Nearly 50% Of Black Gen Zers Have Made A Career-Related Decision From TikTok Advice
Some Black Gen Zers are depending on TikTok to make career-related decisions, seeking support on such matters as job opportunities and networking.
Seeking support on everything from career advice to job departures, some Black Gen Zers are relying on TikTok.
The trendy video-sharing platform has emerged as a forum where some people from Gen Z are making occupational and professional choices tied to suggestions from the app.
RessumeBuilder.com surveyed 1,000 U.S. adult Gen Z TikTok users who held a job in March 2024 to get a better understanding of their career decisions. Overall, 41% made a career-related decision based on TikTok advice.
Based on data supplied to BLACK ENTERPRISE, that figure was 48% for Black Gen Zers. Other findings for that group showed that 75% encounter career advice on TikTok weekly. Almost 10% report they trust TikTok more than their parents and colleagues for career advice.
Further, 14% of Black Gen Zers quit their jobs based on TikTok counsel, and 21% got a job offer from an opportunity they found there. Some 85% of Black Gen Zers have used TikTok to network. In all, 235 Black Gen Zers were quizzed.
In a news release, ResumeBuilder’s Resume and Career Strategist Julia Toothacre touched on why Gen Z may turn to the app for career help.
“TikTok provides quick and easy-to-follow advice that can be implemented immediately in many cases. However, GenZ might also do well to examine other options on the career-advice front.”
Toothacre noted, “While I think you can get great advice on TikTok, you also need to vet who you’re getting the advice from. Check LinkedIn and do a general web search for people you’re taking advice from before you act. There are a lot of people giving BAD advice on TikTok.”
Additionally, sharing information was cited as a helpful tool for Gen Z. Altogether, 80% of Gen Zers disclosed they have used TikTok for networking.
Some 59% networked via TikTok comments, 45% by direct messaging, 31% connected with creators through collaborations (such as duets), and 18% attended an event found on TikTok.
Toothacre stated, “One huge benefit of TikTok is the ability to connect with people. It’s a great place to learn about and explore different career options. However, one word of caution. Always check out potential connections on other platforms before you engage with them in any meaningful way.”
BLK Dating App Introduces Spring Break Mode To Connect Travelers Heading To Popular Destinations
BLK is changing romance for spring breakers.
The long-running dating and lifestyle app BLK has fostered connections within the Black community since its inception in 2017. Now, the innovative company has announced a new special feature specifically designed to appeal to spring breakers.
As travelers prepare for their week-long getaways, several people are looking to make the most of their experiences, which includes building meaningful connections and creating unforgettable memories. Enter BLK, which has initiated a new way of vacationing.
Through an expansive survey of its user database, BLK has pinpointed some of the most popular tourist locations for travelers this time of year, including Atlanta, Cancun, Cabo, Miami, and Jamaica. BLK has established a new Spring Break mode with this information, according to a press release shared with BLACK ENTERPRISE.
Imagine connecting with fellow travelers heading to the same Spring Break destination before your plane even touches down. With BLK’s new feature, this is now a reality. You can match with people based on their listed Spring Break vacation spot, making your journey even more exciting and connected.
BLK shared some of its findings, revealing that 54% of respondents expressed plans to travel for Spring Break and that most participants (51%) wanted to party while on vacation. Another 32% hoped to rest and relax, while 17% searched for adventure. Additionally, 79% of respondents hoped to form a romantic connection sometime during spring break. BLK is making it easier for all of these wishes to come true with its new Spring Break mode.
BLK has been the leading dating app in the Black community for years. Intended to match single Black men and women using its exclusive online network, it typically aims to successfully pair similar individuals with each other and build lasting relationships. Now, the hook-up game within the Black community has been changed for the better with this location-based methodology.
Report Reveals U.S. Corporations Dished Out More Money To Top Executives Than Paid In Federal Taxes
The report found that 46 companies paid their top five executives more than the businesses paid in federal taxes during at least two of the five years examined.
A new report shows several big U.S. companies paid their top executives more than they paid in federal taxes between 2018 and 2022.
The bombshell revelation came from an analysis by the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) and Americans for Tax Fairness (ATF). They aimed to connect the pricey compensation packages big businesses dangle before their top executives to the lower tax rate. They found that 46 companies paid their top five executives more than the businesses paid in federal taxes during at least two of the five identified years.
Out of that number, 35 corporations — including Ford Motors and Tesla — paid their highest-ranking executives more than their next tax payments over all five years. Those executives received payments totaling $9.5 billion over the five-year period, and their combined federal income taxes came in the negative, totaling $1.8 billion.
“We have these never-ending fights in Congress over our fiscal situation, one crisis after another, and one reason why we’re facing fiscal challenges is because corporations have not been paying their fair share of taxes,” Sarah Anderson, the report’s lead author and IPS’ director of the global economy project, said, according to CBS News.
Fair tax advocates like David Kass, executive director of ATF, shared similar sentiments. He blames corporate behavior for the issue of small paychecks for the working class. “Both kinds of corporate misbehavior — underpaying taxes and overpaying executives — ultimately make working families the victim through smaller paychecks and diminished public services,” Kass said.
However, business advocates have taken a stance against the narrative that companies don’t pay their fair share in taxes and Biden’s plan. Neil Bradley, Chief Policy Officer at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which spent nearly $70 million on federal lobbying in 2023, said the study comes off as someone who doesn’t know how the system works. “We haven’t seen the study, but it sounds like something was done by people with a political agenda who don’t understand how our tax system works,” Bradley said.
“Companies pay taxes on their profits after their expenses. If a company doesn’t make a profit, or if it reinvests its earnings into building a new plant or paying employees higher wages, then there are no profits after expenses on which to be taxed.”
Under Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, several corporations pay lower tax rates by taking advantage of several tax breaks and loopholes. Large, profitable companies’ average effective tax rate dropped to 9% in 2018 from 16% in 2014. However, in 2022, corporations in the U.S. had an overall effective tax rate of 22.4%. While the rate is higher than other countries, the U.S. still receives a low share of revenue from corporate taxes.
Biden’s plan, which also calls for higher taxes on Americans with a net worth over $100 million, is not likely to be passed by the GOP-controlled House. However, since IPS and ATF’s findings show tax cuts and executive pay are adding to wealth inequality, Anderson says it’s time for corporations to look past what’s legal and look at what’s fair. “It says a lot about the priorities of the companies that a handful of people at the top are getting more than all of the money that profitable corporations are paying to help fund the vital public services and infrastructure that we need for our economy to thrive,” she said.
“Just because something is legal doesn’t make it fair.”
Pioneering Black Pilot, David E. Harris, First Black Pilot Hired By Major Airline, Passes Away At 89
The former pilot was hired after serving in the Air Force in 1964.
David E. Harris, who became the first Black pilot hired at a major U.S. airline in 1964, has died at the age of 89 years old.
The Associated Press reported that Harris, who worked for 30 years at American Airlines, died on March 8 in Marietta, Georgia, according to his family. No cause of death was given.
David E. Harris, the 1st Black pilot to become Pilot Captain for a major US commercial airline, has died at 89. Through 30 yrs of dedicated service to American Airlines, the trailblazer showed Black individuals that their dreams of aviation could become a reality! ✈️ 🙏🏿 pic.twitter.com/TZXB604q5V
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom issued a statement commending Harris for making a path for others who followed in his footsteps.
“Capt. Harris opened the doors and inspired countless Black pilots to pursue their dreams to fly,” said Isom. He also stated that he would honor Harris’ legacy by continuing to offer aviation careers “for those who otherwise might not know it’s possible.”
Harris was born in 1934 in Columbus, Ohio, and earned his college degree in education after attending Ohio State University. After graduating, he enlisted in the Air Force, and while serving, he dealt with discrimination in areas surrounding bases in Florida and Texas, according to his family. He was a pilot with the Air Force for more than six years but couldn’t find work in the airline industry. Before being hired by American Airlines, his job applications were rejected or ignored.
After the Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964, he began applying for jobs with major airlines. After American Airlines hired him, he became the first Black aviator to enter commercial airline pilot training. He then became an instructor at the airline’s flight academy and helped create the Organization of Black Airline Pilots.
Although Harris retired in 1994, he kept flying in his single-engine Socata Trinidad aircraft.
He is survived by two daughters, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Man Shot With Own Gun Amidst New York City’s Heightened Subway Crime
The unidentified man is listed in critical condition after pulling out his gun against another passenger.
A week after New York Governor Kathy Hochul informed New Yorkers that the National Guard would be patrolling the subway because of rising crime numbers, a man was wounded by his own gun after an altercation in a subway car at a Brooklyn station.
According to USA Today, the wounded man was shot several times after he threatened another passenger and brandished his weapon before the other person took it from him and used it against him. The incident occurred when the train arrived at the Hoyt-Schermerhorn station in Brooklyn. A video clip of the confrontation was posted online by a passenger filming the incident.
As the two passengers were arguing, the man who was shot appeared to be the aggressor while daring the other man to fight. Other people in the subway car moved away from both men when the tension rose. When the two started fighting, some passengers tried to intervene. But the taller man continued to threaten the shorter passenger. He began yelling at his foe, and accused him of stabbing him. He reached into his jacket and pulled out the gun. The person filming the interaction ran away along other bystanders. The subway pulled into the station, and shots were heard as the subway doors opened.
New Yorkers are begging the politicians to step up and do the right thing. This video is all over the internet and my anxiety is bad from looking at this. Crack down on those who break the laws. This is horrible. Putting people’s lives at risk. The subways are not safe! Warning… pic.twitter.com/8xqdkbloLU
According to the NYPD, the unidentified man was shot multiple times, including in the head. Police officers stationed at the stop arrived quickly when they heard the gunshots, NYPD Chief of Transit Michael Kemper said at a news conference. The older man was taken to a nearby hospital, where he is listed in critical condition.
The younger man was detained by police officers on the subway platform. After an investigation, he was not charged with a crime as police officers determine whether he acted in self-defense.
According to the New York Post, Governor Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams revealed that the city is bringing in more law enforcement as they are instituting random mandatory bag checks for people using the transit system. Plans are underway to bring in 750 National Guardsmen, along with 250 state and MTA police officers, for 1,000 law enforcement officers to help the NYPD patrol “the city’s busiest transit stations.”
Journalist Linsey Davis Empowers Girls Worldwide With New Children’s Book
The ABC News anchor joined Selena Hill on The New Norm to share more about your latest venture.
Emmy award-winning journalist Linsey Davis sat down with BLACK ENTERPRISE to discuss her newly released children’s book, Girls of the World: Doing More Than Ever Before, which tells a story of empowerment for young girls everywhere.
A New York Times bestselling author, Davis has already written five books, all designed to inspire children to think big or understand our differences and similarities. However, with this latest venture, she has branched into slightly different territory, aiming to teach girls that they are capable of anything and everything.
She expressed the need for girls to be encouraged and reminded of their capabilities rather than ignored, especially in a world that doesn’t always give them credit where it’s due.
“As you said, words like ‘brave’ and ‘strong’ are not always associated with girls, and I think that’s problematic,” said Davis. “I think it’s really important early on to spread those seeds, plant those seeds for girls to be empowered, for girls to be affirmed, for girls to be self-assured.”
In her career, Davis has not only talked about the power that women possess. She is a living example. As ABC News’ live anchor, Davis has facilitated conversations with people from all walks of life, including Vice President Kamala Harris. She cites her faith, strong support system, and unwavering motivation as the reasons for her success, inspiring others to believe in their potential.
“I always joke that I was either smart enough or silly enough to believe them [my parents] when they said, ‘You know you can do whatever you want to do…,’” said Davis. “I really did put stock in that, and so, as a result, I never felt limited. I never felt diminished. I always really felt empowered by my parents and, in that, I’ve always thought about that in terms of the types of messages I want to put out into the world.”
From Court To Screen: Prime Video To Premiere Allen Iverson Documentary, Produced By Fellow NBA Icons Shaquille O’Neal And Stephen Curry
'I’m ready to tell my story my way, authentic and unapologetically. I look forward to people seeing a side of me they haven’t seen before,' Iverson stated.
A documentary about Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen “The Answer” Iverson will be shown exclusively on Prime Video.
Prime Video has announced that the feature-length documentary featuring Iverson is being produced by NBA Hall of Famer and businessman Shaquille O’Neal and current NBA player, Golden State Warrior Stephen Curry, through their respective production companies, Jersey Legends andUnanimous Media.
“I’m ready to tell my story my way, authentic and unapologetically. I look forward to people seeing a side of me they haven’t seen before,” said Iverson in a written statement.
The documentary will tell the story of “The Answer” from his beginnings in Hampton, Virginia, through his rise to the NBA, where he revolutionized the culture of the league.
“Allen was a pioneer in the world of sports and entertainment,” said O’Neal, who, with Iverson, heads Reebok Basketball as president and vice president. “His cultural impact was bigger than basketball and this documentary sets out to properly define his legacy.”
Future NBA Hall of Famer Curry said he was excited about being involved with the upcoming film.
“We’re excited to join forces with Prime Video, Shaquille O’Neal, and Jersey Legends to tell the incredible story of Allen Iverson, a revolutionary figure with deep influence on and off the court,” said Curry and his partner, Erick Peyton of Unanimous Media. “This project provides us the opportunity to pull back the curtains on Iverson’s storied career, legacy, and impact through meaningful storytelling that will appeal to audiences worldwide.”
The spotlight will be on Iverson on April 12 in Philadelphia next month when the 76ers unveil a sculpture of the player. The team will honor one of its most famous players at a ceremony at Penn Medicine Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex.
The sculpture of Iverson will stand next to other 76ers legends. Charles Barkley, Wilt Chamberlain, Maurice Cheeks, Billy Cunningham, Julius Erving, Hal Greer, Bobby Jones, Moses Malone, and Dolph Schayes will have company along the 76ers Legends Walk.
The 2001 NBA MVP took the 76ers to an NBA Finals in the same year he took home the MVP award. He lost to the dynamic duo of Kobe Bryant and O’Neal and the Los Angeles Lakers, who were nearly undefeated when taking the NBA championship that year. Their only loss was attributed to Iverson and the 76ers when they won the first game of the series before the Lakers won four straight games. During his career with the franchise, he averaged 27.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 2.3 steals in 41.4 minutes per game.
Baltimore Ravens Part Ways With Odell Beckham Jr., Making Him An Unrestricted Free Agent
There could be a possible return, according to Ravens General Manager Eric DeCosta.
The Baltimore Ravens have announced that former New York Giants player Odell Beckham Jr. has been released from the team, making him an unrestricted free agent.
There is still a possibility that Beckham will wear the uniform again based on what Ravens General Manager Eric DeCosta said recently at the NFL Combine, a “four-day, invitation-only event that allows NFL scouts to evaluate” the top draft-eligible college players.
“Odell’s a great, great guy. I love Odell,” DeCosta said. “He’s become a great friend of mine and a friend to the Ravens, and I think we’ll just kind of assess and see what happens over the next couple of weeks.”
The wide receiver didn’t have a breakout season, as injuries prevented that, but he did catch 35 passes for 565 yards and three touchdowns last season, finishing second on the team in receiving. SB Nation reported that he played in 14 regular-season games, starting six of them, while averaging a career-high 16.1 yards per catch.
Beckham was signed to a one-year contract during the offseason for a reported $15 million deal.
CBS Sports reported that this was Beckham’s first year back after missing the 2022 season after tearing his ACL while playing in Super Bowl LVI when he was a member of the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams won the Super Bowl in the only year Beckham took the field for the team in 2021.
After being drafted with the 12th overall pick in 2014 by the New York Giants, he won the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award. He then left the franchise in 2018 when he went to play with the Cleveland Browns from 2019 to 2021.
The 31-year-old wide receiver has 566 catches for 7,932 receiving yards and 59 touchdowns in his career. He has also made the Pro Bowl three times and is a two-time Second Team All-Pro.
Analysis: Asset Managers Scale Back Support For Racial Equity Policies In Corporate Boards
Eighteen of the largest asset managers have U.S. clients’ assets surpassing $33 trillion.
A majority of the nation’s largest asset managers seem to be hesitant to support racial equity plans in corporate boardrooms.
According to Equity in the Boardroom: 2023 Proxy Season by the nonprofit Majority Action, 14 out of 18 asset managers retreated from backing racial equity audit proposals last year compared to 2022.
The fresh 60-page report examined how the 18 largest asset managers voted on key racial-equity related issues last year. The report indicated those firms have U.S. clients’ assets exceeding $33 trillion. They are responsible for overseeing investments owned by tens of millions of U.S. workers. That includes 401(k) plans representing the biggest investments for most people outside of their homes. All the asset managers are listed in the report.
The analysis surmised that asset managers’ stagnation on racial equity issues is important, as the brunt of harmful corporate behavior is impacting scores of people, including individuals from communities of color.
“Against current political headwinds, asset managers must rise to the occasion and use their proxy voting power to address systemic racism – consistent with their fiduciary duty to minimize risk, protect the value of client assets, and fortify long-term investment returns,” according to the report.
Further, systemic racial disparities cost the nation’s economy over $1 trillion annually, lessening returns across portfolios for diversified investors. It was noted that corporate practices often reinforce these disparities, varying from the likes of unsafe workplaces, financial bias, and harmful products.
“Once again, we see large asset managers shirking their responsibility to create long-term value for investors in favor of their short-term institutional self-interest,” Eli Kasargod-Staub, executive director of Majority Action, stated comments in a news release.
He added, “Despite the huge cost of racial inequity to our economy and the untold opportunities for companies who meaningfully seek to operate with a racial justice lens, asset managers and the corporate boards they rubber stamp year after year would sooner maintain policies driving systemic racial inequalities that have been integral to our financial system for centuries.”
The report is extensive, covering everything from racial equity audits to racial and ethnic board diversity topics. It includes recommendations for asset managers and other players in the investment ecosystem to ensure that corporations use people’s investments to perpetuate racial equity.
Here are some of the report’s top discoveries:
Investors have pulled back on supporting racial equity audit proposals. If done properly, those audits are a valuable tool for identifying and problem-solving racial inequities that hurt a company’s operational, strategic, and financial success and effectiveness, says Divya Sundar, director of research at Majority Action. She pointed out that average support for those proposals rose from 33% in 2021 to 44% in 2022, but declined to 21% in 2023.
Four of the largest asset managers – BlackRock, Vanguard, Fidelity, and State Street – ranked at the bottom on all five racial equity-related proxy voting categories. Sundar explained what’s notable is the massive backsliding by BlackRock and State Street. For instance, she said, BlackRock went from supporting over half of all racial equity audit proposals in 2022 to none in 2023. And State Street’s support for such proposals fell by 32 percentage points.
Asset managers have a low standard for racial and ethnic board representation and do not hold boards accountable for board diversity failures. Sundar shared, “The Big Four asset managers have shown that if they really put their mind to it, they can drive substantial changes in board diversification. They were instrumental in using director votes to get companies to appoint women directors to boards. They could do the same for racial and ethnic diversity, but they are not.”
Simultaneously, this BLACK ENTERPRISEreport showed that as the number of Black directors has risen in recent years, the advancement has been decelerating.
A report from the 2023 KPMG Board Leadership Center and the African American Directors Forum revealed that immediately following the murder of George Floyd in May 2020, significantly more Blacks were appointed to corporate boards of Fortune 1,000 companies. Per that analysis, 76% of Fortune 1,000 companies as of September 2022 had at least one Black director on their boards, versus 61% by late 2020. However, 40% of Black directors joined Fortune 1,000 boards after June 1, 2020, 28% joined between September 2020 and September 2021, and only 9% joined between September 2021 and September 2022. The findings show a striking drop in the percentage of new appointments.
So, with the Majority Action report, what is possibly causing the regression? Companies and asset managers ceasing the urgency to make commitments that they promised after the murder of George Floyd, though racial inequity in America keeps rising.
Sundar added Republicans’ attack on DEI and ESG issues has had a chilling effect on asset managers’ willingness to hold companies accountable for social inequity.
The Majority Action report offered some recommendations for asset managers and investors, asset owners, proxy advisors, policymakers, and regulators to improve how they vote on racial equity-related proposals.
Overall, the nonprofit concluded that asset managers should adopt a racial equity lens toward proxy voting and hold companies accountable when they fall short on racial equity issues.
During his March 14 visit to a historic mansion in the city of Saginaw, known for selecting the statewide winner in every election since 1992, Biden was seen on the porch with his back facing reporters but could be heard asking, “Can I take a couple questions?” After a woman in a Biden-Harris jacket said, “We’re going to take a few questions,” members of his staff raised their arms, walked toward the crowd, and said, “Thank you, press, back to the cars,” repeatedly.
While on his second stop at Pleasant View, a public golf course, reporters were banned from entry. The president also allegedly ignored a question about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on his way in. But once inside, he met with the executive director of the Saginaw County Community Action Center, Hurley Coleman III, and his 13-year-old son.
Campaign officials defended the president, saying the oversight wasn’t intentional and that reporters were not able to hear the president’s remarks because of a logistical issue.
Other members of the community were also hoping to have some questions answered. Members of Saginaw’s Arab American and Muslim communities are disappointed Biden has yet to meet with them after visiting the state twice in 2024. With rising protests on Israel’s military action in Gaza, supporters feel they are owed an explanation.
“I voted for Biden; I had a Biden sign in my front yard, actually. And I am now the co-chair of the Abandon Biden campaign,” Khalid Turaani said, according to NBC News.
“I think Joe Biden’s total failure to address the humanitarian crisis, the genocide that is going on in Gaza, is really a war crime. I mean, it really is a war crime. In a perfect world, I think Joe Biden will be among Benjamin Netanyahu in The Hague.”
Protests from the “Abandon Biden” movement took place in Saginaw during Biden’s visit. During a press conference at the town’s center, the group pressured Biden to support a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war. Some organizers think too much violence has already occurred under his leadership and don’t know if they will support him in the November election.
Michigan had been a stable blue state since the 1990s, but it shifted in 2016 when former President Donald Trump became the first GOP candidate to win the state since 1988.
Biden won the state in 2020 by a comfortable margin, but that could change. A new poll from Quinnipiac University shows Trump leading President Biden by three points (48% to 45%) in Michigan. The poll, conducted days after Biden’s State of the Union address, found support for the former president grew five points when Michigan respondents were asked about a hypothetical race with five candidates, including Independent candidates Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Cornel West and Green Party candidate Jill Stein.
