Concrete Loop’s own Angel Laws and J. Dakar were invited to the White House for the first ever African-American Online Summit held on Monday (October 11) in Washington, D.C. The roundtable of about 20 bloggers/journalists (from various online outlets) discussed an array of topics from health care, economics to education and more. They even discussed the role online media plays on current society.
The Columbus Day session lasted about four hours and also featured appearances from senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, along with specialists from various parts of the administration, including the First Lady’s office. There was even a surprise visit from President Barack Obama who casually came in through a side door.
Here is what Concrete Loop creator/editor Angel wrote on her personal blog about meeting the President:
President Obama casually came in during the meeting and everyone was shocked. He walked around to each person, shook their hand and asked their name and affiliation. It was an honor to meet him in person, especially after being a big supporter of his during the election years.
I’m very excited that the Obama Administration is taking the new media approach seriously and it was an honor to be apart of the summit. I can’t believe how far Concrete Loop is taking me. Feeling very blessed.
That is amazing Angel. Congratulations to you and J.Dakar. I hope to meet President Obama one day as well.
What an HONOR! Congrats to you and your team! GOD BLESS
Now see…that’s the kinda stuff I’m talking about….!
GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh wow, how wonderful, congratulation!
Congratulations Angel & J. Dakar!
This is a milestone and I am not only so very proud of you, but I am also inspired because I remember when you FIRST started and see how far it has brought you!
………and just think, this is ONLY the beginning!
God Bless You Always!
Lance Scurvin
“America’s Most Outspoken Artist!”
Obama needs to backhand whoever is there representing Media Take Out across the face with a spiked glove..
I really don’t feel like they should be representing African American media in any form, AT ALL..
The site is an embarrassment.. full of poor, fact lacking “reporting” and nonsensical rumors and slander of successful black (and any other race) people doing nothing wrong.
Anyway, I can’t believe CL got this achievement.. yay, how amazing. Suppperrr proud. Well deserved.
@ #6 RIAN
While I agree that Media FAKE Out is not the best site, truth is, it is one of the most visited sites in terms of black America. I think if the Obama Administration is truly opening up to social media, unfortunately they have to include MTO as well. Real Talk.
Congrats ConcreteLoop team…that is truly an honor!
Congrats Angel. Good to see that CL has grown to new levels, and continues to do so.
WAY TO GO ANGEL!
congrats!
one question though: my posts lately don’t show,
is it because of the low bandwith?
I’d appreciate if you could take it to the president.
OMGAHHHh
YESSSSS – You are steppin up in the rightway in 2010 Yesssir
Concrete Loop is great at website ..Keep doing what your doing
Congratz
Congratulations to the Loop!
This is amazing. Your accomplishments are something to look up too. Way to be a positive role model for black women AND women in general.
Keep up the great work.
<3 G
Congrats 2 everyone on the concreteloop staff. This is such a big achievement. keep doing it big and continue to Believe In GOD cause he believes in you.
You Deserve All That Is Coming Your Way Angel! Congrats To You!!!!
congrats!
Good for you Angel. You always try to keep it classy * yawn * jk, jk and look where it got you. I think you earned your seat at the conference. I just hope we don’t have to start dealing with a lot of propaganda and I hope the white house does not take over the blog world. Lets keep it real, raw, and 100. I just hope this is not the end to realness..and that the gov don’t have alterior motives and I am sure they do but still good for you !
Congrats Concrete Loop!!!
What great moment and opportunity.
Congrats CL that is amazing. Angel- you’re an inspiring business woman and I admire the hustle. Keep it up
Congrats to Concreteloop! I know Angel is proud. She even shared a smile with us surprisingly.
As for MTO, yall need to take them with A LOT OF humour. I dont hate MTO, this is a part of media, even when they portray that side of african americans I believe to make ppl change. I just cant understand how ppl , grown ppl can be so dumb to believe everything they read. Thats my main concern, you sit on a gossip site and it looks like none of the readers even THINK, they are all mentally challenged excepting a few. And it goes beyond MTO. Nowadays with internet, they believe everything.
What an unforgettable opportunity.
However, I’m skeptical about this move. Why is the Obama administration reaching out to black CELEBRITY bloggers? Since taking office, Obama has spent more time on general American topics such as health care and Gay Rights than on any legislature or issues pertaining to the black American voter bloc which put him in office. What does he have to say about that multi-million dollar settlement black farmers won from the government, that Congress is shoving under the rug so as not to pay out, when white farmers are subsidized by the government every year? What about Michelle Obama’s anti-childhood obesity fight and the fact that black children don’t have access to nutritional food because fast food and corner stores proliferate low income neighborhoods? And so on…
I congratulate Angel and J. Dakar on this achievement, but I can’t help but feel this was an attempt to pander to black bloggers so they won’t begin to ask the harder questions about the Obama administration and focus on idolizing Obama the man.
How exciting. Obama is on it!
@ Truth Hurts
They weren’t just black celebrity bloggers there. A lot of journalists and political blogs were represented as well. The summit was about 4 hours long (and video taped) and they did discuss many of the things you listed above including Michelle Obama’s “Lets Move” campaign and the economy. Overall, it was just a meeting with some of the top black online outlets to get feedback on how the White House could improve their online engagement efforts. Many of the attendees did ask some hard questions to Obama’s staff, that’s why I hope they release some of the video soon. It was a very comprehensive meeting.
ps. I was already an Obama supporter prior to this invite and as you know we covered his election extensively on CL. I see what you’re saying, but that will never go down on my end.
How did MTO get an invite? I mean CL and Jack and Jill are way above MTO
Well Done Angel and J. Dakar!!! Please keep us posted if the summit is aired.
I mean at least they are making an attempt to hear the bloggers’ concerns and take their suggestions..that’s at least a start, i don’t think Sarah Palin, George Bush or Glen Beck would give a rat’s ass what we think. This is the exact OPPORTUNITY to ask the “harder” questions, they are just fortunate that we have an open-minded President that would even give such an opportunity, especially to a group of social media bloggers. Whatever the intentions of the administration, at least a line of communication was offered and a door was opened; up to us to bum-rush it. Tell you one thing, that is one job i wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy(President) Dude basically passed a Health care bill in his first year and gets blasted on CNN by a black chick cuz she “tired of defending him”. Ida been impeached by now(lol)
LMAO!!!!!!
That’s Fred in the beige suit and glasses from MTO! That is sooo lame. His “writers” can’t even spell!
Some body please tell me which one of those fools are MTo representative so I can upside their head for giving us false news and making up a whole lot of ish. Smdh
Meant go upside
Congrats Angel!
What a cool event. Perhaps the potential to provide balance to the distorted facts given out by some media organization…
Congrats on this! This is wonderful and I have to say it’s refreshing to look at your site and not see drama, and all the nonsense that I see on some. +100 CL
Congrats Angel & J. Dakar!!! it’s been great seeing how this blog has evolved over the years and I’m really looking forward to where you’re going to take it next.
On another note, yeah I’m really surprised that the White House invited MTO to the event, when they are the black version of fox news & those tabloid mags that you see in the check out line @ the grocery store. SMDH.
Congrats Angel!
Now on another note, the woman that runs YBF was there too? Guess the standards for 100% excellence weren’t also there after all!!!!
NOVEMBER 6, 2010 NOVEMBER 6, 2010
NOVEMBER 6, 2010 NOVEMBER 6, 2010
NOVEMBER 6, 2010 NOVEMBER 6, 2010
NOVEMBER 6, 2010 NOVEMBER 6, 2010
I’m super proud of you Angel and your blog. God is truly amazing
Keep up the great work.
Congratulations! You guys are doing it, so proud of you all and keep up the good work!
OMG. i would have shat my pants. MTO got invited? smh
Lool @ Rian
MTO should NOT have even been invited – I swear that’s Fred sitting in the beigish grayish whatever suit and the glasses. The nerve of him to even show up. His site is an embarrassment – him/his staff cannot spell AT ALL (and he obviously doesn’t seem to care) and the foolishness they post .. and there are some dummies who believe everything. Like when they posted that Drake and Snookie were datingg .. who in their right mind would believe that?
Anywhoooo, ranting aside – congrats CL!
That’s awesome.
Congratulations CL, and Angel I know that probaly was a moving moment when you saw your name ” Angel Laws” typed out like that on that paper. That was your seat set aside and is something I know that you will never forget for the rest of your life. Cant wait to see the video in full!
Oh yeah, I just wanted to mention that not only did Angel just get back from the White House and speaking with our president, but also she met and spoke with Chris Gardner ! Get it Angel, I see you! Thats what the heck I call making moves and you and CL are doing it sista!!!
Congratulations CL!!!! I’ve supported this blog for a long time and I am so very proud Angel & J. Dakar!!!
GO CL!
I want to take this shit serious but just seeing Mediatakeout I cannot take it serious
That’s wonderful CONCRETE LOOP…keep up the good work!!
CONGRATS ANGEL
well deserved one of the few decent bloggers out there =]
Congrats to Angel & J.Dakar!
I hope meeting the president will inspire the people @ MTO to class up their site a little bit more and stop showing all that ratchetness. Black people can do anything and be anything so I wish they would stop showing us looking like a bunch of hoodrats, ghetto birds, and coons. The staff included with their horrible spelling and ridiculous stories.
I understand @ whoever replied to me; I obviously don’t take MTO or any of their BS stories seriously but people legit think what they read on MTO is real.. with no proof. People figure, ‘why would they take the time to type it if it wasn’t true?’ which worries me.
It’s not necessarily the site, but the attitude that goes with it; people not questioning / checking these sort of sources, etc. (and like someone else mentioned, they can’t even spell or use proper grammar on 80% of the titles or captions of their posts). Imagine them in real life. I fear for that lol. People read MTO like a heard of sheep and just believe it and defend it with no fact base which I’m against in general. “ne-yo is gay because he has big lips” – mto “yep, being weird looking = being homosexual. gay!” – mto readers. It’s ridiculous lol; So ignorant.
I don’t actually take anything they type (when I do get bored enough to visit) seriously lolol. Ew.
WOWOW CONGRATS, of course person would question this venture no matter what the agenda was and if there was a agenda to cover up the president should be smart enought to know that no one plays with the media cuase it will come back to Mass ya!! anyway, i wish i could get an opportunity like that and i hope that the media really uterlize this time given to get what they want and to make online browsing and blogging safer
Congratulations! I am so happy that Concreteloop has gotten the shine that it deserves. It’s good to see the good guys get accolades and be taken serious! Sky’s the limit.
GO CL! Angel you are rapidly going down in the History books! Yeah Im a Fan! I even applied to be your PA. Now its official Concrete Loop is Executive Fresh! Kudos Mama! and Kudos to J Dakar!
Oh had to get my Web address right! LOL
Very happy for you and CL.. So proud that all of your hard work and dedication has been acknowledged.
Congrats Angel and J. That’s truly an honor. There should be more comments on this great accomplishment, but I, salute you both. This is one of many great things to come!!!
GREAT CL!!!…ANGEL & J DAKAR… DOING IT BIG!!! THIS IS JUST WONDERFUL!!!
KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!! 
Congrats CL!
Awww Angel! I’m sitting here smiling…may GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOUR ENDEAVORS!!
What a wonderful acheivement Congratulations to The Loop!
Hey Angel Congrats this is a positive move..I’m from South Africa and I always vist your site because it’s got some class and presents African-Americans ina positive light, without trying too hard to be ‘cool”, using profanity and dissing people unnessesarily..like some of the other blogs that always leave me wondering what kind of society are black americans. Your site reminds me that there will always be the good the bad and the ugly in every society..and thats why occassionaly on this site you get some out-of-line comments, but generally its decency andi hoep your progress wil also positively influence even more youngsters who stil think cool is when one is being rude and indecent..that if you work hard and build a good image of yourself you can go far isntead of embracing the “gheto-image”..wich NOBODY SAID blacks DESERVE to have that lifestyle..but for some reason some media outlets and artists seem to propel that message that the ghetto is our well-deserved heritage and when one progresses in life and embraces the finer and decent things in life..they’ll say you trying to be white/too holywood/ or not in touch with your peope..SMH..ok thats all i gotta say for now…