WSSN Stories

By Eric Easter, Urban News Service

In a third-floor loft a few blocks from Madison Square Garden, the wine merchants at Banville & Jones are deciding which wines New Yorkers will drink. Andre Mack has been selling his Mouton Noir wine through these distributors for 10 years, but today they make him wait.

From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, Banville & Jones’ staffers swirl, sip and spit around a conference table as global winemakers pitch new vintages and hope that these experts will push their wares just a little harder.

First this morning is an Italian maker, with a new portfolio of Barolo and Chianti. Then a French maker, who runs way overtime. Next up is Mack.

He sets out his bottles and begins to spin the tales of his own collection of “garage wines.” The “Bottoms Up” white blend (75 percent riesling, 8 percent viognier and the rest pinot blanc) has opening notes of diesel and kerosene with floral tones. “It’s light, easy, not too angular,” Mack says.

Then comes the Oregogne pinot noir (“My workhorse”). Mack details the source of the barrels and the location of the vineyard used for his 2013, and how he has the grapes picked early to yield less sugar.

Mack ends with “Horseshoes and Hand Grenades,” a syrah/cab/merlot blend that “Shows my creativity as a winemaker,” he says.

Mack’s stories compose his narrative. He gets lots of press for being one of the few blacks in the industry. But that’s not just marketing. He is a craftsman.

How important are Mack’s stories to selling his wine?

“Hugely important,” says Vincenzo Guglietta, Banville & Jones’ sales manager. “Andre tells a compelling story. Let’s face it, there are a whole lot of wines out there. Without a story, it’s just juice.”

For the rest of the day, and the next several weeks, Mack tells his story again and again — at a food-industry incubator that afternoon, at that evening’s launch of eBay Wine — a new website that Mack is curating — a TV show taping at his house that weekend, then tastings in Boston, dinners in Milwaukee, more distributors in Kentucky, and then a few days in Texas.

It’s a grueling schedule, but as Mack sees it, more fuel for the wine’s story. “At some point, Robert Mondavi was walking from store to store carrying bottles in a bag, too.”

Mack has no paid assistants, no sales staff. The wines are about a singular taste, a singular vision. So much so that Mack also designs the stark, black-and-white labels that vie for attention in a market where many drinkers judge wines by their covers. “I wasn’t able to convey what I wanted to other designers,” Mack says, “so I taught myself.”

“For now, it’s just me,” Mack says. “I’m the best person to tell my story and the story of the wine. So far, it’s working.”

And it’s a good story. Wine steward at The Palm in San Antonio. Winner of the Best Young Sommelier competition and the first African-American to do so. Recruited by chef Thomas Keller to head the wine program at Manhattan’s four-star Per Se, where wines can climb to $24,000 a bottle. Then a calling to strike out on his own, a risky move from a safe gig, self-training, self-doubt, mistakes.

In just under 12 years, Mouton Noir (French for “Black Sheep”) has grown from 36 cases shipped in its first year to more than 33,000 cases in 2016. That puts Mouton Noir at the very high end of the small-winery business, a category in which most wineries sell fewer than 2,000 cases per year.

Mack also sells a lifestyle, a concept of fun and approachability backed by disarming quality. “I’m trying to create something that is not just a wine company, but an experience. Something you can remember after the wine is finished.”

A husband and father of three boys, Mack says what he’s really doing — the hard work, the tough schedule, the constant hustle — is building a family business. “My children taste my wine. I want them to know what I do and where it comes from. They travel with me to the vineyards, touch the grapes, walk the farms. That’s what it’s all about.

“This is what I want to be remembered for. This is my legacy.”

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

Paul summarizes it in [Romans 7:15-16, 18], “My own behavior baffles me. For I find myself doing what I really hate, and not doing what I really want to do…” Can you relate to this? He’s saying all the things I don’t want to do I end up doing and all the things I do want to do I end up not doing. I want to do what’s right, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what’s bad, but I do. Even though I know what the right thing to do is, why can’t I bring myself to do it?

Struggling with sin is frustrating. You want to change. But you just can’t. You have the motivation. But you don’t have the determination. You have the desire to do what is right. But for some reason, you can’t do it. Paul says it’s because evil is right there alongside of us. Evil — not just bad choices, Evil itself. We live in that kind of world. A world where the force of Sin, the force of Evil has rubbed off on us. We’re affected by it, tainted by it and we can’t help it. We can’t avoid it, we can’t outwit it. No matter how much we may wish to serve God in our minds, we find ourselves sinning in our bodies. As Paul describes his frustration in [Romans 7], with his mind he desires to serve God. He wants to do what is right, but his body will not respond. He watches, almost as a third party, as sin sends a signal to his body and as his body responds, “What would you like to do?” Paul finds, as we do that while our fleshly bodies refuse to obey God and do that which we desire and which delights God, it quickly and eagerly respond to the impulses and desires aroused by sin. The interaction between the soul (mind, will, emotions) and our Spirit and our Body is where the decisive battles take place. It is a battle of rulership.

It is one thing to have our body not do what we tell it to and quite another to realize that our body is very obedient to something else. That is the frustration of Paul in [Romans 7]. Every Christian who reads [Romans 7:14-25] should immediately identify with Paul’s expression of frustration and agony due to the weakness of his fleshly body: “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?” [Romans 7:24]. We are confronted with a dilemma as we try to live righteously. Thanks be to God though, there is a solution!

Jesus said in [Mark 14:38], “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” If you’ve felt this way, have I got good news for you! You can change. The power is there. The Bible makes the principles very clear. GOD’S PROMISE… “Jesus said, ‘When you know the Truth, the Truth will set you free. ’Set you free.” Jesus said that the way you break free from a hurt, from a hang up is by knowing the Truth. How? The way you think determines the way you feel. The way you feel determines the way you act. God says you start with the way you think. Bad beliefs cause bad behavior. Everything you do, good or bad, is based on a belief. If you want to change the way you act, you have to change the way you believe, the way you think. You’ve got to have the truth. And what is the Truth? Jesus declared, “I am the way, the truth and the life; no man comes to the Father but by Me” [John 14:6]. Truth personified. He is the source of all truth, the embodiment of truth and therefore the reference point for evaluating all truth-claims. Who wants to be free? Jesus is on the mainline, tell Him what you want… You just call Him up and tell Him what you want!

By Sarai Garrett

Elizabeth McSwain, Founder of Caramel Connections Foundation, (CCF) recently announced the launch and upcoming fundraiser for her non-profit foundation. Elizabeth will host ‘Bidding for Health’ a Quartermania fundraising event on Sunday, May 22 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 215 N. Laurel Avenue in Ontario. Quartermania is a fun event in which high quality items will be up for auction, participants bid up to eight quarters per item, once all bids are placed, and a randomly chosen number is called. Admission is $55 dollars per person, all proceeds benefit the CCF scholarship program.

Elizabeth’s vision for serving a community of underserved children has piqued the interest of key community partners. When asked why she started her nonprofit Elizabeth replied, “We all know that we are heading in a dangerous path when it comes to healthy eating habits. We have to come together as a community and understand that enough is not being done to educate, help and aid our children and their parents in making the right choices.”

Caramel Connections Foundation’s scholarship program is geared towards middle school aged children. The curriculum is designed to engage children in healthy eating habits by learning about food, kitchen safety, agriculture, and math which includes measuring, science and more. CCF’s mission is to make learning enjoyable by using food as a way to connect and build lasting relationships with their students and community.

The American Diabetes Association estimated that one out of every three children born after the year 2000 in the United States will be directly affected by diabetes.  Data collected from the American Heart association and the American Diabetes Foundation suggest that an estimated 35% of children in the Inland Empire are prediabetic.

“It is no longer a matter of knowing there is a problem, but a matter of acting to ensure the future we leave for our children and their health is a priority for generations to come,” said Elizabeth McSwain. CCF invites you to participate in their ‘Bidding for Health’ Quartermania event in an effort to raise awareness and funding for a healthier tomorrow.

For more information on CCF’s Launch Fundraiser, Sponsorship and or Volunteer Opportunities, or to make a Donation, contact Caramel Connections Foundation at www.CaramelConnectionsFoundation.org.

Ericca Cross

BIG BEAUTIFUL WOMEN (B.B.W.) What it Do I.E. and everybody! This week I would like to highlight the beautiful Ericca Cross, an aspiring full figure model here in the Inland Empire. With the modeling industry finally taking notice of plus size/full figure ladies, LUE Productions decided to put on the 1st B.B.W. Model Competition/Fundraiser here in the City of San Bernardino. The goal is to highlight beauty in all shapes and give back to the community at the same time. The event is scheduled to take place Saturday, June 11 at the San Bernardino Women’s Club located at 503 W. 31st Street in San Bernardino. Doors open at 2 p.m. Tickets are only $15 now and $20 after June 1.

Ericca Cross, born in Fontana, now resides in the beautiful City of Highland. She is pursuing her dream at the age of 35. Inspired by her mother, twin daughters, and other family members, Ericca hopes to gain the experience and exposure needed to help her further her desire to be a plus size model.

Appreciative of the opportunity provided by LUE Productions she comments, “In my eyes we are all winners.”

So major props to Ericca Cross for going after her dream and that $500.00 cash prize along with a crown. Good luck Ericca! Until next week folks L’z! For more information please visit our Face Book page under LUE Productions or our website at www.lueproductions.org.

Inland Empire’s Mary Flowers is a Featured Speaker at World Conference of Mayors

Ms. Mary Flowers

By Adebiyi Adedapo

American investor and CEO of the Global Green Development Group, Ms. Mary Flowers, has committed efforts into finding practical solutions to poverty in Africa, particularly in Nigeria. Flowers, who is guest speaker at the 2016 edition of World Mayors conference, scheduled to hold between 23rd and 27th of May in Calabar, the capital city of Cross River state, is billed to speak on “Poverty Reduction Through Biofuel Production” and “Attracting Foreign Investors and Achieving Investment.”

The Executive Board member of the District Export Council of Southern California, is serving her fourth four-year term as a member of United States District Export Council appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce.

Flowers is the Chair for the African Global Economic & Development Summit that is held in Los Angeles at the University of Southern California has a major focus on empowering rural dwellers, and has invested quality time, energy, and genuine commitment to work with Africa.

She has prepared a blueprint on the development of housing infrastructure, workforce development, economic and the overall infrastructure development throughout the continent.

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

Always want to be front and center. Well, not today, tomorrow or the day after that. Get over yourself! It’s not about you! It’s about God. He is front and center. Today, tomorrow and always, and He WILL NOT share his glory with no one. You got that?

Listen; to be effective in ministry you need to learn one thing – don’t take yourself too seriously. Don’t get stuck inside your own ego, because over time it will become your prison. Pride is one of the most common of all human errors and shortcomings. A person who is too filled with pride is arrogant, self-important, egotistic, big-headed, egocentric, boastful and cocksure. Pride puffs us up and makes us think that we are bigger and more important than we really are. That is not the mark of Christianity. Ephesians tells us again and again that the life of a Christ-follower is not about us but about Him. So don’t get it twisted… It’s not about you!

You ought to know that throughout the Bible virtually every part of it condemns the proud. For example, in the Psalms, the writer said that pride is the necklace worn by the wicked. In the book of Job pride is considered the force that blocks people from hearing and responding to God. Not only is pride a universal sin, but the Bible points out the consequences of pride. What happens to a person who is too full of himself or herself? The people filled with pride shall be humbled and brought low. As the Old Testament prophet Obadiah said: “Your proud heart has deceived you … Though you soar aloft like the eagle, though your nest is set among the stars, from there I will bring you down, says the Lord.” And the greatest prophet of them all Isaiah, speaking for the Lord, told the proud that they will be forced to make their bed with worms and maggots. There is no pulling of punches when it comes to describing the fate of the proud in the Bible. Pride is a deadly sin that causes those filled to overflowing with themselves great sorrow and grief.

The message is clear from beginning to end in the Bible – the proud will ultimately be brought low. The proud will ultimately fall. The proud must live with the consequences of their actions and their deeds. Perhaps this is a good day to say sorry to God for the pride in your heart. Perhaps today is a good day to begin to put right those things that your pride has caused. Perhaps today is a good day to clothe yourself with humility and to start to live the Christ-like life God has shown to you.

So what do you say? Do you want to overcome pride in your life? Do you want to get rid of the arrogant and disdainful conduct which is plugging up your life? Do you want to have a more realistic opinion of yourself and be less conceited? Do you want to eliminate your smug, egomaniacal, over proud attitude? If so, then become the servant of others. Second, come to appreciate the wonderful gift of God’s creative and sustaining power. Third, learn about Jesus and celebrate what he has done for your life.

You know, Paul wrote that if we claim to be Christian, we cannot continue to live our lives as anything but. We can either walk through life focused on ourselves, our wants and supposed needs, or can we walk according to the Holy Spirit with God’s will in our sight.

Today, I call heaven and earth to witness against you, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them” [Deuteronomy 30:19-20].

Dr. Rachael Ross

By Naomi K. Bonman

“I am looking forward to just being in the room and seeing all of the people that I see on TV. I’m still in awe about the whole thing. I’m looking forward to just seeing it all and taking it in. Normally I watch it on TV, but to actually be there, it’s pretty amazing,” Dr. Rachael Ross, of The Doctors, states on what she was most looking forward to at this year’s past Emmys.

With the array of different reality sitcoms that are on the air, it is very rare that we see one that educates us, as well as enlightens our minds. The majority of popular TV is filled with drama, drama, and more drama! It is just there to entertain which is why most have started to steer away from the silver screen in their homes because it’s bad enough that social media has polluted our minds. However, there are a few shows that are getting the recognition that they deserve, such as Emmy nominated show, The Doctors.

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing one of the featured doctors on the show, Dr. Rachael Ross. After interviewing her, now I definitely have to catch up and watch it to see her live and action. In our interview, Dr. Ross chatted about what she expected from the Emmys, life as a new mommy, and her health tips so that we can continue to live healthier and longer lives.

For those who are unfamiliar with the show, The Doctor, can you give us a brief overview?

The Doctors is a panel of doctors that basically sit and discuss different health related issues, and sometimes it’s not just health, we also talk about fashion. Believe it or not fashion can affect your health. We always talk about is it okay to use waist trainers to different plastic surgery options. We run up a schedule to what we will discuss, but I think what makes us a little different is that I’m on there (laughs) and I’m an African American female that comes with a different perspective than the rest of the panel does.

Nice! So when does the show air?

It’s a syndicated program so it airs somewhere different in every city, but if you go to thedoctorstv.com they have local listings.

What inspired to you get on the show?

I’ve been practicing medicine now for about ten years and I think at the end of the day I think of The Doctors as an extension of my medical practice. It’s the same type of practical advice and information that I give to my patients at my clinic in Gary, Indiana, so to me it’s just a way to take what I do every day to reach a broader audience.

Cool! So I know that you just recently had a baby! How are you enjoying motherhood?

It’s amazing! I never though I’d be the type of mom that just stares at the baby or that’s constantly checking to see if she’s breathing or anything like that. I turned in to a real helicopter mom and I’m loving every second of it. I just keep looking at her and thinking ‘I can’t believe this came out of me.’ I’m in awe of it all.

(Laughs). What are your tips for new moms on how to get their bodies back?

Oh yes! It’s funny because all this year I’ve done three interviews on waist trainers where people ask ‘Are they affecting your health?” “Should you be wearing them?” And I would say the best tip that I have is that after you give birth you should put on an abdominal binder, and it doesn’t have to be as strong as a waist trainer because a waist trainer is kind of  like putting a tire on and wrapping it around you, but just make sure you have an abdominal binder to help mold things back to the way they used to be. And two, breast feeding. You can burn an extra 500 calories a day if you breastfeed.

What inspired you to get into medicine? 

Growing up as a child, my dad was like the town doctor. We lived in a small town, Gary, Indiana. He did house calls and would do a fantastic job at taking care of everybody, and he wasn’t doing it for the money. We always had a roof over our head and food to eat, but I still remember he had patients that would pay him in a peach cup or an apple pie, so I kind of got a chance to experience that small town doctor and how people looked up to him when they saw him. I think just experiencing all of that growing up kind of helped push me, besides my mom telling us every day that we were going to be doctors like our dad.

What is the most challenging thing about being a physician?

I would say the most challenging thing about being a doctor is balancing what they tell us to tell everybody verses what seems a little more like the truth, if that makes any sense. I’ve seen medicine come and go in these past ten years and been in situations where I’m supposed to say, “This is the most greatest medicine that everybody should be on,” then a year or two later its recalled from the market. So I think the hardest part is just balancing doing what we say, which is do no harm, which is really trying to make sure that you’re aren’t harming people just because you’re taking whatever the structure tells you that you’re supposed to push out on people.

Gotcha! What is the most rewarding thing?

The  most rewarding thing for me personally is treating families. I practice in the town that I grew up in and knowing the uncles, the aunts, the cousins, I don’t really have to ask the family history because I know it already.

What are your goals for the next few months to a year?

Being a new mom, I think that my goal is to help other moms, especially since I now see things a new perspective. I want to make sure that I give them the right information. There is a lot of debate going on right now about vaccines and whether or not they’re causing damage and whether they need to be revised. I think that for the next few months my goal is to make sure that I am as honest about that as I can be without necessarily worrying about the backlash.

Any last remarks?

I think it is important that everyone understands that pretty much what you’re eating every day is going to be the thing that dictates your overall health. I don’t think that we don’t put enough emphasis on eating fresh fruits and vegetables. We’re eating a little too much processed food. So I think that the readers should really go to their cabinets and look at their products. If it has more than six things in it when you read the label, donate it somewhere or give it to someone else, but try to get it out of your cabinets and your refrigerators and replace it with fresher foods.

Follow Dr. Rachael Ross:

Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | Website

Moon Bush

By Lue Dowdy

Highlighting talent and beauty is WHAT IT DO WITH THE LUE. So with that being said, please allow me to introduce the DIVA, MODEL, MOON BUSH. This model is doing her thing all over Cali in a major way. I love seeing women go for what they want; it’s clear that Moon Bush knows exactly what she wants. Please take a moment and learn more about this Queen!

A former Collegiate Basketball player and all-around athlete, Moon Bush of San Bernardino, California, strutted down the runway in 2015. She hit the catwalk during Style Fashion Week in Los Angeles, Ankara Festival Fashion Show, The Model Experience Summer Fashion Show, and again during their New Girl Expo Fashion Show. Moon has been published in Designer Original Magazine, Fashion Xchange Magazine and Styleloftz Magazine, just to name a few.

In the same year, this natural beauty was casted to walk in A Cultural Invasion Fashion Show, Taste of Caribbean Fashion Show, FOGO Fundraiser Fashion Show, Yere Fashion Show, Urban Nature Fashion Show, and the ReUp fashion Show. As you can see she loves the runway because this workaholic has also done the Art Is My Drug Fashion Show, Sheen Magazine Fashion Show, Cypher Fashion Show, Haunted Couture by Russell Couture where she was transformed into Maleficent. Moon also has published print work with Tinz Clothing, Stephanie Burkhalter and Philthy Ragz.

Moon Bush wrapped 2015 up with walking in an intimate show displaying the styling’s of Philthy Ragz Fashion Show Fall collection and finally in the Lady MV Fall Fashion Show. Just 5 weeks later, after entering the tough contest, Moon was super excited to be named the 2016 Lady MV Host.

She will also be walking in Los Angeles Fashion Week and New York Fashion Week for Celebrity Designer Leontine Abdullah of Leontine Collection in the latter part of 2016. Moon Bush has worked with amazing photographers like Will Utley of Will Utley Photography, Derrick Rodgers Director of Photography for Fashion Xchange Magazine, Tyrone Richardson of Tyrone Richardson Photography, Monette Hamilton of Eye Take Pictures and with Director Duke Givens of Duke Enterprise. She has worn amazing pieces by designers like DYMOND of Dhaleter Design, Stephaine Burkhalter, Gaynelle White of Philthy Ragz and Tiara Saleem of Tiara Saleem Designs.

Charities Moon has worked with are San Bernardino Feed the Homeless, Inland Empire Coat Drive, St.Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Pennies for Patients (Leukemia and Lymphoma Society) and K.I.O Kids Club. Being a Christian attending Cathedral of Praise Ministries pastored by Bishop Craig W. Johnson, Moon’s unwavering Christian faith is at the forefront of her existence.

She is an obedient child of God whose footsteps are guided by the Almighty. She gives all glory to Jesus, for each and everything that she has been able to accomplish. All the ups and downs she has been through and because of his grace and mercy, not only did she survive but thrived during those times. Moon Bush hopes to inspire others with her experiences to know they can accomplish their dream with hard work and true faith. She realizes that at the essence of it all, our job as humans are to help someone else, so they can help someone else.

Be sure to follow Moon Bush all social media sites. Please like our LUE Productions Face Book page and our Listening with LUE radio Facebook page as well. Until next week L’z!

Stacia and Ariana Pierce

Stacia and Ariana Pierce, mother-daughter duo, have created a national platform that fosters creativity, independence, and inner beauty through the mother daughter relationship.

From building her self-worth to teaching her how to take ownership of her dreams, moms carry a heavy yet powerful weight on their shoulders. Stacia Pierce understands these challenges firsthand as a mom and mentor, and is an expert at giving moms the tools and attitude needed to become a role model for success.

Stacia Pierce has built a name for herself as an award-winning life coach, motivational speaker, and entrepreneur. She helps her clients unlock their full potential by empowering them to take responsibility for their lives and meet each challenge head-on. Her seminars, inspirational materials, 21 books, and coaching program have assisted hundreds of thousands in their pursuit of happiness.

Ariana Pierce is more than just Stacia’s daughter – she’s a fierce go-getter with a passion for entrepreneurship. She provides a bird’s eye view into the struggles of the millennial daughter, where the need for independence is often at odds with a desire for reassurance and guidance.

With the love and support of her own mother, Ariana is making her mark on the beauty world. At the age of 25, she has already launched a fashion and beauty blog that attracts over 100,000 visitors weekly, the Superstar Nail Lacquer product line, an online accessory company called Style Shoppe, and a collection of marketing courses for enhancing one’s online influence.

Creating a fulfilling mother daughter relationship takes two, and Stacia and Ariana are a success story that’s ready to be shared with the world. Follow the duo at arianapierce.com and lifecoach2women.com.

Kiyah Rose Charles

By Delilah Allen

“During my travels I’d like to work with people who need my help due to their lack of  knowledge of the English language or income, I just want to be remembered as someone who helped and has done something great with her life.”