June 15, 2011
In the News: Southern Baptists Elect First Black Rev.; Stevie Wonder in Apollo Hall of Fame;Pres. Obama’s Job Council Gets to Work
- Southern Baptists Elect First African American into Leadership
The predominantly White Southern Baptist Convention has elected an African American to preside as first vice president of the nation’s largest Protestant denomination. Reverend Fred Luter‘s appointment was made during the church’s annual conference in Phoenix.
- Stevie Wonder Inducted into Apollo’s Hall of Fame
Stevie Wonder joined musical greats Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin and James Brown, to name a few, in the Apollo Legends Hall of Fame Monday night. The legendary singer was recognized during the historic theater’s famed spring gala, which raised over $1.2 million.
Tony Bennett presented Wonder with the honor. “It’s a moment to cherish and remember, relishing in the memories of the times that I’ve been at the Apollo, as well as this night, the great people that came out to support me being here,†the activist said in an interview. “It’s a great thing to be one of those people in the Hall of Fame for the Apollo.â€
- President Obama and Job Council Map Out Ways to Increase Employment
President Barack Obama met with his Jobs and Competitiveness Council, led by General Electric Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Immelt, Monday at Cree, Inc. in North Carolina. The jobs council advised the commander-in-chief on ways to create one million jobs over the course of two years.
In an opinion piece published Monday in The Wall Street Journal, council members Immelt and American Express chairman and CEO Ken Chenault unveiled a series of the committee ideas, ranging from supporting energy efficiency in public buildings to helping small business employers receive loans and greater assistance from the Small Business Administration.
- CareerBuilder Survey Reveals 25% of Blacks Feel Discriminated Against on the Job
A recent CareerBuilder survey uncovers that one in four African Americans reports feeling discriminated against at work. The 2011 Diversity in the Workplace survey, which looked at over 1,300 workers and the top 20 markets in the U.S., by population, discovered continued discrepancies in pay, career advancement, and feelings of intolerance.
The corporation gathered information for six diverse backgrounds, including African Americans, Asians, Hispanics, women, workers with disabilities and lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender (LGBT) between February 21 and March 10 of this year.
“While companies have made strides in creating an inclusive workplace for all workers, there is still work to be done, especially in the areas of hiring, compensation, and career advancement,” said Dr. Sanja Licina, senior director of Talent Intelligence and Consulting at CareerBuilder.
- McDonald’s Feeling the Heat After Racist Sign Hoax
Over the weekend, this fake sign made its way around the Twitterverse. It’s an old online hoax that has found new legs as it gets passed around with the hashtag #seriouslymcdonalds. Chalk up another PR foible for the fast-food empire. Claiming that McDonald’s is charging African American customers an extra $1.50 as an “insurance measure due in part to a recent string of robberies,” first appeared on the Internet’s notorious 4chan bulletin board last June. But for reasons unknown, the pic appears to be stirring controversy once again.