Body Found Believed to be Missing Florida Student Miya Marcano
by Ashantai Hathaway

October 4, 2021

Body Found Believed to be Missing Florida Student Miya Marcano

Authorities say they have discovered a body believed to be missing Florida college student Miya Marcano.

The body was found in a wooded area near an apartment complex in Orange County. Authorities have notified Marcano’s parents of the discovery.

“Obviously, this is not the update I wanted to give to everyone today,” Orange County Sheriff John Mina said at a news conference. “Our hearts are broken. Everyone wanted this outcome to be different.”

Marcano was last seen Sept. 24. She disappeared from her home in the Arden Villas apartment complex in Orlando, which is about a mile from the University of Central Florida.

The 19-year-old was a sophomore at Valencia College and worked in the leasing office at the complex. Marcano was scheduled to fly home to Fort Lauderdale on the September 25 but never arrived for her flight.

Orange County Sheriff’s deputies searched near a different Orlando apartment complex, Tymber Skan on the Lake, where they discovered the remains at about 10:45 a.m. Saturday in a wooded area. A purse with Marcano’s identification was also located near the body, according to the sheriff.

Deputies searched the area after cell phone records showed that Armando Manuel Caballero, whom authorities called a “prime suspect,” was in or near the apartments the same evening Marcano was reported missing. According to police, Caballero went there for about 20 minutes.

Caballero, 27, was a maintenance worker at the Arden Villas apartment complex. According to authorities, Marcano repeatedly turned down his romantic advances. Investigators said Caballero had access to a master key and used it to let himself inside Marcano’s unit.

He was found dead this week from an apparent suicide, according to authorities.

“We believe pretty conclusively that Armando Caballero is responsible for this crime and there is not any other person or persons that we are looking for in this case,” the sheriff said.

According to WESH 2, Marcano’s family has hired prominent attorney Daryl K. Washington, who said the family wants justice for the college student’s death.

“Death is something that is very difficult, but what makes death even more difficult is when it’s death that could’ve been prevented,” Washington said during a Sunday press conference. “It’s very awful that we have a complex that did not take the proper precautions to assure that this young lady is safe.”

Racist Emails Target Black Student Groups at University of Massachusetts
by Ashantai Hathaway

October 4, 2021

Racist Emails Target Black Student Groups at University of Massachusetts

Anonymous racist emails are being sent to Black campus groups at the University of Massachusetts. Now the school has hired a cybersecurity firm to investigate who is behind it.

The racist emails started back in August. Black student organizations began receiving messages telling them that they did not belong on campus and that they were not intelligent. The messages, which were signed by a group referred to as the “UMass Coalition for a Better Society,” also suggested that Black students should be sterilized for the betterment of society.

According to school, the university’s police and technology staff attempted to track down the source of the emails but were unsuccessful. The university says it is part of a rise of racist incidents on campus this year.

“The online space makes it quite difficult for folks without very sophisticated systems to track down offenders,” said Dr. Nefertiti Walker, UMass chief diversity officer.

“We also have to consider that the people who might be doing this are not trying to be found, so that also makes it difficult.”

Excerpts from a Sept. 17 email include:

“You are clearly stupid and while not all students know the average IQ of a black person is 75 is abundantly clear that you possess a lacking intelligence along with elementary grasps of subjects that most of us learned in high school.”

Another racist email read:

“Every cry, every whine, every demand stems from a place of rejection, you must beg the rest of society to accept you and allow you in because otherwise we would never interact with you…You people should seriously consider doing the human race a favor and getting sterilized.”

A letter from UMass Chancellor Kumble R. Subbaswamy was sent out to the campus community on Sept. 27 calling the emails “contemptible and cowardly.”

It read in part:

“We will not be intimidated by the hateful acts of craven individuals who hide in anonymity. We stand with our students who have been victimized, and we will continually strive for a more equitable community grounded in the principles of dignity and respect.”

 

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The chancellor’s message was met with criticism.

“What is the actual solution? Black students are NOT safe on your campus. How are you going to rectify this? Speaking out against what was said in the email is bare minimum. How are you planning to ensure the safety and equal treatment of your Black students?” commented a person on UMass’ Instagram post about the matter.

Some pointed out that there was not mention of disciplinary action. “Funny how you don’t mention anything about repercussions though.”

Another person commented,” That UMASS email is all of the many reason why I pray I get accepted into a HBCU masters program.”

According to the Department of Education, Black students only make up 5 percent of the student body.

A forum, titled “Black Joy, Black Healing and Black Justice,” will be held by UMass’ Center of Racial Justice and Youth Engaged Research on Oct. 5 to “bring together Black students from across the UMass Amherst campus for an evening of community, love and kinship.”

Teenage Girl Shot in Head at Brooklyn Park Recovering from Brain Surgery
by Ashantai Hathaway

October 4, 2021

Teenage Girl Shot in Head at Brooklyn Park Recovering from Brain Surgery

A 16-year-old girl is recovering after being hit in the head by a stray bullet while sitting in the park after school.

On Friday afternoon, Kyla Sobers was at Nicholas Naquan Heyward Jr. Park in Brooklyn when gunshots erupted. Kyla was hit in the head by a stray bullet and was taken to New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital where she had to undergo surgery to remove bullet pieces from her head, the NY Post reports.

Her family said she is lucky to be alive and is recovering.

“It’s heartbreaking that “kids can’t be kids anymore” in New York City, her Uncle, Dwayne Sobers said, according to the outlet. “I feel relieved she is going to be OK. I wouldn’t wish this on anybody, especially not a child. God was protecting her.”

He continued: “At the end of the day, she is lucky. She is not recovering because she is strong or superwoman. No, she got lucky.”

He said Kyla did not appear to have any complications and she was already moving her hands and legs.

Kyla, is a junior at the Cobble Hill School of American Studies and has plans to become a lawyer.

According to family, Kyla liked to hang out with her friends at the park after school before returning home to Flatbush and was on a swing when the bullet struck her, her uncle said.

“It’s a park. It’s children playing. Even if you live that kind of life, have some morals. There are children playing,” the uncle  said.

Police are now investigating whether the shooting was gang related and are looking for video from the scene.

One Brooklyn police officer told the New York Post concerning the incident, “Can’t get much worse than a girl playing in a schoolyard in broad daylight getting shot.”

Police released photos of the alleged suspects on Twitter and are now asking for the public’s help.

 

Married Couple, Founders of Black Home Shopping Channel to Produce New Channel on Amazon, Roku and Apple TV
by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

October 4, 2021

Married Couple, Founders of Black Home Shopping Channel to Produce New Channel on Amazon, Roku and Apple TV

Chris and Roberta Holmes, the founders of The Black Home Shopping Channel streaming on Exposure Network TV, have announced that they are producing a new channel on the network. The Streaming Home Marketplace expands the power of 24/7 stream shopping at affordable rates.

The kickoff for the channel is an international vendor event that provides a platform for entrepreneurs to create infomercials to showcase their products or services worldwide. Content is accessible on Roku, Amazon Fire Stick, Android TV, Apple TV along with iOS & Android mobile devices the network’s app is currently reaching over 160 million homes in 128 countries.

During the pandemic, Exposure Network TV managed to gain over 800,000 app downloads. The meteoric growth of Exposure Network TV caught the attention of media executives and over the summer Exposure TV Network President, Tam Lawrence was awarded a $2.5 million dollar content merger with HBO.

Lawrence is also the publisher of Exposure Magazine, co-publisher of Keynote Magazine in partnership with international speaker and trainer Shawn Fair. Lawrence stated, “Consumers are more likely to purchase a product they have an interest in and most importantly they understand the benefits of the product or service. Exposure TV’s Streaming Home Marketplace is transforming live streaming into a growth engine for e-commerce for small business owners with a focus on underserved communities.”

Holmes states that nearly one-third of Americans have tuned in to shop via streaming and a Coresight Research study states almost half of them made a purchase. “Analysts say events that offer entertainment and allow shoppers to buy products from the same screen as the streaming generally do best, and that is what we offer on Exposure TV Network. We have figured out a winning formula!”

In 2022, content on Exposure Network TV can be viewed in flight on United, American and Delta Airlines. Learn more about The Black Home Shopping Network, Streaming Home Marketplace, and Exposure Network TV at ExposureTVNetwork.com

Follow The Black Home Shopping Channel on social media:
Facebook – The Black Home Shopping Channel
Instagram – @TheBlackHSN

This story first appeared on Blacknews.com.

Master The Beauty Of Sign Language With This ASL Bundle
by Black Enterprise Shop

October 4, 2021

Master The Beauty Of Sign Language With This ASL Bundle

According to the Survey of Income and Program Participation, nearly 1 million people in the United States are functionally deaf, while 10 million are hard of hearing. If there’s a member of your family or friends who count among these numbers, you undoubtedly understand the barriers that those with hearing impairments face.

Sign language has helped millions of people remain connected, whether in the workplace or more informal settings, but learning how to communicate in the medium is hardly an easy task.

The Complete 2022 American Sign Language Lifetime Membership Bundle is the perfect tool for anyone interesting in learning the language. For a limited time, it’s available for just $29.99. Valued at $242, that’s more than $200 in savings. This mega-bundle includes more than 100 hours of information and training.

This sign language bundle is CPD (continuing professional development) accredited, which makes it widely recognized as a symbol of quality-assured training. Completion of each course in the bundle allows you to receive a number of certified CPD hours.

The bundle includes five courses along with a bonus offer that teaches everything from the basics of sign language to sign language for babies and toddlers to a scuba diving hand signals course. An eBook edition of the American Sign Language Book is included as a bonus item.

Users start with American Sign Language Level 1 and work their way up to American Sign Language Level 3. Upon completion of the first three levels, the babies and toddlers, and the scuba diving hand signal courses await you. Videos, quizzes, and interactive formats guide you along the way, allowing you to retain what you’ve learned. The American Sign Language eBook is the perfect refresher once you’ve passed each course and obtained your certificates.

Your purchase entitles you to lifetime access to the bundle, which can be retrieved by web or mobile devices. The courses have been given a fresh coat of paint as they’ve been re-recorded, and practice videos are included to give users an alternative to the interactive format. The quizzes are frequently updated.

Whether you want to learn sign language to better communicate with friends or loved ones, or if you’ve ever had an interest in learning sign language, this bundle easily meets those needs. Purchase it at its limited-time price of $29.99 today.

Prices subject to change.

Housecall Pro Can Help Any Home Service Business Keep Their Entire Operation On Track
by Black Enterprise Shop

October 4, 2021

Housecall Pro Can Help Any Home Service Business Keep Their Entire Operation On Track

Ask any business owner and they’ll tell you. It’s easy for an operation to get away from you.

For a lone electrician, plumber, or home contractor, it’s fairly simple to keep tabs on themselves and their own work. But with home renovation projects exploding in the wake of COVID, many have expanded operations to help serve those needs, hiring new workers, scheduling more jobs, and watching their businesses grow like never before.

In most cases, success is a blessing. But that success can also become like that boulder in Raiders of the Lost Ark, rumbling toward you at accelerating speed — and threatening to flatten you in the process. That’s bad enough when it’s you and your livelihood on the line. It’s even worse when you’ve now got a handful of employees depending on you too.

Housecall Pro helps home service pros keep everything straight, organizing jobs, interacting with customers, and streamlining all the paperwork and oversight it takes to make sure that business keeps running smoothly.

Unlike other approaches that usually turn into a mish-mash of apps and handwritten notes, Housecall Pro centralizes everything, offering a one-stop destination for both employees and customers alike to engage, get information, stay informed, and generally track the state of any job from first contact to completion and beyond.

Housecall Pro is crafted specifically for those small home service business owners juggling small staff, but crucial jobs. Whether you’re a carpet cleaner or a landscaper, customers can engage you through the Housecall Pro system and book an appointment, whether you’re in the office or in the field.

They’ll get text alerts when your people are on the way, updates on the status of their job, as well as easy means to pay their bill and prompts to leave social media reviews. They’ll even get texts and emails down the line reminding them about setting up future appointments.

On the business side, Housecall Pro is built for an owner and all their employees to stay on the same page. The service offers easy scheduling, automated estimates, and specialized notes for each job that are updated for an entire team in real-time. Managers can assign teams, set arrival windows, and even track the location of each team member via live GPS mapping.

Then once the job is done, Housecall Pro makes it simple to invoice your customers and receive payment without all the clerical work and multiple organization platforms that business owners hate.

So far, more than 20,000 HVAC, plumbing, electrical, cleaning, and other home service businesses are using Housecall Pro to great effect.

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Right now, businesses can discover the ease and advantages of centralizing around Housecall Pro by going to their website to check out the impact Housecall Pro can have on any company. Sign up for a demo today!

Prices subject to change

Kanye West Files “DONDA” Trademark As He Prepares to Launch Tech Company
by Charlene Rhinehart

October 3, 2021

Kanye West Files “DONDA” Trademark As He Prepares to Launch Tech Company

Kanye West broke the internet with his “DONDA” album release last month, and now the 44-year-old billionaire is filing a “DONDA” name trademark for a line of tech products.

TMZ reported that Kanye West’s company filed a trademark application for the name “DONDA” on Tuesday, September 21. The legal documents show that Kanye plans to step into the tech industry.

Donda West, Kanye West’s mother, was the inspiration behind many of his career highlights. She died in 2007 after undergoing breast reduction surgery. Kanye has committed to keeping his mother’s name alive through his creative projects.

According to TMZ, the “Donda” name will be used for many electronic products. This includes surround sound systems, audio speakers, computers, tablets, and smartwatches. You may even see the coveted name on smart glasses and wearable devices. There’s speculation that Kanye will follow Dr. Dre’s lead and put the Donda name on headphones. This move made Dr. Dre’s “Beats by Dre” a billion dollar business in less than six years.

“You’ve got to be lucky enough to identify a problem where you think you can help,” Jimmy Iovine, co-founder of Beats, told INC. “When you believe in something, the last thing you say to yourself is, Well, no one’s doing this, so there must be no good reason to do it.”

Kanye has always had a knack for giving people what they need at the right time. That’s why his music continues to top the music charts. This year, the Donda album became the second biggest debut ever on the global spotify chart. The album garnered nearly 100 million streams, according to Chart Data.

This trademark proves that Kanye is not slowing down anytime soon. He’s expanding his impact while growing his net worth. According to Forbes, the music mogul has racked up an impressive net worth of $1.8 billion (as of October 3, 2021). Although many call Kanye a musical genius, it’s his fashion ideas that have boosted his net worth.

Kanye’s Yeezy shoes were an instant hit. Fans still line up to be first to showcase the latest Yeezy’s. In March, Kanye released his Yeezy 450 in Cloud Whites. The shoes sold out in less than 60 seconds.

Kanye’s multi-year deal with Adidas has been very profitable. He inked a deal to design the Yeezy sneaker brand, which is reportedly worth $3.2 to $4.7 billion. Yeezy generated $1.7 billion in sales last year, Forbes reported.

With Kanye’s record of success in music and fashion, there’s no doubt that he can hit a home run in the tech industry.

by Keka Araújo

October 3, 2021

Who’s The GOAT Between Stevie Wonder and Stevie Nicks? Black Twitter Shut Down Any Questions Anybody May Have Had

A Twitter user, ill-versed on Black culture and its icons, got schooled when he took to the social media platform to spark a debate regarding who was better between the legendary Steveland Morris (AKA Stevie Wonder) and rocker Stevie Nicks. Stevie Wonder trended on Twitter for all the right reasons.

@4ever_days  posted the question nobody is asking on Saturday. 

“Hello everyone!  Stevie Nicks or Stevie Wonder?”

 

It’s the audacity for me.

Anyway.

Because Black Twitter is the sanctuary for Black culture, sh*t got hot quickly.

 

One person concluded that even Nicks would rock with the “Part-Time Lover” singer. 

 

One Twitter user admitted that he was fearful when the iconic 71-year-old artist was trending on the platform. 

 

Even the legendary Dionne Warwick had to shut down the nonsense.

Then a Twitter user dropped tea that blew minds. 

Stevie Wonder was the Jackson’s third cousin. Janet Jackson disclosed the little-known fact in an interview. 

“People don’t know this one; Stevie is actually our cousin on my mother’s side. We don’t talk about this…but yeah, he is.”

A musical prodigy, Wonder recorded his first album at age 11. He was also one of the youngest singers ever to be signed to iconic Motown Records. By age ten, Wonder had taught himself to play the harmonica, piano, drums and other instruments. 

Throughout Wonder’s illustrious career, he has amassed 25 Grammy Awards and 74 nominations.  

Although Nicks is a well-respected and talented musician in her own right, the Black delegation knows that she can’t touch Stevie Wonder. 

Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman Honored By Angelina Jolie & Daughter Zahara
by Tai Saint-Louis

October 3, 2021

Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman Honored By Angelina Jolie & Daughter Zahara

On Thursday, Amanda Gorman was one of five women recognized for their career accomplishments at Variety magazine’s Power of Women dinner.

Held in Los Angeles, the even boasted a long list of famous faces and accomplished entertainment industry execs, including Angelina Jolie and her daughter Zahara Jolie-Pitt, who walked the carpet with Gorman. Ahead of presenting Gorman with her award, Jolie delivered a heartfelt speech welcoming the young poet who captivated the world during President Biden’s inauguration in January.

“Those who have the power of free speech – the weapon of free speech – must combine to defend those who do not,” after touching on not only Gorman’s achievements, but also some of the obstacles she faced as a child. “We need voices like Amanda’s, those lights in the dark. May you burn fiercely, and light the way for others.”

Gorman was honored alongside singers Lorde and Katy Perry, actress Rita Moreno and television executive Channing Dungey, who became the first Black woman to run one of the Big Four broadcast networks when she was hired as the president of ABC Entertainment in 2016. In 2020, Dungey was named the new chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. Television Studio, and is now the first woman to ever hold that position.

As she introduced Dungey to the crowd, Ava Duvernay took the opportunity to praise her friend for the barriers she’s knocked down for women of color in the television world. “Think of the steps,” she said. “Think of the rooms, think of the battles, think of what it took every day to step toward that goal.”

Each of the five Women of Power was also given the opportunity to introduce a focus charity. Gorman used her speech to spotlight WriteGirl, an LA-based organization that matches girls with women writers who mentor their creative writing.

Check out Gorman’s full acceptance speech below.

by Keka Araújo

October 3, 2021

UPDATE: Suspect Buk M. Buk Arrested In Fatal Shooting of Utah Utes’ Aaron Lowe

A 22-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the shooting death of 21-year-old University of Utah football star Aaron Lowe.

Police identified the suspect as Buk M. Buk, and he was arrested early Sunday morning in Draper. Buk has been charged with aggravated murder, attempted murder and felony discharge of a firearm, according to a tweet by the Salt Lake City Police Department.

SLCPD Chief Mike Brown released the following statement:

“In a time of need, we turned to our community. We asked people to come forward and to share the information they had. Because of those tips and the unrelenting pursuit of justice from our homicide detectives, we have arrested the person accused of murdering Aaron Lowe. So many lives have been impacted from this senseless shooting. I want to thank the work of our patrol officers, detectives, crime lab technicians, our data analysts, and the professional staff of the Salt Lake City Police Department. Their dedicated work of combing through every lead and every piece of evidence is what led us to this arrest.”

 

Buk was also implicated in the shooting of the 20-year-old woman who was also at the party. She is still in critical condition.    

As previously reported, Lowe was killed at a house party in Salt Lake City on September 26. 

The University of Utah had a memorial for the fallen football star on September 30.

The school posted the event on its social media. Coaches and players left endearing messages for Lowe. 

“A vigil for Aaron. Thank you to all who showed up last night for A Lowe, and for our Utah Football Family.”

 

 

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