One Hood Challenges the Media Portrayal of Black Youth

The above documentary, “Game Changers” was written and produced by Chris Moore for WQED TV. According to Mr. Moore, “Jasiri X and Paradise Gray of One Hood Media are Game Changers who are teaching young black men how to play the media game and control their own images. In this day of the Internet they don’t need anyone’s permission to blog or shoot their own videos, they control the vertical and the horizontal, and thus they realize the power that they have to change the way they are perceived in popular culture. It is a transformative moment when these students finally get in the game, they become Game Changers.”

One Hood Media Academy, established by Jasiri X and Paradise “The Arkitech” Gray, in conjunction with August Wilson Center for African American Culture and a generous donation provided by the Heinz Endowments, is the tool to help African American young men critically analyze media messages, broaden their experience of media, and develop the creative skills needed in producing their own media. The mission is to improve self-image, dispel stereotypes, and provide a positive forum of self-expression.  The program is offered to 25 young African-American men, ages 13-19.  The course will include, though not limited to, the art of blogging, video production, and social media. Applications for entry are now being accepted until February 1, 2013. The Academy will be held at the Elite Studios, 901 Western Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA.

David Banner

One Hood Media Academy’s opening ceremony will be held at the August Wilson Center for African American Culture on January 25, 2013 at 7 p.m. with special guest, Grammy award winning, multi-platinum artist David Banner.  A Conversation with David Banner will include an in depth discussion with David Banner regarding the Black male image in Hip Hop, his career and current activities, as well as current state of Hip Hop.  The ceremony will also feature a performance by One Hood Media Academy graduates Jordan Montgomery and Cameron Layne.

Voter Suppression Intimidations Tactics in Full Swing All Over the Country this Election Day

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_AN_jJ_BzA

Barbara Arnwine

After 2 years of campaigning and over 4 billion dollars spent, it all comes down to Election Day which is happening as we speak..Voter Suppression is everywhere with the power elite trying everything they can to stop folks from voting.. You can peep the video above where they tried to close the doors on people in Ohio.. Thank God Jasiri X, Bakari Kitwana, Angela Woodson and Paradise Gray were on hand..

Today we spoke with Barbara Arwine from the Lawyers Committee on Civil Rights who broke down all the  Voter Suppression tactics are being used everywhere. you can listen to our interview by clicking the link below..

During our conversation she explained that there are long lines in many places where folks have stood for up to six hours as biased election boards have lessened voting sites and voting machines available for the public in some areas. In short folks are being discouraged to vote with the long lines

The Voter Suppression billboards erected by Clear Channel in Black neighborhoods in places like Cincinnati, Ohio, have been replaced by people driving tracks with mobile billboards.

The biggest problems is True The Vote, a Tea Party/ Koch Brother backed organization out of Texas which had as it’s goal to recruit one million vote challengers. As we speak in places like Pittsburgh, PA, African-American voters are being bombarded with TTV folks demanding to see IDS and questioning folks… The laws are that people do not have to answer or show any ID to anyone..In fact in almost all the states except Tennessee, restrictive voter ID laws have been struck down, but that hasn’t stopped True to Vote poll challengers from harassing people.

We are also finding that phone calls are being made telling folks they can vote over the phone. Some of these calls are coming from people pretending to be from the Board of Elections.. There is no such thing as voting by phone…

Here in the Bay Area, thousands of people woke up to deceptive flyers that rearranged voting endorsements from a Democratic club. On the new flyers Prop 37,the GMO labeling bill has switched from Vote YES to Vote NO.. That’s totally inaccurate and a distortion of what the Democratic club had stated..There has also been ballot tampering in nearby Vallejo.. People seeing any of this are being asked to call 1-866-OUR-VOTE…

Our guest Barbara Arwine from the Lawyers Committee of Civil Rights said that what will need to happen after this election is nationwide election reform bill banning deceptive practices and voter suppression tactics..

Here’s our insightful intv w/ Barbara Arwine, giving us the lay of the land all over the country

Why are People FANatic About Sports Teams..but will NOT VOTE for the Teams that control their lives?

Paradise the Arkitech

Why are people so FANatic about their meaningless local Football, Baseball and Basketball teams but will NOT VOTE for the team that controls their Jobs, Money, Housing, Education, Air, Water, Food, Transportation, Taxes, Health care, LIVES?

-Paradise Gray of X-Clan-

Words of wisdom from Paradise as we head into the home stretch of the midterm elections… Now there will be some who will cry out that voting doesn’t matter when it really does especially on local levels..We just had a serious police brutality incident in Boston.. what’s the DA gonna do about that?  We have judges who sit on the bench and rule on everything from divorce to parking tickets to you smoking weed. That same judge gets to rule on all those issues or  set  guidelines for a jury  to follow. You don’t think thats important to vote on?

You don’t like the Democrats or Republicans?… There are all sorts of third Party candidates running, why not vote for them and make a showing versus complaining that the two main parties are corrupt?

Below are several voting guides for you to look through.. One of them even allows you to make your own and share it with friends via Facebook and twitter.. Take a look at them. get informed and make a difference.

http://www.smartvoter.org/ Most comprehensive.. has all the races local, state and nationwide

http://www.votesmart.org/voteeasy/ pretty similar.. doesn’t go as deep into local city and town races…This ballot matches candidates to the issues like the death penalty or mandatory prison sentences you feel passionate about

http://theballot.org/ This ballot guide allows you to upload and put out your own..It’s designed for young adults.. pretty dope.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nQJY44GSgk

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