Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / April 1, 2004, edition 1 / Page 9
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1 http;//www.thecharlottepost.com tlTFje Cljarlotte THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 2004 1B LIFE 4a,7 ? Book publisher taps into urban demographic By Artellia Burch artelliaburch@thecharlotEepost.com James Muhammad found success as a book store owner. Now he is looking for the same achievement in the publishing industry. Muhammad’s Dynasty book store and specialty shop has become a fixture in the black community. The store has grown in clien tele and changed locations over its nine-year history. Nationally, black bookstores have become less lucrative and many have gone out of business. Yet, Muhammad has foimd a way to make his store a profitable oper ation and what it takes to make his new venture, 2 Of A Kind Publishing a success. “In order to get people to read you have to give people some of what they want,” he said. Authors like Kevin Powell have criticized the publishing industry for its abrmdance of fiction books targeted to African Americans. But Muhammad says there is a process that must be followed to attract readers to non-fiction and self- improvement books. “If we can wean people over to reading fiction,” he said. “Then we can wean them over to eventually reading non-fiction.” Readership in the U.S. is on the decline. Yet Muhammad says low readership will not affect 2 Of A Kind’s success. This publishing busi ness will target members of the hip- hop culture with its books. “Readership is down because there have never been stories these people could relate to,” Muhammad said. “A few years ago when Terry McMillan was hot, all of the books kind of followed the same formula. You had three women in the story. One woman was usually married and the other two were single with good jobs. A 22-year-old woman could n’t relate to that story and the same goes for men.” Muhammad says authors like Sistah Souljah and Shannon Holmes have been able to tap into a younger readership with urban stories. “Sistah Souljah and Shannon Holmes are the king and queen of urban stories,” he said. “They are reaching that mar ket.” 2 of a Kind Publishing will pubhsh books that tell the over looked tales of urban street life. “What we’re faying to do is reach a whole new market of people who wouldn’t normally read books,” said Muhammad. “By telling their stories, the stories of the streets, we’re con fident that we’ll accomplish this. - . James Muhammad is adding a pubiishing house to his Dynasty bookstore. 2 Of A Kind Pubiishing wiii market books to an urban audience. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION/TRINA MONTGOMERY-ARDREY/PHOTOAWADE NASH Please see PUBLISHER/4B Expo eye exams can battle glaucoma threat Attendees at Charlotte’s “For Sisters Only” Expo were able to get a free glaucoma screening when they visited the Travatan Eye Drops Project Focus Booth. By Artellia Burch artelliaburch @ thecharlottepost.com Glaucoma has led to blindness in millions of African Americans. A leading drugmaker is out to educate people about the dis ease. Individuals can receive free eye exams at the Travatan booth at For Sisters Only at the Charlotte Convention Center Saturday and Sunday. The pain free exam takes five minutes. Travatan, an eye drop manu factured by Alcon Laboratories, is sponsoring “Project Focus” to raise awareness of glaucoma risks. The outreach initiative will target members of the African Americans in through out the country. It’s primarily focusing on the black communi ty because African Americans are heavily afflicted with the disease. Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in African Americans affecting more than 750,000 African Americans in the U.S. Blacks are six to eight times more likely to develop glaucoma than whites, and up to 17 times more likely to go blind from the disease. “African Americans are four to five times more likely to develop glaucoma than the general pop ulation,” said Stuart Raetzman, global marketing director for glaucoma at Alcon. ‘TJnfortimately, only about half of the African Americans in the U.S. with glaucoma are aware •they have it.” Most victims of glaucoma are xmaware of they have the dis- ease.’There’s no pain attached to glaucoma,” said Charles Richardson of Healthcare Marketing Footsteps Group. “By the time you know you have it, it can’t be reversed. The only thing that can be done is to slow it down.” “Glaucoma is often called the silent thief of sight,” said Dr. Mildred M.G. Olivier, a Chicago based glaucoma specialist. “Left untreated, glaucoma will lead to a dangerous buildup of pressure within the eye that eventually damages the delicate optic nerve until eyesight is impaired or a person goes blind. Because there is no pain associated with the disease, people at greatest risk won’t know they have it until they get screened. Fortunately, the disease can be treated effectively with proper medications, but the key to sav ing people’s eyesight is early detection and treatment.” Early detection and treatment Please see GLAUCOMA/3B Frozen Peanut Butter Chocolate Pie FAMILY FEATURES EDITORIAL SYNDICATE Prep Time: 10 minutes Freezing Time: 6 hours Makes one 9-inch pie 2 (1-ounce) squares semi sweet baking chocolate 1 (14-ounce) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk) 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter 1 (8-ounce) tub frozen nondairy whipped topping, thawed 1 (9-inch) graham cracker crumb crust In large mixing bowl, melt chocolate squares in microwave for 15 seconds or until com pletely melted. Add sweetened condensed milk and peanut but ter to melted chocolate; mix well. Fold in whipped topping. Spoon into crust. Freeze 6 hours. Garnish as desired. Freeze leftovers. o#o
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