MC: I got a chance to check out Kimchi Chronicles, will you talk about that?

MV: Kimchi Chronicles is a 13-part series on Korean food and culture and it ties in a bit about my personal story and reconnecting with my birth mother--who is Korean--and, through her, reconnecting with my culture.

MC: Within the show, what are some newfound personal experiences you've had?

MV: We've had lots. How long do you have [laughs]. For me I've gone back and forth to Korea during the 16 years I've known my birth mother and that's been fantastic but due to language barriers I really haven't been able to learn much about the culture and history [prior to the show]. We met a lot of interesting and amazing people who had stories of hardship and who were dealing with the war. We met a lot of Korean grandmothers--as I like to call them--who went through so much strife and single-handedly kept businesses going for decades and have become leaders within Korea in terms of certain types of cuisine. That was really empowering to see.

MC: In a way the show is about your own Korean cultural and self-awakening but through the experience of food.

MV: Yes. I think food is such a great vehicle to learn ones culture. I think food is something that all of us need and if you were to go country to country a lot of the cuisine is rooted in peasant food as people call it. If you really look into the history of food cuisines changed over time because of invasions, visiting, importing, and exporting and all food has a story. I like to call Korean food the soul food of Asia.

MC: Why is that?

MV: I grew up on African America soul food. It's not expensive cuts of meat, it takes a long time to cook and African American culture--just like Korean culture--when you go to somebody's house they always ask you what did you eat, same thing with Koreans. It's how we show our love. On a whole it's a country that has been through a lot of struggle and a lot of turmoil and the food reflects that.

MC: You have a very interesting story, which you've alluded to a bit, growing up with an African American family and eventually finding your biological mother at 19.

MV: My mother was 19, unmarried, single mother and I was born in Korea at a time (in the 70s) when it was still striving for a homogenous society and the climate was not accepting of bi-racial children especially if you were Black and Korean. I was not issued a birth certificate--nor was any other mix children--and because of the limitations that would have been imposed my mother gave me up for adoption. [My parents] found me in an orphanage and my father spoke Korean because he was stationed there and we bonded instantly.

MC: But you eventually found your birth mother again?

MV: I had all of this information in my adoption file so I decided to look for my birth mother at 19 and called the Korean embassy in DC and they gave the number of these two American nuns in Korea who had made it their life work to reconnect adoptees with their biological families. I spoke to them about 20 minutes on the phone, they called me about three months later and they found her and she was in Brooklyn.

MC: Wow, so how is your story interwoven in Kimchi Chronicles?

MV: Just by me sharing my experience with my family. I don't know everything about Korean culture but it was a learning process for me and I think for most Americans watching the show it's a little more relatable when you see someone who kind of looks like you that you can relate to.

MC: You're also on the show with your husband and your daughter right?

MV: Yea so he's like my sidekick [laughs].

MC: How did you get into culinary arts? You're a former model and an actress.

MV: I did that from 9 until about college--I went to Fisk University in Nashville by the way--but I don't proclaim to be a chef by any means. I'm an avid home cook. I've been cooking since 12 and my parents have been very supportive eating my heavy a** biscuits for breakfast and would encourage me to make lunch still. I've become a really good home cook just experimenting at home. Learning about Korean food is just a natural progression; it's a part of my roots.

MC: Any tension on the show? Can we expect some drama?

MV: Any tension?

MC: It's seems like a Discovery Channel [world exploration] show with a reality show touch.

MV: No I wouldn't say tension...

MC: No Bad Girls Club moments...[laughs]

MV: No none of those moments but I did have moments where I cried a lot just hearing other people's stories and for me, even since I met my mother, I've felt like an invisible Korean. I was not acknowledged by other Koreans as being Korean because I don't really look Korean and that was kind of painful for me in a way because I had so wanted to belong to this culture I had missed out on for half of my life. But I realized it was my lack of knowledge of my culture that made me feel inadequate, not other people.

MC: What is this audience going to discover while watching the show?

MV: Korea is really, kind of, untapped in the world and it seems so very foreign. They're going to walk away with more of a familiarity and just see common traits between human beings. I think they are going to walk away with Korea being a little demystified. It's a culture that's beautiful and innovative and it's a country that's the size of Kentucky that everyone should put on their vacation list.

For more snippets of the show, listing information and a place to buy the Marja Vongerichten's cookbook visit http://www.kimchichronicles.tv/

Both Hahn and Huey have condemned the ad, which some have deemed racist, sexist and offensive for its depiction of black gang members and white women. The special runoff election to replace the retired Rep. Jane Harman (D-Venice) is scheduled for July 12.

Music is very powerful...and none more so than Black Music.

This is particularly true when one considers the historical legacy of African-descended peoples in America. For as Amiri Baraka beautifully demonstrated in his groundbreaking work Blues People: Negro Music in White America, it is not possible to fully appreciate Black music without first understanding the complex, comprehensive culture of Black people.

Moreover, music is at the very core of Black world culture.

Considered in this context, Black music, then, becomes a critical piece--a link, if you will--in the five centuries-long chain of events that culminated in the transition of a people...from African to African American.

Better yet, it is a thread that connects the remnants of the resplendent, diverse quilt that is the African Diaspora.

As our newly departed, brilliant ancestor Gil Scott-Heron wrote in the introduction to his poetry collection, Now and Then, "Black Americans are now a tremendously diverse essence of all the places we've come from and the music and rhythms we brought with us."

Black Music Month (BMM) was created, thirty-two years ago, to celebrate this legacy...and to ensure the continued preservation and transmission of this aspect of the African American experience and, indeed, that of the global Black experience. And although we might not often think of BMM in such terms, doing so makes its observance political...and for some, uncomfortable.

Perhaps this explains the Obama Administration's otherwise inexplicable aversion to publicly celebrating Black Music Month in the White House.

Even more confusing is the President's apparent antipathy for the Black Music Month moniker itself, and his decision to amend it, dubbing it African-American Music Appreciation Month (AAMAM) in the two proclamations he has quietly issued during his term as President of the United States (POTUS).

Until recently, even I had never considered the politics of BMM, but that soon changed.

My research took this turn soon after I did a Google search for the Obama Black Music Month proclamation. Long story short: There was none to be found, at least not with those search terms (but for those instances when media outlets automatically bill it as such, as did NewsOne in 2010).

And by this time, it was mid-June, as it is now.

I then went directly to the source: Dyana Williams, my fellow Temple University alumnus, known far and wide as the "Mother of Black Music Month," and even she had no knowledge of any proclamation at that time. As it were, Williams, a Democrat and fervent Obama supporter, shared that she was "profoundly disappointed and saddened."

She indicated that every effort had been made to convince the Obama administration to host a BMM reception to recognize Black music for what it is--a multibillion dollar industry and one of America's leading exports...but they declined.

Mind you, this is no small thing at a time when American exports--besides munitions--are few and far between.

Imagine my surprise.

Seeking clarification on this matter, I spoke to Cory Ealons, former White House Director of African American Media, who directed me to the AAMAM proclamation on the White House website.

During a very tense conversation, Ealons informed me that their approach to music appreciation is "like McDonalds'" (365Black): they appreciate all music, all the time...and, as it were, at that time, there would be no BMM celebration in the White House.

I was stunned. America's first Black POTUS would not be hosting a celebration of Black Music Month.

It didn't help when I learned, a few days later, of the White House reception observing the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, marking the beginning of the gay rights movement...and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month. At the time, Shin Inouye, a White House spokesperson, described the "long-planned event" as "a chance for the White House to recognize the accomplishments" of LGBT Americans.

Not that this is a bad thing...but why couldn't America's first Black President do the same thing for BMM?

After the LGBT event, Joe Solmonese of Human Rights Campaign, and an often fierce Obama critic, said of the POTUS: "He reminded us to continue to hold him accountable...There certainly was the appropriate and inspiring acknowledgment that he made of what this community has been through...that the work continues, that the commitment is still there...It's important for people to be reassured by the president."

Indeed.

By now, some are probably wondering why this is important; and others, no doubt, will argue that the proclamations are enough. Besides which, they reason, there are Black musicians performing in the Obama White House all the time, most recently Common, who the administration even refused to un-invite, in the face of Right Wing criticism.

But, here's the thing. By callously disregarding and, some would argue, disrespecting the 32 year legacy of this beautiful annual tribute to Black music, our first Black POTUS runs the risk of diminishing a decades-old celebration of Black culture.

Of course, the Presidential proclamations are noteworthy, but--as will be discussed herein--to change the name from BMM to AAMAM is, at best, a revisionist approach to American history.

And speaking of proclamations, as Kevin Lewis, White House Director of African American Media, assured me, President Obama recently issued the 2011 AAMAM proclamation. At press time, however, there was no word of any planned Presidential ceremony...but, as they say, hope springs eternal.

For without the bells and whistles of an attendant White House reception, most presidential proclamations go largely unnoticed. It is like the tree that falls in the forest when there is no one around. Does it make a sound?

And it's not that I don't appreciate performances by musical icons like Sweet Honey in the Rock, and Stevie Wonder, among others, all of whom I love. Not to mention the recent White House Motown Tribute during this year's Black History Month...but for several reasons I'm ambivalent about it.

Sure, I realize that no other POTUS has invited so many African American entertainers to the White House, but that's not the point. It's easy to invite Black people in to sing. Indeed, it is a time-honored American tradition.

My concerns, however, are more forward-looking.

Primary among them is the fact that Barack Obama, to date, is the first POTUS not to hold (or attend) a public BMM celebration in the White House, since Jimmy Carter began the tradition in 1979.

And, bear in mind, it was no easy road getting to the point where each successive POTUS recognized and celebrated BMM each June, which I chronicled in my article, "Black Music Month at 30: A Cultural Retrospective."

Not that I'm averse to musical tributes during Black History Month. I just worry that, if we're not careful, Black Music Month might, ironically--in the face of the first Black POTUS's continued "shade" for it--be rendered redundant.

More, for President Obama to single-handedly change the name to AAMAM--via a presidential amendment, of sorts--is to ignore the vast, rich contributions of the rest of the African Diaspora. At the same time, it papers over the fact that African Americans are a part of something far larger than the "American Experiment."

And from Bessie Smith, Louie Armstrong and Charlie Parker; to the Fisk Jubilee Singers, Mahalia Jackson and the Sounds of Blackness; to Michael Jackson, India.arie, and Anthony Hamilton; to Public Enemy, The Roots and Africa Bambaataa; to Bob Marley, Fela Kuti, and Miriam Makeba, the best of our musicians have always borne witness to our struggle.

This is why Black Music Month has become such a vital part of African American culture, acting as a bridge between the music of today and that of yesterday. A conservator, if you will.

And the same is needed in the policy arena...but I'll leave that discussion for another day. Suffice it to say, in this regard, BMM is only the tip of the metaphorical iceberg.

Perhaps Bob Marley said it best in his classic anthem, "No Woman, No Cry": "In this bright future, you can't forget your past."

This article is updated from an earlier version that appears in the June/July 2011 issue of The Frequency News.

The book will be a collection of writings on "living life, confronting obstacles and believing in yourself," according to a statement on a new web site, 4coloredboys.com.

The book's title is derived from a famous 1974 choreopoem from playwright Ntozake Shange called For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Is Enuf. Shange's work went on to inspire women of color for decades and last fall became the subject and title of a hugely popular Tyler Perry film.

Boykin noted that while the film was selling out movie theaters across the country, "young black gay men were literally committing suicide in the silence of their own communities." That experience motivated Boykin, an author of three published books, to collaborate with Magnus Books publisher Don Weise, who edited Boykin's last book, Beyond The Down Low.

The new book will respond to the crisis of youth development and suicide in the black community, according to Boykin, and more specifically among young gay men of color. Boykin acknowledges that some people think suicide is not an issue in the black community, but his web site cites a study published in April 2008 that found that young black men aged 13 to 24 were more likely to commit suicide than their white counterparts.

The site also mentions four young black males who committed suicide in recent years. The first, Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, was an 11-year-old black student in Massachusetts who hanged himself after enduring months of harassment and anti-gay bullying. Another 11-year-old, Jaheem Herrera of Atlanta, took his own life after suffering constant anti-gay bullying at his Atlanta area public school.

The suicide cases were not limited to young boys. Last September, a black 19-year-old openly gay college student named Raymond Chase committed suicide by hanging himself in his dorm room. A month later, Joseph Jefferson, a 26-year-old black gay youth activist, took his own life. "I could not bear the burden of living as a gay man of color in a world grown cold and hateful towards those of us who live and love differently than the so-called 'social mainstream,'" Jefferson reportedly posted on his Facebook page the day he killed himself.

Boykin's new book comes on the heels of CNN News Anchor Don Lemon's announcement on Sunday that he is gay and is dedicating his new book, Transparent, to Tyler Clementi, a gay Rutgers University student who killed himself after a roommate secretly videotaped him with another man.

The conversation about suicide has taken on added significance in the African American community after R&B recording artist Marsha Ambrosius released a recent music video for her single, Far Away, which depicted a young black gay man who took his own life. The video has been played on BET and other networks.

Submissions for Boykin's book will be accepted from May 20 until July 20, 2011. The editors say they expect the book to include essays from "gifted writers, published authors and well known public figures," but they are also looking for college students, suicide survivors, and anyone who has faced bullying or harassment in their lives.

The book will be published in March/April 2012.

"Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan," the president said. "A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability. No Americans were harmed. They took care to avoid civilian casualties. After a firefight, they killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body."

The president made the announcement in a nationally televised speech from the East Room of the White House, bringing to a close a 10-year manhunt for the man behind the September 11 attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C.

Crowds formed spontaneously at Lafayette Square Park in Washington, D.C., across from the White House, and in lower Manhattan at the site of Ground Zero.

The full text of President Obama's remarks is below.

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT ON OSAMA BIN LADEN

East Room

11:35 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Good evening. Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda, and a terrorist who's responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women, and children.

It was nearly 10 years ago that a bright September day was darkened by the worst attack on the American people in our history. The images of 9/11 are seared into our national memory -- hijacked planes cutting through a cloudless September sky; the Twin Towers collapsing to the ground; black smoke billowing up from the Pentagon; the wreckage of Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where the actions of heroic citizens saved even more heartbreak and destruction.

And yet we know that the worst images are those that were unseen to the world. The empty seat at the dinner table. Children who were forced to grow up without their mother or their father. Parents who would never know the feeling of their child's embrace. Nearly 3,000 citizens taken from us, leaving a gaping hole in our hearts.

On September 11, 2001, in our time of grief, the American people came together. We offered our neighbors a hand, and we offered the wounded our blood. We reaffirmed our ties to each other, and our love of community and country. On that day, no matter where we came from, what God we prayed to, or what race or ethnicity we were, we were united as one American family.

We were also united in our resolve to protect our nation and to bring those who committed this vicious attack to justice. We quickly learned that the 9/11 attacks were carried out by al Qaeda -- an organization headed by Osama bin Laden, which had openly declared war on the United States and was committed to killing innocents in our country and around the globe. And so we went to war against al Qaeda to protect our citizens, our friends, and our allies.

Over the last 10 years, thanks to the tireless and heroic work of our military and our counterterrorism professionals, we've made great strides in that effort. We've disrupted terrorist attacks and strengthened our homeland defense. In Afghanistan, we removed the Taliban government, which had given bin Laden and al Qaeda safe haven and support. And around the globe, we worked with our friends and allies to capture or kill scores of al Qaeda terrorists, including several who were a part of the 9/11 plot.

Yet Osama bin Laden avoided capture and escaped across the Afghan border into Pakistan. Meanwhile, al Qaeda continued to operate from along that border and operate through its affiliates across the world.

And so shortly after taking office, I directed Leon Panetta, the director of the CIA, to make the killing or capture of bin Laden the top priority of our war against al Qaeda, even as we continued our broader efforts to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat his network.

Then, last August, after years of painstaking work by our intelligence community, I was briefed on a possible lead to bin Laden. It was far from certain, and it took many months to run this thread to ground. I met repeatedly with my national security team as we developed more information about the possibility that we had located bin Laden hiding within a compound deep inside of Pakistan. And finally, last week, I determined that we had enough intelligence to take action, and authorized an operation to get Osama bin Laden and bring him to justice.

Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability. No Americans were harmed. They took care to avoid civilian casualties. After a firefight, they killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body.

For over two decades, bin Laden has been al Qaeda's leader and symbol, and has continued to plot attacks against our country and our friends and allies. The death of bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation's effort to defeat al Qaeda.

Yet his death does not mark the end of our effort. There's no doubt that al Qaeda will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must -- and we will -- remain vigilant at home and abroad.

As we do, we must also reaffirm that the United States is not -- and never will be -- at war with Islam. I've made clear, just as President Bush did shortly after 9/11, that our war is not against Islam. Bin Laden was not a Muslim leader; he was a mass murderer of Muslims. Indeed, al Qaeda has slaughtered scores of Muslims in many countries, including our own. So his demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace and human dignity.

Over the years, I've repeatedly made clear that we would take action within Pakistan if we knew where bin Laden was. That is what we've done. But it's important to note that our counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan helped lead us to bin Laden and the compound where he was hiding. Indeed, bin Laden had declared war against Pakistan as well, and ordered attacks against the Pakistani people.

Tonight, I called President Zardari, and my team has also spoken with their Pakistani counterparts. They agree that this is a good and historic day for both of our nations. And going forward, it is essential that Pakistan continue to join us in the fight against al Qaeda and its affiliates.

The American people did not choose this fight. It came to our shores, and started with the senseless slaughter of our citizens. After nearly 10 years of service, struggle, and sacrifice, we know well the costs of war. These efforts weigh on me every time I, as Commander-in-Chief, have to sign a letter to a family that has lost a loved one, or look into the eyes of a service member who's been gravely wounded.

So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when our people have been killed. We will be relentless in defense of our citizens and our friends and allies. We will be true to the values that make us who we are. And on nights like this one, we can say to those families who have lost loved ones to al Qaeda's terror: Justice has been done.

Tonight, we give thanks to the countless intelligence and counterterrorism professionals who've worked tirelessly to achieve this outcome. The American people do not see their work, nor know their names. But tonight, they feel the satisfaction of their work and the result of their pursuit of justice.

We give thanks for the men who carried out this operation, for they exemplify the professionalism, patriotism, and unparalleled courage of those who serve our country. And they are part of a generation that has borne the heaviest share of the burden since that September day.

Finally, let me say to the families who lost loved ones on 9/11 that we have never forgotten your loss, nor wavered in our commitment to see that we do whatever it takes to prevent another attack on our shores.

And tonight, let us think back to the sense of unity that prevailed on 9/11. I know that it has, at times, frayed. Yet today's achievement is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the American people.

The cause of securing our country is not complete. But tonight, we are once again reminded that America can do whatever we set our mind to. That is the story of our history, whether it's the pursuit of prosperity for our people, or the struggle for equality for all our citizens; our commitment to stand up for our values abroad, and our sacrifices to make the world a safer place.

Let us remember that we can do these things not just because of wealth or power, but because of who we are: one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you. May God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America.

Dear Chris:

I really did not want to write this open letter, and would have preferred to speak to you in person, in private. Indeed, ever since the domestic violence incident with Rihanna two years ago there have been attempts, by some of the women currently or formerly in your circle, women who love and care deeply about you, to bring you and I together, as they felt my own life story, my own life experiences, might be of some help in your journey. For whatever reasons, that never happened. By pure coincidence, I wound up in a Harlem recording studio with you about three months ago, as I was meeting up with R&B singer Olivia and her manager. You were hosting a listening session for your album-in-progress and the room was filled with gushing supporters, with a very large security guard outside the studio door. I was allowed in, as I assume you knew my name, and my long relationship to the music industry. I greeted you and said I would love to have a talk with you, but I am not even sure you heard a single word I said above the loud music. I gave your security person my card when I left, asked him to ask you to phone me, but you never did, for whatever reasons. And that is fine.

When asked if he was a "birther," Trump said he wants to see the president's birth certificate. He said "there is something on his birth certificate he does not like."

An agitated Whoopi Goldberg challenged Trump's assertions, but the real estate developer turned reality TV star stood his ground. Goldberg pointed out that no white president had been asked to show his birth certificate so why was this being asked of President Obama.

Is this a black/white issue of is Trump a serious contender? The idea of Trump being president seems laughable, but he seems to be polling well among the Republican field, and today he probably scored some points with members of the birther community. He might be their most famous spokesperson.

Would you vote for Trump for president?

[Original Entry]

Make no mistake: Adeotokumboh M'Cormack is a rising star.

MC: Hello. How are things going after working on the film?

AM: Things are going well. I'm enjoying being in the moment and waiting for the release of the film so things are going really good.

MC:That's great. Talk a bit about Battle: Los Angeles. What's the premise of the movie?

AM: Well the premise of the movie is a war movie with aliens. You have the whole movie being shot from the perspective of one Marine platoon who are, basically, Los Angeles's last line of defense against this invasion. It's epic. It's huge. It's startling realistic in the sense that it's almost shot documentary style; you just follow the one group. You don't cut to the White House or some other random place in the world, you really follow this one group. It's just really gritty. It's heartfelt. It's real and it's just really different from anything we've seen so far.

MC: What other movies would you compare it too?

AM: I would say it's most like Black Hawk Down except the enemy is, of course aliens. It has elements of Saving Private Ryan in it. I would say it has a bit of Hurt Locker as well.

MC: In the past a lot of Sci-Fi films have dealt with the idea of doomsday and alien invasions, what exactly makes this one any different?

AM: The fact that it's hand to hand combat. It's urban combat. You actually get to see these Marines fighting with this enemy. You also get to see that the aliens--in regards to the armies--are similar to our military. They have lieutenants; they have corporals and medics.

MC: So a different type of personification of an alien species?

AM: Yes it's very similar. It's very real and it doesn't feel like this abstract random thing. It feels like a real fight here on earth.

MC: Do you have any views about life on other planets?

AM: [Laughs] You know what's funny? After doing this film I had to do more research about if there is life on other planets and other existence; you know it very well may be true. I think there may be other life forms, and we are not alone--I don't think we are alone at all. It is a possibility.

MC: Since you're a bit of an expert on this now, how should one prepare for a potential alien attack on earth?

AM: [Laughs] Oh, I don't know. I honestly don't know and I wouldn't call myself an expert either. What we did in the film was rely on our training. We spent three weeks prior to filming in boot camp where we learned to use M-4s, M-16s, assemble, dissemble, weaponry, shoot, 50-[Calibers]; we learned what it was like for Marines--not really be Marines--and just a glimpse into their world and what I realized is--no matter what the enemy is--they rely on their training and their background in order to fight the enemy. I think we have to trust that our military is trained to fight the enemy even if they've never fought the enemy before.

MC: I want to ask--continuing the conversation about specifics in this film--"they say" Black people often die first in Hollywood films [Laughs]. Is this film any different in that regard? Does this film break those so-called standards?

AM: [Laughs continue] Well I can't give too much away obviously but the refreshing difference is that ethnic groups are strongly represented in this film. You have the Latinos--Ramon Rodriguez and Michelle Rodriguez are both in the film. You have Black representation with Ne-Yo, Corey Hardrict, Neil Brown Jr., and also myself--you have a few of the Caucasian characters as well. We are really well represented in the film and you'll be pleasantly surprised to see who makes it and who doesn't. I think we keep people guessing throughout the entire film.

MC: Describe your character's particular role in the arc of this film.

AM: Well the thing about the marines is that they don't really have medics so they enlist a navy corpsman--so I'm from the navy--to go along with them into battle. My character has been with these marines before, fighting alongside them, so my character comes and helps the wounded or sends them back if they are too hurt. Eventually everything just completely falls apart when the aliens species come and I end up not just being a medic but being called into battle.

MC: What physically, mentally, or otherwise did you have to do to prepare for this role?

AM: It was a lot of research. Every one of our characters had to do a lot of research. Three weeks prior to filming we went to boot camp where we all slept in a tent and woke up at five in the morning. We had to run two and a half miles, do hundreds of situps and pushups and jumping jacks and what not; we had to get ourselves physically like marines but we also had to get to the mindset of marines like speaking the same terminology as marines. A lot of it was very very arduous and it was really physically demanding but I got in the best shape of my life. However, people got broken hands, I suffered a concussion, people chipped their teeth. Out of all of the lead characters most of us had to be hospitalized at some point. But at the end of the day we loved it and hope we portrayed the military in an accurate way.

MC: Did you have any inspirations for the role?

AM: I used several people actually. I spoke to actual navy corpsmen and asked specific questions about what I would do in certain situations. The script changed quite a bit because the director wanted some things to look more realistic so I would have to ask how my character would respond in those situations. I also read tons of books and talked to doctors as well.

MC: What was it like working with director Johnathan Liebsman?

AM: Johnathan Liebsman is an absolute genius. I had a blast working with him and it was interesting because he tried to paint a picture initially and we didn't really get it until he showed us a presentation with exactly what he wanted. Then we got it; after that we decided to trust his vision and I'm glad we did. I think that it is very realistic and very entertaining.

MC: So you were born in Sierra Leone and you grew up in Kenya?

AM: Yes, I was born in Sierra Leone--I lived in Nigeria for a bit--but mostly I grew up in Kenya.

MC: What is it like being Black, in general, in Hollywood but also being from another country--being African? What is it like engaging this mega-business with all of your identity layers?

AM: It's interesting, it's actually really interesting. I think that I definitely share the African American experience being the fact that I am Black but it's always interesting because I am also very much an African. When people meet me--before I open my mouth--people often assume I am African American. At the end of the day I guess I actually am when you think about the true definition of an African American. I wouldn't say there are any major differences because my life in Kenya wasn't very different. I lived in the capital, Nairobi. I had friends from all over the world, so for me coming here there were no major differences in my lifestyle so to speak.

MC: On that same point do you feel like you have a more wealth of roles because you can confidently play someone who is from Africa and play someone who is an American born African or African American?

AM: Yes I can do both, but what's interesting is that I feel like a lot of people are so intimidated because my name is so African. They wonder: can he really pull off an African American role? Of course I can, it's just I have this long intimidating first name. As an actor I wouldn't say there are more roles available to me but I like to do it all.

MC: I get a sense that people are more comfortable with someone who is African (born in an African country) playing someone who is African American versus an African American playing someone who is African born. What do you have to say about those perceptions?

AM: Well this this the thing: I think ultimately actors are actors and if you can do the role justice, be it an African American playing an African, as long as you've done the research and figure out what accent is appropriate for a particular country and find out what is needed I don't think it matters.

MC: How do you feel about the way Africa is depicted, at times, in films? For example, we often hear about ,or see, Africa as one culture and we see a continuous pan-African identity. Do you feel like you have a responsibility to point out the vastness of Africa?

AM: Absolutely. You know I think my biggest issue is when I say I am from Sierra Leone--well I have a friend who I told I was from Sierra Leone and he said wait a minute that's a country? I thought that was a poor girl who had her arms amputated in that Kanye West video. [Laughs] I think there has got to be awareness that Africa is a continent that is comprised of lots of different countries with unique cultures. I think it helps that your President is from Kenya. I think that raises a little bit more awareness that Africa isn't just one "dark" continent.

MC: What's up for you after Battle: Los Angles?

AM: I think I'm taking a more film path--not that I'm abandoning TV--I'm producing a project I wrote and I'm looking at some scripts and a film that I co-produced that I will also star in that we plan to shoot in Africa.