Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 24 January 2003 — Page 22

PAGE D2

THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 2003

MONEY >■ Continued from Page 1 King ill asking thi'in not to ilo so. The organization's “hoard, ' made up of dill'erent people, white and Blaek, hut funded primarily In white-owned corporations, the consortium refused to comply with King’s request. The main reasons given for its refusal is (wouldn't you guess it?) money. First of all. those sponsoring the breakfast were behind the scenes calling the shots. Just as we experienced with our local NAACP and Community Action Agency, there are those. Black and white, who hold these organizations hostage by threatening them with withdrawal of their precious sponsorship funds if they do not conform to corporate desires and motives. The national office of the NAACP called our local office and told them not to hold their annual dinner in the boycott zone; they ended up moving it. The Community Action Agency, did not comply with the wishes of the bovcotters because its corporate funding was threatened by corporate lackeys, one of which is former federal Judge Nathaniel Jones, who is on the Toyota “diversity" advisory board that was formed after Jesse Jackson threatened, of all things, a boycott of Toyota. My point is this: We just

>■

its l ($ ua lily

PRINTING

Keith Rand Joyce Rand Owners

Lattarhaadt Envalopaa, Multi-part forma, Bualnaaa Carda, ato. 5410 Emerson Way, Suite 3 Indianapolis, IN 46226 Phone 255-2748 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m Monday - Friday

celebrated a series of days called kwan/aa. one day of which was dedicated to self-determination. 1 low self-determined are we when we allow organizations that are supposed to benefit Blaek people to be co-opted by corporations that do not have the best interests of Black folks in mind? Where is our selfdetermination when we submit to the demands and commands of puppet masters? All money is not good money, especially money that is attached to a rope with which to hang our people. My contention is that we must create revenue streams that give our organizations long sustainability and viability. Sure it's all right if some corporation wants to assist, but if they also seek to control our organizations, it's time to give them their money back or just say “no” to it. Additionally, if our organizations are doing what their mission statements describe, and they are providing a necessarv service to Black folks, it follows that Black folks have the primary obligation to support them. If, as our local Arts Consortium has stated, they will lose corporate funding if they go against the grain, so to speak, then it follows that Black folks should step in and fill that corporate gap. We should also punish the corporate culprit for its attempt at compromising our organization. And finally, if a particular Black organization is doing such a good job for Black people, and it loses some corporate funds, Black people will surely take care of it, won’t we? If not, maybe that means we don’t really need that particular organization. James E. Clingman, an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati's AfricanAmerican Studies department, is former editor of the Cincinnati Herald Newspaper and founder of the Greater Cincinnati African American Chamber of Commerce. He can be reached at (513) 489-4132, or by e-mail at jclingman(tr blackonomics.com.

POUNDS ► Continued from Page 1 garded music executive who broke the then-successful careers of rap acts such as Arrested Development, Gang Starr and East New York, Brooklyn-bred rapper AZ. Starting off at Def Jam records in 1986 in the promotions department and then rising to a vice presidency at Chrysalis/ EMI Records, Williams played a hand in the burgeoning careers neo-soul stars such as D’Angelo, JOI and Eric Benet. He was sitting on top of the world - successful career, large cheddar and a beautiful new wife. But his super-sized weight was wearing on him, and everything went into a tailspin. Out the window went the plush record company position when the labels merged with a newly restructured Capitol Records. And his marriage went ka-poof. “I couldn’t handle that life anymore. The stress was out of control and I needed to be happier,” he reflects. “I needed to get away from everything. I wanted to be around my family more, too.” He re-learned the food industry and finally joined the family fold using his corporate marketing know-how. Nowadays, the baby-faced Williams is the proprietor of his very own “health-sawy” chef business with a bountiful clientele, including the world-re-nowned Apollo Theatre, actors Taye Diggs, Tori Spelling and the staff of “All My Children,” among others, in its roster. He’s even worked his magic for Beatles legend Paul McCartney, reigning pop princess Britney Spears, Goldman Saks, TV talk stars Kelly Ripa and Diane Sawyer, too. Named Lindsey 125 Catering, his budding business, is off to a great start and has become the talk of the town. And who wouldn’t eat cuisine from someone who lost 240 pounds? That has to bring new meaning to the term “comfort food.” Following is an interview with the 36-year-old Williams. How did you take off all the weight, and how long did it take?

Hello... Good-bye. Hello patio. Hello driveway. Hello garden. Hello basketball court. Hello garage. Hello basement. Hello dog. Hello tax deduction. Hello equity. Hello closet space. Good-bye broken elevators. Good-bye thin walls. Good-bye rent. Good-bye crowded closets. Good-bye parking spaces. Good-bye laundromats. Good-bye quarters. Good-bye landlords. Hello freedom.

Sure, there are plenty o! practical reasons to buy a VA HOME. Low down payments (mans VA HOMES require as little as S500 down i You don't have to be a vet. And competitive VA vendee financing is available r o qualified buyers Bui the real reason to buy one is because it's all xoitrs Call your real estate professional for details and listings. ATTENTION!! VA is lookliiK for ijuillfltd i ontraclors lo repair home*, and li< rnsril rral estate appraisers. C all VA at M7-226 VA HOMES Make yourself al home.

LW: Well, I took off the weight by being part of an Over Eaters Support group I found. It was the last resort I had. I go to meetings, eat three measured meals a day and work out about six days a week. It took me about two years to get to my goal weight. Being that you are the heir to the Sylvia’s soul food dynasty, wasn’t that harder than anyone could’ve imagined? LW: When it’s a life or death situation, I didn’t have too many options. Aside from the obvious reason, what propelled you to finally do it? LW: Well my wife and I split, and other problems started to occur like money problems. It was like one big snowball. What was the hardest part of goingfrom asize 60 waist toa32? LW: I really don’t know how to answer that. Every day is hard. But it is who I am. I have a disorder, addiction, all of the above. I really look at myself like someone in Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous. And now, how is life? LW: Life is great. I am grateful to God eveiyday of my life. So no more baked macaroni and collards? LW: I was never a soul food eater because I got sent to boarding school at a young age. But of course I know it like I know my name. I know the food I love and respect it a great deal. Soul food is basically your Southern food cooked with a lot of soul. That’s what my grandmother told me ever since I was a kid. Well what now - you were the creme de la creme of the Black music/rap business 10 years ago? LW: I have a very successful catering business that I started a year ago. And before that I was out in the Hamptons doing Sylvia’s food. I’ve been out of the record business for five years now. And what does your new “food” endeavor bring to the table that others don’t? LW: Great food, amazing decor of the food, and fun servers. What has been the most valuable lesson learned throughout all your trials and tribulations? LW: I have learned who I am. I keep myself in good health first, then take care of everyone else. Health is wealth to me now. Where do you go from here? LW: I plan to open up a gourmet soul food restaurant but with very health conscious and exciting cuisine. The food will be healthy but tasty, the decor will be cozy and people can take the food out and count on ultra-fast and efficient service. I’m also working on a yet-untitled book about my weight loss that focuses on stress and addiction. Did you know that 80 percent of corporate men in American don’t focus on their health and let themselves go due to the stress? My book is about clarity and sanity as much as how to lose the weight. Also I will be continuing my catering business and whatever God has for me.

BRYANT ► Continued from Page 1 situation, Bryant guarantees satisfaction. To date, Best Monuments and Markers has served approximately 100 families, but the number is expected to increase well beyond that. “What I would like to do is to expand to working with numerous funeral homes and families in their time of bereavement,” Bryant offered. “And I am prayerful that this will soon become a reality.” In addition to Best, Bryant is also an independent training consultant through another one of her businesses, Bryant Educational Seminars and Training. Best, which serves cemeteries nationwide, as well, operates on Mondays and Wednesdays from H a.m. to 5 p.m., and Tuesdays and Thursdays from H a.m. to noon. Friday, Bryant said, is her day to meet with families in their homes. For more information, call 328-8995.

Study shows Black -sounding names on resumes get

CHICAGO (AP) - It helps to have a white-sounding first name when looking for work, a new study has found. Resumes with white-sound-ing first names elicited 50 percent more responses than ones with Black-sounding names, according to a study by professors at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The professors sent about 5,000 resumes in response to want ads in the Boston Globe and Chicago Tribune. They found that the “white” applicants they created received one response - a call, letter or email - for every 10 resumes mailed, while “Black” applicants with equal credentials received one response for every 15 resumes sent. The study’s authors, includ-

ing University of Chicago Associate Professor of Economics Marianne Bertrand, said the results can solely be attributed to name manipulation. “Our results so far suggest that there is a substantial amount of discrimination in the job recruiting process,” they wrote. The professors analyzed birth certificates in coming up with what names to use. The white names included Neil, Brett, Greg, Emily, Anne and Jill. Some of the Black names used were Tamika, Ebony, Aisha, Rasheed, Kareem and Tyrone. Carolyn Nordstrom, president of Chicago United, a group that seeks to increase corporate diversity, said the study shows the need to educate those who make hiring decisions. “We like to believe that this has changed, but this is evidence that it hasn’t," she said.

Graham named president' of multicultural marketing agency

Special to The Recorder The board of directors of INFINITE Inc. has appointed Melvin Graham Jr. to the position of president of the multicultural marketing communications agency. INFINITE is a full-service agency offering marketing, advertising and public relations with expertise in multicultural marketing. It is one of the largest multicultural marketing communications agencies wholly owned by African Americans in Indiana. Graham heads the India-napolis-based operations that consist of a core team of five multicultural marketing communications experts, and a network of communication consultants. Multicultural marketing includes messaging to groups defined by race, ethnic, gender, and age/generation, physical condition, shared beliefs (i.e. faith based institutions, advocacy groups, etc) and more. Graham’s expertise entails many phases of integrated marketing communications. He has been successful in bringing to completion many marketing projects, as a freelance graphic designer working with businesses of all sizes; a marketing coordinator for the largest entertainment company in the world - Time Warner; a business development director for Indiana’s third largest design firm, Rowland Design; and as an advertising manager/graphic designer for an industry leading publishing companyKirkbride Bible Co. INFINITE is the product of a collaboration of Advantage Communications and Sellers Communications. Last year, the Indianapolis Black Chamber of Commerce named the team of Advantage Communications The Entrepreneurs of the Year. Additionally, Sellers Communications was presented with the Indiana Black

Expo Media Award for Excellence in Public Relations (2000). During the past four years, both of the communications agencies have garnered praise from public and private sector leaders for their commitment to inclusive and strategic marketing approaches. INFINITE assists businesses in building positive relationships with existing and potential customers and shareholders by providing marketing and communications services. It develops strategies to reach untapped emerging markets. ”In a down economy, businesses are looking for ways to stabilize and hopefully add to their bottom lines. Some have realized that a blanket campaign does not reach all sectors and are making changes to not only their marketing message, but the way they operate their business,” said Graham. Those who aren’t making changes are taking a strong consumer base for granted and are missing building a relationship with a great pool of potential customers.” Some of INFINITE’S recent accounts include: the region’s largest annual Hispanic and Latino festival: Fiesta, Indianapolis Police Department minority recruitment campaign, the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus and the National Black Caucus of State legislators 26th annual legislative caucus, Damien Center’s Woman to Woman HIV awareness campaign, the Criminal Justice Institute’s AfricanAmerican Seat Belt campaign and others which can be found at www.knownolimits.biz. The board is pleased with the exceptional job Melvin has done in the field and looks forward to the growth and development of IN FI NITE into a global leader in multicultural communications,” said Tysha Hardy-Sellers, chair of the board. For more information about INFINITE Inc., coll (317)955-9456 or log on to www. knownolimits.bi/..