CODE M Magazine - December 2020

TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF MEN

HITTING THE

RESET

BUTTON ON YOUR

LIFE INTERRACIAL MARRIAGE IS NO LONGER JUNGLE FEVER

10

GIFT

IDEAS TO GET

HER

THE

VACCINE:

HISTORY HAS PROVEN

IT

CANNOT BE TRUSTED REV. PAUL SADLER:

STAYING

CONNECTED

IN AN ISOLATED COMMUNITY

ATTENTION

DECEMBER 2020 ISSUE

TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF MEN

If you make the lives of men better, You make the world better!

SERVING CLEVELAND AND SURROUNDING OHIO CITIES: COLUMBUS TOLEDO CINCINNATI DAYTON YOUNGSTOWN

www.codemmagazine.com

2 OCTOBER ISSUE / CODE M

INSIDE 17

INTERRACIAL MARRIAGE IS NO LONGER JUNGLE FEVER According to the United States Census Bureau, the number of interracially married couples has increased from 310,000 in 1970 to 651,000 in 1980, to 964,000 in 1990, to 1,464,000 in 2000 and to 2,340,000 in 2008.

ON THE COVER

24

THE VACCINE: HISTORY HAS PROVEN IT CANNOT BE TRUSTED The history of how blacks were treated by the medical community makes it hard when

considering the vaccine today.

8 MOVERS AND SHAKERS Get to know people who are making a difference in their careers, and changing the world.

29 STAYING CONNECTED IN AN ISOLATED COMMUNITY Rev. Paul Sadler has risen to the challenge to help those facing the pandemic, the financial crisis, and just about everything else.

CODE M / DECEMBER 2020 5

BRING HOME THESE FINE WINES FOR THE HOLIDAYS

[ INSIDE ]

21 HITTING THE RESET BUTTON ON YOUR LIFE 2020 was hard for everyone. How we process the year will be the key to having a better 2021.

31 CULTURE CHANGE: BOOK REVIEW

Melvin Jones has written a story about how he and four other youngsters came together and changed a Cleveland school’s culture in the late ‘80s…

35 CODE M RADIO EXPANDS LISTENER BASE CODE M Radio continues to grow its audience by covering a range of topics that people of color thirst to hear.

13

10 GIFT IDEAS TO GET HER ATTENTION Get gift ideas and go holiday shopping Code M Style.

37 A JOB FOR EVERYONE Rachel Angel created an award-winning job placement application that is winning over clients and helping young people find entry-level positions.

CODE M / DECEMBER 2020 7

MOVERS &

SHAKERS

W E S L E Y 8 DECEMBER 2020 / CODE M

These fine people are shaking things up in their respective fields by blazing a trail with their drive for success!

W O O D

[ MOVERS & SHAKERS ]

WESLEY WOOD The owner of Perspective Filmworks has been doing some interesting things lately like working with the NBA and ESPN to live stream and video the selection of top college prospects on Draft Night.

ARIANE KIRKPATRICK The president and CEO of AKA Team has been named to the Board of directors Team Northeast Ohio (NEO). The organization provides insight into inclusive participation of economic trends in the community to ensure that all are engaged and exposed to the growth of Northeast Ohio.

Wood was recently in Huntsville, Alabama to film top college prospect Kira Lewis who was selected in the first round by the New Orleans Pelicans.

DERRICK CLAY The President of New Visions Group (NVG) has become the leading consulting company in Columbus, Ohio for political engagement. The organization focuses on government relations, lobbying, business development, and strategic public council.

Clay, a University of Akron grad, launched the company to provide a bridge between the business community and government. The organization is changing the way business is done and finding success in this ever-changing political climate.

RACHEL ANGEL The Hampton University grad had a better idea for career placement so she launched Peerro in 2018, which has quickly become the go-to app for young people who are looking to secure employment.

The Clevelander has not only changed the way young people looking for jobs, her company is changing the way companies think about their hiring practices.

Peerro is a downloadable app that offers full control to the applicant using their mobile device.

CODE M / DECEMBER 2020 9

Gentlemen Know! codemcigars.com

TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF MEN

CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER Stephen Curry

PUBLISHER Bilal S. Akram

ADVERTISING Kevin Jones

PRESIDENT Brad J. Bowling SENIOR ADVISOR Alexandria Johnson Boone MANAGING EDITOR David Christel GRAPHIC DESIGN Stiff Arm Media EXECUTIVE MANAGER/ MEDIA COORDINATOR Paula D Morrison EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT To the PUBLISHER

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Bilal S. Akram David Williams CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Brenda Morgan Bolling Smith Keith Causey David Christel Bonnie Cruz Brad J. Bowling D'Juan Hopewelnifer Corley Lawrence Burnley CODE MEDIA GROUP LLC

Ladonna “Lala” Dicks STAFF DIRECTOR OF RADIO/PODCAST

Sharif Akram

Portia Booker

Darrell Scott Braylon Lee

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Franklin Solomon SOCIAL MEDIA Rachel Woods Subscribe FREE online: www.codemmagazine.com

IT CONSULTANT Anthony Jones

@codemcigar Code M Cigars

Digital Jetstream, LLC

#CODEMAGINTL

To submit comments, feedback or to inquire about advertising please contact us at info@codemediagroupllc.com CEO AND CFO: BILAL AKRAM

bilal.akram@codemediagroupllc.com

216-273-9400 ext 100

PRESIDENT: BRAD BOWLING

brad.bowling@codemediagroupllc.com

216-273-9400 ext. 103

CMO: STEPHEN CURRY

stephen.curry@codemediagroupllc.com

216-273-9400 ext. 104

ADVERTISING: KEVIN JONES

kevin.jones@codemedialgroupllc.com

216-273-9400 ext. 108

ADVERTISING: TERI MARTIN

teri.martin@codemmediagroupllc.com

216-273-9400 ext. 110

CODE M Magazine was created to be a guiding force in creating a dialogue for black men everywhere. Code M focuses on the conversations of advancement, mental health, career choices, the political landscape and relationships that define and shape the lives of black men everywhere.

Code M Magazine is published

by CODE MEDIA GROUP, LLC © 2020 All Rights Reserved

LIFE

10 GIFT

IDEAS TO GET

HER

The holiday season is the perfect time to shower the woman you love with great gifts that come from the heart and express your appreciation for her.

By Brad Bowling

1

ATTENTION 1. 2020 JAGUAR F-PACE Nothing says love like the gift of a car. Filled with soft leather and amazing features, she will love you forever and travel in style. www.jaguar.com $45,200 2. MEAL DELIVERY SERVICE Living in isolation can be tough, but meal delivery services make it better.

Instacart delivers groceries without you ever leaving home. www.instacart.com

2 3

$5.99 –$7.99 3. TEA BLENDS ikkletea.com offers some of the best blends of tea.

Order and enjoy a cup full of love.

Ranging from $8.99

CODE M / DECEMBER 2020 13

[ LIFE ]

5 4. DIAMOND NECKLACE Gift her with this 14K Yellow .03 CTW Diamond Angel Wings 16-18" Necklace and let her know she is loved. jefferyb.myshopify.com

4

$615.00 5. SPA DAY Spend a day and pamper her for her loving efforts to take care of you. $300.00 6. SHIATSU FOOT MASSAGER This compact Shiatsu foot massager provides gentle warmth and steady pressure to soothe away [stress] and re-energize your mind and body. www.sharperimage.com

6

7

$199.00 7. THE PERFECT PUCKER The Perfect Skincare Mini Facial Kit makes a great gift. It includes the entire face care line in small sizes. www.theperfectpucker.com

$55.00 8. GUCCI HAND BAG Ophidia medium leathertrimmed printed coatedcanvas tote. Class all the time. www.gucci.com

8

$1,250.00 9. YANKEE CANDLE Personalized candles make every gift more meaningful. Pick from tons of options at www.yankeecandle.com From $8.99 10. COUPLES VACATION The time has never been better to travel and spend quality time in a remote location.

From $899.00

9

10

14 DECEMBER 2020 / CODE M

[ LIFE ]

[ LIFE ]

INTERRACIAL

MARRIAGE IS NO LONGER JUNGLE FEVER

According to the United States Census Bureau, the number of interracially married couples has increased from 310,000 in 1970 to 651,000 in 1980, to 964,000 in 1990, to 1,464,000 in 2000 and to 2,340,000 in 2008.

By Bolling Smith When Spike Lee introduced the world to the film Jungle Fever in 1991, it addressed the public’s perceived distain for interracial dating. The movie depicted finding love across racial lines to be problematic and complicated.

Well that reality was fiction because interracial dating and marriage has doubled

in numbers every decade since 1980.

Today, interracial dating and marriage have become the norm, so much so that those who might make derogatory remarks or give evil-eye looks are no longer concerned with the idea of seeing an interracial couple.

“When I first started dating my wife, we would get all kinds of stares from others.

People really did not approve of us being together,” said Byron from Toledo.

“Now when we go out, we do not experience anything negative and hardly have bad experiences.”

Interracial dating and marriage have increased for all races. Marriage between whites and Hispanics has had the largest increase, followed by marriage between whites and Blacks.

But interracial relationships have spread to all cultures and communities.

More importantly, interracial dating has increased among young people the most. Younger Americans tend to not see color when making a decision on who to date or not. This cultural change has skyrocketed the number of people who have dated outside of their race.

“When I looked at the dating apps, I decided to look for someone compatible, not the same color,” Tina said. “After that, I opened myself up to a whole new dating pool. With the pandemic, it meant a lot to me to have more choices.”

Geographically, the idea of acceptance depends on where you live. While the entire country seems to be leaning CODE M / DECEMBER 2020 17

DISCOUNT CODE:

CODE M

[ LIFE ]

Couples often feel like dating outside their race offers more compatibility.

more towards accepting interracial dating, there are certain areas around the country where it is growing faster than others. Populations that tend to be smaller seem to be more accepting of interracial dating.

Population centers that are larger seem slower to adapt to this new dating trend. Exposure to the lifestyle tends to increase the chances of dating outside of your race.

Historically, among Blacks, seeing a Black man and white woman was the norm, but recently Black women are finding love more and more with white men.

“For me, I didn’t look for a white man to date. I just wanted a person that fit me. I have dated Black and white men and I do not see a big difference,” Niara said.

“I will say that 2020 has been hard on our relationship because of all the stuff that has been happening,” Niara concluded.

Dealing with the outside pressures of society can create tension in a interracial relationship.

The racial tensions of 2020 loomed large for some couples, but it also gave them a chance to have some great conversations about things that are happening today.

Many feel like they can find it easier to date people of different races. There is a notion that Black women and white men are becoming more compatible, while white women and Black men are increasingly more compatible at the same time.

The answers on why interracial dating is trending north depends on the age of the person you ask.

People under 25 tend to not see color at all when making a decision on who they want to date.

“All of my friends and family my age simply do not care what color we date.

We just want someone nice,” Brenda said. “We all have the same goals and listen to the same music. So its just not a problem when looking for love right now.”

There will always be a certain population that frowns on the idea of dating outside of your race. Those people are decreasing every generation and might become extinct at some point in the future. The bottom line seems to be: find love and happiness in any form you can find it.

CODE M / DECEMBER 2020 19

CODE M / AUGUST ISSUE15

16 AUGUST ISSUE / CODE M

[ LIFE ]

HITTING THE RESET BUTTON ON YOUR

LIFE

2020 was hard for everyone. How we process the year will be the key to having a better 2021.

by David Christel

I

t’s been one helluva year and we’re about to turn the corner limping and gasping into 2021. If you’re like many people, you’re worn down and worn out by all the events and outright craziness that will go down in history as the Year of __________ (you fill in the blank).

Now that we’re in the midst of the holidays, it’s hard to get energized, especially since COVID has precluded our primary desire to gather and

celebrate with family and friends. The excitement usually surrounding this time of year is wreathed in anxiety, disappointment, and frustration as we consider yet another month or more stuck at home or someplace that’s a poor substitute for home.

Something’s gotta give.

And, lest we forget, immediately following Christmas is the week when so many of us decide how the next year is going to play out.

It’s called “Resolutions: To be

or not to be, that is the question.” Argh!

Plenty has been written about the importance of establishing yearly resolutions yet, conversely, plenty has also been written about why resolutions are pointless. 2020, I think, is going to call for something more potent than resolutions to — once again — lose weight, read more, learn French, swim with sharks, yada-yada-yada.

I think what’s more sorely needed is to hit your internal Reset button. You need to reboot your whole being: update the operating system, reformat your hard drive, and load some new programs. The primary app you might want to download is called

“Self-Care.” Seriously! * What’s the story with your diet?

* Is “exercise” a dirty word for you? * What kind of stuff are you inputting to your body and mind to make your system run optimally? * What do you do to lower your stress levels, expand your patience and compassion, upgrade your mental capacities, and boost your heart center?

Next, you need to take a look at what you spend the majority of your time focused on. 2020, from a metaphorical CODE M / DECEMBER 2020 21

[ LIFE ]

perspective, was the time to gain greater clarity, to develop 20-20 vision. After what we’ve been through this past year — rampant racism, unwarranted murder, blatant intolerance, deliberate and injurious divisiveness, a seemingly unending global pandemic, protests and riots, political skullduggery, and death by the tens-of-thousands — you need to set your sights on new horizons, clear away the veils of illusion and delusion, and shift the paradigm, baby!

No more rubbernecking the past. It’s time to Refocus your vision but without forgetting what has brought you to this current juncture in life. It’s time to make a

22 DECEMBER 2020 / CODE M

concerted effort to support each other and our world en masse, to enliven possibilities that uplift and enrich every single Soul on planet Earth.

And then finally, you’ll be ready to REVITALIZE. Given carte blanche to be who you are truly meant to be, you can then feed your Soul. There’s a thing called the “Internet.” It’s amazing, can get you in touch with just about anything your heart desires. It’s an ever-expanding library and compendium of all human endeavors — all in the ethers — just waiting for you to dial in.

Get curious, investigate, fill your heart and mind with the beauty and mystery of our world and all its wonders. Let it

engage you, light a fire under you so that you can truly find your greater purpose in life.

Like what was written earlier in this piece, something’s gotta give. Don’t you give in. Instead, give way, let the negativity, hurt, anger, and pain of 2020 pass you by. Acknowledge it for

what it is and the people involved. But then get back to creating a more expansive, encompassing, and wondrous version of you by resetting, refocusing, and revitalizing yourself. You’re worth it — and the world deserves to know the real you.

[ COVER ]

CODE M / AUGUST ISSUE 21

COVER THE

VACCINE: HISTORY

HAS PROVEN

IT

CANNOT BE

TRUSTED

24 NOVEMBER 2020 / CODE M

[ COVER ]

KAMALA MEET YOUR NEW

VICE-PRESIDENT

The history of how blacks were treated by the medical community makes it hard when considering the vaccine today.

By David Christel

E

veryone can agree that human life is valued above all else — usually. Unfortunately, humans being what they are, the value of a human life is conditional. Lives are for sale, negotiable, to be exploited, and in the case of African Americans in US history, their lives are also for experimentation. #BlackLivesMatter encapsulates so much, a 400 + year history fraught with tremendous pain and suffering based on the construct that whiteness equals superiority. That construct is so embedded in the American psyche, that many non-black people fail to see racism even when it’s staring them in the face. And it’s not just about superiority. It’s about the value of a life.

Because Black lives in the US began in slavery, they were denied the ability to create better lives for themselves. They were deprived of jobs, literacy, homes, healthcare, and civil rights.

Blacks congregated in enclaves that received little to no financial

support from civic leaders and state governments. In every way possible, they were corralled into ghettos physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. The effect on Blacks, health-wise, has been deadly.

In an article for Harvard School of Public Health, David Williams and Risa Lavizzio-Moruey wrote, “Blacks have higher rates of diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease than other groups, and black children have a 500% higher death rate from asthma compared with white children.” They wrote that geography plays a large role in all of this because, “where we live determines opportunities to access high-quality education, employment, housing, fresh foods, or outdoor space — all contributors to our health.”

Consciously, the plan has always been to keep Blacks “in their place,” though, conversely, we complain about the way they live their lives, e.g., that they’re shiftless, lack discipline, and don’t choose to better themselves — the typical perspective of the oppressor.

For the longest time, Blacks have been considered sub-human and therefore not requiring access to an education, not deserving of life’s bounty, not worthy of anything but serving the needs of those in power. That belief extended itself to the realm of medicine and experimentation so that Blacks, viewed on a level of lab animals, CODE M / DECEMBER 2020 25

[ COVER ]

were okayed for use as test subjects. That mindset is still in effect today.

The most notable example of this is the Tuskegee incident, first reported on in 1972. What’s been discovered, though, is that Tuskegee is not a singular event. Experimentation on Blacks has been performed — and sanctioned by the medical establishment — since the 17th century. For example: * J. Marion Sims, hailed as the “father of modern gynecology,” conducted multiple experiments on enslaved women in order to treat vesico-vaginal fistula, a condition that caused a great deal of pain. Sims performed surgeries on the women without using any anesthesia because he believed the operations weren’t “painful enough to justify the trouble,” he said during a lecture in 1857. * The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was hiding results from a test of experimental measles vaccines that actually increased the likelihood of Black children developing autism. Dr. William Thompson, who has been with the CDC for more than 10 years, told The Examiner that the authors of the study manipulated and hid data that proved Black babies were more than three times likely to develop regressive autism if they were given the vaccine before the age of 3. Parents of the Black babies who were receiving the vaccines were not made aware of the risk of their child developing autism.

Many more examples exist, written about by Harriet A. Washington, the author of Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans From Colonial Times to the Present. Her book provides a startling portrait of socio-medical inhumanity toward Blacks.

How this relates to us today is in the disparities we’re witnessing concerning Blacks and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Those on the front lines of healthcare are witnessing familiar patterns of discrimination in terms of testing and the distribution of medical supplies. The same is going to happen with vaccination.

The big question is whether Blacks will take the vaccine. The Washington Post reported on November 23, 2020 that only 48 percent of Blacks say they’ll get vaccinated. Only 14 percent of Black people trust that a vaccine will be safe, and 18 percent trust that it will be effective in shielding them from the coronavirus. Some cited that they believe this could be another Tuskegee experiment, that they don’t want to be guinea pigs again, and that there isn’t enough data.

Once again, Blacks are caught in a Catch-22: whether to trust the establishment and get vaccinated or wait to see how the vaccine performs. If Black communities aren’t prioritized higher on the vaccination list, then the answer will have been taken out of their hands.

Atlanta Black Star, December 2, 2014

NOVEMBER 2020 ISSUEM / CODE M 2622DECEMBER 2020 / CODE

Blacks are suffering the most with the pandemic, but still are unsure if the vaccine can be trusted.

[ FASHION ]

CODE M / NOVEMBER 2020 23

[OPINION]

religion

STAYING CONNECTED IN AN ISOLATED COMMUNITY Rev. Paul Sadler has risen to the challenge to help those facing the pandemic, the financial crisis, and just about everything else.

By Brad Bowling

F

or many Blacks, there did not need to be a pandemic for them to suffer. Black people already have the struggle of health, lower incomes, and systemic racism. While 2020 seemingly brought untold misery and despair to everyone, for Blacks, the struggle of how to survive just made us change the way we cope.

Reverend Paul Sadler, of Mt. Zion Church, knew that that he was going to have to find new ways to deal with the age-old problem affecting people of color. The pandemic meant that all

face-to-face church services would have to stop.

Funerals would be eliminated as options for people to grieve, and just about everything else would have to change as well.

Sadler had everything in place to deal with the pandemic. He created the Sadler Institute for Justice, Equity, and Inclusion (SIJEI) a non-profit organization that deals with justice, equity diversity and inclusion.

“The reality today is we have come to believe what people say about us,” Sadler commented.

“White people give themselves advantages that we know little about. That needs to change.”

Mt. Zion is working hard to communicate with people. To stay connected to his congregation, Sadler used old methods like regular mail with handwritten letters. Each member of the church got a specially made cross for Sunday Palm during Easter.

The church repeatedly calls members and set up 10 Zoom accounts to make sure that the ministry

is available and relevant during the pandemic.

On Sundays, they broadcast on Facebook Live and follow that with YouTube videos for anyone who missed the live event. “We have to make sure that anyone who needs us, can find us right now. It’s critical that we be there for those in need,” Sadler said.

The pandemic has unfortunately increased what were already glaring problems in the Black community. According to statistics, domestic violence has risen, divorces have increased, and poverty in the Black community has skyrocketed. This does not include the increase in death and misery of dealing with COVID-19, which is literally killing our communities.

“No one has a clue as to how many things are happening in the Black home,” Sadler stated.

“Our jobs as pastors have never been more important than right now.”

“Our black men’s coping mechanisms have CODE M / DECEMBER 29 ISSUE 27 CODE2020 M / AUGUST

[ RELIGION ] been impacted. If you already feel like you are just getting by, and all of a sudden you lose that for which you have, what are you supposed to do? Most of them who are part-time employees, cannot get benefits. It becomes more difficult to deal with how do I make it?

How do I handle this?” Sadler added.

The answers to these questions are never easy to answer. But Sadler knows that he has a job to do, and it has never been more important that people of color create their own futures and opportunities.

Sadler’s church created the Christian Business League to provide better opportunities for Black businesses trying to make a difference.

Church has never been more important in these difficult times.

26 OCTOBER ISSUE / CODE M

The League will act as a guide and leader for those who are making a difference in business.

The League will also provide funding and mentorship to those who are looking to create Black-owned businesses.

“Our mission statement is: To serve as a faithbased organization, using a collaborative approach to community-wide economic development and empowerment,” Sadler concluded.

The Christian Business League was on pace to do some incredible things for the community, which included fundraisers and golf outings to help Black business owners connect and engage each other. 2020 has paused most of the events

that were scheduled. But the church hopes to get everything back on track in 2021.

There is no doubt that life is harder, but for Rev. Paul Sadler and his team at Mt. Zion, it is just another day helping his congregation get through these difficult times.

[OPINION]

BUSINESS T

he definition of a renaissance is a revival of or a renewed interest in something. In the summer of 1985, five young men from Cleveland’s urban East Side came together at a private school on the far East Side of Cleveland. In the time they attended, the young men defined their legacy by changing the school’s traditions athletically and socially … thus creating a renewed interest in this obscure private school. “Welcome to the Renaissance.”

The novel, The Onyx Renaissance, written by Melvin L. Jones, who is affectionately known as “Big Mel,” and his four friends — William Appling “Chill Will,” Owen Benjamin “Benji,” O.J. McDuffie “Juice,” and Marcus Teague “Ice” — chronicles the story about how he and the other four young men attended Hawken School at the same time, and they changed the course of history for the private school.

CULTURE CHANGE

Hawken School is located on the borders of Cuyahoga and Geauga counties in Gates Mills. Hawken’s tradition has been rooted in academic excellence; its students have been on television for “Academic Challenge,” it has received awards and recognition for education, and Hawken scholars have participated in numerous national debates. While Hawken has been synonymous with proficiency in academia, it was never known for athletic eminence except for its success in boys’ and girls’ swimming.

BOOK REVIEW

Melvin Jones has written a story about how he and four other youngsters came together and changed a Cleveland school’s culture in the late ‘80s…

by Keith Causey

Before 1985, Hawken had not won any type of championship in baseball and basketball that was recognized by the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA). And even with the athletic talents of one of its best multi-sports athletes at the time, Eric Hamilton, Hawken had not made the OHSAA Playoffs in football. Little did CODE M / DECEMBER 2020 31

[ BUSINESS ] the Hawken community know, the winds of change were coming, and those winds were going to have the Hawks soaring to new heights … heights they had never experienced.

The summer of 1985 brought Chill Will, Benji, Big Mel, Juice, and Ice to Gates Mills.

“It was by happenstance … it was not pre-planned. Benji, Juice, and I didn’t know we were going to be schoolmates until the end of our ninth-grade year and we didn’t know of Chill and Ice until really that first day of practice for football [at Hawken],” said Jones.

Once the young men set foot on campus, their impact was immediately felt. In their sophomore year, the Hawken football team had their third ever undefeated season, the basketball and baseball teams won their first ever district championships, and a few of the guys excelled individually at the state and national level in track and field. But it didn’t stop there.

In the three years they attended Hawken, the guys who had become known as the “Juice Crew” collectively gained state and countrywide attention for the school in all of those sports; including football, where the school made the OHSAA Football Playoffs two out of their three years; including playing in the state title game their senior year.

“We were definitely considered ‘Prime Time’ in that particular era,” stated Jones … and he was correct. In a time period where social media was primarily radio, television and newspaper, the Juice Crew had a hand in putting Hawken School on the map by the numerous headlines in newspapers, being talked about on radio, and having not only stories being done about them on local news stations, but they also had some of their games televised as “Games of the Week”; akin to having an NFL game televised on Monday Night Football. Because of the Juice Crew, Hawken School was “mustsee television.”

“The Onyx Renaissance is not just a book about athletic excellence, it’s also about a bond of brotherhood that can never be broken,” stated Jones. In the book, Jones narrates how they did everything together … in and outside of school.

“We were at each other’s homes, we had ‘sleep-overs’; my dad, who was a principal, would even open up his high school during ‘off days’ to let us play basketball or swim in the pool. When Randall Park Mall was at its apex of popularity for high schoolers, people knew when we were in the building … and I do mean, ‘we.’ When you saw one of us, you saw all of us.”

The Juice Crew was inseparable, and they forged a bond that allowed them to overcome numerous obstacles. The guys dealt with the

culture shock of living in an urban section of Cleveland with the total change in lifestyle of the affluent Gates Mills community.

“We went from riding to school on buses to seeing students rolling around in BMWs, Benzes, and other cars that we only saw on television. When we saw those cars and the kids that were driving them … we knew we were in a totally different world.”

The Onyx Renaissance is a step back in time where the young men were able to come together and face adversities in and out of sports as one. Not only was the era limited with media, but it was also the era of Reaganomics and the so-called “War on Drugs”; where the “crack epidemic” was supposedly ravaging the inner cities of the US. Their affinity for sports, the rap/hip-hop culture and each other, allowed the Juice Crew to thrive and flourish while gaining success and notoriety for the private school nestled in obscurity in Gates Mills. Even though they graduated over thirty years ago, the impact of the Juice Crew is still being felt at the Hawken School, and the exploits of the five young men are still being mentioned by people in Northeastern Ohio; especially O.J. McDuffie, who became an NFL first round draft pick out of Penn State by the Miami Dolphins. Juice played eight years for Miami, led the NFL in receptions in 1998, and was inducted into the Dolphins “Walk of Fame” in 2013. “‘Juice’ is one of the greatest multi-sports athletes

The Onyx Renaissance features friends from Hawken School which is located on the borders of Cuyahoga and Geauga counties in Gates Mills."

32 DECEMBER 2020 / CODE M

[ BUSINESS ] of all-time, period; and that’s not just because he’s my brother,” boasted Jones.

The Onyx Renaissance is a wonderfully told story of how five young men came together, held each other accountable, and shared a mutual love while thriving and persevering in a different environment from their norm.

Cliff Walton, the head football coach, had a quote he used, “Excellence, with no regrets.”

In the three years the Juice Crew attended Hawken, that school community epitomized that statement. The Onyx Renaissance depicts how that excellence came about and evolved into a legacy that redefined the school for the coming years. Even if you are not a fan of sports, this book is a must read for followers of a feel-good story about camaraderie and brotherhood while striving for “Excellence, with no regrets.”

Friends are forever in the novel The Onyx Renaissance.

CODE M / AUGUST ISSUE 23

[ BUSINESS ]

Comedian Damon Williams being interviewed on a Zoom call with CODE M Radio.

CODE M RADIO EXPANDS LISTENER BASE CODE M RADIO CONTINUES TO GROW ITS AUDIENCE BY COVERING A RANGE OF TOPICS THAT PEOPLE OF COLOR THIRST TO HEAR.

By Brenda Morgan

W

hen Code Media Group LLC (CMG) and CODE M Radio are announcing an expansion of its radio podcast.

Originally airing on WOVU, the radio program has expanded to downloadable applications like Spotify, iHeartRadio, and Anchor. This move positions the radio program to substantially increase its base of listeners to not only Cleveland, but the entire country.

“We can get our message out quicker because we can now reach people on a global scale,” said radio producer Portia Booker.” People can share our radio programming now and can pick any episode they want to listen to, at their convenience.”

Current veteran radio hosts Darrell Scott and Braylon Lee bring excitement and hilarious personalities to the mic every Thursday when they interview interesting people from all walks of life. With over 30 years of broadcast experience, they both know how to entertain and ask thought-provoking questions.

CODE M Radio Host Braylon Lee.

All radio programming can be accessed on the CODE M YouTube page and the program will soon work with Historically Black Colleges and Universities around the US to provide opportunities for college students who would like a career in either journalism or radio broadcasting.

Look for more interesting news and information on www.codemmagazine.com and watch out for more weekly podcasts of CODE M Radio.

CODE M Radio host Darell Scott.

CODE M / DECEMBER 2020 35

[ BUSINESS ]

A JOB FOR

EVERYONE

RACHEL ANGEL CREATED AN AWARD-WINNING JOB PLACEMENT APPLICATION THAT IS WINNING OVER CLIENTS AND HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE FIND ENTRY-LEVEL POSITIONS.

By Bonnie Cruz

CODE M / DECEMBER 2020 37

[ BUSINESS ]

W

hen Rachel Angel launched her career placement company, she knew it was a good idea. What she found is that the marketplace also thought she had a great idea. The 33-year-old started Peerro to help people find entry level positions easier by using her app.

Peerro (www.Peerro.com) is the career pathway platform for young people seeking entry-level positions and employers seeking quality hires. Several school districts, community colleges, and vocational programs utilize her platform, including Cleveland Metropolitan School District, Cuyahoga Community College, and Franklin County Summer Youth Program.

In addition, this platform delivers educator endorsements to ensure that the pool of talent is qualified, vetted, and ultimately matches the right people with the right jobs. Peerro also connects young people with micro-certifications.

“These become badges on their profile to help them stand out to employers that need these skills,” Angel commented. “Our platform is playing a vital role in decreasing the recruitment costs for our clients while decreasing the turnover of their hourly workforce.”

Rachel Angel is the founder and CEO of Peerro.

At the same time, Peerro elevates the earning potential and long-term career opportunities for young adults. The platform specializes in offering guidance to young adults and employers in providing all parties with more effective employment solutions.

The website offers job-seekers their own admin login where they can build their profile and use that profile to seek the right position for them.

Young people of color like Angel are doing amazing things in the marketplace and giving back at the same time. Peerro offers young minority students in college a chance to intern and learn from someone close to their age.

Angel’s company has worked with small to medium companies in the local area up to Fortune 500 companies like Popeye’s. The time has never been better to create a new venture and research if your idea can work.

Angel knew she had a good idea, and she also knew with hard work and determination her idea would help change her future and those that she helps.

Angel started Peerro to help young people find entry-level jobs using her app.

38 DECEMBER 2020 / CODE M