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Give A Young Adult the Book "You Got Next" for the Holiday Season!

Posted by KAMAL IMANI*The Soul Griot! on October 17, 2010 at 9:45pm

Give a young adult a book for self reflection and self improvement this upcoming holiday season! Find info on Iseecolor African American Books Group or kamalinspires.comAuthor Kamal Imani is a youth educater and mentor who assist troubled teens from New Jersey's urban areas, which include foster and group homes, with both academics as well as issues of self esteem, focus, future focusing and overall social skills. Although it is challenging at times, this is where his heart is at. He is also a Spoken Word poet, Hip Hop lyricist and music producer and was once a teenager who lost many of his close friends to the streets in which they hung out in. He knows how to identify, communicate and build relationships with our youth. In his small, but to the point book, he provides basic information, education and coping skills that will open up dialogue with our youth.Share "You Got Next" with a young adult in your life and use it as a tool to open up dialogue in the various subjects of anger,sex, drugs, peer pressure, dating, marriage and more!http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1460505?ce=blurb_ew&utm_source=widget

You Got NexT! by Kamal Imani | Make Your Own Book

Let's Talk About Drugs, Gangs & Peer Pressue! You Got Next! Real Talk For The Hip Hop Generation (Promo Video)!

Let's talk about Sex! (An excerpt from the book "You Got Next"

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Written for Quaylynn Dabney

Posted by Leukemiona Daniels on October 4, 2010 at 5:00pm

I heard about a 14yr old boy killed during a store robbery. Even though it was him and his friend doing the robbery, my heart goes out to him and his family. I wrote this poem in remembrance of Quaylynn. I do not know him or his parents personally but God gave me the gift and so I use it to help others. I'm hoping this piece will save other teens. This poem is written to be spoken from the mouth of Quaylynn Dabney.

Sometimes we find out the hard way...

On that day I decided to take things into my own hands

To find a get rich quick skeem seemed to be the plan

But things didn't turn out the way I had visioned

A shot to my body made by someone's instant decision…

to take my life.

I know that my reasoning for the robbery wasn't right

Didn't think that the decision made would take my life

Didn't think that I would be the one laying there motionless

Didn't think I would be in a position that would leave me helpless.

Hanging with the wrong crowd could've been why this took place

Didn't know that my life would end this way

So now how do I ever get a chance to change my mind

How about I paint a portrait of my forgiveness in the sky.

When we hear of children losing their lives we think we're invisible

Living like it will never be us will have us doing the unthinkable

I bet you wonder why I was out at that time of night anyway

God was getting ready to call me home is all I can say.

I know the tears fill the eyes of my family and friends

And I know the hurt and the pain has only began

I know that it'll be hard to open up your hearts and forgive

But God knew on that very day that it would be the last moment I live.

And as we know, things truly happen for a reason

And I know that my death to ya'll wasn't all that pleasing

And I know that the blame weigh heavy on your hearts

But maybe If I was standing in their shoes that shot may have not been that hard…

to take.

And me saying that, I know doesn't replace the fact that I'm gone

And no matter how I try to make it sound, my death will always seem so wrong

And we may say that there were other ways around this

But at that single moment, I found that…

God called me home to be with Him that day

He sent one of the most beautiful angels to come and carry me away

He left with you memories to enjoy

And gave me away to try and help every young girl and boy by…

Sending these words to say that life is really precious

And you don't have to die so that others learn a lesson

While you have the chance it's time to turn things around

And we need to stand up and put the guns down

And we need to learn to make better decisions

And watch who you hang with and don't let peer pressure have u wishing..

you would've made better choices.

Let these words as you read them be a positive voice that says,

God wants better for our lives and our parents love us more than that

Take your spare time and give that love back

And though my life is no longer, these words to you I give

Let my death be the reason that you live.

I'm out,

Qualynn Dabney

(Written by Leukemiona Daniels, 2010)

Two Children. Two Mother's...A Powerful Message!

Posted by Leukemiona Daniels on October 4, 2010 at 5:00pm

My heart goes out to those affected by the loss of a child whether by death, imprisonment or to the streets. In my hometown there are a lot of children killing one another. There are a lot of fatherless children due to this. There are a lot of parents with pain and anger in their hearts. There are a lot of families hurt by this.

My God given talent is to write poetry...write poetry that helps, heal and save lives. On my Facebook page is where I do most of my writing but I would love to share some of them with you. I write personalized poetry for anyone in need of comforting words, a good laugh, uplifting or just because.

I hope you enjoy...

I sit along side the ground I was buried in

My arms wrapped around my legs and I'm wondering

How did I get here? So quick. So fast.

Is this the length of time my life was suppose to last?

I sit here wondering wut is dude thinking

Does he have a care in the world that in this ground my body sinked in.

Did he get caught yet or is he wondering free?

Is the picture of my body laying there helpless all that he see?

I sit bottom on my bunk in this cell

Angry that at such a young age, my life will forever be in jail.

Can't escape the eyes of the young man who's life I took

Pain buried in my heart as, at my life I look.

No way to apologize. No way for him to hear.

Well, if he's wondering. Behind these walls for my life I fear.

That moment I asked to be taken back to

That bullet I ask for it to reverse back thru...his body.

I wonder if he knew that, that day I shot me

Only I lived. No permanent wound but a dead life I'll live.

I sit mourning my child's death

I sit hating that his life has ended

I sit with hatred in my heart

I wish that boy's life in jail could be ended...

but I know that's not right.

For some reason he still has life

Maybe it's to save another

My heart goes out to that boy's mother.

I sit on the edge of my bed crying

My son is in jail while another mother's son is lying...6ft under

My mind wonders and I don't know wut to say

I know she's hurting and my words won't end the pain

But I would wrap my arms around her and say,

Though I cannot remove the pain that you feel

From one mother to another...I know God is real.

And for my son I send my condolences and apologies

Cause when you cry, I also weep. I'm so sorry.

(Written by Leukemiona Daniels, 2010)

The C.H.A.M.P. Experiment Reality Show & Documentary

Posted by Traci S Campbell on June 16, 2010 at 10:45pm

In these very tough economic times, emotions and mindsets are stressed out and challenged to the MAX! This is especially true for teens, pre-teens, and single parents. In this day and age of reality TV...wouldn't you like to finally see a show or program that is not only entertaining, but actually (and I mean REALLY) help families going through tough emotional and mental trials? AND ... see these same folks have their DREAMS COME TRUE in the process?

Of course you do!

That is where The C.H.A.M.P. Experiment comes in to your life.

The C.H.A.M.P. Experiment is a new documentary / reality show based on the book and workbook program, The C.H.A.M.P. Within, by author and advocate, Traci S. Campbell. Teens and their families will be featured that need help in some area of their lives: mentally, emotionally, financially, you name it! And you will see them put the practical and spiritual practices outlined in The C.H.A.M.P. Within program to work in their lives. For those who stick to it and make a real effort for change ... you will see Traci S. Campbell and her team do whatever it takes to make the dreams for these deserving families come true.

How COOL is that?

You can check out our introduction video at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtofU4aZb_c

Add your city to the map by letting us know what issues are challenging your community:

http://blog.traciscampbell.com/c-h-a-m-p-experiment

Show your support for C.H.A.M.P. by joining us at The C.H.A.M.P. Within on Facebook

* For more information about the show, The C.H.A.M.P. Within program, and the creator/author, Traci S. Campbell call us at 1-888-519-2299 or complete the form at www.traciscampbell.com

Houston Business Owners - Texas Families - What Do You Think?

Posted by Traci S Campbell on May 7, 2010 at 7:30pm

Hello, this is Traci S Campbell - Hope that everyone is well :) I wanted to stop by and let you know that my video shoot in Houston was successful - it will launch soon. We have also begun accepting applications for our Houston Guide. We are developing this as a resource guide for parents in this TX area. If you are interested in learning more about becoming a featured business, please let me know. Additionally, I am asking Houston parents to submit their "topic" suggestions for our new videos and radio show. The goal is to discuss subjects that will help teens, tweens, married and single parents, as well as to feature C.H.A.M.P. Kids and single parents that are doing "exceptional things" in their lives. Please feel free to visit my blog: http://blog.traciscampbell.com and complete the quick poll on the left hand side of the page. I look forward to receiving your suggestions ...

Celebrities Kids | Celebrity Obsession: Are our teens too star-struck?

Posted by Traci S Campbell on February 12, 2010 at 8:15pm

Celebrity Kids - Teen Kids

Celebrities Kids | Celebrity Obsession: Are our teens too star-struck?

Following the lives of teen celebrities such as Taylor Lautner or Miley Cyrus are part of the normal past time for the average teenager today. While on the surface this may sound like the sort of thing we'd expect a young person to be doing with their time, this behavior can also lead to some major psychological issues that have far-reaching effects. In a recent study of adolescents between 11 and 16 years of age, two major categories were identified that pertain to how teens relate to celebrities.

The first category, called "entertainment social celebrity worship", consisted of teens that viewed celebrities as sources of entertainment and talked frequently about celebrity news. This was considered completely normal for the everyday teenager. These teenagers displayed healthy emotional independence. However, the second category called "intense personal celebrity worship" showed teenagers who were seeking a personal connection to the celebrity and often developed an unhealthy obsession. These teens, while trying to go through the normal maturity cycle, seemed to suffer from lower self-esteem and confidence than their peers. Their relationships with family and friends were extremely poor.

So this begs the question, "How can we prevent our teens from becoming too often with the lives of celebrities?" Well, there are a few things that can help. First, teens should be actively involved or engaged in school activities. Teens who have responsibilities such as an after school job or specific household responsibilities have less idle time on their hands. Also, teens should be encouraged to volunteer their time to serve in the community to develop an awareness of others who are less fortunate. Lastly, teens who are encouraged to have a spiritual foundation often have a healthier self-confidence and thus feel less inclined to seek out celebrities to idolize.

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Author: Traci S Campbell
Website: www.traciscampbell.com

New Teachers/Mentors Edition of Hip Hop Movie "Up in The Attic"

Posted by KAMAL IMANI*The Soul Griot! on December 19, 2009 at 3:01pm

Teachers/Mentors Edition of Up in the Attic Hip Hop Movie

The Hip Hop Movie of the Year 2010! | MySpace VideoTeachers, Parents and Mentors use the Up in the Attic teen movie to open up dialogue with our youth on subjects such as sex, drugs, peer pressure, abuse and more!For more information or to contact Director Kamal Imani for group discussions and lectures go to http://www.upintheatticmovie.comcipherkam@gmail.comCall Mr. Kevin Barksdale 201-923-9213

Have We all Gone Numb?

Posted by Barbara Dixon on July 28, 2009 at 12:09am

How many shootings, how many kidnappings, how many senseless deaths will it take for people to wake up? How many homeless people do we need to wake up and do something? Just how many dropouts, teen pregnancies, how much bullying, and suicides do we need to move into action? I know—there is a prediction that the planet will reverse its axis and we will all be toast—that’s a plan. Maybe it is a good idea to wait until the youth of today are grown before we concern ourselves with the damage that is being done to them by having metal detectors and policemen in their schools and living in fear—fear is a great molder of personalities. Maybe we should sit around and just wonder how our young people will make it in tomorrow’s world with an inferior education and let’s wait to find out the affects of teaching to the tests instead teaching them to think critically. We can wait—we’ll probably be dead anyway.The plates a shifting beneath our feet just like an earthquake it is almost imperceptible, but it is shifting nonetheless. Having been in an earthquake, I can tell you, once it starts there is nothing much that you can do about it accept ride it out and clean up the damage afterwards. There are lots of things that you can do before it happens to retrofit the areas that are likely to be affected. That is what I am asking you to do now. We need to retrofit our families, our communities, and our world to minimize the damage that will be done if we don’t make some changes right now.Here’s what I know and love about people—they will rise to the occasion when disaster strikes—be it earthquakes, a tsunami, tornados, hurricanes, or any dramatic emergency. We run to the scene, we raise money, we donate clothes and food—we unify for a common cause. Now I am asking us to EMERGE before the emergency hits. I am calling for you to wake-up. My call is to baby-boomers who have the wisdom and resources to lead and to younger people who have the stamina and energy to run this course. I am calling out “spiritual seekers” who have spent years focusing on self growth, to turn outward and to begin to serve from their enlightened insight. We need all hands on deck.I am not going to tell you what to do—let Spirit be your guide—but I am asking you to do something. Being a world changer is a daunting task if you are trying to do it by yourself or trying to figure it out for yourself. That’s what this call to unity is about. I think we collectively can agree on a few things and that is that we all want peace, love, joy, health, and prosperity. Anyone who doesn’t want these things please feel free to just go back to sleep, but I promise you, the wave of change will eventually sweep over you.This past weekend a 6 year old got a knife from his home and swung it at my grandsons, 2 people were shot and killed in a nightclub, and I read about 2 small children being found in a dumpster after being reported taken by their mother’s boyfriend. I am, quite frankly, pissed! I am well past waiting and hoping. Join our community www.7principles.ning.com, take the 7 Principles Pledge, and one of the other steps, and be about the business of change, healing, and purposeful living. We will create a future that is worth living. It is a matter of consciousness. Wake-up!

TEEN WRITING CONTEST!

Posted by Andrea Colston on July 2, 2009 at 1:11am

YOUTHFUL THOUGHTS ANTHOLOGYQUARTERLY CONTESTTHE THIRD QUARTER TOPIC IS:BEDTIME STORIESTHE DEALIO:Create your own bedtime story, reminisce about bedtime stories read to YOU, talk about your favorite bedtime story, or talk about something that happened at bedtime (ex: a nightly ritual)THE CATCH:~ You MUST BE between the ages of 13-18 and a student (public, charter, homeschool, alternative, etc)~ Material can be up to 4,000 words max.~ Material can be either fiction or non-fiction in the form of a short story or a poem.~ No violent content (rape, murder, sodomy, incest, etc) or excessive use of swear words.~ No limit to number of entries.~ Material MUST BE original and unpublished.~ Please edit your work before sending it in. Material with numerous mistakes is annoying.~ Authors will receive a free copy of the Anthology and a copy will be donated to the author’s school library.~ Authors and school library will be able to purchase additional copies at a ten percent discount.~ All entrants will be notified of the contest results the 1st month following the end of each quarter. If you do not receive an email during the first two weeks, then your work was not chosen.~ Author will maintain copyrights and the ability to submit the story elsewhere, as long as Youthful Wisdom Press maintains the rights to publish the work first. There is no financial compensation for publication of your story.~ All submissions must go through a selection process. If your story is chosen, we will notify you by email and send you permission forms to return.~ Contest will close after a total 100 entries. If the amount is not reached, entry fees will be refunded.DEADLINE:Sept 30th, midnight MST. No submissions will be accepted after this date.THE PRICE:$10/per entry - Please pay first before submitting and be sure to include the title of your entry. If you submit without payment, your entry will be deleted.GO TO WEBSITE TO PAY FEE AND ENTER YOUR MATERIAL

WE'RE LOOKING FOR TEEN WRITERS!

Posted by Andrea Colston on July 2, 2009 at 1:08am

We are looking for teen writers to contribute to our monthly newsletter:~ MUST BE a student between the ages of 13-18~ Material MUST BE writing related (tips, how-to’s, writing routines, how you got started writing, etc)~ Material can be up to 800 words MAX. Please use the Word Count feature. Material exceeding this requirement will be deleted.~ Multiple submissions are allowed.~ Please thoroughly edit and proofread your work before submitting. Material with excessive typos and bad grammar will be deleted.~ Please send your submissions to: info@youthfulwisdompress.com with “YOUTHFUL MUSINGS NEWSLETTER” in the Subject Line. Send your material in a Word attachment. In the body of the email, please include the following: first name and initial of last name, age, name of school, grade, city and state, valid email address. We will notify you when your material will be published.~ If you submit, you MUST subscribe to the newsletter.NOTE: There is no monetary compensation for submitting your material. This opportunity is to hone your writing skills. This is subject to change.

Stay focused!

Posted by Famira M. Green on May 8, 2008 at 5:07pm

Stay focused! When you are on your path towards your destiny it is important to remain focused. People will try to discourage you, times will be tough, but if you continue towards your goal you have no choice but to reach it. Staying focused is something easy to say, but not always the easiest thing to accomplish. This is why it is important for you to surround yourself with people who are uplifting you and motivating you to move forward.Trust me I know first hand that it can be hard. Believe me there are days I want to give up, because things do not look like there getting any better. I just have to remember that everything comes in God's timing not mine. And I am reminded by the circle of people that I choose to surround myself with.If you would like to continue reading this post please go to the following link: http://iambeingled.blogspot.com

Black Teen Girls & Sexual Health

Posted by Lisa Peyton-Caire on April 12, 2008 at 1:22pm

Greetings Sisters:You all have probably heard about the recent CDC (Center for Disease Control) study on Teen Girls and Sex which states that 1 in 4 teen girls between ages 14-19 have an STD (most likely HPV and chlamydia); and of this representative group, nearly half (48%) of Black teen girls is estimated to have an STD.See http://www.cdc.gov/stdconference/2008/media/release-11march2008.pdf .When I read this, I was astounded as the percentage seems quite high. I do not believe, based on my life experience and observations, that Black teen girls are having MORE SEX than white and latino girls, but I do believe that our girls may be having MORE UNPROTECTED SEX as well as sex with young men who have multiple partners.I also learned from a publisher, Ben Bosa, whose wife Ngozi Osuagwu, is an OB/GYN and author of Letter to My Sisters: Plain Truths and Straightfoward Advice From a Gynecologist, that many of our teen girls may have higher rates of infection, including HIV, due to their contact with young men/grown men who have cycled through the prison industry, engaged in homosexual sex, and therefore leave the young women infected. This is a tough allegation to envision but there may be some truth here. In my prior work with teen girls, it was in fact true that many were engaged in relationships with adult men and previously incarcerated men/young adult men.What do you think?This subject--including the specific controversial issue of the HPV Vaccine, which the government of Washington, DC is trying to require/mandate for all teen girls, deserves our attention and engagement.In gist, many of our teen girls ARE HAVING SEX whether we like it or not and whether mothers and fathers and clergymen want to hear this or not.The question is, what do we do now?I would love your responses to this question as I craft an article that will highlight this very issue in an upcoming issue of SisterSpeak Online Magazine.I look forward to your replies.LisaSisterSpeak Online Magazinewww.sisterspeakonline.com/index.asp

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.