Weirding Word®

Take Action to Help Haiti

A friend forwarded this list of organizations.  Whether one of these, your local church or another organization, please take action to help.

Partners in Health (Paul Farmer's organization) - Zanmi Lasante (“Partners In Health” in Haitian Kreyol) is PIH’s flagship project – the oldest, largest, most ambitious, and most replicated. www.pih.org/where/Haiti/Haiti.html

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international medical humanitarian organization. They in 1999, MSF received the Nobel Peace Prize. doctorswithoutborders.org/

Ox-Fam is a confederation of 14 like-minded organizations working together, and with partners and allies around the world, to end poverty and injustice -- from campaigning to responding to emergencies. www.oxfam.org/

A.M.E. Church - Since its founding 28 years ago, AME-SADA has demonstrated the implementation of its mission, Helping People Help Themselves, by providing essential assistance to those in need through health, micro-credit and education programs, as wells as emergency humanitarian aid in Africa and Haiti. www.ame-sada.org/

Feel free to list other organizations in the comments here.  And, don't forget to text "Haiti" to 90999 to automatically donate $10 via your cell phone.

Gaea Honeycutt
blog@weirdingword.com

Weirding Word®, a division of G.L. Honeycutt Consulting, LLC, is a virtual publication department that provides editing, freelance writing, and publication and web design services.

Copyright 2007-2010 Gaea L. Honeycutt. All rights reserved.

Two Black Pastors on Same-Sex marriage in DC

While reading the morning paper (virtually on this snowy Sunday), I came across "Why two black D.C. pastors support gay marriage" in The Washington Post.  Through their eloquent support of same-sex marriage in the District, Dennis W. Wiley and Christine Y. Wiley illustrate the power and purpose of words, and their importance in pursuing social justice:

A final piece that shapes black attitudes toward same-sex marriage is the preoccupation with racism in the black community. This obsession, although justifiable, has led to a failure to appreciate how racism is inextricably connected to all other forms of oppression. Those who fail to see this connection may resent the comparison of gay rights with civil rights. But as Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

It's this point that reminds me of the primary meaning behind Weirding Word® -- words are powerful.  And, the ways we connect them serve to frame and define the assumptions on which we base opinions.  Those words we use to oppress or divide only play into hate, intolerance and bigotry.  Read the entire article.  The words are thought-provoking, causing one to reflect on how to define justice -- not only what it is, but who is allowed to receive it.

Gaea Honeycutt
blog@weirdingword.com

Weirding Word®, a division of G.L. Honeycutt Consulting, LLC, is a virtual publication department that provides editing, freelance writing, and publication and web design services.

Copyright 2007-2009 Gaea L. Honeycutt. All rights reserved.

CBC Foundation Guide to Stimulus Funds

Is the whole Stimulus Thing making your head spin? Everyone knows that there are large capital disbursements, discretionary funds in each Federal agency, pending grants and contracts in Federal agencies, and massive amounts of funds that will be distributed by states as the Recovery Act is implemented. But how do you access those funds for your own business or nonprofit?

The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation has published a guide, The American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009:  A Resource Guide for African Americans. Drawing on information from an Obama-Biden Administration briefing for small business and other materials and resources, CBCF has highlighted critical issues and identified agencies responsible for administering funds and programs.  It includes targeted programs by topic/issue area, a description about how funding is determined, and a listing of where jobs can be created or saved.

The introduction emphasizes, "One of the most important components of this legislation is that it is designed to provide funding quickly . . . the funding will also go to projects and programs that demonstrate that the funding can be utilized quickly and effectively to improve communities."

In a NCBCP Black Women's Roundtable meeting yesterday, CBCF CEO Dr. Elsie L. Scott and Senior Research and Policy Analyst Dr. Alana C. Hackshaw reminded participants to monitor grants.gov, fedbizopps.gov and recovery.gov, as well as individual agency and state Recovery Act websites to stay abreast of developments and opportunities.

Download a copy from the CBCF website.

Gaea Honeycutt
blog@weirdingword.com

Weirding Word®, a division of G.L. Honeycutt Consulting, LLC, is a virtual publication department that provides editing, freelance writing, and publication and web design services.

Copyright 2007-2009 Gaea L. Honeycutt. All rights reserved.

Tax Talk for 2009

What's the difference between the legal and tax liabilities of sole proprietorship, S-corps and LLCs? How about the number of IRAs the IRS allows? Or the restrictions of the First-Time Home Buyer Credit in the stimulus bill? Accountant Joan Davion and CPA Shanda Gottlieb laid out tax basics, tips, common mistakes and more during the Morning Essentials: Tax Talk seminar hosted by the Northern Virginia Black Chamber of Commerce. 

Ms. Davion stressed the importance of communicating with your accountant, and discussed a business associate's misfiling predicament. Because he didn't understand mileage and car deductions -- and didn't share his process for determining those deductions with his tax preparer - the information was incorrect. "He's now in a lot of trouble and going through a painful process," Ms. Davion said. 

"Don't be afraid of an audit," encouraged Ms. Gottlieb. You never know what it is that the IRS is focused on. When one of her clients was audited, she was able to resolve the matter by refiling after discovering the previous tax preparer had made several of errors. 

Take home points? Review your taxes - even if you hire a preparer. Organize your files so you're not rushing at tax time. And, use the IRS as a resource - call or go to their website if you have questions.

Gaea Honeycutt
blog@weirdingword.com 

Weirding Word®, a division of G.L. Honeycutt Consulting, LLC, is a virtual publication department that provides editing, freelance writing, and publication and web design services.

Copyright 2007-2009 Gaea L. Honeycutt. All rights reserved.

Launch of Northern Virginia Black Chamber of Commerce

I've been out of touch for a few weeks now because this new venture has demanded so much attention. My partners and I are pleased to announce the launch of the Northern Virginia Black Chamber of Commerce.

Join us Tuesday, September 30, at Busboys and Poets in Shirlington to celebrate the launch of the region’s premier business and economic development organization for African American professionals and entrepreneurs, and for companies wishing to partner with minority businesses.

Northern Virginia BCC supports businesses in:

• Building relationships


• Strategic growth and increasing capacity


• Professional and staff development


• Understanding economic trends

Register today for the Launch Party. The event is free, but you must register.

Sponsorship opportunities are still available. To learn more about sponsoring the Launch Party and other events, contact De'Lante Rawls or Randy Philip.

And, I encourage you to learn more about the Northern Virginia BCC.

Gaea Honeycutt
blog@weirdingword.com

Weirding Word®, a division of G.L. Honeycutt Consulting, LLC, is a virtual publication department that provides editing, freelance writing, and publication and web design services.

Copyright 2008 Gaea L. Honeycutt. All rights reserved.