---E/WATCH 2004 Presidential election and ethnic groups---
As the United States gears up for the 2004 presidential election, the different ethnic groups that make up the nation are not necessarily looking to the candidates for the same reasons. A new study, soon to be released from Cultural Access Group (CAG) and Interviewing Service of America (ISA), finds that key issues differ across ethnic segments. Asian Americans in particular have opposing views on many aspects of the upcoming election. Asian Americans were the only group who reported the economy as the top concern for the President. African Americans and Whites listed war/terrorism as their most pressing matter, and for Hispanics, immigration was the priority, an issue hardly mentioned among Asian respondents. While the economy is a key issue, the study reveals that if the presidential election were held today, more than one-third of Asian Americans would vote for John Kerry, and 18% for George Bush. The relationship held true in five out of the six top Asian nationality segments (Chinese, Filipino, Korean, Japanese and Indian), with only the Vietnamese heavily favoring President Bush. However, nearly a quarter of all Asian Americans report that they are still undecided on who they will vote for, so the final outcome is unclear.

---Discrimination and Waffle House---
Two African Americans filed lawsuits in federal court in Richmond, VA charging they were ignored, denied service and treated rudely by white employees at Richmond area Waffle House restaurants while white customers were being greeted warmly, seated and served. The two complaints allege racial discrimination by Waffle House and a franchising company, Northlake Foods, Inc., that operates the local restaurants, in violation of federal civil rights laws that guarantee equal access to goods and services in public accommodations. Plaintiff Herbert Blowe, a 60-year-old Virginia native, entered a Waffle House at 6 a.m. in June 2003 and tried to order eggs and grits. He was ignored by white Waffle House waitresses, while white customers were welcomed, were served coffee, had their orders taken, and were served food. Mr. Blowe asked for the names of the waitresses and asked to speak with the manager, but was denied. The manager, who was white, finally appeared, but refused to give her name, the name of her supervisor or a phone number for Waffle House corporate headquarters. The plaintiff in the second case, Tracie Cannon, is a 12-year veteran of the Washington, D.C. police force. After attending church one Sunday morning in October 2002, Ms. Cannon visited a Waffle House in Fredericksburg, Virginia, along with her mother and nine-year-old daughter. Ms. Cannon alleges that she and her family waited for 45 minutes while three groups of white patrons, each of whom had arrived after Ms. Cannon, were seated at tables that could have accommodated Ms. Cannon and her family. According to Ms. Cannon, after recounting the events that led to her complaint, a regional manager for Waffle House denied that any discrimination had taken place. He then instructed Ms. Cannon to leave the restaurant altogether. More than 15 similar lawsuits are pending against Waffle House and other franchises in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas.

--- National Diversity Conference to highlight leadership, learning and innovation---Leadership through Diversity, the poignant theme for the Ninth Annual Multi-Ethnic Perspectives Conference will take place this year in Richmond, VA on November 11-13, 2004. Conference organizers have worked vigorously throughout the year to provide an agenda that is sure to attract educators, administrators, business and community leaders, and college students who share a common interest in topics centered around diversity, leadership and community relations. Through a variety of workshops, sessions and timely topics targeted to matters of race, diversity, and community building, this year's conference features a variety of acclaimed speakers, interactive seminars, cultural performances, and exhibits. The Leadership Scholar's Program is one of the special features of the conference. Its purpose is to provide participants with the core competencies necessary for designing and leading effective diversity initiatives; assessing organizational and community climates; building coalitions of stakeholders; and facilitating productive teams and focus groups. For more information or conference registration, please click on the following link http://www.ajfosterassociates.com/FAPCONSULTANTS.html. Early Bird Conference Registration ends on October 15th.

---NAREB creates partnership with Chase Home Finance---
Demonstrating its commitment to increase homeownership among African Americans, the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) announced a partnership with Chase Home Finance to offer discounted and flexible programs for NAREB customers. The partnership will include a closing cost rebate from Chase to individuals purchasing homes through NAREB realtists. Chase also will sponsor regional NAREB conferences and provide NAREB members with training and certification courses, dedicated regional sales support, online marketing materials, and exclusive financial counseling service for those customers who are not yet mortgage ready. "By joining forces with Chase Home Finance, we will be able to continue to improve the homeownership rate among African Americans," said Ron Branch, president of NAREB, which has 70 chapters in 38 states, making it one of the largest minority trade organizations in the country. "For additional information on how to become a NAREB member, obtain a listing of NAREB® members or for questions on the Chase Home Finance NAREB partnership, please call 1-800-873-6577 or visit the Web site at www.NAREB.com.

---Book of the Week: Fear of a "Black" America : Multiculturalism and the African American Experience by Donald Earl Collins---Fear is the glue that holds together every American discussion of race and diversity, past and present. With a style that is at once accessible and provocative, freelance writer, author and "recovering academic" Donald Earl Collins tells the story of multiculturalism's death-like state because of its association with African Americans. Fear is the underlying reason for misreading multiculturalism as a "Black thing" that could destroy the fabric of American culture. He traces an important trajectory of American cultural thought in the lives of African Americans, in the lines of Black intellectuals and writers, and in the labels of White conservatives. Donald Earl Collins has used his gifts as a writer and intellectual to dig beyond the dense jargon and palpable fear around multiculturalism. He has created a work that reveals the nuances of American cultural misunderstanding and a historical guide for avoiding them. For more information, or to order the book, go to http://www.fearofablackamerica.com

---Clay Reynolds, correspondent for Antiques Roadshow Spin-off---
ANTIQUES ROADSHOW producer WGBH Boston announced that Clarence (Clay) Reynolds has been named correspondent for ANTIQUES ROADSHOW FYI-a weekly series of 26 half-hour episodes based on PBS's popular ANTIQUES ROADSHOW-premiering Wednesday, January 19, 2005 at 8pm ET on PBS (check local listings). Hosted by ANTIQUES ROADSHOW's Lara Spencer, ANTIQUES ROADSHOW FYI is a magazine-style mix of appraisal updates, trade secrets, and insights into what makes ROADSHOW appraisers tick. Reynolds takes viewers in search of answers to questions raised on ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: What happened to the most memorable treasures after the owners left the convention hall? Where can you go to get the best deals? What collectibles are hot right now? What do the ROADSHOW appraisers collect? A native of Detroit, Michigan, Clay Reynolds has built a career as a seasoned broadcast professional both in front of and behind the camera. As the executive producer/host of BET Shop, he helped create the nation's first shopping program specifically targeted to African American consumers on Black Entertainment Television.

---Business Conference in Brooklyn, New York, October 5---
The Brooklyn Women's Business Center at the Local Development Corporation of East New York is holding its second annual WE CAN! Business Conference on Tuesday, October 5, 2004 from 8:30 am - 2:30 pm. The conference is being held at St. Francis College, 180 Remsen Street, Brooklyn, New York in partnership with JP Morgan Chase, U.S. Small Business Administration, HSBC, GreenPoint Foundation and Citibank. The conference is $30 for members & $40 for non- members in advance ($50 cash only at the door). This event is for anyone interested in acquiring a loan to start up or expand a small business. To register, call 718-385-6700 x108. For full detail of the conference's agenda, go to: www.totalwomanbusiness.com