Leila Khaled, Editor & Publisher
editor@bronzevillemetropolis.com
A native of Chicago, Leila lived in Los Angeles and New York for several years where she worked as a contractor for major media companies, including HBO, BMG, Arista, Bad Boy, Universal, Motown, MCA, Viacom, MTV, Time Magazine, Source Magazine, and others. Leila, who conveys a sense of urgency to get things done, says she looks forward to building the Metropolis into a major media outlet and believes she’ll be able to work with other business owners, journalists, and independent media companies to make it happen.
Being multi-racial is what makes, “I’ll Say Whatever I Want” Leila’s signature phrase and she believes truth is more important than offering a mere gloss-over of real issues for the sake of being politically correct. She refuses to conform to the “accepted format of journalism” prevalent in main stream media and vibrantly writes as she sees it.
An ardent supporter of Barack Obama’s run for the presidency, Leila was a volunteer at the University of Chicago Hospital where Michelle Obama is Vice President of Community Affairs and in charge of volunteers. Leila was also born in the Altgeld Gardens housing projects on Chicago’s far south side some years before Senator Obama was a community organizer in the same neighborhood and before moving to New York, she resided in Hyde Park.
She says she understands the challenges of trying to get ordinary people inspired to help themselves but, it is vital to press on. “Any decent, responsible person who wants a better existence in America cannot listen to Barack’s message of change and turn a deaf ear. It is an honor for me to endorse him and help his campaign in anyway that I can. His theme, ‘we are the ones we’ve been waiting for’ resonates deep within my soul and the paradigm continues to shift in this country.”
Robert L. Thornton, III, Photo Editor
photos@bronzevillemetropolis.com
Robert has been with the Metropolis since the very first issue and continues to provide insight and ideas to make the Metropolis a first-class news source.
Robert started News Photography Network in 1998 and enjoys working for independent media. He is a member of Trinity UCC and believes in serving his community and the world at large. He teaches Photojournalism, Video, and Video-Editing to Chicago teenagers and volunteers his time to various community endeavors. Robert is also a freelance photographer and his clients include the Democratic National Convention, Delco Communications, Grace Productions, and Street Wise Newspaper.
He has published several works, such as, Million Man March Day of Absence, Chicago Black Historical Landmarks, Official Proceedings of the Democratic National Convention in 1996, Long Live the Spirit of the Million Man March, and the Journey Project of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago.
Ledelle Muhammad- Production Manager
production@bronzevillemetropolis.com
Ledelle is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana who has resided in Chicago for the last eight years.
He brings ten years of design expertise in layout, advertising and promotional design to the Metropolis staff. He is also the Creative Director for "Grafix-7 Design," a Chicago-based graphic design and advertising firm which proudly boasts the slogan "Creating the Hereafter one client at a Time."
His creative energy stems from his beautiful relationship to his wife of 11 years, Cristel, and his two children, daughter Taahira (meaning Pure and Beneficent) and son Zoran whose full name is Zoran Adel meaning 'The Dawn of Justice.' Ledelle is very thankful to be a part of the Metropolis staff and lives in the Woodlawn neighborhood of Chicago.
Featured Writers of Metropolis...
Aton Edwards, Preparedness Expert
gmsc@readyforanything.org
Aton Edwards has been called by many “the Master of Disaster” and not without reason. He is the Executive Director of a NYC based global disaster preparedness organization called the International Preparedness Network, and the creator of a revolutionary new self-reliance,emergency preparedness program called Ayedo (pronounced EYE-YAY-DO ) "the science of life defense" and a special project called IPN “Life-O.N.E” that will equip poor areas in developing nations with low-cost disaster resistant homes -- many of his own design! His background in emergency preparedness extends beyond two decades and reaches into all related areas.
For nearly a decade, he was featured as the resident disaster preparedness expert on the popular NYC radio program “The Open line” on Sunday mornings on WRKS-FM in NYC. He assembled shows featuring many of the World’s top experts in the field including Crisis in the Hot Zone & Cobra effect Author Richard Preston, Coming Plague author Laurie Garrett, former NY Times terrorism expert Judith Miller and many others.
Aton has been featured on numerous national and international TV and Radio programs, magazines and newspapers most recently, a National Geographic TV special called “6 Degrees,” Vice President Al Gore’s Current TV TBS (Tokyo Broadcasting Service), Geraldo, BBC, RTL-4 (Holland) Antena 3, The Whoopi Goldberg Radio Show, Comedy Central (the Greg Giraldo Show), (Spain) Spiegel TV (Germany), New York Magazine, The Village Voice, Daily Challenge, Daily News, NY Post and many more.
Sam Greenlee, Author
samgreenlee@sbcglobal.net
Over the course of his career, Sam Greenlee has been a Foreign Service Officer, novelist, poet, screenwriter, actor, director, producer, All American middle distance runner, martial artist, journalist, teacher and talk show host. Born in Chicago on July 13, 1930, Greenlee attended Chicago public schools. At age fifteen, Greenlee participated in his first sit-in and walked in his first picket line; his social and political activism continues to this day.
In 1952, Greenlee received his B.S. in political science from the University of Wisconsin. After a two year stint as an infantry lieutenant during the Korean conflict, Greenlee entered graduate school at the University of Chicago, studying international relations from 1954 to 1957.
In 1957, he began a seven-year career with the U.S. Information Agency as a Foreign Service Officer, serving in Iraq, East Pakistan, Indonesia and Greece. In 1958 he was awarded the Meritorious Service Award for bravery during the Baghdad revolution, July 14, 1958.
Greenlee's first and most well known novel, The Spook Who Sat by the Door, was first published in London in 1969 after numerous rejections in America, and finally published in the U. S. by Bantam Books in 1970. This prize-winning, best selling novel quickly became an underground favorite for its fictionalization of an urban-based war for African American liberation. Greenlee was Co-Producer, Co-writer of the film adaptation of The Spook Who Sat By the Door with co-author Melvin Clay and director Ivan Dixon, respectively. The film was financed in the main by independent African American investors, and primarily shot in Gary, Indiana because permits to shoot in Chicago were denied by the city government.
“We stole the Chicago shots with a hand-held camera,” said Greenlee, “so it wound up a guerilla film about a guerilla war.”
Stephanie R. Green, Arts & Entertainment Journalist
SRG4Facts@aol.com
Stephanie R. Green is an Arts & Entertainment Journalist. Her journalism career began in 2002 for New York’s only Black Daily Newspaper, The Daily Challenge.
In the course of her career she’s enjoyed guest appearances on radio shows as well as having many of her articles posted online. Stephanie’s writings have mostly focused on films. She has covered human interest and political stories as well. Even though the majority of her writing centers on film, she also covers theatre, Special Events and the release of DVD’s.
In 2003, Stephanie had the pleasure of covering Tom Joyner’s first ever Black Family ReUnion in Orlando, Florida, where she continues to share how professionally enjoyable the entire event was.
Stephanie has a teenaged son [T. S. Taylor] who has been home schooled for the past two and a half years. She was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY and spent her summers in her parents hometown – Bennettsville, SC.
Her interest lies in entertainment, computer configuration and intellectual stimulation. She has a passion for the intellectual development and encouragement of children. She has a love for animals. Stephanie is a true believer in positive consciousness!
|
Leila enthusiastically does all she can to support small businesses and believes entrepreneurship is the way to become self-sufficient. "You cannot expect to receive everything you need from someone else. Almighty God promises us an honorable sustenance but, we have to do the work and we should support others who have taken on the same challenge."
The first print issue of the Metropolis was July 4, 2007 and it became an online newspaper March 2008. Unsuspecting and unprepared for the sudden and huge interest the online presence brought, Leila looks forward to catching up to the demand and expanding the Metropolis.
Leila lives in Bronzeville on Chicago’s south side where both her parents and grandparents are from. She is the proud aunt of three nephews; Brian, Christian, and Christopher.
Robert believes the Metropolis will become a major force in independent media and is looking forward to helping the expansion. He lives in the South Shore area of Chicago with his wife, Maria and three children, Taylor, Robert IV, and Gabrielle.
He is the author of Preparedness NOW! and is currently working on his new book to be released later this year called The Tao of Ayedo, a graphic novel called The Transitions, and a remake of the movie "Panic in the Year Zero."
Aton lives in New York and is the proud dad of his son, Amen.
In September, 1973, The Spook Who Sat by the Door was released on film by its distributor, United Artists. The film was an overnight success but was unexpectedly taken out of distribution. Greenlee and Dixon allege that the film was suppressed by the FBI in collusion with its distributor, United Artists.
“The government iced the film,” said Greenlee. “So much for the first amendment!”
In spite of government harassment, Greenlee has continued his personal activism and writing. Presently living in Woodlawn, the neighborhood of his childhood in Chicago's South Side ghetto. Greenlee is preparing his fourth volume of poetry, Ammunition, for publication as well as two novels, the first two volumes of his autobiography and several stage and screenplays.
(not pictured)
312-719-3515
info@bronzevillemetropolis.com
We accept articles, photographs,
comments, suggestions, & critiques
ALL VIEWS WELCOME!
|
