(from left to right) Kenneth Payne, Master of Ceremonies; Business Champions Greg Baranco, President and CEO of Baranco Automotive Group; Karen Duckett, Principal/CEO Duckett Design Group, Inc.; Ernestine Bennett, President/CEO, E B Enterprise Unlimited, Inc. dba Wendy's; Ron Frieson, Former President Georgia Operations for BellSouth Corporation, and David Walters, Cascade Business Alliance Chairperson.
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Churches are key components of the BRC. The BRC works with business auxiliaries to build the Overground RR!! Cascade United Methodist Church is a major station on the The Overground RR!!© Its Business Alliance Ministry is chaired by the dynamic David Walters , Cascade’s BRC Coordinator. The Cascade United Methodist Church Business Alliance Ministry presented a "Strategies for Success in Business" retreat this month in their Fellowship Hall. Featured speakers included Karen Duckett of Duckett Design Group, Ron Frieson, former BellSouth president, Ernestine Bennett of E.B. Enterprise Unlimted, Inc., and Greg Baranco of the Baranco Automotive Group.

The Cascade Business Alliance operates under the theme of Building Faith Community Partnerships in the 21st Century. Kenneth Payne served as master of ceremonies for the retreat. Cascade UMC is under the pastorship of Rev. Marvin A, Moss, Senior Pastor.

The Business Alliance serves Cascade and the community by conducting monthly meetings with guest speakers. They host an Annual Wealth-Building Seminar and promote the Business Alliance events to encourage participation from within Cascade and the surrounding community. Their mission is to unite all business owners and potential owners to share resources and collaborate within the Cascade Church Family and the greater Atlanta Community.

Congratulations to this outstanding BRC Church Center. For more information about the Cascade Business Alliance, call 404-691-5770.

Founder Xernona Clayton is surrounded by the 2007 Inductees (photo courtesy of Steed Media Service).
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The International Civil Rights Walk of Fame added 13 esteemed civil rights leaders to the Walk of Fame. The 2007 assemblage of inductees include Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin; author Lerone Bennett Jr., singer and songwriter Tony Bennett, advocate for children, families and the disadvantaged Marian Wright Edelman, attorney Frankie Muse Freeman, boxer Joe Louis, Reverend Dr. Otis Moss Jr., Prime Minister Sir Lynden Pindling, actor Sidney Poitier, Dr. Otis W. Smith, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, the Honorable Lawrence Douglas Wilder, and educator and human rights activist Jean Childs Young.

The International Civil Rights Walk of Fame is sponsored by the Trumpet Awards Foundation, Inc., and was created and designed by Xernona Clayton, Founder and Executive Producer of the renowned Trumpet Awards. Ms. Clayton states, “This is a permanent monument to those whose contributions are testaments to the fact that human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable.”

The International Civil Rights Walk of Fame was created in 2004 to give recognition to those courageous soldiers of justice who sacrificed and struggled to make equality a reality for all. This extraordinary display has enhanced the historic value of this geographic area, enriched the cultural heritage, and augmented tourist attractions in the city of Atlanta..

“Housed at the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site, the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame stands as a sterling reminder of the human spirit that drives the struggle for civil rights,” said Judy Forte, superintendent, Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site. “We salute the Trumpet Awards Foundation for selecting an outstanding and deserving slate of honorees.”

B&B Movers, Inc. has been on the The Overground RR!!© for years. The BRC is proud of this dedicated member. When it is time to move, practice Kitchen Table Affirmative Action (”KTAA”) by calling this highly qualified company. Founded in 1996 by Barbara Billingsley, President and CEO, B&B Movers, Inc. is a full-service commercial and residential relocation company. It is 100% woman-owned and is certified through the Georgia Women’s Business Council. The company is also certified as an 8(a), small disadvantaged company and minority- owned company and is a transportation service provider (TSP) with GSA CHAMP.

B&B Movers began as a local residential moving company. In November 2002, the company began serving commercial businesses and providing long distance transportation; in 2006, the company began to offer expedited freight and hauling services.

B & B Movers, Inc. offers a full range of services including move management/consultation, commercial relocations, residential relocations, local and long-distance moving, cubicle/modular furniture disassembly and reassembly, office furniture installation, packing and unpacking services, boxes and packing supplies, furniture rearrangement, pickup and delivery service and basement and garage organization. We also specialize in moving upright pianos and antiques. Because of the diverse range of services, B & B Movers brings to every move, a wealth of talented, professional staff members.

Staff members play a key role in shaping the company; they are encouraged to offer solutions on enhancing service delivery and ways to improve customer relations. They have provided services for clients ranging from small businesses to government entities to large corporations including H.J. Russell and Company, the Atlanta Housing Authority, the Housing Authority of Dekalb County, the Atlanta Public Schools, United States Department of Health and Human Services and Georgia Water Extraction.

The most important factors distinguishing B & B Movers, Inc. as one of Atlanta’s leading minority and woman-owned moving company are:

• B & B Movers is a member of the Georgia Movers Association (GMA), a certified mover with American Movers & Storage Association (AMSA) and a member in good standing with the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
• B & B Movers proven track record of providing safe, effective and hassle-free moves.
• B & B Movers’ reputation for honesty, integrity and professionalism since 1996.
• B & B Movers participation in the Georgia Governor’s Mentor-Protégé Program.

If you are dreading the idea of moving due to all the packing, loading, unloading, and confusion, then give B&B Movers a call. They will load your precious valuables safely onto our trucks and move them to your destination and unload them for you. From the packing to the moving, B&B Movers can provide all the services, materials, manpower and trucks necessary for you to have a successful move. Leave all the work for them! Call today, 404-212-0819 or email info@bbmovers.com.

DataSource Technical Consulting is one of the BRC's newest members to board the Overground RR!!© The Company, under the ownership of Travis Dennis, offers a wide range of professional services, such as Network Planning and Strategy, Network Security, Voice over IP (VoIP), Wireless Network Support, Virtual Private Networking (VPN), Technical Outsourcing, Managed Services, and Internet Service Provider (ISP) services.

DataSource was founded on the belief that a company should be interested in more than turning a profit. According to Dennis, "our skills are being used for a greater purpose." 10% of DataSource's profits are used to help abused and neglected children locally, nationally, and abroad. "We are driven to provide a superior service in order to grow DataSource. The more that DataSource grows, the more it can do for children around the world," Dennis added.

DataSource's local office is at 400 Perimeter Center Terrace, Suite 900 in Atlanta. Additional information about DataSource is available at www.datasourcepro.com or contact DataSource at 888-328-2768.

The BRC also welcomes the following new members to the Overground RR!! - A Better Way Contractors, Charles and Terri Thornton, and K.C. Masonry Restoration, Kevin and Marianita Chambers. Look for more infomration on these valuable members in future Sparks.

Join GABEO on Wednesday, April 4, 2007 for the 39th Anniversary Commemoration of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. demanding arrest and prosecution of those participants in the lynchings at the Moore’s Ford Bridge in Monroe, Walton County, Georgia, July 25, 1946.

There will be a Noon Rally for Justice at the 1st African Baptist Church on Tyler Street off Highway 11 (Main Street near Highway 78) in Monroe. Participants should look for Church’s Chicken. A motorcade to the historic memorial marker on Highway 78 will take place at 2 p.m. remembering the victims: Roger and Dorothy Malcom, George and Mae Murray Dorsey and their unborn infant.

National SCLC President and former Senator Charles Steele of Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Ed Dubose, President Georgia State Conference NAACP; Rita Samuels, Georgia Coalition of Black Women; Helen Butler, Georgia Coalition for The People’s Agenda; Rev. James Orange, MLK March Committee, Rep. Al Williams, Chair of Georgia Legislative Black Caucus; and Tyrone Brooks, President of GABEO will lead movement veterans, civil rights workers and clergy on The March to the Moore’s Ford Bridge for ceremony to revisit the bridge to continue the unfinished work of Dr. King. A 5 p.m. reception for participants and relatives of victims will take place immediately following.

For More Information Contact: Rep. Tyrone Brooks, President, Georgia Association of Black Elected Officials, 404-656-6372 or 404-372-1894.

Join Pastor Marvin and First Lady Gwendolyn Boyd-Moss and the Cascade United Methodist Church family in Malawi on June 26 - July 6, 2007. Service Opportunities include Pastor's Conference, Medical Mission, arts and crafts, and recreational ministry. The trip is 100% tax deductible.

For more information, please contact Tina Young at bertina_young@bellsouth.net or Cheryl Lowery- Osborne at cjlo@concast.net. You can also register at www.heartforafrica.org.
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Ten years after its miraculous beginning, Love Life Christian Fellowship Church is celebrating its birthday with a host of activities. On Saturday, March 31st, the Christian Women’s Connection will kick off their year-long anniversary celebration by hosting a brunch for the women of Love Life, spearheaded by Pastor Grace C. Washington and sisters Divika Washington-Hall and Angela Finney.

The Anniversary Worship Service is scheduled for Sunday, April 1, 2007 at 10:45 a.m. The theme for this year is “Where Do We Go From Here?” But the celebration does not end with this service. The church is hosting an Anniversary Revival featuring guest minister Bishop Jimmie Lee Smith, pastor of Light of the World International Ministries April 23-25, 7:30 pm nightly.

The events planned for remainder of the year include:

• A 5K Walk/Run on Saturday, May 26, 2007
• A Spiritual Family Reunion for all who have sat under Pastor Washington’s pastorate over the last 22 years
• A golf tournament scheduled for August 10, 2007

MONTHLY BIZ FORUM. . . Cedric Ward of The Devall Group, LLC will serve as presenter for the BRC Monthly Biz Forum on Thursday March 29, 2007. The Biz Forum is held each month at 11:00 a.m. at the BRC Headquarters.

The Deval Group is a tri-fold company focusing on corporate credit, real estate and mobile detailing. Corporate credit is a very powerful tool used in business and Ward will talk about how black businesses can grow their business using these services without using their personal credit. Please RSVP if you plan to attend to Pastor Sherri Davis at 404-346-0808.
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Georgia State African American Alumni Club Board Members with Mr. H.J. A. Alexander are Chanda Swinney-Mitchell, President, Courtney Chambelss, VP of Finance, Toni Driskell, VP of Programs, and Members at Large.
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The Georgia State African American Alumni Club has boarded the Overground RR!!©. Its “Black Economic Empowerment” program celebrated Black History Month with a special presentation of “Get On Board. The Overground RR!!© Is Ready. In addition to GSU Alumni, representatives from Spelman and Morehouse colleges were present. Attendees learned about Kitchen Table Affirmative Action. This event was another step in the BRC’s movement to build the economic infrastructure of the Black community, forging new economic relations by connecting consumers with Black businesses, primarily through the churches. This grand event took place Thursday, February 22, 2007 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Georgia State University Alumni Hall, Veteran's Memorial Hall.