Morehouse School Of Medicine Grad Opens Bookstore and Wellness Boutique In Atlanta
A Better Today Books & Boutique goes beyond the typical array of novels and other literature.
Morehouse School Of Medicine graduate Dr. Viola Lanier officially opened her Atlanta-based bookstore on Nov. 30 with wellness and hope at its forefront.
A Better Today Books & Boutique goes beyond the typical array of novels and other literature. Within its walls, bookstore lovers will find wellness products that can further them into the space they wish to curate.
“I’ve loved reading anything I could get my hands on since childhood. Books gave me a glimpse of parts of the world I had not yet seen,” said owner Dr. Viola Lanier in a press release. “Books helped me see what was possible for my life, and from there, I was able to create the world around me that I wanted.”
The Black-owned bookstore held its grand opening on Small Business Saturday in the North Atlanta suburb of Marietta. Its difference lies in its wellness factor, emerging as a first-of-its-kind “literary sanctuary” in the area.
However, avid readers will still find new and classic titles to check out, ranging from non-fiction to fantasy. On its boutique side, A Better Today also offers a lounge area for both adults and children, and a bookmark charm-making station for one to add their personal touch to their latest purchases.
However, Dr. Lanier is a scholar of another field, obtaining her Master’s and PhD in biomedical research and sciences. Despite this, she prides herself on building a diverse book collection that looks to the great while also promoting new novels to gain a wider audience.
“I curate our collection of books. You can find brand-new titles and classic bestsellers, but I also introduce our readers to authors they may not be familiar with. We also feature a host of local authors,” said Dr. Viola Lanier.
Patrons can survey Dr. Lanier’s personally curated book collection and look through its assortment of essential oils and candles to complement their sanctuaries at home. Through its niche of wellness and reading, A Better Today provides an idea of an even brighter tomorrow.
Atlanta Falcons Team Up With HBCUs To Offer Pipeline To Sports And Entertainment Jobs
The partnership that was designed to give students an edge
The Atlanta Falcons and Spelman College, Morehouse College, Morris Brown College, and Clark Atlanta University continue collaborating on the AMB Sports and Entertainment Fellowship (AMBSE), a program designed to give students an edge as they pursue careers in sports and entertainment.
According to the press release, the participants will now have access to roles within player engagement, live events, entertainment, stadium production, graphic design, brand communications, and more.
In addition, due to increased demand, more corporate partnerships have been added. Participants will receive hands-on experience from the Atlanta Falcons at their home field, Mercedes-Benz Stadium. They will also receive mentorship from associates and executives at Wells Fargo and AMBSE.
Latonda Henderson, the AMBSE’s chief DEI officer and a Spelman graduate, recently told 11 Alive that the program’s main benefit is opportunity.
“I know that all we need is an opportunity. There is so much talent, there’s so much passion, there’s so much enthusiasm on our campuses. So when we have the opportunity, and that door is open for us, there’s no stopping us,” Henderson said.
Tai Roberson, senior vice president of Philanthropy and Community Impact at Wells Fargo, told the outlet that the program’s students and alumni have been impressive so far.
“We are so proud of not only this initiative, but of the students and alumni of the program who continue to impress us with their work ethic, collaboration, and passion,” Roberson told 11 Alive.
In her comments, Roberson indicated that she was excited about the benefits for the program’s participants.
“Wells Fargo is The Bank of Doing and we are working to level the playing field by connecting HBCU students in Atlanta with their career goals and with financial education resources to prepare them for life after graduation,” Roberson said. “We are so proud to partner with the Falcons on this first-of-its-kind program that offers HBCU students from the top universities across Atlanta the chance to immerse themselves in the front office of a professional sports team and to experience how sponsors align with teams to drive positive change in communities.”
In a personal statement from the 46th president, Biden says his decision was prompted by his belief of “raw politics” infecting the process. “I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process, and it led to a miscarriage of justice — and once I made this decision this weekend, there was no sense in delaying it further. I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision,” Biden said.
Hunter Biden was due to be sentenced on Dec. 12 on federal gun charges. In a separate criminal case, he is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 16 after pleading guilty to federal tax evasion charges. A senior White House official said the decision to issue a “full and unconditional pardon” was made over the Thanksgiving weekend for all offenses committed by his son or “taken part in during the period from January 1, 2014 through December 1, 2024.”
In June 2024, the proud father claimed, “I will not pardon him,” after learning of the guilty verdicts.
Biden mentioned the struggles of addiction that Hunter deals with and feels his political opponents used them to “break him.” No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son — and that is wrong,” Biden continued.
“There has been an effort to break Hunter — who has been five and a half years sober, even in the face of unrelenting attacks and selective prosecution. In trying to break Hunter, they’ve tried to break me — and there’s no reason to believe it will stop here. Enough is enough.”
Republican lawmakers were taken aback by the president’s moves since, in early 2024, Biden promised that he wouldn’t be pardoning Hunter since “no one is above the law.”
Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) called the move “disgraceful” and labeled Biden as a liar to the American people, according to Fox News. “You’ve been lied to every step of the way by this Administration and the corrupt Biden family. This is just the latest in their long coverup scheme,” Scalise said.
“They never play by the same rules they force on everyone else. Disgraceful.”
While the pardon has not officially been signed yet, Hunter issued a statement reiterating his sorrow and “shame” brought on the First Family. “
Despite all of this, I have maintained my sobriety for more than five years because of my deep faith and the unwavering love and support of my family and friends. In the throes of addiction, I squandered many opportunities and advantages,” he wrote.
“In recovery, we can be given the opportunity to make amends where possible and rebuild our lives if we never take for granted the mercy that we have been afforded. I will never take the clemency I have been given today for granted and will devote the life I have rebuilt to helping those who are still sick and suffering.”
Black Athletes 5 Times More Likely Than White Peers To Suffer Sudden Cardiac Arrest
According to the study, 'Disparities in outcomes between Black and white athletes also exist without explanation.'
A recent review of data published by The Lancet and led by a sports cardiologist at Atlanta’s Emory University, Jonathan Kim, spotlights a concerning trend regarding sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and sudden cardiac death (SCD) for Black athletes.
According to the data review, Black athletes are five times as likely as white athletes to experience SCA and SCD.
According to Medical Xpress, the study from Kim and his colleagues at Laussane University Hospital, Morristown Medical, Massachusetts General Hospital, and other institutions also revealed significant racial disparities in electrocardiography readings (ECGs) taken of competitive athletes.
According to Kim, it is important to incorporate social determinants of health into any future research of how to mitigate risk for high-performing athletes.
“To truly address these disparities, it’s not enough to just screen for potential problems,” Kim said. “There needs to be an understanding of how to tackle the underlying social determinants of health that puts these athletes at a greater risk,” Kim said in a news release.
Kim continued, “We need to look for potential underlying health conditions. We also need to consider all the environmental stressors that young individuals have to deal with and also where they grow up. Just five to 10 years ago, I doubt many were thinking about social determinants of health and impacts on young athletes.”
According to the study, “Disparities in outcomes between Black and white athletes also exist without explanation. Causes of sudden cardiac arrest and death are age-dependent, with genetic heart conditions and unexplained cases (i.e., normal autopsy) predominant among younger athletes, and coronary artery disease accounting for most cases among veteran masters athletes.”
In February, Healthspotlighted the story of Omar Carter, an NBA hopeful who suffered an on-court cardiac arrest during a Pro-Am game in 2013 at the age of 25.
According to Carter, he doesn’t fully recall what happened to him but he knows his experience wasn’t like the experiences dramatized for movies or television shows. “I [vaguely] remember trying to catch myself, which was kind of odd,” Carter, now 36, told Health.
“I’ve watched other sudden cardiac arrest videos where they kind of just drop; it was almost like I was aware.” Carter continued, “[I was told] I gave this dramatic, kind of cinematic breath back to life.” Even after Carter was hospitalized at Carolina Medical Center and placed in a medically induced coma, he awoke with basketball still on his mind.
“My first three questions were: ‘Have we prayed?’ ‘What day is it?’ and ‘Can I still play basketball?’” Carter recalled to Health.
According to Merije T. Chukumerije, the director of sports cardiology for the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Group, and the team cardiologist for the LA Galaxy and Los Angeles Clippers, “It most certainly has something to do with social determinants of health, [and] psychosocial stressors, including racism and discrimination.”
Jonathan Drezner, a medical doctor and the director of the UW Medicine Center for Sports Cardiology agrees with Chukumerije, telling Health, “Our research has shown that Black athletes with SCA come from neighborhoods with greater socioeconomic deprivation than white athletes with SCA, but the mechanisms that lead to a higher risk need to be elucidated,” said Drezner, who is a corresponding author on another study of sudden cardiac arrest among Black athletes published in 2020.
Drezner concluded, “These may include more access to healthcare, higher quality screening, more attention to cardiovascular symptoms or a family history of heart disease—all of which could lead to early detection of conditions at risk of SCA.”
Stop Sabotaging Your Interview With These Common Answers To ‘Weakness’
Keep your responses real, brief and honest
Hey FairyGodMentor,
How are you really supposed to answer the dreaded question about your weaknesses, and what advice would you give if someone needed to explain gaps in their resume, or perhaps situations where there was professional conflict and things didn’t work out?
Thanks,
Filled with Dread
Dear Filled with Dread,
There’s always a lesson to be learned and shared in the matter of discussing weaknesses. Everyone has weaknesses. It’s what we do and what we learn from the mistakes. This is the essence of what the hiring manager is looking for in your response.
I would start by writing out a scenario of when you learned about this weakness. What was the specific situation that occurred. What tasks were you assigned or responsible for making? What actions did you take? Really paint a clear picture of what you said or did in that situation. Finally, what was the result? How did everything go and what did you ultimately learn from all of this? Do you use specific tools to help you stay more productive? Did you create a best practice that helps you and others not make the same error again? Did the situation make you a better leader? Clarify what those weaknesses are and the stories that go with them.
My advice is to keep your responses real, brief, and honest. I had a client who was terminated for unprofessional conduct on the job. The incident happened very publicly. She was terrified on how to answer the question of why she left her most recent place of employment.
Most businesses use 3rd party companies to give only start and end dates for background searches. Not a reason for termination.
If asked, I would be honest but keep it brief. If you were let go because of a professional conflict, say so, but emphasize that you take responsibility for your actions and focus what a big learning experience it was. Quickly shift to highlighting your strengths and accomplishments and how they will positively impact this new role and organization.
Regarding gaps in employment, you can get pretty creative in discussing your gaps (caregiving, sabbatical, etc.). More companies are becoming a bit more understanding about work gaps. Don’t be afraid to discuss them. If you gained a new skill or took on a role that relates to the job that you’re applying for, share those insights.
By sharing your lessons learned, you’ve reframed your weaknesses into strengths that can greatly improve that prospective new business’s success.
You got this!
Yours truly,
Your FairyGodMentor®
(Photo: Kirten White Photography/BE)
Joyel Crawford is an award-winning career and leadership development professional and the founder of Crawford Leadership Strategies, a consultancy that develops empowered, results-driven leaders through engaging leadership development coaching, training, and facilitation. She is the author of the best-selling book and audiobook Show Your Ask: Using Your Voice to Advocate for Yourself and Your Career.
Have a question about handling a micromanager, are you having difficulty navigating spaces because of your hair, is work stressing you out, do you need support coaching poor performance, or are you wondering how to negotiate and get the job offer you desire effectively? Do you have any questions about career and leadership development?
James Solomon Jr., One Of The First Black Students To Desegregate University Of South Carolina, Dies
The University of South Carolina honored Solomon earlier this year, in April, the university erected a 12-foot monument in recognition of his role in desegregating USC.
James L. Solomon Jr., the first Black student to enroll in the University of South Carolina’s graduate program in mathematics, and one of only three Black students on the university’s campus in 1963, died on Nov. 29 at the age of 94.
According to Fox Carolina, Solomon was a professor at South Carolina HBCU Morris College, located in Fort Sumter, before he decided to enroll at USC for graduate school.
In addition to Solomon, Henrie Monthieth Treadwell and Robert Anderson broke South Carolina’s color line for the first time since Reconstruction in 1963.
According to The Island Packet, Solomon earned a bachelor’s degree from Morris College and a master’s degree from Atlanta University. While he was teaching at his alma mater, after Anderson and Treadwell were admitted, he decided to apply to USC’s mathematics graduate program.
The University of South Carolina honored Solomon earlier this year, in April, by erecting a 12-foot monument in recognition of his role in desegregating USC.
Upon his death, the university issued a statement through a spokesperson offering their condolences to Solomon’s friends and family as well as honoring his accomplishments at USC.
“The University of South Carolina family is saddened by the death of James L. Solomon Jr. His legacy of bravery and service to community is an enduring inspiration to us all,” a university spokesman said in a statement. “His role in desegregating the Columbia campus, along with Henrie Monteith Treadwell and Robert G. Anderson, is immortalized on our campus as a testament to his personal courage and an unwavering commitment to justice. We share our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and everyone who was affected by his life of selfless sacrifice.”
Solomon also holds the distinction of being the first Black elected official in Fort Sumter since Reconstruction, which happened after he was elected to the Sumter District 17 school board.
In addition to this, Solomon eventually became a dean and the vice president of Morris College, one of the leaders of South Carolina’s Commission on Higher Education and the Department of Social Services, he was also involved with the Colombia Urban League, United Way of the Midlands, the American Public Welfare Association, and was elected the Chairman of Richland School District 1’s school board, making him the first Black person to occupy that role.
As a result of Solomon’s long history of public service, he was twice awarded the Order of the Palmetto, the highest civilian honor in South Carolina, bestowed upon him by former South Carolina governors Richard Riley and Carrol Campbell.
Sending my love & prayers to the Solomon family on the passing of Mr. James L. Solomon, Jr. who was 1 of 3 black students to integrate the @UofSC since Reconstruction & served this State for years in various leadership roles.
South Carolina Senator Tamekia Issac Devine, who represents District 19 in South Carolina, said in a statement on Twitter/X that Solomon’s legacy would live on.
“Sending my love & prayers to the Solomon family on the passing of Mr. James L. Solomon, Jr. who was 1 of 3 black students to integrate the University of South Carolina since Reconstruction & served this State for years in various leadership roles. He will be missed but his legacy lives on,” Senator Devine wrote.
Hamilton R. Grant, a State Representative representing South Carolina’s House District 79, also issued a statement on social media after Solomon’s death.
“I’m saddened to learn of the passing of Mr. James L. Solomon, Jr. Mr. Solomon was one of three black students to be admitted to the University of South Carolina since Reconstruction. My prayers are with The Solomon family during this difficult time. God bless this trailblazer and may he rest in peace,” Rep. Grant wrote.
Michael Jackson Hits Milestone Record As Second Album Charts On Billboard 200 For Decade
The late singer's "The Essential Michael Jackson" album has remained on the chart for 500 weeks.
Michael Jackson has hit a milestone for one of his albums and how long it has charted on the Billboard 200.
The late singer’s The Essential Michael Jackson album has remained on the chart for 500 weeks. As of Nov. 30, it officially reached ten years of consistent placement on the weekly chart for the country’s most popular albums.
According to Forbes, its ranking has ebbed and flowed throughout the years. It went down on the list for the week leading up to its historic number, going from #106 to #128. Despite its initial release in 2005, it still moved 10,9000 equivalent units for the week. Moreover, the project has been certified five-times platinum in the United States, with reported worldwide sales estimated at around 6 million copies.
The full-length LP featured no new music from Jackson. Instead, it is comprised of his greatest hits throughout his career until the early 2000s. Despite this, the album has steadily placed on the chart, often ranking on other Billboard lists. In October, the news outlet also reported that the Essential album re-entered the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. It also gained entry back onto the Top R&B albums-only list.
The project is not Jackson’s only album to continue making history on Billboard charts. His most popular LP, Thriller, has placed on the Billboard 200 for 653 weeks. The album continues to reach new heights on the ranking, reaching peak popularity around the holiday season, specifically for Halloween.
The two projects are part of an elite group within music history, given this status. Moreover, it remains an accomplishment on Jackson’s part to have two projects under his discography reach this milestone.
The decade-long charting of the compilation record is a testimony to the artist’s legacy and ongoing impact on the music industry. Moreover, both projects’ reign within the popular albums listing and other charts are expected to last for weeks to come.
Shannon Sharpe Explains Why His Dog Is Allowed On His Lap At Thanksgiving Dinner Table
Sharpe proceeded to double down on how his pets are treated like family.
The only ones not allowed to dine at Shannon Sharpe’s table are his haters. The sports commentator clapped back at naysayers who opposed his dog sitting on his lap during Thanksgiving dinner.
Sharpe defended his actions in his own home after X users condemned him for letting his dog sit on his lap during mealtime. The social media beef started after Sharpe posted a video wishing others a Happy Thanksgiving, but with his dog happily sitting on his lap.
Xusers immediately began to question the former NFL athlete and his decision. However, Sharpe proceeded to double down on how his pets are treated like family.
“They sleep in the bed also,” he responded to one commenter grossed out by the clip.
After Sharpe made clear that he feels comfortable with letting his companion sit with him at dinner, he made sure to put those who felt different in their place. Another poster called the dog’s presence at dinner “out of pocket.”
What makes you think I’m going allow you 2 tell me what I should do at my house? https://t.co/xRRNCWKhkv
In response, Sharpe told them, “What makes you think I’m going allow you [to] tell me what I should do at my house.”
The Nightcap podcaster got even more snappy in his responses. He told a naysayer that they have virtually no chance of dining with him at his house anyway.
What do you think your chances are of you having a meal at my hm? 1 and how many octillion https://t.co/WSUgTmUV84
“What do you think your chances are of you having a meal at my [home]? 1 and how many octillion,” questioned the Club Shay Shay host.
Clearly, Sharpe was not tolerating any negativity toward his animal friends. After going off on a few haters, Sharpe continued business as usual with his sports commentary.
The headline-making star is not afraid to speak out, and has often found himself amid media controversy. Recently, Sharpe landed in hot water for getting intimate on Instagram Live. While unknowingly filming the interaction, Sharpe yelled his lady friend’s name, Michelle, during the live post.
Bitcoin Hits Its Best Month Of 2024, But Black Investors Left Behind
Despite its current surge, some reports indicate bitcoin has failed Black communities.
Following the election of Donald Trump, Bitcoin, as well as other cryptocurrencies, have been surging; and Bitcoin in particular has been forecast to post its best month since February as it rides the post-election high.
According to CNBC, Bitcoin was forecast by Coin Metrics to post a 38% gain for the month of November, which trails only the mark of a 45% gain it posted in February.
As BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency investors have been bullish on the prospect of another Trump administration being extremely friendly to cryptocurrency after previously being hostile to it.
According to Brittany Stredic, a member of a coalition of Houstonians fighting a pipeline and gas plant in her neighborhood, the plant is an unnecessary disruption.
“They’re (the State of Texas) trying to use these ‘volatile’ climate events, the freeze and the heat, as justification for all these new gas plants. But we don’t need it,” she told the outlet.
Algernon Austin, director for Race and Economic Justice at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, highlighted how the cryptocurrency industry leverages its wealth to lobby for favorable policies, often at the expense of the country’s most vulnerable populations.
“There are so many downsides to crypto, but unfortunately, the industry has a lot of money, and have recently been using their money to get favorable policies in Washington, D.C., and places like Texas,” Austin told Capital B News. Austin continued, “Cryptocurrencies are a shiny new way to lose money. Analyses that have been done suggest that, if anything, it’s worked to increase inequality. It’s worrying that it is creating a problem environmentally on top of all of this.”
In 2023, Vox reported that crypto had failed Black communities, despite part of its pitch to those communities being that cryptocurrency could be a lifeline for wealth building outside of more traditional means.
“The idea that crypto is somehow providing an avenue that’s easier than other forms doesn’t pan out. It’s not as democratizing and welcoming as suggested,” Austin told Vox. “The crypto industry is concerned about the crypto industry, it’s not concerned about Black wealth.”
Mehrsa Baradaran, a law professor at the University of California Irvine and expert on financial inequality and the racial wealth gap, compared the cryptocurrency industry’s pitch to Black Americans to other predatory financial schemes historically targeted at Black communities.
“You have the perfect conditions that led to the Freedman’s Bank, that led to the subprime crisis, that led to the contract sales after the New Deal, which is that capitalism is undergoing some shift and something is wrong and the government needs to handle it, but instead, they leave out certain people and then some terrible, exploitative incentive gets born, and someone is always going to step into that. It is a looting of people’s money,” Baradaran told Vox.
Baradaran continued, arguing that a more tenable solution is to fix what’s broken rather than hoping for something with little to no oversight to become a magic pill for building wealth.
“This is what you see with bitcoin, you get the scammers and the hucksters and the fraud, people who come in and say, ‘Look, we’re going to exploit people’s genuine desire to build wealth in a f***ed-up system,” Baradaran said.
She concluded, “If the system’s broken, let’s fix it, instead of saying, ‘Look, the system’s broken, let’s create this other system. It’s losing all the lessons that we had to learn the hard way in this financial system, which is that you need trust, you have to have trust. And if we allow fraud without regulation, there will always be fraud.”
Austin, meanwhile, underscored the insidious nature of selling Black people what some say is a false bill of goods.
“It’s important to recognize that the Black population has more economic hardship and economic insecurity than the white population or the US population overall on average. You have more poverty, higher rates of debt, higher rates of insecurity, unstable work hours, unaffordable housing, there are a number of financial stresses in the lives of many African Americans,” Austin told Vox. “So when you’re worrying how you’re going to pay your bills regularly and how you’re going to get ahead and someone shows up and says, ‘I have the solution, and this will help you pay all your bills and help you pay your kids’ college and the house that you’ve always dreamed about,’ that’s pretty enticing.”
Girl, Bye: Candace Owens Denied Entry To New Zealand After Australia Said ‘Nope’
Owens has been denied a visa over her offensive remarks toward Jews and Muslims.
Candace Owens was refused a visa to enter New Zealand due to her previous banning from Australia. The conservative political commentator was expected to be in the country for a speaking engagement.
Immigration officials confirmed the refusal to theAssociated Press on Nov. 28. The denial of her entertainer’s work permit visa stems from Australia’s ruling on the matter. Its neighboring country initially rejected Owens’ visa due to her anti-Semitic remarks. Owens had denied that Nazis medically experimented on Jewish people in concentration camps during World War II.
While currently unable to enter either Oceanic country, Owens remains on the schedule to speak at multiple events throughout the region. The influencer’s speaking tour has slots in Auckland and many cities throughout Australia in February and March 2025.
Owens has emerged as a controversial and provocative figure, mainly popular among conservative platforms and communities. Following her announcement in August to travel to the countries, immigration officials in Australia took action to stop Owens in the midst of her planning stages to come.
Immigration Minister Tony Burke told reporters in October that Owens “capacity to incite discord” led to their decision to deny the visa. He also referenced her offensive comments regarding Muslims.
“Australia’s national interest is best served when Candace Owens is somewhere else,” stated Burke.
Owens initially intended for the speaking engagements to discuss free speech and her Christian beliefs. However, her previous commentary that attacked other religious groups resulted in Australia’s stance against the media personality.
New Zealand, however, did not cite these reasons for why they rejected her work permit. Instead, they denied her entry due to regulations that visa cannot be granted to those forbidden from entering another country.
With this latest update, it remains unclear if, and how, Owens will continue her speaking tour as planned.
