::THE SLICE REPORT WITH MONA AUSTIN

buzzz worthy. . . NEW YORK – April 23, 2015— BET Networks announced its upcoming programming schedule for BET and Centric at its annual Upfront presentation. BET Networks’ 2015 slate features more original programming hours than ever before in the history of the network, anchored by high quality scripted and reality shows, star studded tentpoles and original movies that reflect and celebrate the lives of African American adults. BET Networks is not just the #1 network for African Americans, it’s an experience across every screen, delivering more African Americans each week than any other cable network. African American viewers continue to seek BET first and it consistently ranks as a top 20 network among total audiences. “Black consumers experience BET Networks differently than any other network because of our 35 years of history, tremendous experience and insights. We continue to give our viewers what they want – high quality content that respects, reflects an...

buzzz worthy. . . FILM STARS ACADEMY AWARD WINNER MO'NIQUE & ISAIAH WASHINGTON 'BLACKBIRD' OPENS TODAY IN THE FOLLOWING THEATERS:   NEW YORK CITY   AMC Empire 25  - 234 W. 42nd Street, New York, NY   AMC Village 7  - 66 3rd Avenue, New York, NY   AMC Magic Johnson Harlem  - 92309 Frederick Douglas Blvd., New York, NY   ATLANTA   AMC Stonecrest  - 8060 Mall Pkwy, Lithonia, CA   AMC Southlake Pavilion  - 7065 Mt. Zion Circle, Morrow, GA   WASHINGTON, DC   City Cinemas Angelika Pop Up - 550 Penn Street, NE, Washington, DC   ArcLight Bethesda  - 7101 Democracy Blvd, Bethesda, MD   AMC Magic Johnson Capital Center  -The Boulevard at the Capital Centre, 800 Shoppers Way, Largo, MD   LOS ANGELES   Cinemark 18  - 6081 Center Dr., Los Angeles, CA   TCL Chinese Theatre  - 6925 Hollywood Blvd, Hol...

buzzz worthy. . .  Loretta Lynch was sworn in as the first African American woman to hold the seat of U.S. Attorney General on April 23, 2015. After a 5 month wait on Thursday afternoon the U.S. Senate finally confirmed Loretta Lynch as Attorney General  with a vote of 56 to 43.  Lynch, president Obama's nominee, is the successor to Eric Holder and first African American woman to become the nation's top law enforcement official.  The vote was held 166 days after President Barack Obama nominated Lynch in November of 2014 . Pres. Obama said “America will be better off” with Ms. Lynch heading the Justice Department. Democrats believed the history-making vote was delayed due to Republican opposition spurred by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.  The GOP largely took issue with a combination of things including Lynch's possible support o Obama's immigration reform, some language in an unrelated abortion bill and parti...

buzzz worthy. . . Multi-genre recording artist and Sphinx Medal of Excellence recipient Damien Sneed makes his Carnegie Hall conducting debut for Wynton Marsalis’ “Abyssinian 200: A Celebration” on the legendary Ronald O. Perelman Stage on Sunday, April 26. The new offering features WorldStrides’ Heritage Performance National Jazz Choir accompanied by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Youth Orchestra. Participants were selected through a formal application process and invited to experience an opportunity of a lifetime. Over the years, Marsalis has been a mentor and champion for Sneed’s varied music endeavors. He has worked with Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra since his conducting debut at Jazz at Lincoln Center in April 2008. Sneed and Marsalis also star in the new PBS documentary, Everyone Has a Place by Dennis Scholl of the Knight Foundation and Marlon Johnson, a six-time Emmy award-winning producer and director. The film captures their music...

buzzz worthy. . . *** Psychotherapist & Right Life Project Founder Jim Hjort Explains Why Being A "Good Enough" Mom Is Perfectly OK   Mother’s Day is a great time to explore and unwind some of the myths and expectations around motherhood that converge to place moms under a great deal of pressure to perform. Not all of them come from society or finger-waggers on the playground, either; moms are often the victims of self-inflicted friendly fire. The Perfect Mother Myth, Busted Part of the problem is the long history in psychological circles of placing the onus of successful childrearing squarely upon the mother. Fathers played very much a secondary role in childhood development among early theorists like Freud, and the belief propagated that one or two missteps on the mother’s part were enough to scar Junior forever. We know now, though, that a perfect mother isn’t necessary for a child to turn out perfectly well adjusted. There are certain things t...

buzzz worthy. . . Roma Downey and Mark Burnett, creators of the successful television series "The Bible," and its current NBC spinoff, "A.D. The Bible Continues," were listed at No. 3 in Newsmax’s Top 100 Christian Leaders in America . Released on Monday, April 20, Downey and Burnett joined the rankings alongside other notable figures including, Franklin Graham, Joel Osteen, Rev. Billy Graham, and Rick Warren , among others. Awarding influencers in the nation who make a real impact on modern lives in 2015, Newsmax’s Top 100 list included a wide range of prominent figures. Featuring entertainment and sports stars that are not usually considered religious leaders, but whose influence often exceeds that of pastors and televangelists, Downey and Burnett were applauded for resurrecting the Christian entertainment industry with their hit series "The Bible" and "A.D. The Bible Continues." The original NBC series event, “A.D. The...

buzzz worthy. . . A hookah bar in Saudi Arabia. Gay friends in Durango. A forest fire sweeping toward a Colorado youth camp. All three can help improve on Christian love?   Yes, and all three feature prominently in Andy Braner’s new book— No Fear In Love—Loving Others the Way God Loves Us . Available May 19, this uncommon book from the bracingly uncommon youth leader challenges readers to love people God’s way—brokenness and all—and to trust that God stays in control. “It’s in our unlikely encounters that God shows love boldly and without reservation,” Braner said. “And my only conclusion is to love his way too—based not on the other person’s performance or familiarity to me but simply because God created and loves that person.” Braner is founder of Ahava Ministries, helping young people see the world through Jesus’ eyes. In a typical year Andy speaks to more than 100,000 students, parents and teachers around the world—and works with hundreds of young people at Ahava...