A$AP Rocky, Colman Domingo, Pharrell, Superfine, Met Gala
Getty/Focus Features
by Kandiss Edwards

October 10, 2024

A$AP Rocky, Colman Domingo And Pharrell Williams, Among The ‘Superfine’ Men To Co-Chair Met Gala

The theme is "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style."

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has announced the co-chairs and theme for the next Met Gala. According to AP News, the museum committee is tapping Pharrell Williams, Colman Domingo, ASAP Rocky, Sir Lewis Hamilton, and LeBron James to lend their voices and input. Superfine: Tailoring Black Style is an exhibit focused on Black men’s fashion over the years.

Each gentleman has left their mark on Black men’s fashion, which qualifies them to sit on the committee.

The Met’s Chief Curator, Andrew Bolton, says the co-chairs are “men who aren’t afraid to take risks when it comes to their self-presentation.”

Sir Lewis Hamilton says fashion helped him express himself after suppressing his identity for so long:

“I was forced to conform. From my daily routine down to what I wore. My routine was rigid. And as the only Black kid on the racing track, there was no one like me to look up to.”

Hamilton said: “Finding my identity in how I dressed. This was a huge positive change.” 

Pharrell Williams, a multi-hyphenate superstar known for pushing boundaries creatively, said:

“To me, art is an expression of our humanity. It’s where we store our history, it’s how we tell our stories.” 

BLACK ENTERPRISE reported on Williams’s recent stint as the creative director for Louis Vuitton after the passing of Virgil Abloh.

A$AP Rocky’s fashion expertise is well documented. The rapper, model, and designer is an excellent addition to the line-up. 

Colman Domingo’s perfectly tailored suits, flowing capes, exposed chest, and color choices have garnered praise from fashion icons.

The Met Gala is one of the most anticipated events of the year. It is dedicated to showcasing and preserving culture. The exhibit will explore the culture of the Black Dandy.

Fans of fashion or the individual superstars can’t wait to see what looks hit the carpet.

RELATED CONTENT: Iconic Fashion Brand FUBU Re-Emerges For Atlanta Fashion Week 2024

Shop, business grant, NYC, small business, small businesses
Photo by Mike Petrucci mikepetrucci, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
by Jameelah Mullen

October 10, 2024

5 Grant Opportunities For Small Black-Owned Businesses

Does your Black-owned business need a boost? These organizations are willing to help.

Black-owned businesses often face unique challenges when it comes to securing financial support. Whether you are a new business or looking to expand, grants can help you procure financial help without accumulating debt. According to Grantwatch and Nerdwallet, here are five grants designed explicitly for minority-owned firms.

  1. Brown Girl Jane X Shea Moisture

Brown Girl Jane and Shea Moisture joined forces to help women-owned beauty brands. The companies will award grants between $10,000 and  $25,000 to Black and women-owned beauty brands. To be eligible, the business must be registered in the United States and have been operating for at least one year.

  1. The Corporate Counsel Women Of Color 

The Corporate Counsel Women of Color is offering $2,500 grants to women of color entrepreneurs. To be eligible, the businesses must be a legal for-profit business based in the United States and established on or before Jan. 1, 2020, and entrepreneurs must be 18 years or older on the date of the application. CCWC will award grants in January 2025. 

Additionally, the organization provides mentorship for up-and-coming business owners. Visit the CCWC website for more information.

  1. Global D Prize Competition 

According to the organization’s website, the Global D-Prize Competition is an initiative that supports small businesses and addresses social issues such as poverty. 

“We award startup grants of up to $20,000 to entrepreneurs launching new organizations. We believe the world needs more social impact organizations, and we seed for-profit ventures.” 

This grant is available for U.S. and international businesses. The deadline to apply is Nov. 3, 2024. 

  1. The Wish Empowerment Program

The Wish Local Empowerment Program offers grants from $500 to $2,000 to support struggling Black-owned businesses. Eligible businesses must be Black-owned and have at least 20 employees. They must also have a brick-and-mortar location in the United States.

  1. The HerRise Microgrant 

The HerRIse Microgrant initiative supports women-owned businesses. The organization awards a $1,000 grant each month to a business owner. The company must be at least 51% woman-owned and registered in the United States with less than $1 million in gross revenue. Grant applications close on the last day of each month. 

For more information on grants for Black-owned businesses, visit The U.S. Small Business Administration.

RELATED CONTENT: $400,000 Grant Program Launched To Support Minority And Women-Owned Businesses

Coco Gauff, French Open
Coco Gauff at the 2023 U.S. Open (Photo: Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 10, 2024

Coco Gauff Becomes 1st American In Over 10 Years To Win China Open Title

The 20-year-old swept Karolina Muchova in straight sets to emerge victorious.

Several newsworthy things happened for tennis phenom Coco Gauff. On Sept. 6, she swept Karolina Muchova in straight sets to emerge victorious in the China Open. In doing so, she became the first American to win the tournament in over a decade and the first woman to win her first seven hard-court finals in the Open era.

According to CNN, after winning the China Open, she is the first American to take the cup since Serena Williams in 2013. The historic win also brings eight WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) titles for Gauff.

“I want to say congratulations to you, Karolina. It’s great to see you back on tour. I think you’re such an amazing player, and you deserve everything,” Gauff said after winning the match.

Gauff won the tournament less than a month after parting ways with her coach, Brad Gilbert.

She mentions to WTA Tennis that she still has a way to go and is just getting started.

“A lot of times people forget that I’m still in the developmental phase of my career, and nothing is going to be great,” Gauff said. “Most of the people doing well are 25 and older in the Top 10, maybe with the exception of Iga. We have a long way to go, and I still have a lot that I need to work on, and I’m proud of myself thus far.

“I didn’t have a complete game at 15, and I don’t have one right now, but I’ve been on tour playing every week almost, trying to be better. I’m just super proud of that.”

Gauff was recently recognized for her generosity when she helped her opponent, Naomi Osaka, off the court after she forfeited the match due to an injury.

The No. 4 ranked tennis player’s next tournament is the Wuhan Open, which she will play on Oct. 10.

RELATED CONTENT: Coco Gauff Assists Naomi Osaka Off The Court After Back Injury Forces Forfeit

Dr. D’Wayne Edwards, HBCU, footwear, Target
(Photo on behalf of Designer Brands, Jennifer)
by Jameelah Mullen

October 10, 2024

HBCU President Dr. D’Wayne Edwards Drops Innovative Footwear Line In Target

Edwards has created an innovative shoe that solves multiple problems.

Dr. D’Wayne Edwards, shoe designer, founder and president of Pensole Lewis College, a Detroit HBCU, has teamed up with Target to launch ÜNOS by Sz, an adjustable footwear line for children and adults. 

ÜNOS by Sz stands for “U Need One Size.” Its patented technology allows the shoes to expand up to half a size for children and a full size for adults. With over 15 styles, the shoes are priced at just under $50.

“For a long time, it’s always been my goal to do something that was much more affordable for people who could afford everyday things,” Edwards said in an interview with Afrotech.

”I just felt like everyday things, if they had the same intentionality put into them as some of those more elevated, expensive items, I think you could make something special, and so what we did with ÜNOS by Sz is we created this technology that allows the shoe to grow with your foot.”

Edwards noted that he designed the shoe to solve a “business problem.” Shoe inventory often takes up a lot of space. One shoe that can adjust to various foot sizes helps reduce the space needed to house the merchandise but it does come with  challenges.

“You really have to know more about construction, materials, and pricing because every decision down to the penny matters,” he said in an interview with Fast Company.

With a career that spans more than 30 years, Edwards has worked with notable brands such as L.A. Gear and Nike. He has designed footwear for Hip-Hop royalty such as Tupac, Notorious B.I.G. Nas, and Snoop Dogg. He has also crafted shoes for athletes such as Carmelo Anthony, Derek Jeter, and Michael Jordan.

Edwards also founded JEMS, the first Black-owned athletic footwear factory in the United States. The factory, named after Black shoemaker Jan Ernst Matzeliger,  opened its doors in 2023.

In February, Edwards made history by reopening Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design (PLC), the first HBCU to focus on design.

ÜNOS by Sz is available for purchase at Target, both in brick-and-mortar and online stores.

RELATED CONTENT: Black Ballet Dancer In Her 60s Buys Skin-Tone Pointe Shoes For First Time

WNBA, 2024 Season, Basketball, DICK BARNETT, BIG3
(Photo: Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)
by Daniel Johnson

October 10, 2024

WNBA Lambasted Over Poor Player Protection

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Englebert originally pointed to the positive aspects of a budding rivalry between Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark instead of forcefully condemning the rhetoric.

Although the WNBA has experienced a banner year in terms of exposure, ticket sales and a marked increase in media attention, the league’s growth has not been positive for all of its players.

According to Andscape, the league should have seen some of the vitriol coming, particularly in the wake of the treatment Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese received during her last year at LSU after she made a “you can’t see me” hand gesture at Iowa’s Caitlin Clark after Reese’s squad won the NCAA championship.

As David Dennis Jr. wrote, “However, the attacks on Reese weren’t really about Clark. They were about hating Reese as a confident, outspoken Black woman…One group is full of genuine Clark fans. The people who are enamored with her court vision, shooting and connection with the audience.”

Dennis continued, “Then there’s the other group. That group is full of people who see Clark as a way to express their most deep-seated, hateful thoughts about the Black and queer women in the WNBA.”

It is that other group that has attracted the most attention in recent weeks, prompting some to compare the playoff atmosphere at Indiana Fever, Clark’s home court, to a MAGA rally, turning what used to be a safe space for queer people and Black women into a much more uneasy atmosphere.

That uneasy atmosphere took on something much more sinister after it was revealed that Dijonai Carrington, the newly minted most improved player in the WNBA, received a threat containing the n-word and wishing sexual assault on her from a Fever fan.

“I think that in my 11-year career I never experienced the racial comments like from the Indiana Fever fan base. It’s unacceptable, and honestly, there’s no place for it,” Connecticut Sun forward Alyssa Thomas told reporters.

“We’ve been professional throughout the whole entire thing, but I’ve never been called the things that I’ve been called on social media, and there’s no place for it. Basketball is headed in a great direction, but we don’t want fans that are going to degrade us and call us racial things. Something needs to be done,” Thomas said.

According to The Athletic, when given the chance to address the concerning rhetoric from purported Indiana Fever fans, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Englebert pointed to the positive aspects of a budding rivalry between Reese and Clark instead of forcefully condemning the rhetoric.

This drew the ire of the WNBPA and two-time league MVP and New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart.

Terri Jackson, executive director of the WNBPA, said in a statement released by the players union, “There is absolutely no place in sport—or in life—for the vile hate, racist language, homophobic comments and misogynistic attacks our players are facing on social media.

“This is not about rivalries or iconic personalities fueling a business model. This kind of toxic fandom should never be tolerated or left unchecked.”

“During a recent media interview, I was asked about the dark side of social media and online conversation about WNBA rivalries and race,” Englebert later clarified on Twitter. “To be clear, there is absolutely no place for hate or racism of any kind in the WNBA or anywhere else.”

Reese also addressed how the media effectively made her a villain to spin a narrative in her own post on Twitter.

“For the past two years, the media has benefited from my pain & me being villainized to create a narrative,” Reese wrote.

“They allowed this. This was beneficial to them. I sometimes share my experiences of things that have happened to me, but I’ve also allowed this to happen to me for way too long, and now other players in this league are dealing with & experiencing the same things. This isn’t ok at all. Anything beyond criticism about playing the game we love is wrong. I’m sorry to all the players that have/continue to experience the same things I have.”

The Athletic’s Jim Trotter pointed out that although Clark calling the attackers trolls was a welcome sentiment, it missed the mark regarding what these people actually are: racists.

Trotter also indicated that the league and its franchises are not innocent bystanders here.

“The league and its teams are not helpless in this matter. Hate can never be fully eradicated; it’s as much a part of this country’s history as stars and stripes,” Trotter wrote. “But there are steps that can be taken. For one, teams can control who and what are brought into their arenas. The only reason someone would connect Trump’s campaign slogan to a sporting event featuring predominately Black and/or queer women is to provoke a response that has nothing to do with basketball.”

RELATED CONTENT: A Single Vote For Angel Reese Prevented Unanimous Win For Caitlin Clark’s WNBA Rookie Of The Year

HGTV’s Kyra Epps Returns To Chicago To Partner With Habitat for Humanity As Community Impact Partner
(Photo: Kyra Epps for ReStore Chicago/Courtesy of Kyra Epps)
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 10, 2024

HGTV’s Kyra Epps Returns To Chicago To Partner With Habitat for Humanity As Community Impact Partner

Kyra Epps is back in her hometown to build homes and hold workshops in partnership with Habitat for Humanity Chicago.

Chicago native and award-winning HGTV producer Kyra Epps is returning to her hometown to collaborate with Habitat for Humanity Chicago on a new building project.

Following the success of Buying Back The Block, which saw Kyra and her husband, comedian/actor Mike Epps, work together to rebuild Mike’s childhood community in Indianapolis, Indiana, Kyra is back to build homes and lead workshops in partnership with ReStore Chicago. Her collaboration with Mike to rebuild his hometown inspired Kyra to do the same for her city. Now, she’s on a mission to empower fellow Chicagoans to achieve homeownership and build lasting family legacies.

“No matter how far you go or how successful you become, there’s always a need for a home base,” Kyra tells BLACK ENTERPRISE.

“Your home base is your foundation and your truth. So, when I reflect on my life and what I want for future generations, I realize it was time for me to come back home and plant that seed for homeownership.”

(Photo: Kyra & Mike Epps for ReStore Chicago/Courtesy of Kyra Epps)

Driven by a deep commitment to giving back to her community and a strong belief that everyone deserves a beautiful home that boosts their self-esteem, Kyra is partnering with Habitat for Humanity Chicago. She hopes to use her platform to engage the community and teach people how to design their homes, fostering a sense of pride and ownership.

“I’ve officially joined Habitat for Humanity Chicago as their Community Impact Partner, and I’m excited about what we can achieve together,” Kyra says.

“My goals are twofold: first, to educate people about homeownership so they can return to their communities and help break down the barriers that often hold them back,” she adds. “Second, I felt it was crucial for women like me to be visible in these roles, driving change in our own neighborhoods. As a Black woman, I know how important it is to be part of that transformation, and I’m committed to making a difference in my community.”

Kyra and Mike’s time hosting Buying Up The Block became one of the most-streamed home renovation shows, but its success went beyond TV ratings. It resonated deeply with the Epps, highlighting the meaningful impact they could have as public figures in their hometowns.

“Mike and I really get the importance of family and legacy,” she shares. “He invested in his grandma’s house from the 1960s because keeping it in the family was so meaningful to him.”

“After the HGTV show aired, we realized our impact went beyond just us,” she adds. “People started feeling inspired to return to their childhood homes and pour love back into the communities that raised them. Honestly, that inspired me, too—I wanted my kids to see the light from my side of the family.”

(Photo: Kyra Epps for ReStore Chicago/Courtesy of Kyra Epps)

Kyra also recalled another motivation.

“My family lost our family home in Chicago for generations, like so many families in Chicago are displaced. That’s when I knew it was time for me to return to my home, to the city that made me who I am, and bring that same love and attention,” she says.

The HGTV star and home designer is reeling over the purchase of her first property on the West Side of Chicago.

“I’m really excited about it!” she says.

On October 12 in Chicago, Kyra will join other women at Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build event to construct a home alongside Habitat for Humanity. Those interested in donating to Team Kyra for Women Build can click here.

RELATED CONTENT: Mike Epps Is ‘Buying Back The Block’ In Indiana For HGTV Show

Allyson Felix
(Photo: Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images)
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 10, 2024

Allyson Felix Launches Sports Management Firm Dedicated To Empowering Women Athletes

Allyson Felix is further empowering women with her new sports management firm dedicated to supporting female athletes.

Allyson Felix is expanding her commitment to women-focused initiatives by launching a new sports management firm dedicated to empowering female athletes.

On Tuesday, the Olympic gold medalist unveiled her new women-focused sports management firm, Always Alpha. This trailblazing move aligns perfectly with Felix’s brand, following the introduction of her women’s lifestyle brand, Saysh, and her efforts to establish the first-ever nursery at the Olympic Village for the Paris Olympics this past summer.

“This is a first-of-its-kind agency that is focused on women’s sports,” Felix told USA Today.

“We all feel the momentum that’s happening now. We need to be focused on these athletes, and that’s what we’re here to do. To help grow their brands, and to do it in a nontraditional way.”

“Women deserve more, and it’s about time there was a management firm fully focused on women’s sports at scale,” she wrote in an Instagram announcement. “@always.alpha is the next chapter in my mission to create what I wished had existed long ago—guiding the next generation to build the future they dream of.”

Founded by the most decorated American track and field athlete in history, along with her brother, Wes, and Cosette Chaput, Always Alpha will specifically focus on supporting women athletes across various sports, not just track and field.

“We really are going to focus across sports, broadcasters and coaches as well,” Felix said. “I think more than anything, it’s looking for those incredible athletes, broadcasters, and coaches who really have great stories and who want to use their platform (and) who are change makers.”

The sports management firm is backed by Dolphin’s marketing division, an entertainment marketing company. Felix hopes to include Always Alpha in her expanding list of accomplishments since retiring from track and field, aiming to create a lasting positive impact on women.

“When I think about Always Alpha, I think about legacy, and that’s a huge part of why I’m doing this,” Felix said. “I didn’t have the perfect road. I felt like I learned so much throughout my career and after. Things I would do differently: I would have loved to have another shot at getting it right. I want to pass down that wisdom (and) those things that I’ve learned. That’s what this is about.”

Felix won 20 world championships and 11 Olympic medals before retiring from track and field in 2022. Since retiring, the Los Angeles native has consistently leveraged her platform to champion women’s issues. In 2019, she testified at a U.S. House Ways and Means Committee hearing addressing racial disparities in maternal mortality rates.

She also serves as a “Right To Play” ambassador and was recently appointed to the International Olympic Committee Athletes’ Commission. In July, Felix received a $20 million grant from Melinda Gates’ $1 billion investment initiative to continue advancing Black maternal health in the United States.

RELATED CONTENT: Olympic Medalist Allyson Felix Gives Another Reality Check On The Dangers Of Black Women Giving Birth In America

Jamie Foxx
2022. (Photo: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 10, 2024

Jamie Foxx Says It Was ‘Excruciating’ To Relive Health Scare For Netflix Comedy Special

Jamie Foxx is going in-depth about his 2023 health scare in an upcoming Netflix comedy special.

Jamie Foxx is revealing how “excruciating” it was reliving his health scare for a three-night comedy special he filmed for Netflix.

The Academy Award-winning actor is set to return to his comedic roots for a Netflix special with an unknown release date. CBS Mornings host Gayle King attended the last of Foxx’s three standup shows on Monday and shared a video she captured during the backstage celebration.

“Great weekend in Atlanta! Watching @iamjamiefoxx for the first time back on stage and talking about everything that he’s been through,” King wrote in her caption. “It’s part of a comedy special for Netflix called “What Had Happened Was…” and when it was all over, Jamie and his team felt terrific, and rightfully so!”

“You landed on the moon, man. Be so proud,” Foxx told the group while popping a bottle of champagne to celebrate.

“I wanna know how you feel after three nights?” King asked the Hollywood star.

“It was an excruciating time, opening those wounds every single day,” Foxx said in response.

“It was excruciating because — the worry is what gets you. Yeah, we’ve got a great show in the room, but we don’t know what they may laugh or what they may not laugh at,” Foxx said. “Usually, when you do a standup special, you go out for a year and work every nook and cranny, then you tape it. You don’t just show up in Atlanta and turn the camera on.”

King praised Foxx for his ability to open up about the health scare in such a way that made the audience laugh and cry simultaneously. “Only you could’ve done that,” she told the actor.

“It’s a personal journey, and I hope I never have to … I am never going to go through this again. My next jokes will start out, ‘Knock, knock!’” Foxx replied as the room burst into laughter. “I’ll do an hour and a half of ‘Knock, knock’ jokes.”

The clip ends with Foxx making a toast.

“Let’s sit back, watch it, and build toward a newer, brighter and healthier future.”

In the Netflix special, Foxx provides a detailed account of the mysterious illness that resulted in his hospitalization in April 2023, sharing his experience for the first time, Variety reports. The Ray star tackles the challenging topic in a humorous yet heartfelt one-man show filmed in front of a live audience.

Foxx announced the “intimate and engaging” standup special last month in an Instagram post that let fans know he would be opening up “like never before.”

Details on when Foxx’s Netflix special will premiere have yet to be announced.

RELATED CONTENT: Jamie Foxx Opens Up About Traumatic Health Crisis

Cynt Marshall
BE
by Kandiss Edwards

October 10, 2024

Cynthia ‘Cynt’ Marshall, The History-Making Maverick, Announces Retirement

Cynthia 'Cynt' Marshall, the first Black woman CEO of an NBA franchise, is retiring after six impactful years with the Dallas Mavericks.

Cynthia “Cynt” Marshall, chief executive officer of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, announced her retirement effective December 1, 2024, ESPN reports.

In 2018, Marshall made history when she was named the first Black woman CEO of an NBA franchise. The Mavericks announced her departure on the team’s website on Oct. 8.

She will work as a consultant during through 2025.

“Bringing Cynt to the Mavericks six years ago was one of the smartest decisions I’ve ever made,” said Mark Cuban, the Mavericks’ minority owner, in a statement. “She has led this organization to new heights with grace and integrity, and her light will continue to shine bright throughout the community. Thank you, Cynt.”

Cuban, then the Mavericks’ owner, hired Marshall in 2018.

Before Marshall helped the Mavericks ascend to new heights she was a retired businesswoman. Marshall was senior vice president of human resources and the chief diversity officer at AT&T before she left corporate America in 2017.

Her respite was short-lived. The Mavericks was embroiled in scandal. Complaints of a toxic work environment and sexual harassment plagued the franchise. BLACK ENTERPRISE spoke with Marshall two years after she took over the CEO position.

“I walked into a bad culture,” Marshall said then. “I walked into a place where the women were not valued and treated the way I would like to see them treated. Frankly, I think we had a problem with how we respected and treated people of color.”

Marshall did not shy away from the challenge of diversifying and correcting racism and sexism in the organization.

“Under her leadership, she increased diversity by promoting from within and recruiting from outside of the organization,” BE reported.

The Mavs commended Marshall for “her dedication to creating a more equitable workplace [which] has garnered national attention and established the Mavericks as a role model for businesses across the sports industry and beyond.”

RELATED CONTENT: Cynt Marshall Law: COVID Crisis Management from the Dallas Mavericks’ CEO

Bershan Shaw, URAWARRIOR, mental health, breast cancer
Courtesy of Bershan Shaw
by Mitti Hicks

October 10, 2024

URAWARRIOR: Bershan Shaw Survived Breast Cancer Twice And Created A Game-Changing Mental Health App

URAWARRIOR, pronounced 'you’re a warrior,' pays homage to Shaw's breast cancer fight and the healthy head space that avoided what was supposed to be a death sentence.

Bershan Shaw was given three months to live when she received a breast cancer diagnosis. It was a challenging time both physically and mentally and there was no place that offered her refuge.

She defied the odds and nearly 20 years later, that fight is what inspired her to create URAWARRIOR, an inclusive mental health community app that provides a safe space for people in need of mental health services and therapy.

“I didn’t see a safe space online […] where you could get peer-to-peer support,” Shaw tells BLACK ENTERPRISE. “If you would post issues such as drug addiction, dealing with low libido or bankruptcy in a Facebook group, [I noticed] there was a lot of bullying, trolling, and people coming after you.”

URAWARRIOR, pronounced “you’re a warrior,” pays homage to Shaw’s breast cancer fight and the healthy head space that led her to heal what was supposed to be a death sentence. It offers peer-to-peer support and live group coaching sessions. Users can choose between getting help with grief and loss, substance abuse, depression, and stress, burnout, and more. Prerecorded sessions are also available for people who miss the live sessions.

Shaw says she was intentional about creating a space where people could be vulnerable and free of judgement. In order to use the app, users first have to abide by the rules and pledge to not bullying. URAWARRIOR is based on four pillars: personal development, self-improvement, motivation and support.

“I wanted to make a cool and hip app that didn’t feel so clinical,” says Shaw. “Most people don’t just run to therapy and it’s been taboo in Black communities forever. We always say, ‘Keep your issues at home, or don’t air your dirty laundry.’ We’ve been living in the shame and embarrassment.”

Bridging The Gap While Mental Health Resources Remain Limited

Therapy can be expensive but URAWARRIOR bridges that gap along with the wait times to see a therapist. Shaw says it’s great for people already working with a therapist who is ready to put their healing goals into action with its expert coaches.

“Therapists right now around the country are booked up. I know people who have three or four month waits,” says Shaw. “We are very intentional about our team. They have to have years of expertise and coaching, certified.”

Shaw is allowing people to sign up for 60 days for free to join in on the daily challenges and mood tracking the app offers. There are more than 356 days of challenges, one for each day of the year, something that Shaw has also put into writing with her book, URAWARRIOR 365 Ways to Challenge You to a Better Life.

“If you go to an app and people are posting positive things, people are doing positive things, then you change,” says Shaw. “What I want to do is change how people interact and change what people see […] because you are what you think, you are what you feel, and you are what you see. You start seeing positive you start hearing other people’s stories, [then] you realize you’re not alone. We’re in this together.”

RELATED CONTENT: Celebrate ‘Me Period Day’ With Black Women’s Health Imperative

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