AVBCC Super Mixer a lively affiar
Meeting in the mortuary
The Antelope Valley Black Chamber of Commerce held its super mixer on Friday, March 25, in a lively room at the Joshua Memorial Park & Mortuary, hosted by the chamber’s vice president Curtis Woods.
Mortuary?
“We wanted to bring a little light to the profession,” said Woods, general manager of the mortuary.
“People don’t expect that people who are in this profession are fun and sociable. We like to break that mold.”
It apparently worked. Members and visitors weren’t afraid to feast on a spread of Greek and Mediterranean cuisine from The Lemon Leaf Café at 653 W. Lancaster Blvd. in Lancaster. Attendees also enjoyed live Jazz performed by local favorite, Tony Capko and his band.
The AVBCC, under the direction of Rich Poston and an active board of directors, has held a number of monthly super mixer luncheons and other events which have led to increased membership, and last October resulted in the opening of the first AVBCC office, which is located at 1543 E. Palmdale Blvd., Suite 1, Palmdale.
“Mixer are vehicles for members to network, garner ideas, share resources and get exposure for their business,” said Poston, explaining why the chamber holds regular mixers.
“We would like have more exposure to corporate sponsors and more seminars and workshops to assist in educating the business community,” he said, adding that he would also like to get more scholarships for youth.
He said the organization is well supported by the city, Wells Fargo Bank, Hoffman Hospice and Lockheed.
For more information about the AVBCC, call: (661) 272-5807 or visit: www.avbcc.org.
PALMDALE, Calif.—Palmdale School District Superintendent Roger Gallizzi presented the Antelope Valley Black Chamber of Commerce (AVBCC) with an innovative idea that he felt might help close the achievement gap between African American, Latino and White students—that is, to erect an all-Black male school. Gallizzi discussed the possibility with AVBCC and the school district, as well as other African American-based community groups and leaders.
LANCASTER, Calif.—For years parents and community activists have been concerned about a growing school trend—truancy tickets, also known as curfew tickets. The tickets are issued to minors who are found off school premises during school hours without a guardian.
Not only are off-campus teen loiterers being ticketed, but also late students, some arriving a few minutes after the bell rings.
PALMDALE, Calif.—Money is scarce, jobs are rare and business is not booming, so it’s time to get smart. An old practice in the Black community used to be cooperative economics, when everyone supported everyone else’s business and enterprise, and when families only bought from Black stores and ate at Black restaurants.
Calvin Kennedy, founder of Ausar Consulting, began his journey to reestablishing cooperative economics in 2001 when he began to recognize the viability of Black business.
It doesn’t happen very often. In fact, even though the Recasner family—dad Michael, mom Fredricka, and 10-year-old daughter Maegan—have all been modeling and going out on auditions together for years, it was not until recently that they were all featured in the same ad together.
It was a Wells Fargo Bank ad, shot about a year ago that recently ended up in local newspapers.
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.—Bank of America has decided to charge its customers a $5 monthly fee for debit card transactions starting in 2012. Other big banks, including Wells Fargo and J.P. Morgan Chase are also testing debit card fees in certain markets.
But plenty of banks are still offering debt card services without a fee. Consumers Union is offering tips to consumers on how they can avoid new fees and what to do if they decide to move their money to another bank.
