WASHINGTON (AP) — Describing them as teachers, President Barack Obama said Wednesday that two dozen recipients of national medals for contributions to the arts and humanities have created works that will last for American life.
At a White House ceremony, Obama awarded medals to 23 singers, dancers, poets, producers, playwrights, scholars and others, and one performing arts organization. As applause and cheers rippled across the stately East Room, Obama joked that the audience was doing so “Because I’ve bought their books, I’ve seen their movies, I buy their records. So we’re major contributors here.”
Turning more serious, he praised the medal recipients for using their talents “To open up minds and nourish souls, and help us understand what it means to be human, and what it means to be an American.” “We celebrate people like our honorees here today not just because of their talent, but because they create something new. They create a new space and that becomes a lasting contribution to American life,” Obama said.
Among those receiving a National Medal of Arts are Herb Alpert, of Malibu, Calif., the musician behind the Tijuana Brass phenomenon and co-founder of A&M records; filmmaker George Lucas, of San Anselmo, Calif., and the Washington Performing Arts Society, of Washington, D.C.
Recipients of the National Humanities Medal include author Joan Didion, sportswriter Frank Deford and Robert B. Silvers, editor and co-founder of The New York Review of Books. All three are from New York.
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Joe Biden is hailing Frederick Douglass for his work to bring about equal justice, leading a series of tributes at the unveiling of a statue of the 19th-century orator and writer.
Biden, along with Democratic Sen. Harry Reid and Democratic Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, used the U.S. Capitol ceremony to call for equal voting rights for citizens of the District of Columbia — an issue dear to Douglass’ heart. Biden said the people of the District “made the right choice” in selecting Douglass as their representative.
The 7-foot bronze likeness of Douglass joins sculpted statues of fellow blacks Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr. and Sojourner Truth in Emancipation Hall. Douglass was born a slave in 1818 in Talbot County, Md. and advised President Abraham Lincoln.
Related Article: Frederick Douglass Statue To Be Moved To The U.S. Capitol
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press via thegrio.com
This morning, President Barack Obama hosted a special Father’s Day Luncheon inside the White House’s State Dining Room as part of his ongoing commitment to fatherhood and families. Joining the president at the lunch were fathers and their children, along with students and officials from the Becoming A Man (BAM) program in Chicago.
Stressing a message regarding the importance of strong families bonds and the value of mentorship, Obama has made fatherhood a focal point of conservation since his first term. Today’s lunch was an informal affair, and served as an unofficial follow-up from the president after a February visit to Chicago’s Hyde Park Academy High School. From the BAM program, 14 students and five chaperones were present to partake of simple fare such as burgers, fries, salads, and other snacks.
“It is good to see all of you here, so many young people, so many outstanding dads, a few moms chaperoning,” said Obama to his guests, according to a Chicago Tribune report. “Obviously, this is a great way for us to celebrate Father’s Day and just to remind ourselves, those of us who are fathers, how lucky we are.” After lunch, Obama gave his visitors a quick tour of the Oval Office before breaking with the group who went on to participate in a roundtable discussion focused on mentoring with White House officials.
Obama, a father of two daughters, 14-year-old Malia, and 12-year-old Sasha, said at the event that fatherhood is “the best job I’ve got.”
article by D.L. Chandler via newsone.com
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama honored the WNBA champion Indiana Fever on Friday, calling the players role models for young athletes — even those on his daughter Sasha’s basketball team. The team captured its first title last October, defeating the Minnesota Lynx 87-78 and bringing home Indiana’s first basketball title since 1973.
Obama said the Fever’s season was an inspiration for basketball fans everywhere, including his daughter, whose team he sometimes coaches. He pointed out that the Fever came into the playoffs as underdogs and had lost to the Lynx during the regular season, then rallied to take the championship.
“For her to have wonderful role models like this who work hard and know how to play like a team, are incredibly poised, are competitors but also show good sportsmanship, that’s the kind of models you want for your children,” Obama said.
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin says she plans to step down next month after four years as “America’s doctor.”
In an email to staff Wednesday, Benjamin said she will remain involved in public health. As surgeon general, she promoted disease prevention, smoking cessation and healthy lifestyles, particularly among minorities. Benjamin oversaw a report that documented how smoking, even an occasional cigarette or secondhand smoke, can cause immediate damage to the human body.
A native of Alabama, Benjamin is widely respected for founding a rural health clinic in that state, which she kept going although it was wiped out three times by fire and hurricanes. She plans to volunteer seeing patients at the clinic. Health and Human Services spokeswoman Dori Salcido said the administration is grateful for Benjamin’s service.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press via thegrio.com
In recognition, the museum’s 350-seat theater, intended to be a showcase for demonstrating how African-American culture has shaped the country and the world, will be named after her. The museum, the Smithsonian’s 19th, is due to open in late 2015. It will tell the story of African-American history from slavery to the post-Civil War period, the civil rights era, the Harlem Renaissance and into the 21st century.
Oprah has been involved with the museum since planning began a decade ago and joined its advisory council in 2004. She’s also a world-class philanthropist with her own grant-making foundation and the resources to make a difference. She says her gift demonstrates her pride in African-American history and culture.
“I am deeply appreciative of those who paved the path for me and all who follow in their footsteps,” she said in a statement. “By investing in this museum, I want to help ensure that we both honor and preserve our culture and history, so that the stories of who we are will live on for generations to come.”
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is calling attention to the 50th anniversary of the Equal Pay Act that aimed to eliminate gender wage disparities, making the case for strengthening the law that President John F. Kennedy signed in 1963.
Obama, speaking to an audience almost entirely of women, says women continue to be paid less than men. He says: “This is the 21st century. It’s time to close that gap.”
The event’s focus on women’s pay comes during a week when Obama is paying special attention to Democratic constituent groups. On Tuesday he will speak at the White House in support of an overhaul of immigration laws. He will be fundraising for the Democrats on Wednesday. On Thursday he will observe LGBT Pride Month with remarks at the White House.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press via thegrio.com
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama’s top national security adviser Tom Donilon is resigning and will be replaced by Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N. who has been a lightning rod for Republican criticism over faulty explanations for the attack that killed four Americans in Benghazi, Libya.
Donilon has been a key foreign policy adviser to President Barack Obama. But the 58-year-old had been expected to depart sometime this year, with Rice seen as the likely candidate to replace him. Her selection is sure to anger congressional Republicans, who have accused the administration of inconsistency and a cover-up in the Benghazi attacks.
Rice, a close Obama confidante, came under withering criticism from Republicans as part of the investigations into the deadly attack on a U.S. compound in Benghazi. Relying on talking points from the intelligence community, Rice said in television interviews that the attacks were likely spontaneous, which was later proven incorrect.
Obama considered nominating Rice as his second-term secretary of state, but she withdrew amid the GOP criticism, saying she didn’t want her confirmation fight to be a distraction for the White House. The president instead nominated John Kerry, who easily won confirmation from his former Senate colleagues.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqnF3UicuQs&w=560&h=315]
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama on Monday called for a more robust national discussion on mental illness, saying the time had come to bring the issue “out of the shadows.”
Speaking at the opening session of a White House conference on mental health, the president said his goal was to let people affected by these issues know they should not suffer in silence.
“Struggling with a mental illness or caring for someone who does can be isolating,” Obama said. “It begins to feel as if, not only are you alone, but that you shouldn’t burden others with the challenge.”
The conference is part of Obama’s response to last year’s shooting massacre at a Connecticut elementary school. While the president emphasized that most people with mental health problems are not violent, he said untreated mental illness can lead to larger tragedies.
There’s been little publicly revealed about the mental health of Sandy Hook shooter Adam Lanza, although it’s been documented that other gunmen involved in mass shootings suffered from mental illness. Federal law bans certain mentally ill people from purchasing firearms, but the background check system is woefully incomplete and Obama is trying to get more mental health records included.
“We can do something about stories like this,” he said. “In many cases, treatment is available and effective.” Top administration officials, along with actors Bradley Cooper and Glenn Close, were among those participating in the White House conference.
The agenda includes discussion of insurance coverage for mental health care and substance abuse, recognizing the signs of mental illness in young people and improved access to services for veterans. The overall goal is reducing the stigma of mental health problems and encouraging those who are struggling to get help.
Washington D.C.— Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wisconsin) released a statement Monday in celebration and recognition of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) pride month, which occurs annually in June.
Despite the fact the homosexuality is often a taboo topic in the black community, Moore has chosen to embrace members of the LGBT community and their accomplishments during this month.
“LGBT Pride Month is a time to celebrate the progress we have made towards achieving equality for all Americans regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity,” said Moore in her statement.
Moore has shown her support by participating in the NOH8 marriage and gender equality campaign, a charitable organization that advocates for the LGBT community and their rights, in addition to efforts to include LGBT members in her Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).
Also, in her statement Moore encouraged others to recognize the work that needs to be done to improve the opportunities for members of the LGBT community as well as appreciate the diversity that they offer our nation.
Moore takes pride in her LGBT friends and allies in politics stating, “I am also proud to celebrate my Wisconsin friends and LGBT Members of Congress – Senator Tammy Baldwin, the first openly gay United States Senator and Representative Mark Pocan, whose husband became the first LGBT partner to receive a Congressional spousal ID.”
article by Adrienne Green via thegrio.com