---Buying power of African Americans---
The buying power of African Americans in the United States is expected to increase nearly 30% to $682 billion in the next 5 years, according to The U.S. African American Market, a new research report published by Packaged Facts and available through MarketResearch.com. The publication outlines several factors that will propel this explosive growth, and also provides details about demographic features and consumer behavior of the African American market. According to the new report, the female and affluent segments of the African American demographic are of particular importance to marketers and retailers looking to establish or maintain a foothold within this demographic. In the African American population there are 14.1% more women than men, and nearly half of the households within this demographic are headed by women, giving females a far more prominent role in consumer decisions than women in other ethnic population segments.

---WBGH and Pfizer partner---
In an unprecedented effort, the Washington Business Group on Health (WBGH) has launched a new campaign -- WBGH Health Disparities Initiative: Promoting Health for a Culturally Diverse Workforce -- to address the growing need for reducing longstanding health disparities between minority and majority groups in the United States. "Health care disparities hurt employees and their families, reduce productivity, and increase serious disabilities and death," said Helen Darling, president of WBGH. "Our workforce is becoming more multi-ethnic and the Business Group, along with several leading employers, is committed to closing the gap in access, treatment, and quality of care between whites and members of minority groups in the workplace." Led by a WBGH employer council and assisted by a Technical Advisory Board -- a distinguished group of policy, academic, and government leaders -- the initiative brings the nation's leading employers on board in the pursuit of the Healthy People 2010 goal of reducing health disparities by race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and disability. Pfizer, the first sponsor in this broad initiative, will work with WBGH on reducing cardiovascular health disparities in African-American and Latino communities. WBGH will work with Pfizer's teams to develop an employer toolkit for cardiovascular disease prevention and management.

---Detroit Mayor Dennis W. Archer ---
Detroit Mayor Dennis W. Archer becomes first African-American chairman in a law firm's 123 year history. Mayor Dennis W. Archer has accepted a position as Chairman and an equity-owner of the Detroit based law firm Dickinson Wright PLLC. "I am very honored, humbled, eager, focused, optimistic, excited and I will be ready on 12:01 a.m. January 1, 2002 to accept the responsibility of an equity owner and Chairman of one of America's great law firms: Dickinson Wright," said Mayor Archer. Founded in 1878, Dickinson Wright PLLC is a full-service law firm with nearly 200 attorneys practicing in more than 35 specialty areas in offices in Detroit, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Bloomfield Hills and Washington, D.C.

---Job Opportunities of the Week--
Harvard University: Research Associate/Project Manager for Academic Computing School: University Information Systems Consult with Harvard Schools/faculty to identify application opportunities for innovation funding in the area of instructional computing and distance learning. Conduct on-site field research, identify opportunities in the area of e-learning; gather/analyze data; staff Innovation Fund Review Committee. Required Education, Experience, Skills: BA/BS or equivalent. Excellent research, analysis, communication and organizational skills. Ability to manage the production of printed and online material. You must note Requisition #11660 in your application. Send scannable introductory cover letter, resume and salary requirements to:1) On-line: http://www.hr.harvard.edu/employment 2) Mail: Harvard University, Resume Processing Center, 11 Holyoke Street, Cambridge, MA 02138.3) Fax: 617-495-4748. 4) Phone: 617-495-2772.

Harvard University Library: Digital Library Program Manager
The Harvard University Library is one of the great research libraries of the world, and is committed to maintaining its excellence in the digital era. The Library Digital Initiative, supported by special University funding, is an effort to build a technical and organizational infrastructure for digital research collections. Masters degree in library or computer science with 10 yrs relevant professional experience required. You must note Requisition #12105 in your application. Send scannable introductory cover letter, resume and salary requirements to:1) On-line: http://www.hr.harvard.edu/employment 2) Mail: Harvard University, Resume Processing Center, 11 Holyoke Street, Cambridge, MA 02138.3) Fax: 617-495-4748. 4) Phone: 617-495-2772.

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