Happily Divorced And After

Dr. JoAnne Barge

By Dr. JoAnne Barge

With the Thanksgiving holiday right around the corner, we start the slow methodical progression toward what is, for many, the most stressful time of the year: The Holidays.

Families will be together, in the pressure-cooker of close quarters, and while the proximity has the intended goal of a renewed sense of connection, it unfortunately often ends up with the question of why we put ourselves through the ringer year after year.

Dr. Joanne Barge, a licensed Psychologist based in Los Angeles CA has some tips on how families can better cope with arguments over everything from who the better cook is to which football game to watch; arguments which really are more about underlying tension than the topic at hand.

“Much of the reason we have difficulty with family members stems from a deep-seeded desire to be seen & understood for who we are. When we want to be heard and this doesn’t happen, we feel hurt, rejected and anxious which can easily turn into anger,” explains Dr. Barge.

One of the ways this can manifest is in an argument about who is right. Nothing can be more sabotaging than the need to be right! It is a good idea to ask yourself rather you would prefer to be happy or right? If you want to be happy & enjoy your holiday, forget right, perceptions usually differ & right has nothing to do with anything except ego.

Dr. Barge says, “The key is to let go, find ways to validate yourself beforehand & expect to deal with differing points of view.”

• Set realistic expectations: The dynamic in any family system has a long history and likely will not change on this one day. Don’t expect it to. And don’t expect the aunt who always says something nasty to be nice this year.
• Set boundaries: If Uncle Sal usually gets to his third gin and tonic by 2 p.m. and by 3 p.m. the train is coming off the rails, plan to leave at the first sign things are getting out of control.
• Practice a ‘change of perspective’, try to detach with love i.e., Care about your loved ones but detach yourself from the things that bother you so much!
• Do not attempt to ‘control’ the interaction: Dysfunctional family members view this as a rationale to act even more abusive because you’ve just signaled that you are in the ring and ready to rumble!
• Practice staying in touch with your own inner source of ‘power’: Sometimes all it takes is a trip to the bathroom to take a deep breathe and remind yourself of a few select quotes that calm you down. Give yourself permission to feel what you feel, but avoid reacting. Don’t jump into the ring (if there is one) but instead decide to look for the best in others.
• Practice active listening: Focus on what the other person has to say, don’t interrupt, show interest and don’t give advice unless you are asked for it. If all else fails and someone is telling you you’re the worst Yahtzee player that ever lived, a simple response of “you may be right” will diffuse the situation and then you can exit the activity without having to dump the iced tea pitcher on their head!
• Finally, try to bring the attitude & spirit with you that you would like to see in others & just maybe it will catch fire.

Dr. JoAnne Barge obtained her PhD in Psychology from the University of California Los Angeles and is licensed as both a Psychologist and as a Marriage and Family Therapist. She specializes in the treatment of addictions and in the family members of addicts and alcoholics. Dr. Barge also provides specialized treatment for depression, anxiety, panic disorders, marital or relationship problems, family of origin conflicts and attachment and loss. Her private practice is located in Brentwood, Los Angeles.

Ezekiel Azonwu is a spoken word artist that performs all across the globe. He is most commonly seen at P4CM events and during P4CM’s annual Rhetoric event.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- Calling all of the creative minds and those who support the creative arts. On Saturday, November 22 at California State University San Bernardino, Momentum will be held. The night will be filled a grand creative arts festival featuring a live band and dancers and spoken word from Ezekiel Azonwu and several others.

The doors open at 7 p.m. and the show will start promptly at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 for students with I.D. and $10 for pre-sale tickets. Tickets are $15 at the door. To purchase pre-sale tickets please visit Jointhemomentum.eventbrite.com. Cal State San Bernardino is located at 5500 University Parkway in San Bernardino.

DJ Quik

LOS ANGELES, CA- Enjoy a night of old school hip-hop, rap, and R&B. On Saturday, November 29, the Eventporium will be presenting the classic Soul2Soul concert series starring Club Nouveau, Christopher Williams, Loose Ends (featuring Jane Eugene), Whodini, and DJ Quik at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center located at 1935 Manhattan Beach Blvd. in Redondo Beach (90278). Each of these artists dominated the music scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s and are considered pioneers of the R&B and Hip-Hop genre.

Whodini gained national praise after signing with Jive Records in 1982, by releasing chart topping albums Escape, Back in Black, and Open Sesame, garnering 2 Platinum and 1 Gold certifications respectively.

Club Nouveau

British R&B trio Loose Ends rose to stardom in 1985 with the release of their single “Hangin’ on a String” that ranked #1 on the Billboard Charts in the U.S., making them the first British Group to do so.

Releasing their debut album in 1986 entitled Life, Love & Pain, R&B group Club Nouveau went platinum with four hits making it into the top 10 spots on the Billboard Charts consecutively. Their 1987 rendition of “Lean on Me” by Bill Wither’s earned the group a Grammy.

Christopher Williams

Christopher Williams’ single, “I’m Dreamin,” featured on the New Jack City Soundtrack (in which he also acted in) immediately hit #1 on the U.S. Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Charts.

With over 22 years, 80+ single production credits and 2 platinum/gold certifications, DJ Quik created his stage name on his speedy record production.

Doors will open at 7 p.m., and the show will starts promptly at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $35 and can be purchased on Eventporium.com, Goldstar.com, or Inglewoodtickets.com. Tickets may also be purchased by phone by calling (818) 272 – 8878.

A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Youth Edutainment League (Y.E.L. Program), which intends to decrease at-risk behavior. As a result, youth between the ages of 12 and 18 are offered hands-on programs that will teach them the inner-workings of the entertainment community.

Loose Ends

Whodini

What up beautiful people! Well the only thing it do with LUE at the moment is feeding the homeless here in my home town of San Bernardino. Help us fight the war on hunger all year long but especially during these holiday months. LUE Productions along with several community members and entertainment entities will be in full force this coming Tuesday located at 114 S. Arrowhead Avenue in San Bernardino. We are still in need of volunteers. Come on down and join us! Remember it’s about giving not receiving. Until next week!

Vice President Joe Biden (Photo Credit Angela Coggs)

By Angela M. Coggs

How often can someone say they attended an event in their own backyard where the current sitting Vice President of the United States was a speaker? Most people can go their entire life without having such an opportunity. But two students from the San Bernardino County Unified School District had the chance to do just that. On Saturday, November 1^st at a “Get out the Vote” Rally at Colton High School, Yonathan Habtemariam (8^th grader- Richardson Prep Middle School) and Jonathan Rodgers (9^th grader- Cajon High School) were two students in a sea of several hundred adults in the Colton High School gymnasium. Both young men attended the event with their respective mothers, both whom are officers of the SBCUSD District African American Advisory Council (DAAAC), whom were also elated to see history up close and personal.

Vice President Biden was on the campaign trail for then candidate Pete Aguilar. Aguilar, the former Mayor of Redlands, went on to win his election bid for the 31^st Congressional District seat held by the retiring Rep. Gary Miller, R-Rancho Cucamonga.  The 31^st district stretches through San Bernardino County from Rancho Cucamonga to Redlands.

Joe Biden arriving to event. (Photo taken by Izaiah Frazier)

During the rally, Biden referred to Aguilar’s childhood and being raised in a working-class family in San Bernardino. He also mentioned how Aguilar paid his way through college with two jobs and federal grants and loans. Biden urged the attendees in the Colton High School gymnasium to “pick a son of America who understands what it’s like to work hard, who understands what it’s like to put a family together, who understands what it means to struggle and get through school, who understands that every single solitary child out there deserves the same chance he had.”

“I never thought I would have an opportunity to see the Vice President in person. I didn’t believe it was really happening until he walked on stage. We were so close,” said Yonathan Habtemariam, who was taking pictures on his phone for proof. “Nobody will believe I was actually here. I can’t believe that I’m in the same breathing space as the Vice President”.  When asked what he remembered most about Biden’s speech he stated, “It was sad to hear how he had to move in with his grandfather and his father had to leave the family for a year just to find work. He also could not get a loan to send him (Biden) to college. Even though he was really good in baseball and football, it wasn’t enough to pay for school. That’s why he (Biden) is in favor of Pell grants. Having a Pell grant helped him get through college and he said everyone deserves an equal chance.” Hearing the speakers talk about the future in regards to making college an equal opportunity reality really resonated with Habtemariam who will be a high school freshman next year. “Anyone who wants to go to college should have the opportunity. I look forward to going to college, like my sister, in a few years.”

Yonathan Habtemariam, Angela Coggs, Jonathan Rodgers, and Gwen Rodgers

For the self-declared future civil rights attorney Jonathan Rodgers, having an opportunity to see Vice President Biden at this time in his life made him think about what more lies ahead. Rodgers was equally impressed with and motivated by what was said during the rally.  He had the chance to hear firsthand what the Aguilar political platform was and how Aguilar plans on achieving it.  “It was a once in a lifetime experience. Knowing that I’m 15 years old, and I got to be in the same room as the Vice President. I think waiting in the rain was worth it for the reward.” Rodgers is planning ahead because he knows that college is in his future. “I’m grateful to have that moment at such a young age.”

Another student on the scene was 10 year old Izaiah Frazier. He was given a “special assignment” from his grandmother, Cynthia Frazier, to figure out where to position himself to get pictures of Biden’s motorcade. After strategically studying his environment, he decided to stand on the corner of Valley Blvd and Rancho Avenue across from the 10 freeway exit ramp. Although he did not know what direction the Vice President was travelling to the event, he believed that the corner he stood on would allow him an opportunity to get a good picture. Frazier was baffled and bewildered that local residents had no idea that the Vice President of the United States was due to arrive in their neighborhood. “It was awesome to see the Vice President and his motorcade. It is something that I will remember when I grow up,” Frazier said. Frazier was correct about is location. Minutes later after an initial police escort, the official motorcade exited the freeway and Frazier was able to take a few good pictures as he waved at the limo in hopes that Biden would see him. Even at such a young age, he knows the importance of voting and that he had a rare opportunity to see a Vice President in his community.

A valuable lesson these three young boys learned is the importance of getting involved in community events no matter what one’s age is. Another lesson they learned is that it is important to allow one’s voice to be heard at the ballot box.  Although the opportunity to attend the rally was not available to many young students, the message conveyed clearly resonated with these three.

Makeda Francisco

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- Time for Change Foundation will hold its annual Taking Time to Give Thanks Concert to benefit Homeless Women and Children on Sunday, November 23 at the Community Hospital San Bernardino- Henderson Auditorium located at 1805 Medical Center Drive in San Bernardino. Featured artists include Makeda Francisco, lead vocalist of Rose Royce and the Time for Change Foundation National Spokesperson. There will be a meet and greet and gift drop off from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. The community prayer and benefit concert will be held from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. There is a suggested donation of $5 or a gift for women and children that can rnge from coats, socks, bus passes, and gift cards.

Winter months tend to have a chilling effect on mothers who are unable to provide warm coats and socks for their children.  Oftentimes, it’s these items that most of us take for granted that can be the spark of hope for children as they walk to school with the precious gift of being warm.          Additionally, gift cards to places such as Target and Walmart enable homeless women to purchase items necessary to reclaiming their role as a nurturing and caring parent.  All financial contributions assist Time for Change Foundation in providing our shelter services, transportation, childcare and educational supplies, among other things.

For more information please visit www.Timeforchangefoundation.org or call (909) 886-2994

San Bernardino County School Board District Members and Assemblymember Cheryl R. Brown gather for a group shot during the Grad Summit ceremony on Saturday, November 15. (Photo credit: Angela M. Coggs)

By Angela M. Coggs

On Saturday, November 15^th, Grad Summit 2014 was held at California State University, San Bernardino from 8:30am to 3:00pm. The event was organized by a coalition of local, state and national organizations that joined forces to make college and career readiness a core educational priority in San Bernardino.

The summit convened in partnership with America’s Promise Alliance and National GradNation Campaign and the San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) and CSUSB, among other groups, which was attended by parents, students, and community officials.

The primary goal of the National GradNation Campaign is to achieve a 90% graduation rate nationwide by 2020 with no high school graduating less than 80 percent of its students.

The summits goal is to build on dropout prevention efforts by elevating San Bernardino County-Wide efforts to link classroom innovation with career development to improve graduation rates and college/career readiness. The day-long summit featured inspirational speakers and dynamic workshop sessions that demonstrated rigorous academics emphasizing real-world application critical for college and career.

Dina Walker (Photo Credit:: Angela M. Coggs)

Officials in attendance included SBCUSD Superintendent Dr. Dale Marsden, SBCUSD Communications Director Linda Bardere, Superintendent Elect SBCS Ted Alejandre, CSUSB President Dr. Tomas D. Morales, SBCUSD Board President Mike Gallo, SBCUSD Board Member Abigail Medina, and Executive Director Congregations Organized for Prophetic Engagement (COPE) Rev. Samuel Casey.

Two SBCUSD students helped to kick off the morning with encouraging and inspirational words. Raihanah Medlock, Grand Terrace High School sophomore, recited an uplifting spoken word and Alexander Mattison, San Bernardino High School senior, also represented the student voice and challenged students to graduate from high school and to sign the pledge banner. His speech reverberated with the audience.

Dina Walker, newly elected member of the Rialto School Board and President/CEO of BLU Educational Foundation, was the moderator for the event.

“I thought the Summit was excellent. We had great buy-in from many community leaders, educational leaders, as well, parents and students. The connection for career and college was definitely evident. The feedback I received from some of the students was that they were very interested in everything especially about the entrepreneurship. It gave them ways to connect what they want to do and make money out of it. Even if they did not go onto college how they would be viable,” said Walker.

The keynote speakers, Eric Schmidt, Co-Founder of Exquadrum Inc. and Garner Holt, Garner Holt Productions, Inc. addressed the attendees with their inspirational stories of how their passion was realized at a young age and how they made a living from something the loved. Their message really resonated with the students, as well as the parents, in the audience. Walker agreed, “One of the things they (students) got out of the speakers today was taking their personal interest, even as a young person, and making into a business opportunity.”

Rev. Sam Casey with members of the SB County Sheriff Department (Photo Credit: Angela M. Coggs)

In addition to the speakers and the many valuable workshops, including Building Ideas for Teen Entrepreneurs, Career Pathway Success in Public Safety Academy, College Knowledge 101, and Building Ninjas Robots, there were vendors on hand with information and giveaways. Edison International representative, Wendell Jones, attended the summit to promote their 2015 Edison Scholars Program and was very impressed with the day-long event. “The Summit was amazing. It had a lot of valuable information for the students and the parents here. It was a great informational session and I look forward to being a part of it again next year.” Jones spoke to many students and parents about the scholarship opportunity from Edison in hopes to motivate them to apply for the program. “Edison is offering thirty (30) $40,000 scholarships to high school seniors looking to go into a four year university in an S.T.E.M (Science Technology Engineering and Math) program. They must live or go to school in an Edison region, have a 2.8 grade point average. The application pool was low last year and this is why I am out here and going to other events and schools and letting students know about this opportunity.”

Performances from local schools Richardson PREP Jazz Band, San Gorgonio High School Dance Group, and Arroyo Valley High School Dance Company in the afternoon were a real crowd pleaser. All the students put on a flawless routine and received standing ovations.

Brianna Robertson, 9^th grader from Cajon High School, was empowered after the Summit. “I was really surprised how much of a good time I had. I learned a few new things that will better prepare me for college. Plus, I had friends there and we will remind each other of what we learned and to stay on track. The school band, BSU dancers, lunch and raffle prizes made the day even better.” Robertson attended the event with her mother who was also a vendor. Devona Robertson is an engage mother of three, community leader, District African American Advisory Council (DAAAC) Officer and Vice President of Young Women’s Empowerment Foundation (YWE), signed the San Bernardino 2014 GradSummit Call to Action Pledge banner after accepting the challenge given to the educational leaders, parents/caregivers and students during the opening welcome and remarks.

As a growing movement of dedicated individuals, organizations and communities working together to end America’s dropout crisis, this day-long summit to help ensure that all students graduate from high school prepared for college and a career was a success.

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines^®–Heart Failure Gold-Plus Quality Achievement Award for implementing specific quality improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Foundation guidelines for heart failure patients.

This marks the sixth consecutive year that Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center has been recognized with a heart failure quality achievement award.

Get With The Guidelines–Heart Failure is a quality improvement program that helps hospital teams provide the most up-to-date, research-based guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery and reducing hospital readmissions for heart failure patients.

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center earned the award by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of heart failure patients at a set level for a designated period. These measures include proper use of heart failure medications, including beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, aldosterone antagonists, and diuretics while patients are in the hospital. Before patients are discharged, they also receive education on managing their heart failure and overall health, as well as referrals for early follow-up.

“Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center is dedicated to improving the quality of care for our heart failure patients, and implementing the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines–Heart Failure program helps us to accomplish this goal by tracking and measuring our success in meeting internationally-respected guidelines,” said Gregg C. Fonarow, M.D., director of the Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center and co-chief of clinical cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

“We are pleased to recognize Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center for their commitment to heart failure care,” said Deepak L. Bhatt, M.D., M.P.H., national chairman of the Get With The Guidelines steering committee and Executive Director of Interventional Cardiovascular Programs at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. “Studies have shown that hospitals that consistently follow Get With The Guidelines quality improvement measures can reduce patients’ length of stays and 30-day readmission rates and also reduce disparity gaps in care.”

According to the American Heart Association, about 5.1 million people suffer from heart failure.  Each year, 825,000 new cases are diagnosed and more than 275,000 people will die of heart failure. However, many heart failure patients can lead a full life when their condition is managed with proper medications and devices and with healthy lifestyle changes.

About the UCLA Health System

The UCLA Health System has for more than half a century provided the best in health care and the latest in medical technology to the people of Los Angeles and the world. Comprising Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center; UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica; the Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital at UCLA; Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA; and the UCLA Medical Group, UCLA Health, with its wide-reaching system of primary care and specialty care offices throughout the region, is among the most comprehensive and advanced health care systems in the world. For information about clinical programs or help in choosing a personal physician, call 800-UCLA-MD1 or visit www.uclahealth.org.

About Get With The Guidelines

Get With The Guidelines^® is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s hospital-based quality improvement program that provides hospitals with the latest research-based guidelines. Developed with the goal of saving lives and hastening recovery, Get With The Guidelines has touched the lives of more than 4 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org/quality or heart.org/myhealthcare.

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

To put it bluntly, there is a lot of Phony Christianity out there. There are those who are deceived and who are deceiving others. There are those trusting more in rituals and church membership than a relationship with Jesus Christ. There are those claiming to speak for God and using their “ministries” to line their pockets with money from gullible people. Not only did the apostle Paul had to confront people who did dumb things in the name of the Christian faith, but God tells us that He doesn’t like it when people do not do the very thing that He has commanded. Exactly! Not only does He “not like it,” He hates it! He hates it when people fake it.  He hates it when people attempt to serve him with self-effort. He hates guile and duplicity. He hates it when people have the audacity to think that they can fool Him! We may be able to fool men – even ourselves- of our bogus piety and sincerity, but are we really so arrogant to think that we can fool God? You know Jesus warned about bogus Christianity many times? In Matthew 7:15 He said, “Watch out for false prophets.” He wasn’t speaking about false prophets in the world but about false ministers in the church. False prophets are ministers who preach a gospel of deception and lies. As agents of Satan, they speak lies and contradict the Word of God at every turn. They are dangerous, like ravenous wolves in sheep’s clothing.  In Jeremiah 6:14, God says, “They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. “Peace, peace,” they say, when there is no peace.” False prophets never speak about man’s sin, the wrath of God, or the coming judgment. Their mission is to put Band-Aids on people serious wounds, covering them up rather than dealing with them. Instead of preaching about sin, judgment, hell, the wrath of God, repentance, or saving faith, or saying the cross is necessary for salvation, they say God loves and save all people. But as Jeremiah asked, “To whom can I speak and give warning? Who will listen to me? I tell you the dogs have been turned loose on folks trying to live for God like never before. Satan and his minions hate believers, and they strive to trip us up, tempting us and trying to lure us into sin and impair our effectiveness in God’s Kingdom. But thank God we were not created ignorant of what sin is and what it would do, (Gen 2:16-17; Romans 4:15; 5:13)

 Listen; regardless of whether you realize it, Satan has targeted you as a victim. He knows your name and address, your strengths and weaknesses. Somewhere in the shadows, he and his forces lurk, even in churches, waiting, planning for the moment they will strike when you’re caught off-guard. He desperately hopes that you will, as many Christians remain ignorant of his reality. But as Jesus said, “whatsoever causes you to forget yourself, even if it is your right eye… then take it out and throw it away.” He is not saying anything that has to be taken literally; it is a metaphor. He is saying that it is better to be blind than to be forgetful of yourself because the blind man who remembers himself is not blind, he has the real eye. But if a man who has eyes forgets himself, what is the use of having eyes? He cannot see even himself; what else can he see? Either we need to hit our knees and pray for spiritual reality in us or assume God has given someone else a message. But I, for the sake of the ‘form of things’ or human convention or pride, WILL NOT FAKE IT! “Who Let The Dogs Out?”  Because most of those who claim to represent Jesus actually don’t. Moreover, as time goes on, even more pretenders will arise, however sincere they may be. Jesus said, I have told you beforehand” (Matt.24 25).  So wake-up and smell the coffee! The truth will set you free!

Even though some of what I’ve said may sound critical.  It may sound harsh, even sarcastic.  There are times when truth sounds that way and I make NO APOLOGY.  In Matthew 23 Jesus is speaking out against the religious rulers of His day. His tone was angry.  He was both confrontive and critical.  He even used biting sarcasm several times to make His point and illustrate how far these men had departed from God’s righteousness and truth.  But His heart was pure.  His love and compassion for them was evident.  I’m not Jesus, and I can’t say my heart is pure, even though I’d like it to be.  But, I can identify with Jesus in this one thing: when I see the religious deception perpetrated on people, I grieve.

Some time ago the Lord took me to Jeremiah 5 and showed me that this passage doesn’t just describe the condition of Israel in Jeremiah’s day; it also describes the condition of churches today.  This is what it says:  “And should I not punish them for this rebellion? Declares the Lord! Should I not avenge Myself on a nation such as this?  A horrible and amazing thing has happened in the land: the prophets are liars, telling the people only what they want to hear; the leaders deceive my people, using a false authority that I have not given them; and worst of all, the people want it this way.  But what will they do when the end comes, and they are still bound up in all this deception?”  (Jeremiah 5:29-31) 

Herein lies my greatest fear: that most people in the Church are happy with the way things are and will not be interested in anything that opposes the truth as they see it.    But all I can say is that I’m confident of the message God has given me, and I know the Word of God can take care of itself. Since most of what God has given me represents a serious departure from conventional wisdom, I can only quote Paul:  “Remember what Isaiah said, God will turn conventional wisdom upside down.  The time will come when the so-called religion experts will be the ones who look foolish.  So where does that leave the one who thinks he’s wise, or the well educated, or the one who understands the ways of the world?  Isn’t God going to expose all this pretentious nonsense?  The world never had a clue when it came to knowing and understanding God.  That’s why He uses the things that the world thinks are foolish or just plain wrong, even unpleasant, to guide those who trust in Him on their way to salvation.”  (I Corinthians 1:19-21)  

I pray that we will examine our Christianity and see whether it is simply empty profession or whether we embrace the kingdom of God and its law. Think it through. Foolishness will never help us, because, according to the Bible, foolishness is rejection of God as King, rejection of His law, rejection of His plan, and rejection of His way. “Who Let The Dogs Out? Woof, Woof!”

By Naomi K. Bonman 

In the world of sports becoming the greatest is more than just being good at a particular sport. Being great goes beyond the skill set that one has and goes deeper within the athlete’s personality traits. Baltimore native and Trea Day Management and Publicity client, Rock Blackwell, is one of those greats. He demonstrates prominence not only in the ring, but within the community.  He is able to remain humble and above all determined when it comes to reaching any goal that he has set. In a recent interview with the boxing champ, he discussed his inspiration for boxing at an early age, his experience in being trained by boxing legends, and his upcoming fight in Minnesota in December where he will defend his WBU America Title.

Photo Credit: Mike Jon Photography

Since the age of seven, Rock Blackwell knew that he wanted to be a boxing champion. Once he realized that he never gave up on that goal and set out to accomplish it. “I was determined to get it done,” he states. “It was one of those things that I couldn’t walk away from or else my life would feel meaningless if I didn’t pursue it. I kept the faith and stay determined.”

And that determination led him to a few great accomplishments before he went professional. He earned an incredible 156-28 record including becoming the winner of the South Atlantic Championship.

“It was exciting!” Blackwell explained. “It was more so confirmation that I could do this because [at times we’re always questioning ourselves of whether or not we can do something]. Winning that championship motivated me to do more, keep pushing, and work harder.”

Hard work and persistence is what continued to push the rising champ to new heights. As a professional boxer, he joined the International Boxing League (IBL) where he outclassed all challengers on his way to a 15-0 record. By him excelling within the IBL, he was rewarded be being able to travel and box overseas. Although nervous at first, by him being an American boxing in different countries, he quickly adapted after experiencing the support and love shown to him. Blackwell’s favorite place that he has traveled to was Scotland.

“When I went to Scotland that was awesome,” he said. “They showed me a lot of love. Everyone embraced me and made me feel like a Scottish man. It was a very great experience.”

In addition to the countless voyages that the Baltimore native was able to endure, he was also granted the special opportunity to hone his fighting skills while in the IBL from training legends Roger Mayweather, Floyd Mayweather Sr., and Freddy Roach. Each of these individuals taught Blackwell something different. Freddy Roach, who is an offensive coach, taught Blackwell how to sharpen his skills in the ring offensively. On the defensive end, the Mayweather’s showed him how to become better defensively where he worked on his footwork, head movements, and other defensive moves.

“Just to be able to sit and learn boxing from them was amazing!” Blackwell said.

From his numerous accomplishments, trips around the world, and lessons from the legends, Blackwell stated that those things alone does not make him a great. Yes they may make him a good boxer, but he states that, “Personally, I think that being great is what you do for others. It is being a servant to the community.”

Photo Credit: Mike Jon Photography

During his time away from the ring, Blackwell loves going out in the community and reaching out and feeding the hungry. He recently joined the #HTLB (Hashtag Lunch Bag) movement where he is part of a community of people that pack and distribute 1,000 lunches to the homeless community. While he does his civic duties in the city, he offers nourishment to the body and mind while interacting with the less fortunate. His humble rise to super stardom keeps him forever grounded and devoted to helping others out.

Next up for the rising champ is prepping for a big fight in Minnesota on December 10 where he will defend his WBU America Title. He will be going up against JJ Flint.

While he is preparing for his upcoming fight, he has his iPod loaded with his favorite music to motivate him as he is training to before the big day.

“I’m a music junkie,” he states. “I listen to a mixture of everything from Hip Hop to R&B. My favorite artist is Drake. I think he is amazing and I can relate to his music. But overall, I just love music.”

Blackwell would love to leave everyone with a few words of encouragement and motivation which is:

“If you want to accomplish something stick with it. If you really focus on it during both the good and bad times and give it your all, you will be victorious and accomplish it. A lot of people get discouraged on the road to success because of certain things that tend to hinder them on the way, but if you just hang in there and don’t give up you will get it done.”

He continues, “You are powerful beyond measure. Whatever your most dominant thought is, is what you will become.”

To keep up with Rock Blackwell, follow him on Instagram @RockBlackwell. For more information or to book Blackwell, please contact Trea Davenport with Trea Day PR at treadaypr@gmail.com or by calling (678) 327-8281.