2012 Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference

The 2012 Black Entrepreneurs Conference is taking place this week at the Hilton Chicago. It is drawing entrepreneurs from across the United States in very large numbers.More on this later, now for the photos.

24th Annual King Legacy Awards Gala

The Martin Luther King Jr. Boys Club of Chicago held the 24th Legacy Gala at the Hyatt. The event was attended by a number of notables and honored deserving people from the community. Among those who were honored were Val Warner and Chicago and the “west sides” very Isiah Thomas.  More on this later but first, a few photos.

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Music Mondays @ ETA – DIVAS SHOWCASE

What do you get when nine “Divas” from the Chicagoland area assemble at the ETA? DIVAS SHOWCASE. The ten ladies who made up this conglomerate of talent were, Dee Alexander, Maggie Brown, Nanette Frank, Theresa Davis, Margaret Murphy, Sue Conway, Tammy McCann, Julia Huff and Joan Collaso with Cliff Kelly holding down the fort. All in all. a great night of song by some of Chicago’s best female vocalists.

Little Black Pearl Unplugged

Monica Haslip and the staff of Little Black Pearl hosted the first “unplugged” event on 12/16/11.  What a great event it was, featuring Nona Hendryx, Terri Lyne Carrington, Dianne Reeves, and Tia Fuller (that lady with the sax). Also featured were a group of students from the brand new  Options Charter School. Who else was there? Non other than the legendary activist and humanitarian Angela Davis. The evening was replete with song, poetry, social commentary and a word of encouragement. The little Black Pearl is definitely “doing good for the neighborhood”, very well done.

More on this event will be coming, so check back.

For a Good Cause; Jolie’s Gift Foundation

FUNDRAISING EVENT TO BENEFIT RUSH University Medical Center Neo Natal Intensive Care Unit Jolie’s Gift Brings Forth Awareness about Prematurity Awareness Month

(CHICAGO – October 16, 2011) On Sunday, November 13, 2011, Jolie’s Gift will host its fourth annual fundraising event at “The Cottage” located 4315 S. Cottage Grove. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Information, live entertainment, and refreshments will be provided to all attendees. Additional giving opportunities have been made possible through RUSH University online giving

This annual event will benefit RUSH University Medical Center Neo Natal Intensive Care Unit also referred to as the NICU. It is the goal of Jolie’s Gift to raise a minimum of $1000 in support of this extremely important cause. Funds raised will assist with outreach and support specific to the needs of the loving families and precious newborns receiving care within the NICU at RUSH University.

The brainchild of Executive Director Jeniel Smith, Jolie’s Gift Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that is committed to bringing awareness to issues that impact minority women, their families, and the communities in which they live. Established in honor of Smith’s daughter, Jolie Madison, who died one month after being born prematurely, the organization’s goal is to plan and implement relevant charitable and educational events that are intended to enrich the lives of all involved through education and entertainment along with strategic community partnerships and building relationships with various health care and community based organizations.

“I was able to turn a traumatic experience in my life into a positive way to contribute to others”, stated Jeniel Smith. “November is Prematurity Awareness Month and this event will provide an opportunity to inform the community about the number one killer of newborns and the potential lifelong consequences these babies face if they survive.” In addition, the event will mark the fourth-year anniversary of the passing of Jolie Madison Smith.

For more information please contact Jeniel Smith at 773.879.0802 or via email at

jenielsmith@yahoo.com

For convenient donation or ticket purchase options please visit us at

www.joliesgift.eventbrite.com

To increase our fundraising efforts Additional Tax Deductible donations can be made TODAY using any of the following link Make a donation in support of Jolie’s Gift

Please support this worthy cause.

WVON 1690 Financial Seminar

Making sense of your money, that is what the agenda was at Malcolm X College on 9-17-11. Sponsored by Ariel Capital Management, Citibank, Fifth Third Bank, Nielsen, U.S.Bank, and Comcast. Three of the main speakers were Alfred A.Edmond Jr. of Black Enterprise Magazine, John Rogers of Ariel Capital Management and Robert Johnson of BET fame. To say the whole day was enlightening would be an understatement. What a shame that this event only happens once a year. I wish there were at least a monthly forum of this type that would have our students in on this, not often that you get to sit in the same room with a billionaire and listen to him talk. John Rogers talking about how he got his first shares of stock from his parents as a child and then forming his own investment company at the age of 24 years of age, or Alfred A.Edmond Jr. talking about surviving the first five years in business, he also had a very interesting conversation with Mr. John Rogers. Linda Johnson-Rice capped the evening off with an interview of Mr. Robert Johnson, a native Illinoisian. Big congratulations to Melody Spann Cooper and the staff of radio station WVON, this was an outstanding event.

Celebrating Options Gala @ the Little Black Pearl

The Little Black Pearl hosted an event called Celebrating Options Gala on August 13th at the gallery. The purpose was to officially launch their new charter school. I sat with them earlier in the week and got details on the school and I was very impressed by what the staff is doing. The event was attended by several hundred “friends” and it was a huge success. The artists for the night were Nona Hendryx, Terri Lyne Carrington, Lizz Wright and Esperanza Spaulding. Also in the mix was local fav Frank McComb on keyboard. Each one of these folks did an outstanding job. I could say more but as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Jazz on the Grass

I stopped off at Chicago State University on Wednesday. Good music was happening, vocalist Joaquina Mitchell and saxist Tommy Bradford led the way.

Networking @ the CityPoint Loft

I did some work in helping my friend Jeniel Smith launch a networking event on Saturday. The event took place at the City Point Loft on 23rd and Michigan. A variety of products and services were there to be had, from Jewelry to health products, to style consultancy by Charles Sheppard, makeup by Brittany, to event planning by Larvetta Loftin and even photography by 2ElevenPhotography (that be me). A bit of those who attended follows.

 

IMAN!

Q. So just who is this Iman person?

A. Singer, Dancer, Poet, Actress, Director . . .

Q. AND?

A. Model, a very good one as the following photo essay will attest to.