Kamala Harris, Tyra Banks, Ice Cream Pop-Up

by Shanique Yates

July 25, 2024

Kamala Harris Enjoys A Scoop At Tyra Banks’ Smize And Dream Ice Cream Pop-Up

The VP dropped in for ice cream with her nieces in Washington, D.C.

Vice President Kamala Harris recently showed support for Tyra Banks, stopping by the former supermodel’s Smize and Dream ice cream pop-up in Washington, D.C.

Joined by her nieces, Harris swung by the shop on July 19. Created by Banks, the pop-up’s name pays homage to her America’s Next Top Model catchphrase, “smize,” which refers to someone using their eyes to smile.

“My mom and I would sit in the car and she would talk about the sacrifices to get to her dream,” Banks told a local news outlet. “So, ice cream for me is love of my mama, bonding, togetherness, and dreams.”

Harris’ visit to Smize and Dream took place before it was announced that she could potentially become the presumptive Democratic nominee ahead of the 2024 Presidential Election. On July 21, President Joe Biden announced he was ending his re-election bid.

“Thank you for having us, Tyra,” wrote the Madame Vice President in a post shared on Instagram following their visit. “I look forward to seeing your continued investment in the ambition and aspirations of the DC community.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Vice President Kamala Harris (@vp)

“It reminded me of the special times when I would get ice cream with Mama Carolyn every Friday night,” wrote Banks in the comments section of the post. “She was a single mom working extra hard to make her dreams come true for our family, but those nights she reserved for time with me.”

No stranger to supporting her fellow Black women, as a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Harris has always leaned into her Divine Nine community and now is no different as all eyes are on her ahead of the November election. In an unprecedented move, less than 24 hours that Biden’s departure, roughly 90,000 Black women and allies logged on to pledge support to Harris’ presidential quest. In that time, Harris raised over $81 million.

The Democratic presidential nominee will be officially announced during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago from Aug. 19 to Aug. 22. If Harris is selected, she will become the first Black and South Asian woman to become a major party nominee.

Produce, Food, Grocery, Lettuce, Vegetables, Shopping

by Shanique Yates

July 25, 2024

FDA Recalls Produce Nationwide Due To Potential Listeria Contamination

The FDA has issued a warning for several produce products, packaged at an Ohio-based farm, due to potential listeria contamination.

Produce sold at grocery stores across the nation has been recalled due to possible listeria contamination.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has added several fresh produce products to the ever-growing list of goods pulled from grocery store shelves this summer. A total of 27 products, including cucumbers, cilantro, green beans, and peppers, have been recalled due to a potential contamination of listeria monocytogenes.

If contracted, the bacterium can cause severe infections and is known to have a greater effect on young children, elderly people, and people with weakened immune systems.

Additionally, the FDA warns that listeria infections have the potential to cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women. Healthy people are also at risk of symptoms caused by the bacterium, including abdominal pain, diarrhea, headaches, high fever, nausea, and stiffness.

Produced by Ohio-based farm Wiers Farm, the products were packaged between July 5 and July 12, distributed across 17 U.S. states, and sold in major grocery store chains like Aldi, Kroger, and Walmart. Currently, the FDA reports that no illness has been flagged that would be in connection with possible contamination.

The states where the goods are sold are concentrated in the Eastern half of the United Staes, and include Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. For a complete list of what to avoid, click here.

Wiers Farm said it is “taking all measures necessary to fully resolve this situation.” The U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that an estimated 1,600 in the country get listeriosis each year, and the bacterium accounts for roughly 260 fatalities annually.

Produce products now join other goods like coffee, ice cream, and hot dogs, which have been recalled by the FDA at some point this year for various potential health risks, including the aforementioned listeria monocytogenes and botulism.

Mike Tyson, JAKE PAUL, medical, incident, contain, scare, boxing

by Shanique Yates

July 25, 2024

Mike Tyson Advocates Psychedelics With Mikeadelics Mushroom Grow Kit

Mike Tyson takes his advocacy for psychedelics to the next level with new Mikeadelics mushroom grow kit.

Mike Tyson is taking his psychedelic advocacy to the bank with the launch of a new mushroom grow kit.

The legendary boxer previously opened up about how psychedelics changed his “whole life.” Now he wants to make it easier for fans to cultivate mushrooms from the comfort of their own home through his new Mikeadelics mushroom grow kit.

“Mikeadelics represents a personal journey for me. My interest in psychedelics has been well-documented, and I’m excited to offer a product that makes growing mushrooms accessible to everyone,” said Tyson, according to Benzinga. “This kit is a game-changer and makes the process simple and enjoyable.”

Launched within his TYSON 2.0 company, which is housed in Carma HoldCo Inc., a leading global house of brands that harnesses the power of cultural icons to help industries, the Mikeadelics mushroom grow kit is developed by Advanced Mycology and features a filter strip technology to enhance airflow and prevent bacteria and mold.

“We are thrilled to introduce Mikeadelics, a product that not only broadens our product offerings but also aligns perfectly with our mission to innovate and deliver unique, authentic experiences to our consumers,” said Carma HoldCo. CEO Adam Wilks in a press release. “This launch also signifies our entry into the psychedelic space in a legal, compliant way, representing a significant milestone for our company.”

The new kit comes on the heels of the legendary boxer’s first branded retail store, Tyson 2.0 Brandstore, which opened July 4 in Amsterdam.

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A post shared by TYSON 2.0 (@itstyson20)

Designed to simplify the process, the Mikeadelics mushroom grow kit “eliminates the need for tubs, tents, or a dedicated clean grow space.” In turn, growing mushrooms is now accessible to people who don’t have prior mycology experience. TYSON 2.0 Mikeadelics claims to solve the issue of maintaining sterility during the mushroom-growing process thanks to the aforementioned filter strip technology.

To use the Mikeadelics grow kit, customers will need to order mushroom genetics from Advanced Mycology and inject liquid mushroom cultures into the soil, which is provided in the kit. At this time, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) reports that the spores are legal to purchase and ship, as psychedelic mushrooms are not produced until they are injected into the soil.

by Shanique Yates

July 25, 2024

WEPA! Puerto Rico Bans Discrimination Against Natural Hairstyles with New Legislation

A new law in Puerto Rico bans discrimination against people wearing natural hairstyles.

Puerto Rico has officially accepted legislation that will ban hair discrimination against the island’s Black people who rock their natural hair, the Associated Press reports.

The U.S. territory’s governor, Pedro Pierluisi, signed the law into effect on Wednesday, July 24. It will protect those wearing Afros, curls, locs, twists, braids, and other hairstyles from discrimination as it relates to education, housing, public services, and work.

“Unfortunately, people identified as Black or Afro-descendant in Puerto Rico still face derogatory treatment, deprivation of opportunities, marginalization, exclusion, and all kinds of discrimination,” read the newly signed law.

Puerto Rico is currently home to 3.2 million people; over 1.6 million identify as being of two or more races. According to the U.S. Census, nearly 230,000 of the U.S. territory’s population consists of individuals who identify solely as Black.

“It’s a victory for generations to come, said nonprofit Taller Salud community facilitator Welmo Romero Joseph, who also noted how the law sends “a strong message that you can reach positions of power without having to change your identity.”

For Joseph, the move hits close to home. One time, a high school principal ordered him to cut his flat fop. “It was a source of pride,” said Joseph. “I was a 4.0 student. What did that have to do with my hair?”

America has a long history of Black people who have faced hair discrimination, and it has not changed in recent years. Whether it’s on the job or in school, natural hairstyles like locs, curls, and twists have either led to people being prohibited from advancing in corporate America or even school suspension.

Approximately 24 states in the U.S. have adapted their own versions of the CROWN Act, which stands for “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair,” which was formed in 2019 to take a stance against hair discrimination.

Richelieu Dennis, Essence, Refinery 29, Black-Owned Sundial Media Group

by Shanique Yates

July 25, 2024

Group Black Reportedly Fails to Deliver $500M Black-owned Media Advertising Promise

Group Black once promised $500 million in advertising to Black-owned media, now that the company has failed to deliver on its promise, many are questioning what its future holds.

After once promising $500 million in advertising to Black-owned media, some folks are scratching their heads at what went wrong at Group Black, a lengthy piece published in Business Insider reveals.

Formed in 2021 by Travis Montaque, Bonin Bough, and Richelieu Dennis, Group Black was created with a vision of equipping Black-owned media with $500 million in advertising dollars within its first 18 months. Three years later, those promises have fallen short, executives have departed the company, and the future looks less promising.

“I think most folks were optimistic, passionate, about the business,” said one executive who has since left the company. “We were going to change the face of media.”

Moreover, before Group Black’s tentpole event at Cannes Lions in June, where leaders traveled to throw an exclusive nightclub event to connect with marketers who would be cutting the check, Montaque announced he was going on leave. Many insiders say this was simply the latest sign that things at the company had gone awry.

“They presented an idea that they’d do many big deals,” said one publisher. “None of that happened.”

During its inception, Group Black was formed on the heels of promises by big advertisers like Walmart and Coca-Cola, which publicly pledged to pour more of their ad dollars into Black-owned media, which only accounted for less than 1% of overall ad spending at the time. When Group Black entered the market, it received a $75 million target media investment from the world’s biggest buying agency, GroupM.

Other top donors at the start of Group Black’s plan to secure more funding for Black-owned media included Proctor & Gamble (P&G), which, along with GroupM, told Business Insider that they were unable to comment on the amounts invested due to the information being proprietary. Spokespeople for the companies did, however, confirm that they remained partners with Group Black.

On the contrary, Urban Edge Network CEO Todd Brown said despite signing with Group Black, the company never saw the advertising dollars they were initially promised.

“All that came was a bunch of invites to a bunch of events,” said Brown, whose company owns and operates a TV channel centered around HBCU sports. “Going to Cannes is not a business model. I don’t know anyone in the Black space who’s making money with Group Black.”

Despite initially pledging to help bring dollars to Black-owned media companies, in an effort to scale, Group Black expanded its reach to other media companies like She Media, NBCUniversal, as well as Zeta Global. In April, the company announced its acquisition of the lifestyle network Galore Media, which primarily focuses on publishing via social media.

“We have more momentum today than at any other time in our short history, with initiatives announced recently with major networks, brands, and talent,” Bough wrote in a post shared on LinkedIn before the news around the company’s shortcomings was released.

Beyond just Group Black, there has been a shift overall in the Black-owned media spending that was promised in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder. In 2022, advertisers saw a significant drop in media spending overall as they prepared for looming economic uncertainty and began buying with their regular media partners once again.

Corporate America has also pulled back on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts or shut them down completely.

“It’s been difficult all around at the moment as Black lives have, frankly, stopped mattering within the agency world,” said Christopher Kenna, the chief executive of BA Diversity Media, a minority-owned media and tech company that isn’t within Group Black’s network. “I’m not surprised Group Black is having the same problems. We were milked dry and then, when the mood changed, told, ‘Sorry, the clients are not interested anymore.'”

Lauren Wesley Wilson, Lauren Wesley, Colorcomm, ColorComm conference

by Stacy Jackson

July 25, 2024

Annual ColorComm Conference Gathers More Than 400 Women Professionals

For the first time, ColorComm, Inc. is hosting its conference in Los Angeles, gathering nearly 400 women for the intimate retreat.

The ColorComm Conference (C2), a major retreat for multicultural women in communications, has gathered over 400 executive leaders at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, C2’s first time in the city. The event started July 24 and ends July 26.

This conference, now in its ninth year, offers an intimate platform for addressing diversity and inclusion in marketing, advertising, and media sectors. The retreat’s theme this year, “Reaching for More,” encourages attendees to pursue career advancement, a press release stated.

“Now more than ever, ColorComm’s Conference has become vital to making significant economic and community impact in our industry,” said C2 Founder and CEO, Lauren Wesley Wilson.

ColorComm, Inc.’s three-day business retreat started with afternoon sessions on July 24, followed by the ColorComm Circle Awards, hosted by Star Jones (formerly of The View). This year’s agenda at the conference includes diverse programming aimed at education, entertainment, and networking.

“With innovative programs presented by the industry’s top practitioners and thought leaders, this conference provides a safe place to address relevant issues from like-minded women,” the retreat’s website states. This approach, say organizers, sets the ColorComm conference apart from larger industry events. The platform further described its event as “the ultimate business conference and retreat for women of color in communications.”

Last night, we hosted the 9th annual Circle Awards honoring seven incredible women in communications across various industries.

Thank you @StarJonesEsq for presenting the awards and MC’ing the night. We always leave feeling inspired🥰 pic.twitter.com/qUGPoFkWNd
— ColorComm (@ColorCommntwk) July 25, 2024

The 2024 retreat culminates July 26 with a Signature Luncheon featuring award-winning filmmaker Tonya Lewis Lee as keynote speaker. Other notable speakers include OWN President Tina Perry, Washington Post Chief Communications Officer Kathy Baird, media personality Bevy Smith, and bestselling author Minda Harts.

ColorComm’s conference has garnered support from major sponsors such as AARP, JPMorgan Chase, Comcast, Victoria’s Secret, and NBC Universal.

Find more information about the ColorComm Conference online. Registered attendees have access to all sessions, workshops, receptions, meals, and signature events.

RELATED CONTENT: [RECAP] ColorComm Empowers Hundreds of Women

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 25, 2024

DoorDash Driver Warns Fellow Food Deliverers Of ‘Single Sauce Packet’ Order Scam

DoorDasher Lemon Reccord advises other food delivery people how to avoid getting scammed.

A suspicious and quick-thinking DoorDash driver took to his TikTok account to warn fellow food delivery drivers of a scam they may not be aware of.

According to Daily Dot, Lemon Reccord, who goes by the user name, @favoritelifecoach on the social media platform, advised fellow delivery drivers of a scheme that scammers use to try to obtain personal financial information from the intended targets. In the video clip, he warns drivers of orders being received through DoorDash where an order for a single sauce packet is purchased.

“Look y’all, another scam that’s going on right now,” he says in the posted video. “So I get a order for Taco Bell for a pack of sauce, one pack of sauce. No food. No drink. No nothing.”

He said he then received a phone call allegedly from someone through DoorDash, who told him he was a detective with the Houston Police Department and that the order placed was done fraudulently.

“He’s saying that the order was placed fraudulently on the card that wasn’t there. He was like, ‘Can you pull over? Let’s do a three-step verification process.’”

Reccord says that the “detective” asked for his credit card information, including the security code and expiration date linked to his DoorDash account so they could “credit” his account. But his suspicions that it was a scam were confirmed when he contacted DoorDash “and they flagged the whole account.”

So he ended the video clip by warning other delivery freelancers.

“So y’all be careful, be mindful, share this with people that DoorDash if you get a call about a detective—it’s fraud. It is fraud. Don’t deliver.”

@favoritelifecoach New Scam with Food Delivery Drivers. Be Careful #doordash #ubereats #scam #becareful ♬ original sound – Lamon Reccord

by Sharelle Burt

July 25, 2024

Black Voters Undecided About Biden Now Willing To Hear Out Kamala Harris

What else does she need to do to gain Black voter support?

Black voters who were on the fence about voting for President Joe Biden in November 2024 are now hopeful that Vice President Kamala Harris will win them over, NBC News reports.

A poll showed Harris was on the right track to beat Trump among Black voters compared to Biden, even before she was selected as a nominee. One voter from Boston admitted that he was reluctant to vote for Biden in 2020, but after his disastrous performance in the June 2024 debate against Trump, Jason Amos decided to leave the Biden train.

“It just became very clear to me that this is not a tenable solution for taking on Trump,” Amos told NBC News. “I felt like this was really the only clear way forward.”

Amos said he was glad to see Biden pass the torch, so to speak. Thomishia Booker shared similar hope for her Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority sister but still isn’t all the way sold. The 39-year-old children’s book author is still concerned on where Harris stands on specific issues.

“It definitely feels like a better choice, but that doesn’t mean it’s a perfect choice,” Booker said. “I wonder what her thoughts and views, and perspectives on Palestine and other issues are. She’s been the right hand to the president, so we need to hear where she is and make sure we’re holding her accountable.”

Biden’s handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict played a massive role in a decrease in Black voter support. Rising inflation was also listed as a reason for concern. Black voters threatened to shift their support toward other alternatives, like independent candidates.

According to the Associated Press, voters are concerned that Harris’ race will be her demise in the poll booth. “People really don’t like women, especially Black women,” Mary Jameson of Georgia said. “If a white woman can’t win, how can a Black woman win?”

A poll from AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research revealed that only 3 in 10 Americans feel skepticism about Harris being in the Oval Office. However, nearly 6 in 10 Democrats believe Harris would succeed as president.

Younger voters are excited about Harris’s appointment, highlighting her background as an HBCU student and her age.

“I wasn’t super excited about Biden, and this could be a fresh slate. Since she’s younger than Biden, I think she can relate more to younger generations, as well as older generations,” Macayla Jones, 24, told NBC News. “I’ve seen Kamala interact with influencers I follow on social media and being featured on podcasts. I’m not saying you need that to be president, but I think that she maybe has a better grasp of what my generation might want policywise.”

Black-centered groups like BlackPAC and Win For Black Women have quickly come together to support Harris and the Democratic Party. During a ZOOM call on July 21, more than 40,000 Black women, including leading political leaders, raised over $1 million for the Harris campaign.

BlackPAC’s executive director, Adrianne Shropshire, feels the lack of support stemmed from a lack of information and hope, but Harris’s candidacy feels inspirational.

“Folks are starting to tune in now more to the election overall. Folks are starting to learn more about the accomplishments of the Biden-Harris administration,” Shropshire said. “People feel like, ‘OK, we have something aspirational.’ There’s something we can hold on to. We know we’re going to vote against Donald Trump, and this is something we can really grab onto.”

Jalen Hurts, football, NFL, air conditioners

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 25, 2024

Jalen Hurts Donates $200K To Philadelphia Schools For Air Conditioning Units

“Philadelphia has given me so much, and I'm excited to give back to the community in a way that supports our future leaders."

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts recently donated $200,000 to schools in Philadelphia to equip them with air conditioning units, according to NBC Philadelphia.

The money will be used to add more than 300 air conditioning units in 10 schools across the School District of Philadelphia. The schools benefitting from the quarterback’s donations are Clara Barton, Gloria Casarez, Castor Gardens, D. Newlin Fell, Thomas Finletter, Fitler Academics Plus, Benjamin Franklin/Science Leadership Academy, Edward Gideon, Abram Jenks, and T. Roosevelt.

“I believe every child deserves a comfortable space to learn and grow,” Hurts said. “Philadelphia has given me so much, and I’m excited to give back to the community in a way that supports our future leaders. Ensuring our schools are equipped with essential resources like air conditioning is one step toward helping our students achieve their very best.”

The Philly Voice reported that has been a long-standing issue that the schools in the district needed units. A five-year strategic plan released last year confirmed that more than 100 schools require AC installations or upgrades.

“We are incredibly grateful to Jalen Hurts for his generosity and commitment to our schools, our students, and our employees,” said Tony B. Watlington, Sr. Ed.D., Superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia. “This contribution not only enhances the physical infrastructure of our schools but also demonstrates a meaningful investment in our student’s well-being and academic success. As temperatures continue rising in Philadelphia, we know air conditioning can significantly influence the learning experience.”

This good news for the Philadelphia students comes a year after Hurts inked a $255M five-year contract extension, of which $179.3 million will be guaranteed. That signing made him the highest-paid NFL player. The quarterback’s annual salary is $51 million. He is also the first player in Eagles history to have a no-trade clause contract.

Great for a player who was the No. 53 pick in the 2020 NFL draft.

by Derek Major

July 25, 2024

MLB Hank Aaron Invitational: A Showcase and Classroom for Nation’s Best High School Baseball Players

'The goal, honestly, is to get them to college, so they have the opportunity to play baseball in college or at least to build a career around baseball.'

The Hank Aaron Invitational will bring together around 250 high school baseball players (ages 13–18) nationwide to receive elite-level training from former Major League Baseball (MLB) players and coaches.

According to an MLB press release, the annual amateur development event serves as a youth-oriented, on-field diversity initiative that works to get high school-aged baseball players with diverse backgrounds to the next level of the game.

The Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach, Florida, will host the event, which runs from July 23 to August 3. The last day features a showcase game at Truist Park.

The invitational is named after Hank Aaron, who played 23 seasons for the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers. Aaron was the 1957 National League MVP and World Series champion and broke Babe Ruth’s career home run record of 714 in 1974. Aaron was also an entrepreneur, prominent civil rights figure, and an advocate of Black Americans taking the COVID-19 vaccine.

In addition to the training, attendees will also presentations on college eligibility and other information necessary for advancement in the collegiate and professional levels of the sport.

“The goal, honestly, is to get them to college, so they have the opportunity to play baseball in college or at least to build a career around baseball,” Atlanta Braves Senior Director of Community Affairs Danielle BeDasse said in a 2022 statement. “This (invitational) was (Aaron’s) dream realized, and he worked for a long time to make sure there was more minority access to the league—not only on the field but in the front office.”

https://twitter.com/MLBDevelops/status/1553097072915652608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

The top 44 players from the invitational’s second week were also invited to participate in a special showcase game at Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves, as part of an extensive “Hank Aaron Week” hosted by the Braves. Hank Aaron Week will include a variety of diversity and culture-focused initiatives, including business networking, education, and social justice.

Players for the invitational were selected through a combination of several MLB programs, including the MLB Youth Academy network, Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) program, and USA Baseball.

Originally Published 2022.