115 years old, birthday, oldest American

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

July 29, 2024

America’s Oldest Person Tells How To Live To Be 115 Years Old

Elizabeth Francis said to live long one should always 'speak your mind.'

Elizabeth Francis, deemed America’s oldest person at 115 years old, shared her biggest tip to getting to her age.

“Speak your mind and don’t hold your tongue,” said the birthday girl, according to The Washington Post.

Francis’ longevity has shocked relative. Beginning in 1909, her story is one that transcends eras, movements, and trials of the last century. As a Black woman, this means surviving sharecropping, Jim Crow, and modern-day issues like police brutality. Her life proves the resilience of Black life in America. Beyond this, her family is just happy to still have grandma around.

“We all know that we have to punch that [final] ticket someday, so we’re amazed and grateful that she’s still here,” shared Ethel Harrison, Francis’s 69-year-old granddaughter. “She’s surprised us all.”

Born in Louisiana, Francis was an single mother who made a life for herself and her family. All through running a coffee shop in Houston, Francis witnessed historical moments that spanned presidencies and multiple lifetimes. Francis also remained active throughout her life, taking the scenic route whenever she could to keep her legs moving.

Nowadays, she enjoys watching reruns of Good Times and The Jeffersons with her 95-year-old daughter in Houston. Her granddaughter told The Washington Post that laughter fills the room each night, as both women still find joy in the simple things.

“They both feel lucky and blessed to be together so late in life,” expressed Harrison. “I asked her the other night how she feels about turning 115 and she smiled and said, ‘I just thank the good Lord that I’m here.’ She says she has nothing to complain about, and the rest of our family feels the same way.”

According to LongeviQuest, Francis is the fourth-oldest in the world. Despite this, Francis remains focused on enjoying time with loved ones for as long as she can.

Harrison added, “Every year that I have to order another birthday cake for my grandmother is an occasion worth celebrating to know she’s still with us.”

Black businesswomen, Black History Month, boss, imposter syndrome, career, work

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

July 29, 2024

Imposter Syndrome Where? Take Charge Of Your Career With Faith And Action

Three CEOs share how Black professionals can turn their faith into action in order to overcome Impostor Syndrome.

Impostor Syndrome is when you believe that you aren’t as competent as others perceive you to be. As we strive to transition from one area of life to another a little voice tells us we can’t do it. But for Black people, Impostor Syndrome is a way of life. We receive daily reminders that we don’t belong anywhere through micro-aggressions at work, cold shoulders at networking events or on the golf course or encounters with police.

In addition to feeling inadequate and/or isolated, being the only Black individual in a department or company can make overcoming this obstacle even harder. Yet, there is hope. Here are five ways to overcome Impostor Syndrome.

You Are Never Alone

Whenever you look to transition you may feel alone. But you’re not. God is with you.

“When we are striving to do what is right, God is working on our behalf. He usually places people in our lives to help us in our journey, seek relationships with individuals who are willing to invest in your talents,” says Michael Patterson, CEO, M & S Patterson Life Consulting.

If you’re a religious or spiritual person faith is important, perhaps the most important aspect of your life. Allow it to guide you in your transition.

Have a strong belief in yourself

How you look at yourself will often determine how people will look at you.

“If you believe you’re inferior, you will behave that way. Make every company and person qualify themselves to you first instead of the other way around. That’s how you can start shifting the power dynamics,” says Corey Jackson, CEO of Querkz.

You’re good enough! Now believe it.

Change or create your environment

Most likely, you’ll have to create or change your environment since most aren’t geared to Black or brown people.

“While our white counterparts may not feel they have what it takes to perform a job, they are given tremendous support along the way in acknowledged and unacknowledged ways,” says Aaisha Joseph, CEO, Aaisha Renee Consulting.

You’ll need a strong inner circle, especially when trying something new. Environments affect our moods, our decision making, and ultimately, our lives. We must change our current one or create the right one if we are to succeed.

Remember that nobody’s perfect

We want to transition but we don’t want to look like a fraud. So, we feel we have to be perfect before stepping out. We try to fake it till we make it or inflate our accomplishments and hope no one finds us out. It’s not about perfection. Believe in yourself, do what you know well, and learn as you go. All successful people do this.

Remember your past achievements

When we choose to transition, we can be confident because we’ve achieved things in our past that we can bring into our “new” life. While our past may seem unrelated to our “new” life, there’s usually a link between the two. Before David stood up to Goliath, he remembered what he did as a shepherd boy. His experience in protecting his sheep gave him the confidence to fight Goliath. He killed him and later became king of Israel. Once we identify our achievements, we can draw on them and confidently step into our new identity.

Blacks professionals generally have fewer resources and support systems than our white counterparts. But that can’t stop us. We can’t just wait for opportunities; we must create them. This is why it’s so crucial to pool our resources and create our support systems. To overcome we must believe in ourselves, surround ourselves with people who support us, and remember we that have a God who always has our back.

by Daniel Johnson

July 29, 2024

Black Residents Of Florida Town Push For National Register Recognition Amid Opposition

While other Black communities in Florida, such as the infamous Rosewood, were destroyed by white mob violence, the residents Royal managed to preserve their community.

Residents of Royal, an unincorporated town of 1,200 residents in Sumter County, Florida, are striving to have their city recognized on the National Register of Historic Places. Many who live here can trace their land back to ancestors who bought plots after the Civil War.

Edward González-Tennant, an assistant professor at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley, is leading the project to have the town recognized by the National Registry. González-Tennant’s nomination explains that Royal is “one of the most compelling examples of a rural, historically African American community in Florida.”

While other Black communities in Florida, most infamously, Rosewood, met their ends at the hands of white mob violence, the inhabitants of Royal held onto their community.

But today Royal faces new threats: specifically, construction projects from Florida’s Department of Transportation (FDOT), several of which threaten to run through the town.

https://youtu.be/5EEpGTipaNE?si=BtrcBCBEGV4bTcg8

Sumter County officials do not recognize Royal as a historic resource. Furthermore, white landowners in the area, who do not reside in Royal, oppose including their land within Royal’s boundaries. According to the SPLC, this opposition appears to have influenced the Florida State Preservation Office to redraw the boundaries of the Royal Historic District to exclude Black landowners.

Melissa Williams, a senior staff attorney with the SPLC’s Economic Justice litigation team, aid residents realize that they and by extension, their community’s existence, needs to be documented.

“The residents of this community recognize the importance of these historic boundaries in any listing of Royal on the National Register,” Williams said. “And that’s why they’re fighting so hard to make sure that they are historically accurate and that they are well documented. The oral histories collected by Dr. González-Tennant provide further support to the historic boundaries. It is our hope that the state will finally get this right, after having the nomination sent back twice by the National Park Service.”

Beverly Steele, the 67-year-old founder of the Young Performing Artists Inc., a non-profit organization, told the SPLC: “There’s no need to change history. I feel that the state has tried to do that. You just can’t. It’s American history. It’s national history. It is, you know, living memories.”

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

July 29, 2024

Hey Auntie! Is A New Platform That Helps Black Women Foster Community

The platform helps Black women with their health and wellness through its support network.

Hey, Aunties! A new social platform has arrived to help Black women foster community while combating loneliness.

Nicole Kenney envisioned Hey Auntie! as a multigenerational source for Black women to support one another. The networking platform promotes kinship among its members, especially as the Black community evolves its digital presence.

“[Hey Auntie!] designates a nurturing relationship that may be biological but is more often what we call a ‘fictive kinship,’ emotionally significant bonds not based on blood or legal ties,” Kenney explained to Fast Company. “Every child is your child.”

Kenney created Hey Auntie! as a “For Us, By Us” approach to building genuine connections on the internet. After experiencing her own mental health struggles, she saw a need for all Black women to find and rely on each other.

In 2021, Kenney was accepted into a six-month incubator/accelerator to create Hey Auntie! for the Well City Challenge. The program, a social impact partnership between Independence Blue Cross and the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, lends support to initiatives focused on health and wellness. Kenney’s idea won first place, which included $50,000 to bring it into fruition.

Hey Auntie!’s 700 members stay connected through biweekly newsletters, peer-to-peer discussions, and frequent Q&As. The platform also offers a matching service that pairs seasoned professionals with women starting their careers.

Kenney wants Hey Auntie! to become a for-profit company, even though it currently offers free subscriptions upon application approval. While Kenney hopes to expand the membership, her main concern is creating a safe space.

“Explosive growth is not part of our ethos: The safety of our community is our utmost priority,” Kenney said. “As a relationship-building business, we need to protect our digital community from messages of judgment, perfectionism, and cyber violence so often directed at women—especially Black women.”

Kenney will also explore B2B sales alongside a paid subscription in due time. As her next venture, taking on the University of Pennsylvania’s PennHealthX SDoH Accelerator, Hey Auntie! intends to prove its usefulness in improving health and wellness across age groups.

“We aim to demonstrate how multigenerational connection and collaboration is a dynamic force for good,” Kenney said. “And why innovators closest to the challenges should be those closest to designing the solutions.”

Hey Auntie! hosts members worldwide, many of whom are based in its Philadelphia hub, offering a supportive community that validates the experiences of all Black women.

strike, flight attendants,united airlines, la dodgers, biohazard, Dulles International Airport, vomiting

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

July 29, 2024

United Airlines Flight Diverted After ‘Biohazard’ Sends Crew Into Vomiting Frenzy

'The crew is vomiting, and passengers all around are asking for masks.'

A United Airlines flight carrying 155 passengers from Houston to Boston was diverted to Virginia after a passenger experienced an unidentified medical emergency and “biohazard” onboard.

On July 28, United Airlines Flight 2477 departed from George Bush Intercontinental Airport shortly after 9:30 a.m. and landed at Washington Dulles International Airport around 1:30 p.m. A tweet from X user The New Area 51 reported a shocking message from air traffic control about the flight’s crew and passengers vomiting following the medical emergency.

United Airlines crew and passengers vomiting due to a “biohazard” from a passenger and flight diverted to Dulles as UA2477 (Boeing 737-800 IAH-BOS) this afternoon.

Big thanks to Bill B. for sharing the audio and @RadarBoxCom for tracking. pic.twitter.com/LOojAnsbZH
— Thenewarea51 (@thenewarea51) July 28, 2024

A doctor aboard the flight described the situation to air traffic control: “This is a doctor, and I talked to the crew. It sounds like it’s quite bad back there. It’s still really bad. The crew is vomiting, and passengers all around are asking for masks.”

The doctor recommended diverting to Cleveland, as it was closer, emphasizing the need to land immediately due to the undisclosed biohazard.

United Airlines informed FOXBusiness that the diversion was due to a passenger’s “medical issue.” The airline spokesperson added, “The aircraft is currently undergoing a deep clean, and we are working to get customers on their way to Boston soon.”

After the emergency landing, the flight departed from Virginia at approximately 5:15 p.m. and was expected to arrive at Logan International Airport shortly before 8:00 p.m.

A spokesperson for Dulles International Airport reported that no passengers or crew required medical treatment or transportation to a hospital upon the unscheduled arrival. The specific nature of the “biohazard” remains unclear.

by Shanique Yates

July 29, 2024

Health Experts Warn ‘COVID-19 Never Goes Away’ Amid Rising Summer Cases

CDC and medical experts warn that COVID-19 is here to stay amid rising summer cases taking the U.S. by storm.

In 2020, COVID-19 took the world by storm, and experts are warning that the virus is still very prevalent four years later amid rising summer cases.

As summer is in full swing in the United States, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that 36 states across the nation have “high” or “very high” COVID rates. “This year’s summer COVID-19 wave is coming earlier than last year, which occurred in late August and early September,” said a spokesperson for the government-led organization.

Initially, the CDC tracked the total number of new COVID-19 cases. Today, it uses indicators like test positivity, emergency department visits, and wastewater surveillance to estimate transmission levels. Since its peak in January, positive COVID-19 rates have been at their highest at 12.6%; however, the death rates concerning the infection remain stable.

“Levels are lower than the peak from this past winter and are at similar levels to the early fall peak in 2023,” said the spokesperson.

Per wastewater data, the American states with the highest rising summer cases currently sit in the West. However, recent spikes have occurred in the Southeast, New England regions, and parts of the Mid-Atlantic.

The “very high” states include the District of Columbia, Alaska, California, Florida, etc. On the contrary, areas with “high” COVID-19 rates include Alabama, Arizona, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Virginia, and more.

“Unlike influenza, which essentially disappears during the summertime, COVID-19 never goes away,” said Dr. William Schaffner, professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

He also noted that the rise in summer cases of COVID-19 is occurring “all over the country.”

“(COVID) is up everywhere,” said Schaffner. “It’s not as though you could go to a state and avoid this increase. It’s just that the increase is more prominent in some parts of the country than others.”

In addition to previous strains like Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron, new COVID-19 variants that are contributing to the summer spikes include FLiRT and LB.1. The CDC reports that signs of COVID-19 are congestion or runny nose, cough, diarrhea, fatigue, nausea or vomiting, among other symptoms like fever or chills, new loss of sense of taste or smell, shortness of breath, sore throat, and headache or muscle aches.

by Daniel Johnson

July 29, 2024

New York State Reparations Committee Sets First Meeting

The New York State Community Commission on Reparations Remedies will have approximately a year and a half to produce a final report.

Following New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s signing of a bill in December 2023 to establish a commission to study reparations for the descendants of enslaved people and New York’s broader role in the slave trade, the commission will hold its first meeting.

According to Spectrum News, the New York State Community Commission on Reparations Remedies is set to meet on July 30 at the Capitol in Albany to create an outline for their work, which will go on for approximately a year and a half.

After such time, the commission is expected to produce a report directly to the legislature by the close of 2025. The process is similar to California‘s progress with its reparations study earlier this year.

In New York’s case, although slavery was officially abolished in New York in 1827, there were insurance companies based in New York that would insure enslaved people.

The appointed commissioners range from experts at HBCUs to civil rights and poverty experts to faith leaders and more, all appointed by Gov. Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie.

Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages told Spectrum she is excited by the group’s diversity.

“They all have a unique expertise, which is very exciting to see, that they come from different lenses, whether it’s public, private [or] academia, they all have a unique perspective to bring to the table.”

Solages is the sponsor of the bill that Gov. Hochul signed into law in December 2023, and the New York State budget for 2024 included $5 million for the study, which includes examinations of the impacts of original enslavement, segregation and Jim Crow, and present-day or ongoing racism.

Solages continued, emphasizing her belief in the commission’s ability to produce a report that can provide a starting point to redress the problems created by America’s original sin and its progeny.

“I believe they’re going to come up with a report that really highlights what we can do to really begin this healing process and to talk about how we can take apart these systems that were really created to suppress individuals in New York state,” Solages told Spectrum. “Whether it’s redlining, unfair housing policies, you know, economic practices, there are systems that exist today that we need to dismantle to ensure that we have an equitable and just New York.”

Solages, meanwhile, is hopeful about what the commission can accomplish.

“We’ve been talking about centuries upon centuries of disenfranchisement of Black Americans and so when we convene, it’s going to be historical,” Solages explained to Spectrum. “This is actually a reflection point to say that we are not our past, but our future, and that we can have a better future for all.”

nashville, white supremacists,Black boys

by Daniel Johnson

July 28, 2024

White Supremacists Hurl Racist Slurs At Black Boys In Nashville, Local Lawmakers Call For Action

The children, known for drumming on plastic buckets to earn money, are fixtures in downtown Nashville.

Tennessee Rep. Justin Jones and Rep. G.A. Hardaway both called on a stronger response to the growing neo-Nazi threat in Nashville after a group of young Black musicians were verbally abused and harassed by white supremacists on July 20.

“White nationalists verbally attacked and tried to intimidate these brilliant, beautiful, powerful young Black boys who were simply trying to play drums, and simply try to enjoy their summer break like any other child,” Jones said per The Tennessean.

He continued, “We know that this is about a deeper systemic issue and about a deeper threat that we’re experiencing in our state and in our city right now, with the increasing rise of white nationalist terror that is targeting our children now.”

The children, 14-year-old Rontarius Wilson, 10-year-old Detonio Wilson, 11-year-old Kamond Williams, and 9-year-old Jaquial Forrest, are fixtures in downtown Nashville for drumming on plastic buckets to earn money.

An emotional Ashton Lee, mother of Forrest said at the news conference that she was heartbroken when she realized they were the boys on the video she saw circulating on social media.

“It wasn’t right,” she said. “I moved to this city, which is supposed to be free. And it happened anyway. It just broke my heart. It makes me feel some type of way, but I tell the boys that all the white people are not the same. They feel like everyone is against them, but they’re not.”

Lee said no other Tennessee lawmakers had reached out to her, which she described as “hurtful.”

According to The Tennessean, Hardaway also said that he is not surprised by the incident and questioned why white supremacists feel so comfortable publicly marching in his state.

Hardaway also turned his attention to his fellow lawmakers. “There is a climate that’s been created by the vitriolic dialogue that’s going on in the political arena in particular and we’ve got to tone it down. Those who support white supremacy: We’re going to call you out.”

Jones created a GoFundMe for the children after the incident, which had raised over $15,000 for the children.

Jones also called out the local police in his GoFundMe write-up, saying the boys “were escorted a block away before being told to walk home by themselves while the neo-Nazis were allowed to continue their verbal attacks against others without consequence.”

He added, “Drumming downtown has been an immense source of joy for these kids, and their parents described them as excited to go and perform for people walking through the city. This joy has been taken by the neo-Nazis whose racist abuse towards these young Black boys has created an unsafe environment. Furthermore, their families share that MNPD has repeatedly threatened to arrest these young boys for performing, and have refused to allow them the space to have Black joy in a downtown that belongs to all Nashvillians.

“We must continue to encourage and uplift them as deserving of space and freedom to have joy. This is about sending a clear message: Protect Black Kids.”

Mary Mason, Philadelphia, radio, on air, podcast, mic

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

July 28, 2024

Mary Mason, Philadelphia Radio Host And Political Advocate, Dies At 94

Mason dealt with a years-long battle with Alzheimer's disease, a friend said.

Mary Mason, a longtime radio host and political advocate in Philadelphia, has died July 25 at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. She was 94.

Mason (real name Beatrice Turner) used her platform to mobilize her listeners for social and political action, becoming an influential voice in local and nationwide politics. During the Civil Rights Movement, she interviewed cultural icons and activists such as Muhammad Ali and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., significantly impacting radio.

Starting in gospel radio, she expanded her reach by creating Mornings with Mary in the 1970s. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the radio program quickly became a fixture in the city’s Black community.

Furthermore, Mason was unafraid to speak out for change. Her efforts included hosting radio telethons for the Rev. Leon Sullivan throughout a 20-year span into the ’90s. She also endorsed Wilson Goode, who became the city’s first Black mayor in 1984.

However, Mason’s health had declined in the past decade. Until her death, Mason stayed in an assisted living facility in her hometown. She also struggled with Alzheimer’s disease, said Thera Martin, her friend and colleague.

Her impact hadn’t diminished.

“Mary Mason allowed a number of Black women to stand on her shoulders in broadcasting,” Martin said in a phone interview with The Inquirer. “And men, too. She made a difference.”

Local leaders also shared their condolences, including Congressman Dwight Evans.

I’m sad to hear of the passing of the legendary Mary Mason, a pioneer for African American women in Philadelphia radio. It’s impossible to overstate her impact and influence! May she Rest in Power. https://t.co/xm7ZiHMQOH
— Congressman Dwight Evans🟧 (@RepDwightEvans) July 26, 2024

“I’m sad to hear of the passing of the legendary Mary Mason, a pioneer for African American women in Philadelphia radio,” wrote Evans. “It’s impossible to overstate her impact and influence! May she Rest in Power.”

Former Congressman Bob Brady emphasized her impact in the political sphere. “Anybody who wanted to be anybody in politics, or in business, had to talk to Mary, and she would make or break people,” Brady told ABC 6. “Nine times out of 10, she was right.”

Besides health troubles, the South Philadelphia native faced issues in her family life. In 2018, her grandson and closest living relative pleaded guilty to felony theft for stealing her life savings.

No cause of death has been revealed.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

July 28, 2024

Home Aide Caught On Video Beating Elderly Woman With Saucepan

The aide is currently on the run from the New York City Police.

A home aide is currently on the run after she was caught on video allegedly beating an elderly woman with a saucepan.

Relatives of the woman, identified as Dorothy, placed cameras throughout her Harlem, New York, apartment. An aide was brought in to assist the woman, who uses a walker and a oxygen tank. However, on July 21, Dorothy’s granddaughters watched in horror as the healthcare worker assaulted their loved one with the kitchen object.

According to the ABC7, Medflyt at Home Health Care Agency employed the assistant. In the video, she can be heard yelling “you’re pissing me off” to the 95-year-old. After throwing two items in her direction, the employee proceeded to hit Dorothy with the saucepan.

The caretaker continued hurting the woman, bashing her with the pan until she fell on her walker. The assault left Dorothy with multiple bruises and potential blood clots, as well as limited mobility in her arms.

Her granddaughters, who helplessly witnessed the altercation, recalled experiencing the ordeal from afar.

“I felt helpless… it was the worst thing I could have imagined,” explained Michelle Mitchell, one of Dorothy’s granddaughters. “It was so unreal to me, that someone could punch somebody like they were beating them down.”

She added, “It was a nightmare…one of the worst days of my life.”

Racial disparities in elder abuse continue to persist. The Nursing Home Abuse Center confirmed that older Black people are twice as likely to face emotional and psychological abuse. The National Institute of Health also stated the demographic faces more cases of abuse than their white counterparts.

As for the fugitive aide’s employer, Medlyft confirmed its cooperation with police in finding her.

“We’re doing an internal investigation, alongside the New York City Police Department, and are cooperating with authorities,” explained the agency.

Thus far, the NYPD has made no arrests as the aide remains at large.