Publisher's Message
A
s we enter into the 4th quarter of 2016, there are several historic events to take place in the near future, namely the United States Presidential election on November 8th, will be historic if either Hillary Clinton is elected as the first female president of the United States; or/ if Donald Trump, wins as a candidate who has no political or legislative experience, but is an entrepreneur. It is my hope that whoever is elected, as a nation that we are Americans will be willing to put aside their political differences and remember more than anything, we all Americans, no matter our ethnicity, gender or background. United we can stand, but divided we will fall and fail miserably as a nation. Pubisher/Chief Executive Officer So what will it take for us to become united as a nation? First and foremost we must look at and address the disparities that exist in what some of the presidential candidates referred to as a “rigged system.” While keeping a fact-check filter on the rhetoric that is ever-present on most political and presidential races, I do agree with the assertion recently made by one of the candidates that “the system is rigged.” However, I disagree with the insinuation that it will be African Americans, Hispanics and minorities in inner cities that are part of the conspiracy. Unfortunately, the candidate’s remarks were missing some of the facts associated with America’s “rigged system” towards minorities, and in particular, African Americans. Since the first Civil Rights Act (CRA) was enacted in 1870, the inherently racist structure has systematically set-up barriers designed to “keep them in their place,” and blatantly prevented African Americans the right to vote. African Americans endured lynching, beatings, verbal abuse and disenfranchisement in states determined to keep the voting process free of their vote. While the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, aimed to overcome legal barriers at the state and local levels that prevented African Americans from voting is considered among the most far-reaching pieces of civil rights legislation in U.S. history. Sadly, it did not prevent the “obstructionist” from developing new deny “them” their civil rights tactics. Lynchings, beatings and disenfranchisement was replaced by gerrymandering - a practice that attempts to establish a political advantage for a party or group by manipulating district boundaries to create partisan-advantaged districts. In this rigged system, there is also the use of “voter suppression,” which is strategy deployed to influence the outcome of an election by discouraging or preventing people from exercising the right to vote. Tactics have included overzealous voter ID requirements, barriers to voter registration, provisional ballots, long lines, inequality in resource distribution at the polls; and disenfranchisement of citizens with past felony convictions. America’s justice and legal system, unfortunately is another
Earl “Skip” Cooper, II
Black Business News Group P.O. Box 43159 Los Angeles, CA 90043 USA 323-291-7819 Fax: 323-298-5064
www.blackbusinessnews.net PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Earl “Skip” Cooper, II
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About
ABOUT THE BLACK BUSINESS NEWS GROUP… The mission of The Black Business News is to inspire and inform public and private sector industry representatives on the importance of smart small business growth. As a versatile source of socioeconomic development activity news, the publications of the Black Business News Group impart current local, national and international industry and social trends and news affecting small businesses across the United States of America (USA), providing guides to greater access to financial capital, management efficiencies, business education, mentorship opportunities and social media networks. The goals of the Black Business News Group include:
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Contents
Black Business News…October 2016 3
Publisher's Message
80
Michelle Obama: "This Issue is Personal for Me" 82 "JAZZ ON THE LAWN" 85 Cathy Hughes School of Communication Established
Government 10 Boosting Africa’s Economic Rise 12 President Obama Casts His Vote Early in Chicago 14 The Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) LittleNoticed Successe
International 92 African Stock Exchanges 96 Why AGOA Matters 100 International Entrepreneur Rule: The Good, the Bad and the Unknown
Columns
Entertainment 20 BBN Show Biz Buzz
Editorials/ Perspectives
12
74 107 134 136 137
Take A Look! Shopping Gallery Books to Consider... BBA Master Planner Resource Vault
24 40 Years of Elected t d Public P bli Service S i Excellence - Tribute To Maxine Waters 28 Republican Party Rejects Black Voters, Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.
Business 30 Clarence Avant, 'Godfather of Black Music,' Receives Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame 32 USPS Requests January Price Hikes 36 Mobilize Your Search 44 Why You Shouldn't Throw Away Your Boarding Pass 45 Columbus Day Replaced By Indigenous Peoples' Day in More Cities, States 50 Introducing Workplace by Facebook 63 Black Robotics Engineers Talk About Robots and Us 78 City National Bank Sponsors BBA Memberships
CommunityPublic Interest
24
BUY BLACK!! THIS HOLIDAY SEASONPAGE 107 AND THROUGHOUT THE
PUBLICATION
5 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
Government
President Obama Marks an Historic Moment in Our Global Efforts to Combat Climate Change Prepared by: Tanya Somanader
T
oday in the Rose Garden, President Obama announced that enough countries have acted to bring the Paris Agreement into force -- a historic step forward in saving the
strong global consensus that reduces carbon pollution and sets the world on a low-carbon course. For the agreement to go into effect, 55 countries representing 55% of global emissions had to formally
President Barack Obama makes historic announcement in the Rose Garden of the White House one planet we’ve got. Watch his remarks: "Today, the world meets the moment. And if we follow through on the commitments that this agreement embodies, history may well judge it as a turning point for our planet." Here's how we got to this point: Last year, leaders from nations across the globe gathered in Paris to announce a historic agreement to combat climate change. The Paris Agreement established the
join. In September, the U.S. and China, countries that represent 40% of emissions, officially joined. And today, the world crossed the threshold needed to bring the Paris Agreement into effect. Read the President's statement below. "Ten months ago, in Paris, I said before the world that we needed a strong global agreement to reduce carbon pollution and to set the world on a low-carbon course. The
result was the Paris Agreement. Last month, the United States and China -- the world’s two largest economies and largest emitters -- formally joined that agreement together. And today, the world has officially crossed the threshold for the Paris Agreement to take effect. "Today, the world meets the moment. And if we follow through on the commitments that this agreement embodies, history may well judge it as a turning point for our planet. "Of course, it took a long time to reach this day. One of the reasons I ran for this office was to make America a leader in this mission. And over the past eight years, we’ve done just that. In 2009, we salvaged a chaotic climate summit in Copenhagen, establishing the principle that all nations have a role to play in combating climate change. And at home, we led by example, with historic investments in growing industries like wind and solar that created a steady stream of new jobs. We set the first-ever nationwide standards to limit the amount of carbon pollution that power plants can dump into the air our children breathe. From the cars and trucks we drive to the homes and businesses in which we live and work, we’ve changed fundamentally the way we consume energy. "Now, keep in mind, the skeptics said these actions would kill jobs. And instead, we saw -- even as we were bringing down these carbon levels -- the longest streak of job
8 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
P
gree Hou
to solve it together. " N o w , the Paris Agreement alone will not solve the climate crisis. Even if we meet every target embodied in the agreement, we’ll only President Barack Obama, President Xi Jinping of China and get to part United Nations Secretary General Ban ki-Moon exchange of where we etings at the conclusion of a climate event at West Lake State need to go. use in Hangzhou, China. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) But make no mistake, this creation in American history. We agreement will help delay or avoid drove economic output to new some of the worst consequences highs. And we drove our carbon of climate change. It will help pollution to its lowest levels in two other nations ratchet down their dangerous carbon emissions over decades. "We continued to lead by example time, and set bolder targets as with our historic joint announcement technology advances, all under a with China two years ago, where strong system of transparency that we put forward even more allows each nation to evaluate the ambitious climate targets. And that progress of all other nations. And by achievement encouraged dozens sending a signal that this is going of other countries to set more to be our future -- a clean energy ambitious climate targets of their future -- it opens up the floodgates own. And that, in turn, paved the for businesses, and scientists, way for our success in Paris -- the and engineers to unleash highidea that no nation, not even one tech, low-carbon investment and as powerful as ours, can solve innovation at a scale that we’ve this challenge alone. All of us have never seen before. So this gives us
the best possible shot to save the one planet we’ve got. "I know diplomacy *can be [isn't always] easy, and progress on the world stage can sometimes be slow. But together, with steady persistent effort, with strong, principled, American leadership, with optimism and faith and hope, we’re proving that it is possible. "And I want to embarrass my Senior Advisor, Brian Deese -who is standing right over there -- because he worked tirelessly to make this deal possible. He, and John Kerry, Gina McCarthy at the EPA, everybody on their teams have done an extraordinary job to get us to this point -- and America should be as proud of them as I am of them. "I also want to thank the people of every nation that has moved quickly to bring the Paris Agreement into force. I encourage folks who have not yet submitted their documentation to enter into this agreement to do so as soon as possible. And in the coming days, let’s help finish additional agreements to limit aviation emissions, to phase down dangerous use of hydrofluorocarbons -- all of which will help build a world that is safer, and more prosperous, and more secure, and more free than the one that was left for us. "That’s our most important mission, to make sure our kids and our grandkids have at least as beautiful a planet, and hopefully more beautiful, than the one that we have. And today, I'm a little more confident that we can get the job done. "So thank you very much, everybody." Watch the President's statement here: www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2016/10/05/ president-obama-marks-historic-momentour-global-efforts-combat-climatechange?utm_source=email&utm_ medium=email&utm_content=email646text3&utm_campaign=climate.
9 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
Government
Boosting Africa’s Economic Rise:
A Look Back at the 2016 U.S.-Africa Business Forum
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he 2nd U.S.-Africa Business Forum was an incredible success, mobilizing $9.1 billion in trade and investment to support African business sectors and setting the groundwork for even greater cooperation and connection between the economies of the United States and African continent. Delegations from 44 African countries, including 29 African heads of state, joined President Barack Obama, Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker, Secretary of State John Kerry, Secretary of the Treasury Jack Lew, hundreds of CEOs from the U.S. and Africa, and media from around the world to recognize opportunities for jobs and growth in both regions.
Highlights from the 2016 U.S.-Africa Business Forum: President Obama announces mobilization of $9.1 billion in capital for Africa at the Forum In addition to announcing over $9 billion mobilized at the U.S.-Africa Business Forum, President Obama reaffirmed the U.S.’s commitment to partnerships in Africa. “And wherever I’ve gone, from Senegal to South Africa, Africans insist they do not just want aid, they want trade. They want partners, not patrons. They want to do business and grow businesses, and create value and companies that will last and that will help to build a great future for the continent. And the United States is determined to be that partner — for the long term — to accelerate the next era of African growth for all Africans.” Mike Bloomberg made the business case for Africa With 200 employees across seven cities in five African countries, Bloomberg LP has a major stake in the continent. As a business owner, Mike Bloomberg discussed how encouraged he was to see African businesses shaping a new generation of innovation and African leaders setting the stage for continued growth. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker stressed the importance of public-private cooperation
Secretary Pritzker outlined the many initiatives undertaken by the United States government to enhance business opportunity and investment on the African continent. But she stressed that these programs cannot stand alone; businesses must invest, build and partner to increase economic diversification and regional integration. "But government efforts alone are not sufficient. If we are going to grow the U.S.-Africa relationship, the business community is an essential partner.” Deals, deals, deals Several deals were announced and signed at the Forum, showcasing the best in both business deals and public-private partnerships. These included: Caterpillar expanding its Africa investment Caterpillar Inc. CEO Doug Oberhelman announced a $1 billion expansion in its investment in business, education and skills training across Africa. Generating wind power in Senegal Senegal President Macky Sall joined Lekela Power, a pan-African renewable energy generation platform for its announcement of a $331 million wind power investment in Senegal, financed by the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC). Financing an African fashion start-up Kupanda Capital, a leading investment and advisory firm established to incubate, capitalize and scale panAfrican companies, announced a significant investment in OXOSI, a start-up online fashion portal showcasing African designers. Energizing Kenya Kenyan Deputy President William Ruto witnessed the announcement of a major investment in Kenya’s power sector by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency in the form of six new grants. Kenyan Infrastructure Development The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) signed a letter of interest with the Government of Kenya in support of the Nairobi-Mombasa Expressway Project. Several U.S. Government agencies, including OPIC, also signed a letter of interest with Bechtel to develop this critical infrastructure project.
10 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
for economic prosperity. Many mirrored the words of President Buhari, who said, “These are no doubt challenging times for the Nigerian economy. But let me use this opportunity to boldly affirm our conviction that there is no crisis without an accompanying opportunity. Getting the word out In addition to the dozens of U.S., African and international media outlets on-site, Bloomberg Television and CNN International partnered with the U.S.-Africa Business Forum. These outlets were onsite taping all day long to bring news of the Forum straight to viewers and listeners around the world. What’s on the mind of CEOs and African Leaders? With so many CEOs, entrepreneurs and government officials in attendance, the Forum provided an excellent opportunity to conduct live President Obama with Jason Furman, Chair, polling to probe the best Council of Economic Advisors business minds about key questions about accelerating growth in Africa. This was done throughout the Heads of State headline conference to help bring important issues to the The Forum featured keynotes and panels with Côte forefront and highlight ideas about the best way forward. d’Ivoire President Alassane Ouattara, Ethiopia Prime The topics covered included: internet accessibility, Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, Ghana President economic diversification, important investments and Jacob Dramani Mahama, Liberia President Ellen transparency in business and financial data. Johnson Sirleaf, Nigeria President Muhammadu For more information, images and news, visit http:// Buhari, South Africa President Jacob Zuma and usafricabusinessforum.bloomberg.org. Tunisia President Beji Caid Essebsi, as well as the https://www.commerce.gov/news/blog/2016/09/ African Union Commission Chairperson Dr. Nkosazana boosting-africas-economic-rise-look-back-2016-us-africaDlamini Zuma. business-forum?utm_source=weekly_updates&utm_ Each leader shared challenges and successes from medium=email&utm_campaign=Trade_Wkly their countries and regions, as well as their vision 11 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
President Obama Casts His Vote Early in Chicago By Byron Tau
U.S. President Barack Obama looks up and smiles at reporters as he casts his vote for the 2016 U.S. presidential election in early voting at the Cook County Office Building in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. October 7, 2016. REUTERS/ Jonathan Ernst TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY Photo: Reuters
W
hile visiting his hometown of Chicago on Friday, President Barack Obama made a stop at the city’s Board of Elections office to cast an early presidential ballot. In the Windy City for two fundraisers benefiting the Democratic Party and its presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, Mr. Obama stopped by elections office in downtown Chicago. “You guys are doing a wonderful job. Appreciate ya,” Mr. Obama told poll workers while filling out the
paperwork necessary to vote. “What’s my date of birth? 8/4/81?” Mr. Obama joked, giving himself a birthday that would have made him 35 years old. He is, in fact, 55 years. Directed to a voting machine, Mr. Obama joked: “They can’t see who I’m voting for can they?” and attempted to cover the screen from the reporters covering his visit. He declined to tell the press corps who he cast a ballot for, though he has endorsed Mrs. Clinton for president. Early voting has emerged as an increasingly popular option across
the country in recent years, as states have loosened rules and expanded Election Day from a single date in November to a weeklong period. Voters in 14 states are able to cast ballots of some sort in person, while 26 states are currently accepting mail-in ballots. Some states require an excuse, but increasingly election officials and state legislatures have moved to allow early voting for all. http://blogs.wsj.com/ washwire/2016/10/07/presidentobama-casts-his-vote-early-in-chicago/
12 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
President Barack Obama greets bystanders in the lobby after early voting at the Board of Election Commissioners for the City of Chicago in Chicago, Ill., Oct. 7, 2016. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
13 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
Government
The Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) Little-Noticed Success: Cutting the Uninsured Rate By Drew Altman
D
onald Trump derided the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in the second presidential debate as a “total disaster.” One inarguable success of the 2010 health-care law has been to drive the rate of uninsured Americans to a historic low. That sizeable shift makes it significant that a plurality of the public thinks the uninsured rate is unchanged and that the number of people who know the uninsured rate is at its low point is nearly the same as the number of people who mistakenly think the rate is at an all-time high. To be specific: The uninsured rate for non-elderly Americans has fallen from about 16.6% in 2013 to 10% in the first quarter of 2016, and 8.6% taking into account seniors who have near universal coverage. Why don’t more people know this? It’s not that the news media have failed to cover the story. There have been regular news reports about government and private surveys showing progress on this issue because of the ACA. One factor affecting perceptions could be that a large number of Americans remain uninsured and the public may see these uninsured people among their family and friends or in their community as often or more often than they see the newly insured. Slightly less than 29 million Americans remain uninsured; just under half of those people are eligible for health coverage through the ACA. There have been many reports the past couple of months about problems in some of the ACA marketplaces, where premiums have risen sharply in some areas of the country (if far more slowly, on average, than Mr. Trump asserted in Sunday’s debate). It’s possible that negative reports focused on the marketplaces have colored perceptions of progress in other areas, including on the uninsured rate. A contributing factor could be media coverage of the 19 states that have not expanded their Medicaid programs
under the ACA. Slightly less than 3 million people fall in the coverage gap as a result of these state decisions and remain uninsured. This has been a hot issue, but people may assume the problem is larger than it actually is. Vox’s Sarah Kliff wrote recently about the news media’s tendency to cover problems and suggested that a media “negativity bias” might play a role in limited awareness of the decline in the uninsured. It could also be that categories experts refer to–uninsured, insured, under-insured–aren’t as meaningful for non-experts. People who are uninsured and people who have insurance both struggle to pay medical bills. Categorizing insurance status for statistical purposes may be more meaningful to experts who can recite study after study about how much insurance matters than it is to consumers struggling with medical bills even if they have coverage. It’s notable that one factor that usually explains most everything about the ACA, partisanship, does not seem to apply as well here. More Democrats (38%) know the uninsured rate is at an all-time low than Republicans (17%), but the share of Republicans who think the rate is at an all-time high (20%) is similar to the share of Democrats who think that (17%).
14 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
Without knowledge of the facts people are more susceptible to spin and misrepresentation. The Affordable Care Act has covered about 20 million previously uninsured Americans but has little chance of improved standing with the public unless its most important achievement is better known. For various reasons–they’ve reported on this trend before, the decline itself
is not new information–journalists, researchers and elected officials may tire of repeating numbers of the uninsured. And the data may not be new research or a fresh sound bite. But if informing the public on big issues under debate is a goal, new ways may need to be found to get the facts out again and again. http://kff.org/uninsured/ perspective/the-affordable-
care-acts-little-noticedsuccess-cutting-the-uninsuredrate/?utm_medium=email&utm_ source=obama&utm_content=4++Read+full+article&utm_ campaign=em_x_ tt_20161017_x_x_js_ oneyr&source=em_x_ tt_20161017_x_x_js_ oneyr&refcode=em_x_ tt_20161017_x_x_js_oneyr
15 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
16 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
Publisher's Message from Publisher's Message on page 3
institution where the statistical evidence reminds us of the alarming higher number of African Americans unjustly incarcerated with severe sentences, while nonBlacks, guilty of the same crimes receive lighter sentences, or a pat on the wrist, as evidenced in many high profile cases. As African Americans it’s just not the “rigging” of the political system; but you can find examples of systemically “rigging” in every institution established in America. Access to institutions that were allegedly designed to improve the quality of life for all its citizens have routinely been denied. Opportunities have been selectively limited in education, access to capital for African Americanowned businesses, advancement in corporate America; and growth in the free enterprise marketplace as entrepreneurs. Our tax code is another example of a “rigged” and flawed system that penalizes middle class and low income families, of which, most African Americans fall under. However, because African Americans are resilient, overcomers and strong in faith, we continue to make great strides and impacts no matter the circumstances. We all grow weary of the struggle, but must remain focused and willing to put in
Marva Smith Battle-Bey
the work and effort to accomplish economic empowerment, healing in our families and communities; and hopefully the growing racial divide within our nation. We can no longer afford the luxury of asking and waiting for acceptance of others. We are defined as to who we are, and what we can accomplish by our Divine Creator. For those up for the challenge, we will continue to persevere, and to make individual and group contributions because of those before of willing to put everything on the line for racial equality, including their lives like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who so eloquently stated in his famous “I Have a Dream” speech where he said "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." Working together with all people, we will be more than conquerors who have learned to lay their differences aside for the greater good of all mankind. The Black Women’s Network will be closing out the month of October with a well-deserved honorary memorial and tribute to Marva Smith Battle-Bey, founder and past president of the Black Women’s Network. The tribute will be held on October 29th in Los Angeles, California. October 31st through November 4th is “National Veteran’s Small Business Week.” As a Vietnam veteran; 50 years ago, I was in Vietnam defending our freedoms right alongside of my fellow soldiers. Enough can never be said about the sacrifice that Veterans and their families give while active duty men and women serve our country, defending its freedoms and interests, not only here in the U.S., but also abroad. Their selfless service many times requires them to be away from loved ones for months
Honorable Maxine Waters at a time, with no guarantee of returning, or returning unwounded. Join us in supporting the efforts of the many organizations, such as the Black Business Association, headquartered in Los Angeles, with working with others to advocate for business and contracting opportunities for Veterans and Veteran-owned businesses. The Black Business News, along with the Black Business Association takes our hats off to salute Congresswoman Maxine Waters on November 2, 2016, which will mark the 40th anniversary of her election into public service. Waters was first elected to public service on November 2, 1976, to the California State Assembly; and in 1990, Maxine Waters was elected to the U.S. Congress. On October 8th, I attended the “Jazz on the Lawn,” at the Baldwin Hills home of Margaret Bush-Ware, Executive Director of California Council for Veteran’s Affairs. Entertainment was provided by RAW Sugar Jazz Quintet; Denise Lyles Cook (a.k.a. “The Oracle”); legendary singer and songwriter, Maxayn Lewis; and Street Corner Renaissance. Guests were treated to a catered meal by Black Business Association member, Chef Marilyn. Many fought and died for the privilege to vote in the United States Don’t forget that Election Day is NOVEMBER 8th! Get out and vote – your voice matters!
17 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
Use Your Senses to Spot a Gas Leak To help keep your community safe and secure, use your senses of sight, hearing or smell to alert you to any of the following signs of a natural gas leak. LOOK
WHAT TO DO IF YOU SUSPECT A GAS LEAK
• A damaged connection to a gas appliance
• Remain calm
• Exposed pipeline after an earthquake, fire, flood or other disaster
• Don’t light a match, candle or cigarette • Don’t turn electrical appliances or lights on or off or use any device that could cause a spark • Natural gas leaking from a plastic pipe can create static electricity which can ignite the gas • Immediately evacuate the area, and from a safe location, call 800-427-2200, 24 hours a day, seven days a week; or call 911
© 2014 Southern California Gas Company. All rights reserved.
• Dirt or water being blown in the air • Dead or dying vegetation (in an otherwise moist area) over or near gas pipeline areas • A fire or explosion near a pipeline
LISTEN • An unusual sound, such as a hissing, whistling or roaring sound near a gas line or appliance
SMELL • The distinctive odor* of natural gas *Some people may not be able to smell the odor because they have a diminished sense of smell, olfactory fatigue (normal, temporary inability to distinguish an odor after prolonged exposure to it) or because the odor is being masked or hidden by other odors that are present, such as cooking, damp, musty or chemical odors. In addition, certain conditions in pipe and soil can cause odor fade – the loss of odorant so that it is not detectable by smell.
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BBN Show Biz Buzz By Linda Ware
Luke Cage Streaming Your Way via Netflix
yourself with our guide to Marvel’s hippest hard man. Origins: In the early Seventies, Blaxploitation films filled the cinemas and Marvel comics, always quick to spot a trend, didn’t waste any time jumping on the bandwagon. While they’d broken the mould with characters like Black Panther, Marvel at the time still featured very few major black characters. Luke Cage was to change all that. Cage was the first African-American superhero to star in his own solo title, kicking things off in Luke Cage: Hero for Hire in June 1972. Set in a down and dirty New York City, Cage battled street crime in his trademark yellow shirt, stripped open to the waist. He was so tough, he
Mike Colter as Luke Cage
L
uke Cage, a hoodie-wearing, unbreakable ex-con fights to clear his name and save his neighborhood. He wasn't looking for a fight, but the people need a hero. As Luck would say "Only way to fix things is to break them." On September 30 all 13 episodes of Marvel’s latest TV series, Luke Cage, will hit Netflix. But who the hell is Luke Cage? Before you settle down for a binge watch of bad-ass superhero action, prime
needed a belt made from steel to hold his trousers up. The first issue told how petty criminal Carl Lucas was used as a lab rat for experimental cell regeneration. Given unbreakable skin and superhuman strength, Cage doesn’t waste time using his powers for free. He sets up a business and offers his help to anyone who needs it – at the right price. His Harlem-based adventures saw him avoiding super-powered crooks, and instead ridding the streets
20 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
first openly transgender actor to earn an Emmy nomination for her role in the Netflix series. Now her role in Doubt will also make her the first transgender series regular on a broadcast show played by a transgender actress (if CBS picks up the pilot to series).
Alfre Woodard
Rosario Dawson
of gang lords, drug barons and pimps Luke Cage also stars Alfre Woodard and Roario Dawson. View all episodes of Marvel's Luke Cage now streaming, only on Netflix. www.netflix.com/ title/80002537
"Moonlight" Out in October
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timeless story of human connection and selfdiscovery, Moonlight chronicles the life of a young black man from childhood to adulthood as he struggles to find his place in the world while growing up in a rough neighborhood of Miami. Barry Jenkins is the director and writer. He also directed Medicine for Melancholy (2008) and My Josephine (2003). http://www.imdb.com/ title/tt4975722/
Barry Jenkins
Laverne Cox Featurned on CBS Series Pilot "Doubt"
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averne Cox has been cast in the CBS drama pilot Doubt, TVGuide.com has confirmed. The Orange Is the New Black star became the
http://www.tvguide.com/ news/laverne-cox-cbsdoubt
Laverne Cox
"Boo! A Madea Halloween" Two weeks before Halloween, Tyler Perry brought his signature Madea character back to life for the world premiere of his ninth Madea movie. Perry said he was genuinely pleased to have revived Mabel “Madea” Simmons again and was quick to credit the story’s origin to Chris Rock’s inclusion of a fictitious Madea Halloween movie in his 2014 film “Top Five.” “This really was Chris Rock’s idea from ‘Top Five,'” he said. “I gave permission, then went to Lionsgate and said, ‘I can do this.'” Shooting on the comedy started last January in Atlanta with several key actors, such as Brock O’Hurn, making their feature debuts. “It was so much more than I expected,” said O’Hurn, who plays a fratboy character named Horse. “You see him as Madea on the set and it’s just so funny.” Perry admitted that the faux Halloween event had him far more revved up than the actual holiday on Oct. 31. “It feels really good to be here,” he said with a wide grin. “Halloween isn’t my favorite holiday, but this is special to have a world premiere at the Dome.” Asked about his Halloween plans, Perry replied, “I’ll probably go trick-or-treating with my son.” see page 22
21 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
BBN Show Biz Buzz from BBN Show Biz Buzz on page 21
The post-screening bash took place at Lure Nightclub with Southern-style snacks and a photo
Tyler Perry
opportunity for attendees to appear in a stand-up coffin. Perry directed from his own script and produced with Ozzie and Will Areu. Diamond White, Bella Thorne, Cassi Davis, Patrice Lovely, and Liza Koshy also starred.
“Boo! A Madea Halloween” hits theaters on Friday, October 21st. http://variety.com/2016/scene/ vpage/boo-madea-halloween-tylerperry-chris-rock-top-five-oprahwinfrey-1201891811/
N
ovember 2, 2016, will mark the 40th anniversary of Maxine Waters' election into public service. Waters was first elected to public service on November 2, 1976, to the California State Assembly, also a year marking the Bicentennial anniversary of the United States. In 1990, Maxine Waters was elected to the U.S. Congress. The Black Business Association (BBA), headquartered in Los Angeles, proudly salutes and commends Congresswoman Waters for her commitment and service to her constituents and the urban communities that she has represented and fought for her entire political career. She has also been a strong political icon and advocate of women’s rights. She was recently honored as the recipient of the “Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award” at the BBA’s, “2016 Salute to Black Women Conference & Vendor Fair and Awards Luncheon.” As the Publisher and Editor of Black Business News (BBN); and the President/CEO of the Black Business Association, Earl “Skip” Cooper, II, stated, “Maxine Waters has been one of the most committed public servants in the last 50 years, fighting for the underserved, and not backing down from those who want to destroy her credibility, undermine
and sabotage the important work for the urban communities that she supports. Waters is a sought after speaker by many national organizations throughout the U.S., and is known for her reputation to fearlessly speak out on behalf of those she serves, without fear of backlash or criticism, as noted in the August 2010 issue of Black Business News." Congresswoman Waters’ accomplishments include initiatives that have benefited African American and other diverse businesses throughout Los Angeles and the nation. Earlier this year she provided the historic 218th signature required by House rules to the process forward to secure reauthorization to the Export-Import (EX-IM) Bank of the U.S. In a nutshell, the EX-IM Bank of the U.S. opens up international markets to U.S. businesses by financing and insuring the sale of U.S. exports when private sector financing is prohibitively
expensive or simply not available; and nearly 90% of EX-IM’s transactions directly support U.S. small businesses! As an Assemblywoman, her vision for creating business and contracting opportunities was clearly seen early in her career. Assemblywoman Waters is responsible for the creation of Pacific Coast Regional (PCR) a private, non-profit corporation founded in 1977 to assist small business owners in becoming
24 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
successful members of the Southern California business community; and is still helping and serving small business and entrepreneurs. Assemblywoman Waters was also responsible for creating the first Business Resource Center for women in the State of California. In the late 1970’s Waters, along with Ruth Washington (former publishing editor of the Los Angeles Sentinel newspaper), and Ethel Bradley (wife of former Los Angeles Mayor, Tom Bradley), created the Black Women’s Forum (BWF), a nonprofit organization of more than 1,200 African American women in the Los Angeles area. This forum has provided Black women a very powerful and informative platform to address issues concerning them as it relates to local and
national issues of concern. For example, they hosted an event for law enforcement and community relations, as noted in the ‘Standing in the Gap,’ an intimate and engaging roundtable designed to honor Black mothers who have lost their loved ones to police brutality. In 2015, this program brought together elected officials, community leaders, residents and several mothers who seek justice and demand answers for the lives lost to senseless violence. Prior to her first election to the House of Representatives in 1990, Rep. Waters had already attracted national attention for her no-nonsense, no-holds-barred style of politics. She gained this recognition, during 14 years in the California State Assembly where
she rose to the powerful position of Democratic Caucus Chair. In that position, she was responsible for some of the boldest legislation California had ever seen--the largest divestment of state pension funds from South Africa; landmark affirmative action legislation; the nation’s first statewide Child Abuse Prevention Training Program; the prohibition of police strip searches for nonviolent misdemeanors; and the introduction of the nation’s first plant closure law. Waters' early political career also included a stint working as Chief of Staff for Los Angeles City Councilman David Cunningham. In the California State Assembly she learned the delicate art of getting legislation passed and implemented in a divided legislature under the political and legislative genius of former Speaker of the California Assembly, Willie Brown. Brown served the longest term as California State Speaker of the Assembly for 15 years; and went on to become a two-term Mayor of San Francisco. Waters began her career as a teacher and a volunteer in the Head Start program. In the mid-1980s, she also founded “Project Build,” working with young people in Los Angeles housing developments on job training and placement. “Maxine Waters contributions are notable, and worthy of my personal gratitude. Her advocacy and political achievements exemplify her unwavering dedication and commitment to the underserved communities in not only her District, but also by her efforts in linking arms to for the underserved throughout the U.S. Maxine epitomizes true leadership that is willing to go through the fiery tests because of her strong convictions to serve those whose voice can easily be muted or silenced.”
25 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
MAYOR GARCETTI’S LAUNCH OF THE CITY’S EXPORT PROGRAM Taking L.A. to the World: Growing Your Business Through Exports
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 19, 2016
WHAT TO EXPECT:
7:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
•
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Mayor Garcetti will deliver keynote remarks to launch his new export program: Taking L.A. to the World
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Business Leaders Roundtable & Panel Discussions:
Galen Center-Founders’ Club 3400 S. Figueroa St. Los Angeles, CA 90089 $40 registration fee. Breakfast and parking included.
•
How We Found Success – And You Can, Too
•
How Exporting will Improve Your Bottom Line
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How to Develop Your Export Pricing & Finance Strategies
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How to Ship your Product and Goods
CONFIRMED SPEAKERS INCLUDE:
RSVP WHO SHOULD ATTEND:
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Amb. Mickey Kantor, Partner, Mayer Brown LLP
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Kevin Klowden, Executive Director California Center, Milken Institute
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Paul Duncan, Regional Director, Export-Import Bank of the U.S.
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Jane Skeeter, CEO, UltraGlas, Inc.
Manufacturers and exporters seeking to grow their global market strategies
PARTNERS MAYOR’S EXPORT COUNCIL
COOPERATING ORGANIZATIONS California Manufacturing Technology Consulting • Center for International Trade Development • District Export Council of Southern California • Foreign Trade Association • FuturePorts • Women in International Trade – Los Angeles • World Trade Center Los Angeles • L.A. Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Association
For more information, contact Carlos J. Valderrama, 213.580.7570
Editorial
Republican Party Rejects Black Voters
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re black voters so loyal to Democrats that their issues are ignored? Donald Trump suggests as much, arguing that blacks had “nothing to lose” by voting for him. Now a column by Farai Chideya at FiveThirtyEight cites academics who make a similar argument. In recent elections, about 90% of the black vote has gone to Democrats. Chideya cites Professor Paul Frymer of Princeton, who argues that politicians focus their appeals on swing voters, particularly “moderate, disaffected whites in the middle — whether you call them soccer moms or NASCAR dads.” Chideya also cites two recent studies on how well black interests are represented in government. A 2015 report from the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies concluded that “black voices are less equal than others when it comes to policy.” And a 2015 law review article by Professor Nicholas Stephanopoulos of the University of Chicago Law School “found that black support for Congressional legislation actually decreased its chances of passage.” Are blacks voting against their own interests? Are they a “captured group” who would be better off if they weren’t so pro-Democrat? African-American voters are neither fools nor inherently Democratic partisans. When Lincoln Republicans were leading the fight for the freedom amendments after the Civil War — the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments — African-Americans voted overwhelmingly with Republicans. Blacks began voting Democratic when FDR launched the New Deal and stood with poor and working people in the Great Depression. When Democratic Dixiecrats fought to sustain legal segregation, many African-Americans in the South voted Republican. Dr. Martin Luther King’s father was a Republican. But then, after Lyndon Johnson pushed through
the Voting Rights Act and the Great Society, Republicans — beginning with Richard Nixon’s Southern Strategy and continuing with Ronald Reagan and beyond — used racial dog-whistle politics to consolidate their party in the white South. The party of Lincoln became the party of Jefferson Davis. Now African-Americans vote overwhelmingly for Democrats not because we reject the Republican Party but because the Republican Party rejects us. If we vote our interests, we have little choice but to vote against a party that has systematically tried to undermine and constrict the right to vote, that votes against affordable housing, against expanding Social Security and against poverty programs. Republicans have led the fight against a living wage. They oppose efforts to curb gun violence in our cities by blocking background checks and repealing the ban on assault weapons. They vocally undermine enforcement of equal employment laws and antidiscrimination measures. Their Supreme Court nominees gutted the Voting Rights Act, and their legislators have blocked efforts to restore it. They have consistently voted against any plan to rebuild our cities, reinvest in infrastructure and put people to work. They oppose efforts to ease the student loan debt that
28 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
burdens too many African-Americans. Blacks vote against Republicans in overwhelming numbers because Republicans are overwhelmingly campaigning against our core interests. Republicans can appeal to black voters but only if they reach out and change their policy positions. As former New Orleans Mayor Mark Morial told Chideya, “A chicken can’t root for Colonel Sanders.”
Arguably, the real “captured group” of voters are the poor and working-class white voters who vote Republican. That vote is surely against their economic interests. Republicans have won their votes by appeals to race, to religion and to conservative social issues, but they never deliver. Liberal social movements for equality — the civil rights movement, the women’s movement and the gay rights movement — continue to make progress. And working and poor white people continue to lose ground economically. Now polls suggest that they favor Donald Trump for president, someone who opposes lifting the minimum wage, opposes empowering workers to organize, opposes expanding Social Security, wants to repeal health care reform and vows to cut taxes on the rich and corporations. African-Americans aren’t a captured bloc of voters. We are people who are voting our interests — and looking for allies. Republicans have to decide if they want to continue to push off against us or begin to reach out to us. www.rainbowpush.org
29 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
Business
Clarence Avant, 'Godfather of Black Music,' Receives Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame by Gail Mitchell
Clarence Avant and family attend a ceremony honoring Clarence Avant with star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame on Oct. 7, 2016 in Hollywood, Calif.
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larence Avant, nicknamed the “Godfather of Black Music,” was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday (Oct. 7). And as befits the former artist manager, label executive, radio broadcaster, music publisher and ongoing social activist/philanthropist, Avant’s star (No. 2,590) is located next to that of the Grammy-winning songwriting/ production team Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis -- just one of the many music talents and executives Avant has mentored over the years.
Avant’s ceremony on a hot Los Angeles morning brought out a large contingent of friends and colleagues -- from Irving Azoff to Jamie Foxx -- all paying tribute to a man who, in the words of Hollywood Chamber of Commerce president/ CEO Leron Gubler, played a “big part in the history of American music.” Among the speakers and comments: Bill Withers: “As I told his wife Jackie, Clarence is the only person I know of who could have played in this arena and done so well for
so long. Not too far from here was the Wally Heider Studio where we recorded ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’ and ‘Grandma’s Hands.’ And also not far from here was Sussex Records, where I had my first meeting with Clarence and signed my first recording contract. With his energy and very colorful language, Clarence seemed to know people of all manner and mannerisms. We called him the guru which evolved into godfather. I remember something Diddy -- did he? -- said when he ran into some trouble. He
30 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
Quincy Jones with Clarence Avant at the ceremony honoring Clarence Avant with star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame on Oct. 7, 2016 in Hollywood, Calif.
said, ‘I did what we all do when we get in trouble -- I called Clarence Avant.’ Now [turning to Avant] we’re gonna put your name on the Walk of Fame.” Jimmy Jam: “There would be no Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis without Clarence Avant. His star going next to ours couldn’t be a better place. Welcome to the neighborhood.” Terry Lewis: “To the brightest star among the stars … welcome, Pops.” Irving Azoff: “Clarence wasn’t just the godfather to black music; welcome to your bar mitzvah, Clarence. But I have turned to Clarence many times in my career. He was a benevolent godfather who taught me to respect the business. I was asked to recall an anecdote about Clarence. Well, back in those days there was payola. And a man named Al Sharpton came to me on behalf of independent black promoters. I called Clarence, who told me don’t let that man in your office and then hung up on me.” Jamie Foxx: “I remember
meeting Clarence for the first time. It was like meeting the principal. But I got a chance to meet an absolute legend who embraced me like a family member. The footprints you’ve left in the sand will never be washed away. We love you.” Quincy Jones: “This brings a profound sense of joy to my life. I first met Clarence in 1963 when I was vice president of Mercury Records. And in those 53 years, he’s become my oldest friend, brother, confidant, mentor and ghetto-lectual. He’s always told me the damn truth in all aspects of my life. He’s also been the silent architect of so many deals it would make your head spin. He gets things done but doesn’t beat his chest or look for credit. Clarence, you’re the original godfather of our business.” At that start of his career on the East Coast, Avant managed jazz organist Jimmy Smith and composer Lalo Schifrin (Mission Impossible TV theme) before moving to Los Angeles in the ‘60s. Over the next five decades, Avant launched
S u s s e x R e c o r d s (Withers, D e n n i s C o f f e y ) , Avant Garde Broadcasting and Tabu R e c o r d s (Alexander O ’ N e a l , Cherrelle). Along the way he mentored such producers and executives as Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and LaFace Records’ L.A.Reid and Babyface (Toni Braxton). He later served as chairman of the board for Motown and has worked with several organizations, including the Apollo Theatre Foundation, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and Inner City Broadcasting. Avant, someone who generally shuns the spotlight, was quick and to the point during his acceptance speech. “This is a great moment in my life, especially since I’m not being paid. I didn’t write a speech, so there’s no speech. But thank you all for being here. Let’s leave; I don’t need a suntan.” Also in the audience paying their respects to Avant: Epic Records chairman/CEO Antonio “L.A.” Reid, songwriter/producer Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Motown founder Berry Gordy, Magic Johnson, Jerry Moss, filmmaker Brett Ratner, Schifrin and music industry veteran Joe Smith (Warner Bros.). www.billboard.com/articles/ business/7534248/clarence-avanthollywood-walk-of-fame-star
31 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
Business Development
USPS Requests January Price Hikes
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he United States Postal Service has filed notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) of price changes for Mailing Services products it’s planning to have take effect in January 2017. The proposal includes a two cent increase in the price of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp, returning the price to 49 cents, which was the price of a Forever stamp before the Postal Service was required to remove the exigent surcharge by the PRC. The new prices, if approved, include a single price for FirstClass Mail commercial presort letters weighing up to 3.5 ounces and a reduction in the one ounce meter price to 46 cents. This pricing strategy is designed to keep bills and statements in the mail by continuing to add value to commercial First-Class Mail. Standard Mail is being rebranded as USPS Marketing Mail to better align the product name with our customer’s use of this mail class. Proposed changes in Marketing Mail include removing the Flats Sequencing System (FSS) pricing which was of concern to mailers. This change will ensure that mailers pay for flats based on their volume density instead of the equipment flats are processed on. In addition, other changes include increasing the piece pound breakpoint from 3.3 to 4.0 ounces for Marketing Mail Flats and Parcel shaped pieces to encourage mailers to include more content, which will lead to more sales for mailers and support volume growth. The last time Single Piece First-Class prices increased was in January 2014. Today’s price change filing does not include any price change for Postcards, for letters being mailed to international destinations or for additional ounces for Single Piece Letters. Stamp prices have stayed consistent with the average annual rate of inflation since the Postal Service was formed in 1971. In addition, the incentive for Full-Service IMB remains the same at three tenths of a cent for FirstClass and one tenth of a cent for Marketing Mail and Periodicals. The PRC will review the prices before they are scheduled to take effect on Jan. 22, 2017. Pricing for Periodicals, Package Services and Extra Services will also be adjusted next year and can be found here (opens as a PDF - www.prc.gov/ docs/97/97431/NOTICE-FINAL.pdf). Today’s filing does not affect Postal Service Shipping products and
services. The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. www.targetmarketingmag.com/article/uspsrequests-january-price-hikes/#utm_source=today%40-target-marketing&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_ campaign=2016-10-14&utm_content=usps+requests+ january+price+hikes-4
NOVEMBER 26, 2016
www.americanexpress.com/us/ small-business/shop-small/
32 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
Emerging Trends in Entrepreneurial Finance
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apital is vital to entrepreneurs, and the sources and types of capital available to them are changing. The Kauffman Foundation seeks to provide improved data and analysis about trends in entrepreneurial capital formation to enhance the success rates of entrepreneurs everywhere. This report (www.kauffman.org/~/media/ kauffman_org/research%20reports%20 and%20covers/2016/emerging_trends_in_ entrepreneurial_finance.pdf) examines
current developments in the field, draws out some broad trends, and considers their implications for entrepreneurs. We identified these following trends: • The VC industry is shifting at the biggest and smallest ends of the market. • Online platforms—for angel syndication, crowdfunding, and lending—are increasingly important options for seed-stage and early-stage startup needs. • Sources of capital are emerging outside of traditional geographical hubs. • Women are playing more decision-making roles in entrepreneurial capital. • There is robust experimentation with differentiated capital models. www.kauffman.org/what-we-do/ research/2016/changing-capital-emergingtrends-in-entrepreneurial-finance?utm_ source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_
campaign=ideasatwork10_28_16&_cldee=bGlv bi5jb21tQGhvdG1haWwuY29t&recipientid=cont act-c5fd32cf10cfe311992e3cd92beec6c8-63dd2 54d27a14678adb8836a330cfdb8
Business Tech
Mobilize Your Search By Mike Davis
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martphone users may soon be your biggest audience. Here’s how to help them find you faster. It’s no secret the world is shrinking. In fact, many of us today can hold it in the palm of our hand. We now spend more time online with our mobile devices than our PCs or laptops — 40% more time,
help make a purchase decision. Mobile users need quick info on the go — The top three things people expect from a business when they do a mobile search are directions, hours, and a phone number, in that order. Users look for some categories of businesses more than others. Restaurants, auto services, retail
according to eMarketer. And these mobile users do plenty of searching on their phones. But searching through your phone is very different from using a PC or a laptop, in some surprising ways: Mobile searches lead to more purchases — 93% of those who use their phone to research a product continue on to make a purchase. 82% use their phone in the store to
stores and doctors are among the most searched for businesses on mobile. No surprises there. Still, no matter what type of business you’re in, mobile search could be a vital way to connect with prospects. The first thing you need to do is find out how many people are already finding you through a mobile search. Check your website’s analytics for the percentage of
your traffic coming in from mobile devices. Your stats may surprise you. We’re seeing clients for whom mobile devices now account for more than 50% of their website traffic. But as long as your website traffic from mobile is greater than 10%, mobile search is something you should take seriously and plan for. (Actually, even if it’s less than 10%, as it may not be so low for long in our increasingly mobile landscape.) Being Findable by Phone: First Things First If mobile search is important to your business, there are some things
you should be doing differently. For starters, you can customize your search copy based on the device being used to search — smartphones, in this case. Next, bid aggressively on your mobile search terms. Also, make it your goal to show up as the first or second listing in any search results. Remember, mobile searches are more valuable because they’re more likely to result
36 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
and are sometimes even able in a purchase. Plus, mobile devices’ to generate a "Get Directions" smaller screens limit the number message with the distance to of search results you can see on the business location. a single screen. Thus it’s even more important to be in the highest • Think short — Mobile users avoid typing long descriptions position possible in the results. when they search. Think about What’s the Magic Word? the types of abbreviations So, you’re ready to dig in and and small phrases they might tinker with your keywords to boost use to find you through their your mobile search results. What phone. Add a call extension to do you want to adjust for? Consider your advertisements so that users who are on the go: when your business appears in • Spell your name right and mobile search results, there’s a wrong — Mobile users are call button ready to tap. in a hurry and they’re using • Use location extensions and tiny keyboards. So include call extensions — These misspelled versions of your will make it much easier for business’s name to help them consumers to get to you, either along. by phone or physically. • Get local — Include geographic references so people in the area can find your business faster. For example, “auto parts” isn’t enough. Make it “auto parts Rochester.” You may also want to include location extensions in your search campaign, which will appear on mobile devices
Back to the FutureNanotech: New Business Opportunities
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hysicist Richard Feynman invented Nanotechnology, which is "science, engineering, and technology conducted at the nanoscale, which is about 1 to 100 nanometers" about 60 years ago. The Royal Academy of Sciences recently awarded the 2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry to the team that designed and synthesized moleular machines "with controllable movements, which can perform a task
Bring ‘Em in for a Landing Once mobile users find you through search, what will they find if they tap through to your page? Make sure your site is optimized for mobile devices with smaller screen sizes. Today, that means responsive web design (RWD),
when energy is added." Among the nanoscale machines they designed and/ or built: a molecular elevator, a molecular muscle, a molecule-based computer chip, a molecular motor, and a nanocar. Their work brings science and industry closer to creating NanoCar
a method of building websites that enables them to automatically adjust the layout and font size in reaction to the device the visitor is using. As for content, remember the types of information mobile users are looking for on the go — maps, directions, hours and contact information. Be sure those critical details are clear and easy to find on your site. After all, what better way to generate calls than to have a digital business card pop up on someone’s phone? The Bottom Line Smartphones are taking over the globe. And while the world may be shrinking, competitive pressure is expanding. Marketers are looking for every possible edge, which makes mobile search worth looking into. Careful planning and strategy can help ensure that you get better results from mobile searches. http://www.targetmarketingmag.com/ article/mobilize-your-search/all/
stronger materials, better sensors, more efficient energy-storage systems, nanobots to be injected into the body to find and fight cancer, and better "neural implants that communicate with prosthetic limbs when neurons fire." New businesses, new careers opportunities await those with open and creative minds and entreprenueral spirits. Ed. Black Business News www.wallstreetdaily.com/2016/10/07/ nanotechnology-science-small-thingssolving-big-problems/ www.wallstreetdaily.com/2016/07/29/ medical-nanotechnology-biologyimmortality/
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Why You Shouldn't Throw Away Your Boarding Pass by Katherine LaGrave
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ust as passports reveal more than they appear to, so do boarding passes. Sure, your name, seat assignment, seat class, and requisite flight information are there in plain sight, but you may want t o think twice before snapping a photo of the paper document and posting it on social media—or throwing it away the
moment you get off a flight. Here's why: Should someone get access to the barcode printed on airline boarding passes, security bloggers have noted that others may be able to discover more about you, your future travel plans, and potentially, your frequent flier account by using sites like these to break apart the barcode. Once they have your confirmation number number and can log in, subsequent options and information are made available—and once they are, someone could
even change your seat, cancel any future flights, and even reset your airline account PIN number. A recent attempt on our end, using a discarded boarding pass, revealed (among other things) the traveler's name and Passenger Name Record, the code used for finding and tweaking a reservation. Oftentimes, that code is already printed on the boarding pass itself—no barcode needed. The odds of someone actually doing this are, of course, relatively unlikely, and it's hard to believe anyone would hack your account only to swap your aisle seat for a middle. Still, it pays to be careful, w h i c h means that you s h o u l d think twice b e f o r e posting— and save your paper tickets for the shredder. www. cntraveler.com/ stories/2016-08-02/ why-you-shouldntthrow-away-your-boarding-pass?mbid=nl_101016_Da ily&CNDID=38890654&spMailingID=9664943&spUse rID=MTQ5NTc0OTAyMDYxS0&spJobID=1020779489 &spReportId=MTAyMDc3OTQ4OQS2
44 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
programming involving local Native communities. The movement to replace Columbus Day isn't brand new. In 2014, Seattle and Minneapolis voted in favor of formalizing Indigenous Peoples' Day, although Seattle's campaign did face some opposition from members of the local ItalianAmerican community, who said that kicking the Italian explorer to the curb was disrespectful of their heritage. And several U.S. states don't recognize Columbus Day as a holiday, period: Hawaii opts to call the second Monday in October "Discoverers' Day," in honor of the Polynesian sailors who discovered Hawaii. The U.S. Virgin Islands acknowledge Columbus Day but on the same day also celebrate Virgin Islands-Puerto Rico Friendship Day. Although Columbus Day has been a federal holiday since the 1930s, more than half of U.S. states don't mandate a paid day off for the holiday. As of 2015, only 23 states gave employees a paid day off for the day. The United Nations has its own International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, which is observed every year on August 9.
Columbus Day Replaced By Indigenous Peoples' Day in More Cities, States by Lilit Marcus
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any of us learn the rhyme "In fourteen hundred ninety-two Columbus sailed the ocean blue" in elementary school. But some U.S. towns and cities are opting to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day (sometimes called Native American Day) to acknowledge that Christopher Columbus's "discovery" of America wasn't technically a discovery, since many indigenous groups already lived here; and, in some cases, to acknowledge that Columbus's actions were harmful to local populations. In 2015, several towns and counties throughout the country, including Portland, Oregon; St. Paul, Minnesota; Lawrence, Kansas; Olympia, Washington; Anadarko, Oklahoma; and Albuquerque, New Mexico made the switch.
This year, more cities and states have joined the movement to rename the day—which this year falls on October 10—Indigenous Peoples' Day. Additions to the growing list include Phoenix, Arizona (which is now the biggest city observing the holiday); San Antonio, Texas; Lincoln, Nebraska; East Lansing, Michigan; Denver and Boulder in Colorado, and the entire state of Vermont. That said, not everyone is on board just yet: Cincinnati, Ohio, voted against an Indigenous Peoples' Day resolution. While in some places the name change is primarily symbolic, others celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day with parades, or educational
http://www.cntraveler.com/stories/2015-10-09/ columbus-day-is-canceled-in-portland-minneapolisand-other-us-cities?mbid=nl_101016_Daily&CNDID=3 8890654&spMailingID=9664943&spUserID=MTQ5NT c0OTAyMDYxS0&spJobID=1020779489&spReportId =MTAyMDc3OTQ4OQS2
This article was originally published in 2015. It has been updated with new information.
45 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
Business
New Way to Check in For Flights A new service from the German airline's tech development division will take care of that for you. By Katherine LaGrave
I
f you're like me, you like to check in for a flight as soon as possible, which means springing into action the moment the "It's now-time-tocheck-in-for-your-flight" email hits your inbox. Aisle seat? Yes, please. Yet this fixation on checking in has also proved a source of anxiety: What if I'm somewhere without Internet and don't get the message? What if I have to check in at the airport? Worst yet, what if I don't check in quickly enough and am stuck with—gasp—a middle seat? Thanks to a new development from Lufthansa Innovation Hub, the German carrier's tech development division, we may soon be able to say auf Wiedersehen to the days of self check-in. Called AirlineCheckins, the site—and its concept—are
relatively simple: Users sign up for free, and are given an automated email address (e.g. firstname. lastname@airlinecheckins.com) to use when booking their next flight on an airline website. This ensures the site receives a copy of the booking confirmation and can schedule the check-in for the respective flight automatically. Users will still get the booking confirmation for personal use on the email provided in the account settings; and though the site processes and stores personal data, it does so in accordance with Germany's data protection laws and regulations. Already booked a flight with your standard email address? No problem: Simply forward the booking confirmation to your personal AirlineCheckins.com
email. Not only will the service automatically check you in for your flight (usually within one minute of the option becoming available), it will also try to ensure your preferences are met: think window instead of aisle seat, front of the plane instead of the rear, and near—or far— from the restrooms. Travelers will receive a boarding pass to the personal email address associated with the account, can view it in the "Customer Account" section of the site, or can opt to receive a mobile boarding pass, if the option is offered by the respective airline. Currently, the site supports online check-in for more than 100 large and medium-sized airlines around the world. http://www.cntraveler.com/ stories/2016-02-24/never-checkin-for-a-flight-again-thanks-tolufthansa?mbid=nl_101316_Daily&CN DID=38890654&spMailingID=9687172 &spUserID=MTQ5NTc0OTAyMDYxS0 &spJobID=1021042506&spReportId= MTAyMTA0MjUwNgS2
46 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
A
re you a Small Business interested in selling your product or services to Metro or to Prime Contractors that do business with Metro? Would you like to learn how to win contracts as a Prime Contractor through SB Prime, Metro's exciting set-aside initiative? If so, we invite you to come grow with us and learn about Metro Connect. Start now and register for a How to Do Business with Metro Workshop. Metro staff will show you how to take advantage of the vast array of products, services and transportation related opportunities projected over the coming weeks, months and year. As an added bonus, Metro's procurement staff will host informal interviews with firms before the workshop, starting at 9:00 a.m. Tuesday, November 8, 2016 8:30 a.m.: Registration 9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.: One-on-One with Contract Administrators and Continental Breakfast 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.: Program
Metro Headquarters 3rd Floor, Board Room, One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Topics: Highway Project Update, Procurement Update, Certification Update, Small Business Prime Update, LA SAFE/511 Next Generation Update To learn more about how Metro Connect's Small and Disadvantaged Business Certifications can help open the door to contracting opportunities with Metro visit Metro Vendor Portal. For further questions, please contact Marisela Villar at VillarM@metro.net or via phone at 213.922.2235.
47 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
Introducing Workplace by Facebook http://newsroom.fb.com/news/2016/10/introducing-workplace-by-facebook
At Facebook, we’ve had an internal version of our app to help run our company for many years. We’ve seen that just as Facebook keeps you connected to friends and family, it can do the same with coworkers. We started testing a version of Facebook for the workplace with a few other organizations over a year ago. Now, more than 1,000 organizations around the world use Workplace (formerly known as Facebook at Work). People have created nearly 100,000 groups and the top five countries using Workplace are India, the US, Norway, UK and France. We’re excited by the progress we’ve made and the level of adoption and engagement we’re seeing. So we’re announcing that Workplace will now be available to any company or organization that wants to use it.
For Everyone, Around the World The workplace is about more than just communicating between desks within the walls of an office. Some people spend their entire workday on the go, on their mobile
phone. Others spend all day out in the field, or on the road. We’ve been amazed by the breadth of organizations who’ve embraced Workplace — from a shipping company that can now connect with their ship crews using Live video, to a bank that now uses Workplace instead of fax machines and newsletters to share updates with its distributed bank branches. Large multinational companies like Danone, Starbucks and Booking.com, international nonprofits such as Oxfam, and regional leaders such as YES Bank in India and the Government Technology Agency of Singapore have all embraced Workplace. People work in different ways, around the world, and Workplace’s mission is to help them stay connected.
The Best of Facebook, Plus New Features We’ve brought the best of Facebook to the workplace — whether it’s basic infrastructure such as News Feed, or the ability to create and share in Groups or via chat, or useful features such as Live, Reactions, Search
50 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
see page 51
Workplace By Facebook from BBN Show Biz Buzz on page 50
and Trending posts. This means you can chat with a colleague across the world in real time, host a virtual brainstorm in a Group, or follow along with your CEO’s presentation on Facebook Live. We’ve also built unique, Workplace-only features that companies can benefit from such as a dashboard with analytics and integrations with single sign-on, in addition to identity providers that allow companies to more easily integrate Workplace with their existing IT
systems. Today we’re also announcing Multi-Company Groups, shared spaces that allow employees from different organizations to work together, to extend collaboration beyond your company in a safe and secure way. These will be rolling out to all customers in the coming weeks.
Scaling the Solution: Introducing the Workplace Partner Program To help more companies get started with Workplace, we are announcing the Workplace Partner Program, a group of technology and professional service organizations such as Deloitte who will work with us to bring Workplace to even more businesses across the globe. This means that companies will have more ways to access Workplace — by working with our teams directly or via our approved and trained partners. Workplace will be priced competitively — companies only pay for people who are actively using the product. See details of pricing here.
The new global and mobile workplace isn’t about closed-door meetings or keeping people separated by title, department or geography. Organizations are stronger and more productive when everyone comes together. For more information, or to get Workplace by Facebook for your company, visit workplace.fb.com. Or stay in touch on our Facebook Page at facebook. com/workplace.
51 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
Business
The Consumer Reports 10-Minute Digital Privacy Tuneup
knowledge. The simplest solution—put a piece of tape or a Post-it note over it. Hackers haven’t yet cracked the adhesive code.
By Consumer Reports
Use the HTTPS Everywhere Browser Extension
T
When you see “https” and a green padlock alongside a URL in your browser’s address bar, it means that the data is encrypted as it travels back and forth between the website and your computer. (The “s” stands for “secure.”) Some sites that support https use it inconsistently. Add the HTTPS Everywhere browser extension, which you can download from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and your connections will be encrypted anytime you connect to a website that supports https. It works with the Chrome, Firefox, and Opera browsers.
here's a lot you can do Use a screen lock that’s at least six to protect your personal characters long. And avoid easyinformation when you go to-guess passwords, such as a online, whether you're using a birthdate or your phone number. smartphone or a laptop, and Check Your Data-Breach whether you're at home or in a Status coffee shop. Wondering whether your The following steps take just a few personal data has been stolen minutes to do, and each one can help make your data more secure, and posted for sale on the web? foiling hackers and controlling the At haveibeenpwned.com, you amount of data that companies can check your email addresses and user names against lists from collect without your knowledge. To explore more ideas, consult 120 known breaches at companies Consumer Reports' expanded including Adobe, LinkedIn, and list of tips for protecting privacy Snapchat. (You'll need to register and security (www.consumerreports. to check the full database.) If org/privacy/66-ways-to-protect-your- your name pops up, change the password for the compromised privacy-right-now). account and any other site where— Turn on Automatic Updates tut, tut—you were using the same “Software updates are like oil password. changes,” says Mark Surman, executive director of the Mozilla Use Temporary Email Foundation. “They can be a hassle Addresses You’re often asked for an email in the moment but a lifesaver in hindsight.” According to security address to access a website or professionals surveyed last year by to sign up for a loyalty card, even Google, the most critical step you if you want to use the service just can take to boost security is to keep once. Comply and you may be in your operating system and other for years of marketing come-ons. software up to date. Most modern But you don’t have to provide a real software will update itself if you let it. one. Consider using 10minutemail. Make sure you have auto-updates com, where you can get a functional email address for 10 minutes (or turned on across the board. 20, if you need it), just long enough Use Screen Locks on Every for you to log on to a site. When the Device time is up, the email address selfSet a password or PIN for every destructs—and 10minutemail.com laptop, smartphone, and tablet you doesn’t retain any personal data. own. Any lost device without a screen Cover Your Laptop lock is an unprotected gateway for thieves, who may be able to access Webcam Malicious actors have repeatedly your email and banking and social accounts, changing passwords and proven that they can turn on a taking control of your digital life. laptop’s camera without the user’s
Turn Off Location Tracking in Apps Many mobile apps can extract your whereabouts from your phone. In the case of a restaurantrecommendation service or Uber, that makes sense. But there’s no reason to share your location data with many other companies that won’t use the information to provide you with any obvious benefits. You can selectively decide whether individual apps can access that data. On iPhones, go to Settings, then Privacy, then Location Services. Now scroll down to any app to control if and when it can access your location. You can do the same on any Android phone running a recent version of the operating system (6.0 Marshmallow or later). Go to Settings, then Application Manager, and tap on the specific app you want to adjust. Next, tap on Permissions to access the location setting. www.consumerreports.org/privacy/ the-consumer-reports-10-minute-digitalprivacy-tuneup
52 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
Business
Hack Proof Computing
T
he Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has launched the world's first quantum communications satellite. The Quantum Experiments at Space Scale (QUESS) project is a joint effort between the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Austrian Academy of Sciences "designed to establish 'hackproof' quantum communications by transmitting uncrackable keys from space to the ground." The University of Science and Technology of China team will complete a 2,000-kilometer-long fiber-optic link that will enable the transmission of quantum keys for secure communication between Beijing and Shanghai by the end of 2016. If it works, it will establish a quantum network of four cities. Combined with the quantum satellite's potential, we're talking about a secure quantum network. What is quantum computing? "Quantum computing is harnessing and exploiting the laws of quantum mechanics to process information." The elegance of quantum computing rests on "superposition" and "entanglement" — phenomena specific to the smallest particles known to man. Superposition means that a particle "can be 'here' and 'there,' or 'up' and 'down' at the same time." Entanglement is a relationship between two or more particles so strong that their "actions" are linked no matter the distance separating them.
Welcome to More.
Open the door to a hotel you don’t just visit. You own it. Choice Hotels® is committed to achieving more diversity in hospitality with exclusive incentive programs designed to reduce up front costs and provide more support to minority hotel developers. And our commitment doesn’t stop there. Choice Hotels promotes and pursues diversity at all levels, ranging from our workforce to our hotel guests, from our suppliers to entrepreneurs looking to create wealth. Like you. Open the door to hotel ownership opportunities with Choice Hotels. Because you’re not in business for less. You’re in it for more. www.choicehotelsdevelopment.com/#&panel1-2
Ed. Black Business News http://www.wallstreetdaily.com
56 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
What you're going for... • • • • •
The Technology of Entertainment The Future of Business Tech (Is Now) A Smarter and Safer World The Technology Fueling Social Justice & Sustainability The Hottest Tech for Health, Wellness, Sport, Fashion & Beauty
Read The Agenda:
www.cvent.com/events/2016-black-enterprise-techconnextsummit/agenda-efcc591331be4cd0af4011bcfa14674f .aspx#tabs-2
Why Attend... 1. Connect 2. Learn 3. Recruit 4. Innovate
Register Now! - $195:
https://www.cvent.com/events/2016-blackenterprise-techconnext-summit/registrationefcc591331be4cd0af4011bcfa14674f.aspx
Capitol Vineyards www.capitolvineyards.com Just an hour drive outside of Washington DC, Capitol Vineyards sits on over 30 acres of prime terroir in Delaplane, VA. Owned and operated by young professionals of the Capitol region, Capitol Vineyards offers accessible wines for affordable prices. Our wines are made from 100% Virginia Grapes. Our 2009 vintage features Traminette, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Meritage. Built in the 1800’s the tasting room was once home to the first African American owned Postmaster General in Virginia. Converted into a General Store in the early 1900’s the store has stood vacant since 1950. Newly renovated, the store has been converted into Capitol Vineyard’s tasting room. The building maintains its historic frame and style and the tasting room incorporates the original wooden bar. Nestled in the steep slopes of Red Oak Mountain, Capitol Vineyards has 16 cleared acres of available grape growing land. The temperate to hot, humid climate has an almost unlimited growing season where many grape varietals can do well.
Varietals with loose clusters and grapes with thicker rot-resistant skins are ideal for the climate.
Contact Us/Visit Us Visit our website to learn about then order our wines or, even better, visit the vineyard to taste our wines. Email: Cellar@capitolvineyards.com Phone: 1-845-598-2662 Website: www.capitolvineyards.com Address: 3600 Sage Rd Delaplane VA 20144
59 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
UCLA Professor of Medicine and Jazz trumpeter Dr. Richard Allen Williams brings the RAW Sugar Quintet to perform straight ahead jazz on this auspicious occasion. Jazz guitarist Jacques Lesure has performed in the nation’s top jazz venues and major festivals. He is Musical Director for the Living Legends Foundation & President of The African-American Jazz Caucus. Legendary singer and songwriter Maxayn Lewis has worked with such icons as Smokey Robinson, Celine Dion, the Gap Band, Ike & Tina Turner and was the founder of the ‘70s Maxayn Band. This five-man a Capella group won Season 4 of NBC’s “The Sing Off.” They have shared the stage with Nancy Wilson, Stevie Wonder, Kool and theGang, Take Six, and Boyz II Men to name a few. w.
Proceeds benefit the California Council for Veterans Affairs,, Inc. “Women & Children First” Program—a g non p profit 501(c)(3) ( )( ) organization—celebrating 42 years of service. Founded in 1974, CCVA provides emergency/ transitional shelter and supportive services to homeless female veterans with minor children in the South Los Angeles County area. For fortytwo years we have been the link for the target population to non-VA programs by providing shelter, comprehensive case management, employment counseling, placement services, social service referrals, educational guidance, and development of personal goals and objectives. Our mission is to help those who are homeless, helpless yet hopeful! Board of Advisors Dr. Stephanie Evans, Chair; Sheila Ward; Margo Bouchet, Esq.; Char Bland; Rev. Cecil “Chip” Murray; Olga Sanders; Myron Hale; Juanita Hamilton; Perell Reese; Tina Kendricks; J. Stanley Sanders, Esq. of Counsel Margaret Bush Ware, Executive Director TAX ID NO. 95-2861434
Quote of Note “And I tell you what, eight years later, we can look back and we can say we fought our way back from a recession. Our businesses have turned job losses into 15 million new jobs. We have slashed our dependence on foreign oil. We've doubled our production of clean energy. Incomes are rising, poverty is falling. The uninsured rate is at an all-time low. We've brought our brave troops home to their families. We delivered justice to Osama bin Laden. Marriage equality is a reality in all 50 states. We've been busy these last eight years. By every measure, our country is stronger and more prosperous than when I came into office.”
Barack Obama Miami Gardens, Florida 2016 http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-get/I000054Ol6H3rmgs/t/200/ I000054Ol6H3rmgs.jpg www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/10/20/remarkspresident-democratic-party-florida-grassroots-organizing-event
62 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
Business Technology:
Black Robotics Engineers Talk About Robots and Us by Samara Lynn Dr. Ashitey Trebi-Ollennu (Image: File)
www.robokindrobots.com disadvantage in the job market. Robots mean that there will be more “high-skill” jobs available, said Trebi-Ollennu. He mentioned that it is important that classrooms provide adequate skills young people will need to work in a high-tech world. Some of the new jobs that will be in demand according to both panelists will include robot programmers, technicians, builders, and people that can fix and maintain automated vehicles.
How Deadly Are Robots? On a lively panel at Black Enterprise’s TechConneXt Tech Summit, two black robotics engineers discussed artificial intelligence and robotics. Both weighed in on whether robots are harmful to human beings, and especially to the livelihood of people of color.
T
he panel, hosted by CEO and founder of facial recognition tech company Kairos, Brian Brackeen, included Terrence Southern, a tech founder and robotics engineer for GE. Also participating was Dr. Ashitey Trebi-Ollennu, an award-winning and esteemed roboticist at NASA. A portion of the panel focused on the anxious perceptions people harbor about robots and their threat
of replacing human labor as well as their potential danger.
Many Jobs Will Become Obsolete Southern was adamant that these machines would replace some jobs. “There is already a robot chef,” he told the audience. Indeed, German company Moley Robotics created a robot chef that can create a meal from scratch by mimicking the movements of a human chef. He also mentioned that many fast-food enterprises are looking at robots as a way of automating business operations and cutting costs. Trebi-Ollennu quelled some fears about job loss after an audience member asked about robot labor’s impact on blacks and other minorities, who are already at a
One woman in the audience asked the question that was surely in the back of many minds: With artificial intelligence and robotics, can intelligent machines hurt or even kill humans? Southern pointed out that many industrial robots are huge machines with the ability to crush or maim any humans working next to them. He said that “collaborative robots” are a big area of research because they allow robots and humans to work safely side-by-side. Trebi-Ollennu insisted that any notion of robots eventually dominating or killing humans was the stuff of science fiction. “We use them as tools to help humans,” he assured. www.blackenterprise.com/ technology/black-roboticsengineers-robots-kill-us/
63 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
67 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
www.nubianskin.com/us
Sell Your Products & Services on
Black Business Association is joining forces with AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and a number of other businesses and community organizations to help promote safe driving through
It Can Wait.
http://itcanwait.com
FOR
Halloween
OR ANY SPECIAL OCCASION
Business Email, SMS, Twitter or Facebook.
Technology:
Take A Look! by LaSandra Stratton
C
heck out what these firms and organizations have to offer for your personal interests, personal wealth building, and business expansion opportunities.
iTranslate Voice app http:// itranslatevoice.com
I
magine talking into your phone in one language and immediately hearing yourself in another? That’s exactly what iTranslate Voice does. Just speak into your phone and it immediately replies in one of our 42 languages.
With iTranslate Voice you can: • Instantly speak over 40 languages • No typing needed. The accuracy of our voice recognition is so amazing that you don't need your keyboard anymore. • Look up definitions and translations for common words & phrases, just using your voice. • Use AirTranslate to connect devices together and easily engage in conversation with other people. • Simply send translations via
Introducing Phrasebook: With Phrasebook you finally have a way to save frequently used phrases, sentences or questions. Imagine you are a doctor and need to ask patients with different native languages the same 5 questions over and over again. Or you travel to many different countries and want to have a list of the 10 most important phrases always at hand? With Phrasebook you can now save those phrases and instantly translate them into whatever language we currently offer. Of course your phrases are synced with iCloud, so you’ll never lose them. Supported languages & dialects: Arabic (Saudi), Arabic (UAE), Arabic (Egypt), Catalan, Chinese (Mandarin), Chinese (Taiwan), Chinese (Cantonese), Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English (GB), English (USA), English (Australia), Finnish, French, French (Canada), German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Portugal), Portuguese (Brazil), Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Spanish (Spain), Spanish (United States), Spanish (Mexico), Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese Additional languages with partial support: Croatian, Malay, Ukrainian, Vietnamese iTranslate Voice requires an Internet connection. Visit our website to find out more: http://itranslatevoice.com.
for $1.99 and started browsing to locate free wifi access (and passwords) for airports around the world. How do you use your app to locate free Wi-Fi if you have no connection? Good news: It's available offline as well.
android)
The Roost Stand www. therooststand.com
The Roost Laptop Stand fits just
about every make and model of laptop, will hold over 50lbs, so there is no laptop too heavy and is portable. The inventor of the Roost was looking for a way to comfortably work from his laptop. Using a laptop for 4 hours or more per day puts you at risk for a lifetime of computer-related injuries and pain. The Roost allows you to adjust your laptop screen height (6-11 inches)
WiFox
D
ownload iOs
WiFox
on
(https://itunes. apple.com/au/app/wifox/ id1130542083?mt=8) or Android (https://foxnomad.com/2016/09/20/ wifox-map-current-airport-wirelesspasswords-worldwide-now-available-
74 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
which is critical for maximum comfort, health and productivity.
Felt https://feltapp.com
P
ersonal, handwritten (via your iPhone or iPad screen) greeting cards Thank you, Happy Birthday, I'm Sorry, Thinking About You and I Love You. Also, Thanks for the Order, You're Invited, Our New Baby, Get Well Soon and everything in between. Sealed, stamped and mailed. All from your iPad or iPhone. Visit the Felt Facebook page for more ideas - www.facebook. com/FeltApp.
natural anti-bacterial formula will get rid of your phone’s sneaky biosphere. Then when you replace the pad into the holder, the friction it and a pad in the cap causes the carbon molecules to shift—giving a fresh cleaning surface every time.
Replacement pads are available.
Peeps www.thegrommet.com/ peeps
G
et your glasses cleaner than cloths and sprays with this carbon eyeglass cleaner. Peep’s carbon cleaning technology is actually used by
NASA in their space station. First, use the natural b r i s t l e brush to dust off any bigger particles. Then clean off oils with the two facing carbon pads—they sandwich each lens and clean it on both sides. The shape is designed to reach even dirt that builds up in nooks and crannies. Submitted by LaSandra Stratton, Chief Content Administrator of the Black Business News.
Coming to your e-mail box.
SmartKlear www.thegrommet. com/smartklear
W
atch your phone screen become squeaky clean with this simple smartphone cleaner. SmartKlear’s carbon cleaning technology is actually used by NASA in their space station. A f t e r y o u ’ v e swiped the pad across the screen a few couple times, your screen will be clear and SmartKlear’s all
Read Back Issues at: https://issuu.com/blackbusinessnews
75 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
Business
L
.A. Business Printing is the official printer for the Black Business Association (BBA); and after 28 years in operation, the owner, Eric Johnson, recently expanded his business service delivery capacity, in which he anticipates will increase his bottom line by approximately 60%. Johnson recently secured the coveted “Union Bug” (is a label, mark or emblem which advertises that the employees who make a product or provide a service are represented by the labor union or group of unions whose label appears, in order to attract customers who prefer to buy unionmade products). This will make L.A. Business Printing one of two African
American-owned print shops in the region with this designation. This label will provide them with a number of key advantages, including securing non-compete contracts, and the capacity to bid on larger contracts. When asked about what made him decide to pursue a Union Bug, he stated that “The decision to go this direction was not easy, and took more than eight months to accomplish. At first, I never wanted to become a union printer because I didn’t want anyone to come in and tell me how to run my business.” However, because of the numerous requests he received from potential clients who needed to use a union printer, and coupled with the fact that the way he conducted business;
it quickly helped him to solidify his decision to pursue the Union Bug. When asked what has made L.A. Business Printing a “go-to” company, Johnson replied, “The quality of work my shop produces, our reasonable turnaround time; and the fair prices we offer our customers.” A win-win attitude and the emphasis on the providing exemplary customer service is why Johnson is confident that L.A. Business Printing will be able to successfully leverage its designation as a union shop to secure lucrative union contracts. Congratulations to L.A. Business Printing!
www.blackenterprise.com/events/women-of-power-summit 77 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
Business
City National Bank Sponsors 28 Entrepreneur's 2-Year Memberships to Black Business Association
A
s one of the Black Business Association’s (BBA) strong collaborative partners, City National Bank continues to reinforce their commitment to African American business enterprises, by sponsoring the 28 entrepreneur students of the Wattstar Entrepreneur Collaborative (WEC),with a 2-year paid membership to the BBA. “We are very excited about additional resources we will be able to provide these 28 entreprenuers in terms of exposure to our Corporate members, other BBA business owners, training, networking and advocacy,” stated Earl “Skip” Cooper, president and CEO of the BBA. The WEC is a coalition comprised of the Watts Cinema and Education Center (WCEC), the Black Business Association (BBA), a member of the WATTSTAR Collaborative initiative, Pacific Coast Regional (PCR), the
Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corporation (VSEDC) and Southland Partnership, Inc. (SPI). The overall goal of the WEC is the creation of 15-20 small business owners who will be mentored until they are independent owners and employing residents from the Watts/ Willowbrook communities; and all of which will add momentum to their success with the WEC program, and more importantly to assist with the economic revitalization of the Watts/Willowbrook communities. The 28 entrepreneurs were selected among the hundreds attending the 2016 summer series of free business seminars conducted in the Ted Watkins Memorial Park Auditorium, targeting entrepreneurs who live within the Watts/Willowbrook communities. The goal was to inform residents of small business opportunities and available resources. They were put through three months of intensive
(Left to Right) Earl “Skip” Cooper, Pres/CE Kontokanis, “Soul Grubb Love Restaurant”;
(Left to Right) Earl “Skip” Cooper, Pres/CE Theresa L. Jones, Founder/Dir, “A New Dir entrepreneur training and the development of their preliminary business plans. Once their plans were completed, the entrepreneurs received courses on how to finance their small business; micro-loans for eligible applicants and mentoring on how to become eligible.
78 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
certification of their preliminary plans to bring goods, services and jobs to the Watts/Willowbrook communities. Among some of the entrepreneurs recognized were: Theresa L. Jones, Founder/Director of A New Direction a board and care facility for women and children; Marvin Horn, Owner, Pro Telecom & Wireless Communications; J o n a t h a n R o b i n s o n , EO BBA; Barbara J. Stanton, Pres/CEO Wattstar; Vanessa Executive Director ; Pam Bizell, VSEDC, Farid Haqq VSEDC The Ambassadors of Style Organization with a mission to introduce technology, science, math, and travel to the Watts/ Willowbrook communities’ youth; and Vanessa Kontokanis a restaurateur whose long term goal is to bring a “healthy eating” option to the Watts/Willowbrook community by opening Soul Grubb Love Restaurant on the site of the legendary Jordan’s Café. One of the evening’s highlight was the keynote address delivered by Sal Mendoza, Senior VP, City National Bank who reinforced the Bank’s support; and EO BBA; Barbara J. Stanton, Pres/CEO Wattstar; acknowledged rection”; Pam Bizell, VSEDC, Farid Haqq VSEDC the presence of a dozen banks who’ve During the recent commencement pledged to bring sorely ceremony and dinner at Mount St. needed economic Mary’s College sponsored by City d e v e l o p m e n t National Bank, Pacific Western programs to the Bank and the BBA; along with a Wa t t s / W i l l o w b r o o k dozen other lending institutions, this communities. group of diverse business men and The WEC agencies women stepped forward to receive bring a vast amount
of knowledge and expertise from conducting years of entrepreneurial training in South Los Angeles and other communities. In support of this effort, the WEC agencies are involved with the following to further reinforce and provide the resources needed for aspiring entrepreneurs in urban communities. • The VSEDC is focusing on business plan development and potential merchants to locate in Martin Luther King (MLK) Shopping Center (currently listed for sale); • The BBA continues to leverage its 45+ year history to successfully advocate for policies, training and contracting opportunities for African American and other diverse-owned businesses to foster sustainable economic empowerment; • The PCR, is the number one financing entity in Los Angeles for small businesses; and • Wattstar, a guiding force in the long deferred economic development of the Watts/ Willowbrook communities. The BBA and its collaborative partner, City National Bank (CNB), congratulates the 28 entreprenuers who recently received certification of their business plans, as part of the Wattstar Entrepreneur Collaborative (WEC) – buildling people, business and community.
79 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
www.bbala.org
Community/Public Interest
Michelle Obama: "This Issue is Personal for Me" By Michelle Obama, Special to CNN
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or me, education has never been simply a policy issue -it's personal. Neither of my parents and hardly anyone in the neighborhood where I grew up went to college. But thanks to a lot of hard work and plenty of financial aid, I had the opportunity to attend some of the finest universities in this country. That education opened so many doors and gave me the confidence to pursue my ambitions and have a voice in the world. For me, education was power. And a few years ago, when I had the honor of meeting Malala Yousafzai, who was shot in the head just for trying to go to school, this issue got really personal for me. I saw that the terrorists who nearly killed her were trying to silence her voice, snuff out her ambitions, and take away her power. That's why I decided to work on global girls' education as first lady: because right now, there are tens of millions of girls like Malala in every corner of the globe who are not in school -- girls who are so bright, hardworking and hungry to learn. And that's really the mission of the Let Girls Learn initiative we launched last year: It's a global effort to give these girls the education they need to fulfill their potential and lift up their families, communities and countries. Now, as first lady, I have no budget of my own for programs, and I have no authority to make or pass laws. That's why, when we first launched
Let Girls Learn, many folks doubted that we could make a real impact on this global issue. But over the past year and a half, we've established partnerships with some of the world's largest companies and organizations that are committing money, resources and expertise. We're collaborating with countries like Canada, Mexico and the Nordic countries on girls' education efforts. Countries like Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom have collectively pledged nearly $600 million. The United States is investing over a billion dollars through new and ongoing efforts and running Let Girls Learn programs in more than 50 countries. The World Bank Group will be investing $2.5 billion over the next five years. And through social media campaigns, Let Girls Learn has rallied people across America and across the globe to step up and be champions for girls worldwide. All this is happening because time and again, whether it's a head of state, a corporate CEO, or a 15-year-old girl here in the United States, when people hear the stories of girls who aren't in school, they want to help. That's why CNN's new film on global girls' education, "We Will Rise," airing for the first time this week, is so critically important -because it tells these girls' stories. This powerful film chronicles the lives of some of the girls I visited this past summer in Liberia and
Morocco, two countries in Africa where many girls struggle to get an education. I was joined in my travels by the actors and activists Meryl Streep and Freida Pinto, who are also passionate about girls' education, as well as CNN anchor Isha Sesay. To g e t h e r, we sat down with girls in both countries to discuss the barriers they face and the dreams they hold for their futures. Like so many girls around the world, many of these girls come from families struggling with poverty. Some endure dangerous commutes to and from school each day. Others face cultural pressures to drop out, marry young and start having children of their own. But these girls have big plans for their lives. They want to attend college and become doctors, teachers, engineers, entrepreneurs; and day after day, they do whatever it takes to get the education they need to fulfill their dreams. They
80 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
President of the Republic of Liberia Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and First Lady Michelle Obama stand with young women participating in the "We Will Rise: Mission to Educate Girfls Around the World."
get up before dawn, and spend hours harvesting crops, cooking for their families and tending to their younger siblings before heading to class. After school, they work as maids and in factories, and they study for hours late into the night. I hope you will be as moved by their stories as I was -- and I hope you'll visit LetGirlsLearn.gov to learn more about how you can take action to help girls like them worldwide go to school.
Unlike so many girls around the world, we have a voice. That's why, particularly on this year's International Day of the Girl, I ask that you use yours to help these girls get the education they deserve. They're counting on us, and I have no intention of letting them down. I plan to keep working on their behalf, not just for the rest of my time as first lady, but for the rest of my life. I hope you will join me.
Michelle Obama is the first lady of the United States. The opinions expressed in this commentary are hers. CNN Films' "We Will Rise: Michelle Obama's Mission to Educate Girls Around the World," premieres on CNN International October 11 and CNN US October 12 (http://go.cnn. com/?type=program&id=2101762). www.cnn.com/2016/10/11/opinions/cnnfilms-we-will-rise-michelle-obama/index. html
81 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
Community/Public Interest
California Council for Veterans Affairs "JAZZ ON THE LAWN" by Margaret Bush Ware, Executive Director
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ince March 1974, the California Council for Veterans Affairs, Inc. ("CCVA"), a nonprofit 501(c)(3) human service organization, has provided food, emergency/transitional shelter and supportive services to homeless veterans in the Los Angeles County area. For forty-two years we have addressed the unique needs of a frequently forgotten
Actor Roger Mosely and his wife Toni Laudermilk enjoy the afternoon with friends
Margaret Bush Ware, Executiver Director California Council for Veterans Affairs population in Los Angeles by providing shelter, comprehensive case management, employment counseling, placement services, transportation, social service referrals, educational guidance, and subsgtance abuse counseling. Our mission is to help make a difference in thelife of the homeless, the helpless, the hopeful. On October 8th more than 100 people responded to an invitation to enjoy "Jass on the Lawn" in the Baldwin Hills Estates. Guests heard the straight ahead jazz renderings from the RAW Sugar Jazz Quintet under the leadership of Dr. Richard Allen Williams playing the trumpet, with Harold Land, Jr. on piano, Leslie Daniels on drums, Michael Alvidrez on bass, and Teadross Avery on the saxophone. Guitarist Jacques Lesure joing the group for some smooth jazz renditions. Denise Lyles Cook (aka "The Oracle") performed two original spoken word tributes for American soldiers. Legendary singer and songwriter, Masayn Lewis sang love melodies with the
quintet. The five-man a cappela group Street Corner Renaissance doo wopped the audience into standing and singing along with their oldies but goodies. Chef Marilyn and Margaret Bush Ware prepared the fabulous meal. Proceeds from the event help offset the
(center) Earl "Skip" Cooper, III, BBA President, with (left) Juanita Hamilton, CCVA Admisory Board Member and (right) Margaret Bush Ware
82 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
new bathroom fixtures, rewiring all the electric sockets and lighting, as well as installing remote controlled heating and air condition units in each room. Home Depot volunteers completed the project by painting the exgterior, planting a flower garden, sodding the
Jacques Lesure (far right) joined the RAW Sugar Jazz Quintet loss of funding from HUD that CCVA found out about early this year that they had been cut after eighteen years of support from that federal agency. Twice a year the Los Angeles Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta conducts workshops called "Delta Dresser" spearheading by Soror Loretta Malone. Delta's help the female veterans with pre-employment skills by assisting with resume writing, job applications, mock interviews and managing income from employment.
Song stylist Maxayn Lewis performed
Prospective Founded by the late Kenneth Brooks, the organization began as a counseling center for returning Vietnam veterans. Brooks had the vision to expand services and programs by reaching out to Skid Row homeless and bringing them into shelter during the cold and wet weather season in Los Angeles. He later collaborated with the West Los Angeles Veterans Administration to house homeless veterans overnight at a bungalow on their campus. In 1987 Mr. Brooks moved the overnight program to a location in South Central Los Angeles and provided services to homeless men and women for more than 10 years. Recognizing the need to offer programs and transitional housing to the increasing number of female veterans and their minor children, the organization purchased property and re-located to the corner of Florence and Third Avenue in Los Angeles with a grant from the Veterans Administration in 1999. Now with Margaret Bush Ware in the leadership position as Executive Director, the organization has risen to new heights. With a grant from the Home Depot Foundation, the 14-bed transitional shelter received an extreme makeover in 2012. The makeover included installing hard wood floors in each of the three units, along with granite counter-tops in the kitchens, replacing and/or refacing kitchen cabinets,
Jacques Lesure (far right) joined the RAW Sugar Jazz Quintet grounds and installing wood and vinyl fence panels for privacy. The second phase (removating the administration building) was completed in the summer of 2015 and was funded through the City of Los Angeles 8th Council District by Councilman Bernard H. Parks.
Your Support is Needed Veterans Day is fast approaching and a country-wide appeal is being made to support the work being done by the staff and volunteers at CCVA providing professional counseling, transitional/crisis housing, and services to the homeless female veteran population enrolled in our "Women and Children First" program. Tax deductible contributions can be made payable to: CA Council for Veterans Affairs, Inc. and mailed to 2501 W. Florence Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90043. For information, contact Margaret Bush Ware at 10323299-9273.
83 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
Community/Public Interest
Howard University Announces the Cathy Hughes School of Communications By Denise Hollinshed
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oward University president, Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick, announced a multi-million dollar gift to its School of Communications from Alfred C. Liggins III, President and CEO of Radio One, Inc. This notable contribution was made through the Catherine L. Hughes and Alfred C. Liggins III Foundation and establishes that the School will be named in honor of Cathy Hughes, Radio One founder and Chairperson, and former Howard University staff member. An official ceremony to announce the naming of the “Cathy Hughes School of Communications” will be held on Sunday, October 23, 2016, at Howard University. “The Howard community is thrilled
that Mr. Liggins has chosen to honor his mother, Ms. Cathy Hughes, in this manner for her pioneering work in the field of communications,” said Dr. Frederick. “The gift will have a transformational impact on the School’s commitment to serve the communications industry and as a high-level producer of diverse media specialists.” He went on to acknowledge that Ms. Hughes is well known for her accomplishments at the School and University, particularly at WHUR-FM where she created the popular, urban music format known as the “Quiet Storm.” She is also the School’s third Time Warner Endowed Chair. The donation recognizes the extraordinary vigor of Howard’s School of Communications and its faculty, students, staff, and alumni. It demonstrates Ms. Hughes’ and Mr. Liggins’ firm beliefs in the role that the School plays in providing and sustaining a range of educational and leadership alternatives for African Americans within the communications sector. In 2013, the School reorganized
its undergraduate programs and departments, graduate studies, and interdisciplinary options. Now in its 45th year of existence, the School proudly boasts four progressive departments: Communication Culture and Media Studies; Communication Sciences and Disorders; Media, Journalism and Film; and Strategic, Legal and Management Communication. The Catherine L. Hughes and Alfred C. Liggins III Fund at Howard University will assist the School in acquiring cutting-edge technology and equipment, which will support its academically rich programs. Radio One invites its supporters and business partners to join its effort to promote and support Howardeducated communication leaders who will continue the cycle of influence and upliftment personified by Ms. Hughes. Donations should be made to Howard University and designated for the Cathy Hughes School of Communications. As Howard University approaches its sesquicentennial anniversary, its enthusiasm about the next 150 years is heightened by the generosity of Ms. Hughes and Mr. Liggins, and the legacy that they are graciously leaving behind. www.africanamericanreports. com/2016/10/howard-universityannounces-cathy.html
84 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
Community/Public Interest - Obituary
Tommy Ford, 'Martin' Star, Dies at 52 By Lisa Respers France, CNN
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ctor Tommy Ford, best known for his role as Tommy in the 1990s hit sitcom "Martin," has died in Atlanta, a spokeswoman for his family said. He was 52. No cause of death was announced, and the family released a statement Wednesday asking for privacy. "It is with great sadness that we announce the untimely passing of our beloved son, father, brother, husband, and friend Tommy Mykhal Ford," the statement said. "On behalf of the family, we would like to thank everyone for their love, support and prayers. Funeral arrangements will be forthcoming. Please respect the privacy of the
Ford family during our time of grief." The actor had been documenting on social media his recovery from knee replacement surgery shortly before his death. The Los Angeles native was a graduate of the University of Southern California's Fine Arts Acting Program, according to the actor's site. His first character role on television was as Lamar Collins on "A Different World." He would go on to have other parts in television and films, including the 1989 Eddie Murphy movie "Harlem Nights." But his role as Tommy Strawn, straight man to Martin Lawrence's jokester character on "Martin," made Ford a star.
Lawrence mourned the loss of his friend, joining the flood of fans who paid tribute to him on Twitter. "We were friends way b4 the Martin show & showed tru friendship on-screen," Lawrence tweeted. "You brought a lot of love 2 the world & you'll be greatly missed." A long-running joke on the show surrounded what -- if any -- job the character Tommy had. Ford explained during an interview with BlackDoctor.org that the joke came about when the cast returned for its second season. The idea was sparked during a table read, Ford said, for a scene in which Lawrence's character was to meet Ford's after work. "He wasn't in character; he was being Martin," Ford said. "He says, 'You have a job?' I said, 'Of course I have a job!' And I'm starting to explain but everybody's like 'No, no, no, no, no! Don't explain. We love itit!' " After "Martin" ended in 1997, Ford continued working in television, appearing on popular series such as "New York Undercover," "The Parkers" and "House." He was the Pope of Comedy on the TV One's show "Who's Got Jokes!" Ford also produced and starred in a film short titled "The Club" and did some directing. In addition to his career in Hollywood, Ford wrote children's books and founded Be Still and Know Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to building better communities for disadvantaged youth http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/13/ entertainment/tommy-ford-obit/index.html
85 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
Community/Public Interest - Obituary
Radio Legend the ‘Cool Gent’ Herb Kent Passes By Kai EL’Zabar, Executive Editor, Chicago Defender
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lack Chicago’s favorite radio personality known by his handle as the “Cool Gent” has moved on to where all cool cats go. Born on Oct. 5, 1928 in Chicago, Illinois, made him 88. He made his transition Saturday evening just two years shy of turning 90. Herb received his early musical inspiration from the Chicago, R&B clubs located in his South Side neighborhood and pursued his love of music with a passion for nearly 70 years. Herb Kent earned several descriptive and affectionate names denoting his talent among, which were ‘Herbie Baby,’ the ‘Cool Gent’ and ‘King of the Dusties.’ He entertained millions of listeners throughout the world with his knowledge of music, playing the best of the best and his weekly contests pitting one talent against another allowing the listening audience to weigh in. One such recent contest was Michael Jackson against Prince. He’d choose one and another radio personnel would call the other. The audience would ring the lines as he’d played song for song voting song for song. It was all in a day’s fun but kept listeners engaged and tuned in. Mr. Kent attended Hyde Park High School and by age 16 (1944), he got a shot at radio by appearing onair at Chicago’s prestigious WBEZ Radio station and he was bit by the bug. In 1948 his first paid gig was for WGRY, a Gary radio station and in 1952 he landed a salaried job at WGES hosting a country western show. In the late 50’s he began working for WJOB in Hammond, Indiana. The sprints at these small stations were the beginning of what became his life long career hosting a number radio shows throughout Chicago including WVON, WJJD and V103, where he was still working through his last day on earth. His early start gave him plenty of time to develop his unique radio communication style, which made him a great on-air personality. Kent cut his teeth in radio when the DJ’s had power and authority programming their own shows. They could make or break a talent and signal handedly build
their own listening audiences based on their music playlist. He not only has been able to entertain and inform listeners on his weekly radio show, he has also opened many doors for African Americans. He has proven to be a bankable commodity and is a living icon. He is often given credit for launching the careers of R&B legends Minnie Ripperton, also a native Chicagoan who grew up in Bronzeville and attended Hyde Park High school; Curtis Mayfield, Smoky Robinson and the Temptations. Like most contributors to society Mr. Kent was multidimensional making a difference in various areas of life. He served as a civil rights activist, and used his popular broadcast platform as a voice to speak about African-American issues. So it is duly noted that he was also affectionately referred to as, “The Voice of the People.” Among Mr Kent’s many awards and recognitions include his 1995 induction into the Museum of Broadcast Communications Radio Hall of Fame. In 1996, Kent witnessed the official dedication of a street on Chicago’s South Side in his honor: “Herb Kent Drive.” He was also recognized by the dedication of a United States postal stamp bearing his image, which was included in the 1998 “Golden Days of Radio” series. The following year, Herb Kent was named the Honorary Mayor of Bronzeville by its residents. In January of this year, Mr. Kent received the Chicago Defender’s Men of Excellence Lifetime Achievement Honoree for the excellence he has personified as one of the most important figures in Chicago radio and his service to the community. In an interview about his autobiography, “Cool Gent: the Nine Lives of Radio Legend Herb Kent,” Herb Kent described himself, as a straight-A college student in the 1940s, enamored with radios. He said that he has loved radio since the age of 5. Mr. Kent with a smooth, mellifluous voice just perfect for the medium, which remained his signature, was told
86 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
straight out by a professor, “You have the best voice in class, but you’ll never make it in radio because you’re a Negro.” However like many Black men who were not encouraged by teachers Kent, went on to prove his professor wrong. Mr. Kent, stated that, “You can’t live the way I have without some hard and sad times.” He estimated that he faced death at least nine times because of his rock-and-roll lifestyle, which included lots of women and lots of hard partying. “I hope readers of my book will learn to stay away from substance abuse,” says Kent, “But I also want readers to know that they should find what they really love and pursue it, and when you get knocked down, don’t stay down, get right back up.” In his passing Mr. Kent leaves us his book, with a foreword written by Mayor Richard Daley. The autobiography is a fascinating read about celebrity, climbing upward, the evolving world of radio when deejays were star makers of the music industry and selected records from large rooms filled with vinyl disks. It gives the reader an inside glimpse of Chicago life up front and personal over the past 70 years. His passion for radio was like the true maestro’s, though he may not have composed music he did compose and created moods for the listening audience
through his orchestrated selection of songs. Herb Kent the ‘Cool Gent,” performed his last orchestrated symphony of sound Saturday morning with his final radio broadcast and then he dropped the mic. Kent cut his teeth in radio when the DJ’s had power and authority programming their own shows. They could make or break a talent and signal handedly build their own listening audiences based on their music playlist. He was this year’s Men of Excellence Lifetime Achievement Honoree for the excellence he had personified as one of the most important figures in Chicago radio. He not only had been able to entertain and inform listeners on his weekly radio show, he had also opened many doors for African Americans. He was proven to be a bankable commodity and a living icon. http:/// newpittsburghcourieronline. com/2016/10/25/radio-legendthe-cool-gent-herb-kentpasses/ “Cool Gent: the Nine Lives of Radio Legend Herb Kent" by Herb Kent and David Smallwood” (Lawrence Hill Books 2009) at Amazon.com.
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Community/Public Interest - Obituary
Former Chairperson of the Dallas Chamber of Commerce, Samuel L. Brown, Has Passed
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amuel L Brown passed on October 16, 2016. He graduated Cum Laude from Prairie View A&M University in 1964 where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. He furthered his education and attended Southern Methodist University in 1969 where he received his Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering. In 1976, he pursued his lifelong dream of becoming an entrepreneur and founded BMA Systems, Inc. In 1978, Samuel was initiated into the Theta Alpha Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., where he had the distinction of being a Life Member. A civic leader in the community, he was elected Chairman of the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce where he served on
the Board of Directors for over 20 years. Mr. Samuel L. Brown was one of the Chamber's staunchest advocates and Board members. Throughout his over 30 years of service for the Chamber, he served as Chairman as well as countless other pivotal positions establishing programs and relationships that have stood the test of time. Sam, as he was known, continued to support the organization throughout in immeasurable ways. His leadership and communication demeanor will be missed but his legacy of service and commitment to the Dallas Community at large is profound and provides an example we can all live by.
Samuel L. Brown Samuel is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 45 years, O'Shelia Moore; his son, Samuel Darnell (Darnasha) Brown Sr.; grandson, Samuel Darnell Brown, Jr; sister, Glenda Smith Gibson; brothers, Steve Smith and Anthony Brown and mother-in-law, Mrs. Jimmie M. Moore. ď ƒ www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/ movies/bill-nunn-radio-raheem-dies63-article-1.2804911
African Stock Exchanges • Bolsa de Valores of Cape Verde - www.bvc.cv (in Portuguese) • Bond Exchange of South Africa - www.bondexchange. co.za • Botswana Stock Exchange www.bse.co.bw • Bourse Regionale des Valeurs Mobilieres - UEMOA (Abidjan, Ivory Coast) - www.brvm.org • Casablanca Stock Exchange (Morocco) - www.casablancabourse.com/bourseweb/index. aspx • Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange (Tanzania) - www. dse.co.tz • Douala Stock Exchange (Cameroon) - www.douala-stockexchange.com/index_us.php • The Egyptian Exchange - www.
• • • • •
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egx.com.eg/English/homepage. aspx Ethiopia Commodity Exchange - www.ecx.com.et Ghana Stock Exchange - www. gse.com.gh Johannesburg Stock Exchange (South Africa) - www. jse.co.za/Home.aspx Khartoum Stock Exchange (Sudan, in Arabic) - www.kse. com.sd Libyan Stock Market - www. lsm.ly/_layouts/membership/ login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fEnglis h%2fPages%2fdefault.aspx Lusaka Stock Exchange (Zambia) - www.luse.co.zm Nairobi Stock Exchange (Kenya) - www.luse.co.zm Malawi Stock Exchange - www. mse.co.mw
• Mozambique Stock Exchange (in Portuguese) - www. bolsadevalores.co.mz • Namibian Stock Exchange www.nsx.com.na • Nigerian Stock Exchange www.nse.com.ng/Pages/default. aspx • Stock Exchange of Mauritius www.stockexchangeofmauritius. com • Swaziland Stock Exchange www.ssx.org.sz • Tunisia Stock Exchange - www. bvmt.com.tn • Uganda Securities Exchange www.use.or.ug Read the lastest issue of The Exchange Magazine www.nse.co.ke/media-center/ecommunique/exchange-magazine/ category/50-free-version.html
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International
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Webinar – Participate at Your Desk Please join the U.S. Commercial Service Education Team, U.S. Commercial Service Costa Rica, and EducationUSA Costa Rica for this webinar exploring the opportunities for U.S. community colleges to recruit international students in Costa Rica. We will explore the market opportunity in Costa Rica, what Costa Rican students are looking for in U.S. community colleges, and the best ways to promote your school and reach out to these students. Participation is free, but advanced registration is required. Please RSVP to Stephanie. Heckel@trade.gov.
93 ď‚ą October 2016 ď‚ą Black Business News ď‚ą www.blackbbusinessnews.net ď‚ą 1-323-291-7819
International
George Airport in South Africa Becomes Continent's First to Be Run On Solar Energy
to 250 homes. For the next phase of the project, airport authorities are looking to install batteries that will be used to store energy needed on cloudy days and at night. While George Airport is the first in Africa to be powered by a field
by Sebastian Modak
W
e don't spend much time thinking about it as we whisk ourselves around the world, but air travel comes with a significant carbon footprint—the average American generates 19 tons of CO2 a year due to our insatiable desire to see the world. So, Solar panels fill empty space between runways at George Airport. it's encouraging when innovation moves in the direction of a greener future of number of small airports in South of solar panels it's not the first in travel, whether it takes the form of Africa, including in Kimberley and the world. That distinction belongs solar-powered planes or more eco- Upington, are working on installing to a much larger airport—Cochin International Airport in India— friendly hotels. Now, a small regional similar systems.) airport in South Africa's Western So far the pilot project at George which last year finished rigging a Cape, has become the first on the Airport, managed by Airports solar-powered system that's run by continent—and the second in the Company South Africa who are an expanse of 46,000 panels. The world—to be powered by the sun, looking to achieve total carbon airport sees almost 8 million people doing its small part in offsetting neutrality by 2030, is looking good. pass through its terminals ever the carbon emissions caused by For one, blackouts—a perennial year and serves as proof that the wanderlust. problem in the mostly coal-powered idea is scaleable—and can make a At George Airport, every country—are no longer an issue difference. While the reductions in carbon baggage carousel, check-in when you are connected directly counter, and piece of navigation to your personal power plant. At emissions may not seem significant equipment is powered by an array night and on cloudy days, the in the greater scheme of things— of 2,000 solar panels that generate airport has to occasionally switch as long as our planes spew out up to 750 kilowatts of electricity back into the national power grid, greenhouse gases, air travel will a day—almost twice the amount but even with those brief gas- still be far from carbon-friendly—it's needed to run the thirty year-old guzzling interludes, the airport is increasingly clear that every little airport. A popular launching point significantly more eco-friendly than step counts. www.cntraveler.com/story/georgefor tourists driving South Africa's it used to be: Since it began testing airport-in-south-africa-becomesGarden Route, George Airport the system last year, the airport has continents-first-to-be-run-on-solaris relatively small, welcoming reduced its emissions of carbon just 700,000 passengers a year, dioxide by some 1,323 tons—or the energy?mbid=nl_101216_Daily&CNDI making it an ideal candidate to equivalent of 103,934 liters of fuel. D=38890654&spMailingID=9676994& spUserID=MTQ5NTc0OTAyMDYxS0& test out the technology and judge The airport also puts the excess spJobID=1020935612&spReportId=M its replicability in other parts of energy generated throughout the TAyMDkzNTYxMgS2 the country and the world. (A day back into the town to power up 94 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
International
Why AGOA Matters
N
ext time you pick up sporting gear or a pair of jeans in a U.S. mall, do check the label. It may have been made in Lesotho, a small, mountainous and land-locked country completely surrounded by South Africa, with a population of around two million. Lesotho is a beneficiary of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which allows over 6,400 products from eligible subSaharan African countries to enter the U.S. market dutyfree. The country has made big strides in the garment industry with U.S. exports estimated at US$330 million in 2015, against US$140 million in 2000. Today, according to the Lesotho Textile Exporters Association
export-ready, African countries from capturing shares in the U.S. market. In July, for instance, Namibia became the first African country to be eligible to export boneless (not ground) raw beef products to the US. A key challenge for Africa will be to ensure that its industries that have thrived under AGOA do not collapse, that the thousands of jobs created in the automobile and automobile parts, apparel, fruit and nut,
(http://lesothotextiles.com/Pages/ Default.asp), about 80% of
Lesotho's textile and garment exports go to the U.S. With 44,000 employees, the garment industry is the country’s largest private sector employer. There are other ‘Made in Africa’ (http:// madeinafricafoundation.com)
success stories that have emerged since AGOA (http:// trade.gov/agoa) was introduced in 2000 and extended by 10 years in September 2015. According to the 2016 AGOA report released by the Office of the United States Trade Representative, non-oil exports to the United States under AGOA nearly tripled from $1.4 billion in 2001 to $4.1 billion in 2015. Automobiles from South Africa and apparel from Kenya, Lesotho, Mauritius, and Swaziland were the leading exports. The gains from AGOA are undeniable, despite criticisms that the agreement favors petroleum products and that it excludes some agricultural products in which Africans have a comparative advantage. There have also been concerns that the export of Africa’s agricultural products to the United States is made even more difficult by complex health and food safety regulations. This, however, has not stopped bolder,
cocoa, footwear, and flower industries are sustained and continue to grow beyond 2025. This will demand that Africa strengthens its skills base and capacity to compete. Failure to do so could see competitors such as Vietnam erode its growing market share in especially textiles and apparel should the United States ratify the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Trans-Pacific_Partnership). The US textile and apparel market is estimated at US$350 billion. Africa, despite its large potential, supplies a paltry one per cent of this. A challenge for the continent is use the next nine years up the end of AGOA in 2025 to build competitive industries in the sector. A country that could emerge as key player is Ethiopia. A 2015 McKinsey survey of 40 global chief procurement officers in the apparel industry, for the first
96 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
time named Ethiopia as a possible global sourcing destination. Like with many other African countries, the challenge for Ethiopia is to shift from being of the world’s leading sourcing options to becoming a priority. For responsive countries, AGOA has provided invaluable lessons that Africans can use to stimulate the growth of their export industries and seize market share elsewhere. It has also helped enhance intra-African trade by enabling producers in different countries to create new value chains that deliver mutual benefit. Botswana, for instance, now exports leather to South Africa where it is processed into upholstery for luxury
car exports to the United States. Meanwhile, the African Development Bank (ADB.org) will continue to play its part by building infrastructure to improve Africa’s competitiveness in U.S. markets. This will include promotion of regional integration that enhances trade and skills for greater global competitiveness. Equally important, within Africa is the creation of solutions for export-oriented small and medium enterprise (SME) to help bridge the unmet demand for trade finance in Africa, currently estimated at US$ 120 billion. Work in this direction is already well underway. Established in February
2013 the Bank’s Trade Finance Program (TFP) has already supported more than 85 domestic banks in 27 African countries, catalyzing approximately US$3.4 billion of trade in vital sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing and construction and energy. More than 60% of the transactions supported are on account of SMEs. Furthermore, the Bank’s emphasis on regional value chains in its “Industrialize Africa” strategy recognizes the opportunities that anchor industries in one country can provide to industries in neighboring countries. African governments are aware of the challenges. At the September 2016 Ministerial AGOA Forum, African trade ministers recognized the urgent need to plan ahead. They committed to the creation of a task force to outline strategies for US-Africa trade and investment relations beyond 2025. This is a good start. Now, the clock is ticking and the bell signaling the end of AGOA privileges will soon resonate across Africa. We must be ready when it rings. ---------------------------------The African Guarantee Fund, committed to support Small and Medium Enterprises has disbursed 40 million dollars to develop businesses and develop respective economies in over 30 countries in the continent.
97 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
International
Download the
Zambia-USA Chamber of Commerce App from the
Apple App Store or
Google Play Store Search: "Zambia USA Chamber"
Find links to the chamber website and facebook page, and embassies; access business resources; receive breaking news; view relevant video presentations; communicate via Twitter, smartphone and e-mail.
www.zambiausachamber.org 99 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
International
International Entrepreneur Rule: The Good, the Bad and the Unknown By Jason Wiens
T
he Kauffman Foundation gave feedback on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s proposed International Entrepreneur Rule. The rule would allow certain immigrant entrepreneurs to remain in the United States for the purpose of operating and growing their startup. Here’s a quick summary of our comments.
The Good The proposed rule recognizes the importance of immigrant entrepreneurs. Immigrants to the United States are nearly twice as likely as native-born Americans to start businesses. These businesses create needed employment opportunities. Whether the immigrant-founded firm creates one job for an American or hundreds of jobs, that immigrant entrepreneur is providing public benefits. Unlike more than a dozen other countries, the United States has no visa for immigrant entrepreneurs. The International Entrepreneur Rule is a response to this
shortcoming in U.S. law and acts as a Band-Aid. The proposed rule is a temporary patch that will stop the American loss of some immigrant entrepreneurs until Congress passes legislation to permanently fix the problem by creating a clear, clean and reasonable
path for immigrants of all kinds to start businesses in the United States. The proposed rule makes a subtle but important distinction between young firms and small firms. To be eligible for benefit under the International Entrepreneur Rule, an immigrant entrepreneur must have founded a company within the last three years. This focus on young firms is appropriate, since young firms spur innovation and are responsible for almost all net new job creation. For years, policymakers have wrongly attributed the benefits of young firms to small firms. Small businesses are important, but when it comes to job creation, age— not size—matters most. The proposed rule makes this clear.
The Bad Strict eligibility thresholds will leave many potentially successful immigrant entrepreneurs out. To benefit from the proposed rule, an immigrant
entrepreneur must secure at least $345,000 from qualified U.S. investors or receive at least $100,000 in government grants or awards. Immigrant entrepreneurs that fail to meet one of these requirements will likely be out of luck.
100 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
Under the proposed rule, qualified U.S. investors are limited to venture capital firms, angel investors or startup accelerators. The challenge with this limitation is that the vast majority of new businesses do not receive investment capital from these sources. According to the Kauffman Firm Survey, which followed 5,000 companies for eight years, only 5.8% of startup funding came from angel investors, while just 4.4% came from VCs.
Even among high-growth companies, VC and angel investment is rare. A survey of some of the fastest growing companies in America, as identified by Inc. magazine, found that only 7.7% of these firms received angel investment and only 6.5% received venture capital investment. In the same survey, government grants were an even rarer source of capital; only 3.8% of fast-growing companies had received a government grant. What’s more, the proposed rule places less importance on revenue generation than investment. Many entrepreneurs use revenue as their investment capital, yet bootstrapping is not recognized in the proposed rule as a legitimate way to finance business growth.
The Unknown How much tolerance for risk will USCIS adjudicators have? The proposed rule vests significant authority in United States Citizenship and Immigration Service
(USCIS) adjudicators. These civil servants will be given the task of evaluating immigrant entrepreneurs’ applications and making determinations about who stays and who goes. Given the unique nature of entrepreneurship, it will be important for adjudicators to proactively familiarize themselves with entrepreneurial and startup culture. Failure is a real part of startup culture and embraced by entrepreneurs, who realize that the first, second, or even third iteration of an idea may not work. But quick learning and constant refinement of a business model may mean that the fourth iteration is a big success. Some immigrant entrepreneurs will be running successful businesses but will fall short of some of the eligibility thresholds. It would be unfortunate to allow these entrepreneurs to learn important lessons about starting and running a business while in the United States only for adjudicators to send these “failed” entrepreneurs home to another nation when they are more seasoned and poised for greater success. What Happens Next The Department of Homeland Security will now review the more than 285 public comments received on the proposed rule and then issue a final rule before the end of President Obama’s term in January 2017 www.kauffman.org/blogs/growthology/2016/10/ international-entrepreneur-rule?utm_ source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_ campaign=growthology10_24_2016&_cldee=bGlvb i5jb21tQGhvdG1haWwuY29t&recipientid=contactc5fd32cf10cfe311992e3cd92beec6c8-a86699240436 4736a8fdee9142c0ca01
101 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
International
Returning to Africa?
African Repatriation is an invaluable online resource for any African national who is thinking about returning to Africa. Our industry articles and specialist editorials provide the latest sector information. Why not find out for yourself and become a part of our growing community today? www.africanrepatriation. com
Career Opportunities in Africa Search and apply online for the latest vacancies in Africa with African Talent. We provide candidates and employers with the tools and resources needed in today’s competitive job market. For employers, we offer numerous options to feature your jobs in Africa and for candidates, reviewing the most recent job vacancies in Africa is a fast, easy process. Uploading your CV is simple and takes just a few moments. www.africantalent.com
102 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
Thursday Blues at Uncle Darrow‛s High Noon-2pm Every Thursday
Come by for lunch and relax to blues & jazz from our house band! 2560 S. Lincoln Blvd. Marina del Rey North East corner of Washington & Lincoln
“LA Times Magazine favorite cajun food”
310-306-4862
www.uncledarrows.com 103 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
konya
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International
One Africa:
J
Tell the US Government that North Africa is Africa Too!
oin with and support the United Africa Organization’s campaign to petition the U.S. Department of State to include the whole African continent under its Bureau of African Affairs.
Why? The State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs, led by Assistant Secretary Johnnie Carson, currently excludes Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia and Western Sahara from its agenda. Instead, the aforementioned countries are grouped with the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, together with Iran, Iraq, Israel and others. This artificial distinction between North Africa and the rest of Africa
negatively impacts US foreign policy relations throughout the entire continent of Africa. We unequivocally reject the argument that North African countries are outside the scope of African affairs. North Africa is geographically and historically part of the African continent, and all fifty-three (53) independent African states, including North African countries, are represented in the African Union (AU). It would be far more productive for the State Department to engage with the entire continent of Africa, including North Africa, under its Bureau of African Affairs. We are one Africa, from the Cape to Cairo, indivisible and bound together! Therefore, no square inch of African
land should be excluded from African affairs.
Sign The Petition!!! Go to www.change.org/petitions/ one-africa-tell-us-state-departmentthat-north-africa-is-part-of-africa and sign the online petition to support this important proposition. Next tell everyone you know to sign.
www.uniteafricans.org
Let Us Help You Grow Your Business to New Heights. To take your business to the next level, it’s essential that you choose the right financial partner. At East West Bank, we offer all the products and services you expect from a big bank with the high level of personal attention you expect from a local bank. Our bankers have over 40 years of experience helping minority businesses reach their financial goals. We look forward to working closely with you to customize a financial solution tailored to your unique situation. For more information about East West Bank and our solutions for businesses, please call: 1.626.768.6729 www.eastwestbank.com
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Artwear Handpainted Handbags, Skirts, Tees, Accessories, Calendars, Wall Hangings & More! http://gbabysworld.blogspot.com Gbabyartwear@hotmail.com or Gbabyart345@gmail.com Find Gbaby Products at the “Collective� http://www.atthecollective.com 280 Elizabeth Street, Atlanta, GA www.carolsdaughter.com
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We're excited to announce the arrival of our brand new venture, The Africa Collection. To debut, we present “Moroccan Nights”, a limited edition, luxury lingerie and sleep wear collection inspired by and made in Africa. Inspired by the midnight sky and shadows of a balmy Moroccan night, Nubian Skin’s Moroccan Night collection conjures up the warmth and sensuality of Marrakesh asleep. As a brand, Nubian Skin’s mission has been “redefining nude”, with this collection the brand wants to challenge the way Africa is seen. “We are moving past the idea that producing in Africa meaning charity – this is a celebration of the excellence present throughout Africa in this case in the design and technical expertise to produce a luxury collection lovingly made in Morocco." The Moroccan Nights campaign is a true celebration of Africa – combining Saharan and Sub-Saharan, Traditional and Avant-garde, Ancient and Modern.
www.nubianskin.com/moroccan-nights/
The Economic Turn Around in the USA is in Our Hands •Buy Products Made or Assembled in the USA •Hire One New Employee •Eat an Extra Meal Out Each Week •Start/Grow a Business to Generate Wealth & Jobs
Buy Black Save Black Invest Black 113 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
Collection Bed, Bath & Beyond
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This magnificent handcrafted concert grand is a "Best of" in terms of sound, new technology, beauty, and construction. Massively well-built to withstand the rigors of intense concert performances without compromise, the SHADD Concert Grand is a coveted treasure for pianists and collectors. With a rich voluminous sound that performs true to all genres of music, this phenomenal instrument has a rare diversified ability to play from the softest whisper with pure clear sound to a major roar with a bass section exuding an abundance of power and resounding singing sensations.
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Baron's Painting & Decorating Service Baron Williams 30 Years of Experience in the Greater Los Angeles Area Specializing in Exterior and Interior Painting, Tiling, Linoleum F looring, &
Cultural Interiors West &
Cordially Invited Cultural Interiors West 5573 West Pico Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90019
Wall Paper
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Experience our exciting array of products from Cards to Cupcakes, African Masks, Asian Teacups, Healthy Herbal Teas, Gourd Purses, Candles, to Furniture Hope to see you soon!!! In the meantime visit us on Facebook www.facebook.com/pages/CulturalInteriors-West/140688362658236
116 August 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
New Location Leimert Park Village 3347 W. 43rd Street Los Angeles, CA 90008 1-323-299-6383 www.zambezibazaar.com shop@ zambezibazaar.com
117 August 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
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1-484-459-6625 zimbabwegallery@yahoo.com www.shonasculpture.com @ZimbabweGallery www.facebook.com/Zimbabwe Gallery P P 3500 Peachtree Road, Atlanta, GA 30326 G M 2841 Greenbriar Pkwy SW, Atlanta, GA 30331
Shop for all of the NoMu products at: https://shop.nomu.co.za and www.amazon.com
Downtown Culver City: 9537 Culver Blvd. 310-202-5453 Open Sunday-Thursday 11am-10pm Friday-Saturday 11am-11pm www.honeyskettle.com 118 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
Bernahu Asfaw & Getahun Asfaw
1041 S. Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90019 323-938-8827 or 323-938-8806 • Fax: 323-932-6047 messob@gmail.com • www.messob.com
Open 7 days a week • 11am - 11pm
Krispy Kruchy Chicken is in the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, Los Angeles. Krispy Krunchy Chicken is a cajun-style chicken (bone-in and tenders), served fresh, never frozen and fried in zero trans fat oil. Their menu also includes signature dishes of Traditional Wings; Krispy Wings; Cajun Sweet & Sour Wings; Cajun Tenders; Red Beans and Rice; Jambalaya; Boudin Bites (Cajun rice balls); Krispy Shrimp and Honey Butter Biscuits. For additional information, please call Krispy Kruchy at 1-323-293-3332 or visit www. krispykrunchy.com. 121 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
Parker House Sausage (www.
parkerhousesausage.com) was started by Chicago entrepreneur, Judge H. Parker who came to Chicago from Montgomery County, Tennessee with little more than the conviction that there was a potential market for homemade sausage products prepared according to his mother’s recipes. By 1919 Judge Parker began selling his unique blend of herbs and spices mixed with flavorful, savory sausage from a horse drawn cart on a retail basis. Recognized as one of the oldest family owned businesses in the U.S. In 2014 Parker House expanded its product line to include chicken products including breakfast sausage, hot links, and smoked sausage.
SHOP ONLINE! //shop.parkerhousesausage. com
We invite you to browse through our store and shop with confidence. Need a dinner idea. Go to the Recipe Page on our website. Thanks for visiting!
S
ince people from all walks of life really enjoy Down South cooking, NFL Pro Reggie Kelly thought, why not bring a piece of the South to their homes. Reggie and his wife founded KYVAN® FOODS. KYVAN® Foods is a supplier to great customers like Kroger, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Firehouse Subs, Performance Foodservice, Hot Shots Distributing and more. As stated by Reggie, “It’s my goal to pass down to my kids (Kyla & Kavan) and to everyone the gift passed down to me… An Appreciation Of Good Food.” Thanks and God Bless! Website: http://kyvan82.com Shop Online: http://kyvan82.com/store Store Locator: http://kyvan82.com/storelocator
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Ma's Best is a bakery specializing in the production of home-style yeast rolls and baked products. www.facebook.com/masbestrolls/#!/masbestrolls/?tab=page_info#!/masbestrolls/info
Try all 3 flavors!
In your local grocery store or shop online for syrups, recipes, and books. Learn about our special projects and join the recipe contest.
MICHELE FOODS, INC. 1-708-331-7316 www.michelefoods.com
131 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
Eso Won Books African American Books 4327 Degnan Boulevard Leimert Park, Los Angeles
Give the Gift of Books and Music Come see our unsurpassed collection of books, music, videos, children’s books, and games!
1-323-294-0324
www.esowonbookstore.com //esowon.booksense.com for Calendar of Events
48 Laws of Pow er
Behold A Pale Horse
132 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
Books to Consider
Books to Consider... The Seasoned The Edna Lewis Life: Food, Family, Faith, and the Joy of Eating Well Cookbook by Ayesha Curry by Edna Lewsis
Edna Lewis
S
outhern cooking legend Edna Lewis, who died in 2006 at the age of 90, is often credited as the preeminent voice in Southern American cooking, one positioned to chronicle how culinary culture developed in a region shrouded first under slavery, and later under Jim Crow. Born in Virginia as the granddaughter of an emancipated slave, Lewis found fame in the 1950s as the chef/ co-owner of a New York City restaurant, serving recipes learned from her family over generations. She’s best known for her 1976 cookbook, The Taste of Country Cooking, but Lewis’s first book — The Edna Lewis Cookbook — was published in 1972, and this new edition by Axios Press commemorates t the th 100th anniversary of her birth. — ED. http://www.eater.com/2016/8/23/12579808/cookbookscelebrities-ayesha-curry-alton-brown-guy-fieri
A
yesha Curry, though recognized as the wife of NBA star Stephen Curry, has carved out a path of her own in the lifestyle and culinary world. Through her work hosting a cooking show, as a spokesperson for a line of bottled soups, and now, as a cookbook author, she has branded herself as the sports world's lifestyle maven, a Gwyneth Paltrow or a Chrissy Teigen of the NBA set. The recipes are mostly approachable, designed to feed a young family. Yet styles and flavors run the gamut, echoing Curry's own culinary backstory: She spent her childhood in culturally diverse Toronto, and draws liberally from her JamaicanC h i n e s e Polish-AfricanA m e r i c a n heritage. This is a book for cooks of all levels, especially novices: It is filllled d with ith uncomplicated, li t d globally l b ll influenced recipes like jerk turkey and sweet chile shrimp wraps. It’s also an innocent glimpse into the kitchen of America’s (or at least California’s) sweethearts. https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_3_12?url=searchalias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=the+seasoned+life+ayesha+ curry&sprefix=the+seasoned%2Cstripbooks%2C176&rh=n%3A28 3155%2Ck%3Athe+seasoned+life+ayesha+curry
Traveling Soul: The Life of Curtis Mayfield by Todd Mayfield and Travis Atria
C
urtis Mayfield was one of the seminal vocalists and most talented guitarists of his era. But perhaps more important is his role as a social
134 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
critic, and the vital influence his music had on the civil rights movement. "People Get Ready" is the black anthem of the 1960s, and on his soundtrack to the 1972 movie Super Fly, rather than glorifying the blaxploitation imagery of the film, Mayfield wrote and sang one of the most incisive audio portraits of black America on record. In Traveling Soul, Todd Mayfield tells his famously private father’s story in i ti d t il Born B i t dire poverty, raised in the riveting detail. into slums of Chicago, Curtis became a musical prodigy, not only singing like a dream but also growing into a brilliant songwriter. In the 1960s he became a pioneer, opening his own label and production company and working with many other top artists, including the Staple Singers. Curtis’s life was famously cut short by an accident that left him paralyzed, but in his declining
Curtis Mayfield health he received the long-awaited recognition of the music industry. Passionate, illuminating, vivid, and absorbing, Traveling Soul will doubtlessly take its place among the classics of music biography. www.amazon.com/Traveling-Soul-Life-Curtis-Mayfield/ dp/1613736797
The Jazz of
Physics by Stephon Alexander
M
ore than fifty years ago, John Coltrane drew the twelve musical notes in a circle and connected them by straight lines, forming a five-pointed star. Inspired Stephon by Einstein, Coltrane had put Alexander physics and geometry at the core of his music. Physicist and jazz musician Stephon Alexander returns the favor, using jazz to answer physics’ most vexing questions about the past and future of the universe. Following the great minds that first drew the links between music and physics—a list including Pythagoras, Kepler, Newton, Einstein, and Rakim—The Jazz of Physics revisits the ancient realm where music, physics, and the cosmos were one. This cosmological journey accompanies Alexander’s own tale of struggling to reconcile his passion for music and physics, from taking music lessons as a boy in the Bronx to studying theoretical physics at Imperial College, London’s inner sanctum of string theory. Playing the saxophone and improvising with equations, Alexander uncovered the connection between the fundamental waves that make up sound and the fundamental waves that make up everything else. As he reveals, the ancient poetic idea of the “music of the spheres,” taken seriously, clarifies confounding issues in physics. Whether you are more familiar with Brian Greene or Brian Eno, John Coltrane or John Wheeler, the Five Percent Nation or why the universe is less than five percent visible, there is a new discovery on every page. Covering the entire history of the universe from its birth to its fate, its structure on the smallest and largest scales, The Jazz of Physics will fascinate and inspire anyone interested in the mysteries of our universe, music, and life itself. www.amazon.com/Jazz-Physics-Between-StructureUniverse/dp/0465034993/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&q id=1476809886&sr=1-1&keywords=the+jazz+of+physics
135 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
BBA Master P lanner February 201 7
BBA Annual Awards Dinner Held in recognition of National MED Week, the BBA Financial Lending Pavilion brings together business owners, banks and investors in an effort to facilitate exchange of information and initiation of development deals. For particiation information call 1-312-291-9334 or send an inquiry to mail@ bbala.org.
March 201 7
BBA Salute to Back Women Business Conference The conference highlights the achievements of African American women entrepreneurs, offers workshops and a retail pavilion. For particiation information call 1-312-291-9334 or send an inquiry to mail@bbala.org
June 201 7
BBA Annual Awards Dinner Taking place at the LA Hotel Downtown, the awards dinner will highlight the achievements of African American entrepreneurs and the government agencies and corporate entities that provide positive supports for African American businesses. For particiation information visit www.bbala.org.
136 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819
Resource Vault Media/Information Africa Interactive Multimedia Press/Content Agency in Africa www.africa-interactive.com Africa World Press Books www.africaworldpressbooks.com African Trade Magazine www.africantrademagazine.com African Vibes Magazine www.africanvibes.com The Africapitalist www.tonyelumelufoundation.org/ africapitalisminstitute/africapitalist-magazine The African World www.theafricanworld.tv Africast TV www.africast.tv Afritorial www.afritorial.com www.facebook.com/Afritorial AllAfrica http://allafrica.com Black Wall Street Times http://bwstimes.com Black Business News Group www.blackbusinessnews.net Black Children's Books and Authors http://blackchildrensbooksandauthors.tumblr.com BlackPast.org www.blackpost.org Black Press USA www.blackpressusa.com Black Then https://blackthen.com BridesNoir www.bridesnoir.com The Chocolate Voice www.thechocolatevoice.com CuisineNoir www.cuisinenoirmag.com DiasporaVoice www.blogtalkradio.com/diasporavoice Publish Africa http://wow.gm/publishafrica Rock Me Africa //rockmeafrica.com YouTube Educational Channels http://teacherswithapps.com/197-educational-youtube-channels-know World Library
www.worldlibrary.org
Organizations Africa Leadership Forum http://africaleadership.org The African Union www.au.int/en Black Business Association www.bbala.org CauseCast www.causecast.com www.causecastfornonprofits.com Pan African Film Festival www.paff.org United African Organization http://uniteafricans.org Zambia-USA Chamber of Commerce www.zambiausachamber.org
Investment/Development Africa Reports www.africareports.com African Development Bank www.afdb.org African Export-Import Bank //afreximbank.com/afrexim/en AfrigadgetTV www.afrigadget.com Disrupt Africa http://disrupt-africa.com/ The Exchange Magazine www.nse.co.ke Silicon Harlem http://event.siliconharlem.net Ventures www.ventures-africa.com United Nations http://webtv.un.org
U.S. Government
Commerce Department www.doc.gov International Trade Administration http://trade.gov Minority Business Development Agency www.mbda.gov Power Africa www.usaid.gov/powerafrica Small Business Administration www.sba.gov State Department www.dos.gov Trade Africa www.usaid.gov/tradeafrica White House www.whitehouse.gov
137 October 2016 Black Business News www.blackbbusinessnews.net 1-323-291-7819