by Mary Spiller

September 28, 2024

Detroit Bridgerton Ball Slammed As A ‘Scam’

Attendees complained the event featured undercooked food, one violin player, and a pole dancer.

The Bridgerton Ball event held in Detroit on Sept. 22 has turned out to be what hundreds of guests are calling a “scam.”

The event promotion read, “Step into the enchanting world of the Regency era with sophistication, grace, and historical charm.” However, when Bridgerton fan Nita Morton showed up at the venue, she described being greeted by minimal decorations, a single violin player, a pole dancer, undercooked chicken, and soggy food.

Morton told BBC, “I was brought to tears. It was the worst event I’ve been to. My high school parties were better. Bridgerton food is turkey and ham and grand dessert tables with things like macaroons.”

She added, “But we got soggy noodles with tomato sauce and small chicken wings.”

The failed event has since gone viral on social media. Individual guests paid up to $200 per ticket for the disappointing event and paid even more for custom dresses and shoes to fit the theme. Pictures and images have been circulating on social media of guests in their best fancy ball gowns sitting on the floor since there weren’t enough chairs at the venue and leaving early once the food ran out. According to testimony from guest attendees, dinner reportedly ran out after an hour, and some of the items were nearly raw.

Uncle & Me LLC organized the ball, which was unrelated to Netflix or Bridgerton’s production company, Shondaland. Uncle & Me LLC told local media outlet WXYZ-TV that they were working to address the concerns arising from the event.

Its statement began, “We understand that not everyone had the experience they hoped for at our most recent event on Sunday night at The Harmonie Club, and for that, we sincerely apologize. We intended to provide a magical evening, but we recognize that organizational challenges affected the enjoyment of some guests.”

They continued, “We take full responsibility and accountability for these shortcomings. We are reviewing resolution options, which will be communicated shortly.”

Despite their promises to make amends for the failed event, Uncle & Me LLC has communicated minimally with guests who purchased tickets. Uncle & Me LLC’s website hasn’t been accessible since the event, and the event site itself has been taken down amid the growing backlash.

Pedro Soto and his wife attended the Bridgerton Ball as a celebration after eloping just the day prior. The fans of the Netflix show said they were expecting to be transported into the world of their favorite show when arriving, but instead, weren’t even greeted by a doorman at check-in. The purchased ticket promised “to include food, a bar, at least a table and chair for us to sit down and enjoy. It included an orchestra. What we got was, it’s going to sound funny, Kool-Aid from a bottle, no bar. There were not enough seats and chairs for us,” Soto recalled.

“We had to reuse cups, not enough plates. The backdrops were just paper. It was nothing special. The photographs were actually extra.”

Many patrons were also disappointed in the entertainment for the night and described being met with an “exotic dancer on a pole.”

Aerial performer and dancer Tink spoke out about her experience with the company behind the Detroit Bridgerton Ball after guests voiced disappointment with her performance. Tink revealed that she was hired just three hours before the event and asked to perform a pole routine.

Despite receiving backlash for her act, Tink clarified that the company approved her performance and her red bra-and-panty outfit, which also stirred controversy.

“I just feel very bad for all the patrons who showed up to the event just because my goal as a performer is to bring happiness and cheers to everyone. So it kind of just bummed me out knowing everyone was so unhappy with the outcome,” she stated.

by Mary Spiller

September 28, 2024

Mark Robinson Treated For Second Degree Burns Following Campaign Incident At Truck Show

Robinson is reportedly in 'good spirits' following the incident.

Lt. Gov. of North Carolina, Mark Robinson, was transported and treated at the Northern Regional Hospital for second-degree burns following an unspecified incident at one of his campaign events. On Sept. 27, Robinson’s Communication Director, Mike Lonergan, spoke about the incident.

Republican Robinson was attending a truck show when he received the burns, The Guardian reports. It was one of several stops on his campaign for governor.

Lonergan said in a statement that Robinson “is in good spirits, appreciates the outpouring of good wishes, and is excited to return to the campaign trail as scheduled first thing tomorrow morning.”

Although law enforcement has specified that Robinson’s burns are a result of an “accident” at the automotive show and that no foul play is involved in his injuries, North Carolina police haven’t released any other details about the incident.

North Carolina’s Republican nominee for governor made several different campaign stops around the state on Sept. 27 before the incident, and his final stop was the Mayberry Truck Show and Parade in Mount Airy.

The campaign has not provided further details about the accident either but has said that Robinson is eager to return to the race.

Robinson, the lieutenant governor since 2021, is running against the current attorney general and Democratic gubernatorial nominee, Josh Stein. This is after the current governor, Democrat Roy Cooper, was barred from running this fall due to term limits.

Robinson’s support has been wavering since reports that he allegedly posted racial and sexual comments on an online pornography message board in the past. Nearly a dozen staff members on his campaign or from his lieutenant governor’s office have quit due to the backlash.

Robinson continued to deny writing the messages that appeared on the board more than a decade ago.

Priscilla Williams-Till, Emmett Till, Senate Bid In Mississippi

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

September 28, 2024

U.S. Justice Department Sues Alabama For Alleged Voter Purging As Election Closes In

The lawsuit states Alabama violated the National Voter Registration Act by removing registered voters in less than three months before the federal election.

The U.S. Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Alabama and its Secretary of State for its alleged systematic voter purging.

The lawsuit, filed on Sept. 27, states that Alabama violated the National Voter Registration Act by removing registered voters less than three months before the federal election. According to NPR, federal law ensures a “quiet period” ahead of a federal election for states covered by it.

While covered by the legislation, states like Alabama cannot systematically remove names from their registered voters’ list within this timeframe. Despite this, Alabama’s Secretary of State Wes Allen announced on Aug. 13 that they would remove noncitizen voters under their jurisdiction, aiming to have the “cleanest and most accurate voter file” in the U.S.

The announcement was made public by the state’s chief elections official within the 90-day threshold. It impacts 3,251 registered voters with “noncitizen identification numbers by the Department of Homeland Security.”

“I have been clear that I will not tolerate the participation of noncitizens in our elections,” stated the Republican lawmaker in the press release. “I have even gone so far as to testify before a United States Senate Committee regarding the importance of this issue. We have examined the current voter file in an attempt to identify anyone who appears on that list that has been issued a noncitizen identification number.”

The Republican lawmaker also provided a list of noncitizen voters to the Office of the Alabama Attorney General to investigate persons for potential criminal prosecution. However, NPR remarked federal law already prohibits noncitizens from voting in federal elections. Cases of such remain extremely rare.

In light of this news, the Justice Department accused Alabama of perpetuating voter confusion and urged the state to heed the Quiet Period Provisions, which are in place to protect all voters.

“The right to vote is one of the most sacred rights in our democracy,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “As Election Day approaches, it is critical that Alabama redress voter confusion resulting from its list maintenance mailings sent in violation of federal law. Officials across the country should take heed of the National Voter Registration Act’s clear and unequivocal restrictions on systematic list maintenance efforts that fall within 90 days of an election.”

The statement continued, deeming Alabama’s actions as a “systematic voter removal program.” The state also gave inactive voter notifications to both native-born and naturalized citizens.

“The letter directs recipients who are in fact U.S. citizens and eligible to vote to complete and submit an attached State of Alabama Voter Registration Form,” they added. “In turn, that form instructs that people may not register to vote in the 14 days before an election.”

Moreover, other voting rights groups and other persons wrongfully affected have sued the state for its ongoing voter purging effort. However, Allen remained adamant that he would not “bow down” to these groups.

“I will not bow down to threats from ultra-liberal activist groups who will stop at nothing in their quest to see noncitizens remain on Alabama’s voter rolls,” he stated in an email to the news outlet.

Allen refused to comment on the additional lawsuit from the Justice Department.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

September 28, 2024

Diddy Wants To Testify At Upcoming Trial, Gets Hit With 12th Lawsuit Alleging Sexual Abuse

'I don’t know that I could keep him off the stand,' his attorney, Marc Agnifilo, said. 'I think he is very eager to tell his story.'

Sean “Diddy” Combs is currently incarcerated after being arrested on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution. According to TMZ, his attorney, Marc Agnifilo, has stated that Diddy wants to testify at the upcoming trial.

The media outlet has produced another documentary that follows “TMZ Presents: The Downfall of Diddy,” which debuted on April 27. In the second installment, “The Downfall of Diddy: The Indictment,” Agnifilo has gone on record saying that he doubts he can keep the mogul from testifying as he wants people to hear his story.

“I don’t know that I could keep him off the stand,” Agnifilo said. “I think he is very eager to tell his story.”

The documentary can be viewed on Tubi.

“I think he will tell every part of his story, including what you see on the video, so I expect it’s going to be explained by the both of us,” Agnifilo says on camera in the special. “He has his story, and he has a story that I think only he can tell in the way he can tell it in real-time.”

Whether that’s a good idea remains to be seen as another lawsuit was filed against the “Bad Boy” executive on Sept. 27.

NPR reported that another woman has filed a sexual abuse lawsuit alleging that Diddy drugged, assaulted, coerced, and threatened her for two years. The unidentified woman also states that he impregnated her, which ended with a miscarriage.

The paperwork was filed with the New York County Supreme Court. The woman, who filed under Jane Doe, lives in Florida and claimed she was forced to travel and “perform” for Diddy several times in the last few years. She states she met him in 2021, and they started seeing each other. She alleges she was flown out to see him in different states by his company to have sex with him. In the lawsuit, she said she felt coerced by staff members who would “send drivers to her home to pick her up before she agreed to travel, to the point where she did not believe she had a choice.”

She said Diddy got her pregnant but claims Caresha Brownlee, who is known as Yung Miami from the hip-hop group City Girls, harassed her by calling her several times and demanding that she have an abortion. She alleges that dealing with the stress led her to suffer a miscarriage. She said she was still traveling with Diddy as recently as July, and she says he continues to contact her to intimidate her.

The latest brings the total of civil lawsuits against Diddy to 12, with all claiming sexual misconduct and abuse.

Wesley Bell, Missouri, Congressional Seat

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

September 28, 2024

Black Voters In Nevada Rally Behind Kamala Harris As She Tries To Make History

In a community home to the country's first racially integrated casino, an array of Harris supporters is ready to spark change again.

Black voters in Nevada, many in Las Vegas’ Westside community, historically known for its stance against racial injustice, are rallying the vote for Kamala Harris as she prepares to make history.

In a community home to the country’s first racially integrated casino, an array of Harris supporters is ready to spark change again. In 1955, The Moulin Rouge in the Westside neighborhood opened its doors to all. Black musical acts such as Sammy Davis Jr. and Ella Fitzgerald were not just welcomed to perform but also take part in the casino’s activities that other establishments reserved for white customers only. Today, its residents still hold that passion and fight for social change.

The state’s Black electorate is small but mighty, with only 11% of the population identifying as Black in general, per Data USA. However, most Black Nevadans live in Las Vegas and hope to lead the shift that turns the swing state Blue.

Harris-Walz campaign organizers shared that enthusiasm for this upcoming election has never been seen before. Ishmael Carroll, a regional political director who works in outreach toward Black voters in the area, called it “pandemonium.”

“It’s been pandemonium. I’ve been inundated with calls, texts, emails. It’s complete excitement,” explained Carroll to The Guardian. “In previous elections, I had to go find people. People are calling me now first thing in the morning, late at night –- ‘How can I be involved? How can I participate? What can I do to help?’ I think they identify the importance of this moment in our history.”

Regarding Harris, a new volunteer believes her authenticity plays a huge role in her chance of winning.

“I’m really not that into politics, but given the situation right now between the two parties, I think it’s necessary to be out here getting involved,” shared first-time volunteer Lya Harvey. “You can see she actually cares about people. And being a Black woman -– and I’m a Black woman -– she understands that it’s about a lot more than just being a politician.”

Las Vegas boasts a diverse community, a quality many see mirrored in Kamala Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz. Harris aims to maintain the trend of Democratic victories in the state, but according to The Hill, current polls show her in a tight race, tied with Trump.

“…When I talk about ‘the community,’ I talk about all of us because it takes all of us working together for a better future,” expressed Daniele Monroe-Moreno, a Nevada assemblywoman and chair of the Nevada state Democratic Party. “And I believe the excitement we’re seeing with Kamala Harris is that there are so many families like mine that see her and Tim Walz, who is like that guy next door who mows the lawn for the senior who can’t do it any more … They see Kamala and Tim as people they know and can personally attach themselves to.”

A local, Black-owned restaurant in the area, called Oasis, also hosts a “Black Voice of Las Vegas” event for the community. However, its owner noted that not only Black voices come out to participate, encouraging all to promote civic engagement.

“This is for everybody,” shared Terry Adams, Oasis’ owner. “It’s the principles of the United States of America that matter. That’s what everybody strives for.”

Millennial Black Women, Beauty Standards, Study

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 28, 2024

How Millennial Black Women Navigate Beauty Standards At Work And Off The Clock: Study

A new study shows how millennial women dress in intracultural beauty standards outside of work and Eurocentric standards when at work.

A new study is digging into the beauty standards of millennial women and how many feel they “cannot afford to ignore mainstream beauty standards” in and out of the workplace.

The qualitative study, “Millennial Agency and Liberation Within Black American Beauty Standards,” appears in the new edited volume “Embodiment and Representations of Beauty.” It found that millennial Black women felt a sense of freedom and flexibility when it came to beauty standards in their personal lives. However, they felt pressured to conform to more restrictive beauty norms in the workplace.

Jaleesa Reed, author of the study and assistant professor of human-centered design in the College of Human Ecology, conducted interviews with 20 millennial Black American women to explore their experiences with navigating beauty standards in connection to their identity. The participants, born between 1981 and 1996, represented the full range of the millennial generation.

The study found that participants felt that to meet American standards of beauty, they must be “white,” “thin,” “blond,e” and “blue-eyed.” In their personal lives, the participants embraced an “intracultural” beauty standard that celebrates the diverse hair textures, body shapes, and skin tones found within the African diaspora. However, in professional settings, participants felt compelled to make style choices that balanced their personal identities with advancing their careers and aligning with workplace expectations.

“Decisions around how to style their hair, what jewelry to wear, or how much makeup to put on are tied to their economic livelihood and their ability to support themselves and their families,” Reed said.

“On one hand, it feels like, ‘Oh, it’s just how you do your hair.’ But on the other hand, they must also consider their workplace environment, which led them to question their style choices.”

The results reflect the Eurocentric beauty standards passed down to the millennial generation and how they’re followed in the workplace.

“Participants were aware, from personal experience and anecdotes, of repercussions for Black women who did not ascribe to the appearance expectations at work,” Reed said. “Eurocentric beauty standards reinforced through popular media also taught them, from an early age, that women with lighter skin tones, and long, straight hair were considered to be more beautiful.”

According to the 2019 C.R.O.W.N. Research Study, Black women in the U.S. are 1.5 times more likely than other women to be sent home from work due to their hairstyle, resulting in social and economic consequences. Black women with straighter hair face fewer workplace microaggressions than those with coils or textured hair.

As a result, the study participants feel adhering to an intracultural beauty standard in predominantly white environments could risk their job security and the financial stability of their families, Reed says.

“For Black women,” Reed wrote, “hairstyle choices for professional spaces are laden with cultural meaning and likely to be misinterpreted. Protective styles, such as cornrows, twists or locs … are often deemed unprofessional as evidenced by the cases of hair discrimination … .”

The number of states implementing hair discrimination laws continues to rise in 2024. This follows a coalition that was formed to urge lawmakers to pass legislation banning employers from discriminating against hairstyles, particularly those associated with Black or biracial individuals.

Known as CROWN laws (Create a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair), the first of many was signed into law in 2019 by California Gov. Gavin Newsom. There are currently 28 states with laws supporting the CROWN Act.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 28, 2024

NeNe Leakes’ Bank Account Garnished $25K To Repay Debt For Former Swagg Boutique

NeNe Leakes is being forced to pay a $25,000 default judgment over unpaid rent.

NeNe Leakes is having her bank account garnished to repay a $25,000 rent debt for her former fashion boutique.

In Touch Weekly reports that newly obtained court documents reveal a Georgia judge’s approval of MPG-Sugarloaf’s request to confiscate funds from NeNe’s account at Truist Bank. Leakes failed to show up in court to oppose the request.

It follows a default judgment in the amount of $25,631 that the Real Housewives of Atlanta alum received in November 2023. MPG-Sugarloaf first sued Leakes in August 2023 for a commercial property the reality star leased to open her Swagg Boutique in 2017.

The boutique temporarily closed during the pandemic and reopened for a few months before permanently shutting down in 2022. According to the landlord, the reality star did not pay $22,000 in rent when she vacated the premises. A lawsuit was filed demanding Leakes pay the entire unpaid rent plus interest.

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However, after the lawsuit, NeNe took to social media to claim that she was not liable for the debt and blamed it on her late husband, Gregg Leakes, who she says signed the lease in question.

“Gregg signed the lease not me! He ain’t here,” she said at the time.

Leakes’ late husband passed away from cancer in September 2021 at the age of 66. The Glee star was served with the legal documents outside her $1 million home in Atlanta but failed to respond to the allegations in court.

After the default judgment was issued, the landlord sent a series of summons to financial institutions where they suspected NeNe might have funds. The summons instructed the bank “to immediately hold all money, including wages, and other property, except what is known to be exempt, including property in safe deposit boxes or similar property that you hold, belonging to the Defendant named above beginning on the day of service of this summons and including the next five days.”

Now, Leakes is being forced to repay the $25,000. Two years ago, she dropped a discrimination lawsuit against NBC’s network Bravo and recently returned to NBCUniversal to host an Emmys after-party.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 27, 2024

Naomi Campbell ‘Extremely Concerned’ After Charity Trustee Ban Due To Alleged Misconduct

Naomi Campbell is accused of misappropriating funds from the charity she launched to help impoverished youth.

Naomi Campbell has been banned from being a charity trustee due to allegedly misappropriating funds.

A government investigation revealed extensive evidence of financial misconduct at the UK-based poverty relief charity, the legendary supermodel established in 2005 and registered in 2015. As a result, Campbell was banned from charity work for five years after the UK’s Charity Commission found that Fashion for Relief donated only a small portion of the millions raised through its celebrity fashion events to charitable causes.

According to the Commission, the charity misused tens of thousands of pounds to splurge on luxury hotels, flights, spa treatments, personal security, and cigarettes for Campbell. Additionally, hundreds of thousands of unauthorized consultancy payments were made to one of her fellow trustees, who was also banned. Bianka Hellmich was banned for nine years, while Veronica Chou received a four-year ban.

“I’ve just found out today about the findings, and I am extremely concerned,” Campbell, 54, told AP, as cited by BBC.

The fashion powerhouse claims that she was not the person “in control” of the charity.

The investigation was launched following complaints from Save the Children and the Mayor’s Fund for London, who reported Fashion for Relief to regulators in 2020 after not receiving the promised payments from fundraising agreements. The Commission soon found that between 2016 and 2021, Fashion for Relief raised nearly £4.8 million through fashion shows but disbursed only £389,000 in grants to partner charities after deducting event costs and other expenses. Interim managers appointed by the Commission later recovered nearly £350,000 from the charity, which was subsequently distributed to Save the Children and the Mayor’s Fund for London.

For her part, Hellmich had voluntarily suggested repaying the £290,000 she received for consultancy services, but the interim managers appointed by the Commission successfully ensured repayments to the charity. The funds Hellmich received were in breach of the charity’s constitution. The full amount she received was repaid in April 2023.

The inquiry report revealed poor financial management and disorganized record-keeping, including a lack of documentation for invoices, receipts, and formal minutes of meetings and decisions, as well as outsourcing administrative and accounting tasks. The Commission found multiple examples of financial misconduct, including €14,800 spent on a flight that took a former unnamed trustee and an unnamed donor to a fundraising event in Cannes in May 2018.

While there, Campbell stayed at a hotel that cost €3,000 per night and incurred over €4,000 in personal security expenses. Additional charges to the charity included nearly €8,000 on spa treatments, room service, cigarettes, and other hotel amenities. Campbell was at the hotel for six nights, but only two of those nights were related to the charity event.

Campbell and Hellmich claimed the hotel expenses incurred by the charity were later billed to an unnamed donor; however, the Commission found no evidence that Fashion for Relief had received any donor payments to cover these costs.

Campbell founded Fashion for Relief in 2005 to raise funds to combat poverty and assist economically disadvantaged youth. However, by November 2021, the Commission launched a formal inquiry into the charity, suspending Campbell and Hellmich. During the investigation, interim managers found that the charity was essentially insolvent, lacking enough cash to settle its debts, and it was ultimately dissolved in March.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 27, 2024

Delta’s New Rule: Jobseekers, Flight Attendants’ Undergarments ‘Must Not Be Visible’

Delta Airlines' new rule bans trainees and flight attendants from wearing visible undergarments.

Delta Airlines has a new policy for potential hires and current flight attendants that bans them from wearing visible undergarments.

As the airline continues its hiring spree for new flight attendants, a two-page memo outlining “appearance requirements” for applicants was issued earlier this month. The memo detailed Delta’s expectations for grooming, hair, jewelry, and clothing, including specific guidelines for undergarments during a candidates’ interview process, throughout training, and for the entire career with the airline.

“Proper undergarments must be worn but must not be visible,” the airline states in the “Clothing” section of the Appearance Guidelines.

Clothing must also be “professional and fit properly,” the airline clarified. Other rules include dresses and/or skirts that fall below the knee, closed-toe shoes that aren’t athletic, and ties with a buttoned collared shirt for men who choose to wear the uniform. Over on the grooming sides of the guidelines, “Aftershave, cologne and perfume may be used if applied lightly,” while eyelashes must “appear natural” and should not have “extreme length and volume.”

Other rules include trimmed facial hair and nails as well as nails that are all the same color, don’t have bright neon colors, and are chip-free. Hair must be a natural-looking color with “no stark highlights or unnatural shades,” the memo states. Hair that touches or is longer than the shoulder “must be pulled completely back and secured away from the eyes.”

The updated Appearance Guidelines are to help the potential hires give a good representation of themselves and the company when interacting with customers.

“In the interest of transparency and clarity for all prospective candidates, we are encouraging people to ‘dress for success’ and give a great first impression as they aspire to join the flight attendant ranks,” Delta said

However, the memo garnered criticism when it was shared on Reddit by someone who wanted to know, “Is this for real?” There were many who defended the memo and said they didn’t find anything wrong with it.

“What is the problem here? I’m inferring that they don’t want to see things like the tops of boxers, whale tails, or neon lace bras peeking out from under low-cut tops,” one person wrote.

“There’s nothing eyebrow-raising about this and I’m pretty sure my airline said something similar,” added someone else. “You’d be surprised how people show up to an interview where your appearance 100% matters.”

The appearance requirements aren’t too surprising when looking at recent findings that suggest Gen Z and recent college graduates lack understanding of how to dress professionally for job interviews. A survey of 800 managers done earlier this year revealed that nearly half of Gen Z applicants fail to dress appropriately for job interviews.

The research found that one in five employers reported that recent college graduates are underprepared for the workplace, citing poor eye contact, inappropriate attire, and unrealistic salary expectations as the top concerns. All this could be why Delta found it necessary to update its appearance guidelines and make it clear what a potential hire should look like when on the clock.

by Mitti Hicks

September 27, 2024

Black Billionaire Robert F. Smith Joins Partnership To Acquire Smartsheet For Nearly $8.4B

Black billionaire Robert F. Smith, the CEO and founder of Vista Equity Partners, is partnering with Blackstone to acquire Smartsheet.

Smartsheet is a modern enterprise work management platform used by companies worldwide. According to a news release, approximately 85% of 2024 Fortune 500 companies use the Smartsheet platform.

“For more than a decade, we have built a thriving community of employees, partners, and customers, each focused on building and benefiting from Smartsheet’s industry-leading work management platform. Our next phase of growth and customer success is underway. We look forward to partnering with Blackstone and Vista Equity Partners to accelerate our vision of modernizing work management for enterprises globally,” said Mark Mader, CEO of Smartsheet.

Vista is a global investment firm with over $100 billion in assets under management as of March 31, 2024. The firm is known for exclusively investing in enterprise software, data, and technology-enabled businesses.

Blackstone is the world’s largest alternative asset manager that strives to deliver compelling returns for institutional and individual investors by strengthening the companies they choose to invest in.

“Modern enterprises rely on Smartsheet’s simple and scalable solutions to manage a diverse range of business-critical processes every single day because they enable seamless collaboration, enhanced productivity, and faster and more informed decision-making,” Monti Saroya, co-head of Vista’s Flagship Fund, and John Stalder, managing director at Vista, said in a joint statement.

“We look forward to partnering closely with Blackstone and Smartsheet to support its ambitious goal of making its platform accessible for every organization, team, and worker relying on collaborative work to achieve successful outcomes,” they added.

Who Is Black Billionaire Robert F. Smith?

According to his website, Smith was born to two working-class parents in a predominantly Black, middle-class neighborhood in Denver. Giving back was instilled in him at an early age.

“Every month, for over 50 years, he watched [his parents] donate their limited resources to charities like United Negro College Fund (UNCF), no matter what was happening in their personal lives,” a statement reads on his website.

It’s clear that higher education was also a priority for Smith. He earned a degree in chemical engineering from Cornell University and later attended Columbia’s Business School. After graduating in 1994, he worked in investment banking on mergers and acquisitions at Goldman Sachs in New York City and later in San Francisco.

Smith launched Vista Equity Partners (Vista) in 2000, a leading global investment firm. Under his leadership, the firm’s portfolio includes some of the world’s leading enterprise software businesses.

Forbes reports Smith is worth $10.8 billion.