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For Immediate Release                                  Contact: Adorn Lewis-Mitchell, 312.318.9696

                                                                        ADORNLMITCHELL@aol.com OR

                                                                        Thelma A. Walker, 847.404.9997

                                                                        tmunsonwalker@yahoo.com 

ICE Theaters and Black Pages International Showcase Minority-Owned Businesses During National Black Business Month

10th Annual Community Day Now Two-Day Event, Offers Business Best Practices

CHICAGO (August 6, 2012) – What started as a family pledge in 2009 by John and Maggie Anderson and their two children became “The Empowerment Experiment (EE),” a public call for African Americans across the country to buy Black.  Hear Maggie Anderson share her family’s groundbreaking year-long journey captured in their book “EE: Our Black Year” at the ICE Theaters Community Day event on Saturday, August 18, at ICE Chatham 14 located at 210 W. 87th Street.  The ICE Lawndale 10 festival is scheduled Saturday, August 25, at 3330 W. Roosevelt Road (Homan and Roosevelt).  Community Day hours are 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. daily.  With more than ten pavilions, there will be information, activities and fun for all ages.  Both theaters will show first-run movies throughout the day.

Edutainment, Fitness and Fun

Now in its tenth year, the event offers health screenings, fitness demonstrations, voter registration, public forums, educational programming, safety/crime prevention tips, live entertainment, $1 movies, and special programming for the entire family. A short preview list of indoor and outdoor activities includes: Chicago Sky/WNBA, GameTruck (mobile video gaming), back-to-school immunizations; glucose, blood pressure, breast cancer, and diabetes screenings; HIV testing; Zumba workouts with Curves ; Visions Blu films by youth; storytelling and face painting; youth poetry slam; genealogy workshop by Donna Beasley; special programming for seniors, including “Senior Talk with Clara Hubbard” of WGBX-AM and Mather’s More Than a Café; salsa, stepping and line dancing; and demonstrations by the Pink Panthers Double Dutch team, just to mention a few.

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Economic Empowerment

The Economic Empowerment Pavilion at the Chatham event also will feature a panel discussion and networking session entitled “Building A Legacy: 2012-2032” where local minority business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs can learn best practices and tips from those who’ve achieved success.  Panelists and participants include Eugene Dillanado (Black Pages International), Darrin Yarborough (Waddell & Reed), Monica Watson (JGH Capital Investments) and Carolyn Arthur (Toastmasters International).  In addition, a variety of business resources will be available on entrepreneurial opportunities.

Debunking Myths

The hot topic of stereotypes and its effects on Black culture and the Black family continue to be debated.  And, the discussion is never lacking for new insight offering fresh perspectives.  Author and college professor Lakesia Johnson and psychologist Kathryn Ogletree will appear at the Chatham fest discussing their book “Iconic: Decoding Images of the Revolutionary Black Woman,” which showcases the strength of African-American women from 1970s to today and how these women have managed their images despite the negative labels applied to strong Black women. 

Likewise, Tom Burrell, founder of Burrell Advertising, will discuss his book “Brainwashed: Challenging the Myth of Black Inferiority” – a powerful examination of “the greatest propaganda campaign of all time; the masterful marketing of Black inferiority, aka, the ‘BI Complex.’”  Burrell poses ten questions that make Black people ask themselves why, nearly 150 years after the Emancipation Proclamation, so many still think and act like slaves.  Burrell will be at the Lawndale event.  Monique Spence and Maze Jackson, hosts of WVON’s “Talk It Out” radio show, will each moderate a panel discussion.

Youth

            True Star, Midwest Gap, The Black Star Project, Tuskegee Airmen and Visions Blu will host programming designed to applaud, inspire, educate and entertain youth participants and parents.  Forums focus on a variety of topics ranging from youth filmmakers, culture, self-esteem and identity to street life and safety.  Serving as media partner, Crawford Broadcasting’s Power 92 FM radio station will broadcast live at each site.  The festival attendance is expected to be high given the opening of “Sparkle,” Whitney Houston’s much anticipated last film, which opens at ICE Theaters on Friday, August 17. 

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Other participants include the American Cancer Society, The Black Star Project, Bronzeville Children’s Museum, Charter Fitness, Christian Community Health Center, Cook County Senior Services, Covenant Bank, Dandi Amusement, Douglas Public Library, DuSable Museum of African American History, GameTruck, Illinois Dept. of Public Health, LA Fitness, Lawndale Diabetes Project, Let the World Know, Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly, Mather’s More than a Café, Midwest Gap, NAACP, Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS), Pink Panthers Double Dutch Team, Sinai Urban Health Institute; Speakers, Publishers and Authors Association; True Star, Tuskegee Airman / Chicago Chapter, Visions Blu, Waddell & Reed, Wellspring, NAMI-Greater Chicago and the Chicago Police Department are among many participating groups and local businesses.

For a schedule of movies and Community Day events at both theaters, visit www.icetheaters.com.

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Lakesia Johnson photo courtesy of Suzanne Garrett-Bell.

Hope you can attend and help spread the word.I've attached the press release, Dave-the-Date card (below), and Puttin' on the Hits Flier. A "Whitney Houston" impersonator will perform on the outdoor entertainment stage to capture the excitement about the new movie "Sparkle." Then they will conduct auditions pretty much all day.

GREAT PANELISTS INCLUDE TOM BURRELL (author, Brainwashed/founder of Burrell Communications), DONNA BEASLEY (author/speaker/family reunion & genealogy expert) LAKESIA JOHNSON (professor/author) AND MAGGIE ANDERSON (author/founder of The Empowerment Experiment).

ICE Theaters

In brief summary -- This is the 15th anniversary of Inner City Entertainment (ICE). The ICE Theaters, started by African-American power couple Donzell and Alisa Starks, are the only movie theaters bringing Hollywood blockbusters and acclaimed independent films to the inner city. Community Day is an annual family festival held at each ICE Theaters location in August. This free festival offers health screenings, fitness demonstrations, voter registration, public forums, educational programming, safety/crime prevention tips, $1 movies, live entertainment, and other fun activities.Black Pages International is partnering with ICE Theaters this year and to present panel discussions, workshops and networking sessions for local minority business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs. Michelle Spence and Maze Jackson are the hosts of WVON’s "Talk It Out" radio show, and they will moderate two panel discussions on relationships – one on black women and one on black men. There will be 13 pavilions and an expected 1,000 plus attendees at each location, given the opening of Whitney Houston's last film, “Sparkle” at the theaters starting on Friday, August 17.

Community Day will be--

*Saturday, August 18, 10AM-3PM at ICE Chatham 14 Theaters, 210 West 87th Street

*Saturday, August 25, 10AM-3PM at ICE Lawndale 10 Theaters, 3330 West Roosevelt Road.

Thanks for passing this along. Questions, just email or call me at the contact information below.Thank you

Thelma A. WalkerPrivate Practice PR ConsultantMunson Walker Communications

847/404-9997

tmunsonwalker@yahoo.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/thelmawalker

Twitter: @munsonwalker

"Wherever you are, be there."