In this issue:

� latest news
� charisse's update
� i am barack obama awards & accolaides
� who's your mama
� speaking engagements

Become Charisse's friend or join her as a fan of the "IAmBarackObama" page

LATEST NEWS

FINALLY! The publishing industry catches up with Charisse. I Am Barack Obama is available on Amazon & in a book store near you. We are in our THIRD PRINTING!

Top 5 things you can do, even if you already bought the book!

1. TELL AT LEAST 5 PEOPLE about the book. Send them to the website: www.IAmBarackObamaBook.com.
2. BUY the book for your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews or friends. Give it as a birthday or holiday gift. Encourage your SCHOOL or COMMUNITY GROUP to do the same.
3. INVITE Charisse to speak at your school, church or community organization. Take book orders from parents or teachers.
4. VISIT your local book store and look shocked and disappointed if they don't have a wide selection of multicultural books including I Am Barack Obama.
5. NETWORK or introduce Charisse to a friend or colleague with expertise in media and public relations.

CHARISSE'S UPDATE

Hello Brand Nu Words Friends and Family.  So it's been 100 days for President Barack Obama! The media says that this is an important MILESTONE. A marker of success. I hope you all saw the survey on The Jamestown Project's website. Please take it if you haven't, we are going to take it down LATER TODAY!!!

But so much for the President... As far as my own life goes, in January I wrote about everyone having their own dreams. So in honor of the 100th day, on Thursday, I asked myself, "how are you doing?" Have you achieved success since January -- the date of your last newsletter?

The answer was clear, "I'm doing about the same as I was 99 days ago!" So since success in the REAL WORLD is measured in miles and not manufactured milestones, and since we are all doing our best to make it through these uncertain times, I'll just repeat my mantra based, again, on the words of my favorite poet and fellow Lincoln University alum, Langston Hughes:

Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.

I'm still holding on -- 100 days later. Are you?

FIND ME ON FACEBOOK

Who's Your Mama?

Believe it or not there's a new book project. AND THIS ONE IS FOR GROWN-UPS!! Read Charisse's reflective essay entitled, Walking Your Talk, included in:

Who's Your Mama?: The Unsung Voices of Women & Mothers, edited by Yvonne Bynoe, centers on the largely untold perspectives of the majority of American women, whose unique and sometimes unconventional family structures impact our country. Their contributions speak practically of their personal beliefs, intimate relationships, and socioeconomic realities.

This collection of personal narratives illuminates various female experiences of parenting and humanizes a variety of social and economic issues that affect millions of American women and their families.

I AM BARACK OBAMA AWARDS & ACCOLAIDES

The School District of Philadelphia purchased over 1200 copies of I Am Barack Obama!! THANK YOU LINCOLN ALUMNA MARTINA MAPP!!!

Watch the President of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation praise I Am Barack Obama at the NATIONAL PRESS CLUB!

I Am Barack Obama received a 2009 Honor Award by the acclaimed Skipping Stones Magazine!

CHARISSE'S SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS & MORE

Since January Charisse has been all over the country. Highlighted past events include:

Speaking at 3 Los Angeles area schools and donating a book for every classroom at Tom Bradley Elementary Magnet School of the LAUSD;

Speaking at various schools in Southern New Jersey, including Burlington Township Schools;

Speaking & presenting a workshop at the East Orange, NJ School District's Parent Engagement Night;

Speaking at Roots Activity Learning Center in Washington, DC and Great Seneca Elementary School in Gaithersburg, MD;

Speaking at the Eastern Regional Children's Cluster for Jack & Jill of America, Inc.;

and other radio and television interviews. Upcoming events:

Sat., May 9, 2009. Charisse appears at the School District of Philadelphia's Literacy Symposium.

Fri., May 29, 2009. Charisse autographs copies of I Am Barack Obama at Book Expo America at the Jacob Javits Center in New York, NY.

Check out BrandNuWords.com for the latest information on events. Upcoming engagements will include various appearances at Book Expo America in NYC, as well as numerous appearances at schools, libraries and bookstores.

Visit BrandNuWords.com to book Charisse, Ann, or another expert for your event. We do school and classroom visits, libraries, and conferences , and we adapt to all audiences including pre-schoolers, moms, artists and industry insiders.