Vision Beyond The Lens by -J.J. McQueen-

The Sunday Bunch is a small group of folks that gather on Sundays at church. Most of which promise to call one another and plan dinners that will never happen unless somebody dies. That's not true in every case because as we all know, there're exceptions to every rule. There is a real "Sunday Bunch".  It's a group of progressive, creative and upbeat young couples. They're comprised of the fabric that holds families together, builds models of success, healthy life styles created by DNA that most people can't began to identify with. Why? They are doers and not "I'm gonna do people".  They make it happen!  Wow, I'm glad I get to write this stuff. I said all of the above because this year my staff and I are emphasizing growth and development by way of positive people and things.  I've learned in my career that none of our dreams will come true if we're not surrounded by individuals that are like minded.   So I urge you all to go out a

The story...  I almost don't know where to begin.  This weekend has been monumental for my career but more importantly for my life.  I've seen and interviewed who's who in American history.  I've filmed people that I never thought that I'd meet. Yesterday I spoke with the wife of slain civil rights leader Mrylie Evers-Williams and all I could think of were the stories that my parents and grandparents shared with me as a kid.  I met white men and white woman that shared similar stories and I didn't appreciate them any less.  I understand history on a completely different level now.  By no means am I comparing myself to Barack Obama and Joe Biden but my friend Jeff Phillips and I got to share a special part of history together.  He's white and I'm black but much like Barack and Joe we share the same the passion, journalism.  So in the spirit of things past and things to come let's celebrate this special day.   Barack and Joe!     

My number one goal for 2009 is to keep in touch with as many family members, friends and as many clients as possible. What prompted this idea?  This morning I was doing what most people do in a new year, purging old files from my database.  I came across a person that I hadn't spoken to in a while, Mr. Virgil Starks .  He was the Associate Athletic Director at the University of Auburn.  I never met Virgil in person but I reached out to him via phone about 9 years after my college graduation.  I was impressed with his resume and I wanted to model my success after his.  We ended speaking a few times a month.  With so much happening we didn't talk much in 2008.  Long story short, I googled Virgil to make sure that he still worked there at Auburn.  I did that so I wouldn't make a fool out of myself because this is the time of year that athletic departments fire people, lol. My gut feeling was right, he doesn't work there anymore.  He died November 9, 2008 of cardiac arrest