NCAA Women’s Basketball Game Paused By Wig Slip As Both Teams Come To Player’s Rescue
An Ole Miss player's wig slip during a game against South Carolina led to players from both sides coming to her rescue for privacy.
A moment of unity paused an NCAA Women’s Basketball game between Ole Miss and South Carolina on Feb. 4. Players on both teams took a moment to help out Ole Miss’ Marquesha Davis after her wig slipped off while playing.
A video of the ordeal went viral on X, showing Davis tumbling on the floor with her wig falling by her side due to the impact. However, instead of letting the 6-foot guard resolve the hair issue by herself, the Ole Miss Rebels and South Carolina Gamecocks rushed to conceal her as she fixed the wig.
Women supporting women is my favorite thing! Shorty’s wig came off during this Ole Miss vs. South Carolina game…both teams noticed and huddled around her so she could fix it!
…before y’all go there, I’m posting because they all had a good laugh about it afterwards! pic.twitter.com/5uFTaAsYCW
While the moment could have been a source of embarrassment for the player, the athletes gave her privacy as she got the hairdo back together. The unusual but still touching case of sportsmanship was applauded by viewers and those involved in the matter themselves, such as South Carolina’s head coach Dawn Staley. Staley responded to the post containing the video, stating that women’s basketball players making sure one another is alright is the “kindness and understanding” they showcase daily.
This warms my heart! My @GamecockWBB babies met the moment with the kindness and understanding I see everyday. @OleMissWBB were all locked hands in a united front. This is WBB at its finest. Love this! WE ARE WBB!!!
“This warms my heart,” expressed the coach. “My @GamecockWBB babies met the moment with the kindness and understanding I see every day. @OleMissWBB were all locked hands in a united front. This is WBB at its finest. Love this! WE ARE WBB!!!”
After Davis secured her wig, the teams continued the game, with the Gamecocks besting the Rebels 85-56. However, the real win for most who watched was witnessing the solidarity between the women on the relatable bad hair moment. The viral video showcases how women support women in times of need, no matter the circumstances.
Embracing fear can help you elevate in your career.
Originally Published Feb. 28, 2017
You can’t be successful if you don’t take chances. Many of us know the adage “no risk, no reward,” yet we still struggle with embracing it. Christina Norman, Head Of Content for the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA,) Birame Sock, founder and CEO of Kwely Inc., and State Farm Vice President Agency – Sales in the Southern Florida Market Area Barbara R. Carr, shared tips to help businesswomen face their fears during the 2017 Women Of Power Summit.
Here are some of their words of wisdom that can help us all stop fearing failure, start recognizing opportunities, and learn how to take risks that can transform our careers:
Taking risks helps you get to know yourself: “It allowed me to assess who I was. It really allowed me to see what value I bring to the table and build that confidence that I needed.” —Birame Sock
You don’t have to go it alone: “I had to learn how to use people in my life for counsel. One of the hard things when you move up in an organization is that everyone thinks you know everything. So it’s hard to ask for help. Being able to cultivate those relationships, those safe spaces where I could say, ‘Hey, talk me through this, talk me down from this, talk me out of this,’ has been important.” —Christina Norman
You can prepare your team to leap with you: “I try to be as transparent and as credible as I possibly can, helping them understand I’m going to be right there with you. You’re not in this by yourself. We’re a team. And we’re going to get through this together.” —Barbara Carr
It’s not the end of the world if it doesn’t go as planned: “If I decide to leave my job to be an entrepreneur, I’m confident enough to know if it doesn’t work out, I can always go and get a job somewhere. I kid you not, every day I would wake up and say, ‘You can always go to McDonald’s and get a job there.’ It was one of those things that would ground me, like it’s OK, you can do this.” —Birame Sock
Failure’s not always a bad thing. “One of the things I learned from a previous investor was [to] fail often, fail fast, [and] fail cheap. And that was positioning failure not as a negative thing but as a positive. Fail often. That’s how you reinvent yourself. That’s how you move forward. You’ve got to do it often to learn from it.” —Birame Sock
And if you won’t take a chance on yourself, who will? “I’ve always bet on me, and I’m going to continue that no matter what. And when things don’t go right, you better double down on you.” — Christina Norman
Identify Your Entrepreneurial Strength In 3 Easy Steps
Figuring out what your unique strengths are can help you focus your time and organize your business. Here are some of the ways to find your unique strengths.
Originally published Feb. 28, 2017
As a business owner, you possess some unique strengths that can help you better run your business. I’m not talking about skills here. People can learn new skills. Instead, I’m talking about the things that you naturally do better than other people.
By figuring out your unique strengths, you can organize your business in a way that lets you focus on them. Here are some of the ways you can find your unique strengths.
Pay attention to what your clients say
I was recently on a business trip for a large client project. The project involved me creating business courses and then actually teaching the content on camera.
While on this trip, my client actually helped me find one of my unique strengths. We were heading to the studio on the third day of filming when he said, “You know, you’re a really good storyteller. And you’re a natural on camera, regardless of whether there’s a teleprompter or not.”
This got me thinking. How often had I mistaken my unique strength as a storyteller as just some basic skill? How often had I downplayed this strength because it came so naturally to me? Turns out I downplayed it all the time.
Now I know to focus on one of my unique strengths: the art of telling a story. This may look like more sponsorship deals that require on-camera work, and it certainly means more podcasting.
Pay attention to what lights you up
When my client said I was a good storyteller, I started thinking about instances in which I had told stories. More specifically, I started paying attention to how I felt when I was telling stories. I thought back to podcast interviews, media appearances, and even recent speaking engagements.
What I found was that I felt completely lit up and energized! For example, it took me about two hours to come down from a natural high after my last speaking engagement. It would also take me some time to wind down after filming because I’d get so into it.
I also noticed that while creating and filming the classes for my client, I’d sometimes get into this weird zone where everything around me would just stop. All that mattered was what I was teaching at that moment.
If you feel like this about anything, there’s a good chance it’s one of your unique strengths.
Start with your weakness
This may seem counterintuitive, but one way to find out what your unique strengths are is to start with what you suck at and remove it from the list. Sometimes this is actually the easiest way to go, especially if you aren’t sure about your unique strengths yet.
For example, I know I kind of suck at organizing, and I definitely suck at math. As a result, those were the two areas I started outsourcing first.
What was left over was the more creative stuff, like content creation and marketing. While I didn’t realize it at the time, I’m really good at these things.
Final thoughts
Once you’ve discovered what your unique strengths are, you can organize your business in a way that allows you to take advantage of them. Start delegating anything that isn’t aligned with your strengths so you can best use what comes naturally to you.
Usher Bares All In New Skims Campaign While Promoting New Album
Usher takes on Skims in its newest campaign just days ahead of his album release and Super Bowl Performance.
It’s Usher (and his undies), baby. The soon-to-be Super Bowl Halftime performer bares it all as the new face of Skims.
Before he makes his debut on the biggest stage in football, Usher is getting even more intimate with his fans. He models the Kim Kardashian-owned underwear brand assortment of undergarments. Skims, which recently launched new men’s items, including boxers this past year, released its visuals for the campaign on Feb. 5, just days ahead of the R&B artist’s special performance.
The company also announced a special musical release for customers, featuring the 45-year-old singer holding a peach while rocking the collection’s “Midnight Blue” boxer brief. A “limited edition digital download release” of his upcoming project, “Coming Home,” with bonus song “Naked,” will be available on Skims’ official website.
Usher was also featured in a video advertisement for the growing brand, speaking on his new album while going shirtless, solely wearing a pair of Skims’ cotton boxers. “I’m coming home,” began the Grammy winner. “My name is U-S-H-E-R. Some call me ‘Ursher.’ What I do is entertain. I’m wearing Skims cotton boxers. I feel good. The thing I like most about performing is the element of intimacy between me and an audience, the live experience. The inspiration of this new album, ‘Coming Home,’ it’s all about romance. It deals with love, happiness, it deals with joy. It’s a love story, but it’s romantic.”
The new collection of men’s underwear drops on Feb. 12, a day after Usher’s performance at the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. For those who are all about the R&B crooner, his 9th album drops Feb. 9, with fans having to wait until Super Bowl Sunday to see if some of the new music makes his set.
Learn the steps and best practices on how to build and lead a virtual team so that your business can thrive.
Originally published Feb. 18, 2021
One way for your business to survive and thrive in this new normal is to build and lead an efficient virtual team.
That’s because virtual teams are incredibly beneficial to business owners, particularly those who have to make do with a very lean budget. These include the ability to tap talent from all over the world while significantly reducing your operating expenses.
However, building and leading a virtual team can also be challenging, especially for businesses that have followed traditional business models. For starters, virtual team management involves processes that are entirely different from traditional business models.
In this article, you’ll learn how to build a virtual team and the best practices to observe so that your business can stay afloat—even survive—during uncertain times.
Steps to Building a Virtual Team
Lay the Right Foundation
Before adopting a virtual team for your business, you first need to evaluate your business operations carefully.
The reason is that even though a virtual team can get things done, it’s not necessarily applicable to some types of business.
Laying the right foundation also requires a mindset change, especially if you’re used to physical work environments and traditional office setups.
You’ll also need to reset your current expectations, because some of your workflow processes might not be appropriate or feasible in a virtual setup. For example, if you measured your employees’ productivity based on the number of hours they work, shifting to a results-oriented working environment might be a better option.
Choose Your Virtual Team Model
Once you’ve laid the foundation, it’s time to decide which growth model you’re going to adapt for your virtual team. This will determine how you should organize your team.
Consider these two growth models:
The Independent Growth Model
In this model, team members work autonomously. By sharing your business goals, values, and principles with your virtual team, they can then independently decide what to prioritize in order to reach goals within their respective teams.
You can choose between a workflow-based model or a metrics-based model that focuses on results.
The Functional Growth Model
In this model, team members report to a functional head of their team. This shows your employees which superior they should come to for support and direction.
You will need function heads to juggle their functional responsibilities and their responsibilities to drive the business forward.
Streamline Your Virtual Team Onboarding Process
Your virtual team’s first few weeks will determine how well your team will work together. Your virtual team members must know and understand their tasks. At the same time, they all need to be familiar with your processes.
More importantly, having a straightforward onboarding process ensures that quality of service and support your customers receive stays the same.
Your onboarding process can be a simple checklist new hires can refer to, or you can make it more elaborate, complete with introductory videos and manuals.
During the onboarding process, introduce the new hires to team leaders they can talk to if they have any questions or simply need advice about work. This will make them feel welcome and show them they’re supported right from the beginning.
Consider putting together an employee handbook that communicates vital information like your business goals, culture, and guidelines. Providing such a document ensures that everyone on the team is on the same page and will reduce or eliminate the amount of guesswork over processes.
Invest in the Right Tools
Business owners are responsible for ensuring their employees are well equipped with the tools they need to do their jobs, especially when they’re not working on similar hardware like company-issued laptops.
Remember that your virtual team members will be working from within different environments with different internet speeds and using various devices. It’s essential that you provide them with resources that make it easy for each of team member to do their job.
You also need to make sure that you have tools in place that will allow you to check and communicate with your virtual team members.
Tools like Asana, Slack, and GSuite make it easy for you and your team to collaborate on specific tasks, even if they’re working in different time zones and locations.
Think of technology as the glue that will hold your team together while they’re physically far apart. After choosing the right tools and platforms, establish guidelines and workflow processes so that you can maximize their features.
It’s also a good idea to shop around for tools that make security a priority, as your team will work across different networks that could leave your data vulnerable.
Virtual Team Leadership Best Practices
Once you have the people, technology, and structure in place, the way you lead will be crucial, especially as your team will be geographically distant from each other.
When leaders apply the same tactics they use for face-to-face management toward virtual teams, it almost always fails. Not only do virtual teams need entirely different management approaches, the prevailing global uncertainty also needs to be addressed.
Here are ways to lead your virtual team during these times:
Set Expectations Right from the Start
It’s a good idea to revisit team roles and responsibilities, whether it’s a new team or you’re transitioning an in-office one to a virtual setup. This refreshes everyone with their duties and helps them keep it in mind as they adjust to the new work setup.
Communicating your business’ goals and values to your virtual team gives them a sense of belonging and direction as they work apart from their teammates.
Along with setting expectations for deliverables and results, encourage your team to set boundaries between work and home, as well as healthy routines that will keep them in tip-top shape physically and mentally.
Make sure your employees know there’s nothing more important to you than their safety and well-being. Employees, during these times, look to their leaders to protect them as well as the business.
Over-communicate With Your Team
You can never communicate too much when you’re managing a virtual team. According to Deloitte, virtual work lowers team engagement by 80%. You can keep them engaged by checking in on how they’re doing and making yourself available online.
While you should over-communicate, you should also be strategic about it. Put a structure in place. Set up communication guidelines that specify who should communicate what information, plus where and when it should be expressed.
Instead of constant back-and-forths that could disrupt your employee’s workflow, schedule regular meetings and catch-ups instead.
Overall morale might not be very high, but you can augment this with intentional informal gatherings. Encourage your team to put virtual happy hours or get-togethers in their calendar. They’re crucial for engagement and morale, but they won’t likely happen organically without your intervention.
Always keep your employees informed the best you can with company news and decisions. Keeping them up to speed will reduce feelings of fear and anxiety over their jobs as they do their work.
Communication also shows transparency, which tells your virtual team that you are empathetic to their situation and have a genuine concern for them.
Know When to Let Go
Hand-in-hand with over-communication, you also need to know when to let go and let your employees do their work.
If you empower your virtual team members to take the initiative, you’ll be surprised by what they’ll accomplish. Distributing responsibility keeps your team leaders from getting burnt out.
“To lead a virtual team, you must first trust them. This is even more paramount in this kind of setup,” according to Jamie Sheldon, owner of parcel mail forward company MyUKMailbox.
“When you trust your team, you also avoid being the bottleneck that keeps them from keeping the wheels of your business turning.”
To ensure that your employees are productive and focused without you having to keep an eye on them, you can set up a buddy coaching system where team members pair off to check in with each other regularly.
Be Open to Feedback
Communication is a two-way street. When you check in with your employees and let them know the vital information related to their work and the company, you should also listen if they have something to say.
Encourage your team to give you feedback, seek clarifications, and ask questions to minimize possible errors due to miscommunication.
When you show how open you are to feedback and input, you tell your employees that you’re willing to listen and be flexible to their needs during these uncertain times.
Respond authentically to feedback. Don’t be afraid to show vulnerability even with your team. In these uncertain times, moments of humanity remind us of all of our shared experiences.
Key Takeaways
These are uncertain times, yes, but they don’t have to be scary times. Businesses can thrive virtually if business owners and leaders acknowledge the different virtual work challenges instead of trying to apply traditional strategies where they do not fit.
Now more than ever, it is time to be agile in adopting new technologies and new leadership styles to adjust to the new normal.
Ensure you’re also mindful of what your virtual team members are going through. Business success is inextricable from your employees’ trust in you.
The election cycle is upon us, and the political environment is more contentious and divisive than ever before. Here's how to get through it.
Originally published Nov. 18, 2018
It comes around every few years like clockwork, arriving like an uninvited houseguest that sets up shop and refuses to leave. Like it or not, the divisive election cycle is upon us once again, and the contentious political environment is worse now than ever before.
Partisan politics have been part of the American landscape for quite some time, but this election cycle is like nothing we have ever seen. From married couples torn apart by their choice of candidates to ruined friendships both online and off-, political differences have reached a breaking point, and many voters are feeling the pain. There has been a marked increase in people seeking professional counseling as a result of the current election, so if you are looking for ways to cope, you are not alone. Here are some practical tips to help you survive the current election cycle and come out whole, no matter which candidate ends up on Capitol Hill.
Resist the Urge of Social Media
Social media in particular has become a partisan swamp this election cycle, and resisting its siren call is one of the best ways to cope. Avoiding political posts on Facebook and staying out of political discussions online will give you a refreshing break from the current election cycle.
Instead of focusing on politics and political discussions, delve into the things you really like to do. Whether it is going to the movies, reading a good book, or just relaxing, finding an alternative to politics will make your life better and more fulfilling.
Do Your Own Research
Determining what is true and false can be difficult even in the best of times, but in the heat of a contentious election cycle, the truth often gets lost in the shuffle. The fractured nature of news coverage and the internet make getting to the truth that much harder, but it is important to persevere.
“Seeking out independent news sources with a long track record of impartiality is the best way to sort out the facts and get the truth about what the candidates say and what is really true,” says Walter Powell, NFL veteran, African American tech expert, and CEO of Politiscope.
Break the 24-Hour News Cycle
Being able to access news and information 24 hours a day is good in theory, but the reality is a lot less attractive. If you are feeling overwhelmed by the current news cycle and unduly worried about the outcome of the election, it is time to take a step back and break the 24-hour news cycle. You can be just as informed watching the evening news, and you will feel a lot better.
No matter how you feel about the current state of the midterm elections or the quality of the candidates in contention, you can rest easy knowing it will all soon be over. No matter who wins, life will go on, and the sun will rise the morning after Election Day.
Matthew Knowles Blames Record Labels For Beyoncé’s Lack Of Album Of The Year Grammys
Beyoncé's father, Matthew Knowles, offered his own insight as to why the most decorated Grammy winner of all time can never take home Album of the Year.
Matthew Knowles has entered the chat about why Beyoncé has never won Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards. The singer’s father attributes the issue to record labels, starting with her own, Columbia Records, and its lack of campaigning on her behalf.
His two cents on the matter come after his son-in-law, Jay-Z, reignited the conversation during his speech at the awards show on Feb. 4. After being honored with the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, Jay-Z mentioned that his wife is the most decorated Grammy winner of all time, yet has never won the Academy’s highest accolade — and held the voting members accountable for the role they play in the decision.
Knowles, on the other hand, remarked that another player is involved in his eldest child’s constant snubbing in the most coveted category. The patriarch joined TMZ Live on Feb. 5 to discuss how record labels have much to do with the ongoing problem in the music industry.
“People don’t know the process. Your record label can only appoint one person in a category. So that means her record label, I’m going to call you out, Columbia Records, has never really put her in that category for consideration.”
The show’s co-hosts, Charles Latibeaudiere and Harvey Levin, inquired further, asking Knowles why they only singled out Beyoncé in this nomination, especially given her success in almost all aspects.
“Well again when you have, going back to Adele and Beyoncé being on the same record label, the record label can only support one of those artists,” Knowles explained. “There’s a lot of reasons. There’s a financial reason. Maybe Adele sold more records worldwide. I don’t know these answers, but these are some of the thought processes that they go through. Maybe you say Beyoncé has her success. Here’s an opportunity to push Adele, so let’s push her…It’s a combination of all, but it starts with the label.”
Knowles added more context into the possible reasons why the “Cuff It” singer has never been honored with the award, but the racial element behind who gets Album of the Year cannot be ignored. No Black woman’s work has won it since The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, in 1999. While campaigning pushes from record labels hold some merit, the way academy voters view Black women’s artistry as a whole must also be addressed to get to the bottom of why Beyoncé has yet to be granted the top spot.
Adams told the Queens-born rapper to “hit him up” when 50, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, posted a screenshot on Feb. 3 of details for the mayor’s latest migrant crisis plan. In a tweet, Jackson said he spoke with Adams and now has a better understanding. He wants to speak with New York’s Governor Kathy Hochul next.
“I talked to @NYCMayor Eric Adams he broke down why this pilot program was put in place. He appeared to be on point and on top of things, he said.
“Now, I want to talk to @GovKathyHochul about the laws preventing him from doing things to make the situation better in New York. and where the proposed 2.4 billion she’s planning on spending on migrants is coming from…NOT MY TAXES! http://gunitbrands.com”
I talk to @NYCMayor Eric Adams he broke down why this pilot program was put in place. He appeared to be on point, and on top of things. Now I want to talk to @GovKathyHochul about the laws preventing him from doing things to make the situation better in New York. 🤨and where the… pic.twitter.com/NIa1NwImHy
The new plan will provide pre-loaded credit cards to families at the Roosevelt Hotel to use at bodegas, grocery stores, supermarkets and convenience stores. Referred to as The Immediate Response Card Initiative, a group of 500 migrant families staying at the hotel will first receive the cards in replacement for the food service being offered there.
“First to Fitty, I have not had one birthday that I have not played his music,” Adams told reporters. “I would love to explain it to him so that he can go out and do another tweet of saying, ‘You know what, Eric is just a smart manager, and now we understand why he was elected by the people of the city of New York.’”
He continued saying, “Maybe he’ll write a song about me.”
Before getting his answer, 50 started speculation regarding his choice of a presidential candidate. In expressing his initial frustration over the policy, the rapper made a statement claiming, “Maybe Trump is the answer.”
This isn’t the first time the rapper has alluded to support of former President Donald Trump.
“WHAT THE F—! (VOTE ForTRUMP) IM OUT. F— NEW YORK The KNICKS never win anyway,” the rapper said on Instagram. “I don’t care Trump doesn’t like black people 62% are you out of ya f—— mind.”
Killer Mike Releases Statement After Arrest And Is Confident Of Being Exonerated
'We experienced an over-zealous security guard, but my team and I have the upmost confidence that I will ultimately be cleared of all wrongdoing.'
After Atlanta recording artist Killer Mike was arrested at the Grammy Awards over the weekend and charged with a misdemeanor, the businessman released a statement about what happened.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Michael Render, better known as Killer Mike, responded to what has been on people’s minds regarding what took place that led to handcuffs being placed on his wrists and being led out of the Crypto.com Arena on Sunday, Feb. 4.
“As you can imagine, there was a lot going on, and there was some confusion around which door my team and I should enter. We experienced an over-zealous security guard, but my team and I have the utmost confidence that I will ultimately be cleared of all wrongdoing.”
The rapper, who also doubles as an activist, was arrested on a misdemeanor battery charge at the Grammy Awards after winning Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance awards for his song “Scientists & Engineers” and one for Best Rap Album, Michael. People were unclear about why he was arrested, but word spread quickly about the incident.
Even when Billboard reported that Killer Mike appeared on The Big Tigger Morning Show early Monday morning, he did not mention the situation and honed in on his historical three Grammy Award-winning evening. “I won a Grammy. We party all night. Shout out to my record label. Ain’t nothing had happened, man. But we winners. That’s it.”
Tigger tried to ask about the arrest in a different, indirect way, but Mike did not take the bait and said, “Didn’t I look good? I was fresh. All black, man. Then I went and picked up all the gold. We hit a speed bump, and then we hit a speed bump, and then we hit back to the party.”
A source close to the Atlanta rapper also spoke about the incident and discussed confidence that the case against Killer Mike would be thrown out after the facts are revealed.
“The situation has been overblown, but we are confident that the facts of the case when laid bare, will show that Mike did not commit the alleged offense, and he will be exonerated.”
Killer Mike won his first Grammy Award as a featured artist in 2003 when he appeared on OutKast’s “The Whole World.” He and the group won in the category of Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. In 2018, the Atlanta rapper was nominated for Best Rap Song for “Chase Me” by his group, Run the Jewels.
First Black Man Born In Colorado Honored Posthumously
As part of the 2024 Juanita Gray Community Service Awards and the Blacks in Colorado Hall of Fame Ceremony, the Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library in Colorado took the time to honor the man believed to be the first Black man born in Colorado.
On Feb. 3, William Whitsell was inducted into the Blacks in Colorado Hall of Fame. Though few pictures of Whitsell exist today, his legacy remains in his family and Central City, Colorado, an old mining town 35 miles outside Denver, where his descendants live.
In 2023, the City of Denver’s Parks and Recreation Department honored the state’s first Black state native by naming William H. Whitsell Park in his honor. Damon Jones, Whitsell’s great-great grandson, reflected on the legacy of his ancestor, telling Denver 7, “It lets me understand and just know that I’m standing on the shoulders of a great, great man. It probably didn’t even hit him like that even to know that he was the first Black male born in Colorado.”
According to Jones, the family traveled to Colorado to create their own opportunities, likely as part of the first Great Migration.
“For them to move to Colorado and to take refuge up into the mountains up into Gilpin County, where a lot of the work was at that time, it was a lot of mining and a lot of building,” said Jones. “It’s very impactful when you sit and think about it, and sit and think what he had to possibly go through— what they went through to even get here.”
Historians believe that Whitsell’s parents were most likely formerly enslaved people who came out West to help build the railroads in that part of the country. Eventually, the family moved to Denver and took up residence in the area where Union Station is presently located.
Cedric Buchanon, a member of the Library Commission, told Denver 7 why they chose to induct Whitsell into the Blacks in Colorado Hall of Fame.”
It’s the adventure of being that first individual born in Colorado—but then being here, growing up here, settling his roots, the family that has gone from generation to generation.”
Jones believes that Whitsell was a man of great courage and tenacity, which he likely got from his parents. Jones told CBS News, “They endured a lot. And to be a Black man back then — when our neighbors to the south were still fighting for our freedom — for him to be here and to be a part of the pioneers of how Colorado was going to be shaped? That alone just lets you know that you have to be a person with great tenacity to go through something like that. It’s because of people still digging at it that we are starting to get the recognition that he really deserves.”
