- For more on executive success in the workplace:
- How to Deal with the Boss from Hell
- Step Your Game Up with a Career Coach
- How to manage your feelings
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
The Boss Effect: How Small Gestures Make Big Impressions
Dr. Boyce Video -- Dr. Byron Price Speaks on Black Male Mass Incarceration
Filed under: Dr. Boyce Money
When prisons are full of black men, that means that fathers are being taken away from their children and potential husbands are being taken away from black women. In fact, economists have drawn a clear and consistent link between mass incarceration and the proportion of black women who never walk down the isle. Making matters worse is the fact that these individuals are marginalized from society for life after doing time, even if they committed their crimes at an early age: they can't vote in most states, they have a difficult time getting access to an education, and they can't find jobs. So, by thinking that we are tough on crime, we are actually making crime worse by increasing the risk of recidivism. So, if you want to know why I've remained involved with the prison inmate strike in Georgia and created an organization to help create opportunities for formerly incarcerated Americans, you now know why. The truth is that although many of us may never serve time in prison, the prison industrial complex affects almost all of us in some significant way. Our boys are being led down a trail of death and misery and we must find ways as a community to shut this thing down by any means necessary. The interview with Byron is below -- enjoy!
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action Resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.
UBR Morning Post: NuJak Entrepreneurs Share the Power of Partnerships
NuJak's city: Partners Jackson and Kendrick
This week on The Urban Business Roundtable, UBR Executive Producer TaQuoya Kennedy speaks with Frank Kendrick and Tim Jackson, the business partners behind NuJak Companies, winner of the 2010 Black Enterprise Small Business of the Year award. NuJak, founded in 1992, provides construction management, general contracting and real estate services.
WATCH: NuJak Companies Entrepreneur of the Week profile on the Black Enterprise Business Report
Based in Lakeland, FL, the epicenter of the Sunshine State's high tech corridor, NuJak specializes in the design and construction of commercial facilities, including those for religious, educational and financial institutions. NuJak implemented an extensive technology enhancement strategy that resulted in savings of about $150,000 per year. Kendrick and Jackson share how as fraternity brothers and buddies from college, they came together to pool their skills, knowledge, talent and capital to create one of Florida's fastest growing Black-owned construction firms. In addition, Kennedy will speak with them about what it take to create and maintain a successful business partnership between friends.
Grant shares wealth-building tips.
Also on this week's edition of The Urban Business Roundtable, contributor Renita Young speaks with Gerald Grant Jr., director of financial planning for AXA Advisors' South Florida Branch and author of Bold Moves to Creating Financial Wealth. Named Banker of the Year by the Miami-Dade Urban Bankers Association, Grant explains what he's found to be the key difference between wealthy and non-wealthy people, while sharing proven wealth-building tips.
My "Alfred's Notepad" commentary shares some of the key elements of a great elevator pitch for your business. This information will be very useful to entrepreneurs who intend to enter the 2011 Black Enterprise Elevator Pitch Competition for a chance to win prizes, including $10,000 in capital for the best business pitch. Finalists will earn the chance to deliver their pitch at the Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference, slated for May 22-25, 2011 in Atlanta. The deadline for contest entries is March 31, 2011. Once again I'll also be sharing a special discount code that will allow UBR listeners to knock more than 50% off of the cost of registration for the Entrepreneurs Conference, if they register by February 12. (That's next week, folks!)
In addition, every week on UBR, you'll get motivation and inspiration from author and entrepreneurial icon Farrah Gray, a weekly wrap-up of business news from USA Today Business Correspondent Charisse Jones, our Patient Investor Report from Ariel Investments and key economic intelligence for small business owners from our UBR Economists Derrick Collins and Rasheed Carter.
If you have a question you want answered or a topic you want addressed on The Urban Business Roundtable, send me an e-mail at edmonda@blackenterprise.com or to me at Twitter or Facebook.
Alfred Edmond Jr.
Alfred Edmond Jr. is the senior VP/editor-at-large of Black Enterprise and the host of the Urban Business Roundtable, a weekly radio show, sponsored by Ariel Investments, airing CST Wednesdays at 8:30 a.m., Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. on WVON-AM 1690, the Talk of Chicago. You can also listen live online at WVON.com. Check back each Wednesday for The UBR Morning Post, which features additional resources, advice and information from and about the topics, entrepreneurs and experts featured on the show.
Half of Detroit Public Schools In Danger of Closing
Detroit's school system is getting a failing grade (Thinkstock)
Detroit is in trouble—again. The city’s public school district continues to grapple with a $327-million budget deficit, resulting in painful cuts for staff and students. If an alternate solution isn’t implemented, the district will be forced to shut down half of its schools by 2014, pushing the average high school class size up to 62 students, run by offsite regional principals.
While decision-makers describe the plan as a draconian solution, time is running out and early stages are already in place as the school system buckles under the deficit. “That’s what the current law requires us to do,” says Steve Wasko, Executive Director of Public Relations for Detroit Public Schools. “We call it Plan A. We have porous boundaries and it would further drive parents away from our school system, but it is the plan to exist.”
In response, Detroit educational leaders are meeting with state officials, scrambling to advocate for at least two alternative plans. “We've been generating long term proposals to share with elected officials in Lansing,” Wasko says. One plan under consideration includes a proposal that was submitted for President Obama’s “Race To The Top” initiative, which includes the elimination of teacher seniority. Another plan involves taking existing debt and discarding it, similar to a General Motors style restructuring. Detroit officials have also been looking at models used in New Orleans post-Hurricane Katrina for federal funding to drive academic reforms.
While Detroit residents pay considerably higher property taxes than the surrounding suburbs, the city’s population has decreased significantly in the last decade due to a host of quality of life issues—including the economic downturn, lack of jobs and an increase in crime. The decline in the state’s economy has deepened the problems for the city’s schools, where funding sources have dwindled. In 2000, 180,000 students were enrolled in Detroit Public Schools. That number has since decreased to 74,000. Of the students left, more than 80% are from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, according to the Detroit Free Press. Classrooms are already overcrowded—averaging 35 students from sixth to twelfth grade—so doubling the class size will be a nearly impossible undertaking for teachers to handle effectively.
“What I worry about are people who live in the Detroit district, because of the budget cuts and financial problems, they will have to change schools and go to another district,” says DeWanna Arrington, a local high school senior who will attend Eastern Michigan University in the fall to study nursing. “I’m really worried about students who will give up and drop out. You need a high school education and some type of degree in college in order to get a job. I worry about the teachers that will lose jobs. There are really good teachers here.”
Detroit’s school district has been in a state of turmoil for nearly a decade, when a state takeover was implemented due to mismanagement and constant infighting between the school board and the superintendent. In February 2009, consultant Robert Bobb was appointed as the Emergency Financial Manager. In a November 2009 Black Enterprise article “Can Detroit Be Saved?” Bobb told BE’s Editorial Director Alan Hughes, “the school system must put in place, aggressively and urgently, methods for 21st century teaching and learning.” At the time, he was considering having the city's school district file for bankruptcy, a proposal that was eventually abandoned.
Bobb's contract ends this spring, but it’s likely to be extended until the end of the school year. “I don't know if the state would appoint another financial manager, but it would be hard to imagine it without [one],” Wasko says. Under new state leadership of Republican Governor Rick Snyder, it’s unclear of how the change in governance will affect the city’s plight and what the next steps will be in the process.
Friday, January 7, 2011
In the News: TV No Longer a Viable News Source for Young Adults
Last year, 65% of people ages 18 to 29 named the Internet as their source for news, which almost doubled from 34% in 2007. Those who did consider television as their main source slipped from 68% to 52% in that same time frame.
This trend is spreading to other age groups. Nearly half (48 %) of those in the 30-59 age range note the Internet as their central news source. This is up from 32% in 2007, whereas television dropped from 71% to 63%. The number of people 65 and older who pull their news from the Internet rose from 5% to 14%. On the other hand, of those in the 51-64 age group, 34% turn to the Internet, which is comparable to the number of people who name newspapers (38%) as their go-to source.
The study surveyed 1500 American adults, 41% saying they received their national and international news from the web—a 17% increase from 2007.
What do you think? Take our survey.
For related content, read:
Follow Black Enterprise at the Consumer Electronics Show
In the News: TV No Longer a Viable News Source for Young Adults
Last year, 65% of people ages 18 to 29 named the Internet as their source for news, which almost doubled from 34% in 2007. Those who did consider television as their main source slipped from 68% to 52% in that same time frame.
This trend is spreading to other age groups. Nearly half (48 %) of those in the 30-59 age range note the Internet as their central news source. This is up from 32% in 2007, whereas television dropped from 71% to 63%. The number of people 65 and older who pull their news from the Internet rose from 5% to 14%. On the other hand, of those in the 51-64 age group, 34% turn to the Internet, which is comparable to the number of people who name newspapers (38%) as their go-to source.
The study surveyed 1500 American adults, 41% saying they received their national and international news from the web—a 17% increase from 2007.
What do you think? Take our survey.
For related content, read:
Follow Black Enterprise at the Consumer Electronics Show
Russell Simmons Asks: What Would You Do if You Were Super-Rich?
Filed under: Celebrity News, News
Def Jams Movers & Shakers
25 People Who Helped Shape Def Jam Records
Celebrating the 25th anniversary of hip hop's most durable brand should not be taken lightly. Blackvoices.com pays homage to the 25 people out-front and behind-the-scenes who made a difference.
Since it was founded in 1984 in Rick Rubin's New York University dorm room, Def Jam Recordings has been home to some of the greatest artists in hip-hop music. Talented rappers and singers, from LL Cool J and Jay-Z to Patti LaBelle and Rihanna, have called the legendary record label home. In celebration of Def Jam's 25 years in the music business, Blackvoices.com takes a look at some of the important figures who have made the imprint what it is today.
Who: Russell Simmons
What: Around 1984, rapper Jazzy Jay introduced the Phat Farm clothing founder to Rick Rubin, and the two created Def Jam Records. LL Cool J, Public Enemy and the Beastie Boys were some of the early artists that Simmons signed. But his time with Def Jam ended in 1999, when he sold his stake in the company to Universal Music Group for $100 million.
Factoid: Pre-Def Jam, in the early 1980s, the Queens, NY, native spent his time as a concert promoter for early hip-hop acts like Kurtis Blow and Run-DMC - the latter act included his brother, Joseph DJ Run' Simmons.
Who: Rick Rubin
What: While attending New York University, he created Def Jam Records with Russell Simmons. Rubin was the Beastie Boys' original DJ and worked extensively with heavy metal groups, including Slayer, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Metallica.
Factoid: Rubin came up with the idea of having Run-DMC cover Aerosmith's 'Walk This Way.' The 1986 version of the song became an MTV staple and made the Queens-bred trio crossover superstars.
Who: LL Cool J
What: Up until his most recent release 'Exit 13' last year, he remained Def Jam's longest-signed artist. The Queens rapper dropped out of school in 1985 to record his debut, 'Radio,' and has made a name for himself creating more pop-friendly rap songs that cater to women, including 'I Need Love,' 'Hey Lover' and 'Around the Way Girl.'
Factoid: LL Cool J has starred in the TV shows 'In The House,' Oz,' and 'NCSI: Los Angeles,' the movies 'Any Given Sunday,' 'Deep Blue Sea,' 'Krush Groove' and 'Last Holiday' opposite Queen Latifah.
Who: Beastie Boys
What: Rick Rubin signed the punk rocking rappers to Def Jam in 1984. Their big break would come in the form of 'Licensed to Ill,' the group's 1986 offering that became the best-selling rap album of the 1980s and the first rap album to hit number one on the Billboard album charts. It's recognized as the fastest-selling Def Jam debut to date.
Factoid: 'Licensed to Ill' sold more than 5 million copies and spawned the breakout single 'Fight for Your Right to Party.' But after it was released, the Beastie Boys ended their relationship with Rubin and signed with Capital Records.
Who: Alyson Williams
What: She's the first R&B artist signed directly to Def Jam Records.
Factoid: After singing background on classics such as Kurtis Blow's 'Basketball' and The Fat Boys ''The Fat Boys Are Back,' the Harlem native released three critically acclaimed opuses: 'Raw' in 1989, a self-titled 1992 set and 2005's 'It's About Time.' She remains a staple on the New York City live club scene.
Who: Public Enemy
What: Arguably one of the greatest hip-hop groups in history, Public Enemy had a long career at Def Jam Records. The label's co-founder, Rick Rubin, signed the New York rappers after hearing a demo of front man Chuck D freestyling. And the rest is history.
Factoid: Public Enemy's 'Fight the Power' became the theme song of Spike Lee's 'Do the Right Thing' movie in 1989. Coincidentally, PE's final Def Jam album was the soundtrack to Lee's 1998 film 'He Got Game.'
Who: Bill Bellamy
What: The soundtrack to Bill Bellamy's 1997 comedy 'How To Be A Player' was released by Def Jam. The gold-certified-album also included the hit song 'Big Bad Mamma' by Foxy Brown and Dru Hill, as well as tracks by Junior M.A.F.I.A. , Redman and 2Pac.
Factoid: The Newark, New Jersey native has deep roots with the Def Jam brand. He and his then-girlfriend Roceania Williams starred in the music video for the Alyson Williams song 'Can't Have My Man' in 1992. The former 'MTV Jams' VJ also was a part of the troupe of acclaimed comedians who appeared on the groundbreaking HBO series "Def Comedy Jam' in the early 1990s.
Who: Warren G
What: Long Beach, California-reared rapper Warren G is credited with reviving Def Jam Records. Shortly after PolyGram acquired the record label, Warren G released his debut, 'Regulate...G Funk Era.' The triple-platinum album boosted the infectious single 'Regulate' with Nate Dogg.
Factoid: Warren G (real name: Warren Griffin, III) appeared on season five of the hit VH1 reality series 'Celebrity Fit Club.'
@buyhousescheap wrote, "If I were #SuperRich I would rebuild Haiti." @313Don214 said, "If was super rich I would buy an apartment building to give the homeless a second chance." @Tim Summa wrote, "I would put away enough money to help my family, then I would start to help the youth. There would be after school programs, or maybe I would start my own schools." @Antwon Butler Sr said, "I will help with all the inner city school and make sure they all get an education jus like the private school kids get, ya dig." @FlavianaMatata said, "If I was #SuperRich I would...make sure at least 25% of Tanzania ppl could use internet..." And there are even more great ideas where that came from, showing that people also have an instinct to share wealth, not only horde it. During this difficult time in America when so many are losing their economic security through job loss or the loss of a home, it is eye-opening to see in plain words that fiscal uncertainty can't crush the basic human desire to provide for the welfare of others. So I ask also you, BV community: What would you do if you were super rich? It's a great question, and I commend Russell Simmons for asking it. It opens up a dialogue that helps to put our personal financial problems in perspective and become interested in helping our world. I for one would work on establishing education centers, group living facilities and jobs training programs for single mothers in an environment that supports the care of both mothers and children, in order to break the cycle of poverty that so often affects this vulnerable group.
What would you do if you were super rich? Leave your comments below!
4/11: 11 Life-Altering Trends to Watch for 2011
GROUP BUYING TO SAVE CASH: More companies are predicted to jump on this bandwagon in 2011, ushering in sales and steals for you—whether you’re looking for a helicopter ride over New York City, a great spa, or tickets to your favorite game. Websites such as Groupon and Living Social have made offering discounts a team effort, where daily deals are redeemable only after a certain number of people buy into them. Even companies such as Wal-Mart and Zagat have offered group-buying deals. And more Websites, both with regional and national deals, are gaining traction, including Tippr, Juice in The City, and Crowdsavings. #####
To get the 4/11 on what to watch in 2011, see...
Will Mobile Supply Meet Minority Mobile Demand in 2011??
With all the challenges minorities face in this country with broadband adoption, we still outpace other demographics when it comes to adoption in the mobile space. There are numerous reasons for this from portability and lack of computer ownership to the multitude of options from major carriers to prepay services like Virgin mobile and Boost mobile. Regardless of the reason minorities are leading the surge and not just in basic mobile services but in the cutting edge areas such as mobile video.
So with the apparent demand in this space the question still remains why is there still such a lack of content and applications available that’s relevant to this audience? In the Apple store, and Android marketplace you would be hard pressed to find options there that are geared to minorities, especially African Americans and Hispanics. Some of the larger media outlets that appeal to these audiences have “stuck their toes in the water” in terms of their attempts to establish a presence on these platforms but nothing to show a firm commitment to providing relevant services to their audiences on these platforms on a consistent basis.
So the question I pose is will that change the 2011? I’ve been telling people that 2011 will be the year of the iPad with it being the hot gift of the holiday season but with iPhone sales still surging and carriers essentially giving android phones away the market will only get bigger in 2011. Will media companies and app developers see this opportunity and start to provide apps and relevant content for this audience? The impact on not only existing communities online would be significant, not to mention the ability to draw more people who have not adopted broadband with the appeal of relevant offerings. With the opportunity so big and the stakes so high, who do you think will take the lead in 2011? Let me know your thoughts?
5 Steps to a Richer 2011
Dr. Boyce Watkins Spotlight: Ash'Cash Teaches You About Your Money
Filed under: Interviews, Careers, Dr. Boyce Money
My name is Ash'Cash and I am an entrepreneur, motivational speaker, and the author of 'Mind Right, Money Right: 10 Laws of Financial Freedom.' I run a business management and consulting firm called the Ash Cash Management Group, LLC (AshCashMgmt.com). We specialize in business and personal financial management services for established and up-and-coming professionals. Some of our services include Business Consultation, Artist & Business Management, Marketing Plan Development, Business Plan Creation and Sponsorship Packages. I am also a personal finance expert and contributing writer for Don Diva magazine, Concrete magazine and MSNBC affiliate website TheGrio.com. I work with a few city agencies and organizations and teach financial literacy to undeserved, at risk, and incarcerated youth. How did you end up doing what you do today? Tell us about your background.
I was born and raised in a single parent household in the St. Nicholas projects in Harlem. Growing up, society had most of us believe that we were either going to be dead or in jail by the age of twenty-five. Somehow through faith, family support, hard work and sacrifice I was able to avoid both. With more than ten years of banking experience, I was able to work my way up the ranks from teller to personal banker, private banker and branch manager at a bank. I became a VP at the largest financial institution in the world, JP Morgan Chase Bank, at the age of twenty-four. Throughout my career I managed a book of 400 affluent clients with assets ranging from $100,000 to $22 million, coached and trained over 100 sales professionals, opened and managed six branches and brought in almost $90 million in deposits. Staying true to my values I took a step back and left the big bank to better help my community and became an Assistant Vice President at the largest African American/Caribbean operated bank in the country, Carver Federal Savings Bank. During my time at Carver, I ran the main office in Harlem controlling over $180 million in deposits.
New Black Charity Leaders
Mary J. Blige: This international R&B superstar has become an advocate for women by co-founding the Foundation for the Advancement of Women Now (FFAWN), opening the Mary J. Blige Center for Women in Yonkers, NY, and adopting an all-girls public high school in the Bronx, NY by serving as a mentor and providing college scholarships.
Chris Rock and Malaak Compton-Rock: Chris Rock has donated quietly for many years to his local Salvation Army where he spent time as a youth, but his wife Malaak Compton-Rock is taking the couple's philanthropy to new heights through her organization The Angel Rock Project, and its program Journey for Change that empowers youth through global service. Want to learn 100+ ways to live a life of service? Check out her new book, 'If It Takes a Village, Build One.'
Usher: This R&B superstar wants to groom the next generation of leaders and philanthropists! Usher's New Look Foundation provides career development, service opportunities, mentorship, and grants for youth led service projects through its Camp New Look Leadership Academy, Moguls in Training program, and Powered By Service, an initiative designed to get young people involved in changing their communities and the world. At the initiative's launch in 2009, Usher pledged $1 million dollars to the project, which has plans to mobilize over 5,000,000 youth in a global call to service.
Hill Harper: This Harvard law school graduate-turned-actor has helped motivate youth through his MANifest Your Destiny Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides young men and women with nurturing support systems, resources, encouragement, and guidance through mentorship, scholarships and grant programs. Harper regularly travels around the country providing motivational workshops to youth and educators, and has authored two books, 'Letters to a Young Brother' and 'Letters to a Young Sister' to further help our youth develop productive futures.
Alicia Keys: As the co-founder and global ambassador for the non-profit organization Keep A Child Alive, Alicia was inspired to support HIV/AIDS treatment initiatives after a trip to Africa. Because of her dedicated efforts, the organization has raised millions of dollars for AIDS patients in Africa and India, ensuring that they receive life saving medical treatment.
Rodney Peete and Holly Robinson-Peete: Actress Holly Robinson-Peete became an advocate for autism after her son was diagnosed with the disorder. In an effort to help others living with the autism, Holly and her husband Rodney recently released the books, 'Not My Boy' and 'My Brother Charlie.' Inspired by their son and Holly's father who passed from a battle with Parkinson's disease, the couple formed hollyrod4kids with the mission to help improve the quality of life of people plagued with devastating life circumstances.
Steve Harvey: This best-selling author and syndicated radio personality is on a mission to mentor young boys and help groom the next generation of leaders through the Steve Harvey Mentoring Weekend for Young Men, the Steve Harvey Disney Dreamers Academy and the Steve Harvey Foundation. He shared on his foundation's blog, "...you are blessed to become a blessing period. God does not bless us to become blessings and not reach back and give in our community."
Alonzo & Tracy Mourning: This philanthropic couple each have initiatives that inspire, empower and enrich the lives of youth in Miami, Florida. In 1997, Alonzo founded Alonzo Mourning Charities, which has raised over $7 million for non-profits serving at-risk children and youth, and the Overtown Youth Center for underprivileged youth. His wife Tracy created the Honey Shine Mentoring program for young girls. Due to their charitable efforts, a high school was named in their honor -- Alonzo and Tracy Mourning Senior High Biscayne Bay Campus!
With what I was able to accomplish in such a short amount of time I believe that my purpose in life is greater than me! Most of my friends are either dead, in jail or have some type of criminal background; God spared me for a reason. I could have easily become any of my friends so I realize now that I must be of service and help those who can still be saved! What inspires you to work with the African American community on matters of financial literacy?
Jay-Z once said "There's much bigger issues in the world, I know; But I first had to take care the world I know!" That's exactly how I feel. I am product of this environment and the difference between those who are successful and those who are not is simply access to knowledge and the application of that knowledge. In layman's terms, "If you know better you'll do better"... and while that might not be true 100% of the time, I do believe that the more we see people of our same background rise to places we never thought possible, the more chances we have to change our circumstance. Financial literacy is what I know. Through working with other classes of people I have realized that if we changed how we manage our money, if we knew the difference between assets and liabilities, if we learned how to prioritize and put the first things first, then most of the issues that we go through as a people would either diminish or be non-existent. What are some of the biggest problems you see in the community as it pertains to money?
You'll notice that I love using quotes so here's another... Will Smith once said "We spend money we don't have to buy things we don't need to impress people we don't like." That sums up our biggest problem in a nutshell. As a people we are so used to not having money that we can't really grasp the concept of saving for the future and spending our money wisely. Couple that with the fact that a lot of us have low self-esteem so we use material things to make us feel better. Some of us would rather spend money on cars, jewelry and clothes than to become homeowners, save for emergencies or fix our credit. Our issues are deeply rooted and they become a cycle that is passed down from generation to generation making it more difficult to break. The good news is that there's a movement going on; people are starting to wake up and take more responsibility. We are seeing more of our people excel in positions that in the past didn't seem possible. This movement is what is spearheading the paradigm change and forcing many of us to put the first things first. Tell us about your book and why people should read it?
'Mind Right, Money Right: 10 Laws of Financial Freedom,' is a book designed to teach you how to effectively manage your personal finances. It shows you how with the right mental attitude and laser sharp focus, you can have anything you desire in life. It's an easy to read book that anyone, at any level, can understand.This book is especially geared towards anyone who is tired of having a dependency on money and is ready to take some practical steps in order to correct it. This is our generation's 'Think and Grow Rich.' Starting with the power of self confidence the book discusses in detail how having a positive mental attitude, paying yourself first, budgeting and planning for the future are all ways to immediately change your financial situation. 'Mind Right, Money Right' demonstrates how your mind set plays a tremendous role in creating financial abundance. By using examples of successful people such as Sean Combs, Tyler Perry, Oprah Winfrey, Shawn Carter, Curtis Jackson, Chris Lighty and many others, the reader is given a real life account of how these laws have worked for others and how it can work for them. It's important to point out that the title is 'Mind Right, Money Right' and not the other way around. Once we are able to control the way we look at money, the way we feel about money and the way we think about money, then it will become easier for us to keep and grow our money...To sum it up simply: This book will change your life! Is there anything else you'd like to share with our AOL Black Voices audience?
Absolutely! First I would like to thank you for all that you do as it relates to financial literacy! Your voice is definitely needed and appreciated in our community and beyond and I hope to one day have a similar impact. To the AOL Black Voices audience, I want to remind you that we are still recovering from one of the worst economic meltdowns in our nation's history. With bankruptcies, foreclosures and unemployment still high, many of us are still afraid of what the future holds! Now is the time to make a decision! We can either sit back and allow fear to stop us from going after our dreams or we can look fear straight in the face and say, "This is my time!!" Studies show that many successful businesses have been started during bad economic times and continue to do well way after. Burger King, FedEx, Microsoft, CNN and MTV are all examples of such companies. Hard times can either be the ending point or the starting point. The choice is ours and we have no excuse! Let's all make the conscious effort to begin to take care of our responsibilities and never let anything or anyone hold us back! The world is ours! Let's make sure we are taking what we deserve!! Each one, teach One! For more information on Ash'Cash please visit www.IamAshCash.com.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and the author of the bookBlack American Money To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. To suggest a subject for a Dr. Boyce Watkins Spotlight, please click here.
10 Creative Ways to Make Extra Money Now!
Often people don’t realize that talents and skills they already possess can be used to earn money. Many people dog-sit for neighbors, paint houses, plan parties, build things, play a musical instrument, take excellent photographs, sing, have a flair for design, or are computer savvy. All of these skills can be used to make money now!
Teens and blacks face highest unemployment
The Black Depression Continues Despite Recent Job Growth
Filed under: News, The Economy
Jobs Around the World
NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 07: Crystal Broadhead of Brooklyn looks at job listings on a computer at a New York State Department of Labor Employment Services office January 7, 2011 in New York City. The national unemployment rate fell to 9.4 percent in December, with an increase of 113,000 jobs. (Photo by Chris Hondros/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 07: Rodney Belgrave of Brooklyn looks at job listings on a computer at a New York State Department of Labor Employment Services office January 7, 2011 in New York City. Belgrave is looking for labor jobs after being unemployed and doing only odd-jobs for two years. The national unemployment rate fell to 9.4 percent in December, with an increase of 113,000 jobs. (Photo by Chris Hondros/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 07: Crystal Broadhead of Brooklyn looks at job listings on a computer at a New York State Department of Labor Employment Services office January 7, 2011 in New York City. Broadhead is looking for nursing jobs after being unemployed for a few months. The national unemployment rate fell to 9.4 percent in December, with an increase of 113,000 jobs. (Photo by Chris Hondros/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 07: Rodney Belgrave of Brooklyn looks at job listings on a computer at a New York State Department of Labor Employment Services office January 7, 2011 in New York City. Belgrave is looking for labor jobs after being unemployed and doing only odd-jobs for two years. The national unemployment rate fell to 9.4 percent in December, with an increase of 113,000 jobs. (Photo by Chris Hondros/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 07: People look up employment listings on computers at a New York State Department of Labor Employment Services office January 7, 2011 in New York City. The national unemployment rate fell to 9.4 percent in December, with an increase of 113,000 jobs. (Photo by Chris Hondros/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 07: A man looks at job listings on a board at a New York State Department of Labor Employment Services office January 7, 2011 in New York City. The national unemployment rate fell to 9.4 percent in December, with an increase of 113,000 jobs. (Photo by Chris Hondros/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 07: A woman looks at job listings on a computer at a New York State Department of Labor Employment Services office January 7, 2011 in New York City. The national unemployment rate fell to 9.4 percent in December, with an increase of 113,000 jobs. (Photo by Chris Hondros/Getty Images)
TO GO WITH AFP STORY US-SOCIETY-SPORT-INTERNET-HOMELESS This January 7, 2011 YouTube frame grab shows Ted Williams. The 53 year old homeless man from Columbus, Ohio with the velvet voice, has become a sensation of the Web, and now has been offered employment and a reunion with his family after the posting on the Internet. AFP PHOTO/Paul J. Richards (Photo credit should read PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images)
A man hovers over the water on a Jetlev-Flyer at the London Boat show at the ExCel exhibition centre, in London, on January 7, 2011. The Jetlev-Flyer employs a 4-stroke engine and water nozzle reaction force, it can reach an altitude of up to 10 meters, a top speed of 35km/h and a cruising duration up to 2 hours. The annual London International Boat Show runs from January 7-16. AFP PHOTO / ADRIAN DENNIS (Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images)
A man hovers over the water on a Jetlev-Flyer at the London Boat show at the ExCel exhibition centre, in London, on January 7, 2011. The Jetlev-Flyer employs a 4-stroke engine and water nozzle reaction force, it can reach an altitude of up to 10 meters, a top speed of 35km/h and a cruising duration up to 2 hours. The annual London International Boat Show runs from January 7-16. AFP PHOTO / ADRIAN DENNIS (Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images)
Professional economists will not pause for an instant at those figures. It is a truism that the black unemployment rate generally runs double the white one, and yet when did that become acceptable? How can there be so little discussion about a full-blown epidemic of joblessness in the African-American community, as if the commonplace incidence of despair -- and, more recently, reversed progress -- somehow amounts to old news? "Can you imagine any other group at that level of unemployment and the media dismissing it as not important?" the Rev. Jesse Jackson asked during an interview this week. He described deteriorating inner-city, predominantly-black communities in Chicago and Detroit. In New York, a recent study found that more than one-third of African-American men aged 16 to 24 were unemployed between early 2009 and the middle of last year. "These are the same areas that were targeted for foreclosure by the banks, through reverse redlining," Jackson said, referring to the way subprime lending operations preyed with particular dispatch on minority communities. "These are the same areas that have less access to transportation, which makes it nearly impossible to get to where the jobs are. You are structurally locked out of economic participation and growth." The picture becomes more vivid still using a broader Labor Department measure known as underemployment, which counts jobless people along with those who are working part-time for lack of full-time work, or who have given up looking for work but are eager for jobs. Among African-Americans, the underemployment rate was running just under 25 percent late last year, according to an analysis of government data by the Economic Policy Institute in Washington. That compared to a rate of about 15 percent for white Americans. Nearly 15 years have passed since the publication of "When Work Disappears," a masterful book by sociologist William Julius Wilson describing in compelling detail the impact on working class African-American neighborhoods suffering large job losses: in a word, disintegration. Little has changed since then except for an acceleration of the slide. Read the rest on The Huffington Post.