Summer Math and Science Honors Academy: African-American Male Call for Assistance

Dear Fellow Community Advocates: 

I am reaching out to you as we near the closing of our online registration period for the 2013 Summer Math and Science Honors (SMASH) Academy on February 22! We are entering our ninth year of the program and looking to have as many scholar applicants as possible this year. Unfortunately, to date we have not managed to attract a significant number of African American males to apply to SMASH. However, I am hopeful that you will be able to assist me with growing the current disproportionately small applicant pool by spreading the good word. 

SMASH is a three-year enrichment program that assists talented high-achieving low to moderate income high school students of color from historically underrepresented communities (i.e. African American, Latino/Hispanic, Native American, Southeast Asian and/or Pacific Islander) to become competitive and successful in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) studies at selective colleges. 

We are currently looking for current 9th grade students attending public high schools or private schools on scholarship in the San Francisco Bay Area and Greater Los Angeles area to apply. Students should have at least a 3.0 GPA or better, currently be enrolled in (or have already completed) Geometry or the equivalent with a B average. 

We are searching for students who show a particular interest in math or science and are willing to maximize the opportunity to reside and attend classes on a college campus for five weeks with like-minded students. The program takes place on the UC Berkeley, Stanford, USC, and UCLA campuses. This is a FREE program for ALL participants! 

Please forward this note on to friends, colleagues and members of your network who may know students of color who may be interested in this awesome opportunity. 

The application and additional information about SMASH can be found on our website at http://lpfi.org/smash. The online application is due March 8, 2013 (Note: Letters of Recommendation, Transcripts and Test Scores must be received via mail or uploaded by no later than March 23, 2013). 

If you have any questions, I can be reached via email at danielle@lpfi.org or phone 415.946.3095 . Your colleagues and/or contacts are welcome to contact me with questions about the program – or with the contact information of potential students! 

Many thanks for your time, and I am hopeful that we will meet students referred from your school and/or networks during our selection process! 

Follow SMASH on Facebook and Twitter @SMASHAcademy to stay updated on 2013 application deadlines and program news. 

Best, 

Danielle

BlackGirlsCODE Needs Your Vote Every Day Until 10/31/12

Please see below and vote often for this worthy cause.  Thanks.

Sincerely yours,

KLN

Kevin L. Nichols

President & CEO

KLN Publishing, LLC

Black Girls CODE (BGC) is one of three finalists nominated for a $50,000 grant by Bank of the West’s Philanthropy Awards 2012 for its innovative approach to empowering girls from underrepresented communities to pursue career ambition in technology.

See an announcement of the 2012 Bank of the West Innovation in Philanthropy Awards here:

Bank of the West Press Release

BlackGirlsCODE Press Release

With a click of a mouse you can help BlackGirlsCODE secure this grant from Bank of the West as part as their Philanthropy Awards by following these four easy steps:

1. Visit the Bank of the West Facebook Page:http://gowe.st/Philanthropy2012.

2. Look at the BGC video and check out our story.

3. Vote for us and share with others.

4. Come back everyday until October 31st and vote again.

With this grant, BlackGirlsCODE can continue expanding our workshop to new cities and build a strong foundation on core initiatives that will help sustain our mission. 

  

Our Impact

• In four short months we have educated over 500 young girls of color in fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) through our one-day workshops and week long summer camp sessions.  Our summer campaign was a great success  thanks our supporters and volunteers. 
• By 2015, we want to educate 10,000 girls in computer programming on a global scale and host BlackGirlsCODE chapters in different cities to help us implement after school programs and weekend workshops so we can truly eradicate the phrase “Digital Divide” and truly change the face of tech.

Being awarded the $50,000 grant from Back of the West’s Philanthropy Awards is a pivotal step in the growth of BlackGirlsCODE, we hope you can help us reach our goal by spreading this message and by voting every day until the end of the competition. 

Come see Teedra Moses Live at Yoshi's on October 13th

Contact: KaSelah  Crockett, Programs and 

Community Action Committee, Chair National 

Coalition of 100 Black Women Oakland 

Bay Area Chapter, 

for tickets or visit www.airbornetickets.com. 

kaselah.nc100bw@gmail.com 

(510) 529-5101

Free 5th Annual Mental Health Classes in Richmond, California

Free Mental Health Classes in Richmond sponsored by the National
Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Richmond a local of NAMI Contra
Costa.

If you have a loved one with a severe and persistent mental health
issue, then these 12 free classes are for you. It is not a support
group but a one night a week, two hour—12 week course. It will provide
information to help your family and loved one.

This is the 5th year Family 2 Family (F2F) is being offered free in
Richmond. Space is limited. The class normally enrolls 20 family
members. It will change your life and living circumstances. Wheelchair
access is available.

The course will cover information
·        Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder
·        Bipolar Disorder (Manic Depression)
·        Panic Disorder
·        Borderline Personality Disorder
·        Major Depression,
·        Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and
·        Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

The course will also provide the right information to help your family
maintain its well-being, find health recovery solutions for your loved
one and begin your mental health community advocacy.

Location: Grace Lutheran Church, 2369 Barrett Avenue at 24th Street
Richmond
Time: 7:00PM to 9:00PM
Date: Thursdays, Starting Sept. 6th and ending Dec. 6th 2012.

For Information Call
Baby Raff… 510.374.9651,
Dolores Ruff 510.593.7971,
Dr. Mujahidun Sumchai 510.237.9277 or

Email
family2familyrichmond.nami@gmail.com

Be Well

Local Political Candidate Information

By: Kevin L. Nichols

It is said that “Service is the rent that we pay here on Earth.”  Many of my friends have decided to answer this call by running for local political office.  Although I have always supported candidates behind the scene, this year, I have publically gotten involved with national politics, with my avid support to re-elect President Barack Obama.  Needless to say, I have also felt compelled to assist our local politicians with getting their message out to their constituents. 

I asked many of my friends who are running for office to send me a blurb about their platform with a link for voters to find more information about them and to provide a link for supporters to show their financial support to their mission.  Please see below and support those who you feel will serve our community the best at this pivotal point of our country’s existence:

London Breed

San Francisco District 5 Supervisor

As a lifelong San Franciscan, a native of District 5 growing up in public housing in the Western Addition, I was constantly inspired by the many committed, caring and passionate people who were working to help their fellow citizens.

They fought for the same things that I will fight for in City Hall as the Supervisor for District 5:

* More and better jobs for San Francisco residents

* Quality, affordable housing across the entire City

* Education that positions students of all ages for success

* A safer City for ourselves and our children

* Re-connecting City Hall with the communities it represents

 I have been blessed to serve in City government on the Redevelopment Commission and Fire Commission, and to partner with City government for the last ten years in my role as Executive Director of the African-American Arts and Culture Complex. Now, I am hoping to take the next step forward in making City Hall work for all San Franciscans.

District 5 needs a practical, progressive Supervisor with experience, ability, and creativity, who puts people first every moment of every day.

I’m running to be a leader who connects the dots between our government and our communities, so everyone in District 5 and the entire city has the opportunity to make everything they want of their lives, and together those lives will make San Francisco the city we’ve always dreamed of.

Website: londonforsupervisor.com

Donate: londonforsupervisor.com/donate/

Lynette McElhaney

Oakland District 3 City Council

Lynette has more nearly twenty years of experience in housing and community development. Since 2001, Lynette Gibson McElhaney has served as the Executive Director of Neighborhood Housing Services of the East Bay, which is a housing counseling and community development corporation established in 1982. In her current capacity, Lynette manages a $2 million rental real estate portfolio and supports critical counseling services to more than 400 households annually through its foreclosure mitigation and first-time homebuyer programs. Under her leadership NHS has co-developed 82 units as part of Richmond's largest redevelopment effort. Eastbay NHS has been at the forefront of Contra Costa's foreclosure crisis, launching the first public awareness campaign that included a press conference with Rep. George Miller.

Lynette is proud to have spent her career working hard to develop housing and economic opportunity in low-income communities. She believes that her experience as the Executive Director of NHS has trained her to balance a large budget, make a payroll, and bridge the interests of the business community with the needs of the neighborhood. Lynette envisions a healthy city as one that balances a vibrant business sector with a commitment to economic justice for all residents.

Lynette is the daughter of a union machinist and a telecommunications worker. She has a Bachelors of Arts from University of California, Berkeley. Lynette has lived in West Oakland since she was a student at Cal. Her and her husband are members of True Vine Ministries and their son attends an Oakland public high school.

Lynette's Website: www.lynettemcelhaney.com

Lynette's Fundraising Page: https://rally.org/lynette2012/donate

Dr. Nyeisha DeWitt

Oakland District 3 City Council

Dr. Nyeisha DeWitt is a native Oaklander and a candidate for City Council in Oakland's Third District, which includes West Oakland, Downtown and Uptown Oakland, and Adam's Point, among other neighborhoods.

Nyeisha is an active member of the Alameda County Democratic Central Committee, Oakland Unified School District’s Truancy Task Force, and Effective Teachers for Oakland Task Force. She works closely with the Mayor's Office to tackle the dropout crisis in the Oakland community and is the Program Director of Citywide Dropout Prevention at Oakland’s Promise Alliance.  Nyeisha was recently featured on the California Forward website as a “Forward Thinker”.  In 2010, she was recognized as a Hometown Hero in Oakland, by Comcast and ANG Newsgroup.

She received her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of California-Berkeley in 1997, and her Master’s degree in Teaching from the University of San Francisco (USF) in 2003.  Recently, Nyeisha earned her doctoral degree in education, from USF’s Organization and Leadership program.

Dr. DeWitt's Website:  www.dewittforoakland.com 

Dr. DeWitt's Fundraising Page: http://bit.ly/MXTSVw

Derrick H. Muhammad
Oakland District 3 City Council

I understand the root causes of violence which have to do with poverty, the lack of opportunity and the feeling of hopelessness that so many African American males experience. In April 2005 my younger brother was murdered in the streets of Oakland. As a result of that tragedy I decided to become more involved in mentoring young people, offering them conflict resolution and life management skills. With the hope that I would be able to help develop young persons and subsequently create a safer community.  In the Fall of 2006, I enrolled in law school to learn and understand policy and to use my education for the benefit of Oakland.

I am the best candidate because my motive for serving the community is genuine. I currently serve the City of Oakland as a Commissioner on the Citizens Police Review Board where I have deliberated countless cases where the public has sought redress of their concerns.  I have used my legal training to arrive at fair and impartial decisions.  I also serve as the Public Affairs Liason for the Congress of California Seniors where I have been instrumental in producing workshops on elder abuse and financial literacy that teach seniors how to safe guard their assets. I am a natural bridge builder. As a longshoreman in the Port of Oakland for eight years, I have been a bridge builder between the Port and the ILWU to ensure that cargo continued to move. I will bring all of these experiences to bear on the Oakland City Council.

For more information and to donate, please visit www.muhammadforoakland.org

Tyriene Amey

Peralta Community College District Trustee - Area 2

Hello Oakland.   My name is Tyriene Amey and I am running for Peralta Community College District Trustee for area 2.

I am a small business owner, educator, coach, disabled veteran and West Point graduate.  I am also a loyal husband and loving father of two.

I am running for trustee because of my love of education, my desire and ability to lead, and because I believe I possess the education and real world experience necessary to provide the qualified oversight over our tax dollars needed during these fiscally trying times.

My pledge is to not only work hard to find or expand revenue sources, but to also work to find ways to increase efficiency in our current system in order to decrease waste.  I also pledge to keep the focus of Peralta community colleges on OUR community instead of outside or foreign interests.

My top three initiatives are as follows:
 1.  Solicit and form partnerships with local industries as a means of generating new revenues to the district while providing valuable intern and work experience to students.
2.  Increase the number of on-line classes offered in order to provide more access to our community.
3.  Honor all labor agreements currently in place while working with unions and administrations to find common ground on total compensation packages that work for all parties involved.

Respectfully,

Ty Amey

For more information and to donate, please visit  tyrieneameyperaltaccd.weebly.com

Obama Victory Trustee August 1st Fundraiser

Join the Obama Victory Trustees at a fundraiser to re-elect President Barack Obama on August 1, 2012 in San Francisco. RSVP and contribute today: http://bit.ly/Nxrbys Honorary Host Committee Mayor Kevin Johnson, Sacramento Peggy Moore, California Political Director, Organizing for America Congresswoman Jackie Speier Congressman Mike Honda California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris California Assembly Speaker pro Tempore Fiona Ma Assemblymember Jerry Hill Mayor Edwin Lee, San Francisco The Honorable Willie L. Brown, Jr. California Democratic Party Chairman John Burton Vice Mayor City of Fremont Anu Natarajan San Francisco Board of Supervisors President David Chiu Supervisor Malia Cohen San Jose Councilmember Ash Kalra San Mateo City Councilmember, David Lim San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon Dr. Suja Lowenthal, Vice-Mayor City of Long Beach Nimish Patel, Santa Monica-Malibu School Board Member The Honorable Teresa Cox, Ohlone College Trustee Ro Khanna, Former Deputy Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Commerce Kumar Barve, Majority Leader Maryland House of Delegates Reshma Saujani, Former Deputy Advocate of New York City Jason Hodge, Oxnard Harbor Commissioner Raja Krishnamoorthi, Former Deputy IL State Treasurer Raj Goyle, Former Kansas House of Representatives Ashwin Madia, Iraqi War Veteran and Former MN Congressional Candidate Event Chairs Eric Casher | Shefali Razdan Duggal | Keesa Ocampo | Candice Petty Co-hosts Rishi Chopra | Sonia Delen | Chanee Franklin Minor | Kevin L. Nichols | Jacquelyn Omotalade | Langston Walker | Julie M. Waters Contribution levels $2,000 Event Chair $1,000 Host Committee $250 VIP Pre-Reception $100 General Admission August 1, 2012, Wednesday 6-830p University Club of San Francisco 800 Powell Street San Francisco, CA 94108

SUNDAY AT AKA CONVENTION - TOWN HALL, CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM, PUBLIC MEETING

Melody M. McDowell  - 312-371-8917 - CELL e-mail - melodyaka@aol.com

MEDIA ALERT!!!! – SUNDAY JULY 22

MEDIA ALERT!  SUNDAY - JULY 22 AT AKA'S CONVENTION

Over 9,000 members of the oldest/largest Sorority for college-educated African-American women will converge upon San Francisco for its weeklong convention. Provocative discussions will be held and Newsmakers will participate in this conference. Clad in their signature pink and green, members represent some of the most influential women in the world with a membership of over 260,000 worldwide.  Carolyn House Stewart, is the International President. 

WHERE:            Moscone Convention Center  North

EVENTS ON SUNDAY, JULY 22, INCLUDE:

Town Hall - 1:30 - 3PM

In the run-up to the election, former San Francisco mayor, Willie Brown, Jr., Esq., and CNN political analyst Roland Martin join a world-class panel that will engage in spirited discussion on voter apathy, voter mobilization and other issues African-Americans face. This event is free and open to the public.  Panelists include:

Moderator - The Honorable Diane Watson – retired Congressman from California

HON. JOYCE ALEXANDER-FORD the nation’s first African American woman chief Judge of any court in Massachusetts. Eddie Bernice Johnson – Congresswoman - Texas

3-4PM -Opening “Unsung AKA Women of the Civil Rights Movement” Museum. 

Members Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King will be the headliners of a Museum that will feature hundreds from the Sorority who were unsung but who fought  to achieve racial equality, including California members. The multimedia exhibit will profile the period from 1908, when AKA was founded, to the present. It will highlight the marches, protests and the rationale as to why the crusade continues. Memorabilia, artifacts and oral histories will be featured, The Rev. Dr. Bernice King, daughter of the late Martin and Coretta Scott King, will attend the opening. The Museum is Free and Open to the Public and is located in Hall D.

Sunday - 5:30 - 7:30 - Public Meeting

Awards will be given out to luminaries from various fields. Among the honorees are NAACP Chairman Roslyn M. Brock, Harry E. Johnson, Sr., - Led successful to get King Memorial mounted on the Mall, Lisa Jackson, Administrator/ EPA, Cedric "The Entertainer," Donna Richardson Joyner, Diezani Kogbeni Alison-Madueke - Nigeria's Minister of Petroleum Resources and many more. GE, Incorporated and Marriott International receive accolades for Corporate Leadership. This event is Free and Open to the public.

Sunday through Wednesday - Noon -3PM Health Village

The African American community is disproportionately affected by obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain types of cancer. Representatives from the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Kidney Fund, National Marrow Donor Program and Environmental Protection Agency will present information, tools and resources on how to combat these diseases.

INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES: Carolyn House Stewart - International President

Health advocates. Economic and Town Hall participants and Youth Summit attendees - Contact Melody McDowell to schedule interviews. For more information, log on to www.aka1908.com