by Carole Copeland Thomas, MBA, CDMP Carole's Granddaughter Julianna on Her First Day in Kindergarten in 2013 Now is the perfect time to wish that young school girl or boy the very best as they start a new school year. Across the country students are ending their vacations and heading back to the classroom. Some schools, like those in the Atlanta area or parts of Nebraska have already started their new term. Other school districts in Connecticut, Massachusetts and elsewhere will be starting soon.
In addition, colleges and graduate programs have freshman/first year students either moving into their dorm rooms or apartments or will be doing so shortly. So now is the time to encourage our young people to do their very best this new academic year. Have a word of prayer with them or give them a card filled with encouraging words. If you can (but it’s not necessary) give them some pocket change to kick off their new term. Most importantly, just share your support with them and let them know that you care about their academic success. An encouraging word from adults in the community can go a long way. May this year begin a new blank canvas of academic success and achievement throughout our society and throughout the world. Our young people deserve it!
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By Carole Copeland Thomas, MBA, CDMP The Civil War ended in 1865, and now more than 150 years later the battle flag of the Southern states is still at the crossroads in South Carolina, Mississippi, Georgia and elsewhere. From license plates to T-shirts to flags, the "stars and bars" remains a hateful symbol of slavery to the Black community.
With the execution of nine innocent African Americans merely attending Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015, the killer was a 21 year old White supremacist who cherished the Confederate flag. With racial hatred and gun violence robbing this country of true progress, it’s time to take down the Confederate Flag and park it in a museum where it belongs. ===================== For More On The Various Versions of the Confederate Flag Visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flags_of_the_Confederate_States_of_America http://confederatemuseum.com/collections/flags http://www.confederatemuseumcharlestonsc.com/about.html By Carole Copeland Thomas, MBA, CDMP Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who died in service to their country. The holiday was officially proclaimed in 1868 to honor Union and Confederate soldiers and was expanded after World War I to honor those who died in all wars. Today, Memorial Day honors over one million men and women who have died in military service since the Civil War.
By the 20th century, competing Union and Confederate holiday traditions, celebrated on different days, had merged, and Memorial Day eventually extended to honor all Americans who died while in the military service. It typically marks the start of the summer vacation season, while Labor Day marks its end. Memorial Day is not to be confused with Veterans Day; Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving, while Veterans Day celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans. My Memories: Town Gatherings, Celebrations, Parades and The Gettysburg Address Remembering the Gettysburg Address is frequently a symbolic part of Memorial Day traditions. Years ago my daughter, Lorna, recited the Gettysburg Address during a town wide program, while her sister, Michelle, and brother, Mikey, played the flute and saxophone with the school band. I believe the program took place in the town cemetery to honor our war dead. From Decoration Day To Memorial Day What is “decorated?” Gravestones and cemetery plots of deceased soldiers who died in military service. Many people visit cemeteries and memorials, particularly to honor those who have died in military service. Many volunteers place an American flag on each grave in national cemeteries. The preferred name for the holiday gradually changed from "Decoration Day" to "Memorial Day", which was first used in 1882. It did not become more common until after World War II, and was not declared the official name by Federal law until 1967. On June 28, 1968, the Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which moved four holidays, including Memorial Day, from their traditional dates to a specified Monday in order to create a convenient three-day weekend. The change moved Memorial Day from its traditional May 30 date to the last Monday in May. The law took effect at the federal level in 1971. After some initial confusion and unwillingness to comply, all 50 states adopted Congress' change of date within a few years. Sources: www.census.gov and wikipedia.org By Carole Copeland Thomas Paying tribute to the women (and men) who raised me at my home church, St. Paul AME in Detroit Michigan. This video shows how important mentoring is between generations. Enjoy!
Ebola. The very word scares us all. With thousands dead in West Africa and the recent death of Thomas Duncan in Texas who then infected two staff nurses at the hospital where he was being treated, what should we know about Ebola? And how can we prepare for new cases or other transmittable diseases that frighten us to death?
Rev. Dr. Gloria Cater to the rescue. Veteran nurse. Retired college Dean. Minister to those in need. Dr. Cater will be a Roundtable Presenter at the November 6th Multicultural Conference at UMass Boston. She’ll be on hand to detail the timeline of Ebola, while addressing its impact for a healthcare perspective. It’s a session you won’t want to miss. State Street Corporation is the LEAD SPONSOR of the Multicultural Symposium Series. Gloria Harris Cater, PhD, RN, FNP-BC,’10 was the first African-American graduate of the PhD Program at University of Massachusetts Boston. She is the Dean Emerita of the Health Science Division at Roxbury Community College. Her research interests are Faith Community Nursing and its Impact on chronic disease in the African American community, and the retention of African American nursing students. She is an ordained minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and serves as the Minister for Health and Wellness at Charles St. A.M.E. Church in Roxbury. She is a member of the New England Regional Black Nurses Association and the Faith Based Cancer Disparities Network at Dana Farber Cancer Institute. She is also a Consultant to the Dotson Program at the Simmons College School of Nursing. We hope that YOU will attend this upcoming conference. It will be held at the University of Massachusetts - Boston Campus on Thursday November 6, 2014 from 8am to 3pm. Tickets are only $99, which includes a 12 month membership in the Multicultural Symposium Series. Click Here to register for the Multicultural Conference. Click Here to learn more about the Multicultural Conference. For further information contact Carole Copeland Thomas at 508 947-5755 or email carole@mssconnect.com by Carole Copeland Thomas, MBA, CDMP Last week I had the privilege of working with seven remarkable young teenagers who participated in a FREE week long workshop called JSHOP. Sponsored by the National Association of Black Journalists. JSHOP transformed these students from curious young adults to working journalists in five short days.
The vision of veteran journalist Russell Lacour JSHOP is in its fifth year, with a goal of bringing out the best in student critical thinking. The NABJ JSHOP is an opportunity for high school students all over the country to experience a hands-on journalism workshop in conjunction with the NABJ national conference. Held in Boston between the Hynes Convention Center and Boston University the students crafted story ideas, were given deadlines and covered key events during the 39th Annual Convention of the National Association of Black Journalists. At the end of an intense week, the students completed a newsletter and several video clips featuring their personal profiles and the convention's Town Hall meeting. I congratulate Russell and his team of seven faculty members, the parents who encouraged their children to participate and the students themselves who worked long hours to complete their assignments. No one dropped out of the program. Every student graduated! It was indeed a joyous opportunity to shape the lives of student power in action. Visit their website and read the student articles and learn more about JSHOP: www.highschool.nabjconvention.org To learn more aobut the National Association of Black Journalists visit: www.nabj.org ====================== Your comments are welcome. By Debra Gould, MS Ebony Speakers first successful creation was a book project entitled “Real Women, Real Issues: Positive Collaborations for Business Success” is a unique collaboration between four dynamic women coming together from many years of varied experience and from their mastermind group experience. Out of that experience came the concept of communicating with other women on the importance of maintaining quality personal, professional and business relationships with other people who promote positive living. Ebony Speakers is excited to announce that our second project was a recent webinar on Wednesday, June 18, 2014. It was just another example of the next level of connecting our audience to the powerful message of real women working in collaborations. During one of our unique mastermind sessions we all determined that it was time to launch a webinar. We are blessed to have a technology savvy business woman like Carole Copeland Thomas to lead the way to address the program logistics to host this webinar series. Nancy J. Lewis agreed to take on the online registering process and it was onward to create the webinar entitled Savvy Sisters: Share Strategies for Everyday Life. The day of the webinar Carole Copeland Thomas welcomed our guests to sharpen up their skills while moving forward in life. This important webinar will covered these topics. Your Personal SWOT Assessment by Debra W. Gould Taking Charge of Your Career by Nancy J. Lewis Using INNOVATION to Get Things DONE by Michelle Porchia Reinvent Yourself & Stay Relevant in Technology by Carole Copeland Thomas Here are a few highlights of what we shared with our listening audience on June 18. Debra's conversation on how can I use the SWOT Assessment to validate my strengths and opportunity to attack the guilty feelings every time I decide to take time for myself. Nancy's conversation was discussed the difference between whining and winning and addressed the tough questions regarding taking charge of your own career. Michelle's conversation discussed technology, tools, your game plan, and work boundaries. Carole's conversation was on the rapidly changing world, connections, collaborations, and effectively using social media including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LInkedIn. We realize seating was limited for this online registration at only $29.00 per person. If you missed out on June 18th due to meetings, business travel or whatever let me suggest a way to get you plugged into this informational, educational, motivational and inspirational webinar. Ebony Speakers still want to invite you to attend our exciting “special one hour” webinar held on June 18, 2014. Here's how it will work: First, register and purchase the webinar. Then...
1. Go to www.ebonyspeakers.com 2. On the top menu bar drop down the Savvy Speakers box found underneath the Webinar Series Box. 3. Our Savvy Sisters Webinar is a Password Protected webpage on our website. 4. You can also download the slides on this page All I can say is WELCOME and get ready to explore your ability to excel, enjoy the webinar and thank you to our guests. Lastly, we are in the process of scheduling future webinars by Ebony Speakers. From years of experience in training, human resources and corporate consulting Debra W. Gould, Nancy J. Lewis, Michelle Porchia and Carole Copeland Thomas have crafted a power-packed business guide for women and men of all ages and ethnicities. We hope you'll join us for future webinar discussions! Topics in the webinar toolkit include: •Global Diversity •Career Transition •Networking •Relationship Economics •Starting and Running A Business •Working Through Difficulties and Challenges ================================== Debra W. Gould, MS is the president of Debra Gould & Associates, Inc. based in New Orleans and provides management consulting and training services to commercial and government clients. Debra is one of the founders of The Ebony Speakers and co-author of the book, Real Women, Real Issues - Positive Collaborations For Business Success. Debra can be reached at: (504) 244-6576, email: djgould@gouldassoc.com and website: www:gouldassoc.com More Business Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with CaroleCopelandThomas on BlogTalkRadio Carole Copeland Thomas' Radio Program
Broadcast Live on June 19, 2014 On June 19, 1865, emancipation was finally granted to the remaining slaves in the rebellious state of Texas. Two and a half years after Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves in the confederate states, the hold out White plantation owners grudgingly and reluctantly gave in to the pressures of the US government, but held onto the racial hatred embedded in their hearts. Fast forward to 2006, a short eight years ago, when Black financial tycoon, Mellody Hobson, was mistaken for kitchen help while in New York City on a campaign fundraising trip for Harold Ford. The manager who made that awful blunder needed to clean out the cobwebs and realize that Black people have significantly advanced since the rough-shod days of our Civil War past. Mellody recently created a TED Talk about her experience, urging her audience to move from being color blind to becoming color brave. We’ll talk about this lingering issue with veteran consultant and former Chair of the National Black MBA Association Bill Wells, Jr. It’s an American issue that simply won’t go away. Your comments are welcome below. How AME India Was Founded by Carole Copeland Thomas, MBA, CDMP by Carole Copeland Thomas, MBA, CDMP
The adventure of traveling to India as an exchange student would have been enough excitement for most seminary students. However, for (now) Rev. Karla Cooper it became a door-opener to a much larger launch into AME history. The African Methodist Episcopal Church (www.ame-church.com) founded in 1787 by freed slaves, has always been a global outreach denomination. With churches in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Central/South America, Europe and Africa its membership of 2.5 million represents one of the oldest historically Black denominations in the United States. Asia, however, was always a distant outpost with few opportunities to save souls in that region of the world until 2003 when the door opened even wider for this mainstream church organization. That was the year seminary exchange student Karla Cooper met and formed a friendship with another student at Gurukul Theological Seminary in Chennai: Indian born Rev. Minnie Sarah (Peddiny). Rev. Cooper shared church history with Rev. Sarah and told of the visionary leadership of the church’s co-founder, ex-slave and first elected and consecrated bishop Richard Allen. It was a match made in Heaven. At that time Rev. Sarah and her husband, Rev. Abraham Peddiny, were shepherding a dozen or more independent “family churches” in India, especially Southern India. Many of the members were Dalits, one of the lowest categories in India’s long history of the caste system. Many were also dark skinned Indians, making it difficult to advance the socio-economic ladder in an ancient and complex social system. When the Richard Allen story was shared with Rev. Sarah, her husband and others, the similarities were too remarkable to ignore. Slaves purchasing their freedom to become entrepreneurs, business leaders, abolitionists and church leaders in an independent Christian denomination. Marginalized dark skinned Indians looking for respect and dignity in a nation that systematically overlooked their humanity. From 2003-2007 the idea was floated to invite the Indian churches into the fold of the AME Church. By 2008 when the AME General Conference was held, the church voted to accept the 20 Indian churches into the AME Church. Originally a part of the Fifth Episcopal District “AME India” was shifted to the Fourth Episcopal District at the 2012 General Conference under the guidance of their original executive sponsors and advocates Bishop John and Rev. Cecilia Bryant. Rev Sarah and her husband were to become the AME Church’s first Presiding Elder couple. In less than seven years AME-India has grown from 20 to 105 churches located across India. Their commitment to Christ is unwavering and their devotion to their brothers and sisters throughout the denomination is unquestionable. AME India is one of the fastest growing regions in the entire denomination. The combined cultures, traditions and vision form one of the most unique collaborations in modern church history. Gratitude is paid to two classmates from different parts of the world who were nurtured and supported by a Bishop and his wife who valued and respected the global outreach of the teachings of Jesus Christ. In May 2014 a group of 40 AMEs from US, Canada and South Africa attended the Fifth Anniversary of AME India. The week long trip included the Annual Conference attended by more than 200 members of AME India from around the country, a visit to one of the AME India churches and a mission visit to an orphanage in Channai, Tamilnadu. This all took place during the conclusion of the India national elections, the largest democratically held election in world history. I will have complete photos and details from the 2014 AME-India Annual Conference in the coming days at www.tellcarole.com. From Left to Right: Atty Tanisha Sullivan (Moderator), Atty Juan Concepcion, Carole and Melanie Brennard Mueller
by Carole Copeland Thomas I had a wonderful time serving as a panelist at this weekend's Educator of Color Leadership Conference at the UP Academy in Boston. Nealy 200 educators attended this second annual conference and my session was titled: "Leveraging Best Practices for Diversity and Inclusion In the Workplace." Below is my presentation and my thoughts on why educators matter in the diversity equation. Enjoy. |
Book Debra, Michelle, Nancy or Carole for your next speaking engagement or training event.
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