Trends, Travel, Film, History and Books

JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT IN BERLIN:  “The size of the movie isn’t so important.  It’s who’s making it and why they are making it.”

By:  Peter Knegt

Source:  Indiewire

A few weeks after its debut at the Sundance Film Festival(where it earned strong reviews and was quickly picked up for wide release by Relativity), Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s “Don Jon’s Addiction” has made its way across the Atlantic to the Berlinale, where it’s screening in the f…

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TEACHED: The Path to Prison Synopsis

Source:  Indiewire

TEACHED is a new short film series examining the causes and consequences of education inequality in America. THE PATH TO PRISON takes a look at the under-education and over-incarceration of black men in America.

The United States now bears the ominous title of being the world’s most prolific jailer: with only 5% of the population, we represent 25% of the incarcerated. The vast majority of our prisoners are functionally illiterate–even if they went to school–and an inordinate number of them are people of color. In this short film, a former gang-member and felon from Los Angeles shares his own ‘path to prison,’ helping to explain how so many capable and intelligent young men–especially African-American males–end up uneducated and behind bars in the ‘home of the free.’  READ MORE  ..

FORMER NBA CHAMPION DEREK ANDERSON SHARES MESSAGE OF PERSEVERANCE

Source:  Beenetworknews.com

Louisville, Kentucky – Life is never an easy journey for anyone and former NBA basketball champion, Derek Anderson of the Miami Heat, may know better than most.

Abandonment, homelessness, and the responsibilities of early fatherhood were just a few of the hurdles he had to overcome at a young age.

Anderson shared his message of perseverance while speaking to a an audience during a recent book signing sponsored by the Kentucky Networking Group and RCMG in Louisville, Kentucky.

He told the mostly standing room crowd that not giving up is the key to eventually overcoming and accomplishing great things.

Anderson’s Book entitled – STAMINA – “Don’t Run Out of Breath Before You Win” (release date February 11, 2013), chronicles his life from childhood to becoming an NCAA Champion, Gold Medal Olympian, NBA Champion and CEO of Derek Anderson Works.

Beenetworknews.com asked Anderson what advice he had for individuals and entrepreneurs seeking success but were dealing with challenges at home or in business,  he replied, “ never accept “No” and continue to strive and understand what you’re selling and what you are doing.  The purpose of everything we have can’t be justified upon – I’m just trying to work.

You have to work with a purpose; and understanding what your job is requires sacrifice and a lot of other things to be successful.  So, not accepting “No” means you just have to keep working, people give in or give up too quick.”

He further added these key tips: “The first thing they need to know is how good is their approach?  Are they well-informed on what they’re talking about?   They may think – ah yeah, I’ve figured it out because I did this and that.  But are they really well prepared?”

“Secondly, never accept giving in.  People always quit just before they win.  And then they say, I’m going to try something else because maybe this is not it.  If that’s your passion, you go toward it until there’s no more left in you, and then you try something else.  If it’s a financial situation, you still try to find another way.  These two main points have always helped me to win in life and in my career.”

CHICAGO-BASED AUTHOR SAYS: “THE BLACK WOMAN ISN’T JUST MAD, SHE IS NEAR PSYCHOTIC“

— Reality TV showcases the madness week after week. Now, a new book uncovers why many African-American women are secretly plagued by fear, depression and low self-esteem and what we can do about it. —

Source:  Black News.com

Chicago, IL — Black women are often shown on reality TV as gorgeous fashionistas with fancy cars, lavish houses and strong personas. Yet, it only takes a few minutes for author Angela Brister to recognize that secretly, many of our favorite reality stars may be suffering from low self-esteem and in some cases, debilitating emotional pain that deeply impacts every aspect of their lives.

Their frequent displays of verbal and physical aggression, their sometimes dysfunctional relationships and their obsession with the superficial are characteristics that are all too common among women who aren’t just mad but in Brister’s words, “psychotic.”  Brister is the author of Black Woman – Just Get Your Hair Wet! She admits that while reality TV is primarily entertainment, a lot of the behavior we see the most controversial reality stars engaged in comes from a place of fear.

However the good news, Brister says, is that we can absolutely overcome the fear, the pain and everything associated with it.”I’ve never been a reality star, but I recognize some of the ways their fear manifests itself,” says Brister, who suffered with depression and self-esteem issues for more than a decade.

“I spent years putting up a positive ‘front’ around my peers and colleagues pretending everything was okay, but when I was alone it was a totally different story,” she said.  Brister also reveals in the book how her depression caused her to enter into a string of abusive relationships. It also kept her from pursuing major career opportunities and realizing her full potential. At one point, she even contemplated suicide.

“I was stifled, paralyzed, stuck, afraid, confused, sad and always mad. My life was the definition of psychotic!” Brister not only reveals her most personal challenges in Black Woman, Just Get Your Hair Wet! She also shares ways to overcome the fear, pain, depression and psychosis that so many suffer.  Brister says that the behavior displayed by of some of the popular reality stars is just a metaphor for how many black women cope with fear and in some cases depression. “It’s time we stop masking our pain, start confronting it and get help so we can truly live fulfilling lives!”

Black Woman, Just Get Your Hair Wet is a timely book that candidly reveals Brister’s personal experience with depression. Women across the nation have been connecting with her story as they learn easy strategies to overcome the challenges that hold them back.

Related articles

• Joseph Gordon-Levitt: ‘Don Jon’s Addiction’ Berlin Premiere! (justjared.com)
• Berlinale kicks off with kung fu epic (thelocal.de)