by Carole Copeland Thomas
As we celebrate what would have been Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s 85th birthday, here are my thoughts: Dr. King would marvel at the election and reelection of our first Black president...but would cringe at the racial backlash President Obama has received since being in office. Dr. King would celebrate the 49th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act...but would cringe at the new voter suppression laws around the country and the countless Americans/African Americans who are too lazy to vote. Dr. King would applaud the numerous business giants in the Black community, but would cringe at the wealth gap between Whites and people of color. Dr. King would want to shake the hand of every educational achiever, but would cringe at the achievement gap among urban youth in the US and beyond. These are four areas of opportunity and concern from a “King” perspective. ............. Below are 10 Useful Websites to help you go AND grow in personal and professional success. ================ 10 Useful Websites www.bbc.com www.census.gov www.religioustolerance.org www.storycorps.org www.whitehouse.gov www.lynda.com www.un.org www.wikipedia.org
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Black Eyed Peas,
Watch Night, and The Power Of Prayer Dear Family, Valuable Friends, MSS Members, Clients, and Colleagues: From my home to yours, I wish you rich blessings into the New Year. Here is a special article I created about the history of Watch Night Service in the African American community. The tradition predates the importance of the famous 1862 Watch Night Services and originated with the Moravians in Germany many years earlier. However, it is particularly important in the Black Church, with its evolution in the early to mid-1800s. Happy New Year! Carole Copeland Thomas --------------------------- The History Of Watch Night Services In The Black Church by Carole Copeland Thomas With the festivities of Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa now on full display, there is still time to reflect on the ritual of my ancestors and many other African Americans, whose forefathers sat around campfires and wood stoves in the twilight of December 31, 1862. There they sang spirituals acapella, prayed, and thanked the Good Lord for what was about to happen the next day. A Look Back...151 Years Ago Tonight... It was on January 1, 1863 amidst the cannon fire, gun shots, and burnings at the height of the Civil War that President Abraham Lincoln sealed his own fate and signed the Emancipation Proclamation. It begins with the following decree: Whereas on the 22nd day of September, A.D. 1862, a proclamation was issued by the President of the United States, containing, among other things, the following, towit: "That on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free; and the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom. "That the Executive will, on the first day of January aforesaid, by proclamation, designate the States and parts of States, if any, in which the people thereof, respectively, shall then be in rebellion against the United States; and the fact that any State, or the people thereof, shall on that day be, in good faith, represented in the Congress of the United States by members chosen thereto at elections wherein a majority of the qualified voters of such State shall have participated, shall, in the absence of strong countervailing testimony, be deemed conclusive evidence that such State, and the people thereof, are not then in rebellion against the United States." CAROLE' S TRANSLATION: Effective January 1, 1863 all slaves in the states in rebellion against the Union are free. Technically that is all that President Lincoln could do at the time. He used his wartime powers as Commander in Chief to liberate the "property" of the states in rebellion of the Union. The act did not free the slaves of the Union or border states (Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, Missouri, or West Virginia) or any southern state under Union control (like parts of Virginia). It would take the 13th Amendment (that freed all slaves in 1865), the Union Army winning the Civil War (April 9, 1865), and the assassination of President Lincoln (shot on April 14th and died on April 15, 1865) for all of the slaves to be freed. That included the liberation of the slaves in rebellious Texas on June 19, 1865 (Juneteenth Day) and finally the ratification of the 13th Amendment on December 18, 1865, giving all black people freedom and permanently abolishing slavery in the US. So in 1862 on the eve of this great era, the slaves "watched", prayed, and waited. My ancestors, including Bishop Wesley John Gaines of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) and the other four million slaves prayed for divine guidance and an empowered Abraham Lincoln to do the right thing. It is as important today as the tradition of black people eating black eyed peas on New Year's Day for good luck. That is the history of Watch Night in the African American culture. May you and your family enjoy a spirit filled New Year throughout 2014. Thank you for ALL of your support you have given to me and my business throughout 2013. -Carole Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, and Seasons Greetings To You And Your Family Throughout The Holiday Season!
Happy Hanukkah and Happy Thanksgiving To All Of My MSS Website Colleagues and Friends!
-Carole Copeland Thomas Profile Of Gary Morton: Boston Chapter NBMBAA President & Multicultural Conference Speaker11/20/2013 Gary and Sinan Morton This photo was taken in January 2013 when Gary was a Bentley University Award Winner. Gary Morton
*** President, Boston Chapter National Black MBA Association Director, Liberty Mutual Gary was one of 22 speakers at the Novemb Gary Morton is a Director of Reporting and Analytics within the Commercial Insurance Business Unit for Liberty Mutual, a fortune 500 company with over $28 Billion in revenue. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Bentley University; one of the top business schools in the country. He subsequently completed his Master's of Science Degree in Global Management. Being a recipient of the McCallum Graduate Leadership Scholar Award, Mr. Morton also completed a MBA with a triple concentration in Operations, Technology and Real Estate Management and is currently completing a doctoral degree focusing on Project Management. Gary is also the Owner and Principal Broker for the firm Real Estate Professionals. Together with his wife, he has established a very successful family based Day Care Learning Center. Before becoming the President-elect of the National Black MBA Association's Boston chapter, he volunteered to serve as the Managing Director for the Leaders of Tomorrow (LOT) High School Mentorship Program for five years. In this capacity, Mr. Morton built a solid professional team, and saw student participation in the LOT program grow over 1600%, with 100% of graduating students attending various universities. Today, he continues to work with the LOT program to take it to an ever increasing level of success. Additionally, he served as Vice President of Operations on the Executive Board of the National Black MBA Association for the past two years. Gary also serves as the Vice-President for MSS Alumni Association, a non-profit organization that seeks to contribute to the development of youth in his island country of Montserrat. He is a loving and dedicated husband to his wife Sinan Morton, and proud father to his 6 year old model son, Jamai Morton, and 3 year old daughter, Zara Morton. He often refers to them as the Morton Team. THANK YOU, Gary, for your dynamic Panel Presentation: "Leading The Change. Advocating For Diversity. Countering The Naysayers." * * * Editor's Note: I have known Gary since he was a teenager just starting the Leaders of Tomorrow Program. I attended his high school and college graduations. I have watched him grow in leadership and excel in all that he sets out to do. He is like a son to me! Gary made history by becoming the FIRST Leader of Tomorrow Alum to become a Chapter President in The National Black MBA Association. What a wonderful conference we had on November 7th!
22 Speakers in Total Outstanding Conference Sponsors Nearly 100 Conference Delegates 2 Fabulous Keynote Addresses Greetings by Dr. Keith Motley Engaging Panel Presentation 9 Roundtable Discussions And... Non-Stop Networking We will post more photos video clips in the coming weeks. On behalf of my team, I thank Each And Every Person who helped to make this 7th Multicultural Conference a memorable, high octane event! See you At The February 11, 2014 Black History Empowerment Breakfast. www.mssconect.com. -Carole Copeland Thomas, MBA, CDMP Paul Francisco is a Vice President of Global Inclusion and Head of University Relations for North America at State Street Corporation. In this role, Paul is responsible for the setting of short and long term strategies to support State Street’s diversity and Inclusion goals globally. He is also responsible for the strategic development of State Street’s On-Campus recruitment activities that include professional development programs for graduates and undergraduates, internships, Co-Ops and community recruitment programs.
Prior to joining state Street, Paul was a Managing Director and Co-founder of Foster & Francisco LLC, an executive search firm based in Boston, focusing on the recruitment and retention of senior managerial and executive level diverse talent across a number of diverse industries, and not-for-profit organizations. Before starting Foster & Francisco, Paul held a number of HR roles with organizations like Fidelity, Bank of America, The Gillette Company and Amica Mutual Insurance. His experience includes Training and Development, Workforce Diversity, Diversity Recruitment, Consulting, and Client Relationship Management. Paul is an active member of ALPFA, he is currently serving on the National Board where he oversees the development of ALPFA’s 13 largest chapters which includes; Boston, New York, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles and New Jersey prior to his election to the National Board, he served as the Boston Chapter President from 2008-2010. Paul is a graduate of Boston University where he majored in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations, and is a graduate of the UMASS-Boston College of Management Emerging Leaders Program for the Center for Collaborative Leadership, as well as The Partnership Inc., Next Generation Executive Program. Paul's recognitions include the 2007 “Top 40 under 40” by the Boston Business Journal, as well as one of the 2007 and 2013 100 Most Influential Latinos in Massachusetts by the Hispanic News Press. He was named 2008 Volunteer of the Year by American Training Centers. He was also awarded the 2008 Arnold Z. Rosoff Award for Individual Achievement. This award recognizes outstanding individuals who have had an impact in diversity initiatives in the Boston community. In 2009 he received the Men’s Health Champion Award from the Whittier St. Health Center in Roxbury; he was also recognized by the Boston Business Journal as one of the 2009 “20 on the Move” which recognizes Hispanic Executives making a difference in Boston, as well as Color Magazine’s 2009 All Inclusive Award for Leadership. Most recently he was recognized by Governor Deval Patrick with a Certificate of Achievement for the work done on behalf of the Hispanic Community in Massachusetts. For more information about tomorrow's Multicultural Conference visit our webpage and CLICK HERE 22 Speakers • 2 Keynote Addresses • 9 Roundtable Sessions At The Nov 7th Multicultural Conference10/30/2013 by Carole Copeland Thomas
Next Week's Multicultural Conference is chuck full of solid programming, fantastic speakers and ample time to network dialogue and connect with others. There's still time to register! Only $99 per person , which includes a 12 Month membership in the Multicultural Symposium Series. Only $25 student price. Click Here To Register Online: Click Here To Visit The Conference Registration Page See The Complete Conference Agenda Below... See You Next Thursday November 7th! NECN-TV News Anchor Latoyia Edwards with Carole Copeland Thomas at this summer's National Association of Black Journalist Convention in Orlando, Florida Latoyia Edwards, one of the most enthusiastic and spirited television personalities in the New England region is our opening keynote speaker at the November 7th Multicultural Conference. She kicks off the morning of more than 20 GREAT speakers, panel presenters and diversity advocates who will be a part of our upcoming event. Did you know that Latoyia is a former Miss Massachusetts??? If not...read on!!!! With two weeks to go, we hope YOU are planning to attend this exciting conference. The Multicultural Conference and the Multicultural Symposium Series (MSS) are the brainchild of entrepreneur Carole Copeland Thomas. DESPITE THE ROLLER COASTER ECONOMY, MSS has been going strong since 2008. It is the only initiative of its kind started and operated by an African American business owner in the region. Here's more information on Latoyia Edwards. Hope to see you at our exciting Nov 7th event. ======== Latoyia Edwards is the weekend Anchor for New England Cable News (NECN) in Boston, Massachusetts. For 13 years Latoyia has had the privilege of covering breaking news and human interest stories for television and radio outlets in New England and in New York. Latoyia is a regular on Boston's WGBH's Basic Black, a live television program hosted by a panel of the region's sharpest observers, who discuss and debate current news, events, and topics that impact the black community locally and nationally. Latoyia recently served as president of the Boston Association of Black Journalists. During her spare time Latoyia enjoys delivering keynote addresses and motivational speeches to youth groups and school children. Latoyia's story of her rise from the projects to the pulpitis able to connect with young and old alike. Prior to joining NECN, Latoyia worked as the weekday 5pm News Anchor for WWLP TV Channel 22 in Springfield, MA. Latoyia's experiences with Channel 22 took her as far as Paraguay, as fast as Richard Petty and as high as the Blue Angles. Before joining Channel 22 Latoyia was crowned Miss Massachusetts, USA 2002. Latoyia accredits the pageant experience for helping project her career. Before joining the 22 News team Latoyia provided local new updates on the nationally syndicated Tom Joyner Morning Drive Radio Show for WILD 96.9 in Boston. During that time Latoyia taught Performance for Television at the Connecticut School of Broadcasting. Latoyia first anchored television for Media One Cable News Network in Lowell, MA where she covered local news and political stories for Billerica, Tewksbury and Lowell. Prior to that Latoyia got her start in television as a news reporter for WICZ Channel 40 a Fox Affiliate in Binghamton, New York. She began her career in news during her college internship as a news writer for WBZ-1030 AM radio. Graduating Magna Cum Laude from Emerson College in 1998 Latoyia where she earned her Bachelors Degree in Broadcast Journalism. Latoyia was a scholar athlete who not only excelled in the classroom but on the basketball court breaking numerous NCAA Division III rebounding and blocked shots records. Latoyia currently ranks 5th in the nation in blocked shots per game 5.1 and 4th in the nation in rebounds per game 15.2. While at Boston Latin Academy High School Latoyia knew she wanted to be a news reporter - it was in her blood. Latoyia is the oldest on 9 children who grew up the notorious Columbia Point Housing Project in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood. As a member of the Strand Theatres Teen Players Latoyia found her solace in competing in city and school sponsored oratorical, speech competitions and plays. Latoyia is a proud Boston native who was recently names to Boston Business Journal's 2010 Top 40 Under 40, a recognition of Boston's top 40 young professionals who have established themselves as leaders to be watched in their fields. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE NOVEMBER 7TH CONFERENCE. Carole Carole Copeland Thomas C. Thomas & Associates 26 Years In Business 1987 - 2013 (508) 947-5755 COST: Live Webinar FREE & Open To The Public
Archive Available To Members Only 2013 Webinar Schedule: Exciting Webinar Program For All MSS Members October Webinar Topic: Tuesday October 22, 2013 from 1PM - 2PM EDT: (12 Noon Central, 11 AM MDT, 10 AM PST, 6PM U.K.) The New Normal: Secrets & Strategies For Career Building Success Featuring Diversity Professional and Former NBMBAA Chair William Wells, Jr. Direct from Eden Prairie, Minnesota ========================================= To Register For This FREE Webinar, Email [email protected] In The Subject Line Put: Oct 22nd Webinar Instructions ========================================= Register Today! -Carole Copeland Thomas |
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