Deep Stupidity

In case you were wondering - more proof that President Obama was indeed born in the U.S.A.

I am amazed at the stupidity of those who claim he wasn't.

If there were any proof that the President was foreign-born, surely the haters would have unearthed it during the Presidential campaign.

As the President said, "we don't have time for this kind of silliness. We've got better stuff to do". Click here to watch the video.

See also: Barack Obama, African American Success Story.

Royal Wedding Alternatives

In case you are bored with all the Royal wedding stuff (I know, I know, but some people actually are), here are some alternatives:

Comedian Steve Furst is offering alternative commentary on Comedy Plaza on the day. So you can watch on the BBC with the sound turned downc while listening to his commentary. Click here to listen.

Matthew Wright's commentary should be interesting as well.

You have probably seen the hilarious Royal wedding spoof on YouTube but if not, click here to watch it.

Plus, click here for The Royal Wedding for Dummies.

Who Needs Affirmative Action?

Who needs affirmative action when your name is Kennedy or Bush?

Or Paltrow for that matter? But are we really jealous of Gwynnie? Click here to read Keli Goff's blog.

Your Ideal Job In 90 Days Workshop - Success Stories Video

Click here to watch a Success Stories video.

This video is courtesy of Career Insights, who are offering free career training.

Plua, click here for a free jobsearch consultation.

To read more success stories, see Black Success Stories.

See also: More Black Success.

Here's to your success!

Herbert Ekwe Ekwe on the Igbo Genocide and Biafra

Click here to watch some very interesting short videos about Herbert Ekwe Ekwe on the Igbo Genocide and Biafra.

Plus, check out this article on Africa's Hidden Presidents. I do not agree with its portrayal of African women. Most people rejected the portrayal of women exerting power in the bedroom 40 years ago or more.

Further, this article does not reflect the position of most women in Africa. However, it may have some validity.

We will continue to discuss African Networking on What U Need to Know in May. Click here to listen.

The Truth about Black Writers (2)

In More Black Success Volumes 7 and 9, Black writers spill the beans. They are very real about their writing and their writing process.

Antwan McClean’s book Your Greater Self: An A-Z Guide to Becoming the Person You Most Admire encourages people to fulfil their highest potential.

He says:

A former author and current PhD student advised me to "write from my heart". I was struggling with the issues of making certain that my book was marketable, catchy, and essentially everything to all people. He advised that the most part of any artistic expression is to remain true to your own voice. It changed my entire outlook.

To read more, click here to download your free copies of MBS 7 and 9.

See also: The Truth about Black Writers.

Cameron Gets It Wrong

Prime Minister David Cameron recently stated that Oxford University had only accepted one Black student last year. As we all know, this statement was incorrect, as Oxford accepted 27 African and Caribbean students last year - he was not counting the students from the African continent.

Wow, a whole big 27.

The broadcaster Henry Bonsu, himself an Oxford graduate, has been working for years to encourage and support Black students to apply to Oxford and Cambridge. He takes groups of young people to Oxford for a one-week intensive programme. As he says in Black Success Stories, his teachers encouraged him.

The funny thing is, if you're one of the few Black people in a majority white school, you'll either be the best or the worst. Because if your teacher spots that you are good at something, they'll see you all the time. That's what happened to me. So I was pushed in my Latin, I was pushed in my German, to the point where they said to my parents when I was 15, he could go to Oxford....

The universities are now under pressure to get in students from non-traditional backgrounds. So if you do the work, you'll get a fair hearing now.

So if the teachers spot that potential, they will encourage Black children - at least sometimes. But I still think it's mainly up to the parents.

Mind you, Henry was later sacked by the BBC for being "too intellectual". But that's another story.

Worried about how to pay for university tuition? Check out my new ebook Shaking the Money Tree.

The Best, Most Highly Effective Strategies for Black People (4)

Continuing my series from last year.

Part 3 is about learning from positive role models. Click here to read it.

Strategy 5 – Acknowledge Your Own Successes

In order to achieve the next stage in your success, and move to the next level, you need to acknowledge what you have already accomplished.

The more you concentrate and focus on what you have already achieved, the more easily you will achieve your next goal. This is called the Law of Increase.

The same abilities and qualities that helped you to get where you are will help you to move towards the next stage.

To read more about this, see Allowing Success.

What do you think of this blog? Please leave a comment below.

Click here for the Success Strategies fan page.

Click here for my Amazon Author Profile.

Here's to your success!

The Truth about Black Writers

In More Black Success Volumes 7 and 9, Black writers spill the beans about:

- how to come up with ideas
- what inspires them
- the problems they face as writers
- suggestions for new writers

and more.

They are very real about their writing and their writing process.

Allyson Campbell has written a number of books. Her novel Chained and Bound describes what it is like for a woman to survive an abusive relationship.

She says:

In writing Chained & Bound, I was inspired by the knowledge of ladies who are experiencing abuse of some sort. It was supposed to be a short story, but once I started to write, I couldn't stop.

To read more, click here to download your free copies of MBS 7 and 9.

Manifesting What You Want: How to Attract More Money

Want to know what they don't tell you about the Law of Attraction? Check out this article on Money, the Law of Attraction and You.

Also check out this great article: Using EFT for Money, Abundance and Success.

For more EFT resources including free downloads, see Achieving Fabulous Success.

Click here for a video of me at Inspirational YOU speaking about Manifesting What You Want.

See also: Me at Inspirational YOU.

Click here to order a copy of my book Success Strategies for Black People and learn to use some of my practical transformational tools.

Here's to your success!

Goodluck Jonathan Wins Nigerian Election

Goodluck Jonathan has won the Nigerian election. Click here to read more.

See also: Naij: A Film History of Nigeria

See also: Africa and Africans on Film.

Remembering the Brixton Riot of 1981

Watching footage of the 1981 Brixton riot evokes thoughts of the uprisings which have been happening across North African countries for the past several months.

To view these videos, see: 30th Anniversary of the Brixton Riot.

These videos also bring to mind the riots which have erupted in London and other UK cities over the past few months, including those which followed the recent peaceful anti-cuts demo and several recent student demos.

Now white people are feeling the pressure, it's mostly white people who are demonstrating and white youngsters who are rioting. Having said that, however, white youths stood alongside Black youths during the Brixton uprising of 1981.

30th Anniversary of the Brixton Riot

Click here to watch videos about the Brixton riot of 1981.

See also: Black People's Day of Action.

Click here to read my interview with Alex Wheatle about his experience of the Brixton riots.

Me at Inspirational You

Click here to watch a video of me at the recent Inspirational YOU event.

See also: My Success Workshops Were Featured!

Here's to your success!

Preview: African Networking: What U Need to Know

Our topic for What U Need to Know tomorrow is African Networking.

You can listen to the preview show below.

Click here to listen to What U Need to Know tomorrow, 9th of April, 7:00 p.m. UK time/2:00 p.m. Eastern Time. If you miss the live show, you can still hear the recording.

We look forward to speaking with you then.

Listen to internet radio with Zhana21 on Blog Talk Radio

African Networking This Saturday 9th April

When we see negative images of Black people in the media, we are rarely given the historical and economic context for these issues.

See: Child Soldiers in the Congo

Lenny Henry in the Slums

The context is that the African continent has been plundered by the West for hundreds of years for its mineral wealth, natural resources and human wealth, all of which are still being exploited today. Japan and China are now getting in on the game, too. Some of the direct consequences of this ongoing exploitation are the extreme poverty and heated conflicts we see depicted on our screens.

The question is, what can we do about this? What can we as African people do to improve the situation and bring about positive change?

On Saturday, on What U Need to Know, we will be discussing African Networking. Click here to listen at 2 p.m. EST/7 p.m. UK time.

Feel free to phone in or join us in the chatroom.

We look forward to speaking with you then.

Child Soldiers in the Congo

When we see negative images of Black people on our screens, we are not given the historical and economic context for these issues.

On Saturday, on What U Need to Know, we will be discussing African Networking. Click here to listen at 2 p.m. EST/7 p.m. UK time.

Saw a very interesting programme on Channel 4's Unreported World, "The Children Who Came Back from the Dead", about a charity that is rescuing child soldiers in Congo and returning them to their homes. The man who heads the charity is himself a former chid soldier.

You can still catch it on 4OD. Click here to watch it.

Many of these children were running away from abusive homes. Others were seeking somewhere where they could find security and would have enough to eat. But when they joined the militia, they were subjected to further abuse, as well as drugging and sexual attacks.

The area where this is occurring, which is known as the Great Lakes region of Africa, includes Congo, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, all of which have seen some of the most vicious fighting in Africa over the past 15-20 years.

In the videos below, former child soldiers describe their experiences and the atrocities they were trained and required to commit. Obviously, this footage is very disturbing.

Child Soldiers Fighting in the DRC

The Life of a Child Soldier in Congo

Click here to read about Johnny Mad Dog, a film based on the experiences of child soldiers in Liberia.

See also: Africa United.

In Uganda, children are routinely abducted and forced to fight in the Lords' Resistance Army (LRA). For more about this, see Uganda Rising.

Black Economic Empowerment (2)

In the March edition of What U Need to Know, we talked about the fact that the majority of our money is spent outside of our community - we are putting our money into other people's pockets. Why is this? And what can we do about it?

Click here to listen to the recording.

Plus, click here for Black Economic Empowerment. I have resources for jobseekers and resources for Black business owners.

In the April edition of What U Need to Know, we will be discussing African Networking. Click here to listen Saturday 9th of April, 2 p.m. EST/7 p.m. UK time, or listen to the recording.

Here's to your success!