By Josh Dubow, AP Sports Writer

Two days after being jettisoned by the Memphis Grizzlies, Dave Joerger has landed in Sacramento as the latest coach looking to end the Kings’ decade-long playoff drought.

Joerger replaces George Karl and becomes the Kings’ ninth head coach since the team went to the playoffs in 2006 under Rick Adelman.

“He is a strong and passionate leader with a proven track record of producing results,” general manager Vlade Divac said. “Dave shares our focus on creating a long-term culture of winning and I look forward to a bright future ahead for the Kings with his leadership on the court.”

Joerger went 147-99 in three seasons with the Grizzlies and took them to the playoffs each year. He led the injury-ravaged team to 42 wins this season, pushing them to the playoffs, where they were swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round.

Despite the success he achieved with the Grizzlies, he never was able to get on the same page with Memphis owner Robert Pera. Joerger was hired to replace Lionel Hollins after spending six years as an assistant in Memphis, but Pera never seemed to warm to him.

The situation grew so strained that Joerger interviewed for the open Minnesota Timberwolves job two summers ago before ultimately staying in Memphis.

He quickly found a landing place in Sacramento, where just getting to the playoffs in the team’s first season in its new downtown arena would be a major accomplishment.

The Kings went 33-49 last season and Karl clashed with ownership, Divac and All-Star DeMarcus Cousins in his lone full season on the job. Karl had been hired in February 2015 to replace Tyrone Corbin and had a 44-68 mark during his tenure.

When they opened up the search, the Kings pledged to go through a methodical, deliberate process and interview as many candidates as possible before making a decision. But as soon as Joerger was surprisingly made available, the Kings swooped in.

Joerger flew to Sacramento on Sunday for his first round of discussions, then had more meetings on Monday morning before the agreement was reached.

Joerger will get a three-year contract worth $4 million per season, a person with knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press. The deal includes a team option for the fourth season. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team did not release the terms of the deal.

Joerger will make double with the Kings what he was making in Memphis. He will be tasked with ending a playoff drought in Sacramento that extends back to 2006, the second-longest active drought in the league.

His first order of business will be to find common ground with Cousins, one of the most gifted big men in the league who hasn’t seen eye to eye with any coach he’s had in Sacramento except for Michael Malone, who was abruptly fired in December 2014 as the team has struggled for any stability under owner Vivek Ranadive.

Ranadive hired Malone soon after buying the team in 2013, picking a coach before he even hired Pete D’Alessandro as general manager. Malone was fired 24 games into his second season despite a close relationship with Cousins and some improvement on the court.

Corbin took over in December 2014 but lasted just two months before the team turned to the veteran Karl, who has the fifth-most wins all-time with a record of 1,175-824.

But D’Alessandro was replaced by Divac a few months after the move. Divac fired one of Karl’s assistants, Vance Walberg, midway through this season and then parted ways with Karl.

While the Kings won 30 games this season for the first time since 2007-08, they once again missed the playoffs as Karl failed to fix the problems on the court. The team allowed a league-worst 109.1 points per game and give up an NBA-record 839 3-pointers.

Then there were the issues between Karl and Cousins that boiled over last month when Cousins was suspended for one game by the team for yelling at Karl during a timeout huddle.

Divac now hopes Joerger can get the best out of the immensely talented but sometimes difficult Cousins, who has had five coaches in his six seasons in the NBA. Cousins is coming off his most productive season, averaging a career-high 26.9 points per game, along with 11.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists.

(AP Basketball Writer Jon Krawczynski contributed to this report.)

NOTE: Lionel Hollins, who lead the Grizzlies before being replaced by Dave Joerger, reportedly dined with Chris Wallace, the Grizzlies general manager, on Monday night. Could Hollins be in the mix for a return? Meanwhile, much speculation swirls around the possibility of retaining Frank Vogel, head coach of the Indiana Pacers.

By BlackNews.com

Boston, MA — Northeastern University’s 4th year student, Lamar Letts, has formulated a sports drink called Hylux that offers the best alternative to traditional sports drinks: a vitamin enhanced water that is low calorie, low sugar, and high nutrient drink. Hylux recently launched a Kickstarter project and in a short time, Letts has managed to raise more than $13,000. Before this, Letts was awarded a $10,000 grant from IDEA, Northeastern University’s venture accelerator.

The drink has received positive reviews. Jack Choros of The Huffington Post remarked, “Letts has visions of taking on giants like Gatorade, Powerade and Vitamin Water with his own brand. The drink itself is pretty fantastic. It tastes just as good as the others but boasts a few distinct advantages over the competition.” Another review by Jae Monique read, “There is some hype surrounding the new vitamin enhanced water and next generation sport drink, Hylux.”

Apart from making his drink a success among athletes, Lamar Letts also has more objectives to fulfill with this drink. He plans to use 3% of the proceeds from the sale of Hylux to provide clean water in underdeveloped countries. The donations will be primarily made to waters.org, a nonprofit working to provide clean water and sanitation to such regions.

Lamar Letts was a former athlete, but due to an unexpected heart injury, he had to give up his career as a track athlete. Being advised by his doctor to take good care of his diet, Lamar had to start diluting his sports drinks with water to reduce the sugar and calorie content. This is where the idea of having a low sugar and low calorie sports drink came from, and Lamar Letts created Hylux in his freshman year of college.

Hylux hit the market in 2014 and is distributed in gyms and health clubs in New York and Boston. Hylux contains 4 different electrolytes, B complex vitamins, more potassium than a banana, 10 grams of sugar and 40 calories per serving. Hylux meets all of Whole Food’s ingredient guidelines and has no preservatives or artificial ingredients.

More information about Hylux can be found on its Kickstarter page at www.kickstarter.com/projects/1732104715/hylux-water-student-athlete-creates-next-gen-sport or the Hylux website located at www.drinkhylux.com

By Natasha S. Alford, theGrio

In a country where a growing share of public schools have minority children, fewer teachers look like them than ever before. For black men, the numbers are more startling: less than 2 percent of teachers in the U.S. are black men.

But black men do teach. And they do it well. A blog called Black. Man. Teach is showcasing the faces and stories of the men who defy statistics to enter the classroom. Jabali Sawicki’s powerful photographs of black male educators explaining why they teach, reflect strength and sheer determination.

Sawicki, a former founding principal at an all-boys school in Brooklyn, saw the need for his students to have black male role models. “As we continue to think about how to better serve our children, black male teachers, although dramatically under-represented in the profession, will continue to play an integral role,” says Sawicki.

He hopes people see that teaching is game-changing work. “My goal through this project is to help provide a deeper understanding of what drives and motivates current black male teachers, with the hope that these powerful narratives will help us celebrate and support those currently doing the work, and lead to more individuals joining this movement.”

—Chicago twins earn $1.6M in scholarships and get into nearly 60 colleges

In honor of National Teacher Appreciation week, theGrio salutes 7 black male educators who inspire black excellence. Share your thanks to educators who are making a difference in your community using #GrioSalute and check out more stories at Black. Man. Teach.

Ervin M. Thomas, High School Teacher

Name: Ervin M. Thomas

Grade: High School

Current City: Jersey City

College: Ramapo College and University of West Alabama

How long teaching? 14 years

Why I Teach…I chose to become an educator because I knew there was a need for a black man who understood the population he serviced… I wanted to be the sympathetic educator that I wish I had throughout my education…. I believed that if I was able to help those students struggling to cope with their socio-emotional issues than they would be better equipped to focus on academics and nothing would derail them from setting and reaching their future goals. Last, I knew it was my calling and my ultimate purpose in life — To Serve, Inspire and Uplift young people of color.

Name: Eric Mosley

Grade: 5th Grade

Current City: Brooklyn, NY

College: Morehouse College & RELAY Graduate School of Education

How long teaching? 3 years

Why I Teach… I was at dinner in Brooklyn when I heard the George Zimmerman verdict, and for the first time in my life, I literally felt unsafe, invisible, and worthless as a black man in America. At the time, my cousin and I were apartment hunting and were having dinner with one of my best friends who used to work at the same boys school in which I currently teach. We cried. We were silent. We commiserated over Trayvon’s life, and the lives of other black and brown boys and girls who don’t have an Al Sharpton to ignite or mobilize the country to rally for their justice. I teach for my ancestors who died for opportunity — the names and faces of whom I will never be able to thank or repay. I teach for my two ten year-old brothers, Jared and Nacir. I teach for the boys who will soon become men. I teach because it’s personal.

Name: Sterling Grimes

Grade: High School

Current City: Philadelphia, PA

College: University of Maryland College Park (B.A.) and University of Pennsylvania (M.S.Ed.)

How long teaching? 6 years

Why I Teach… When my students learn about my background, they are often surprised that I have seen many of the experiences that they endure each day. I constantly remind them that world travel and an Ivy league degree only serve to amplify my blackness, never to cover it. I am one of many examples of what it is to be a black man. I teach to show my students one model of success and one way to navigate the world. I know I don’t possess all of the answers, but I teach to provide the ones I do have.

Name: Michael Burks Jr.

Grade: 4th Grade

Current City: Los Angeles, CA

College: Harvard University

How long teaching? 5 years

Why I Teach…We have discussed current events from Michael Brown and Black Lives Matter to The University of Oklahoma and SAE, opening the worldview of these young men past the harsh realities they navigate daily in The Fillmore, The Western Addition, Richmond, and Bayview-Hunter’s Point. I have shared numerous personal anecdotes of the trials and tribulations of navigating one of the most historic universities in the world as a man of color.

The Brotherhood has taught me that we are not in the business of being perfect. We, as teachers and students, work to improve daily. As we say in our Pledge: “We are putting our failures behind us. We will make today our best day because today starts the rest of our lives!”

Name: Bryan Butcher Jr.

Grade: 5th Grade

Current City: Portland, OR

College: Morehouse College & Relay Graduate School of Education

How long teaching? 4 years

Why I Teach… Every day I walk into my classroom with the mission to teach my children to love learning. Love geometry, because those same shapes and angles you explore will be the base of the historical monument you build one day. Love reading with expression because the voice you use may be the voice you channel during your Juilliard acting auditions. Love social studies because those historical figures may possess the values you use to change the world.

I’ve found that when you love what you’re doing, you don’t mind working a little bit harder. I hope for my students that I, Mr. Butcher, the black man in front of them each day, am able to not only provide them with the academic skills to be successful but also liberate their minds to become transformational citizens in the world.

Name: Najee K. Carter

Grade: 2nd Grade

Current City: Newark, NJ

College: Hampton University

How long teaching? 4 years

Why I Teach… I didn’t see many faces that looked like mine or the boys and girls I knew growing up in Newark, NJ. The faces I did see, whose hue matched mine, wore an uncanny sorrow. It was from those glances that I realized Black and Brown boys and girls deserve a greater dream….

…For me, there is a supreme power in teaching and providing children with something they have been so strategically deprived of. I marvel at the idea of pushing critical thought in the classroom and beam at the sight of my kids attacking rigorous mathematical concepts with such sophistication. I am filled with joy as they bring words to life through their writing. This for me is the revolution that will not be televised.

Name: Alonzo S. Fulton

Grade: Kindergarten through 8th Grade

Current City: Philadelphia

College: Lincoln University of PA & Cheyney University of PA

How long teaching? 14 years

Why I Teach… I became a teacher because I believe in the transformative power of one person, one voice, and one mission. My mission is to change current student’s attitudes about learning to transform their future. Why? Because inner city children need someone to plant, someone to water, and someone to champion the genius that lies within.

That someone is me. So, teaching is NEVER just a job- it is my passion! I inspire my students to break down barriers, burst through glass ceilings, and challenge the “status quo” societal norms they were born into. Most importantly, they understand that the world will try to take their dignity, their possessions, and even their confidence. Yet, no one can take their knowledge!

Jabali Sawicki is the founder of Black. Man. Teach., which chronicles the stories of black male educators across the United States. A former black male educator himself, Sawicki explains what inspired his project and the movement he hopes to build for black men in education.

“12 years ago, I founded Excellence Boys Charter School of Bedford Stuyvesant, and all-boys K-8 charter school in Bedstuy, Brooklyn, serving 98% African American boys. When I left the school with our first graduating class, based on my experiences working with our scholars and our amazing teachers, I became deeply passionate about another key issue clearly integral to the overall success of our young brothers and sisters: increasing the number of black male teachers in our schools and classrooms.

As we continue to think about how to better serve our children, black male teachers, although dramatically under-represented in the profession, will continue to play an integral role.

My goal through this project is to help provide a deeper understanding of what drives and motivates current black male teachers, with the hope that these powerful narratives will help us celebrate and support those currently doing the work, and lead to more individuals joining this movement.

By Collin Binkley, Associated Press

WELLESLEY, Massachusetts (AP) — When Jennifer Pierre visits the toy store, she sees shelves of dolls that are mostly girls and mostly white. She wants to change that.

Pierre, who’s finishing a master’s degree in entrepreneurship at Babson College, is launching a new line of dolls designed for boys of color. One is meant to look like an African American boy, with curly natural hair. One is Indian American. Another is biracial.

The goal is to give boys of all races a doll that looks like them, and that they can be proud of. Her new company is called Melanites, a reference to melanin, the pigment that gives skin its color.

“We’re a toy company, but we’re trying to become a whole brand that celebrates brown boyhood,” said Pierre, 23, of Pompano Beach, Florida. “I want it to be normal for a kid to go into the aisle and see themselves on the shelf.”

For now, Pierre is taking orders while she tries to raise $35,000 to manufacture the first dolls. She hopes to have the first batch delivered by Christmas and sell them online and in specialty stores afterward.

The first prototype is an 18-inch doll named Jaylen, designed to look like a young black boy. It’s made of plastic, with limbs that can bend and twist like a big action figure. To boost appeal for boys, Pierre plans to advertise them as “action pals,” not dolls.

But part of her goal is to erode the idea that dolls are for girls. She wants to blur gender lines in the toy industry, and to move away from action figures that depict men with guns and big muscles.

“Parents are tired of the pink aisle and the blue aisle,” Pierre said. “They want something they can give to their sons to teach them empathy, or to inspire them.”

Each doll is meant to have its own personality. Jaylen is an inventor. Aiden, who’s biracial, likes to tinker. Marquis, of Caribbean American heritage, is a performer. Pierre plans to sell story books that take the characters on missions as astronauts, for example, or archaeologists.

The idea struck Pierre while she was working at a community center in Florida before moving to Massachusetts. Time after time, she heard boys say they wanted to become rappers or basketball stars, not doctors, lawyers or engineers.

“It’s not because that doesn’t happen, but because they don’t see it in their community,” she said. “I wanted to change that and give them different options, because you can’t be what you can’t see.”

Her idea reflects broader shifts in the toy industry, experts say. More companies are blending science lessons into their toys, and adding diversity of all types. Hasbro now makes toy guns for girls. Another brand, Guy Gear, sells crafting kits for boys.

“This is where our world is going and we want to make sure we’re addressing those needs,” said Ken Seiter, vice president of marketing communications for the Toy Industry Association in New York.

In a focus group, 4-year-old Zion Dawson tested the Jaylen prototype while his mom, Bernette, watched. He was fascinated by the idea of a toy that looked like him, his mother said.

“It’s a positive influence,” said Dawson, of Boston’s Mattapan neighborhood. “There’s a lot of girl empowerment with different girl dolls; why can’t my son have that same experience?”

Despite old stereotypes, some research suggests that it’s normal for boys to play with dolls. A 2013 study at Australia’s Western Sydney University found that baby boys preferred playing with dolls over toy cars or other machines.

Soon after Zion tested the Jaylen doll, his mom submitted an early order to buy one. But Dawson admits that even she used to think dolls were strictly for girls.

“At one point in my life, I was against young boys playing with dolls,” Dawson said. “But I think as society has evolved and I have evolved as a parent, I’m more open to it.”

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

By theGrio

Ken and Wanda Bass were married for fifteen years before they divorced in 2002.

While any failed marriage is sad, the couple believes that a failed marriage does not have to be the end of family relations and good communication between co-parents. In fact, Ken and Wanda are now the creators of something new called Xcards, a holiday card line for exes that need healthy change, forgiveness, and restoration in their relationship after divorce.

In an interview, Wanda explained that, “co-parenting may not require friendship right away but it does require cooperation in order for your children to grow up in a socially healthy environment.” Both Ken and Wanda had a similar problem when neither of them could to find sufficient cards to send each other for Mother’s Day or Father’s Day, or simply to find a card that spoke appropriate words towards some kind of reconciliation.

That’s when they came up with the idea for Xcards. The parents of two sons, who are both thrilled about what their parents are doing together, Wanda and Ken, said that before they came up with Xcards they would typically end up arguing whenever they were communicating after their divorce. Now, former wife to Ken says, “our sons are just as excited as we are about the positive impact Xcards can have on families,” she said. “Attitude really is everything. The amount of time spent fighting as parents is counterproductive. Instead, try engaging,” Wanda presses.

At the end of the day, the couple has said that their greeting cards that range from birthday to Christmas to most other holidays have received a wide amount of positive reviews from other divorcees looking for answers. Lastly, the couple argues that for $2.75 you can make your kids happier than ever.

By Tracy E. Hopkins, The Root

African Americans love to travel, and according to a research study, we spend nearly $50 billion a year on U.S. travel alone.

During our explorations, however, we don’t always make it a priority to support black-owned hotels and bed-and-breakfasts.

“Like any industry, we’re stronger when we operate together. But beyond the economic reasons, and the pride we feel in supporting our family’s success, it’s also a matter of perspective,” says Kalisa Martin, co-owner of the Runaway Jamaica.

“When I go abroad, I’m genuinely interested in the local culture and getting an authentic view of it. But I’m also especially interested in the black experience of that place. The Diaspora is everywhere we are, and staying at black-owned hotels and B&Bs automatically taps us into that scene,” she adds.

According to Andy Ingraham, president and CEO of the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators & Developers, out of 58,000 hotels in the U.S., African Americans own approximately 700.

But that number is increasing.

“Most of the major brands are making an effort to attract diverse ownership,” says Ingraham. “We [also] have a large and growing African-American business community looking for opportunities, and the hotel business is an attractive investment.”

So when you’re planning your next trip, add these four new and popular black-owned properties in the U.S. and the Caribbean to your itinerary.

1.) The Ivy Hotel

Tucked away in Baltimore’s historic Mount Vernon neighborhood, the Ivy Hotel is co-owned by Eddie C. Brown—chairman, CEO and founder of Brown Capital Management, the second-oldest African-American investment management firm in the nation—and his wife, Sylvia.

“We weren’t originally seeking to be in the hotel business, but the sun and moon aligned to have the opportunity to purchase a historic mansion, literally across the street from my firm’s corporate headquarters,” says Brown.

Housed in a renovated 19th-century mansion that was formerly the site of the award-winning Inn at National Place, the 18-room Ivy opened in 2015. The luxury boutique hotel prides itself on the highest level of cuisine, service and ambience, and it is distinguished by decor that marries modern amenities with one-of-a-kind antique pieces. Each guest room and suite has a customized layout with a fireplace and canopy bed. The hotel also boasts an intimate spa and the acclaimed fine-dining Magdalena bistro. As a complimentary service, guests are transported in style to nearby art galleries and music venues in a classic London taxicab.

2.) The Runaway Jamaica

A couple of years ago, Brooklyn, N.Y., couple Jeff Belizaire and Kalisa Martin escaped the daily grind and winter weather and returned to their tropical Caribbean roots (Belizaire is of Haitian descent and Martin’s family is from Jamaica). And in late 2015, they launched the Runaway Jamaica—a luxury, adults-only B&B located in a scenic residential community on Jamaica’s north coast. Transportation is provided from Montego Bay.

“Because of this endeavor, Kalisa and I are more mentally balanced and [spiritually] centered,” says Belizaire. “Our priorities in life and love are focused.”

Thanks to a creative Kickstarter campaign, the Runaway became the first and only successfully funded B&B in Kickstarter history. Funds were used to design, renovate and decorate the bright and airy property with an organic rooftop garden, a private beach and pool, and handcrafted furniture in each of the four guest rooms with en suite bathrooms.

A graduate of the French Culinary Institute in New York, Martin does double duty as chef and head of operations. In addition to breakfast, she treats guests to freshly prepared lunch and dinner options made with locally sourced ingredients.

The Runaway is booked for 2016, and Belizaire and Martin are exploring opportunities for global expansion, which would include a location in upstate New York. Martin is also set to publish a cookbook in the fall.

3.) Salamander Resort & Spa

Black Entertainment Television co-founder Sheila C. Johnson made her mark in the entertainment industry and now has a burgeoning hotel empire. As the CEO and founder of Salamander Resorts & Hotels, Johnson owns and operates four properties in Florida and one in Virginia.

The company’s crown jewel is the Salamander Resort & Spa, a sprawling resort that opened in 2013 in Middleburg, Va., less than an hour from downtown Washington, D.C.

Set in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the 340-acre, equestrian-inspired property has 168 guest rooms and suites and a world-class spa. Several wineries along Virginia’s wine trail are nearby.

“It has been nearly three years since we opened our doors, and the reviews have been amazing,” says Johnson. “I wanted to create the finest resort and spa experience on the East Coast. The project was a decade in design and development, but it was well worth it.”

4.) Rock Cliff Jamaica

Scheduled to open in fall 2016, Rock Cliff Jamaica is a high-end, all-inclusive resort near Ocho Rios. The 13-room property had been unoccupied for many years until entrepreneur Stephanie M. Clark and business partner Kez Ford—the former owner’s son—took over in 2015 and created Dreamers Resorts, LLP.

“I feel honored to be one of very few African-American women to own and operate a hotel,” says Clark. “My plan was to open a small B&B within five years, but God’s plan was much bigger than mine.”

Rock Cliff boasts a waterfall swimming pool, tennis court and a private beach. The 7,000-square-foot main house, perched on 1.5 acres on a cliff, offers an idyllic backdrop for weddings and retreats. All rooms have en suite bathrooms and kitchenettes, and 10 of the guest rooms are built into the cliff with stunning views of the Caribbean Sea.

Tracy E. Hopkins is a Brooklyn, N.Y.-based travel, lifestyle and entertainment writer. Visit her blog, Everything She Wants, and follow her on Twitter.

By Special to The New Tri-State Defender

At the busy intersection where science and humanity connect, Karen E. Nelson, Ph.D., is leading discoveries that may affect the lives of people in every corner of the world.

Nelson is president of the renowned J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), a world leader in genomic research with more than 250 scientists and staff, more than 250,000 square feet of laboratory space, and locations in Rockville, MD, and La Jolla, CA.

A prominent microbial physiologist who quickly grew into the role of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) executive, Dr. Nelson led the team that published the first human microbiome paper. Since then, the world has taken note of the meteoric rise of this native Jamaican in an industry heavily dominated by males.

Dr. Nelson’s soaring profile takes on even more prominence as STEM equity continues to emerge as “a critical civil rights concern.” According to Advancing Equity through More and Better STEM Learning, a February 2015 report by The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and The Leadership Conference Education Fund, “only 2.2 percent of Latinos and 2.7 percent of African Americans have earned a degree in the natural sciences of engineering by the age of 24.”

Noting that more and more of the jobs being created today require a STEM background, the report concluded that “a scarcity of AP classes, qualified teachers, funding, and resources in underserved schools have effectively locked students out of opportunities in crucial, well-paying fields like computer science, engineering, and defense.”

The issue is not just that minorities or women may not consider STEM careers; often it is that they can’t always find the role models and mentors who can guide them toward successful careers, Dr. Nelson says.

“There are many people out there with brilliant minds, and we need them all in the STEM field,” Dr. Nelson says. “From a science and biological perspective, when you are talking about diabetes and genetics, you have to have women and minorities to push their own science — so their issues get the attention they need.”

Treatment “tailored to the individual”

By sequencing DNA from individual cells and studying bacteria and a variety of microbial species that live on and in the body, researchers at J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI) are changing the way medical professionals look at humans, prompting them to explore symbiotic relationships and to consider how big and small things — such as organs and bacteria — actually relate to each other.

“The scientists at JCVI are engaged in basic science research that has the potential to change society,” says Dr. Nelson.

Scientists now know that the human body is teeming with a variety of microbial species, a community that is known as the human microbiome. Everyone is born with trillions of microbes: the central question is how these colonies, which include bacteria, viruses and fungi, function and ultimately affect human health and disease.

The National Institutes of Health Human Microbiome Project (HMP) was launched in 2007. The $175 million, five-year effort aimed to study the many microorganisms that live in and on the human body, such as in our mouths and on our skin. This important body of work is laying a foundation for precision medicine, an approach that will enable health care providers to tailor treatments and prevention strategies to unique characteristics of an individual, such as their genome sequence, diet and health history.

President Barack Obama is a true believer in the science.

“Doctors have always recognized that every patient is unique, and doctors have always tried to tailor their treatments as best they can to individuals,” he says. “You can match a blood transfusion to a blood type — that was an important discovery. What if matching a cancer cure to our genetic code was just as easy, just as standard? What if figuring out the right dose of medicine was as simple as taking our temperature?”

When Dr. Nelson delivered a presentation last year in India, 1,000 people tried to squeeze into the room. And when President Obama unveiled his Precision Medicine Initiative in 2014, she sat in the audience of distinguished scientists and health care professionals at the White House.

On the horizon is a game-changing moment, the kind of breakthrough that illuminates the groundwork laid by scientists as well as a seismic shift in daily life.

“The idea is that someday everybody will have medical treatment that is tailored to the individual,” Dr. Nelson says. “So that my blood pressure medicine is not the same as your blood pressure medicine because we probably have genetic backgrounds that make us have different needs.”

JCVI and similar organizations are providing a glimpse into how today’s science-driven organizations are finding societal solutions, such as JCVI’s sustainable lab on the campus of the University of California, San Diego.

Research laboratories — in particular genomic-focused ones — traditionally consume large quantities of energy to run both energy-intensive scientific equipment and for heating and cooling, Dr. Nelson explains. The conservation-conscious facility actually seeks to be “net zero” for electrical energy, which means it seeks to produce as much electricity on-site as it consumes. It also was built to be the first carbon-neutral laboratory facility in the world.

“In the end, the goal is to make life better,” Dr. Nelson says.

Someone “who will believe in you”

Karen Nelson’s quest to understand how things work began at age seven when a teacher assigned her class the task of planting seeds in soil, and then placing the pots in sunny spots as well as shady places to determine how nutrients and sunlight would impact growth.

“I still remember doing that, and learning something significant, and just thinking about what it all meant,” she said.

That experiment hooked her on science. She went onto to earn her B.S. in Animal Science from the University of the West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago; her M.S. in Animal Science from the University of Florida, Gainesville; and her Ph.D. in Microbiology from Cornell University. After encountering microbiology, her interests were piqued, and that passion eventually led her to the JCVI’s legacy organization, The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR).

With the help of “positive, supportive mentors, and hard work,” Dr. Nelson emerged as a leader in her field. “I realized early on that education is the one thing that people can’t take away from you,” she says. “Coupled with my curiosity, and a little bit of luck meeting the right people, I have been able to do well.”

The author or co-author of more than 150 peer-reviewed publications and the editor of three books, Dr. Nelson is currently editor-in-chief of the international journal, Microbial Ecology. She also serves on the editorial boards of BMC Genomics, GigaScience and the Central European Journal of Biology. She is also a member of the National Academy of Sciences Board of Life Sciences, a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology, an honorary professor at the University of the West Indies, and a Helmholtz International Fellow.

Prior to her appointment as president in 2012, she held a number of other positions at JCVI, including director of JCVI’s Rockville Campus, and director of Human Microbiology and Metagenomics in the Department of Human Genomic Medicine.

As president, Dr. Nelson juggles multiple responsibilities, serving as leader, fundraiser, scientist and role model. As she travels the globe sharing JCVI’s findings, she is on the lookout for promising talent.

“I represent an organization that is one of the best in the world. People helped me along the way and I want to give back however I can,” Dr. Nelson says. “I can now connect talented individuals with the right people, which means that someone cared enough to make a connection.”

Twenty years after Dr. Nelson entered the industry, she still stands out as a woman and a person of color when she attends global conferences. Data provided by Change the Equation, a coalition of Fortune 500 companies focused on increasing STEM education, reported in 2015 that the STEM workforce was no more diverse that year than it was in 2001.

“I started in 1996, when there was a huge shortage of women and minorities in the field. It has not improved since that time in my opinion. I still think there is something wrong with the system,” she says.

JCVI is not waiting on the sideline for change. It has linked up with high schools and colleges to provide hands-on learning opportunities that pique curiosity and promote discovery. Additionally, its Genomics Scholars Program (GSP) helps smooth the transition from a community college to a four-year college by using a combination of activities. The program has proved beneficial to all stakeholders, according to Dr. Nelson, who adds, “I think community colleges are fabulous!”

She sees the mentoring component provided to area community college interns as especially important. Before researchers can succeed, they often fail, and then learn from these failures.

“A scientist needs the ability to handle rejection,” she says. “Your paper is not always going to get published. Your grant might not get funded. It is not always going to be perfect. Sometimes it is tough. And you just need someone who will believe in you.”

Dr. Nelson looks forward to welcoming the young scientists exiting the pipelines that carry talent from college into the STEM workplaces.

“I am really excited about the next generation of scientists,” she says. “They care about social causes. They are really about getting the message out, and trying to educate people.”

(This story is a variation of a version that first appeared in the Pathways magazine, produced by Community College of Philadelphia, and is published here with the College’s permission.)

By Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)

WASHINGTON (April 28, 2016) — The U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) today announced the Mid-South Minority Business Council as a grant recipient to operate a MBDA Business Center in Memphis.

The federal funding ($285,400) will be distributed annually during a five-year period with a start date of April 1, 2016.

The grant program is designed to help minority-owned firms across the nation create jobs, develop their business, and compete in the global economy.

A key component of MBDA’s Business Center Network is providing minority firms with access to technical expertise and resources to grow their businesses.

According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2012 Survey of Business Owners, minority-owned firms in the United States increased from 5.8 million in 2007 to 8 million in 2012, and employed 7.2 million people in 2012.

In Tennessee, there are 105,234 minority-owned firms, that contribute more than $14.5 million annually in economic output. These firms employ more than 79,000 local residents.

Since 2009, MBDA Business Centers have assisted minority firms with gaining access to more than $31 billion in capital and contracts, while creating and retaining nearly 142,000 jobs.

MBDA will make additional announcements regarding grant winners and future grant opportunities. For the latest information visit www.mbda.gov .

About the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)

MBDA, www.mbda.gov, is the only Federal agency dedicated to the growth and global competitiveness of U.S. minority-owned businesses. Our programs and services better equip minority-owned firms to create jobs, build scale and capacity, increase revenues, and expand regionally, nationally, and internationally. Services are provided through a network of MBDA Business Centers. Established in 1969, MBDA continues to be a dedicated strategic partner to all U.S. minority-owned businesses, committed to providing programs and services that provide greater access to capital, contracts and markets. Follow us on Twitter @usmbda.

By Carlee M. McCullough, Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Depending on the age of their children, some parents are facing the onset of summer with tongue-in-cheek dismay as they concern themselves with the activities of the kids during the school break.

Some kids will chill at home for the summer. Others will attend summer camp. Some energetic children will have jobs for the first time. And a few enterprising youngsters will take an opportunity for entrepreneurship.

Children learn meaningful lessons – time management, teamwork, budgeting and leadership – by having some type of work experience. Years ago, summer jobs for teens were prevalent and plentiful. But as the job market became tighter, summer jobs became scarce. Now there is an underlying competition between teens and adults for jobs that have traditionally gone to teens.

An enterprising few bypass the job market and dive head first into owning a business. With proper supervision there are a few jobs that are very kid friendly.

Social media consultant

Teens have grown up with the Internet while many adults do not have a comfort level with social media yet. So there is a huge opportunity for teens to assist adults in developing a social media presence. Whether the presence is for business or personal use, teens can help adults get ushered into social media.

For a fee, teens can teach adults how to set up their social media sites, how to blog and how to use search engines efficiently. Although books and websites detail how to effectively use social networking sites, it is usually better to have one-on-one training to truly learn the concept and the differences between all of the sites. The teen can point out which sites are most popular. They can help with set up and even management of the site. By the time a site reaches many adults, it may be on the downside as far as usability in the social networking arena. Getting ahead of the social networking curve is a welcome position.

Babysitter

Babysitting is a sure-fire way for a responsible teen to earn great money during the summer. Parents are in need of child-care options for kids that are too old for daycare but not yet mature enough to stay home alone. A top-notch babysitter must be a number of things, including patient, professional, responsible, trustworthy and prepared. Special skills such as CPR and lifeguard are added selling points. Great references go a long way.

Marketing can begin with posted flyers, parents’ family and friends. There are also websites such as care.com that can also be used as a marketing tool.

Kid shuttle service

Parents and their kids often have summer schedules that don’t coincide. Camp or the child’s summer job may present a transportation challenge and that makes a kid shuttle service useful. Some parents may not be comfortable with Uber transporting their children from point to point. So a familiar teen with a vehicle, insurance and a great driving record can be a welcome addition. Make sure to become familiar with the laws, regulations and rules associated with transportation in the state.

Teen concierge

Running errands for adults and seniors can be worth the money paid for the service. The parents’ time is freed up for other things when simple errands can be performed by someone else. Grocery shopping, dog walking and picking up the cleaning are only a few of the services that can be offered. Transportation is usually needed to be effective with this gig.

Hair décor

For teens that love arts and crafts, hair décor can be a popular item for sale. Hair scrunchies, headbands, hair ties, and hair bows are all things that women gravitate towards. Creative designs tend to attract younger kids; while mature females tend to prefer functional and conservative. Social media is a great way to market them for low cost.

House-sitting

Summer is intertwined with family vacations. Many homeowners like the additional security provided by a house sitter and increasingly so given the concern many express about crime. Reliability is key.

(Contact Carlee M. McCullough, Esq. at 901-795-0050; email jstce4all@aol.com.)

By Stephen A. Crockett Jr., The Root

When Tristan Jacobson was just 5, his mother left him on the stoop of a Springfield, Mo., homeless shelter in 17-degree weather and went back to her addiction.

A year later, Donnie Davis and her husband, Jimmy, onetime friends of the boy’s mother, took Tristan in, and he has stayed with them ever since. Now the family is looking to formally adopt Tristan, who is now 9, a process that was going to cost upward of $5,000.

The family started a YouGiving page in hopes that donations would help offset the cost.

Tristan, wanting to do all he could to help, opened a lemonade stand to help raise money for his adoption, and in a weekend, as word spread, he raised more than $7,000.

“There’s not enough words to say thank you to everyone who has shown support or given us donations,” Davis told the Springfield News-Leader. “Everyone has made this possible. We will make sure this child will forever be ours.”

His parents told the newspaper that any extra money would go toward Tristan’s education.

Tristan’s adoptive mom said that when Tristan was 4, she began noticing a difference.

“Shortly before he turned 4, I could notice a huge difference in his physical appearance, clothes being dirty and not fitting and in her activity in both of her boys life,” Davis said of Tristan and his biological mom on the YouGiving page. “For the next year, it got worse and worse. Long story short, we found out that she had been doing drugs and had been prostituting to get money for drugs.”

Davis went on to describe the horrible conditions Tristan was subjected to while with his birth mother.

“She would take him with her when she would meet men for sex, she would allow her multiple boyfriends to beat on him, she would leave him alone in her apartment, he was always in his little brothers clothes, they hadn’t been washed, he witnessed sexual acts between her and other woman and men,” she wrote.

“He was locked in a dark room at night and had to listen to her being beat by the multiple boyfriends. This is just a small listing of all of the abuse that he went thru,” she continued.

According to the newspaper, Tristan set up the stand on Friday afternoon, offering cold glasses of lemonade for $1 each. He raised some $7,100 in donations by Saturday.

“It means everything. He is absolutely our son. He is in our hearts,” Davis said.

“This is more for reassurance for him, knowing that he has his forever family and he has our name,” she said.