[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 17 (Monday, January 27, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E85]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                HONORING THE POSITIVE COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. DONALD M. PAYNE, JR.

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, January 27, 2020

  Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the U.S. House of 
Representatives to join me as I rise to pay tribute to The Positive 
Community Magazine for 20 years of promoting African-American culture, 
values and traditions.
  In the late 1990s, Adrian Council, Sr. and Jean Nash Wells wanted to 
change the way African Americans were perceived in their communities 
and in the country. They did not like the fact that most of the 
publicity they read about African Americans was negative. They started 
a newsletter, called the Good Newsletter, and filled it with positive 
stories from black culture. Then they distributed it to churches and 
other popular gathering places throughout the northern New Jersey and 
New York area. Eventually, the Good Newsletter became the Positive 
Community Newsletter.
  In 2000, the founders decided to turn their newsletter into a 
magazine, called The Positive Community, and still contains stories 
about the people, organizations, and companies that are doing good 
things in black communities. For example, one of their issues is 
dedicated to college graduation with photos and descriptions of the 
graduates.
  Today, The Positive Community has evolved into a faith-based 
lifestyle magazine written for African-American consumers in the New 
York and New Jersey market. It continues to be focused on the good news 
reported from churches and communities. The co-founders initial dream 
to create a balanced medium that accurately reflects the efforts of 
churches, small businesses, corporations, and concerned individuals to 
improve their neighborhoods, towns and cities has become a reality. In 
addition to the monthly publication, The Positive Community co-sponsors 
church and community events that focus on health and financial 
literacy-related issues.
  On New Year's Day of 2020, the magazine hosted the inaugural Great 
American Emancipation Day Awards Banquet at the historic Robert Treat 
Hotel in Newark, New Jersey to celebrate their 20th anniversary. They 
presented seven guests with awards to honor their commitment to 
African-American communities, such as the Torchbearer Award, Servant 
Leadership Award, and the Community Spirit Award. The event continued 
the same devotion to respect for the audience as the magazine has shown 
to its readers.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my fellow Members of the U.S. House of 
Representatives to join me and recognize The Positive Community 
Magazine for its 20-year commitment to positive publicity for African 
Americans across the country.

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