C B U EMAG
8 & 9.20
Are We There Yet?
The State of Black Business and The Path to Wealth
August is National Black Business Month – A time to choose and support Black-owned stores and other operations. “31 WAYS 31 DAYS”: CELEBRATING NATIONAL BLACK BUSINESS MONTH August 1st marked the beginning of the 14th annual National Black Business Month (NBBM), an observance that highlights the importance of African-American businesses to the Black community as well as our national economy. This celebration also generates awareness for the policy issues affecting AfricanAmerican entrepreneurship. Economic empowerment is one of The Black Women’s Agenda, Inc.’s focus areas, and you will hear more about our efforts in this arena at our 40th Annual Symposium next month. Data from the 2012 U.S. Census Bureau indicates that there are approximately 2.6 million Black businesses in the United States, employing nearly one million employees and generating annual revenues of roughly $187 billion. National Black Business Month Co-founders Frederick E. Jordan, President, F.E. Jordan & Associates – a prominent engineering and construction management firm – and John William Templeton, President, Venturata Economic Development Corp., believe that supporting African-American businesses is key to lowering the rate of Black unemployment. During August 2017, individuals, institutions and businesses are encouraged to visit at least one Black business per day. According to Templeton and Jordan, patronizing African-American-owned establishments, including restaurants, manufacturers, theaters attorneys, doctors, auto dealers, newspapers, book publishers, breweries, farmers and churches, could result in “more than 40,000 additional jobs during the month and as many as 450,000 if the patterns are continued over the course of a year.” To learn more about NBBM’s “31 Ways 31 Days” to stimulate spending with Black-owned companies and its strategy for increasing economic growth, visit http://blackbusinessmonth.com/.
CBU sends Special Thanks to:
LaDarrius Hutcherson The creator of the t-shirt “ Minding My Black Owned Business” featured on our cover. His Instagram is @LHUT__(two underscores) T-Shirt can be purchased from Instagram @busymumcreations
https://www.demconvention.com/
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris made their first public appearance as running mates on the Democratic ticket in Wilmington, Delaware. Monday, August 17 – Thursday, August 20
Apple wants to be subscription services king with new ‘Apple One’ bundle this October By Michael Grothaus, fastcompany.com
Apple is on the verge of launching a major subscription bundle that would allow access to more than one of its existing à la carte subscription services, reports Bloomberg. While not a lot of information about the bundle is known, it’s reported that customers will get access to “several” of its services “at a lower monthly price.” The bundle is reportedly referred to as “Apple One” at Apple’s headquarters, though it’s unknown if this will be the brand name of the services bundle when it launches or if this is currently just a code name. As for a launch date, Bloomberg says Apple is preparing to offer the bundle in October, alongside the new iPhone 12 line. Currently, Apple offers the following subscription services at the following single-user price points: • • • • •
Apple Music—$9.99 a month Apple TV Plus—$4.99 a month Apple News Plus—$9.99 a month Apple Arcade—$4.99 a month iCloud storage plans—$0.99 to $9.99 a month
It’s likely Apple would probably at least offer Apple Music, Apple TV Plus, and Apple News Plus in the Apple One bundle. Individually, those plans would cost almost $25 per month. If Apple wanted to get really competitive, we could see pricing as low as $14.99 per month. The actual pricing is still to be confirmed.
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ANDREW NOWELL MENSWEAR
Twitch is helping build an esports league for HBCUs The gaming platform is partnering with nonprofit Cxmmunity Twitch is partnering with Cxmmunity, a nonprofit organization aimed at increasing minority youth participation in esports and gaming, to create an esports league for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), the company announced Thursday. Students at HBCUs will receive scholarship and educational support through its Twitch Student program, and Twitch will help the schools expand esports programs. Cxmmunity co-founder Chris Peay says, as a graduate of an HBCU, he knows firsthand about the gaming industry’s lack of representation. “Growing up we’re often taught you get good grades so that you can get into a good college, graduate from that college, and find a good job,” Peay said in a statement. “Very seldom do we talk about entrepreneurship, let alone entrepreneurship within the esports and video game industry. It’s actually frowned upon in some fashion.”
Numbers from the International Game Developers Association show that 83 percent of Black teenagers play video games, but the overwhelming majority of video game creators — 68 percent — are of European or Caucasian descent. The goal of the new program is to bring more people of color into jobs within the video game and esports sector by creating a pipeline of Black talent, the companies said. There are more than 200 schools with varsity esports teams in the three major collegiate esports leagues — Tespa, Collegiate StarLeague, and the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE). Morehouse University is currently the only HBCU with an esports league, however, Twitch reports. The first games of the HBCU esports league hit the Cxmmunity Twitch channel on August 2nd. By Kim Lyons, for theverge.com
Xbox Series X to Launch in November With "Thousands of Games"
Backwards compatible with games spanning across four generations.
August 12, Microsoft announced that its next-gen Xbox Series X will release some time in November, accompanied by “thousands of games” you can play from the past four generations of Xbox consoles. “There will be thousands of games to play, spanning four generations, when Xbox Series X launches globally this November and over 100 optimized for Xbox Series X titles, built to take full advantage of our most powerful console, are planned for this year,” says a statement from Microsoft. “And with brand new console features like hardware-accelerated Direct X raytracing, framerates up to 120 frames per second, faster loading times, and Quick Resume for multiple games, playing will look and feel better, no matter which games you choose to play on day one.” While the details regarding launch titles are still scarce, the gaming giant says you can expect plenty of content to be arriving soon. It has more than 50 new cross-generation games planned for 2020 that are optimized for the Xbox Series X, including Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Gears Tactics and Watch Dogs: Legion, while over 40 previously released titles will also be optimized for the new console system, including Destiny 2, Forza Horizon 4, Gears 5, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, and Madden NFL 21.
Serena Williams still has No. 24 in sight. After the coronavirus paused the tours, Williams is gearing up for the U.S. Open in New York at the end of the month, her next opportunity to tie Margaret Court’s Grand Slam singles title record. At 38, winning her 24th title as a new generation of players rises would be perhaps her finest achievement. She lost the U.S. Open final to Bianca Andreescu last year, above. U.S . Open begins Monday, Aug. 31 – Sunday, Sep. 13.
S E R E N A
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NBA All Star Damian Lillard Debuts New Pride Sneakers On Court “How Many More” was also emblazoned on the back of the Portland Trailblazer’s jersey as part of league's new social justice messaging efforts. By Donald Padgett, out.com
Five-time NBA All Star Damian Lillard wore rainbow-colored shoes during a recent game against the Boston Celtics to show his allyship with the LGBTQ+ community. The show of support comes in a wave of moves across the league where players have given their platform to various social justice messages. The rainbow-colored sneakers are an official Pride style from Lillard’s Dame 6 line of shoes from Adidas. The styles are currently available for $180 on the Adidas site. The athlete isn't the only one to have a Pride style though: Dwyane Wade has a similar rainbowhued shoe in support of his daughter Zaya Wade. Unlike the Dame 6 rainbow shoe, Wade’s WOW Infinity Pride shoe is only available in China.
The Portland fan-favorite Lillard, known for his 3-point shooting and ability to finish strong, is one of several players wearing leagueapproved social justice messages on their jerseys. In addition to the shoes, Lillard's jersey sported the words "How Many More" presumably a reference to the ongoing, fatal violence inflicted on Black communities at the hands of police. The jersey messaging is something new for the NBA as it tries to relaunch a pandemic-shortened season. The league has approved 26 social justice messages that players can wear. Among them are “Justice,” “Freedom,” “Black Lives Matter,” and “Say Her Name.” According to SI, the league made the changes after players like Brooklyn Nets’ star Kyrie Irving and Los Angeles Lakers guard Avery Bradley told league officials in a June conference call that the league needed to do more to combat systemic racism. Lillard in the past was subjected to homophobic slurs following a game in Minneapolis in 2017. The deeply religious and devout Christian Lillard, who has a tattoo of Bible verses, was walking to the team bus following a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves when two fans yelled the slurs at him. One of the men apologized to Lillard at the scene. "I don't bother nobody," Lillard told ESPN at the time. "They were straight disrespectful."
H o n o r i n g th e L i f e a n d L eg a cy o f
Congressman John Lewis John Lewis was born to a family of sharecroppers outside of Troy, Alabama, at a time when African Americans in the South were subjected to a humiliating segregation in education and all public facilities, and were effectively prevented from voting by systematic discrimination and intimidation. From an early age, John Lewis was committed to the goal of education for himself, and justice for his people. Inspired by the example of Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the Montgomery bus boycott, he corresponded with Dr. King and resolved to join the struggle for civil rights. After attending segregated public schools in Pike County, Alabama, he graduated from the American Baptist Theological Seminary in Nashville, Tennessee and completed a bachelor’s degree in religion and philosophy at Fisk University. As a student he made a systematic study of the techniques and philosophy of nonviolence, and with his fellow students prepared thoroughly for their first actions. They began with sit-ins at segregated lunch counters.
1961
Lewis joined fellow students on the Freedom Rides, challenging the segregation of interstate buses. In the Montgomery bus terminal, he was again attacked by a mob and brutally beaten.
1962
December 2, Nashville police officers carry John Lewis to a police wagon after he failed to obey orders to move away from Herschel’s Tic Toc restaurant during a sit-in protest against segregation.
1963
23 was his age when he spoke at the Lincoln Memorial during the historic March on Washington, August 28.
1964
Lewis coordinated SNCC’s efforts for “Mississippi Freedom Summer,” a campaign to register black voters across the South. The following year, Lewis led one of the most dramatic protests of the era.
1965
On March 7, a day that would become known as “Bloody Sunday” — Lewis and fellow activist Hosea Williams led over 600 marchers across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. At the end of the bridge, they were met by Alabama state troopers, who ordered them to disperse. When the marchers stopped to pray, the police discharged tear gas and mounted troopers charged the demonstrators, beating them with nightsticks. Lewis’s skull was fractured, but he escaped across the bridge to a church in Selma. Before he could be taken to the hospital, John Lewis appeared before the television cameras calling on President Johnson to intervene in Alabama.
1966
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and activist John Lewis marched in Mississippi in the James Meredith ‘March Against Fear’ — a major 1966 demonstration in the Civil Rights Movement in the South. An estimated 15,000 mostly black marchers entered the capital of Jackson on June 26, making it the largest civil rights march in the history of the state.
1981
He was elected to the Atlanta City Council, where he became an effective advocate of neighborhood preservation and government reform.
1986
He ran for Congress, and John Lewis, whose own parents had been prevented from voting, who had been denied access to the schools and libraries of his hometown, who had been threatened, jailed and beaten for trying to register voters, was elected to the United States House of Representatives.
1988
He gives his own account of his experiences in the Civil Rights era in Walking with the Wind: A Memoir of the Movement, published in 1998.
1981
He was elected to the Atlanta City Council, where he became an effective advocate of neighborhood preservation and government reform.
1986
He ran for Congress, and John Lewis, whose own parents had been prevented from voting, who had been denied access to the schools and libraries of his hometown, who had been threatened, jailed and beaten for trying to register voters, was elected to the United States House of Representatives.
1988
He gives his own account of his experiences in the Civil Rights era in Walking with the Wind: A Memoir of the Movement, published in 1998.
2004
He received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement from award-winning film actor James Earl Jones at the International Achievement Summit in Chicago, Illinois.
2015
Lewis, President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and daughters Sasha and Malia, join thousands of Americans at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery civil rights marches, in Selma, Alabama.
2009
He was arrested, with three other U.S. Representatives, outside the Embassy of Sudan, where they were protesting the obstruction of aid to refugees in Darfur.
2010
President Barack Obama presents the Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, to Representative John Lewis of Georgia, a hero of the Civil Rights Movement, at the White House.
2017
John Lewis crowd-surfs with late night TV hosts Stephen Colbert and it was “amazing�
2018
He was elected to his 16th term in the House of Representatives.
2020
Lewis served in Congress until his last days, recording a virtual town hall with former President Obama, and speaking at Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington a month before his death.
Rest In Power
'Lovecraft Country' Team on the HBO Horror Drama's Resonant Themes in Today's America By Richard Newby for Hollywoodreporter,com
Stars Jurnee Smollett, Jonathan Majors, Michael Kenneth Williams and more previewed the late summer genre series, hitting HBO on Aug. 16. The connections between the racially charged issues of today and those of the 1950s were at the center of Saturday’s Comic-Con at Home panel for Lovecraft Country, HBO’s upcoming drama from creator Misha Green, produced by Jordan Peele and J.J. Abrams, and based on the Matt Ruff novel of the same name. A story about the horrors, both human and monstrous, that set three families on a collision course with the fantastic and supernatural, Lovecraft Country has all the makings of the next big genre hit for HBO. In anticipation of its Aug. 16 premiere, Comic-Con at Home hosted the show's cast — Jonathan Majors, Jurnee Smollett, Michael Kenneth Williams, Aunjanue Ellis, Wunmi Mosaku, Abbey Lee and Courtney B. Vance — to discuss the series and what it stands for. “There are themes in this show that resonate with us being Black Americans in 2020,” leading lady Smollett said of the series, which she described as "a show about family in search of family.” Lovecraft Country centers on Army vet and avid sci-fi reader Atticus Black (Majors), his friend Letitia Dandridge (Smollett), Uncle George (Vance) and Aunt Hippolyta (Ellis) as they search for Atticus' father Montrose (Williams) in the Jim Crow South of 1955. The cast discussed the importance of Black leads within a genre where so many become early victims, and how Atticus, Letitia and George, as fans of sci-fi and horror, are a little better prepared from the monstrosities they face on their road trip. Majors noted that when he was first given the script for Lovecraft Country, he was surprised by the fact that it was even written. Not only did he find it remarkable that the lead of a genre show was a Black man, but that he wasn’t the kind of character he’d seen before.
“I’m sick of it,” Vance said. “At what point are we going to say, 'Enough is enough.' We’ve got to reprogram the police.” Williams elaborated on that point, sharing a “Karen” incident he’d endured with his family at a restaurant. “I try to have empathy for white fear. I don’t know what it is that makes people afraid of the color of skin,” Williams said, calling the issue with police as a symptom of a greater fear. Smollett said a lot of those feelings were taken into account within the show, and she called “tapping into that energy” a very dark place but necessary, while admitting that she could not have gone to those places without her castmates. Despite the darkness of the show’s themes, Lovecraft Country is not without moments of humor, both on screen and behind the scenes. “[Black people] wouldn’t be here now if we couldn’t find the levity and humor in humanity," said Majors. "And Black folks, we’re full human beings, and where there’s sorrow, there’s joy.” Mosaku said one of the most exciting challenges that came with the role of Ruby was working with Smollett in order to find the right vibe for the relationship between Leti and Ruby, so that their bond over music and frayed connection as sisters who had grown up together could be felt by the audience. The familial conflicts highlighted in the show’s pilot are further tested by the arrival of one of the drama’s human villains, Christina Braithwhite (Lee), later in the season. Lee describes Christina as “the daughter of the leader of a secret order called the Sons of Adam. She’s the ultimate provocateur, the agent of chaos, the white antagonist … She’s the Karen.” Lee noted how the theme of white privilege was crucial to understanding her character and her role in the show, yet as a woman looking to escape the patriarchal ties of her family in the 1950s, there’s also a sympathetic quality to her “neglected, abused, and lonely” history.
“You get to explore not just the archetypical ideas of what we tend to play," he said. "He’s not just this soldier; that’s pretty common. He’s also a bibliophile. He gets to travel, he’s an adventurer … all of that was very apparent to me in the reading of the script." It wasn’t just the internal nature of his character that Majors found interesting, he added, but also his place within the Black community, and what it means to be a son within that community. This idea of familial place also extends to Letitia, who has a very tense relationship with her older sister, Ruby (Mosaku). Letitia, or "Leti" she's more known, is part of the budding Civil Rights movement, but she hasn’t quite found her place yet. Because of her reputation as an instigator, something viewers get a sense of in the latest trailer (watch below), she’s found herself estranged from her family and in search of a “tribe.”
Mosaku said one of the most exciting challenges that came with the role of Ruby was working with Smollett in order to find the right vibe for the relationship between Leti and Ruby, so that their bond over music and frayed connection as sisters who had grown up together could be felt by the audience. The familial conflicts highlighted in the show’s pilot are further tested by the arrival of one of the drama’s human villains, Christina Braithwhite (Lee), later in the season. Lee describes Christina as “the daughter of the leader of a secret order called the Sons of Adam. She’s the ultimate provocateur, the agent of chaos, the white antagonist … She’s the Karen.” Lee noted how the theme of white privilege was crucial to understanding her character and her role in the show, yet as a woman looking to escape the patriarchal ties of her family in the 1950s, there’s also a sympathetic quality to her “neglected, abused, and lonely” history. Lovecraft Country goes to some dark very places, and several of the characters have interactions with police officers and “sundown towns” in the pilot episode that aren’t at all different from those happening between Blacks and cops today. Vance and Williams both detailed their own experiences with racism and their frustrations over the fact that America has made so little racial progress.
Lovecraft Country goes to some dark very places, and several of the characters have interactions with police officers and “sundown towns” in the pilot episode that aren’t at all different from those happening between Blacks and cops today. Vance and Williams both detailed their own experiences with racism and their frustrations over the fact that America has made so little racial progress. One of the great joys was the environment on set created by Misha Green (WGN America's late and great Underground), who was unavailable to participate in the pre-recorded panel. Vance said the showrunner handled the organized chaos that allowed the cast to take the space to feel like family. Majors backed that up, discussing the tightness of the cast and saying that even now he has trouble calling Courtney B. Vance by his name because he just thinks of him as Uncle George. And while the cast was tight-lipped about the monsters viewers would be seeing in the series, a few of which were teased in the latest trailer, they admitted they had a great time being “silly” reacting to the green screen and technical marks that would later become Lovecraftian creatures. Lovecraft Country is horror with a strong social message. Fittingly, given Peele’s involvement, Williams said the series reminded him of The Twilight Zone, “the socially charged, mixed with the bizarre.” For him, the show’s monsters “represent everything that is dark and violent in society.” There’s plenty of mystery, terror, and adventure awaiting in Lovecraft Country, but the cast also hopes the show provides a means to confront certain realities about America and start conversations that allow audiences to process the very real horrors that still exist for Black Americans. Watch a new clip from Lovecraft Country, below.
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In Theaters August 28
YOUR HEALTH - COVID-19: Loss of Smell, Taste Might Be Long-Term Source: webmd.com - By Amy Norton, HealthDay Reporter
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, it's become clear that many people with the infection lose their sense of smell and taste. And doctors are concerned that some will never get back to normal. At this point, it's hard to know how common the symptom is. First, there were anecdotal reports of COVID-19 patients who had lost their ability to smell or taste, said Dr. Nicholas Rowan, an assistant professor of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. And then, he said, studies started to confirm "there's a lot of truth to it.� And then, he said, studies started to confirm "there's a lot of truth to it." Rowan pointed to one study of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 that used objective tests to detect smell "dysfunction." Nearly all patients -- 98% -- showed some loss of smell. But the problem isn't limited to severely ill patients. It appears to be common, and even a "cardinal" symptom, among people with milder COVID-19 infections. Cardinal symptoms are the key ones from which a diagnosis is made. For example, in a study of European patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19, 86% reported problems with their sense of smell, while a similar percentage had changes in taste perception. As anyone who's ever had a cold knows, smell and taste are closely intertwined, Rowan said. So the loss of smell -- which doctors call anosmia -- may be diminishing people's perception of flavors.
But, Rowan noted, it's also possible the coronavirus does have some direct effect on the sense of taste. Respiratory viruses, including cold viruses and the flu, are known to sometimes trigger anosmia. Fortunately, the issue resolves for most people. "But unfortunately," Rowan said, "some patients are left with permanent olfactory [smell] dysfunction.� That's what has doctors worried -- particularly since these sensory problems appear unusually prevalent in people with COVID-19. "It does happen with other viruses," said Dr. Daniel Coelho, a professor of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.
"But," he added, "we're seeing it a heck of a lot more with this virus.� It's not clear why, but Rowan said there's some evidence that SARS-CoV-2 -- the virus that causes COVID-19 -- directly infects the area of the olfactory nerve. That might be how the virus gains entry into the body. For some people, loss of smell and taste may be the first red flag that they are infected -- or even the only symptom, both Rowan and Coelho said. Coelho and his colleagues have undertaken a nationwide study to track changes in smell and taste related to COVID-19. Preliminary results, based on 220 survey respondents, indicated that nearly 40% had loss of smell or taste as a first, or only, symptom of COVID-19. For some, improvement has been slow. "We're assuming that not all of these patients are going to return to their pre-COVID level of function," Coelho said. And that's a concern, Rowan said. "There's a welldescribed correlation between anosmia and depression and anxiety," he noted. Correlation doesn't mean "cause-and-effect," he
added. On the other hand, Rowan said, there's no doubt that much of the pleasure in life is related to the sense of smell -- from enjoying meals to bonding with other people. Coelho agreed that anosmia takes a toll on quality of life, and can even be dangerous -- if a person can't smell the smoke from a house fire, for example. "We really tend to take our sense of smell for granted," he said. As for treating lingering anosmia, the options are "not great," according to Rowan. But some evidence supports smell training, he said. It works like other types of rehabilitation, where a person relearns a diminished ability -- in this case by spending time each day sniffing essential oils or other scents. "It's not a cure, and it doesn't work for everyone," Rowan said. "But it's a viable option and basically no-risk.� As for people who develop a new problem with smelling ability, take it seriously, Rowan advised. "It might be the first sign of COVID-19," he said. Coelho echoed that point. "Presume you're positive," he said. "Then self-isolate and call your doctor about what to do next."
J.D.'s Time Machine and Lorenzo Owens Shine
“When The World Says No” is the powerful new song from award-winning songwriter supreme James Day, who won the SoulTracks Readers’ Choice Award a couple years ago for his Glenn Jones and Regina Belle duet, “Love By Design.” And his new single features one of the great voices we covered in the early days of SoulTracks, but whom we haven’t heard from in awhile, Lorenzo Owens. The Midwest born and raised Owens made quite a splash on Oprah Winfrey’s Pop Star Challenge, immediately becoming a household name and landing a hit album with After The Show. One listen to his voice – which we once described as “a chilling blend of Ali Woodson and Rahsaan Patterson” - and you’ll know why Oprah’s audience went nuts. “When The World Says No” is a great vehicle for all involved. With full-bodied production and an instant classic feel, it tells the story of defying the limited expectations that those around you set, and reaching for a higher level. It is both inspirational and musically irresistible. Check out “When The World Says No,” video below -- soultracks.com
CONVERSE x Rockit Pro Leather
Subtle details on the Pro Leather make a powerful statement, nodding to peace, rebirth, and hope.
Brandy – B7
Brandy – B7 If you were to ask an industry newbie what they aspired to achieve as an entertainer, the list probably includes a lot of what's already a reality for Brandy Norwood. Her irresistible and eponymous 1994 debut, Brandy, went multi-platinum and introduced pop and R&B audiences to a Mississippi native with a sweet face and sultry voice in the process of becoming a star. From the 90s forward, Brandy's effervescent 'girl-next-door' persona translated into hit singles ("I Wanna Be Down," "Have You Ever," "What About Us," "Who Is She 2 U," "Put It Down," to name only a few), million-selling albums (Never Say Never, Full Moon, Afrodisiac, sitcoms and TV/film roles ("Thea," "Moesha," "Double Platinum," "Zoe Ever After," I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor) and becoming the first African-American woman to portray Cinderella (ABC, 1997) and the lead role (along with Lana Jordan) in Chicago The Musical (2017). Even with personal and professional turmoil---a contrived image-conscious 'marriage' to the father of her daughter Sy'rai, a broken engagement from executive Ryan Press and a 2006 auto collision that was settled out of court without criminal charges, yet cost the life of another driver---Norwood has earned numerous honors and awards, retaining firstname-only recognition and a fervently-devoted fan base, which should enjoy her latest release, the stealthily-released and achingly expressive B7. Helmed with the Grammy-Award nominated songwriter and producer, Daharyl "DJ" Camper (Tamar Braxton, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey and NeYo), Brandy basically delves into her experiences as, well, a grown-ass woman, in front of and away from the spotlight. At 41, she's far from a relic but is certainly seasoned in life's ups and downs, and with the well-honed chops to convey them: Camper's tracks, though coherent, have a gossamer, airy feel to them, swirling under Norwood's vocals like a musical embodiment of mist: "Lucid Dreams," for example, asserts self-determination and clarity about what she won't allow herself to endure in the name of love: "One more strike and I'm out, I had to figure it out/before I lose, lose me to you.� The soothing cadence of one of the first singles, "Borderline," acknowledges vulnerability with a new love, even as she warns him that she isn't one to roll over and be played: "I'm so dangerous Baby, I need you to see....and my feelings don't die." Part of Brandy's enduring appeal is her skillful utilization of her multi-octave soprano and rich, throaty undertones, applying vocal nuances with surgical precision. From the pulsating "Rather Be," the upbeat Sy'rai-featured groove, "High Heels," and the saucy "I Am More," which recalls the wistfulness of Mary J. Blige's "I Can Love You," but with extra backbone in telling her boo to choose or lose: "I can't be the other woman, mistress or a sidepiece/I need more cuz' I am more, than the love you have with her." To sum it up, B-Rocka---unlike too many of her teen-to-adult singing peers--- has the sustained skillset to meet her now good-and-grown fans where they are now, from reconciliable differences (her also-included Grammy-nominated Daniel Ceasar duet, "Love Again"), managing single parenthood ("Baby Mama," featuring Chance The Rapper), being crazy in new love ("No Tomorrow") and even unpacking the layers of her past relationships ("Bye Bipolar"). The only quibble to be had is a minor one, which is the faulty sequencing of featuring the more substantial tracks nearly halfway in, as the softer "flex my pipes" moments make for a languorous start. But maybe that was the entire point: Brandy's confident enough to take you the long way around because, hey.....you've hung around all this time, right? And B7's definitely worth the wait. Highly Recommended. By Melody Charles, soultracks.com
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Why the gig economy is a scam Editors note: W. Kamau Bell is a sociopolitical comedian and author who hosts and executive produces the CNN Original Series "United Shades of America," airing Sundays at 10 p.m. ET. The views expressed here are his. Read more opinion on CNN.
(CNN) If you are like me, right now you're relying heavily on the people who work for app-based delivery companies to keep you safer from the coronavirus. From groceries to package delivery; to the cheesesteak I just ate; to whatever I-just-didn'twant-to-get-it-myself thing you had dropped off, items are brought to our doors by those who are making it possible for the rest of us to not fill the streets. And when I look out my window and see who's hustling our groceries home, I am seeing mostly Black folks and people of color, which to me is a warning sign of "That job may not pay that well.� Last fall, way before we knew just how much more the economy would rely on the labor of gig workers, "United Shades of America" went to Austin, Texas, to learn about the fastest-growing category of new jobs in the country. Oops -- I didn't mean to say "jobs." These are called gigs, so companies can get away with not offering the kind of worker protections and benefits that you expect from a job.
Lots of us think the gig economy is a new idea, because tech bros told us it is. It's like how that WeWork guy convinced us he invented office space. But gig work is as old as this country. America was built on people — literally on people, who moved from job to job with low pay (or no pay at all). The technology in this industry may be new, and we may call them gigs instead of jobs, but the work and the way those workers are treated? That's as old as the railroad, the cotton fields and the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. Gig workers can't reliably predict how much they'll make, and they can't rely on the hardfought victories of the labor movement for benefits like health care, sick leave or paid vacation. And possibly worst of all, many of these workers are expected to count on tips as a part of their pay. That may work out for some gig workers, but more and more people are feeling like this is a scam. The whole idea of the gig economy is that it is solving problems, but really, most of the problems that it solves are for the people who
(problems that it solves are for the people who use the app, not for the people being used by it. While we often think of gig workers as people who just want to earn extra cash, or to supplement another main source of income, these "gigs" are more vital to American households than the app commercials would lead you to believe. When we filmed this episode on the gig economy, nearly one-third of app workers said this was their main gig, and most of those people are Black folks and people of color. Meanwhile, wealthy employers like Jeff Bezos are watching their net worth grow. In early June, the Amazon co-founder and CEO was worth $36.2 billion more than he was on March 18, according to the Institute for Policy Studies. Bezos is far from the only billionaire who has made money during — and more importantly from — the Covid-19 pandemic. But he is the billionaire who has billionaire-d the most. And this is noteworthy because Bezos' Amazon is one company that has continued hiring while more than 1 million Americans have filed for unemployment every week for the past 20 weeks. You might think that a man who has done so well would pass some of his mind-boggling profits down to the people who are literally running around to make it happen. But he, like many others in his position, has not really done that. That might be understandable if, like an
NBA lottery pick, this was the first time he hit it big. But nope: Bezos was already worth hundreds of billions of dollars, and he still was after finalizing his divorce from MacKenzie Bezos (who has pledged to donate half of her Amazon wealth). Amazon isn't the only company benefiting right now. Just three years ago, Instacart looked like it could get crushed by Amazon, but now it is raising new investment money and it is worth almost $14 billion. (Chump change, as Jeff Bezos might call it.) And, just like Amazon, Instacart is not raining that net worth down on the heads of the people who work hard to make those carts instant. As I filmed this episode, I talked to gig workers of all kinds — including those we don't usually think about when we talk about this industry, like construction workers and domestic workers. One independent contractor who made the biggest impact on me is Vanessa Minton, a mom of three in Austin who is a trained private chef but needs the flexibility of gig work to better take care of her kids. It should work perfectly, but even before the pandemic it was hard to make ends meet. And despite the fact that she, like a lot of gig workers, is busier than ever, the app companies make it hard for all that business to translate into her paycheck — a reminder to all of us using these services that we need to tip better, and give more people five stars.
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SKM’s Iconic Style Over Time
A Brand & A Business
#RonaChic by SKM Photo by @cre8ivejunkie1 Model @sir_prentisswatson
Designed by Shaka King @shakakingmenswear Brass jewelry @organicallyadorned by artist @michelewithoneelle Model: @djsuspence2018
Denim. Sleeveless. Blazer. Bucket Oversized Distress Tank Photographer @cre8ivejunkie1 Model @saintmakel
Geoffery in KINGDOMjewelz....thru the lens of photographer @don_harris202
@tobiastruvillion in SKM Hooded Cowl Coat
KINGDOMjewelz Leathercord Antler Tip Necklace. Model-graphics & concept by @chrisdeloatchofficial
@blackkimchii Stylist (+ model) in this shoot. Jewelry – KINGDOMjewelz All designs by Shaka King Menswear
Shaka King Menswear leather & fur scarf. Image @cre8ivejunkie1. Model @_loswilkins34
SKM Hooded Blanket Coat (colorblocked) + Cargo Pants (grey flannel) Model @sir_prentisswatson Photographer @cre8ivejunkie1
Shaka King Menswear Rona Mask - New styles available (some w/matching Bucket Hats) Model: @djsuspence2018 Now under construction - MYWAY FW'20 Collection. (Pictured): the the mad for plaid Fringe Coat & Scarf.
The SKM #NoWasteAW'19 Collection Models: @brettnevinwalker + w/@smoothmodel28 & @tfourtwo (on the 1s & 2s) & @cre8ivejunkie1
Model: @chrisdeloatchofficial. Here he is in pieces from the KINGDOMjewelz collection.
SKM Tunic Shirt in lawn cotton w/wide band detail [front/back] & hanging threads [thread inspiration @xulybetofficial @eppersonstudios]. Dropcrotch Jogger Shorts in linen. Model: @djsuspence2018
Prints are KING at Shaka King [Menswear] Jewelry @organicallyadorned Mural @yuliaart.murals Model: @djsuspence2018
SKM Seersucker jacket w/African wax print stripe with cotton accents + a drawstring hood. KINGDOMjewelz deadstock vintage chain & coin charm necklaces. Model @saintmakel Photographer @cre8ivejunkie1
Designer Shaka King modeling his own vintage SKM golf jacket & flat front pants w/SKM longer web belt+ Chinatown LV knockoff tee. Photohrapher: @cre8ivejunkie1
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
How to Build Bigger Arms: Increase Biceps & Triceps Size
Big chest muscles, 6-pack abs, big biceps & triceps. That’s what most people want. I feel big shoulders, traps & back are more impressive, but to each his own. Here’s how to build bigger arms and increase biceps & triceps size.
Common Mistakes to Avoid The number 1 mistake is doing endless biceps curls & triceps extensions to build bigger arms. This works at the advanced level, but for beginners it’s inefficient and counterproductive. • Curls & Extensions. Beginners need free weight compound exercises like Squat and Deadlifts to build overall muscle mass, not isolation exercises like curls. You need to lift heavy to gain muscle mass, but you can’t lift heavy with isolation exercises. • Overtraining Your Arms. Arms are small muscles which you hit on all exercises by holding the bar and bending your arms. You can’t train them 5x/week. Muscles grow when they rest. • Neglecting Other Muscles. This will get you out of proportion. Your arms will be too big compared to the rest of your body and you’ll look funny. • Not Eating Enough Food. You’ll never get 18″� biceps if you only weigh 120lbs at 6′. You must gain weight to build bigger arms. People often say you need to gain 15lb for every inch you want to add on your arms. Check the muscular potential table and how much you need to weigh in order to increase your biceps size.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
How to Build Bigger Arms You’ll never have big arms as long as you’re under-weight. No matter how many biceps curls you do. To build bigger arms, increase your overall muscle mass first by getting stronger and eating a lot. Eat More. You need to eat more calories than you burn in order to gain weight. Most guys will need at least 3000kcal/day, skinny guys with fast metabolisms will need even more. Start eating at least four meals a day – breakfast, lunch, dinner, post workout. Eat your stomach full on each meal. Get Stronger. Strength is size. Increase your Squat to 140kg/300lb, increase your Bench Press to 100kg/220lb, and increase your Deadlift to 180kg/400lb. This will increase your overall muscle mass. Rest. Muscles grow when at rest. Give your arms a break, they’re small muscles. Check StrongLifts 5×5: the routine allows for plenty of rest. Track Progress. Weigh yourself and measure your arms every 2 weeks. If your arms aren’t getting bigger you’re not training properly or not eating enough food. Avoid Curls. Increasing your Squat & Deadlift will build your arms faster than biceps curls & triceps extensions. Get stronger and eat more.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
StrongLifts 5×5 & Arm Growth Popular question: can you add assistance exercises for arms to StrongLifts 5×5 to hit your biceps & triceps? You could but you’re get plenty of indirect armwork with StrongLifts 5×5 already… Biceps. Barbell Rows work your biceps because you’re holding the bar and pulling it toward you. Your arms bend like they would on a biceps curl, but the weight is a lot heavier because you’re engaging more muscles. Triceps. Bench Press and Overhead Press work your triceps hard. You’re pressing the weight away on every rep. Your arms straighten like they would on a skullcrusher, but the weight is heavier because more muscles are involved. Forearms. Deadlifts work your forearms hard. Avoid straps. Squeeze the bar hard, use chalk and use a mixed grip on your max sets.
Another reason you must focus on getting stronger on Squats and Deadlifts to build bigger arms, is that these work your arms indirectly. Your arms squeeze the bar hard during heavy Squats & Deadlifts. This will make them grow. That said, you could add Chinups and Dips to StrongLifts 5×5 for extra arm work. These exercises are better than biceps curls or skullcrushers because the weight is heavier. Chinups force you to pull your own weight. Your body-weight is heavier than the weight you’d use on a biceps curl. You can therefore work your arms with more weight on Chinups because it works several muscles at the same time.
Weight2Wear Fitness Apparel
The half-shirt that is back thanks in part to running back for the Dallas Cowboys #21 Ezekiel Elliot. It was common to see Ezekiel rocking the half shirt during football practice, on the sideline during the NFL season and even once on the red carpet the day of the draft. Half shirts started in the early 70's with weight lifters cutting off the bottom of their shirts to get around the gym dress codes that banned going shirtless. There is no more comfortable shirt to wear around the house, at the gym, or at the beach than a half shirt. They are a great way to help stay on that exercise and conditioning routine involving those abs!
Lakeith Stanfield, front, and Daniel Kaluuya in Warner Bros.’ “Judas and the Black Messiah.” (Glen Wilson / Warner Bros.)
‘Judas and the Black Messiah’ trailer: Daniel Kaluuya is Black Panther Fred Hampton By Christi Carras, latimes.com Warner Bros. has released the highly anticipated trailer for “Judas and the Black Messiah,” starring Daniel Kaluuya as Black Panther Party leader Fred Hampton and Lakeith Stanfield as FBI informant William O’Neal. The historical drama depicts the betrayal and assassination of 21-year-old Hampton, the chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party, who was fatally shot in 1969 by the FBI in its attempt to silence the movement for Black liberation. “Repeat after me: I am a revolutionary,” Kaluuya’s Hampton declares throughout the trailer. “I am a revolutionary! I am a revolutionary!”
The trailer also sees FBI agent Roy Mitchell (Jesse Plemons) threaten Stanfield’s O’Neal into agreeing to feed the government intel about Hampton and the Black Panther Party’s activities. “You’re looking at 18 months for the stolen car, five years for impersonating a federal officer — or you can go home,” Mitchell tells a conflicted O’Neal. Directed by Shaka King and produced by Ryan Coogler (Marvel’s “Black Panther”), “Judas and the Black Messiah” also stars Dominique Fishback (“The Hate U Give”), Ashton Sanders (“Moonlight”) and Martin Sheen (“Grace & Frankie”). The project also reunites Kaluuya and Stanfield, who previously starred together in Jordan Peele’s “Get Out,” which earned the former an Oscar nomination. “You can murder a liberator, but you can’t murder a liberation,” Kaluuya’s Hampton says in the preview. “You can murder a revolutionary, but you can’t murder a revolution. And you can murder a freedom fighter, but you can’t murder freedom.”
Click Here To See The Trailer
2021
TURE TRACK SET (PINK)
JEFF 2.0 TRACK SET (WHITE)
JAY-Z's Roc Nation to Establish School of Music, Sports & Entertainment
Offering undergraduate degrees in music, business and sports management. JAY-Z‘s Roc Nation and Long Island University Brooklyn have teamed up to establish the Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment. According to reports, the institution will offer undergraduate degrees in music, music technology, sports management and entrepreneurship and production. Applications for the Fall 2021 semester will begin this Fall, and 25% of the incoming freshmen class are slated to receive Roc Nation Hope Scholarships, chosen from a group of academically competitive, need-based first-time freshmen from New York. Students will be given hands-on experience through internships, and will have the opportunity to speak with guest artists and lecturers. On top of the undergraduate degrees, the school will be holding summer residential camps for high school students and Saturday programs for students aged 10-18 years old focusing on music and sports management. “We’re excited that The Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment will provide unique insight, knowledge and experiences for students and introduce the world to the next generation of unmatched talent,” Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez said in a statement. “Our proximity in and around New York City’s epicenter of music and sports clearly positions us to offer unparalleled experiential learning and access to professional opportunities that will launch students to success,” LIU President Dr. Kimberly Cline added. “We look forward to joining with Roc Nation to offer an unprecedented educational resource that opens up the entertainment and sports world to a new and eager generation.” From - hybebeast.com
Learn How to Launch a Brand With the Parsons x Complex Streetwear Essentials Scholarship Program
SCHOLARSHIP SPONSORS
Parsons and Complex teamed up to create the Streetwear Essentials Course, which features five onehour courses covering all you need to know about working in streetwear and launching a brand. We've tapped Parsons professors along with insiders like Jeff Staple, April Walker of Walker Wear, James Whitner of The Whitaker Group, Nick Diamond of Diamond Supply, Mike Cherman of Chinatown Market, Estelle Bailey-Babenzien of Noah, Leah McSweeney of Married to the Mob, Rob Cristafaro of Alife, and Rhuigi VillaseĂąor of Rhude to help you fully understand the industry. And Complex + Yellowbrick, in partnership with these nine participating talent, are giving away $90K in full and partial streetwear education scholarships to Complex x Parsons' Streetwear Essentials program.
Interested in applying? Go here for more info
They'll offer overviews on the history of streetwear and its evolution into the luxury space, but also address specific questions like how to design a collection, how to find a factory, how to collaborate with brands, and what to do if you receive a cease-and-desist letter. All of this information will be filtered through their own personal stories. Whether you want to start your own line or work behind the scenes, consider this course your blueprint for getting wherever you want to get within streetwear.
D. L. Hughley: 'Everybody Knows' Independence Day Didn't Free Us All By Scott Simon, npr.com
July 4th is U.S. Independence Day. But D.L. Hughley, the comedian and author, suggests in his new book that all U.S. holidays "be put on a probationary period to ascertain their relevance and value to All Americans, acknowledging that days off are nice and that mattress sales must occur ..." His book, co-written with Doug Moe of the Upright Citizens Brigade, is Surrender, White People! Our Unconditional Terms for Peace. "I used to always tell this joke about, well, today, as we celebrate our Independence Day, well, not all of us," Hughley says. "Some of us weren't free for a little while after that. But you know, anything for time-and-a-half and a slab of baby backs. But it's just one of those inconveniences that we tolerate because ... people don't want to upset a story. And it's one of those things ... everybody knows it's not true. Everybody knows Christopher Columbus didn't discover America. Everybody knows Thanksgiving is a little bit more sinister than we celebrate it as. But it's kind of our story in America. When you're Black in America, the best thing you can develop is a sense of amnesia ... we shouldn't have Google and we shouldn't be able to access the truth, because that's the only way that you can kind of make sense out of all these things."
Alphabet of Black Cultures Jeffrey Daniels is an artist, writer, and educator from Chicago. Email: jeff@sleepingelephant.com | Click here to buy.
From A to Z, Alphabet of Black Cultures is a picture book celebrating a world connected by African heritage. Using the alphabet as a guide, learners of all ages are invited to explore inventions, music, games, customs, and more. This 32-page, hardcover book introduces concepts with illustrations, simple language, and a detailed notes sections for further investigation. Among the pages are examples of cultures from Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Congo, Cote D'Ivoire, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Haiti, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Puerto Rico, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, the United States, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Fendi Fall/Winter 2020 Channels ’70s Style With a Modern Twist Featuring a collaboration with Japanese label ANREALAGE.
“Retro-futurist,” “polished utility,” “a surprising wardrobe for the modern gentleman” — look no further than Fendi‘s own press notes for a succinct recap of the brand’s sophisticated Fall/Winter 2020 runway show. The ’70s-inspired collection serves as quite an in-depth foray into texture and silhouettes for house creative director Silvia Venturini Fendi, but perhaps the bigger message is in her persistence in collaborating with fresh names and presenting uncanny partnerships. She’s particularly shown interest in emerging designers from Japan, this season tapping the Kunihiko Morinaga-helmed ANREALAGE for its innovative uses with fabrics. Backed by the mantra “‘traditional’ garments are not always what they seem,’ Fendi and Morinaga created several light-sensitive pieces throughout the apparel and accessories. Select outerwear, gloves and bags will reveal new prints and colors when exposed to UV sunlight, not only offering a unique design but also representing the “first photochromic menswear on a European runway,” as highlighted by Fendi. These transformable garments work seamlessly alongside the balance of the black, brown and yellow-drenched assortment, which plays up fabrications like wool, twill and flannel against shearling, denim and suede. Items such as leather trousers, quilted gilets and chunky knits offer a befitting vault of seasonal outfits, while luxurious faux fur coats, tailored suiting and tweed blazers speak to the house’s underlying elegance and craftsmanship. And while classic silhouettes generally took the spotlight, Fendi made a concerted effort to enhance the functionality, constructing pieces with removable sleeves and hems, reversible exteriors, and waterproof capabilities where appropriate. Pulling it all together was the striking range of accessories, a mix of the brand’s popular Baguette and Peekaboo bags alongside fuzzy bucket hats, retro sunglasses with chains and a bevy of lugsoled boots for a sturdy footwear finish.
Kem and Toni Braxton “Live Out Your Love” Earlier this Spring, smooth soul man Kem ended six years away from the studio with the cool new single, “Lie To Me.” It was a welcome return that took him right back to the top of the adult soul charts. And as we await the late August release of his upcoming album Love Always Wins, Kem has given us an even bigger advance treat: a sultry duet with Toni Braxton. “Live Out Your Love” features a lush arrangement from co-producers Kem and Derek “DOA” Allen, and the simply beautiful alternating vocals from the two stars. The song was co-written by Kem and Toni, and they capture a spirit of immersive love in the kind of melodic, thoughtful song that has made each of them a star. “Live Out Your Love” gets us even more excited to hear the full Love Always Wins album. Check it out below and welcome back these two huge stars to SoulTracks. By Chris Rizik
Are We There Yet?
The State of Black Business and The Path to Wealth
The State of Black Business and Our Economic Impact While entrepreneurship and small business ownership for minorities, including African-Americans, has made some progress over the past 60+ years, there is still much to be done. In his famed 1968 speech “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop,� to assert black independence, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. called on followers to strengthen black institutions and businesses by moving their money away from the white run business and banking establishments and depositing their dollars into black-owned institutions. This idea, that buying and banking from black-owned businesses would empower the black community and close the racial wealth gap, has been widely embraced, historically by a diverse array of Americans including Booker T. Washington, Marcus Garvey, Richard Nixon, and recently, by former President Barack Obama. But what is the state of black business in the United States today and have we made broad progress or incremental progress?
Recent numbers indicate that we have 2.5+million U.S. black-owned businesses which only generate $150 billion in revenue. Unfortunately, this represents negligible ownership and control over the nation’s productive capacity. For instance, in 2017, the top 100 black-owned firms identified by Black Enterprise collectively grossed $27 billion and employed 79,216 workers. While both numbers show growth of our black businesses from previous years, in contrast, Walmart, the top firm by revenue in the U.S., grossed more than twenty times as much in revenue and employed 2.2 million more workers than the entire top 100 black-owned firms. The data is sobering and paints a daunting picture of African-American entrepreneurship and small business. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Survey of Business Owners (SBO), which is conducted every five years, over 90 percent of Latino and black firms do not have even one employee other than the owners. One new trend is the proportion of owner-only firms reaching a high of close to 98 percent for the sub-group of African American femaleled businesses. When blacks do own a business the return to that business is lower than that of whites and falls well short of closing the racial wealth gap. Also, even if blacks had the same business ownership rate as whites, the question of the scale and profitability of the business still would be an issue.
Data from the Small Business Administration indicates that just over 19 million businesses, or 70.9 percent of all U.S. businesses, are white-owned. Blacks own about 2.6 million businesses or 9.5 percent of all U.S. businesses, and Latinos own 3.3 million businesses or 12.2 percent of all American businesses. But the sales and employment numbers tell a more depressing story. The 19 million white-owned businesses have 88 percent of the overall sales, and control 86.5 percent of U.S. employment, while black businesses have a mere 1.3 percent of total American sales, and 1.7 percent of the nation’s employees. Latino businesses have 4 percent of U.S. sales and 4.2 percent of U.S. employment. Businesses with paid employees have a much greater economic impact than those without employees. The annual sales of businesses without employees are on average only a fraction of the sales of businesses with employees. While there are some firms without employees that are very successful financially, the majority are not. 67.3 percent of firms without employees had annual sales of less than $25,000. Any profits these firms made—if they did make profits— would only be a fraction of the total sales. This means that many firms without employees do not make enough to keep their owners and their owners’ families out of poverty if the firm is the owner’s sole source of income. On the other hand, a majority (57.9 percent) of businesses with paid employees had annual sales of more than $249,999. It is more likely that these firms are earning profits for their owners.
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@hard_knots_jewelry
The solution? Get the business to $250K through the use of strong “trusted guidance and support from lenders and community development financial institutions (CDFIs). Once the $250K threshold number is achieved the business exhibits “greater potential� to increase hiring of employees and extended growth is possible.
The State of Black Wealth Through Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship has long been praised as a route to eliminate the racial wealth gap. For at least three decades, gurus, black and white, have told people if they only left salaried employment and struck out on their own, they could create a path to wealth. The problem has neither been borne out by the evidence on a larger scale over time nor has it proven to be accurate advice under current circumstances. We all know that the racial wealth gap is large and shows no signs of closing. Recent data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation (2014) shows that black households hold less than seven cents on the dollar compared to white households. The white household living near the poverty line typically has about $18,000 in wealth, while black households in similar economic straits typically have a median wealth near zero. This means, in turn, that many black families have a negative net worth. At the other end of America’s economic spectrum, black households constitute less than 2 percent of those in the top one percent of the nation’s wealth distribution; white households constitute more than 96 percent of the wealthiest Americans. Moreover, even among the nation’s wealthiest households, extreme differences persist on the basis of race.
www.dasoulinc.com DASOUL Underwear @dasoulinc Photographer @eyeconic_photography
The bottom line here is that the 99th percentile black family is worth a mere $1,574,000 while the 99th percentile white family is worth over 12 million dollars. This means over 870,000 white families have a net worth above 12 million dollars, while, out of the 20 million black families in America, fewer than 380,000 are even worth a single million dollars. By comparison, over 13 million of the total 85 million white families are millionaires. Blacks, while constituting just under thirteen percent of the nation’s population, collectively own less than three percent of the nation’s total wealth.
To combat this wealth issue, robust black entrepreneurship will require an environment where the racial wealth disparity already has been confronted and altered directly. Greater black wealth, and hence financial capital, is the vital prerequisite for black entrepreneurship to assist in the wealth divide. Or better stated, “Having wealth must beget wealth.” A key solution is financial capability coaching and advocating for better income and wage parity.
So here is this writer’s bottom line, the key to assisting black businesses in their development and growth lies in leveling the terrain of racial wealth differences and increasing black access to capital in the first place. Has progress been made in our quest for business growth in certain industries, yes, regardless of what the data states, the examples like the BE 100 still set the bar on what we can do in regard to economic impact through business and banking and wealth creation? Are we there yet completely? No, but we are still moving forward as we have done for over 200 years. Connect with BLNDED Media on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to learn more about our mission, stories, and opportunities to get involved. Brian Marshall Brian K. Marshall is the Director of Entrepreneurship at BCL of Texas and is a certified small business consultant with the Association of Accredited Small Business Consultants. His program’s mission is to “Equip and empower entrepreneurs and small owners with trusted guidance and access to capital.
Protect your hair from the elements this season. Our Hair Care Collection’s vitamin and botanical complex purifies, balances and restores even the most sensitive and problematic hair types.
Scotch Porter understands texture. And nuance.
FACEBOOK LAUNCHES INITIATIVE TO HIGHLIGHT BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES FOR NATIONAL BLACK BUSINESS MONTH by Dana Givens for blackenterprise.com
August is officially National Black Business Month and social media giant Facebook has unveiled a series to support and highlight Black entrepreneurs this month. The virtual events and programs are designed to highlight Black businesses throughout the month in addition to providing resources ranging from wellness programs to virtual training. One features a partnership with the U.S Black Chambers for virtual programs Black entrepreneurs can use to help their business as the COVID-19 pandemic rages. “This year’s National Black Business Month is pivotal for countless Black entrepreneurs enduring the pandemic-induced recession coupled with historical Black business closures and unemployment,” U.S. Black Chambers President Ron Busby said in a press statement. “We know first hand Black entrepreneurs need targeted business support. In honor of National Black Business month we’ve partnered with Facebook to execute a month-long series of trainings and programs that targets topics and issues impacting Black business owners.”
With 145 Black Chambers of Commerce and 326,000 members across the country, USBC provides leadership and advocacy to empower Black business owners through resources and initiatives,” said Facebook in a blog post. “The topics we’ll cover range from building a thriving online community to adapting in uncertain times to getting access to capital and professional networks.” In addition to the virtual resources, Facebook will launch Facebook Elevate, a community focused on health and wellness for Black entrepreneurs.
The company also announced a partnership media company, The Shade Room, to help provide resources to small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic with a new Facebook Live series.
Makes a hard pivot to outlast pandemic By Thomas Heath, washingtonpost.com Gerard Burley had grown his Park View fitness studio, Sweat DC, into a sweet spot. It had 200 members, mostly women in their 30s and 40s, paying $140 to $260 a month for his workouts. It was grossing more than $40,000 every four weeks, comfortably covering Burley’s 14-member payroll, rent and other expenses, and he had just expanded his fitness floor and added a smoothie bar. “We were in our prime spot, coming off one of our best Januarys and Februarys,” Burley said. “February, March and April are when we make our money.” That all changed on March 15, when the pandemic forced him to make a hard pivot, recasting his business top to bottom. Burley, 37, immediately froze memberships so clients wouldn’t be charged while stay-athome orders were in effect. He held off on making rent at the Georgia Avenue location, though he’s in talks to resolve the issue, but stayed on top of tax and utility payments. He remade his business plan, downsizing classes from 30 people to five to allow for social distancing and started offering virtual classes, called Sweat Anywhere, and an outdoor boot camp. He partnered with Hook Hall, a nearby space where he is moving his business in August, and cut prices.
To make ends meet, he took a job as a leadership consultant at Call Your Mother Deli. And he secured a $30,000 loan through the federal Paycheck Protection Program, which covered payroll and the new Sweat Anywhere app. He also did some triage, holding on to staff as best he could, though sometimes in different capacities. “As a small-business owner, you have to survive,” he said. “We had to pivot. We changed our model to make it into small-group personal training.” The business is more than just a livelihood to Burley. “I literally created this thing, grew it from the ground,” he said. “It took a lot of grit and hard work, but we went from being just a pop-up to a full-fledged studio.” Burley grew up in West Baltimore, the middle of three sons, who found “inspiration, motivation and acceptance” through fitness. “I was overweight and dealt with self-esteem issues. I played every sport you can think of.” When he was 18, his mother died of a heart ailment. “I learned quickly life is short,” he said. But the loss also made him “more compass-sionate, makes me see a bigger picture.”
He went to the University of North Carolina, graduating in 2005 with a degree in sports medicine. He landed a job at Bowie State University, as director of sports medicine. “I didn’t know what I was doing, and didn’t know what I didn’t know,” he said. “I think not knowing is a good trait, because we are sometimes held back in life by fears of messing up. Like an infant who stumbles and falls, you just get back up. The further you go in life, people tend to second- and triple-guess yourself. You lose confidence, and confidence is the most important thing in the world.” In 2009, after four years at Bowie State and earning a master’s degree in health and fitness, Burley followed his partner, who worked for the Foreign Service, to Rome. It was there that he got his first taste of entrepreneurship, starting a health and fitness blog in the U.S. Embassy newsletter. He started training State Department employees, including high-ranking officials, and then expanded his client base through people he met at a popular salon. “It’s knocking on doors. I knew if you wanted clients, you go see hairdressers and cosmetologists,” he said. “I turned a liability of not speaking Italian into an advantage. The owner at the salon connected me to English speakers, some German, some English, some Australians.”
By the time he left Rome in September 2012, he said he had three trainers working for him. When he and his partner returned to Washington, Burley opened a pop-up studio called Sweat Fitness Party in Adams Morgan. The goal was to make it fun to work out, and he employed a disc jockey and used lighting to create a nightclub atmosphere. He attracted clients through networking, and business grew fast. Within a year, he had 20 clients and was teaching at least 24 sessions a week. “I was pretty booked,” he said. “If you are one trainer, you don’t need more clients than that.” He soon changed the name to Sweat DC, and hopes one day to have a Sweat LA, Sweat Atlanta and others. The idea, he said, is “to create something bigger than me.” Sweat DC has taken a hit — the 200 prepandemic clients have dwindled to the 20 or 30 a week who attend his outdoor boot camps — but Burley is doing what he has to do to keep it going. Having just a few clients “is a simple process and stress-free,” he said. Ultimately, “you have to figure out what is happiness to you.”
Black Mind Creative Original Artwork – Merchandise – Art Prints – Art Inquiry
Featured Artist: Joseph McKinney – IG: @Josephth3dreamer
Black Mind Creative Original Artwork – Merchandise – Art Prints – Art Inquiry
Featured Artist: Joseph McKinney – IG: @Josephth3dreamer
Father Surprises His 4 Children With Their Very Own ATM Business Meet William Moxey, a 34-year old serial entrepreneur and father of 4 children from Florida, who is making national headlines for surprising his children with their very own ATM business called QuickBuxNow. He says that he wants to teach his children the importance of money management and responsibility. At an early age of 12, Moxey has already had the knack for business, thanks to his mother who he looked up to for owning and managing a salon since he was born. He began with selling stuff like CDs, t-shirts, and sneakers until he started venturing into different businesses such as a wallet company, a hookah lounge, nightclubs, and events space, among others. Wanting to teach his 4 children, ages 16, 13, 11, and 6, the values of money management and financial freedom, he thought of giving them an ATM machine business. He educated himself on the ins and outs of the business first before finally surprising his children, whom he views as his business partners, with their new business. The children spend around 5 hours a week working on their respective roles in their business. The two older boys are the ones responsible for loading and unloading the machine, installations, and activating and programming them. Moxey's 11-year old daughter acts as the accountant who keeps track of the accounts to know which machines need reloading. The youngest one serves as Moxey's assistant manager, helping make sure everything is in order. Currently, QuickBuxNow has ATMs in two locations in Orlando, Florida. The first ATM is located in one of Moxey's mother's three hair salons. The second one is located in a barbershop. He hopes to one day teach other families how to own an ATM business as well. "It's very important to teach our kids financial freedom now," Moxey told Atlanta Black Star. "Teach them about credit, teach them how important it is." Follow QuickBuxNow on Instagram @quickbuxnow Follow William Moxey on Instagram @moxamillion
Group of Black Entrepreneurs Plan to Purchase 8 City Blocks in St. Louis A group of Black entrepreneurs from an organization called Black Wall Street STL is planning to build a business district in North St. Louis, Missouri. They have already applied to the city's Land Reutilization Authority (LRA) to purchase over 8 city blocks equivalent to 283 lots in the area for Black-owned businesses to thrive. "We are all very interested and invested in our communities, and we know that ownership is a problem, or lack thereof," Ebony Bowden, president of Black Wall Street STL, told St. Louis Public Radio. "We decided to come together and create Black Wall Street to go ahead and get the land so that we can have a foundation." Instead of waiting for the city officials to help solve the problems of Black people, this group of entrepreneurs who met four years ago have come forward to do it by themselves. They have pooled their money together to purchase the land which will serve as a space for Black businesses. According to Alderman Brandon Bosley of D-3rd Ward, Black Wall Street STL offered the LRA a total of $150,000 to purchase the space. The properties consist mostly of foreclosures, dilapidated buildings and vacant lots which are conceptualized to be a thriving business district as it reportedly was years ago. At first, the land could be used for community events, gatherings, and open-air markets, Bowden and Bosley said. Eventually, however, they are hoping that it will house businesses and factories that can bring economic opportunities to the community. For more information about Black Wall Street STL, visit BlackWallStreet.org
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Nike Confirms "Denim" Air Jordan 3 Release Date Is This Month By Victor Deng, complex.com
Joining the upcoming "Laser Orange" and "Varsity Royal" make-ups is a newish Air Jordan 3 release reportedly arriving this summer. According to zSneakerheadz, the latest pair is expected to don the model's beloved "Fire Red" color scheme, but boasts a translucent heel tab that incorporates both Jumpman and Nike Air branding. The leaker account also suggests that there will be two versions of the shoe releasing, but early images of either have yet to surface. As of now, Jordan Brand has yet to confirm the release of the two Jordan 3 Retro SE "Fire Red" but it's slated to drop on Aug. 1 for $200. Keep it locked to Sole Collector for updates. UPDATE (06/29): Jordan Brand revealed new details regarding the upcoming Air Jordan 3 Retro SE Denim "Fire Red" today confirming that two versions of the shoe will release including one pair available exclusively in Japan featuring Japanese Nike Air branding on the heel tab. Both pairs feature a new take on the traditional elephant print overlays by using raw denim and will come in special denim elephant-print packaging. A release date wasn't announced but the pairs are slated to launch on Aug. 1 for $200 each. UPDATE (07/28): An official look at the "Fire Red" Air Jordan 3 Retro SE Denim has surfaced and according to zSneakerheadz, the pair is releasing on Nike.com and at select retailers on Aug. 27. UPDATE (08/13): Nike confirms that the "Denim" Air Jordan 3 will release on Aug. 27 for $200 through SNKRS app. Air Jordan 3 Retro SE Denim "Fire Red" Release Date: 08/27/20 Color: White/Black-Fire Red Style #: CZ6431-100 Price: $200
Olympic Hopeful Michael Gunning Swims Because 'Black People Don't' By Trudy Ring, out.com Olympic hopeful Michael Gunning turned racial prejudice and homophobia into motivators for his swimming career, he details in a new interview with the Thomson Reuters Foundation. While he was growing up in the U.K., the gay Jamaican-born athlete was told by schoolmates that “Black people don’t swim.” But he didn’t let the bullies win. Instead, he just swam faster. “For me, it was just a motivation to prove them wrong and get selected for Team [Great Britain] and be away for weeks from school and then come back and show them my medals,” he told Reuters. He was dealing with other issues as well. As a youth he felt “very different ... and I suppose that was my sexuality mixed in,” Gunning said. He wasn’t ready to come out even to himself, but “because I wasn’t ready to address my inner feelings, I put all of that effort into swimming and had a good junior career.”
Gunning, now 26, won his first British national title when he was 13, for the 200meter butterfly. The swimmer, who moved to the U.K. at age 5, has competed both for that country and for Jamaica. He holds citizenship for both and has three Jamaican records. After being present at the Manchester Arena in England when it was bombed during an Ariana Grande concert in 2017, with 23 people killed, he decided to swim for Jamaica. “It really put life into perspective, and that was the year that I decided to swim for Jamaica to inspire more people and to share my story,” he said. Part of that story for Gunning, who appeared on the reality show The Bi Life, involves being an out gay man in a country where homophobia is widespread. He hopes he can make a difference. “The world is turning slowly, and I think it is changing, and I’m sure in time, Jamaica will accept LGBT people and legislation will change, but it’s a slow process and I think the more role models we have, the better,” he told Reuters. He was planning to represent Jamaica in this summer’s Olympics, but the games have been postponed until next year due to the global pandemic. He hasn’t let up on training, though, and is looking ahead to competing in Tokyo in 2021. “We’ve worked so hard for it for so long, and yes, we’ve had a little dip in the road, and it’s been pushed back a year, but I’m so excited,” he said.
DASOUL Underwear @dasoulinc www.dasoulinc.com Model: Erand Williams @thetuffluver
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Five Things You Need to Know About the New 2021 Ford Bronco Ford Motor Company
Pre-production versions of the 2021 Bronco, shown here, include Bronco two-door in Cyber Orange Metallic Tri-Coat and Bronco four-door in Cactus Gray.
After nearly two decades away, Ford’s famed 4X4 is back, and more rugged than ever. The newly unveiled 2021 Bronco SUV features a two- and (first-of-its-kind) four-door model designed to appeal to drivers interested in heading into the wild. In the COVID-19 era, that seems like a pretty good bet. Thankfully, the Bronco, which will start at just under $30,000, more than just looks the part: Its burly design is backed up by a sophisticated 4×4 drivetrain and plenty of tech that will assist in sending you far off the grid, should the need arise. Here are a few takeaways from the unveiling:
Pre-production 2021 Bronco four-door Badlands series with available Sasquatch™ off-road package in Cactus Gray in Johnson Valley, California.
It’s aimed right at Jeep Wrangler drivers. “We knew from research that customers were getting a bit fatigued with the one and only choice in the marketplace,” says Bronco Brand Manager Dave Rivers. “One of the interesting factoids that we came across is that the number one vehicle brand crossshopped by Jeep owners is Ford.” In order to catch as many buyers in the space as possible, Ford developed a three-vehicle approach. The Bronco two- and four-door models, which share a platform with the Ranger pickup truck, will feature rugged, offroad 4×4 capabilities and al-fresco driving opportunities via removable doors and roof, à la the Wrangler. The Bronco Sport, based on the Ford Escape platform, offers a smaller, more citified entry-point into the Bronco family.
The all-new Bronco Sport First Edition series in Cyber Orange Metallic Tri-Coat. (Pre-production
model pictured.)
It’s got a retro Bronco look, but forward-looking tech. The two-door and four-door Broncos bear stylistic cues from the blocky Bronco models of the ’60s and ’70s: flat body panels, short overhangs, flared fenders, an encapsulated grille. But the revived Bronco isn’t simply a throwback pastiche. It features plenty of new tech, including an optional 12-inch touchscreen connected to 360-degree cameras that feature off-road spotting views. The system features some pretty intensive trail-mapping capabilities, including over 1,000 trail maps from NeoTreks and AccuTerra that can be accessed even when you’re out of range.
2021 Bronco two-door features class-leading open-air design roof and instrument panel inspired by the first-generation Bronco, with intuitive, clearly visible gauges and controls in this prototype version (not representative of production model).
It’s made to be driven with the top down. The Bronco’s engineers and designers crafted the Bronco with a quick-change in mind. With the Wrangler, removing the hard-top roof and doors is a two-man job. With the Bronco, its three- or four-section roof can be removed in minutes, by one person. Similarly, the frameless doors can be removed and stored on board the four-door model. And since a rearview mirror is mounted to the cowl, taking off a door doesn’t mean losing visibility. “We had maximum open-air opportunities in mind, from riding into the sand dunes or cruising through the Everglades,” says Rivers.
Its off-road capabilities look legit. Hardcore asphalt-avoiders will likely opt for an available seven-speed manual transmission, with a crawler gear capable of a best-in-class 94.75-to-1 ratio (others will get seven or 10-speed automatic). Similarly impressive for off-road acolytes are its available 35-inch tires, 11.6-inch ground clearance, and an independent front suspension and solid-axle rear, with Bilstein dampers at every corner. Engine options include a 2.7liter EcoBoost V6 that will make 310 horsepower and 400 foot-pounds of torque, and a 2.3-liter EcoBoost model that will make 310 foot-pounds of torque.
post-adventure clean-ups are easy in the SUV thankfully. to start, the natural-colored materials of the cabin are all tough and rugged to match the performance of the model. washable rubberized floors line the bottom and feature integrated drains throughout. wipe-able marine-grade vinyl surfaces also adorn the seats and body panels. the interior has been inspired by the first generation model, specifically the clear and intuitive gauges and controls on the instrument panel. it is located front and center with the transmission selector and modes controller in the center console below. it frames the 12-inch display which communicates its 360° camera system and features over-the-air updates. attachment points are integrated into the instrument panel as well as around the cabin to allow users to mount their own devices, from phones to more.
It’s built for abuse. A Bronco should not be a precious thing— excluding the firstgeneration models now skyrocketing in value— so the Bronco’s designers built in a washable rubberized floor with a drain, along with marine-grade upholstered seating that’s easily washable and mildew-resistant. And some switches even have silicone seals on them. Meaning: An errant shower when the top is down shouldn’t make you cower in fear.
A slide-out rear tailgate provides greater convenience for two- and four-door Bronco models. (Prototype not representative of production vehicle.)
The Messy Middle:
Where first-world problems meet structural racism & discrimination Leah McGee VP Brand Strategist & Marketer | Culture & Inclusion Practice Lead
My inner-circle are the unicorns. We're that mysterious group of Black professionals who represent the 1% to 4% of Black people in advertising, tech, engineering, aviation, specialized medicine, analytics and various other industries that are predominantly white. We're that elusive group who have been working our butts off, trying to hack away at discrimination from the inside but also semiassimilating when we must. At 36, my crew, who mostly went to predominantly white, top tier schools for both grad and undergrad, is at the mid-senior to early senior-level in their career. The types of discrimination problems we have are complicated because we are trying to access things that are intrinsically unfair, like senior leadership roles, first-class airline cabins, and luxury items that only a subset of the world ever buys. Often we laugh at ourselves for complaining about these things, but at the same time, when we look at our white counterparts and friends, it's apparent race plays a role in our lack of access. And our “first world problems” start to sound a lot more like a race-based injustice. So, why am I even writing this uber first world seeming complaint? Because our experience is the very essence of why we believe the American dream is broken for Black people. As "insiders" who went to the right schools and have the right jobs, we navigate moments that seem elusively tied to unfairness experienced by Black friends and less so by the white ones. Even when we do everything right, and seemingly “transcended” the reasons Black people are allegedly treated unfairly – degrees, wealth, and connections – we are still regularly confronted with reminders that our Blackness is a problem. And, if not a problem, at the very least, our Blackness is a marker indicating that we need to be watched and evaluated more closely.
The issues of racism and structural racism aren’t just in getting Police to stop killing Black people. They exist in every tier of society for Black Americans, even in the most basic experiences. Here are a few small examples that crystalize how complicated it is for us: • Matt, a White sales guy at the Tesla dealer. Upon arriving at my 3 pm test drive appointment made a week in advance, I am checked-in, but then ignored while Matt politely shows a couple every feature on the car they are considering. At the moment, I get it and take no offense. You're a salesperson deeply engaged in conversation. I respect that. And, I gather Matt is a highly attentive sales guy, which is what we all want. I also appreciate that after 10 minutes of awkwardly just standing in the dealership, another employee takes pity on me. She gets me set up with the first part of my appointment to start the test drive and tells me Matt will be free when we get back. Unfortunately for us, because she doesn't typically do this, she explains none of the features in a highly automated car, which makes my test drive a so-so experience. Where it goes south for me is upon my return. When I begin asking questions and trying to learn more about whether there is a model with a smoother ride and the features I want to learn more about, I get blank stares and one-word answers from Sales Guy Matt, who previously seemed so attentive. It's a shocking response from any salesperson on a $50k to $115k purchase, but it's even more surprising after seeing how he doted on a white family. Fast forward to talking to one of my unicorn Black friends. I find that he had a similar experience at this same dealership and actually referenced Matt by name. In fact, they were so rude to my friend after incorrectly placing his car order that he canceled it and forfeited his deposit. After a few weeks of stewing, he then went on to purchase the car from another Tesla dealer.
• Accessing Airline Lounges. On multiple occasions, I've been stopped in airline lounges because either, a) someone is yet again reminding me I am in a "members only space" and confirming I mean to be there. Or, b) I'm being given a drink order when someone mistakes me for a staff member. The most shocking incident occurred when a lounge attendant unexpectedly asked me for an ID. While that's much more common now, in my experience, it pretty much never happened when I just showed my boarding pass ten years ago. After I showed my ID, the woman laughingly told me that she thought I'd taken someone's boarding pass. To which I uncomfortably laughed back. Because honestly, what would you do? I was on my way to Costa Rica for a solo vacation after an intense few weeks being on the road for months with grueling client work. My only assumption is that she didn't believe that as a 20-something Black woman, it would be possible for me to have Executive Platinum airline status and be flying first class international. Sadly for her, that was my exact situation.
• Political Senior Level Promotions. The most soul-crushing experience was a conversation with the president of my company. I was told I checked all the official boxes for my next promotion, including having the requisite client revenue, earning industry awards, and building a new practice area. But, my aggressive focus on work output was holding me back from my promotion to SVP. The demands I put on those around me to be equally accountable for their work output is "a little intimidating," and thus, our executive committee who votes on these things doesn't know if I'm “ready" for the next promotion. Some could argue, well, that doesn't have anything to do with race. But, in 7 the years I've worked in this office of 700 people, zero Black VPs have ever been promoted to SVP. And, the only Black SVP is a woman who was hired-in at that level. At present, there is no indication she'll ever be promoted. In fact, the new head of her department, promoted to the EVP level 6 months ago, earned his VP promotion one year before me. He's now on the executive committee, while she's still an SVP, and I'm working on getting to SVP. And don't get me wrong. I genuinely like him. He is honestly one of my favorite people in the entire company. However, our situation as Black people who aren't getting promoted is still a tough one to rationalize. In essence, being someone who went to the right schools to get in, did the work to get ahead, and earns the money to buy the cool toys still doesn't afford you access to the dream. My group of unicorn friends is regularly confronted with the fact that our work isn't "quite" enough. We remain outside being able to openly access the "coolest benefits" and "perks" our privilege would logically afford us, and it more often happens among those of us who are Black. I spend a lot of time dissecting these types of experiences with White, Black, LatinX, and Asian friends. Over and over, the prevailing unifying feature seems to be race for when things just "don't seem to work out.” So, where am I going with this? I am not asking anyone to take the streets to protest my bad experience in a Tesla dealership or airline lounge. And, I don't want a pity or guilt-ridden promotion. We all know that privilege is unfair. My mission is to remove race from being one of the reasons that unfairness exists. Pure and simple. I'm looking for less racism everywhere, even in these first-world spaces that are complicated and can sometimes be dismissed with the notion, “race has nothing to do with that. That's just how it is.” I’m here to tell you; I’m pretty sure it sometimes does.
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On Disney+ September 4
Janelle Monáe’s
thriller ‘Antebellum’ heads straight to premium video-on-demand This image released by Lionsgate shows Janelle Monae in a scene from "Antebellum." The film, due out Aug. 21, 2020, from Lionsgate and starring singer and actress Monáe, will challenge audiences over the failure to reckon with the legacy of slavery, the directors say. (Matt Kennedy/Lionsgate via AP) (Matt Kennedy)
Antebellum," a time-bending horror film
starring Janelle Monáe, is the latest movie to premiere on digital rental platforms in lieu of its planned theatrical release as coronavirus cases continue to spike. Written and directed by Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz, the film was initially expected to debut in theaters in August. But since there's no telling when cinemas, which have been closed since March, will be able to reopen, Lionsgate is debuting "Antebellum" on premium video-on-demand services on Sept. 18. However, "Antebellum" isn't entirely eschewing the big screen. It will be released in some international movie theaters.
"While the theatrical experience will always be
the heart of our business, we are thrilled that we are able to seize the opportunity to
match Gerard and Chris's urgent and immediate film with a release strategy befitting this moment of extraordinary change," said Lionsgate chairman Joe Drake. "Gerard and Chris are storytellers whose work beats with authenticity -- not only will this film entertain and thrill audiences worldwide, but spark a discussion about our current world.” "Antebellum" is hardly the first film to pivot its release strategy amid the pandemic, and it likely won't be the last. Earlier this week, Disney announced that "Mulan" was skipping U.S. theaters and instead debuting on Disney Plus for a premium price. Other movies, such as "Bill & Ted Face the Music" with Keanu Reeves, Andy Samberg's romantic comedy "Palm Springs" and the next "SpongeBob" sequel, have moved to streaming services or digital rental platforms.
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In "Antebellum," Monáe portrays a successful author who finds herself trapped during the American Slavery period and must find a way to escape from the horrifying reality. The cast also includes Eric Lange, Jena Malone, Jack Huston, Kiersey Clemons and Gabourey Sidibe. “While we designed ‘Antebellum’ to be consumed as a communal experience in the theater, we are thrilled by the unique opportunity we have to pivot to a different kind of communal moment in our culture,” Bush and Renz said in a statement. “As we face the realities of systemic racism in our country, which have crescendoed to this current inflection point in 2020, we understand how imperative it is to bring ‘Antebellum’ to the broadest audience possible, while also prioritizing health and safety. It is our ardent hope that by sharing our film widely, both nationally and internationally, we will transform the moviegoing experience from home into a true event.” By Rebecca Rubin
November Is Coming
A. Quincy Jones and Whitney R. Smith’s Historic Schneidman House Lists for $3.8M By Jennifer Baum Lagdameo, dwell.com
This midcentury stunner was certified a historic-cultural monument in 2012. 925 Stonehill Lane, also known as the Schneidman House, is up for grabs. It was designed by A. Quincy Jones and Whitney R. Smith, two modernist architects noted for their contributions to the development of modernism in Southern California, in 1950. The home is one of the first of 30 houses to be built in Crestwood Hills, a neighborhood within Brentwood that boasts several landmark midcentury modern homes. In 2012, the Schneidman House was added as number 1016 on the Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument list. Designed by Modernist architects A. Quincy Jones and Whitney R. Smith in 1950, the Shneidman House was added to the LA Historic-Cultural monuments list in 2012. Photos courtesy of Douglas Elliman
Designed by Modernist architects A. Quincy Jones and Whitney R. Smith in 1950, the Shneidman House was added to the LA Historic-Cultural monuments list in 2012.
Above - A mix of redwood, concrete, and glass, the home has a low-profile facade and a classic midcentury California look. Below - The open-plan living space features expansive glazing and stunning views. An original wood-burning fireplace encased in cinderblock extends out onto the patio, adding to the indoor/outdoor connection.
Above - The exposedbeam, tongue-andgroove ceiling was restored as part of an extensive renovation that took place over the course of two years. Below - Exposed cinderblocks line one wall of the open-plan living space which has become the dining nook.
Above - The kitchen is filled with natural light and features modern elements such as the open shelving alongside a retro-looking built-in banquette. A mint green SMEG refrigeration adds to the home's vintage vibe. Below - The master bedroom has an ensuite bathroom, angled ceilings, and lots of light.
The spacious master shower.
The master bath has been updated with light wood cabinetry.
The updated, wood-paneled, walk-in closet.
The second bathroom features sweet, gray penny tiles on the floor.
The second bedroom is bright thanks to a skylight overhead.
The wood-paneled study has direct access
A third bathroom is a retro shade of mint green with mod-looking textured tiles and wood-paneled walls
The terrace offers spectacular views of the surroundings.
In addition to the terrace, there is also a large back patio.
The entire back view of the home.
Nas Reveals New Album Title, Artwork, & Length
Noam Galai/Getty Images
The legendary Nas' anticipated new album gets an appropriately royal title, along with an elaborate cover to match. Ask anybody who knows hip-hop what they think of Nas, and it's likely that some variation of "one of the best lyricists of all time" will be shared -- sometimes even wistfully, as the speaker proceeds to reminisce on that one particular Nas track that blew their mind (it was "Get Down" for me). And while Escobar's last few studio albums in Nasir and The Lost Tapes 2 didn't exactly set the world ablaze, nobody concluded that the rapper was down and out. In fact, the game has been patiently waiting for a new album from Nas, and in only a few weeks we'll be getting exactly that. @nas First Single ULTRA BLACK ft @hitboy out tonight! #KingsDisease August 21st
Following a hype-inducing announcement that he and Hit-Boy would be delivering a new project on August 21st (one week prior to a brand new studio album from The Lox, if that wasn't enough), we've officially received more news about the upcoming drop. A pre-order page on Itunes reveals that it will be titled King's Disease, a possible reference to Gout; back in the day, those who possessed the most wealth were more susceptible to Gout, as they were able to eat far more than mere peasants. Given that this is Nas we're talking about, it wouldn't be surprising to see him explore the double meaning at some point. The pre-order page also provides a look at the lavish album cover. Appropriately opulent in nature, scarlet cherubs overlook an elaborate and decadent feast, certainly fit for a king. You can check it out right here. It has also been confirmed that we're looking at fourteen tracks (with one bonus), including the lead single "Ultra Black," featuring Hit-Boy. While information remains scarce, there's a feeling in the air that Nas will be coming out swinging on this one -- look for King's Disease to arrive in full on August 21st.
Hulu will stream
Black-ish episode Disney controversially shelved in 2018
Two years after the episode was supposed to air By Julia Alexander
In November 2017, Black-ish creator Kenya Barris wrote an episode of his Emmy-award winning ABC comedy titled “Please, Baby, Please” that tackled racism in America, ranging from the Charlottesville protests to kneeling in the NFL. Just a week before it was set to air in 2018, Disney shelved it. Now, the episode will finally see the light of day on Disney’s general entertainment streaming service, Hulu. “We were one year post-election and coming to the end of a year that left us, like many Americans, grappling with the state of our country and anxious about its future,” Barris wrote in a statement on Twitter. “Those feelings poured onto the page, becoming 22 minutes of television that I was, and still am, incredibly proud of. ‘Please, Baby, Please’ didn’t make it to air that season and, while much has been speculated about its contents, the episode has never been seen publicly…until now.” The episode is available to stream on Hulu right now, but it’s unclear if Disney has plans to air the episode on ABC. The network could use new programming, and there is interest in the Black-ish episode following the company’s controversial decision to shelve it. Originally, the network’s primary concerns were “related to comments that characters made about President Donald Trump, not to the football storyline,” according to Variety. The episode arrives in wake of mass protests around the world fighting racism and injustice. “I cannot wait for everyone to finally see the episode for themselves and, as was the case nearly three years ago, we hope it inspires some much-needed conversation — not only about what we were grappling with then or how it led to where we are now, but conversations about where we want our country to go moving forward and, most importantly, how we get there together,” Barris wrote in his statement. The episode focuses on Anthony Anderson’s Dre telling his son Devante a story about the first year of mankind on Earth, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Combining allegorical storytelling and very real news clips, including kneeling NFL players and protesters, allows Barris and his team to address the anxiety much of the country faced on year into Trump’s presidency, the creator told THR back in 2018.
Both Disney executives and Barris’ team were on board with the episode — a high profile production that cost more than $3 million and had talent like Spike Lee attached. Then, a week before the episode were set to air, executives all the way up to then-CEO Bob Iger reportedly expressed concerns over alienating audiences, with Iger speaking to Barris about the “political sensitivities of being a broadcast network in 2018.”
“I CANNOT WAIT FOR EVERYONE TO FINALLY SEE THE EPISODE FOR THEMSELVES.”
Also worth noting: Disney was in the middle of trying to acquire 21st Century Fox. Angering a Republican-led Department of Justice while trying to make a deal is something Disney executives apparently wanted to avoid, according to THR.
The network suggested Barris and his team make edits to the episode, but “it wasn’t as easy as a nip here or a tuck there, and the sheer tonnage of anti-Trump material rippling through the episode ultimately made the exercise futile,” according to the Reporter. Instead, both sides scrapped it. Barris would go on to leave the ABC family and sign an overall deal with Netflix worth $100 million. Now, the episode will live on Hulu for the time being. Disney’s general entertainment streaming service surpassed 35 million subscribers in June.
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Highlighting The Best of Men of Color Around The World!