H&M Puts More Black Entrepreneurs On The Map With Latest ‘Buy From a Black Woman’ Partnership

by Stacy Jackson

June 28, 2023

H&M Puts More Black Entrepreneurs On The Map With Latest ‘Buy From a Black Woman’ Partnership

Black women business owners and entrepreneurs will once again get a heavy dose of inspiration from a dynamic partnership.

H&M and Buy From a Black Woman will embark on a five-city “Inspire Tour” to put businesses owned by Black women on the map. According to a statement, the featured cities are Philadelphia, Charlotte, Houston, Los Angeles and Atlanta.

Donna Dozier Gordon, head of inclusion and diversity for H&M Region Americas, noted there is a link between successful businesses and thriving communities.

“H&M is committed to using its platform to promote economic inclusion and spark growth for Black women entrepreneurs because when their businesses flourish, entire communities thrive,” she said in a statement.

This is the third year the major retailer has partnered with Buy From a Black Woman.

“The Inspire Tour highlights Black Women business owners who are finding, owning, and living out their ambitions,” said Nikki Porcher founder of Buy From a Black Woman. “Their stories of triumph over adversity showcase the victories in their communities, which inspires both entrepreneurs and consumers who dare to want more to keep reaching for their dreams.”

Recent data showed Black women are hurt the most by the country’s unemployment rate. However, according to J.P. Morgan Chase, Black women business owners were reported to be the fastest-growing group of business owners in the U.S. Some Black women start businesses out of necessity and create their own employment opportunities where non existed previously.

“High rates of Black female entrepreneurship may also reflect lack of opportunity in the traditional workforce – many start businesses to survive rather than pursuing market opportunities,” Tosh Ernest, head of Business Growth and Entrepreneurship and Financial Health & Wealth Creation for Advancing Black Pathways at JPMorgan Chase.

The Inspire Tour will highlight the experiences of Black women business owners starting July 1, 2023, in Philadelphia.

Roseanne Barr Has Some Nerve Thinking Lizzo Owes Her A Thank You For Curvy Platforms

by Iman Milner

June 28, 2023

Roseanne Barr Has Some Nerve Thinking Lizzo Owes Her A Thank You For Curvy Platforms

Another day, another unprovoked mention of pop star Lizzo.

Former television star Roseanne Barr took to her Instagram to celebrate the anniversary of her Vanity Fair cover—where she is seen in black lingerie—and decided to use the moment to demand a “thank you” from the 35-year-old “About Damn Time” singer for “paving the way.”

“When is @lizzobeeating going to thank me for paving the way”, the caption read.

Many commenters took the words to mean that Barr fashions herself a pioneer for curvy women in the industry and agreed with her sentiments. While others felt her inclusion of Lizzo was simply unnecessary.

“You’re the original. When these untalented people are forgotten, you’ll be long remembered. You’re loved, and you’re gonna be bigger than ever,” one user commented.

Another chimed in, “Why do you need [to be] thanked? You either wanted to do it or not. Be grateful. I love ya but this obsession with Lizzo thanking you is BS. Thank you Roseanne. Hopefully that helps!!!”

It’s the latest random mention of the singer who is often the subject of hate, especially from right-wing conservatives.

In late May, Lizzo made her Twitter account private due to the unwarranted negativity constantly hurled her way. “The amount of slander n hate I’m receiving on a daily basis is starting to confuse me,” she wrote in a since- deleted tweet. “What am I actively doing to get this influx of disrespect in my mentions? I’m just trying to come on this app & enjoy social media like everyone else.”

She continued, “Anyways I been holding my tongue cus I don’t wanna seem ungrateful but I’ve done so much cool s**t these last few weeks just for my mentions to be about how fat I am &/or use me for political discourse. Tired of this.”

Anchor Sage Steele Turns Down $500K Settlement From ESPN ‘My Constitutional Rights Were Infringed Upon’

by Iman Milner

June 28, 2023

Anchor Sage Steele Turns Down $500K Settlement From ESPN ‘My Constitutional Rights Were Infringed Upon’

ESPN anchor Sage Steele is standing firmly on her opinion that her constitutional rights were infringed upon by the network—and its parent company Walt Disney Co.—by turning down a $501,000 settlement offer.

Steele sued ESPN and Disney in 2022 after being suspended for comments she made about the network’s vaccine mandate.

Alleging that her First Amendment and Connecticut’s free-speech rights were violated, the SportsCenter frontwoman claims that the company’s offer is not enough to repair the damage done to her reputation or career.

Furthermore, Steele’s attorney said financial gains are secondary to the larger issue of Disney’s attempt to silence opposing viewpoints, according to Front Office Sports.

“Disney and ESPN clearly admit their liability by offering to pay Sage Steele more than half a million dollars for taking away her right to free speech,” Bryan Freedman said. “The offer misses the point. Disney cannot purchase their employee’s constitutional rights no matter how powerful they think they are.”

In the lawsuit, Steele alleges that she was punished for comments she made while appearing on former NFL quarterback Jay Cutler‘s podcast. There, she called ESPN’s vaccine mandate “sick and scary” and questioned why former President Barack Obama had chosen to identify himself as Black in the U.S. Census.

The 50-year-old claims she was suspended for two days and “forced to issue” an apology for her comments under the threat of being permanently terminated.

ESPN has denied the claims, according to Front Office Sports. Her lawsuit also details the company’s inaction against employees who publicly ridiculed her and called for her suspension, according to Variety.

“Though Defendants based their punitive actions against Steele on a supposed workplace policy barring political commentary, they repeatedly have ignored commentary from other employees—both before and after they penalized Steele for expressing her opinion—that was more political and more controversial than the comments made by Steele, and that in some cases was overtly disrespectful to Steele,” the suit claims.

Ben Crump Applies Pressure On President Biden To Appoint A Black Woman To South Florida Federal Bench

by Stacy Jackson

June 28, 2023

Ben Crump Applies Pressure On President Biden To Appoint A Black Woman To South Florida Federal Bench

Black attorneys in South Florida rallied together, hoping to change 176 years of history in South Florida.

On June 27, 2023, Ben Crump, the prominent civil rights lawyer, and several Black attorneys called on President Joe Biden to change history and nominate a Black woman to the federal bench in south Florida, according to a Twitter post by Ben Crump Law, PLLC.

Crump stood in agreement with the Judicial Diversity Initiative for its press conference. Members of the Black Bar Association in Miami, Broward, Palm Beach, and other legal associations attended.

The event at Carlton Fields Law Firm in Miami was a cry for the nation to uphold its promises.

“We have to always continue to make the American promise of liberty and justice for all real,” Crump said, according to WSVN. Among the group of Black lawyers joining Crump was Bacardi Jackson from the Southern Poverty Law Center. Jackson urged the Biden administration “to seek out at least one who has walked the road of a Black woman in America.”

Dwayne Robinson, Judicial Diversity Initiative Chair, added, “President Joseph R. Biden has the ripe opportunity to ensure that the glass ceiling remains shattered.”

According to the U.S. Census Bureau 17 percent of Floridians identify as Black alone. Minority communities need representation and a voice familiar with the realities they face in the justice system. “Long underrepresented communities deserve representation,” Jackson added.

Last year, South Florida native Ketanji Brown Jackson became the first Black female justice to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.

According to the tweet, Hon. Marcia Cooke was the only Black woman district court judge in South Florida. She was confirmed 96-0 by the United States Senate in 2004, according to NBC 6, after she was nominated President George W. Bush in 2003.

Cooke, 68, died in January 2023 from cancer, the news outlet reported.

Mississippi Does Not Have Enough Black Doctors, This Medical Student Wants To Change That

by Lauren Nutall

June 28, 2023

Mississippi Does Not Have Enough Black Doctors, This Medical Student Wants To Change That

Mississippi is in need of more Black doctors, and Eric Lucas Jr. wants to help make that happen, according to Mississippi Today.

Lucas is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. A graduate of Mississippi State University, Lucas wants to help young black men like himself enter the medical field; and he spoke about his plans and what he hopes to achieve.

Lucas has always wanted to pursue a career in health care, and with parents as accomplished as his, it was almost destined. His mother is a dentist, and his father is a critical care intensivist, so science was a constant in his home growing up. He was only four years old when he was gifted a microscope kit, he told the news organization.

Lucas’ desire to help those just like him prompted him to create the Black Men in Health Care Empowerment Summit. This one-day program invites middle school and high school students from all over Mississippi to tour UMMC and participate in clinical simulations.

“That’s how I was raised,” he said.

“When you walk through the door, you should help someone to walk in.”

Lucas came up with the idea during his first year at UMMC while hanging out with classmates. He had offhandedly remarked about how interesting it would be if there were a summer camp that exposed students to different medical schools so they could understand what it takes. His classmates reminded him that if you don’t see it, you don’t believe it. This prompted Lucas to pursue his idea.

What initially started as a casual comment turned into a years-long initiative to inspire young Black men. Complete with tours, panels, and lectures, the Black Men in Health Care Empowerment Summit was born.

Lucas’ program comes at the right time, as Mississippi desperately needs more doctors that look like him. According to a 2021 report from Commonwealth Fund, Mississippi has significant racial-health disparities, ranking near the bottom or last when measuring health outcomes, access to health care, and quality of health care. There is also a significantly small percentage of black doctors in the United States, despite Black people composing about 12% of the country’s population, according to CNN. In a January 2023 report, the Association of American Medical College revealed that less than 6% of doctors in the United States identify as Black or African American. Lucas wants to encourage young Black men to venture into the healthcare profession so that this can change.

One man who helped make this all possible is Dr. Demondes Haynes, the Associate Dean for Admissions at UMMC. He noted that the only demographic group that has seen a decline in student application and admittance to medical school for the past 40 years was Black men. Black workforce representation in the healthcare field has also been tied to longer life expectancy, according to a 2023 study from JAMA Network. Because of these observations, Haynes was more than happy to assist Lucas with this project.

“Just to let students know that a career in health care is an option,” he told Mississippi Today.

“Not that everybody that’s here today will become a doctor or dentist or a nurse, but we want them to know that it is an option.”

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 28, 2023

Nicki Minaj Praises Chicago Teen Who Shot Attacker In His Mom’s Defense, Offers To Pay College Tuition

After being arrested for shooting and killing a man who assaulted his mother in a Chicago fast-food restaurant, the 14-year-old and his mother, Carlishia Hood, were released after the charges against them were dropped. Now, Queens-bred hip-hop recording artist Nicki Minaj has stepped in and offered to foot the bill for his future college education.

The woman born Onika Tanya Maraj made the lucrative offer via her Instagram account on June 27. She expressed being impressed with the young boy defending his mother after the man, identified as Jeremy Brown, punched her in the face several times.

“That 14-year-old boy that backed that hammer out when that grown ass man was punching his mother in the face as if she were a MAN; is a true hero. If he wants to go to college, I’d love to help. It’s what ANY son should’ve done for their MOTHER. She raised a dope kid & should be so proud. Also, God knew b4 she knew; that she’d be attacked that day & made sure they had protection on DECK. God is GOOD.”

The incident, which took place on June 18, was caught on video and caused an uproar after Chicago police officers arrested the young boy and Hood after the shooting. They were released after “continued review and in light of emerging evidence,” according to a statement from Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s office.

They were both initially charged with first-degree murder. Hood was also facing a charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. At the same time, her son was also charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm.

ABC 7 Chicago reported that the 35-year-old Hood had filed a lawsuit against the city of Chicago and the five police officers who arrested her and her son. She alleged that she and her son were falsely arrested and maliciously prosecuted. She also stated that both of them suffered emotional distress.

National Crown Day Becomes A Two Week Celebration To Honor The Historical Movement

by Sharelle Burt

June 28, 2023

National Crown Day Becomes A Two Week Celebration To Honor The Historical Movement

The fourth national CROWN (Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair) Day will not be a one-day hair affair.

Presented by Dove and the CROWN Coalition, CROWN Day has been extended to a two-week celebration after its first signing, four years ago on July 3, 2019, Happi reports. 2023’s CROWN Act festivities kicked off during the 2023 BET Awards in Los Angeles and will continue during the Essence Festival of Culture in New Orleans with the CROWN Awards.

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A post shared by The CROWN Act Movement (@thecrownact)

Hosted by Tai Beauchamp, the ceremony will honor advocates and celebrities including Essence president and CEO Caroline Wanga, Academy Award-nominated hairstylist Camille Friend, rapper and actress MC Lyte, actress Quvenzhané Wallis, news correspondent Michelle Miller, social media stars Lynae Vanee and Tabitha Brown, and comedian Kym Whitley. The CROWN Awards highlight the strength, grace, and impact of these Black women and girls who are leading the path to advance the legacy of Black beauty and intellect.

Esi Eggleston Bracey, president of Unilever U.S. & CEO of Unilever Personal Care, said that Dove is proud to continue to sponsor the work toward ending hair discrimination in the workplace. “While there is much to celebrate with 23 states and 50 municipalities that have passed CROWN legislation, there is still work to be done to ensure protections and inclusivity,” Bracey said, according to a press release. “We look forward to uplifting Black women and girls who are standing proudly in their full, unapologetic beauty as part of this year’s fourth annual CROWN Day festivities.”

Unilever, which owns some of the most popular haircare brands including Vaseline, Shea Moisture, and Dove, recently took an additional important step toward understanding the importance of Black haircare: It opened a salon, called the Polycultural Center of Excellence, for Black people to test its products and give their honest opinions on what works best for them and why.

‘The District,’ Described As An LGBT+ Safe Space, Opens In Flint

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

June 28, 2023

‘The District,’ Described As An LGBT+ Safe Space, Opens In Flint

In May, a Flint businessman announced the transformation of his downtown Flint restaurant, 501 Bar and Grill, into a safe space called The District, catering towards supporting its local LBGT+ community.

Upon the news, commenters had a mixed reaction to the new establishment, questioning the intentions of the space, given that its owners are two white, cisgendered, and heterosexual men. One naysayer even went so far to refer to one of the partners Phil Shaltz, as a “sleazy bastard,” according to Flint Beat.

The co-owners almost decided to indefinitely halt the renovation, until friends encouraged them to push forward, saying it was “the right thing” for the Michigan city.

The term “safe space” was coined by Moira Kenney in her 2001 novel Mapping Gay L.A. The term has ties to an era of Anti-Sodomy laws in the 60’s where those in the community could come and feel accepted. This, in turn, was adopted into the Women’s Movement and soon carried into all levels of society.

However, The District would not be the first place deemed as such within Flint. Safe Space Ally Drop-in Center and Wellness Services has been a staple in the Flint community since the late 80s. However, during the Covid-19 crisis, the center had to eliminate the program due to social distancing issues.

With the uptick in Anti-LGBTQIA policies and hate crimes, one might be rattled by the comments received on 501’s social media posts.

General manager of the establishment, Amber Weyn, read some facebook comments regarding their “safe space” announcement and decided to clarify, “It doesn’t matter who you are, our establishment is meant for everyone.”

The District hopes to become a place within Flint that supports the idea of a safe space for a multitude of people.

11-Year-Old Owner Of Black-Owned Doll Company Surprised With $10,000 Grant

by Sharelle Burt

June 28, 2023

11-Year-Old Owner Of Black-Owned Doll Company Surprised With $10,000 Grant

Zoe Oli, a young entrepreneur from the suburbs of Georgia, received a special surprise, thanks to Verizon.

Oli, the co-owner of Beautiful Curly Me, received an unexpected $10,000 grant during a recent episode of the local TV show Atlanta & Company, The Atlanta Voice reported. During the interview at the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs, Oli and her mom and business partner, Evana Oli, were taken aback when former Atlanta Hawks guard Lou Williams walked out to present them with the generous check from Verizon’s Small Business Digital Ready program and partner LISC.

The 11-year-old, who is the company’s CEO, has big plans for how the money will be spent. “I’m going to use every cent to expand my company, my social impact, and expand the line of dolls this Christmas,” Oli said.

Beautiful Curly Me is an Atlanta-based company that boasts three Black dolls named Bella, Anika, and Leyla. Customers can also purchase haircare for girls and their dolls, affirmation puzzles, clothes, and books authored by Zoe herself.

The company started when she was 7 years old and her mom bought her a Black doll. Zoe noticed something was missing: “I loved that doll but it didn’t have curly hair like mine,” she said. After Evana failed to find a doll that matched the one her inquisitive daughter requested, the mother-daughter duo decided to take matters into their own hands.

Since then, the company has soared to new heights. On May 3, 2023, Beautiful Curly Me placed third in the third annual Small Business Big Wins contest sponsored by Barclays US Consumer Bank, earning a $20,000 cash prize, as told by The Neighbor. The competition was fierce, with more than 14,000 companies participating, but Beautiful Curly Me was selected as a Top 10 finalist. “We got to see how much people really love and support us,” said Evana. “It was really heartwarming to know we have a true community around the brand and what it stands for.”

Oli has also adopted a philanthropic model for her business, saying that for every doll purchased on the website, one is provided to a little girl in need.

Nancy Davis Turned Her Pain Into Purpose & A Fight For Reproductive Rights

by Iman Milner

June 28, 2023

Nancy Davis Turned Her Pain Into Purpose & A Fight For Reproductive Rights

When Louisiana’s Nancy Davis was denied a birth termination she lawfully had a right to receive, she decided that no other women or families would be left to deal with similar traumas alone. The Nancy Davis Foundation was founded in 2022 in hopes of helping Americans navigate the war on Roe v. Wade rights across the country. Davis and her partner, who are parents to three children, were excited to learn they would be adding another member to their family. Weeks into the pregnancy, the baby was diagnosed with a lethal condition called acrania, which is the absence of a fetal skull. With a more than 90% chance that their baby would not be born if carried to full term, Davis and her partner made the decision to terminate her pregnancy. However, due to the recent reversal of Roe v. Wade in the state of Louisiana, their doctor broke the news that he would not be able to perform the procedure. What followed was a 1,300-mile journey to New York City, where Davis could safely receive an abortion due to the fact that her 16-week pregnancy was deemed “medically futile.” Maternal health in America is always a burning topic, and even more so for Black women, who continue to die during childbirth at alarming rates. For Davis, this is a major concern and the reason she has told her story. “This has changed my life, and I am committed to fighting to ensure other people don’t have to go through what I went through,” Davis said via the foundation’s website. “I want to reimagine what is possible for our communities, centering those historically left behind. Our right to abortion was stolen from us. But a better, more equitable, future is ours — and I know we can build it together.”

It’s encouraging to see that our client Nancy Davis — who was denied her right to in-state health care to receive a medically necessary abortion — met with the First Lady and other women to share how abortion bans impacted them. Thank you for telling your stories. 🙏🏾 https://t.co/vs7HaKhJVM

— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) June 22, 2023

Davis recently met with first lady Dr. Jill Biden to talk about the damaging effects of the new abortion laws, and on June 22 she was named the recipient of Lifting Louisiana’s RBG Fierce Advocacy on Behalf of Women award.