Call Center Helps Katrina And Rita Victims
Baton Rouge, LA - Louisiana residents seeking to restore lives upset by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita can now call 1-877-LA-Rebuilds (1-877-527-3284). This toll free number, like the LouisianaRebuilds.info web portal (www.louisianarebuilds.info), connects Louisiana residents displaced by hurricanes and floods to reliable information about rebuilding efforts and available resources. The addition of the call center gives residents two ways to access this vital information, online and offline.
Call center operators are available 24 hours a day and can respond in several languages, including English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and several Chinese dialects. They can answer questions about services, resources, and support networks that are necessary for rebuilding lives, homes, communities, and the state. Callers can feel confident that a live operator will answer their questions with the most current and reliable information. When necessary, callers are immediately transferred to operators at other centers, such as Louisiana's Road Home Housing Registry for the most accurate information.

A Call For Submissions
Los Angeles, CA - Starting its 13th year, The Guy A. Hanks and Marvin Miller Screenwriting Program will be accepting applications from July 15 to September 15. The Hanks-Miller Program is geared toward increasing the pool of qualified and diverse writers, and has single-handedly brought more successful African American writers into the entertainment industry than any other program of its type.
This program meets twice a week for 15 weeks beginning Feb. 2007. It is designed to assist writers in completing a television or feature script, while giving them the opportunity to examine African American history, culture and iconography. Participation is free to those selected.
The program is not designed for beginning level writers, rather those who have a strong foundation in television or screenwriting.
For more information or to obtain an application, visit www.CosbyProgram.com or send a SASE to The Guy Hanks & Marvin Miller Screenwriting Program, USC School of Cinema-Television, Room GT132, University Park, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2211.

Black Newspaper Asks "Why Can't Blacks Work Together?" 
Springfield, IL - A local Black newspaper, the Capital City Courier, has published a provocative cover story entitled “Why Can't Blacks Work Together?” that created a buzz throughout its central Illinois circulation area that is now rippling across the nation. The question, posed to a wide array of local citizens via "man on the street" interviews, has brought to the surface a
simmering debate within the local Black community related to the seemingly stagnant nature of Black progress which appears to mirror many communities throughout the country. The resulting community-wide dialogue will be followed up in the Courier's next issue which will be devoted to seeking solutions to this perplexing issue. "I simply wanted to put into print what was being expressed by Blacks almost everyday in a number of ways throughout our community," stated Michael Pittman, the editor-in-chief of the Capital City Courier.
For more information, call Michael Pittman at 217-528-2998.

Dr. Farrah Gray, Celebrates One Year On  Essence Magazine's Best Seller List top business books of 2005 by Library Journal.

Largest African American Speakers Bureau Shares Insider Secrets At Three-Day Event
Los Angeles, CA - On the weekend of August 4, 5 and 6, Norma T. Hollis an award-winning entrepreneur, and her team will produce the Power Of Voice Speaking Summit, at the Wilshire Grand Hotel in Los Angeles designed to help beginning, intermediate and advanced speakers enhance their skills and explode their income. In addition, the summit also features a "Speaker Idol" contest, VIP dinner and one-on-one coaching opportunities. Also, the company hosts a series of free preview teleconferences, allowing potential attendees to hear P.O.V. Summit speakers in advance. To register, visit www.PowerOfVoiceSpeakingSummit.com or call 310-671-7136.

Black Enterprise Announces The 40 Best Companies For Diversity
New York, NY- Black Enterprise (BE) announced its second annual list of the best companies for diversity as featured in the July cover story. In selecting the 40 Best Companies for Diversity, BE evaluated diversity programs, consulted with diversity experts and corporate diversity officers, and conducted an extensive survey of more than 1,000 of the country's largest publicly traded companies, and more than 50 leading global companies with significant U.S. operations. BE developed a corporate diversity survey that focused primarily on activities related to the participation of African Americans and other ethnic minority groups as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The complete report is available in the July 2006 issue of Black Enterprise, available on newsstands now.

Ronnie Lott And Billy Hunter Among Reps To Host Investment Symposium
Bethesda, MD - Canon Capital Partners announced that Wealth Management, Trust & Estate Planning and Business Management are topics company representatives will address during its inaugural Investment Symposium on Wednesday, July 12, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. The panel-focused luncheon, which will coincide with the 2006 ESPY Awards, will be held at The Ritz-Carlton hotel, in Marina Del Rey, California. Ronnie Lott, NFL football great and managing member of HRJ Capital, and Billy Hunter, Executive Director of the National Basketball Players Association, are among the company's management representatives who will discuss community-based investing specifically to professional athletes and high net worth individuals.
To purchase tickets or obtain information about sponsorship, call D.R. Roberts Event Management at 510-654-5335. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.canoncapitalpartners.com

Ford Fund Forges Partnership With HBCU
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands - Ford Motor Company Fund announced its continued partnership with the national Historically Black Colleges and Universities' Business Deans Roundtable (HBCU BDRT) to help prepare African American high school students for careers in fields such as business, engineering, math, science and technology through the Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies (Ford PAS).
Ford Motor Company Fund has agreed to commit another $100,000 to be distributed among several HBCU's to support implementation of the program in one or more local high schools or approved alternative settings. The fund will offer individual grants ranging from $10,000 to $30,000 each that will be distributed across the five regions. This grant follows last year's successful pilot program to implement Ford PAS and is expected to begin Spring 2007 with training being offered in the Fall of ‘06 for the grantees that are selected.
For more information on programs made possible by Ford Motor Company Fund, visit www.ford.com/go/fordfund.