  Top Left To Right: John Hope Franklin and Son, John, Baki AnNur and storyteller 72 yr old Ellaraino, Ann Todd Jealous, NAACP National President Benjamin Todd Jealous, and Mamie Todd. Bottom Left to Right: Earl Reynolds, Jr with daughter Ashley, Mortician and Oakland Cemetery Caretaker Sam Reed Focus On Empowerment can be heard every Thursday at 1pm Eastern. Log Onto: www.blogtalkradio.com/globalcarole Listen LIVE or Download Anytime ======================== Come explore the lives of Black people, the famous, the everyday, the extraordinary and hear their stories that speak volumes of our heritage. As we near the end of Black History Month, we'll listen to the stories of NAACP President Ben Jealous, noted historian and African American scholar John Hope Franklin, Los Angeles based Ellaraino, Mortician Sam Reed and Shoe Shine boy turned teacher Earl Reynolds, Jr. Black History IS American History. They are our mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters. They share stories of our dreams and aspirations. They are the stories that are archived at StoryCorps, the national project capturing stories of Americans of all stripes, sizes and colors. They are the stories that make our country rich in diversity, deep in culture, and dedicated to the courage and commitment of a whole race of people. Then we'll close our show with a heartwarming rendition of the "Black National Anthem" Lift Every Voice and Sing, performed by the Chicago Children's Choir. Black History IS American History. Enjoy today's show. Celebrate Black History Every Day. Every Month. Every Year. ========================= About StoryCorps StoryCorps is an independent nonprofit whose mission is to provide Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share, and preserve the stories of our lives. Since 2003, StoryCorps has collected and archived more than 40,000 interviews from nearly 80,000 participants. Each conversation is recorded on a free CD to share, and is preserved at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. StoryCorps is one of the largest oral history projects of its kind, and millions listen to our weekly broadcasts on NPR’s Morning Edition. To find out more, visit their website at www.storycorps.org. ======================== Your Comments Are Welcome Below... -Carole How To Download Today's Show •Can't listen live??? No problem. •After The Broadcast...Go To www.blogtalkradio.com/globalcarole •On My Homepage Next To My Picture Click On The RSS Feed (It's orange and has RSS on it) •Select Today's Show •Download As A MPEG File For Macs or Windows Files Fro PCs •The Broadcast will play on your computer, Laptop, iPod, iPhone, or any other MP3 Listening Device Add Comment 
Focus On Empowerment can be heard every Thursday at 1pm Eastern. Log Onto: www.blogtalkradio.com/globalcarole Listen LIVE or Download Anytime ======================== Why does Sickle Cell affect so many Black people? And what are the chances that someone in your family carries the Sickle Cell Trait? We'll talk with Rev. Ronald Stephenson, M.Div, the President and Founder of the Greater Boston Sickle Cell Disease Association and learn more about their upcoming February 26th Day of Prayer. Then we'll learn more about the various voter restriction laws passed between 2010 and 2011 that directly affect African American voters across the country. Many of these laws will have a major impact on the 2012 presidential election. Stay tuned to today's show. About Sickle Cell Source: Center For Disease Control What Is Sickle Cell Disease? Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a group of inherited red blood cell disorders. Healthy red blood cells are round and they move through small blood vessels carrying oxygen to all parts of the body. In SCD, the red blood cells become hard and sticky and look like a C-shaped farm tool called a “sickle”. Sickle cells die early, which causes a constant shortage of red blood • cells. Sickle cells can get stuck in small blood vessels and block the flow • of blood and oxygen to organs in the body. These blockages cause repeated episodes of severe pain, organ damage, serious infections, or even stroke. What Causes Sickle Cell Disease? SCD is inherited in the same way that people get the color of their eyes, skin, and hair. A person with SCD is born with it. People cannot catch SCD from being around a person who has it. Who Is Affected By Sickle Cell Disease? It is estimated that SCD affects 90,000 to 100,000 people in the United States, mainly Blacks or African Americans. The disease occurs among about 1 of every 500 Black or African- American births and among about 1 out of every 36,000 Hispanic- American births. SCD affects millions of people throughout the world and is particularly common among those whose ancestors come from sub- Saharan Africa; regions in the Western Hemisphere (South America, the Caribbean, and Central America); Saudi Arabia; India; and Mediterranean countries such as Turkey, Greece, and Italy. ====================== Your Comments Are Welcome Below... -Carole How To Download Today's Show •Can't listen live??? No problem. •After The Broadcast...Go To www.blogtalkradio.com/globalcarole •On My Homepage Next To My Picture Click On The RSS Feed (It's orange and has RSS on it) •Select Today's Show •Download As A MPEG File For Macs or Windows Files Fro PCs •The Broadcast will play on your computer, Laptop, iPod, iPhone, or any other MP3 Listening Device 
Photos Above: Top Left: Carole and 1200 Members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority on Capital Hill Bottom Left: Tracie Clemons, Norfolk Plymouth Chapter President Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Congressman Barney Frank (D) MA, and Carole Copeland Thomas, Tri State Social Action Coordinator, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Right: The Capital Building where Congress convenes. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Focus On Empowerment can be heard every Thursday at 1pm Eastern. Log Onto: www.blogtalkradio.com/globalcarole Listen LIVE or Download Anytime ======================== With hundreds of bills introduced to Congress each year, which ones are important enough that get noticed, get discussed and get passed? And how can you find out how your congressman or senator voted on key pieces of legislation affecting YOU? It may all seem a big blur to some, but the laws of our country should matter to you. I've just returned from Washington DC and attended the legislative conference for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (http://deltasigmatheta.org) It's a 99 year old public service organization that examines the issues impacting urban and suburban communities without ever endorsing candidates. With valuable resources from the NAACP, Delta women discussed tough issues facing our communities before heading for Capital Hill to meet our congressional representatives. We'll look at some of the key issues from health care reform to the America's Jobs Act to the foreclosure crisis. And we'll give you important websites to help you understand how these issues affect YOU. =========================== Your Comments Are Welcome Below... -Carole How To Download Today's Show •Can't listen live??? No problem. •After The Broadcast...Go To www.blogtalkradio.com/globalcarole •On My Homepage Next To My Picture Click On The RSS Feed (It's orange and has RSS on it) •Select Today's Show •Download As A MPEG File For Macs or Windows Files Fro PCs •The Broadcast will play on your computer, Laptop, iPod, iPhone, or any other MP3 Listening Device 
Focus On Empowerment can be heard every Thursday at 1pm Eastern. Log Onto: www.blogtalkradio.com/globalcarole Listen LIVE or Download Anytime ======================== Looking for a new job? Moving up the corporate career track? Looking for new business prospects? Need to land that important business deal? Networking is your answer? Today's guest is marketing executive Juliette Mayers, the author of the new book, The Black Woman's Guide to Networking: Advance Your Career Grow Your Business. She'll explain why business cards matter and how to effectively use them. Juliette willl also give a helpful tip to those who are "gunshy" about working a room during a social gathering. If you're aiming to build relationships with decision makers and influencial leaders, this show is for you. For more information, visit www.juliettemayers.com Juliette Mayers is Executive Director, Multicultural Marketing at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. She is an author, award-winning executive, business strategist, and a passionate community advocate. Massachusetts Governor, Deval Patrick appointed her to the Massachusetts Workforce Investment Board, a state-wide policy making board that advises the governor on workforce investment. Juliette is emeritus Board President of Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD), a $150 million anti-poverty organization and the largest community action agency in the country. She continues to be an active board member on the ABCD board and is also a strong supporter of other organizations that focus on education and pathways out of poverty. =========================== Your Comments Are Welcome Below... -Carole How To Download Today's Show •Can't listen live??? No problem. •After The Broadcast...Go To www.blogtalkradio.com/globalcarole •On My Homepage Next To My Picture Click On The RSS Feed (It's orange and has RSS on it) •Select Today's Show •Download As A MPEG File For Macs or Windows Files Fro PCs •The Broadcast will play on your computer, Laptop, iPod, iPhone, or any other MP3 Listening Device 
Focus On Empowerment can be heard every Thursday at 1pm Eastern. Log Onto: www.blogtalkradio.com/globalcarole Listen LIVE or Download Anytime ======================== I especially want young adults to listen and download today’s show. It will help connect the words in the history books with one woman who experienced it first hand. Everyone knows about the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. An impressive quarter of a million people heard his “I Have A Dream” speech live on the Washington Mall that hot summer day in August 1963. Many more watched with anticipation on television. The rest have read about it in the history books. A very young Simma Lieberman was one of the lucky ones who heard the speech live among the crowds on the Washington Mall that fateful day in 63.’ And it proved to be life changing for her and countless others who dreamed of freedom and justice for all Americans. Simma is my special guest today, and she will help paint the picture of why the King Dream matters as much today as it did almost 50 years ago. Simma Lieberman is an international diversity and inclusion specialist based in San Francisco. She has worked with major corporations across the US and her articles have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and Forbes.com. She is the author of two books, Putting Diversity To Work, How To Successfully Lead a Diverse Workforce and a soon to be released anthology The Diversity Calling, Building Diverse Communities One Story At T Time. Visit her website at www.simmalieberman.com ======================== Your Comments Are Welcome Below... -Carole How To Download Today's Show •Can't listen live??? No problem. •After The Broadcast...Go To www.blogtalkradio.com/globalcarole •On My Homepage Next To My Picture Click On The RSS Feed (It's orange and has RSS on it) •Select Today's Show •Download As A MPEG File For Macs or Windows Files Fro PCs •The Broadcast will play on your computer, Laptop, iPod, iPhone, or any other MP3 Listening Device 
Focus On Empowerment can be heard every Thursday at 1pm Eastern. Log Onto: www.blogtalkradio.com/globalcarole Listen LIVE or Download Anytime ======================== Today we’ll finish up my Top Ten Trends List that I have predicted for 2012 as we look forward to the year ahead. We will also pay tribute to the life and legacies of TWO great men in the Civil Rights era: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his closest associate in the movement, Dr. Ralph David Abernathy. Because of the efforts and sacrifices of both King and Abernathy, women and people of color throughout the United States enjoy the benefits and freedoms of our American society. We’ll also discuss the upcoming February 2nd Black History Breakfast featuring the widow of Dr. Abernathy, Juanita Jones Abernathy, whose stories, sacrifices, political and social insights will be on full display during the upcoming event. (Please visit www.mssconnect.com for complete ticket and sponsorship information.) We salute Dr. King’s birthday, Black History Month, and the contributions of those who have risked their lives to make this country better, bolder and more inclusive for ALL people. They are our heros and “sheros” on today’s show. Your Comments Are Welcome Below... -Carole ========================= How To Download Today's Show •Can't listen live??? No problem. •After The Broadcast...Go To www.blogtalkradio.com/globalcarole •On My Homepage Next To My Picture Click On The RSS Feed (It's orange and has RSS on it) •Select Today's Show •Download As A MPEG File For Macs or Windows Files Fro PCs •The Broadcast will play on your computer, Laptop, iPod, iPhone, or any other MP3 Listening Device 
Focus On Empowerment can be heard every Thursday at 1pm Eastern. Log Onto: www.blogtalkradio.com/globalcarole Listen LIVE or Download Anytime ======================== Happy New Year and welcome to 2012! We’ll examine ways to shore up and fortify your personal and professional career path this year by developing an action plan that is just right for YOU. For fun, we’ll look back at Top Trends I predicted for 1998 as I make a few predictions for 2012. Do you have New Years resolutions that jumpstart your life? Or are you a free spirit bypassing resolutions altogether, choosing to rely on your own wits to get you from point A to B each year? We’ll examine the benefits and challenges of New Years resolutions as we determine the appropriate course of action for your job, your business, your family, your community and your life. ======================== Your Comments Are Welcome Below... -Carole How To Download Today's Show •Can't listen live??? No problem. •After The Broadcast...Go To www.blogtalkradio.com/globalcarole •On My Homepage Next To My Picture Click On The RSS Feed (It's orange and has RSS on it) •Select Today's Show •Download As A MPEG File For Macs or Windows Files Fro PCs •The Broadcast will play on your computer, Laptop, iPod, iPhone, or any other MP3 Listening Device 
Dear Family, Valuable Friends, MSS Members, Clients, and Colleagues: From my home to yours, I wish you rich blessings into the New Year. Here is a special article I created about the history of Watch Night Service in the African American community. Several of my friends on Facebook had added their own brand of how they honor this familiar tradition in their households. Happy New Year! Carole Copeland Thomas --------------------------- The History Of Watch Night Services In The United States by Carole Copeland Thomas With the festivities of Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa now on full display, there is still time to reflect on the ritual of my ancestors and many other African Americans, whose forefathers sat around campfires and wood stoves in the twilight of December 31, 1862. There they sang spirituals acapella, prayed, and thanked the Good Lord for what was about to happen the next day. It was on January 1, 1863 amidst the cannon fire, gun shots, and burnings at the height of the Civil War that President Abraham Lincoln sealed his own fate and signed the Emancipation Proclamation. It begins with the following decree: Whereas on the 22nd day of September, A.D. 1862, a proclamation was issued by the President of the United States, containing, among other things, the following, towit: "That on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free; and the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom. "That the Executive will, on the first day of January aforesaid, by proclamation, designate the States and parts of States, if any, in which the people thereof, respectively, shall then be in rebellion against the United States; and the fact that any State, or the people thereof, shall on that day be, in good faith, represented in the Congress of the United States by members chosen thereto at elections wherein a majority of the qualified voters of such State shall have participated, shall, in the absence of strong countervailing testimony, be deemed conclusive evidence that such State, and the people thereof, are not then in rebellion against the United States." CAROLE' S TRANSLATION: Effective January 1, 1963 all slaves in the states in rebellion against the Union are free. Technically that is all that President Lincoln could do at the time. He used his wartime powers as Commander in Chief to liberate the "property" of the states in rebellion of the Union. The act did not free the slaves of the Union or border states (Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, Missouri, or West Virginia) or any southern state under Union control (like parts of Virginia). It would take the Union Army winning the Civil War (April 9, 1965), the assassination of President Lincoln (shot on April 14th and died on April 15, 1865) for all of the slaves to be freed. That included the liberation of the slaves in rebellious Texas on June 19, 1865 (Juneteenth Day) and finally the ratification of the 13th Amendment on December 18, 1865, giving all black people freedom and permanently abolishing slavery in the US. So in 1862 on the eve of this great era, the slaves "watched", prayed, and waited. My ancestors, including Bishop Wesley John Gaines of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) and the other four million slaves prayed for divine guidance and an empowered Abraham Lincoln to do the right thing. It is as important today as the tradition of black people eating black eyed peas on New Year's Day for good luck. That is the history of Watch Night in the African American culture. May you and your family enjoy a spirit filled New Year throughout 2012. Thank you for ALL of your support you have given to me and my business throughout 2011. -Carole  Essential Reasons To Attend The February 2nd Black History Breakfast Here In Boston by Carole Copeland Thomas, MBA, CDMP As a 58 year old Detroit native who grew up during the turbulent times of the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, I need little coaxing to vote, to be proud of my race, to excel as an entrepreneur, or to serve my community. Trail blazers like Juanita Jones Abernathy paved the way for me and countless others to live relatively comfortable lives because of their sacrifices. She and many others put their lives on the line to end the discrimination of black and brown people all over the United States. And for her sacrifice and service to humanity, I won’t stop until the February 2nd Black History Breakfast is sold out with an army of corporate and organizational sponsors lined up to meet this great lady. You ask why this matters to you? Why should you take time out of your busy schedule to attend? Because if you are a woman, an African American, a Hispanic, a Native American or an Asian American, your job or quality of life was enhanced by Juanita Abernathy and other champions of the Civil Rights movement. NO you did NOT get there all by yourself. You did not get there strictly because of your university degree. Or your skill sets. Or your contacts or your relationships. They definitely matter...but the road to opportunity was paved for you 50+ years ago by the sacrifices of those God-fearing warriors like Mrs. Abernathy who said NO to racism, NO to injustice, NO to gender bias, and NO to discrimination in America-the land of the free and the home of the brave. They took their grievances to the streets, marched, boycotted, and nagged state and federal officials until necessary changes occurred to bring equality and justice to ALL Americans. In return they were beaten by the thousands, jailed, fired from their jobs and killed by the dozens so that YOU could live anywhere you please and take on that professional position you currently have. And to show appreciation for those who came before us, that’s why YOU should attend this breakfast. That’s why YOUR company or organization should sponsor this breakfast. That’s why this event matters so much to so many. Juanita Abernathy is no longer a young woman. She is in advanced years but still has a sharp mind, a keen wit, and vivd memories of the 1950s and 1960s when America was at the crossroads of honoring the dignity of those very people who had helped to build this great nation. Her house was bombed. When was YOUR house bombed? Her husband was jailed 44 times in the struggle for freedom. When did YOU go to jail to free others???? Her husband, Rev. Dr. Ralph David Abernathy was one of the welcoming Alabama ministers who embraced Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, when King was chosen to become the leader of the Civil Rights movement in 1955. Dr. Abernathy was Dr. King’s closest associate in the struggle for freedom. Both families had four children each. They vacationed together. Marched together. Prayed together. And orchestrated one of the most powerful non violent revolutions in human history. Now YOU have a chance to meet this great woman who risked her own safety and the safety of her children so that YOU could be guaranteed a better station in life. Isn’t that worth something??? Yes I know that I am taking a hard line in this commentary. Somebody has to do it. As an entrepreneur in a town that is not always supportive of black entrepreneurs, I have to speak out, while providing a unique opportunity to hold an event that should matter to everyone. The Civil Rights era freed ALL of us by providing a new course of action for ALL of its people. I am not saying that we have arrived or that we have become post racial in the age of a President Obama. No, I am not saying that at all. There is plenty of work left for us to do. Racial incidents persist, our economy languishes and the unemployment rate is a frightening reminder that we all must do our part to strengthen our society. What I am saying is that your attendance or sponsorship of the February 2nd Black History Breakfast will demonstrate YOUR commitment and support of a pioneer civil rights leader who loved her country and her people enough to fight for the rights of others. Yes Black History IS American History. This breakfast will salute Mrs Abernathy and the countless others who paved the way for us to lead. It’s worth putting on your calendar. It’s worth taking time out of your busy schedule to attend, network, and say thank you. It’s YOUR way of ensuring that the sacrifices of our ancestors were NOT in vain. I am HONORED to recognize the following companies/organizations that have already stepped up to the plate as SPONSORS: •Commonwealth Compact (Co-Sponsors of the event. Sign up on Day One when the event was announced on October 27th). •The Lura Smith Fund •Amtrak •MBCR •Partners Healthcare •Walgreens It’s definitely not too late for your organization to sign on as a sponsor. Take advantage of our 3 day December Special Pricing and SAVE when you purchase your tickets/table by December 30th. Go to http://blackhistorybreakfast2012.eventbrite.com and buy your ticket(s) today. For complete details about the February 2nd Black History Breakfast visit mssconnect.com. To become a SPONSOR, call Carole at (508) 947-5755 or email carole@mssconnect.com Your Comments Are Welcome 
Focus On Empowerment can be heard every Thursday at 1pm Eastern. Log Onto: www.blogtalkradio.com/globalcarole Listen LIVE or Download Anytime ======================== Today we celebrate three December holiday traditions in our world religions and ethnic practices: Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa. Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BCE. Hanukkah began in the evening of Tuesday, December 20, 2011, and ends in the evening of Wednesday, December 28, 2011. Christmas is one of the TWO major holidays of Christianity. (Easter is the other BIG Christrian holiday.) Christmas celebrates the BIRTH of Jesus Christ, who was born in Bethelehem to a virgin teenager, Mary, and her dutiful husband, Joseph. The simplicity and humility of Jesus' birth symbolizes his gift of love and rebirth to all who follow his teachings. Although the exact day and time of year of Jesus' birth is not known, it has historically celebrated at the end of the year in all parts of the world. Kwanzaa is NOT a religious holiday, but a secular one started in the African American community. Kwanzaa was created to introduce and reinforce seven basic values of African culture which contribute to building and reinforcing family, community and culture among African American people as well as Africans throughout the world African community. Kwanzaa was founded by Dr. Maulana Karenga, a Black California university professor, in 1966-1967. Let's celebrate three very different holidays with spirit and joy! ======================== Your Comments Are Welcome Below... -Carole How To Download Today's Show •Can't listen live??? No problem. •After The Broadcast...Go To www.blogtalkradio.com/globalcarole •On My Homepage Next To My Picture Click On The RSS Feed (It's orange and has RSS on it) •Select Today's Show •Download As A MPEG File For Macs or Windows Files Fro PCs •The Broadcast will play on your computer, Laptop, iPod, iPhone, or any other MP3 Listening Device | Over 200 Attended The Feb 2nd Black History Breakfast. It Was A Historic Event. THANKS TO ALL who contributed to its success!
 
AuthorCarole Copeland Thomas is a 24 year speaker, trainer and consultant specializing in global diversity, empowerment, multiculturalism and leadership issues.   ArchivesFebruary 2012 CategoriesAll |
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