Articles

Area teens learned the steps to success at Disney’s Dreamers Academy with Steve Harvey

Two attendants guarded heavy curtains that enclosed a private, V.I.P. access only area at the close of the Disney’s Dreamers Academy of 2009. Inside were 100 of Disney’s special guests, who got a rare chance to talk one-on-one with comedian, actor and nationally syndicated radio personality, Steve Harvey, who gave them straight dialogue, “like I talk to my kids”, about not letting the bad things in life deter their dreams. This was not a time for camera clickers or any interference to distract from the message that was no jokes, no chasers, a side of Harvey that many have never seen.

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Oprah Encourages Women to Find Purpose and Intention in Their Lives

At 6 a.m., well-dressed women began a line that would perimeter the Washington Convention Center by 9:15 a.m. From all the brightly colored pantsuits and nearly new Nine West pumps on the pavement, you'd have thought a model call or a sorority meeting was about to jump off.

Last Saturday, Oprah Winfrey inspired a sold out D.C. crowd at her Live Your Best Life Tour, a three-city road show, sponsored by O, The Oprah Magazine. Women and a handful of men came from as far as Nova Scotia, paying $185 or more for a chance to get up-close life advice from the award winning media magnate.

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Oprah on Life, Work and Chasing Dreams

Oprah Winfrey took her show on the road with her O Magazine’s Live Your Best Life Tour and BV caught up with the talk-show queen at the sold-out event on its stop in Washington, D.C. America’s favorite sistergirl let her funny side fly, joking frequently and laughing with an open heart. For the most part, though, she remained serious, mentoring 5,000 women and a sprinkling of men for a full two hours, connecting her struggles with the audience. Oprah spoke directly to the anxiety, self-doubt and hurt in people who have wrestled with emptiness in their career, indecision, layoffs, weight or lack of direction. Here are a few personal revelations from Oprah:

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Meet Mac McDonald, Winemaker

Mac McDonald is one of a select few. As the head of Vision Cellars, a California vineyard and winery in Sonoma County, he is one of only a handful of African-American vineyard owners in the United States.

McDonald, founder and president of the Association of African-American Vintners, broke into the industry in 1995 by forming a relationship with Caymus, a respected wine label. Then, he raised $82,000 in venture capital on his own, pocket change in the cash-rich wine industry. Most winemakers, he says, come from old money and most successful people in the business are obsessed with the bottom line. McDonald stresses, though, that he wants to make money but he doesn’t make it his sole focus. He and his wife Lil use their own money to travel around the country, cultivating a new crop of African-American aficionados.

BV spoke with McDonald recently about what it takes to break into the winery business.

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