July 11th, 2011
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon with Canadian Paralympian and spinal cord injury research advocate Rick Hansen
I recently spent 6 days in New York, DC and Miami with The Man in Motion, Rich Hansen and his fabulous team. They were celebrating the 25th anniversary of Rick’s super human feat when he wheel-chaired around the globe. Rick is a Canadian Paralympian and an activist for people with spinal cord injuries. At age 15, Rick sustained a spinal cord injury that paralyzed him from waist down. To raise awareness for spinal cord injury research, Rick embarked on his Man In Motion Tour in 1985 which took 26 months, logging more than 40,000 km through 34 countries on four continents. Rick is an incredible man.
In New York, a reception was held for Rick at the residence of the consul general, we observed the Re-Walk Suit technology at Peters Veterans Medical Center in Brooklyn and Rick met with Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon.
A fabulous reception was held for Rick in DC at the Canadian Embassy then we were off to Miami. In Miami we visited the Miami Project where Rick presented the Difference Maker awards to recipients and signed the Memorandum of Understanding agreement.
I was brought in to work with the team by The Golden boy himself, Johnny Gibson. Johnny and I worked together and became fast friends in Vancouver. And I’m proud to call him a mate.
Tags: ban, chair, General, gibson, glenn, hansen, John, Ki-moon, Nations, New York, Paralympian, rick, Secretary, United, wheel
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June 1st, 2010
That was a small part of the explanation Dr Piercefield gave last Wednesday when he told us the results of x-rays and a cat scan that I had taken the day before. I watched Fredi as she listened to Dr Piercefield and she never blinked an eye. I recognized that determined look in her eyes and I knew she was thinking, so what’s our next step? Fredi has survived a few major surgeries of her own and through them all she had that same look and attitude. That look is probably the only thing that helped me keep my chin up as I thought about the possible road ahead.
I initially went to see Dr. Piercefield Tuesday morning because I had suffered through a few uncomfortable days of not being able to relieve myself. By day three of no relief, I was so bloated no position I sat, laid or stood was comfortable. You could actually hear my stomach slosh as I walked. The bubbling and gurgling sounded like a volcano about to erupt. Not my stealthiest of times.
I was admitted into Emory University Hospital Wednesday and more tests confirmed that a tumor was blocking a section of my colon. It was official; I have colon cancer. The next day doctors performed a colonoscopy to get a more thorough view. During the procedure they also implanted a stint around the tumor, which allowed me to relieve myself.
During my follow-up with Dr. Willingham, who performed the colonoscopy, I thanked him and told him I vaguely remembered arguing with his team when I came out from under the anesthesia. I thought I remembered insisting I had to be somewhere. He said, “Yeah, you said you had to go to the bathroom.” Oh well, everybody knew then the stint had worked.
I’ve been recuperating in Emory since the colonoscopy and building up strength for surgery tomorrow. Dr. Staley’s plan is to snip out the blocked section, reconnect the colon and keep me here for more days of observation. I hope it is that simple.
Until last night’s dinner, when they fed me BBQ chicken and veggies with a hot roll, I had been on a clear liquid diet of broth, ice cups, jello and juice for breakfast, broth, ice cups, jello and juice for lunch, broth, ice cups, jello and juice for dinner. I can’t begin to describe how good that chicken was last night. Eating and chewing real food for the first time in days almost reminded me of standing in line at Jacque Imo’s while savoring the sweet aromas escaping through the front door. Almost.
Tags: cancer, colon, Emory, hospital
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May 22nd, 2010
Elizabeth Welch
Rogers Hamilton was with family members in Lowndes County, Alabama when Klansmen forcibly entered their home. The men demanded that he come with them and took Rogers away. His mother later found Rogers, who was age 17 at the time, on a road; he had been shot to death. No one has ever been prosecuted for this murder that took place October 22, 1957.
As part of Syracuse University’s Law School, Cold Case Justice Initiatives, the school held a two-day event in Atlanta for 30 families of victims of unsolved murders during the civil rights era. Led by Professors Paul Johnson and Janis McDonald, SU brought the families together to meet and speak with each other, share experiences, bring attention to the unsolved crimes and learn more about the Cold Case Justice Initiatives.
Congressman John Lewis and State Representative Tyrone Brooks, who reiterated, it’s never too late for justice, greeted over 60 family members.
Rogers Hamilton’s nieces, Elizabeth Welch and Ella Mae Abrams, who were ages 8 and 9 at the time and present when he was abducted, spoke on the emotional and moving panel discussion held at Ebenezer Baptist Church. Elizabeth gestured with her finger when she talked about how a gun was put to her uncle’s head and fired.
Even though the FBI recently said it was wrapping up its Civil Rights Cold Case Initiative, which began in 2006, these family members really believe it is never too late. Each left the two-day event now knowing they are not the only ones out there suffering.
Tags: case, civil, Cold, murder, panel, rights, Syracuse, University
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May 4th, 2010
Mary Luizzo Lilliboe
I recently met Mary Luizzo Lilliboe in Atlanta when she was here to attend a SCLC dinner. She was warm, engaging and a wonderful conversationalist. I had not heard of Mary, but like many of you, I knew of her mother’s story.
Mary’s mother, Viola Luizzo, was a white civil rights activist and mother of five from Michigan. Ku Klux Klansmen murdered her right after the 1965 Selma to Montgomery marches. After the demonstrations, Viola volunteered to help drive marchers back to Montgomery Airport. Leroy Moton, a young African American, who offered to work as her co-driver, joined her.
On the way back from one of their trips to the airport, a car carrying four members of the Ku Klux Klan passed Viola and Leroy. They saw a white woman and black man in the car together so they assumed Viola and Leroy had taken part in the civil rights demonstration at Montgomery.
The four pulled alongside Viola’s car and one of the men, Collie Wilkins, put his arm out and fired his gun. Viola was shot in the head twice and died instantly. Leroy was uninjured and able to get the car under control before it crashed.
Viola was in Montgomery because she believed the civil rights struggle was everybody’s fight. She traveled there to do her part. Mary could have turned a blind-eye to the sad and unjust times but instead she took a step forward and the cost was her life on “Black Sunday.”
Mary has made it part of her life’s work to make sure her mother is remember for doing the right thing. Mary follows her mother’s footsteps through the south in the documentary “Home Of The Brave” which pays tribute to Viola.
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October 31st, 2009
Orrin C. Hudson of Be Someone
I learned to play Chess when I was 21 years old and only then because my roommate played. He always had babes over teaching them and I wanted to get in on that game too, so I learned.
My friend Orrin Hudson learned at a much younger age but for different reasons. Orrin is the seventh of thirteen kids who found himself in and out of foster care as a kid. He is also an ex-cop and founder of Be Someone, a non-profit crime prevention program.
As a teenager, Orrin did not follow the letter of the law and struggled in school until one of his teachers taught him Chess. “With his help, I began to understand life through a chessboard. He showed me that every move you make has consequences and in order to improve my game and my life, I had to make better choices,” says Hudson. “I slowly realized that I was responsible for my own success or failure.”
Since then, Orrin went on to win the Birmingham City Chess Championships in 1999 and in 2000. He recently won top honors in the Under 1700 section at the 37th Annual World Open in Philly. I tell you, this guy is bad; he can take you down in 3 moves.
Orrin has also dedicated his life to making a difference. And now he does it by teaching kids life lessons through Chess. I visited one of Orrin’s Chess Camps and I was so taken with his presence and teaching skills, I was ready to pick up the game again.
But to Orrin, it’s less about Chess and more about building character. While he is teaching camp goers the game, he uses a variety of call and responses to keep their attention and get them motivated.
To Be Someone you got to get in the game,
I am Orrin C. Hudson; it’s time for a change.
Make the right moves in this game called life,
Think before you move and always be nice.
When the game gets tough and times get rough,
Never give up, cause we are more than enough.
Practice everyday the correct way,
Always better your best before you play.
Orrin is working hard to make every move count. He and Be Someone needs your help. Go to www.besomeone.org to make a donation.
Tags: Chess, crime, Hudson, non-profit, Orrin, Photojournalist Atlanta, prevention, Someone
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October 12th, 2009
Mack Calvin, John Durham, LeRue Martin, Dr. J, Walt Williams, Duane Causewell, George Tinsley, Manute Bol, Charles D. Smith, Kevin Willis and Tom Burleson
Imagine spending the better part of a weekend with the likes of Moses Malone, Rick Barry, Willie Davis, Dolph Schayes, James Donaldson, Don Heinke, Lucius Allen, C.J. Kupec, Jeff Mullins, Muggsy Bogues, Kevin Willis, Manute Bol, Rex Morgan, Cliff Robinson, John Durham, Nate Williams, Marvin Roberts, Jeff Mullins and Julius “Dr. J” Erving. Then, in walks Charles Smith, Levern Tart, Artis Gilmore, Mack Calvin, LeRue Martin, Walt Williams, Tom Burleson, George Tinlsey, Anthony Mason, Duane Causewell, Otis Birdsong and many other former NBA’ers. Man, do these names bring back memories or what?
Julius Ervin recently hosted the NBA Legends Of Basketball conference over a rain-soaked weekend in Atlanta and I was there to cover it. The events kicked off at the Inter-Continental Hotel in Buckhead with a welcome dinner and it was a pleasure to see these guys – many who played during different eras – greet each other. They are an elite group and it was very clear they are fans of each other.
They hugged, laughed, teased and told old stories about each other into the wee hours of the morning. One of the funniest moments Saturday night was Walt Williams’ reminiscence of one of his games against Michael Jordan and how MJ taught him a lesson by stealing the ball and welcoming him to the NBA.
Saturday night was the gala dinner with speeches, awards and music by Ken Ford. Don Cornelius would have been proud of how the retirees strutted, spun, bopped and danced down the Soul Train line. These guys are former big-time ballers who may not take it to the hole as fiercely as they once did but they can still take it to the dance floor.
Tags: Atlanta, Dr. J, Event photographer Atlanta, NBA, photography, Photojournalism
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September 19th, 2009
Make-up Artist Stephanie Kelly and Model Frances Wong
I spent last Thursday in the studio from 9:30 AM to almost 10 PM. Between moving lights, light tests, directing, changing the set, shooting and sweating, I did manage to scoff down a Quarter Pounder with cheese, fries and a coke around 6:30.
On paper that sounds like a long, grueling day but because I was surrounded by make-up artist Stephanie Kelly and models Nicole Brown and Frances Wong, it was a pretty spectacular day. Nicole motored in from Gaffney, South Carolina, Stephanie commuted from Hamilton County and Frances… well she lives nearby in Buckhead but hey, she drives a hot looking Black Mustang. I knew Frances was okay the moment that Stang pulled into the lot.
I am very happy with the results from both shoots – Nicole and Frances were fabulous. They came prepared, had their own ideas and took direction well. But Stephanie was the glue that held it all together. Stephanie knows make-up. Plus she is nice, funny and digs hip-hop. Yeah, I heard you rappin along with Jay Z. And again, Stephanie knows make-up.
I can’t wait until another opportunity to work with all three.
Tags: Fashion, Fashion photographer Atlanta, Kelly, make-up, Models, Photojournalism, portrait, Wong
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August 27th, 2009
Marvelous Malvin Whitfield, Fredricka and film producer Miia Jonkka.
Marvelous Malvin Whitfield is a Tuskegee Airman, a former diplomat, an Olympian and among other things, my father-in-law. He earned his Olympic medals running 400m and 800m races during the London and Helsinki games in 1948 and 1952. As he once told me, “The 800 is a man’s race.”
He was recently invited to Helsinki, Finland to take part in a documentary being filmed on Blacks in Finland. There have never been many Blacks in the Scandinavian country. Its population today is 5 million people with less than 20,000 Blacks.
Marvelous Mal is 85 and does not get around the track as well as in the old days. His daughter, and my wife Fredricka, and I traveled with him to help along the way. Mr. Whitfield’s part in the documentary focuses on his time there in 1952; his memories on what he experienced and how he was treated. During the taping he had very vivid memories of walking into the Olympic stadium for the first time, the Finnish ladies who cooked for the American athletes in the athlete’s village and of Finnish Olympic legend Paavo Nurmi, who ran the Olympic flame into the Stadium during the Opening Ceremony.
During our down time, Fredi and I walked and rode the trolley around most of the city. The streets in Helsinki are a joy to walk. Much of the city was built around the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with a unique National character. Some of the best buildings are from the 1920’s.
One of our funniest moments was our first night and we were both awakened by extremely loud, thumping dance music around 2AM. Our hotel was on the main downtown drag, smack dab in the middle of party central. I got up, looked out the window and the street was crawling with loud and wide-awake Finns. We tried to go back to sleep but it was just too noisy. It sounded like the bass and bongo players were in the room with us.
Around 3 AM we decided, if you can’t beat them, join them, so we got up and dressed. As we were leaving the room, Fredi took one last look out the window and noticed it was slightly ajar. Hence the loud ass music. She closed the window and all of a sudden our room was completely sound proof. We laughed about all of the sleep we had lost and decided we are up so lets go hit the streets. And the streets were lively.
After 15 minutes of walking and taking in the scene (trying not to look like tourist) we learned that 3:30 is the club curfew. It was if someone threw a switch and the music slowed to a crawl then died. And instantly the doors of at least five different clubs flew open and out came a ton of more party people.
Lets just say, the Finns take pride in their ability to party (drink) with the best of them and most of this crowd had done their country well. These people had gotten their drink on. We watched as they scampered – some much slower that others – to McDonalds, street vendors and any other place they could find food.
Of course Fredi had to have fries, so we hit the Helsinki MacDonalds then back to our sound proof room.
Tags: Commercial Photographer Atlanta, documentary, Event photographer Atlanta, Finland, Finns, Fredricka, Helsinki, Jonkka, Malvin, Miia, Olympics, Photojournalism, Stadium, Whitfield
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August 18th, 2009
Selden, Shannon and Melanie of Hi/Lo.
I recently caught up with the crew of Hi/Lo – the Comcast On Demand style show – as they filmed an episode at Nearly New thrift shop on Howell Mill Road. Hi/Lo travels to some of Atlanta’s hottest thriftiques and consignments boutiques creating Hi fashion looks for Lo budget prices.
Shannon Alderman who also serves as executive-producer hosts the show. Her wingmen, make-up artist and hair stylist Selden Beylouni and her assistant Emily Baker, fashion consultant Melanie Zentner, producer Rachel Duch and videographer Willis Boyd ably support Shannon. Willis is the only male on the team and the only person with a perpetual smile on his face.
Speaking of fashion chutzpah (?), Shannon and Mel use their style experience to find buried slightly worn treasures while Selden give the guests a pre-shopping visual transformation to get them in the mood to shop til they drop. You have to feel good to shop good. Yeah, I said it.
The team’s project that day was to help beautiful bride-to-be Amber Matz find the perfect wedding gown for her upcoming October wedding. So what they also found time to try on bathing suits, buy shoes and scarves for themselves plus scoff a week supply of Heat Sauce from a nearby Taco Bell (Mel), they were still on a mission.
After a little make-up, a little combing and a little cat herding by Rachel, the fashionistas combed the shelves and found three possible gowns. I won’t reveal which but Amber almost danced her way out of Nearly New with her bargain-priced designer purchase.
Of course you will have to watch the latest episode of Hi/Lo, on Real City TV on Comcast On Demand to see for yourself.
Tags: Alderman, Event photographer Atlanta, Fashion, Hi/Lo, Nearly, New, Photojournalist Atlanta, Selden, Shannon, style, Zentner
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August 1st, 2009
Landon, Alexander and John
Per usual on the weekends, J2 and I are together most of the two days so I look for activities to keep him occupied. Anything interesting that keeps him running, climbing, jumping, hopping, sweating and laughing with more running, qualifies. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I try to tire out my little buddy so he goes to bed peacefully; I just try to tire him out so he goes to bed peacefully. And early is not a bad thing either because Homey wears me out.
I recently took him to the Chattahoochee Nature Center for the Butterfly Festival because it was different and I had visions of Homey chasing butterflies for hours and yep, tiring his self out. Plus we would be together in nature enjoying the natural beauty of some of God’s creatures and yada, yada, yada.
Anyway, J2 loves his school friends and one question he asked right before we arrived was, ‘Will some of my friends be there?” I didn’t want to disappoint him with a no but I did not expect to see his friends so far from our area. I told him I wasn’t sure and changed the subject.
Not five minutes after arriving, we turned a corner in the park and bam, ran into his favorite school chum Landon and his mom. It was an unbelievable coincidence and as soon as they spotted each other, the running began. J2 saw playmate, I saw diversion. I’m sure Landon’s mom thought I was cheesing a little too much but it was like going to a concert with no ticket, little expectation of getting in and finding yourself on the guest list, with an all access pass (you had to be there).
So I’m now on cloud 9 and 10 minutes later, we bump into another friend, Alexander and his family. It was like the starting pistol fired for the start of the 100-meter dash because they were off and running. And now I’m really cheesing and daydreaming about his bedtime. I know it will be painless… for me.
We were there for hours and enjoyed every minute. Alexander, Landon and John had a blast dancing, running, throwing rocks, watching butterflies, fishes and turtles and being buds. I knew he was happy because when we got in the car to go home he started singing.
So long story short, I bathed him, fed him and started cheesing some more when he laid down and immediately went out like a light. Now that was a good day.
Tags: Add new tag, Butterfly, Chattahoochee, Event photographer Atlanta, festival, photography, Photojournalism
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