Arts.Advocacy+Wellness: "New work by Yolo Akili"

Yolo Akili

"Are We The Kind Of Boys We Want?"

Food for thought this A.A+Wsome Wednesday.

Emerging Poet/Spoken Word Artist Yolo Akili shares his new work:

Are We The Kind of Boys We Want?

This is a must see!

To follo Yolo Akili and to support his work, Log on to: www.yoloakili.com.

Tune in next Wednesday for more

Arts.Advocacy+Wellness with Cornelius Jones Jr.

Stay connected with me:

www.corneliusjonesjr.com

FaceBook: Cornelius Jones Jr.

Twitter: CorneliusJonesJ

FaceBook Fan Page: FlagBoy Official Fan Page of the Actor

www.theblacktraveler.com

What do you mean Cee-Lo Green? F*CK Who?

This is by far the most entertaining video I’ve watched in a LONG time!!! What I love about Cee-Lo Green and his new single ‘Fuck You’ is that it’s something we all can relate to – don’t front, you’ve been there too. In this video, Cee-Lo takes on a retro look and style to illustrate his evolution from boy-mistreated to The Lady Killer. His new album The Lady Killer was released on November 9^th. With over 27+ millions views on YouTube… he got a lot of EYEBALLS!!!

2011 GLBT Travel Expo Tour

The 2011 Travel Expo Tour is an exciting new event where you can learn about new travel destinations, rediscover old ones, find glbt friendly travel providers and get information to plan your next vacation. Exhibitors will include: Airlines Hotels Trains Cruise lines Car Rentals Resorts Exotic Destinations Convention & Visitors Bureaus Travel Magazines

Every one of them reaching out to the glbt consumer.

Attendees will be able to get the latest travel information, get special travel packages and great deals from the very best travel providers as well as win great prizes.

Face to face promotions still represent one of the best ways to promote your services. This afternoon event will draw 500-1,000 elite consumers from a great demographic group.

THE TOUR

Atlanta – January 30, 2011 – The Four Seasons Hotel

Ft. Lauderdale – February 1, 2011 – The Embassy Suites Hotel

New York City – April 26, 2011- The LGBT Center

Philadelphia*– April 28, 2011 – The William Way Center

For More Information Go To:

www.glbttravelexpo.com

Essence Magazine Editor-in-Chief is Exiting

By Keith J. Kelly
NY Post

Angela Burt-Murray is out as editor-in-chief of Essence, the Time Inc.-owned fashion magazine for African American women, after five years at the helm.

She told staffers at a 4:30 p.m. meeting today that she is relocating to Atlanta with her family.

According to sources, the company quietly began preparing for the move a few weeks ago but wanted to proceed delicately to avoid re-igniting a controversy that flared this summer when Burt-Murray appointed a white woman to the key position of fashion director.

Sheryl Tucker, who took a buyout as an editor-at-large at Time Inc. in 2008, is being brought back to run the magazine on an interim basis.

Burt-Murray's decision to appoint a white woman, Ellianna Placas, to the fashion post incensed some readers, who argued it was difficult for people of color to make major inroads in mainstream fashion magazines and that Essence should be their domain exclusively.

Placas, who had previously worked at O, the Oprah Magazine, had been freelancing in the job for several months without incident before Burt-Murray appointed her as the permanent fashion director in late July.

But reaction was heated and immediate, even if it did attract a fair share of supporters.

"It's with a heavy heart that I learned that Essence magazine has engaged a white fashion director," Michaela Angela Davis, a former Essence fashion director and one-time editor in chief of Honey, wrote on her Facebook page, sparking a lively debate on the topic.

No mention was made of it in the official memo from Time Inc. Editor-in-Chief John Huey, in which he heaped praise on Burt-Murray for her contributions to the magazine, including the Essence Book Club and Essence Music Festival Seminar Series.

Huey said the company was "beginning our search for a new editor."

Playing For a Purpose

Georgia Knights Charity Basketball Game to Benefit Leukemia Lymphoma Society

We are days away from this awesome charity basketball game between the Georgia Knights and the Georgia Lions Saturday September 18, 2010 3p.m. -7p.m. at Mount Zion High School 2535 Mount Zion Parkway Jonesboro Ga., 30236.

We are very excited about this game! We need your help by spreading the word to others about this wonderful game. Be proud and know that by attending this game you are doing great things for those who are battling blood cancers. You are not only raising funds- You are raising HOPE!

Our goal is to raise $2,500 which will allow me and 24 other Champion for Cures to participate in this walk. See last year's walk Light the Night Atlanta 2009

Visit Georgia Knights to purchase advance tickets or to reserve vendor tables.

If you can't make the game but would like to help Light the Night visit Jordan's page

Sincerely thank you for your dedication to help find a cure.


Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Light the Night

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research, education and patient services. LLS's mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Since the first funding in 1954, LLS has awarded more than $680 million in research funding. Leukemia Lymphoma Society

Light The Night Walk is The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's nationwide evening Walk to build awareness of blood cancers and raise funds for cures. Walkers carry illuminated balloons-white for survivors and red for supporters-to celebrate and commemorate lives touched by cancer. The walk will take place this year on October 9, 2010 at Centennial Park. Last year Atlanta raised more than $1.3 million dollars. Light the Night Atlanta 2009

Thank You God!

Today I am sitting in my hotel room reflecting on how God has protected me and brought me so far in my career. Today is a beautiful day and many of my dreams have finally come to a very prosperous existence. I have a network that firmly believes in my work and I am so excited that the series is launching today in Atlanta; in addition to that I am so happy that I have received so much love from my following thank you all so much. I really want to thank Nathan Seven Scott for believing in me when many in our community did not; you were there for me in the beginning and have taught me a lot about life, my career, and me. On today I want each of my readers to enjoy their labor day and reflect on all the blessings God has given you, I love you all!!!

Drama Dupree's PSA ATL Black Pride 2010

THE 10 UNOFFICIAL ATLANTA BLACK GAY PRIDE SAFETY RULES 2010

Schooled by Drama Dupree & Tron

Crawling Out of My Little Erin Shell, or, Thank You, Mrs.(Sarah) Robinson!

While I was in high school, several of the guys in my class made fun of me by routinely saying, "Just crawl back into your little Erin shell." Those words gnawed at me and hurt me deeply, though I tried not to show it and to laugh it off or ignore it. I have always kept a protective "shell" around me, like a turtle or a snail. Ironically, that shell emerged years before because of similar circumstances and people saying ugly things to me. Even if they were simply joking, their words only made me loathe myself even more.

I've been an introvert much of my life and only let the real me out when I'm feeling truly comfortable....which takes a long time unless there is alcohol involved. But this blog has been an incredible outlet, allowing me the space to safely share my creativity and innermost thoughts. Many of you know I long to write a book and I often say that "I have a book in my head." Yet that book has never quite made it onto paper or into my computer. Fear stands in my way, fear of so many different things, but obviously failure is near the top of that list.

Over the weekend a Twitter friend, @SarahRobinson, messaged me about her upcoming conference: CIP, or Creating Irresistible Presence. Sarah is also the author of Escaping Mediocrity.  I recently saw a link on Twitter to her Burn the Ships post, which made me cry with recognition.

I bit the bullet. I overcame incredible nausea, called @SarahRobinson herself as well as @KatJaib and spoke with them both about potentially coming to the conference. And I did it. I hung up the phone, got on the computer, and made my reservations. It's a done deal. Hotlanta, here I come!

My walls are coming down.
My armor is coming off.
I'm making myself vulnerable and opening up.
I'm burning my ships, or my "shell," as it were.
(Thank you, Sarah Robinson!)

No more excuses, no more hiding, no more waiting.

I begin my journey at CIP in Atlanta in September.
I need to be pushed, pulled, stretched to my limit.
I need to be taken out of my comfort zone.
Like @SarahRobinson said, it's as if my words
are all there, but they're "stuck" in my throat and I can't get them out.

I'm going to find myself, that part of me that is ready, waiting.
She's perhaps buried under some rubble and wreckage, but she's there.
She just needs someone to help pull her out.

Who's with me?
And what are YOU waiting for? It's time to pull out all the stops. Burn your ships!

Former Morehouse Student Succumbs to Suicide

By Dr. O

www.askdro.com

I am overwhelmed and shocked! It has happened once again. The headline is that another Black male, with promise, has taken his own life today. Where does this stop? How do we stop this infectious process that is attempting to overtake our communities? Some experts believe that depression is likely a key factor in a 233% increase in suicide in black males ages 10-14 from 1980 to 1995. Suicide in the African-American community was hardly mentioned and much less recognized in the 80s. Now it seems as if this malady has become almost common place. Brothers speak-up and speak-out about your emotional pain. Is this a secret on the HBCU campuses here in America? I think probably so.

I believe that the culprit here is depression. We have got to aggressively get young men in for medical care. Is there a problem with access? I am sure there is, but how do we address this issue? Has the economy increased our young men’s brush with death? This phenomenon is puzzling to me. You are not a sissy if you come forward and reach out for help. This may be the key to your survival.

Maybe we are not availing ourselves to this group of men. Are there enough culturally competent practitioners to address this dilemma? This answer is a definite no! There has to be a call to action. Morehouse, Howard, Tuskegee, FAMU, Bethune-Cookman, Clark Atlanta University and all other HBCUs what is your call to action? How many more mothers’ boys have to go down this road? Is the nail in the coffin of HOPE? I am distressed. This has to stop someway and somehow. The perils of racism, unemployment, lost hope and depression are front and center. Now, what are we going to do?

Call to Action

1. More specific “mental health” services available for African-American men on all HBCU and other college campuses.

2. More forums that allow open and frank discussion about depression and suicide among males.

3. Suicide hotlines available in high risk communities and colleges.

4. APA and AMA call to action specific to this issue.

5. More available community resources for practitioners that serve this vulnerable population.

6. More articles and research on the phenomenology of this problem in high risk communities.

*Depression in Black men Information http://itsmentalhealth.com/permalink.php?article=Depressionin Black Men Information

Enough Said,

Dr.O

What’s Your Current Mental Status?… Click on the link below and take Dr.O’s Mental Evaluation Screening to assess your current mental status:
http://www.drowensmd.com/index.php?option=com_php&Itemid=7

Karl Lagerfeld Makes Coca-Cola Fashionable

Karl Lagerfeld is the King of Collaborations. Every brand wants to tap into his creative genius as it is a stamp of chic approval for him to endorse your product. Latest on Lagerfeld’s plate is a collaboration with Coca-Cola. They have called on him for the new Coca-Cola Light aluminum bottle which features an illustration of the designer and his signature. The box set is completely exclusive, in true Lagerfeld fashion, and the black and white color palette remind us of another iconic brand that he has become so famous for designing: Chanel. A bottle opener also comes with the set, so that all your future parties can be done in style. Definitely a collector’s item.

The Coca-Cola Karl Lagerfeld Box Set is available on pre-order at Colette. Buy yours now.