Watoto From The Nile & Defunding of At-Risk Youth

 Join us today for another episode of Black Teen Empowerment Radio as we feature an interview with the youth music group Watoto From The Nile conducted by highschool student Chanel Morson, a Black Talk Media Project youth reporter.



The group is composed of three sisters stemming from their home town of Harriet Tubman City (Baltimore, Maryland) have come to silence all notions of the youth being lost and uncontrollable. Still in elementary school, Nia, Nya and Kamaria, known as Watoto From the Nile, are a young African-centered, thought provoking, socially and culturally conscious music group. They are a testament to the fact that music can be used for much more than to propagandize messages of death and destruction. The “money, cash, hoes” days are very much coming to a close and these young divas are leading the way for change.




Download "Letter To Lil' Wayne"



After the interview the Black Teen Empowerment Crew will discuss how Federal budget cuts may impact youth in our communities. A federally funded youth crime prevention program in Hawaii is slated to be defunded by Sept 30, 2011 and is just one example of programs for youth that will be a causualty of the budget crisis facing Congress. What are some of the solutions to funding worthy projects without relying on federal grants that can dry up depending upon the political mood of whatever political party controlls the purse strings.

Stacy Lattisaw Says She Is Not the Same Girl and When Your Child Is Being Bullied

This past Sunday the Black Teen Empowerment Crew was joined by the one and only Stacy Lattisaw-Jackson. Yes we are talking about the former R&B star who had a string of Top 40 R&B hits and a #1 duet with Johnny Gill.



She discussed her decision to leave the music industry on her own terms, the state of much of the music today lacking substance, the performance rights of musician and artists to be paid when their music is played on terrestrial radio and more.



Mrs. Lattisaw-Jackson is now a minister and an author recently penning an autobiography, called “I Am Not The Same Girl: RENEWED”. Her company Believers Building Bridges is involved in helping to empower youth and she is working to provide a community center for youth in the Washington, DC area. You must check out the podcast if you missed the live program.



During the second hour we were joined by Dexter Humphreys of the anti-bullying campaign “No B.U.L.L” and discussed the school bullying issue. Bullying has been thrust back into the national spotlight by a video of a bullying victim turning the tables on his tormentor.



Recently President Barack Obama participated in conference to address the issue and proposed a number of programs and policies to address bullying. Dexter shared some valuable information on how students, parents and the community at large can better protect our youth from bullying.

Madeline Long-Gill of G2 Media and Every Step Counts

The Black Teen Empowerment Crew welcomes Madeline Long-Gill to the program to discuss recent developments in new Internet-based technologies and the non-profit group Every Step Counts which addresses violence towards women, teens and children.




Right Click To Download

Madeline Long-Gill, Chief Operating Officer for >G2 Media, a low cost alternative to cable TV offering 50 cable channels for $18.95. The service will be available beginning spring 2011. Through a patent pending cable delivery method, subscribers will receive 50 channels including CNN, Discovery, and the new Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) for $18.95 per month. With G2 Media, there is no need to wait hours for a cable installer. Customers simply plug their existing Internet connection into the free set top box then attach the box to their television and enjoy watching their favorite cable television content at a fraction of the cost of similar services. G2 Media is committed to providing a truly affordable alternative to traditional cable television making cable services affordable for all consumers.



Madeline is also the founder of Every Step Counts, a nonprofit advocacy organization working to end violence against women and children and the coordinator of the Forest Park Center for Family Service, an on campus center designed to address domestic, family and sexual violence on a college campus. Visit their website at www.estepco.org.

Urban Presentations Uses Technology, Art & Education To Empower Urban Youth

Clarence Barbee aka Nabraska Poet is a skilled and accomplished spoken word poet and teacher and his resume speaks of community building, urban youth education, and communication through the voice as well as the pen. Clarence has successfully facilitated spoken word poetry workshops in youth detention centers, as well as group homes, and youth groups throughout the Midwest.

Urban Presentations is his current project in which he hopes to affect positive change in the lives of urban youth.  He is no stranger to the problems that urban youth face as he has taught in impoverished schools, youth prison facilities and tutored troubled youth  with positive effects.

Clarence received his BA in Historical Studies from Clark Atlanta University, and is currently pursuing his Masters Degree in the field of Education. Check out Urban Presentations.