Black Girl Freedom Week Highlights Hot-Button Issues

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

February 14, 2024

Black Girl Freedom Week Highlights Hot-Button Issues

Black Girl Freedom Week is back for its fourth year, hosting successful Black women leaders to tackle topics such as reproductive freedoms, affirmative action, and pay equity.

Black Girl Freedom Week (BGFW) is in its fourth year of spreading awareness on topics pertinent to the lives of Black girls while continuing its overall mission to mobilize the financial support needed to protect their futures. As the 2024 election season heats up, BGFW is hosting a weeklong series from Feb. 12-18, complete with programming geared toward hot-button issues such as affirmative action, voting, and reproductive rights.

Spearheaded by The #1Billion4BlackGirls campaign and Grantmakers for Girls of Color (G4GC), the growing Black Girl Freedom Fund is bringing this annual initiative to the community as it inches closer to its goal of a $1 billion investment in the gender-expansive demographic by 2030. The president and CEO of G4CC, Dr. Monique Couvson, who will kick off the festivities, released a statement on its ongoing values to uplift and incorporate Black girls in “advancing democracy and justice.”

“Families, communities, institutions, and entire systems transform when we fund the health, joy, and freedom of Black girls,” shared Dr. Couvson in a statement.

“Black GirlFreedom Week is a time for celebration and action. Black girls are core to upholding, defending, and advancing democracy and justice. More than ever, now is the time for making significant investments in their capacity to engage directly with our institutions and to build new ways of leading and innovating. This is how ground breaks to expand opportunity, how new modalities for healing and wellbeing are discovered, and how power shifts in its most transformative way to improve conditions for everyone. Join us.”

Its theme of “Co-Creating a Future of Justice and Democracy” will be demonstrated throughout its diverse programming, including conversations on pay equity with co-speaker Nicole Monson, who is SVP of equity and engagement at Estée Lauder. Additional speakers include Jessica Norwood, CEO and founder of RUNWAY, connecting with attendees on envisioning an economy that helps Black girls thrive; and activist Loretta Ross, leading a discussion on the fight for reproductive freedom.

The transformative week is happening in February to not only honor Black History Month but also the birthdays of the renowned Toni Morrison and Audre Lorde. With this collaborative effort, Black Girl Freedom Week is building upon its legacy and its quest to gain vital funding, resources, and support for its multigenerational cohort within the decade.

Wallace peoples, reform alliance, Wallo267, CMO, Chief marketing officer

by Daniel Johnson

February 14, 2024

REFORM Alliance Names Wallace Peeples Chief Marketing Officer

The REFORM Alliance believes that Peeples, who also co-hosts the 'Million Dollaz Worth of Game' podcast, will help shake up its marketing campaigns, which are set to roll out later in the year.

According to a press release the REFORM Alliance shared with BLACK ENTERPRISE, the organization has named Wallace Peeples, otherwise known as Wallo267, as its new chief marketing officer. Peeples will be primarily responsible for developing long-term marketing strategy, brand innovation, and activation. Peeples believes his experience with the parole and probation systems will help him in his new role.

“I am honored to be taking on this role at REFORM and for the opportunity to help uplift system-impacted communities with new resources and programs,” Peeples said. “My firsthand experience with the parole and probation system, I believe, is key to helping advance REFORM’s mission.”

According to the press release, the REFORM Alliance believes that Peeples, who also co-hosts the Million Dollaz Worth of Game podcast, will help shake up its marketing campaigns, which are set to roll out later in the year. The campaigns, as the press release states, will be informed by Peeples’ direct experience with the criminal justice system after he served 20 years in prison.

Peeples, who is on parole until 2048 as a result of his interactions with the criminal justice system, possesses the insights of someone who has been negatively impacted by the justice system and knows how important it is that the stories of others who have been similarly impacted not be lost or forgotten by the general public.

REFORM Alliance CEO Robert Rooks shared his excitement over the appointment of Peeples. “We’re so excited to have Wallo267 join REFORM as our new Chief Marketing Officer,” Rooks said. “Wallo267 is a son of Philadelphia, the city where REFORM Alliance was born. Through hard experience, he developed a life philosophy rooted in accountability, second chances, and never giving up. Today, he carries that message of hope to his millions of social media followers. He never forgets where he came from, and he’s used his vast reach and influence to shine a light on people the world too often ignores. I’m grateful that he’ll use his unique skills to bring REFORM’s work and mission to an even wider audience and to support our work of transforming probation and parole.”

Peeples also has a long relationship with Meek Mill, one of the board members of the REFORM Alliance. He stood with Meek as he celebrated the passage of the probation reform bill SB 838, and on the day the Philly rapper was sentenced, which launched the #FreeMeek movement on social media and helped birth the REFORM Alliance in earnest.

In its five years of existence, the organization has gotten 18 pieces of bipartisan legislation passed across 11 states and assisted 800,000 people out of the justice system and into finding wellness and work on the other side.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

February 14, 2024

Sephora Employee Confronts White Teens Using Makeup To Apply Blackface

New video shows teens at Sephora confronted by an employee for using the store's products to commit blackface. The teens' mothers were also present and allowing the behavior.

News has gone viral of a Sephora employee in Boston confronting white teenage girls for putting on blackface with products from the store. A TikToker documented the girls walking around with their faces caked in brown makeup, with their mothers seemingly OK with their behavior.

The since-deleted video showed the employee walking up to one of the girls as her mother attempted to take a photo of her in the offensive makeup. Another user, Reyah The Last Dragon, screen-recorded the original footage to re-upload after its removal.

@reyahthelastdragon #greenscreenvideo #greenscreen ♬ Beat – beaty

“I walked over here, and you were about to send a picture of that. You want to document this? Go ahead,” expressed the employee. “This is the stuff that ruins jobs, college acceptances, let alone how incredibly offensive this is.”

However, the group seemed unaffected by the callout, with one of the mothers walking away as the Sephora worker continued explaining why it was wrong. The original user who took video of the ordeal repeatedly said how “shameful” the incident was, with the employee apologizing to other patrons for having to witness the offensive act.

In her caption, the user described how the girls were making animal sounds while putting the makeup on, furthering the racist intent behind the action. She then said that one of the mothers, who saw her recording the confrontation, came over to demand that the footage be deleted because she lacked their consent to record the girls.

Historically, blackface was a common racist act usually conducted by white people, who slathered their faces in dark makeup in mockery of Black people.

The video was removed from TikTok because it conflicted with the platform’s code of conduct. However, the continuation of blackface remains gravely offensive to the Black community.

unemployment, hiring freeze, election, economy

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

February 14, 2024

Ex-Amazon Recruiter Reveals Top Résumé Mistake For Job Hunters

An ex-Amazon recruiter reveals the top résumé mistake that leaves employers underwhelmed by job candidates.

A former recruiter for mega-corporation Amazon shared that providing vague statements is the most prominent mistake job hunters make on their résumés.

Lindsay Mustain called the responses “Miss America”-style answers that can leave employers underwhelmed. In an interview with CNBCMake It, Mustain, who is the CEO of Talent Paradigm, disclosed what she learned employers really want out of prime job candidates. According to the woman who claims she has reviewed “literally a million” résumés, what captures recruiters’ attention is not showcasing “glorified job descriptions.”

A candidate’s choice to highlight their accomplishments and job history superficially can hinder going further in the hiring process, as general statements without substantive details wouldn’t get a second look from recruiters. Mustain argues that while this mistake is common, recruiters lack essential information on what the job seeker has achieved in prior roles, thus making them unable to stand out among hundreds of other candidates.

Including quantitative information is the best course of action, according to Mustain. Landing a job offer is a literal numbers game, and giving employers a quantitive figure helps them measure the work one has done and can potentially do for their company. Mustain claims that the “more metrics and analytics you can add to your résumé, the more impressive.” Listing the numerical value of one’s responsibilities and highlighting one’s accomplishments in the same fashion can get the point across to recruiters faster, leading to a greater chance of scoring an interview.

As the job market continues to cool down, differentiating oneself from other applicants through this method can be a game-changer for success. Recruiters typically take seconds to peruse through applications, and their eyes immediately go toward the figures and metrics candidates can concisely list.

What is Mustain’s best recommendation for standing out during the job search? Being more “results-based” in your résumé to garner the greatest benefit.

Bettiann Gardner, soft sheen, Tamekia Swint , Sylez 4 kidz, Illinois

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

February 14, 2024

This Nonprofit Hair Salon Teaches Non-Black Adoptive Parents To Style Their Black Children’s Hair

An Illinois-based hairstylist continues to help transracial adoptees and their parents learn how to do Black hair at her nonprofit salon, Styles 4 Kidz.

A Black hairstylist in Illinois is doing her part to help non-Black adoptive parents learn how to style their Black children’s hair. To aid in this venture, Tamekia Swint created Styles 4 Kidz, a nonprofit salon for adopted Black kids with non-Black parents to receive the proper hair care they need.

Swint developed the initiative in 2011 to educate parents on styling and caring for textured hair. After being introduced to a mother of two Black adopted daughters, with virtually no clue of how to navigate their curl patterns, Swint explained to The Today Show that this one-off incident was indicative of a common issue.

“You should have seen their faces when they looked in the mirror after I was finished. It completely transformed not only how they looked but how they felt about themselves,” said Swint. “And that’s how Styles 4 Kidz started. I realized this was a much bigger problem.”

Now, Swint is providing natural styles such as twists and braids, one-on-one training, and general classes for non-Black parents to continue hair care at home. For the nonprofit owner, it has become a vital step for people in the process of adopting children of color, going beyond the traditional steps of parenting by ensuring they are culturally aware of what raising a Black child entails.

“By the time they have their child, they know all about the products and how to use them,” the entrepreneur expressed. “They’re going into the situation fully prepared.”

Although these parents cannot relate to all that encompasses Black hair care and styling, taking this initiative and time to learn how to protect their child’s coils and curls adequately can be fully realized with the help of Swint. The stylist understands the cultural importance of maintaining one’s mane, and instilling pride in Black hair at this fundamental age is crucial for self-esteem and personal growth.

“We express ourselves through our hair,” she said. “It is deeply entrenched in our culture and in our history. And it connects us to one another. Our hair is a huge part of our identity.”

by Stacy Jackson

February 13, 2024

University of Florida Law Student Appointed First Black Woman Chief Justice

The 25-year-old will oversee hearings, appeals, disputes, and ensure fairness alongside four associate judges.

Britney Deas has carved her place in history as the first Black woman chief justice of the University of Florida (UF) Supreme Court.

The 25-year-old Floridian and Haitian law student moved into the position this year around the start of Black History Month after serving as an associate justice in 2023, The Alligator reported. The new chief justice has taken the helm of overseeing hearings, appeals, disputes, and ensuring fairness alongside four associate judges.

Deas plans to hold panels and invite esteemed legal professionals to the university to engage law students.

The University of South Florida (USF) undergraduate alumna said about her trailblazing appointment, “Breaking down barriers for Black women and women in general has always been profoundly and deeply meaningful to me.”

Her passion for empowering women of color in leadership is evident through Deas’ past roles. At USF, she became the first Black student body president. Also, at the time, the university had not elected a female student body president in 20 years.

Deas said, reflecting on her past roles, “Once I saw someone who looked like me do something, I realized I could do it too.” She aims to provide that inspiration for others coming after her. According to The Alligator, she added, “You can see the chain reaction that [representation] sets forth” when commenting that USF’s next two leaders after her were also women.

Joanna Auchettl, the new chief justice’s adviser, told the outlet that Deas has always pursued her ambitions, from homemade t-shirts to centerfield baseball stadium honors. Auchettl said she has “tried to encourage and support all of [Deas’] endeavors. It is exciting to learn about [Deas’] accomplishments.”

Deas shared with The Alligator that she is inspired by the women in her family. “I was always inspired by women fighting oppression and women who are standing up for people who cannot stand up for themselves.”

She is paying it forward and firmly believes in the power of representation. “I saw it in my home with my grandmother, my great-grandmother, and my mother,” the new chief justice said to The Alligator.

by Rafael Pena

February 13, 2024

Tiger Woods Unveils Signature Clothing Line ‘Sun Day Red’ In Partnership With TaylorMade

Tiger Woods amplifies on-course style with the launch of Sun Day Red, a new clothing line inspired by his signature championship look.

Golf icon Tiger Woods is set to redefine his iconic on-course style with the launch of Sun Day Red, a new clothing line inspired by his signature championship look, according to The Athletic. Breaking away from his long-standing association with Nike, Woods announced his partnership with TaylorMade at a recent event in Los Angeles on Feb. 12, marking a new chapter in his golf fashion journey.

While the Sun Day Red website currently lacks products for purchase, it teases a May 1 launch with a promise of golf essentials such as polos and gloves, along with a range of additional offerings like “luxury logo tees, fleece, and hats.”

The collaboration with TaylorMade aligns with Woods’ use of TaylorMade clubs since 2016, following Nike’s exit from the golf equipment market. As the golf legend transitions from the swoosh, his new clothing line introduces a distinctive jumping tiger logo crafted from dynamic squiggly lines.

Tiger Woods’ departure from Nike, with whom he had a profound association since 1996 when he signed a five-year, $40 million deal, marks a significant shift. The iconic red Nike polo, worn by Woods on countless Sundays, became synonymous with his dominance in golf. Nike later launched an apparel line featuring its logo and Woods’ signature TW logo. Over the years, Woods signed multiple lucrative deals with Nike, the most recent being a reported 10-year agreement valued at around $200 million in 2013.

Woods’ decision to part ways with Nike echoes a broader trend, with fellow golfer Jason Day also making a recent exit. The departures are particularly noteworthy in the golf apparel landscape, given Nike’s substantial influence, largely propelled by Woods’ association with the brand.

The Sun Day Red clothing line is poised to capture the essence of Tiger Woods’ enduring legacy, offering fans and golf enthusiasts an opportunity to embrace the golfing icon’s distinctive style. With the anticipated launch just around the corner, the golfing community eagerly awaits the arrival of this new chapter in Tiger Woods’ fashion evolution.

wrongfully convicted, 50 years, Oklahoma

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

February 13, 2024

Georgia Inmate Sentenced 11 Years for Stealing $11 Million—While In Prison

Cofield was sentenced to 11 years after impersonating Sidney Kimmel and fraudulently obtaining $11 million from his Charles Schwab account.

Arthur Lee Cofield Jr. 31, was convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and money laundering for stealing $11 million while in a Georgia maximum-security facility

According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, U.S. District Court Judge Steve Jones sentenced Cofield 135 months in federal prison on Friday, Feb. 9. The convicted felon must also pay more than $12.5 million in restitution to replace the $11 million that he stole from the Charles Schwab account of Sidney Kimmel, a 94-year-old billionaire movie producer.

Cofield also has to repay $1.2 million stolen from an unnamed Alabama resident and $391,000 from an unidentified bank.

“If you had put the intelligence you have to legal and positive things, you would have been very successful in life,” Jones told Cofield when sentencing him.

Cofield and his two accomplices, Eldridge Bennett and his 27-year-old daughter, Eliayah Bennett, pleaded guilty in April 2023.

It was initially reported that Cofield was accused of impersonating billionaire Kimmel and fraudulently obtaining $11 million from his bank account. Cofield reportedly obtained access to the funds to purchase gold coins used to buy a mansion in Buckhead, Atlanta. Cofield reportedly purchased the coins and then had them transported from Idaho to Atlanta on a private plane and used part of the haul to buy a $4.4 million mansion.

The crime he committed was described as “potentially one of the biggest heists ever pulled off from inside an American prison,” as he was able to do so while being imprisoned at the Georgia Department of Corrections’ Special Management Unit, a maximum security facility built to accommodate the state’s most hardened criminals.

Cofield has been in prison since 2008. The then 16-year-old was arrested for taking $2,600 from a bank in Douglasville, Georgia. He received a 14-year prison sentence after he pleaded guilty to armed robbery.

Massachusetts, rideshare drivers, Uber, Lyft

by Rafael Pena

February 13, 2024

Rideshare Drivers Nationwide Set To Strike For Fair Pay On Valentine’s Day

Thousands of rideshare drivers are set to stage a nationwide strike on Valentine's Day to demand fair compensation.

Thousands of rideshare drivers affiliated with Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash are set to stage a nationwide strike on Valentine’s Day, demanding fair compensation for their services, according to FOX Business.

The Justice for App Workers coalition, representing over 100,000 drivers, declared the strike, accusing the ride-sharing companies of offering unjust wages and retaining a significant portion of their commissions.

The coalition released a statement asserting that rideshare drivers should not have to grapple with financial instability and urged app companies to address their concerns. The coalition highlighted the drivers’ challenges, including long working hours, safety concerns, and the constant fear of deactivation with the click of a button.

“We’re sick of working 80 hours/week just to make ends meet,” the coalition emphasized. The strike comes in the wake of Lyft’s recent announcement guaranteeing weekly earnings for drivers, a move seen as an effort to attract more drivers to the platform.

“We are constantly working to improve the driver experience,” said Lyft in a statement, citing recent initiatives aimed at increasing driver pay and transparency. Uber, dismissing the impact of such strikes, mentioned that only a minority of its drivers participate in such actions. Uber’s CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, reported that drivers in the U.S. earn an average of $33 per utilized hour in the fourth quarter.

Last year, statistics from Gridwise, a gig mobility data analysis firm, revealed a 17.1% drop in Uber drivers’ monthly average gross earnings, while Lyft drivers experienced a 2.5% increase.

Demonstrations are slated to take place across various cities, including Austin, Chicago, Hartford, Newark, Miami, Orlando, and Philadelphia. Jonathan Cruz, a driver in Miami and part of the Justice For App Workers coalition, described it as the “biggest strike” he has witnessed.

Nicole Moore, president of the California-based Rideshare Drivers United union, criticized the algorithmic pricing implemented by these companies, highlighting the drastic decrease in driver pay. Shantwan Humphrey, a driver in Dallas, emphasized the struggle for a livable wage, noting that drivers can barely afford the bare necessities.

by Daniel Johnson

February 13, 2024

Urban Intellectuals Founder Accuses JCPenney Of Copyright Infringement

Urban Intellectuals Founder and CEO Freddie Taylor accused JCPenney of potential copyright infringement in a Facebook Live stream.

Urban Intellectuals Founder and CEO Freddie Taylor accused JCPenney of potential copyright infringement in a Facebook Live stream posted on Feb 8. As reported by Black News, Taylor’s accusation stems from JCPenney’s use of the phrase “Making My Ancestors Proud One Dream At A Time” on their shirts, which bears similarity to Urban Intellectuals trademarked slogan of “Busy Making My Ancestors Proud.”

During the Live video, Taylor said, “This isn’t just about a slogan on a t-shirt; it’s about the systemic disregard for the intellectual property of small, Black-owned businesses. We’ve fought hard to build a brand that uplifts and educates our community, and to see our work co-opted without any regard is both maddening and saddening.”

Taylor continued, “It’s great that they want to give back, but how can you take from the very community you’re looking to support? This isn’t support; it’s exploitation wrapped in a veneer of charity.”

Taylor’s accusation draws more attention to the practice of larger, more popular brands or celebrities within the fashion or retail world taking elements from or outright stealing the work of smaller, Black-owned businesses or creators. It is also allegedly not the first time JCPenney has been accused of copyright infringement over its fashion designs. In 2016, Burberry sued JCPenney after the Plano, Texas-based company kept selling jackets and scarves that the company claimed infringed on the copyright of its “Burberry check” pattern. According to Reuters, Burberry and many other luxury fashion manufacturers often sue over copyright infringement because they don’t want to lose sales, customer goodwill, or damage their reputations.

In 2022, the Duluth Trading Co. sued JCPenney for describing one of its products as a “longtail” T-shirt, which Duluth said violated its copyright. They sued JCPenney for copyright infringement and unfair competition. As reported by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, in 2011, they sent a letter to JCPenney explaining their reasons for the suit, “J.C. Penney’s use of Duluth Trading’s LONGTAIL T trademark on a similar product is highly likely to cause confusion or mistake and to deceive the public, which has come to associate the LONGTAIL T mark with our client.” Similar to its practice with Burberry, the retailer continued to market its shirts as “long tail tee shirts” despite the complaint from Duluth.