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National Network News

---Juneteenth Holiday:National and State---
California State Senator Nell Soto will be introducing a resolution to establish Juneteenth as an annual state holiday observance. The legislation will establish the third Saturday in June as Juneteenth National Freedom Day in California. Through the efforts of the National Juneteenth State Holiday Campaign, state Juneteenth holiday bills have recently passed in Alaska and Idaho. Last year, Delaware passed a Juneteenth State Holiday Bill along with Oklahoma and Florida. Texas has already recognized Juneteenth as a state holiday for many years. Like California, many other states including Oregon, Iowa, Maryland, New Jersey, Vermont, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Kentucky have introduced legislation to recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday. The Congress of the United States, through S.J.R. 11 and H.J.R. 56, officially recognized Juneteenth Independence Day in America. Thousands of petitions have been sent to the White House urging President Bush to issue a Presidential Proclamation establishing Juneteenth as a national holiday in America. Thousands of supporters will be attending the Washington Juneteenth 2001 National Holiday Observance at the Lincoln Memorial, National Mall and the U.S. Capitol grounds in Washington, D.C. from June 15 to June 19,2001, to urge President Bush to take action. Stay tuned for information on the National Juneteenth Convention Expo on August 17-18, 2001. For more information, call the Juneteenth America Headquarters office at (909) 988-5810 or send email to: juneteentham@earthlink.net.

---North Carolina: Juneteenth Celebration---
On June 23, 2001, a special Juneteenth Celebration will be held in the City Park of Havelock, North Carolina from 10 am to 7 pm. Activities will be geared toward full participation by families and the community. The free event will be an expression of cooperation, brotherhood and togetherness of family. Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration marking the end of slavery. Its roots can be traced back to June 19, 1865. It was on that day that Union soldiers, under the leadership of Major General Gordon Granger, landed in Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and the enslaved were now free. Every year thereafter, on June 19, a celebration was held in recognition of this "newfound" freedom. This celebration was soon coined "Juneteenth" and became a time for reassuring each other, praying, and for the gathering of family members. On January 1, 1980, Juneteenth became an official holiday in Texas. For information on the history of Juneteenth go to www.juneteenth.com.

---New developments---
Wyndham International, Inc. has been designated as manager of a four-star hotel to be built in downtown Ft. Lauderdale, located adjacent to the Broward County Convention Center. R. Donahue Peebles, North America's preeminent African-American hotel developer, and his company, Peebles Atlantic Development Company (PADC) is developing the project, which is expected to be completed in 2003. "We are interested in enhancing our presence and expanding the Wyndham brand in another strong demand market," said Fred J. Kleisner, chairman and chief executive officer of Wyndham. " The proposed property will serve as the headquarters hotel for the center as the Greater Ft. Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau attracts and sells the city to conference groups and business and leisure travelers. "We are always interested in aligning the Wyndham brand with partners, like Don Peebles, who not only share in our strategic vision, but are committed to our priorities as well," said Kleisner. "With diversity being a key Wyndham initiative, we are proud to be affiliated with the first minority-owned and -operated hotel in this area." Wyndham International will be investing an undisclosed amount in the project and will acquire a 40% interest in and a long-term management contract for the property. "We are delighted to carry the Wyndham name on such a high-profile hotel," said Peebles.

---MTV-S targets U.S. Latino youth ---
Ruido Group, the first integrated advertising and marketing agency focusing on the Latino youth market announced that it will work with MTV-S, the leading music cable network offering U.S. Hispanics 24 hours of pop and rock en espanol. Ruido Group will position the MTV-S brand among an audience of young U.S. Hispanics through traditional and non-traditional marketing efforts including broadcast and print advertising and grassroots marketing. "MTV-S is a milestone for U.S. Hispanic television, ushering an era of younger, edgier, more targeted programming," commented Roberto Ramos, Ruido Group president. "MTV-S is already the best medium to reach a Latino youth demographic with a purchasing power exceeding $100 billion, and with an influence as a trendsetter group exceeding its size," Ramos concludes. The U.S. Hispanic population is also a young group, with over 70% of the population under the age of 35.

---Los Angeles: a race to watch---
On Tuesday, June 5, the people of Los Angeles will choose a new mayor ---Antonio Villaraigosa, son of Mexican immigrant and former speaker of the California State Assembly, or longtime city attorney James Hahn, who is white. If Villaraigosa makes it, he will become the first Latino mayor since 1872. May the best candidate win, given that Los Angeles is 46 percent Latino, 30 percent White, 11 percent African American and 10 percent Asian.

---Bible Belt---
With spirituality on the rise, the Bible market is stronger than ever as Bible publishers reinvent how you think about and use the ancient text. Consumers are buying Bibles in record numbers, so much so that the Bible market has grown approximately seven percent in the last year, and sales for the world's largest Bible publisher, Zondervan Corporation, have boomed more than 23 percent. With sales of religious books predicted to reach $2.3 billion by 2002, this healthy market is being driven by consumers demand for modern language and content that is relevant to people today. In the past five years, revenue for Zondervan Bibles has grown nearly 47 percent. The industry leader has rallied and published more than 100 different Bible titles in a variety of translations and non-traditional formats that speak directly to different lifestyles and circumstances. Contrary to the one-Bible-fits-all approach, the average Bible shopper owns nine Bibles and is willing to buy more. Now, today's question is how many people actually read and study all those bibles that they purchase?

---Who's making the grade?---
The latest issue of Opportunity Journal magazine, the official publication of the National Urban League features several articles about education issues in the African American community--from the gender disparities in completion rates in higher education, to how an alternative Harlem middle and high school is blossoming. Titled, "The Black Education Gender Gap: Who's Making The Grade?, the issue's contents includes: (1)Struggle and Triumph by Linda M. Perkins, which is an historical look at the succession of Black women in the world of higher education as they overcome the double whammy of racism and sexism to find individual and group achievement, (2)Problems in Division by Maida C. Odom, which discuss the trend for black women are getting their degrees at markedly higher rates than Black men and (3)Home, Sweet School by Peter Slavin which talks about the practice of home-schooling in the African American community. Published quarterly, the Opportunity Journal focuses on topics of interest to African-Americans and is available for purchase through local Urban League affiliates, or by calling the League directly at (212) 558-5300.

---Alexis Herman---
The Honorable Alexis M. Herman, U.S. Secretary of Labor 1997-2001, will be the keynote speaker at NAMIC's Annual Awards Breakfast on Tuesday, June 12 at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers, Rooms 4 and 5 during the National Cable Television Association Convention in Chicago. This year's theme "Pay It Forward: Bring Your Success to the Future" will honor top leaders in the field for their outstanding commitment to advancing diversity in the telecommunications industry. The breakfast will also highlight the successful achievements of its mentorship program in the cable industry. NAMIC was founded in 1980 as the National Association of Minorities in Cable to educate, advocate and empower for the cause of diversity in the telecommunications industry. With its unique focus on the urban marketplace and people of color, NAMIC educates the broadband industry on marketing approaches, programming interests and operations strategies for our nation's ever changing cities.

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