An excerpt from Buzzfeed -
Here Are 17 Extremely Necessary Items You Can Thank Indigenous People For Inventing
You'll be surprised how animal bladders were used.
by Andria Moore
1. The kayak
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| Buyenlarge / Getty Images |
2. Rubber
Friday, October 15, 2021
Native Americans: Things We Didn't Learn in School
An excerpt from Buzzfeed -
20 Interesting Historical Facts About Native Americans That We Never Got To Learn About In School
These contributions and sacrifices by Native Americans deserve to be recognized!
By Simrin Singh
1. The sequoia tree is named after the Cherokee leader Sequoyah, who helped create an alphabet for his people to use.
George Rose / Getty Images
2. Many words, such as "chipmunk," "pecan," and "skunk," come from an Algonquian language.
When the English explorers arrived in North America, they largely interacted with Native people who spoke an Algonquian language, and as a result, several of their words were adopted into English vocabulary. Other English words with Native American origins include "chocolate," "potato," and "poncho."
https://www.buzzfeed.com/simrinsingh/interesting-facts-from-indigenous-history
Two Made the List
From AFRO Tech -
Forbes Dropped Their List Of The 400 Richest Americans — And Only Two Black Men Made The List
By Bernadette Giacomazzo
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| Photo Credit: Simon Dawson |
Forbes has dropped its annual list of 400 Richest Americans.
For the fourth year in a row, Jeff Bezos — the founder of Amazon — was No. 1 on the list. According to the outlet, he’s worth $201 billion, which is a staggering $22 billion more than where he was last year on the list. Right behind Bezos is America’s favorite problematic dude-bro, Elon Musk, who is worth a little over $190 billion. Mark Zuckerberg, the man behind Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp comes in at No. 3 with just under $135 billion in net worth. Bill Gates is No. 4 on the Forbes Richest Americans list, with a slightly lower net worth than Zuckerberg ($134 billion). And rounding out the top five is Larry Page, who recently stepped down as the CEO of Google but still remains a controlling shareholder and board member — and who has a $123 billion net worth.
Yet, despite the diversity of the richest Americans on the Forbes list in nearly every other way, one group remains largely unrepresented on the list: Black professionals. Specifically, zero Black women made the list of the Forbes 400 Richest Americans, and only two Black men made the list.
https://afrotech.com/forbes-richest-americans-black-men
Authentic Native Stories . . . Finally
From NPR -
Native Americans Take Over The Writers' Room and Tell Their Own Stories
| Amanda Edwards/Getty Images |
After decades of Indigenous stories told by non-Natives, two shows from this past year signal a change.
Reservation Dogs from FX on Hulu was created by and stars Native people. It follows four Indigenous teenagers growing up on a reservation in rural Oklahoma, with dreams of adventuring to California. Vincent Schilling, a Native journalist and critic for Rotten Tomatoes, calls Reservation Dogs 'a show about Native American resilience.'
Rutherford Falls is a sitcom on NBC's streaming platform, Peacock, which follows a conflict over a historical statue in a small town. When the show was co-created by Sierra Teller Ornelas, she became the first Native American showrunner of television comedy. Teller Ornelas told Audie Cornish this year: "There are five Native writers on staff. We had a Native director for four of the episodes, and this is really a reflection of our shared experience as Native people from nations all over the country."
"Enter Into His Reality."
From Upworthy -
wanted to share this incredible story on how to engage people with dementia — “enter into their reality” pic.twitter.com/4xbvWqMJ2L
— Rob N Roll 🎃™️ (@thegallowboob) October 12, 2021
https://www.upworthy.com/psychologist-advice-people-dementia
Irish Black History Month
An excerpt from Travel Noire -
Irish Black History Month: 5 Facts You Likely Didn't Know - Black History, Ireland
By Fayida Jailler
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| Photo Credit: davidf |
Yes, Irish Black History Month is a thing.
As you may (or may not) know, during the month of October, Black History Month is celebrated in several countries around the world and one of those countries is Ireland.
Irish Black History Month first began in Cork in 2010, although it wasn’t until 2014 that it was consolidated as a nationwide event. It was facilitated by a network of groups who worked together through Africa Irish Development Initiatives (AIDI) to host a series of events in celebration of the African-Irish community.
So, as we celebrate Black History Month in the Republic of Ireland, here are 5 interesting facts you likely didn’t know.
Redemption Matters
An excerpt from Sports Illustrated -
He Rose to the Highest Levels of Business and Basketball—but With a Secret
As a teen, Jordan Brand chairman Larry Miller shot and killed a man. He's kept that truth buried, until now.
By HOWARD BECK
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| Kohjiro Kinno/Sports Illustrated |
The mementos lining Larry Miller’s office suggest a life of comfort and privilege, of celebrated achievements and celebrity friendships. The autographed red boxing gloves from Muhammad Ali. The commemorative basketball from President Obama. The signed notes from Michael Jordan.
This plush suite, tucked into a quiet corner of the Sebastian Coe building, on Nike’s sprawling campus in Beaverton, Ore., is the primary sanctuary for the man who has piloted the Jordan Brand since 2012, who counts MJ as a close friend and David Stern as a mentor and who has nearly every major figure in basketball (along with Kanye West) on speed dial.
You could spend hours admiring it all, without a single hint of the dark chapter that preceded the journey. Of the years Miller spent in prison, or the horrifying act that put him there. Of a September evening in 1965, when Miller, just 16 years old, stood at the corner of 53rd and Locust streets in West Philadelphia, and fired a .38-caliber gun into the chest of another teenager, killing him on the spot.
It’s a secret that Miller, 72, has guarded for more than 50 years. Even as he ran an NBA franchise and then oversaw the transformation of the Jordan Brand, nearly doubling its revenue during his tenure, he kept it from Jordan, Nike founder Phil Knight and NBA executives. He had already, for decades, been holding the truth from his friends and even his own children, for fear its exposure might destroy him. But it is a story Miller now feels must be told, and will be detailed in full in a forthcoming book, Jump: My Secret Journey From the Streets to the Boardroom, cowritten with his oldest daughter, Laila Lacy, set for release by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins, in early 2022.
https://www.si.com/nba/2021/10/13/jordan-brand-chairman-larry-miller-shares-secret-daily-cover
Clever Papa!
From The US Sun -
TAKE NOTE Clever dad shares the cheeky note he writes to make his kids do chores & it works every time
By Lydia Hawken
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| The clever dad hid the Xbox power cord from his kids so they'd do their choresCredit: Facebook |
Wednesday, October 13, 2021
First Take is Headed to FAMU!
From HBCU Gameday -
First Take to trip to Florida A&M
ESPN’s First Take will make it’s first on-site visit in nearly two years at Florida A&M during homecoming.
By HBCU Gameday
BRISTOL, Conn. | ESPN’s popular morning debate show First Take – featuring Stephen A. Smith and host Molly Qerim Rose – will hit the road for its first on-site show since Jan. 2020 when it travels to Florida A&M for the university’s homecoming weekend. Florida A&M alumnus and record-breaking Hollywood filmmaker Will Packer will be in attendance as the school dedicates the Will Packer Amphitheater, where the show will also take place.
Packer is a longtime supporter of HBCU initiatives and a magna cum laude graduate of Florida A&M where he holds a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering. Packer received the Meritorious Achievement Award from Florida A&M, the highest honor the university bestows.
“Ever since I met Will Packer years ago, there was never any doubt that two things were of the utmost importance to him: FAMU and HBCUs overall,” said Smith. “Will’s commitment to excellence doesn’t halt at just himself. He’s always been motivated to inspire and lead, especially when it comes to the wonderful folks attending FAMU. This unveiling of the amphitheater is just the latest example of how devoted Will Packer is to FAMU and how committed he is to be that shining example who genuinely cares. I’m honored that he asked me to make sure First Take is a part of its sensational event. And even more so to call him my friend.”
https://hbcugameday.com/2021/10/12/first-take-to-trip-to-florida-am/
Black Winemaker
An excerpt from TravelNoire -
Theopolis Vineyards: California’s 18-Year-Old Black Woman-Owned Winery
By Malik Peay
Located in Yorkville, north of San Francisco, in the scenic rolling hills of vineyards and architectural beauty, there is a magnificent Black woman-owned winery. Theopolis Vineyards is an 18-year-old wine producer that was founded by Theodora R. Lee in 2003.
The Texas native turned San Francisco attorney had her first grape harvest to produce high-quality wines in 2006 and has been a notable Black vintner in California ever since.
Situated at 32674 Highway 128, Theopolis Vineyards spans 20 acres of land boasting different variations of grapes for Petite Sirah, Pinot Noire, and Rosé wines. Wine Enthusiast nominated the winery for a Wine Star Award, and today, Lee is looking to broaden the community of viticulture.
With an established fund, Lee set up at the University of California, she is using her platform to introduce more Black people to vineyard management. The Theopolis Vineyards Diversity Fund is expanding the narrative of Black vintners who operate wineries across the United States, creating more space for them to feel seen.
https://travelnoire.com/theopolis-vineyards-black-woman-owned-winery
Wednesday, October 6, 2021
Saturday, October 2, 2021
She's Exposing Students to the HBCU Experience
An excerpt from Essence -
Meet The Woman Who's Exposing High School Students To The Value of the HBCU Experience
FOUR YEARS SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE HBCU WEEK FOUNDATION HAS CONSISTENTLY OFFERED ASPIRING COLLEGE STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
BY JASMINE BROWLEY
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| CREDIT: ASHLEY CHRISTOPHER |
“There’s nothing like walking onto a campus of an HBCU as a freshman, especially as someone who’s always been the other. There, you’re the norm.”
Ashley Christopher, founder of HBCU Week and the HBCU Week Foundation says she wants every student of color to feel the way she did while in college. The double HBCU grad said her time at Howard University and the University of the District of Columbia instilled a sense of confidence in her that was necessary for future success.
This year, ‘HBCU Week’ will take place in Wilmington, Delaware and virtually, Sept. 26 – Oct 3, giving students of color and their families the opportunity to participate in events such as Battle of the Bands, an R&B concert featuring Wale and Queen Naija, and a comedy show hosted by celebrated comedian and HBCU Alum Wanda Sykes.
“The academic and familial experience offered by HBCUs go beyond the classroom,” Christopher said. “The cultural benefits that make HBCUs unique, from mentorships to celebrating traditions can only be found on HBCU campuses.”
Her life-changing time as a student drove her to found the HBCU Week Foundation years later in 2017, which began as a job fair for local students in Wilmington, Delaware. After the initial list of 200 quickly grew to 700 high schoolers, Christopher knew she had something special on her hands.
“Beyond the career fair, I wanted to give students a glimpse into the fun and excitement that comes with attending an HBCU,” said Christopher.
Now, four years later the HBCU Week Foundation has consistently offered aspiring college students from across the country the chance to gain insight into the value of attending a historically Black or university during a week-long series of events, mirroring the legendary HBCU Homecoming experience.
https://www.essence.com/news/money-career/ashley-christopher-hbcu-week-foundation/
Getting to Know Your Pharmacists
From Black Enterprise -
THESE 3 BLACK WOMEN DOCTORS CREATED A PODCAST DEDICATED TO GETTING TO KNOW YOUR PHARMACIST
by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors
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| 3 Friends Talk |
Dr. Leah Jeanelle Miller, Dr. Courtney V. Jones, and Dr. Sylvia Perry met in college and all lived on the same floor of the freshman dorm at Xavier University of Louisiana.
There they formed a bond and decided to start broadcasting a podcast called 3 Friends TALK in 2019.
Created by three southern women forever bonded through their HBCU education, 3 Friends TALK is grounded in sisterhood, a bond made stronger through each doctors’ individual commitment to her respective sorority; Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc., Delta Sigma Theta, Inc., and Zeta Phi Beta, Inc.
As three Black pharmacists, they understand the history and mistrust of the medical system due to healthcare disparities that directly affect our communities. The podcast breaks down tough medical conversations in a fun way and equips you to hold your own at your next doctor’s visit!
For the month of October, the doctors are implementing the “Know Your Pharmacist Movement” to mobilize Black people to build a rapport with their local pharmacist. With nearly 9 in 10 Americans living within 5 miles of a community pharmacy, the pharmacist may be the health professional you see most and can speak with about your health regularly.
First 2 Black Women Inducted Into the Inventors Hall of Fame
From NPR -
Meet The First 2 Black Women To Be Inducted Into The National Inventors Hall Of Fame
By RACHEL TREISMAN
 |
are the first Black women to be inducted into the
National Inventors Hall of Fame in its nearly 50-year history.
| National Inventors Hall of Fame |
The National Inventors Hall of Fame has been around for nearly five decades but hasn't included any Black women in its ranks — until now.
Engineer Marian Croak and the late ophthalmologist Patricia Bath will make history as part of the next cohort of inductees, the nonprofit announced this past week. They are the first Black female inventors to receive this honor, which has been bestowed on some 600 other innovators both living and dead.
A spokesperson told NPR over email that there are 48 female inductees and 30 Black inductees in the National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF).
"Innovation drives the worldwide economy forward and improves our quality of life. This is especially apparent given what we have experienced over the past 18 months," Michael Oister, the NIHF's CEO, said in a statement. "It's why at the National Inventors Hall of Fame we are privileged to honor our country's most significant inventors, who are giving the next generation the inspiration to innovate, create, and solve current and future problems."
Croak and Bath are among the seven honorees announced this month and will join the 22 others announced last year as the hall of fame's Class of 2022. All 29 will be celebrated and inducted at back-to-back ceremonies in Alexandria, Va., and Washington, D.C., in early May.
Checkout These Podcasts
An excerpt from Essence -
21 Black Podcasts We're Listening To This Fall
BLACK PEOPLE ARE CREATING AUDIO CONTENT THAT CELEBRATES OUR GENIUS, GATHERS OUR COINS, HELPS BUILD OUR VILLAGES, REVIEWS OUR CONTRIBUTIONS, AND AMPLIFIES OUR HISTORY.
BY KEYAIRA BOONE · UPDATED SEPTEMBER 28, 2021
Black podcasts offer a place for kindred spirits, idea collectors, and nonsense lovers to come together virtually.
From movies to murder, if you’re interested in it there’s a podcast about it hosted by your that new best friend you’ve been waiting to appear in your head. Black people are creating audio content that celebrates our genius, gathers our coins, helps build our villages, reviews our contributions, and amplifies our history.
Independent and corporate podcasts featuring Black voices telling the stories of our sports champions, single moms, prolific scammers, broadway babies, tinder conquests, and music icons are increasing in numbers.
Today, OWN is launching “The SonRise Project.” Hosted by Emmy Award-winning creative Kelli Richardson Lawson, who founded the organization of the same name, the weekly podcast will serve as a resource for Black parents with children struggling with mental health and addiction issues. The new offering is just one of the many we’re plugging into this season. Check out 20 more Black podcasts that should be on your radar below.
Young Black Women Entrepreneurs
An excerpt from Black Enterprise -
MEET 3 BLACK WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS WHO BECAME MILLIONAIRES IN THEIR 20S
by Charlene Rhinehart
 | |
| Image Credit: Instagram) |
Black women are the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs in the United States, Fortune Magazine reported.
However, Black females typically report average revenues that are less than their White, Latina, and Asian American counterparts. According to the 2019 State of Women-Owned Businesses Report, commissioned by American Express, Black women entrepreneurs earn average revenue of $24,000 per firm.
Although those revenue figures are devastating, it’s not the story of every Black woman-owned business. Many Black women are surpassing revenue barriers, building wealth, and teaching others how to do it.
Here are three Black women who are growing successful businesses and normalizing Black wealth as millionaires in their 20s.
Get on the Good Foot!
From Black Enterprise -
GET ON THE GOOD FOOT AND MEET THE TALENTED TRIO OF SISTERS TAKING OVER TIKTOK
by Jeroslyn Johnson
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| Instagram |
Norah, Yarah, and Rosa Mukanga have become viral sensations through their dope fashion style, trendy choreography, and amazing dance skills.
Black Animators & So Much More
An excerpt from Black Enterprise -
This Couple Spent 60 Years Developing Animated Content For Black Children Around the World
By Black Enterprise Editors
 |
| Leo Sullivan and Ethelyn O. Stewart Sullivan (BlackNews) |
Meet legendary Hollywood producer, director, and animator Leo Sullivan and his wife Ethelyn O. Stewart Sullivan who have been working together for 60 years to uplift and inform Black families through animated interactive content.
Their brand is called Afrokids® and pairs many digital properties including AfroKids.com and AfroKids.TV. Recently, they were honored by the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s “Operation Push” with a “Legacy Award” for their outstanding lifetime achievements.
The couple realized early on that in this fast-paced world families need a place that is both educational and entertaining with positive images and role models where Black children can see themselves in a positive way. “Our message is just as relevant today, as it was in the ’60s,” says Leo.
To get their message across, the couple developed the Afrokids® brand with the mission of building Black children’s self-esteem and cultural awareness so that they can better learn from life lessons; respect others and themselves, and take responsibility for their own actions.
How to Respond to "All Lives Matter"
An excerpt from Readers' Digest -
How to Respond When Someone Says “All Lives Matter”
By Lorna Grisby
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| DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/GETTY IMAGES |
There is actually a productive, positive way to counter this statement that can help promote understanding and combat racism.
Conversations about race are difficult even in the best of times. But over this past contentious year, Americans—both White and BIPOC—have argued over different perspectives on race relations, including whether Critical Race Theory should be taught in schools, how prevalent institutional racism actually is, whether there can be voting-rights restrictions, and the idea of police reform. But few issues are more polarizing than the language people use in their conversations about how to stop racism or whether racism even exists. That’s why you’ve probably heard the slogan “Black Lives Matter” countered with the phrase “All Lives Matter.”
But that response is not only insensitive—it is also completely off-point and lacks historical context, explains David W. Campt, PhD, an expert in cultural competence and the founder of The Dialogue Company. “Of course all lives matter,” he explains. “The reason that I say Black Lives Matter is because, historically, the sad fact is that all lives haven’t mattered equally. That is why I and others are pointing out that Black lives matter also.”
For further context, look at the founding of this country, says Matthew Harper, PhD, an associate professor of History and Africana Studies at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. The Declaration of Independence may have had some lofty ideals of all men being created equal, he notes, but it was written by a man who enslaved 200 Black people. And many constitutional amendments applied only to White people for a very long time. That’s why Harper suggests affirming the statement that all lives do matter and then following up with: “I’m OK with you saying that if it’s not being used to avoid saying Black Lives Matter. Let’s say All Lives Matter and Black Lives Matter.'”
That’s just one of the many comments you may hear and want to respond to in an appropriate and productive way. Here’s how to have calm, productive exchanges, according to our experts. You might also want to listen to these podcasts about race for more tips and a greater understanding of the impact of Black Lives Matter.
Handle With Care
An excerpt from LoveWhatMatters -
This Teacher’s 3-Word System To Help Students Through ‘Bad Days’ Is Empathy At It’s Finest
Edited By Sophia San Filippo
 |
The world becomes a better place when we not only recognize that everyone has bad days, but when we also care enough to act accordingly.
No matter how big or small, there are just some moments where we could use a little grace. Fourth-grade teacher Rachel Harder recognizes this, and she found an amazing way to help out both her students and their families.
A few years ago, the Kansas teacher attended a trauma conference. She learned that some police stations partner with schools so they can let teachers know when one of their students has a police encounter, something that could cause them to need extra care or attention.
“We loved this idea and figured there had to be a way to make this work within our own classroom community,” Rachel said.
A year after the conference, Rachel had a student with autism who frequently had tough days. To support her, Rachel told the student’s mom to simply text her “handle with care” to let her know when it was going to be one of those days.
Introducing This Black Woman Master Captain
An excerpt from Essence -
This Black Woman Master Captain Created A Paint, Sip and Sail Boating Experience
IT’S NO SURPRISE THAT A BLACK WOMAN FILLING A NICHE IN AN OVERWHELMINGLY WHITE LEISURE BOATING MARKET IS MAKING WAVES — LITERALLY.
BY KIMBERLY WILSON
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| CREDIT: NASHAWN TAYLOR |
If there’s one thing Black women will do, it’s excel on land, in the air, and of course, by sea. That’s why it’s no surprise that a Black woman filling a niche in an overwhelmingly white leisure boating market is making waves — literally.
Captain Nashawn Taylor is the genius behind the country’s premiere paint, sip, and sail boating experience, Be You!. But her journey to the company’s current success was not met without its challenges.
Taylor, also a trained police officer, was stunned to find that there were so few Master Captains chartering yachts were Black women. She used her job on the force to find a way to merge her love of water and boating with her every-day work. She realized this would be a stepping stone to getting into the yacht industry.
“I said, what if I just join the marine division [of the U.S. Coast Guard]? The marine division is a special operations division. It’s one of the most elite in the police industry and it’s male dominated,” she says. “In order to get into that unit you had to do obstacle courses, you had to be physically fit. Most women hardly ever try out, but for the most part I was an athlete growing up, and the love of the water was a passion for me.
Prime Real Estate Returned to Rightful Black Owners
From the LA Times -
Bruce’s Beach can return to descendants of Black family in landmark move signed by Newsom
BY ROSANNA XIA
 |
| From left, Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi, Sen. Steven Bradford, Gov. Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn and Anthony Bruce, great-great grandson of Charles and Willa Bruce, during Newsom’s signing of SB 796, authorizing the return of ocean-front land to the Bruce family. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times) |
In a history-making move celebrated by reparations advocates and social justice leaders across California, Gov. Gavin Newsom has authorized the return of property known as Bruce’s Beach to the descendants of a Black couple that had been run out of Manhattan Beach almost a century ago.
Senate Bill 796, signed into law Thursday by Newsom before an excited crowd that had gathered on the property, confirms that the city’s taking of this shorefront land — on which the Bruces ran a thriving resort for Black beachgoers — was racially motivated and done under false and unlawful pretenses.
“The land in the City of Manhattan Beach, which was wrongfully taken from Willa and Charles Bruce, should be returned to their living descendants,” the legislation declares, “and it is in the public interest of the State of California, the County of Los Angeles, the City of Manhattan Beach, and the People of the State of California to do so.”
First Black Admitted to Auburn University
An excerpt from the Montgomery Advertiser -
Harold Franklin broke through racist barriers as Auburn University's first Black student
By Derryn Moten
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| Dr. Harold Franklin, photographed in 2014 for an Auburn Univerity alumni publication became the university's first Black student when he registered for classes in 1964 under a federal court integration order. Jeff Etheridge / Auburn University |
Harold Franklin graduated from Alabama State College, now University, in the spring of 1962. In the fall of 1963, he made history becoming the first Black student ordered admitted to Auburn University by a federal court. Franklin is to Alabama State University and Auburn University what Autherine Lucy is to Miles College and the University of Alabama.
~~~~~
U.S. Assistant Attorney General Burke Marshall and the U.S. Justice Department joined the complaint against Auburn on behalf of Franklin. This was the administration of U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy.
Middle District Court of Alabama Judge Frank M. Johnson Jr. handed down his opinion on November 5, 1963, three days after Harold Franklin’s thirtieth birthday. Judge Johnson wrote, “. . . the State of Alabama is as much to blame for the plaintiff’s inability to satisfy Auburn’s requirement for admission to its Graduate School as if it had deliberately set out to bar the plaintiff from Auburn because he is a Negro.”
On November 6, 1963, a headline in The Burlington Free Press read, “Wallace Calls Admitting Negro to Auburn ‘A Tragic Decision.’” Governor George Wallace made those remarks at Dartmouth College.
Sunday, September 26, 2021
Friday, September 24, 2021
Pastor Speaks the Truth
An excerpt from Comicsands -
Pastor Gives Christians Who Claim 'Religious Exemption' From Masks And Vaccines An Epic Bible Lesson
By Mike Walsh
https://www.comicsands.com/pastor-marshall-christian-religious-exemption-2655075172.html
Thursday, September 23, 2021
From Housekeeper to Owner of 5-Star Luxury Hotel
An excerpt from Black Enterprise -
MEET THE FORMER HOUSEKEEPER WHO IS NOW THE OWNER OF A 5-STAR LUXURY HOTEL
by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors
 |
| Souadou Niang (BlackBusiness.com) |
Meet Souadou Niang, a serial entrepreneur and the owner of Palms Luxury Boutique Hotel in Dakar, Senegal, who used to work as a housekeeper at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in the United States.
“I started out cleaning toilets. Today, I am the manager of my own five-star boutique hotel with 60 employees,” Niang told BBC Africa.
Born and raised in Dakar, Niang moved to the U.S. at the age of 18. She went from New York to Washington, DC, where she applied for work at the Ritz-Carlton to help pay for her education.
For 10 years, Niang worked cleaning rooms at the hotel while also studying. Throughout those years, she always kept in mind that she would someday become more successful in the field. Sure enough, she eventually got a job with the management team at the same hotel she started working as a housekeeper.
“I rose through the ranks and that’s where I got the passion. I said one day I will go back to my country and show that luxury and quality of service can be achieved there,” Niang said.
Amazon's Only Black Board Member
An excerpt from Black Enterprise -
Former Goldman Sachs Executive Edith Cooper Elected As Amazon’s Only Black Board Member
By Jeroslyn Johnson
 |
| Edith Cooper (Amazon) |
After making history with her executive role at Goldman Sachs, Edith Cooper has been elected to Amazon’s board.
The Slack director is the only Black person on Amazon’s board following Roz Brewer’s exit earlier this year, Seattle Times reports. Cooper has an extensive resume that includes board positions with Etsy, Slack, PepsiCo, and the investment groups MSD Acquisition and EQT AB Group.
Military Recruitment Hurting
An excerpt from Defense One -
Racial Division, Troops’ Role in Protests Has Hurt Minority Recruiting, Air Force Says
Black interest in military service plummeted after the George Floyd protests. Can the Pentagon undo the damage?
By Tara Copp
 | |||||
| U.S. Air Force basic military graduation Apr. 16, 2020, at the 320th Training Squadron’s Airman Training Complex on Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. U.S. AIR FORCE / JOHNNY SALDIVAR |
Years of racial tension, and the use of National Guard troops last June after the death of George Floyd, have hurt the military’s ability to recruit minorities, the head of Air Force recruiting said Wednesday.
That drop is part of a worrisome long-term trend that the military is fighting against: that fewer recruitment-age youth show an interest to serve.
According to the Defense Department’s latest twice-a-year Futures Survey, released in August, the share of eligible youth who reported they have an interest in military service has dropped about two percent overall in the last couple of years, said Maj. Gen. Ed Thomas, commander of the Air Force Recruiting Service.
Most concerning, Thomas said, was that “the biggest drop in propensity to serve is from Black males, Hispanic males, and females.”
The percentage of Black respondents who reported an interest in military service dropped from 20 percent in summer 2019 to 11 percent in summer 2020, according to the data. By fall 2020, the percentage of Black respondents interested in military service had dropped to 8 percent.
The percentage of Hispanics reporting an interest in military service dropped from 18 percent to 14 percent over the same time. Interest from recruitment-eligible whites remained steady, from 8 percent in summer 2019 to 9 percent in summer 2020.
“The last couple of years has done damage, there’s no doubt,” Thomas said. “The data shows us that the racial division in our nation has done damage to our recruiting efforts.”
Wednesday, September 22, 2021
Saturday, September 18, 2021
Chapter 2 - Golf at an HBCU
An excerpt from AOL Sports -
J.R. Smith's HBCU journey is a shining example of Black excellence
By SHALISE MANZA YOUNG
J.R. Smith is a two-time NBA champion and a former Sixth Man of the year who earned millions of dollars over the course of his 16 seasons.
When he retired after his second title, with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020, he could have done just about anything. Smith had enjoyed a long basketball career, had picked up a serious love of golf, and presumably had the means to travel the world pursuing that passion.
Instead, the 36-year-old, who jumped straight from Newark's famed St. Benedict's Prep to the NBA, entered college.
And not just any college, the largest HBCU in the country: North Carolina A&T.
What's more, he joined the Aggies golf team.
Best of all for the rest of us, he's basically live-tweeting his experience.
https://www.aol.com/sports/j-r-smiths-hbcu-journey-212019497.html
Soul Food Starter Kits in Stores Nationwide
An excerpt from Black Enterprise -
BLACK CHEF TURNED ENTREPRENEUR LAUNCHES LINE OF SOUL FOOD STARTER KITS IN GROCERY STORES NATIONWIDE
by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors
 | |
| Claude Booker (Black News) |
Meet culinary expert and business leader Claude Booker, the CEO and founder of Booker’s Soul Food Starters which are now available in over 1,000 grocery stores across the country. His business providing Southern side dishes for buffets was decimated as a direct result of the pandemic, and most buffets remain closed.
He pivoted his business during the pandemic and went from ideation to grocery store shelves with Booker’s Soul Food Starters in nine months. He did not shy away from his commitments to building a supply chain filled with domestic Black-owned businesses. The partnership with other Black businesses encourages more opportunities for those businesses and allows them to employ other Black Americans.
“When the pandemic hit in 2020, I lost 90% of my hot food and steam table business during the shutdown,” said Claude. “We pivoted and created pantry-ready seasonings for soul food during the pandemic because more people were eating at home. We went from creation to 1,000 stores in the midst of a pandemic.”
Booker’s Soul Food Starters enables any home cook to create the traditional flavors of collard greens, mac and cheese, peach cobbler, and more by adding their own fresh ingredients to the starter. The products are now sold online and in over 1,000 locations nationwide, including at Meijer, Stop & Shop, KeHE, Cost Plus World Market, VW Roses, and Sam’s Club.
Senate Honors the First Black National Bee Finalist from 1936!
An excerpt from Black Enterprise -
SENATE PASSES RESOLUTION TO HONOR FIRST BLACK NATIONAL SPELLING BEE FINALIST WHO WAS CHEATED OUT OF POSSIBLE VICTORY
by Ashantai Hathaway
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| Cox (Twitter) |
The U.S. Senate passed a resolution to honor the nation’s first Black National Spelling Bee finalist.
On Thursday, the Senate passed the resolution that would honor MacNolia Cox. In 1936, Cox, just 13-years old, was considered a spelling prodigy with an IQ that was off the charts. Cox was from Akron, Ohio, and became the First Black to qualify as a finalist for the National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C.
However, getting there was far from easy, and competing was met with racism. Because segregation and Jim Crow laws were still very much in place, Cox and another Black child, 15-year-old Elizabeth Kenny from New Jersey, were forced to travel to the National Spelling Bee in the “colored” car of the train.
The children could not stay at the hotel with the other contestants and were forced to use the back door to enter the Spelling Bee competition.
They also could not sit with the other contestants and instead were told to sit at a card table.
Despite it all, Cox went on to become the first African-American finalist in the Top Five. She was well on her way to win the competition, having thoroughly studied the 100,000 word list given to each speller.
But the judges, who were all white southerners, plotted against Cox and pulled a word that was not on the list.
A. Van Jordan, author of “M-A-C-N-O-L-I-A, a book about Cox and the National Spelling Bee, “said that what happened next was a despicable move from the Bee’s judges.
“They pulled a word that was not on that list, and you can’t make this up: the word was nemesis,” Van Jordan said.
Tuesday, September 14, 2021
Your Precious Love
An excerpt from UDiscoverMusic -
It Takes Two: The Greatest Duets In Motown History
Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s hit inspires our Motown duets playlist.
By Paul Sexton
On the Billboard Hot 100 for September 9 1967, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell had the highest new entry of the week, at No.73, with “Your Precious Love,” which went on to reach No.5. Their hit-making duet inspires our playlist of Motown’s greatest (and, in at least one case, weirdest) duets.
“Your Precious Love,” written by regular Tamla hitmakers Ashford & Simpson and produced by Harvey Fuqua and Johnny Bristol, was one of many great examples of the vocal chemistry between Marvin and Tammi before her life was so cruelly cut short. “What we accomplished was to create two characters and let them sing to each other,” Gaye later told writer David Ritz. “That’s how the Marvin and Tammi characters were born. While we were singing, we were in love…but when the music ended, we kissed each other on the cheek and said goodbye.”
https://youtu.be/4Z3btjnwscU
Oscar Robertson: Standing Up For Them All
An excerpt from the Daily Beast -
The Basketball Great Who Stood Up to the NBA to Protect His Fellow Players
Oscar Robertson paved the way for athletes to protest and demand the right to choose their employers, at a time when standing up to the league could get a player barred for life.
By Robert Silverman
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| Bettmann / Getty |
Oscar Robertson, one of the greatest players in NBA history and a visionary labor rights leader, is riding out the current stretch of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic down in Florida. It’s not his permanent residence, but like many in the Sunshine State and across the globe, the 82-year-old is worried, Robertson told me in an August phone conversation. He’s been vaccinated, and is taking every precaution, including wearing a mask outdoors, until conditions improve. “Goodness, gracious,” he said. “It’s unbelievable, unbelievable.”
He was baffled to read that a number of pro football players were making a public show of refusing to get the jab. Beyond the spread of the new variant, the risks posed to children and family members, Robertson couldn’t comprehend why an athlete wouldn’t at a bare minimum be looking out for their teammates, regardless of what misinformation they’d been fed. “Why would a player say ‘I don’t want to get the shot’ if he's going to be around other players?” he plaintively asked. “Why would he do that?"
That Robertson would view the ongoing health crisis as requiring greater labor solidarity shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.
For all the Big O’s successes on court—the awards and accolades, the titles and medals won, his name scrawled at the top of the NBA’s record books, and the effusive praise from his contemporaries—Robertson’s legacy is also built on the decades spent fighting for justice and equity. He’s stood up to groaning bigots that treated him as less-than-human and threatened his life; he locked arms in solidarity in order to bring an All-Star game to a halt; and he dragged the NBA court and then testified before Congress, demanding that he and his in-demand, talented colleagues should (at a minimum) be able to choose their place of employment. All this was accomplished at a time when an outspoken athlete could easily find themselves on the unemployment line.
“There is a long tradition in our league going back to Oscar and others, including Bill Russell, who spoke out about civil rights issues,” Commissioner Adam Silver told Sports Illustrated’s Jack McCallum in 2020. “It’s a culture that’s been passed down from generation to generation, and Oscar led the fight.”
Over the summer, Robertson watched the Milwaukee Bucks win their first NBA title in 50 years, since he and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar last led the team to glory. It delighted him to no end. He marveled not just at the tens of thousands who had crammed into what the team dubbed “the Deer District” outside the stadium, but franchises now worth billions, and contracts for the biggest stars topping $200 million. As much as any NBA player, Robertson fought to ensure at least a somewhat more equitable distribution of wealth, though this stretch of NBA and labor history may have faded over time for fans and players alike.
“Some don’t know what the Oscar Robertson Rule is all about,” he said of the 1976 settlement agreement granting NBA players the right to free agency before any of the other major pro sports leagues. According to Robertson, those unaware of his battles should probably ask themselves, “How did it get this way?”
Looking for College Gear? Check Here First.
An excerpt from Spy -
The Best Places to Buy College Apparel Make Showing College Pride Too Easy
By Jake Cappuccino
1. Fanatics
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| Courtesy of Fanatics |
BEST OVERALL
Of all the best places to buy college apparel, Fanatics has to be the single best overall for most people. It has an enormous selection of official apparel and merchandise for hundreds upon hundreds of college teams.
In fact, multiple other big retailers of college apparel just use Fanatics to sell their college apparel, including NCAA Sports, FansEdge and Lids. So when you shop from those retailers, you’re getting the same experience you’d get on Fanatics.com. And there’s good reason for that. Not only does Fanatics have great coverage of schools — seriously, we’ve never even heard of the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs or the Hampton Pirates, but they’re covered — it sells a branded version of pretty much anything you could ever want. If you’d rather show support for a conference, Fanatics even has you covered there with Pac-12, ACC, Big Ten gear and more.
We could show any one of a million different examples, but we’ll just leave these awesome USC Trojans Nike Zoom Pegasus 38 Running Shoes to get your mind running.
https://spy.com/articles/gear/style/best-places-to-buy-college-apparel-1202788151/
FAMU Business Students Are Collaborators With Hair Care Line
An excerpt from the Tallahassee Democrat -
Wakati Black hair product line gives nod to FAMU students for their collaboration
By Byron Dobson
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| Florida A & M University business students helped design the marketing and business concept for Wakati Hair Products which are sold at Target, Walgreens, and Walmart.com Tori Schneider Tallahassee Democrat |
Felyicia Jerald often shops at Target for its assortment of hard-to-find hair products for African American consumers. But on a recent visit, she noticed a new product line — Wakati.
"I looked to the right and saw the purple bottle on the shelf, and it seems as if it had orange and green tones to it a well. I said, ‘I want to check it out really quick,' " said Jerald, a 1988 journalism graduate of Florida A&M University, whose school colors are orange and green.
“I started reading the ingredients, the benefits of the product and it wasn’t until I flipped it over did I see the FAMU logo on it. That got my interest.”
Jerald ended up purchasing a moisturizer, a moisturizing spray and shampoo.
“I’m impressed with the look of the product and when I saw FAMU on the back that was another draw to help me to decide to buy it and try it out,” said Jerald, manager of communications for Mercedes-Benz U.S. International.
She posted the find on Facebook, where she discovered “quite a few” family members and FAMU friends were aware of the product and the school shout-out on the packaging.
Her post reads: “Was so excited to see this product on the shelves at Target! I think the orange and green and cute packaging drew me in, then when I flipped it over and saw that #FAMU business students helped design the marketing and biz concept, that sold me. Great job students!”
Cedric The Entertainer on Phone Call from Michael Jackson and Flirting w...
https://youtu.be/NWySL9sKuR0
Saturday, September 11, 2021
Deion Calls Out ESPN
https://www.si.com/college/hbcu/football/deion-sanders-blasts-espn-getty-imagn-no-photos-of-hbcu
Monday, September 6, 2021
Being the Only One
An excerpt from INC -
She Was the Only Black Woman in the Room. So She Decided to Become the Best in the Business. They say it's lonely at the top. But here's what they don't say: Knowing how to go it alone is the secret to getting you there.
BY PHYLLIS NEWHOUSE, FOUNDER AND CEO, XTREME SOLUTIONS, INC
When Athena Technology Acquisition Corp. listed on the New York Stock Exchange earlier this year, I became the only Black female CEO of an NYSE-listed SPAC. When I launched Xtreme Solutions in 2002, I became the only Black woman CEO of a cybersecurity company.
Before that, I spent 22 years in the Army, including three stints at the Pentagon, where I was often the only Black woman in the room when crucial decisions were being made.
Being "the only" in any situation can be lonely for some, but it doesn't bother me. Some of this year's Inc. 5000 honorees are "the only" in their fields, and, as they likely know, it's a unique position with distinct advantages. There have been more than 820 SPAC IPOs since 2009, but Athena is the only one with a Black woman as CEO--so everybody knows who I am. I embrace the opportunity to share a perspective others don't have.
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