by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 3, 2024

New Study Shows Gen Z Is Turning To AI For Most Tasks—Especially At Work

AI is gradually taking over the workforce, starting with Gen Z.

A new survey reveals that many Gen Z knowledge workers are turning to AI to complete their tasks, signaling a trend likely to sweep the entire workforce.

On November 25, Google Workspace released a survey highlighting the growing number of leaders adopting artificial intelligence (AI) to make an impact in the workplace. Research shows that 82% of “young leaders” already use AI tools in their work, and 98% expect AI to significantly impact their industry or workplace within the next five years.

“Our research shows that emerging leaders are adopting AI to increase their impact at work,” said Yulie Kwon Kim, VP of Product, Google Workspace. “Rising leaders are not simply using AI as a tool for efficiency, but as a catalyst to help grow their careers.”

Commissioned by Google Workspace and conducted by The Harris Poll, the study surveyed over 1,000 U.S.-based knowledge workers aged 22-39, all of whom currently hold or aspire to have a leadership position at work (“young leaders”). The survey revealed that AI is set to transform the workforce, with 93% of Gen Z young leaders and 79% of millennial young leaders admitting to using two or more AI tools on a weekly basis. Additionally, over 50% of AI users regularly share their experiences and insights with colleagues, and 75% have recommended generative AI tools to their peers.

“The future of work is here—and it’s AI-powered,” Kwon Kim said. “Rising leaders are not only advocating for AI—they’re deploying this technology in meaningful ways, from improving communication with colleagues to freeing up time for strategic work.”

The survey found different ways workers are leveraging AI to boost productivity and improve communication. For example, 70% use AI for tasks like drafting email responses, writing complex emails from scratch, or overcoming language barriers. Eighty-eight percent use AI for overwhelming tasks, and the same amount credit AI for helping them use the right tone in their written communication.

Also, 90% say they wouldn’t mind joining meetings on the go if AI took notes for them. The research shows the growing relevance of AI-powered tools in remote and hybrid workforces.

The data also highlights a strong link between the use of generative AI and increased productivity in collaborative teamwork, effective communication, and leadership. The findings show how AI can help workers complete tasks more quickly and efficiently while transforming how they approach their work.

With Google investing billions in AI, the new survey strengthens the tech giant’s argument for AI’s growing impact.

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

December 3, 2024

New HBCU Book Series Provides Playbook Of Scholarships, Career Pathways For High School Students

Wynn, in his HBCU series, provides a playbook for identifying HBCU-specific scholarships and career pathways for high school students, community college transfer students, and students currently attending HBCUs.

Mychal Wynn, author, educator, researcher, and strategist, has guided HBCU students onto debt-free college-bound pathways since founding the Foundation for Ensuring Access and Equity, a Marietta, Georgia-based nonprofit, in 2006. Via his organization and his series of books containing playbooks for students, he has guided students into full scholarships at HBCUs such as Benedict, Claflin, Clark Atlanta, Dillard, North Carolina A&T, North Carolina Central, Tuskegee, and Xavier (LA), into such large dollar scholarships as the CodeHouse Scholars, ELC Scholars, Gates, Jack Kent Cooke, and Ron Brown.

In his HBCU series, Wynn provides a playbook for identifying HBCU-specific scholarships and career pathways for high school students, community college transfer students, and students currently attending HBCUs. Mr. Wynn provides step-by-step guidance in researching scholarships, building a résumé, writing a cover letter, writing highly qualified essays, identifying recommenders, and developing a scholarship-winning “package.”

Wynn’s HBCU series begins with Why Attend an HBCU, debunking myths regarding the quality of HBCUs and outlining the research-based support offered by HBCUs. This series places Black students onto trajectories into richly rewarding careers and combats the underrepresentation of Blacks across virtually all career sectors.

Followed by HBCU Healthcare Pathways and HBCU STEM Pathways, providing occupational and salary data of the fastest growing careers and presenting unique opportunities through HBCUs into guaranteed graduate and medical programs, dual degree programs, and partnership agreements with some of America’s top graduate and medical schools.

The series is anchored by HBCU Scholarships… and More, a 384-page playbook that responds to the United Negro College Fund’s report, “Fewer Resources, More Debt” (Saunders et al., 2016), which notes that over 80 percent of students attending HBCUs are taking out student loans to finance their education. As a strategist, Mr. Wynn believes in developing a game plan that is focused on matching to the ‘right’ schools and for the ‘right’ scholarships. Mr. Wynn is committed to ensuring that more students avoid being chained to a lifetime of repaying student loan debt.

Through his books and workshops, Wynn helps students understand how developing strategies for matching to 2 to 3 scholarships is all that is needed to increase on-time graduation and receive a debt-free college education. The books are available on the foundation’s website, Amazon.com, or through your local bookseller. He is available to speak to students, parents, counselors, and community-based organizations committed to reducing the number of students burdened by a lifetime of repaying student loans.

This news was first reported by Blacknews.com.

by Sharelle B. McNair

December 3, 2024

DEI Is Surviving Thanks To Artificial Intelligence And Employee Skill Set

Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) isn't going anywhere

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) isn’t going anywhere as corporations have honed in on innovative ways to keep it alive, including artificial intelligence (AI), Business Insider reports.

During a roundtable discussion with corporate executives, they identified ways DEI is evolving, thus helping companies keep the principle alive. Indeed’s Chief Revenue Officer Maggie Hulce has seen companies switch to skill-based hiring to continue hiring diverse candidates. She says the new process focuses on what the future of work looks like over the present. “Let’s focus on the skills that are required for the future of work and what we are looking for from leaders in our company,” Hulce said.

“And then be more consistent in the application of holding that bar.”

That’s where AI comes in.

Shifting the focus to the skills needed for a company to succeed and using artificial intelligence tools to help bring in-house talent to the surface, the narrative of DEI moves away from its conflicts and gears toward the benefits. “We can’t do it the old way. We have to have the conversation in a new way,” Purvi Tailor, the vice president of human resources at Ferring Pharmaceuticals, said.

“It becomes much more about inclusion and changing mindsets and creating awareness about your own biases.”

Verizon’s global head of talent acquisition and DEI, Spring Lacy, agreed, saying, “It dismisses this notion that you have to lower the bar if you want diversity in your organization.”

“We’ve got lots of super smart, super skilled people of color, women, people with disabilities, LGBTQI community, who just aren’t seen for all of the biases that you talked about,” Lacy continued.

“You don’t have to lower the bar.”

Major corporations and institutions including Microsoft, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the country’s largest retailer, Walmart, have given into the pushback from conservatives’ efforts to dial back on their DEI values; however, companies are finding ways to remain committed. Ferring has focused on all the aspects of DEI, but specifically on inclusion. A study from McKinsey & Company correlated inclusion to a person’s sense of belonging within an organization or their experience. Great benefits count as key to an employee’s experience.

In 2022, the pharmaceutical organization introduced unlimited financial support for creating a family including IVF, adoption, surrogacy, or birth for all employees, regardless of gender or sexual orientation. “We talk about more of the ‘I’ than we do about the ‘D’ and the ‘E,'” Tailor said.

“We do it to show the kind of culture and working environment that we want to have. It’s all about inclusion and bringing your whole self to the workplace.”

Within other companies like MasterCard, AI is being used to train, coach, and give feedback on how leaders engage with their teams, hoping it gauges accountability. “It’s really important that we drive shared accountability across our 34,000 employees around the role that each of us has to collectively play in creating this culture of inclusion where everybody feels that they can belong,” Lucrecia Borgonovo of MasterCard said.

Accountability will be the way to play as college students graduating from co-ed life to the workforce have experienced bouts of being silenced on certain campuses fighting to save DEI initiatives. Black leaders on the campus of the University of Michigan, according to the Michigan Daily, say their critiques have been “flattened” by those who “don’t believe in diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

“This intentional weaponization of our voice as Black students is particularly harmful, as it has succeeded in planting the false-narrative seed that DEI systems and programs simply don’t work and that “both sides” don’t like it,” student Princess-J’Maria Mboup said.

by Daniel Johnson

December 2, 2024

Cardless Startup Announces $30M Funding Round, Could Small Businesses Tap In?

There is also speculation that the cards from Cardless could be a way for small and medium sized businesses to solve potential problems posed by impending tariffs from the Trump administration.

On Nov. 26, Cardless, a San Francisco-based startup that operates a series of co-branded credit cards in collaboration with Alibaba, Qatar Airways, LATAM Airlines, Simon Property Group, and American Express, announced it had received $30 million in funding, led by Activant Capital.

According to Michael Spelfogel, the co-founder and president of Cardless, “Over the last 12 months, we’ve been able to design products for some of the best brands in the world, including Qatar Airways and Alibaba,” Spelfogel said.

He continued, “These brands chose us because of our differentiated approach to the entire co-branded card experience. From embedded servicing to leveraging a brand’s data for personalized sign-up offers, Cardless delivers an experience that other cobrand-focused banks and fintechs cannot match. We’ll use this funding to further build out a world-class team, enabling us to scale both new and existing programs.”

According to TechCrunch, the company will not disclose its exact valuation, including whether or not the new round of funding represents an increase, a decrease, or a stagnant valuation relative to its last valuation, just north of $350 million released in 2021.

There are also competing narratives surrounding the company; TechCrunch reports that the cards could be used to disrupt the branded card space, but not necessarily from the consumer side of the market.

This narrative is one that Andrew Steele, the co-founder of Activant Capital, seems to be bullish on.

Activant Capital led the $30 million fundraising round for Cardless alongside Mischief, Industry Ventures, Thayer Ventures, Assurant, and Amex Ventures.

“Cardless is attacking one of the largest markets in fintech that has historically been woefully underserved,” Steele said.

Steele continued, “Before Cardless, the largest brands in the world had been unwilling to launch credit cards because the customer experience provided by cobrand-focused banks didn’t meet their standards. Cardless has been able to take the industry head-on and launch cards with some of the most sought-after brands on the market. Cardless has built the only embedded platform capable of servicing both consumers and SMBs, and we’re excited to double down as they continue to scale large programs for some of the best companies in the world.”

NerdWallet notes in its reporting that consumers who often utilize the services of the connected airlines or other businesses connected to the cards, like Qatar Airways or Simon Malls, JCPenneys, or Reebok, among others, will find greater use for the cards than others.

There is, however, one caveat for the cards: a cardholder can only ever be issued one card, even if a previous card from the company has been closed.

There is also speculation that the cards from Cardless could be a way for small and medium-sized businesses to solve potential problems posed by impending tariffs from the Trump administration, per Spelfogel’s comments in the press release.

“Our experience across the airline sector has shown us how to tailor solutions effectively, and we’re now applying that expertise to help small and medium-sized businesses overcome their unique challenges,” Spelfogel said.

According to Fast Company, under Trump’s proposed tariffs, small businesses may be in for a turbulent four years, ranging from disrupted supply chains, elevated labor costs, reduced profit margins, and labor shortages.

According to Yega Tita-Costia, a Pittsburgh-based Black small business owner, the tariffs could leave businesses like her Yeremiah’s Sisters Beauty Supply as a casualty of Trump’s trade wars.

“I think us small businesses are a casualty of war, and nobody is really thinking about the effects it’s going to have on us and our families, and even just the communities,” Tita-Costia told CBS News.

She continued, “Ninety percent of the products in here that we have in this store come from China. To go from paying $250 to $300 on a $4,000 order, to pay almost $1,300, and not even for 1,300 pieces, that’s over a dollar adding to the price of each piece.”

Tita-Costia concluded, “We’ll either have to take the hit and maybe push a little bit onto our customers, but it’s going to be a drastic change.”

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 2, 2024

Halle Berry Launches Menopause-Focused Intimate Wellness Line ‘Thank Me Later’

Halle Berry has a new intimacy gel made for women facing menopause.

Halle Berry has launched a new line of menopause-focused wellness products designed to enhance intimacy for everyone, regardless of gender, age, or life stage.

The Academy Award-winning actress took to Instagram on Friday to post a video announcing her new ‘Let’s Spin’ intimacy gel made for women experiencing menopause or perimenopause.

“Public Service Announcement to all of my ladies. You all know by now that I found out that I was in perimenopause with my intimacy coming to a screeching halt!” she shared in her caption.

“Meet my new best friend 😉 “Let’s Spin” is an intimacy gel my company @respin spent a year developing with @joyluxinc, and I’m happy to finally share it with you all. It’s clean, it’s fresh, and very lubricating! Spinning never felt so good ya’ll!”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Halle Berry (@halleberry)

Berry, 58, shared the same video on X, formerly known as Twitter, and told her followers to “Thank me later.” While lying on her sofa and holding her product to the camera, the X-Men star explained the significance of her new intimacy gel for women in phasing menopause.

“If you are a woman of midlife and you are going through perimenopause or menopause and you feel like you have razor blades in your vagina, here’s something that will help you out tremendously,” Berry said in the video.

“It’s called Let’s Spin. It’s an intimacy gel. I teamed up with Joylux to come up with, I think, one of the best intimacy gels ever there was …. It’s very, very lubricating, and it’s become my new best friend.”

“So I couldn’t find one on the market, so I said f*k it, and I made it myself. Give it a try,” she added.

Her new product line includes LET’S SPIN Intimacy Gel ($45) and vFit Plus Red Light Intimate Wellness Device ($495), which were both made to address menopause-related issues like vaginal dryness and pelvic health. The line reflects Berry’s journey of discovering her perimause earlier this year after initially mistaking her symptoms for something else. This experience made her aware of the lack of information and support she received from her own doctor regarding perimenopause.

“When I realized that the product I needed wasn’t on the market, I decided to make it myself,” Berry said in a press release. “We’ve been hard at work for the past year with Joylux, Ob-Gyn, Dr. Sarah de la Torre, developing and testing LET’S SPIN Intimacy Gel. We’ve perfected the formulation by using all clean ingredients, including hyaluronic acid and aloe, and making it pH-balanced for delicate, intimate tissue. This product has changed my life.”

Colette Courtion, founder and CEO of Joylux, is excited to partner with Berry to raise awareness about menopause and offer a solution for women facing related complications.

“After years of dedication to developing products that enhance women’s lives, receiving the call from Halle and Respin was very validating,” Courtion said. “With Halle’s powerful voice, advocacy, and Respin platform, we’re positioned to amplify our message and reach millions more women who want to advance their health and wellbeing. LET’S SPIN is a product for everyone.”

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 2, 2024

Elderly Woman At Risk Of Homelessness As Bank Challenges ‘Oral Agreement’ To Modify Her Mortgage

An elderly woman in Texas is facing foreclosure following a disputed "oral agreement" on her mortgage.

An 85-year-old woman in Richmond, Texas, may lose her home of 20 years due to a dispute over an “oral agreement” with her bank regarding her mortgage.

Johnnie Jefferson’s six-bedroom, four-bathroom home faces foreclosure following a loan modification in 2012 that was done through a verbal agreement and never put in writing. After years of disputes over the monthly mortgage payments, Jefferson is stressed over the possibility of the bank taking her home.

“I never imagined I’d be in a situation like this, never,” Jefferson told Fox 26 Houston.

The retired nurse, who purchased her home in Richmond’s upscale community in 2002, was also one of the first non-physicians to own a medical clinic in the greater Houston area. She decorated the house herself and expressed her pride in the asset.

“I take lots of pride in my home,” Jefferson said. “It’s my whole life. I have nowhere else to go. We put my lifetime savings into this house.”

Now, attorneys familiar with the situation are stressing the importance of getting everything in writing, especially concerning a home mortgage.

“They spoke to someone. It was an oral agreement they never got in writing what they thought they were getting,” said Jefferson’s attorney, Kietha Hamilton, with Hamilton and Co Law Firm. “With real property, everything needs to be in writing.”

“Bottom line, get everything in writing,” attorney Charles Herbert added. “Follow up as they always say, read the fine print.”

Jefferson and the bank were in a dispute over the monthly mortgage payments. In 2019, the bank filed a motion for summary judgment to seize Jefferson’s home.

The situation has landed Jefferson in the hospital due to severe stress and anxiety attacks.

“I had to spend nights in the hospital with anxiety,” she said. “I developed depression. It’s just ruining my whole life. I have no place to go. Where am I going? I have no place to go.”

Hamilton says they are doing everything they can to fight for Jefferson against the bank, given the circumstances.

“We’re in federal court, and we are suing for Miss Jefferson to get the equity out of her house,” said Hamilton. “The property is worth approximately a million dollars. They sold it back to themselves for 600 thousand. There’s 400 thousand in equity we feel like Miss Jefferson is owed.”

Mortgage modifications are often designed to assist borrowers experiencing financial hardship by adjusting loan terms, such as the repayment period or interest rate. While similar to refinancing, loan modification isn’t the same.

Legal experts, including Jefferson’s attorneys, emphasize the importance of documenting any mortgage modifications in writing. Homeowners seeking to modify their mortgage are encouraged to consult a real estate lawyer to review the new terms.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

December 2, 2024

LeBron James’ The SpringHill Company Allegedly Lost Almost $30M In 2023

LeBron co-owns the business with Maverick Carter and the company reportedly lost $17 million in 2022 and $28 million in 2023. They anticipate exceeding projections for 2024.

A recent report reveals that LeBron James’ media outfit, The SpringHill Company, allegedly took a big loss to the tune of nearly $30 million last year. The current pace has the entity losing millions this calendar year as well.

According to Bloomberg, the company that LeBron co-owns with business partner Maverick Carter, has reportedly never posted a profit since it launched in 2020. The company lost $17 million in 2022 and $28 million in 2023. The anticipation is that the streak of losing money will continue by the time 2024 ends.

“The entertainment market shift in 2022/2023 toward profitability brought rising costs, slower buyer decisions, and impacts from industry strikes, prompting us to recalibrate, including writing off underperforming projects to position ourselves for future growth,” Carter, who operates as the chief executive officer of SpringHill said via email. He did add that the company is expected to exceed projections this year.

Once LeBron started operating outside the sports world and entered the media world, the company, named after the apartment complex where LeBron grew up in Akron, Ohio, was born.

Before the launch of the media company, LeBron and Carter had their UNINTERRUPTED brand. The company produced the talk show “The Shop” and other productions (television shows and films), some featuring athletes from a variety of sports. They also sold clothing and merchandise and ran a marketing arm. Those are now under the umbrella of The SpringHill Company.

The company’s production arm produced “Space Jam” and the Netflix docuseries “Starting 5.” While LeBron is still on the basketball court trying to win another championship and extend his Hall of Fame career, Carter makes sure that the business is being run until his partner drops the basketball forever.

“We built this business with LeBron, not around him,” Carter said. He did state that LeBron “remains deeply engaged in driving the vision and mission he helped shape, focusing more actively on certain passion projects.”

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

December 2, 2024

Beyoncé Announces ‘Cowboy Carter’ Art Book Ahead Of NFL Christmas Day Halftime Show

The art book features 136 pages of never-before-seen images.

Beyoncé is preparing for the next phase of her “Cowboy Carter” album rollout. The singer announced the project’s accompanying art book ahead of her NFL Christmas Day Halftime Show performance.

The 136-page book, inspired by her country-infused album, will reveal exclusive, never-before-seen images of Beyoncé. The already-sold-out book will cost fans $74 but aims to quench their insatiable desire for visuals from the star. Parkwood, the singer’s self-owned label, shared the news on Dec. 1.

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A post shared by Parkwood Entertainment (@parkwood)

The launch follows Beyoncé’s announcement that she will again grace the NFL halftime stage, this time on Christmas Day. She will perform at the Ravens vs. Texans game in Houston on the holiday. The event also marks her first time performing songs from the highly-lauded album.

While fans can expect this performance, one should not assume that a tour announcement will follow. The news of the art book also comes after Beyoncé’s team debunked tour rumors. Whispers began to gain traction surrounding Beyoncé’s alleged launch of a world tour after her Halftime show. However, her team swiftly denied the reports.

Untrue. Nothing to report here. Whenever there is news, you will hear it directly from the source, first.
— Yvette Noel-Schure (@yns1118) November 27, 2024

“Untrue. Nothing to report here. Whenever there is news, you will hear it directly from the source, first,” wrote her longtime publicist, Yvette Noel-Schure, to X.

The tour news would have echoed her 2024 announcement of “Cowboy Carter.” Beyoncé dropped her first singles from the album after her Super Bowl commercial with Verizon aired.

While catching Beyoncé in one’s city seems far-fetched for now, fans and football lovers alike can make their way to Texas to see her debut performance of the Grammy-nominated album. If they can’t travel to the singer’s hometown, the entire game will be inaugurally streamed on Netflix for the world to see.

In the meantime, fans can relish this new influx of visuals from the album, although in images and not videos. Pre-orders are available now, and the collector’s item is expected to ship on Dec. 13.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 2, 2024

Jesseca Harris-Dupart Calls Out Walmart’s Elimination Of Multicultural Beauty Sections

Jesseca Harris-Dupart sheds light on how Walmart's rollback of DEI initiatives is affecting multicultural brands like hers.

Walmart is the latest major corporation to scale back its DEI initiatives, and beauty mogul Jesseca “Judy” Harris-Dupart is voicing concerns about how this shift jeopardizes brands like hers.

The Kaleidoscope Hair Products CEO recently addressed the issue on Instagram Live and explained how Walmart has been phasing out multicultural beauty sections. Her products, once prominently displayed in these sections, are now placed alongside mainstream brands like Pantene, a move she says puts Black-owned brands like hers “at risk.”

“There’s a shift in the movement of hair, of beauty. So they’ve merged us,” Harris-Dupart explained in a clip captured by Livebitez. “There isn’t a multicultural aisle anymore.”

“There’s a beauty aisle, so they have us with the general market,” she continued. “So normally I would be next to Camille Rose or like a brand like that, but right now they’ve moved the Black brands next to the Pantene’s and next to the Suaves and next to all of that.”

View on Threads

Harris-Dupart went on to highlight the disadvantage the move could have on Black-owned brands, which might be overlooked over beauty products from general-market brands.

“So while that’s a great opportunity to be next to big brands, it also is a higher risk when it comes to marketing dollars, share of the shelf,” she shared. “And the fact that they’re not speaking about taking away the diversity aspect; it just puts a lot of, it puts a lot of brands at risk.”

Her remarks come just a week after Walmart scaled back its diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, joining a growing number of major corporations retreating from such initiatives following pressure from conservative activists. The world’s largest retailer is scaling back on several initiatives, including ending its five-year commitment to a racial equity center established in 2020 after George Floyd’s killing, withdrawing from a prominent LGBTQ+ rights index, and discontinuing priority treatment for certain suppliers.

“We’ve been on a journey and know we aren’t perfect, but every decision comes from a place of wanting to foster a sense of belonging, to open doors to opportunities for all our associates, customers, and suppliers, and to be a Walmart for everyone,” the company said in a statement.

Major corporations like Ford, Lowe’s, Tractor Supply, and Harley-Davidson have already scaled back DEI efforts, while Walmart, which employs 1.6 million workers in the U.S., became the largest company to do so.

RELATED CONTENT: Walmart To Hold Open Call Initiative

by Daniel Johnson

December 2, 2024

Martin Maria de Porres Ward Under Consideration To Become 7th Black Saint

Martin Maria de Porres Ward, a Black American priest who had to leave the United States to undertake his calling, is now being considered by the Catholic Church for beautification

Martin Maria de Porres Ward, an African American priest who had to leave the United States to undertake his calling, is now being considered by the Catholic Church for beatification or sainthood. If elevated to sainthood, he would become the seventh Black figure and most recent African American to receive the honor.

According to the National Catholic Register, Ward was born in 1918 as Matthias Dewitte Ward, the son of an interracial couple in Boston.

Ward grew up as a Methodist and moved to Washington D.C. alongside his 11 siblings, during his childhood. It was in Washington that he was introduced to Catholicism as a teenager.

After his introduction to the Catholic faith, Ward spent a lot of time at D.C.’s St. Augustine Church, considered the mother church of Black Catholics in the city, and converted to the faith as a 17-year-old.

Ward was confirmed at St. Matthew’s Cathedral in 1940, and just two years later, he answered a calling to the ministry and entered the Salvatorian Fathers’ seminary in St. Nazianz, Wisconsin.

However, upon being afflicted with an infectious lung condition, Ward withdrew from the seminary.

He later moved to Brooklyn, where he became the first Black person to attend the St. Francis Seminary located on Staten Island.

Ward made no effort to conceal his identity, going as far as to inform the seminary vocations director in a letter that he was a Black man.

“I received your application blanks, but before I have them filled out, Father, I wish to state that I am colored. I do not know if I mentioned this before, but you did not ask nationality. Now, kind Father Celestine, I would not want to cause an embarrassment on anyone’s part,” Ward wrote in part.

Upon his acceptance to St. Francis in 1945, Ward took on the religious name of Martin Maria de Porres as his own.

After his ordination in 1955 in Albany, New York, he volunteered to work at missions in Brazil, a common practice since many American dioceses practiced segregation at the time and wouldn’t allow Black bishops to serve.

Ward stayed in Brazil until his death from a heart attack at 81 years of age while he was conducting Mass in Rio de Janerio in 1999. He received consideration from The Vatican for beatification on the 25th anniversary of his death in June.

The canonization cause for Servant of God Martin Maria de Porres Ward has received Vatican approval and will proceed, according to the Order of Friars Minor Conventual.

The African-American Catholic missionary to Brazil died 25 years ago this summer. https://t.co/K7RJ3jW5Qj pic.twitter.com/VNnkuGL6z3
— Black Catholic Messenger (@BlkCathStories) September 3, 2024

June 22 marks a quarter century since the death of Servant of God Martin Maria de Porres Ward—the Boston-born Conventual who served in Brazil and is now the latest U.S. Black Catholic up for sainthood.

The Franciscans recently gave an update on his cause. https://t.co/9Bowlfyx6J pic.twitter.com/MeGixpgjBy
— Black Catholic Messenger (@BlkCathStories) June 22, 2024

Ward is credited with two miracles based on his intercession, which are currently under investigation, and according to the Black Catholic Messenger, he is regarded as a uniquely holy figure in Brazil.

Ward’s candidacy was made official in 2020 when the Bishop of São João del Rei in Brazil opened his case after word of a local cult of devotion to Ward spawned reports of two miracles attributed to the post-humous intercession of Ward.

According to Douglas McMillan of the Order of Friars Minor Conventional, “As of July 1, we received notice, through the Brazilian Historical Commission, that we have official approval from the Dicastery of the Causes of Saints,” McMillan said. “We are now in the process [of] working on putting together the final copy of the position for the dicastery.”

If the petition for Ward’s sainthood is approved by The Vatican, Ward will join Pierre Toussaint, Mother Mary Lange, Henriette Delille, Friar Augustus Tolton, Julia Greeley, and Sister Thea Bowman as the only Black people to receive veneration from the Catholic Church.