• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 20, 2023

Bent on Breaking Spirits: Spirit Airlines Apologizes After Surveillance Video Catches Worker Throwing Away Passenger’s Belongings

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Gate agents at New Orleans’ Armstrong International Airport have been suspended pending an investigation after cameras caught them tossing a man’s personal items into the trash, WWLTV reported. The airline also agreed to compensate the man for the belongings inside the bag.

Keyonne Brooks was headed back to Los Angeles from his uncle’s funeral in New Orleans on February 19 when he got into a disagreement with the gate agent over checking his large suitcase.

“She said that I’d have to reschedule my flight instead of doing a gate check, and I knew that was not true because of my travels with my nonprofit,” he recalled.

After speaking with a manager, Brooks agreed to pay an extra fee to bring the suitcase with him on the plane. But he ended up forgetting his small carry-on bag at the gate.

He was told to file a lost and found report, but when the suitcase never arrived, he asked the airport for the surveillance footage. That’s when Brooks was shocked to see the worker keep some of his belongings while throwing his life-saving medication into the trash.

The staffers were also seen taking cell phone pictures and laughing before throwing away his keys.

“There were my house keys, my car keys,” he said. “When I got back to L.A., I was not able to get into my home right away. I was not even able to start my car. Everything was halted until I paid locksmiths.”

Brooks is finding it difficult to watch the footage showing the workers tossing out his personal belongings.

“I still have not been able to watch the entire video because it’s just too gut-wrenching for me,” Brooks said.

“And knowing the medication that I had in there is very expensive, very hard to get, and I needed it. It’s taken a lot out of me. I’m just appalled at their behavior.”

Brooks has since hired an attorney after being told the airline and airport would only compensate him for half of what was lost. Despite the stressful ordeal, Brooks still plans on returning to New Orleans.

“Oh, I certainly want to come back to New Orleans, because my father lives there, and my siblings, but I certainly will never take Spirit Airlines again,” he said.

Tamar Braxton’s fiancé Jeremy “JR” Robinson is coming to her defense after one of his four baby mamas called out the R&B singer on social media.

Robinson and Tamar found love on Peacock’s “Queens Court” and have been going strong ahead of their engagement and the show’s premiere. But with Robinson being a father of five children by four different women, things were bound to get messy sooner or later.

Braxton recently found herself on the receiving end of a scathing Instagram rant by Robinson’s ex Anaston Jeni, with whom he shares a two-year-old son. Jeni issued the rant after the Grammy-nominated singer made mention of having a great relationship with her fiancé’s five kids and their mothers, Page Six reported.

“I have sat in silence for over a year, respecting everyone’s privacy while they disrespected mine,” Jeni wrote Friday.

“I’ve sat in silence while this person has come into my son’s life and caused nothing but chaos and unnecessary drama.”

Jeni said the Braxton Family Values star is “in no way a bonus or stepmom” to her and Robinson’s son and accused the singer of saying “demeaning, disrespectful, & outrageous things” about her co-parenting relationship with Robinson and has caused him “to miss visitation weekends and birthdays.”

Hours after Jeni’s rant, Robinson defended Braxton and tried to the peace between his fiancé and exes.

“@TamarBraxton has always been an amazing mother and spoiled my children with love!” Robinson wrote on his Instagram Stories.

“The mother’s [sic] of my children have been put in the public eye because of me and that’s unfair to them.”

“They have been nothing short of amazing to my children. Sometimes a difference of opinion with no conversation to clear up miscommunication creates a bad cycle,” he continued. “I want everyone to be peaceful and will do my best to foster that.”

Djimon Hounsou is known for his standout roles in renowned films such as Blood Diamond, Amistad, and Gladiator, but the Academy Award-nominated actor still feels “cheated” out of finding financial success in Hollywood.

Honsou, 58, sounded off amid the release of his latest role as the Wizard in DC’s superhero flick, Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Despite more than three decades of groundbreaking roles that has garnered two Oscar nominations and a Golden Globe award, the Benin-born actor feels overworked and underpaid.

“I’m still struggling to try to make a dollar!” Hounsou told Guardian.

“I’ve come up in the business with some people who are absolutely well off and have very little of my accolades. So I feel cheated, tremendously cheated, in terms of finances and in terms of the workload as well.”

The Thor star went on to reveal some of the stigmas and assumptions made about him by Hollywood execuses.

“I’ve gone to studios for meetings and they’re like: ‘Wow, we felt like you just got off the boat and then went back [after ‘Amistad’]. We didn’t know you were here as a true actor,’” Hounsou continued.

“When you hear things like that, you can see that some people’s vision of you, or what you represent, is very limiting. But it is what it is. It’s up to me to redeem that.”

Despite 33 years of acclaimed portrayals and onscreen success, Honsou still feels it’s not enough.

“I still have to prove why I need to get paid,” he shared.

“They always come at me with a complete low ball: ‘We only have this much for the role, but we love you so much and we really think you can bring so much’…Film after film, it’s a struggle. I have yet to meet the film that paid me fairly.”

And it’s not just white studio execs and directors who doubted him, Honsou recalled the days when he faced criticism from his own community.

“I felt seriously cheated,” Hounsou said.

“Today, we talk so much about the Oscars being so white, but I remember there was a time when I had no support at all: no support from my own people, no support from the media, from the industry itself. It felt like: ‘You should be happy that you’ve got nominated,’ and that’s that.”

Honsou also credited DC for making his character a little more “respectful” in the Shazam sequel after a minor role in the 2019 installment.

“From time to time, [Hollywood] themselves make the point of saying: ‘We should give him more, he’s a little under-appreciated.’ I think they recognize that themselves,” Hounsou said. “Hey, it’s the struggle I have to overcome!”

• Career

by Stacy Jackson

March 20, 2023

Women of Power Professionals Unlock Impact on a Larger Scale with Keys to the Boardroom

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OK, ladies, now let’s get in position!

It was an exciting morning to see so many women turn out for the “Keys to the Boardroom session,” hosted by Gilead, during BLACK ENTERPRISE’s 2023 Women of Power Summit.

Ready with note-taking tools in hand to dive into the necessary tips for getting involved in board service and how to best position themselves for directorships, the roomful of women was enthused about moving forward in the corporate world.

Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs and General Counsel at Gilead and Independent Director at Atricure, Inc., Deborah H. Telman, broke down the different types of boards in terms of public company boards, private equity boards, and mutual funds.

“Many people know and understand the idea of public company boards,” which Telman noted was the type she is a part of. “That’s just one type of board you can think about,” she said while continuing to expound on private equity boards.

“There’s a whole different process in terms of how you connect with private equity” she added, noting its importance on building relationships.

“They have a different focus, but generally, they will have a large stake in a private company and they will appoint board members who certainly represent that private equity firm.”

“There’s also mutual funds,” which Telman concluded is another type of board that needs directors.

Panelist Arlene Isaacs-Lowe, independent board director for Equitable Holdings, Inc, Xenia Hotels and Resorts, Inc., and Compass Group PLC chimed in saying, “I think as things have evolved, especially around the demand for more diverse board members, they’re now looking at functional expertise.”

She emphasized that a board role is nothing like having a job.

“You have to vet it like a marriage,” she added, giving her perspective of a public company. Isaacs-Lowe explained that being board ready means that an individual has taken time to deeply examine a particular area.

Telman brought up the limitation that many companies will only allow individuals to join a certain amount of public boards.

“So, you also need to make sure you talk to your manager, senior executives, to make sure that they’re comfortable with you joining a board,” Telman shared. “Many companies encourage it because it is an area where you can learn expertise [and] leadership. It helps you be a better leader at your company, but it’s something you will have to have a conversation with in terms of your manager.”

Telman believes being a part of these boardrooms takes a combination of IQ and EQ. “That obviously comes from life experiences,” she said.

“As you look at your skill-set, you should think about, where is my skill-set? Where is that going to play well? Because that means you’re going to show up much better in those interviews when you have something that you can offer,” Telman added.

It’s important for those seeking to join a board to reflect on the types of experiences they’ve had. For example, having experience in different locales could work in the favor of someone thinking about a multinational board.

“Cultural competency is always an important aspect of being able to be successful in markets outside of the U.S.,” Issacs-Lowe said. “You have to be mindful of…can I be in the trenches with these people?” she continued. “…The ability to sort of express that during an interview is very important, and it takes finesse.”

Pamela Puryear, independent board director for SpartanNash, NextGen Healthcare, and Standard Motor Products, made one thing very clear to the women in the room.

“When you start moving into the board worlds, it’s a whole new set of learnings,” she said. “One negative vote can take you off a slate in a board. They don’t spend a lot of time debating.”

She was very straightforward in delivering the message that one has to be willing to give up their C-suite role comfort level and be able to move into a boardroom where someone else is in charge of executing the plan.

“For the most part, when people say your name, something very positive is expressed, it is very very important in the board world that that is the case.”

• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

March 20, 2023

Florida Town Established By Former Slaves Now Fights For ‘Sacred Land’ In Eatonville, Florida

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Although Florida leaders are trying to erase Black history, residents of a small town are coming for what’s theirs.

Descendants of Eatonville, Florida, are fighting over what they call “sacred land.” CBS News reports the town was founded in 1887 by Joe Clark. Enslaved African Americans found themselves in Florida shortly after the Civil War looking for work. They were met by white landowners who refused to sell until Clark changed the minds of two from the North to make plots available for sale.

Those plots became Eatonville, one of the first Black incorporated towns.

History repeats itself. Landscape architect Everett Fly says there was lots of resistance to selling the land from neighboring communities. “There was a lot of resistance from the surrounding communities,” Fly said. “Because if they could incorporate, that meant that they could vote. They could have their own law enforcement. They could manage their own business.” The town wants to add prime real estate to the area to help it escape financial ruin. The land in question holds 100 acres near downtown Orlando and Disney, valued at over $20 million as of 2019.

Growth depends on who wins the fight over this land, which the town doesn’t own. The land was donated to a trust operated by the Robert Hungerford Normal and Industrial School, a private boarding school built to provide vocational education to Black students in the segregated South. The land, 300 acres, was later sold to the Orange County School System for about $16,000 with the land use restriction in place. Over the years, the school system sold parcels of the land for nearly $8 million while decreasing the acres required for educating Black children to zero.

The struggling town’s average income is around $27,000, and it is a food desert with no supermarket or gas station. According to WINK News, Family Dollar is the only store in town. The largest revenue generator is The Zora! Festival, in honor of writer Zora Neale Hurston, who was born in Eatonville. Created by N.Y. Nathiri, a third-generation resident, the festival brought in nearly 50,000 people pre-COVID. Nathiri says the land is “sacred.” “As a small community of 2,500, it’s sitting on the largest undeveloped parcel of land in Orange County,” Nathiri said. “It’s sitting in a very sweet position geographically.”

The remaining 100 acres are scheduled for sale on March 31 to a developer for $14 million. The only recourse for the defendants on what gets built is through its zoning and planning… and possibly a lawsuit.

Uyi and Faith Abraham, a husband-and-wife team, are the founders of Vonza.com, a fast-growing software platform for creators and entrepreneurs to create and sell online courses.

Uyi Abraham arrived in America with just $100 and a suitcase of clothes and against all odds was able to build what is now the fastest-growing Black-owned creators’ platform. This comprehensive all-in-one business solution for creatives offers website building, course creation, email marketing, and more, and is valued at $30 million.

“Our unwavering mission has been to foster a thriving community where creatives can convert their passions into profitable ventures,” said Faith.

Vonza.com is more than just a platform for creatives; it is a comprehensive suite of tools and resources designed to help individuals turn their passions into thriving businesses. From website building and course creation to email marketing and more, the platform has everything creatives need to succeed.

As a husband and wife team, Uyi and Faith bring a unique perspective and complementary skills to their work at Vonza.com. Their shared commitment to empowering creatives and providing a supportive community has driven the platform’s rapid growth and success. Vonza.com was born out of its frustration of wasting time and money trying several software tools together to run its online business instead of serving its customers. They emptied their life savings, putting everything on the line to build Vonza with an unyielding passion to make online business simple and easy.

The Abrahams’ story is one of determination and hard work and serves as a testament to the power of entrepreneurship and the American Dream. Their platform is changing the game for creatives, providing individuals with the tools and resources to turn their passions into successful businesses.

For more information on the inspiring story of Uyi and Faith Abraham and the dynamic duo behind Vonza, visit vonza.com/about-us and watch their story on YouTube. Their journey from $100 to $30 million serves as a testament to the power of entrepreneurship and the limitless possibilities available to those who dare to dream big.

This story first appeared on Blacknews.com.

Storm Reid is not here for the homophobic “haters” criticizing her characters’ lesbian kiss with the female lead on HBO’s The Last of Us.

Reid is fresh off the heels of appearing in HBO’s newest breakout series, The Last of Us, based on the video game of the same name. Appearing in episode 8, Reid plays Riley Abel, a close friend of the show’s lead, Ellie, who ends up sharing a first kiss that highlights the mutual feelings the teens shared.

The intimate moment was the second LGBTQ+ storyline featured in the show after episode 3 told the story of Bill and Frank, a gay couple who found love while traversing the apocalyptic world together. After the episodes aired, critics flocked to social media and online forums to sound off about the inclusive plot lines.

But Reid has been standing 10 toes down against the “haters, reminding people that her job as an actress is to tell “purposeful” stories that resonate with audiences of all backgrounds.

“We ignore the haters,” Reid told TMZ. “We’re storytelling. We’re telling stories that are purposeful. That are happening, that really matter.”

The Wrinkle In Time star was doubling down on her initial comments to the backlash over Ellie and Riley’s relationship ahead of episode 8’s premier earlier this month.

“It’s 2023. If you’re concerned about who I love, then I need you to get your priorities straight,” Reid told Entertainment Weekly.

“There are so many other things to worry about in life. Why are you concerned that these young people — or anybody — love each other? Love is beautiful, and the fact that people have things to say about it, it’s just nonsense.”

Reid knew the backlash was on the horizon but remained unbothered ahead of its air date.

“I’m sure people are gonna have things to say on Sunday,” she added. “but I don’t care because I’m proud of what we did and I’m proud of the story that we told and I’m proud of the people that we’re representing.”

Black women across the world are the inspiration for the beauty industry!

In celebration of Women’s History Month, Tina Knowles Lawson joined SheaMoisture to narrate its new video series celebrating Black women creators who have set their own blueprint and influenced the beauty standard.

According to Women’s Wear Daily, the haircare brand celebrates 11 creators during its series premiering on the SheaMoisture Instagram page last week. Knowles Lawson stars in the series, narrating clips showcasing the featured women.

“When it comes to beauty, it’s always been us,” the mother of singers Beyoncé and Solange Knowles narrates, fluffing out bouncy, highlighted curls as she sits in an elegant, black robe and stares at herself through a vanity mirror under warm lighting.

“From pioneering self-made millionaires to the visionaries of today, ingenuity is in our DNA,” she adds as the camera cuts to clips of the Black women creators, which includes Topicals CEO Olamide Olowe and Black Women are Worthy Founder Deun Ivory. Knowles Lawson shows off in a black pantsuit with lace detailing before the camera cuts to the remaining Black creators.

Award-winning stylist and costume designer Zerina Akers, Hanifa Founder Anifa Mvuemba, Beauty Editor Darian Symone Harvin, and the other Back visionaries are also seen dolled out in elegant looks styled by duo Devin and Athena.

“Generation to generation, Black women have pushed the boundaries to what beauty is and what beauty can be,” Knowles Lawson continued.

During the video, the brand also teased the launch of its new Blueprint grant program.

 

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A post shared by SheaMoisture (@sheamoisture)

“We remain committed to celebrating the beauty and undeniable impact of Black women on all things beauty and culture and are thrilled to spotlight some of the many trailblazers who continue to blaze trails in their respective industries. The launch of the new SheaMoisture’s Blueprint campaign serves as a reminder that Black beauty is the driving force behind culture not only today but has been and will always be,” said Taydra Mitchell Jackson, the chief marketing officer of SheaMoisture, in a statement.

• Business

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

March 20, 2023

The Sky’s the Limit: SNIPES Takes Women’s Empowerment to New Heights with ‘Breaking Ceilings’ Series

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In honor of Women’s History Month, SNIPES is launching Breaking Ceilings, a campaign that celebrates women’s accomplishments and inspires others to push beyond limitations. The initiative will lead with social and community-based programming, featuring four videos highlighting women who excel in various male-dominated industries.

The Breaking Ceilings series will feature four women who have broken through barriers in their respective fields: Dr. Marsha Francis (STEM), Didi Richards (NY Liberty), DJ Saige (DJ), and Scottie Beam (Entertainment). Each video will be one minute long and will focus on their experiences, triumphs, and achievements. Through this series, SNIPES aims to inspire other women to break the ceilings in their own lives.

Commenting on the initiative, Paula Barbosa, VP of marketing for SNIPES, said, “Women’s History Month is an important time to recognize and celebrate the contributions of women throughout history. At SNIPES, we want to take this opportunity to highlight the amazing achievements of women in our communities who are breaking barriers and inspiring others to do the same.”

In addition to the Breaking Ceilings video series, SNIPES will collaborate with community partners throughout the markets they serve to empower and support young women through digital and STEM programming. The program will be taught by women for women and will kick off in the Midwest with college-bound girls from the Pure Heart Foundation.

The first event will take place at the Crack the Code lab in Detroit, Michigan, and will be led by CODE313, an organization that works to bridge the STEM gap in the Detroit community. The program will conclude with a panel featuring influential women, including Sydney Davis (founder of the NIXCODE app), Brittany Rhodes (Founder and General MATHager of Black Girl MATHgic), Courtney Fields-Senior Clinical Technologist (Microbiology at University of Michigan Health System), and Gabrielle Blackman- Scrum Master and NOC Admin at United Wholesale Mortgage.

In New Jersey and New York, SNIPES will partner with E-CODE, an organization that provides digitalized learning through computer science, robotics, and virtual reality experiences to underserved communities. Starting in New Jersey, SNIPES will partner with the Boys and Girls Club of Jersey City and Our Hudson Gardens Crack the Code computer lab. The students will create their own avatars and learn how to navigate the META verse through the female catalyst.

The Breaking Ceilings campaign will end in Atlanta with a STEM-focused activation at The Ivy Prep Girls Academy and the opening of our “Crack The Code” computer lab. The young women will participate in a panel discussion on STEM by industry professions, a hands-on activation led by STE(A)M Truck, and a science-inspired mixer. The Crack the code lab will continue Snipes’ focus on building computer labs in the areas they serve by providing digital equity and building the next generation of STEM leaders.

Breaking Ceilings is a powerful initiative that celebrates women’s accomplishments and inspires others to push beyond limitations. SNIPES is proud to launch this campaign and looks forward to collaborating with community partners to empower and support young women.

About SNIPES

As the leading sneaker and streetwear retailer in the US and Europe, SNIPES offers products from top brands like Nike, Jordan, Adidas, and New Balance through its 300 US-based stores and digital properties. SNIPES works with local community partners as well as international brands and personalities such as its Chief Creative Officer DJ Khaled to support, empower, and celebrate local street culture.

Over 100 years ago, women gained the right to vote through the 19th Amendment. But it has been a long road for women—specifically, Black women—to be granted a seat at America’s cultural and political table.

Shirley Chisholm famously said, “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” 

A vanguard for women’s political leadership, Chisholm was the first Black woman elected to Congress in 1968 and the first woman and African American to seek the nomination for president of the United States from one of the two major political parties in 1972. The Brooklyn, New York, native was well-respected during her seven terms in the U.S. House of Representatives for her diplomatic efforts for inclusion throughout the political process.

As a new generation of Black political leaders is ushered in, the energy of BLACK ENTERPRISE’s Women of Power Summit still rings loud and clear.

“There’s nothing more powerful than a woman,” said the beloved Loretta Devine, our latest LEGACY AWARD honoree.

Here is a wave of Black women elected to office who are rising in their power to reshape America.

Summer Lee: Historymaker leading the working-class movement

Progressive Democrat Summer Lee is the first Black woman elected to Congress in Pennsylvania after defeating Republican Mike Doyle in last November’s midterm elections. Throughout her time in office, Lee has been a voice for working families, and a champion for sustainable jobs, environmental justice, police accountability, reproductive rights, immigration rights, and gender and racial equity. She tirelessly advocates for workers’ rights, unions, the right to organize, and the fight for a liveable wage. Lee has also brought millions back to her community for infrastructure upgrades and community revitalization.

“This was a movement that was about what it looks like when we prioritize the most marginalized and really fight for what a real working-class movement can look like in this country,” Lee said at her election night party in downtown Pittsburgh, according to The Hill.

Ketanji Brown Jackson: Trailblazing Supreme Court Justice

Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman nominated to the Supreme Court, took the oath of office to become the 104th Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States on June 30, 2022. The history-making move has inspired pride among Americans she has encountered. In her appointment, she focuses on how historically marginalized communities benefit from seeing her elevation to the high court.

“People from all walks of life approach me with what I can only describe as a profound sense of pride. And what feels to me like renewed ownership. I can see it in their eyes,” Jackson said. “They stare at me as if to say, ‘Look at what we’ve done … this is what we can accomplish if we put our minds to it.’”

She recently returned to her hometown in Miami for a street renaming in her honor.

Jennifer McClellan: A strong legislative champion for Virginians

In the last election cycle, Jennifer McClellan declared victory as the first Black woman in Congress to represent the 4th Congressional District in Virginia. According to data from the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University, the 50-year-old’s election set a new record for the number of Black women in Congress.

McClellan, who has served greater Richmond in the General Assembly, brings a new perspective to Congress as a Black woman. She has earned a reputation as a strong legislative champion for Virginians, passing landmark laws to protect voting rights, safeguard abortion access, tackle climate change, rebuild crumbling schools, expand Obamacare in Virginia, protect workers’ rights, and reform Virginia’s criminal justice system.

“When we come together and we care more about doing the work and solving the problems than the soundbites and the show, we can help people,” McClellan said, according to CNN.

Joanna McClinton: Champion of educational opportunities for children

As a state lawmaker, Philadelphia state Rep. Joanna McClinton has made history three times. In 2018, she became the first woman and African American to be elected as House Democratic Caucus Chair, and again in 2020, when she was the first woman elected House Democratic Leader in the institution’s 244-year history. Her credentials include working as a Democratic floor leader since 2020, being the first woman appointed for the position.

In 2023, McClinton became the first woman to serve as speaker of the Pennsylvania House. Expanding educational opportunities for children is No. 1 on her agenda, including ensuring that public schools are fully supported and funded, regardless of zip code.

With her combined passion for public service and law, McClinton was an assistant public defender for seven years. She became active in her community while completing an internship with radio station WDAS as a lifelong resident of southwest Philadelphia and graduate of Grace Temple Christian Academy.

Kamala Harris: First Black woman U.S. VP focused on the people of our nation

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, who became the first Black woman to serve as attorney general in California and the second Black woman to be elected as a U.S. Senator, is still reigning as the first woman, first Black, and first Asian American vice president of the United States.

A lifetime public servant, Harris has tried to reduce migration by targeting economic development, led a national movement for marriage equality, passed a bipartisan anti-lynching bill, championed students and veterans, and more.