Saturday Mornings with Joy Keys

SPECIAL GUESTS: Faces of Stroke Ambassadors   National Stroke Association's Faces of Stroke public awareness campaign aims to change the public perceptions of stroke through education and personal stories of those impacted by the fourth leading cause of death.   The Faces of Stroke campaign features an online gallery of hundreds of stroke champions' stories and photos, an easy-to-use story submission tool, educational information about stroke and new ways to share stories online on Facebook, Twitter and via email. National Stroke Awareness Month has been recognized during May since 1989. Yet, stroke is the fourth leading cause of death, killing more than 133,000 people a year. The public is dangerously uninformed about stroke and few know that up to 80 percent of strokes can be prevented by working with a healthcare professional to effectively manage risk. http://www.stroke.org  

One of the “soldiers” in the fight against bullying is David C. Miller, M.Ed.  Miller is the co-founder and Chief Visionary Officer of the Urban Leadership Institute, LLC, (www.urbanyouth.org) a social enterprise that focuses on developing positive youth development strategies. David Miller is also a former educator who spends a lot of time in the schools doing workshops/discussions with teachers, parents and children on the subject of bullying.  David Miller has written a book that shows children how to confront bullies and how to protect themselves in a world where adults cannot always protect them.  The name of the book is Khalil’s Way.  Khalil’s Way is a funny, yet serious story about an 11 year-old boy growing up in tough community.  Khalil’s challenges include being raised by his mom, growing up without a meaningful relationship with his dad and confronting the school bully – “land mines” many young boys must navigate.    Published by the Urban Leadership Institute, Khalil’s Way is written to help youth navigate the tough days they will face in school, on the playground and even sometimes at home.  The book also helps youth deal with many of the challenges present within the community and society at large. While Khalil is gifted in math and chess, he struggles with a variety of issues including ADHD, food allergies and asthma. The book engages young readers with a gritty urban storyline and practical solutions on confronting negative peers. http://www.urbanyouth.org/Khalil/index.htm  

SPECIAL GUEST: JANKS MORTON is a groundbreaking international and award winning Documentarian. As founder of iYAGO ENTERTAINMENT GROUP, LLC, he states “the company came into existence to reflect both the conscious and unconscious soul of Black America. JANKS MORTON has been in the entertainment industry for more than 20 years and is a much sought-after teacher, lecturer, commentator and motivational speaker. He has convened workshops, seminars and served as panelist and keynote speaker at colleges, universities, prisons, conferences, churches and community centers around the world.   “What Black Men Think” explores how negative imagery in the media, the failed policy of the Great Society, and a modern black leadership that has abandoned many of its historically unifying tenets have all led to a new form of mental slavery in the black community. The film features commentary and insights from key black leaders, media personalities, activists and educators such as Dr. Steve Perry, actor Joseph C. Phillips, Former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele, author Darryl James and more. In a time when questions of race and racially motivated violence still populate the headlines, “What Black Men Think” explores the issues from the inside, offering a unique glimpse into the minds of America’s black men to reveal a powerful, enlightening, empathetic portrait of African Americans, and suggests we all reconsider the many misconceptions still so prevalent today.   WHAT BLACK MEN THINK makes it's US Television premiere on Tuesday, May 29th at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on Documentary Channel.  The film will also be available to view online at www.documentarychannel.com  

From New York Times bestselling author Kimberla Lawson Roby comes the ninth installment in her award-winning Reverend Curtis Black series, The Reverend's Wife. It's been months since Reverend Curtis learned that his wife, Charlotte, had affairs with two different men, and for now, he continues to be cordial and respectful to her. But he's also made it clear that once their son, Matthew, graduates high school, he will be filing for divorce. Charlotte, on the other hand, continues to do everything possible to make amends in hopes of saving their marriage.   Unfortunately, Curtis is ready to move on and is being propositioned by a woman who desperately wants to become the next Mrs. Curtis Black. When the situation heads down a path that is frighteningly shocking, could it be the final blow to this once blessed union?   Kimberla Lawson Roby’s novels have frequented numerous bestseller lists, including The New York Times and those in USA Today, The Washington Post, Publishers Weekly, Essence Magazine, Upscale Magazine, Emerge Magazine, Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com, Wal-Mart, The Dallas Morning News, and The Austin Chronicle to name a few and both BEHIND CLOSED DOORS and CASTING THE FIRST STONE were #1 Blackboard bestsellers for four consecutive months in both 1997 and 2000. BEHIND CLOSED DOORS was the #1 Blackboard Best-selling book for paperback fiction in 1997.   Each of Kimberla’s novels has dealt with very real issues, including corruption within the church, social status, gambling addiction, infidelity, single motherhood, infertility, sibling rivalry and jealousy, domestic violence, sexual abuse,and  mental illness  to name a few. http://www.kimroby.com  

YolanDa Brown is the UK's premier saxophonist. In 2008, YolanDa won a MOBO for Best Jazz, and then again in 2009. She played sax with everyone from Alexander O'Neal to Mica Paris, Soweto Kinch to The Temptations, and released two lovingly crafted EPs. For 18 months, YolanDa even hosted her own talk show on Sky.        YolanDa’s 1st album, April Showers, May Flowers, is a beautifully sculpted record that touches lightly on jazz and soul and R&B, each track bestowed with the kind of lyrical insight - on love, on life - that suggests its author is something of a poet, too.                                YolanDa works within the charity sector as ambassador for both the Prince's Trust and the Yamaha Class Band, an initiative that visits schools in underprivileged areas encouraging children to pick up an instrument. She is also currently backing Plan UK's Because I Am A Girl campaign, and is a patron of the Mayor of London's Fund for Young Musicians.   YolanDa Brown is endorsed by Yamaha, Guess Jeans, MAC cosmetics and adidas to name a few.   A well as being a musician she is a business woman. YolanDa holds two Masters Degrees in Operations Management. She is fluent in Spanish. Last year YolanDa was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Arts by the University of East London. http://www.yolandabrown.co.uk/  

Finally, a real estate reality check that cuts through all the biased rhetoric to answer the conundrum on everyone’s mind: Should I buy now or keep renting? The magnitude of the housing crash and constantly conflicting reporting have left prospective buyers hungry for a well-researched reference guide. Enter Rent vs. Own, the first real estate advice book not to assume buying is always best. Expert finance and real estate reporter Jane Hodges explains how the housing market works and breaks down all the pros and cons of buying and renting. With dozens of success stories and cautionary tales from real-life renters and owners all over the country, this indispensable decision-making manual gives confused consumers the tools to make the best choice for their budget, market, emotional needs, and future. Jane Hodges is a longtime business and real estate writer based in Seattle. She’s interested in how and why we as individuals and as a culture look at our housing choices and the social, emotional, and financial values we assign to our homes. Her work on residential and commercial real estate has also appeared in The Wall Street Journal, MSNBC.com, The Seattle Times, Seattle Magazine, Seattle Weekly, Real Estate Forum, CBS’s BNET, AOL HousingWatch, HouseLogic and USA Today. Her work on business has appeared in The New York Times, Business 2.0, Fortune, Success, and many other national and regional publications.   The National Association of Real Estate Editors has twice awarded her for her real estate coverage, and The Society of Professional Journalists Northwest Chapter awarded her first place for best consumer reporting in 2009. She is a graduate of Dartmouth College. . http://www.rentvsown.net

A Wedding in Haiti, :Julia Alvarez has been called “a one-woman cultural collision” by the Los Angeles Times Book Review, and that has never been truer than in this new book, a story about three of Alvarez’s most personal relationships—with her parents, with her husband, and with a young Haitian boy known as Piti. A teenager when Julia first met him in 2001, Piti crossed the border into the Dominican Republic to find work. Julia, impressed by his courage and charmed by his smile, has over the years come to think of him as a son, even promising to be at his wedding someday. When Piti calls in 2009, Julia’s promise is tested. Julia Alvarez is the author of nineteen books, including How the García Girls Lost Their Accents and In the Time of the Butterflies. How The García Girls Lost Their Accents picked by NY Librarians as one of 21 classics for 21st century. In the Time of the Butterflies was selected a Notable Book was chosen as one of the Best Books for Young Adults, 1995, by the Young Adult Library Services Association and the American Library Association. Return to Sender won the 2010 Winner of:Pura Belpré & Americas Award. Once Upon A Quinceañera was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award in criticism.   Juia Alvarez is a writer-in-residence at Middlebury College, she and her husband, Bill Eichner, established Alta Gracia, an organic coffee farm–literacy arts center, in her homeland, the Dominican Republic. http://www.juliaalvarez.com/ Photo Credit: Bill Eichner

Noah Stewart is the the first black singer to top the UK classical album chart in its 25-year history. Noah’s first album aptly named, NOAH, was released March 26th this year. It includes fine renditions of the operatic arias Recondita armonia, from Puccini's Tosca, and Pourquoi me reveiller, from Massenet's Werther, as well as the enduringly popular Bach/Gounod version of Ave Maria. But it casts its net much wider too. With inspirational input from producers and arrangers Steven Baker and Christian Seitz, the album also presents Noah's rich, resonant voice in the spiritual classic Deep River, and the traditional tunes Silent Night and Nearer My God To Thee.   The disc even contains a fresh reappraisal of that all-American favourite, The Star Spangled Banner, which – after dreaming about it for years – Noah sang at the NFL International Series game at Wembley Stadium in October last year.   Noah recently won the Mario Lanza Competition for Tenors. He toured with Opera Africa’s Carmen in South Africa. This year Noah made his Royal Opera House debut, starring in a new opera by the modern composer Judith Weir called Miss Fortune this past March.  Noah Stewart is a graduate of Julliard. School of music. http://www.noahofficial.com

Kae Sun or Kwaku Darko-Mensah Jr. is a Ghanaian-Canadian singer-songwriter. Kae Sun's music has hints of soul, folk and hip-hop creating a sound that is sometimes described as urban folk. Kae Sun's debut album Lion On A Leash, was released on October 5, 2009. Singer songwriter Kae Sun turned to his native Ghana for inspiration for his new EP, Outside the Barcode. The return to his homeland after nine years of living in Canada renewed his drive for creating the raw and non-commoditized artistic experiences that shaped his passion for music. Outside the Barcode, is an authentic and reflective collection of songs that showcase Kae’s growth as a songwriter, storyteller and guitarist. Recorded on 2-inch tape on a farm in Ontario the raw acoustic songs recall the sense of community and authenticity that inspired the tracks. Kae’s focus was to create a more shared listening experience rather than dictating his audience’s experiences. www.kaesunmusic.com  

Vocalist Catherine Russell is a native New Yorker born to musical royalty. Her father, the late Luis Russell, was a pioneering pianist/composer/bandleader, and Louis Armstrong's long-time side-kick. Her mother, Carline Ray, is a bassist, guitarist, vocalist, who has performed with Mary Lou Williams and International Sweethearts of Rhythm. Catherine’s professional life began early. After graduating with honors from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, she embarked upon a rich journey backing artists like Carrie Smith, Steely Dan, David Bowie, Cyndi Lauper, Paul Simon, Jackson Browne, Michael Feinstein, and Rosanne Cash. Her 2006 debut album Cat, (World Village/Harmonia Mundi), garnered rave reviews, paving the way for her 2008 sophomore release, Sentimental Streak. She has won a prestigious German Record Critics' Award and a Hot Club of France Discovery Award.   Catherine Russell's third album, Inside This Heart of Mine, reached #1 on JazzWeek, Roots Music Report, and I-Tunes Jazz Charts. The acclaim has enabled Catherine to join elite company on various compilations, including the Soundtrack Album for the award winning HBO-TV show "Boardwalk Empire", Strictly Romancin’, her fourth album,  establishes Catherine Russell as one of the greatest interpreters and performers of American Popular Song. http://catherinerussell.net  

The Autism Society, the nation’s leading grassroots autism organization, exists to improve the lives of all affected by autism. Founded in 1965 by Dr. Bernard Rimland, Dr. Ruth Sullivan and many other parents of children with autism, the Autism Society is the leading source of trusted and reliable information about autism. Scott Badesch is the President and Chief Operating Officer. A father of a young adult with autism, Badesch led his local Autism Society chapter before joining the national office in 2010 as Senior Vice President of Development and Operations. Badesch has more than 30 years of experience in nonprofit organizations, particularly in fundraising, chapter outreach, advocacy and public policy, and transformation of organizations. http://www.autism-society.org

Professional Organizer Geralin Thomas offers real solutions for real people, emphasizing simplicity and excellence in her approach to organizing challenges both large and small. Past President of the NC chapter of the National Association of Professional Organizers as well as a chronic disorganization and ADHD specialist, Geralin founded Metropolitan Organizing® in 2002 to help transform the lives of her clients. Geralin has been published in an array of national magazines. She is often featured on well-recognized television and media outlets, including A&E’s Hoarders, The Nate Berkus Show, Today and South Africa’s The Home Channel.   Geralin is based in Cary, North Carolina and works with clients around the world. She truly enjoys sharing her organizing tips, techniques and problem-solving skills with others – and has helped professional athletes, politicians, artists, small business owners and many others. http://metropolitanorganizing.com

SPECIAL GUEST: President and Founder Camille Proctor. The Color of Autism, is a Non-Profit (501 c3) organization committed to educating and assisting African American families with Autistic children. Autism affects children of every race, ethnic group and socioeconomic status. African-American children frequently are confronted with late diagnosis or misdiagnosis. Our goal is to help families identify the warning signs of autism early on. We can start to overturn these disparities by helping African-Americans with autism reach their full potential. Empowering families with information on autism that they can use to advocate services for their child. http://www.thecolorofautism.org SPECIAL GUEST: Sonya Dunn is the producer and director of Screaming in Silence: Autism. Screaming in Silence: Autism is a documentary about the affects of Autism on African American families.  SPECIAL GUEST:  Dr. Juhi Pandey is a pediatric neuropsychologist and scientist at the Center for Autism Research (CAR) as well as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. She came to CAR to complete her postdoctoral fellowship and remained on as one of the supervising clinicians for deep clinical characterization of participants coming through various research protocols. Dr. Pandey has a special interest in the early identification and diagnosis of ASD, clinical phenotyping, and brain-behavior relationships that impact diagnosis and treatment outcome and plays a clinical role on a number of infant and toddler as well as school-age studies at CAR. http://www.centerforautismresearch.com

Robert J. Lindsey is the President/CEO of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD). NCADD, founded in 1944 by Marty Mann, the first woman to get sober in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is dedicated to increasing public awareness and understanding of the disease of alcoholism and drug dependence. NCADD and it’s Network of state and local Affiliates provide education, prevention, information/referral, intervention and treatment services and have helped thousands of individuals and families into recovery. www.ncadd.org   Shirley Beckett Mikell, NCAC II, CAC II, SAP is the Director of Certification and Education NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals and has more than 37 years experience working with individuals with co-occurring disorders.  In addition to establishing a certification system in her home state of South Carolina, Beckett Mikell also played a significant role in establishing faith-based training initiatives and treatment centers in 7 churches throughout the state. www.naadac.org

Reagan Gomez-Preston began her career in The Parent 'Hood, as Zaria Peterson. She guest starred on UPN's One on One as Flex's younger sister/Brianna's paternal aunt. She also played Francine opposite Holly Robinson Peete in the short-lived UPN sitcom, Love Inc.She has been featured in King magazine twice, first in the September 2003-October 2003 issue, and again in the December 2006-January 2007 issue.She is currently in the animated series The Cleveland Show as Roberta Tubbs, Cleveland Brown's stepdaughter. Coming out on April 3rd, 2012 on DVD Dysfunctional Friends, the movie.The death of a larger-than life friend has reunited a group of college friends who soon learn that their eccentric acquaintance has left behind an equally unconventional will.  From Producer Datari Turner and Writer/Director Corey Grant and featuring an all-star cast including Meagan Good (“Jumping The Broom,” Showtime’s “Californication”), Stacey Dash (VH-1’s “Single Ladies”), Terrell Owens (NFL star, Vh1’s “The T.O. Show”), Reagan Gomez-Preston (FOX’s “The Cleveland Show”), Jason Weaver (“Lottery Ticket”), Hosea Chanchez (BET’s “The Game”), Tatyana Ali (TV One’s “Love That Girl”), Essence Atkins (TBS’ “Are We There Yet?”), Christian Keyes (BET’s “Let’s Stay Together”), Stacy Keibler (USA’s “Psych”), Dysfunctional Friends is an incisive, humorous study of truth and affection.