The Difference Is Clear: Appraisal of Same Home Quoted $350K for White Homeowner, $310K for Black Partner
by Stacy Jackson

November 1, 2022

The Difference Is Clear: Appraisal of Same Home Quoted $350K for White Homeowner, $310K for Black Partner

The value of property continues to be estimated unfairly for Black homeowners compared to their white counterparts.

MarketWatch reported that a new test conducted in Baltimore by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) shows the appraisal differences between Black and white homeowners through the use of mystery shoppers.

Part of the study examined an interracial couple who was assigned different appraisal values based on the skin color of each partner. When the white partner met the appraiser for a single row house, the quote was $350,000. However, the Black partner in the relationship was quoted $310,000 by a separate appraiser. According to the NCRC, both appraisers were randomly selected, and the inspections were set on different days that were close together.

“The discrimination we found in the appraisals system undermines Black wealth-building and almost certainly violates the law,” NCRC President and CEO Jesse Van Tol said in a statement.

“It is unacceptable for appraisers to undercut the value of homes and conduct themselves less professionally when dealing with Black homeowners.”

A recent lawsuit from a couple in Baltimore alleges that their home appraisal went from $472,000 to $750,000 after they allowed a white male colleague to stand in for them as a second appraisal was conducted.

“The discrimination NCRC’s testers experienced can have devastating effects to a family’s long-term wealth-building efforts–and not just by depressing a home’s monetary value,” the NCRC website explains.

“The delays and discourteous non-communication some appraisers in NCRC’s testing displayed toward Black testers can also cause sellers to miss out on cheap interest rates, or even derail a sale entirely.”

An 84-page report provided by the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) revealed that the value of Black neighborhoods was reduced as a result of discriminatory associations between race and risk.

“Because home value has been the cornerstone of intergenerational wealth in the United States, the historical appraisal practices have had long-term effects in creating some of the current wealth inequalities where white wealth has soared while Black wealth has remained stagnant,” according to the report.

Other cases in the NCRC’s examination included a situation where the appraiser reportedly ghosted the Black homeowner, never sending a report, and another instance where a Black partner in an interracial relationship was asked to pay upfront.

White Tennessee State U Professor Robert Pickard Filmed Screaming in Black Student’s Face, ‘YOU HAVE FAILED!’
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 1, 2022

White Tennessee State U Professor Robert Pickard Filmed Screaming in Black Student’s Face, ‘YOU HAVE FAILED!’

A white professor at Tennessee State University, an HBCU, has gone viral for all the wrong reasons after he was filmed screaming at the top of his lungs at a Black student.

A video clip posted to TikTok on Monday garnered strong responses from viewers confused as to why the teacher belligerently shouted at the student who was doing nothing.

“Welcome to the HBCU experience,” a caption over the video read.

It showed the white professor screaming and shouting at the Black student while demanding to know their name.

“I SAID WHAT IS YOUR NAME?!” the professor shouts.

“I DON’T CARE, GET OUT! YOU HAVE FAILED THIS COURSE WHATEVER YOUR NAME IS!”

@myathagangsta #gobigblue 💙 #fyp #viral #foryoupage ♬ Just Wanna Rock – Lil Uzi Vert

Black Information Network reports that a student posted the video online, noting how it wasn’t the professor’s first time treating a student this way.

“I was so shocked like why would you yell at him like that?” TSU student Sheraya Rains said of the incident. “I think he should be fired.”

The optics of the now-viral moment have been called out by onlookers confused as to why a white educator at a historically Black college or university was berating a Black student in front of the entire class.

“At A HBCU????” one viewer wrote.

“All he needed was the word “BOYYY” at the end. Sounded ready af,” another user scolded.

“I’ve never seen a single professor raise their voice not even the slightest throughout my 4 years of college,” said someone else.

When the clip made its rounds on Twitter, one user identified the professor as TSU’s Robert Pickard and shared a screenshot of Pickard’s low score on Rate My Professor.

The low ratings started to skyrocket following the viral video clip. Onlookers sounded off and called for the professors’ removal from the Tennessee-based HBCU.

“How is he employed there still w/ these ratings?!” one user noted, referencing the professor’s low ratings from fellow TSU students.

“Gonna be unemployed soon,” one user wrote.

“He wanted to say it so bad,” added someone else.

In the wake of the video being heavily shared across social media, TSU condemned Pickard’s behavior in a statement, WSMV reports.

“The University is aware of the incident identified in the video clip being distributed in the media, including on social media. TSU does not tolerate unprofessional behavior in its classrooms or otherwise directed at students,” the statement reads.

“The University is committed to providing a healthy and positive academic environment for all students. This incident runs afoul of the standard of behavior we expect from those charged with teaching and serving as role models for our students. The University has taken swift action, including personnel action, to address this incident.”

Black Woman Tech Startup Founder Sevetri Wilson Rakes in $35 Million in Capital
by Atiya Jordan

November 1, 2022

Black Woman Tech Startup Founder Sevetri Wilson Rakes in $35 Million in Capital

Sevetri Wilson, a BLACK ENTERPRISE 2022 40 Under 40 Honoree and one of the top-funded Black women founders in tech, continues to strengthen the capacity of nonprofits through her company, Resilia.

The New Orleans native recently brought her capital-raising prowess to a Series B financing round. She raised $35 million from investors that will propel her company‘s expansion plans forward, NOLA.com reported.

Led by Panoramic Ventures and Framework Venture Partners, the successful round included investors, Mucker Capital, SoftBank Group’s SB Opportunity Fund, and Goldman Sachs Asset Management Fund.

“This latest investment gets us closer to realizing our vision of democratizing philanthropy by reallocating power over its decision-making and resources as well as providing more seats at the table,” Wilson said in a statement, per NOLA.com.

Launched in November 2016, Resilia is a software as a service (SaaS) platform that aims to “strengthen the capacity of nonprofits and help grantors scale impact through data-driven technology solutions,” per the company’s website. It provides nonprofits with resources for coaching, management, employee training, and funding, while serving granter makers—like governments and corporate or private foundations.

After spending nearly a decade advising nonprofits and grantmakers, the serial entrepreneur transitioned from building her first seven-figure company, Solid Ground Innovations, with zero capital to transforming the nonprofit sector through technology with her second business.

In 2020, Wilson raised $8 million in Resilia’s Series A round of funding, BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported. It was the highest venture capital raised by a woman-founded tech company in the state of Louisiana.

The company has accumulated nearly $50 million since its inception, according to Forbes.

“I do subscribe to the fact that every business shouldn’t be backed by venture capital because I actually built a company that did not raise capital,” Wilson told BLACK ENTERPRISE.

“For us to really be able to compete, if we want to be able to capture percent of the market share, if we want to be thought leaders in this space, and really be the go-to for what we’re doing, we’re going to have to raise capital, she continued.”

Resilia, which currently has offices in New Orleans and New York City, boasts more than 15,000 nonprofit clients, including Oxfam America, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the United States Tennis Association Foundation (USTA).

BLACK ENTERPRISE will celebrate Wilson and the honorees at the 40 Under 40 Dinner, a private, invite-only ceremony on Wednesday, November 16, at City Winery New York. The celebration will continue with the 40 Under 40 Summit, taking place virtually on Thursday, December 8.

Fitness Instructor ‘Mr Motivator’ Shares Perspective on Racism in Television
by Stacy Jackson

November 1, 2022

Fitness Instructor ‘Mr Motivator’ Shares Perspective on Racism in Television

TV personality Mr Motivator is not fond of the TV world. He believes so many people in positions of power lack respect for those who aren’t.

Derrick Evans, the Jamaican-born British fitness instructor better known as Mr Motivator, discussed his views on racism, etiquette, and TV stars in a recent interview with The Guardian.

According to the outlet, Mr Motivator, known for his infectious smile and psychedelic leotards, has stepped into his role as a life coach, helping people make the most of their later years and motivating those who have difficulty moving around.

“I think it’s the way I make people feel,” Evans said comparing his character to that of Maya Angelou.

He recalled the early years of his career and being faced with multiple rejections that he described as racially motivated.

“The first job I went for, I’d spoken to the guy on the phone beforehand,” Mr Motivator said.

“When I went in he looked at me and said: ‘Why didn’t you tell me you were Black?’ I said: ‘Because you didn’t tell me you were white.'”

“I said: ‘If that’s how we’re beginning, I don’t think I can work for you’–and I walked out,” he shared during the interview.

Mr Motivator grew bored of work and discovered his passion for fitness at Harrow Leisure Centre in 1983 when he observed two women leading a pop mobility fitness class.

“I was transfixed. That was my lightbulb moment.”

He realized his potential when he started his own classes that people were traveling for miles to attend because the demand for his motivation was so high. He informed the outlet that the fitness venture was very rewarding financially, noting that he is one of the most expensive personal trainers in the country.

“I learned the more expensive you are, the more demand there is for you,” he continued.

Evans shared the story that landed him on the UK breakfast television show, GMTV.

“One day I was sitting in reception at GMTV. This guy comes walking in with a large stomach, and I got up and prodded him in the belly. I said: ‘Excuse me mate. You need to look after that.'”

The man turned out to be GMTV boss Peter McHugh. Mr Motivator brought him an exercise bike the next day and visited his office the day after, hounding him to use the bike.

“After a lot of persuasion he said: ‘Yeah, OK, I will do it.’ We started training, and he said: ‘You need to be on television,'” Evans shared about the turning point in his career.

Still, he faced rejection again that was racially motivated.

“He said: ‘We’ve checked with the advertisers and they don’t really want a Black man doing fitness. It had to be a white woman with two kids.’ They felt that was the right image,” Evans said McHugh told him.

Daily Mail reported that Mr Motivator is set to embrace his inner drag queen alongside other celebrity cast members including Chris Hughes and Simon Gregson. The cast will master the disciplines of drag through singing, dancing, lip syncing, comedy, impressions, and drag magic—AKA Dragic.

Queens for the Night will air Saturday, November 5 at 8.30 p.m. on ITV and ITV Hub.

Meet the Two Black Men, Social Justice Advocates, Who Own the Trademark for White Lives Matter
by Derek Major

November 1, 2022

Meet the Two Black Men, Social Justice Advocates, Who Own the Trademark for White Lives Matter

The phrase “White Lives Matter” gained popularity after Grammy-winning artist Kanye West wore a  hoodie with the slogan at his Paris fashion show.

However, West will not be able to profit from the phrase, because the trademark is owned by two Black men.

Rolling Stone reports “White Lives Matter” is trademarked by Ramses Ja and Quinton Ward, the hosts of Civic Cypher, an Arizona-based radio show that focuses on racial justice. However, Black Enterprise checked and the trademark application was filed in October but it could be years before it’s finalized.

Also it’s important to note that you can claim a trademark and it doesn’t have to necessary be applied for under federal protection.

According to Cornell Law: “Although registration is not a prerequisite to federal trademark protection, registered marks enjoy significant advantages over unregistered marks including: registration serves as nationwide constructive notice of ownership and use of the mark under 15 U.S.C. § 1072; and a registered mark may achieve incontestable status after five years of continuous use under 15 U.S.C. § 1065, which enhances the owner’s rights by eliminating a number of defenses to claims of infringement.”

The radio hosts recently told Capital B that the person who originally acquired the trademark in 2020 did so so it wouldn’t fall into the wrong hands. Earlier this month, he handed the trademark over to the two men.

Civic Cypher LLC is a company owned by Ramses King aka Ramses Ja. 

“The way the law works is either you’re owning phrases, or it’s up for grabs for people to make money off them,” Ja, who co-hosts Civic Cipher with Ward, told Capital B.

“This person who first procured it didn’t really love owning it, because the purpose was not necessarily to get rich off of it; the purpose was to make sure that other people didn’t get rich off of that pain.”

Ja added that if he and Ward sold the trademark, the fund would go towards helping Black civil rights organizations, instead of their pockets.

“If we were to sell that trademark, for whatever amount of money, we could donate that money to causes that we feel would benefit Black people, like the NAACP or Black Lives Matter organizations,” Ja told Capital B.

“Because, realistically, we cannot stop the shirts from being made right now. We can write cease to people selling these shirts right now, but that is a big monster that requires teams of lawyers and thousands of dollars that we do not have.”

The 2020 Black Lives Matter movement, a worldwide protest against police brutality and the unequal treatment of Black people, popularized the phrase. White supremacist organizations, including the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), have begun using the slogan “White Lives Matter” in response, and, today, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) considers the phrase a hate slogan.

According to Ja, West has not reached out to him or Ward concerning the slogan. Many have blasted the rapper and producer for wearing the hoodie, including the family of Ahmaud Arbery, who was killed by two white men while jogging in Georgia.

In addition to the hoodie, West has made other controversial moves in recent weeks, including saying George Floyd wasn’t killed by former police officer Derek Chauvin, and making numerous anti-Semitic comments, which resulted in businesses and corporations cutting ties with the College Dropout rapper.

Shonda Rhimes, Grey's Anatomy, Debbie Allen, Get Out The Vote, Trivia Livestream Event
by Derek Major

November 1, 2022

Screenwriter Shonda Rhimes, Other Celebrities Announce They’re Leaving Twitter As Tesla Founder Elon Musk Takes Over Platform

Celebrities are leaving Twitter in the wake of billionaire Elon Musk taking over the social media platform, citing concerns about his leadership.

Not long after the Tesla founder took control of Twitter, trolls littered the site with hate speech and Nazi memes, raising fears that the social media platform could become a home for online hate.

One tweet, a racial slur in capital letters, was retweeted more than 700 times and liked more than 5,000 times. Other accounts have included swastikas as profile pictures, glorifying Nazi Germany, and tweets denouncing the LGBTQ+ community.

Screenwriter and Producer Shonda Rhimes was among the first to announce that she would be leaving the site, tweeting on Saturday that she’s “Not hanging around for whatever Elon has planned. Bye.”

In addition to Rhimes, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles also tweeted that she was leaving the social media platform Sunday, saying:

“Welp. It’s been fun Twitter. I’m out. See you on other platforms, peeps. Sorry, this one’s just not for me.”

Billions showrunner Brian Koppelman also deactivated his account, telling his fans to follow him on TikTok and Instagram.

“Y’all’s, for real, come find me over on Instagram and the tok. Gonna really try to take a breather from here for a minute or a month come deal close time,” Koppelman said.

Since Musk has taken over the social media platform, changes have been minimal, outside of Musk firing the CEO and CFO. One change planned for the platform is that it will begin charging $20 a month for its blue check verification.

The blue checkmark is typically used to verify that statements are coming from specific individuals and organizations. However, Musk seemingly wants to turn it into a status symbol. Author Stephen King is not receptive to the idea, tweeting that if the plan gets instituted, he is gone.

2 Men Charged for Setting 20-Year-Old on Fire Who Told Man’s Wife They Were in Relationship
by Stacy Jackson

November 1, 2022

2 Men Charged for Setting 20-Year-Old on Fire Who Told Man’s Wife They Were in Relationship

A family is mourning a young woman who had dreams of becoming an orthodontist, but enrolled in beauty school after discovering she had a talent for  making people look good.

Criminal charges were filed for the case of a 20-year-old Milwaukee woman who was allegedly shot and burned after telling the wife of a married man she had been seeing about their relationship.

According to CBS 58, police said the victim, a young woman by the name of Kania Brunson, met up with the married man, identified as Sutan Shareef, on the day of the murder. A friend of Shareef said he called the police after he spotted the two in Shareef’s car on Sept. 24. Allegedly, Shareef was seen on top of Brunson as she was pleading for help, screaming, “He cut my throat.”

(Image: YouTube /CBS 58 / Screenshot)

Police reportedly located Brunson and Shareef after being called to an alley near Keefe Avenue and Palmer Street. When they arrived on the scene, the victim appeared to have been tied, shot, and set on fire.

Medical examiners reported Brunson’s death as a homicide.

WISN 12 News reported that Shareef has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide and mutilating a corpse. Shareef’s brother-in-law, Johnny Hopgood, has been identified as an accomplice in the murder, as he allegedly joined Shareef to dispose of Brunson’s body by setting her remains on fire. Hopgood is charged with mutilating a corpse and harboring or aiding a felon.

“I wasn’t even there 30 minutes and they called and told me her car was found, and I knew then, at that point, like something happened to her,” Brunson’s mother Jennifer Meadows said to CBS 58. 

Reportedly, Shareef contacted Brunson’s mother a week prior to the incident saying, “I want to be done messing with your daughter but she’s reaching out to my wife.”

After police questioned Shareef’s wife, she claimed he had been with her on the night of the murder. However, video evidence proved her claims to be false.

“I won’t stop until I find out who did this to my daughter. I wouldn’t want no parent or anybody to go through this,” the victim’s father Shawnte Brunson said in an interview with WISN 12 News earlier in October..

Shareef’s bond is set at $500,000, while bond for Hopgood is $50,000. Both men are reportedly scheduled to appear in court again.

Oprah Winfrey Addresses Online Scams Misusing Her Name, Wants Fans To Take Caution
by Atiya Jordan

November 1, 2022

Oprah Winfrey Addresses Online Scams Misusing Her Name, Wants Fans To Take Caution

Over the years, Oprah Winfrey has been proud and transparent about her weight  loss journey. Now, she is forced to address online scams that have been “misusing” her name to promote weight loss gummy products.

On Monday, the media mogul took to Instagram with a “fraud alert” after she had been approached by five people in one week seeking the gummies.

“Somebody’s out there using my name,” Winfrey said to her 21.6 million Instagram followers. “I have nothing to do with weight loss gummies or diet pills and I don’t want you all taken advantage of by people misusing my name.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Oprah (@oprah)

In 2015, the 68-year-old billionaire purchased a 10% stake in Weight Watchers for a total of $43.2 million, BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported. The hefty investment aligned with her own Weight Watcher’s journey, which she shared in January 2016 with a video and a tweet. She announced that she had lost 26 pounds with the program.

However, Winfrey insists that she does not endorse weight loss gummies.

“There have been social media ads, emails, and fake websites going out and I want you to hear it straight from me, that I have nothing to do with them. Please don’t be taken advantage of and don’t give your personal information to them,” she captioned Monday’s post.

According to CNN, there had been sponsored ads “circulating online using Winfrey’s name and likeness to promote a product,” including an April 27 Facebook post, urging users to “Claim your fitness gummies from Oprah until the 30th.”

“These ads are a complete fabrication,” Winfrey’s representative Nicole Nichols told USA Today. “Oprah has nothing to do with this gummy product and does not endorse any such diet or weight-loss pill.”

Earlier this year, Winfrey challenged her Instagram fans and her bestie, Gayle King, to dump two-week-old birthday cake and leftover holiday food in order to press the reset button on a weight loss journey.

“If you’ve been waiting for the right day, the right time, or some kind of sign…this is it,” Oprah shared in a caption of a video. “Today is the day. Day One starts now! Join me at ww.com so we can hit reset together and start 2022 on the right track! Goodbye two-week-old cake, hello hydration.”

Ta-Nehisi Coates, Book Ban, schools, school board, teacher, curriculum
by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

November 1, 2022

Proximity Media Presents Wakanda Forever: The Official Black Panther Podcast, Hosted by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Proximity Media, in collaboration with Marvel Studios and Marvel Entertainment, announces an upcoming six-episode podcast about the making of the highly anticipated film “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” opening in theaters nationwide Nov. 11.

Wakanda Forever: The Official Black Panther Podcast explores the next chapter in the story of Wakanda and honors the remarkable legacy of Chadwick Boseman. National Book Award-winning author, journalist, and writer for Marvel Comics’ Black Panther Ta-Nehisi Coates serves as host and writer. Proximity’s Head of Audio Paola Mardo serves as producer, as well as executive producer alongside Proximity’s founders Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, and Sev Ohanian. A preview of the show, which is the first podcast from Proximity Media’s new audio division, is now available across all major podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.

Said Mardo, “Ever since Ryan, Zinzi, and Sev entrusted Proximity’s Audio division with this project, our goal has been to tell the story of the making of ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ with as much heart and authenticity as the film itself.”

“With our premiere episode, we’ve accomplished this goal while breaking new ground in the process, thanks to the awesome collaboration between our incredible host Ta-Nehisi Coates, our talented podcast production team, and our collaborators at Marvel and Disney.”

Debuting Nov. 3, the first episode features a conversation between Coates and director and co-writer Ryan Coogler. The two artists and friends reflect on the cultural impact of ‘Black Panther,’ the legacy of Chadwick Boseman and his inspiration to the cast and crew.

“There is no storyteller I admire more than Ryan Coogler,” said Coates, who makes his podcast-hosting debut.

“Any chance to partner with him, Proximity Media and Marvel, is a worthy one. For that opportunity to be a chronicle of the making of ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ was simply too good to pass up.”

Subsequent episodes will be available weekly in January 2023, celebrating the five-year anniversary of the first “Black Panther” film. Guests will include cast and crew, including stars Angela Bassett and Dominique Thorne; score and soundtrack composer and producer Ludwig Göransson; production designer Hannah Beachler; director of photography Autumn Durald Arkapaw; co-writer Joe Robert Cole; producers Kevin Feige and Nate Moore; and more.

Each episode, in tandem with guests’ conversation, will weave host narration, Göransson’s original score, film clips and field recordings. Story editing for the podcast is by James Kim. Audio editing is by Cameron Kell and Cedric Wilson. Sound design and additional music is by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Audio engineering is by Lauryn Newson. Production assistance is from Polina Cherezova.

AirDrop! Connecticut Woman Gives Birth To Baby Boy Aboard Flight 6 Weeks Before Due Date
by Atiya Jordan

November 1, 2022

AirDrop! Connecticut Woman Gives Birth To Baby Boy Aboard Flight 6 Weeks Before Due Date

A Hartford, Connecticut woman gave birth mid-air during a flight to the Dominican Republic. Kendria Rhoden was only 7 months pregnant, but that didn’t stop her baby boy from making his debut 36,000 feet in the air.

In September, the 21-year-old was traveling with her family six weeks ahead of her due date when her water broke on an American Airlines aircraft, WFSB reported. She said she felt her baby kick while she was asleep and the rest is history.

“Everything just happened so fast, it just happened so quick,” Rhoden told the news outlet.

According to KKTV, the aircraft had been in the air for 34 minutes when the healthcare professional began experiencing cramps. She went into full labor immediately after.

The cabin crew and nurses on board jumped into action, assisting with the child’s delivery .

“They were like, ‘Oh, don’t push, don’t push because we don’t see any head.’ I’m like ‘The baby’s coming!'” said Rhoden, per WFSB.

In honor of the miraculous birth, the new mother named her son Skylan.

Rhoden’s sister, Kendalee, who was also on the flight, documented the experience across several videos on TikTok.

@pinkangel876 Welcome baby air #baby #air #airplane #airbaby #americanairlines #birthonairplane #foryou #trending #vacation #trip ♬ original sound – RAYEEM

Following Skylan’s premature arrival, Rhoden and her new bundle of joy were carried off the plane in the Dominican Republic, where she spent the first four days in the neonatal intensive care unit.

The Rhoden family made their way to an American embassy to not only ensure Skylan’s American citizenship, but to receive a limited-validity emergency passport that lists his birthplace as “in the air.”

Rhoden’s sister posted another TikTok expressing her gratitude to the four “heroes” who helped bring her nephew into the world safely.

“Thank you. We appreciate you for all the hard work you did that day because we know how things really could have went left,” Rhoden’s sister said.

@pinkangel876 To the 4 heroes, thank you ❤️ #airbaby #sky #skybaby #Dominicanrepublic #a#americanairlinesm#momb#baby ♬ original sound – kendaleerhoden

Another video was posted to share an update about the new mom and her baby.

@pinkangel876 To everyone who ask how there doing #air #airbaby #sky #skybaby #travel #foryou #fypシ ♬ Me Alright – Mavado

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