Melanie Campbell is President of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation

*For the first time since 1996 when the U.S. Census Bureau began publishing records on voting, Black voters have surpassed their White counterparts in casting ballots.

The historic voting was made during balloting in the 2012 election for candidates for President and the U.S. Congress.

What happened? What made the difference? To who/what is owed this history making fete?

Melanie Campbell had the answer- letting loose a laugh, no doubt one of pride, said, “Black women, Black women, Black women.”

Campbell is President of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, a civil rights group, whose mission is to increase civic engagement and voter participation in Black and underserved communities.

Campbell stressed people should think beyond the ballot box, “It’s a moment to celebrate and pause and to really figure out now what does this mean. What other things can we do? What other records can we break for the good of using the vote, not just to break voting records but to really move an agenda?”

Based on history in a presidential election when you have an incumbent running the voting numbers go down. But, Campbell says not so in this case.

President Barack Obama, she said, helped bring voting numbers up for African Americans but they were already rising.

“There’s a myth that we’ve just started turning out when President Obama ran. Yeah. It went to another level.” But, Campbell says a celebrated sociologist put it best, “The late Ron Walters (noted scholar and activist) would always educate us on the gap between Black and White voting had been decreasing over the ‘90’s into the early 2000’s.”

Campbell truly believes in the power of the vote – in more ways than one.

“You can’t just go push the lever. You got to push in Congress – show up. That old saying ‘the squeaky wheel gets the grease’ is still unfortunately the reality of politics.”

The National Coalition on Black Civic Participation and the Black Women’s Roundtable are currently working on a number of things, she says, including issues surrounding the Affordable Care Act.

Reach Tene’ at tene.croom.tc@gmail.com

Hear Tene’ Croom’s interview Melanie Campbell:

Of course, before the bride and groom could tie the knot (Justin Bartha), the men found themselves separated from Doug and suffering from amnesia following a wild night of partying on the seedy side of Bangkok.

But that was two years ago and now everybody has settled down safely into humdrum, uneventful lives in suburban Los Angeles. Everybody except Alan (Zach Galifiniakis), that is. He went off his meds recently which might explain such bizarre behavior as driving down the freeway with a giraffe in a trailer.

Since the 42 year-old goofball is unlikely to get hitched any time soon, another bawdy bachelor party is not on the horizon. However, when Alan takes a turn for the worse after his father (Jeffrey Tambor) passes away suddenly, his pals stage an intervention and decide to drive him to a mental health facility in Arizona for the help he desperately needs.

But before they arrive, their car is run off the road and Doug is kidnapped for ransom by Chow (Ken Jeong), the modestly-endowed, trash-talking mobster you should remember from Hangover episodes I and II. He and his henchman (Mike Epps) demand that the wolfpack retrieve $21 million in gold stolen from them by Marshall (John Goodman), a ruthless rival who stashed the bars of bullion in the walls of a mansion located somewhere in Tijuana.

That is wacky point of departure of The Hangover Part III, a supposed trilogy finale which is an improvement over the decidedly derivative prior installment yet still pales in comparison to the zany original. At least you don’t develop a nagging sense of déjà vu watching this screwball adventure, even if it isn’t exactly laugh out loud funny.

The madcap antics take Phil (People Magazine’s reigning Sexiest Man Alive Bradley Cooper) and the rest of the road warriors south of the border and then on to Las Vegas, the place where it all started, for another round of raunchy male-bonding rituals. Stu stumbles upon his ex (Heather Graham) and Alan crosses paths with the woman of his dreams (Melissa McCarthy), a big hint that the trilogy is destined to be stretched into a fourple.

A nutty kitchen sink comedy ending on a cliffhanger designed to keep diehard fans of the depraved franchise in suspense about whether yetta nudder sequel might be in the works.

Very Good (3 stars)
Rated R for sexuality, drug use, violence, brief nudity and pervasive profanity
Running time: 100 minutes
Distributor: Warner Brothers

Watch the trailer for “The Hangover III”:

As we reported earlier, Porsha claimed Kordell locked her out of the home they share by unexpectedly changing the locks. Kordell is saying Porsha is straight up lying. He even filed paperwork to prove it, according to Hip Hollywood.

In the document, Kordell admits that he did change the locks to their house. BUT, he states, it was because Porsha “abandoned the marital home on April 2nd, 2013.”

There’s more. Mr. Stewart’s statement says …

“(Porsha) established a routine of leaving (the) pre-marital residence without explanation and without consideration of the detrimental effects such behavior would have on the parties’ marriage , and (Kordell’s) nine year old son.”

On top of that, Kordell said he reached out to Porsha via text to let her know he was changing the locks:

“Hey reaching out not knowing who may or may not have keys to the house at this point, I was concerned for our safety so I changed the locks on the house. If and when you need to get in give me a heads up so you can get in”, the text, reads.

Check out the full story and Kordell’s document … at Hip Hollywood.

“A Father First: How My Life Became Bigger than Basketball.”

In an interview with Jet Magazine, the star basketball player described his custody battle and how his life experiences influenced his parenting methods.

Wade on his reason for pushing through the difficult custody battle:
“I didn’t set out to get full custody but I wasn’t able to see my kids the way I wanted and I’m not a parent who’s going to run away from his responsibilities. I was probably a terrible husband, but I pride myself on being a good dad.”

Wade on his rocky relationship with estranged ex-wife Siohvaughn Funches:
“It’s been six years and hopefully one day she and I can get to the point where it’s a lot easier than it is now to co-parent.”

Mom Jolinda Wade on how Dwyane’s dad impacted his fathering:
“Dwyane came up not having a father around, so he didn’t think he was missing anything. But having his father take over the key role in parenting was very impactful. That was the first view he got as a young man to see what to do and what not to do.”

Dwyane on his fathering skills of his two sons Zaire, 11, and Zion, 5 and nephew Dahveon Morris, 11 (who he has legal guardianship of):

“I’m the kind of parent who asks my kids questions like what would be your ideal thing to do in the summer? This year it’s Disney World,” explains Wade, the proud father of two boys. Even though I make the final decision, I want them to feel involved. Not only in vacations but other things as well.”

Alston, a huge Beyonce fan, took the time to pay homage to the reigning diva and showcase some of the skill that has made her a talent to watch independently. Her upcoming single “Hallucination” is a reminder of 90′s R&B and showcases her sultry vocals, storytelling ability and Philly soul.

Visit www.JadeAlston.com for updates, shows and to download Sunday Morning: Single on a Saturday Night Part II

Jade Alston – “Girls Love Beyonce” cover at Power 105.1 NY

The artist, who serves as the creative director at Intel, says the new music service has some issues and isn’t really a great model.

Called the Google Play Music All Access, it’s a paid subscription to music-streaming, something like Spotify.

“Honestly, I don’t really know what that means,” Will.i.am said. “Because they’re subscribing to sold music. What if I made a song and put it on the Internet tomorrow? Spotify doesn’t spot that. So, we live in this connected instant right now world. Those services are cool for songs that were for sale yesterday…Google owns YouTube. If I wanted to hear music, I’m just going on YouTube. So it doesn’t really make sense at all, actually.”

Onto other things will.i.am, the Black Eyed Peas frontman showed off a different flavor in his new time capsule music video.

In lieu of “The Great Gatsby” the movie, he went back in time, dressed in a top hat with tails and danced that old kind of stepping. Hence the pic above.

“Bang Bang” takes audiences on a journey through time and we end up in black-and-white clips.

We love it! Check it out below and let us know what you think.

I have a class 5 felony conviction on my record for cashing a fraudulent check. Yes, I know it was stupid, but it was 10 years ago. I was fresh out of college, broke, and did not have many resources. I had a small child to take care of and could not find a job. I was desperate and made a bad decision that I am still paying for 10 years later. Despite the fact that I have a college degree I cannot find a decent job because of the felony conviction. For years I have been working labor intensive jobs for very little pay. I need a better paying job so that I can provide for my family. I am very frustrated that no one wants to give me a second chance or look beyond the mistake I made years ago to see my skills and potential. I am tired of struggling and just about at the end of my rope. Can you give me some advice on how to get a better job despite my felony charge?

Need a Second Chance

Dear Second Chance:

You are not alone in your struggle and frustration to find gainful employment after a conviction. Just about every job application asks if you have been convicted of a felony and/or misdemeanor. First, I encourage you to keep applying for jobs that fit your interests and qualifications. Having a criminal record may complicate your job search, but it is not an impossible situation. Second, always be completely honest about your circumstances. Don’t lie about your conviction and/or pray that the employer will not follow up on your background check. By being honest you are accepting responsibility and taking control of the situation. Many employers, depending on the industry, may have certain restraints when hiring felons due to bonding issues, etc., but others may have flexibility and take into consideration the details of your situation.

You may particularly have trouble with a class 5 felony because although it is a less severe felony, it is associated with theft and dishonesty. Many employers will not take the risk or give you a chance when your crime is associated with a theft. But again, that is not the end of the world. There are many programs that assist felons with job placement; you should try to find one of those in your area. You can also lean on your family, friends and network. Many people own their own businesses and are in charge of who they hire. They may be more open to hiring someone in your situation and giving you a chance to prove your skills.

Have you ever thought about becoming and entrepreneur and starting your own business? There are also grant programs that assist people who have been incarcerated and/or have convictions to start their own businesses. If you have a hobby, passion, or special skill, you might be able to turn that into a business opportunity. As an entrepreneur you will be your own boss and then maybe you can help others in your situation and give them their second chance.

Tamara Hartley is Your Advice Guru giving REAL advice from REAL experience. She uses her personal life experiences and lessons learned to give others a different perspective and help them make critical decisions in their life, relationships and careers. Email your questions to advice@youradviceguru.com. You can follow Tamara on twitter @drtamarahartley and check out her column archives at www.youradviceguru.com.

Vanessa Williams in ABC’s “666 Park Avenue” – Season 1, Episode 6

Octavia Spencer, Michael B. Jordan and ‘Melonie Diaz attend the “Fruitvale” photo call at the Palais des Festivals during the 66th Cannes Film Festival. (May 16, 2013)

*The film conquered Sundance earlier this year, winning the festival’s Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award.

On Thursday (May 16), director Ryan Coogler’s “Fruitvale Station” unleashed its charm on the Cannes Film Festival, where it is competing in the Un Certain Regard competition – a section of the festival introduced in 1998 to recognize young talent and to encourage innovative and daring works by presenting one of the films with a grant to aid its distribution in France.

According to reports from Cannes, reaction to the film has been unanimously positive. Xan Brooks of The Guardian wrote, “Fruitvale Station made a noise at Sundance, was snapped up by the Weinsteins and played out to roaring approval here in the Un Certain Regard section.”

(L-R) Actress Octavia Spencer, actor Michael B. Jordan, Director Ryan Coogler and actress Melonie Diaz attend the ‘Fruitvale Station’ Photocall during the 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival at the Palais des Festivals on May 16, 2013 in Cannes

Michael B. Jordan stars as Oscar Grant, a 22-year-old living in the San Francisco Bay area. As the New Year approaches, he become determined to turn around his life and provide for his girlfriend and 4-year-old daughter.

After boarding a particularly crowded Bay Area Rapid Transit [BART] train, Oscar get involved in a fight with some old adversaries and when the BART police are called, he is detained along with other passengers at Fruitvale Station. Through a cruel twist of fate, he is accidentally fatally shot in the early hours by a police officer who withdrew his gun rather than his intended taser.

(L-R) Director Ryan Coogler and actors Melonie Diaz and Michael B. Jordan attend the Variety Studio at Chivas House on May 18, 2013 in Cannes

(L-R) Director Ryan Coogler and actors Melonie Diaz and Michael B. Jordan attend the Variety Studio at Chivas House on May 18, 2013 in Cannes

Oscar winner Octavia Spencer (“The Help”) plays Grant’s mother, while Best Actor Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker (“The Last King of Scotland”) is one of the film’s producers.

It is due for US release on July 26. [Scroll down to view the trailer.]

Octavia Spencer attends The Art of Elysium, Rabbit Bandini and Leon Max event for Ahna O’Reilly at Festival de Cannes during the 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival at on May 19, 2013 in Cannes

Director Ryan Coogler, Michael B. Jordan, Octavia Spencer and Melonie Diaz arrive for the screening of ‘Heli’ at the 66th Cannes International Film Festival at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes. (May 16, 2013)

Amber Rose at the 2013 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
(May 19, 2013)

*New mom Amber Rose says she’s battling to lose her baby weight after tipping the scales at 202 pounds during her pregnancy.

Wiz Khalifa’s fiancee gained the weight while expecting their first child Sebastian, who was born in February. Now, she’s doing a challenging exercise regimen to get back into shape.

She tells EOnline.com: “I was 202 pounds when I had my son. But I’m tall, so it didn’t look like it. I have a really good personal trainer. I work out every day, an hour and a half a day.

“It’s hard to get off baby weight. It’s a different kind of weight because for nine months you stretch your stomach out and then it’s hard to get that back. I’m working on it. I lost like 30-something pounds already.”