Star-Studded Nelson Mandela's Favorite African Folktales Audiobook to be Released July 7
LOS ANGELES, July 1 /PRNewswire/ -- In honor of Nelson Mandela, Artists for a New South Africa (ANSA) and Hachette Audio produced an audiobook edition of Nelson Mandela's Favorite African Folktales,an award-winning book of stories hand-picked by the Nobel laureate.Diverse, acclaimed performers donated their talents to the charitableendeavor by voicing stories: Gillian Anderson, Benjamin Bratt, LeVar Burton, Ricardo Chavira, Don Cheadle, Matt Damon, Whoopi Goldberg, Sean Hayes, Hugh Jackman, Samuel L. Jackson, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Debra Messing, Helen Mirren, Parminder Nagra, Sophie Okonedo, CCH Pounder, Alan Rickman, Jurnee Smollett, Charlize Theron, Blair Underwood, Forest Whitaker, and Alfre Woodard. Archbishop Desmond Tutu recorded a message to the world's children, and African music legends Johnny Clegg and Vusi Mahlasela composed original music.
Academy Award(R) nominee, Emmy(R) and Golden Globe(R) winner Alfre Woodard, who co-founded ANSA in 1989, served as the audiobook's director. She said, "I was privileged to be with Nelson Mandela last year in London,where he challenged us, saying, '...our work is far from complete.Where there is poverty and sickness, including AIDS, where human beingsare oppressed, there is more work to be done. It is in your hands now.'With this audiobook, ANSA pays tribute to our friend and hero, Nelson Mandela.It will take the hands of all mankind to lift that burden and carry onthe work. We hope you will join us and support this effort."
Recorded in Los Angeles, New York, Miami, London, and Johannesburg, the audiobook is published and distributed by Hachette Audio, a division of Hachette Book Group, a subsidiary ofHachette Livre,thesecond largest publisher in the world. The performers, director,producers, engineers, designers, attorneys, manufacturers, and studiosall donated their services, as did Grammy(R) winning mastering engineerGavin Lurssen.
Samuel L. Jackson, a leading ANSA supporter,commented, "I've traveled with ANSA to rural villages and met childrenwhose lives will be changed by this audiobook. This is our way ofhonoring Mr. Mandela, by assisting children who are the future of hisnation and our world."
"We hope the audiobook will be enjoyed by people of all ages,increasing awareness of Africa's rich cultures while creating a betterfuture for South Africa's vulnerable children," said ANSA Executive Director Sharon Gelman.
In his foreword for the book, Nelson Mandela wrote, "It is my wish that the voice of the storyteller may never die in Africa,that all the children of the world may experience the wonder of books."The audiobook brings these timeless tales to a new oral tradition to beheard around the world.
ANSA is a nonprofit organization working in South Africaand the U.S. to combat HIV/AIDS, assist children orphaned by thedisease, educate and empower youth, advance human rights, and buildbonds between our nations through arts, culture, and the shared pursuitof social justice.
"Chariot" a New Stage Play Is Coming Forth to Hollywood
With Themes of Racism, Homophobia and Finally Acceptance, "Chariot" Brings its Audience Home
Hollywood, CA - Theater lovers will be elevated and emancipated when "Chariot" an explosive drama by Steven Lee arrives to the legendary Stella Adler Theatre, July 16 through September 2. Directed by Cary Thompson,
"Chariot" dips deep into the inner mechanics of the Hills, a
dysfunctional Black family living in the San Fernando valley, right
outside of Los Angeles, in 1987.
It's
hard to really know the Hill family. Their secrets are brushed over
with a broad smile and ridicule nullifies even the most serious of
discussions. In this family even the unique aria of the soul is
stamped out. No one can be gay. No one can be black. No one can be
fully human. Assimilating in an all white suburban community, the
Hills live on a dead end cul-de-sac of cookie cutter houses and sugary
sweet smiles and no real life. The Hill family has become just like the
neighbors they complain about. As one character puts it, in this
family, "everybody is dead. You step over their dead bodies in the
living room and talk to ghosts in the chairs."
Still
Angela Hill, the detached matriarch of the Hill clan, is trying to keep
everything that isn't together--together. Her alcoholic son who she
claims is not an alcoholic. Her angry daughter who she pretends does
not hate her. Her gay son who has no pride in his sexuality and she
would like to keep it that way. A deceased son from three years prior
who no one can speak about, and the ominous Frank, her schizophrenic
husband , who will not come out of his room. Who will help them?
"Chariot"
is an uncompromising presentation exploring topics not readily tackled
in Black theater presentations. Self-loathing, racism, religious
oppression and spiritually are themes that lay the foundation for this
explosive production.
Explains
Lee, "'Chariot' is a mission piece for me. Its message is not only
powerful but also so very necessary. We must not allow any myths:
societal expectations, cultural mandates, stereotypes, and religious
misinterpretations, to take us off our purpose. That purpose is for
each of us to express gratitude for being unique and be grateful for
the uniqueness in others. Truly, as a character says in the play, we
cannot wait for some mythical chariot to come and take us away. No more
folklore, 'we must be our own chariot.'"
"Chariot" features a cast that includes De'Garryan Andrews, Cassandra Braden, Nadjah Dabney, Cai Handley, Gayle LaRone, Hardia Madden Jr. and RonNell Weaver.
"Chariot" will run Thursday through Saturdays, July 16 through September 2 nightly at 8:00 p.m. with 3:00 Sunday matinees. The Stella Adler Theatre is located at 6773 Hollywood Blvd in Hollywood, CA. Reservations can be made by calling 323-960-7788 and for further information log on at http://www.plays4http://www.plays411.com/chariot11.com/chariot,
The Ghosts of Harlem: New Book by Hank O'Neal to Hit Stores in July
HANK O’NEAL, AUTHOR/PHOTOGRAPHER, TAKES 24-YEAR JOURNEY THROUGH HARLEM
NEW BOOK & CD HIGHLIGHT HISTORY OF RENOWNED NEIGHBORHOOD AND MUSICIANS WHO LIVED IN AND LOVED HARLEM
(NASHVILLE,
TN) Music producer, author, photographer and former CIA agent, Hank
O’Neal has plenty of experiences from which to draw inspiration. It
would be easy to assume that it was O’Neal’s stint as a spy that gave
him the ability to walk into Harlem homes of jazz legends and come out
with amazing stories and photographs. However, it is more likely that
it was O’Neal’s love of jazz, knowledge of music and easy-going
personality that made 42 musicians pour out personal tales that became
THE GHOSTS OF HARLEM: Sessions with Jazz Legends (Vanderbilt University
Press, July 2009).
From 1985 – 2007, O’Neal interviewed
artists who made music in Harlem during the community’s heyday and
decline. He took their portraits with a large-format view camera and
talked with them about jazz venues, racial interaction and why the
Harlem music scene faded. Supplemented with many of his other
photographs as well as memorabilia and historical photos, the book is
accompanied by a CD that O’Neal produced from the archives of his
record company, Chiaroscuro Records, featuring music by 17 of the
“ghosts, ” including Cab Calloway, Milt Hinton, Doc Cheatham, Dizzy
Gillespie, Buddy Tate, Eddie Barefield, Earl Hines and Illinois
Jacquet, performing between 1972 and 1996.
The “ghost” stories
are personal reminiscences of some of the jazz world’s leading
musicians. As comfortable with O’Neal as with any insider, the
performers talk openly about their life in Harlem, music in general,
the people they knew, the places they played and what made Harlem a
city within a city.
O’Neal tells delightful stories; many made
it to print, others are memories that can be easily coaxed out of the
photographer. For instance, one of O’Neal’s first interviews was with
the guitarist Eddie Durham. After a long interview and photo session,
O’Neal, Durham and the drummer Kelly Martin headed to O’Neal’s car that
was parked in the upper 130s. The neighborhood was a bit rougher than
it is today and Durham asked, ”Don’t you feel a little nervous bringing
your car up here and leaving it on the street?” A couple of steps
later, they reached Hank’s “sad little New York street car.” Durham
looked at it and said, “Well, I guess you don’t.” They never finished
the interview, because Durham got a gig out of New York and
unfortunately passed away within a month of his return to the city.
Then
there was a meeting with Dizzy Gillespie. O’Neal was never allowed to
sit in the trumpeter’s immaculate living room, but was always ushered
to Dizzy’s magnificent music room in the basement. “Everything with
Dizzy always took longer than expected, and the day of my photo session
was no different, ” said O’Neal. Before they could get started, Dizzy
asked the photographer about a camera – a circa mid-1950s Rolleiflex –
that was giving him trouble. Hank had a camera just like it, so he was
able to make it work. But, by the time he finished with the repairs,
they both were out of time. O’Neal came back a week later and captured
what some say is one of the best photos of Dizzy in his later life. It
is also the only portrait of a musician that Hank is allowed to hang in
the living room of his home.
The last of the important big band
leaders still living in Harlem, Andy Kirk lived at 555 Edgecombe
Avenue, one of the best buildings in Sugar Hill. Lena Horne, Joe Louis
and a host of other notables also lived there. As O’Neal was entering
the building with his expensive cameras, a group of tough looking kids
approached him. His instincts told him he was in trouble, but his
desire for survival and love of his cameras told him to say something
good and fast. He launched into a conversation about all of the famous
people who had lived in the building. He kept them enthralled until the
elevator came and he was able to make a break for it. Then, he entered
Kirk’s apartment, where the band leader told O’Neal more stories about
watching games at the Polo Grounds for free from his living room, life
on the road in the 30’s, working with Mary Lou Williams and his desire
to assemble a 16-piece band to play his music. Kirk didn’t hit the road
with a new big band, but O’Neal was definitely armed with interesting
stories when he exited the building. O’Neal visited Maxine Sullivan
in her Ritter Place home in the Bronx on numerous occasions. They
talked about gigs in Harlem and on 52nd Street. After the interview was
finished, he turned off the tape recorder and moved to his cameras.
Everyone who knew Sullivan knew that she liked her clothes and her
wigs. “She was wearing a blue jumpsuit, red shoes, no makeup and no
wig. She looked at me and said simply, ‘What you see is what you get.’
That was enough for me and the pictures came out very well.” Ms.
Sullivan’s declaration is actually the recurring theme throughout THE
GHOSTS OF HARLEM – what you see is what you get. And, what the reader
sees and gets is a stellar journey throughout world-famous Harlem USA
through the eyes of a spy, photographer, author and music producer Hank
O’Neal.
About Hank O’Neal
Hank O’Neal is equally well
known as a music producer, author and photographer. As a child growing
up in Texas (born in Kilgore in 1940), he first experienced the joys of
photography when he watched his father print World War II pictures and
family portraits in a kitchen darkroom. At age 12, he won a Brownie
Hawkeye camera in a drawing and soon began taking and processing his
own pictures. Following the War, the O’Neals moved to Syracuse, NY, and
Hank attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute before graduating from
Syracuse University in 1962.
Prior to graduation, Hank was
introduced to a representative from the Central Intelligence Agency
(CIA) and ultimately accepted employment with the organization. He
reported for duty in 1963 and remained with the CIA for 13 years. The
nature of his employment allowed him the flexibility of pursuing other
interests, including photography and music. He moved to New York from
Washington, DC, in 1967 and still lives in the culturally-diverse
Greenwich Village.
During 40 years in the music business,
O’Neal formed two record companies (Chiaroscuro Records and Hammond
Music Enterprises), owned and operated two recording studios, produced
more than 200 jazz records and 100 music festivals (with his partner
Shelly Shier) and served on the boards of various non-profit
organizations, including the Jazz Foundation of America, the Jazz
Museum in Harlem, the Jazz Gallery and the Jazz and Contemporary
Program of The New School.
In addition to THE GHOSTS OF HARLEM
(which was published in French in 1997), O’Neal also authored THE EDDIE
CONDON SCRAPBOOK OF JAZZ (1973), A VISION SHARED (1976), CHARLIE
PARKER: THE FUNKY BLUES DATE (1995), GAY DAY: THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE
CHRISTOPHER STREET PARADE (2006) and BERENIECE ABBOTT (2008), about his
long-time friend, teacher and fellow photographer.
Now
equipped with a Leica, Nikon, Rolleiflex, Deardorff and other cameras
more advanced than his first Brownie Hawkeye, Hank O’Neal continues to
shoot whatever “pleases or astonishes” his eye. His portraits have been
on exhibit at galleries and museums across the nation, including The
Witkin Gallery, The Howard Greenburg Gallery and The Longview Museum of
Fine Arts in Texas. Exhibits to showcase THE GHOSTS OF HARLEM are
scheduled for the Jazz Museum in Harlem in July and the WBGO-FM Jazz
Gallery in August. For more information, visit hankonealphoto.com.
ARISE Africa Fashion Awards Brings Week of Global Style Showcase to an Exciting Finale
R&B Superstar R. Kelly to Perform For The First Time Ever in Africa
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, June 16 /PRNewswire/ -- On Saturday, 20 June 2009, the inaugural ARISE Africa Fashion Awards will bring ARISE Africa Fashion Week (June 12th - 20th)
to an exciting conclusion, with one designer winning the
once-in-a-lifetime chance to present at New York Fashion Week in the
ARISE Africa Rising show in September. A world-class launching pad for
the continent's most promising designers, ARISE Africa Fashion Week --
presented by ARISE Magazine and produced by African Fashion
International (AFI) -- will present dozens of collections from across Africa, in Johannesburg.
The awards ceremony will take place at the Sandton Convention Center, Johannesburg, in the sumptuous Pavilion Room from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
A panel of fashion insiders and experts will present awards to
designers and models in several categories, including Designer of the
Year, New Face of the Year and an Award for Innovation. In addition,
esteemed humanitarian, philanthropist and former First Lady of FranceCecilia Attias
will deliver the keynote address, "The Promise of Africa." Recently she
founded the Cecilia Attias Foundation to support non-governmental
organizations in the improvement of women's lives globally.
Nduka Obaigbena, ARISE founder and THISDAY GROUP Chairman, said, "The moment for Africa is upon us. At this time of global economic crisis, the people of Africa
must turn disadvantage into opportunity and show the world that we are
witnessing the first green shoots of the emerging African century. We
have all it takes and we're going for it!"
Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe, Founder of Africa Fashion Week
and the Africa Fashion Awards, said, "Our goal is to promote and
recognize the best of African fashion talent on a global scale and the
ARISE Africa Fashion Awards is a further step towards fulfillment of
this goal."
Nduka Obaigbena and African Fashion International Chairperson, Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe, will present the Lifetime Achievement Award to a surprise honoree.
Among the event's highlights will be a command performance from international, platinum-selling recording artist R. Kelly.R. Kelly's appearance at the ARISE Africa Fashion Awards kicks off a multi-city tour through Africa and ends in London. R.Kelly said, "I'm very excited about my first visit to Africa,
I've dreamed about this for a long time and it's finally here. It will
be one of the highlights of not only my career but my life. I can't
wait to perform in front of my fans in Africa --
who have been some of the best in the world." THISDAY Music and Fashion
Festivals, have brought music and fashion icons as well as world and
business leaders, to Lagos, Abuja, London and Washington, DC, including Bill Clinton, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Rihanna, Usher and many more.
ARISE Africa Fashion Week launches at a unique moment in history.
The U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama's preference for young,
multicultural designers, European fashion houses' rage for African
motifs and Italian Vogue's recent best-selling issue on black style all
point to an unprecedented opportunity for African designers. The ARISE
Africa Fashion Awards will train the spotlight on the source of all
this inspiration, Africa, and will provide a platform from which its gifted designers can launch international careers and businesses.
ARISE Africa Fashion Week has already confirmed the participation of
over 51 of the best African fashion designers from 20 countries and all
regions of the continent. ARISE Africa Fashion Week is set to become an
annual event hosted by different countries on the continent each year
following 2010, with Nigeria expected to host the
event in 2011. Organizers, African Fashion International, are confident
that it will become one of the world's major perennial, must-attend
fashion events.
THISDAY Music Festival Starring R. Kelly, Presented by ARISE Magazine, tour schedule:
Saturday, June 27th at the Superbowl in Sun City
Monday, June 29th at the Grand West Casino in Cape Town
Friday, July 3rd at the THISDAY Dome in Abuja, Nigeria
Saturday, July 4th and Sunday, July 5th in Lagos, Nigeria
Wednesday, July 8th at Wembley Arena in London, UK
ARISE, launched in February 2009, is the world's first magazine on global African style, culture, business and politics. Produced in London,
ARISE is published by THISDAY Media Group, Leaders & Company Ltd,
one of Africa's leading daily news outlets. THISDAY events, including
the THISDAY Awards and THISDAY Music and Fashion Festivals, have
brought music and fashion icons as well as world and business leaders
to Lagos, Abuja, London and Washington, DC, including Bill Clinton,
Jay-Z, Beyonce, Rihanna, Usher and many more. ARISE is aimed at a
readership throughout the global African Diaspora with an interest in
the cultural successes and positive social developments coming out of
the continent. Its editorial content and quality are tailored to appeal
to young and affluent readers.
ARISE is published by THISDAY Media Group, Leaders & Company Ltd.
African Fashion International (AFI), founded, owns and operates the
African continent's most anticipated and directional fashion weeks,
namely Cape Town Fashion Week, Durban Fashion Week (50% ownership),
Audi JoBurg Fashion Week (autumn/winter), JoBurg Fashion Week
(spring/summer) and Arise Africa Fashion Week, in addition to other
fashion-related strategic marketing initiatives.
AFI values key company traits of excellence, innovation, transformation, development, relationship building and integrity.
AFI strives to be globally recognized as the leading authority on
African fashion-related strategic marketing initiatives and African
fashion brands. AFI aims to improve the quality of fashion design
output from Africa, to promote African brands, and to dramatically raise the profile of fashion designers from the continent.
AFI is spearheaded by Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe, Chairperson.
NBA All-Star Legend Shaquille O'Neal Partners With Powerhouse Producer Jeff Clanagan to Produce the ALL-STAR COMEDY JAM Series
THE FIRST INSTALLMENT OF THE ALL-STAR COMEDY JAM HOSTED BY CEDRIC "THE ENTERTAINER" SET TO PREMIERE ON SHOWTIME - WEDNESDAY JUNE 17TH
THE SECOND INSTALLMENT OF THE SERIES TO BE FILMED AT THE UPCOMING 13TH ANNUAL AMERICAN BLACK FILM FESTIVAL
NEW YORK CITY, June 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Basketball legend Shaquille O'Neal teams up with the pioneering Producer and CEO of Codeblack Entertainment Jeff Clanagan to present the ALL-STAR COMEDY JAM series.
Featuring some of the most celebrated stand-up comics, the series will
provide sidesplitting, no holds barred hilarity on topics ranging from
America's new president to shopping at Target.
The ALL-STAR COMEDY JAM series recaptures the spirit of past successful franchises like The Kings of Comedy series,
and features some of today's hottest urban comics. It also provides the
up-and-coming comedians with an opportunity to showcase their
creativity and perform alongside the stalwarts of comedy.
On his partnership with the NBA Legend, says Clanagan, "I am
thrilled to collaborate with NBA's most distinguished athlete on these
multi-star live comedy events. This partnership will help expand
Codeblack's reach into television and further cement our desire to both
develop and produce exciting entertainment projects from their
inception as a live event through to their subsequent telecast."
Given Shaquille O'Neal's entrepreneurial aspirations this
project marks a natural evolution of his brand. "I am excited to
partner with a veteran like Jeff Clanagan and I am thrilled to be venturing into the comedy and television world."
At the inaugural show, filmed before a spirited crowd in Phoenix, AZ, the night before this year's NBA All-Star Game, the Original King of Comedy Cedric "The Entertainer" performs 30 minutes of his latest material in between comedy sets by fellow comedians such as Tommy Davidson(In Living Color), Kevin Hart (Soul Plane), Aries Spears (Mad TV), and DeRay Davis.
The ALL STAR COMEDY JAM series, directed by Leslie Smalls, premieres on SHOWTIME on Wednesday JUNE 17th, and kicks off Showtime network's LAUGH OUT LOUD comedy initiative that has become a hub for diverse, no-holds barred comedy for premium television audiences.
The highly anticipated second installment of the ALL STAR COMEDY JAM series will be filmed live at the 13th annual American Black Film Festival onJune 26thinMiamiandpremiere on SHOWTIME in January, 2010.Comedy genius DL Hughley will
host this stand-up special alongside some of the industry's most
talented and sought after comedians - Earthquake, Arnez J, Lavell Crawford and Melanie Comarcho.
Codeblack Enterprises LLC is the first African American-owned new
media & entertainment company. Codeblack Enterprises' reach is
all-encompassing, from production and national distribution of feature
films to its innovative e-commerce arm. The company's portfolio
consists of Codeblack Entertainment and Codeblack Interactive.
Codeblack Entertainment is the first African American-owned film
studio, engaged in the business of producing, acquiring, marketing and
distributing quality content to today's urban consumer across a variety
of traditional and digital platforms. The studio, which is both
independent and vertically integrated, was created out of the necessity
for the positive representation of African Americans in film. Codeblack
Interactive focuses on distributing content across digitally
interactive platforms, including global distribution to mobile and
digital carriers such as Codeblack TV, a broadband on-demand channel,
by which viewers can download, stream and deliver Codeblack properties
over the internet. The company's home on the Web is http://www.codeblack.com/default.aspx.
Rohan Marley, Son of Legendary Musician Bob Marley, Announces Launch of Marley Coffee
Operations of the Organic Coffee Purveyor to be Handled through US and Canadian Distribution Centers
LOS ANGELES,June 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Rohan Marley is pleased to announce the launch of Marley Coffee (www.marleycoffee.com), a certified organic coffee brand cultivated from the Marley family farm in Jamaica.
The brainchild of long time friends Rohan Marley and Shane Whittle, the company is a labor of love and a tribute to Rohan's father, Bob Marley.
"My father came from the farmland in Nine Mile. There, he learned a
deep respect for nature and humanity--respect that helped guide his
life and ours. He said he would return to the farm one day. That was
his dream," said Rohan.
Bob Marley's dream has now become a reality, which is very much
alive in the company's core philosophy ITAL, meaning for all things
Pure, True and Vital. ITAL is embodied in the ethical treatment of the
company's farm workers on the Marley Coffee farm to the sustainable
cultivation of coffee trees. Additionally, proceeds from the sale of
the coffee will go to the Marley Coffee Foundation, which helps youth
soccer programs in rural coffee growing regions of Jamaica.
All of the company's coffee is certified organic, with the beans sourced from the highest Class One Specialty
grade. Additionally, each bag has Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, a coffee bean
picked by hand and known for its distinctive floral bouquet, rich body
and smooth taste. The 5 coffee blends offered are: Mystic Morning
Wake Up Coffee Medium Roast, Simmer Down Organic Swiss Water Decaf, One
Love Organic Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, Lively Up! Organic 5 Bean Espresso
Blend and Jammin Java Organic Bold FullCity Roast.
Marley Coffee is currently available for purchase online at www.marleycoffee.com.
Marley and Whittle also recently opened a Canadian facility for
international distribution. And, just this week, a U.S. distribution
center in Los Angeles was opened to better serve domestic customers.
For the sales hotline, call 877-528-2262; for wholesale information,
call 323.465.1462; and for additional information, please contact info@marleycoffee.com.
San Francisco, CA - The wildly successful Panache Report.com in conjunction with their "Affluent Report" division is expanding their brand by launching the first ever "invitation-only" publication "Swiss Alps"
targeting the Black elite in the following categories: Politics,
Entertainment, Sports, Business and Wall Street. The wealthiest and
most powerful African-Americans in this country and abroad will receive
invitations.
The publication will focus on the needs of the
super rich and feature articles on Swiss & Cayman banking, hedge
funds, black aristocrats, secret societies, international intrigue,
politics, fine wines and champagnes, luxury travel, dining,
accommodations, exotic cars, private jets, yachts, powerful think
tanks, etc.
Before invitations were sent out (capped at
1,500), a pre-buzz created numerous inquiries regarding "Swiss Alps."
So much so, that 1,350 members have been signed up. The remaining
memberships to this elite club were sent via Cartier invitations this
week.
After member selection is completed and if circulation increases, new members must be nominated by existing members.
According to editor/publisher Myra Panache, "The election of President Obama
has turned over a new page in history. There has always been a Black
elite, but outside of celebrity, they always remained for the most part
under the radar. Currently there are two invitation-only publications
targeting mainstream affluence, but there has never been an
invitation-only publication targeting the African American affluent,
until now!"
The debut issue of "Swiss Alps" will be sent out within two weeks with several issues going to White House staff.
Panache Report.com (http://www.PanacheReport.com)
has been covering entertainment since 2004. The site generates over
70 million hits per month and is viewed in 138 countries. Panache Report.com is also recognized as of the the Internet's most definitive sources for breaking news!
LL Cool J Hosts Fashion Delivers' Second Annual Pay It Fashion Forward Event on June 18
NEW YORK, June 4 /PRNewswire/ -- On June 18, 2009, Fashion Delivers will host the second annual Pay It Fashion Forward event at New York City's hotspot M2 beginning at 7:30 p.m.
where five fashion industry vanguards will be honored for their
positive influences on their communities and the environment. The
brands selected this year include I/DENTI/TEE, LINDA LOUDERMILK, PHILANTHROPIST and CHLOE JO BERMAN.
Additionally, the JONES APPAREL GROUP was selected for distinction as a
company for its socially conscious business practices.
The band Tamarama from the MTV hit series "THE CITY" will perform,
and the evening will be hosted by Grammy award-winning artist and
designer LL Cool J.
Tickets will be sold in advance at www.fashiondelivers.org.
Additionally, for each ticket sold, Earnest Sewn jeans will be donating
a pair of jeans to support the relief efforts of Fashion Delivers California Campaign, a national effort to aid those most negatively affected by the global recession.
Fashion Delivers is a non-profit charity dedicated to helping those
in need by providing donated products from the men's, women's and home
goods industry. Created during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina,
Fashion Delivers has donated nearly 34 million dollars worth of products to those in need in the United States and around the world. For more information on Fashion Delivers, please go to www.fashiondelivers.org.
Best Selling Author, Jackie Christie, Inspires Black Women In Film
NBA Wife Chosen to Host the 'Black Women In Film' Tribute at The Hollywood Black Film Festival on June 6th
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.,/PRNewswire/ -- Jackie Christie,
multi-talented, fashion designer and author is set to host the 'Black
Women In Film' Tribute at the 10th anniversary Hollywood Black Film
Festival (HBFF) on Saturday, June 6, 2009 during the
'Black Women In Film' Tribute. Christie will be speaking along the
theme of inspiration and empowerment which parallels her latest third
novel "Proud To Be A Colored Girl." This event is scheduled for 5:30 P.M. at the Laemmle Music Hall #3 theatre, which is located at 9036 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA 90211.
Christie was chosen by founder, Tanya Kersey, to host in addition to speaking during this monumental event because of her philanthropic endeavors and movementshe
entitles "Colored Girl" (CG). Through her CG franchise, Jackie seeks to
empower and inspire women around the world, as well as provide all
proceeds to aid impoverished families and single mothers everywhere.
"Colored Girl" is a movement born from Christie's desire to unite women from all walks of life, nationalities and cultures. Jackie Christie
aspires to remove the stigma that comes with the term, "Colored Girl."
The age-old stereotyping of African American women has gone on
practically unchallenged for centuries. Christie is ready to change
people's way of thinking and feeling about the term. Her book, "Proud
To Be A Colored Girl," is titled based on her belief that all women no
matter their nationality are beautiful.
"I am very honored to be taking part in the HBFF'S 10th anniversary
festival to support the women in film series. As well as, pay tribute
to Tanya Kersey for her dedication to the
entertainment industry and the Hollywood Black Film Festival, which
recognizes filmmakers from all over the world," said Jackie Christie.
Jacqueline Blaylock, head of programming for the
Hollywood Black Film Festival, has once again selected a dynamic slate
of films helmed by African American women with a distinct point of
view. The Black Women in Film Screening Program will feature the
following short films: The Hands, directed by Charise Studesville; I Love You, directed by Sabrina Moella; Birthday and The Morning of, directed by Tracy Taylor; and Gideon Falls, which was directed by notable Judith McCreary.
About Jackie Christie: Jackie Christie
is a multi-talented model, fashion designer, producer, and author of
three very popular books. She also heads the successful record label
Jean Rah Fya Records, home to some of the hottest new talent in the
business. The label's roster includes teen sensation Chani, R&B
heart throb Bobby Tinsley, as well as the dynamic teen singing group Small Change, to name a few.
About the Hollywood Black Film Festival: The Hollywood Black
Film Festival (HBFF), dubbed "The Black Sundance," is an annual 6-day
celebration of black cinema drawing together established and rising
filmmakers, popular film and television stars, writers, industry
executives, emerging artists and diverse audiences from Southern California and around the world. The festival was founded in 1999 by its executive director, Tanya Kersey,
in order to enhance the careers of emerging and established black
filmmakers through a public exhibition and competition program.
Hollywood Black Film festival to Screen InsideOut Documentary
Film Being Used in Nation's Classrooms to Keep Kids in School
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., June 3 /PRNewswire/ -- This year's Hollywood Black Film Festival (HBFF) will screen InsideOut, a documentary produced by The Mattie C. Stewart Foundation. InsideOut is
currently being used in the nation's classrooms to combat the high
school dropout rate. The film is scheduled for screening at the
Festival on June 6 in Beverly Hills, California.
InsideOut is a 26-minute documentary where prison
inmates promote education as a way for youth to avoid a life behind
bars. In the film, Mattie C. Stewart Foundation founder Dr. Shelley Stewart
interviews prison inmates who hope to give others the chance they no
longer have - to avoid the pitfalls of dropping out of school and not
getting an education. All of the inmates in the film are either serving
life sentences or life without parole.
"We never specifically set out to make InsideOut into
an artistic work, so to speak. We meant for the movie to keep kids in
school and out of jail, period," Stewart said. "But if it's true that
the arts inspire us to greater heights, no matter what level we are in
life, then let it be called the truest form of art. We are just amazed
at the lives that are being changed as a result of this documentary in
our nation's schools, along with the other teaching tools that come
with our program," Stewart said. The documentary comes complete with a
teacher's guide and other materials that help bring the film's lessons
home to students. The InsideOut program is currently being used in schools in 39 states across the country.
The HBFF is in its tenth year. Often referred to as the Black
Sundance, it draws together established filmmakers, industry leaders
and Hollywood's finest to celebrate achievements made by blacks in
film. Its mission is to enhance the careers of emerging and established
black filmmakers through a public exhibition and competition program.
The festival's goal is to play an integral role in discovering and
launching independent films and filmmakers by bringing them to the
attention of the industry, media and public.
Past festival features in the invitational program have included director John Singleton's 2 Fast 2 Furious; The Hurricane starring Academy Award(R) winner Denzel Washington; director Kasi Lemmons' The Caveman's Valentine starring Samuel L. Jackson; Monster's Ball starring Academy Award(R) winner Halle Berry; the Jam Master Jay documentary 2 Turntables and a Microphone; and director Reggie Rock Bythewood's Dancing in September. To learn more about The HBFF visit www.hbff.org.
The Mattie C. Stewart Foundation is a national non-profit
organization dedicated to reducing the dropout rate. The Foundation was
established in honor of Dr. Shelley Stewart's late mother, Mattie C. Stewart, in the summer of 2007 and is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. Its primary corporate partner is o2ideas, Inc., a corporate communications and brand relations firm also based in Birmingham.
The mission of the Foundation is to create tools and resources to help
educators, community leaders and parents effectively address the
dropout rate and increase the graduation rate. The Foundation also
partners with America's Promise Alliance, the National Dropout
Prevention Center and Communities In Schools. For more information,
visit www.mattiecstewart.org.