Success Strategies with Zhana: What's on Your Mind?

Kamala Harris

At the time of recording, the result of the U.S. election had just been announced - a few minutes before we went on air, we found out Joe Biden was the new President, with Kamala Harris his new VP.  Listen below for more. 

What do you think about this?  What prospects does a Biden Presidency hold for our communities? 

Did you listen to our Election Day Roundtable?  Or our Post-Election Roundtable? 

Meanwhile, here in the UK, we are back in lockdown due to the coronavirus covid-19.  How do you feel about this?  Will it work to stem the rise of covid-19?  And what will it do to the economy? 

 

This scientist says the pandemic is over in the UK.  I find this fascinating.  What do you think? 

Our caller from Ghana told us the President of Tanzania had tested a papaya - and it had been found covid-positive.  

Plus:  Before Black History Month in the UK, why was there so much Black programming?  What are your thoughts?  

Go here to listen. 

Please share this with your networks and please leave your comments below.  Thanks.  

 

We Did It!!!

Well done, America.  We did it!!!  We elected President Obama for a second term.  

One thing that struck me when researching this article on Books about President Obama was that there are LOADS of books knocking President Obama. People are making money out of hating.  I mean, Obama-hating is an INDUSTRY. This goes beyond politics.  

Check out this article by Terry McMillan about the racism that characterized Mitt Romney's campaign. 

However, none of those books are included here.  These are books for Obama-lovers. 

When this many people are trying to stop you, you know you are doing something right.  

Congratulations, America.  Maybe we really are growing up as a nation. 

Do Black Voters Have a Problem with President Obama?

Melissa Harris-Perry

In a recent column on TheNation.com, Melissa Harris-Perry debunks the myth that President Obama has a problem with Black voters - or, more to the point, that we have a problem with him.  

Click here to read more. 

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.

The whole world is watching the U.S. election today, even more than usual. The whole world could be affected by the outcome.

I've been speaking to friends and family on the other side of the pond, who tell me they feel both excited and apprehensive.

1) First, there are the mechanics of the voting process. Will they have to queue for hours? This could be very stressful, both for the voters and for those running the polling stations. Reports of understaffing are circulating. What if fights break out?

I don’t think anybody anticipated this high voter turnout, and the polling stations are unprepared for this.

Lawyers have been hired to help support fair voting practices. I am imagining teams of lawyers like SWAT teams swooping in to investigate. Who knew U.S. elections could be so exciting?

2) Will the voting machines work? Oprah’s experience suggests this could be a problem. How many other voters will struggle with this one? If an African American billionaire, the most influential woman on the planet, cannot cast her vote, what hope do the rest of us have?

Lots of problems in Nevada. Are the CSIs onto this?

3) The papers are saying Black people will riot if Obama doesn’t win. I say, yeah, right. But with record numbers of young people voting, maybe this is a real possibility.

Surely the time to riot was when Bush got put in the White House the first time without being elected.

So what’s going to happen? How was it for you? Phone in to my show tonight to share your opinions and experiences. http://www.blacksuccess1.com/radioshow.htm

My friend Adrianne George from Black Women in Europe is going to be up all night talking about the election. She has invited me (yeah, me!) to join her for part of that discussion. It starts at 8:00 UK time (so clashes with my show), but it will go on all night. To watch the live blog, visit:

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.

Obama - Your Chance to Air Your Views

As the author of Black Success Stories and Success Strategies for Black People, I am well aware of the psychological effects of positive role models. We all need to have achievers to look up to, who demonstrate the fact that we can do it, we can achieve our goals.

Some would say that the Presidency of the United States is the most important, most powerful and most influential position in the world.

My question is, if Senator Obama is elected as President of the United States, what difference will this make to your day-to-day life?

I am looking to hear from people of African heritage, both within and outside the U.S. If Barack Obama is elected, how will this affect your:

• home
• family
• health
• job
• business?

Please phone in my Success Strategies radio show Tuesday 8th July. Click here for details.