---National, local leaders honored for increasing stroke awareness among African Americans---More than 400 leaders from across the nation will gather in Atlanta, Ga from May 2-4,2008.for the Power Awards Weekend.  This event celebrates the successes of Power To End Stroke, the American Stroke Association’s cause campaign to reach African Americans.  The American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association, will also honor leaders whose efforts have increased stroke awareness in African-American communities. National Awardees are: Az Yet , Dr. Emil Matarese, Clinical neurologist, St. Mary’s Medial Center (PA), Lewis Gibbs, President, The Word Network, National, Lyle and Deborah Dukes – Senior pastor and co-pastor, Harvest Life Changers Church, International (VA), Marvin L. Winans,  Pastor, Perfecting Church., Tina Lester, R.N., M.S.N., Editor-in-chief, Healthy Horizons, Tom Joyner, Tommy Dortch – Chair, 2008 Power Awards, Chairman Emeritus, 100 Black Men of America, Inc. Affiliate awardees include the following: Mid-Atlantic (Leonard Edloe and  Patricia Lane R. N.), Western States(Commissioner Lawrence Weekly and  Carolyn Flowers) Midwest Affiliate (Leah Wallace and Merdean Gales) South Central Affiliate (Maurice White Jr. and Laurence J. Payne) Greater Southeast Affiliate(Calverta H. McMorris, Ed. D. and  Janie McGrew, MS) Great Rivers Affiliate (Deborah Witt, M.D and  Kim Johnson)  Founders Affiliate (Unity First.com’s Janine Fondon and Leslie Wardell, RN) Pacific/Mountain Affiliate (Gina L. Moore-Sanders, Ph.D. and Vanessa Nelson Hill, RN, MS). By joining Power To End Stroke, African Americans realize that they are the power to end stroke and their passion for the cause helps countless others reduce their risk of stroke and live longer, healthier lives. For more information, visit StrokeAssociation.org/power or call the American Stroke Association at 1-888-4-STROKE.

Tom Joyner

Jesse Jackson

Xernona Clayton

Ruth Dewson

Sam An and Clarence Page

Michael Hyter

Business World Index

---This week on UnityFirst.com TV: Check out the American Heart Asociation/American Stroke Association’s Power to End Stroke video: You are the Power.---

 ---Rev. Jesse Jackson to host lenders, homeowners Forum aims to stop flood of subprime foreclosures---Rev. Jesse Jackson, founder and president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, and ministers of the coalition's New York chapter will bring mortgage lenders and homeowners face to face to combat foreclosures in the subprime lending crisis, especially that in Brooklyn. The forum is scheduled for Monday, April 21, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Hanson Place Central United Methodist Church, 144 St. Felix St., in Brooklyn. "We must choose restructuring loans over foreclosing homes," Rev. Jackson said. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Brooklyn had the highest subprime foreclosure rate in the state in October 2007. "These sub-crime/subprime loans have created a foreclosure tsunami," Rev. Jackson said. With foreclosures running at about 20,000 per week, at least 100,000 more families are likely to lose their homes before Congress passes a relief bill, according to a recent report by The Associated Press.

---Xernona Clayton and Ruth Garland Dewson Among Honorees at Silver Rose Gala & Auction---Civil rights icon Xernona Clayton and social activist Ruth Garland Dewson will be honored for their powerful lifetime commitment to activism, community service and improving the human condition.   The honorees will be recognized at the Silver Rose Awards Gala and Auction, Sunday, April 27, 12 noon, at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Chaired by Academy Award winning actress Halle Berry, the fundraiser, celebrates "The Power of One," and will benefit the women and children of the Jenesse Center, a non profit organization that provides a holistic, comprehensive program to nurture victimized families back to a place of mental, financial, physical and emotional well being.  As a champion for human rights, Xernona Clayton was an integral member of Dr. Martin Luther King's camp during the Civil Right's Movement.  She would later go on to be the first African American woman in the South to host her own television show.  Formerly a top executive under Ted Turner at Turner Broadcasting, Clayton presented the brilliant idea of creating the Trumpet Awards which highlights the achievements of African Americans across industries of science, medicine, business, entertainment, law, media and humanitarianism. Ruth Garland Dewson will be honored for her historic and precedent-setting social justice crusade to free Flozelle Woodmore, a 39-year-old woman from San Francisco, who spent half of her life in jail for killing an abusive boyfriend in self defense at age 18. 

---Companies encouraged to mark April as ‘Celebrate Diversity Month’--- 
Employers are being encouraged to observe April as “Celebrate Diversity Month,” according to Novations Group, a global consulting firm based in Boston. Celebrate Diversity Month is a time to honor the diversity surrounding us and to gain a deeper understanding of one another, according to Clint Poole, Novations Director of Marketing. ”We can build connections with those we don’t usually get an opportunity to know.” Celebrate Diversity Month was initiated four years ago by ProGroup, a leading Minnesota diversity training firm that is now a part of Novations. Poole noted that many organizations celebrate cultural history and heritage months, such as African-American History, Women’s History, Asian/Pacific American Heritage, Gay and Lesbian Pride, Hispanic Heritage, Disability Employment Awareness and American Indian Heritage. “But there’s been growing sentiment to celebrate all diversity, to recognize not only our differences, but also our connections. Celebrate Diversity Month is designed to do just that. It will bring people of unique cultures and backgrounds together to share and learn from one another.” Novations Group, Inc. is a leading provider of consulting and training services on four continents. For more information on the Celebrate Diversity Month handbook 30 Ways 30 Days, send an email to  pfitzgerald@novations.com.
               
---Journalist Clarence Page reaches out to students---Sam An, a first year student at St. Louis College of Pharmacy, recently greeted syndicated columnist Clarence Page, who visited the College. Page, who writes for the Chicago Tribune, spoke about Barack Obama’s candidacy for president. His speech was titled: “The Obama Drama: How the Politics of Hope Changed the 2008 Political Landscape.” The 1989 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary is a regular contributor of essays to “The News Hour with Jim Lehrer” and “News and Notes” on National Public Radio. He has hosted documentaries on Public Broadcasting System (PBS) and served as a regular panelist on national television programs such as ABC’s “This Week” and BET’s “Lead Story.”