Learning a new language can be an extremely useful tool is forging new business relationships and expanding your operations to international markets. As business becomes more globalized and the internet allows us to connect with people around the world, speaking multiple languages becomes a valuable asset. One entrepreneur used his passion for learning foreign languages to open an online language school to inspire others to learn about new cultures.
Los Angeles-born Nathan Thornton started SmarterKorean, an online Korean language school where he works as an online Korean language coach & South Korea expert assisting expats to live, travel, and work in South Korea comfortably and with confidence. Driven by his own passion to study in South Korea and attending the IPAG Business School in Paris, France, Thornton is currently fluent in Korean, English, and French, stating that learning the language has been extremely useful in his professional career.
“Learning Korean opened up a multitude of doors for me both professionally and personally,” says Thornton in a blog interview with Black Girls Learn Languages, “Korean has helped me stand out in my job applications, work for international companies in both South Korea and Spain, ask for competitive salaries, and allowed me to open my own online business. Being able to speak Korean allowed me to experience living in South Korea on a much deeper level with a different understanding of the culture.”
Thornton goes on to explain how his passion for language learning started at a young age as a way to deal with stresses at home. “I used the Korean language as a way to escape my abusive household and create a better life for myself. Learning Korean as a teenager helped to develop confidence and discover a new culture,” he explains. “I was determined to learn Korean well enough so that I could escape my violent home life, apply for a scholarship and go to university abroad.”
He says he is currently moving toward his fourth language and looking forward to seeing where it takes him. “Now, I have fallen in love with the Russian language and am excited to see where it takes me in the future!”
Usually, books are packaged with personal endorsements—the most famous and impactful ones the author can get. But More Myself: A Journey, Alicia Keys’ new memoir, has only one endorsement on the back cover: her own.
“I’m done with dimming my light,” she writes. “Writing this book has been about meeting myself, with all my wounds and vulnerabilities, exactly as I am—and then, at last, having the courage to reveal my full face. it has been about realizing that, in order for the truth to set me free, I must first be brave enough to birth it.”
The 15-time Grammy Award-winning musician, singer, and songwriter, whose career seamlessly encompasses equally passionate work as an actress, producer, entrepreneur, and activist, was also already a New York Times best-selling author (for her previous book, Tears for Water: Songbook of Poems and Lyrics).
Known (most recently) for her natural-girl look and a consistently soulful vibe that’s equal parts hippie and ‘hood, Keys strips away the years and any old fears of vulnerability and disapproval to reveal her true self and what it took to become, own, and amplify all that she is—with or without makeup, or a microphone.
Raised by her single, white mother, Terri Augello, to proudly own her inner light and darker skin as a black girl, by calling out her own contradictions and unfinished-ness, Keys enables us to accept and even celebrate our own. “I am frightened and I am fearless,” she concludes. “I am weak and a warrior. I am uncertain and I am confident. And by learning to embrace the paradox in all of it, I am more myself.”
Reading More Myself: A Journey is a great way to chase away the quarantine-and-curfew blues with some calm and engaging contemplation from an artist whose reflections on her own journey from the Lower East Side of Manhattan to the higher ground of her own heart, will stir and uplift you.
Here is a small sample of life lessons, in the key of Alicia:
Success is a hungry tiger, always growling for its next meal.
In life, we don’t get what we ask for, we get what we believe.
I don’t have to fit in. None of us does. Our uniqueness isn’t a scar, but a beauty mark.
An aha moment is not a happy ending – it’s an open doorway, one you have to choose to walk through.
The $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill makes contractors eligible for unemployment insurance. But states want pay stubs that ride-hail drivers don't have.
A popular Brooklyn YMCA employee, Janice Rodman, has become the latest fatality of the coronavirus pandemic.
At first, there were some people who believed Black people were immune to the coronavirus. It was also said that the deaths were mostly people 65 and up.
However, Rodman was 52 years old and still became a victim of COVID-19. Buzzfeed reported that while Rodman’s day job was at New York’s Sterling National Bank, she also held down the reception desk at the Bedford-Stuyvesant YMCA one day a week and was beloved by the patrons there.
“This work for her was really her community service,” said Sonia Atherly, executive director of the Y, who worked with Rodman for 10years. “It’s a distinction between her job and her work.”
Rodman would take balloons leftover from YMCA celebrations to hand out to kids. She knew most patrons by name.
Rodman had suffered from bronchitis for years and that’s what her family originally thought was the issue when she fell ill in March. But when her daughter, Jasmine Thornton, saw that her mother was getting short of breath at the end of the month, she took her to the hospital.
On March 30, after some time on a ventilator, Rodman passed away.
The North Carolina native had lived in Brooklyn’s Bed-Stuy section since childhood in a brownstone shared by her family, including her daughter, niece, and parents until her parents returned to the South.
“So many memories in this house — with her friends and girlfriends, having barbecues outside, block parties,” Thornton told Buzzfeed. “Everyone knows my mom on this block.”
Funeral arrangements are pending because of social distancing guidelines. Thornton said her mother wanted to be buried in North Carolina but she wanted to hold a service for her friends and family in Brooklyn at some point in the future.
Atherly does not know how she’ll handle telling the kids who loved Rodman she’s no longer going to be there to greet them.
Issa Rae took the entertainment world by storm with Insecure, a comedy series showcasing modern, millennial adulthood. Through the main characters Issa (Rae) and Molly (Yvonne Orji), audiences get a first-hand look at dating, work-life, friendship and familial relationships as young Black women.
Debuting on HBO in 2016, Insecure has returned for three seasons and now, the fourth is at our fingertips.
The season fourofficial trailerreveals a few things: Issa remains the queen of awkward, Lawrence (Jay Ellis) is back with a new boo, and Kelli (Natasha Rothwell) dresses as Halle Berry’s character in B*A*P*S at some point this season. As trailers should, not many details are revealed about the upcoming season.
Many of the characters of Insecure have been running the same mile for three seasons. It is time for the real growth the characters inch toward each episode. Still, there are other wishes for season four, and one has already come true.
Seasons one through three finished with eight, 30-minute episodes that occur in the blink of an eye, even with the after-show. This season, episodes will remain 30-minutes, however, Rae shares that season four will be extended to 10 episodes. What else do we wish for season four?
Issa in a healthy relationship
(Photo: HBO)
Will this be the season viewers get to watch an emotionally healthy Issa flourish? The situationships make for good Twitter debates, however, the former may make for better television. In season four, I hope Issa finds a healthy romantic relationship. For years, Issa Dee has dealt with awkward amorous interactions and relationships with dead-ends. For at least part of the season, Issa deserves to be loved fully and that love needs to be shown on screen.
Show in the show
(Photo: HBO)
The show-in-the-show is always a treat during the Insecure broadcast. Between season three’s rift on reboots with ‘Kev’yn’ to season two’s ‘Due North,’ a slave drama starring Regina Hall, the fictional show in the already fiction show gives insight to the character’s interest.During an interview withTheWrap,showrunner Prentice Penny shares the inspiration behind ‘Kev’yn’ was the lack of Black shows being rebooted.
“This season, we were just talking a lot about how much we love like ’90s Black sitcoms, and obviously in the wake of ‘Roseanne’ and ‘Will and Grace’ and, you know, ‘Full House’ and all the shows they brought back, we just started having discussions too about like, why aren’t they rebooting any shows of color?” Penny said. Hopefully, the show-within-the-show this season is just back, and as satisfying.
More Kelli
(Photo: HBO)
Kelli often adds a level of truth underlined by humor that Issa and Molly are incapable of delivering. Her moments on-screen are often the most refreshing. “I think people tune in every week and love Kelli is because she is unpredictable, and not the cliché portrayal of a plus-size friend,” Natasha Rothwell said on her character toESSENCE.
Hopefully this season, Kelli gets a storyline beyond being the funny friend with her life together. Season three introduced a new vulnerable side of Kelli and I want to see more. Her outspoken, dynamic personality deserves to be humanized by emotions not simply defined by laughter, smiles, and status.
A banging soundtrack
(Photo: HBO)
One amazing thing about Insecure is the music used to soundtrack the show. Viewers have come to expect and anticipate the playlist to follow each season. From City Girls to Little Simz, the show has featured both rising and established artists in hip-hop, R&B, and pop genres. The creative team diligently selects music that matches the story in both lyrics and sound. Music supervisor Kier Lehman, who has worked on Insecure since the show’s inception, credits Rae with adding her own personal ear to the song selections.
“It’s definitely driven by Issa. It’s her voice and her tastes, and I work with her as kind of a facilitator. So as we get into the beginning of the season, especially now that we’ve worked together for a little while, we have a shorthand,” Lehman told Variety.
“I know what she likes, so I’m reaching out to artists to get music if it’s unreleased or ahead of an album coming out, or reaching out to artists to see if they can create music.”
The official trailer reintroduced the Insecure gang with Yung Baby Tate and Kari Faux’s “Hot Girl.”
Millennial looks
(Photo: HBO)
It’s time for Insecure’s girl gang to get major wardrobe upgrades. Not wearing designer looks or couture pieces every episode, but having a clear, signature style defined by their character’s personality, means, and ideals. The predecessors of Insecure in the Black TV canon such as Living Single, The Fresh Prince of BelAir, and Girlfriends had wardrobes that captured not only each character’s persona but gave looks that captured the time.
Will future generations look back at the outfit choices on Insecure and crave the Black millennial looks? Issa’s graphic t-shirts and quirky pattern mixing and Molly’s legal looks can be taken to the next level.
A white Kentucky doctor has been arrested after strangling a Black teenager following a confrontation about social distancing.
Over the weekend, Reddit blew up with footage of a man pushing and shoving young female teens to the ground Friday night at the Norton Commons amphitheater in Louisville. At one point, John Rademaker is seen strangling a Black teenager and obstructed her breathing.
Witnesses claimed he approached the group of nine teenagers and berated them for not practicing social distancing. He was accompanied by his wife who is describing as having shoved a phone in the faces of one of the girls.
It has been advised that people stay home unless it is necessary to go out and to keep six feet apart to stop the spread of the COVID-19 disease. He is alleged to have become angry that the group was gathered and physically assaulted them. He grabbed the neck of one and continued to argue with the others.
The young woman did not suffer any serious injury and Rademaker was arrested. He was charged with strangulation and three counts of harassment with physical contact.
LMPD provided guidance on how people should report those who are not practicing social distancing according to the Louisville Courier Journal.
“We are aware of this video and officers from the 8th Division responded to a call to this incident (Friday) and took a report,” LMPD stated.
“Obviously, we do not advise individuals concerned about social distancing to take matters into their own hands and confront people about it, especially in any physical way. We ask people who are concerned about large gatherings to call 311 or 911 to report their concerns.”
LMPD spokeswoman Jessie Halladay stressed that there should be no vigilantism.
“We know people are out there saying, ‘Hey guys, you should probably social distance,’” Halladay said. “That’s one thing, if you’re being polite and it’s your neighbors, we don’t want you to take it into your own hands, and you certainly should never get physical.”
Rademaker is an independent contractor who works as a physician at Baptist Health. A spokesperson has stated that he is now on administrative leave and an investigation is pending.
“The partners of SIAC, a division of One Anesthesia PLLC have decided to place the physician that appeared in the video on administrative leave as of April 5th pending further investigation. Our well wishes extend to all parties involved and we will continue to monitor this situation as new information develops.”
Louisville Urban League President and CEO Sadiqa Reynolds said that accountability was needed.
“These are grown people who assaulted young people,” she said. “They’re kids, and we need to deal with it like that has to be stopped, and he and his wife have to be held accountable.”
Computer and technology giant Apple announced in a video Sunday it’s designing and producing face masks for medical workers and plans to produce 1 million masks per week.
According to CNBC, Apple CEO Tim Cook made the announcement on Twitter. Cook added the masks fit 100 in a box, takes two minutes to assemble, and are fully adjustable.
“We’ve launched a company-wide effort, bringing together product designers, engineering, operations and packaging teams, and our suppliers to design, produce, and ship face shields for health workers,” Cook said. “Our first shipment was delivered to Kaiser hospital facilities in the Santa Clara Valley this past week and the feedback from doctors was very positive.”
Medical professionals across the country are dealing with a shortage of medical supplies including face shields and masks, putting them at risk while they save lives. Cook added Apple has donated 20 million N95 masks to organizations that need them.
In some states, governors are asking citizens with sewing skills to make and donate masks for medical workers. Some hospitals are threatening to fire doctors and nurses who speak out on the lack of medical equipment.
Apple has already donated 20 million N95 masks and is working with medical professionals and government officials to determine where the shields are most needed. Cook said the company is also looking to expand distribution beyond the United States soon.
Other technology giants are also pitching in. Google announced it will release location data in more than 100 countries to help health officials and governments make informed decisions on the virus.
“For Apple this is a labor of love and gratitude, and we’ll share more of our efforts over time,” Cook continued. “In the meantime each of us can stop the spread of the virus by following expert advice to stay home, and practice social distancing.”
The coronavirus outbreak has infected more than 350,000 and killed more than 10,000 in the US alone.
Today, Fair Count and Comcast NBCUniversal announced a million-dollar national partnership to encourage people of color to participate in the 2020 Census. Historically, black and brown people have been undercounted in the census. In 2010, 1.5 million black, Latinos, and Native Americans were undercounted. Part of that is due to the lack of access to the Census as well as mistrust and disinformation campaigns in communities of color.
With federal funding for communities at stake, Fair Count and Comcast NBCUniversal want to ensure that people understand the importance of being represented this time around.
As a part of the partnership, Fair Count’s “Piece of the Pie” ad began airing during Comcast NBCUniversal’s Public Service Announcement time across the nation this week. It will be followed by another ad, called “Sisters for the Census,” that will run through the end of the census response period on Aug. 15.
In a joint statement released by Fair Act and Comcast NBCUniversal, Dr. Jeanine Abrams McLean, vice president of Fair Count said, “Comcast is a trusted voice in households across the nation, and we are grateful to them for allowing us to utilize this platform. This partnership will allow us to reach people across the country—from urban to rural communities — letting them know how participation in the 2020 Census will benefit their families, friends, and communities for the next ten years.”
American’s response to the Census helps direct billions of dollars in federal funds to local communities for schools, roads, and other public services.
On the heels of the announcement, McLean of Fair Count joined Sheila Hyland to talk about how Fair Act is working to achieve a fair and accurate count of America’s population in Census 2020.
With the Census now being offered digitally and over the phone, people have more access to the form.
“As we embark on the first digital census, Comcast is proud to extend our platform and support the outreach efforts of Fair Count, an organization that shares our commitment to encouraging census participation across hard to count communities, particularly communities of color,” said Dalila Wilson-Scott, senior vice president for Community Investment at Comcast Corp. and President of the Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation.
Communities are reliant on every member to be counted to receive the support they need to advance over time
Korey Wise, a member of the Exonerated Five whose story was portrayed in the Netflix series, When They See Us, has been committed to paying it forward. Now Wise is stepping up to help those in his community of Harlem who have been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.
The community activist has teamed up with Councilman Bill Perkins, Harlem District Leader Keith Lilly, and a group of local teenagers to deliver food to over 100 elderly residents living at Harlem’s Schomburg Plaza where Wise grew up. The group of teenagers who participated in the deliveries volunteered after finishing their online school studies, which were also impacted by closures due to the coronavirus. They plan to help provide more meals for people who are food insecure through the nonprofit organization, Meals on Wheels.
Wise stresses how important it is for the community to rally around the seniors during this time of need. “I love being here,” Wise told PIX 11. “We have to go back to the essence anyway. Just give to them. Visit them.”
This act comes during a time where many community leaders are coming together to provide food for local residents. The COVID-19 outbreak has resulted in massive job lay-offs, which have caused the unemployment rate to soar to record numbers over the past few weeks. Rev. Al Sharpton and the National Action Network has transformed its headquarters into a community kitchen to assist thousands with meals for low-income families, senior citizens, and re-entry program participants. Chef Marcus Samuelsson of the famous Red Rooster has also converted his space to service the local community. Wise hopes the act encourages others in the community to help each other during a difficult time.
“It’s a lesson of giving back,” he said. “Kids all over should take this as a guiding point to do things that are positive for our community.”
Graves’ son announced the passing on Twitter: “At 9:22 pm this evening, April 6, my Father and Hero Earl Graves Sr., the Founder of @blackenterprise, passed away quietly after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. I loved and admired this giant of a man, and am blessed to be his namesake. LOVE YOU DAD!” tweetedEarl “Butch” Graves Jr.
At 9:22pm this evening, April 6, my Father and Hero Earl Graves Sr., the Founder of @blackenterprise, passed away quietly after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. I loved and admired this giant of a man, and am blessed to be his namesake. LOVE YOU DAD! pic.twitter.com/UoerizfX8a
— Earl Butch Graves Jr (@EarlButchGraves) April 7, 2020
Graves was a trailblazer and a legend who leaves behind a magazine created in 1970 to help Black entrepreneurs traverse the challenges of business to succeed and “achieve their measure of the American dream,” according to Black Enterprise. The magazine was created to educate, inspire and empower readers to accomplish their professional and economic goals.
The Brooklyn, New York native began with that dream and built a multimedia business empire that now delivers financial information to more than six million African Americans across print, digital, broadcast and live-event platforms. Graves also once operated Pepsi-Cola of Washington, DC, one of the country’s largest soft-drink distributors owned by African-Americans, and is the author of the book, How to Succeed in Business Without being White, according to Black Enterprise.
Graves was a graduate of Morgan State University where he earned a degree in economics. After graduating, he served for two years in the Army as an officer and later worked in law enforcement and real estate. In 1975, he became an administrative assistant for Senator Robert F. Kennedy. When Kennedy was assassinated in 1968, Graves decided to start a magazine that would provide a roadmap for Black people pursuing entrepreneurship.
“Black Enterprise was just a modest magazine when I founded it—just me, a few brave advertisers like Pepsi, ExxonMobil, and General Motors; and a small but spirited staff. And one other person who did just about everything there is to do to put out a magazine—my wife, Barbara,” Graves wrote, according to Black Enterprise.
He landed a $250,000 loan from Chase Manhattan Bank to start Black Enterprise and was so successful at selling subscriptions and advertisements, along with running the magazine that it turned a profit in less than a year, allowing Graves to fully repay the loan. The magazine has featured everyone from media moguls Oprah Winfrey and Bob Johnson to former American Express CEO Kenneth Chenault and money manager and tycoon, Reginald F. Lewis.
Graves’ wife, Barbara, predeceased him in 2012. The couple has three sons, Earl Jr., Johnny and Michael, and eight grandchildren.
First of all, you can't just open the hatch when you're trapped at the bottom of the ocean. But there is a way out—it requires physics and some audacity.
The coronavirus outbreak is currently changing every aspect of life, however, work is continuing for many at home and its advantages are showing.
Everything from job interviews to daytime and late-night television shows has changed in recent weeks. However, telecommuting is showing that with widespread implementation, it could provide significant advantages.
According to Fast Company, the coronavirus is showing governments and countries that working from home can be the new standard.
“Coronavirus is going to expose more people to working remotely than ever,” said Greg Caplan, CEO of Remote Year, a company that helps businesses with working remotely. “Most people will see that it is very possible and start to grow accustomed to the benefits of [remote work], including autonomy, no commute, and less distractions than open offices. Companies that don’t allow remote work already are going to have to continue supporting it going forward, now that they have proven to themselves that it works.”
Some believe that telecommuting forces people to stay more connected to the teams and people they work with.
“Our individuals and managers make more conscious efforts to clarify roles, expectations, and to discuss progress with remote employees,” said Shanna Tellerman CEO of Modsy, an E-interior design company. “Our remote employees rank 5% higher than office employees when asked if they know what is expected of them at work. They also rank 5% above office employees when asked if they have had discussions with their managers about progress in the past six months.”
Many remote workers thrive on routine and discipline and as a result, will often complete work assignments faster than if they were in-office. Madeline Kelley, a global enterprise sales manager, told Fast Company she’s far more productive and effective as a remote worker “Because no one is around to hold you accountable, you have to be accountable for yourself.”
“I spend most of my days in my apartment—with my two dogs—on sales calls, replying to emails, and having internal video meetings. And I always manage to get everything done.” Kelley added.
Another advantage of telecommuting is the cost. Businesses across the world pay thousands in rent for office space. Meanwhile, mass transit or gas and food costs are just a few of the daily expenses for employees. Being able to save on office space is a great way for companies to save money while paying their workers more at the same time.
“Most companies spend 10 to 15% of revenue on rent. We use that savings to pay our employees above-market wages,” said Chris Neumann, who started his company, Cro Metrics, with a remote workforce in 2011. “We are providing really great jobs that team members would otherwise not have access to, and in return, we are able to attract the best talent from around the country.”
While the news is good for those who can work from home, for African Americans, the chances of working from home are lower than most races. Making things worse, is that low-wage workers are putting themselves at a greater risk for contracting the virus.
How many people have been infected with the new coronavirus? A group of Bay Area researchers aims to find out—by tracking what's in the local wastewater.
There have been many moves to make sure people don’t go hungry through this coronavirus crisis. Amazon‘s Jeff Bezos is just the latest to contribute to the cause. The Amazon CEO posted on his Instagram account, the efforts of his funds being donated to Feeding America, a Chicago-based nonprofit with more than 200 food banks across the United States.
“Even in ordinary times, food insecurity in American households is an important problem, and unfortunately COVID-19 is amplifying that stress significantly. Non-profit food banks and food pantries rely in large part on surplus food from a range of food businesses. For example, many restaurants donate excess food. But during this time of social distancing, restaurants are closed, and many other normal channels of excess food have also shut down. To make matters worse, as supply is dwindling, demand for food bank services is going up.
“Today, I want to support those on the front lines at our nation’s food banks and those who are relying on them for food with a $100 million gift to @FeedingAmerica. Feeding America will quickly distribute the funds to their national network of food banks and food pantries, getting food to those countless families who need it.
“Feeding America is the largest non-profit focused on food security. Millions of Americans are turning to food banks during this time. If you want to help, the link to Feeding America is in my bio. They’d be excited and grateful for donations of any size.”
Feeding America will distribute the funds to its national network of food banks and food pantries, helping those in need.
The Malayan tiger, who is named Nadia, is believed to be the first known case of an animal being infected with COVID-19 in the United States. It is believed that Nadia and six other big cats were infected by an asymptomatic zookeeper at New York City’s Bronx Zoo. The test result was confirmed by the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Iowa.
Nadia, a 4-year-old female tiger, along with her sister, Azul, two Amur tigers, and three African lions developed a dry cough and all are expected to recover.
In a written statement from the Wildlife Conservation Society, “We tested the cat out of an abundance of caution and will ensure any knowledge we gain about COVID-19 will contribute to the world’s continuing understanding of this novel coronavirus.
“Though they have experienced some decrease in appetite, the cats at the Bronx Zoo are otherwise doing well under veterinary care and are bright, alert, and interactive with their keepers. It is not known how this disease will develop in big cats since different species can react differently to novel infections, but we will continue to monitor them closely and anticipate full recoveries.”
It’s also been reported that none of the zoo’s other cats, including snow leopards, cheetahs, clouded leopard, Amur leopard, puma or serval are showing any signs of being infected by the COVID-19 illness. Appropriate preventive measures have been put in place for all remaining staff who are caring for the animals and the other cats in four Wildlife Conservation Society zoos in order to prevent further exposure of any other of our zoo cats.
Many MIT students, like their beaver mascot, are well-known for engineering skills, industrious habits, and for creating some amazing things late into the night. So, an ambitious project to build a 1:1 scale replica of MIT in Minecraft may come as no surprise. “As MIT students normally are nocturnal people anyway, there’s no doubt that we would apply our normal schoolwork habits to a light-hearted project like this,” says Shayna Ahteck, a first-year student involved with building and community outreach for the initiative.
With the Covid-19 pandemic scattering students around the globe, Minecraft — a sandbox style game akin to digital LEGO — has served as a creative and cathartic outlet for some students while they are physically away from campus, while also providing the entire community with some sense of stability. “Getting back to the basic structure of what campus looks like, while not a replacement for the feeling that I got from people and everything, it reminds me of all the times that we had, as well as processing some of my own grief from leaving campus,” says Ahteck.
The initial idea to recreate MIT’s campus in Minecraft surfaced in the Busy Beavers Discord server, a chat platform that has connected nearly 1,000 students and other displaced members of the MIT community. Jeffery Yu, a sophomore in Course 18, originally hosted the project on his personal computer. “We told people they could build whatever their heart desired, and it’s been really interesting to see how many MIT interests have come together,” Yu says.
As more students joined the project, it had to be migrated to a server. The game is now hosted and supported by the Student Information Processing Board (SIPB), a volunteer computing group that has worked to improve MIT’s computing environment since 1969.
Alexander Patton, a senior in mechanical engineering who laid the groundwork in the Minecraft server, has been pleasantly surprised by everyone’s creative collaboration. “I've really been blown away by the attention to detail that people put into all the buildings and projects,” he said. “When we started this, I kind of expected, like, okay, there's so many buildings, we probably will just build the outsides so it kind of looks like MIT, but people really have been trying to build the whole interiors. It really just shows to me how much these spaces meant to them and how MIT is basically like a second home.”
The Minecraft platform launched in 2009 and was acquired by Microsoft in 2014. Today, 112 million players are active each month, and it is now considered the best-selling video game in history. The platform is so flexible that courses on paleontology, chemistry, and computer coding have been launched through an educational version.
The project truly is a community-wide project, including admitted members of the Class of 2024. With long stretches of social distancing on the horizon, Minecraft is serving as a channel for human interaction for many during a time of uncertainty. “To be able to see everyone from all these different walks of MIT when you otherwise wouldn’t have is cool because otherwise it would a little while longer until we randomly happen across these people and have interesting conversations about the things they enjoy,” says William Moses '18, a PhD student in electrical engineering and computer science and chair of SIPB.
Black Enterprise Founder and Publisher Earl G. Graves, Sr., the quintessential entrepreneur who created a vehicle of information and advocacy that has inspired four generations of African Americans to build wealth through entrepreneurship, career advancement and money management, has died. According to his son, Black Enterprise CEO Earl “Butch” Graves Jr., he passed away quietly at 9:22 p.m. on April 6, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. Graves was 85.
Graves was widely considered to be the ultimate champion of black business, launching Black Enterprise in 1970 to not only chronicle the rise of African American entrepreneurs, but also provide the tools for African Americans to succeed in the business mainstream and “achieve their measure of the American dream.”
In his award-winning, now classic, business bestseller, How To Succeed In Business Without Being White, Graves stated his life-defining purpose for founding Black Enterprise in simple, direct terms: “The time was ripe for a magazine devoted to economic development in the African American community. The publication was committed to the task of educating, inspiring and uplifting its readers. My goal was to show them how to thrive professionally, economically and as proactive, empowered citizens.”
Driven by that mission, Graves became a trailblazing entrepreneur in his own right, building Black Enterprise from a single-magazine publishing company 50 years ago, to a diversified multimedia business spreading the message of financial empowerment to more than 6 million African Americans through print, digital, broadcast and live-event platforms. As such, Black Enterprise was one of two companies that would appear on the BE 100s—the publication’s annual rankings of the nation’s largest black-owned businesses—each of its 47 years. At one point, Graves would operate two companies on the list, including Pepsi-Cola of Washington, DC, one of the nation’s largest soft-drink distributors owned by African Americans.
Graves’ influence and reach also extended into the mainstream of corporate America. One of the few African Americans to serve on the boards of major corporations such as American Airlines, Daimler Chrysler, Rohm & Hass and Federated Department Stores (Macy’s), he was a staunch advocate for African American inclusion in the C-Suite and corporate governance. Graves was also a tireless champion of major corporations doing business with black-owned companies.
Beyond business, Graves was a force in politics, civil rights and philanthropy. In fact, he played a pivotal role in galvanizing support for the election of the first African American president of the United States, Barack Obama, through his endorsement in Black Enterprise and service as a surrogate campaigning on his behalf. Before that, Graves also championed the historic presidential bids of Rev. Jesse Jackson. Moreover, his fight for racial justice and economic parity earned him the NAACP Spingarn Medal, the organization’s highest honor, in 1999.
Graves was also known for his dedication to family, and especially to his wife Barbara Kydd Graves, who passed away in 2012. Together, they raised three sons, Earl Jr., Johnny and Michael, and were blessed with eight grandchildren.
Born in 1935, Graves reaches the pinnacle of power from humble beginnings in the Bedford Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, New York. It was in that community where he learned the lessons of hard work and perseverance from his parents, Earl Godwin and Winifred Sealy Graves. After graduating from a Morgan State University with a B.A. in economics, he served two years as an officer in the Army, and held jobs in law enforcement and real estate. In 1975, he joined the staff of U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy as his administrative assistant. When Kennedy was assassinated in 1968, he decided to start a publication that would provide blacks with the pathway to go into entrepreneurship.
He wrote: “Black Enterprise was just a modest magazine when I founded it—just me, a few brave advertisers like Pepsi, ExxonMobil and General Motors; and a small but spirited staff. And one other person who did just about everything there is to do to put out a magazine—my wife, Barbara.”
The young publisher managed to gain a $250,000 loan from Chase Manhattan Bank and proved so masterful at selling and running the magazine that it became profitable in 10 months — enabling Graves to repay the loan to the major financial institution.
With his wife Barbara at his side, he grew the magazine into one of the nation’s most successful and respected. The world first discovered such business luminaries as Oprah Winfrey, former American Express CEO Kenneth Chenault, billionaire dealmaker Bob Johnson and the late financier Reginald F. Lewis on the pages of Black Enterprise. In fact, Robert Smith. the billionaire CEO of Vista Equity Partners, like so many successful black entrepreneurs and corporate leaders, admitted that he switched careers to high finance after reading Black Enterprise.
“The truth of the matter is that we are humbled by the achievements of the talented people we report on,” Graves wrote. “We are in awe, still, by the courage it takes to put oneself on the line in an unmerciful marketplace.”
Hundreds of thousands express awe and gratitude for the role he played and example of excellence and achievement he set for generations to come.
Boxer Floyd Mayweather is breaking his silence in the wake of his daughter, Iyanna, getting arrested over the weekend, which has prompted many to question his parenting.
Sunday evening, the boxing champ shared a video of him with his son Koraun, training him on some boxing moves. Seemingly, in response to those who criticized him for his daughter’s actions, he captioned the clip, “Never claimed to be perfect, but I strive to be the best father possible. #DaddyDuties”
TMZreported that the boxer’s 19-year-old daughter, whose nickname is Yaya, stabbed another woman, Lapattra Lashai Jacobs, in a confrontation over her boyfriend NBA Youngboy, 20. She was arrested Saturday morning at around 1:30 a.m. and held in Houston’s Harris County jail.
Iyanna Mayweather mugshot (Credit: Harris County Police Department)
Yaya was charged with felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after attacking the young woman who is the mother of rapper NBA Youngboy’s child. There has been no update on Jacobs’ condition.
Yaya has since been released on a $30,000 bond and will reportedly plead not guilty to the attack. She was also was seen back in the rapper’s home, by his side, with him calling her his “wife” like nothing happened.
The last few months have been rough for Mayweather’s family. In March, law enforcement sources were puzzled by the circumstances surrounding the death of Josie Harris, his ex-girlfriend of and mom to three of his children. Floyd’s uncle, Roger, also died after battling illness.
It’s been speculated that all of the upheavals have led Floyd to postpone his return to the ring.
Tyler Perry is out here offering cheer to essential restaurant personnel as the country battles the novel coronavirus pandemic.
During a trip to a Houston’s restaurant in Atlanta on Sunday, Perry surprised each of the 42 unemployed servers with a $500 tip. Perry apparently loves the restaurant chain and has been frequently driving to a location on Northside Parkway to grab some takeout, according to TMZ.
Perry’s generosity added up to more than $21,000, way more than the 20 percent tip.
While restaurant servers have been hard hit by the shutdown of indoor dining as the novel coronavirus outbreak ravages on, huge donations like this go a long way in helping workers recoup some of their lost wages due to tips. Adding to the tough time, federal money may get delayed by up to 20 weeks, TMZ reported.
Perry is one of the most generous celebrities in entertainment.
He has flown supplies to hurricane-ravaged areas, including The Bahamas last September after Hurricane Dorian caused significant damages. In November, Perry paid a $14,000 medical bill for an Atlanta couple after they were stranded in Mexico, a source told PEOPLE. Tori Austin and fiancé Stephen Johnson were on a Carnival Dream cruise when Johnson, 31, became ill. Johnson was later diagnosed with pancreatitis and diabetes. He was admitted and treated at a hospital in Progreso, Mexico and spent several days in intensive care.
When the couple was told they couldn’t leave the hospital until the bill was paid, Perry helped them out.
The Georgia Department of Public Health has confirmed the state has 6,742 COVID-19 cases. According to The Atlanta-Journal Constitution, 219 people have died from the disease.
Fulton County, in which Atlanta is the county seat, leads the state with 970 cases.
Actor Delroy Lindo was a whole mood on Twitter for the way he seemingly handled a white reporter’s question regarding the n-word.
The scenario actually played out in an old clip from Lindo’s CBS show, The Good Fight. In the clip, the veteran actor challenges white newscasters after they suggest that there’s a double standard when it comes down to who can use the n-word. The show, a spin-off of The Good Wife, is set to begin its fourth season on April 9, according to Media, Entertainment, Arts Worldwide (MEAWW).
In the viral clip from the show’s second season, Lindo, who plays attorney, Adrian Boseman, is a panelist on a TV news show where newscasters are discussing “Is racism a one-way street?”
Lindo listens quietly as a white man, also a panelist, explains how white people feel victimized by racism. “I see racism against whites every day. Every single day. Yet, I’m a racist for pointing that out?”
Still choosing not to comment, a white newscaster interjects, “I think Chuck is pointing out a double standard here. Take Hip-Hop. We’ve talked about this on the show before. You have African American rappers saying n-word this and n-word that, but a Caucasian can’t.”
It is at this moment that Lindo calmly shoots back, “So, say it. Say the word you want to say.” The newscaster says he can’t say the n-word but Lindo urges him to get it out. “Sure you can. Say it right now… I will say it with you.”
When another panelist calls Lindo hypocritical for suggesting that the newscaster can utter the word without repercussions, Lindo says: “Sure you can. This is America!” and then proceeds to try and help them by saying the first syllable of the racial slur.
It is unclear why the old clip has resurfaced and gone viral, but people across social media were clearly here for Lindo’s response. One Twitter user pointed out, “You would think Delroy Lindo was acting here… but he wasn’t. This is 243 years of collective ‘tired of your sh*t’ right here.”
You would think Delroy Lindo was acting here… but he wasn’t.
