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Posts published in “Adults”

Black Churches In Florida Redouble Efforts For Voter Turnout

Whitney Paul, who was a first-time voter, looked over a handout with suggestions as she waited with college friends for early voting to start in Jacksonville, Fla., on Saturday. (Brian Blanco for The New York Times)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Rev. Eugene W. Diamond of the Abyssinia Missionary Baptist Church here rarely pays attention to the clock when the spirit moves him to preach, but mid-sermon on Sunday, he said something unusual to his flock of hundreds: “Timing is critical, so let me hustle.”  He had already scaled back the minutes devoted to worship. Congregants had been instructed to forget wearing their Sunday best in favor of comfortable shoes because they all had work to do: moving thousands of “souls to the polls.” And they had only one Sunday to do it.  Mr. Diamond stressed the urgency in a tambourine-shaking, trumpet-blaring finale to his prayers: “Bless us as we make our voices heard!” he shouted above the music. “Let’s go! Let’s go! Let’s go! Let’s go!”

Across Florida, black churches have responded with ferocity to changes that Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican, and the Legislature made to eliminate six days of early voting this year — including the Sunday before Election Day, which had been the traditional day to mobilize black congregations. In 2008, black voters cast early ballots at twice the rate of white voters, and turned out in significant strength on the Sunday before Election Day to help propel Mr. Obama to victory here.

Now, with Florida’s 29 electoral votes up for grabs in a close race, Obama supporters are counting on a newly energized black base to put them over the edge despite the tighter window for early voting. A victory here for the president would defy recent polling and make his path back to the White House much easier.

Four Great Reads To Jumpstart Your Career

(Image: Thinkstock)

Are you a young job-seeker fresh out of college? Are you an office baby looking to move up in your career? Are you a college senior who is months, weeks or even days away from walking across the stage? If you answered yes to any of those questions, here are four books that can help you jump start your career post college graduation.

Have No Career Fear: A College Grad’s Guide to Snagging a Job, Trekking the Career Path, and Reaching Job Nirvana (2007) by Ben Cohen-Leadholm, Ari Gerzon Kessler and Rachel Skerritt

Written and edited by three college graduates with contributions from more than 100 graduates, this guide teaches graduates how to be more aggressive, inventive and persistent in looking for a job and how to how succeed and gain respect once they enter the workplace. Advice includes how to network, negotiate a salary and deal with difficult bosses.

ColorComm Offers Something New for Professional Women of Color

If you are a woman of color who works in communications, Lauren Wesley Wilson thinks she has the perfect organization for you. She is the founder of ColorComm, an initiative that aims to uplift women in the communications industry.

BlackEnterprise.com sat down with Wilson to find out why the young dynamo’s ColorComm organization is different than the numerous other professional programs dedicated to people of color.

Founded in 2011 as a small, invite-only luncheon in Washington D.C., ColorComm has blossomed into a thriving 60-strong membership organization with hundreds, if not over 1,000, enthusiastic supporters.

“What makes ColorComm really stand out is that most professional organizations provide networking just for the purpose of getting a job,” explained Wilson. “This takes networking to a higher level. It’s about learning and growing and when possible, connecting personally. It doesn’t always have to be about landing a job because frankly a lot of these women are happy with their careers.”

Ways To Find Your Polling Place Before November 6

If voters haven’t received their Voter Information Ballots by now, they should consider calling their local election offices before the Nov. 6 election to ensure that they have accurate information.  Another source of information is a website maintained by the League of Women Voters Education Fund called Vote 411. It enables voters to enter the address where they are registered and get information on polling places.  In addition, boards of election offices in most states maintain websites where voters can get information on how to find polling places.  Every vote counts – make sure yours is among them!

Homeless South Carolina Man Wins $200,000 Lottery

homeless south carolina man wins lottery

A homeless South Carolina man (pictured) is $200,000 richer after spending $10 on a lottery ticket in Greenville, Fox affiliate KEYC-TV reports.  The South Carolina Education Lottery confirmed the win. The winner declined to be identified. He bought the winning ticket at a Simon’s Liquors last week and jumped for joy after realizing that he had the winning numbers.

The man plans on purchasing a home with his winnings. “To see a person, you know he gets $200,000 he doesn’t have a penny in his pocket but $20,” said Simon Sfeir, owner of Simons Liquors, who sold the winning ticket, according to the Associated Press. Sfeir gets $2,000 of the winnings for selling the ticket.

article by Terrell Jermaine Starr via newsone.com

Seventeen Years Ago Today: Million Man March Took Place On Washington’s National Mall

Million Man March
The Million Man March (pictured throughout), one of the most moving and emotional moments ever in African-American history, took place on the grounds of the National Mall on this day in 1995. The symbolic importance and cultural impact of the huge gathering signified a shift in the attention on issues that plagued urban environs and minorities. The National African American Leadership Summit and the Nation of Islam worked in tandem alongside local chapters of the NAACP to make the March a reality.

Regions Financial Partners with Historically Black Colleges and Universities


BIRMINGHAM, Ala.- Regions Financial (NYSE:RF) today announced the formation of the Regions HBCU Partnership, a collaboration with six Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the Southeastern United States supporting financial education, academics, athletics, and alumni engagement.  The Regions HBCU Partnership kicks off during the fall of 2012 at the following institutions, with plans to expand the program to additional HBCUs in the future:

Maryland Residents Get “Coon Hunt Court” Street Name Changed

Oakland Mills resident Ambrose Lane Jr. tightens the bolt on the newly named April Wind Court on Monday. A name change for the street, previously called Coon Hunt Court, was approved by the County Planning Board in September. (Photo by Jon Sham, The Baltimore Sun)Oakland Mills resident Ambrose Lane Jr. tightens the bolt on the newly named April Wind Court on Monday. A name change for the street, previously called Coon Hunt Court, was approved by the County Planning Board in September. (Photo by Jon Sham, The Baltimore Sun)

After seven months of petitioning, a group of Columbia, Maryland residents gathered Monday for an official ceremony revealing their neighborhood’s new street name.  Coon Hunt Court has now been changed to April Wind Court, the Baltimore Sun reported.

“For more than 175 years, the word ‘coon’ represented racism and bigotry against African-American people,” April Wind Court resident Ambrose Lane Jr. said at the ceremony. “We come here today to right the wrong, to correct the mistake, to continue James Rouse’s vision and dream of an inclusive, neighborly, and multiracial Columbia community.”

Maryland Residents Get "Coon Hunt Court" Street Name Changed

Oakland Mills resident Ambrose Lane Jr. tightens the bolt on the newly named April Wind Court on Monday. A name change for the street, previously called Coon Hunt Court, was approved by the County Planning Board in September. (Photo by Jon Sham, The Baltimore Sun)Oakland Mills resident Ambrose Lane Jr. tightens the bolt on the newly named April Wind Court on Monday. A name change for the street, previously called Coon Hunt Court, was approved by the County Planning Board in September. (Photo by Jon Sham, The Baltimore Sun)

After seven months of petitioning, a group of Columbia, Maryland residents gathered Monday for an official ceremony revealing their neighborhood’s new street name.  Coon Hunt Court has now been changed to April Wind Court, the Baltimore Sun reported.
“For more than 175 years, the word ‘coon’ represented racism and bigotry against African-American people,” April Wind Court resident Ambrose Lane Jr. said at the ceremony. “We come here today to right the wrong, to correct the mistake, to continue James Rouse’s vision and dream of an inclusive, neighborly, and multiracial Columbia community.”

Statue of Activist Fannie Lou Hamer Unveiled in Mississippi

fannie-lou-hamer-statue

Scores of men, women and children attended the recent unveiling of a statue honoring the late civil rights icon Fannie Lou Hamer in her hometown of Ruleville, Miss.  Hamer, who would have been 95 on Oct. 6, is remembered the world over as a woman who was “sick and tired of being sick and tired.”  At the time of her death, on March 14th, 1977, Hamer was almost penniless, yet her funeral was well attended by celebrities, social activists and political leaders from all walks of life.