wilson	Football quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks in NFL	Champions
Mr.	Richard	Sherman	Football cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks in the NFL	Champions
Ms.	Mignon	Clydburn	Commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission since she was nominated by President Barack Obama on June 25, 2009, and sworn in on August 3, 2009.	Cultural Influencers
Admiral	Michelle	Howard	First woman and African-American woman to achieve the rank of admiral in the Navy	Firsts
Mr.	Ta-Nehesi	Coates	American writer, journalist, and educator	The Thinkers
Mr.	Gilbert	Campbell	Founders of Volt Energy (Green Technology Company)	The Thinkers
Mr.	Simon Antonio	Francis	Founders of Volt Energy (Green Technology Company)	The Thinkers
Mr.	Steve	McQueen	British film director, producer, screenwriter, and video artist. (Oscar winner for 12 Years A Slave)	Firsts
Ms.	Alexis	Wilkinson	The first African-American to be at the helm of the "Harvard Lampoon" since its creation in 1876	Firsts
Mr.	Andre Romelle "Dr. Dre"	Young	Record producer, rapper & entrepreneur. founder & current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment & Beats Electronics.	Firsts
Mr.	Derek	Jeter	Baseball shortstop in 20th and final season in MLB for the New York Yankees	Champions
Mr.	Kevin	Durant	Professional basketball player with the Oklahoma City Thunder	Champions
Bishop	Noel	Jones	Senior pastor of the City of Refuge Church in Gardena, CA, 17,000 members	Faithful Few
Mr.	John Silvanus	Wilson	11th President of Morehouse College	Dream Keepers
	#BringBackOurGirls	Obiageli Ezekwesili	On April 14th, 230 School girls were kidnapped from the Chibok Government Secondary School by Boko Haram Terrorists in Nigeria. All 230 are still missing.	Socia Media Influencers
Mr.	Carlton	Haywood	Faculty - Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics	The Thinkers
Ms.	Mo'Ne	Davis	Female Little League baseball pitcher Philadelphia, PA	Young Leaders
Mr.	Chadwick	Boseman	Actor (42 & Get On Up)	Cultural Influencers
Mr.	Kanye	West	Rapper & Producer	Cultural Influencers
Mr.	Usher	Raymond	Entertainer & Judge/Mentor (The Voice)	Cultural Influencers
Mr.	Jesse	Williams	Actor (Grey's Anatomy), Activist (Civil Rights)	Cultural Influencers
Ms.	Danielle	Lee	Creator of the Urban Scientist Blog	Social Media Influencers

2014-10-02T16:02:00.002-07:00

Garden of Nede

2014-08-04T20:06:00.002-07:00

Dick Gregory on Bill Clinton

2014-02-11T05:53:00.003-08:00

Dick Talks To Exxon Mobil

2014-02-11T05:41:00.002-08:00

Will.i.Am Trans4M Benefit Concert

2014-01-17T16:01:00.001-08:00

Defending Kanye West: He Is Operating In A Very Hostile Environment

2014-01-15T14:44:00.001-08:00

By Environment Man

Kanye West's latest episode with the paparazzi is proof positive that he represents the endangered species called 'black males.' His woman was threatened in the most vile of racist ways and he responded accordingly by giving a beat-down to the 18-year old Nazi. But said beat-down is making the Nazi the victim and Kanye will either pay the Nazi or his own and the Nazi's attorneys to make this go away. I'm on Kanye's side all the way on this one and if I had to pay a million dollars to settle this matter, it would all be worth it. [Note to Nazis - - Kanye is going to fight you.]

I agree with Ebony magazine writer Damon Young:

"There is nothing strange or un-understandable about a man coming to the defense of his woman after she was insulted and physically threatened. And, when you include the racial element -- Kim was reportedly called a “nigger-lover” -- it becomes even more understandable. Was he right to do that? Maybe. Maybe not. Right “in the moment” and right “from a distance” are two different types of rights. And, as much as we want to theorize or speculate about what they should have done, moments requiring an immediate fight or flight response have a way of overriding logic."

Black women and white men probably hate Kanye for 'being' with a white woman. Kanye's and Kim's outsized personalites make them prime targets for aggressors. And what better aggressor is there in Hollywood than the paparazzi Nazi pimp using the paparazzi for his own designs? Kimye's antoganist pimped them and the paparazzi to GET PAID.

I'm with you Kanye and Kim. Yours is the tough path. I just hope your marriage can withstand the external pressures. Marriage is challenging enough by jut withstanding the intracouple conflicts. (Ebony, 1/15/2014)

Wayne Hubbard

2014-01-15T08:46:00.003-08:00

Wayne Hubbard

Wayne Hubard is the host/producer of the Urban American Outdoors (UAO), which is the first multicultural Outdoor Lifestyle TV show in the country.

UAO is an EMMY nominated award winning TV program that first aired in 2003 and shares the outdoors from a different perspective.

According to Hubbard:

"We bring it to you like you have never seen it done before. Our show is always entertaining and different, you never know quite what to expect. So stay tuned!"

The show is airing across the country on various TV affiliates and Overseas. UAO has been on air since 2003, is EMMY Nominated and has won over 50 Broadcast Industry Awards. Hubbard has also created a spin off cooking show "Urban Soul Wild" featuring Celebrity Chef Kevin Kimbrough.

Along with hosting and producing duties, they sponsor free annual outdoor kid events that has serviced over 51,000 youth in the past 7 years and provide food to families in need in the community.

Hubbard is organizing annual Urban Outdoor Summits that celebrate and inform people in regards to the Outdoors Industry. Hubbard consult on diversity and inclusion in regards to connecting to underserved markets. He want to continue to connect people to nature to help improve their lives and health. His specialties: Outdoors Lifestyle & Adventure, Media, Diversity & Inclusion Consulting. (LinkedIn)

Candice Price

2014-01-15T08:17:00.001-08:00

Candice Price

CandicePrice is the CEO and owner of Urban American Productions, LLC which produced the first award winning diverse Outdoor Lifestyle TV show in the US; Urban American Outdoors with Host Wayne Hubbard. The show and concept were created in 1999 and the show has been in syndication on air nonstop since the fall of 2003.

Candice Price is also the Executive Producer and Show Runner of this first outdoor show that had an African American presence that was created to dispel the myth that Black people were not into nature and outdoor recreation. Through visual presentations and images of multicultural people in the outdoors—which was never seen before on TV—the show struck a major chord and garnered much attention with viewers.

The show Urban American Outdoors often touches upon cultural and historical events while weaving a good story and these factors make it a multi award winning TV show. The program has won over 50 Broadcast Industry awards, is twice EMMY nominated and is a fan favorite. The show has also been bestowed Proclamations, a Resolution, and Congressional Recognitions from local state and federal government.

Candice and Wayne Hubbard have also created a spin off show called Urban Soul Wild utilizing everything that Wayne has harvested to bring back to cook a delicious healthy meal. The two also created a Sportsman Feeding the Hungry program to donate to food pantries, woman’s battered shelters, churches and families in need. They believe in demonstrating sustainability. They also conduct community outdoor events and speak and consult throughout the US about diversity outreach, conservation and their outdoor program.

Candice was born in Topeka, Kansas but grew up in Kansas City. She came from a family—much like many other families—that had migrated from the south and settled in Kansas and Missouri for opportunities.

Candice’s mother’s family owned land and were farmers close to the St Louis area. Her father, Carl Price Sr., was one of the original black radio DJ's in the country. Her grandfather was also the first black dentist in Kansas. He was good friends with actress, Hattie McDaniel, and poet, Langston Hughes. Candice’s uncle owned and ran a record store and worked with youth and was the sparring partner to Joe Louis.

Her family was touched by the arts from all directions, whether it was music, literature, thought, theatre or dance. It is through this upbringing that eventually led to her desire to pursue the business of entertainment. She grew up singing, dancing and performing in several bands, eventually became a professional singer who performed across the US and overseas. However, those indoor venues just couldn’t compare to her love of singing outdoors in the open air, probably because Candice’s home was directly across from a city park which she played and sang in daily. With her family she enjoyed traveling all across the US going to the National Parks and Historical landmarks.

Candice has a BA degree in Communications from the University of Missouri Kansas City, as well as a degree in music from the Conservatory of Music. She worked in television for over a decade and other multimedia jobs over the years before starting her own business. She has her MBE, WBE certification and has been a Hunter Ed Certified Instructor as well as Instructor of Outdoor Safety.

Candice was recently appointed by Secretary Tom Vilsack of the USDA to a Federal Advisory Committee as Representative for Youth, Diversity Outreach, racial and ethnic minorities, and low income communities for the US Forest Service Planning Rule 2012. She and a committee of 20 recently handed over their recommendation for implementation to the US Forest Service in which they had work diligently over the past year.

Candice is married with children and loves her lifestyle of outdoors and adventures with her husband as they travel and work to encourage others to engage, connect and enjoy the open spaces and public lands that belong to all of us. It is definitely a family affair and they are available to come and speak and or consult with your business.

EnviroBro

2014-01-14T09:43:00.001-08:00

Green on-air personality; motivational speaker; eco-comedian and environmental consultant

Leonard E. (EnviroBro) Robinson

Leonard E. Robinson aka EnviroBro, is the proud father of three children. He is driven by a deep relationship with God; love for humanity and a passion for the environment.

He is a much sought-after speaker and lecturer combining an environmental evangelical fervor with a sense of humor.

Mr. Robinson completed a term as Acting Director for the Cal/EPA–Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC). He also served as the Federal Liaison for DTSC.

Robinson was originally appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2004 as Chief Deputy Director of DTSC. He was one of the highest ranking African Americans in State Government. During his political career, Robinson has served under four California Governors.

Prior to his state service, Mr. Robinson was the Environmental/Safety Manager at TAMCO Steel. Located in Rancho Cucamonga, it is California’s only steel mill. (Facebook)

No Black Artists Had Number One Singles On The Billboard Hot 100 Charts In 2013

2014-01-13T06:57:00.000-08:00

In 2013 no black artists were at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts for the first time since the company began charting top 40 singles in 1958. Jay Z, Kanye West, Beyoncé, Pusha T and Drake all put out albums in 2013 but none of them were able to get a top single. During the 52 weeks in a year, white artists were on top of the R&B and hip hop charts for 44 of them.

It almost like the ’50s and ’60s when you had a lot of music that was being made by white artists and being popularized by them but it was coming from black artists. Evidently it is much easier to sell a Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, an Eminem, a Justin Timberlake, to mainstream audiences than it is to sell a Jay Z. It is still a preferred feeling in mainstream pop culture that if we can find an attractive white act to do it, why not?

The problem arose when Billboard started using digital sales to compile its charts. What has happened is, whether it’s radio, whether it’s iTunes, there is now a lot of data feeding into the Hot 100. The charts of ten years ago when Outkast was No. 1 — iTunes was not a factor in the charts yet because it was brand new. There was no YouTube — it literally didn’t exist — and so this great feedback loop we used to have where we had crossover from the R&B charts to the pop charts has kind of gotten swamped.

It is a huge pendulum swing in less than a decade: In 2004, literally every song that topped the Hot 100 was by a person of color. This year, black artists had only featured roles.

Essentially the playing field has been broadened enormously since Billboard started changing the way they chart singles. What this means, is that since the incorporation of digital sales, R&B and hip hop acts can’t compete in their own genres.

One could argue that not every Justin Timberlake song is R&B, but Billboard no longer looks at it that way, instead of compiling charts based off of what the R&B audience is listening to, they’re including an artists entire album into the mix.

In another blow to musicians of color, not a single living black artist is being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year for only the second time in the history of the Hall.

This year the Hall will induct Daryl Hall and John Oates—an act with a long history of soul-music appreciation that once even topped the R&B chart—so Rock Hall voters are honoring the sound of black music. Just not actual black people. (Mass Appeal)

Urban American Outdoors

2014-01-10T10:58:00.002-08:00

Urban American Outdoors is the first multicultural outdoor TV show in the country. Celebrating their thirteenth year they are EMMY nominated and have won over 50 broadcast industry awards representing the outdoors lifestyle.

To share the beauty of the Outdoors Lifestyle. To let everyone know that Outdoors belongs to all of us and everyone should be included in decisions concerning its healthy continuation for future generations.The Outdoors brand has always been represented by one viewpoint and we are here to promote inclusion and bring Diversity to the table to share all stories of the greatness of Outdoors.

Urban American Outdoors is produced by Urban American Productions based in Kansas City and is a MBE and WBE. The show is hosted and produced by businessman and avid outdoorsman Wayne Hubbard and Executive Producer Candice Price. The show airs across the US on various TV Affiliates and Internationally in Europe. The show depicts the Outdoors Lifestyle, Entertainment, Travel, Cultural History and Cooking. (UAO-Facebook)

2014-01-10T05:18:00.002-08:00

SNL Hires Black Women

2014-01-09T15:24:00.002-08:00

Saturday Night Live (SNL) has added LeKendra Tookes and Leslie Jones (above) to the writer's room. The move comes just days after the announcement of new castmember Sasheer Zamata. There are currently no plans to have either appear on-screen.

Sasheer Zamata

Tookes and Jones, who were discovered during the sketch show's recent auditions, will join SNL's writers' room starting Monday, says The Hollywood Reporter. The auditions, held in New York and Los Angeles, came after the show faced widespread criticism about its lack of diversity — in particular, its lack of Black female comedians.

With the addition of Zamata, who was the first Black woman to join the cast since Maya Rudolph departed in 2007, and now Tookes and Jones, looks like SNL is coming into the 21st Century. (BET, 1/9/2014)

THE 45TH NAACP IMAGE AWARDS

2014-01-09T15:10:00.002-08:00

List of categories and nominees for the 45^TH NAACP Image Awards:

The nominees for THE 45^TH NAACP IMAGE AWARDS were announced today during a live press conference at the TV One presentation to the Television Critics Association during its Winter 2014 Press Tour in Pasadena, CA.

The NAACP Image Awards celebrates the accomplishments of people of color in the fields of television, music, literature and film and also honors individuals or groups who promote social justice through creative endeavors.

Winners will be voted upon by NAACP members and announced when the envelopes are opened on Friday, February 21 during the Awards Ceremony for non-televised categories.

The remaining categories will be announced LIVE on stage during the two-hour star-studded TV One telecast on Saturday, February 22 (9:00 p.m. ET/PT tape-delayed). The telecast will also include a one-hour pre-show airing live from the red carpet (8:00 p.m. ET/PT tape-delayed).

BET and CBS lead the nominees in the TV categories with 19 and 16 nominations respectively, followed by ABC with 15 nominations and HBO with 13 nominations. In the recording category, RCA leads with 10 nominations, followed by Atlantic Records with eight nominations and Columbia Pictures with seven nominations. In the motion picture category, The Weinstein Company leads with 17 nominations, followed by Fox Searchlight Pictures with seven nominations.

Founded in 1909, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization. The organization’s half-million adult and youth members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities and monitor equal opportunity in the public and private sectors.

The 45^TH NAACP Image Awards are sponsored by: UAW–Chrysler, FedEx, AT&T, Hyundai Motor America, Gilead Sciences, Wells Fargo, Ford Motor Company, Pepsico and Southwest Airlines. (NAACP Image Awards)

2013-12-11T17:52:00.003-08:00

News One Now

2013-10-28T12:57:00.002-07:00

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News One Now, the first morning news program in history to focus on news and analysis of politics, entertainment, sports, and culture from an explicitly African American perspective, will premiere on TV One Monday, November 4 at 9AM/ET.

Roland Martin, the 2013 National Association of Black Journalists’ Journalist of the Year and former host of TV One’s long-running, award-winning weekly news program, “Washington Watch with Roland Martin”, leads News One Now doing what he does best: sifting through the headlines of the day to spotlight matters that greatly impact the African American community.

News One Now is an evolution of the award winning digital brand NewsOne.com. Launched in 2008, NewsOne.com has seen meteoric growth, currently reaching two million African Americans every month. The television show represents a blend of digital and broadcast, leveraging the engaged audience of NewsOne.com and featuring an interactive, immersive experience. Enlisting the help of news makers, media stars, authors, celebrities, filmmakers, comedians and others, News One Now will be a jam-packed, live one-hour weekday morning news program driven by news headlines, on-set panelists, Skype-net interviews, social media integration, standing segments and discussion of the top mainstream media stories of the day, as well as more obscure stories that touch the African American audience nationwide.

In addition to the telecast, News One Now will be streamed live on Radio One. Each weekday morning, News One Now will kick off via its radio platform at 7AM/ET, airing on Radio One network stations in select U.S. markets. Entering its third hour at 9AM/ET, the radio program will simulcast on its TV One television platform, which will be broadcast from the heart of Washington D.C. from a state-of-the-art studio that offers a stunning view of the Capitol building. Audiences can continue their experience 24/7 with exclusive program content and extended editorial on NewsOne.com and the NewsOne mobile app available in both iOS and Android. Social interaction is at the heart of the show and incorporates conversations from facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Vine, among others, using the hash tag #NewsOneNow.

According to Alfred Liggins, chairman of TV One and CEO and president of Radio One:

“Filling a glaring gap in the current cable news programming landscape,
News One Now builds off our online success, extending our presence to a complete multi-platform experience where we can serve the African American audience with news and analysis that is specially curated to suit their needs, concerns, interests and passions.”

According to Roland Martin:

“Our program will not only keep Black America abreast of major breaking news and hot-button issues, it will also shed light on peripheral stories that spotlight events and individuals making a concentrated, positive impact in our communities. Our audience can not only expect to be informed, but also enlightened and inspired.”

(Roland Martin Reports, 10/25/2013)