Jill Scott

Brittney M. Walker  |   OW Staff Writer
May 12 2011

Children raising awareness

Thousands of cancer survivors, research supporters, and friends and family of cancer victims are expected to take to the streets of Los Angeles on Saturday for the sixth Annual Brittiana “Smile for Life” 5-K walk/run. Beginning at 9 a.m. at the Kenneth Hahn Park & Trails, the event will honor Brittiana Henderson, who fell victim to cancer at age 13 on Jan. 31, 2007, and children who are fighting the deadly illness.

Brittiana succumbed to bone cancer and leukemia.

Apr 14 2011

Looking at the modern ‘British invasion’

Someone asked me last week if I thought American R&B was dead. Record sales have been declining for American artists who categorize themselves as the music genre’s front-runners. In fact, few major mainstream R&B artists, with the exception of Beyonce, Alicia Keys and Usher, are seeing an increase in album sales as their careers expand. For most of the American Soul family, there is a fight to stay relevant, charting and modern enough for our generation.

Jun 18 2009

Botswana commits human catastrophe

Most of us enjoyed seeing Jill Scott play the lead role in the show “The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency.” Other than Ms. Scott physically playing the appreciated Afrikan woman, the image of Botswana, where the show was filmed, was very positive. The open environment reflected a beautiful place to be. We now see that it may have been used as a propaganda cover-up.

Mar 26 2009

A cultural and entertaining experience

Hollywood, CA -- Get ready for the most unique and entertaining series to hit television; HBO’s “The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” starring Grammy award winning singer Jill Scott (“Why Did I Get Married?”) and Anika Noni Rose (“Dreamgirls”). It’s not enough that it is a one hour series that stars a Black woman; as a matter of fact a lot of Black women and men, but it takes place in Africa, Botswana to be exact, and it quickly becomes a feast for your eyes.

Across Black America

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.

California
San Diego college students and volunteers will carry out their sixth home restoration project on Wednesday, July 10 through Sunday, July 14. as part of the “Healing our Heroes’ Homes” (H3) program created by the nonprofit Embrace. The five-day effort will take place at the home of medically retired Marine Corps Capt. Sarah Bettencourt. Bettencourt served with many different units across the country during the Global War on Terrorism and developed a rare neurological disorder in 2008. With a focus to restore the homes of disabled veteran homeowners, H3 falls in line with Embrace’s mission to mobilize college-student volunteers and community members to serve less fortunate members of civilian and veteran communities. The project for the Bettencourts’ home includes kitchen and bathroom remodeling, building ADA-compliant disability ramps, widening their driveway to ADA standards, widening doorways and landscaping.
 
District of Columbia
The 2013 Smithsonian Folklife Festival will showcase its five-year community research project on African American identity with the program “The Will to Adorn: African American Diversity, Style, and Identity.” This multicity collaboration examines the history and culture of the aesthetics of African Americans. The festival will be held June 26-30 and July 3-7, outdoors on the National Mall between Seventh and 14th streets. “Whether we realize it or not, we are all dress artists. The way we compose our look is a creative expression of our ideas about who we are and who we aspire to be,” said Diana N’Diaye, program curator. “This program explores the diversity of African American traditions of style, but also teaches young people the importance of documenting their own culture and saving that information for themselves and future generations.”