by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

December 19, 2024

Renowned Black Educator Of 35 Years Releases His 14th Book For School Leaders

Baruti K. Kafele turns his attention to instructional leadership—a crucial, complex, and sometimes neglected, facet of leading a school.

Baruti K. Kafele, a bestselling author and award-winning educator of more than 35 years and formerly a principal of inner-city schools in New Jersey for almost 15 years, has released his newest thought-provoking book entitled What Is My Value INSTRUCTIONALLY to the Teachers I Supervise? In this book, he turns his attention to instructional leadership—a crucial, complex, and sometimes neglected facet of leading a school.

Kafele contends that the primary purpose of supervising teachers is to help them continue to improve in the classroom so that all students have the support and skills they need to succeed. For principals and assistant principals, in particular, it is easy to be so inundated by the noninstructional aspects of the work that the instructional side—including instructional coaching—suffers. This has an adverse effect on the entire school. Just as the quality of teaching directly affects student outcomes, there is also a direct correlation between instructional leadership and student achievement and well-being.

The book, which is available on Amazon, is structured around 10 self-reflection prompts to help the reader answer the question that the title poses: What is my value instructional to the teachers I supervise? This powerful resource offers illuminating stories about and practical strategies for focusing on the instructional side of leadership to improve teacher pedagogy and enable student achievement to soar.

About the author

One of the most sought-after school leadership and classroom equity presenters, Kafele, is impacting America’s schools. During the past 35 years, he has received more than 150 awards and has delivered more than 3,000 conference and program keynotes, professional development workshops, parenting seminars, and student assemblies.

In addition to writing several professional articles for popular education journals, he has authored 14 books, including seven ASCD best sellers.

A former teacher in New Jersey, he was selected as the district and county teacher of the year. As a principal, he led the turnaround of four different New Jersey urban public schools, including Newark Tech, which was three times recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of America’s best high schools.

For more information and/or to book him as a speaker, visit his official website at PrincipalKafele.com

This news was first reported on Blacknews.com.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 19, 2024

Lesa Milan Recalls ‘The Beyoncé Effect’ Turning Her Mina Roe Brand Into An Overnight Success

Lesa Milan credits Beyoncé for putting her Mina Roe brand "on the map."

Lesa Milan credits Beyoncé with helping to make her Mina Roe maternity wear and care brand an overnight success.

The Real Housewives of Dubai star recalls when she first launched her brand and was trying to get celebrities to wear maternity pieces to help with promotion and brand exposure. But she found herself hitting dead ends with managers attempting to charge upwards of $50,000 for a celeb to wear her pieces.

“I started reaching out to the celebrities myself, but I got nothing back,” Milan recalled on Hot 97. “They would just ignore it, and then if they didn’t, it would be like a manager requesting like $50,000 or something for them to wear my stuff.”

“And I was like, ‘I can’t afford that. That doesn’t work,” she continued. “I can’t pay them to wear my stuff. So what can I do? Because I don’t have the budget.’ So I said, ‘You know what, the stylist, I need to go through the stylist because it’s tough to find trendy clothes that fit and are comfortable. And I’m sure they would appreciate Mina Roe.’”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by MINA ROE (@minaroe)

Milan contacted Beyoncé’s stylist, Ty Hunter, who helped introduce the brand to the music superstar.

“He reached out, and he’s like, ‘OK, Beyoncé’s gonna choose the ones she likes.’ And I was like, ‘Beyoncé is gonna choose it herself?!’ And she chose five pieces, and we’ve only seen her being photographed in two different dresses,” Milan said.

“It was so major. It changed my brand forever. The Beyoncé effect. We went from unknown to known overnight… Beyoncé put me on the map.”

Since launching her maternity wear line, Lesa Milan has expanded her Mina Roe brand to include skincare products for pregnant and postpartum mothers. In addition to stylish maternity fashion, Mina Roe now offers belly masks, oils, and serums designed to support and protect the skin throughout motherhood.

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

December 19, 2024

Mompreneurs Collaborate To Launch ‘Thrive Culture Box’ For Black Children

This innovative subscription service delivers a monthly activity box designed to help children and families explore Black culture and uplift communities together.

Parents and other family members can now give children ages four and up the gift of learning and celebrating Black culture. Two Los Angeles-based moms, Dr. Anndretta Lyle and Stacy Kirk, who are leaders in cultural education and technology, respectively, have teamed up to create Thrive Culture Box. This innovative subscription service delivers a monthly activity box designed to help children and families explore Black culture and uplift communities together. Subscribers can expect a new box delivered each month, accompanied by instructional videos and lessons.

Kirk described the debut series focused on Black inventors: “This one is so thrilling—it’s all about Black inventors who shaped history. Each month, kids dive into a fun and interactive online course with physical tools and games that highlight groundbreaking Black inventors, from the genius behind the modern traffic light to pioneers in medicine and technology. Did you know a Black inventor perfected the recipe for ice cream?”

Lyle shared her vision for the project: “We are not only teaching history—we are working with families to spark innovation and confidence in the next generation. As both a parent and an educator, I wanted children to have more than just videos and digital learning. With Thrive Culture Box, kids use their hands and exercise creativity with physical materials as well.”

Lyle brings years of experience teaching Black Studies and Performance Studies at institutions including UCLA, USC, and CSU East Bay, where she currently teaches and earned tenure last year. Across these campuses, a recurring question from her students was: “Why wasn’t I taught this sooner?” In response, she began developing solutions for young Black learners and their families. Her first initiative, Black Arts and Performance Summer Day Camp was launched in 2019 and has drawn families from as far as Nevada. The camp remains in high demand, with 2025 registration already open.

The Thrive Culture Box was born from the need for a scalable solution to meet growing demand. Kirk, a tech entrepreneur and advocate for diversity in education, brought her expertise in business strategy to the project. As the founder of QualityWorks, she emphasized the importance of accessibility: “It’s not just about having a great idea—it’s about making it accessible to as many people as possible. Thrive Culture Box is built with that in mind, ensuring any family, regardless of location, can teach their kids about Black history and culture. It’s about expanding the impact.”

Families interested in joining can subscribe at ThriveCultureBox.com

This news was first reported on Blacknews.com.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 18, 2024

‘Traveling While Black’ Series’ Creators Use ‘Comfortability For Black People’ Metric To Review Destinations

Anthony and Marlie Love created a "comfortability for Black people" metric to evaluate destinations for their "Traveling While Black" series.

The Seattle-based couple behind the “Traveling While Black” series is going inside the “Comfortability for Black People” metric they developed for reviewing destinations.

Marlie and Anthony Love took their passion for traveling the Pacific Northwest to the internet, where they launched their YouTube channel “Traveling While Black.” Now, 13,000+ subscribers later, the Loves caught the attention of advertisers, sponsors, and even Fox SOUL, which offered them a distribution deal, all of which helped them quit their day jobs to take up travel full-time.

Now, as travel influencers and content creators, the Loves focus their content on introducing diverse audiences to destinations where they might not have always been welcome. Their mission is to inspire Black travelers to reclaim spaces and experiences that were historically inaccessible to them.

“If you want to see yourself more in certain spaces, then you have to go,” Anthony told the Seattle Times.

The couple evaluates destinations using a “comfortability for Black people” metric, which considers several factors. These include the presence of other Black people in the area, the percentage of Black residents, and indicators of inclusivity.

Sometimes, the indicators are fairly obvious, like signs welcoming diverse travelers, while others are more subtle, such as the representation of Black people in museums, art exhibits, or special events. The Loves also assess whether the destination preserves and celebrates Black history, examining whether there are plaques, monuments, or restored buildings significant to the Black community. Ultimately, their final measure is based on how comfortable they feel in the space.

Their travel recommendations typically include insights other travelers seek, such as tips on national parks, monuments, hiking trails, museums, and other attractions—all shared with a generous dose of humor. They also use a grading scale to evaluate various aspects, including the journey to the destination and the overall enjoyment of the experience.

The Loves also factor in “all of that ugly history that’s not that far away from where we’re living, on top of all of that,” Anthony shared.

Considering the racist history in most areas of the country, the Loves have been pleased to see how welcomed they’ve felt in most of the destinations they’ve visited.

“If somebody was just to know the history of Oregon … they might say, ‘I’m never going there,’” Anthony said. But “it’s all right to go there. We should go there.”

The Loves drew inspiration from The Negro Motorist Green Book, commonly known as The Green Book, which began in the 1930s as a guide helping African Americans find lodging, restaurants, and other amenities that would welcome them during the Jim Crow era. When brainstorming themes for their YouTube channel, the couple reflected on their own questions: Which areas are diverse and inclusive? Where can they find Black-owned businesses? And which destinations—especially those with small Black populations—are welcoming to Black travelers?

“It was really reminiscent of the questions that they were asking in the Green Book time,” Anthony said.

What began as a travel-focused YouTube channel five years ago has evolved into a partnership with Fox SOUL. The “Traveling While Black with Anthony and Marlie” series now explores destinations like the islands of the Pacific Northwest, Black historic districts, and Washington’s quirky “gimmick” towns.

Mike Tyson, JAKE PAUL, medical, incident, contain, scare, boxing

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

December 18, 2024

Netflix Readies Mike Tyson Docuseries

'Netflix is the perfect platform to tell my story because of their global reach,' the 58-year-old former boxer said.

Roughly a month after Mike Tyson’s last fight, Netflix announced that a documentary was the next project that Tyson would take on.

According to Deadline, the “baddest man on the planet” will be featured in an upcoming docuseries that will debut on the same streaming platform that showcased his last fight with former YouTuber Jake Paul. Tyson recently lost a unanimous decision, at 58, to a much younger foe, 27-year-old Paul. Now, Netflix is slated to premiere a three-part series to chronicle history’s youngest heavyweight boxing champion.

A new, unflinching look at the life of Mike Tyson is coming soon.

The Netflix Sports series will track Tyson’s meteoric rise and controversies, exploring the man behind the gloves. pic.twitter.com/lYB1un66IC

— Netflix (@netflix) December 17, 2024

“Having an opportunity to share my story through the reflective lens of my growth and maturity in a multi-part documentary on Netflix will be a challenging journey, yet a very welcoming one,” said Tyson. “Most people are too scared to look at their lives objectively, wanting to paint themselves as the hero of their own story. But if we are truly objective, we know we can never be the hero in our own story. We have to be able to face the man in the mirror, taking the good with the bad, to give a full account of our contributions in this life. Netflix is the perfect platform to tell my story because of their global reach.”

Unlike the Hulu docuseries, “Mike,” which Tyson steadfastly downplayed as an official documentary, the Netflix project is being made with his blessings. The series will show his success in the boxing ring and the struggles and hiccups he encountered outside the ropes.

There is no word on whether the docuseries will include the last fight, which caused controversy due to Tyson’s lackluster effort that had people thinking that the fight may have been fixed. Although he survived the eight-round contest, the explosiveness displayed in training video clips before the fight made people doubt that he went all out for the bout against Paul.

The promotional arm behind the fight, Most Valuable Promotions (owned by Paul), denied that the fight was fixed.

“Rigging a professional boxing match is a federal crime in the United States of America. Paul vs. Tyson was a professional match sanctioned by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations (TDLR). Both fighters, in good faith, performed to the best of their abilities with the goal of winning the fight,” There were absolutely no restrictions—contractual or otherwise—around either fighter. Each boxer was able to use his full arsenal to win the fight. Any agreement to the contrary would violate TDLR boxing rules.”

by Sharelle B. McNair

December 18, 2024

Herschel Walker Added To Trump’s Cabinet As Ambassador To the Bahamas

Thought we were done with him?!

CBS News reports that President-elect Donald Trump nominated failed Senate hopeful Herschel Walker to become the United States Ambassador to the Bahamas in a social media post.

Trump used the Truth Social post on Dec. 17 to celebrate Walker’s commitment to the country’s youth. “I am pleased to nominate Herschel Walker as United States Ambassador to the Commonwealth of the Bahamas,” he wrote. “Herschel has spent decades serving as an Ambassador to our Nation’s youth, our men and women in the Military, and athletes at home and abroad.”

https://twitter.com/ArtCandee/status/1869207492837966165

The announcement sent shockwaves throughout social media as users reminded others how Walker used his time in the spotlight to spout dangerous rhetoric amid a controversial past. During his senatorial campaign against Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock, he claimed his resume was impressive compared to Warnock’s and former President Obama’s. He even taunted Obama for “never signing any checks.”

Herschel Walker on Obama (2022): I'll put my resume against his any time of the day. pic.twitter.com/0o9siKxNQ1
— Ron Smith (@Ronxyz00) December 18, 2024

Then there was a time Walker pulled out a fake police badge — labeled by moderators as a “prop” — to project his willingness to work with police officers when Warnock called him out for allegedly threatening a shootout with police.

Sen. Raphael Warnock (D): “One thing I have not done — I have never pretended to be a police officer, and I’ve never threatened a shootout with the police.”

In response, Herschel Walker (R) pulled out a prop badge: “I am work with many police officers.” pic.twitter.com/Wyh6oYD9zB
— Heartland Signal (@HeartlandSignal) October 14, 2022

Despite several controversies, including two women claiming that Walker paid for them to get abortions while he was running an anti-abortion campaign, Trump continued to push the idea of putting the former Georgia Bulldog running back in charge of a new missile defense shield prior to his 2024 presidential victory, according to The Hill.

Like other cabinet members, Walker will face Senate confirmation before taking on Bahama ambassador duties, which has not happened in nearly 10 years. The last person nominated for the role was Cassandra Butts by Barack Obama in 2014. However, her nomination was never considered for a vote by the Senate. Trump’s first-term nomination faced scrutiny and controversy.

Doug Manchester was nominated in 2017 for the ambassador role, but the process was stalled for over two years after evidence of a potential pay-to-play scheme emerged in 2019. Manchester withdrew his nomination, and Trump nominated William Douglass in 2020. It didn’t last long, as President Joe Biden withdrew Douglass’s name after taking office. Calvin Smyre was later considered but has still not been confirmed by the Senate.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

December 18, 2024

Travis Hunter Reportedly Contributed Funds To Colorado Buffaloes’ NIL Collective

Deion Sanders Jr.: 'He's paying at least 10-15 guys' NILs on the team.'

Travis Hunter, the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner, has been giving money to his Colorado teammates via the team’s NIL (name, image, and likeness) Collective, according to Deion Sanders’ son.

On a recent appearance on the Zero 2 Sixty podcast, Deion Sanders Jr. revealed that Hunter does not receive a penny from the Colorado Buffaloes Collective NIL, but, with the money the two-way football player receives from various NIL endorsements, he places money in the pockets of his fellow football players.

Sanders told podcast hosts Matt McChesney and Bailey Price that Hunter pays “at least 10-15 guys’ NILs on the team. He’s donating his own money.”

On3 has reported that Hunter has made $5.2 million with his NIL deals this season, including a recent signing with adidas.

1 of 1.

Let the show begin. Welcome to the adidas family, @TravisHunterJr 🔥 pic.twitter.com/McecDQcNM0

— adidas Football US (@adidasFballUS) December 12, 2024

With one last game to play in his collegiate career, Hunter is widely considered to be the first pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. On Dec. 11, Hunter became the first player to win back-to-back Paul Hornung Awards. Three days later, he took home the Heisman Trophy Award, college football’s top honor.

According to The Athletic, Hunter became the first true two-way player to win the Heisman since Syracuse’s Ernie Davis in 1961. He became the first player in NCAA history to catch 92 receptions for 1,152 yards, 14 touchdowns, and grab four interceptions in a single season.

Hunter had an historic season. He was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, was given an honorable mention for Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, and was named first-team All-Big 12 as receiver and defensive back. He was the first player to earn first-team honors on both offense and defense in conference history.

Texas Corrections Officer, Chicken Wings,

by Kandiss Edwards

December 18, 2024

Incarcerated Women Receive $116M Settlement For ‘Staff-On-Inmate’ Sexual Assaults

Current and former inmates receive a small bit of justice for sexual assaults while incarcerated.

More than 100 current and former Oakland, California, inmates won a $116 million sexual assault settlement from the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

According to the Associated Press, the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, California, was held liable for the rape and assault of 103 inmates. The settlement was approved Dec. 17. and will garner each inmate over $1.1 million.

Former inmate Aimee Chavira spoke about the abuse and the impact she hopes the settlement will make in the future.

“We were sentenced to prison, we were not sentenced to be assaulted and abused.” She continued, “I hope this settlement will help survivors, like me, as they begin to heal –- but money will not repair the harm that [the Bureau of Prisons] BOP did to us, or free survivors who continue to suffer in prison.”

Chavira and other inmates took action against what they described as an alleged “rape club” facilitated by officers.

The Bureau of Prisons made a statement that claimed that staff-on-inmate sexual misconduct is taken “seriously,” as is its mission to keep everyone in the facility safe.

The bureau “strongly condemns all forms of sexually abusive behavior and takes seriously its duty to protect the individuals in our custody as well as maintain the safety of our employees and community.”

Though the facility was shut down, the Department of Justice acknowledged concerns about targeting and retaliation against the women in the class action lawsuits. As a result, a court-appointed monitor was put in place as a condition of the settlement.

The women inmates were transferred to multiple institutions and feared for their safety. Some have reported similar abusive conditions at the new facilities, AP reported.

A second class action lawsuit stemming from the abuse at the Dublin facility was approved by a federal judge.

Former warden Ray Garcia was convicted on eight charges, including sexual assault, in 2022. During a federal investigation, Garcia was found in possession of explicit inmate photos on his government-issued phone.

Since 2021, at least eight Dublin employees have been charged with sexually abusing inmates.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

December 18, 2024

Montell Jordan Says Faith In God and Early Detection Helped Him Beat Prostate Cancer

This is how you do it, apparently.

Former Def Jam recording artist Montell Jordan revealed that early detection and his faith in God led him to beat prostate cancer.

The R&B singer, who celebrated his 56th birthday on Dec. 3, told TMZ Hip-Hop that he had a prostatectomy surgery about six weeks ago. He credited finding out about it early, along with proactive doctors, for saving his life.

The “This is How We Do It” artist, who is now a practicing preacher, wants to encourage others to get early screenings and use his experience with the deadly disease as a talking point.

He told TMZ Hip-Hop that he is working on a documentary to try to remove the stigmas associated with people going for their health screenings. He is also working on a Christmas project.

In am touching post released on the singer’s birthday, he announced to his 215,000-plus Instagram followers that he had just beat cancer.

In the video, he talked, via sheets of paper reminiscent of this famous scene in Love Actually, about the cancer being discovered in January 2024 and how he defeated it after having his prostate removed on Nov. 4.

“JESUS saved my soul,” he expressed. “EARLY DETECTION saved my life.”

Jordan also implored others to help him get his documentary done but also making sure he brings to the attention of people not going for early screenings to catch any possible traces of the deadly disease.

Megan Tthee Stallion, restraining order, Tory Lanez

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

December 18, 2024

Megan Thee Stallion Brings Receipts As She Files Restraining Order Against Tory Lanez

The rapper deemed the matter "psychological warfare," further claiming he indirectly harasses her on social media.

Megan Thee Stallion is filing another restraining order against disgraced rapper Tory Lanez and is bringing the receipts to prove she needs one.

People reported that the “Bigger In Texas” rapper filed the request on Dec. 17. In the filing, Megan, real name Megan Pete, detailed the ongoing harassment she has faced from Lanez despite his incarceration. A jury found Lanez, real name Daystar Peterson, guilty of shooting Megan in the foot in 2020. He is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence following his 2022 conviction.

“Despite being sentenced to 10 years in prison for shooting Ms. Pete, Mr. Peterson continues to subject her to repeated trauma and revictimization,” the filing alleges.

Although Lanez remains behind bars, Megan has asserted that he continues defaming her character through other parties. The rapper deemed the matter “psychological warfare,” further claiming he indirectly harasses her on social media.

The request continues, “Mr. Peterson is fully aware of the impact of the psychological warfare he has waged against Ms. Pete, yet he continues to deputize his supporters to attack Ms. Pete’s character and integrity.”

TMZ reports that Megan’s defense team obtained proof to further her claims shortly after filing the restraining order request. Her lawyers reportedly have receipts of payments between Lanez’s father and a blogger whom Meg recently sued.

Megan accused Milagro Elizabeth Cooper, known on social media as Milagro Gramz, of taking payment from Lanez’s father to spread lies against her.

“In these prison calls, Mr. Peterson’s father—when he thought no one was listening— asked his son about payments to Ms. Cooper for her harassment of Ms. Pete: ‘How are they ever going to prove something like that?’” Mr. Peterson responded, ‘Exactly,’ ” the filing against Cooper states.

Megan has called the matter a “conspiracy” to continue directing hate toward the Grammy winner. She hopes to find a legal solution to the ongoing harassment allegedly sparked by her assaulter.

However, she also believes Lanez is doing so to aid his appeal. Currently, Lanez is appealing his multiple charges, including assault with a semiautomatic firearm.