SCORE, small, contracts, business, black business, contract, agreement, trust, customer
by Black Enterprise

January 26, 2024

Land Big-Name Contracts Regardless Of Company Size

The secret to landing big contracts isn't deeper pockets or more manpower–it's getting prospects to trust you.

Originally Published Aug. 16, 2016

The secret to landing big contracts isn’t deeper pockets or more manpower–it’s getting prospects to trust you. Understanding this fact has not only helped our startup marketing company land on the Inc. 5000 list but also helped the roughly 2,000 small businesses we’ve coached compete with the world’s largest financial institutions. Based on our experience, here are six ways to jump-start your credibility.

Pay Attention to Branding

Branding lends an air of credibility and professionalism to any company. Small businesses can implement a successful branding strategy from the outset by ensuring that all visual assets, such as company colors and logos, are complementary and present across all marketing communications. I suggest working with an experienced web or graphic designer who can help you achieve a consistent look. Social media profiles, in particular, should be custom-tailored to match your professional website. To date, our design department has rebranded over 230 separate companies, and in every case, there has been a measurable increase in their lead volume as a result.

Apart from consistency in design, large companies understand the importance of using a specific tone in all marketing copy. With a bit of research, small businesses can adopt this practice just as effectively. Your target demographic and the language they speak will dictate whether your company’s tone is hip, informative, corporate, or otherwise.

Partner With Established Businesses

One of the greatest advantages large companies have over small businesses is longevity. Fortunately, late bloomers don’t have to be left in the dust–they can borrow some of this credibility by teaming up with businesses that have already earned customers’ trust.

It’s not necessary to enter into partnerships that are long-term or legally complicated. Instead, focus on targeting established companies that complement your product line and offer to promote their products or services in exchange for an endorsement.

Besides cross-promotion, other partnership opportunities exist, particularly online. For instance, it’s common for influencers to collaborate and publish an opinion post or a special report on a trending issue. These posts tend to go viral, and everyone involved benefits from the publicity.

Alternatively, you can form partnerships with trusted nonprofits by volunteering services or helping to raise funds for community initiatives.

Pitch Prospective Clients Like an Expert

Larger companies are often jacks of all trades, masters of none. Small businesses can exploit this by specializing in underrepresented segments of the industry and using that as an angle when pitching clients.

Another pitching strategy is offering extras. The key to making the right offer is to do your research beforehand. In particular, look for areas where your prospect is weaker than their competition and approach them with tactful suggestions for improvement. Then, follow through by offering an easy solution, such as a free consultation. One of the ways we’ve done this is by giving prospects a copy of our free “website report card” that shows where their online presence is both strong and weak. The sum of these parts is tallied into a grade of A, B, C, or D and presented to the prospect in a way that shows how we can help them.

If all else fails, it’s relatively inexpensive to produce and offer an industry report that can be used as leverage when pitching clients.

Focus on Getting Quality Testimonials

If you’re a small business or are starting a new venture, landing your first significant contract can seem like a catch-22. To persuade clients to work with you, they want proof that you can deliver. The most valuable kind of proof comes in the form of video or written testimonials from trusted businesses. The video testimonial section of our website is one of our most visited pages.

New businesses can bypass the slow grind and quickly build up a slew of testimonials by offering prospects a bargain so good they’d be foolish to turn it down. For instance, you might offer a fully featured trial version of your product or service in exchange for a favorable review. And don’t forget to offer a rewards program for clients who refer your services.

Use Trust Signals

Your company website is often your first point of contact with potential clients. Transparency — much more than slick web design — is crucial to earn their trust.

Here are a few simple ways you can put visitors to your website at ease:

  •  Obtain SSL encryption for pages that require users to fill out a form.
  •  Optimize your site for speed and easy navigation.
  •  Hire a professional copyeditor to polish all site content.
  •  Include a complete privacy policy.

The more detailed and up to date your contact information, the better. Besides a web contact form, include a toll-free number and information about office hours and estimated response times. If you run a location-independent operation such as an e-commerce store, get a virtual office address. Use departmentalized email addresses for maximum professionalism.

On the About Us page, include clear headshots of each team member and a brief bio detailing any relevant credentials or experience. In our case, the investment we made in professional photography has paid rich dividends. We now feature our staff photos on our homepage, in email signatures, and in the place of overused stock photos. This has allowed us to humanize our online company, and our members have expressed that they feel connected to us even though we haven’t met in person.

Finally, consider adding a short video clip or animation to your homepage that describes how your product or service works. Professionally edited videos can be outsourced for relatively cheap, which is a great way to give your website a large-company vibe. As soon as we added a video like this, our conversion rate increased by 34%.

Maintain a Great Digital Reputation

Whether most of your business transactions happen online or offline, one of the top indicators of your company’s credibility is its web presence, particularly its position in search. Commit to reinforcing your company’s image on the web with the following game plan:

  • Make SEO a priority. Keep Googlebot coming back to your site by adding a newsfeed that keeps the public abreast of recent developments in your company, such as contracts you’ve landed.
  • Maintain a daily presence on major social media channels.
  • Become a regular contributor to online and trade publications. Regularly pitch editors with valuable content demonstrating your expertise to your target market.

Remember, without the budget or staff that large businesses possess, credibility becomes your most valuable asset, so don’t neglect to flaunt it at every opportunity.

— THE BUSINESS COLLECTIVE

RELATED CONTENT: NBL National Black Supplier Development Program Participants Awarded $100M In Contracts

Raheem Morris, Atlanta Falcons
by Derek Major

January 26, 2024

Atlanta Falcons Hire Raheem Morris, First Full-Time Black Head Coach In Franchise History

The Atlanta Falcons have hired Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris as their new head coach.

The Atlanta Falcons have hired Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris as their head coach.

ESPN reports Morris is the first former NFL head coach Falcons owner Arthur Blank has hired in his 20-plus-year tenure. He’s also the first full-time Black head coach in the franchise’s history.

“This is a historic day for the Atlanta Falcons,” Blank said in a statement. “We are thrilled to welcome Raheem Morris back to Atlanta as the team’s new head coach.” 

“His time in LA has given him an enhanced perspective on everything from personnel, team operations, game planning, working with an outstanding offensive staff, and many other things that has helped him develop into an even more prepared coach in all aspects of the game. I believe his leadership skills have grown and his understanding of what it takes to have a highly collaborative one-team culture are now at a much higher level.”

Morris, who coached the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2009 through 2011, was hired after an extensive search by the Falcons that included two interviews with six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach Bill Belichick, ex-Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel, and former University of Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh.

Morris was raised in New Jersey and played college football at Hofstra University in Long Island. It’s also where he started his coaching career as a graduate assistant. His first full-time coaching job came in 1999 as Hofstra’s defensive back coach. His first NFL job came in 2001 as a defensive assistant with the Buccaneers.

There has been a notable influx of diversity in NFL coaching hires since the end of the regular season. Along with Morris, Antonio Pierce was promoted to the Las Vegas Raiders’ head coach while Jerod Mayo was hired as Belichick’s replacement in New England, giving the NFL six Black head coaches.

Additionally, Dave Canales, who was hired by the Carolina Panthers, is Mexican-American, making him the only Latino coach in the NFL.

RELATED CONTENT: Atlanta Falcons Rookie Bijan Robinson Hosts Summer Youth Camp With Mercedes-Benz And YMCA

Killer Mike Praises Rising Hip-Hop Artist Liljitm3n For Buying A Honda Accord Over Squandering His Money
by Rafael Pena

January 26, 2024

Killer Mike Praises Rising Hip-Hop Artist Liljitm3n For Buying A Honda Accord Over Squandering His Money

This move has sparked conversations about fiscal responsibility within the hip-hop community.

In a notable departure from the wild spending often associated with the Hip-Hop community, rap icons Killer Mike and Maxo Kream are commending the financial prudence of rising Florida rapper Liljitm3n. On Jan.23, the 21-year-old artist took to Instagram Stories to showcase his latest acquisition — a Honda Accord, which stands in stark contrast to the lavish spending habits prevalent among his peers.

https://twitter.com/HipHopDX/status/1750257122561102037?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1750257122561102037%7Ctwgr%5E49b3494cd1dd0e8f237428fa9a473cf534be5686%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fhiphopdx.com%2Fnews%2Fkiller-mike-maxo-kream-florida-rapper-honda-benz

Further reinforcing the significance of Liljitm3n’s choice, Quality Control Music CEO Pierre “P” Thomas and Yella Beezy also applauded the move in their replies, recognizing the long-term practicality of such a decision in an industry known for extravagant displays of wealth.

In contrast, hip-hop luminary Fat Joe recently made headlines for his extravagant purchase—a custom-built Rolls Royce Cullinan. The rapper spent a staggering $750,000 on the luxurious vehicle, allocating an additional $100,000 for the construction of the car’s exterior frame, a process that spanned a month.

Will Castro of Unique Whips: Special Editions was the mastermind behind Fat Joe’s lavish purchase. According to TMZ, Castro is also responsible for crafting two other Rolls Royces for the New York rapper, including an orange and black one the previous year.

Interestingly, Fat Joe’s penchant for luxury vehicles is not new. In 2021, the rapper invested approximately $35,000 in restoring LL Cool J’s 1986 Audi 5000, a vehicle that holds historical significance as one of his first lavish purchases after signing a record deal with Def Jam. Stored at his grandmother’s home for three decades, the vehicle underwent extensive repairs, including new bodywork, a fresh paint job, installation of a custom two-tone black leather interior, and a full engine rebuild.

Still, Liljitm3n’s decision to prioritize financial responsibility over extravagant displays of wealth is setting a refreshing example in an industry often characterized by excess. This move has sparked conversations about fiscal responsibility and challenging the prevailing norms within the hip-hop community.

RELATED CONTENT: Damon Dash Responds To Fat Joe’s ‘You Made A JAY-Z, Go Make Another JAY-Z’ Comment

BOSS, Women, achieving, career, goals, goal setting, Entrepreneurs, outside the box
by Atiya Jordan

January 26, 2024

In Celebration Of Its 15th Year, The BOSS Network Unveils Programs For Black Women Entrepreneurs

When Dr. Cameka Smith founded The BOSS Network in 2009, she sought to address the challenges and needs of Black women founders.

The BOSS (Building Our Successful Sisters) Network, an online enterprise of supportive and empowering Black women in business, is celebrating its 15th year with two programs.

BOSS is bringing back its premier program, The BOSS Impact Fund, which provides grants for Black women entrepreneurs and access to a 1-year mentorship program. according to a press release. The organization has also secured partnerships to offer a new training and mentorship program, “Pathways to Success, to support Black women entrepreneurs in Atlanta.

15 Years And Counting

When Dr. Cameka Smith founded The BOSS Network in 2009 she sought to address the challenges and needs of Black women founders. Less than 1% of minority founders receive investment funding for the start of their small business, according to the platform’s website. Now, more than a decade later, Smith boasts a network of over 200,000,. She launched the first BOSS Impact Fund three years ago, investing in 65 Black women founders.

“For the past fifteen years, The BOSS Network has been committed to investing in and equipping Black women entrepreneurs to achieve success in business,” said Smith.

“With Atlanta at the epicenter for Black business, The BOSS Network is excited to partner with Sage and Swoop on this program to not only provide resources, but to also empower them as they go to the next level in their business endeavors.”

THE BOSS Impact Fund

Thanks to a partnership with Sage Foundation, a global organization committed to grant giving and partnership investment with additional funding, The BOSS Impact Fund provides access to capital and entrepreneurial mentorship opportunities. Applications for the collaborative initiative, the Invest in Progress 2024 grant, opened Jan. 22. Twenty-five grants are set to be distributed to Black women founders across the U.S., with seven going directly to Atlanta-based business owners. The program offers $10,000 business grants as well as training, networking, and comprehensive mentorship opportunities with The BOSS Network.

Applications for the Invest in Progress grant are due Feb. 23. Apply here.

Pathways To Success

The Pathways to Success training and mentorship program was developed and delivered through Sage Foundation, and in partnership with Swoop, a global fintech company specializing in funding solutions for businesses.

It is a solution to the most prominent challenges Black women founders in Atlanta face, which include the lack of access to funding and mentorship and ability to digitally scales business growth. In the program, 150 Atlanta-based Black women entrepreneurs will take on a curated series of “training and roundtables, providing tactical advice to address and overcome financial and capital-raising challenges,” the release read. Participants will also receive one year of training access and a three-year membership to The BOSS Network.

To apply, visit the Pathways to Success program website. Applications are due Feb. 5. 

RELATED CONTENT: The BOSS Network To Honor Influential Women Of The ‘Divine Nine’ During 2023 ‘Ladies That Lead Conference’

social media, employees, office, guidelines, policies,
by Black Enterprise

January 26, 2024

How To Avoid Social Media Mishaps In The Workplace

Maintain consistent messaging and limit your company's chances of facing a public relations nightmare with these social media guidelines.

Originally published Sept. 1, 2016

It’s early Monday morning, but your office is already buzzing. At first, this seems like a good thing—your employees are hitting the ground running to start the week—but your excitement turns to dread when you overhear a conversation:

“Can you believe what Joe from sales tweeted yesterday?”

We’ve all cringed and laughed at articles about social media mishaps, and we’ve sworn that we’ll never be one of those people. But now, Joe from sales is one of those people, and because his Twitter bio says he works for your company, this is now your problem, too.

For the past several years, it’s been a goal of mine to help leaders prevent this from happening at their companies. A key ingredient to doing so is creating a social media policy—precautionary guidelines that help keep your brand from becoming the focal point of Monday morning’s gossip hour.

The goal isn’t to stifle your employees’ personal social media freedom. Rather, it’s to maintain consistent messaging and to limit your company’s chances of facing a public relations nightmare.

When creating your policy, here are five big things to keep in mind:

Don’t assume all of your employees understand social media

The majority of your employees—especially the younger ones—will have a fundamental knowledge of why social media exists, but don’t use that as an excuse not to spell it out for everyone. What one employee doesn’t know could always come back to bite you. Our company is built on the backbone of social media, so you’d expect that most everyone we hire is a social media expert. But even for us, it’s been important to provide education and training on the basics of social. Whether it’s a salesperson who wants to learn about social selling or an engineer who wants to improve his or her presence on LinkedIn, these are important things in today’s social environment, and we feel it’s critical to support our employees in those areas.

Provide a definition of the landscape

Every social media channel is different; what goes viral on one platform could easily flop on a different one. An informal “Hey BFFs, who needs a job and wants to work with me at my awesome company?” might be suitable for Facebook, but that same post probably won’t look so good on a more professional platform like LinkedIn. There is no hard and fast rule as to what goes where; it differs for everyone. Some people prefer to only post job-related content on LinkedIn, whereas others have no problem at all sharing it to Facebook. Our main recommendation is to be authentic and to apply common sense. If you’re posting lots of personal anecdotes on Twitter and not getting any engagement, that’s a good sign your followers don’t care for it. We encourage experimentation and diversification.

Maintain authenticity

The beautiful thing about social media is that every person has the opportunity to broadcast his or her voice. Like I said earlier, your social media policy shouldn’t stifle that ability. Instead, it should help add a personable element to your brand—a face to the name, if you will. My company prides itself on being unique and approachable, so in creating our policy, we wanted our associates’ voices to truly be theirs. We are pretty relaxed when it comes to vocabulary and tone, but not every company can afford to be so lenient in that regard. If you don’t need to hold such a tight rein, loosen your grip a little. Your employees will thank you kindly.

Define “confidentiality”

Not everything that happens within a company’s walls is meant for public consumption. When creating your social media policy, be sure to draw a hard line in the sand as to what can be posted, tweeted, and shared about (and what should be kept under wraps). It should be crystal clear to employees what is and isn’t off-limits. The vast majority of content we produce in our sales and marketing departments is pre-approved and distributed directly to employees in a way that encourages them to share it with their networks. Our employees know that if it’s delivered to them, it’s meant to be shared with the world. If it doesn’t get to them through that workflow, it’s off limits. Having these guidelines in place make confidentiality and compliance a non-issue for us.

Make sure your employees see the value of their voice

Today, peer recommendations are the most effective form of marketing. If your employees have personal social media accounts—and chances are they do—empowering them to share content and spread the good word about your brand is essential. Consumers will almost always take the word of a friend or peer over some anonymous user review (or someone named pixiegurl247, for that matter) on Yelp. I am sure to communicate to my employees that their social presence has directly impacted traffic to our website and blog. In fact, sometimes their posts drive more than 90 percent of our traffic.

Your employees’ voices are potential powerhouses for your company—but only if they know how to properly use them. Your social media policy should provide the exact guidance they need while still allowing them to be themselves.

With a great policy in place, leaders can drive website traffic, boost sales, increase public perception, and prevent their companies from becoming America’s next cringe-worthy headline.

RELATED CONTENT: How Can I Can Bring Attention To My Brand Without Using Social Media?

Nikki Haley, election, racism
by Sharelle Burt

January 26, 2024

Nikki Haley Doesn’t Like Being ‘Teased Every Day For Being Brown’ After Stating Racism Doesn’t Exist

Haley says she knows 'the hardships, the pain, that come with racism.'

As the race narrows for the GOP presidential candidate, Republican Nikki Haley is giving voters insight into her life – and the racism she experienced. This comes after she declared American has “never been a racist country.”

In a clip from a recent interview, Haley sat down with NBC News reporters to open up about growing up as a brown girl in South Carolina. She claims kids made fun of her on a daily basis as the “only Indian family in our small southern town.”

“I was teased every day for being brown,” Haley said. 

“So anyone that wants to question it can go back and look back at what I said on how hard it was to grow up in the Deep South as a brown girl.” 

Her explanation comes after she received criticism for claiming she “had Black friends growing up” after her Civil War comments, gaining additional pushback. But Haley doubled down, saying having Black friends is “a source of pride.”

“If you wanna know what it was like growing up, I was disqualified from a beauty pageant cause I wasn’t white or black and they didn’t know where to put me,” she argued. 

“So look, I know the hardships, the pain, that come with racism.”

It’s a completely different vibe from a Fox News interview on Jan. 16. When Fox News host Brian Kilmeade asked Haley if she was “involved in a racist party,” the former South Carolina governor responded, “We’re not a racist country, Brian. We’ve never been a racist country.”

Despite the legislation she worked on regarding the Walter Scott case and the Emanuel Nine, many commentators and critics think it’s too late for her to clean up the mess she has made. Republican strategist and CNN commentator Scott Jennings said Haley “hasn’t learned the critical issue of cleaning things up” and suggested Haley should “take the L and move on,” according to Forbes. 

Fellow CNN contributor Alyssa Farah Griffin somewhat agreed, saying Haley “did herself no favors” and “kind of put herself back where she was at the beginning of this issue.”

Voters and social media users seem to be on the same side of the analysts. One user said they are sick of her pandering. “When was she ever brown? She isn’t brown now,” the user said. “She’s whiter than Elizabeth Warren. I’m so sick of her pandering.”

Another user thinks this is a ploy to get ahead in the polls. “I don’t believe her. And I think it’s gross that she’s pulling the race card because she’s losing.” 

RELATED CONTENT: Donald Trump Defeats Nikki Haley In New Hampshire Primary; Haley Vows To Stay In Race 

American Airlines, Sued, Discrimination, passenger, Odor
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

January 26, 2024

American Airlines Flight Turned Around Due To Extreme Flatulence

An American Airlines flight was left no choice but to turn around before takeoff due to a seriously flatulent passenger.

An American Airlines flight had to turn around due to one flyer’s excessive farting. The gassy aggressor was removed from the flight due to the disruption. 

The incident made the rounds on an Austin-based subreddit revealed by People, with passengers on the Jan. 14 trip from Phoenix to the Texas city recounting the ordeal. The passenger, who remains unidentified, became an even greater nuisance to his fellow travelers after he started doing it on purpose the issue. 

A Reddit user seated near the man overheard him saying, “You thought that was rude? Well, how about this smell.” He promptly launched a loud fart, to the dismay of those around him. What inspired his original act of rudeness was unclear, but the issue stirred up a bout of gassiness. 

“[I don’t know] what provoked that comment, and while kinda funny to overhear, it was uncalled for especially coming from a grown man on an airplane nonetheless,” the passenger shared. 

Travelers surrounding him began to respond to the incessantly farty man, who was assumed to use the smell to fight back against another odor looming from a passenger nearby. As the exchange became more heated and smelly, the flight crew was left with no choice but to remedy the issue by deplaning the man. 

Fortunately, the ordeal never made it past the runway, allowing the plane set for Austin to return to its gate, where a flight attendant relayed the news to the controversial flyer.

“We get back to the gate and a flight attendant comes back and informs fartman that he will not be staying on this flight,” detailed a Redditor. “He simply replies, ‘I don’t understand,’ and she tells him they’ll talk about it off the plane.” 

According to their account, the anonymous farter left without another blow.

“He gets up, grabs his bag and quietly exits the plane. We all breathed a sigh of relief when he was removed, I think most people were on edge about what he may say or do next. The trip was only delayed by 15-30 minutes, so all in all I think American handled it swiftly.”

With the airline refusing to comment publicly on the matter, this case of extreme flatulence may not be one they want to air. 

RELATED CONTENT: Viral Video Of Florida Airport Employees Damaging Wheelchair Prompts Federal Investigation

Elon Musk, tesla, bakery
by Daniel Johnson

January 26, 2024

Elon Musk Slammed For Controversial Comments On Diversity In Aviation Programs

Musk asserted that aviation programs at HBCUs will produce less qualified pilots because of diversity programs designed to equal the playing field for Black pilots.

Controversial Tesla and SpaceX owner Elon Musk has once again taken aim at diversity, equity, and inclusion – this time, in aviation programs. He suggested that a catastrophic plane crash might be necessary to end what he referred to as a “crazy policy of diversity and inclusion” in the field.

Expressing concerns about the impact on the qualifications of pilots from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) like Delaware State University and Texas Southern University, the X/Twitter owner’s remarks prompted a response from Delaware State University President Dr. Tony Allen.

In a letter, Allen calling the allegations “unoriginal in their amplification of antiquated racial tropes” and highlighting the historical contributions of their aviation program. Allen said he felt it was necessary to correct Musk via a letter. Allen also told WBOC, “It took me a little while to think about writing that letter actually because I didn’t want to dignify Mr. Musk’s comments, and then I thought about the history of our aviation program.”

Willie Brown, of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, (UMES) also spoke to WBOC, and placed emphasis on the collaboration between the two universities. “We want to let Elon Musk know that HBCU aviation programs are here to work together, and we pride ourselves on partnerships,” Brown said.

Allen said that his comments were motivated in part by a desire that students at the university and in the aviation program in particular, understand that the university had their backs, saying, “It’s really about conversation and context, and when I see those things not happening — both talking out of context or not willing to have a conversation — I do see it as my responsibility and the university’s responsibility to speak out,” Allen continued.  “I did not want his (Musk’s) comments to reflect poorly on [our students] in any way. I wanted them to know that their university and university president stood behind them.”

According to the Federal Aviation Administration their HBCU Initiative Program and its associated committee was created to help spotlight FAA programs that would benefit students enrolled at HBCUs. Alongside Delaware State University,  the other partner institutions are Hampton University, Elizabeth City State University, Langston University, Florida Memorial University, Tuskegee University, Tennessee State University, Texas Southern University, UMES, and Morgan State University.

NAACP National President Derrick Johnson reminded the tech billionaire on Twitter that his sheltering of white supremacist groups and platforms on X/Twitter is much more of a problem than a diverse group of pilots are, writing underneath Musk’s tweet.

“Reminder to Elon Musk: providing a home for the proliferation of hate speech and white supremacist conspiracy theories kills people. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion cultivates a more inclusive society. They are not the same. We are not the same,” Johnson tweeted.

Marc Morial, president/CEO of the National Urban League, addressed the Tesla co-founder via a statement given to NBC News that his company was under investigation due to complaints of racism at Tesla. Morial characterized Musk’s statements as “abhorrent and pathetic” before stating, “Musk’s company not only refused to investigate complaints or take any steps to end the abuse, it viciously retaliated against employees who complained or opposed the abuse.”

Morial added, “The only thing anyone needs to hear from Musk about diversity in the workplace is an apology.”

In addition to Johnson and Morial’s statements, United Airlines released a statement of their own, emphasizing that every pilot they employ must meet the same rigorous requirements. “United is proud to maintain the highest standards in our pilot hiring, training, and safety practices. Every aviator who joins our ranks must meet them. No exceptions.”

RELATED CONTENT: Elon Musk Attacks Airlines’ DEI Efforts, Prompting Criticism From Civil Rights Leaders

Yara Shahidi, TED talk, perfume, Divine, Jean Paul Gaultier
by Stacy Jackson

January 26, 2024

Actress Yara Shahidi Celebrates Release Of TED Talk ‘Let Curiosity Lead’

In her TED talk, she encourages tuning out the pressure to define yourself by your job title and instead letting your inner voice guide you.

Over a year after taking the famed TED stage in Vancouver, Canada, acclaimed actor and producer Yara Shahidi celebrated the release of her full TED talk, “Let Curiosity Lead,” on social media earlier this week.

The 22-year-old star, known for her breakout roles on ABC’s “Black-ish” and “Grown-ish,” posted on Instagram that speaking at TED was a “bucket list dream” she’s had since age 15, Arab News reported.

Shahidi expressed gratitude for the opportunity to share the stage with thinkers who have impacted her in a social media caption, writing, “I also sit in gratitude to have shared the stage with people who have changed my trajectory and introduced me to new ways of thinking. (Yep, I was that 10-year-old listener, and that 15-year-old that would memorize TED talks for speech and debate competitions, and listen to TED radio hour when in need of inspiration). What a FULL CIRCLE moment to be able to share my passion around the transformative powers of embracing curiosity.”

In the released talk, Shahidi unpacks the power of creativity and how to tap into it. She challenges the cultural focus on expertise over curiosity, stating, “Think about how many times we ask each other the question, ‘What do you do?’ Which is really a proxy in my mind for a much more pressing question – ‘Who are you right now?’ Because what we do is only a fraction of who we are. And this culture of heralding expertise means that our curiosities are often mislabelled as distractions. I would love to think through what we could be missing out on by not actively prioritizing our curiosity.”

Shahidi’s diverse creative pursuits span acting, producing, activism, and fashion. She recently became the face of Jean-Paul Gaultier’s new “Divine” fragrance campaign, a role she called the dawn of her “golden era” on social media. Arab News previously noted that the new scent is vegan, cruelty-free, and made from 90% natural origin ingredients.

Shahidi, 22, brings a Gen Z perspective on finding one’s calling and the importance of exploration.

RELATED CONTENT: Yara Shahidi Leaves Emmy Awards Early to Make It to Her Harvard Class On Time

Academy of American Poets, Jericho Brown, Academy of American Poets
by Rafael Pena

January 26, 2024

Emory Luminary Jericho Brown Named Chancellor Of Academy Of American Poets

Emory University's Jericho Brown has been appointed to the esteemed Board of Chancellors of the Academy of American Poets.

Emory University’s distinguished Charles Howard Candler Professor of English and Creative Writing, Jericho Brown, has been appointed to the esteemed Board of Chancellors of the Academy of American Poets, according to Emory News Center. The academy, now celebrating its 90th year, has seen over 125 revered poets, such as Elizabeth Bishop, Rita Dove, and Adrienne Rich, serve as chancellors, playing pivotal roles as artistic advisers, poetry ambassadors, and judges for the academy’s significant literary awards.

Brown, a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, joins the current 15-member board alongside newly appointed chancellors Diane Seuss and Afaa Michael Weaver. The diverse board comprises influential poets like Natalie Diaz, Joy Harjo, and Tracy K. Smith, all of which bring poetic wisdom and experience to guide the academy’s initiatives.

Tess O’Dwyer, chair of the Academy’s Board of Directors, expressed pride in the diversity of voices within its leadership, stating, “Everything we do as an academy is enhanced by the collective wisdom of our chancellors.” O’Dwyer continued, “We celebrate the contributions these newly elected chancellors have made to poetry, on and beyond the page, across the nation and the world.”

Jericho Brown, whose groundbreaking work includes the Pulitzer Prize-winning collection The Tradition, has introduced innovative poetic forms such as the “duplex.” His literary achievements also include the American Book Award-winning debut, Please, and Anisfield-Wolf Book Award recipient The New Testament.

Acknowledged with prestigious honors like the Whiting Writers’ Award and fellowships from the Academy of American Poets, the Guggenheim Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts, Brown’s impact on the world of poetry extends beyond his written words. Since joining Emory University’s faculty in 2012, he has directed its acclaimed Creative Writing Program, shaping the next generation of poets. This spring, will serve as the program’s interim director as well as lead an advanced poetry workshop for undergraduates.

RELATED CONTENT: Two Prairie View A&M Graduates Use Poetry And Education To Reach Youth In Houston

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