Roth IRA, retirement, child, kid, account, retire

by Charlene Rhinehart

January 24, 2024

How To Open A Retirement Savings Account For Your Kids And Help Them Accumulate $1M Before They Reach 50

Are your children earning any income? Then they can get a head start on a retirement savings account for kids. Here's how.

Originally Published Jul. 10, 2019

Do your kids have a summer job, or are they helping you in the family business? They can get a head start on a retirement savings account if they are making money.

For a minor to qualify for an individual retirement account, your child must earn income from traditional or self-employment opportunities such as babysitting, mowing the lawn, or tutoring. Also, the contribution limit for custodial Roth IRAs is $6,500, or the total amount of money your child made during the year, whichever is less, or their current earnings in a given period, whichever amount is lower.

Ready to prepare your child for future wealth-building opportunities? Here’s how to open a retirement account for your child:

Open a Custodial IRA

Kids of any age can contribute to a retirement account like a Roth IRA if a parent or adult opens the account as a custodian. A custodial Individual Retirement Account permits the parent to control the investments in the IRA until the child reaches a certain age (usually 18 or 21), but the assets belong to the child.

You can open a custodial IRA through a brokerage firm or bank. Work with a financial coach or CPA to learn how to research and navigate your options.

“Find out who has the lowest fees and the best reputation,” says Jeff Wilson II, author of The Lies Our Parents Were Sold and Told Us and principal CPA at The W2 Group accounting firm. Also, determine if you will manage your retirement account or have someone else manage it. If you plan to manage it, find a company that actively manages portfolios and has a good brand. Working with a trusted CPA can help you make these important decisions that will provide a foundation for your child’s future wealth-building activities.”

Contribute Money to Your Account

After successfully opening a custodial IRA for your child, it’s time to fund your account. In previous years, the maximum amount that can be contributed to children’s retirement funds has ranged between $6,000 and $6,500 annually or the total amount of money your child made during the year, whichever is less.

For example, if your child earned $3,000 as a babysitter last summer and that’s the only job they worked last year, then that $3,000 is the most that can be contributed to the account.

But let’s say you hire your child to work in your small business throughout the year, and the child earns $12,000 for the year. Not only can the child max out their retirement account with a $6,000 contribution, but they also get the benefits of not having to pay taxes on the money they earn.

You don’t have to contribute a lump sum at once. You can make weekly or monthly contributions to your account. Use whatever time frame works best for you. If your child can contribute $500 a month toward their retirement account, in 12 months, they will achieve the goal of maxing out their Roth IRA account with $6,000.

Choose Your Investments

The parent or adult has control over the type of investments that are pursued in the retirement portfolio. You can take the safe route by parking the money in a money market account. Alternatively, you can take advantage of capital appreciation and dividend income by investing the retirement funds in assets such as individual stocks and exchange-traded funds.

If your child started contributing the maximum amount to a Roth IRA account at 10 years old and received a 7% annual rate of return from investing in the markets, your child will have well over $1 million set aside for retirement before age 50! And all it took was starting early and contributing just $6,000 a year of earned income.

Black farmers, Local Lands, food desert, deserts

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

January 24, 2024

Local Lands, A Black-Owned Farm, Widens Reach For Georgia Residents To Combat Food Deserts

Black-owned family farm, Local Lands, is widening its access with the help of a nonprofit grant.

Local Lands, a Black-owned farm in Georgia, is widening its reach to provide healthy food options to more communities in the state. A grant from a local nonprofit is helping it achieve its mission.

The nonprofit organization, The Common Market Southeast, has secured funding for Local Lands as part of its distribution program benefitting Black, Indigenous, and women farmers. This grant program will allow Local Lands and other diverse farms to produce food on a larger scale and enable underserved communities to access sustainable, nutritional goods.

On the grant, Local Lands spoke to 11Alive about what the additional monetary support means to its production, which is now expanding to produce for local consumers and larger establishments such as schools, hospitals, and governmental entities.

The grant has allowed the farm to increase its production of pasture-raised eggs at five times the previous rate. “The grant has helped us decrease the cost of our eggs,” explained a member of Local Land, Raphaela Ysrael. “Small family farms like ourselves, we don’t necessarily have the capacity, you know, certain generational wealth, that we’re able to decrease the cost of our eggs to the general public.”

This financial assistance will increase options and production capacity for diverse farmers to thrive within the food industry while directly impacting the communities they initially intended to serve. This initiative grants these farms the resources and security to grow more crops and allows for more lucrative purchase commitments, as evidenced by Local Lands securing over $80,000 in purchase commitments.

“Historically underserved farmers have long been excluded from wholesale opportunities,” explained The Common Market Southeast Executive Director Bill Green.

“This program builds on the work begun during the USDA’s pandemic-era contracts to engage historically underserved producers, promoting sustainability and equity in local food systems while delivering fresh, ecologically responsible produce to communities.”

Although widening sales opportunities, these farmers are also remedying concerns surrounding food deserts, often found in underserved communities, by prioritizing and providing accessible and affordable groceries to these areas. According to Asa Ysrael, head farmer at Local Lands, this “target focus” will be crucial to addressing Georgia’s food concerns.

“With that kind of target focus, we’re trying to help out the southern side of metro Atlanta, especially because access to organic, local fresh food is at a very minimum, like we said, that we’re in one of the food deserts.”

According to Oxford Languages, a food desert is defined as “an urban area in which it is difficult to buy affordable or good-quality fresh food. Many poor people live in food deserts—where they have plenty of food but none of it healthy.”

These farmers remain committed to their growth and sustainable business practices by standing firm in their values and mission to their communities. According to Local Lands’ EliYahu Ben Asa, fostering these relationships with the people this food is ultimately grown for is a responsibility they hold in the highest regard,

“As farmers, not just farmers, but Black farmers, we’re pillars of the community, and people really look up to us and the way that we function.”

by Lydia Blanco

January 24, 2024

Make Sure Your Business Aligns With Your Purpose

Jovian Zayne, founder of the OnPurpose Movement and International Day of Purpose, wants to help entrepreneurs create a purpose-driven business.

Originally published July 27, 2019

It’s one thing to launch a business; it’s another to launch a business with a purpose. Jovian Zayne, founder of the OnPurpose Movement, created a purpose-driven business.

The certified leadership and professional development coach, consultant, and public speaker says that purpose is the foundation of her work and the core of who she is.

Zayne says she has worked with Google, Goldman Sachs, The New York Times, Columbia University, Harvard University, The Clinton Foundation, The Aspen Institute, Janelle Monáe’s Wondaland Records, and Teach for America.

“When I think about purpose through my work, I think about it through service and impact,” says Zayne. “When people are thinking about using their sense of purpose to grow a business, you need to build your business on purpose, not by accident. Be very thoughtful around why are you doing this.”

She adds that being honest about why you want to start a business is key.

“I don’t think there’s a problem with starting a business because you want it to be profitable. And to that point, asking yourself ‘Am I doing this in a way that honors the values I hold most dear?’ will help you.”

When it comes to making a profit from a purpose-driven business, Zayne says, “Self-care is knowing your worth and being comfortable asking for it. No matter what products or services you provide, you thrive when you know what value you add.”

“I believe in the work that I do; I believe in the service I provide, and I believe that my gifts will make room for me. I also believe in creating a sustainable business that can create a legacy and generational wealth for people who look like me. That is something I’m committed to doing in this world, because one of my values is equity.”

She concludes, “People should be putting their value where their output is. You can’t say that you’re doing critical work and let people pay you chump change, it’s just not gonna work. You won’t be able to continue to do the work that’s important and have a scalable business.”

A Framework for Creating Purpose

A big part of her work with corporations and individuals begins with being clear about not only the goals of the client but how she can best serve them. She starts her work with her “Core Five Framework.” As a part of that framework, Zayne encourages entrepreneurs to ask themselves the following questions:

Who do I want to serve right now?
What skills, gifts, resources, and experiences do I have right now that I feel most compelled and uniquely positioned and called to use to positively serve this group?
What habits need to shift in order for this impact to be real?
Who needs to impact me?
Who do I want to be as I serve?

Zayne’s framework serves as a guide, but she also says that when doing the work it is important that you ask, “What value are you bringing with you?”

In addition, Zayne says that impactful work requires a team effort: “I deeply believe that you can’t be your best self by yourself.”

Doing Business On Purpose Requires a Lifestyle Shift

“There were certain things that I needed to shift in order to set my life up to be an entrepreneur. And it was everything from creating a different kind of health routine to creating structures that supported me being effective and keep my energy up,” says Zayne. She offers these tips on creating a business with purpose:

Automate services and tasks that might be time-consuming and easy to forget to complete.
Find a community of people who will hold you accountable.
Create a routine that supports your health and wellness as you do the work so that you don’t burn out.
Be more ferocious and committed to carefully curating what you allow in your spirit: from who you follow on your social media to what you watch on TV, the books you read, etcetera.

by Rafael Pena

January 24, 2024

New York City Launches $2B Medical Debt Relief Initiative

New York City aims to alleviate the burden of medical debt for up to 500,000 residents, totaling over $2 billion, as part of a comprehensive initiative.

Fortune reports that New York City intends to alleviate the burden of medical debt for up to 500,000 residents, totaling over $2 billion, as part of a comprehensive initiative announced by Mayor Eric Adams on Jan 22.

Partnering with the nonprofit organization RIP Medical Debt, the city plans to address a significant contributor to personal bankruptcy by purchasing medical debt in bulk from hospitals and debt collectors at a fraction of its value. RIP Medical Debt specializes in targeting the debt of individuals facing financial hardships or with low incomes, and subsequently forgives those amounts.

Under this unprecedented program, New York City commits to spending $18 million over the next three years to provide relief to those who are struggling with the financial fallout of medical bills. Mayor Adams emphasizing the devastating impact of medical debt on middle- and working-class New Yorkers, citing the challenging choices these families often face between paying medical bills and meeting basic life essentials.

Citing medical debt as the leading cause of bankruptcy in the United States, Adams described the relief initiative as the most extensive municipal effort of its kind in the country. He said that the $18 million investment over three years is a worthwhile commitment for the well-being of its residents.

Adams expressed the gravity of the situation, saying, “If you are able to … save $2 billion in debt, that $2 billion trickles down to those households, who are not going to fall into our safety net. They’re not going to fall into our homeless system.”

RIP Medical Debt’s President and CEO Allison Sesso confirmed that the relief program would not involve a traditional application process. Instead, recipients will be notified that their debt has been acquired by a third party and subsequently eradicated.

While the initiative is unprecedented in scale, RIP Medical Debt has collaborated with other municipalities to address the pervasive issue of medical debt. New York City’s commitment to this program reflects a comprehensive approach to supporting vulnerable communities and preventing the long-term economic impact of medical debt.

As the city takes this significant step toward financial relief, it signals a potential model for other municipalities across the nation grappling with the pervasive challenges posed by medical debt.

How Roc Nation’s Co-Presidents Went From NYC Internships To The C-Suite

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

January 24, 2024

How Roc Nation’s Co-Presidents Went From NYC Internships To The C-Suite

Roc Nation co-presidents Shari Bryant and Omar Grant worked their way up from interning for Jay-Z and Beyoncé to leading Hova’s multi-million dollar entertainment company.

Meet Roc Nation co-presidents Shari Bryant and Omar Grant: East Harlem and Bronx natives, respectively, who worked their way up from interning for Jay-Z and Beyoncé to leading Hova’s multimillion-dollar entertainment company.

Bryant and Grant’s stars were always aligned with the Carters. Bryant grew up in the same apartment complex as Jay-Z’s former business partner Damon Dash, which helped her land an internship with Roc-A-Fella in 1999. Grant worked his way up from an internship he landed with Beyoncé’s publicist.

“Nobody knew I was there, no one was expecting me. They were like, ‘Who are you?’” Bryant recalled to Fortune of her start at Roc-A-Fella. “He finally comes in maybe like an hour later and he’s like, ‘Oh, yes, this is Shari. She’s from my building, and make sure that she learns everything that’s going on.’”

While she was determined to learn everything she could about the music industry, Bryant had no idea she would be leading Jay-Z’s full-service management, music publishing, and entertainment company 20 years later. However, she was aware of the representation she was providing as a Black woman.

“When I walked into that company in 1999, I never looked back, because I was able to see women that look like me, and it made me feel a sense of belonging,” Bryant said. “I saw my mother, I saw my aunt. Not literally, but that’s what the representations stood for me at that time.”

After interning with Roc-A-Fella, Bryant went on to hold executive titles at major labels like Warner Bros. Records, Atlantic Records, and Alamo Records before joining Jay-Z at Roc Nation.

Grant, a Bronx native, got his start interning for Beyoncé’s longtime publicist, Yvette Noel-Schure. After treating the internship like “a real job,” Grant eventually was introduced to Bey’s father, Matthew Knowles, and became the singer’s tour manager on her “Dangerously in Love” tour.

After serving as tour manager for each member of Destiny’s Child and other artists along with some A&R work, he later met Jay-Z, Jay Brown, and Ty Ty Smith, who served as mentors. In 2019, Grant joined Bryant as co-president, where they report to Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez and co-founders Jay Brown and Jay-Z.

“We were given the autonomy to reshape it for what we felt like it should look and feel like, and with that clean slate, it was a lot of just signing really early, emerging talent,” Bryant told Essence in 2023.

After decades of grinding their way to the C-suite, the Roc Nation presidents offered some advice to aspiring artists and music executives.

“Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard,” Bryant says. “You gotta be hustling as hard as us because we are working 24/7.”

“It still boils down to being authentic to what you want and who you are,” Grant says. “Actually studying and perfecting and obsessing over what it is that you want to do in your career and how, and just perfecting the art.”

introductory rate, credit cards, debt, APR, low interest, interest, debt

by Alfred Edmond, Jr.

January 24, 2024

Facing The Signs Of Debt Addiction

How much debt do you have?

Originally published Oct. 2, 2013

Financial problems come and go, but if you are stuck in a never-ending cycle of indebtedness, regardless of increases in your income and other changes in your financial situation, you may be addicted to debt. If so, you can’t fix it on your own—you’ll need professional help. It starts with facing the signs of debt addiction.

While most of us will admit to struggling with debt at one time or another, very few, unless forced to by a major financial crisis—and often not even then—will admit to being actually addicted to debt. In fact, when we are being crushed by debt, we tend to view it as something or somebody else’s fault (my spouse, my kids, the economy), not a result of our own choices. But the question remains: Are you a compulsive debtor?

Here are some of the classic signs of debt addiction:

Worrying about debts keeps you awake a night or interferes with your work and life during the day.
You dodge calls from creditors or other people you owe money to.
Using a credit card to pay for a purchase is a game of Russian roulette, with you never being sure if the charge will be authorized, and nervously reviewing whether one of the other cards in your wallet or purse will work if the one you’re using is rejected. And even if it goes through, you have no idea where you will get the money from to pay the credit card bill when the charges hit.

The following are all signs of the helplessness and lack of control common to all addictions, including debt-creating behavior.

You often use credit as a substitute for cash you don’t have to cover basic household expenses such as rent, utilities, and food. Essentially you’re taking out a loan to cover costs that should be financed by your income.
You avoid facing the truth of your financial situation. You won’t open the mail or balance your checkbook. You don’t know, and don’t want to know, the total of how much you owe, who you owe it to, or what penalties and fees are accruing.
You engage in so-called “retail therapy” (also known as shopping), eat, drink, or get high to escape the stress of debt and forget your money problems. Of course, as with any attempt to self-medicate an addiction, it only makes matters worse, intensifying the cycle of financial self-destruction.
You spend lavishly and often, comforting yourself with the notion that you’ll get rid of your debt and focus on saving when you make more money, get that big bonus, or finally hit the lottery. Someday.
You are constantly borrowing money from friends and relatives, oftentimes to make payments on money you owe to other friends and relatives.

You hide or lie to friends and family members, including your spouse or partner, about purchases you’ve made.
You can’t pay your taxes. You don’t save to pay them and you never have any money left over to meet your obligations when they come due.

Surviving a crisis does not change your habit

Sometimes, the prayer for a windfall does come through: an unexpected bonus at work, a major cash bailout from a relative, a chance to make extra money on the weekends. You’re able to avoid bankruptcy or losing your home to foreclosure. But you don’t see that as a chance to get rid of your debt, put away some savings, and get a fresh start. No, it’s time to spend all of the unexpected income and then some celebrating (see self-medication activities, above) your good fortune, often with lavish gifts and entertainment for family and friends. Once the money runs out, you’re right back where you started before you got it—or you’re in an even deeper hole.

Because it is a socially acceptable addiction, compulsive debt creation often not only goes untreated, it is actually encouraged, especially in an economy with an engine fueled by consumer spending. However, debt addiction is serious and can be just as destructive to individuals, families, and communities as any other addiction, so it’s important that we recognize and deal with it when we see it, especially if we see it in the mirror.

This brings me to what I believe is the number one sign of debt addiction:

Denial, typically characterized by an absolute refusal to seek professional help

Even when a person’s financial health and their family’s stability is threatened by their compulsive spending and debt habit. I personally know of cases where once law-abiding, educated, responsible (and yes, even religious) people turned to criminal activity to deal with their debt, rather than getting the help they needed to break the debt accumulation cycle.

If this is you or someone you know, please, for your sake and for those who care about and depend on you, get the professional help you need. If you don’t really have a problem, you have nothing to lose. If you do, you could lose everything if you don’t take action.

Kamala Harris, MLK, Martin Luther King Jr.

by Stacy Jackson

January 24, 2024

Kamala Harris Warns That Freedom Faces ‘Profound Threat’ In MLK Day Speech

Speaking at an NAACP event in South Carolina, Harris invoked King's legacy as she rallied voters to join Democrats in protecting rights.

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Vice President Kamala Harris delivered an urgent warning that freedom in America faces profound threats.

Speaking at a National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) event in South Carolina, Harris invoked King’s legacy as she rallied voters to join Democrats in protecting rights. Harris cited voting access, gun violence, and the overturning of Roe v. Wade as evidence that core freedoms are endangered, Reuters reported.

Quoting Coretta Scott King, the Vice President emphasized that freedom must be fought for and earned by each generation. Harris called on the crowd to “roll up [their] sleeves” and issue a resounding message this election: “We will fight. And when we fight we win,” the news source noted.

President Joe Biden honored Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy by volunteering in Pennsylvania, another battleground state. He loaded food packages, underscoring the ongoing fight against hunger and inequality, Reuters reported. Republicans campaigning in Iowa also linked their grassroots efforts to King’s values of democracy and justice.

Harris called it a pivotal time to secure freedoms for future generations. As she implored, “We were born for a time such as this,” Reuters noted. By channeling Dr. King’s aspirational vision on his holiday, Harris aimed to inspire action at the ballot box.

The speech comes as Democrats aim to energize and turn out Black voters, a key constituency. This effort is especially vital in South Carolina, where over 50% of Democrats are Black. The state will hold the Democratic primary on February 3.

In 2020, President Biden had a commanding win in the state. Now, an overwhelming victory could fend off primary challengers. While Biden’s support has slipped among younger and Black voters, according to the news source, South Carolina remains crucial to Democrats’ prospects.

As Harris stressed, protecting fundamental freedoms hinges on voters making their voices heard at the ballot box.

Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers, MLK

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

January 23, 2024

Cleveland Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell Displays MLK Tribute Sneakers

The title of Dr. King's most enduring speech, "I Have a Dream," appeared on the back of the sneakers.

The celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is an acknowledgement of the great work that the civil rights leader did to obtain equal rights in this country. Every year in January, people find ways to memorialize a great leader, and last week, according to ESPN, NBA player Donovan Mitchell did so while taking to the basketball court for a Jan. 15 game.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell put on a pair of sneakers that honored Dr. King in celebration of his birthdate. The footwear was a pair of his signature sneakers with Adidas, D.O.N. Issue 5s. The title of Dr. King’s most famous speech, “I Have a Dream,” which was delivered during the March on Washington in 1963, appeared on the back of the sneakers, along with the words “Respect, Peace, Love, Equality, Justice, Peace.” The sneakers he wore had a black-and-white color colorway with gold accents.

The Cavaliers, who are currently fourth in the Eastern Conference, played against the Chicago Bulls, who are in ninth place and out of the playoff picture, and beat them 109-91. Mitchell, the leading scorer on the Cavaliers’ team, scored 34 points with seven assists while going 11-for-21 from the field (52.4%) and hitting eight free throws out of eight attempts.

The sneakers, and the way he’s been playing lately, helped Mitchell reach a milestone two days after that game, according to Sportskeeda. When he scored during a 135-95 rout against the Milwaukee Bucks on Jan. 17, Mitchell made his 11,000th career NBA point. He had a game-high 31 points, pulled down five rebounds, and dished out seven assists. The numbers were a little higher than his per-game average of 28.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.8 assists this season.

Alicia Keys, Tony, 13, nomination, Hell's Kitchen, Broadway, Off-broadway

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

January 23, 2024

Alicia Keys Announces ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ Broadway Show Fellowship To Add Representation To Theater Workforce

Alicia Keys is launching a groundbreaking fellowship initiative on behalf of her Broadway show, Hell's Kitchen, that will bring diversity and representation to the Broadway workforce.

Alicia Keys is launching a groundbreaking fellowship initiative on behalf of her Broadway show, Hell’s Kitchen, that will bring diversity and representation to the Broadway workforce.

The program is dedicated to cultivating and securing the Broadway employment pipeline by actively involving individuals from historically overlooked communities. The aim is to integrate them as continuous contributors to the Broadway workforce.

The fellowship program will position fellows in nine departments: direction, choreography, scenic design, costume design, lighting design, sound design, projection design, company management/executive producing, and public relations.

The initiative is driven by a commitment to representation in today’s theater landscape and draws inspiration from the intersectional experiences of BIPOC theater creators and administrators. Fellows will gain insights into the inner workings of large-scale Broadway musicals, receive mentorship in their chosen department, and undergo comprehensive training aligned with their interests and talents.

Networking opportunities with industry experts, private and group coaching sessions, and engagements with Broadway’s leading creative and management teams are also available. To top it off, each fellow will receive a weekly salary during a fellowship period lasting between seven to nine weeks.

“In bringing Hell’s Kitchen to Broadway, I’ve experienced firsthand the collaboration across the many disciplines of theater that goes into creating a big, new Broadway musical,” Keys said.

“I’m also aware of the lack of representation across our industry and it quickly became a priority to establish this fellowship program to offer guidance to underrepresented theater makers and create opportunities to deepen the impact of the art we are creating. We want to continue to challenge our industry to make a commitment to change and we are starting at home, at Hell’s Kitchen.”

The fellowship is in partnership with Keys’ Hell’s Kitchen, her official Broadway musical based around her coming-of-age story in New York City. With music and lyrics by Keys, a book by Pulitzer Prize finalist Kristoffer Diaz, music supervision by Emmy and Grammy Award winner Adam Blackstone, and general management from Foresight General, Hell’s Kitchen is poised to make Broadway feel brand-new.

“Partnering with Alicia Keys to bring Hell’s Kitchen to Broadway has been a consistently inspiring experience, and we couldn’t be more proud to play our part in this vital program,” Aaron Lustbader, partner, foresight theatrical, told BLACK ENTERPRISE.

“We strive to find meaningful ways to increase representation on and off stage with every show we manage and hope to establish a program here that can be replicated by shows often future seasons.”

Those interested in the Hell’s Kitchen Fellowship can apply HERE. The first preview for Hell’s Kitchen is set for March 28, 2024, and opening night is April 20, 2024, at Broadway’s Shubert Theatre. Tickets start at $58 and can be purchased HERE.

Jean-Pierre, Karine Jean-Pierre, press secretary, President, Joe Biden, Biden administration, soldiers, Georgia, soldiers

by Atiya Jordan

January 23, 2024

White House Press Secretary Honors 2 Trailblazing Black Female Journalists

The first Black female journalists to cover the White House, Alice Dunnigan, and Ethel Payne, were recently honored in the press corps briefing room by Karine Jean-Pierre for their pioneering voices and persevering pens.

Late last year, Jean-Pierre, the first Black woman to serve as White House press secretary, stood proudly from a brand-new press toast lectern and announced its new name: The Dunnigan-Payne Lectern. The New York Times reported that Jean-Pierre recognized the late trailblazing journalists with a podium dedicated in their honor. The occasion called to memorialize their service to the American public.

Today we unveiled our brand new press toast lectern. I am proud to name the lectern in honor of Alice Dunnigan and Ethel Payne, the first two Black women in White House press corps. pic.twitter.com/45bEb7NMYa
— Karine Jean-Pierre (@PressSec) November 30, 2023

“This lectern, a blend of modernity and tradition, is to embody the essence of our country’s stature, built using a harmonious combination of metal and black walnut,” Jean-Pierre explained during the tribute. “The metal speaks to the resilience and strength of our nation, while the black walnut represents the rich history and the deep-rooted foundations upon which this country stands. The blue paint signifies vigilance, perseverance, and justice.”

Jean-Pierre also presented the annual White House Correspondents Association Award in the duo’s name. It symbolizes Dunnigan’s story, one that sought to inspire future generations despite racist policies that segregated Black journalists and sexist attitudes that severely limited opportunities for women in a male-dominated workplace. Dunnigan was the first to be credentialed during the Truman presidency, for the Associated Negro Press.

“The significance of that podium — I’m sure she never could’ve conceived of something so prominent and permanent, to stand as a beacon in that room, in her name,” Dunnigan’s granddaughter Alicia Dunnigan told The New York Times of the late journalist.

The tributes also celebrated the “First Lady of the Black Press,” a moniker used for Payne. She was a Washington correspondent revered for her fearlessness as a journalist and a civil rights activist. During her 25-year career at The Chicago Defender, Payne was driven to ask the “tough questions” about racism and segregation, including challenging President Dwight D. Eisenhower on his stance on banning segregation in interstate travel.

It didn’t stop her from covering racial injustices all over the world.