Check out the article by Dedrick Muhammad: "Sharpton, Obama and the Promise of America"

---Valerie Daniels-Carter chairs initiative to create largest privately owned community center of its type in U.S.---Valerie Daniels-Carter, the President of the Minority Franchise Association of Burger King Corporation, and one of the nation's leading African American women, will launch the 140,000-square-foot Mother Kathryn Daniels Conference Center for Community Empowerment and Family Reunification at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, August 20 ( 3 pm) at the Holy Redeemer Institutional Church of God in Christ (COGIC) Complex, 3500 West Mother Daniels Way, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The new Family Center - the largest facility of its type in the United States - will bring together a collaborative partnership of both federal and state governments, private foundations, a public school, a Boys & Girls Club and several faith-based initiatives under one roof. The Center will include:1) HR Academy, Inc., to deliver educational services to youth and adults including, adult basic education, middle and secondary education, and other educational services. 2) The Thirty-Fifth Street School, a Milwaukee Public School. 3) The Boys & Girls Club. 4) The Health Care Facility. 5) HR Community Credit Union and 6) COGIC Social Services and its affiliates. FYI, The Holy Redeemer Church of God In Christ held its first worship service on Sunday May 25th, 1986 and from that time has grown to be one of Wisconsin's largest congregations and serves as a trailblazer at innovative strategies and programs. For more information, contact Antoine Reasby at (414) 350-6656.

---E/WATCH 2004 (Election Update): Diverse delegation from New Mexico---
Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie, former U.S. Treasurer and 2004 California delegate Rosario Marin, and Maryland Lt. Gov. and 2004 delegate Michael Steele recently announced a 70 percent increase among minority delegates compared to the 2000 Republican convention. Under the leadership of President George W. Bush, African-American representation is up an estimated 65 percent and Asian-American representation is up nearly 40 percent. This month, Hispanic delegates will be the largest minority group represented, adding another 15 percent to the 100 percent surge the Republican Party saw between the 1996 and 2000 delegations.

---Asians and news---
Cultural stereotypes, non-participation in informal industry networks and low numbers in the job pool are some of the reasons why Asian Americans are under-represented in newspaper and television management positions, according to a study conducted by Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism and the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA), and funded by the World Journal. Although Asian Americans make up 4.2 percent of the country's population, only 1.3 percent of television news directors and only two percent of newspaper newsroom supervisors are Asian American. The study looked at 30 media markets -- 10 large, 10 mid-sized and 10 small. The researchers contacted 51 newspapers and 141 TV stations in those markets. None of the newspapers responding to the survey had Asian Americans in the top three newsroom jobs, while two TV stations had Asians in one of the two top positions. Newspaper editors and television news managers said the shortage of Asian Americans in management is due primarily to the few Asian Americans in the job pool and the few Asian Americans living in their market. Other reasons cited for their scarcity were that Asians are not part of the informal "network" and that other minorities have higher numbers and need representation.

---Diversity in the newsroom---
Only one in 10 writers, editors and bureau chiefs in the Washington daily newspaper press corps are journalists of color, according to a study on diversity by UNITY: Journalists of Color, Inc. and the University of Maryland's Philip Merrill College of Journalism. Even though the United States is quickly becoming more diverse -- almost one third of the population is non-white -- the corps of print journalists who regularly cover the federal government and lead the national dialogue on the issues facing this country does not come close to reflecting its citizenry." It's sadly ironic that the same Washington press corps that has questioned President Bush's commitment to minority issues and criticized the dearth of minorities on John Kerry's campaign staff is itself startlingly monochromatic," the report says. "Go to any news conference at the White House, Pentagon or Capitol Hill and the lack of journalists of color is readily visible. Behind the scenes, where decisions are made about what is news and how to cover it, the exclusion of people of color in Washington bureau management is even more acute."

--Check out UnityFirst.com's Reader's Choice Book List (on UnityFirst.com) as well as this Book of the Week--- "Blessed Assurance: Deep Thought and Meditations in the Tradition and Wisdom of Our Ancestors" Author Dr. Linda James Myers, one of America's leading thinkers in positive psychology and a top African American psychologist, has released her new book "Blessed Assurance: Deep Thought and Meditations in the Tradition and Wisdom of Our Ancestors" ( ISBN 0-9725716-04)). This new book gives readers a roadmap to their spiritual development and empowers them with the abilities to move past their hurdles to develop a stronger relationship with God. Through its powerful passages and teachings, Myers demonstrates how the wisdom of our ancestors, their connection to the spirit of God and relationship to the Holy Spirit contributed to their ability to transcend and overcome some of life's greatest challenges and one of humanity's worst periods of terrorism (chattel enslavement). "Ancestral tradition requires we develop an increased understanding of the psychology of divine consciousness, to help us move through the tough times and celebrate the good times" says Dr. Myers. "As a scholar and activist, I have vast respect for the spiritual power, strength and resilience of my ancestors and their teachings and traditions. Through this book, I walk you through their spiritual footsteps, by sharing powerful mediations, scripture and wisdom." Linda James Myers, Ph.D. is available for book events or speaking engagements. For more information, contact: Flavia Eldemire (857) 719-1501 or 614-471-3763. To purchase the book via UnityFirst.com, send an email to info@unityfirst.com or call 800-286-3659.

---Job of the Week---The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) is a world-class independent public authority which develops, promotes and manages airports, the seaport and transportation infrastructure to enable Massachusetts and New England to compete successfully in the global marketplace. In its commitment to promoting a culture of diversity for its more than 1000 employees and its business partners, Massport is searching for a DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF DIVERSITY (Bid #6005) to assist in the development, implementation and management of diversity/compliance programs and supporting initiatives. The successful candidate will possess a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Organizational Development or a related field, with a Masters degree strongly preferred. Massport is also recruiting for a SENIOR COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS ANALYST (Bid #6007). This person to provide analytical support; administer the Authority's leave of absences; oversee the Authority's position description and classification procedures; and compile and analyze compensation survey and market data. Please visit www.massport.com to apply on-line or send your resume to: Massport Human Resources Department, One Harborside Drive, Suite 200S, East Boston, MA 02128-2909. Also, send or fax your resume and cover letter to (617)-568-3940.

---Opportunity of the Week---The Cambridge-MIT Institute (CMI), a unique education and research collaboration between MIT and the University of Cambridge in the UK, seeks an Assistant Director to be located on the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This individual will act as the senior administrative manager in the U.S. for this international collaboration (see www.Cambridge-MIT.org). Interested candidates may apply online at: web.mit.edu/jobs. Please reference Job No. MIT-00001209. MIT is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer. Qualified women and minority candidates are especially encouraged to apply.