Muni Long Learns She Is Autistic, Says Diagnosis ‘Explains So Much’
Singer Muni Long just learned that she is autistic and believes the diagnosis "explains so much" about her behavior.
Singer Muni Long just learned that she is autistic and believes the diagnosis “explains so much” about her behavior.
The Grammy-winning singer took to Twitter on Sunday, December 3 to share a health update she received that ties to the lupus she revealed she was diagnosed with last year.
“So apparently I’m autistic, and my free self is the version of me that I began repressing at the age of 22 because it made people highly uncomfortable,” she wrote. “It started first with me doing insane amounts of drugs and then when that didn’t work I just held it in. Which led to lupus.”
So apparently I’m autistic, and my free self is the version of me that I began repressing at the age of 22 because it made people highly uncomfortable. It started first with me doing insane amounts of drugs and then when that didn’t work I just held it in. Which led to lupus.
“And now the lupus has gotten to a point where it’s effectively impossible to contain,” she continued. “And in order to free myself from the rollercoaster that is autoimmune disease, I have to let my emotions, thoughts and feelings out…. But…. Autism! OMG WTF THIS IS SO WACK [weeping emoji].”
And now the lupus has gotten to a point where it’s effectively impossible to contain. And in order to free myself from the rollercoaster that is autoimmune disease, I have to let my emotions, thoughts and feelings out…. But…. Autism! OMG WTF THIS IS SO WACK 😭
Muni Long might think having autism is “wack” but there are a variety of famous figures who have thrived with the spectrum disorder. According to Behavorial Innovations, a few celebrities who had/have autism include Albert Einstein, Tim Burton, Dan Akroyd, Anthony Hopkins, Bill Gates, Nikola Tesla, and Elon Musk.
Here’s How To Get Into Business With The Government
Originally Published Jun. 3, 2018
Every year, the government allocates funds to help small businesses. In 2023 alone, $250 million have been procured, according to the White House. While that may seem like a lot of money and opportunity up for grabs, winning government contracts is challenging and requires a lot of knowledge and attention to detail.
So, where should people start? Great question! This article on the ins and outs of government contracting is a good place to begin. We spoke with Gail Bassette, the executive director of the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Federal Procurement Center, operated by the Capital Region Minority Supplier under the U.S. Department of Commerce, about bidding for and winning government contracts. Bassette has over 20 years of experience in public and private organizations providing fiscal, operations, procurement, marketing, small business development, and government-related services. And she proudly severed on the Obama administration’s Interagency Task Force on Federal Contracting Opportunities for Small Businesses and as an adviser to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Civil Rights, to develop a national small and disadvantaged business enterprise program.
When it comes to learning about and positioning your company to win contracts, she says it is important for small business owners seeking to win government contracts to learn and familiarize themselves with government contracting rules because it is another language and requires a lot of work.
Certify your business
First things first, before small businesses can apply for federal contracts, they must be certified and recognized by the Small Business Administration (SBA), along with other requirements that must be adhered to.
“The first requirement is that you must register with the federal government supplier database. And that’s called System for Award Management (SAM). Without entry or registration into this database, you will not be able to do work with the federal government. Then you have to obtain your Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS Number). Then, you will have to determine your business size to qualify for government set-aside contracts. Then you need to identify what they call your North American Industry Classification System,” Bassette.
From there, she says that developing your strategic growth plan and learning the federal contracting language is critical.
Learn the language
“There are a lot of acronyms and a lot of rules. But once you familiarize yourself with the government process and you get in, then you’re in. If you continue to do good business and build relationships, you can really be successful.”
There are also many different contracts. “You have a purchase order, requests for quotation, requests for information, requests for proposals, and information for bid. And, all government contracts give specific guidelines and instructions on how to respond to the bid,” says Bassette.
Looking for contracting opportunities can be as simple as going online. “Most federal agencies post on their websites what they call contracting opportunities forecasts. These forecasts are planned federal contracting opportunities that will identify upcoming opportunities per quarter. And, the Federal Business Opportunities site, also called FedBizOpps, is a go-to resource for open prime contracting opportunities with the federal government,” says Bassette.
And for those looking for sub-contracting opportunities, you can visit SubNet. “The federal government sets aside contracts for competition amongst small and disadvantaged businesses, women’s owners, services disabled, veteran-owned companies and historically under-utilized zones or as they call it HubZones. And they also have government-wide contracts such as GSA Schedule, and this is an additional way that the government can buy goods and services,” added Bassette.
Beyond the language and completing the qualifying steps, it is also important to hone in on the relationship and proposal-building process before you approach a federal agency.
“One of the best ways to do that is to identify a business networking opportunity or a procurement conference you may be interested in attending. But before you attend that conference, you need to peruse the agenda to identify the agencies that align with what your business has to offer. Then, when you peruse the agenda and identify the person slated to attend the event, you find out about their organization because everything is strategic,” says Bassette.
She also adds that the government agencies are really interested in knowing that you know their business. So you have to do the homework on their mission, know some of the challenges they face, and what they buy.
And with any networking opportunity, Bassette says that following up is critical. “Within 24 hours after the event, you need to send a follow-up email to the people you met. Thank them for the conversation and ask them for a brief meeting that is set up like a telecom because sometimes they are too busy to continue the conversation. This approach will now serve as the beginning stages of establishing a meaningful and sustainable relationship.”
Write A Winning Proposal
For every contract made available, there are guidelines that small business owners have to adhere to when applying, as well as a time period for questions and answers where people can communicate with those overseeing the contract. Once a contract is open for bidding, small business owners have 6 to 8 weeks to prepare their proposal before submitting it. But, this time can vary.
“There are several marketing intelligence lead generation tools, and these tools help you identify contracting opportunities. And oftentimes they reach back to three and four years to capture opportunities so that you can plan better. So when these contracts expire, you would have already put your team together, done your market research, and investigated the environment of that particular agency so that it can position you better to win the contract,” says Bassette.
For those putting a proposal together for the first time, organizations like the Minority Business Development Agency, Small Business Administration, and other small business development centers will walk you through the proposal process.
“Ideally, a company should team with a successful government contractor who understands how to assemble a proposal. They should team with them on a particular bid, and they will see first-hand how to put a proposal together from the technical to the financing side,” says Bassette.
Every proposal has three sections:
Section C — Includes the scope of services.
The instructions — You must abide by the instructions accordingly—all the way down to the margins you must use on your papers.
The evaluation — This is how the government evaluates certain parts of your proposal.
And when it comes to putting together a strong proposal, here is what Bassette says it should comprise:
You must explain how you perform the work, and that’s in the scope of services.
Provide evidence of core competencies. Meaning what you do best that will help your client reach their desired outcome. And in that, you need to provide an innovative solution, especially at a competitive price.
Identify your key personnel and list their qualifications.
Demonstrate excellent past performance. The government prefers to do business with companies that have past performance in doing that kind of work or similar work. And it doesn’t always have to be past performance work in the government. It can be commercial work also.
Form strategic partners to complement your services because a lot of proposals are huge. And they require different technical skill sets.
Scale up. You have to always be looking ahead on how you can provide more services. If the government wants to give you more work, they want to make sure that you can do the work. So, you have to have the ability to scale and be financially sound.
In addition to putting together a strong proposal, it is important for small businesses to gauge opportunities to ensure that they are equipped to manage the contract if awarded one.
“A small business should only respond to federal government opportunities when they have a high probability of winning. It takes a lot of time and resources to respond to these requests for proposals. So you thoroughly have to review the scope of work and solicitation and then form a strategic analysis of their capabilities and resources to determine whether or not they want to make a bid or a no-bid decision,” says Bassette.
A common mistake that business owners often make when bidding for and winning contracts is not having the capabilities to fulfill the obligations of the contract for its entire life cycle. “Contracts are awarded per year. Some people will say that they have a five-year contract, however, the government has the option to award the contract each year based on performance. So if you perform well the first year and the government decides to award an option year, then you have to have the resources and capabilities to go to the next year also,” says Bassette.
Form strategic partnerships
Because some contracts are so large, small businesses are encouraged to team up with companies that can help them meet the needs of the contracts. One way around the possible issue of not having enough resources to fulfill a contract is to form strategic partnerships with other companies who do similar work and centers like the MBDA, who can help you make connections. As an executive director, Bassette pairs companies with one another so that they can win big contracts. In a six-week period, she had to help a company find a partner to team up with for a major contract, and together, they ended up winning a $27 million contract with the federal government.
With all things considered, Bassette also encourages small business owners to invest in business coaching to have someone help them grow and navigate through different processes. She advises small business owners: “Companies need to learn how to build systems within their organization and be entrepreneurs. This means you need to bring business to your company as the CEO. And as you build the system, the company can run on its own. You always have to do a look ahead on what is going on.”
‘Nonstop Silver’: Beyoncé Fans Flock To Thrift Stores, Unloading Unwanted Silver Outfits From Renaissance Tour
For the last string of concerts on her tour the songstress urged her fans to dress in the silver theme of 'Renaissance.'
Beyoncé fans are rushing to thrift stores to get rid of their no-longer needed silver looks. A viral TikTok posted on Dec. 2 revealed that thrift stores are struggling to sell off the goods, worn by many fans who attended the singer’s Renaissance World Tour.
Although the tour concluded in September, the remnants of its cultural impact are still felt, this time by the second-hand stores that are now left to deal with the hordes of chromatic clothing popularized by it, The New York Post reports.
TikTok user (and thrift shop worker) @mistervenus9 showcased some of the stock that has been accumulating since the tour ended.
“I have seen nonstop silver for the last three months,” the employee captioned the post. The video displayed multiple silver and sparkly items, from skirts to shoes and even an entire suit seemingly made for the occasion. The employee didn’t express any negative sentiments about it, just noting that concert-goers ditched their attire promptly after the show. However, commenters were swift to note the occurrence as an instance of wasteful consumerism.
“This is actually so sad do people feel like they can’t dress like this outside a concert? why buy it [then] i hate consumerism GAH,” commented one user.
Other expressed similar thoughts, with one stating that they thrifted their original outfit to ensure they would not contribute to wasteful buying.
“The way I thrifted my outfit for the concert [because] I knew if I at least didn’t [want to] rewear it at least it was already created and thrifted,” wrote one user.
The rush to match the theme of Beyoncé’s tour stemmed from a direct call by Beyoncé herself to her massive fanbase, known as the Beyhive. For the last string of concerts on her tour, including those surrounding her birthday on Sept. 4, the songstress urged her fans to dress in silver and join the color palette and theme of “Renaissance.”
For fans who don’t want their silver attires to be a “one and done” venture, those who are willing to be outfit repeaters can dress up in the same look at the Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé concert film, which is in theaters now.
Michael Jackson’s First Studio Recording To Be Digitally Released
One of Michael Jackson's earliest known recordings is becoming available to fans through a blockchain-based music and royalty marketplace.
One of Michael Jackson’s earliest known recordings is becoming available to fans through a blockchain-based music and royalty marketplace.
The King of Pop’s “Big Boy (One-derful Version)” was recorded in 1967, a few years before the Jackson 5 made their mainstream debut. Jackson recorded the song when he was just 8 years old and singing into a microphone for the first time.
The song was recorded in Chicago’s One-derful Studios, which gives the track its special name. Now MJ fans will be able to stream the song digitally. But not on iTunes or any major streaming provider, Forbes reports.
Instead, the exclusive track will be available on anotherblock, a blockchain-based music and royalty marketplace based in Sweden. There will be two packages with premium rates for access to the song.
The $25 option comes with a copy of the song, track stems, photos connected to the song, and several musical memorabilia pieces related to Jackson’s early music. The $100 option includes more special add-ons, nine additional songs Jackson recorded in 1967, along with a digital copy of “Big Boy (One-derful Version).”
The digital stream will only be available for purchase for a limited time. Fans will have only two days to purchase the song, beginnning on Thursday, December 7 at 12:00 PM EST.
The song had previously been pressed on a somewhat obscure vinyl compilation, and was never made public until a journalist recently rediscovered the single. The Jackson Estate appears to be on board with the song’s release as a press release included a statement from the family matriarch Katherine Jackson.
“This was their first step in music with ‘Big Boy,’ empowered by the voice of the youngest and the best to ever do it. I can’t believe his voice, along with his brothers’, would echo for decades,” she said.
“Through anotherblock’s endeavor, the Jackson family’s initial recordings of our musical heritage find a new rhythm for the digital age. It is a testament that the Jacksons’ story, just like our music, remains timeless. And the best part is that some proceeds will go to a local foundation to help the families of Gary, Indiana.”
Biden Approves $5 Billion More Toward Student Loan Debt
This move extends the total relief offered to over 3.6 million borrowers for a total of $132 billion.
CNN reports that the Biden administration is tackling the student loan crisis by greenlighting an additional $5 billion in federal student loan debt cancellation.
This move extends the total relief offered to $132 billion for more than 3.6 million borrowers. Although Biden’s prominent student loan forgiveness program, which aimed to grant up to $20,000 in debt relief to low- and middle-income borrowers, was struck down by the Supreme Court, the administration is unwavering in its dedication to exploring alternative avenues for debt relief.
“We are continuing to pursue an alternative path to deliver student debt relief to as many borrowers as possible as quickly as possible,” Biden said in a release.
The latest round of debt cancellations was made possible through existing federal student loan forgiveness programs, catering to specific categories of borrowers. These include public-sector workers qualifying under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, which erases remaining student loan debt after a decade of qualifying monthly payments. Another category includes borrowers who have made at least 20 years of qualifying payments in an income-driven repayment program but didn’t receive credit for all their previous payments.
“The latest discharges are a result of this administration’s relentless efforts to fix our country’s broken student loan system and get hard-earned debt relief into the hands of eligible borrowers,” Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said
The one-time recount of past payments, initiated by the Biden administration to rectify past administrative failures, has been a significant factor in providing debt relief. Borrowers enrolled in income-driven repayment plans, available since 1993, have benefited from adjustments to their accounts. However, the administration faces challenges, with some Republican lawmakers and conservative groups questioning the authority to recount payments, leading to legal challenges.
In addition to debt cancellation, the Biden administration has taken steps to ease the burden on borrowers as federal student loan payments resumed in October. The introduction of the SAVE (Saving on a Valuable Education) repayment plan and a 12-month on-ramp period aim to provide relief and shield borrowers from severe consequences during the transition.
Savage X Fenty Plus-Size Model Says No To ‘Body Acceptance’ Instead Wants To ‘Celebrate’ It
A brand ambassador and model for Rihanna's Savage X Fenty is championing the beauty of body inclusivity and positivity.
A brand ambassador and model for Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty is championing the beauty of body inclusivity and positivity.
New York-based plus-size model Maia N. Douglas has had the pleasure of modeling for Rihanna’s lingerie company and appearing on a giant billboard in Times Square for Dove, Fox News reports. She used to work in property management but launched a modeling career after getting into content creation in 2020.
Douglas always had dreams of modeling, but didn’t think it was possible because of her size.
“I don’t fit a lot of checkboxes that naturally make me a person you would bet on,” she said. “I had a lot of things stacked up against me. I’m plus-size. I’m an African American girl.”
“And I had to really get over that fear of rejection and being told no and just accept the fact that… I will get a thousand no’s. But if I keep saying yes, one day I’ll meet someone who’s going to say yes back. And then that’s how opportunities happen,” she added.
There were castings that crushed her spirit and left her in tears due to the body-shaming that would take place.
“I had someone say, ‘You’re way too big to be doing this. You’re just not the right look. No one will want to work with you.’ And I was just like, ‘Okay, I appreciate you saying that. It hurts, but I don’t believe that. And I know there’s a space for me because there’s a space for everyone.'”
She recalls “one of the worst” experiences she had with one casting director who told her she wasn’t “marketable.”
“I knew you’re busty, but I didn’t know you look like this. So I don’t really know what we can do with you… I don’t think anyone wants to work with you. You’re not that marketable,'” Douglas recalled the casting director telling her.
But she had alredy sent in all her photos and measurements beforehand when they pursued her for the opportunity.
“They knew everything. They had seen me for a year. Like I present very well online what I look like.”
Having survived an eating disorder as a child and finally coming to a place of loving herself, Douglas is working to break stigmas around being plus-sized and even get other curvy community members to embrace the word “fat.”
“For me personally, fat is not a dirty word,” she shared.
“When it comes to, like, the term body acceptance … I don’t believe that that’s the goal… After you’re grieving something, you have acceptance… It’s like a tolerance…. But I feel like after accepting it, there should be a celebration. Like, you should be able to celebrate your body. So now I try to practice body celebration.”
Fox News Contributor Angrily Refers To Harvard President As ‘Black Woman In Power’ In Rant Over Anti-Semitism Discussion
Dr. Gay's remarks on Capitol Hill caused conservative talking head Tammy Bruce to call her out of her name during the Fox News show.
During a segment on Fox’s The Faulkner Focus, hosted by Harris Faulkner, who is Black, conservative contributor Tammy Bruce, who is white, used her appearance to dismiss Harvard University’s President Dr. Claudine Gay by calling her “that Black women in power,” Mediate reports.
Dr. Gay, the Ivy League school’s first Black president, testified before the Republican-majority House Education Committee regarding antisemitism on college campuses on Dec. 5., which has seen an uptick since the Israeli-Hamas attacks began in October. The prominent leader has openly spoken out against the Hamas attacks as well as how they affect students. While on Capitol Hill, she was questioned by Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), and Faulkner decided to play a part of the session, which Bruce responded to, saying Gay sounded like a robot.
“It is heartbreaking to see a woman in such a position of power abandon that power…But she’s talking about what the left has been telling us now for years: speech is violence,” Bruce said.
“We would be hearing something very different if it was people in robes, in Klan robes, shouting ‘Lynch certain people,’ using certain words. It would be inherently and deeply unacceptable. This is the epitome of it. And that Black woman in power, God help us, she has abandoned that power!”
Harvard has been under close watch ever since student groups issued a statement on the growing conflict in Israel, according to ABC 7 Chicago. It mentioned that Israeli policies are “entirely responsible for all unfolding violence,” which caused instant backlash and left Jewish students feeling scared and isolated.
During her opening remarks at the hearing, Gay acknowledged Harvard’s fight against antisemitism while allowing free speech. “During these difficult days, I have felt the bonds of our community strain,” Gay said. “In response, I’ve sought to confront hate while preserving free expression. This is difficult work. And I know that I have not always gotten it right.”
Social media users weren’t too surprised by Bruce’s remarks but were taken aback by her boldness in saying this in front of a Black woman.
“Harris has debased herself so much that Tammy had the audacity to say it [to] her face,” one user said. “I’m NOT even slightly offended or moved by this…..”
Another questioned if Harris was even present for the comment. “Would someone tell Harrison Faulkner that she’s Black.? Please!,” @squared_two posted.
Skipping Student Loan Payments Can Have Serious Consequences, Here’s Why
Not paying loans can start a domino effect of borrowers not being able to access other opportunities.
If you’re one of the millions of people skipping out on their monthly student loan payments, you may want to reconsider.
With student loan payments ramping back up in October 2023, several borrowers still struggle to make payments or overlook it altogether, which can have grave consequences, CNET reports. Not paying loans can start a domino effect of borrowers not being able to access other opportunities. At the bare minimum, allowing the loans to become delinquent can affect a credit score. Student loan payments aren’t like other household bills, where some may give a short grace period to submit a payment. If a borrower misses a payment on a specific date, the loan becomes delinquent the next day after the due date.
To default on a loan means the borrower has failed to pay the agreed-upon loan. The loan servicer has likely made several attempts to communicate with you before default occurs. Things can get worse if loans continue to stay in default. On top of credit scores taking a serious hit, the federal government can potentially seize a borrower’s tax return or garnish wages — something no one wants — to assist with paying off the loan.
Some borrowers can’t afford to pay their loans back. But if you fall in that category, the loan service may have options for you to make things easier, like forbearance or deferment. These options allow a borrower to postpone payment temporarily or reduce the amount they pay each month. The difference between the two is deferment doesn’t allow interest to accrue to most loans, while forbearance does.
“We are continuing to pursue an alternative path to deliver student debt relief to as many borrowers as possible as quickly as possible,” Biden said in a statement.
This new approval increases student debt relief to $132 billion for nearly four million borrowers.
4 Pillars To Consider When Investing In A Business
Learn the four pillars you should look for when considering investing in or starting a new business. Having these will improve your odds for success.
Originally published Dec. 10, 2019
As 2019 comes to a close, we take stock of the year that is ending and contemplate what is to be in the year to come. It’s also commonplace to identify regrets and create a positive mental road map for what we’d like to accomplish going forward; attempting to avoid that regret list this time next year. If owning your own business has been on your road map repeatedly, I encourage you to take the first step to make that recurring dream into a reality. According to Forbes, there are 32 million small businesses in America in 2023. So you have to ask yourself, why am I not part of that group? That’s 12% of the adult U.S. population. It’s attainable, but it starts with the first step.
I field all sorts of inquiries from a wide variety of people at various stages in the process of determining if entrepreneurship is for them. Some have been looking five or more years, others just read an article (hopefully one of mine!) and it sparked an excitement or interest that they had been suppressing. Once I’ve listened to their stories—each has its own twist—the same piece of advice applies: Look for these four characteristics when determining the right business for you and your family to invest in.
Industry Growth Potential
Is the business or franchise you are considering in a sector that shows growth potential? While we all have interests that we are excited or passionate about, that doesn’t mean that over time enough people will have that same excitement to be able to grow and sustain a business. As we saw with the VHS rental business, it was hot for a while, but long term, unsustainable with the advancement of technology. A few sectors that are tapped for new or continued growth are senior care, pet care, healthy food, and co-working space.
Turnkey / Quick Startup
One of the reasons people seek franchise opportunities is the “business in a box” component. Anyone who has ever tried to start a business from scratch knows and understands how much work it is to accomplish milestones such as securing products or services, moving through the legal requirements, hiring employees, marketing, and setting prices. Anything you can do to minimize the time and cost between starting the business and obtaining your first customer is where you want to be. In some cases this could be considering purchasing an existing business.
Recurring Revenue
Having recurring revenue in your business can make or break it. In times where you’re not landing a big account or selling a high-priced product, the recurring, steady accounts receivable will be what pays the bills. Try and identify opportunities that provide for ongoing memberships, maintenance, refills. Sectors that include this type of revenue are health and fitness, commercial cleaning, and security.
Quality Products and Systems
Whether you invest in a franchise or have a startup, it’s critical to make sure you’re sourcing high-quality products and have strong systems to support and scale your business. The benefit of purchasing a franchise is that during the discovery phase you’re able to speak with current owners and learn more about the products and systems, oftentimes seeing them in action. In addition, franchisors provide full training to ensure owners know how to utilize and leverage both. As an independent, your due diligence is even more critical to determine the best products, systems, and partnerships for your business.
This list doesn’t capture all of the characteristics that accompany a strong business, but if you have at least three of the four, you will have a great foundation to build on.
Texas Realtor Simplifies Real Estate Buying For The Black Community
Towanda C. Gayle, a leading realtor in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area, is thrilled to announce her commitment to helping high-end clients achieve their real estate goals.
Originally Reported by Blacknews
Towanda C. Gayle, a leading realtor in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area, is thrilled to announce her commitment to helping high-end clients achieve their real estate goals. By redefining the real estate experience in Texas, Towanda is introducing innovative strategies aimed at simplifying the real estate process.
In a constantly evolving real estate market, Towanda is dedicated to providing efficient and personalized services tailored to meet her clients’ changing needs. Her services include Luxury and Investment Properties, Residential BPO Properties, REO Properties, Short Sales and Foreclosures (SFR), and Commercial Sales and Leases. By leveraging the latest advancements, she offers a seamless and stress-free journey through the challenging world of real estate transactions.
“My mission is to transform the way people engage with real estate,” says Towanda. “I believe in creating meaningful connections, understanding individual needs, and exceeding expectations at every step. My focus is not just on buying or selling properties but also on creating lasting relationships with my clients.”
Whether clients are individuals looking to sell their property, first-time buyers, or seasoned investors, Towanda offers personalized real estate services to empower informed decisions.
For more information or wish to turn your real estate goals into reality, visit her official website at TowandaGayle.com
About
Towanda Gayle is an experienced REALTOR® dedicated to redefining the real estate experience for high-end clients. With over 17 years in the industry, she prides herself on providing a wide range of real estate solutions, including Luxury and Investment Properties, Residential and Commercial Sales, Leases, BPO Pricing, REO Properties, Short Sales, and Foreclosures (SFR). She aims to exceed client expectations and create lasting connections through innovation, personalized services, and cutting-edge technology.