July 29, 2024

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.

Ana Flores, founder of #WeAllGrow Latina, one of the most established digital and IRL lifestyle communities of impactful LatinX women, 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.”

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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.”

RELATED CONTENT: The L3 Agency Helps Create A Seat At The Table For Black Women In Leadership

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 29, 2024

Swae Lee Tries To Discourage People From Voting For Kamala Harris: ‘Do Your Research’

'Do not vote for Kamala !!! Do your research on that whole camp'

Recording artist Swae Lee is facing backlash after going on social media to tell people not to vote for the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee and current Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris.

On July 27, the recording artist, one-half of the Mississippi-based hip hop duo Rae Sremmurd, took to the X platform to advise his followers to “Do your research” and not vote for the vice president in the upcoming presidential election against former President Donald Trump.

Do not vote for Kamala !!! Do your research on that whole camp.

— Swae Lee Lee Swae (@SwaeLee) July 27, 2024

While trying to discourage voters from electing the first Black woman president, he lays the blame on the country’s support of Ukraine against known enemy Russia. He states that he pays millions in tax dollars annually to have the money sent to “A whole nother country !!!!!!!!! ” Urging people to think about “Those lil dollars that come off your checks they gave it away !!!!!!!”

The recording artist seems to think the money the US gave to another country could have been placed in our pockets instead. He seems to feel that every “American citizen” would have gotten at least $200,000 each if those funds weren’t forwarded to Ukraine. He specifically chastises Black people and states that Harris does not do anything “but sign off on things against yall.” He warns that voting for her because “we” think that she is Black is “not going to end in our favor.”

The money we sent away every American citizen could’ve got minimal 200 grand, think about that, but I guess we don’t need the shit 🤷🏽‍♂️ and yall standing for Kamala. My black people, she don’t do nothing but sign off on things against yall ….(us) voting just cuz you think she’s black…

— Swae Lee Lee Swae (@SwaeLee) July 27, 2024

He continued his discouragement campaign against Harris, ending his rant by posting a video clip sent to him by another X user, who presumably agreed with his views on the vice president. The clip was from a debate between Democratic presidential hopefuls in 2020 that shows Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard criticizing Harris’ record as a prosecutor in San Francisco.

“Y’all better pay attention ! And there’s a lot more”

Y’all better pay attention ! And there’s a lot more https://t.co/WWvu9YKoZc

— Swae Lee Lee Swae (@SwaeLee) July 28, 2024

absenteeism,school, students, college, College Scholarships, Devon Horton, Devon Horton

by Daniel Johnson

July 29, 2024

Devon Horton To Serve On Department Of Homeland Security’s School Safety Clearinghouse Board

According to the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) website, the board “provides advice and recommendations on the development and implementation of evidence-based school safety best practices of the Federal School Safety Clearinghouse.”

Superintendent of Georgia’s DeKalb County School District Devon Horton was appointed to the Department of Homeland Security’s recently formed School Safety Clearinghouse Advisory Board.

According to the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) website, the board “provides advice and recommendations on the development and implementation of evidence-based school safety best practices of the Federal School Safety Clearinghouse.”

According to Common Ground News, Horton is one of three superintendents on the 26-member advisory board, composed of school safety experts and education leaders who will focus on guidance and recommendations to improve the security of K-12 grade schools.

The board will work to advise Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas and will be under CISA as it works on implementing best practices, and those recommendations will be published on a federal platform, SchoolSafety.gov.

According to Common Ground, Horton released a statement indicating his desire to contribute to creating safe learning environments for students.

“I am honored to serve on this advisory board and contribute to the national effort to create safer learning environments.” Horton continued, “In a world with ever-shifting and elevated threats, I believe our collective experiences will be constructive in helping develop practical solutions that improve protection for our students, staff, and communities.”

The board’s first meeting will take place in Fall 2024, after it was established in October 2023 to satisfy the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act requirements. That act was signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2022, and among provisions related to gun control, the law expanded federal funding for crisis intervention programs.

According to the Department of Justice, the BCSA “authorized a total of $1.4 billion in funding for new and existing violence-prevention and intervention programs between 2022 and 2026.”

The DOJ also noted that due to this increased funding, more than $73 million in supplemental OJP STOP School Violence grants were awarded to enhance school security.

More than 3,500 school-enhanced intervention teams were created, more than 2,300 schools formed intervention teams, and 141 schools implemented school safety plans, partly due to BCSA funding increases.

According to a White House report on the progress of the BSCA, released in June 2024, “The Biden-Harris Administration codified and expanded the Federal School Safety Clearinghouse, implementing the Luke and Alex School Safety Act that was part of BSCA. The Clearinghouse, available at SchoolSafety.gov, provides evidence-based practices and recommendations to improve school safety for use by states, local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, state and local law enforcement agencies, health professionals, and the general public.”

The report continued, “BSCA provides $1 billion for the new Stronger Connections grant program, which helps schools invest in strategies to keep their students safe. The Department of Education released Stronger Connections funding to states in September 2022. Since then, all states have run competitions for this funding, making awards to more than 2,100 high-need communities. Preliminary data show schools are using Stronger Connections funds to update safety plans, hire mental health professionals and school resource officers, carry out community violence intervention and prevention strategies, install security equipment, conduct school climate surveys, address chronic absenteeism, and implement anti-bullying and anti-harassment programs.”

GirlTrek!, Black Women, Health, Fitness, GirlTrek

by Mary Spiller

July 29, 2024

GirlTrek! Black Women Start Movement To Combat Widespread Health Crisis

GirlTrek encourages Black women to walk for at least 30 minutes every day.

A concerning trend has presented itself in the United States: as obesity rates are rising, life expectancy is declining, and this change has become most prominent for African American women. According to the American Heart Association, Black women are more likely to die at a younger age than women of other ethnicities due to related health issues. Vanessa Garrison and T. Morgan Dixon have created GirlTrek, a nonprofit, to help Black women stay healthy and empowered through the act of walking.

Dixon told CNN that she and Garrison didn’t start the nonprofit out of love for walking. Instead, it was a necessity for them.

“It wasn’t because we were walking enthusiasts or because we love to walk. When we started we were just trying to save our own lives,” Dixon said. “How do we not fall into these pitfalls that our mothers and our aunts and our grandmothers have fallen into? Eighty percent of us are overweight and carrying that weight is killing us now at disproportionate levels. We can’t do it anymore. We can’t carry it anymore.”

GirlTrek was started in 2010, and now in 2024, when being active is more important than ever, over 1,370,000 members have joined and formed their own walking teams across America. GirlTrek members pledge to walk 30 minutes a day, usually with a group of other women, to help fight obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other related health issues.

Dixon and Garrison took inspiration from the women of the civil rights movement to guide the principal goals and even the routes that participants are inspired to take on their walks. They even host nationwide events that follow historic pathways like the“100 miles to Freedom” of the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway and the “Road to Selma,” which followed the Selma to Montgomery march.

GirlTrek’s growing reach comes at a time when it’s needed most. Recent research has revealed that more than half of Black women over 20 have heart disease. The same age group suffers the highest risk for strokes, and 3 out of 5 Black women are obese.

Garrison expressed to the news outlet that she believes GirlTrek is doing more than just helping Black women be healthier; it is also helping them overcome a “cultural mindset” to improve their quality of life.

“We grew up in households where our mothers and grandmothers and our aunties always chose to come last; they would always push those extra couple of hours to give to their family. And we’ve modeled that behavior, and in fact, we celebrated that behavior, and it is the only way we know how to navigate this world and get by. We created entire identities around our service to others,” Garrison told CNN.

“And I tell you it is OK for you to put yourself first today for these 30 minutes, and then, in fact, when you do, your family becomes more powerful, your community becomes more powerful.”

She added, “That is actually how you shift the entire dynamic of a culture by creating the habits that get passed from one generation to another.”

GirlTrek is beneficial not only for physical health but also for mental health. Dixon has noticed that many of these assembled walking groups have doubled as support groups.

“Women who are alone or women who are suffering any kind of depression or anxiety or stress can walk, talk, and slow down with friends. And that act of slowing down is radical,” she explained.

The sense of community and empowerment powered by Black history helps GirlTrek members stay motivated.

“We know that when Black women walk, things change, and that we walk in the footsteps of that legacy.” Garrison said, “And when we tell that story to women, they see themselves in those names. They see themselves as the next Ella Baker, the next Fannie Lou Hamer, the next Septima Clark, the next Harriet Tubman, and they are inspired by their history to start walking and create change in their communities…and themselves.”

Biden Outlines Proposal For Supreme Court Changes, Including Term Limits

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

July 29, 2024

Biden Outlines Proposal For Supreme Court Changes, Including Term Limits

Biden's plan includes term limits, reversing broad presidential immunity, and an enforced ethics code for Supreme Court Justices.

President Biden has officially revealed his plan to reform the U.S. Supreme Court, including term limits and a reversal of presidential immunity.

Biden shared his proposal in an op-ed to the Washington Post on July 29. In the piece, he detailed his desire for three substantive changes to “ensure trust” in America’s judicial system and highest court.

The 81-year-old emphasized his longtime role as a Senate’s Judiciary Committee member while noting that today’s court must restore the “public’s confidence” in the Democratic institution.

“I have great respect for our institutions and the separation of powers,” wrote the president. “What is happening now is not normal, and it undermines the public’s confidence in the court’s decisions, including those impacting personal freedoms. We now stand in a breach.”

Following the Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision on July 1 to bestow broad immunity for presidents, Biden seeks to correct this measure in his No One Is Above The Law Amendment. The reform would ensure former presidents do not have immunity for crimes committed while in office.

Secondly, the president hopes to impose term limits on Justices, eliminating lifetime appointments. Biden addressed how a single presidency can “radically [alter]” the Supreme Court for decades. Instead, Biden proposes that a president can appoint a new justice every two years to serve 18-year terms.

As the court stands, its conservative majority has overturned landmark decisions such as Roe v. Wade while imposing new ones such as seemingly unlimited presidential immunity. However, Biden’s suggestion of a constitutional amendment seems like a long shot, with one last ratified in 1992, per the Huffington Post.

Lastly, Biden called for a binding code of conduct to be enforced within the court. He referred to the current voluntary ethics code as “weak” and “self-enforced,” as Justices do not have to disclose gifts or conflicts of interest when deciding on cases. Justice Elena Kagan has also called for a new ethics code for the court, furthering the suggestion that their power has gone unchecked.

However, this plan is unlikely to be passed, given the Republican’s control over the House. Despite this, Biden hopes the promotion of these suggested reforms will push Democrats to the polls. Moreover, Biden will most likely speak about the plan at his address at the LBJ Library in Austin, Texas, later today.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 29, 2024

Patrick Mahomes Still Highest-Paid Quarterback Despite Jordan Love’s Record-Breaking Contract

Love signed a four-year, $220 million extension.

The Green Bay Packers just extended quarterback Jordan Love’s contract, a four-year, $220 million extension, to make him the highest-paid quarterback in NFL history on July 27, according to Draft Kings Network. Yet, Pro Football Talk reported that despite Love earning that new title, Kansas City Chiefs Patrick Mahomes will still be the highest-paid quarterback for the next three years.

Based on his current contract, the three-time Super Bowl champion and arguably the best quarterback in the NFL right now will make an average of $45 million per year. That’s a lower amount than eight other quarterbacks in the league. Miami Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa, Detroit Lions’ Jared Goff, Los Angeles Chargers’ Justin Herbert, Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson, and Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Hurts will all make more than $50 million. Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Burrow, Jacksonville Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence, and Love will make $55 million annually.

But, if you look at the upcoming seasons within a four-year period, Mahomes comes out on top for the years 2023-26 and 2024-27.

For the pay period from 2023 through 2026, these are the annual salaries for the top 10 paid NFL players.

1. Mahomes: $210.6 million

2. Lamar Jackson: $208 million

3. Deshaun Watson: $184 million

4. Joe Burrow: $181 million

5. Daniel Jones:: $160 million

6. Justin Herbert: $157 million

7. Jalen Hurts: $157 million

8. Kyler Murray: $153 million

9. Josh Allen: $136 million

10. Matthew Stafford: $121.5 million

For the years from 2024 through 2027:

1. Mahomes: $215.6 million

2. Burrow: $213.9 million

3. Jared Goff: $193.6 million

4. Tua Tagovailoa: $186.1 million

5. Jordan Love: $186 million

6. Hurts: $184 million

7. Herbert: $182.6 million

8. Kirk Cousins: $180 million

9. Jackson: $179.2 million

10. Trevor Lawrence: $155.5 million

With the numbers displayed above, the Chiefs’ starting quarterback still leads the pack when it comes to being paid the most per year for not only 2023 through 2026 but also from 2024 through 2027.

by Mary Spiller

July 29, 2024

Historical Marker Placed At Detroit Motel In Honor Of 3 Black Teens Killed In 1967

Fred Temple, Carl Cooper, and Aubrey Pollard, were killed by white law enforcement during the Detroit Uprising of 1967.

A new historical marker was erected on July 26 in Detroit. The marker was placed as a dedication at the site where three Black teenagers were murdered by white local and federal law enforcement at the Algiers Motel during the civil riots in 1967. After 57 long years, the victims’ families have seen Fred Temple, 18, Carl Cooper, 17, and Aubrey Pollard, 19, begin to get the acknowledgment that they deserve from the city.

The three young men killed at the Algiers Motel on Woodward Avenue are well-known victims of what is known as the “Detroit Uprising.”

Members of the Temple, Cooper, and Pollard families attended the dedication memorial, as did longtime Detroit political figures and activists. In attendance at the marker placement were Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist, activists V. Lonnie Peek Jr. and Dan Aldridge, and historians Jamon Jordan and Danielle McGuire attended the event.

Gilchrist said of the historical designation, “We decided that we were going to build and strengthen one another. Even in the face of setbacks that came to the Temple family, the Pollard family, and the Cooper family, the injustices and indignities that they saw and the others who lost their lives during the rebellion, their resolve was strengthened day by day.”

Not only were Temple, Cooper, and Pollard killed at the site, but two white women and seven other Black men were horrifically beaten by Detroit city police and United States National Guardsmen.

In an interview with CBS News for the memorial, a friend of the three men who witnessed their deaths, Lee Forsyth, recalled the memories of watching his best friends be killed by law enforcement in 1967.

He described, “I can see my room right there. I’ve been here twice in the past 57 years. This is great, the memorial. It’s for someone else to remember. I don’t want to remember it.”

Mayor Duggan added, “This day should have been done a long time ago. I’m proud to be the mayor when this historic marker is placed today to teach the next generation.”

Historian Danielle McGuire has dedicated much of her career to uncovering what happened that night. She told the outlet that the historical marker is a symbol that the history will not be suppressed, and it emphasizes the importance of remembrance of a time when fewer than 300 of the Detroit Police Department’s 5,000-member were African American.

“By remembering the lives of Aubrey Pollard, Carl Cooper, and Fred Temple, and everyone who was harmed here that night, we combat the dangers of forgetting, and we work together to build a better world where this kind of brutality and violence is not repeated,” said McGuire.

During the long, hot summer of 1967, civil unrest began stirring in Detroit after police raided an unlicensed bar in a predominantly Black West Side neighborhood, escalating tensions between law enforcement and residents. In the proceeding, five days starting July 23, 1967, 43 deaths occurred, hundreds of people were injured, and 7,000 were arrested as nearly 1,700 fires were set around the city. The youngest of the victims was a 4-year-old girl named Tayna Blanding, who was hit by a police officer’s bullet inside her apartment building.

Gymnastics, HBCU, Talladega College, Alabama

by Mary Spiller

July 29, 2024

Alabama HBCU Talladega College Fights To Keep Underfunded Gymnastics Progam Alive

Talladega College is aiming to raise $500,000 by the end of the month to fund their gymnastics program.

The gymnastics team of the historically Black college and university Talladega College is allegedly facing challenges. The HBCU recently announced that the gymnastics program would be nixed after being active for just one season, but the community isn’t letting it happen without a fight.

Due to a concerning financial review, Talladega reportedly can’t afford to keep the program alive. The Alabama HBCU is experiencing the widespread systemic issue of lack of funding for sports at Black colleges and universities.

The team said in a statement, “With one hour to prepare, the Talladega team was told that the announcement would go public and that their team would be no more. While the decision to discontinue the gymnastics program was undoubtedly difficult, we remain incredibly proud of our gymnasts, coaches, and their remarkable achievements.”

Last year, Alabama’s Talladega College became the second HBCU in history to start a gymnastics program. Second to Fisk University, the trailblazing program attracted high-level athletes to campus to continue pursuing their gymnastics goals alongside their academics.

The team and its related faculty haven’t given up yet, though.

Interim Talladega College President Dr. Walter M. Kimbrough described, “Their dedication and resilience have set a high standard, and their legacy will continue to inspire.”

Soon after the news was delivered, the top gymnast at the program, Krystin Johnson, took to Twitter to write, “As most of you are aware, Talladega College is trying to dismantle our gymnastics team. This is devastating to us, but WE ARE STILL FIGHTING to keep it.”

Good morning. Talladega Gymnastics needs you! As most of you are aware, Talladega College is trying to dismantle our gymnastics team. This is devastating to us, but WE ARE STILL FIGHTING to keep it. Click the link below to help. Thank you so much! https://t.co/3UDtalPtL1
— Kyrstin Johnson (@KjFlips05) July 14, 2024

Alongside her teammates and coaches, Johnson and others have successfully started a crowdfunding initiative through Give Lively. Sponsored by the Isla Foundation — an organization that empowers marginalized athletes — the Talladega Gymnastics Team aims to raise $500,000 by July 30.

“This fundraiser was created to show the world that Dega Gym is here to stay and the community is behind them 100%. We know that our goal is daunting, but without it, we will forced to put our education and athletic careers on hold,” The team explained in a statement.

“It is too late for our team to find homes. More than the aforementioned, we wouldn’t want to if we could. We set forth on a journey to make history, and we are not done yet.”

Talladega College’s gymnastics program, being one of the first of its kind, has helped Black gymnasts find a home to continue practicing their sport on campus. For many, it has given Black gymnasts a much-needed platform to showcase their prowess on the mat and inspire future generations in a predominantly white sport.

The Talladega Gymnastics Team has found success in its short time being active, even as the first of its kind in Alabama. The HBCU has earned the title of producing the most National Qualifiers in a year and is the first HBCU to win a sanctioned NCAA competition and hold a USAG National Event Title.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

July 29, 2024

City Of Atlanta Fires HR Chief After Investigation Reveals She Created Position For Daughter

According to the city's report, Tarlesha Smith created a job for her daughter, who was never interviewed for the role.

The City of Atlanta has fired its head of human resources after it was discovered that she created a position for her daughter at City Hall despite her lack of qualifications for the role.

Tarlesha Smith’s termination comes after an investigation by the city’s law department which was prompted by a report that was released by The Office of the Inspector General in May.

The office found that Smith created a compliance analyst position in the Office of the City Solicitor for her daughter, Bridget. The role came with an annual salary of around $52,000, as reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

However, Bridget allegedly not only got the job before it was publicly listed but was never interviewed. Moreover, the report detailed how Smith retaliated against a supervisor who questioned her daughter’s qualifications for the role.

Bridget requested to telework following her on-site training, but she misinterpreted the in-person requirements for the position. When her supervisor denied the request, Bridget became “disengaged” and lacked punctuality, according to the report obtained by the Journal-Constitution

When the supervisor brought this issue to light, HR placed her on administrative leave. Smith also suggested disciplinary action. The city’s independent inquiry confirmed the Inspector General’s findings that Smith had abused her power in not only getting her daughter the role but also in the “adverse action” against the supervisor.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens originally appointed Smith to the leadership role in 2022. Atlanta’s Chief Operating Officer, LaChandra Burks, revealed Smith’s firing for misconduct in a July 25 letter to the City Council.

“We take allegations of wrongdoing very seriously, especially if it involves a leader of the organization,” she wrote.

The mayor’s office will now search for a replacement for Smith. In the meantime, an interim human resources commissioner has already taken her place.

by Mary Spiller

July 29, 2024

Simply Pure Trenton, Black-Owned Cannabis Dispensary, Opens In New Jersey

Simply Pure Trenton specializes in healthy edible alternatives.

Simply Pure Trenton, an entirely Black-owned cannabis dispensary based in New Jersey, opened its doors July 27. Founded by vanguard husband and wife Scott Durrah and Wanda James, Simply Pure specializes in healthy alternative edibles.

Although Simply Pure just opened, James and Durrah are not new to the game. Before the idea for the space was conceived in 2010, the couple launched Apothecary of Colorado, the “first Black-owned and veteran-owned dispensary” in the country, per AfroTech.

According to the business’ website, Durrah drives the creation of unique products, utilizing his skills as a former executive chef to produce high-quality edibles in a market that is saturated with typical dispensaries.

Taking the service learned in Denver, which includes storefront and delivery options, the couples’ vision has finally expanded to Ewing, New Jersey, just outside Trenton, the state’s capital.

Simply Pure is a 6,000-square-foot brick-and-mortar dispensary, supported not only by James and Durrah but Tahir Johnson, acting president of the Minority Cannabis Business Association.

Simply Pure Trenton has followed the trailblazing footsteps of the apothecary in Colorado, becoming one of the very first Black-owned “social equity businesses awarded an adult-use cannabis license in New Jersey.”

“This is more than a grand opening,” Johnson said. “It’s a meaningful step forward as we cultivate equity in the New Jersey market and beyond. As someone who has endured the harsh effects of cannabis prohibition multiple times throughout my life, it brings me great joy to supply my community with accessible, legal, and high-quality products. Furthermore, I’m excited to create jobs for those in my community who want to join us on this journey to creating change.”

“With his passion for his community, family and creating generational change, Tahir [Johnson] is the perfect person to lead Simply Pure Trenton as we expand outside of Colorado for the first time,” James said. “This is the beginning of our mission as we strive to partner with more social equity licensees and help those impacted by the War on Drugs redefine the U.S. cannabis industry.”

The New Jersey storefront carries many of the popular cannabis brands such as Garden Greens, Wana, Miss Grass, and Hamilton Farms, but the store also houses an extensive section of quality Black-owned brands such as Mudd Brothers and Butacake, according to its website.