• Technology

by Black Enterprise Shop

October 18, 2022

Give Your Phone The Makeover It Deserves

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Today’s cell phones are more than just devices to receive and make calls.

These days, they’re more like extensions of ourselves. Everything from the case to the color we select for our phones mirror our personalities. Technology has made it so that the customizations span beyond the cases and pop sockets attached to our devices.

Thanks to Fonts Art Premium Plan, you can redesign everything from your keyboard to your home screen to make your phone even more personalized. For a limited time, you can purchase a lifetime subscription to Fonts Art for just $39.99. This deal offers a savings of 90% off this product’s MSRP ($399).

Fonts Art offers more than just a surface-level facelift for your devices.

This software can completely change the aesthetic of your phone through the use of home screens, wallpapers, icons and widgets. You can customize your keyboards, social media profiles, messages, and more.

Those with artistic gifts will be able to show off their talents with the custom app icon maker. Users have access to more than 300 stylish fonts that are compatible with all social media and texting apps. Enhance your group or one-on-one chat sessions with symbols, GIFs, hashtags and kaomoji.

Craft and communicate more efficiently with auto-capitalization, caps lock and an automatic period after double-spacing.

Social media aficionados have access to an array of helpful tools. They can apply designer Instagram story templates for eye-catching stories, and they’ll find access to a large collection of Instagram highlight covers for jazzy bios.

Fonts Art is compatible with all the popular social media and texting apps: Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, iMessage, WhatsApp, Skype, TikTok, and other platforms.

This software is compatible with devices that run iOS 14.0 or later.

Personalization of your cell phone doesn’t have to end with the outer case. Fonts Art has created a program that allows you to unlock an array of personalized features and options that make your phone as unique as you. Purchase it today.

Prices subject to change.

• Celebrity News

by Eric Moody

October 17, 2022

Kanye West To Acquire Right-Wing Conservative Social Media Platform, Parler

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Rapper Kanye West is getting condemned left and right because of his extreme stances on a variety of subjects.

That has likely prompted his newest venture to purchase the right-wing social platform, Parler, which prides itself on free speech. However, the app was launched following the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol and became a hub for racists, insurrectionists and neo-nazis’ to retreat.

Ye reportedly reached an agreement to buy it and the move would give the billionaire entrepreneur control of a social media platform for his opinions after being suspended from Twitter and Instagram for violating codes of conduct for alleged anti-Semitic tweets.

“In a world where conservative opinions are considered to be controversial we have to make sure we have the right to freely express ourselves,” Ye said in a statement.

Parlement Technologies, which owns Parler says the acquisition should be completed in the fourth quarter and includes the use of private cloud services, and data center infrastructure, according to the Associated Press.

 

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Based in Nashville, Tenn. Parler was founded in 2018 by John Matze and Rebekah Mercer, the daughter of billionaire Robert Mercer.

According to Tech Crunch, Parler, which has a little over 250,000 monthly active users, added a content moderation layer to the platform last year in an attempt to be restored by Apple’s App Store. In February 2021, the company announced its relaunch, returning to Google Play last month.

“The proposed acquisition will assure Parler a future role in creating an uncancelable ecosystem where all voices are welcome [sic],” the company said in a statement.

Parlement Technologies CEO, George Farmer, also issued a statement that reads:

“This deal will change the world, and change the way the world thinks about free speech.”

“Ye is making a groundbreaking move into the free speech media space and will never have to fear being removed from social media again. Once again, Ye proves that he is one step ahead of the legacy media narrative. Parlement will be honored to help him achieve his goals.”

We all know this is going to be Ye’s playground to talk about everybody and everything he can.

• Business

by Derek Major

October 17, 2022

McKinsey Provides Update On Commitment To Racial Equity Through Black Leadership

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McKinsey & Company, a global management consulting firm, has released an update on its commitment toward racial equity and justice.

Amid the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement and the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, numerous companies made financial and business commitments to racial equity and McKinsey announced 10 actions it would take as part of its commitment to racial equity.

In a McKinsey release, the firm provided an update on some of those actions.

The firm launched the Black Leadership Academy, which is made up of two programs designed to accelerate the careers of Black professionals, one for early-to-mid career managers and another preparing senior executives for the C-suite.

According to the firm, in just three months 10,000 participants enrolled from 300 organizations in North America, giving them the knowledge, insights and capabilities to achieve their goals. McKinsey is also building on the program and last year launched its Connected Leaders Academy for Asian, Hispanic and Latino and Black leaders based in Africa, the Middle East and Europe.

McKinsey also committed $200 million in pro bono work over the next decade to organizations advancing racial equity including the Greater Washington Partnership.

The firm is also working with 20 partner organizations to launch more than 20 projects including the Juntos Conference in Brazil, which has one of the largest Black populations in the world. More than 4,000 people have participated in the event, both live and virtually since it began in 2018.

“We wanted to help young Black students advance from university to the workplace,” said Vijay Gosula, a McKinsey partner. “We created an annual conference called “Juntos,” which means ‘together’ in Portuguese.”

McKinsey has also partnered with Homeboy Industries, the largest gang intervention, and rehabilitation program in the world, annually serving more than 8000 individuals with clinical treatment education and workforce development. Over the past two years, the firm has worked with Homeboy Initiatives to strengthen its workforce pipeline and more.

Among its other racial equity commitments, McKinsey is also working to double its number of Black leadership and colleagues, fund an Institute for Black Economic Mobility, build Its Next 1B Business Accelerator for Black-owned retail brands and donate more than $5 million to nonprofits focused on creating educational opportunities and combating racism.

• Career

by Jeffrey McKinney

October 17, 2022

Former Philadelphia Mayor To Head U.S. Treasury Department’s New Advisory Committee On Racial Equity

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Former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter has been selected to oversee first-ever advisory committee on racial equity at the U.S. Treasury Department.

Nutter is a professor of urban and public affairs at Columbia University,  His new Treasury role calls for him to chair the 25-person inaugural committee. He was Philadelphia’s mayor from 2008 to 2015 He will work with Felicia Wong, president and CEO of the Roosevelt Institute,  the committee’s vice-chair.

The newly created committee will offer advice and recommendations to Secretary Janet Yellen and Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo on efforts to advance racial equity in the economy and address acute disparities for communities of color, based on a news release.

As such, “the committee will identify, monitor, and review aspects of the domestic economy that have directly and indirectly resulted in unfavorable conditions for communities of color.”

Financial inclusion, access to capital, housing stability, federal supplier diversity, and economic development will be among the topics it will address. It also will examine ways to reduce obstacles that would allow communities of color to take part more fully in the nation’s economy.

A powerful player in the world economy, the Treasury’s work showcases its position as the administrator of the U.S. economic and financial systems.

The committee is a product of the Treasury’s department-wide equity assessment last year, per the news release. It established a goal of creating an institutionalized way to collect insights and recommendations on racial equity efforts.

Other members reportedly include David Clunie, executive director of the Black Economic Alliance; Nicole Borromeo, executive vice president and general council of the Alaska Federation of Natives; Michael Miebach, CEO of Mastercard; and Barika Williams, executive director of The Association for Neighborhood Housing and Development.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen stated, “A critical piece of executing on our racial equity goals is bringing a wide set of outside perspectives and lived experiences to the decision-making table.  The Treasury Advisory Committee on Racial Equity, made up of members with wide-ranging backgrounds and expertise, will provide important insight and advice to leadership across the department to bolster and inform our equity efforts.”

Nutter reflected among his comments, “I am deeply honored to have been asked to serve, and provide leadership, for this inaugural effort.”

He added, “The creation of this Committee is a shining example and testament to the commitment of Secretary Yellen, Deputy Secretary Adeyemo, Counselor Bowdler, and so many others in the Treasury Department who are focused on the task at hand – how do we find, focus and factor into programs and policies the issue of racial equity.”

• Lifestyle

by Atiya Jordan

October 17, 2022

Youngest Witness to George Floyd’s Murder Releases Children’s Book About Overcoming Trauma

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Judeah Reynolds was the youngest witness to the murder of George Floyd in 2020. Now, nearly three years later, she’s celebrated what would’ve been Floyd’s 49th birthday with healing, courage, and a story of her own to tell.

On Friday, the 11-year-old sixth-grader released her first children’s book, “A Walk to the Store,” to share her perspective about that traumatic Memorial Day, CNN reported. She was only nine years old when she witnessed former Minneapolis Police Officer, Derek Chauvin, hold his knee to Floyd’s neck.

Reynolds and her 17-year-old cousin, Darnella Frazier, were walking to the store to buy candy when Frazier recorded footage of the horrifying events that would later help convict Chauvin. Reynolds was also the youngest witness to have had to relive the trauma during her witness testimony at his trial.

“I was sad and kind of mad cause I felt like he was stopping him from breathing,” Reynolds said during the trial, according to ABC News.

In “A Walk to the Store,” Reynolds documents the trauma she experienced, including the bad dreams that consumed her at night and the constant crying. She’s moving forward with intention, thanks to the help of her family and being able to talk about it.

“Me and my family left Minneapolis because the tragedy was too much for my little daughter to bear. She didn’t want to go to school, she was scared of police and stuff,” Judeah’s father, Ronnie Reynolds said, per MPR News.

“And I was like, ‘OK, it’s time to just move away for a while.'”

With illustrations by Darcy Bell-Myers, the book also acts as a resource for children to transform their trauma into triumph. Readers can get access to worksheets with exercises provided by Aruba Emotional Health Services to help children process a traumatic event, according to the book’s website.

“I’m too little to walk alone to the store,” Reynolds’ story reads in part.

“But I’m big enough and brave enough to make things better in a very big way.”

Reynolds’ story was told to picture-book author Sheletta Brundidge and Lily Coyle, owner of Beaver’s Pond Press, the publishing company behind Reynolds’ book. It was inspired by a book by Brundidge’s daughter, “Cameron Goes to School,” per CNN.

“I didn’t want to relive that trauma for Judeah,” Brundidge said.

“George Floyd died but the world moved. We moved in the right direction with racial equity and breaking down barriers and systemic things that have been in place for generations. We all moved. I didn’t want her stuck in that spot.”

• Celebrity News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 17, 2022

Rihanna Showcases Post-Baby Body In Teaser For Upcoming Amazon Prime Savage X Fenty Show

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The world has to prepare for seeing more of Rihanna and we are ready!

Rihanna is slated to rule the fashion, sports, and music world. She released a sultry video clip on her Instagram account over the weekend that spotlights her upcoming Amazon Prime Savage X Fenty Fashion show. This will take place on Nov. 9 and will be the fourth collaboration between the companies.

 

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The New York Post reported that the upcoming show will be “a seductive fashion fever dream” that “blends Emmy award-winning choreography, style, and music with the hypnotic essence of nocturnal nature.”

“An homage to self-expression and personal empowerment, Rihanna’s latest collection features disparate textures, unexpected detailing, and unconventional proportions that come together seamlessly to create a boundary-bending xperience for everyBODY.”

The billionaire fashion designer and recording artist has been busy creating a bigger legacy in the fashion world with her Fenty line and products. With a new album slated to be released in the near future, fans will be able to see her perform live for the first time in years. The Bajan singer was confirmed as the performer at the Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show next year, according to Variety.

The 2023 Super Bowl is scheduled to take place on Feb. 12 in Glendale, Ariz. at the State Farm Stadium.

When the announcement was made, NFL head of music Seth Dudowsky stated that it will be “another historic” halftime show.

“We are thrilled to welcome Rihanna to the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show stage. Rihanna is a once-in-a-generation artist who has been a cultural force throughout her career. “We look forward to collaborating with Rihanna, Roc Nation, and Apple Music to bring fans another historic Halftime Show performance.”

Earlier this year in May, Rihanna and her beau, rapper and fashion designer A$AP Rocky welcomed their first child.

In July, CNBC reported that Rihanna is the youngest self-made billionaire in the United States, with a spectacular net worth of $1.4 billion.

• History

by Stacy Jackson

October 17, 2022

Civil Rights Activist Rev. Charles Sherrod Dies From Lung Cancer at 85 Years Old

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After decades of fighting segregation, civil rights leader, Rev. Charles Sherrod, is resting in peace at 85 years old.

The family of the activist and civil rights icon announced that he passed away due to natural causes at his home in Albany, Georgia on Tuesday. According to The New York Times, Sherrod’s wife, Shirley Sherrod, said that the cause of death was lung cancer.

“He was a great husband, a great father and great servant to his community,” Sherrod’s wife of 56 years, Shirley Miller Sherrod, said according to the outlet.

“His life serves as a shining example of service to one’s fellow man.”

Civil rights hero the Rev. Charles Sherrod died this week at age 85. He spearheaded the Albany Civil Rights Movement, empowered Black youth to stand up for their rights, and mobilized people to get off the sidelines.

He will be missed.https://t.co/KUrDV0pTas

— Southern Poverty Law Center (@splcenter) October 12, 2022

Sherrod was born on January 2, 1937, in Surry, a rural town in Virginia, to his mother Martha Mae (Walker) Sherrod, and his father Raymond, who left the family when Sherrod was an infant. Sherrod completed both his undergraduate and divinity degrees at Virginia Union University in Richmond.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution provided that Sherrod helped spearhead the Albany Movement during the 1960s through his work as field secretary for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), where he helped Black people register to vote. The movement gained national attention and drew Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to help lead. Sherrod’s efforts as a civil rights activist expanded as he transported demonstrators from southwest Georgia to participate in the 1963 March on Washington, a massive protest demanding an end to segregation.

Sherrod completed his master’s degree in divinity from Union Theological Seminary in New York City in 1966. In 1965, he met his wife Shirley, the daughter of a Black farmer who was gunned down on his own land by a white farmer. Together, they co-founded the Southwest Georgia Project for Community Education.

From 1969 to 1985, Sherrod served as leader for what became the nation’s largest Black-owned farm and first community land trust, after traveling with others to Israel in 1968 and securing the needed capital. Sherrod acquired the 5,735-acre New Communities Inc. in neighboring Lee County to create the community-held farm which provided space for Black farmers who were thrown off their land.

In addition to his efforts during the civil rights movement, he served as one of Albany’s first black city commissioners from 1976 to 1990, ran for a seat in the state senate in 1996, taught at Albany State University, and served as chaplain at the Georgia State Prison in Homerville.

According to the outlet, the family asks that tax-deductible donations in Sherrod’s name be made to The Charles Sherrod Community Development Corporation.

Funeral services for Sherrod will be held Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Mount Zion Baptist Church in Albany.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NshhsIqirLk

• Sports

by Eric Moody

October 17, 2022

Illinois Youth Football Team Reinstated After Gifted 13-Year-Old Player Enrolls Into High School Causing Team’s Suspension

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An entire Illinois youth football team was suspended from playoff contingency after one of its players signed up for high school for his academic abilities. But now a compromise has been reached.

Thirteen-year-old Tremayne Gandy Jr. was at the center of the issue that caused league officials to suspend his entire Glenwood Jaguars football team, according to the Bleacher Report.

“Here’s a young man that is 13 years old doing a 10th-grade education and he is being penalized,” team president Gary Richardson told the outlet. “Not just him, but the whole program is being penalized.”

“It’s very unfortunate,” Richardson told Patch on Monday night regarding the entire situation. “These kids are still out there playing football when they realized that they were really playing for nothing, you know? It’s very detrimental. My thing was, ‘What am I telling this 8-year-old or this 7-year-old about education in football?’ I think the league looked at it as just some rule being broken and as an unfortunate situation.”

Since the suspension caused an uproar after some 200 students were affected, the league has since reached a compromise that will allow the Cougars’ younger players to play. Gandy, Jr. unfortunately will be excluded from play.

His grandmother, Sylvia Gandy, said in reports that they didn’t believe that moving him two years ahead academically, as a now high school sophomore, would impact his youth football league status as a 13-year-old. Although, the Southwest Midget Football League prohibits high schoolers from playing.

“He was always a bright child. He started reading at the age of 2,” Sylvia said.

President Lenny Rhein of the Southwest Midget Football League issued a response stating the league’s insurance policy doesn’t cover registered high school students, regardless of age.

Tremayne Gandy Sr. wasn’t in favor of the decision, as it directly impacts the entire midget team, which now has to suffer playoff disqualification because of it.

“It’s been pretty upsetting for a lot of the kids,” said Gandy Jr. said.

As for Gandy Jr., who has played for the Glenwood Jaguars since the age of five, he must now consider playing on the high school level.

He has expressed dreams of attending Michigan University as a student-athlete to play football and study meteorology, aerospace, or astronomy.

• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 17, 2022

Black Woman Escapes White Kansas City Serial Killer, Says Her Friends ‘Didn’t Make it Out’

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A Black woman who escaped a white Kansas City serial killer has helped pull back the veil on the seemingly ignored reports of missing Black women in the area.

A shocking multi-county investigation was launched last Friday after a 22-year-old Black woman escaped the serial killer who kidnapped, sexually assaulted, and held her captive in the basement of his home, The Kansas City Defender reports.

Timothy Haslett Jr., 39, of Excelsior Springs, was identified as the serial killer possibly behind the reports of missing Black women that seemingly went undetected by local authorities.

The woman who escaped was discovered around 8 a.m. on October 7 after police responded to calls of a woman banging on the doors of homes and crying for help. Ciara Tharp says her grandmother let her inside their home and offered her food and a blanket, The Excelsior Citizen reports.

“She made the comment about her friends,” Tharp recalled. “That they didn’t make it and that he had killed them.”

“I’m really hoping that they find evidence about her friends. If anything, she can have closure about her friends. I just hope they can find everything they need to.”

Reports from the Clay County Prosecutor Probable Cause Statement found that the woman was being held captive inside a self-made basement and only escaped when Haslett left to drop his child off at school.

“Timothy had kept her in a small room in the basement that he had built,” the report said. “He kept her restrained in handcuffs on her wrists and ankles.”

Haslett also reportedly “whipped her while she was restrained…there were injuries on her back that were consistent with this description,” the statement said.

Other reports found that police had been called to Haslett‘s home three times in the last year to check on his wellbeing, KSHB reports. One of the wellbeing calls was from Haslett’s dad, who lives out of state. The second call came from one of Haslett’s co-workers who became concerned when he didn’t show up for work. The third call, on July 5, 2022, was connected to an animal control concern about an off-leash dog at the home.

Haslett’s arrest comes one month after Bishop Tony Caldwell, a local Kansas City community leader, specifically identified that the women who were missing were being taken from an area on Prospect Avenue in Kansas City. However, the Kansas City Police Department (KCPD) made a statement at the time dismissing the claims and referring to the community testimonies as “completely unfounded rumors.”

Local news outlets followed the police department’s sentiments and shared reports silencing any ongoing concern of the missing Black women.

But the woman who escaped says Haslett picked her up on Prospect Avenue in early September (around the time that Bishop Caldwell and other community members began expressing concerns about numerous missing and murdered Black women in the area.)

However, KCPD insisted there was no evidence of a serial killer.

“I could see them saying we can’t comment on an ongoing investigation and leave it at that, but for them to say conclusively, it’s not happening, to completely shut our concerns down, that’s just wrong,” Caldwell said.