For years, the so-called National Organization for Marriage, the anti-gay group at the helm of many campaigns opposing the freedom to marry, has made it their focus to “drive a wedge between gays and blacks,” a strategy specifically outlined in a series of classified documents that came to light earlier this year. The organization has tried desperately to pit minority group against minority group in its efforts to push its agenda.
But in recent months, we’ve seen time and time again that NOM’s efforts are failing. African-American support for the freedom to marry is at an all-time high, and it continues to increase steadily as we approach the November 6 election. Our first African-American president also became the first sitting president to announce his support for ending the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage. And the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), a longtime supporter of the LGBT community, adopted an official resolution in favor of the freedom to marry back in May of this year.
Today, Julian Bond, chairman emeritus of the NAACP published an editorial about why the marriage campaign in Maryland matters.
Good Black News
Serena Williams reacts while playing Victoria Azarenka, of Belarus, during the championship match at the 2012 US Open tennis tournament, Sunday, Sept. 9, 2012, in New York.
NEW YORK — Given all of the setbacks Serena Williams shrugged aside over the years – on tennis courts and, more daunting, away from them – she probably shouldn’t have been worried when she stood two points from losing the U.S. Open final.
And yet, she explained afterward, “I really was preparing my runner-up speech.”
No need for that. When the going gets toughest, Williams tends to shine.
Finally tested, and even trailing, at Flushing Meadows, Williams suddenly found her composure and her strokes, winning the last four games for a 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 victory over top-ranked Victoria Azarenka on Sunday night, collecting a fourth U.S. Open championship and 15th Grand Slam title overall.
And yet, she explained afterward, “I really was preparing my runner-up speech.”
No need for that. When the going gets toughest, Williams tends to shine.
Finally tested, and even trailing, at Flushing Meadows, Williams suddenly found her composure and her strokes, winning the last four games for a 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 victory over top-ranked Victoria Azarenka on Sunday night, collecting a fourth U.S. Open championship and 15th Grand Slam title overall.
The strangely awesome cast of “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” just got a little bit more strange and awesome. Lionsgate announced Friday that world-class actor Jeffrey Wright has been cast as Beetee in the second installment of the franchise. Back in July, Variety had reported that Tony Shaloub was the front-runner for the role.
The strangely awesome cast of “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” just got a little bit more strange and awesome. Lionsgate announced Friday that world-class actor Jeffrey Wright has been cast as Beetee in the second installment of the franchise. Back in July, Variety had reported that Tony Shaloub was the front-runner for the role.
“You can’t make someone else’s choices. You shouldn’t let someone else make yours.”
–Colin Powell, Former Secretary of State and U.S. General
The prolific series creator/writer/showrunner Shonda Rhimes, in a pairing with Grey’s Anatomy writer Peter Nowalk, has sold an FBI drama titled Under The Gun, to NBC.
What’s it about?
Under the Gun revolves around Erin Kain, a woman who goes to work for the FBI as she struggles to make sense of a terrible event in her past that ruined her life and tore her family apart. While her young and fragile appearance doesn’t typically suggest that she’s best suited to work as a field agent, her dark past helps her get inside the head of criminals who were normal one day and cracked the next.
Nowalk will write the script and executive produce along with Rhimes and her Shondaland producing partner Betsy Beers.
As THR notes, this new sale marks the first one of the 2012/2013 season for Rhimes who sold four new dramas – three to ABC and one to Fox – last season. One of them, the period drama Gilded Lilys, was ordered to pilot, but didn’t get picked up as a series.
Her last season freshman hit series Scandal (one of the 4) will make its season 2 debut in less than 3 weeks.
BY TAMBAY A. OBENSON via blogs.indiewire.com
The prolific series creator/writer/showrunner Shonda Rhimes, in a pairing with Grey’s Anatomy writer Peter Nowalk, has sold an FBI drama titled Under The Gun, to NBC.
What’s it about?
Under the Gun revolves around Erin Kain, a woman who goes to work for the FBI as she struggles to make sense of a terrible event in her past that ruined her life and tore her family apart. While her young and fragile appearance doesn’t typically suggest that she’s best suited to work as a field agent, her dark past helps her get inside the head of criminals who were normal one day and cracked the next.
Nowalk will write the script and executive produce along with Rhimes and her Shondaland producing partner Betsy Beers.
As THR notes, this new sale marks the first one of the 2012/2013 season for Rhimes who sold four new dramas – three to ABC and one to Fox – last season. One of them, the period drama Gilded Lilys, was ordered to pilot, but didn’t get picked up as a series.
Her last season freshman hit series Scandal (one of the 4) will make its season 2 debut in less than 3 weeks.
BY TAMBAY A. OBENSON via blogs.indiewire.com
Curtis Dright III, 5, lines up with the rest of his kindergarten class on the first day of school at The 100 Black Men Community School on Tuesday Sept. 04 2012 in Oakland, Calif. Photo: Mike Kepka, The Chronicle / SF
In the first hour of the first day of school Tuesday, the sixth-grade Oakland boy was sure he was in trouble for goofing off. His teacher, Peter Wilson, had stopped his lesson in mid-sentence and turned his attention to the African American preteen, who now wore an uh-oh expression as he braced for a rebuke. “Did you eat breakfast this morning?” Wilson asked quietly as the confused boy shook his head no. “Your actions are telling me you’re hungry.” The teacher, also African American, then promised to bring fruit and granola bars the next day and returned to teaching. The boy’s behavior immediately improved.
“[at age eighty] My identity is very clear to me now. I am a black woman. I am free. I no longer have to be a “credit.” I don’t have to be a symbol to anybody; I don’t have to be a first to anybody. I don’t have to be an imitation of a white woman that Hollywood sort of hoped I’d become. I’m me, and I’m like nobody else.”
–Lena Horne, actress, singer, entertainer and activist
Rohan Murphy has been defying the odds ever since losing his legs, at age 4, due to a birth defect. While a disability like Murphy’s would be hard to overcome for most, the 28-year-old New York resident has found a way to achieve amazing athletic feats and now has his eyes on Paralympic gold.