All Articles Tagged "President Barack Obama"
Michelle Obama Attends BET Honors
First Lady Michelle Obama took the stage at the BET Honor awards ceremony alongside poet Maya Angelou, Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, and other notable African American celebrities who called the black community to civic action, starting with voting in the 2012 presidential election.
The taping of the BET Honors, hosted by Black Entertainment Television was held at the historic Warner Theatre in downtown Washington. It brought out stars including singers Patti LaBelle and queen of soul Aretha Franklin, as well as Washington political figures such as former Secretary of State Colin Powell and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder.
The politics-meets-glamour event fits in with the recently ramped up efforts by Obama to help her husband, President Barack Obama, win a challenging re-election bid in November.
Speakers at the ceremony praised the Obamas for being the first black family in the White House and told the audience to “vote like your life depends on it.”
“We have to exercise our constitutional right to vote. And there’s a man out there with a vision for this country and he intends to finish what he started,” said Beverly Kearney, head coach of the University of Texas’ women’s track team.
Those honored were filmmaker Spike Lee, World War Two Tuskegee airmen, as well as Angelou, Kearney, Wonder and Carey.
Obama stayed for the three-hour taping during which several acts had to be done over. While posing on stage with the award winners an audience member yelled, “We love you, First Lady!”
Read the rest of the story at Huffington Post….
Daddy’s Little Girl: Our Favorite Papa’s and Their Little Princesses
There are few things more endearing than seeing a man with his children. But a man with his daughters just steals my heart! Here are just a FEW of some of our celebs with their daughters. We know the list can go on and on so feel free to mention your faves as you comment and hit me on Twitter (twitter.com/DrennaB) !
Study Says Black Women Among the Hardest Hit During Economic Downturn
According to an article by The Washington Post, a study done by the National Women’s Law Center said that black women have lost more jobs than gain during the recovery period. Almost 260,000 black women lost their jobs, compared to the 233,000 who lost their jobs during the recession. Black women make up 42.2 percent of the women who lost their jobs overall from 2009 to 2011.
So why are the unemployment rates for black women so high?
One major reason listed was the huge cuts in the public sector which women are usually most employed in. According to Joan Entmacher, vice president for family economic security at the National Women’s Law Center in Washington “When it comes to job growth in the private sector, women are also doing less well than men. Whether employers feel it is more important to put men back to work first, we just can’t say at this point.”
This month the national unemployment rate has actually declined from 9.0 back in November, to 8.6. But even with the decline black women’s unemployment rates have increases from 12.6 to 12.9 according the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Black women aren’t the only one’s struggling, Latinas are too. A recent study done by Wider Opportunities for Women has pointed out that “66 percent of Hispanic women — do not have enough income to pay for basic household expenses” while 62 of African American don’t make enough to support their households.
Did President Obama’s current push for employment really affect women?
He has proposed a bill that could help many women who are struggling, especially black women. In the bill it includes rehiring of teachers, jobs for recent veterans returning home from war, jobs repairing public roads and bridges, and much more. Yet as we all know only parts of this bill has won the support from Congress, it is very unlikely that it will be passed.
So how are black women coping? Any of you Madame Noire ladies out there have any tips or advice for women who are struggling financially right now?
More on Madame Noire!
Is Cornel West Just Jealous of President Obama?
I used to rock pretty hard for Dr. Cornel West. I own several of his books, his numerous appearances on Bill Maher’s HBO show are always entertaining, I kept a picture of the two of us as my Facebook profile pic for weeks and most of the time I find myself agreeing with his musings on human nature and theories on how the world works and how it can work better. But lately? Oh, dear.
The good professor has been going in extra hard on President Obama and if it was just that alone, I’d be fine with that. I don’t agree with every little thing Obama has done and the first amendment gives all of us the right to express our opinions on his job performance.
But West’s criticisms (Did you see where he said Obama is afraid of free black men?) seem to be rooted in what he perceives as a personal slight.
Was President Obama Almost Given Up for Adoption?
Not that you were lined up at Barnes & Noble waiting for it, but another book has been penned (and comes out next week) to try and expose the supposed pasts and ugly “truths” of a public official and/or their family. This time around it is the current commander-in-chief’s father.
According to the book, The Other Barack: The Bold and Reckless Life of President Obama’s Father, written by Boston Globe reporter Sally Jacobs, before President Obama was born, his father, then a college student at the University of Hawaii, told an immigration official about the pregnancy of his wife, Ann Dunham. Allegedly, the two weren’t living together at the time the memo was written by the official, and the book claims that Obama Sr. said that he and Dunham were planning to make arrangements with the Salvation Army to give baby Barack up for adoption. According to both the book and The New York Times, it’s not clear if the two truly planned to give the unborn future president up, or if Obama Sr. had only told immigration officials this info to get his Visa extended. Especially since records show that Obama Sr. had lied to officials before about divorcing his wife in Kenya, since having more than one wife was grounds for deportation.
In an interview with an uncle of the late Ann Dunham, the individual said President Barack Obama’s mother was actually excited and optimistic about the birth of her son, and a future with her new husband. According to CBS News, the uncle, Charles Payne, said the following:
“I never heard any talk of adoption whatsoever. Ann decided she had done this and this was her child and she was going to take care of him. From day one, as far as I could tell, she and Madelyn [Dunham] and Stanley [Dunham] were all completely committed to Barack.”
So this information in Jacobs’ book could possibly be false. Former White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said the President was unaware of any adoption questions asked to his father, and believed his mother never “seriously” considered it. But it’s interesting to think where he would have been and who President Obama might have ended up being had he actually been given up for adoption. But first and foremost, do we believe it?
Do you believe that President Obama’s parents actually considered giving him up for adoption?
Cash Strapped Single Mom Sells Obama Letter
Yahoo News says that a 26-year-old single mom is selling a letter hand-written by President Obama so that she can avoid being evicted from her home. Indiana resident Destiny Mathis is a college graduate with years of experience as a surgical technologist, but in January she lost her job and has been struggling ever since.
Who’s Osama? How to Explain Recent Events to Your Kids
In the wake of the death of Osama Bin Laden, patriotism has (momentarily) reached new heights—from Ground Zero celebrations to Tennessee fireworks. Sentiments of joy and relief have filled the hearts of many; and, whether it was to congratulate President Obama or take a dig at Osama, most of us have made at least one commemorative comment—likely in front of our children.
As parents we want to protect our kids and shield them from the complex issues that plague the adult world; but, in the age of the internet and endless media coverage, there isn’t much we can hide. Now, it is a matter of properly explaining the what, where, who and whys. The questions are coming, and there are three things to always keep in mind: truth, simplicity and age-appropriateness.
Obama Administration Defends Common’s White House Invitation
Even though Fox News slammed Obama for inviting rapper Common to this week’s White House poetry event, the President’s administration today defended it’s decision to invite the Chi-Town cutie. In a press conference, the White House Press Secretary noted that President Obama does not agree with all of Common’s lyrics, but that the sum total of his talent and creativity is more than enough to justify his participation in the poetry event. Our favorite girlfriend in our head First Lady Michelle Obama is also part of the festivities.
Check out the MSNBC video below to view footage from the press conference and more information on which lyrics people found troublesome.
Let Michelle Obama Teach You How to Dougie
You might feel some type of way about President Obama and his political decisions at times, but First Lady Michelle Obama is that deal! How awesome is this woman? Check her out getting down to Beyonce’s “Move Your Body” (the special “Get Me Bodied” remix). She can show you how to dougie!
Peep the video below!
Obama Announces that Osama Bin Laden is Dead
Eight years to the day after former President Bush announced “Mission Accomplished,” President Barack Obama told the world of the death of wanted terrorist Osama Bin Laden. The 54-year-old was believed to be the mastermind behind the attacks that killed over 3,000 people in the U.S. on September 11, 2001.
Get all the details from the CNN story here.
