New anti-tobacco ads for African American market unveiled

January 12, 2013

California Department of Public Health director and state health officer Dr. Ron Chapman has unveiled new ethnic-market advertisements that will continue to educate Californians on the harmful effects of tobacco use. The advertisements, which include radio and print ads for the African American market, will start airing in early January and can be viewed at TobaccoFreeCA.com.

A woman’s perspective: Our time is now to support our youth

December 31, 2012

To our Black youth and men of essence who call themselves men with character and integrity, I am calling you out to take a stand, to stand for something. What will your “something” be? Whatever it may be, allow yourself to empower, enhance and impact someone’s life for the better. You can start with your own children.

Esperanza Spalding sings of freedom and survival

September 6, 2012

I didn’t know what to expect and was pleasantly surprised when Esperanza Spalding, the singer-musician, treated her audiences to a socially conscious tour of America with stops at the doors of the prison industrial complex and Mother Nature. The evening moved fluidly from a fireside chat on relationships and love to the concluding number, which spoke to Spalding’s philosophy.

Katrina Pain Index 2012: Seven years after

August 29, 2012

There are 123,934 fewer people in New Orleans now than in 2000. How does New Orleans rank today, in comparison to other U.S. cities and the world, seven years after Katrina?

Laws have unintended consequences

September 30, 2009

The law of unintended consequence works in our favor some of the time. A few weeks ago the Congress of the United States fell all over itself trying to sanction ACORN. As you remember, ACORN is a community-based organization that helps the poor throughout the country. It also registers voters. The reason for the sanction was that some members of the organization were accused of giving some illegal advice. It turns out that such a company specific sanction is unconstitutional. This law must apply to any government contractor, not just ACORN.

Another (sigh) study: AIDS and Apartheid in gay San Francisco

August 13, 2009

More and more, “progressive” San Francisco is proving its reputation for being a cold, hostile city for African Americans – gay or straight. Former Mayor Willie Brown wrote in his autobiography about San Francisco’s City Hall attack on the City’s African American politicians. San Francisco’s African American population – especially middle-class – has dwindled more than any other major city in the country.

Now an article about a study by the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) exposes the negative attitude of San Francisco’s gay community towards African American same-gender-loving (SGL) men.

One million fathers asked to lead the nation back to school this fall

August 4, 2009

The Black Star Project is sponsoring the Million Father March 2009 on the first day of school in nearly 550 cities across America. The Million Father March has become a special day that fathers and men use to make a commitment to their children, their families, their communities and their country with their dynamic presence at a school. This is the real fathers’ day!

Full scholarships for 10 Black men seeking Ph.D. in education – deadline Aug. 21

August 2, 2009

Black men earned only 2.1 percent of doctoral degrees awarded at American universities in 2008. In response, the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education has made a serious commitment to preparing promising Black male scholars for admission to and success in Ph.D. programs in education.