East Bay Legal Clinic to Provide Legal Support to Bay Area Small Business Owners

March 8, 2012   Contact: Suman Murthy, 415-543-9444 x218, smurthy@lccr.com   East Bay Legal Clinic to Provide Free Legal Support to Bay Area Small Business Owners   OAKLAND, CA – Legal Services for Entrepreneurs (LSE), an economic justice program of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area, announces the launch of our East Bay clinic, bringing free legal services directly to low income entrepreneurs and small business owners to inspire the creation and expansion of businesses in underserved communities.   Today, in partnership with the East Bay Community Law Center (EBCLC), the Lawyers’ Committee opens the clinic with a free legal workshop, " Starting a Business 101," at the Mandela Gateway Community Room,1350 7th St., across the street from the West Oakland Bart station. “Small businesses are integral to the financial health of the Bay Area.  Our program exists to serve disadvantaged communities and improve opportunities for women and minorities to establish businesses.  We are delighted to partner with our colleagues at EBCLC to reduce the barriers to entry and expansion faced by local entrepreneurs,” said Kimberly Thomas Rapp, Executive Director of the Lawyers’ Committee.   Following the inaugural workshop, free legal advice will be available to qualifying entrepreneurs through clinic sessions staffed by pro bono attorneys from the Bay Area’s top law firms.  Sessions are scheduled March 19 and 26 at EBCLC’s offices at 2921 Adeline St. in Berkeley. Additionally, businesses with more complex legal needs may be eligible for further free legal advice on intellectual property, employment law, and other issues through LSE’s attorney matching program.   “Small business owners and entrepreneurs often face legal issues that can be challenging to navigate alone.  Our expansion into the East Bay will bring access to free legal advice directly to merchants and small businesses in the area,” stated Risha Jamison, Lawyers’ Committee Senior Attorney and Director of the LSE program.   Access to technical assistance programs, such as Legal Services for Entrepreneurs and the East Bay clinic, can be crucial to ensure the success and survival of a business. The U.S. Small Business Administration has found that only 44% of companies remain in business after four years. In contrast, the National Business Incubators Association has concluded that businesses with access to appropriate technical assistance programs had an 87% success rate after 10 years. About the Lawyers' Committee and Legal Services for Entrepreneurs: For more than 40 years, the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area has worked to advance, protect and promote the legal rights of communities of color, immigrants and refugees -- with a specific focus on low-income communities and a long-standing commitment to African Americans. Lawyers' Committee staff, working with hundreds of pro bono attorneys, provides free legal assistance and representation to individuals on civil legal matters through direct services, impact litigation and policy advocacy. In 2011, Lawyers’ Committee mobilized over 1,000pro bono attorneys who contributed more than 48,000 hours of free legal assistance, services valued at over $19 million. For more information, visit www.lccr.com.   Founded in 1997, Legal Services for Entrepreneurs (LSE) provides free business legal services to low-income individuals who want to start or develop for-profit businesses, and for-profit businesses committed to community economic development. To date, LSE has assisted more than 2,000 clients. The East Bay Clinic marks the continued expansion of LSE into Bay Area communities, along with clinics in San Francisco’s Fillmore, Chinatown and Mission neighborhoods.  For more information contact us at lse@lccr.com.    About the East Bay Community Law Center and Green-Collar Community Clinic: Since 1988, the East Bay Community Law Center has provided legal services and clinical training to promote justice and build a community that is more healthy, secure, productive and hopeful.  EBCLC uses a two-prong approach: 1) providing direct legal services and policy advocacy that are responsive to low-income community needs, focused in the areas of housing, health, immigration, , welfare, community reentry, consumer, homeless rights, economic justice and youth law; and 2) offering meaningful, hands-on clinical training for law students to equip future lawyers with the skills, tools, and principles to serve the needs of the community and to help create innovative solutions to the root causes of poverty.    In 2011, EBCLC launched the Green-Collar Communities Clinic (GC3) as the latest effort in over 15 years of community economic development work that includes the development of the People’s Federal Credit Union in west Oakland, litigation to increase affordable housing in Oakland’s Chinatown, and non-profit incubation services throughout Alameda County. GC3, under the leadership of Skadden Fellow, Sushil Jacob, offers free, comprehensive professional assistance to low-income workers and entrepreneurs of color to incubate cooperative and environmentally-sustainable small businesses.

131 Steuart St. Suite 400 | San Francisco, CA 94105 US

Carpe Diem – Seizing the Moment with the Riposte of Karyn White

 

By: Kevin L. Nichols

Songbird, Karyn White, will descend on The Rrazz Room March 1-3, 2012.  Most know her as a platinum selling artist with ballads such as Superwoman and Love Saw It, featuring Kenny “BabyFace” Edmonds.  Many know her by her high powered marriage with her now ex-husband, songwriter and producer, Terry Lewis.  However, the majority of us do not know where she has been and what she has been up to since her last CD (Make Him Do Right – Warner Brothers) in 1994…that is until now.

I recently had the privilege of interviewing Ms. White as she prepares for her return to the spotlight and shares her beautiful voice with the Bay Area.  Since 1994, Ms. White has focused her attention on her family, raising her daughter, who is now a freshman at Howard University, and her adopted son.  The life of a traveling musician would not have been conducive to her family life, so she chose to invest in it this way, by being home.  She has lived in Blackhawk, Sacramento – where she did some interior design work, and Los Angeles. 

Upon her return to the industry, Karyn has faced challenges because of her long hiatus.  I asked her what advice could she give to stay-at-home mothers who have chosen to leave their high powered careers to raise their children and she had this to say, “Carpe Diem (the title of her new album), seizing the moment…I believe in following the spiritual voice of God…There’s a season for everything…” and ultimately if you are getting slack from companies saying that “you have been gone to long,” you have to do it yourself.

Since the metamorphoses of the record industry, which involved traditional sales of LPs, CDs, hundreds of thousand dollar videos, etc., Karyn loves the influx of new media and social media.  She says, “Warner Brothers spent millions for people to know Karyn White, but now Karyn White can own herself…I don’t need a label…I love that I can take control of my own career…my destiny through God.”  Her fans are right there, they provide input on album covers, what songs she should sing during shows, and are even working to get her a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 

I asked her about the passing of Whitney Houston and her influence in her life and career.  She said, “Whitney was the bar!” “She was the package!” While reminiscing, she recalled that they were both pregnant during the same time and Bobbi Christina and her daughter Angela are about the same age.

Karyn White will be accompanied by her live band, which will feature musicians who have performed with Prince, Sheila E., Lionel Richie, and Jennifer Hudson.  Her voice is richer, stronger, and better.  Karyn said that her new album is retro, kind of like how Raphael Saadiq does it, “the way he does it… is brilliant.  He is today, yesterday, he’s the future…(regarding her album) it’s just soul!”

For ticket information, please visit http://bit.ly/xT3DTr and check out her latest single Soul Sista http://bit.ly/wBGwCD

Connect with her  | www.facebook.com/KarynWhiteMusic  | http://www.twitter.com/karyns_world | www.youtube.com/karynwhiteofficial

Kevin L. Nichols is the President & CEO of KLN Publishing, LLC

He is also a social media consultant based out of San Francisco. 

For more information, please visit www.klnconsultinggroup.com

Copyright 2012   KLN Publishing, LLC   All rights reserved.

Instead of the Snow, How About the Sun this Winter?

By: Kevin L. Nichols

When Bay Area residents think of winter time, we often think of going to the snow.  However, this year, we are experiencing a drought with little rain and very little snow in the Sierra.  Although the ski-resorts have snow making machines, it is difficult to produce enough to make it worth skiers’ while by making an extended stay vacation out of making the trek up there.  If going to the snow is not practical this season, where else can families go to have some fun and get away?  How about taking a trip to the San Diego area to visit LEGOLAND ^® USA and stay at the Grand Pacific Palisades Resort nearby? 

 Recently, LEGOLAND ^® opened its new Star Wars ^®  exhibit, which features 7 scenes from the epic Star Wars ^®  movie series.  The first scene is the Battle of Naboo in Episode I.  The second is the Geonosis arena, in which Padmé Amidala, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker fight the clones in Episode II, Attach of the Clones.  Next is Episode III, the Clone Wars, featuring the battles that occurred on two planets Kashyyyk and Mustafar.  Then, Episode IV, the original Star Wars, ^® on Tatooine where Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, C-3PO and R2-D2 can be spotted in this desert planet.  The Empire Strikes Back in Episode V, where the fierce battle takes place on icy Hoth.  But the Jedi Returns in Episode VI, where the Battle of Endor takes place.  The final scene is from the animated series The Clone Wars on the planet Christophsis.  Everything from sound to the selection and careful crafting of the 2,000 Lego models was developed in concert with Lucas film, Ltd.

The Grand Pacific Palisades Resort is a gorgeous and immaculate destination with 5 star amenities.  It has a majestic approach and the staff is welcoming and courteous.  Nestled on a hill adjacent to LEGOLAND ^®, the Grand Pacific offers free shuttle service to and from the theme park. 

The Grand Pacific literally is like a home away from home.  Not only is it a hotel, but the resort portion offers timeshare condominiums where families can have a living room, dinning room, full kitchens with refrigerators (and freezers), dish washers, cups, glasses, plates, cooking and eating utensils, and complimentary high quality coffee, popcorn, and other snacks.  They also have tons of closet space, including an iron, ironing board, and mini-push vacuum cleaners to pick up lint and other unwanted dirt or sand that may find its way on the ground. 

 
The condominiums also have separate quarters for the master bedroom and a massive bathroom with two entry points so that occupants can access both via the master and living room.  Moreover, the bathroom has both a full glass shower and bathtub and a enormous counter for storing toiletry items.  If someone is using the bathroom, there is a separate counter in the master bedroom for washing hands. 

There are separate televisions in the master bedroom and the living room so that parents can watch their favorite tasteless reality TV shows, while their children watch cartoons, music videos, or sports simultaneously.  The living room has a sofa bed for the children to sleep in as well.  At night, if you are lucky, you can catch the fireworks from LEGOLAND ^®  and make it either a romantic night for the adults, or fun for the children.

Finally, the Grand Pacific has meeting space for conferences, a gym, and an awesome swimming pool area with a private area and grill that can be reserved.  The pool overlooks the Carlsbad area and the beautiful San Diego coastline.  Nearby, there are delicious and eclectic restaurants and the famous Carlsbad Premium Outlets for your shopping interests.  Overall, the Grand Pacific Palisades Resort is the perfect place to satisfy the family’s need for an entertaining vacation (primarily for the children) at LEGOLAND ^® and shopping, swimming, and relaxation for the adults. 

Copyright 2012   KLN Publishing, LLC   All rights reserved.

BAY AREA BLACK EXPO 2012 KICK OFF MIXER at the Linen Life Gallery

3rd Annual California Diversity and Leadership Conference

Please visit http://cadiversityconference.com/ for more details and to register for this conference 

brought to you by the California Diversity Council and the University of California, Berkeley.

2nd Annual MLK National Day of Service

Via the African American Art & Culture Complex

• Monday, January 16, 2012
• Time

  9:00am until 3:00pm

Description

Our goal is to create a beloved community and this will require a qualitative change in our souls as well as a quantitative change in our lives. ~ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The African American Art & Culture Complex is partnering with ORGANIZING FOR AMERICA, MO MAGIC, San Francisco Mayor's Office, Rec & Park, DPW, SFMTA and CITIZEN HOPE to host a rally and a one-day volunteer initiative throughout San Francisco. We will start as early as 8:45 a.m. with breakfast and registration, followed by a rally with special guest. We will then dispatch hundreds of volunteers throughout the City for various volunteer opportunities including garden projects, tree-planting, clean-up in parks and streets, food pantry/kitchen, painting, letters to the troops, reading for seniors, and many more. Public Transportation is strongly encouraged to our site! We will provide transportation to volunteer sites for your convenience, as well as snacks and water. Tentative Schedule: 8:45am-9:15am - Breakfast and volunteer sign-up 9:15am-9:30am - Rally featuring Brando Hughes as Dr. King 9:30am-10:00am travel to volunteer destination by shuttle bus provided by SFMTA 10:00am-12:30pm - VOLUNTEER for as long as you like 12:30pm-1:00pm - Return to AAACC 1:00pm - Barbecue sponsored by Recology and performance by Tallent Allstars On January 16, 2012 we celebrate the 26th anniversary of the holiday recognizing one of America's greatest heroes-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. At the Inauguration of President Barack Obama in January 2009, he reminded us all that in 1994, Congress declared Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday a "National Day of Service." The President has urged US citizens to join or start a service event every year to honor Dr. King’s legacy and the spirit of coming together to make a difference in our communities. COFFEE, BAGELS, DONUTS, FRUIT, YOGURT will be served courtesy of Mo Magic, a program serving youth in the Western Addition community. If you would like to donate or sign up as a volunteer OR as site to host volunteers, please visit www.aaacc.org. Go to "Complex" then to "Special Events". Photos from last year's event can be found http://aaaccspecialprojects.wordpress.com/

Demonstrate What You Are Thankful For!

Sometime we take for granted how fortunate we truly are.  This year in particular, many people who normally volunteer to help those less fortunate, find themselves needing the very assistance that they have provided before in the past.  Whether this is your current situation or not, here is short list provided by

Keith Carson, Alameda County Supervisor, Fifth District, to help those in need this holiday season.  Happy Thanksgiving!

ALAMEDA COUNTY COMMUNITY FOOD BANK

1-800-870-3663 or 510-635-3663

7900 Edgewater Drive, Oakland, CA 94621

Thanksgiving Basket registration starts Nov. 1st. Christmas Basket registration starts Dec. 1st.  Please call for more details and for volunteer opportunities and to donate.

ALBANY SENIOR CENTER

Thanksgiving Dinner

Wednesday, November 23, 3:30 pm

Admission: $5

846 Masonic Avenue, Albany, CA 94706

510-524-9122

BERKELEY FOOD AND HOUSING PROJECT (BFHP)

Thanksgiving Meal

Thursday, November 24, 2pm - 5pm.

Trinity Church

2362 Bancroft Way, Berkeley, CA 94704

(510) 649-4965 (BFHP)

No preregistration required.  Volunteers may contact Danielle Knutson at dknutson@bfhp.org

MCGEE AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH

Thanksgiving Dinner

Thursday, November 24th at 12 pm

1640 Stuart Street, Berkeley, CA 94703

510-843-1774

No preregistration required.  If you would like to volunteer, please call ahead.

LAKE MERRITT UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Thanksgiving Dinner

Thursday November 24th, 1pm-3pm (Those who are eating can come as early as noon).

1330 Lakeshore Avenue, Oakland, CA 94606

510-465-4793

If you are interested in volunteering, please call the church.

WILLIE KEYS RECREATION CENTER

Mothers of the Year Give Back: Thanksgiving Dinner

Saturday, November 19, 11-5 pm

3131 Union Street, Oakland, CA 94608

(510) 597-5042

For details or to help support the effort, contact Mary at 510-891-1395 or ksaveourkids@aol.com

COLLEGE AVENUE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Thanksgiving Dinner

Thursday, November 24, 11 am—1 pm

5951 College Avenue, Oakland, CA

510-658-3487 (Mike Castner, Volunteer Coordinator)

Donations of money and food are welcome.  Volunteers can help beginning Monday, November 21.

2 STAR MARKET

9^TH Annual Thanksgiving Celebration

Thursday, November 24, 1 pm-4 pm

2020 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94602

510-531-3576 (Abdo Alawdi, Owner of 2 Star Market) or alawdi@aol.com

For more information, please visit: http://www.2starmarket.com/

OAKLAND BLACK CAUCUS AND WORD ASSEMBLY

Thanksgiving Feast

Thursday, November 24, 12 pm – 2 pm

410 14^th St., Oakland, CA 94612

For more information, please call Geoffrey Pete at 510-839-4644

Please note: This is a partial list.