Kamala Harris,NAACP — (Photo: Public Domain)

by Mitti Hicks

October 17, 2024

Top Black Business Leaders Endorse Kamala Harris’s Economic Plans

Black Economic Alliance PAC is a coalition of business leaders and aligned advocates committed to economic progress and prosperity in the Black community with a specific focus on work, wages, and wealth.

A coalition of Black business leaders has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris’s economic plan. The Black Economic Alliance Pac released an open letter supporting her initiatives. Harris promises that her plans will help build back the Middle Class. She also pledged to give the most vulnerable Americans opportunity and relief.

“Vice President Harris’ Opportunity Economy agenda would give Americans the tools to build generational wealth by making housing more affordable, creating good-paying jobs, and investing in the entrepreneurial spirit that fuels our economy,” the open letter states.

The letter was signed by some of the most influential Black entrepreneurs. Signatures include Gerald Adolph, the former senior partner of Booz Allen Hamilton; Rodney Bullard, CEO of The Same House and former Vice President of Chick-fil-A Inc.; Melissa Butler, the CEO of The Lip Bar; Pinky Cole Hayes, the founder and CEO of Slutty Vegan, and more.

Black Business Leaders Support Harris’s Housing and Small Business Initiatives

In the joint letter, Black business leaders support Harris’s plan to tackle the housing shortage and affordability crisis. If elected, Harris promises first-time homebuyers $25,000 in down-payment support. As Black Enterprise previously reported, Black Enterprise previously reported, she would encourage developers to build 3 million new housing units nationwide to address the housing shortage.

Harris also said she would waive the degree requirements for tens of thousands of federal jobs so more people would have access to high-paying jobs. For aspiring entrepreneurs, she would support a new generation of small business owners by expanding startup expense deductions from $5,000 to $50,000.

“Many of us have spent time with Vice President Harris and know that she understands what the private sector needs to grow, invest, and thrive -– and how business leaders like us create good-paying jobs that strengthen our communities,” the open letter states.

Business leaders add, “The contrast could not be more clear. Of particular importance to us as Black business leaders, Vice President Harris’ economic agenda will remove long-standing barriers to prosperity for the Black community -– which we know will benefit all Americans, making our economy stronger.”

50 Cent, harrasment, instagram, lawsuit — (Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 17, 2024

50 Cent Ready to ‘Work’ After Meeting with Louisiana Governor and Shreveport Mayor

50 Cent meets with Louisiana's Mayor and Shreveport's Mayor amid the launch of G-Unit Studios.

50 Cent is continuing his power moves in Louisiana after revealing a private meeting he recently had with the state’s governor and Shreveport’s mayor.

Amid 50 Cent’s (real name Curtis Jackson) launch of G-Unit Studios in Shreveport, Louisiana, the hip-hop mogul seems to be building strong connections with the local government. On Wednesday, the “In Da Club” rapper shared photos from his meeting with Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry and Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux.

“Me, Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux, and Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry had a great meeting today. Let’s work,” he captioned the post.

While the exact details of the meeting remain unknown, it came on the heels of Mayor Arceneaux’s appearance on KSLA This Morning, where he discussed how the upcoming tax reform could affect Louisiana’s film tax credit and what that might mean for 50 Cent’s G-Unit Film and Television Studios.

“The most important one is the tax credits,” Arceneaux said of the state’s new tax reform. “Those are really important to the redevelopment of the movie and film industry in Louisiana, particularly in Shreveport.”

The mayor noted how he’s in touch with 50 Cent to discuss how the tax reform might impact his ongoing film studio developments.

“He’s very much concerned. We have been in discussion with him since the announcement,” Arceneaux added.

Mayor Arceneaux mentioned that factors beyond the tax credit influenced 50 Cent’s decision to set up his base in Shreveport. He also expressed his anticipation for the positive impact 50 Cent’s presence in the entertainment industry will have on the region.

The tax reform comes on the heels of the launch of G-Unit Studios in Shreveport in April and 50 Cent’s Humor & Harmony Festival in August, both of which are credited with boosting the local economy and supporting small businesses. 50 Cent has shared his plans to turn the festival into an annual event and bring more awareness to the opportunity in Shreveport.

water, graduation, Joe Biden, pro-Palestinian, Israel, Gaza, students, protesters, UCLA, Columbia University, president, social security — (Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

by Mitti Hicks

October 17, 2024

Biden Administration Has Approved $4.5 Billion In Student Loan Forgiveness

The latest round of student loan forgiveness will cancel debt for 60,000 people who have applied for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.

Three weeks before the general election, the Biden administration has announced another $4.5 billion in student debt relief for more than 60,000 borrowers. The latest round of student loan forgiveness will cancel debt for 60,000 people who have applied for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.

According to a news release from the White House, the move from Biden’s administration has brought the number of public service workers who have had their student loans canceled to over 1 million people during the Harris-Biden administration.

The PSLF program has had some challenges in the past. Before President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris took office, the administration noted that only 7,000 borrowers received forgiveness through PSLF. In some years, the rejection rate was as high as 98% due to “administrative errors and difficult processes.”

People in various public roles, including firefighters, law enforcement officials, nurses, servicemembers, and other public service workers, are eligible to apply.

“Last week, President Biden met with a kindergarten teacher who has been paying her loans for 12 years and let her know that she is one of the one million people approved for PSLF under his Administration, and over $46,000 of her loans are being canceled,” a statement reads on the White House website. “The Biden-Harris Administration has approved $175 billion in student debt relief for nearly 5 million borrowers through various actions.”

Forgiving Student Loans For Public Service Workers

The average student loan balance forgiven under PSLF is around $70,000, according to a report from CNBC.

All this comes as the Biden-Harris administration continues to face legal battles against their student loan relief efforts. The lawsuits, filed by groups in Republic-led states, argue that the U.S. Department of Education does not have the legal authority to implement debt-relief programs, as CNN points out.

By contrast, during his term, former President Donald Trump called for the elimination of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness initiative even though it was established by former Republican President George W. Bush in 2007.

Keke palmer|Academy, Gucci, bankruptcy — NEW YORK|NEW YORK - MAY 01: Keke Palmer attends The 2023 Met Gala Celebrating "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 01

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 17, 2024

Keke Palmer Learned Money Management After Being ‘Spooked’ By Bankruptcy At 18, ‘Instead Of Wearing Gucci, I’m Wearing Zara’

Keke Palmer is recalling how "spooked" she was by going bankrupt at 18 years old.

Keke Palmer is opening up about how much her bankruptcy filing at 18 years old changed the way she spends money.

The Nope star appeared in many films during her childhood including Barbershop 2: Back in Business, Madea’s Family Reunion, and her breakout role in Akeelah and the Bee. However, Palmer found herself broke and forced into bankruptcy while still a teenager.

“I was so spooked. I was like ‘What went wrong?,’” she shared during the Building Wealth Today for Tomorrow Financial Empowerment Summit held on Oct. 12, 2024, at the UIC Forum in Chicago, as captured by AfroTech.

Now, at age 31 and mother to her 1-year-old son Leo, Palmer knows firsthand the value of a dollar. After losing it all before her 21st birthday, the former child star turned flourishing TV and film star decided to start living well below her means.

“If I got $10,000 in the bank, then my house would be $500 a month. That’s how under I mean, because I can probably afford something $2,500 maybe, but I’m going way under,” she explained. “You know why? Because I wanna invest in my business. So if I wanna invest in my business, then the material things that I’m having currently might have to take a short back. Instead of wearing Gucci, I’m wearing Zara. I live in a good place. I drive a cool car, ’cause my money is going elsewhere… I got a Toyota right now in my driveway.”

Earlier this year, Palmer opened up about her busy work schedule and how she refuses to let her financial success define her.

“I 100% feel like money doesn’t buy you happiness. I’m not always happy because of my money,” she told Teen Vogue. “But the [financial] security I have with my son is a stress reliever. I’m not saying that a mom that is struggling isn’t patient, because I know that they are. But if they’re not, it’s like, ‘I get it, Miss Lady ….’”

She continued, “So, when I look at the position that I’m in and the kind of parent that I am or that I’m becoming, I think it’s remiss [not] to say that I have a lot of help.”

William McNeil, viral video, Recording The Police — (Photo: Getty Images)

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 17, 2024

Deaf Black Man With Cerebral Palsy ‘Attacked’ By Phoenix Police Officers

Tyrone McAlpin was arrested and charged with felony assault and resisting arrest after cops detained him.

Video clips of police officers abusing a Black man with cerebral palsy have emerged from an encounter in Phoenix after a 911 call describing a white man creating a disturbance was called in.

According to ABC News, police responded to a call about a white man causing a disturbance and ended up with a deaf Black man with cerebral palsy being assaulted and shocked with tasers by the police officers who responded. The incident happened in Arizona on Aug. 19. Tyrone McAlpin was arrested and charged with felony assault and resisting arrest.

Surveillance and police body cam footage showed what happened as the responding police officers said they were investigating an assault and claimed that McAlpin “fit the description” of the suspect. The officers claimed that a bystander gave them the description. Yet, the call described the person as a white man who had been creating a disturbance in the store. The officers said McAlpin became combative and tried to run when they approached him.

Videos revealed the police officers rolled up on McAlpin, ordering him to get on the ground. He doesn’t appear to comply right away, and the footage shows the officers hitting him 10 times in the head before using a stun gun four times while yelling, “Get your hands behind your back.”

McAlpin’s attorney said he didn’t know what was happening and could not hear the commands.

Someone from the police officer’s union stated that people should know what to do if a police car comes up and officers approach them. It was also mentioned that the police officers were unaware that McAlpin was deaf when they struck him several times, claiming that the victim got into a fighting stance and bit the officers.

The department has stated that it stands by the actions of the police officers in this incident.

“After reviewing all evidence presented, Maricopa County Superior Court Commissioner Nick Saccone determined there was sufficient evidence for the felony charges against the suspect due to his actions against the officers,” Phoenix Law Enforcement Association President Darrell Kriplean said. A Maricopa County judge also ruled there was probable cause for the arrest, so the charges will stand.

Interim Phoenix Police Chief Michael G. Sullivan responded to what occurred in a message placed on the Phoenix Police Department’s Facebook page.

“There are many who are concerned after seeing the video of officers’ interaction with a man they later learned was disabled. I recognize the video is disturbing and raises a lot of questions. I want to assure the community we will get answers to those questions.”

RELATED CONTENT: HBCU-Backed High School To Open Next Fall In NYC

women's wrestling, Delaware State University, — (Photo: Holzman Moss Bottino Architecture/Creative Commons via Wikimedia Commons)

by Jameelah Mullen

October 17, 2024

Delaware State University Grad Gifts $200,000 To His Alma Mater

Homecoming season is a time for giving back.

Delaware State University alum Norman Oliver gifted his alma mater a $200,000 donation. The school announced the donation during the university’s Homecoming Weekend on Oct 5.

The businessman graduated from the HBCU in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science in social work.

Oliver owns Rock Solid Construction and founded Our Youth, a non-profit organization that builds affordable housing in Wilmington. He also founded NOR Enterprises, an organization that provides educational assistance, counseling, transportation, and other services to marginalized youth. For the past 40 years, he has hosted an annual Thanksgiving turkey drive.

Oliver says he was once considered an “at-risk” student, but credits his alma mater for changing his life.

“I was just a guy from the South Bridge Projects, but Delaware State helped me develop my leadership skills,” The Wilmington native told HBCU Gameday Newswire. “Without Delaware State College/Delaware State University, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

Oliver said his leadership training started at the HBCU, where he served as President of the Freshman Class on the Men’s Council and in the DSC Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. He was elected President of the DSC’s Student Government Association in his senior year. The former Wilmington City Councilman also serves on Delaware State University’s Board of Trustees.

Delaware State University President Tony Allen said Oliver is donating to the HBCUs’ mission. “Storm is my friend, but that is not why he made such a historic contribution. He epitomizes our fundamental philosophy, ‘enter to learn, go forth to serve.’ He knows who we are and what we are trying to become and is doing all he can to ensure we reach our goals. Whether it is $100 a month or a regular representation of this grand institution, that is what Alumni support is all about,” Dr. Allen told HBCU Gameday Newswire.

Trump, approval polls, immigration policies — (Photo: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons)

by Kandiss Edwards

October 17, 2024

With A Straight Face, Trump Tells Room Full Of Women He Is The ‘Father Of IVF’

Trump claims to be the "father of IVF."

Former President Donald Trump called himself the “Father of IVF” at an all-women’s town hall in Georgia on Oct. 16. To help solidify his base, the Trump team and Fox News organized the town hall discussion, reports CNN.

The statement by the Apprentice host was made unprompted. Picking up on a point previously made by Fox News host Harris Faulkner, Trump

“And IVF, you mentioned before. I want to talk about IVF. I’m the father of IVF,” Trump said.

Trump: “I’m the father of IVF.”

FACT CHECK: IVF is under threat across the country because Trump ended Roe v. Wade and his Project 2025 plan could effectively ban IVF altogether. pic.twitter.com/tEOUiufDjOb

— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) October 16, 2024

In-vitro fertilization is a common procedure used to help women conceive. In Feb. 2024, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos can be considered children. Thus, any woman or doctor choosing to dispose of them can be held liable for wrongful death, BLACK ENTERPRISE reported. The ability of a court to decide how a woman, her body, and the product of her body should be handled has set off alarm bells for many.

The overturning of Roe v. Wade was the initial alarm. The Supreme Court decision catapulted women’s reproduction issues to the forefront of the political stage. Serious discussions concerning the right of women to have a say in their reproductive health are taking place all across the nation.

The conversation around reproductive rights is crucial as the Black maternal mortality rate is significantly higher than any other demographic of women.

According to the CDC, “Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women. Multiple factors contribute to these disparities, such as variation in quality healthcare, underlying chronic conditions, structural racism, and implicit bias.”

NEW: Black women had the largest increase in maternal mortality from 2020-2021, new CDC data reveals. pic.twitter.com/UuR8alo02J

— Margo Snipe (@margoasnipe) March 16, 2023

The ability to work with a doctor to help mitigate health disparities means the difference between life and death for many women. If Black women are already experiencing “implicit bias” and “structural racism” to their detriment, imagine if the government is given the power to dictate their care as well.

Michael Jordan, lawsuit, NASCAR, antitrust — (Photo: James Gilbert/Getty Images)

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 17, 2024

Judge Petitions For Release Of Man Serving Life For The Murder Of Michael Jordan’s Father

Gregory Weeks, who presided over the trial of Daniel Green in 1996 has asked North Carolina’s Parole Commission to release the prisoner because of an omission during the trial.

A judge who participated in the murder trial of NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan‘s father, James, has recently requested that the man convicted of killing James be released from prison.

According to ABC News, Gregory Weeks, who presided over the trial of Daniel Green in 1996, has petitioned North Carolina’s parole commission to release the prisoner, who was convicted in Jordan’s murder. Green was sentenced to life in prison. After almost 30 years of imprisonment, Weeks has stated that a forensic blood analyst who was on the case did not disclose that a blood-like substance that was discovered inside Jordan’s vehicle might not have been his blood.

At the trial, that was omiitted by the analyst, Rev. Thomas Jones told the commission. The magistrate revealed that he had “never been haunted in such a manner” as he had been by the daunting case.

At the trial, prosecutors claimed that Jordan was sleeping in the passenger seat of his Lexus when Green approached the vehicle and shot him. This information was given to them by Larry Demery, Green’s co-defendant, who also said that Green was the one who pulled the trigger. Yet, the analyst never stated that other forensic tests collected from the car were negative or inconclusive for blood.

Newsweek reported that the then-18-year-old Green stated he was innocent of committing the murder, but he did help Demery in the handling of Jordan’s body after he was killed.

Daniel Green, who was 18 at the time of the crime, maintains his innocence in the murder itself while admitting his role in handling the body. But he did state his actions.

“Every day I live with the remorse and the pain and the suffering caused by my youthful decisions. I regret the harm my actions inflicted on the Jordan family.”

A spokesperson for the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction told ABC News that the commission is expected to deliberate for at least one month before making its decision.

Jordan was killed while sleeping in his car on a North Carolina highway in July 1993.

CEOs, corporate America, Kamala Harrs, endorsement — (Photo: Erik S. Lesser/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 17, 2024

Kamala Harris’ Message To BET Hip-Hop Awards Fans: Voting Allows You ‘To Determine The Future Of Our Country’

Kamala Harris speaks to voters at the BET Hip-Hop Awards.

Vice President Kamala Harris made a virtual appearance at the BET Hip-Hop Awards on Tuesday night, where she emphasized the importance of voting and shared her vision for the future in her role as president.

Vice President Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance at the 2024 BET Awards, speaking with rappers Fat Joe and Too Short. During the conversation, she highlighted the importance of voting, outlined her plans to reduce costs and strengthen the economy, and warned about the potential risks of Donald Trump’s Project 2025 agenda.

“You know, there’s a lot of misinformation out there that would suggest to people that their vote doesn’t matter, and as far as I’m concerned, you should never let anybody silence you,” Harris said about her support within the Black and Brown communities.

“Because when you vote, you actually have the ability to determine the future of our country.”

The presidential hopeful also addressed the misinformation on the internet and media that could sway voters or prevent Americans from extending their voting power this election.

“When you tell people that they can’t trust the system, then what are they likely to do? Not participate,” Harris said. “And that’s why I say don’t ever let anybody take you out of the game. That’s the first step toward never being able to make a difference.”

The former California Attorney General outlined her economic plans after Too Short voiced concerns about friends and family members who felt the economy was stronger during Trump’s presidency. According to Harris, she sees an opportunity to boost the economy by investing in small businesses.

“My goal, as president, is to make sure that everybody has an opportunity to achieve success,” she explained. “Small businesses: Part of my plan is to change what now is a tax deduction for a startup at $5,000 and to blow it up so that now the tax deduction for a startup is $50,000 because can’t nobody start a small business on $5,000, but it doesn’t mean they don’t have a great idea.”

Harris also warned voters about the potential dangers to the middle class if Trump returns to the White House and implements his rumored Project 2025. She pointed to possible cuts to overtime pay and the Department of Education, closing her appeal with some sharp remarks aimed at Trump.

“It would do the work of trying to destroy our democracy and really work against middle-class folks,” she said. “So this is a man who will posture like, ‘Hey, support me because I’m tough and strong,’ but he’s weak.”