Havaianas Beckon You To Brazil

 
Flip flops. 
The epitome of summertime.
Strolls along the beach.
Summer parties and picnics.
Laughter in the air.
Friends all around you.
A calm, carefree attitude.
Long days.
Longer nights.




Brand doesn't really matter.
All flip flops are created equal.
They all look the same.
They all fit the same.
You can only offer so many colors.
So, why pay more for a brand name?

This campaign changes your thoughts.
Havaianas are objects of desire. 
They beckon you to Brazil.
You smell the scents of the rainforest. 
You feel the waves on your feet.
You feel the sun warming your body.
Who would want an imitation?
Only Havaianas will do.
There is no substitute.

Every Murder Victim Has A Story: Doodley Linsey Derose, Jahed Ahmad Babi, and Isaac Joyner

During the 2010 holiday season, homicides claimed the lives of several young people in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. This article, part of a continuing series on Dissenting Justice, examines three of these cases.

Doodley Linsey Derose



Doodley Linsey Derose, a 19-year-old from Silver Spring, Maryland, was murdered by two unknown assailants on December 21. Doodley attended Kennedy High School, where he was an honors student. At the time of his death, Doodley was a sophomore at Virginia State University, where he was majoring in political science. Doodley was home with his family for winter break when he was murdered.

Doodley's death has caused intense grief for his parents, three siblings, grandparents, and a host of others who knew him. In an article published by the Gazette (a local Maryland newspaper), Doodley's mother Martine Derose reflected on her son's life:

He loved to play baseball, he loved people. . . . He loved his mother; he always called me all the time to say "Mommy I love you" and "Thank you so much for helping me go to school, I'm going to do well for you."

JFK's New Frontier, the newspaper from Doodley's high school, also published an article regarding his death. The newpaper reported that Doodley had recently returned to the school to "speak with students about the challenges of college and how to do well academically." People who knew Doodley have also expressed their grief in various Facebook postings.

The circumstances surrounding Doodley's murder are as mysterious as they are tragic. According to a Gazette report, Doodley was at his parents' home with a friend the day he died. At some point, he went downstairs and answered the door. Three men were at the door. Doodley's father Linois Derose, who was also in the house, knew one man, but not the two others.

After the men began shouting, Doodley ushered in his friend in the house and left the two others outside. Suddenly, bullets flew through the door. One struck Doodley in the chest. He died later that day.

Doodley's father questioned his son's friend about the identity of the two men, but the individual said that he did not know them. Linois Derose, however, found this response highly suspicious. Meanwhile, the police investigation continues.

Update: Police have released a picture and name of a suspect in the murder of Doodley Derose. See here.

Update II: A suspect in Doodley's murder has surrendered to authorities at the Montgomery County jail in Rockville, Maryland.

Jahed Ahmad Babi



On December 20, police in Fairfax County, Virginia discovered the body of Jahed Ahmad Babi, a 19-year-old from Burke, Virginia, in a local park. Jahed lived a short distance from the park in which his body was found.

Jahed graduated from Lake Braddock Secondary School and was pursuing classes at Northern Virginia Community College. Ironically, his family fled from Afghanistan to escape years of violence in the country; tragically, Jahed became a homicide victim in the US.

Jahed's family has declined to speak with media. His numerous friends, however, have honored his memory in press accounts and on Facebook. Jahed's friends describe him as smart, genuine and very friendly -- perhaps to a fault. He reportedly excelled in his studies and graduated from high school a year early.

During an interview with a local Fox News station, Evan Guerrero, who described Jahed as his best friend, said "I honestly don't know what to do. I was with the guy day and night and it kills me to not have him here with me anymore. . . ." In another interview, Abraham Wehelie, whose older brother befriended Jahed, said that "My mom set [Jahed] up as a good example of what I should to aspire to."

Social media, such as Facebook, provide additional insight regarding Jahed's relationship with his friends. One friend offered a touching tribute to Jahed following his funeral:

Your funeral was beautiful. So many people cared about you and have known you as the sweet and generous guy that you were. Many tears were drawn, however we know that this isn't goodbye. None of us can go in peace until this guy is caught and pay for what he's done. See you in the afterlife R.I.P

Police have not released a motive or the names of any suspects in Jahed's death. Police, however, describe the murder as an "isolated incident," which suggests that Jahed's killers targeted him.

Comments by some of Jahed's friends suggest that he may have had connections with the "wrong crowd." According to one friend, Jahed "was a good guy with the wrong crowd, the wrong kinds of people who dragged him along to the darker side. . . ." Another friend said that Jahed "was always a good guy, it's just the people he was with . . . ." Regardless of the motive, Jahed was well liked, and his death remains a painful tragedy.

Isaac Joyner



On December 24, a man approached 14-year-old Isaac Joyner of Baltimore and began shooting at him and two other teens. A bullet stuck Isaac in the head, killing him almost instantly. His friends, however, sustained injuries that are not life-threatening. Now, police are trying to figure out who killed Isaac while he stood outside of his aunt's home at 7:30 pm on Christmas Eve.

Isaac's aunt, Michelle Joyner, was particularly close to her nephew and stated in interviews that she could not celebrate Christmas without him. Isaac's Christmas presents, which included sweaters, shirts and a camera, remain in a closet in her home.

Isaac's grandmother, with whom he and his mother lived, described him as a tender child: "He would tell me every night that he loved me. . . .If I was asleep, he would shake me real good until I woke up and say, I love you, Grandma." Jabril Hall, a friend of Isaac, said that "Issac was so close, he was more like family."

Last year, Isaac watched a documentary sponsored by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The documentary, Men II Boys, analyzes the lives of individuals, primarily African-American males, who grew up without their fathers. The film's producer wants to help children deal with the psychological pain of their experiences and to inspire them to achieve in spite of their conditions.

Isaac's reaction to the film, which was quoted in the JHU Gazette, has a chilling significance in light of his untimely demise: "The film really made me think about how hard it is being a black man in America. . . ." Police have not released a motive or the name of a suspect in Isaac's murder.

Final Thoughts

Although these cases have received scattered attention in the media, the stories warrant more attention. Violence is a pervasive problem that victimizes persons in low-income communities of color. This violence is one of the most serious problems the US faces today, and it relates to many other issues, including education, poverty, racism, and the lack of economic opportunity.

Despite the magnitude and severity of the problem, the media often push stories of homicides involving persons of color to the margins. Every murder victim, however, has a story that warrants telling.

Overcoming Prosecutorial Misconduct: Jailhouse Lawyer Wins Freedom

The Wall Street Journal reports that Jabar Collins has won release from prison by acting largely as his own attorney. In 1995, a Brooklyn, New York jury found Collins guilty of murdering Rabbi Abraham Pollack. The trial was a local media sensation.

Pollack served 15 years in prison, and, during much of that time, he filed requests for documents related to his prosecution. After extensive research, he found that prosecutors failed to turn over potentially exculpatory evidence, as required by Supreme Court precedent.

Specifically, witnesses who identified Collins as the shooter received deals from the prosecution that diminished their own criminal liability for separate crimes. Some of them were threatend with prosecution if they failed to testify. During the trial, however, prosecutors denied that the witnesses were rewarded for their testimony.

Another witness who testified placed Collins in the area of the shooting. He also said that he made the 911 call reporting the murder. A voice expert, however, testified that the witness was not the person who made the 911 call.

Finally, many of the witnesses admitted to using drugs at the time of the shooting and stated that they barely remember the events of the day or signing documents implicating Collins. One witness stated that Collins received a bad deal.

Prosecutors threatened to retry Collins even if he won the right to a new trial. Following a hearing in federal court that revealed extensive evidence of misconduct, however, prosecutors relented.

Today, Collins works as a paralegal for an attorney who provided assistance during the final stages of his appeals. Predictably, he would like to become a lawyer one day.

The Wall Street Journal article has many more details. It is a very interesting read.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor: Smart Power

A couple of recent articles have portrayed Justice Sonia Sotomayor in a very positive light. The articles rebut many of the suspicions that some commentators had regarding Sotomayor during her confirmation process.

Many of Sotomayor's critics questioned her intellect -- despite her tremendous record of accomplishment. Others contended that she lacked judicial temperament. Many Dissenting Justice articles responded to the criticism of Sotmayor (see comprehensive list of articles).

The attacks on Sotomayor had clear racial and gender dimensions. Prior to her confirmation, Sotomayor's powerful presence on the bench was viewed as a negative trait; in male judges, however, this is invariably seen as a positive trait. Despite Sotomayor's record of achievement, detractors questioned her intellect, while white judicial nominees rarely face such scrutiny.

Several critics, including Jeffrey Rosen, questioned whether Sotomayor could match conservative justices (see Dissenting Justice scathing critique of Rosen). According to recent Supreme Court commentary, however, Sotomayor has quickly disproved Rosen's fears regarding her value to the Court's liberal wing.

Today, some commentators rightfully view Sotomayor as a smart justice who engages in very sharp and passionate questioning from the bench. These recent articles provide a far more accurate account of Sotomayor than the picture that emerged during the confirmation process. They also demonstrate how race and class biases, rather than legitimate concerns, shaped much of the criticism surrounding Sotomayor during the confirmation process.

Teena Marie Has Died at 54

Several sources have confirmed that R&B singer Teena Marie has died at the age of 54. Although no major media outlet had published an official obituary at the time of this blog posting, several reliable sources, including the venerable WDAS radio station in Philadelphia have confirmed her death. Also, Ron Isley has stated that Teena Marie has died on his Twitter account.

Update: CNN has also confirmed Marie's death with her manager.

Update II: People Magazine, the New York Daily News, the Palm Beach Post, and several other sources have now confirmed Marie's death. The Palm Beach Post article, written by Rhonda Swan, is a touching tribute. This remains a breaking news story.

Update III: CNN has published a more extensive story regarding Marie and her untimely death. While the cause of death remains unknown, her publicist states that she suffered a grand mal seizure last month.

Goodwill Becomes "Cheap Chic"

If you're anything like me, in the past you have thought of Goodwill as a great place to drop off clothing and household items you no longer need ... and a great place to pick up a fun Halloween costume without breaking the bank.

For years, donors and retail customers represented two entirely different targets for Goodwill. But, the Great Recession has changed Goodwill's customer base a bit.  According to IBIS World, the 2,000 national stores rang up $2.8 billion in retail sales last year, up 56% in the past three years. And the household income of Goodwill shoppers has been on a steady incline.

Today, many of Goodwill's donors have become their greatest shoppers. Interestingly, while economics may have propelled them into the stores, it is the spirit of the hunt that keeps them coming back for more.

But, to solely credit Goodwill's recent success on the recession isn't telling the whole story.

Goodwill has implemented an all-out marketing campaign in recent years that has done an admirable job in both raising the profile of their stores and recreating the overall image of what's inside their four walls. So much so, that they have created a sense of "Cheap Chic," actually making shopping at Goodwill somewhat fashionable. 

Their Halloween billboard cleverly morphs the Goodwill logo into a number of Halloween characters, including the recognizable images of a mummy and a whiskered cat.

A cooperative marketing campaign with Levi's resulted in a Goodwill recommendation on Levi's tags: "Donate to Goodwill when no longer needed and care for our planet."

Affiliates in Washington DC created a Goodwill Fashionista blog, inviting shoppers to learn about and comment on different fashion trends.

Goodwill has worked hard to entice people to join the Goodwill team promising: "Our organizations are vibrant, innovative places to work, where employees are valued for their talents."

Overall, Goodwill has done what any good marketer should (but often doesn't) do ... capitalize on a market condition or consumer trend.

Drug Abuse: A Prescription For Disaster

When you think of drug abuse, chances are illegal drugs - like marijuana, crystal meth, and cocaine - are the first drugs to come to mind.  But, today's youth are increasingly turning to prescription drugs (particularly pain killers like OxyContin, Percodan, and Percocet) to get high.

According to Yahoo! Health, the rate of prescription painkiller abuse among teens rose 17% in the past year alone. Where are teens getting these drugs?  Friends, family members, and unsecured medicine cabinets.

Prescription drug abuse has become serious business. Serious enough that The Partnership at DrugFree.org (formerly known as the Partnership for a Drug-Free America) has launched a new TV campaign focused entirely on this issue. The first ad in this two-ad campaign highlights a series of facts about the daily milestones that occur in the life of a teen.

1,147 will attempt to grow a mustache
1,068 will have their first kiss
1,480 will enter the work force
2,500 will abuse prescription drugs for the first time
And tomorrow ... some will wish they hadn't.

In the second somewhat disturbing spot, called "Surgery," the viewer witnesses a doctor conducting abdominal surgery on a patient. He closes the patient's incision and removes his surgical mask ... to reveal a young teen. As the camera pans out, the viewer sees that the teen actually conducted surgery on himself. The ad ends with a chillling voiceover: "Every year, 2 million kids play doctor by taking pills not prescribed to them."

The ads are accompanied by a Facebook site that offers help and support for parents and teens, in addition to advice on how to prevent, intervene, get treatment, and recover from drug abuse.

The Partnership at DrugFree.org new campaign offers serious food for thought...especially for parents. But, the real question is whether this campaign will successfully reach teens and be sufficiently motivating to supersede peer pressure.