America’s Next Top Model Winner Whitney Thompson Joins NEDA’s Mission to Promote Positive Body Image and Awareness of Eating Disorders. National Eating Disorders Awareness Week is Feb. 21-27th.

What ever happened to beautiful Joslyn Pennywell, the brownskin-toned bombshell who wowed over 30 million plus people from “America’s Next Top Model”? Well, if you believe in luck, then you would have to agree that she had defied BAD luck. The young model persevered by not giving up after auditioning 33 times in various cities in order to win one of the coveted model-contestant spots on “America’s Next Top Model,” the show, which is hosted by Tyra Banks.

To honor the resilience of millions of women survivors of war around the world, Women for Women International is hosting a global campaign called, “Join Me on the Bridge.” This unprecedented call to action, on the 99th anniversary of International Women’s Day, March 8th 2010, will highlight the fact the women are 70% of the world’s poor; 75% of the civilians killed in war [along with their children], and earn only 10% of the world income, despite doing 66% of the world’s work. It’s the first time women have led a global movement of this magnitude and geographical scope.

Justice Through Music, www.jtmp.org, a national non profit that works with famous bands to bring attention to important social issues, teamed up the band Op-Critical in a music video called “Prop 8″ to oppose the California referendum that was used to overturn the state’s gay marriage law. The video, shown above, looks at the struggle for marriage equality through the lens of past struggles for women’s rights, civil rights and voting rights.

The Jury, Audience, Festival, and other special award-winners of the 2010 PAN AFRICAN FILM & FESTIVAL (PAFF) were announced tonight at the Festival’s Awards Ceremony hosted by actress CCH Pounder (Avatar) at the Culver Plaza Theatres (9919 Washington Blvd. Los Angeles). The Kenyan narrative FROM A WHISPER won for Best Narrative Feature. A three-way tie was announced for the Audience Favorite Narrative Award for films SOUL DIASPORA, A STING IN A TALE, and SPEED-DATING. The documentary on the L.A. Black Panthers 41ST & CENTRAL: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE L.A. BLACK PANTHERS won the Audience Favorite Documentary Award.

“Crazy Art,” a new documentary profiling three artists with schizophrenia, has just premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. The DVD of the informative and moving 58-minute film goes on sale in March.

The Ehlers Group, the award-winning strategic marketing and communications company, is seeking 365 Senior Love Stories. The company, which specializes in marketing programs for senior housing communities, kicks off its quest for 365 Senior Love Stories on Valentine’s Day, for a book being compiled by authors Janis Ehlers and Kerry Green.

The King Arts Complex is proud to present African Art Tradition & Influence: Woodrow Nash Sculptor, Thursday, February 11, 2010 through Wednesday, March 26, 2010. African Art Tradition & Influence will showcase traditional African Art from the Keith Neal African Art Gallery. This exhibition will feature life-size bronze statues from Benin and wood sculptures from different African cultures that relates to clan ancestry.

The Pan African Film and Arts Festival (PAFF), America’s largest and most prestigious Black film and arts festival, has announced Emmy award-winning actor Glynn Turman (“Cooley High,” “The Wire”) as the 2010 PAFF Lifetime Achievement Award honoree. Taking place Friday, February 12 (7 p.m.) at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center (4718 Washington Boulevard, Los Angeles), the PAFF Night of Tribute is a star-studded red carpet affair that is televised on The Africa Channel (www.theafricachannel.com) and shown nationally and internationally throughout Africa, the Caribbean, and Europe. Other distinguished honorees include: Pioneer Award recipient film director F. Gary Gray (“The Italian Job,” “A Man Apart”); Beah Richards Award recipient actress Tatyana Ali (“The Fresh Prince of Bel Air,” “Love That Girl”); Canada Lee Award recipient actor Nate Parker (“The Secret Life of Bees,” “The Great Debaters,” “Blood Done Sign My Name”); Nigerian filmmaker and founder of the influential African Academy of Motion Pictures Peace Anyiam-Fiberesima, recipient of the PAFF/African Channel Visionary Award; and Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, Community Service Award recipient. This year’s Night of Tribute will be hosted by the PAFF 2010 Celebrity Host actress CCH Pounder.

The Pan African Film and Arts Festival (PAFF), America’s largest and most prestigious international Black film and arts festival has announced its 2010 lineup of films selected to be screened for its Best Documentary Feature, Best Documentary Short, Best Narrative Short, Best Narrative Feature, and Best First Feature film competitions. In total, 135 films were selected representing 36 countries, including 40 in competition, 64 feature length films, and 12 films at the Festival will be world premieres. The PAFF filmmaker awards will be announced on Feb. 17 at the Closing Night Presentation (7 p.m.).

The Joy of Jesus is an on-line church that offers its members the Word of god and prayers for the world. So many people spend their waking time on-line. Why not worship on-line?

Son of the Legendary Bob Marley, Ky-Mani pens his personal, controversial memoir, Dear Dad: “Where’s The Family In Our Family, Today?” The Story the Marley Family Apparently Doesn’t Want You to Know. Available now on Amazon and in book stores to coincide with Bob Marley’s 65th birthday February 6, 2010.

Leading global African-themed style and cultural magazine ARISE selected top African designers Black Coffee (www.blackcoffee.co.za), Loin Cloth and Ashes (www.loinclothandashes.com) along with Deola Sagoe (www.deolasagoedesign.com) to showcase Fall/Winter 2010 designs during the publication’s AFRICAN COLLECTIVE PART III Mercedes Benz Fashion Week runway presentation.

On January 28, 1985, a day after the American Music Awards, stars gathered in Jim Henson studios under the direction Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie to record “We Are The World.” The goal was to raise money and awareness about hunger in Africa. Proceeds were donated to the newly formed charity, at the time, USA for Africa (www.usaforafrica.org). To date, over $63 million dollars have been raised from this original recording co-written by Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson.