---Go to UnityFirst.com---
--See the cover of FORTUNE's October 18 issue with Special Diversity Section - Don't miss it. Also, check out the section's informative articles as well as see the new book by UnityFirst.com founders, "The Practice of Power: Finding Success in a Diverse World.
--If you would like to hear about Essence Magazine's conference "Women Shaping the World" conference, send an email to info@unityfirst.com and we will send you a special article about this most inspirational and informative event.

---African American entrepreneur opens a UPS Store franchise in Atlanta (Smryna), Georgia---Cara Johnson Malbrough is the owner operator of "The UPS Store" on Cumberland Boulevard in Smyrna, Georgia. The UPS Store provides packing and shipping, mail boxes and postal services, printing and office supplies to meet the personal and professional needs of customers, entrepreneurs and business owners in the Cobb Galleria Centre and Cumberland Mall area. The UPS Store offers the full capability of the UPS network to the area and surrounding businesses and community. The UPS Store is planning a Customer Appreciation Week, November 1-6 to kick off the holiday shipping season. "Whether it's great shipping options, or our full-service packaging, mailbox or document services, copying, and printing services, we look forward to helping you," says Malbrough. "We are here to provide an important and valuable business service to the community." UPS is the world's largest package delivery company and a global leader in supply chain services, offering an extensive range of options for synchronizing the movement of goods, information and funds. Contact the store via phone (770) 595-2163 or email: store0328@theupsstore.com. Also, if you are in Atlanta, stop by and do business with this new store.

---U.S. Postal Service issues new series, "To Form a More Perfect Union"---
Ten new "To Form a More Perfect Union" commemorative postage stamps were unveiled by the U.S. Postal Service. The stamps will be available next year, as part of the Postal Service's 2005 Commemorative Stamp Program. The "To Form A More Perfect Union" stamps recognize the courage and achievement of the men and women who, during the years of the civil rights movement, struggled to bring the vision of our founding fathers closer to reality. Ten important milestones of the civil rights movement -- Executive Order 9981, Brown v. Board of Education, Montgomery Bus Boycott, Little Rock Nine, Lunch Counter Sit-Ins, Freedom Riders, March on Washington, Civil Rights Act of 1964, Selma March and Voting Rights Act of 1965 -- are commemorated with the To Form A More Perfect Union stamps.

---ELECTION/watch: Conservative Black pastor predicts President Bush will win 20% of the Black vote---"Black pastors have greater political and community influence with their members than do White leaders," says Bishop Harry R. Jackson Jr., who holds an MBA from Harvard and is one of the leading conservative pastors voting for President Bush. As the national election draws close, Bishop Harry Jackson believes the Black vote could swing momentum toward rather than away from George W. Bush. Traditionally, Blacks have stood solidly with the Democratic Party, but Bishop Jackson sees signs the Black vote may be changing as democratic ideals leave many faith-oriented Blacks disillusioned. "I believe President Bush will have about 20% of the Black vote in this election - about double the votes he received in the last Presidential election," said Bishop Jackson. "Many Blacks are saying the Democrats have taken our vote for granted and we're not going to take it anymore," said Bishop Jackson, the author of three books. "Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson do not reflect the views of the New Black Church," explains Bishop Harry Jackson who serves as the senior pastor of multi-cultural Hope Christian Church in College Park, Maryland with over 2500 members. Blacks of deep faith and conviction are far more conservative on moral issues like gay marriage, a topic that consumed a good proportion of the debate between vice presidential candidates. In his new book, High Impact African-American Churches (Regal), Bishop Jackson teamed up with leading pollster/best-selling writer George Barna to form a portrait of Blacks across America that is looking increasingly more conservative. For more information, go to: www.thehopeconnection.org.

---Boston: Gospel great John P. Kee to headline Boston's Whittier Street Health Center tribute to Massachusetts State Senator Dianne Wilkerson---On Friday, October 29, 2004, at 7:00 pm Whittier Street Health Center will present Gospel Great John P. Kee and the New Life Community Choir in concert at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston. This event, Saving the Health of Our Community Benefit Concert supports the programs and services at Whittier Street Health Center and honors the outstanding achievements of Massachusetts State Senator Dianne Wilkerson. One of gospel music's greatest artists, John P. Kee has collected as much kudos for his selfless church work ministering to street kids and drug dealers as he has for his riveting music. In 1993, Massachusetts State Senator Dianne Wilkerson was sworn in as the first African American female to serve in the Massachusetts Senate and is currently the highest ranking Black elected official in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Whittier Street Health Center is a private, non-profit, independently licensed community health center dedicated to providing high quality, reliable and accessible primary health care and support services for diverse populations to promote wellness and eliminate health and social disparities. "We are indeed about the business of Saving the Health of Our Community," says Whittier President and Chief Executive Frederica M. Williams. For more information or tickets, call (617) 989-3222.

---Zimbabwean government policies impede access to food, violate international human rights law, Amnesty International charges---Policies and practices of the government of Zimbabwe are impeding access to food and violating Zimbabwe's obligations under international human rights law, Amnesty International charged as it released a new report on the eve of World Food Day. The 69-page report, Zimbabwe: Power and Hunger, Violations of the Right to Food, examines how the implementation of the controversial "fast track land reform programme" and the operations of the government-controlled Grain Marketing Board (GMB) have resulted in human rights abuses. Though the government has claimed that the 2004 harvest was a "bumper crop" and insisted it does not need international food aid, there is mounting evidence that people in Zimbabwe continue to suffer from hunger. The cessation of most international food aid distribution in mid-2004 is leaving millions of people dependent on grain distributed via the GMB, despite concerns it may not have sufficient resources to meet needs. According to the report, the government has used the near-monopoly of the state-controlled GMB on trade in and distribution of maize-the staple food for millions of people in Zimbabwe-to control food supplies and to manipulate food for political purposes, including discriminating against supporters of the political opposition. To receive a copy of the report Zimbabwe: Power and Hunger, Violations of the Right to Food, contact: wgozan@aiusa.org

---Job of the Week: Application Support Analyst/Shawmut Design and Construction---The IT Application Support Analyst will be responsible for initiating and developing technical solutions, maintaining positive customer relationships, defining needs, and delivering services to enhance business technology services. Provide user assistance with computer applications and networks, develop technological plans for application enhancements, stay abreast of and make recommendations for technology changes, effectively communicate, and transfer knowledge, in order to gather data, diagnose and provide solutions to application issues. Requirements include: One to three years experience demonstrating proficiency with database infrastructures in order to optimize functionality and manage corrective measures and a demonstrated ability to create stored procedures and triggers to enhance application functionality. Familiarity with Prolog, Expedition, CMIC, HRIS, Saleslogix or comparable applications. Please submit cover letter with salary expectations and resume to www.shawmut.com by October 22, 2004 for serious consideration. Shawmut Design and Construction is an equal opportunity employer.