--- George Fraser announces Power Networking 2002 ---With the support of Ford Motor Company, author and speaker George Fraser will hold "Power Networking 2002", an African American networking and training conference in Cleveland, Ohio. "We are committed to empowering minorities through entrepreneurship," said Sandra Nicholls, Trustmark Advertising Supervisor for Ford Motor Company. Ford believes that entrepreneurship is a cornerstone for wealth creation in minority communities. Last year, Ford spent more than $3.5 billion with minority companies and had more minority dealers than any other automotive manufacturer in the world. "Now, more than ever, partnerships with corporate America are crucial to the success of minority businesses and economic development," said George C. Fraser, president of FraserNet. The conference will be held in Cleveland's Convention Center, June 20-23, 2002. "It promises to inform and prepare Black professionals to effectively network," said Fraser. There will be 27 workshops on how to network for: career building, entrepreneurship and wealth creation. Other conference highlights include a Town Hall meeting: "The State of Entrepreneurship in Black America -Where Do We Go From Here." The conference will include speakers such as Bishop T.D. Jakes, George Fraser, Les Brown, Tavis Smiley, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Dr. Asa Hilliard, and Rev. Dr. Floyd Flake. For registration and information, call 216-912-6308., ext. 330.

---Paul Malaba reports on: Zimbabwe--- (for the full article go to www.unityfirst.com) Violence swept Zimbabwe as thugs loyal to President Robert Mugabe killed at least one opposition supporter and beat dozens of others as millions turned out to vote in crucial elections. Against a backdrop of mounting tension and allegations of attempted vote-rigging, gangs of youths armed with clubs and rocks murdered an opposition member by drowning and beat another before setting him ablaze. The man was critically ill in hospital last night. The violence and intimidation flared as Mugabe, who has been in power since 1980, fought for his political life in polls that opened Saturday and were due to close on Sunday. However, faced with mounting anger over attempts to prevent people voting by reducing the number of polling stations, the government was forced to announce that voting may be allowed to go on until Monday evening. In the capital Harare, thousands of defiant Zimbabweans turned out before dawn to vote, in elections that many predict will see Mugabe unceremoniously dumped from office. Hundreds of army vehicles patrolled the country amid fears that Mugabe would declare martial law if he was defeated. For the full article, go to www.unityfirst.com.

---Focus on Health: Minority Americans lag behind Whites on nearly every measure of health care--- A new survey by The Commonwealth Fund reveals that on a wide range of health care quality measures, minority Americans do not fare as well as Whites. Minority Americans were more likely than whites to experience difficulty communicating with their physicians. Hispanics were more than twice as likely as whites (33 percent vs. 16 percent) to cite one or more communication problems such as not understanding the doctor, not feeling the doctor listened to them, or that they had questions for the doctor but did not ask. One-fourth of Asian Americans (27 percent) and African Americans (23 percent) experience similar communication difficulties. Fewer than half of Hispanics (45 percent) report it is very easy to understand information from the doctor's office, compared with three of five whites (59 percent). Nearly one of four adults who had visited a doctor in the last two years said there was a time when they did not follow their doctor's advice; the reasons most often given for not following a doctor's advice are disagreement with the advice (39 percent) and that it cost too much (27 percent). Among those who did not follow a doctor's advice, two of five (41 percent) Hispanics and nearly one of three African Americans (30 percent) noted that high cost was the reason for non-compliance, compared with about one of four whites (24 percent) and Asian Americans (27 percent). Hispanics (57 percent) and Asian Americans (54 percent) are less likely than African Americans (69 percent) or whites (72 percent) to say they have a great deal of confidence and trust in their doctor. The Commonwealth Fund is a private foundation supporting independent research on health and social issues. For more information on this study contact Bill Byrne via email: bkb@cmwf.org

---Tanya Hart interviews Karin Stanford---
American Urban Radio Networks (AURN) syndicated entertainment news host Tanya Hart will air an exclusive interview with Karin Stanford, the former secret lover of politico Jesse Jackson. Hart is host of "Hollywood Live with Tanya Hart," an insider look at celebrities, which is heard daily on AURN affiliates across the country. Because of the provocative nature of the interview it will be heard during a special edition of the "Bev Smith Show" Monday, March 11, 2002. Stanford talks candidly about her relationship with Jackson, its impact on her career since it was brought out publicly and the fact that it was not a well-kept secret in their social circle, even after she had the baby.

---New York: Jazz sensation Patricia Adams at Yvonne's Southern Cuisine---On Friday evening, March 15th, enjoy an evening of great jazz standards at Yvonne's Southern Cuisine in Pehlham, NY. Jazz vocalist Patricia Adams performs tunes from her popular CD, with Alan Rosenthal on piano. According to Dave Nathan (All Music Guide), "Her ability to put together a musical road atlas sets Adams apart from many of the jazz vocalists on the contemporary scene." Check out Adams at Yvonne's Southern Cuisine (503 Fifth Avenue, at Sixth Street, Pelham, New York). Adams makes the great jazz standards sound better than ever. For dinner reservations or directions, call 914-738-2005.

--Moving on: Donna Brazile---
Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Terry McAuliffe announced that Donna Brazile, former Campaign Manager for Gore-Lieberman 2000, has been appointed to the position of National Chair of the Voting Rights Institute (VRI), the Party's major initiative to promote and protect the right to vote. She takes the helm from Maynard Jackson, former Mayor of Atlanta, who has served in the position since 2001. The DNC Voting Rights Institute was created in response to the rampant violations of constitutional and legislatively protected voting rights for all Americans.

---Homeownership, key to closing $1 trillion 'Wealth Gap' facing African Americans----Asset-building" strategies, such as pro-homeownership public policies, are the key to narrowing the estimated $1 trillion gap in wealth between African Americans and white families, and building financial security among African Americans, according to Franklin D. Raines, Fannie Mae's Chairman and CEO. "Owning a home is the working man and woman's capital engine, the democratization of capital," said Raines. "Owning a home is the only investment - and the only leveraged investment - available to most Americans. It is a powerful way to transmit wealth from generation to generation." Raines noted that a significant cause of the racial wealth gap is that the legacy of slavery, segregation, and discrimination systematically has denied African Americans property, property rights, and the ability to generate capital - and thus wealth - from property. The national minority homeownership rate of 49.5 percent - and in particular, the African American rate of 48.1 percent - remains far behind the 74.4 percent rate among white Americans. The national average for homeownership is 68 percent.

---Pittsburgh: MLK Essay Contest---
The 31st Annual Hand In Hand Inc. Scholarship Awards Banquet will be held on Saturday, April 6 (6 - 11 pm) at the Omni William Penn Hotel (downtown Pittsburgh). Hand In Hand Inc., a non-profit organization that was founded in 1969 by the late Mrs. Alfreda Tyson and a group of civic-minded individuals who wanted to perpetuate the philosophy and ideas of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The group began to encourage young people of all races to learn about this great civil rights leader and encouraged young people to express their beliefs about the philosophy of Dr. King resulted in the creation of a themed essay writing contest with scholarship rewards for best essay submission. This year's theme is: "How Can I Promote Ethnic Reconciliation in the world?" For more information, contact Darryl Strayhorn, President of Hand In Hand Inc. at 412/242-8888.

---Opportunity of the week: U.S. Department of Education seeks summer interns--- The deadline for submitting applications for summer internships at the U.S. Department of Education as Martin Luther King Jr. Scholars has been extended to March 18, the Education Department. As many as 10 outstanding undergraduate or graduate students with an interest in education policy or public policy will be selected as interns this year at the department as part of program to honor the legacy of the slain civil rights leader. Scholars will be assigned to the Office of the Secretary of Education and the immediate offices of the assistant secretaries of education at the department's headquarters in Washington, D.C. The program is open to continuing juniors, seniors and graduate students who will at least finish their junior year by the end of the spring 2002 semester. Students must be enrolled full-time in an accredited undergraduate or graduate degree program in any field of study. For more information, send email to: sonya.sanchez@ed.gov

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