New School:   Kayla Brianna and Jacob Latimore

By Catherine Abrams

Recently, I re-discovered the world of teenage pop stars and their vociferous young fans when I attended the #1 Girl Tour featuring new artist Kayla Brianna, and young phenom, Jacob Latimore. The last time I heard screaming like this was at a Jackson 5 concert! Excited girls, young ladies, and their parents packed the concert hall.

First up was Interscope recording artist Kayla Brianna. No stranger to success, Kayla Brianna’s father is Kenny Smith, former NBA player and star of TNT’s "Inside the NBA." Her dad debuted her first single “If You Love Me” during a segment of his show.  Kayla Brianna bounded onto the stage, adorned in pink shorts and a summery top. The 17-year old began her set with “Turn Up the Music,” followed by “If You Love Me” and “Bombs Away,” her latest single.

She appeared at ease - - singing, dancing and engaging the crowd, which probably was not easy since the crowd was filled with potential #1 girls. Although her set was brief, this talented young lady definitely got the crowd moving.

RCA recording artist Jacob Latimore was a pleasant surprise.  I had no idea I was going to see someone who evoked images of Chris Brown, Usher and, the ultimate, King of Pop Michael Jackson. This young man is incredible!  He has a beautiful voice and apparently it comes naturally - - his father and uncles are the Latimore Brothers, an inspirational quartet.

A superb dancer, Latimore commands the stage and has that rare and always welcome “star” quality.  Flanked by two male and two female dancers, Latimore’s set highlighted his ability to capture the crowd’s attention with both his voice and smooth dancing. His performance included “Fantasy Girl,” “This or That,” and his latest single, “You Come First.”  Everyone was on their feet enjoying his entire set.

 
Only 15, Latimore, a Milwaukee native, is a triple threat.  He not only sings and dances, he acts. Latimore appeared in a leading role in his first feature film, a thriller, “Vanishing on 7th Street.” And the 2012 BET Young Stars Award nominee  expects to release his debut record in 2012.

Headlined by boy band Mindless Behavior, the #1 Girl Tour is currently working its way around the country and set to wind up in California in August.

Café El Barrio Opens | Hue-Man Closes in Harlem

Cafe El Barrio opens at Hunter College, 2180 Third Avenue at 119th Street, Wednesday, August 1. Owner Kevin Walters told Port Of Harlem that the café will serve lavazza coffee, the world's best coffee, cappuccino and espresso. He continued with a smile, “We will make your own flavored ice cream in front of your smakin lips.” Walters also owns Café Creole Restaurant and Supper Club at East 118th Street and 3rd Avenue, south of Marcus Garvey Park.

Hue-Man, one of the nation’s most respected Black book stores is closing Wednesday, July 31. The Harlem landmark near West 125th Street and Frederick Douglass had a 10-year run. Owner Marva Allen told the New York Daily News that she simply came to realize that her current business model could not sustain the operation in an era of e-books and digital delivery.

Who Pays for
Port Of Harlem Snippets?

When we were a print issue magazine, people would often ask the question:  Who pays for Port Of Harlem (POH). The answer was simple:  like any other media, most of our revenue (income) came from advertisers (like Ivan Brown Realty) who were betting that you would see their ad, let them know you saw their ad in POH and choose to do business with them versus some other company. A small amount of revenue came from subscriptions.

The same was true when we printed and also began publishing this online version. Today, we are completely green and our situation is basically the same with some additional “checks,” if you will.


First, most of our revenue still comes from advertisers (like Daley Destinations) that hope that you will click on their ad, learn more about the company and contact them (do business) with them versus some other company.   

The big “check” is that the web collects data, unlike the print issue. It generally collects how many (not whom) clicks on the ads.  We can also see which pages and stories are the most popular (See ""Snippets Readers' Trends"" below).  They only thing that is specific is the e-mail ADDRESSES people use to open their e-mails and what links the they have clicked. (If users attach their names to their e-mail addresses, we can also see their names.)  

When people view Snippets via the web, Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or visit our YouTube Channel, the system only counts the number of clicks (and don’t provide e-mail addresses).  While, we do not have access to the e-mail addresses, We are also sure that someone does or can get it.  We also collect revenue from those sources, too.  (We will soon “monetize” the blog, too).
 

All of this information is used to help convince advertisers to provide us the revenue to provide you Port Of Harlem Snippets at no cost.  Thanks for supporting our advertisers.  Happy Reading.

Bachman Now Attacking Muslims
Congressional Black Caucus member Keith Ellison (D-MN), the first Muslim elected to Congress, criticized former Republican presidential candidate Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) and four other Republican members of Congress about their request that various agencies investigate whether the U.S. government has been infiltrated by Muslim extremists.

Republican Senator John McCain (R-AZ) took to the Senate floor the day after Ellison’s remarks to join him in criticizing the request.

Bachmann is joined in her request by Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX), Trent Franks (R-AZ), Rep. Thomas Rooney (R-FL) and Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA).

Among the issues they raise is a claim that long-time aide to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Huma Abedin, has three family members connected to the Muslim Brotherhood and is at risk of being influenced by her family members.
 

Voter Access Battles Continues –
NAACP Wins in Wisconsin

Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge David Flanagan issued his decision to block Wisconsin’s photo ID law, declaring Wisconsin’s photo ID law the strictest in the nation.

The Milwaukee Branch of the NAACP, Voces de la Frontera, and twelve individuals partnered in the fight against Wisconsin Act 23. The act requires photo identification to cast a ballot, including absentee ballots. Only around 80 percent of Wisconsin residents already registered to vote possess a driver’s license that meets the Photo ID requirements of Act 23. In addition to obtaining a WisDOT Division of Motor Vehicles issued driver’s license or alternative ID,  a certified birth certificate would have been required.

Virgil Goode Hurts Romney in VA
Public Policy Polling has released a new poll in the state of Virginia including native Virgil Goode, nominee of the Constitution Party. If Virgil Goode gets on the presidential ballot in Virginia it could spell trouble for Mitt Romney. Goode pulls 9% of the vote, getting most of his support from Republicans and conservative leaning independents. With him in the picture, President Obama’s lead pushes out to 14 points over Romney at 49-35. Goode says he has enough signatures to get on the ballot, but is still seeking more for a cushion.

Speaking at a conference on unmet oral health needs sponsored by the Morehouse School of Medicine and the Sullivan Alliance, former Surgeon General David Satcher said that profound oral health problems still exist for large portions of the population and issued a renewed call for action to expand access to oral health care, particularly in light of the millions of children expected to gain dental benefits through the Affordable Care Act in 2014 (Obamacare).

Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease among children, five times more prevalent than asthma. Close to 50 million people live in areas where they have difficulty reaching a dentist, and millions more can’t get care due to cost. Poor oral health can lead to serious health consequences later in life, including diabetes and heart problems.

As part of the provisions enacted under the Affordable Care Act, more than five million additional children will be entitled to dental health benefits. More than a dozen states are exploring creating new midlevel dental providers, also known as dental therapists, to expand access to preventive and routine dental care.

Advertisement

Things to Do

The Harlem Chamber Players
with conductor Tali Makell
West Harlem Piers Park
130th and the Hudson
Fri, Jul 27, noon, free

Ramadan Events
America’s Islamic Heritage Museum
Sat, Jul 28; Tue, Jul 31; Sat, Aug 4
2315 MLK Ave, SE
Washington, DC 7:30p-10p
202 610-0586

Interior Design 101

Workshop 2:
Jul 21, 10a-12p

Final Workshop:
Aug 2, 7p-9p

337 Brightseat Road,
Suite 220

Landover, MD

301-500-5061, $30.00

St. George's College
Old Boys’ Association
(Ontario Chapter)
Summer Ball 2012
Le Parc Banquet Center
8432 Leslie Street,
Leslie, Ontario
Fri, Aug 3, 6:30p, $95

Introduction
to Feng Shui

Final Workshop:
Aug 4,10a-12p

337 Brightseat Road
Suite 220
Landover, MD
301-500-5061, $30.00

2012 Summer Spirit Festival

Erykah Badu, others and
BZB Marketplace Merriweather Post Pavilion
Columbia, MD
Sat, Aug 4, 4:30p, $

Soul Food Extravaganza
Julia Davis Park
Boise, ID
Sat, Aug 4, 11a-8p, $

½ Gary Southshore Railcats tickets
every Mon-Thu home game
U.S. Steel Yard
Gary residents box seats $5

Afro-British and celebrated micro-sculptorWillard Wigan will be at Parish Galley in Washington, DC Friday, August 3 for theopening of his exhibit that will run until Thursday, January 31, 2013. He currently also has exhibits in his native England, Belgium, France and China.

The American exhibition will include 10 new pieces of micro-sculptures that are so tiny they fit in the eye of a needle. The sculptured pieces are housed in cases incorporating microscope lenses focused on the work. Collectors of Willard’s work include Prince Charles, Sir Elton John, Mike Tyson and Simon Cowell.

Born in 1957 in Birmingham, England, Wigan began his artistic life at a very young age. “It began when I was five years old,” says Willard. “I started making houses for ants because I thought they needed somewhere to live. Then I made them shoes and hats. It was a fantasy world I escaped to where my dyslexia didn’t hold me back and my teachers couldn’t criticize me. That’s how my career as a micro-sculptor began.”

The opening reception is Friday, August 3 from 6p to 8p at Parish Gallery-Georgetown, 1054 31st Street, NW in the Canal Square shopping arcade.

Most Popular Headlines and Links

from the Last Snippets

• Entrepreneur / Culturist Vernard Gray Celebrates 71
• The Playhouse Beautiful - The
  Howard Theater
• Jay Leno Says the President Felt Like Dancing after the Health Care Ruling – See the President “Dance”