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Barack Obama
Earl Graves Sr.
Bishop T.D. Jakes
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Business World Index
---Obama on 40th Anniversary of the Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.---
Senator Barack Obama commemorated the 40th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s assassination, calling on Americans to continue King’s lifelong pursuit of social and economic justice. Here is an excerpt from his remarks: “…that is why the great need of this hour is much the same as it was when Dr. King delivered his sermon in Memphis. We have to recognize that while we each have a different past, we all share the same hopes for the future – that we’ll be able to find a job that pays a decent wage, that there will be affordable health care when we get sick, that we’ll be able to send our kids to college, and that after a lifetime of hard work, we’ll be able to retire with security. They’re common hopes, modest dreams. And they’re at the heart of the struggle for freedom, dignity, and humanity that Dr. King began, and that it is our task to complete…..You know, Dr. King once said that the arc of the moral universe is long, but that it bends toward justice. But what he also knew was that it doesn’t bend on its own. It bends because each of us puts our hands on that arc and bends it in the direction of justice. So on this day – of all days – let’s each do our part to bend that arc. Let’s bend that arc toward justice. Let’s bend that arc toward opportunity. Let’s bend that arc toward prosperity for all. And if we can do that and march together – as one nation, and one people – then we won’t just be keeping faith with what Dr. King lived and died for, we’ll be making real the words of Amos that he invoked so often, and “let justice roll down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
---Keepers of the Dream awards by National Action Network---
Earl G. Graves Sr., chairman and publisher of Black Enterprise, was honored during the Keepers of the Dream awards presented by the National Action Network Wednesday, April 2. The publishing pioneer founded Black Enterprise magazine in 1970, establishing its mission to become the premier business news source for African Americans. The Keepers of the Dream awards, hosted by actress/comedienne Mo’Nique, kicked off a series of events commemorating the 40th anniversary of the assassination of civil rights legend Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The honorees for this year’s awards also included Academy Award-nominated actress Cicely Tyson; New York Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli; Myrlie Evers Williams, widow of slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers; William Lucy, founder and president of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists; civil rights activist Wyatt Tee Walker; and Ian M. Cook, president and CEO of the Colgate-Palmolive Co. Upon receipt of his honor, which was presented by the Rev. Al Sharpton, Graves Sr. remarked, “This occasion is both solemn and celebratory. Solemn because we meet in Memphis in remembrance of perhaps our nation’s greatest tragedy—the 40th anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination. But we celebrate because Dr. King’s dream did not die when he was taken from us. It lives in everyone who has accepted his challenge to fight injustice. This award tells me that somewhere along the way, I was able to make a contribution. It tells me that my contribution has mattered.”
---MegaFest moves to South Africa---
Bishop T.D. Jakes and The Potter's House of Dallas recently announced the return of MegaFest, the two-day, family-oriented fellowship event that has become one of the most widely attended religious events in America. Previously held in Atlanta since its launch in 2004, MegaFest International will be held October 11-12 at the Expo Centre (NASREC) Johannesburg, South Africa's largest exhibition, conference and event site. This year's event will continue to include many of the original MegaFest elements that made the convention the record-setting, family-friendly gathering it has become. In addition to the concerts, seminars and inspirational speakers, guests at MegaFest International can take advantage of African excursions, health and wellness events, and opportunities to learn about the rich heritage of South Africa. Jakes acknowledges that MegaFest International is the next logical step in the evolution of the event. "At the previous MegaFest events, we had people attend from all over the world, all ethnicities, all religions; so many different cultures were in the room" said Bishop T.D. Jakes. "As I looked out, the feel was so much more aligned to an international event, than a U.S.-specific event. I believe the true purpose of the ministry is to go beyond the traditional walls and minister to the world. MegaFest International provides us with that platform."
---Unemployment rate among Hispanic American workers---
Senate Democrats responded to a Department of Labor report that U.S. employers cut 80,000 jobs in March – the third month in a row that the number of lost jobs went up. Democrats also called attention to the dramatic jump in the unemployment rate among Hispanic American workers. According to the Department of Labor report, the unemployment rate among Hispanics rose to 7.3 % last month. The disproportionately higher jobless rate among Latinos underscores the urgent need to strengthen the economy.
---Whoopi Goldberg in JET---There's just something about Whoopi. Yes, there's something about the outspoken comedienne-actress that is making Americans tune in each morning to "The View" to hear her view on hot topics from politics to relationships. She admits that unlike the other women on the show, she doesn't spend a lot of time in hair and wardrobe before each show. She's also not worried about gaining a few extra pounds. "It takes six minutes for makeup," she laughs. "It really does. The best thing about me is I don't have to look like anything. I don't have to do the makeup, the eyelashes, and the hair. I am not the glam queen. So if I have a little weight on my backside, it's OK, because it's just Whoopi," she tells JET. (p. 56). This issue hits stands Monday, April 7, 2008.
---WORKSHOP OF THE WEEK: "White Privilege, Institutionalized Racism and Gender Bias"---The following workshop, "White Privilege, Institutionalized Racism and Gender Bias,” will be held on April 23rd, 2008 --- 9 am - Noon --- Northampton Community College, Main Campus, Spartan Center located in Bethlehem, PA. This Gender Bias Collaborative Workshop with Northampton Community College, Crayola, and the YWCA. The session will feature Speaker, Allan G. Johnson, PhD. For more information send an email to: info@unityfirst.com |
