Tameka Raymond needs little introduction, as her career as stylist to Lauryn Hill, Mary J. Blige, Jay-Z and ex-husband, Usher has made a name for her in the fashion and entertainment industries. However, Raymond’s new boutique, Estella, is what merits an introduction. Welcoming Estella to her Atlanta homeland, Raymond created a warm, homey atmosphere where you can find comfy couches, flat screen TV’s, and floral arrangements alongside apparel and accessories by YSL, Missoni, and BCBG. But the best gift of all at Estella is not even for you; Twenty percent of your purchase benefits Raymond’s non-profit organization, the Lost Ones Foundation for at-risk girls between the ages of 12 and 18.

Barack Obama comes home this week to celebrate his birthday, and to visit a Ford plant that has begun hiring again, aided by Department of Energy loan guarantees for clean energy production. Although Ford wasn’t bailed out, it is part of an auto industry saved by the president’s bold decision.

Our President Barack Obama turns 49 on today, and he’s headed back to Chicago to celebrate. Obama will be breaking bread with cherished friends and kicking up his feet at his own home in the city’s Hyde Park section. Unfortunately, Michelle and the girls won’t be helping him to blow out the candles on his cake.

Today is President Barack Obama’s 49th birthday.
He can’t celebrate until late this evening after attending the business of the nation. His schedule of events are as follows
The President receives the Presidential Daily Briefing at 10:00 …

Free Documentary on Hope and Healing for Black Marriages Gains International Attention
July 6, 2010-In March 2010, the documentary “You Saved Me”, Tyler New Media’s emotional, in-depth look into the marriages of eight African American couples, debuted on Black Marriage Day to sell-out theaters and thousands of viewers in 25 cities nationwide.

Construction employment declined in 285 out of 337 metropolitan areas between June 2009 and June 2010 according to a new analysis of federal employment data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America.

Major League Baseball, PEOPLE and White Sox recently announced Kenny Fullman as the White Sox “All-Star” of the “All-Stars Among Us” campaign, which debuted in 2009 and recognizes individuals who are serving their communities in extraordinary ways. Out of the three “All-Star” finalists representing the White Sox, Fullman of Chicago was chosen by fans across the nation for his community service through the Amateur City Elite, an inner-city high school baseball program designed to mentor young people and help them prepare for college or professional baseball.

LeBron James plans to tell us all where he plans to play next season live in an hour-long special his team is calling “The Decision” on ESPN tomorrow night.

The Capital Grille was recently voted a “Diner’s Choice” favorite on OpenTable’s “2010 Best American Cuisine Winners – Top 50 Restaurant List,” with The Capital Grille’s locations capturing 10 of the List’s coveted 50 spots.

In the first study, conducted by the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago, 1,436 female and male participants lost an average of 30.5 pounds, roughly equal to 15% of their total body mass, on average.

Children are seeing fewer television ads for sweets and beverages than they used to, a new report in the online edition of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine suggests. However, the study also suggests, children are being exposed to more TV ads for fast food.

The City of Houston has been chosen as one of ten cities to receive a two-year, $200,000 Cities of Service Grant funded jointly by the Rockefeller Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies. The grant will allow the city to hire a Chief Service Officer – a senior city official who will develop and implement a citywide plan to increase volunteerism and target volunteers to address their city’s greatest needs.

Dr. Helen D. Gayle, president and CEO of CARE, USA a leading humanitarian organization, and entrepreneur extraordinaire Sheila C. Johnson were recently inducted into Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority as Honorary Members during separate members-only induction ceremonies.

The show marks the first time the “American Idol” alum has talked at length about the 2008 tragedy, in which Hudson’s brother-in-law, William Balfour, gunned down her mother, Darnell Hudson Donerson, 57, her older brother Jason, 29, and 7-year-old nephew Julian King.

One in five of the more than 1 million HIV-infected Americans don’t know it, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To help people know their status for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, 10 cities will be taking part in the first “Be Greater Than AIDS: Get Yourself Tested” week.

A flight attendant with a pilot’s license who stepped in for a sick co-pilot said the experience was “not your ordinary workday,” but downplayed her role in the safe landing of an American Airlines flight in Chicago, Illinois.

Chicago and other urban areas are in crisis. In Chicago, 113 people have been killed this year — a higher death toll than the troops have suffered in Afghanistan. The emergency is so dire that state legislators support calling out the National Guard to patrol Chicago’s streets.

Elected Officials Reacted to Continental and United Airlines Merger

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority begins it second century of sisterhood and service when 10,000 members converge upon the St. Louis Convention Center in St. Louis, Missouri from July 9-16 for its first conference in its second centennial. International President Barbara A. McKinzie will preside over the weeklong event, whose theme is: “Second Time Around.”

With her 5-week-old daughter crying in a bathroom at Nordstrom, and not knowing how to get the baby to latch on to her breast, Garima Nahar found herself surrounded by other women. Some offered tips, but one woman told the new mother to cover up or turn the other way.