POSHSLUT or Hottentot? The Historical Marginalization and Dehumanization of African-American Women

FuseBox Radio Broadcast for Week of July 1, 2009

BO: 40 years singing is quite an accomplishment. What have been the keys to your group’s longevity?

JB: I believe the key to my group’s longevity has been the fact that we are all related; we all love the Lord; we attend the same church; we love and respect each other; and as importantly, we love what we do.

BO: Where has your group performed, what performances were the most memorable?

JB: Over the past forty years, we have performed at almost any conceivable place. What makes that possible is the fact that we sing acapella style, so we are the instruments, so wherever we go, we are the performance. In terms of actual venues, we perform mostly in church settings. Otherwise, one might hear us on the street corner, in the park, school, hotel, concert hall, the Massachusetts State House,. hospitals, Boston City Hall, in the television studio, nursing homes, on the public bus or train, the T (MBTA) train stations, and yes, even night clubs. We love our acapella gospel music ministry and are willing to take it to wherever we feel people will be blessed.

Our most memorable performances- include a live performance at Foxwoods Casino and Resorts for BET’S Gospel Show Host Dr. Bobby Jones, and recent performances include being the featured gospel performance for Steppin’ Out, an annual music event sponsored by Dimock Health Center, and Winning the New England Urban Music Awards, and performing for the Mayor of Boston, and then on another occasion for the Governor of Massachusetts.

JB:  You also run a flower shop. What got you started in that industry?

In addition to singing, I operate a florist named Mr. J Floral Specialist in Roxbury. For almost 25 years, I have maintained a passion for connecting and communicating with people through flowers. While I was studying law at Northeastern University Law School, I was inspired by my late grandfather who arranged flowers for the church and the home for more than thirty years. I felt that this profession could allow me to express and share my artistic skills and talents with people worldwide, and I could be free to be as creative as I wanted, and at the same time people could be made to smile.

Although, years later, the industry began to experience a shift towards less demand or lower priority for consumers. When I saw the industry changing I realized that I should begin preparing to change me, so I embarked upon a journey to earn a PhD in Business, and so I did in August 2008.

BO: You also run Next Step Enterprise Business Solutions. What services does your business provide?

JB: Yes, I also own and operate Next Step Enterprises Business Solutions. As a Doctor of Philosophy in Organization Management, I operate as a Consultant /Expert and provide custom solutions for individual and business development.

BO: I just have to ask, where do you get your suits from?

JB: The Harmonizing Stars of Boston believe in supporting local businesses that provide quality products and services, so we support selective local men’s clothing stores.

Media Contacts:
Darius McCroey, Marketing Manager, ACT Roxbury
dmccroey@madison-park.org
Ph. 617-849-6321

SPREADING MULTICULTURISM THROUGH FILM - ACT ROXBURY AND THE COLOR OF FILM COLLABORATIVE
PRESENT THE 11th ANNUAL ROXBURY FILM FESTIVAL

Boston, MA - The 11th annual Roxbury Film Festival (RFF), the largest film festival in New England dedicated to films that celebrate people of color, will take place July 30 through August 2, 2009.  Presented by ACT Roxbury and The Color of Film Collaborative, RFF will screen over 50 films including features, shorts, documentaries and youth-produced works.

In addition to the screenings RFF will feature panel discussions and workshops for filmmakers, actors and film enthusiasts.  Renowned acting coach Troy Michael Rowland, one of Hollywood’s premiere acting coaches, will conduct an Master Acting workshop, as well as a teen acting workshop.  Also, noted Hollywood publicist and filmmaker Ava Duvernay of the Duvernay Agency along with industry veteran and marketing consultant Komeka Freeman will take part in the panel - Marketing & PR for Filmmakers. Additionally, Eric Meza, noted writer and director, who has developed scripts for Screen Gems, New Line Cinema, Myriad Pictures and Fox Networks will teach a screenwriting class on Friday and Saturday.

Films will be screened at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Tower Auditorium at Massachusetts College of Art, Roxbury Center for Arts at Hibernian Hall, and Annex Auditorium at Wentworth Institute of Technology.   Also, the ever popular Dinner and a Movie event will take place at The Haley House Café.

Updated information on special guests, panels, awards and other festival events can be found over the coming weeks at www.roxburyfilmfestival.org/ For a limited time, RFF is also offering an early-bird discount on festival passes.  Early-bird passes can be purchased until July 17th at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/71419.

Festival Producers

The Roxbury Film Festival is co-produced by ACT Roxbury and The Color of Film Collaborative. Arts Culture & Trade (ACT) Roxbury, a program of Madison Park Development Corporation, promotes arts and culture as a vehicle for economic development. The Roxbury Film Festival is one of several annual events of the Roxbury Arts Series produced by ACT Roxbury. For more information on ACT Roxbury, visit www.actroxbury.org.

The Color of Film Collaborative is a non-profit organization that works to support media makers of color and others who have an interest in creating and developing new and diverse images of people of color in film, video and performing arts. For more information on the Color of Film Collaborative, visit www.coloroffilm.com.

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This event will bring together members of the public and the City of Boston’s safety related departments including the Boston Police Department, Boston Emergency Medical Services, the Boston Fire Department and the Boston Public Health Commission to discuss and learn about public safety and health. The main attraction will be free car-seat safety checks by certified technicians.
The event is co-sponsored by the Boston Society of Vulcans of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Association of Minority Law Enforcement Officers, the Suffolk County Sheriffs Office, Safe Kids Boston, Boston Police District B2, Massachusetts State Police, Urban Public Safety Coalition, and the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security.

Additional Family Safety Days will be held on Saturday, July 25, 2009, from 11:00 AM until 3:00 PM on Reflectory Hill at One Franklin Park Road in Dorchester, and on Saturday, September 12, 2009, from 11:00 AM until 3:00 PM at 451 Washington Street in Dorchester (in the rear parking lot of Grace Church of All Nations).

For further information about this and other meetings sponsored by Councillor Charles C. Yancey’s office, please call 617 635-3131.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10,000 STRONG BOSTON MOVEMENT ORGANIZES TO IMPACT COMMUNITY

New Black Panthers, Activists, Officials, Clergy, Youth and Residents
Mobilize to Address Violence and Cultivate Emerging Leadership SUNDAY JUNE 21st 2009 - FRANKLIN PARK PLAYSTEAD - NOON-6PM

Boston, MA - In response to recent acts of random violence and community cries for Peace and Justice, local organizers have mobilized to hold the 2nd Annual 10,000 Strong Boston on Sunday June 21st at the Playstead in Franklin Park. The 10,000 Strong Boston event was inspired by the Historic Million Man March and subsequent Million Woman March, Million Youth March, Millions More Movement and the even more recent 10,000 Men Philly held in Philadelphia October 2007.

Scheduled Speakers Include: Sen. Bill Owens (HELP for Black Males), Councilor Charles Yancey, Rev. Gregory Groover (Charles St. AME), Rev. Miniard Culpepper (Pleasant Hill Baptist Church), Sen. Dianne Wilkerson, Min. Rodney Muhammad (Nation of Islam), True-See Allah (Nation of Islam), Elder Gilbert White (Church of God & Saints), Imam Faaruuq (Mosque for Praising Allah), Horace Small (Union of Minority Neighborhoods), Kazi Toure (National Jericho Movement), Cindy Diggs (Peace Boston), Vivian Benton-Smith (Youth Workers Alliance), Ron Odom, jr. (BPH), Alicia Canady (Young Black Women’s Society), Paul Marcus (Community Change). Current Candidates for City Council will also be on hand to share their vision for the city, Ego Ezedi (At Large), Ayanna Pressley (At Large), Tomas Gonzalez (At Large), Jean-Claude Sanon (At Large), Carlos Henriquez (District 7). Youth from across the city will also share their insights such as, Jesse Winfrey (Voices of Liberation), Jelani Lynch (Greatest Minds) and Santiago Rivera (Latin Kings & Queens). More speakers to be announced as current Elected Officials confirm.

“We have been describing it to people like a ‘mini-million man march for Boston’ but we have made some key adjustments to strengthen its impact in Boston.” explained convener Jamarhl Crawford, National Minister of Information for the New Black Panther Party and Publisher of the Blackstonian Community Newspaper. Crawford continued, “Many people were critical of the original Million Man March’s focus on men only. We recognize that women must be a part of whatever is being done in our community. They are Mothers, Daughters, Sisters, Aunts. They are the working woman, the backbone of the family and far too often the single parent head of household who is the primary caregiver for the children of our community. We have created an all inclusive movement and moment in which all of our communities can stand in unity. 10,000 Strong Boston is Cross-Generational, Cross-Cultural and Multi-Faith. Whether you are Christian, Muslim or Rasta, Young or Old, Male or Female, Black, Latino, Cape Verdean or Asian, we are all impacted by the same issues of crime, drugs, guns, violence, unemployment, education, police and prisons. We have suffered together as part of the problem and now we will stand together as part of the solution.”

10,000 Strong Boston will be a day long event featuring many speakers ranging from Christian & Muslim clergy to professionals, organizers, community activists, candidates, officials and youth. Themes will focus on self-empowerment, conflict resolution promoting gang truces, CORI reform, domestic violence, prison reform, youth development and education.

Last summer, 10,000 Strong Boston attracted over 400 community residents, elected officials, youth and clergy and received positive media reports from the Banner, Globe, Herald, Metro, Phoenix as well as local cable stations NNN and BNN. In order to get the word out in 2008 organizers inundated Boston with over 15,000 flyers and posters as well as 5,000 copies of the Special Edition “10,000 Strong Boston” Blackstonian Community Newspaper.

This year’s event promises an even more dynamic outreach and a broader range of support. 10,000 Strong Boston 2009 has aligned itself with Save Our Streets (organizers of Project Peace 09 - June 27th 2009) and Black Family Unity Day (monthly community event) and is once again being held the day after the Historic Roxbury Homecoming & Juneteenth celebration in order to maximize impact and continue the momentum of this powerful weekend in Boston.
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For a detailed look at 10,000 Strong Boston please see the website: www.10000strongboston.com
For more info or to schedule an interview contact Jamarhl Crawford 617-755-6463 blackstonian(at)verizon.net

African-American Studies–As They Should Be

African-American Fathers: Underrated and Fighting the Myths

From George “Chip” Greenidge at the National Black College Alliance:

Join Boston area nightlife promoters, event organizers, diversity specialists, event enthusiasts, club-goers, club owners and networkers to develop a diversity strategy for the

GREATEST MINDS on NIGHTLIFE & NETWORKING
A Diversity Strategy for Boston Nightlife for Black People to Enjoy the City!!!!!!!

Monday, June 15th, 2009
at the National Black College Alliance office
from 6:30pm – 9:00pm

The meeting will be located at :

National Black College Alliance, Inc.
2304 Washington Street, 2nd Floor
Roxbury, MA 02119
617.442.8045
in Dudley Square (across from Walgreens)

Come to this meeting if YOU want to do the following:

BRING your ideas on how to make a better nightlife !!!!!
SHARE your events that you are planning to do this summer - Bring Your Flyers!!!!!
NETWORK with other people who put events on “for the people” in the City of Boston !!!!!
& FORMULATE a “New” BOSTON PROMOTERS UNION !!!!!

Whether it is the 360 Ultra Lounge, Museum of Fine Arts, Biff’s, Whiskey Park, Packy’s, Blarney Stone, boat rides, Concerts in the Park or the Pavillion, Summer Carnivals, Club Choices, Breezeways, VENU, First Fridays, ICA, or even your house or backyard. (Our Strategy includes Night Clubs, Lounges & Welcoming Places to Go in Boston)

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Greatest MINDS’ Mission:

The overall goal of the Greatest MINDS is to build Boston’s reputation as a welcoming city for people of color, especially Blacks, to network personally and professionally, advance their careers, raise their families, and fully participate in civic and social life in the city. Greatest MINDS utilizes people on the ground level as the drivers and catalysts towards community change in Boston.

Greatest MINDS Topics and Work Groups:

• EDUCATION (Creating a K - 16 Education Pipeline for Boston)
• POLITICS (Running & Supporting Candidates for Office)
• ARTS MUSIC FASHION & CULTURE (Supporting The Artist and the Scene)
• ENTREPRENEURSHIP & Small BUSINESS
• NIGHTLIFE & NETWORKING (Night Clubs, Lounges & Welcoming Places to Go in Boston)
• LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT (Supporting New Black Leadership in Boston)
• HEALTH (New Area)
• YOUTH (New Area)

For more information about the Greatest MINDS or ways to get involved, please contact George “Chip” Greenidge at the National Black College Alliance at 617.442.8045 or email him at george.greenidge (at) gmail.com.