tag:www.funtimesmagazine.com,2005:/categories/hot-topics?page=32Hot Topics | FunTimes Magazine Page 32Celebrating Africa And Its Diaspora2020-07-24T19:12:11-04:00urn:uuid:1340b871-4ed8-442f-b122-c506eceb9b3c2020-07-24T19:12:11-04:002020-07-24T19:12:11-04:00And There Is Hope2020-02-03 14:06:23 -0500Eric NzeribeBy Ernesto Velazquez<p>There is reason to be optimistic as we face the complexity of the climate crisis. You may ask how this is possible given the apparently unsurmountable barriers of CO2 emissions reductions and the damage that we have caused already to the biosphere.</p><p>Moreover, it is highly demoralizing when one’s own government has engaged in an aggressive campaign to dismantle regulations put in place to arrest greenhouse gases and protect the integrity of our air, water and soil, citing cost as a motive. However, at what cost?</p><p>Citing cost (meaning reduced profit) as a reason for dismantling environmental protection regulations, some of which have been in place for over 50 years, negates the true cost of doing business as usual. It is a dereliction of the moral responsibility owed by the US to low pollution emitting countries for pumping greenhouse gases for 150 years into the planet’s atmosphere at disproportionately high level. A precious atmosphere shared by all nations, industrialized and non-industrialized. </p><p>Despite three years of outright war against established sensible environmental policies by the corporate interests that hijacked our federal government, I remain optimistic that “real leaders” are emerging at this critical juncture who can lead us out of the crisis. They come from different backgrounds, rich and poor, young and old, white and brown. The climate crisis is increasing our awareness of the destructive nature of “what is” and driving a counter action of “what can be” – by laying the foundations for a better tomorrow.</p><p>Engaging in climate value driven action are leaders such as Yacouba Sawadogo, a farmer from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burkina_Faso">Burkina Faso</a>, Africa, who has been successfully using a traditional farming technique called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Za%C3%AF">Zaï</a> to restore soils damaged by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desertification">desertification</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drought">drought</a>, essentially stopping the desert that would have rendered his community a waste land.</p><p>Bill Gates, the wealthiest man in the world with 110 billion dollars, and his wife Melinda, have taken head on the principal cause of global warming – fossil fuel energy production. They have infused capital into novel energy technology projects with promising results. A recent technological breakthrough by one of the startup alternative energy companies the Gates funded, Heliogen, aims to bring clean energy solutions to the heavy industry sector, i.e. cement and steel manufacturing responsible for 17% of global C02 greenhouse (global warming) gases. They just announced the creation of “the word’s first technology that can commercially replace fuels with carbon-free, ultra-high temperature heat from the sun.”</p><p>A spectacular youth environmental movement has emerged in response to the climate crisis. Our youth are increasingly taking leadership roles in climate activism. They are after all the ones that will inherit a scarred planet handed to them by the adults that simply did not know, knew but did not act, or knew and acted to worsen the problem through a lifestyle of plundering. Witness the courage of a 15-year-old Greta Thunberg, crossing the Atlantic in a small sailboat, her fearlessness inspiring a global youth movement to challenge the status quo. </p><p><strong><em>PULL OUT: Compassion and creativity are challenging the largest existential crisis of our time.</em></strong></p><p>There is a sense of immediacy and clear purpose in inspiring global awareness and change. Awareness of our unique peril and change in how we go about living in harmony with the natural planetary systems that has brought forth and sustained our species.</p><p>A new order of leaders with a new world view has emerged, driving change in the established order that grows increasingly resistant. Expanded awareness is intensifying among the youth and unifying individuals across all divides. The challenge towards change is formidable in a world where 40% of its inhabitants have never heard of climate chaos but its effects are already causing many to struggle even more, just to subsist.</p><p>The stakes have never been this high; this is a struggle for ALL of our existence. Still there is hope. There is hope in the growth of regenerative agriculture, and in the duplication of the actions of the man in Burkina Faso, who stopped the dessert. There is hope in the action of billionaires who are racing to find technological solutions to decrease atmospheric emissions. There is hope in the winds that powered the sailboat of a young descendant of the Vikings, across the ocean. Her message for urgent change is thundering throughout the globe and launching a world-wide youth environmental movement who continues to inspire and motivate others into action.</p><p>Moreover, in the spirit of hope, I conclude by putting forth the question: Can this be the beginning of a new era? An era where we finally learn to live with the planet as complements to its natural systems rather than die as plunderers. </p><p><em>“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” </em></p><p>— Martin Luther King</p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.funtimesmagazine.com">FunTimes Magazine</a></small></p>urn:uuid:9539fd3f-601b-4cc2-98d6-e37683d87e172020-07-24T19:12:14-04:002020-07-24T19:12:15-04:00African Americans and Caribbean Receive Ghanaian Citizenship during Year of Return Celebration in Accra2020-02-03 14:04:50 -0500Eric NzeribeThe air was filled with euphoria. Rows of African Americans and Caribbean, who were now officially Ghanaians, waved black star flags above their heads, and the President of Ghana, Nana Akuffo Addo, sat in front of the audience, smiling fondly as the applause rose to a crescendo.<p>On Wednesday, November 27th, 2019 at the Jubilee House in Accra, Ghana,Nana Akuffo Addo presented 126 people of the African Diaspora with Ghanaian citizenship. This event was the culmination of hard work, campaigning and tension from many diasporan advocacy groups in collaboration with the Ghanaian government.</p><p>Two hours before the occasion, at 5pm, members of the diaspora gathered at Afrikkiko, a restaurant and bar in Accra Ghana, to share final words and celebrate this milestone.</p><p>Attendees later arrived at the Jubilee House for a swearing-in ceremony having been told to bring a Bible, Quran, crucifix or a shrine.</p><p>Throughout the program, lyrics from the song ‘African’ by reggae artist, Peter Tosh became a metaphor of atonement within the African Diaspora: ‘Don’t care where you come from / as long as you are a black man, you are an African.’</p><p>After the new citizens received their citizenship papers, Rabbi Kohain from PANAFEST spoke to the audience about the gravity of this event and claimed this event as a grand reunion for all of the Diaspora.</p><p>Diasporan advocacy groups in Ghana like the Bureau of African Diaspora Affairs, PANAFEST, the African American Association of Ghana and more joined together to campaign for descendants of the TransAtlantic slave trade to receive citizenship through the ‘Right of Return.’ The international mandate of the ‘Right of Return’ states that indigenous communities who have been displaced have the right to reintegrate into their country of origin.</p><p>The citizenship celebration was the second of its kind. The first group of Diasporans who received Ghanaian citizenship as a Right of Return were 34 in number, under the presidency of John Mahama in 2016.</p><p>This event was monumental for Ghana and the Diaspora, as it coincides with the Year of Return coming to a close. 2019, which is the 400th year anniversary of the TransAtlantic slave trade, was declared the Year of Return in Ghana by President Akuffo-Addo. This initiative was designed to welcome displaced people of the Diaspora Back to Ghana.</p><p>Nzali Abraham of H.E.R. Collective, from North Carolina, is one of the African Americans who were granted citizenship.</p><p>The celebration included yearlong events to commemorate the resistance of enslaved Africans, land allocation to Diasporans and more. There has been an influx in tourism, including visits from Steve Harvey, Danny Glover, T.I. Tip Harrison, Ciara, and performances by Raheem Davaughn, Cardi B and others. Airport arrivals in Ghana also increased 45%, amounting to 237,088 arrivals in total.</p><p>Ghana has an extensive legacy of being a beacon of repatriation for those in the Diaspora, and with citizenship, returnees are more able to fully integrate into society.</p><p>Have you considered repatriating to Africa? If so, what country and why?</p><p>Email us at info@funtimesmagazine.com</p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.funtimesmagazine.com">FunTimes Magazine</a></small></p>urn:uuid:476ecf1e-eed0-4f3b-8d2d-4b12ecd247762020-07-24T19:12:47-04:002020-07-24T19:12:47-04:00The Power of Philanthropy in the Black Community2019-12-23 14:35:57 -0500Eric NzeribeBy Taja White<p>A 2017 study shows that there are about 8,000 nonprofit organizations in Philadelphia alone; and the number has since continued to grow. These altruistic foundations include a plethora of services all dedicated to continuing advocacy for specific social issues. However, there are always a few groups that do outstanding work through their innovative programming and commitment. In the midst of a season full of giving, it’s time to recognize some organizations who have continued the selfless act of community enhancement. Organizations like the Black Women Give Foundation and Beech Companies have embodied what it truly means to take progressive action when it comes to the Black community’s needs.</p><p>The Black Women Give Foundation was founded in 2016 by four innovative Black women who decided it was time to change the narrative around the idea of philanthropy in communities of color. The organization has a designated service area that includes the Southeastern region of Pennsylvania and makes up a group of volunteers with diverse backgrounds including entrepreneurs, educators, mothers, sisters, daughters, activists, students, and retirees.</p><p>One of the main goals is to develop sustainable impact for organizations that are working to uplift communities of color through access to grant funding. Shana K. Salley-Macmillan one of the four founders of the organization started to notice a trend surrounding the lack of access to grant dollars for organizations who were tackling social issues in the minority community. “I noticed that the people that were making these critical funding decisions for minority communities did not look like me.” MacMillan recalled.</p><p>She explained that operating underneath the giving circle model, which allows individuals with common interests to come together, to create and build, has been so beneficial for the organization. The members have a collective knowledge of grants and how they are awarded, therefore, they are able to advocate for missions such as health and wellness, education and economic development. Today, the Black Women Give Foundation has awarded grants up to $5000 to various organizations during their yearly grant cycle. In their long-term committed response, they hope to double, and triple their efforts through expanding a space of financial contribution with funding marked for organizations servicing marginalized and underrepresented communities of color.</p><p>Beech Companies, another altruistic organization with a strict focus on helping people in North Philadelphia, started giving out grants in the 1990s as a part of the William Penn Foundation. In 1996, they became independent and in 2005 expanded their foundation which now makes up one umbrella that includes eight organizations. Kenneth Scott the current President explained that a lot of the grants go to public schools, and people doing social service work, after school programming, math programs, athletic programs and organizations that need operating support to maintain themselves.</p><p>Beech started giving out scholarships about 10 years ago. They have since given over a half million dollars in scholarships to African-American students attending Cheyney, Lincoln, Community College and Temple University. “Resources like this are so important for the communities of color especially in a City like Philadelphia where often times we make up 90% of clients who have social service needs. Beech is one of the few Black organizations in the country that gives out cash grants and financial assistance. Very few Black foundations actually give out cash grants to help support their missions.” Scott recalled. In the future, Beech Companies hope to continue giving scholarship funding and grant funding on a larger scale.</p><p>Between these two stellar organizations, the two most prevalent themes included both the importance of monetary giving and progression. Both of these organizations understand that the fundamental aspect of sustaining a philanthropic mission is in fact economical. Economic development leads to progression which is why these organizations are doing so well and will continue to enhance the Black community.</p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.funtimesmagazine.com">FunTimes Magazine</a></small></p>urn:uuid:c1fc9fb0-dfa6-4cf5-b859-c0d3b948749b2020-07-24T19:12:50-04:002020-07-24T19:12:51-04:00Liberia Wins Third Unity Cup Championship2019-12-23 14:33:52 -0500Eric NzeribeBy Joseph Warkreh T-Toe<p></p><p>One of Philadelphia Major, Jim Kenney’s plan for Philadelphia when he took office was to use sport as a bridge amongst the diverse immigrant population living in the city. Such a plan gave birth to the Philadelphia International Unity Cup. Called the Unity Cup for short, this annual soccer competition which runs between September and October of each year features various nationalities that have made Philadelphia their home over the years. Originally 16 teams, this year’s tournament fielded 52 teams with participants from Africa to the Americas, from Europe, Asia, the Caribbean, the Middle East to the Far East.</p><p></p><p>The diversity of the teams does not only make Philadelphia a welcoming city along the East Coast but one of several sanctuary cities where people from various parts of the world immigrate to make their home and start a new life. Like every year, one of this year’s pre-game activities at the Talen Energy Stadium in Chester on October 12 was the granting of citizenship to 21 men and women who have met the requirements and have elected to take the pledge of allegiance.</p><p></p><p>But the main event of the evening was the finale of the Unity Cup which was in its fourth year mirroring the World Cup elimination format. It was Liberia, the reigning three-time champion, beating the USA 3 – 0 reasserting its dominance and affirming that it is the team to be reckoned with. Liberia, a tiny West African country, has gone to the finals four times in the four years since Major Kenney announced the tournament of nations on the north court of City Hall in 2016.</p><p></p><p>The Liberian Lone Star team displayed agility and skillfulness when it scored its first goal in the seventh minute of the game. But in spite of the continued half-court pressure the Lone Star put on Team USA throughout the first half, the half ended with Liberia scoring the only goal. However, the second half saw an aggressive US team looking for the equalizer. With relentless counter-attack, the Lone Star rebuffed Team USA with its second goal in the 75<sup>th</sup> minute and completely sealed Team USA’s fate with a third goal in the 80<sup>th</sup> minute.</p><p></p><p>Even though the tournament has been underpublicized by the local news media and social media platforms, hundreds of Liberians and their friends took advantage of the free admission to attend the game and cheer on their hometown team. And cheering, singing, drumming and dancing they did to the chagrin of the handful of Team USA’s supporters who had nothing to cheer for.</p><p></p><p>Besides winning this year’s championship, one of the Lone Star’s players who stood out to receive individual accolade was the goalkeeper, Prince Monyan for allowing just one goal during the tournament. As a consequent, Monyan was awarded the Golden Glove by Mayor Kenney during the award ceremony. </p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.funtimesmagazine.com">FunTimes Magazine</a></small></p>urn:uuid:b802dd45-2e34-4bc1-abec-2b4cd84e37fa2020-07-24T19:13:07-04:002020-07-24T19:13:07-04:00Thought Bubble - The Power of Imagination Founded on Adapted Traditional Values2019-12-23 14:22:17 -0500Eric NzeribeBy Cheri Avery Black<p></p><p>For 280 years there has been no police and little crime in Accompong, a sovereign Jamaican town of over 1,000 residents who have upheld their strong traditions from Akan, Asante, and indigenous Taino cultural heritages.</p><p></p><p>“I know you have the safest place in the country, but I don’t want to wait until you have problems,” the Jamaican National Security Minister stated recently as he announced the establishment of the town’s first “preventive” police post.</p><p></p><p>Accompong residents speak of personal responsibility, and family and community looking out for each other as key values they have held on to as they adapted them in response to changing times.</p><p></p><p><strong>What Can We Do?</strong></p><p></p><p>Our global and local problems have already grown huge, perhaps overwhelming to many. Empowered by the strength and perseverance of our ancestors, we can overcome. The urgency of our climate crisis can be the focus of us coming together. Our response to this urgency will determine whether we and our children will be able to live in a world we can still recognize. If we don’t respond creatively and urgently, the first to go under water in our area, is not only New York City and New Jersey but all of Philadelphia below Market Street.</p><p></p><p>There are inspirational and practical steps being taken around the world. One example is from the town of Totnes, England, as reported by RobHopkins.net. Among the questions they wrestled with, successfully using their imagination, was:</p><p></p><p><em>“If we do everything we can possibly do in the next 11 years to respond to the climate emergency, working together locally and thinking globally, if we threw all the resources, imagination, courage and political will at it, what could we create?”</em></p><p><em></em></p><p>Hopkins just published a visionary book about a possible 2030, far different from the current disastrous path we’re on, entitled <em>From What Is to What If: Unleashing the Power of Imagination to Create the Future We Want.</em></p><p></p><p>David Fleming, in <em>Lean Logic,</em> wrote “if the mature market economy is to have a sequel … it will be the work, substantially, of imagination.”</p><p>As Hopkins says, “Imagination is central to empathy, to creating better lives, to envisioning and then enacting a positive future. Yet imagination is also demonstrably in decline at precisely the moment when we need it most.</p><p>“We<em><strong>do</strong></em>have the capability to effect dramatic change,” Hopkins argues. <em>His book</em>is a call to action to reclaim and unleash our collective imagination, told through the stories of individuals and communities around the world who are doing it now, and witnessing often rapid and dramatic change for the better.</p><p><em>Reference: RobHopkins.net</em></p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.funtimesmagazine.com">FunTimes Magazine</a></small></p>urn:uuid:acf1b0c0-ded4-4cd4-86a0-955fee41c0802020-07-24T19:13:15-04:002020-07-24T19:13:15-04:00The Economic and Social Impact of a Warming Planet2019-12-23 14:19:06 -0500Eric NzeribeBy Ernesto Velazquez<p></p><p>A look at the planet’s land masses and its population distribution reveals that the northern</p><p>latitudes are expansive and relatively sparsely populated. These areas are within the political boundaries of powerful industrialized nations such as Canada, USA, Russia, and the Scandinavian countries.</p><p></p><p>As global warming increases, a prevailing argument supported by recent historical trends point to beneficial economic effects of climate change for these counties, such as increased agricultural yields and habitability, as well as access to natural resources. When measured strictly in terms of GDP, a few of these cold climate countries, e.g., Canada, Norway and Russia, have already benefited from global warming in the past few decades. As compelling as the argument is, the gains will be short lived, and ultimately the suffering will not spare anyone.</p><p></p><p>The short-term gains will ultimately lead to across the board loses for all countries, rich or poor, hot or cold. Economies are projected to shrink significantly if we continue business as usual. That is, if we keep pumping the thin veil of atmospheric gases encapsulating our planet with ever larger amounts of greenhouse gases.</p><p></p><p>A study at Stanford University looked at the impact that global warming has had on global inequality (Noah S. DiffenbaughandMarshall Burke, 2019) by focusing on each country’s per capita GDP—the per-person value of the country’s economic activity from 1961 to 2010. Then they used climate models to estimate what each country’s GDP would have been without the influence of global warming.</p><p></p><p>“India, for example, has approximately 30% lower per capita GDP today than if global</p><p>warming had not occurred,” said Noah Diffenbaugh, the study’s lead author and an earth sciences professor at Stanford University. “In India there are hundreds of millions of people living below $2 a day. This reduction in per capita GDP is substantial. That is the order of magnitude of the economic impacts during the Great Depression here in the United States.”</p><p></p><p>Diffenbaugh and Burke compared their findings across countries and found that “the greatest</p><p>harm to GDP was in poorer countries closer to the equator, while a few northern countries</p><p>showed a GDP gain compared to the model of a world without global warming. The United</p><p>States showed a loss of less than 1 %.”</p><p></p><p>A Cambridge University study published in August 2019 supports the argument that despite the</p><p>possibility of short-term GDP gains for northern nations, no country will be spared from the economic devastation brought upon by climate change. In fact, the research published by the National Bureau of Economic Research at Cambridge suggests that, “on average, richer, colder countries would lose as much income to climate change as poorer, hotter nations.”</p><p></p><p>The argument that taking action would be too costly and economically unsound, is a tired excuse, short sighted and selfish, dangerously passing the planetary threat of existential proportions to the generation of youth and the unborn.</p><p></p><p>According to the Cambridge study, at the current rate of carbon emissions, “the United States is</p><p>on track to lose 10.5% of its GDP by 2100 … Canada would lose over 13%. Furthermore, 7% of global GDP is likely to vanish by the end of the century unless serious action is taken.” Japan, India and New Zealand lose 10% of their incomes. Switzerland is likely to be down by 12%, Russia by 9%, and the UK down by 4%. On the other hand, research shows that adhering to the Paris Agreement limits would keep the losses of the U.S. and Canada under 2% of their GDP. The reductions in global GDP ironically may be beneficial in one way: less economic production usually follows less emissions.</p><p></p><p>However, in the end, there are no winners, with global economic loss so profound that there is no historic precedence. Economies are human constructs that have evolved to the modern “fossil fuel energy intensive” industrial global machine negatively affecting climate through carbon emissions.</p><p></p><p>The real loss is in the enormity of human suffering that has been a direct result of global warming, such as food insecurity from failed crop yields, population displacement due to rising sea levels, ravaging storms, floods, and the rise of killer heat waves. In addition, there is the disastrous loss in biodiversity, with millions of species simply unable to adapt, some we know and many undiscovered, which are barreling towards extinction.</p><p></p><p>We need to take this personally. Will your children’s children ever contemplate a Monarch butterfly in your backyard, a coral reef off the Florida Keys, or the pink sand and turquoise water</p><p>of Horseshoe Bay, Bermuda? Do you care?</p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.funtimesmagazine.com">FunTimes Magazine</a></small></p>urn:uuid:c44bb300-caab-49cd-866a-75d09cd2635b2020-07-24T19:13:31-04:002020-07-24T19:13:31-04:00Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda demands Harvard pay reparations for slavery2019-12-23 14:09:45 -0500Eric NzeribeGaston Browne, the prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda has sent a letter to the president of Harvard demanding reparations for the university’s role in using the labor of enslaved Blacks from the Caribbean islands in the 1800s. “Reparation from Harvard would compensate for its development on the backs of our people, Browne wrote. “Reparation is not aid; it is not a gift: it is compensation to correct the injustices of the past and restore equity,” Browne stated in the letter.<p></p><p>The demand is based on the work of uncompensated enslaved Black people on the Antiguan plantation owned by Massachuetts-based Issac Royall. According to the Harvard Crimson, in 1815 Royall donated money to create the first endowed law professor at Harvard. Today, Royall’s name is still attached to Harvard’s distinguished Royall Professor of Law position.</p><p></p><p>According to the Crimson, Harvard President Lawrence Bacow responded to the demand in a letter. “We recognize that there is more work to be done,” Bacow wrote. Indeed, Harvard is determined to take additional steps to explore this institution’s historical relationship with slavery and the challenging moral questions that arise when confronting past injustices and their legacies.”</p><p></p><p>Harvard has not committed to reparations, but under pressure from students in 2016 it decided to retire the Harvard Law School shield which displayed the Royall family coat of arms. A year later the university erected a stone memorial and plaque honoring “the enslaved whose labor created wealth that made possible the founding of Harvard Law School.”</p><p></p><p>Prime Minister Browne says Harvard’s acknowledgment is not enough. In his letter, he suggested that Harvard could offer financial assistance to the University of the West Indies campus in Antigua & Barbuda.</p><p></p><p>The road to riches for the Royall family has its start in the early 1700s when Issac Royall Sr. sailed to the West Indies and settled in Antigua in an attempt to make a living in the suger trade by utilizing enslaved labor. Royall Sr. was the son of a carpenter who had little or no opportunities for success in Massachusetts, then a British colony, according to a 2011 report, “Harvard and Slavery: Seeking a Forgotten History.”</p><p></p><p>Royall bought a stake in a “slaver” ship and because of the money he was making he earned enough to start his own sugar cane plantation in Antiqua. And, his wealth, as a result of enslaving Black people, translated to his generous contribtion to Harvard.</p><p></p><p>In 2017, Harvard held a conference exploring the connections between universities and slavery. At the conference, Daniel R. Coquille, a co-author of a history of the Harvard Law School made a presentation that recounted how Royall helped brutally end a rebellion by enslaved Blacks in Antiqua by butchering them and burning them at the stake.</p><p></p><p>Antiqua and Barbuda are twin islands in the Caribbean. They declared their independence from the United Kingdom in 1981.</p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.funtimesmagazine.com">FunTimes Magazine</a></small></p>urn:uuid:34f844b8-a267-4e59-8c14-cd403d196aa22020-07-24T19:13:37-04:002020-07-24T19:13:37-04:00Plan to Make 2020 Your Best Year2019-12-23 14:02:58 -0500Eric NzeribeScore a Financial Touchdown in 2020!<p></p><p>As we approach the end of 2019 and prepare for 2020, take a step back for “plan and review”; similar to military strategy, knowing when to make a move, make a decision or make a change could be critical to your survival and your success. The goal is to de-stress your life and your business - anticipate, plan, grow, and repeat!</p><p></p><p>Forbes Magazine suggests that going into 2020, you should:</p><p><strong>Concentrate On Your Emergency Fund</strong> - your just in case fund</p><p></p><p><strong>Apply For Affordable Financing Sooner Rather Than Later</strong> - the best time to apply is when you don’t need it and cash flow is strong</p><p></p><p><strong>Focus On ROI</strong> - carefully evaluate each purchase or investment including attending conferences, networking events, travel, new hires, and renovations. Examine potential personal expenditure and determine if it should be downsized to support your end of 2020 goals.</p><p></p><p><strong>Reduce Your Fixed Cost Commitments</strong></p><p>Consider using a co-working space for your business, rather than signing a multi-year commercial lease. This will allow you to share other fixed costs that come with owning and operating a business</p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>Get The Advice Of A CPA -</strong></p><p>Schedule a consultation with a CPA professional to see if this is someone to whom you could collaborate, envision possibilities, turn to in difficult times for advice, consult before you make an important decision and most importantly, someone you can trust. Do you have similar values, who are their references, are they willing to be a member of your team for the long term?</p><p></p><p>Before you make any decisions as you plan for 2020, analyze the outcomes, expenditures, and your return on investment (ROI) in 2019, evaluate the 2019 impact to your business plan, adjust your marketing plan and align it to the audience you are targeting or increase in business you will require, simplify your business structure and operating costs, and be clear about your goals and how you will achieve them yet remain profitable.</p><p></p><p>It is sometimes challenging, and a little daunting, making decisions as a small business owner. It can be lonely at the top. There is a smaller margin for error and yet you absolutely must take some calculated risks in order to stay in the game, stay ahead of the competition, and remain profitable. Consider developing a Mentorship Relationship with someone whom you admire, respect and trust-take a moment to think about a person who has strengths that fill your areas that need development. It’s ok to have more than one mentor – hang out for coffee, enjoy each other’s company, be open to advise and coaching, and be open to “change”.</p><p></p><p>Remember to use critical thinking when making a decision. Here’s a cheat sheet to help guide you through the decision-making process:</p><p><img class="size-full wp-image-7207 aligncenter" src="//cdn3.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/746024/01.jpg" alt=""></p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.funtimesmagazine.com">FunTimes Magazine</a></small></p>urn:uuid:2812c7e1-c819-4506-9d1a-53805ccf1a412020-07-24T19:14:19-04:002020-07-24T19:14:20-04:00Hurricane Dorian’s2019-10-20 16:10:57 -0400Edward Richard<h2><b>HURRICANE DORIAN'S
Tragic Aftermath In The Bahamas</b></h2>
<img src="http://funtimesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/HURRICANE.jpg" sizes="(max-width: 1403px) 100vw, 1403px" srcset="http://funtimesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/HURRICANE.jpg 1403w, http://funtimesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/HURRICANE-768x432.jpg 768w, http://funtimesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/HURRICANE-30x16.jpg 30w, http://funtimesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/HURRICANE-250x140.jpg 250w" alt="" width="1403" height="790"><p>The crisis in the Bahamas is not over, the death toll is expected to rise and thousands remain missing. Hubert Minnis, the prime minister of the Bahamas said, Hurricane Dorian will leave “generational devastation.”</p><p><b><i>What we know about Hurricane Dorian:</i></b></p><p>The Category 5 hurricane struck the northernmost islands of the Bahamas archipelago, Abaco Island and Grand Bahama Island. These islands, just 50 miles off the coast of Florida, were hit with one of the strongest Atlantic Ocean hurricanes on record.</p><p>Dorian first made landfall in Abaco on Sept. 1st, and wrecked havoc for about three days. A day later it hit Grand Bahama Island at the same category. Most of the deaths were recorded on Abaco where there is a large population of Haitian immigrants, many of whom are undocumented and living in what has been described as “shantytowns.” According to the United Nations Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, most of the buildings there were destroyed.</p><p>And, nearly all the residents of Abaco and Grand Bahama are in need of shelter, food and clothing. Damage is estimated at over $7 billion.</p><p><b><i>We at FunTimes express our deepest condolences to anyone affected and their loved ones.</i></b></p><p><b>To join in and help the relief effort for the Bahamas, visit https://www.bahamas.com/relief or call Tel:+18002242627</b>
</p><h6>
<i>Here is a list of things that the Bahamas need to rebuild:</i>
· Plywood/Lumber
· Sheet rock
· Roofing materials (shingles, tar paper,etc.)
· Drip caps
· Nails
· Plastic Sheeting Rolls/Tarpaulin
(various sizes)</h6>
<h6>· Chain Saws</h6>
<h6>· Mops & Buckets
· Towels & Towelettes
· Gloves
· Wet Wipes
· Large Plastic Trash Bags
· Bleach
· Chlorine tablets
· Lysol
· Disinfectant
· Water & Water Containers
· Canned goods
· Meals Ready to Eat (M Re's)
· Non-perishable Dry Goods
· Baby Juice
· Baby Food
· Baby Formula
<b>Cereal
</b>. Generators
· Portable Stoves
· Butane Canisters
· Blankets
· Air Mattresses
· Mattresses (single or double)
· Pillows
· Sheet sets
· Non-Electronic Can Openers
<b>Tents First Aid Kits
</b>· Water Filtration Devices
· Mosquito repellent
· Flashlights
· Hygiene Kits
· Diapers
· Baby wipes
· Bug Spray
<b><i>Do you know anyone that has b</i></b><i><b>een affected by Hurricane Dorian? Shoot us an email at info@funtimesmagazine.com.</b></i>
</h6><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.funtimesmagazine.com">FunTimes Magazine</a></small></p>urn:uuid:81a08719-63f5-463a-ae2d-adaed351ea632020-07-24T19:14:25-04:002021-12-21T09:38:43-05:00NAACP And Other Advocacy Group2019-10-20 15:32:23 -0400Taja White<h2>
HOW THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENTOF COLORED PEOPLE (NAACP), THE NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUEAND THE NATIONAL ACTION NETWORKPAVED THE WAY FOR CURRENT ADVOCACY GROUPS.</h2>
It is impossible to view Black History without learning about the level of activism and advocacy that took place to invoke social change. Slavery was abolished in 1865 however, Blacks were still experiencing high levels of discrimination, domestic terrorism, and racial injustices in America. The development of organizations formed to help the Black community were needed more than ever, as it was imperative for the community to come together.<p>Some of the biggest civil rights organizations included The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, The National Urban League, and The National Action Network. Fast forward to 2019 when it is evident that Black people are still experiencing the same unfair treatment, what is the relevance of these groups as it pertains to the current generation?</p><p>Before we answer that question we must first look at the background of these legacy organizations. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is one of the largest civil rights organizations in the U.S. The NAACP was founded in 1910 by a group of white liberals who were so enraged by the race riot in Springfield Illinois that they called a meeting of 60 people; 7 of them being African American.</p><p>The NAACP went on to developing the Civil Rights Movement, Brown vs. civil rights movement Board of Education and creating other educational, social and economic policy reform. As of today the NAACP has 2,200 functioning chapters nationwide on the collegiate and alumni level.</p><p>The National Urban League was founded in 1911 and was originally created by three groups that came together as one. The original purpose of this organization was to abolish racial segregation, discrimination and to ultimately help Black people from the south assimilate into urban life.</p><p>The National Urban League expanded its employment opportunity efforts by contributing to efforts such as affirmative action laws. Today, it continues to aid in legal mobilization, and work to decrease poverty and violence against communities of color.</p><p>The National Action Network NAN was founded in 1991 by Reverend Al Sharpton in New York City, New York. The formation of this organization was a direct response to police brutality, racial profiling, and stop and frisk laws. By working with local news stations and publications NAN put a major emphasis in changing the way the world see's people of color. Currently, the organization has evolved into 105 chapters nationwide and continues to advocate for the importance of police accountability and criminal justice reform.</p><p><img alt="" src="//cdn1.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/746043/Al-320x192.jpg"></p><p>These organizations set the frame work on what it meant to implement social change on various levels. Throughout the years other activist groups have come about and some may ask if organizations like the ones listed above are still pertinent at this time. The question of relevance today is always up for debate however if you look closely at the current movements like Black Lives Matter (BLM) you will see that the need for organizations such as the NAACP is still necessary.</p><p>The organizations mentioned above set the foundation for movements like Black Lives Matter to exist and operate. Black Lives Matter was fueled by social media and the ammo that the twitterverse creates. It lit a fire about a conversation that was already being had about police brutality against people of color and law enforcement. The Black Lives Matter movement has even implemented policy change in California through the “Right To Know” bill.</p><p>The organizers behind BLM wouldn't have been this successful without learning from organizations that came before them. Bringing awareness to the cause by forcing the world to pay attention, developing solidarity through shared experiences within the community and continuing to participate in the political process especially on the local level.</p><p>Although, the NAACP focuses on the liberation of the Black community as a whole, from every aspect, BLM refines their movement to breaking down systematic racism from institutions such as police forces and prison systems, and ending police brutality that has existed and has been tolerated in this country for centuries.</p><p>This generation is lucky enough to still have organizations like NAACP, National Urban League NUL, and National Action Network NAN around especially in this digital age; incorporating the old and the new so that we may continue to move forward.</p><p><img alt="" src="//cdn2.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/746044/Mayer-e1571599204330-320x192.jpg"></p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.funtimesmagazine.com">FunTimes Magazine</a></small></p>