Entrepreneurship, Arkansas State University Alum Runs Entrepreneurship Program, Over-A-Cup, For Black Women
by Stacy Jackson

April 24, 2024

Arkansas State University Alum Initiates Entrepreneurship Program ‘Over-A-Cup’ For Black Women

Over-A-Cup offers Black women a safe space to discuss business future plans over a cup of coffee, teaching what has "not been taught."

Shunqetta Cunningham, an alumna of Arkansas State University, is educating Black women on how to become entrepreneurs as the CEO of her program, Over-A-Cup.

Established in January 2018, the Over-A-Cup initiative fosters connections, promotes social equity, and empowers minority women-owned businesses in Arkansas and the Mid-South regions. Arkansas Business noted that Cunningham’s program stands as the sole current advocacy initiative tailored toward Black women entrepreneurs in the state of Arkansas. “Over A Cup® is a space of intentional relationship for Black women-run businesses to reimagine business success and share solid business practices in a safe space,” the program’s website stated. “There is no avenue serving as a conduit to connect African American women businesses that offer both economic and relational capital support. We are privileged to fill this gap in our state.”

Monthly gatherings with Over-A-Cup allow women to convene over coffee or tea to discuss future business plans. “My everyday job is to support nonprofit organizations and community leaders,” the nonprofit strategist said, according to KAIT. As a mother and college graduate, Cunningham supports women, nonprofit organizations, and community leaders through services such as grant writing, strategic planning, nonprofit development, and leadership training.

“I believe that nonprofit organizations are the second responders of our communities,” said Cunningham, whose dedication to assisting aspiring African American entrepreneurs stems from awareness of the systemic barriers and lack of information. She said Over-A-Cup gathers women to learn what has “not been taught.” She uses her role to “gather all the resources that these organizations need and put them on a path to success.”

Over-A-Cup has already graduated 12 Black women entrepreneurs.

Additionally, Cunningham serves as the CEO and lead consultant of KHARIS Group and founded and chairs the Nonprofit Summit of Northeast Arkansas. She previously told Arkansas Business that her company equips nonprofits with strategies to soar in income, impact, and influence. An honors graduate of Blytheville High School in 2004, she earned a Bachelor’s in Political Science from Arkansas State in 2008 and a Master’s in Public Administration in 2010.

Howard University, student, accounts
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

April 24, 2024

Howard University Breaks Record With 37,000 Applicants For Freshman Class

The university hopes to enroll as many students as possible through its "Howard Forward" plan.

Getting into Howard University’s class of 2028 may be harder this year. The HBCU announced it has received a record-breaking 37,000 applicants.

The influx of interested students also led to a lower acceptance rate, now between 30 and 32 percent for this year’s cohort. This is down from the 36% during 2023’s application pool, as reported by Howard’s student newspaper, The Hilltop.

However, the numbers for the average GPA among the accepted students remained relatively the same. Their grades ranged from 3.58 to 3.65, the latter being the average for last year.

Student test scores continued to trend at the same pace. On average, accepted students showcased scores of 1120 to 1130 for the SAT, a slight dip from last year’s 1167; this year’s average ACT score of between 23 and 24 held steady.

The number of students applying to Howard has steadily increased over the years. The HBCU assumed that its high-profile alumni, especially Vice President Kamala Harris, contributed to the rise. Fortunately for interested high schoolers, Howard intends to bring in as many students as possible for the university’s operations. Their current “Howard Forward” plan also includes goals to increase enrollment.

However, the school has a total enrollment of 12,500 by 2024, but they were over by nearly 1,000 students last year. This may signify fewer students hanging out in the famed yard in the upcoming years.

Some may also fear how the strike down on affirmative action will impact their acceptance into the HBCU. However, Assistant Director for Undergraduate Admissions Karina Sanchez is not worried about that.

“It [affirmative action] doesn’t really affect us too much because we are an HBCU, so the majority of our applicants do come from one demographic,” explained Sanchez. “We do get a diverse demographic pool, though, and everyone is weighed equally, so we don’t look at their race or their ethnic background.”

Despite this lingering concern, incoming students told the publication of their reasoning behind attending the school. Many emphasized its history and cultural events like Homecoming influencing their decision.

“Howard feels like the perfect place for me,” shared Josiah Smith, who is in the top 25 of his class at a Louisiana high school. “If I end up going to Howard, I’m excited to be a Bison…experience Howard Homecoming-Yardfest and really just be surrounded by people who look like me and want me to succeed.” 

Students have until May 1 to make their decision to become a Howard Bison.

JP Morgan Chase
by Lauren Nutall

April 24, 2024

JPMorgan Chase Provides $1.7M To Promote Equity

The Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative and the Center for Community Progress were awarded the grant to promote equity in Black businesses and neighborhoods.

In a bid to promote equity in Black neighborhoods, JPMorgan Chase has awarded the Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative and the Center for Community Progress a $1.7 million grant, according to a new press release shared with BLACK ENTERPRISE. 

“At JPMorgan Chase, we are committed to helping people and businesses realize their full potential for economic growth and prosperity,” said Suganthi Simon, JPMorgan Chase’s head of Global Philanthropy for Georgia, Tennessee, and North and South Carolinas. 

“We are proud to support Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative and Center for Community Progress as they work to increase the supply of affordable commercial and residential properties to stabilize Atlanta’s historically Black businesses and neighborhoods.”

The contribution will go toward the AWBI’s ongoing initiative to establish equitable opportunities for Black business owners and their communities.

Vice President of Policy and Research at the Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative, Dr. Alex Camardelle, spoke about the recent development. 

“The preservation of historically Black commercial corridors is an essential strategy to promote shared wealth and prosperity in rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods,” he said.

Camaredelle believes that the grant can help Black neighborhoods that have been negatively affected by the steady rise of rental costs.

“Rising commercial rents are having a disproportionate impact on Black businesses and Black neighborhoods in Atlanta, which is leading to business closures and the loss of good-paying jobs,” Camardelle continued. “AWBI is committed to using the power of research and advocacy to mitigate that trend and support Black businesses in Atlanta.”

The AWBI plans to continue its efforts to address knowledge gaps surrounding affordable commercial spaces and enact policies designed to protect small business owners. The organization also hopes to help community leaders implement anti-displacement measures within private and public sectors.

Additionally, the Center for Community Progress will use the new development to foster partnerships for affordable housing, renovate unused properties, and create proposals encouraging philanthropy, policy, energy efficiency, and more fields.   

“In Atlanta and across the country, community developers are at the heart of successful revitalization,” said Kathleen J. Guillaume-Delemar, President & CEO of the Center for Community Progress. “These small-scale developers have to overcome additional hurdles created by systemic barriers in financing real estate development to build a portfolio of projects. The Center for Community Progress is committed to changing how neighborhood-scale developers of color are connected to land and opportunity to unlock their full potential.”

Brittany Griner, jersey, Baylor University, Russian, penal colony, coming home, Russia
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

April 24, 2024

Brittney Griner Recalls Feeling ‘Less Than A Human’ While In Russian Prison

Brittney Griner felt "less than a human" while in Russian custody.

Brittney Griner is officially breaking her silence on the 10 months she spent in Russian custody feeling “less than a human.”

The WNBA star sat down with Robin Roberts for a special edition of 20/20 where she recalled how “scared” she was during her Russian detainment due to the unknown of being incarcerated in a foreign country. Griner was returning to Russia on Feb. 17, 2022, to play during the WNBA off-season when she was arrested at Sheremetyevo International Airport in Khimki after authorities searching her luggage located vape cartridges with hashish oil, an illegal substance in Russia.

The two-time Olympic gold medalist said she mistakenly left the cartridges inside her luggage and had “no intention” of breaking Russian law. She went on to plead guilty to the charges on July 7, 2022.

“My life is over right here,” Griner said of her thought process during the detainment.

The U.S. agreed that Griner was “wrongfully detained” and worked for months to secure her release and safe return to the U.S. However, Griner was sentenced to nine years in Russian prison and transferred to a penal colony in the Russian region of Mordovia.

“The mattress had a huge blood stain on it. I had no soap, no toilet paper. That was the moment where I just felt less than a human,” Griner recalled.

The nine-time WNBA All-Star admitted to facing suicidal thoughts while in prison.

“I just didn’t think I could get through what I needed to get through,” she said.

After her appeal was rejected by a judge in October 2022, she was released on Dec. 8, 2022, in a prisoner exchange. Griner was swapped for convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

Griner will get more candid about her Russian detainment in her upcoming memoir Coming Home, releasing on May 7.

RELATED CONTENT:  Brittney Griner Just Months Away From Welcoming First Child With Wife, Cherelle Griner

Hartsfield Jackson International Airport, Atlanta, Georgia
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

April 24, 2024

Access Restrictions Now In Place At Atlanta Airport To Stop Homeless Influx

The airport will now limit access at all hours of the day.

Travelers to Atlanta Airport will now see new access rules in place. Restrictions into the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport went live on April 22 to curb unhoused people from seeking shelter there.

Fox 5 reported that the regulations will limit who can be inside the airport at all hours of the day. Only ticketed passengers, those meeting them, personnel, or people conducting business may be inside the premises. This is a revision to the original policy, which restricted access from 11 pm to 4:30 am.

These restrictions extend to all areas beyond its main terminals, including the SkyTrain, Rental Car Center, and parking deck. The new ordinance aims to dissuade homeless people from trying to seek shelter inside the airport.

The issue surrounding the homeless population at the airport remains a looming issue for the City of Atlanta. The city owns and operates the facility, once deemed the world’s busiest airport, bringing in 286,000 passengers daily, according to its website. At its own height, around 300 people used the travel hub to sleep, especially during the colder months.

The city council passed a resolution in December 2023 for the airport officials to enact a plan to provide alternative shelter options. The plan led to a decline in unhoused individuals flocking to the area, yet further restrictions were not able to be stopped.

Some passengers, however, are happy about the changes, with one sharing how more “comfortable” travelers may feel with the restriction.

“When you’re traveling and stuff, it’s supposed to be good service,” shared Aniya Wesley to the news outlet. “You’re not expecting to come to an airport and see a bunch of homeless people standing around, not really flying here. They’re just sitting there; it doesn’t really make people comfortable. I know I wouldn’t be comfortable.”

Despite the benefit to passengers’ experience, those who are struggling with homelessness will have one less resort to escape outside conditions. Those who try to utilize the airport anyway will be subject to arrest.

Biden, TikTok, 90 day extension,
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

April 24, 2024

Biden Signs Bill To Force TikTok To Part Ways From Chinese Parent Company Or Face National Ban

TikTok responds to Biden's "unconstitutional" new law that forces them to sell or face a national ban.

TikTok is calling out President Joe Biden’s “unconstitutional” new law that forces the social media app to part ways from its Chinese parent company ByteDance.

On Wednesday, April 24, Biden signed a few controversial measures into law, including sending billions in aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, as well as urging Chinese TikTok parent company ByteDance to sell the social media platform or face a national ban in the United States, CNBC reports.

“The path to my desk was a difficult path. It should have been easier and it should’ve gotten there sooner,” Biden said. “But in the end we did what America always does, we rose to the moment.”

The law gives ByteDance nine months, or a year, to sell TikTok if Biden invokes a 90-day extension, or face the national ban. The popular social media app released a statement in response to the law accusing it of being unconstitutional.

“This unconstitutional law is a TikTok ban, and we will challenge it in court. We believe the facts and the law are clearly on our side, and we will ultimately prevail,” the company wrote.

“The fact is, we have invested billions of dollars to keep U.S. data safe and our platform free from outside influence and manipulation. This ban would devastate seven million businesses and silence 170 million Americans. As we continue to challenge this unconstitutional ban, we will continue investing and innovating to ensure TikTok remains a space where Americans of all walks of life can safely come to share their experiences, find joy, and be inspired.”

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew followed up with a video message vowing to fight the “disappointing moment.”

“Make no mistake. This is a ban. A ban on TikTok and a ban on you and your voice,” Chew said. “Politicians may say otherwise but don’t get confused. Many who sponsored the bill, admit a Tiktok ban is their ultimate goal.”

Pointing out the irony of the new law, Chew called out the hypocrisy of the US government working to ban an app that represents the “same American values that make the United States a beacon of freedom.”

In addition to the possible TikTok ban, the new law gives $60 billion in aid for Ukraine, $26 billion for Israel, and $8 billion for security in Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific. The Biden administration also notes plans to use TikTok to reach voters amid his 2024 re-election campaign.

RELATED CONTENT: US Judge Blocks Montana From Banning TikTok Use In State

From left, Kyle Ramar as Freeman's Lion, Nichelle Lewis as Dorothy, Wayne Brady as the Wiz, Phillip Johnson Richardson as Tinman, Avery Wilson as Scarecrow, The Wiz, Broadway, Marquis Theatre, New York.
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

April 24, 2024

‘The Wiz’ Broadway Revival Lands In Top 5 Highest Grossing Shows

The revival of the 1975 musical is making some considerable strides in its debut week.

The revival of The Wiz on Broadway just opened, yet it is already proving to be a success. The show landed in the top five highest-grossing shows.

Playbill reported that The Wiz earned $1.48 million in ticket sales, earning its place in the Millions Club. As the show debuted on April 17, its rise to the top five is a considerable achievement. The show was also the fourth-most-seen performance in its debut, bringing over 12,000 people to The Marquis Theatre.

Furthermore, the show’s ability to amass such profits is partly due to its venue holding 1,600 seats. Its large capacity offsets its $117 average ticket cost, only ranked at No. 14 for most expensive. The seating capacity could lead to The Wiz dominating these rankings as its run continues.

The publication also noted that with Tony nominations looming, this box office data is putting The Wiz in a prime position to be part of this year’s awards. Nominations will be announced on April 30 as the show fights for a place in categories like Best Revival of a Musical.

The 2024 rendition of the musical also holds some new updates that are a nod to Black history. The Schele Williams-directed production incorporates multiple elements of Black culture in this modern retelling. From quilts of the Underground Railroad to the Black movement influencing the dance sequences, this take of The Wiz aims to celebrate Black artistry, history, and storytelling.

“It was really important for us to show how much we care about our heritage,” Williams told the New York Times. “We have a responsibility to consider how the art we make can influence the way we’re seen in the world.”

The Wiz currently runs on a strictly limited engagement on Broadway. The show also stars Nichelle Lewis as Dorothy, Wayne Brady as The Wiz, and Deborah Cox as Glinda.

Miami, Food, Wine, and Fete’ Luxury Soca
by Stacy Jackson

April 24, 2024

‘Food, Wine, And Fete’ Luxury Soca Experience Returns To Miami

This year's Soca fete experience will feature renowned chefs, mixologists, DJs, and Soca artists to celebrate Caribbean culture.

“Food, Wine, and Fete,” Miami’s ultimate all-inclusive Soca celebration, will return Saturday, May 18, at the Historic Virginia Key Beach Park’s Grand Pavilion.

The yearly extravaganza, which debuted in 2019, is Caribbean culture at its finest. According to a press release, the event will showcase the region’s most talented chefs, mixologists, tastemakers, culinary creatives, and some of the area’s most popular wine brands, Caribbean spirits, Soca artists, and South Florida’s lively Caribbean community.

Co-founder Vanessa James expressed her deep-rooted “passion for the Caribbean” and her desire to “spark a new generation of cultural events and experiences that elevate Caribbean creatives from all genres.” She views Food, Wine, and Fete as “a love letter to the culture.”

Food, Wine, and Fete aims to transport attendees’ senses to the islands. It offers brands an opportunity to connect with an affluent, well-traveled, and diverse community while showcasing their offerings. Guests can anticipate an interactive array of experiences, live demos, and savory pop-ups that highlight the richness of the Caribbean diaspora.

This year’s lineup boasts renowned chefs like James Beard award-winning Chef Irie, award-winning pastry chef Myriam “Chef Mimi” Charles, Barbados-born Chef Paul Griffith, “Luda Can’t Cook” series Chef Alain Lemaire, and FoodieNationTT’s Shaunn Alexander. As stated on the event’s official Instagram page, a variety of vegan options will be available. Attendees can also get their tastebuds ready for some premium scotch, vodka, beer, and tequila.

The event promises a jam-packed lineup of popular DJs and Soca artists, including Teddyson John of St. Lucia and King Bubba of Barbados, who will also throw down in the kitchen.

The Soca fete is a luxury experience for guests 21 years and older. Event coordinators encourage attendees to “wear your fabulous Caribbean chic outfits and come ready to have a time.”

Food, Wine, and Fete tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite for $135. According to the official website of Greater Miami & Miami Beach, attendees can enter for a chance to win a “dream getaway” to a Caribbean destination.

Megan Thee Stallion, Klay Thompson
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

April 24, 2024

Megan Thee Stallion Fires Back At Former Employee’s ‘Salacious’ Lawsuit Accusing Her Of Harassment

Megan Thee Stallion, through her attorney, denied the "salacious" allegations from a former cameraman who says he saw her engage in sex with another woman.

Megan Thee Stallion is firing back at a former employee’s “salacious” lawsuit accusing her of harassment and creating a hostile work environment.

The Grammy award-winning rapper had her lawyer Alex Spiro respond to the lawsuit, filed Tuesday, April 23, that accused her of mistreating a former staffer after he allegedly forced him to watch her engage in sexual activity with another woman while trapped inside a car.

“This is an employment claim for money—with no sexual harassment claim filed and with salacious accusations to attempt to embarrass her,” Spiro told Page Six. “We will deal with this in court.”

Videographer Emilio Garcia filed his legal complaint Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court accusing the “Savage” rapper of fostering a toxic workplace among other claims. Garcia claims the hostility started after the alleged incident in the vehicle when Megan ordered him to “don’t ever discuss what you saw.”

The “HISS” rapper allegedly berated, fat-shamed, and mistreated Garcia following the vehicle incident. The “harassment was so severe or pervasive” that it created a “hostile, abusive work environment” that made Garcia’s “working conditions intolerable,” the suit said.

He worked as Megan’s personal cameraman from 2018 to June 2023, when he claims he was fired after months of abuse. The vehicle incident took place during a trip to Ibiza, Spain, in June 2022 when he was inside an SUV with the rapper and three other women. He claims Megan and one of the women had sex next to him in the moving car.

“I felt uncomfortable. I was kind of frozen, and I was shocked. At kind of just be the overall audacity to do this right, right beside me,” he told NBC News.

During the trip, Garcia says Megan fat-shamed him, called him a “fat bi*ch” and told him to “spit your food out” because “you don’t need to be eating.”

“To hear someone who advocates about loving your body tell me these things,” Garcia said. “I felt degraded.”

Garcia says shortly after returning from the trip, his pay structure was changed from a monthly stipend to a pay-per-task format where he had to submit invoices despite his continued long hours. He also alleges to have received fewer bookings with Megan following the Ibiza trip.

The suit says Garcia considered quitting due to the rapper’s “possessiveness combined with a lack of appropriate pay for the amount of time asked of him.” It wasn’t until he was booked for a job in June 2023 that Roc Nation contacted him and told him “his services would no longer be required.”

Garcia says the experience left him with a loss of wages, employment benefits, physical sickness and injuries, and emotional distress. He is suing for six figures, compensation for unpaid wages with interest, employee benefits, statutory and wage penalties under California labor laws, and punitive damages for costs he incurred, including attorneys’ fees.

“What I learned throughout the years is that, especially coming from an from an office environment, is you know, there’s no HR department in the entertainment business,” Garcia said.

“So if you don’t know that you’re being done wrong, you don’t really know how to advocate for yourself until you start asking maybe you start asking your peers who have representation, they have agents, they have management, they have attorneys. So I just really just want to encourage people to advocate for themselves.”

RELATED CONTENT: Lizzo Talks ‘Quitting’ Music After Constant Internet Hate

President Joe Biden, Morehouse College, Atlanta, Morehouse Faculty, Commencement Ceremony
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

April 24, 2024

President Biden Announced As Morehouse College Commencement Speaker Amid Campus Protests

Upon the news of Biden's appointment as speaker, students and faculty began voicing their concerns due to his support of Israel.

President Joe Biden will take part in this year’s graduation festivities at Morehouse College. Biden will deliver the commencement address at the Atlanta HBCU’s ceremony on May 19.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported the news on April 22, and the White House confirmed the announcement. However, not everyone in the campus community was elated to hear the news as rumors emerged the week before. Addressing the matter, the college’s provost, Kendrick Brown, wrote to faculty about their concerns regarding Biden’s appointment as speaker.

“This week, I received an inquiry from concerned faculty about rumors they were hearing about President Biden’s selection as the 2024 Commencement speaker,” wrote Brown, who also serves as the senior vice president for academic affairs.

A letter obtained by ABC News circulated across the Morehouse community as well. It urged officials to revoke the invitation, stating that their famed alum, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., would not support the choice.

“In inviting President Biden to campus, the college affirms a cruel standard that complicity in genocide merits no sanction from the institution that produced one of the towering advocates for nonviolence of the twentieth century,” the letter states. “If the college cannot affirm this noble tradition of justice by rescinding its invitation to President Biden, then the college should reconsider its attachment to Dr. King.”

The Morehouse official intends to host a virtual forum that would allow faculty “with different prospectives” to explain their thoughts. As for students, they expect to voice their concerns with President David Thomas.

The news comes as a growing number of campuses deal with protests against the conflict in Israel and the West Bank. Columbia University students spearheaded the recent wave, leading the school’s administration to call the NYPD on protestors. Other students across the nation began to hold their own demonstrations in solidarity.

Protestors are condemning Biden’s continued support for Israel as the war in Gaza wages on. Many are also calling for their schools to specifically divest from Israeli-owned companies.

This year’s graduations also take place during an election year, and courting the Black vote is especially important to Biden for his reelection. NBC News reports that his placement at the all-men’s HBCU seeks to not only connect with young voters, but revitalize a Black electorate that has grown jaded with his administration.

Thus far, the college still plans to host Biden at its 140th commencement. However, his appearance may not come to fruition as tensions across campuses grow.

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