Tag Archives: Urban Academics Roundtable

A Beautifully Refreshing Perspective On ARTS EDUCATION AND THE THEATRE

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The arts in education and theater are not new to the world; each of these phenomenons is expressive models that most people desire. The ability to express oneself does come in many forms. Still, the theatre is not recorded, nor is it edited, and therefore needs skilled performers and talent for ticketed guests to experience something they’ll remember and tell others about.

When we look at black and brown folks in the theatre, it’s not widely a choice for performing artists; Black folks tend to go towards film/movies or rap/sing. This week at the Urban Academics Roundtable, Chosen Visionary Number Fifty-One (51) will share the climate in the theatre when he was a student and graduate from Howard University Drama Department, and whether that distinguished degree made the playing field easy or not?

What does the climate look like today in the theatre for black folks, and what can we do to ensure the next generation of talented young people find their way to the most fruitful opportunities?

WATCH NOW – The HOT-Seat at Urban Academics, Season One

The term “Black Theatre” combines plays and musicals directed, performed, produced, or written by African-Americans (Blacks) over the past 200 years.

The Harlem Renaissance of the late ’20s and ’30s was mostly responsible for causing the blow-up that paved the way for hidden skilled performers and talented acts. There is so much that came out of this era that remains, but what was once there that is no more? Find out at the Urban Academics Roundtable, Thursday at 9:30 pm (EDT). You are invited to join us; It’s FREE; GRAB a Seat HERE.

Three Books You Should Read NOW

  1. Enduring The Call; A 14 Day Journey, by Jocelyn Fagan ($14.00)
  2. The ZOLA Experience: A Journey of Recovery From Loss, by Katurah A Bryant, LMFT ($14.99)
  3. When The Heart Takes Flight, by Carla Yarbrough ($9.99)

This Week In The HOT-Seat

a graduate of Howard University’s Department of Drama. He Mr. Holtz is a writer, actor, director and teacher with an extensive background in theater, film/video and stand-up comedy.  He teaches theater in the Newark (NJ) Public Schools.

Gregory Holtz, Sr, is HOT-Seat Number 51 - Artistic Director, Actor, Publisher, and Writer Dines With Us At the Urban Academics Roundtable, Thursday at 9:30 PM (EDT)

Notable Accomplishments

  • Film and TV Projects: Chicken Special
  • Film and TV Projects: Field Your Way Through It,
  • Film and TV Projects: The Mission
  • Sitcoms: Beacon Place
  • Sitcoms: South Africans-Americans
  • School Project: Mind Builders-Positive Youth Troupe
  • School Project: NJPAC, Writer’s Theater of New Jersey
  • School Project: New Jersey State Council for the Arts, NJPAC
  • School Project: New York Shakespeare Festival’s Playwriting in the Schools program
  • School Project: NYU’s Creative Arts Team
  • School Project: The Children’s Art Carnival
  • School Project: Theater for the Forgotten’s Changing Scenes
  • Service: Cultural Envoy to South Africa through U.S. Department of State as a playwright
  • Writing Credits: A Christ Mass Story
  • Writing Credits: Ali…From Cassius Clay To Bomaye
  • Writing Credits: Black Codes From The Underground, (produced by Lincoln Center’s Directors Lab 1999)
  • Writing Credits: Grandma’s Hands
  • Writing Credits: Lifeline
  • Writing Credits: The Anansi X-5000
  • Writing Credits: Trip This
  • Writing Credits: Where’s Bobby?

Three Things You Should Do NOW

What’s More?

Mr. Holtz currently serves as Writer/Producer with Think Young, LLC developing docuseries on the life of Andrew Young. If you have any questions for King Holtz, please use the comments section below – We will make sure he gets your message and respond accordingly.

Are You New To Urban Academics?

Who should attend? Administrators, CEOs, Child Advocates, Civil Service Members, Content Creators, Educators, Entrepreneurs, First Responders, Guidance Counselors, Journalists, Mental Health Professionals, Parents, Political Figures, Students, Upward Mobile Professionals, School Systems Interested in Change, Teachers, and People Involved in Motivating Our Students Higher (P.I.M.O.S.H.) Subsidiaries. GRAB a Seat HERE.

Do You Have Any Questions?

Please post your comments or questions in the comments section below for any HOT-Seat Chosen Visionary, or for Members of Urban Academics Online. More information is HERE! Thank you for reading, and may God bless you!

If You Want To Be A Winner, Change YOUR BELIEF IN YOURSELF Philosophy Now

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Believing in your dreams and that of others is not as easy as it sounds, but doable on all accounts if you only believe. You can do anything you will do in this life, but it’s difficult to drown out the background noise and stay focused on the goal ahead. Chosen Visionaries are born out of

People come in all shapes, sizes, and colors and can be tricky at best. It’s up to the visionary to see what God has purposed in their hearts and then move to that end with the fear present, taking courage in moving forward. Why do some make it while others give up, falling flat on their face more often than not?

WATCH NOW: HOT-Seat at The Roundtable, Season One

The Urban Academics HOT-Seat, Season One Featuring Twelve Chosen Visionaries in the HOT-Seat. You Can Binge Watch by Clicking Below! SUBSCRIBE to Our YouTube Channel NOW & CLICK THE BELL!

Three Books You Should Read Now

  1. Enduring The Call; A 14 Day Journey, by Jocelyn Fagan ($14.00)
  2. The ZOLA Experience: A Journey of Recovery From Loss, by Katurah A Bryant, LMFT ($14.99)
  3. When The Heart Takes Flight, by Carla Yarbrough ($9.99)

Meet Our Next Chosen Visionary in the HOT-Seat

His week’s Chosen Visionary began a professional life of acting and singing after moving to NYC from Chicago and landing her debut role as a breakout star in the movie MO’ Better Blues (A Spike Lee Joint) and several other movies over the years. What’s so neat was that her role called for a female singer/vocalist; She got the job, and her featured song, Harlem Blues, climbed up the R&B Billboard charts to number one (see the video to her chart-topper below).

Cynda sings professionally for film and the stage. She sings Jazz, Americana, and R&B/Hip Hop Fusion with THe WES Group, Michael Martin Band, and The C & Ronnie G’s Band.

Lady Cynda is also a weekly co-host with DJ Kid Disco on “The Morning Melanated Show” from 10 am-12 pm Wednesday. Catch the Show Here!

Cynda WIlliams, Actress, Author, Singer, Speaker at Pink Pantie Confessions PPC Productions from Greater Chicago on Keeping The Faith

Notable Accomplishments

  1. Author: Pink Pantie Confessions (P.P.C.) by Cynda Williams ($9.99)
  2. Film/Movies: 72-Hours, by Christopher Nolan
  3. Film/Movies: A Change in The World, by Mark Vadik
  4. Film/Movies: Caught Up by Darin Scott
  5. Film/Movies: Kings Of LA by Van Elder
  6. Film/Movies: Life Aint Like The Movies, by Robert Butler
  7. Film/Movies: Mad As Hell by Robert Parham
  8. Film/Movies: MO’ Better Blues, A Spike Lee Joint
  9. Film/Movies: Pieces of David, by Lawrence D Wallace
  10. Film/Movies: Ray Meets Helen, by Alan Rudolph
  11. Producer: Pending Series Podcast on the Anchor Platform
  12. Producer: PPC RADIO SHOW
  13. Television Appearances: ABC – Oprah’s Mini-Series, The Wedding
  14. Television Appearances: BET’s Hidden Blessings
  15. Television Appearances: HBO’s Dorothy Dandridge
  16. Television Appearances: PBS’s Tales of The City
  17. Writer: Creator of Books, Musicals, and Screenplays

WATCH NOW: Cynda Williams “Harlem Blues” Performance

Three Things You Should Do Now

What’s More

Cynda has always liked to volunteer, and when she’s not helping others, she’s working on her many projects. She especially loves the Guiding Light, Inc. out of Muncie, India, where Cynda serves as the nonprofit’s consultant for the arts. Ms. Williams continues to sing and accepts quality roles in film, television, theatre, and she’s here at the Urban Academics Roundtable.

Are You New To Urban Academics?

Who should attend? Administrators, CEOs, Child Advocates, Civil Service Members, Content Creators, Educators, Entrepreneurs, First Responders, Guidance Counselors, Journalists, Mental Health Professionals, Parents, Political Figures, Students, Upward Mobile Professionals, School Systems Interested in Change, Teachers, and People Involved in Motivating Our Students Higher (P.I.M.O.S.H.) Subsidiaries. GRAB a Seat HERE.

Do You Have Any Questions?

Please post them in the comments section below if you have questions for Lady Cynda Williams or Urban Academics. Thank you for reading, and may God bless you!

Twenty-Five Speakers With Black Girl Joy; For You

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Black Girl Joy is not easy to come by during the days of COVID-19; The year 2020 will forever be known as the one that wasn’t! For the first time in history, children were relieved from their school duties and 100 percent promoted to the next grade. Parents were sent home from work indefinitely, and the United States, along with the rest of the world, shut-down, almost completely. Well, that was up until the Urban Academics Roundtable got its start.

Instead of crying and worrying about the world falling apart, it was decided that there needed to be a place to document everything happening around and to black and brown people amid the world changers. We can all agree; The world will never be the same.

Each week, a different person (male or female) sits in the HOT-Seat at Urban Academics, sharing their stories of resilience and triumphant encounters with doom; THey didn’t run away but stood tall now you can hear from each of them LIVE. These talks are raw, real, relevant, and much-needed for this generation.

This is the Roundtable of ALL Roundtables – Don’t Miss it! It’s FREE, but you must register! You can Register Here.

What is Women’s History Month?

Women’s History Month became a US celebration in 1982, but it was called Women’s History Week. Within just a few years, President Regan extended the week-long celebration into a full month of honoring women throughout American society, including black women. The National Women’s History Project takes credit for its founding.

According to History.Com, We should celebrate the contributions, notable accomplishments, and the transformative power women have in, for, and to the United States. Also, to be publicly recognized for specific achievements women have made over the course of our history in a variety of fields.”

This Week’s HOT-Seat:

This week at the Roundtable, we celebrate Twenty-Five Women Speakers with Black Girl Joy! Each one brings something new and fresh to the table, and they are the “Chosen Visionaries” of this generation, born for such a time as this. Please accept this as a formal invitation for you to dine at the Urban Academics Roundtable every Thursday at 9:30 PM. It’s an experience you will never forget. CLICK HERE to RSVP for a Seat.

Twenty-Five Women Speakers With Black Girl Joy https://www.urban-academics.com/hot-seat

The Chosen Twenty-Five With Black Girl Joy

The following is a list of powerful women who are blazing trails for anyone to follow, especially young girls. It’s not as easy as you may think to find examples of how we ought to carry ourselves as ladies, but that stops today. This resource is for you! If you see a link in this section, it means the woman has a book, product, or service that you can purchase. It means the world to creatives when someone finds their offerings and makes a purchase. It’s proof of concept and will help them continue running without weariness!

  1. Rev. Willetta (Lettie) Ar-Rahmaan (Charlotte, NC), Entrepreneur, Ordained Minister, IBM Computer Engineer; And Author: Struggling To Be Me; No Longer Silent and invisible at The Table ($14.00)
  2. Rev. Toby Smith (Charleston, SC), Historial Interpreter, and Ordained Minister
  3. Carla Yarbrough (Memphis, TN), Emmy Award-Winning Writer/Producer; and Author: When The Heart Takes Flight ($14.00)
  4. Toni Clark (Harlem, NYC), Investment Planner Representative and Tax Planner
  5. Alice Faye Duncan (Memphis, TN), Certified Teacher, Historian; And Author: A Song For Gwendolyn Brooks, Volume Three ($9.00)
  6. Dr. Tarin Hampton, (Norfolk, VA), Ordained Minister and Professor of Dance at Norfolk State University
  7. Opal Lee (Fort Worth, Texas), Author and the Grandmother of Juneteenth – Make It A National Holiday; Sign the Petition Now!
  8. Elder Dinah Kinney, (New Haven, CT), Chief Deputy Clerk of Court for United States District Court of Connecticut, First Lady at Mount Hope Temple, and Ordained Minister
  9. Paige Thomas (Arlington, VA), Active Duty Marine, and Limb Differences Advocate
  10. Anne Marie Knight (Meriden, CT), Director, The Black Business Alliance
  11. Apostle Merilyn Davis (Atlanta, GA by way of Jacksonville, FL)), Author, Entrepreneur, and Ordained Minister
  12. Cherie Beasley-Rutherford (Long Beach, CA), Creator and Executive Director of Kitchen Food Ventures, KFV
  13. Dr. Sabrina Moore (Columbia, SC), Director of Student Intervention Services at the South Carolina Department of Education
  14. Dr. Iline Tracey (New Haven, CT), Superintendent, New Haven Public Schools
  15. Jocelyn Fagan (Tampa, FL), Licensed, Ordained Minister; And Author: Enduring the Call; A 14 Day Journey 
  16. Patrina S Reddick, MSW (Charlotte, NC), PIMOSH Co-Founder, Urban Academics Creator, Roundtable Co-Moderator, and Writer
  17. Dionne M Thomas (Sacramento, CA), Ordained Minister, prophet; And Author:
  18. Katurah A Bryant, LFMT (New Haven, CT), Creator of The ZOLA Experience; A Certificate Programs for Providers; And Author: The ZOLA ExperienceL A Journey of Recovery From Loss ($14.99)
  19. Clairesa Clay (Brooklyn, NY), Certified Teacher, Founder of BLERD CITY CON, and Movie Producer
  20. Sharon Hinton (Boston, MA), President and CEO of Black Teachers Matter, Inc.
  21. Brittanye Mackey (Waltham, MA), International Studies Director at Bentley University
  22. Theresa Ann Giles (Syracuse, NY), Entrepreneur and Owner of Hope Academy Early Learning Center; And Author: The Ultimate Love Affair
  23. Lonai Mosley (NY, NY), Acclaimed FIlm Produce and Artistic Director at New York Schools.
  24. Doreen Wayde (Boston, MA), Publisher, New England Insider Magazine
  25. Kaye Harvey (New Haven, CT, by way of Atlanta, GA), President and CEO of Alexis Hill Montessori Schools, Inc.; And Robinhood Stock Representative

Please help us celebrate these women on the move by purchasing their books, products, and services and writing a review, sharing on social media, including comments, like, share, thumbs up, and whatever the platform calls for. This is the only way to go viral, and we must be in the business of sharing information. Please do not keep it all to yourself.

GET ON THE CALL – THURSDAY at 9:30 PM (EST) – REGISTER HERE!

Are You New To The Weekly Roundtable

Who should attend? Administrators, Educators, Child Advocates, Entrepreneurs, Guidance Counselors, Mental Health Professionals, Parents, Political Figures, Students, Upward Mobile Professionals, School Systems Interested in Change, Teachers, and People Involved in Motivating Our Students Higher (P.I.M.O.S.H.) Subsidiaries. GRAB a Seat HERE.

Do You Have Questions?

Use the Comments Section Below to ask questions or get in touch with this HOT-Seat Chosen Visionary or the Urban Academics staff. Ask away, and she will get to your questions and quickly as possible. CLICK HERE FOR HOT-SEAT INFO!

Linwood Ali Jabaar Branham And His Love Train For Black Folks

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What do people do when they forget who they are? This is the question this generation of black folks face when they stare themselves in the face and admit the truth. Who, what, when, where, and how did we get programmed this way?

What way? You might ask, and I’m glad you did (ask). This week’s HOT-Seat Chosen Visionary will take care of that with his plea for every boy, girl, man, and woman would say “Yes To Love!” Linwood Ali Jabbar Bran question and many more at the Urban Academics Roundtable – This week is no different, a Freedom Fighter, Historian, Writer, Founder and CEO of The Society of Former Slaves and Freemen, Inc.

GRAB-A-SEAT at The Roundtable (One-Time Registration) HERE

Three Books You Should Read

  1. Enduring The Call; A 14 Day Journey, by Jocelyn Fagan ($14.00)
  2. The ZOLA Experience: A Journey of Recovery From Loss, by Katurah A Bryant, LMFT ($14.99)
  3. When The Heart Takes Flight, by Carla Yarbrough ($9.99)

In This Week’s HOT-Seat

Mr. Linwood Ali Jabbar Branham Sr. is a life-long resident of New Haven, Connecticut, dedicating his life to the fight for justice, freedom, equality, and education for those who suffered systemic racism. He is the founder and CEO of The Society of Former Slaves and Freemen, Inc., a non-profit organization that promotes the education, liberation, and inspiration of people of color with an emphasis on the youth.

Mr. Branham is a motivational speaker on both local and national stages and on radio stations too! He’s worked closely with Churches, Elementary, Middle, High Schools, Colleges, Universities, and Juvenile Detention Centers to spread his love for learning and blacks and brown people. The motto is to get the message out by any means necessary. His passion is participating as a panelist with organizers of committees focused on education and black issues and speaking to groups of today’s youth.

Linwood Ali Jabaar Branham New Haven Connecticut www.urban-academics.com
Linwood Ali Jabaar Branham New Haven Connecticut www.urban-academics.com

The “Love Train,” according to Mr. Linwood, is a vehicle anyone can climb aboard, no change, no bills, just goodwill one towards another. To this chosen visionary, there’s no stopping us as black folks – They’ve tried everything, but it’s God’s will to use his chosen people, which is us. So, change your mind about hate, starting today. Here’s a special invitation for you to dine with us at the Urban Academics Roundtable. GRAB A SEAT HERE!

Notable Accomplishments

  • A loving Father and Grandfather
  • A visionary who sees history as a continual unfolding of God’s Perfect Will
  • A Writer and Historical Storyteller
  • An organized and commemorated the 1st annual Black Holocaust Memorial ceremony in the nation (2014)
  • Entrepreneur: Founder and CEO of The Society of Former Slaves and Freemen, Inc.

Three Things You Should DO

What’s More?

Mr. Linwood Ali Jabaar Branham, through education, helps people heal and promote awareness prevention. When he’s not busy saving the world, gardening, growing flowers and food are his past times. Getting in touch with Mr. Branham is easy; use the comments section below. Thank you.

Are You New To The Weekly Roundtable

Who should attend? Administrators, Educators, Child Advocates, Entrepreneurs, Guidance Counselors, Mental Health Professionals, Parents, Political Figures, Students, Upward Mobile Professionals, School Systems Interested in Change, Teachers, and People Involved in Motivating Our Students Higher (P.I.M.O.S.H.) Subsidiaries. GRAB a Seat HERE.

Do You Have Questions?

Use the Comments Section Below to ask questions or get in touch with this HOT-Seat Chosen Visionary or the Urban Academics staff. Ask away, and she will get to your questions and quickly as possible. CLICK HERE FOR HOT-SEAT INFO!

Why Did Slaves Grow Up In The Southern Colonies

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If you’re alive right now, it seems as if the thought of slavery is a thing of the past, like hundreds and hundreds of years ago; And while that is true, it really is not! The truth continues to point to these truths: Not every man is created equal and as petty as it may sound, that truth includes the fact that most folks in the United States have been trained to hate on some level causing many black and brown people to be mistreated.

On the surface, it may appear that we as a people are out of control; or simply have lost the way. Here’s the question: If we are not sure where we came from, how shall we ever return to a place where we know the truth. It seems impossible at best to believe we can ever truly experience what the actual slaves lived within the United States, but it goes down in history as having the largest groups of cash crops in the world.

The “experience” as it were, and its lingering effects are considered horrific, yes, but what would be more horrible is if we do not accurately account for these experiences in our voice as documentalists or story-tellers. But that all ends now with this week’s Urban Academics HOT-Seat Chosen Visionary. She spends her days interpreting the experience of 75-100 slaves who lived and died at the McLeod Plantation in Charleston South Carolina.

Three Books You Should Read

  1. Enduring The Call; A 14 Day Journey, by Jocelyn Fagan ($14.00)
  2. The ZOLA Experience: A Journey of Recovery From Loss, by Katurah A Bryant, LMFT ($14.99)
  3. When The Heart Takes Flight, by Carla Yarbrough ($9.99)

Who’s In This Week’s HOT-Seat

Reverend Toby Smith was born in Charleston, South Carolina, but grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She’s a graduate of USC, Columbia, and has done graduate work at American University and Colorado Christian University. Toby began her professional career at the Central Intelligence Agency, where she served domestically and abroad.

After eight years with the Federal Government, she returned home and began working at the Charleston County School District as the Public Relations Officer under the leadership of the late Superintendent, Sydney “Chip” Zullinger, who selected her to coordinate the district’s first bond campaign dedicated to repairing old dilapidated schools. That campaign led to politics and, her passion for the political process.

Rev. Smith’s biggest and boldest adventure to date: Commemoration 400, Charleston’s, year-long reflection on the experience of the enslaved and their descendants.  Today, Toby is the Lead Interpretive Aide at McLeod Plantation Historic Site; One of two cultural locations in the US presenting slavery issues from the enslaved perspective. In this role, Toby interacts with guests and visitors from all over the world while telling compelling stories of the 74-100 enslaved people who lived and died at McLeod Plantation.

Rev. Toby Smith, Cultural Interpreter and Licensed Ordained Minister, HOT-Seat Visionary Number 41, Charleston SC
Rev. Toby Smith, Cultural Interpreter and Licensed Ordained Minister, HOT-Seat Visionary Number 41, Charleston SC

Notable Accomplishments

  • FIRSTS: City of Charleston Mayoral Candidate on Racial Reconciliation and engaging communities in need
  • FIRSTS: Charleston Metro Credit Union’s First African-American Director of the Affairs Group
  • MINISTRY: Licensed Ordained Minister at Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church (Rev. Willis Glover, Sr., Pastor)
  • SERVICE: Assists the Food and Clothing Ministry
  • SERVICE: Executive Director of Midland Park Community Ministries
  • SERVICE: Expanded food pantry and clothes closet programming and services to Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester Counties
  • SERVICE: Non-Profit Grants development and strategy funding
  • SERVICE: Non-Profit Grant Reviewer for the Compassion Capital Fund
  • SERVICE: Taught financial literacy, first-time homebuyer, pre-and post-bankruptcy, and mortgage default classes throughout the state of South Carolina
  • SERVICE: Weekly Bible study, and Sunday School Classes
  • SERVICE: Worked with Youth and Women’s Ministries
  • Writer: IMARA Woman magazine (Columbia, SC), covering education and financial literacy

Three Things You Should DO

Are You New To The Weekly Roundtable

Who should attend? Administrators, Educators, Child Advocates, Entrepreneurs, Guidance Counselors, Mental Health Professionals, Parents, Political Figures, Students, Upward Mobile Professionals, School Systems Interested in Change, Teachers, and People Involved in Motivating Our Students Higher (P.I.M.O.S.H.) Subsidiaries. GRAB a Seat HERE.

Do You Have Questions?

Use the Comments Section Below to ask questions or get in touch with this HOT-Seat Chosen Visionary or the Urban Academics staff. Ask away, and she will get to your questions and quickly as possible.

Opal Lee, Author and Community Activist , known all over the world as The Grandmother of Juneteenth is in the HOT Seat - Thursdays at 9:30 PM (EST) - https://bit.ly/RoundTabeReservation

OMG, The Best Unifier Ever – Juneteenth A National Holiday

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What an awesome way to be free! Juneteenth, a National Holiday! There are only three opinions that matter in the court of law: (1) The Facts/Truth; (2) The Human Element; and (3) The LAW. The ladder superseding them all, but only because it is LAW. Any of the other two can make the law (letter) of none effect.

If ever there was a time for a country like the united states of America to pay attention to its history and make necessary concessions. When I was a little girl, I wondered who was writing our stories? I mean, some things off the cuff do NOT make much sense, nor cents, ha! But, within all that came a woman who would change history for Juneteenth, and she is the Chosen Visionary in the HOT-Seat …

Read HOT-Seat #32 Press Release about Ms. Opal Lee, A.K.A., The Grandmother of Juneteenth

DIAL Into the Weekly Roundtable: 605.472.5272 + Pin#: 836692

Yessir, I can say, ha! I mean it too. But why am I so cocky with this Hot-Seat Chosen Visionary posted article? Because discovering that there is no rush to live is refreshing. Sitting at the Master’s table at Urban Academics has enlightened my understanding of dreams, goals, and timing. Therefore, age has little to nothing to do with those (objectives, goals, and timing). After meeting this week’s Chosen Visionary, I am well able to continue in the path to each dream of dropping off and picking up whatever I am supposed to whenever God wills.

Three Books You Should Read

  1. Enduring The Call: A 14-Day Encounter by Jocelyn Fagan, Author, Entrepreneur, and Licensed Minister
  2. Empowerment Series: Social Welfare Policy and Social Programs, Updated (MindTap Course List
  3. The ZOLA Experience: A Journey Of Recovery From Loss by Katurah A. Bryant, LMFT

This week’s Chosen Visionary in the HOT-Seat is an example of all things faith. From her earliest years, she has been able to triumph over obstacles that would have destroyed others, having no choice but to give up and quit. Nope; Not this one. She kept going as if driven by a higher power. The source of success, long life, is a direct result of her faith, proving that grace abounds in her life and those around her.

This Week In The HOT-Seat

Lady Opal Lee is from Fort Worth, TX, and she’s the 94-year-old who wants Juneteenth to be a National Holiday. Yes, Juneteenth originated in TX, but 47 states now have it as a state day of observance to commemorate the ending of slavery. More are making it a paid day off, including Virginia, New York, and Texas. Ms. Lee believes Juneteenth can be a unifier because it recognizes that slaves didn’t free themselves. They had help from Quakers along the Underground Railroad; abolitionists were black and white like Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison, soldiers, and many others who gave their lives for the enslaved’s freedom.

How Does She Do It?

I started a walking campaign in Washington, DC, in 2016 and have continued it to bring awareness that there is support for it all across this nation. There is legislation in the Senate S.4019 and in the House H.R.7232 – Juneteenth National Independence Day Act – that needs to be passed into law.

Her vision is gaining traction with the National Football League, Nike, and Target now on board recognizing and celebrating Juneteenth given their employees the day off. Whether that’s all employees or only those who are African American or Black, I’m not sure, but whatever their policy is, it includes Juneteenth! Lady Opal certainly did a great job calling them out. Here’s a Video of Ms. Opal Lee getting at Nike – Watch The Video.

What is Juneteenth?

Juneteenth is a name based on June 19, 1865, which is the day that enslaved Americans became free (at least that’s what was said). Union General Gordon Granger was excited that the Civil War was over and enslaved African Americans were free; He announced in Galveston, TX, because not everyone got the memo. It was two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation in 1863.

Since June 19, 1866, it’s a day to celebrate our independence; Juneteenth is also considered Black Independence Day, Freedom Day, and Jubilee Days. Today, all but three states recognize Juneteenth; the three who don’t are Hawaii, North Dacota, and South Dakota. Texas, where Lady Opal Lee is from was first to recognize Juneteenth as a holiday.

Ms. Opal Lee’s Petition to Make Juneteenth a National Holiday, at the time of this writing, was over 1.5 million signatures; Please add your name to the petition now!

Watch This – Puff Daddy & P.Diddy and Ms. Opal Lee …

“I put that on GOD – You’re gonna see this done – We don’t need incremental change. We gonna get many wins no crumbs and we don’t get them all we gonna give ’em hell.”

Sean “P.Diddy” Cobs

Notable Accomplishments of Lady Opal Lee

Three Things You Need To Do

Teach A Child About Juneteenth

Learn More About Juneteenth NOW!

BUY A JUNETEENTH T-Shirt

What’s More?

served on the Historic & Cultural Landmarks Commission, AIDS Outreach committee, Evans Avenue Business Association, Good Samaritans, and Riverside Neighborhood Advisory Council. She has served as Precinct Chair for District 8 for over 30 years, a member of Grandmother’s Club, and Ethel Ransom Humanitarian & Cultural Club. She is an active member in her church, Baker Chapel AME (Ft Worth), where she serves as a Missionary, church school teacher, assistant teacher, and Deaconess.

Ms. Opal Lee, in her spare time (if any), enjoys family gatherings, going to the movies with Aunt Joanne and her daughter Renee. She especially likes reading lots of books; The proud great-grandmother, great-grandmother of eighteen (18), and too many great-great-great-grandchildren to count—a blessing and monument of a heart filled with pure gold. No soul is perfect, but we are coming pretty close here; Do you agree?

New to The Urban Academics RoundTable?

The Urban Academics Roundtable is your weekly dose of shareable content around Academics & Education. Each week, the goal is to educate, encourage, inform, inspire, lead, motivate, share, teach black, brown, and poor folks worldwide.

Who should attend? Administrators, Educators, Child Advocates, Business Owners, Entrepreneurs, Mental Health Professionals, Parents, Students, Upward Mobile Professionals, School Systems Interested in Change, Teachers, and any People Involved in Motivating Our Students Higher (PIMOSH) Affiliates.

Thank you for being here. Suppose someone has invited you to have a seat here at the RoundTable, especially for a reservation for the “HOT-Seat” you are honored among peers and considered a thought leader in your work. Your accolades speak for themselves – Welcome aboard!

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