40 Under 40
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

November 15, 2023

BLACK ENTERPRISE Announces The 2023 40 Under 40 List

In its third consecutive year, the 2023 list highlights the outstanding achievements of young Black leaders within various industries and disciplines, from politics to creative arts to STEM

BLACK ENTERPRISE released its highly anticipated 40 Under 40 List for the class of 2023. This latest cohort of Black trailblazers, visionaries, and game-changers in a variety of industries are being celebrated for their considerable achievement.

The honorees are being recognized for their leadership and groundbreaking innovation in the realms of technology, business, sports, entertainment, fashion and beauty, and political and social impact. The recipients are not only public figures renowned across the world, but also everyday heroes enacting change to better all livelihoods.

BLACK ENTERPRISE CEO and President Earl “Butch” Graves, Jr. released a statement on the honoring of these remarkable individuals for their “boundless potential.”

“BLACK ENTERPRISE‘s 40 Under 40 list is not just a celebration of individual success but a testament to the boundless potential within our community,” shared Graves, Jr.

“This announcement serves as a powerful reminder that Black excellence knows no bounds and that, collectively, we are charting an extraordinary course toward a brighter, more inclusive future.”

The Class of 2023 was also able to nominate themselves or others to be recognized for their positive efforts. Among those being bestowed this honor are Quinta Brunson, actress and creator of the TV series Abbott Elementary, Laquan Smith, designer and founder of his eponymously-named fashion brand, and Rashad Bilal, co-founder and CEO of Earn Your Leisure.

Past recipients have included sports journalist Taylor Rooks and Slutty Vegan founder Aisha “Pinky” Cole. Their resilience and determination to become forces in their industries is as important as ever to celebrate, especially as Black people pave the way for future generations.

“These outstanding individuals are not just the leaders of tomorrow, but the leaders of today, actively shaping industries and driving change,” expressed Selena Hill, Deputy Digital Editor of the platform.

“After curating this list with my colleagues, I’m delighted to celebrate the limitless opportunities that lie ahead for each of the honorees. Their stories are a source of inspiration, illustrating the immense potential that exists when passion meets purpose.”

The honorees will be recognized in a private, Nationwide-sponsored reception, taking place on Sunday, Dec. 10.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL 40 UNDER 40 LIST.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and Liberal Colleagues Dissent From Court’s Solidarity Confinement Decision
by Sharelle Burt

November 15, 2023

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and Liberal Colleagues Dissent From Court’s Solidarity Confinement Decision

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson felt Johnson's civil rights were clearly violated.

The Supreme Court refused to hear the appeal of an Illinois inmate whose lawyers claim his rights were violated after he was kept in solitary confinement for three years.

Michael Johnson allegedly spent years in a windowless cell with poor ventilation. Lawyers say the cell was no bigger than a parking space that was often covered in human waste. On Nov. 13, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said an appeals court failed to consider the health risks Johnson faced and focused on minor factors that restricted his ability to leave his cell. 

Jackson and Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan described the ruling as “an indisputable legal error” that she and her colleagues would have revised.

“This court has long held that the test for evaluating an Eighth Amendment challenge to a prisoner’s conditions of confinement involves determining whether prison officials acted with ‘deliberate indifference’ to a substantial risk to an inmate’s health or safety,” Jackson wrote. 

In a lawsuit filed against Pontiac Correctional Center officials, Johnson claims he was unconstitutionally deprived of exercise when prisoners in solitary confinement are entitled to one hour of exercise out of the cell five days a week. The inmate, diagnosed as seriously mentally ill by the Illinois Department of Corrections, claims he was deprived of exercise time as punishment.

Johnson was only allowed out of his cell once a week for 10 minutes to shower and couldn’t clean his cell unless he purchased items from the commissary. He suffered from hallucinations, urinated and defecated on himself, picked at his skin, and smeared feces on his body. The prison claimed Johnson damaged prison property and that he assaulted staff members.

Jackson argued that mental illness was the cause of his behavior, and without the ability to exercise, Johnson’s “mental state deteriorated rapidly.” “For three years,” she wrote. “Johnson had no opportunity at all to stretch his limbs or breathe fresh air.”

However, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said because of “persistent misconduct,” Johnson was “on yard restrictions” from January 2014 to August 2016 but regularly met with prison doctors and mental health professionals. In August 2016, Johnson was transferred to a mental health unit. While Raoul told the justices that officials couldn’t act with indifference based on treatment decisions, Johnson’s lawyers argued the opposite.

“The deprivation was not imposed to ensure the safety and security of the exercise yard,” the legal team argued, “but rather to punish Mr. Johnson for engaging in misconduct that was born of mental illness and unrelated to exercise.”

Following the high court’s decision, Daniel Greenfield, an attorney representing Johnson, said he appreciated the justice’s fight but was still disappointed. “At the same time, we are saddened to live in an era where such immense suffering is acceptable to any federal judge, let alone the majority of a circuit panel.”

Model Honors Late Fashion Designer By Hitting The Runway At Funeral In Viral Video
by Sharelle Burt

November 15, 2023

Model Honors Late Fashion Designer By Hitting The Runway At Funeral In Viral Video

The model of a deceased fashion designer went viral by walking the red carpet at his funeral.

A model from New Jersey has gone viral for walking the catwalk at a local designer’s funeral.

In early November 2023, loved ones gathered in Newark for a “Red Carpet Viewing” honoring designer Vernest Moore, who died in October 2023. Guests walked a red carpet leading to the end to view Moore’s open casket.

Friend and model Erica L. Carrington attended the service sporting one of his gorgeous designs. In a viral video, Carrington can be seen posing for pics while walking the red carpet and stopping in front of the casket. Attendees enjoyed her performance, cheering and clapping for her as she descended the carpet. After posting the video on Instagram, the model said it was hard to believe that would be the last time she strutted for the deceased designer.

“I can’t believe this would be my final walk for you, so I WON’T,” she wrote. “From now on…even if I’m not walking FOR YOU, I’ll be walking WITH YOU because I know you’ll ALWAYS be with me.”

Before it was revealed who the deceased was to the model, social media users were laughing—and shocked—at her performance.

“[Uncle] Ruckus would have had a field day with this one,” @CJTHEDAY wrote. Another said, “Wow. LMFAO! Mama said EVERYWHERE is a runway.”

Others applauded her for how she honored her friend, including influencer Kalen Allen, who said he understood why she did it.

“Don’t hate me…since they are honoring him as a fashion designer…I kind of get it,” Allen wrote on Twitter.
The comments under the model’s Instagram post were a lot more endearing.

“Listen! I need new friends because I’m here for all of it!”

Another follower gave Carrington some much-needed flowers.

“NOW, THIS IS HOW YOU HONOR & CELEBRATE SOMEONES LIFE !!!! I love everything about this,” @thegodrashi wrote. “Funerals are intended to be celebrations, and this was so creative and over the top. I don’t know him, but I’m sure he’d have it no other way. Sending you love and condolences. You ate this!!!”
Young Dolph's life partner, Mia Jaye, Young Dolph
by Stacy Jackson

November 15, 2023

Slain Memphis Rapper Young Dolph’s Life Partner Breaks Silence About Murder Case On Social Media

Young Adolph’s partner spoke out on social media, saying that the rapper’s family had not been informed about a judge's recusal.

Young Dolph’s life partner, Mia Jaye, spoke out on social media to offer a clarification: Her silence — in an effort to let the justice system do its job — has been taken for granted.

The life partner of the deceased rapper, songwriter, and entrepreneur legally named Adolph Thornton, Jr. alleged that authorities had not shared information about the changes that took place in relation to the case — specifically, the recuseal of Judge Lee Coffee, Fox 13 reported.

On Oct. 27, Coffee was ordered to recuse himself from trials involving several people facing charges in the rapper’s murder: Hernandez Govan, Justin Johnson, Cornelius Smith, and Jarmarcus Johnson.

The order for Coffee to recuse himself came after Justin Johnson, also known as Straight Drop, released a song while in custody. Coffee went on to restrict Johnson’s phone and visitation privileges, to which a court of appeals said, “The fact, coupled with the lack of notice and an opportunity to be heard, creates an appearance of impartiality against (Johnson) such that calls into question the integrity of the judicial process and, thus, requires recusal.” 

Two weeks later, Jaye posted on Instagram, alleging that she and Thornton’s family found out about the changes around the same time as the general public, according to Fox 13.

The post read, “Recently, the news have stated that the judge has been removed and when you heard it I did too. As movement in the case is being made, our family is not being properly informed and our patience is running thin.”

Jaye said her silence regarding the case had been taken for granted: “Over the last 2 years I have deliberately not spoken on the case to give the justice department full range to properly do their job especially since there was so much noise and misinformation being spread all over the Internet. But I feel like my silence has been taken for granted.”

Young Dolph was fatally shot while at Makeda’s Homemade Cookies in Memphis on Nov. 17, 2021.

RELATED CONTENT: Judge from Young Dolph Murder Case Ordered to Recuse Himself

Four Stabbed In ‘Random’ Attack At Louisiana Tech University
by Daniel Johnson

November 15, 2023

Four Stabbed In ‘Random’ Attack At Louisiana Tech University

Four people on the campus of Louisiana Tech were stabbed in what university officials called a random act of violence

On Nov. 13 four people were stabbed on the campus of Louisiana Tech in what university officials called a “random act of violence.”

According to ABC News, the four victims had just left the campus recreation center at around 9 a.m. when they were allegedly attacked by Jacoby Johnson. Johnson fled but was captured a few minutes later by the university’s campus police.

According to Louisiana Tech Police Chief Randal Hermes, the attacks did not appear to be premeditated and seemed to be attacks of opportunity. Johnson is a senior at the university, according to Tech officials.

The victims were former 3rd District Judge Cynthia Woodard, artist Annie Richardson, retired teacher Debby Hollimon, and Louisiana Tech graduate student Dominique McKane, the Ruston Daily Leader reported. Hollimon refused treatment, while Woodard and Richardson were hospitalized in serious but stable condition, McKane was hospitalized in critical condition. According to the Daily Leader, the weapon used in the attack, a 4-inch folding knife, was recovered by police.

According to the Associated Press, all four of Johnson’s stabbing victims were women. Johnson was booked into a jail in Ruston, where the university is located. Ruston Police Chief Steve Rogers said Johnson was held on four counts of attempted second-degree murder. 

At a joint press conference with Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker, Rogers said that the police had contact with Johnson about a week before the attack but did not provide details beyond saying, “We had one reported incident with him. It wasn’t criminal. We went and checked him out and had people check him out. He was fine at that time.”

In a statement, Louisiana Tech President Les Guice said, “In the wake of this unsettling incident, our hearts go out to those impacted most directly.”

Guice added, “Our immediate focus is on those affected by today’s violence. While we’re grateful for the timely care being provided to the victims, we understand the shock and worry that may linger on campus and in the community. The University will continue to make safety a priority. Please know that you can and should be willing to give and receive compassion and support as needed during this time. I encourage you to rely on the bonds of the Tech community as we grieve and heal.”

RELATED CONTENT: TEEN IN TEARS AFTER BEING ARRESTED AND CHARGED FOR STABBING COMMUNITY ACTIVIST

Buffalo Soldiers Stationed At Houston’s Camp Logan Cleared Of 100-Year-Old Convictions
by Daniel Johnson

November 15, 2023

Buffalo Soldiers Stationed At Houston’s Camp Logan Cleared Of 100-Year-Old Convictions

Over 100 years ago, 110 Black soldiers stationed at Camp Logan were convicted of murder, mutiny, and assault when a riot broke out in Houston in 1917.

Over 100 years ago, 110 Black soldiers stationed at Camp Logan were convicted of murder, mutiny, and assault when a riot broke out in Houston in 1917. According to the Houston Chronicle, 19 of those servicemen were executed at Fort Sam Houston, but have posthumously had those convictions overturned.

On Nov 13, the U.S. Army recognized those overturned convictions in a ceremony at the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum in Houston and Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army Michael Mahoney directed the Army Review Boards agency to set aside all convictions, which will show on their service records that they served the Army honorably. 

This is the first time in its history that the Army has made such a decision, according to historian John Haymond, who told the Chronicle, “This is not only the largest murder trial in American history, this is also the largest court-martial in American history, and no case this large or this serious with this many death penalties has ever been completely overturned by the Army on review.”

Haymond, along with Dru Brenner-Beck, a retired military officer and professor at South Texas College of Law, co-authored the petition that Army Secretary Christine Wormuth used to reach her decision. 

Wormuth decided that the soldiers would be awarded individual rights, privileges, and property lost, which makes their descendants eligible to receive benefits. In addition, each soldier, or in this case their families, will receive an Honorable Discharge Certificate, which commends them for “honest and faithful service.” Haymond also remarked that the Army is using this as an attempt to repair a past wrong, saying “In legal terms, you would say this case is sui generis, meaning that it stands alone. It is truly unique.”

Haymond added, “This is the Army recognizing it’s never too late to do the right thing and correcting its error of the past.” 

The Buffalo Soldiers were sent to Houston to guard the construction of Camp Logan, now part of Memorial Park. The soldiers arrived on July 27, 1917, and they found a city deeply entrenched in Jim Crow laws. There were often disputes at the site involving white workers, police officers, and soldiers, which sometimes turned violent. Often, soldiers were called racial slurs and the police would arrest and beat soldiers who stood up to them. 

On August 23, 1917, whites fought with the soldiers and when the fighting ended 17 people were dead. Everything came to a head when police raided a craps game and assaulted a Black woman, which ended with the arrest of a Black soldier once he spoke up about it. A couple of hours later, a military police officer, Charles Baltimore, spoke with police, and was pistol whipped, shot at, beaten, and arrested. The soldiers heard rumors that Baltimore had been killed, which stirred talk of revenge. That night, fearing for their lives, they set up a defensive perimeter around their camp. Sgt. Henry Vida ordered troops to march out of the camp in formation, at which point chaos ensued. 

When the smoke cleared, Vida, Private Bryant Watson, Private Wiley Strong, and Private George Bevens had been killed. Houston was placed under martial law the following morning. The remaining Black soldiers were tried and convicted.

Legal scholars like Jason Holt, a descendant of soldier Thomas C. Hawkins, who was executed at Fort Sam Houston, discovered that the trial was unfairly conducted.

“If you have the largest courts-martial in the history of the United States, and you have one person representing 63 people who isn’t even a lawyer, any semblance of a fair trial kind of goes out the window,” Holt told the Chronicle. “Some were incarcerated, a few others were executed subsequently, but the first 13 did not have an opportunity to raise issues that could have mitigated the severity.”

It took so long for the soldiers to receive justice because the records were classified and remained sealed until the 1970s and a petition was not submitted to the Department of Justice until 2017, but that case only covered some of the soldiers who were executed. In 2019, the NAACP became involved, submitting a reworked petition to the Army that ended up on Mahomey’s desk in 2022.

Mahomey told the Chronicle what influenced his decision, saying, “In the end, I recommended to the Secretary of the Army in May 2022 that the convictions be set aside and are now honorable discharges. There’s no physical evidence. And eyewitness accounts, with 1917’s level of outdoor electrical lighting, produced inconsistent testimony. One, single defense attorney had to represent all 110 officers. We would not do that today obviously. None of the white officers were charged or convicted. None of the white citizens were charged or convicted of anything.”

RELATED CONTENT: HONORING A HERO: MEET THE LONGEST-SERVING BLACK AVIATOR IN THE MASSACHUSETTS ARMY NATIONAL GUARD 

Gun violence
by Atiya Jordan

November 15, 2023

Meet 5 Black Highschool Playwrights Who Confront Gun Violence

ENOUGH! Plays to End Gun Violence lends its stages to convey what gun violence can do to not only the community at large but also an individual.

ENOUGH! Plays to End Gun Violence lends its stages to amplifying young theater makers who have witnessed first-hand what gun violence can do to not only a community at large but also an individual. Now, these passionate voices are being heard all over the United States, NPR reports.

Black children and teens experience staggeringly high rates of gun deaths, in part because of deliberate policy decisions that created segregated neighborhoods and underinvestments in their communities. They are also deeply impacted when a friend or family member is killed with a gun when someone they know is injured, and when they witness and hear gunshots.

Artistic producer and playwright Michael Cotey launched Enough! in 2019 with a clear mission to create art from the devastating impact and harness this generation’s spirit of activism. Thanks to this platform, NPR reported that six teens participated in a high school playwrighting contest and were selected as finalists to stage their award-winning 10-minute plays in theaters across the country. What’s more? In addition to a stipend, the youngsters gain production, publishing, and workshop opportunities.

The 2023 ENOUGH! Nationwide Reading was produced in Washington, D.C., at The Kennedy Center’s Studio K! Curtains opened on Nov. 6.

Among the ambitious authors are five Black playwrights who inspired meaningful action to end gun violence over the past two years.

2023 Finalists

“THE SMILES BEHIND” BY NIARRA C. BELL

With a passion for performing arts, Virginia native Niarra C. Bell leans on her experience in acting, directing, and backstage technical work to help the movement against gun violence. She is currently studying acting in college. “When tragic situations happen between African Americans and the police, we’re quick to villainize police officers,” Bell told NPR. “So I really wanted to write a play not only from the perspective of an African American but also someone who respects our police force.”

“NO PROSPERING WEAPONS” BY JUSTIN CAMERON WASHINGTON

Justin Cameron Washington is a Michigan native and writer who tells stories that “address a lack of representation,” the website stated. He makes it his business not only to create but to tap into his power to impact others. As a participant in the Mosaic Youth Theater of Detroit, Washington published his first-ever piece titled “Please Don’t Mind My Mind,” which brought attention to mental health issues among the youth community. He brings a dynamic skillset of performance, photo and video production, and design to create other masterpieces such as “JUScreatedbycam” to act as a “somewhat blank canvas for his creations while in high school.”

2022 FINALISTS

SOUTHSIDE BY MCKENNZIE BOYD

McKennzie Boyd lives in South Side Chicago, where gun and gang violence has been notorious for devastating families. “As a Black person, I want to explain that my melanin is not a weapon and to remove the stigma in the Black community,” she said. Boyd’s passion for poetry transcends beyond the notebook, leading her to read plays, act, and even manage plays. Boyd has participated with the City Lit Acting Company throughout her creative endeavors. As a Steppenwolf’s Young Adult Council member, Boyd is currently fighting to “challenge the silence that confines Black and LGBTQ+ voices.”

ALLEGIANCE BY ARIANNA BRUMFIELD

Hailing from Jackson, Mississippi, Arianna Brumfield’s inspiration for her play began during a playwriting class at New Stage Theatre. After witnessing a community outcry, she chose to shed light on violence in underfunded communities and law enforcement positions. “I saw this happening and decided to write about how it affects younger people growing up around areas that face high amounts of gun violence,” Brumfield said.

SALTED LEMONADE BY TAYLOR LAFAYETTE

Taylor Lafayette, a playwright and poet from the Mississippi Delta, strives to exemplify Black excellence. She was moved to write her ENOUGH! play after the shooting of her 16-year-old brother. “I chose to focus on the aspect of gun violence within communities and how the grief of losing someone to gun violence can affect a family,” she said. She hopes to see stricter gun laws put in place for purchasing guns.

Pictures of Mystery Cocaine Found In The White House Revealed
by Sharelle Burt

November 15, 2023

Pictures of Mystery Cocaine Found In The White House Revealed

The White House has yet to determine who the cocaine belongs to...

New photos of the bag of cocaine found at the White House in July 2023 have finally been revealed. The illegal drug was found inside the White House area close to the West Wing entrance, commonly used for visitors on tours.

Photos show the bag was found inside cubby #50, which hosts visitor belongings. The tours are normally booked by invitation only and led by a White House staffer. The cocaine was found on Jul. 2, and the White House immediately shut down. President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris weren’t on-site at the time of the finding. On Jul. 12, the Secret Service closed the investigation without identifying a suspect, saying hundreds of people had access to the area and that security camera footage didn’t show what happened.

“Without physical evidence, the investigation will not be able to single out a person of interest from the hundreds of individuals who passed through the vestibule where the cocaine was discovered,” the agency said in a statement.

“At this time, the Secret Service’s investigation is closed due to a lack of physical evidence.”

The FBI first identified the substance as “white powder,” but after sending it out for more testing, the packaging was “subjected to advanced fingerprint and DNA analysis.”

“This review included a [backward] examination that spanned several days prior to the discovery of the substance and developed an index of several hundred individuals who may have accessed the area where the substance was found,” a statement read. “The focal point of these actions developed a pool of known persons for comparison of forensic evidence gleaned from the FBI’s analysis of the substance’s packaging.”

The close of the investigation took aback Republican lawmakers. According to Fox News, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy referred to the closure as special treatment toward the Biden family.

“They have cameras 24-7,” McCarthy said. “It just seems to me when it comes to the ‘Biden, Inc.’ family, they get treated different than anybody else.”

Temple University Med Student Seeks To Diversify X-Rays For Black Hairstyles
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

November 15, 2023

Temple University Med Student Seeks To Diversify X-Rays For Black Hairstyles

Their work is making the field of radiology more inclusive and helpful to Black patients.

Temple University is doing its part to make the medical field more inclusive. A medical student at the institution, Angela Udongwo, is conducting research so that X-rays can better identify Black hairstyles in their imaging.

As she approached her third year in medical school, Udongwo joined Hillel Maresky’s lab over the summer to resolve the issue through a hair research project. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, both realized the gap in research on natural hairstyles such as locs, braids, and twists and how they are identified in radiological imaging.

This lack of research disenfranchises Black patients, as doctors’ lack of awareness of these hair patterns in the X-rays can cause errors in their analysis. Through their research, Maresky and Udongwo hope to develop a baseline for doctors to differentiate between an artifact and Black hair textures, with virtually no other research previously conducted on this specific issue.

Introducing the language surrounding the various types of Black hairdos was the first step for Udongwo, as doctors of all backgrounds should be aware of the styles to serve diverse patients better. With the field of radiology primarily filled with white men, as reported by the American Medical Association in a 2021 survey, doctors must widen their knowledge so that Black patients are not forced to receive additional testing solely due to unawareness.

Challenging doctors’ ability to identify hair textures from signs of illness in body scans has been met by and beyond the Temple community with an openness to learn, as explained by Udongwo.

“I’m surrounded by people who really like to learn and want to become better physicians,” the student said. “I’m really excited to see where this goes.

As she continues to work toward broadening radiology’s patient base, she hopes to make strides with her new purpose despite receiving smaller endowments.

“We may not be the most well-endowed hospital in terms of donations and grants,” stated Maresky. “But we do have something that, I think, is even more powerful: A diverse patient population.”

Sephora
by Jeffrey McKinney

November 14, 2023

Sephora $100K Beauty Grant Will Benefit A Black Beauty Business Owner

Cosmetics giant Sephora and the Fifteen Percent Pledge are uniting to present $100,000 to a Black business owner in the beauty industry.

Cosmetics giant Sephora and the Fifteen Percent Pledge are uniting to present $100,000 to a Black business owner in the beauty industry.

Called the Sephora Beauty Grant, the award will come through a partnership between the retailer and the Pledge. It is aimed to help spur growth for a Black entrepreneur and their brand. The business must have annual revenue of at least $100,000 and have been in operation for a minimum of two years. Applications are open now and those interested in applying should review more details, including eligibility and other criteria, here.

With a vast global reach, Sephora sells beauty product at stores and online, including cosmetics and skincare goods. Launched in 2020, the Pledge is a nonprofit organization encouraging retailers to commit at least 15% of their shelf space to Black-owned businesses.

Though the number of Black businesses has soared post-COVID-19, the funding has not, as gaining financing to open or expand remains among the largest obstacles for those establishments. Black startup founders supposedly gained just $264 million of $33.6 billion as of late 2022, which is less than 1%.

Black Americans spend big on beauty. This report shows this “diverse and growing group of 41 million people” dispersed $6.6 billion on those items in 2021. Still, the chance of equity in the beauty industry, like other sectors, has been evasive. For instance, it was revealed that Black brands account for just 2.5% of industrywide revenue, though Black consumers represent over 11% of the nation’s total beauty spending.

Priya Venkatesh, Global Chief Merchandising Officer at Sephora, stated in her comments “Partnering with the Pledge on this wonderful initiative is a natural evolution of the work we’ve done together, and we couldn’t ask for more passionate partners.  We’re excited to see the beauty industry experiencing massive growth in expanding opportunities and client exposure to Black-owned brands, and we hope that this grant will help to further propel the next generation of Black beauty owners.”

LaToya Williams-Belfort, the Pledge’s executive director, stated, “Through our daily work, we tactically understand the systemic and nuanced barriers that continue to prevent Black brands from growing and developing at scale.”

She added, “Not only will the Sephora Beauty Grant provide an innovative small business with critical capital, but it will also drive a direct integration within Sephora’s ecosystem, furthering our goal of creating equitable and sustainable business partnerships for Black entrepreneurs.”

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