May 19, 2012

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Fashion & Highlights from HJA 2012 – Part1

May 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Photo by Jason Beeston

What a Stunning Evening! The Harry Jerome Awards 30th year anniversary was a tremendous success; it was an all encompassing celebration. A sensational extravaganza filled with exciting and memorable moments and performances that entertained and engaged the audience. In addition to being a spectacular event, it was a great atmosphere for networking and reuniting with friends, family and acquaintances. The event was a sold out affair filled with distinguished attendees and keynote speakers. It was a phenomenal experience of the power of a community coming together. The gala was hosted by Marci Ien and Farley Flex, with keynote speaker CNN strategist, radio and TV personality Roland Martin. The evening honoured and awarded Black Canadians who have demonstrated commitment and success in a variety of fields including: Academics, Arts, Media, Entertainment, Athletics, Business, Community Service, Health Sciences, Leadership, Professional Excellence, Entrepreneurship, and Technology and Innovation. The BBPA Harry Jerome Awards is the premier national awards gala in the African-Canadian community and a coveted symbol of achievement. I had the privilege of speaking to guests and award recipients about their thoughts regarding this world class gala event. Everywhere I looked, I couldn’t resist settling my eyes on another unique and fashionable outfit that represented the personal style and swag of the individual wearing it. It was like being in a room full of brilliant, … [Read more...]

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Dealing with Debt: A five-step plan to be debt-free in three years or less

April 27, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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If your employer tells you to expect a week’s delay for your next pay check, how will you respond? Will you find yourself panic-stricken, scrimmaging to rub two cents together to get by, or will you rest easy knowing you have a contingency plan—money saved in an emergency nest egg to see you through this minor financial setback? The Vanier Institute of the Family authored a report in early 2010 assessing the current financial state of Canadian families. It cited research that found 59 per cent of respondents stated “they would be in trouble if their pay check was delayed by even a week.” The study also revealed that Canadian families are “walking a financial high wire” with research from 2009 indicating several troubling trends. 2009 saw a 50 per cent increase in mortgages running 90 days or more in arrears compared to 2008. The number of credit card holders behind at least three months in their payments rose 40 per cent from 2008 to 2009. Also, household debt climbed to an astounding $96,100 in 2009, creating a debt-to-income ratio of 145 per cent, the highest it’s ever been according to the report. Along with the rest of the world, Canada is slowly recovering from one of the worst recessions experienced in a generation. Governments and corporations have begun to pick up the pieces and to lay out plans which will prevent repeats of some of their mistakes. But the “great recession” or “credit crisis” also brought to light the abysmal state of … [Read more...]

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No Small Feat: Celebrating Our Legacy An interview with Robert Small

February 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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“I believe history is the blueprint for the future. Through this poster, I would like to give the next generation of African-Canadians the hope that the future will be brighter than the past…” Robert Small - Black History Month Poster Unveiling, 2007 Toronto-based visual artist, owner of The Small Gallery and the man behind Legacy Enterprises, Robert Small has made it his life’s ambition to ensure that African-Canadians gain ‘full knowledge’ of their rich, indelible contributions and their powerful legacy to Canada—our home and native land—through his artwork, and he has made a lucrative career doing it. The creative mastermind behind The Official Black History Poster™, aptly renamed to Legacy Poster™ in recent years, Small is a self-taught artist who embarked on a creative journey 16 years ago to gain recognition for Black History Month and his posters, which proved to be a successful marriage between art and enterprise. The poster is a visual juxtaposition of diverse, successful and inspiring, contemporary and historic African-Canadians that showcase Smalls’ artistic signature of bright vivid portraits. His posters can be found mounted on the walls of classrooms, libraries, community organizations, churches, banks, homes and a variety of places across Canada, which is no small feat. Viewed by many as a leading and prominent Black History Month ambassador, Small has accumulated an expansive list of accomplishments as one of Canada’s most … [Read more...]

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