The 3rd Annual Top Black Celebrity Philanthropists of 2009

Grammy award winning artist Mary J. Blige, your #1 pick for the top black celebrity philanthropist of 2008, cuts the ribbon to the Mary J. Blige Center for Women in Yonkers, NY on October 22, 2009

Who's your favorite celebrity philanthropist of 2009? This year, we witnessed the historic inauguration of our nation's first African American president - a president who is a champion for community service. And celebrities stepped up to the challenge this year!

In September, Mary J. Blige partnered with Gucci to create a charity watch to benefit her foundation, FFAWN, and last month, Mary tweeted that she opened the first Mary J. Blige Center for Women in her hometown of Yonkers, New York. Other celebrities whose charitable work benefited women and girls include actress Gabrielle Union, and her work in the fight against breast cancer in the African American community by serving as an ambassador for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure's Circle of Promise, and Rihanna, who recently broke her silence on the assault she suffered at the hands of Chris Brown. She is honored this month by Glamour magazine as a Woman of the Year for her philanthropy, which includes her work in supporting bone marrow drives and bringing awareness to domestic violence. She shares, “Domestic violence is a big secret. I want to give as much insight as I can to young women…to help speak for them.”

Moving on to hip hop, some of your favorite artists not only dominated the charts, but held elaborate concerts and galas, all for charity. Jay-Z performed a sold out charity concert, 'Answer the Call' on September 11 at Madison Square Garden, benefiting the New York Police and Fire Widows and Children's Benefit Fund. He shared,"This is my chance to help out and do something." Kanye West supported education by hosting his foundation's 2nd annual stay in school concert and fundraiser in his hometown of Chicago, performing for hundreds of students with good attendance. Big Boi of the hip hop duo Outkast traveled to his hometown this year to encourage youth to do well, and Ludacris held his foundation's 6th annual benefit dinner, and gave away automobiles to needy Atlanta families.

R&B artists Usher, John Legend, Ruben Studdard, Alicia Keys, Ne-yo and Wyclef Jean all championed causes important to them. Usher traveled to Capitol Hill to bring awareness to volunteerism and donated $1M of his own funds to launch an international youth service movement. John Legend was honored by Africare this month with a humanitarian award for his work with combating the spread of malaria in Africa, Ruben Studdard used his gift of song to record a song for a sickle cell campaign, Alicia Keys continues her efforts to raise funds for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment in Africa, Ne-yo and his Compound Foundation continued their work with children in foster care, and Wyclef Jean recently partnered with the company Timberland to help raise environmental awareness in Haiti.

Making the finalist list for the first time are radio personalities Steve Harvey and Tom Joyner, both of whom have their own foundations. Steve Harvey held a mentoring weekend for young boys during Father's Day weekend and hosted his annual Disney Dreamers Academy for promising young leaders of color (information on the 2010 Disney Dreamers Academy weekend is HERE). Tom Joyner continued his fundraising for HBCUs by unveiling a new partnership with Ford Motor company to raise funds and launching an initiative to support HIV/AIDS education for HBCUs.

Also making the finalist list for the first time are actors/producers Tyler Perry Terri J. Vaughn. Perry donated 100k this year to support homeless youth in Atlanta, and announced plans to create a foundation to benefit youth. Vaughn supports young girls in her hometown of San Francisco through her Take Wings foundation, and has lent her time to other charitable initiatives as well, such as Wonderland Gardens in Georgia.

Lastly, NBA star Dwyane Wade and his foundation Wade's World Foundation, partnered with Alonzo Mourning on his annual Zo's Summer Groove to raise funds for Miami area youth.

So there you have it! The finalists for the top black celebrity philanthropists of 2009. It's now up to you - who is your favorite celebrity philanthropist? Visit HERE to vote NOW! Voting will end on November 30th.

Beginning in December I'll announce your top picks as well as the winner of the top celebrity philanthropist website award. The Ludacris Foundation took last year's honors and I have a team of awesome judges who will decide the winner. Make your vote today!!

Southern Partners Fund Celebrates 10 Years of Excellence in Philanthropy With the Inaugural Launch of the Social Justice Institute

Featuring Special Guests: Rev. Dr. Joseph Lowery, Jovita Moore, Xernona Clayton, and Ne-Yo

ATLANTA, Oct. 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Southern Partners Fund (SPF) celebrates 10 years of excellence in philanthropy in the Southeast, as they host the Inaugural Launch of the Social Justice Institute (SJI) on November 21, 2009 in Atlanta. SPF is a public foundation (501c3) committed to social change and equity for individuals and communities in the South. The organization's mission is to support rural Southern communities and organizations seeking social, economic, and environmental justice by providing them with financial resources, technical assistance, training, and access to systems of information and power.

The Launch event, "Organizing Power: The Force of Change in the South" includes a full day of workshops addressing relevant social justice topics, an armchair discussion with leaders in the fields of community organizing, philanthropy, and social change movements, and features keynote speaker Rev. Dr. Joseph E. Lowery, hailed as the "Dean of the Civil Rights Movement." Dr. Lowery represents a legacy of service and commitment to the nonviolent struggle for the causes of justice, human rights, economic equality, voting rights, peace and human dignity. Dr. Lowery delivered the Benediction on the occasion of President Obama's inauguration and is the recent recipient of The Presidential Medal of Freedom. Southern Partners Fund will be also be presenting him with a Humanitarian Award for his commitment to social justice and creating a better quality of life for all.

At the evening event for the Launch, the Social Justice Leadership and Humanitarian Awards Dinner and Gala will recognize some of the South's key social change leaders representing philanthropy, grassroots organizing, and service to humanity. Atlanta's WSB-TV anchor and reporter, Ms. Jovita Moore will be acting as the Mistress of Ceremonies for this honorary evening. Some of the night's awardees include legendary civil rights activist and President & CEO of the Trumpet Awards Foundation, Ms. Xernona Clayton, as well as R&B star Ne-Yo (in photo) and his nonprofit organization, the Compound Foundation, for supporting and creating opportunities to be successful for youth in the child welfare system.

Southern Partners Fund invites community partners, philanthropic and business leaders, HBCU and other college and university colleagues, nonprofit professionals, grassroots organizers, and young leaders to share in the excitement of this inaugural event! Sponsorship opportunities for the Launch are available!

Last month, the Fund hosted the Young Leaders for Social Change gathering of young and emerging community organizers, nonprofit professionals, college students, and philanthropic practitioners, ages 18-35, who are committed to social change. Visit fellow blogger and Nonprofit Millennial Blogging Alliance member Rosetta Thurman's blog for highlights HERE.

For more information on registering for the event or to learn how you can provide support, please visit their website (http://www.spfund.org/) or call 404-541-9091 ext. 13. Source: PRNewswire/Photo: Wireimage

Celebrities Join Effort with Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program

Celebrities Join Effort with Dr. Bill Releford's Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program in Barbershops throughout LA County

Norm Nixon, the Whispers and Kim Coles among many to Join November 7 Los Angeles Event

Los Angeles - Some 100 barbershops throughout Los Angeles and the Inland Empire will be bustling with extra activity this Saturday, November 7, 2009, from 10:00 am to 4:00 p.m. when Dr. Bill J. Releford, D.P.M., founder of The Diabetic Amputation Prevention (DAP) Foundation, launches the Los Angeles Initiative of the Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program. In photo is Dr. Releford with actress and 'The View' co-host, Sherry Shepherd.

The Black Barbershop Health Outreach program, sponsored by a grant from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, will offer free diabetes and high blood pressure screenings to African American men who normally visit their local barbers just anticipating the usual haircut. In addition, participants will be provided education about healthy lifestyle alternatives along with PAD (Peripheral Artery Disease) screenings and PEP Talk: the Prostate Education Project, that will address the issue of prostate cancer by distributing culturally appropriate educational materials.

In an effort to drive the need for health care and education home to a demographic in need of it the most, celebrity support has been enlisted. Sherri Shepherd, co-host of "The View," took time out of her very busy schedule to record a public service announcement on KJLH Radio, a station owned by Stevie Wonder, while celebrity participants The Whispers, comedians Kim Coles and Tommy Davidson, actor T.C. Carson, and performers Yo Yo and Montell Jordan are just a sampling of the confirmed talent to visit some of the local shops on Saturday. Former Los Angeles Laker Norm Nixon, national spokesperson for The Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program, is also slated to be on hand.

Ultimately, the Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program's goal is to screen more than 500,000 African American men by 2012. This unique and innovative grassroots program works with black-owned barbershops, which represent a cultural institution of familiarity and trust in many communities as an effective avenue to disseminate health education information. The program has already tested close to 10,000 African American men in 23 cities including New Orleans, Chicago, Atlanta and Harlem.

Compared to the general public, African American males have a higher risk of diabetes and other cardiovascular conditions, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. The American Diabetes Association estimates that 3.7 million (14.7 percent) African Americans, ages 20 years or older, have diabetes, while statistics show that forty percent (40 percent) of African American men die prematurely from cardiovascular disease as compared to twenty-one percent (21 percent) of white men.

The Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program in partnership with Charles Drew University, U.C.L.A., Vasamed and Entrahealthsystems, will offer free screenings throughout Los Angeles at the following locations:

- The New Millennium BS, 4310 Crenshaw Blvd., Los Angeles, CA
- In The Cut, 220 East Regent St., Inglewood, CA
- Next Cuts Beauty & Barber, 5712 West Pico, LA
- Legends Barbershop, 5366 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA
- Inglewood's Finest, 122 S. Market St., Inglewood, CA

The program in partnership with Kaiser Permanente African American Professional Organization and the Healthy Heritage Movement, Inc., will offer screenings throughout the Inland Empire at:

- Da Mood Barbership, 205 E. Mission Blvd., Pomona, CA
-Good Time Barbershop 924 E. Holt Ave, Pomona, CA
-N u Flava, Pomona, CA
-Hat's Off, 21065 Bear Valley Road, Apple Valley, CA
-Second To None, 12384 Palmdale Road, #103, Victorville, CA
-Signature Barbershop, 12555 Mariposa Road, Ste. F, Victorville, CA
-T's Barbershop, 15028 7th St. Ste. 2, Victorville, CA
-Who's Next, 21280 Brar Valley Rd., #115, Hesperia, CA

Founded by Dr. Bill J. Releford, D.P.M., the Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program seeks to empower African American men to better understand cardiovascular diseases through education, testing and prevention. The Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program has effectively addressed the health concerns of African American men in nearly 200 black owned barbershops since December 2007. For additional information and to view a list of all the participating barbershop locations, go to http://www.blackbarbershop.org/.

Photo Credit: Tony Lowe/PR Photos
Source: Jazzmyne PR

Kerry Rhodes Foundation Hosts 3rd Annual Celebrity Charity Event

NY Jets players Braylon Edwards, Darrelle Revis and Kerry Rhodes attend the Kerry Rhodes Foundation black tie dinner at STK on November 2, 2009 in New York City.

Via Press Release: On November 2, 2009, Kerry Rhodes welcomed the NFL's elite, recording artists, actors, actresses, TV and radio personalities and other VIP guests to the 3rd annual Kerry Rhodes Foundation celebrity charity event to raise funds for his foundation that provides educational and financial support for youth.

The festivities included the Kerry Rhodes Foundation Black Tie VIP Dinner & Silent Auction at STK followed by the Celebrity Bowling Bash, "Bowling with the Stars" at Luxe Suite at Lucky Strike in New York. The event was hosted by award winning television sports anchor Dr. Marvell Scott, with music provided by DJ Funky Drummer. NY Jets players Bart Scott, Braylon Edwards, Calvin Pace, Darrelle Revis, Dustin Keller, Jay Feely, Mark Sanchez, and Vernon Gholston served as celebrity table hosts.

Attendees placed bids on amazing, one of a kind auction items such as sports memorabilia, luxurious vacation getaways, concert tickets and more, valued at tens of thousands of dollars.

Julissa Bermudez, Vivica A. Fox, and Kerry Rhodes at the Celebrity Bowling Bash

ABOUT THE KERRY RHODES FOUNDATION

The Kerry RHODES Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in 2006 by NFL New York Jets star Kerry Rhodes. Kerry recognized the importance of inspiring young minds to visualize goals, and the need to provide resources that enable these same young minds to pursue and attain these goals. Understanding that these goals are best achieved through well equipped educational facilities, a primary mission of the Foundation is to provide high schools located in financially depressed areas with resources, programs and activities, equipment, and scholarships that will assist with the academic, athletic, and social development of their students.

Braylon Edwards, Kerry Rhodes, Tyson Beckford, Kevin Hart, and Fonzworth Bentley attend the Kerry Rhodes Foundation Celebrity Bowling Bash at Lucky Strike on November 2, 2009 in New York City.

For more information visit http://www.kerryrhodes.com/.

Source: Kerry Rhodes Foundation
Photos: Wireimage

Clark Atlanta University Alumni Gives Back

Clark Atlanta University class of 2004 Alumni Tekquiree Spencer, Kisha Celistan, Kaneisha Northern (Grad Girls Founder), and Nichole Celistan volunteering at the Howl Away Hunger event at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank on October 31, 2009.

Kaneisha Northern is a proud 2004 HBCU graduate of Clark Atlanta University and a fan of BlackGivesBack! She is the founder of Grad Girls Network, a Los Angeles based nonprofit organization that shapes underprivileged teen girls into confident and productive high school graduates. The organization accomplishes this through their afterschool enrichment programs that expose students to activities and professional women who assist them with shaping their futures.

This past Halloween, Kaneisha along with some of her former classmates and Grad Girls students volunteered at the LA Regional Food Bank on behalf of the organization and Clark Atlanta University. She shared, “We believe that it is important to pay it forward and live within our Alma Mater’s motto which is, “Culture for Service.”

Thank you Kaneisha and ladies for giving back and sharing your photos! (Love your t-shirts!)

Non Profit News

A Victory for Social Entrepreneurship As Echoing Green President Cheryl Dorsey Is Named One Of America's Best Leaders of 2009

As America faces unique challenges, U.S. News Media Group and Harvard’s Center for Public Leadership Highlight 22 Extraordinary Leaders

New York City and Washington, DC – October 22, 2009 – Social entrepreneurship earned a prestigious honor today as Echoing Green President Cheryl Dorsey (in photo above) was named one of America’s Best Leaders of 2009 by U.S. News Media Group in association with the Center for Public Leadership (CPL) at Harvard Kennedy's School of Government.

Echoing Green is a global nonprofit that supports emerging entrepreneurs who enact innovative solutions that address root causes to social problems. It is one of the only organizations solely dedicated to investing in early-stage social entrepreneurs. Since 1987, Echoing Green has awarded more than $28 million in start-up capital to nearly 500 social entrepreneurs worldwide. The 22 leaders recognized this year are featured online at www.usnews.com/leaders and in the November 2009 issue of U.S.News & World Report magazine, on newsstands Tuesday, October 27.

“This is a humbling honor for me and for Echoing Green, and an exciting victory for the field of social entrepreneurship to which we are dedicated,” said Ms. Dorsey. “People worldwide have the power to solve social problems, and with the inspiration and support of Echoing Green and others they will. By recognizing social entrepreneurship, U.S. News and the Center for Public Leadership are playing an important part in encouraging people to be bold and take the entrepreneurial risk in pursuit of a social mission.”

Ms. Dorsey was named President of Echoing Green in May 2002. She was most recently appointed vice-chair of the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships, after serving as a team member of the Innovation and Civil Society subgroup of the Obama Presidential Transition's Technology, Innovation, and Government Reform Policy Working Group. Ms. Dorsey serves on the board of City Year (national), DonorsChoose.org, and Freelancers Insurance Company, Inc., a for-profit insurance company and subsidiary of Working Today. She also serves as an advisory board member of the Action Tank for Social Entrepreneurs, America Forward, and the Lex Mundi Pro Bono Foundation.

In 1992, while training to be a pediatrician at Harvard Medical School, Ms. Dorsey received an Echoing Green Fellowship. With it, she launched the Family Van, a community-based mobile health unit that provides basic health care and outreach services to at-risk residents of inner-city Boston neighborhoods. As a public policy innovator, Ms. Dorsey served as a White House Fellow from 1997-1998, serving as Special Assistant to the U.S. Secretary of Labor, advising the Clinton Administration on health care and other issues. She was later named Special Assistant to the Director of the Women’s Bureau of the U.S. Labor Department, where she helped develop family-friendly workplace policies and spearheaded the labor secretary’s pay equity initiative.

"The country has faced exceptional challenges in the past year," said Brian Kelly, editor of U.S.News & World Report. “With our Best Leaders issue, we focused on individuals from a range of industries who have demonstrated unwavering leadership and a commitment to finding solutions in this difficult time."

Source and photo: Echoing Green

White House Advisor Melody Barnes to Present Obama Administration Domestic Policy Insights at Independent Sector and Council of Michigan Foundations Annual Conference

(Washington, D.C., October 30, 2009)— Melody Barnes, domestic policy advisor to President Obama and the director of the White House's Domestic Policy Council, will keynote the opening session of the Independent Sector and Council of Michigan Foundations (CMF) Annual Conference, to take place November 4-6, 2009, at the Detroit Marriott, Renaissance Center in Detroit, Michigan. She will open the conference, “Challenging Times, New Opportunities,” with an examination of how the government and nonprofits can work together in new ways to respond to the challenges facing communities across the country.

The conference has already broken registration records with over 1,100 leaders attending from the nation’s charities, foundations, and corporate philanthropy programs. Also breaking records at the conference is the NGen: Moving Nonprofit Leaders from Next to Now initiative, which will provide special programming to more than 200 professionals under the age of 40.

Barnes joins a diverse and dynamic list of plenary speakers that includes Geoffrey Canada of the Harlem Children's Zone; Margaret McKenna of the Wal-Mart Foundation; Janet Murguía of the National Council of La Raza; Sean Parker, founder of Facebook Causes; and Jeff Raikes of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Other prominent African American foundation and organization leaders participating in the conference include Aaron Dworkin, President of the Sphinx Organization, Benjamin Todd Jealous, President and CEO of the NAACP, and the Honorable Norman Rice, President and CEO of the Seattle Foundation.

Prior to her position at the White House, Barnes served as the senior domestic policy advisor to President Obama’s campaign and was the executive vice president for policy at the Center for American Progress. From 1995 to 2003, she was chief counsel to Sen. Edward M. Kennedy on the Senate Judiciary Committee. In those capacities, and as director of legislative affairs for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and assistant counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Subcommittee on Civil and Constitutional Rights, she worked extensively on civil rights and voting rights, women’s health, religious liberties, and commercial law.

Barnes received her bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and received her law degree from the University of Michigan. She began her career as an attorney with Shearman & Sterling in New York City, and is a member of both the New York State Bar Association and the District of Columbia Bar Association.

“Independent Sector is honored to have Melody open our annual conference,” said Diana Aviv, president and CEO of Independent Sector. “As we think about the future and how we might make even more significant contributions to improve lives in the communities we serve, we welcome Melody’s thoughts about how government too can make an even greater difference. We look forward to partnering with her going forward.”

Independent Sector is a nonprofit, nonpartisan coalition of approximately 600 charities, foundations, and corporate philanthropy programs, collectively representing tens of thousands of charitable groups in every state across the nation. Its mission is to advance the common good by leading, strengthening, and mobilizing the nonprofit community. To learn more about Independent Sector, please visit: http://www.independentsector.org/.

Source: IndependentSector.org
Photo: Essence.com

A Night of Fame: A Party with a Purpose

Next weekend, Tennessee State University (TSU) will host its homecoming weekend which is a big event - thousands of people are expected to particiate in the festivities. In addition to the usual HBCU homecoming festivities such as step shows, fashion shows, and concerts, one event is slated to be the most talked about: A Night of Fame.

Tennessee’s DJ C-lo, a popular air personality and mix show DJ, is celebrating his birthday with a huge bash at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum during TSU’s homecoming weekend. Now in its second year, the event will serve as a donation point for attendees to bring shoes to benefit Soles4Souls (S4S), a Nashville-based organization that facilitates the donations of new and used shoes to aid the hurting worldwide. DJ C-lo’s A Night of Fame will be used as an attempt to increase awareness of the organization’s need and role in the community among African-Americans in Nashville.

He shares, "I became involved with Soles4Souls after I learned about the organization and its charitable efforts. After finding out that Soles4Souls provided shoes for those in need all around the world, I was compelled to get involved. I was honored to be recently chosen as a spokesperson for two reasons in particular. First, I love giving back to others who are less fortunate. Second, I have a love for shoes and sneakers. Sneakers, in particular, have an important place in hip hop culture and that is a part of who I am as a deejay. I couldn't imagine walking around without shoes on my feet and that is something that is often taken for granted. I admire Soles4Souls for noticing a need that was previously overlooked.

He continues, "It’s a party with a purpose that it will serve as an official fundraising event for Soles4Souls. We will also host a tailgating event the next day, Saturday at the TSU Homecoming football game at LP Field, as a donation point for the community to come out and bring their new or gently used athletic shoes."

C-lo has also used his influence among the youth to participate in BET's "Respect My Vote" campaign as well as local speaking engagements in various public school systems.

David Graben , Soles 4 Souls Executive Vice President, shared with BlackGivesBack, “Night of Fame is an excellent opportunity to spread the word about S4S. DJ C-Lo’s birthday bash is already a big event and coupling it with Tennessee State University’s Homecoming Weekend will aid us further in increasing awareness. The city will be flooded with so many people enjoying the weekend, which gives us confidence that having a donation point at Night of Fame and at the pre-game tailgating event the following day will create a positive ripple effect throughout the community, the African-American community in particular. This is an event with a greater purpose and we hope that DJ C-Lo’s efforts will not only motivate the community to give to S4S, but display the importance of giving back in general. It is always wonderful to see someone use their influence to give back.”

Date: November 6, 2009
Venue: The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Birthday Bash (Conservatory/Courtyard) & VIP Gifting Suite (SunTrust Community Room)
222 Fifth Ave South, Nashville, TN 37203

Donation Goal: 500 pairs of shoes (sneakers)

Ticket Sales: Online Pre-sale price - $25, General Admission - $40, VIP Area - $250. Sponsors for the event include Hennessy and Horizon Wine and Spirits.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.nightoffame.com. For more information about Soles 4 Souls, visit www.soles4souls.org.

Kudos to event producers Urbane Imagery and Mahogany Event Planning, two Nashville based businesses who recently announced a joint venture to produce custom events focused on philanthropy and corporate branding.

Both have previously worked together on non-profit events benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the Miss Black Tennessee Scholarship Organization as well as corporate events including the launch party of Maidenform’s Breakthrough Backless Bra for ABC’s American Inventor Runner-Up Elaine Cato and the book release party for Author and ABC’s Oprah’s Big Give Finalist Sheg Aranmolate.

Lynet Payne, president of Mahogany Event Planning, believes that 'A Night of Fame' is the perfect launch event for the partnership between Mahogany Events and Urbane Imagery. “This event is the start of many to come from our companies which, are both committed to service and have a heart for philanthropy,” Payne said. BlackGivesBack is serving as a media partner for this event and I'll have a full recap of the festivities!

Harlem Business Owner Honored with Racial Harmony Award

The Foundation For Ethnic Understanding in conjunction with Russell Simmons and Rabbi Marc Schneier honor Rashidah Ali, CEO of Bourgeoisie Shoes, as this years recipient of the Joseph Papp Racial Harmony Award

The Foundation For Ethnic Understanding recently honored Rashidah Ali, CEO of Bourgeoisie Shoes, with the 2009 Joseph Papp Racial Harmony Award during their New York Fall Benefit event. This prestigious award is given to a distinguished recipient who displays commitment to strengthening race relations and efforts in promoting diversity and ethnic tolerance through business and personal endeavors.

The cocktail benefit provided a platform of a celebration of diversity and global unity. The event was held at the home of music mogul and philanthropist Russell Simmons and attracted the who's who from the worlds of music, philanthropy, faith and business to celebrate Ali's award. Notable guests and honorees for the evening included Kasseem "Swizz Beatz" Dean, Cathy Hughes (Founder of Radio One), David Rosenberg (Founder of Unifund) and more.

Rashidah Ali, Rabbi Marc Schneier, Swizz Beatz, Russell Simmons, Cathy Hughes, David Rosenberg, Imam Shamsi Ali

Last year, Ali and Bourgeoisie Shoes hosted a fundraiser for the Emmitt Till Legacy Foundation that was profiled HERE.

For more information on the Foundation For Ethnic Understanding visit www.ffeu.org and for Bourgeoisie www.bourgeoisieshoes.com.

Courtesy of The Garner Circle PR
Photo Credit: David Karp Photography

Picture Equality: An Evening of Empowerment through Photography

“Once I took the pictures, I was like; this is something I have to fight for.” Robert, 11th grade, DC

The quote is from a youth participant of Critical Exposure, a Washington, D.C. based non profit that teaches youth to use the power of photography and their own voices to become effective advocates for school reform and social change. In the quote above, Robert was referring to photographs he took of his city's school system - and it’s well known that today’s schools, particularly in urban communities, are in poor and unsanitary conditions. Broken light fixtures in classrooms, non working toilets and decaying ceilings are things that I’ve seen on visits to schools, and I can’t imagine how our students cope with learning in these conditions.

In 2004, a former educator and education policy analyst founded Critical Exposure in response to these drastic disparities that exist among public schools. By empowering young people to develop skills as documentary photographers and advocates, the organization exposes citizens and policymakers to the realities of our current educational system as seen through the eyes of the students who confront those realities each day.

As an example, the organization provided a group of DC high school students with cameras and training in documentary photography. The students took compelling pictures of the conditions of their schools and gave their photographs to City Council members, encouraging them to support a bill that would provide increased funding for modernizing schools in DC. In February 2006, the City Council approved the School Modernization Bill, which provides $3 billion over the next 15 years for school modernization.

Since their founding, Critical Exposure has also worked with students from Baltimore, MD, Washington, DC, Austin, TX, Albuquerque, NM, and Philadelphia, PA.

I was honored to be asked by the founders of Critical Exposure to serve on the host committee for their upcoming event, Picture Equality: An Evening of Empowerment through Photography," their second annual reception and silent auction on Thursday, November 12, 2009 in Washington, D.C. All of the proceeds from the event will support Critical Exposure’s efforts to empower youth. The auction will consist of photographs donated by world-class photographers, including contributors to National Geographic and the New York Times such as Ed Kashi, Ami Vitale, and Stephen Crowley.

What: Picture Equality: An Evening of Empowerment through Photography, Critical Exposure's second annual reception and silent auction
When: Thursday, November 12th from 6:30-9:30 PM
Where: 3338 M Street in Georgetown, D.C.
How much: Tickets are $75 ($65 before Nov. 1!) Sponsorships are available.

Last year’s event raised more than $20,000 for providing cameras and training to D.C. middle and high school students. I hope to see you there!

For more information, to purchase tickets, and to learn how you can bring Critical Exposure to your community, visit the website at www.criticalexposure.org.

Education in the News

The date of October 27th is now officially known as "I Will Graduate Day" in New York City! Mayor Bloomberg made the proclamation at the 4th annual Stay in School pep rally hosted by the Entertainers 4 Education Alliance at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center. Many entertainers and athletes came out to encourage NYC's youth, including Russell Simmons, NBA legend John Starks and R&B sensation Keri Hilson (in photo above).

Keri Hilson took the stage to discuss the importance of attendance and being on time for school: “Show up even when you don’t feel like it.” Keri talked about the entertainment business and how her education is a key factor in not getting taken advantage of. “You have to read contracts, documents, and oversee your finances, much of what I learned in school prepared me to manage my affairs today.”

The Alliance was created by former Roc-A-Fella records publicist Tonya Lewis, who used her event planning and publicist skills, along with her industry contacts to create the organization. She shares about the importance of creating her foundation: “New York State has the highest dropout rate for Black and Hispanic students of any state in the nation, when I read these statistics I am motivated to continue to get the youth to view education as necessary. When the youth hear someone they admire express the importance of education it can be life changing. We are also very appreciative of every speaker, performer, sponsor and volunteer who help us make this event possible year after year." Learn more about Tonya Lewis HERE and visit the website at http://www.e4ea.org/.

DID YOU KNOW?

That African American male students who participate in academic urban debate leagues have higher graduation rates?

Via Press Release (PR Web): October 23, 2009, Chicago, IL—Groundbreaking peer-reviewed research from the University of Michigan, published this week in a special issue of the Journal of Negro Education, shows that participating in an academic debate program in urban schools boosts student achievement. According to the study, participation in an Urban Debate League (UDL) significantly increases a student’s chances of graduating from high school and performing at or above college-ready benchmarks on the ACT’s Reading and English subject-matter tests when compared to similar students who did not participate in urban debate.

The study found the educational benefits of participation in urban debate to be even more pronounced for school-age African American males. African American male students participating in urban debate were 70 percent more likely to graduate from high school, three times less likely to drop out, 50 percent more likely to reach the ACT college-readiness benchmark for English, and 70 percent more likely to reach the ACT benchmark for reading than non-debaters, even after accounting for eighth grade achievement. These findings should hold special interest to urban educators; local, state, and national policymakers; and anyone interested in promoting innovative, research-based solutions to our nation’s educational challenges.

For more information, visit www.urbandebate.org.

The C. Delores Tucker Journey to Womanhood

Via Black Star Project, a Chicago based non profit organization: Last week, it was announced that 115 female students from Robeson High School in Chicago were pregnant or had at least one child. No effective preventive actions were presented to stop this from happening again next year. It is predicted that many other high schools across America have a similarly high rate of teen pregnancy. Women from various organizations in Chicago are rallying to address this issue by visiting 10 feeder elementary schools to Robeson High School to mentor and counsel 6th-, 7th- and 8th-grade girls away from risky behaviors that lead to pregnancy and low academic achievement. This effort is called the C. Delores Tucker Journey to Womanhood.

The C. Delores Tucker Journey to Womanhood focuses on discouraging early sexual activity and teen pregnancy and works to heighten awareness among teen-age girls about sexually transmitted diseases. Women mentors will counsel girls to love and respect themselves, envision bright futures, and to recognize the signs of abusive relationships and teach young girls the advantages of peaceful conflict resolution. Mentors will also encourage these girls to do their best in school, look forward to and work towards rewarding professional careers and help the girls think about what it takes to generate healthy, positive families and relationships starting with their relationships with themselves.

The Black Star Project is looking for 50 female mentors between the ages of 19 and 70 who will help mentor 6th-, 7th- and 8th-grade girls away from precocious sex, sexually transmitted diseases, abusive relationships and premature pregnancy. Please call 773.285.9600. Obviously, high school is too late. We need you NOW!!!

Photo: Nunez/Wireimage