I learned about the Million Father March a couple of years ago and now it’s finally my turn to participate. The Black Star Project is encouraging fathers, stepfathers, foster fathers, grandfathers, uncles, brothers, godfathers, cousins, babies’ daddies and other significant male caregivers to take their children to school on the first-day-of-school of the 2010-2011 school year. When men are involved in the educational lives of their children, children perform better in school.

Next Monday, my oldest son starts his first day of kindergarten and I’m planning to be there for him on his first day of school. The role of the traditional dad has expanded and fathers are a lot more active in the lives of their children. Sure you have your deadbeat dads out there, but I’ve seen a difference since my son was born. I’ve seen dads at the doctor, the daycare and have even seen dads changing diapers in the restroom.

Kids these days have a lot to deal with in school and I’m sure it helps to know they have the support of their father (or male role model). So whatever grade they’re in, take a little time out of your day to take them to school. And when they come home, talk about their day and get involved. It makes a difference and shows them how much you care.

For more information visit blackstarproject.org.

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I’ll be the first to admit that my kids love going to McDonald’s. From a very early age, both of them could identify the logo as we drove down the street and this was amazing because it showed how powerful the McDonald’s brand really was. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has long opposed the deceptive marketing of unhealthy foods to children. That is why they decided to sue McDonald’s if they continue to use toys to market the Happy Meal to young kids.

Now, I’m all for keeping kids healthy, but this is ridiculous. While my boys enjoy getting the toy in their Happy Meal, they usually end up playing with it for less than a day. After that it ends up broken, lost or left in the car (which causes it to be thrown in the trash).

McDonald’s is the king of brand marketing and they should not be blamed for what they do best. It’s up to the parent to decide when, if and how often their child should eat at McDonald’s. And even if the CSPI, sues, wins and gets the toys banned, I doubt consumption of Happy Meals will decrease.

CSPI, please trust the parents to make the best food decision for their children. We know the food is far from healthy and filling up the U.S. Court System with these types of lawsuits is a waste of time.

It was an interesting documentary, but there was one part that really stuck with me. At the start of the concert the National Anthem was being sung. But no one stood and no one cheered. People just sort of sat around until it was done. It wasn’t until the “Black National Anthem” was being sung that people proudly stood with fists in air. This was a time when black people felt like the country they helped build didn’t show them the respect they deserved.

Now go back fifty plus years to to the “New Negro Movement”. A time where Harlem Renaissance hot spots like the Cotton Club showcased some of the best black performers that New York City had to offer. Musicians like Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington and Billie Holiday graced the stage for an audience that didn’t see them as equals. It was a time when black authors like James Weldon Johnson and Langston Hughes wrote poems and songs that told of the struggles Black Americans faced in a society separated by race.

Due to the literary and musical genius of those who contributed to the Harlem Renaissance, we are able to see what it was like to be black in the 1920s.  The books, poetry and music written are just as much of the black culture today as it was back then. We owe them our gratitude and need to make sure their legacy is never forgotten. There’s a lot of history in Harlem and there’s no time like the present to learn more about the impact it’s had on our culture. All you have to do is open a book and read.

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On Tuesday, June 22, 2010, from 3:00 pm-4:00 pm (EDT), AIDS.gov will host a National HIV Testing Day (NHTD) webinar for Federal staff and grantees working with domestic HIV/AIDS programs. National HIV Testing Day is an opportunity for us to work together to promote HIV testing in the community.

The webinar, “The Current and Future State of HIV Testing in the United States,” will feature some of the U.S. Government’s leading voices on HIV/AIDS. Participants will be encouraged to ask questions.

To participate, register here by June 18.

Speakers include:

• Dr. Howard Koh, HHS
• Mr. Christopher Bates, PACHA
• Dr. Kevin Fenton & Dr. Bernard Branson, CDC
• Dr. Deborah Parham Hopson, HRSA
• Dr. Carl Dieffenbach, NIH/NIAID
• Ms. Beverly Watts Davis, SAMHSA
• Ms. Barbara Edwards, CMS
• Dr. Ronald Valdiserri, VA
• And other invited guests

Space is limited. Registrants will be joined on a first-come, first-served basis.

Civil rights leaders: Experts appointed by social conservative board members recommended that labor leader César Chávez and Thurgood Marshall, the first black justice on the Supreme Court, be stricken from the standards, but the board opted to keep them in.

Christmas: A curriculum-writing team dropped Christmas from a list of important religious holidays in a world cultures course, but the board ordered Christmas back on the list.

Conservative groups: The board voted to require that U.S. history students learn about leading conservative individuals and groups from the 1980s and 1990s. There is no similar requirement for liberal individuals and groups, although some are included in the standards.

McCarthyism: Social conservatives pushed through an amendment that requires a more positive portrayal of Sen. Joseph McCarthy and his claims that the U.S. government was infiltrated by Communists in the 1950s. McCarthy’s tactics have been discredited by most historians.

The Alamo: In studying the famous battle, students must learn “about the 189 heroes who gave their lives” in the fight, but Republicans rejected a move by Democrats to include in the standards the names of the eight Tejanos – Hispanics who lived in early Texas – who were killed alongside Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie and William B. Travis.

Rock ‘n’ roll and hip-hop: Students will have to study a list of influential musical and cultural movements in America that includes rock ‘n’ roll, Tin Pan Alley, country music and the Beat Generation. But social conservatives beat back an effort to include hip-hop after some members complained that its often crude lyrics are inappropriate for students.

It’s sad that politics plays such a large role in our children’s education. I can’t remember the last time I was asked who fought at the Alamo, but I do know it was something I needed to learn to past the test. The lessons you learn in the classroom are just the beginning and as a father who has a child that’s about to enter the Texas school system, I hope I can teach him to have a love for learning. That in my opinion, is the greatest gift a child can have. Because when you have that, a socially conservative written textbook won’t make as much of an impact as the Board hopes.

Conservatives on Texas board leaving legacy in schools but losing clout

Texas schools board rewrites US history with lessons promoting God and guns

1MillionShirts has received a lot of criticism, but in a recent blog post the creator, he stated their motives are on the up and up. You are always going to receive criticism when you do something like this on such a large scale, so it’ll be interesting to see how the project turns out. I try to give people the benefit of the doubt, but if this really is a scam, the Internet will make it known. I’ll definitely be watching and might even send a couple of shirts myself.  If you have a t-shirt you would like to donate, click here to learn how you can participate. While t-shirts are the focus of the campaign, monetary donations can also be sent when you ship your shirt to help defray any cost they may incur when shipping the shirts to Africa.

I like this idea because it is one person’s way of helping people in need. 1MillionShirts was not created to solve all the economic problems in Africa, but it is a start. They are currently undergoing the process to be recognized by the IRS as a 501c3 organization. Once tax-exempt status is reached, all donations will be 100% tax-deductible.

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