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Posts published in “Children”

Charvis Brewer, an 8 Year-Old with Cerebral Palsy, Drafted by Memphis Grizzlies

By goodblacknews on December 31, 2013

Make-A-Wish recipient Charvis Brewer and his older brother, Nicholas, get a behind-the-scenes tour from Memphis Grizzlies basketball player Zach Randolph.
Make-A-Wish recipient Charvis Brewer and his older brother, Nicholas, get a behind-the-scenes tour from Memphis Grizzlies basketball player Zach Randolph on Sunday. (Brittney Williford Photography)

Charvis Brewer, an 8-year-old super-fan of the Memphis Grizzlies, has bragging rights that most children can only dream about.  On Sunday, the basketball team drafted Charvis as its newest and youngest member. The ceremony, complete with a mock press conference, team photograph and visit to the locker room, was orchestrated by Make-A-Wish, a non-profit wish-granting organization for children with life-threatening medical conditions.
David Joerger, head coach for the Memphis Grizzlies, speaks at a press conference with 8-year-old Charvis Brewer on Sunday. Charvis' mom, Colissa Brewer, laughs happily behind her son. (Brittney Willford)
David Joerger, head coach for the Memphis Grizzlies, speaks at a press conference with 8-year-old Charvis Brewer on Sunday. Charvis’ mom, Colissa Brewer, laughs happily behind her son. (Brittney Willford)

Charvis has cerebral palsy, a neurological condition that confines him to a wheelchair. His mother, Colissa Brewer, and a home health aide tend to his every need.  “It brought tears to my eyes,” Brewer said of the Grizzlies’ welcoming gesture. “I never imagined he would get a chance to do something like that.”
Despite his illness, Charvis attends school and is the kind of basketball fan who can rattle off facts about his favorite team and their opponents. About a year ago, he was referred to Make-A-Wish Mid-South, the Memphis-based chapter of the national organization.
Charvis Brewer, the newest and youngest member of the Memphis Grizzlies, beams with excitement on Sunday.
Charvis Brewer, the newest and youngest member of the Memphis Grizzlies, beams with excitement on Sunday.

When volunteers asked what Charvis would like to wish for more than anything in the world, he shared his fantasy of being drafted by the Grizzlies. Since then, his mother told TODAY.com, Charvis kept wondering: Would his dream come true?

He got his answer on Sunday when the Brewer family, including Charvis’ sister, brother and stepfather, went to brunch in Memphis, about an hour’s drive from their home in Somerville, Tenn.
At the end of the meal, Memphis Grizzlies announcer Pete Pranica charged into the dining room and called out Charvis’ name. Pranica had great news — the Grizzlies had a supplemental draft and they chose Charvis.  Mike Conley, a guard for the Grizzlies and a favorite player of Charvis’, joined the festivities with a jersey made for the team’s newest member. A limousine then ferried the Brewers to the basketball arena where the players awaited Charvis’ arrival.
The whirlwind included eating lunch with the team, watching practice, visiting the weight room and quizzing the players about basketball. Miranda Harbor, director of community outreach for Make-A-Wish Mid-South, said Charvis was thrilled and quickly took his place on the team, even offering suggestions on player positions and strategies.

Image: Charvis Brewer and Zach Randolph
Player Zach Randolph had Charvis Brewer tour the Grizzlies’ locker room and then surprised the 8-year-old with his very own locker. (Brittney Williford Photography)

The team just as quickly embraced Charvis. “He’s a great kid that comes from a great family and is so full of life,” Grizzlies CEO Jason Levien said in a statement to TODAY.com. “We are a bigger fan of his than he is of ours.”  Each year Make-A-Wish grants 14,000 requests, more than 1,000 of which are celebrity-and sports-related. While the organization has previously “drafted” children to their favorite sports teams, Harbor said Charvis is the first in the area to join the Grizzlies.
The fun will continue for Charvis on Monday night as he and his family watch the Grizzlies battle the Chicago Bulls from box seats. It will be only the second Grizzlies game that Charvis has attended. This time, though, he will give the players high-fives as they run onto court.  His mother said Charvis has been preparing all day for his new role on the team: “He said he’s ready to tell them to beat those Bulls.”
Team photo! Charvis Brewer settled into his new role as a member of the Grizzlies with ease.
Team photo! Charvis Brewer settled into his new role as a member of the Grizzlies with ease. (Joe Murphy / NBAE / Getty Images)

Though Charvis will watch from the sidelines, he is exploring the possibility of one day competing in Special Olympics basketball.  For now, Charvis and his family are enjoying the special attention. “It made me feel like somebody else cared,” Colissa Brewer said. “Somebody took out time to do something my baby really wanted to do.”

article by Rebecca Ruiz via today.com

Many African Americans Celebrate Kwanzaa Dec. 26 – Jan.1

By goodblacknews on December 24, 2013

unnamedLOS ANGELES — The seven-day festival of Kwanzaa will begin December 26.  It is a time when African Americans highlight their heritage.
Maulana Karenga, a black activist and African Studies professor, created Kwanzaa in 1966, to – as he said – “give Blacks an opportunity to celebrate themselves and their history.” Each day is dedicated to a different principle, and a candle is lit each night.  At a recent festival at the California African American Museum, Babe Evans explained the principles behind the upcoming holiday to a group of children.  The first is unity.  “Umoja.  It means a time to think about your ancestors, to think about the struggles that people have been through, so that you can now have a life that is much more open,” said Evans.
Kwanzaa is based on African themes.  Its principles are stated in the Swahili language, and the name Kwanzaa comes from a phrase meaning first fruits of the harvest.  “The second day, because it’s a seven-day ceremony, is Kujichagulia, and that means self-determination,” said Evans.  Collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.  These round out the seven principles of Kwanzaa.
Gift-giving is a part of the holiday, but actor Jeffrey Anderson-Gunter says the celebration has not become commercialized, like Christmas.  “In Kwanzaa, we make our gifts.  All the kids will make something and give to each other, and then we have an abundance of food that’s shared,” said Anderson-Gunter.  In many African-American homes, Kwanzaa is celebrated along with Christmas. Writer Marsha Bullock, whose family is Christian, says that’s what her family does.  “We do Christmas, and then Kwanzaa starts directly the day after, so we do that too.  And then of course, my favorite part is the celebration where you get to eat everything,” said Bullock.
The festival will end January 1st with a feast with friends and family.
article via voanews.com

Special African-American Santa Holds Court At Macy’s in NYC

By goodblacknews on December 24, 2013
Macy's Special Santa
Crowds in the know come to see a special African-American Santa at Macy’s in Herald Square. (Credit: CBS 2)

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Crowds in the know have been drawn to Macy’s to see the “special Santa,” an African-American Santa Claus tucked away in Santaland at the Macy’s flagship store in Herald Square.  As CBS 2’s Tracee Carrasco reported, the special Santa only appears by request. But he was the sole reason Elizabeth Kittles and her family made the trip from the Bronx Monday night.  “I could have gone anywhere,” Kittles said, “but I came right here to Macy’s because I knew they had an African-American Santa.”

When they reach the front of the line, parents must ask to see the special Santa. But Kittles said he is like a secret Santa to many.  “There was plenty of African-American families that didn’t know, and when I did tell them, one guy said, ‘They have a black Santa?’ (I said), ‘Yeah they do,’” Kittles said.  Kittles, who has been bringing her sons to see the special Santa at Macy’s for 10 years now, wishes the store would make sure more families know.
“An elf just told me as I was going through Santaland,” Kittles said. “It’s great that they have that option, but it would be great if they put it out there either on the visitors’ website or when they advertise when Santaland is open.”  Other parents who spoke to CBS 2 did not know about the special Santa either, but agreed with Kittles.  “I think it would mean a lot to some people; would make a difference for some people,” said Danielle Moriello of Linden, N.J. “It doesn’t matter what color he is.”
“It wouldn’t confuse the kids at all,” added Rafael Mendoza of Washington Heights. “It’s just the way you raise them up.” CBS 2 reached out to Macy’s for a comment about their special Santa. They responded, “Santa is all things to all who believe.”
article via newyork.cbslocal.com

Survey Finds Black Fathers are as Involved with Their Kids as Men of Other Races

By goodblacknews on December 22, 2013
On weekdays, Bryan August-Jones wakes before sunrise in his home in Watts. He gets his three sons dressed, then takes them to the baby sitter and to school. On weekends, they go on bike rides and out to eat. (Mark Boster, Los Angeles Times / December 19, 2013)
On weekdays, Bryan August-Jones wakes before sunrise in his home in Watts. He gets his three sons dressed, then takes them to the baby sitter and to school. On weekends, they go on bike rides and out to eat. (Mark Boster, Los Angeles Times / December 19, 2013)

Defying enduring stereotypes about black fatherhood, a federal survey of American parents shows that by most measures, black fathers who live with their children are just as involved as other dads who live with their kids — or more so.  For instance, among fathers who lived with young children, 70% of black dads said they bathed, diapered or dressed those kids every day, compared with 60% of white fathers and 45% of Latino fathers, according to a report released Friday by the National Center for Health Statistics.
Nearly 35% of black fathers who lived with their young children said they read to them daily, compared with 30% of white dads and 22% of Latino dads. The report was based on a federal survey that included more than 3,900 fathers between 2006 and 2010 — a trove of data seen as the gold standard for studying fatherhood in the United States. In many cases, the differences between black fathers and those of other races were not statistically significant, researchers said.
The findings echo earlier studies that counter simple stereotypes characterizing black fathers as missing in action. When it comes to fathers who live with their kids, “blacks look a lot like everyone else,” said Gretchen Livingston, a senior researcher at the Pew Research Center who has previously studied the topic. And in light of the negative stereotypes about black fathers, “that is a story in itself.”
In Watts, Bryan August-Jones battles the stereotype daily. Every weekday, he wakes his three sons before sunrise, gets them dressed, then ferries them to the baby sitter and to school. On weekends, he takes them bicycling or to Red Lobster, which his youngest son — “a little fancy guy” — prefers over McDonalds.  His Latina mother-in-law and her family think black men cannot be good fathers, but “I prove them wrong all the time,” August-Jones said.

25 Empowering Books for Little Black Girls

By goodblacknews on December 22, 2013

photo black-girl-reading.jpg
From the moment they come into the world, little black girls work just a little bit harder than their peers to construct a healthy sense of self in a society that prizes values and attributes that don’t mirror those they possess. We as their caregivers must help them find the way by offering them as many affirming messages as possible. We can do this with our words and by our example; however, books can also prove to be important points of contact into the souls and spirits of African-American girls. Here is a list of books that promote a positive self-image in younger, black females:

Ages 2-4

Girl of Mine – Jabari Asim

This companion book to Boy of Mine shows a dazzling little girl enjoying playtime in the moon’s soft glow. As daddy cradles his baby girl, she is suddenly whisked away on a fantastical adventure, swinging above lush floral gardens under the golden moonlight. The sweet text, inspired by “Rock-A-Bye Baby,” will whisk little ones off to peaceful slumber.

Lola at the Library – Anna Mcquinn

On Tuesdays, spunky Lola and her mommy go to the library. Come with Lola on her favorite weekly trip in this celebration of books and the people who love them.

I Can Do It Too! – Karen Baicker

This heartwarming story reminds us how satisfying it is to grow up surrounded by love. I Can Do It Too! affirms a little girl’s growing independence as she, too, can begin to do all the things she sees her parents, relatives and neighbors do: pouring juice at breakfast, strumming a guitar, and even riding a bike! The simple cadence of text and direct-to-the-heart art result in a book as warm and generous as its message, providing reading pleasure for toddlers, older siblings, and the grown-ups who love them.

Preschool

Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale – John Steptoe

This is the tale of Mufaro’s two daughters, two beautiful girls who react in different ways to the king’s search for a wife – one is aggressive and selfish, the other kind and dignified. The king takes on disguises to learn the true nature of both girls and of course chooses Nyasha, the kind and generous daughter, to be his queen. 

Something Beautiful – Sharon Dennis Wyeth

A little girl longs to see beyond the scary sights on the sidewalk and the angry scribbling in the halls of her building. When her teacher writes the word beautifulon the blackboard, the girl decides to look for something beautiful in her neighborhood. Her neighbors tell her about their own beautiful things.

The Colors of Us – Karen Katz

Seven-year-old Lena is going to paint a picture of herself. She wants to use brown paint for her skin. But when she and her mother take a walk through the neighborhood, Lena learns that brown comes in many different shades.

Black Santa Brings Spirit and Cheer at South Los Angeles Mall

By goodblacknews on December 17, 2013

Jahleel Logan, 3, poses with Santa, a.k.a. Langston Patterson, 77, of Rudolph Holiday Photo, at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, Dec. 7, 2013. Patterson has been Santa at the Plaza since 2004, with African American families coming at specific times of the day, just to visit him. "I just don't want him to think that all greatness comes from a different race," said Logan's godmother, Arlene Graves, 45. "There are Santa Clauses his color doing good work too." (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Jahleel Logan, 3, poses with Santa, a.k.a. Langston Patterson, 77, at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, Dec. 7, 2013. Patterson has been Santa at the Plaza since 2004, with African American families coming at specifically just to visit him. “I just don’t want him to think that all greatness comes from a different race,” said Logan’s godmother, Arlene Graves, 45. “There are Santa Clauses his color doing good work too.” (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Dressed in a red Santa suit, white beard and rimless glasses balanced on his nose, Langston Patterson sits on a velvet couch and waits for his adoring fans.  Some call first to make sure he will be there. They come from Palmdale, Thousand Oaks and San Bernardino, driving past many shopping malls with Santas, but none that look like him.  For nearly a decade, Patterson has been the main attraction at Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza during Christmastime: a rare black Santa Claus in a sea of white ones.

The mall, located in the heart of black Los Angeles, is one of the few in the country with a black Santa Claus. Some say Patterson is the only black shopping-mall Santa Claus in the Los Angeles area.  As visitors approached him on a recent afternoon, it was hard to tell who was more excited: the youngsters or the adults. The parents are the most loyal. They return with grandchildren, passing on a family tradition with a deep personal meaning.
“We need our kids to understand that good things happen in chocolate skin,” said Til Prince, 50, of Palmdale, watching her granddaughter, niece and her niece’s son pose with Patterson. “We are often bombarded with the opposite. We’re not trying to exclude anybody, but [instead] celebrate our chocolate skin.”

NFL Receiver Andre Johnson Spends $17,000 on Toys for Kids (VIDEO)

By goodblacknews on December 17, 2013

Andre JohnsonIt has been an underwhelming season for the Houston Texans, but eleven straight losses have not gotten in the way of wide receiver Andre Johnson’s yearly effort to bring some smiles to the faces of kids who could use them.  Johnson has made an annual tradition out of giving twelve kids chosen by Child Protective Services in Houston on a shopping spree at Toys R Us. The kids have 80 seconds, in honor Johnson’s No. 80, to fill up carts with everything they can grab off the shelves. Every kid teamed up with a Texans cheerleader to race through the store and was guaranteed an entertainment system of their choice and two games in addition to anything else they grabbed.
“I remember times where I wasn’t able to get things that I wanted,” Johnson said, via the Texans website. “It just gives them a chance to go through the store and get whatever they want. They don’t have to ask anybody for it. Whatever they have on their Christmas list they can pick up.”
The Texans website has some great video from the event (seen below), which Johnson has hosted for seven years. The final tab for this year’s event was $17,352, which is a pretty impressive total given the short period of time the kids had to work even if it is a bit less than last year’s total.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A68znmdOaeI&w=560&h=315]
article by Josh Alper via profootballtalk.nbcsports.com
 

First Lady Michelle Obama Reads "The Night Before Christmas" to Kids at the Children's National Medical Center

By goodblacknews on December 16, 2013

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Cl3Fu1RdnQ&w=560&h=315]
Michelle Obama Reads To Kids At Children's National Medical CenterAt the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. today, First Lady Michelle Obama read “The Night Before Christmas” to help celebrate the holidays and bring cheer.  Enjoy!
article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson

Kevin Hart Donates $250K To Struggling Philadelphia School District

By goodblacknews on November 1, 2013

Capture
Kevin Hart, a proud Philadelphia native, is giving back to the city that raised him in the best way possible. After hearing of the financial crisis plaguing the City of Brotherly Love’s school district, the comedian decided to pony up $250K of his own money to support.  Hart made the announcement via a video on Instagram. “Philadelphia, aka the city of brotherly love,” he began in the clip. “I just heard about all the trouble the school district is going through. So I took it upon myself to take $250,000 and put it in the school system to buy new computers. Not because somebody told me to, because I love you, and I put on for my city.”
Additionally, Hart tagged a heartfelt caption with the vid. “My city made me who I am today and for that I am thankful. I will make it my priority to help my city get out of this debt. PHILLY UNTIL I DIE,” read a portion of the message.”
Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter thanked Hart for his philanthropic contribution in a statement, saying “I want to thank Kevin Hart for his incredibly generous gift to our schools, recreation centers and citizens of all ages. These computers will have a very meaningful impact on Philadelphia.”  For context, over the summer, Philly closed 24 schools, laid off thousands of employees (including teachers, counselors, vice principals, and the like), and cut numerous extra curricular programs.
article by Chris Thomas via hiphopwired.com

Obama Calls for Immigration Law By End of 2013

By goodblacknews on October 25, 2013
Protesters opposed to Arizona's Immigration Law SB 1070 march through downtown Phoenix April 25, 2012 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Jonathan Gibby/Getty Images)
Protesters opposed to Arizona’s Immigration Law SB 1070 march through downtown Phoenix April 25, 2012 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Jonathan Gibby/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama called on Congress Thursday to finish work on an immigration overhaul by the end of the year, a lofty goal that will be difficult to meet given the staunch opposition of many House Republicans.  While immigration remains one of Obama’s top second-term priorities, the issue has been overshadowed for months, most recently by the 16-day partial government shutdown. The president’s shift to a greater focus on immigration came as the White House was seeking to shift the conversation away from the deeply problematic rollout of Obama’s health care law.
During remarks at the White House, Obama insisted that Congress has the necessary time to finish an immigration bill by the end of the year. The Democratic-controlled-Senate passed sweeping legislation this summer that would provide an eventual path to citizenship for some 11 million immigrants living here illegally and would tighten border security. But the measure has languished in the Republican-led House.
“It doesn’t get easier to put it off,” Obama said, during an event in the East Room.  The White House was buoyed by comments this week from Republican House Speaker John Boehner who said he was optimistic his chamber could act on immigration by year’s end. But Boehner has long had trouble rallying support from the conservative wing of his caucus and it’s unclear whether he can get their backing for the comprehensive bill Obama is seeking.