Beige World

Cheyenne Woods Misses Cut At Wegmans LPGA

Sadly, Cheyenne Woods (Tiger Woods' niece) failed to make the cut in her professional debut at yesterday's Wegmans LPGA event, shooting a 74 (+2) in the second round.

NBA Draft: Blake Griffin Selected As #1 Overall Pick

As expected, the Los Angeles Clippers selected Oklahoma Sooners forward Blake Griffin as the #1 overall pick in last night's NBA Draft.

REVIEW: "Katherine Dunham: Beyond The Dance"

Beige World editor in chief David Burnett shares his thoughts on Katherine Dunham:  Beyond The Dance, one of the exhibitions currently on display at the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis, Missouri.

Finding Bone Marrow Donors For Multiracial Patients

Recently, MSNBC.com reported on the challenge of finding bone marrow donors for multiracial patients:

Marrow donors elusive for multiracial patients

Just a tiny fraction of donors on the national registry are of mixed race

Associated Press (through MSNBC.com)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30966859/

U.S. Census Bureau: Multiracial People Fastest-Growing Group

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, multiracial Americans have become the fastest-growing group:

Who's American?  It's Not Black And White

by Hope Yen, AP (through ABC News)

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=7700275

Chico DeBarge: "Addiction" To Be Released This Summer

According to Singersroom, Chico DeBarge's highly anticipated album, Addiction, will now be released this summer on June 30th:

Chico DeBarge Eyes Summer 'Addiction' Release

Singersroom

http://www.singersroom.com/news/3615/Chico-DeBarge-Eyes-Summer-Addiction-Release

Back in October, in an interview with Beige World, Chico DeBarge had originally anticipated a release date of February 22nd for Addiction.

Blake Griffin To Enter NBA Draft

On Tuesday (April 7th), Oklahoma Sooners forward Blake Griffin announced that he will forgo his final two years of eligibility, and enter the NBA Draft.

Griffin - who was recently named the AP's National Player of the Year, and unanimously named to the AP Consensus All-American 1st Team - had a spectacular sophomore season this year, leading the nation in both rebounding average (14.4 rebounds per game) and total rebounds (504 - one shy of tying the NCAA single-season record).  He also led the nation in double-doubles (games in which he had double-digit points and rebounds) with 30, which was also one shy of the NCAA single-season record.

He led the Sooners in an impressive run in the NCAA Tournament before losing to the eventual national champion, North Carolina.

The consensus is that Blake Griffin will probably be the #1 pick in the draft, and that he will be an immediate impact player in the NBA.

Blake, and his older brother, Taylor (a Sooner teammate and team captain), are the children of a interracial marriage - a black father (Tommy), and a white mother (Gail).

UPDATE:  On April 10th, Blake Griffin won the John R. Wooden Award as college basketball's top male player:

Oklahoma's Griffin, UConn's Moore win Wooden Award
Griffin, Moore pick up more hardware
ESPN.com
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4060278&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines  

QUESTION OF THE DAY: New Department of Education racial classifications - good or bad idea?

In 2010, the U.S. Department of Education will implement new racial classifications for public schools to incorporate in their enrollment forms and applications:

Multiracial pupils to be counted in a new way

by Michael Alison Chandler and Maria Glod, The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/22/AR2009032202211.html

Here's today's Beige World Question of the Day:

What do you think of the new racial classifications to be implemented by the U.S. Department of Education?  Are they a step forward?  Are they confusing?  Are they even necessary?

Post a comment, and share your thoughts.

Happy Birthday, Amel Larrieux!

R&B singer-songwriter Amel Larrieux is 36 years old today (March 8th).

Her first claim to fame was as one half of the successful 90's duo Groove Theory, teaming up with producer Bryce Wilson.

After leaving Groove Theory in 1999, she went on to pursue her solo career, producing four albums (Infinite Possibilities, Bravebird, Morning, and Lovely Standards).

Larrieux's music is an eclectic mix of R&B, soul, funk, jazz, hip-hop, folk, and gospel, and is very much a reflection of her diverse cultural background (her mother is African-American, and her father is of French, English, and Scottish descent).

Currently, she has her own independent music label, Blisslife Records, and she recently released a new single, "Orange Glow," which hit stores on March 3rd.  She's also working on her fifth studio album.

Official Blisslife Records Web site:  http://www.blisslife.com 
Amel Larrieux's Wikipedia page:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amel_Larrieux   

COMMENTARY: Black or biracial?

Recently, The Huffington Post featured an interesting commentary on the subject of classifying a biracial person:

Black Or Biracial?  Who Gets To Decide?
by Abby L. Fender, The Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/abby-ferber/black-or-biracial-who-get_b_172012.html