Our World Media Magazine Summer/fall 2016 Cover by Our World Media Magazine

Issue: 3

UR WORLD Summer/Fall 2016

MEDIA MAGAZINE

ESPN ESPY AWARDS

BET AWARDS

WEEKEND CLINTON is the clear choice in November

ROC NATION Summer Classic Charity Basketball Game red carpet

JOHN BURNETT A ROLE MODEL RISING TO THE TOP

EXCLUSIVE

OKYEAME KWAME

GHANA’S MOST VERSATILE AND DECENT RAPPER

KOBE BRYANT VICKY JEUDY BARBEE SYDNEY MCLAUGHLIN K’LYNN JACKMAN SUE WRIGHT

www.ourworldmediamagazine.com

@ourworldmedia

ourworldmedia1

www.ourworldmediamagazine.com

@ourworldmedia

ourworldmedia1

www.ourworldmediamagazine.com

IN THIS ISSUE POLITICS AND BUSINESS 10. Stand with her to make America Greate 12. Clinton is the clear choice in November 13. Mayor Wayne Hall - High Hopes for the Village of Hempstead 15. John Burnett - A Role Model Rising to the top 18. Five reasons why dear summer was the most underratred DNC Experience in Philadelphia 21. Delegates meet for discussion during DNC

ENTREPRENEUR 31. Entrepreneur - Wanda Wims 32. Sue Wright - Styles to the Stars 34. Believe in Leak

ENTERTAINMENT

COMMUNITY

36. Vicky Jeudy - An actress reaching for the stars 38. Jamaican pop star Barbee

22. When In Need Mission of Mercy Foundation - Saving the Displaced in Nigeria 24. When In Need Foundation - European Mission of Mercy 26. King of Kings Foundation Building Stronger, Safer Communities 28. Big things come in small packages K’Lynn Jackman

40. Barbee’s Launch Party at Taj in NYC 41. Barbee Host DJ Magic Car Show 42 Okyeame Kwame - Ghana’s most versatile and decent rapper 48. Complexions Contemporary Ballet 50. Black Moon & Smif - N Wessun 52. 2016 Roc Nation Summer Classic Charity Basketball Game 55. BET Awards Weekend Recap

SPORTS

66. Meet your trainer - Jasmen Flagg 68. 2016 ESPN ESPY Awards 74. Sydney Mclaughlin Live a teenage dream 76. Harrison breaks 28-year old 100m hurdles world record in London 77. Noah Lyles- Voted MileSplit Track & Field Athlete of the year 78. Queensborough Community College Outdoor Track and Field 2015-2016 Season 84. Nike Pro City Basketball The best summer basketball in NYC 86. An Ode to the Black Mamba

Summer/Fall 2016

w w w. o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

CO-OWNERS George Onuorah & Joseph Swift

CHAIRWOMAN Tiffany Goode

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS Pauline Swift

EDITOR-IN CHIEF George Onuorah

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lindy Andrews, Nakita Vanstory, Verity Rollins, Wanda Mims, Quentin V. Mezetin, Andre Waldron, Alexa Noelle Jesse Jackson, Robert Golomb, Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neil A. Reid, Ashley Caldwell, Jennifer Cingari, Amanda Brooks, Helena Harding, Chris Omeltchenko

CREATIVE ART DIRECTOR Joseph Swift

PHOTOGRAPHERS Kheron Sutherland, Verity Rollins Jeff Dormeus, Ajamu, Joseph Swift

PHONE: 718-699-9706 | 917-674-2219 | 917-300-5570 EMAIL: info@ourworldmedia.com WEBSITE: OurWorldMediaMagazine.com | OurWorldMedia.com

6 w w w. o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Summer/Fall 2016

Message from Publisher It’s with profound gratitude and humility that Our World Media Magazine editorial team wishes to thank you, our readers, for your loyalty and believing in us. As the publisher, I’m overwhelmed with happiness that our assiduous effort is yielding unbelievable awesome results. Not only has our readership grown but our online version continues to see increased traffic on social media platforms. In Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Twitter and Online we are surpassing expectations. Since the inception of Our World Media Magazine, our very hard working team has dedicated time, energy and resources to insure we bring our readers the type of news that inspire, encourage and educate. We have separated us from the rest of them because we focus on positive news and never focusing on minutia such as all the bad things going on in the world. Those are depressing and so we will stick with promoting the good stuff instead of the salacious. Just like our name Our World Media, we want to help build a very optimistic world not one rigged with injustices and oppression of the marginalized. Ideologically, we orient from the prism that our world is full of negative energy and we can help redirect us to positive energy.

Not surprised, we feature in this issue politics about United States Presidential election scheduled for November 8. We know our readership has interest as America is standing on the precipice of making history for if Hillary Clinton emerges victorious it will mark a first and show the land of Lincoln has finally embraced egalitarianism. For now, the battle for who becomes America’s next president succeeding First African American President Barack Hussein Obama is attracting world-wide attention as the whole world is watching. Stay tuned as billionaire real-estate magnet Donald J. Trump and Hillary R. Clinton fight for the white house. Interest in this election is huge because despite being the democratic voice for the free world has not elected a woman president. Many nations crossed that hurdle years ago. England was governed by Margaret Thatcher. India was governed by Indira Gandhi, Israel was governed by Golda Meir, Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel and Liberia President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. So my question in this edition is simple. Is Clinton the clear choice in November? All politics is local as United House Speaker Thomas Tip O’Neal stated. Hence we featured the story of Mayor Wayne Hall of the Village of New Hampstead, Long Island, New York. As you can see the cover story in this edition is the Exclusive interview with Artist Okyeame Kwame from Ghana. Together with Pauline Swift, we sat down with Ghana most versatile and decent rapper for over an hour talking about his music and mission, passion and philanthropy. Without a doubt, Artist Kwame is going to become a household word and will command even more following. He is impressive, his style is unique and his insight amazing. We featured a captivating must-read story of John Burnett: A Role Model Rising to the Top. Among featured stories include one about one lady propensity and passion to help those in need throughout the world, making a difference in our world by using her hard-earned savings to bless others. This story is illustrated with photographs of the work of the When In Need Foundation and her Founder and CEO Chief Ms. Chetachi Ecton. As someone who also shares her passion and vision about helping children in need travelling to Europe and South America was very much an eye opener. We hope more people will consider it noble to give back to make our world a better place.

8 w w w. o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Summer/Fall 2016

In entertainment, we are proud to bring you the beautiful and larger than live photos from 2016 BET Awards brought to you by the Star Photographer Joseph Swift. Pictures tell better stories as an adage is very much true in this case. Another interview we are proud of is the one with Orange is the New Black Ms. Vicky Jeudy. We featured the story of Barbee, the story of this up and coming artist, singer, entertainer, model and spokesperson, whose ancestry is Jamaican-Nigerian parentage. You will love “Barbee Host DJ Magic Car Show”. Her online interview with Our World Media reporter Pauline Swift is a must see. We have great sports news brought to you by our own photojournalist Joseph Swift who flew to Los Angeles California to cover great sports thriller. This thriller captures “Sprite Presents BETX 16 Celebrity Basketball Game featuring Snoop Dog, Doug Christie among others. Any time you see celebrities coming together to make a difference, whether just entertaining for charity or for whatever cause it should be applauded. In the final analysis, we once again would like to encourage you to join us by reading our magazine. Our mission quiet simply is to provide you with knowledge of world affairs and happenings. From the very beginning, we promised to help educate and build hope in our world. Our magazine shies away from the sensationalism that has become the hallmark of new media outfits. While some bloggers and magazines bring you shock value news that disparage, we will elevate the conversation to a more positive trajectory. Thank you for continuing to follow us on social media and reading OUR WORLD MEDIA Magazine.

Sincerely, GEORGE C. ONUORAH –Publisher George C. Onuorah

E-Mail: grisingson@yahoo.com Youtube: OurWorldMedia1

JOSEPH SWIFT -Creative Art Director

Joseph Swift

E-Mail: info@ourworldmedia.com Instagram: ourworldmedia

Summer/Fall 2016

w w w. o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

STAND WITH HER TO MAKE AMERICA GREAT

By: George C. Onuorah

he choice in this Presidential election is as clear as night and day. Even progressives who are aligned with Bernie Sanders are coming around and on board to stand with her. We really need an inclusive presidency that understands and shares the view postulated in the declaration of American Independence that we are all created equal and endowed with certain inalienable rights: Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. Having agonized for months about the choices we have and face in this presidential election, I want a president who will embrace immigrants who come to the United States in search of a greener pasture and yearning to breathe free. Considering the threat we face from miscreants infiltrating the boarders and potentially exporting violence, my hope is that a President Hillary Clinton will insure that American immigration policy consists of doing something to close the porous border and introduce measures to make sure there is a sensible immigration policy not simply erecting walls presenting the notion of a closed society. Such extreme measure is not in keeping with the visions of American Founding Fathers who were the custodians of our democracy centuries ago. This week I had the awesome privilege to witness the Democratic National Convention a.k.a DNC Convention in Philadelphia Monday July 25th -Thursday July 28th. My memories of observation cannot be captured in this piece but will come in my subsequent write up. More than 50,000 party faithful and delegates descended into the City of Brotherly Love. My observation is as follows. The Democratic Party sure put together a great show that combined politics and entertainment. I have never seen such as parade of stars and celebrity in any political convention before. Never. Speakers after speakers rose to the podium to pump up the volume why they support Hillary and some lobbed partisan political attacks on the opposition candidates. Some speakers were carried away and appeared to be screaming and I suppose when some have a moment in the spotlight, they have to make they shine in it. Don’t blame anyone. Sometimes one feel those were unnecessary. Independent voters according to proven statistics show they are often tuned off and turned away from personal attacks. My kind of politics is civil and less acrimonious. Candidates and their followers must keep political dialogue and decibels down not to ignite the polity. In my book “The Political Diary of A Rising Son” among other aspects of our democracy, I wrote about how we can engage in political contest without throwing the kitchen sink or sowing the seed that will lead to disaster. For all intents and purposes, politics and contest associated with it is similar to playing sports (football, baseball or soccer) Win or Lose, life goes on. American style democracy is civil, clean and not confrontational. In less advanced democracies, politics continues to engage in with violence and fueled by corruption. Passions are often inflamed and in most cases lives are lost because some see politics as a means to game the system and enrichment. Thank God American democracy has remained civil and cordial for the most part. Almost eight years ago, Americans made history by electing the first African-American named Barack Obama to the highest office in the land. Remember the mantra or political slogan “Yes We Can”. This time again, Americans are faced with similar choice, the choice of electing a woman president shattering the glass ceiling? The answer seemed like a resounding “Yes, we

10 w w w . o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Summer/Fall 2016

will”. This Wednesday night many who watched the spectacular convention speeches must have seen and heard President Obama speak in his usual oratory about his stand on history. As always a great speech that first made a case about why Hillary should be elected president. In same speech, he also recited the accomplishment of his administration. Deservedly, he claimed credit for reducing unemployment, saving the auto industry through his bailout policy, passing Health Care Reform, Nuclear Agreement with Iran and Killing Osama Bin Laden. In the same speech he stated contrasting Hillary’s vision from his opponent Trump he said “The America I know is full of courage, optimism and ingenuity”. “Hillary Clinton is that woman in the arena. She’s been there for us-even if we haven’t always noticed” In case anyone forgot: Hillary was First Lady under the Presidency of husband Bill Clinton, United States senator represented New York and Secretary of State in the first term of Obama presidency. So if anyone had a birds-eye view of her work, passion and commitment to duty it’s the Commander-in-chief Obama. As President Obama concluded his speech, Presidential nominee Clinton strolled into the stage to everyone surprise. Both exchanged words, embraced and stood on the stage savoring the applause and approval of millions. That was great political theater alright. Love it In the final analysis, this is a Change election as was in 2008. Americans face an existential choice this time as well. You have two very interesting candidates with diametrically opposed views. Whichever candidate that survives this intensely contested race will be the candidate who is able to capture the current sentiment in America. Will Americans view this election as a choice between safety and insecurity? Since the Attack on World Trade Center many are feeling the fear and wondering “How safe are we”. The safety of Homeland that pre-empted the formation of Department of Homeland Security is all but obvious. Which candidate or party that properly addresses and re-assures folks that terror whether home-grown or from outside will be checkmated will have upper hand and will be the party that savor victory in November? The party seen as representing the status-quo will not make it? Americans are sick and tired about politics as usual and so will turn their back on any party that does not stand for inclusion, a safer America, improve economic climate and do something about the influx of people due to our porous border. They are yearning for something better. Bernie Sanders the septuagenarian tapped into the emotions and passions of millennial who are no longer looking at politics from the status-quo perspective but from standpoint of tolerance and accommodation. Which candidate embraces our common humanity and not playing up our worst fears? So this presidential election some pundits call a jump ball presents the only choice Trump or Clinton. The American voters will decide come November which of these two opposite candidates will be elevated to the height of fame as leader of the Free World. n

Summer/Fall 2016

w w w. o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Clinton

is the clear choice in November By: Jesse Jackson

his has been a negative political season. It’s time to stop the insults. Let’s stop the negative branding. Let’s stop the negativity and name-calling and get on with a real debate about the real issues facing the American people and our future. The stakes are high. People are looking for answers, not insults. They face real challenges. They want someone who will fight for them, someone who can show them that they both know what needs to be done and that they are committed to getting it done.

full-employment economy in which wages would rise on the bottom, not merely at the top. Hillary offers a bold agenda that will electrify voters. Defending it against inevitable gibes and attacks affirms the seriousness of the commitment. The scope allows people to see themselves in the change. The audacity galvanizes hope and makes people not only more likely to vote but more likely to bring others to the polls.

Photo by: Joseph Swift

Hillary Clinton is the clear choice in November. She fares better as the moral compass of the nation — telling hard truths and offering not conversation but correction. Donald Trump says he will build a wall. Clinton says we need to build bridges, and tear down walls of separation, fear and hatred. She offers a clear eye and a bold alternative to Trump. Clinton can electrify her voters by laying out a bold agenda to rebuild our cities. Anger and violence is rising. Poverty is more deeply entrenched. Drugs and guns are too readily available. Schools are being closed; children are being lost. Jobs are scarce, particularly for the young. Why not call for ending the deferral of taxes for global corporations, making them pay what is owed for the profits they report as stashed abroad? Use that money to rebuild neighborhoods in need. Provide jobs retrofitting buildings, renovating a decrepit infrastructure from safe water systems to mass transit. Invest in community public schools, with wraparound services. Provide child nutrition, health care, pre-k and the basics in education. It is always easier to nurture a strong child than to rescue a broken adult. The theme “Rebuild America, and put America back to work” rings true today. A bold program to rebuild our cities, to move them to renewable energy and energy efficiency, to build affordable housing, guarantee access to high-quality health care, prepare great public schools, crack down on drugs and guns and reform our criminal injustice system would create jobs and accelerate growth. It would move us toward a

12 w w w . o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

The votes of urban America were central to Clinton’s victory in the primaries. African-Americans and Latinos have not yet recovered from the Great Recession. We were hit the hardest in the loss of homes, the loss of jobs, the loss of wealth. The residents of our impoverished neighborhoods are looking for someone with a real plan and a clear commitment to rebuild these neighborhoods. What we are looking for is a plan commensurate with the size of the challenge. Hillary answers the call. Want to get voters excited about turning out to vote? Offer answers, not insults. Offer commitment, not posturing. Fear of Trump may drive some to the polls, but Hillary offers real hope for change that will inspire many more. It’s all about Healing, Hope and Hillary in Philadelphia this week. n

Summer/Fall 2016

Mayor Wayne Hall:

High Hopes for the Village of Hempstead By Robert Golomb When in March 2005, Democrat Wayne J. Hall Sr. first assumed the office of mayor of the village of Hempstead, situated in the hub of New York State’s western Nassau County’s town of the same name, he inherited a six and a half million dollar deficit, a significant sum for a village, from his Republican four term (1989- 2005) predecessor James Garner, whom he had defeated three weeks earlier to become mayor.

and Democrats scratching their heads. But I fully understood that the people of Hempstead did not elect me to blame the problems we faced on some one else, but rather to develop policies to solve them.” Hall, 69, the son of Jamaican immigrants, then further explained, “ While I assumed that Mr. Garner would probably run against me in the next election cycle, I had respect for him for his service to our village.” Referring to the fact that Garner was the first African American to serve as mayor in any municipality in Long Island, Hall added, “ His election in 1989 served as an important milestone for the entire black community. That was a notable achievement.” Hall’s assumption at the time that Garner would challenge him again proved to be correct. Seeking to regain his old job, Garner faced off against his Democratic successor in 2009 and 2013, losing both times. Recalling those two campaigns, Hall stated, “ Both were essentially referendums on my record as mayor. So the campaign for both of us was based solely on the issues and was never reduced to personal attacks. Which is why we were able later to become friends.” In both 2009 and 2013, that record included a steady decrease in crime and the transformation of the aforementioned six and a half million debt to an over a nine million dollar surplus. As he began to discuss his success with the former, Hall first noted that 92% of Hempstead’s approximately fifty five thousand residents (making it the most populated village in New York State) are either Black or Hispanic.“ My attitude as a black man who lived through the civil rights movement is that the notion that a municipality with a high minority population should expect and even accept a high crime rate is totally unacceptable”, he stated.

That deficit, which resulted in the village bonds being rated at just barely above “ junk” status, was not the only problem that Hall faced as his first of now three terms began. In addition, over the preceding twelve years Hempstead had witnessed a steady rise in violent crime. Recalling how he dealt with the challenges that confronted him when he first took office, Hall, whom I recently interviewed in his office in the Hempstead Village City Hall, cited his first decision, thought by some in the village at the time to be innocuous and by others as a heartening portending of the then new mayor’s the “buck stops here” philosophy of leadership: “ While I, fairly I believe, attacked Mayor Garner’s record during the campaign, I made a conscious decision not to criticize Mr. Garner once I took office. Not attacking my predecessor left both some Republicans

Summer/Fall 2016

To fight crime, Hall employed what he described as a common sense approach. “ The police department”, he stated, “ upgraded its data base system to determine where and when crimes were being committed and assigned extra uniformed and non-uniformed police officers to those designated areas. We also expanded community policing, creating an environment for partnerships between the police and the community.” Hall said he took another action to improve the villager’s quality of life and deter crime, which was viewed as controversial at the time. Informing me that there were over 160 restaurants and liquor stores selling alcohol in the village when he first became mayor, he stated, “ Most of these businesses followed state and village regulations pertaining to 4am closing times. Some however, didn’t follow these regulations. “ So”, Hall continued, “ we enforced the regulations and shut those establishments down… While some people complained that I was closing down tax

w w w. o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

paying businesses, and preventing the patrons who were coming from outside of the village to spend their money here, to me it was a matter of common sense- the bars by not adhering to state and village regulations were inviting trouble, resulting in street fights, public urination, loud noise past the early morning and causing damage to both public and private property, so I used the legal system to, so to say, invite them to leave the village.” The mayor added that he also used a common sense approach to solve the village’s debt crises. “ You cannot spend money you do not have’’, he stated. “ So we initiated a stringent streamlining process by which discretionary spending was cut wherever possible. In addition, the village secured deficit spending legislation that allowed it to assume borrowing power to pay off much of the deficits.” Hall stated that he has continued the common sense policies (including his on-going legal actions to enforce state and village time restrictions laws pertaining to the sale of alcohol) that he believes were successful in his first two terms in his current third term. That success, he contended, is presently evidenced by the village’s 14% decrease in violent crime in 2015 and by its recorded earlier noted nine million dollar budget surplus, and, correspondingly, by the recent increase in the ranking of its bonds to an –AA- rating, by the financial industry leading credit evaluating agency Standard and Poor. “ The hardworking, law abiding citizens of Hempstead are entitled to be able to walk their streets and rest in their homes in total safety; and they also have the right to feel confident of the financial stability of their village. We are proud that we have been able to provide both…. But, we are aware, there is still much left to be done….{So} we are currently engaged in projects which will further improve the quality of life for every citizen of the village of Hempstead”, said the mayor. He was referring to two specific village projects. The first is a pilot public safety program. It involves syncing 70 recently purchased state of the art cameras with what is referred to in law enforcement as the “ Shot Spotter System” (SSP). Upon recording the sound of gunfire, SSP is programmed to instantly direct the cameras to the exact place where the shooting occurred. The photos of the shooters provided by the cameras are used by the police to help later apprehend them. According to Mayor Hall, SSP also provides another important benefit. “There is a strong deterrent effect”, he elaborated.“ Those who might have otherwise considered using firearms in our village will be far less likely to do so, because they are now aware that they will be identified and arrested.” The second is a massive redevelopment project seen by many in Nassau as possessing the potential to provide a major economic windfall to the village. Teaming the privately owned mega building and development companies Renaissance Downtowns –Urban America (RDUA) and the RXR Realty LLC with the Village of Hempstead in a public-private enterprise, this 2.5 billion dollar venture calls for the ground up construction of thousands of mixed- income housing units, as well as building hundreds of stores to house locally owned private businesses in the downtown commercial area of the village. The project also is budgeted for upgrades to the sewer and water

14 w w w . o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

systems for the entire village. Hall described the benefits the project presents to the village which, he asserted, include producing in the range of 12,000 construction jobs during the ten years it is projected it will take to finish, creating eight thousand permanent employment positions after it has been completed and generating ten million dollars in added tax revenue to the village. “ This is a win-win situation for the entire village. It will improve lives of all of our citizens. I feel blessed to be a part of it.” Actually, Hall should feel especially blessed to be where he is today. At 26, after serving 4 years in the United States Army and just beginning his pre-med studies at the New York City Technical College, he was diagnosed by his doctors with a rare form of kidney disease. While given only five years to survive, Hall continued with his life: he married his college sweetheart, fathered two sons with her, and graduated from college with a Bachelor’s degree in biology- all within the five years allotted to him. The rest of his life turned out to be something of a wonderful miracle. As Hall reflected, “ I am a Christian. I went to church every Sunday to pray for a miracle. I believe, however, that for miracles to come true people must do whatever is in their power to help themselves.” Hall, who made the difficult decision to forego his dream of becoming a doctor and instead used his degree in biology to work as a technologist in a blood lab, continued, “ I went on a strict nutrition regiment, which included a no salt diet, continued my long time jogging routine, building it up to the point where I was able to run dozens of half marathons and even one marathon, worked together with my doctors to find effective newly approved drugs, which were beginning to be discovered in the pharmaceutical industry, and used the lab in which I was working to monitor my blood to make sure this plan of action was working.” It did work. In fact it worked so well that Hall, until four and a half years ago, did not require the use of a dialysis machine, the common form of treating chronic kidney disease, involving filtering a patient’s blood to remove excess water over an approximate 3 and a half hour cycle. Hall told me that this treatment, which requires him to go to a dialysis center every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 5am does not prevent him from enjoying his life or performing his job as mayor. “ You will hear no complaints coming from me because I feel blessed to be alive…. to be able to enjoy my family, friends and do the job that the good people of the Village of Hempstead elected me to do. In fact, on the days I go for treatment, after I leave the dialysis center, I go directly to my office one hour later, feeling blessed that I have the entire rest of the day to do my job. ” n Robert Golomb is a nationally and internationally published columnist. Email him at MrBob347@aol.com and follow him on Twitter@RobertGolomb t

Summer/Fall 2016

A ROLE MODEL RISING TO THE TOP

“

ur World Media Magazine sat down with Mr. John Burnett for a frank and illuminating conversation about life, his work and future aspirations.

First and foremost, to understand John Burnett is to understand his humble beginning, the role faith and family played to make him who he is today. A gentleman to the core. Always impeccably dressed in suit and command presence in a crowd and wearing a good smile. He has such an infectious personality the same charm and passion of his conviction is what he brought to our conversation that will one day help propel him to political office in the State of New York if not prominent national office. Born into a family of 7, with three sisters plus a mother. John at a very early age of 6 has developed an amazing entrepreneurial business savvy that will be the envy of many. John has done it all. He sold candy to classmates, optimizing the opportunity to sell sweets before and after lunch. Having perfected his business sense, he honed his culinary skills and baked oatmeal cookies from scratch, hiring his mother and three sisters to sell the homemade goodies to their coworkers and friends.

The price of

greatness is responsibility” WINSTON CHURCHILL

By: Pauline Swift

At a very early age, John embraced very strong work-ethic and love for free enterprise spirit that helped shape his business acumen to this day. John’s first job was passing out flyers for a jewelry store in Queens Village after school when he was in the eighth grade. By the time he reached his sophomore year in high school, he was managing the jewelry store. After graduating from Andrew Jackson High School, he worked as a cashier at Pathmark. “It was my first experience as a union guy,” said John. “For me it was normal, both my parents were union workers.”

Summer/Fall 2016

w w w. o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

John’s first encounter with investing money began while growing up in East New York and Jamaica, Queens. Being born in to a devout religious family impacted how he grew up with solid foundation of love and embracing the teachings of bible. John credits his parents, especially his very loving mother who encouraged him to always tithe 10 percent of his snack allowance at the church his family attended in Brooklyn. Socialization being so important in a child’s life his mother reminds him “Don’t rob God,” “If you sow good seed, it will come back to you.” For John, such moral admonition helped him period in his personal and professional life. After one year at Borough of Manhattan Community College – “I was bored and itching to go where the money is – Wall Street “ – John started his 20-year career in finance as a margin analyst at then, Dean Witter Reynolds, which became Morgan Stanley. “They invested in a 20-year-old kid who, at the time, had only a dream and a willingness to work hard.” “Looking back, Dean Witter and me both got an incredible return,” said John. He subsequently worked at Smith Barney where he rose to vice president and director at Merrill Lynch. But there was one pledge John failed to keep to his parents and that was to graduate from college. John’s career trajectory was rapid as was his success, from managing a Wall Street career, to enrolling at New York University. By the dint of his hard work obtained a bachelor’s degree in four years by attending classes after work, as he was leading a division at Citigroup. “Every year, I enrolled in 10 to 12 credits per semester and about 16 credits during the summer while leading my division. Even the setback of his mother passing from congestive heart failure did not stop this young man from reaching for the stars and striving for better life for himself and family. Mothers passing instead became an inspiration for John to work harder to achieve his life goals. Especially understanding as we learned in William Shakespeare that ‘death is a necessary end that will come when it will come”. On graduation, “I walked across the stage, but she knew that I had the determination to reach my goal and she was there with me in spirit.” John went on to earn an MBA at Cornell University and continued to climb the corporate ladder at Merrill Lynch and The McGraw-Hill companies.

“If a course does not have anything to do with business he is not interested.” 16 w w w . o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Summer/Fall 2016

Throughout John’s career in the financial services industry, he learned how to manage money and people in a highly interdependent global economy where a tsunami in Thailand or terrorist bombing at a London subway can have a substantial impact on investment within minutes. Asked who inspired him, Mr. Burnett talked about growing up hearing stories about family farm and how he always wanted to double his allowance. He talked about his family giving him strong foundation. His grand dad and grandma did fairly well. Emulating those two important role model he began to dream Big. Shall we say the rest of his story becomes history. In school, John said “if a course does not have anything to do with business he is not interested”. Naturally, he therefore started to develop the skillset and savvy for business. Accordingly to john, he has always been fascinated with business. Our World Media reporter Ms. Pauline Swift asked John –How can young people balance personal life and business? According to John, “Whatever gets them excited”. If its entrepreneurship, how does one monetize it. Baseline support from family and friends very important for any young person. To share ones vision with family to gain their support that will be critical for overall life support. In his case, John said his family knew at age 5-6 years he was driven. Communication is extremely important he added. No surprising his nickname then was “Busy Brother”. Asked where he sees himself 5 years from now. “Tough question, but proceeded to answer the anyway. To navigate the ultimate divine purpose. In the spirit of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King getting our community to think Big. The last thing we do is to run away from capitalism. But it’s only a question time, John will one day open or help open doors for others, especially in the African American community where young men and women have given up aspiration to become more. The option is either to remain mired in the slump of poverty or rise up, embrace sound education to propel one to the zenith of success as evidenced in own John Burnett. For John the sky is the limit for whatever he wants in life. He was prepared from early age by family who supported and nurtured him. The rest he has done for himself by his sheer hard work and tenacity of purpose. After all, it is said that success is generally due to holding on but failure is to let it go. John has overseen financial advisors and global wealth portfolio managers at the world’s most prestigious financial institutions including Morgan Stanley, Smith Barney and Merrill Lynch. He has led global compliance initiatives on business ethics, corporate governance, enterprise risk management, audit reviews and regulatory examination; all of which served to enhance operations, effectiveness of target operating models and organizational policies to achieve optimal results. John is a former candidate for New York City comptroller and currently works as an independent business consultant. He is a resident of Harlem, New York. n

Summer/Fall 2016

w w w. o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Five Reasons Why Dear Summer Was The Most Underrated DNC Experience in Philadelphia By: AOIEventsPR

This special after-work event series entitled, “Dear Summer” kicked off last week Wednesday July 27th in Philadelphia led by a group of millennials to allow Democratic National Convention participants, as well as Philadelphia professionals and influential leaders to relax and network, while having a great time out on the town! Guests enjoyed live entertainment, signature specialty cocktails, Philadelphia taste through snacks & bites, and countless networking opportunities. Sponsors of the event included AOI Events & PR, Classic 1824, Philadelphia NAACP, YP Social Meetup, Kettle One, and Crown Royal. But why was Dear Summer one of the most underrated experiences during the DNC? We’ve complied the top 5 reasons, which made this event experience unique for all attendees. The Dear Summer event details display AOI’s planning process of considering the hosting experience of attendees first and foremost. Take a look. Location! Instead of hosting the event in a Center City ballroom, five star hotel, or traditional restaurant. This invitation only private event was held at Philadelphia’s favorite backyard beer garden that sits perfectly rested against the Ben Franklin Bridge and the Delaware Waterfront called Morgan’s Pier. This seasonal spring & summer restaurant, sits upward to 500 people all outdoors with casual eats, cocktails, and entertainment. It was off the regular beaten path and showed visiting guests in town another great part of Philadelphia, the waterfront.

Photo Credit Morgan’s Pier. Philadelphia’s Favorite Backyard Beer Garden.

18 w w w . o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Summer/Fall 2016

Eats! Are you familiar with the old saying “Different backyards Photo Credits: Rejean Wilson. L to R: Joshua B. Young Thorndale, parties with the same potato salad?” That’s how it felt attending days of DNC receptions, events, discussions, and parties last week in Philadelphia. The receptions held at the hotels and ballrooms served mini sized treats and foods favored by Philadelphians. Foods such as mini cheesesteaks, pretzels, mini hot sausages, tastykakes etc. By the end of the week we’re sure visiting delegates, politicians, and guests had to be over it. Our event served the very opposite and made sure there were enough extremely tasty bite size foods to go around. Dear Summer’s menu included Adobo Grilled Corn Dip, Tortilla Chips, Guacamole, Mint Infused Watermelon, and Crispy Chicken Wings! We kept it simple and flavorful.

PA Commissioner, Councilwoman Natalia Rudiak of Pittsburgh, and Vice President of City Council Marita Garrett.

The Message! We targeted millennial voters to encourage them to get involved or remain heavily involved in government, to vote in every election including local elections, all while making a connection for attendees about how being politically involved can help enhance their professional and entrepreneurial goals. The Philadelphia Chapter of the NAACP is currently serving as the lead organization for a coalition of groups that will raise awareness about the importance of voting among their members and the voting age public. They have started in Philadelphia County with plans to expand to other jurisdictions in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Philadelphia Chapter of the NAACP were sponsors of Dear Summer Pt. 1. Dear Summer was not just about business cards, open bar cocktails, and live music. Attendees walked away with valuable information, a call to action, and new formed relationships to help push them forward.

Photo Credit: Morgan’s Pier. Mint Infused Watermelon.

Visitors! We believe it would have been a terribly missed opportunity to not engage visiting professionals with local city professionals for the endless possibilities of awesome cultural, business, and innovative exchange. We cherry-picked our audience and created a high level networking experience for all who attended. This invitation only experience targeted and invited specific attendees with a focus on working class millennials, visiting town delegates, civic leaders, and influential Philadelphians who were vital parts of the engine making #PHLDNC2016 a memorable experience. Dear Summer was extremely diverse by age, location, profession, ethnicity and gender. No one was left out. Visiting delegates came from upstate Pennsylvania, California, Maryland, New Jersey, Chester, and other neighboring states. After attending days of DNC events you started to greet the same people over and over, but not at Dear Summer!

Photo Credits: Rejean Wilson. L to R: Chandra Deal of Warm Hearts & Homes, Candace Braddock of Dream Nation TV, Cameron Washington of Dream Nation TV, Angie Gruver of Be the Bank Investments and Terri Matthews of Jaden’s Voice.

Featured Guests! Opening Remarks and Official Welcome were brought by Commissioner Danielle P. Jeter, appointed by Governor Tom Wolf as the youngest commissioner in PA representing the African American Affairs Committee. Featuring Chelsa Wagner, County Controller for Allegheny County and previously the State Representative for the 22nd District in Pennsylvania. Featuring Mr. Jonathan Saidel, a DNC Host Committee Member and past Philadelphia City Controller for 16 years! Saidel was influential in getting the DNC to Philly, a process started almost 4 years ago. Also featuring Steven Scott Bradley, President of Bradley & Bradley Associates Inc. and appointee to numerous civic and nonprofit committees & boards including the PHL DNC Host Committee. Each guests spoke

for several minutes and encouraged the millennials to be actively engaged in their communities and why it matters! We chose to highlight speakers who had a strong possibility of being new and unfamiliar to our attendees.

Photo Credits: Rejean Wilson. L to R: Jonathan Saidel PHL DNC Host Committee Member, Sean McCloud Kettle One & Spirits Sponsor, Chelsa Wagner Allegheny County Controller, Danielle P. Jeter CEO of AOI Events & PR & Co-Founder of YP Social Meetup, Kenneth B. Alman Co-Founder of YP Social Meetup, Knowledge Hudson CEO of Classic 1824, Steven Scott Bradley PHL DNC Host Committee Member.

As leaders of social movements and innovative change, it is important to take some time out of such busy schedules to enjoy a relaxed experience out on the town. AOI Events & PR curates sophisticated atmospheres for professionals to connect with various change agents, while still having fun! Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s safe to say Dear Summer was a success evident by the smiles and laughs on everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s faces along with the new hands shaked hopefully signaling a potentially new business relationship. Dear Summer after-work civic series will host Part #2 in Philadelphia with plans of hitting the road to Pittsburgh, PA for Part #3. n

20 w w w . o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Summer/Fall 2016

#StopSolitaryForKids, Delegates meet for discussion during DNC By: Ashley Caldwell, AOI Events & PR

embers of the Philadelphia-based Juvenile Law Center (JLC), InLiquid Art & Deisgn photographer, Richard Ross, and Democratic Delegates from all across the nation came together July 25 to discuss the issue of solitary confinement among juveniles.

After the presentation, Freeman opened the floor for questions. One attendee asked, “what are some positive solutions that can be put into place?” “More visiting time for their families, counseling sessions, and life skills classes are just a few of the alternative approaches these systems can take,” Freeman responded.

The Law Center, who partnered with InLiquid Art & Design, hosted the event, titled Juvenile In Justice: End Solitary Confinement, was hosted at the Free Library of Philadelphia on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, the first day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) – which was held in Philadelphia July 25 through the 28. They chose to have this event take place during the DNC while delegates from all across the nation “was in town to get the discussion going,” said Associate Director of JLC, Jessica Fireman.

The Law Center has been advocating for juveniles for more than 40 years and is the oldest public interest law center for juveniles in the country, according to Marsha Levick, deputy director and chief counsel at the JLC.

“There is a national conversation going on right now about solitary confinement among youth,” said Deputy Director and Chief Counsel at JLC, Marsha Levick. “President Obama passed a national decree banning solitary confinement in the federal system. With all these delegates here from around the country, hopefully we can shine some spotlight on the issue.”

She added that solitary confinement does not help with rehabilitation. She said it “in fact it reverses and causes more damage.”

During the event, Freeman introduced herself and Levick began the discussion talking about the issue surrounding solitary confinement among youth in juvenile detention centers. She then introduced InLiquid Art & Design photographer and author, Richard Ross, who shared a video that shared statistics on the effects of solitary confinement.

“President Obama issued a decree to ban the practice of solitary confine earlier this year,” said Rosie MacNamara-Jones, development director for JLC. “We were very excited when he did that. He knows the practice is very harmful for adults and juveniles.”

“We are primarily here to support the continuation to this ban,” MacNamara-Jones said. “Juveniles should not be put in solidarity.” JLC said their main priority is to continue the conversation and to one day, end solitary confinement for good. Ross’ work is also on display at the Free Library of Philadelphia Central Branch and will be opened until September 4. It is free and open to the public for viewing. n

After the video, Ross introduced himself and showed a slideshow of photographs he had taken of young boys and girls in juvenile detention centers over the last 8 years in America. He shared many audio clips of their stories as well as excerpts from his book, Juvie Talk. “The language these kids use, the language these institutions use is [interesting],” Ross said. “A common word, ‘wash,’ means a sentence is too long or over 30 years and you’ll have to wash those years down the drain.” Ross continued to play clips of youth telling their story. He said he used a specific tactic to get the children to open up to him. “I sat on the floor when I met with these kids,” Ross said. “They don’t get enough respect as it is, so I wanted to show them that they were the authority.” Summer/Fall 2016

w w w. o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

When In Need Mission of Mercy Foundation: Saving the Displaced in Nigeria By Robert Golomb “Angelina, who is a beautiful three year old orphan, did not want to let go of my hands as I held her, so I continued to hold her until we finally had to go”, said Ms. Chetachi Ecton founder in 2014 and CEO of the When In Need Mission of Mercy Foundation (WINMOM- www.winfound.org) told me during an interview I conducted in her Queens, New York office. Ms. Ecton, who along with the three members of the foundation’s board of directors, met Angelina when they visited the Nigerian Kunchingoro Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in the beginning part of a twenty … day journey to that country, running from April 19th thru May 9th, 2016. At the camp, Ms. Ecton and her group were joined by a team of Nigerian volunteer doctors, dentists, nurses, pharmacists, lab technicians, nutritionists and young volunteers carrying bundles of food- all of whom Ms. Ecton had previously made arrangements through her New York office with Nigerian officials to send. They had much to do.

Mr. Onuorah media director When In Need during visit to Internationally Displaced Persons (IDP) Kuchinguro Camp Abuja.

“ The people we met were deprived of sound and regular meals, lived under unspeakably poor sanitary conditions, lacked basic medical care. And so many of them were young, orphaned children. It was fortunate that our team was able to provide for all of their essential human needs.” There are more than one and a half million people living in the hundreds of camps like the one in Kunchingoro, which are spread throughout this West African nation of 170 million people. Approximately one million of the people now living in these camps have come over the past seven years fleeing for

22 w w w . o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

their lives from the monstrous onslaught of the Islamic terrorist killing machine Boko Haram; hundreds of thousands of others have been coming for decades fleeing a different type of warfare: fierce internal ethnic, religious and regional conflicts. Nature has also played a cruel role in this tragedy: thousands more have been driven from their homes to the camps by natural disastersfloods, droughts, volcanoes- which have plagued much of the continent of Africa throughout recorded time. Adding to the poignant depth of this tragedy: The overwhelming number of those one and a half million living in the camps are either widows or children, with a majority of the latter, like Angelina in Kunchingoro, believed to be orphans. What differs Kunchingoro from many of the other IDP camps located in Nigeria is that it is composed solely of those who came fleeing Boko Haram. Which is one of the reasons why Ms. Ecton chose to visit it. “The government of Nigeria was simply not equipped to absorb the hundreds of thousands fleeing for their lives from the terrorists”, she lamented. “ And because they were not ready, many camps in Nigeria were lacking sufficient supplies of food, water and basic medical care. Adding to the crisis, there was also an insufficient supply of pesticides, so many people had been stricken with malaria. “ This was the case in Kunchingoro”, she stated, “ so one of our priorities was to bring appropriate, approved medicines to treat those with the disease.” And then she added plaintively,“ There is so much more that must be done. As you must know, there is such enormous human suffering going on every minute of every day in Nigeria. We can only try to save a relatively small number of innocents. Of course, we have many allies, who possess the resources to reach many more than we do.” Thank God that is true. America, Britain and France have together donated an estimated one billion dollars to Nigeria over the past year, and the European Union has more than doubled that amount. In addition, there are dozens of non-profit organizations, hundreds of times larger than WINMOM In Need, including the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, the Christian Aid Society and Doctors Without Borders, which have donated hundreds of millions of dollars and devoted countless hours of human sweat and labor to provide food, shelter, clothing and medical care to those living in these camps. However, unlike most of these foundations, which have

Summer/Fall 2016

received the lion’s share of their funds from private charities and public grants, WINMOM is funded solely by its founder. How Ms. Ecton achieved the financial success that enabled her to do this is a story that should make every American feel proud. To escape the poverty of Nigeria, Ms. Ecton upon her graduation from high school came to Dallas, Texas in 1986 at the age of 17, beginning her life in America living with her mother’s cousin who had previously immigrated to America from Nigeria. Two years later, she moved out on her own to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where she worked her way through college, eventually earning a B.S. in 1992, and soon after an advanced degree in social work from Widener University, located in the neighboring city of Chester. Then, after working as a social worker for almost ten years, she founded what was to grow into a major health care agency- most of the income from which she currently donates to her foundation.

Chief Ms. Chetachi Ecton with team and farmers inspect When In Need Farm

She also visited the village of Ntuoke, initiating a program to teach dozens of selected villagers how to farm, and thereby, she told me, giving them the knowledge to feed themselves and others in their village; and, just as importantly she added, encouraging them to visit neighboring villages to share their newly acquired knowledge of farming with others, “ It is like the old saying ‘ give a man a fish to eat, and he feeds himself for one day”, she said.“ Teach him to fish, and he feeds himself for a lifetime.’ However,” she added, “ I would like to somewhat modify this adage: teach a man how to fish, and he feeds himself, his loved ones and friends for a lifetime and, as a tremendous added benefit, teach him how to fish, and he will teach others how to accomplish the same.” As she further reflected on her mission to Nigeria, Ms. Ecton, the mother of three young adult children, told me she realizes how much it means to her to be able to help others. “ It is a great feeling to be in a position to help people in need as we were able to do throughout our trip. And all along the way as we met people who needed our love and support, we tried to abide by the words of Mother Theresa who once said, ‘ Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever leave you without feeling happier.’ So the work of our foundation will never end until every man, woman and child that is in need can become safe, well fed, healthy and happy.” At times while she spoke, I thought of the adage, “ Some people live to work, and others work to live”, thinking that Ms. Ecton, whose foundation has come to the assistance of people in need in other countries, including Chile, the Dominican

Project at Ntuoke, Imo State.

“ I know what it is like to be poor”, she explained. “ And I also know what wisely spent money can do to help the poor. So I use much of the money God has allowed me to earn to transform victims into survivors.” That philosophy was Ms. Ecton’s driving force throughout her entire journey, which after leaving Kunchingoro took her and her WINMOM board members to villages that included Obodo Ahiara Mbaise, where she donated food and other vital supplies to a Catholic school for the deaf and speech impaired; to Ngor Okpala, where she assembled a team of engineers to install a running water system for hundreds of villagers who prior to that had to walk miles to gather water from a distant stream; and to Owerri where she gave hundreds of pairs of shoes and hundreds of sets of school supplies to impoverished students attending a local primary school. Summer/Fall 2016

Republic and Uruguay, does not fit into either of those two categories. Rather, it seems, she works so other people can live. n Robert Golomb is a nationally and internationally published columnist. Mail him at MrBob347@aol.com and follow him on Twitter@RobertGolomb

w w w. o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

When In Need Foundation European Mission of Mercy trip

When In Need Foundation European Mission of Mercy trip helping children in need. The trip of summer 2015 visited orphanages, homeless shelters and hostels, abused and disabled facilities from London to Paris, Milan to Madrid. The trip was led by Founder and CEO of When In Need Foundation Chief Ms . Chetachi NwogaEcton who is using her personal funds to help children and families in need globally. n

By: Pauline Swift and Lindy Andrews

King of Kings Foundation B u i l d i n g S t r o n g e r, S a f e r, C o m m u n i t i e s

Pauline Swift sat down with two influential men. Lance and Todd Feurtado of the King of Kings Foundation in a powerful interview about their organization and their hopes for a better future for today’s youth. Todd and Lance Feurtado are former drug kingpins and ex-gang members, now “Urban Specialists,” who made a choice to change their lives and become motivational and inspirational speakers. As ex-offenders, they utilize their experience from that past lifestyle to get a strong message of action and consequences across to at risk youths. The Feurtado Brothers founded the King of Kings Foundation in 2005. The foundation was created as a way of giving back to the communities by reaching out to at risk youths by addressing the issues that effect the youth of today. They both shared their views, their goals and hopes with us today. Here is the reason they do what they do. 1. Tell me a little about your foundation and how it got started? Lance: Kings for Kings was created in 2005 as a way of giving back, educating and motivating our youth. The main goal was to bring awareness to our community, our youth and the public school system. Our mission is to educate all to the dangers and consequences of being involved with drugs, gang violence, guns and peer pressure. We promote the importance of education because the lack of can lead to homeless ness, poverty and incarceration. The strongest goal is to help build stronger, safer and closer communities by a lot of community events to bridge the gap of communication as we speak of violence. We are very passionate and dedicated to targeting kids in schools at a very young age because nothing came to us when we were young. We describe ourselves as “Survivors of the Struggle”. Todd: Passion that starts from knowing the trials and tribulations we have been through. We want to give back because we are blessed. We can’t assume the younger youth are getting the proper information to navigate life. We have an urgency to give back. We can’t take this for granted. 2. Do you feel the system is set up for young minorities to fail as opposed to succeed? Lance: Of course, we speak about that in our motivational speeches. Information fed to our youth is wrong. Our youth

26 w w w . o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

is spoon-fed misinformation. I challenge the youth all the time. Where do you get your information from? The educational system only teaches the youth what they want them to know. Kids are mandated from Pre K to 12th grade but are given information that is not always accurate. What are you gonna do to be a player in the United States Of America 20 years from today? What information will you need and what are you going to do to find that information, is what I ask the youth all the time. 3. How is your program helping out our youth? Lance: Main thing first and foremost is getting the kids in the schools. Away from all the distractions the streets has to offer and focus on education. We offer two programs. Anti drugs and Anti gangs. The workshops touch on gang awareness and prevention , substance abuse, anger issues, domestic or interpersonal relationships and HIV / AIDS awareness. The popular one for the youth is What to do when stopped or pulled over by the police. We also have a couple entrepreneur workshops such as film business and the art of DJ’ing. The mentoring program helps mold boys to men to bring forth leaders. Positive Impact Mentoring Program designed to bring about leaders and not followers. 4. Is this program after school hours or weekends? Todd: No, this is actually during school hours. Certain schools set a period or two during school hours for advisory kids. We request the kids that 10% of the kids that make 90% of the trouble. We let each child know we give them food for thought and we let them know each choice they make is theirs. We are very good with the delivery of information to our youth. Based off the tones they receive information they become good students. They feel respected and they will accept the information given. 5. What results have you received from going to the schools? Lance: Great results. We go in and track everything. We start off with the introductions and then we give the students a survey to gauge what they think they know. Next survey will show what they actually learned. We also speak to the youth about our plights. We let them know we were former drug king pins and ex gang members and we are now urban specialists. When Summer/Fall 2016

they ask what that is we explain it is one that is an overcomer of the environment they adapted to. We are up front and we keep it real because real recognizes real. We want them to receive us. 6. Do you see the same problems 20 years ago as opposed to now? 20 years ago we were in prison but we saw young kids coming in to jail with a lot of time. Things were taken for granted. No one took the time to educate us back then so we have to do this. 7. So they say everything starts in the home. Do you agree with that ? Lance: I agree, the neighborhood we grew up in, every home we knew was a fully functioning home, but we came from a single parent household. Our mother did a great job but we didn’t have dual incomes. We didn’t have all we wanted and needed. When we mentor the kids we ask what do the kids value, how were they raised and who were their role models. We also ask if they witness any violence in the home. Todd: Times we live in now is hard for single parents to make ends meet. So kids get caught up when some parents have to work double jobs to keep food on the table. Lance: Behaviors are learned and kids will copy what they see. Some parents may not be aware of what they are doing but kids mimic what they see. If you tell your kids that they wont amount to anything, the child will believe it. As information givers we have to be mindful of not only what comes out of our mouths, but how we live our lives. They are watching! 8. What would you like to do that you haven’t with your program? Lance: We definitely would like to have our own center or learning institution that we can keep our doors open all of the time without restrictions or limits on time. We want to cause a positive domino effect. We grew up with the philosophy it takes a village,a community to raise a child ; and we are that community. We want everyone to take stock and pride in our children. They are the future doctors and lawyers, the future Obamas. So we take it step by step to accomplish the goals God

Summer/Fall 2016

put before us. We never thought we would have been doing this. 9. How did this come about ? How did the transformation begin? Lance: Comes from self. Lets set the record straight, transformation and rehabilitation does not come from incarceration. It has to come from self. We both love the Lord ,we are born again Christians. Even in our old life we were good guys. Always good by nature. We want so much but we have to do it all in stepping stones. 10. Todd, How do you feel about it? Todd: One of the beauties of incarceration, as crazy as that sounds is self evaluation. Once you have that time to reflect and go back down memory lane then you will see the hurt, harm and danger all for the love of money. We started making a difference in prison as we saw something wrong with the picture. We never wanted those kids to go home and come back to prison. When we came home we couldn’t sit on good information. We started doing what we could in federal prison. Lance: We helped before we came home. I was a GED tutor and was responsible for over 75 inmates receiving their GED. We both were bible study teachers. Pauline : Thank you both for taking the time out of your day for speaking with me about your organization.

Before they left Todd and Lance mentioned that they collaborate with the organization Noahs Ark founded by Jokim Noah. He asks that we all do our part by not pointing our fingers and going out there and getting our own children and that will make a difference. No need to talk about someone else’s child and worry about our own. They have a pendant on their necks to support this cause which is called the Drop of Conscience. I highly recommend looking into and supporting these two non profit organizations who are all about making a huge impact on our communities and in the lives of our youth. n

w w w. o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

By: Pauline Swift

BIG

K’Lynn Jackman is a young singer, actress and dancer (and self-proclaimed triple threat). Jackman played the role of Nala in The Lion King, Broadway’s Tony Award-winning musical. She called it “one of the greatest experiences” because she became one of the longest running Nala’s, playing the character for two years instead of the six months that was originally planned. “I had built a family there,” she said of the experience. “The stage is my home.” Jackman got her start after being inspired by her grandmother who is also a performer. She recalls one day she went to her parents and told them that she wanted to be on a television network. At first they didn’t believe in her but after she brought home a flyer to audition for a spot, they took her to the audition. “That was my first ever show and I beat everybody out of 30 people,” she said proudly.

things come in small packages K’Lynn Jackman

An average day for Jackman isn’t like that of most kids. However, Jackman isn’t like most kids her age. At a young age, she is a very confident, driven and boisterous girl who claims to have pretty much experienced it all. She is wise beyond her years, with a work ethic to match. Besides theater and singing jobs along with countless rehearsals, she also has to manage a decent grade point average in school to be able to continue in the theater business. Jackman close relationship with her mother, whom she also calls her “momager.” “She’s like my right hand man,” Jackman says. She also has two brothers. The youngest one is following in her footsteps to become a performer and the oldest is a sports player who she says we should watch out for. She has some valuable advice for other young people looking to enter the show business. “Don’t dream it, just live it,” she tells Our World Media. “And if you believe in yourself, the world will believe in you.” Although she has already accomplished plenty, Jackman has even bigger plans for her future. Some of her aspirations include being on the “big screen” and being able to do voiceovers for characters on the Disney Channel Network. She also plans to expand her singing career and one day sing with Beyoncé. To follow her career and learn more about her upcoming projects she can be found on her website at www.klynnjackman.com. n

28 w w w . o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Summer/Fall 2016

w w w. o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Entrepreneur By: Wanda Mims

There is a saying “If you do what you love, it’s not work”. Entrepreneurship is a strong position that builds a foundation of character. An Entrepreneur stands firm in determination and resilience by, “Making a way out of no way”. For the person who actually starts his or her own business, the experience is filled with enthusiasm, frustration, anxiety, and hard work. An Entrepreneur in the making listens to the inner spirit for the path that leads to purpose, fortitude and hard work.

“IF YOU DO WHAT

YOU LOVE, IT’S NOT WORK” For the one who has a dream, purpose and passion that can be pursued by Entrepreneurship, it is a wonderful title. By making ideas relevant, innovative and adding a twist to an everyday concept, it can be possible. 1”Research shows that Americans are increasingly choosing entrepreneurship. A study by Intelligent Office revealed that nearly 65 percent of workers would rather be an entrepreneur or independent employee than work in an office. In addition, data from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation’s Index of Entrepreneurial Activity shows that in 2015, established small business density increased in the U.S.” An entrepreneur can appear as a threat or competitor, whereas to another businessperson the same entrepreneur finds better ways to utilize resources. Entrepreneurship is the dynamic process of creating a product or service that may be new or unique resulting in the rewards of monetary, personal satisfaction and independence that comes with it. Secondly, 2“entrepreneurship requires the devotion of necessary time and effort. It requires recognizing economic demand to maintain in a high fiscal climate. For this reason alone a high failure rate of business start ups are due to poor sales, intense competition, lack of capital, or deficient in managerial ability.” The most attractive thing that has drawn me to entrepreneurship is building a brand, having a platform and making your presence known. It is very rewarding when you can take a consumers problem and build a product or service that can solve it.

Summer/Fall 2016

w w w. o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Sue Wright Styles to the stars

“THE SKY’S THE

LIMIT-DON’T EVER SETTLE FOR LESS.”

By: Alexa Noelle

Sue Wright is the owner of the hair company Exotic Girl Virgin Hair. She went from her job as a cosmetologist to an entrepreneur. Her inspiration was her aspiration to do things “on her own time” while still being able to care for her three children. Wright got her start as a hairstylist and after finishing college she started to work in salons and then reach out to other customers that weren’t able to come to her. After receiving a lot of positive feedback from the quality of hair she provided, she developed the idea to start selling hair. From there, she began building clientele, which included a few celebrities, and watched her business grow into pop-up shops and her own thriving hair company. On being an entrepreneur and having full responsibility for her career, she says: “It’s very hard cause I have no one to blame but I work twice as hard.” Wright reflected on when she discovered that she first wanted to work in the hair business. She recalled a time she was a young girl and came to her parents with the details of what she wanted to do along with financial costs and salon budgets. Her parents then invested in her dream while she went on to attend college and then went back to her passion for hairstyling. She plans to open her first hair shop within the next five years and expand her business further. She shared some advice she lives by for those who wish to become entrepreneurs. “The sky’s the limit-don’t ever settle for less,” she says. n

32 w w w . o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Summer/Fall 2016

Believe in Leak

By: Alexa Noelle

erome Leaks is a CEO of Ryder magazine, which showcases independent artists and upcoming business owners. Leaks started his magazine after working in A&R positions in Washington D.C. He learned from Sean Combs, Master P, and other moguls who he says are his peers that inspired him to “reinvent himself.” Leaks describes the struggles of being an entrepreneur and how he has to put the business first. “Bosses are the last to get paid,” he says. Leaks hopes for his magazine to be a way for young people to get themselves out there independently whether they have their own clothing lines or are starting up a music career. Leaks has aspirations of Ryder magazine being a go-to magazine as a source for hip hop news and culture, similar to magazines he grew up following such as The Source. Although he didn’t attend college he worked diligently to be able to build up his magazine and used his connections to tell stories of those who “grind” to get where they want to be. His advice to entrepreneur men is to stay in school to receive the credentials to support their business. “You really have to put in the work and dedication,” Leaks said. “Walk, talk and dress like what you want to be.” n

34 w w w . o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Summer/Fall 2016

Contact H.O.S Images for all your

Photography | video production | graphic design | printing and event promotion needs. We specialize in: Weddings, sweet16, music Videos, parties, concerts, graduations, Commercials, fashion shows, Baby Showers Follow us on Instagram | Facebook |Youtube | Twitter @hosimages www.hosimages.com 347-654-5559 kheronstate1@gmail.com Pics and videos in higher definition

36 w w w . o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Summer/Fall 2016

Vicky Jeudy By: George Onuorah

An actress reaching for the stars

Humble, amiable Queens native Vicky Jeudy plays Janae Watson in “Orange Is the New Black” seen in the American comedy –drama series set at Litchfield Penitentiary. The show on Netflix has a huge audience and has won many awards in many categories.

Her other attributes not readily known by many is the fact she is a firm believer in God. She talked about visiting Mother Delores Joseph at a Monastery gained the insight about you never stopped learning. It’s instructive that she prefers to focus on the present moment and not looking too far as some often do to their peril.

In this interview with Our World Media Magazine Pauline Swift, Ms. Jeudy talked about her Caribbean humble upbringing and parentage, and how she stays grounded and never letting success cloud her judgment as an actress.

Ms. Jeudy is a certified kickboxing as well as an aerobics instructor. Unlike some of her peers she understands the importance of taking care of mind and body to live a healthy life. As a way of giving back she will not hesitate to devote time to educate and empowering the youth in the inner city. As a way of giving back, she has mentored teen moms in Harlem, NY and participated in Big Brother Big Sister Program. Mentoring is a trait she picked up while in college and remains part of her DNA to this day. Success and all, Ms. Jeudy remains true to her values and humble upbringing, has not allowed fame, fortune or stardom to obscure her vision but instead continues to remain a powerful voice and a role model for young women everywhere. n

Not surprising, Ms. Vicky Jeudy inspiration came from her parents whom she described as “Old school” and from Haiti in the Caribbean. She talked about remaining balanced and to always work on “one’s personhood”. In Ms. Jeudy’s world, you should never stop learning. Not surprising, entertainment taught Ms. Jeudy how to put her best foot forward. Vicky rise to entertainment prominence actually began from her competing in beauty pageants. The trajectory of her career shot up like a cannon after she won the title of Miss Photogenic in the top 25 Semifinalist in the Miss NY USA competition. After graduating from college with a BA in theatre studies, she changed interest from pageants to acting. Most of the initial roles she landed were in small independent films from where she catapulted herself to bigger and better roles. She learned quickly that to be successful as an artist means working hard which was exactly what she did and paved her way to future successes. She was born of Haitian parents and also grew up in Hollis Queens, New York. Those who have met Ms. Jeudy as some of us have find her very humble, charming and amiable. Vicky exudes incredible passion for her work. Vicky does a good job playing and portraying the character she plays and makes them so vivid to the imagination. Ms. Vicky Jeudy advice to any young person thinking about getting into the entertainment world is simply to work on their personhood. Stay grounded a must for success. Be persistent is her admonition to any young person wanting to venture into show business. Her strong personality combined with her self-confidence remain a driving force that fuels her accomplishments.

Summer/Fall 2016

w w w. o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

an c i a m a J tar S p o P

BARBEE

By: Nakita Vanstory

arbee, born Faith J. Eselebor to a Jamaican mother and Nigerian father, is an unassuming beauty who radiates confidence, class, and vibrance when she enters a room. Barbee is an independent recording artist, model, and actress who gained international appeal and notoriety in 2007 when she collaborated with reggae superstar, Junior Kelly in her first chart-topping release, “Missing You”. Before becoming a Jamaican Pop Star, smashing the caribbian music charts, and recording features with the likes of dancehall icon Beenie Man, Barbee began expressing her love for music at the tender age of five. She had an innate passion for music and even became the lead singer of her own touring choir, “Perfect Praise” at the age of 11. By the age of 16, Barbee was a member of a girl group called “Best Kept Secret”. Barbee parted ways from the girl group and went on to record hit solo singles “Love You Anyway” in 2008 and “Feel So Good” in 2009. This “Every Ting Pretty” Caribbean princess continued to maximize on her imminent success when she featured with Beenie Man on the Revenge Riddim and in his “Give It Up” video in 2008. Barbee and Beenie Man teamed on a second single, “Paddy Cake” just a year later.

strong admiration for the Mattel doll, once won the title “Most Promising Female Artist” at the Apollo Theatre. The island diva has toured the globe with legendary reggae pioneer Beres Hammond. She has rocked the stage alongside other legendary artists such as Bobby Womack, Carol Riddick, Biz Markie, and Cuba Gooding Sr. Barbee has been profiled in a wide variety of online and print media outlets, both internationally and domestically, and was even discussed on the The Wendy Williams Show in 2011 for allegedly dating a popular NBA star. Although music is the frontline of Barbee’s career, she has proven to be more than just an independent recording artist, but a triple threat; Barbee is a singer, model, and actress. In 2012, Barbee played a security guard in a dramatic comedy directed by stuntman turned movie director Billy Washington entitled “House Arrest” which starred Stacy Dash and The Game. Barbee is currently casting for additional acting roles that will further bolster her already robust portfolio.

“EVERY TING PRETTY”

By 2011 Barbee’s international exposure expanded to the South and North Eastern regions of the United States after collaborating with Trina, Miami’s Baddest Chick, on “Come See About Me”. She also featured with Cash Money’s CEO Birdman, on the single “Boss Like That”.

Barbee is ready to carry her career and love for music to new horizons. She has recently secured a spokesperson deal with music mogul and entrepreneur Master P as a national spokesperson for his new premium Vodka. Barbee has also launched her own signature lipstick line that features popping colors such as “blue dreams”, “plum devotion”, “crimson kisses”, “red minks”, and “undress” a succulent hue of nude.

The sexy star is now in the studio completing her EP with Grammy nominated producers, Rock City, who Though raised in New York, Barbee’s parents worked hard penned the mega- hit “Man Down” for Rihanna. While to ensure that she was exposed to both sides of her culture by recording in New York, Miami, Atlanta, and Jamaica, allowing her to travel and attend school in both Legos, Nigeria, Barbee continues to book shows worldwide, performher father’s hometown and Spanish Town, Jamaica, her mother’s birthplace. Barbee has travelled and performed all over the world ing her latest club banger, “Whoa” and other hits. She is and proclaims “The Earth Is [Her] Turf ”. This global exposure guaranteed to grace a red carpet in a city near you. Stay may have played a large part in forming her international style tuned. “Every Ting Pretty”. n and charming stage presence. Barbee, who earned her nickname from her mother who enjoyed playing dress-up with her first born daughter and had a Summer/Fall 2016

w w w. o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Barbee’s Launch Party At Taj in NYC

New York, NY. April 2016. After a successful late fall launch of Barbee Cosmetics, Jamaican pop star and burgeoning beauty boss Barbee brought a lively crowd to NYC’s Taj to present her latest lipstick color, Blue Dream. New York notables including DJ Self and Mariahlynn, both of Love and Hip Hop NY and political pundit John Burnett and the Big Hair Girls partied side by side with the Jamaican Pop Princess as the paparazzi fired away. Women flocked to the Celfie Cosmetics booth to learn more about the collection meet the creator and, of course, take selfies with Barbee. In addition to launching Blue Dream, Barbee premiered her latest single “Whoa”, produced by Rock City to the enthusiastic crowd. Activating her social media platforms totaling over 150k fans and online influence including over 4MM YouTube views, Barbee continues to give dolls the world over a new lease on their makeup lives with the launch of Blue Dream. Blue Dream, along with the other six colors in The Barbee Collection is available online at www.CelfieCosmetics.com and retails for $14.99. Barbee’s latest single “Whoa” can be found on iTunes. For bookings contact Steve Raze via email at steveraze@gmail.com Photography by: Joseph Swift. Hair Styling by Sheena Tomlinson and hair sponsored by LovelyLocs Virgin Hair To learn more about press launches, consumer events and brand extensions, follow the hashtags #EveryTingPretty. n

Photos by: Joeseph Swift

Barbee Host

DJ Magic Car Show On July 17th, HOT 97’s DJ Black Magic presented another action packed car show in Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY. The Summer Sunday event brought out some of the area’s hottest whips, bikes and cars. Along with all the pretty vehicles, there was the sexy Caribbean Pop Princess Barbee, hosting and eye candy for the show cars. Barbee paired up nicely with some tricked out Rolls Royce and BMWs. She also mingled with Queens MC, Grafh backstage and modeled for dozens of cars and fans. Barbee is preparing to shoot her music video for her latest single “Whoa” produced by Rock City. n

Photos by: Joeseph Swift

yeame Kwame GHANA’S MOST VERSATILE & DECENT RAPPER

kyeame Kwame is a celebrated musician whose creativity has pierced the walls of music, drama, rap, acting and entrepreneurship in Ghana.

He is a Graduate of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology, Happy husband, proud father and enigmatic entertainer and currently a student at University of Ghana, Legon, pursuing Masters ivn marketing strategy. He was nominated 5 times at the channel O music awards in 2009 and participated in the MTV Base’Making The Video’ in 2008. Okyeame Kwame is the Creative Director and Owner of One Mic Entertainment , a record label. He also owns a communications company (Firm Bridges Communications} that has served companies like MTN, Coca-Cola and Lancet Laboratories. A graduate of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology and currently an MA student at the University of Ghana pursuing Marketing Strategy. Okyeame Kwame is the first artiste in Ghana to stage his own show; fusing drama, music and dance on one stage. He is a happy husband, proud father and enigmatic entertainer . Okyeame Kwame has served as the PRO for the Music union of Ghana and is among ETV Ghana’s 100 most influential personalities in Ghana. He is a family man with strong values. His diligence and skill in art won him the most coveted award in the music industry, during the Ghana music awards in 2009, Artiste of the year. In that same year, he won the Artiste of the year at Joy Fm Nite with The Starz. He has recently, in 2015, won the MOGO artiste of the year as well as other prestigious awards. He has been unveiled as the brand ambassador for junior boys and has been given the awesome father award for being a great role model to fathers and young boys. Watch our full interview with Okyeame on www.ourworldmedia.com. n

“It is OK to call me OK”

THE RAP DOCTOR RETURNS WITH THE NEW SINGLE – HALLELUJAH Late July 2016, Okyeame Kwame release his latest song titled “Hallelujah”. Ghana’s most Versatile and Decent rapper who for the last 15 years has proven to be influential in the music industry. Speaking to Our World Media Magazine, Okyeame Kwame confirmed this by saying “Yes it is the truth, I have released a new song entitled “Hallelujah”. It is a story of my life and my musical journey. Listeners can be sure that this song has not disappointed” The “Small Small” hit maker has over the past years cemented his position as the most versatile musician in the country, releasing hit songs in almost all the genres of music. We wait to see what the Rap Doctor has in store for the future. He has yet to disappoint his loyal fans world wide. n

OKYEAME KWAME’S HEPATITS B SCREENING AND VACCINATION EXERCISE IN GHANA.. GREAT TURNOUT! Okyeame Kwame Foundation organized a Free Hepatitis B Screening and Vaccination for residents in Ho in the Volta Region, where many turned up for free Hepatitis B Screening and Vaccination Exercise. The event was to start at 9am, on July 28, 2016, instead saw patrons assembled in huge numbers as early as 6am in anticipation of the exercise. The expectation is that about 1000 people will be screened, and those who test negative will be freely vaccinated. The event was organized with support from MDS Lancet Laboratories, Kekeli Radio and the Theobald Foundation. n

44 w w w . o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Summer/Fall 2016

w w w. o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Summer/Fall 2016

w w w. o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Complexions Contemporary Ballet Carolyn Dorfman Dance

By: Verity Rollins

July 27, 2016 Central Park - The City Parks Foundation presented the Complexions Contemporary Ballet & Carolyn Dorfman Dance as one of their free events under the 2016 Summer Stage series. To say the show was absolutely amazing is an under statement, from start to finish the performances kept you breathless and in awe, of the marvelous choreography and pinpoint precision of the dancers. The program opened up with Waves, which, was choreographed by Carolyn Dorfman. The performance drew you in; it was like watching a painter put brush stroke after brush stroke on canvas. The dancers moved with such grace and clock work precision. You found yourself in another word filled with wonder and amazement. After a brief intermission the genius of Master Choreographer Dwight Rhoden was unleashed, as Complexions Contemporary Ballet took the stage. The dancers moved with grace and flawless accuracy. You found yourself hypnotized in the performances unable to blink or move for fear of missing something; you were swept up and lost all track of time. All the performances were absolutely amazing, but Desmond Richardson’s performance was earth shattering; every aspect of the performance, the choreography, music and words by Maya Angelou and not to mention Desmond’s elegance pulled on your heartstrings giving you a deep emotional connection to the performance. At the end of the performance I was moved to tears left wanting more. The program ended with a marvelous finish once again with outstanding choreography and music. The program was free but I bet every one in attendance would pay a hundred times over to see the program again. For more on info visit www.complexionsdance.org n

48 w w w . o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Summer/Fall 2016

Photos By: Verity Rollins

Black Moon & Smif-N-Wessun Performing a tribute to Enta Da Stage & Dah Shinin

By: Verity Rollins

On July 26, 2016 Queensbridge Park held an awesome concert one of the 2016 Summer Stage series produced by the City

Parks Foundation.

Black Moon & Smif-N-Wessun has been a mainstay for Hip Hop for over twenty plus years. Over the years they have evolved to stay relevant in the fickle music industry, but have not departed from the roots of true Hip Hop. Their message continues to be positive, and uplifting to the community they represent and followers of Hip Hop. If your a true Hip Hop Head this concert would have taken you back to a time when Hip Hop was all about the music and having fun. The Concert opened up with J Monopoly a local DJ from Hollis Queens, warming the crowd up spinning old school classics that put you in the right frame of mind for the amazing show to come. Stacy Reject was up next as the opening act, she had an amazing performance, holding the crowd with her soulful lyrics and amazing energy. Following Stacy Reject, Tek and Steele came out and gave the crowd what they were waiting for, as always they didn’t disappoint giving the crowd classic Smif-N-Wessun. Buckshot and the rest of Black Moon later joined Tek and Steele on stage; after that you knew it was a concert to remember. Buckshot came out like a true Hip Hop General giving a commanding performance; the crowd was hanging on every word. One thing that made this concert special was that Sean Price’s (former rapper and member of the collective Boot Camp Clik, March 17, 1972 – August 8, 2015) daughter was on stage and was an interactive part of the concert. It’s shows that in an industry where a lot of people are out for themselves, there are those who’s bonds transcend just business and sets the example that it’s more than just music it about family and community and taking care of one another. It was truly an amazing concert. n

50 w w w . o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Summer/Fall 2016

Photos By: Verity Rollins Summer/Fall 2016

w w w. o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Photos by: Joseph Swift

2016 Roc Nation Summer Classic Charity Basketball Game By: Verity Rollins

Our World Media Magazine was in attendance for this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ROC Nation Summer Classic Charity Basketball game at the Barclays Center. This was the second time the game was held at the Barclays center following its previous success in 2014. The Basketball game founded by Robinson Cano a former Yankee Baseball player and current Yankee Baseball player CC Sabathia to raise money for their respective charities (PitCCh In Foundation, RC22 Foundation) has gotten bigger and was joined by two other foundations this year (Foundation el Angel de Miguel Cotto & Beyond Type 1) enabling them to help more people in need. The Charity Basketball game this year brought out many stars form the Hip Hop and sports community such as Jadakiss, Fabolous, T.I., DJ Khaled, CC Sabathia, Robinson Cano, Yandel, Nick Jonas, Dave East and many more. n

52 w w w . o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Summer/Fall 2016

w w w. o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

54 w w w . o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Summer/Fall 2016

BET

AWARDS WEEKEND

Photos by: Joseph Swift

Sprite presents the BETX â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;16 Celebrity BasketBall Game

1 Desiigner trying to block Snoop Dog 2 Floyd Mayweather 3 Snoop Dog 4 Doug Christie 5 OT Genasis 6 Nick Cannon 7 Tank 8 Desiigner 9 Kenny Dobbs 10 Game 11 Rotimi

10 11 8 9

OS ANGELES, CA (June 27, 2016) – Last night, BET lived up to their promise “We Got You” and delivered a show filled with epic surprises and captivating moments. BEYONCÉ shocked the packed house when she opened the show with KENDRICK LAMAR in a first-ever LIVE television performance of “Freedom.” The night continued with memorable performances including heartfelt high-energy tributes to the artistry, legend and soul that is PRINCE at the 16th annual BET Awards, which aired live from the Microsoft Theatre at L.A. LIVE on Sunday, June 26, 2016. 2016 “BET AWARDS” show highlights include: Returning hosts ANTHONY ANDERSON and TRACEE ELLIS ROSS had the crowd in hysterics with their hilarious opening spoof of the Tony award-winning musical “Hamilton” infusing some of today’s hottest songs including “Panda,” “Cut It” and “Down in the DM.” In one of the evening’s tributes to Prince, STEVIE WONDER sang alongside TORI KELLY to “Take Me With U.” The audience stayed on their feet as JENNIFER HUDSON came out directly following, blowing the crowd away with an emotional and breathtaking performance of Prince’s “Purple Rain.” Actor and civil rights activist JESSE WILLIAMS was presented this year’s Humanitarian Award by BET Chairman and CEO DEBRA LEE and gave a moving speech dedicating his award to “the real organizers all over the country.” He closed to a standing ovation as he reminded the audience that “Just because we’re magic doesn’t mean we’re not real.” A perfect ending to an evening of celebratory tributes, SHEILA E. shut the house down with an electrifying performance, featuring a medley of Prince classics including “Erotic City,” “Let’s Work,” “U Got the Look,” “A Love Bizarre,” “Glamorous Life,” and “Baby I’m A Star.” n

58 w w w . o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Summer/Fall 2016

In addition to all of these unforgettable moments, the complete list of 2016 “BET AWARDS” winners is: Best Female R&B / Pop Artist Beyoncé Best Male R&B / Pop Artist Bryson Tiller

Taraji P. Henson Best Actor Michael B. Jordan YoungStars Award Amandla Stenberg Best Movie Straight Outta Compton Sportswoman of the Year Award Serena Williams Sportsman of the Year Award Stephen Curry Centric Award Beyoncé

Best Group Drake & Future Best Collaboration Rihanna Ft. Drake – Work Best Male Hip Hop Artist Drake Best Female Hip Hop Artist Nicki Minaj Video of the Year Beyoncé Video Director of the Year Director X Best New Artist Bryson Tiller

Best International Act: Africa Black Coffee (South Africa) Best International Act: UK Skepta

Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award Kirk Franklin Best Actress

Summer/Fall 2016

BET Global Good Award Honoree: Akon (Senegal) Viewer’s Choice “Best International” Artist: Falz (Nigeria)

w w w. o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

1 Tracee Ellis Ross 2 Anthony Anderson 3 Jesse Williams 4 Meagan Good 5 Gabrielle Union 6 Nandi Mngoma 7 Melissa Brim and Floyd Mayweather 8 Yvette Nicole Brown 9 Danielle Mone Truitt 10 karrueche tran 11 Samuel L. Jackson 12 Silento 13 Anthony Hamilton 14 Akon 15 Lela Loren

1 Renee Bargh 2 Yara Shahidi 3 Jasmine Sanders 4 DJ Khaled and Nicole Tuck 5 Marcus Scribner 6 Halle Bailey and Chloe Bailey of Chloe x Halle 7 Cory Hardrict & Tia Mowry 8 Bryshere Y. Gray 9 Debra Lee 10 Fabolous 11 French Montana 12 Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys 13 Bilal

meet your trainer

Jasmen Flagg By: Quentin Mezentin

ur World Media got to sit down with the up and coming USA Track and Field Coach and Fitness Professional Jasmen Flagg. This was one our most educational interviews.

Jasmen is passionate about a healthy lifestyle and taking care of her body. Since at a young age she’s been aware of the consequences of not living a healthy lifestyle. Watching family and friends get bad results from their living habits gave her enough reason to take action. Jasmen is a personal trainer and her definition is beyond normal personal trainers. Jasmen doesn’t just get you fit and healthy physically. She takes on the responsibility to take all around full care of each client. With her personal training is an inside and outside job. Mental and physical, and with the right habits can last a lifetime. Most people wait until the doctor tells them their sick or when their body shuts down and it’s too late. Instead of just making the lifestyle changes to prevent most things. Prevention is the key to a healthy lifestyle. Working out is the first step needed to start the change. Being talented and an expert in this field lead Jasmen to embark on her entrepreneurial side. Jasmen started FlaggFit. At FlaggFit mindset is everything. FlaggFit provides personal training, life coaching, personal development, and develops fitness models. Where is Jasmen headed? When asked where she sees herself in 5 years we were amazed at her confidence. Jasmen plans to have graduated Physical Therapy school and open her own practice concentrated on sports medicine. The take her coaching and fitness to a highly impactful known name in the realm of fitness. We don’t think she will accomplish this goal we know beyond a doubt that this will be her future. Follow Jasmen online. Check out the FULL interview online at www.OurWorldMedia.com and see her BEAUTIFUL BIG smile up close. n

66 w w w . o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Summer/Fall 2016

ON TRACK WITH

MIKI BARBER By: Quentin Mezentin

Rukiya Jefferes of Our World Media got to sit down with the one and only internationally known Mikele (“Miki”) Ronisse Barber. Miki was born October 4, 1980 in Livingston, New Jersey and is an American sprinter who won gold at the 4 x 100 meter relay event in 2007 World Championships in Athletics, in Osaka, Japan, and an individual gold medal at the 100 meters in 2007 Pan Am Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. To top that she is the twin sister of Me’Lisa Barber, who has also won relay medals on the world stage. Recently qualified for the World Championships in Degu South Korea. That enough is EPIC. Here at Our World Media we got to know Miki beyond the fame and glory. We asked the question. Who is Miki Barber? Miki was always an athletic person. It wasn’t until High school that she joined the track team as a freshman in high school. Track then became part of her life and by senior year she was National Champion in the 400-meter dash. After realizing she was really fast started running her first year in High school and by her senior year. After HS Miki traveled to Los Angeles to train with John Smith a profession track coach. She was running for Nike and he was a Nike coach so it worked out perfectly. LA gave her a sense of independence, and she learned more of how the world worked. By herself she explored, experienced, and empowered herself to be the person she is today. Balancing this life for Miki is hard at times. She loves people, love to be alone, loves to travel, loves to coach, loves to train. Miki life is pretty active, but when things get a little crazy she stops, and takes a deep breath, remembers her goal and gets back to work on her goals. Miki’s current goal is to get into the Olympics. When she didn’t make the London Olympics in 2012 she was heartbroken. That just fueled her to work harder to get on the team for the Rio Olympics this year. Running is a physical and mental sport. For the mental part Miki is an ALPHA female. So mentally she feeds her mind with books and speeches from, Les Brown, Jim Rohn, Joyce Myers, daily meditation, and she surrounds herself with positive people. With coaches for each part of her life she gets constant evaluation on what she needs to improve to become her best. Miki is very grateful for all her fans and people that she inspires all over the world. It humbles her BIG heart. We found out so much about the inner mindset Miki used to persevere and overcome all her obstacles and become victorious. Miki is also an entrepreneur. Miki started a company called Fuelers Mind. Her mission with this company is to diminishing bad behavior, and having high self-esteem. Helping kids know that they can have, be, and do anything they want in life. Believe in yourself, stay positive, and work hard. The biggest take-a-ways we received from this interview was that Miki is a WINNER. The keys to her success are the she’s focused, disciplined, caring, humble, and was always positive. You have to have a vision, coaches because teamwork makes the dream work, and most of all be present in the moment. This is your life, your destiny, you are the author of your life and writing your story for the world to see. Be you and love you doing it. Follow Miki on Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram. Come check out our FULL interview at www.OurWorldMedia.com n Summer/Fall 2016

w w w. o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

2016 ESPN ESPY Awards By: Jennifer Cingari

he biggest stars from the worlds of sports and entertainment gathered at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Wednesday night to celebrate the best sports moments of the year at The 2016 ESPYS Presented by Capital One. The show was hosted by WWE Superstar John Cena and aired on ABC.

LeBron James took home his third Best Male Athlete ESPY and his fifth Best NBA Player ESPY, having not won either since 2013, as well as his third Best Championship Performance win. James also shared the Best Team award and Best Moment award with his fellow Cavaliers, who upset the Warriors to earn their first-ever NBA title, and Cleveland’s first in 52 years. After a third-straight nomination, University of Connecticut’s women’s basketball’s departing star, Breanna Stewart, finally secured a Best Female Athlete title. She topped stiff competition from WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne, record-breaking swimmer Katie Ledecky, and world-leading gymnast Simone Biles.

Photo by: Joe Faraoni / ESPN Images

The Chicago Cubs’ Jake Arrieta earned Best Breakthrough Athlete honors, becoming the first baseball player to take home that award since Alfonso Soriano in 2003. Additionally, best Record-Breaking Performance went to Stephen Curry, whose 402 regular season 3-pointers shattered the single-season record Curry had set himself the previous season. Three awards served as the emotional pinnacle of the sports celebration. Vice President Joe Biden presented Craig Sager with the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance, which is presented annually in honor of the late Jim Valvano and his V Foundation for Cancer Research. Sager was recognized for his unwavering strength and determination in his fight against cancer. Zaevion Dobson, a young man from Knoxville, TN, was honored posthumously with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award for selflessly giving his life to shield two young women from gunfire. Zaevion’s mother Zenobia Dobson accepted the honor on his behalf, which was presented

68 w w w . o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Summer/Fall 2016

to her by Stephen Curry. And the Pat Tillman Award for service, was presented to world-class paraswimmer Sgt. Elizabeth Marks for her strength through adversity and continued service to her country.

Photo by: Joe Faraoni / ESPN Images

Justin Timberlake presented the Icon Award to Kobe Bryant, Peyton Manning and Abby Wambach, three legendary athletes who retired from their respective sports this year. The evening also included a touching tribute to Muhammad Ali who passed away last month.

This year’s presenters included: Chris Berman (ESPN Sportscaster), Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), Skylar Diggins (Dallas Wings), Lisa Leslie (retired WNBA player), David Oyelowo (Queen of Katwe), Usher Raymond IV (Hands of Stone) Lindsey Vonn (American World Skier), Dwyane Wade (Chicago Bulls), and JJ Watt (Houston Texans), among others. In addition, top athletes and celebrities who attended the show included: Antonio Brown (Pittsburgh Steelers), Dez Bryant (Dallas Cowboys), Kobe Bryant (retired NBA player), Eric Hosmer (Kansas City Royals), Kerri Walsh Jennings (professional beach volleyball player), DeAndre Jordan (Los Angeles Clippers), Sydney Leroux (FC Kansas City), Kevin Love (Cleveland Cavaliers), Peyton Manning (retired NFL player), Von Miller (Denver Broncos), Danica Patrick (NASCAR driver), JR Smith (Cleveland Cavaliers), Abby Wambach (retired professional soccer player) and more. COMPLETE LIST OF THE 2016 ESPYS WINNERS Best Record-Breaking Performance: Stephen Curry

Best Male Athlete: LeBron James

Best Breakthrough Athlete: Jake Arrieta

Best Championship Performance: LeBron James

Best Play: Aaron Rodgers to Richard Rodgers

Best Game: NBA Finals Game 7

Best Team: Cleveland Cavaliers

Best NBA Player: LeBron James

Best Female Athlete: Breanna Stewart

Best MLB Player: Bryce Harper

Best Female Action Sports Athlete: Jamie Anderson

Best Male Action Sports Athlete: Ryan Dungey

Best Jockey: Mario Gutierrez Best Bowler: Jason Belmonte Best Female College Athlete: Breanna Stewart Best Female Athlete with a Disability: Tatyana McFadden Best Male Athlete with a Disability: Richard Browne Best Upset: Holly Holm over Ronda Rousey Best Coach: Tyronn Lue Best International Athlete: Cristiano Ronaldo Best Fighter: Conor McGregor Best NFL Player: Cam Newton Best NHL Player: Sidney Crosby Best WNBA Player: Maya Moore Best Male College Athlete: Buddy Hield Best Driver: Kyle Busch Best Male Golfer: Jordan Spieth Best Female Golfer: Lydia Ko Best Male Tennis Player: Novak Djokovic Best Female Tennis Player: Serena Williams Best MLS player: Sebastian Giovinco

SPECIAL AWARDS Jimmy V Award for Perseverance: Craig Sager Arthur Ashe Award for Courage: Zaevion Dobson Pat Tillman Award for Service: Sergeant Elizabeth Marks Best Moment: Cleveland wins first title in 52 years Best Comeback Athlete: Eric Berry Icon Award: Kobe Bryant, Peyton Manning and Abby Wambach n

Summer/Fall 2016

w w w. o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

SYDNEY MCLAUGHLIN LIVING A TEENAGE DREAM

RIO 2016 By: O’Neil A. Reid and edited by Raymond Byfield

ost American teenagers can only dream of making it to the Olympics. After all, the USA Olympic Trials that currently span over 10 days, is one of the most rigorous competitions to overcome just to qualify for the Olympics. The immense pressure and little margin for error can unnerve the most seasoned athletes. Natural talent is just not enough to make the team; drive, determination and mental toughness are necessary to beat the odds. Sixteen-year-old Sydney McLaughlin beats those odds. Sydney, a junior at Union Catholic High School in New Jersey, became the youngest American to qualify for the Olympic team since Cindy Gilbert (15 years and 75 days) did so back in 1972. Sydney finished 3rd in the 400m hurdles at the USA Trials, setting the world junior record in a personal best time of 54.15 seconds to book her ticket to the 2016 Rio Olympics. This was a remarkable feat by the teenager, who was completing against collegians and professionals. Life Changing Performance Sydney’s Olympic qualifying performance was life-changing as she met and hanged out with her idol, Olympic gold medalist Allyson Felix, who informed her that she was award the 2016 Gatorade High School Athlete of the Year award. After her historic performance at the USA Trials on July 10, two days later on July 12, 2016, Sydney was walking the red carpet at the ESPY in Los Angeles, California. She collected her national award and gave an emotional acceptance speech in-front of some of today’s best sports figures, including NBA champions LeBron James and Stephen Curry. In her acceptance speech, Sydney revealed that she suffered from mono earlier in the season which delayed the start of her season. Sydney had overcome this illness to book her ticket to the Rio Olympics which made her meteoric rise even more impressive. The 400m hurdles race is considered one of the most grueling events that requires a combination of speed, strength and endurance. Sydney possesses all of these attributes. Sydney has become somewhat of a media darling. In addition to her athletics prowess on the track, Sydney shows maturity well beyond her years with her poise and eloquence in addressing the media. Sydney, who turns 17 on August 7, two days after Rio opening ceremony on August 5, also seems poised to handle the pressure of the Olympics. Super Siblings Sydney comes from a very athletic family. While Sydney will be heading to Brazil to compete in the Olympics, her older brother Taylor is currently in Poland representing the United States at the 2016 IAAF World U20 Championships. Taylor, who has just completed his freshman year at the University of Michigan, was the 2015 New Jersey Track and Field Athlete of the Year. Taylor also attended Union Catholic High and was a dominant athlete on the New Jersey high school circuit. He will be competing in the 400m hurdles. Having gained a spot on the US Team to the Rio Olympics, Sydney is already a champion. She has endured the rigors of the high school season, dominated her peers at the high school nationals and then shocked the world at the USA Trials. Sydney who was named after her father’s favorite actor, Sidney Poitier, is about to take the stage for her greatest performance to date. All that’s left for Sydney to do is to cap her fairytale season with an Olympic medal. For Sydney the best is yet to come. n

74 w w w . o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Summer/Fall 2016

Photo by: Joseph Swift

Photo by: Kirby Lee

Harrison breaks 28-year-old 100m hurdles world record in London By: Amanda Brooks

LONDON -- Keni Harrison set the 100m hurdles world record at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in London on July 22, 2016, crossing in 12.20 (+0.3) to break Yordanka Donkova’s previous world record of 12.21 from 1988. Harrison (Clayton, North Carolina) looked virtually unstoppable in her heat earlier in the day, winning easily in 12.40. In the final, the 23-year-old Harrison got out of the blocks quickly and was away from the field by the third hurdle. Harrison’s compatriots finished 2-4 behind her, with U.S. Olympic Trials champion Brianna Rollins coming in at 12.57, and Rollins’s fellow Olympic teammates Kristi Castlin and Nia Ali finishing in 12.59 and 12.63, respectively. It is Harrison’s second record-breaking performance of the year. She set the American record of 12.24 on May 28 at the Nike Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon. She has earned USATF Athlete of the Week three times this year, her last for her then-American record in Eugene. n

76 w w w . o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Summer/Fall 2016

Noah Lyles

Voted MileSplit Track And Field Athlete Of The Year By: Helena Harding

The best track and field athlete of the year goes to Noah Lyles! No surprises here as Noah has been an outstanding athlete this entire season. The recent graduate of T.C. Williams High School in Va., Lyles is best known for his incredibly fast 100m and 200m times. Coming into the 2016 outdoor season, Noah had a 10.07 100m, which he came close to beating when he won USATF Junior National Championships and ran a 10.08. Although he did not beat his 2015 time in the 100m, he destroyed his 200m time by .12 seconds at the US Olympic Trials to set a new national record of 20.09 (+1.6) and finish fourth in the final --just one spot out of qualifying for the Olympic Games! He followed that performance with two gold medals in Bydgoszcz, Poland during the IAAF World U20 Championships: the 100m and 4x100m relay. Before Lyles left Poland, he had one more big announcement to make: he and his brother, Josephus, would forego their scholarships to the University of Florida and sign professional contracts with Adidas!

Photos by: Joseph Swift

Needless to say, Noah Lyles is deserving of the fan votes, proven by his performances throughout the season. n

Queensborough Community College Co-Ed Outdoor Track and Field 2015-2016 Season

By; Head Coach Chris Omeltchenko & Assistant Coach Azi Ayafor

The season started off with the St Joseph’s Invitation in late March. The following meet was the Ramapo College Invitation held on April 1st and 2nd. The Women’s team carried an eight person roster while the Men’s Team was sixteen members strong. Queenborough traveled to the University of Pennsylvania for the 122nd running of The Penn Relays in April where they competed on April 28th-29th. The College of New Jersey, East Stroudsburg University and the Merchant Marine Academy all hosted meets in 2016. This year’s Nationals were held at Westfield State University in Westfield Massachusetts on May 7th and 8th. On the women’s side 13.5 points were scored placing them 12th. Edina Music ran the 1500 meter run and the 800 meter run and placed 7th in both. Julie Agustin ran the 3000 M Steeplechase and placed 6th in a very exciting race where she out kicked the 7th place runner at the finish line. Julie also ran the 10,000 meter run and placed 8th. Sara Roslonowski ran the 10,000 meters and the steeplechase. Adriana Garcia also ran the 25 lap 10K. Rennae Monteith and Sharina Tappin ran the 100 meters as well as the 200 meter dash. Okera Campbell ran in the 400 meter dash. Sharina, Okera and Rennae all competed in the long jump with Rennae placing 7th. Sharina triple jumped and placed 8th. The 4X100 placed 7th and the 4X400 relay placed 8th. The foursome of Okera, Edina, Sharina and Rennae ran in both races. Suffolk County Community College won the team title with 156 points. For the Men The Tigers scored 19 points placing 13th. Suffolk Won the Men’s team title scoring 135 points. Bedan Dakin and Brandon Gooden competed in the 100 meter dash. Bedan placed 3rd. Matthew Campbell placed 4th in the 400 meter dash. In the field events Nick Blajesky placed 6th in the Javelin while Josh Graham had is best throw of the season. The Tigers placed 6th in the 4X100. Brandon, Bedan, Matthew and Aaron Guthrie made up the relay. 4X400 relay team of Bedan, Matthew, Aaron and Tim Hines placed 8th. The 4X800 relay with Fabrice Pierre Paul, Marlon Smith, James Comilang and Brian Jenson representing the quartet also placed 8th. Top 8. Aaron and Marlon also competed in the Long and Triple jump but did not score. At the Nationals earned ALL American Honors. 10 Men and 5 women were so honored. n

78 w w w . o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Summer/Fall 2016

w w w. o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

The CUNY Championships is the annual local test every year for the Tigers. This year the Championships was held May 14th on Randallâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Island. QCC Tigers were victorious over Rival Kingsborough 188-124. Our field events were a big part. We outscored Kingsborough Community College 96-20 in the Jumping and throwing events. Nick won the Javelin overall and Aaron placed 3rd in the Long Jump. Brandon ran his best race of the season in both 100m and the 200m. A great way to end your career. Stephane Casseus scored 34 points alone with him competing in the shot, Discus, hammer and Javelin. The Lady Tigers had a big edge in the distance with Edina winning the 1500. Julie placed 2nd overall in the Steeplechase in 13:50 as well as running in the 1500m and 5k. Sara ran the steeple and the 5k and Adriana in the 5k. QCC had a 60-0 edge. Rennae, Sharina and Okera scored 24 points in the Long jump and sharina competed in the triple jump gave the Lady Tigers 34-0 point spread. Sara and Kemba Charles

80 w w w . o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

competed in the Discus while Kemba also threw the hammer for 28 more points. The Lady Tigers scored 122-0 over the Wave. Okera ended her career running her fastest times of her career in the 200m and the 400m dash. The final score was 182-80. Being crowned CUNY Champs for both Men and women is a great way to end the season. The strength of this team during the indoor and outdoor track team was the large amount of 2nd year runners. We say goodbye to Julie, Okera, Rennae, Adriana and Edina for the Ladies., On the menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s side Brandon, Bedan, Fabrice and Josh. A Great group of 2nd year athletes. You will be missed. Thanks for a great season and year. The returning team should be able to continue the tradition. We need balance in the 1500 on up and more distance. Hurdlers are a must as well as field events. Its time to get more scorers at the Nationals. Have a great summer enjoy the Olympics and lets return with a hunger to be our best. n Summer/Fall 2016

Summer/Fall 2016

Photo by: Joseph Swift

w w w. o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

82 w w w . o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Summer/Fall 2016

w w w . o u r w o rPhoto l d m e by: d i aJoseph m a g a zSwift ine.com

Nike Pro City Basketball The best summer basketball in N.Y.C.

Photos by: Joseph Swift

Nike Pro City basketball, played in New York City, is an annual league that kicks off in June and runs through most of the summer. Although Nike Pro City is often known as a streetball league, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s run indoors and often features some pretty well-known players, including some with NBA and legit overseas experience. Nike Pro City basketball in New York City is played in the Hunter College gym at 68th street and Lexington Avenue (East side) in Manhattan. n

84 w w w . o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Summer/Fall 2016

An Ode To The Black Mamba By: André Waldron

s I watched the final seconds of the game of Kobe Bryant’s incredible swansong on Wednesday night, I cannot help but smile to myself in gratefulness. On April

13th, the Golden State Warriors and Kobe Bryant added further solidification to my view that sports is the ultimate reality show. I’m in no need of any shows with the words “Love and Hip-Hop or “Real Housewives” in the title. I’ve been fortunate to witness the Jordan era as well as the Kobe Bryant era. Unfortunately, diehard NBA fans had no choice but to potentially engage in the art of channel-surfing between the Warrior’s quest to break the all-time regular season record and the official end of a legend’s career. The Warriors had a commanding 20-point lead at half-time against the Grizzlies. Thus, my undivided attention was set on seeing how #24 would finish his career. I would be doing it injustice by saying that Kobe Bryant ended his career with a bang. With his unbelievable 60-point performance, Kobe Bryant’s career ended with a sonic boom. Kobe Bryant finished his career as the third leading scorer in NBA history with 33,643 points. He holds all-time Laker records in minutes played, points and steals. Additionally, he has the second-most assists in the history of the Los Angeles Lakers. This can serve to reduce the ballhog stereotype that has constantly followed him throughout his career. He is an 18-time All-Star, a 1-time NBA MVP and NBA Finals MVP’s to his credit. Similar to his epic finale on April 13th, he has had several games in which he has practically broken the scoreboard. On Dec 20th 2005, he scored 62 points in three quarters against the Dallas Mavericks. It should be mentioned that the entire Dallas Mavericks team only scored 61 points after three quarters in that game. Kobe Bryant even managed to one-up Michael Jordan’s legendary 55 point performance in 1995 at Madison Square Garden.

86 w w w . o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Summer/Fall 2016

The Black Mamba dropped 61 points on February 2nd 2009 against the New York Knicks, who were more than willing to play matador defense on that night. Kobe Bryant’s 61 point output was the most points scored by any NBA player at Madison Square Garden until Carmelo Anthony’s 62 point performance against the Bobcats in 2014. However, nothing will ever top his 81-point performance in January 22nd 2006. This was the second best scoring performance in NBA history. In my mind, it was the best scoring performance ever. Other than Wilt Chamberlain’s 28 free throws, one has to assume that the rest of his field-goals occurred from inside the paint. Kobe Bryant’s 81 point performance included seven three-pointers and several perimeter shot attempts. Given the advanced degree of difficulty of his shot attempts, I firmly believe that Kobe Bryant’s 81 point performance was the best scoring display in NBA History. Kobe Bryant’s mental toughness is nothing short of admirable. His comeback in the aftermath of his sexual assault incident in Colorado can be seen as Exhibit A. I loved his incredible desire to win, even if it meant getting in the face of present and past teammates. Additionally, I loved his incredible desire to learn from the best. He had above-average confidence, but he was willing to be taught. The following is a list of athletes and/or mentors that he has had over the years. Michael Jackson

Bill Russell

Michael Jordan

Hakeem Olajuwon

Larry Bird

Kareem Abdul Jabbar

Magic Johnson Moreover, I have come to appreciate his belief that he could be the centerpiece of a championship team. With his career now concluded, there will be an onslaught of endless debates in barbershops, bars and family gatherings as to where Kobe Bryant ranks in terms of all-time greatness. Is he better than Michael Jordan? Is he the greatest Laker of all time? Is he the greatest player of all time? There will be plenty of times for such discussion. As basketball fans, we are indeed fortunate to see such an once-in-a-lifetime player during our lifespan. Thanks for the memories, Black Mamba. n

Summer/Fall 2016

w w w. o u r w o r l d m e d i a m a g a z i n e . c o m

Q QUEENS CENTER WHERE THE STORES ARE