‘An Incredible Honor’: New Series On The Only All-Black Ranger Unit, Buffalo Rangers, In The Works
The resilient story behind U.S. Army’s, first, last, and only all-Black Ranger unit, will be televised in a limited TV series called Buffalo Rangers.
Writer Bruce McKenna (Band of Brothers) is joining creative forces with David Broyles (Six) and Nick Jones Jr. (Yasuke) to bring the forthcoming series to life, Variety reports.
Produced by South Korea-based Moving Pictures Company, Buffalo Rangers also leans on an additional dynamic production team including Thomas Suh through his Système D Entertainment company, Debra Martin Chase (Harriet),Paul Merryman(The Outpost) and Jariko Denman (The Outpost), a retired U.S. Army Ranger with 15 combat deployments under his belt.
“Neglected by history, it’s time these true American heroes got their due,” McKenna said, according to the outlet.
The 2nd Ranger Company, infamously known as the “Buffaloes,” was the only all-black company in what would eventually be an integrated Army, as reported by the Army Special Operations Forces‘ office of the command historian. Their nickname was adopted in tribute to the Buffalo Soldiers who came before them.
Photo Credit: U.S. Army
As one of the first three Ranger companies to arrive in Korea in December 1950, these brave men conducted combat patrols and fought in numerous battles during the Korean War. They were assigned to infiltrate through enemy lines and attack command posts, artillery, tank parks, and communications centers in response to the guerrilla warfare.
In March 1951, the 2nd Rangers parachuted in with the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team (ARCT), around the town of Munsan-ni during Operation Tomahawk. The drop was notably considered the first U.S. Army Ranger airborne combat insertion in history. At the time of the fight on Hill 581, the company had suffered 75 losses.
“As a Black man and a veteran, to help tell the story of these brave men who endured the many hardships of racism while serving our country is truly an incredible honor,” said Jones, who served in the United States Marine Corps before leaving to pursue a writing career in the film industry.
“Their duty and courage helped pave the way for a better military for men and women who look like me.”
Brazilian Soccer Player Takes a Stand Against Abuse—Believes Racists Should Be Banned From Stadiums
Brazilian professional soccer player Vinicius Jr. has taken a strong stand against racist abuse and believes that fans should be held accountable if in violation during games.
The 22-year-old Real Madrid forward believes that fans found guilty of racist abuse should be banned for life from attending games, according to a NBC News report.
Vinicius Jr. was a victim of racial abuse in a video that surfaced in September. He was recorded by fans of the Atletico Madrid sports team, who directed racist chants at him outside their Wanda Metropolitano Stadium ahead of a game against Real Madrid.
Vinicius Jr. told Brazilian TV Globo on Sunday, “If you hurt other people, you must pay. It’s hard to say that (racism in soccer) will end with so many people still doing it. But I like to believe that there are more good people than bad. All the racist people must pay in some way. If they like to watch soccer, so those Atletico Madrid fans should never be allowed to step foot in a stadium again. That will make them suffer the consequences and reflect about their actions.”
NBC News reported that monkey noises and “Vinicius, die” chants were also heard throughout the game by local media in attendance.
Atletico Madrid staff said it is working with authorities to identify the individuals involved who would ultimately be banned by the club.
The Prosecutor’s Office of Madrid is also reportedly investigating the incident.
Other notable people of Brazil, such as former minister of sports of Brazil Pelé and current professional Brazilian soccer player Neymar, defended Vinicius Jr. that same week after a sports expert on a Spanish soccer show compared his behavior to a monkey after not respecting his opponents during his in-game celebrations.
In a response video, the Brazilian soccer player stated he will not stop dancing as a sign of happiness in his culture and condemned the sports show host with claims of being a racist.
Kelis Laughed Off Strangers Playing With Her Hair in Singapore, ‘Oh I Like to Be Touched’
Kelis had a lot more energy for Beyonce than she did for the two strangers in Singapore she let play around in her hair twists.
On Friday, the “Milkshake” singer posted a video showing the strange encounter she had with two Asian women who approached Kelis to inspect her hair. Kelis’ friend filmed the encounter as the singer and culinary queen sarcastically laughed off the exchange.
“I don’t even know what to say here,” she captioned the post.
During the encounter, Kelis displayed uncomfortable facial expressions while allowing the two women to examine her copper-colored hair twists. The person recording the video told Kelis to just “embrace it.”
“Oh I like to be touched,” Kelis sarcastically said in response. “It’s great.”
At one point, Kelis tugs at one of the ladies’ hair, but the woman just smiles and continues playing in Kelis’ hair. The Asian women were seemingly unaware of the controversy that comes with zeroing in on a Black woman’s hair.
It’s unaware how long Kelis allowed the women to play in her hair or if she educated them on why their actions could be an issue. When sharing the exchange on Instagram, Kelis made sure to promote her latest culinary products.
“New Gold mine boxes dropping today. Turn notifications on !!! These go fast Bountyandfull.com,” she added in her caption.
Kelis received mixed reactions from viewers who felt like the singer handled it well, but let the woman go too far.
“I’m glad you grabbed her hair but clearly they didn’t understand how ridiculous it is to touch a stranger,” one user wrote.
“You really are good sport… they are SO rude!” one user quipped.
“You handled this well I just hate when ppl touch my hair! This ain’t no damn petting zoo lol ,” added someone else.
A little viral moment to help promote her meal kit. All publicity can be good publicity.
Neiman Marcus is Selling a $300K Fantasy Basketball Scrimmage Package Featuring Scottie Pippen & His Son
If you’ve got a little more than a quarter of a million dollars lying around and you want to spend it “just because,” then Neiman Marcus has something they want you to look at.
According to CBS Sports, the chance of a lifetime is being presented by the luxury retailer this holiday season. If playing basketball with NBA Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen is on your bucket list, then you are in luck! For a mere $333,333, you can not only play some ball with Pippen but can also possibly get dunked on by his son, Scotty PippenJr.
In this holiday season’s 2022 Neiman Marcus Christmas catalog, there is a listing to have THE ULTIMATE SPORTS EXPERiENCE with the father and son duo.
Scottie is the famed and legendary sidekick to whom many consider the best basketball player in the history of the NBA, Michael Jordan, when they played with the Chicago Bulls. His son, Scotty, is just starting his professional basketball career as a rookie on the Los Angeles Lakers.
“Thanks to the NEIMAN MARCUS CONCRETE RUNWAY and TALENT RESOURCES SPORTS, now it’s your turn and a friend’s turn to play against this dynamic father-and-son duo and learn a trick or two on the court,” the offer states.
Along with the opportunity to play a scrimmage with a friend against the Pippens, which will take place in Los Angeles, dinner is included with that hefty price. But that’s not all! An autographed copy of Scottie Pippen’s tome, Unguarded, will be gifted as well as a bourbon tasting with Scottie’s bourbon, Digits.
The $333,333 will not be spent only on the amenities listed above. A donation of $278,000 will be given to the Chi Prep Academy. This institution, a nonprofit school, states that it “promotes high standards through academics, entrepreneurship, and athletics.”
President of International Franchise Association Discusses New Initiative to Increase Black Ownership in Franchising
In early 2021, the International Franchise Association (IFA) launched the historic Black Franchise Leadership Council as part of the long-established Diversity Institute.
The council aims to increase business ownership and generational wealth among Blacks. About 30% of franchises are minority-owned, according to IFA statistics, but only 8% of franchises are Black-owned.
Matthew Haller, president and CEO of the IFA, has committed to this compelling cause, not just in words but with action. Haller spoke with BLACK ENTERPRISE about why the initiative is critical for the franchise sector and the steps being taken to achieve the goal.
What is the IFA’s feeling about the current percentage of Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) franchise owners?
I think we have a good record, but I think there’s a general understanding that more work needs to be done. There’s not a lot of great data out there and a lot of it’s dated. So, if you look at the census data and compare us to non-franchise businesses, we have a good track record. But that doesn’t mean that everything is as it should be. When you look at who’s working in a lot of these businesses, I think there’s a general desire to make both the ownership and leadership of them reflective of that workforce.
(Image: Courtesy of IFA / Open for Opportunity roundtable on improving minority business ownership in Atlanta, GA, featuring Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and diverse business leaders)
Based on that, it’s clear that the IFA is in agreement that the numbers need to increase. What influence does the IFA have on changing the landscape?
When you think about the role of a trade association, it’s to convene people, develop programming, and to advocate. I think we have a role in all three of those areas. We convene around this desire and this need to increasingly diversify franchisees, and beyond that, diversity in the board room and with suppliers. The next question becomes: How are you going to do that? We start by identifying things like structural barriers; are there biases that exist among those charged with this [task] inside these companies? The programming work, both through the IFA Foundation and the Diversity Institute, as well as across the entirety of the organization, happens through our convention and other forums. And then there’s research and things we hear anecdotally from talking to potential franchisees or franchisors who are out there looking to do things around access to capital and other areas. There are definitely things that we can do to bring potential solutions to the table, which leads to the third piece, advocacy. As we saw during the pandemic, people of color were disproportionately impacted, and diverse small businesses were more negatively impacted. Finding ways to put more government resources through the Small Business Administration (SBA) and through partnerships with organizations such as Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) is critical. Educating those organizations to make them more aware of how Black small business owners perform in the franchise model when given the tools that they need to be successful—all of those things are part of the role that the IFA is and will increasingly play.
Why does the IFA feel that diverse franchise ownership is important?
This goes back to my first response. [Number] one, it’s the right thing to do. We say we are an industry that takes people from everywhere and can make them successful with the right support in a franchise system. We want to make sure that the industry and the franchisees that make up this franchising ecosystem reflect that message and make that more of a reality.
(Image: Courtesy of IFA / IFA hosts “Franchising: Creating Wealth in the Black Community” panel during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Leadership Conference in D.C.)
What has the IFA done so far to tackle the status quo and what’s on the horizon?
We launched a campaign called “Open for Opportunity” about a year ago.
One of the pillars of that campaign is to highlight the success stories of diverse franchisees. Part of the reason we wanted to do that was because we hear so many times that when people come into franchising, whether people of color, veterans, or others, franchising meets you where you are and will find you. People say you can’t be it until you can see it, so to see someone like yourself, from a similar background, it’s a way to raise awareness in these different communities. It’s a way for us to make an impact not just on a national level, but by partnering with state and local organizations to help us get those stories and the educational components that go with them, into those communities—such as Black Chambers that can help potential franchisees identify these opportunities.
We’ve also been working very closely with HBCUs. They continue to be a great place for us to deliver both content and educational opportunities, which is why academia has been a key audience as part of the “Open for Opportunity” campaign.
I was recently in Richmond, Virginia, speaking with a few HBCUs about opportunities to bring franchise fairs to get our members on campuses talking about franchises.
We’re also really excited to be part of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Legislative Conference for the first time this year. Leaders on the Hill and state policymakers aren’t just a great audience that we want to educate about what we do well, but they are also good conveners of their own constituencies and great conduits to some of these other groups trying to problem-solve some of the challenges that exist in the community.
What does success look like to the IFA with the programming you’re putting in place?
In a trade association, you want your members to be engaged in the things that you’re doing. I look at that as a key metric. We see so much interest, energy, and attendance around everything we’re doing within the Black community, and I think that is a key metric for us. It’s challenging for us to say by a certain date that we’ll have this many franchisees that we can point to, but I know we want to continue to increase the numbers and view ourselves as key players in that, with all of the things we’re doing by convening, promoting, and advocating.
Southwest Airlines Becomes Official Airline of Paul Quinn College, Joins List of Partners for Urban Work College Program
Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) announces a partnership withPaul Quinn College to become the College’s official airline and a member of the school’s celebrated Urban Work College Program.
Southwest Airlines® has long believed educated communities are empowered communities and continues to invest in workforce development programs that introduce students to the diverse set of career opportunities in the aviation industry.
Paul Quinn is the first Urban Work College and the only minority-serving, federally-recognized work college in America. The program, which started in 2015, provides students with the opportunity to gain real-world work experience while limiting their reliance on student loans, according to a press release.
“This is a wonderful moment in the history of the Quinnite Nation,” said Dr. Michael J. Sorrell, president of Paul Quinn College.
“We are excited for our partnership with Southwest Airlines that goes far beyond discounted tickets and feel-good moments. It is substantive and focused. In addition to supporting the travel needs of our students and staff, our relationship will result in employment opportunities for our students, learning opportunities for the two secondary schools on our campus, and the potential for a very unique academic program. The Southwest Airlines/Paul Quinn alliance will be special.”
Southwest Airlines, in becoming the official airline of Paul Quinn College and first airline in the school’s Corporate Work Program, is investing in the school to promote diverse academic pathways, ultimately inspiring future generations to pursue careers within aviation. This strategic partnership comes at a time when there is a heightened imperative for the airline industry to attract and hire more diverse talent in their workforce.
The Company is committed to building resilient communities through partnerships that drive economic, social, and environmental impact. The partnership between Southwest Airlines and the Paul Quinn Corporate Work Program will include dedicated, paid internships specifically for students at the college along with ongoing educational opportunities. The students selected for a Southwest internship will have the opportunity to work in vital areas of the business such as the airline’s world-class Network Operations Control Center that functions as the nerve center of the airline’s daily operations as well as the Finance Department that oversees budgeting and forecasting for the company.
“We are inspired by the work that is in motion at Paul Quinn’s Urban Work College Program, which aligns with our commitment to developing programs that meet the needs of our diverse communities,” said Laura Nieto, director of Community Outreach for Southwest Airlines.
“We look forward to providing an educational experience for Paul Quinn students and hope they develop a passion and interest in the aviation industry.”
“I am so excited! Transportation is such a big issue for many of our students – myself included. A partnership like this, that invests in us and allows us to peek behind the veil of one of the world’s greatest companies is just remarkable,” said Ericka Drinker, student at Paul Quinn College.
Whether in the air or on the ground, Southwest believes community is more than a place — it is at the Heart of what brings us together. For more about our community outreach efforts, visit southwest.com/communityoutreach.
Oprah Winfrey Is Supporting Stacey Abrams Heading Into Midterm Elections
Oprah Winfrey is using her star power to help fellow Black woman and Fair Fight founderStacey Abrams as she makes her second run for Georgia governor.
NBC News reports the former talk show host appeared in a prerecorded chat with Abrams. Winfrey said she believes the Georgia Democratic candidate has a “calling to want people to be able to do better, to live better and to thrive in their lives.”
“I’m wishing that the people of Georgia come out and make that a reality for you and the state of Georgia,” Winfrey added.
The two Black women met less than a month before the Georgia gubernatorial election between Abrams and current Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. The meeting also came during the first week of early voting in the state where more than 430,000 people have already filled out a ballot.
Winfrey also visited the Peach State in 2018, knocking on doors during the first election matchup between Kemp and Abrams. Kemp won, but it was later determined that he purged more than 300,000 voters from state voter rolls.
During the chat Abrams outlined her platform for Georgia which includes expanding Medicaid health insurance, increasing pay for educators, improving affordable housing, and assisting small Black and minority businesses.
“As the governor, my mission is to make sure that everyone can do well that they have education, health care, and housing and the ability to make a good living and take care of themselves,” Abrams said.
Abrams also wants to improve protections for LGBTQ residents and reproductive rights for women. She wants to add safeguards to protect elections.
“And so if you want opportunity, freedom, and the ability to control your future, you need me as governor, because Brian Kemp’s proven he doesn’t care and he won’t help,” Abrams said.
During the chat, Abrams also explained why she wears the color purple on the campaign trail, saying being a leader means supporting the entire state and purple represents both “the color of energy” and a mixing of red and blue, the colors used by Democrats and Republicans.
“We are best when we are melding together the greatest ideas of everyone,” Abrams said.
First Black Woman CEO of FedEx Talks About Her Rise From Being a Teen Mom to Landing In the C-Suite
After transitioning from retail, 31 years of consistency at a transportation corporation advanced this Black woman to the C-suite.
Ramona Hood, Custom Critical CEO for FedEx, became the first African American woman to lead a FedEx operating company in its history.
Hood landed a full-time shift as a receptionist with FedEx Custom Critical, which was then known as Roberts Express. According to CNBC, the former receptionist advanced in the company holding various executive leadership roles.
“I was a 19-year-old single mom, so my focus at that time really was around having a job with constant hours,” Hood told the outlet.
Hood was promoted as CEO and president of the operating company in 2020, overseeing special expedited ground services and other services that cover areas including temperature control, increased security, and same-day and overnight delivery for customers.
During CNBC’s 2022 Work Summit on Tuesday, Hood shared the lessons and experiences that helped her move up the corporate ladder and navigate her role during the pandemic.
Hood’s focus on bringing value to the corporation led her to overseeing her own board of directors, and as her roles began to advance, she shifted her intentions.
“It was many years later that I started to focus on a career and recognized the world of FedEx and how big it was,” she said. “I decided to really be intentional with my career, and that focus has driven me to the place I’m in today.”
Hood shared that her present focus is “on bringing the business forward to ensure that our people are able to demonstrate the best in their skills and their ability.”
Along with her promotion as CEO, the world was in the early stages of the pandemic, and Hood’s focus was on maintaining communication and an effective approach.
“Our focus was really to get people home fairly quickly with the infrastructure that had not been tested in that way, and our goal was to continue to work to see if we’re going to break it and then fix it,” she said.
The corporation continues to use that strategy under Hood’s leadership to solve problems faster than before.
According to Forbes, Hood earned a bachelor of arts in Business Management from Walsh University and an wxecutive MBA from Case Western Reserve University Weatherhead School of Management. She was recognized by the Greater Akron Chamber with the 30 for the Future award in 2010, and acknowledged by Sales & Marketing Executives International with a Distinguished Sales & Marketing Award in 2013.
Urban One’s Reach Media and Comedian-Actress Amanda Seales Announce Partnership for New Syndicated Radio Show and Podcast
Amanda Seales, comedian, multi-hyphenate, and social justice advocate, can now add syndicated radio host to her growing list of achievements, Reach Media announced today.
The Amanda Seales syndicated radio show and accompanying podcast premieres on Nov. 7 on WRNB 100.3 FM Philadelphia and is available for distribution to additional radio stations.
“I am beyond excited to be partnering with Radio One and Reach Media to launch The Amanda Seales
Show,” said Seales.
“After years of sticking with my brand of comedy and academy to cultivate a community, this feels like more than an opportunity, but a purpose-filled possibility to empower and change minds using humor to translate the truth.”
As leaders in mainstream urban, urban AC, and inspirational music with the top talent in syndicated radio programing, Reach Media connects with ninety percent of Black America.
“We are extremely excited to be launching a new show with Amanda Seales,” said David Kantor, CEO of Urban One’s Radio One and Reach Media divisions.
“A fresh show with a female host focused on the future.”
“Amanda is a very versatile talent, excelling as a comedian, speaker, actress and social influencer.”
With an uncanny knack for using humor to make serious topics (racism, politics, rape culture, sexism,
police brutality, etc.) relatable and interesting, she combines intellectual wit, silliness, and a pop culture
obsession to create her unique style of “smart funny” content for the stage, screen, and now, radio.
Joined by co-host, Marc “DJ Nailz” Dixon of Power 105.7 Columbus, audiences will get a full dose of the
comedian’s unfiltered opinions, fact-based insights, and hilariously real point of view each day.
Colby Tyner, senior VP programming of Urban One’s Radio One and Reach Media divisions, who worked
to bring the parties together said, “From her Smart Funny & Black show to HBO’s Insecure, Amanda is an
exceptional creative force who uses her comedic and social media skills to entertain but also enlighten
audiences.
“It only makes sense to now add a daily syndicated radio show.”
“We look forward to working with and sharing her amazing content.”
Google Backs Black-Woman-Led Houston Startup with $100K in Latest Black Founders Fund
Enrichly, the world’s first personal development gaming platform that helps children improve self-esteem and reach their full potential, has been selected as one of 50 recipients of the Google for Startups Black Founders Fund in 2022.
This $5 million initiative provides promising Black-led startups non-equity cash awards to help fuel their businesses.
Google introduced the fund in 2020 to reduce the inequity of venture capital funding, of which less than 1% is awarded to Black founders in the United States. In its first two years, the fund has provided $10 million in cash awards and support to promising U.S. founders, ultimately helping them raise over $127 million in additional venture capital.
“Positive self-esteem is such an important trait to instill in our children from a young age, and to have a company like Google validate that belief is such an honor,” said Margo Jordan, founder and CEO of Enrichly.
“We can’t wait to use this award and the resources that come along with it to push our mission forward of helping youth realize their full potential.”
“We’re thrilled to be able to provide funding to Enrichly, especially after all of the progress that was made during our Founders Academy,” said Victoria Bujny, Google U.S. Startup Partner Manager.
“Margo is passionate about closing the self-esteem gap for children and we’re happy to be part of the journey.”
Enrichly was founded under a simple belief — that too many children are limited by their poor view of self. To counter this, Enrichly teaches children mechanisms that lead to a better feeling of self-worth, self-love, and self-confidence by delivering new and innovative approaches to personal development.
The fund also includes hands-on support from Google employees across the company, $100,000 in Google Cloud credits, and access to mental health therapists at no cost, something Jordan and the rest of the Enrichly team are incredibly passionate about.
“As a parent, I know first-hand how difficult it is to see my children struggling with declining mental health and poor self-confidence,” Jordan said.
“Seeing the limitations that this puts on our youth is gutting, and we exist to do everything in our power to change it.”
