About Tom Joyner

It’s 2013, and even though it’s been thrown in our faces for the last three weeks, one of us will still write 1-3-12 on a check. It’ s just one of those things that can’t be avoided.   And speaking of writing checks and spending money, let’s not get reeled in on any more sales gimmicks.  […]

This is our moment, not  just because we won, but the way we won. There’s a lesson in last night’s victory for all of us. If you have a good plan or a good idea or a good dream, you set a goal and keep your eye on the prize. You are not taken off […]

So, what should determine whether a person remains in college or not? Grades? Of course. Conduct? I’m with that. Money? Well that’s a tricky one. Of course it costs lots of money to get a higher education and it’s getting more expensive all the time. Somebody has to pay for it, that’s for certain. But […]

Barely a week goes by without me getting a request to do an interview with mainstream media about something regarding President Barack Obama. It began during the 2008 presidential election and peaked not long after the Big Chief won and the country was entranced with the idea of a post-racial America.  This was the concept […]

I’m just a DJ, but I’m warning you that I’m about to preach to my church-going Christians: the ones who are considering NOT going to the polls on election day and to those of you who may have some influence on them. If you weren’t ever planning on voting or if you’ve never supported the […]

During a speech the President made following the Republican National Convention, he mentioned something negative Mitt Romney had said and the crowd, in support of the Big Chief, began to boo.  “Don’t boo,” he said…”vote!”  And he was absolutely right. Even though the great speeches at the DNC have gotten us fired up and ready […]

Yesterday, we lost a great entertainer: Sherman Hemsley. Although he went on to play other successful TV roles, his most famous and beloved is that of George Jefferson of the hit sitcom, “The Jeffersons,” alongside the late great TV veteran, Isabel Sanford. It’s not such a big deal now to turn on the TV and […]

It’s funny how during the week of the Fourth of July, three news stories broke out that question freedom of speech, expression and religion. Chris Rock, who was hailed the funniest man alive…by white America, no less, sent out a Fourth of July Tweet wishing Happy Independence Day to white people. "Happy white peoples independence […]

We love music and Black music and as we approach this all- important election, I’ve been thinking about the role it’s played to motivate us to do the right thing.  Without picking up a book (not that I’m encouraging that) we can look back at our album, eight-track, cassette, cd collections and iTunes libraries to […]

It’s graduation season and time to salute students moving on to another phase of life. Over the years, I can’t even count how many commencement ceremonies I’ve participated in. The idea, of course, is to provide words of encouragement and even to give the students what’s called a charge — a responsibility, a duty or […]

I think one of the things that makes the TJMS work is that, like a real family, we bring a variety of personalities, talents and flaws to the table, yet we accept our differences and roll with them. It only becomes a problem when one of our actions – or lack thereof – begins to […]