Nestled among depressing updates

In a new study published in the big-deal American Journal of Public Health, UNC Chapel Hill professor and researcher Wizdom Powell Hammond, Ph.D. found that brothers who openly discuss their everyday struggles with racial discrimination are less likely to suffer depression than those who keep their feelings inside.

This is no small thing given that suicide is the third most common cause of death for Black boys and men ages 15 to 24 and that Black men are five times more likely to kill themselves than Black women. And note that these stats don’t include less dramatic forms of self-destruction like skipping preventative health screenings.

To get into the minds of Black men, Hammond and her team surveyed nearly 700 Black men ages 18 and up, mostly at high-traffic barbershops in four regions throughout the country. To ensure full and attentive participation, survey-takers received a $25 gift certificate toward a free cut. Genius.

Here, Hammond, who is also a White House Fellow, explains why her study deals with everyday racism, how fantasies of the strong silent type can be soul-killing for Black men, and what Black women can do to help our brothers and lovers fend off depression.—Written for Ebony.com by Akiba Solomon

Continue reading at Ebony.com

Zenobia Dewely, owner of Zenobia's Sweet Tooth

We all want to make money doing the things we love, and enjoy the perks of having a job that might be hard work but doesn’t feel like work. By following your passion, you can have a career that not only brings in enough to sustain your lifestyle, but leads to life fulfillment and career advancement.

Meet Zenobia Dewely, founder and owner of Zenobia’s Sweet Tooth, a Brooklyn, N.Y. baking company that specializes in cookies, breads, and muffins. Her dessert shop boasts a menu that includes unique flavor combos such as peanut butter and Jelly, chocolate chip Twix, Red Velvet and oatmeal raisin coconut treats, and also includes gluten- and sugar-free banana nut breads — with or without nuts and coconut.

Describe the absolute coolest part of your workday.

I really enjoy attending daytime TV shows.  Sharing my cookies with the hosts, their audiences, and their staff really makes me smile. It gives me an opportunity to meet new people regularly and it thrills me to watch strangers enjoying my treats! Social media allows me to meet and chat with new people and I love when they respond to how my cookies affect them.  I would have never had the opportunity to meet and greet so many people, had it not been for my cookies, so I feel really blessed and grateful. Sherri Shepherd absolutely raves about my gluten and sugar-free banana bread.  Martha Stewart has enjoyed my treats as well, Rachel Ray says they’re delicious, and I have had the pleasure of baking for seven-time, Grammy award-winning singer, Al Jarreau.  I would have never thought my dreams would take me here, so this journey has been extremely exciting!

Read more at Ebony. com …

A team of researchers from the University of Rochester, the University of Essex, England, and the University of California in Santa Barbara will publish the result of their study on the role parenting and sexual orientation play in homophobic attitudes, hostility toward homosexuals, and the endorsement of anti-gay policies in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Essentially what they found, through a series of psychological tests, is people who hold same sex attractions, though they self identify as heterosexual, and grew up in households with controlling parents that frowned upon homosexuality are more inclined to be resentful or bigoted towards gay and lesbian people.

As the lead author of the study, Netta Weinstein of University of Essex, explained to Science Daily, “Individuals who identify as straight but in psychological tests show a strong attraction to the same sex may be threatened by gays and lesbians because homosexuals remind them of similar tendencies within themselves.” It’s a form of self-hate projected on others.

This comes as no surprise to those attuned to the struggle for equal rights in the LBGT community.—Written by Mychal Denzel Smith for Ebony.com

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George Zimmerman, left, has been arrested and charged in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin (right) 45 days after the shooting. (Photo: File)

Yesterday, Florida prosecutor Angela Corey announced that George Zimmerman, the man who killed unarmed teen Trayvon Martin, has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder. Zimmerman, 28, turned himself in to police after the charges were announced, and is, according to reports, now in protective custody at the John E. Polk Correctional Facility in Seminole County.

Details of the shooting and the events that led up to the death of the Miami Gardens teenager are still emerging, as prosecution and defense lawyers prep their cases. It has been more than a month full of protests, petitions and intense media coverage of the case that have led to latest developments. Forty-five days after his death, many watched with thoughts  of relief that the case will finally go to trial and hopes that truths will be exposed.

The questions still remain: What do these charges mean? Will there finally be justice in a court of law? How will this play out for Zimmerman, his family, and the family of Trayvon Martin?

Writer Zerlina Maxwell breaks down the legalities of Zimmerman’s charges as well as what this type of case entails.

It is important to know that there are number of proceedings that need to occur even before we get to a trial with a jury of Zimmerman’s peers.  “Long before we get to a jury is the unique pretrial hearing on the ‘Stand Your Ground’ statute. The defense will file a ‘Motion for Declaration of Immunity,’ ” says BJ Bernstein a trial attorney based in Atlanta (who is not affiliated with this case) in an interview with Ebony.  “Remember, ‘Stand Your Ground’ is not merely a defense but rather [indicates] that a defendant is immune from prosecution or a civil suit. When filed, a judge triggers a hearing before trial in which the judge would determine [whether] there is enough evidence to get beyond immunity.”

That means that a judge will ultimately make the determination if the “Stand Your Ground” law applies to this case and whether Zimmerman is immune to the murder charges as a result. If Zimmerman and his defense were successful in this pretrial proceeding then the case would be over and it would not move forward to a jury trial.

Read more at Ebony.com…

(Image: ThinkStock)

Millennials are the products of a generation who had to fight to survive.  Our parents’ fight enabled us to receive much more than we ever had to give. We are the generation of hand-ups and hand-outs. We are a generation of scholarships and fellowships. We are the generation of “I’ll take that sushi with low-sodium soy sauce.” We are the generation of looking to Bey and Jay, Drake and Kanye, the way our parents looked at civil rights leaders and activists.  As many of us in our 20s and 30s enjoy a life of bottle popping and unlimited mimosa Sunday brunches, have we somehow forgotten about giving back?

I have been building my civic career for more than 10 years.  In that time, I’ve come to notice a consistent trend: an overwhelming number of people working in our communities don’t look like the people being served. Though it should not matter the color of a helping hand, to see the face of someone that looks like you helping instills a sense of uplift and encouragement that only we can give to one another.

Young urban professionals have a lot riding on our shoulders. We are expected to win. We are expected to take The Dream and make it a reality. We are expected to be the change. However, many of us may be waiting to “get our money right.” We may be waiting for more free time. We may even be waiting for “better” titles to feel like we can make an impact in our community.

Lies.

This is the stage of the game where not only can we win professionally; we can win civically too. Now is the time to begin to groom ourselves to win through social investment, philanthropy and community service.

Continue reading at Ebony.com…

(Image: Thinkstock)

• Google to Buy Motorola Mobility for $12.5 Billion

In a bid to strengthen its mobile business, Google announced on Monday that it would acquire Motorola Mobility Holdings, the cell phone business that was split from Motorola, for $40 a share in cash, or $12.5 billion.

Read more at the New York Times…

• Detroit to Put 90% of Funding Into Classrooms

Detroit Public Schools aims to put 90 percent of its funding into student education, DPS Emergency Manager Roy Roberts told MSNBC Sunday.

“We’re going to make sure it’s aimed at the principal, the teacher and that student,” Roberts said. “Not spent in the administration and other places.”

Read more at HuffPost Black Voices…

• Obama Approval Rating Slips Below 40%

President Obama’s summer woes have dragged his approval rating to an all-time low, sinking below 40% for the first time in Gallup’s daily tracking poll.

New data posted Sunday shows that 39% of Americans approve of Obama’s job performance, while 54% disapprove. Both are the worst numbers of his presidency.

Read more at the Los Angeles Times…

• Ebony and Jet See Circulation Surge

The scales are finally starting to tip the other way for Desiree Rogers and Johnson Publishing. After a bumpy transition and some crafty maneuvering, though, it’s now being reported that Ebony and Jet are seeing a rise in their circulations. This news comes after the announcement that both publications’ circulation has been outsourced to New York firm Shain & Oringer.

Read more at NBC Chicago…

• North Carolina Eugenics Board Victims Fight for Justice

Elaine Riddick‘s small frame heaves, her rapid, shallow breaths whistling in her throat as she forces the words out between her sobs.

“So what am I worth?” she asks the five people seated at the long table before her. “The kids that I did not have, COULD not have. What are THEY worth?”

“Priceless,” Tony Riddick whispers as he gently rubs his mother’s back.

Elaine Riddick has been asking these same questions, in one forum or another, for the past 40 years. This most recent appearance in late June was before the Governor’s Task Force to Determine the Method of Compensation for Victims of North Carolina’s Eugenics Board.

Read more at HuffPost Black Voices…

The investigation on Rep. Maxine Waters continues, but with additional assistance (Image: File)

• House Seeks Help on Maxine Waters Investigation

The House Ethics Committee may have been trying to investigate Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters, but now it seems they will be requiring additional investigations.

As pressure rises from allegations of probe irregularities, the Committee is forced to hire an additional attorney.  The Washington Post reports that Billy Martin, a prominent DC attorney, will be brought in as outside counsel as the investigation continues.

This news came shortly after the watchdog groups Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington voiced their concerns with the committee’s conduct to House Speaker John A. Boehner and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. The watchdog groups expressed their desire to see the case be handed over to an independent counsel on Monday.

Read more at The Atlanta Post…

• Ebony Founder Gets Postal Stamp

John H. Johnson, the late entrepreneur and pioneering publisher of Ebony, Jet and other magazines, will be featured in the U.S. Postal Service’s Black Heritage stamp series in 2012.

Read more at The Root…

• Al Sharpton: MSNBC’s Next Host?

Al Sharpton could be made MSNBC’s next host, TVNewser reports.

If true, this news is certain to raise eyebrows. Sharpton is, to say the least, a polarizing figure. Even so, he has not noticeably strayed from the standard MSNBC playbook during his guest-hosting stints.

Read more at the Huffington Post…

The late John H. Johnson built his publishing and cosmetics empire into an international powerhouse, distributing name brands such as Ebony, Jet, and Fashion Fair. For 60 years, he touched the lives of millions of African Americans in every facet of life, sharing with the world their talents and potential, exposing injustice and racism, and shattering social and commercial barriers.

In celebration of our 40th anniversary, Black Enterprise is taking a look both forward and backward at the world of black business. Our list of 40 “Titans: The Most Powerful African Americans in Business–and How They Shaped Our World” recognizes and pays homage to the entrepreneurs and business men and women who paved the way for all of us. Follow our countdown of the most important black business leaders of the four decades since Black Enterprise Magazine was founded in August 1970.

These are the men and women who fought the odds, suffered setbacks, regrouped, and eventually emerged victorious. Whether they conducted business from their own offices or the executive suite, their professional excellence, deal-making prowess, and unwavering advocacy converted promise into channels of prosperity and levers of power. These are the pioneers who withstood the elements—institutional racism, resistance from the business establishment, and lack of resources—to plant a flag on their own patch of territory.

These are the Titans: bold leaders who shattered conventional modes of commerce. Because of their contributions over the past 40 years, the world of business has been transformed forever.

Be sure to pick up the commemorative 40th anniversary August 2010 issue of Black Enterprise, which contains the entire Titans list.

Rice resigns as CEO but retains Chairman position

Linda Johnson Rice has stepped down as CEO of Johnson Publishing Co. (No. 22 on the BE Industrial Service Companies list with $200 million in revenues), publisher of Ebony and Jet magazines. She will remain chairman of the company, a post she’s held since 2008. Desiree Rogers, who was most recently White House Social Secretary has been chosen to serve as CEO in her stead.

Rice is the daughter of the late John Johnson who founded Ebony magazine in 1945. Joining the company in 1980, she served in a variety of roles. She took over company operations as president and COO in 1987 and was appointed CEO in 2002, assuming the title of chairman a few years later.

Rogers' appointment as consultant takes on a new definition

Rogers joined the Chicago-based publishing company this past June. She was hired as a consultant to assist with corporate strategy. Rogers achieved a level of infamy in December of last year when she took the fall for a couple trespassing at a state dinner hosted by the White House. She stepped down from her White House position in March.

Ebony and Jet are persevering during the recession; both publications underwent editorial and visual redesigns—Ebony in 2004 and Jet this year. But that doesn’t mean Johnson Publishing Co. has been without transition.

• The company lost its cofounder, Eunice Johnson, in January of this year, which prompted Ebony Fashion Fair, which she founded, to go on hiatus. There has been no word about when the company might resume its shows.
• In February, Magic Johnson Enterprises tried unsuccessfully to negotiate a deal to buy Johnson Publishing Co.
• Last month, author and magazine exec Amy DuBois Barnett was appointed Ebony’s editor-in-chief, replacing author and lifestyle coach, Harriette Cole, who stepped down from Ebony as creative director and acting editor-in-chief after more than three years in that position.
• Also in July, Anne Sempowski Ward, who had served as president and COO at Ebony since 2008 resigned her position after giving birth in May.