by Daniel Johnson

August 18, 2024

North Carolina Woman Mysteriously Dies At Haitian Vodou Retreat; Son Seeks Answers

Dana Jackson went to Haiti to become a Vodou priestess.

Dana Jackson, a North Carolina woman, was scheduled to return from a Vodou spiritual retreat in Haiti on July 26, but her family members raised concerns when she failed to show up as expected.

According to WCNC Charlotte, Timothy Jackson, Dana’s son, was already skeptical of his mother’s trip due to the unstable political environment and violence in Haiti, but his mother was adamant about becoming a Vodou priestess.

“We talked and [she] told me she was fine once they got there … we would talk once a day or even more,” Timothy told the outlet.

He continued, “The last text I received from her was on July 12. They were going to church the following day and [she said] to pray for her. I knew at this last part of the ceremony she wouldn’t have access to her phone. I did research and that was common.”

According to USA Today, although Timothy was uncertain about his mother’s trip, she was not going to Haiti with complete strangers, these were people whom the 51-year-old Jackson had built relationships with.

“The people that she went down there with, their name is Sosyete and I believe that that means society in the Turkish language and Nago,” Timothy told USA Today. “These weren’t strangers that she went down there with. These are people that she’s built a relationship with.”

According to Timothy, his mother was going to send him a message on July 21 and when she did not message him by July 22, he began to feel like something was wrong. His grandmother would confirm his worst fears that same day when she called Timothy to tell him that his mother had died.

“The way she told me was, ‘Your mom’s not coming back from Haiti.’ So I hung up the phone with her,” Timothy told USA Today. “I called her back. I asked her, ‘What did she mean?’ She said, ‘She’s not coming back from Haiti. She passed away.’ I hung up the phone. I called her again.”

After confirming his mother’s death with his grandfather, Timothy then called the person who was in charge of the itinerary, demanding answers, but what answers he received only created more questions.

“I pulled up her itinerary and called the lady in charge, Manbo Maude, and I asked her what happened,” Timothy told WCNC. “They asked me how much I knew. Then they said she had gone through the ritual but got sick and had a stroke … then she said seizures … then, she changed it up and said she had an asthma attack. I feel like they manipulated and lied to my mom and I feel like I can’t be quiet about it anymore.”

Timothy told USA Today that it felt like they were hiding something from him. “That was the initial story. They said that my mom didn’t bring her medicine. So there was a red flag because what medicine are you guys talking about? It sounds like they were trying to perpetuate a story,” he alleges.

Timothy also told the outlet that his mother was extremely health conscious and would have gone to a hospital if she suspected something was wrong. Timothy eventually discovered that his mother’s body had been moved around Haiti multiple times and he had no idea where her body was.

Upon receiving the official death certificate from Haiti, Timothy also noticed it looked sloppy and was missing key information such as the official cause of his mother’s death.

Timothy has also created a GoFundMe to assist in covering the costs of bringing his mother’s body home from Haiti.

According to the GoFundMe, which at the time of writing has raised $10,000 of its $50,000 goal. “We are unable to get clear answers as to how she passed. We also don’t have answers on where she is located or where her belongings are. Usually, when someone dies in another country, the US Embassy is involved and they will work with the family and funeral homes to get the body back to the States. This has yet to happen,” Timothy wrote.

He added, “The group she left with has been untruthful and, at times, hard to reach. To add insult, the family has received information that while attending this retreat, Dana was neglected and not properly taken care of during the time of her demise.”

Three Adults arrested, Child Endangerment, 6-Year-Old, Dryer

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

August 18, 2024

Ohio Woman Finally Arrested After Evading Police For Allegedly Stealing $1.5M From Medicaid

Janay Corbitt had been evading the police since May.

Police have found and arrested an Ohio woman following her indictment for medical fraud. Janay Corbitt allegedly stole $1.5 million from Ohio Medicaid.

According to WDTN, the 36-year-old has evaded authorities for months. In May, a Franklin County grand jury initially indicted her on eight felony counts. However, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost disclosed that Corbitt has been located and is currently detained in Texas. Her charges include medical fraud, aggravated theft, and forgery.

Yost’s Health Care Fraud Unit uncovered Corbitt’s scheme, which included identity theft. She allegedly stole multiple identities to launch her two fake behavioral health counseling agencies in Dayton, Ohio. The investigation also accused the now-detained fugitive of using the credentials of actual counselors to bill Medicaid for unprovided services. They promptly issued a warrant for her arrest and the U.S. Marshals Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (SOFAST) began searching for her.

Corbitt continued to evade the authorities until the police found her at a Dallas bus station. She remains in Texas while her home state begins the process for extradition.

Moreover, this alleged medical fraud is not Corbitt’s first rodeo. In 2019, she was convicted of theft and ordered to pay $200,000 back to Medicaid. However, the woman has only paid a little over $6,200 thus far. Following her conviction, she was banned from the medical assistance program, resulting in her finding new ways to exploit the system.

Corbitt faces six charges in total, including additional singular counts for identity fraud against a person in a protected class and aggravated theft of $1.5 million or more. She was also indicted for one count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity.

Authorities did not disclose how many years in prison Corbitt may receive if convicted. Officials expect her to return to Ohio for further legal action.

Civil Rights Hall of Fame, Mississippi, Jackson, Mayor Lumumba

by Daniel Johnson

August 18, 2024

Jury Finds D.C. Man Guilty Of Manslaughter In Killing Of Unarmed 13-Year-Old

Jason Lewis’s killing of Karon Desean Blake caused outrage, initially drawing comparisons to the 2012 death of Trayvon Martin at the hands of George Zimmerman.

Former parks and recreation employee Jason Lewis, who worked with troubled teens in the Washington, DC, area, was found guilty of manslaughter in the 2023 shooting death of 13-year-old Karon Desean Blake.

According to the Washington Post, Blake’s death sparked outrage in the District of Columbia, with many drawing comparisons to the 2012 killing of Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman. The speculation arose, in part, because authorities released little information about Lewis, including his name or race, leading many to assume the shooter was either a white man or a police officer—neither of which was true.

The 42-year-old Lewis, who is Black, appeared to take the law into his own hands. He brought his handgun with him when he confronted Blake and two others who were allegedly attempting to steal vehicles on his street.

In court, Lewis described the shooting of Blake as devastating. “It was devastating,” Lewis said. Lewis formerly helped run programs for the city’s parks and recreation department aimed at keeping youths in D.C. out of trouble. “I spent close to 20 years of my career working with young people, making sure they were safe and that they had opportunities.”

Lewis said that he thought he heard a gunshot shortly before he shot Blake, but prosecutors pointed out that his Ring security camera was able to pick up Lewis letting out a heavy sigh, but never picked up any gunshot before Lewis fired his weapon. In addition, the prosecution also argued that Lewis never said he heard gunfire until last week, over a year after the shooting of Blake.

In addition to the manslaughter charge, Lewis was found guilty of three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and two charges of assault with a deadly weapon. Although Brian McDaniel, a lawyer for the Blake family, said in a statement that the family was disappointed that Lewis wasn’t convicted of the murder of Karon, they still held out hope.

“The family is disappointed that Mr. Lewis was not found guilty of the more serious charges but they respect the time and attention of the jury and appreciate their participation in the process. They miss Karon dearly and hope that a sentence will reflect the loss that they experience every day,” McDaniel said.

According to the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, Superior Judge Anthony Epstein scheduled Lewis’s sentencing for Oct. 25. For the manslaughter charge, Lewis faces a maximum sentence of 45 years. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, since Lewis was found guilty of assault with a deadly weapon, the jury rejected his self-defense claim.

According to WUSA 9, although the trial has now concluded, it has left a community and a family to pick up the pieces in the aftermath. As the prosecution reminded the jury, Blake’s mistakes did not give Lewis the license to take his life, regardless of what he thought he heard or what Blake was doing that night. “Karon should not have been breaking into cars that night, but he didn’t deserve to die in someone’s garden either.”

Kamala Harris, Black Men Vote Pac, Harris Economy, Harris

by Daniel Johnson

August 18, 2024

Black Men Vote PAC Announces $4M Campaign To Elect Kamala Harris To The White House

'Black men can be the difference between winning and losing,' said Black Men PAC co-founder Frank White.

Black Men PAC is preparing to spend $4 million to encourage Black men to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris in several swing states.

According to Politico, the group plans to spotlight Harris’ record and achievements using a social media campaign and a campaign drive in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania involving door knockers and radio advertising.

Frank White, the co-founder and board chair of Black Men PAC, told the outlet that he believes Black men could be the difference between a Harris win and a Trump win.

“Black men can be the difference between winning and losing,” White said before he acknowledged that the emergence of Harris as a candidate made for a better return on their investment. “Kamala is a better investment,” White noted.

According to The Associated Press, Black men have emerged as a key constituency in the upcoming election. Although they historically tend to vote Democrat, both political parties see them as voters whose votes are up for grabs.

Bishop Reginald Jackson, the head of all 534 African Methodist Episcopal churches in Georgia, told the AP that Harris’ entry into the race has also energized Black men.

“To be frank, I think early on in this process, a lot of Black men viewed this election with much skepticism and dread.”

“But since the change in the Democratic ticket, there has been a turnaround. I think they feel they have something that they can support. I think a lot of issues which made a lot of them skeptical are being addressed.” Bishop Jackson said.

According to The New York Times, some Black men, like Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, have placed their finger directly on the pulse. Raoul said on the Win With Black Men fundraising Zoom call for Black men, “Sometimes, as Black men, we get confused as to what strength is, and sometimes we think that standing behind a Black woman as a leader does not display strength as Black men. I’m here to tell you all tonight that it does the opposite of that; it displays strength.”

Raoul continued, “I’m standing behind a Black woman to be president of the United States, and it doesn’t make me any less of a Black man, I’m asking all of you all to do the same.”

For her part, Harris has been attentive to Black men during her term as vice president, highlighted by a 2023 meeting of 60 Black men at the White House brokered by the NAACP.

In addition, Harris has said the exact same thing as many Black men: that she needs to earn their vote.

Harris told The Nation in July, “There is a trope in this election which I take issue with because the underlying premise suggests that Black men should be in the back pocket of Democrats, and that is absolutely unacceptable. Here’s why: Why would any one demographic of people be different from any other demographic? They all expect you to earn their vote! You’ve got to make your case.”

Jason Nichols, a senior lecturer in the African American Studies Department at the University of Maryland College Park, told The New York Times that he believes that Black men know how important it is for them to vote for Vice President Harris this time around.

“You see the community coming together to vote their best interest — which, in this case, is a Black woman. I think this time, Black men understand the assignment,” Nichols said.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

August 18, 2024

Alabama High Schooler Dies After Collapsing At Football Practice

Semaj Wilkins was practicing in 96 degree weather, which had a heat index of 100 degrees.

A community in Alabama is grieving the unexpected death of a high school student. Semaj Wilkins was attending football practice at New Brockton High School when he suddenly collapsed.

On Aug. 13, Wilkins was participating in warmups when he suffered a medical emergency around 4:30 P.M. After being given CPR on the field, emergency responders transported him to a nearby medical center. The 14-year-old was pronounced dead shortly after. The temperature in the area that day, according to data from the National Weather Service, reached 96 degrees.

“It’s dealt a real blow to this small community,” said Coffee County Coroner Arnold Woodham, as reported by Today.com. “I’ve been here all my life and this is the first time I’ve seen or heard of anything like this occurring here.”

Superintendent Kelly Cobb also posted a statement on Facebook about Wilkins’ death. She wrote that the young teen “brought joy and inspiration” to those he knew throughout the community. A vigil also occurred at the school’s football field on Aug. 16.

“Semaj [Wilkins] was a young man who brought joy and inspiration to his peers, teammates, coaches, and faculty members. His loss will be deeply felt by everyone who knew him,” stated Cobb. “We encourage everyone to come together to support one another and remember the positive impact Semaj made on our community. Our thoughts and prayers are with their family and friends during this most difficult time.”

The high schooler’s mother, Regina Johnson-Adams, expressed to local reporters that her son seemed healthy before the fatal incident.

“At this time, I know that my son was healthy…It was probably something that we missed,” Johnson-Adams said to WDHN. “You never know because we do have underlying health problems in our family.”

Cobb shared in another statement that the Sheriff’s Department and District Attorney’s Office have launched an investigation into Wilkins’ death.

The cause of death remains unclear, with the results from Wilkins’ autopsy expected in the upcoming weeks.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

August 18, 2024

Saint Augustine’s University Secures New Funding As HBCU Enters Credit Agreement

The credit agreement will allocate a $7 million term loan for the HBCU to resolve its outstanding debts.

Saint Augustine’s University (SAU) will start the school year with a boost in cash flow. The once-troubled North Carolina HBCU has entered a credit agreement with Gothic Ventures.

SAU will receive a $7 million term loan to start the new partnership. However, the school may receive up to $30 million from the agreement in additional rollouts. According to the school’s Board of Trustees, the financial cushion will ensure SAU can sustain and grow its operations.

“The partnership with Gothic Ventures marks a pivotal moment for SAU as it embarks on a multi-year strategic plan to stabilize and grow the University,” said SAU Board of Trustees Chairman Brian Boulware in a statement reported by HBCU Gameday. “This funding secures our immediate needs while allowing us to implement our long-term vision. We believe our partnership with Gothic Ventures will be crucial to our journey toward excellence.”

SAU’s interim president, Marcus Burgess, added, “This loan represents a significant affirmation of our commitment to our students and staff. We are grateful for the belief that Gothic Ventures has placed in our vision, allowing us to focus on enhancing the academic experience while showcasing our resilience in the face of adversity.”

The initial loan, secured by a deed of trust on SAU’s real estate holdings, will go toward resolving the school’s debts. These issues extend to employee salaries, student credit balances, and the external audit. The school’s financial concerns initially led to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) removing its accreditation. However, the organization reversed the decision in July.

In light of this new development, Gothic Ventures decided to support the HBCU as it navigates this new era.

“We are excited to partner with Saint Augustine’s University during this pivotal time,” expressed Kip Johnson, Gothic Ventures founder and managing general partner. “Our belief in the transformative power of education aligns with the University’s historic mission, and we are confident that this collaboration will lead to future successes for the institution and its community.”

The school’s struggles prompted students to leave campus early last semester. It intends to resume normal operations for the fall.

Councilwoman Angelique Lee, Jackson, Mississippi

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

August 18, 2024

Mississippi Councilwoman Resigns Hours Before Federal Indictment On Bribery

On the same day of her resignation, Lee was indicted on federal charges of bribery.

Jackson City Council now faces a special election after Councilwoman Angelique Lee abruptly resigned on Aug. 14. The Mississippi lawmaker left the role hours before her indictment on federal bribery charges.

Lee turned in her resignation letter Wednesday morning. She remained mum about why she was suddenly leaving the role she had held since 2020.

“Circumstances that I am not at liberty to discuss at the moment, have led to this decision,” Lee said in her resignation letter, obtained by the Mississippi Free Press. “I will greatly miss working with each of you, and I am proud of the work we have done as a collective body for the City of Jackson and its citizens.”

She added, “It has been my tremendous honor to serve the constituents of Ward 2 and the people of the City of Jackson as a whole. I would like to personally extend my gratitude to all of my neighborhood association presidents for all of their support and prayers throughout my tenure.”

According to the Associated Press, federal officials accused Lee of accepting bribes from two undercover FBI agents. The court documents allege that Lee agreed to vote on the agents’ real estate developments in February and March. She reportedly received $3,000 in cash and a $10,000 payment to alleviate some of her campaign debt.

The former councilwoman has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery. If convicted, Lee faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Following the news of her abrupt departure, Jackson’s Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, released a statement of support for Lee.

“On behalf of the entire city, I want to express my deep gratitude for her service and dedication. We will miss her leadership on the council, but we know she will continue to be a passionate advocate for our community in other ways,” expressed the mayor. “The process to fill the vacancy on the City Council will begin immediately, and I encourage all interested and qualified individuals to consider serving in this important role.”

As Lee’s legal battle begins, Jackson residents will vote on her replacement in a special election within the next 30 to 45 days.

Kamala Harris, Trump, Philadelphia, debate

by Daniel Johnson

August 18, 2024

Philadelphia Selected As Site For First Harris-Trump Debate

Philadelphia will host the first of two agreed-upon debates.

The city nicknamed the “Birthplace of America” has been selected to host the first presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. It will be held on Sept. 10 at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.

According to The Hill, the debate will begin at 9 p.m. EST and will be hosted by ABC News’s David Muir and Linsey Davis. Although Trump previously railed against ABC News and said he would not attend this debate, he has changed his mind and will attend this debate and two others.

Harris’s campaign, meanwhile, has committed to two debates, including the one in September. Trump was originally scheduled to debate President Joe Biden, but once he announced that he was dropping out of the race, Harris, the eventual Democratic Party nominee, inherited the debate.

According to The New Yorker, Harris may have no better assistance on her quest to become the first Black woman and Asian-American president than another former occupant of the White House, Donald Trump.

The outlet argues that this is largely due to his proclivity to melt down over the size of Vice President Harris’s crowds or to blatantly refuse to center policy over personal attacks on Harris. According to the Washington Post, several Republican political strategists have called for Trump to stop focusing on crowd sizes and insulting Vice President Harri and instead focus on policy and crafting a story.

J.D. Vance, Trump’s vice presidential pick, told reporters that by virtue of his winning the nomination that Trump should be allowed to say whatever he wants.

“To the people who say that Donald Trump should do something different, they had an opportunity to make Donald Trump do something different by challenging him over three separate primaries — every single one of which he won,” Vance said. “So I think that Donald Trump has earned the right to run the campaign that he wants to run.”

Harris, by contrast, has changed the energy of the Democratic Party in a matter of months, as Julian Zelizer, a presidential historian at Princeton University, told the Washington Post, “It is remarkable. An incredibly important election, which made the Democratic convention interesting from the start, is now truly distinct. The entire ticket has changed, the energy is different, and what the party is putting forth as the faces of the party has transformed the terms of the competition.”

The stage is set for a clash of ideas on democracy, and some say it’s only fitting that the debate should take place in Philadelphia.

As the National Constitution Center Communications Director Moira Bagley Smith told CBS News, “We are footsteps away from Independence Hall where it all started. The great experiment that is American democracy, and we’re seeing it play out here in our presidential debate. What a great moment for Philadelphia to have both these candidates here on Sept. 10.”

Bagley Smith expressed optimism, stating, “The Constitution Center is known for its reasoned and mature debate and we look forward to that taking place here.”

by Daniel Johnson

August 18, 2024

Dallas Black Dance Theatre Fires Entire Company Of Dancers, Union Claims

The dancers unionized in May.

As nine former members of the Dallas Black Dance Theatre (DBDT) seek reinstatement into the group, the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) has issued a Do Not Work Order as it waits for the company to enter into a collective bargaining agreement with the AGMA.

According to Dance Magazine, the order, issued on Aug. 12, prohibits members of AGMA, the Actors Equity Association, and SAG-AFTRA from working for the theatre company. The DBDT issued a statement on Aug. 9 about its decision to terminate all of its dancers for the 2024-2025 season, just after it posted a statement and an audition notice on its Instagram account.

According to AMGA President Ned Hanlon, “A Do Not Work Order is not something AGMA issues lightly. It is reserved for the most egregious actions taken against our artists, and I can’t recall the last time AGMA had to issue such an order. What is happening to the dancers of DBDT, who stood united for a voice in their workplace, is one of the most extreme cases we’ve ever encountered.”

Griff Braun, the national organizing director of AGMA, said the dancers were notified that they had all been terminated shortly after DBDT posted the notice.

“An hour later, the dancers were all notified by email that they had been terminated,” Braun said in a statement.

Braun also said that the AGMA’s filing of an unfair labor practices claim in June and earlier in August is necessary to hold the DBDT accountable for its actions. “The filing of these ULPs [unfair labor practices] is a crucial step in holding DBDT accountable for their punitive reaction to their dancers’ unionization and ensuring that the rights of the dancers are protected.”

The theatre company contends that the dancers were fired after they posted a video to their Instagram account filmed in the DBDT dance studio and parking lot. They cite company policy, which prohibits personal use of DBDT property, cell phone use, and additional contract violations.

However, the dancers had unionized on May 29, which meant that, officially, they had not yet worked out a new contract with DBDT for the upcoming season. Still, DBDT’s Executive Director Zenetta Drew told Dance Magazine that the video did not reflect the organization’s values.

“Because this video violates our company policies for use of our name, brand, and does not reflect the organization’s values, we had an immediate and negative impact on our public image,” Drew told the outlet.

Drew continued, “We regret the impact these incidents have had on these talented dancers. Many of them have worked with us for several years. However, as a business we have to make the top-line decision of what’s most important.”

According to the Dallas Morning News, the dancers and AGMA released public statements giving their sides of the story. AGMA disputed DBDT’s version of events, saying that the video was not the misconduct that DBDT originally purported.

After performers at the Dallas Black Dance Theatre unanimously voted to unionize, the management of the theatre announced they fired every single performer. The official theatre Instagram has disabled comments.@MorePerfectUS pic.twitter.com/V10z8lmTOR
— steven monacelli (@stevanzetti) August 10, 2024

“DBDT management has attempted to justify the mass firing by claiming that the dancers engaged in misconduct that violated company policies. However, the so-called ‘misconduct’ in question was nothing more than a playful and engaging Instagram Reel that the dancers created after rehearsal finished on June 21 to introduce their account. It is worth noting that the dancers received their signed letters of intent for the 2024-2025 season after this post had already been shared.” AGMA’s statement said.

Gillian Clifford, one of the dancers whom the DBDT unceremoniously fired, told the Dallas Morning News that she believes the firings were blatant retaliation. “To suddenly deem our video as an unsatisfactory representation of the company — seven weeks after it was posted — is blatant retaliation. Not to mention, the comments under the reel we posted are overwhelmingly positive. This is a textbook example of what it means to be unjustly fired.”

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DNC, Black-owned, Kamala Harris, Chicago

by Mary Spiller

August 18, 2024

Meet The Black-Owned Event Companies Helping Organize The Democratic National Convention

The Democratic National Convention will take place at the Chicago United Center.

Several Black-owned Chicago companies have come together to put on the production of the 2024 Democratic National Convention, which begins on Aug 19.

The space has been prepped and is ready to go inside the Chicago United Center with the help of at least three Black-owned companies.

The DNC will celebrate Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party’s candidate for President and Tim Walz as the Vice President nominee. The convention expects to host speeches by current President Joe Biden, former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, and other pillars of the Democratic Party.

Glenn Charles Jr., CEO of production company Show Strategy, told ABC 7 Chicago about the event: “We’ve done a ton of events, large-scale events, but nothing like this.”

However, Show Strategy is more than equipped for the job at hand. It is the first Black-owned company ever contracted for Exposition Services with the DNC. The company was responsible for building the venue’s media compounds, furniture fixtures, and related equipment. Charles and his team prepared the main stage for the speeches.

He told ABC 7 that he feels he’s living his dream with the DNC preparation, but more than that, he hopes to inspire others to achieve similar greatness.

Charles expressed, “My goal is to eliminate two words: ‘first’ and ‘Black. I’m a living example that you can do it. Sometimes things seem far beyond what you can achieve, but I’m an example that that’s not true.”

Glenn’s partner, Jenn Charles, said she is thrilled to collaborate with Glenn, as her company is also contracted to work with the DNC.

“We are truly best friends, so being able to work with my best friend, it is a blessing,” said Jenn, owner of GCJ Hospitality. “I wake up every morning and say to myself, this is unbelievable to be here in the space and to be on this stage, especially as a Black supplier.”

GCJ Hospitality is handling customer service at the DNC convention.

Another Black-owned company contracted by the DNC is Juan and Only Events, owned by Juan Teague.

Teague is also a friend of Charles. “This is really becoming a surreal moment to see how big our companies have grown, but, at the same time, I’m still Juan from the West Side,” she said.

She reflected on the growing popularity of her business as a woman of color.

“I think building my legacy and having women that are doing it is really going to take my company beyond what I could have even imagined is what I truly, truly wanna see in this year of my 50,” she said.

“We did this to put Chicago in a great light, change that negative narrative about who we are and what we are,” Teague concluded.