August 2, 2024
Entrepreneurship is Working for Black Women – A Look Inside Goldman Sachs Black in Business
August 2, 2024
Cannabis Connoisseurs can enjoy exclusive strains curated by Mr. Broadus
Snoop Dogg has been busy this summer. The rapper, actor, author, and talk show host is currently moonlighting as an NBC News correspondent at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
The D-O double G, took a break from living it up the City of Love to announce his latest business venture. The rap legend is bringing his Smoke Weed Every Day (S.W.E.D.) brand to Amsterdam.
The two-floor establishment is a coffee shop that features an array of THC-infused goods.
Additionally, the store will carry exclusive strains of smokeables, edibles, and other cannabis lifestyle accessories.
“Amsterdam has always embraced cannabis, and so have I,” the megastar said in a news release. “It’s only right that I bring S.W.E.D. global to this iconic city that understands the joy of great cannabis and a good time.”
S.W.E.D. is located in the heart of the city on Marnixstraat Street. This prime location is known for its tourist attractions and bustling nightlife.
The ground floor will feature a sitting area where customers can socialize and consume their purchases.
The “Drop It Like It’s Hot “ rapper opened his first S.W.E.D. store in Los Angeles in July 2024. Located on W. Centinela Ave, near LAX airport, the dispensary offers various strains of cannabis, edibles, topicals, and accessories. Additionally, it provides delivery services for those living in the greater Los Angeles area.
In 2023, Snoop Dogg launched Death Row Cannabis with fellow rapper Berber. Death Row Cannabis features a line of products dedicated to the late rapper 2Pac. According to the “Gin and Juice” rapper, it was 2pac who gave him his first blunt.
“That first blunt sparked a friendship that ran deep,” Snoop said in a 2023 press release. “We’ll always have his music, but this is another way I can bring what was meaningful to 2Pac to his fans.”
S.W.E.D. Amsterdam will officially open its doors to the public on Aug. 1, 2024.
RELATED CONTENT: Snoop Dogg Runs 200 Meter Race At U.S. Olympic Team Track And Field Trials
August 2, 2024
Since you are getting your house nice and cozy for the holidays, here's some home items and decor ideas that represent Black women to the fullest.
Black women should be celebrated in every way possible. This past year has been incredible, with Vice President Kamala Harris making groundbreaking history and women like Stacey Abrams, and Rihanna excelling in their respective fields. If you love the Queens, you will be excited to go shopping for women-centric decor today!
We’ve found home items that represent the full beauty and power of Black women that will breathe new life into your everyday routine. Ready to cop these items?
In a 90’s kind of world I’m glad I got my girls! In honor of the classic FOX sitcom, artist Nadira Simone composes this and other cult classic posters from the ’90s Golden Era of Black culture.
Living Single Art Print Poster (Amazon)
Express your bold style and individuality with this Black girl wall art set by Haus & Hues. You will love these paintings’ fashionable, aesthetic, and Bohemian elements with cool green tones, warm orange hues, and soft pinks in the background. Hang these beautiful pictures in your office, vanity, or dorm, and watch your confidence and personality come alive!
Black Woman Wall Art (Amazon)
This set of pillow covers will add a chic look to your couch or bed with minimal effort. This set of four is machine washable and has an all white reserve side. Material is 100% polyester.
Bella and Bentley African American Pillow Cover Set of 4 (Amazon)
This 7′ X 5′ area rug is a cute addition to compliment your couch or a coffee table in your living room. This rug also had durability as it is fade-resistant–a plus if your home has lots of traffic!
ALAZA African Dancer Women Tribal Black Area Rug (Amazon)
Affirm your thoughts and inner goddess every time you look in the mirror with this bathroom set. All ‘I Am’ features a variety of designs that center strong images of Black women. Each set comes with a shower curtain with 12 plastic hooks, a bathroom mat, a U-shaped rug, and a toilet lid cover.
I Am Shower Curtains Set (Amazon)
Each greeting card has a unique message inside, so they’re ready to make friends and family smile right out of the box. This boxed set of cards and envelopes has every sentiment you need to convey for any occasion. Get a card for birthdays, weddings, baby showers, or to send good wishes and gratitude in this assorted pack of 12!
Designs by Maria Inc. Black Girl Greeting Cards (Amazon)
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August 1, 2024
Simone Biles has too much to celebrate at the Paris Olympics to worry about being "blocked" by a former teammate on Instagram.
Simone Biles celebrated her first gold win of the 2024 Paris Olympics earlier this week alongside her fellow Team USA gymnasts, only to hop on socials and find herself allegedly blocked by her former teammate MyKayla Skinner, who heavily criticized the team in a previous YouTube video that has been deleted.
“Oop, I’ve been blocked,” Biles posted to her X feed on July 31 without naming anyone. However, Team USA gymnast Jordan Chiles revealed who Biles’ unnamed hater was after she posted a screenshot of her story, which showed Skinner’s Instagram profile with the words, “No Posts.” For those who missed Chiles’ story, Good Morning Iowa anchor Chenue Her had fans covered on X. Over Chiles’ screenshot, she wrote, “When she blocks Simone.”
The drama allegedly started after Skinner, who competed at the Tokyo Olympics, threw shade at the American gymnasts in her YouTube video.
“Besides Simone, I feel like the talent and the depth just isn’t like what it used to be,” Skinner said, according to a clip posted by an X user. “Just notice, like, I mean, obviously, a lot of girls don’t work as hard.”
Biles, known to use her platform to inspire young athletes and keep fans informed of her gymnastics achievements, seemingly clapped back at the negativity from her former teammate days later on Threads. “Not everyone needs a mic and a platform,” she wrote.
Biles and the other American gymnasts – Chiles, Jade Carey, Suni Lee, and Hezly Rivera – have already proved Skinner’s statement false after they walked away Tuesday with the gold. Despite the hateful comments about Team USA, Biles, now a nine-time Olympic champion, proudly posed beside her team in a July 30 photo she posted to Instagram.
“Lack of talent, lazy, Olympic champions,” Biles captioned the post, which garnered a flood of celebration from Instagram users. The amount of support from fans, family, A-list celebrities, and other professional athletes from across sports is a testament to the positive impact Biles has made on the gymnastics floor. According to former Olympic gymnast McKayla Maroney, McKinney “f’d around n found out fr.”
The 2024 Paris Olympics have been extremely rewarding for Biles. According to CBS News, the adored athlete made history as the first African American to win the women’s gymnastics individual all-around competition twice after winning gold this week. As the world’s “most decorated gymnast,” she holds 30 World Championships.
RELATED CONTENT: Simone Biles Lands Partnership With Athleta Sportswear
August 1, 2024
Black residential real estate investors are generting more rent money while also facing extra rental obstacles.
Black American residential real estate investors are enduring some peaks and valleys in the 2024 market.
Some 51% of them are making more money today than they were a year ago. That is greater than 41% of investors overall experiencing that. Clever Real Estate surveyed 764 Americans who invest in residential real estate to learn more about their preferences and opinions on that type of investing. Some 84 of those quizzed —about 11%— were Black.
Simultaneously, 96% of Black residential real estate investors have lost money on an investment, versus 90% of respondents entirely. Also, 60% of the Black investors shared they could not live comfortably without their investment income, higher than 56% of all investors.
Nick Pisano, author of this fresh report supplied BLACK ENTERPRISE with some data on Black residential real estate investors. The information also showed that 61% of those Black investors have considered investing in a rent-to-own property, slightly lower than their peers overall. And 91% of Black residential rental investors have regrets about their investments, versus 87% of all respondents.
Further, the report uncovered several more intriguing findings. They included 59% of Black investors have had to deal with bad tenants, opposed to 51% of all surveyed. And 56% of Black residential rental investors have had to deal with tenants severely damaging their property.
Still, just 34% of Black residential rental investors deal with repairs at least once weekly, versus 40% of respondent all around. It was disclosed that 48% of Black residential investors have had to evict a tenant, as opposed to 56% of all respondents.
Some 70% of Black landlords must track down rent payments from their tenants monthly, compared to 63% of all those questioned.
Pisano offered some takeaways from the findings. He says that given that they are less likely to evict but more likely to track down payments and deal with bad tenants than the average respondent, Black landlords exhibit more patience with their tenants than most landlords.
He added that Black residential real estate investors are less likely to have been nearly ruined by an investment and less likely to regret having invested in real estate in the first place than other investors. That shows that they are more risk-averse than the general pool of investors.
On the advice front, Pisano suggested that Black real estate investors be more willing to take on risk and consider being a bit tougher on delinquent tenants if their goal is to improve income.
RELATED CONTENT: Here’s What You Need To Know Before Investing In Rental Property
August 1, 2024
Gregory Taylor was among the top 10% of applicants selected to participate in NASA's SEES program as a 2024 summer intern.
Ahead of his junior year at Palisades High School in Charlotte, George Taylor has been accepted as a NASA summer intern as part of the 2024 STEM Enhancement in Earth Science (SEES) program.
The teen scholar was selected among the top 10% of 500 students who applied for the nationally competitive program at The University of Texas at Austin’s Center for Space Research (UT/CSR), 11 Alive reported.
According to UT/CSR, the summer internship, which is part of NASA’s Science Activation program, commenced for Taylor and other 10th graders on July 27. The teen is hard at work conducting research alongside science and engineering experts. By the time Taylor returns home, he will have learned how to interpret NASA satellite data and contributed to the development of experiments centered around the ZQube satellite, which includes an experimental flight on the Zero G aircraft in microgravity.
“The SEES summer intern program will allow interns to view and investigate NASA remote sensing data, mission design, analysis of ice sheets, Earth’s gravity field, and other observations while being mentored by project scientists,” UT/CSR’s website states. “The interns will work beside NASA subject matter experts analyzing and visualizing data. This content knowledge, coupled with hands-on experiences, allows the intern to gain experience in authentic NASA research through field investigation and data analysis.”
In an overview of the internship experience, published on the program’s YouTube channel in 2017, Program Manager Margaret Baguio said the program provides a spark and gets students excited about exploring STEM degrees in college. Former interns described the internship as transformational, fun, enlightening, and inspiring.
After applications closed in February, Taylor was among the students who stood out based on his academic records, essay responses, introduction video, recommendation form, and STEM interest. Now, the teen is just a handful of days away from presenting his research with his ZQube team during the Virtual SEES Science Symposium on Aug. 5. He hopes to be an inspiration for other young students who want to explore the field of science.
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August 1, 2024
'Nobody should have to live in their car or on the streets,' said HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman. 'These funds will provide shelter to Americans when they need our help the most.'
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced July 31 that it will provide $3.5 billion in competitive funding to assist with the nation’s homeless crisis.
HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman said the funds will be dispersed among homeless services organizations for supportive services and housing programs for homeless persons. “This year’s funding opportunity makes available the largest amount of funding in history under the Continuum of Care program and reflects the Biden-Harris administration’s continued commitment to tackle the nation’s homelessness crisis with the urgency it requires,” Todman said.
“Nobody should have to live in their car or on the streets. These funds will provide shelter to Americans when they need our help the most.”
The funds will come from HUD’s Continuum of Care Program (CoC), the largest source of federal grant funding for homeless services. The program receives more than 400 applications and funds close to 7,000 homeless services projects throughout the year. It is operated by housing entities of nonprofit providers, local government, states, and Indian tribes.
In addition to the funds, HUD is issuing a two-year Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) that will effectively streamline the application process and reduce administrative burdens significantly.
The department is also applying a first-of-its-kind cost of living adjustment CoC in an effort to combat increasing living costs. The adjustment will give additional support and pay to homeless assistance providers, which Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development Marion McFadden says is often forgotten about.
“Our approach this year incorporates the feedback we received from providers to increase support for staff and reduce administrative burden by moving to a two-year application cycle so that staff can focus less time on paperwork needed to submit federal grant applications and more time on their core duties helping people experiencing homelessness,” McFadden said.
Rockville Housing Enterprises in Maryland is one of the entities that was awarded $154,000 of the funds. According to the Daily Record, the money came through HUD’s Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) Initiative, aimed to prevent youth in the child welfare system from experiencing homelessness.
The announcement complements existing funding that HUD made available for permanent supportive housing through the Youth Homelessness System Improvement Grants and the 2023 Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program, supported by the Biden-Harris administration.
RELATED CONTENT: Young Barbers Give Haircuts To The Unhoused In Atlanta
August 1, 2024
The Category 5 Hurricane caused damages to three out of four of its Houston Campuses.
Pastor Keion Henderson’s Lighthouse Church suffered a huge blow after Hurricane Beryl caused severe damage to its North Campus in Houston. The Beaumont Enterprise reports that the hurricane caused an estimated $20 million in damages, leaving the church to cancel services indefinitely.
Fellow megachurch pastor Joel Olsteen has stepped in to help. The televangelist has allowed Henderson to temporarily hold services at his Lakewood Church. The 16,800 seat-building is the largest sanctuary in Houston. Donald Iloff, Lakewood’s lead spokesperson, told The Chron that Lakewood is not renting the space to Henderson. But he did say that Lighthouse Church would cover production and security costs.
Lighthouse will host services at Olsteen’s church on Sunday evenings for the next four weeks. Brian Smith, spokesman for Lighthouse confirmed the new location and said that the churches were still finalizing details.
“Lighthouse is grateful to the Lakewood staff for providing us the use of their building and sanctuary during the month,” Smith told The Chron.
“Their friendship and compassion are wonderful blessings to our church. The partnership between Lakewood and Lighthouse demonstrates that our community is all about the one resilience for the city of Houston.”
Henderson founded the Lighthouse Church in 2009. The megachurch has more than 15,000 members across its four Houston locations. He is the author of four books including “The Groow Zone,” which he co-authored with his wife, Shaunie.
Henderson faced backlash from social media users last May after a controversial clip from his church service surfaced on social media. In the viral video, the pastor is seen snapping his fingers at his parishioner and telling her to “hush” when she began wailing during his sermon.
View this post on Instagram
As of now, the Lighthouse Church has not provided an official reopening date.
RELATED CONTENT: KANYE WEST TO SPEAK AT JOEL OSTEEN’S CHURCH
August 1, 2024
'Thank you for believing in me and embracing me for what I've been doing'
Legendary hip-hop DJ Kool DJ Red Alert, who is commemorating 40 years in radio, was honored with a statute in Harlem, New York, where he grew up.
The sculpture was unveiled on Friday, July 19, at Montefiore Square, West Harlem, located at 138th Street and Broadway.
BLACK ENTERPRISE got the opportunity to speak to the legendary Kool DJ Red Alert about how the statue of him came to be, how it felt to witness an honor being unveiled, and what he has to say to the people who have supported him over 40 years.
Red Alert stated that a good friend of his, Irving Pantin, introduced him to the sculptor of the piece, Sherwin Banfield, and that started the process of getting his likeness made. Banfield has also done statues of other iconic hip-hop figures, The Notorious B.I.G., LL COOL J, and ‘The Cipher in Queens’ in Socrates Park that features Phife Dawg from A Tribe Called Quest, Jam Master Jay from Run-DMC, and Prodigy of Mobb Deep.
He said that Banfield was interested in meeting with him in anticipation of building a statue. The conversation took place last year.
“The gentleman called me up, and he said let me have a sit down so I can feel you out and get an idea of where I want to go with this.”
According to the legendary DJ, they spoke, and Red didn’t think much about it because he was working on other projects. Two and a half months later, Banfield contacted him again and told him the sculpture was done. Red didn’t realize that he was working on it. Banfield asked him for a mix to incorporate the music into the sculpture so people would hear it when they saw the statue.
“It’s a mix that you would hear within the sculpture when people come to view it.”
The unveiling was surreal for Red Alert, and he didn’t realize the impact he and his work had on people over the years. When it was uncovered, he had many questions.
“There were so many different types of feelings inside me. Is this real? Is this me? Is this how people feel for me, and you know, it’s a little bit of everything, but at the same time, I learned to grab it and soak it and take time to endure the whole thing.”
He did have something to say to all who have been in his corner for years and still listen to his work and/or tune into his shows.
“What I want to say is to each and every person that has spent time listening to me. People on the radio or in the clubs, or you heard the tape or anything in person, one time or another throughout your time. Thank you for believing in me and embracing me for what I’ve been doing.”
RELATED CONTENT: Honoring The Legacy Of Kool DJ Red Alert On His 67th Birthday
August 1, 2024
VP Harris said Trump's remarks at the NABJ convention on her racial identity were divisive, disrespectful, and Americans "deserve better."
On July 31, after Donald Trump spoke at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Convention in Chicago, Vice President Kamala Harris took the podium in Houston, at Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc.’s 60th International Biennial Boulé to revisit his false claims about her racial identity.
After sharing a few chuckles with attendees about Trump’s NABJ appearance that afternoon, Vice President Harris told the room of SGRHOs that his statements were divisive and disrespectful. “It was the same old show,” she said in a clip posted to MSNBC’s YouTube channel. “The American people deserve better,” she said, explaining that people deserve a leader “who tells the truth” and doesn’t “respond with hostility and anger when confronted with the facts.” She continued, “We deserve a leader who understands that our differences do not divide us. They are an essential source to our strengths.”
Trump prompted a response from Harris after he responded during NABJ’s Q&A session about the Vice President’s racial identity and being labeled by Republicans as a DEI hire. During a live streaming from The Associated Press, the former POTUS said he didn’t know Vice President Harris was Black and claimed she only promoted her Indian heritage. “She happened to turn Black” a number of years ago, “and now she wants to be known as Black,” Trump said. He further questioned if Harris was Indian or Black and said although he respects both, he accused her of not respecting either. “She was Indian all the way, and then all of a sudden she made a turn…and she became a Black person.”
BLACK ENTERPRISE CEO Earl “Butch” Graves Jr. released a statement explaining his decision to withdraw from the NABJ session and disagreement with the association to host a panel at the convention featuring Trump. “…This decision was, indeed, one of folly and cowardice and not in keeping with the historic tradition of NABJ and Black media as a whole,” Graves Jr. wrote.
Joy Reid of MSNBC’s The ReidOut called Trump’s appearance at the NABJ convention “the visual depiction of a dumpster fire.” She checked Trump’s remarks with facts about Vice President Harris, stating that Vice President Harris “is Black” and “she’s always identified as Black,” noting her father is a Black man. She dropped her credentials, informing that the VP is an HBCU alum of Howard University and a member of the historically Black Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., credentials BE has also confirmed several times about the politician.
“Vice President Kamala Harris: Her Path to the White House,” a photographic biography written by Malaika Adero and published in 2021, takes readers on an in-depth look at Harris’ background and journey as the first Black and Asian American female vice president of the United States. The book revealed that the VP’s parents are from Jamaica and Chennai, India.
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