Monday, September 18, 2017
Two-time Grammy nominee Andra Day covers iconic song to join Google in support of the Equal Justice Initiative's "Lynching in America" initiative.NEW YORK, September 15, 2017 - Andra Day, the award-winning singer, songwriter, and philanthropist, released today a recording and music video for Strange Fruit, the historic song originally recorded by Billie Holiday in 1939. The recording is available on the Lynching in America site (lynchinginamerica.eji.org/strange-fruit) and Andra Day's YouTube channel. Andra will also be performing Strange Fruit as part of her set at the Global Citizens Festival in NYC on September 23rd. The goal of Lynching in America, which brings EJI's multi-year investigation into more than 4,000 reported racial terror lynchings that took place in the United States during the period between Reconstruction and World War II to life, is to spark a national conversation about the connection between America's painful history of racial violence and the forms of injustice that exist today, including racially-biased capital punishment, excessive sentencing, disproportionate sentencing of racial minorities, and police abuse of people of color.As part of Google's focus on Inclusion, the company has given more than $2MM in grants to the Equal Justice Initiative. In addition, Google volunteers have been working with the organization to digitize the Lynching in America research and ensure that as many people as possible have access to the information and content. The Equal Justice Initiative firmly believes that until we face the truth of our past, we cannot heal the deep wounds of our present.Bryan Stevenson, the Founder and Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative says, "In this collaboration between Andra Day, EJI, and Google, we use music to express a painful and difficult truth about our nation's history of racial inequality. Inspired music has the power to expose and confront injustice differently than research, data and words alone. It can heal and uplift us, it's critical for human rights. Justice work needs a soundtrack that inspires the struggle, it's energizing that talented artists like Andra rise to the challenge."Andra Day says, "Billie Holiday is one of the greatest inspirations for what I do now. She used her music as her platform and her voice to speak for people who were not able to speak for themselves. I am equally inspired by the work of Bryan Stevenson and EJI and I hope this song ignites new conversations about the connection between our past and present." In the same spirit of music as activism, Andra also performed Stand Up For Something, the title track off of the upcoming film, Marshall, about Thurgood Marshall, the first African American United States Supreme Court Justice.Andra Day first premiered her cover of Strange Fruit with a live performance on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah on August 23rd (link to performance). The performance was preceded by a segment with Bryan Stevenson and Andra Day about the ideology of white supremacy and the timeliness of initiatives like Lynching in America (link to clip).ABOUT THE EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVEEqual Justice Initiative (http://www.eji.org/) is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that provides legal representation to indigent defendants and prisoners who have been denied fair and just treatment in the legal system. Headquartered in Montgomery, Alabama, Equal Justice Initiative litigates on behalf of condemned prisoners, juvenile offenders, people wrongly convicted or charged with violent crimes, poor people denied effective representation, and others whose trials are marked by racial bias or prosecutorial misconduct. The organization works with communities that have been marginalized by poverty and discouraged by unequal treatment, and also prepares reports, newsletters, and manuals to assist advocates and policymakers in the critically important work of reforming the administration of criminal justiceABOUT GOOGLE'S RACIAL JUSTICE WORKAs an information company, Google believes in the power of knowledge and information to bridge gaps in understanding and foster inclusion. Recently, Googlers have spearheaded projects like the digitization of African American history with the NMAAHC. The Equal Justice initiative is a cornerstone grantee in Google.org's $20MM Inclusion portfolio, an investment in innovators who are using data and technology to advance justice for all. For the past year, volunteers from Google have also been working closely with EJI to digitize the data and tell the stories of this lesser-known period in history. As a proud sponsor of the Global Citizen Festival, Google is excited to work with Andra Day and EJI to bring this message to a broader audienceThursday, September 14, 2017
(SANTA MONICA, CA) - September 14, 2017 - Andrew "King Bach"Bachelor (Meet the Blacks) stars in the enlightened comedy, Where's the Money, arriving in select theaters on October 20and on Digital HD, DVD, and On Demand October 24 from Lionsgate. Bachelor stars as a scrappy young man from South Central Los Angeles who plots to become the first black member of an all-white college fraternity in order to recover a stash of stolen money hidden in the flophouse-turned-frat house before his crazy, gun-wielding uncle gets there first. He is joined by a star-studded cast, including Kat Graham ("The Vampire Diaries," All Eyez on Me), YouTube sensation Logan Paul (The Thinning, The Space Between Us), Allen Maldonado (Straight Outta Compton, "Black-ish"), Josh Brener ("Silicon Valley,"The Internship), Devon Werkheiser(Sundown, Bad Sister), and Method Man (Keanu, Trainwreck), with Retta ("Parks and Recreation," Fracture), with Mike Epps (Girls Trip, Meet the Blacks), and Terry Crews ("Brooklyn Nine-Nine," The Expendables 3) in a laugh-out-loud comedy that proves the only color that matters is green!In this outrageously fresh comedy, Del (Bachelor), a quick-witted young man from the streets of South Central Los Angeles, learns that his still-in-prison father (Epps) and just-out-of-jail uncle (Crews) stole a million dollars and stashed it in the basement of an old flophouse. There's just one problem: A major university is encroaching on the 'hood and that old flophouse is a newly gentrified (all-white) fraternity house. Now, with the help of his dream woman (Graham) and best friend (Maldonado), Del must rush the frat, ingratiate himself with the fraternity brothers (Paul and Brener), and grab the cash before his crazy, gun-wielding uncle (Crews) or a local gangster (Method Man) get there first.The Where's the Money home entertainment release includes video commentary by actors Andrew Bachelor, Josh Brener, and Devon Werkheiser and director Scott Zabielski; a making-of featurette; a bloopers reel; and deleted scenes. The Where's the Money DVD will be available for the suggested retail price of $19.98.Click below to watch the trailer
Wednesday, September 13, 2017
It won't be easy going after your dream.
One of the biggest mistakes we make when we pursue our dreams is forgetting that it is a dream and not reality..YET. Your dream will come true...but the process is not the same as the dream. Hold steady. Keep Going. Be Encouraged. Be Empowered.Monday, September 11, 2017
Coming of Age on September 11, 2001
I remember it like it was yesterday, but not for the reasons you may think.My family and I were staying with a family friend who lived in an immensely remodeled house on the west side of St. Louis. My room was in the attic, but I also used to sleep in a room on the third floor. It was a Tuesday and I had to go to class that day. I was in my freshman year of college at Harris-Stowe State University.I had just moved to Saint Louis in July of that year after a tumultuous graduation that ended in me being put out. I didn’t want to live in St. Louis and I was still in culture shock. I was a native of New Jersey and didn’t fit in with the culture in St. Louis. St. Louis was country and city at the same time. People prided themselves on speaking to one another and being courteous, yet you heard about murders and violence on a daily basis. It was too complex for me to get the hang of quickly.Before I left New Jersey, I was staying with my best friend Brandi. She ended up going to college right outside of New York City. We talked on the phone nearly everyday and I don’t know how I would’ve adjusted to my new life without her friendship. Life was pretty tough for me at that moment. I didn’t know what to expect, where I was headed, or what I was going to do. Essentially, my whole world had been pulled from under me.I was only 18 years old and I was basically starting my life over. My goal was to make St. Louis a temporary stop and get back east as quickly as possible. I had a dominant East Coast attitude and I felt the rest of America was slower and inferior.On Septemeber 11, 2001, I woke up and headed to the kitchen. I turned on The Today Show and immediately couldn’t believe what was before my eyes. A building was burning in New York City. A plane crashed into the Word Trade Center. What a disaster! I thought. All those poor people on the plane. I had only flew once and up until that point I had a fear of flying. Moments later, another plane crashed into the second tower and the tone of the day changed. This was not a plane crash, this was a terror attack!It felt like this was the beginning of something terrible. It felt like things were only going to get worse. I went to school that day and they let us out early. The entire country was in disarray and no one knew what was in store for us. As I sat on the campus, I remember looking up at the sky and not seeing anything. For the first time, the air traffic had been grounded and the skies were quiet.I got home and I called and called my best friend over and over again. What if she decided to go the World Trade Center that day? What if she had just decided to walk around in the area? I called and called and I couldn't get through. All the phone lines were tied up. I called her mother in New Jersey and I couldn't get through. The lines there were also tied up. I finally got through to her mother days later. She told me her story of how she was evacuated from her job in Philadelphia because everyone was unsure of where the next attack would be. All was well with the people who were close to me, but it wasn't so for so many others.
For me September 11th, was the latest in a string of traumatic experiences in the year 2001. It started when George W. Bush became president in January. I graduated from high school in June of that year and was homeless three days later. I ended up in St. Louis in July and quickly learned that the world was bigger and stranger than what I had anticipated. In August, Aaliyah died in a plane crash and while she may have been just a star to some, she was a superstar to me. September 11th happened at a time when I was lost, finding myself, and coming of age. It was a quick and dirty reality check that adulthood was going to be full of life changing and sometimes horrible events.
LAILA ALI JOINS OWN'S DAYTIME EMMY-WINNING 'HOME MADE SIMPLE' AS HOST OF SEASON SEVENPhoto caption: Laila Ali, host of "Home Made Simple"Los Angeles, CA - OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network and Procter & Gamble announced today that Laila Ali, undefeated four-time boxing world champion, cookbook author, lifestyle brand creator, inspirational speaker and youngest daughter of Muhammad Ali, will join Daytime Emmy award-winning DIY series "Home Made Simple" as the new host for season seven."Home Made Simple," which recently earned its fourth consecutive Daytime Emmy nomination asOutstanding Lifestyle Program, will return with an all-new hour-long format onSaturday, November 4 at 9 a.m. ET/PT. Home Made Simple's easy-to-follow DIY projects, delicious recipes and dramatic home makeovers are featured on P&G's popular website www.homemadesimple.com. "I am thrilled to join the OWN family as the new host of 'Home Made Simple,'" said Laila Ali. "Being able to merge my passion for cooking with my longtime love of interior design and the desire I have to help families, all on a network created by Oprah Winfrey, a woman I have always admired, is truly an honor."Please click here for a sneak peek of the new season of "Home Made Simple" (with embed code): WatchOWN.tv/HomeMadeSimpleSeason7 Creating homes that deserving families love to live in is at the core of "Home Made Simple." The show pairs inspiring families, a team of professional designers, carpenters and special guest artists, who work together with the families to create simple solutions to everyday home challenges and design dilemmas. Host Laila Ali will be working alongside families as they transform their living, work and play spaces, revealing the compelling and inspiring stories of the families behind the makeovers. Laila, who describes herself as a "home cook," will also teach the families delicious, easy recipes from her upcoming cookbook "Food For Life," which will be published in January 2018.About Laila AliLaila Ali is a self-made woman who, over the course of her life, has evolved from professional manicurist at age 15, to nail salon owner at 18, to undefeated pro boxer and sports hall of famer to television host/personality to actress to author and inspirational speaker. She hosted "All in with Laila Ali," "Everyday Health," "Late Night Chef Fight" and "American Gladiators," is a regular contributor on "We Need to Talk" and has appeared on scripted series "Real Husbands of Hollywood," "Strong Medicine," "The Parkers" and "One on One," as well as nearly every talk show on American television. She is a two-time winner of the celebrity version of "Chopped" and was a finalist on "Dancing With the Stars." She has partnered with T.J. Maxx to launch The MaxxYou Project, an ongoing initiative designed to inspire and enable women to let their individuality shine. Her weekly podcast series, "Laila Ali Lifestyle," is one of the leading shows downloaded on digital platforms worldwide. She authored the memoir Reach!: Finding Strength, Spirit, and Personal Power, and her new book, Food for Life: Delicious & Healthy Comfort Food From My Table to Yours! is slated for release in early 2018.About "Home Made Simple":"Home Made Simple" is based on the style principles featured on Procter & Gamble¹s popular website,http://www.homemadesimple.com/. The Emmy-winning television series features fresh design ideas, delicious recipes, money and space saving solutions for deserving homeowners. "Home Made Simple" empowers viewers to take on simple do it yourself household projects with confidence. Viewers can go online to www.HomeMadeSimpleTV.com to learn more about the series, steps to execute projects, and valuable tips and tricks for home improvement. At Home Made Simple, it's the personal touch that matters most. Whether it's an inspiring décor idea or a refreshing approach to organizing, everything at Home Made Simple is designed to empower and inspire you to make your home even better and live your life a little easier."Home Made Simple" is produced by Green Harbor Productions. Executive producers are Michael Williams, Rob Eric, Rob Mancini and Gerrit Folsom.Follow OWN on Twitter @OWNTV, follow Home Made Simple on Twitter @HomeMadeSimpleand join the conversation using #HomeMadeSimple.About Procter & Gamble:P&G serves consumers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and information about P&G and its brands.About OWN: Oprah Winfrey NetworkOWN: Oprah Winfrey Network is the first and only network named for, and inspired by, a single iconic leader. Oprah Winfrey's heart and creative instincts inform the brand and the magnetism of the channel. OWN is a leading destination for premium scripted and unscripted programming from today's most innovative storytellers. OWN connects with its audience wherever they are, inspiring conversation among a global community of like-minded viewers on social media and beyond. Launched on January 1, 2011, OWN is a joint venture between Harpo, Inc. and Discovery Communications. The venture also includes the award-winning digital platform Oprah.com. Access OWN anytime, anywhere on WatchOWN.tv or across mobile devices and connected TVs. For more information, please visit www.oprah.com/own and https://press.discovery.com/us/ own/
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
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