What’s next for Legion Field? (A mixed use idea that extend beyond sports)

After the announcement of the new stadium for downtown Birmingham, AL I’ve been brainstorming about what could be done with the old Legion Field site that could really work for the community and the city as a whole. There are so many options ranging from mixed-use developments, new housing, selling the land to private developers for whatever, leaving Legion Field as is, recreating the park for a completely different use and so on. I have one mixed used idea that I want my Birmingham friends to chew on.

B. Rice, Select Achievement and Success Quotes (part 1)

On a regular basis throughout each week as I sort through new quotes for upcoming speaking engagements, I am going to place selected quotes on select images from my library. Some of the quotes will relate to students, professionals, mentoring, gving back, career development, entrepreneurship, religion, Black history, and just life in general. I hope you enjoy this series of quotes that is part of “Thoughts to Know, Thoughts to Live By” –  Brian K. Rice www.briankrice.com

 

Taraji P. Henson, “Around the Way Girl” autobiography book review post 2 of 2.

Taraji P. Henson, “Around the Way Girl” autobiography and my takeaways post 2 of 2. Post 2 will highlight Taraji’s experiences as a single mother, as a black actress, and about her being fearless.

In Taraji’s words: Of course, my mother saw my pregnancy a little differently. When I told her the news, she freaked out. It was, “Oh my God, this is the end of your career!” and “Oh my God, your life

I truly enjoyed Taraji P. Henson book “Around the Way Girl” (part 1 of 2)

Taraji P. Henson “Around the Way Girl”

Taraji P. Henson, “Around the Way Girl” autobiography and my takeaways post 1 of 2

The Taraji P. Henson audio book of “Around the Way Girl” is awesome. Recently, I started reading several books for women and young girls because every other month or so, I get a speaking engagement to speak to a group of teen ladies mostly but sometimes college students. What I appreciate about this audio book is the fact Taraji narrated her own story and the realness of who she is and her upbringing comes out. I am a fan of actual books and audio books. This is by far one of my favorite audio books and it’s not so much that the book is perfect; it is one of the few books that I have ever listened to where the author is trained well in her craft as an actress and the author tells her own life story with raw emotions.

(Let’s start off by highlighting takeaways from her father) There are 3 more moments I am going to share about Taraji’s father that makes me look up to him in a special way and I have no connection with him other than this book.

Moment #1: Taraji called her dad to tell him that she was pregnant while still in college and she was terrified of his upcoming response, but his response was noteworthy: “What’s up, Dad. I’m pregnant,” I said, quiet and slow. “What?” he asked. “I’m pregnant,” I said again, this time more clearly. Dad was silent (But only for a

Part 2: Letters to Young Black Women: from education to self worth

Letters to Young Black Women by Daniel Whyte is one of the most insightful books I have read for young women. I am a motivational speaker and I am always trying to find great material to share with others and great material to learn from and this at the top of my list for women.  Below are some sentences that highlighted in the book that I wanted to share with others. My earlier blog post of this book focused on two of the letters that dealt with men and the few highlights below cover a few more letters from the book

• “what troubles me the most is that more young black women today are allowing themselves to be used, mistreated, and hurt by men who do not care anything for them” Daniel Whyte

ON YOUR LIFE — Educational ON THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR EARLY EDUCATION Letter Twelve

• The value of getting a good education is all around us.
• First, you must have an internal motivation to want to learn. You must have a desire to learn. No one can

part 1: for women and fathers raising girls: Letters about men who are dawgs

A few weeks ago I read “Letters to Young Black Women” by Daniel Whyte and I said I was going to share some of my highlights from the book. As a motivational speaker, I am always trying to find good ideas to make me a more relevant speaker and this book is a must read and discuss for women of all ages as well as fathers raising girls and you will see this from my few highlights below. The author speaks primarily to young women in their teens or as young adults about spirituality, education, dealing with men, and purpose but I believe women from various generations will get value from this book especially if you are single. The section below is from letter 22 and 23 which focus on sorry men who are dawgs at their core. This section gives the reader real insight into how men think. (I will be positing another set of highlights of this book in my next post)

Letter Twenty-Two: ON YOUR LIFE — As a Young Black Woman BEWARE OF THE DAWGS

• I want to lovingly warn you to beware of the dawgs. (In case you do not know what a dawg is, a dawg is a man who heartlessly plots to take advantage of women sexually with no intentions on marrying them.
• Consequently, they somehow get a mentality that women are nothing but “B’s” and “W’s” to be conquered, subdued, taken advantage of, and sometimes abused.
• The nature of the dawg, like the devil, is very deceptive. He looks good on the outside, but on the inside he is full of deceit and corruption. The Bible says they will “come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves” (Matthew 7: 15).
• the dawg wants to work on eye contact, for the dawg feels that if he can make good eye contact with you, he is fifty percent toward his goal. Now, mind you, the dawg does not care who you are, or who you are with, be it your boyfriend, husband, or parents. He truly believes in his mind that if he can get some good eye contact with you, he can get you. Sister, don’t let anybody fool you; there is power in the eyes. Whatever you do, DON’T GIVE HIM YOUR EYES IF YOU DON’T WANT HIM TO GET YOU.

B. Rice highlights from the book “Mo Letters to Young Black Men” by Daniel Whyte

Recently, I finished Daniel Whyte’s second book for young black men, it is titled “Mo Letters to Young Black Men”. Below is a short list of my highlights from the book. The first book has 25 letters just as the second book. This second book is focused on the relationships you will have with your mother, father, son, daughter, sister, brother, women, wife, friends, racism, and God. If you enjoy some of my highlights, please make sure you share the book with someone raising a young black man and have them to discuss the details of this book as well as the first book “Letters to Young Black Men”

Mo Letters to Young Black Men by Daniel Whyte

OH! THE MISTAKES I’VE MADE Letter Two

• The first big mistake I made as a young man was having sex before marriage.
• The second big mistake I made was not taking my early education seriously.
• In my mind, school was a place to tolerate, a place to skip, a place to run the girls, and a place to have fun. Oh, how I regret not taking my schooling seriously. Because I didn’t, I had to play catch up when I got older.

B. Rice highlights from the book “Letters to Young Black Men” by Daniel Whyte

“Letters to Young Black Men” by Daniel Whyte is a good book to discuss with young men and his book for women “Letters to Young Black Women” is even a better book which I will gladly review in detail as the next book. Letters to Young Black Men is 25 letters broken up into 3 sections spiritual guidance, educational guidance, and dealing with real life scenarios

Below is a short lists of sentences that I highlighted from the book. If you find some of these highlights important to you, please buy the book and share this book with a young man or parent of a male child you know.

Highlights from letter 12 “The Marks of a Truly Educated Man” 

• A mark of an educated man is that he is humble enough to admit his ignorance.
• a truly educated man continues his education long after his years in high school and college.
• Another mark of a truly educated man is that he is authentic. He is an original. He is for real. He is himself. He knows he does not have to be like anyone else. He is therefore original in his thinking, his speaking, and his writing.
• “He is comfortable in his own skin.”
• an educated man has the ability to express himself clearly through his speech and through his writing.
• an educated man is a disciplined man. A disciplined man is willing and able to “do the worst first.” He is willing and ready to tackle the difficult jobs and tasks even when he does not feel like doing them.
• he finds favor in the sight of God and man.
• he understands etiquette and protocol.
• he knows how to

31 selected quotes from the must read book “Think and Grow Rich”

B. Rice selected quotes from the book “Think and Grow Rich” by Napolean Hill (to see other quotes associated with questionnaires and charts please review other blog posts on the book “Think and Grow Rich”.)

1. “Success comes to those who become success conscious. Failure comes to those who become failure conscious”
2. “It is one thing to want money, but it is something entirely different to be worth more.”
3. “Success requires no explanations, failure permits no alibis”
4. “no more effort is required to aim high in life, to demand abundance and prosperity, than is required to accept misery and poverty
5. “Millions of people go through life hoping for favorable “breaks.” perhaps a favorable break can get one an opportunity, but the safest plan is not to depend upon luck”
6. “one sound idea is all that one needs to achieve success”
7. “If your first plan which you adopt does not work successfully, replace it with a new plan, if this new plan fails to work, replace it, in turn with still another, and so on, until you find a plan which Does Work. Right here is the point at which the majority of men meet with failure, because of their lack of Persistence in creating new plans to take the place of those who fail”
8.  “Your dream and

“If you love someone, hurry up and show it.

“If you love someone, hurry up and show it. (Rosie Zadra)
If you have family or friends to forgive, forgive them now.
If you have childhood memories worth savoring or childhood friends worth calling, call them now.
If you your mother/father/sister/brother that are still living, start a fresh new relationship with them now.
If someone already died before you could tell them what you wanted to tell them…Go ahead and tell them now.
If there are children (or nieces or nephews) in your life, give them the positive experiences that you may have missed as a child – and do it now!
If you have a dream that is calling you to new heights, follow it now.
If you have special talents, gifts, abilities or energies to give, give them now.
If there’s a cause in your community worth standing for or a battle worth fighting for – fight it now.
If you can help make someone else’s dream come true, help it come true now.
If there is some kindness you can show to the people around you, show it now.
There are only so many tomorrows. We are not living in eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand and melting like a snowflake.”