See Why Kamala Harris Urges African Americans to Support Sotomayor

Please read why Kamala Harris urges Blacks to support Sotomayor via the Huffington Post http://htxt.it/6PCy

Thanks.

Kevin L. Nichols

CHBA FREE Landlord Tenant Law Clinic

The Charles Houston Bar Association

&

Alameda County Bar Association/Volunteer Legal Service Corp

Host

FREE

LANDLORD TENANT LAW CLINIC

RESCHEDULED

Oakland Public Library Main Branch

125 14th Street, Oakland, CA 94612

Saturday, May 30, 2009

10:30-12:30 p.m.

Volunteer attorneys will be on hand to answer your questions relating to landlord tenant legal issues, including tenants’ rights in foreclosures

Space is limited so please come early to sign up.

For further information please contact Sharron Gelobter at (510) 288-8686.

Please be advised that the Charles Houston Bar Association and ACBA/VLSC are not liable for advice received at this session. The session is for a limited period and referrals for further counseling will be available.

Juneteenth Victory Awards Gala - June 18, 2009

Using social networking to find a job

By Kevin L. Nichols

Often times, when people hear the term “social networking” or the names of such Web sites like MySpace, Facebook or Twitter, various stereotypes and propaganda begin to regurgitate in their minds of all the horror stories that they have heard or read about in the news, from the media, from family/friends and other places.

In some circles, these sites have been equated to the devil reincarnated. However, in others, they are quintessential and indispensable tools used to weather our present global economic crisis.

Imagine that the nation’s unemployment rate is nearly the highest that it has ever been, California’s is even worst and that thousands of resumes are being sent to numerous employers for a handful of positions available. Keep in mind that in this pool of applicants, many of them have been laid off for several months and some with executive-level experience are looking to just put food on their tables. How does one distinguish him/herself from these applicants, especially given the fact that they most likely have the equivalent level or greater experience than he/she does? At least for now, gone are the days where what you knew got you where you needed to go. Now, it’s who you know that opens doors — thus, social networking comes into play.

I define social networking merely as facilitating the opportunity to connect with others on a multitude of levels, including intellectual, political, spiritual, social, environmental or economic levels. Meeting people and obtaining their contact information is only the first step in building a rapport with your contacts that may eventually lead to a business opportunity or job. Utilizing social networking sites can greatly increase your ability to get to know your contacts in various arenas without having to actually physically work beside them or even work directly with them at all.

Although there are different demographics that I use different sites for — MySpace for public relations development, Facebook for friends and family — for the purposes of this article, I will limit the discussion to LinkedIn, www.linkedin.com, which I encourage everyone to join. I have been using LinkedIn since at least 2006 and with it have had the most success at generating business leads and networking for career opportunities.

Essentially, LinkedIn shows that there really is about six degrees of separation from you and everyone else in the world. Millions of people add “connections” or contacts/colleagues from either school, current/previous employments or people who they have met in some other professional capacity. Members post an online resume of what school(s) they attended, where they work(ed) and what they do/did. People with whom you have worked or done business also can recommend you on your work for others to see. This is very useful if you have had the pleasure of working with/for extraordinary individuals with a lot of contacts and a great reputation. The most unique and advantageous part of this site is its ability to see other people’s connections that are either two or three degrees away from you. Here is how this works in the context of trying to find a job:

Five steps in using social networking to find a job

1. Create a LinkedIn profile at www.linkedin.com and add your contacts to your network.
2. Request recommendations from people you have worked for/with that you are certain will speak highly of you.
3. Find a job opening — visit www.indeed.com (which pulls from most of the job posting Web sites), www.craigslist.org or any other job posting website.
4. Once you have identified the appropriate opportunity for which you are qualified, type the company’s name in the “Search” field in LinkedIn to see who you know that either currently works or previously worked at that company to create an inroad or facilitate an introduction for you to the hiring manager for that position.
5. Request an introduction. Say that your friend Tim knows Jay, the communications director at XYZ, and you are applying for the communications manager opening at XYZ that reports to the director. Ask Tim to introduce you to Jay, and in your introduction, ask Jay if he is available to meet over coffee one day.

There is no foolproof way to get a job these days, but using your network to build relationships with people who you would not normally get the opportunity to meet is pretty exciting. These opportunities are increasing exponentially and it takes someone with enough drive, initiative and sometimes creativity to make the right connection that can one day change your life. Do not let what you have heard about social networking derail you from the possibility to make your professional aspirations become reality.

Kevin L. Nichols is an author and the president/CEO of KLN Publishing, located in San Francisco. For more information, visit http://klnpublishingllc.blogspot.com.


Copyright © 2009 The Globe Newspaper Group, LLC - All Rights Reserved...

Metropolitan Junior Baseball League

For Immediate Release Contact: Chandra Lipford

April 29, 2009 Phone: (804) 264-6172

E-mail: mjbl@comcast.net

Website: www.mjbl.org

MJBL OFFERS NASSAU TRIP TO HELP TEAMS ATTEND THE CLASSIC

RICHMOND, VA – The Metropolitan Junior Baseball League (MJBL), a 43 year old 501 (c)3 non-profit organization, offers a national youth baseball league that is focused on bringing baseball back to the African-American community. MJBL is presently located in 17 states, the Bahamas and Puerto Rico. MJBL has launched a raffle for all members to raise funds to help their state representative attend the Inner City Classic on August 5-9 in Greensboro, NC. Raffle tickets are only $5.00 and the top prize is a 3 day/2 night trip to Nassau, Bahamas with airfare and hotel included. Fred Plump, commissioner of MJBL-Alabama and president of the Piper Davis League said, “I don’t think I have ever seen our kids so excited and work so hard on the ball field and in the classroom. They are all pumped up about possibly being selected to the All Star team. I hope that everyone in the community will support our raffle so we can raise the necessary funds to go to Greensboro.”

Other prizes include a 42” plasma TV, two tickets to a NASCAR race in Charlotte, NC, $50 Walmart gift card and other prizes will be named later. The drawing will take place during the Classic’s Black World Series championship game at Barber Park. Plump indicated that MJBL is finalizing the details to have a live broadcast of the game via the internet so that everyone will have the opportunity to see the game and the winning tickets when they are drawn.

The organization is also planning two upcoming events to raise awareness of the organization and raise money to fund baseball and educational programs for the youth. MJBL will host the Mookie Wilson Baseball Clinic in Harlem, NY on May 16^th, as well as the Charley Taylor Golf Tournament at Andrews Air Force Base Golf Course on August 20^th. Ken Free, MJBL chairman of the board of directors and former Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) commissioner said, “The organization and unity of the events for the MJBL 2009 season reminds me of the management style that was displayed when I served the MEAC and served on the NCAA Div. I Men's Basketball Committee. This will undoubtedly be one of the best youth championship sports events offered this year.”