New York Trend NYC: February 23 – March 1, 2023

NEW YORK TREND

February 23rd, 2023 - March 1st, 2023 Since

GRAND JURY COULD BRING INDICTMENTS ON ELECTION INTERFERENCE

MAYOR DAVID DINKINS, REP. CHARLES RANGEL, HONORED WITH LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

-- BY MARC H. MORIAL President and CEO National Urban League

The Black Stars News 2015 Annual Awards Dinner will honor Mayor David Dinkins, Rep. Charles Rangel, Rep. Yvette Clarke, R. Donahue Peebles, Barbara Arnwine, Inez Barron, Sabrina Lamb, Dr. Rudy Crew, Stephen Byrd, Alia Jones, and the Central Park Five survivors of gross injustice on December 18 from 6:00pm –10:00pm at MIST Harlem, 46 West 116th Street

The American people got a brief glimpse this week into the conclusions of a grand jury that spent a year investigating “possible attempts” by Donald Trump and his allies “to disrupt the lawful administration of the 2020 presidential elections in the State of Georgia.”

We learned that the grand jurors recommended perjury charges against “one or more of the witnesses” who testified before them. But it’s what that glimpse doesn’t reveal that is perhaps most revealing.

argument against releasing the full report.

Simply put, a grand jury report that recommended no charges against anyone could not possibly be considered a threat to the rights of future defendants. If the grand jury had concluded that no crimes – other than

“Each honoree chosen for recognition has demonstrated exceptional leadership and vision in her or his respective profession or endeavor and in some significant measure has contributed towards creating a more just society in this country,” says Black Star News founder and publisher Milton Allimadi. “Obviously much work needs to be done here and around the world.”

dig up evidence of fraud in six states, including Georgia, told Trump his conspiracy theories were baseless. Emails show Trump knew the claims were untrue even as he swore to their truth under oath.

No matter what indictments result from the grand jury investigation, the facts

CELEBRATING30 YEARS!

lawmakers, the fake elector scheme, efforts by unauthorized individuals to access voting machines, and threats and harassment against election workers.

Though we don’t yet know what

York and a former chancellor of the New York public schools system. Pioneering producers Stephen Byrd and Alia Jones, through their company Front Row Production, brought “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” and “A Streetcar Named Desire” with a multi-ethnic cast to Broadway. In 2016 they bring “Eclipsed” with Oscar Winner Lupita Nyong ’O to Broadway.

Central

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Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington

The gala starts at 6:00pm with a cocktail hour to be followed by the dinner and awards ceremonies. There will be musical entertainment by opera singer Cassandra Douglas and from harmonica phenomenon William Galison. David Dinkins is honored for Lifetime Achievement

perjury by unnamed witnesses -- were committed, we’d all be reading the full report right now.

health, communications, the environment, and interstate and international commerce.

— he was New York City’s first African American mayor and also welcomed Nelson Mandela to the city after his release in 1990.

The judge who ordered that most of the report be withheld – “for now” –made it clear that his decision was based on protecting the due-process rights of “who might now be named as indictment worthy.” It is only because the report does not identify those who may have lied to the grand jury that Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney allowed that conclusion to be publicly disclosed.

It’s not clear whether those named in the report as potential future defendants were among those who testified – truthfully or untruthfully.

McBurney’s order alludes both to those “not afforded the opportunity to appear before the grand jury” and to “those who did appear -- willingly or not.”

Rep. Charles Rangel, also honored for Lifetime Achievement, has served in Congress since 1971. He is a recipient of The Bronze medal for helping save soldiers behind enemy line during the Korean War

McBurney’s decision explicitly refers to “potential future defendants.” Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who convened the grand jury, also referred to “future defendants,” in her

Rep. Yvette Clarke is a Democratic member of the US House of Representatives from New York whose 9th district covers much of central Brooklyn. Before entering Congress in 2007, she

Speculation about the identity of those singled out for indictment, however, should not overshadow the enormity of the misdeeds at the center of the investigation. In his January 2, 2021, call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensberger, Trump recited a litany of falsehoods about the presidential election. Trump knew at the time that these were lies. In December 2020, researchers commissioned to

R. Donahue Peebles, honoree, is a leading developer and founder of The Peebles Co., the nation’s largest African American-owned real estate firm with $3.5 billion worth of properties under development or management — he was one of the pioneering developerswho helped turn around and revitalize the once-blighted Anacostia neighborhood in Washington, D.C. A champion of African-American economic empowerment Peebles’ is contemplating a possible run for NYC mayor in 2017.

Honoree Barbara Arnwine, civil rights lawyer, is a champion of protecting voting rights of ethnic minority groups — the emerging

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

reveal a breathtaking conspiracy of subversion among Trump and his inner circle, unprecedented in its scope and audacity.

The grand jury confirmed that Trump’s claims were baseless after hearing “extensive testimony” from Georgia poll workers, investigators, technical experts, state employees and elected officials –even those who continued to promote conspiracy theories.

Honoree Imhotep Gary Byrd is a legendary radio talk show host and executive producer, radio DJ, poet, songwriter, music recording artist and producer, rapper, writer and community activist. He began his career as a radio DJ in Buffalo at age 15. For over 30 years, he’s been a talk show host at WBLS and WLIB radio in New York City. He also has a Friday night radio talk show on WBAI

Their conclusion establishes for the record that Trump’s coercion of Raffensberger to announce a “recalculation” that found exactly one more vote for Trump than his margin of loss was, in fact, an attempt to overturn the results of a lawful, legitimate election.

Honoree Sabrina Lamb, founder of World of Money, is a champion of financial literacy for youth-- she teaches knowledge about handling money, budgeting and planning.

The investigation also examined false claims of election fraud to state

Dr. Rudy Crew, honoree, is one of the nation’s leading educators. He’s president of Medgar Evers College of The City University of New

miscarriage of justice in New York’s history; having been railroaded and unjustly convicted for a crime they did not commit and for which they served long prison sentences ranging from seven years to 13 years before being exonerated when the actual rapist confessed. They are: Yusef Abdus Salaam; Raymond Santana Jr., Antron McCray, Kevin Kharey Wise.

The Black Star News, which focuses on investigative journalism, has been featured as a result of some if its news scoops, on CNN, The New York Daily News, The New York Post, The Village Voice, and Brill’s Content magazine.

indictments the grand jury recommended against whom, we do know Trump is not one of those accused of committing perjury because he didn’t testify. At least one member of Trump’s inner circle who did appear, his former personal attorney Rudy Giuliani, also is a target of the investigation, along with 16 people involved in the fake elector scheme. Other witnesses include former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, and Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich Absurdly, Trump called the revelation that one or more of his close associates likely lied under oath a “total exoneration,” somehow missing the implication that indictments are imminent. Will he continue to praise the jurors’ “Patriotism & Courage” after those indictments finally are announced?

Past Black Star News honorees have included: Gil Noble (Like It Is), Rep. Maxine Waters, Soledad O’Brien (CNN), Ms. Camille Cosby, Voza Rivers (New Heritage Theatre), Errol Louis (NY1 News), Amel Larrieux (Entertainer), Dr. William Pollard (Medgar Evers College), Herm Edwards (NY Jets), Nayaba Arinde (Amsterdam News), La-Verna Fountain (Columbia University), Lillian Roberts (DC37), Desiree Dancy (New York Times), Greg Floyd (Local 237), Rev. Al Sharpton (National Action Network), and many others.

“WHILE WE DON’T KNOW WHAT CRIMES TRUMP AND HIS ALLIES WILL BE CHARGED WITH, THE EXPECTED INDICTMENTS WILL BRING DESPERATELY NEEDED ACCOUNTABILITY AND DEMONSTRATE THAT NO ONE – NOT EVEN THE FORMER PRESIDENT – IS ABOVE THE LAW.”

BRIE SPARKMAN

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BAN ON AFFIRMATIVE ACTION BASED ON MYTHS

-- BY NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE

Efforts to outlaw affirmative action in Arkansas are based on a flawed understanding of such policies and could compound systemic inequities and barriers to opportunity that still exist in the state, Urban League leaders said.

“I’m deeply troubled to hear members of the legislature refer to affirmative action policies as a form of racial discrimination,” Urban League of Arkansas President and CEO Scott Hamilton said. “This kind of rhetoric is a red flag that lawmakers have bought into the pernicious and divisive myths about successful and effective methods of closing racial gaps.”

Affirmative action policies are affirmative steps to attract and retain underrepresented populations for educational, employment, and civic opportunities and establish policies for fair evaluation of candidates based on non-biased criteria.

“Affirmative action policies are aimed at eliminating a disadvantage, not creating one,” National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial said. “Without clear and specific

guidelines such as those outlined in affirmative action policies, we know that institutions fall back into discriminatory and exclusionary patterns. Banning affirmative action is an endorsement of discrimination, not an elimination of it.”

The leaders pointed to an extensive body of research that racial discrimination is widespread in hiring,

housing, education, and commerce. Black candidates with identical qualifications were half as likely to be called back as white candidates, even when they followed identical scripts and dressed alike. Rental applicants whose names implied they were Black were 26 percent less likely to be told the apartment was available. After highly

selective colleges banned affirmative action policies, they colleges admitted 23% fewer students of color.

Hamilton urged Arkansans to reach out to their state legislators to voice their opposition to the proposed legislation and called on legislators to learn the facts about anti-discrimination policies before advancing the bill.

UNCF INVITES HBCU ALUMNI TO LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

UNCF’s (United Negro College Fund) Leadership Conference, is hosting a powerful three-day conference on Feb. 16-19 in Birmingham, AL to connect more than 300 students, faculty, leaders in the HBCU community, funding experts, sponsors, alumni and UNCFmember institutions for life and career learning experiences.

“If you want to connect with more than 300 students, faculty, leaders in the HBCU community, funding experts, sponsors, alumni and member institutions of the country’s largest and most effective African American education organization—UNCF, this is your chance,” said Michael J. Cleveland, President, National Alumni

This exciting three-day leadership conference provides interactive and energizing workshops and industry speakers exploring the best and most promising practices relevant to students, alumni and UNCF-member HBCUs Sponsors of the 2023 leadership conference are presenting sponsor Goldman Sachs, and other partners AlixPartners, American Express, Bank of America, Best Buy, Cox Enterprises, FedEx, Toyota and Walton Family Foundation

The NAC is also partnering with UNCF’s Empower Me Tour created by founding sponsor Wells Fargo to offer college students and recent alumni an opportunity to engage with Fortune 500 companies, nonprofit organizations and government agencies through career fairs and interactive workshops on various topics, including financial literacy, entrepreneurship, interviewing skills, securing internships and job opportunities.

by Fisk University alumnus James E. Stamps

. Its mission is to support, promote, influence and strengthen HBCUs

The conference is being held in conjunction with the anniversary celebrations of the 76th National Alumni Council (NAC) and the 64th National Pre-alumni Council and will provide networking, motivational and educational opportunities for alumni, pre-alumni, UNCF staff, UNCF-member institutions and current and potential supporters of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

“This is the perfect opportunity to get acquainted with key decision makers and engage students who are on the path to leadership. Your involvement in this conference is an opportunity to demonstrate a commitment to education now and in the future,” said Cleveland

Highlights of the three-day conference include an alumni summit luncheon, UNCF Legacy Gala, Miss National UNCF Coronation, a sneaker ball  and memorial service.

To learn more and register to attend the conference, visit UNCF.org/NAC2023

The NAC is a UNCF-sponsored, direct service organization of HBCU graduates, current students of the 37 member HBCUs supported by UNCF, and individuals and institutions who support the advancement of Black higher education. It was founded in 1946

UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students’ education and development through scholarships and other programs, supports and strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness. While totaling only 3% of all colleges and universities, UNCF institutions and other historically Black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding 15% of bachelor’s degrees, 5% of master’s degrees, 10% of doctoral degrees and 19% of all STEM degrees earned by Black students in higher education. UNCF administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at over 1,100 colleges and universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized trademark, "A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”® Learn more at UNCF.org or for continuous updates and news, follow UNCF on Twitter at  @UNCF

Source: United Negro College Fund (UNCF)

Council, UNCF, and alumnus of Tougaloo College

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DOOR DASH PARTNERS WITH URBAN LEAGUE FOR FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT

The National Urban League’s partnership with DoorDash, the GoalUp Financial Empowerment Program, has earned an Anthem Award from the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial announced today.

“We are proud of our partnership with DoorDash, which provides online access to financial literacy courses that will help them in their everyday lives," Morial said. “We’re grateful to the Academy for recognizing the value of the program and for shining a light on innovative corporate responsibility programs that create opportunity and advance equity.”

A division of the Webby Awards, the Anthem Awards celebrate purpose and mission-

driven work from people, companies and organizations worldwide. GoalUp received a Silver Award for Responsible Technology in the Corporate Social Responsibility category.

The GoalUp digital platform, launched in September 2021, is a gateway to free professional financial literacy courses and financial counseling for Dashers and Urban League program participants. In its second year, the program expanded the number of courses offered from six to 18, ranging from range from mortgage lending for first time homebuyers, understanding your credit score and budgeting to childcare, student loans, and auto financing. More than 10,000 users have enrolled in nearly 5,700 courses, of which 2,601 have been completed.

The Corporate Social Responsibility category recognizes initiatives or programs created

by an organization that either seek to improve an organization's work environment, company culture or overall business strategy

or work that addresses an organization's social, economic, and environmental impact and enacts positive change.

UNJUSTIFIED KILLING BRINGS FOCUS ON POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY

-- BY NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE

Urban League leaders today said the coldblooded killing of a disabled man as he tried to flee police reveals an almost delusional mindset on the part of the Huntington Park officers who shot him, underscoring the urgency of transforming police culture and accountability.

“Absolutely no one, including the officers involved, can possibly be expected to believe that a double amputee, dragging his body across the ground, presented a threat warranting the use of lethal force,” National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial said. “The officers’ confident expectation that their ludicrous account of the shooting would be accepted is as

chilling as the shooting itself. Anthony Lowe is not the victim of rogue officers violating policies and procedures; he is the victim of a police culture that encourages casual and unjustified violence without the slightest expectation of consequences or discipline.”

The officers’ behavior, like that of the Memphis police who beat Tyre Nichols to death early last month, is a devastating betrayal of public trust, the leaders said.

“What police officers did to Anthony Lowe, and far too many others, must be condemned and cannot be tolerated,” Los Angeles Urban League President and CEO Michael Lawson said. “This is yet another tragic scenario where family members and the public would be left in the dark if it were not for bystander cell phone footage. When officers who have sworn to protect the public act irresponsibly and needlessly kill, they must be fired immediately. We must make it clear that officers perpetuating these acts will be held accountable and justice will come swiftly.”

The deaths of Nichols and Lowe have

refocused attention on the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas plans to reintroduce after the State of the Union address on Feb. 7. Among other provisions, the Act would increase the use of body cameras, which Huntington Park police are not currently required to wear, and allow the prosecution of police officers who violating someone’s civil rights.“Reforming policies and procedures is meaningless, however, without a drastic shift in police culture and attitudes,” Morial said.

The National Urban League developed 21 Pillars for Redefining Public Safety and Restoring Community Trust as a guideline not only for reforming policies and procedures, but for re-imagining the relationship between police and the communities they serve.

“This is a fight that Los Angeles has be in for a long time,” Lawson said. “Though we have made some progress, progress has not been made fast enough. The time is now because lives are at risk.”

KING CENTER , MICROSOFT LAUNCH NEW ONLINE EXPERIENCE

Culminating the 2023 King Holiday Observance, The Martin Luther King Center for Nonviolent Social Change (The King Center) and Microsoft announced the launch of “The King Center Timeline,” an unprecedented collection of artifacts that chronicle its history, impact and the global contributions of its founder, Mrs. Coretta Scott King. In 1968, Mrs. King established The King Center

The Timeline includes an inaugural collection of more than 75 years of documentary material, pictures, and videos, some rarely seen, that demonstrate Mrs. King’s lifelong commitment to human rights, peace, and nonviolent social change, challenging us to be love in the face of opposition and violence. To introduce

The Timeline, Microsoft launched the #DearCoretta marketing campaign as an expression of collective gratitude for the life and legacy of Mrs. King. The campaign features a heartfelt video entitled, “Dear Coretta.”

“Microsoft is honored to be the Official Technology Partner of The King Library and Archives,” said Jeff Hansen, Microsoft’s

General Manager of Strategic Partnerships

“Our partnership is a multi-year effort that will use a Microsoft Azure Digital Asset Management solution to help The King Library and Archives (KLA) preserve the world’s largest repository of primary source material related to the American civil rights movement under the leadership of Martin Luther King, Jr.,” he added.

The KLA promotes the appropriate application of archival principles in the preservation, processing, arrangement, and description of materials relevant to the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the American civil rights movement.

“My mother, Coretta Scott King’s lifework and legacy are directly responsible for the institutionalization and popularization of my father, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy,” said Dr. Bernice King, The King Center’s CEO “Through this strategic Microsoft partnership, my mother’s resolve, moral fortitude, and activism will be more accessible alongside the continued exposure of my father’s work and the work of the American Civil Rights Movement,” she added.

“This strategic partnership with Microsoft

enables unprecedented visibility into the life and work of Mrs. King. It signifies a paradigm shift and serves to elevate and expand how we speak and think about

exhibition, the Timeline is an educational tool for people everywhere interested in learning more about the woman hailed as the architect of the King legacy,” Graves said.

Mrs. King’s global contributions,” said Dr. Kelisha B. Graves, The King Center’s Chief Research, Education, and Programs Officer who led the project.  “As our first online

The Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change (The King Center) is a 501(c) (3) organization established in 1968 by Mrs. Coretta Scott King The King Center is the official living memorial and programmatic nonprofit organization committed to educating the world on the life, legacy, and teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The King Center serves to inspire new generations to carry forward his unfinished work, strengthen causes and empower change-makers who are continuing his efforts today. The King Center’s premiere educational initiative, Nonviolence365®, is based on Dr. King’s nonviolent philosophy and methodology. His teachings engage participants from various sectors of society, including emerging and next-generation leaders, in modules and exercises that enhance communication, leadership, interpersonal, and conflict reconciliation skills, as well as empower individuals to address injustice.

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HUMANITIES

HUMANITY COLLECTIVE RECEIVES AWARD FOR CIVIL RIGHTS WORK

Affirming its commitment to amplifying social justice issues through strategic and creative communications, Humanity Communications Collective announced it was selected as a 2023 Anthem Awards winner.

HCC was awarded a Bronze award in the Human & Civil Rights category for their work with the Bring Sundiata Acoli Home Alliance in 2022. HCC led a comprehensive communications approach to bring Black Panther Sundiata Acoli home last year. Acoli, 85, had been incarcerated since 1973 and was repeatedly denied parole for more than 24 years, violating New Jersey law. HCC strategically and methodically told the story of his humanity and key tenets of the law and created a compelling and nuanced narrative around the law's intent, justice and civil rights.

Over the 9-month project, HCC:

 Generated 1,268 social media posts with 1.9 million impressions, with a 544% engagement increase across social platforms.

 Secured 763 media articles reaching an audience of 11.4 million.

 Increased website visits by 400%.

 Increased email subscription rates by 52% and open rates to 44%.

 Drove the online petition calling for Sundiata's release to more than 20,000 signatures.

In May 2022, Sundiata Acoli was granted parole and released after nearly 50 years of incarceration.

“While the true honor of this work was the rightful and just release of Sundiata Acoli, we are overjoyed by this international recognition and the esteemed group HCC joins,” said HCC CEO Yanira Castro. “Our goal was to galvanize support for Sundiata and encourage the state to faithfully discharge the law - even when it may not be popular. This is what social justice is all about; holding an unwavering commitment to speaking out and demanding equity for all, without exception. We all must move together to free the rest of our political prisoners. Now.”

In a video associated with the award

announcement, Castro and the project’s team urged the release of political prisoners, further signifying HCC’s commitment to issue amplification.

The Anthem Awards was launched in response to the prevalence that social good has taken within the national conversation and cultural zeitgeist in recent years. The 2nd Annual competition received nearly 2,000 entries from 43 countries worldwide. By amplifying the voices that spark global change, the Anthem Awards are defining a new benchmark for impactful work that inspires others to take action in their communities. A portion of program revenue will fund a new grant program supporting emerging individuals and organizations working to advance the causes recognized. Winners are selected by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, with members that include: Nicholas Thompson, CEO, The Atlantic, Christina Swarns, Executive Director, Innocence Project, Zarna Surti, Global Creative Director, Nike Purpose, Maurice Mitchell, National Director, Working Families Party, Lindsay Stein, Chief Purpose Office, Tombras, Jennifer Lotito, President & Chief Operating Officer, (RED), Lisa Sherman, President & CEO, The Ad Council, Emily Barfoot, Global Brand Director Dove, Unilever, Trovon Williams, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications, NAACP, Roma McCaig, Senior VP of Impact, Clif Bar, Michelle Egan, Chief Strategy Officer,

NRDC, Dinah-Kareen Jean, Senior Manager, Social Innovation, Etsy, Sarah Kate Ellis, President & CEO, GLAAD, Jad Finck, Vice President of Innovation & Sustainability, Allbirds, Christopher Miller, Head of Global Activism Strategy, Ben & Jerry’s, Shayla Tait, Director of Philanthropy, The Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation

“Since launching this platform in June of 2021, we have seen that social change has emerged as a dominant force in mainstream culture,” said Anthem Awards Managing Director Jessica Lauretti “The sheer number, breadth and overall quality of the entries shared with us in the 2nd Annual Awards is a testament to the strength of this growing movement and demonstrates an enduring commitment to the work that is both humbling and inspiring to see. From the war in Ukraine to protests in Iran and the ongoing battle for equality here at home in the States, the call for change not only perseveres but is a growing global chorus.”

Launched in 2021 by The Webby Awards, the Anthem Awards honors the purpose & mission-driven work of people, companies and organizations worldwide. The Anthem Awards honors work across seven core causes: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion; Education; Art & Culture; Health; Human & Civil Rights; Humanitarian Action & Services; Responsible Technology; and Sustainability, Environment & Climate. Founded in partnership with the Ad Council, Born This Way Foundation, Feeding America, GLAAD,

Mozilla, NAACP, NRDC, WWF, and XQ

Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by The New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international awards organization honoring excellence on the Internet, including Websites; Video; Advertising, Media & PR; Apps, Mobile, and Voice; Social; Podcasts; and Games. Established in 1996, The Webby Awards received more than 13,500 entries from all 50 states and 70 countries worldwide this year. The Webby Awards are presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS). Sponsors and Partners of The Webby Awards include Verizon, WP Engine, YouGov, Brandlive, Canva, NAACP, KPMG, Fast Company, Wall Street Journal, MediaPost, Podcast Movement, and AIGA Humanity Communications Collective is a luxury, justice-driven, strategic communications agency focused on making human and emotional connections. We provide communications strategy, content creation, branding, media relations, social media services, and event activations for non-profits and social impact organizations. We live at the intersection of communications, digital, social impact, and cultural competency. HCC is owned by an Afro-Latina with a team of strategic communications experts in three different countries.

Source: Humanity Communications Collective

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THE ARTS ARTISTS DEPICT LIKENESS OF CIVIL WAR ERA

The American Writers Museum (AWM) is celebrating the vast and important contributions of Black writers all February long during Black History Month with Dark Testament: A Century of Black Writers on Justice and related author programs. General museum admission includes access to the special exhibit and a complimentary tour focused on Frederick Douglass that is offered daily at 3 p.m. when the AWM is open (Thursday-Monday, 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.).

The centerpiece of Dark Testament is 16 large multicolored portraits by local Chicago artists that were commissioned for the exhibit exclusively. These paintings and quilts—which commemorate the likes of Ida B. Wells, Richard Wright, James Baldwin, Maya Angelou and more—were created by painters Damon Reed, Dorian Sylvain and Bernard Williams and fabric artist Dorothy Burge. The works of art include augmented reality elements that bring these writers to life and allow visitors to dive deeper into the exhibit content.

“[Dark Testament] is a celebration of the power and impact of these writers. It is about their fortitude and resilience and the impact their work still has, which is why the

large portraits make them bigger than life,” said AWM President Carey Cranston

The selected artists for the project not only specialize in the vibrant use of color, but they share many commonalities when it comes to their art. Williams creates

projects which investigate the complexities of American history and culture through painting. Sylvain has devoted her work to building the next generation of “cultural keepers” and has worked extensively on the South Side of Chicago on projects that empower community and expose children

to art making. Reed is a true believer in the power of art and its ability to bring about positive change. Burge is inspired by history and current issues of social justice and uses her medium as a tool to teach history, raise cultural awareness, and inspire action.

The American Writers Museum is the first museum of its kind in the United States. The mission of the American Writers Museum is to engage the public in celebrating American writers and exploring their influence on our history, our identity, and our daily lives. The museum is located at 180 N. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60601, and offers something for every age group including permanent exhibits and special galleries highlighting America’s favorite works and the authors behind them. Tickets to the museum are $14 for adults, $9 for seniors, students, and teachers.

Free for members and children ages 12 and under. To inquire about discounted rates for groups of 10 or more, including adults, student travel groups, and University students, visit AmericanWritersMuseum. org/visit/groups/ or call 312-374-8770.

Museum hours are Thursday – Monday 10 AM – 5 PM. For more information visit AmericanWritersMuseum.org or call 312-374-8790.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH ART EXHIBIT TO BENEFIT NON-PROFIT

In celebration of Black History Month, Meijer launched a special collection of products featuring the art of three Black Midwestern artists – Dana PowellSmith, Melina Brann and Shaunt'e Lewis – on products in every Meijer supercenter. The retailer will ultimately donate 5 percent of sales from the collection to Urban League affiliates in the artists' home states of Indiana and Michigan. The collection includes a mix of paintings and digital art printed on decorative pillows, stationery, gift bags, canvas tote bags, key rings, kitchen towels and throw blankets,

featuring the three winning pieces of art. The limited-edition products are available in all Meijer supercenters as supplies last now through Feb. 26.

The retailer selected the featured pieces from hundreds of submissions after putting out a call for culturally-inspired art in 2021 as part of its ongoing efforts to support underrepresented communities and ensure every customer sees themselves reflected on its shelves. The winning pieces were selected by Meijer merchants based on team member votes.

"What I love most about the art we're highlighting is that while all three artists took inspiration from the same prompt of Black History Month, they each approached it from a totally different viewpoint with their own unique style," said Carla Hendon, Director of Supplier Diversity and Indirect Procurement at Meijer "It highlights the diversity we have within the Black community."

For example, Lansing, Mich.-based social worker and artist Melina Brann purposefully uses a pastel color palette not typically associated with Black coloring to depict a "pyramid of faces" representing the building blocks of community.

"For this piece, I wanted to show how Black women and Black people in our community lift each other up," Brann said. "I hope my art sends the message that we're all in this together – no matter what we look like, no matter who we are – we can lift each other up and make anything happen."

Indianapolis artist Dana Powell-Smith hopes to inspire viewers of her piece – which features bold "triangle people" that have become her calling card, against an abstract backdrop of names of important Black historical figures – to learn more about those who paved the way for the Black community. Among the names listed in the piece is Georgette Seabrooke Powell, a noted Harlem Renaissance muralist and illustrator, as well as Powell-Smith's grandmother.

"To me, celebrating Black History Month means looking back. I hope that [customers] will take away a little history and really look into the names that are on [my art]… And maybe smile when they see my triangle people with their hairstyles," Powell-Smith said. "I always want to make people smile with my art. It's different, it's a little quirky, but it's relatable. That's just really important to me – I want people to see themselves in it."

In her piece, "Madam Queen," Indianapolis artist Shaunt'e Lewis uses bold lines and colors to portray a powerful, empowered Black woman wearing

a head covering, a common subject across her art. Lewis, who only began pursuing her art full-time in 2021, has already seen significant success in her community, painting a car live at the Indy500 and having art featured in the New York Times "It means quite a bit to me to know that this early on in my career, people believe in me enough to give me the opportunity to showcase my work in a major store like Meijer and that Meijer supports artists and local communities," Lewis said. "It's important for stores like Meijer to represent Black artists and all types of artists because we don't always get to see ourselves in spaces like this."

Meijer will donate 5 percent of the sales generated from the Black History Month art collection to Urban Leagues in the artists' states – the Urban League of West Michigan and the Indianapolis Urban League

This is the first of five local artist collections the retailer will unveil this year, with others tied to locally-inspired art, Women's History Month, Pride Month and Hispanic Heritage Month to come. Customers can shop the Black History Month artist collection in stores or online at Meijer.com

ABOUT MEIJER : Meijer is a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer that operates 501 supercenters, neighborhood markets, Meijer Grocery and Express locations Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin. A privatelyowned and family-operated company since 1934, Meijer pioneered the "onestop shopping" concept and has evolved through the years to include expanded fresh produce and meat departments, as well as pharmacies, comprehensive apparel departments, pet departments, garden centers, toys and electronics. For additional information on Meijer, please visit www. meijer.com. Follow Meijer on Twitter @Meijer and @MeijerPR or become a fan on Facebook

Source: Meijer

AWM Dark Testament

Photo Credit: Cara Nava, Carasco Creative

THE ARTS

VOICES OF JAMAICA FOCUSES ON CULTURE AND BUSINESS

In honor of Black History Month, the Jamaica USA Chamber of Commerce is hosting its 14th Annual Voices of Jamaica in collaboration with various U.S. Department of Commerce programs operated by M. Gill & Associates. The celebration is scheduled for Friday, February 24, at 6 p.m. at Holy Family Episcopal Church located at 18501 NW 7th Ave, Miami Gardens, FL 33169. This year’s theme is Blacks in the Black - Business & Culture

“During this month, we acknowledge and honor the achievements of those who came before us,” said chamber president, Marie Gill. “Black History Month is a time when we celebrate all descendants of Africa, while showcasing Jamaica’s contribution to Black History— and that is precisely what Voices of Jamaica is all about.” According to the nonprofit Migration Policy Institute, some  336,000 members of the Jamaican Diaspora reside in Florida, with most of them concentrated in South Florida.

“We are excited to bring the community together for this celebration, and we encourage everyone to join us and enjoy the cultural performances and business networking opportunities,” said Ms. Gill Voices of Jamaica is sponsored by various Jamaicans and is presented free to the public. Attendees will enjoy an evening filled with music, cultural

performances, Jamaican trivia, and business-to-business networking.

The Jamaica USA Chamber of Commerce (JAUSACC) is a not-for-profit organization committed to creating trade opportunities for its members and strengthening national, regional, international and cultural relationships between the United States and Jamaica.

JAUSACC is the only Jamaican Chamber of Commerce in Florida and the only known Jamaican Chamber of Commerce in the United States of America.

JAUSACC creates and represents Business Linkages among Jamaican businesses in Jamaica and in the Diaspora. JAUSACC is highly focused on helping small businesses grow, as well as creating and maintaining linkages among members throughout the U.S. and increasing trade and investment between Jamaica and the United States.

JAUSACC is governed by a volunteer board of directors led by a volunteer president. In her role as volunteer president for the past 20 years, Marie Gill’s firm M. Gill & Associates, has carried out the administrative, member services, and marketing responsibilities of JAUSACC. The sitting Consul General of Jamaica, currently Mr. Oliver Mair, holds the position of honorary chairman.  For more information, visit www. jamaicausachamber.org

©2023 New York Lottery

QUINTA BRUNSON

WRITER • PRODUCER • ACTRESS • COMEDIAN

QUINTA BRUNSON is a writer, producer, actress, and comedian. Brunson gained prominence for her self-produced Instagram series Girl Who Has Never Been on a Nice Date After growing much popularity from her Instagram series and becoming a viral meme, Brunson wrote her debut memoir She Memes Well The collection of personal yet funny essays described the struggle of trying to make it, staying true to your roots and redefining humor online. She went on to produce and act in content for BuzzFeed Video, and developed two streaming series with BuzzFeed Motion Pictures

She is the creator, executive producer, writer, and star of the ABC comedy series Abbott Elementary (2021–present). At the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards, she became the first Black woman to be nominated three times in the comedy category, receiving nominations for: Outstanding Writing

for a Comedy Series (which she won), Outstanding Comedy Series (as an executive producer), and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Brunson was placed on the Time 100 Most Influential People of 2022 list. She continued to showcase her remarkable talents with Abbott Elementary and received her first major acting award for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy TV Series at the 2023 Golden Globes. Brunson also racked in nine nominations for the hit series at the 54th Annual NAACP Image Awards

Brunson was born and raised in West Philadelphia. She has acted in the series iZombie, Single Parents, and Miracle Workers; provided voice work for Lazor Wulf and Magical Girl Friendship Squad; and starred in the first season of the HBO sketch comedy series, A Black Lady Sketch Show.

power healthy ecosystems. So we’re proud to partner with The Bee Conservancy, which has protected an estimated 10 million bees to date.

Photo Source: blackprwire.com

USBC TO CURATE LIST OF BLACK - OWNED RESTAURANTS

USBC is excited to announce that ByBlack has partnered with EatOkra, an innovative new app for discovering Blackowned restaurants, to bring the best eateries in America to your fingertips.

The curated list of over one thousand Blackowned restaurants in the United States is made up of hand-selected establishments that have been identified as some of the best in the country.

ByBlack and EatOkra have been working together to build a stronger community, and this partnership is a key demonstration of the importance of mission-aligned partnerships in achieving common goals. In addition, both ByBlack and EatOkra are demonstrating their commitment to empowering Black-owned businesses by growing their digital communities and providing quality resources for those businesses.

“As ByBlack continues to collaborate with other brands to build a world where Black businesses thrive, we are thrilled to be working alongside EatOkra, a ByBlack

Certified business, to bring awareness to Black-owned restaurants that are often the heart of their communities. We know that this partnership will offer our users the most comprehensive and reliable information

about each establishment including location, hours of operation and menu items offered. Users can also rate their dining experience at each restaurant so other users can make informed decisions when deciding

intentional customers seeking cultural food experiences, we see a future that supports the health and the wealth of the Black food community.” says Anthony Edwards, CoFounder, EatOkra

The new partnership will allow consumers, foodies, and culinary aficionados to find restaurants on both EatOkra and ByBlack directories at www.usblackchambers.org/ top1k

ByBlack is the first national certification program exclusively for Black-ownership designation. ByBlack provides businesses an approved accreditation trusted by customers and enables consumers and other companies to easily find U.S. based Black-owned businesses.

about the best places to eat.” says Alicea Gay, VP of External Affairs, ByBlack EatOkra is a searchable database of more than 15,000 Black-owned restaurants across the country. It provides information

where they want to eat next time they visit a particular city or town. “EatOkra is excited to curate this list of Black-owned restaurants in partnership with ByBlack. By continuing to offer comprehensive resources for

Businesses can complete the ByBlack certification process or create a directory profile by visiting www.byblack.us. The ByBlack directory enables Black-owned businesses to network, partner with others in the community, increase their visibility and expand revenue opportunities. Learn more at www.byblack.us

BLACK AMERICAN PORTRAITS EXHIBIT COMES TO NEW YORK

Following its debut at Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) in 2021, the group exhibition Black American Portraits travels to Atlanta’s Spelman College Museum of Fine Art. Co-curated by Spelman College Museum of Fine Art’s Executive Director, Liz Andrews, and Tate’s Britton Family Curatorat-Large, Christine Y. Kim (both formerly of LACMA), the exhibition reframes portraiture to center Black American subjects, sitters and spaces – this time placing Black women portrait artists center stage. The exhibition will run from Feb. 8 through June 30, 2023. New to the exhibition at Spelman College Museum of Fine Art will be four acquisitions: a new painting by Calida Rawles – who will celebrate her 25th anniversary as a Spelman College alumna in 2023, two works by Augusta Savage and a photograph of Spelman Alumna Stacey Abrams by Sheila Pree Bright

Spanning over two centuries from c.1800 to the present day, the exhibition will feature 120 works to chronicle the ways in which Black Americans have used portraiture to envision themselves in their own eyes. Countering a visual culture that often demonizes Blackness and fetishizes the spectacle of Black pain, these images center love, abundance, family, community and exuberance. Black American

Portraits depicts Black figures in a range of mediums such as painting, drawing, prints, photography, sculpture, mixed media and time-based media. In addition to work by artists of African descent, Black American Portraits includes several works by artists of other backgrounds who have exemplified a thoughtfulness about, sensitivity toward and commitment to Black artists, communities, histories and subjects.

The opening Black American Portraits at Spelman will coincide with the release of a book by the same title from LACMA and Delmonico books. Spanning over two centuries from around 1800 to the present day, the Black American Portraits book chronicles the ways in which Black Americans have used portraiture to envision themselves in their own eyes. Remembering Two Centuries of Black American Art, curated by David C. Driskell at LACMA over 45 years ago, this book is a companion to the exhibition and reframes portraiture to center Black

American subjects, sitters and spaces. This selection of approximately 140 works from LACMA’s permanent collection highlights emancipation, scenes from the Harlem Renaissance, portraits from the Civil Rights and Black Power eras, multiculturalism of the 1990s and the spirit of Black Lives Matter. The book is edited with text by Christine Y. Kim and Myrtle Elizabeth (Liz) Andrews, forewords by Mary Schmidt Campbell and Michael Govan, texts by Hilton Als, Bridget R. Cooks, Ilene Susan Fort, Dhyandra Lawson, Jeffrey C. Stewart, and an afterword by Naima J. Keith. The publication was designed by Adraint

Khadafhi Bereal

The Spelman Museum presentation of Black American Portraits will include a slate of public programs including Black

American Portraits: A Symposium on March 2-3, 2023. Speakers at the symposium include Amy Sherald, Calida Rawles, Bisa Butler and Deborah Willis

The Spelman College Museum of Fine Art is the only museum in the nation dedicated to art by and about women of the African diaspora. The museum is located on the campus of Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia on the first floor of the Camille Olivia Hanks Cosby, Ed.D., Academic Center. Initial plans for the Museum were spearheaded by arts faculty who believed that visual art is an essential component of a liberal arts education and that it plays a significant role in encouraging intellectual growth and it has served as a vital resource for the Spelman community and the Atlanta University Center since it opened in 1996. The Spelman

Museum is an internationally respected nexus for excellent exhibitions and programs, and has a renewed commitment to growing and exhibiting the permanent collection of art.

To learn more, please visit museum. spelman.edu or @spelmanmuseum on social media.

 ABOUT SPELMAN COLLEGE

Founded in 1881, Spelman College is a leading liberal arts college widely recognized as the global leader in the education of women of African descent. Located in Atlanta, the College’s picturesque campus is home to 2,100 students. Spelman is the country's leading producer of Black women who complete Ph.D.s in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The College’s status is confirmed by the U.S. News & World Report, which ranked Spelman No. 51 among all liberal arts colleges, No. 19 for undergraduate teaching, No. 5 for social mobility among liberal arts colleges, and No. 1 for the 16th year among historically Black colleges and universities. The Wall Street Journal has ranked the College No. 3, nationally, in terms of student satisfaction. Recent initiatives include a designation by the Department of Defense as a Center of Excellence for Minority Women in STEM, a Gender and Sexuality Studies Institute, the first endowed queer studies chair at an HBCU, and a program to increase the number of Black women Ph.D.s in economics. New majors have been added, including documentary filmmaking and photography, and collaborations have been established with MIT’s Media Lab, the Broad Institute and the Army Research Lab for artificial intelligence and machine learning. Outstanding alumnae include Children’s Defense Fund founder Marian Wright Edelman, Walgreens Boots Alliance CEO Rosalind Brewer, political leader Stacey Abrams, former Acting Surgeon General and Spelman’s first alumna president Audrey Forbes Manley, actress and producer Latanya Richardson Jackson, global bioinformatics geneticist Janina Jeff and authors Pearl Cleage and Tayari Jones

To learn more, please visit spelman.edu and @spelmancollege on social media.

TRENDS

McDONALD’S JOINS FORCES with KEKE PALMER TO RECOGNIZE LEADERSHIP

McDonald’s USA has a long history of investing in Black leaders who are taking steps now to create a brighter tomorrow. And, today, the Golden Arches and its Owner/Operators unveil the 2023 Black & Positively Golden Change Leaders – a collective of 10 young, Black movers-andshakers who inspire and enact remarkable change in their communities and beyond. Each Change Leader will receive $20,000, totaling $200,000 collectively, and will have access to elevated platforms to amplify their community missions, ranging from financial

impactful events to elevate awareness of their missions, and will have their stories profiled on McDonald's Black & Positively Golden Instagram, @wearegolden, each month.

“Historically, McDonald’s has celebrated the accomplishments of the people in the communities we serve, and we also recognize the importance of celebrating the community leaders who are starting something today to change everything tomorrow,” says Alexea

remains passionate about uplifting young adults, highlighting Black excellence and giving back to the community, making her the perfect ambassador for the Black & Positively Golden Change Leaders TV and radio spots.

“I am so excited to partner with McDonald’s again to pay homage to these young trailblazers who are creating the change they want to see in their communities,” said Keke Palmer “Each day, they are shaping history for the next generation, and I can’t wait for the world to see how they are creating a better tomorrow.”

 MEET THE 2023 BLACK & POSITIVELY GOLDEN CHANGE LEADERS

 Andrew Ankamah, Jr., Philadelphia, PA, Founder & Director of The Accountability Initiative

 Brianna Baker, Arlington, VA, Activist and Founder of Justice for Black Girls

 Garrick Beauliere, Baltimore, MD, PostDoctoral Fellow

 Kemia Bridgewater, Detroit, MI, CoFounder of First Generation Gems

 Kamarie Brown, Atlanta, GA, Educator

 Hope Bryant, Houston, TX, Filmmaker

 Nyla Choates, Atlanta, GA, Community Activist & Author of “My Roots Are Rich”

 Aaliyah Duah, Brooklyn, NY, Founder of Financial Revolution

 Dorian Hollingsworth, Jr., Norfolk, VA, Founder & Executive Director of Teen Care Network

 Aaliyah Alicia Thompson, Hampton, GA, Owner of Aaliyah’s Beauty Bar

literacy to equality across the education system to mental health advocacy.

To further propel their leadership and underscore that Black history and excellence should be celebrated all year, beyond Black History Month, Change Leaders will be featured in a national advertising campaign voiced over by the multitalented awardwinning actress, singer and entertainer Keke Palmer. They will also attend culturally

Gordon, McDonald’s Manager of Cultural Engagement “This program was created to provide the proper resources needed to help young Black community leaders succeed in their endeavors. These change leaders have the opportunity that we know will have a lasting impact on their communities, and we remain committed to not only celebrating but assisting change makers of the future.”

Much like the Change Leaders, Keke Palmer

“I’m honored to be recognized by McDonald’s as a Change Leader and hope my journey inspires others that look like me,” said Nyla Choates, 2023 Black & Positively Golden Change Leader, Author, and Community Activist. “When I started my nonprofit organization and wrote the children’s book My Roots are Rich, it was important for me to showcase the positive contributions Black people made to American culture, and I am excited to have a company like McDonald’s to help me raise awareness and continue impacting culture

and change in our neighborhoods and beyond.”

Since its inception, initiatives under the Black & Positively Golden platform—Change Leaders, HBCU student scholarships and program funding—have invested in the voices of tomorrow to help serve up bright futures in the Black community. And for decades, McDonald’s has partnered with impactful organizations like National Urban League, NAACP, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Hope Chicago and more to help close the opportunity gap and provide meaningful resources to the community. In fact, the brand announced this month a new partnership with Included Health to provide specialized physical, social and emotional health care support that is culturallyaffirming and clinically-competent to meet the needs of Black U.S.-based employees and their families.

The Golden Arches is committed to feeding and fostering education and career development for the communities it serves, with programs like the HACER® National Scholarship and Education Tour, created to support Hispanic high-school students and their families; the McDonald’s/APIA Scholarship program catered to Asian and Pacific-Islander American students; and the Archways to Opportunity® program, which provides a variety of educational resources to eligible crew at participating U.S. restaurants.

To learn more about the McDonald's Black & Positively Golden movement and the 2023 Change Leaders program, follow @wearegolden on Instagram and visit mcdchangeleaders.com

McDonald's USA, LLC, serves a variety of menu options made with quality ingredients to millions of customers every day. Ninetyfive percent of McDonald's approximately 13,500 U.S. restaurants are owned and operated by independent business owners. For more information, visit www.mcdonalds. com, or follow us on Twitter @McDonalds and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ mcdonalds

NEW STUDY EXPOSES BLACK - WHITE HOMEOWNERSHIP GAP

Almost three in four white Americans own their home, while less than half of Black Americans can say the same. In fact, the gap in homeownership rates has actually grown wider from the civil rights movement to today.

With a newly released data study, researchers at Today’s Homeowner ask the pressing question: Are Black Americans being locked out of the American dream of homeownership?

Our team examined how homeownership has changed over time, current state-level gaps, and states’ progress towards closing their gaps. We analyzed nearly 300 cities, again identifying where the Black-white homeownership gap stands today and where the most progress has been made recently. The research team engaged experts in real estate, academia, and policymaking to help identify key historic and contemporary reasons for the persistent gap.

Today’s Homeowner with Danny Lipford, an authority in the home services space for 25 years, invites you to share our Black Homeownership Gap research findings with your readers to give them a comprehensive view of the racial homeownership gap and

some potential solutions.

Here are some of our main findings:

 Since 1994, the gap between Black and white homeownership rates worsened by over two percentage points. Most of this increase has taken place since 2010.

 98% of cities have a gap, and ArdenArcade, CA; Mesa, AZ; Bethlehem, PA; Torrance, CA; and Rochester, MN have the widest gaps.

 In a handful of cities, Black homeowner rates exceed white ones: Santa Ana, Corona, Manteca, Temecula, and Inglewood, CA, and Pueblo, CO.

 Midwestern states had the biggest gaps in 2021: North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

 The South had some of the narrowest gaps, including in South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama. The District of Columbia has the smallest gap.

 Most states saw the Black-white homeownership gap worsen recently. In Vermont, Hawaii, Alaska, New Mexico, and New Hampshire the gaps worsened by at least 10 percentage points.

 Only 15 states narrowed their gap from 2010 to 2021 - the Rocky Mountain states

of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming led the way with double-digit reductions.

We measured the Black-white homeownership gap as the difference between the Black homeownership rate and the white homeownership rate in a given area. These calculations were based on national, state, and city-level data on owner-occupied households from the Census Bureau’s American Communities Survey. In total, we compared all 50 states along with

the District of Columbia and 293 cities with available data.

ABOUT TODAY’S HOMEOWNER

Today’s Homeowner has been an authority in home improvement for 25 years. Drawing millions of monthly views, TodaysHomeowner.com provides how-to articles, videos and expert tips for maintaining and improving the home.

TOUCH, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance (TOUCHBBCA) announces the launch of For the Love of My Gurls, a new multi-media education platform targeting Black women ages 18-35 to bring attention and action to Black Breast Health. For the Love of My Gurls will join TOUCHBBCA

with the Paul Mitchell Hair & Beauty Schools, HBCUs, and other breast cancer advocacy organizations to comprehensively promote informative materials to reach young women where they work, live, play, pray, and slay.

TOUCHBBCA developed For the Love of My Gurls in partnership with Bright Pink, who has 17 years experience in reaching young women with breast health education. The campaign’s educational resources and programs will focus on Black Breast Health, risk minimization, awareness, and action for young, Black women without a breast cancer diagnosis. The campaign is calling on young Black women to learn

about Black Breast Health and why their needs are different, to unlock their HERstories (family health histories) and make checking their ‘gurls’ a routine in their daily lives.

Through digital initiatives and in-person events, For the Love of My Gurls will

numbers must change. In pursuit of our mission to eradicate Black Breast Cancer, we MUST equip and empower our community with information. As we did, with our successful When We Tri(al) Movement last year, we are going to launch this powerful initiative with surround-sound marketing leveraging all of our communication assets and a few new ones.”

CHC: Creating Healthier Communities, a national nonprofit that removes the barriers to good health and equity, today  announced Jean C. Accius, PhD as its new President and CEO

“After an extensive search over the past six months with an abundance of incredibly strong candidates, we’re proud to welcome Dr. Jean Accius as CHC’s new President and CEO,” said Adam Rothschild, CHC board chair. Dr. Accius previously served as Senior Vice President of Global Thought Leadership for AARP, the nation’s largest nonprofit advocating for solutions that advance equity and foster greater health security so everyone can live longer and healthier lives. Accius was instrumental in establishing AARP as a global convener and thought leader, elevating bold solutions and innovative programs, and forming strategic partnerships across industries to scale for impact and accelerate the pace of change. Prior to that, he held other senior roles at AARP and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

“I was drawn to CHC’s powerful mission and dedicated board and staff team,” said Dr. Jean C. Accius “It’s an incredible honor to join CHC at this significant time, just as the organization has completed a successful evolution to health equity. This is an era of unprecedented opportunity, and I look forward to continuing to grow

cover all topics related to Black Breast Health. The Doctor Is In will host a launch conversation on February 1st at 6pm ET, to be broadcast live on BlackDoctor.org’s Facebook

TOUCHBBCA’s new Black Breast Health web series, Pink Table Talk, will air live on Blackdoctor.org on Facebook the last Sunday of every month at 3pm ET.

“The numbers are staggering for Black women facing breast cancer,” says Ricki Fairley, CEO and Co-Founder of TOUCHBBCA “Black women under 35 get breast cancer at two times the rate of white women and die at three times the rate, well before they would have their first mammograms. These

CHC’s impact, relevance and revenue. Together, we’ll break down the barriers to good health and equity and create resilient communities where everyone can thrive.”

“Leading CHC has been the highlight of my 40-year nonprofit career,” said Thomas G. Bognanno, President and CEO at CHC “As I retire, I couldn’t be prouder of our board of directors and staff team and what we’ve accomplished together at CHC. I’m excited to welcome Jean as CHC’s new leader and am confident he will take our organization to new heights as we enter

As Black Breast Cancer is a different and distinctive disease state, Black Breast Health requires different and distinctive consideration and action. “We believe that young, Black women need more information about the risks of Black Breast Cancer much sooner, before breast cancer impacts their lives. For the Love of My Gurls can, and will, bridge that gap,” says Hayley Brown, TOUCHBBCA’s Director of Programs and Partnerships. The campaign was designed through a lasertargeted messaging lens and informed by TOUCHBBCA’s Young Women’s Advisory Board.

Until now, TOUCHBBCA has focused on supporting and promoting education to Breasties, women already impacted by breast cancer. With this campaign, they are giving young Black women an opportunity to take control of their breast health before they receive a diagnosis.

TOUCH, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance drives the collaborative efforts of patients, survivors, advocates, advocacy organizations, health care professionals, researchers, and pharmaceutical companies to work collectively, with accountability, towards the common goal of eradicating Black Breast Cancer. Though there are numerous breast cancer advocacy groups and stakeholders, there is a dire need to bring all patients, survivors, advocates, advocacy organizations, health care professionals, researchers, and pharmaceutical companies together to serve as allies to fight Black Breast Cancer.

Source: TOUCH, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance

YOUNG BLACK WOMEN FOCUS OF NEW MOVEMENT NONPROFIT WORKS TO CREATE HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES

inspiring, impactful leader, personally and professionally dedicated to our mission. I’m incredibly grateful to Kevin Clayton, CHC’s former board chair and the head of social impact and equity at the Cleveland Cavaliers for leading the Board Search Committee. This successful appointment was a unanimous decision and is a testament to the committee’s integrity and diligence throughout the process.”

Accius has published numerous journal articles and research reports and is a sought-after speaker and presenter. His impressive educational credentials

School of Public Health and more. Accius is a certified director with the National Association of Corporate Directors and a fellow with the Executive Leadership Council His official start date will be Monday, February 27, including joining that week’s CHC Board of Directors meeting. To ensure a smooth transition and demonstrate his full support for the new CEO, current CEO Thomas G. Bognanno will remain with CHC through March 31.

CHC: Creating Healthier Communities brings nonprofits, businesses and communities together to improve

our seventh decade addressing critical health issues and advancing health equity.”

“We were fortunate to have such consistent, steady leadership from Tom who served CHC faithfully before announcing his retirement,” said Rothschild “This enabled us to work together through an intentional succession process that will ensure CHC continues to flourish. Jean is an

include a Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration from American University; Master of Science in Aging Studies, Social Gerontology from Florida State University; Bachelor of Science in Business Administration also from Florida State University; as well as various certifications and Executive Education from notable institutions including Stanford Graduate School of Business, Georgetown McDonough School of Business, Harvard University

community health. Our focus is health equity, addressing underlying issues and removing barriers so everyone can thrive. Our work is driven by community need, and we direct programs, resources and support where they have the greatest impact. Together with partners, we’ve been creating healthier communities for more than 65 years. Join us at chcimpact.org or @chcimpact

END NOTES

IMPACT OF HIP HOP ON CONTEMPORARY ART TO OPEN

Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the birth of hip hop, the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) will open a groundbreaking exhibition that explores the conceptual, cultural, and aesthetic attributes that have made hip hop a global phenomenon and established it as the artistic canon of our time. Opening on April 5, 2023, The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century features more than 90 works of art by some of today’s most important and celebrated artists, including Derrick Adams, Mark Bradford, Lauren Halsey, Julie Mehretu, Adam Pendleton, Tschabalala Self, Hank Willis Thomas, and Carrie Mae Weems, as well as several with ties to Baltimore and St. Louis such as Devin Allen, Monica Ikegwu, Amani Lewis, Anthony Olubunmi Akinbola, Damon Davis, and Jen Everett. Their work is presented in dynamic dialogue with fashion and objects created and made famous by Lil’ Kim, Dapper Dan and Gucci, and Virgil Abloh for Louis Vuitton, along with iconic brands like Cross Colours and TELFAR. Together, the works in The Culture weave a compelling narrative about art and culture that is rarely experienced in a museum context—and one that highlights a broad array of conceptual and material innovation. The exhibition will have significant personal and communal resonance for those steeped in hip-hop culture, while providing a crash course into the explosive impact of the genre over the past two decades for those less versed.

The Culture is a ticketed exhibition coorganized by the BMA and the Saint Louis Art Museum (SLAM) and will be on view at the BMA from April 5 to July 16, 2023, and at SLAM from August 25, 2023, to January 1, 2024. It is co-curated by Asma Naeem, the BMA’s Eddie C. and C. Sylvia Brown Chief Curator and Interim Co-Director; Gamynne Guillotte, the BMA’s Chief Education Officer; Hannah Klemm, SLAM’s Associate Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art; and Andréa Purnell, SLAM’s Audience Development

DJing; breakdancing; and graffiti writing and arts. From its inception, hip hop critiqued dominant structures and cultural narratives and offered new avenues for expressing diasporic experiences and creating alternate systems of power, leading to a fifth pillar of social and political consciousness and knowledge-building. Over the past two decades, in particular, technology, social media, and capitalist interests have enabled hip hop to grow in complexity and reach, taking on new regional styles across the United States and around the world. The Culture explores this pivotal and fertile era through a wide range of painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, video, and installations organized in six themes— Language, Brand, Adornment, Tribute, Ascension, and Pose. The exhibition experience begins as visitors encounter a pulsing soundscape created by Baltimorebased musicians Abdu Ali and Wendel Patrick, plus several artworks placed outside of the gallery, including a large-scale tribute to Nike Air Force 1 sneakers.

(NFT) is inspired by the cover of Jay-Z’s 1996 debut studio album, Reasonable Doubt. This tribute nods to the future of art, as well as the second generation of hip hop leaders.

• Caitlin Cherry, Bruja Cybernetica. (2022)—In this work, Black female performers and femme avatars pose amidst a masterful bricolage of patterns encompassing moiré, prismatic flares, radiating waves, and a refractive shattering of the picture plane.

• Stan Douglas, (2022)—Douglas’ powerful two-channel video is a fictitious crosscultural collaboration between U.K. grime rappers Lady Sanity and TrueMendous and Mahraganat artists Raptor and Youssef Joker, who mix hip hop, techno, and Egyptian folk music. It is presented in the BMA’s contemporary wing as an extension of the exhibition. Major video works by Arthur Jafa and Kahlil Joseph are also shown in black box screening areas within the exhibition galleries.

 Fashion & Material Culture

will be located downtown near Lexington Market. St. Louis and Missouri artists include Anthony Olubunmi Akinbola, Damon Davis, Jen Everett, Aaron Fowler, Kahlil Robert Irving, Yvonne Osei, and Adrian Octavius Walker. The final gallery of the exhibition features an interactive installation that invites the public to share their hip hop experiences to create a living public archive that recognizes hip hop’s communitycentered roots.

 Catalog

The Culture is accompanied by a 308-page comprehensive catalog that delves into conversation around self-presentation and adornment, language, technology, and the global presence in hip hop. Contributors include author and scholar Todd Boyd (Notorious Ph.D.); multimedia producer and performer TT the Artist, poet Danez Smith, stylist Misa Hylton, choreographer Sean Bankhead, deaf hip hop dancer Shaheem Sanchez, Canadian rapper from the Muskoday First Nation Eekwol Lindsay Knight, Muslim poet/rap activist Mona Haydar, and visual artists Devin Allen, Jacolby Satterwhite, and Murjoni Merriweather. The catalog also includes a transcript of a roundtable of national and international curators who have mounted exhibitions about hip hop in the last two decades: Franklin Sirmans and Lydia Yee, Valerie Cassel Oliver, René De Guzman, Martha Diaz, Carol Tulloch, and Aurélie Clemente-Ruiz

 Tickets

Ticket prices are $15 for adults, $13 for seniors, $12 for groups of 7 or more, $5 for students with ID, and $5 for youth ages 7-18. BMA Members, children ages 6 and under, and student groups are admitted free.

 Tour

Baltimore Museum of Art, April 5-July 16, 2023; Saint Louis Art Museum, August 25, 2023-January 1, 2024; Cincinnati Art Museum, June 28-September 29, 2024;

Art Gallery of Ontario, November 23, 2024March 23, 2025

Manager

The Culture is accompanied by an expansive catalog with contributions from more than 50 artists, writers, scholars, curators, and arts leaders. The exhibition and book are further supported by an extensive network of advisors, including community members, artists, and scholars in the study of hip hop.

“Hip hop’s influence is so significant that it has become the new canon—an alternate set of ideals of artistic beauty and excellence centered around the AfroLatinx identities and histories—and one that rivals the Western art historical canon around which many museums orient and develop exhibitions,” said Naeem “Many of the most compelling visual artists working today are directly engaging with central tenets of this canon in their practices, in both imperceivable and manifest ways. Whether through the poetics of the street, the blurring of high and low, the reclamation of the gaze, the homage to hip-hop geniuses, or the experimental collaborations across such vastly disparate fields as painting, performance, fashion, architecture, and computer programming, the visual culture of hip hop along with its subversive tactics and its tackling of social justice surface everywhere in the art of today.”

Hip hop first emerged as music from Black, Latinx, and Afro-Latinx Americans living in the Bronx in the 1970s. It quickly proliferated through large-scale block parties to encompass an entire culture that includes the four pillars of MCing or rapping;

 Visual Art Highlights

• Gajin Fujita, Ride or Die. (2005)—Fujita’s monumental painting depicts a Japanese samurai, surrounded by graffiti tags, riding into battle on horseback with an L.A. Dodgers logo emblazoned on his otherwise traditional helmet, merging Eastern and Western motifs to dynamic effect.

• Carrie Mae Weems, (2017)—In this photograph commissioned for W Magazine’s 2017 art issue, Weems adorns musician Mary J. Blige with a crown, honoring her as the “Queen of Hip Hop Soul” and positioning her within an illustrious lineage of Black icons. The work also beautifully captures the confluence of popular media, fine art, and music.

• Jordan Casteel, Fendi (2018)—This large-scale painting captures an unidentified figure riding the subway, holding bags conspicuously branded with Fendi logos in their lap. The painting suggests the rider’s affiliation with the luxury brands, while also strikingly at odds with reality.

• Lauren Halsey auntie fawn on tha 6. (2021)—Made popular throughout the 21st century by such musicians as Lil’ Kim, Nicki Minaj, and Doja Cat, candy-colored synthetic hair has become a powerful adornment within Black communities. Halsey’s rainbow-hued work elevates and appreciates it as an artform.

• Derrick Adams, Heir to the Throne. (2021)—This non-fungible token

Among the fashion highlights are seven tracksuits, including a leather Adidas Superstar track jacket created by Grammy award-winning artist Pharrell Williams in collaboration with Adidas; a suit by the Nigerian streetwear brand WAFFLESNCREAM, with fabric created by the Yoruba people; and an example from the Black Track collection released this year by luxury brand TELFAR. Additional fashion examples include looks from Virgil Abloh’s collections for Louis Vuitton, legendary streetwear brand Cross Colours, and Dapper Dan and Gucci, among others. Highlights of historic ephemera include a copy of the Jean-Michel Basquiat/Rammellzee Beat Bop / Test Pressing (1983) album, a Vivienne Westwood Buffalo hat (1984) made famous by Pharrell Williams at the 2014 Grammy awards, and several of Lil’ Kim’s iconic wigs recreated by the original hair stylist Dionne Alexander

 Community

To further illuminate hip hop’s influence, the exhibition incorporates artists with deep ties to Baltimore and St. Louis—both cities with deeply engaged communities of visual artists and musicians. Baltimore artists include Devin Allen, Larry W. Cook, NIA JUNE with APoetNamedNate and Kirby Griffin, Monica Ikegwu, Amani Lewis, Megan Lewis, Charles Mason III, Murjoni Merriweather, and Ernest Shaw Jr. Additionally, Baltimoreborn, Los Angeles-based artist Shinique Smith will create a commissioned mural that

 Sponsors

This exhibition is generously supported by the Henry Luce Foundation, The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional support is provided by The Alvin and Fanny B. Thalheimer Exhibition Endowment Fund

 About the Baltimore Museum of Art

Founded in 1914, the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) inspires people of all ages and backgrounds through exhibitions, programs, and collections that tell an expansive story of art—challenging long-held narratives and embracing new voices. Our outstanding collection of more than 97,000 objects spans many eras and cultures and includes the world’s largest public holding of works by Henri Matisse; one of the nation’s finest collections of prints, drawings, and photographs; and a rapidly growing number of works by contemporary artists of diverse backgrounds. The museum is also distinguished by a neoclassical building designed by American architect John Russell Pope and two beautifully landscaped gardens featuring an array of modern and contemporary sculpture. The BMA is located three miles north of the Inner Harbor, adjacent to the main campus of Johns Hopkins University, and has a community branch at Lexington Market. General admission is free so that everyone can enjoy the power of art.