HBO, Woodruff Arts Center's Celebrate Diversity Through the Arts Initiative and the 100 Black Men of Dekalb County to Host Atlanta Premiere of the HBO Documentary Film 'THE BLACK LIST: VOL. 2' on Thursday, February 19 at Woodruff Arts Center
/PRNewswire/ -- HBO, in partnership with the Woodruff Arts Center's Celebrate Diversity Through the Arts Initiative and the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County, will co-host the Atlanta premiere of THE BLACK LIST: VOL. 2 at an invitation-only screening on February 19 at The Woodruff Arts Center. Renowned photographer and filmmaker Timothy Greenfield-Sanders and award-winning journalist, critic and radio host Elvis Mitchell will attend to present the second installment of a remarkable group of African-American notables sharing candid stories and revealing insights into the struggles, triumphs and joys of black life in the U.S.
THE BLACK LIST: VOL. 2, which debuts February 26, exclusively on HBO, is a collaboration between celebrated portrait photographer and filmmaker Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, who directs, and award-winning journalist Elvis Mitchell, who interviews a host of influential people. The documentary profiles some of today's most fascinating African-Americans. From the childhood inspirations that shaped their ambitions, to the evolving American landscape they helped define, to the importance of preserving a unique cultural identity for future generations, these prominent individuals offer a unique look into the zeitgeist of black America, redefining the traditional pejorative notion of a blacklist.
The list of people featured in THE BLACK LIST: VOL. 2 includes activist and artist Majora Carter; activist and academic Angela Davis; producer Suzanne de Passe; actor Laurence Fishburne; Anglican Bishop Barbara Harris; Mass. Gov. Deval Patrick; pastor T.D. Jakes; physician and academic Valerie Montgomery- Rice, M.D.; filmmaker Tyler Perry; singer Charley Pride; fashion designer Patrick Robinson; actress Maya Rudolph; musician RZA; filmmaker Melvin Van Peebles; and artist Kara Walker.
Mitchell is never heard or seen on camera, which allows the subjects' own voices to remain the focus. The actual title was first conceived by Mitchell as an antidote to the persistent taint that western culture has applied to the word "black."
Timothy Greenfield-Sanders and Elvis Mitchell conceptualized what would become "The Black List Project" in May 2006, discussing the idea of collaborating on a book on black culture, which led to the documentary. They wanted "The Black List Project" to be not just an enumeration of obstacles overcome, but also a unique source of insights that would emphasize the elegance and determination of its subjects.
A 2008 Sundance Film Festival selection, "The Black List: Vol. 1" debuted on HBO last August, and featured such notables as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Sean Combs, Thelma Golden, Lou Gossett, Jr., Bill T. Jones, Vernon Jordan, Toni Morrison, Richard Parsons, Chris Rock, Al Sharpton, Slash, Faye Wattleton, Keenen Ivory Wayans and Serena Williams.
Inspired by "The Black List: Vol. 1," HBO launched a "Who's on Your Black List?" contest, asking viewers to submit a video of themselves, a relative, a friend, a co-worker, a neighbor or anyone else who has a story to tell about his or her experience of what it's like to be black in America today. The four winning videos were selected by a distinguished panel of judges and general viewers and are currently viewable on whosonyourblacklist.com. In January 2009, the winners visited New York, where they had their portraits taken by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders and were interviewed on film by Elvis Mitchell. Select clips from these interviews will be showcased on various HBO platforms throughout February.
HBO Documentary Films and Freemind Ventures & Perfect Day Films present THE BLACK LIST: VOL. 2. A film by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders & Elvis Mitchell. Directed by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders; interviews by Elvis Mitchell; producers, Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, Elvis Mitchell and Michael Slap Sloane; executive producers, Tommy Walker, Scott Richman, Christopher McKee and Payne Brown; associate producers, Lukas Hauser and Mary Bradley; editor, Benjamin Gray; music by Neal Evans; directors of photography, Joe Victorine and Graham Willoughby.
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Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Atlanta Premiere of the HBO Documentary Film 'THE BLACK LIST: VOL. 2' on Thursday, February 19 at Woodruff Arts Center
Friday, January 23, 2009
Learning What It Takes for African-American and Hispanic Kids to Compete in a Global Economy
/PRNewswire/ -- January 27th the 100 Black Men of DeKalb in collaboration with seminar promotions and professional speaking company CS Inspires Inc. will be hosting the screening of a new documentary entitled "Two Million Minutes." This film exposes the true facts concerning the widening global education gap between American students and their peers in China and India. The underlining premise of the film raises the question, "Is the American education system adequately preparing our children with the necessary knowledge and skills to compete for jobs within a global economy?"
The title comes from the fact that as soon as a student completes the 8th grade, the clock starts ticking. From that moment, the child has approximately two million minutes until high school graduation, which means two million minutes to build their intellectual foundation, to prepare for college and ultimately career, to go from a teenager to an adult.
The film compares educational standards in the United States with those in India and China by following two students from each of these countries and interviewing them, as well as members of their families, about the priorities in their lives during their senior year in high school. The film is intended to spark discussions and dialogue about American education. How do Americans compare on a global scale? Twenty months in the making, "Two Million Minutes" highlights the various pressures and priorities of these students and their families, providing insight into the changing nature of competition in the knowledge economy.
An even more pressing concern is that African-American and Hispanic students are dropping out of high school at alarming rates. Latest statistics suggest that in seventeen of the nation's 50 largest cities, more than 50% of African-American and Hispanic 9th graders are failing to earn their high school diplomas. After the screening attendees will be encouraged to participate in solution based dialogue on how we can improve the quality of education in DeKalb County and surrounding communities.
This event is free to the public. Parents, educators local political, business and community leaders are encouraged to attend. The screening will take place on Tuesday, January 27, 2009 at the McNair High School Auditorium located at 1804 Bouldercrest Blvd, SW Atlanta Georgia. The screening will start promptly at 6:00 PM.
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Thursday, January 22, 2009
Georgia Ranks Fourth in the Number of Untreated HIV Patients in the United States
/PRNewswire/ -- Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms focusing on pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that despite being the ninth largest state, Georgia ranks fourth in the number of untreated HIV patients in the United States.
"HIV prevalence is linked to ethnic/racial demographics as well as to urban/rural variations -- Georgia's larger than average black population drives Georgia's high prevalence of HIV," stated Jason LaBonte, Ph.D., vice president of new product development at Decision Resources. "Our epidemiologic model predicts that eight out of 1,000 people in Georgia have the disease versus the national average of five out of 1,000."
The new analytics tool entitled PatientFinder: HIV estimates that this high prevalence is compounded by Georgia's lower than average treatment rate for the disease (ranked 28th in the United States) which leaves a large number of HIV patients without drug therapy. Despite the abundance of untreated patients, however, Georgia remains a difficult target for pharmaceutical companies wishing to grow their patient base. Only 82 percent of the state's population has prescription drug insurance, which ranks 37th in the U.S.
Why Pharmaceutical Companies Need this Information
With the type of information included in PatientFinder, pharmaceutical organizations can identify the local markets that offer the greatest opportunity for their branded drug. Companies can identify markets that are underserved and determine if they should increase direct-to-consumer advertising, work with the local managed care organizations to increase awareness of the disease and benefits of their drug or align sales representatives to maximize market potential.
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Monday, September 29, 2008
100 Black Men of Atlanta, Inc. Mourns Death of Chairman and President Terrell L. Slayton, Jr.
PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- 100 Black Men of Atlanta, Inc. regretfully announces the death of Chairman and President Terrell L. Slayton, Jr. He passed away unexpectedly on September 27, 2008, after becoming ill that morning. He was an extremely dedicated member of the 100 Black Men of Atlanta and worked faithfully to support the programs of Project Success, a tuition assistance and mentoring program started by the organization in 1987. Throughout last week, Mr. Slayton spoke on behalf of the organization at events associated with the Bank of America Atlanta Football Classic, a major funding source for Project Success.
"We are deeply saddened by Terrell's death," said Milton Jones, President Elect, 100 Black Men of Atlanta, Inc. and Georgia Market President, Bank of America. "Anyone who ever worked with Terrell Slayton can attest to his inexhaustible passion for a mission and a cause. I benefited greatly from the impact of his energy and passion and he inspired all of us to work harder as he demonstrated every day how committed he was to the work of this organization and to the youth connected with Project Success and BEST Academy."
"This is indeed a great loss to me personally, to the 100 family and to the citizens of Atlanta," stated John Grant, CEO, 100 Black Men of Atlanta, Inc. "Through his community spirit and leadership roles in several civic organizations, he has made a lasting impact on the lives of many. His leadership was truly by example and as an organization we are going to do what Terrell would have wanted. We will move forward and continue to serve and execute with excellence."
Mr. Slayton was born in Troy, AL in 1947. He joined the 100 Black Men of Atlanta in 1987 and was voted President Elect in April of 2006. He assumed the role of Chairman and President this past April and served with excellence in that capacity until his passing on Saturday. As a member of numerous committees and sub committees, Mr. Slayton contributed to countless initiatives over the past twenty years, one of which included being the architect of the organization's current strategic plan, developed with the Carl Vincent Institute of the University of Georgia.
Serving in the capacity of President Elect, Mr. Slayton played an integral part in the leadership team's many accomplishments over the past two years that included winning the 100 Black Men Chapter of the Year Award, the Mutual of America Life Insurance Company's Community Partner Award and the FIRST Robotics Program's Connect Award, expanding BEST Academy to include seventh graders and the organization moved into its permanent headquarters on Peachtree Street.
"The passing of Terrell Slayton came as a shock to me and to the members of our international organization," stated Albert E. Dotson, Jr., Esq., Chairman, 100 Black Men of America, Inc. "Although saddened, we are proud of the leadership standard he set for both members and mentees. It was a privilege to know him and I remain proud of the work of the Atlanta chapter and Terrell's role as a Board Member with 100 Black Men of America, Inc."
"Mr. Slayton's leadership and commitment to our youth has inspired many," said John Hammond, President and CEO, 100 Black Men of America, Inc. "He will be greatly missed."
Mr. Slayton's circle of influence stretches across the state of Georgia and this nation. The family is deeply appreciative of the many friends, colleagues and associates who have already called to pay their respects. The funeral will be held at King's Chapel on the campus of Morehouse College, located at 830 Westview Drive, S.W. Atlanta, GA 30314. A public viewing will be held from 9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. and funeral services will take place from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
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Monday, September 22, 2008
The 20th Anniversary of the Bank of America Atlanta Football Classic to Air Live on VERSUS, September 27 at 4 p.m. ET
PRNewswire/ -- The 20th anniversary of the Bank of America Atlanta Football Classic will air live on VERSUS on September 27, at 4 p.m. ET, marking the first time that the game will be televised nationally.
VERSUS, a national cable sports network in more than 73 million homes, will air the match-up between Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) rivals Tennessee State University and Florida A&M University live from the Georgia Dome. This year's game marks the 10th consecutive year in which the two teams have taken to the field for the Classic.
"We are very excited for the opportunity to televise this year's 20th anniversary game on a national platform available to more than 73 million U.S. viewers," said Marc Fein, Executive Vice President of Programming, Production and Business Operations for VERSUS. "We feel that given the tradition and historic rivalries featured in the Bank of America Atlanta Football Classic, it is truly an event of national significance."
The 100 Black Men of Atlanta, organizers and hosts for the game, commissioned Atlanta-based sports marketing agency Career Sports & Entertainment to plan the games broadcast, media and marketing strategy. A unique element -- traditionally characteristic of HBCU football games -- to be showcased will be the McDonald's Halftime Show -- an immensely popular Drumline-style battle of marching bands.
"This rivalry is absolutely drama-filled! With its highly electric marching band battle, we have a very unique sports property here with the Bank of America Atlanta Football Classic," said John T. Grant, CEO, 100 Black Men of Atlanta. "Our organization has been putting this game on for 20 years now and has witnessed hundreds of thousands of patrons flock to Atlanta to enjoy the annual festivities. We've noticed that the nature of sports programming has evolved to engage fans even more than in the past. We're very excited about adopting new elements to the production that will enhance the fan's overall experience."
The Bank of America Atlanta Football Classic has generated more than $115 million for Georgia's economy, as well as more than $5.8 million has been contributed to participating schools over the past six years. Proceeds from the game serve to fund the 100 Black Men of Atlanta's Project Success initiative -- a youth development program that stresses academic achievement and career guidance.
For more information on the Bank of America Atlanta Football Classic, visit www.atlantafootballclassic.com.
About the Bank of America Atlanta Football Classic
First organized by the 100 Black Men of Atlanta in 1989, the Back of America Atlanta Football Classic has evolved into the second largest recurring college sporting event in Georgia. Culminating in a sold-out college football game between rival programs, complete with a full marching band showdown, the Classic's week-long agenda of events includes a town hall meeting on African- American health issues; a collegiate symposium; health, job & college fairs; the Georgia Power Parade of Excellence; and the Friday-night Battle of the Bands.
Bringing 150,000 visitors into the city, the Bank of America Atlanta Football Classic generates nearly $30M in Georgia's economy each year and now has a permanent exhibit located in the Georgia Dome commemorating its success. A blue-chip roster of sponsors, including: Abbott, Aetna, Allstate, AstraZeneca, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Atlanta Life Financial Group, Bank of America, Coors, Delta, Ford, Georgia Power, Jack Daniels, MARTA, McDonald's, NASCAR, Russell Corp, Tyson, AT&T and UPS join title sponsor Bank of America to make these events possible.
To date, the Bank of America Atlanta Football Classic has raised more than $2.6M over the past four years to fund the organization's post-secondary preparation and tuition assistance program for at-risk youth, Project Success, and almost $7M in contributions for the participating universities.
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Arts Across Georgia
