--Go to UnityFirst.com---
1) Happy Birthday Jesse - Perennial Strategy Group's Lamell McMorris and Lisa Raye McCoy at the Rainbow Push 6th Annual Awards Dinner, which celebrated the 62d birthday of Rainbow Push founder Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr
2) "Young Song," the new novel of the Korean Reconstruction Era. If interested, call 310-671-7262.
3) Take a look at FORTUNE magazine's diversity section as posted on UnityFirst.com.

---Minority college enrollment surges over the past two decades---Total minority enrollment at the nation's colleges and universities surged by 122 percent over the past 20 years, up from nearly 2 million in 1980-81 to 4.3 million in 2000-01. Despite this significant gain, African Americans and Hispanics continue to lag behind their white counterparts in the percentage of college-age, high school graduates enrolled in college. These are just two key findings from the 20th anniversary Minorities in Higher Education Annual Status Report released by the American Council on Education (ACE). Although the rising enrollment numbers for students of color are encouraging, the gap among college participation rates for white, African-American, and Hispanic high school graduates has widened. In 1978-80, the college participation rate for all races was about 30 percent. However, in 1998-2000, the college participation rate of 18- to 24-year-old white high school graduates was 46 percent, compared with 40 percent of African Americans and 34 percent of Hispanics.
This annual report summarizes high school completion and college participation rates, college enrollments, educational attainment, and degrees conferred.

---New York Seminar: "Business Connections for Profitability"--- On November 13, 2003 in New York City, corporations and businesses will gather to get the bottom line on recent diversity and business trends during a leadership seminar, "Business Connections for Profitability." The insights to be presented document the newest 'reality' for diversity and business success across markets, industries and geographies. Attend and learn how to achieve your business goals in a changing economy and diverse marketplace. The event will also feature a discussion and review of Fortune Magazine's 2003 diversity special section and Mosaica, the newest diversity, business and public relations reference guide. Then, participate in the networking event to 'connect businesses for success.' Don't miss it! To register, send an email to NYseminar@unityfirst.com or call 800-286-3659. Seating is limited. Ask for early registration discounts

---Kansas City, Missouri: New city manager---The largest city in Missouri, Kansas City is home to many industries, including telecommunications, banking and finance and the service industry, and now it the home of the new City Administrator Wayne A. Cauthen. Mr. Cauthen originates from Englewood, NJ and comes to Kansas City from Denver, where he was Chief of Staff to Mayor Wellington E. Webb from March 1997 to March 2003.He is the first African American to hold this position in Kansas City.

---Family first---
With family issues sure to play a major role in the upcoming 2004 elections, Reader's Digest announced the findings of its first biannual Family Well-Being Survey, designed to measure how families are doing. The overall findings indicate the emergence of an "American Paradox," in which many families are positive about their health, emotional well-being, and finances, yet they acknowledge suffering from weight problems, depression and anxiety, and debt. Reader's Digest discovered interesting contradictions within the core index categories, correlated to race, income, religion, and the cost of health care. African-Americans rate their family well-being significantly lower than whites or Hispanics. This perception holds regardless of income. Yet, African-Americans are more optimistic about their children's financial future than white families. Hispanics have significantly higher ratings of their financial situation as measured by the Financial Index than either whites or African-Americans.

---Detroit: The Kenneth L. Mitchell Detroit Donor Center---The Kenneth L. Mitchell Detroit Donor Center is the first community-based American Red Cross blood donor center in the city of Detroit. The facility is located in the College Park Commons Shopping Center, on Outer Drive at the Southfield Freeway. The center is named for Rev. Kenneth Mitchell, a prominent Detroit minister who worked tirelessly to improve the health of African Americans before his untimely death from cancer in December, 2002. Detroit has chronic shortages of Type O and Type B blood, common among African Americans.

---Boston: Color of Film with actors Eriq LaSalle and Michael Beach---On Saturday, October 25, 2003, The Color of Film "2003 Film Series" presents a Fall fundraiser entitled "A HOLLYWOOD HALLOWEEN FILM EVENT" with Boston premiere screening of CRAZY AS HELL, with special guests Michael Beach and Eriq LaSalle. CRAZY AS HELL is the feature film-directing debut for Eriq La Salle and stars Michael Beach, Ronny Cox, Sinbad, Tia Texada, Tracy Pettit, John McGinley and Eriq LaSalle. To attend, send an email to: Lisa@coloroffilm.com

--Pennsylvania: Minority Business---
Saying that the Rendell Administration is committed to "opening the doors of opportunity and progress to minority and women-owned businesses," Pennsylvania General Services Secretary Donald T. Cunningham, Jr. unveiled Governor Edward G. Rendell's initiative for minority and women-owned businesses to achieve greater participation in state contracting and procurement across the Commonwealth. Secretary Cunningham said the Department of General Services is in a unique position to help expand economic opportunities and growth for minority and women-owned businesses. The department oversees the annual procurement of about $4 billion worth of goods and services, manages about $1 billion worth of non-highway capital projects, and is responsible for numerous core operations of state government. In addition, it also serves as the state's insurance broker and real estate agent, managing 4 1/2 million acres of property and 1,400 leases for Commonwealth property across the state.

---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.

###