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Lazone Grays's Blog
Lazone Grays's Blog
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Youth Entrepreneurship
Related to country: United States

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

Young people of today are the entrepreneurs of the future. SBA has developed a teen Website designed to introduce young entrepreneurs to the concept of small business ownership as a viable career choice. The innovative Website helps young people shape and implement their dreams of entrepreneurship. This site features the fundamentals of starting a small business from brainstorming to evaluating the feasibility of your idea, developing the all-important business plan, learning from successful young entrepreneurs, making sound financial decisions and utilizing various entrepreneurial development services. Valuable resources provide face-to-face counseling and training as well as online counseling and training in starting and growing a business.

Teen Website http://www.sba.gov/teens/

December 27, 2007 | 3:52 AM Comments  0 comments



Ephren Taylor, II - Featured Youth Leader
Related to country: United States

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

Ephren W. Taylor II is the youngest African-American CEO of any publicly traded company ever—City Capital Corporation (OTCBB:CCCN). Described as “walking black history” by popular radio show host Tom Joyner, Taylor started his first business venture at age 12, when he began making videogames. By age 17, he built a multi-million dollar technology company; GoFerretGo.com.

At City Capital Corporation, Taylor oversees over $250 million in assets, serving a diverse client list ranging from Wall Street investors, top executives, professional athletes and even entertainment icons. His concepts on empowering local communities with both profitable and socially-conscious investing and development have made him a frequently requested speaker and panelist for events such as the Wall Street Economic Summit and the Congressional Black Caucus. Taylor is also a well-known guest expert broadcasting to millions of households on local and national television and radio shows including CNBC’s Big Idea, FOX News' Your World with Neil Cavuto, Bulls & Bears and the Doug Bank’s Morning Show. He currently hosts the "Soul of Success" radio show now airing on XM Satellite Radio Station on Family Talk 170XM. Taylor’s appeal stretches beyond the United States borders, as he frequently receives interview and appearance requests from international entities, such as the London-based Wealth Monitor and BBC.

http://www.ephren.com

November 26, 2007 | 1:48 PM Comments  0 comments



Illai Kenney: Featured Youth Leader
Related to country: United States

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

Illai Kenney is an internationally recognized environmental and social justice youth activist. Her first public speech was at the Million Youth Movement Rally when she was nine and she founded the Georgia Kids Against Pollution when she was 12. She is a Brower award winner and has contributed to numerous environmental campaigns. She is widely recognized for challenging Coca-Cola over water practices in India and for speaking up about poverty at the UN Summit on Sustainability. An outspoken critic of the lack of government response to Katrina, Illai also works with Black Youth Vote to promote youth civic engagement. A senior at Jonesboro High School in Clayton County, Georgia, Illai has experienced the negative impact of attending a school on the No Child Left Behind list. Determined to advance environmental justice, Illai has traveled to many states in the US and visited Europe, Africa and South America. Known for promoting corporate accountability and speaking truth to power, Illai Kenney is an emerging New Leader.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/illai-kenney

November 26, 2007 | 1:39 PM Comments  0 comments



Racial progress?
Related to country: United States

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

The recent editorial posted by the Capital-Journal in reference to new evidence that racial progress is not up to par is really not new, but rather an indicator of how many simply refuse to acknowledge the truth. The fact that similar socioeconomic conditions remain for Black American today, just as they have before the historic Brown v. Topeka Board ruling suggests that one side still wants equal justice and conditions under the law and the other side would rather keep things the way they are. I can look to people from both political parties and racial lines and find many sitting on the same sides of the issue, but it is noteable that the editorial ends by giving examples of Black Topekans pleading for bi-racial community involvement or addressing the issue surrounding the Topeka police officers; and did not note any cadre of whites; or individuals willing to be consistent in speaking out against what we already know.

I am not as concerned with the evidence that intolerance, inequities or lack of progress still exists, I am concerned that I can't look to a band of the priviledged, affluent and influencial willing to be vocal and use their abilities to make a real difference. Meeting out a few bucks for organizations and programs operated by Black folks is no answer. It can make a difference in the same manner a wound needing a tournequet gets a bandaide. What is discouraging is the lack of support the very government that receives the tax dollars of Black folks, fails to redistributes them for the benefit these very folks that pay for 'our' streets, bridges, school buildings, etc. I'm taling about the 'other' people who buy and pay sales, property and income taxes. That the very corporations that reap profits from product sales to these folks, give in a manner of handouts rather than investing in their abilities to play a significant role in community revitalization. Those who must rely on the good will or good politic of those who never shop in their businesses, volunteer in their organizations or donate equitable to their programs that make the real difference in the lives of those left behind, voiceless, or vulnerable.

We all know where this issues will end up. It will end as the article began. All talk and no action.

Like Brown, Civil Rights, Affirmative Action, and Voting Rights, or the local sales tax initiative,, looking for change by waiting for the priviledged to blink begets nothing; only legislating policies that force the priviledged to share resources equitably will make progress a reality. I have come to the conclusion that those in positions of power or influence either don't have the will/courage to make change, or don't want change to occur. They either need more time to debate/discuss the issue among themselves (to the ommission of those who they need at the table to make a realistic conclusion) or they do not have it within themselves to state 'they don't have a clue of what needs to be done. They either throw money at any ol' suggestion or dole out a few pence to programs and minority institutions that need more than they are willing to give. When the editorial says 'we're not done', I wonder what 'we' they are talking about, because it seems only Black voices are consistently heard. As a young kid told me a few years ago, America needs more John Browns.

Americans on both sides of the issue are missing the moment in which they can build off of previous legislation and policies aimed at addressing the problem. Blacks got pacified and Whites let out a sigh of relief; others just sat on the sidelines and watched. Workplace diversity; which is woefully inadequate, became the target and economic diversity was never given consideration. Only when Whites and other racial minorities give time, buy products, volunteer effort and contribute to the Black cause in a 'meaningful way will the economies of scale begin to move into a balancing point of progress. When govt administrators stop playing politics while being civilian employees, they will stop ignoring those who are not as influencial or rich as those they help that are seeking help for their own selfish interest or that of their constituent base. Expecting anything else from the system we have in place is merely wishful thinking.

W. Lazone Grays
Topeka