---African American Women in Business Conference will show the money to attendees---
African American women represent approximately 38% of all firms owned by women in the United States. "Entrepreneurship has almost become a necessity today in America because of the instability of Corporate America. Even with the threat of under capitalization, many are choosing entrepreneurship-- utilizing skills acquired while working for someone else," says AAWIBC Chair Betty Price. The lack of capital has been the major reason for stifling the growth of many of these firms causing a significant number to fail annually. This has not discouraged new startups; African American women have kept a steady pace in launching firms annually out pacing many other ethnic groups in the business arena. The African American Women in Business Conference will assist those who are planning to shift from the corporate arena to entrepreneurship and finance. Glinda Bridgforth is scheduled to address AAWIBC attendees in her seminar, "Girl, Get Your Money Straight," named after her book of the same title. The event's keynote speaker Monique Greenwood, former editor-in-chief of Essence Magazine, devotes an entire chapter to finance in her recently published book, "Having What Matters." Greenwood admits, "I am on a personal mission to help empower Black women to live their best lives. It has been at the core of my work as the owner of six, successful small businesses that primarily employ and service women." AAWIBC will convene at the Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland August 15- 17th. During the three-day program, entrepreneurs and those interested in learning more about business opportunities will participate in forums, workshops and seminars. For additional information, regarding conference registration and sponsorship opportunities refer to www.aawibc.com, call (310) 680-0870 or send email to: email@aawibc.com.

---National Urban League releases the State of Black America report---The National Urban League released The State of Black America 2002, a collection of essays by prominent African American thinkers and leaders, which examines issues of economic, social and racial opportunity in America and begs the question, "Have we achieved equality?" Copies are available for purchase by calling ( 212) 558-5300. In this year's State of Black America report:
1) "September 11, 2001 set all Americans adrift in uncharted and dangerous waters. This particular situation is unprecedented. But…the general predicament is hardly new to African Americans, a people who have survived the moral and physical wilderness of slavery and legal segregation." [Hugh Price, President and CEO, National Urban League, Overview]
2) "If the average Black American enjoyed the same status as the average White American, "we might have 31 African American billionaires instead of one." [Franklin Raines, Chairman and CEO, Fannie Mae
What Would Equality Look Like?]
3) "There's a brand of welfare reform that we should reject out of hand. It's one that would tear a gaping hole in the social safety net, allowing poor mothers and children to fall through to the streets to beg."
[William E. Spriggs, Director, and Suzanne Bergeron, Senior Legislative and Policy Analyst, National Urban League Institute for Opportunity & Equality Welfare Reform and Black America
4) "As America has become more racially and ethnically diverse, the nation's inner cities are more segregated now than they were 50 years ago." [Leland Ware, University of Delaware, and Antoine Allen, President of the Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League, The Geography of Discrimination: Hypersegregation, Isolation and Fragmentation Within the African American Community]
5) "Today, less than one percent of CPAs are African American."[Theresa A. Hammond, Associate Professor of Accounting and Ernst and Young Research Fellow in Diversity Studies, Boston College, Holding the Accountants Accountable: Why are There So Few African-American CPAs]
6) "…Black and brown people are disproportionately the sufferers of the AIDS epidemic."
[Maya Rockeymoore, Senior Resident Scholar, National Urban League's Institute for Opportunity and Equality, African Americans Confront A Pandemic: Assessing Community Impact, Organization, And Advocacy In The Second Decade Of Aids]

---Premiere of Dr. Dorothy Height's Biography and new Visionary Heritage Fellowship Program---Many recognize the face of the 90-year-old, soft-spoken woman known for her hats who has been a part of the struggle for civil and human rights for women and people of color since the 1930s. With the new film, "The Life and Surprising Times of Dr. Dorothy Height," people will understand why so many call her a "national treasure." Recently, the film premiered at a special screening at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History hosted by Steven C. Newsome, Director of the Anacostia Museum and Center for African American History and Culture; Dr. Camille O. Cosby and Renee Poussaint. The documentary by Ms. Poussaint and executive produced by Dr. Cosby marks the first completed film project from the archives of the National Visionary Leadership Project (NVLP), which they co-founded last year. "What is truly remarkable about Dr. Height, and what we have tried to capture in this film is the complexity of her involvement in historic events since the Great Depression," stated Renee Poussaint. The mission of the National Visionary Leadership Project is to preserve and disseminate the wisdom and leadership skills of African American elders in order to inspire and educate new generations of Americans. NVLP has already filmed extensive biographical video interviews with Dr. Maya Angelou, Shirley Chisholm, Dick Gregory, Edward Brooke, Andrew Young, John Hope Franklin, Gordon Parks, Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis and David Dinkins, among many others. For more information, call (202) 965-2810.

---Detroit hosts National Black Deaf Advocates conference---
The Detroit Black Deaf Advocates present the 19th Annual National Black Deaf Advocates Conference. The summit takes place July 28 - August 4 at the Marriott Hotel Renaissance Center. The theme for the conference is "Claiming the Abundance - Black Deaf Culture: Education, Technology, Finance, and Employment." The annual conference features workshops, the Youth Empowerment Summit (Y.E.S.), a talent show and the Miss Black Deaf America Pageant. For more information visit www.NBDA.org or contact Joyce Washington, Public Relations, at 313-345-2256.

----Nova Southeastern University ranked the top producer of African American doctorates---Nova Southeastern University is the number one producer of African American doctorates among traditionally White institutions (TWIs) and historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) combined, based on survey results published in the June 20, 2002 edition of Black Issues in Higher Education. NSU also ranked No. 1 in African-American doctorates in education, No. 1 in Hispanic first professional degrees, and No. 1 in African American doctorates in business (tied with Walden University, Minnesota). The data, which comes from the U.S. Department of Education, was collected through the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) program completers survey conducted by the Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The data is based on degrees awarded between July 1, 2000 and July 30, 2001.Nova Southeastern University, with its main campus in Fort Lauderdale, is the largest independent institution of higher education in the southeast United States, and the 12th largest nationally based on enrollment for Fall term 2000.

---African American Ethnic Sports Hall of Fame---
The African American Ethnic Sports Hall of Fame (AAESHOF) recently enshrined the following athletes: Ollie Matson (Football), Willye White (Track), Tae Yun Kim (Martial Arts), Burl Toler (Football), Walt Hazzard (Basketball), Martha Watson (Track), Lee Elders (Golf), Althea Gibson (Tennis), Raymond Chester (Football), Mamie (Peanut) Johnson (Negro Baseball League) and Jose Sulaiman (World Boxing Council).The Hall's mission is to enrich, enlighten and educate young people while honoring true heroes from the past.

----Job Opportunity of the Week---
The Appalachian Mountain Club is seeking a Youth Opportunities Program (YOP) Leadership and Training Coordinator for Boston. YOP provides training and support for youth workers to independently lead youth groups into the outdoors. The YOP Leadership and Training Coordinator is responsible for coordinating all aspects of Boston-based outdoor adventure activities, which serve approximately 2,600 youth per year. Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in education or related fields. At least 2 years of program administration experience required, with 3 years facilitating outdoor leadership and related activities. Send resume to Wendy Archuleta, Search Consultant, archuleta@rcn.com or call 617-723-5045 for more information.

---Send your news, events and press releases to editors@unityfirst.com! ---

For more information on African American Newswire, a national press release distribution service targeting the diverse press or UnityFirst.com, call 413-734-6444 or send email to editors@unityfirst.com.

###