by Sharelle B. McNair

May 18, 2024

Business Leaders Exposed Trying To Pressure NYC Mayor Eric Adams To Release Police Officers On Columbia Protestors

Business executives formed a created a WhatsApp group chat to discuss ways to influence the mayor and the NYPD.

A number of New York’s prominent business owners and investors put pressure on New York City’s Mayor Eric Adams to send NYPD officers to Columbia University’s campus to disperse anti-Israel protesters.

Business leaders wanted Adams to use his influence with Columbia’s president and board of trustees in order to receive permission to send police to the campus and disperse the protesters. According to a report from The Washington Post, executives — including Starbucks CEO Howard Shultz, Dell founder and CEO Michael Dell, hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman, and Thrive Capital founder Joshua Kushner — created a WhatsApp group chat after the initial Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7.

Started by billionaire real estate investor Barry Sternlicht and with close to 100 chat members, discussions were held about potentially hiring private investigators to aid the NYPD while addressing campus protests as well as donations to Adam’s campaign. On Apr. 26, some of the leaders — Kind founder Daniel Lubetzky, hedge fund manager Daniel Loeb, billionaire Len Blavatnik, and investor Joseph Sitt — had a Zoom call with Adams, just one week after the first wave of law enforcement was sent to the Ivy League campus.

The group of business leaders also discussed how to raise awareness of Hamas’ violent acts with screenings of 40-minute films containing images from body cameras and cell phone recordings made by Hamas militants participating in the terror attack. Some members of the group alleged they received briefings from the Israeli government.

Following the different attempts, city officials noted that there were no plans to use private investigators. They also claim the break up of protests had nothing to do with donor requests but simply was a response to a request from campus leaders.

According to Independent, Deputy Mayor Fabien Levy responded to the claims and said the “Washington Post should be ashamed to ask about, let alone normalize in print.”

Levy added, “Let’s be very clear: Both times the NYPD entered Columbia University’s campus — on April 18th and April 30th — were in response to specific written requests from Columbia University to do so.”

“Any suggestion that other considerations were involved in the decision-making process is completely false, and the insinuation that Jewish donors secretly plotted to influence government operations is an all too familiar antisemitic trope that the Washington Post should be ashamed to ask about, let alone normalize in print.”

Blavatnik’s spokesperson confirmed he was on the Zoom call but only to see how the mayor “was thinking about the Columbia protests.” He donated $2,100 to the mayor’s reelection campaign in April 2024. Spokespeople for Lubetzky and Sitt said there is no record of donations to Adams.

The group chat was shut down in May 2024 due to how conversations moved past the original intent of the group and those whose started the chat being inactive seven months after the group launched.

Barbara Furlow-Smiles, fraud, 4 million, Facebook, fbi, investigation

by Stacy Jackson

May 18, 2024

Ex-Facebook And Nike DEI Manager Sentenced To Federal Prison For Multi-Million Dollar Fraud Scheme

After her Facebook dismissal, Barbara Furlow-Smiles allegedly stole another six-figure sum from Nike during her employment as their senior DEI director.

Barbara Furlow-Smiles, a former diversity program manager who admitted to orchestrating kickback schemes at Facebook and Nike, has been sentenced to federal prison for her multi-million dollar fraud.

The 38-year-old confessed to stealing $5 million through her illicit operations at the two companies, Fox Business reported. “Furlow-Smiles shamelessly violated her position of trust as a DEI executive at Facebook to steal millions from the company utilizing a scheme involving fraudulent vendors, fake invoices, and cash kickbacks,” U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan said in a statement.

From January 2017 until her September 2021 ousting, Furlow-Smiles spearheaded DEI programs at Facebook. Her responsibilities encompassed crafting and implementing DEI initiatives, operations, and engagement endeavors. Prosecutors contend she perpetrated fraud by covertly diverting company funds to her personal PayPal, Venmo, and Cash App accounts, which she employed to remunerate acquaintances, family members, former interns, childcare providers, a stylist, and others for services never rendered to Facebook.

After her Facebook dismissal, Furlow-Smiles assumed a DEI senior director’s position at Nike from November 2021 through February 2023, where she replicated her kickback strategy against her new corporate victim. “She stole another six-figure sum from their diversity program,” Buchanan said. “Her prison sentence reflects the consequences of…orchestrating an intricate scheme to defraud two…employers for personal profit.”

Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office, denounced Furlow-Smiles’ greed, saying, “She not only threw away a lucrative career but will serve time behind bars for her excessive greed.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia announced Furlow-Smiles has been ordered to serve five years and three months behind bars. Additionally, she must pay restitution of $4,981,783.58 to Meta-owned Facebook and $121,054.50 to Nike. Through these accounts, she paid friends, relatives, former interns, nannies, babysitters, a hairstylist, and others for goods and services never provided to Facebook.

Old Navy, Tracee Ellis Ross, Yara Shahidi

by Stacy Jackson

May 18, 2024

Old Navy Re-unites Tracee Ellis Ross, Yara Shahidi For Summer Campaign

The 'Black-ish' co-stars were more than comfortable 'twinning' and working together again for the new Old Navy summer campaign.

Former co-stars Tracee Ellis Ross and Yara Shahidi have reunited for a new Old Navy campaign aimed at inspiring a summer filled with family fun.

The clothing brand enlisted the talented actresses two years after the conclusion of the ABC sitcom Black-ish. According to People, Ross, 51, expressed her delight in collaborating with Shahidi, 24, once again. “When you’ve worked with someone for a long time, there’s an ease to how you work and a comfort. I should say thank you, Old Navy, for bringing this little duo back together,” Ross said.

The “Summering” campaign showcases the co-stars dancing poolside, flaunting the vibrant and trendy summer looks from the new collection. Ross and Shahidi grace the California scene hand-in-hand, sporting different ensembles that reflect their styles. Ross opens in a blue monochromatic linen set, while Shahidi radiates in a red tank, white skirt, and striped sweater tied around her neck. Later, Ross stuns in a bodycon dress and she lays back over the pool.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3trMp13vOto

Both celebrities have portrayed characters with fearless fashion as part of the Black-ish series from 2014 to 2022. In 2017, Shahidi told Vogue about her character Zoe Johnson’s dynamic style choices. “Zoey Johnson [the character Shahidi plays on ‘Black-ish’] has taught me how to be adventurous,” Shahidi said at the time. “Even from the first season to the third season there’s such a drastic change in what she wears, and it’s funny, because her closet is what I wish my closet looked like.”

Shahidi shared with People that the best part of the Old Navy campaign with Ross was “noticing how similar our instincts are in certain moments… or when other people notice our twinning mannerisms!” The ad culminates with the beauties facing each other in red and blue matching sets, affirming how fabulous the other looks rocking the brand’s clothes.

Old Navy’s new summer pieces are now available in stores and online.

Man, Conviction, Racist Threats, Pregnant Black Woman

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 18, 2024

Inside The Dangerous Life-Threatening Jobs American Prisoners Are Forced Into

A new investigation reveals the dangerous life-threatening jobs American prisoners are forced into for little to no payment.

A new investigation is revealing the dangerous, life-threatening jobs American prisoners are forced into for little to no payment.

On Thursday, May 16, The Associated Press released a two-year investigation that takes a deep dive into the prison labor that dates back to slavery and has always disproportionately impacted people of color. With laws in place that allow for private companies to take advantage of the ever-expanding captive workforce, a multibillion-dollar industry has burgeoned with little oversight.

Each year, hundreds of thousands of prisoners are put to work at dangerous jobs, with little to no training, where they’re paid pennies an hour or nothing at all. American citizens serving out prison sentences are employed to fight wildfires, operate heavy machinery, or work on industrial-sized farms and meat-processing plants where they’re denied basic rights and protections the average American worker would receive.

As a result, many are left seriously injured or lose their lives to jobs that exclude them from workers’ compensation benefits and state and federal laws for health and safety. Many of the private companies behind the dangerous jobs serve as supply chains to huge companies like McDonald’s, Target, Albertsons, Cargill, Walmart, Burger King, and more.

Much of the data on the workplace injuries and deaths remains unknown due to prisoner’s silence out of fear of retaliation from prison staff. The state of California only reports 700 work-related injuries from 2018 to 2022 but The AP noted how redacted the documents provided were.

Blas Sanchez was nearing the end of his 20-year prison sentence while working at Hickman’s Family Farms when his leg got pulled into a chute with a large spiraling augur of a machine he was operating. After hours of waiting to get freed from the machinery, Sanchez was finally airlifted to a nearby hospital where his right leg was amputated below the knee.

Hickman’s is a major supplier of eggs to companies like McDonalds, Target, and Albertsons and markets eggs with brands like Land O’ Lakes, Eggland’s Best, and their own.

“They end up being mangled in ways that will affect them for the rest of their lives,” said Joel Robbins, a lawyer who has represented several prisoners hired by Hickman’s.

“If you’re going to come out with a good resume, you should come out with two hands and two legs and eyes to work.”

Most companies did not respond to requests about their ties to prison labor. But Cargill, which boasts the title of the largest private company in the U.S. with $177 billion in revenue last year, says it is actively working “to ensure there is no prison labor in our extended supplier network.”

Most prison labor is within the facility’s confines and pays a few cents an hour while the outside labor positions are limited and offer minimum wage where some states deduct up to 60% off the top. Research found that inmates are often retaliated against if they deny the forced prison labor.

Prisoner strikes demanding more rights are uncommon and swiftly suppressed. The U.S. Supreme Court has also ruled that inmates cannot join or form unions, call an ambulance, or request hospital transport for life-threatening job-related injuries.

Those who choose to sue face challenging obstacles, such as finding a lawyer willing to take their case. The challenges only increased after the federal Prison Litigation Reform Act was enacted almost three decades ago to reduce the surge of lawsuits accompanying the growing prison populations.

Research for the prison labor investigation was conducted using interviews with more than 100 current and former prisoners across the country, family members of workers who were killed by severe burns, traumatic head wounds, and even severed body parts. Reporters also spoke with lawyers, researchers, and experts, and examined thousands of documents, including the rare lawsuits that successfully navigate the court system.

In most states, public institutions are not liable for incarcerated workers’ injuries or deaths.

“We’ve got this category of human beings that can be wrongfully harmed and yet left with no remedy for their harm,” Michael Duff, a law professor at Saint Louis University and an expert on labor law said.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 18, 2024

Donna Summer’s Estate Reaches Settlement With Ye Over Unauthorized Use Of ‘I Feel Love’

Donna Summer's estate has reached a settlement with Ye for unauthorized use of her 1977 Disco classic "I Feel Love."

Donna Summer’s estate has reached a settlement with Ye and Ty Dolla $ign for the unauthorized use of her 1977 classic “I Feel Love.”

The estate filed the suit in February accusing the rap duo of using the disco hit on their Vultures 1 album without permission. On Wednesday, May 15, a status report filed in Los Angeles federal court included a statement from a lawyer representing Summer’s estate which revealed the “global settlement” both parties reached on May 3, according to Rolling Stone.

“Plaintiff anticipates that the final settlement agreement can be executed shortly, and soon thereafter, the parties will be in a position to file a stipulation for dismissal of the action in its entirety,” the filing signed by estate lawyer Stanton L. Stein said.

“In the unlikely event the parties are unable to conclude the settlement by June 14, 2024, plaintiff intends to diligently prosecute the action against all defendants. As such, plaintiff requests that dismissal not be entered at this time.”

The copyright infringement lawsuit was initially filed in federal court in Los Angeles by Summer’s husband Bruce Sudano, who serves as executor of the late singer’s estate. The lawsuit alleged that Ye had reached out to the estate to get permission to sample the song in the Vultures 1 track “Good (Don’t Die).”

However, the rapper was turned down by Summer’s estate as they “wanted no association with West’s controversial history.” Ye was denied a second time after contacting Summer’s record label, Universal Music Enterprises to request authorization to use the song.

The estate was surprised when Vultures 1 was released and “shamelessly” included re-recorded parts of “I Feel Love” that were “instantly recognizable.” Once the lawsuit was filed, “Good (Don’t Die)” was quickly removed from streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music.

Summer’s estate was among a list of music acts to accuse Ye of including unauthorized samples on the album. Ozzy Osbourne blasted Ye as an “Antisemite” after the rapper included a sample of Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man” on the track “Carnival.”

Ye went on to remove to the Black Sabbath sample and included a cut from his song “Hell Of A Life,” which features a legally-cleared sample of “Iron Man.” The Yeezy founder was also accused of using an uncleared sample of Backstreet Boys’ “Everybody” on a song of the same name, which ended up not making the album.

NAACP President Derrick Johnson, Cardi B, 2024 Election

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 17, 2024

NAACP President Wants To ‘Talk’ To Cardi B After She Publicly Withdraws Her Vote In The 2024 Election

The NAACP wants to speak with Cardi B after she publicly announced plans to skip voting in the 2024 presidential election.

The NAACP’s President wants a sit-down with Cardi B after the rapper publicly announced her plans to skip voting in the 2024 presidential election.

The Grammy-nominated rapper appears on the cover of the latest issue of Rolling Stone, where she explains why she’s not casting her vote for President Biden or former President Donald Trump in the upcoming election.

“I don’t f— with both of y’all,” she said about the Democratic and Republican candidates.

According to Cardi, Trump is a “dire threat” to the country and Biden has caused her “layers and layers of disappointment” over his “domestic and foreign mismanagement.”

“I feel like people got betrayed,” she said of the Biden Administration’s handling of the ongoing inflation and low wages. “It’s just like, damn, y’all not caring about nobody.”

“Then, it really gets me upset that there is solutions to it. There is a solution. I know there’s a solution because you’re spending billions of dollars on any f—ing thing.”

.@iamcardib, let’s talk about it. Your voice matters, and our communities have to look beyond the presidential race.

I invite you to speak with the @NAACP on how we can all use our collective power this November to elect everything from mayors to school board members. https://t.co/kO3CZfG7I2
— Derrick Johnson (@DerrickNAACP) May 16, 2024

In response to Cardi’s public reveal of her political stance, NAACP President Derrick Johnson invited her to sit down and “talk about it” ahead of the election.

“Your voice matters, and our communities have to look beyond the presidential race,” he wrote. “I invite you to speak with the @NAACP on how we can all use our collective power this November to elect everything from mayors to school board members.”

Cardi’s latest statements on the 2024 election mimic earlier comments she made to Los Angeles radio personality Big Boy about her plans not to vote for either candidate. The “Money” rapper who publicly endorsed Biden in the 2020 election following his victory against her first pick Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt, was already sealed on her decision not to endorse Biden for a second time before going into 2024.

“I’m endorsing no presidents no more,” Cardi B told The Guardian last November. “Joe Biden is talking about, ‘Yeah, we can fund two wars,’ … talking about, ‘Yeah, we got it, we’re the greatest nation.’ No … we’re not. We don’t got it, and we’re going through some sh*t right now. So say it!”

She added: “We are really, really, really fu*ked right now. No, we cannot fund these … wars.”

President Joe Biden, Morehouse College, Atlanta, Morehouse Faculty, Commencement Ceremony

by Sharelle B. McNair

May 17, 2024

Biden To Receive Honorary Doctorate from Morehouse Despite Split Vote from Faculty

Would you oppose Joe Biden speaking at your graduation?

Despite a difference of opinion from faculty members, Morehouse College will give President Joe Biden an honorary doctorate at its upcoming graduation, NBC News reports.

A number of the HBCU’s faculty members either voted against the decision or withheld their vote earlier this week given their frustrations with some of the president’s policies and the school’s decision to host him as the commencement speaker. Faculty voted in favor 50 to 38 to given Biden the degree.

Morehouse leadership announced the plans back in September 2023, prior to Biden accepting the invitation. However, the college overlooked the part of the protocol where faculty must vote to authorize that decision.

“It is imperative to clarify that the recent decision to convene to vote to award Biden an honorary degree is not in question because of current political affairs,” Morehouse said in a statement. “The decision to call for a faculty vote is due to a mistaken oversight in the process, which traditionally includes a faculty vote that usually takes place in September.”

But faculty at the male-only school expressed concern long before the vote. In a letter that circulated amongs leadership, a small group of faculty members addressed opposition to the degree in lieu of Biden’s stance on the war in Gaza.

“We recognize the honor that typically comes with having the most powerful elected person in the world speak at Morehouse,” the letter read. “At this time, however, salient policies of the United States government are responsible for the suffering of millions of people around the planet.”

During an appearance at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, POTUS touched on the number of Morehouse men serving on his team. “I got more Morehouse men in my administration than Morehouse,” he said.

"I got more Morehouse men in my administration than Morehouse," @POTUS says at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. pic.twitter.com/yQr83maAG8
— Akayla Gardner (@gardnerakayla) May 17, 2024

Co-chair of the Biden-Harris re-election campaign and Morehouse alumnus Cedric Richmond defended the president, saying he “deserves” this recognition, highlighting Biden’s track record with the Black community between appointing Justice Ketanji Brown-Jackson, the first Black woman to the Supreme Court to the lowest level of Black unemployment in history.

“In my eyes, he’s earned an honorary degree,” Richmond said.

Morehouse addressed some of the concerns over Biden during a meeting with a group of students, faculty, and head of the White House Office of Public Engagement, Steven Benjamin this month. With Gaza being the hot topic, attendees pressed Benjamin to guarantee Biden’s commencement address, on May 19, won’t turn into a campaign speech.

Biden won’t be the only dignitary receiving honors. According to Fox 47 News, famous alumni like civil rights activist Martin Luther King III, Oscar-winning producer and director Spike Lee, and actor Brian Tyree Henry, will be listed as notable alumni anniversaries.

King and Lee graduated in 1979; Henry received his degree in 1999.

Goldman Sachs, One Million Black Women, OMBW, Survey, Entrepreneurship

by Stacy Jackson

May 17, 2024

Goldman Sachs Survey Reveals Majority Black Women Seek Wealth Through Entrepreneurship

The survey found that Black women believe the federal government's role is crucial in advancing entrepreneurship opportunities.

A new survey by Goldman Sachs’ One Million Black Women (OMBW) initiative, unveiled on May 16, has shed light on the entrepreneurial aspirations of Black women across America.

The study’s findings reveal that 6 out of every 10 Black women perceive entrepreneurship as a viable pathway to accumulating wealth. Moreover, should barriers be minimized, many would eagerly pursue business ventures to uplift themselves, their families, and their communities. Titled “One Million Black Women National Survey: Empowering Entrepreneurs,” the nationwide survey amassed responses from 1,200 participants. It represents the latest endeavor under OMBW, Goldman Sachs’ ambitious $10 billion investment to narrow opportunity gaps for at least one million Black women by 2030.

Survey results projected that 54% of Black women who do not currently own businesses have contemplated launching their own enterprises. Notably, 77% expressed that increased accessibility to business loans, grants, lines of credit, or seed funding would render them more inclined to embark on entrepreneurial journeys. Furthermore, 71% indicated that a streamlined process for obtaining business licenses or permits would serve as a catalyst for their entrepreneurial pursuits.

“Black women are starting businesses faster than any other demographic in our country. But these job creators need the know-how and resources to grow and scale,” Goldman Sachs’ Global Head of Corporate Engagement, Asahi Pompey, said. “’OMBW: Black in Business’ is part of the solution, but we also need policy solutions that will further invest in the economic power of Black women entrepreneurs.”

Ayesha Curry, CEO of Sweet July and a member of the OMBW Advisory Council, said she’s committed to her collaboration with “One Million Black Women” as it advocates for policy solutions. “When Black women are economically empowered, the positive ripple effects reverberate throughout their communities,” Curry said.

Other findings from the survey uncovered that 63% of Black women believe the federal government could play a more proactive role in advancing entrepreneurship opportunities. Only 35% of Black women business owners feel their interests are adequately represented in Washington. Additionally, a striking 32% of Black women intending to cast their votes in the 2024 presidential election remain undecided or uncertain about their candidate of choice. As previously mentioned in BLACK ENTERPRISE, In Our Voice President and CEO Regina Davis Moss stated earlier this month that Black women’s vote is “key to securing equity and justice for our families and generations to come.” The statement followed the release of new polling data that revealed the influential voting power of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI), Black, and Latina/x women and concerns that policymakers and politicians are not prioritizing issues that directly impact their daily lives.

Philadelphia, black business funding, career relationships

by Jeff Shuford

May 17, 2024

Marketing Outreach Tips For Entrepreneurs

Market outreach is purposeful. It helps you reach your target audience/market and bring awareness about the value of your product or services.

Originally Published June 12, 2019.

Developing marketing outreach campaigns is critical if you are a small business owner committed to increasing revenue. What is marketing outreach? It’s a purposeful strategy to reach your target audience/market and bring awareness to that audience of the value of your product or services.

How quickly your small business grows is directly related to the effort you put into planning and executing audience outreach. For maximum business growth this year, you should have several brand development and customer acquisition plans in place.

Tips for Successful Marketing Outreach Campaigns

Search Engine Marketing

One of the first outreach campaigns every small business owner should plan is their search engine marketing campaign. SEO or search engine optimization is essential for long-term business survival. Everything from voice SEO (to take advantage of voice-activated searches) to image description, SEO should be integrated into your search engine marketing strategy.

Mobile Marketing

Mobile marketing is another vital element small business owners should focus on for maximum impact. A growing number of consumers are mobile-only, with their smartphones becoming their only means of accessing the internet. If you hope to attract mobile-enabled consumers to your small business, it is imperative that you develop a detailed mobile marketing strategy for your company.

Content Marketing

Small business content marketing is no longer optional. If you are not creating engaging and helpful content for your small business, prepare to lose sales to savvier competitors who understand the power and potential of content creation. Make sure your content marketing strategy contains everything from text-based content to visual marketing options like videos and infographics.

Landing Page Marketing

Landing pages are powerful tools for small business owners who want to increase their company’s conversion rates. Consider integrating landing page optimization into multiple aspects of your small business, including e-commerce sales and social media marketing. Creating landing pages for customer outreach campaigns can significantly increase your conversion rate and profits.

Social Media Marketing

Speaking of social media marketing, how you develop your small business social networking strategy is essential for increased growth rates. Understand who your target customers are, which social networks they use, and how they prefer to be marketed to on social media. Create a cohesive social media marketing plan for your small business, and you’ll be amazed at how easy it is to convert social media connections into paying customers for your small business.

Focus your efforts on these five marketing outreach tips for small business owners, and you’ll be impressed at your campaign’s ROI (return on investment). Building a successful and profitable small business isn’t easy, but the rewards are definitely worth the effort when you turn your dream into a thriving company of your own.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 17, 2024

Jamaica Kincaid Releases First Children’s Book In Nearly 40 Years, ‘An Encyclopedia Of Gardening For Colored Children’

Jamaica Kincaid's new children's book, "An Encyclopedia of Gardening for Colored Children," explores plant life, colonization, and religion through bold illustrations.

Writer and Harvard University professor Jamaica Kincaid is passing along her gardening expertise to Black youth with her first children’s book in nearly 40 years, An Encyclopedia of Gardening for Colored Children.

The Antiguan-American novelist, essayist, and gardening writer teamed with renowned visual artist Kara Walker to illustrate her book, which serves as a stimulating exploration into the plant life that has shaped the colonized world. Kincaid, who’s been sitting on the idea for the book for some time, pulled Walker away from the caution she had about curating picture books which “lack delight and irreverence.”

“I wrote to Kara, but I was absolutely sure that this was an insulting idea to her, that she would say no. So when she responded yes, I probably didn’t read the whole email, I just immediately wrote back,” Kincaid told Harper’s Bazaar.

It was during the pandemic when Walker acquired an interest in gardening and turned to Kincaid’s 1991 effort, My Garden Book. Thanks to Kincaid’s 50-year history of writing novels, essays, and gardening books that reflect her bold intelligence, Kincaid was fresh on Walker’s mind when she reached out with her illustration request.

“Hilton [Als] mentioned that you were on Instagram, so I would see your flowers. I suddenly felt a connection that I really needed,” Walker said. “Being an artist and Black woman and feeling somewhat isolated … I needed a figure who was not just a friend, that I felt mentored by, in a way outside of the art.”

Through their mutual respect for each other’s work, Kincaid and Walker brought life to Kincaid’s children’s storybook, which is inspired by the Garden of Eden in the Holy Bible.

“I came to understand a garden there in this way,” Kincaid explained. “There are many layered things about it, but the garden in particular, the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge—I’ve interpreted the Tree of Life as agriculture, and the Tree of Knowledge as horticulture.”

When it came to titling the children’s book, Kincaid was prompted by her publisher to remove the term that’s looked at as “the N-word.” But telling that to a writer who’s regarded for being a literary “bad a**” meant the requested change wasn’t up for discussion.

“Is them not the word ‘colored’? The word ‘colored’ applies to all,” Kincaid said. “If you’re going to use it to designate one group of people, it’s all people. White is a color—it’s not the absence of color and the rest of us are a color. White is a color, too. You could say ‘for all children,’ but I love the word ‘colored.’ I didn’t want ‘children of color.’ No, no.”

Kincaid is celebrated for literary classics like 1996’s The Autobiography of My Mother, Lucy (1990) and A Small Place (1988). Her new release offers readers an ABC of the plants that define our world and unveils the often brutal history behind them. Walker applies her illustrative expertise to help bring Kincaid’s words to life through provocative, enthralling, multi-layered watercolors.

An Encyclopedia of Gardening for Colored Children is available for sale now.