• Lifestyle

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 28, 2021

Black TikTok Creators Take Center Stage in the Body Shop’s Music Video And Challenge

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On the heels of the #BlackTikTokStrike that changed the dance challenge vibe TikTok became known for, director Alan Ferguson teamed up with The Body Shop to shine a light on Black TikTok creators.

As part of The Body Shop’s full eco-conscious rejuvenation of its Body Butter line, the company tapped Ferguson to create a music video that prominently features Black TikTok dance creators Tracy “OJ” Joseph, Layla Muhammed, Sunjai Williams, and Amari Smith, with Jemel McWilliams as lead choreographer.

@thebodyshopnorthamericaHonored to collab with @sunjaiw , @layzchipz and @tracy.oj on a new dance for our best ever Body Butter.♬ Spread Love – The Body Shop North America

Now a new TikTok dance challenge will kick off on September 29 as the TikTok creators teach their followers how to do the #SpreadLoveScoop dance that’s featured in the new music video. Other TikTokers will be encouraged to show off their best rendition of the Spread Love Scoop all in the name of equality and body positivity.

TikTok dance challenges haven’t been the same after Black creators went on strike earlier this year. Many Black TikTokers felt like their creativity was being taken advantage of with white influencers landing appearances on Jimmy Fallon to perform dances created by Black TikTokers, as noted by NPR.

With the strike becoming a trending topic over the summer, The Body Shop felt it was only right to put diverse creatives at the forefront of their latest campaign.

“When Black creators are not being credited and compensated for their work it devalues the tremendous talent and creativity that is born out of diversity,” said Hilary Lloyd, VP of Brand and Activism, The Body Shop.

“When The Body Shop created our Body Butter campaign around spreading love and goodness, we chose to collaborate with the TikTok talent making significant contributions to the platform. Tracy Joseph, Layla Muhammed, Sunjai Williams and Amari Smith, the campaign’s content creators, and Jemel McWilliams, the campaign’s choreographer, inspire all of us with their artistry and originality. They went above and beyond our expectations with a dance that makes everyone want to celebrate their body.”

It’s clear that Black TikTok dance creators are a vital addition to the platform. After making their absence felt, it’s time to show love to their influence on the culture. Cheers to hitting the #SpreadLoveScoop!

• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 28, 2021

Not Today Karen! White Woman Gets Manhandled After Assaulting Two Black Men

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A Karen was left bleeding and drenched in soda after she was caught on video assaulting two Black men with her iPad.

In a video posted on Reddit on Sunday, the Karen can be seen and heard berating one Black male on a moving subway train in New York City. The video shows the woman getting out of her seat and confronting the Black male before pushing her iPad and hitting him in the face with it.

After the Black male hits her back, the Karen goes on to attack him by hitting him with her iPad. He exits the train at the next stop and his friend follows suit. But the woman proceeds to attack the friend, grabbing his backpack and also hitting him with the same iPad, as noted by the Daily Dot.

The Karen then takes the friend’s backpack and runs off with it. After a little tussle over the bag, the woman decides to snatch it and spill out all of its contents onto the train floor. Food goes everywhere and the male was only able to salvage his drink. But seemingly in anger, he opens the soda and pours it all over the woman before leaving the train.

The Karen is left bloody, covered in food and soda and yelling at anyone who will listen. At one point, she even flicked the blood from her face onto other passengers. The heated moment is one of the latest in what can happen when a Karen decides to not mind the business that pays them.

Unfortunately, this time around things got too physical.

• Criminal Justice Reform

by Derek Major

September 28, 2021

Los Angeles County Will Dismiss 58,000 More Marijuana Convictions

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Los Angeles County will dismiss another 58,000 marijuana convictions dating back more than 30 years, District Attorney George Gascón announced Monday.

The move will bring the total number of felony and misdemeanor marijuana convictions that have been dismissed since last year to 124,000. According to CNN, an additional 66,000 cases for dismissal in February 2020 were the result of a state follow-up review of country court records.

“Dismissing these convictions means the possibility of a better future to thousands of disenfranchised people who are receiving this long-needed relief,” Gascón said Monday. “It clears the path for them to find jobs, housing, and other services that previously were denied to them because of unjust cannabis laws.”

The Social Impact Center, a nonprofit focused on underrepresented populations, helped identify the latest batch of cases to dismiss. Gascón added the dismissals clear the path for those convicted of marijuana offenses to get jobs, housing, and other services that they were previously excluded from participating in.

The dismissals come after the passage of two state laws that made it possible. The legalization of recreational marijuana was passed in 2016. The passing of AB 1793 required the state’s Justice Department to review the state’s criminal records and find marijuana convictions that can be downgraded to misdemeanors or expunged.

Because a person can have more than one conviction, it’s unclear how many residents are affected by the dismissals. The 66,000 dismissals last year covered about 53,000 people.

In New York, citizens’ criminal records with certain marijuana convictions are now automatically expunged as part of a 2019 state law. The state legalized recreational marijuana, although the state is still setting up its business and tax structure. Some states have enacted laws to ensure that some marijuana businesses are owned and operated by BIPOC to make up for past wrongs.

Marijuana has gained more popularity in recent years and is now recreationally legal in 18 states, although some are still setting up laws and regulations.

• Business

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

September 28, 2021

Ruby Love Founder Launches New Era Venture Capital Firm CaJE to Help Support Underfunded Black Female Founders

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Black startup entrepreneurs received $1.8 billion in venture capital during the first half of the year, more than 4 times the amount of capital received in 2020 during the same time frame – yet still, only 0.34% of the total venture capital spent in the U.S. in this year has been is awarded to Black women entrepreneurs.

While studies continue to show that Black women are among the most educated group in America, they significantly lack in venture support.

Newly launched venture capital firm, CaJE, led by Ruby Love founder, Crystal Etienne and her husband, Jean Etienne has arrived with a new category of capital named “Soil” to serve as early financial support for Black women founded consumer businesses.

The biggest and often overlooked challenge faced by Black women entrepreneurs face in launching their business happens in the very beginning – simply not having enough money to get their business idea out of a notebook and into the execution phase. CaJE’s new capital category “Soil” solves this problem.

“We have created and coined this term ourselves,” said CaJE Co-Founder, Crystal Etienne. “Soil capital is prior to pre-seed, personal individual wealth, and funding to help bring more black women businesses up to the playing field.”

In founding her femtech period apparel brand Ruby Love in 2016, Crystal experienced first-hand the struggle with gaining funding to kick-start the brand. It wouldn’t be capital, but rather a $10,000 loan which was used to buy her first round of inventory that helped Ruby Love become a now $50M business.

“Starting Ruby Love was out of my own frustration with a problem that I needed to solve, but building Ruby Love to a multi-million dollar company was more about showing the world that most Black women are capable of doing more than you give us credit for without resources,” said Etienne. “My journey as a Black woman in the tech industry is similar to most. We have to prove more, be more, and settle for less.”

Becoming a resource in the early stages of Black female entrepreneurs building their businesses, CaJE will not only serve as financial support, but also provide mentorship support to help founders step by step in scaling their business.

“Our biggest goal is to help as many Black women as possible build successful wealth machines, as well as help them learn how not to waste funds on unnecessary things in business,” said Etienne. “Being that CaJE is using its own wealth, experience, and network, the reward will come when we can ease the next level business pressure off Black women.

At a time when many Black female founders feel “cajed-in” when executing business ideas, CaJE is here to provide a quick and friendly helping hand to the women-lead businesses of tomorrow.

• COVID-19

by Derek Major

September 28, 2021

New York Hospitals Fire, Suspend Unvaccinated Staff, National Guard To Replace Them

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Reuters – New York hospitals on Monday began firing or suspending healthcare workers for defying a state order to get the COVID-19 vaccine, and resulting staff shortages prompted some hospitals to postpone elective surgeries or curtail services.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio told a news conference the city’s hospitals were not yet seeing a major impact from the mandate, adding he worried about other areas of the state where vaccination rates are lower.

A spokeswoman for Catholic Health, one of the largest healthcare providers in Western New York, said it had reached full compliance, counting staff members who had been vaccinated, those with exemptions and some who had been suspended without pay.

The spokeswoman, JoAnne Cavanaugh, refused to say how many workers had been suspended or granted exemptions due to medical or religious reasons.

Catholic Health said it was forced to postpone “a small number” of elective surgeries.

Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo suspended elective inpatient surgeries and had stopped accepting intensive-care patients from other hospitals as it prepares to fire hundreds of unvaccinated employees, a spokesman Peter Cutler said.

Cutler said the decision to curtail some operations would inconvenience patients and hurt hospital finances. Elective inpatient surgeries bring in about $1 million per week, he said.

“We had to make a decision as to where we could temporarily make some changes so that we could ensure other areas of services are as little affected as possible,” Cutler said. “Financially, it’s a big deal.”

The inoculation push comes as President Joe Biden and other state and federal political leaders ratchet up pressure on unvaccinated Americans, some of whom object to mandates on religious or health grounds.

New York’s state health department issued an order last month mandating that all healthcare workers receive at least their first COVID-19 shot by Sept. 27, triggering a rush by hospitals to get their employees inoculated.

Of the 43,000 employees at the New York City’s 11 public hospitals, about 5,000 were not vaccinated, Dr. Mitchell Katz, head of NYC Health + Hospitals, said at the news conference with de Blasio.

Katz said 95% of nurses were vaccinated and all the group’s facilities were “open and fully functional” on Monday.

On Saturday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said she was considering employing the National Guard and out-of-state medical workers to fill staffing shortages, with 16% of the state’s 450,000 hospital staff not fully vaccinated.

Healthcare workers who are fired for refusing to get vaccinated will not be eligible for unemployment insurance unless they are able to provide a valid doctor-approved request for medical accommodation, Hochul‘s office said.

A federal judge in Albany temporarily ordered New York state officials to allow religious exemptions for the state-imposed vaccine mandate on healthcare workers.

Separately, a federal appeals court on Monday ruled that New York City can order all teachers and staff to get the vaccine, reversing a previous decision that had put the mandate on hold for educators.

(Reporting by Nathan Layne in Wilton, Connecticut and Maria Caspani in New York; Additional reporting by Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Bill Berkrot, Dan Grebler and David Gregorio)

• Business

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 28, 2021

Two Besties From Virginia Turn Their Love for Brunch Into Travel Business Venture

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After adulthood put distance between Lillian Jackson and Melissa Mason, the childhood best friends found a way to stay connected and bring new friends along for the ride.

Through the business Brown Skin Brunchin, Jackson and Mason found a way to bring Black women together in the name of good food and drinks. The monthly brunch club for women quickly grew from hosting events in their hometown of Richmond, Virginia, to enjoying eatery experiences in 20 cities across the country.

“We noticed, too, that just in talking with people, they were kind of experiencing the same thing,” Mason told Travel Noire. “You have a lot of people in new places, or you’re just at a certain point in your life where you’re so used to the people that you’ve already been around, that you’re kind of afraid to reach out to new people. And we found that one of the best ways to break that ice and get people to really engage with one another was over food and drinks.”

What started as a local brunch event with 15 participants expanded to include 300 members across the U.S. Their team includes organizers in each city that help the two co-founders map out the scheduled festivities.

 

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“We originally planned for just a few people, and we had to contact the restaurants to increase the capacity because as soon as it was out, it was completely sold out,” Mason said.

Brown Skin Bunchin is in Las Vegas every second Saturday of the month and in Los Angeles every third Saturday. Their plans to go brunching overseas were cut due to the pandemic, but they still have their sights set on expansion.

“We do travel as a group,” Jackson said. “A lot of people don’t have friends to travel with and once they make those connections over brunch, they’re seeking out new things to do and new ways to connect and travel is definitely one of those things.”

• Education

by Derek Major

September 28, 2021

Western Washington University Implements Segregated Black-Only Student Housing

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Western Washington University, a small school located south of Seattle, has created segregated housing on its campus specifically for Black students.

Western Washington, located about 90 miles south of Seattle, has designated the fourth floor of Alma Clark Glass Hall for its Black Affinity Housing program. The building is named for the first Black person to attend Western Washington.

“The program will explore and celebrate the diversity of Black and African American people and culture, with historical and contemporary context,” the program’s website states, also saying that all “Western students residing in the program help foster a warm and vibrant community supporting social, personal and academic success.

“Black Affinity Housing residents, representing all diverse identities, pride themselves on fostering a sense of belonging for all residents by creating a safe environment for open, honest, and sometimes challenging dialogue.”

Colleges, including New York University, the University of Colorado, Stanford University and Cornell University have embraced and implemented housing for Black students in an effort to make Black students feel more comfortable at Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs). Black students on white campuses have dealt with numerous issues in recent years while attending PWIs.

In April, Western Washington hosted a webinar on the issue and added that several Black student organizations and Black students on campus have called for the housing program in the past and defended the program according to Fox News.

Not everyone is happy about the growing trend as people on social media expressed their opinion. According to US News, Western Washington, a Division II university, had more than 15,000 students last year.

In addition to housing, the Western Washington will coordinate discussions and socials specifically for students staying in the housing designated for Black students.

“Residents in Black Affinity based housing are encouraged to participate in periodic community programming and dialogues intended to build community, promote learning, and support wellness centering the Black experience,” the program description said. “Staff will organize opportunities for residents to attend Black-centered events and general university programs as a group.”

• Lifestyle

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

September 28, 2021

Will Smith Talks ‘Unconventional Relationship’ With Jada and Reveals a Harem Fantasy With Halle Berry and Misty Copeland

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Former rapper-turned-actor Will Smith, who once went by the moniker Fresh Prince before getting his own sitcom, discussed his “unconventional relationship” with his wife, fellow actor, Jada Pinkett Smith, in an exclusive interview with GQ. The famous actor also revealed that he wanted to have a harem that included Misty Copeland and Halle Berry.

For years, there have been rumblings about the type of marriage the Smiths have enjoyed, but they were simply rumors and speculation—until last year. That’s when R & B singer August Alsina revealed having an affair with Pinkett Smith. He spoke about his love for her before she broke it off and it wasn’t “discovered” until he spoke openly about it.

Then came the infamous interview on Pinkett Smith’s Facebook Watch series, “Red Table Talk,” where she and Will discussed the “entanglement” with a young Alsina, basically confirming that the married couple doesn’t have what we would consider a “conventional marriage.”

In the GQ interview, Smith reminisced about an incident in 2011 after a birthday party for his wife’s 40th. “Our marriage wasn’t working,” Smith wrote in a draft of a book manuscript that he was writing. “We could no longer pretend. We were both miserable, and clearly, something had to change.”

He then explains the thought process for his circumstances with Pinkett Smith.

“Jada never believed in conventional marriage.… Jada had family members that had an unconventional relationship. So she grew up in a way that was very different than how I grew up. There were significant endless discussions about what is relational perfection? What is the perfect way to interact as a couple? And for the large part of our relationship, monogamy was what we chose, not thinking of monogamy as the only relational perfection,” Smith said.

“We have given each other trust and freedom, with the belief that everybody has to find their own way. And marriage for us can’t be a prison. And I don’t suggest our road for anybody. I don’t suggest this road for anybody. But the experiences that the freedoms that we’ve given one another and the unconditional support, to me, is the highest definition of love.”

Smith also spoke of a conversation he had with intimacy coach Michaela Boehm that included his fantasy of having a harem that includes Berry and Copeland, then realizing after discussing the ideal situation, it wouldn’t be ideal at all.

“What she was doing was essentially cleaning out my mind, letting it know it was OK to be me and be who I was. It was OK to think Halle is fine. It doesn’t make me a bad person that I’m married, and I think Halle is beautiful. Whereas, in my mind, in my Christian upbringing, even my thoughts were sins. That was really the process that Michaela worked me through to let me realize that my thoughts were not sins, and even acting on an impure thought didn’t make me a piece of sh*t.”

You can read the full interview here.

• Lifestyle

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

September 28, 2021

Andrea Martin, Award-Winning Singer-Songwriter For Toni Braxton, SWV, En Vogue, Dead at 49

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Tragedy has struck the family of a singer and songwriter who penned some famous tunes for several top R&B singers and groups in the ’90s and ’00s.

Andrea Martin, who was known as Annie, died at the age of 49. The sad news was revealed on an Instagram Story.

“It is with a heavy heart we inform you of the passing of our beautiful Andrea Martin, also known as ‘Annie.’ Andrea will always be remembered for her passion and dedication to her family and friends. Her impact will continue to be felt and heard for a lifetime. We thank you in advance for your condolences, love, compassion, and understanding during this time. Please limit calls as we are trying to finalize arrangements at this time. Once finalized, we will be able to post arrangements.

“Forever a legend, April 17- September 27”

A GoFundMe account was set up with all the Andrea Martin Memorial Fund proceeds to go to Andrea’s children.

According to VIBE, the Grammy Award-winning songwriter wrote hits like Toni Braxton’s “I Love Me Some Him,” SWV’s “You’re The One,” Monica’s “Before You Walk Out My Life,” Angie Stone’s “Wish I Didn’t Miss You,” and En Vogue’s “Don’t Let Go (Love).”

She also co-wrote several songs with her longtime writing partner, Ivan Matias. The two met at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York City. In 1998, Martin, a Brooklyn native, released an album titled, The Best Of Me. She had a single, “Share The Love,” which peaked at  No. 4 on the Billboard dance charts in 1999.

Singer Melanie Fiona acknowledged her via an Instagram post.

 

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A post shared by Melanie Fiona (@melaniefiona)

No details were revealed on the cause of death.

The HBCU Week Foundation is kicking off another week of promoting HBCU education to graduating high school seniors through their HBCU College Fair.

Created by two-time HBCU grad Ashley Christopher, the foundation serves by encouraging students to attend HBCUs and providing scholarships to lead grantees a paved road to success into post-graduate employment.

After the pandemic prevented a 2020 event, the 4th annual HBCU Week is taking place from September 26 – October 3 and will include a jam-packed week of events including a college fair, Battle of The Bands, the comedy show, hosted by celebrated comedian and HBCU Alum Wanda Sykes and an R&B Concert with Wale and Queen Naija as headliners.

Since its inception in 2017, HBCU Week’s signature College Fair event has resulted in more than 3,000 on-the-spot college acceptances and more than $18.5 million in scholarships awarded by HBCUs and corporate sponsors. For this year’s event, HBCU Week will give out $6.1 million in scholarship funds for students looking to attend an HBCU.

Making it four years and through an international pandemic, HBCU Week founder Ashley Christopher is amazed at what her vision turned into after starting out as just a local event.

“It started as a small local event that I had created for the mayor’s office in Wilmington (DE) in order to reach underserved communities in the local area, with the expectation of reaching 200 students,” Christopher told BLACK ENTERPRISE. “That first year we well exceeded our goal reaching over 700 students, and we’ve been growing every year since.”

Now four years since its inception, the college fair attracts hundreds. Students attending the fair, have the opportunity to not only meet with HBCU recruiters from across the country, but can earn on-the-spot acceptances and scholarships.

In fact, the fair has led to more than 3,000 on-the-spot college acceptances and more than $18.5 million in scholarships awarded by HBCUs and corporate partners.

With names like Oprah Winfrey, Spike Lee, and Samuel L. Jackson all being HBCU alums, it’s clear that there’s something special that happens when a student chooses to obtain their higher learning from a historically Black college or university. It’s something Christopher notes as a “world-class” experience.

“They are not second rate to predominantly white institutions – and will allow students to achieve academic success,” Christopher said. “In addition to this, they offer Black students a sense of community, belonging, pride, history, and culture that is hard to find anywhere else.”

“You get to connect with students who look like you and share the same aspirations and goals. You get to connect with Black professors, who understand how to bring out the best in you to prepare you for a life outside of college,” she continued. “You get to live four years of your life not being in the minority for once, allowing you to truly find your voice and confidence as a Black person living in this world. The experience will give you friends and mentors for life, who will be backing your journey and celebrating your wins well beyond college.”

As a two-time HBCU grad and Black woman business owner, Christopher credits her college education for setting her on a road to success.

“I attended two very different HBCUs, Howard and the University of the District of Columbia, David A. Clarke School of Law, but both left a huge imprint on me,” she said. “They developed my sense of confidence and pride as a Black woman and gave me the belief that whatever path I took beyond college that my voice was important and necessary.”

It’s because of Christopher’s HBCU experience why she was inspired to create HBCU Week. She credits Howard and Clarke for helping her identify her natural magic and know that she didn’t have to change to fit in.

“I want every Black person to have the experience I had,” she said. “I believe it’s important to reach back while you climb, and I want my success to benefit Black people coming behind me.”