Afrocentric Learning Tools

New Book, Even Numbers, explores the realities many young people face being sexually abused in their home.About the book: “Even Numbers”
Dominga with the responsibility of raising her five-year-old daughter Olivia never imagined she would meet a man like James. He’s smart successful and makes good money. But most of all he’s good with her daughter. James has a secret though, a desire he cannot control which ultimately threatens to destroy everything.

About Barbara Grovner
Barbara Grovner is a graduate of Northeast Broadcasting School in Cambridge, Massachusetts as well as a graduate of the American Business Institute in Boston, Massachusetts. She is a mother of three, all of whom are grown, living on their own and successful. She now lives in Georgia with her husband and writes full-time. Her first novel Even Numbers is a controversial story which she hopes will bring wide spread attention to a social issue affecting many young people globally.

Long Island, New York- Third Eye Publishing, set to release “Even Numbers” by Barbara Grovner, November 2007. Third Eye Publishing web site is located at http://www.thirdeyepublishing.org Barbara Grovner can be reached on myspace
at http://myspace.com/barbaragrovner
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Black PR Buzz Post | Submit a Post Today
Black Business Women Online : http://bwomen.blackgirlclick.com

Black Family: Cultural Events What’s Popping? African American Events the whole family can enjoy. Take the time to be Afro-postive with your kids. Go to Black Expos, Book Fairs, Hair Shows, Park Concerts, Black History Events. Find out what is going on in your area. This tip featured in: Seeking Support: Guide for Single Black Mothers1. African Ancestry: Discover Your Roots 2. Alvin Ailey Dance Company 3. Heritage Makers 4. Ebony Black Family Reunion Tour 5. Essence Music Festival 6. Tom Joyner: Family Reunion Disney Trip 7. UniverSoul Circus 8. What’s Poppin Central: Black Event Listing African American Holidays 1. African American Christmas 2. Black History Month 3. Kwanzaa

Review the complete Black Family Online Guide on Mahogany Momma’s zine for black parents.

Hi Moms,

Recently, a fellow BMC member recommended adding a Politics Category to the forum. I decided to add several new forums as well. Logon, post, and enjoy! Oh, and feel free to message me, tell me what you think, I’m always available to listen.New Forums:

* Political / Social Issues
* Black Work at Home Moms / Mompreneurs
* Pregnant African American Women
* Black Family Health Issues - QnA
* Raising Black Girls
* Raising Black Boys

The Black Moms Club
http://blackmomsclub.ning.com

AuntieLandraslibrary.com
The world largest online collection of Educational and Entertainment Black - African American Books, Dolls, Videos, DVD’s, Cd’s, Action Figures, Games, Computer Software for Black Children - African American Children and the Entire Black Family. Antie Landra’s Library is a new featured site on Afrocentric Learning Tools.

I wanted to share my book, ‘A Better Today Brings a Brighter Tomorrow‘, it is a resource guide for Black Parents and Minority Students highlighting the various free and affordable programs available to urban students from pre-college programs to internships, and mentoring organizations. My original reason for writing this book was to help single black mothers, like my mother, who were in search of programs to put their child in, or free resources like college application fee waivers, after school activities, etc. I hope to help parents and educators provide more African American Children with realistic forums in which to develop their academic and personal talents. [http://www.msoyonline.com/abtabt] This text is also listed on amazon.com. - LaShanda Henry

Kool Kidz are kids who are magnificent, original, talented, confident, proud & empowered!

KoolKidz Television & Publishing is the wonderland for all kool kidz! This award winning company was founded by Rich McKeown in 2005. KoolKidz brings fresh, intelligent programming to today’s sophisticated children. Our mission is to instill pride & knowledge of self, particularly for children of color, with high quality programs, consisting of original music & artwork that both entertains and educates. KoolKidz Television & Publishing produces work appealing to both children and adults. With exciting characters, terrific stories and amazing music, we teach important lessons for life without being preachy.

Each DVD/DVD book produced contain a captioned or subtitled version of each story as well as the play along version to assist little ones either learning to read or improving their reading skills. It’s time for you to become one of the KoolKidz!

To learn more visit the site: http://koolkidzpublishing.com

Kool Kidz Publishing is a featured site for African American Children on Search Urban and Black Girl Click. For more positive resources from Black Parenting Support and Black Family Support to websites for African American Kids and Teens visit Mahogany Momma, an eZine for moms of color.

Afrocentric Learning Tools presents ….
A Web Guide for Black Parents by LaShanda Henry

Currently on sale: Only $7.95

This e-book includes an extensive listing of over 200 Afrocentric / Multicultural Websites for Black Parents, Students, Children, and Educators. To Purchase this e-Book visit www.lulu.com/content/459061. The Chapters include: Black Parenting Online Guides, Black Homeschooling Information, Teaching Black Students, Teaching Black History, Teaching about Africa, All About Kwanzaa, Afrocentric / Multicultural Online Games, Activities, and Resources, Black Movies for Families and Kids, Black Bookstores, College Preparation of Minority Students, Black Teenpreneurs and Career Planning for Minority Students, African - African American Folktales, Genernal Black Resources Online, and Black Freebies Online.

Currently on sale: Only $7.95

Chapter Details:

• Black Parenting Online: This section includes information about websites that focus on Black Parenting, Raising Black Children, Black Mothers, Black Fathers, and Black Maternity.
• Black Homeschoolers: This section includes information about websites that focus on Black / African American Homeschoolers, their support groups, online resources, and literary publications.
• Teaching Black Students: This section includes information about websites that focus on Afrocentric Educational Materials and lesson plans for Black Homeschoolers and Educators of Black Students.
• Teaching Black History: This section includes information about websites that focus on educating others about Black / African American History.
• Teaching about Africa: This section includes information about websites that focus on educating others about Africa, African Culture, and Historical African Events.
• All about Kwanzaa: This section includes information about websites that focus on Kwanzaa information, resources, products, and online activities.
• African and African American Folktales Online: This section includes information about websites that focus on collecting and displaying African / African American Folktales.
• Afrocentric / Multicultural Online Games and Activities: This section includes information about websites that focus on hosting online games and activities with Afrocentric or Multicultural themes.
• Afrocentric / Multicultural Online Resources: This section includes information about websites that focus on promoting or selling Afrocentric / Multicultural products, services, and resources.
• Blicks: Black Flicks for Families & Kids: This section includes information about websites that feature quality Black Movies, Short films and Animated Cartoons for Black Families to enjoy online or purchase in DVD and/or VHS format.
• Black Bookstores: Find Afrocentric Literature for Kids and Teens Online: This section includes information about websites that feature black books, specifically those for young children and teens.
• College Preparation for Minority Students: This section includes information about websites that feature books, scholarships, and other resources for minority students preparing for college.
• Black Teenpreneurs & Career Planning for Minority Students: This section includes information about websites that foster teen entrepreneurship among black youth and provide career planning resources and opportunities for minority students.
• General Black Resources Online: This section includes information about websites that offer black resources in general, with a particular focus on youth orientated content.
• Black Freebies Online for Families and Children: This section includes information about websites that offer freebies to Black Online Viewers.

A Few Words from the author:

I designed this particular guide for Black Parents who are interested in making Afrocentric Learning and exposure to Black Culture an integral part of their children’s development. From support groups to online activities, within this book is an extensive list of over 200 links created just for you and your children. Though it’s often times hard to tell, the internet is actually filled with an increasing number of positive, multicultural web pages. Some are a little harder to find than others, but that’s why you have me to do the searching so all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the sites!

~LaShanda Henry

*This e-Book includes the following type of cultural web links: Black, African, African American, Afrocentric, Africentric, Multicultural.

Also available at lulu.com: www.lulu.com/content/459061

Great post:

Many times Single Parents get left out of the loop when they are filling out the financial portion of the college application, CSS Profile, or FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) for registering their child(ren) for college. I would like to provide the following tips:

Tip 1: FAFSA Report or CSS Profile

If you do not agree with your FAFSA report or CSS Profile, you can appeal or file a financial hardship with the individual college/university. In many cases, forms such as the FAFSA or CSS Profile do not provide an accurate picture or account of a family’s financial situation. If you disagree with their assessment of your financial situation, you can submit a financial hardship letter with the college or university and provided them additional information on your financial status. This will allow the college/university to review your financial aid application and then you can try to get them to adjust your previous financial award packet. For instance, if the FAFSA SAR report states you can pay an EFC (Eligible Family Contribution) of $10,000 per year, but you know that your current financial situation won’t allow you to pay that type of money per year. You can write a letter of financial hardship showing the reason why you can’t pay the money. Also, it will show what impact it would have on your current income and obligations if you do. Please note this is done on a case by case basis and it is up to the college or university if they want to adjust your award letter. This is normally approved via the Director of Financial Aid or Financial Aid committee.
Tip 2: Non-custodial Parent Waivers:

If you are a single parent and do not want to consider the income of the Non-custodial Parent when they evaluate your family contribution, you can ask for a Non-custodial Parent waiver from the college or university. If approved, the college or university will not consider the income of the Non-custodial Parent, but rather the Custodial Parent only. You must contact each college/university on the process for applying for the waiver. Also, if you plan on asking for a Non-custodial Parent Waiver from a college or university, you don’t have to include that non-custodial parent information on your FASFA, CSS Profile or college application information.

Tip 3: Denial Letters:

If you have been denied acceptance because of your GPA/test results and not because they had an overflow of students to apply, you might be able to still submit a letter asking them to consider you or your child for enrollment at the college or university. Many times you will have to talk to the Director of Admissions or the President in smaller colleges to prove why your child should be consider to attend the college/university. Many colleges/universities have allowance for special circumstances. One of your arguments could be to show the improvements that your child has made over the last one-two years of high school. Showing that the child is focus and can maintain the requirements to keep the grades required attending and graduating from the college/university.

Tip 4: Visiting the College/University

I advise anyone who has a college or university that they are seriously considering to make an appointment to visit the college or university prior to making your selection or trying to sell the case of why you or your child should be admitted or provided additional financial assistance. One college director from a prestige college told me that it makes a difference when the parent comes in person to make a case for financial assistance. Overall, you should seek and believe in the impossible and to not give up until the “fat lady sings”.
ct123 is online now Add to ct123’s Reputation     

Tip 5: Waivering College Application Fees

If you would like for your child to apply for more than one college and you can’t afford the applications fee you can do the following:

1. If your child is on free or reduce lunch you can ask your school for a waiver of fees, if the school allows waivers. Please verify with the college/university if they allow for waivers of fees.

2. If you have a financial hardship you can check with the college/university to see the procedure for getting a waiver.

Tip 6: Scheduled a One on One Meeting with the Guidance Counselor
It is important that you take the “we” approach in your child’s future. Although many schools have a big meeting with the parents, students and gudiance counselor to go over college preparation and what is expected in the process. The parent along with the child needs to scheduled a one-on-one at the beginning of the school year. The meeting will allow you and your child to answer any questions or concerns you may have.

There is already a pre-determined college time-line process and you must be on their time and not yours.

Please don’t leave the meeting still needing answers, if you can’t get them all schedule another meeting in the future.

Remember what you put in the preparation process will determine what you get out.

Please visit: http://www.ctherd.blogspot.com for other valuable and priceless information.

repost from: Miami Herald  

BY LEONARD PITTS JR.

lpitts@MiamiHerald.com

You and I are about to embark on something new.

But first, the back story. Your humble correspondent has been at this podium 13 years now, speaking to the readers of roughly 250 newspapers around the country. That’s hundreds of thousands of words passing beneath millions of eyes. Words of sorrow, sarcasm, censure.

But seldom, words of solution.

Lately, though, I’ve been thinking that if they give you the privilege of reaching that many people, maybe you should sometimes use it for some purpose higher than calling out intolerance, beating up stupidity or bashing the president.

Don’t get me wrong. I make no apologies for any of that. Still, I’ve come to believe this space can — should, in fact — be used for more. Used not simply to point out problems, but to highlight solutions.

BROKEN-HEARTED

And here, I’m thinking specifically of black children. Black girl shot in the head because she lives in an urban war zone. Black girl going to school hungry in hand-me-downs. Black boy who couldn’t tell you where his father was if you paid him. Black boy who couldn’t diagram a sentence if you threatened him. Black girl who thinks she is unattractive because she is a black girl.

Black children breaking my heart.

I am not unaware that violence, poverty, fatherlessness, miseducation and self-esteem issues threaten other children. But they are acute, they are crises, among African-American children.

From today, I want to do more than bemoan that. I want to solve it. Which means talking not just about what’s wrong, but about what’s right, what’s being done, What Works.

FIVE CRITICAL CONCERNS

So, here begins a series of columns, an ongoing dialogue between you and me. It will be open-ended; I envision it lasting the rest of the year — longer if the response is strong, less if it is not. We’ll call it What Works. Here’s how it will go: I want to see e-mails from you on how we should approach — how we can fix — any or all of the five areas of concern (violence, poverty, etc.) listed above. But — and this is important — I don’t want generalities and pet theories. Rather, I am asking you to steer me toward specific, concrete, up-and-running programs anywhere in the country that are showing demonstrable and verifiable results.

Who in your community is doing good, forward-thinking work that the rest of us can learn from? Let me know. I will visit the most promising-sounding programs and profile them in this space. The idea is to share what we know and create a database of workable ideas that drives the discussion forward and inspires change.

Please send your e-mails to lpitts@MiamiHerald.com. Keep them short — 250 words, max. In the subject line, put ‘’What Works.'’ Follow those guidelines and I promise to read — though I may not be able to respond to — everything you send.

These columns will be irregular. When there is something new to say, I will. When there isn’t, I’ll be calling out intolerance, beating up stupidity or bashing the president. You will be able to follow the series online at www.MiamiHerald.com. Click the ‘’columnists'’ link, and then my name. Also, if you visit my website (www.leonardpittsjr.com) you’ll find a ‘’What Works'’ page containing links to the various programs, interview transcripts and other useful information. There’ll also be a message board you can use to extend the conversation.