14 mar

3 March 2014 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819

Publishers Message

The Black Business News is proud to acknowledge National Women in History Month - March 2014. The Black Business News (BBN) has a special section highlighting African American women achievers and leaders in such fi elds as government, military, science, medicine, athletics, academia, fi lm, theater, music and television (page 26). Our featured pioneer is Oprah Winfrey. Read her story starting on page 48.

The Black Business Association (BBA) will host their 11th Annual Salute to Black Women, March 29, 2014. This year's event includes a business conference, vendor faire and awards luncheon. The BBA will award

distinguished African American women, young and mature, from all works of life that exemplify the character, courage and commitment that runs deep in the black community. We celebrate the African American women (mothers, sisters, daughters, aunts, wives) who have achieved success in their respective fi elds and endeavors through their courage to pursue excellence.

One of the featured workshops, sponsored by Northrop Grumman, highlighting role models for success, is geared to young females 13 to 18 years of age. Another outstanding workshop will be on Financial Planning, providing insightful information and knowledge to navigate during these uncertain fi nancial times. The third workshop will focus on critical health issues facing African American women. This workshop will have on-site stroke screening and diagnosis sessions.

Black Business News highlights the big news in the Entertainment Industry for 2014 - the awards bestowed on the movie, cast and crew of "12 Years a Slave." If you have not seen the fi lm, please support the project. Every ticket or DVD purchase levels the playing fi eld for the future of African American fi lm projects. Congratulations to all involved in the great production. (page 40)

Please take note of the business and government articles in this issue. We have highlighted some technologies that might offer new entrepreneurial opportunities or at the least contribute to improvements in business operations. Actions by President Obama continue to have an "opening the door" effect on the business environment. He has opened many doors during his term in offi ce. We have to walk through.

As the publisher of the Black Business News, I would like to dedicate this issue to my mother, Martha Cooper, who at the age of 92 had her homegoing. She was instrumental in my growth and development not only in my formative years, but also as an adult. She seemed to always fi nd the best in me, even at times when I couldn't clearly fi nd my own direction. Martha Cooper will be sourly missed by many, including family, friends and love ones.

Keep the Faith.

Black Business News Group

P.O. Box 43159Los Angeles, CA 90043 USA

323-291-7819Fax: 323-298-5064

www.blackbusinessnews.net

PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEFEarl Skip Cooper, II

ASSOCIATE EDITORSSarah Harris

Dean L. JonesENTREPRENEUR EDITOR

Kim AnthonyENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Belinda FosterPRODUCTION MANAGER

Narishima OseiCONTRIBUTING WRITERS

LaSandra StrattonDean JonesLinda Ware

GRAPHIC DESIGNSarah Harris

Phallu MorganSTORY EDITORS

Wanda FlaggJennifer Marie Hamilton

PHOTOGRAPHYIan Foxx

SabirNarishima Osei

CONTENT ADMINISTRATORLa Sandra Stratton

LAYOUT/TYPESETTINGLion Communications

Copyright 2014by Black Business News

All Rights Reserved.

The posting of stories, commentaries, reports, documents and links (embedded or otherwise) on this site does not in any way, shape or form, implied or otherwise, necessarily express or suggest endorsement or support of any of such posted material or parts therein.

Earl Skip Cooper, IIPubisher/Chief Executive Offi cer

2014 BBA Events

MarchSalute to Black Women

JuneAnnual Awards Dinner

SeptemberEntrepreneur Training

Institute

NovemberProcurement Exchange

Summit

Black Business News Group PublicationsBlack Business NewsBlack Business News

International

Black Business News Travel Africa

ABOUT THE BLACK BUSINESS NEWS GROUPThe mission of The Black Business News is to inspire and inform public and pri-vate sector industry representatives on the importance of smart small business growth. As a versatile source of socioeconomic development activity news, the publications of the Black Business News Group impart current local, national and international industry and social trends and news affecting small business-es across the United States of America (USA), providing guides to greater ac-cess to fi nancial capital, management effi ciencies, business education, mentor-ship opportunities and social media networks. The goals of the Black Business News Group include: promoting USA-based black-owned business enterprises to a world wide

audience. offering business growth enhancing information on education, exhibition-

ing, international trading, technology, industry trends, and more. exploring major public and private sector contracting methods to educate

black-owned and operated enterprises. providing an affi rmative infl uence for emerg-

ing entrepreneurs by sharing innovative de-sign and creative cultural content that expos-es them to the history of black enterprises and urges them to participate in the USAs future.

advocating and promoting on behalf of black-owned businesses by promoting the need for expanding an economic founda-tion that supports an unfettered and self-sustained urban society with USA job creation and economic opportunity, where blacks work, live and operate viable business enterprises.

WWW.BLACKBUSINESSNEWS.NET

About

g---s

s enterprises.

BLACK BUSINESS NEWSMARCH 2014

COLUMNS3 - Publisher's Message80 - Take A Look!116 - Books to Consider...118 - Calendar120 - Resources

SPONSORS6 - Black Business Association

SPECIAL SECTION102 Shopping Gallery

Cover image - Phallu Morgan

GOVERNMENT10 Upgrading Our Transportation Infrastructure14 American Recovery & Reinvestment Act16 President's 2014 Economic Report18 African American Action20 My Brother's Keeper

Contents

BUSINESS48 Oprah Winfrey, Pioneer54 Denver Contract Makes History56 New Cybersecurity Partnership60 OWIT & WEConnect Collaboration62 iBeacon, Disruptive Technology66 Heads Up! Microsoft Ending Some

Tech Support Services

70 Greenling's Racism Challenge

PUBLIC INTEREST/COMMUNITY82 First Lady Invites Youth to Travel with Her83 Watch Out for Uitility Bill Scams

INTERNATIONAL88 New Citizenship Application Form - N-40099 Resources for Going Global

COMMEMORATING WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH26 White House Proclamation30 African-American Women's "Firsts"

ENTERTAINMENT40 "12 Years," Nyong'o Win Oscars46 BBN/Show Biz Buzz

40

40

President Obama traveled to St. Paul, Minnesota to unveil a new plan to upgrade America's transportation infrastructure and put people back to work (www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/02/26/remarks-president-jobs-american-infrastructure).

Speaking at St. Paul's historic Union Depot train station, President Obama announced that the

Department of Transportation is making available $600 million in Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants, a tremendously successful program investing in our nation's infrastructure. These new grants mark the sixth round of the TIGER program, which has already invested $3.5 billion in 270 transportation projects across the country.

The President explained that "one of the fastest and best ways to create good jobs is by rebuilding Americas infrastructure -- our roads, our bridges, our rails, our ports, our airports, our schools, our power grids. Weve got a lot of work to do out there, and weve got to put folks to work."

He added that we need to invest in our infrastructure to keep up with other countries that are trying to


President Obama Lays Out New Plan for Upgrading Our Transportation

Infrastructure

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President Barack Obama sits in the cab and talks with a worker during a tour of the Light Rail Maintenance Building in St. Paul, Minn. (Offi cial White House Photo by Pete Souza)

out-build us, in order to make sure that America remains attractive to businesses:

As a percentage of GDP, countries like China, Germany, they're spending about twice what we're spending in order to build infrastructure -- because they know that if they have the fastest trains on the planet or the highest-rated airports or the busiest, most effi cient ports that businesses will go there.

But we don't want businesses to go there. We want them to come here to Minnesota. We want them to come here to the United States of America. And that means the best airports and the best roads and the best trains should be right here in America.

President Obama then outlined his vision for a more comprehensive, long-term plan to create jobs while repairing our transportation infrastructure -- investing a total of $302 billion over four years:

I'm going to send Congress a budget that funds rebuilding our transportation infrastructure in a more responsible way -- by doing it over four years, which gives cities and states and private investors the certainty they need to plan major projects. Projects like repairing essential highways and bridges; building new transit systems in fast-growing cities and communities, so folks who live there can get to work and school every day and spend less time sitting in traffi c. And we're going to have to construct smarter, more resilient transportation systems that can withstand the worst impacts of climate change, like bigger surges of water that weve seen in recent fl oods.

So, all told, my transportation budget will support millions of jobs nationwide. And well pay for these investments in part by simplifying the tax code. Were going to close wasteful tax loopholes, lower tax rates for businesses that create

jobs here at home, stop rewarding companies for sending jobs to other countries, use the money we save in this transition to create good jobs with good wages rebuilding America. It makes sense.

FACT SHEET:President Obama Lays Out

Vision for 21st Century Transportation InfrastructureLaunching competition for $600

million in TIGER competitive grants to fund transformative transportation infrastructure projects. Since the President took offi ce, America has made historic investments to improve our nations infrastructure including the highly successful Transportation

Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) competitive grant program that has invested $3.5 billion in 270 projects across the country. Today the President is announcing that the U.S. Department of Transportation is making available $600 million in TIGER competitive grants to fund transportation projects. The TIGER grant program, which was initially funded as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, was recently funded in the bipartisan Consolidated Appropriations Act, signed by the President on January 17th, 2014. Supporting High-Value

Transportation Projects


see TIGER Grants on page 12

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Across the Country. The highly competitive TIGER program supports a range of projects,

including roads, bridges, transit, rail, and ports, and offers one of the few Federal funding sources for game-changing projects that integrate different modes of transportation. The TIGER program invests in projects that will have a signifi cant impact on the nation or a region, and Federal funds are used to make such projects possible and leverage additional funding from private sector partners, States,

local governments, metropolitan planning organizations, and transit agencies.

Encouraging Improved Job Access and Increased Economic Opportunity. In an effort to expand economic

opportunities for all Americans, the 2014 TIGER program will place an emphasis on projects that support reliable, safe, and affordable transportation options that improve connections for urban, suburban, and rural communities. While continuing to support projects of all types, a priority will be placed in this 6th round of applications on projects that make it easier for Americans to get to jobs, school,

TIGER Grantsfrom page 11

and other opportunities, promote neighborhood revitalization and business expansion, and reconnect neighborhoods that are unnaturally divided by physical barriers such as highways and railroads.

Prioritizing Transformative Projects. Successful projects in the highly competitive process will be those with the potential to improve economic competitiveness and create jobs, improve the condition of existing transportation systems, improve quality of life by increasing transportation options, improve energy effi ciency, reduce fuel consumption and encourage resiliency, and/or improve the

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safety of our transportation systems.

$35 Million to Help Communities Design Economic Development Plans. In addition to supporting capital grants, Congress provided the U.S. Department of Transportation with the fl exibility to use up to $35 million of the 2014 TIGER funds for planning grants for the fi rst time since 2010. These funds can be used to support the planning of innovative transportation solutions, as well as regional transportation planning, freight and port planning, housing and land use development, and resiliency efforts that improve

effi ciency and sustainable community development.

Proposing an aggressive four-year plan to modernize our nations surface transportation infrastructure. Despite progress over the last fi ve years, theres more work to do. Later this summer, the nations transportation system will be

facing a funding crisis, which is why the President is committed to working with Congress, including Senators Boxer and Vitter and Representatives Shuster and Rahall, on a bipartisan solution. Today the President is outlining his vision for a comprehensive, long term plan that puts people back to work repairing our nations transportation infrastructure. The President will propose a four-year reauthorization of our surface transportation programs that will modernize our nations infrastructure and ensure the health and growth of these critical programs for the future

while supporting millions of jobs.Proposing a $302 billion,

Four Year Transportation Reauthorization Bill, Providing States, Local Governments, and Construction Workers with Certainty. The Presidents proposal for a $302 billion, four year transportation reauthorization will not only allow States and local units of government to effectively plan their project pipelines, supporting

millions of good paying jobs over the next several years, but also will enable more transformative transportation projects that improve our global competitiveness.

Matching Transportation Infrastructure Investments to the Current and Future Needs of American Communities. Bringing a one-time infusion of investment into our transportation infrastructure programs would enable projects that address the diverse needs of American communities today.

Expanding Economic Growth, Jobs, and Opportunity. The President is dedicated to enhancing opportunity for all Americans and our businesses by investing in transportation projects that better

connect communities to centers of e m p l o y m e n t , education, and services.

More Bang-for-the-Buck by Boosting Effi ciency and Taxpayers Return on Our Transportation Investments. In a time of tight fi scal and budgetary constraints, the Presidents proposal includes a number of measures to ensure that the American public is getting most out of Federal transportation i n f r a s t r u c t u r e investments that

lead to better outcomes for all Americans.

www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/02/26/president-obama-

lays-out-his-plan-upgrading-our-transportation-infrastructure

www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-offi ce/2014/02/26/fact-sheet-

president-obama-lays-out-vision-21st-century-transportation-i


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The Fifth Anniversary of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

Five years ago President Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. At the time, the country was experiencing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Private employers had already cut almost 4 million jobs, trillions in dollars in household wealth had been wiped out, and the economys total output was in the midst of its sharpest downturn of the postwar era.

As part of the accountability and transparency provisions included in the Recovery Act, the Council of Economic Advisers

was charged with providing to Congress quarterly reports on the Acts effects. The fi nal report in this serieswww.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/fi les/docs/cea_arra_report.pdfaffi rms that the Recovery Act had a substantial positive impact on the economy, helped to avert a second Great Depression, and made targeted investments that will pay dividends long after the Act has fully phased out.

In the four years following the Recovery Act, the President built on this initial step, signing into law over a dozen fi scal measures that extended key features of the

Act and provided new sources of support. These measures included a temporary payroll tax cut for 160 million working Americans, additional extensions to the Emergency Unemployment Compensation program, expanded business tax incentives, small business tax cuts, and funding to protect teacher jobs.

The report also assesses the effects of fi scal legislation signed into law following the Recovery Act, offering a broader look at the Presidents bold and decisive response to one of the most challenging periods in our Nations

President Barack Obama signs the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

ARRA Anniversaryfrom page 15


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economic history. Specifi cally, the Report fi nds: The Recovery Act, by itself, saved

or created about 6 million job-years, where a job-year is defi ned as one full-time job for one year. This translates to an average of 1.6 million jobs a year for four years through the end of 2012. This estimate is within the range of estimates provided by the Congressional Budget Offi ce and other outside organizations.

Combining the effects of the Recovery Act and the additional fi scal measures that followed, the cumulative gain in employment was about 9 million job-years through the end of 2012.

Including both the Recovery Act and subsequent fi scal measures, half of the

total fi scal support for the economy, or $689 billion, came in the form of tax cutsmostly directed at families. The remainder went to investments in critical areas such as rebuilding bridges and roads, supporting teacher jobs, and providing temporary help for those who found themselves unemployed or in need of assistance because of the Great Recession.

The investments made through the Recovery Act will have a positive impact on long-run growth, raising the economys potential output and ultimately offsetting much of the Acts initial

cost. For instance, the Recovery Act improved more than 40,000 miles of road and over 2,700 bridges, brought 693 drinking water systems serving over 48 million Americans into compliance with the Clean Water Act, made high-speed internet available to about 20,000 c o m m u n i t y institutions, and launched the Race to the Topprogram, which i n c e n t i v i z e d 34 states to improve their e d u c a t i o n policies.

While these fi gures are s u b s t a n t i a l ,

half of the cost. the Rimprov40,00roadbridg693 dsysteoverAmecomthe Actspeavaaboc oinslauRapri n3imep

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EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

COUNCIL OF ECONOMIC ADVISERS

THE ECONOMIC IMP

ACT OF THE

AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTM

ENT ACT

FIVE YEARS LATER

FINAL REPORT TO CONGRESS

FEBRUARY 2014

they still nevertheless understate the full magnitude of the Administrations response to the crisis. Because the report released today focuses exclusively on the effects of fi scal legislation, it does not assess other Administration policies that stabilized the fi nancial system, rescued the auto industry, and supported the housing sectorall actions that made signifi cant contributions to spurring the recovery.

Five years later, the U.S. economy is undoubtedly in a stronger position, thanks to the grit and determination of our nation's workers and businesses. The economy has now grown for 11 straight quarters, and businesses have added 8.5 million jobs since early 2010. While far more work remains to ensure that the economy provides opportunity for every American, there can be no question that President Obamas actions to date have laid the groundwork for stronger, more sustainable economic growth in the years ahead.

www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/02/17/fi fth-anniversary-

american-recovery-and-reinvestment-act

The 2014 Economic Report of the President

The Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) has released the 2014 Economic Report of the President, which discusses the progress that has been made in recovering from the worst recession since the Great Depression, and President Obamas agenda to build on this progress by creating jobs and expanding economic opportunity.

This years report highlights steps the Obama Administration is taking to address three key imperatives: continuing to restore the

economy to its full potential, expanding the economys

potential over the long-run, and ensuring that all Americans have

the opportunity to realize their full individual potential.Here are seven highlights from

each of the seven chapters in this years Report. Read the full report at: www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/fi les/docs/full_2014_economic_report_of_the_president.pdf.

Chapter 1 introduces the Report and highlights several key areas where progress has

been made, but it also lays out the areas where much more work remains to be done. As shown in Figure 1-4 of the Report, among the 12 countries that experienced a systemic fi nancial crisis in 2007 and 2008, the United States is one of just two in which output per

working-age person has returned to pre-crisis levels. The fact that the United States has been one of the best performing economies in the wake of the crisis supports the view that the full set of policy responses in the United States made a major difference in averting a substantially

worse outcome.Chapter 2 reviews the

economys performance in 2013 and discusses the key reasons why the Administration, like other forecasters, expects growth to strengthen in the coming years. Five years removed from the worst of the fi nancial crisis, the economy continues


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to strengthen and recover, with businesses adding 2.4 million jobs in 2013, the third straight year private employment has risen by more than 2 million. Looking to 2014, one key reason that growth is expected to pick up is that households have made substantial progress in paying off debt, a process known as deleveraging, putting them in a better position to increase spending going forward. As shown in Figure 2-7, household debt has fallen from a peak of about 1.4 times annual disposable income in the fourth quarter of 2007 to 1.1 times annual disposable income by the fourth quarter of 2013.

Chapter 3 evaluates the impact of the Recovery Act and subsequent fi scal jobs measures on the economy, fi nding that they made a substantial and sustained contribution to the level of jobs and output. CEA estimates that Recovery Act alone raised the level of GDP by between 2 and 2.5% from late 2009 through mid-2011. This estimate is also within the range of estimates provided by the Congressional Budget Offi ce (CBO) and private-sector forecasters. But the efforts did not stop with the Recovery Act, and in the subsequent years the President signed more than a dozen additional fi scal measures to create jobs and strengthen the economy, including the payroll tax cut, small business tax cuts, incentives for infrastructure, and extended unemployment insurance.

Chapter 4 analyzes the causes and consequences of the

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historic slowdown in the growth of health care costs, which has potentially massive implications for families, employers, and the Federal budget. The growth rate of real per-capita health care expenditures from 2010 to 2012 was the lowest since data collection began in the 1960s, and preliminary data and projections indicate that slow growth continued into 2013 (Figure 4-1). It does not appear that this development is merely an after-effect of the recession, as the slowdown has now persisted well into the economic recovery.

Chapter 5 discusses the vast advances that have been made in the technology sector in recent years, the broader context of productivity growth over the last 60 years, and the Presidents agenda to support research and foster innovation

going forward. Figure 5-2 shows that over the last two decades, productivity has grown faster than in the 1970s and 1980s, but more slowly than in the 1950s and 1960s, when rapid productivity growth was fueled by public investments like the interstate highway system and the commercialization of innovations from World War II like the jet engine and synthetic rubber. Recent technological advances have unleashed a great deal of potential, and Chapter 5 discusses

steps the Obama Administration is taking to support innovation, in particular expanding the availability and effi ciency of wireless spectrum for commercial broadband use and reforming the patent system to ensure that it encourages useful innovation by inventors and limits wasteful litigation by patent assertion entities, also known as patent trolls.

Chapter 6 takes stock of the progress that has been made, lessons that have been learned, and ways to take the next step forward in combating poverty 50 years after the start of the War on Poverty. Using new historical estimates of poverty based on modern measurement methods, Chapter 6 presents a more accurate picture of the changes in poverty over the past fi ve decades. Since 1967, the fi rst year for which such estimates are available, the poverty rate has fallen by nearly 40%. Crucially, all of this reduction in poverty has come as a result of tax credits and government programs such as Social Security, nutrition assistance, unemployment insurance, among others. Over this time period, expansions in tax credits that support working families have led the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the refundable Child Tax Credit (CTC) to lift more children out of poverty than any other Federal program.

Chapter 7 focuses on how high-quality impact evaluations of Federal programs can infl uence public policy for the better, and how they have been used to focus Federal dollars on strategies that work. Figure 7-2 provides a telling example: sharply reducing homelessness is a key Administration focus, and based on evidence

from program evaluations, the Department of Housing and Urban Development has re-oriented the Homelessness Assistance Grant Program away from traditional approaches such as transitional housing toward more effective permanent supportive housing. Rigorous impact evaluations such as these have long been supported

by the President. In his 21st Century Management Agenda, the President set bold goals for building a more effi cient, more effective governmentone which contributes to economic growth and strengthens the foundations for economic prosperity. More work remains to be done

www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/03/10/2014-economic-

report-president

Leaders from some of the countrys foremost African American civil rights organizations joined President Obama and a handful of Administration leaders in the Roosevelt Room of the White House recently. To open the meeting, I was joined by Attorney General Eric Holder, Director of the Domestic Policy Council Cecilia Muoz, Cabinet Secretary Broderick Johnson and White House Advisor for Health Policy and

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Implementation Phil Schiliro for a discussion outlining the Presidents priorities for this year of action.

Present were leaders from the NAACP (www.naacp.org), The National Urban League (http://nul.iamempowered.com), the National Action Network (ht tp: / /nat ionalact ionnetwork.net), the NAACP Legal Defense Fund (www.naacpldf.org), the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights (www.civilrights.org), the National Bar

Association (www.nationalbar.org) and the National Coalition of Black Civic Participation (http://ncbcp.org). The group covered a range of issues of great concern to the President, and the African American community, touching on job growth, education and job training, maintaining our momentum in enrolling the uninsured through the Affordable Care Act, bringing more fairness and effi ciency to our criminal justice system, increasing the minimum wage, and ensuring

President Barack Obama meets with African American civil rights leaders to discuss criminal justice reform, income inequality and the Affordable Care Act, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. (Offi cial White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Partnering for Action in African American Communities

by Valerie Jarrett


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ladders of opportunity for all. What was clear in this meeting

was that many of the goals the President set forth in his State of the Union address will become reality because of the strong partnerships that he and his administration have forged with leaders from the civil rights community who work hard every day to advocate equality and opportunity for all.

The President will continue to work with Congress where they are able and willing to act, but

meetings like this provide optimistic reminders that there remain other leaders in the country who can act right now to improve the economy, to ensure greater opportunity for all, and to keep this country moving in the right direction. The capacity for the President and his White House to convene thought leaders, decision makers, and community

leaders, all of whom have access to both resources and the audiences we aim to reach, is a powerful tool, and one which President Obama hopes to wield effectively in 2014 for the good of all Americans.

www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/02/19/partnering-action-

african-american-communities

My Brother's KeeperThere are a lot of kids out there who need help, who are getting a lot of negative reinforcement. And is there more that we can do to give them the sense that their country cares about them and values them and is

willing to invest in them? President Obama, July 19, 2013

Understanding The ProblemThe data proves it: Boys and young men of

color regardless of where they come from are disproportionately at risk from their youngest years through college and the early stages of their professional lives.

By the time they hit fourth grade, 86% of African American boys and 82% Hispanic boys are reading below profi ciency levels compared to 54% of white fourth graders reading below profi ciency levels.

African American and Hispanic young men are


more than six times as likely to be victims of murder than their white peers and account for almost half of the country's murder victims each year.

How President Obama is Taking ActionHe's announced a new initiative with leading

foundations and businesses that will take a collaborative, multi-disciplinary approach to build ladders of opportunity and unlock the full potential of boys and young men of color and they're getting to work immediately.

He signed a Presidential Memorandum

A student eyes the Emancipation Proclamation as the President gave students from William R. Harper High School in Chicago a tour of the Oval Offi ce. (Offi cial White House Photo by Pete Souza)

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establishing the My Brother's Keeper Task Force to help determine which public and private efforts are working, how the Federal government can support those efforts, and how we can get more folks involved in those efforts across the board.

That doesn't only benefi t our kids facing tough circumstances it benefi ts all Americans.

Learn How You Can Take ActionBusinesses and foundations are stepping up

to answer the President's call to action. Find out more about what theyre doing, visit www.boysandmenofcolor.org/executivesalliance and/or review the My Brother's Keeper Fact Sheet (www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/02/27/fact-sheet-opportunity-all-president-obama-launches-my-brother-s-keeper-) to learn what is being done and to fi nd your center of action.

Share Your Story:How are you and your community going to help

create and sustain opportunities for disadvantaged youth? Whateever your plan or program, share your story and provide ideas and encouragement to all those participating in My Brother's Keeper. Share at: www.whitehouse.gov/my-brothers-keeper.

FACT SHEET: Opportunity For All:Building Ladders of Opportunity

For Boys and Young Men of ColorPresident Obama is taking action to launch My

Brothers Keeper a new initiative to help every boy and young man of color who is willing to do the hard work to get ahead. For decades, opportunity has lagged behind for boys and young men of color. But across the country, communities are adopting approaches to help put these boys and young men on the path to success. The President wants to build on that work. We can learn from communities that are partnering with local businesses and foundations to connect these boys and young men to mentoring, support networks, and skills they need to fi nd a good job or go to college and work their way up into the middle class. And the Administration will do its part by helping to identify and promote programs that work.

That starts by using proven tools that expand opportunity at key moments in the lives of these young people. The President believes this includes ensuring access to basic health, nutrition, and to high-quality early education to get these kids reading and ready for school at the youngest age. But thats not enough. We need to partner with communities and police to reduce violence and make our classrooms and streets safer. And we need to help these young men stay in school and fi nd a good job so they have the opportunity to

reach their full potential, contribute to their communities and build decent lives for themselves and their families.

New Presidential Task Force to Expand Opportunity. President Obama will sign a Presidential Memorandum establishing the My Brothers Keeper Task Force, an interagency effort, chaired by Assistant to the President and Cabinet Secretary Broderick Johnson, that will help us determine what public and private efforts are working and how to expand upon them, how the Federal Governments own policies and programs can better support these efforts, and how to better involve State and local offi cials, the private sector, and the philanthropic community in these efforts.

The Task Force will work across executive departments and agencies to: Assess the impact of Federal policies, regulations,

and programs of general applicability on boys and

see My Brother's Keeper on page 22

President Barack Obama enters the East Room of the White House with Christian Champagne at the start of the "My Brother's Keeper," event. "My Brother's Keeper" is an initiative to expand opportunity for young men and boys of color. (Offi cial White House Photo by Pete Souza)

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My Brother's Keeperfrom page 21

young men of color, so as to develop proposals that will enhance positive outcomes and eliminate or reduce negative ones.

Recommend, where appropriate, incentives for the broad adoption by national, State, and local public and private decision makers of effective and innovative strategies and practices for providing opportunities to and improving outcomes for boys and young men of color.

Create an Administration-wide What Works online portal to disseminate successful programs and practices that improve outcomes for boys and young men of color.

Develop a comprehensive public website, to be maintained by the Department of Education, that will assess, on an ongoing basis, critical indicators of life outcomes for boys and young men of color in absolute and relative terms.

Work with external stakeholders to highlight the opportunities, challenges, and efforts affecting boys and young men of color.

Recommend to the President means of ensuring sustained efforts within the Federal Government and continued partnership with the private sector and philanthropic community as set forth in the Presidential Memorandum. Investments from Leading Foundations and

Businesses to Advance the Achievement of Boys and Young Men of Color. Leading foundations and businesses have long worked with others in philanthropy to create opportunities for young men and boys of color and today are committing signifi cant resources to research critical intervention points in the lives of boys and young men of color; change the often-damaging narrative about them; and catalyze coordinated investments to seed, replicate, and scale up effective community solutions.

The foundations supporting todays call to action have already made extensive investments, including $150 million in current spending that they have already approved or awarded. Building on that, today these foundations are announcing that over the next fi ve years they seek to invest at least $200 million, alongside additional investments from their peers in philanthropy and the business community, to fi nd and rapidly spread solutions that have the highest potential for impact in key areas, including: early child development and school readiness, parenting and parent engagement, 3rd grade literacy, educational opportunity and school discipline reform, interactions with the criminal justice

system ladders to jobs and economic opportunity and healthy families and communities.

The foundations will work over the next 90 days to design a strategy and infrastructure for coordination of these investments, which can be aligned with additional commitments from a diverse array of actors from other sectors.

These foundations, who are joining President Obama at todays announcement, include The Annie E. Casey Foundation, The Atlantic Philanthropies, Bloomberg Philanthropies, The California Endowment, The Ford Foundation, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, The Open Society Foundations, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, The W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and The Kapor Center for Social Impact. Many of the foundations are members of the Executives Alliance to Expand Opportunities for Boys and Men of Color a coalition of philanthropic institutions committed to leveraging philanthropys role in improving life outcomes for boys and men of color.

In addition to the leadership from the philanthropic community, the My Brothers Keeper initiative will leverage participation from the business community and elected offi cials to support this cross-sector effort. As part of todays announcement, President Obama will meet with a number of business leaders including Joe Echevarria of Deloitte, Magic Johnson of Magic Johnson Enterprises, Glenn Hutchins of Silver Lake Partners, Adam Silver of the National Basketball Association and Thomas Tull of Legendary Entertainment to discuss ways in which they and their companies can work with the Initiative to improve the life outcomes of boys and young men of color.

The President will also be joined today by public sector leaders including General Colin Powell, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Honorable Michael Bloomberg. Additionally, several other prominent members of the business communityincluding Rosalind Brewer of Sams Club, Ken Chenault of American Express, and Don Thompson of McDonaldshave already expressed their support for this effort, and the White House expects additional commitments in the coming days and months.

The effort launched today is focused on unlocking the full potential of boys and young men of color something that will not only benefi t them, but all Americans. The Task Force and new private sector partnership will take a collaborative and multidisciplinary approach to building ladders of opportunity. Both the Task Force and the partnership will take action immediately while planning for long-term success.

www.whitehouse.gov/my-brothers-keeper

Government

THE WHITE HOUSENATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, 2014

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICAA PROCLAMATION

Throughout our Nation's history, American women have led movements for social and economic justice, made ground-breaking scientifi c discoveries, enriched our culture with stunning works of art and literature, and charted bold directions in our foreign policy. They have served our country with valor, from the battlefi elds of the Revolutionary War to the deserts of Iraq and mountains of Afghanistan. During Women's History Month, we recognize the victories, struggles, and stories of the women who have made our country what it is today.

This month, we are reminded that even in America, freedom and justice have never come easily. As part of a centuries-old and ever-evolving movement, countless women have put their shoulder to the wheel of progress -- activists who gathered at Seneca Falls and gave expression to a righteous cause; trailblazers who defi ed convention and shattered glass ceilings; millions who claimed control of their own bodies, voices, and lives. Together, they have pushed our Nation toward equality, liberation, and acceptance of women's right -- not only to choose their own destinies -- but also to shape the futures of peoples and nations.

Through the grit and sacrifi ce of generations, American women and girls have gained greater opportunities and more representation than ever before. Yet they continue to face workplace discrimination, a higher risk of sexual assault, and an earnings gap that will cost the average woman hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of her working lifetime.

As women fi ght for their seats at the head of the table, my Administration offers our unwavering support. The fi rst bill I signed as President was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which made it easier for women to challenge pay discrimina-tion. Under the Affordable Care Act, we banned insurance companies from charging women more because of their gen-der, and we continue to defend this law against those who would let women's bosses infl uence their health care decisions.

Last year, recognizing a storied history of patriotic and courageous service in our Armed Forces, the United States mili-tary opened ground combat units to women in uniform. We are also encouraging more girls to explore their passions for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and taking action to create economic opportunities for women across the globe. Last fall, we fi nalized a rule to extend overtime and minimum wage protections to homecare workers, 90 per-cent of whom are women. And this January, I launched a White House task force to protect students from sexual assault.

As we honor the many women who have shaped our history, let us also celebrate those who make progress in our time. Let us remember that when women succeed, America succeedsAnd from Wall Street to Main Street, in the White House and on Capitol Hill -- let us put our Nation on the path to success.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority

vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 2014 as Women's History Month. I call upon all Americans to observe this month and to celebrate International Women's Day on March 8, 2014, with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities. I also invite all Americans to visit www.WomensHistoryMonth.gov to learn more about the generations of women who have left enduring imprints on our history.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fi rst day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand fourteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-eighth.

BARACK OBAMA

Black Business Associations 2014 Salute to Black Women Awards

Luncheon HonoreesBarbara Lee, Lifetime Achievement Award

- Congresswoman Barbara Lee is a forceful and progressive voice in Congress, dedicated to social and economic justice, international peace, civil and human rights. She gained national attention in 2001 as the only member of both chambers of Congress to vote against the Authorization for Use of Military Force after September 11th. In September of 2013, President Obama nominated Congresswoman Lee to be a Representative of the United States to the Sixty-eighth Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, making her the fi rst African American woman to hold that position.

Barbara Walden, Entrepreneur Pioneer Award - Barbara Walden was the forerunner in designing the fi rst cosmetic line for the African American woman, named Barbara Walden Cosmetics. Her skin care, makeup and fragrance are popular with women of all ethnic groups. It was the Offi cial Makeup of the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics and is sold in China, Europe, and Africa. Ms. Walden authored a beauty book, "Easy Glamour" published by Wm Morrow & Company.

Gwen Green, Civil Rights Activist Award - Gwen Green started her civil rights work in the mid-1950s with the NAACP in their regional offi ce as a youth advisor fi ghting racial discrimination in Oakland, California. In 1960, Gwen met Martin Luther King, Jr and began a working friendship until his tragic death. Gwen was one of the founders of the New Frontier Democratic Club, in Los Angeles, CA. Gwen assisted in establishing the Home Care Workers Union Seiu Local 434(B), currently known as United Long Term Care Union 6434. She continued to work for the Union, as the Community Outreach Director, for 20 years advocating for its members to earn a fair living wage.

Autumn Williams, Young Achievement Award - Ms. Williams studied Aeronautics and Astronautics at Stanford University and participated in astrobiology-focused research during her undergraduate career. She is the founder of STEMgineers Shifting Gears, a STEM-focused afterschool, tutoring and summer program based in Watts, CA which encourages middle and high school students participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Karen Slade, Executive Leadership Award -

Community/Public Interest - WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

Entering her twenty plus years as Vice President / General Manager at KJLH, Karen is responsible for ensuring the stations Broadcast Operations adhere to the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) rules and regulations. Karen has been recognized by Radio Ink as one of the Most Infl uential African Americans in Radio. She has received many awards including the distinguished George Foster Peabody Award for signifi cant and meritorious achievement and the NAACP Image Award for Humanitarian broadcast efforts.

Cherilyn Lee, Professional Excellence Award - Dr. Lees is a trained Physicians Assistance and is a Board Certifi ed Nurse Practitioner. She earned her PhD in Holistic Nutrition, is certifi ed in Energy Medicine and is a Certifi ed Natural Healthcare Professional. Dr. Lee has clients with varied physical diseases/aliments whom she sees at NutriMed Integrated Healthcare in Inglewood, CA. Cherilyn regularly attends seminars and workshops to stay abreast of the latest technologies in Holistic Medicine

Dr. Ora Mobley Sweeting, Pioneer Award - Dr. Ora Mobley Sweeting, an activist lived in Harlem, New York from 1948 to 1990. She worked with Harlem's notables in an era that defi ned Africa's post-colonial struggles and America's own period of Civil Rights. Her indomitable spirit and courage allowed her to overcome sexism and racism as she spread the powerful and challenging ideals of liberation, freedom and human rights. Mobley-Sweeting initiated a campaign to change the names of schools in Harlem to honor African American heroes, which lead to the re-naming of the streets in Harlem after Dr. King, Malcolm X and Fredrick Douglas.

Cherice R. Calhoun, Community-Based Business Award - Cherice created BlackNLA.com having the desire to have one source to obtain any and all information pertaining to African-Americans living in Los Angeles. BlackNLA.com is renowned for disseminating information to urban professionals living, working and visiting the greater Los Angeles area. BlackNLA.com provides varied information. Its inclusive of promotional advertisements, upcoming events, networking opportunities and community outreach information. We provide this at no cost to the community, says Cherice. Her aim is to enhance Black Businesses, Organizations and Networking Opportunities.

Starlett Quarles, Emerging Leader Award - Ms. Quarles is a Community Activist and Advocate for the progress of Black Los Angeles and urban communities across the Country. She hosts a weekly, community-based, nationally-syndicated Internet Talk Show, titled, The Dialogue with Starlett Quarles. The Talk Show is an additional vehicle to further her vision to bring Young Urban Professionals and community members together with Business and Political Leaders.

Some "Firsts" forAfrican American WomenFrom: www.blackpast.org

African-American Firsts: GOVERNMENT Woman legislator: Crystal Bird

Fauset, 1938 - fi rst African-American female state legislator in the United States, elected to the Pennsylvania state legislature. She later was a member of President Roosevelt's "Black Cabinet"

Woman U.S. Representative: Shirley Chisholm, 1969 - the fi rst black woman elected to Congress and later the fi rst black person to seek a major partys nomination for the U.S. presidency.

Woman cabinet offi cer: Patricia Harris, 1977 - nominated by President Jimmy Carter to

become the Secretary of Housing

and Urban Development (HUD) in his cabinet.

Woman mayor of a major U.S. city: Sharon Pratt Dixon Kelly, 1991 - in her fi rst bid for public offi ce, she was elected mayor of Washington, D.C.

Woman U.S. Senator: Carol Mosely Braun, 1992 - the first female Senator elected from Illinois and the first African American woman in the U.S. Senate.

Woman Secretary of State: Condoleezza Rice, 2005 - first African American woman National Security Advisor and Secretary of State of the United States.

African-American Firsts: LAW Woman admitted to the

bar:Charlotte Ray, 1872 - fi rst African American woman to practice law in the United States.

Woman federal judge: Constance Baker Motley, 1966 - President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed Motley to the United States District Court.

African-American Firsts:

DIPLOMACY Woman U.S. Ambassador:

Patricia Harris, 1965 - President Johnson appointed her as the U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg.

African-American Firsts: MILITARY Woman general: Hazel W.

Johnson, 1979 - fi rst African American woman to become a general in the U.S. Army.

Woman to graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy: Janie L. Mines, 1980 - fi rst African American woman to graduate from the United States Naval Academy.

Woman Rear Admiral in the United States Navy: Lillian Fishburne, 1998 - attained the rank of Rear Admiral and was promoted by the President of the United States, Bill Clinton.

African-American Firsts: SCIENCE and MEDICINE Woman to receive an M.D.

degree: Rebecca Lee Crumpler, 1864 - the fi rst black woman physician.


Community/Public Interest - WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

Hon. Crystal Bird Fauset with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.

Community/Public Interest - BLACK HISTORY MONTH


see "Firsts" on page 32

Woman patent holder: Judy Reed, 1884 - considered to be the fi rst African American woman to receive a United States patent.

Female Dental Surgeon: Ida Gray Nelson Rollins, 1890 - fi rst African American woman to graduate with a Doctorate of Dental Surgery in the United States - became the fi rst African American, male or female, to practice dentistry in Chicago.

Woman astronaut: Mae Jemison, 1992 - becomes the fi rst African American woman in space when she travels on board the space shuttle Endeavor.

African-American Firsts: SCHOLARSHIP Woman to graduate from a

college, Lucy Stanton, 1850 - the fi rst African American woman to graduate from college, completing a Ladies Literary Course from Oberlin College.

Women Ph.D.'s: Georgiana Simpson, 1921 - second black women to be awarded a Ph.D. in the United States receiving her degree in German from the University of Chicago.

Women Ph.D.'s: Sadie Tanner Mossell, 1921 - became the fi rst black woman to be awarded the degree (from the University of Pennsylvania).

Women Ph.D.'s: Eva Beatrice Dykes, 1921 - became the fi rst black woman in the United

States to complete the required coursework for a Ph.D. and the third African American woman to receive a doctoral degree.

Ivy League University president: Ruth Simmons, 2001 - the fi rst African American to be named President of an Ivy League university, Brown University.

African-American Firsts: ART and LITERATURE Poet: Lucy Terry, 1746 - fi rst

known work of African American literature.

Poet (published): Phillis Wheatley, 1773 - while yet in her teens, she became the fi rst African American woman to publish a book of poetry.

Woman's autobiography: Jarena Lee, 1831 - the fi rst to be published in the United States by an African American woman.

Woman novelist, Harriett

Wilson, 1859 - believed to be the fi rst African American woman to publish a novel in the United States.

Pulitzer prize winner: Gwendolyn Brooks, 1950 - the fi rst African American to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize in poetry for Annie Allen.

Nobel Prize for Literature winner: Toni Morrison, 1993 - receiving the Nobel Prize for Literature for the novel Beloved.

Woman Poet Laureate: Rita Dove, 1993 - became the youngest person and fi rst African American to be named United States Poet Laureate, an honor she held until 1995.



"Firsts"from page 31

African-American Firsts: MUSIC and DANCE Member of the Metropolitan Opera

Company: Marian Anderson, 1955 - the fi rst African American to perform with the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.

Woman Grammy Award winner:

Ella Fitzgerald, 1958 - overall she won thirteen Grammies, sold over 40 million records, performed for 58 years.

African-American Firsts: FILM and THEATRE First Oscar winner: Hattie

McDaniel, 1940 - for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mammy in Gone With the Wind.

Tony Award Winner: Juanita Hall, 1950 - she was named Best Supporting Actress for her role in South Pacifi c.

Woman director for a major Hollywood Studio: Julie Dash, 1991 - Daughters of the Dust was the fi rst nationally released feature-length fi lm by an African-

American woman. Oscar, Best Actress: Halle Berry,

2001 - for the fi lm Monsters Ball. First President of the Academy of

Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (The Oscars): Cheryl Boone Isaacs, 2013 - elected for a one-year term.

African-American Firsts: RADIO and TELEVISION Woman television show host:

Oprah Winfrey, 1986 - "AM Chicago" was renamed The Oprah Winfrey Show.

African-American Firsts: SPORTS Woman gold medalist (Summer

games; individual): Alice Coachman, 1948 - leapt 5 feet 6 1/8 inches to set a new Olympic record for the high jump.

Wimbledon tennis champion: Althea Gibson, 1957 - the fi rst African American to win championships at Grand Slam tournaments (the Australian

Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open).

Olympic medalist (Winter games): Debi Thomas, 1988 - the fi rst African American woman to win a medal (Bronze) at the Winter Olympic Games.

Olympic gold medalist (Winter games): Vonetta Flowers, 2002 - won gold in the women's bobsled event at Salt Lake City.

African-American Firsts: RELIGION Woman Bishop in the Episcopal

(Anglican) Church: Barbara Harris, 1989 - fi rst woman to be ordained in the worldwide Anglican Church.

Woman Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church: Vashti Murphy McKenzie, 2000 - in 2005 became the fi rst woman to serve as Titular Head of the AME Church.



African-American Firsts: BUSINESS and LABOR Forbes magazine billionaires

list: Oprah Winfrey, 2003 - the fi rst African American woman to become one.

African-American Firsts: OTHER Licensed Pilot: Bessie Coleman,

1921 - became the fi rst black women to gain an international permit to fl y.

Flight Attendant: Ruth Carol Taylor, 1958 - for Mohawk Airlines.

President of Girl Scouts, USA, Gloria Dean Randall Scott, 1975 - fi rst African-American president of the Girl Scouts of America and the twelfth president of Bennett College.

Woman commercial airline pilot: Jill Elaine Brown, 1978 - was hired by Texas International Airlines at the age of 28.

Miss America: Vanessa Williams, 1984 - the fi rst African American woman to win the Miss America title.

Miss USA: Carole Ann-Marie Gist, 1990 - fi rst African American woman to win the Miss USA title.

President of the National League of Women Voters, Carolyn Jefferson-Jenkins, 1994 - elected the fi rst African American president of the National League of Women Voters.

President of the National Parent-

Teacher Association (PTA): Lois Jean White, 1995 - the fi rst African American elected President of the National Parent Teacher Association (PTA).

Explorer, North Pole: Barbara Hillary, 2007 - the fi rst African American woman on record to reach both the North and South Poles.

THIS SPACE IS FOR YOU!!

www.blackpast.org/aah/101-african-american-firsts


Government

10 Most Frequently Asked Questions About Affordable Care Act

President Obamas Affordable Care Act insurance exchange opened throughout the nation, with Covered California serving as the State of Californias insurance. For information pertaining to your spe-FLFKHDOWKFDUHLQVXUDQFHFRQFHUQVvisit www.coveredca.com or call 800-300-1506.

1. Exactly what happened on Tuesday, October 1, 2013? For the UVW WLPH $PHULFDQV EHFDPH DEOHto buy health insurance online, by phone or in person through a new marketplace exchange created by President Obamas Affordable Care Act.

2. Who is eligible to buy on the marketplace? Can I buy on the ex-change even if I am not eligible for subsidies? The exchange can be used by individuals, families, as well as small business owners who have 50 or fewer employees. Many small businesses will also be eligible for substantial tax credits if they use the exchange.3. Whats the California market-SODFHFDOOHGDQGKRZGR,QGLW"Covered California, and its website is http://coveredca.com. If you prefer to sign up by phone, call 800-300-

1506. Multilingual call centers will be staffed from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mon-days through Fridays and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays. You can also ask that information be sent to you by mail.

4. Does every California resi-dent need to buy health insurance through this marketplace? No. Peo-ple who already have insurance through their employer or through government programs such as Vet-erans Affairs, Medicare or Medi-Cal can keep their insurance.

5. Is there a deadline to enroll? The open enrollment period doesnt end until March 31. But if you want the insurance to take effect Jan. 1, youll need to buy it by Dec. 15.

6. What does Covered Cal-LIRUQLD RIIHU"

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12 Years a Slave: Making History inFilm Making with Our History By Linda Ware

The fi lm 12 Years a Slave is one of the most powerful motion pictures of all time in its box offi ce success and overall integrity as a respectable representation of solid fi lm making. It is a dramatic motion picture that has broken records in its global success in critical acclaim around the world with its unprecedented wins at this years Academy Awards, Golden Globes and Peoples Choice Awards winning top honors for Best Picture.

The fi lm brings to life the dramatic story of the autobiography of Solomon Northrup, a book that was originally published in 1853.

Actress Lupita Nyong'o on the Red Carpet during the

Oscars on March 2, 2014 in Hollywood, California. PHOTO |

AFP

Actress Lupita Nyong'o accepts the Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting

Role award for '12 Years a Slave'. PHOTO | AFP

The fi lm brings to life on the silver screen the story of Northrup, born as an free African American who lived in upstate New York during pre-civil war America. The fi lm portrays the dramatic story of how Northrup was captured and forced into slavery in the American South. The fi lm takes the position to focus on a different perspective of slavery as an institution in African American history different that previous fi lms on slavery of the past. 12 Years a Slave shows the drastic difference between the two worlds of the free North and the slave driven South during Americas peak time of engagement in the slave labor system.

British Grenadian fi lm director, Steve McQueen, partnered with African American screenwriter John Ridley to create the script of this historical fi lm setting the stage for a production that would change the face of the movie industry as a whole. With its solid cast line up

Entertainment


see Oscar Winners on page 42

Steve McQueen accepts the Oscar for Best Picture for 12 Years a Slave

at the 86th Academy Awards.

John Ridley accepts the Oscar for adapted screenplay for 12 Years a

Slave at the 86th Academy Awards. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholsony

EntertainmentOscar Winners

from page 41

including Lupita NYongo and Brad Pitt, the fi lm awakens America and the world to the stark reality of the slave labor system from the point of view of a freeman.

British Nigerian Actor, Chiwetel Ejiofor, portrays the lead role of Northrup as the story weaves the story of his life as a family man living in upstate New York. He was kidnapped from his home in Saratoga, New York by slave poachers and taken against his will to Louisiana where he was sold into slavery for the price of $650.00. Ejiofor brings to life the character of Northrup in a poignant acting performance as he walked from freedom into a life of forced slavery picking cotton for over 12 years of his life. In the fi lm, Brad Pitt portrays a Canadian who assisted Ejiofor to regain his freedom.

12 Years a Slave is monumental as a fi lm production that is both engaging and historical in its presentation. The top honors that this unprecedented fi lm has received are remarkable in terms of its widespread global accolades. 12 Years a Slave received the top award of the evening at this years Academy Awards, winning the Best Picture Award as it competed amongst a list of some of the top selling fi lms of the top fi lm studios in Hollywood.

Steve McQueen, a British fi lm director, is notably recognized as the fi rst African American fi lm maker to win an Academy Award for Best Motion Picture of the year. Lupita Nyongo walked across the stage to pick up her Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Patsey, a slave who worked alongside Northrup played by Ejiofor. John Ridley proudly held


Top to Bottom:Barkhad Abdi as Somali Pirate leader in "Captain Phillips"

Chiwetel Ejiofor as Solomon Northrup in "12 Years a Slave"

Pherrel Williams performes his Best Original Song Academy Award nominated hit Happy from the movie "Despicable Me 2".

see Oscar Winners on page 44

On the Oscar's Red Carpet nominees(l-r) Chiwetel Ejiofor, Best Actor (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images), Pherrell Williams, Best Original Song, and Barkhad Abdi, Best Supporting Actor


Co-producer Brad Pitt accepting Academy Award for Best Picture for "12 Years a Slave"


Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Cheryl Boone Isaacs. Photo By MIKE BLAKE/REUTERS

Entertainment

Oscar Winners

by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez

Best original score: Steven Price, "Gravity"

Best visual effects: "Gravity" Best fi lm editing: "Gravity" Best cinematography: "Gravity" Best sound mixing: "Gravity" Best sound editing: "Gravity" Best costume design: "The Great

Gatsby" Best production design: "The

Great Gatsby" Best make-up and hairstyling:

"Dallas Buyers Club"

Best animated short fi lm: "Mr. Hublot"

Best live action short fi lm: "Helium"

Best documentary feature: "20 Feet from Stardom"

Best documentary short: "The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life".

Cheryl Boone Isaacs: The New Face of the Oscars in Leadership and Visionby Linda Ware

his Oscar up high in the air for Best Screenplay.

Northrup was sold into slavery for $650. The fi lm that brought to life his biography has earned over $171 million in box offi ce revenues around the world. The fi lms destiny in success was predicted several centuries ago connected to the original memoir penned by Northrup himself upon his return to freedom. After selling 30,000 copies in the 1800s, a newspaper is quoted to say this about Northrups story:

"A full story of his life and sufferings on the Cotton plantation.It will be read widely."

12 Years a Slave is the guarantor that this African American biography will be both read and seen for years to come.

Winners at the 86th Academy Awards: Best picture: Steve McQueen,

Director, "12 Years a Slave" Best actor: Matthew

McConaughey, "Dallas Buyers Club"

Best actress: Cate Blanchett, "Blue Jasmine"

Best supporting actor: Jared Leto, "Dallas Buyers Club"

Best supporting actress: Lupita Nyong'o, "12 Years a Slave"

Best director: Alfonso Cuaron, "Gravity"

Best original screenplay: Spike Jonze, "Her"

Best adapted screenplay: John Ridley, "12 Years a Slave"

Best foreign language fi lm: "The Great Beauty" (Italy)

Best animated feature: "Frozen" Best original song: "Let It Go"

from "Frozen," music and lyrics

from page 42

Entertainment

During the summer of 2013 Cheryl Boone Isaacs became the fi rst African American executive in Hollywood to be named as President of the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts, and Sciences in Hollywood.

As an African American female executive, she began her journey towards Hollywoods most prestigious position starting in her university years as she pursued an education in her interests of fi lm and political science. When she arrived in Hollywood, she secured a job with Columbia Pictures. Her fi rst job involved promoting one of the fi lm industrys classic science fi ction fi lms, Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

Isaac's reputation in creating out of the box, effective fi lm promotional strategies with top fi lm companies including New Line Cinema and Paramount Pictures gave her the solid track record and credibility of an outstanding talent in her fi eld. Some of her most notable promotional campaigns include Braveheart and Forrest Gump with both movies earning top Oscars.


Over 20 years ago, she became an offi cial member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences by recommendation of an associate member. Isaacs found herself soon moving up the ranks becoming a Governor for over 20 years where she worked to oversee the Public Relations department of the Global Motion Picture Guild.

One of the fi rst tasks that she focused upon related to fi nding a way to increase membership enrollment. With a majority white male membership limited in capacity, she successfully removed the cap on the amount of members allowed to join. In opening the capacity opportunities for memberships, Isaacs sent invitations to over 400 people to apply for membership from all age groups. This move was unprecedented for the Academy and a pioneering move for Isaacs from her start at the helm of her presidential position in offi ce.

Among her top priorities during her service in offi ce, Isaacs will oversee the construction of the Academy Museum and she will fulfi ll her committment to expanding the diversity of the Academys

acknowledgment of outstanding professionals in the fi eld of motion pictures. From lead actors, to directors to producers and screenplay writers, the nominee landscape of the 2014 Oscars refl ected her leadership presence with a racially diverse array of people walking the stage to pick up the highly esteemed Oscar in various categories of achievement. The Best Picture this year went to "12 Years a Slave", a fi lm that also garnered Best Supporting Actress for Lupita Nyong'o and Best Screenplay for John Ridley. Three of top Oscars were awarded to British African hopefuls which transformed the perception of the show in the minds of global viewers front around the world.

As Isaacs continues her leadership role at the helm of the Academy, her objective is to continue the opportunities for diversity recognition that will continue to emerge for qualifi ed writers, producers and actors in turn changing the face of the Oscars as a multicultural platform for acknowledgment for fi lm achievement.

Academy Museum, scheduled to open in 2017


BBN Show Biz Buzz

By Linda Ware

TV Host, fi lm actor and comedian, Arsenio Hall, has announced that his late night talk show, "The Arsenio Hall Show" has been renewed for season two by CBS television network.

NBCs Tamron Hall has landed the new morning anchor position on NBCs "Today Show". She will also

continue to host "News Nation" on MSNBC which airs at 11am.

Tyler Perry has just released his latest fi lm to theaters across America,"Single Mom's Club", starring Nia Long and Tyler Perry.

Producer Shonda Rhimes has vetted Actress Viola Davis to star

in her new TV series, How to Get Away with Murder. The show is coined as a dramatic thriller in show format.

Think Like A Man Too opens in theaters on June 20th and stars Regina Hall and Kevin Hart.

Sources say that Neo Soul songstress, Jill Scott, is coming on board as a mentor on NBCs The Voice.

HBO is extending Niecy Nashs show, "Getting On", for season two. At the same time, Nash co-stars with Cedric The Entertainer in "Soul Man" airing on TV Land network.

Tamron Hall

Viola Davis

Regina Hall

Spike Leeis creating a new sequel to "School Daze". He is currently w o r k i n g to secure L a u r e n c e F i s h b u r n e

to return to the modernized fi lm in his popular role of Dap Dunlap.

Babyface and Toni Braxton are in rehearsals for the Spring Broadway production of After Midnight, produced by Jazz great, Wynton Marsalis.

Harold Perrineau and Terrence Howard co-star with Arnold Schwarzenegger in the spring fi lm release, "Sabotage", which is set for its premiere on April 14th.


Spike Lee

Terrence Howard

Jill Scott

Niecy Nash

Laurence FishburnSingle Mom's Club


Business

As March is Womens History Month, Black Business News salutes one of the most outstanding women of excellence as a globally successful entrepreneur, pioneer television host, fi lm actress and publisher, Ms. Oprah Winfrey.

Oprah Winfrey is a woman of vision, who has broken barriers for women around the world which started with her captivating presence on television. Oprah's success came from her natural ability to listen with compassion to her guests on her fl agship series, "The Oprah Winfrey Show". Oprah became the fi rst African American female television host of a nationally syndicated daytime talk show. As a result of syndication, her popularity grew along with her income.

Ms. Winfrey reigned as the Queen of Daytime Television for over 23 consecutive seasons, hosting her number one rated program with people from all walks of life. Mainstream Americans, as well as authors, celebrities and athletes competed to sit on the couch of her nationally syndicated Emmy Award winning talk show. She delved into topics that were of value to average Americans, but, overlooked by conventional media. The Oprah Winfrey Show received 48 Daytime Emmy Awards including a Lifetime Achievement Award during its run on the ABC television network.

Oprah Winfrey defi ned and pioneered Daytime Talk TV to global success. Yet, she is more than a Talk Show host. In her debut

Oprah Winfrey: An African American Icon in Business

and AchievementBy Linda Ware

as an actress, in the role of Sofi a, in the classic feature fi lm, The Color Purple, directed by Steven Spielberg, alongside the acclaimed Danny Glover and Whoopi Goldberg, she received rave reviews. Her dialogue in this fi lm is recited by her fans worldwide.

Most recently, Winfrey co-starred with Forest Whitaker in the feature fi lm, The Butler where she played the role of the cynical wife of Whitaker. Directed by Lee Daniels, Winfreys performance has been cheered as outstanding, charismatic, and groundbreaking by some of the industrys top fi lm critics. Unlike many actors who

work only in front of the camera, Winfrey possesses the creativity and business savvy to control her destiny as a fi lm actress.

As CEO, of Harpo Productions, Winfrey has expanded her brand in communication by publishing O, The Oprah Magazine, which maintains progressive editorial content that has positioned the magazine as one of America's leading periodicals in todays market.

She created the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) on cable television. Although the network went through many challenges and obstacles at its start, Winfrey managed to keep

it afl oat. Enlisting Tyler Perry as a partner in some of its programming, OWN is now considered one of the best cable networks, with some of the most progressive programming on television.

Winfreys philanthropic work speaks to the core of who she is. She is a passionate philanthropist who has given a considerable amount

Quote of Note...No nation is perfect. But here in America, we

confront our imperfections and face a sometimes painful past, including the truth that some of these soldiers fought and died for a country that did not

always see them as equal.President Barack H. Obama

These awardees were previously overlooked for the Medal of Honor due to their racial or ethnic backgrounds. The awards ceremony follows a 12-year Pentagon

review, ordered by Congress, of past discrimination in the military.

across the globe. Because of her knowledge of the value of education, she has given extensively to the education of many underprivileged youth. Winfrey is known as the matriarch of the girls who attend the school she founded, Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa.

Winfreys noble grace in managing

all of her business and creative roles represents the essence of an African American woman who is driven by her inner vision and hope in the future. Black Business News is once again pleased to salute this phenomenal woman. BBA encourages its readers to support OWN by including it in their cable viewing.


Business

Oprah Winfrey with First Lady Michelle

Obama

Staff Sgt. Melvin Morris is awarded the Medal of Honor by President Barack

Obama


The primary and most trustworthy source of news and information to Black Americans has been and continues to rest in the bosom of the Black press. So why is it that in the year of our Lord 2014during Black History Month no lessthe NAACP needs to be reminded that the Black press is interested in the

Advancement of Colored People too, everyday?

What Would W.E.B. DuBois Do?

It is such an insult that the NAACP would disrespect the Black press regarding ad buys that its almost too shameful to write about, but I had to, its what we do.

W.E.B. DuBois, Ph.D. (1868-1963), was one of the founders and editor of the NAACPs magazine, Crisis, which fi rst published in November 1910. He was educated

NAACP Spends Lions Share of Image Award Ad Budget with Non-Black MediaBy Natalie Cole, Our Weekly

Editorial

at Harvard University. His leadership and record speak for themselves.

Two years ago, the NAACP ran zero dollars with the Black press for the Image Awards. Ben Jealous, a former staff member for the Black press, had recently assumed the helm at NAACP. He informed the Board of Directors of National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) that they had made an oversight in not supporting the Black press in ad dollars to promote their event. He also stated that he thought that the Black press had been given the buy and that their agency had erred and that it would not happen again. All dollars that year were spent in non-Black media. Many Black publishers even reported that they had been denied media clearance to cover the eventwhat could the NAACP be thinking?

According to NNPA publishers, the NAACP ran approximately seven or

so ads with the Black media this year, totaling approximately $40Kwhat just happened?

The big 58-page book that was inserted in my LA Times this week would cost about $50K or more just

a few years ago. Do you think that such disrespect

could have happened on DuBois watch and he not address it?

Why You Are Clueless Without the Black Press

We put our pen to paper regarding the horrifi c injustice of slavery; we followed and recorded the Great Depression and the subsequent great migration; with the stroke of our pens, we called to action many of our great leaders and helped to incite the Civil Rights Movement and we kept documenting. We lambasted Jim Crow-ism and embarrassed our government into actionable legislation to ensure W.E.B. DuBois, Ph.D.

Geeorge Washington Carver

Editorial

us equal rights in cases such as Brown v. Board of Education, and three years after its passage, we recorded the Little Rock Nine breaking down barriers that persisted nonetheless.

We were in Birmingham following the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing which took the lives of four little girls and though we wept, we continued to write. We were there

to cover our discoveries and inventions from George Washington Carver, who invented more than 300 peanut products, or Madame C.J. Walker and her specialized hair care products, to lesser recognized inventors like Otis Boykin, who invented electronic control devices for guided missiles, IBM computers and pacemakers. We were

there when R o s a P a r k s refused to rel inquish her paid seat on the bus and we closely f o l l o w e d the boycott t h a t e n s u e d afterward. We took to the streets during the race riots throughout the country covering more memorials and funerals than we would like to remember.

We were in the bleachers as Jackie Robinson hit homeruns into history. We were there for our Black entertainers, giving them a space when others would not. We pushed the word out to support the fi rst Black president, Barack Obama; We cried for Trayvon Martin and his family, but we still showed up to do our business.

Weve traveled all across this country and abroad and wherever

there are Black people, thereright there with you is the Black Press. We are not here solely for the month of February, we are here daily, year-round to review, cover, talk about, and write about news and information that is important to you.

In some regards, you can compare us to the World Wide Web. When you need to know about a particular subject, many of you google it and what you get back is a vertical list of postings specifi c to your searching.

Similarly, with the Black Press, when you pick up a Black newspaper, its all about Black, our people, culture, communities, education, entertainment, challenges, successes, etc.

What would have happened if we had not been there? What will happen if we are not there tomorrow? Please dont say you miss us as we close our doors. We need you to support us! If you and the NAACPs across the country are planning to run an ad schedules, you should consider placement into a Black-owned media company. Stop taking us for granted!

http://ourweekly.com/news/2014/feb/27/naacp-spends-lions-

share-image-award-ad-budget-non/?page=1

Rosa Parks with Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.


Barack H. Obama, President, United States of America


Burgess Services recently announced the company was awarded a $39.6 million contract for the mechanical construction of the Denver International Airports (DIA) Hotel and Transit Center Program. The contract is the single largest contract ever awarded to a minority or woman-owned enterprise in Denvers history.

Burgess Services is a Denver-based construction management, quality assurance/quality control, commissioning and value engineering fi rm. The company has worked on numerous construction projects, including the Denver Justice Center, Denvers Wellington E. Webb Municipal Offi ce Building, United States Southern Command and DIA.

Awarded by MHS (Tri-Venture of Mortenson, Hunt, Saunders), 100% of the contract will go to Burgess Services, who will then subcontract to several other fi rms. Contracted by DIA, MHS is the prime construction manager/general contractor for the Hotel and Transit Center Program. Burgess Services originally contracted to MHS for design assist, which provides constructability reviews, estimating and coordination prior to actual construction.

Burgess Services is excited to be part of the Hotel and Transit Center Program. Having worked with DIA in the past, we look forward

Largest Minority and Woman-Owned Construction Contract in Denver's

History Awarded By Terri Dixon, Senior Account Executive

LaGrant Communications

Business

Burgess Services President and General Manager Denise Burgess and Denver Mlaunch of the Denver International Airport Hotel and Transit Center Program.

Mayor Michael Hancock at the


to working alongside DIA, MHS and other contractors to help make the Hotel and Transit Center Program a model for other airports around the country, said Burgess Services President and General Manager Denise Burgess.

Burgess late father, Clyde J. Burgess, founded Burgess Services as Burgess Heating and Air Conditioning. After a successful career in the communications industry in Southern California, Burgess joined the family business in 2001. She went on to later transform her familys successful heating and air conditioning business into the multi-million dollar construction services fi rm it is today. Burgess attributes her success in

business to hard work, tenacity and an inherited entrepreneurial spirit from her late father.

About Burgess Services, Inc.Burgess Services, Inc. is a

Denver-based construction management, quality assurance/ quality control, commissioning and value engineering fi rm. The year 2014 marks 40 years of maintaining a strong reputation in the highest standards in workmanship and quality control within the construction and engineering industry. To learn more about Burgess Services, Inc., visit www.burgessservices.com.

www.lagrantcommunications.comwww.burgessservices.com


Merchant and Financial Trade Associations Announce Cyberseurity Partnership

Leading trade associations representing the merchant and fi nancial services industries have announced a new cybersecurity pa

14 mar

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