"The Passport Our Future"

Civil rights activist Malcolm X once said "Education is the passport to our future, for tommorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today."  At this point in my life I truly do understand what he meant by this I think he was tyring to say work now, play later or something to that degree. One of my favorite sictoms that is currently in syndication on the TV One Channel  A Different World the spinoff from The Cosby Show. The show had six seasons it was set at a ficitional black college called Hillman College. 

 I am sad to say that HBCU (Historically Black College Universities) are losing money because black students are not attending or have no interest. I did want to attend an HBCU myself but finances got in the way I feel as though some of my peers are a generation lost. Many of us are not aware that these great schools exsist let me fill you in as to why these schools were established.

This is what I learned at a young age and you may find more information on the Internet or in a book. I mean many political men and women, civil rights activist, and Greek letter organizations began at an HBCU such as Howard University.  Before the Civil War, higher education for African American students was virtually nonexistent. The few who did receive schooling, such as Fredrick Douglass, often studied in informal and sometimes hostile settings. Some were forced to teach themselves entirely. Some schools for elementary and secondary training existed, such as the Institute for Colored Youth, a school started in the early 1830s by a group of Philadelphia Quakers.

A college education was also available to a limited number of students at schools like Oberlin College in Ohio and Berea College in Kentucky. Keep in mind that you have right to attend any college of your choice I just feel as though sometimes my fellow African-Americans have lost sight of who we are and the wonderful things we have done and so much more. Obviously I am aware that there are Blacks, Whites, Hispanics, Indians, Middle Eastern people live in the world but how we can go further in the future if we know nothing about the people and choices they made to help us get this far. One day when I become older and I'm ready to have children I want to be aware even if they decide not attend.

"Wake Up!" The Wrap Up

Have you ever heard the saying there is strength in numbers well clearly conservatives live by those words. The root of the uproar is a regular process in which the Texas Board of Education revises the state’s standards. Far more than in most states, the elected board is entrusted to write standards itself, rather than merely approve them. With a 10-5 Republican majority, including a coalition of seven social conservatives, the board has pushed what some see as a particularly partisan agenda. One thing that really disturbs me more than anything is the fan base behind this already on Facebook 1,835 people said they like this. I was always passionate about history but as I got older I had issues with my History class because it seems as though we only briefly discussed slavery and other things that affected African-Americans, briefly discussed the relationship between the Native Americans and English settlers. Many people man and women from differenet ethnicity backgrounds made contributions and endured many adversities that helped shaped this nation and it sad to see that people want to elminate those facts and justify all of this by so-called Christian idelology. Keep in mind I don't mind anyone being Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, all I am saying is I find that rather contradicting. To find out more about this topic feel free to conduct your search on CSMonitor.com and the article was written by Amanda Paulson.

"Wake Up!" Part 2

Okay now back to this serious matter which I could go on and on about textbooks we all have or had to read them at some point in our lives. Clearly in the 1960's America was going through a turbulent time Civil Rights Movement, Assination of President Kennedy, Gay Rights, Women Rights, etc. what I'm trying to say we are through another turbulent time now our nation elected it's first African-American President Barack Obama, ( I have no issues with Obama)our economy is in the process of recovering, loss of jobs, so many things. Now we have our bold conservative leaders attempting to erase  the past and White-Wash our society yes I said "White-Wash." According to this article the changes that will be made will include the following "Students would be required to learn more about the "unintended consequences" of Title IX, affirmative action, and the Great Society, and would need to study conservative icons like Phyllis Schafly, the Hertiage Foundation, and Moral Majority." Oh wait I'm just getting started this is the cake topper right here also according to the article "The slave trade would be renamed the "Atlantic triangular trade," American "imperialism" changed  to "expansionism," and all references to "capitalism" have been replaced with "free enterprise." As well the role of Thomas Jefferson  who argued for the separation of church and state – is minimized in several places, and the standards would emphasize the degree to which the Founding Fathers were driven by Christian principles.

"Wake Up!!!" Part 1

 According to an article I read on CSMonitor. com also know as The Christian Science Monitor conservatives want to change social studies textbooks which generated much uproar as well interst. Like I said in my tagline I mentioned my interest in Love, Music, Relationships, but Politics/Social Issues are things I take very seriously and more people should. I am a Broadcasting News major so I'm always concerned about what is going on with the world. Did you like history when you were in school? What are your thoughts on slavery? Did you ever take the time to read books at all? I think the days of students ignoring what is in their textbooks need to be long gone. If you didn't know the textbooks in the U.S. are made in the Lone Star State we know as Texas and they want to change our books which means there could backlash and corruption in our nation's youth.

"Radio Raheem"

Raheem Devaughn burst onto the music 2005 with his debut album The Love Experince wooing his auidence with the hit singles "Guess Who Loves You More?" and "You" he followed that album up with his sophomore release The Love Behind the Melody with two more hit singles "Woman" and "Customer." Another under rated artists in this shady music industry who beagn his career in the Neo Soul movement. I recently purchased his latest album The Love & War Masterpiece needless to say as a music lover I am nowhere near disappointed each song is incredible. Devaughn clearly was influenced by artists such as the late Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye he pulled influnece from the past and made it relevant for the present. There are bedroom jams such  as "My Wife" "Microphone," and "B.O.B(Battery Operated Boyfriend)" and social commentary with "BulletProof" and"Relevations 2010" a sample Issac Haye's "The Look of Love" the lyrics in the chorus say They're out to barry you and they're out to barry me/All you can do is arm yourselves and look to the sky/You have to buy the album and appreciate his music trust me it is worth it.

"Loving Alonso"

Harry Belafonte, Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Terrence Howard, Shemar Moore, Morris Chestnut all of these men have done wonderful things in the world of film and television. But now ladies have fallen in love with Laz Alonso including myself you may have seen him in Stomp The Yard, This Christmas, Miracle at St. Anna, Jar head, and most recently Avatar just to name a few.

With his good looks, talent, and demanding on screen presence he is clearly on the cusp to stardom. Born to  Afro-Cuban American parents( Black Cubans) he faced adversity in his life losing his father at the age of 14 his mother took on three jobs to take care of him as well as his college education. He attended Howard University went to Wall Street for two years as an investment banker what more can I say smart, good looking,  talented, and has some deep pockets I'm loving Laz Alonso.

"Where Did They Go?"

As I sit down here in my room by myself while writing song lyrics and writing out my goals in life. I am taking a trip back down on memory lane as I am listening to Jodeci. From 1991-1996 K-Ci aka Cedric Hailey and his brother Joseph Hailey began their musical careers with friends Dalvin and Donald "DeVonte Swing" Degrate. They released only three albums but had many hits songs all of their music was written and produced by DeVonte Swing and Al B. Sure. They were different from R&B Male Group Acts in the 90's because they were dubbed "The Bad Boys of R&B" they wore baggy clothes, lather jackets, baseball caps, and Timberland's. Women loved them and men wanted to be them or play their music in order to get inside a women's paintes this is long before Trey Songz.

The only group that was similar to Jodeci was H-Town a group of guys that sang about sex and love just as much as Jodeci did. K-Ci and Jo Jo often sang the lead vocals while pretty boys DeVonte and Mr. Dalvin voiced the sharp falsettos and harmonies. My favorite Jodeci songs are "Stay"  "Love You For Life," and "Freaking You."

What You Did Not Know? K-Ci and Jo Jo are the elder cousins of Fantasia. Barrino. K-Ci had a long term relationship with Mary J. Blige in the 90's. DeVonte Swing helped write and produce Usher's first album in fact Usher's second single "Can You Get With It" was a DeVonte Swing track. DeVonte also founded the Swing Mob crew which later became the Basement Crew which was a group of producers artists this started the careers of Ginuwine, Timbaland, Missy Elliott, Playa and their breakout star Static Major who passed away three years ago. Before becoming a member of Jodeci DeVonte tried to become a musician and member of Prince's entourage he was bot accepted.

Unfortunately drugs and ego trips have caused problems for the guys in recent years but K-Ci and Jo Jo have a new show coming up on the TV One network showcasing their journey to recovery from their drug and alcohol addictions. But nobody can forget the impact they made on the music industry and no other male singing group can even touch them.

"Jungle Fever: Oh Yes We Have It"



Freddie Prinze Jr.



David Beckham



Mario Lopez



Black men love dating outside of their race so what's wrong with Black women having fun. Personally I adore White, Hispanic, Indian, etc. men myself.  Don't get me wrong I still love my brothas.




Enrique Iglesias

 



C'mon ladies some of you would take a look at Joshua Morrow from the (Young and the Restless) David Beckham, Benjamin Bratt, Mario Lopez, just to name a few. Take a look at Mario Lopez he was my fantasy Hispanic boyfriend behind Ricky Martin before I was sure he was out of the closet.



Brad Pitt



Not to mention James Franco who puts in the mind a younger version of "Mr. Cool" aka James Dean I'm down with the swirl and proud of it.





James Franco

"Long Live The Horne"

Earlier this week a legendary woman was called home and her name was Lena Horne. Long before Beyonce' there was Lena Horne men wanted to be with her while women wanted to be her. Born as Lena Mary Calhoun Horne in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City Reported to be descended from the John C. Calhoun family, both sides of her family were a mixture of African American, European American, and Native American descent and each belonged to what W. E. B. Du Bois called "The Talented Tenth," the upper stratum of middle-class, well-educated blacks.

It was evident that she was a talented Singer and Actress her most familiar work includes the following Meet Me in Las Vegas, Death of a Gunfighter, The Wiz, and countless other movie and television apperances. But there was so much more to her she allow me to elaborateHorne was long involved with the Civil Rights movement. In 1941, she sang at Cafe Society and worked with Paul Robeson. During World War II, when entertaining the troops for the USO, she refused to perform "for segregated audiences or for groups in which German POWs were seated in front of African American servicemen", according to her Kennedy Center biography. Since the US Army refused to allow integrated audiences, she wound up putting on a show for a mixed audience of black US soldiers and white German POWs.

She was at an NAACP rally with Medgar Evers in Jackson, Mississippi, the weekend before Evers was assassinated. She also met President John F. Kennedy at the White House two days before he was assassinated. She was at the March on Washington and spoke and performed on behalf of the NAACP, SNCC, and the National Council of Negro Women. She also worked with Eleanor Roosevelt to pass anti-lynching laws. Also a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.