South Africa's women's football coach Desiree Ellis welcomes a new Women's Champions League, but regrets the loss of a Women's Afcon.
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Friday, July 3, 2020
Diddy Gifts 14-Year-Old Fashion Entrepreneur With $25K Business Grant On Ellen
Fashion isn’t the easiest industry to break into. One boy was not only able to beat the odds and launch his own clothing brand but he also was able to catch the eye of music and fashion mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs.
Philadelphia native Trey Brown is the 14-year-old owner of SPERGO, a boutique fashion collection that includes sweatsuits, hoodies, boxer briefs, and accessories for both genders as well as children. The clothing company has already garnered a loyal celebrity following with people like rapper DaBaby, Meek Mill, and others spotted wearing his clothes.
On a recent appearance on Ellen, Brown discussed how Diddy was one of his biggest inspirations and fueled his desire to open a business at an early age. “When I started, I looked at Mr. Sean for inspiration,” he said on the show according to AfroTech. “He’s from New York. He’s a hustler, just like me.” The host of the popular show then revealed that she had arranged for Brown to meet his idol and presented him with a business grant to expand his company.
“This kid would call me every single day. I don’t know how he got my number. And he didn’t regular-call me neither,” Diddy said on the show before presenting Brown with a $25,000 check.
“He would FaceTime me and I was just blown away by his tenacity, by his focus, the quality of his manufacturing, you are a prime example of who we are going to be giving out Black Excellence Entrepreneurial grants to.”
Having Mr. Sean Combs @diddy as my mentor and meeting Mr. Corey @coreysjacobs is one of my greatest blessings. ——- I sent Mr. Sean a message July 2018, he posted my video August 2018. That day my website sold out of EVERYTHING. Got my first wholesale deal. 
I’ve always admired Mr. Sean and Biggie since I was little and loving music. So to meet him was a dream come true and have him as a mentor is out of this world amazing! 
DRIP 
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Missouri boy, 8, organizes Black Lives Matter march for kids
Eight-year-old Nolan Davis led a march for hundreds of children in his Kirkwood, Missouri community on last Saturday, June 27.
“I’m worried about Black people, like me, getting hurt. Some skin is like chocolate. Some is like vanilla. Some is mixed together like mine. But we’re all people,” Davis said through a megaphone according to CNN.
READ MORE: Educators march on Georgia’s state capitol to say, ‘Kids’ Lives Matter’
Davis, who is Black, is adopted along with his five-year-old sister, Caroline. Their parents, Kristin and Ryan Davis, have been participating in rallies in the St. Louis area since the May 25 police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Nolan’s speech kicking off his children’s march in Kirkwood today! #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/1CYheQ44z6
— Ryan Davis (@rytdavis24) June 27, 2020
Nolan joined his parents at some of those rallies and had the idea to plan one just for children.
Kristin Davis told The Washington Post that she began seriously thinking about race after adopting Nolan eight years ago. Now, she said she co-chairs the racial equity committee at her children’s school, and takes cues from Black parents about how to raise her children.
She said that it is difficult to explain to her children the greater issues of systemic racism in America that contribute to police killings. However, her once her son had an understanding of some of what was going on, he “wanted to speak out more for the rights of people who look like him.”
The rally brought out over 700 people, including children and their parents. They marched from a local park to a neighboring shopping district with the support of the police in the community.
Today’s Black Lives Matter march in Kirkwood was amazing. We are very proud of Keysor kid Nolan Davis for using his voice and organizing the march. This is what community looks like!
pic.twitter.com/R2T5lZVxAN
— Keysor Elem School (@keysorpride) June 27, 2020
Upon returning to the park, the children drew hopeful messages on the ground in chalk.
Talking to children about the Black Lives Matter movement can be challenging. A United Kingdom website published a 20-page guide called, “A Parent’s Guide to Black Lives Matter.”
Join @BigBird, @Elmo and @AbbyCadabbySST from @SesameStreet for Coming Together: Standing Up to Racism, a CNN/Sesame Street Town Hall for kids and families, Saturday morning at 10 a.m. ET pic.twitter.com/izMHtf4QHq
— CNN (@CNN) June 5, 2020
READ MORE: Alicia Keys to host ‘Kids, Race and Unity: A Nick News Special‘
On Saturday, June 6, CNN and Sesame Street aired, Coming Together: Standing up to Racism. The beloved children’s characters explained the peaceful protests taking place around the country. In it, Elmo’s dad made his debut where he explained, “Not all streets are like Sesame Street.”
“Not all streets are like Sesame Street. … What we are seeing is people saying ‘enough is enough.’ They want to end racism.”@Elmo’s dad Louie explains why people are protesting across the US. https://t.co/icV04F4FNW #CNNSesameStreet pic.twitter.com/1efrMAzZ8V
— CNN (@CNN) June 6, 2020
The following week, the network and Sesame Street teamed up again to explain the coronavirus pandemic to kids with The ABCs of COVID 19: A CNN/Sesame Street Town Hall for Kids and Parents.
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Atlanta Hawks State Farm Arena Will Become a Voting Precinct for Upcoming Elections
The Atlanta Hawks have announced a partnership with Fulton County to transform the State Farm Arena into Georgia’s largest-ever voting precinct for next month’s runoff and this November’s upcoming general elections.
With a runoff election already planned for later this summer, people will be allowed to take part in the political process starting with early voting on July 20 for the Georgia General Primary Runoff Election on Aug. 11. This partnership will allow tens of thousands of voters to cast their ballots for the upcoming elections. The size of the arena will allow voters to maintain the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended social distancing requirements at the state-of-the-art facility. Fulton County Registration & Elections will also be able to conduct other election support operations at the site, including absentee ballot processing and more.
Starting on July 20, we will become Georgia’s largest-ever voting precinct.
We are proud to partner with Fulton County to give all registered Fulton County residents the ability to vote early at our arena.
Read more: https://t.co/RhFbkgq7y3 pic.twitter.com/P8zFeFEics
— State Farm Arena (@StateFarmArena) June 29, 2020
“Fulton County is grateful to the entire Atlanta Hawks organization for being an outstanding partner,” said Chairman Robb Pitts in a written statement. “Tony Ressler, Steve Koonin, and their organization have once again demonstrated that the Hawks are True to Atlanta.”
“When our ownership group purchased the Hawks & State Farm Arena five years ago, we were clear that we felt it was our responsibility to make sure the organization was an important civic asset to the city of Atlanta. Utilizing State Farm Arena and our incredible staff to make the arena an accessible and vital polling site in an important election year is a fulfillment on that promise,” said Atlanta Hawks & State Farm Arena Principal Owner Tony Ressler.
“State Farm Arena is an ideal solution to help us serve thousands of voters while maintaining social distancing requirements,” said Mary Carole Cooney, Chairperson of the Fulton County Board of Registration & Elections. “We appreciate the Hawks for coming to us with this creative solution.”
The Hawks Foundation will also be providing free parking to people coming to the venue to vote. More than 1,500 parking spots surrounding the arena will provide complimentary parking.
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Thursday, July 2, 2020
Jay-Z’s Team Roc calls for prosecution of cop who fatally shot three men
Jay-Z and his Team Roc organization are calling for the prosecution of the Wisconsin officer who fatally shot 3 Black men.
Officer Joseph Mensah has come under fire after his third killing of a man of color in the city. The first shooting occurred in 2015, about six months after he was hired by the department, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
In 2015, Antonio Gonzales died after Mensha pumped eight bullets into him, six shots killed Jay Anderson in 2016, and he fired five to kill Alvin Cole in February 2020, per the Wall Street Journal,
In response, three activist groups: Team ROC, Until Freedom and Gathering for Justice, called out District Attorney John Chisholm in a full-page ad in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on July 2.
READ MORE: Uncle Luke slams Jay Z ––NFL ‘token Black guy’ ––for Super Bowl acts
JAY-Z's Team Roc calls for the prosecution of police officer who has killed 3 men of color
The social justice sector of Roc Nation wrote an open letter in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel to Milwaukee DA @DAJohnChisholm,calling for the firing & prosecution of officer Joseph Mensah pic.twitter.com/RvDfh7jSCV
— JAY-Z Daily (@JAY_Z_Daily) July 2, 2020
“How many more people must die at the hands of Officer Joseph Mensah?” the ad says. “Since joining the Wauwatosa Police Department in 2015, Mensah has shot and killed THREE men of colour — Alvin Cole, Antonio Gonzales and Jay Anderson — with an excessive total of NINETEEN fired shots. His actions demonstrate an utter disregard for the lives of these young men.”
Calls for Officer Mensah’s firing have increased in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Memorial Day. In the weeks since his death, nationwide protests have over police reform and social injustices have dominated the news cycle.
“If you fail to prosecute Mensah, you’re doing a disservice to the legacies of Alvin Cole, Antonio Gonzales and Jay Anderson, ignoring the lives of black, brown and LGBTQ citizens in your county and essentially allowing for the possibility of a future catastrophe,” said the advertisement in the Journal Sentinel.
The ad demands Mensah’s immediate termination and that he be prosecuted “to ensure he never kills anyone again.”
The activists also call on Chisholm to mandate body cams for all police officers.
Jay-Z published a similar ad following the death of George Floyd in New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune and the Philadelphia Inquirer.
The ad included a quote from Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1965 address in Selma, Alabama.
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Herman Cain hospitalized with COVID-19 after attending Trump rally
Herman Cain has been hospitalized with COVID-19 at an Atlanta-area hospital, where he is reportedly “alert” and doing well.
The 2012 Republican presidential candidate tested positive for the virus on Monday, less than two weeks after attending President Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Tulsa, Daily Mail reports.
He tweeted a photo of himself in the stands showing he was not wearing a mask and not social distancing. The image was captioned: “Here’s just a few of the #BlackVoicesForTrump at tonight’s rally! Having a fantastic time!”
At 74-years-old, Cain is in the high-risk group for contracting the deadly contagion. He is also a cancer survivor.
READ MORE: Joe Biden says George Floyd’s death had more global impact than King assassination
The politician reportedly did not meet with the president at the Tulsa rally, but eight members of Trump’s advance team have also tested positive for the coronavirus, Washington Post reports.
We are sorry to announce that Herman Cain has tested positive for COVID-19, and is currently receiving treatment in an Atlanta-area hospital.
Please keep him, and all who are battling this virus, in your prayers.
Our full statement appears below. Updates to follow. pic.twitter.com/lDRW7Rla4e
— Herman Cain (@THEHermanCain) July 2, 2020
Cain was hospitalized Wednesday after developing “serious” symptoms but is “awake and alert,” according to a statement on his official Twitter account.
“There is no way of knowing for sure how or where Mr. Cain contracted the coronavirus, but we do know he is a fighter who has beaten Stage 4 cancer,” the statement says.
Ironically, less than 24 hours ago, Cain posted that “masks will not be mandatory” at Trump’s upcoming Mount Rushmore rally in South Dakota and that “People Are Fed Up” with social distancing.
Here’s just a few of the #BlackVoicesForTrump at tonight’s rally! Having a fantastic time!#TulsaRally2020 #Trumptulsa #TulsaTrumprally #MAGA #Trump2020 #Trump2020Landslide pic.twitter.com/27mUzkg7kL
— Herman Cain (@THEHermanCain) June 20, 2020
Cain wrote an op-ed about his experience in Tulsa, which saw only a little more than 6,000 people fill an arena that holds 19,000.
“The atmosphere was electric, and the president’s words were inspiring,” he wrote in the Western Journal. “He presented a vision for uniting the country, overcoming the remaining effects of the pandemic and reinvigorating an economy he had going strong before the coronavirus showed up.”
Trump’s campaign spokesperson, Tim Murtaugh, insists that Cain did not meet with the president at the event, or any other senior campaign or administration officials.
Masks will not be mandatory for the event, which will be attended by President Trump. PEOPLE ARE FED UP!https://t.co/Oykdz4xThD
— Herman Cain (@THEHermanCain) July 1, 2020
Murtaugh noted that “contact tracing was conducted after the Tulsa rally but we do not comment regarding the medical information of individuals.”
“We honestly have no idea where he contracted it. I realize people will speculate about the Tulsa rally, but Herman did a lot of traveling the past week, including to Arizona where cases are spiking,” said Dan Calabrese, editor of HermanCain.com, said Thursday in a post on Cain’s website.
“I don’t think there’s any way to trace this to the one specific contact that caused him to be infected. We’ll never know,” he added.
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NFL to play Black national anthem before week 1 games: report
In an effort to highlight the victims of police brutality, the NFL will play “Lift Every Voice and Sing” — considered the Black National Anthem — before each game in Week 1 of the upcoming season.
An insider spilled to The Undefeated on Thursday that the song will be performed live or played before “The Star-Spangled Banner,” ESPN reports.
Award-winning journalist Jemele Hill reacted to the news on Twitter, writing “I can’t wait until the NFL figures out nobody black knows the second verse of Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
READ MORE: Malcolm Jenkins isn’t sure the NFL should play this season
An earlier report published on theGRIO noted that many of us are able to hum at least the first stanza from memory, but not many know the background of the “Lift Every Voice and Sing” (or “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing”).
I can’t wait until the NFL figures out nobody black knows the second verse of Lift Every Voice and Sing
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) July 2, 2020
The song started as a poem. It was first recited in the year 1900 by 500 schoolchildren at the all black Stanton School in Jacksonville, Florida, as a tribute to President Abraham Lincoln’s birthday.
James Weldon Johnson, a civil rights activist, lawyer, and principal of the Stanton School, wrote “Lift Every Voice and Sing” to introduce famed educator Booker T. Washington, who was visiting the school at the time. Johnson’s brother, John Rosamond Johnson put the poem to music and it officially became a song.
In 1919, the NAACP adopted the song as its official “Negro national anthem” and it enjoyed widespread distribution and celebration. The song experienced a resurgence during the civil rights movement.
In addition to the song being played before every game in Week 1 of the NFL season, the Players Association is working with the league to allow the names of victims of police brutality on the back of player’s jerseys instead of their last name.
“People are saying that social justice will be off of everybody’s mind in Orlando,” Thunder point guard Chris Paul told ESPN’s Marc Spears. “With these jerseys, it doesn’t go away.”
READ MORE: Goodell says he ‘encourages’ NFL teams to sign Kaepernick
It's time we all step up. #InspireChange (via @dsleon45) pic.twitter.com/lUSfjvvKHV
— NFL (@NFL) July 1, 2020
Paul said players who want to participate can promote other causes and charities not related to social injustice.
“The guys I talked to were definitely excited,” Paul told Spears. “The reason I’m passionate and excited about it is that it gives a voice to the voiceless.”
According to the report, the back of the jersey could feature the name of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor or phrases like “Black Lives Matter” and “I Can’t Breathe.”
The NFL’s season opener kicks off Sept. 10, with the Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Houston Texans.
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A call to remove J. Edgar Hoover’s name from the FBI headquarters
The death of Floyd George and the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement has led to calls to remove monuments and rename buildings in honor of racist white men. J. Edgar Hoover, the infamous head of the FBI, is the latest person worthy of condemnation.
Hoover’s name should have been removed from the FBI headquarters a long time ago, though he should not have been honored in the first place. He was a consummate enemy of Black America who protected the Klansmen who bombed the Black church in Birmingham, Alabama and killed four little girls. His time is up.
READ MORE: Lawmakers press FBI to release report on white supremacists inside police departments
On Sept. 15, 1963, four African American girls — Carole Robertson, Cynthia Wesley, and Addie Mae Collins, 14, and Denise McNair, 11 — were murdered when a bomb ripped through the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in a barbaric act of white domestic terror. Say their names. Addie Mae’s sister, Sarah, was also blinded and lost an eye.
It was a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement. The FBI knew the identities of the men who bombed the church, and yet it took nearly 40 years to bring all of them to justice. This is because Hoover withheld evidence in the case, and refused to share information with prosecutors because “the chance of successful prosecution in State or Federal Court is very remote” and he did not believe an Alabama jury would convict white men for the murder of Black children.
Robert Chambliss was convicted of murder in 1977, and Thomas Blanton, Jr. and Bobby Frank Cherry were convicted and imprisoned in 2001 and 2002, respectively. Chambliss died behind bars in 1985, Cherry died in 2004, and Blanton died Friday.
READ MORE: Thomas Blanton, 1963 KKK bomber of 16th St. Baptist Church in Birmingham, dies
Leaving behind a five-decade legacy of violence, racial terror and an undermining of justice and the rule of law, Hoover was an enemy of the people, of Black people, and the destroyer of popular social justice movements in the U.S. Hoover was destroying Black leaders since Marcus Garvey, whom he called a “notorious negro agitator.”
The Black nationalist leader of the United Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) was a target of Hoover since 1917. The bureau monitored Garvey and planted spies in his organization, undermined his Black-owned shipping company known as the Black Star Line, arrested him on trumped-up mail fraud charges and deported him.
But Hoover did not stop there. Hoover cut his teeth with Garvey, honing his skills in the disruption of Black leadership, and applying his experience with Garvey to eliminate a new generation of civil rights and Black Power movement activists.
It is no hyperbole or conspiracy theory to say that Hoover plotted to destroy Black America, its movements for freedom and self-determination, and its leaders. With his COINTELPRO Program (Counterintelligence Program), Hoover waged a war on Black people and “the Left,” and broke the law to do it through covert means — illegal wiretaps, forgery, false rumors, blackmail and other means.
The goal of COINTELPRO was to “Prevent the RISE OF A ‘MESSIAH’ who could unify, and electrify the militant Black nationalist movement.
Malcolm X might have been such a ‘messiah;’ he is the martyr of the movement today,” according to an FBI memo:
“Martin Luther King, Stokely Carmichael and Elijah Muhammed all aspire to this position. Elijah Muhammed is less of a threat because of his age. King could be a very real contender for this position should he abandon his supposed ‘obedience’ to ‘white, liberal doctrines’ (nonviolence) and embrace black nationalism. Carmichael has the necessary charisma to be a real threat in this way.”
READ MORE: 15 Malcolm X quotes we need to right now
The program also sought to prevent violence on the part of Black organizations, and prevent them from forming coalitions, gaining respectability and growing long-term among young people. In reality, a Black organization did not have to be radical or violent to merit surveillance from the FBI. Just being Black was enough.
That Hoover was allegedly a Black man passing for white — at least that is what his purported Black relatives say— only complicates matters.
Hoover called King the “most notorious liar” in America, and said the Black Panther Party’s free breakfast program for children was “potentially the greatest threat to efforts by authorities to neutralize the BPP and destroy what it stands for.” And he went after Black independent bookstores, which he said: “represent propaganda outlets for revolutionary and hate publications and culture centers for extremism.”
The infiltration, surveillance, disruption and neutralization of Black organizations also led to the assassination of beloved Black leaders. Malcolm X, gone. Dr. King, gone. Hoover didn’t pull the trigger, but he had blood on his hands nonetheless.
A problematic agency whose racist founder wielded power ruthlessly, unchecked and without accountability, the FBI remains an overwhelmingly white-male organization. The bureau was slow to classify white supremacists as domestic terrorists, even as it invented from whole cloth the term “Black Identity Extremists” in an effort to criminalize the Black Lives Matter movement.
If Black lives truly matter, then the name Hoover must be struck from the FBI building and any other building in America. We have reached a point where racial violence and state repression against Black people will no longer be tolerated, and the frontmen for white supremacy must be toppled.
Just as Princeton announced that it will remove Woodrow Wilson’s name, and Mississippi has divested itself of the Confederate flag, Hoover’s time has come. Take his name down.
Follow David A. Love on Twitter at @davidalove.
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This Woman Is Creating Custom Dolls For Little Girls Of Color With Curly Hair
The curly hair revolution has taken over the hair industry.
According to the Healthy Roots Doll website, 65% percent of the world’s population is said to have curly or wavy hair and now there is more of a push to show that in media representation for young children. Toys can impact how children think, act, and perceive others and themselves. For one black woman, her journey in finding self-confidence led to a new business opportunity for little girls with big curls.
Yelitsa Jean-Charles is the founder of Healthy Root Dolls, a company that allows customers to create custom dolls for their young girls. Jean-Charles says she got the idea after reimagining one of the Disney princesses for a class project while she was in school. “While I was at the Rhode Island School of Design, one of my class assignments was to redesign a fairytale character. I reimagined Rapunzel as a young Black girl with beautiful natural hair to show that we could be princesses too,” said Charles in an email interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE.
“After a few of my classmates mentioned my project looked like a doll, I discovered that many of us never had dolls that looked like us growing up. Reflecting on my own experiences growing up, I wanted to do more than paint a doll brown. I wanted to design a doll with hair girls could wash and style so they could learn to love their natural hair. I created Healthy Roots Dolls because no one should feel less than because of the kink of their curl or color of their skin.”
Zoe is the name of Charles’ first doll to be released. She hopes the doll can help other girls feel confident about their curls. In her TED Talk, she talks about the value of children and young adults seeing representation of themselves across media, hoping her dolls will leave a positive impact. “Zoe is the first and only doll with hair full of curl power that can be washed and styled with products like real hair. Healthy Roots Dolls provides an educational experience around hair play teaching kids how to care for their own hair by practicing on Zoe’s,” she explained.
“Providing children with dolls that represent the diversity of the world can help children to celebrate our differences. It also helps parent’s unpack the issues that we have in our culture about race and identity by exposing them to the people they will interact with in the world. I’m so happy that Healthy Roots Dolls is playing a role in conversations about diversity and equity.”
The company is set to launch this September but is currently taking pre-orders on its website.
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Steve Harvey’s Former Business Manager Rushion McDonald Shares Keys to Entrepreneurial Success
Sometimes things don’t work out the way you anticipate, but that doesn’t mean that you failed. In some cases, being veered away from your original plan can actually put you in a better position. That was the case for Rushion McDonald.
As McDonald is still proving, nothing can stop a person when ambition and work ethic is by your side. Mix that with great business sense and you have no choice but to end up with success. The busy entrepreneur took time to speak to BLACK ENTERPRISE about how his work ethic and drive have led him to be in a position to change in ways that keep him relevant.
You have a program entitled Money Making Conversations with Rushion McDonald, what is the premise of the show and why did you decide to be in front of the camera?
I started my career as a stand-up comedian. Showtime named me one of the top 50 funniest people in America three years in a row. But I’ve always enjoyed writing and producing, which led me to manage Steve Harvey from 2000-2016. That period did not provide me an opportunity to be in from of the camera. My job titles were writer, producer, and manager. I co-created and executive produced the Steve Harvey Morning Radio Show, created and executive produced the Hoodie Awards/Neighborhood from 2001-2016. I consulted and relaunched the syndicated Family Feud series with Steve Harvey as the host, marketed and branded three consecutive No. 1 New York Times best-sellers. Executive produced two blockbuster movies, Think Like A Man and Think Like A Man Too, and launched and executive produced the Steve Harvey daytime talk show from 2012-2016. So, when I stopped managing Steve Harvey, I realized I did not have a brand, except as his manager and needed a platform to build my legacy, so I launched Money Making Conversations in 2017.
I am using my relationships to provide the consumer and business owner access to celebrities, CEOs, entrepreneurs, and influencers. I want to stop people from tripping over small challenges and prepare them to rise above the more significant obstacles that they will face in life. The Money Making Conversations interviews provide relatable information to the listener about career and financial planning, entrepreneurship, motivation, leadership, overcoming the odds, and how to live a balanced life.
What do you think are the most important characteristics and/or attributes to become a successful entrepreneur and what is/was yours that helped you succeed?
I firmly believe that a person’s level of success is based on work ethic. Consistency, eliminating harmful habits, staying focused, and multitasking effectively is some of the lessons I share on my podcast. Most of all, you must set your high standards, not simply let other people set standards for you. Mentors are important because you should not seek advice from people who cannot understand or relate to your dreams, business, or career aspirations.
How do you balance your workload?
I understand the value of multitasking and preparation. There are 24 hours in a clock, and you have to learn to take advantage of each hour. You cannot be afraid to take time off because you are scared that you might miss an opportunity. You can never be afraid of change or missed opportunity. And don’t allow lack of experience to stop you from reaching your dreams either. That is why it is important to have mentors in your life. Surround yourself with smart people who you can trust, and maintain a leadership balance in your business that does not undermine your authority. As I often say: “Hope is not a plan; a written plan is a plan.”
What can we expect from you in the near future?
I am a business manager to Stephen A. Smith; we are executive producing and developing television projects. I am producing and marketing the 2020 HBCU Week platform in Wilmington, Delaware. Last year, nearly $4 million was awarded to incoming HBCU students. I am developing another HBCU platform that recognizes the positive impact of HBCUs, institutions: churches, barbershops, and beauty salons, and influencers on the African American culture in business, entertainment, and education. I am buying an office building in Atlanta to create and produce shows under my 3815 Media company.
What type of advice would you give to anyone who is pursuing a career in the entertainment industry and wants to become an entrepreneur?
When pursuing a career in entertainment or entrepreneurship, always be prepared for change. Regardless of age or stage in your success, don’t let the changes in life that are happening around you become a shock to your career. Always keep evolving, keep pushing yourself out of your comfort zones, and keep surprises at a minimum, “Always stay ahead of Ignorance.”
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Florida officer fired after punching Black woman in viral video
A Miami-Dade Police officer has been fired after a video of him punching a Black woman started circulating on social media. The officer, who has been identified as Antonio Clemente Rodriguez, was “relieved of duty” yesterday.
The exact date of the incident is not clear. However, it took place at Miami International Airport, and the officers present were all wearing masks while the woman involved was not.
READ MORE: White woman in Sacramento gets punched after calling Black woman the N-word
The video was shared on Twitter by Billy Corben, the director of Cocaine Cowboys, and an avid critic of police violence.
#BREAKING: @MiamiDadePD cop hits woman at Miami International Airport @iflymia #BecauseMiami pic.twitter.com/KnAVipZKtb
— Billy Corben (@BillyCorben) July 2, 2020
Miami-Dade Police Department Director, Alfredo “Freddy” Ramirez III, wrote that he is “shocked and angered by a body cam video that I just saw involving one of our officers.”
The footage shows a Black woman arguing with a police officer, although only her side of the conversation is clearly heard. In the video, she says, “Don’t walk up on me, for real.” She then tells him, “What you wanna do?”
She approaches the officer, and says, “You think you white, but you really Black.” At which point, Rodriguez punches her in the face and tackles her to the ground, handcuffing her. In the video, after the punch, the officer is heard saying, “She headbutted me.”
“Actions such as these undermine the hard work that we have invested in our community and causes my heart to break for our community and for the vast majority of our officers who dedicate their lives to serving our County.” Director Ramirez wrote on Twitter.
I am shocked and angered by a body cam video that i just saw involving one of our officers. I’ve immediately initiated an investigation and ordered that the involved officers be relieved of duty. Actions such as these undermine the hard work that we have invested in (1 of 3)…
— Alfredo “Freddy” Ramirez III (@MDPD_Director) July 2, 2020
He stated that he is referring the case to State Attorney Kathy Fernandez Rundle.
However, Corben pointed out on Twitter that Rundle has never prosecuted a police officer for an on-duty killing in her 27-year career as State Attorney.
More on Miami-Dade State Attorney Kathy Rundle: #DarrenRainey, a mentally ill inmate serving 2 years for drug possession, was locked in a shower for 2 hours by prison guards, who rigged the water to 160 degrees and boiled him to death. @KathyFndzRundle covered up his murder. pic.twitter.com/KbBUGxB2Ov
— Billy Corben (@BillyCorben) July 2, 2020
READ MORE: BLM protester punched in front of police, no arrests made
Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez called the incident “appalling” and “unnecessary.” He noted, “this is why I instituted body cameras & MDPD is reviewing all footage.”
This is appalling. It’s excessive use of force and unnecessary. That’s NOT what our @MiamiDadePD are trained to do. @MDPD_Director Ramirez has ordered the officer relieved of duty & investigation is underway. This is why I instituted body cameras & MDPD is reviewing all footage. https://t.co/KHDsEohBym
— Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez (@MayorGimenez) July 2, 2020
The name of the woman involved has not been released, nor whether she is facing charges.
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The post Florida officer fired after punching Black woman in viral video appeared first on TheGrio.
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New Chicago Mobile Drive-In Movie Theater Provides Safe Summer Fun
Due to the spread of COVID-19 and the resultant social distancing restrictions, many are having trouble adjusting to a summer without traditional activities. With restaurants still in the early stages of reopening and large-scale events shut down for the foreseeable future, it seems like most of our summer plans are canceled.
But two Chicago-based entrepreneurs have decided to use the coronavirus as an opportunity to make an old-time staple relevant again.
Percy Scott and Rita Lee are the creators of PR Pop-Ups, a mobile drive-in operation that provides a fun family outing option during the new normal.
“We came together to start PR Pop-Ups because of COVID-19. When it hit, we were looking for things to be out-of-the-box, different, and had to change the way we do business,” said Scott in an interview with Chicago Defender. “With our marketing company [Global 360 Marketing], people stopped doing concerts and having concerts because they could not get anymore due to COVID. We were talking, and Rita came up with the idea to do a drive-in.”
“We wanted to do PR Pop-Ups to give the communities of the south suburbs and people of our culture some normalcy during the time of panic,” Lee added. “When McHenry [drive-in] opened, we thought we would be the balancer in distance and an opportunity for the families to do some nostalgia and come together. Everybody is saying stay home, but we need each other to heal from all viruses.”
Currently, the drive-in operates in the Chicago suburbs with plans to spread across the area. “A lot of times, the south suburbs [of Chicago] are the first to get hit the hardest and the last to receive any help. We wanted to make sure that we did it here in the south suburbs first,” said Scott.
“We did our first drive-in pop-up in Harvey, on Mother’s Day weekend and SOLD OUT. We were right here in Harvey hosting another drive-in while all the looting and rioting was going on in Chicago and suburbs. Here, at PR Pop-ups in Harvey, we had no clue what was going on outside of our environment for that moment. It was like the United Nations here–everybody loving, laughing, enjoying a wonderful experience even amid apparent turmoil around us.”
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White Hampton Inn Employee Fired After Calling Police on Black Family Using Swimming Pool
A white woman who was an employee at a Williamston hotel in North Carolina has been fired after she called police on a Black woman and her children who were guests swimming in the hotel pool, according to USA Today.
A Black woman, Anita Williams-Wright, who was with her children at a Hampton Inn in Williamston, North Carolina, was at the hotel swimming pool when a white employee and two white police officers approached her asking if she belonged there. Williams-Wright started a Facebook Live as she showed the interaction she was having with them.
She also placed the video on her Instagram page.
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The woman’s job was terminated by Hampton Inn. A statement was placed on the Hampton by Hilton Facebook page.
“Hampton by Hilton has zero tolerance for racism or discrimination of any kind. On Saturday, we were alerted to an online video of a guest incident at one of our franchise properties. We moved quickly to identify the hotel and the guest, so that we could make contact and review the matter.
Even as we communicated our expectations to the ownership and management of the Williamston property on Sunday, we learned that the team member is no longer employed at the hotel. We have apologized directly to the guest and her family for their experience, and will work with them and the hotel to make this right. We remain in contact with the hotel’s ownership about follow up actions, and to ensure that in the future, their employees reflect the best values of our brand and are welcoming of all.”
“The Williamston Police Department takes the complaint process very seriously and has initiated an internal investigation surrounding our response to this call for service,” the department said in a written statement to ABC News. “Our office will conduct a thorough and complete internal investigation. We appreciate the public’s concern and efforts to make us aware of this incident.”
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