I like to say..there are NO bad days..some days just provide a BETTER outlook than others, as everyday of course won’t be perfect…but YOUR life continues to have a story to tell..it’s just up to you as to whether it can have a happy ending…here’s to more of those HAPPY endings than not!!

For me personally, since turning the big 4-0, I’m starting to see and feel the difference in my body…beginning with getting more than 4 hours of sleep, although I can still function with that amount, it’s amazing how well rested the body and mind feel the next early morning before heading into the station..there’s the excercise and I’ve been encouraged by soooo many wonderful instructors, nutrionists, trainers and the like who have made excercise fun and the people I work out with who listen to the Best R&B and Old School…you’re the best in keeping me motived!

Even in recent conversation with my own Mamma, she recently joined an area YMCA to keep herself in good shape…way to go Mom..you know I’m proud of ya! So in the season of taking better care of ourselves, which I want to continue to do with better eating habits…a slow process, but one I know I can overcome..let’s be each other’s support system, so we ALL can make fewer trips to see the good Ol Doc, or if we have to make that visit we walk away(literally) with better health in mind!

These losses leave incredible shoes to fill in carrying on not only their legacies, but in taking the lead in ALL communities(not just African-American and other minorities) to ensure equal rights for every human being!And may we not just rely on our local  and national leaders to address the issues(and sadly the continued problems) of race, unemployment, the increased need for voter turnout, etc.,but set the examples of being the BEST community leaders we know how to be within our OWN families, churches, the workplace, and the like!

More importantly and lastly, encourage this generation of young persons who can be the future Benjamin Hooks’ and Dorothy Height’s for their generation and future generations to come, because the flame of equality and equal rights for ALL should never be extinguished!

In fact, and I don’t know if you will call me crazy after sharing this with you…but most mornings as I head out the door(still dark outside mind you), I pass by a set of solor lights that are placed along the walk-way of the front porch and one will light right up as if to say…’have a good day and I love you’, which my Grandmother used to always say while she was still living…that’s my daily blessing and my moment of inspiration that always starts my day off right!…talk about GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME AND ALL THE TIME GOD IS GOOD:)

So before writing this blog, I did a little research, and thanks to Wikipedia I discovered quite an impressive list of Black Academy Award winners and nominees, many of which I didn’t realized were included in as many categories. Let me begin with the grand-daddy of the Oscars…BEST PICTURE- back in 1985 the first Black person to be nominated for the category…Quincy Jones/Producer for the movie, “The Color Purple…this year BOTH Lee Daniels and Broderick Johnson represents the first time 2 Black producers are nominated for Best Picture for the films “Precious” and “The Blind Side” respectively.

BEST DIRECTOR…in 1991 John Singleton was the first person of color to be nominated and the youngest person ever at age 23 for his film, “Boyz n The Hood.” Now fast forward to 2009 and the honor goes to Lee Daniels- the 2nd Black person to earn a Best Director nomination…BEST ACTOR/LEADING ROLE… started in 1958 with Sidney Poitier, the first Black actor to be nominated for best actor for “The Defiant Ones,” and the first to win an Academy Award in 1963 for “Lilies of The Field.”…then came 2001 and Denzel Washington won the Oscar for “Training Day”…the honor in 2004 was bestowed to Jamie Foxx for his incredible rendition of Ray Charles in the film “Ray”..Jamie recieved 2 acting nominations in the same year and was the youngest Black actor to win at age 34, and two years later Forest Whitaker was a winner for the movie “The Last King of Scotland and Will Smith was also a nominee for the film ”Pursuit of Happiness.”

BEST ACTRESS/LEADING ROLE…in 1954 the beautiful Dorothy Danridge made history as the first Black actress to be nominated for “Carmen Jones,” but it wasn’t until 2001 that Halle Berry(who irconically portryed Dorothy in movie on her life story) was the first and only Black actress to win Oscar gold…now in 2009 nominee Gabourey/Gabby Sidibe is the young Black actress to nominated for her powerful role as Claireece ‘Precious’ Jones in the fim, “Precious.”….BEST ACTOR/SUPPORTING ROLE….Lee Gossett, Jr. won the big Oscar prize in “An Officer and A Gentlemen, and the first Black actor to win in this category…1989 Denzel Washington won the honor for “Glory…1996- it was Cuba Gooding, Jr., the youngest Black actor to win at age 29 for “Jerry Maquire,” and 2004 was the last year a Black actor won and Morgan Freeman did it for(as the oldest actor-age 67) “Million Dollar Baby.”

And lastly there’s BEST ACTRESS/SUPPORTING ROLE…and many of us weren’t likely born when Hattie McDaniel won the category in 1939 for “Gone With The Wind” as the first Black person(male or female) to win an Oscar. This didn’t happen again until nearly 50 years later…1990 when Whoopi Goldberg claimed the prize for her role in “Ghost.” Another 16-years later and Jennifer Hudson was the winner and the first and only Black actor male or female to win an Academy Award for a debut film performance for “Dreamgirls.” And other nominations worthy of note…2008 Taraji P. Henson for her role in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” and 2009 with Mo’Nique(and she could take home the prize March 7, 2010) for her incredible performance in “Precious.” What a history lesson to pass along, hoping this will inspire and encourage the NEXT talented/acting generation(especially of color) to keep reaching for the ’stars!”

“There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love”
-Dr. Martin Luther King