Black Women Ignored by Mainstream Media

NEWSWIRE NATIONAL CONGRESS OF BLACK WOMEN, INC. DR. E. FAYE WILLIAMS NATIONAL CONGRESS OF BLACK WOMEN, INC. DR. E. FAYE WILLIAMSDr. E. Faye Williams, Esq, National Chair of the National Congress of Black Women, Inc. (PRNewsFoto/National Congress of Black Women, Inc.) WASHINGTON, DC UNITED STATES 03/12/2009

13 Mar 2009 02:24 Africa/Lagos


Black Women Ignored by Mainstream Media

BLACK WOMEN ARE IN NO MOOD FOR BEING IGNORED BY MAINSTREAM MEDIA

WASHINGTON, March 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- "Day after day, in all forms of media -- print, radio, and television -- we see, hear, and read the perspectives of non-Black women and women of color who are not actively involved in the struggles of Black women -- especially on so-called 'women's issues'. Well, as Sojourner Truth would ask, Black women are also asking, 'Ain't I a Woman?'," says Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq, National Chair of the National Congress of Black Women, Inc.


(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090312/DC83321 )


"What's with the media? Don't they know Black women and other minority women have ideas, too -- especially when the subject is about women? There are many Black women leaders, and we don't all agree with what others say about issues involving us. Many of us attended the White House ceremony where President Barack Obama announced his White House Council on Women and Girls. Yet, we haven't seen one comment by a Black women's organization because nobody from mainstream media asked us," Williams said.


"To set the record straight," Williams said, "most Black women are very happy with what President Obama has done for women and girls in his first 50 days in office. We are not angry with the President as one major network recently indicated -- and used our photograph in its story to prove it! Do we want more? Sure we do, but we don't expect all of it to happen in the first 100 days. We are pleased with the First Lady and the causes she chooses to lead. We're 'sick and tired of being sick and tired' of being ignored or spoken for by others, and being treated as though others always have the authority to speak for us. Many of us are ready, willing and able to speak for ourselves -- and I am sure Latino women, American Indian women and others feel the same way. While we women have a lot in common, we are not generic or one size fits all. We'd at least like to be asked what we are thinking on all kinds of issues."


"As for Valerie Jarrett," says Williams, "I don't know where anyone got the idea that she's not a feminist because she is. During the campaign, we could depend upon her to be very responsive to issues concerning women and girls. As a single woman, she raised her own child, and was an extremely successful businesswoman. We should be very pleased to have her looking out for us by coordinating the entire Cabinet on behalf of women. It's no secret that she has the President's ear daily. If I wanted someone to advocate for me on anything, it would be Valerie Jarrett. We as women will never succeed if we are always critical of each other instead of working together to advance our common causes."


Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090312/DC83321
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN15
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: National Congress of Black Women, Inc.

CONTACT: Theodore Myles, for National Congress of Black Women, Inc.,
+1-323-545-9044

Dreams Do Come True

17 Jan 2009 00:10 Africa/Lagos

Dreams Do Come True

ST. LOUIS, Jan. 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is a statement by Benjamin Ola. Akande, Dean of Webster University School of Business & Technology:


As a child growing up in Nigeria, I was a dreamer. My parents never dismissed my dreams. They were always encouraging. No matter how outright unbelievable my dreams were, they would assure me that dreams do come true. Dreams provide a glimpse of what the future will look like. I wish I could have recorded all those dreams.


Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream was recorded. It was a dream that was played out in front of thousands of people and like most dreams, no one really knew how it would play out. As the dream was recalled over the years, it became clear that this was a significant and compelling vision of the future. Martin's dream was in the form of a remarkable prose on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Most of us can hear him recite this dream in our subconscious. "I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made straight and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together." It is a dream that visualizes a future where all those things that seemed impossible and improbable will happen despite overwhelming obstacles.


Barack Obama

The election of Barack Obama was a manifestation of Martin's dream. I would like to believe that Martin Luther King's dream highlighted how difficult it is to make change happen. Martin spoke about how mountains and hills (obstacles) shall be made lower and rough places (institutional changes) will be made straight. The recognition was that monumental changes of this magnitude take considerable time. Indeed, it takes the force of nature to break through the harsh reality of status quo and history.


Dreaming enables us to transcend the present and position us on the balcony for a better view of the future. And, because dreaming offers no restrictions, the greatest dreamers are often characterized as crazy and out of touch with reality. What history has shown us is that you may vilify them, you can criticize them, and you may even assassinate them. But, you can't kill a dreamer's dream. MLK's dream took a long time to come to fruition, with small significant steps and some big setbacks along the way. But on Nov. 4, 2008, the full realization of the great civil rights leader's dream came to pass with the election of a junior senator from Illinois as the first African American President of The United States of America..


Martin Luther King taught us that adversity is a lot easier to overcome than success. And that is the power of dreams. He knew it would happen. He even foresaw that his own demise may keep him from seeing his dream come true. "I've seen the promised land," he said. "I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the Promised Land." Forty-five years later, his vision is still unfolding. But one thing is crystal clear. Dreams do come true.


Source: Webster University School of Business and Technology

CONTACT: Susan Kerth of Webster University, +1-314-246-8232


Web Site: http://www.webster.edu/