pouring wine — (Photo: izusek/Getty Images)

by Mitti Hicks

September 11, 2024

Philadelphia’s Black Wine Festival Sells Out Again

The sold-out event celebrates the richness and diversity of Black-owned wineries around the world.

The Philly Black Wine Festival is coming back. Unfortunately, if you’re trying to snag a ticket for 2024—this year’s theme: Eden Noir—it’s too late. The event has sold out for the second year in a row.

The inaugural festival was so popular in 2023 organizers had to find a new location to accommodate the anticipated crowd, which they did.

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“We’ve been graciously shifted to the Penn Museum,” Sonia Blount, the founder of the festival and lead curator of Kabila Events, told The Philadelphia Tribune. Last year’s event was held at Cherry Street Pier. “It’s a great space. It’s really fly, and they have a lot of exhibitions that connect directly to wine and wine history, so I’m really excited for everybody to see it.”

A Celebration of Black-Owned Wines, Art, and Style

The sold-out event, which takes place Saturday, Sept. 14, celebrates the richness and diversity of Black-owned wineries around the world. In addition to wine tastings, the evening will also include a curated food and cocktail menu, live music and entertainment, art exhibits, complimentary museum access, and wine-tasting education.

“There’s going to be a lot going on,” said Blount. “I like to say it’s like a block party for wine tasting.”

Several companies will be in attendance, including Mermaid Spirits, Yachi Blanc ’22, Amour Geneve, Strange Fruit Wines/Strange Fruit Collection, and Castlebridge Wine Company.

Tito’s Vodka and City Winery are sponsoring the event, according to The Philadelphia Tribune.

“Our Mission is to provide access and recognition to the thriving Black Wine Community,” a statement on the event’s website reads. “We set out to collaborate with Black Wine brands to highlight wine varietals and the company’s rich history. We are intentional about curating brands that provide quality wine and customer experience.”

Cannabis|Black, Florida, marijuana, THC, law, Cannabis — (Photo: REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz)|

by Sharelle B. McNair

September 11, 2024

Celebrate Black Cannabis Week With The Diasporic Alliance For Cannabis Opportunities

Events for the week include the Cannabis Opportunities Conference, Bouqé Presents Blaze The Runway and Policy Breakfast to educate attendees.

The highly anticipated 2024 Black Cannabis Week (BCW) returns with an “unconference” model and a new approach to educating stakeholders and community members, Ganjapreneur reports.

Kicking off on Sept. 22 in Philadelphia, the Diasporic Alliance for Cannabis Opportunities (DACO) has adopted the theme “Deeply Rooted, Growing Together” to build a vibrant and inclusive cannabis community. The week starts with the Daily Dose Tour, designed to take you on a journey of inspiring and engaging conversations. DACO Co-Founder Cherron Perry-Thomas says that as the events are available both in-person and virtually, BCW is a necessary element for a deep dive into key issues and developments within the cannabis industry — for free. “We invite everyone to join us in this groundbreaking series of events. If your state is on the list, we encourage you to pull up and be part of this unique experience,” Perry-Thomas said.

“Black Cannabis Week is a cornerstone of DACO’s annual programming, dedicated to educating, celebrating, and elevating Black individuals in the cannabis industry while addressing critical issues and advocating for equity and inclusion.”

The week includes several signature events such as the Cannabis Opportunities Conference, Bouqé Presents Blaze The Runway, and Policy Breakfast. The conference will feature Pennsylvania state Sen. Sharif Street of District 3. Street has been an outspoken advocate for the legalization of marijuana. According to the Pennsylvania Capital-Star, Street introduced legislation and is waiting for a vote from the Senate Judiciary Committee that would decriminalize cannabis use in the state.

Under the bill, Pennsylvania would become one of seven states that would decriminalize marijuana and would categorize it only as a civil or local infraction. “Why should you have to be penalized at all?” Street asked.

The conference would also feature a clinic on expungement, a job fair, and medical marijuana (MMJ) card registration to educate on equity, social justice, and economic opportunities in cannabis. In partnership with Black-owned rolling paper brand Bouqé, the Runway is a groundbreaking fashion show that combines fashion, music, and cannabis culture. At the breakfast, attendees can discuss local, state, and federal cannabis policies.

Perry-Thomas says BCW is a keen way to guarantee that voices within the Black cannabis industry are heard. “Our mission with Black Cannabis Week is to provide a global platform that uplifts and empowers Blacks within the cannabis industry. Through a rich tapestry of discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities, we ensure that voices from across the diaspora are recognized and celebrated together,” he said.

“This is a unique opportunity for attendees to learn from industry leaders, connect with like-minded individuals, and gain valuable insights into the future of cannabis.”

Bennett College, Fulbright Historically Black College and University — photo credit: Bennett College press release

by Stacy Jackson

September 11, 2024

Bennett College Named Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leader For 5th Consecutive Year

Bennett College implements the Fulbright program annually to provide international education for students and support exchange participants.

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) named Bennett College a Fulbright Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Institutional Leader for 2024.

The annual recognition marks Bennett College’s fifth consecutive year of receiving recognition for its engagement with the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program. “Receiving the Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leader designation for the fifth year is a testament to Bennett College’s commitment to supporting an environment of cultural exploration for our students and faculty, which ties into our strategic pillar of being Open To and For the Future,” Bennett College President Suzanne Elise Walsh, J.D., stated in a press release.

Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leaders support exchange students while motivating students and faculty to engage with the program and welcoming international students to HBCU campuses. The designation is a testament to Bennett College’s “dedication to promoting global engagement and international understanding,” according to Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken.

Bennett College has implemented the Fulbright program by hosting two Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistants (FLTAs). The annual effort expands on international language and cultural education for students. “Having a class with a FLTA is ‘the first taste of the world’ for many of our students,” Walsh said. In addition to teaching languages, FLTAs provide cultural programming and introduce opportunities for students to study abroad, although they can choose to remain local.

https://twitter.com/BennettCollege/status/1833512570977739232

Following its inception in 1946, the Fulbright Program has contributed to the success of over 400,000 students, teachers, and professionals across various fields. Funded by the U.S. government and supported by other governments, host institutions, and foundations, the program has granted participants opportunities to study, teach, and research abroad as they tackle global issues in collaboration with other program participants.

Initiatives through the Fulbright Program expand diversity in the U.S. and abroad. “The U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Program are committed to reflecting the full diversity of the United States,” said Scott Weinhold, Senior Bureau Official for the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. “Historically Black Colleges and Universities are vital contributors to America’s higher education community. They are dedicated institutions working to develop the leaders of tomorrow.”

External stakeholders of the Fulbright include the White House Initiative on HBCUs, Diversity Abroad, UNCF, the National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange, the American Association of Community Colleges, and others.

Delta, Airlines, Luggage — (Photo: Jeff Greenberg/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 11, 2024

Overwhelming Response To Delta Airlines Open Call For Flight Attendants Crashes Website

Delta Airlines' recruitment page crashed after opening the flight attendant job applications for the first time in over a year.

Delta Airlines’ website crashed on Sept. 4 after opening flight attendant job applications for the first time in over a year.

The “Big Three” airline, alongside American and United, is searching for new flight attendants and likely wasn’t expecting the huge turnout it received in interest. A glitch on Delta Airlines’ website caused a crash following an overwhelming amount of applications for its 2025 flight attendant positions, the New York Post reports.

An advisory was issued on its recruitment page after the website crash, stating that the “application experience may be slow during this period” due to the “large influx of candidate interest for the Flight Attendant position.”

“Due to extremely high demand for Delta flight attendant positions, some applicants reported difficulties [with] the application page on September 4,” a Delta representative told Business Insider.

The influx in job applications comes despite recent scandals the airline has faced, including a deadly tire explosion at the airline’s maintenance facility in Atlanta last month. Delta has continued to see interest in its recruitment since its post-pandemic recovery.

The airline received 65,000 applications for a record 5,000 positions in 2023. However, reports suggest that even fewer job openings are available this year.

A news release shared earlier this month reveals plans for Delta’s talent team and flight attendants to visit Connecticut, Florida, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Washington in the coming weeks to address prospective flight attendants’ questions about the role, the application process, work schedules, and benefits, including travel opportunities and the Delta flight attendant lifestyle.

Those interested in becoming a Delta flight attendant “must have a high school diploma, GED or high school equivalency, the ability to work in the U.S., speak, read and write English fluently and be at least 21 years of age at the time of application submission,” the website states. Delta also seeks bilingual applicants fluent in English and other languages like Czech, Danish, Dutch, French, Greek, German, Italian, Korean, or Swedish.

Applicants for flight attendant positions must go through a five-stage process, which includes submitting an application, completing a virtual assessment, and participating in both a video and in-person interview. Once accepted, candidates receive a conditional job offer contingent on how they complete a seven-week training.

Black Homeowners, Remodeling, homeownership, — (Photo: dolgachov/Getty Images)

by Daniel Johnson

September 10, 2024

Home Values Stagnate While Homeownership Remains A Barrier For Black People

Part of the issue with homeownership values lies with the values assigned by appraisers, who are mostly white, and the difficulty in reporting appraisal discrimination.

According to data provided to Axios by the real estate database Zillow, homes owned by Black people in the Detroit Metro area are worth approximately 45% less than those owned by white people. This dovetails with and illustrates the data surrounding homeownership in America; the typical value of homes owned by Black people is 18% less than those owned by white people.

Part of the issue with homeownership values lies with the values assigned by appraisers, who are mostly white. It is also incredibly difficult to report appraisal discrimination. In February 2023, the Department of Justice, the CFPB, and other federal leaders submitted a letter to The Appraisal Foundation calling for them to include a detailed statement of federal prohibitions against discrimination.

According to the letter, “We are concerned that the Fourth Exposure Draft eliminated the Third Exposure Draft’s summary of the FHAct’s and ECOA’s nondiscrimination standards and, instead, substituted a distinction between unethical discrimination and unlawful discrimination. Specifically, we are concerned that the term ‘unethical discrimination’ is not well established in either current law or practice.”

The letter continued, “Accordingly, we believe the introduction of the term in USPAP, and the resulting need to distinguish between unethical discrimination and unlawful discrimination, would create confusion in the appraisal industry. In addition, federal and state regulators responsible for examining compliance with USPAP would face difficult challenges in determining when appraisers have engaged in unethical discrimination given that it is not defined in existing legal norms and standards and is inherently vague and subjective.”

The Appraisal Foundation agreed in July 2024 to settle a complaint by The Department of Housing and Urban Development regarding the discrimination involved in the hiring practices of appraisers across the country. According to Acting HUD Secretary Adrianne Todman, “To help eliminate racial and ethnic bias from home appraisals, we must ensure that the industry looks like America,” Todman said in a press release. “Today’s historic agreement will help build a class of appraisers based on what they know instead of who they know. This settlement will help bring us one step closer to rooting out discrimination in housing and opening doors to opportunity for all.”

In addition to the issue of home valuation, Black Americans often face difficulties in getting their mortgage applications approved due in large part to either poor or non-existent credit histories and high debt-to-income ratios.

According to the Urban Institute, the Black-white homeownership gap is an American design. In February, authors Jung Hyun Choi, Amalie Zinn, and Aniket Mehrota wrote a report detailing that increased interest rates on homes were positioned to add another impediment for Black people seeking to become homeowners.

According to the authors, “The racial homeownership gap remains wide, and policymakers, government agencies, financial institutions, and other changemakers in the mortgage market must all work together to significantly increase Black homeownership. The U.S. government afforded low-interest, amortized home loans to millions of white households for decades. Similarly, programs intentionally targeted to Black families and other historically excluded groups, who still face the effects of past discriminatory housing policies and practices, could help more such families access homeownership’s benefits.”

Marsai Martin — Photo Credit: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

September 10, 2024

Black Women Honored As ‘Powerhouses’ In Their Industry At Inaugural NYFW Event

Black Enterprise spoke with some of the honorees at the Powerhouses celebratory event.

Black women remain dominant forces across multiple industries and are receiving their rightful flowers. Refinery29 recently honored some of these women in their “29 Powerhouses” list, which includes game-changers and makeup moguls.

These “29 Powerhouses” define the rules for themselves, championing diverse causes while remaining true to their passions, from art to sports and fashion. This year’s honorees featured Pat McGrath, legendary makeup artist and beauty brand founder; Angel Reese, record-breaking WNBA rookie; and Marsai Martin, a young actress-turned-producer.

Fellow honorees attended the celebratory event ahead of New York Fashion Week on Sept. 7. There, BLACK ENTERPRISE spoke with these public figures and what it means to be a “powerhouse” in their field.

“I think it’s really important because people have preconceived notions about you when you’re a woman in specific areas, like gaming and tech and fashion. People will presume, if you’re in fashion, that you might not know about the other areas, and same in gaming and tech,” explained Jay-Ann Lopez, founder of Black Girl Gamers and hair sculpture enthusiast. “So I like to show that a woman can be anything. I don’t like to put myself in a box, and I think that’s the most interesting thing you can do is to take yourself out that box and experience life as the person, the whole person that you are.”

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Justina Miles, a sign language performer for Rihanna’s Super Bowl Halftime show, also expressed her thoughts on the recognition. The Deaflympics athlete has garnered traction for her advocacy toward diverse people with disabilities.

“Yes, this is a great honor for me to continue on my track as authentic as I am. [Especially] as a Black, deaf woman, to know that nobody has to change who they are to be on this path of trailblazing for success, or just making life easier for others by being a role model, this is what that means to me. [It means] that I could just be authentically myself and be in the spaces that I deserve to be in.”

While part of the first-ever cohort of powerhouses championing self-expression, Miles and Lopez remain dedicated to expanding their impact. On Refinery29’s inclusion of these dynamic Black women, Chelsea Sanders also spoke about how these selections reflect our modern society.

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“29 Powerhouses is about making sure that what we’re doing isn’t necessarily diversity; it’s just the world that we live in right now, and that looks so amazing, and it is more of a diversity of ideas and a diversity of thoughts versus diversity, just in color or creed or orientation,” explained Sanders.

The full “29 Powerhouses” list can be found on Refinery29’s website.

Morehouse College — Photo by Joi Stokes/Getty Images

by Stacy Jackson

September 10, 2024

Morehouse School Of Medicine’s Valerie Montgomery Rice Celebrates 10-Year Presidency

As president, Dr. Montgomery Rice has contributed to the outstanding growth of student enrollment and work toward health equity in Atlanta.

Morehouse School of Medicine’s Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice has celebrated her 10th year as president of the medical school in Atlanta.

The Georgia native is the sixth president and first woman to lead the private historically Black medical school, which was originally a part of Morehouse College before it became independent in 1981. According to an exclusive feature by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, published in MSM News, Morehouse School of Medicine students and faculty spoke highly of the acclaimed infertility specialist and researcher for her contributions to the institution as she congregated with returning and first-year scholars during a welcome celebration.

Under Montgomery Rice’s leadership, MSM enrollment has seen a vast influx in students since her inaugural year, when the school only enrolled 56 students compared to the boost of 100 students each year and an estimated 225 over the next decade. “She’s got a big presence here,” said first-year student Justin Barthel. “She’s highly regarded, highly respected, and she chose to be here.”

Her role at Morehouse School of Medicine has exceeded her expertise in training the next generation of Black doctors, and she continues to focus on a larger goal: to address disparities in healthcare. “It’s not only who we educate and train, but how we train and educate healthcare professionals to understand patients in a holistic way,” Montgomery Rice said. “And then where we place these healthcare assets throughout communities so they are easier to access, closer to where people work, live, play and pray.” These efforts include restoring care to Atlanta patients affected by two previous closures of Atlanta Medical Center locations in downtown and East Point, which has caused a health crisis for several low-income residents of color in the city.

Dubbed by MSM faculty as the “masterful fundraiser,” the MSM president was acknowledged for her key contributions to securing a $175 million gift this summer from Michael R. Bloomberg’s philanthropic initiative. The funding follows a 2020 gift of $26.3 million from Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Greenwood Initiative to support HBCU students. Gianluca Tosini, Morehouse School of Medicine’s chief scientific research officer, spoke to the president’s ability to obtain necessary resources for the institution and frame complex research projects “within the bigger picture of the school, which is health equity and health justice.” In 2015, the school saw a donation from baseball legend Hank Aaron and his wife Billye Suber Aaron, who was impressed by Montgomery Rice’s determination “to try and make the school what she dreamed it could be.”

Congratulations @MikeBloomberg !@MSMEDU was awarded a $26.3m gift from @BloombergDotOrg in 2020, part of a $100m fund for students at our nation's four historically Black medical schools. Mr. Bloomberg's philanthropy will be honored today with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. https://t.co/vENuP5vu7D
— Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice (@MSMPres) May 3, 2024

Before her presidency at Morehouse School of Medicine, Montgomery Rice served as dean and executive vice president of the medical school. Before she assumed her position at MSM, she worked as a faculty member at various health centers. She is the founding director of the Center for Women’s Health Research at Meharry Medical College, which has been noted as the first research center in the nation to examine diseases that largely affect women of color. Her accolades and honors include a Horatio Alger Award, 100 Most Influential Georgians, The Dean Griffin Community Service Award from the Georgia Institute of Technology, the Girls Inc. 2019 Smart Award, The National Medical Association OB/GYN 2019 Legend of the Section Award, American Medical Women’s Association Elizabeth Blackwell Medal, Working Mother Media Multicultural Women’s Legacy Award, among others.

As Montgomery Rice embraces another year leading the Atlanta medical institution, she is ready and equipped to train more Black doctors with a commitment to position them in areas of high need, including primary care and pediatrics.

P Diddy, sean combs, lawsuit, assault, balcony — (Photo: Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for REVOLT; Inset: Joerg Mangelsen/Pexels)

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

September 10, 2024

Diddy Loses $100M Lawsuit After Alleged Sexual Assault Of Michigan Prisoner

A Detroit judge issued the default judgment after Diddy failed to appear in court.

As the third quarter approaches, Diddy’s year seems to be getting worse. A man currently incarcerated in Michigan has been awarded a default judgment in the amount of $100 million against the former Bad Boy executive.

According to The Detroit Metro Times, Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith was issued the $100 million judgment from Lenawee County Circuit Court Judge Anna Marie Anzalone on Sept. 9. In a lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs, the 51-year-old inmate claimed that Diddy allegedly drugged and sexually assaulted him over 25 years ago in 1997 at a party in Detroit, according to court records.

A default judgment was given to Cardello-Smith after Diddy failed to appear at a virtual hearing on Sept. 9.

Cardello-Smith is currently in prison at the Earnest C. Brooks Correctional Facility in Muskegon Heights.

Diddy’s attorney, Marc Agnifilo, responded to the judgment in a written statement to the media outlet.

“This man is a convicted felon and sexual predator, who has been sentenced on 14 counts of sexual assault and kidnapping over the last 26 years. His resume now includes committing a fraud on the court from prison, as Mr. Combs has never heard of him, let alone been served with any lawsuit. Mr. Combs looks forward to having this judgment swiftly dismissed.”

The Detroit Metro Times stated that Cardello-Smith claims Diddy allegedly visited him in prison and produced prison facility information that revealed the “No Way Out” producer’s name logged with the prison system. He alleged that Diddy offered him $2.3 million to dismiss the lawsuit, but the offer was rejected.

In an earlier ruling on Aug. 7, Judge Anzalone issued a temporary restraining order so Diddy couldn’t sell assets that could be used to compensate Cardello-Smith for possible damages if he emerged victorious in the lawsuit against Diddy.

Amazon, Prime, NY State of mind, tour, wu-tang, was, music, rapper, rap group, hip-hop — RZA, Young Dirty Bastard, and Raekwon perform at the Barclays Center on September 27, 2023 in New York City. (Photo: Johnny Nunez/WireImage)

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

September 10, 2024

If Wu-Tang Clan Recruited A New Member, Who Would Get Consideration?

"It’s the era of the female rapper. They’re coming out and kicking down the door."

As New York Fashion Week (Sept. 6–Sept. 11, 2024) comes to a close, three legendary rappers who represented Staten Island participated in Tommy Hilfiger’s SS25 presentation on the infamous Staten Island Ferry (well, one that was decommissioned and now owned by the Island’s own Pete Davidson). Wu-Tang Clan’s Ghostface Killah, Raekwon the Chef, and Method Man took to the stage to perform for the crowd who gathered to see the latest fashion from the designer. Ghostface and Raekwon sat down with Dazed to touch on a couple of topics, including who they would potentially recruit to Wu-Tang Clan if they were looking for a new member.

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The two rappers reminisced about their pre-Wu-Tang days when riding to Manhattan on the ferry was an adventure in itself, recalls The Chef.

“It’s so epic to be doing this on the ferry – I remember as a kid getting on the boat, and I’d be so excited, and now we’re performing on it. I feel like a kid again,” he stated. “It feels like a celebration of our success and how far we’ve come.”

Ghostface shared what it meant to sport the Hilfiger brand in the ’80s and early ’90s and how that gave you status on the streets.

“Back in the ’80s and early ’90s, his name was attached to the streets. If you had Hilfiger on, it meant something. That’s how fashion was back in the day. So it’s an honor right now to be on the boat, back where it all started. It’s legendary. When I got the call, I was like, ‘Hell yeah, I’m gonna go wreck.’”

Both artists were asked who would be considered if they had to recruit a new member for the Wu-Tang Clan. Both agreed it would be a female artist as it’s the “era of the female rapper.”

Ghostface said, “It’s gotta be one of these chicks. The chicks right now are running the game. The women are winning. I love Latto. Nicki. Get Cardi on our team. But all these women, they have their crews, so I don’t know how it would work.”

Raekwon agreed and added another name to the list.

“I’d definitely have to agree with Cardi, like you said. Megan The Stallion is on it, you know what I mean? The girls are running it these last few years.”

“It’s the era of the female rapper. They’re coming out and kicking down the door, Ghostface adds.