$5,000 Verizon Wireless/UNCF Scholarships for High School Seniors

In honor of Black History Month, UNCF and Verizon Wireless (VZNW) have partnered to support high school seniors who are college-bound. The 2010 UNCF/VZNW Black History Month Essay contest is designed to allow qualified high school seniors the opportunity to earn college scholarships for the 2010-2011 academic year. If you know of high school seniors with permanent residency in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, Maine, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Eastern Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland or the District of Columbia, please tell them of this opportunity to receive a Verizon Wireless Black History Month scholarship and prize package. Seniors must apply by March 15, 2010. Twenty-five eligible students will be selected for the 2010-2011 academic year. The winners will receive scholarships of up to $5,000 and select students will also receive a personal technology make-over including an HP Netbook, a Motorola DROID cell phone and/or Verizon Wireless gift cards. Tell your high school senior about this contest today.

Executive Order to Strengthen the White House Initiative on HBCUs

Thank you Kimberly Wright for the information on

Executive Order to Strengthen the White House Initiative on HBCUs

Executive Order Signing to Strengthen the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities

White House East Room

4:40 p.m. EST

The President will sign a new executive order strengthening the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the White House East Room. This event demonstrates the President's strong appreciation for the historic role these institutions have played in educating our citizens and the Administration's commitment to assisting HBCUs with accomplishing their mission.

Expected Attendees

Approximately 60 HBCU presidents and students

Members of Congress

Members of the President's Cabinet

Special Performance

The Virginia State University Trojan Explosion Drum Line

The Trojan Explosion Marching Band performs at all home football games and most of the away games. The VSU Drum-line has performed for eight consecutive years at the Honda Battle of the Bands event, the longest continuous streak in the nation for being selected to perform there for over 70,000 band fans from around the country. In 2009, the drum-line won the Big Apple Classic competition at Madison Square Garden.

HBCUs: A National Resource

HBCUs are a source of accomplishment and great pride for the African American community as well as the entire nation. The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, defines an HBCU as: "...any historically black college or university that was established prior to 1964, whose principal mission was, and is, the education of black Americans, and that is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association determined by the Secretary [of Education] to be a reliable authority as to the quality of training offered or is, according to such an agency or association, making reasonable progress toward accreditation." HBCUs offer all students, regardless of race, an opportunity to develop their skills and talents. These institutions train young people who go on to serve domestically and internationally in the professions as entrepreneurs and in the public and private sectors.

Historical Overview of the HBCU Initiative

· In 1980, President Jimmy Carter signed Executive Order 12232, which established a federal program "... to overcome the effects of discriminatory treatment and to strengthen and expand the capacity of historically black colleges and universities to provide quality education."

· In 1981, President Reagan, under Executive Order 12320, established the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, which expanded the previous program and set into motion a government wide effort to strengthen our nation's HBCUs. In 1989, President George Bush signed Executive Order 12677. This executive order established a Presidential Advisory Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities to advise the president and the secretary of education on methods, programs, and strategies to strengthen these valued institutions.

· In 1993, President William Jefferson Clinton signed Executive Order 12876. This executive order required for a senior level executive in each agency have oversight in implementing the order, and that the Office of Management and Budget be involved in monitoring implementation of the order.

· On Feb. 12, 2002, President George W. Bush signed Executive Order 13256. This executive order transferred the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities to the Office of the Secretary within the U.S. Department of Education. Previously, the White House Initiative was housed in the Department's Office of Postsecondary Education.

Proposed Funding in the 2011 Budget for HBCUs

• The President's FY 11 budget supports this objective. In the Department of Education budget alone he's proposed $98 million in new money for HBCUs in 2011.

· This includes a 5% or $13 million increase for the Strengthening HBCUs program and support for the $85 million in mandatory funding for HBCUs in the pending Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act.

· The Budget also includes $20.5 million for the HBCU Capital Financing program, to provide HBCUs with access to financing for the repair, renovation, and construction or acquisition of educational facilities, instructional equipment, research instrumentation, and physical infrastructure. This funding will support $279 million in new loans in 2011, more than $100 million more than in 2010. The Budget also provides $64.5 million for the Strengthening Historically Black Graduate Institution program, a $3.1 million or five percent increase.

· To ensure students can afford college, the Obama Administration has nearly doubled the aid available in the Federal Pell Grant program, from $18.2 billion in the 2008-2009 award year to a proposed $34.8 billion in 2011-2012. These funding increases support both a growing number of students eligible for Pell Grants and an increase in the maximum Pell Grant award from $4,731 to a proposed $5,710. Pell Grant awards for students at HBCUs will increase by about $400 million (to a total of $900 million) since the start of the Administration. The Budget also proposes to make Pell Grant funding mandatory, and index the maximum award to the consumer price index plus one percentage point.

The Brotherhood/Sister Sol, Inc. presents: Getting Rich By Giving Back - March 11th

Dear Friends and Supporters:

On Thursday, March 11th, The Brotherhood/Sister Sol will host its 3rd annual Getting Rich By Giving Back panel. The law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP will host the event. The firm is located at 1285 Avenue of the Americas at 51st Street and 6th Avenue – Concourse Level.

The theme of the event is: Leveraging Your Networks For Greater Net Worth: Success Stories From the Fields of Business, Non-Profit, Media, Law and Politics.

The event will begin at 6pm with a networking reception that includes open bar and hors d'oeuvres. The panel will begin promptly at 7pm.

All information is attached and can be found at: http://www.brotherhood-sistersol.org/GRBGB.shtml

Leaders in their respective fields will be on the panel:

Theodore V. Wells, Jr., Partner & Co-Chair, Litigation Department, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
A partner and co-chair of the Litigation Department, Theodore V. Wells, Jr. has extensive litigation experience. In 2006 The National Law Journal named Mr. Wells "Lawyer of the Year" and over the years has repeatedly selected him as one of the 100 most influential lawyers in America and as one of America's top white-collar criminal defense lawyers. Mr. Wells also has been recognized as one of the outstanding jury trial lawyers in the United States by numerous publications including Chambers USA 2006 which noted he is recognized by many as "the greatest trial lawyer of our generation."

Susan Chapman, Global Head of Operations, Citi Realty Services, Citi
Recently named on of the 50 most powerful black women in business, Susan Chapman manages the day-to-day operations for Citigroup Realty in 96 countries. She holds the number two spot in their business unit, which is responsible for all mergers and acquisitions and bringing new properties into the portfolio.

John Payton, President & Director Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund
The President and Director Counsel of the United States' preeminent human rights law firm, John Payton has extensive experience in the private and public sector. He has most recently been a partner at the Washington firm of Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale and Dorr. His practice there ranged from complex commercial matters to the most challenging of civil rights issues. He has argued many of the central affirmative actions cases in recent years before the United States Supreme Court.

Len Burnett, Co-CEO & Publisher, Uptown Media Group
An industry veteran and highly successful entrepreneur with over 20 years of publishing experience, Len Burnett has successfully launched 7 major magazines with exceptional advertising growth. He has served as publisher of publications that include, Uptown, VIBE, VIBE Vixen, and co-founded the urban publishing company Vanguarde Media, where he was Group Publisher of Honey, Heart & Soul, Impact and Savoy.

This promises to be an exciting conversation and a wonderful and intimate opportunity to meet and network with business, non-profit, media, and law & politics experts as well as professionals in an array of fields who are in attendance each year.

This event will sell out and we suggest you purchase your tickets immediately through the above listed link.

We hope to see you on March 11th -

Khary Lazarre-White
Executive Director & Co-Founder
The Brotherhood/Sister Sol, Inc.

www.brotherhood-sistersol.org

NY Alumni Sports (NYAS)

NY Alumni Sports (NYAS) was founded in 2009 by long time friends Roland Guevara, David Lucas & Kris Foreman. NYAS was designed to bring that inner athlete and collegiate spirit out of you.

The Brotherhood SisterSol ~ Voices 6 hosted by CNN’s Soledad O’Brien

Save the date for Voices 6, to be hosted by CNN’s Soledad O’Brien on May 6th, 2010

Consider volunteering

FREE Web Design Classes...

FREE Web Design Classes... The Web Academy's Winter Schedule has been finalized and set. Classes begin Monday February 15, 2010. Our FREE Web Classes include: Intro to Web Design Intro to Graphics Design using Adobe Photoshop Intro to Scripting Applied Web Development To register visit http://www.thewebacademy.org Spread the word... Thanks EHAM Eric Hamilton Executive Director The Web Academy 305 Madison Ave suite 449 New York, NY 10165 Office: 866-295-7820 http://www.thewebacademy.org http://twitter.com/thewebacademy The Web Academy is a 501c3 organization offering free web design classes and free web services to the community.

HAITI - SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM TRANSAFRICA FORUM

January 15, 2010

Port-au-Prince Devastated; Haitian Red Cross Estimates 45,000 - 50,000 Dead Summary and Recommendations for Recovery "The country does not have the infrastructure or resources to deal with a crisis of this magnitude, the U.S. and the international community must provide immediate medical, humanitarian, search and rescue, and additional supports as requested by the government of Haiti," --Nicole Lee, President of TransAfrica Forum. Summary January 12, 2010, Haiti, was hit with a magnitude 7.0 earthquake, its most severe in 200 years. The epicenter of the quake was approximately 10 miles south of Port-au-Prince, the country's capital and home to over 2 million people. The city is devastated and the Haitian Red Cross estimates that 45,000 - 50,000 are dead. At this time, basic supplies -- food, water, and shelter, as well as search and recue equipment -- are the major needs. A majority of the city's population is sleeping in parks and on the streets, fearful of additional building collapse. According to a Reuters report: "Money is worth nothing right now, water is the currency." Relief supplies, along with search and rescue squads are arriving. Some groups, for example, Partners in Health, Doctors Without Borders, along with Cuba have doctors on the ground and have been treating victims since the quake struck. The U.S. government reports that some 2,200 Marines are en route as the military plans to assist with the delivery of humanitarian supplies, as well as security, and search and rescue missions. At least six U.S. military ships, including the hospital ship, are expected to assist. President Barack Obama has pledged 100 million in support to Haiti. The World Bank indicates that it will pledge a $100 million grant, Britain has pledged $10 million, and the Canadian government made an immediate pledge of $5 million with the offer to match charitable donations from Canadians up to $50 million. A SMALL VICTORY! Thanks to you and the work of thousands throughout the U.S., the Department of Homeland Security announced this afternoon that Haitians living in the United States on January 12, 2010 are now eligible for Temporary Protective Status! This is a significant victory; since January 2009 U.S. immigration judges have issued deportation orders to over 30,000 undocumented Haitians. Temporary protected status (TPS) is granted by the United States (Homeland Security Department) to eligible nationals of countries that cannot safely return to their homelands because of armed conflict, environmental disaster, or other extraordinary and temporary conditions. Haiti clearly fits this description. Haitians living in the United States have and will continue to make significant financial and other contributions to their families in Haiti. They provide critical information, analysis, and guidance to the advocacy community. Now that the threat of deportation is removed, Haitians living in the United States can continue their significant contributions to their families in Haiti and to our communities here. News updates are posted regularly on the web, click here for links to several media outlets that are providing frequent reports. Additionally, TransAfrica Forum has created a blog and daily posts updates on the situation in Haiti and summaries like this to ensure that you have the most recent information and recommended activities. In the United States advocates and legislators are already beginning to discuss the need for a major recovery plan for the country, along the lines of a Marshall Plan for Haiti. "The people of Haiti are only just beginning to recover from a decade of economic, environmental, and political shocks. The global recession, increases in international food prices, and natural disasters, including four hurricanes in 2008, have undermined the country's already weak infrastructure and increased poverty in a country already the poorest in the western hemisphere," according to Nicole Lee, President of TransAfrica Forum. "The country does not have the infrastructure or resources to deal with a crisis of this magnitude, the U.S. and the international community must provide immediate medical, humanitarian, search and rescue, and additional supports as requested by the government of Haiti, along with longer-term recovery funds," Lee continued. Recommendations Understandings of the situation in Haiti shifts as each new piece of information are announced, however, the following recommendations represent a consensus of views from the advocacy community: 1. CASH DONATIONS. Cash donations to organizations on the ground are most recommended. In-kind contributions, particularly clothing and equipment collections are discouraged as these donations are particularly hard to transport. Additionally, the Port-au-Prince airport has become the staging ground for relief activities, making distribution of clothing, etc. difficult. Many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and private voluntary organizations (PVOs) have long-established development projects on the ground. Those organizations are best placed to assist with the country's immediate needs; we encourage supporters to contribute to two highly effective organizations that are already providing emergency services: Partners in Health. Donate online at: www.pih.org/inforesources/news/Haiti_Earthquake.html or send your contribution to Partners in Health, P.O. Box 845578, Boston, MA 02284-5578. Doctors Without Borders. Donate online at www.doctorswithoutborders.org, or toll-free at 1-888-392-0392. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. USA Headquarters 333 7th Avenue, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10001-5004. 2. EMERGENCY PERSONNEL ONLY. We have received queries regarding travel to Haiti. At this point travel to Haiti is discouraged. The airport must be kept clear for emergency personnel, and port facilities are damaged. Additionally, the roads from Haiti to the Dominican Republic, which are challenging in the best of times, must be cleared to transport Haitians requiring medical attention. 3. TEMPORARY PROTECTIVE STATUS. As noted above, the Obama administration has extended Temporary Protective Status to Haitians living in the United States. Our colleagues at the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti point out the following: "Two applications will be required -- one for TPS, another for a work permit (the work permit application fee alone is $340). DHS should waive those fees because they will prevent many from being able to apply, and those funds would add millions to Haiti recovery efforts if working Haitians could send them home in the form of remittances instead of paying them as fees." Please take a moment to send a letter of thanks to President Obama and to encourage him to waive fees in order to encourage larger remittances to Haiti. 4. COORDINATED INTERNATIONAL RELIEF ASSISTANCE. We commend President Obama for his immediate commitment of support for the people of Haiti during this time of crisis. We urge the administration to continue its efforts, in full coordination with multilateral agencies in order to ensure efficient relief efforts. We also commend governments around the world, from Cuba to Canada, and Venezuela to China for their support, as well. 5. SUPPORT FOR HAITIAN SOVEREIGNTY. Even prior to the earthquake, Haiti was the least-developed country in the Americas. The "dumping" of cheap products into its economy had destabilized the nation and underscored the need to overhaul Haiti's agriculture policies in tandem with international trade policy. Approximately 80 percent of Haiti's population lives in poverty and over half struggle to survive on less than $1 a day. Remittances that Haitians outside the country send home account for over a quarter of gross domestic product (GDP), there is chronic unemployment and the informal economy is steadily growing. Foreign aid dominated Haiti's budget (30-40 percent) and its debt stood at $1.3 billion - 40 percent of which was incurred by the Duvalier dictatorships by stealing or misspending most of the money between 1957 and 1986. The prices of products needed to fulfill basic needs have risen by more than 50 percent since 2007 and most families are forced to choose between buying food and sending their children to school. As the international discussion moves to relief to recovery and rebuilding, support for sovereignty, and policies supporting equitable and participatory economic development must be central. *** Cash donations for the immediate emergency are the priority. After you contribute to Haiti's relief, please also consider making a donation to TransAfrica Forum. If you found the above information useful, please make a donation today. TransAfrica Forum is the leading U.S. advocacy organization for Africa and the African Diaspora in U.S. foreign policy. TransAfrica Forum helped lead the world protest against apartheid in South Africa and today works for human and economic justice for African people on the continent of Africa, in Latin America and in the Caribbean. Contact us: TransAfrica Forum, 1629 K Street, N.W., Suite 1100, Washington, D.C., 20006, 202-223-1960, www.transafricaforum.org. TransAfrica Forum | 1629 K Street, NW, Suite 1100 | Washington, DC 20006 | Phone: 202.223.1960 | Fax: 202.223.1966 | info@transafricaforum.org

Vote for Wall Street Alphas Charitable Foundation

Vote for Wall Street Alphas Charitable Foundation

Chase Community Giving - A program run by Chase that will allow Facebook users to vote for local charities and non-profits, and help direct Chase corporate philanthropy dollars to eligible organizations. The grassroots campaign aims to inspire a new way of ePhilanthropy.

The eligible charity receiving the most votes will be awarded $1 million, the top five runners-up will receive $100,000 each and the 100 finalists, including the top winners, will be awarded $25,000 each.

- Voting for Round 1 has begun and ends December 11.
- Voting for Round 2 ends January 22, 2010.
- The top charities will be announced on or around February 1.

Here's how to do it:
1. Go to http://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/home/faq and type in Wall Street Alphas Charitable Foundation. You are allowed to vote up to twenty other charities. It's that easy.
2. Forward the link to your friends on Facebook as ask them to support your and the Wall Street Alphas Charitable Foundation in their voting.
3. Ask them to get three supporters to vote for the Wall Street Alphas Charitable Foundation.

Chase will use Facebook to allow participants of the Chase Community Giving program to select local causes and organizations in need of support focused on the issues that matter most.

Five Black Friday deals you shouldn't miss

Five Black Friday deals you shouldn't miss by Rick Broida Read full story Acer Aspire One Netbook If you're going to stand in line for something, make it the Acer Aspire One 10-inch Netbook for $149.99 at Office Max. Needless to say, that's a seriously smoking deal--though I still wouldn't get up at 5 a.m. for it. Would you? Bing Gold Rush Many people really like Microsoft's Bing cashback program, and with good reason: After buying stuff you were going to buy anyway, you get money back. Three percent here, 10 percent there--it adds up. Starting Black Friday, retailers like AT&T, eBay, Gap, Sears, and Walmart will be raising their cashback rates as high as 35 percent. Microsoft didn't give me any specific details, but if you're planning to shop online, Bing is probably a smart place to start. Fast Video Converter Pro Normally $24.95, this handy utility is available free, no strings attached, as part of a Thanksgiving promotion. FVC Pro supports just about every video format on the planet, from 3GP to Divx to WMV. It's perfect for converting videos to play on, say, your iPhone or Zune. Don't wanna wait until Turkey Day? You can actually grab this freebie right now, and up until Nov. 30. MiFi 2200 One of my favorite gadgets of 2009, the Novatel Wireless MiFi 2200 is literally a Wi-Fi hotspot in your pocket. It's normally $99.99 with a two-year Sprint contract, but Best Buy will be selling it free with said contract. I don't know if they'll be offering the same deal on the Verizon version, which I suspect many people would prefer. But I do think this will be an in-store-only offer, so plan on a trip to your local BB. Navigon for iPhone As part of a Thanksgiving-weekend-trip-to-grandma's promotion, Navigon's MobileNavigator app [iTunes link] is on sale for $69.99. You can also grab, in-app, the new Traffic Live feature for $14.99, a combined savings of $30. Then grab yourself a basic windshield mount like this one and you can put your old, crummy GPS up on eBay.

Top 5 Must-Read Social Media Books

Top 5 Must-Read Social Media Books Posted: 13 Nov 2009 10:00 AM PST Steve Cunningham is the CEO of Polar Unlimited, a digital marketing agency. To win a signed and personalized copy of each of the books mentioned here, visit Read It For Me. So you want to get up to speed fast on the latest social media thinking. Maybe give your colleague, boss or friend a dose of new social strategies. But where to start? Amazon nicely suggests 44,444 titles that they would be delighted to overnight direct to your bookshelf. Ummm, no thanks. Fortunately, you've got your own social media fairy right here. (Hi!) We've already done the hard part for you, and have narrowed down those 44,444 titles to 5 killer must-reads that can get you on the road to social media stardom. Abracadabra!