Renee Powell, Ginger and Robbi Howard share a day of golf

I wrote a story on African-American women and golf.  It's called "Culture Club," and profiles the eminent Renée Powell and rising starts Ginger and Robbi Howard. It's in the March 2014 edition of Essence.
Open this link to read the article.

Serena and Venus Williams Courting Jamaica

L-R: Serena Williams, Yohan Blake, Warren Weir and Venus Williams.
Courtesy of Breds, The Treasure Beach Foundation 

  The Treasure Beach Sports Park in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, has one tennis court. It's between a multiplex court used for basketball and a soccer field. The blue tennis court is clearly new, hardly worn by the stampede of feet at the baseline or lightened by the sun. Its color is striking against the acres of grass designated for cricket and soccer.

One must drive a lot of rugged roads to reach this quiet corner of the county. Yet here stood two of tennis' greats, Serena and Venus Williams, in town to conduct a tennis clinic for about 40 children.

"We really had a great time enjoying and playing with the kids and seeing how much talent there actually is in Jamaica," Serena Williams said to local media, including the radio station KLAS, ESPN's partner on the island. "There's so many sports going so well, obviously with track, and we would like to see tennis do well here, so we really feel honored to have a chance to come here and be a part of the community."

Click here to read the rest of the story

Brenda Martinez's Sensational Run at the IAAF Track & Field World Championships in Moscow

At the recent IAAF Track & Field World Championships in Moscow, Mexican-American Brenda Martinez became the first American woman to win a medal in the 800m at the event. She ran her personal-best at (1:57.80) and won the bronze medal. Martinez, 25, is from Rancho Cucamongo, CA and is the only Latina on the national track and field team.

Martinez started running at five years old and became the first person in her family to go to college when she attended UC-Riverside. There she won the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Championship in the 1,500m and was a three-time NCAA All-American.

For her athleticism and amazing accomplishment, Brenda is this week's Inspiring Latina!

Go to Latina.com to read the interview I did with Martinez.

Peter Horrobin at the U.S. Open

Courtesy of the Jamaica Gleaner 

You gotta love a man who is all emotions.  Peter Horrobin became the first Jamaican to play in the U.S. (Senior) Open. He cried on the course and in the press conference but it was clear he was fulfilling a life's dream. He shot 70 on Thursday but missed the cut yesterday with 80.  Hopefully, he’ll qualify for more PGA events and get the sponsors he needs.  The island is already proud of his accomplishments.

Here he is at the U.S. Open

American Female Sprinters

Check out the November 2012 issue of Essence.  I wrote profiles and small items on: Allyson Felix, Sanya Richards-Ross, Carmelita Jeter, Lashinda Demus, Brittney Reese and Serena Williams. It's an honor to be in the magazine and to be listed as a Contributor.

Click on the link to see the articles. Our Champions 

West Indies win ICC Twenty20 World Cup

Courtesy of West Indies Cricket 

Jamaica—The last time West Indies celebrated an international win was 2004 with the ICC Champions Trophy’s, and their last win in a World Cup was 33 ago. That winless drought ended with the victory of the ICC World Twenty20 Tournament in Sri Lanka against the home team.  They made 137 for six off 20 overs to Sri Lanka’s 101 off 18.4 overs. 

Caribbean folks have long stopped celebrating West Indies cricket.  To most people the emotional pain the team has caused is ever present; the glory days of the 1970s has long been forgotten.  West Indies will come close to winning a match but find a way to loose, so a lot of people had stopped believing they would every win another title. But hopes were renewed after an impressive win against Australia in the semifinals by 74 runs, 205-4 to 131.   

Batting first in the finals West Indies didn’t accumulate as many runs to dominate the match.  But when their bowlers took the pitch they held Sri Lanka in check, limiting the team that has reached an ICC tournament final four times to their first six in the 16^th over.   

When it was clear West Indies would really win the tournament team members started to dance and some dusted off Marlon Samules’ uniform, as he saved the team with 78 runs. He was later named Man of the Match.  In a post-game interview about the reactions of fans back in the Caribbean, team captain Darren Sammy said, “thank God it’s Sunday because if it was a weekday nobody would be at work. Hopefully, this will be the beginning of things to come. We won’t say we’re back but this is a step in the right direction to make the Caribbean people proud.” 

           
He’s absolutely right.  

The Marley Children

The Marley children continue to represent their father. Ziggy and Cedella Marley have been the most recent spokespersons on their father’s legacy. Last night Nightline interviewed Ziggy on Los Angeles declaring August 7^th as Bob Marley Day.  But the interview “Being Marley: Ziggy Opens Up on Father, Music” was really about the son expressing the joy he has in carrying the torch of his father’s music and spirit. “When I play his music I just feel like I’m playing my own music.  It’s a part of me it doesn’t feel strange,” said Ziggy.  

On August 9^th, Kevin McDonald’s documentary Marley was shown at the Puma Yard in London.  It was the same night the Jamaican men swept the 200m medals at the Olympics.  Puma launched a line of clothing by Cedella Marley in honor of Jamaican athletics.  It was one of the largest selling items from the store as many of the clothes were sold out in London before the Olympics ended.  In addition to the clothes designed by Cedella there was a line of Marley Coffees and Marley’s Mellow Mood drinks. 

Marley released in New York in May was one of the first in depth examinations of the musician’s biracial background. Macdonald interviewed relatives, white and black, from Marley’s paternal line. The film also showed Marley’s impact in Jamaican national politics during the 1970s and the global power of his music even though he died 31 years ago.  “His songs are not made for a certain time period or a certain style of dressing or dancing," said Ziggy. "His music is timeless.”

Watch the Nightline Segment