The prognosticators were wrong. Forecasts from ADP and Moody’s Analytics early last week revealed that the job market was slowing due to a private payrolls report showing a gain of just 67,000 jobs for the month of November. According to Friday’s report from the US Department of Labor, however, the job market continues to be robust, citing a boost in nonfarm payrolls by 266,000. As such, the overall unemployment rate has declined to 3.5% — the lowest point since 1969.
As for the African American unemployment rate, it currently stands at 5.5%, close to the all-time low for the decade. But when compared to the 3.2% unemployment rate for whites, African American unemployment is still is at a rate that is 72% greater than that of whites.
Overall, employment figures show the biggest gain since January and that far exceed the predictions of another survey estimate of an increase of 180,000 jobs, according to Bloomberg. One question was answered, though: The jobs numbers have been significantly impacted by the fact that November represented the first full month that GM workers had returned to work after a 40-day strike, making up for the previous month’s decline by some 41,000.
“Job growth for most of 2019, while volatile, tells a consistent message. Although census hiring and ending of the auto strike affected this month’s figure,” tweeted Harin Contractor, former Economic Policy Advisor to the US Secretary of Labor during the Obama administration and current Program Manager for Silver Spring, Maryland-based business consulting firm Nexight Group L.L.C.
Contractor, who has provided monthly analysis of the state of black employment when he served as director of Workforce Policy at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, shared that the drivers of job growth continue to be education and health services, a trend that has marked much of 2019. “Depending on what happened next month, job growth in 2019 is fairly consistent with previous years. We hope this will lead to greater wage growth in the near future,” he tweeted.
Civil rights advocates and researchers alike cite that although the African American employment rate is at a historic low, that figure does not accurately reflect the full picture related to African Americans’ economic status. As reported by Black Enterprise on Thursday, the Center for American Progress revealed African Americans — especially black women—must face an ongoing, systemic pattern of “outright discrimination” and “occupational segregation” in the labor market.
In reviewing the black employment situation throughout much of 2019, National Urban League President Marc Morial has told CNBC earlier this year “Let’s look at this in context, not look at one number and say, ‘OK, good. Let’s celebrate,” especially since the racial wealth gap continues to persist. For example, the latest US Census Bureau figures on black homeownership were 42.1% compared with 72.7% among whites. Morial and others have cautioned against looking at the unemployment rate and concluding that it reflects the overall economic and financial health of African Americans.
Moreover, the Joint Center has conducted studies on racial equality and the future of work in recent years. The organization has found that African Americans — especially in blue-collar positions — tend to be at a huge disadvantage due to increased automation of service-based industries. Its 2017 report on this trend revealed that 27% of all African American workers are concentrated in just 30 occupations at high risk to automation. including positions in brick-and-mortar retail, eateries and transportation. For example, compared to white workers, African Americans are more than one-and-a-half times more likely to be cashiers and combined food preparation and serving workers as well as over three times more likely to be security guards, bus drivers, taxi drivers and chauffeurs
The Joint Center reports that unique challenges that make African Americans “particularly vulnerable in labor market transitions include unemployment rates that are twice as high as whites, Implicit bias in hiring and evaluation, residential and educational segregation, transportation problems, lower rates of digital readiness and limitations in social networks.”
Raja Casablanca win away at AS Vita Club in the second round of African Champions League group games as Egypt's Al Ahly and holders Esperance also win.
The crossover event will tie together multiple stories while HBO's Watchmen is redefining the meaning of superheroes—just like their comics did in the 1980s.
Black people and black culture shape popular culture and fashion. Yet and still, leadership within the fashion industry does not often reflect the people from the communities in which they draw their inspiration from.
Some may argue that the lack of representation at the top is due to a skills or knowledge gap–while others may claim that there are many barriers to entry. In this case, both sentiments are true. That is why Footaction created the No 1 Way Design Academy in partnership with two Portland, Oregon based black-owned design academies PENSOLE and FAAS Studio to build a pipeline to get designers from historically black colleges and universities into the industry.
Footaction is committed to amplifying and celebrating the next wave of creative visionaries who continue to push the culture forward. As a part of that commitment, the design academy offers No 1 Way competition which aims to foster diversity of talent and champion the idea of creative individuality.
In August, Footaction made an open call to over 85 HBCUs to participate in a six-week digital and in-person design intensive. Hundreds of students applied to be a part of the program by sending in their designs, but, only 10 students were selected to participate in the FAAS at PENSOLE online program to refine their designs. From there, the competition was cut in half and the top five finalist (which so happen to be five young women) relocated to Portland for a 3-week hands-on design academy at the FAAS Studio.
The total program value is $15k per student. That includes the 3 week online workshop & mentorship, the 3 week in studio FAAS masterclass, travel, and room and board.
The challenge was to design functional apparel for the chance to win cash prizes, the opportunity to have their designs showcased at New York Fashion Week in February 2020, and the opportunity to their designs sold at Footaction stores nationwide and online.
For Footaction, the No 1 Way Design Program is a way to position students who might not typically have access into the fashion and design for success.Richard McLeod, Vice President of Marketing at Footaction has worked closely on the program from its inception down to the selection process of the students and says that there is no one way into the industry or to success.
In his first year with Footaction, McLeod has been able to shift the culture with the No 1 Way Design Academy.
“In partnership with PENSOLE we wanted to ensure that we are building upon the brand’s purpose–which is really about how we amplify and celebrate the new creative visionaries that are moving the culture forward,” says McLeod.
To get a behind the scenes look at the competition; we joined Footaction, the founders of PENSOLE, FAAS Studio, and the finalists in Portland to learn more about their design journeys before the winners are announced.
For the first part of this series, we would like to introduce you to this year’s No 1 Way Design Program students. In parts two and three, you’ll meet the founders and leaders of PENSOLE Design Academy and FAAS, D’Wayne Edwards and Angela Medlin.
Meet the Students
This year, the competition dwindled down to five incredible young women representing Clark Atlanta University, Dillard University, and Tuskegee University.
Brianna Thomas, Dillard University
Briana Thomas (Image: Footaction)
What led you on a path to design?
My passion led me in this direction. Right now I’m in school getting my bachelor’s in marketing. I always knew that I wanted to be a fashion designer. But as I got older, I didn’t know how I would arrive to that point. So I just tried to keep my options open and it took all opportunities that came my way when it came to me enjoying myself doing fashion or doing design or creating and sewing.
What is it like being among your peers of fellow HBCU students/grads who are working towards that goal of being the best in the industry?
This is something that I’m glad to be a part of, and especially with other young women and young designers that are from other HBCUs and have a similar goal. I’m just really glad to share this experience with them. Because I’m even learning from them. Just being around them listening to how they talk about different things to the how they look at different perspectives. We’ve all had a different experience in our design journey, but now coming here and also learning at face under the tutelage of Ms. Angela it’s really just bringing it all together and making it like wow 100% like I’m so glad I got this opportunity.
What would winning mean to you?
Winning this would be amazing! I realized the opportunity to even be showing a piece at New York Fashion Week is a huge opportunity. Some people in the industry work their entire career and they don’t get here. But me as a 21 year old, not designed student, just someone with a passion and someone willing to learn is going to be there in February so it’s just beyond a blessing.
Chakierrah Stinson, Tuskegee University
Chakierrah Stinson (Image: Footaction)
You are a self-taught designer with over 45,000 followers on Instagram who stan for your designs! What inspired you to create and where do you draw your inspiration from?
A lot of my influence comes from stuff that I see online, movies, and the world around me. I take what I’ve seen and try to make it sportier and street-wear inspired. I always try to give people something that they haven’t seen. I don’t want my designs to look like anyone else’s. I want you to see you know that Chakierrah made it because I have my own style.
What are some of the things that you’ve learned that you didn’t know before that you’re going to take away from the program as you continue to design?
When you’re designing for a consumer, your designs have to be tailored to them. I didn’t think of the consumer at all at first since I am the only person who wears everything I make. Now, since I want to start my own brand it definitely have like tremendously and just like my way of thinking, what would
Why was is important for you to participate in the No 1 Way Design Program?
I went to the FAAS Studio Instagram page and saw the designs Ms. Angela and her students were making. And I was like, Oh my goodness, like, this is like the stuff that I want to be making. I wanted to take her class ever since I learned about her work. The opportunity to create at FAAS and the amount of things that I’ve learned, has changed my way of thinking when it comes to design.
Lenora Gray, Clark Atlanta University
Lenora Gray (Image: Footaction)
Why design and this design academy?!
I believe I was born with the gift with the talent to be a creative. So I’ve always known that creating was something that I wanted to do. And I think my life has really been a journey and a testament to where I am and who I am now. Coming to Portland and being exposed to different cultures and a different way of living is a form of design. It’s pushed me it’s opened my eyes and broaden my perspective on life; the way that I design; who I design for; and where I want to go in life.
What are you learning about the fundamentals that you may not have been equipped with before this opportunity?
For me, it has been about learning how to design with a purpose. Also, understanding color, marketing, and finance as a designer. What I’ve learned in the three weeks that we did online and in the two weeks that we’ve been here, I’ve not learned in school. And, this is no dig to my institution, but, we just didn’t get it. You can truly see that there’s a difference in working in the industry and teaching how to work in the industry.
Nache Davis, Clark Atlanta University
Nache Davis Image: Footaction)
Tell us more about your passion for fashion!
I went to Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York. I’ve always been into the arts, but I’ve always had a love for fashion. Ironically, my mother worked at the Fashion Institute of Technology–so I got to take their Saturday live classes while I was in high school. And that really gave me the basic skills I needed to know how to sew how to fashion illustrate.
You’ve traveled the world pursuing design and when this opportunity came about with Footaction and PENSOLE, you were willing to leave your full-time job to take a leap of faith. How were you able to decide on which direction to go in?
Angela has been an amazing mentor. When this opportunity came about, there was a lot of fear that came along with it. I didn’t know how I was going to be able to keep my job and also pursue this opportunity. I consulted with Angela because I felt like this opportunity can really catapult my career. She advised me to talk my manager. I had a conversation with my director, and she is truly supportive. We figured out a plan for me to b in Portland and still be able to work but also be fully immersed in this opportunity.
Sharonda Richardson, Clark Atlanta University
Sharonda Richardshon (Image: Footaction)
You’ve traveled across the world from Scotland while studying abroad for this opportunity. What has you’re experience been like thus far?
I’m a bridal information designer and I want to be able to implement the functional attributes that we have learned here. Attributes like how to make your attire functional and versatile in bridal products are in formal wear products so that they’re not just pretty; but they also have a reason to be. I’ve also learned a lot about myself. I’m very sensitive about my design process. I’m not opposed to critiques but it’s often hard for me to receive them. So, I’ve learned a lot about how the industry works and how you’re going to have to get over yourself.
What would winning this competition mean for you?
There’s really no way to explain the opportunities that come out of something like that. And I just want to be, I just want to prove like my family, right? I started out going to school for biology, something more practical. In taking a leap of faith by going into design I just want to show them that I made the right choice.
There’s no fashion show like the ones that happen every day on the quads of historically black colleges and universities. They styles are unique to the culture of the campus, and they typically will inspire you to step up your game and try something new.
Interesting enough, only 8 out of the 101 HBCUs have fashion design schools. Yet there are many students who have a passion for fashion. To that point, Footaction understands that there is no one way into the industry. Hence, the significance of the academy.
“There’s a ton of talent out there. We want to bring some of those talents to the forefront. They’re the consumer and they continue to push the culture forward. HBCUs are a sharp point in terms of a consumer base or a student base. I think it makes complete sense in terms of what it is we’re trying to do from a shared purpose and vision standpoint; whether it be from Footaction or PENSOLE,” McLeod adds.
He went on to say, “What they’re (PENSOLE x FAAS) is trying to instill in the students is what the real world looks like when it comes to design. And with that comes a number of things that they may not necessarily have ever learned within the current structure of their school. So it’s about preparing them for corporate opportunities; opportunities for them to go on as an entrepreneur; and give them the life skills, as well as the design skills to help them succeed later on in their careers whether they choose to do this or not.”
Stay tuned to learn more about the founder of PENSOLE as FAAS Studio.
The iconic company's take on the big, powerful, DSLR-style camera delivers beautifully sharp, detailed images while offering surprisingly powerful video capabilities.
By looking at data on millions of births, a researcher shows how violence against unarmed African American men might cause acute stress on pregnancies.
As BLACK ENTERPRISE gears up for the 15th anniversary of our Women of Power Summit, we’re talking to the real women getting it done every day about the ways they claim, wield, and restore their power for our new series: Portraits of Power.
Portrait of Power: Joy Altimare
Title: Chief Engagement and Brand Officer
Employer:EHE Health, a 105-year-old preventative healthcare company
Backstory: Tennessee native with Jamaican roots; only child from large extended family; started in advertising; became a mom at 38, entered the C-suite at 41; Rosa Parks is her shero but Oprah is her BFF (in her head)
Her big bulging success: Altimare interviewed for a role at a startup when she was 8 months pregnant—and got the job!
What’s the best part of your current role? The ability to work in an agile environment across the entire organization. Being the Chief Engagement and Brand Officer means that I have responsibilities that include, but are not limited to, marketing. I am truly interested in how our customers and patients interact with our brand, products and services. I am not just interested in conversions, I’m interested in the conversations we’re having with each stakeholder. I’m looking beyond the transaction toward the engagement. I love that ability to go macro and micro in this role.
Has your career been shaped more by strategy or spontaneity? A bit of both—I have always wanted to be a marketer. Not sure if I planned on being a CMO, but I wanted to be a change agent who could also be compassionate and empathetic [and] open to a path that was a bit winding.
What’s the most significant decision you’ve made, and how intentional was it? I was very intentional about not having kids until I’d reached a certain flexibility within my career.
Best career decision you ever made? To remove guilt for being an ambitious woman in both my professional and personal life.
What’s been your hardest decision? Sometimes you have to remove yourself from toxic situations and people—that’s been hard. Sometimes you have to disassociate yourself with dream-stealers or angry people. It will begin to feed into your spirit and, when you want to soar, you cannot be heavy with other people’s doubts, distrust and negativity.
What is your process for making big decisions and how has it evolved? I’m in this game not just to be productive today but to have longevity and positive generational impact. So, when I’m faced with a big decision, I ask what does it mean for me, my family, but also my future grandchildren and their children. It’s so important to view life through that lens so that you can thrive, not just survive.
What’s the greatest obstacle you’ve faced, and how did you overcome it? Growing up in the South, I was often told that it was more important to be a lady who was liked, not heard, and who supported the lead of the man in her life. While I value partnership and marriage, as a 5’10”, self-aware and confident black woman, I do have a mind and a voice, both of which I like to use often. So, I have to constantly remind myself that it’s OK that people may not like me, what I say or how I say it. They may not like how I dress or look and they may even have a problem with me “being in the room,” but my ambition is to be respected and valued as a competent contributor to the team. Being liked is not my end game.
What advice would you give your 25-year-old self? Be present, lean into your life, and speak up for yourself.
Best advice you ever got? From my dad: “You better like yourself, not just love yourself, because you take yourself wherever you go.”
Proudest accomplishment? My favorite person, my 5-year-old daughter, Ella Helene. She’s named after my first favorite person, my grandmother—Ella Geneva.
Biggest disappointment? I don’t live in disappointments—in every defect, there’s a gem. It’s an opportunity to learn a lesson, or make a new friend or to take a step toward the right direction.
What you’re learning now? Everything. Literally. I’m learning the fundamentals of coding, which is like unlocking a whole new world. I am also learning a little Mandarin as I listen to my daughter’s tutoring lessons.
Do you believe in luck? Nope, I believe that I’m blessed to be prepared for when the opportunity presents itself so I can seize it.
Are you Type A? B? C? Definitely type A. Definitely.
How do you wind down? A glass of wine and some really good jazz or classic R&B.
What’s your biggest wellness challenge? I’ve managed to figure out the daily fitness (running home from dropping my daughter off to school) but I really love acupuncture and massages and I don’t do them as religiously as I used to before Ella was born. Well being is not just about fitness and nutrition—the cognitive piece is essential to creating positive lifestyle and behavior choices, so I need to double-down on finding time to include that part in my life.
Favorite self-care fix? Weekly facials.
Best stress management hack? Weekly Neti pot sessions—it really is a de-stressor, especially if you travel often or live in a congested city like NYC.
Who/what keeps you whole? I’m a Believer, so, 100% my relationship with Christ is what keeps me stable, sane and secure.
The holidays are upon us, which means many of us get to spend significant time with our families. If this thought brings angst, Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King are here to help.
The women got together for another episode of OprahMag.com’s series, OG Chronicles, and helped us sort through how to handle unwanted gifts from people we love, the best way to thwart awkward political discourse at the dinner table, how couples can settle where they’re spending the holidays, and when parents should let the babies know the truth about Santa.
In the video, these OG’s read viewer letters and then dish their sage advice. Often, they agree. But sometimes they don’t.
For example, when one wife wrote in about her husband’s “terrible” gift-giving choices and requested advice on the best way to let him know she doesn’t like or need his gifts, it was clear Gayle felt bad for the hubby.
“That’s hard because the husband is probably very proud of what he’s done… I don’t know, I don’t want to break his heart either,” Gayle says. “I think you just accept it with grace.”
Oprah said nope.
“No, I don’t think you have to do that. You say, ‘Honey, I think we’ve reached a point where we have everything we need and we really don’t have to exchange gifts anymore,” Oprah said in the video.
Gayle started laughing that knowing her girl laugh, as Oprah continues: “That’s what we did in our house… I had the same issue.
“I was going to say, are you talking from personal experience?” Gayle says, still laughing.
And Oprah told the newly married letter writer who wanted to know how to settle where she and her spouse go for the holidays, that they should spend Thanksgiving with one of their families and then do Christmas with the other side, and then switch it up the following year.
It looks like music fans may finally get an answer to a long-winded question about R. Kelly and Aaliyah. For years, folks have wondered how the singer managed to marry his protege in 1994 when she was just 15 years old.
According to the New York Times, the Grammy winner has been accused of bribing an Illinois government employee on August 30, 1994 in order to obtain a fake ID for the underaged girl so he could marry her. Sources told the outlet that the ID was used to obtain a marriage license that listed her age as 18. The marriage was eventually annulled.
During an interview with Good Morning America, Kelly’s attorney Steven Greenberg claimed that the singer had no idea Aaliyah was underage when they wed. (Which seems crazy, considering he produced her debut album entitled Age Ain’t Nothin But a Number.)
“My understanding is that she did not claim to be 15, and in order to get married, she had to lie about her age,” Greenberg said at the time.
Issa Rae is one busy lady and it looks like the latest addition to her growing resume will include yet ANOTHER remake of sorts.
According to reports, the Insecure star has signed on to write, produce, and star in the upcoming comedy flick, Perfect Strangers. The film is an adaptation of the award-winning Italian film Perfetti Sconociuti, directed by Paolo Genovese in 2016.
The plot centers around a dinner party where a group of friends decide to play a risky game where they place their phones face-up on the table and agree to make all texts and phone calls public in an attempt to prove they have nothing to hide. The comedy about friendship, love and betrayal forces the friends to confront and discover they may actually be “perfect strangers.”
This isn’t the only remake Rae is tackling these days. In September, news broke that she is developing a reimagining of the 1996 hit, Set It Off.
The original film that starred Kimberly Elise, Queen Latifah, Vivica A. Fox, and Jada Pinkett Smith is considered a classic and some folks didn’t take too kindly to the idea of a reboot.
Fox, who played bank teller, Frankie, was unapologetic in her criticism when she told ET Live‘sMelicia Johnson that there is no need to reimagine the crime thriller during an interview last month.
“It’s a classic, leave it alone,” Fox said.
“There’s absolutely no reason to try to redo it. It’s been done, and we did it so well, that people are absolutely going to compare it to that and I think that’s her taking on a tremendous chore because that film has become a cult classic and some things are just better left.”
It looks like fans of Grownish are in for some sweet surprises when the show that stars Yara Shahidi returns to Freeform for a third season.
In the first full-length trailer for the upcoming season, we see Shahidi serve her best Beyonce swag in an outfit emulating the outfit she wore at the epic Beychella performance. She’s flanked by her homies, (played by Chloe and Halle Bailey) and we can’t wait to see what that’s all about.
We have no idea who will be facing parenthood this season, but considering Ryan Destiny has signed on as a series regular, the possibilities are endless.
The star-studded cast of the black-ish spin-off that follows Dre (Anthony Anderson) and Rainbow’s (Tracee Ellis Ross) popular, entitled, stylish and socially active daughter from black-ish, in college includes Trevor Jackson, Jordan Buhat, Emily Arlook, Francia Raisa, Diggy Simmons, Luka Sabbat, and Deon Cole.
No word on when season 3 of Grownish will hit Freeform, but we’ll keep you posted.
Viola Davis has proven time and again that when it comes to delivering the drama, she’s a force to be reckoned with and now she’s ready to show off her funny bone.
In the just-released trailer for Troop Zero, we see her comedy skills on full display and it’s not to be missed.
The flick that first showed at last year’s Sundance Film Festival also stars Mckenna Grace, Jim Gaffigan, Mike Epps, Edi Patterson, and Charlie Shotwell.
In a tiny Georgia town in 1977, a motherless girl dreams of life beyond the confines of her trailer-park home in Troop Zero. When her quest for connection leads her to reach for the stars in a competition to be included on NASA’s landmark Golden Record, it becomes clear she will have to depend on some new friends to take her the last mile. Every night, Christmas Flint (Mckenna Grace) sits under a starry sky with a flashlight, signaling to extraterrestrial visitors that never arrive. Sensitive, imaginative and deeply lonely, Christmas and her equally eccentric best friend Joseph are the ultimate misfits in their rural hometown of Wiggly, Georgia. When Christmas learns that the winners of the annual Birdie Scout Jamboree talent contest will be included on a recording to be sent into space for posterity, her mission in life becomes to join the Scouts and win Jamboree. When she is blackballed by the snobbish local Birdie Scout troop and their uptight leader Miss Massey (Allison Janney), Christmas rallies a group of elementary-school outliers to start their own chapter. With grudging help from her dad’s irascible office manager, Miss Rayleen (Viola Davis), Christmas and her crew have to bypass every roadblock Miss Massey can find in the fine print of the Birdie bylaws in order to reach the Jamboree and their chance at immortality. From Christmas’ solitary late-night vigils to a final show-stopping musical performance, Troop Zero is an endearing and magical tale set against a backdrop of beloved hits of the ’70s, as Christmas forges friendships that will change her life and help her find a real family.
Resting atop Thomas Peacock’s desk is an ordinary-looking brown rock. Roughly the size of a potato, it has been at the center of decades of debate. Known as a polymetallic nodule, it spent 10 million years sitting on the deep seabed, 15,000 feet below sea level. The nodule contains nickel, cobalt, copper, and manganese — four minerals that are essential in energy storage.
“As society moves toward driving more electric vehicles and utilizing renewable energy, there will be an increased demand for these minerals, to manufacture the batteries necessary to decarbonize the economy,” says Peacock, a professor of mechanical engineering and the director of MIT’s Environmental Dynamics Lab (END Lab). He is part of an international team of researchers that has been trying to gain a better understanding the environmental impact of collecting polymetallic nodules, a process known as deep-sea mining.
The minerals found in the nodules, particularly cobalt and nickel, are key components of lithium-ion batteries. Currently, lithium-ion batteries offer the best energy density of any commercially available battery. This high energy density makes them ideal for use in everything from cellphones to electric vehicles, which require large amounts of energy within a compact space.
“Those two elements are expected to see a tremendous growth in demand due to energy storage,” says Richard Roth, director of MIT’s Materials Systems Laboratory.
While researchers are exploring alternative battery technologies such as sodium-ion batteries and flow batteries that utilize electrochemical cells, these technologies are far from commercialization.
“Few people expect any of these lithium-ion alternatives to be available in the next decade,” explains Roth. “Waiting for unknown future battery chemistries and technologies could significantly delay widespread adoption of electric vehicles.”
Vast amounts of specialty nickel will be also needed to build larger-scale batteries that will be required as societies look to shift from an electric grid powered by fossil fuels to one powered by renewable resources like solar, wind, wave, and thermal.
“The collection of nodules from the seabed is being considered as a new means for getting these materials, but before doing so it is imperative to fully understand the environmental impact of mining resources from the deep ocean and compare it to the environmental impact of mining resources on land,” explains Peacock.
After receiving seed funding from MIT’s Environmental Solutions Initiative (ESI), Peacock was able to apply his expertise in fluid dynamics to study how deep-sea mining could affect surrounding ecosystems.
Meeting the demand for energy storage
Currently, nickel and cobalt are extracted through land-based mining operations. Much of this mining occurs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which produces 60 percent of the world’s cobalt. These land-based mines often impact surrounding environments through the destruction of habitats, erosion, and soil and water contamination. There are also concerns that land-based mining, especially in politically unstable countries, might not be able to supply enough of these materials as the demand for batteries rises.
The swath of ocean located between Hawaii and the West Coast of the United States — also known as the Clarion Clipperton Fracture Zone — is estimated to possess six times more cobalt and three times more nickel than all known land-based stores, as well as vast deposits of manganese and a substantial amount of copper.
While the seabed is abundant with these materials, little is known about the short- and long-term environmental effects of mining 15,000 feet below sea level. Peacock and his collaborator Professor Matthew Alford from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the University of California at San Diego are leading the quest to understand how the sediment plumes generated by the collection of nodules from the seabed will be carried by water currents.
“The key question is, if we decide to make a plume at site A, how far does it spread before eventually raining down on the sea floor?” explains Alford. “That ability to map the geography of the impact of sea floor mining is a crucial unknown right now.”
The research Peacock and Alford are conducting will help inform stakeholders about the potential environmental effects of deep-sea mining. One pressing matter is that draft exploitation regulations for deep-sea mining in areas beyond national jurisdiction are currently being negotiated by the International Seabed Authority (ISA), an independent organization established by the United Nations that regulates all mining activities on the sea floor. Peacock and Alford’s research will help guide the development of environmental standards and guidelines to be issued under those regulations.
“We have a unique opportunity to help regulators and other concerned parties to assess draft regulations using our data and modeling, before operations start and we regret the impact of our activity,” says Carlos Munoz Royo, a PhD student in MIT’s END Lab.
Tracking plumes in the water
In deep-sea mining, a collector vehicle would be deployed from a ship. The collector vehicle then travels 15,000 feet down to the seabed, where it vacuums up the top four inches of the seabed. This process creates a plume known as a collector plume.
“As the collector moves across the seabed floor, it stirs up sediment and creates a sediment cloud, or plume, that’s carried away and distributed by ocean currents,” explains Peacock.
The collector vehicle picks up the nodules, which are pumped through a pipe back to the ship. On the ship, usable nodules are separated from unwanted sediment. That sediment is piped back into the ocean, creating a second plume, known as a discharge plume.
Peacock collaborated with Pierre Lermusiaux, professor of mechanical engineering and of ocean science and engineering, and Glenn Flierl, professor of Earth, atmospheric, and planetary sciences, to create mathematical models that predict how these two plumes travel through the water.
To test these models, Peacock set out to track actual plumes created by mining the floor of the Pacific Ocean. With funding from MIT ESI, he embarked on the first-ever field study of such plumes. He was joined by Alford and Eric Adams, senior research engineer at MIT, as well as other researchers and engineers from MIT, Scripps, and the United States Geological Survey.
With funding from the UC Ship Funds Program, the team conducted experiments in consultation with the ISA during a weeklong expedition in the Pacific Ocean aboard the U.S. Navy R/V Sally Ride in March 2018. The researchers mixed sediment with a tracer dye that they were able to track using sensors on the ship developed by Alford’s Multiscale Ocean Dynamics group. In doing so, they created a map of the plumes’ journeys.
The field experiments demonstrated that the models Peacock and Lermusiaux developed can be used to predict how plumes will travel through the water — and could help give a clearer picture of how surrounding biology might be affected.
Impact on deep-sea organisms
Life on the ocean floor moves at a glacial pace. Sediment accumulates at a rate of 1 millimeter every millennium. With such a slow rate of growth, areas disturbed by deep-sea mining would be unlikely to recover on a reasonable timescale.
“The concern is that if there is a biological community specific to the area, it might be irretrievably impacted by mining,” explains Peacock.
According to Cindy Van Dover, professor of biological oceanography at Duke University, in addition to organisms that live in or around the nodules, other organisms elsewhere in the water column could be affected as the plumes travel.
“There could be clogging of filter feeding structures of, for example, gelatinous organisms in the water column, and burial of organisms on the sediment,” she explains. “There could also be some metals that get into the water column, so there are concerns about toxicology.”
Peacock’s research on plumes could help biologists like Van Dover assess collateral damage from deep-sea mining operations in surrounding ecosystems.
Drafting regulations for mining the sea
Through connections with MIT’s Policy Lab, the Institute is one of only two research universities with observer status at the ISA.
“The plume research is very important, and MIT is helping with the experimentation and developing plume models, which is vital to inform the current work of the International Seabed Authority and its stakeholder base,” explains Chris Brown, a consultant at the ISA. Brown was one of dozens of experts who convened on MIT’s campus last fall at a workshop discussing the risks of deep-sea mining.
To date, the field research Peacock and Alford conducted is the only ocean dataset on midwater plumes that exists to help guide decision-making. The next step in understanding how plumes move through the water will be to track plumes generated by a prototype collector vehicle. Peacock and his team in the END Lab are preparing to participate in a major field study using a prototype vehicle in 2020.
Thanks to recent funding provided by the 11th Hour Project, Peacock and Lermusiaux hope to develop models that give increasingly accurate predictions about how deep-sea mining plumes will travel through the ocean. They will continue to interact with academic colleagues, international agencies, NGOs, and contractors to develop a clearer picture of deep-sea mining’s environmental impact.
“It’s important to have input from all stakeholders early in the conversation to help make informed decisions, so we can fully understand the environmental impact of mining resources from the ocean and compare it to the environmental impact of mining resources on land,” says Peacock.
The Senate on Thursday approved a bipartisan amendment to restore millions of dollars in federal funding to historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and other minority-serving institutions (MSIs). Known as the FUTURE Act, the bill proposes a 10-year mandatory extension of $255 million in annual funding to HBCUs. It continues Title III funding for HBCUs and MSIs under the Higher Education Act of 1965, which previously expired at the end of September.
To offset costs for the bill, lawmakers would simplify the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) financial aid application and loan repayment processes. In turn, this would save an estimated $2.8 billion. If passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and signed by President Trump, the bill would also allow for direct data sharing between the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Education.
The bill amends both the Internal Revenue Code and the Higher Education Act to keep applicant information more secure by allowing for the direct importing of IRS tax data to the FAFSA. Direct data sharing would also streamline enrollment in and renewal of income-driven repayment (IDR) plans for borrowers by removing the need for students to self-certify their income to prove eligibility for federal IDR plans. This safeguards the integrity of the federal student aid programs without creating overly burdensome bureaucratic barriers for students who rely on these programs. The bill also takes meaningful steps to reduce verification burden, a process that remains overly complex, disproportionately affects low-income students, and is burdensome for students and aid administrators.
The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) president & CEO Harry L. Williams praised elected officials for approving the bill and encouraged the House of Representatives to pass it as well without delay. “TMCF is appreciative of all of the Senators who came together, in a bipartisan way, to reaffirm the importance of and work to renew this material investment in our Nation’s post-secondary students,” he said in a press release.
Likewise, Dr. Austin A. Lane, president of Texas Southern University said, “The bipartisan support of this bill is clear validation of the value that HBCUs like Texas Southern University brings to so many first-generation college students. Thanks to the lawmakers involved, as well as the tireless support from Dr. Harry Williams and the TMCF, the passage of this bill, will help thousands of more students reach their goals – and without the financial barriers that so often get in the way.”
Joycelyn Savage, one of R. Kelly’s live-in girlfriends, said someone else set up a Patreon account in her name and she vehemently refutes abuse claims made on the site against the singer.
In her first public comments since news broke about the Patreon page, Savage said she is still firmly in Kelly’s corner, according to a video obtained by TMZ. However, even as she defends Kelly, a judge has set a Sept. 14 court date for Kelly on four sex abuse cases, according to The Chicago Sun-Times. Prosecutors were given until Jan. 22 to release which of the four cases they would start with.
“I am truly tired of all the lies they are saying about the man we love so much and our best friend, R. Kelly,” Savage says on the video. “It has been said that I have left him and he has abused me and all kinds of nonsense. I have said before none of it is true.”
Joycelyn read her comments from her cell phone.
“It is a shame how they are treating him,” she says. “It is so wrong on so many levels, and he does not deserve this. I am not going to be a part of the assassination of R. Kelly’s name, music career, and his character.”
Joycelyn then ponders how Kelly can get a fair trial under these circumstances.
“How will we ever be able to get a fair trial anywhere in the world with all of these lies that are being told on him,” Joycelyn reads.
But if she didn’t set up the Patreon account, who did? Joycelyn blamed the phony Patreon page set up in her name, as well as another phony Instagram page, on an imposter.
“Please do not believe what you see and hear on social media. That is not my Instagram. Someone is impersonating me. I just want everyone to know we still support and will never betray him,” Savage said, referring to her and Azriel Clary, R. Kelly’s other live-in girlfriend.
“I’m just really heartbroken for all of this that is going on,” Savage added.
Patreon closed the questionable account after the company could not verify who set it up.
Gerald Griggs, the lawyer for Joycelyn’s family, said they are “saddened and disappointed” to learn that Joycelyn was not the one posting the comments to the account bearing her name.
“We deeply desired to hear her story and in her own voice outside of the presence of Robert Sylvester Kelly or anyone associated with him. For nearly three years, Joycelyn Savage has not been able to speak outside of a controlled environment created by Mr. Kelly. Her video today was not any different,” Griggs said, according to TMZ.
Griggs added that while the Patreon and IG accounts may be fake, the allegations and child sexual abuse indictments against Kelly still stand.
“Lord, you KNOW I’m tryin… whew and breathe. Support is everything.”—Gabrielle Union Wade
This was the Instagram caption that introduced me to the controversy swirling around the abrupt firing of actress, author, advocate, mom, designer, producer and entrepreneur Gabrielle Union from her role as a judge on the popular competition show, America’s Got Talent.
I admit that I somehow missed it all the days before. But, even without context, this caption, combined with the picture of Union, eyes closed, looking beautiful-yet-exhausted, laid back on her husband’s shoulder with him kissing her lovingly on her forehead, immediately felt familiar. As a Black woman, I knew, some bullshit had just gone down.
And, I was right. Some bullshit, all too familiar bullshit, had definitely gone down.
You can do a Google search and find any number of outlets reporting on Union’s recent dismissal from NBCUniversal’s AGT, which seems wholly unfair and straight-up messy. A dismissal — which was first reported on the blog, lovebscott.com that appears, from the outside, to have been a punitive act against a talented, more than capable, courageous Black woman, who called out racism, sexism and other problematic issues at the workplace and rightfully stood up for herself and for others.
On top of that, Union was a fan favorite! Variety reported that she was the most popular judge on America’s Got Talent stating, “The 18-episode season that wrapped in September generated 25 million social media impressions, approximately half of which engaged directly with Union, according to figures from Nielsen Social, effectively making her the most popular judge.”
It didn’t matter though. To us, she’s a hero; to them, she’s difficult. (And to Jay Leno, she’s a “great girl,” a perhaps unknowingly condescending choice of words — yet condescending nonetheless — that the comedian made when asked what he thought of Union, who reportedly flagged one of his jokes to the producers of AGT as racist toward the Korean community and requested that they mention it to human resources. They didn’t. Although they did remove the joke from the final airing of the show.
Unfortunately, this is what often happens to Black women in the workplace — whether you’re a celebrity pointing out issues and problematic behavior on a major television show or you’re a manager at your company, trying to keep your head down, and working hard in hopes of proper recognition or a promotion.
The constant barriers, the micro-aggressions, the insensitivity, the questioning of your position or authority, the disregard for your very real concerns and the lack of support in those environments are enough to have any of us laid out, calling on the Lord and needing a gentle kiss on the forehead.
This is why — just as Gabrielle has expressed through her effusive gratitude for the support that she has received since the news broke — support, especially from other women, is crucial. But, for Black women, it’s not always so easy for us to accept.
Glass vs. Concrete
In a 2019 study by Catalyst called “Advancing African-American Women in the Workplace,” there is mention of the “glass ceiling” white women encounter versus the “concrete ceiling” that women of color endure and bang their heads up against every day.
The study found that: “Whereas white women frequently reference the ‘glass ceiling’ as blocking their advancement up the career ladder, women of color often characterize the barriers they encounter as compromising a ‘concrete ceiling’ — one that is denser and less easily shattered. The underpinning of these barriers includes stereotypes, visibility, and scrutiny; questioning of authority and credibility; lack of “fit” in the workplace; double outsider status; and exclusion from informal networks.”
The report goes on to say that, because of this, African-American women in particular sometimes “set boundaries and use ‘guardedness’ in response to work challenges.”
As Black women, I believe we often don’t realize how much we have put our guards up and shielded ourselves from the very support we need to circumvent those concrete ceilings and take the best care of ourselves physically, mentally and emotionally.
I get it, though. Sometimes, we simply don’t trust it. In fact, I’ve found that many of the successful and ambitious Black women I know fear that accepting support, when you’re supposed to be the “strong one” or the “boss,” would be a sign of weakness or incompetence.
Meanwhile, our white counterparts may be celebrated for their collaborations and outreach. So, instead of reaching out and being open to the support that may show up for us, we choose to declare “I got this!” and struggle to handle whatever it is alone in order to prove ourselves. As a result, we end up stressed, anxious, sometimes ill, and often isolated and at a disadvantage.
Tearing the walls down
This adverse reaction to support is something that I didn’t realize was a blindspot for me until I attended a transformative, personal development workshop in 2015 called Momentum. The experience changed my life.
Not asking for support had been a learned behavior for me since childhood — coming from a family of generous folks who were always ready to give to members of our extended family and our community, especially when those individuals were having a hard time. I wrongfully associated this with support because to me it meant you’re having a hard time, you’re helpless and you can’t do it on your own.
Not only did this narrative cause me to not know how to ask for support when I was in need, but it also forced me to repelit even when it was offered, personally nor professionally. This revelation is what led me to create the Support is Sexy podcast and community, a space where I coach unapologetically ambitious women on how to get over what I call “I got it!” Syndrome and realize having it all doesn’t mean doing it all alone.
Because, you know what? A lot of times, you don’t have it and that’s okay! Yes, maybe you’re putting on a brave face and boldly standing up for what’s right and enduring tone-deaf comments about your appearance or other parts of who you are as a Black woman (Gabrielle was reportedly told repeatedly that her hair and changing styles were a problem for the AGT producers.)
Can we be honest? That shit hurts! And we have to make room for those feelings and get support — whether that’s from your girlfriends, your partner, your coach or your therapist. Don’t dismiss it as “small stuff.” It matters.
According to a “Women in the Workplace” report by McKinsey & Company and Lean In, micro-aggressions can have macro impact on us as Black women.
“Although they can seem small in the moment, these negative experiences add up…” the report says. “Women who experience micro-aggressions are three times more likely to regularly think about leaving their job than women who have not experienced this form of discrimination.”
Here’s the thing, though. Gabrielle, from what it appears, wasn’t leaving. Even though it was a toxic environment (literally! Hello, Simon Cowell, smoking indoors? Ugh!). Even though the micro-aggressions appeared to be pretty blatant at times. Even though — in spite of her repeated requests — problematic issues around race were not taken to HR no matter how many times she asked, she wasn’t leaving.
Again, from what it seems, she was staying, fighting, doing her job and standing up for herself and others in a workplace environment that clearly did not support her, respect her contribution nor respect her thoughts and feedback. She was doing what a lot of Black women do: be the best you can at your job, no matter how they treat you and stand up for what’s right.
As a result, she was fired for it. And as I know — and every Black woman knows — that had to hurt, no matter how strong you think you are.
This is why, when you look through the comments of Gabrielle’s recent social media posts, you will see an overwhelming number of positive comments, affirmation and praise from thousands of Black women (and allies) showing their support by saying versions of “we got you, we see you, we love you, we’re behind you, we appreciate you, we understand.”
We are Gabrielle.
And, with that knowledge, we must remember — during times like these and always — support is everything.
Elayne Fluker, a business coach + connector for unapologetically ambitious Black women, is host of theSupport is Sexypodcast and creator of the Support is Sexy community, where women learn that having it all doesn’t mean doing it all alone.
It looks like Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. aka Lil Wayneis taking notes from his labelmate Aubrey “Drake” Graham. The Young Money rapper has launched GKUA Ultra Premium Cannabis.
The new cannabis brand sets out to celebrate the best cannabis in the world, with some of the highest natural levels of THC available. GKUA Ultra Premium flower is made from the most experienced growers who make sure the strains are incredibly potent and difficult to find.
“The combination of our incredible products, market knowledge and commitment to quality, paired with the unmatched fanbase of Lil Wayne, the ultimate cannabis connoisseur, creates an unprecedented opportunity to create a cannabis brand that values creativity and the artistic pursuit,” said Beau Golob, president and co-founder GKUA Incin a press release. “It’s an honor to lead this company along with Lil Wayne, curating a premium line of products that inspires people and feeds their creativity. This is historic and really exciting!”
“I used to just want to get high, now I smoke to get inspired,” said Lil Wayne. “With GKUA, I’m sharing a feeling that I love.” GKUA will be offering customers free tickets to the hottest party of the year. The first GKUA VIP PARTY will feature a once in a lifetime performance with Lil Wayne and friends which will be scheduled in 2020.
GKUA Ultra Premium products will be sold in select Los Angeles dispensaries with plans for a larger roll-out across the state in 2020.
GKUA Ultra Premium Flower: Sourced from the most experienced growers, GKUA will produce strains that are very limited, incredibly potent and impossibly difficult to find…truly the best flower! Available at launch is HOLLYGROVE a unique strain for Lil Wayne and GKUA and UPROAR a very limited strain.
GKUA Ultra Premium Battery Technology: This new proprietary ceramic heating element and cutting-edge design is optimized to efficiently deliver vape in easily controllable doses while elevating the user experience. The battery technology combined with GKUA Ultra Premium THC or CBD oil is the future of vape.
GKUA THC Vape: Sourced from the best cannabis with all organic inputs, GKUA’s THC Vape is an exclusive formulation that carefully transforms the highest quality cannabis into potent THC vape oil. Independently lab tested and certified for purity. GKUA Ultra Premium vape oil, pure and potent.
GKUA Ultra Premium Concentrates: Intensely potent and flavorful, GKUA Ultra Premium Concentrates are sourced from the finest cannabis flower with off-the-chart THC levels created for dabbing or adding to flower. Potency you can taste and feel.
We officially have a new entry in the chicken sandwich wars! According to CNBC, McDonald’s is testing a new chicken sandwich in two markets.
The popular burger chain is testing out a fried Crispy Chicken Sandwich, made with a fried chicken filet topped with butter and crinkle-cut pickles on a potato roll. There is also a Deluxe Crispy Chicken Sandwich, which has tomatoes, lettuce, and mayo. The sandwiches are being tested in Knoxville, Tennessee, and Houston, Texas, from now until January 26.
“The Crispy Chicken Sandwich and the Deluxe Crispy Chicken Sandwich will be tested beginning December 2 through January 26, 2020,” a McDonald’s representative said in a statement to Business Insider. “Houston and Knoxville are getting a sneak peek, everyone else should stay tuned for what’s to come in 2020.”
To kick off that latest Crispy Chicken Sandwich campaign, McDonald’s took toits Twitter account, “Houston. Knoxville. Lunch tomorrow? No beef.”
Although McDonald’s already serves the McChicken and spicy version of the McChicken, the taste doesn’t compare to the tastes of Popeyes and Chick-fil-A chicken sandwiches.
“A favorite, that our customers want, is a chicken sandwich. Unfortunately, they have to go to Chick-fil-A for it,” the board of the National Owners Association, a group of McDonald’s franchisees that formed in 2018, wrote in a July letter obtained by CNN. “Chick-fil-A’s results demonstrate the power of chicken. Yes, we have great Chicken McNuggets and our McChicken is a very good product. But we do not compete in the premium chicken sandwich category, either grilled or crispy,” the letter continued.
Following the franchise operators’ request and then after the success of Popeyes’ fried chicken sandwich, McDonald’s made the move to add a new addition to the menu. In October, McDonald’s told CNN Business that “we are inspired by the customer demand for premium chicken sandwiches, and are working closely with our franchisees to deliver what our customers want. Stay tuned.”
The suggested price of the Crispy Chicken Sandwich is $3.49 and the price of the Deluxe Crispy Chicken Sandwich is $4.09. Of course, prices can vary by restaurant.
The new Crispy Chicken sandwiches may be McDonald’s answer to the Popeyes and Chick-fil-A chicken sandwiches as they throw their hat into the fried chicken sandwich wars.
A Black employee is again suing CNN, alleging he was threatened by his boss after he filed a race discrimination lawsuit against the company.
DeWayne Walker, who worked as the manager of integrated marketing for CNN, said his boss, Whit Friese, vice president, and group creative director, threatened him in the restroom this past August. Last month, Walker filed a new lawsuit as a result of the alleged encounter, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
In this latest suit, Walker said Friese told him to “just drop it” referring to the earlier lawsuit, which was filed in May.
Walker said he responded: “Or?”
This is when he says Friese approached him at a urinal and whispered to him: “If you f–k with my money, I will kill you,” according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Walker said he informed human resources of the incident five days later. As a result, he was given administrative leave with pay the next day.
Now Walker has filed the new suit and is questioning why Friese was never punished for the alleged threat against him.
“It’s a travesty and a sham,” said Walker’s attorney Mario Williams told the newspaper. “You’re using an administrative process to punish a person who made the complaint. The next best thing to firing someone is keeping him out of the office on administrative leave with pay even though he’s the victim.”
Walker, who has worked for the Atlanta-based company for 16 years, has now been on leave with pay for more than three months.
CNN did not respond to The Atlanta Journal Constitution’s requests for an interview.
On Dec. 11, a court hearing is set and Williams will ask a judge to reinstate Walker to his job.
Back in 2014, Walker filed a complaint against CNN alleging he was skipped over for promotions because he’s Black. He went to file a federal racial discrimination lawsuit in 2015. That lawsuit was dismissed, with a federal judge ruling that he wasn’t qualified for seven of the nine positions he put in for. The eighth position, Walker reportedly never applied to and the judge ruled there was no evidence of discrimination for the 9th position.
This past May, Walker hired Williams, who filed another racial discrimination suit that alleges that out of the 28 positions that Walker has applied for during his stint at CNN, he has never been contacted for a vast majority of his applications. He alleges pervasive discriminatory practices at the company.
In 2016, a separate class-action lawsuit was filed against CNN also alleging pervasive discrimination. That too was thrown out by a judge.
Director Martin Scorsese was not about to ask the likes of Robert De Niro and Al Pacino to walk around his set with motion-tracking markers all over their faces.
Two well-liked wedding sites have agreed to change their policies around how they market former slave plantations after they were contacted and urged to do so by Color of Change, a national civil rights organization that shines a light on injustices and challenges discriminatory people, organizations and practices.
The Knot Worldwide, which owns The Knot and Wedding Wire, and Pinterest have agreed to stop promoting former slave plantations as romantic wedding sites and/or to alter the romanticized language that these venues are allowed to use on their web sites to try and attract couples, according to BuzzFeed.
“Weddings should be a symbol of love and unity. Plantations represent none of those things,” a spokesperson from Pinterest emailed to BuzzFeed. “We are working to limit the distribution of this content and accounts across our platform, and continue to not accept advertisements for them.”
Pinterest added in its email to NBC News that they are “grateful to Color of Change for bringing attention to this disrespectful practice.”
Pinterest says it will revise its policies to now restrict former plantation wedding content on its website and will also turn off search recommendations to these sites. Users will still be able to hop on Google and look at former slave plantation venues on Pinterest, however, those searches will soon be accompanied by an advisory warning that some content may violate Pinterest’s policies. Pinterest also vowed to no longer run advertisements on plantation search results so it will no longer make money from these venues.
Although The Knot will still allow former slave plantations to advertise on its sites as wedding venues, it will alter the flowery adjectives these venues can use. The Knot is working with Color of Change on its updates, but said its new language rules would also apply to all wedding venues advertising on its sites and not just former slave plantations to try and thwart any effort from former plantations to change its branding to something altogether different, like a manor, according to NBC News.
“Color of Change brought an issue to light about the way venues with a history of slavery describe their properties to couples. We’re currently working with Color of Change to create additions to our current content guidelines that will ensure all couples feel welcomed and respected on our sites,” according to a statement The Knot released to NBC News.
Arisha Hatch, vice president at Color Of Change, said the civil rights organization is attempting to draw attention to “all the different ways that the wedding industry is disrespecting Black folks by romanticizing forced labor camps that brutalized millions of slaves.” One way the organization is doing this is to show that this sort of thing would never be allowed to occur at former concentration camps.
“If we were talking about concentration camps, it would be weird and disrespectful and egregious for folks to be seeking to have their weddings at these locations,” Hatch said in an email to theGrio.
Color of Change also reached out to Martha Stewart Weddings, Brides magazine, and Zola, but the organization said so far Pinterest and The Knot are the only two that have responded.
Might be time to see if their advertisers will respond.
