by Jeroslyn JoVonn

June 22, 2023

Shannon Sharpe In A Hairy Predicament After Twitter Post That Flexed On Daughter’s Long Hair

Shannon Sharpe is facing heat after sharing a father-daughter post where he seemingly bragged about his daughter’s long mane of hair being “real.”

The former “Undisputed” host took to Twitter on Tuesday, June 20 to share two photos he took alongside his daughter for Father’s Day. While the photos were wholesome and highlighted how much the father and daughter look alike, it was the latter half of Sharpe’s caption that rubbed many the wrong way.

“This weekend was full of much-needed Daddy Daughter time ❤️. With all my accomplishments, being a Father is Top 2, and not the 2.🏆,” he tweeted.

“Yes my daughters hair is REAL 😂! Ya boi did a good job stop playing! #girldad.”

With Sharpe’s note about his daughter’s hair seemingly highlighting the age-old debate around colorism and Eurocentric beauty standards, many onlookers wasted no time questioning Sharpe’s motive in the comment about his daughter’s hair.

“What do you mean that you did a good job bc her hair is real???” one user asked.

“Who gives a fuck if her hair is real?” wrote someone else.

Another user asked the former NFL player, “why bring up the hair again? i doubt anyone was reallying wondering if it was or not.”

Sharpe has three children, two daughters named Kayla and Kaley, both age 30, and a son named Kiari, Sports Lulu reports. He has never married and welcomed his children with different women during separate relationships.

The “Club Shay Shay” host has yet to respond to the backlash he’s receiving for commenting on his daughter’s hair. But he did seemingly use the post as a way to promote the merch for his podcast.

He and his daughter were both sporting “Club Shay Shay” hoodies that many of his followers expressed interest in purchasing. Maybe Sharpe made the “real hair” reference to garner more attention around his promotional post.

RELATED CONTENT: Shannon Sharpe Makes Tearful Exit During His Last On-Air Appearance For ‘Undisputed’

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 22, 2023

Woody McClain Signs Publishing Deal with Black-Owned Godhood Comics for ‘The Brotherhood’ Comic Series

Woody McClain has gained some “Power” after signing a publishing deal with Godhood Comics, a Black-owned comic book publisher, for his newly created comic book series, The Brotherhood, with DC Comics Milestone Initiative breakout writer Dorado Quick.

The Power Book II: Ghost actor said, “I’m excited to work with Godhood Comics and bring The Brotherhood to life.” “It’s an honor to work on a project that showcases the strength and resilience of the Black community. I can’t wait for readers to see what we have in store,” he said in a statement. 

The upcoming project will be edited by Nicholas Maye, the producer of the Oscar-winning short film Two Distant Strangers. He will do this alongside Godhood Comics founder, publisher, and writer Tyler F. Martin and the artwork is slated to be done by llustrabox Studio.

The storyline for the comic book series is of a young man who accidentally finds himself involved in a secret organization of Black men. These men have been protecting and helping Black Americans for generations. According to a statement, it has been widely described as The Kingsman meets James Bond and is a spy thriller full of action. 

Godhood Comics Founder Tyler F. Martin said, “We are thrilled to partner with Woody McClain on The Brotherhood. Given his star power, he could have taken this idea to any major comic publication, but his passion for storytelling and commitment to uplifting Black voices once again proves his dedication to the betterment of Black creatives. We can’t wait to share this series with the world.”

Although no date has been revealed, The Brotherhood is scheduled to be released by the end of 2023. 

McClain, who played “King of Stage” Bobby Brown in the BET docuseries “The New Edition Story” and “The Bobby Brown Story,” is currently starring as the volatile Cane Tejada in the Starz network series Power Book II: Ghost. He is also a proud HBCU alumnus of Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU).

RELATED CONTENT: Comics Feature U.S. Supreme Court’s Newest Women Appointees

Mathew Knowles Collaborates with Dr. Jacqueline King, Rishi Sood, and Cathleen Trigg-Jones to Launch Black Women Empowered Business Network
by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

June 22, 2023

Mathew Knowles Collaborates with Dr. Jacqueline King, Rishi Sood, and Cathleen Trigg-Jones to Launch Black Women Empowered Business Network

Black Women Empowered, a global platform inspiring millions of women of color, proudly announces the launch of the Black Women Empowered Business Network. This groundbreaking platform unites leading business, inspirational, and motivational leaders, sharing their roadmap to success!

Established in 2012 by visionary Dr. Jacqueline King, Black Women Empowered originated on Facebook, gathering African-American women who shared common values. Over the past decade, the platform has rapidly expanded, attracting an engaged community of over 3 million primarily Black female followers, with an annual reach across social media platforms exceeding 100 million impressions.

The Black Women Empowered Business Network is a membership-based platform that provides an enriching space for learning, networking, and daily inspiration, fostering personal and professional growth. Boasting a roster of accomplished experts, the network offers insights in wealth creation, entrepreneurship, marketing and business development, real estate investment, mindset, and more. New content is continually added to facilitate members’ learning.

Dr. Jacqueline King shared her vision, “I wanted to create a positive and empowering space on the internet for my Black and Brown sisters. Black Women Empowered dedicates its social media to positivity and empowerment. We are thrilled about this next business-focused step dedicated to professional growth.”

Leading the charge alongside Dr. Jacqueline King, the network is also headed by Mathew Knowles of Music World Entertainment—iconic business and music executive, who’s generated over $5 billionacross multiple industries, and the brand architect of acts like Destiny’s Child, Beyoncé, and Solange. Also at the helm is Cathleen Trigg-Jones, an Emmy-award-winning journalist and actress, and founder of media empire iWomanTV, along with Rishi Sood, a marketing consultant whose work has been featured by major media outlets.

To celebrate the launch, Black Women Empowered Business Network is available for a limited time to try out for only $7.

Social Media Makes A Mockery Of Titanic Submersible Being Lost At Sea
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

June 22, 2023

Social Media Makes A Mockery Of Titanic Submersible Being Lost At Sea

The Titan submersible passengers who spent days presumably lost under the sea have received an outcry of concern and support from many. But the same can’t be said for most social media users who have seemingly made a mockery out of the underwater tragedy.

On Thursday, June 22, the five passengers aboard the submersible that went missing while attempting to explore the Titanic wreckage in the Atlantic Ocean were presumed dead by the expedition company, TMZ reports. OceanGate Inc. released a statement saying those aboard the Titan vessel “have sadly been lost.”

The passengers on the 21-foot sub were British businessman Hamish Harding; Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his teenage son, Suleman Dawood; French explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet and Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate Inc.

“These men true explorers who shared a distinct spirit of adventure, and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world’s oceans,” OceanGate said in a statement about its now-deceased CEO and the other four passengers.

The statement came after officials located a debris field that they believe indicates the vessel imploded while en route to the Titanic wreckage. However, even before the deaths were confirmed, social media was already busy responding to made-up scenarios that seemingly made light of the tragic incident.

One Twitter user kicked off the series of insensitive tweets among Black Twitter users by asking what they would do if aboard the submarine in the event it got saved.

https://twitter.com/RobIsRandomAF_6/status/1671265823468695553

Many responded with comical memes, video clips, and quotes that showed just how desensitized we have become in today’s social media-driven era.

There were others who made sarcastic remarks about the irony of the passengers in the Titanic subversive and those who died on the actual Titanic back in 1912.

“They went down there to see the Titanic and ended up creating the sequel,” one Twitter user wrote along with a video of Soulja Boy laughing.

Another Twitter went more in depth with their shady response to the passengers being presumed dead after days lost underwater.

“Dying in an ocean as deep as your pockets…in a vessel as tiny as the shanty houses you turned your noses up at….In a darkness as expansive as your ego…going to see the final resting place of the souls whom you disturbed with your curiosity, but they still eagerly welcomed you,” they wrote.

One user sent out a tweet the week prior asking a general question about the “greatest comeback of all time.” But another Twitter user used the tweet as an opportunity to make fun of the submersible passengers saying that the greatest comeback would be, “The Titanic claiming lives 111 years after people thought it was done.”

As morbid and disturbing as many of the social media responses have been, and continue to be, it highlights an even bigger issue around how desensitized society has become in the wake of a global pandemic, two recessions, inflation, controversial political plights and the list goes on. After making it through 2020, it looks like social media doesn’t even take death seriously.

Georgia Teacher To Receive $250K House Under New Public Service Housing Program
by Stacy Jackson

June 22, 2023

Georgia Teacher To Receive $250K House Under New Public Service Housing Program

Social-emotional learning teacher Methany Thornton will be the first to receive housing from Marietta’s new Public Service Housing Program.

The teacher shared how she relied on her faith despite the rising cost of living. Thornton told Fox 5, “I’ve been praying, and I was like, this just sounds like it’s for my family, and I’m going to trust God, and I’m going to apply.”

Thornton is even helping with construction. The program requires future residents to contribute 200 hours of building. According to Fox 5, the teacher said, “Hammering in that first nail, it was unreal. I was shaking that whole time.”

Her disabled husband is contributing to building their home alongside a team from Habitat for Humanity. Thornton said, “My husband used to build before he had a stroke and became disabled, he’s been getting to help, and he’s in his element.” Felicia Alingu from Habitat for Humanity told Fox 5 earlier this year, “They [future residents] have to be out there. They’re hammering the nails in the home. They’re putting in the insulation, the siding, laying sod, they’re participating in all aspects of the construction of their home.”

Marietta’s Community Development Manager Kelsey Thomson-White, told Fox 5 in January 2023, “We will be building six new houses that are exclusively available to public service workers. We’re donating $500,000 directly to Habitat [Habitat for Humanity], and we’ve donated the lots to them as well.”

A total of six homes will be built by the end of 2024. Marietta City Schools said in a statement the homes will be zero-interest. The prices of homes will be at most $250,000, and funds for the one- and two-story homes will come from the American Rescue Plan. There will also be three bedrooms and two bathrooms homes available.

Thornton is the only person who works in her home. She lives with her husband, daughter, and two grandsons.

Black Tech Talent Is Often Discriminated Against Long Before Interview Process
by Stacy Jackson

June 22, 2023

Black Tech Talent Is Often Discriminated Against Long Before Interview Process

According to recent findings, Black people and women are excluded from tech job interviews.

In 2022, 38% of tech job opportunities sent invitations for interviews to men only, according to a study by Hired. Moreover, TechTarget reported that 12% of jobs sent invitations to white people only.

The obvious bias in the low number of invitations sent to Black and women candidates is reflected in the small population of each group in the tech industry. In 2021, Black people made up just 7.4% of tech employees, and Black women accounted for 1.7%, CNBC reported. Although diversity in the tech industry still seems discouraging, some progress has been made. In 2018, interview figures were even worse, with 45% of tech job interview invitations being sent to men only and 26% to whites, according to TechTarget.

Josh Brenner, CEO of Hired, said, “There has been a more dedicated focus between 2018 and now toward including a more representative set across races.” However, he also noted that “representation still remains an issue for women and nonwhite individuals,” TechTarget reported.

If a Black person or woman breaks through all obstacles and lands a tech job, there is still a difference in pay. According to the Hired study, Black men make $0.93 for every $1 a White man makes, and Black women make $0.90.

BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported how Black women have dealt with underrepresentation in tech. The co-founders of Black Women Talk Tech told Built In in an email last year, “It is our mission to close the gap between Black women and their peers who are in the same workspace, yet do not have equal playing field in terms of wages earned and received.”

Some organizations are trying to diversify the tech industry. In June 2023, BE reported that the Indianapolis African American Quality of Life Initiative (IAAQLI) committed to supporting Blacks in tech with $300,000 in grants.

by Sharelle Burt

June 22, 2023

Kanye West Fights Back Against Allegations Made By Former Donda Academy Teachers

Ye, formally known as Kanye West, is fighting back against allegations made by former Donda Academy teachers.

He is demanding a lawsuit filed against him by former teachers Cecilia Hailey and Chekarey Byers be dropped, Radar Online reports. The College Dropout rapper claims he has no control over what goes on at Donda Academy and claims the educators “misleadingly depict the Donda Academy as a dystopian institution designed to satisfy Ye’s idiosyncrasies.” “The truth is, Ye has nothing to do with Donda’s policies, practices, and procedures relating to employee pay and wage statements,” Ye said in a statement.

Hailey and Byers were fired from Donda and claimed the termination was retaliatory. Both teachers and Timanii Meeks claim that the school was unsafe for students, and Meeks alleged she was fired after parents complained her classroom had no books. Lawyer Ron Zambrano, who represents all three teachers, says that Ye has a big problem on his hands with the building that needs to be addressed. “Ms. Meeks was fired months before Cecilia Hailey and Chekarey Byers were terminated but all three clearly witnessed the same illegal and disturbing code violations and conduct at the school…” Zambrano said, according to NBC News.

“And all three were given the same retaliatory and unlawful treatment merely for trying to stand up for the student’s rights to a meaningful education.”

Meeks told administrators about exposed electrical wiring on top of other safety hazards, including a bullying issue. Parents complained about the lack of books, textbooks “or any sort of educational items that would typically be found in a classroom,” the lawsuit states. Byers and Hailey claimed the school had no disciplinary system in place and lacked basic supplies and resources like trash cans, a school nurse, or janitorial staff. Allegedly, students were only served sushi for lunch and weren’t allowed to use eating utensils.

Ye is denying all the allegations and asking the court to throw out claims of additional alleged wage violations.

by Stacy Jackson

June 22, 2023

Pro-Choice Democrat Lashrecse Aird Triumphs In Virginia’s Democratic Primary Race

The fate of reproductive rights in Virginia is in the hands of a former member of the House of Delegates.

Lashrecse Aird triumphed in Virginia’s Democratic primary race on June 20, HuffPost reported. Aird’s Democratic opponent was Joe Morrissey, who is anti-abortion.

Aird said in her speech after defeating Morrissey, “In Richmond, I’ll be a firewall for our reproductive rights in the face of Republican extremists who think they have the right to make decisions about our own bodies.” Jamie Lockhart, executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia, commented, “Lashrecse Aird made this race about protecting abortion rights ― something the majority of Americans overwhelmingly agree on.”

Lockhart added, “Aird was unapologetically pro-abortion rights and campaigned on stopping Gov. Youngkin from enacting an abortion ban in Virginia. The voters of SD-13 were loud and clear: They demand to be represented by an outspoken advocate for reproductive rights.”

“This is a victory for SD-13 residents, for Virginians, and for health care access in our entire southeast region,” the executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia concluded.

Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin challenged abortion in Virginia with his 15-week abortion ban. Under the ban, physicians providing abortions would face up to a decade in prison and fines as high as $100,000, according to HuffPost. Women and girls would be prohibited from getting an abortion after the 15th week of pregnancy, POLITICO reported.

Having defeated Morrissey, Aird will face off against Republican Eric Ditri in the Nov 7. election for the Senate seat.

BLACK ENTERPRISE reported on the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, making it legal for states to ban abortion. Abortion is not illegal nationwide, and many continue to fight for women and girls to choose what happens to their bodies. In Maryland, Governor Wes Moore promised, “Maryland will always be a safe haven for abortion access and abortion rights,” BE reported.

In May 2023, Moore signed bills protecting abortion and gender-affirming care.

Elder Abuse Is In Full Effect: Statistics Show Seniors Are Swindled By People They Know
by Stacy Jackson

June 22, 2023

Elder Abuse Is In Full Effect: Statistics Show Seniors Are Swindled By People They Know

Some things are just shameful, and abusing or financially exploiting older adults is one of them.

Americans over 60 lose $28.3 billion yearly from financial exploitation, according to a study by AARP and the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago.

Shocking statistics showed that people close to victims, such as family members, friends, and caregivers, steal around three-quarters of that amount, FINURAH reported. Also, just because the elderly victim knows who is exploiting them does not mean they will report it. According to the study, victims are less likely to report financial exploitation by someone they know. Around 88% of cases went unreported because the victim knew the person, according to FINURAH. Saving face for themselves and their family, friends, or caregiver might cause victims to remain quiet about financial exploitation. FINURAH reported shame might be the most significant reason elderly victims don’t report exploitation in instances where they know the person.

BLACK ENTERPRISE reported John Amos, famous for his role in Good Times, was recently said to be a victim of “financial exploitation” and “elder abuse.” Amos’ daughter, Shannon Amos, posted on Instagram on June 8, 2023, saying the 83-year-old actor was in the ICU and his home had been stripped bare. When Amos publicly refuted Shannon’s claims, she responded, “I understand that this is embarrassing and upsetting, and probably not what he would have wanted me to do, but it is in his best interest.”

Later, BLACK ENTERPRISE reported Amos revealed in a video that he believed he was the victim of elderly abuse by his daughter, Shannon. The video was posted by Amos’ son, K.C. Amos. Amos called his daughter a “primary suspect.” He added, “I don’t know if that’s the right term to use or not. But she’s the one that I would attribute my elderly abuse to. It’s definitely a case of elderly abuse.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by K.C. Amos (@k.c.amos)

According to FINURAH and figures published by the AARP Public Policy Institute, financial exploitation is more than twice what it was in March 2020.

RELATED CONTENT: Good Times Star BernNadette Stanis Speaks On John Amos Amid Elder Abuse Claims

by Sharelle Burt

June 22, 2023

Dr. Umar Johnson Blames Black Men For The Role Of ‘Masculine Women’

Dr. Umar Johnson set the record straight on the relationship dynamics between Black men and women.

The Pan-Afrikan psychologist sat down with the hosts of the Daily Rap Up Crew podcast to discuss topics like self-hate in the Black community, slavery, HBCUs, and reproductive rights, WZAK Cleveland reported. Dr. Johnson’s buttons were pushed as the conversation shifted to Black love, and Johnson took the opportunity to share his views on how Black men treat Black women. “Yes, they (Black women) have a role. Yes, they have responsibility. But as a man — as a leader — to say ‘I can’t fix this s*** unless she changes,'” Johnson said. “That’s not the definition of a man.”

@truthcontroversy #truthcontroversy #dailyrapupcrew #drumarjohnson ♬ original sound – TruthControversy

The hosts of the show offered a rebuttal, complaining that Black men “have to deal with masculine women” within the family structure. “What I’m saying is I’m capable of being that leader, that provider, I’ve worked hard in my life,” one host said. “I only feel like we tell Black men that we now have to deal with masculine women, women with children by other men…” And that’s when Johnson interrupted to ask the question, “Why is she masculine?” and continued to answer it. “Because she had to raise the kids alone, I’m telling you, mistakes made by Black men systemically gave rise to the conditions that allowed her to be masculine and made her end up with a man that you consider to be less than he should be,” Johnson said.

“And I’m telling you, Black men are responsible for her being masculine because we have not helped her raise them children.”

The viral clip has started conversations, as Johnson’s viewpoints tend to come off as controversial. People left comments saying that Johnson was dropping “facts” while others pointed out that the podcast hosts weren’t really trying to listen. “These men are not listening to understand they are listening to blame,” one fan said.

RELATED CONTENT: Stephen A. Smith Claps Back at Dr. Umar Johnson After Defending Dallas Cowboys Owner

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