Lebron James and Andy Murray Wins make me believe anything is possible!

What a year in sports it has been!!

LeBron James finally climbs the mountain top after 9 years of struggle and disappointment. Coming into the league and thinking he could do it, and that he didn’t need any help to accomplish it.

Then finally going to Miami where he had (2) two other All Stars to help him obtain the championship. Lebron grew up a lot in the process, and in the final game when other team mates where ready to party before it was over, he pulled them by the side and said, “Let’s win as champions.”

Andy Murray, who has an entire country watching his every move, and being the focal point of the nation for the two weeks at Wimbledon. No Brit has been in the finals since 1936!! The country hosting the event having no hometown champion to stand up for them.

Wow…I look at the two pictures above and immediately can see the difference in the two moments.

Andy looking up in the sky and Lebron jumping up and down and partying till 6 in the A.M.

Both of them under magnifying glasses, and I personal opinion is that Andy was under MORE scrutiny and

pressure than Lebron could even imagine!

But…my point..Look what faith, sacrifice, and hard work can do!!

Better yet…Philippians 4:13 sums it all for me:

“I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me”

How often we remind ourselves that Christ is the answer to any and every obstacle that we face in life.

Christ has the strength that we need, that no matter how tall, wide, or deep the obstacle is…Christ is the 

answer!

Watching Andy Murray this week, I noticed with EVERY win, this picture above is the exact look he showed.

Every WIN his head and eyes all looking upward in thanks and in realization of the moment.

Andy must now face Roger Federer in the Finals of Wimbledon! But watching Andy so far, I believe he has 

learned and won already!

Congratulations to both winners! 

Derrick T. Butler is Founder/CEO of Mydreamalive.com which strives to change the negative images of African American into positive images that better reflect the majority of African American experiences. You can find out more at www.mydreamalive.com.

GOP Leader Mitt Romney has major obstacles to overcome!

Is it me..or does this feel like 2008 all over again!

Here you had the ” I have a Dream,” bold and bright Barack Obama as the eager President ready to right the wrong of the last 8 years, under the oppressive rule of the establishment.

I still remember the sight of the helicopter with President Bush taking off as not a single person in the crowd waved or shed a tear.

Everyone had such relief that the nightmare was finally over, and we had a qualified, intelligent, capable President that had a plan to turn things around and get America headed back to glory!

I remember seeing President and First lady Obama at the inauguration:

Mydreamalive.com shows one of the iconic pictures of 2009. The Inauguration Day Oath of our 44th President

To this day, I get goose bumps thinking about what this moment meant for the entire African-American race, and for America!

Now…

It has been 4 years, and I believed in my heart that more would be done to rectify the gross racist and unequal laws that remain on the books in the judicial system. I also truly believed that the corrupt and broken public educational system would finally be overhauled. I believed, that America would right the ludicrous tax code, and the top 2% would be required to pay their fair share. Finally, I believed that immigration reform would take a higher precedence and President Obama would get a chance to put pen to paper and usher in a revived policy on Immigration.

There is still much work to be done!

How in the world is Mitt Romney, Santorum, or Gingrich going to compete against the lasting legacy of President Barack Obama.

They would have to compete with the same earth shattering, America altering campaign that elected President Obama in 2008.

Perhaps it’s me, but I just don’t see it.

I don’t think that:

1. The Economy – Which is picking up steam
2. Contraceptive – Rush Limbaugh, need I say more
3. War on Iran – Did someone say War??? Again????

Are enough to change the course and minds of the American people!

I don’t believe the points above compare with the agenda and priorities before mentioned.

Now, the 1000 pound guerilla in the room is obviously the religious beliefs of all (3) three GOP candidates.

Mitt Romney – Mormon

Rick Santorum – Roman Catholic

Newt Gingrich  – Lutheranism, Southern Baptist, Roman Catholic ( What????)

Will America elect a Mormon to be President of the USA? It is a question yet to be answered?

Now, Mr. Santorum and Mr. Gingrich profess that they are both Roman Catholic.

This is very interesting on so many levels! But I will not get into that right now.

Even though, Mitt Romney is leading in delegates, I think that out of the (3) three GOP candidates, Mitt Romney will have the hardest time competing against an entrenched Christian President.

I know President Obama is looking forward to debating with Mr. Romney on so many levels.

I am again taking back to 2008, when Senator McCain won the GOP and went head to head with President Obama.

I didn’t think the Republican’s had a chance then, and I don’t think either candidate will offer an America shifting ideology that will make President Obama supporters change course now!

So..Again I say, where is the real challenger?

Derrick Butler is President and CEO of Mydreamalive.com, a company dedicated to changing the negative stereotypical images if African-Americans in media, to positive more reflective images of the entire African-American community.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today in Black History – The Iconic Leontyne Price “Happy Birthday”

Mydreamalive.com presents the Iconic Leontyne Price

What does it take to change the face of African-American culture?

A person that believes in what they believe and does not care what anyone else thinks!

One of her favorite quotes:

Accomplishment has no color

                                                         Leontyne Price

What an amazing person, performer, and voice like no nother.

Born in Laurel, Mississippi on February 10, 1927, Leontyne price grew up with  the love of music stirring inside of her veins. Like most African-American children, Leontyne got her music chops and internship in church, growing up listening to the type of music that could stir a soul. She new right then and there that she was going to make music, and affecting people’s lives, her  profession.

Now here is where the story gets interesting.

She chose to pursue a career in Classical/Operatic music and not jazz or gospel music!

huh??

This is where the disconnect happened for many of good ole down home black folks.

She went to Central State College in Wilberforce, Ohio and got encouragement and inspiration to further her love for the genre.  Leontyne went to college to become a music teacher. While hearing her sing one day in a Hall, the President of the College, Dr. Charles H. Wesley encouraged her to change her major from education to voice.

Leontyne Price earned her B.A. in June 1948, and headed to New York to study at the Julliard School of Music where she had won a full tuition scholarship. At Julliard, she received voice training from Florence Ward Kimball, a distinguished teacher, and, in her last year, she gave a strong performance as Mistress Ford in the student production of the opera, Falstaff. Upon seeing her in this production, Virgil Thompson immediately invited her to star in a revival of his opera, Four Saints in Three Acts, which ran on Broadway for three weeks in April 1952. Less than two months later, Price made her debut in Dallas, in a role that would carve her name in the minds of audiences everywhere; she appeared as Bess in a revival of Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess.

Leontyne Price achieved one of the greatest artistic victories of her career on January 27, 1961, when she debuted at the Metropolitan Opera as Leonora in Verdi’s Il Trovatore. This performance ignited a 42-minute ovation, one of the longest in the Met’s history. Critic Harold Schoenberg wrote: “Her voice was dusky and rich in its lower tones, perfectly even in its transitions from one register to another, and flawlessly pure and velvety at the top.”

Over the years, Leontyne Price has won 15 Grammy Awards for vocal recordings she has made, and she has been on the cover of Time and 27 other magazines. In addition, she was the only opera singer to be represented in the list of “Remarkable American Women: 1776-1976” in Life Magazine‘s Bicentennial issue in 1976. She now lives quietly in a cozy house in New York’s Greenwich Village.

Even with her amazing popularity in Europe, her status as an African-American Icon has yet to be truly celebrated!

There is more than enough evidence, rewards, reasons, and accolades to make this happen today!

Derrick Butler is CEO and Founder of Mydreamalive.com which has a mission of changing the negative images that media portrays as African-American heroes, to positive images that are true African-American Icons.

Today I sold my first William Alexander Leidesdorff T Shirt and I am Thrilled!!

When I awoke this morning to a normal Wednesday morning..I thought today was going to be just a normal “Hump Day”, and now it will go down as a day that I will forever remember.

See, today I sold my first “William Alexander Leidesdorff” T- shirt and when I saw my report I had to check it twice just to be sure I was reading the report correctly.

A little history….

I started Mydreamalive.com 3 years ago..( wow..yes made it through the dreaded 2 years)….and I have never sold a William Alexander Leidesdorff  T-Shirt.

In fact, there maybe a bunch of you…the 6,000+ people who have read my blog,that are fans of African-American History, but don’t know who William Alexander Leidesdorff is.

Let’s say this…. William Alexander Leidesdorff is the FIRST…repeat the FIRST African-American Millionaire.

It is indeed a shame that a bunch of people don’t know the name and another shame that he does not have a day, or stamp in his honor.

Here is a picture:

First Black Millionaire

Just some highlights of his illustrious career:

“..a prominent civic leader and pioneer in the successful quest for California to become the 31^st state in the United States.  He was elected Treasurer of the City of San Francisco, owned the largest home in the city, constructed the first City Hotel, built the first commercial shipping warehouse, and donated the land to build the first public school in California.”  

So why is he such a big secret? Why does he not get credit? If anyone can answer that, please do post a comment.

He here is more info on him: Click here

and if you would like to own your own T Shirt: Click here

There are so many successful African-American stories that are yet to be told.

We need to get these stories out of the books, and onto the movie screens.

I applaud “Red Tails” for sharing the incredible story of the Tuskegee Airman.

Although there were some parts missing, and a little fiction.. at least it was an

epic African-American story…that was more than ready to be told.

Thanks for your time…

Derrick

Derrick Butler is founder of Mydreamalive.com a company founded in 2009 to  change the negative images displayed in media to positive images, and allow all African-Americans to see all sides of the American opportunity.

GOP candidates caught in slavery controversy (via CNN Political Ticker)

What in the world is going on in Iowa? Why would they even have language in there pledge about Slavery and how the African American family was stonger during slavery?

Washington (CNN) – Republican presidential candidates Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum sought to clarify their support of a pledge that contained a controversial preamble suggesting black children born into slavery had better family structures than black children now. The excerpt has been removed from "The Marriage Vow — A Declaration of Dependence upon Marriage and Family," a pledge issued by the conservative Christian organization The Family … Read More

via CNN Political Ticker

Africa and African Americans can we come together?

The Origin of ALL Life

      What a question? Can we all come together and create a African History movement that encompasses the African History that most of the African-American know nothing about, with the African-American History that most Africans know nothing about.

African History is the true history that we should be sharing with generations. Connecting ourselves with Africa and then bringing history forward to the present. To much of the history that comes up in February is about the Civil Rights movement and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ” I Have a Dream” movement. We have to go back further and we also need to include more of the people who made this dream life of ours possible.  Even though we have not reached the utopian level of society that Dr. King envisioned, this life is still a far cry from the civil unrest in the 60’s.  The ultimate example of how far we have come is the first African-American President Barack Obama.  Our generation needs to see the amazing rich culture of the Egyptians, and also understand the complexity of Booker T. Washington. Understand how Madame CJ Walker became the 1st African-American woman Millionaire, and how the great ruler of Ethiopian Yohannes IV ruled from 1872-1889. Until we can unite the two continents we as African Americans will continue to fight to find ourselves in this  caucasian dominated nation.

Do you feel it is possible to unite the two continents together?

Derrick Butler is Founder of My Dream Alive Black History Clothing that Inspires, Motivates, and Educates. Find out more at www.mydreamalive.com and stay up to date by following me on Twitter @DerrickButler

Blogging about Hair

Ways to make money in a Recession

        Mydreamalive.com is all about removing the obstacles that are in your way to make your dreams come true.  I am often asked, How do you know if you are on the right road? Let me be clear that there is only one way to be sure that you are on the right road. You must be Connected to the Holy Spirit! Yes, that is the way and the only way. Once you are on the right road, you will be connect to the amazing anointing and the road will be a true road to the purpose that God has in store for you. I have often been faced in life with challenges, and these challenges usually come when I am doing what I want to do in life and not do what God wants me to do. I often get my mind straight and decide that I am going to go in a direction that doesn’t have anything to do with the purpose that God has in store for me. I get on this road, and destruction happens. Now when the destruction happens, I then get on my knees and pray, “Oh Lord, please help me out of the mess I am in.” Thank goodness that God is a forgiving and passionate God, because if he wasn’t he would have left me a long time ago because of the crazy messes I get myself into.

Salon Chairs filled with customers what a great thing!

I was recently talking to a young lady about starting a Hair Salon, and she did not know where to get started.  I told her the first thing you have to do is pray, to be sure that you are going in the right direction. Then go to http://www.domainnames.com  to find and purchase a  url that speaks to the type of salon you want. Then write a business plan that spells out what she is going to do in terms of operations, marketing, and finance. Once all those ducks were in a row then she needed to do pray again, just to be absolutely sure. In all my life I have never seen a women go without getting her hair done. I don’t care if the women did not have food in the house, or pay her cable bill, she was going to make sure she was in the shop getting her hair done. So a Hair Salon is a very good way to go. Women spend so much time with their hair, I am amused watching my wife and daughters spend hours at a time deciding on how they are going to wear their hair that DAY! Every day it is the same routine, wake up shower, dress, and spend 1 hour deciding on the right style/look of the hair. Men we have it soooo easy. We go the barber every two weeks, and until we get to the point where our wifes/lady friends tell us its time to go, we don’t even think twice about our hair.  Perhaps I should go to http://www.domainnames.com and secure www.hairmadness.com! I bet I could get a whole lot of traffic and sell hair products…lol

People, whether you ar trying to figure out if you are on the road of anointing, or deciding to open your first business. You have to commit to moving forward.

Stay in the grace of GOD and take action..and the rest will fall in the place.

Remember:

“Seek you first the kingdom of GOD, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you”

Matthew 6:33

Derrick Butler is Founder/CEO of My Dream Alive Inc, the largest producer of Black History Clothing Online. Find out more at www.mydreamalive.com

The California Lottery $312 Million is a sure sign of America’s View on Wealth

Today the Mega Millions Loto is $312 Million Dollars.

Can you believe it?? We’ll this lottery has given me the passion to write again. The last time I was this fired up.. Barack Obama was becoming our 1st ( Not Last ) African American President. I am still a huge  Obama fan and supporter, and next year is going to be no cake walk. Especially if the economy remains in the dumps like it is.

The truth of the matter is… what can one poor non suspecting slunk do with that much money.

The odds of winning are..and I like 5 Million to 1.. and people still play.

Yea.. let’s let 1 person get $312 Milllion in an American where the rich keep getting richer and the poor get stumped on!!

The middle class is disappering right before our eyes..

Wouldn’t it be better to make 312 new millionaires today. Today we could change 312 peoples lives…

Why should 1 person get the opportunity of a life time.

Imagine the families of the 312 members.. Imagine all the money in places all over the country that could get impacted by that one change in the system.

I don’t think 1 person would even know what to do with all that money, and imagine if Hitler one that money..

This Lottery system is suppose to support education.. but in fact it supports who? and where is the money for all the effort?

Let more people win.. and let’s do something right for a change.

So often we make the wrong choice..

$200 Billion Big Tech War Chest hurting Recession

Big Tech Hoarding Cash

What in the world is Big Tech Doing with such a large War Chest? With that much money on hand why arent’t they hiring people. The buzz on the street is that the Big Tech’s are trying to position themselves for a nasty season of Take Overs in the next 2 years. While Big Tech sits on there laurels with all that cash on hand. The Un-Educated publicc thinks that all the Policy Reform  that the Barack Obama Administration Initiated did not work. The Tea Party and the Republican party both are crying wolf as loud as they can that the Presidnent is doing nothing to help the American people. Give me a break! You have got to be kidding me. Instead of helping American revover from the Great Recession, corporate america should be doing there part just like Governement did theres. With the unemployment rate in August at 9.5%, we need coporate America to start hiring back some of the 1,000 that were laid off during the worst of the recession. We also need the banks to loosen the guidelines so that they can start lending money to small busineses that continue to have difficulty getting loans to start and continue in business. This county is healthy when both Big and Small business are doing there parts in hiring employees. President Barack Obama has only been in office for less than 2 years and has delivered some of the most aggressive reforms that Government has passed in two decades. Finally we have a President that knows exactly what he is doing and that has this country in the right direction. Clinton was the last Great President that got this country to incredible years of surplus. Once Obama gets Health Care and the Financial Sector under Control. He will have to cut spending by geetting rid of the fat in the Public Sector. If we can spend $21,000 per household which matches the spending livel that Clinton achieved in his term, this country will not only get out of the Great Recession, but get back to surplus and economic prosperity for all.

Dream (My Dream Alive) 2009 Frederick Douglass

  Here we are in 2009!!

Hello All and welcome to My Dream Alive

I had to take a moment to reflect on all the things that just happenend in the United States.

I am like everyone else dazed, stunned, and excited all at the same time.

As founder and CEO of Mydreamalive.com I am utterly amazed at Barack Obama actually getting elected to offfice.  Alot of people feel the same way as I do. Not because of his qualifications or the fact that nothing happened while the election was going on, or the fact that he is the 1st African American President and the most powerful man in the world!

I am so proud of my country and I am soooo proud of Barack Obama and his wife Michelle and his daughters. If they were concerned they never showed it, if there was heighted security it never dominated the media outlets. I am sooo very excited that this man who was inspired by Abraham Lincoln would have the Audacity of hope and the commitment to make history.

I look back at the people before Barack Obama and I think about men like Frederick Douglass that pulled himself up and made himself a better person.

He was inspired by William Lloyd Garrison’s Speech about Freedom and this experience ignited a fire within him that created one of themost influential abolotionist in the history of America.

We have to dream and dream big in 2009. We have to let our minds wonder and get Inspired by some incredible models that exist in the world today.

Dream of being a Politician, businessperson,  Doctor, Scientist and Inventor.

Create the next big thing in Science that will change the world as we see it today.

You can pull yourself up from any current condition and achieve things that you have only dreamed about.

If Frederick Douglass can do it you can too!

If Barack Obama can do it you can too!!

Get Inspired Today!

Derrick   Butler                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

www.mydreamalive.com