Issues (5)

Obama Four Years Later: Are You In?

10744076490?profile=originalAre you in? It’s the current battle cry of the 2012 version of the Obama Campaign, and though on its surface, it almost feels like a casual question, it’s rife with much deeper meaning almost three-and-a-half years after the historic election of President Barack Obama.

On its face, and in basic terms, the question says will you volunteer for me again? Will you donate regularly and at the historic levels you did in 2008? But deep down, it forces those of us who worked so hard to support then Senator Obama to ask ourselves, do we still believe in the vision and the man? Can we see Barack Obama’s presidency in its totality and conclude that it has overall been a success, and that his policies and leadership have been better for the country? Despite the historic nature of the election, and the joy we felt as African Americans – has he delivered on the vision of America that he convinced so many of us was possible?

But mostly, the question is an acknowledgement that a lot has changed in four years. The average Obama supporter is no longer in wide-eyed wonderment over the prospects of electing our first black president – four years after history was made, many of us are still grappling with the socio-economic ravages of Bush Administration policies, and confounded over what seems to be President Obama’s commitment to adhering to some of the most unpopular of them – Guantanamo Bay is still open; we’ve expanded what has been a costly presence in Afghanistan under President Obama, and he’s failed up till now to end the Bush-era tax cuts given to the wealthiest Americans and corporations, despite the fact that the nation’s debt and budget deficit continue to skyrocket, and our social safety nets are on the verge of collapse. It’s just a fact – whatever their race, many of the President’s supporters find themselves disappointed in the wake of what have been characterized as broken promises made during the 2008 election, and there are those on the left that have been vocal about their belief that President Obama has given up too much in tough fights with Republicans these last few years.

Even a rabid Obama supporter like me can admit that there have been some disappointing moments in his presidency. I question the wisdom, for example of expending vast amounts of his political capital on waging a long and protracted healthcare reform fight, only to end up with legislation that as of this writing, is being challenged constitutionally before the Supreme Court, legislation that did not go nearly far enough to protect the nation’s citizens in a way that every other industrialized country in the world has been able to. I understood the rationale then, and I understand it now – tackle the sector of our economy that seems most intractable, and that is in the most danger of destroying our nation’s ability to sustain a healthy economy and more importantly, a healthy citizenry for the future – I get it.

The need for reform was even more important in light of the fact that Baby Boomers, who outnumber every other age group in the nation, are approaching retirement, and in danger of completely overwhelming the healthcare system as we know it now if we don’t get costs under control. Again, I get it, and you probably do to. But waging that fight at a time when the country was literally hemorrhaging jobs that have been too slow to come back, and the fact that it all may have been for naught if the Conservatives on the Supreme Court have their way, can’t help but make even the President’s biggest supporters wonder what he and his advisors were thinking.

So it’s 2012, and even I, the original Black Woman for Obama have to ask myself the question: are you in?

It’s not as easy a question for me to answer as it might seem. It’s not just about will I vote for President Obama – of course I will. The question for me and others like me is will I work myself into the ground again to ensure his re-election? As one of the pseudo leaders of the original volunteer corps, will I shut down a large part of my life once more to go out and make sure that as many people in the nation as possible work to get President Obama re-elected, give more blood, sweat, tears, time, and money? Has he earned it?

In my opinion? Yes. Actually, hell yes. And I’ll tell you why. Feel me on this one for a moment.

Several months ago, Melissa Harris-Perry, the brilliant college professor and MSNBC show host did a segment on the Rachel Maddow show called the Tale of Two Michelle’s, where she talked about the disparities inherent in the way the media (at the time) treated Michelle Obama versus how they treated Michelle Bachmann during her failed run for the Republican nomination. It so happens that I have my own two-tales story. I call it – “The Tale of Two Shovels”

The Tale of Two Shovels

So, imagine there’s a job – everyone wants it. And to do this job, you have to be good at doing two things – digging a hole, and filling it back up with dirt – that’s it. Dig the hole and then fill it back up with dirt. The thing is – you have to dig this hole in such a way that the one that comes after you, can always either a) start the digging where you left off or b) begin to fill the hole where you left off. Simple, right?

Now imagine that you get this job – from what you’ve heard, every one of your predecessors, from the beginning of time, has dug the hole, oh, maybe 5, six feet deep, and worked like crazy to fill it back in. You’re not nervous – you know you’re going to have to dig a little, or toss a little dirt in, and you’re up for the task. Well – imagine your surprise, when (upon reporting for duty your first day of work, shovel in hand), you find that the guy that had the job before you, has dug a hole 100 feet deep, and left it for you to fill. Oh – and you have no idea where the dirt is. You still only have 5 feet worth of dirt to fill the hole in with.

In essence – your predecessor has thrown his shovel down, flipped you the bird on the way out, and ran back to his ranch in Texas, I mean, back to wherever he came from, leaving you to deal with the bizarre results of his efforts. And now, not only are your co-workers pressuring you to fill in the hole, those folks who want the job after you are yelling for you to fill the hole. Everyone everywhere wants you to fill in the hole. Fill in the damned hole! Do it now! Yikes.

You try to reason with them – “my predecessor dug a MUCH bigger hole than he should have, a-and there’s no more dirt with which to fill it kind people!”, and they tell you to shut your trap – less yapping, more hole management! Enough about your predecessor, it’s YOUR hole now, and you have to find a way to fill it with dirt. And you better not complain.

Get the picture? President Obama took office at an historic time for America and the world; 700,000 plus jobs were exiting the economy each month; our auto industry was on the verge of collapse, and in danger of taking another one million jobs with it; the financial institutions in this country were disintegrating in the wake of too much greed and too little regulation and because of an expensive and unjust war in Iraq, our reputation around the world was in tatters – when President Obama took the oath of office, he had been left with a very deep hole to fill indeed.

And yet – here we are four years later, arguably through the worst of the last big recession, with an auto industry that’s back on top around the world, and with an economy that has added 200,000 new jobs each of the last three months. This is of course not to say that Americans are no longer feeling the pain of the recession, but it can definitely be argued that as a result of Obama’s leadership and his administration’s policies, a lot of the magical, disappearing dirt has made its way back into the hole. So yes – I’m in. And you should be too.

I believed back in 2008, and I believe now that President Obama is a leader for this time; even as we debate policies, and distill critical issues into 30-second sound bites, there are important realities that we face as a nation, realities that I believe have informed the President’s policies, and which are as important and impactful today as they were then. I call them “the three shuns”:

Globalization. The harsh truth that many don’t want to face is that our ability to conduct commerce across shores easily and seamlessly due to technology means that there are many, many jobs that have left this country that are never coming back. Period. Competing tax rates aside, there are just too many countries with cheap, plentiful labor who are willing and able to do the work Americans used to do, and who can now, thanks to the internet and other communications technologies that make doing business across thousands of miles feel like doing business across the hall.

Education. America is not educating its citizens adequately to compete in the recently mentioned Global Economy. According to a study done by the 2009 Programme for International Student Assessment released in 2010, 15-year-old students in the U.S. perform about average in reading and science, and below average in math. Out of 34 countries, the U.S. ranked 14th in reading, 17th in science and 25th in math. And even as unemployment continues to hover around 8.5 percent, many jobs that require high-tech skills are going unfilled and leaving companies no choice but to look outside our borders for workers they need.

Innovation. In every major recession since recessions have been recorded, it’s taken some major innovation to spur the country back into economic health. The commercialization of the Internet helped fuel economic recovery after the recession of the early 90’s, for example – innovation has facilitated the kind of economic expansion that results in periods of growth that are typically longer than the recession itself. But innovation takes a level of commitment that the nation has lost, and as a result, countries are cleaning our clocks when it comes to keeping up with our infrastructure, and investing in alternate forms of energy.

And I’m convinced that President Obama understands all of this, and that he has tried over the last three-and-a-half years (with debatable success), to manage the country to those realities always, with shovel in hand, trying to restore order to the hole.

And so as I look back on what’s been since my time as an Obama volunteer, and think about what’s to come, I can honestly say that no – this time, there will likely not be the tingles that ran up and down my and Chris Matthews’ legs during the last election; there may not be the adoring, impassioned crowds, the t-shirts and theme songs, or the plentiful celebrity spokespeople. And worst of all, there may not be the fired up, engaged volunteer corps that helped propel the President into office. So that’s where I come in. That’s where Black Women for Obama comes in. It’s our job this time to cut through the rhetoric, and the bias, and to spread the message of his real record – the record that includes passing the Lily Ledbetter Act to give woman equal pay for an equal days work;         a record that includes more financial reforms meant to protect average Americans than anytime in history, and an expansion of environmental policies that rivals any recent President. And a record that shows an ability to go after and defeat our enemies, in ways that actually make us safer as a nation, without all the lip service.

I’m in – I’m still a Black Woman for Obama. I believe in what the next four years will bring, and I believe in the President’s ability to bring it. So I hope you’ll come on in too – the political waters are fine.

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Kimberly Ware’s Spiritual Healing Guide for Women is now Available on Lulu.comFor Immediate Release:Kimberly Ware Ministries, Announces - April 6, 2009 - Lithonia, GA (United States) – Atlanta author and prophetess, Kimberly Ware, wrote a simple approach to healing, through stories, personal accounts, exercises, and affirmations. Heal My Wings: A Healing Guide for Women is now available in paperback and in E-book on Lulu.com.In modern society some women go through unique social issues and life changing events ranging from divorce to single parenting. Heal my Wings touches on these delicate topics on how to over come life dilemmas that are unique to women. Life changing events can cause not only a physical and mental wound but there also a spiritual wound that also needs healing.Ware states that, “I know what it is like to go through a divorce and to all of sudden be a struggling single mom. I thought that my marriage was suppose to be forever regardless as to how miserable I was in the relationship…When my marriage became more physical and violent with a gun and a verbal threat to my life, I knew right then and there that it was time to go…I wrote Heal My Wings to empower and encourage women to create a better you through spiritual healing.”In this simple and easy to use guide, intuitive, spiritual healer, and teacher Kimberly S. Ware guides women on how to heal from life dilemmas. This guide is complimentary to Ware’s Heal My Wings: A Healing Journal & Workbook for Women and the Heal My Wings Monologues. She shows how it possible to heal your wings and prosper after overcoming life changing events.Kimberly Ware is the author of Heal My Wings book series, Spiritual Pathway book series, and The Nia Trilogy novel series. Kimberly Ware is a spiritual healer and teacher. She conducts the Heal My Wings and Spiritual Pathway Workshops through out the country. (www.kimberlywareministry.com)
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Birthed out of hurt through life’s little unpredictable situations, Serenity Woman Magazine has vowed to be an outlet for women dealing with unexpected events life has thrown their way. Serenity Woman Magazine is the ultimate guide catering to the needs of today’s total woman. We have dedicated ourselves to providing women in every walk of life with inspiration to uplift, empower and motivate them through whatever they may be seeking out of life.It is our desire that women who are blessed and inspired by Serenity Woman Magazine will also share the blessing with others like themselves seeking the one article that may relate to them and let them know that they are not alone. Serenity Women are Business Women, Mothers, Students, Wives and Information Gatherers. We are Women of Today!Looking for Serenity Woman Magazine in your area? Send us a quick email and let us know where we can provide some for you. If you are a vendor and would like to make Serenity Woman Magazine available at your location, please send us an email.Serenity Woman MagazineEncouraging...Inspiring...Empoweringinfo @ serenitywoman . comwww.serenitywoman.com
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Health Issues for African American Women

Its that time of year again to make pledges and resolutions to get in shape, lose weight and make some changes. Let us be proactive this year and start now, lets work out ways to develop the tools we need to avoid stress. There are always statistics that tell us over and over that African have higher incidences of health disparities compared to other ethnic groups. We can choose to not listen because we may not want to believe the reports that African Americans have more cases of disease, disability, and early death compared to Whites but it is still an issue that we must examine. We cannot afford to dismiss the statistics, we must take an assessment of our individual health status.Motivation is a constant struggle due to work pressures, financial concerns and the every day occurrences resulting from how we choose to live our lives. Ask yourself this question: “Do I want to be trapped in a body that I cannot control?” I know you are saying that is not my situation and that will not happen to me. I am able to walk, talk, bathe myself, feed myself and take care of myself relatively well. I have health care and I hardly get sick, so I am exempt from this question.Or I have no health care, I exercise regularly and take supplements, I even get acupuncture treatments and watch my diet. Whatever we are doing is good, we can all take stock of ourselves on a regular basis and make improvements. If none of this applies to you, that is great, so help someone else to get motivated and get moving.African American women experience multiple health issues because we neglect our health even when we think we are healthy. African American women are less likely to receive health care; when they do receive care, they are more likely to receive it late. Having no noticeable symptoms is not an indication of good health. Many skip breakfast and opt for something quick with coffee, juice or tea with way too much sugar.Read more
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: DeShuna SpencerPhone: 703.328.5522Email: deshuna@liukarama.comR&B Singer Mario Discusses His 'Do Right Foundation' In emPower Magazine

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(Alexandria, VA)—In the July 23 issue of emPower magazine, J Records platinum selling, R&B recording artist Mario will share with readers why he is not just the average celebrity. Part of the magazine's “Star Power” section, which highlights celebrities' philanthropy and non profit work, the Q&A features his "Do Right Foundation."Mario talks about how he is aiming to inspire and emPower the youth through his foundation. Mario also candidly discusses the challenges he faced growing up, his mother's substance abuse problem and why he wasn't ashamed to reveal his past on a MTV documentary for all to see.Published by Liu Karama Productions LLC, emPower (www.empowernewsmag.com)--which launched last month--is the strong, upbeat, voice that tackles the day-to-day challenges facing the African American community, praises community organizations and individuals who are giving back, and publishes motivating columns and relevant national and international Black news. Exclusively online, emPower is an unbiased source offering content on politics, education, business, technology, science, sports, nutrition/fitness, stimulating books, film and music, the environment, mental wellness, the spirit and grassroots initiatives from expert writers and columnists. In addition, a multimedia section of the site hosts a blog, a social network, a forum, a news-related poll and a video library, which showcases seasoned or amateur videographers’ short documentaries. A “lighter-side” section of the site, called Literary, highlights poetry, readers’ travel experiences and first-person narratives. Podcasts and video casts, along with other exciting content will be added to the site next year. emPower is updated every Wednesday.About MarioMario released his debut album in 2002 at the tender age of 15 with his hit single "Just a Friend," creating great buzz in the world of R&B. The Baltimore native, followed up with a sophomore release in 2005, "Turning Point," that sold an impressive 2 million copies with hit single, "Let Me Love You," resting comfortably at the top of the charts for nine consecutive weeks, not to mention also being one of the highest selling ringtone singles to date. His second album also made it a great year at the 2005 Billboard Music Awards for him as he took home the R&B/Hip-Hop Award for Top R&B/Hip-Hop single, a Billboard Music Award for Hot R&B/Hip-Hop single of the year and a slew of nominations from the Grammy’s, BET Awards, Vibe Awards, MOBO Awards and the Soul Train Music Awards. This singer/songwriters latest release, "Go," is also topping the charts with hit single, "How Do I Breathe," showing that he has transformed into a mature young man and has proved that he is a force to be reckoned with.Mario, also, just wrapped up an impressive appearance on Dancing with the Stars, where although he did not win, still captured millions with his suave and charismatic dance moves. His talent however, does not stop with music and dancing, he is also an actor. He appeared in the 2006 film, "Step Up," and also in the 2007 film "Freedom Writers" with Hilary Swank.The future is bright for this young star and when he is not belting out hit tunes, he is using his celebrity to emPower the younger generation one youth at a time with his new mentoring foundation called, "Do Right Foundation." Find out more about Mario at mario2u.com and about his foundation at mariodoright.org.To learn more about emPower magazine, how to join the mailing list or become a contributor, visit: www.emPowernewsmag.com.
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