1. Last Call for Building Wealth Tour 2004:  The deadline for registration for the Washington, DC “Building Wealth Seminar” is close of business November 30.  The seminar is the morning of December 1.  The Chicago venue is December 3 and the deadline for registration is close of business on the 2nd.  Los Angeles will be held December 10 and the deadline for registration is close of business on the 9th.  There is no fee and food will be served and you must be registered.  Go to www.buildingwealthtour.com for more information and registration.

2. Venues for the Building Wealth Tour 2005:  We are in the process of deciding on which cities to hold “Building Wealth Seminars” during the next calendar year.  Chamber affiliates, non-profits and elected officials can request a seminar in their location by contacting This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  The final itinerary will be done by the end of December.

3. One Stop Certification:  With the passage of Sec. 155 (Participation in Federally Funded Projects) of the SBA reauthorization act, we can now encourage elected officials to begin the process of automatically accepting 8(a) and SDB certifications for their respective programs.  While we will be doing this you are all encouraged to convince your governors to throw out the USDOT DBE certifications as they are infested with fraud, abuse and no accountability.  USDOT has effectively stopped enforcing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 since 1998 and we can no longer rely on a process that resembles legalized “racketeering”.

4. Opportunity in California:  We are approaching a very interesting milestone.  The 12 year term on the Board of Regents for the University of California for the infamous Wardell Connerly will expire February 28.  It is imperative that we thoroughly convince Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to not renew his appointment.  This individual has abused this position to become an “anti-Christ” to Dr. Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement.  Please write Governor Schwarzenegger at:  Honorable Arnold Schwarzenegger, Office of the Governor, State Capitol, Sacramento, CA  95814. 

5. Pittsburgh Chamber to Hold a Workshop:  The African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania is presenting a workshop entitled “Seven Secret Rules to Killer Marketing” on Friday, December 10 on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh.  For more information call Doris Carson Williams at 412-392-0610.

6.  Thanks to Negril Tree House owner and new NBCC board member Gail Jackson, for hosting our fall summit at her hotel in Jamaica and for serving us oxtails, jerk chicken, crawfish, gumbo, gritz, jerk pork, mmmmm.  Thanks for the entertainment by the sea and the jazz band at brunch.  Oh, and thanks for the hammocks, the swings and the perfect ocean view and the staff that called us by name and brought ice before we requested.  All while you walked 100 miles and raised money for Hurricane Ivan victims (read more). Thank you for having us and see you next October.   

To the 100,000+ who read this; we are:

THE NATIONAL BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, INC.