President Obama says “The Best Anti Poverty Program Is a Quality Education”

Join us for another afternoon of Black Teen Empowerment Radio. On today’s program Scotty Reid and R Lee Gordon will be joined by youth host Troi Thomas as she makes her debut appearance on Black Teen Empowerment Radio. Read more about Ms. Troi here.



Also joining us today will be Keith Dent of Striving 2 Succeed!


Keith Dent has been developing specific programs to help teens and their families achieve success where they may have had difficulties in the past. Whether it is academics, relationships, athletics, or preparing for college, Keith says he can coach young people to develop patterns and skill sets that will put them on a path to a brighter future.

Keith has a Bachelor of Science from Georgetown University, Master Degree from Milano The New School for Management and Urban Policy and is a Certified Empowerment Coach from the Institute of Professional Empowerment Coaching. He will be speaking with Ms. Troi Thomas today about what teens need to succeed.



President Obama gave the 2011 State of the Union speech recently and while he discussed a number of issues from the economy to national unity, he spoke briefly about the need for investing in education, reforms and specific legislation designed to help students and their families. We will listen to that portion of the speech and offer our commentary on what the President proposed.

BLACK ENTREPRENEURS “INSPIRE!” YOUTH WITH POWERFUL BLACK HISTORY MOVEMENT

ATLANTA, GA — African American youth across the country are constantly battling the ailments of society from gangs and drugs, to poverty and prison. But a new coalition of Black entrepreneurs has come up with a way to INSPIRE! young people across the nation through a remarkable collaboration of resources and intelligence.

The INSPIRE! Movement, launched by young scholar and powerful lecturer, Jamaal Brown and groundbreaking youth movement coordinator, R. Lee Gordon, is a commitment to assemble the rich resources of the national community to dramatically change the lives of young African Americans for the better.

Established as a collaborative effort, the INSPIRE! Movement brings business owners, educators, and way-makers together for one cause.

“The purpose of the INSPIRE! Movement is to actively build a more beautiful and enriching life for our youth,” says Brown, creator of the first Black365 Calendar. “It was created so that individuals who were not only interested in helping African American youth, but also who were actually doing so - by way of products, services and individual movements - could pool their collective energies to make a significant impact in the lives of African American youth in this country, and potentially beyond.”

This spring, the leaders of INSPIRE! will be kicking off the movement’s inaugural Black Youth Summit Tour in Atlanta.

By supporting one another’s businesses, participants of the INSPIRE! Movement not only manifest cooperative economics, but they also generate mounting funds for scholarships, grants, and culturally relevant products for African American youth.

Overall, the movement’s partners desire to ignite a fire of excitement for Black History and unity among youth across America. And with the help of more like-minded individuals, young African Americans will begin to recognize the greatness within them.

“We’re asking people to inform us about youth programs, activities, events and opportunities so we can post these resources on our website. We believe too many of our children fall to the streets because we fail to put positive things on their paths,” explained Gordon, who is also founder of The National Black TEEN Empowerment Expo.

The INSPIRE! Movement has gained the support of well-respected business leaders like Dexter Humphrey of www.read25.org, Hugh Gaddy of Black in Time Enterprises, Loretta Faith Harris of CH Publishing, Joan Gosier of HBCU Kidz, and Anthony Hall of The Rose of Education.

Learn more about the INSPIRE! Movement at www.INSPIREMovement.org.

Modest Models Inc, Missing Black Children and Federal Court Upholds Equal Opportunity Admissions

This week we spoke with Sister Tamorah Shareef Muhammad and Sister La Tika Daania Muhammad about Modest Models Inc.

Sister Tamorah is the Founder of Modest Models Inc, which she started December of 2010. She says:

“Our Mission is 1 Timothy 2:9-10 (New International Version)I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, 10 but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God. The Mission and goal of our group is to obtain Righteous decency of the Beauty of the Righteous Woman. The Qur’an says, "Do not allow Satan to remove your Garments". With the removal of Garments in which guards us from evil. This Garment is of the mind, body, and soul!

We will allow the viewer to see the Beauty of what Allah has bestowed on us. By not exposing ourselves to Nakedness and Shame, which the industries are very, obsessed with. This gives the viewer not only to see the clothing and Garments in a descent way. But it will show that We as women are beautiful without the removal of our Sacredness. It stands True Each Civilization Is Judged By it's Treatment of the Woman.

Modest Models Inc has 589 Members but Tamorah does not run this group alone she has Excellent Administrators. Sister Latika Muhammad, Sister Arian Muhammad, Sister Lorraine Muhammad, Sister Melanie Butler Muhammad, Sister Lakisha 2X, and Sister Mecca Donna, Sister Amanda, Michelle X Oliver.”



This week Scotty Reid had the opportunity to talk with Sister Gaetane Borders of Peas in their Pods, an organization that assists in alerting the public about missing children. He spoke to her about the recent comments of a Baltimore Police spokesperson who expressed disappointment in the national media coverage of missing teen Phylicia Barnes. We will hear what Sister Gaetane thinks about the national media coverage of missing teens in general and the amount of coverage given to black teens by the Black national media.

In the news this week, The Leadership Conference is reporting that a federal court recently upheld an equal opportunity admission policy of a major university. New Jersey is moving closer to offering school vouchers, what do you think about school vouchers for the black community? We shall share that news and of course share our views and opinions.

The lines will be open after we talk to the sisters about Modest Models Inc and welcome your calls about the topics of the day.

Today’s featured music is by Big Ace.

New Jersey One Step Closer On School Vouchers

Philly.com reports....

TRENTON - A pilot program for school vouchers moved one step closer to reality Thursday, after a New Jersey Senate committee released the bill following hours of heated debate.
The legislation, which is supported by Gov. Christie, would create "opportunity scholarships" that would allow children from low-income families who live in areas with "chronically failing" public schools to attend private schools, including those with religious affiliations.

Supporters, including Christie, contend that children of all income levels should be allowed to opt out of failing public schools.

Critics argue that the scholarship program would hurt the failing public schools, by taking away students and funding.

The legislation, which is modeled on a similar program in Pennsylvania, has the support of an unusual coalition of Republicans and Democrats. In addition to Christie, supporters include Excellent Education for Everyone (E3), a school-choice advocacy group cofounded by Newark Mayor Cory Booker, and the Rev. Reginald Jackson, executive director of the influential Black Ministers' Council of New Jersey.

"The intent is to give children from low-income families who are forced to attend a chronically failing school simply because of their zip code the opportunity to receive a quality education," Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D., Union), a sponsor of the bill, told the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee.

He also said the program would save taxpayers money by helping to support private schools, because when private schools close, students often return to the public school system, increasing costs for taxpayers.

Similar legislation has been discussed for years in Trenton, but advocates hope that with a supporter in the governor's office, the bill will soon be signed into law.

The bill faces a tough road, though, with opponents that include the state's largest teachers union, the New Jersey Education Association; many Democratic lawmakers; and the New Jersey NAACP. Read more...

Referee Forces Muslim Teen To Sit Out Basketball Game Due To Headscarf

By Scotty Reid

Maheem Haq, a teenaged Muslim basketball player in Maryland was forced by a referee to sit the first half of a basketball game due to her refusal to remove her headscarf in accordance to her religious beliefs. She also wears long sweat pants during the games as many Muslim women practice modesty and do not believe too much of their skin should be revealed publicly.



Dressing modestly and wearing coverings is referred to in the Christian Bible as well but not many Christians observe this tradition today. Maheem, who is 12 yrs-old, has played with her headscarf for three years it was never an issue until the un-named referee decided that it represented a safety hazard and ordered the teen to remove it. Some are claiming that technically he was within his rights because the team did not submit a letter requesting a religious exemption.

Exactly what kind of hazard posed by a tightly wrapped head scarf is beyond reason considering some male and female players at all levels play with long hair that whips around as they move up and down the court, jump for rebounds and such. An argument could be made the ref was being religiously intolerant.

Because of this controversy, which upset the teen’s teammates and some of their parents, the league has instituted a new bylaw that allows any parent to write a letter and request an exemption of the little known rule. The coach of the team that Maheem Haq plays for used the situation as a life lesson in standing up for your beliefs and standing up for others.

Martin Luther King Jr. The Civil Rights Movement & Youth

January 15th was the birthdate of Martin Luther King Jr and on Monday the nation honors him with a national holiday. Dr. Kings dream was that one day this nation would be a better place for future youth regardless of their creed, color or ethnicity. Unfortunately violence instead of peace has remained ingrained in the fabric of our current society and the struggle for social justice has been replaced by the quest for material things.

The civil rights struggle led by Dr. King focused on youth involvement and many youth of that day were inspired to man the frontlines in the war against injustice. Today the civil rights struggle and more importantly the struggle for human rights stands stagnant as today's youth are bombarded with media promoting immorality and materialism. At one time Dr. King lauded Black Radio for its role in the civil rights movement but today Black radio and the entertainment industry are the main sources of the curruption of our youth.

Join us for this special broadcast of Black Teen Empowerment Radio at 8:00 PM EST as we listen to some of Dr. King's speeches, review some of his qoutes and listen to music celebrating the legacy of a man of consciousness and direct action.

The National Black TEEN Empowerment Expo: TEEN Hall III and A March For Our Children (NYC), G.L.O.W.

“We have all the required resources to improve the quality of life and learning for our young generation. Now, let’s prove it now.”

The National Black TEEN Empowerment Expo (NBTEE) is building a national youth movement, community by community, to collectively discuss, determine and deliver better ways to reach and teach today’s young generation. We believe our strength in numbers will also mean socioeconomic power that can help our children’s needs be a greater fulfilled priority.

Youth Movements are coalitions of concerned citizens and committed groups working together to improve the quality of life and learning for (and with) our children, teens and young adults. Our primary goal is to do a better job of collecting each community’s youth resources and better connecting these resources to our youth consistently. Youth movements are now underway in Detroit, Brooklyn, (NY), New Jersey and Baltimore. In 2011, we will form youth movements in other NYC boroughs, and in Atlanta, Texas and California.

Brooklyn TEEN Hall Meeting will be held Friday, December 10th, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., at Bethany Baptist Church. Every THM requires three essential ingredients: our powerful youth, valuable youth resources and YOU. If you are a youth resource, please RSVP, and / or if you’d like to help us with this monthly event, pray tell.

We’d like to give a special thanks to Dr. Jackie Cody (www.codycares.org) who’s building the first 24-hour youth resource center in Brooklyn, and Reverend Hampton, a great man uplifting good souls throughout the Bed-Stuy community, for organizing and hosting the Brooklyn THM’s so well.

The Better Brooklyn Youth Movement and the NBTEE, in association with Long Island University’s Liberty Partnership Program, is organizing “The March For Our Children” this spring in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, NYC. The March will also include a “Youth Resource Rally” that will guide our young people to more opportunities, programs and resources during the summer months and beyond.

The Liberty Partnership Program is a free after-school program for Brooklyn high school juniors and seniors that offers basic and advanced academic skills tutoring, wellness and lifestyle management, educational, personal and family counseling, and career and college exploration activities.

The March For Our Children will lead up to a TEEN Summit to be held at LIU in late spring / early summer. If you’d like to be on the planning committee for these events, email
rgordon@betterbrooklynyouth.org, or call 734.395.3079.

G.L.O.W. (Girls Leaning On Women) is a Better Detroit Youth Movement program that provides positive role models, motivation and resources to young ladies so they grow every day, achieve their goals and shine throughout life. Call Jay at 248.961.6419, to learn more about G.L.O.W., and / or how the BDYM is building a better, brighter Detroit every day.

Better Baltimore Youth Movement TEEN Ambassador, Brielle Cunningham, is a 15-year-old sophomore at The Academy of College and Career Exploration High School. Brielle has earned the second highest GPA in her sophomore class. She’s also currently participating in the Encounter Program at Centre Stage Theatre, where she’s performing in her first play called “Post Re-Entry”.

Brielle is also an ambassador of HABESHA, and visited Africa this past summer as part of a cultural exchange program. She loves writing, acting and “just being a teenager”, and wants to attend The University of Southern California. She’ll also be a special guest host on Black TEEN Empowerment Radio, which airs Sundays at 3:PM EST. Brielle is passionate about helping others and learning more every day, which is just one reason we’re all very proud of her every day. Congratulations, Brielle !!

UniTee Design, a Black Youth enrichment enterprise, (www.uniteedesign.com) is proud to be a part of a new initiative called “INSPIRE! The Black History & Culture Youth Movement”, a collaborative of Black entrepreneurs with programs, products and resources to inform, educate and uplift today’s young generation. Together, we will ensure our children and TEENS are motivated by a greater understanding of Black history and culture, and the greatness that lives within each of them. To learn more about The INSPIRE! Project, email rgordon@uniteedesign.com, or call 734.395.3079.

Join us for live, lively conversation, special guests — and very special teens — on The Black TEEN Empowerment Radio Show every Sunday, 3:00 p.m EST. Listen in any time at www.blackteenempowerment.blogspot.com.

UniTee Design is a Black Youth Empowerment Enterprise with powerful programs and custom RBG tee-shirts that uplift our children and inspire all our souls.
www.betterdetroityouth.org

The Better Detroit Youth Movement is a volunteer-driven non-profit coalition of caring citizens and committed groups working together to improve the quality of learning and living for Detroit’s young generation.
www.nbtee.org

The National Black TEEN Empowerment Expo is actively applying the power of community and the spirit of collaboration to reinforce the values of living, learning and loving in our children.”

HOPE scholarships provide college tuition and vocational training to poor youth

January 11, 2011 — Thousands of poor youth in developing countries now have opportunities to escape poverty through education and vocational training with the HOPE--Helping Overcome Poverty through Education-- Fund provided by Children International, a U.S.-based humanitarian organization.

Currently, 8,420 HOPE scholarships have been awarded to youth ages 14 to 18 to continue their education, according to Children International’s latest HOPE Fund report.

The report reveals that over 60% of students used their scholarship for vocational training in such fields as computer training, automotive repair and other practical technical courses that provide a great opportunity to translate into employment. And a substantial number of students were able to attend college as a result of their scholarships!

Benefits of the HOPE scholarship include tuition assistance, books, housing and transportation. All of these expenses are well beyond the reach of teenagers and families living on less than $1 a day.

“The name of the scholarship itself gave me hope to be optimistic in pursuing a new chapter in my life,” said HOPE recipient Cervin Barios. The Filipino youth is a top journalism student at his university. Because of the HOPE scholarship, he is now able to compete academically with his peers.

More than 64% of the scholarships awarded were to female students to further or continue their education. In developing countries, girls are less likely to pursue or complete higher education because they often are forced to take more responsibilities in their households, or their families cannot afford to send them to school. According to a report by WorldBank, one additional year of schooling for girls can increase their future earning potential by up to 20%, and in some cases dramatically more!

“Being able to provide youth with a HOPE scholarship is giving them a chance to escape crushing poverty. I am so proud of our youth who seek to further their education and improve their lives,” said Children International President and CEO Jim Cook.

DeMayo Law Offices Awarding $37,500 in Scholarships to Graduating Seniors

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Jan. 11, 2011 - For the ninth consecutive year, the Michael A. DeMayo Scholarship program is offering local high school seniors an opportunity to win a $2,500 scholarship toward their college education. The students are judged on a number of criteria including the submission of a presentation or essay on the prevention of underage drinking and driving.

The firm will be awarding $37,500 in college scholarships to 15 graduating high school seniors who reside and attend schools in counties served by the firm. North Carolina counties include: Mecklenburg, Gaston, Catawba, Union, Cabarrus, Cleveland, Lincoln, Rowan, Caldwell, Stanly, Iredell, Alexander, Burke, Robeson, Scotland, Richmond, Anson and Cumberland. South Carolina counties include: York, Lancaster, Chesterfield, Marlboro and Dillon.

To qualify, students must have applied for full-time enrollment at a four-year university or college and return the application packet to the law firm by March 7, 2011. Interested students can download the application by visiting the Official Contest Rules page at www.DeMayoLaw.com.

Scholarships will be awarded based on the student's presentation or essay on how to prevent underage drinking and driving, as well as their application, SAT scores, transcripts and letters of recommendation. Winners will be chosen by a selection committee and announced on April 15, 2011.

"Our scholarship program attempts to capture the ideas and suggestions of teenagers, because young adults respond best to advice from their own peers," said Attorney Michael A. DeMayo, who has awarded $162,000 in scholarships since founding the program in 2003. "It is our hope and objective to get the message out to as many teens as possible in our community because even if the scholarships save only one life, the investment will have been worth it."

Web links to the 15 winning presentations will be published in a booklet and sent to community leaders and lawmakers with hope that the students' observations and suggestions could help formulate public policy and increase awareness.

The Law Offices of Michael A. DeMayo L.L.P. has offices in Charlotte, Hickory, Monroe and Lumberton and practices in the areas of personal injury, wrongful death, workers' compensation, nursing home negligence and social security disability.

For more information, contact Kristine Woolley, community relations director, at (704) 343-4644 or kwoolley@demayolaw.com. For more information about DeMayo Law Offices or the scholarship program, visit www.DeMayoLaw.com.
SOURCE Law Offices of Michael A. DeMayo L.L.P.

Jack and Jill Scholarship Application Deadline Approaches

Scholarship Value: up to $ 2500
Classifications: High School Senior
Minimum GPA: 3.0
Eligible Majors: Open
Eligible Schools: Open for 4 Year Colleges Only
Eligible Locations: Open
Application Deadline: Sunday, March 14, 2011
How to Apply : https://applyonline.uncf.org/SGA/ProgAdmin/PA_AppView_Donor.aspx and download the following form: J & J insert.pdf

If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader Click here to download

Scholarship Detail:

The Jack and Jill of America Foundation is committed to the ongoing positive development of African American youth and the development of future leaders. In addition, the Foundation provides personal, professional and financial support to children in the areas of leadership skills training and development. Further, we are engaged in education, mentoring, health & wellness, early childhood and economic development programs. The Foundation promotes the preparation of succeeding generations of children as leaders so they may attain the fullest potential as individuals, enjoy rewarding and fulfilling lives and contribute to world peace and prosperity. The key to fulfilling this vision is through education.

To this end, the Jack & Jill of America Foundation is prepared to assist in funding African Americans’ pursuit of higher education. Through contributions mainly from local Jack and Jill of America, Inc. chapters across the country, the Jack & Jill of America Foundation is providing scholarships to deserving high school seniors who meet our qualifications. The Jack and Jill of America Foundation’s National Scholarshp Program is available to high school seniors who will become and maintain full-time status at an accredited, four year post secondary institution beginning in the fall of the year working toward a bachelor’s degree.

Applicants must meet all of the eligibility requirements and deadlines to qualifiy. Scholarship awards will be applied toward tuition and room & board ranging from $1,500 to $ 2,500.

DEPENDENTS OF MEMBERS OF JACK & JILL OF AMERICA ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO APPLY.

To Whip or Not to Whip, That is the Question

Today on Black Teen Empowerment Radio, we will discuss whether parents or caretakers should whip teens under their care.



A video of an Uncle whipping his teenaged nephew with a leather belt is the subject of healthy debate in the online Black Community.



The cause for the whipping resulted from the teenager engaging in a spat with some other teens on Facebook and the teen bragging about being involved in gang activity. There is one thing about his Facebook bragging, it was all a lie and this angered the Uncle to the point that he gave the teen a good ole fashioned butt whipping on camera and had it posted to the Internet.

Many people have weighed in on the video with some praising the Uncle and others saying it was wrong for him to whip the teenaged boy, post it on the Internet and to make a video while the Uncles pants were sagging. What do you think? If you have not seen the video, you can watch it here.

Radio: Can The Black Community Take Back The Airwaves?

There may be a ray of hope when it comes to the Black community and media. Congress recently passed the Local Community Radio Act that should soon be signed into law by President Obama. Many media advocacy groups were upset that the new Net Neutrality rules will allow the telecommunications industry, (AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, etc;) to discriminate against Internet content producers who can not afford to pay fees so that mobile phone subscribers can access their content, the passage of the Local Community Radio Act may be a consolation prize if groups can act quickly enough to take advantage of the new legislation.




Reclaim the Media writes:
"Washington State elected officials played a pivotal role in passing the bill into law; Senator Maria Cantwell championed the bill in the Senate, and House cosponsors included Washington Rep. Jay Inslee.


"This is a huge win for communities across the northwest and across the country who have been pining for more and better local radio, more support for local music and more diversity on the airwaves," said Jonathan Lawson of Reclaim the Media, a Seattle-based media justice organization which has worked alongside other advocacy groups since 2002 to expand community access to media, including LPFM. "Senator Cantwell deserves our thanks for seeing this through to the end."


The FCC initially created the Low power FM service radio in 2002, as a way to counter the dramatic consolidation of radio ownership which followed the 1996 Telecommunications Act, and the resulting drop in diverse programming and local voices. However, pressure from commercial broadcasters quickly led Congress to impose substantial barriers to LPFM, so that only a relatively small number of stations were able to launch, and mostly in rural areas.


The new law removes most of those barriers, creating the opportunity for many more stations to occupy unused space on the FM dial. LPFM stations are noncommercial, must be operated by a local nonprofit, religious organization or public institution, and are limited to 100 watts. read more


Low Power FM has long been a part of the vision of Scotty Reid, President of the Black Talk Media Project, which was founded as an North Carolina non-profit in 2008 to encourage the Black community to produce an alternative to the corporate media that currently pollutes the public airwaves and as a way to engage our youth in new media production.




However, getting Black media online producers to work together has proven to be challenging. Funding has also been challenging but with the passage of the new legislation, the Black Talk Media Project hopes that it can gain support and traction. Today Black Teen Empowerment Radio will discuss what this new legislation can mean to youth and the Black Urban community at large.