---E/WATCH: National Congress of Black Women sets election year agenda---
The National Congress of Black Women recently held its 20th Anniversary Annual Awards Brunch and Roundtable during the 34th Annual Black Caucus Legislative Weekend . The event focused on the impact of the rising poverty rate on African-American women and families as well as other issues as part of the organization's election year agenda.. The recently released Census Report states that the ranks of the poor and those without health insurance grew in 2003 for the third straight year. The increase of children in poverty rose 17.6 % for those under 18, which represents 800,000 children. In addition, the wage gap between men and women widened for the first time in four years. Also, as part of the event, three women who have worked to address equal rights issues for African Americans, particularly women, were honored including: Xernona Clayton, Vice President for Urban Affairs, Turner Broadcasting Systems, Inc., Elaine Jones, Esq., Retired President and General Counsel for NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund; and Marian B. Tasco, President of the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials and Majority Whip of Philadelphia City Council. NCBW is non-partisan and is the first organization that has its primary mission the political empowerment of African American women.

---Tap sensation Savion Glover at the Apollo Theater, October 8-10---
Harlem's legendary Apollo Theater will host Savion Glover's first-time solo performance, SAVION LIVE AT THE APOLLO, scheduled for October 8th - 10, 2004 (3 p.m. show time). While Tony-award winner Mr. Glover has appeared at the Apollo in the past for other occasions, including tributes, this will be his first solo performance upon grand Apollo stage. During Glover's engagement at the Apollo, this multi-award winner is also scheduled to receive the Capezio Dance Award from the Capezio Ballet Makers Dance Foundation on Saturday, October 9th, 2004 at the Apollo. Glover is the 1996 Tony Awards winner for his choreography in the Broadway smash hit Bring in Da' Noise, Bring in Da' Funk. Glover made his Broadway debut at age 12, starring in The Tap Dance Kid. For more information, send an email to penpower@eniinternet.com.

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----Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, and Alice Walker to be featured at New York University International Conference on Black Women Writers from October 12-16---New York University Institute of African-American Affairs and Africana Studies Program, in collaboration with the Organization of Women Writers of Africa, Inc. (OWWA), will sponsor Yari Yari Pamberi Black Women Writers Dissecting Globalization: An International Conference on Literature by Women of African Ancestry, a major large-scale conference that examines globalization from a female perspective from October 12-16, 2004 on the NYU campus. Yari Yari Pamberi will bring together women from across the U.S., Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, South America, Asia and New Zealand. Yari Yari Pamberi will also be on a special webcast. The conference title Yari Yari is taken from the Kuranko language of Sierra Leone, meaning the future, and Pamberi means forward in the Shona language of Zimbabwe. Participants include: Maya Angelou, Alice Walker, Octavia Butler, Louise Meriwether, Regina Taylor, Gloria Naylor, Julie Dash, Sonia Sanchez, Ntozake Shange, Jayne Cortez and many others. On Wednesday, October 13, Yari Yari Pamberi will hold a gala awards dinner co-chaired by ESSENCE magazine Susan L. Taylor to recognize individuals who have contributed to global awareness. For additional information on Yari Yari Pamberi, contact the Institute of African-American Affairs at 212-998-4222 or via email at laura.rice@nyu.edu .