It’s hard to believe that 2007 has come to an end. As always it’s fun to look back at the year and see the best of what it had to offer. Feel free to take a quick look at the Recorder’s list and check out our selections for the best of 2007. Some of the choices might surprise you:
Key
Vice President of Editorial Content and Production Design: Shannon Williams
Staff Writers: Brandon A. Perry, Jessica Williams-Gibson, and Barato Britt
Best female artist
Alicia Keys and Mary J. Blige
Jill Scott
Amy Winehouse
Mary J. Blige
Best Male Artist
Ne-Yo
Sean Kingston
Jay Z
Kanye West
Best comeback career
Musiq Soulchild
Kool & the Gang
Jill Scott
Randy Moss, New England Patriots
Best local event of the year
Indianapolis Recorder and Indiana Black Expo’s Summer Celebration Kick-off party
Colts Super Bowl celebrations
Indiana State Fair
AFC Championship
Best dressed female
Halle Berry
Rihanna
Oprah Winfrey
Beyonce
Best dressed male
Djimon Hounsou
Barack Obama
Kanye West
George Clinton during the 2007 Grammy Awards (classic!)
Best celebrity couple
Seal and Heidi Klum
Will and Jada
Rihanna and Shia LaBeouf
Shaquille O’Neal and wife Shaunee (say it ain’t so!)
Best Oprah Moment
Oprah’s Academy in Africa
When she joined Barack Obama on stage in Iowa on Dec. 8.
Her show on hoarders
Hip-Hop Roundtable discussions
Best TV show
House Hunters
Law & Order: SVU
The Game
Sportscenter
Best Concert
Babyface
SOS Band
Scream Tour feat. T.I. and Ciara
N/A
Best movie
“Why Did I Get Married?”
“Talk to Me”
“Why Did I Get Married?”
“American Gangster”
Best hang out spot/nightclub
D’vine: A Wine Bar
The Point
D’Vine: A Wine Bar
Cloud 9, on a night without any Indiana Pacers
Best fashion trend
Pencil skirts
Kango caps (They evolved in ’07 and are here to stay baby!)
Skinny jeans
Clear Air Jordans (a joke!)
Breakout star in 2008
Ne-Yo
Tay Zonday
Tay Zonday
Kevin Durant
Best Sports Moment
Colts winning Super Bowl XLI!!!
Best Recorder Story
Shannon Williams
Healthy Living Series (Sept. 7, 14 and 21, 2007)
African-Americans suffer from many illnesses at disproportionate rates. Because of this startling reality, the Recorder decided to create a series that specifically focused on symptoms, warning signs, and preventative measures of some of the common diseases and illnesses that affect Blacks including heart disease, diabetes, kidney and lung disease, and obesity. This was my favorite piece of the year because it raised a tremendous amount of awareness with its easy to understand format.
Brandon A. Perry
Actually I have two favorites, one being the Recorder’s coverage of this year’s local elections. We offered coverage of several critical City-County Council races, introduced an unknown retired Marine named Greg Ballard to the Black community, explained what was at stake for city government and how easy it really is for citizens to vote. The Recorder pledges to also present detailed election coverage in 2008 because we all pay the price for apathy when we fail to exercise our right to vote.
Another favorite is Jessica Williams-Gibson’s article on Being Who You Are (July 27). The article highlighted how African-Americans who are cultured and don’t conform to the stereotypical perception of what it means to “act Black” are sometimes ostracized as “acting too white.” It raised two important questions: “How can a person ‘act’ like a color?” and “Is it only your race that defines who you are?” This is a topic worthy of more discussion to help us gauge the difference between having cultural pride and perpetuating negative stereotypes about our people.
Jessica Williams-Gibson
My pick for best Recorder story was my articles dealing with domestic abuse (Oct. 19 and 26). I’d done articles on the subject in the past but this time, it was different. This year, I was able to learn about domestic abuse on a deeper, more significant level, and, unfortunately, was able to witness firsthand the threats of domestic violence to one of my subjects and what it can do to a woman and her family.
I’m all the more grateful for being able to have a job where not only can I learn more about the ills of society, but that I also can report them to my community, provide knowledge and information and call Recorder readers to action.
Barato Britt
Without question, my favorite Recorder article of the year was in my coverage of Super Bowl XLI. Not only was I awarded the opportunity to cover the Colts on football’s biggest stage, but I had the opportunity to watch history unfold with head coach Tony Dungy becoming the first African-American coach to win the Super Bowl. My stories focused not only on the team’s first ever title in Indy, but in the historical significance of Dungy’s accomplishment.
