SAVE THE DATE - Eat, Drink and Be Hopeful - Thursday, June 14th in Brooklyn

L-R: Macy Gray, Nefertiti Strong & Richard 'Lil Mogul' E. Pelzer II in Cannes, France

She went from rapper to actress to filmmaker — enjoying the world of celebrity until stomach cancer forced Angelica (Nefertiti) Strong to face death at the age of 38.

The Red Hook movie producer is now the self-proclaimed “Lance Armstrong of stomach cancer,” embarking on a one-person campaign to give her disease A-list status.

“I am modeling myself after Lance Armstrong,” said Strong, who starred in the 1995 movie “Panther.” “I want to put the spin on stomach cancer. We have choices, but we have no cure.” Despite being weak and rail- thin from doctors slicing up her abdomen in October followed by biweekly rounds of chemotherapy, Strong is busy planning a pair of parties on June 14 highlighting the fatal affliction.

“There is no funding for stomach cancer like there is for breast or prostate cancer,” said Strong, hoping the back-to-back bashes raise $150,000 for the American Cancer Society’s Brooklyn office near Grand Army Plaza.

Tickets are available on www.eatdrinkandbhopeful.com.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/red-hook-movie-producer-raise-awareness-stomach-cancer-article-1.1084876#ixzz1wB6dkzGX

For Faith, For Love: FOREVER the movie on April 21st

On Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at 7:00pm, The Center NYC LGBT Community Center located at 208 West 13th Street, NY, NY 10011, in association with Catch A Dream Entertainment and, The Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in Religion and Ministry of Berkeley, CA will screen the powerful and thought provoking documentary entitled: For Faith, For Love, FOREVER.

As the presidential inauguration in 2009 came to a close, millions of people around the world witnessed a historical event in time; however, 2,500 miles due west there is division in California where the highly publicized Proposition 8 appeared on the general election ballot in November 2008. The proposition eliminated the right for same sex couples to marry, and has been fiercely debated over the past several years, Civil Rights!

The future of marriage equality was discussed during a Town Hall Meeting at First Congregational Church of Oakland, CA and documented by filmmaker Nefertiti Strong. The documentary, in final negotiations to be narrated by Rodney Chester, the lead actor of Logo’s hit movie Noah’s Arc – Jumping the Broom, explores the debate on same-sex marriage in the African-American community and its inclusion of the black church. Despite media portrayals suggesting complete disapproval, African-American clergy strongly believe in allowing people to live “in Spirit and in Truth” in regards to their God-given identities.

The Town Hall discussion, sponsored by the San Francisco Foundation and the Haas Jr. Fund, brought “dialogue and people together to work out issues in their communities,” said Reverend Roland Stringfellow, the event’s organizer, gay rights activist and Executive Producer of For Faith, For Love, FOREVER. “What the film 'For Faith, For Love, FOREVER' seeks to do, through the lens of the African-American church context, is to give courage to people of faith to address open and honestly the issue of being 'in the life' and the ways to find a way back to church communities we love."

Over the past year, the HOT button issue has been gay marriage. Strong believes the recording of the documentary has shed light onto a very important issue; however, gives people who may not been in attendance a chance to weigh in on the issues. “The beauty of film has captured a moment in time forever, that generations can not only see what happened, but understand why you did something,” Strong said.
Strong is president and founder of Catch a Dream, Inc. a TV/Film production based in Los Angeles and New York. The Center is hosting a fundraiser for the film in New York City LGBT Center and will screen the youth-focused 2010 HIV/AIDS PSA Campaign “Get Down” written and directed by Kim J. Ford of Lionqueen 192, Productions, Inc and FACES NY Inc.

Fight for your Business Life as an Entrepreneur

The MEGA World of Lil Mogul

Watching Olympic athletes compete, we’re taken to a place where special humans participate in a noble cause. These heroes commit countless hours over many years, pushing their minds and bodies to achieve a level of excellence that might qualify them to … merely to be on an Olympic team to represent their country.

Notice neither winning medals nor glory were mentioned. Most Olympians find neither, and yet they try.

Watching an event, we’re at once self-conscious and grateful when the long lens of the camera invades that private moment just prior to the competition. Self-conscious because of the intrusion but grateful to share this moment and benefit vicariously from the Herculean effort about to be displayed.

The camera moves in closer. We can see the Olympian’s eyes and imagine their thoughts. The runner is thinking, “Twelve years and it all comes down to the next few seconds. Must remember the fundamentals.” The gymnast is having a word with herself, “Today, nothing less than my personal best.”

Then the long lens captures the mouth. There’s a lick to fight the cotton mouth that only those who risk failure have tasted. The lips move slightly to offer a prayer or claim an affirmation.

Small business owners are a lot like Olympic athletes: They commit countless hours over many years, pushing mind and body to achieve a level of excellence that might somehow allow them to … merely make a living. Medals and glory? Most small business owners find neither and yet they show up, year after year, to work, to deliver and to contribute.

Like an Olympic race, the future of a small business often rides on the owner’s performance over a very short period. If the camera could take you in close, you would see the owner thinking: “All these years of work and risk could come down to how well I deliver this proposal in the next few minutes. Must remember the fundamentals.” The long lens would capture the mouth. There’s the lick to lessen the cotton mouth that only those who risk failure have tasted. Then the lips move, ever so slightly, to offer a prayer or claim an affirmation.

Olympians and small business owners are dedicated to what they love. They work hard, take great risks and seek excellence, against all odds and usually at their own expense. To all my entrepreneurs continue the FIGHT within and live that MEGA Dream. The spirit of Olympians and Small Business Owners makes the world a better place.