Category Archives: African-American

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. releases statement through Charles Ogletree

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Here is a statement released by Charles Olgletree who has been retained by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. after he was arrested at his Cambridge Massachusettes home. This information was posted at theroot.com and distributed.

Statement on Behalf of Henry Louis Gates, Jr. — by Charles Ogletree

This brief statement is being submitted on behalf of my client, friend, and colleague, Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. This is a statement concerning the arrest of Professor Gates. On July 16th, 2009, Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., 58, the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor of Harvard University, was headed from Logan airport to his home [in] Cambridge after spending a week in China, where he was filming his new PBS documentary entitled “Faces of America”.

Professor Gates was driven to his home by a driver for a local car company. Professor Gates attempted to enter his front door, but the door was damaged. Professor Gates then entered his rear door with his key, turned off his alarm, and again attempted to open the front door. With the help of his driver they were able to force the front door open, and then the driver carried Professor Gates’s luggage into his home.

Professor Gates immediately called the Harvard Real Estate office to report the damage to his door and requested that it be repaired immediately. As he was talking to the Harvard Real Estate office on his portable phone in his house, he observed a uniformed officer on his front porch. When Professor Gates opened the door, the officer immediately asked him to step outside. Professor Gates remained inside his home and asked the officer why he was there.

The officer indicated that he was responding to a 911 call about a breaking and entering in progress at this address. Professor Gates informed the officer that he lived there and was a faculty member at Harvard University. The officer then asked Professor Gates whether he could prove that he lived there and taught at Harvard.

Professor Gates said that he could, and turned to walk into his kitchen, where he had left his wallet. The officer followed him. Professor Gates handed both his Harvard University identification and his valid Massachusetts driver’s license to the officer. Both include Professor Gates’s photograph, and the license includes his address.

Professor Gates then asked the police officer if he would give him his name and his badge number. He made this request several times. The officer did not produce any identification nor did he respond to Professor Gates’s request for this information. After an additional request by Professor Gates for the officer’s name and badge number, the officer then turned and left the kitchen of Professor Gates’s home without ever acknowledging who he was or if there were charges against Professor Gates.

As Professor Gates followed the officer to his own front door, he was astonished to see several police officers gathered on his front porch. Professor Gates asked the officer’s colleagues for his name and badge number. As Professor Gates stepped onto his front porch, the officer who had been inside and who had examined his identification, said to him, “Thank you for accommodating my earlier request,” and then placed Professor Gates under arrest. He was handcuffed on his own front porch.

Professor Gates was taken to the Cambridge Police Station where he remained for approximately 4 hours before being released that evening. Professor Gates’s counsel has been cooperating with the Middlesex District Attorneys Office, and the City of Cambridge, and is hopeful that this matter will be resolved promptly. Professor Gates will not be making any other statements concerning this matter at this time.

Henry Louis Gates Jr., Harvard Professor, Arrested At His Cambridge Home

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Hat tip to Baratunde Thurston for the heads up on this story.  Baratunde writes as a post alerting of Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates being arrested at his home in Cambridge, Massachusettes by police investigating a possible break in.

According to Huffington Post, a woman called Cambridge police out to the neighborhood when she reported that someone was trying to pry open the door to Gates’ home.  HuffPo says officers asked Gates to identify himself, and took him away in handcuffs after he refused to do so.

Gates has retained the services fellow Harvard professor Charles Ogletree, to serve as his lawyer.  Not good Cambridge.

Ford Exec Earl Lucas visiting Dallas with 2010 Ford Taurus: 5 Places he should go while in town

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I’ve been asked to serve as an official host* for Ford Executive Earl Lucas, exterior design manager for the 2010 Ford Taurus, when he’s in Dallas this Thursday July 23.

EARL LUCAS

Lucas grew up in Dallas, attending Booker T. Washington Arts Magnet High School that also launched recording artists Erykah Badu and Norah Jones.  This is part of an effort by Ford Executives to hit the road this summer to introduce people around the country to the new 2010 Taurus and its story.

While in town, Lucas will drive the Taurus to various locations around Dallas, some of which will be suggested by Dallas South and the Dallas South Family.  So here are a few places I think Mr. Lucas should visit while in town.  Feel free to add your own suggestions in the comment section.

SOUTH DALLAS CULTURAL CENTER –  3400 S. Fitzhugh Ave. DALLAS

There’s no doubt the Taurus should make it’s way to South Dallas, home of historic Fair Park.  The South Dallas Cultural Center is an Afro-centric venue that provides instruction and enrichment in the performing, literary, media, and visual arts.  Auto design has a component of visuals arts to it.

The center’s activities spotlight works that explore contemporary issues facing the African world community – especially those that strive to educate audiences about the interrelatedness of people of color.  Throughout the summer, the center has held classes in a number of areas -from literacy to dance- to benefit members of the South Dallas community.

SOUTHSIDE ON LAMAR – 1409 S. Lamar, DALLAS

There are a number of reasons to visit Southside on Lamar, but none more compelling than the story of Jan Gore.  Ms. Gore, owner and operator of Texas Caribbean Foods at Southside, has been driving a Ford Taurus for 16 years.  She currently drives a 2001 model and says she hopes that her next vehicle will be a Taurus as well.

At Southside Mr. Lucas could catch lunch at Texas Caribbean Foods, a cup of coffee next door at Opening Bell, and meet some of the interesting folks that live and work in the historic Sears Building.

BISHOP ARTS DISTRICT – Bishop & Davis, DALLAS

The Bishop Arts District is home to over 50 local merchants, restaurants, boutiques, and services.  A visit to Bishop will allow Mr. Lucas to check out local artists in one of the area’s galleries, catch a snack a local eatery, or  pick up souvenirs for his trip home.

EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON’S OFFICE - 3102 Maple Ave, DALLAS, Suite 600

With all the hearings on Capitol Hill regarding the auto industry, it would be good if the folks at Representative Johnson’s office had a chance to see what the future has in store for American cars.

Congresswoman Johnson is a member of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.  The committee has jurisdiction over U.S. roads and the safety thereof.  A first hand look at one of the new vehicles using those roads sounds like a good thing.

University of North Texas at Dallas, 7300 Houston School Road, DALLAS

The University of North Texas Dallas Campus became a stand-alone institution this summer after Gov. Rick Perry signed Senate Bill (SB) 629.  That means Dallas will no longer be the largest city in America without a public institution of higher learning.

Mr. Lucas should drive out to the campus for three reasons.  First, because of the young (and not so young) minds in the academic setting that could benefit from meeting a native Dallasite who has accomplished so much.  Secondly, it’s a beautiful part of Dallas with a great view of downtown.  And finally, after attaining their degrees, these students will be in the market for a new vehicle to drive back and forth to work.

So there are my thoughts.  What does the rest of the family think?

*Dallas South New Media has been retained to share information regarding the local social media scene for this event.

Shawn Williams’ Dallas Morning News Column: Black on Black Gun Violence

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Here’s a gun violence column that I wrote for Dallas Morning News’ Sunday Points section. It’s already available online and Trey Garrison also wrote a column on the same subject which now available as well.

Trey and I often have a running version of Point/Counterpoint going on our blogs, but I figured we would probably see this one about the same way. Thanks to Sharon Grigsby for the opportunity.

SHAWN WILLIAMS: FIRST, ADMIT BLACK ON BLACK CRIME PROBLEM

(I don’t pick the titles but this one isn’t too bad)

Too often, African-Americans cover their ears when the talk turns to black homicide rates. Yet the statistics are beyond alarming: Blacks make up nearly half of this country’s murder victims, and nine out of 10 times those deaths are the result of a black hand squeezing the trigger of a gun.

It’s time that we talk about — and better understand — the factors at the core of the black-on-black violence that exists throughout the nation.

Some groups are doing just that. Projects like CeaseFire in Chicago, where community leaders intervene in conflicts and promote alternative solutions to violence. In the Dallas area, Vision Regeneration focuses on violence prevention, gang intervention and youth rehabilitation.

But the problem is not unique to South Dallas or Chicago’s South Side. Black neighborhoods all across this nation are wrestling with the same reality. The plots presented of life in Los Angeles by John Singleton’s Boyz N the Hood and in the Baltimore of David Simon’s The Wire exist in America’s largest cities and smallest towns.

Places such as Washington D.C., Philadelphia and San Francisco have tried to intervene by instituting various gun laws. But the U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down key parts of a D.C. weapons ordinance are proof that government policy cannot be counted on to solve the problem. Nor should it be. The answer lies elsewhere.

Maybe the book Outliers is the place to start. There, author Malcolm Gladwell revisits the violent feuds of the Appalachian Mountains that resulted in the death of hundreds of men and made the Hatfields and McCoys part of American lore. Sociologists found that a “culture of honor” was at the root of what seemed only to be a series of misunderstandings and property disputes.

Similarly, I would argue that a “culture of disrespect” exists among African-American males — a disrespect for authority, disrespect for women and disrespect for one another.

It’s almost cliche to point toward the music industry and its glorification of violence to illustrate this truth. Disregard and incivility are as much a part of today’s urban music as the T-Pain voice effect. Hip-hop stations support their listeners by offering free gas and school supplies with one hand, while using the other to slap them down with provocative misogynistic lyrics.

Some of our best community advocates work for — or are associated with — these stations. They should be leading the fight to clean up the airwaves.

More than anything, we must teach black boys from birth to respect other black boys and black men. But first these youngsters must learn to value their own lives, which may aid them in decisions they later make in regard to others.

Martin Luther King, Medgar Evers and Malcolm X were murdered because of the difference they would have made if they had continued to live. Today, young black men are killed because their assailants feel that it makes no difference if they die.

Especially because of the absence of men in so many youngsters’ lives, adults must pay careful attention to interactions between boys, starting in preschool. It’s important to teach them early to respect personal space and to be mindful of when to keep their hands to themselves. Yes, boys will be boys, but smacking a friend in the head today could lead to punching him in the mouth a few years later. The next time somebody could pull out a gun.

Also, civil rights organizations, including the NAACP and National Action Network, should strengthen their local organizations to address the violence in the very communities that they are charged with serving. They should show the same contempt for juvenile misconduct as police misconduct.

There have been instances — such as the Dunbar Village public housing rape case in West Palm Beach, Fla., in 2007 — in which civil rights groups have claimed that black-on-black violence is “outside the scope of our mission.” If that is indeed true, it’s high time for an updated mission.

The fight for equal employment opportunities, equal salaries and equal access to education is as important as they have ever been. But none of that matters when a young man is shot and killed on his way to work or school.

To suggest that African-Americans are born with some sort of natural proclivity for violence — as many white supremacist and hate groups claim — is absurd. But as was the case in 1800s Appalachia, we must look carefully below the surface if we are to comprehend the senseless violence that plagues 21st-century black America.

Most of all, we cannot solve the problem if we refuse to acknowledge that there is one.

Martellus Bennett Black Olympics Video: It’s not worth it bro.

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Let me start by saying this: I like fried chicken, I like Kool Aid, I like Watermelon.

Now, when I first heard about Martellus Bennett’s (aka Marty B) Black Olympics video on YouTube, I kind of brushed it aside.  As a fellow Texas A&M alum, I have followed Bennett since he shocked everyone by signing a letter of intent to play Tight End for the Aggies, so I knew he had an interesting sense of humor.

It wasn’t the first time Bennett has been in trouble for his YouTube exploits, and unfortunately, it probably won’t be the last.  So after listening to talk about the video on the radio, I pulled up Marty BTV to take a look at what all the fuss was about.

Chicken eating contest, not too bad.  Kool Aid drinking contest, still watching.  But it was something about watching two grown African-American men have a watermelon eating contest that was just a little too much to handle.

I checked out Jean Jacques Taylor’s column today in regards to Bennett, and I thought it was a little heavy.  Martellus was born March 10, 1985, which was already 30 years removed from the Montgomery Bus Boycott.  To expect him to think of the Civil Rights struggle while making a video on his Mac Notebook is a bit much

What I thought was funny when I was 22 is a lot different than what I think is funny today.  And thank God we didn’t have video cameras to catch all of the ridiculous things we used to do back in the day.  At 22, I was still in College Station kicking it with my frat brothers, being young and dumb.

It looks a little funny though seeing a guy  with a million dollars having a chicken eating contest in the kitchen with his brother.  But poor decisions is a hallmark of youth regardless of how much money you have.

Martellus Bennett likes to have fun, he likes to laugh.  It gets him in trouble with the Cowboys on the field and it’s getting him in trouble off the field.  When you are 22 years old, one of the hardest lessons to learn is the impact that your actions (positive and negative) can have on others.  It’s even harder learning how to pull back when you feel like you are right.

Bennett is having a good time, but he is also hurting his career.  Catching 15 touchdowns next year will help his career more than this YouTube could ever hurt him, but sometimes in sports players need the benefit of the doubt.  That’s what I hope Marty B’s people are telling him.  That if and when he truly makes a mistake, there may not be enough goodwill left with coaches, teammates and fans to get him through it.

For the critics, the line here is very, very thin.  If you come out strong against this video then I hope you don’t own Season 1 & 2 of the Chappell Show.  The standards for what’s racist and what’s funny are often levied arbitrarily.

EXPLICIT (Language) VIDEO

Jokes.com
Lisa Lampanelli: Hot Chocolate
comedians.comedycentral.com
Joke of the Day Stand-Up Comedy Free Online Games

Who can say what when?  Lisa Lampenelli say she can’t believe 82 black guys have a job but Don Imus can’t say….well naw, Don Imus can’t say what he said.  But you get where I’m going.

It’s a slippery slope, and what it comes down to in the end is what’s funny and what’s not.  Borat was funny, Bruno is not.  Because Bruno was not funny then the racist/bigoted humor comes off as…well…racist and bigoted.

I would suspect that Bennett is going to keep doing his thing.  If you take the time to watch a few more of the videos on Marty BTV you see it’s just a few guys literally riffing, tripping, and being corny.  I’m not going to give him a history lesson, but from one Aggie to another I’d say think about whether it’s worth all the trouble before you shoot your next production.

If you want to fly under the radar, change your jersey number in support of Darfur like Tracy McGrady did.  The media could care less about that.

AEG Schools BET: “How to be an Entertainment Company” 101

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BY GENMA HOLMES

After watching the coverage of Michael Jackson, I noticed many similarities and differences between the AEG and BET televised events. Both are companies that are in the business of staging concerts, television productions and are part of larger conglomerates.

BET targets African-American between the ages 18-34 as their marketing base. AEG developed and operates the $150 million official U.S. Olympic Training Facility.

AEG, which was heavily invested in the Michael Jackson upcoming tour, is part of AEG Live. The AEG brand includes managing sport arenas around the world, merchandising, and corporate sponsorship and marketing. BET is part of Viacom which includes VH1, MTV, Nickelodeon, CMT and Comedy Central to name a few.

Anyone in the entertainment industry would recognize the power of three short letters, BET or AEG, which employ thousands. That would include camera operators, sound engineers, set designers, travel agents and key board operators. Both entities have contact to talented artists worldwide and can sermon them at a moment’s notice.

AEG’s commitment to excellence was evident in the production of MJ’s home going ceremony. From the details of the printed program to the orchestrated performances of the stars, their desire to ensure MJ’s messages of empowerment, hope, humanitarian endeavors, and his musical genius were reflected in every facet of the production.

As I have said previously, how a show starts usually determines how it will end. With the opening song “Going to see the King”, you knew the program would have a spiritual connotation despite the fact an entertainment company was in charge. The attention to details was impeccable. His coordinated brothers were his pall bearers who wore his signature glove. It reminded us that MJ started his musical journey with his brothers.

They honored MJ’s independence from the group, by wearing his coveted trademark with loving pride. That symbolic touch was the start of a service that remained elegant from beginning to the end.


BET repeated excuse that it only had a few days to prepare a ‘tribute’ revealed their commitment to mediocrity and throwing things together at the last minute. Their justification for the lack of quality and care gave life to the word “ghetto”.

The artistry of the talent on the stages gave you a glimpse of how the two brands view themselves. AEG understood that the eyes of the world were on them and how it managed this program was an investment in how they will be perceived by everyone. BET was the first to honor MJ’s legacy but did not understand the significance of the world’s penetrating glare.

The program was marketed as a tribute to MJ but they were not able to turn off their usual misogynistic, sexist, and degrading antics of its own people to realize the social responsibility that was expected of them by fans from around the world to honor MJ’s legacy. BET also misjudged its community and the power of the internet, via blogs and Twitter, to do what others have not been able to accomplish for years, shame them for their programming.

There are many actors and actresses in black community but only a few have won Oscars. Both AEG and BET had African-American Oscar Winners, Jamie Fox and Jennifer Hudson, on their stages. Jamie and Jennifer are musical prodigies but Jennifer used her voice to echo MJ’s talent and Jamie used his voice to mock MJ.

Funny stories were shared by many close to MJ at AEG’s event; their stories were heartfelt and respectful. Absence was the buffoonery that Jamie exhibited at BET.

AEG included various artists from Motown, which was part of MJ’s history as well as a strong influence in the black community. BET had access to Motown executives and artists also. They have honored Diana Ross, Barry Gordy, and Quincy Jones in recent years.

I remember Miss Ross admonishing the audience to respect each other with their lyrics and dances. Both companies had athletes on stage. AEG athletes, Kobe and Magic, shared firsthand stories about MJ that made everyone laugh.

BET’s Athlete of the Year, LeBron James, was booed by the audience. No public apology was issued to LeBron James or his legions of fans watching. AEG used their arsenal of contacts for the greater good and used MJ’s music to unite the world.

In contrast, BET does not understand the value of maintaining healthy community and artistic relationships from different genres, musical eras, and backgrounds.



Each song that was performed at the memorial highlighted MJ’s legacy. His songs were the heart of the service. The songs that were not his songs, like Smile, were song because they were meaningful to him and touched MJ in a special way.

The song “Every Girl” included in BET’s show and sung by baby maker, Lil Wayne, seems an odd choice whether you are a fan of MJ or not. It’s hard to believe Lil Wayne cared about a tribute to MJ.

But on the other hand, Usher’s performance was loving and unforgettable. Not only did he move the audience emotionally with his presentation, but you knew his tearful tribute was from the heart.

In fact, when I listened to BET’s replay, the tribute was riddled with profanity, plugs for new releases, concerts appearances, and various BET “products”, i.e. reality shows, that will do more harm than good to its demographics.


There was no stage or casket sponsorship with AEG. But BET’s sponsors were mentioned every few minutes. Jennifer Hudson, who wore a modest white dress, did not leave us questioning her attire. Whereas Beyonce’s white outfit, left many bewildered.

Both women had others on stage with them, but the additional people on the stage with Jennifer were the chorus who gave you a visual that MJ’s songs reflected his admiration of diversity and international inclusion. Beyonce’s extras on stage were part of her costume change that emphasize her “showmanship” not MJ’s words that tells us, “In the promise of another tomorrow, I’ll never let you part for you’re always in my heart”.

AEG even muzzled Joe Jackson and did not prominently showcase him or his coonery. BET gave him a world stage that left us all wondering why in God’s name would anyone give him a mic or MJ’s children.



AEG gave an emphasis to Michael Jackson’s childlike heart in many respects and ended their memorable tribute with children singing his words, with smiles and joyful hearts that radiated from the stage.

The last words spoken regarding the greatest entertainer in the world was an unexpected announcement from his daughter that her “Daddy was the greatest father in the world”. It left critics speechless and moved the rest of the world to tears.


On the other hand, BET’s children who were on stage left me speechless and in tears but for reasons that has been addressed by thousands of angry emails and tweets to Debra Lee.

In the end, AEG showed us it was not about Michael Jackson, but the mark he left on the world. They managed to show that in spite of the years of suspicion, two trials and media debauchery, he made contributions that cannot be argued or denied.

His monetary gifts of 300 million to global agencies have touched thousands of lives but his songs will live “forever, and forever, and forever”. BET showed us that it was all about them, and they shot themselves in the foot.

They drew attention to everything that is wrong with BET’s brand and why it hurts the black community on a wide-reaching stage. The stereotypes of the African- American community, that many fight every day, were front and center.

AEG will make millions from the reproduction of ceremony and the memorabilia copyrights. They invested in MJ’s ceremony and made their name a household brand.

Their stock will increase and they will become known as the entertainment company for quality production events. BET made a few thousands and proved why they are becoming irrelevant in the entertainment community. They will be forever and forever and forever remembered for their failed attempt to honor an African-American musical intellectual that transcended race, religion, and politics.

They did not take the time to view the long term value of honoring MJ right the first time, even on a smaller scale. The lessons AEG showed us by their actions should be a life lesson for everyone not only BET; the value of your brand is reflective of the standards you set.
Photo Credit: MTV, NBC, www.realtalkNY.net

Genma Stringer Holmes is an actress, model, and speaker turned entrepreneur who owns an environmental pest control company.  She blogs at Genma Speaks.

CNN Black in America 2 Preview Clips

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As Michael Jackson news subsides (maybe) I expect the promotion of CNN’s Black in America 2 to kick up a notch.  The surprise ratings winner from 2008 is back for a different view in a nation that has now elected a Black man President.

In commercials featuring Soledad O’Brien, she talks about Black in America spurring “debate” on the last go around.  And it did.  I remember being in Atlanta last year with a group of young African-American men and women who were literally debating the merits of the show.

Some felt it was shallow, rehashing old stories.  Others like myself, were glad to see these issues being discussed in this space with the hope that it may lead to some sort of course correction.

I’m interested in seeing what happens with this latest installment as CNN tries to focus on solutions for Black America and actions that citizens are already taking.  I’ll bring you all of the information that I can leading up to the July 22 and 23 airing.  These are two different previews although they start off very similar.

Link: Capital Prep on CNN Black In America 2

Link: John Rice on CNN Black In America 2

Genma Holmes: A Gentle Giant, Remembering Steve McNair

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Genma Holmes of GenmaSpeaks has agreed to become a regular contributor here, but there will be more on that later.  As for today, I’m posting her thoughts on Steve McNair. As a native of Mississippi and resident of Nashville (like McNair), I think her perspective is important.

Life in Tennessee is different from my upbringing in Mississippi. That statement is not a criticism but to share my viewpoint is often shaped by my simple home training. I fight daily against pop culture’s idolization of individuals to keep myself and my kids grounded.

I refuse to put anyone on a pedestal. People are people and their interactions with others speak louder than any publicist’s press release. Having worked in the PR field, I know this all too well.

My grandfather and my dad showed, by their actions, that fathers are providers and protectors of their families. Uncles from Chicago to Mississippi filled in the gaps along the way. The men in my family, though not always perfect, led by positive example.

In turn, their example helped me to teach my children what was expected of them. One of the lessons I have taught my kids is to never worship anyone, especially stars and athletes.
My kids’ love for their dad comes with much admiration and respect. Both grandfathers are active in their lives and they are surrounded by positive male role models. I seek out community “doers” to help mold them so they may learn firsthand; life is not all about them.

Coach Gilliam has been mentioned every day since they were tots. Something Coach said or did is repeated often. Coach’s influence is everywhere in our household; from my sons’ love of TSU to the Steelers’ memorabilia everywhere.

When my oldest son went off to college, he had a solid curriculum of Coach Gilliam’s lessons taught to him by his dad. When he moved into his first apartment, to our surprise and delight, his neighbor was none other than the legendary Coach Gilliam. The stories of his youth came full circle.

He became a Coach Gilliam story teller and started the second generation of Holmes that was impacted by Coach Gilliam. He is now Coach Holmes in graduate school passing on the stories of a living legend that he loves dearly.

Steve McNair is the only other person who passed my star/athlete litmus test with my family. McNair was considered “kin”, a transplant from Mississippi and an Alcorn (pronounced All-corn) graduate. In my extended family, ASU or JSU were the schools of choice. Only a few of us did not follow the pack. With Alcorn being only few miles from my home, I knew Alcorn like my kids know TSU. My mom, Dr. Stringer, taught at ASU for years. The SWAC was the NFL to me. Several relatives played ASU sports, so I know McNair’s bio like my kids know Joe Gilliam. McNair’s leadership and generosity was well known prior to him stepping into the NFL spotlight. Even after he became a huge star, he remained humble and without pretense.

I saw Steve McNair’s kindness without the filter of PR lenses. He visited Bethlehem Centers (BCN) to encourage the youth and wowed many young boys at his football camps in several states. Corn, my youngest son, attended his camps and was in awe that a NFL pro threw him the ball. Several McNair’s camp participants are now playing college football. Two years ago, McNair funded a summer program for BCN. To show the agency’s appreciation, Joyce Searcy asked me to take framed artwork by the kids to McNair. You would have thought I handed over a Grammy. He was gracious and I remember saying, “Joyce is ‘kin’, she’s from Miss.” Of course, he knew, since Joyce had no problem reminding McNair about their shared Mississippi connections.

When I became Founder/Chair of Minorities in Pest Management (MPM), I traveled often to raise money to award scholarships to get students involved in the lucrative but elusive pest control industry. My desire to help HBCUs’ students was usually met with opposition from the administrators of the schools and industry insiders. I mentioned my frustration to a friend who shared the info with McNair. Through his contacts, ASU got involved and several former ASU graduate students are now working in a field that usually overlooks minorities. MPM members requested him as a speaker year after year; not because he was a celebrity but because he showed an interest in MPM when industry folks thought we were crazy. McNair opened doors without asking for any recognition.

That was typical and classic McNair; his love for people was evident. When Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, the focus was New Orleans. But McNair reminded the world that Mississippi was devastated as well. He used his money to help fill twenty tractor trailers for family, friends, and communities in the Magnolia State.

The Wolcotts, friends with hearts that matched McNair’s, sent out pleas on his behalf for help and volunteers responded in droves. From sunup to sundown, they stacked, sorted, and loaded trailers to send down I-55. I called home and told folks McNair’s Calvary was on its way. Within 48 hours, trailers brimming with much needed supplies were in Mississippi. When the USA Army could not get through, McNair’s generosity found a way.

The loss of McNair is overwhelming on so many levels. His life touched many lives every day. He was a bear with such an enormous heart. “Country strong,” my dad would say. McNair was flawed like all of us and his death was tragic, but his love for others will shine brightly. I could not allow this week to go by without expressing my thoughts about the gentle giant. God Bless you Mechelle and the kids. You are in my prayers.

Great Blogging While Brown Recap Video

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Here’s a cool video which was recently posted on the Blogging While Brown website that recaps some of the presentations and panels that took place.  I’m not just promoting it because I have a cameo at the beginning, there’s some good info here.  Hopefully this will inspire some folks to attend next year who weren’t able to make it to Chicago.