tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15836329590815674132024-02-07T23:27:13.070-05:00Art and CultureMultimedia blog keeping tabs on art, culture and topics that aren't so artzy fartzy TC's Viewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02017026514070263219noreply@blogger.comBlogger180125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1583632959081567413.post-85160485799612490382022-02-20T16:19:00.001-05:002022-02-20T16:34:15.489-05:00Kieta Rivens: Knocking on Virtual Doors<p>When the coronavirus pandemic forced nearly everyone to isolate, shelter in place, limit social gatherings, and work from home, the extra downtime gave many people time to think about what’s next for their lives, to think about that next opportunity, that next idea. </p><p>And people were definitely putting their thoughts into action. The Census Bureau reported that in 2020, more than <a href="https://www.census.gov/econ/bfs/index.html">4 million new businesses were created in the United States</a> - the highest the country has on record. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyYdgk7CylQnsgZ_-zAkBi4Z_WkGEiZi3wwW9qoF5h8_9XWxY2VhU4KNHv0TPdxkNbiCshezxgUdOaUmCHcQbnkQdWs2emRreP_p3VJy5wOAoA6jS-6ktxDOFq_Vk6uzA-f6pDNoHBnGrFcTakz9nGCpTlBL43la-VtufMJmx0g9FZ6kundWk3pkZr=s1280" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyYdgk7CylQnsgZ_-zAkBi4Z_WkGEiZi3wwW9qoF5h8_9XWxY2VhU4KNHv0TPdxkNbiCshezxgUdOaUmCHcQbnkQdWs2emRreP_p3VJy5wOAoA6jS-6ktxDOFq_Vk6uzA-f6pDNoHBnGrFcTakz9nGCpTlBL43la-VtufMJmx0g9FZ6kundWk3pkZr=s320" width="320" /></a></div>Before the pandemic, people would attend networking events and industry conferences to share their goals, ideals, and aspirations to find the perfect window of opportunity to take the giant leap. <p></p><p>By mid-March 2020, in-person networking came to a screeching halt. But that didn’t stop Kieta Rivens, founder of the natural hair care company, Verified Beauty. </p><p>In 2020, Essence magazine reported that <a href="https://www.essence.com/news/money-career/business-black-beauty/">Black consumers are switching from general products to those that specifically cater to them.</a> As a result, the <a href="https://www.essence.com/news/money-career/business-black-beauty/">Black hair care industry </a>in the United States pulled in nearly $2 billion in 2018. </p><p>Kieta, a mother, wife, and a full-time lead infant teacher in North Carolina launched her company amid the pandemic.</p><p>In this episode, Kieta shares how she knocked on virtual doors to spread the word of her new business and the one affirmation that kept her going.</p><p><iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1219496230&color=ff5500" width="100%"></iframe></p><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/bettersaidthanwritten" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Better Said Than Written">Better Said Than Written</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/bettersaidthanwritten/kieta-rivens-knocking-on-virtual-doors" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Kieta Rivens: Knocking on Virtual Doors">Kieta Rivens: Knocking on Virtual Doors</a></div><p></p><p>You can find Kieta spreading the word about her business at the following:</p><p><b>Website</b>: <a href="https://verifiedbeautyllc.com/">https://verifiedbeautyllc.com/</a> </p><p><b>Instagram</b>: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/verifiedbeautyllc/">@verifiedbeautyllc</a> </p><p><b>Facebook</b>: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Verified-Beauty-LLC-105743518072524">Verified Beauty LLC</a></p><p><b>Customer Service</b>: 704.840.2219</p><div><br /></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>TC's Viewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02017026514070263219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1583632959081567413.post-19582233068349138922019-08-08T05:00:00.000-04:002019-08-08T05:00:02.746-04:00#BlackWomenAtWork: Why I removed my ‘race blinders’<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span id="goog_1680431283"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_1680431284"></span><br />
<i>From the archives on May 24, 2017</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been racially colorblind. The topic of Civil Rights was never part of family discussions. If anything, we talked about how we were going to arm ourselves with knowledge and then use it to live the American Dream. As a precaution, I wore race blinders to minimize my involvement in any racially charged issues taking place around me in Corporate America.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During my young adolescent years, my Jamaican mother used to say, “Don’t blame the color of your skin for the things you do not have.” The “things” she was referring to were education, success, and a thriving career.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Earning a degree in journalism allowed me to work in local television newsrooms, write for financial publications and it even gave me a peek into the advertising world. All of this was possible because I pursued an education, which led to a successful career in media.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My race blinders kept me laser-focused. They kept me safe from any ethnic uprising in the workplace. They kept me in check. But when I started to navigate my way through the labyrinth of Middle-class America I soon realized my race blinders was keeping me from the truth.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Climbing the corporate ladder as a woman, or as Sheryl Sandberg described it in her bestselling book <a href="https://leanin.org/book" target="_blank"><i>Lean In</i></a>, “the jungle gym,” has been quite a struggle. But as a Black woman working in corporate America, my journey has been even more challenging.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ring the Alarm</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At first, I didn’t notice any red flags. Early in my career an executive news producer, who was also a Black woman, opened my eyes and rang the alarm. “In the news business, you have to work twice as hard because you’re a woman. And you have to work five times harder because you’re a Black woman.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Till this day, those words stick to my soul. I took that piece of advice and ran with it. In every position I held over the years, I made sure to arrive at the office early, stay late, dress sharp and go above and beyond what my employers asked me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Putting in the Work</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The red flags didn’t start to show up until I decided to transition from local news to financial journalism. For the 10 years I covered finance, I had to prove myself every day. To start, I made it my duty to read everything I could get my hands on:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Accounting</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Analysts Reports</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Annuities</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Divestitures</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Earnings Calls</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fiduciary Rule</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Financial Advisors</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Initial Public Offerings (IPOs)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Investment Bankers</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Life Insurance</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mergers & Acquisitions</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Private Equity</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">SEC Filings</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Venture Capital</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wealth Management</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">… and the list goes on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’d watch my editors take White junior reporters under their wing to train them for success. I thought I would be next in line for one-on-one training, but my turn never came. While waiting in vain, I would concoct strategic plans to get in the good graces of my editors. Unfortunately, they were always too busy or didn’t have enough room in their nest.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Only One</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s no secret that White men dominate the financial world. It’s very rare that I saw anyone who looked like me at financial services industry events. The moment I stepped into a conference, I would count how many Blacks were in the room. Then I would count the Latinas, Asians and so on. I was usually the only minority.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As a matter of fact, it is the same landscape in the financial journalism world. Most of my colleagues are White men and women. They all hold degrees from pristine colleges, and they make sure to remind me anytime I want to give my insight on a story or a project. “Tamika, please know that I went to Columbia Journalism school for my masters. And I’m certified in social media, CMS, SEOs, and blah, blah, blah.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They made me feel like my journalism degree from the University of South Carolina didn’t matter. Their put-downs and insults struck a nerve which caused me to work even harder.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Black Woman Left Behind </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Those same White colleagues were on the fast track for promotion. Every time one of them got promoted I would get to the office earlier, stay later and read all of the financial publications cover to cover. “You’ve got to work twice as hard” kept ringing through my mind. It seemed that I was on a hamster wheel running toward a goal that I would never reach.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then one day, a White colleague brought it to my attention the reason why I was getting passed over for promotion over and over again. “Do you think it’s because you’re Black?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My co-worker pointed out that reporters on the fast track were White and Jewish, just like our boss. And every other week they were moving up in rank. “Race and religion shouldn’t have anything to do with why I’m not getting promoted,” I said to my co-worker. “My mother said not to blame the color of my skin for the things I don’t have. I just have to work harder for the things I want.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was beyond upset. But after I settled my emotions I realized that my co-worker had a point. I confronted that boss and explained how our team was perceiving him. He told me I just wasn’t ready. I pushed back and said I would not accept that as an answer. “If I see another promotion announcement and my name is not in the subject line, please know I’m putting in my two-week notice on that day.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One month later, I received a promotion.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Replacement Blinders</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After that experience I realized I had to remove the “race blinders” my mother gave me. It was clear to me that racism exists in Corporate America and it’s hard to prove. I ended up trading my “race blinders” for passive blinders.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Afraid to get fired, I ignored undercutting remarks from editors, reporters, and clients. Afraid to be labeled “the angry Black woman” I would keep my mouth shut when I heard “alternative facts” spewed about the Black community.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The one time I removed my passive blinders, my Black female co-worker pulled me aside and warned me that our boss doesn’t like it when we disagree with him or question him. “Wow, Masta got you under his thumb,” I thought to myself. “I will not bow down. I am a grown-ass woman, and I will continue to give my insight respectfully.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And because I refused to obey the rules, “Masta” decided that it was time to make some changes. After only 10 weeks on the “Plantation,” the company said it was in financial despair. Guess whose position got cut for the New Year? I picked up my passive blinders, placed them back on my head and went back to square one.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If only I could just figure out how to remove the passive blinders and keep them off as I did with my race blinders. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Working in Corporate America as a Black Woman has its perks said no one ever!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>TC's Viewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02017026514070263219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1583632959081567413.post-79826631978390995982019-08-06T06:00:00.000-04:002019-08-06T06:00:02.313-04:00Are Women Prepared For Life Alone As They Age?<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>From the archives - Posted for a friend </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">The trends are clear – as women age the odds are they will be living alone, largely because of either divorce or widowhood.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What may be less clear for many of them is whether they are prepared for that life alone – both emotionally and financially, says Susan Hickey, a financial professional at<span style="color: black;"> </span><a href="https://yourownretirement.com/our-team/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(68, 68, 68, 0) 50%, rgba(68, 68, 68, 0.25) 0px); background-position: 0px 1.15em; background-repeat: repeat-x; background-size: 1em 2px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; outline-color: initial; padding-bottom: 0.15em; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial;">Your Own Retirement LLC</span></span><span style="color: black;">.</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Although both men and women could live three or four decades in retirement, it’s more likely for women because they have longer life expectancies,” Hickey says. “But they also often have less in savings, and smaller or no pensions, so their longevity can work for them and against them.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Almost half (46 percent) of women who are 75 or older live alone, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Community Living.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But women, many of whom are heads of households, don’t always do a good job of planning for their retirements because they spend so much of their time thinking about the needs of others – their children, their spouses, their aging parents, Hickey says.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“They need to realize that their happiness and security in their later years can hinge on so many things, and not just their savings,” she says. “So many factors come into play.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hickey says some mistakes women make in planning for retirement, and what they can do to correct those mistakes, include:</span></div>
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<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px; outline: none 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></b><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Failing to participate in planning.</b><span> </span>Many women traditionally have left the retirement planning to their husbands, and that’s a mistake, Hickey says. Women should be actively involved. They need to understand their financial situation, what would happen if their spouse dies and where all the important papers are kept. When a meeting occurs with a financial professional, they should be part of that and help make the decisions.<br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none 0px;" /></span></li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px; outline: none 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></b><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Underestimating how long they will live.</b><span> </span>For some reason, many women have trouble imagining just how long retirement might last. Life expectancy for females in the United States is about 81, and that’s an average. Many women will live into their 90s, and some will pass 100. When planning and saving, women need to consider that they might still be living 30 or 40 years after they retire.<br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none 0px;" /></span></li>
<li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px; outline: none 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></b><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Failing to protect their health.</b><span> </span>Maintaining your general health and well-being is important because medical costs can eat into retirement money, Hickey says. The nest egg that someone thought would be more than sufficient can start disappearing quickly when there are significant medical issues. Women need to make sure they get exercise, eat healthy meals and keep up with those doctor visits.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“So much of this is connected,” Hickey says. “When women feel that they have a good financial plan in place, they are more likely to feel secure, and that’s good for both their physical health and their emotional health.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>TC's Views</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As an independent woman, do you feel financially secure? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'll be honest with you ... I personally do not feel financially secure. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why? Because since leaving a career in financial journalism in 2015 to pursue other creative opportunities, I've been through three layoffs. With every layoff, I had to dip into my savings to stay afloat. The last layoff wiped me out clean. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These days I'm trying to make sense of it all. I'm also trying to figure out how to get back my financial independence, how to get to that point of my career where I'm back to making a six-figure income, and how to live below my means in the meantime.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unsolicited advice welcomed. E-mail tcsviews@gmail.com.</span></div>
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TC's Viewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02017026514070263219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1583632959081567413.post-28846329573019882432019-08-04T18:46:00.000-04:002019-08-04T18:50:28.759-04:00TC's Views: Women, Please Stop the Madness<b><i>From the archives of Feb. 2017</i></b><br />
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The 90-minute horror flick, <i>Get Out</i>, sparks conversation about racism and the loyalty of White women.<br />
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Out of all the reviews I read about how writer-director Jordan Peele pulled the nail-biting film together, Kendra James’ headline in the Feb. 28, 2017 article, left me wanting to know more.<br />
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The headline, which appeared in my Facebook feed: <b>"<a href="http://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/movies/a8990932/get-out-perfectly-captures-the-terrifying-truth-about-white-women/" target="_blank"><i>Get Out </i>Perfectly Captures the Terrifying Truth About White Women</a>"</b> … made me think that I was missing out on a big secret.<br />
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Then the subhead made me scratch my head a bit: <b>"There are many scary things about the movie, but scariest of all is its realistic depiction of racism."</b><br />
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I then had to read the following three thoughts of the <i>Cosmopolitan</i> article several times:<br />
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<li><b>"White women have always played, and continue to play, a large part in upholding the supremacy. They have not held the best interests of people of color. Putting full trust in them has often been to our detriment. "<br /></b></li>
<li><b>"The idea that a white woman you see as your potential friend or ally will eventually prove to be looking out for her own best interests over yours or the greater good. These are concepts that the people of color watching this film (Get Out) are intimately familiar with."<br /></b></li>
<li><b>"In <i>Get Out</i>, writer-director Jordan Peele takes 90 minutes to meditate on a lesson Kim Kardashian once spelled out for America via snake emojis and Taylor Swift: White women are not to be trusted."</b> - <a href="https://twitter.com/KendraJames_" target="_blank">Kendra James</a> via <i>Cosmopolitan</i>.</li>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">TC's Views<br /><br /></span></u></b></h3>
As a Black woman working in Corporate America, I'm intimately familiar with "women" looking out for their own best interest ... not just White women. <br />
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It's rare to find women, of any race, whose friendship is genuine. As a precaution, when I first engage with a female co-worker or a "new" female friend I tend to keep most of them at arm's length. <br />
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My own personal experience has taught me to form a bond with women who I immediately click with including, Blacks, Whites, Latinas, Asians, etc. <br />
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Scary movies aren’t my thing. I have no intentions of going to see the movie but I do want to know if the main character in the film manages to <i>Get Out</i>. Thanks to Wikipedia, I learned that he did.TC's Viewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02017026514070263219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1583632959081567413.post-29812425049672197632018-03-29T23:47:00.001-04:002018-04-09T00:11:38.607-04:00Career Learning Lessons: Listen, Respect and Get to Know Your Colleagues<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Whether you are an employee or the boss, it’s imperative that you listen when your colleagues speak. </i></h2>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A recent LinkedIn post reminded me how important it is to remain silent when your co-worker says something controversial. WAIT - Why Am I Talking, resonated with me and I decided to put the acronym into full practice in my professional life. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_an3IYAOq-VjzaQBuzV7jQYnO2zjH6ZhW2FCzHhqUiGbCA6KAu_MEcpPOBhHnBgqWUpN2ibJrisngtVnDrL_UWiJn8i-2jaKtpoNilcilj5uWRVrYmjozKUxac4nf2pI34lB0vsJgrg/s1600/Screen+Shot+2018-04-09+at+12.06.12+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="858" data-original-width="1508" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_an3IYAOq-VjzaQBuzV7jQYnO2zjH6ZhW2FCzHhqUiGbCA6KAu_MEcpPOBhHnBgqWUpN2ibJrisngtVnDrL_UWiJn8i-2jaKtpoNilcilj5uWRVrYmjozKUxac4nf2pI34lB0vsJgrg/s640/Screen+Shot+2018-04-09+at+12.06.12+AM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Be Willing to Ask Why</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Several months ago, I was listening in on a heated discussion in the office. Instead of flying off the handle, my colleague <i>Andrea</i>* calmly asked our co-worker, “Why do you think this is the case? What’s been your experience?” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Because Andrea asked calmly, the conversation did not escalate. It was at that moment I learned to appreciate the value of listening to my colleagues. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you’re willing to ask why, and if you’re willing to listen, you’ll probably find out what your coworker's aspirations are as it relates to the workplace. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Respect the Experience</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The same rules apply when talking to colleagues who have been working on their craft for several years longer than you and even those who are new to the workforce. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">As a journalist who is smack dab in the middle of her career, I’ve had the opportunity to work with professionals from Millennials to Baby Boomers. The one thing I know for sure is that I learn something new almost every day from newbies and veterans. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">No matter how much or how little experience your colleagues have, don’t be so hasty to give your insight as to why you think they should step outside of their comfort zone. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I recently went to a journalism workshop. There I met a fellow journalist, who appeared to be in the business much longer than I. We had a decent conversation of why journalism shifted from television and print to digital and the importance of sharing news on social media platforms. When I learned that <i>Sandra</i>* is reluctant to doing video I quickly gave my two sense as to why she needed to get on the ball and embrace it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sandra later explained she’s still relatively new to the journalism world. She received her masters in 2012, and since being in the field, she was working through some insecurities because of her age. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">What I respect about Sandra’s experience is that, despite her age, she decided to return to school to earn a degree in a profession she admired. Most people in their 40s or 50s would say “I’m too old to go back to school.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Get to Know Your Colleagues</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you ever felt that your colleagues misjudged your character, it’s okay to speak up. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I had a colleague who assumed that because I’m a journalist, I lacked creativity. And instead of stewing over <i>Janet’s</i>* assumption I spoke to her directly and politely. In five minutes she learned that I’m passionate about music, art & culture, and I burn the midnight oil working on personal creative projects. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">You might find yourself in a similar situation, and I’m here to tell you there’s no need to be nasty or offensive. Janet gave me a heartfelt apology and the little tiff is now water under the bridge.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It’s easy for anyone to be misunderstood by colleagues and bosses. Even though we spend hours a day with coworkers doesn’t mean they are the same people outside of the office. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Try to get to know your colleagues beyond their resume. Get to know their hobbies, inquire about their pet peeves, and if possible try to find out about their past lives. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">You don’t have to become their best friend but at least make an effort to find out what interests them outside of the office. You might find that you have more in common than you think.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>*Names have been changed to protect the identity of my coworkers. </i></span>TC's Viewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02017026514070263219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1583632959081567413.post-90104608051437467962017-07-01T10:33:00.002-04:002019-08-04T16:47:31.391-04:00Internet Not an Option, Now What?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">Would you know how to fill your day if you didn't have the Internet? </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, there was a time when most of us relied on creativity to occupy our day without the help of the World Wide Web. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">An article penned by Emma Rathbone gently reminded readers of what it was like to create dance moves in the spur of the moment, whip out a notebook to create a piece of artwork, and to flip through a booklet to identify a precious stone. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I believe the short essay, which can be found in the pages of <i><a href="http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/06/26/before-the-internet" target="_blank">The New Yorker</a>,</i> actually sounds <i>Better Said Than Written</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Take a listen to <i>Before the Internet</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/330992602&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>So here's a question for you. How would you occupy your day if the Internet wasn't an option?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Send your views to TCsViews@gmail.com or leave your comments below.</b></span></span></div>
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TC's Viewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02017026514070263219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1583632959081567413.post-21313463522853711022017-06-22T06:24:00.000-04:002017-06-27T12:45:50.605-04:00How I Came to Love My Black Name <div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px; padding: 0px;">
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">The following is an edited excerpt from my memoir in progress, </span><a href="https://www.wattpad.com/389685734-mommy-wasn%27t-there-a-memoir-in-progress-what%27s-in" target="_blank"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Mommy Wasn't There</span></a></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Over the years, I've gone through a love hate relationship with my first name - Tamika. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My graduating high school class of 1993, had at least five Tamikas. I didn't feel unique. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My grandmother would say to me, "What kind of name is Tamika? I'm just going to call you tomato." This made me hate my name even more.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It wasn't until my mid-20s did I start to like my first name. A woman who owned a Japanese restaurant told me my name originated from Japan and usually ends with the letter O. So, Tamiko.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I forgot what she said the meaning of my name was but I do know it was a popular name in the early 1970s. Contributors of the website, <a href="https://www.behindthename.com/name/tamika/comments">BehindTheName.com</a>, says the Japanese name Tamika means 'Child of the People.'</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">After further research, I found out the name Tamika was most popular in 1975, which is the same year I was born. Based off of information collected from Social Security card applications for births that occurred in the United States, a total of 2,159 baby girls were named Tamika.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Got it. The name was hot in 1975, and it started to creep into Black-American homes in the late 1960s. But why? Of course, I did some more digging and found the American singer, Tamiko Jones. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Jones' name at birth was Barbara Tamiko Ferguson. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Tamiko Jones was born in Kyle, West Virginia and was raised in Detroit, where she started her music career. She was part Japanese, part British, and has Cherokee ancestry in her blood.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Tamiko Jones genre of music included r</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: #555555; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">hythm and blues, soul and jazz. Her </span></span><span style="color: #555555; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">first hit was "Touch Me Baby" and in 1975 reached No. 12 on the R&B charts in the U.S. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(<i>press the play button)</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />Her voice reminds me of Donna Summers and Diana Ross. Both women whose albums I used to dance to while cleaning the house on Saturday mornings.</span></div>
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<i style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mommy never told me why or how she came up with my name, but these days I'm feeling much better about my name Tamika. Or maybe I'll just start calling myself Tamiko.</span></i></div>
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<i style="box-sizing: border-box;"><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">To get ahead start on the memoir in progress, Mommy Wasn't There, visit <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/story/5315518-mommy-wasn%27t-there-a-memoir-in-progress" target="_blank">wattpad.com</a></span></i></i></div>
TC's Viewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02017026514070263219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1583632959081567413.post-23791530698092499092017-06-07T18:48:00.000-04:002019-08-04T17:07:39.953-04:00The Man Inside the Purple Dinosaur<h2>
David Joyner knew he was destined to play Barney</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQPaqZZR_uMUF7G1dAgTl4RiYGkstx_NBIYWPiYZS_ZMrbS8267wBi3wSZva3VRTG9NmsXAIbKVcZ449pgqoxf_4XE9aEKeqt7klPAvZgUru5867xIquqo4EaDSy7nEshE7iJkJlNn7Q/s1600/ManBarney.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1162" data-original-width="1600" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQPaqZZR_uMUF7G1dAgTl4RiYGkstx_NBIYWPiYZS_ZMrbS8267wBi3wSZva3VRTG9NmsXAIbKVcZ449pgqoxf_4XE9aEKeqt7klPAvZgUru5867xIquqo4EaDSy7nEshE7iJkJlNn7Q/s320/ManBarney.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you grew up watching Barney & Friends, or parenthood started for you in the early 1990s, then you probably have encountered several earworm songs from the American children television series. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">David Joyner, who played Barney for 10 years, explained to <i>Business Insider</i> why "I Love You" was one of his favorite songs. <i>Business Insider</i> caught up with Joyner and he shared how his intuition led him to land the role of Barney the Purple Dinosaur. <doctype html=""> <script src="//player.ooyala.com/static/v4/stable/latest/core.min.js"></script><script src="//player.ooyala.com/static/v4/stable/latest/video-plugin/main_html5.min.js"></script><script src="//player.ooyala.com/static/v4/stable/latest/skin-plugin/html5-skin.min.js"></script><script src="//player.ooyala.com/static/v4/stable/latest/video-plugin/bit_wrapper.min.js"></script><script src="//player.ooyala.com/static/v4/stable/latest/video-plugin/osmf_flash.min.js"></script><link href="//player.ooyala.com/static/v4/stable/latest/skin-plugin/html5-skin.min.css" rel="stylesheet"></link></doctype></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>The following video was initially published on <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/meet-the-man-who-played-barney-the-purple-dinosaur-for-10-years-david-joyner-interview-2017-5">BusinessInsider.com</a><br /></i></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Clearly, Joyner followed his inner voice. What about you? We'd love to hear your views in the comment box below. Or email your views to TCsViews@gmail.com.</span></b>TC's Viewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02017026514070263219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1583632959081567413.post-14566591088423284682017-06-06T18:04:00.001-04:002017-06-07T00:15:47.136-04:00(H)afrocentric: Jewels Smith<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia09wlI0u6DZxcY4hqVOmDgGLW8HndCHrhyphenhyphenrPLihTRcdNsrRVlDBiAXHgPMMJBrqiMhyphenhyphenpGI6-yw6DznTUsnqhq5HmV4BZmJtKJayycgxrnnrJ01zdRUlwPED-Ac0olP_Dw8HnE8GB5iu0/s1600/Juliana-Jewels-Smith.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia09wlI0u6DZxcY4hqVOmDgGLW8HndCHrhyphenhyphenrPLihTRcdNsrRVlDBiAXHgPMMJBrqiMhyphenhyphenpGI6-yw6DznTUsnqhq5HmV4BZmJtKJayycgxrnnrJ01zdRUlwPED-Ac0olP_Dw8HnE8GB5iu0/s1600/Juliana-Jewels-Smith.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia09wlI0u6DZxcY4hqVOmDgGLW8HndCHrhyphenhyphenrPLihTRcdNsrRVlDBiAXHgPMMJBrqiMhyphenhyphenpGI6-yw6DznTUsnqhq5HmV4BZmJtKJayycgxrnnrJ01zdRUlwPED-Ac0olP_Dw8HnE8GB5iu0/s320/Juliana-Jewels-Smith.png" width="213" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Meet </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">writer, cultural worker, and educator </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Juliana “Jewels” Smith. As an effort to connect with her students, Jewels created the comic book series, </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">(H)afrocentric.</i><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The entire series </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">features four disgruntled undergrads of color and their adventures at Ronald Reagan University. "Before I knew anything about Ronald Regan, I knew he was racists," Jewels joked during her talk at the Drawing Lines - <a href="https://cooper.edu/events-and-exhibitions/events/making-hafrocentric">The Black American Experience</a>. The event, which took place in early May, was held at The Great Hall at The Cooper Union in New York City. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Jewels, who grew up in the 1980's, created </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">(H)afrocentric</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> as a way to challenge students and readers alike about the presumptions around race, class, gender and sexuality through character dialogue. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Jewels published four volumes to date and in each issue, you'll find sprinkles of wokeness. "You're going to know who <a href="https://www.biography.com/people/web-du-bois-9279924">W.E.B Du Bois</a> is," she explained. "</span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">(H)afrocentric </i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">is supposed to be a satire of what's going on right now." </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0OF0CupgW7DLOyebSfihwILk6HxI0hfUETlW20jZSx9SQowwVuvCw963kIJyioVLtFMZcZ0wGpxfXVvDCvoOJ4Jo0afXyqc-SjI2Y0Oa6Q-34XOIb-dS0R0n17KkC8bzStoo3psZfYs/s1600/Hafrocentric+Vol1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1091" data-original-width="1600" height="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0OF0CupgW7DLOyebSfihwILk6HxI0hfUETlW20jZSx9SQowwVuvCw963kIJyioVLtFMZcZ0wGpxfXVvDCvoOJ4Jo0afXyqc-SjI2Y0Oa6Q-34XOIb-dS0R0n17KkC8bzStoo3psZfYs/s640/Hafrocentric+Vol1.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Jewels dug deep to create the characters of <i>(H)afrocentric. </i>"I </span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">was really inspired by the adult animated sitcom <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0373732/">The Boondocks</a>," she shared. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"If The Boondocks was feminist, it might look like this: Follow the self-proclaimed radical Black feminist, Naima Pepper as she deals with the contradictions of her own life." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Naima's Backstory</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Naima's contradictions are biological based. Her mother is Caucasian, and her father is Black American. Some would say Naima is an extension of Jewels' persona since she too is bi-racial. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin3hLMr5t02eqA_P_F6mngVFy6rH26pCXfI5ms38XVFYo2GdxQaiuYVr0ej7f0uxAaz_ScKWZyR43v7PEi3-X9QDl4Atbr5eM5iAy431eG3NIZVI6_nUF8yW1tPdgnwAH6DV3q9sHz7H8/s1600/Hafrocentric+Vol2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1191" data-original-width="1600" height="475" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin3hLMr5t02eqA_P_F6mngVFy6rH26pCXfI5ms38XVFYo2GdxQaiuYVr0ej7f0uxAaz_ScKWZyR43v7PEi3-X9QDl4Atbr5eM5iAy431eG3NIZVI6_nUF8yW1tPdgnwAH6DV3q9sHz7H8/s640/Hafrocentric+Vol2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Naima is on a quest to follow in the footsteps of her role model Angela Davis. Naima, who is an avid reader, imagines herself giving speeches on political soapboxes all over the world. She studies social movements starting from the 1950s through 1970s.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Naima rocks an afro and wears an “Ally” shirt in memory of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/search?index=books&linkCode=qs&keywords=0802132138">Malcolm X</a> and the speech he gave about slave abolitionist John Brown. “If you are for me and my problems,” Malcolm X declared in 1965, “then you have to be willing to do as old John Brown did.”</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRimPhnV1-ZZ91jL9DJYLh3ewRfpbkSUxagHacOhG5ba3lsCD_Q_UcYown-aME2aLivE7bRLwVRl94iDIPh9ZghsDRyQvXzTt2zhlIB_DNXAAcD7OsqnUnt_2RQM4oKJok74D8jVM7gIg/s1600/Hafrocentric+Vol3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="942" data-original-width="1600" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRimPhnV1-ZZ91jL9DJYLh3ewRfpbkSUxagHacOhG5ba3lsCD_Q_UcYown-aME2aLivE7bRLwVRl94iDIPh9ZghsDRyQvXzTt2zhlIB_DNXAAcD7OsqnUnt_2RQM4oKJok74D8jVM7gIg/s640/Hafrocentric+Vol3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Naima's Crew </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">*as described on the bio page of <a href="https://hafrocentric.com/meet-the-characters/">Hafrocentric.com </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Miles Pepper</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Miles</b> is the brother of Naima. He is an apolitical drummer who reflects a popular culture aesthetic and mindset. His tendency to write off Naima’s rants about the world as being, “really bitter for someone from the suburbs,” causes daily sibling rivalry. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Besties: Kwame & Rahsaan</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Despite being born and raised on the West Coast, <b>Kwame Forks</b> is somewhat of a paradox. His outfit of choice; a Nefertiti necklace, white t-shirt and baggy jeans is just one part of his style that channels the afrocentric East Coast Hip Hop he grew up listening to. Kwame studies numerology, Kemetic history, and supreme mathematics despite being an Entomology major at Ronald Reagan University. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">On the first impression, <b>Rahsaan Hayes</b> seems like your average “Yes Man” or “Yeah bruh” as he would say, but he is not. An aspiring tea sommelier, Wing Chun practitioner, lover of wave caps and girls, Rahsaan is complicated. Along with his best friend Kwame, he tries to navigate through Ronald Reagan University without accumulating too much debt or a police record.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuP1QA3yJAxx1HSgdxikFdSPA6wtlq_705QqU7IOFluxuzfnPGxcZc7iLTUO_EHJ0a2KQEZjXIgOB8cbn6MX8tf1_9f8LeJEl4368m8EU9pk8U1UN9_dLChrcMafa6dnxLQoukZgJBFNU/s1600/Hafrocentric+Vol4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1156" data-original-width="1600" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuP1QA3yJAxx1HSgdxikFdSPA6wtlq_705QqU7IOFluxuzfnPGxcZc7iLTUO_EHJ0a2KQEZjXIgOB8cbn6MX8tf1_9f8LeJEl4368m8EU9pk8U1UN9_dLChrcMafa6dnxLQoukZgJBFNU/s640/Hafrocentric+Vol4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Elizondo “El” Ramirez</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">El is best friends with Miles. He is second generation Mexican-American. While not directly involved in political activism, he still has a yearning for his own culture to be represented with more dignity and honor. Although his identity politics are strong, his inability to be more critical about the world around him places him in sticky situations.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Renee Aanjay Brown</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Renee is a stud, lesbian, mixed Indonesian and Black. While she is not politically engaged except for when it comes to questioning her own gender and sexuality, she often takes on a masculine identity reifying all the dominant tropes about what it means to be “a man.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>What's Next for <i>(H)afrocentric</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">As a way to keep the comic book relevant in the digital age, Jewels included a QR code mixtape for Vol. 3 and 4, which can be scanned in the back of each book. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Jewels is in the process of compiling a mixtape for Vol.1 and 2, which will be released in a second edition. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">For those of you who have the first edition of Vol. 1 and 2, take care of them because they just might be a collector's item some day. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">To keep up with what's going on with the <i>(H)afrocentric </i>crew at Ronald Regan University follow them on the following social media platforms.</span><br />
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<li><a href="http://facebook.com/hafrocentric" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Facebook.com/hafrocentric</a></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://twitter.com/hafrocentric">Twitter</a></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And if you'd like to purchase any vol. of <i>(H)afrocentric, </i>like I did, please visit the online store at <a href="https://hafrocentric.com/shop/">hafrocentric.com</a>. When you do, feel free to leave a comment in the box below to share your thoughts. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Juliana Jewels Smith earned her B.A. in Sociology from UC Riverside and M.A. in Ethnic Studies at UC San Diego.</b></span><br />
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<br />TC's Viewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02017026514070263219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1583632959081567413.post-48181998113050715082017-06-04T15:05:00.000-04:002017-06-04T15:05:15.224-04:00Work Culture: Exposure Can't Pay the Bills<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you're a creative trying to make a living out of your craft, you're probably familiar with the following story. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-hot2esTnPYnGz_Iu8HEUpa2ivT2tO0WrTXzQe4TBcOTuIvN_uA_PJHA2jrOAU_Yd205zog-JrCMBhVeAQLbbTvdvz83VfkxK3w5Xp_x7d-sOEYB-FdZRFBoruA7pna6nJzxry-HwqQY/s1600/Exposure.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1265" data-original-width="1241" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-hot2esTnPYnGz_Iu8HEUpa2ivT2tO0WrTXzQe4TBcOTuIvN_uA_PJHA2jrOAU_Yd205zog-JrCMBhVeAQLbbTvdvz83VfkxK3w5Xp_x7d-sOEYB-FdZRFBoruA7pna6nJzxry-HwqQY/s400/Exposure.JPG" width="390" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Creatives aren't the only ones being paid in exposure. Entrepreneurs are also asked to give their products and services away for free. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In this episode of Better Said Than Written, pastry chef and <a href="https://squareup.com/store/ButACake">But-A-Cake</a> owner Matha Figaro joins us to explain why being paid in exposure just isn't enough.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Take a listen ... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Have you been offered exposure as compensation? E-mail your views to TCsViews@gmail.com or leave your comments in the box below.</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNVpQIVHY3btQfHYjPxGNSTe_xsq_7VtOGtmrOvolFwqvXRlqoZmAhmnHtH3pY6NxE-dxj2gAFtR_7LFcAZZ0tQOtaO13AYs67kPHnRI8qQvjKUsSUTEwgwkA45GPCja7Ncc5Kd0Xu7-0/s1600/ButACake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNVpQIVHY3btQfHYjPxGNSTe_xsq_7VtOGtmrOvolFwqvXRlqoZmAhmnHtH3pY6NxE-dxj2gAFtR_7LFcAZZ0tQOtaO13AYs67kPHnRI8qQvjKUsSUTEwgwkA45GPCja7Ncc5Kd0Xu7-0/s200/ButACake.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>And if you're interested in experiencing the <br />But-A-Cake addiction visit </i></span><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i><a href="https://squareup.com/store/ButACake">the online store right here</a>.</i></span></span></div>
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TC's Viewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02017026514070263219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1583632959081567413.post-66775214779944639742017-05-28T08:36:00.001-04:002017-05-28T08:45:46.222-04:00As a #WomanInHer40s I've Learned<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Every decade of life is considered a milestone. </span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Remember when you turned 10 you were so happy to be out of the single digits.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then when you hit your 20s, you celebrated making it out of your teenage years with your dignity intact.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">As you crept into your 30s, you believed you had life all figured out. </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But then the time machine of life pushed you into your 40s and panic start to set in because you think life is playing a trick on you. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In this episode of Better Said Than Written, I share what life has taught me in my four decades of life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>So what has life taught you? Engage in the Twitter campaign, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WomanInHer40s?src=hash" target="_blank">#WomanInHer40s</a>, or E-mail your views to TCsViews@gmail.com. You can also leave your comments in the box below.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Related Stories: </b></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://memyselfandmy40s.tumblr.com/post/160737007223/women-over-40-a-mans-perspective" target="_blank">Women Over 40: A Man's Perspective</a></span></b></span></li>
<li><b><a href="https://memyselfandmy40s.tumblr.com/post/161144863198/26-life-lessons-i-learned-by-the-age-of-42" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">26 Life Lessons I learned by the Age of 42</a></b></li>
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TC's Viewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02017026514070263219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1583632959081567413.post-11604110308910958772017-05-17T11:42:00.000-04:002017-05-17T11:42:28.109-04:00From Rags to Folk Art<i>video by Timeline</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To read more, go to:</i><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <a href="https://timeline.com/gees-bend-quilters-alabama-black-history-b23bb73ff327" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TimeLine.com</a></i></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.artzofculturez.com/2017/05/reri-grist-voice-that-flourished.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;">Reri Grist: A Voice That Flourished Through Travel</span></a></h3>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.artzofculturez.com/2015/07/misty-copeland-breaks-barriers-one.html" style="font-size: 22px; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;">Misty Copeland Breaks Barriers One Pirouette at a Time</span></a></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.artzofculturez.com/2017/03/hip-hop-ballet-hiplet.html" style="font-size: 22px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">Hip-Hop + Ballet = Hiplet</span></a></li>
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TC's Viewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02017026514070263219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1583632959081567413.post-33264624144524645622017-05-11T15:01:00.000-04:002017-05-11T15:01:47.759-04:00Reri Grist: A Voice That Flourished Through Travel<i>article by <a href="https://timeline.com/reri-grist-opera-west-side-story-broadway-cebc13f05f31">Timeline</a></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Reri Grist sang and fought her way to auditions for which she was being passed over—and in the process managed to get the ear of Leonard Bernstein, one of the world’s greatest conductors. She never rested on her laurels, but set her sights even higher in some ways, and broader in others. She wanted to see the world.</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="true" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Ftimelinenews%2Fvideos%2F1791004910922965%2F&show_text=0&width=560" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" width="560"></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>To read more, go to:</i><i style="color: #666666;"> <a href="https://timeline.com/reri-grist-opera-west-side-story-broadway-cebc13f05f31">TimeLine.com</a></i></span></div>
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<li><a href="http://www.artzofculturez.com/2015/07/misty-copeland-breaks-barriers-one.html" style="color: #888888; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; text-decoration: none;">Misty Copeland Breaks Barriers One Pirouette at a Time</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.artzofculturez.com/2017/03/hip-hop-ballet-hiplet.html" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 22px;" target="_blank">Hip-Hop + Ballet = Hiplet</a></li>
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TC's Viewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02017026514070263219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1583632959081567413.post-18079104853336346782017-05-07T23:16:00.001-04:002017-06-29T13:46:26.869-04:00Vietnam War: The Picture Max Was Allowed to Keep<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">A little piece of history through the lens of a Vietnam Veteran</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">There are just some stories you won't find in documentaries, history books or old newspaper clippings. Some of the most fulfilling stories are told by people who lived during a pivotal moment in time, and they come with pictures in tow which helps shape their story. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Max, now 70, was a medic in the United States Army during the Vietnam War.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-xasnosKvkIHllzfJL2ZqSJHeoZpgE5n2snu66w8S9f_Q60I1TGP1nPpsJMIy7ZyfrBpZhgJiEioY_7d-p5Gws9Vyli4x-TmrDqoug0f_zNQQR_SdBSP-pBddDPR4hLb6gQQjVmcjlGw/s1600/blogger-image--999107526.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-xasnosKvkIHllzfJL2ZqSJHeoZpgE5n2snu66w8S9f_Q60I1TGP1nPpsJMIy7ZyfrBpZhgJiEioY_7d-p5Gws9Vyli4x-TmrDqoug0f_zNQQR_SdBSP-pBddDPR4hLb6gQQjVmcjlGw/s640/blogger-image--999107526.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Twice a month Max worked at an emergency room in a civilian Vietnam hospital. As you can imagine, he witnessed plenty of deaths and trauma. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Out of curiosity, a friend back home, who specialized in trauma care, asked Max to take pictures of what he saw in the hospitals and mail them back to him in the states. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Max captured some gruesome images. Many of those pictures were sent to his friend, but a lot of them were confiscated by the Military Police. "They even took the negatives," Max explains. "They probably were afraid the pictures were going to end up in American newspapers."</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The image in this post is one of the photos MPs allowed Max to keep. This photo was taken in December 1968 in the courtyard of a civilian Vietnam Hospital with a toddler he didn't even know. "The little boy just showed up," Max recalls.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGrWKaLPjc7Zozo2D762bdCM6KXsgUCwPXLuyDyHTJRTmJDa8f-gr9PftjBv8jx6OWvOxIBmYakb3va-Ii_guIJ3uKzHrxnV5H_rzynV892FEcAZpWMaUzH1GcF-t_Vt6JHNd1lR6xOJk/s1600/blogger-image--1012418625.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGrWKaLPjc7Zozo2D762bdCM6KXsgUCwPXLuyDyHTJRTmJDa8f-gr9PftjBv8jx6OWvOxIBmYakb3va-Ii_guIJ3uKzHrxnV5H_rzynV892FEcAZpWMaUzH1GcF-t_Vt6JHNd1lR6xOJk/s640/blogger-image--1012418625.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">While on duty and off, Max says he was always on guard. Hence why you see a rifle strapped to his arm. "I didn't feel safe unless I was back home in the U.S."</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>A Little Tidbit</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">As you can see, Max has a cigarette dangling from his lips. He first started smoking in 1958. And his brand of choice while serving in the Vietnam War was Pall Mall Cigarettes (red) with no filter. "Wherever particular people congregate - was their slogan," says Max.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQZ1L1rHEyPJsECFnF4mrGG8pmo145GrtQ1192-SzRxKxrnmHW9tIrnCU8lwfMFClEzaZJfqUVYuN1Q6k0q3mYDhW3sByxEPrwQu4bh5GA95TSwsJ1vXfts1AvM43VW0oiddNc-yra1Pg/s1600/blogger-image-357037099.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQZ1L1rHEyPJsECFnF4mrGG8pmo145GrtQ1192-SzRxKxrnmHW9tIrnCU8lwfMFClEzaZJfqUVYuN1Q6k0q3mYDhW3sByxEPrwQu4bh5GA95TSwsJ1vXfts1AvM43VW0oiddNc-yra1Pg/s400/blogger-image-357037099.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Max spent </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">¢</span><span style="font-size: large;">0.17 for a pack and $1.75 for a carton. Today a carton of Pall Mall goes for $26 plus tax.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Do you have a moment in history you like to share? E-mail your views to TCsViews@gmail.com</i></b></span><br />
<br />TC's Viewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02017026514070263219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1583632959081567413.post-69344839301380132042017-04-22T18:57:00.002-04:002017-04-22T19:02:03.225-04:00Money Method: The Great Tax Escape to Puerto Rico <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Did you know there are tax loopholes for Americans living in Puerto Rico? Well, at least that's what I learned from PolicyGenius.com's contributor, Alex Webb. </span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>But don't pack your bags just yet. There are several barriers to entry for you to consider before you make a run from Uncle Sam. </b></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Guest Post: </span></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.policygenius.com/blog/author/alex-webb/">Alex Webb, </a></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.policygenius.com/blog/author/alex-webb/">PolicyGenius Contributor</a></span></i></span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It has been said that the only things you can’t escape in life are death and taxes. While moving to Puerto Rico won’t help you live forever, it’s one of the few places on earth where Americans can legally escape many forms of taxation. Intrigued? You should be.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Global Taxation</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Most countries tax their citizens on a residency basis. For example, if you are a Swedish citizen living in Thailand, you will owe taxes to Thailand, but not to Sweden. But the U.S. has a system of <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/income-from-abroad-is-taxable" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: none; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: none 0.2s ease !important;" target="_blank">global taxation</a>, meaning that if you are an American living in Thailand, you’ll still have to pay U.S. taxes. While there are deductions and exceptions, it’s nearly impossible to escape the IRS — unless you live in Puerto Rico.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">That’s because Puerto Rico falls in an interesting legal grey area. It’s part of the United States, but it’s a territory, not a state. Puerto Rico doesn’t receive voting representation in Congress and Puerto Ricans—while being American citizens—can’t vote in federal elections. But they also don’t pay many federal taxes. Puerto Rico has the power to tax their residents, but, in an attempt to lure investment, they slashed the rates for new residents to next to nothing. And, since Puerto Rico is part of the United States, any American can move there and become a resident. All of this creates an unusual and fascinating tax loophole:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Americans who live in America pay U.S. federal taxes. Americans who live in foreign countries pay U.S. federal taxes. But Americans who move to Puerto Rico often don’t have to. With the correct tax planning, new Puerto Rico residents could legally pay a tax rate <a href="https://www.the2022actsociety.org/index.php/tax-incentives" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: none; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: none 0.2s ease !important;" target="_blank">close to 0%.</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">How to Move to Puerto Rico</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">To gain and maintain your residency you’ll need to move your primary address to Puerto Rico, but you’ll only need to spend a minimum of 183 days in Puerto Rico per year. The rest of the time you can travel to other parts of the United States, or the world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Beyond physically moving you’ll need to fill out some important paperwork. Act 22, also known as the “Individual Investors Act” is behind many of the tax advantages, and to receive the benefits you’ll need to <a href="https://www2.pr.gov/agencias/oeci/Documents/Solicitudes/Solicitudes/Application%20for%20Act%2022%20Fillable.pdf" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: none; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: none 0.2s ease !important;" target="_blank">apply</a> for a tax exemption decree. If your application is approved, your individual tax exemption decree will have the full details of your exact tax treatment, which may vary from person to person.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you control a corporation, you’ll need to look at <a href="https://www.the2022actsociety.org/index.php/tax-incentives/act-20" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: none; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: none 0.2s ease !important;" target="_blank">Act 20</a>, which provides for a 4% corporate tax rate — far below the 35% tax rate on the mainland United States. If you are an entrepreneur with, say, an online business, you may be able to relocate to Puerto Rico and attain large tax savings. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Of course, your exact situation will vary and tax law is very complicated, so <b>don’t use this article as legal advice</b>.</span></div>
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<b>This article first appeared on <a href="https://www.policygenius.com/blog/puerto-rico-tax-savings/">PolicyGenius.com</a>, which is a financial protection planning startup educating consumers on common monetary pitfalls of life. </b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvUVAg7D2BzGgOCDJGPxngyMXn0wwnZNGE0XodG_v3fIi6yIlS7gpK05XcSHliIqcZAmvKxur9XX27zxg2Gk0oLqYcL7M9zP28sbbZPufRRoR_uwT7M6KXlcwdYaC9HBOaxo1zmAvZVzg/s1600/alexwebb.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvUVAg7D2BzGgOCDJGPxngyMXn0wwnZNGE0XodG_v3fIi6yIlS7gpK05XcSHliIqcZAmvKxur9XX27zxg2Gk0oLqYcL7M9zP28sbbZPufRRoR_uwT7M6KXlcwdYaC9HBOaxo1zmAvZVzg/s200/alexwebb.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "adelle"; font-size: large;"><b>Alex Webb</b>, founder of </span><a href="http://www.takerisksbehappy.com/" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: none; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Adelle; font-size: x-large; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: none 0.2s ease !important;">Take Risks Be Happy</a><span style="font-family: "adelle"; font-size: large;">, is a freelance writer and author. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "adelle";">Webb co-authored and contributed to books published by <i>National Geographic</i>, the <i>Financial Times</i>, and <i>Skyhorse</i>. </span></span></div>
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TC's Viewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02017026514070263219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1583632959081567413.post-74323101388459286582017-03-30T22:25:00.000-04:002017-06-26T21:45:14.491-04:00black~ish: Stepin Fetchit is an Eye Opener About Blacks in Advertising <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6BUBvxz3fvDKz2MJb1d0i2oy09O4Y9rnhLYc8d4xHQLdDBvZM_34e78J5V5y8H11Od8es1yQHfMEJ7FT6fEFupJ0vDUco-zv44nV4Wt8Nge_2pq5fAcbDrEd4wOVGm8iuh9YKxtOy6TA/s1600/Stepin+Fetchit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6BUBvxz3fvDKz2MJb1d0i2oy09O4Y9rnhLYc8d4xHQLdDBvZM_34e78J5V5y8H11Od8es1yQHfMEJ7FT6fEFupJ0vDUco-zv44nV4Wt8Nge_2pq5fAcbDrEd4wOVGm8iuh9YKxtOy6TA/s640/Stepin+Fetchit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As a Black-American woman in the midst of testing her multimedia journalism skills in advertising, my eyes are always wide open. I've been analyzing every single commercial and ad in magazines, newspapers, transportation hubs, as well as the ones that appear on my favorite television shows, <i>black-ish</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">The Richard Youngster episode that aired March 29, 2017, on ABC, opened my eyes even more. While social media expressed their disappointment of Chris Brown's appearance on the show, I was applauding the writers. About what? Blacks working in advertising and the lack of Blacks working in the business. I'm talking about the absence of Black creatives, talent, focus groups, and Blacks in executive positions at global agencies.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">There were several truths in the episode, but the one that caught me off guard was how Richard Youngster was compared to Stepin Fetchit. Which, by the way, I never heard of until Andre, Rainbow and Ruby broke it down.</span><br />
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Know the history of Stepin Fetchit. Both sides! Catch up on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/blackish?src=hash">#blackish</a> here: <a href="https://t.co/Od3k2nUIGi">https://t.co/Od3k2nUIGi</a> <a href="https://t.co/qrhkFcWjeg">pic.twitter.com/qrhkFcWjeg</a></div>
— black-ish (@black_ishABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/black_ishABC/status/847512549469765632">March 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Unfortunately, most people missed the history lesson, and the in your face message of what it's like to be a minority working in advertising. Even industry advertising newsletters didn't get or send a memo. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Lucky for me, I did get the memo because my eyes are opened...even wider.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Did you get the memo? Discuss in the comment box below or e-mail your views to TCsViews@gmail.com.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> TC's Viewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02017026514070263219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1583632959081567413.post-74747100061743441892017-03-30T18:42:00.003-04:002017-03-30T18:51:25.165-04:00The Ladies of Caramel Curves Motorcycle Club<i><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://www.ajplus.net/english/" target="_blank">video by AJ+</a></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">It's so refreshing to see women coming together to support one another. We need more women uplifting each other.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Unfortunately, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ajplusenglish/videos/928765513931623/?pnref=story" target="_blank">some critics</a> didn't get message. Instead, they body shamed these women. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Who wouldn't want to be part of a tribe whose members are doctors, lawyers, beauticians, bus drivers, etc.? </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Watch, listen and learn... from the ladies who burn tires.</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="true" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fajplusenglish%2Fvideos%2F928765513931623%2F&show_text=0&width=560" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" width="560"></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Learn more about the clique of chicks on their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Caramelcurves/?hc_location=ufi" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>.</span></div>
TC's Viewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02017026514070263219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1583632959081567413.post-18679573796045492112017-03-24T22:29:00.001-04:002017-03-24T22:29:20.384-04:00Young Voices: Let's Talk About Vinyl Digging<span style="font-size: large;">Welcome back to Better Said Than Written, the podcast supplement of Artz of Culturez where I make a personal connection with today's trending topics.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This is a special episode where my son has taken over the show. When I heard we were going to discuss vinyl records I just had to say yes. And so I handed him the mic.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We talked about how I got into vinyl digging, my top four vinyl records, and how my son has an ear for music and a love for Sade.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Take a listen...</span><br />
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<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.artzofculturez.com/2016/01/emerging-artist-jones.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;">Emerging Artist:</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span>Jones</a></span></li>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Emerging Artist: <a href="http://www.artzofculturez.com/2014/10/emerging-artist-billie-black.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Billie Black</a></span></b></li>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Emerging Artist: <a href="http://www.artzofculturez.com/2015/03/emerging-artist-paula-boggs.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Paula Boggs</a></span></b></li>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Emerging Artist: <a href="http://www.artzofculturez.com/2015/01/emerging-artist-doug-seegers.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Doug Seegers</a></span></b></li>
<li><a href="http://www.artzofculturez.com/2015/11/diggin-in-crates-tribe-called-quest.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;">Diggin' in the Crates:</span> A Tribe Called Quest</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.artzofculturez.com/2015/04/diggin-in-crates-its-record-story-day.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Diggin in the Crates: </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">It's Record Store Day</span></span></a></li>
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TC's Viewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02017026514070263219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1583632959081567413.post-42301513382831748402017-03-19T19:28:00.000-04:002017-03-19T19:28:31.685-04:00Hip-Hop + Ballet = Hiplet<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>article by <a href="http://www.greatbigstory.com/" target="_blank">Great Big Story</a></b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The dancers of the Chicago Multicultural Dance Center plié, pirouette and jeté to their own rhythm in a new form called Hiplet. The dance draws on both the movements of hip-hop and classical ballet technique and is performed on pointe shoes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>To read more, go to <a href="http://www.greatbigstory.com/stories/hip-hop-en-pointe" target="_blank">http://www.greatbigstory.com/stories/hip-hop-en-pointe</a></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Related Stories:</span><br />
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<li><a href="http://www.artzofculturez.com/2015/07/misty-copeland-breaks-barriers-one.html" style="color: #888888; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; text-decoration: none;">Misty Copeland Breaks Barriers One Pirouette at a Time</a></li>
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TC's Viewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02017026514070263219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1583632959081567413.post-77647639479433908232017-03-12T17:06:00.002-04:002017-03-12T17:08:31.816-04:00100 Years of Black Fashion<div style="text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Finally, a look back at 100 Years of Black Fashion. It certainly took long enough.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><i>The following video was produced by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/BuzzFeedCocoaButter/videos/?ref=page_internal" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">@BuzzFeedCocoaButter</a></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Related Stories:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.artzofculturez.com/2016/01/100-years-of-white-fashion.html" target="_blank">100 Years of White Fashion</a></span></div>
TC's Viewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02017026514070263219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1583632959081567413.post-9260617132116273312017-03-12T16:54:00.000-04:002017-03-12T16:55:23.878-04:00BuzzFeed Taps into the History of Black Women's Hair<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>The following video was produced by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/BuzzFeedCocoaButter/videos/?ref=page_internal" target="_blank">@BuzzFeedCocoaButter</a></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Related Stories</span></div>
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<li><a href="http://www.artzofculturez.com/2015/02/minority-opinion-zendaya-rancic-works.html" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">Minority Opinion: Zendaya, Rancic Works it Out</a></li>
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TC's Viewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02017026514070263219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1583632959081567413.post-64502170990258266952016-11-04T09:58:00.000-04:002016-11-04T09:58:27.047-04:00John Oliver on Journalism<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #3e3f40; font-family: , , serif; font-size: large;">HBO's John Oliver shares what many in the journalism profession already knows. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #3e3f40; font-family: , , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“The media is a food chain that would fall apart without local newspapers,” Oliver declared during one of his shows in August. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #3e3f40; font-family: , , serif; font-size: large;">But wait, he said a whole lot more.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #3e3f40; font-family: , , serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So who's really to blame for what's taking place in the world of journalism? The readers? Digital media? The editors? </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">A </span><i style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://reassociated.press/" target="_blank">Reassociated Press</a></i><span style="font-size: large;"> article sheds light on the situation. </span><span style="font-size: large;">"<a href="https://reassociated.press/2016/10/24/stop-just-blaming-the-internet-for-killing-newspapers-start-blaming-editors/?utm_source=API+Need+to+Know+newsletter&utm_campaign=c53b84bb8f-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2016_11_04&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e3bf78af04-c53b84bb8f-45811249" target="_blank">Stop Blaming the Internet For Killing Newspapers. Start Blaming Editors</a>," explains how the once coveted profession of journalism lost its way when editors, executives, and reporters were forced to go digital. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Now taking comments below, or you can email your views to TCsViews@gmail.com.</i></b></span></div>
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TC's Viewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02017026514070263219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1583632959081567413.post-57219690250364617152016-10-26T23:02:00.003-04:002016-10-26T23:15:55.648-04:00Sidebar Conversation: Shrinking Your Carbon Footprint<div class="p1">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Journalists share their views on environmental sustainability living</b></span></i></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: large;">To kick off the second season of the podcast <a href="http://www.artzofculturez.com/p/better-said-than-written.html" target="_blank">Better Said Than Written</a>, episode one is an extension of the article <a href="http://www.artzofculturez.com/2016/10/hyperlocal-newsrooms-sustain-local16.html"><i>Hyperlocal Newsroom Hype</i></a><i>. </i> </span></span></div>
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">So what are hyperlocal newsrooms?</b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Hyperlocal newsrooms</span><span style="font-size: large;"> provide informative news on a local level. Now, don't think about Eyewitness News at 5, 7 and 11pm. Think about news that big networks and major publications don’t have time to cover. For example, air and water quality reports, residential development that may affect property taxes, or stories about local residents making their homes environmentally friendly.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: large;">Turns out environmental sustainability is a topic more journalists want to learn about. Several journalists</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> shared their views in the following podcast ... Hit the play button to hear their insights.</span></div>
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/290155076&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe>TC's Viewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02017026514070263219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1583632959081567413.post-28378401397405983302016-10-21T12:20:00.000-04:002016-10-21T12:20:26.967-04:00#thisis2016: Friends & Racism<span style="font-size: large;">Whenever you hear or read stories about racism in America, the two ethnicities that first come to mind are Blacks and Latinos. But what about all the other ethnicities in America? </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The <i>New York Times</i> recently addressed racism toward Asian Americans in an open letter penned by deputy metro editor, Michael Luo. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/10/nyregion/to-the-woman-who-told-my-family-to-go-back-to-china.html" target="_blank"><i>An Open Letter to the Woman Who Told My Family to Go Back to China</i></a> </span><span style="font-size: large;">sparked the social media campaign #thisis2016. The trending hashtag is filled with stories from Asian Americans who encountered racism from strangers on the streets, co-workers and even church members. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">In the following vlog, two friends reflect when the racists remark "Go back to China" put their friendship at stake. </span><br />
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Do you have an Asian American friend that you offended? Please share the lesson you learned in the comment box below, or email your views to TCsViews@gmail.com.</b></span>TC's Viewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02017026514070263219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1583632959081567413.post-35766281583808369152016-10-16T22:19:00.004-04:002016-10-26T23:16:43.728-04:00Hyperlocal Newsroom Hype<div class="p1">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Hyperlocal media outlets like </span><a href="http://www.brickcitylive.com/" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="s2">BrickCityLive</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">, </span><a href="https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="s2">DNAinfo</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">, </span><a href="http://www.njspotlight.com/" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="s2">NJSpotlight</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">, </span><a href="http://patch.com/" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="s2">Patch</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">, and </span><a href="http://www.wrexham.com/" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="s2">Wrexham</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> have been popping up in communities all over the world for several years. And like most traditional newsrooms, hyperlocals have to figure out how to stay relevant in the competitive world of journalism and make a profit. </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-size: large;">Hyperlocal newsrooms provide informative news on a local level. Now, I’m not talking about Eyewitness News at 5, 7 and 11pm, I’m talking about news that big networks and major publications don’t have time to cover. For example, air/water quality reports, residential development that may affect property taxes, or stories about local residents making their homes environmentally friendly.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-size: large;">To get a sense of what's taking shape in the hyperlocal news community, media professionals were invited to attend <a href="http://sustainlocal2016.org/">Sustain Local 2016 </a>- a national conference on journalism sustainability, which took place on Thursday, October 6 and Friday, October 7, 2016.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(<b><i>Image by TC's Views: #SustainLocal2016)</i></b></td></tr>
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<span class="s1" style="font-size: large;">The conference, now in its third year, was hosted by the Center for <a href="https://www.montclair.edu/arts/school-of-communication-and-media/center-for-cooperative-media/">Cooperative Media at Montclair State University, in Montclair, New Jersey</a>. </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-size: large;">To fully understand what Sustain Local was trying to achieve, I spoke with several media professionals and asked them to share their main take-aways from the conference. </span><br />
<span class="s1" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="s1" style="font-size: large;">“This conference was addressing the hyperlocals about monetizing and financing,” explained </span><b style="font-size: x-large;">Jane Primerano</b><span style="font-size: large;">, Region 1 Director of the Society of Professional Journalists</span><span style="font-size: large;">. “I know many people who are struggling with hyperlocals.”</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b><i>Search <a href="https://twitter.com/search?src=typd&q=%23SustainLocal" target="_blank">#SustainLocal</a> on Twitter to see what topics moved attendees during the conference.</i></b></span></blockquote>
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<span class="s1" style="font-size: large;">Hyperlocals are usually run by veteran journalists who were squeezed out of traditional newsrooms due to layoffs and community weeklies that went out of business. Many of these hyperlocal journalists have multiple roles within their organization, which may include finding innovative ways to generate revenue. “Your average reporter is a terrible sales person,” said Primerano. “Those skills do not overlap.” </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-size: large;">Hyperlocals have a reputation of being run by a sole individual. However, a 2015 <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/21670811.2015.1096747" target="_blank"><span class="s2">survey</span></a> conducted by <b>Arizona State University</b> assistant professor <b>Monica Chadha</b>, found that some hyperlocals have more than 20 employees. </span><span style="font-size: large;">And some of those hyperlocal employers are strapped for cash. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">“Journalism needs cash,” said freelance journalist </span><b style="font-size: x-large;">Noah Levinson</b><span style="font-size: large;">. “You have to find somebody to support it one, way or another.” Levinson’s take-away from the Sustain Local Conference does have merit but no matter what the business model, newsrooms will always have this problem, especially hyperlocal outlets.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-size: large;">After surveying 210 participants from 144 hyperlocals, Chadha’s research found that 39 percent of their annual revenues came from banner ads. The next tier of revenues came from grants, private foundations and subscribers, which collectively made up nearly 16 percent.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-size: large;">Sustain Local had prominent industry movers and shakers participate on a number of <a href="https://sustainlocal2016.sched.org/directory/speakers" target="_blank">panel discussions</a> where attendees learned innovative ways to rake in additional revenue. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(<i><b>Image by TC's Views: John Mooney founder of NJ Spotlight</b></i>)</td></tr>
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<span class="s1" style="font-size: large;">Hosting tutorial webinars and events are just some of the ways hyperlocal news outlets can stream additional revenue. “A good third of our income came from events,” <b>John Mooney</b>, founding editor of <b><a href="http://njspotlight.com/">NJ Spotlight</a></b>, said during the panel - How 501(c)3 News Organizations are Finding Sustainability.</span><br />
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<span class="s1" style="font-size: large;">Nevertheless, holding on to extra income may become a problem for some hyperlocals, especially since advertising is shifting to the social media platform, <b>Facebook</b>, observed <b>Miriam Ascarelli</b>, who teaches journalism and composition at <b>New Jersey Institute of Technology</b>. </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-size: large;">“If I were a local publisher, that would be a huge red flag for me,” said Ascarelli. “ You have to have a strategy for keeping those advertising dollars in your news organization and not let somebody else take them.”</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b><a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelOreskes">(Image from Twitter: Michael Oreskes)</a></b></i></td></tr>
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<span class="s1" style="font-size: large;">The chatter of advertising dollars and how to generate additional revenue at hyperlocal newsrooms finally subsided when Sustain Local’s keynote, <b>Michael Oreskes</b>, senior vice president of news at <b>National Public Radio</b>, took the stage. </span><br />
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<span class="s1" style="font-size: large;">As an avid public radio listener, I gave a round of applause when Oreskes said, “People want to support local journalism because they depend on it.” And he’s absolutely right. </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-size: large;">Hyperlocal newsrooms are more connected to people in the communities they cover than traditional local news outlets. These days it seems like newsrooms only report about celebrity mishaps, crime and multiple alarm fires. As a results, some traditional newsrooms neglect to balance out their coverage with local community stories. </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-size: large;">It’s a good thing there’s a batch of community news organizations taking initiative to give the general public just a little bit more. Hopefully, traditional local newsrooms and hyperlocals will be able to bridge the gap and just focus solely on providing informative news we all can use.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Do you have a favorite hyperlocal? What's your view on the culture of local news? Leave your comments in the box below or email your views to TCsView@gmail.com.</b></span><br />
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<i style="font-size: x-large;">Podcast Alert! The conversation moved from Hyperlocal Newsrooms to sustainable environmental practices. You can hear the "sidebar conversation" on season two of <span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/bettersaidthanwritten/s2-ep1-sidebar-conversation-shrinking-your-carbon-footprint" target="_blank">Better Said Than Written</a> </span>- the podcast supplement to Artz of Culturez - via <a href="https://soundcloud.com/bettersaidthanwritten/s2-ep1-sidebar-conversation-shrinking-your-carbon-footprint" target="_blank">SoundClound</a> and now on iTunes and Sticher.</i></div>
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TC's Viewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02017026514070263219noreply@blogger.com0