(Akiit.com) From any perspective, it’s a gruesome tale. Since late April, developments have steadily emerged—in increasingly gory detail—about NFL superstar Michael Vick’s alleged involvement in illegal dogfighting. Recently, Vick was indicted by a grand jury for his ties to “Bad Newz Kennels”, a group that bred pit bulls and fought them in illegal matches, some of which are suspected of taking place at a home owned by Vick in southern Virginia. In addition, Vick stands accused of having dogs put down (as well as doing it himself) with extreme measures: gunshot, electrocution, drowning, and strangulation. In one alleged incident, a dog was killed by being smashed against the ground.

As more of these allegations have come to light, public outrage at Vick has grown accordingly. Both the NFL and Vick’s team, the Atlanta Falcons, have been the targets of picketing and protests by members of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), and the Humane Society. These groups are far from alone, though. In addition to the usual sources of sports-related outrage (talk radio hosts and newspaper columnists chief among them), indignation has poured down from the highest levels of government, with Senators Robert Byrd and John Kerry coming out publicly against Vick and the unspeakable acts of which he stands accused.

Beyond Vick’s precipitous fall from public favor, though, there’s also a financial cost to bear for all of this. As one of the leagues most explosive and high-profile players, Vick has been, quite literally, a poster boy for both the Falcons and the NFL since his arrival to the league in 2001. Even as the first details of his involvement with dogfighting were surfacing, he was showcased at the 2007 NFL draft in support of the victims of the Virginia Tech massacre (both Vick and his younger brother Marcus played quarterback for the school). Now, however, sponsors are abandoning the standout like rats from a sinking ship.

For its part, Nike—which has released several lines of Vick-brand clothing and shoes—has suspended the release of its latest model, the “Air Zoom Vick V” (though previous items will remain available for purchase). The NFL, too, has been forced to take steps to insure its ratings and quell the controversy. The league’s new commissioner, Roger Godell, who began his tenure by suspending troubled defensive back Adam “PacMan” Jones, has sought to shore up his image as a disciplinarian in light of Vick’s alleged transgressions. Most recently (as of this writing), he’s prevented the quarterback from attending the team’s preseason training camp, reserving the right for further disciplinary action as more information comes to light.
Read The Full Story…

CHICAGO, July 26 /Akiit.com/ — Because the lives of professional black women in America have been understudied and their contributions as leaders often undervalued, The League of Black Women (LBW) conducted its “LBW Having Our Say: Fostering the Leadership Potential of Black Women in America Survey” to help identify and eliminate the challenges black women face as they strive to fulfill their leadership potential and achieve socio-economic parity for themselves, their families and their communities.

The report includes an assessment of the key barriers to black women realizing their leadership potential; recommendations for how corporations can remove those barriers and support retention; and personal accounts of professional black women striving to rise to leadership positions despite the odds. The data found only 20 percent of black women are “very satisfied” with their overall lives, and respondents reported greater and more pervasive degrees of frustration with advancing in their careers.

“The League of Black Women is committed to supporting and developing leadership values and joyful living for the 21st century black woman,” said Sandra Finley, president/CEO. “With this report we provide essential support and timely advice to corporations on specific methods and recommendations to recruit, retain and empower black women as leaders. By implementing our suggested strategies, we believe companies can improve their efforts toward achieving greater workforce diversity.”
Read The Full Story…

(Akiit.com) Hot Ghetto Mess — n. A tacky or obnoxious person, place or thing; deplorable behavior; former name of BET’s controversial new show airing tonight at 10:30.

Will a “Hot Ghetto Mess” by any other name still smell like moldy stereotypes?

Those who’ve been turning up the heat on BET over its new show are claiming a small victory in getting the name changed to something a bit more palatable. However, they’re still ready to kick that flame up a notch if the half-hour video clip program, hosted by comedian Charlie Murphy, lives up to their low expectations.

Now called “We’ve Got to Do Better,” the show, formerly known as “Hot Ghetto Mess,” has been billed as “an entertaining, tongue-in-cheek examination of the good, the bad and the ugly of black popular culture.” Advance copies of the show have not been provided to television critics.
Read The Full Story…

(Akiit.com) I saw a kiss that changed my outlook on life. Now I don’t typically go around watching other people kiss but there was something about this one that was just special. What was even more amazing is that every time I witness this type of display I admit that I experience the same emotion. It’s the moment when a father leans in to embrace and kiss his son. That melts my heart every time.

When boys are young, it is easy for society to accept the tenderness with which fathers interact with their sons. On any given day it’s easy to find a father and son at school events, shopping malls or even their place of worship. Who wouldn’t smile at a dad throwing a ball to his son or helping his little one climb up the sliding board?

As a parent, dads are equally invested in the emotional support of their kids and when a need is indicated such as an accident on a playground, for example, dads comfort their sons with love and affection and everyone around is in agreement that this is good. What is amazing, however, is that during the course of a boy’s childhood this same affection becomes almost downright unacceptable.
Read The Full Story…

(Akiit.com) IT WAS SUNDAY afternoon. My husband and I had been for a short bike ride and we’d stopped at the grocery store to pick up something to cook for dinner. I begged off going into the store and waited for him in the car.

I opened the car door, basking in the sun and the Latin jazz rhythms on KCSM radio station.

I’d been sitting there for maybe 10 minutes. Other shoppers had come and gone. A woman got out of her SUV and started walking toward the store. A white woman. She saw me sitting in the car and turned back, pushing the remote button to lock her car. She proceeded into the store.

Seeing me and locking her car may have been completely unrelated. She may have been planning to lock it and just happened to look in my direction before she did. However, I couldn’t shake the feeling she had seen me, an African American sitting in a car, and decided she’d better lock her doors.
Read The Full Story…