The Black Informant

Background data for all members of the Congressional Black Caucus

Here is the list of all members of the Congressional Black Caucus with links to background information provided by SourceWatch.org.

About SourceWatch:

“…a collaborative project of the Center for Media and Democracy (http://www.prwatch.org) to produce a directory of the people, organizations and issues shaping the public agenda. SourceWatch’s primary focus is on documenting public relations firms, think tanks, industry-funded organizations and industry-friendly experts that work to influence public opinion and public policy on behalf of corporations, governments and special interests. Over time, SourceWatch has broadened to include others involved in public debates including media outlets, journalists and government agencies. Unlike some other wikis, SourceWatch has a policy of strict referencing, and is overseen by a paid editor.”

The Congressional Black Caucus More »

Vacation idea #1: Go RV’n

If you are wanting to go away this summer on vacation but on a tight budget, you might want to consider doubling up with family or friends on a RV trip.

RVs are not just for old people, they are for the young as well. A few years ago, my family and I decided to rent an RV and drive across country (we were moving from the east coast to the west). It was an experience that we will never forget.

One of the things that appealed to me about this option was the level of independence from the other “parties” that are normally part of a family vacation (hotel, restaurant, etc.). We did not have to worry feeling robbed after paying $100-200 on a hotel based on a picture online only to discover the room was the equivalent of a crack house at the corner of Washington and MLK blvd. My wife and I had our own bedroom and the kids had theirs complete with cabinets, drawers, and televisions. As far as food goes, we had the best food in town–ours! You and the other family/friends can go in half with stocking up on food from somewhere like Costco or Sams. RVs come complete with a full kitchen. So while you are driving down the interstate, Moms could be in the back frying up some fish, preparing the ‘tatah salad (you know how we do).

As far as overnight parking goes, you have some options. First, you could go to an RV park where you will have access to a water line, phone line, and in some cases a high More »

Minority Philanthropy: The Future Has Arrived (Susan Raymond, Ph.D.)

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“In the African American community, the philanthropic spirit is not, admittedly, a “new new thing.” Charitable giving in the black community dates from at least the late 1700s, when Richard Allen and Absalom Jones founded societies of free men to support poor widows and orphans.”

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“In metropolitan Boston, with the fastest growing urban black population in the nation, household incomes among blacks rose 40.2 percent in the 1990s. This change is striking in comparison to the overall Massachusetts increase of only 16 percent and the national increase of 11 percent. Nationally, 25 percent of African American households are in the top two quintiles (top 40 percent) of income. In the black community, 53 percent of households made charitable donations in 1997, up from 51 percent in 1993. This contrasts with a decline in the national average from 73 percent to 69 percent in the same period. Some 60 percent of African American giving flows through church communities.” (more…)

What are the top 10 companies for African-Americans?

*The Top 10 Companies for African Americans had an average of 18.7 percent African-American employees in their work force and 21.6 percent of new hires were African Americans. This compares with 15.7 percent in the work force and 18.1 percent new hires for the Top 50, and 13.1 percent in the work force and 15.1 percent new hires for the bottom quarter of respondents to the Top 50 survey. There were 256 participants in this year’s survey. Nationally, blacks comprise 10.8 percent of the work force, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

*The Top 10 Companies for African Americans had an average of 12.2 percent African Americans in management, compared with 9.7 percent for the Top 50 and 7.2 percent for the bottom quarter of respondents. Nationally, blacks comprise 8.1 percent of managers and professionals, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

*The Top 10 Companies for African Americans demonstrate extremely high CEO commitment, which proves the connection between strong diversity management and top-down support. In 80 percent of the Top 10 Companies for African Americans, the CEO signs off on executive compensation tied to diversity. This compares with 72 percent of the Top 50 and 45 percent of companies ranked in the bottom quarter of respondents. In all the Top 10 Companies for African Americans, the CEO personally reviews diversity metrics, compared with 88 percent of the Top 50 and 73.5 percent of companies in the bottom quarter.

Here are the Top 10 Companies for African Americans:

Black achievement in the shadow of slavery

While many in the black community are well familiar with the downfall of what was considered “The Black Wall Street” of its time (Tulsa, Oklahoma), not may of us are familiar with the many successes of the black community right on the heels of the slave era here in the US. Although these pioneers still had to face racism, I think that once you read the excerpts below you will have to agree that their generation possessed something that we so desperately need today in our community. More »

Site cleanup update

• Over the weekend, I finally had the chance to clean up the link list to your left. Dead links were deleted, while others were better categorized. I also added quite a few new links. More links will be added over the next few weeks. Until then, I am trying to figure out a way to better organize the links so that all of them can be seen by readers.
• An e-mail link has been added to the top of this page (right under the title banner).
• If you have not noticed by now, but I have added an ad for an organization where I have had the privilege of knowing and working with its founders for a number of years. This space is reserved for non-profits or organizations that are significantly addressing the issues in the black community. Please e-mail me for consideration.
• I have been working over at The Afro Informant. I changed the template and in the process of adding some newsfeeds from African bloggers from around the net. This is still a work in progress that I hope to have completed by the end of this week. Once I feel the site is fully operational, I’ll add the link over here on blackinformant.com.
• The idea of podcasting has flashed before me several times over the past few months. To do something like that would require time where I am not getting paid. Until then, I’ll keep that idea in cold storage.
• I would like to work out a way where I can feature highlights of black history on the banner on a more consistent basis. Sometimes that by itself can be a bit time consuming. Until then, it will be a little sporadic for a bit.

Another one of our babies is missing (5/7/06)

KYANNA MARIAH CAMPBELL
Case Type: Missing
DOB: Aug 20, 1990
Sex: Female
Missing Date: Apr 27, 2006
Race: Black
Age Now: 15
Height: 5′0″ (152 cm)
Missing City: LEESBURG
Weight: 135 lbs (61 kg)
Missing State : VA
Hair Color: Black
Missing Country: United States
Eye Color: Brown
Case Number: USVAVA06-56
Circumstances: Kyanna was last seen on April 27, 2006 and is believed to be in the company of Monica Erwin (F/W). She was wearig a necklace with a pearl and unknown clothing description.

ANYONE HAVING INFORMATION SHOULD CONTACT
Virginia Missing Children’s Clearinghouse
1-800-822-4453
Leesburg Police Department (703)771-4500

Ideas for Sunday dinner

While reading the blog Down Home Soul Food Cooking, I came across the following recipie that reminded me of a meal I cooked a while back:

Slimmed Down Red Beans And Rice

(I’m linking to this site because I really hope he doesn’t quit with this concept for a blog–I did not see any postings for May)

The recipie I used was similar to this MINUS the pork or ham hock.

I also made some jerk chicken (on the grill) to go with the red beans and rice.

Oh yeah…I also made some cornbread (the recipie I used included a can of creamed corn).

hmmm…83 degrees today….86 degrees tomorrow? Sounds like grillin’ time to me

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Modern-day slavery—in Florida!!

“Young women and children raped, tortured and sold for sex – its modern day slavery and it’s happening here in Jacksonville.

In fact, the Center for the Advancement of Human Rights says Florida has one of the highest rates of “human trafficking” in the country. Barred windows and locked doors are the only visible signs of America’s modern day slave trade.

“Anna” is one of the lucky ones, one of the thousands of victims of human trafficking to escape her captors in Atlanta.

“I couldn’t keep taking all of the beatings for forever,” she says. “They were going to have to kill me sooner or later.”

Traffickers use torture, threats and brainwashing to sell women, men and children into domestic servitude, for sweat shop labor and for sex.”

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“Special Agent Jeffrey Wescott says where traffickers get their victims may surprise you.
“These are kids from the suburbs and middle class America,” he says. “Sometimes it’s a kid with low self esteem, who may be enticed by someone who wants to befriend her.”
Anna was just 12 when she was locked up, beaten and sold for sex. She says it was hard to break free, because she was always constantly watched and forever on the move.” (more–article dated 2/21/06)

Discipline and children

If you are a parent of young children, how do you discipline your children?

If you are a parent of older children, what forms of discipline worked best with your children?

 

The ghetto pass in action

While listening to the radio today (a major metropolitan news station), I heard an excerpt from comedian Mike Epps’ upcoming T.V. special:

“I have so many kids that when I drive through the ‘hood, I just wave”

–followed by laughter

If you are not black, you better not get caught repeating this.

Why reinvent the wheel?

As many of you know, I have doing a series that provides you with some of the inside scoop behind members of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Well today I just came across a site that does most of that work for me — except it is for ALL members of congress and senate–which makes it even more valuable. Congresspedia follows the same online encyclopedia model as Wikipedia (which does make it vulnerable to errors and omissions because entries can be edited by just about anyone). My advice? Like anything else (including blackinformant.com), use it as a reference that provokes you to find out more information on your own.

If I have the time over the weekend, I’ll do a post that will link to the profiles of all members of the CBC to congresspedia.

Peace agreement reached in Sudan

From BBC:

“The Sudanese government and the largest rebel group in the Darfur region have signed a peace deal aimed at ending three years of conflict.
However, two smaller rebel groupings rejected it, despite last-minute efforts to secure their support.

The deal, which follows intense talks in Nigeria, calls for More »

The “useful idiots” of May Day–on video

Filmmaker Stuart Browning puts into video what I talked about in my earlier posting entitled “May Day” protests for ILLEGAL immigration will be a show of “useful idiots” . The forces that are driving this movement go far beyond the normal bickering between Democrats and Republicans which is why I am continuously highlighting it in some form or fashion on this site.

When you get the chance, please check out this approximately. 4 minute video that highlights a perspective on the May 1st marches that you will not see via the mainstream media.

Watch “El Uno De Mayo”

Related: For the Che lovers , Che Guevara’s Dubious Legacy

What are the strengths of the black community

Ed, over at the website of the Conservative Brotherhood posed this question. Here is what Cobb was able to put together (click here to read the rest of his list):

1. Being forced to live with others based strictly on skin color which determines nothing makes us more accepting of people who are not like us.

2. (OS) The willingness to discipline other’s children in the neighborhood.

3. A general desire not to be phony and put on airs of superiority.

4. A genuine spirituality for which no material or social reward can be gained….

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Here are a some things that come to my mind:

1. Our unique ability to tell a story
2. Our ability to still laugh when faced with pure hell

Your turn!

A good example of why one should not “cut a ‘tude” with a fast-food employee

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A fast-food worker tossed a cup of hot grease on a customer, giving the woman second- and third-degree burns on her arms and chest, authorities said.

“My skin was cooking,” said Vouncile Lambert, 44, who was treated at a hospital.

The 17-year-old worker was charged with aggravated assault. The employee, who had worked at the Checkers restaurant in West Philadelphia for about two months, will be fired, a restaurant manager said Wednesday.

Lambert’s 36-year-old niece had spit on the employee, a police report said. (more…)

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Say what you will about fast food workers, but they have a lot of power. Get “smart” with them, they can make the “adjustments” to your food all while serving it with a smile. So if you want some advice, if your fries are cold, or your burger is the vampire special (all blood), be very discrete when you ask for the manager and ask for a refund.

Or just forget the whole thing all together–for real!

Oh the fast food stories I have when I was living in Jersey and the ATL! Out here on the west coast, it doesn’t get any better. Just bring a English-to-Spanish dictionary.

Is marriage 50/50?

In the very near future, I want to share with you, my dear readers more about me and my life. One thing that I can tell you that I am in love and married to an awesome woman. She is truly my best friend.

Although I feel very confident in giving marital advice, I will ALWAYS take a seat to those who have been happily married much longer than I.

Here is a great story that I came across that deals with the basic question: “Is marriage 50/50?”

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“The young lady standing in front of me at the ATM machine was shifting nervously from one foot to the other. She was obviously waiting for her male companion to finish his transaction. More »

Things you see on late night television

Do you drink it?

Lowering the bar–State of black film at the moment (blackfilm.com)

“I see where we are now as being in the Third Golden Age Of Black Cinema [TGAOBC]. I have found the 90’s into the 21st century to actually be very exciting time for black film, and I am excited to be a part of it. First let me clarify what I mean by Black Film. I mean; films that are created, written or directed by African Americans and that feature or star primarily people of color. I do not mean films that talented black filmmakers like F. Gary Grey {THE ITALIAN JOB}, Antoine Fuqua {KING ARTHUR} and Clark Johnson {THE SENTINEL} have directed where they may helm the film but the bulk of the cast is European read white. The First Golden Age Of Black Film is the Oscar Micheuex [who produced and directed an astounding 41 films in his life time] era of ‘all colored cast’ films in the 20’s and 30’s. The second of course being the 70’s till the early 80’s commonly referred to as the ‘blaxploitation era’ beginning with Melvin Van Peebles Sweet Sweetback’s Baad Asssss Song (1971). I will speak a bit more on these eras later. The Third began with the 1-2-3 punch of She’s Gotta Have It (1986) wow has it really been twenty years!?, House Party (1990) and Boyz And The Hood (1991).”  (more…)

Ooooh! Now that will show ‘em

BOSTON, Massachusetts (Reuters) — Massachusetts Tuesday called on popular teen social networking Web site MySpace.com to strengthen protection of children against sexual predators, including raising the minimum age for users to 18 from 14. (more…)

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And this worked with online porn and the porn that comes on stations like Cinemax?

Under age drinking?

Under age smoking?

The solution? Parents that actually give a rip about what their kids do online. Move the computer in a general area where other family members tend to dwell.