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Good for Business, Good for Communities

Join us to celebrate business community diversity InBiz Networking Reception Monday, July 21, 2008 4:45 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. Sheraton Suites Country Club Plaza 770 W. 47th Street Kansas City, MO Join local business owners as well as staff from local and state programs for minority and women-business development to celebrate our country's diverse business community. This local reception is part of our two-day convening of leaders from state government programs for minority and women-business development, 'Good for Business; Good for Communities'. Leaders from agencies in more than 20 states will be present. This local reception is part of our two-day convening of leaders from state government. Beverages (Cash Bar) and hors d'oeuvres will be provided. This event is free of charge, but please register at http://www.acteva.com/booking.cfm?bevaid=161721 Following the reception, join us for a special conference session M/WBE Procurement at the Local Level: Best Practices and Lessons Learned from Cities and States Monday, July 21, 2008 6:15 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. Sheraton Suites Country Club Plaza Featured Panelists: -Deborah Chen, MWDBE Division Manager, City of Kansas City, MO -Lazone Grays, President/CEO, IBSA, Inc. -Tim Lohrentz, Program Manager, Insight Center for Community Economic Development -Angel McCormick Franks, Director, Missouri Office of Supplier and Workforce Diversity M/WBE Procurement at the Local Level: Best Practices and Lessons Learned from Cities and States. This special conference session will immediately follow the reception and will include representatives from the state of Missouri and local governments. Join colleagues at local and statewide levels to discuss best practices for local minority and women-business development. This event is free of charge, but please register at http://www.acteva.com/booking.cfm?bevaid=161721

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Small businesses, and especially minority- and women-owned businesses (MBEs and WBEs), are key components of regional and state economic development. MBEs and WBEs create jobs; spur reinvestment in lower-income communities; are a source of tax revenue, often in cash-strapped jurisdictions; and facilitate inter-generational wealth transfers. That is why we have created InBiz, the Inclusive Business Initiative - http://www.insightcced.org/index.php/insight-communities/inbiz.

2008 Insight Center for Community Economic Development 2201 Broadway, Suite 815, Oakland, CA 94612-3024 510-251-2600 www.insightcced.org


June 28, 2008 | 9:06 AM Comments  0 comments

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Becoming a Grant Writing Consultant

Grant Writing & Nonprofit Management > Becoming a Grant Writing Consultant (online course) Good grant writing consultants are always in demand. Learn how you can use a basic knowledge of grant or proposal writing to become an expert in the red-hot grant consulting field. Your instructor, a national grant consulting veteran, will provide you with easy-to-follow instructions that you can use to start your own home-based business. You'll learn what services to offer, how to find clients, and how to set your fees. This is one field where your creative writing skills can literally touch thousands of people and make a true difference in their quality of life.

Offered is a course facilitated by a knowledgeable and caring instructor who will guide you through your lessons, facilitate discussions, and answer your questions. The instructor for this course will be Beverly Browning.

Dr. Beverly Browning has been writing winning grant proposals for over 20 years. She is a full-time grant writing consultant who has helped her for-profit and nonprofit clients, worldwide, to win over $100 million in grant and contract awards. Dr. Browning is a college instructor, grant writing workshop presenter, and author of nearly two dozen books, including Grant Writing For Dummies and Faith-Based Grants: Aligning Your Church to Receive Abundance. Classes start: June 18 July 16 August 20 September 17

IBSA, Inc. - Career Development 629 SE Quincy, Suite 102 Topeka, Kansas 66603-3921 (913) 240-6247 ph (785) 232-4272 msg/fax Serving Kansas, Louisiana, Texas, Missouri, New York http://www.ed2go.com/ibsaonline/

Kansas City Metro Office 2052 N. 3rd Street Kansas City, Kansas 66101 (913) 371-4709 fax Serving Shawnee, Wyandotte, Leavenworth, Johnson County

http://www.ibsa-inc.org


June 21, 2008 | 12:06 PM Comments  0 comments

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SNITCHCRAFT” INCLUDED IN CURRICULUM GUIDE AT YALE NATIONAL INITIATIVE
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 15, 2008
Contact: Edrea Davis/Jazzmyne PR
Phone: 818.613.9521

URBAN FICTION TACKLES REAL ISSUES
“SNITCHCRAFT” INCLUDED IN CURRICULUM GUIDE AT YALE NATIONAL INITIATIVE

To Snitch or Not to Snitch, That is the Unanswered Question

Atlanta, GA - SnitchCraft, an urban novel by Edrea Davis, recently landed on the required reading list in a curriculum guide examining snitching at the Yale National Initiative of the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute.

The Introduction to Criminal Justice course, Police Investigative Challenges: To Snitch or Not to Snitch, That is the Unanswered Question, seeks to teach a comprehensive curriculum on the problems and repercussions associated with uncooperative witnesses.

SnitchCraft is required reading, the guide notes, “because it looks at the present day social phenomenon of snitching, police corruption and the use of paid confidential informants in solving crime.” The guide also points out that many students have not been introduced to crime fiction and do not realize it can help them identify issues connected to real life situations.

Legendary civil rights leader and vocal advocate for criminal justice reform, Rev. Joseph E. Lowery, praised Davis. “Edrea shrewdly weaves critical information and spiritual messages into a gripping urban story,” Lowery said. The co-founder of SCLC with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. added, “SnitchCraft provides a glimpse into the flawed snitch system, offers a historical perspective on the distrust of law enforcement, and promotes civic engagement. It’s an excellent teaching tool for inner-city youth.”

SnitchCraft (Dogon Village Books ISBN: 097869740-5) fuses hip-hop with civil rights to tell the story of a hustler-turned-nightclub owner set up by a dishonest snitch. The fictional saga juxtaposes the themes of family, spirituality, and social justice, against the backdrop of a popular Southern California nightclub battling escalating gang violence.

“I am thrilled to be on any list that includes Edgar Allen Poe,” said Davis. “But, I am most honored that someone in a program focused on developing effective teaching strategies for youth in low-income communities recognized the value of the messages embedded in SnitchCraft.”

The guide underscores the valuable “After the Book” section that offers statistics, discussion questions, and a ‘take action’ section. SnitchCraft also includes a resource list of contacts for organizations working on criminal justice reform including, The November Coalition, FAMM, Stop the Drug War, Drug Policy Alliance, and The Coalition for the Peoples’ Agenda.

“I wanted to convey important information in a language that the hip-hop generation would appreciate, and also demonstrate that ‘street lit’ can be used to deliver positive messages that inspire young people,” said Davis, a communications consultant with Jazzmyne PR. “I commend the Yale National Initiative for seeking innovative approaches to teaching 21st century students,” the Englewood, NJ native adds.

SnitchCraft is available online at www.snitchcraft.com and most online book retailers, and is distributed to bookstores nationally through Ingram Book Group.

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Contact Edrea at edmedia@dogonvillage.com or 818.613.9521

Photo Caption: Edrea Davis, author of urban novel SnitchCraft, with civil rights leader Rev. Dr. Joseph E. Lowery


#########################################

Edrea Davis
Communications Strategist & Author of SnitchCraft

www.jazzmynepr.com www.snitchcraft.com



June 19, 2008 | 1:27 AM Comments  0 comments

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Video Marketing for Small Businesses

Technology has created video marketing opportunities - cable TV, email marketing, websites and video - for small businesses to be on an even playing field with large companies. From extremely inexpensive video streaming in an email to the full-production TV ad with hired actors, even small companies and home-based businesses can include video advertising in their budget.

You might be asking why you should consider it at all when your current advertising is working just fine. Aside from the fact that adding another strategy to your marketing plan is a good idea, videos are very personal. Who better to discuss your service or product than you? It brings a familiarity to you and your company, which allows the prospect to feel like they already know you. If the message is directed to your current customer base, seeing and hearing you gives the feeling that you are presenting your message directly to them.

There are professional videos and way too often, not so professional videos. Most of us cringe when we hear a car salesman screaming about a wonderful deal waiting for you if you'll come down RIGHT NOW! Or the windows and siding guy who squawks about the fantastic savings if you call within the next 30 minutes (but the ad runs all day long). These are stereotypes of TV advertising available for the small business owner. But it doesn't have to be that way!

Cable TV ads can be very cost effective because you can be specific where your ad dollars will be spent. The cable company has demographic statistics so you can learn what programs are viewed most frequently by your target market then select where (as specific as the zip codes) and when you want your ads to run. The variety of shows cable companies have in their lineup provides a fantastic choice for the advertiser. In addition, they can also slot your ad in during the Big 3 networks' shows as well.

Videos aren't only just for cable TV. There are many companies that create videos which can be linked to websites, newsletters, social networking sites and email signature lines. They serve many purposes from advertising to introducing a new product or service to just send a keeping-in-touch message to current clients. These videos are also used for on-line training and even instructions to learn how to use a new networking website (http://www.OneDegreeConnected.com). Some are scripted, while others are produced to simulate a talk show format. Compare cost as well as professionalism. This form of advertising can be extremely high-quality or can be an embarrassment to your company's image. Get referrals! View some of the finished productions of each company you are considering before signing any contract.

You can even create your own video while sitting in your office. Do you have a video camera or a video cam connected to your computer? You're all set to create your own video stream to be placed in emails or on your website. A word of caution is to make sure it's not too long. Keep it less than 90 seconds and you'll usually keep the viewer's interest.

Video has created the opportunity for business owners to star in their own commercials. Consider the scenarios mentioned earlier of what video advertising could - but shouldn't - be. Luckily, these are the exception and not the rule; most ads are professional from writing the ad copy to the production. Of course, it's important to remember that the familiar saying "junk in, junk out" holds true for video more than any other media. You're dealing with three methods of presenting the message: content, visual and audio.

Therefore, if you choose to take part in your videos, it's best to receive some coaching prior to production. Accent On Business http://www.accentonbusiness.net), known throughout the United States, will help you with voice and presentation skills. Public speakers, politicians, sports figures, CEOs and others consult with a professional voice and speech coach; so should you. You will have total control over what needs to be said, but they will help you say it with the professionalism that will provide the image you want to present.

New technology has made video marketing very affordable even for the smallest budget. There are a variety of opportunities and one will certainly fit your budget. Consider video in your next marketing plan. You'll find a new media that will present your company with a fresh message and make it personal.

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About the Author: Cindy Hartman


June 10, 2008 | 11:06 AM Comments  0 comments

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