--Go to www.UnityFirst.com for the following stories---
1) The report, The Black Population in the United States: March 2002Census Bureau releases first look at African-American population since Census 2000: About 80 percent of African-Americans have earned at least a high school diploma and 65 percent are in the labor force, according to a report released by the Commerce Department's Census Bureau. The report also shows that 52 percent of African-American married couples had incomes of $50,000 or more in 2001.
2) Race --The Power of Illusion on PBS: The first series to scrutinize the very idea of race through the distinct lenses of science, history and our social institutions, Race - The Power of an Illusion, will air nationally on May 1 and May 8, 2003.
3) 2003 USA Gymnastics - Junior Olympic (Level 9) competition: See gymnast Taylor Brown!

---Diversity Channel's Mark Williams shares new article: Diversity's Moment of Truth… A Call to Action for Today's Leaders---Mark Williams, Founder/President of The Diversity Channel and the author of "The 10 Lenses: Your Guide to Living and Working in a Multicultural World, has released the first of a two-part article series: "Diversity's Moment of Truth: A Call to Action for Today's Leaders." Mark says, "The central task of this century will be to create a world where we neither deny the richness of our cultural differences nor allow them to divide us. We have come a long way since 1963… But we have not developed a new definition of racial justice, a new framework for responding to the challenges of race and ethnicity in 21st century America. We cannot move forward until we call upon current leadership to demonstrate a new skill." Mark's story is particularly relevant given the upcoming "Foot Soldiers Reunion" in Birmingham, MA, set for May 1-4, 2003. As the activists gather, there are many questions about the future of civil rights, the advent of diversity management, and the call to action for today's leaders. Read Mark Williams' full article which is posted on www.UnityFirst.com, to learn about the new skills required to move ahead with success in the 21st century. Don't miss it! For more information on the series or to be in touch with Mark, send an email to editors@unityfist.com.

---Global Diversity Group Business Exchange: 2003 Tour for Success goes to New York, NY---Successful entrepreneur Russell Simmons, CEO of Rush Communications - the 2002 BLACK ENTERPRISE Company of the Year - has joined forces with Global Diversity Group, Inc. and Volvo Cars of North America to bring the "Global Diversity Group Business Exchange: 2003 Tour for Success" to emerging minority entrepreneurs and small business owners across the country. Now in its second year, the ten-city tour will host its third event in New York City on May 2nd from 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. at the New York Hilton, where it is expected to attract between 1,700 - 2,000 participants. Global Diversity Group will be hosting free interactive seminars from 9:00 a.m. - 6:15 p.m., focusing on key business issues and trends. Keynote speaker Hector V. Barreto, administrator of the Small Business Administration, will be honored at the luncheon. The highlight of the day will be "Success Stories" featuring Russell Simmons from 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. The seminars and panel discussions will focus on a range of timely issues relevant to minority-owned businesses such as: "Doing Business with the Government", "Tax Tips from the IRS", "Partnering with Corporate America" and "Access to Capital". "We want to provide minorities with business solutions to meet the challenges of the new economy and help lead them to success," said Melodie Cunningham, event producer and president of Global Diversity Group, Inc. For more information, contact Chelsea Cuspard via email: zona@globaldiversitygroup.com or call 410-203-2140.

---U.S.: Death by discrimination - Time to Halt Executions---
The death penalty in the United States remains an act of racial injustice as well as an inherently cruel and degrading punishment, Amnesty International said as it issued a new report on the continuing role of race in capital cases in the US. President Bush has promised that the US will always stand firm for equal justice," said William F. Schulz, Executive Director of Amnesty International USA (AIUSA). "If that's true, he must call for an immediate halt to federal executions and encourage states to follow suit in the face of studies consistently indicating that the justice system places a higher value on white life than on black life." Eighty percent of people executed since judicial killing resumed in 1977 were put to death for murders involving white victims, although blacks and whites are murder victims in almost equal numbers in the US, according to the report. Since 1977, 200 African Americans have been executed for the death of white victims, which is 15 times as many the number of whites put to death for killing blacks during that period. In addition, African Americans account for only 12 percent of the US population, but represent more than 40 percent of those on death row and one in three of those executed. The US will soon execute its 300th African American inmate since 1977."The US' continuing resort to judicial killing gives the lie to its self-proclaimed status as global human rights champion," Amnesty International continued. "The fact that the condemned are selected for death under a system tainted by discrimination and error compounds the country's shame and lends weight to accusations of hypocrisy leveled at its leadership." For a copy of Amnesty International's report, USA: Death by discrimination - the continuing role of race in capital cases, send an email to: jcorlew@aiusa.org.

---Household awards over $1 million in grants to local communities to promote financial literacy---Household International announced that nine community-based organizations in Dallas, Hampton Roads, VA and the Tampa Bay area, will receive a total of $1,010,450 in grants from Household International to help the local organizations provide grassroots financial education programs in their respective regions. The grants are part of Household's nationwide effort to better inform and educate young people, senior citizens, and low and middle-income families in developing their banking skills, money and credit management and learning more about homeownership. Household began the financial education program in 2002, awarding over $1 million dollars to fourteen grass roots organizations in Atlanta, Chicago and Los Angeles. This year, thirty-seven applicants in Dallas, the Tampa Bay area and Hampton Roads, VA responded to Household's community outreach, and nine community organizations were selected. The communities were chosen based on the financial education needs of diverse populations and where Household had a significant business presence. The Financial Literacy Grant Program was coordinated by Household's Diane Jackson, Director of Community Relations and Donna Funk, Director of Employee and Philanthropic Services. For more information, contact Diane Jackson at (847) 291-2165.

---Campaign urges men to eat nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day --U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tommy G. Thompson and National Cancer Institute (NCI) Director Andrew von Eschenbach announced a national campaign to reduce the risk of chronic diseases among African-American men. Launched during National Minority Cancer Awareness Week, April 20-26, the campaign will focus on motivating black men to eat nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day to reduce their risk for diet-related diseases that disproportionately affect the black community. NCI's campaign to reach African-American men is among four national initiatives launched by HHS. "African-American men suffer much higher rates of almost every type of cancer than white men, and they're more likely to have heart disease and high blood pressure," said Secretary Thompson. "These leading causes of death are largely preventable through changes in our lifestyle choices. The 9 A Day campaign will help us to start emphasizing prevention of this epidemic by letting African-American men know the vital importance of eating fruits and vegetables to their overall health." HHS and NCI will work together with several African-American organizations and other health organizations to help get the 9 A Day message out to black men. For more information, contact the NCI Press Office: (301) 496-6641.

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