by Von Boozier Twins

September 20, 2024

Fiyori: The Black-Owned Brand Redefining Vodka With First-Ever Organic Hemp Infusion

Fiyori Vodka, the world’s first organic hemp-infused vodka, is transforming the spirits industry.

Fiyori Vodka is rewriting the rules of the spirits industry with its unique blend of luxury and wellness.

Founded by Clarence Darkwa and COO Jay Black, Fiyori is the world’s first organic hemp-infused vodka. It offers a smooth, refined drinking experience coupled with the health benefits of organic hemp seeds. As Black entrepreneurs in a predominantly white industry, Clarence and Jay have overcome challenges and broken barriers and crafted a product that sets itself apart and leads a new wave of wellness-conscious spirits.

BLACK ENTERPRISE sat down with the founders to explore their journey, the innovation behind their brand, and how Fiyori is poised to disrupt the market.

BE: What inspired you to create Fiyori, and how did the idea of an organic hemp-infused vodka come about?

Clarence & Jay: The inspiration behind Fiyori came from a desire to create a high-quality vodka that not only tasted exceptional but also offered health benefits. Hemp seeds, known for their rich nutritional profile—full of essential fatty acids, proteins, and antioxidants—were a natural choice. We wanted to fuse wellness with indulgence, and that’s how the idea of an organic hemp-infused vodka was born. Fiyori became a product that combines the best of both worlds: premium vodka and the benefits of organic hemp seeds while maintaining a smooth, sophisticated taste.

Can you walk us through the process of developing the world’s first organic hemp-infused vodka? What challenges did you face along the way?

Creating the world’s first organic hemp-infused vodka was an exciting journey. The process began with sourcing high-quality, organic hemp seeds that met our rigorous standards for sustainability and purity. We experimented with the infusion process to achieve the perfect balance of flavor without compromising the vodka’s smoothness. One of the biggest challenges was navigating regulatory hurdles and educating consumers about the difference between hemp and cannabis. Despite these obstacles, we remained committed to crafting a unique product showcasing hemp seeds’ natural benefits.

Why was it important for you to ensure that Fiyori’s vodka was not just hemp-infused but also organic? How do these choices reflect your brand’s values?

From the start, we were committed to creating a vodka that aligned with values like quality, sustainability, and wellness. The decision to use organic ingredients was rooted in our belief that consumers deserve a clean, pure product without harmful additives. Hemp seeds have numerous health benefits, and we wanted to preserve those qualities through an organic process. This dedication to integrity reflects Fiyori’s mission to offer a premium, health-conscious vodka while supporting sustainable farming practices.

How do you think the infusion of hemp sets your vodka apart from others on the market, and what has been the consumer response so far?

The infusion of hemp definitely sets Fiyori apart in many ways. It adds a subtle nutty flavor and offers potential health benefits like boosting heart health, reducing inflammation, and protecting neurological functions. Consumers have been thrilled to discover a vodka that not only tastes smooth but also may contribute to their overall well-being. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with many customers surprised by how smooth our vodka is and delighted by the potential health perks.

In an industry where tradition often reigns supreme, how has Fiyori embraced innovation while still honoring the craft of vodka making?

While we respect traditional vodka-making techniques, we’ve embraced innovation through our hemp seed infusion and focus on organic ingredients. By using state-of-the-art equipment and sustainable practices, we’ve created a product that’s both modern and respectful of the craft. Our goal is to enhance the vodka-making process without overshadowing its roots, blending tradition with new trends in wellness and sustainability.

Looking at the current trends in the spirits industry, where do you see Fiyori fitting in, and what do you believe the future holds for hemp-infused spirits?

Fiyori fits perfectly into the growing trend of health-conscious and organic spirits. As more people recognize the benefits of hemp and as regulations continue to evolve, we believe hemp-infused spirits will become more popular. We’re proud to be at the forefront of this movement, leading efforts to educate consumers and push boundaries in the premium spirits industry.

What advice would you give aspiring Black entrepreneurs looking to break into the spirits industry or any other highly competitive market?

Our advice to aspiring Black entrepreneurs is to stay true to your unique vision. Your personal experiences and perspective can set you apart. Build strong networks, prioritize quality and innovation, and stay persistent in the face of challenges. The journey won’t be easy, but with hard work, community support, and a clear mission, success is within reach.

To learn more about Fiyori, visit: www.fiyorivodka.com.

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

September 20, 2024

The Voices Of Haitian People Must Be Loud, Proud, And Fearless

This Haitian-American author vows to set aside her fear and use her voice and privilege

Written by Francesca Momplaisir

It always strikes me when I’m at a loss for words as a writer. It only happens when I’m afraid, and over the past weeks, I’ve found myself, my tongue, paralyzed with fear once again as Haitian people, my people, are being vilified and victimized.

We are under attack by a former president and right-wing Republicans – racist and xenophobic extremists – spewing hate, perpetuating lies, and issuing threats of violence against Haitian immigrants in Ohio whom they’ve accused of abducting and eating cats and dogs. My fear reached its height when I saw the KKK flyer commanding immigrants to go back to where we came from. The KKK? In broad daylight, in public, on social media?

We have reason to be afraid. However, the silence of my people on the ground in Springfield who have been enduring bomb threats has been deafening.

Why aren’t they speaking up? Even as I took to social media to finally speak my sadness and fear, I was reminded of my experience as an immigrant child coming to the US from Haiti, quickly learning English to translate our native Haitian Kreyol. Haitian migrants in Springfield aren’t choosing to remain silent as dangerous accusations and death threats are hurled at them. More likely, they are like my parents, who didn’t have the language to articulate their fear. Who are the translators on the ground in Springfield? I ponder. And then, I questioned whether my people would speak up and speak out even if they could speak English. Coming from a country where historically voicing anger and discontentment against a corrupt government and presently vocally challenging the violent gangs gets you killed. I don’t know if they would speak if they could scream, “Enough!”

I am desperate to hear from them. Not from Haitians like me who either immigrated long ago or the ones born here, and are therefore both fluent in English and have adopted the history of civil rights-seeking Black people in America. But clearly, the Klan still hasn’t been conquered. How can, why would the Haitians in Springfield say anything? The Klan is coming for us – still, again. And I am afraid.

Suffering in silence, I think back to my childhood when I had words and had to find the words. I came to the US from Haiti as a toddler. I was learning to speak, so I knew my native Haitian Kreyol and English simultaneously. In just a couple of years, as a little girl, I would serve as a translator for my family in matters related to staying in this country. I can remember standing in the darkness of pre-dawn, shivering in the January cold with my mother and sister, waiting for the immigration office to open as if they were the gates to heaven itself. The three of us needed to get our green cards renewed.

This was before INS became USCIS as part of the Department of Homeland Security. Although we’d arrived at 5:00 am, we were not the first in line, far from it. We were in the middle of the wrap-around line that made laps around the block. We waited for hours only to suffer the disgust and condescension of workers who didn’t want to be there and who made it clear that they didn’t want us there. But we were the good ones who worked hard and paid taxes from coins scrounged from the diapers of American infants and elderly alike. Yet we were grateful to be on the inside and outside of humanity’s borders.

At six and nine years old, my sister and I would translate the words but not the disdain of immigration clerks who handled our documents with fingertips and all but threw them back in our faces. If they could have, they could have worn latex gloves to keep the AIDS away. That’s what they thought as they lorded the threat of deportation over our heads.

My mother could read the fury on their faces and in their gestures, which said, “Get out of my face, out of my country, far far away from me, from here.”

But we were lucky ones who’d come here legally. Unlike my aunt, who’d arrived on a slow speedboat in the eighties into the hands of abusive Coast Guard agents. Unlike my cousin in 2021, who walked over corpses in her path as she crossed the Darien Gap only to be chased and caught by ICE agents whom we’d seen on the news on horseback with ropes that looked like whips, echoing a brutal history of capturing runaway slaves. But even my aunt and my cousin had been lucky. My aunt had arrived before Haitians fleeing a dictatorship and poverty were being sent to Guantanamo Bay – the nonrefuge for Haitian refugees who were mislabeled as HIV/AIDS transmitters. My cousin was fortunate to have spent only days in a US-Mexican border detention center before being “rescued” by a Christian group that took them to California. My aunt and cousin had been released to waiting family members who’d established themselves legally and fruitfully in the US years ago. My sister and I would translate for them, too. But only when they needed to say something that would allow them to remain in this country. Otherwise, they mostly stayed silent, as if any recounting of their tragic journeys would result in reprisal or get them sent back to the poverty and danger from which they’d fled. They only spoke to relatives about their land and sea crossings in hushed tones.

They dared not even dream of having the privilege to analyze their situation in the context of US politics and policy. Nor did they risk discussing Haiti’s history of abuse and disenfranchisement by its French and other Western world colonizers and US-installed presidents. Even through a translator, they wouldn’t talk about the punishment that has been levied against them for the audacity to liberate themselves from the shackles of their slavers. They say little to nothing about the reparations demanded by France that left Haiti economically crippled.

They are too fearful and traumatized to speak of the events of the past hundred years – US occupations, murderous dictators, detention in GITMO, a place reserved for terrorists before they could ever make it to the shores or borders of “the land of the free.” Ahhh…That’s it: they/we are constantly reminded that our freedom is conditional. Keeping it requires self-censorship. Hush, hush, hush. Or go back to where you came from. Or be deported to your inhabitable homeland made so by colonial theft of wealth and more than a century of punitive US policies.

I imagine that the Haitian migrants in Springfield are experiencing the same fear of speaking out against their plight, especially after former President Donald Trump said in public! On national television! During the presidential debate! They are feasting on the pets of the rightful residents who have been burdened by the transplantation of immigrants in their city.

My people on the ground require that someone “pretenou lang” “lend us your tongue or language,” as my grandmother would say. But as in centuries past, they are likely less concerned about speaking and more about survival. The KKK is kkkoming for them, for us. The former president has blown the dog whistle. ICE is coming. Haitian children might be attacked or blown to bits by threatened bombings. And we have to work, to eat, to be housed. To stay alive.

Never mind words. Never mind language. Never mind speech. Never mind explaining what’s happening, “the situation on the ground,” being discussed by local and national politicians and media. Never mind what privileged first, second, and third-generation Haitian-Americans are saying on their (own) behalf. And never mind the resilience for which the oppressed are forever being touted. Just because we’re strong and can and have proudly withstood battery and survived disenfranchisement doesn’t mean we don’t hurt. My people in Ohio live the fear perpetuating the paralysis that feeds the loud silence. They are trying to survive it. But at least they’re alive, at least for now.

In the meantime, I will set aside my own fear, paralysis, and wordlessness, leverage my privilege and lend them my tongue. But words are not protection.

Francesca Momplaisir, Haitian voices — Courtesy of Victoria Sanders

Francesca Momplaisir is the author of The Garden of Broken Things and My Mother’s House. Born in Haiti, she is a multi-lingual scholar and novelist writing in English and Kreyol. Dr. Momplaisir studied at Columbia University, the University of Oxford, and New York University, where she earned a doctorate in African and African diaspora literature. She is the recipient of a Fulbright fellowship to travel to Ghana to research the cultural retention of the transatlantic slave trade. Her debut novel was compared to Toni Morrison’s At the Height of Her Career” (Harper’s Bazaar) and made several best book lists, including Elle and Vulture.

She lives in the New York City metro area.

by Mitti Hicks

September 20, 2024

52 HBCU Football Legends Endorse Harris-Walz Ticket As Election Day Nears

The endorsement comes as questions loom on whether Harris can get support from Black men.

As Election Day nears, Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, got support from Harris’s fellow historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) alumni.

According to a news release obtained by Black Enterprise, over 50 former football legends representing 25 HBCUs endorsed Harris and Walz and urged people to vote for their candidates of choice this November.

The list of 52 HBCU football legends includes Greg Coleman, the first Black punter in the NFL; Richard Dent, the Super Bowl XX MVP; James “Shack: Harris, the first Black full-time starting NFL quarterback; Willie Lanier, the first Black starting MLB in the NFL; Doug Williams, the first Black quarterback to start, win, and also be named MVVP of a Super Bowl; and so many more.

The football legends wrote in a public letter, “We encourage all citizens to study the candidates and issues and make their own judgments.” They stressed the importance of voters researching candidates.

“We have done so and are inspired and proud of the leadership that President Harris and Vice-President Walz will provide. But throughout our careers, we have competed on the merits, and we respect the rights of others to compete now and reach their own conclusions about candidates.”

The endorsement comes as questions loom on whether Harris can get support from Black men. A recent NAACP poll gives insight on how Harris is performing with Black voters. While more than 75% of Black women over 50 said they would vote for the Harris-Walz ticket, only 66% of men over 50 plan to do so, Newsweek reports. The same poll shows that only 56% of Black voters between 18 and 49 plan to support Harris.

“The soul of this nation is on the ballot in November. We want Black communities to understand what’s at stake and take action,” said Phaedra Jackson, NAACP vice president of Unit Advocacy and Effectiveness, in a statement.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

September 20, 2024

Michael Vick Admits NFL Retirement Income Nets Him 6 Figures Annually

'I think the NFL does a great job of making sure we’re set up properly when we retire.'

Former NFL quarterback Michael Vick appeared on an episode of a podcast entitled Kickin It With the OGs earlier this year. During the interview, he discussed how his retirement money is set up to be paid six figures for the rest of his life, unlike many NFL players who leave the league.

It’s public knowledge that many professional athletes, particularly in football, end up broke because they don’t set up their finances correctly and/or overspend while not preparing for life after the money stops coming in from the sport Vick has made sure that he will never go broke, and he credits the NFL (National Football League) for helping make that happen.

“NFL players have great benefits. I think the NFL does a great job of ensuring we’re set up properly when we retire,” Vick said during the broadcast. “They put us in plans where if you play long enough and you invest while you’re in the league, in the plans, then you’ll have decent payouts when you get older.”

According to MoneyWise, the average player leaves the NFL around the age of 28. Vick played 13 seasons and retired at 36, playing more than the average player. He also lost two years after going to prison due to a scandal when he was convicted of participating in a dog fighting ring. Yet, despite the missed time, he stated that he brings in over $100,000 annually from his retirement income.

He also mentioned that he also has a disability plan, even saying he gets more than six figures annually.

“The league provides us with opportunities to make sure financial longevity is in place for us if you want it,” he said.

He admitted that some players don’t pay attention to what they can gain, but although he wasn’t financially literate, he paid enough attention to make sure he was straight in his older years.

“I’ve seen a lot of guys who didn’t want it, who didn’t pay attention.”

Sean Combs, ‘Reckoning’ Doc, Abuse Claims, Slap Story, Janice Combs,

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

September 20, 2024

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Reportedly Placed On Suicide Watch

He has been placed under suicide watch as a preventative measure as he is reportedly in shock and his mental state is unclear at the time.

After being denied bail two times in less than three days, reports are stating that Combs Enterprises’ CEO, Sean “Diddy” Combs, is currently under suicide watch as he awaits trial on multiple federal charges.

According to People, the embattled hip-hip music producer is locked up at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. Diddy has been placed under suicide watch as a preventative measure as he is reportedly in shock, and his mental state is unclear at the time.

The Daily Beast has reported that the prison is known to be dangerous and is understaffed, where there is purportedly a high number of deaths and suicides among the 1,600 people imprisoned there waiting for trial. Attorneys for Diddy had stated in the paperwork they filed for an appeal in hopes of gaining bail that “several courts in this District have recognized that the conditions at Metropolitan Detention Center are not fit for pre-trial detention.”

“Just earlier this summer, an inmate was murdered. At least four inmates have died by suicide there in the past three years.”

People reported that Diddy’s attorney, Marc Agnifilo, requested that the “No Way Out” recording artist be transferred to a prison in Essex County in New Jersey.

Prosecutors have claimed during his second bail hearing that Diddy could obstruct the case with the possibility of witness tampering, as they provided proof that he had already done so. They likened his attempt by saying, “The risk of danger is acute.”

They also mentioned that he was allegedly in possession of a cache of weapons that were discovered in the closet of his bedroom, which were found during home raids conducted on his properties. He also has access to millions of dollars and private planes that would make him a flight risk.

A conference hearing for Diddy has been scheduled for Sept. 24 at 10 a.m.

by Mitti Hicks

September 20, 2024

Is Your City A Sundown Town? This Interactive Map Will Tell You

An interactive map from Tougaloo College gives insight into cities and communities in the United States and whether they’re considered sundown towns.

According to Britannica, sundown in U.S. history is a town that excluded nonwhite people, most frequently African Americans, when the sun set. How people enforced these “rules” ranged anywhere from collective violence, such as public lynchings, discriminatory laws, and open housing discrimination.

The map is inspired by a database entered by the late historian and sociologist James W. Loewen. He is the author of the classic bestseller Lies My Teacher Told Me and Sundown Towns. Tougaloo’s History & Social Justice department has put what it describes as the “world’s only registry sundown towns.”

“A sundown town is not just a place where something racist happened,” researchers write on the database website. “It is an entire community (or even county) that for decades was ‘all white’ on purpose.”

Researchers go on to say that “All white” is in quotes because some towns have historically “allowed one Black family to remain when they drove out the rest.” They also point out that some sundown towns also kept out Chinese Americans, Jews, Mexican Americans, Native Americans, and, in some cases, Mormons.

How To Read The Map

With the interactive map, users should hover over the state for an alphabetical list. The map key consists of six colors used as dots to identify the towns that are either surely, probably, possibly, or unlikely a sundown town.

Black dots represent Black towns or townships. Places on the interactive map with a red flag indicate places of particular interest.

At first glance, the Midwest and The Plains region appear to have more dots indicating surely, probable, and possible sundown towns. The map shows that there isn’t one state in America without suspicion of a sundown town.

Regarding Black towns and townships, the 10 listed are Pembroke and Brooklyn, Illinois. Expose, Mound Bayou, New Africa, Renova, and Winstonville, all in Mississippi. Maryville, South Carolina; Martinsville, Indiana; and North Amityville, New York.

by Keka Araújo

September 20, 2024

Email Linked To North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson Registered On Ashley Madison Amid Allegations Of Controversial Online Activity

Robinson's spokesperson, Mike Lonergan, issued a strong denial in response to the reports.

In a dramatic turn of events surrounding the North Carolina gubernatorial race, an email address belonging to Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson has been linked to the controversial dating website Ashley Madison. An adviser close to Robinson who spoke to POLITICO on condition of anonymity, confirmed the revelation. However, Robinson and his campaign vehemently denied ever creating or using an account on the site.

Robinson’s spokesperson, Mike Lonergan, issued a strong statement in response to the reports.

“Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson denies that he ever created or used an account on this website,” said Lonergan. In a video statement, Robinson elaborated on the denial, accusing his political rival, Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein, of leaking the information to derail his gubernatorial campaign.

“Folks, this race right now, our opponents are desperate to shift the focus here from substantive issues and turn it into salacious tabloid trash,” Robinson said.

Widespread Republican Backlash

The fallout from the discovery was swift, as prominent North Carolina Republicans voiced concerns over the allegations. U.S. Senator Ted Budd, a fellow Republican, issued a statement following the report’s release, condemning the situation. “The comments reported in the article are disgusting,” Budd said. “Mark Robinson says they are not from him. He needs to prove that to the voters.”

Rep. Richard Hudson, chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, echoed similar concerns, saying, “The allegations are very concerning.”

As pressure mounted, Robinson’s campaign pointed to evidence showing that the email in question had been compromised in multiple data breaches, casting doubt on the authenticity of the account registration.

CNN’s Investigation Uncovers Disturbing Posts

Complicating Robinson’s denial further, CNN uncovered a series of controversial posts allegedly made by Robinson on a different platform.

According to the news outlet, the politician purportedly used the same email address registered on Ashley Madison to engage in discussions on a pornographic website called “Nude Africa.” In these posts, he allegedly shared disturbing and explicit details, including his recollections of spying on women in public showers during his teenage years and a stated preference for “tranny on girl porn.”

The posts also allegedly included inflammatory statements about slavery, where Robinson allegedly claimed that “slavery is not bad” and referred to himself as a “black Nazi” in 2010.

In response, the 56-year-old lieutenant governor denied making the posts in an interview set to air on CNN. His campaign, however, preemptively released a video on Thursday addressing the forthcoming allegations, where Robinson dismissed them as baseless and sensationalized for political gain. “Let me reassure you,” Robinson said, “the things that you will see in that story, those are not the words of Mark Robinson.”

Impact on Robinson’s Gubernatorial Campaign

These revelations come at a pivotal time, as Robinson’s gubernatorial run, endorsed by former President Donald Trump, faces significant hurdles. The explosive nature of the allegations and the media coverage surrounding them have already generated a political firestorm. Many in the Republican Party worry that Robinson’s chances of winning the governor’s race have been severely damaged.

Despite the mounting controversy, Robinson remains steadfast in his decision to stay in the race. His campaign continues to frame the accusations as politically motivated attacks, seeking to divert attention from key election issues.

As the North Carolina governor’s race heats up, Robinson will need to navigate the political fallout and attempt to regain the trust of voters amid these damning allegations. Whether his denials will be enough to keep his campaign on track remains to be seen.

What or Who is Ashley Madison?

Ashley Madison is a controversial online dating platform launched in 2001, primarily catering to individuals seeking extramarital affairs. Marketed with the slogan “Life is short. Have an affair,” the site targets married people or those in committed relationships looking for discreet encounters. Ashley Madison gained significant notoriety in 2015 when it suffered a massive data breach, exposing the personal information of millions of users, including their email addresses and payment details.

The breach led to widespread public embarrassment and legal consequences for many users, cementing the site’s reputation as both infamous and scandal-ridden. Despite the controversy, Ashley Madison continues to operate and attract users globally.

The lieutenant governor wed his wife, Yolanda Hill Robinson, in 1990.

Shyne Barrow, P Diddy, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, Bad Boy

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 20, 2024

Shyne Speaks On Diddy’s Arrest: ‘This Is Someone Who Destroyed My Life’

The former Bad Boy artist did not hold back.

Former Bad Boy artist Moses “Shyne” Barrow has broken his silence on Sean “Diddy” Combs’ arrest and wants to clear up any misconceptions about the dynamic of their relationship.

The rapper-turned-politician, who currently serves as the Leader of the Opposition in the Belize House of Representatives, spoke with reporters on Wednesday following Combs’ arrest on racketeering and sex trafficking charges. Barrow made sure to clarify where he stands with Combs following the 10 years he spent in prison on a gun charge he caught during a 1999 nightclub incident with his former Bad Boy boss.

“When I was an 18-year-old kid just wanting to do nothing other than make my mother proud and make Belize proud and be recognized for my talent and take over the world,” he told Channel 5 Belize, “I was defending him, and he turned around and called witnesses to testify against me. He contributed…he pretty much sent me to prison.”

“That is the context by which you must always describe that [relationship]. I forgave. I moved on. But let us not pretend as if I was in Miami for Thanksgiving and Christmas,” Barrow added.

The “Bad Boyz” rapper was referring to the 1999 nightclub shooting in New York City involving himself, Combs, and Combs’ then-girlfriend Jennifer Lopez. Barrow was charged with assault and sentenced to 10 years in prison in June 2001. He was released in 2009 and deported to Belize.

Over the years, Barrow and Combs reunited. Barrow joined Combs on stage at the 2022 BET Awards, where Combs received a Lifetime Achievement Award.

@greatestmusicmoments_ Shyne performs “Bad Boyz” at the 2022 BET Awards honoring Diddy who received the lifetime achievement award #fypシ #fyp #Shyne #shynebarrow #Belize #belizean🇧🇿 #leaderoftheopposition #pdiddy #diddy #badboys #betawards #nostalgia #throwback #iconic #legendary #lifetimeachievementaward #rap #hiphop #major #respect #forgiveness ♬ original sound – GreatestMusicMoments

However, while Barrow became cordial with Combs, he didn’t want to confuse the public about his feelings for his former boss.

“So, let us not lose sight of what the cold, hard facts are,” Barrow continued. “This is not someone who I vacationed with and who he and I enjoyed this great, intimate relationship of brotherhood.

“This is someone who destroyed my life and who I forgave and who I moved on and for the better interest of Belize, because he was in a position at that time to give scholarships and to maybe invest. I would not deny attempting to bring the investment to Belize and contribution to education to Belize,” he added.

“Don’t distort it as if he and I were boom bally. This is someone that destroyed my life,” he continued. “But do I take any joy with what he is going through? Absolutely not. I am different than other people—no one needs to fail for me to succeed.”

Many who watched a repost of the clip on X, formerly known as Twitter, praised the former rapper amid Combs’s arrest and details of his indictment.

“Shyne is such a class act. Prison changed the trajectory of his life,” one person wrote.

“This man’s reimagining and reinvention of himself should be a college course and, dare I say, a podcast (limited series, though),” added someone else.

by Jameelah Mullen

September 20, 2024

Esteemed Atlanta Journalist Monica Pearson Honored With Gold Circle Award

The longtime news anchor is now part of the 'Gold Circle.'

Esteemed journalist Monica Kaufman Pearson was honored with the Gold Circle Award by the Southeast Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS).

The Academy held its annual Gold and Silver Circle Awards Banquet in Atlanta on Sept. 6. The event honors professionals who’ve had long careers in television, film, radio, and other media outlets. The Silver Circle recognizes careers that have lasted at least 25 years, while the Gold Circle honors media veterans of 50 or more years.

Monica Kauffman Pearson, Gold circle award — Photo credit: Cameron Mitchell | Cameron Mitchell Studios

In 1975, Pearson became the first woman and minority to anchor the evening news at WSB-TV in Atlanta. She remained at the station for 37 years before retiring in July 2012.

The decorated journalist spoke with BLACK ENTERPRISE about receiving the honor, calling it an “accent” on her career.

“I’m very excited about it. But when I think about it, I also have to look back at the people who helped me get here.

She credited Bill Summers, the first person to own a Black radio station in Kentucky.

“He gave me my first job doing voiceover work. So, this is a time to reflect. It’s exciting, but it’s more exciting because of the people who helped me get here.” she said.

Pearson was joined by three other inductees: Sheryl Gripper, founder of the Black Women Film Preservation Project; Gary Meadows, founder of Meadows Media; and Charles Humbert, founder and CEO of UP Entertainment.

During her 53-year career, Pearson worked as a reporter for the Louisville Times. She then joined WHAS-TV as a reporter before relocating to Atlanta in 1975. The University of Louisville graduate has over 33 Southern Regional Emmy awards for anchoring and reporting.

The self-proclaimed “sorta retired “ reporter hosts The Monica Pearson Podcast, presented by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Episodes are released each Tuesday on AJC.com and other major streaming platforms such as Apple and Spotify.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 20, 2024

Beyoncé Learned To ‘Work Smarter’ By Working Less: ‘I Build My Work Schedule Around My Family’

Beyoncé explains how she learned to "work smarter" by working less.

Long gone are the days when you see Beyoncé on every red carpet and tour every year. The mother of three takes pride in the work-life balance she created for herself after learning how to “work smarter” by working less.

In a GQ profile released last week, the decorated Grammy-winning singer explained her change of pace in how she works and times her music releases. It took years for Beyoncé to learn how to say no to things after seeing the toll it took on her mental and physical health.

“There was a time when I was pushing myself to meet unrealistic deadlines while not taking the time to enjoy the benefits of why I was working so hard,” Beyoncé admitted.

It was a way of life and mindset that stars of yesteryear grew to think was normal to remain relevant and successful.

“There aren’t many of us from the late ’90s who were taught to focus on mental health. Back then, I had little boundaries and said yes to everything … And now I work smarter,” the singer added.

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A post shared by Beyoncé (@beyonce)

Despite her massive success over the last two decades, Beyoncé admits to once finding it hard to set boundaries for herself and prioritize her peace of mind. But much of that stopped once the “Halo” singer became a mother. She began to put more time in between her music releases and more thought into her projects.

Earlier this year, Beyoncé released her first country music album, “Cowboy Carter,” which was five years in the making. She also launched two family-inspired business ventures. In February, she released her haircare line called Cécred, which she says was inspired by her childhood experiences helping at her mother’s hair salon. Beyoncé announced her SirDavis whiskey label under Moët Hennessy in August, named after her Prohibition-era moonshiner great-grandfather, Davis Hogue.

“I don’t waste my time on something unless I’m deeply passionate about it. If I don’t wake up thinking about it, and I’m not going to sleep dreaming about it, it’s not for me,” Beyoncé said.

“I build my work schedule around my family. I try to only tour when my kids are out of school … So, when you don’t see me on red carpets, and when I disappear until I have art to share, that’s why.”