veterans
by Daniel Johnson

November 19, 2023

VA, Senators Calls On Mortgage Companies To Pause Foreclosures

A group of Democratic senators wrote a letter to the VA stating that the agency's ending of the veterans' program contradicted the intent of Congress

After NPR’s investigative report on the thousands of veterans who were about to lose their homes due to foreclosure, the Department of Veterans Affairs is taking action.

Thousands of veterans took advantage of the COVID forbearance program that paused or reduced their mortgage payments for a year but stipulated that they would have to catch up on the missed or reduced payments once the period was over. The VA had set up a way for veterans to make affordable payments, but that portion of the program inexplicably ended in October 2022, leaving veterans at risk of losing their homes. 

The VA has a new program to fix its oversight, but it will take around four or five months to get off the ground. That length of time is not sufficient for veterans who are currently in the middle of the foreclosure process, NPR reports.

According to data from ICE Mortgage Technology, 6,000 veterans are currently in the process of having their homes foreclosed on, and 34,000 are delinquent on their payments. A group of senators sent a letter to the VA imploring them to put a stop to the foreclosures immediately. 

Democratic senators Tim Kaine, Sherrod Brown, Jon Tester, and Jack Reed wrote a letter on Nov. 16. “Without this pause, thousands of veterans and service members could needlessly lose their homes,” they wrote. “This was never the intent of Congress.”

In response, the VA has called upon mortgage companies to pause foreclosures on loans the VA holds through May 31, 2024. “This will empower us to work with veterans experiencing severe financial hardship to adjust their loans — and their monthly payments — so they can keep their homes,” VA Press Secretary Terrance Hayes said.

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Morace Landy
by Ann Brown

November 19, 2023

Morace Landy’s Mission: Foster Lasting Careers And Holistic Wellness In The Music Industry

Morace Landy wants music artists to not only have successful careers but also be mentally and physically healthy.

Morace Landy, a music industry veteran known for catapulting artists to stardom, is making sure artists stay on top with the help of his company, Evolution3.

“In the past month, EV3 has welcomed a new client, Ciara, and has been actively promoting her latest single, a collaboration with artist Chris Brown titled ‘How We Roll,'” Landy tells BLACK ENTERPRISE. “This track has achieved significant success, recently entering the top 10 on the Billboard magazine’s airplay charts. Moreover, ‘How We Roll’ is steadily climbing and is now poised to break into the top five.”

Launched in 2015, Evolution3‘s main focus is fostering enduring careers for musicians and artists in the fickle entertainment industry. The company’s motto, “more than a hit record,” underscores the work it does not only in artist development and promotion but in holistic wellness and mental health.

Landy, Evolution3’s founder and CEO, wants to make sure artists are working on their career and their physical and mental health. This business can wreak havoc on both.

“The significance of artists prioritizing their physical fitness and mental well-being cannot be overstated, as it directly impacts their ability to perform at their peak,” Landy explains. “In any profession, including the arts, individuals aim to operate at their optimal capacity. Artists in particular face substantial physical and mental challenges due to their demanding schedules, including extensive travel, onstage performances, and interviews. Excelling in these aspects is crucial for them to distinguish themselves from their peers.”

Landy has worked with such as artists as Jay-Z, Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, Luther Vandross, and Babyface.

He grew up in the Brownsville neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, and began his career as a musician performing at a local theater company. From 1977 to 1981 he was a musician for off-Broadway plays and performed at Joseph Papp’s Public Theater. He also worked as a session guitar player for Broadway and television productions.

In 1978, he became the manager of the Public Theater and handled booking the thriving theater’s critically acclaimed “New Jazz” acts through 1981. Eventually he landed his first record label job at Profile Records before moving to Warner/Reprise, where he worked in the urban promotions department. He then worked at Polygram/Island Records, where he was national director for Black music from 1993 to 1996. He also worked at Epic and Atlantic before venturing out on his own.

RELATED CONTENT: Ciara and Russell Wilson Help Denver Charities Level Up With $1 Million in Donations

Memphis
by Daniel Johnson

November 19, 2023

Man Suspected of 4 Killings In Memphis Domestic Violence Spree Found Dead

Christian had pleaded guilty to domestic violence-related charges in January 2018.

Mavis Christian Jr., who prompted a manhunt in Memphis after he allegedly killed four female victims and injured a fifth on Nov. 18, was found dead in his car from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Nov. 19.

According to the Associated Press, police suspected Christian of committing shootings at three different locations, which left three women and a teenage girl dead, and critically wounding another teenage girl.

Memphis Police Department officers arrived at the 100 block of Howard Drive Saturday night, where they found a woman had died from a gunshot wound.

Following an investigation, two other shootings were determined to be connected to the first. The others, at Field Lark Drive and Warrington Road, were determined to be domestic violence situations, according to the police. 

At Field Lark Drive, police found that a woman and a 13-year-old girl had been shot and killed; a 15-year-old girl survived but was in critical condition. On Warrington Road, officers found another woman who had been allegedly shot and killed by Christian.

Memphis Police Department Chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis issued a statement: “Our department continues to demonstrate an unwavering commitment towards ensuring the safety and well-being of our residents, and incidents like these shake us all to our core.”

According to ABC 24, Christian had pleaded guilty to domestic violence related charges in January 2018. He was supposed to serve three years for the offenses but ended up serving less than a year. 

According to CNN, the identities of the victims and how they were specifically connected to Christian have not been released. Police did say that the suspect was a “known relative.”

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Pennsylvania African Methodist Episcopal Church , Black History Museum
by Daniel Johnson

November 19, 2023

More than 260 Georgia Churches To Leave United Methodist Church

Congregations are leaving the United Methodist Church in protest against LGBTQ restrictions.

Hundreds of churches are leaving the United Methodist Church, with CNN reporting that 261 churches in Georgia will split from the denomination ahead of a critical deadline.

The National Methodist Church declared that congregations would have until the end of 2023 to leave due to conscientious objection to any church-rule changes “related to the practice of homosexuality or the ordination or marriage of self-avowed practicing homosexuals.”

In July, NPR reported that the Methodist Church had lost about 20% of its enrolled churches over disputes about same-gender marriage and LGBTQ+ clergy. At the time, many of the congregations left because they disagreed with the lack of enforcement on conservative stances the church was taking.

According to CBS News, a majority of the 6,000 Methodist congregations that have departed the church are conservative.

A North Georgia group of churches elected to sue the conference in March so it could bring the conference leadership to the bargaining table. According to CNN, a judge in Georgia’s Cobb County ruled that a church-level vote had to take place before the Methodist Church’s deadline expires ahead of the North Georgia Conference’s vote to accept the exit of 261 churches from the United Methodist Church. 

According to CBS News, the United Methodist Church will have an opportunity to modernize its laws come 2024.

Those who departed may choose to join the Global Methodist Church, which was formed in May 2022 and firmly upholds its rules against LGBTQ+ ordination and marriage. Another option is for the United Methodist Church to split its rules about LGBTQ+ marriage and ordination between regions.

According to a study from the Lewis Center for Church Leadership, the majority of churches that are leaving are concentrated in southern states.

“We decided that it was better to let the United Methodist Church go than to continue in what I would refer to as a cage fight, in which we would fight each other until we’re a bloody pulp and the church would be destroyed,” Keith Boyette, a theological conservative who is overseeing the Global Methodist Church’s transitional period, told CBS News. “I have grief that the church was not able to find its way to make decisions and abide by them that would be honoring of who the church is.”

RELATED CONTENT: Fire Destroys Historic Second Creek Methodist Church In North Carolina

flu
by Ann Brown

November 19, 2023

Flu Season In Full Swing: Multiple States Report High Activity Levels

This year, the flu made its entrance in November

The flu season is well underway, with several states registering high levels of flu activity.

According to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there is elevated flu activity in seven states and territories. Louisiana has been experiencing very high number of flu cases, while Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, New Mexico, and South Carolina also reported high flu activity. The District of Columbia and Puerto Rico also recorded high levels of influenza, with an epidemic declared in the latter.

“We’re off to the races,” Dr. William Schaffner, a Vanderbilt University infectious diseases expert, told the Associated Press. Typically the winter flu season begins in December or January. However, last year saw an early start in October. This year, it’s November.

Flu activity is on the rise in several other states, including Arkansas, California, and Maryland, the Associated Press reported.

Tracking people who have the flu relies in part on reports of people with flu-like symptoms who go to doctor’s offices or hospitals. But oftentimes people who have the flu fail to get tested, so their infections aren’t lab-confirmed.

The presence of other respiratory viruses, such as COVID-19, complicates this flu season even more.

Flu viruses can vary, but the dominant strain this year is influenza A H1N1, which typically results in fewer hospitalizations and deaths among the elderly. This fall, the CDC has estimated at least 780,000 flu illnesses, more than 8,000 hospitalizations, and at least 490 flu-related deaths, including one child, Stat reported.

“Really what we’re seeing is a more sharp increase in activity, week over week, and we know from experience when that happens, oftentimes we are entering into that period of even more increased activity,” Alicia Budd, the CDC’s team lead for domestic flu surveillance, told Stat. “It’s a great time for people to get vaccinated if they’ve been holding off.”

African Americans tend to be affected with the flu at higher rates than whites. This is due in part to lower flu vaccination rates in the Black community. During 2021’s flu season, vaccination coverage among white adults was 54% compared with 38% for Hispanics, 41% for Native Americans, and 42% for Blacks, CNBC reported.

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homebuying, Ohio, Georgia dream, homeownership, the credit bros
by Mary Spiller

November 19, 2023

Ohio Associations Partner To Help Minorities Buy Their First Homes

There are about 190 homes set to go into the new Ohio program

If you are looking to buy a house in Cincinnati, you may be in luck.

The Greater Cincinnati Port Authority and the Greater Cincinnati Realtist Association have partnered to help those looking to buy their dream home overcome the barriers of the buying process. Through financial and literacy support, the two organizations are helping people afford their forever homes, and increasing homeownership across minority groups. 

The organization was spurred to its mission after the release of the latest homeownership data from the National Association of Realtors, Spectrum News 1 reported. It showed that the homeownership rate for Black people living in Ohio is just 36%, and it’s even lower for those who live in Cincinnati, at 25%.

The Port acquired 194 single-family homes from out-of-town investors, while the realtist association will market some of those homes in an effort to help more minorities buy houses.

The Port’s motto is, “Jobs families can live on. Homes they can afford. Cleaner, greener, safer neighborhoods and business districts.”

Darrick Dansby, president of the Greater Cincinnati Realtist Association, said, “Having this inventory that is specifically dedicated to starter homeowners and homeowners who have the opportunity to buy a home based on their income, we believe that these products will help us make a little bit of help to increase that Black homeownership rate.”

Both groups are dedicated to reaching out to minorities in particular. So far, eight homes have been listed on the market for sale, with the rest soon to follow.

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Radcliffe Bailey
by Jameelah Mullen

November 19, 2023

Celebrated Artist Radcliffe Bailey Dies at 54

The Atlanta-based artist's body of work encompassed the Black experience in America

Radcliffe Bailey, the artist known for his contributions to Black art, died after a long battle with brain cancer, ArtForum reported. He was 54.

He is survived by his wife, Leslie Parks Bailey; a daughter, Olivia; his son, Coles; and his parents, Radcliffe Sr. and Brenda.

Bailey’s art depicted the Black experience through paintings, sculpture, and mixed-media pieces. 

The artist often incorporated repurposed objects in his creations such the wooden piano keys used “Windward Coast–West Coast Slave Trade.” The display features a sequined head  sitting atop a “sea” of wooden piano keys and was featured in the Art In Common gallery in Chicago. The gallery label describes the meaning of the piano keys.

“This piece expresses his love of music, as well as the history, culture, and spirituality contained in the song. Here, the undulating keys are arranged to resemble the turbulent waters of Middle Passage.”

In an interview with the Brooklyn Rail, Bailey explained his process in selecting the materials for the 2021 piece, “Slow Blues.”

“I used indigo, and there’s that heavy, loaded meaning behind indigo, used as a crop during slavery, and also references the blues. It’s a mixture of all that. And the piece is in a cabinet, it’s not a frame; I refer to these works as medicine cabinets. The idea was that whenever you get sick, you go to the medicine cabinet to get something to make you feel better. I refer to memory as medicine.”

Bailey was born on November 25, 1968 in Bridgeton, New Jersey, and was raised in Atlanta.  He received his BFA from The Atlanta College of Art in 1991.

While in college, he established himself in the art world with his early works inspired by the hip-hop culture of the 1970s and 1980s.

Fans and friends took to social media to pay tribute, including former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Bailey’s childhood friend.

RELATED CONTENT: Black Artist To Create Harriet Tubman Statue At Philadelphia’s City Hall Following Controversy

 

leather, luxury brand
by Daniel Johnson

November 19, 2023

Noir Atelier Brings Affordable Fashion House Luxury To Chicago

Noir Atelier plans on throwing a proper grand opening party in Chicago next year

Noir Atelier is a new Black-owned luxury brand based in Chicago formed by two locals, Shawn Gibbs and Frankie Favre.

According to Block Club Chicago, Noir Atelier launched in September 2023 by offering a python print leather vegan leather card holder for $129, which Gibbs and Fabre say aligns with their vision to provide luxury at an affordable price point.

The founders did their homework before bringing the initial offering, studying designs from Goyard, Yves St. Laurent, and Burberry in order to gauge what design cues they needed to harness so they could create a profitable product.

Gibbs told Block Club Chicago that the designs are multigenerational and unisex by design. “Everyone can’t afford Louis Vuitton, but if we can give you something that’s going to make you feel good … there’s no gender in this, right?” he said. “You can be a man, woman, 18 years old, you can be 60 years old. You can give this to your mom, cousin or coworker.”

Fabre indicated that of the high-end designers he and Gibbs studied, the one that stood out to him, and the one he most wanted to incorporate aspects of was Goyard.

“One of the biggest things was the colorway,” he said. “A company that has inspired us in terms of having options is Goyard… We wanted people to be able to want all the colors…and then be able to accessorize that with their day-to-day.”

Noir Atelier recently made its wares available on the NTWRK marketplace, which Fabre describes as “the QVC of art, luxury and fashion…We’re sitting next to some of the dopest designers and artists around and here we are getting to rub elbows with that network.”

They plan to expand their offerings and their customer base while building a community. They want to throw a proper grand opening party in Chicago next year to get all of their customers and supporters under one roof. A store in Chicago and another in Paris are also on the wish list.

“We got some dope s— happening, and that requires a lot of money. And so right now we’re being very smart financially with a lot of our decisions with the future in mind … so that way we can give people an experience,” Fabre said.

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Black Women Invest Founder Expands Local Chapters And Offers 3 Tips For Beginners
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 19, 2023

Black Women Invest Founder Expands Local Chapters And Offers 3 Tips For Beginners

Schelo D. Collier launched a 13,000-member community aimed at getting Black women to invest.

Meet Schelo D. Collier, a visionary leader in finance and real estate investment who launched a 13,000-member community aimed at getting Black women to invest.

Black Women Invest is aimed at empowering Black Women to excel in their financial pursuits. Launched after Collier lost her “dream job,” she embarked on a mission to align women who look like her and who want to take the lead in securing their financial future.

“I was motivated to launch Black Women Invest after my “dream job” ended abruptly. I was suddenly faced with the realization that my financial well-being was truly up to me,” she tells BLACK ENTERPRISE.

“If I continued to rely on someone else to write my checks, then this situation could happen again,” she adds. “So, I went on a search to find like-minded women who were also on their investment journeys. I desired a supportive community; however, the research revealed a surprising lack of dedicated platforms for Black Women. Instead, I found that more groups were focused on saving and budgeting—not investing. Therefore, I started Black Women Invest to provide Black women with a safe place to flourish and learn tangible investing strategies together.”

With a passion for breaking stigmas around investing, Collier has seen more women stick to budgeting rather than taking an active initiative in investing their money.

“Some of the biggest stigmas I hear include the misconception that you need a lot of money to invest, which is far from the truth,” she says. “First, women need education, and then they need consistency. I teach people that even $50 a month can make a difference in your long-term portfolio.”

“Another stigma is that investing is like gambling. This fear of financial loss comes from a lack of knowledge,” she adds. “Black women might perceive investing as risky behavior, particularly if they don’t have a good understanding of what they’re investing in. Getting educated helps them to overcome that fear.”

With chapters in Miami, Houston, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Charlotte, and an online community, Collier is looking to grow Black Women Invest by connecting women from all facets of life. For anyone still skeptical about investing, Collier offers these tips.

  • Understand your risk tolerance level. You can assess this by asking yourself the following questions:
    • How would I react if my investments lost a significant amount of value?
    • How much money can I afford to lose?
    • When will I need access to my money?
    • How do I honestly feel about market volatility?

  • Set your goals. What are you planning to do when you reach your investment goals? Are you investing to buy a house, planning for retirement, or paying for your children to go to college? That should help you determine the types of investments you get into; such as real estate, index funds, or passively or actively investing into stocks, etc.

  • Choose the right investment strategy for you. I had a woman join our group who wanted to invest further in her stock portfolio, but she was already at retirement age. So when we discussed the best strategy for her goals and timeline, we realized that it would make the most sense for her to convert her basement into a new living quarters and rent it out. And that’s precisely what she did, she now rents it out to travel nurses and earns a profit. Investing is not just about stocks.

RELATED CONTENT: Black Couple From California Launch Series of Real Estate Investment Courses

beonna taylor
by Daniel Johnson

November 18, 2023

Mistrial Declared In Civil Rights Trial Of Ex-Officer Involved In Breonna Taylor’s Death

The jury was deadlocked on both counts against the former Louisville police officer who fired stray bullets during the raid that led to the death of Breonna Taylor.

A mistrial was declared in the federal trial of Brett Hankison, the ex-police officer accused of violating Breonna Taylor’s civil rights during a botched raid by the Louisville Police Department in 2020.

According to NBC News, the jury remained in a deadlock over both counts Hankison was facing. Hankison faced allegations of employing excessive force when he discharged 10 rounds into Taylor’s window and glass door after officers claimed they were fired upon during their attempted raid.

NBC News reported some of Hankison’s shots went into a neighbor’s apartment, but they did not strike anyone. Police officers fatally shot Taylor after her boyfriend, mistaking the police, who were doing a “no-knock” raid, for intruders, fired at them when they entered the apartment. In response to her boyfriend hitting an officer, two officers discharged a total of 22 rounds, striking Taylor in the chest and killing her.

The raid was supposed to target Taylor’s ex-boyfriend, Jamarcus Glover, who has since said that she had no involvement with his drug trade operation. Glover did not live with Taylor at the time.

Hankison, who was fired from the Louisville Police Department in June 2020, was found not guilty on state charges of wanton endangerment in March 2022. 

According to ABC News, Hankison said during his testimony that he could not see the outline of a person through the blinds of Taylor’s apartment, but he could see muzzle flashes coming from the inside of the apartment. Hankison also said that at the time he saw the muzzle flashes, he believed his officers were being executed. 

The prosecution argued that Hankison’s shell casings were not found near the sidewalk closer to the apartment, where he said he was when he fired his shots, but near a gray truck in the apartment’s parking lot. The federal trial was the second attempt to hold Hankison accountable for his actions.

A spokesperson for the Department of Justice told ABC News said the DOJ “is actively considering all of our available options.”

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