Prevention is the best medicine. In fact, many of the health issues men face are preventable and treatable. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the top five leading causes of death among men are heart disease, cancer, unintentional injuries, chronic lower respiratory disease, and stroke. Heart disease is number one, killing one in every four males in the U.S.

Men can take charge of their personal health and wellness by getting important health screenings, eating healthier, being physically active, maintaining a healthy weight, managing stress, staying injury free, practicing safe sex, drinking in moderation, and being tobacco free. It may sound like a lot to do, but it’s totally doable, and it doesn’t have to be done in a silo.

Men’s health is everyone’s business. Whether it’s for yourself as a man, or you have a husband, son, uncle or brother. Keeping our men healthy is a team effort. So, where does one start? Here are five heart healthy suggestions to keep our men healthy.

1. Get Regular Health Checkups

Annual checkups could save your life. They are a proactive approach to staying well. It allows you and your doctor to identify what’s normal for you, which makes it easier to diagnose issues early on, before they become a problem. Sometimes, doctors can even catch things before any symptoms appear. Ask your doctor what screenings are needed and when. This is also a good time to track personal numbers such as blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and body mass index. Maintaining and managing these at normal values are important to prevent things like heart disease and stroke. And get vaccinated. Immunizations help maintain health, regardless of age.

Ask your doctor what screenings are needed and when. This is also a good time to track personal numbers such as blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and body mass index. Maintaining and managing these at normal values are important for preventing things like heart disease and stroke.

Also, get vaccinated. Immunizations help maintain health, regardless of age.

2. Get Good Sleep

Not getting enough sleep can be associated with a number of conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and depression.

The amount of sleep one needs changes with age. According to the National Sleep Foundation, the average adult needs seven to nine hours of sleep. It’s also important that we don’t hinder getting good sleep with stimulants like coffee and energy drinks, alarm clocks, and external lights—including those from electronic devices. These things can interfere with our “circadian rhythm” or natural sleep/wake cycle.

3. Toss the Tobacco

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death.  More than 16 million Americans are living with a disease caused by smoking. It’s never too late to quit, and quitting produces immediate and long-term benefits. It lowers the risk of heart disease, cancer, lung disease, erectile dysfunction, and other illnesses.

Additionally, it’s also important to avoid second-hand smoke, which is just as smoking dangerous as smoking yourself—if not more so. It can also cause heart disease, lung cancer, and stroke.

4. Be Active

According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third of U.S. adults are obese. One way to control your weight is to be active. Staying active helps you to build stamina, stay fit and flexible, and burn calories as you move.

It’s recommended that adults get at least two-and-a-half hours of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week and do muscle-strengthening activities at least two days a week. Remember to work all your major muscle groups, including your legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms.

5. Eat Healthier

I know this is sometimes easier said than done, so I won’t recommend you “remove” anything from your diet. Rather, I suggest that you “replace” certain things, substituting those processed, packaged, canned, and fatty foods with a variety of fresh fruit, vegetables, and lean meats.

Most perishable food is a great source of vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients, which protect against disease. If your food can live longer on the shelf than you can, then that’s a problem. Also, make snacks healthier with portion control, limiting the consumption of food and drinks that are high in calories, sugar, salt, fat, and alcohol.

To take a health assessment and find out how to get and stay healthy, visit MyLifeCheck.org.

Want to Learn More and Keep the Conversation Going?

Join me, the American Heart Association, and BMe for a #MensHealthMonth Twitter chat Thursday, June 22, 2017, at 12 p.m. CST/1 p.m. EST. We’ll talk more about how men can stay healthy, relieve stress, eat healthier, and live longer lives.

Written by Nurse Alice

In the wake of the backlash against Silicon Valley over the lack of diversity in the tech industry, several tech companies have made an effort to open doors to more people of color. For example, at this year’s American Black Film Festival (ABFF), Google hosted a panel discussion titled Decoding Tech: The Next Generation of STEAM Professionals, which addressed the importance of technology as it pertains to entertainment and diversity as a whole.

(From the Decoding Tech: The Next Generation of STEAM Professionals panel, presented by Google, during ABFF 2017. Image: Courtesy of ABFF.)

Held at the Betsy Hotel in Miami, BLACK ENTERPRISE Editor-in-Chief Derek Dingle kicked off the panel with opening remarks. Then, Valeisha Butterfield-Jones, head of black community engagement at Google, introduced the panelists, which included Ne-Yo, a Grammy award-winning musician and tech investor; Mekka Okereke, an engineering manager at Google; Emmie Louis, a core team member from Black Girls Code; and Marcella Araica, an award-winning mixing engineer. The panel was moderated by Daraiha Greene, Google’s multicultural strategy lead on CS education in media.

During the discussion, panelists addressed the integration of technology with arts and media, and how this combination has impacted their careers. They also spoke about what it means to be a person of color who works in the tech industry. Ne-Yo argued that part of the reason why there weren’t more people of color working in the tech was due to a lack of knowledge regarding the prerequisites for hiring within this industry, as well as a general lack of awareness about what the industry has to offer overall. An investor in the Holberton School, Ne-Yo actively helps facilitate the education of underrepresented minority youth on tech fundamentals.

“Little boys from the hood don’t say, ‘When I grow up, I’m going to be a coder,’” he said during the panel, adding that though these children might be playing video games, they are not making them. “But, I’m trying to change that,” he continued.

(Ne-Yo and Marcella Araica. Image: Courtesy of ABFF)

Okereke also revealed that he has experienced racial profiling in the tech industry, even while walking around the Google campus where he works. Additionally, Greene stressed the importance of spotlighting people of color in tech, and not just for the sake of modifying the current perception of the tech industry. If these achievements were highlighted on a more consistent basis, then these people could serve as positive role models for minority youth to look up to. This could, in turn, could encourage more children of color to explore tech as a plausible future career path.

In an interview following the discussion, Butterfield-Jones, an organizer of the panel, told BLACK ENTERPRISE why Google decided to sponsor this year’s ABFF, stating that the purpose of the panel was to demonstrate “the range of opportunities for people of color in tech.”

. @DaraihaSunshine of @Google tells us why it was important for Google to sponsor #ABFF2017. #ABFF pic.twitter.com/1Qqi9LTU3p

— Black Enterprise (@blackenterprise) June 16, 2017

“We wanted to demystify what it means to work in the tech industry. Whether someone aspires to be a music producer, or an engineer in the television and film industry; there is a space for you to do that in the tech world. If you think about the television and film industry, you guys are the gatekeepers to our community. So, if we want to change the face of tech, we have to consider strong media partnerships. ABFF is the destination to go, if you want to engage with talented filmmakers, television producers, executives, and writers,” Butterfield-Jones said.

“I hope every attendee walked away [from this panel] with a better understanding of how they can work in the tech industry—not just as an employee, but also as an entrepreneur,” she added.

(From left to right: Derek T. Dingle, Daraiha Greene, Ne-Yo, Marcella Araica, Mekka Okereke, Emmie Louis, and Valeisha Butterfield-Jones. Image: Courtesy of ABFF)

If your business is struggling or in desperate need of cash, then Marcus Lemonis is the man that you want to meet. Lemonis, the owner of the multibillion-dollar company Camping World and the host of CNBC’s reality series The Profit, travels around the country to help save cash-strapped small businesses. In Tuesday’s episode of The Profit, he pays a visit to Greensboro, North Carolina, to help a family-owned haircare line that is almost $100,000 in debt.

The multicultural haircare company, Ashtae Products, was founded by Michael and Ramona Woods, who mortgaged their home and sacrificed personal items to begin their business in 1994. Today, Ashtae Products is distributed to professional salons and can be ordered online. However, the husband-and-wife duo found themselves at a breaking point due to Michael’s costly side projects. Fortunately, Lemonis steps in to help him find his focus.

In each episode, Lemonis offers to invest into the struggling businesses in exchange for a percentage of the profits. However, in the preview clip below, things get intense when Lemonis tries to negotiate a deal with the Woods and accuses Michael of trying to exploit him as “just a checkbook.”

Another clip reveals that Michael dumps a lot of the administrative duties and tasks onto his wife. However, Ramona told BLACK ENTERPRISE in an interview that her workload has become more manageable following the taping of the show.

“When you’re bombarded constantly, it just seems like you’re underwater with the day-to-day small tasks,” she said. As a result, “you’re unable to manage and you’re unable to run the business from the top down because you’re in the trenches. You’re grinding [and] your head is down” buried in paperwork.

Now, she says, she is no longer being tied down by everyday transactions. “I’ve been able to put that on an in-house bookkeeper that we now have.”

Michael added that he is grateful to be featured on The Profit and the insight he gained.

“I think it was a great experience because it gave us an insight as to areas that we could improve in our business. We’ve been out for 23 years, so it was a great opportunity for Marcus to look at our company with fresh eyes.”

The Profit airs tonight at 10p ET/PT on CNBC.

Back in 2014, Alton Glass’ groundbreaking drama CRU made history at the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) Independent Film Awards when it took home a win in each category it was nominated for, including Best Film and Best Director. Three years later, the award-winning filmmaker returned to the annual festival to break new ground yet again with his virtual reality movie, A Little Love, which premiered Saturday, June 17, 2017.

The story of A Little Love explores the themes of love, family, and adventure, and stars actors Kellita Smith and Dorien Wilson. Watch Glass summarize the plot of the film in the video clip below:

We spoke to virtual reality filmmaker Alton Glass about the premiere of his new VR film “A Little Love” here at #ABFF2017. #ABFF pic.twitter.com/7i5aoy6gvi

— Black Enterprise (@blackenterprise) June 17, 2017

Although the majority of the films screened at ABFF were shot via a standard camera, Glass’ VR film uses a combination of live-action and animation footage to leverage innovative VR technology in a way that completely immerses viewers in a 360° experience. In turn, this enables the audience to feel part of the narrative itself.

“Seeing the audience watch A Little Love for the first time was really awesome,” Glass says, in an interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE.“They were looking all around, laughing, and just fully transported into this experience. I think that this was something very different for them to experience at a film festival [and] at ABFF, and I think that they loved it.”

A post shared by Alton Glass (@altonglasscru) on Jun 18, 2017 at 12:49pm PDT

Along with providing the audience with an exclusive VR experience, the accompanying panel included a Q&A about the convergence of technology, media, and entertainment, which featured Glass as well as VR experts and television executives. During the talkback session, Glass opened up about being one of the few African American pioneers in the VR filmmaking landscape.  He also spoke about his decision to explore VR filmmaking, after directing a number of highly acclaimed movies like The Confidant (2010), starring Boris Kodjoe and David Banner; and The Mannsfield 12 (2007), which was acquired by BET.

“What inspired me to create a narrative in virtual reality like this, was being able to see someone like myself—for people of color or diversity—inside of an experience in virtual reality,” Glass says. “I’ve never seen anything where I felt like I was there—[in the film]— with people that looked like me. So, I felt compelled to make that piece.”

The celebrated director also explained why he chose to premiere his VR movie during the five-day festival. “It was important for me to debut this film at ABFF because one, ABFF has very supportive throughout my career,” Glass says, also adding that secondly, A Little Love is one of the first VR films to feature people of color.

A post shared by amandaseales (@amandaseales) on Jun 12, 2017 at 8:37am PDT

By now, many of us have reveled in watching Caitlyn Jenner getting schooled on her privilege by Amanda Seales, a comedian, actress, and a star on HBO’s Insecure. Both Seales and Jenner were attending Katy Perry’s “Friends and Family: Dinner With Discourse” party when things took an unexpected turn.

In a video clip that has since gone viral, Seales is seen explaining why she has had such a different experience in America as a black woman as compared to Jenner, a wealthy and celebrated transgender woman.

“The reason I am so passionate—and I’m not hostile, I’m passionate—the reason I am so passionate is because I’ve had such a different experience in this country than you,” Seales told Jenner. “Because as a black woman, the government is so much in my life, and it always has been. The government literally said that black men could not even be in the house or else women couldn’t get welfare. That’s a big reason why there’s such a chasm between black women and black men in this generation.”

While promoting the premiere of Season 2 of Insecure at the 2017 American Black Film Festival, Seales opened up about the conversation, revealing that she is not concerned if Jenner actually learned something from that moment. Rather, she has been more moved by the response she’s received about the clip from other black women.

Comedian & @insecurehbo star @amandaseales says she’s not concerned with how Caitlyn Jenner received the lesson she gave her on privilege. pic.twitter.com/vlfZ3uM6vh

— Black Enterprise (@blackenterprise) June 16, 2017

The 35-year-old actress also shared three tips for women of color striving to establish a successful career in entertainment. Watch the clip below.

Comedian & @insecurehbo star @amandaseales shares 3 tips to women working in entertainment at #ABFF2017. #ABFF #BEatABFF pic.twitter.com/PWO6xCLezR

— Black Enterprise (@blackenterprise) June 17, 2017

For Father’s Day, one black-owned company is taking to social media to celebrate black fathers. Luxury men’s grooming company Bold Beardsmen, which sells balms, oils, and tools for beards, has rolled out a #BoldBlackDads campaign filled with positive—and touching—images of black fatherhood.

Bold Beardsmen’s #BoldBlackDads campaign

BlackEnterprise.com spoke exclusively with Neville Hall, co-owner of Bold Beardsmen, to find out more about #BoldBlackDads:

Tell us about the campaign.

The #BoldBlackDads campaign was created to shine a light on African American fathers and reaffirm their importance as caretakers, teachers, and protectors in black families. Through this campaign, we stand to not only educate our audience on our products, but we have the great responsibility of reinventing the image of one of the most influential, special groups in America: our black fathers.

Black fathers are often stereotyped as absent, uninvolved, unconcerned, and hands-off when raising their children. With this campaign, we reshape that through positive imagery of the enrichment they add to the African American community through role modeling, mentorship, and teaching.

Bold Beardsmen’s #BoldBlackDads campaign

How did Bold Beardsmen come up with the idea for the campaign?

Bold Beardsmen as a brand largely caters and appeals to African American men. Our products work well on all types of beards but were born as a solution for the underrepresented men in the beard community (i.e., the black man). Outside of our products, a part of our job here at Bold Beardsmen involves creating a narrative that depicts black men in their authentic form, inclusive of their one-of-a-kind style, outspoken nature, daring attitude, and striking confidence.

The idea for this campaign is the natural progression of what continues to remain important to us as a brand. We have the privilege to be the voice of the risk-takers, the romantics, the hard workers, the unsung heroes, the grinders, and the family men.

Bold Beardsmen’s #BoldBlackDads campaign

What makes a dad “bold?”

Every dad has that one distinct “super hero” quality that makes them bold. Whether it’s his heart, his integrity, his strength, or just his wisdom, all fathers have an innate ability to be bold. Bold is our standard. It is how we benchmark the way a man carries his outward appearance, it’s his confidence and belief in his abilities, it’s his desire to pursue life on his own terms.

For Father’s Day, being bold represents a father’s pride in taking care of his family and his instinctive nature to do what is necessary to give them a better life. What makes a dad bold is his joy in being the rock in his home, a protector to his family, and role model through his lifestyle.

Bold Beardsmen’s #BoldBlackDads campaign

Why is it important to promote images of black dads?

We are constantly shaping Bold Beardsmen to reflect the men that we cater to daily with our products. That includes using our platform responsibly to act as advocates, allies, and when necessary, leaders and organizers.

We are aware of the stereotypes that attempt to cast a shadow over the important figures in our culture and we find it necessary to share positive and beautiful images of #BoldBlackDads that dispel these typecasts. The current social climate calls for more brands to be culturally aware and creative in how they use marketing and social media to spread messages that resonate deeply with their brand values and those who are loyal customers and supporters.

Bold Beardsmen’s #BoldBlackDads campaign

What message are you hoping the campaign sends?

Though this campaign will outwardly help strengthen the image of black fathers, the message is intended as an internal nod to encourage and salute those who get up every day and father their sons and daughters. Our message is simple: We see you.

If our campaign brings a family closer together, makes a father cherish his kids a bit harder, or sparks a separated family to reunite, it would have been successful in our eyes. We know it is a life-long commitment and the unique challenges of the world make it seem daunting at times, but we stand behind and honor the black fathers across all communities.

See more of the campaign on the Bold Beardsmen Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.

I was recently invited to speak on a panel at the Horowitz Research Cultural Insights Forum. At first, I felt I might just be a fish out of water; I’m a marketer and not necessarily a media type (yet). However, I soon realized that I had found my tribe—my #squad.

Throughout the afternoon, the conversation centered on terms that made my heart race, like “multicultural content,” “intersectional storytelling,” polycultural networks. There was also talk of the need for more diversity within the ranks. Some of the takeaways from this discussion included ways to best determine where content belongs, who will consume it, how to deliver it, and what it takes to make consumers want to tune in whenever, wherever, and, in many cases, on-demand.

The Demand for Multicultural Content

The conversation that took place at this forum reminded me of the WGN series Underground. The network announced that it will cancel the original, scripted show after only two seasons, according to Variety.

Some volunteered Oprah to take over the show, however, Winfrey said that even she could not afford to air this content on OWN. With a $5 million price tag, Underground required a larger budget for even OWN’s Queen Sugar. BET declined as well.

(Image: WGN America)

These niche and highly targeted programs seem to cost a bundle to make. Take, for instance, one of my favorites—which I remain in mourning over—The Get Down on Netflix. This show was also recently canceled after only one season, according to a report from realitytvworld.com.

(Image: Netflix)

The Challenges of Creating Multicultural Content

These shows seem to be biting the dust for the same reason: a lofty production price tag. With elaborate, choreographed musical scenes that basically functioned as mini-musicals smacked right in the middle of the show, and animated vignettes that operated as nostalgic throwbacks to Fat Albert, how sustainable could one expect a show to really be?

Yet, the demand for such multicultural content remains high. Those actors on The Get Down, for instance, portrayed characters who were Puerto Rican; they were black; they were white; some were even homosexual or queer. They represented everything and everyone. And because the show took place at the moment in America’s history when disco gave way to hip hop, the show spoke to a wide audience, developing a steady cult following.

However,  production for The Get Down cost a steep $120 million. It was split into two parts, to make us feel like we got a little more than we actually did. That is a staggering cost, especially for a platform like Netflix, which does not rely on the traditional advertising models that other networks enjoy.

So, how do you make up the cost for subscription-based, commercial-free content? There’s no doubt that services like Netflix and Hulu will eventually crack this code, and when they do—watch out.

How do I know?

We Are Starving for Diverse Content

Horowitz’s SVP of Insights & Strategy Adriana Waterston moderated the panel Alternative Voices, Alternative Narratives, with Jeffrey Bowman, Jennifer Randolph, and myself.

Adriana Waterston moderates the panel “Alternative Voices, Alternative Narratives,” with Jeffrey Bowman, Jennifer Randolph, and Michelle L. Smith, during the Cultural Insights Forum in New York City. (Image: John Fuentes, Horowitz Research)

According to Waterston:

• Multicultural households are the hungriest for content. They are multicultural and intersectional, meaning they check more than one box in the diversity spectrum. They are looking for content they can relate to.
• These new mass market viewers are “content omnivores”: they use a combination of cable and streaming services, thus are corded while also being cord cutters. As such, most have to pay cable television services for the content that can’t be found on streaming services, like network and local news, in addition to also having services like Sling, Hulu, Amazon Prime, or Netflix. They use these streaming services to consume the niche content that is tough to find on broadcast networks, such as highly curated storytelling that speaks to a narrowly targeted audience.
• As the most multicultural adult generation, 18% of millennials are cord cutters, and stream most of their content.
• The audience of content omnivore consumers want it all. Therefore, when it comes to successful storytelling, it is all about the narrative itself.

This hungry audience isn’t going anywhere. In fact, it will continue to grow and crave content. I myself fit squarely into this content profile—currently, I’m binge watching Dear White People and Master of None on Netflix.

Vying for Multicultural Eyeballs

There is a bit of a race to see who can fail fast, course correct, and win for these multicultural eyeballs. Some networks and streaming services are betting millions and millions per show on the prospect of reaching this overlooked viewer. Other networks and services honestly don’t know what they are missing out on, but they will need to figure it out—and fast. Those 2012 babies in Gen Z that are no longer in the minority are here—mine is hooked on the American Girl movies on Amazon and Netflix.

Diversity drives pop culture. I say that “black is the new black”—and so is brown. It explains the mass market appeal of shows like Empire and Blackish, and why Zee Mundo has been able to share Spanish-language Bollywood movies to great success. That’s intersectionality at its best.

My Prediction Going Forward

I think that Underground will eventually get picked back up. If so, based on research, it will most likely be by an over-the-top service like Hulu—if they are smart, and have the cash and model to support and sustain it. If and when that happens, I will look forward to adding Underground to my binge-watching list.

It’s that time for the kids to make a breakfast of burnt toast and runny eggs for dear ole’ dad and serve it to him in bed. After the meal is consumed (or possibly hidden under the bed when the kids aren’t looking), Dad is presented with a homemade card or maybe even the world’s ugliest tie that he will only wear in your wildest dreams. A cool father will pretend to like all of those gifts but what he may enjoy more is a playlist of songs that affirm how important he is in every child’s life.

(Image: iStock/monkeybusinessimages)

Here are a few great songs to help launch your own special Daddy’s Day playlist.

COLOR HIM FATHER – THE WINSTONS

This million-selling song told the story of a stepfather who became a real father to his wife’s children. It was the only chart hit (No. 2 for five weeks on the R&B singles chart in 1969) for the Washington, D.C. based band that featured Richard Lewis Spencer’s unique lead vocals. He also won a Grammy Award in the category of Best Rhythm & Blues Song for writing it.

DANCE WITH MY FATHER – LUTHER VANDROSS

Vandross co-wrote (with pop star Richard Marx) this sentimental song about seeing his father dance with his mother when he was a child. His father died of diabetes when the singer was seven years old. Sadly, Vandross suffered a major stroke weeks after finishing the song and was unable to promote it when it was released to radio in 2003. It still became a Grammy Award-winning No. 1 hit. Vandross died in 2005.

PAPA WAS A ROLLINGSTONE – THE TEMPTATIONS

Dennis Edwards’ fiery roar, Damon Harris’ sweet falsetto, and a relentless bass line define this psychedelic mantra about a father who was largely missing in action but was still something of a hero to his son nonetheless.

JUST THE TWO OF US – WILL SMITH

To the beat of Bill Withers and Grover Washington Jr.’s classic “Just The Two of Us,” Will Smith raps about his relationship with his first son, Trey.

STILL, MY FATHER – BRYAN ANDREW WILSON

The young gospel legend shares the once-uneasy relationship with his own absentee-but-now-back-in-his-life father on this 2005 Urban AC meditation.

DADDY LESSONS – BEYONCÉ

Queen Bey shows that before Jay-Z, her first King was Daddy, Matthew Knowles. She reverentially sings that he “made a soldier out of me” and “taught me to be strong.” Spotify doesn’t have rights to stream Beyoncé’s solo version, so we’ve added her Dixie Chicks collaboration to the listening. It’s equally powerful as a country song.

YOUR DADDY LOVES YOU – GIL SCOTT-HERON

One of the most militant and politically observant musicians of the 1970s, Gil Scott-Heron showed a very tender side on this whimsical homage to one of his daughters. Sadly, the original 1974 version with the eerie piccolo appears to be out of print but Spotify has a live version of it that we include in our playlist.

WIND BENEATH MY WINGS – GERALD & EDDIE LEVERT

The O’Jays’ Eddie Levert and his equally famous first born, Gerald, turned in a powerfully riveting performance on this 1995 re-cut of a 1980 Gladys Knight & the Pips original.

SONG FOR MY FATHER – LEON THOMAS

The late avant-garde jazz vocalist’s hearty 1969 cover of the Horace Silver Quintet’s 1964 standard is a more mellow affair with a disconcerting yodeling spell. However, it’s still a breathtaking and thought-provoking performance.

DAT DERE – OSCAR BROWN JR.

The veteran actor and storyteller humorously recalls all the crazy things a kid might ask his father on a trip to the zoo.

JUST LIKE YOU – LECRAE FT. J. PAUL

In a childhood flashback, the fatherless rapper is on the hunt for any male role model in this sobering, percussive track.

MY DADDY – EVELYN TURRENTINE-AGEE

The Quartet Queen, best known for “God Did It” – a No. 1 gospel hit in 2001, remembers her father lovingly in this southern waltz.

MY FATHER’S EYES – ERIC CLAPTON

The legendary guitarist seeks his father’s approval, guidance, and support on this rocking track.

PATCHES – CLARENCE CARTER

Nicknamed “Patches” because of his raggedy clothes, this impoverished 13-year old went to work as a teenager to support his Mama and sibling after his father died on this 1970 southern soul lamentation.

DADDY COULD SWEAR, I DECLARE – GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS

“Daddy couldn’t read, Daddy couldn’t write but one thing Daddy sure could do right was swear, I declare,” the soulful foursome proclaim on this funky ditty.

THIS CHILD NEEDS HIS FATHER – GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS

Long before the idea of absentee dads had become a pandemic, prophetess Gladys had her fingers on the pulse and sang about it on this 1973 gem.

FATHER, FATHER – ANGIE & DEBBIE

BeBe & CeCe Winans’ little sisters call on the Holy Father on this sweeping R&B track but this message can apply to any doting dad.

BROWN BABY – BILLY PAUL

On a classic Philly Soul groove, the jazzy singer admonishes the brown babies of the world “to make your father proud” on this 1973 cut from the same album that produced his masterpiece, “Me and Mrs. Jones.”

Father’s Day is around the corner, are you ready to celebrate Dad? Of course, it falls in the month of June, which is Men’s Health Month, so all the more reason to get dad something special. We love our fathers and male role models. They are protectors and providers and it’s important that we make sure they are happy and healthy so they can continue to lead our families and communities.

(Image: iStock/monkeybusinessimages)

If you’re like most Americans, you will spend on average between $90-$115 on a gift for dad this Father’s Day. And most gifts will be a combination of a greeting card, special outing, and clothes. Now those aren’t bad gifts, however, as America’s favorite nurse I want to help you find the perfect gift to help you keep dad’s mind, body, and soul healthy. Dad deserves a gift that keeps on giving. Here are my top five Father’s Day gift ideas:

Exercise gear

If we want dad to exercise, he should really dress the part. One of the No. 1 excuses people use not to exercise is because they say they don’t have the appropriate shoes or gym clothes. And this could be a valid point. Not having the correct shoes while running can actually cause injuries. So opt for some true “running or walking” shoes versus a pair of Air Force one high tops. Having proper fitting clothes can also prevent injuries.

Gym membership with trainer sessions

We know men don’t like instructions—or asking for directions—but that doesn’t apply in the gym. Many men actually want to know what exercises to do to work certain areas of their bodies. So go the extra mile and add a few trainer sessions to dad’s gym membership to help him get on the right track. Having a good trainer will show him how to exercise safely and can add some motivation to the workout.

Get dad a new calendar

Help dad get organized. With work, family, church, the kids, and sports events, it’s hard to stay on schedule. And let’s be honest, most Americans don’t do a good job at scheduling time for themselves. So get dad an organizer and while you’re at it insert some loving, healthy reminders in there. Jot in some important health appointment reminders like, “Make your annual eye appointment with Dr. Smith at 123-456-7890.” Make it easy for him to take better control of his health.

Healthy meal delivery

Broaden dad’s taste buds by buying him a healthy home meal service delivery plan such as Blue Apron or Home Chef. They’re cost-effective and help with healthy meal planning. This saves dad time and money on shopping for healthy foods, freeing him up to exercise, meditate, or read. He might need a little help actually cooking it when it arrives but that’s where the fun comes in and it can then become a fun family activity.

A great book

Help keep dad’s mind sharp by stimulating it with a good read. Just like you should train your muscles to increase your physical capability, you should also train your “mental muscles” to increase your mental capacity. Reading the right book can promote mental wellness, motivation, self-awareness and confidence. (Audio books are great too.) Aging men often fear losing their mental capacity and independence. So help dad ward that off. Here are two great reads I recommend written by fathers.

• Jump: Take the Leap of Faith to Achieve Your Life of Abundance by Steve Harvey – helps you engage the Divine Spirit within you to find your life’s desire and use your own imagination to make your life’s vision a reality.
• Purpose Awakening by Touré Roberts -uses personal stories, humor, and eye-opening analogies to take you on a transformational journey. You will learn how to discover your unique purpose, know God’s voice, identify and choose purpose mates, end wrong relationships, put an end to fear, grow your faith, and so much more.

The 21^st annual American Black Film Festival (ABFF) kicked off on Wednesday, with an exclusive media luncheon, a networking mixer, and the world premiere of Girls Trip.

For the last two decades, ABFF has been a cornerstone, multiday convention, which celebrates black excellence in film and television. When it was first launched by Jeff Friday in 1997, the festival was held in Acapulco, Mexico. However, the festival has since convened in Miami for the last 13 years.

This year, the festival began with the Cadillac Media Luncheon, where Cadillac Global Human Resources Director Tonya Hallett emphasized Cadillac’s commitment to supporting initiatives like ABFF, which showcase the talent of black filmmakers, actors, producers, and rising stars.

Also present at the luncheon was actress Regina Hall, who is this year’s ABFF brand ambassador. In an interview, Hall told BLACK ENTERPRISE that she was thrilled about being a brand ambassador on behalf of ABFF and was excited for the premiere of her new movie Girls Trip.

. @MoreReginaHall, the brand ambassador of #ABFF2017, says she’s very excited to be here! #BEatABFF pic.twitter.com/S0iKcUIGUj

— Black Enterprise (@blackenterprise) June 14, 2017

In addition to the good food, drinks, and music, the luncheon included a candid conversation between Spike Lee, a legendary filmmaker, and Kenny Gravillis, a graphic designer, about their work in the industry.

The very outspoken Lee didn’t mince words when addressing the importance of black people being “in the room” with those making decisions on whether or not to greenlight a film, and when corporations are determining how to best target people of color. Lee explained that when people of color are absent, companies run the risk of launching marketing disasters, such as the now infamous Pepsi ad that was recently criticized for insensitively appropriating Black Lives Matter protests.

. @SpikeLee explains why POC need to be in the room when companies make decisions. If not, we get situations like the #PepsiFail. #ABFF2017 pic.twitter.com/6Jo5RYy2ha

— Selena Hill (@MsSelenaHill) June 14, 2017

Lee also stressed the importance of supporting filmmakers of color during a one-on-one interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE.

Legendary filmmaker @SpikeLee tells us why it’s important to continue to support filmmakers of color. #ABFF #BEatABFF #ABFF2017 pic.twitter.com/WKmJKZdnta

— Black Enterprise (@blackenterprise) June 14, 2017

To end the luncheon, LeToya Luckett, a singer, actress, and former member of Destiny’s Child, gave an exhilarating performance.

Letoya Luckett performs at the Cadillac Media Luncheon at ABFF (Image: Twitter/ABFF)

Later that evening, Producer Will Packer and Director Malcolm D. Lee presented the worldwide premiere of Girls Trip, the new comedy starring Regina Hall, Tiffany Haddish, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Queen Latifah.

The Director and Producer of Girls Trip here at the screening/opening night at #ABFF2017 here in Miami. #SoMiami #UniversalPictures #MPAA pic.twitter.com/rMWy9Jw3kV

— ABFF (@ABFF) June 15, 2017

Click here to follow @BlackEnterprise’s live coverage of #ABFF2017 on Twitter.