by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

December 1, 2023

Fat Joe Presents Autistic Fan A Gift Of $20K

Joey Cartegena, or Fat Joe, returns to his hometown in The Bronx to give a special fan a gift.

Fat Joe and his generous giving have struck again!

The lovable Bronx rapper returned to his hometown to give a gift to an autistic teenager who has dreams of being a successful artist like Joey Cartegena, according to Hip Hop DX. Joe went to the home of Jilian, who is autistic like his namesake son, Joey, Jr., to present her with a $20,000 check from him and the auto brand Lexus. He posted a video of the interaction on his Instagram page.

“I’ve been watching you, Lexus has been watching you; today’s gonna be the best day ever. We love what you’re doing with hip-hop, and we love that you representing the autistic community.”

He then told Jillian that his son is also autistic.

“My son Joey’s autistic so we’re proud [of] how brave you are, and I got a big surprise here from Lexus… really for you, but mommy’s gonna watch this one.”

He wrote in the post, “I am proud to team up with @lexususa to highlight the importance of Autism Acceptance and to brighten this family’s day in a special way.”

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A post shared by FAT JOE (@fatjoe)

Joe is no stranger to giving back, especially to his hometown of The Bronx in New York City.

On Sept. 2, according to ABC 7 NY, the rapper returned to his old neighborhood and donated sweatsuits, tracksuits, t-shirts, shorts, and sneakers when he hosted a back-to-school clothing drive at The Eagle Academy for Young Men. He also did the same thing when he went to I.S. 219 New Venture School and at the elementary school he attended growing up in The Bronx as a youngster, P.S. 146 Edward Collins.

“What we’re telling them is that you can become successful, but you don’t have to leave where you’re from. You can be in your community, and you can also inspire the youth because every now and then, all they need is a little push. They need a little inspiration,” Fat Joe told ABC7 at the Eagle Academy.

Last year, the “Lean Back” rapper teamed up with Pepsi Stronger Together and Gamesa Cookies for a national scholarship search, which rewarded four students with $25,000 scholarships toward an education in music and arts.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

December 1, 2023

Bronny James Ready To Ball After Being Cleared To Play For USC

The coach has given no indication of when Bronny will make his debut.

The legacy of future Hall of Famer LeBron James continues as his oldest son, Bronny, has been cleared to start his collegiate basketball career.

According to CNN, Bronny, who suffered a cardiac arrest earlier this year while practicing with his college team, USC, has been cleared to return to playing basketball. A statement by his family was released after the good news for the freshman player.

“Bronny James is now cleared by his doctors for a full return to basketball. Bronny will have a final evaluation with USC (University of Southern California) staff this week, resume practice next week, and return to games soon after. The James family would like to express their gratitude to the incredible medical team, the entire USC community, and especially the countless friends, family, and fans for their love and support. Fight On!”

The incoming freshman had a cardiac arrest on July 24. He was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, where it was revealed that a congenital heart defect was the probable cause for the health scare.

ABC News reported that although Bronny was cleared to play, he did not participate in pregame warmups on Wednesday night. He did join the team after the game started on the bench. His skills could have been used that night as the USC Trojans were blown out in a 106-78 loss to Eastern Washington. The Trojans (5-2) have a game against No. 11 Gonzaga in Las Vegas on Saturday, Dec. 2. If Bronny makes his debut, his father will be there, as he stated he told the Lakers that he is not missing his son’s first college game, citing his “family over everything” motto.

After Thursday night’s Los Angeles Lakers game against Oklahoma City, LeBron told the media, “I already told my teammates that if they play on the same day we’re playing, I’m going to have to catch them the next game,” James said. “Family over everything. Definitely got to see Bronny’s first game whenever he’s cleared and ready to go.”

The coach has given no indication of when Bronny will debut.

Disgraced Congressman George Santos Wants To Force A Vote To Expel Rep. Jamaal Bowman

by Sharelle Burt

December 1, 2023

Disgraced Congressman George Santos Wants To Force A Vote To Expel Rep. Jamaal Bowman

Santos wants Bowman ousted over the latter's fire alarm pull.

Rep. George Santos (R-NY) is facing the first likely expulsion from Congress in 20 years and he wants company.

The disgrace politician wants to force a vote that can expel fellow New York Rep. Jamaal Bowman from Congress, Business Insider reports. During a Nov. 30 press conference, Santos said his idea is all about “consistency” as Bowman, a Democrat, took a plea deal after pulling a fire alarm on Capital Hill.

Santos predicted that if a Republican did the same, they would be “charged with obstructing a congressional hearing.”

“He took a plea deal for pulling a fire alarm, a fire alarm which obstructed and delayed an official hearing and proceeding on the House floor,” Santos said. “That’s why, today at noon, I’m going to be introducing a privileged motion for expulsion of convicted and guilty-pleaded Congressman Jamaal Bowman.”

WATCH: I was the first reporter to get my hands on the surveillance footage of Rep. Bowman pulling the fire alarm in the Cannon House Office Bldg.

Story recapping the video and his Thursday court appearance/guilty plea, here: https://t.co/9BG6k4AYt3 pic.twitter.com/EjdpfSugT3
— Kevin Frey (@KevinFreyTV) October 27, 2023

The fire alarm was pulled in September 2023 while House members were prepping to vote on a bill that would prevent a potential government shutdown. Bowman insisted it was an accident and that he was confused by the signage, mistaking it for an emergency exit. Critics and other elected officials felt he knew better. He later pleaded guilty and paid a $1,000 fine.

The outspoken Congressman, also from New York, caught wind of Santos’ plan, calling it a “meaningless stunt” in a statement. “No one in Congress, or anywhere in America, takes soon-to-be former Congressman George Santos seriously,” Bowman said. “This is just another meaningless stunt in his long history of cons, antics, and outright fraud.”

Santos may lose his elected seat after his scathing House Ethics committee report housed some troubling finds. The Ethics Committee found “substantial evidence” that Santos used campaign funds for personal reasons, according to CNN. They also said he willingly engaged in violations and concluded that Santos “sought to fraudulently exploit every aspect of his House candidacy for his own personal financial profit.”

After the report was released, Santos announced that he would not run re-election.

by Atiya Jordan

December 1, 2023

Are Masks Really Working Against The Spread Of Viruses?

Are masks effective against the spread of COVID-19?

In the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic, many people believed that wearing masks did not work due to the lack of scientific evidence. Experts continue to echo that masks do not slow the spread of COVID-19 as different strains have emerged.

In 2020, CNN reported that the World Health Organization found a lack of evidence that masks were effective. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended well-fitting masks to help combat COVID-19.

At the time, Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the World Health Organization health emergencies program, said there was “no specific evidence to suggest that the wearing of masks by the mass population has any potential benefit. In fact, there’s some evidence to suggest the opposite in misusing wearing a mask properly or fitting it properly.”

Media briefing on #COVID19 with @DrTedros. #coronavirus https://t.co/TaP7YsqSaB
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) March 30, 2020

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A post shared by Centers for Disease Control (@cdcgov)

In February 2022, the CDC published a study that found that consistent mask-wearing in public settings reduces the risk of COVID between 56% and 83%, depending on how they’re worn and the efficacy of cloth masks. Though the data determined that any mask is better, cloth masks have the lowest efficacy.

During the last two weeks, cases of the COVID-19 variant, Omicron BA.2.86, also known as Pirola, have tripled in two weeks, comprising between 5% and 15% of all infections, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Clinicians: New @CDCMMWR shows that getting at least 2 doses of #COVID19 vaccine was effective in reducing hospitalization & emergency department visits among kids 6 months to 4 years old. Talk to parents about the benefits of the updated COVID-19 vaccine. https://t.co/mWOfv4tDn4 pic.twitter.com/YRyhjigcB0
— CDC (@CDCgov) November 30, 2023

Among the regions with adequate samples reported from testing laboratories, BA. 2.86’s prevalence is the largest in the Northeast, with 13.1% of cases in the New York and New Jersey region.

In recent weeks, scientists have analyzed a sharp increase in a BA.2.86 descendant called JN.1, which quickly became the fastest-growing sub-variant worldwide. Many cases have been reported in Europe, which has witnessed increasing cases from BA.2.86 and its descendants.

British physician Jenny Harries, the chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, told the Daily Mail that it is challenging to prove the efficiency of the masks from other COVID strains. For instance, she called out the government’s advice in 2020 on “how to make a mask using two pieces of cloth” for being “ineffective.” She noted previous research that supports that at least three pieces of cloth had a minor effect on spreading viruses.

“What was being conceived was if you wear a face covering and reduce everything to a meter, the face covering will make up for the difference, and the answer was no, it won’t, and it definitely won’t if it’s ever not evidence-based,” Harries explained.

She added: “The anxiety was that if people just thought they could get a bit of T-shirt, put it around the face, and that would solve all the problems, and we could go back to normal, that was not going to be a good public health intervention.”

Vice President, kamala, harris, McCarthy, negotiation, skills, Biden age, president, democrat, republican

by Sharelle Burt

December 1, 2023

That’s Her President And She’s Gonna Stand Beside Him: Vice President Kamala Harris Defends Biden Attacks

The vice president calls out former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy over Biden jabs.

Vice President Kamala Harris took some time to set the record straight–again–when it comes to officials attacking the president.

Harris addressed comments made by former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy regarding President Biden’s age affecting his negotiation skills during the DealBook Summit, The Hill reports. When The New York Times journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin asked the VP about his criticism, she decided to remind the people about McCarthy’s last political drama.

“With all due respect, when anyone who has had the experience McCarthy just had, I don’t think he’s a judge of negotiations,” Harris said. “Age is more than a chronological fact. I spent a whole lot of time with our president, be it in the Oval Office or the Situation Room and in other places, and I can tell you … not only is he authoritative in rooms around the globe but in the Oval Office meeting with members of Congress, meeting leaders in industry, meeting with community leaders.”

Harris’s response refers to McCarthy being ousted from his Speaker post in October 2023 after eight Republicans sided with Democrats to relieve him of his duties.

On Nov. 29, McCarthy told Sorkin that he “could not negotiate the debt ceiling with Biden” and continued, saying the president isn’t “the same person he was when he was vice president.”

“We kind of rammed around him; he said he was going to do it. Schumer then comes in and says, ‘Don’t do anything with Kevin; he can’t pass anything,’” McCarthy said. “And then I went for 97 days, I went to the media every day. And it wasn’t till I passed something that he could start negotiating.”

The Republican California state representative said he would definitely not be jumping party lines and supporting the Democratic president during the 2024 presidential election, adding that even if he were a Democrat, Biden would not be his choice.

“I’m explicitly saying if I had a choice of who I would pick, if I was a Democrat to be my nominee, to run the greatest country in the world, I would not give him — I would not reelect him,” he said.

But Harris is not worried about McCarthy’s nay-saying remarks. While she addressed Biden’s rating dropping in recent polls, she highlighted some numbers voters should pay attention to, like record-low unemployment and falling inflation, according to Deadline. Other issues like the cost of insulin dropping and student debt reduction are still on Biden’s list of things to do.

“These are also macro-economic measures and don’t necessarily connect with the heart and the experience and the feelings of the American people,” she said. “For many Americans, prices are still too high, and we still have work to do to address that.”

LSU, Tigers, Angel, Reese, four games, sit out, Las Vegas, college, basketball, bayou barbie

by Stacy Jackson

December 1, 2023

Angel Reese Back In The Game After Absence

After being absent from four games, star forward Angel Reese is returning to the LSU Tigers as they face the Virginia Tech Hokies.

The No. 7 LSU Tigers are getting ready to take on the No. 9 Virginia Tech Hokies, and after four missed games, star forward Angel Reese is making her return to the team for the rematch.

According to The Associated Press, Reese, one of the most popular players in college basketball, was absent from four games with the team for reasons the coach did not specify. However, the return of the powerhouse forward is right on time after the Tigers coach revealed on Nov. 29 that power forward Sa’Maya Smith would not return for the rest of the season due to a ligament and meniscus tear in her right knee during the Nov. 24 matchup against Niagara in the Cayman Islands Tournament.

Mulkey confirmed Reese will be playing in their Nov. 30 game against VT.

“It’s a boost having her back, period. It’s not just against Virginia Tech. It’s just for our team. She’s just a tremendous player, one of the best players in the country,” Mulkey said.

LSU defeated the Hokies in Dallas last season in the 2023 Final Four.

“I really think Angel will just be like Angel,” Mulkey said as she spoke on Reese’s “really good” performance in practice.

In regards to Smith’s injury, Mulkey said, “Timing is everything in life, and the timing of her injury is just so sad for her because she has improved by leaps and bounds. The timing of Angel being back kind of helps, but there’s no substitution for the value that Sa’Maya has to our team and what she’s meant thus far.”

As Reese has been confirmed to play with the team in their game against the Hokies, coach Mulkey attributed the athlete’s absence for the past two weeks to “locker-room issues” and described it as an internal team matter that was unnecessary to publicize. However, the LSU coach expects an easy return for Reese, noting her relationship with her teammates and coaches. “We’re past it… We’ve been past it. It’s just we have to come in here and answer questions and that becomes aggravating,” the Tigers coach said and added, “I’m going to protect my players.”

Reese missed the last four games against Southern Louisiana, Texas Southern, Niagara, and Virginia. The team was able to collect victories at each of the games while Reese was absent. The Tigers have not been defeated since their game in Las Vegas against the Colorado Buffaloes.

Last season, Reese was a leading player on the court with an average of 23 points and 15.4 rebounds. She also holds an NCAA record with 34 double-doubles in a season. Reese helped the Tigers take home the program’s maiden national title. The Tigers defeated the Hokies in the Final Four before defeating Iowa to win the championship game. Reese has garnered a lot of media attention and secured over $1 million in endorsements. The star basketball player, who is known as Bayou Barbie, is stylish on and off the court and has expressed her interest in modeling. She is also a 2023 Black Enterprise 40 Under 40 honoree.

The star player has been known for her strong personality, staying true to herself and not shying away from critics.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

December 1, 2023

Lost in Translation: 98% Of Parents Struggle To Decode 2023 Slang, ‘Sus’ And ‘Bet’ Among Top Confusions

Preply's list of most commonly used slang terms of 2023 has parents stumped, with only 2% of those surveyed knowing them all.

Parents, beware. The most common slang words of 2023 are stumping almost every parent, as a new survey reports that only 2% can keep up with every term listed.

The survey by Preply sought out 682 parents to see what slang their children of all ages say the most. This staggering 2% statistic is concerning, given that half of the participants shared that they try to keep up with the current lingo to “better connect” with their older kids.

Of the words heard by parents of teens across the United States, words like “sus” or “bet”‘ “were most often heard in their children’s everyday speech. The former meaning “giving the impression that something is questionable or dishonest,” seemingly derived as a shorter way to say “suspicious,” while “bet”‘ is defined as an expression signaling agreement. Both terms were used by over 62% and 59% of teens, respectively.

As for parents’ comprehension of the slang their kids commonly use, older terms such as “salty” or “bougie” are most known by the older generation, with 70% and 67% of parents grasping the concepts. However, for more ominous terms, such as “cheugy” and “pushin P,” a vast majority of adults have no clue. Regarding “cheugy,” the word most often means something is now corny or evidence of someone trying too hard to be cool.

However, “pushin P” has become a popular phrase due to its relevance as a song released in 2022 by rappers Young Thug and Gunna, as the term refers to the code they live by to always keep it “player” or, in other words, real.

Although most parents don’t having all the popular words down, many have incorporated some easier-to-grasp words into their own vocabulary, as Americans across generations have adopted some newly made words into their daily conversations. Despite this, as teens develop more ways to engage with one another, parents will continue the task of figuring the meanings of new words they conjure up.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

December 1, 2023

Kings Crowning Redefines Haircare For And By Black Men

Kings Crowning, created by Darrell Spencer, is redefining haircare for Black men while also uplifting Black male entrepreneurs.

Kings Crowning is the latest haircare brand that caters to and uplifts the Black community by tailoring its products to an underserved group in the beauty industry. The company is for and by African American men, with Darrell Spencer as the CEO and founder.

A native of Chicago, Spencer has taken his Windy City roots to the hair and beauty industry, emerging as a cultural force in his own right by cultivating these “conscious grooming products” fit for kings. Wanting to remedy a historic and systemic issue found within companies that catered to textured hair, Spencer built Kings Crowning to formulate protective accessories that are truly made with diverse Black men in mind.

While traditional bonnet use is widespread within the Black community, they are ultimately harmful to one’s hair health through friction, causing tangling and breaking. Kings Crowning provides a luxurious feel with growth benefits by incorporating satin to protect Black hair textures and styles, such as locs, braids, or curls. With his flagship product, “The Crown,” Spencer’s company has expanded into satin-lined essentials to ensure one’s hair is safe and nourished with accompanying shampoos, conditioners, and serums.

His innovative product line of satin brimless hats has also evolved how Black men take care of their hair every day, but Spencer’s greater mission also entails building a system of Black male entrepreneurs to uplift as he succeeds. Through his journey, he hopes to empower others with an idea and a plan to conquer these goals and shed new light on Black businessmen.

Spencer, a graduate of Connecticut College with a bachelor’s degree in Economics, is changing the hair game with his dedication to providing protection and encouragement to his community,

“Many things can be stopped; one thing that can’t is an educated Black man with a strong support system… I intend to provide both.”

liability, llc, leap, assets, protect your assets, entrepreneur

by Alfred Edmond, Jr.

December 1, 2023

Protect Your Assets: Advice For Entrepreneurs

When operating any kind of business, it is critical to protect your assets from liability associated with your entrepreneurial activities.

Originally Published Sep. 14, 2016

When we think about wealth, most of us are focused on two things: How to acquire it and how to grow it.

However, long-term financial stability and success relies on your ability to protect your wealth. Unfortunately, most people fail to think of wealth protection until it’s too late—when assets are in peril or after they’re lost. In nearly all cases, the money saved by not taking steps to protect your assets is easily dwarfed by the financial damage incurred when what can go wrong does.

This is often the case with new entrepreneurs, whether they are operating a business as a full-time startup or a side hustle (or side hustles) to create multiple income streams. When operating any kind of business, it is critical to consider steps to shield your personal assets from liability associated with your entrepreneurial activities. In short, building long-term wealth requires you to protect your assets, not just increase your income.

BLACK ENTERPRISE spoke with Nic Cober, Esq. (www.niccober.com), principal managing partner of Cober Johnson & Romney. Cober, a Black Enterprise contributor and the author of CEO of My Soul: The Self-Love Journey of A Small Business Owner, specializes in legal issues facing entrepreneurs. She stresses the importance of establishing even a fledgling startup as a legal business entity to protect your assets.

“I mentored a SCORE client recently who was very reluctant about registering as an L.L.C. because of the expensive fees, says Cober, who teaches a class called Legal Entrepreneurship Advanced Principles (LEAP) in collaboration with the D.C. Small Business Development Corp. “I asked her did she and her husband have assets. They did. I quickly told her that if they were ever sued for a defective product he created, those assets could be at risk. Simply put, if you are creating a product or providing a service that in any way causes injury or harm, you may be financially liable.

“A Limited Liability Company serves as the first line of defense for owners because it limits your personal liability for business debts, says Cober. “As an aside, like sole proprietors, the owner still receives the tax benefits of reporting profits and losses on his or her personal tax returns. In sum, even in the early stages of your business, registering as an L.L.C. is the first of many important decisions you will make as an owner.

You register your L.L.C. in the state in which you do business, and the fees vary. In the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area, for instance, the initial fees to register range from $100 to more than $300, according to Cober. Most states do not have ongoing annual registering L.L.C. fees. However, some states have annual reports they require you to file.

For example, says Cober, “In the District, you have to file a report called the BRA-25 every two years to update the District on where your office is located and who the primary officers are.

Check with your state’s business registration office to see the specific requirements.

The bottom line: It makes no sense to put your personal assets at risk to avoid spending a few hundred dollars to establish your small business—even if it’s a side hustle—as a separate business entity by registering it as an L.L.C. Any wealth you gain with the success of your enterprise can quickly and easily be wiped out if you fail to protect your assets.

Aretha Franklin, Prince, Estate Planning, Will, Assets, passing

by Stacey Tisdale

December 1, 2023

They Died Without Wills: What Aretha Franklin And Prince Taught Us About Estate Planning

It's critical that African Americans make estate planning a priority. Here are the tools to do so.

Originally Published Aug. 22, 2018

Aretha Franklin, Prince—both among the most influential artists of all time. And they had something else in common: Both died without leaving a will.

Under local state laws, Franklin’s assets would be divided up among her children. However, as The Detroit Free Press reported, because of copyrights, published songs, and other intellectual property, Franklin’s estate could end up becoming a hotly contested court battle waged by many parties and one that could be litigated for years.

One has to wonder what Prince would think about the public spectacle that surrounded his estate, which was estimated to be worth about $300 million.

The music icon worked so hard during his life to protect his privacy, and now the details of his assets, and more importantly the possibility that he did not create a plan for them after his passing, have cast his financial life into a spotlight that he tried so desperately to avoid.

“I think Prince simply thought he had time,” said Lori Anne Douglass, an estate-planning attorney at Moses & Singer in New York.

“For someone who worked so hard to be private and maintain control of his own music, it doesn’t make sense that he gave up his power in this way. The most important thing we learned from Prince is that you simply never know when you’re going to die,” she added.

Douglass pointed out that while so much discussion centered around the fact that Prince didn’t have a will, a trust would have allowed him to protect his privacy. That information is private, whereas the content of wills is public.

The fact is, Prince and Franklin, like the rest of us, were human. We are not wired to focus on estate planning. According to Legalzoom.com, nearly 70% of blacks in the United States die without a will.

When you consider, however, that a significant portion of wealth is passed through generations, you begin to understand the significance of creating a plan for your assets when you move on, and some of the challenges our community has had when it comes to building wealth.

That lack of planning is a crisis, wrote Earl G. Graves Sr., founder and publisher of BLACK ENTERPRISE.

“Not only does this put our ability to transfer wealth to future generations at risk, it also comes at a tremendous cost,” he wrote. “Without an estate plan, your assets fall subject to probate. According to one estate planning firm, probate costs surviving families a collective $2 billion annually – including more than $1.5 billion in attorney fees. Dying intestate (passing away without a valid will) not only blocks the transfer of wealth; it can leave a crippling financial burden to your heirs.”

“What’s at stake? How about more than $1 trillion in black spending power? How much of that are we willing to lose to probate, estate taxes, and other costs we need to plan for? What about the homes and other real estate we’ve acquired, and our investment portfolios, including retirement plans and other savings? What about the nearly 2 million businesses owned by African Americans? How can we say we are doing our very best for future generations while leaving all of this, and more, unprotected and at risk?”

For many of us, the hardest part of estate planning is figuring out how to begin. Douglass said the first step is to think about what happens as people die, and to consider the fact that we are all living longer, and likely to become incapacitated in some way at some point in our lives.

“The first step is getting your disability documents in order through a healthcare proxy and power of attorney. You can get statutory forms on your state’s website,” said Douglass.

The person you appoint to make healthcare decisions is called “the agent.” You are “the principal.” Unless you limit your agent’s authority, in most cases, they have the power to make any medical decisions you would make on your behalf.

“When beginning your estate planning, it’s also important to make sure that you have the correct beneficiary designations on things like employer benefits–401 (k)’s and insurance,” said Douglass.

In addition, when you start the estate planning process, you should consult an attorney so that you understand how the different aspects of your plan should come together. Douglass suggested seeking out a free consultation, which can at least result in guidance and affordable recommendations.