2:50a.m- Today was a busy day.  I focused alot on my regular Young! Studios work stuff–the stuff that pays the bills.  I was able to send some of the book printing investors a small amount toward their investment.  Also I was able to get an overnight package requested by the people at the UAE Embassy.

Vanessa did a really good job getting the mailing out to the people who attended he event on the 24th.  She is probably the strongest intern I have worked with.  She’s super smart, hardworking, focused and has leadership qualities. The real work to her mailing will be me following up w/the  people who attended and securing more commitment to the project.

I’m going to to an all-nighter I am behind on getting some work out. One of the toughest task right now is preparing budget stuff for K & R to begin securing funding and tightening up the investment package.

I will also have to work all weekend to keep up w/the speed of things coming at me.

There was a book signing at Barnes and Noble tonight.  We had a good cartoon workshop and a couple books sold.  The key is being consistent.  The B & N workshops are good but we are going to do them to create more  involvement for the project and for less revenue building . B & N take 40% of your profit…a library gives you 100% of the profit when they buy your book.  When you do a book signing there you keep all your revenue.  I like B & N becuase they help get the word out through their network and associating w/them adds credibility to your book.  We will have to redesign our plan.  Our big emphasis should be on PR.

2:00am- Still “grindin”. The days seems to be going by at such a fast pace.  I have to work harder and be more focused than ever.  Every second counts.  They I’m looking at things now is my actions can help alot of people in the future. It’s no more playing my family and alot of people are depending on me. I have to be a machine. These are dramatic statements but “real talk”…”survival talk”.

We had a great event yesterday.  The key is following up on all the opportunity.  I will probably work a few more minutes and call it quits.  The whole day is spent in meetings, events and on the phone.  I do miss chillin’ at home sometime but it is part of the sacrifice.

I received a call from the United Arab Emirates Embassy  in Washington DC today.  They are setting up a meeting w/myself and people from their country to discuss some animate film work.  A tentative date has been set for the 2nd week in March.  I will have my friend and business colleague Yvonne Davis broker this deal, she is the one who put this opportunity in place. She understands me and their culture. The EAE is also working on hosting me on a visit to Dubai to discuss an animated project.  Who knows what can happen. It’s funny how a cartoon I presented to the Minister of Foreign Trade as a gift  would take me to this point. One thing I am noticing is the more serious, focused and the harder I work…doors are just  opening up….and who knows that “Scruples cartoon work I started over 20 years ago may open up doors and windows for The Diamond Ruff Project.

Tonight’s event went really well.  All attendees seemed to be excited w/the new partnership between Young! Studios and The Hartford Animation Institute.  Especially our Odd Jobs Program(that puts youth back to work) and The Diamond Ruff Project. All aspects of the project exceeded our expectaions. We had close to 50 youth show up to our afterschool program and about 50 attendees.  We had a full house of supporters, interns and volunteers.  Everything was well organized and went on without a hitch.  Curtis Robinson a developer and prominent businessman made a surprise contribution to the project.

All speakers did a magnificent job. Larry from K  & R announced tha partnership w/his firm and The Diamond Ruff Project and made a committment that they would help us produce this movie w/all their talent and resources. They have worked on movie projects such as  Oprah’s “Beloved”, Indiana Jones, and others.

Now the “real grind” starts. I believe we have put together a strong positive team w/positive energy who can start the next leg of the project.

Another fast day.  The hours went by like minutes as we planned the February 24th event.  WIthin this time frame I had some very important meetings and presentations today.  First I went by the CT State Legislative Building as film producers, actors and union people fought to keep the tax credit program in CT. There was an unprecedented number of people who showed up…around 200.  After that I presented a special cartoon for the Minister of Foreign Trade for  The United Arab Emiritas at a World Affairs Council luncheon meeting in downtown Hartford. After the meeting the Sheik’speople approach me about bringing some my animated work to their country. An initial meeting is being set up in Washington, DC in March.  During our conversation of course I had to bring up the Diamond Ruff Project.

After that I had a very  promising conference call  at The Wadsorth Athenueum with the  CT Commission on the Arts re: summer funding on a grant we have collaborated on.

After that I headed to the office as we had a full house, as Sherri, Janis, Eric, Dwight, Iyesha, Anthony, And Felipe prepared the final details for the event tomorrow. Debbie of Enchanted Destinations also spend alot of time directing the final details for the event. Kyle (in LA) and I prepared the power point. Cindy Martinez a former student of mine  and highly successful executive in the social service field in Hartford will host the event.  At first I was hoping for 30 people to attend this special event right now were up to 45 confirmed attendees.  It will be alot of work until the time of the event, but alot has been done in advance. Tomorrow will be a full house w/alot of special guests.

Everything is moving so fast. An hour seems like 30 minutes. It’s hard to keep up w/everything. I worked from home today so I wouldn’t get any distractions from people stopping unannounced in the office.  It always amazes me how people get upset when you don’t have time to talk and you’re trying to get work done.  Sometimes I think these visitors have too much time on their hands.  I like dealing w/busy people.  If you can catch up w/them they are the ones who usually follow through and get results. 

Anyway, I spent most of the day working on the Powerpoint and contacting the people who are speaking on the 24th.  I emailed Kyle You Tube changes. The drive rwho was going to pick up Jim Noble cancelled out.  I’m glad we forsaw this falling through in our plans so we had a plan B and C.  Ultimately Sherri will pick him up and bring him back. On a project like this for every aspect you should have two back up plans. It’s hard but you plan the best you can. Tomorrow will be crazy day.  I have meetings throughout the day and at the same time I have to prepare for this event. The key will be delegating work to the team.  Unfortunatley there are certain things only I can handle.  After this event is over I really have to continue my concentration on creating systems. Right now we are personality based. This can’t continue as these opportunities are coming along and I will have to be away from the office generating revenue and creating new business. In the meantime until we create this system I have to write my assignment down as well as others and continue to meet and check w/them and myself on the progress. Everything is moving super fast.

I was excited Larry of K & R called yesterday and told me they been speaking to Howard Baldwin about the DR Project.  There’s some interest.  Howard Baldwin is the Executive Producer of the movie “Ray”.  

I worked in the office all day w/my daughter Paige.  She helped w/some admin. work and hosted the You Tube entry.  She reached out to 50  Cent to help participate on the project.  I have a good feeling about this You Tube.  She’s real cute on camera. This is Episode #33 and I feel real good about it.

Dwight came in and helped set up some technical things for the 24th.

Today was a good  and productive day.  We were super focused and able to get alot done for next Tuesday’s meeting.  We are up to 38 people attending and the numbers are still coming in. Some of the Who’s Who from CT will be there. It’s still alot of work and I will be working through the weekend.

The Hartford Courant called me today to get my opinion on the New York Post cartoon that had a racist slant and insinuated a chimpanzee was President Obama.  I told them my thoughts. I think my thought will be in the paper tomorrow. I also wrote a commentary and Debbie from Enchanted Destinations edited  it and  we forwarded to the Associated Press and other media.  Google the story read my commentary and tell me what you think.  Who knows maybe the exposure can get some publicity for Diamond Ruff.  I’m included it in this blog so everyone can cut and paste it and send it to a local or national publication.  With limited dollars for advertising we need the free publicity.

African American Cartoonist says Racist Ape Cartoon is a Laughing Matter

By Joe Young

When the Hartford Courant called me to get my take on the cartoon in the news this week, I hadn’t seen it.  I immediately “Googled” the story and became outraged.  I couldn’t believe that cartoonist Sean Delonas could be so stupid, insensitive, and racist.  Then to make matters worse, he says it was “absolutely friggin’ ridiculous,” implying the story was blown out of proportion.  I was angry!

As the story unfolded, I saw Delonas all over the news channels and publications with The New York Post name receiving more attention.  My emotions changed quickly and I had a revelation. Racism may have played a part, but I think the ulterior motive of Delonas and the Post was to engage in “monkey business”.  Thousands of extra newspapers were sold.  It was simply brilliant!  So I had to laugh at myself and other people for getting upset.  As a cartoonist, I know firsthand you’re developing a cartoon with many facets and meanings, so to develop this cartoon was clever and deliberate; it married capitalism and racism.  The plot thickened and the conspirators needed an angry minister to make the wedding official.  In comes Reverend Al Sharpton.  He protests in Manhattan with 500 people.  No pre-nup was necessary, because everyone came out a winner.   The story made headlines nationally and the newspapers were selling like hotcakes.   Delonas and The New York Post have this “monkey business” figured out. The truly sad part about this story is that the youth of our great land – black, white, and brown — were just recently inspired by Obama’s election and lured into believing our country is now judging people by the content of their character.  How confusing it must be to be confronted by the image of an ape that has been shot with the not-so-subtle insinuation that the animal represents President Barak Obama.

Hopefully in their hipness, the youth of today are more open-minded than these old school capitalists who don’t care if they make a dollar off of soft racism through the powerful medium called cartooning.  The art of cartooning has mass appeal and these types of damaging images can make a deep impact with warp speed.

Nonetheless, history has taught us many times over how to deal with ignorance and stupidity from others who serve you “HATERADE” in the name of monkey business — just don’t drink it, in fact, boycott it, ignore it, and laugh it off.

Joe Young is an African American cartoonist, author, and creator of the nationally recognized Scruples comic characters and book and author of his new book Diamond Ruff.  Young is also the President of Young! Studios in Hartford, Connecticut.  He can be contacted at jyoung555@yahoo.com.

We were able to confirm 30 attendees for the February 24th event.  We are surpassing my expectations at this point.  Confirmation emails and hard copy letters went out.  Special Thanks for Debbie for proofing the letter and our new intern Vanessa for pushing out the paperwork like clockwork.  I hope she keeps up her consistency, she’s focused, hardworking, and consistent.

I briefly spoke to Nelson 50 Cent manager today.  He is reviewing the email re: The Diamond Ruff project.  I also heard from Darrin Henson via email.  He is still reviewing material and I will connect with him after February 25th.  Good things are in the works.

Tomorrow and this weekend will be in all out grind.  I want everything for Tuesday in place by this Sunday. There is alot of work to be done.  To pull this off I have to put in no less that 15 hour work days and have the team super organized…and assume nothing.

Today was alot of “grindin’”.  Sherri came in and called potential attendees for the February 24th event.  She did pretty well and we are up to 28 confirmed attendees.  The attendees are some of Hartford/CT Who’s Who.  I’m getting really excited. 

We sent off a few books to Barnes and Noble who are ordering small numbers but at least they’re ordering.

Ace called me today and said he was bringing a Music/Talent Producer to the office that had interest in the Diamond Ruff Project.  He brought a gentleman Abel Mason in.  I was impressed with him. Among many of his business ventures he is currently working w/the famed Jackson family.  We took him on a tour of the facility and we showed him our work and said he wants to get involved.  Although we were there to discuss Diamond Ruff…and he liked it, my Scruples cartoon characters caught his eye as well.  As we discussed both projects his cell phone range every 5 minutes w/business calls, a call came in from Randy Jackson, that he put on speakerphone.  In the past he has worked closely w/many celebrities including working directly for Michael Jackson for three years in management. Abel will be attending the 24th event w/one of his business associates.  He had expressed interest in helping us build operations and capacity for the work we are doing.

Alot of influential people are starting to hear abouth this Diamond Ruff Project.