Page 6 - Florida Sentinel 3-29-16 Edition

Editorials
Resurrect Your Dreams It’s Time To Live
March Is Women’s History Month:
Contributions... Past And Present
Never Again, Ted Cruz!
His comments play out like a cheap comic book or a “B” class television sitcom.
Senator and Republican presidential candidate
Theodore “Ted” Cruz recently called for increased surveil- lance of Muslim neighborhoods in America in response to the bombing in Belgium. With comments that reminded many of us of America’s decision to place all Japanese Amer- icans in detention camps during World War II, Cruz called for the monitoring and profiling of Muslims (in his words) “before they become radicalized,” while also calling for end- ing the flow of refugees from countries where ISIS has a “significant presence.”
So, we Americans are left wondering if Cruz remembers why his own father left Cuba, and if he knows where his fa- ther might be now if America had closed its doors to the in- flux of Cubans to the United States due to the increased number of Marielitos flooding American shores.
Right thinking Americans will not stand for the racist and fascist mentality shown by both Cruz and his closest Re- publican competitor. Our nation could easily become an- other Nazi Germany, and the question of who would be the next American Holocaust victims after the Muslims would not be a difficult guess.
At least 23 percent of American Muslims are Black and don’t all live in the same neighborhoods. Overall, there are three million American Muslims who are white, Black, Asian, and Hispanic as well as mixed race. Of those popula- tions, roughly 37 percent of them were born in the United States.
So, you do the math. That Cruz and company pander to the hate, rage, racism, homophobia, and insanity mindsets of certain Americans whose ancestors were tricked into fighting for the Confederacy though they never owned a slave is worse than toxic. So, let us not be silent about the targeting of Muslims in America. After all, we just might be next.
Empowered Greetings.
Yesterday, Christians every- where celebrated Resurrection Sunday. Christians recognize that Jesus was the sacrificial Lamb of God and paid the ultimate price for their sins, so that they don’t have to live in bondage. All that accept this truth can have a new life through Him.
Today I want you to know that your dreams just like Jesus, can be resurrected. No matter what you’ve experienced up to this point in your life, your life can change for the better. No matter how many bad decisions you’ve made up to this point, you still have time to make some good choices. It doesn’t matter how much pain you have from your past or how messed up you think your current situation may be, you can still resurrect the life of your dreams.
I came to serve notice to you today that it’s not over! Your dream of a good or great life is still in your reach. All you have to do is redirect your focus on your
MARC H. MORIAL
President and CEO National Urban League
“From the first settlers who came to our shores, from the first American Indian families who be- friended them, men and women have worked together to build this Nation. Too often, the women were unsung and sometimes their contributions went unnoticed. But the achievements, leadership, courage, strength, and love of the women who built America was as vital as that of the men whose names we know so well.” – Pres. Jimmy Carter, “National Women’s History Week State- ment,” Feb. 28, 1980.
There is no arena in American life, or beyond the borders of this country, where a woman’s pres- ence can neither be noted nor cel- ebrated. Women have played—and continue to play—a major role in our nation’s culture, politics and economy. The tradi- tionally held belief of a “woman’s place” has long created obstacles for women who have ventured into the business arena. It was a notion that dictated that a woman’s natu- ral place was in the home, and when women worked outside of the home, it largely dictated what kind of work was appropriate for her.
From the late 1800s and its ini- tial boom of female workers and entrepreneurs in America, to Maria Contreras-Sweet, the founder of ProAmerica Bank and current head of the Small Business Association, and Oprah Win- frey’s media empire, we know that a woman’s place is quite sim- ply where she makes it.
My own respect for strong, ac-
dreams. Redefine your path to move in the direction of your dream life. Reroute your mindset for intentional success. Thus, al- lowing you to recreate your ac- tion plan so you can achieve everything your heart desires.
You have untapped potential lying dormant on the inside of you, that when it is released it will give you the power to trans- form your quality of life. You don’t have to be bound to the conditions of your environment. You can break free. You can rise up. You can resurrect your dreams by doing the following.
1. Re-ignite your imagination to awaken the dream on the in- side of you. Gather pictures that relate to your dream. Read arti- cles that correlate to your dreams. Re group with other peo- ple that are dreamers too. The in- tensity of their passion and energy will help fuel you.
2. Decide the direction your life will take by defining a clearly detailed vision. You don’t want to just shoot for the sky. You want
complished women was instilled by my mother, a highly-respected educator and civil rights activist who has recently published a memoir, “Witness to Change,” about her own remarkable life.
Despite issues of gender parity and gender equity that continue to plague our boardrooms, confer- ence rooms and banks, women have long contributed to the eco- nomic vitality of our country. Yes- terday’s entrepreneur laid the groundwork for today’s business- woman, who continues to defy odds, break glass ceilings and pro- duce much-needed jobs and rev- enue. This is especially true in the case of women of color, who are the fastest growing group of entre- preneurs in the United States.
Women own nearly 10 million of the businesses in America— making up 36% of the nation’s businesses. These businesses gen- erate more than $1.4 trillion in an- nual revenue and employ 8 million people, according to the National Business Women’s Council.
Women are starting businesses at record rates, exceeding the na- tional average, and there has been remarkable spike in small business ownership by women of color. In 2002, there were fewer than one million businesses owned by women of color, representing 14% of women-owned firms. As of 2012, there are nearly 3.8 million firms owned by women of color, comprising 38% of women-owned businesses. That represents more than 190% growth in ownership since 1997 for African American women and 130% increase in small business ownership for Lati- nas.
Today, women of color own four in ten businesses and their businesses can be found in any
to have a direct target. That way you will know what you’re trying to hit. Your vision should answer the question of what is your pre- ferred future.
3. Recognize that when you say yes to your dreams you awaken the potential on the in- side of you. Recognized potential becomes potent possibilities to deliver your dreams into reality.
4. Create a concrete plan for accomplishing your dreams. Work that plan so that it manifest into the results you desire.
5. Stay focused. Continually believe and never lose hope. Your focus will keep your dream in front of you. Your belief and hope will give you the drive you need when facing unfavorable circum- stances. Always cultivate your dream by going back to #1 and constantly ignite your imagina- tion.
For insight on creating your dream life join me on my confer- ence call where I will be training on the Power of Vision. Call in number is 1-857-232-0156 with access code 864720. Conference call starts at 7:30p.m. EST.
Stay connected with Selphe- nia on her website at Success- CoachToWomen.com, follow her on social media for tips and strate- gies you can use for life and busi- ness success, Facebook: Selphenia Nichols Success Coach to Women, Instagram: @Selphenia, or on Twitter: @queenofsuccess1.
conceivable industry.
There are many factors that can
be attributed to this historic growth in business ownership for women—and particularly women of color. The gender pay gap, and the glass ceiling above the ladder of success that is littered with cracks but has yet to be shattered, surely plays a motivating role for many women who have decided to invest in themselves and their tal- ent. The Great Recession and the slow start, especially for commu- nities of color to recover from the immense loss of capital and em- ployment, is likely another moti- vating factor. The ever-widening gap between the haves and the have nots has also played a part in women of color tapping into their entrepreneurial spirit.
The growth in businesses owned by women of color belies the ugly reality that African Amer- ican and Latina business owners struggle to fund their startups. Women tend to start their busi- nesses with half as much money as men, they are more likely to use their personal savings, and are less likely to access bank loans, funding and venture capital.
To foster the growth and long- term survivability of businesses owned by people of color, the Na- tional Urban League has created Entrepreneurship Centers that provide management counseling, mentoring and training services geared toward the development of management skills that enable mi- nority entrepreneurs to obtain fi- nancing that support job creation and preservation.
Entrepreneurship plays a vital role in our economy and the Na- tional Urban League will continue to play a vital role in shoring up the efforts and success of all busi- nesses that create the jobs that save our cities. The small busi- nesses owned by women of color are helping to bring jobs to strug- gling neighborhoods, creating new economic pathways in under- served communities and deserve their fair share of recognition— every month of the year.
Whoopi Goldberg Takes Dr. ABen Carson To The Woodshed
s a regular panelist on the TV show The View, renowned
comedian-actor-spokesperson Whoopi Goldberg has been known to turn screws as well as heads regarding the way she looks at the world.
Her recent discussion (if you can call it that) without de- frocked former Republican Presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson was no different when, like a buzz-saw, Whoopi tore into Carson’s reasons for endorsing Donald Trump.
Not only did she do Carson a job, covering issues com- ment-by-comment, but what impressed us immensely was the fact even in the midst of what could have been bitter dis- agreements, a usually glib Goldberg was as cool as a bowl of Jell-O.
Listen to one of the sword-fights that occurred between the comedian and the brain-surgeon. Carson said, “Donald Trump says what people want to hear.” Goldberg shot back, “That’s how Hitler got in, Sir.” Carson tried to explain, “When you’re very nice, when you’re very respectful, and talk about real issues . . . it gets you nowhere.”
To wit, a cool, collected Whoopi responded, “Is this what [the Republican presidential candidacy platform] is about? It can’t be that!” On and on it went with other panelists weighing in on their opinions. We’re told, after the show, Trump tweeted his displeasure with Whoopi’s eloquent Carson-spanking.
Be that as it might: We congratulate Whoopi Goldberg and her crew on The View. May your ratings and your courage to confront fascism continue until America regains its sense of democracy and humanity.
PAGE 6 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 2016