News & Entertainment from the Community! Serving the cities that make up the South Bay in Southern California Published by SPMG Media
Volume 7
Issue 24
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Positive Results Corporation Receives Award for Stop The Pain Teen Summit Program
December 15—31, 2013
100 Young People from Foster Care Awarded FosterClub’s Outstanding
Carson Councilman Mike Gipson honored Kandee Lewis and The Positive Results Corporation last week at the City of Carson Ceremonial Presentation for bringing Stop The Pain, Teen Summit on Dating Violence & Bully Prevention to Cal State University at Dominquez Hills. Here are some facts on Dating Violence: Dating, domestic, and sexual violence affect women regardless of their age, and teens and young women are especially vulnerable; Approximately 1 in 3 adolescent girls in the United States is a victim of physical, emotional, or verbal abuse from a dating partner, a figure that far exceeds victimization rates for other types of violence affecting youth.
Nationwide, 1 in 10 high school students (9.9 percent) has been hit, slapped, or physically hurt on purpose by a boyfriend or girlfriend. 20 percent of teen girls exposed to physical dating violence did not attend school because the teen girls felt unsafe either at school, or on the way to or from school, on 1 or more occasions in a 30-day period; 20 percent of teen girls exposed to physical dating violence did not attend school because the teen girls felt unsafe either at school, or on the way to or from school, on 1 or more occasions in a 30-day period. The Positive Results Corporation teaches leadership, character development and job training to prevent exposure to violence and high risk behaviors. They target dating, domestic and sexual violence, and bullying because these affect people of all ages. Learn more about The Positive Results Corporation at http://www.prc123.org
Last week one hundred young people, age 16 to 24, and who spent a portion of their childhood in foster care, were celebrated for service to their communities and their commitment to improve the foster care system. The one hundred young people represent forty-four states and collectively share over seven hundred years of experience in the foster care system. “These young leaders have persevered through challenging circumstances and are now finding different ways to give back to their community and disprove negative stereotypes about young people in foster care,” says Celeste Bodner, FosterClub’s Executive Director. Over twelve years, FosterClub has worked with thousands of kids helping bring their stories to light and providing a platform for their voices to be heard. (Continued Page 2)
LAUSD Board Meeting to Appoint/ Elect Replacement for Dr. Marguerite LaMotte
The LAUSD held a board meeting this week regarding the vacancy of the seat held by the late Dr. Marguerite Poindexter LaMotte. At a press conference prior to the board meeting, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-43) was joined with other elected officials and over 35 community organizations in urging board members to respectfully delay any action to replace Ms. LaMotte until following her services and internment. She stated, "In every way, Marguerite LaMotte was a model educator, advocate and dear friend. Our community is still coping with the loss of this important leader, who fought especially hard for students in underserved communities."
Congrats to Norma Taylor of Inglewood—She Got A New Car from ‘Ellen DeGeneres Show’
Big Marketing Ideas for in touch: Ever yone knows Small Businesses Stay how important it is to stay in touch
with friends. If you’re a small business owner, don’t forget to stay in touch with your customers so they won’t forget about you. Use social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, along with email to notify your customers about special promotions or to just remind them about the great benefits you offer.
Are personal relationships why most consumers frequent small businesses? From the mom and pop coffee shop to the small bookstore just down the street, people enjoy the personal interactions and convenience small businesses offer. In a recent survey about interactions between consumers and small businesses from Web.com, more than eight out of ten consumers said it’s important that a small business is customerfocused and provides personal, face-toface interaction with its customers. Respondents also wanted a small business to be local, convenient and reliable. Grow online: To account for consumers’ desire for personal relationships, small businesses should have a big presence on the Internet, but only 41 percent of small businesses surveyed even had a website. Those without a website said they didn’t see the need for one, or the cost of designing and maintaining a site was a barrier. On the other hand, 83 percent of consumers who responded said having a website and use of social media is important to their consideration and choice of a small business. “Small businesses have historically relied on face-to-face relationships to grow and differentiate themselves, but today’s consumers are demanding that these relationships extend into ‘e-Main Street’,” says David Brown, president, chairman and CEO of Web.com. “Our survey found a significant disconnect between how small businesses decision -makers think they are delivering on customers’ expectations versus the reality of consumers’ perceptions. The good news is small businesses are starting to realize the web’s untapped potential to reach consumers who are eager for online engagement.”
While it’s easy to blast an email to every customer or post an endless stream of cute pictures on Facebook, it’s important to not overwhelm or annoy them with too much of a good thing. Keep your messages consistent, concise and professional. If you’re not sure how to get started, the Internet offers a lot of resources about how to successfully set up your online presence and use Google, Facebook and Twitter to market and grow your business online. You can also find information online at www.Web.com. Provide personal service: Set your business apart by giving every customer the personal interaction and convenience they crave. Simply asking customers about their purchases or how you can serve them better gives you a consistent stream of information you can use to refine your goods or services and increase sales. Make sure every employee understands the value in talking to customers and tracking feedback. The bottom line for every small business is that consumers are demanding online interaction and involvement with businesses, both big and small. Consistently reaching out to your customers through a website, social media and face-toface interactions will help your business thrive.
Success Strategies for Job Seekers: PART 1 Develop and keep a positive attitude. Focus on your positive characteristics and practice communicating them. Remember, employers want to hire positive people. Be tactful and don’t gossip, back stab, or speak poorly of anyone or anything. Associate with positive and successful people. Finding a job largely depends on how well you relate to others and how effectively you network within the job market. Run with winners who have a positive outlook on life.
Give your job search structure. Plan your work, work your plan. Write down your daily and weekly goals and follow them. Be organized with your job search and develop an efficient and effective filing system.
Work hard at finding a job. Make this a daily endeavor. Involve your family. Spend the time necessary to make a professional commitment to you. Be dedicated to your new job, which is, to find a job. Use good time management techniques.
Look for more in the January 1, 2014 issue!
President Willie J. Hagan, Students Honored by Millennium Momentum Foundation
Long Beach City Colleges’ Davis, Ropati, Vaaulu sign letters of intent to continue at four-year colleges Three members of the 2013 Long Beach City College football team have signed National Letters of Intent to continue their academic and athletic careers at four-year institutions. David Davis (Palos Verdes HS) has signed with the University of California, Berkeley, Patrick Ropati (Jordan HS) will attend West Texas A&M University, and Agaufa "AA" Va'aulu (Warren HS) will continue at Texas A&M University-Kingsville.
California State University, Dominguez Hills President Willie J. Hagan was honored with the Millennium Momentum Foundation (MMF) 2013 Ambassador of Education Award, and three students from the university were recognized with the foundation’s Best and Brightest Scholarship during the nonprofit’s 11th Annual Opening Doors Awards Gala at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on Dec. 6. CSU Dominguez Hills President Willie J. Hagan and students Nicole Harris, Yaneli Ramirez (Class of ’11), and Vanessa Alvarez receive Millennium Momentum Foundation awards. The Ambassador of Education award is presented to an institution of higher education or an individual in higher education who has demonstrated a significant commitment to creating and sustaining avenues for civic engagement and community reinvestment among a new generation. Since becoming CSU Dominguez Hills’ interim president in June 2012 and its permanent president in May 2013, Hagan has refocused and reinvigorated campus-wide efforts on improving student academic success, which includes opportunities for students to gain real-world experiences through internships and encouraging student involvement in their communities. “This award is about bridging the gap between the community and the educational institution and there’s no way a president does that on his own. He bridges the gap by what the faculty do, by what the students do, what our alums do, our supporters, our donors, and our staff,” Hagan said in his acceptance speech. Hagan went on to relate a “40-second story” of the university’s history—from being established in 1960 in Palos Verdes, to its relocation to the City of Carson shortly after the 1965 Watts riots—to illustrate why receiving the award is particularly meaningful. “[The] riots said that we have a community in crisis. … [W]hat did [government officials] reach for to resolve that crisis?
The group signed their letters of intent on Wednesday as part of the first day of the NCAA They reached for a university. midyear transfer signing period. They reached for Dominguez Hills. They were looking for a catalyst of "I'm very proud of these three young men that change,” Hagan remarked. “And they are able to transfer midyear," said first-year our whole existence as a university LBCC head coach Brett Peabody. "Our main goal is based on the transformative for this program is to send guys on to the next power of higher education. It’s level. This is just the tip of the iceberg as we proven to transform individuals; should have many more heading out during the you’ve seen that in the students February signing period." who’ve walked across the stage. And it’s been proven effective in transforming the community. So I accept this award on behalf of our university, our faculty, our staff, and our donors, because believe me, the kind of change that we want to have happen, based upon education in this country, requires all of us.”. READ MORE at http:// www.csudhnews.com/2013/12/ LBCC head coach Brett Peabody with David Davis, Patrick millennium-momentumRopati, and AA Va'aulu after signing their National Letters of Intern on Wednesday. foundation-awards/
Stevie Wonder's House Full of Toys Benefit Beyonce album sets iTunes sales record, tops This will be the 7th year in a row Stevie Wonder will host his House Full of Toys Benefit Concert at Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE. Previous participants and performers include: Alicia Keys, Angela Winbush, Brian McKnight, Faith Evans, Deborah Cox, Robin Thicke, Tommy Davidson, Earth, Wind & Fire, and many more.
Tickets available on AXS.com or by phone (888) 929-7849. For more information about the event stop by Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE Legendary artist and musician Stevie Wonder will be presenting in its entirety the Songs in the Key of Life performance for the 18th Annual House Full of Toys Benefit Concert. The concert will include original singers/musicians as well as today’s contemporary artists. The performance will be at Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE on Saturday, December 21, 2013. Two years in making, Songs in the Key of Life is a groundbreaking masterpiece that puts together Stevie Wonder’s amazing music talents. It is the first double album to debut at number one on Billboard’s Pop Album Chart and went on to win the GRAMMY for Album of the Year. Songs in the Key of Life, Stevie Wonder and his band Wonderlove, is number 56 on Rolling Stone Magazine’s list of “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.” It sold over 10 million copies in the U.S. and was awarded Diamond status by the RIAA. The House Full of Toys Benefit Concert was first launched in 1996 at the House of Blues in Hollywood. The concert benefits the We Are You Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, that helps numerous charitable organizations such as Junior Blind of America, West Angeles Church of God and Christ, Hermosa
Each year the House Full of Toys Benefit Concert collects and distributes unwrapped toys and gifts of joy for people in need. Stop by and bring a toy! This is an amazing event brought to you by a wonderful, talented artist Stevie Wonder. Do not miss your chance to see him live. Purchase your tickets on Friday, November 1st before they sell out.
Billboard chart
"Beyonce," the fifth solo studio album from the singer, unexpectedly released in the early hours of December 13 without any prior fanfare, contains 14 new songs and 17 videos, and swiftly topped the iTunes album charts across the world. R&B star Beyonce's latest self-titled album surpassed 1 million copies sold worldwide in six days on Wednesday and set a record for iTunes, Apple Inc. and Columbia Records said. The album also debuted at the top of the weekly Billboard 200 album chart on Wednesday, with 617,000 copies sold in the United States by the week ending December 15, according to figures from Nielsen SoundScan. The deluxe digital album, exclusively available on iTunes, can only be purchased as a complete set of songs and videos, and retails for $15.99 at the U.S. store. A physical version will be made available for sale in time for the festive holiday period this month.
Ministry Spotlight
Antioch Church of Long Beach has been a beacon of light in the local community of Long Beach, California. On January 10, 1961 Reverend and Mrs. Joe Chaney, Jr., along with five other people in their home laid the foundation of Antioch Church of Long Beach. Under the dynamic and inspirational leadership of Reverend Joe Chaney, Antioch’s membership grew rapidly, necessitating the need to move from a rented room on the third floor of Morgan Hall on Eighth and Locust in downtown Long Beach. With less than 50 members and a treasury almost empty, an “impossible dream” came true. The church by faith purchased the church building and property located at 16th and Gundry where it currently stands. On the third Sunday in August of 1961, Antioch Missionary Baptist Church held its first service in the new building with Dr.Timothy Chambers, Sr. as the guest preacher. Antioch’s membership grew from five in 1961, to a membership of over 2,500. The first building site was remodeled in 1975, and in 1984 Antioch was rebuilt, adding educational spaces for Sunday School and Discipleship classes, a dining facility and meeting rooms available for use by various community organizations.
Pastor Wayne Chaney of Antioch Church of Long Beach is also a star on the Oxygen docu-series "Preachers of L.A." is defending his decision to promote being "saved, sanctified and sexual" on television screens.
While the show has been deemed controversial by a number of Christians and faith leaders, Chaney does not believe the show misrepresents
Christianity. Chaney and his wife Myesha, have showcased their union on the show Cheney appears on the docuwhere the pastor has controversially series alongside minister and gospromoted their intimacy. pel singer Deitrick Haddon, Bish"We want people to know you can be op Noel Jones, the senior pastor saved, sanctified, and sexual," he said of the City of Refuge Church in Gardena, Calif., Bishop Clarence McClendon of Full Harvest International Church, Bishop Ron M. Gibson of Life Church of God In Christ and Pastor Jay Haizlip of The Sanctuary Church. The show appears on Oxygen Network Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET. on the show. "God made us that way." While his comments received some backlash on social media websites, Chaney recently said they should not be taken out of context. "If someone was single and wants to be sanctified and sexual with their girlfriend or boo, that's a completely different story. When you're married and you're talking about being saved and sexual, I think God smiles on that.” "Whoever has a problem with that probably needs to get a love life!"