A Call to Action: Obama Exhibit in Oslo

A current exhibition in Oslo, Norway, "President Barack Obama, A Call to Action", examines President Obama's record as a Nobel Laureate and how the President meets Alfred Nobel's three criteria for being a Nobel Laureate.

Check out this video on the Black Women in Europe blog.

See also: Celebrating Barack Obama.

Freedom, Independence and Liberty

On our What U Need to Know show Saturday, we continued the theme of freedom, independence and liberty.

What does the 4th of July mean to you as an African American?

Are African people truly free?

Click here to listen.

One thing I didn't know was that Crispus Attucks was a community organiser, just like Barack Obama and Diane Abbott MP. We talked again about the importance of researching the truth about our history and not just accepting what we are told.

Click here to listen.

Click here for my Amazon Author Profile.

Obama: The View from Brixton

Obama Signs Order to Close Guanatanamo - brilliant news to wake up to. Our new President appears to be a man of action who is starting as he means to go on.

Obama's Inauguration Day: I have added a link to a video made in Brixton, on "Obama, the new American Zeitgeist?" Please read my article and add your comments.

Obama's Inauguration Day Today

On Tuesday 20^th January 2009, Barack Hussein Obama will be inaugurated as the 44^th President of the United States.

Inauguration parties will be held all over the world. In London, the Democrats Abroad ball is sold out, but you can celebrate at various TGI Friday’s, as well as Madame Tussaud’s or the Tricycle Cinema in Northwest London. Free events include Rich Mix in Bethnal Green Road, East London and the “Dare To Dream, Yes You Can” event at Bernie Grant Arts Centre in Tottenham, North London. These events include live screenings of the inauguration.

Where will you be celebrating the inauguration? To read more and leave your comments, visit: Obama's Inauguration Day. See also Barack Obama: African American Success Story and Celebrating Barack Abama.

What Inspires You about Obama?

President Obama’s campaign was characterised by unity and inclusion. Similarly to Nelson Mandela, he gave a clear message that he would be President for all Americans. This followed in the tradition of Martin Luther King, who gathered support from many different segments of the American public, including poor whites, and Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow Coalition. For more on Martin Luther King’s legacy, visit Daddy B Strong’s blogs on The Gift of Dr. King and Are There Any Drum Majors in Here?

Many African American people were strongly moved and inspired by the vision of an African American President. Obama’s election was truly groundbreaking. He mobilized sections of society which are notorious for failing to vote, e.g. young Black people, who often feel marginalized and disenfranchised.

On the day we celebrate the inauguration of the first African American President of the United States, I ask: What inspires you about President Obama?

What inspires you about President Obama?

Celebrating Barack Obama

People all over the world are still celebrating Obama's victory.

His picture is on the covers of Essence and GQ.

Ebony have devoted their entire issue to him as their first-ever "Person of the Year".

And Pride, a UK Black women's magazine, feature Barack, Michelle and their girls on the cover.

To read the rest of this article, please visit:

http://www.squidoo.com/Celebrating-Obama

Here is a list of some of my other recent Obama blogs:

Polling Day

I went to the doctor's this morning and he said, "Make sure you get it right this time. I've emailed all my American friends and told them to get it right this time." He also said, "It would have made a huge difference if Al Gore had won". And he is a white Englishman.

Happy Birthday, America!

This truly is a new day. A new dawn. On a level, I realise, I never thought I would see this in my lifetime. A Black man in the White House. Now anything is possible. Whole new possibilities have opened up. Things that were not conceivable yesterday can happen now. I felt like this when apartheid ended in South Africa and Nelson Mandela was elected. I feel it even more strongly now.

I Keep Crying – Great Post-Election Videos

Message from President Obama

It is so important for us as people of African heritage to celebrate our successes. To read my article, "Do You Think Like a Success", visit
http://www.squidoo.com/Do-You-Think-Like-a-Success

Have a great day!

Financial Prosperity + Positive Changes in 2009

Happy New Year, everybody!

I've only recently gotten back from a two-week Buddhist retreat. It was brilliant. What a way to start the year. It's difficult being back home in London, however. The noise, the dirt, the aggression of the people, the stress. I wish I were back in the clean, fresh air and peaceful environment of the Welsh hills.

But enough about me.

Are you serious about improving your life in 2009? If so, you need my book, Success Strategies for Black People.

In these troubled times, we need to find new ways of achieving success, both financially and in other areas of our lives. Download a free chapter on “Achieving Success” from my ebook What They Don’t Want Us to Know at: http://tinyurl.com/96vtx5

Check out my article on Financial Prosperity at http://www.blacksuccess1.com/keytofinancialprosper.htm

For more articles, and for ongoing advice and support, join my free Nurture Success online community at http://nurturesuccess.multiply.com/

Barack Obama: African American Success Story

Barack Obama is one of the most important African American successful role models in history.

What can people of African heritage learn from his success? How can we apply this to our own lives?

You can read the rest of this article here:
http://www.squidoo.com/Barack-Obama---African-American-Success-

Have a great day!

Barack Obama: African American Success Story

Barack Obama is one of the most important African American successful role models in history.

People all over the world are still celebrating Barack Obama's election victory. Of course, for African American people, this success has particular significance.

What can African American people learn from his success?

To read the rest of this article, click here.

Message from President Obama

Below is a message which our new President has just sent to his supporters:

Subject: How This Happened

I'm about to head to Grant Park to talk to everyone gathered there, but I wanted to write to you first.

We just made history.

And I don't want you to forget how we did it.

You made history every single day during this campaign -- every day you knocked on doors, made a donation, or talked to your family, friends, and neighbors about why you believe it's time for change.

I want to thank all of you who gave your time, talent, and passion to this campaign.

We have a lot of work to do to get our country back on track, and I'll be in touch soon about what comes next.

But I want to be very clear about one thing...

All of this happened because of you.

Thank you,

Barack

Report Back from the Democratic National Convention

Last night, on my "Success Strategies" radio show, two Black bloggers, African American Political Pundit and Adrianne George of Black Women in Europe reported back from last week's Democratic National Convention in Denver.

They described the "electric" atmosphere at the convention. They had expected only seven Black bloggers to be present, but there were at least 12 (out of 150). But at least 40% of the people there were African American, including delegates as well as people who had just come along because they wanted to be present.

They also talked about whether, and how, Obama will be able to represent the disenfranchised, particularly the homeless.

To hear the recording of the show, visit http://www.blacksuccess1.com/radioshow.htm

Award-Winner Black Blogger Reports from the Democratic National Convention

Award-winning blogger Adrianne George, from the Black Women in Europe blog, will be joining me on my "Success Strategies" radio show tomorrow (Tuesday) night.

Adrianne was given credentials to attend the convention. Blogging has become very important in this presidential election, giving ordinary people a voice in a way that has never happened before. But there has been a struggle to allow African American bloggers to attend the convention as credentialled bloggers. Click here for more information about the Black bloggers.

Adrianne will be joining the show live from the floor of the convention. You can join us by clicking here.

Click here to read my Obama blogs.

Obama Phone-In Tomorrow (Tuesday)

As the author/publisher of Black Success Stories, I am very aware of the psychological importance of positive role models.

I would like to know, if Senator Obama is elected President, how will this impact on the lives of people of African heritage, both inside the U.S. and internationally? How will this affect our families, our jobs, our businesses, our health ?

Please join me for the Obama phone-in on my “Success Strategies" radio show tomorrow, Tuesday 19th August at 8:00 p.m. UK times. Your opinion matters! http://www.blacksuccess1.com/radioshow.htm

The End of Black Politics?

The first thing I thought when I saw this piece was, is this really the best idea for an article the New York Times can come up with?

Then I thought, when Obama proved he was a serious contender for the Presidency, and when he won the Democratic nomination, I don’t recall anyone asking if this signalled “the end of white politics”.

Actually, the article raises some interesting points, despite its absurd title.

There is a divide between the old guard and the new guard. Probably always has been.

Harriet Tubman had to deal with people who believed they were better off in slavery.

In my book, Black Success Stories, René Carayol MBE tells of an argument he had with Reverend Jesse Jackson, who insisted on the futility of trying to bring about change. Similarly to those quoted in the article, he had learned this negative view through his own bitter experience. Until recently, part of me would have agreed with him.

Like Senator Obama, I did not grow up in a slum. But on our TV screens when I was a child in th e’60s, there were scenes of people being beaten by police because they wanted to sit at a lunch counter. Being attacked by police dogs because they wanted to vote. These things were not happening to me or to anyone I knew, but they had an effect on me. In New York City, we experienced subtle racism of the kind we have here in London.

We have a similar generational divide in the UK. Some of the young people think they can fit in and be accepted anywhere they want to go. And to a certain extent, they are right. Some of the discrimination their parents and grandparents faced in the 1950s was the same stuff any group of first-generation immigrants has to deal with.

But some of it was racism.

Black children are still disproportionately being excluded from school, leaving school without qualifications, and as a result, getting involved with crime and entering the prison system.

The fact that Oxford and Cambridge, as well as many major financial institutions and other British firms, are now actively recruiting African Caribbean applicants does not alter these bleak statistics.

We must remember that we have made progress only because of the work, dedication and sacrifices of those who went before us. This is what the West African Adinkra symbol of the Sankofa bird tells us – we must learn from the past in order to progress towards a better future.

It may be that Obama will usher in a whole new era of possibility. I would not have said that six months or a year ago.

But I will never forget the contributions of those who went before me. It would be politically naïve to do so. Those of my generation, and those younger than me, including Senator Obama, only have the rights we enjoy because others were willing to fight for them.

To answer the question, of course this is not the end of Black politics. It may be a new beginning, but we must always remember and honour the past.

I hope you will join us for my Obama phone-in on 19th August. Click here for details.

Here are some other interesting blogs on this piece:

Black Spin

Jack and Jill Politics

Black Snob

Africa Will Never Abandon Zimbabwe

African leaders are working together to bring about peace in Zimbabwe. Surely this is wonderful news for everybody on this planet.

White people are criticising them? France will only recognise a government led by Morgan Tsvangirai?

I've said it before and I'll say it again - we need to stop worrying about what white folks think and concentrate on ourselves.

Having said that, I enjoyed this piece.

I am concerned about African people all over the world .

With regard to Senator Obama, what I want to know is, if he is elected President, will this make a real difference to the lives of African Americans? And to the lives of African people everywhere? And if so, what difference will it make?

Obama is sounding to me like he is asking us what we want, not telling us what to want or what to do. I am impressed by this, I must admit.

As the author/publisher of Black Success Stories, I know we can learn from the example of other successful people. What I want to know is, if we vote for Obama, are we really voting for significant change for African people?

I don't have any answers. I only have questions. I want to hear your views. Join my Obama Phone-In Tuesday 19th August. Click here for details.

Obama in Berlin

Yesterday, 25th July 2008, the streets of Berlin were lined with people wanting to hear Presidential candidate Obama speak.

He spoke of freedom, and of the need for American and German people to unite.

He spoke of duty and of victory over tyranny. He spoke of a common destiny and of our common humanity. He made reference to a new hope, and to the fall of the Berlin wall.

Senator Obama’s central message seemed to be that we need to unite in the fight against terrorism – get behind the armed conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was saying that wee are all together in this fight. He repeatedly addressed the “People of Berlin, people of the world”. I am sure he is eager to demonstrate his grasp of foreign policy.

However, his statement that the purpose of the NATO mission in Afghanistan was to “help them rebuild their nation” was, at best, disingenuous. It sounded very much like Bush and Blair’s justification for the invasion of Iraq. It made me wonder whether Obama's foreign policy will be "business as usual" if he is elected President.

In Britain, the U.S. is largely characterised as an invading and dominating force. The speech may have been meant to allay that perception, but if so, I am not clear about how far it went in achieving that aim.

I was heartened to hear the Senator speak of the need to tear down walls between Christians, Muslims and Jews.

I was also encouraged by his statement of the need to stop the spread of nuclear weapons and reduce the arsenals, and to bring the Iraqi war to a close. This was a dove message in what was largely a hawkish speech.

Although the candidate made repeated reference to the Berlin airlift, he only mentioned briefly and in passing the two world wars we fought against Germany. Living in London, I see nearly daily reminders of the Second World War and the devastation it caused. Work on construction sites still regularly unearths unexploded Nazi bombs that were rained down on the people of London and other British cities. Senator Obama’s speech contained only the briefest mention of that conflict.

The Senator used many of the right words, but I am not sure he conveyed a good grasp of the international situation. And although his speech was very idealistic, I did not personally find it particularly convincing.

To watch the video, go here: http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/berlinvideo/

As the author/publisher of Black Success Stories, I am well aware of the importance of positive Black role models. If he is elected President, what impact will this have on your life – your home, your family, your health, your job, your business? Join my Obama phone-in on 19th August. Click here to register Click here for more details. Your opinion matters.

Senator Obama Arrives in Iraq

Senator Barack Obama has stated that he will withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq within 16 months of being elected President. He has, however, stated that he will consult military advisors before taking this action.

He arrived in Iraq today to discuss troop levels and the U.S.’s strategy on Iraq. He described the discussion with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and other top U.S. and Iraqi officials as “constructive”.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/20/AR2008072001416.html?hpid=topnews

This is an interesting piece on what Obama needs to do in order to get accurate, up-to-date information from people on the ground in Iraq.

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1823684,00.html

I would like to know, out of interest, what the Senator thinks about the fact that we invaded Iraq illegally in the first place. Also, what he thinks about the suffering that was caused by the sanctions we imposed on Iraq before the invasions - lack of clean drinking water for the citizens, children denied access to hospital supplies and drugs, etc.

As the author/publisher of Black Success Stories, I am well aware of the importance of positive Black role models. If Obama is elected President, what impact will this have on your life – your home, your family, your health, your job, your business? Join my Obama phone-in on 19^th August. Click here to register. Click here for more details. Your opinion matters.

Williams Wimbledon Final

It was obvious that the Williams sisters had answered the same questions over and over again. They knew what to expect.

“Your father’s not here. He said he could not bear to watch.”

“He’s done his job,” Venus repeated patiently.

“How does it feel to be playing against your sister?” “How will your game differ from when you play another opponent?” And variations on the theme.

The girls from Compton had grown into professional tennis champions. Theirs was the only family on earth where winning Wimbledon twice could be seen as a problem. And the only one in which two siblings would face each other at the final.

Like 2003, I felt SO emotional watching them take their places on the court. They both exuded so much confidence and self-assurance. And they played brilliant tennis.

On winning her FIFTH Wimbledon Championship, Venus immediately commended her sister Serena for her excellent game. She also thanked her other sisters for their support.

So what’s next? A Black man in the White House?

As the author of Black Success Stories and Success Strategies for Black People, I am very aware of the power of positive role models, and the psychological effects they can have.

However, at the moment, I am even more interested in the practical effects of a person in a leadership position, such as Senator Barack Obama.

If Obama is elected, what effect will this have on your day-to-day life? I want to hear your views. Join my Obama phone-in on Tuesday 8th July. Click here for details.

See also, Jay-Z's 99 Problems.

Jay-Z's 99 Problems

Wow! This has been an amazing week.

The Victoria and Albert Museum is exhibiting a retrospective on Mary Wilson and the Supremes.

The Wimbledon final was between Venus and Serena Williams. Last time they payed each other in the final, I was SO emotional. They are both champions. Each has won Wimbledon more than once. And we knew that, whoever took home the trophy, it would be a Williams.

And Jay-Z was the headliner at the Glastonbury Festival.

This was very controversial because one of the Gallagher brothers stated publicly that Jay-Z should not be the headliner. Glastonbury is for indies, not for rappers.

I am not a fan of rap. For one thing, I can’t even understand what they are saying most of the time. Must be my age. And nobody forces me to listen to it. Nor am I a fan of indie music, for that matter.

Got home last night and switched on the box. “Glastonbury, the Best Bits” was on. When Jay-Z stepped out on that stage, his band was playing and he was strumming his guitar. Not even singing. But the crowd recognised the chords, and they were singing,

“Today is gonna be the day
That they're gonna throw it back to you”.

The Oasis hit, “Wonderwall”.

Jay-Z can’t sing to save his life, but he went out on that stage and he gave it his best shot. He did it to make a point. And he made it. And it was GOOD.

Then he went into “99 Problems” and the crowd just chanted right along with him. This is as it should be. Music is music. It’s not meant to be cordoned off into ghettos.

But I can’t see the Gallaghers being able to perform one of Jay-Z’s numbers.

Apparently, the crowd were chanting “hoes, hoes, hoes”. I do not approve of women being referred to as “bitches” and “hoes”. It is disrespectful and demeaning. (Mind you, having read the lyrics, he says that that is not what he means.)

Jay-Z, I don’t know if you are irreplaceable. That’s not my call. But when you stepped out on that stage, you were bloody brilliant.

So what’s next? A Black man in the White House? And if Obama is elected, what effect will this have on your day-to-day life? I want to hear your views. Join my Obama phone-in on Tuesday 8^th Click here for details.

Happy 4th of July!

I am surprised at how much this day means to me today. At home, I was never one to celebrate Independence Day. All that flag-waving left me cold.

Wow! In the past six months, I have completed five ebooks! So I have a lot to celebrate.

I made my first potato salad of the year the other day. This ritual connects me with my memories of the past, summers in New York, barbecues with family and friends. And many things I have been happy to leave behind.

But this year, we have an African American Presidential candidate who looks like he may have a chance of winning.

Join me for my Barack Obama phone-in for African American people, Tuesday 8th of July. Let me hear your views. What difference will it make if Obama is elected President? How will it affect your home, family, job, business? Click here to listen and ring in.