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National Network News--

---BET's Bob Johnson and Homewood Suites by Hilton---
Homewood Suites by Hilton, a leading national brand of upscale all-suite, residential-style hotels introduced in 1989, celebrated that the brand is 100 hotels strong at a grand opening of a Homewood Suites by Hilton hotel located in the re-emerging Enterprise Zone of Washington, D.C. The 175-suite hotel is owned by Robert L. Johnson, chairman, RLJ Development, LLC, and chairman, Black Entertainment Television Holdings, Inc., and managed by Hilton Hotels Corporation. Johnson, who purchased the Homewood Suites by Hilton in Washington, D.C. along with six other Homewood Suites by Hilton hotels last year for nearly $100 million - representing the single largest hotel real estate transaction by an African American in U.S. history - reinforced the notion that the hospitality industry presents rewarding investment opportunities for minority owners. According to Robert L. Johnson, chairman, RLJ Development, LLC, and chairman, Black Entertainment Television Holdings, Inc., "Hotel ownership represents a strong investment option that is readily achievable for minority investors, particularly with a well-recognized company like Hilton Hotels Corporation, which has a long history of managing and franchising hotels. Investing in high-quality hotels such as this Homewood Suites by Hilton property is consistent with my business philosophy of being associated with highly regarded brands in the travel, leisure and entertainment industries."

---Remembering the Rev. Leon Sullivan---
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge issued the following statement on the death of the Rev. Leon H. Sullivan, a world-renowned civil rights leader and founder of a Philadelphia job-training program: "Rev. Sullivan was a leader who literally shared his life with the entire world. "Pennsylvania loses a shining figure in our history. The world's African-American community loses a true leader. But we must never lose sight of his legacy. I always will carry that legacy, as well as the memory of our first meeting, with me throughout my public life. "He always stood up to hate. He always let his voice be heard. He never wavered from his principles and his mission. He never stopped helping people -- whether helping young people to stay out of trouble, or championing civil rights, or helping Philadelphians make a better life for themselves through job training. We all must learn from his example." The NAACP also mourns the death of the Rev. Leon H. Sullivan. NAACP President Kweisi Mfume said, "Rev. Sullivan was a man to be admired for the way in which he melded religious leadership and social vision for the advancement of all people."

----Sudan Slave Trade---
Guardian Angel founder Curtis Sliwa, along with Black Caucus founder, former Congressman Walter Fauntroy, and D.C. radio personality, Joe Madison, will risk arrest in acts of civil disobedience in front of the Sudan Mission to the United Nations, at noon, on May 2. The protest demonstration, organized by the American Anti-Slavery Group of Boston, is in response to slave raids on African villages organized by the Government of Sudan. Fauntroy and Madison recently returned from an illegal trip to South Sudan where they witnessed the redemption of 2,953 black slaves. Dr. Charles Jacobs, President of the American Anti-Slavery Group, who was with them in Sudan, will also risk arrest, as will Curtis' sister and former NYC cop, Maria Sliwa. Joining the protesters will be WABC talk show host, Steve Malzberg, Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, VP and Counsel of the NY Board of Rabbis, the President of the National Black Catholic Clergy, Franciscan Father James Goode and other members of the public. The Sudan mission to the United Nations is located at 655 Third Avenue in New York City.

---Brookings Study on immigrants---
The Greater Washington region ranks as the sixth largest metropolitan area of immigrant settlement, according to a new study released by the Brookings Institution. The study, "The World in a Zip Code," found that, unlike many high-immigration regions, Greater Washington has both a remarkable diversity of newcomers and a wide dispersion of immigrants throughout the region, even in the far-flung suburbs. In 1998, the Washington metropolitan area was the 5th most common destination for legal immigrants to the United States. Only New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami were more popular. The region's recent immigrants come from 193 countries and territories -- and there is not a dominant country of origin. The largest single immigrant group -- El Salvadorans -- comprises only 10.5 percent of the region's newcomers. The vast majority -- 87 percent -- of the past decade's immigrants settled in the suburbs, with 46 percent moving to communities beyond the Beltway. The District attracted less than 13 percent of new immigrants in the 1990s.

---Muslim community grows---
A national Islamic advocacy group, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) released a major study of the Muslim community in the United States indicating that the number of mosques grew by 25 percent in the past five years and that mosques are becoming dynamic centers for social and political mobilization. That report, called "The Mosque in America: A National Portrait," is the result of in-depth interviews with a randomized sample of representatives drawn from more than 1200 American mosques. "Mosques are not only centers for spirituality, they are now bases for political and social mobilization," says CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad. Awad added that Muslims are having a positive impact on American society. He cited last year's American Muslim voter registration drive and increased turnout by Muslim voters. "One of the most significant findings in this survey is that mosques are quite ethnically diverse," said Dr. Ihsan Bagby, the report's primary researcher. Bagby noted that 93 percent of all mosques are attended by more than one ethnic group. On average, there are more than 1,625 Muslims associated in some way with the religious life of each mosque. Some 2 million American Muslims are associated with a mosque. Report findings support conservative estimates of a total American Muslim population of 7 million.

---NAACP Daisy Bates Education Summit---
U.S. Education Secretary Rod Paige and NAACP President Kweisi Mfume will hold the first Daisy Bates Awards gala to honor school districts, civic organizations and governmental entities that have displayed outstanding accomplishments in efforts to close the achievement gap. The event will be held at 7 pm on Friday, May 18, 2001 at the Hilton Mark Center, 5000 Seminary Road in Alexandria, Virginia. The Fourth Biennial Daisy Bates Education Summit will be held May 17-19, 2001 For more information, call (410) 486-9227.

---Ebony Magazine's Annual Mothers & Daughters Empowerment Seminar---
Chaka Khan will be honored at the Chicago Hilton on May 12, 2001, as part of Ebony Magazine's annual Mothers & Daughters Empowerment Seminar & Awards Luncheon. Khan, who originally hails from Chicago -- the city that declared Oct. 19 "Chaka Khan Day" -- will be among five Windy City natives being cited both as outstanding mothers and professional trailblazers in their respective fields. Of the upcoming ceremony, Khan said, "I am delighted to be receiving this lovely honor for two things that are so dear to my heart -- raising my wonderful children, and being passionate about making music." Ebony Magazine, the leading publication for African-American women, is committed to embracing family, and this inspiring event highlights the precious bond shared by mothers and daughters. Throughout the course of a one-day enrichment and empowerment forum, attendees will enjoy programs covering a broad range of topics from fashion to finance, entertainment to education.

---Essence Magazine Awards, May 24 on Fox Television----
On May 24, 2001, the Essence Magazine Awards will air on Fox Television. Honorees (partial list) to be honored as exemplary positive images of African-American achievement include: Samuel L. Jackson, Venus and Serena Williams and Human Rights Activist Randall Robinson. Chaka Khan, along with Gladys Knight and Jennifer Holliday, will participate in a musical performance of the song "Missing You" as part of a special segment paying tribute to Mothers Against Violence, specifically honoring four mothers who have lost children to violence.

---Hispanic Yearbook---
The 2001 edition of the HISPANIC YEARBOOK (HispanicYearbook.com) is recognized as the premier national reference guide for and about the U.S. Hispanic/Latino community, in the areas of business, education, and health. Since 1986, TIYM Publishing, a woman-and Hispanic-owned, 8(a)-certified firm, has been publishing the HISPANIC YEARBOOK. Angela E. Zavala, TIYM's President & CEO, has announced to the public the launching of the first edition of the AFRICAN-AMERICAN YEARBOOK.

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