DSG’s Jill Alper joined former Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm on The War Room on Current TV to discuss the recently announced Presidential Debates and talk about what format will most benefit President Barack Obama. Gov. Granholm helped prep Vice President Joe Biden to debate Sarah Palin in the 2008 Vice Presidential Debate. Click here to watch the segment.
“With a limited number of days between now and the convention, a big decision awaits Mitt Romney,” Democratic Strategist Jill Alper explains in the Detroit Free Press this week. Click here to read the full article on what matters when selecting a running mate.
THE WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT RELATIONS GROUP SALUTES SENATOR BOB MENENDEZ, CONGRESSWOMAN MAXINE WATERS AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN GOVERNMENT RELATIONS PROFESSIONALS AT THE THIRD ANNUAL TIN CUP AWARDS ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 18, 2012
The Washington Government Relations Group (WGRG), the nation’s oldest organization for African American government relations professionals, will honor leaders in the government affairs community at its Second Annual Tin Cup Awards Dinner. This Second Annual Tin Cup Awards Dinner builds on the success of the inaugural event and will honor individuals with a proven commitment to the enrichment of African-American government relations professionals.
The votes have been tallied and we are pleased to announce the following award recipients~
Adam Clayton Powell Award (Leadership in Diversity – Member of Congress)
The Honorable Robert “Bob” Menendez, U.S. Senate (NJ)
The Honorable Maxine Waters (CA) , Chief Deputy Democratic Whip & Member of the House Financial Services Committee
Augustus F. Hawkins Award (Leadership in Diversity – Organization)
Honorable Marc Morial & The National Urban League
Lucile Harris Bluford Spotlight Award (Journalism Highlighting Efforts in Diversity)
Soledad O’Brien, CNN
Reginald “Reg” Gilliam Award (Formerly the Atlas Award)
Lobbyist of the Year│ Yvonne McIntire, Calpine Corporation
Lifetime Achievement│ Larry Lucas, PHRMA (retired)
The President’s Award (Career Achievement – Leadership & Excellence)
Minyon Moore, Dewey Square Group
In this month’s issue of LATINO, Maria Cardona discusses why Latinos will decide the 2012 presidential election. Read the interview here.
Award-Winning Filmmaker, Henry Corra, Produces Seven-Minute Film Drawing Attention to the Community of Anacostia
Horton’s Kids, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing services to 565 children and 125 families in Washington DC’s Ward 8 Anacostia neighborhood is the focus of a powerful, seven-minute documentary by renowned filmmaker Henry Corra. Corra’s previous efforts have been broadcast on HBO, SHOWTIME, LOGO, CBS, MTV, BRAVO, PBS and VH1.
The film chronicles the daily struggle of children living in this underserved section of the nation’s capital that boasts one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation, though the rest of the metropolitan area has consistently been highlighted as one of the fastest-growing, robust economies in the country.
“I’ve always been very uncomfortable with the idea that in the face of great richness there is also extreme poverty,” states Horton’s Kids Founder Karin Walser in the film. “I have a problem with that – especially when it affects children.”
In Corra’s documentary, children, staff and volunteers share their personal stories about life in Ward 8 and how Horton’s Kids has helped in an environment where scarce resources hinder their ability to thrive. The film was recently uploaded on the Horton’s Kid’s YouTube channel and has already had over 20,000 views. To watch the film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hypumXef66A
A huge disparity of opportunity exists between Ward 8 and surrounding Washington DC neighborhoods. In the film, Walser discusses why she was inspired to take action and help close that gap. Many children in Ward 8 have the drive to succeed at school, but their environments often lack the structure and support to advance their education.
“Horton’s Kids… put me into a school that was persistent and tried to keep us challenged,” said Horton’s Kid Anthony Simon. “They had a dream. And the dream was to help out kids in this vicinity, because being bright does not depend on where you’re from.”
One-on-one tutoring is the cornerstone of programs provided by Horton’s Kids. Three times a week, Horton’s Kids staff and volunteers tutor 125 children from grades pre-K through 12 in Congressional Office Buildings and the U.S. Department of Education headquarters.
“They supply my hunger,” says Simon, who was provided with various education materials to support his passion for Latin. After high school, Simon aspires to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) or the University of Cambridge to further his education.
In addition to education, Horton’s Kids is involved in enriching other aspects of these children’s lives. The organization works to provide nutritious meals and new clothing for the children as well as collaborates with local health professionals to help provide basic health care services. Once a month, staff and volunteers join children and their families on field trips to various museums and festivals in the DC area.
“I feel honored to have been able to shed light on the day-to-day struggles these children and their families face,” said Corra. “We are also so grateful to Sherry Matthews and her Advocacy Marketing agency for their ongoing collaboration and guidance. Without Sherry’s passion and vision, this film would not have been possible. I hope this film will spread awareness of the critical work Horton’s Kids is doing and encourages others to help out in any way they can.”
Horton’s Kids also hopes that additional publicity from Corra’s film will generate much needed increased financial support from the community and build upon the services they provide to children.
“We are so grateful for Henry Corra’s film, and we hope that this exposure will spread awareness and inspire others to help enrich the lives of these children,” said Horton’s Kids Executive Director, Brenda Chamberlain. “The services provided by Horton’s Kids take commitment, passion, and volunteers. More importantly, it takes money – to buy the food, for transportation, to pay utility bills and rent. We are currently serving 40% more kids with a budget that is operating 15% below last year. There’s still a lot of work to be done for these kids.”
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