A Message to My Sistas by Assata Shakur

At this time I'd like to say a few words especially to my sisters:

SISTERS. BLACK PEOPLE WILL NEVER BE FREE UNLESS BLACK WOMEN PARTICIPATE IN EVERY ASPECT OF OUR STRUGGLE, ON EVERY LEVEL OF OUR STRUGGLE.

I think that Black women, more than anybody on the face of the earth, recognize the urgency of our situation. Because it is We who come face to face daily with the institutions of our oppression. And because it is We who have borne the major responsibility of raising our children. And it is We who have to deal with the welfare systems that do not care about the welfare of our children. And it is We who have to deal with the school systems that do not educate our children. It is We who have to deal with the racist teachers who teach our children to hate themselves. It is We who have seen the terrible effects of racism on our children.

I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT OUT TO EXPRESS MY LOVE TO ALL OF YOU WHO RISK YOUR LIVES DAILY STRUGGLING OUT HERE ON THE FRONT LINES.

We who have watched our young grow too old, too soon. We who have watched our children come home angry and frustrated and seen them grow more bitter, more disillusioned with the passing of each day. And We who have seen the sick, trapped look on the faces of our children when they come to fully realize what it means to be Black in Amerikkka. And we know what deprivation is. How many times have We run out of bus fare, rent money, food money and how many times have our children gone to school in hand-me-down clothes, with holes in their shoes. We know what a hell-hole Amerikkka is. We're afraid to let our children go out and play. We're afraid to walk the streets at night. We sisters, We have seen our young, the babies that We brought into this world with such great hopes for, We have seen their bodies bloated and aching from drugs, scarred and deformed by bullet holes. We know what oppression is. We have been abused in every way imaginable. We have been abused economically, politically. We have been abused physically, and We have been abused sexually.

And sisters, We have a long and glorious history of struggle on this land/planet. Afrikan women were strong and courageous warriors long before We came to this country in chains. And here in Amerikkka, our sisters have been on the front lines. Sister Harriet Tubman led the underground railroad. And sisters like Rosa Parks, Fannie Lou Hammer, Sandra Pratt and our Queen Mother Moore have carried it on. Sisters, We have been the backbone of our communities, and We have got to be the backbone of our nation. We have got to build strong family units, based on love and struggle. We don't have no time to play around.

A REVOLUTIONARY WOMAN CAN'T HAVE NO REACTIONARY MAN.

If he's not about liberation, if he's not about struggle, if he ain't about building a strong Black nation then he ain't about nothing. We know how to struggle. We know how to struggle and finagle to survive. We know what it means, sisters, to struggle tooth and nail. We know what it means to struggle with love. We know what unity is. We know what sisterhood is. We have always been kind to each other, brought each other hot soup and biscuits. We have always helped each other through the hard times. Sisters, We must celebrate Afrikan womanhood. We don't want to be like Miss Ann. She can keep her false eyelashes and her false, despoiled image of womanhood. She can keep her mink stole and her French provincial furniture. We will define for ourselves what womanhood is. And We will create our own style and our own ways of dress. We can't have no white man in France telling Afrikan women what to look like. We will create our own New Afrikan way of living. We will create our own way of being and living our own New Afrikan culture, taking the best of the old and mixing it with the new.

SISTERS WE HAVE GOT TO TAKE CONTROL OF OUR LIVES AND OUR FUTURE WHEREVER WE ARE. AND WE HAVE GOT TO ORGANIZE OURSELVES INTO A STRONG BODY OF AFRIKAN WOMEN.

Hip Hop 4 Life Hosts 3rd Annual YOUTHFEST

Media Alert Contact: Raychelle LeBlanc –shenotes@gmail.com

Onsite contact: Nicole Tucker – nicolemtucker@gmail.com

Celebrities and Professionals Join Together to Educate and Empower youth at a Free Summit In Brooklyn

On Saturday, September 25, 2010, Hip Hop 4 Life will host its 3rd annual YOUTHFEST youth empowerment summit from 9:30 am - 4:30 pm at St. Francis College in Brooklyn. This a FREE event for youth 11-18 and this year's title is "Let's Talk About Sex -Sexual Health, Sexually Transmitted Infections, HIV/AIDS, Birth Control, Abstinence, Responsibility, Prevention, Sexual Pressure, and Teen Pregnancy.” A parent workshop on how to talk with young people about sex will be available to the first 50 parents to register.

This year’s panelist include: K‐Foxx - Hot 97 Cypha Sounds and Rosenberg Morning Show, Just Blaze - Producer/DJ, Datwon Thomas - VIBE, Kwame - Producer/Artist, Amanda Diva - Artist/Actress, Demetria Lucas - Essence/ABelleInBrooklyn.com, Thuy‐An Julien - Apple iTunes, Kearse - Niche Median, Quan Lateef - Avenue Pink, Tia Brown - Life Coach and Dr. Monica Sweeney – New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. YOUTHFEST will feature special performances by Def Jam artist Bryan J and teen poet Ne-Ne Ali. Sponsors for this year’s event include Hot 97, 98.7 Kiss FM, Wade’s World Foundation (NBA star Dwyane Wade), Pop Chips, Sprite Green, National Basketball Association, Apple iTunes, Dr. Miracle’s, Adidas, Pepperidge Farm, Raychelle LeBlanc for SheNotes Entertainment and the Oceanhill Brownsville Youth Leadership Council, to name a few.

About YOUTHFEST

YOUTHFEST is an educational, exciting and highly interactive “back‐to‐school” empowerment and prevention initiative for New York City’s youth. Every year young people, ages 11‐18, gather at this annual free event which provides an environment of communication, education, entertainment and positive messaging.

About Hip Hop 4 Life

Hip Hop 4 Life is a champion of positive youth development and empowerment, serving young people, ages 11-18, with a special emphasis on those residing in at-risk environments. They are committed to building self-esteem, confidence and sound judgment in young people so they can achieve their utmost potential and become proactive members and leaders within their communities. This is done through year-round mentoring, social and educational activities and interactive life skills training/health-risk prevention workshops which incorporate celebrities, as well as health, corporate and entertainment professionals. Since its inception in 2003, Hip Hop 4 Life has partnered with youth community service organizations, schools, and the New York City Department of Education to execute workshops and events that have reached thousands of young people throughout New York City and nationwide.
Other programs include The Empowerment Team Mentoring Program, Shades of Beauty-an empowerment program for girls, and Man UP!-an empowerment program for boys.
For More info: http://www.hiphop4lifeonline.com/

Gerreddi and his new single "What's Happenin" has DC back on the map.

GERREDDI

When DC, Maryland and Virginia natives want to know the latest and greatest they have an expert in their mists. DC Native, Delante “Gerreddi” Hines, has made quite a splash in the DC, MB and VA area with his new smash single “What’s Happenin”. In addition to taking DC radio by storm you can also here the song as an opener for the Washington Wizards basketball games.

Born in Washington, D.C., Gerreddi discovered his passion for writing poetry at a very young age. It became an early escape route for the only child and helped him get thru the daily struggles of life. Eventually the temptation was more than he could resist and he reverted to a fast lifestyle of violence. This led Gerreddi to incarceration where he realized that he was on a road to nowhere.

It didn’t take long for this young soldier to realize that he had a way with words and his talent was soon evident when he would engage in ciphers against other competitive rappers in the hood. Fascinated with the art of Hip Hop, he would enter every contest that he could while actually researching the music industry. He competed and won the Roc the Mic Tour Battle Championship held at the Nissan Pavilion. He was to receive a recording contract with Rocafella Records but that never came to fruition but this did not stop this rising star.

Gerreddi has met the music game head on and it has been paying off big time. In addition to winning endless rap battles on WPGC 95.5, DC’s radio station, he has performed at a host of clubs throughout the area. Most recently he opened for 3/6 Mafia at the Rockville Sportsplex and was featured on a recent Cornerstone Mixtape hosted by Big Tigger.

True to the grind, Gerreddi has put out six mix tapes and his current, “Got Bars”, hosted by Big Tigger and DJ Redz and has been well received in the DMV region and beyond. He has sold over 20,000 units in the Washington-Metropolitan area and there is a continued demand. Gerreddi is currently completing his independent album entitled, “READY OR NOT” which includes features from Scarface, Devin the Dude, Bonecrusher and more.

The Women's Media Center Honor Women Nominees for 2010 Academy Awards

Celebrate Women Nominees for 2010 Academy Awards and Support Women in Filmhttp://bit.ly/oscarwmc

Women are 51% of the population but are losing ground in Hollywood. Even as we celebrate Kathryn Bigelow's "Best Director" nomination, in 2009, women comprised only 7% of all directors, 8% of writers, 17% of all executive producers, and 35 percent of 2009's top films had no female producers at all.

As Women's Media Center honors the women who have been nominated for Oscars in 2010, we are working to ensure that women are both recognized for their work and given equal opportunities.

Sign onto our campaign, and we will deliver your signature to the Academy and studio heads to ensure an even longer list of nominees next year! http://bit.ly/oscarwmc


For more info visit the Women's Media Center: www.womensmediacenter.com

Michael Willis of Too Loaded Records Inc. & T L R Entertainment

Michael Willis, President and CEO of
Too Loaded Records Inc. & T L R Entertainment

When we think about the long list of talented musicians that have been nurtured in the city of New Orleans we would be remiss not to acknowledge the incredible business sense that is behind it. For that we can look to Michael “Money Mike” Willis. A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, Michael was raised in the Algiers section of the “Big Easy” in the Christopher Holmes Housing Development, known as “Da Chris”, by his mother and his grandparents.

As a drum major at both L. B. Landry High School and O. Perry Walker High School, his talent and love for music were evident. Living and breathing music certainly paid off in a big way for young Mike Willis. He was on the front lines of the industry by time New Orleans started leaving its imprint on the world of Hip Hop. In 1994, Michael met with Percy Miller, Master-P owner of No Limit Records and together they completed the production and distribution of Michael’s first artist Tre-8, the album titled, Ghetto Stories.

His first label, Smoke-1 Records dissolved after a difference in direction with his then business partners. Branching out on his own and with a small investment from Percy Miller, Michael started his own label; Too Loaded Records Inc.

True to the expectation of all that New Orleans has offered to the world of music, Too Loaded Records was birthed in 1998. It has become the launching pad for some of the South’s most talented artists. In 2003, Michael with his business sense and industry know-how landed two P & D deals. The first deal was with Malaco Music Group and another with Fontana, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group.

Too Loaded Records & TLR Entertainment welcomes a diverse roster of Hip-Hop, R&B and Gospel artists. They boasts of such artists as Jai Reed, a Stellar Music Awards Nominee, Missippi, a Big Easy Award Winner, Toez-Pacino, Lil Jinks, Ms. Kim, and just recently J-Gunna & Camden.

In addition to his business sense, Mr. Willis is just as known for the love that he displays for his community at large. Super Sunday is a mega, yearly event that he produces that serves as a celebration of great music, fantastic food and community among the people of New Orleans. He is endeared for the continuous contribution that he makes to his community and appreciated for the mark he is making in the music world with his label.

Michael Willis believes that hard work is more than a notion and with his business skill and top tier talent, Too Loaded Records Inc. and T L R Entertainment will continue to evolve as one of strongest independent owned music companies in the World. And so far, they are right on course!

What Does Oprah Have That You Don't?!

by Kelly Green(Email: kelly@holisticbrandingcoach.com)

What does Oprah have that you don't? Well besides 1 billion dollars, the one thing that all successful people (and companies), like Oprah, have in common is a commitment to their brand. They have firmly established the message they want to send to their target consumer and have consistently maintained that message. Although it may need to be tweaked over time, the basic essential message remains the same. Think of some of the most popular brands you know - Oprah, Coca-Cola, Mercedes Benz, Tina Turner, etc. With each of these brands you know exactly what to expect when you buy into their product - an informative, entertaining talk show; a cool, refreshing beverage; a quality, luxury vehicle and a high-energy, electrifying concert. By staying true to the brand message they want to convey to their target audience, these people/ companies have been able to turn their passions into profits!

You too can build a successful practice by considering the commonalities of those entities. Start by doing the following:

1) Identify your brand early in the business development stage. When developing your business plan, the mission statement should reflect the image you wish to portray to the public; ie, your brand. Once you have a solid business plan, constantly refer to your mission statement when devising any business strategies. This will greatly increase the chance that all marketing campaigns going forward will incorporate your brand objective. Furthermore, by staying committed to that brand, you solidify a standing with your ideal clients/ customers. Staying committed means nothing more than believing in your product or service and presenting it in its' most authentic form. In a previous article I wrote about identifying your personal values while developing your brand. With every marketing message you put out, constantly refer to those values. Making sure that once again the core message is the same.

2) Re-evaluate, re-evaluate, re-evaluate! Is your product/ service reaching your ideal consumer? No? Then clearly you are off-the-mark with your branding. One of the ways in which to get back on track is to re-evaluate your marketing strategy. Now normally I wouldn't advise doing any marketing without first establishing your brand. However, in this case marketing can be justified. Depending on your type of business, doing a simple, inexpensive marketing campaign such as creating a blog, circulating a newsletter, offering coupons or discounted services allows you to get feedback as to what your customers like and dislike. You'll also recognize what campaigns garner the desired sales results. The ones that work can be tweaked and used to attract your ideal client.

3) Research, research and more research! You should always be current with any trends that are taking place in your industry; in other words, stay ahead of the curve! The best way to do this is to stay connected. In today's climate of social networking, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc., makes it easier than ever to connect with potential customers and others in your industry. You will want to be very specific with your networking endeavors; not all of them will get you in front of your target audience. Some other strategies include joining industry specific associations, getting involved with community activities that will get your name publicized and trying a referral partnership with other local entrepreneurs that can send business your way.

Many people tend to overlook the value in doing research of your direct competition. It's one thing to look at the competition who are doing well and envy their success, but it's quite another to take that information, dissect it (research how, why and the ROI) and utilize it to benefit your bottom line. In some industries it's perfectly acceptable to collaborate with your competition or even form an affiliate relationship. If that's not possible, pay attention to their marketing campaigns and take note of the factors that caused sales to spike or slump. Bottom line in research - track the trends and capitalize!

Staying committed to your brand is sometimes daunting especially when your business does not take off right away, but don't despair - think Oprah! If this is your passion, stay the course! Happy Branding!

(To contact this author, Email: kelly@holisticbrandingcoach.com)

Filmmaker and Director Bobby Yan Wraps Commercial for Ford Motors

Local Talent Continues to Make National Impact

Last weekend, in Atlanta, Ga., director Bobby Yan added another national campaign to his very successful stint of recent projects. He was chosen to shoot a Ford Motor commercial featuring the new 2010 Ford Taurus for a strategic partnership to promote TV One's new premiere program, "Unsung".

Two weeks prior, in Los Angeles, he directed the first two videos off of the Oscar Award winning group, Three 6 Mafia’s forthcoming album, "Laws of Power" including the first single, "Shake My" featuring Kalenna (Diddy's new group, Dirty Money).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_OgbjO6pp4

The second single is titled "Lil Freak" and was shot in Three 6's hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUcB0Vkwn

Just a few months prior, Mr. Yan directed videos for 2 Stellar Award nominees, GI, “Get Up” and the James Fortune’s smash single “I Trust You” which is still in heavy rotation on radio and has been deemed the most played Gospel song of the year.

When asked what inspires Bobby to be so steadfast and relentless in his approach to his craft, he responds, “My passion for filmmaking both on and off the set keeps me going.” He continues, “I always want to outdo myself on each new job, growing leaps and bounds and continually evolving my look and style. It keeps me fresh and always on the forefront of creativity and technology.”

Other video projects include; Super 400, “Flashlight”, Hurricane Chris, “A Bay Bay”, Mecca/ft. Raheem Davaughn, “Doggstarr” remix and Julius Petty, “Get Out Of My Way”.

About Bobby Yan

Asian American filmmaker Bobby Yan was born and raised in Washington Heights, moved to Hollis Queens, and later spent his very formative college years in New Orleans, La. His rich background surrounded by a diverse melting pot of cultures, people and experiences have had a major impact on how he sees the world and the filters by which his creativity flows. His artistic eye is influenced by living and breathing the Hip Hop culture in New York City as well as the spirit of the South and his Chinese American heritage. This true hidden talent recently graduated from NYU with a Masters in Digital Design, honing his visual skills with CGI and EFX. With a passion for change, Yan's commitment to film is to create works within the Hollywood system, as well as outside of it.

For Bobby Yan’s reel and other clips: http://immigrantfilm.com/directors/Bobby%20Yan/

Contact: SheNotes Ent, Raychelle LeBlanc, shenotes@gmail.com