Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 18, 2024

After Signing With Philadelphia Eagles, Saquon Barkley’s Net Worth Is Estimated At $32M

The running back recently signed a three-year, $37,750,000 contract.

Former New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley recently signed an estimated $37.8 million contract with one of the Giants’ biggest rivals, signing a three-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles, according to AfroTech.

It’s a significant upgrade as he will be playing with one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks, Jalen Hurts, for a perennial playoff team. And while Barkley will face punishment on the field, what won’t get hurt is his bank statements.

Sportskeeda reported that Barkley’s deal includes a signing bonus of $11,625,000. He will have an average yearly salary of $12,583,333, with $26,000,000 in guaranteed money. This upcoming season, Barkley will earn a base salary of $1,375,000 since he’ll already have that hefty signing bonus. 

Wealthy Gorilla has listed Barkley’s net worth as $32 million.

He previously signed a four-year deal with the Giants worth $31,194,751. The contract included a $20,767,092 signing bonus, $31,194,751 in guaranteed money, and an average salary of $7,798,688.

Barkley, 27, played his entire career with the New York Giants, accumulating 5,211 yards and scoring 35 touchdowns. Now, he will trying to bring another Super Bowl ring to the City of Brotherly Love. The good news is he likely won’t have to shoulder as much of the Eagles’ offensive load. In New York, he was frequently the team’s best, and most used, option on offense. 

The running back is no stranger to Pennsylvania. He was a star at Penn State, where he was Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and Big Ten Running Back of the Year twice in 2016 and 2017. He is also the school’s record holder for the most rushing touchdowns (43) and total touchdowns (53). He ran for 3,000 rushing yards and accumulated 1,000 receiving yards while at Penn State.

The Giants selected the power runner as the second overall player in the 2018 NFL Draft.

RELATED CONTENT: NFL Running Backs Are Being Squeezed Financially And Facing Football Extinction

David Fortune, Black Fatherhood, Film, Tribeca Film Festival
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

June 18, 2024

‘Color Book,’ A Heartfelt Film About A Single Father And His Son With Down Syndrome, Premieres At Tribeca

David Fortune premieres his black-and-white film.

David Fortune’s black-and-white film portrayal of a devoted single father raising his son with Down Syndrome has finally premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival.

Based in Fortune’s hometown of Atlanta, “Color Book” follows a day in the life of a single Black father (Lucky, played by William Catlett) and his son (Mason, played by Jeremiah Alexander Daniels) as they attend their first baseball game together in the wake of his wife’s passing. The film, which premiered at the Festival on June 8, comes one year after Fortune won the $1 million 1st place prize at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival’s AT&T Untold Stories Pitch Competition, The Atlanta Voice reports.

The film shows how the trip to the baseball game changes their lives forever as the father and son “set off on a poignant journey across Metro Atlanta,” a film description states. Shot in black and white, the film shows the intimacies of a father-son relationship through the lens of a widowed father and his son with Down Syndrome, who “finds solace in his color book and the shared love of baseball with his dad.”

“It’s my story of a Black father and son, capturing the intimacies of those relationships because I want more stories that capture our humanity,” the Morehouse alum told Ebony after winning the pitch competition. “I felt that this father’s story of raising a son with Down Syndrome reflects that intimacy I was always searching for.”

The AT&T Untold Stories Pitch Competition aims to empower underrepresented filmmakers through resources and mentorship to produce their films. A panel of actors judged the 2023 competition: Michael Michele, Derek Luke, and actor/director Mo McRae, whom Fortune, along with AT&T and the Tribeca Film Festival, thanks greatly for the life-changing opportunity.

“I always have a sense of gratitude. These opportunities don’t come around often, and for me to make a film that shows the human light of the Black community and shows our wounds, but also our beauty, was such a pleasure to make,” he said.

Using the $1 million to produce the film, Fortune highlighted the intimacy of a father-son relationship and the intricacies of the age-old African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Fortune shared how the film showcases the humanity within the people of Atlanta’s Decatur community and their role in Mason’s upbringing.

“Growing up in Decatur, Georgia, one of the phrases I used to hear so much as a kid was, ‘It takes a village to raise a child.’ In this film, I really embody that all these different communities come together to raise Mason,” he explained.

Now, after premiering his film and spending a year working with mentors who are “walking you through the process of ‘what resources do you need to help make your film,” he tells Essence, Fortune feels confident in producing his next lineup of diverse stories.

RELATED CONTENT: Opinion: Reflecting On Persistent Misconceptions And Celebrating The True Role Of Black Fathers

Juneteenth, NYC, L.A., DC, Atlanta
by Daniel Johnson

June 18, 2024

White Juneteenth Scholarship Recipients in Texas Draw Outrage

A photo shows only one Black recipient. The rest, you guessed it, are white.

Now that Juneteenth is a national holiday, moments illustrate potential pitfalls of the holiday’s wider exposure. One such moment occurred June 24 when images of a peculiar Juneteenth Sponsorship Luncheon & Scholarship Awards in Texas circulated on social media. 

Tyllah-Chanel Cornelio, an author, educator, and marketing strategist, shared an image of the scholarship recipients. Despite Juneteenth being in the name, only one of the recipients was Black. Naturally, this prompted outrage and concern, as well as some jokes. 

https://twitter.com/itsafronomics/status/1802321390160257148?t=yGd9YRk0ZUeO665eHqMC7A&s=19

Cornelio followed up her initial posts about the awards ceremony with a few updates.

In one, she said that there were other scholarship recipients, and the picture she shared was only from one group. That didn’t make the original photo OK.

“Now they are saying there were multiple donors, and these are the winners’ results from one donor. That’s not clarified in this post, and I still disagree with anyone not BLACK winning JUNETEENTH scholarship funds! If enough Black students didn’t apply, group the funds together to give them to the Black students who did! Them students need as much as they can get! It’s unacceptable to award Juneteenth scholarship funds to anyone who is not BLACK, period.” Cornelio wrote. 

The personal injury attorney who sponsored the scholarships, J. Chad Parker, wrote in a post on Facebook that he only provided the funds for the scholarships and had no input on who was selected to receive the awards.

“I give to many causes,” the Tyler, Texas-based attorney wrote. “I never ask to control where it goes. I did that this year. People seem to think I did something other than donate. I’m not on the Juneteenth Committee and don’t know anyone getting them. I only thought I should support the cause. I was asked to get a float last year, and I did. Not my idea. I’m sorry people are disappointed. I am, too.” Parker wrote.

A post depicting the scholarship winners from someone who claims to be one of the Tyler, TX lawyer’s employees, Bernard Ross, appears to have been deleted from Facebook, but the screenshots have already circulated and generated outrage on other social media sites, like Twitter/X. Others have taken the episode as a reason to explain how they believe that the federal government making Juneteenth a holiday did not accomplish what Black people were asking for.

In 2020, Texas Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee introduced a resolution to recognize Juneteenth’s historical significance. “There needs to be a reckoning, an effort to unify. One thing about national holidays is they help educate people about what the story is,” Jackson Lee told Time.

“Juneteenth legislation is a call for freedom, but it also reinforces the history of African Americans,” she added. “We’ve fought for this country. We’ve made great strides, but we’re still the victims of sharp disparities. Our neighborhoods reflect that. We’ve been denied the same opportunities for housing and access to healthcare, and in 2020, [during] COVID-19, all of the glaring disparities are shown. Because of that, I think this is a time that we may find people who are desirous of understanding the history not necessarily only of African Americans, but the history of America.”

Although Juneteenth is now a national holiday and the story of what Juneteenth means to Black people is now spread far and wide, that unfortunately does not cancel out the audacity of whiteness.

Jay-Z, Antonio Brown
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

June 18, 2024

Jay-Z Called Out By Antonio Brown After Performing For ‘Rich Folks’ But Not At Hip-Hop 50 Events

Antonio Brown is calling out Jay-Z for performing for Tom Brady but not at any Hip-Hop 50 events.

Antonio Brown and others are criticizing Jay-Z’s recent performance at Tom Brady’s Hall of Fame ceremony and saying the rapper has “sold out.”

The billionaire hip-hop mogul was at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on June 12 to open up Tom Brady’s Patriots Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Billboard reports. Jay-Z stepped out in smoke to perform his classic hit “PSA,” a song Brady used to walk out to during pre-games with the New England Patriots.

The Roc Nation founder is known for being selective with his performances and was likely paid generously for the live show. But Jay-Z still came under fire once a clip of the performance made its rounds on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Responses were mixed, with some commenting on how rare the live show was and others reacting to the crowd’s lackluster response to the legendary rapper’s appearance.

https://twitter.com/XXL/status/1801036389535912221

“That check must’ve been good, cause Jay don’t perform,” one fan wrote.

“Jay Z in 2024 😭. The way nobody cared,” another said.

One sarcastic viewer believed the predominantly white crowd wanted Jay-Z to “Entertain us in the background Black man…while we attend to business.”

Then came former NFL player Antonio Brown, who copied and pasted another person’s original tweet criticizing Jay-Z for taking time to perform for Tom Brady but not at any of last year’s Hip-Hop 50 events.

“Jay didn’t perform at any Hip Hop 50 concerts last year where the fans would’ve known every word to his songs, but he makes time to get ignored by rich folks smh,” Brown wrote.

While many called out Brown for seemingly stealing someone else’s tweet instead of just reposting, others agreed with the former pro athlete’s criticism of Jay-Z.

“A true house ni**a. Jay Z would tap dance with blackface on if they told him to,” one critic wrote.

“Jay sold out years ago!! He love bending over for the rich white folks,” added someone else.

Another critic shared a few throwback photos of Jay-Z and Brady, claiming that “birds of a feather flock together.”

Jay-Z, the NFL’s music entertainment strategist, has been friends with Brady for years. The two have crossed paths when attending events hosted by Fanatics CEO and mutual friend Michael Rubin. In May, Brady and Hova were tapped to speak to NFL rookies about navigating their newfound fame after being drafted.

Most recently, Jay-Z joined Alicia Keys to perform their classic “Empire State of Mind” at the 2024 Tony Awards. It’s not often that Hova hits the stage. But when he does, he makes sure that it’s worthwhile. There was no word on whether he was invited to perform at any Hip-Hop 50 events, and he declined.

RELATED CONTENT: Roc Nation Leads $300 Million Scholarship Initiative For Underprivileged Students

UK Soldiers, British army, Kenyan Government, International, Global
by Sharelle B. McNair

June 18, 2024

Kenyan Government Investigating Women’s Rape Allegations Against UK Soldiers

These women deserve justice!

Several women and their mixed-race children in Kenya claim they were raped and abandoned by British soldiers trained for the army. 

The number of children born near the remote villages of the British Army Training Unit, Kenya (BATUK), is growing. Headquartered in the town of Nanyuki — approximately 70 miles from Archer’s Post — BATUK is being investigated by the Defense, Intelligence, and Foreign Relations Committee of Kenya’s National Assembly. During public hearings, accusations of abuse, exploitation, and sexual assaults from the communities around them were revealed. 

One of the critical accusations came from the case of Agnes Wanjiru — a 21-year-old woman who vanished in 2012 after she entered a hotel with British soldiers. Her body was found in a septic tank, and regardless of her death being ruled a homicide, the soldier identified by comrades has yet to face charges. 

Wanjiru’s family wants justice and for the Kenyan king to assist as they believe British officials are indifferent to her case. However, a spokesperson for the British High Commission said all allegations of this magnitude are taken seriously. “All sexual activity which involves the abuse of power, including buying sex whether in the UK or abroad, is prohibited,” the spokesperson said in a statement. 

“We are committed to preventing sexual exploitation in any form and investigate and hold to account any Service Personnel found to be involved in it.”

Mixed-race children, often born with light skin, face ostracization in Kenya. Typically rare, many are discriminated against and face scrutiny. “They call me ‘mzungu maskini,’ or a poor white girl,” Marian Pannalossy, 17, said. “They always say, ‘Why are you here? Just look for connections so that you can go to your own people. You don’t belong here. You’re not supposed to be here suffering.’”

Marian’s mother, Lydia Juma, is one of hundreds of Kenyan women who filed complaints with the UK military over the last 10 years. Juma appeared in a documentary from 2011 called “The Rape of the Samburu Women.” Marian, who was four at the time, appeared in the documentary as she listened to her mother recounting the times she was violated and how she suffered. 

Juma passed away two years after the documentary aired and never found the man she accused of raping her. Since rape is seen as taboo in the Kenyan community, her live-in-boyfriend at the time left her after she gave birth to Marian. “The moment he saw that the child is ‘white,’ he went, and he went forever,” she said in the film.

Marian believes one of the UK soldiers is her father. 

The training unit has existed since Kenya gained independence from the UK in 1963. It trains British troops and provides antiterrorism training for the Kenyan forces. BATUK has nearly 100 permanent staff and almost 280 rotating short-term regiments from the UK. 

Following the public hearings, lawmakers decided they would need to collect and evaluate evidence from survivors’ testimonies. They will then work with the British government on re-evaluating measures to address such issues, including through diplomatic channels. 

Activists like the Africa Center for Corrective and Preventive Action (ACCPA) think the hearings will activate heavy lawsuits against BATUK. “It will shock the world,” ACCPA’s head, John Macharia, said. “There are many other issues that have never been taken to court. But this will let the lawmakers interact with the community and understand those issues.”

Neil deGrasse Tyson, Terrence Howard
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

June 18, 2024

Neil deGrasse Tyson Breaks Down Terrence Howard’s ‘Misinformed’ Scientific Findings

'Within these pages, however, there are many assumptions and statements that are under-informed, misinformed, or simply false.'

Neil deGrasse Tyson is clapping back at Terrence Howard’s interview with Joe Rogan where he accused the famed astrophysicist of “attacking” his scientific research.

Howard didn’t hold back when he appeared on the Joe Rogan Experience last month and took aim at the science community’s criticism of his flower of life diagram. The Hustle & Flow star accused scientists like Tyson of rejecting Nikola Tesla’s findings that he included in his own research of the Walter Russell Periodic Elements.

“He (Tyson) went in on my treaties, redlined everything,” Howard claimed. “He attacked them, but then he started attacking one times one equals two.”

Once Tyson caught wind that he was “name-checked” by Howard, he took time to dissect the interview and draft notes to each one of the actor’s claims and scientific theories. The renowned science communicator posted a 17-minute response to the actor’s 36-page treatise where Howard was “attempting to reinvent mathematics and physics,” Tyson said.

Tyson offered a “peer review” and “critical analysis” of everything Howard outlined in his treatise and believes the actor’s “ambitious work” is the result of a “restless active mind.”

“Within these pages, however, there are many assumptions and statements that are under-informed, misinformed, or simply false,” Tyson said, “thereby compromising or nullifying many of the subsequent conclusions you have drawn.”

The StarTalk went on to critique Howard’s “false” opening thesis, which touched on the square root of a number.

“It opens with a quote from Terrence, ‘It can never occur that the square root of a given number when added to itself is greater than the initial number squared, for that would expose a loose thread within the fabric of our understanding, a loose thread capable of unraveling the very ground rules of mathematics.’ That’s a bold statement,” Tyson said

“So then I just say, ‘This opening thesis is false. There are plenty of examples of this that have escaped your attention.'”

Tyson went on to note that his peer review was not personal but served as an “objective reality” within the science community. However, he acknowledged how he “could have softened” his response. He did encourage Howard to solicit feedback from other members of the scientific community “if you’re sure that you are still right and that I have completely misunderstood your thesis.”

Howard made headlines after appearing on Rogan’s podcast and recalling his memories from inside his mother’s womb to explaining how the human race is on the cusp of “killing gravity.” Rogan expressed his amazement with Howard’s theories when promoting the interview on Instagram.

https://twitter.com/nickdiazofnauts/status/1792321472783917416

“It’s a wild one, and I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of mixed reviews, but as crazy as some of the things this man is saying are, he’s brilliant, and if he’s right, it’s going to change the world,” Rogan wrote.

RELATED CONTENT: Analysis: Why We’re All Getting Ill More Often After COVID

Black Voters, Biden, Trump, 2024 Presidential Election
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

June 18, 2024

Black Voters Not Pleased With Biden But Dislike Trump More, New Poll Reveals

'I'm not voting for Trump, but I’m not excited about voting for Biden.'

A new poll of Black voters in Michigan and Pennsylvania highlights how disappointed many are with having to choose between current President Joe Biden and former commander-in-chief Donald Trump in the upcoming presidential election.

New findings reveal how Biden’s support among Black voters, who helped put him in office four years ago, is waning ahead of the November election. Polling Black voters in the two swing states sees Biden in first or second place since most would still rather vote for him to avoid another Trump administration.

Pew Center Research disclosed that 92% of Black voters supported Biden during the 2020 election. But now, less than five months away from the 2024 presidential election, Biden’s support among Black voters is drastically lower than four years ago.

Take sisters Olivia and Macayla Jones who shared their take with USA Today/Suffolk University:

“I’m not voting for Trump, but I’m not excited about voting for Biden. None of my close friends are excited about either candidate. It’s a universal feeling,” said Olivia Jones, 22, a senior at Central Michigan University says

Macayla Jones, 23, a communications coordinator for a youth center in Bellville, Michigan, plans to vote for Biden as “the lesser of two evils, which still kind of disturbs me.”

While Trump has been in Detroit, working to court Black voters, the recent polling highlights how unpopular the 45th president remains with African American voters. Those planning to cast their ballots this November still favor Biden over Trump or third-party candidates like Cornel West or Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The poll was conducted between June 9 and 13 via a phone survey of 500 African American registered voters in Pennsylvania and an equal number in Michigan. Inflation and the economy were the biggest issues Black voters want to see addressed.

Also, 14% remain undecided on who or if they’ll vote this November.

“I honestly don’t know what I’m going to do this time,” Howie, an accountant, and longtime registered Democrat said. “I don’t necessarily believe in either of them right now.”

Macayla and Olivia Jones represent a younger demographic of voters who want a candidate who makes them feel like their concerns are being listened to. Key issues they want to see addressed include a cease-fire to Israel’s war in Gaza, protection of reproductive rights, eliminating student loan debt, and gun reform.

“I would prefer candidates who better represent our generation and what we want to see this country look like,” Macayla said. “Someone who’s listening to us.”

RELATED CONTENT: Trump Tells Voters ‘I Don’t Care About You, I Just Want Your Vote’ While Complaining About Dangerous Vegas Heat

Cannabis Industry, Michigan
by Daniel Johnson

June 18, 2024

Illinois Cannabis Company To Host Juneteenth Fundraiser To Boost Local Economic Opportunities

The initiative highlights nuEra’s commitment to supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the cannabis business community.

nuEra, an Illinois-based cannabis company, will honor Juneteenth by donating 5% of sales from its house brands and 5% of sales from a group of Black-owned cannabis brands to the South Shore Chamber of Commerce.

“Juneteenth is a day of reflection and celebration of progress,” Jonah Rapino, nuEra’s head of Communications, said in a press release. “We are honored to support the South Shore Chamber of Commerce in their efforts to uplift and empower local businesses, contributing to the growth and prosperity of the community.”

Brands participating in this initiative are: 93 boyz, Umi Farms, Royale Tree, Future of Leaf, Galaxy, Bloom, Lobo, Old Pal, Canna Bella Lux, OURS: Organic Urban Revitalization Solutions. The nuEra brands participating in this initiative are Interstate 420, Midweek Friday, and Alchemy. All nuEra locations in Illinois will be participating in the fundraiser. 

As the cannabis industry has become more mainstream, some HBCUs have begun offering programs related to the industry. Weed For Black Women noted in a February blog post that several programs and initiatives related to the industry have emerged in recent years.

In 2015, after North Carolina’s House and Senate passed Senate Bill 313 to legalize the industrial production of hemp in the state, North Carolina A&T State University received approval to grow hemp for research purposes. It launched an Industrial Hemp Program to identify the best varieties of hemp for CBD production, assess soil health, and research hemp cultivation.

Although the cannabis industry is still overwhelmingly white, minorities have made some inroads, according to the most recent data from the MJBiz Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Report. In 2023, ethnic or racial minorities composed approximately 24% of cannabis executives, a significant and unexplained increase from the 12% in 2022.

Data for Illinois, where nuEra is based, is unavailable for 2023, but data from 2022 suggests a slight uptick in both women-owned and minority-owned dispensaries should be expected.

RELATED CONTENT: Celebrate Juneteenth 2024 with BLACK ENTERPRISE.

Shannon Sharpe, dog, Thanksgiving dinner
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 18, 2024

Shannon Sharpe Signs Multiyear Deal With ESPN After Leaving FS1 Less Than A Year Ago

'Everything about this relationship with ESPN, Stephen A., and First Take, has been tremendous.'

Less than a year after participating in his last episode of Undisputed on the FS1 network and becoming teary-eyed on set, NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe signed a multiyear deal with ESPN.

After appearing on Undisputed with co-host Skip Bayless for seven years, the last year being contentious, the Super Bowl champion ended his time on the network, with no landing spot in sight. Now, according to ESPN, the network that took him in after fellow sportscaster, Stephen A. Smith spoke on his behalf, has signed Sharpe to a multiyear contract almost a year to the day of his last appearance on Undisputed, June 12, 2023.

“Being a part of this family has been a blessing. Everything about this relationship with ESPN, Stephen A., and First Take, has been tremendous. I look forward to expanding my role and showing more of the world what I have to offer. The show goes on!” Sharpe said in a written statement.

Sharpe’s addition to First Take has enabled the program to earn its 22nd consecutive month of year-over-year growth. This past month has seen the sports talk show achieve its most-viewed May ever.

“Shannon Sharpe has been an incredible addition to the First Take team, enhancing the show’s dynamic with his engaging presence and insightful commentary,” said David Roberts, ESPN’s head of Event & Studio Production. “Shannon’s chemistry with Stephen A. Smith has elevated our debates and been another key reason First Take is the premier destination for morning sports discussion.”

Sharpe first reappeared on First Take in August 2023 and will be seen across various other ESPN programs, which will be announced at a later date. Before joining Undisputed, the 55-year-old Sharpe was a regular on First Take with superstar Smith back in 2016.

The three-time Super Bowl champ was hosting his weekly podcast Club Shay Shay on the FS1 Network before moving it to YouTube, where he has been scoring controversial interviews with the likes of Katt Williams, Mo’Nique, and Amanda Seales.

RELATED CONTENT: Shannon Sharpe Is ‘Ready To Move On’ After Beef With Shaquille O’Neal

R.L. Hunnicutt, LIME Painting Oklahoma City Franchise
by Nancy E Williams

June 18, 2024

Juneteenth Spotlight: Top-Earning LIME Painting Franchisee Celebrates Success and Community

Through various community-focused initiatives, Hunnicut actively engages with local organizations, schools, and non-profits to support urban development and enrichment projects.

BLACK ENTERPRISE first profiled R.L. Hunnicutt in October 2022’s article “Oklahoma City’s Only High-End Painting Franchise Is Black-Owned, Committed To ‘Leaving The Door Open’ For Others To Follow.” Two years later, Hunnicutt’s LIME Painting franchise continues to thrive. This can be attributed to his understanding that a successful business is built on strong relationships and a genuine connection with the community. Through various community-focused initiatives, Hunnicut actively engages with local organizations, schools, and non-profits to support urban development and enrichment projects.

Whether it’s revitalizing community centers, painting schools, or offering free services to underfunded local institutions, Hunnicutt ensures that his work contributes to the well-being of his neighbors. In addition to his hands-on projects, he is dedicated to building lasting relationships with his clients by providing exceptional service and maintaining an unwavering commitment to quality. Hunnicutt’s reputation for reliability and excellence has made LIME Painting a trusted name in the OKC area, further solidifying his ties to the community.

In honor of Juneteenth, we caught up with Hunnicutt and asked him to share his insights on how the meaning of the holiday is manifested in his business.

BLACK ENTERPRISE: Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom, empowerment, and community.  How does your franchise business promote and/or celebrate these tenets?

R.L. HUNNICUTT: I currently work with the It’s My Community Foundation, which is an initiative that helps underprivileged youth and kids who are adopted, as well as helps families stay together on the NE side of Oklahoma City. I speak to local students about entrepreneurship and offer them opportunities to work with my company through internships. I speak and mentor about 10-15 kids per school. The kids are mostly minorities and come from economically challenged environments.

BE: Why is African American business ownership crucial in the American landscape?

HUNNICUTT:  African American business ownership is crucial in the American landscape for various reasons. First, it provides diversity to the economy, which helps generate revenue through unconventional and often overlooked methods. The black dollar is strong in America and is in excess of a trillion dollars. Next, it creates freedom. By owning your own business, you can dictate what you want to make. There’s no longer a need to wait to gain approval from a boss. You now control your path. The sky is the limit, and the freedom is there to do what you want to make a difference.

BE:  What advice do you have for young African Americans about entrepreneurship?

HUNNICUTT: Put God first. Without Him, nothing is possible. Next, be consistent and persistent. Lastly, eliminate your plan B. If you have something to fall back on, you will. Make sure that your business is all you have to focus on and to make work. If you have nothing to fall back on, you will approach each day as a hunter looking to conquer whatever is in your path!

Hunnicutt is one of the top earners in the LIME Painting franchise, which shows you can have a thriving business while caring about your community and paying it forward.

RELATED CONTENT: CELEBRATE JUNETEENTH 2024 WITH BLACK ENTERPRISE

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