LA EVENTS: Los Angeles Black Book Expo

LA Babies, the Los Angeles Black Book Expo is back! Join us this Saturday and discover new artists and works at the Los Angeles Convention Center’s West Hall in Rooms 501 – 507. The expo show in Room 502 begins at noon with several panels and workshops taking place throughout the day. This event is FREE to attend.

For the past eight years, the Los Angeles Black Book Expo has endeavored to provide a forum for new and established authors to sell their books, discuss topics related to literature, cultural or social interest, and promote the joy of reading and writing to young people and freedom of expression via the spoken word. Featured guests include Danielle Spencer-Fields from “What’s Happening” fame signing copies of her book Through The Fire: Journal of a Child Star, and Cherie Johnson of “Punky Brewster” and “Family Matters”. She is also the author of a new book, Peaches and Cream and will sign books at the expo. We have just added R&B recording artist Karyn White to our event where she will sign copies of her new book, Carpe Diem – Seize the Day.

This year’s event promises engaging authors, panel discussions and workshops from experienced professionals in the literary world. Stephanie Newell is the CEO of Write One Publications and she will speak on Book Marketing and Publicity. Rashid Brown is the author of Careergonomics and his presentation will focus on creating a book as a brand. Theo Fowles will speak to the young people closely relating to the same subject but using the power of social media to advance their skills. These are a few of the presenters who will offer their knowledge and advice to attendees at the Black Book Expo.

On the romantic side, special guests such as Hasani Pettiford known for dispensing advice to lovelorn couples on TV One’s Love Addiction will speak on relationships and ways to improve them; Jo Lena Johnson and Steven Charles Martin offer a Strategic Planning for Love and War, Relationships and Adult Conversations.

We will also present the debut of the Authors N Focus Show spotlighting authors, publishers, and poets about their latest work and thoughts on their journey through the writing process.

For the little ones, the expo’s children’s corner will have story time with a special guest called Catalina and will receive gift bags for the first fifty who show up. The Spoken Worlds pavilion has some of the best artists in the city where expression flows freely.

For more information, please call the expo at (323) 718-5678.

Details are as follows:

LABBX

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Los Angeles Convention Center West Hall

1201 Figueroa Street Los Angeles, CA 90015

12:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M.

Recommended Reading For African American Financial Starters

The way to wealth is as plain as the way to market. It depends chiefly on two words, industry and frugality; that is, waste neither time nor money, but make the best use of both. Without industry and frugality nothing will do; with them, everything. – Benjamin Franklin

The HISTORY

Capitalism & Slavery by Eric Williams

Comments – This book is tied for one of the most important books I have ever read period with Miseducation of the Negro. It is by far the most important financial book I have ever read. To understand the history of system you are engaging is vital. One of the most important lessons I came away with in this book is that capital within the capitalist system will always seek to find the cheapest labor.

Black Titan: A.G. Gaston and the making of a Black American millionaire by Carol Jenkins & Elizabeth Hines

 

Comments – The biography of arguably one of the greatest business men to ever grace America’s soil. His story of entrepreneurship and building of an empire is worth the read. He owned a bank, insurance company, along with  many other businesses, and before his death was proposing an African American owned stock exchange. His rise from humble beginnings that would make many of us blush today gives one a role model of perseverance.

The 3 TYPES OF INCOME

 

Comments – Robert Kiyosaki explains the three types of income. He is also the author of Rich Dad Poor Dad. A book that is worth reading but there is much of it that must be taken with a grain of salt.

Robert Kiyosaki: Three Types of Income

Mr. Kiyosaki, while I respect his opinion in a lot of areas of his book, primarily that your house is not an investment, some of his book is a sales job to get you to buy more of his products so reader beware.

 

 

 

 

 

The REALITY

The median net worth for African Americans is $2,170.

The median net worth for European Americans is $97,860

And more can be found here:

Men Lie, Women Lie – Numbers Don’t: The Financial State of African America

STOP: African Americans should NOT be maxing out their 401(k)

 

The TECHNICAL

Security Analysis by Benjamin Graham & David Dodd

Comments – This one will put your mettle to the test. Its long. Its boring. Its fundamental. Its imperative. Benjamin Graham was Warren Buffett’s teacher and that alone makes it a must read. Beyond that this book will provide the discipline needed to make you understand the need for long-term value investing and not subject to the whims of the ups and downs of the daily market.

 

 

Common Stocks & Uncommon Profits by Philip A. Fisher

Comments – If Warren Buffett is known as the greatest value investor of all-time then Philip Fisher is arguably the greatest growth investor of all-time. Again, focused on long-term investing but this time in growth companies. Mr. Fisher did not believe in diversification investing but finding a few (7 to 10) really good stocks and being dedicated to them over the long-term.

The WEBSITES

These are websites that I check with some frequency on a weekly if not daily basis. Now while I wouldn’t expect anyone to check them at the rate I do these are websites that should at least find your eyeballs at least once a month. Also check newspapers from around the world. This is important because you want to start to see trends. The reality is that geopolitical and geoeconomical events can echo strongly into financial markets at times. No, reading CNN is not enough. You want to read events from others point of view about the world. CNN gives you the world view from European America’s perch. Understanding the difference can and will give you an edge when examining your company if it has a multinational operation.

www.hbcumoney.com

www.bloomberg.com

www.fool.com

finance.yahoo.com

www.techcrunch.com

www.landreport.com

www.foreignpolicy.com

www.world-newspapers.com

www.tiger21.com

This is just the start of a long road of wealth building but a foundation to begin you on your way. All of these avenues will potentially lead you to other avenues of information. Don’t invest in isolation either. Conversations about companies and their long-term potential with other investors can help you see things you might miss.

MOST importantly – SHARE this information with your family, friends, and community.

Make more money than you spend and don’t spend that much.

Mr. Foster is the Interim Executive Director of HBCU Endowment Foundation, sits on the board of directors at the Center for HBCU Media Advocacy, & President of AK, Inc. A former banker & financial analyst who earned his bachelor’s degree in Economics & Finance from Virginia State University as well his master’s degree in Community Development & Urban Planning from Prairie View A&M University. Publishing research on the agriculture economics of food waste, full-time contributor at HBCU Money, and guest contributor for a number of African American media outlets.

 


 

LA EVENTS: Los Angeles Black Book Expo

It’s that time of year again! Join Charles Chatmon and the rest of the LABBX team for this year’s Los Angeles Black Book Expo, taking place this year on Saturday, August 20, 2011 from 10 am – 6 pm. This year’s expo promises to be another exciting event, gathering authors, readers, celebrities, youth, fun and camaraderie together in an exciting way. This year, we’re holding our literary event inside the L.A. Convention Center, Meeting Room Concourse (#403). Admission is free. For all the avid readers out there, this is the place to be to discover new, up and coming writers and buy fresh off the presses reading material.

Details are as follows:

Los Angeles Black Book Expo

August 20, 2011

10:00am -6:00pm

Los Angeles Convention Center #403

info@labbx.com

323-718-5678

Admission is FREE

LA EVENTS: Leimert Park Village Book Fair

A triumvirate of black female intelligentsia is set to headline the fifth annual Leimert ParkVillage Book Fair. Former editor-in-chief of Essence magazine Susan L. Taylor, economist Dr. Julianne Malveaux, and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist-turned-author Isabel Wilkerson have been nabbed to stimulate intellectual dialogue for this year’s literary event. The Leimert Park Village Book Fair is the premiere African American literary event in Los Angeles where authors and artists gather to showcase their latest works. Details are as follows:

 

Leimert Park Village Book Fair
June 25, 2011
10am-6pm
4300 DEGNAN BLVD. LOS ANGELES, CA 90008
This event is FREE
http://www.leimertparkbookfair.com
For more information contact Cynthia Exum at info@leimertparkbookfair.com or 323.730.0628

See you there!

LA EVENTS: The 4th Annual Leimert Park Book Fair

This Saturday, June 26th is the 4th Annual Leimert Park Book Fair from 10 am – 6pm. The year’s fair will showcase several authors, an artist showcase with Charles Bibbs, a tribute to African-American photographers, and a tribute to the first Black filmmaker, Oscar Micheaux. Authors and poets confirmed for attendance this year are: Rickey Minor, Taalam Acey, Ishmael Reed, Louis Gossett Jr., NeNe Leakes, Eric Jerome Dickey, Kamau Daood, Karen Grisgby Bates and Marlon and Shawn Wayans. A Children’s Village and a Cook’s Corner will also be featured at this year’s event.