Ramsay High School Concert Choir Set to Perform

Birmingham, AL–The award-winning Ramsay High School Concert Choir is set to perform on Sunday, May 19^th at 5pm at Living Stones Temple Church in Birmingham, Alabama. Living Stones Temple Church is lead by Pastor Al B. Sutton and located at 1009 Walker Ave., Fultondale, AL 35217. This concert will spotlight the superior singing abilities of the teen vocalists that have come to define the choir and its unique sound.

 

Known, and celebrated as far away as Brazil for their musical mastery, students from the choir have also been recognized nationally for their vocal genius. Under the direction of Myrna Ria Ross, and offering a musical catalogue ranging from jazz, gospel, classical and other traditional genres, the choir is as busy as ever rounding out the school year by continuing to spread their melodious sounds throughout the community. Plans and dates are already underway for the 2013-2014 school session.

 

For more information on the Ramsay High School Concert Choir’s concert at Living Stones Temple Church, to schedule a media interview or taping of rehearsals please contact Myrna Ria Ross at 205-222-1187 or mross@bhm.k12.al.us

Alabama State Representative John Rogers Gets Served on a Platter for a Good Cause

Alabama State Representative John Rogers Gets Served on a Platter for a Good Cause   BABJ hosts scholarship fund benefit and newsmaker roast   The Birmingham Association of Black Journalists (BABJ) is hosting the highly anticipated and entertaining Newsmaker Roast of Alabama State Representative John Rogers. There are few Alabama newsmakers with the impact, reach and personality of Representative Rogers. He will be the subject of spirited commentary, jokes and presentations about his leadership tenure at this event.   Alabama leaders such as former Birmingham Mayor Richard Arrington, Jefferson County CEO, Tony Petelos, State Rep. Oliver Robinson, State Rep. Juandalynn Givan and al.com/Birmingham News columnist John Archibald, along with other special guests, will highlight the follies and exciting memorable moments in the life of Rogers.   Comedian Roy Wood Jr. will do a video “tribute” to Rogers, and his brother, Roy Wood Jr., will serve as Master of Ceremony.   This event will raise funds for BABJ scholarships which are awarded to deserving Alabama students pursuing media-related degree programs at accredited colleges and universities.   “This will be a fun night as we set aside partisan and personal differences to raise funds for a good cause,” said Sherrel Wheeler Stewart, BABJ event chairperson. “State Rep. Rogers is truly a newsmaker who has impacted state government for many years.”   The event will take place Friday, April 26 at The Harbert Center. Cocktail reception starts at 5:30 p.m. and the dinner/program will follow at 6:30 p.m.   Tickets are $60.00 per person and $1,000.00 for a table of eight. For more information, tickets or sponsorship packets please contact babjroast@babj.net. You Think You Know John Rogers! This scholarship benefit event will raise funds for a great cause in the spirit of good humor. You don’t want to miss it.

$1,000.00 Per Table $60.00 Per Ticket   Raising Funds for Students Pursuing Careers in Journalism     Birmingham Association of Black Journalists P.O. Box 10023 Birmingham AL 35202 babjroast@babj.net REGISTER HERE

BIRMINGHAM POLICE DEPARTMENT HOST BIENNIAL VICTIMS ISSUES CONFERENCE

Birmingham, AL – April 16, 2013—The Birmingham Police Department will host its Biennial Victims Issues Conference, Project S.A.F.E.-Stopping Abuse in the Family Environment, on Tuesday, April 23 and Wednesday 24, 2013 at the Botanical Gardens in Birmingham from 8:30 am until 3:30 pm.   

The Birmingham Police Department has partnered with the City of Birmingham, Verizon Wireless, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, The Federal Bureau of Investigations-Birmingham Division, The United States Attorney’s Office-Northern District of Alabama, UAB Police, YWCA of Central Alabama and N-Motion Consulting to provide information and resources which address issues of family and community violence.

Pastor J.R. Thicklin, President and CEO of the Florida based organization Destiny By Choice, Inc. is a nationally recognized expert and advocate on domestic violence, and will serve as the Keynote Speaker.  Other speakers include State Representative Juandalynn Givan, Chief A.C. Roper, Deputy Chief Assistant Daniel Fortune of the US Attorney’s Office-Northern District of Alabama; Interculturalist Bettina Byrd Giles of Byrd’s Nest LLC; Assistant Director Amanda Carmichael YWCA-Central Alabama; Program Managers Arthur Wynn and Martese Prince of The ELITE Project AIDS Alabama; Adjunct Project Jason Branch of UAB; DHR Program Specialist, Valencia Curry; Assistant Director of the Crisis Center Meg McGlammery; Director of Prevention, AIDS Alabama Daphina Ward; Dr. Quanda Watson-Steveson of C.A.P.E.; Captain Melvin Brown, Birmingham Fire & Rescue; Director Jeffrey Moore of UAB; Ombudsmans Alicia Thomas and Rene Breland, State of Alabama; 2012 Ms. Wheelchair Alabama-USA Ammie Morgan, and Metro Birmingham Branch NAACP Human Trafficking Task Force Chairwoman Sunnetta “Sunny” Slaughter.

The conference will cover a broad base of topics from Domestic Violence, Cultural Communication, HIV/AIDS Awareness, LGBTQIA, Social Networking Dangers, Bullying, Sexual Violence, Children of Violence, Human Trafficking and more.

Motivational Speaker and OWN Network Star, Iyanla Vanzant Coming to Birmingham

Birmingham Mayor William Bell, Iyanla Vanzant and more gather to honor
Harry Belafonte and unsung female civil rights heroes

(Birmingham, AL – April 11, 2013) – The Power Belle Hat Tea™, which takes place at 11:00 am on Friday, April 12^th at the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center (BJCC) – South Ballroom located at 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North will honor women who were unsung heroes in the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham, Alabama.

The SCL Foundation, Inc. will join with Mayor William Bell and Harry Belafonte as they listen to energetic speaker, Iyanla Vanzant in a celebration of the dynamic women who helped change America and ultimately the world. Women from all walks of life will join Belafonte as he pays special recognition to a group of women who have not been fully recognized for their contributions as well as women who are continuing the legacy of helping to make life better for others.  The Power Belle Legacy Award recipients are: Ruby Shuttlesworth, Doris Gary, Lola H. Hendricks, Yvonne Turner, Ruth Barefield-Pendleton, Leola Early, LaVerne Revis Martin, Lois M. Hall and Julia Rainge. The Power Belle Lifetime Achievement Award recipient is Amelia Boynton Robinson. Most of the honorees range from 75 to 102 years of age and have never been recognized fully for their contribution to a very important time in the history of Birmingham. They were the infrastructure of the movement, without which the movement would not have been successful.

Dr. Lucenia Dunn, SCL Foundation, Inc. Board of Trustees member and Creative Director of the event says:  “This list does not include all of the women who should be recognized, but it represents a good start.  It was important that the movement had people to march and be willing to serve time in jail. However, other roles and responsibilities were as critical to the success of the movement led by such great leaders as Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  The event’s purpose is to salute those who worked in the trenches to keep things moving.”

The Power Belle Bold Hat Award recipients are: C. Virginia Fields, Lajuana Bradford, Nyya Parson-Hudson, Katie Davis, Congresswoman Terri Sewell, Sunnetta “Sunny” Sheppard, Judge Carole Smitherman and Isabel Rubio. These women are following the tradition of courageous and gallant action that improves the lives of others. They are involved in helping to eliminate HIV/AIDS, human trafficking and discrimination and represent the realization of the dreams promoted by the women who so bravely fought for the ability of these women to occupy their present status.  It is 50 years forward.

The cost is $60.00 per ticket (available at the door) with a portion of the proceeds to be donated to a Birmingham organization that focuses on providing support services to women who are living with HIV/AIDS. Attendees are encouraged to wear hats in homage to the “crowns of glory” worn by many women in 1950s and 1960s.

 All event tickets may be purchased online at http://www.jazzhall.com/events.htm.

Harry Belafonte, Iyanla Vanzant as well as SCL Foundation, Inc. members welcome and are available for interviews and media requests. Please contact Toya Winder at 877.687.7251 or media@sclfoundation.org for scheduling and availability.

 

SCL Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit 501(c) 3 organization established in 1966 by
Harry Belafonte and Sidney Poitier.

“Building Today for a Better Tomorrow Through Purpose-Program-Progress”

The SCL Foundation’s focus has evolved into a service organization that works to reduce health disparities with a focus on HIV/AIDS, the plight of human trafficking and the empowerment of a new community-minded generation.

Civil Rights Veteran and WhereToGo411.com Collaborate to Host Historic Summit Black Clergy & Entrepreneurs to Convene to Seek Solutions to Crisis in Urban Communities

(Birmingham, Alabama – April 2, 2013) Leaders from Alabama’s religious and business communities
will join forces in an historic Birmingham summit designed to devise creative solutions to revive urban communities suffering from years of economic neglect. The event will be held at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 13, at the Sixth Avenue Baptist Church, 1101 Martin Luther King, Jr., Drive S.W., driven by the theme, The Black Church: An Economic Harvest.

Inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s vision, and on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Civil Rights events in Birmingham, invited entrepreneurs and church leaders vow to take the lead in formulating a strategy that grows the black business class and spurs an economic movement. It is a dream that Dr. King envisioned, but was cut short by his death. Prompted by the deterioration of many communities, the organizers are convinced that some solutions can evolve out of the summit as different groups from the Movement come together and develop strategies based on the successes, and failures, of the past.

Kathy Y. Times, vice president of WhereToGo411.com and immediate past president of the National Association of Black Journalists, said, “As a former investigative reporter, I witnessed widespread problems everyday. Now, it’s a joy to help plant tangible solutions in Birmingham and across the country.”

The summit’s keynote speaker will be Dr. Virgil A. Wood, a ten-year co-worker of Dr. King and Virginia organizer of the 1963 March on Washington.

“I’m excited to be a part of advancing this economic agenda and Dr. King’s unfinished business,” said Dr. Wood. “We can’t allow people to steal our dreams while we sleep. We must wake up. Birmingham will once again lead the nation in changing our communities.”

On Saturday following the morning summit, Dr. Wood will also speak at 1:30 p.m.at First United Presbyterian Church of Forestdale, 1375 Tomahawk Road, Birmingham. A panel of leaders in social justice, economics, community building, medicine, and law will join Dr. Wood for a session on advancing the economic movement.
Times is co-creator of WhereToGo411.com, a national web site and mobile app that connects African-American business owners to a market of local and national buyers, including consumers. Times and her business partner and site creator, James Covington, launched Wheretogo411 in Birmingham in May 2012. Covington is an entrepreneur and the author of the book, “From Civil Rights to Silver Rights: We Need An Economic Movement.”
“As an Economic Harvest, the black church has the power to ease problems associated with high unemployment, crime, and failing schools,” said Covington. “This is where souls are saved, and communities must be revitalized for those souls to thrive.”

Summit panelists and speakers include: Sephira Shuttlesworth, widow of Civil Rights Leader Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth; the Rev. Dr. Jonathan McPherson, chairman of the Birmingham Southern Christian Leadership Conference; the Rev. James Ephraim, pastor of First United Presbyterian Church of Forestdale; Bishop Theo Bailey, pastor of Christ Temple Deliverance Ministries; Bro. Tremon Muhammad, Alabama Student Minister, Nation Of Islam; Hezekiah Jackson, IV, president of the Metro Birmingham Branch of the NAACP; Rev. Dr. Michael Wesley, Sr., senior pastor of Greater Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church; and the Rev. Dr. Thomas Wilder, Jr., pastor of Bethel Baptist Church.
The Summit is open to the public, but ministers, business owners, and community leaders are urged to attend. Seating is limited. To register, go to www.WhereToGo411.com.

The national web site, WhereToGo411.com, is partnering with the Birmingham non-profit, NewStar First Community Development Corporation, Birmingham View Magazine, and Vision 2013 to facilitate the Summit. The offices of Birmingham City Council President Roderick Royal and City Councilor Jay Roberson are co-sponsors.

Singer, Actor and Activist Harry Belafonte To Be Inducted Into Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame

Induction, Film Festival and Other Appearances Are Part of the 50th Anniversary
Commemorations of the 1963 Birmingham Civil Rights Movement

 

(BIRMINGHAM, Alabama, April 2013) – Famed activist and entertainer Harry Belafonte comes to Birmingham on April 11 to be inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame as an honorary member.

Induction is usually reserved for Alabama natives, but the 86-year-old singer, film and TV actor, and producer is receiving the honor because of his vital role in the Civil Rights Movement, particularly in Birmingham.

In his book, Why We Can’t Wait, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said Belafonte volunteered to be a strategic financial organizer for the historic 1963 Birmingham Campaign:

“Harry Belafonte organized a committee, and money was pledged the same night. For the next three weeks, Belafonte, who never does anything without being totally involved, gave unlimited hours to organizing people and money… It would be hard to overestimate the role this sensitive artist played in the success of the Birmingham crusade.”

To celebrate his role in the Birmingham Movement 50 years ago, the Jazz Hall of Fame is hosting several events on Thursday, April 11.

The Harry Belafonte Film Festival is set from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with screenings of “The World, The Flesh and the Devil” (1959), “Island in the Sun” (1957), “Carmen Jones” (1954) and “Uptown Saturday Night” (1974). Tickets for the film festival are $5 per movie; an all-day pass is $25.

Belafonte will attend the induction ceremony, which starts at 6:30 p.m. with a cocktail reception and screening of “Sing Your Song,” the 2011 HBO documentary about Belafonte’s life, including his role in the Movement. After the screening, he will hold a question-and-answer session with audience members, followed by the induction ceremony and a musical tribute by the UAB Jazz Ensemble. Admission to the induction ceremony is $40.

All tickets can be purchased in advance through the Jazz Hall’s website. For more information, call 205-327-9424.

Belafonte’s appearance for the Jazz Hall of Fame induction is one of several others planned in Birmingham as part of the official celebration of the 1963 Birmingham Movement’s 50th Anniversary Commemoration. He is a co-chair of the city’s “50 Years Forward” campaign that marks the historic milestone.

About Harry Belafonte

In the music world, Harry Belafonte (born March 1, 1927) is best known as the singer of “The Banana Boat Song,” one of the songs from his 1956 Caribbean-infused album, “Calypso.” Because of the song’s wide popularity and its signature call “Day-O!” the Harlem-born son of a Jamaican-born housekeeper was dubbed “the King of Calypso.”
Belafonte started his career as a jazz singer, but his songs also include show tunes, standards, blues, folk and gospel music. His 1965 album recorded with legendary South African singer Miriam Makeba won a Grammy for best folk recording.
As an entertainer most famous for his music, Belafonte also had a long and successful acting career.

Belafonte made his film debut, co-starring with Dorothy Dandridge in “Bright Road” (1953) and the following year in his first Broadway musical, John Murray Anderson’s Almanac, for which he won the 1954 Best Actor Tony Award.

He starred in the Broadway show “3 For Tonight” (1955) co-starring the legendary dancers Marge and Gower Champion. That year, they went on a national tour during which Belafonte, as the only African American in the company, faced significant opposition and hardships. Those difficulties fueled his life as an activist for social and economic justice.
His film and TV work has run the gamut, from the 1954 Otto Preminger film “Carmen Jones” (his most famous role with Dandridge) to “Islands in the Sun” (1957) with James Mason, Joan Collins, Joan Fontaine and Dandridge, to famed actor Sidney Poitier’s “Buck and the Preacher” (1972), with Poitier and noted actress Ruby Dee, and “Uptown Saturday Night” (1974), also with Poitier.

In 1996, the New York Film Critics Circle named him best supporting actor in Robert Altman’s “Kansas City.” His final dramatic role was in Emilio Estevez’ 2006 film “Bobby,” for which he was nominated for an NAACP Image Award.
Belafonte helped to break color barriers for Blacks in the entertainment industry. He later became the first African American TV producer with his Emmy-winning special in 1960, “Tonight With Harry Belafonte.”

Acting and activism were one in the same for Belafonte. He used his celebrity as an American pop idol to promote the cause of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and ‘60s. He helped organize performers and celebrity speakers in 1963 for the historic March on Washington 50 years ago. At great personal risk, he and Poitier flew undercover to Greenwood, Mississippi, in 1964 to deliver thousands in cash to support civil rights workers in the state. He and Poitier founded the Southern Christian Leadership Foundation specifically to raise funds that financially supported Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).

Belafonte was also a driving force in the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa in the ‘60s, decades before it was fashionable in America and worldwide.

As a Peace Corps cultural advisor appointed by President John F. Kennedy and in 1987, as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, and every day since, Belafonte has worked tirelessly to promote human rights causes and continues to do so to this day.

CITYWIDE MALE YOUTH CONFERENCE COMBATS SURGE IN MALE YOUTH VIOLENCE

The Community Economic Empowerment Service presents The Empowerment Expo and Career Fair

 

COMMUNITY ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT SERVICE

IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE

Leria Jordan

1800 John Rogers Drive

Birmingham, Alabama 35210

838-1386 Ext. 213

2013 EMPOWERMENT EXPO – CAREER FAIR, COLLEGE FAIR, ENTREPRENEURS SEMINAR

It’s time for Growth and Advancement! The 2013 EMPOWERMENT EXPO hosted by THE COMMUNITY ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT SERVICE will provide a full day of networking opportunities with business and academic professionals. Participants will be exposed to new business strategies and learn about new tools to shape their professional and academic future.

WHEN:    

Saturday, April 6, 2013 8:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.

WHO:      

Metropolitan Birmingham and surrounding cities

WHERE: 

The Campus of The Guiding Light Church |  1800 John Rogers Drive | Birmingham, Alabama

WHAT:

CAREER FAIR – The opportunity to connect with multiple employers seeking qualified candidates

COLLEGE FAIR – Local and statewide colleges will be available to address
college admissions questions

ENTREPRENEURS SEMINAR – Learn the basics of starting, financing,
managing, and marketing a business through the Empowerment Shark
Tank

HELP US SPREAD THE WORD! All are welcome for this FREE EMPOWERMENT EXPO on Saturday, April 6, 2013, 8:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. There will be a media team on site to assist with your live Saturday morning newscasts, as well as, sound bytes from the seminar facilitators before, during, and after the event. For assistance with your media needs contact, Leria Jordan at 838-1386, Ext. 213 or email leria.jordan@guidinglight.org.

The April Lynn Jamerson Foundation presents Senior Unity Fest Class of 2013

The April Lynn Jamerson Foundation presents Senior Unity Fest – Class of 2013! Who’s the BOSS, hosted by Miss Nikki.

Friday, March 22, 2013 at the Boutwell Exibition Hall.  DJ CJ Da Stickman PLUS a live performance by Rock Mob and the Rich Kidz!

5:00pm, security strictly enforced.

2013 FOX6 Kids & Jobs Program

 

 

 

 

 

 

This summer, the Mayor’s Office Division of Youth Services (DYS) and Fox 6 will put hundreds of Birmingham youth to work through the Kids & Jobs Program. Kids & Jobs is designed to help cultivate the professional development necessary for youth and young adults to become an integral part of the workforce.
14 & 15 Year-Old Program Application & Interview Session
Saturday, April 13, 2013 | Fair Park Arena
Doors Open: 8 AM * Doors Close: 9 AM

Participating students will receive first-time exposure to the workplace. Youth who are allowed to enter the application and interview process on April 13th must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. To be considered for employment, students must submit a completed application packet during the interview session. Applications will be available beginning March 18, 2013 online at www.myfoxal.com.
*After the doors close, parents/guardians must attend a mandatory orientation.
Summer Executive Internship (SEI)
Application Deadline: April 12, 2013 by 5 PM

The SEI Program gives 16 to 21 year old students an opportunity to gain experience in their chosen career path. SEI applications are available online at www.myfoxal.com. Interested students should submit a completed application to:
City of Birmingham Mayor’s Office Division of Youth Services
1608 7th Avenue North
Birmingham, AL 35203

April 11, 2013
FOX6 Kids & Jobs Internship Draft
Tune in to FOX6 at 6:30 PM on April 11, 2013
Students attending high schools from the Birmingham metropolitan area can win “paid” internships with companies competing to hire some of Birmingham’s best! Students must be nominated by their principal in order to compete in the draft process.

Kids & Jobs Expansion Meeting
Division of Youth Services
Municipalities interested in starting a Kids & Jobs Program are welcome to attend this meeting. Pre-register by calling DYS at (205) 320-0879 by April 12, 2013.

Applicants must reside in the City of Birmingham to be considered for the Kids & Jobs Program.

For more information, call the Division of Youth Services at (205) 320-0879

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