BY KYOTO WALKER
CNN Hero Roy Foster was chosen as a top ten finalist from 9,000 submissions in 100 countries. Foster and friend, the late Donald Reid, started Faith Hope Love Charity, a nonprofit organization which helps homeless male veterans with substance abuse issues. Foster founded Stand Down House in 2000. Stand down is a reference in the military for a soldier to be at ease. The house has serviced over 900 veterans to date.
Foster struggled with alcoholism and drug addication for many years and found himself living out of a care or in houses with other users.
“No utilities, no lights, no water. All the toilets filled with everything. I was on the verge of being arrested.
Foster sought treatment for his addictions and says he has been clean for nearly 20 years.
It is important to remember the battle scars that veterans carry with them each day, Foster said.
“Veterans are our men and women who have dedicated their lives in order to preserve our freedoms,” he said.
“Here in this country, they should never be abandoned or forgotten becasue their wars and battles will continue for a lifetime. We must never forget.”
Foster currently resides in West Palm Beach with his wife Taretha.
Photo/KYOTO WALKER CNN Hero Roy Foster with West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel. Foster was honored by the City of West Palm Beach in November 2009 for being selected as a CNN Hero with over 9,000 entrants from 100 countries for his efforts in helping at least 900 homeless veterans with substance abuse issues and finding them a place to live.
Posted 4 months, 3 weeks ago. Add a comment
PHOTO/KYOTO WALKER Damon Weaver with sportscaster Jay Gilmore, formerly of WPTV Channel 5 at Palm Beach Association of Black Journalists “Words Not Weapons” Poetry Slam 2009. Gilmore presented Weaver with a special letter from Miami Heat basketball star Dwyane Wade who was unable to attend the event due to regular season play schedule.
By KYOTO WALKER
Damon Weaver is the youngest reporter to interview President Barack Obama. The K.E. Cunningham Elementary sixth grader has also interviewed television icon Oprah Winfrey, actor/director Spike Lee and basketball star Dwyane Wade.
Weaver said he considers himself a mentor to youth and tries to set a good example.
“Mentoring helps youth to think more and strive to do better by inspiring youth to do the right thing,” he said.
“Kids can accomplish anything they want to.”
Weaver said he credits his teacher Brian Zimmerman with much of his success and wants to thank him.
“Without him I wouldn’t have accomplished the things that I have. I wouldn’t have met the president.”
Weaver said he will attend BAK Middle School of the Arts in West Palm Beach next year.
He has also been offered a four-year scholarship to Albany State University in Georgia which Weaver says he will accept.
HBO will air ‘The Black List: Volume 3 tonight to celebrate Black History Month.
Photographer Timothy Greenfield-Sandersand critic Elvis Mitchell continue their exploration of what it means to be African-American today with the third volume of their acclaimed series The Black List.
The new edition features interviews with Oscar-winning actress and TV host Whoopi Goldberg, Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter John Legend, United Negro College Fund President Dr. Michael Lomax, actor Hill Harper, fashionmodel Beverly Johnson, CEO of BET Debra L. Lee, actor LaTanya Richardson and director-producer Lee Daniels.
Posted 5 months, 3 weeks ago. Add a comment
Barbara Cheives, president and CEO of Converge & Associates Consulting, will host an interview series on WXEL public radio for the month of February. She will interview the featured speakers of The Spady Museum’s lecture series for Black History Month.
The interviews will air on WXEL every Friday in February during the show ‘Arts and Attractions Alive”. The show airs at 12:30 p.m. If you are local, the station is 90.7 FM. If not, you can hear it live at http://www.wxel.org/
Ms. Cheives’ first guest is nationally recognized jazz/blues recording artist Avery Sommers. At the Spady Ms. Sommers will discuss her career highlights and memories of performances with Nell Carter, Burt Reynolds and other legendary stars in a lecture on entertainment.
Be sure to to tune in and click here for the most up to date list of Black History Month Events.
Posted 5 months, 4 weeks ago. Add a comment
