Yassss.

School year is almost OVER!!

Trayvon Martin

LEAD:17 year old African American boy shot and killed by security guard in orlando Florida for no reason,
This disheartening story is getting even more of publicity as time goes on. While visiting his father in Orlando, Florida, 17 year old Trayvon Martin was shot and killed by George Zimmerman the Watch Captian of a latino neighborhood. Martin was a native of South Florida and was visiting his father at the time. Walking home from a local convenient store, George Zimmerman was an on Duty cop at the time and thought that Trayvon seemed "suspicious" and proceeded to follow him. within minutes, Trayvon was yelling for help as Zimmerman shot him dead. Family members and friends of Martin are looking for answers!

The Future of Journalism...

Earlier this week I was able to speak with the gorgeous and intelligent Mrs. Monica Pearson of Channel 2 action News. Monica Pearson was honored by the city of Atlanta on Monday for her 37 years with WSB-TV. Pearson recently announced this month that she will be retiring from WSB-TV on July 25. Monica Pearson anchors Channel 2 Action News at 4 p.m. and Channel 2 Action News at 6 p.m.She joined the Channel 2 Action News staff in August, 1975 and ended a run of more than 30 years as the Channel 2 Action News Nightbeat anchor in May 2011.City Councilman Michael Bond honored Pearson with a proclamation for her years of service while working for WSB-TV, and a close and personal reception for fans and friends welcome to greet her as she prepares to depart her home station of 37 years. More to come on her thoughts of Citizen Journalism and the future of Journalism today.

Why Write?

Everyone has a voice but when it comes to actually using it and providing information about different topics, unfortunately everyone wasn’t given the task of mastering the way to communicate it. Providing unbiased, well written information with substance and depth is essential when working as a professional journalist. Acquiring these skills overtime allows one to develop the credibility to be a respected professional journalist. Like music, writing can be a very personable form of art and information source if done properly and in a way that won't hinder anyone’s reputation. Often times with all the citizen journalism its easy for people to get caught up with false accusations and assumptions that lead to a world of rumors and stories that come off in a negative way. Citizen Journalism is when private individuals do what many professionals do, and report often biased information about different issues going on throughout the world globally. This can be an individuals’ take on politics, social, education or one of the more controversial Entertainment. Citizen Journalism can take many forms: Blogging, print, social media and physical ability with flyers, posters walks and even boycotts. With new advances overtime the Internet has given average people the ability to transmit all types of information globally. There are different types of Citizen Journalism two of which being Independent and Semi-Independent Citizen Journalism. Independent Journalism is this idea that involves citizens posting information in ways that are not substantial to the traditional and professional forms of providing information. Semi-Citizen Journalism involves citizens actually contributing, in one form or another, to existing professional news sites as well as feed off of information that has already been provided.

THE BEAUTIFUL ETTA JAMES!

Dorothy Hawkins was only 14 when she gave birth to Jamesetta Hawkins. Jamesetta born on January 25, 1938, in Los Angeles, California knew at a young age that she wanted to sing .At the age of five James received her first professional vocal lesson from James Earle Hines. Hines was a musical director of the local church choir, in Los Angeles. Jamesetta Hawkins known as Etta James had a variety of musical styles. Her style touched some of every music genre like blues, rhythm and blues, rock and roll, soul, gospel and jazz. Starting her career in the mid-1950s, she gained fame with hits such s "Dance With Me, Henry", "At Last", "Tell Mama", and "I'd Rather Go Blind" Throughout her life she faced a number of personal problems, one of the more memorable was he battle with drug addiction, before making a musical resurface in the late 1980s with the album The Seven Year Itch. By the mid-1990s, James' earlier classic music was played in different commercials "I Just Wanna Make Love to You". Due to exposure of the song in a particular UK commercial, the song reached the top ten of the UK charts in 1996. James continued to record for Private Music, she released a blues album entitled “Matriarch of the Blues in 2000. The release of this album had James returning to her R&B roots with Rolling Stones hailing it as a "solid return to roots", further stating that the album found the singer "reclaiming her throne — and defying anyone to knock her off it.” In 2001, James was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame and the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, the latter for her contributions to the developments of both rock and roll music and rockabilly. In 2011, James was voted one of the 11 Best Singers on Earth by viewers and representatives of the Encyclopedia of Popular Music. In recent years, James was seen as bridging the gap between rhythm and blues and rock and roll. In 2009 James was able to make a final television appearance, as she performed one last time on Dancing with the stars, one of her more famous singles “At Last”. In November 2011, James released her final album “The Dreamer” , which was critically acclaimed upon its release. James released a statement that this would be her final album. Early 2011, James was diagnosed with leukemia. The illness became terminal and on January 20,2012 just days before her 74th birthday we lost the beautiful, talented soul diva. Although she lived a full and beautiful life Etta James will be missed by all those that she has influenced throughout her life.

"Courage has No Color?"

Written by John Ridley and “The Boondocks” creator Aaron McGruder, and directed by Anthony Hemingway Red Tails is a film that depicts the story of the Tuskegee air men. Many would argue that the film still succeeds in displaying the experience and lifestyles of how these brave men even through all the adversity and segregation risked their lives to The film’s cast includes Academy Award winning actor Cuba Gooding, Jr., and Academy Award nominated actor and Chicago native, Terrence Howard.

I was able to interview a few Spelmanites about the film COMING SOON!!

Common Knowledge.

“Common remains one of the best pure emcees in hip-hop, still spitting that raw after two decades in the game with his new album, The Dreamer/The Believer.”
– Complex Magazine

Lonnie Rashid Lynn Jr. Better known under his stage name "Common" previously known as Common Sense was born March 13th in 1972 is one of the more prominent voices in hip-hop's new millennium renaissance. As an American hip-hop artist and actor born on the South side of Chicago he is still making major moves as he releases his--- 9th album to an audience of beautiful fans. Common released his debut album, "Can I Borrow A Dollar?", under his original name Common Sense. Tracks like "Charm's Alarm" and "Breaker 1-9" immediately putting him on the maps as a clever, amazingly talented lyricist. Having street-smarts, and love for extended similes,Common has produced more and more tracks and roles proving that he is in the right place. With films like Wanted and Just Right he has earned the respect and credibility that he is associated with. Now on his 9th Album,he still doesn't cease to amaze his fans with a full album entitled "The Dreamer,The Believer"