---Election Day 2002---
Get out the vote…Let your voice be heard across America.

--Why Are Black Women Losing Their Hair? The First Complete Guide To Healthy Hair---Because of the concern many Black women have about their hair and their desire for more authoritative information, author Barry Fletcher decided to produce this educational guide, "Why Are Black Women Losing Their Hair?" He is known for his technical approach to hair design, a gift that has placed him at the top of his profession and made him a popular stylist among celebrities. Over the years Fletcher's clients have included Tina Turner, Maya Angelou, Carol Moseley-Braun, Toni Braxton, Chaka Kahn, Eartha Kitt, Halle Berry and Iman. For more information or to see the book, go to www.unityfirst.com.

---National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month, November 2002---The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights joins the nation this month in observing National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month ( November). The Commission has marked this observation since 1976, when Presidential and Congressional resolutions proclaimed a day, week, or month during which the nation would celebrate the culture, contributions and heritage of American Indians and Alaska Natives. American Indians and Alaska Natives represent 1.5% of the nation's population, or 4.1 million people. However, compared to the rest of the country, the situation of these Americans is disturbing. According to the 2000 census, the poverty rate among American Indians and Alaska Natives is 25.9 percent, equal to the rates for African Americans and Hispanics, and higher than the rates of non-Hispanic whites and Asian Pacific Americans. More than 700,000 live below the poverty level. The proportion of Native Americans who lack health insurance coverage is 26.8 percent, significantly more than the proportions of African Americans, Asian Pacific Islanders, and non-Hispanic whites who lack coverage. The number of Native American-owned businesses totaled 197,300 in 1997, representing 0.9 percent of the nation's 20.8 million non-farm businesses, and only 6.5% of its 3 million minority-owned firms. The Federal government, through designated agencies, has a special responsibility for protecting the rights of Native Americans. More than 550 federally recognized tribes exist in the United States, including 223 village groups in Alaska. Protests by Native Americans and litigation against the policies of government agencies demonstrate a need for stronger federal responsibility and accountability to these Americans. "The government has not been the true guardian of equal opportunity for its Native American citizens," said Commission Chairperson Mary Frances Berry. "For too long, the rights of American Indians and Alaska Native Americans have been neglected by our society. The Commission is dedicated to not only observing this special month, but to focusing continued attention on the protection of their civil rights."

----Tennis superstars Venus Williams and Serena Williams team with McDonald's---Tennis' internationally-renown super sisters, Venus Williams and Serena Williams, have joined the McDonald's family with an unprecedented three-year advertising and public service agreement beginning with the introduction of McDonald's National Dollar Menu debuting on November 1st. The famous sisters will first be featured in a new television commercial teaming them with legendary McDonaldland character, the Hamburglar. The new TV spot which debuts mid November, is set as a mysterious adventure, features our heroines discovering a deal seemingly too good to be true -- a McDonald's Big N' Tasty Sandwich for only one dollar. In addition to starring roles in McDonald's TV advertising, the Williams sisters three-year agreement includes public appearances for many of McDonald's philanthropic efforts including those for Ronald McDonald House Charities. The Williams Sisters will participate in a star-studded event in New York City on November 20th for McDonald's World Children's Day. This first-time, one-day event to benefit the world's children will involve fundraising activities in McDonald's restaurants around the globe.

--- National Association of African Americans in Human Resources holds national conference---The National Association of African Americans in Human Resources (NAAAHR) announced that an 'Employment Exchange' has been added to its 2002 National Conference. More than 400 African American HR professionals, representing twenty-three NAAAHR chapters and numerous interest groups from across the nation, are expected to attend. The association's fourth national conference will be held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in St. Louis (MO), November 3-6, 2002. The Conference agenda includes five keynote speakers, more than twenty educational seminars and workshops, leadership forums, and a number of networking opportunities. Sponsors represented at the conference will include Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Anheuser-Busch, Emerson, Dell, McDonald's, Wachovia, Merisant, Coca-Cola, Edward Jones, Wal-Mart, Boeing and many others. The NAAAHR is a professional association founded and chartered in 1998 by a coalition of seventeen local organizations of African American HR professionals and consultants. For more information, contact Kenneth Forte, ken.forte@naaahr.org.

---Farrakhan on D.C. sniper case---
The accused deadly D.C-area sniper has had no link with the Nation of Islam for over three years and anyone guilty of such murder violates Islamic teachings, said the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. "Nowhere in the teachings of Islam, nowhere in the teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, would we countenance any man taking the lives of innocent human beings." One of the victims, Ken Bridges, was a Black empowerment activist and longtime friend and associate of Min. Farrakhan. "It grieved us much to hear that his life was lost as a result of the sniper," he said. "John Allen Williams, also known as John Muhammad, first attended a Nation of Islam study group in northern California and later a small study group in Seattle," said Min. Farrakhan, adding that " Mr. Williams may have attended the peaceful Million Man March, but had no role as personal security for him."

---Amistad in Cleveland---
KeyBank and the United Church of Christ are bringing Freedom Schooner Amistad to Cleveland June 14-29, 2003. Both KeyBank and the United Church of Christ are headquartered in Cleveland. The ship, which will be moored along the East Ninth Street pier, will inspire an exciting and diverse schedule of educational and cultural events for everyone. Further details of the events will be announced at a later date. A host committee for the Amistad visit to Cleveland will be composed of business, church, civic and community leaders. Freedom Schooner Amistad is a wooden re-creation of the 19th century Spanish cargo ship La Amistad. It serves as a maritime ambassador for racial reconciliation and human rights education and fosters cooperation and unity among people of diverse backgrounds. Freedom Schooner Amistad was conceived, built and launched to celebrate the legacy of The Amistad Incident of 1839. The 53 Africans who were illegally kidnapped from West Africa and sold into the transatlantic slave trade staged a revolt against injustice and embarked on a quest for freedom. Their human- rights struggle culminated in a case that took on historic proportions when former President John Quincy Adams successfully argued before the United States Supreme Court on behalf of the captives and, in 1841, the 35 surviving Africans were returned to Africa. Forebears of the United Church of Christ raised money to pay the legal fees of the captives and to repatriate them to Africa once their freedom was won.

---November is American Diabetes Month-
17 million Americans have diabetes, and an estimated 5.9 million of them do not know it. . African Americans, Latinos and Native Americans are almost twice as likely to develop diabetes than the rest of the population. The long term effects of diabetes can include damage to the eyes, nerves, kidneys and cardiovascular system. Approximately 90 percent of people living with diabetes have Type 2 diabetes, a devastating disease with potentially life-threatening complications. Fouad R. Kandeel, M.D., Ph.D., director of the City of Hope Gonda Diabetes Center in Los Angeles, stresses the importance of preventing Type 2 diabetes by controlling weight, eating a low fat diet that is high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and exercising regularly. People with a family history of diabetes have a greater chance of developing the disease. Others at risk include people who are over age 45, are overweight, do not exercise regularly, or have high blood pressure. Common signs of diabetes include frequent urination and infections, unusual thirst or weight loss, extreme hunger or fatigue, blurred vision, slow-healing cuts and bruises, and tingling or numbness in the hands or feet. "Properly managing diabetes is essential to preventing further complications such as heart disease, kidney disease, strokes, blindness, nerve damage, skin disorders and foot problems," says Dr. Kandeel.

--Romare Bearden fans---
The National Gallery of Art will present the first comprehensive retrospective in more than a decade of the career of Romare Bearden (1911-1988), one of America's preeminent 20th-century artists. The Art of Romare Bearden, on view in the East Building, September 14, 2003, through January 4, 2004, will explore the complexity and scope of the artist's evolution and will include many rarely seen works from private collections.

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