More African-American Men Currently in Prison System than Were Enslaved Pre-Civil War

via Jeremiah Adebayo @ http://my.opera.com/diplomat2009/blog/

Law professor and author, Michelle Alexander spoke with concerned citizens in Pasadena, California about her bestseller, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness  and the staggering number of African-American men who are caught up in the for-profit, American prison system.  This comes at a significant cost to the African-American community.  Many of these men have felony convictions and lose their voting rights, have children and aren't allowed to partake in many economic and educational opportunities.  From elections to employment to education, these men are disenfranchised.  America is the land of opportunity, but it is also the land of the highest incarceration rate in the world!

via Prison Culture, http://www.usprisonculture.com/

“More African American men are in prison or jail, on probation or parole than were enslaved in 1850, before the Civil War began,” Michelle Alexander told a standing room only house at the Pasadena Main Library this past Wednesday, the first of many jarring points she made in a riveting presentation.

Society Stars: Mario Launches "Do Right Foundation"

The handsome singer Mario launched his "Do Right Foundation" on Wednesday at Challengers Boys and Girls Club in Los Angeles. The mission of "Do Right Foundation" is to focus on and provide role models for underprivileged youth whose parents suffer or suffered with substance abuse. In addition to providing role models, the Foundation also provides home tutoring via the Catapult Online program and Dell sponsors computers for the children.

As you may know, Mario revealed last year on MTV that his mother is a drug addict. I find it admirable that Mario is using his own experiences and hardships to address and assist children coping with this problem in the community.
Keep up the good work Mario!

Society Stars: Jayneoni Moore's "Readalicious" Book Bash

Philanthropist and Celebrity style maven, Jayneoni Moore hosted the "Readalicious" Book Bash this weekend in Century City, California. The purpose of the Readalicious campaign is to provide new books to children, as well as raise awareness of the scarcity of literature available to children in economically challenged neighborhoods.

Adult and child celebrities like, Tichina Arnold, Ali Landry and Justin Martin came out and supported the event. Children from various shelters and clubs including the Los Angeles Boys and Girls Club had the opportunity to create their own books in a Crayola sponsored arts and crafts area. They also children re-named the celebrities in attendance. Moore was called “Beyonce”, Shar Jackson was re-named “Janet Jackson”, Ali Landry became “Hannah Montana”, Justin Martin became “P Diddy”, Kelly Rutherford was named “Jessica Simpson”, and giant William Romeo (Mayhem) was the pint-sized “Gary Coleman”. When the celebrities read to the children, they took on their NEW celebrity names and personas. ¨ American Gladiators’ Mayhem, a very pregnant Jodie Sweetin (yes the little girl from 80's/90's sitcom Full House), and children actor stars Sammi Hanratty, Jeannette McCurdy, and Madison Davenport blew bubbles and ate peanut butter cookies with kids from the Watts Boys and Girls Club at the Readalicious Book Bash on Saturday.

The Jayneoni Moore Foundation in partnership with Read Across America and The California Teachers Association created the The Readalicious Bag-O-Books Campaign.
This Campaign has supplied over 1,000 children, this spring alone, with school bags bursting with literature from prominent publishing companies such as Kane/Miller Publishing, Blue Apple Books and Simon & Schuster.

Jayneoni is a huge advocate of local non-profit organizations that address domestic violence and terminally ill children. She has hosted other successful philanthropic events including her Jayneoni Moore Children's Fund Big Baby Shower and Hollywood Baby Boom Boom Room.

It's always good karma when one uses their success to help the less fortunate. In the near future I'll tell you more about Jayneoni Moore and her plans.

Society Stars:Elton John's 16th Annual AID Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party

Songstress, Mary J Blige


Host and music extraordinaire,Elton John

TV personality Terri Seymour with her boyfriend and music producer/Idol judge, Simon Cowell


Actress, Jurnee Smollet


Model Mogul, Heidi Klum with her husband and singer, Seal.


Mogul, Russell Simmons with girlfriend and model, Porschia Coleman
(Photos: Getty Images)

The 80th Annual Oscar Academy Awardss were held last night and in tradition, Elton Johnand his partner David Furnish hosted his 16th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party at the Pacific Design Center. Black stars shone brightly last night in an effort to support Elton John in his endeavors to combat and raise awareness about the fatal disease HIV/AIDS, as well as the elimination of prejudice and discrimination against HIV/AIDS-affected individuals, and for programs that provide services to people living with or at risk for HIV/AIDS.

The philanthropic gala began with a cocktail reception, then a formal dinner and viewing of the Oscars Awards.

Society Stars: EIF & Sak's 'UNFORGETTABLE EVENING'

Gelila and Wolfgang Puck


Mary J Blige


Darlene Fountaine


Chad Wonder with Kai Milla


Natalie Cole
(Photos: Patrick McMullan)


EIF and Sak's 5th Avenue held it's annual 'UNFORGETTABLE EVENING' Benefiting Entertainment Industry Foundation's (EIF) Women's Cancer Research. The sit-down dinner gala,which raised over $1.5 million for revolutionary cancer research, took place at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel and featured a live performance by Grammy-award winning Mary J. Blige. This year EIF honored Oscar winning actress Hillary Swank whose lost several family members to Cancer, with the 2008 Courage Award. Fellow thespian Morgan Freeman presented Hillary Swank with the award.

Stevie Wonder's wife, designer Kai Milla and Beverly Hill real estate agent Darlene Fountaine looked gorgeous. Gelila's husband, Wolfgang Puck catered the dinner. Chanteuse, Natalie Cole looked absolutely flawless and younger than ever.

Flashes: Nicole,Rihanna, Serena Williams & Whitney Houston @ Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Party

(Photos: Patrick McMullan)

The Grammy's were in full effect in Los Angeles this weekend and Black stars dominated. Clive Davis through his annual pre-Grammy party and the sista were out and looking gorgeous.

Barbados gem, Rihanna wore a 70's inspired silk jersey gown and looked fresh-faced and beautiful as always.

Diva, Whitney Houston looked so refreshed, healthy and happy in a glamorous sequins gown.

Model and Eddie Murphy's ex-wife, Nicole Mitchell, oozed sex and glamour in a champagne, tiered and body-hugging gown. Nicole's gown is one of my favorites.

Now, I must say I'm sooo impressed with how Serena Williams is styling herself these days. The tennis legend looked flirty, feminine and pretty in a flattering red cocktail dress.

Work it!!

Artsy Sistas: Eileen Norton & Thelma Golden @LACMA Opening Celebration of the Broad Contemporary Art Museum

These two cultured sistas have got it going on. Eileen Harris Norton and Thelma Golden were the black socialites on the scene and looked fabulous as they attended the Los Angeles Contemporary Museum of Art's opening celebration for the Broad Contemporary Art Museum this past weekend.

Who is Eileen Harris Norton you ask? Well, Eileen is a philanthropist, very avid art collector and a former school teacher from Watts. She's the ex-wife of software guru Peter Norton, of Norton Utilities. Yes, as in the creator of Norton Anti-virus software! Eileen has two children by Peter and before they went through a$200 million divorce battle in the the early 2000's, they built a wildly successful software company and amassed one of the largest contemporary art collections in the world. They also established the Santa Monica-based Peter Norton Family Foundation, which Eileen continues to be active in, supporting and bringing attention to emerging artist.

Now onto the art expert, Thelma Golden. I've actually talked about Thelma Golden earlier on this site. This New York bred sista is the Chief Curator at The Studio Museum in Harlem. She's overseen cosmetic upgrades to the museum and is very instrumental in discovering and introducing Black artists. One of the most popular exhibitions she curated at Studio is Freestyle, an exhibition that included twenty-eight up and coming artists of African American backgrounds. Thelma has also guided the patronage of her friends Peter and Eileen Norton to emergent African American modernists. Thelma got her big break when she was named curator of the Whitney Museum in 1991. At the Whitney she spearheaded the Bob Thompson retrospective and curated the controversial 1994 "Black Male" show. She serves on numerous international art prize committees and is a juror for nearly all of the public art commissioned in NYC. Thelma is also known for coining the term ‘post-black’ art with friend and artist Glenn Ligon in the late 1990s.

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