Countertenor singer; author, ‘Life’s More Fun When You Talk to Strangers’
I ask you, fans across America and around the world, to root for Memphis -- both the Grizzlies team and the city. Maybe a Grizzlies championship can provide just the "grits" this Southern city needs.
The loneliness of that realization, that my daughter might have to shoulder the consequences of these stigmas, made me heartsick. I'd made myself believe she would only be challenged by her race and gender, not the basic ability to speak her mind.
On this 50th anniversary of the Birmingham Children's Crusade it is a time to remember, honor, and follow the example of the children who were frontline soldiers and transforming catalysts in America's greatest moral movement of the 20th century.
There is no way to make up for decades of discrimination that crippled the proud history of black farm ownership in this country. But we can do our best to move forward.
The first step to overcoming an addiction is admitting that you have one. In order to rid oneself of addiction, one must declare it. My name is Fire Burgess and I am a diehard fan of misogynistic Rap music.
Research and policy analyst, Laura and John Arnold Foundation
How do we expect our communities and economies to thrive when our young boys and girls are not receiving the education and training that is needed to enter the workforce?
The bill -- passed by the Florida legislature and now awaiting the signature of Governor Rick Scott -- would expedite the death penalty process in the Sunshine state.
We watch the stories of hoarders on television and feel sorry for them and we feel proud to not be one of them. But perhaps we have more in common than we realize.
Director of African American Religious Affairs, People For the American Way and People For the American Way Foundation
Anti-choice activists are exploiting the Gosnell trial to push for laws that close abortion clinics and otherwise limit access to choice. But that is exactly the wrong reaction. The horrific conditions at Gosnell's clinic show just how important it is to have real reproductive choice.
In the ongoing "Mommy Wars of 2013", there is still a backlash against mothers who hire individuals (mostly women) to help with childcare. Is this a class issue or just another cafeteria fight?
Founder, senior pastor, and CEO, Christian Cultural Center
What happened to the party of Lincoln? To the party that abolished slavery and championed a woman's right to vote? To the party of Reagan who ended the Cold War and revitalized a moribund economy?
The right-wing is screaming at Eric Holder to investigate potential civil rights' violations by IRS officials. He should take them up on their entreaties, and raise the ante by investigating all the voter suppression and intimidation during the 2012 election.
This isn't enough to stop the veiled talk that he's still the sworn enemy of business. But this talk can't scrub away the fact that Obama and Democratic presidents have been far better friends of big business than GOP presidents have ever been.
I entered the hospitality industry in 2010. It took me all of one week to realize what I did not want to believe. My housekeeping sisters, mostly Latina, were treated different than me.
Associate for African-American Leadership Outreach, Bread for the World
Sequestration threatens more than flight schedules. For many people around the world, sequestration is literally a life-or-death issue. Its impact may be most deeply felt by those living in developing nations.
Founder, President of the National Urban Alliance for Effective Education
We know children are influenced by everything from family income and dynamics to what happens in the classroom. Helping students uncover their strengths, rather than their weaknesses, and develop their potential should be the paramount focus for education.
If addressing societal inequality and disenfranchisement motivates you, social entrepreneurship or working for a business with a corporate responsibility focus are worth exploring!
Nationally renowned African-American lesbian activist, scholar, public theologian and writer
Incidents of rape always need to be called out, as Joyner did, and addressed immediately, but it shouldn't be brought to attention while denigrating a member of another minority group within the same population, as Joyner also did.
To crack this case, we have to go all the way back to late January of this year, when SuperStorm Beyonce once again made devastating landfall on the coastlines of our collective consciousness.
Ryan Leslie is a legitimate quadruple threat. He's a singer, producer, entrepreneur and now rapper. On his forthcoming album, 'Les Is More,' and with his media company, Next Selection, he's determined to prove that he can be successful following his artistic impulses and unique business sense.
In fact, now that Leslie has left the security of his major label (Universal), he says that he's more at ease with what the future holds. As an independent artist, his career is in his own hands more than ever. It's a reality that really came into focus last year when he lost his laptop which housed much of the music he'd been working on. (Luckily, he wound up retrieving the computer.)
The Grammy-nominated artist seems up for the challenge, as he prepares to drop 'Les Is More,' which is tentatively set for release on July 4. We chatted with Leslie before a Black Music Month Live in-store performance at the Apple retail outlet in New York's Chelsea neighborhood.
(The show is one of a month-long series of live shows that Apple is hosting at stores around the country. Jill Scott and Twista have already performed in Chicago. Big K.R.I.T., Travis Porter and Killer Mike are on the schedule for stores in Atlanta. Ziggy Marley, Pharoahe Monch and Pac Div have made appearances at California-based Apple stores.)
As one of Black Music Month Live's featured artists - others include Jadakiss, Saigon and Olivia - Leslie seemed super-excited to express himself.
Brett Johnson: Have you found it more stressful or more liberating as an independent artist now?
Ryan Leslie: It's inevitably liberating artistically. But it puts a wealth of responsibility on my internal team to make sure all of the internal parts are progressing in harmony, no pun intended. I wouldn't change it for the world currently.
BJ: Why make the shift from singing to rapping at this point?
RL: It's really a throwback to how I started. If someone is putting an investment in you in terms of what they're creating, they get nervous when you decide you're going to to do something different. I was coming off a Grammy nominated R&B album (2009's 'Transition'). It would almost be crazy to depart from that. That's the beauty of being an artist. You can take crazy risks and do it in the name of art and expression.
BJ: On 'Glory' there's a line that goes: 'Try to put me in a box, the urban dude...' Are you referring to your former label or fans? RL: Really I love my fans. They immediately picked up on the line, that's what made them fans. It's more for the folks who didn't want to listen or who didn't want to invest the time. I was in that box in their minds. As a musician and as a person, you want to break down the barriers that people have so that we can all be more free to express ourselves as long as we're expressing ourselves in the name of cultural advancement.
BJ: What are some other songs fans can look forward to?
RL: 'Breathe' is a record which is almost a satirical narrative and description of life on the road. The line is "I can't get too close to groupies/ In the clubs, they pick-pocket you for your room keys/ They show up in your hotel lobby/ Quit playing, girl, you're way too obvious." 'Beautiful Lie,' is like if you know something's not right, it's almost like watching a movie. You suspend your disbelief, just so you can be entertained and in that entertainment you can be happy. You believe in a beautiful lie. There are many undertones of disfunctionality in my relationships or in my life, but sometimes you may look around and say man, 'I'm really living. For this moment, why don't I just believe in this moment so that I can enjoy it to the fullest.'
BJ: What's Next Selection? RL: It's a music driven media company. What we have done is taken the experience with Success stories like Cassie, and my continuing story, and look to create a paradigm where an artist could with as few as 1,000 fans, dedcicated fans, make a living that will support their art. Through Next Selection, we can create elements that can change the minds of artists. We may be able to raise the bar for artistic contributions, cause they're not doing it just for fame and glitz and glory and money, but for sake of art.
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By: ADMR on 6/17/2011 8:08PM
Mr HARVARD Says DIAMONDGIRL!
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