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‘Just Mercy’ Author & Attorney Bryan Stevenson To Deliver the Keynote Address at the 2023 Martin Luther King, Jr. Beloved Community Commemorative Service Tomorrow, Jan. 16…

President Biden Delivered Sunday Sermon at Ebenezer Baptist Church TODAY!

Hello World,

The King Center will host the 2023 Martin Luther King, Jr. Beloved Community Commemorative Service tomorrow, Jan. 16, on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, at 10 a.m., at Ebenezer’s Horizon Sanctuary, 101 Auburn Ave., Atlanta. The service will broadcast live on FOX 5 Atlanta and livestream on Facebook, YouTube, fox4atlanta.com, and thekingcenter.org.

The 54th Annual Commemorative Service is the hallmark of the King Holiday Observance.  The Rev. Natosha Reid Rice and Pastor Sam Collier will preside over the event. The King Center CEO, the Rev. Bernice A. King, will give the Call to Commemoration. This year’s keynote speaker is Bryan Stevenson, lawyer, social justice activist, law professor at New York University School of Law,  founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative and author of Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption (which was made into a movie starring Michael B. Jordan) U.S. Senator and Senior Pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, the Rev. Raphael G. Warnock, and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, will give pastoral and city greetings, respectively. Several special guests will give tributes to Dr. King including:

  • Leo Smith, CEO, Engaged Futures Group, LLC
  • Rick West, founding director and director emeritus, National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution
  • Renee Montgomery, co-owner and vice president of the Atlanta Dream
  • Pastor Dennis Rouse, author and founding pastor of Victory Church
  • Veronica Maldonado-Torres, president and CEO of the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Somalia Gilliard, a senior and Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy, will give a special tribute to Mrs. Coretta Scott King.

The commemorative service will feature performances by musical guests: Yolanda Adams, Kierra Sheard, Justin Schultz, Morton, Minister Angella Christie, Ashling Cole, Uzee Brown, and Bishop William Murphy. The Commemorative Service Choir will perform, accompanied by The Covington Regional Ballet. There will be an international musical performance by the Far East Broadcasting Company Korea Children’s Choir.

Additionally, President Biden delivered the Sunday sermon at Ebenezer Baptist Church, the spiritual home of Dr. King,  TODAY! Read more about what he said HERE.

I’m forever grateful for the sacrifices of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his family. God has truly used them in a mighty way…

Any thoughts?

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‘Sherri,’ Sherri Shepherd’s New Talk Show, Has Been Renewed for TWO More Seasons!

Hello World,

My favorite Christian celebrity, Sherri Shepherd, who graciously allowed me to interview her for my first book, has a reason to celebrate in the new year! Her eponymous talk show “Sherri” has been renewed for TWO more seasons! In her excitement, Sherri told her audience members, “…Jawn [the show’s executive producer], we’ve been through a lot in this journey, in what we wanted to do and accomplish. And the fact that it is happening and the fact that, I just have to say, for those of you, I get emotional, for those of you who feel like nobody is seeing me, nobody is hearing me, but I have so much to give and you feel like it may be too late because you have so much to give, God has not forgotten you. He has not forgotten about you.”

I receive that inspirational message Sherri!

Additionally, Sherri detailed what Oprah said to her when she called to congratulate her! See for yourself below!

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Sherri (@sherrishowtv)

And here is an excerpt for PEOPLE magazine’s story about the show renewal…

Shepherd added, “I am so appreciative that Fox and Debmar-Mercury have partnered with me to continue bringing more laughter, joy and inspiration to my audience.”

“We initially sold Sherri for one year based on our strong belief that this extraordinarily talented host would be successful and her show would become a long-term talk franchise,” Debmar-Mercury Co-Presidents Ira Bernstein and Mort Marcus said. “Our thanks go to our good friends and longtime partners at FOX, who shared in our enthusiasm and have renewed their faith in Sherri with this long-term commitment.”

Read the rest HERE. 

Congratulations to Sherri!!! I believe this is Sherri’s season to reap what she has sown. Legendary journalist Barbara Walters (RIP) truly laid the foundation for Sherri and for others to shine…

Any thoughts?

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Xscape’s LaTocha Scott Is Working on Gospel Album Courtesy of Motown Gospel…

Hello World,

After all of the drama with LaTocha Scott of Xscape in 2022, it seems that LaTocha is doing a new thing in 2023.

Below is the official announcement!

Motown Gospel (a division of Capitol CMG/Capitol and Universal Music Group) announces the signing of award-winning artist LaTocha to an exclusive license agreement via her own label, Made Girl Music. A multi-hyphenate force in the music industry, LaTocha is best known as a member of the multi-platinum-selling R&B group Xscape, providing leads on some of the group’s biggest songs, including “Who Can I Run To” and “The Arms of the One Who Loves You.”

“It has always been a passion of mine to do inspirational music,” says LaTocha. “It has been my foundation, and that is very evident, even when I sing R&B music. I can’t escape that.”

For the powerhouse songstress, the interplay of music and faith began at Mt. Olive Church of God in Holiness, in her hometown of College Park, GA. She leaned on that foundation even as she became a household name in one of the biggest girl groups in R&B history.

“A hallmark of LaTocha’s successful career has been her love for gospel music and her strong personal connection to the Black church,” shares Monica Coates, Co-Executive Director, Motown Gospel. “I am excited for her fans—long-standing and new—to finally have a body of work that reflects those areas of her passion.”

Adds EJ Gaines, Co-Executive Director of Motown Gospel: “LaTocha has one of the most recognized voices in R&B, but she also has staying power and manages to maintain relevance in a marketplace that doesn’t always allow for that. I can’t wait for her fans to hear what she’s been working on.”

LaTocha is readying her debut inspirational project, slated for release this year. Fans can stay connected with LaTocha via her social media channels– @iAmLaTocha on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and Facebook.

I must admit that I’m always a bit skeptical of artists in other genres “going gospel.” I’m not saying that just because you’re  known for one style of music that you cannot explore other genres of music, after all a true artist is an adventurer by nature. But I wonder sometimes if some artists are just trying to garner more of an audience because the gospel music audience is a huge one. But I will give LaTocha, who does have a voice made for gospel music, the benefit of the doubt even after all of the drama from 2022, which could have likely been manufactured for Xscape’s reality show Xscape Still Kickin’ It anyway. And furthermore, if her fellow Xscape member Kandi Burruss can release “Stay Prayed Up” with Marvin Sapp, LaTocha can go gospel as well…

What say you?

Any thoughts?