www.solomonsimmons.com

I have soft-launched my new website at www.solomonsimmons.com.  Please visit and let me know what you think. dsolo@solomonsimmons.com. Thanks!

| Ex-NBA star returns to inner city, brings hoop dreams

http://inamerica.blogs.cnn.com/2012/03/16/ex-nba-star-returns-to-inner-city-brings-hoop-dreams/

Growing up Penny was one of my favorite players. Before his injuries he was a legtimate heir apparent to MJ with his incredible athleticism, unselfish play, and daily highlights.

However, this story is by far the his best ever  highlight.  Hopefully, this can make SportsCenters Top 10 list, and inspire others who have the capacity to inform, inspire, and empower our inner-city youth!

If You Are What You Eat…Well

On March 15, 2012,  I celebrated 16 years as a vegetarian!!  It has been a hard, but rewarding journey, especially while playing football at the University of Oklahoma and my love of pizza and sweets.

I can’t even start to tell you how many times I have been asked why did I (especially all those who remember me as the lol fat kid that “worked” for food at his grandma’s BBQ restaurant”) make the decision.

I was blessed to come across some of the very information contained in a recent  Harvard Study, that once again confirmed that red meat consumption is deadly.  Hopefully, the decision will help me live a more healthy life, and a little longer, but a vegetarian lifestyle is not for everyone. Yes, I strongly encourage of you to do all you can (eat healthy, workout, rest, drink water, etc) to live your BEST life free from dis-ease, pain, and costly medical bills.

Like President Obama, I too believe education is the most important civil rights issue of our generation. I totally agree, as he stated at the 2009 NAACP convention, “there’s a reason the story of the civil rights movement was written in our schools….It’s because there is no stronger weapon against inequality and no better path to opportunity than an education that can unlock a child’s God-given potential.” It is especially important that members of our African-American communities receive and clearly understand this important information.

What is so refreshing is that under the direction President Obama’s and Education Sec. Arnie Duncan, Attorney Russlynn Ali as Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education has substantially increased the enforcement of all anti-discrimination laws that relate to education — including the unprecedented step of proactively opening 60 investigations based on the agency’s own research, utilized and made accessible specific data to highlight areas of concern, and allowed individual states to be rewarded for innovation and accountability by receiving federal grants through the President’s Race to the Top program.

In other words, President Obama put his “money where his mouth was.” I applaud him and his staff, including Russlynn Ali and do not believe this administration is getting enough positive attention for their steadfast protection of the right to quality education in this nation.

Los Angeles Omega Men Planning to Man-Up for the 19th Straight Year!!

Greatly enjoyed attending the planning meeting  for 19th Annual Omega Psi Phi Youth Leadership Conference and Mentoring Program (“YLC”) scheduled for 10-27-12 on the campus of the University of Southern California.
The meeting hosted by the mighty men on Tau Tau (Los Angles, CA) chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and the Omega Educational Foundation.

The conference started by Omega Man  Ricky Lewis (I met
Brother Lewis last year while working  the Steve Harvey Mentoring Weekend  ) has provided information and mentorship to over 3400 Black male Youth between the ages of 8-18 in the greater Los Angeles area.

I was throughly impressed with the Tau Tau brother’s deep Enthusiasm for such a Noble Endeavor to love on and encourage  young Black males! 

Tonight the steering committee group including about 20 professional, college educated Omega Black men who all share two great passions: 1) unwavering love for young Black males; 2) service to their community. It is their love and commitment to service and understanding of their  responsibility that prompts these successful men to sacrifice their evenings (the brothers meet twice a month), away from their own families, after a long day at the office to work  towards the development of an organized, powerful, and memorable conference for America’s most vulnerable segment of society–Young Black Males.

 Additionally, as proof of how serious these Omega’s are about the success of the YLC, the meetings are even open to non members of Omega Psi Phi who are interested the mission of the YLC to instill the principles of manhood, critical thinking, and personal and social responsibilities into young African American males and provide them with tools necessary for self respect, health, and wellness, community leadership and conflict resolution.

Tonight’s group included 86 year old WWII veteran brother Robert S. Hammond who has been actively pursuing Omega’s four cardinal principles of Manhood, Scholarship, Perseverance, and Uplift for over 63 years!

In closing, I’m looking forward to an opportunity to present a message that will inform, inspire, and empower the YLC attendees to seek, find, and maximize their educational, social, and economic opportunities.  Further, I look forward to doing all I can to help publicize the YLC’s important and necessary work to save young Black men.

For more information, become a sponsor, or volunteer please visit www.omegaeducationalfoundation.org or Ricky Lewis at rickylewis@earthlink.net

Take a Brief Moment to Thank the Educators on the Frontlines Developing Future (Children)

Inspired  today by the dedication and energy of the educators I met with at the area high schools that will provide students for the Williams/Northeastern Oklahoma Black Lawyers Association Pipeline + Legal Diversity Program over the last few days…Wow…Big Props to BTW’s Anthony L. Marshall, Central’s Dr. Oliver Wallace, McLain’s Dr. Ebony Johnson, and Edison’s Earnest Conyers and Kimberly Thompson…these educators are on the frontline educating our children with sincerity, love, and eagerness…Thank you!!

Props to Oklahoma for Honoring the late Dr. John Hope Franklin

It is not often that the Oklahoma State Legislature makes me proud these days. However, I was very pleased  when I saw on the front page of the Tulsa World that noted historian, Civil Rights activist, and native Tulsan  Dr. John Hope Franklin was being honored with a portrait to be displayed at the State Capitol.   I first heard about Dr. Franklin in 1996 during my Black History course at Tulsa Community College. In that class we were using Dr. Franklin’s classic From Slavery to Freedom as our textbook.  I swelled with great proud when  I found out that Dr. Franklin was from Tulsa and that he also graduated from the “pride of the great Southwest” Booker T. Washington High School as I. 

Several years later in 2003, while working with the Reparations Coordinating Committee fight for justice and human rights for the suviviors of the so-called 1921 Tulsa Race Riot, I was blessed to work and visit with Dr. Franklin on several occassions.  Once (as pictured below with Dr. Franklin,Prof. Charles Ogletree of Harvard University, Regina & Ed Goodwin, and me) while in town, Dr. Franklin wanted to tour the brand new Booker T. Washinton High School building.  Dr. Franklin was eager to see if the school’s tremendous Black history was given proper treatment, and discussed several items with the school adminstration upon entering the building.    I even got to travel with Dr. Franklin to Washington D.C. and witnessed from the front row his testimony to Congress about the so-called 1921 Tulsa Race Riot and why reparations for our survivors were necessary.  Without a doubt, that was one of the highlights of my life. 

Dr. Franklin you deserve this great honor and I hope that your memory, great works,  and powerful legacy continues to inspire generations to seek truth, justice, and equality as you inspired me.

Informing, Inspiring, and Empowering Future Legal Leaders

Looking forward to presenting Friday February 10, 2012 at 2pm at the Black Law Student Rocky Mountain Conference at the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Renaissance Hotel.  My goal is to inform, inspire, and empower these law students from Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming that they can  start and run a successful legal practice. 

The Association for Study of Negro Life and History

 Founded in 1915 by Dr. Carter G. Woodson (Omega Psi Phi Man), the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History (originally called the Study of Negro Life and History) was a ground breaking Black Think Tank of the world’s most prominent Black scholars.  The Association worked tirelessly to refute racist and incorrect ideas about African-American culture, life, and history through scholarly research, presentations, and publications.  By the way, did you know that Dr. Woodson was also the founder of Black History Month and the bestseller Mis-Education of The Negro. Thank you Bro. Woodson!

College Football Star Tells NCAA Current System Prevents Full Academic Excellence

While attending the NCAA conference panel discussion about the student athlete experience I was fortunate to capture on video Michigan State all-conference QB discussing the hardships faced by major college football players in relation to obtaining a meaningful education while competing at the highest level. Take a listen for yourself from Wednesday January 11, 2012 event