BY: LANDE YOOSUF
To African American South Carolina voters: good turnout for last weekend. News reports state that half of the voters for the Democratic Primary race in the state were black, and one out of four black voters gave their vote to Obama. The strong presence of the African American community contributed to Obama receiving 55 percent of the vote. More proof that there’s power in numbers!
After repeatedly coming in third place for the democratic nomination, John Edwards bowed out of the race for America’s next president. Now that Obama and Clinton are the last two contenders left on the democratic side, it is not certain which candidate will receive Edwards’ votes. Several states will reveal the answer to this mystery on Super Tuesday, February 5th. Make sure to check if your state is holding their primary on that date!
In related news, John McCain seems like the clear front runner for the Republican party, and has received quite a few endorsements, his most recent from California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
****************************************************************************************************************
Ms. Beyonce Knowles is adding another item to her list of career achievements. She is slated to depict Etta James in a new film entitled Cadillac Records. The movie takes place in Chicago during the 1950s, and will chronicle the stages of a once booming record label known as Chess Records. Etta James was one among many signed artists on the label.
Speaking of singers taking on acting roles, Jennifer Hudson will be the lead character in Tyler Perry’s new film. Sanaa Lathan is a member of the supporting cast, which is allegedly stirring up an outrage within Black Hollywood. Veteran African American actresses are not pleased that Jennifer Hudson’s limited experience is being ignored and other eligible performers are not considered. These ladies do have a valid point; Jennifer may be snatching the spotlight. But it’s also a hypocritical claim because someone was overlooked in the past to launch the careers of today’s talent. It’s unfortunate, but that is how the game of Hollywood is played.
****************************************************************************************************************
Women have expressed their frustration in the media’s depiction of women of color, but not every powerful media figure contributes to the doom destined for the future generation. Valiesha Butterfield, the Executive Director of Russell Simmons’ Hip-Hop Summit Action Network (HSAN), took on the challenging task of showcasing progressive females in the entertainment industry. After nurturing her executive abilities at HSAN, she developed her own group known as Women in Entertainment Empowerment Network, or (WEEN). Anyone can join this group in support of its mission, which is to enlighten and inspire young, impressionable minds through the many resources in the entertainment industry. This is a broad concept, but that is what makes it so effective because they can tackle any issue at any angle. WEEN has a lot planned for 2008, so please look out for information by logging on to www.weenonline.org.
To African American South Carolina voters: good turnout for last weekend. News reports state that half of the voters for the Democratic Primary race in the state were black, and one out of four black voters gave their vote to Obama. The strong presence of the African American community contributed to Obama receiving 55 percent of the vote. More proof that there’s power in numbers!After repeatedly coming in third place for the democratic nomination, John Edwards bowed out of the race for America’s next president. Now that Obama and Clinton are the last two contenders left on the democratic side, it is not certain which candidate will receive Edwards’ votes. Several states will reveal the answer to this mystery on Super Tuesday, February 5th. Make sure to check if your state is holding their primary on that date!
In related news, John McCain seems like the clear front runner for the Republican party, and has received quite a few endorsements, his most recent from California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
****************************************************************************************************************
Ms. Beyonce Knowles is adding another item to her list of career achievements. She is slated to depict Etta James in a new film entitled Cadillac Records. The movie takes place in Chicago during the 1950s, and will chronicle the stages of a once booming record label known as Chess Records. Etta James was one among many signed artists on the label.
Speaking of singers taking on acting roles, Jennifer Hudson will be the lead character in Tyler Perry’s new film. Sanaa Lathan is a member of the supporting cast, which is allegedly stirring up an outrage within Black Hollywood. Veteran African American actresses are not pleased that Jennifer Hudson’s limited experience is being ignored and other eligible performers are not considered. These ladies do have a valid point; Jennifer may be snatching the spotlight. But it’s also a hypocritical claim because someone was overlooked in the past to launch the careers of today’s talent. It’s unfortunate, but that is how the game of Hollywood is played.
****************************************************************************************************************
Women have expressed their frustration in the media’s depiction of women of color, but not every powerful media figure contributes to the doom destined for the future generation. Valiesha Butterfield, the Executive Director of Russell Simmons’ Hip-Hop Summit Action Network (HSAN), took on the challenging task of showcasing progressive females in the entertainment industry. After nurturing her executive abilities at HSAN, she developed her own group known as Women in Entertainment Empowerment Network, or (WEEN). Anyone can join this group in support of its mission, which is to enlighten and inspire young, impressionable minds through the many resources in the entertainment industry. This is a broad concept, but that is what makes it so effective because they can tackle any issue at any angle. WEEN has a lot planned for 2008, so please look out for information by logging on to www.weenonline.org.
