spring issue 2010

Spring 2010 Urbaninfluencemag.com I 3

Haiti: A Long RoadFrom The BrinkIt’s going to take money, manpower and a continuouscommitment to help Haiti recover, renew and replenish.

18 42 34Meet The NewGame-ChangersInnovative, ambitious and independent. Game-changingGen X fresh faces movin’ and shakin’ and making theirmark in ways all their own.

Cool Off CabinFever This SpringPut the brakes on your hectic schedule and take a well-deserved “mental health break” in Sin City, The City of Light or the beautiful Caribbean.

On The CoverAnthony Maddox, Peter Griffithand Kennard Gibbs of MadVisionEntertainment: Putting new soulinto the old Soul Train franchise.Photo by Sumner Dilworth.

Spring 2010 Features

LIVE. WORK. PLAY.

TMTM

I’m Just Sayin’11 News, Views & A Little Nonsense

Use Your Influence12 We Count! The Black Agenda Is

The American Agenda14 100 Years Of The National Urban League16 Young Professionals Making A Difference

Total Wellness20 Prevention Matters In AIDS Fight22 Staying Fit In A Recession

Business Center24 Build Your Brand In The Internet Age26 Why Complete The Census?

Urban Influencers28 Young And Professional In The Community,

Football Field and Office

Special Feature30 Perspectives On Obama On The Move

Urban Living36 Brand You!38 Smelling, Feeling Like A Million Bucks40 The Dawn Of The E-Reader

Entertainment & Influence48 Wesley Snipes & Antoine Fuqua:

The Message Behind The Madness52 Real Talk With Tatyana Ali54 That’s A Wrap

The Last Word56 Keep Public Officials On Notice

30

40

48

SPRING 2010 • WHAT’S INSIDE

CONTENTS

4 I Urbaninfluencemag.com Spring 2010

38

6 I

On Point

Finally, spring is in the air and a new season has come for UrbanInfluence, too! Beyond the magazine, we're committed to building abrand that reflects the changing needs, style and interests of the influ-encers we reach.

And that starts with me! My new column in each edition of the magazine will not only share what you can expect in the magazine, but also reflect the life lessons I’m learning along the way, as your fellow influencer. This first column of 2010 is dedicated to my Mom who is in the fight of her life against cancer. Her journey this past year has been absolutely exhausting for her and yet her spirit is resilient beyond what I can even understand. And at every stage, Godshows up and keeps reminding us of his healing and comforting power. I cantruly see God in her.

As we continue on this journey, the love and support and outreach has been phenomenal; causing me to experience and think of life, family and friends, andeven my business differently. I’ve renamed my column “ON PURPOSE.” Of allthe lessons I’ve learned this past year, the most impactful for me is to face everysingle day with real purpose and intention.

Even as I travel and meet new and interesting people, as I always have, now I amall the more committed to making these interactions meaningful. How many ofus have been to an event, met great contacts, exchanged cards, promised to connect, and didn’t? How many of us have come up with a new idea, even jotted it down and kept moving it from one to-do list to another? Well, when youlive ON PURPOSE, you follow up on new opportunities, cross tasks off the to-dolist because you’re getting things done, and making every day count!

Now, I am not about to become a self-proclaimed expert or trainer or coach in personal or professional development! I just want to use this vehicle to sharewith you what I am learning, because I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one whocan benefit.

And on a personal note: Thank you Mom for being the single greatest woman I have ever met. Your energy, wisdom and fight inspire me every day and hasadded new meaning and purpose to my life.

All the best,


Living ON PURPOSEwith Tamara M. Brown

What’s New atUrban Influence?More Influence … More Ways!

Web - Mag - Events & More To Come!

Visit our new site todayUrbaninfluencemag.com& sign up for our weekly E-Mag where you can take abehind-the-scenes tour of ournew office in Chicago's trendyWest Loop neighborhood!

@Tbrown_UrbanIn

On Purpose

President & Publisher Tamara M. Brown

Executive EditorDerrick K. Baker

Art Director James Mason Bartlett

Contributing Editor & Co-Founder Michele M. Moore

Assistant Editor Lenora E. Houseworth

Marketing & Sales ConsultantFantasy Buckman

Project Manager, Marketing & Sponsorships Marylyn F. Rodgers

Contributing Writers Marvet BrittoContessa GibsonKandace Harris Yvette R. Kelly-FieldsZuhirah KhaldunCarl McGowanDr. Randal PinkettDionne Ross

Graphics InternsPhilipp BattaDena Williams

General CounselJohn S. Kendall, Esq.Reg. Patent & Trademark Attorney

Assistant to the Publisher/Office ManagerBelinda Wright

Advertising Urban Influence Magazine®is published by Urban Influence Media Group118 N. Peoria St., 3rd Fl.Chicago, Ill. 60607P: (312) 243-4446F: (312) [email protected]

$12 U.S. Annual SubscriptionSend LETTERS to address above or visit us online at: Urbaninfluencemag.com ©Urban Influence

Urban Influence Magazine® is an official publication of the National Urban League

Vol-VII / No-I

Michele M. MooreContributing Editor and Media & Marketing Strategist

“We must demand more accountability from governors andmayors as well as our president. 2010 is about jobs. We musttell government leaders at every level who’ve not allowedmonies to hit the streets that they could become jobless, too.”

Dr. Randal Pinkett Co-Founder, Chairman & CEO, BCT Partners

“Personal branding is the process of marketing all of the things that make you unique. Particularly in the Internet Agewhere countless marketing channels are easily accessible, personal branding is no longer a ‘nice to have.’ It is a ‘musthave.’ Now, more than ever, you must see yourself as theCEO of Me, Inc.”

Dionne RossFitness Coach, Writer & TV Personality

“As you shrink your spending during these tough economictimes, don't minimize your health care regimen. You can better deal with the mounting stresses if you continue with a consistent exercise and nutrition program. I’ve put togethersome tips to keep your fitness on track while you work to get your finances in order.”

Carl McGowan Freelance Writer

“This article started with me visiting the black man’s think tank, aka, the barbershop. Patiently waiting, I heard someone's‘On to the Next One’ Jay-Z ringtone, and by the time I hit thechair, I couldn't stop thinking about who the ‘next ones’ might be as it pertains to influence. I walked out with a fresh cut and a rough draft.”


TMContributors


Pee Pee or Vodka? And What Are You Drinking?

Vodka tycoon M.J. Silver took exception to Sean“Diddy” Combs telling the guests at a New York partythat “if you're not drinking Ciroc vodka, then you'redrinking pee pee.” Ok. Silver held a press conference to recruit folksagainst Diddy, demanded an apology and put liters of Ciroc in a toilet bowl to deliver to makea point. Who said liquor doesn’timpair your judgment?

So What’s Your Point?

According to a CNN poll, 52 percentsay President Obama should not be re-elected. CNN later clarified thatPresidents Clinton and Bush had even higher ratings in the same poll after their first years in office.

Who ELSE Killed Michael Jackson?

Jermaine Jackson told a radio station in Australia hebelieves Michael Jackson’s death is still not clear, saying Michael was “not with us way before he arrivedto the airport ... I mean way before he arrived to thehospital.” Jermaine says he thinks Dr. Conrad Murray “didn't act alone” and “it's all going to come out.”

College Then Money Or Money Then College?

Rev. Run told his straight A college student/daughter Angela: “… go take your butt down to the sneaker office and go get that paper. That's yourcollege. We'll get back to (school). Pastries (Angela’sbusiness) is doing millions.” Obviously college isn’t for everybody.

Check out more influential facts, updates and news at Urban Influence’s hot new website:

Urbaninfluencemag.com

Urban Influence Tracks News, Views &

A Little Nonsense“T-Swizzy,” Really?Taylor Swift goes by the name “T-Swizzy” and made a rap video called “Thug Story” with T-Pain,who rhymed with his trademark Auto-Tune sound.Swift wrote the lyrics, including:

“I’m so gangsta, you can find me baking cookies at night. You out clubbin’, but I just made Caramel Delight.”

Pass The Hand Santizer, Please!Cameras captured President Bush immediately wipinghis hands on President Clinton after Bush shook thehands of enthusiastic Haitians who obviously werethrilled to see the two former chief executives.“Hey, Bill, do you think the black rubs off?”

“Mr. Beyonce”? A New Celebrity Marriage Trend?

It’s been widely reported that Beyonce & Jay-Z mighttake on both of their surnames to keep Beyonce'sparental line from dying out.Beyonce Knowles-Carter &Shawn Knowles-Carter it is!And when you are the highestearning couple in Hollywood($122 million in 2009), who’s going to comment? (BTW: Beyonce is not pregnant.)

WE


COUNT! LeadersTell Obama:

•

Use Your Influence

✘

Literally on the eve of the close vote in Congress that re-shaped thenation’s health care system, an estimated 5,000 people descendedon Chicago State University as an impressive panel of African-American leaders candidly addressed whether President Obamashould dedicate more focus to address the economic and social illsthat disproportionately wrack the black community.

Organized by radio and TV host Tavis Smiley, the widely publicizedand spirited “We Count!” symposium in the president’s hometownattracted a who’s who of scholars, religious leaders, elected officials,policymakers and community activists – and national attention.

Photos by Thomas Blue

The following scholars and leaders lent their voices and opinions to the spirited “We Count!” symposium organized by radio and TV host Tavis Smiley:

Tom Burrellauthor of “Brainwashed” and advertising expert

Raven Curling president, Chicago State University Student Government Association

Michael Eric Dyson author and professor, Georgetown University

Michael Fauntroyassistant professor, George Mason University

Minister Louis Farrakhan

Angela Glover Blackwellfounder and CEO of PolicyLink

Rev. Jesse L. Jackson

Dr. Julianne Malveauxpresident of Bennett College

Dorothy Tillmanformer Chicago alderman

Ronald Walters professor and historian, University of Maryland

Dr. Cornel West author and professor, Princeton University



This year the National Urban League

celebrates 100 years at the forefront of the

Civil Rights Movement. Since its inception

in 1910, the National Urban League has

been committed to empowering communities

and changing lives. With programs focused

on eliminating the equality gap for all

people, the National Urban League delivers

social services and programs to over two

million people annually through a network

of over 100 affiliates.

Celebrating100YearsCelebrating100YearsCelebrating100YearsI AM EMPOWERED

While the centennial celebration is a time to reflect on therich history of the National Urban League, it is also a time tolook forward as the transformative movement continues to serve the emerging and future needs of urban America.

The National Urban League celebrates its centennial bylaunching the I AM EMPOWERED campaign, instilling a message of hope and individual empowerment to make a lasting difference. Focused on four aspirational goals forAmerica – education, employment, housing and health care– I AM EMPOWERED is galvanizing millions of people to takea pledge to commit to help achieve the goals by 2025!

Individuals, communities, corporations and governmentagencies are being encouraged to improve the state ofAmerica and pledge to commit to their time and talent to thefollowing EMPOWERMENT GOALS:

EducationEvery American child is ready

for college, work and life.

JobsEvery American has access to jobs with

a living wage and good benefits.

Housing Every American lives in safe, decent,

affordable and energy-efficient housing on fair terms.

Health CareEvery American has access to quality and

affordable health care solutions.

Use Your Influence


This campaign reminds everyone of the power of the individ-ual to become a force for change by encouraging collectiveaction to bring change to entire communities and urban areas.The “Divine Nine,” the nine historically black Greek letterorganizations that make up the National Pan-HellenicCouncil, have partnered with the National Urban League,along with the National Council of La Raza and other civicand community organizations to spread this message ofempowerment and achieve these goals by 2025.

Become a part of the excitement and celebrate a legacy ofservice as the National Urban League prepares for the next100 years of progress! Visit IAMEMPOWERED.com and

IAMEMPOWERED.COM Mobilizing The Nation!

By signing the pledge you will become a part of the I AM EMPOWERED community through the National Urban League’s new Social Mobilization Platform (SMP) at IAMEMPOWERED.com. You can work toward theEmpowerment Goals right from your computer or mobilephone as the website and mobile application provide infor-mation on programs and services in your community (anything from GED programs to financing for entrepre-neurs). You can also get info on ways to get involved or volunteer, all while connecting to friends, colleagues andothers who have taken the pledge!

Community organizations have traditionally been static,reactive entities. The National Urban League begins its next100 years of service with this first-of-its-kind social network-ing platform for civic engagement. The use of this tech-nology and social networking allows the I AM EMPOWEREDcampaign to truly live, expanding the audience, the servicesdelivered and the ways to get involved.

This groundbreaking platform is the central nervous systemof the I AM EMPOWERED campaign and a playground andmeeting place for civically engaged people across the countrywho have taken the pledge committing to building a betterfuture and empowering the nation! The largest interactiveempowerment community, IAMEMPOWERED.COM pro-vides information and tools for people to volunteer, find health care solutions, information on schools and housing counseling. You will also be able to find a job with online searches and step-by-step instructions to post an online video resume. The Social Mobilization Platformwill also feature a mobile application compatible with theiPhone, Blackberry and Android.

S T A R T N O W !Take the “I AM EMPOWERED” pledge at

IAMEMPOWERED.COMand join the growing number of

people across the country committed to building a better future and

empowering the nation!

Sign the Pledge Today!


Use Your Influence

HAITI18 I Urbaninfluencemag.com Spring 2010

Individual and international support – financial, in-kind and spiritual – meansimpoverished Haiti stands a chance ofregaining its footing and planning for abrighter future. That’s why President Obama’stangible and resonant commitment to a new Haiti, coupled with a commitment like that demonstrated by entertainer andhumanitarian Wyclef Jean, must be theorder of today – and tomorrow.

Jean, a Haitian native, formed his organization Yele Haiti in2005 with his own money and is leading the charge to aid his homeland in what he says is a “calling from God.” Prior to the earthquake, Yele Haiti fed 50,000 people amonth and offered programs, mostly for young people, toraise confidence and offer hope. Visit Yele.org to make amuch-needed contribution or text YELE to 501501 to donate$5 via your cell phone.

Facts About Haiti• Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemispherewith 80 percent of the population living under the povertyline and 54 percent in abject poverty. • In 1804, Haiti became the first black republic to declareindependence.• Haiti has no regular military forces. The regular HaitianArmed Forces – Army, Navy and Air Force – has been demo-bilized but still exist on paper until they are constitutionallyabolished.• Most Haitians live on less than $2 a day.• More than two-thirds of the labor force does not have formal jobs.• Haiti is one of only two independent nations in theAmericas (along with Canada) that designate French as anofficial language.• Haiti means “mountainous country”; the name is derivedfrom the language of the Taino Indians who inhabited theisland before European colonization. • More than one million native-born Haitians live overseas;an additional 50,000 leave the country every year, predomi-nantly for the United States, Canada and France.

HelpHaiti

Rise From The RuinsF A C T S , A D V I C E & T H E W A Y F O R W A R D

“You will not be forsaken. You will not be forgotten.”President Barack Obama, in pledging U.S.aid to Haiti

Call To Action

Visit these organizations that are assisting in relief efforts:

• American Red Cross – Redcross.org (text Haiti to 90999 to make a $10 donation)

• CARE – Care.org

• Catholic Relief Services – Crs.org

• Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund – ClintonBushHaitiFund.org ortext “QUAKE” to 20222 to charge a $10 donation thatwill be added to your cell phone bill.

• Direct Relief International – Directrelief.org

• Healing Hands for Haiti International –Healinghandsforhaiti.org

• Institute of the Black World – Ibw21.org

• International Medical Corps – Imcworldwide.org

• International Relief Teams – Irteams.org

• Medical Teams International – Medicalteams.org

• Save the Children – Savethechildren.org

• The Salvation Army – Salvationarmyusa.org (text Haiti to 52000 to donate $10)

• UNICEF – UNICEF.org

• World Concern – Worldconcern.org

• World Vision – Worldvision.org

If you’re looking for loved ones and family members in Haiti,call the U.S. State Department at (888) 407-4747. UI


You Can Help – But Beware of Scams

The best way you can help the recovery in Haiti is by makinga cash donation. If you use the Internet to contribute to thecharity of your choice, beware of scams.

According to SC Magazine, within an hour of the earthquake,there was a 1,578 percent increase in Internet traffic relatedto Haiti and a 5,407 percent increase in bandwidth usage forHaiti URLs. Scammers use compromised e-mail addresses,programs that harvest passwords, and infected Facebookapplications to access online accounts, send deceptive e-mails and otherwise trick users into donating to fake chari-ties. Give to known, reputable websites.

Use Your Influence, Make Your Donation

President Obama signed legislation that allows taxpayers toreceive the tax benefit from monetary donations (not goodsor services) made to the Haiti effort in this tax season, ratherthan having to wait until they file their 2010 tax returns. Cash donations to charities for the Haitian relief made afterJanuary 11 and before March 1 may be treated as if the contribution was made by December 31, 2009.

Photos courtesy of American Red Cross


Total Wellness

Recede

The best stimulus plan is getting up, getting active and tack-ling both physical and financial challenges head on. It’s impor-tant to remember that the way we look and feel greatly influ-ences other aspects of our lives. When we are full of energywith a positive self image, we are more likely to be more pro-ductive at work and home.

That said, here are some tips for you to remain motivatedand encouraged.

Tip #1Take charge of your health like you takecharge of your finances

When you’re faced with economic setbacks, you can surviveby making adjustments. You make changes in your spendinghabits, work load and overall lifestyle to preserve and sup-plement your income. If we approached our health with thesame vigor and determination, we would make exercise partof our daily lives, eat healthier and live more active lifestyles.

Business owner tip: Create a written exercise plan just asyou’ve created a business plan. By having a written blueprint,you make your objectives clear and concise to stay on track.

Tip #2Make small changes and set realistic goals

Although we tell ourselves we will begin our vigorous work-out regimen with early mornings and carb-free meals, thesehabits rarely stick. Rather, begin making small changes toyour everyday life and gain small victories. These little victo-ries will give you confidence to achieve greater ones, ultimately leading you to conquer your dreams.


The start of a newyear is the best time

to develop habits that will lead to youliving your best life.

However, moving forward with health

and fitness in a failing economy can prove

to be challenging.

By Dionne Ross

Don't Let FitnessDuring The Recession

Total Wellness

Begin with these small changes: commit to spending fourtimes per week doing something physical and fun for at least30 minutes. Cut out sodas, candy and all unnecessary calo-ries. Park further and take stairs.

Business owner tip: When putting in long hours at work,schedule routine stretch breaks at least once every twohours. Take five minutes or less to practice deep breathing,and stretching the legs and upper body.

Tip #3Think outside the box

There is an infinite number of ways to get healthier – and youdon’t have to break the bank doing it. All it takes is a little creativity and effort. Here are a few cost-efficient fit tips:

• join an intramural sports league

• utilize fitness centers in your community (apartment com-plex gyms, YMCA, sports clubs)

• get a workout partner instead of a personal trainer to holdyou accountable

Business owner tip: Replace your office chair with a sta-bility ball to force you to use your core stabilizing muscleswhile sitting at a desk for long periods.

The benefits to a healthy body far outweigh the costs. Withthe extra energy, you’ll be better equipped to tackle your jobresponsibilities. Make a committed effort to weave exerciseand fitness into your working routine this year, and watch ithelp you as you climb back on top of your finances. UI

Dionne Ross is a fitness coach, writer and TV personality. Her new fitness video, “Cardio Drum,” is available at Dionneross.com..

Healthy Finger Food for the Office

Spicy ChickenZucchini Wraps

Serving size: 4 servings Preparation time: 30 min.

Ingredients4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 ¼ -1 ½ lbs.) 2 small zucchini, thinly sliced 2 sweet banana peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces 2 shallots, thinly sliced 1 ½ cups halved grape or cherry tomatoes 4 whole grain tortillas4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper½ teaspoon garlic powder½ teaspoon onion powder

Preparation• Preheat indoor grill

• Coat chicken breast with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder

• Place chicken on grill and cook for 10-15 minutes on both sides or until fully cooked

• Coat zucchini with oil and spices and place on grill for 5-7 minutes

• Fold chicken, zucchini and tomatoes and banana peppers into tortillas into wraps

Nutrition (Per serving)

330 calories9 g fat 27 g carbohydrates30 g protein7 g fiber


Dionne Ross Photo by Dale Rempert

Personal branding helps distinguish your occupation fromyour reputation in the eyes of others. For example, when you have effectively marketed your personal brand, you are no longer identified as the “manager of humanresources” within your corporation (your occupation).Instead, you are recognized as “an excellent humanresources professional who achieves results” throughoutyour industry (your reputation). Public awareness of yourunique skills and abilities can transcend your place ofemployment through personal branding. And, fortunately,information technology and social media have made it sig-nificantly easier to market your personal brand online by lever-aging the power of the Internet.

In its most basic form, a digital personalbranding strategy is comprised of four simple steps:

Step #1: Define Your Personal Brand

First and foremost, you must answer core questions such as,“How do I want to be perceived by others?” and “What arethe attributes or characteristics I want others to associatewith me?” For example, you may define your brand alongthe lines of the various roles you play (e.g., entrepreneur,publicist, performing artist, doctor, etc.), or the gifts and

By Dr. Randal Pinkett


Personal branding is the process of

marketing all of the things that make you

unique. Particularly in the Internet age

where countless marketing channels are

easily accessible, personal branding is

no longer a “nice to have.” It is a

“must have.” Now, more than ever, you

must see yourself as the CEO of Me, Inc.

Personal Branding In The Internet Age

Business Center

talents you possess (e.g., public speaking, writing, communi-ty organizing, graphic design, etc.), or the qualities that dis-tinguish you from others (e.g., hardworking, funny, high-achieving, down-to-earth, loyal, etc.). The rule of thumb hereis to identify the three to five things you want to reinforcewith your target audience.

Step #2: Identify Your Target Audience

Next, you must identify your target audience – the groups ofpeople toward whom your personal branding efforts will beaimed or to whom your personal brand might appeal. Yourtarget audience could include family, friends, classmates, co-workers, industry peers, fellow members of organizationsor associations, and beyond. Much like the target audiencefor a product or service is often the result of extensive marketresearch, you should think hard about the groups with whomyou want to build your name and credibility. For example, if you are a doctor, you may want to target other medical professionals, which could ultimately lead to additional careeropportunities. Similarly, if you are an entrepreneur, you willwant to target both existing and prospective customers. Thiscould ultimately lead to business opportunities.

Step #3: Craft Your Message

Now you are ready to craft your message – the informationyou will communicate to your target audience that reinforcesyour personal brand. This should not only include biographi-cal or career-related information, but also information con-cerning your accomplishments, activities, travels, thoughtsand more. For example, if you own and operate your ownengineering firm, then your message may include news ofmajor developments at your firm (e.g., contracts awarded,expansion plans, etc.) or updates related to events that youare planning to attend (e.g., conferences, networking recep-tions, etc.). Your message will be most effective when it isdesigned with your target audience in mind.

Step #4: Distribute Your Message

Communications channels are the mediums used to distrib-ute and deliver your message (Step #3) to your target audience (Step #2) in a way that reinforces your personalbrand (Step #1). While information technology and socialmedia tools have made a growing number of communica-

tions channels readily available at your fingertips, the follow-ing are the five basic tools that must be a part of your personal branding digital toolkit:

1. Personal Website/Blog – A website and/or blog can pro-vide a one-stop shop for your personal brand by communicat-ing who you are, what you do, and how you think about vari-ous topics to the public. You can also provide links from yourwebsite/blog to all your other personal pages described below.

2. Social Networking Websites – Social networking websitessuch as Facebook, LinkedIn and Plaxo are great for relation-ship building, networking and communicating your personalbrand to both friends and acquaintances.

3. Photo and Video Sharing Websites – A picture is worth athousand words and a video is worth a million. By postingpictures to photo sharing websites such as Flickr, Picasa andShutterfly, or a video resume, video blogs and video clips tovideo sharing websites such as YouTube, you can add anoth-er dimension to your personal branding by presenting youand your personality “in living color.”

4. Microblogging Websites – Twitter is an absolute must forposting news, updates, opinions, quotes and links to contentin “real-time” while also building a loyal following.

5. Electronic Newsletter – e-Newsletters are effective for developing and distributing content centered around specific themes or topics that are of interest to you and your target audience.

Of course, it is important that I practice what I preach. To expe-rience my personal brand as an entrepreneur, speaker andauthor, visit: Randalpinkett.com. UI

Dr. Randal Pinkett is an entrepreneur, speaker, author and co-founder, chairman and CEO of BCT Partners, a multimillion dollar management, technology and policy consulting firm based in Newark, N.J.

Public awareness of your unique skills and abilitiescan transcend your place of employment

through personal branding.

Get more tips on how to build your personal brand at Urbaninfluencemag.com.



Business Center

Many African Americans are openly wondering if they should fill out the form.

Urban Influencers


Courtesy of The Stephanie Starks Hope Foundation Celebrity Read Aloud Tour. Photo by Patrick McKenzie Photography.

Terri Vaughn Actress & Founder,Take Wings FoundationSan Francisco

She charmed audiences in Tyler Perry's “Daddy's Girls” andcurrently in “Meet The Browns.” There is no forgetting theunpredictable but lovable Lovita Alize Jenkins-Robinson fromthe hit sitcom “The Steve Harvey Show.” These days, in addition to challenging industry mores through her docu-mentary “Angels Can't Help But Laugh,” which dissects thestruggles of being a black woman in entertainment, Vaughnuplifts and mentors young women in her native San Franciscothrough the Take Wings Foundation. She knows the girls’story well: “Along with being a teenage girl in a drug andgang- infested community, the normal teenage concerns offriends, grades, college and boys were the least of my worries.Getting telephone calls throughout the nights just to beinformed of who had just been shot became the norm,” theactress has said. “I know that the girls we serve are often over-looked in our society and I know that I have been chosen tobe a voice and a face for them. It is my God-given mission to expose these girls to more of what the world has to offer,other than the community they see every day.” UI

Helping Girls' Dreams Take Flight

To view past Urban Influencersand nominate yourself or someone else to be an Urban Influencer, visit Urbaninfluencemag.com.

Urban InfluencersUrban Influencers


From Track & Field To The Football Field

Eagle Eye Protects Clients' Digital and Physical Assets

John Griffin Jr.CEO & Founder, AGB Investigative ServicesChicago

Through the largest minority-owned risk mitigation and physical security company in the Midwest, Griffin is bringingthe idea of protecting and serving into the digital age. “The United States Department of Homeland Security hasestimated that we are going to need 30,000 individualstrained immediately to confront this nation's cyber risk,” saidGriffin. “At present we only have about 5 percent of thatnumber. The new security professional must have a workingknowledge of protecting clients’ data as well as their physical assets.” To bridge the gap, Griffin, who has worked closely with Department of Defense, Secret Service, FBI, Department of Homeland Security and state and local law enforcement agencies, recruits students from the City Colleges of Chicago for his training program. Upon completion, they are eligible for a job at AGB. Of his Always Giving Back Foundation, which awards scholarshipsto elementary and high school students, Griffin said hebelieves “this is our life mission.” UI

Natalie RandolphVarsity Football Coach, Coolidge High SchoolWashington, D.C.

“While I'm proud to be part of what this allmeans,” Randolph said during a press con-ference in which she was named thenation’s only female coach of a varsity highschool football team, “being female hasnothing to do with it. I love football. I lovefootball. I love teaching, I love these kids.My being female has nothing to do with mysupport and respect for my players on thefield and in the classroom.” The 29-year-oldbiology and environmental sciencesteacher is already a favorite among stu-dents, who loudly cheered during the pressconference with Washington, D.C. MayorAdrian Fenty. The Washington native has always been outstanding in sports; she was the star of the University ofVirginia track team and played for six seasons as a widereceiver for the D.C. Divas of the National Women'sFootball Association, where she helped the team win

the championship in 2006. “I'm going to be me. That'swhat I do in the classroom,” said Randolph. “When I getobserved, the observers say, ‘I didn't expect you to beable to handle this class,’ but I do what I have to do to get it done.” UI

Photo by Tarji Smedley

Photo by Vikrum Aiyer

HisFirstYear

OfHistory

HisFirstYear

OfHistoryPerspectives On Obama On The Move

Official White House photos taken by Pete Souza

Health Reform Hysteria ProvesAmerica Isn't “Post-Racial”

By Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III

During the summer of 2008 the New York Timespublished an article entitled "Is Obama the Endof Black Politics?" The premise of the article

was that as the Democratic Party was poised to deliver itsnomination for the nation's highest office to an AfricanAmerican, this somehow signaled the end of traditional blackpolitics. As Obama won primary after primary, NPR SeniorNews Analyst Daniel Schorr saw these victories as an indica-tion that America had moved into a "post-racial era." He defined it as an "era where civil rights veterans of the pastcentury are consigned to history and Americans begin tomake race-free judgments on who should lead them."

All too often writers, journalists, reporters and analystsdemonstrate their ignorance of African-American people andthe African-American experience by trying to assign simplis-tic answers to very complex problems, events and circum-stances. They also fail to connect the dots and discuss racismin its current context, making it more difficult to movebeyond it. By running from race, too many Americans remainmired in the middle of it.

On March 20, as Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) was leaving theCannon office building, he encountered members of the TeaParty protesting the healthcare reform bill. Some of themcalled him a n_ _ _ _ _. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) wasalso called a n_ _ _ _ _ and was spit on. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) was called a f _ _ _ _ _.

Both Lewis and Cleaver have chosen to not make an issue ofthis and to not press charges For as much as I admire thework and sacrifices of these three men, I take issue with their decision to "not want to make a big deal about it" Those bigoted, prejudiced and ignorant protesters weredoing more than assaulting and insulting three individuals. They were attacking every African American and homosexu-al in America.

Today, too many of the opponents of the Obama administra-tion's plans for health care insurance reform are using code language, distortions, violence and partisan politics tocontrol the debate and much of their ire is racially motivated.According to Rep. Pete King (R-NY), President Obama is

With the passage of health carereform, President Obama officiallyhas upset the apple cart.

In the process, he has garnered fierce friendsand ferocious foes in the form of Democrats,Republicans, Independents and Tea Partiers.“No Drama Obama” has dramatically pushed the reset button on the medical andeconomic landscapes by leading controversialhealth care reform through an incredibly ugly national debate.

Meanwhile, unemployment has skyrocketed,propelling African Americans into a divisivedebate about how much attention the Presidentshould devote to the ills that disproportionatelyafflict the black community.

In brief, history is being written and re-written.In that spirit, Urban Influence extends theObama After Year One conversation with the following perceptive perspectives.


Special Feature

The President Is Just A ManBy Mark Mellman

A ll Americans can remain proud of electing apresident whose father was a Kenyan immi-grant — a feat none of our sharpest critics in

the world could have accomplished.

In reflecting on the president’s initial year, however, I keepreturning to two texts. The first is Gov. Mario Cuomo’sfamous distinction between the poetry of campaigning and the prose of governing. The president has handled thistransition well, though a few of his supporters have found itmore jarring.

Campaigning, like poetry, is about evocative symbolism,while governing is about nitty-gritty details that can never beas rich or as resonant as the symbols that permeate cam-paigns. Poetry, like campaigns, is about creating peak emo-tions, but peak emotions cannot be sustained indefinitely.

Anyone who expected government to look and feel like thecampaign failed to heed Cuomo’s insight.

My second text comes from “Jesus Christ Superstar,” in whichYvonne Elliman sings about Jesus: “He’s a man, he’s just a man.… ” While President Obama never displayed the messianic pretensions Republicans ascribed to him, some of the president’s fans seemed to manifest this GOP critique. No president can magically end deep-seated partisan divisionsor halt rancor that has been building over decades.

Moreover, President Obama is subject to fundamental realities that affect other officeholders. Most importantamong those realities is the economy, which affects everypresident and which has rarely been worse.Notwithstandingthe president’s own exceptional talents, and those of his team, a simple graph reveals that Obama got exactly the vote one would have expected given the state of theeconomy in 2008.

Barack Obama is a special and extraordinary talented presi-dent, but he is just a man — buffeted by the same politicalforces that have afflicted his predecessors and will bedevilhis successors.

Mellman is president of The Mellman Group and hasworked for Democratic candidates and causes since 1982.Visit mellmangroup.com or e-mail [email protected].

“probably the most threatened president ever.” Most of thesethreats are not because of healthcare reform, the stimulus billor the problems with Israel. There are still too many people inAmerica that refuse to allow him to govern as the president;they will oppose him at every turn because he's an AfricanAmerican who is the president.

Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III is producer/host of a nationally broadcast call-in talk radio program and a lecturer in thedepartment of Political Science at Howard University inWashington, D.C. Visit Wilmerleon.com or e-mail:[email protected].


Special Feature There are still too many people in America that refuseto allow him to govern as the president....

Tell us how you think the president is

doing at Urbaninfluencemag.com.

(Continued from page 31)


Urban Living

Spring IntoYou’re watching your budget but rising temperatures are heating

up cabin fever, making it time to get out of town for a mental health break. Whether you want to stay in the States or

venture across the seas, consider these ideal destinations to spring into fun and leisure this season.

Las VegasWhere did 36.3 million people (including 4.5 million conven-tion delegates) travel last year to stay for 3.6 nights in 148,000plus hotel rooms? It’s Las Vegas, baby! Get married. Enjoy a multimillion dollar, gaudy show. Overdose on shopping.Gamble. Drink. And gamble. But go. Here’s where to find all you need to know:

✸ Lvcva.com✸ Soulofamerica.com✸ Vegas.com✸ Visitlasvegas.com

Photos courtesy of Las Vegas News Bureau


oTravelHere And There

U.S. Virgin IslandsEasily accessible in the blue waters of the Caribbean, justsoutheast of Miami, the weather year-round in the beau-teous U.S. Virgin Islands (St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas)is an ideal 88 degrees. Enjoy St. Croix's Danish influence; St. John’s national park offerings; and the beautiful harborsand world-class shopping in St. Thomas. Before you go, go to:

✸ Travelocity.com✸ Tripadvisor.com✸ Usvi.net✸ Usvitourism.vi

ParisParisians say the City of Light has more landmarks than any-where in the world. The not-to-be-missed French capital ishome to grand vistas, hospitable cafés, naughty nightclubrevues, the Eiffel Tower and only a few rude people whowon’t speak English. If Paris is the place, first check out thesevaluable resources:

✸ Lonelyplanet.com/france/paris✸ Paris.org✸ Parisinfo.com✸ Parisfrance.ca

Photos courtesy of Paris Tourist Office

Photos courtesy of Usvitourism.vi

Now, if you cannot afford to completely step out onfaith, as you can’t send that to the bill collector each month,you can think of startups to nurture and grow in your sparetime. When you see the seeds you have planted start to bear fruit, then you’ll know it’s time to devote more time to that flourishing “brand-that-could!”

I believe self-investment will alwaysyield an enormous return! Your brandis the fabric of which you are at your core, and since you can neverescape the brand that lives within,make it work for you! Let meshare an example of a brand thatwas cultivated from the creator’spedigree and applied to a newsuccessful career path.

Marvet BrittoBrand Strategist & President/CEO of

The Britto Agency, New York

Urban Living

Recalibrating and Redefining Your Brand

In this economy sadly many folks have lost their jobs; many are trying to figure out what they should do while others are trying to look withinand dig out brands, ideation, passions and aspirations that have beenburied within. Now is the time to invest in yourself rather than spend thenext 20 years of your life working for yet another brand that may notweather the next economic storm.

Copyright Gregory Routt. All rights reserved.

BRAND YOU!

ON THIS ROCK was born out of the spirit ofJanet Hill Talbert re-shifting and repositioning her brand equi-ty that was built in other mediums. She now leverages thatequity in a winning enterprise. Hill Talbert is a former vicepresident and executive editor of Doubleday Books andowner of Harlem Moon, an imprint she launched in 2002.She made an indelible mark in the literary world and beyondas one of the youngest and most successful African-American women in publishing, which she departed to pur-sue her passion as a jewelry maker.

She touched the lives of authors J. California Cooper, the lateE. Lynn Harris, Connie Briscoe, Bertice Berry, GrandmasterFlash, The Estate of Zora Neale Hurston, Dorothy West,Eddie Levert and the late Gerald Levert, Lyah LeFlore andjournalist George Alexander, to name a few.

In 2008, after 22 years at Doubleday, Hill Talbert turned herpassion for words, The Word and jewelry into On This Rock(onthisrocknyc.com), a line of Christian and inspirational jew-elry designed to encourage, delight and comfort the soul withan even more powerful message to the world. The collectioncenters around cuffs covered in scripture that provide mar-velous moments of meditation, and also supplies the boostone needs to handle that next task or get over that next hur-dle. Natalie Cole, Aretha Franklin and Whoopi Goldberg,among others, own pieces of On This Rock jewelry.

On This Rock Jewelry line inspires me in ways that only apiece of jewelry embossed with my favorite bible scripturecan. When I wear a piece, I am reminded of my strength andempowered by the wisdom that anchors my soul. It's like myarmor; a shield that serves as a constant reminder of whoand what ultimately strengthens me. Any one of these piecesalso makes for the most perfect gift that will become themost treasured item you could give.

My favorite item is the necklace with the numbers 153,which represents the number of fish caught by the Disciplesin John 21:11; the only time in the Bible the fish they caughtwere numbered. I share the necklace with all my loved onesas reminders of what we can do if we stay centered in Christ.

Over my many years as a brand strategist, I have worked withand been intimately exposed to many jewelry lines that havegone on to reach mammoth success, including those byLorraine Swartz, Chris Aire, Jacob the Jeweler and Mimi So.I know exactly how colossal On This Rock is poised tobecome. In addition to the quality of the collection itself, italso shows the resilience of someone who was fearless inmaking the leap from one profession to a journey that wastugging at her heartstrings.

You CAN rebrand yourself! UI


Get more HOT PICKS that will help you LIVE. WORK. PLAY. at Urbaninfluencemag.com.


KIM KARDASHIANby Kim KardashianEau de Parfum Spray, $35 - $65Available exclusively at Sephora

HEATby BeyonceEau de Parfum Spray, $49 - $59Available at Macy’s

FLOWERBOMBby Viktor & RolfEau de Parfum Spray, $50 - $150Available at TheGlamourOutlet.com

KENZO POWER by KenzoEau de Toilette Spray, $55 - $70 Available at Fragrantica.com

GREY VETIVERby Tom Ford Eau de Parfum Spray, $85Available at Bergdorf Goodman

GUCCIby Gucci Pour HommeEau de Toilette Spray, $55 - $70Available at Neiman Marcus

Smelling, Feeling Like A Million Bucks

True connoisseurs of high fashion understand it’s notenough to simply dress the part. It’s also how yousmell that dictates the definition of an impeccablelook to be remembered. You can easily build a collection of fragrances as extensive and eclectic as your personal style.

Urban Living


The future is officially at your fingertips.When God gave Moses the two tablets that wouldbecome the Ten Commandments, who knew, metaphor-ically speaking, he would be holding the inspiration forwhat techies are calling the next sonic boom to hit thedigital world since the invention of the PC itself.

Ladies and gentlemen, the e-reader is here in full force.

These little multimedia gadgets promise to take you ona trip that enables you to download your favorite mag-azine in its entirety or surf the web, thereby changingthe way you interface with technology – for good.Though they’ve been around for some time (20 years),only now are they being taken seriously, thanks in partto Amazon’s Kindle.

Just image what whipping out one of these new-fangleddevices could do for your image at a client meeting or what they could do for your employee morale. The possibilities appear to be endless. However, thejury is still out on if it will indeed live up to its claims of changing the world and the way we do business. One thing is for certain:

The future is now.

Apple iPadDisplay size: 9.7” touch screen

Weight: 24 oz.Extras: Full web browser, e-mail, video

audio, office productivity software

Cost: $500 - $830Available: Now

CAN THE LATEST WAVE OF TECH TOYS SAVE THE PUBLISHING WORLD?

By Lenora E. Houseworth

OF THE E-READER

Urban Living


Samsung E6Display size: 6” touch screen

Weight: 24 oz.Extras: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technology,

audio player, calendar, text-speech capabilities

Cost: $299Available: Now

Sony Reader Daily EditionDisplay size: 7.1“ touch screen

Weight: 12.75 oz.Extras: Free access to eBooks and

other digital content from your local public library; displays Word and PDF files


Sony Reader TouchDisplay size: 6“ touch screen

Weight: 10 oz.Extras: Take freehand notes and

highlight sections of text you want to revisit later, just as you would in a real book; compatible with both PC and Mac


Barnes and Noble NookDisplay size: 6“ with 3.5" touch screen

Weight: 12.1 oz.Extras: Travel mode, Wi-Fi,

3G wireless, built-in dictionary, audio player


Available in Black,Red and Silver.

Back cover available inGrass andGravel

Lenora E. Houseworth is assistanteditor of Urban Influence.

Esperanza SpaldingPhoto by Johann Sauty

Adrian Fenty


Cheryle Robinson Jackson

Joshua DuBois

Although President Barack Hussein Obama generated all the headlines last year by

“painting the White House black,” a closer look at last year – and the past few years –

reveals that there were many other fresh faces in both historic places and

uncharted waters within the African-American community.

Inf luencer s Changing The GameBy Car l McGowan

D espite constant rumblings of inter-generational con-flict, a young, emerging class of innovators and lead-ers has taken the reigns of some of black America’s

most revered institutions. In a digital age, they have alreadypaid their dues, and are rapidly ascending to positions ofinfluence and authority. Collectively, all the pieces of thepolitical and socioeconomic puzzle are in place for theseindividuals to not only make their mark as individuals and asa generation, but to leave their mark on history.

Politics And The Pulpit

Most revolutions have their origins in religion or politics, andblack America’s changing of the guard is no different. Two politicians prominently demonstrate this change.In Washington, D.C., for example, the name Marion Berrystill is iconic when it comes to city politics. The seeminglymayor for life personified the notion of Black Power in the city. But in 2007, when Adrian Fenty became the city’syoungest mayor ever, he epitomized a generation dedicatedto a completely new type of empowerment. Picking up themantra that education is a civil right, Fenty is attempting toreform the district’s public school system, one of the worstin the country. Not only are other big cities watching, but he’s picked up the support of U.S. Education Secretary

Rev. Otis Moss III

Cover Story

wield as much influence as any politician, often living under a more intense spotlight. Therefore few clergy wouldbe willing to replace one of the most popular and contro-versial pastors in the country, but that is exactly what Rev. Otis Moss III did when he was handpicked for TrinityUnited Church, one of Chicago’s largest and most revered, byits pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Moss, a 38-year-oldMorehouse and Yale Divinity School graduate, has successful-ly navigated the challenge of attracting the hip-hop generationwithout alienating the civil rights generation, and not losingsight of spirituality or its roots in black liberation theology.

That’s not to say that the new generation of religious leadersisn’t political, though. Joshua DuBois isn’t exactly a protestpreacher, but he is vigilant. After receiving a form letterrejecting his application to join then-Sen. Barack Obama'sU.S. Senate campaign, he drove from Boston to the candi-date's Chicago office to pursue an interview, and was hiredas an aide working on faith-based outreach. The 26-year-old

Arne Duncan. As Fenty roots out resistance to change, it isincreasingly evident that his youth may be an asset in whatcould be a long battle.

Cheryle Robinson Jackson doesn’t avoid big shoes. In 2007,she left a high-level state government job to succeed long-time Chicago Urban League CEO James W. Compton, mak-ing history as the CUL’s first female leader. Three years later,she sought a more powerful perch: the U.S. Senate seat onceoccupied by Carol Moseley Braun and President BarackObama. Although she didn’t win, Jackson won several majorendorsements and appears poised for the political stage. Inmid-March, she made another move, and joined the AARCorp., a leading provider of products and services to theworldwide aerospace and defense industry, as vice presidentof Government Affairs and Corporate Development.

Unlike days past where the pulpit would serve as a steppingstone to political careers, the pastors of modern churches

Anthony MaddoxPeter GriffithKenard Gibbs


Zola Mashariki

(Continued on page 38)

Window Synder

James Rukcer

sponsorship of the inflammatory Glenn Beck show. Look forColorofchange.org and its 37-year-old leader to play a majorpart in the liberal policy agenda during the next few years.

Conventional wisdom says that the Digital Divide is the nextcivil rights battle. But who will lead it? Few people outside thetech world had heard of Dr. Mark Dean, IBM’s first African-American technology fellow and architect of the modern-dayPC, but he came to symbolize opportunity for blacks in tech-nology. Now the hot new face of behind-the-scenes technol-ogy may very well be that of 34-year-old Window Snyder.The former Microsoft security exec and chief technology offi-cer for Internet browser Mozilla Firefox is somewhat of a rockstar in the Internet security world. Since leaving Mozilla inlate 2008, she has been working on a top secret startup thatventure capitalists are anxiously awaiting.

Telling Our Own Stories

Very few people can tell a story the way ZZ Packer tells astory. The Yale University and Iowa Writer’s Workshop graduate burst onto the literary scene in 2004 with “Drinking Coffee Elsewhere,” a book of short stories so highly acclaimed that she immediately drew comparisons toher literary ancestors, Zora Neale Hurston and Alice Walker. At the age of 37, she spends most of her time as a visiting professor of creative writing while she finishes her next work.Fans of great writing are left to just wait like a music loverawaiting their favorite new artist’s sophomore CD.

now heads up the revamped Office of Faith-based Initiatives,which is tasked with steering federal funds to charitableorganizations tied to churches and faith-based organiza-tions. The last 26-year-old Boston University graduate andpreacher’s son to take such on such a large faith-basedmovement led a bus boycott in Montgomery 55 years ago.

The New Civil Rights Movement

At the intersection of politics and religion in the black com-munity sits the civil rights establishment. It’s arguable that nocivil rights organization is more a victim of its own successthan the NAACP. The so-called “Children of the Dream” owemost of their opportunities to the NAACP’s legal victories butas fewer doors have to be kicked in, the organization hasstruggled to redefine itself, going through a string of secre-taries and CEOs in short order. However, Ben Jealous, theyoungest CEO in the organization’s history, aims to reinvigo-rate the organization, using new means to attract a new basewhile tackling old, persistent issues. The Rhodes Scholar andformer executive director of the Rosenberg Foundation mustlead a century-old organization into a decade where the“advancement” means something very different than it didduring the organization’s heyday. Jealous’ communicationsbackground will have to serve him well.

The revolution may not be televised, but if James Rucker hasanything to do with it, it may start on the web. Rucker is co-founder (along with Van Jones) of Colorofchange.org, a web community started in 2005 and modeled afterMoveon.org. Its sole purpose is “to strengthen blackAmerica's political voice.” With over a half million members,the organization has gained international acclaim for its role in the Jena 6 case and in getting corporations to pull their

Cover Story

Ben Jealous


On To The Next Ones

The new generation of influencers does not lack confidence.While they may never call themselves The GreatestGeneration as their parents have, they have at least positionedthemselves to write their own narratives, make their own poli-cies, and control their own images. With those tools in hand,half the battle for their place in history is already won.

If image is everything, Gina McCauley wants to make sure African-American women receive fair and equal treatment. She is the creator of What About Our Daughters (Whataboutourdaughters.com) a blog for, by and about black women, and Michelle Obama Watch(Michelleobamawatch.com), which follows the media's coverage of the First Lady. She has used her blog to bring attention to the topics like the verbal attack on the Rutgers women’s basketball team and the proposed cable TV show “Hot Ghetto Mess.” Not content to be a lone voice, she is also a co-founder of Blogging While Brown(Bloggingwhilebrown.com), the first international confer-ence for bloggers of color. UI

Carl McGowan is a contributing writer for Urban Influence.

The battle over the black male and female image on filmrages as intensely today as it ever has. But those in search ofwell-rounded images appear to be gaining ground. A risingstar in entertainment is Fox Searchlight Pictures VicePresident Zola Mashariki. Despite a Harvard law degree anda promising legal career, Mashariki decided to pursue herpassion for film, taking a job as a production intern, and work-ing her way up to vice president in five short years whileworking on films such as “Antwone Fisher,” “I Think I LoveMy Wife” and the better-than-expected “Notorious.” Watchout for two major projects from the 37-year-old in 2010.

The performing arts still is an area where it is debatablewhether there is truly anything new under the sun. Take“Soul Train” for example. “The hippest trip in America”recently got a little hipper. The venerable Soul Train fran-chise, led for 38 years by Don Cornelius, was sold in 2008 toMadVision Entertainment, which comprises a triad of enter-tainment industry veterans, each younger than the Soul Trainfranchise itself. The group, Kenard Gibbs, Peter Griffith andAnthony Maddox, intends to open the show’s archives to anolder, reminiscent audience while creating a new version fora new generation. Audiences comparing the old and thenew shows should make MadVision a household name.

The future of black music appears to be somewhat retro aswell. Such is the curious case of Esperanza Spalding, theBerkeley College of Music professor and hottest new face onthe jazz music scene in decades. It’s one thing to be askedby Stevie Wonder to perform with him for the president ofthe United States. It’s another thing to have the Presidentand First Lady ask you back for a repeat performance at hisNobel Prize acceptance reception. But that is exactly whathappened last year to the 26-year-old wunderkind. With thebass playing skills of Charles Mingus, and the look and voiceof Lena Horne, Spalding is the new “it” girl in jazz, havingalready produced two wildly popular CDs and a third anxiously awaited one on the way.

And, of course, what would a generation be without a cultural archivist? The African-American story in the 20thcentury was chronicled and examined by the pens ofDuBois, Baldwin and John Hope Franklin, and with manypossible successors, William Jelani Cobb has distinguishedhimself as a worthy heir. The Spelman College history pro-fessor has dissected the hip-hop generation in books like “To The Break of Dawn” and his latest, “The Devil and DaveChappelle.” Keenly aware that he occupies a place in thedepartment made famous by the legendary Howard Zinn,Cobb is more likely to move forward as a front-line literarysoldier than an arm chair intellect.

Cover Story

Entertainment & Influence

TheMessageBehindThe

MadnessThe in-your-face film “Brooklyn’s Finest” challenges moviegoers to look beyond the recurring cinematic themes of profuse profanity, gratuitous sex and violence tounderstand a deeper, more profound statement about the black community and its longstanding, tumultuous relationship with law enforcement.

Music groups like Public Enemy andN.W.A. unapologetically created brashstreet anthems depicting the angst and collective resentment of cops heard blastingfrom boom boxes in every ‘hood. Then,of course, there are the countless news stories and ample firsthand accounts ofpolice brutality, racial profiling and signs of neglect by the police, all of which isdirected at the black community. Think ofall the black men who have received the“What to do when they pull you over”speech as a young man.

Continued on page 50



Wesley Snipes & Antoine Fuqua


Art has always had an interesting way of imitating life andhas never been shy about depicting the deep-seeded distrustblack people have felt about the police’s ability and willing-ness to equally protect and serve.

Rarely, however, does art probe into the other side of the bat-tlefield and into the psyche of police officers and their inter-nal struggles and strife – until now. Until “Brooklyn’s Finest.”“I saw an opportunity to humanize the drama of police offi-cers in way that normally is superficial when I read scriptsabout officers and you go don’t go deep enough,” explained“Brooklyn’s Finest” director Antoine Fuqua, who added themovie draws from biblical themes and the current turbulentstate of the nation. “This (was) an opportunity to go prettydeep into the pressures of life, the choices they make.”

On the surface, the movie follows three tortured cops ontheir journey on the crime-riddle, unforgiving streets ofBrooklyn, then delves deeper into the emotional distress theyendure daily while putting their lives on the line for the job.

“Grow(ing) up in the ‘hood, experiencing the negative part of police officers, watching the news and seeing peoplebeing shot and executed in the subway stations and then becoming friends with some cops, undercover copsand realizing there are some really good people out there who actually really care about what they are doing,” saidFuqua, who also directed the blockbuster cop film, “TrainingDay,” that featured Denzel Washington’s Oscar-winning rolefor best actor.

“So that kind of thing sort of helps you get excited about thepossibility of exploring more angles on the subject. I saw agreat opportunity to put together an ensemble cast of greatactors that could help me do that.”

The movie, starring an all-star cast of Don Cheadle, EthanHawke, Richard Gere and Wesley Snipes, was met withmixed reviews from critics, but still managed to open with a

$13 million plus box office, making it the No. 2 movie in the country.

“When you have veterans you get a chance to learn newtricks, little techniques they use to get through the day.Working on a short schedule like we had with (“Brooklyn’sFinest”) you got to be on your game. You don’t have the timeto really map it out and … rethink it again so you have to basi-cally come in there ready and have done your homework,”said Snipes who plays an ex-con named Caz.

From a flamboyant drag queen in “To Wong Foo” to infa-mous drug lord Nino Brown, Snipes has nimbly crafted hisway from budding, stand-out star to a theatrical, box-officechameleon with a long trail of unforgettable characters in his acting resume. For Snipes, challenging Hollywood withcontroversial character portrayals has been the key of his 20-year career, and fans are enjoying his big return to film.

“Expanding internationally, expanding the brand and theappreciation of my contribution as an artist and my contri-bution as an African American around the world” is how hecharacterizes his career. “And now I have relationships globally. I can make films almost anywhere.”

To the notion of filmmaking, Fuqua added, “We made thismovie on a budget and yet it is going to be compared as if theplaying field is even and it’s not…. You’re giving yourself roominternationally to grow. You have to always challenge theindustry (as) African Americans by putting quality work on thescreen that transcends around the world. That is always challenging for us, especially when you are dealing with a subject matter that directly affects us or is about us in someway. The biggest challenge for me as director is to alwaysremind (Hollywood), that as an artist we can do it all.” UI

Watch the entire interview with Wesley Snipes and Antoine Fuqua at Urbaninfluencemag.com.

Lenora E. Houseworth is assistant editor of Urban Influence.


Snipes on being typecast:

“I think with the success of someof the action films, people beganto label me an action guy, actionstar or an action actor. But that isthe power of action. That’s howit translates around the worldand the impact that it has glob-ally. It gets pushed to the fore-front even though the qualitymay not be as great or it doesn’tembody the full scope of mywork, the majority of my work,which is more dramatic perform-ing, more dramatic acting.”

Fuqua on being a director:

“It’s not about me, which is why I ambehind the camera…. I always remindmyself it’s not about me ‘cause it’s not. I am not the guy whose face has to goon that screen and play that role. He’s going to get heat for somethingthat doesn’t work. For me it’s a differentjourney as the painter.”

Spring 2010 Urbaninfluencemag.com I 5151 I Urbaninfluencemag.com Spring 2010

She is forever gone, affectionately stored deep in our heartsand minds and reserved for the comforts of late night televi-sion. Sure, we all fell in love with the then younger, whole-some actress Tatyana Ali and her knee-high socks as shedeftly played the Banks character. We watched her come ofage, discover boys, and get life advice (both good and bad)from older cousin Will during six seasons of “The FreshPrince of Bel-Air.”

But Ms. Ali has absolutely no timeto regale you about her child starpast; her plate is quite full with nav-igating a bright future.

After putting Hollywood on holdto graduate, with honors, fromHarvard University, the New York-bred, Trinidadian beauty is re-emerging and doing double duty,working in front of the camera andbehind it with the creation of herown production company HazraHEntertainment that was co-createdwith her sister Anastasia.

Let’s go ahead and

get this out of th

e way

with the quickness:

Ashley Banks is dea

d.

with Tatyana Ali




�

“We started our production company with the thinking ofmaking avant-garde urban entertainment,” said Ali. “Budgetsare different. There is a great plus in (that) fact, especiallyhow we shopped ‘Buppies.’ We shot it on our own and thenshopped it to networks. So we were really allowed creativefreedom and autonomy to bring the characters to life.”

Though the future for “Buppies,” Ali’s groundbreaking webseries with BET.com, is uncertain, HazraH recently receivedthe green light from TV One for a second season of “LoveThat Girl” that is scheduled to air this fall – a major victory,particularly in the troubled urban entertainment market.

Shot unconventionally in a recording studio over the courseof just five days, season one of “Love That Girl” united Aliwith comedian Martin Lawrence, who serves as executiveproducer of the show. Along with the show’s creator BentleyKyle Evans, they appear to have found a working model forsurviving an ever-changing media landscape.

“Self determination is incredibly important in this climate.Anastasia and I started our production company with thatbelief. And thus far, we've had success in getting our projectsout there. There are so few black shows on the air becausemany networks believe that their audiences won't relate tocharacters of color. I believe that that's simply untrue,”explained Ali. “Audiences want good stories regardless ofthe ethnicity of the characters.”

Even with all that on her plate, Ali still has time to squeeze inrecording an album and stretch her acting chops on the bigscreen by starring in the thriller “Hotel California” and theupcoming drama “Mother and Child” starring Naomi Watts,Kerry Washington and Samuel L. Jackson.

The 31-year-old industry vet opened up to Urban Influenceon a few other topics and got real, proving why she is allgrown up, no longer Ashley Banks, and a force to be reck-oned with.

On being young, gifted, black and American:“People of our generation are taking their identity into theirown hands. Being a young black person in this country does-n’t have one face or just one background or one look. We’rereally free now to call ourselves what we want. Seeing a rep-resentation of yourself, there is a sort of pride in that. We areso enthralled with glamour and the money and the fame andsort of all the capitalist notions of what being successfulmeans. I think there are more important things to consider,like integrity, honesty and having a real mission in your life.”

How she maintains her sanity in the industry:“I would say that the key to surviving is to do you. I thinkalong the way people – and they do this to anybody – say,‘You need to be like this person or you need to be moresexy.’ That was something I got a lot. I think it is important tobe yourself and evolve and work on your craft. I think youget off track when you start to make decisions based off ofwhat other people need to see.”

Regrets on leaving Hollywood for Harvard:“When I first got back I thought, ‘Whoa, did I make the right decision? Am I going to get work?’ But looking back I wouldn’t have my production company if I didn’t go toschool and if I didn’t have my production company, I wouldnot have the opportunity to express myself.”

On the pressure to produce and star in a project:“There's a lot of pressure when you're the lead. I'm not onlythe lead but my production company, HazraH Entertainment,is also involved. It's a great responsibility but one I feel I'mready for. I've worked with some incredible stars like Will(Smith) who have really shown me what leadership, team play-ing and hard work are all about.”

What a girl wants: “I want to stretch the boundaries of what even I think I cando. When I'm nervous about playing a role, that's the surestsign that I have to do it because it usually means I'll have toget out of my comfort zone to do it right.” UI

Lenora E. Houseworth is assistant editor of Urban Influence.


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Being a young black person in thiscountry doesn’t have one face orjust one background or one look.We’re really free now to call ourselves what we want.

Photography by Kate sZatmari


J-Hud Comes Home For

“Cup With A Cause”

Oscar and Grammy award-winner Jennifer Hudson surprised a

group of kids at a Chicago-area Boys & Girls Clubs of America to

formally announce her partnership with 7-Eleven and officially

launch the company’s newly customized cup that features a

brightly burning candle inscribed with the words “Light of Peace”

in Hudson’s handwriting. Proceeds from sales will benefit

the featured celebrity’s charity of choice. (1) Jennifer Hudson

(2) Jennifer on stage with the Boys & Girls Club of Chicago.

Photos by News Broadcast Network.

LisaRaye Gives Fans “The Real McCoy”

Actress LisaRaye and her celebrity friends celebrated the launch of

her new TV One reality series, “LisaRaye: The Real McCoy,” at a

Los Angeles premiere party. During the event the Susan G. Komen

for the Cure named the actress a “Circle of Hope” ambassador.

(3) LisaRaye and football star Chad Ochocinco (4) LisaRaye’s daughter

Kai, actor Lance Gross and LisaRaye (5) Brother and sister duo Ray J

and Brandy and (8) Comedian Kevin Hart

Photos by FrontPage Firm.

A Treacherous Trek For A Good Cause

A team of 300 celebrities and activists, spearheaded by Ethiopian-

born rocker Kenna, climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise awareness and

money for the global clean water crisis. The group, including rapper

Lupe Fiasco and actress Jessica Biel, reached the summit two

months ago, and MTV's 90-minute documentary, “Summit on the

Summit: Kilimanjaro” premiered on MTV. (6) Kenna (7) Jessica Biel,

Lupe Fiasco and Jason Walsh

Photos by Dimitrius Kambouris/WireImage.


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Hot Faces & Places


Basking In The Gardens

Nearly 45,000 music lovers flocked to Sun Life Stadium in

Miami Gardens for the 5th Annual Jazz in the Gardens hosted

by syndicated radio personality Tom Joyner. A star-studded

lineup and the festival's growing reputation brought together

jazz and R&B aficionados from near and far.

(9) Singer-songwriter Melonie Fiona (10) Mary J. Blige (11) John

Legend and (12) Boyz II Men

Photos by Johnny Nunez.

Stars Shine At

“Married Too” Screening

The (movie) stars aligned at a special screening of Tyler Perry's

hit film “Why Did I Get Married Too?” at the School of Visual

Arts Theater in New York City.

(13) Janet Jackson (14) Tyler Perry (15) Lamman Rucker (left) with

Richard T. Jones (16) Tasha Smith (17) Jill Scott (18) Michael Jai

White with wife Courtenay and (19) Sharon Leal

Photos by Sue Coflin/Max Photos.

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LastWordTheLast

WordThe

Despite all this, we still need to be more vocal and demandmore of President Obama. We can’t give him a pass, norshould we give a pass to any local or state official.

Unemployment, foreclosures and bank bonuses are too high,while access to credit and home loans is too low. The LaborDepartment reported last month that the African-Americanunemployment rate was 16.2 percent and college-educated black men are nearly twice as likely to be unemployed astheir white counterparts. However, only 28 percent of the billions of dollars allocated to “jumpstart the economy” hasbeen awarded to date.

Bureaucracies in state and local governments are cloggingspending as much as the Feds. For example, by October2009, of the $157 million allocated to Philadelphia, the cityhad received only $13 million. Out of the $13 million the city received, it’s spent only $1 million!

Our voices and votes got them elected. We must demandmore accountability from governors and mayors as well asour president. 2010 is about jobs. We must tell governmentleaders at every level who’ve not allowed monies to hit thestreets that they could become jobless, too. UI

Michele M. Moore is a mediaand marketing strategist for the private and public sectors. She resides in New York City.

N ot since 1932 has a new American presidentfaced more problems than President Obamadid in his first year in office. President Roosevelt

had to tackle the Great Depression caused by Wall Street’srecklessness. Millions of Americans were experiencing thedeepest level of unemployment in the 20th century. Hitler wasbeginning his reign of terror in Europe. Sound too familiar?

A year ago, many of the GOP leaders who helped create themess – a $1.5 trillion debt, an unregulated financial systemand billions spent in Iraq – were the first to question PresidentObama’s performance. In year one, he only prevented aneconomic collapse; began to repair our world reputation;engaged China about global warming; passed a $787 billionstimulus bill; reduced troop size in Iraq; and refocused thewar on terror where Osama Bin Linden actually lives.

Not too bad, considering.

In early 2009, we didn’t quite comprehend how really badthings were. You never appreciate electricity until the lightswon’t turn on. And America never saw the lights go com-pletely out. We don’t appreciate the electrician who prevent-ed the darkness.

Those who say, “Where’s my bailout?” don’t mention the $116billion in stimulus funds that provided for tax cuts to individualsand small businesses, extension of unemployment benefits orthe 65 percent cash reimbursement for COBRA health care.

Recovery.org reports that 640,329 jobs were saved or creat-ed by the stimulus package. But if you didn’t lose a job andgain a benefit, it’s easier to believe “the stimulus isn’t work-ing” story. It could be much darker for millions of Americanswithout it.

Obama and Public OfficialsShouldn’t Get A Pass

By Michele M. Moore


spring issue 2010

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