Increase Opportunity By Going Back To School In Your Golden Years
Staying abreast of the world's changing environment is vital to staying relevant and competitive at any age.
Originally Published Jan. 12, 2012.
It was clear to Darrell Pope that he had to make a change. His industry was quickly changing and he could see the you-better-acquire-additional-skills writing on the wall. “I saw the economy changing. My background is basically associated with brick and mortar, and I saw all of the manufacturers moving off-shore. I thought, Boy, I better get with the program or I won’t have a job,” said Pope, now manager at Celestica, an electronics manufacturing company.
Pope said he had regional view of the world and knew that he had to develop a world view and learn how business was done in other cultures. Staying abreast of the world’s changing environment, he knew, was vital to staying relevant and competitive at any age.
“I think people become stale by not attending school regularly, you become complacent. Today’s world is always changing. You have to stay up on changes in technology and people. Perspectives are different now than they were 20 years ago. Since receiving his secondary degree at Kaplan University, Pope, 50, says he feels energized about the new skills he has acquired and by the access understanding new technology allows him, including working virtually and sharing information with worldwide partners around via the Internet.
Though making the choice to return to school in 2009 was the easy part, what was challenging, says Pope, was figuring out how to balance his working full-time, traveling, studying, and having a family.
“My wife would complain that all I did was work and study. I was working 50 hours a week and going to school 20 hours. I learned a lot about time management during that time. You can do anything you want [in] life, you just have to allot time to it.” Fortunately, through Kaplan’s virtual classes, he earned his master’s degree in science and management in just two years.
Many in today’s job market find themselves pushed aside not only from younger workers but from those who have taken the initiative to expand their education. Pope says he believes people don’t go back to school because of the fear factor and not wanting to let others know just how much they don’t know; but his curriculum at Kaplan kept him motivated and on his toes.
“What I liked [about Kaplan] was that I received a syllabus that said what the deliverables were, and you knew that if you met those deliverables, you’ll do well. That taught me that in any relationship you have to have expectations, and if you meet those expectations, the results should be good.”
When encouraging others to go back to school, Pope says, “Just do it. It’s challenging, but you learn so much about yourself. You learn to become a lifelong learner.”
Trader Joe’s Brings Its Goodies To New Harlem Store
The store said it is looking to hire more Harlem residents.
Trader Joe’s has opened its first store ever in Harlem, New York. On July 25, the store at 123 West 125th St. started serving the historic neighborhood.
Harlem, long considered New York City’s Black mecca, has seen a demographic shift over the last decade. In 2022, according to New York University’s Furman Center, there were an estimated 138,953 people in Central Harlem, of which 45.8% identified as Black, 28.2% identified as Hispanic, and 14.4% identified as white.
The brick-and-mortar store is a 17,800-square-foot building selling all of the favorite Trader Joe’s products that customers have come to know and love. The decor for the building features local landmarks in the greater Harlem community, such as the iconic Apollo Theater and the well-known strip of 125th Street.
According to a spokesperson via PIX II, the new location of the Trader Joe’s chain is seeking to hire around 100 new crew members from the area and offers a plethora of different employee benefits.
Its website reads, “We [Trader Joe’s] pay well. To keep the Crew developing and incentivize exceptional performance, we provide a performance review for each Crew twice a year. On average, Crew has the potential to receive a 7% annual increase.”
In addition to competitive pay, the company also offers a 401(k) retirement plan to invest in the future of its employees. Worker benefits also include “exceptional medical, dental, and vision plans” and accessible paid time off.
Not only does Harlem Trader Joe’s offer leadership training, scholarship programs, disaster recovery, and employee assistance programs to its employees, but the food donation program has also been able to donate over 104 million pounds of food to those in need.
A spokesperson for the Harlem location of Trader Joe’s said, “We’re honored and excited to be part of this community. We genuinely look forward to providing our customers with the best food and beverage values and a great customer experience.”
The company intends to back up its values by donating 100% of its unsold products to local profits and community-based organizations in the area. Through all of its locations, the company has donated more than $469 million worth of products to its extensive network of non-profit partners in the United States. The spokesperson said the Harlem site will continue the company’s tradition of donations to the community.
The Harlem Trader Joe’s is open daily from 8 A.M. to 9 P.M.
ColorComm: 5 Key Takeaways From The Conference Celebrating Women Of Color In Communications
With the theme 'Reaching for More,' this year's event marks the first time the conference was held in Los Angeles.
The 9th Annual ColorComm conference can be summarized in one word: inspiring. “If You Want More, You Need to Do More” served as a call to action for women of color in communications and all those who support this unique and dynamic group of women. Nearly 400 women convened at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles from July 24 to July 26.
ColorComm Inc. is one of the nation’s leading women’s platforms, addressing diversity and inclusion across the communications, marketing, advertising, and media industries. With the theme “Reaching for More,” this year’s event marks the first time the conference was held in Los Angeles. The exclusive three-day retreat opened with the prestigious 9th Annual ColorComm Circle Awards, emceed by media personality Star Jones with remarks and commentary given by ColorComm’s CEO and founder, Lauren Wesley Wilson.
“With the recent movement of Black women mobilizing and banning together to support Vice President Kamala Harris in becoming the Democratic nominee for President, the conference theme is more significant now more than ever for women to reach for more within their professional journey. This conference marks the first major event for women of color since the announcement. No matter your political views, we can all attest to the unique power that we can act in times of crisis. What is happening worldwide can make it challenging to function in the workplace during these times. We’ve had to reach for more to get what we need,” said Jones.
From start to finish, the conference was filled with inspiration, wisdom, mentorship, and career progression. Here are five major takeaways attendees walked away with from the insightful panel programming featuring many industry veterans.
1. Salary/Position Negotiating Is A MUST– Always
Tiffany Smith-Anao’I, EVP of Entertainment Diversity and Inclusion at Paramount, gave attendees a crash course on negotiating in the workplace.
“Before negotiating, you have to first determine your worth, your individual worth, and your collective worth. We have to not be so humble about what we have as talents; our talents are vast, and our worth is unremarkable because we change the dynamics of rooms just by walking in,” she explained.
She concluded by dropping gems on “not taking negotiations at face value, and not accepting the word no.” She advised, “Stop worrying about hearing the word ‘no.’ Also, don’t block a ‘yes’ in fear of a ‘no.'”
2. You Don’t Get What You Deserve; You Get What You Negotiate
Smith-Anao’I pointed out, “Negotiating involves more than your salary; it should be conducive and include your lifestyle needs. Once you get an ideal offer, before you leave, tell them you need time to consider the offer. Talk to your circle and trusted peers because they know what you need the most. Lastly, you don’t get what you deserve. You get what you negotiate. Be a student of the game; study the company you’re applying for and the position you’re applying for. What did others make?”
3. No Matter How Much DEI Comes Under Attack, It’s Still Needed
Sue Obeidi, director of the Hollywood Bureau of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, educated attendees on investing in diversity and spoke on the importance of funding DEI in the communications world.
“My hope is to get DEI to just BE—not an entity, not an initiative, not an issue. Because we have always been made to feel like we’re the other; DEI has to be a thing, unfortunately,” she said.
Gisselle Bances, SVP iHeart Podcats, continued by discussing what exactly DEI means to women of color. “The reason I founded our platform is the exact reason DEI is needed. I wanted to be able to connect to stories I related to, but at the time, I wasn’t connecting to any. That, for me, was a huge thing—in terms of diversity and inclusion, it is feeling safe and connected. That is why I launched #WeAllGrow Latina.”
4. Being The Only Woman Of Color In The Room Can Be intimidating, But Don’t Walk Away – REPRESENT!
Arlan Hamilton, founder and managing partner at Backstage Capital and former BLACK ENTERPRISE Sisters Inc. speaker, spoke about representing women of color when you’re the only one in the room who looks like you.
She explained: “Sometimes when you’re the only one in the room, it’s pressure, but you can’t walk away from being that one in the room because you have to create opportunities for there to be 12 in the room, not just one. A good movement should be able to have multiple leaders. If you’re building something that is important, build something that you can hand the keys over to someone, and things will be OK when you need a break. If they look like you, even better!”
5. Cook Up A “Success Ingredients List’ As You Set Out For New Positions & Opportunities
Watchen Nyanue, founder & CEO of I Choose the Ladder, a boutique consulting firm specializing in talent, culture, and strategy, introduced a beneficial way to create a list of steps to reach success in your career.
She explained, “Think of this success ingredients list like baking or cooking; the right amount of each of these things, tailored to your person, will add up to a whole cake of success.”
This ingredient list includes skill mastery, networking/relationship building, a personal corporate brand, self-advocacy/negotiation, and strategic thinking. She concluded, “Serve these ingredients with a side of resilience and adaptability, garnished with emotional intelligence to enhance flavor, and enjoy your journey to professional success.”
The conference wrapped up with ColorComm’s Signature Business Luncheon. ColorComm CEO and Founder Lauren Wesley Wilson served as the luncheon’s emcee, while Tonya Lewis Lee, an award-winning filmmaker, was the keynote speaker.
“ColorComm initially started as a luncheon series in 2011 to connect women of color in business. It is only fitting that we conclude our conference with how the organization was started,” noted Wilson. “Thirteen years later, ColorComm has evolved into a corporation that provides economic opportunity and advancement to multicultural communities.”
TikToker Goes Off After Macy’s Inflates Its Credit Card Rates Then Goes Viral
Macy's needs to tighten up....
Retail giant Macy’s may be losing customers after a viral TikTok video expressed concern over its credit card’s massive interest rate of 35%.
A video found on the Latina Plant Priestess (@latinaplantpriestess) TikTok account went viral after a customer received a letter about the increased APR. The woman on camera warned fellow Macy’s customers that, even with good or excellent credit, the interest rate on the card will be 34.39%. “Here’s a warning, everyone. I got this letter as an update from Macy’s; my credit card, I have excellent credit,” she said.
“Oh, look at what it says now,” showing that the APR on the card is jumping up to 34.49%. “They are out of their damn minds. They can close my account.”
The letter says customers have until Aug. 26 to challenge the new rate, but if not, according to the TikToker’s interpretation, “You know that they lost me. I was a customer. They are cray cray.”
According to 10 WBNS, customers started to receive the letters in April 2024. Experts label the increase as a nationwide trend worthy of attention but admit that Macy’s rate is extremely high. “So, credit card rates have been pushed to record highs in recent months, Bankrate senior industry analyst Ted Rossman said. “The national average has jumped about four and a half points since the Fed started raising rates; some cards have jumped even more.”
Rossman pointed out that retail industries have the highest APRs, highlighting several brands with rates over 30%, such as Petco and ExxonMobil. The average rate for most credit cards is 20%.
The analyst said it’s not just interest rates that consumers should pay attention to. Rossman said retailers are also raising rates to mimic the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) efforts to lower late fees. “Right now, the average credit card late fee is $32, and the CFPB is trying to bring it down to $8. They were actually supposed to do it in May, and then a federal judge struck that down temporarily, and it’s still kind of winding its way through the courts,” he said.
“Store credit cards rely on late fees more than your general purpose Amex or Capital One card, so a lot of store card issuers have begun pulling other levers to compensate for what may be a drop in late fee revenue.”
Comments on the TikTok video call out the company for the aggressive rate; some even said there is nothing in the store worth such a high rate. “I have the same situation. I also have a Macy’s card. There is not one thing in Macy’s that is worth buying at 34% interest,” @bakwin67 said.
Other users listed companies like TJMaxx, Marshall’s, JCPenny’s, and Kohl’s as doing the same thing. “Tjmaxx, Marshall’s, HomeGoods cards are the exact same! I hate that I even opened a card with them,” @rozzckz wrote.
Some video viewers advised that paying off the credit card can help alleviate some of the promoted fees and penalties instead of simply closing the account. “Just pay your card off as soon as you use it. You will never pay that interest so pay no mind to that and do not close your account because it’s going to look bad on your credit profile,” @diamond said.
Consumer credit reporting company Experian agrees with that concept. “In general, keep unused credit cards open so you benefit from longer average credit history and lower credit utilization,” the company said. “Consider putting one small regular purchase on the card and paying it off automatically to keep the card active.”
Young Barbers Give Haircuts To The Unhoused In Atlanta
Barbers often participate in initiatives like this, offering their services to groom the less fortunate in their community
Young barbers in Atlanta gave out free haircuts to the unhoused during the week of July 28 as part of an initiative run by U Got Next barbershops in Douglas and Paulding counties in Georgia.
According to WSB-TV 2, the young barbers, one of whom is the granddaughter of the shop’s proprietors, Janet and Nicole Maynor, are enjoying giving back to the community in the Atlanta metro area.
The children ranged in age from 11 to 16, and their clients seemed thrilled with the work, as one man named Anthony told the outlet, “I feel like a million dollars. It’s great! It’s an awesome job they’re doing!”
Janet Maynor described the barbershop’s ambitions as an asset to the community and not to take advantage of the unhoused, saying, “This is not a hustle to me. It’s a real deal, Holyfield! It’s also teaching them about life. We’re just out here to give, love, and just be a blessing.”
Nicole focused on what the work was teaching the kids.
“What they see is what they’re going to do as they grow,” she told WSB-TV.
Janet also described what she witnessed from her own grandmother, something she is determined to pass on to her granddaughter, Sky Hoskins, who was one of the juvenile barbers cutting hair at the event.
“I grew up seeing somebody give back. My grandmother was always giving back, so I feel like it’s in my heart,” she said.
Barbers often participate in initiatives like this, offering their services to groom the less fortunate in their community. In January, KHOU-11profiled the work of Christian Khammany, a Houston barber who sets up shop in Downtown Houston nearly every Monday and Tuesday and cuts the hair of the homeless.
Khammany, who started cutting his own hair at 14 before making a career out of it, told KHOU that he was doing some self-improvement when he thought about using his clippers to give back to the unhoused.
“I don’t always carry cash on me. So one thing I do always carry on me is my clippers,” Khammany told the outlet. “That’s where I thought about it. I was, like, yeah, maybe I should start cutting their hair.”
Khammany continued, “God gave me everything that I can ask for as far as success, family, love, happiness, and everything else. So, I felt the need to give back to the community. I want to influence the younger people to do something good for the community and do something to be a better person themselves. Makes me feel good that I can change lives one haircut at a time.”
5th Annual Critical Race Theory Summer School Honors The Anniversary Of Freedom Summer
CRT Summer School has themed this year's programming in honor of the Freedom Summer anniversary.
Critical Race Theory (CRT) Summer School is back for its 5th annual event in Nashville while paying tribute to the 60th anniversary of Freedom Summer.
The CRT Summer School advocates for the necessity of critical race theory in education. This year’s “Freedom Summer 2024: No U-Turn on Racial Justice” program honors Mississippi’s 1964 Black voter registration project.
It began July 28 with its “Tip of the Spear: Tennessee on the Frontlines of the War on Woke” plenary. The discussion addressed the southern state’s place in CRT discourse. It included speakers such as State Rep. Justin Jones, Tim Wise, Kimberlé Crenshaw, and Freedom Rider Bernard Lafayette.
The program’s ongoing mission is especially pertinent as anti-DEI legislation, book bans, and a crackdown on CRT spread nationwide. The weeklong event will feature additional plenaries and intensives, all meant to spark discussion and strategy to keep Black history taught in schools.
The intensives start with Crenshaw leading the conversation on Intersectionality and the #SayHerName Movement. Michael Eric Dyson will then focus on the Genealogies of Anti-Blackness. The following discussions pertain to American democracy and defending DEI initiatives.
“Color blindness has been weaponized to preclude any real, meaningful education about systemic racism, which connects to attacks on voting rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and women’s reproductive freedom,” stated Crenshaw, executive director of the African American Policy Forum, in a press release.
“That’s why anti-racism efforts must be intersectional, just like democracy must be multiracial. Racism is the Achilles heel of our democracy, a deeply-rooted weakness in this country used to forge a war against ‘wokeness,’ or what many of us call education and advocacy. This is the most important election of our lifetimes, and our very democracy is on the line.”
“So this year’s Critical Race Theory Summer School will empower participants with the essential knowledge and tools needed to confront systemic racism and advocate for transformative change in their communities.”
Moreover, plenaries will continue to focus on organizing, resistance, and survival against anti-CRT discourse. From its “Fight the Power: Using History to Find the Courage to Resist We Are the Majority!” to “How to Fight the Autocratic Takeover of Our Public Institutions” meetings, advocates will encourage attendees to fight for this pivotal matter.
All of the program’s discussions, ongoing until Aug. 2, will be available to stream or attend in person.
‘Drake’s Still My Man,’ Says NBA Star Demar DeRozan, Despite Appearing In Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’ Video
Like Lamar, DeRozan is from Compton, California.
The city of Compton, California, gained widespread recognition when hip-hop artists N.W.A. burst onto the scene in the late 1980s. Many others have proudly represented their hometown ever since. With Kendrick Lamar’s latest song and video, “Not Like Us,” once again shining the spotlight on Compton, newly arrived Sacramento Kings power forward DeMar DeRozan made an appearance in the video.
DeRozan, 34 and a Compton native like Lamar, was a longtime Toronto Raptor. Drake is a die-hard fan and a regular courtside presence at games. This isn’t a problem, according to the basketball star. Though he was excited to appear in Lamar’s video, he assured everyone that “Drake’s still my man.”
In an interview with The Sacramento Bee, DeRozan discussed the significance of Kendrick Lamar’s song, video, and popup show in California. He noted how these events brought unity to Compton with gang members coming together in peace.
“It was fun to be a part of (‘Not Like Us’),” said DeRozan. “For that moment, it was so much bigger than what people look at it as a beef between (Lamar) and Drake. It brought our whole city together in a different type of light where there wasn’t no issues, no violence. Everybody was coming together in a peaceful manner and that was the beauty out of those moments.”
It wasn’t lost on any basketball or California fan that Lamar mentioned DeRozan in the Drake diss song: “I’m glad DeRoz’ came home, y’all didn’t deserve him neither.”
But DeRozan clarified that all his good between him and Canada’s favorite rapper.
“Drake’s still my man, still my man, none of it changed,” he said. “It’s so easy to get overlooked and look at it for what it looks like, but at the end of the day it’s music, entertainment. Two of the biggest rappers in the world went at it from a competitive standpoint and they battled it out. That’s what you want to see as a fan: Kobe (Bryant) playing (Michael) Jordan 1-on-1 and see who wins, see the trash talking, and whoever wins out of that, you’re still going to have the debate, so that’s all that is.”
New Study Reveals Most Atlanta Homes Are Overpriced
A new study has revealed that the median Atlanta home is overpriced. The city ranked second in most inflated housing in the nation.
Economists at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) calculated that housing premiums in Atlanta are at 40.4%, with the median housing price reaching $430,000, as reported byFox 5. One economist, Ken H. Johnson, Ph.D., attributes the inflated price to population growth in the area. Estimates from the U.S. Census also made the city the third-fastest growing metropolitan area in 2023, per WSB-TV.
The FAU study reached these conclusions after comparing housing cost on Zillow, which provided a more accurate estimation versus what the homes sell for. However, Johnson considers the overpriced costs to be a result of supply-and-demand issues. Despite this, he does not expect a housing bust in the city.
“I don’t think you will see a bust,” said Johnson to WSB-TV. “What you are going to see in Atlanta, and other places, is we are going to have a flat period in terms of property appreciation.”
According to Johnson, homeowners may not see the propertys’ values increase, and possibly would sell for the same price. On the other hand, the city has implemented new affordability programs to increase homeownership among its residents.
Moreover, Atlanta currently ranks as fifth in the nation for Black homeownership. However, the gap between Black and white homeowners in the U.S. remains. According to Statista, this difference was at 28.6 percent in 2023.
Despite these concerns, Atlanta has made significant strides in providing opportunities for affordable housing, especially given its large Black population.
“Atlanta, like every other major metro area in the county, does have a racial gap in home ownership, in wealth and in incomes,” explained Rob Warnock, senior research associate at Apartment List, to Saporta Report. “But relatively speaking, being a large metro with a black homeownership rate above 50 percent, there’s only a handful of them and Atlanta is one of them.”
However, the rising costs of homeownership still loom over residents. With this in mind, housing is emerging as an important issue across the state of Georgia.
NC Gov. Roy Cooper Officially Withdraws From Kamala Harris’ VP Consideration
One down...a few more to go!
North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper is no longer under consideration for Kamala Harris’ Vice President role after officially withdrawing.
The exiting governor issued a statement on X reassuring voters of his strong support of Harris but stating it isn’t the right time for North Carolina. “I know she’s going to win, and I was honored to be considered for this role. This just isn’t the right time for North Carolina and for me to potentially be on a national ticket,” he wrote.
“As I’ve said from the beginning, she has an outstanding list of people from which to choose, and we’ll all work to make sure she wins.”
Although Cooper is on the last leg of his two-term tenure as governor, he is still thinking of what’s best for the Tar Heel state. Before officially leaving, a close source said Cooper allegedly gave a signal to the Harris campaign that he would be eliminating himself due to believing the state’s lieutenant governor and GOP gubernatorial candidate, Mark Robinson, would “cause chaos” and behave like an “acting governor” if Cooper were to step away.
As a popular contender for vice president amongst voters, some took to social media to express sadness about Cooper dropping out but issued understanding. @jordancmeadows wrote, “Roy Cooper for SCOTUS!” while @brunochieco6 alluded to the 67-year-old preparing for a Senate run. “You made the right decision, Governor,” he said. “You would have made an exceptional VP but go and win your Senate Race in ‘26!”
You made the right decision Governor. You would have made an exceptional VP but go and win your Senate Race in ‘26!
One of his many signature legislative achievements came in 2023 when he expanded Medicaid after almost 10 years of GOP opposition, providing health insurance to half a million low-income North Carolina residents. He also has no issue standing up to GOP-extremist legislators like Trump’s running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance. Cooper called Vance a “trump mini-me” in an interview and said he wasn’t surprised by his selection. “It’s pretty clear Trump chose someone in his own image. Sort of a mini-me,” the governor said.
“When you look at someone who supports an abortion ban across the board, with no exceptions; some of the tapes that have come out on him talking about childless parents. Those kinds of things are not going to play well in North Carolina or anywhere across the country.”
In the interim, Harris still has some strong contenders in the running as the country awaits her vice president selection. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg are allegedly still being considered.
Brittney Griner Reacts To Fan’s Claim That Team USA Will ‘Need Caitlin Clark’ To Beat Japan
Apparently, the WNBA rookie was not needed as Team USA destroyed Japan by a score of 102-76.
Team USA women’s basketball team started its mission to bring back the gold medal to the United States in Paris when they took the court on July 29. Before the team got off a blowout victory against their opponent, Japan, a Japanese fan held up a sign that caught the attention of several players, including Las Vegas Aces A’Ja Wilson, which made Phoenix Mercury’s Brittney Griner blurt out, “Oh, wow!’
The fan, seen in the stands holding a sign, was wearing a basketball jersey that was half Brooklyn Nets and half Los Angeles Lakers. It wasn’t the jersey that made people notice; it was what was written on the handheld sign. To possibly rattle the USA basketball team or contribute to the controversy of not including one of the WNBA rookies, the sign said, “You need Caitlin Clark to beat us.”
Some of the players from Team USA saw the sign and were shocked at what was written. A video shows Wilson bringing the sign to the attention of Griner who looks at the sign and says, “Oh, wow.”
Team USA 👀 a sign that reads, “You need Caitlin Clark to beat us.” USA-Japan tipping off shortly. pic.twitter.com/ymyJ6mSuXQ
Apparently, the team did fine without Clark as they destroyed Japan by a score of 102-76.
According to NBC News, Team USA had no difficulty scoring the victory against their opponent. Wilson did extremely well, scoring 24 points, snaring 13 rebounds, and blocking four shots. The New York Liberty’s Breanna Stewart had 22 points and snatched eight rebounds. Griner, the Aces’ Kelsey Plum, and the Mercury’s Sabrina Ionescu each contributed 11 points to keep Japan at bay. Chelsea Gray, who also plays with Wilson and Plum, gave out 13 assists.
The next opponent for Team USA is Belgium. That contest will take place at 3:00 p.m. on Aug. 1.
