Amidst staggering unemployment, researchers take the pulse of the employed {Thanks, AP}

On Friday, the latest unemployment numbers are expected to be released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The statistics will tell us how many jobs were gained and loss in December. Even before the numbers are made public, a survey may show us how the gainfully employed feel about their jobs.

Read the rest of this entry »

Mo’Nique brings her famous comedy act to late night {Thanks, AP}

The comedienne Mo’Nique is well aware of her ability to make people laugh. For years, she’s been cracking jokes — even ones where the laughter came at her own expense.

Read the rest of this entry »

CBS newsman Byron Pitts battled illiteracy to become a respected broadcast journalist {Thanks, CBS News}

I once heard, “‘Can’t’ shall never be in a man’s vocabulary.” For Byron Pitts, a native of Baltimore, that saying might just be the ultimate truth. You might know the face of the 48-year-old even if you don’t recognize the name. Pitts is an award-winning journalist, the chief national correspondent for CBS News and a contributor to “60 Minutes.”

Read the rest of this entry »

{thanks, AP}

Mia, aka BmoreFab of thefabempire.com, reports Baltimoreans were well-represented at last weekend’s Congressional Black Caucus: Annual Legislative Conference.

During the four day event in D.C., African-American members of Congress are joined by policymakers, business leaders, athletes, entertainers, emerging leaders and members of the media for policy forums, discussions, networking events, exhibits and more.

Congressman Elijah Cummings, who represents Md.’s 7th congressional district, was among the lawmakers who participated in the conference, Cummings is a past chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Read the rest of this entry »

Summer is coming to an end, and for only the second time in 18 years I’m not headed back to class.

I still don’t know how I feel about this.

My feelings of uncertainty are more pronounced as I have conversations on the phone, on Facebook and on Twitter with friends preparing to head back to class — some in graduate school; others to medical or law school.

Read the rest of this entry »

A week and a half ago, while at a journalism convention in Tampa, Fla., I had the opportunity to sit in on a finance workshop sponsored by MetLife.

For me, it was an opportunity to sit down take notes, and take stock of the importance of financial literacy.

Learning how to better manage my money is something I’ve really wanted to do since graduating from college a year ago, but I must admit it’s not something I’ve actually put a whole lot of effort into these last 15 or so months.

Read the rest of this entry »

The coolest business card I’ve seen in a while, looks like a credit card

Last weekend I was out at a club, seeing friends I hadn’t seen in ages, trying to make new friends. You know how it is, but what didn’t I have was business cards.

What to do, what to do?

Read the rest of this entry »

Farai Chideya

{Thanks, faraichideya.com} 

If the future is now, Farai Chideya was already aware of that fact. She has after all in many ways been ahead of the curve for atleast the last fifteen years.

Maybe it’s because she’s a journalist, an author or an entrepreneur. It could very well be her Harvard education or what she picked up here in her hometown of Baltimore, having attended the renowned Western School for Girls.

Read the rest of this entry »

Gwen Ifill

{Thanks, AP}

Award-winning journalist Gwen Ifill and respected law professor Sherrilynn Ifill are teaming up to kick off a new lecture series at Baltimore’s Enoch Pratt Free Library next week.

Read the rest of this entry »

Oprah Winfrey

Graduation season is definitely upon us as we fast forward through May.

Yesterday media mogul and talk show host Oprah Winfrey gave the commencement speech at Duke University.

As part of her speech, Winfrey encouraged grads to think about how they could improve their lives and elevate themselves by improving the lives of and elevating others.

It’s an easy task to ask people to look beyond themselves to be selfless and not selfish but is it realistic in this day and age?

If the students are anything like me they were wondering if  instead of giving a speech at their graduation, the billionaire could cut them a check.

One can dream right, just last week Winfrey was giving out free chicken? whodathunkit?

Is a check really therefore that outlandish?

According to The Wall Street Journal, new graduates stand to earn a lot less money than those who came before.

Read the rest of this entry »