It has been awhile, but after seeing Seven Pounds....
ROSARIO DAWSON is the Beauty of the Day
If you haven't seen Seven Pounds, it's a different role for Will Smith. Check it out.
Here's the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9nn0eKwxHY
I am pretty sure everybody knows this story by now,but if you dont...here you go:
A white social studies teacher attempted to enliven a seventh-grade discussion of slavery by binding the hands and feet of two black girls, prompting outrage from one girl’s mother and the local chapter of the NAACP. After the mother complained to Haverstraw Middle School, the superintendent said he was having “conversations with our staff on how to deliver effective lessons.” “If a student was upset, then it was a bad idea,” said Superintendent Brian Monahan of the North Rockland School District in New York City’s northern suburbs. The teacher apologized to the mother who complained and her 13-year-old daughter during a meeting Thursday that also included a representative of the local NAACP. But the mother, Christine Shand of Haverstraw, said Friday she thinks the teacher should be removed from the class. “I think the teacher should have gotten some discipline,” Shand said. “I know if that was me, I would be uncomfortable going back to that class. Why should my daughter have to switch?” Monahan refused to say what, if any, measures were taken against the teacher, Eileen Bernstein, who was still working on Friday. The school district said she was not available for comment. “We encourage our teachers to deliver the curriculum in a variety of ways, to go beyond just reading the textbook,” the superintendent said. “We don’t want to discourage creativity. But this obviously went wrong because the student was upset.” On Nov. 18, Bernstein was discussing the conditions under which African captives were taken to America in slave ships. She bound the two students’ hands and feet with tape and had them crawl under a desk to simulate the experience, Monahan and Shand said. Monahan said the girls were not the only blacks in the class. Gabrielle Shand burst into tears at home, her mother said.
“There are other ways to demonstrate slavery,” Christine Shand said Friday. “It doesn’t matter the color of the kids, it’s just not right to tie them up. My daughter is still upset, still embarrassed. She didn’t go to school today.”
CREDIT TO NY DAILY NEWS
Well in my opinion, this teacher did go too far, but I believe that the media is milking this story as far as they can. Who knows what the real story is? I mean these children are in seventh grade, therefore they have a voice. They could have resisted the teacher and stated that they did not want to be bounded. The only issue with this story is the fact that the children were black. The teacher should have chosen children from any racial background. But that's just my opinion. Share your voice, what do you think?
In "Brooklyn (Go Hard)", Jay-Z samples Santogold's "Shove It," for an ode to Brooklyn. And, indeed, it goes hard. The song will be on the soundtrack for "Notorious," the Notorious B.I.G. biopic (in theatres January).
Also, Drake (or Jimmy from Degrassi) has made a cute little remix to Lykke Li's "Little Bit." With a special appearance by that damn auto tune. Can that trend be over already *cough*kanye*cough*? But the auto tune doesn't really take away from the song, so I approve.
If you're on this website you probably have heard of and will be attending Griot Nite. However, Just as Griot Nite is finishing, a fashion show/live performance/club party will be right underway at Sevillas in Riverside.
The doors open at 10pm and the event ends at 2am.
This is an 18+ EVENT.
What to expect: Fashion show from: OneWayNorth or [OWN], Dangerous Negro (DN), Mariala, Major Hype, and Ropa Sucia.
Live performances: Dana La Rock, The PUSH!! and surprise performers.
Media: Local magazines including IE's finest "DeQ Magazine".
$COST$: $5 if you GUEST_LIST. call 951.445.0710 or 909.658.5623.
DRESS Code: no baggy clothing, no plain t-shirts, no flip-flops, no hats. DRESS to IMPRESS.
For directions and more: www.onewaynorth.com/republic/events
Sevillas: 3252 Mission Ave. Riverside,
Keith Olbermann’s special comment is the most eloquent and passionate response so far regarding this Prop 8
I was recalling instances where I've felt I can't do much more. Instances where I felt I didn't have the fuel, the motivation to go on. If you tend to feel overwhelmed, stressed out, powerless and unmotivated then this is for you.
There are times that you feel that you cannot go on. Times that you feel you are pushed to your very limits. Times when things seem to always go wrong. And at these times we tend to feel like giving up. At these times you just want to turn back. Turn around. Take a break. And Sometimes you feel alone, as if no one understands and if no one cares. And at times you feel you are the reason to blame. You feel your choices have led you to your current state. But I just dropped by to say just remember that somewhere, somehow, someone is counting on you to go on. Somewhere somehow someone is hoping you keep going. Somewhere somehow someone is hoping you stay strong. Someone somewhere somehow is hoping you do the right thing. And Somewhere somehow someone is praying for you to go on. Somewhere somehow someone is pleading God to give you the strength to go on.
If God has given you areas of influence amongst your peers, or even amongst the younger ones, remember that they look up to you and they're counting on you to do the right thing. They're counting on you to go on. No matter what you do in life, someone somewhere, somehow is counting on you to go on. And maybe you maybe that person's only life line, maybe you may be what keeps them going on. When school is difficult and feel that old tendency to procrastinate, remember that someone is counting on you to go on. Someone is counting on you to study and to work hard.
So remember that at times we're faced with very difficult decisions. We're faced with enormous circumstances. We're faced with unbearable uncertainties. But before you lose hop's always a way where there's a will. You can go on. You can make it.
Alright fellas, I know it has been a while, but I had to go soul searching to find this beauty of the day:
OLUCHI ONWEAGBA!
Not known to many people, this Nigerian beauty is a Victoria Secret and Sports Illustrated model who is passionate about charity work and giving back to Africa.
Bio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oluchi_Onweagba
Website: http://www.oluchi.com/
After nearly a decade, Q-tip is back with his new album, The Renaissance. The jazz-infused, vintage hip hop album features Raphael Saadiq, Norah Jones, D'Angelo, and Amanda Diva in what can only be described as an excellent listening experience from beginning to end. Don't sleep.
"You" and "We Fight/We Love" are my fave tracks.
Listen to tracks from The Renaissance on Q-tip's myspace blog here.
In 74 days, President Barack Obama will assume responsibility for guiding the nation out of two wars and through a daunting array of real and potential global crises. Obama is likely to benefit from initial goodwill across much of the planet, where there's profound relief that the Bush years are ending. President Bush himself has taken steps, such as outreach to Iran and Syria , in his waning months that could provide Obama with diplomatic opportunities. But still, Obama faces many troubles to what might be the worst economy since the Great Depression in 1930’s.
Iraq, where Obama has promised to withdraw U.S. troops by summer 2010, is less violent, but far from stable or self-reliant because Al Qaida and the Taliban have grown stronger and now control parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan's tribal areas. Neither sanctions have halted Iran's nuclear development.
Obama has pledged to remove U.S. troops from Iraq in 16 months after taking office and to increase U.S. forces in Afghanistan . Whether he can meet that deadline remains to be seen, and the future of the U.S. troop presence is caught up in an agreement Bush is negotiating with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki that's been delayed repeatedly.
If history is a guide, Obama will face early tests from abroad as president, either from leaders seeking to gauge his mettle, or from surprise events. So please, don’t expect change immediately. Obama is a stepping stone for change. Hopefully he will be reelected because it is going to take at least one term for us to even see “change”.
Read more...
As we made history by electing our first African-American President, Proposition 8 passed. The election results come as a bittersweet victory for many as said proposition aims to eliminate gay marriage. Many wonder why, in a supposed liberal, equality-supporting state such as California, this prop was backed heavily.
There was a time when blacks couldn't even marry whites. It was deemed a felony just mere decades ago using the same scare-tactics displayed today; portraying it as some "abnormal", "detrimental" action among other mindless fodder spewed in campaign ads.
So here's a question: why eliminate someone's right to offically commit to their loved one? Religion? Homophobia? For those who voted Yes...why?
*If you were disappointed by the intolerance that many people still seem to possess in California, please sign the petition.
Click here.
Early voting has begun!
For those of you living in the Riverside County Area, the nearest Early Voting Center is in Moreno Valley. Directions as follows:
| 1. | Head east on University Ave toward Iowa Ave | 0.4 mi |
| 2. | Turn right to merge onto I-215 S toward Indio | 3.3 mi |
| 3. | Slight left at CA-60 E (signs for Indio/ | 0.7 mi |
| 4. | Take the DAY St exit toward MORENO Valley | 0.3 mi |
| 5. | Keep right at the fork to continue toward Day St and merge onto Day St | 0.5 mi |
| 6. | Turn right at Gateway Dr | 0.4 mi |
...Megan Good!
Check her out as Luba in the 5th SAW movie out this weekend!
Lucia Leticia Minaya
Major: Business
Favorite Event So Far ?: ASA Welcome Back After Party @ 108
Classes: English, Anthropology and Economics
Interests: Culture (meeting people and learning what they are about) and Music
Ethnic Background: Dominican and Guatemalan
What are you Doing This Weekend?: Celebrating my birthday going to the Kappa Aarluu Jump Off.
Aaryn Poche
High School: Burbank High
Major: Business
Favorite Event So Far ?: UDC Block Party After Party
Classes: English, Econ 4 and Sociology Racial and Ethnic Issues In American Society
Interests: Likes To Travel, Fashion and Music
Ethnic Background: African American, French, Native American, Irish and Welsh
What are you Doing This Weekend?: Celebrating her roommate Lucia’s birthday
Dear Music,
I once loved all that you had to offer. The artistic beauty with the movement of your rythmic notation and your inspiring words of sexual embrace and life's worthiness. You
taught me things that my parents could not like how to love, be in a constructive reslationship, how to worship, how to love myself, and that have obstacles. You showed the world talents of great artists like Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, Al Green, Luther Vandross, Whitney Houston, Billie Holiday.
You gave street love a new look with youngsters telling the world their life stories with gangbanging, living in poverty, hood life, new skills in the game came present with artists like Warren G, Tupac, Notorious BIG, Dj Quik, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dog, Nutty by Nature.
Yet over the years music you have changed. The things that were fly, artistic, inspiring, loving, and romantic has become sex orientated, degrading, and irresponsible.. Songs like lets get Jerking, Geeked Up, Pop Lock and Drop It, Pussy Poppin on a Hand Stand, Look Back At It. Artists like Trina and Lil' Kim are telling the world how bad they pussy is and how far down a dick can go down their throats. You have artists like Game degrading women and putting them as whores and easy. Or 50cent with a theme park of sexual activites and how a girl can benefit him.
Women are now not unworthy music especially Black women who either do whatever they are told like bend over girl show me wat u working with or being called whores because they are using sex to get in a man's music industry by wearing damn near nothing on music videos, degrading themselves and their families like vidoe vicines Michelle Ford and Super Head or letting men run them over for the sake of being ran over.
What happened music. Things used to be great when you had meaning and I don't mean the beats and instrumental enhancements of modern technology of computer usage such as T-Pain but the misleading music by the young and the old like Soldier Boy with him singing songs of ejaculation on a female's back and when the speciment is drying you place a sheet on her back and push her off of the bed and let her fly like superman. Like is this seriously music?
Do I honestly want my children listening to this nonsense and call it music? Music is artistic words and creative music coming together for popular view. Yes, economically that song or many of the songs stated are well with high volumes of ring tone sales and single downloads or album sales; but is it music?
Does it having meaning? Does it show character, optimism? Does it show creativity? Does it embrace life's goods and bads that young people cannot learn from their parents?
Or has music become an industry of money and no longer about good music? In which popularity of whatever nonsense can be expressed is beneficial to the public's view?
Damn music I once loved you but now I'm a little scared but there are people who are still trying to hold on to the true music like Musiq Soulchild, Beyonce, Common, Lupe Fisasco, LL Cool J, Mary J. Bildge, Lauryn Hill, Rahyeem Davon, Neyo, Ciara, Ashanti, Mariah Caery, Rhianna, Chris Brown, Ginuwine, Jill Scot, Angie Stone, Keisha Cole
Well I guess ill just keep listening to them because I don't know what's going. But when you get this please respond back,
Sincerely,
The Word to the Wise
I'm missing the antecedent ebony crayon of the sexy dark skin that represents our roots. Gazing out into an African/ African American/ Black crowd around the Carillon Bell Tower at UC Riverside, I see beautiful mocha, honey, milk chocolate, chocolate, and ebony shades of black. Why do I only see these mocha and honey shades in the media? Seldom do I see these beautiful darker skinned shades in the media. It is upsetting this day and age to think that society is so concerned with the hues of a person's skin shade that they have consciously and subconsciously convinced us that anything other than light is just not right. On a recent Tyra Show episode, Tyra herself admits that their is a lack of darker skinned role-models within the media to show that beauty can come in any shade. Society subconciously tells us that anything but light skin is not attractive or appealing by idolizing Beyonce, Rihanna, Ciara, Boris Kodjoe, Shemar Moore, and others. Not to say that these celebrities are not beautiful or attractive in their own right, but there is not a proportionate balance of the shades of black represented in the media. Women on this episode of the Tyra Show go as far as to bleach themselves and one mother even bleaches her own children. Please copy and paste this link: http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshhXZ154W5R1MAAPLn1
-Nathaniel Statistic
I have read a lot of articles about the Sudanese genocide that tell me who is dying, when something happens and where. But a lot of the times articles forget to explain why a government would be working to systematically massacre a whole portion of its population. So I took a little time to read up on the genocide to find out how and why the killing began. The violence in Sudan began with a civil war, which began as a fight between rebel Christian/Animist sects of the Sudanese and the Muslim Central Government. There had long since been a distaste of the animist by the Muslim majority of the country. The President and government then funded an Arab Militia to keep the rebels in check. This militia became known as the Janjaweed or armed horsemen. What began as an insurrection over scarce resources and poor treatment by the Muslim leaders of the Sudan, morphed into a Religious and Ethnic cleansing.
The current crisis known as the Darfur Genocide Began in December of 2003 when the peace talks between the Government and the rebel forces now known as the SLM/A, Sudanese Liberation Movement/Army and the JEM, Justice and Equality Movement, fell apart. The Armed Horsemen were then turned loose on the African Masalit, Fur, and Zaghawa people whom the rebels get their support from. A lot of these groups under attack are also Muslims with slight differences in that some have tinges of Animism and Sufismin their practices. Animism being the belief that spirits inhabit and animate the world around us and these spirits are separable from the body; and Sufism is a mystical branch of Islam that deviates from orthodox strictures.
As you read this article the genocide continues. The Armed Horsemen funded by a country with oil Income rain bullets down on civilians. Even those who escape the Sudan to nearby Chad into the refugee camps are allowed no solace pursued by the militia; women being raped and tortured and men killed. At best count to this day 350,000 people have died as a result of this crisis and nearly as many displaced from their home. The violence continues and makes me wonder, how we will be judged by our progeny for letting this atrocity continue with not a thought for human life. Instead our concerns are for the oil/gas prices that partially fuel this human massacre.
Oldgen Rillago
