by Jeroslyn JoVonn

April 23, 2024

 The Blackhouse Foundation Launches Producer Fellowship For Women With Starz #TakeTheLead

The Blackhouse Foundation and Starz #TakeTheLead have a new fellowship for Black female-identifying mid-career producers.

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The Blackhouse Foundation launched a new fellowship with Starz #TakeTheLead that puts Black female producers at the forefront.

Announced on Monday, April 22, the new fellowship is aimed at amplifying female-identifying mid-career producers who work in episodic content creation, Deadline reports. The first-year participants include Sue-Ellen Chitunya, Jessica L. Funches, Moira Griffin, Dahéli Hall, and Trevite Willis.

The Blackhouse Foundation selected participants from its alumni network to take part in a rigorous three-day weekend of educational workshops, personal and professional mentorship and coaching, and meetings with key industry stakeholders.

“We’re thrilled to have found a partner in Starz that allows us to reimagine the year-long programs we’ve done in the past and streamline the experience with a smaller cohort,” The Blackhouse Foundation’s Executive Director, Jenean Glover said.

“The goal of the three-day intensive is to deliver personalized feedback and noteworthy direction, combined with the expertise of our facilitator, to prepare these candidates to enter an episodic room as non-writing or writing producers in the near future.”

As part of the fellowship, a new mentor/alumni interaction model will be implemented to support participants.

“We are excited to partner with The Blackhouse Foundation to help cultivate new talent and drive an increase in Black female producers, which is essential to our business as a network focused on women and underrepresented audiences,” Starz’s President of Original Programming, Kathryn Busby said.

“Our continued commitment to nurturing diverse voices and creating a more inclusive television landscape has resulted in industry-leading representation in front of and behind the camera and throughout our company.”

The new fellowship highlights The Blackhouse Foundation’s continued commitment to supporting Black creatives in film. It follows their curation of the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.

“We are truly excited to ignite our alumni engagement at The Blackhouse Foundation in service of Black storytellers,” Glover added. “Having served over 150 fellows, we are thrilled to announce this new, impactful program with our strategic partner, STARZ TakeTheLead.”

• Politics

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

April 23, 2024

John Legend Cites Examples Of Donald Trump Treating Black People As ‘Inferior’

John Legend believes Trump is a racist "to his core" and has treated Black people as "inferior."

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John Legend firmly believes that Donald Trump is racist “to his core” and cites examples of the former Commander-In-Chief treating Black people as “inferior.”

The EGOT award-winning singer spoke with MSNBC’s Jen Psaki on Sunday, April 21, where he unloaded on Trump for being a “racist” and highlighted past instances where he showed his alleged bigotry.

“When we protested the killing of George Floyd, he was advocating for the military to shoot us in the streets,” Legend said.

“He has made it clear throughout his life that he believes Black people are inferior. Like, he believes that, to his core, in his bones.”

Legend’s first example of Trump’s bigotry cites a 2022 reveal from former Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper about Trump inquiring about shooting Black Lives Matter protestors amid the heightened tension following the killing of George Floyd.

“The president was enraged. He thought that the protests made the country look weak, made us look weak, and ‘us’ meant him. And he wanted to do something about it,” Esper recalled.

“We reached that point in the conversation where he looked frankly at [Joint Chiefs of Staff] Gen. [Mark] Milley and said, ‘Can’t you just shoot them, just shoot them in the legs or something?’ … It was a suggestion and a formal question. And we were just all taken aback at that moment as this issue just hung very heavily in the air.”

Elsewhere in Legend’s sit down on MSNBC, he resurfaced a 1973 lawsuit where Trump’s real estate company was accused of racial discrimination in renting apartments to Black and Latino applicants. Legend used the lawsuit as another example of how Trump “believes in a genetic hierarchy of humanity, and it’s racially determined.”

FBI records include a 1974 interview with a doorman at Trump’s building in Brooklyn where he recalled being ordered to turn away prospective Black applicants.

He said a supervisor “told me that if a Black person came to 2650 Ocean Parkway and inquired about an apartment for rent, and he, that is [redacted] was not there at the time, that I should tell him that the rent was twice as much as it really was, in order that he could not afford the apartment.”

While in South Carolina in February, Trump insinuated his support from the Black community has grown amid his criminal trial.

“And a lot of people said that’s why the Black people like me, because they have been hurt so badly and discriminated against, and they actually viewed me as I’m being discriminated against,” Trump said. “It’s been pretty amazing, but possibly, maybe, there’s something there.”

He also said his mug shot helped him appeal to Black voters.

RELATED CONTENT:Trump Criticized After Making Inflammatory Comments About Black, Jewish Voters

• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

April 23, 2024

Sheetz Convenience Store Hit With Discrimination Lawsuit The Same Day As Biden’s Campaign Stop 

Well, this can't be good....

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A popular convenience store is being sued by federal officials after being accused of discriminating against minority job applicants.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed suit on April 17 — the same day President Joe Biden dropped into a western-Pennslyvania location — in Baltimore, against Sheetz Inc. and two subsidiary companies. The suit alleges the company’s hiring policy has a disproportionate impact on minority applicants and potentially violates federal civil rights law.

Sheetz Inc. allegedly discriminated against Black, Native American, and ethnic job applicants by automatically weeding out potential employees whom the company thought would fail a criminal background check. The suit was filed under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, prohibiting workplace discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion, and national origin.

While federal officials haven’t labeled Sheetz’s practices as racially motivated, they do take issue with how the chain uses criminal background checks to screen job seekers. “Federal law mandates that employment practices causing a disparate impact because of race or other protected classifications must be shown by the employer to be necessary to ensure the safe and efficient performance of the particular jobs at issue,” EEOC attorney Debra M. Lawrence said. 

“Even when such necessity is proven, the practice remains unlawful if there is an alternative practice available that is comparably effective in achieving the employer’s goals but causes less discriminatory effect.”

An investigation began after two applicants filed employment discrimination complaints. They found Black job applicants were denied employment at a rate of 14.5% compared to Native Americans, and other minority job seekers were turned away over 13% of the time. 

Less than 8% of white applicants were refused employment because of criminal background checks.

Sheetz denied the discriminatory allegations in a statement released on April 18, saying it “does not tolerate discrimination of any kind.” “Diversity and inclusion are essential parts of who we are. We take these allegations seriously,” spokesperson Nick Ruffner said, according to Fox Business. 

“We have attempted to work with the EEOC for nearly eight years to find common ground and resolve this dispute.” 

It’s not clear how many applicants were affected by the alleged practices, but the EEOC said the policies of the privately held, family-run company with more than 23,000 employees, date back to at least 2015. The agency hopes to force Sheetz to offer jobs to applicants who were denied employment unlawfully and provide back pay, retroactive seniority, and other benefits.

• Uncategorized

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

April 23, 2024

OJ Simpson’s Youngest Daughter Spotted In Florida

Sydney Simpson was seen outside of her St. Petersburg home nearly 2 weeks after her NFL Hall of Famer father died of cancer.

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There’s been a reported sighting of O.J. Simpson’s youngest daughter, Sydney Simpson, outside of her home in Florida nearly two weeks after the NFL Hall of Famer died of cancer on April 10.

According to Daily Mail, Sydney, described as reclusive, was photographed outside her residence in St. Petersburg, seen carrying a child’s car seat back to her apartment. She was wearing a grey sweater and denim jeans while walking from her vehicle. She reportedly has not been seen in public photos in nearly six years. She and her younger brother, Justin, have lived in the city since her father was found not guilty in the murder of their mother, Nicole Brown Simpson, in 1995. They moved in with O.J. after living in Los Angeles with their mother. An unknown man was also photographed walking from her car.

Sydney was seen after her father’s attorney, Malcolm LaVergne, expressed that O.J. did not die surrounded by his children and grandchildren, as announced by the family in a social media post written from the former actor’s X account. LaVergne did say that O.J. had “a close family member” by his side when he died.

Reuters reported that Simpson was cremated on April 17 in a ceremony that was a private gathering attended by friends and family at the Palm Downtown Mortuary & Cemetery in downtown Las Vegas.

Simpson was a popular NFL player who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985 after a successful career in the league. He also became an actor and had memorable roles in movies like Roots and The Towering Inferno and played a recurring role in The Naked Gun trilogy. He also had a memorable commercial as a pitchman for Hertz that showed him running through the airport.

He was most recently a commentator on the popular sports show, “It Is What It Is,” hosted by rappers Cam’ron and Ma$e.

• News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

April 23, 2024

15-Year-Old McDonald’s Employee in St. Louis Suffers Fractured Skull After Customer Attacks Her

McDonald's employee, Aryiah Lynch was dragged by her hair and had her head stomped on allegedly by Johnny Ricks

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A tragic incident left a 15-year-old girl with a fractured skull, among other injuries, after she was attacked by a 25-year-old man who assaulted her at a St. Louis McDonald’s where the teenager worked.

According to The New York Post, the young girl, Aryiah Lynch, was recovering in the hospital after the suspect, Johnny Ricks, allegedly attacked her when he dragged her by her hair and repeatedly stomped on her head after pulling her across the McDonald’s parking lot. The incident took place on April 8.

Ricks, who has a lengthy criminal history, has been charged with felony assault and property damage in the second degree. He is being held at the St. Louis County Justice Center and is expected back in court on April 25.

Lynch suffered a fractured skull, a broken nose, and damage to her frontal lobe.

KSDK has reported that Ricks is being held on a $150,000 cash only, without 10%, bond.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

April 23, 2024

‘Lavish’ Content Creator Jackie Aina Inks Deal With United Talent Agency

UTA will managed Aina in all areas as she expands her career opportunities.

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United Talent Agency (UTA) now represents Jackie Aina, a longstanding beauty and lifestyle content creator. The luxury influencer started on social media in 2009.

Variety confirmed the new deal for the internet personality on April 22. Known for her signature of “Lavishly Jackie,” the Nigerian-American woman boasts over 10 million followers through her social media accounts. Aina first became known for her makeup tutorials, and later using her voice to advocate for inclusivity in shade ranges for skin products.

Aina’s unabashed approach to make-up, and critiques of makeup brands, made her a dominant voice in the growing influencer space. The army veteran began to fighting for a societal cause bigger than her. Smokey eye tutorials were still posted, but in between she sparked greater conversations about the beauty industry’s disregard of Black women.

Aina later worked with popular makeup brands, such as Anastasia Beverly Hills and Too Faced. Her advocacy efforts led to her rise as a prominent voice toward diversity in makeup. In 2019, Too Faced’s co-founder, Jerrod Blandino, spoke to Glamour about Aina’s substantial impact on the industry.

“She’s got that light,” Blandino told the publication. “She has opened doors, windows, roofs, worlds, to people who felt marginalized, who felt like they weren’t seen, who felt like they didn’t matter, who felt like it was impossible. She showed them that not only is it possible, it’s their right.”

In recent years, Aina has shifted her platform into more elevated, lifestyle-focused content. Through her videos, she has also created an avenue for Black women to be at the center of luxury.

She also launched a business outside of the traditional beauty sphere. In 2020, Aina co-founded FORVR Mood, beginning the brand with a candle collection exclusively sold at Sephora. It has since expanded into fine fragrances, selling out shortly after its release.

Furthermore, Aina has become a trailblazer for Black women in content creation. Her honors include the inaugural Youtuber of the Year at the 49th NAACP Image Awards and Glamour’s Woman of the Year.

While still managed by Digital Brand Architects, her latest move with UTA hopes to bring even greater opportunities to Aina’s flourishing career.

• Technology

by Daniel Johnson

April 23, 2024

First Coast Community Development Inc Expands STEM Scholarship Program

First Coast Community Development Inc., has an additional incentive for those whose work focuses on HIV prevention, as well as awarding extra money to the student with the best video from each category.

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In 2023, former Marine Charlie Griffin and his daughter, Carly, started a community service-based scholarship for students in Northeast Florida who want to attend an HBCU and study in the STEM field. Initially, the pair started the fund off at $10,000 but increased the number of scholarships as well as expanded the applicant pool to include undergraduate students who are enrolled. 

As First Coast News reported, the fund is now worth $50,000, and the community service aspect of the scholarship’s requirements is something that resonates deeply with Charlie, who pays for the meals of the Jacksonville homeless community each week. Griffin told First Coast, “I think it’s important to be invested in the community that you’re going to live in,” Charlie Griffin said. “And do something that you can truly be remembered for in your community because you never know who you’re going to touch.”

The scholarship is split evenly between 25 undergraduate students and 25 graduating seniors, and Carly told First Coast that even though the students who will be receiving the scholarships aren’t too much younger than her, it sends a positive message that so many want to be a positive influence on their communities. “We want to be in a position to put others out in the community and make a difference,” Carly Griffin explained. “I’m so grateful that we can do this for another year and grateful that there are so many eager students just a bit younger than me but still have that drive to make a difference.”

According to the scholarship’s website, Charlie, the CEO of First Coast Community Development Inc., has an additional incentive for those whose work focuses on HIV prevention, as well as awarding extra money to the student with the best video from each category. “Also, our CEO, Charlie Griffin, has sweetened the deal. If your video is about PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) for HIV prevention, you’ll get an additional $250 on top of your scholarship, and an extra $500 will be awarded to the best video from both the high school and undergraduate categories.”

As FAFSA and the Education Department’s rollout of the FAFSA Simplification Act has made it difficult for students to obtain federal aid, scholarships like this one will help as students continue to wait. As CNBC reported, only about 4 million students have applied for federal aid, significantly fewer than the 17 million students who typically utilize FAFSA. Although the new version of FAFSA is expected to benefit more low-income students, the delays have forced universities to push their deadlines back to accommodate the federal government’s mishandled rollout. 

On April 10, the Education Department was grilled by members of the Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee at a hearing that discussed the disastrous rollout. Committee Chairman Burgess Owens (R-UT) did not mince words in his opening statement. “Despite our efforts, the Department of Education’s FAFSA rollout was mired in delays and dysfunction,” Owens said. “Without accountability, Department of Education’s botched implementation threatens to damage students, families, and institutions.”

• Business

by Sharelle B. McNair

April 23, 2024

Black-Owned Businesses Are Helping Expand On Raleigh’s Economic Development

Let's pack up and move to Raleigh!

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Business in North Carolina is finally bouncing back after taking a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, and that’s in large part due to the growth of Black-owned businesses in Raleigh.  

According to a report from the Office of the North Carolina Secretary of State, NC has added nearly 15,000 new businesses in 2024. The Flavor Hills Restaurant and Bar is one of almost 40 Black-owned businesses in the capital city’s downtown area and is slowly becoming a visitor favorite.

Owner Chef Morgan Teianne and her three partners opened their second location in the heart of the home of Shaw University, a local HBCU. Their packed menu includes Southern cuisine favorites, including salmon croquettes, fried green tomatoes, and catfish & grits. Starting in Jacksonville, North Carolina, Teianne said she didn’t realize how much larger the new location was until she got inside. “It was very big for us, and we didn’t realize until after we signed our lease how big it was,” Chef Teianne said.

“I really admire how many people enjoy the food.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6BbzVjuSHH/?hl=en

Open five days a week, the restaurant has already appeared in the reels of influencers and hosted events, including open mic night and Greek night for historically Black fraternities and sororities since opening in January 2024. They recently hosted Dream Hill Weekend at Flavor Hills as a tribute to J.Cole’s Dreamville Festival, which welcomed fans and celebrities to the city in early April 2024. “People are loving what we brought to the table, they were excited for us to open,” Teianne said.

Starting her culinary journey in Washington, D.C., the chef pays homage to her father and late grandmother, who inspired her to perfect the craft of Southern cuisine. She left the nation’s capital behind to bring her talents to the Tar Heel state. Making the capital city her home, she encourages other Black business owners to join her. Teianne said her company caters to all demographics and thinks others can be just as successful. “I love to support other Black businesses,” she said.

Raleigh was named the second-best-performing city in the U.S. economically in February 2024 by a report from the Milken Institute, according to Axios. A step up from third place in 2023, the city fits the criteria as a top-ranked metropolitan area that offers high wages, an overflow of job opportunities and a seemingly low cost of living, “making them economic models for the rest of the nation.”

The report reviewed over 400 metropolitan areas in the U.S. using 13 economic metrics. Cities were then divided into large metros — with more than 275,000 residents — and smaller ones. Raleigh fell into the top 20 rank for the last 12 years.

For Flavor Hills, Raleigh isn’t their last stop. Teianne is considering a third location in Charlotte, adding to approximately 3,000 new business creations in Mecklenburg County in 2024. “We wanted everyone to be able to come here to eat, laugh and drink,” she said.

• Leadership

by Stacy Jackson

April 23, 2024

African American Philanthropy Committee’s 8th Philanthropy Summit Explores Transformational Philanthropy In The Black Community

The 2024 philanthropy summit covered topics like social detriments of health, education, social integration, and more.

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The African American Philanthropy Committee (AAPC) of the Cleveland Foundation recently hosted the eighth biennial African American Philanthropy Summit on April 13, to spotlight philanthropy and the Black family.

The signature gathering aimed to bring together and inspire leaders from Northeast Ohio and countrywide who share a belief in the transformative potential of philanthropic efforts. In a press statement, Lillian Kuri, the president & CEO of the Cleveland Foundation, highlighted the AAPC’s role as “a national model for convening community members and driving conversation and greater visibility around the transformative power of Black philanthropy.” He emphasized the summit’s alignment with the foundation’s vision of a more expansive and inclusive philanthropic sector.”

This year’s summit theme, “Philanthropy and the Black Family: Elevating from Moment to Movement,” explored the multigenerational legacy of leadership and generosity within the Black community. As Constance Hill-Johnson, the Cleveland Foundation Board of Directors chairperson, stated, “Black philanthropy continues to transform our communities for the better.”

The event featured sessions with regional leaders and a keynote address by the esteemed professor and preacher Dr. Michael Eric Dyson. Dr. Airica Steed and Dale Anglin joined Dr. Baston for a panel that addressed social determinants of health and generational wealth.

The summit featured panelists who covered a range of topics across three breakout sessions.

Health is Wealth: A Holistic Look At Care

• Vickie Johnson, Chief Community Officer, Cleveland Clinic
• Dr. Charles Modlin, Vice President and Chief Health Equity Officer, Staff Urologist, MetroHealth Hospital
• Michelle Hereford​, Chief Nursing Executive, University Hospitals

Stronger Roots: Education’s Importance to Families

• Dr. Warren Morgan, Chief Executive Officer, Cleveland Metropolitan School District
• Dr. Michele Scott Taylor, Chief Program Officer, College Now Greater Cleveland
• Dr. Renee Willis, Executive Director, Martha Holden Jennings Foundation
• Me’lani Labat Joseph​, Principal, Transformative Innovations

It Takes a Village: Healing Through Community

• Dr. Mark Joseph, Leona Bevis/Marguerite Haynam Professor in Community Development, Case Western Reserve University
• Joy Johnson, Executive Director, Burten, Bell, Carr Development, Inc.
• Erika Anthony, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Cleveland VOTES

The AAPC collaborated with The City Club of Cleveland to host a pre-summit forum on April 12, delving into “the role of philanthropy in the path to prosperity” through a panel discussion with local banking executives and entrepreneurs.

Established in 1993 under the guidance of former Cleveland Foundation President & CEO Steven A. Minter, the AAPC has served as a national exemplar of community engagement. Its legacy fund supports various nonprofit organizations within the Greater Cleveland African American community.