(Dallas – January 31) Dallas author Shella Gillus’ first novel, “The Loom”, has been nominated for an NAACP Image Award in the “Outstanding Literary Work – Debut Author” category.

The suspenseful, historic romance tale of a slave who passes for white and uses the wisdom of the elders to achieve her freedom is gaining national attention because its an engaging, well-written page-turner rich with colorful detail and crisp dialogue.  The NAACP Image Award winners will be announced at its annual gala in Feb. 17 in Los Angeles.

Gillus, a former pageant winner, a member of the Screen Actors Guild and two-time guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show, has received a top rating from RT Book Reviews, the popular book industry magazine, which gave the novel an impressive rating of 4.5 star. The reviewer noted, “Gillus’ strong characters may be broken in spirit, but they trust that God will rescue them and show them freedom on the other side.”

The Loom (Guideposts 2011, paperback $14.99) is the story of Lydia, a woman who knew that her life as a slave on a Maryland plantation would end at the loom room – the place on every plantation where slaves, particularly after years in the tobacco and cotton fields, spent their days weaving and making clothes for their masters’ family.  Gillus smoothly weaves her own tale, integrating the harsh, revealing truth of this nation’s troubled racial past with the broader, universal themes of love and freedom.

To set up an interview with Ms. Gillus or set up a book signing, contact Neil Foote, Foote Communications, LLC, neil@neilfoote.com, 214.448.3765.  To order bulk copies of the book, The Loom is published by Guideposts (www.guideposts.com) and is available wherever books are sold, including Barnes & Noble: www.barnesandnoble.com/w/loom-shella-gillus/1102606482.

(DALLAS – January 13)

As part of the Monday’s festivities, Joyner also will host a special screening and panel discussion of “Red Tails”, George Lucas’ new movie based on the legendary accomplishments of the Tuskegee Airmen. Joyner’s dad, Hercules, was part of the Tuskegee Airmen program, and his mother worked in the airmen’s office.

The schedule will feature Joyner’s speech at 12:30 p.m., a screening of the movie and afterwards, a panel discussion with some former airmen and actors, including and Anthony Hemingway, the movie’s director, Terrence Howard as Col. A.J. Bullard, Nate Parker as Marty ‘Easy’ Julian, David Oyelowo as Joe ‘Lightning’ Little, Tristan Wilds as Ray ‘Ray Gun’ Gannon, Elijah Kelley as Samuel ‘Joker’ George.

“I’m proud to go back home to speak at my university’s MLK Day celebration,” Joyner said. “It’s particularly special because we’ll also be viewing and discussing the movie about the famed Tuskegee Airmen who played a huge role in Tuskegee’s and this country’s history.”

Red Tails is an action drama based on the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of African-American World War II U.S. service members who faced segregation during the war. They were called into duty under the guidance of Col. A.J. Bullard. As the war in Europe continued to take its toll on Allied forces, the Pentagon brass moved forward with the development of untried and untested African-American pilots in the experimental Tuskegee training program. Against all the odds, the intrepid young airmen took to the skies to fight for their country. The movie stars Academy Award winner, Cuba Gooding Jr, Terrence Howard, NeYo and others. The official release date for the movie is Friday, January 20, 2012.

To interview Mr. Joyner or learn more about the event, contact Neil Foote, Foote Communications, LLC, neil@neilfoote.com and 214.448.3765.

(DALLAS – January 5) Chef Falan Taylor is kicking off 2012 with the re-launch of her popular ‘Housewife Cuisine’ online cooking series just in time for the 2012 Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day.

 Taylor, a native Harlem, NY, is known for her popular online video series (http://www.youtube.com/falantaylor) that feature her affable personality coupled with clear, easy-to-follow instructions.  Simple, easy recipes on a budget is Chef Falan’s approach to making tasty, healthy meals for today’s busy person. In recent years, she’s been concentrating on raising her family, and rebuilding her life after surviving a horrific experience with domestic abuse.

“I’m ready to take the world by storm again,” said Taylor, who has a developed a base of more than 375,000 followers via her YouTube and Facebook pages and has a best-selling cooking, ‘Housewife Cuisine’. “I know how it is to cook for a family. So my approach all along has been how to help the everyday cook bring a gourmet touch to their meals. Over the years, I’ve received so many wonderful comments from my followers who have been grateful for my cooking tips and recipes.”

Taylor followed in the footsteps of her mom and grandmother who were both professional cooks. She began her formal culinary training at Ashworth’s Gourmet Cooking and Catering Program, and then studied at the internationally acclaimed Texas Culinary Academy‘s Le Cordon Bleu program. She also was Food Service Director at Huston-Tillotson University in Austin, Texas.

In 2012, Taylor says she’s taking on any opportunities to work as a private chef or cater special events anywhere in the country. “I love what I do and want to share great food with people so they can eat well and eat healthy,” said Taylor who is in the midst of writing a new cookbook. “I’ve got plenty recipes and great food to share.”

You can learn more about Chef Falan at her website, housewifecuisine.com. To interview Chef Falan or book her for an event, please contact Neil Foote, Foote Communications, LLC, 214.448.3765 or via email at neil@neilfoote.com.

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WHO:  
Sybil Wilkes, co-host of the nationally syndicated Tom Joyner Morning Show, and OLD SCHOOL 94.5 will broadcast live from the MLK Family Clinic on Friday, September 30th to culminate Tom Joyner’s national community health initiative.  The ‘Take a Loved One to the Doctor Day’ campaign will feature a FREE health fair with several interactive activities for TJMS listeners.  Wilkes herself has served as a national ambassador for the Susan G. Komen Circle of Promise campaign for the last three years, which is a platform to raise breast cancer awareness by advocating preventive measures targeted at African American women.  Recognizing this, the Komen on the Go “Little Pink” mobile unit will be on site to equip attendees with vital tips and information.

In addition, Dallas Mavericks Assistant Coach Darrell Armstrong will make an appearance at 9:30 am.  Coach Armstrong champions against issues that disproportionately affect the Black community by advocating for health through the Darrell Armstrong’s Foundation For Premature Babies.

WHAT:  
The ‘Take a Loved One to the Doctor Day’ campaign will host activities in Dallas, TX.    Sybil Wilkes will be on location in the city promoting personal-health awareness targeted at the African American community.  The ‘Take a Loved One to the Doctor Day’ events will showcase music, diabetes testing and maintenance education, interactive nutrition and wellness seminars, and tons of giveaways for TJMS listeners.  Plus, this year’s collaboration with the Ohio State University Medical Center will allow listeners in any city to receive health and wellness advice from African American physicians during that morning’s broadcast by calling 1-866-Joyner-6.  Other participating sponsors include the Alzheimer’s Association, Bayer, CVS, Susan G. Komen FOR THE CURE, Novo Nordisk, and Rx Outreach.

More information can be found on the official micro site for the campaign located on BlackAmericaWeb.com: http://www.blackamericaweb.com/drday/.

WHERE:
MLK Family Clinic
2901 Pennsylvania Street
Dallas, TX  75245

WHEN: 
Friday, September 30,  2011
5:00a.m. – 1:00 p.m. CST

To learn more about the other ‘Doctor Day’ events around the country, go to http://prlog.org/11672493.

For more information and interviews, contact Neil Foote, Foote Communications, LLC, neil@neilfoote.com, 214.448.3765.

The B-System product, in part, offers a more effective and secure means to issue and protect the national use of the social security number. The company has a patent pending for a sophisticated software system idea that will make it more difficult for thieves to illegally use social security numbers and other forms of personal identifying information.  The software is conceived to provide the federal government and commercial outlets an innovative method that will effectively deter and dramatically prevent   ID  fraud and  save hundreds of  billions of dollars annually in monetary and other forms of  loss that is associated with being a victim of ID Fraud.

 This marks the first time the one-year-old Abyssinian Fund has received a grant from the global organization mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children’s rights around the world.

 “We’re very grateful to have been chosen for this grant,” said Rev. Nicholas S. Richards, president of the Fund. “This kind of grant is extremely helpful to us during this very critical time. These funds will allow us to begin training another 100 farmers next month.”

 The Fund provides new technologies and distribution networks to ensure Ethiopian coffee is competitive in the global marketplace. Rev. Richards said the fund recently completed its first round of training with the farmers, and is actively working to identify new partners.

 Unlike traditional organizations that are working with Ethiopia, the Abyssinian Fund does charity, differently.   Through its community partnerships, the Fund will build the first high school in the community, construct a modern clinic with a full time staff and provide 100% access to clean water..

 For more information about the Abyssinian Fund (http://www.abyfund.org), contact Neil Foote, Foote Communications, 214.448.3765

Florida A & M University and Tennessee State University are partnering with Tom Joyner’s HBCUsOnline as part of a new national initiative to enroll students in undergraduate and graduate online degree programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

FAMU and Tennessee State join Texas Southern University to become part of Joyner’s education services company that has been well-received by tens of thousands of potential students since it launched nine-months ago.  In addition to offering new degree choices, HBCUsOnline is offering a wide range of professional certificates, from basic business skills to advanced certifications for information technology (IT) professionals.

HBCUsOnline is a marketing, enrollment services and online student support vehicle to help students apply to black colleges and achieve career success after graduation. Joyner is creating the most comprehensive educational services company for black colleges in the world. Since last September, more than 150,000 adult student prospects visited HBCUsOnline.com

“Adding FAMU and Tennessee State as part of HBCUsOnline is very exciting because we are now partnering with three of the largest HBCUs in the nation,” said Tom Joyner, host of the nationally syndicated Tom Joyner Morning Show and founder of the company. “I want to make sure that African Americans know that getting an online degree from an HBCU is a better choice. Students take classes from experienced professors and graduates become part of the schools’ proud legacy of alumni!”

Enrollment for the fall courses is now open.  Students can go to HBCUsOnline.com to learn more about popular degree programs and easily apply.  HBCUsOnline provides program specialists to facilitate the entire application and enrollment process as well as provide online-focused student support from registration through graduation. Upon completion of all the required coursework, a student will receive a degree from the participating universities – an accredited, credible, high quality and nationally recognized black college or university.  

Tennessee State, founded in 1912, has more than 8,800 students, and for 12 consecutive years has been ranked one of the nation’s best colleges by U.S. News and World Reports. The Nashville, TN-based school is offering several options, including two undergraduate degrees and a masters degree program that are specifically designed to help working adults complete their degrees.  The Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies (BSID) is specifically designed for students who have already earned some prior college credit. It is flexible enough to help them complete remaining coursework and earn a degree. The Bachelor of Science in Professional Studies (BSPS) has a concentration in Organizational Leadership or Information Technology. The Master of Professional Studies (MPS) allows students to select a concentration in one of three areas: Human Resources Leadership, Training and Development or Strategic Leadership.

“Tennessee State University has a diverse student population and offers quality programs to suit the academic and professional needs of its constituency,” said President Portia Shields. “Among this population are adult learners who are able to earn degrees online, at night, and on weekends. Through this partnership, we are able to extend the University’s reach and expose the merits of this great Institution to a broader audience.”

FAMU, the nation’s largest HBCU, enrolling 13,274 students, was ranked by the National Academies as the No. 1 institution of origin for African Americans who go on to earn their Ph.D. degrees in the natural science and engineering. FAMU’s College of Law in Orlando is ranked by U.S. News and World Report as one of the nation’s most diverse law schools. FAMU is noted for its programs in business, architecture, journalism and the heath profession including pharmacy where it is the nation’s leading producer of African American pharmacists. FAMU is now offering three online graduate-level programs in high-demand job areas: an Executive Masters in Business Administration degree, a Masters in Public Health and a Masters of Science in Nursing.

“We are looking forward to enrolling students from across the country, and around the globe in our online programs so that we can prepare them to pursue their career goals and give them the opportunity to be a part of this great Rattler tradition,” said President James H. Ammons. “FAMU has the programs, faculty and researchers to help students prepare to compete and win in the new economy. We are pleased to partner with HBCUsOnline to bring our programs to the finger tips of a broader audience.”

Texas Southern’s online degree programs include a general Executive MBA, an Executive MBA with an emphasis in Energy Finance, and an Executive Masters in Public Administration. Texas Southern is an 85-year-old institution best known for its Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Jesse H. Jones School of Business, its Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs, and its College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, which has produced 27 percent of all African-American pharmacists in the country.

In addition to HBCUsOnline, Joyner also continues to operate the 12-year-old Tom Joyner Foundation, which has raised more than $60 million to help student remain enrolled in HBCUs.

(Dallas – April 20, 2011)  The Tom Joyner Foundation has awarded a dozen scholarships to students at several black colleges in the country as part of its on-going effort to assist these students to complete their degrees.

Since January, the Foundation has recognized students from Talladega College in Talladega, AL, Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, NC and Tougaloo College in Tougaloo, MS.  The scholarships are awarded each week to students attending the Tom Joyner Foundation’s “School of the Month” program, which raises money from alumni, friends and other supporters from around the country.  The winners are announced on the Tom Joyner Morning Show, which is heard every morning in more than 100 markets around the country, reaching more than eight million listeners.

The Hercules Scholarship is named after Joyner’s father, the late Hercules Joyner, who was a strong supporter of higher education. To be a candidate for the scholarship, students must be male, attend a Foundation “School of the Month”, have a grade point average of at least 3.0, and be a campus leader involved in the community with a career goal toward making a difference in the quality of life for his race. The scholars each receive a scholarship grant of $1,500 that is paid directly to their school to help offset their college expenses.

Tom Joyner, a graduate of Tuskegee Institute, said that the scholarships are greatly needed.  On average, the percentage of black male students enrolled at HBCUs is about 37 percent. Joyner wants to help increase that percentage significantly.

In January, the four Talladega students were:

Evan Reddick, a junior biology student from Gadsden, AL. Mr. Bridges is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, serves as the junior class president and is a member of the Student Government Association. After graduation, he plans to become pharmaceutical sales representative. His life’s philosophy is guided by a Frederick Douglass quote: “It is better to be part of a great whole than to be the whole of a small part.”

Emmanuel Pina, a junior biology major from Queens, NY. Mr. Pina is a member of the college’s basketball team, the student government association and is a tutor at a local community center and a peer tutor in biology.  After graduation, he plans to pursue a career as a physical therapist.  His life’s philosophy is guided by a Malcolm X quote: “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.”

James Escortt, a junior public administration major from Chicago, IL.  Mr. Escortt is a member of the Talladega College Choir, the Public Administration Society and serves as president of the Student Government Association.  During his summers, he volunteers at a center for the elderly and mentors young people at a Chicago church.  His life’s motto is: “I ain’t gonna let nobody turn me around.”

Christopher Mosley is an Anniston, AL senior majoring in mathematics with a minor in business management. He is a member of the Society of Black Engineers, Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and serves as a Talladega College Ambassador.  After graduation, he plans to become a chemical engineer.

In February, the Johnson C. Smith University Hercules Scholars are:

Anthony Cureton, a sophomore computer science major with a minor in biology, from Warren, MI.  Mr. Cureton is a member of the Men’s Cross Country Track Team, served as the tumbling coordinate of the cheerleading squad and is a student ambassador. After graduation, the Honor student plans to become a reconstructive plastic surgeon. He also volunteers with Focus Hope, a tutoring and mentoring program. His daily message is “Say Strong.”

Charles Hauser, a sophomore visual and performing arts/graphics design major, is from Winston Salem, NC.

He volunteers at the International House of Charlotte, works as a production assistant for the Johnson C. Smith broadcast station and is a volunteer for the campus’ theater troupe. After graduation, he plans to get a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts. He lives by the motto, “An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.”

Howard Estell, a senior social work major, is from Niagara Falls, NY. He mentors other adult students at Johnson C. Smith University, volunteers with the local American Red Cross, works with the Sickle Cell Network and coaches his three daughters’ T-ball teams. After graduation, he plans to work as a social worker and educate people about sickle cell anemia.  His life’s philosophy: “Live life victoriously.”

Levi Williams, a Wilson, NC freshman majoring in sports management, plans to become a sports agent, representing professional athletes.  He serves as “Mr. Freshman”, is active with the Pre-Alumni Council, is a peer tutor and plans to study in West Africa this summer.  He lives by the motto, “Anything I see, I can be.”

In March, the Tougaloo College Hercules Scholars are:

Jervarius Prescott, a senior majoring in political science, is from Cleveland, MS. Mr. Prescott mentors at a local elementary school, is vice president of the Pre-Law Society, a member of Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity and is a member of Alpha Mu Gamma Honor Society.  He’s also active in the student chapter of the NAACP.  After graduation, he plans to become an attorney.  He believes in Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me”.

Jamal Perkins, a sophomore mathematics major with a minor in business, is from Greenwood, MS.  He is involved with The Jackson Heart Study program and is member of the tennis team, the Pre-Alumni Council, the student chapter of the NAACP and Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society.  He plans to become an attorney.

Aaron Light is a Detroit native who is junior majoring in political science.  He is a peer tutor, a member of the Tougaloo Pre-Law Society and has interned with the Mississippi State Legislature.  After graduation, he plans to become an attorney and political leader. He lives by the philosophy, “Leave the world a better place than you found it.”

Windell C. Blount, a junior majoring in political science, is form Madison, MS.  Mr. Blount is involved in numerous activities on campus, including the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society.  The future lawyer says he was greatly inspired by the election of President Barack Obama. He lives by the motto, “The Grass is Me,” which is a line from a poem he wrote in Eighth Grade.

In addition to these there ‘Schools of the Month’ , the remaining schools are: Miles College, Fairfield, AL (April), Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN (May), Wiley College, Marshall, TX (June), Benedict College, Columbia, SC (July),  Xavier University, New Orleans, LA (August), Mississippi Valley State University, Itta Bena, MS (September), Central State University, Wilberforce, OH (October) and Oakwood University, Huntsville, AL ( November).

About the Tom Joyner Foundation:

Founded in 1998, the Tom Joyner Foundation has focused on its primary mission of helping to keep students enrolled in Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs). The Foundation has assisted more than 14,000 students and worked with more than 100 HBCUs, raising more than $60 million.  Throughout the week, the Foundation announces scholarship winners on the nationally syndicated radio show hosted by its founder, Tom Joyner. Each week, separate financial awards are focused on students who are single parents, high achievers, and distinguished male students at the ‘School of the Month’. The organization’s largest annual fundraiser is its “Fantastic Voyage”™, which is a seven-day, six-night cruise that raises more than $1 million a year.

Here’s a link to his story:

Abyssinian pastor’s new fund helps lift Ethiopian java farmers out of poverty