Meet The Root’s Media & Culture Critic, Natalie Hopkinson on The Greenlight Project!

The Greenlight Project is back from our little vacation!! On this show, Friday, July 23, 2010 we will be talking to The Root’s own, Natalie Hopkinson.  Natalie holds the title of the Media and Culture Critic there and is also a member of the adjunct journalism faculty at the Prestigious Georgetown University and co-author of Deconstructing Tyrone (Cleis Press, 2006).

Graduating from one of the top HBCUs’, Howard University, as a Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in Political Science and also earning a master’s and doctoral degree from the University of Maryland-College Park’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism.  Her late 1990s master’s thesis analyzed the first generation of Web-only general audience journalistic publications, including Salon and Slate.

With striving for greatness she later joined the Washington Post-owned Slate Group as a founding editor of the pioneering web journal of politics and culture, The Root. Her doctoral work showed Jurgen Habermas’ theory of the public sphere at work in Washington, D.C.’s go-go music culture.  (Side bar) My friends from Maryland LOVE “go-go” music!!!!   The work of this young lady has appeared in the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, Slate, New York Times.com, NPR, WJLA and the BBC.

Not only has Mrs. Natalie Hopkinson mastered her career, but she is also a loving mother of two, married and will be attempting her first triathlon in the upcoming year!  Good luck to you Mrs. Natalie Hopkinson.  I would love some tips on the triathlon because I am still trying to make it through a mile!!! J

Tune into The Greenlight Project, Friday, July 23, 2010 to hear from Mrs. Natalie Hopkinson at 11am EST!!!!  Join us online or dial (646) 727-3906.

We also discussed the following in Rochelle’s Diverse Moves in Media:

Desiree Rogers, former white house social secretary talks what was in the white house and what’s next for her

http://clutchmagonline.com/newsgossipinfo/desiree-rogers-talks-white-house-ebony-why-its-wasnt-about-her/

Former White House Social Secretary Desiree Rogers interviewed recently with Fox News Chicago.

On whether the American people will ever have a fair view on her accomplishments during her appointment after the White House crashers incident, Rogers set a record for producing 370 events in one year’s time.

Clutch Magazine Founder builds a team and Launches Coco and Creme

http://cocoandcreme.com/2010/07/welcome-to-coco-creme-thank-you/

A sister site to CLUTCH, Coco & Crème is a new and exciting online editorial experience focusing exclusively on urban fashion and beauty. Filling the void for up-to-the-minute style dishes from the street to the red carpet, Coco & Crème offers the fashion obsessed an user-friendly interface with visually stunning layouts, and some of the Web’s dopest styling, and photography!

Coco & Crème promises daily fashion and beauty news, product reviews, designer and model profiles, weekly plus-size features, video how-tos, and more!

The Coco & Crème Team:
Deanna “Dede” J. Sutton
Geneva S. Thomas
Audra E. Lord
Chelsea Smith
Teneille Craig
Nikki J. Duckworth

Living on the Grid: Your Digital Paper Trail

http://www.blackweb20.com/2010/07/20/living-on-the-grid-your-digital-paper-trail/

While technology provides many conveniences, privacy advocates are concerned that individuals are leaving an unprecedented amount of personal information about themselves stored on public and private servers.

Let’s look at a typical day of a person who uses common technologies.  Under each time slot, I note the places her information is stored. 5:50a-8:00p

While most of this information is aggregated and made anonymous by online service providers, there is no guarantee that this information can not be subpoenaed by a court order or a divorce attorney.  While few of us can avoid using credit cards, much of the information we provide is done on a voluntary basis.  Furthermore, as smartphones become more powerful and consolidate our online lives, they become single points of failure for protecting our personal information.  The digital age’s freedom has to be weighed against the cost to our privacy.

Angela Benton to Receive MMTC Award, All Five FCC Commissioners to Attend Conference

http://www.blackweb20.com/2010/07/19/angela-benton-to-receive-mmtc-award-all-five-fcc-commissioners-to-attend-conference/

Black Web Media Founder/CEO Angela Benton will be inducted into the Minority Media & Telecom Council (MMTC) Hall of Fame, in recognition to her contributions to diversity and inclusion in media.

Black Web Media is the parent company that publishes Black Web 2.0, Politic365 and Young Black Professional Guide, among other properties. Benton has built the media brand from the ground up, with Black Web 2.0 as the leading online publication for African-Americans interested in technology and new media. She is also one of Fast Company Magazine’s Most Influential Women in Technology for 2010 and was named as one of Ebony Magazine’s Power 150.

And in Tamika’s ‘Da Scoop’ we dished on:

USDA reconsiders firing of Ga. official over speech on race

You all know about the political fallout started by a republican blogger that caught wind of a taped NAACP rally that Department of Agriculture’s regional director Shirley Sherrod served as a keynote.  Simply sharing her story of how helping a white farmer transformed and ignited her hidden racism, Sherrod was hoping to shed light on race relations by admitting her erroneous thinking and how facing the pain of what put the racisim there in the first place (her father was killed by a white farmer I believe when she was a child), by helping this man save his farm (the white man), she began to see NOT color, but people and that all poor people suffer no matter what color they are.  Well Mr. Conservative took that sound bite and ran with it all the way to Washington and within a matter of minutes of arriving, The NAACP, Roland S. Martin and The White House was beating down Mrs. Sherrod’s door to charge her as guilty and when they couldn’t reach her, they called her and thanks to good ole technology she was asked to PULL OVER on the side of the road and TEXT her resignation!  How ‘bout that! Can you imagine what that was like?  I’m not sure she even understood what was happening fully at the time.  And now the USDA reconsiders her firing with all kinds of public and private apologies and wanna give her a new job, look at that!  Wow, right?

I’m proud of her for immediately accepting interviews from major outlets like Good Morning America, CNN, etc. to get her story out and good for her for taking her time to THINK about what she desires to create for herself next.  This is a story we will continue to watch for sure!

http://www.ajc.com/news/usda-reconsiders-firing-of-574027.html

Vogue Africa, We Hardly Knew Ye

http://www.afrobella.com/2010/07/21/vogue-africa-we-hardly-knew-ye/

This story is courtesy of our sister station Afrobella’s Patrice Yursik on her blog www.afrobella.com. Cameroonian Photographer Mario Epanya had a wonderful idea of bringing Vogue to Africa and he set about creating that reality for himself.  Living in Paris as a beauty photographer and art director, Epanya shot a number of beautiful covers. His goal was to prove that Vogue Africa could be viable, vibrant, and admired. On July 16, Epanya announced on the Vogue Africa Facebook page that Conde Nast turned down the idea. Check out the article and weigh in!

Serena Williams, Big Butts and the Painful Path to Self-Love

http://www.theroot.com/views/defense-big-butts-and-smiles

This just in from The Root and written by TWS Media’s Afrobella host, Patrice Yursik who’s an amazing blogger/writer.  Yursik has a beautiful way of celebrating the differences of what make us women, human.  In this beautifully written article, she dissects Serena’s interview in Haper’s Baazar magazine where Williams talks about having a hard time learning to accept her curves but how finally doing so has empowered her to all possibilities.  A very empowering viewpoint!

Signing off,

Intern Tia Tia

Appreciating ‘The Sound’ of Music

The Ken Ford Foundation

By: Portia Rice

I’m new to the TWS blog roll and call it quite an honor to write my first post ever!  Since coming onboard, it’s been all things music, entertainment, fashion, media – all very exciting!  However, the one moment I’ve come to really appreciate is our agency’s involvement with keeping music alive in our schools through The Ken Ford Foundation.

In this day and time, it’s really a challenge for children to get exposure to the kind of music that can fuel their dreams – this is heartbreaking, considering we live in such a time where the world is at our fingertips, but sadly, music seems to be slipping through.

With a recent appearance on our agency’s show, The Greenlight Project, this unique,talented and most of all gifted musician, Ken Ford, will be sharing his talent with us in concert June 25, 2010 at the Porter Sanford Performing Arts Center in Atlanta.  The concert is actually FREE to children and will have Grammy-nominated vocalist, Dionne Farris, singer/songwriter/producer/musician Daniel Moore who’s also a staple on BET’s The Mo’Nique Show and new pop/urban/soul/alternative vocalist, Salakida all performing and I hear there are even more surprises in store. Talk about awesome!

Growing up in Milwaukee, WI as a student of Atwater Elementary School, we had the choice to play an instrument beginning in the third grade. I was so eager have my chance at playing an instrument because all of the “popular kids” were either in orchestra or the band.  When I finally I made it to the third grade, I was introduced to the violin so to have Ken Ford become so accomplished at it makes me very proud to say that I played as well.  The violin often gets a bad rap, but I was excited and enthusiastic to play and continued playing throughout elementary through the eighth grade.  While playing the violin I learned a lot about myself and I became at peace with things I was going through.  The violin itself is such a strong and graceful object that the horse-tailed bow just adds to the music, giving it that soft melody!

I do have to give credit where it’s due, my father loves jazz, so every day on the way to school he’d make me listen to “Smooth Jazz” 93.3 FM!  At first, I hated listening to it because it was all instruments never an artist singing!  My dad would always say, “Now this is really music Portia; just sit back and listen to the violin, clarinet, and flute.”  I would just sigh and sit back in my seat (OMG, it felt like torture!)..  When I think back to those times, I can really appreciate an artist like Ken Ford because he is really making “real” music and not just using a Mac to Google a sound for his next song!

When listening to Ken Ford, there is no need for a vocal artist because his nonverbal communication skills speak for him.  The way he rocks back and forth and moves with the bow makes you feel the melodies going through one ear and out the other.  This concert will truly be inspiring and relaxing, make sure to come out and enjoy this wonderful concert all the while supporting music and arts in school – and did I mention it’s free to children??  Or if you’re not in the Atlanta area, listen to our show when the critically acclaimed electric violinist, Ken Ford was the guest and hear him for yourself!

Thanks for allowing me to share my blog with you .

Signing off,

Intern Tia Tia

The State of Family & Marriage in the Black Community

By: Tamika L. Morrison

Let me start of by saying, “I am a single black woman, never married”, but I do desire and believe in family and marriage.  It has been widely reported, speculated and even breaking news in some arenas that black women are not marrying as often as or quickly as their Latina, White, Asian, Indian, Chinese and other varieties of ‘Anglo-Saxon’ counterparts.  As a matter of fact, Forty-two-percent of black women have never been married, compared to 21% of white women, according to national statistics. Within the last two generations, marriage rates for African-Americans have dropped significantly. Between 1970 and 2001, the black marriage rate dropped by 34 percent, compared to 17 percent in the general population. African-American women are also the least likely group to get married in the United States. And if they (black women) wed an African-American man, those couples have the highest divorce rate in the United States.  Is this a stereotype or is this reality?  Well, I can only speak from my own experience.

My parents never married – each other, but both of them are married today – to different spouses who are black.  That said, since I came from a single-parent home I have conflicting views at times on love and marriage from a black woman’s perspective but I was given the chance to witness what life is like in a two-parent household via friends that lived such a life.  Although I ached deeply for my dad’s constant presence in my home, I was also equally relieved he and my mother never married, simply because they weren’t compatible.  Even still, I and many of my friends suffered from what’s called “daddy issues” and when you compare those of us with “daddy issues” with my friends who actually grew up with their father, I must admit there is a remarked difference in how we feel about love and marriage. I personally am terrified that it won’t last until death do us part. Nevertheless, I will not allow this fear to stay in the way of what I desire for myself and my future family.

That brings me to two things – On April 2^nd, Tyler Perry’s coveted sequel, “Why Did I Get Married Too?” will be released and will reunite four couples that deal with life-altering situations and common relationship issues to most couple – regardless of race – fidelity, trust, forgiveness and love.  Personally, I appreciate Perry humanizing the ‘black love experience’ by showing in his films – yes, we do still get married to each other and yes, our relationship issues are not uncommon to those of other races. It also helps to put to rest the media’s obsession with stereotyping what’s been dubbed, “The State of the Single Black Female”.  I’ve read and heard the movie reviews and many applaud Tyler’s sequel depicting Black love and marriage, congratulating the characters for showing depth in their respective interpretations and even the appreciation for some of the exaggeration in classic Perry style. I second the motion by praising Perry for giving Black love some positive PR.

There’s been a lot going on in the news lately.  I have to admit, the term “March Madness” has lived up to its reputation this year in particular from entertainment think (Howard Stern’s comments on ‘Precious’ breakout star and Sandra Bullock’s love woes) to politics Healthcare Reform (nuff said) and everything in between. But I’m happy to report as we Spring into April, (pun intended) Black couples will be marking the eighth annual Black Marriage Day, typically celebrated the 4^th weekend in March, by attending workshops, black-tie dinners and other activities. Black Marriage Day founder Nisa Islam Muhammad is encouraging couples to renew their vows in front of friends and family in honor of Perry’s movie premier as well as participate in other planned events centered on celebrating Black love.

Even though my lens still bear the coloring of what I experienced as a child growing up in a single-parent household, I hold onto my convictions that Black love exists, contrary to popular beliefs, and I raise my glass in toast with everyone else celebrating because love – especially Black love – is a many splendid thing I look forward to!

Related News:

Why Did I Get Married Too – Trailer

Jill’s Scott’s Take on Interracial Marriage/Relationships

Black Marriage Day

Follow me @twsprfirm

Glam Media is Proof Positive of ‘Switch’ing Theories

Today was a good day for this media entrepreneur. My task list was as long as it is most days. But, the bright spot came in the form of a scheduled attendance at the Dan and Chip Heath ‘Switch‘ Book Tour being put on by one of my favorite magazines – Fast Company. However the ‘good day’ part of it is important to note because I wasn’t sure it would be when I was awakened by my daughter at 1:45am. 

She was hot and had a headache. I gave her some medicine and sent her back to bed. But I couldn’t go back to sleep. So, I worked through the night to check off some things on said task list. Well 6 hours later, at the beginning of the workday for most, a delayed start to our day allowed my daughter to feel much better, but not 100%.  So, I made the mompreneur executive decision to bring her to the event with me. Now you see why I wasn’t so sure about the good day part – lack of sleep, semi-sick child and much to do could have been a recipe for disaster.  

But, I digress, as I often do. So now, I’ll get back on subject.

Attendance at the event came with a free issue of the current month’s issue of Fast Company, a free year’s subscription and a copy of the Switch, with the option of getting it signed by the author. 

See details at amazon.com

Although I have not yet read the book, I’ll share with you three presentation takeaways that provide theories I look forward to exploring. And, it seems  Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies List  provides the perfect case studies of practical application.

Switch Theory: See—–>Feel —–> Change

Fast Company Case Study: #37, Glam Media – This media company lead the way in capturing the attention of the droves of women finding a need for a place to go online. And, what better way to do that than by connecting through the blogs and micro communities already forming . Smart move!

Switch Theory: Find practical solutions and obsess about your successes instead of your failures.

Fast Company Case Study: #31, HTC – Cher Wang and her team wanted to simplify communications while eliminating the need to carry “huge computers.”  Focusing on the practical needs of someone’s life – “talk to friends and relatives, read books and access the Internet on one device.” Well they have accomplished just that with the Google-phone her company has created. But, she and her team are not done yet. She say’s it’s just the beginning.

Switch Theory: Clear direction is needed for both thinkers and feelers to create effective change

Fast Company Case Study:  GE – You would think change would be glacial when it comes to a corporate giant like GE. Well, Healthmagiantion Chief , Mike Barber ( a black man, y’all) is proving he’s the right man to  get change moving within GE’s healthcare, and greening things up at the same time. In his words, “we believe that what is good for the public at large and what is good for the world is also good business.

See the magazine and the book for more. Looks like it was a good day for me and diversity.