Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Arts.Advocacy+Wellness: "Alarming NEWS"




ALARMING NEWS
within the Black LGBT Community
in the fight toward ending HIV/AIDS






HIV Epidemic is Growing fastest amongst Black Gay and Bisexual Men. Just when I thought things were progressing and moving in a better direction. Young black gay and bisexual men are the only population in the U.S. in which the pace of HIV’s spread is increasing, according to a startling study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention yesterday. I am perplexed at this information, with all the education and assistance that is available, I ask "what is REALLY going on?" Please click the link provided, which directs you to the CDS's website. I would love to hear thoughts today.







A.A+W
with Cornelius Jones Jr.
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Stay connected with me:
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Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Black Buying Power: Watch Where You Spend Your Money


Most big advertisers don’t respect the African American consumer

By David Alexander, Special to the NNPA from Our Weekly –

How much do most big corporate advertisers respect the African American consumer—25 percent, 15 percent, 5 percent, or one percent?

If you guessed one percent you were wrong. It’s less than that—.68 percent, to be exact.


Of the $263.7 billion spent annually on advertising within the nation, less that one percent is used to target African American consumers, despite the fact that Black buying power is estimated at around $857 billion, according to the 2010 census.

Ken Smikle of Target Market News notes that “the largest single investment corporate America makes is advertising,” but only a trickle is spent targeting African American consumers, a group that has been and continues to be underestimated, underserved, disrespected and misunderstood.

Pepper Miller, co-founder of the Hunter-Miller Group, a multicultural marketing firm, and co-author of the book “What’s Black About It?” explains that one of the most common misperceptions advertisers have is that mainstream publications will reach all possible consumers. Since most African Americans speak English, they generalize, there is no need to market outside of the mainstream publications.

“Marketing is about segmentation, diversity and understanding who your customers are,” counters Miller, who has devoted many years to the field of diverse marketing. But why do advertisers feel that way when these facts are taught in most marketing classes, and when it is known that most African Americans generally distrust the mainstream media?

A 2008 study by Radio One entitled “Understanding Black America” revealed that only 13 percent of African Americans trust the mainstream media, and out of 29 million Blacks, only 2 million can be reached through mainstream publications.

In fact, there is a long history of corporations and organizations using Black newspapers for free press exposure while committing only a paltry amount of their vast advertising budgets to support the same papers that have opened up valuable editorial space to them.

A similar type criticism was lodged against Toyota by the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) earlier this year. The NNPA alleged that when Toyota’s image was hurt by devastating recalls a couple of years earlier, the Japanese car maker sought help from the Black press to restore the brand’s image and to encourage African American loyalty. The NNPA charged that Blacks stood by Toyota to the tune of $2.2 billion. However, in its $1.6 billion 2011 advertising budget, Toyota allocated only $20 million to be shared by all African American media, including newspapers, radio and television. And when Toyota ran ads thanking American consumers for remaining loyal, none of the thank-you ads ran in the African American press.

R.L. Polk & Co., an automotive marketing research firm, says African American consumers represent almost 10 percent of Toyota’s U.S. market share, with 15 out of every 100 automobile purchases by African Americans being a Toyota-made automobile.

Unfortunately, the slighting of African American media is a problem even among Black advertisers. The NAACP, the oldest and largest of civil rights organizations, ignored Black publications in advertising its annual Image Awards extravaganza. When doling out its advertising dollars for the event, the organization chose to utilize only mainstream publications. As a result, NAACP president and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous was the target of much criticism from the Black press. Jealous claimed it was a “grave” oversight. “I am very sensitive to the need to support Black community newspapers. They are the only way to assure Black readers in a given community that you actually want your ads to reach them directly,” he said in response to the criticism.

This questionable marketing practice is also occurring in the music industry, where there are multitudes of African American performers. Despite this fact, the industry has invested few ad dollars targeting African American consumers.

This is occurring at a time when African American businesses and workers are hardest hit by unemployment and the ever-tightening economy.

Many executives in the movie industry are guilty of a similar myopia. They have operated on the assumption that African Americans will not attend a movie that does not have an African American lead and/or cast. However, a study conducted by BET this year revealed that 81 percent of movies seen by African Americans did not include an African American cast, lead actor or storyline. This same study also showed that the average African American goes to the movies 13.4 times a year in comparison to the general moviegoer who goes 11 times a year.

So the question becomes: why are these advertisers slighting their most reliable consumer?

According to a 2008 report from Packaged Facts, which publishes market intelligence on a wide range of consumer industries, Black buying power is projected to rise to about $1.1 trillion by 2012. There are currently 343,300 African American households within the United States earning $150,000 or more, as well as “819,700 individuals who earn a minimum of $75,000 per year.”

Although a number of companies have profited by marketing directly to the African American consumer, such as McDonalds, Gucci, Lexus, Lincoln, Procter & Gamble, State Farm, Infiniti, Bank of America, Wells Fargo Bank, overall most corporations and organizations have left the African American consumer out when it comes to their ad dollars.

In “Black Is the New Green,” authors Leonard Burnett Jr. and Andrea Hoffman write: “It would be foolish in the extreme not to tap into this rich buying segment, yet this is exactly what the marketing firms of companies (fail to) do all too frequently.”

Click here to read entire article: blackvoicenews.com

Monday, August 29, 2011

We Remember The King of POP



MICHAEL JACKSON THE KING of POP
We Remember the Time


New Gay Series " CockTales"


I am currently in pre-production on my new series CockTales and I am looking for a few good men and a couple of woman to bring it alive. Over the past few years I have tons of support from our community as my career has advanced in film making, blogging, and working as an activist and now I am seeking the next level of support. There has already been several rumors going throughout the community about the series and this is the first time I am speaking on it. CockTales is the next chapter of the lives of the diverse group of friends who explore their lives in the West Village and it shows the story of coming of age. Throughout the fall I will be searching for the faces and diverse talents that will assist in bringing this tale alive.

THE CREATOR OF CHRISTOPHER STREET TV PARTNERS WITH MEAK PRODUCTIONS TO LAUNCH NEW GAY SERIES “COCK-TALES!”

“STRAIGHT UP WITH A TWIST!” THE STORY OF CHRISTOPHER STREET TV CONTINUES WITH THE POP DRAMEDY “COCK-TALES!”

New York, NY (AUGUST 26, 2011) – OFF THE CLOCK PRODUCTIONS today announced that they are producing the spin-off of Christopher Street TV entitled “Cock-TALES” in partnership with Meak Productions in searching for the cast of the new series. Cock-Tales is currently in pre-production and is not scheduled to be released until Summer of 2012. Complete details on talent submissions will be released on September 3, 2011 during the 15th Anniversary Celebration of Atlanta Black Gay Pride, where Meak Productions has been the Official Worldwide Radio Sponsor since 2009. “LIVE” Radio & Video Coverage will be conducted by Meak Pro throughout the Labor Day Weekend Black Pride events, which will also feature an EXCLUSIVE On-Location Interview with Dwight Allen O'Neal about the upcoming “Cock-TALES” series.

Cock-Tales explores the life of 1 of Christopher Street's characters, Jharmey Smith, a southern transplant from Memphis, TN who has decided to link up with his new BFF, Blaire Knowles, who gives you no middle line you -either love her or hate her. Jharemy and Blaire are co-managers of the hottest gay night club in New York City and they never see eye to eye on anything except both loving and sharing a good “Cock-TALE”. Both adults experience their own business and relationship struggles that mold their entire New York City experience and bridge the gap between hetero-homo lifestyles.

Now celebrating his 2nd Anniversary with Meak Productions’ Talent Agency Division, Dwight decided that they would be the best avenue to recruit the New Cast for the series.


“I am so excited to be partnering with Meak Productions in creating more entertainment for the LGBTQ community,” SAID DWIGHT ALLEN O'NEAL, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER. “Christopher Street TV has and always will be my heart; however it's time to share a good Cock-Tale with the world.”

Meak Productions is the World's 1st LGBT EXCLUSIVE Talent Agency, Casting & Production Company. Its mission is to provide an avenue of exposure and performance opportunities to LGBT Talent, as well as create a more professional equal and diverse image of LGBT Culture, which in turn will help prevent the current stereotypes and discrimination towards the community as a whole. Now with 2 worldwide syndicated radio shows under it's belt, the company is making New strides and trends in the LGBT New Media Industry. www.meakproductions.com america’s #1 source for alternative entertainment The World’s First Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender EXCLUSIVE Talent Agency, Media & Production Company.

“Dwight was refered to us by his Publicist from Toonzworld Management, and has been with us since Summer 2009 as a Celebrity Talent”, STATED MIKO EVANS, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/CEO. “

When he approached us about his new project, we immediately said YES! This project is going to bring a New Approach to Gay & Straight
relationships from a Black Gay perspective, which is something that is not presented as often on TV.”


For further details and updates regarding “Cock-Tales” The Series check www.ONealAppeal.com.


For casting information or to register as a Talent, visit Meak Productions' website at: www.meakproductions.com


Also, visit the official “Cock-TALES” Fan Page on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/CockTALESTheSeries


For All MEDIA Request Contact: Dwight Allen O'Neal Dwight@ONealAppeal.com

Beyonce is finally a Suga Mama!


Congratulations to mega superstar Beyonce’ on being pregnant with her first child. Last night at the MTV Video Awards she made a special gesture that confirmed that she is going to be the mother of a new baby very soon. Beyonce’ performed the song “Love on Top” from her new album “4” and twitter buzzed around the world that she was glowing and that she has never looked so happy. When closing the musical number Beyonce’ opened her jacket and showed her new pregnancy bump.

Many people have already asked what is going to happen with her movie career and her tours? Beyonce’ has already made plans for her pregnancy and is very excited to be a new mother. Fans can expect for her to have enough music videos and music to hold them over until her return “back to business” and look at this pregnancy as her way of showing the world that “girls” really do run the world.

As for her new film, it may be pushed back shooting on her next project. The irony? She's due to star in a remake of the film, "A Star Is Born."
In January, the Golden Globe-nominee was cast in Clint Eastwood's telling of the story of a young singer who falls in love with a spiraling, fading rock star. Filming on the pic according to Deadline, was due to begin in February. That won't happen, the site reports, quoting an insider's relaying that Eastwood has agreed to delay rolling until the baby is delivered and the singer is back to full strength. The film still does not have a leading man, as Eastwood's "J. Edgar" star Leonardo DiCaprio declined to take on the role of the alcoholic musician. Maybe when they do start production fans will have the chance to see Papa Jay Z on set with the baby while mommy gets her close-ups. Congrats Beyonce’!


Saturday, August 27, 2011

What Has Happened To The New Black Generation?



When you look back at what African Americans have been fighting for throughout the decades, you feel nothing but happiness. The bravery that each individual has shown cannot be matched. The fight for equal rights along with the acceptance of multiculturalism is quite remarkable. People like Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Reverend Al Sharpton, and many more activists fought for our rights as US citizens.

You can look back at those times and still get the same reaction. You are amazed on how our culture came together. We didn't just want equal rights. We also wanted acceptance from others cultures.

Now here we are in the 21st century. The new generation of African American males and females are given the power to make a change in the world. To live the lives that the older generation have been for fighting for them to have. It's time for them to continue the legacy and show that we are everyday people just like any other person. Instead, the fighting resulted in something that was never expected.

Crime rates have gone out of control in certain cities. Every time you look at the television screen, you will be sad and disappointed seeing someone that has the color of skin either murdered, arrested, or incarcerated. Back then, men and women were taught to fight with their fists. Nowadays, it has resulted to guns and heavy items like crowbars. Most of it is because of unnecessary things.

Divorce rates are incredibly high. Back in 1966, more than 84% of children were raised in two parent households. Now it's fewer than 33%. Teenagers are not taking life seriously and are just fooling around, letting life go by. Some of these actions resulted in things like underage drinking and teenage pregnancies. The baddest thing is that there are certain parents who support these actions. Instead of trying to stop these things and telling their children that this is not the right way to run your life, they instead are defending them and contributing to their actions.

Another thing that is going on is something that is being called "Cultural Self-Injury". Instead of supporting those who look just like them, trying to make a change in the world, they are attacking them with negative comments and a visual lack of support. Most of it stems from fear. Fear of wanting to change their lives. They want to remain the way it is.

The final straw was when President Barack Obama was elected president. When the results came in, it was discovered that the lowest amount of people that voted for him were African Americans. According to some, they think blacks didn't vote for him because the president is quote "Not black enough."

Of course, there are people who are trying to make a change. There are some who were the first in their family to go to college. There are some who were the first to manage a stable job. Sadly, they are being overshadowed by the dark side of the African American community. It's as if all of those people that marched for our rights did it for nothing. People within the community feel so disappointed, they wished if they were born in another culture. Some have taken it to the maximum by bleaching their skin, so they could be inches away from not looking black at all.

Based on actions like this it makes you wonder. What has happened to the new black generation?

Friday, August 26, 2011

Tammy Peay - "Black & Blue" As Funny As It Gets

Date: Sept. 24th, 2011

Venue: Lace on the Avenue - 2214 Rhode Island Avenue, NE

Washington, DC

Purchase Tickets:

HERE

About Tammy Peay

Tammy Peay is known on the comedy scene as "Ms. Peay". Growing up in a large family, Ms Peay exhibited her talent as a comedian very early. Well timed "snaps and jokes" which kept her friends and family laughing Ms. Peay has performed at some of the hottest New York venues: Don't Tell Mamas, The Cutting Room, Comedy Cellar, Caroline's, Gotham Comedy Club, New York Club, Stand Up New York, Brooklyn Brewery, Joe's Pub, Boston Comedy Club, Uptown Comedy Club, Colleges all over the East Coast.

Sam Fine + Fashion Fair. What Are Your Thoughts? Like this article? Read the full story: Sam Fine + Fashion Fair. What Are Your Thoughts? | Afrobella



Makeup lovers have been buzzing this week over the big news — venerable cosmetics brand Fashion Fair has hired legendary makeup artist Sam Fine to be their creative makeup director.

Photo above and info below via WWD:

“Fashion Fair Cosmetics has appointed celebrity makeup artist Sam Fine as its creative makeup director. The Chicago-based prestige cosmetics brand for women of color is tapping Fine, a 20-year industry veteran, to bring his experience with the fashion editorial world, global beauty brands and celebrities to Fashion Fair’s consumers. Fine will also advise on the creation of new products and, in 2012, Fashion Fair will unveil Sam Fine for Fashion Fair trend collections.”

I literally gasped and clutched at pearls I wasn’t even wearing when I read the news. Fresh life hs been brought to the Fashion Fair brand and I’m truly excited to see what this brings. I hope this brings big, exciting change for Fashion Fair, for the beauty scene in Chicago, and for we, the consumers.

I hope that Sam truly gets to execute his vision as he sees it, because I KNOW whatever it is, it’s an awesome vision. I’m psyched to see some true innovation coming from a brand that has been a favorite in my family through the generations.

When I think Fashion Fair, I think of classic cosmetics. Those beautiful vintage ads. Pink marbled packaging. Vantex. I also think of a very finite range of colors in terms of eye and lip cosmetics. So I hope this means Fashion Fair steps up and truly becomes a brand that younger women of color can look to as a trendsetter at the department store counters.

I hope to see the brand stepping away from the traditional coppers and browns and bronzes and moving towards some truly HOT new shades of eye and lip colors. I’m hoping to see lighter blends of foundation in a wider range of shades. I’m expecting awesomeness. And I am SUPER excited for Sam, because he is just all around a great guy.

What do you think, bellas? What do you hope to see from the new Sam Fine for Fashion Fair collections?



Like this article? Read the full story: Sam Fine + Fashion Fair. What Are Your Thoughts?

Hurricane Irene weakens, but could strengthen again before slamming N.C.


By: LATimes.com

Hurricane Irene has weakened somewhat over the Atlantic as it roars toward the U.S. East Coast, but it could intensify again before slamming into North Carolina, and federal officials Friday extended watches and warnings as far north as Martha's Vineyard, Mass.

As of 5 a.m. Eastern time, Irene was 420 miles from Cape Hatteras, N.C., with sustained winds of 110 mph, making it a Category 2 hurricane, according to a National Hurricane Center bulletin issued early today.

The storm will lumber north today at 14 mph, well off the Florida coast, then arrive in North Carolina Saturday as a Category 2 or Category 3 hurricane. From there, it is expected to head toward the Chesapeake Bay and Pennsylvania's Delmarva Coast, according to AccuWeather.com. By Sunday it could pass within 30 miles of New York City, still at Category 2 strength.

PHOTOS: In the path of Hurricane Irene

In North Carolina, where thousands of evacuating vacationers and locals have been clogging roads, the latest predictions show the storm moving in such a way that the right front portion of the storm, usually the most destructive, will hit barrier islands, with the storm's center heading farther inland than previously predicted, the Raleigh News & Observer reports.

"The worst surge is just to the right of the track, so maybe now we're looking at more storm surge impacts from Cape Lookout up to the Albemarle Sound," Nick Petro, a National Weather Service Meteorologist, told the paper. "And we could see as much as 3, 4 or even 5 inches of rain along the Interstate 95 corridor."

Federal officials issued a hurricane watch early Friday from north of Sandy Hook, N.J. to the mouth of the Merrimack River, an area that includes Long Island, Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard, where President Obama and his family are vacationing.

Obama and his entourage remained on the island Thursday, even as others headed to the mainland for safety, the Boston Herald reported. While emergency officials held meeting after meeting to prepare for disaster, POTUS was hanging out at the private Pohogonot beach.

"The island is cranking up," Peter Martell, an emergency management director on the island, told the paper. "A hurricane is like a large gorilla. It goes wherever it wants, whenever it wants."

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Arts.Advocacy+Wellness: "Tim'm West's FLY BROTHA!"




A few weeks ago, I featured my brotha Tim'm and his latest video "A Real Man," which is from his new CD Fly Brotha. Today, I'm doing a special re-Release in efforts of spreading the word through our burgeoning social network about my dear friend who is not only making great music, but great change for our social climate in the USofA.

I invite you to share a minutue or more with brotha Tim'm West.






For Immediate Release

Tim’m West releases highly-anticipated 4th Solo Project Fly Brotha

Independence Day 2011




On July 4th 2011, the iconic, critically acclaimed, Hip-Hop artist Tim’m West released his groundbreaking, fourth solo project, Fly Brotha.

Provocative, moving, vulnerable, witty, and fun Fly Brotha is a celebration of courage needed to confront institutional barriers to personal freedom; an insistence on justice and peace in our community and world. With songs like "Good Day" that imagines a media that celebrated "good news", or "Bully" which examines the travesty of child neglect of both bullies and the bullied, Tim’m continues his legacy of telling brave truths in a Hip-Hop context which is often lacking

Social Justice messaging. There is also Tim’m’s intentional ownership as the nurturing, paternal "papa bear" of a host of emcees, straight and gay, who are collectively looking to challenge heteronormativity in Hip Hop culture, as evidenced in the Dirtybird produced intro track "The Lesson". Tim’m bravely challenges notions of street cred with tracks like Brohemian rapCD and Bro-Homo as well as with soulful Hip Hop love-ballads like Again and Carried Away.


The 14 track LP is accented by music videos 3 music videos including “Acrobatics” feat. DDm (directed by Truitt O’Neal), “Fly Brotha” (directed by David E.F.P of 2osos Productions), and “A Real Man” feat. Quentin Adams (who also directed the video). Catering to our visual culture, these music videos are elevating Tim’m’s popularity across the sexuality divide—a presence well-prepared for by Tim’m’s respective features in Hip Hop and Spoken Word documentaries: Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes by Byron Hurt, Pick Up the Mic: the rEvolution of Homo- Hop by Alex Hinton, Graffiti Verite’ 7 by Bob Bryan, and the more recent Mario Van Peebles’ directed Bring Your ‘A’ Game which featured other Hip Hop artists such as Ice Cube, Diddy, and Lupe Fiasco.


Fly Brotha is the follow up to three previously released solo projects that include Songs from Red Dirt (2004, Cellular Records), Blakkboy Blue(s), and the 2009 release In Security: The Golden Error. Since its’ release, fans excited about the project have described Fly Brotha as Tim’m West’s best work yet.


As a seasoned lyricist, emcee, and founding member of the now defunct queer Hip-Hop group Deep Dickollective, Tim’m West hopes that Fly Brotha will help break down Hip-Hop’s closet door at a time when LGBTQ issues are at the forefront of defining what it means to be “free” and “equal” in America.

___________________________________________

Fly Brotha is available at Tim’m’s website www.reddirt.biz, as well as CDbaby, iTunes, Amazon.com, bandcamp.com, and various other internet music outlets.






A.A+W
with Cornelius Jones Jr.
Tune in next Wednesday for more
Arts.Advocacy+Wellness with Cornelius Jones Jr.
Stay connected with me:
FaceBook: Cornelius Jones Jr.
Twitter: CorneliusJonesJ
FaceBook Fan Page: FlagBoy Official Fan Page of the Actor

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