Idris Elba, Sierra Leone, Abu Dhabi, eco city, friendly, uk Secretary of State, Africa
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 14, 2024

Idris Elba Building Wind-Powered Eco-City On Island In Sierra Leone

Idris Elba has visions of the future and is hard at work building a new "smart eco-city" on an island in Sierra Leone.

Idris Elba has visions for the future and is hard at work on a new “smart eco-city” he’s building on an island in Sierra Leone.

The British-born actor is staying true to his brand ambassador role in his father’s native Sierra Leone by creating a wind-powered city where people from around the world can come to live, work, invest, and play, CNN reports.

The development comes as part of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Elba signed with the local government in 2019 to develop an economic hub on Sierra Leone’s Sherbo Island.

The Luther star teased the development during his appearance at Investopia investment conference in Abu Dhabi. It was after a talk with his business partner Siaka Stevens seven years ago when the two started working on a project to bring in tourism to the island’s 19 miles of beachfront terrain.

Given the island’s beachy terrain, blue waters, and sea turtles, Elba decided to expand the project beyond just tourism.

“First of all, it’s a beautiful little island off the coast of Sierra Leone. It’s about the same size as Chicago, there’s about 40,000 inhabitants on it in different regions across the island,” Elba said.

“Sherbro Island used to historically be the point of no return in the slave trade,” he added. “It was where England had their capital city of Sierra Leone [when it was a colony], in a city called Bonthe, which is still there. And the relics of the city are still there: the grid system, road system, the old houses, the churches. It’s an incredibly historically rich part of Sierra Leone.”

Considering Sierra Leone’s economic state as “one of the poorest countries in the world,” investment has been scarce, Elba explained. This prompted his pivot into making the development an investment opportunity in itself.

“What we needed to do is understand how to package an investment opportunity around this beautiful island without destroying it, being climate conscious, and being conscious that there is a youth culture across Africa of the average age of about 20, that wants something,” he shared.

Working alongside a team of experts, Elba has tasked himself with developing the island to bring in new opportunities and representation for West Africa. He’s passionate about the project he sees as his “retirement plan.”

The Wire star also remains a fierce advocate in Africa’s creative arts team and is calling on the government to offer financial support to the growing industry.

“I’ve made nine films in Africa, nine or eight films. Each time I’m there, I see the opportunity’s growing, I see the quality of the work growing, and I just want to contribute more,” Elba said.

Elba signed the MoU in New York City in 2019 as part of his Sherbo Alliance Partners, which he co-founded with Stevens. His father is from Sierra Leone; Elba’s mother is of Ghanaian descent. In 2014, Elba worked with the UK Secretary of State, Justin Greening, to eradicate Ebola from West Africa.

Jenifer Lewis, Actress, St. Louis Walk Of Fame, Washington University, WashU, commencement,Simone Biies
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 14, 2024

Jenifer Lewis Had ‘The Hardest’ Time Recovering From Near-Death 10-Foot Fall In Africa

Jenifer Lewis is opening up about the near-death experience she had in Africa after falling 10 feet from a balcony.

Jenifer Lewis discussed her near-death experience in Africa, and her difficult 2023, after she fell 10 feet from a balcony in November 2022.

“I didn’t know you could be in that much pain and be alive,” Lewis, 67, told Robing Roberts earlier this week in a clip shared by Good Morning America. “I went from that high kick standing on my star at the Hollywood Walk of Fame, five months later, I was on the ground of the Serengeti and that same leg couldn’t move.”

Roberts asked if Lewis thought she was going to die.

“I did,” Lewis replied.

Lewis was gearing up for retirement after wrapping Black-ish, getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Walk, and releasing her memoir, Walking In My Joy: In These Streets.

“I was going to retire, move back home,” she said. “I had traveled around the world and life was wonderful.”

But during “a trip of a lifetime,” as described by Roberts, the original Dreamgirls cast member had her life flash before her eyes. Lewis had checked into a hotel in the Serengeti during the evening and was let inside her lavish room without a tour.

“I laid out my safari clothes and I saw the infinity pool out on my deck. So I went out, I was just taking in that I was back in the Serengeti once again,” she recalled. “And I’m walking and all of a sudden, I had fallen 10 feet into a dry ravine full of boulders and stones and sharp rocks. There was a space that was not sectioned off and there was no sign that said, ‘Caution, 10-foot. drop.'”

With no street lights, Lewis didn’t realize the harrowing danger she was near while lying on the ground in pain. A flashlight and a call for help from her friend Laurie were her saving graces from the nearby buffalo and lion.

“When Laurie ran to get help, I heard a lion roar,” Lewis shared. “My last thought, because I’m Jenifer Lewis, was ‘What a headline! The King Ate the Queen: Pieces of Jenifer Lewis’ Body Is Being Flown Back to the States.'”

Surviving the traumatic experience has left Lewis “humbled” and more appreciative of life. She took her time revealing the incident to make sure that when she shared the story she would show everyone “how I got back up.”

RELATED CONTENT: OWN To Premiere Essence Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Remote Work, Work from home, laptop, beach
by Jeffrey McKinney

March 14, 2024

Report: Americans Would Take Less Pay, Cut Vacation Time And Other Benefits To Work Where They Want

Some 75% of workers surveyed would work from anywhere if presented the opportunity., 

New data shows 50% of Americans would take a pay cut to work from wherever they want.

It’s reported that 20% of Americans would bump up their working hours, and 15% would forfeit vacation days. Both sacrifices show there is still a high demand for people wanting to perform their jobs remotely.

The findings are from a survey of 4,000 workers by FlexJobs completed in February 2024. They indicate workers are hungry for so-called work-from-anywhere-jobs. The remote work firm shared that 75% of those quizzed would accept the opportunity if their employer offered such a plan.

Largely influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, remote work has a big impact on the nation’s workforce and is still prevalent in business sectors even as return-to-office mandates grow. According to the Pew Research Center, roughly 22 million American adults work from home always. Reportedly, over one in five people in the United States will work remotely by 2025.

The FlexJobs report showed that 69% of millennials are most willing to let go of something to work from an independent location. They were followed by 59% of Gen Xers and 50% of boomers. To boot, they would hand over benefits. Some 23% would abandon professional development opportunities, 13% would forsake company-provided insurance, and 10% would desert retirement-focused company contributions.

When it comes to accepting less money, 26% of workers would take a 5% pay cut, and 24% indicated that they would concede to a reduction of 10% or 15%.

Most of those surveyed disclosed a willingness to move elsewhere if allowed to work remotely. Roughly 41% reported they would relocate to a different state if given that chance, and around 40% would move to a different city or country. Lower living costs, climate, and culture were cited as motivations for transitioning. 

At the same time, working remotely has pros and cons. Observers contend the upside includes greater flexibility, saving money, and employee satisfaction. The downside can consist of less interaction with co-workers, the possibility of more distractions, and potentially limited career growth opportunities.

Check out more discoveries on the survey here.

Black Man Fired, Lawsuit
by Daniel Johnson

March 14, 2024

Monkey Business: Black Man Fired From University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Files Lawsuit After Coworker Low-Key Race-Baited Him – Allegedly

In front of Ferguson and other co-workers, the woman held up the monkey and claimed that it was Ferguson, reportedly saying, “Look, it’s Caleb.”

Caleb Ferguson filed a federal lawsuit against his former employer, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, on March 5, stemming from an incident where an allegedly racist coworker named her knitted monkey after him. He was fired after making noise about the alleged act.

The experience of Ferguson once again throws a spotlight on the experiences of Black healthcare workers, as BLACK ENTERPRISE reported in February. Like more than half of the healthcare workers surveyed by the Commonwealth Fund and African American Research Collaborative, Ferguson experienced a form of racial discrimination while he was employed at the UMPC.

According to Ferguson’s lawsuit, in March 2023, Ferguson was working a shift at UMPC in the transport unit when he saw a coworker, a white woman in her late 50s or early 60s, knitting. He asked her what she was knitting, and she told him she was knitting a monkey. In front of Ferguson and other coworkers, the woman held up the monkey and claimed it was Ferguson, reportedly saying, “Look, it’s Caleb.”

Ferguson, the lawsuit details, was stunned by what happened, but according to Ferguson, she later doubled down.

“I felt very disrespected when my coworker made the comments. I felt even worse when she doubled down on them.”

Ferguson told the Kansas City Star, “This situation could’ve been a trap for a younger black male or even a black male my age who just was at their wit’s end. It’s 2024, and everyone needs to be a little bit more careful about the things they say.”

Ferguson told his supervisor, who the lawsuit says heard the comments from the older woman. Still, to Ferguson’s surprise, the supervisor did not support him despite him telling the supervisor that his coworker’s commentary was “humiliating” and that the term monkey was a “well-known and disgusting racial slur.”

The lawsuit says that Ferguson’s supervisor informed him that he would handle the situation, but nothing was done. Later, Ferguson was told by his supervisor that he “didn’t think she meant anything bad by it.”

A few weeks later, on April 2, Ferguson got into what was described in the lawsuit as a “heated disagreement,” which resulted in him being removed from the premises once his supervisor allegedly escalated it. A day later, he was told he had been placed on suspension, and on April 6, he was informed that he had been fired. 

Ferguson, as he told The Kansas City Star, believes that his termination was retaliation for his report of the elderly white employee. Ferguson’s lawsuit is seeking an unspecified amount in damages.

“They used that rule to fire me without a real reason so it wouldn’t look retaliatory, but I reported the incident to HR on a Friday (this was after I reported the incident to my supervisor multiple weeks prior) and was fired the following Monday.”

Rick Ross, watch, fake, Audemar
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 14, 2024

Rick Ross Responds To Watch Expert’s Accusation That Audemars Piguet Is Fake

Ricky Rozay wasn't having it!

Miami hip-hop artist and businessman Rick Ross has responded to a watch expert who called him out for allegedly owning a fake Audemars Piguet watch purportedly worth more than $3 million.

According to HipHopDX, the “Aston Martin Music” lyricist is striking back after watch expert Nico Leonard van der Host took to social media to attempt to expose the watch as a fake.

Van der Host claimed that the owner of the timepiece sent him a photo of the alleged fake watch that Ross showed in his Instagram post. He also revealed that there are only two of those watches in existence, one valued at $41 million and the other costing $37 million.

“Why are you flaunting a fake watch and saying that watch is worth $3.25 million, man? I thought you had to be an example for the youth, etc. Mate, load of balls, get your act together. This is pathetic.”

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Nico Leonard van der Horst (@nicoleonardvanderhorst)

He then posted a photograph of the watch, which he claims is real.

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Nico Leonard van der Horst (@nicoleonardvanderhorst)

The post was in response to a video released by The Robb Report showing Ross showcasing a collection of his expensive watches. Leonard van der Host refers to the Audemars Piguet watch, which Ross calls his AP watch and affectionately refers to as “green pepper.” The video displayed the watch’s worth as $3.25 million retail.

In response, Ross called van der Host a “piglet” and chastised him for alleging that a Black man can’t afford a rare timepiece.

“Oh, those emeralds are so rare. It would be so hard for a Black man to obtain such a rare timepiece. It’s a simple feat for a boss. Now, stay out of grown folks’ business, little piglet. You on Rozay d**k.”

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Watch Live Bitez (@livebitez)

He then gave a short tour of his luxury cars, teasing van der Host during the process.

RELATED CONTENT: Rick Ross Warns &’Delusional’ Folks About Voting For Donald Trump

Major League Baseball, Diversity, Black Players
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 14, 2024

Major League Baseball Is Relying On Diversity-Focused Programming To Increase The Number Of Black Players

The MLB is trying to bring in more Black American players.

A recent study by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at Central Florida revealed that in Major League Baseball (MLB), out of all of the players in the league in 2023, only 6.2% were Black. That’s the lowest percentage since the previous year when the rate of Black players on the opening day roster in 2022 was 7.2%

According to NBC News, both numbers were the lowest since they started the study in 1991 when 18% of the players in the league were Black. Out of the five major professional sports leagues (outside of the National Hockey League, where more than 90% of the players are white), including the National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Football League (NFL), and the Major League Soccer (MLS), MLB has the lowest percentage of Black athletes on its rosters.

In recent years, MLB has been trying to improve the recruitment of Black players and get them involved in the sport through its diversity-focused programming. Most of those programs are funded through USA Baseball, the sport’s governing body in the United States. Some of those programs include the DREAM Series, Breakthrough Series, the Hank Aaron Invitational, and girls’ baseball/softball events.

“We are doubling down on what we’ve done,” said Del Matthews, MLB’s vice president of baseball development, “because we are producing kids that are going to college and getting internships within the sport. We see more kids playing at the Division I college baseball ranks, and we see more kids being drafted into the minor leagues. And so we’re just flooding that through the various programs that we’ve had.”

USA Baseball pays for the amenities associated with playing baseball, such as the equipment, meals, and potential travel for showcases that would otherwise cost as much as $700 per event. Through the various programs, anywhere from 1,200 to 1,500 children benefit from participating, particularly many kids from lower-income families. Because of the different programs, they get to play in several events per year.

An annual tour of pro-style camps across the states helps select kids with potential in the sport. The tour is growing annually. When it launched in 2018, there were 12 stops, and now, 18 cities are involved. The targeted age is around 13-14, just before they enter high school.

With programs like these in place, there are signs of progress at the pro level. About 17.4% of players picked in the first round of the baseball draft between 2012 and 2021 were Black players. In 2022, that number jumped to 30% when four of the first five selections were Black players. That was the first time that took place, and all four were alums of at least one MLB diversity initiative; 20% (10) of the first 50 first-draft picks last year were Black players.

There is still a way to go to bring those numbers up. When the league recently announced rosters for its Spring Breakout exhibitions, 9.5% of the players were Black. They include 31 alums of MLB’s diversity programs.

RELATED CONTENT: ‘MLB The Show 24’ Presents Negro Leagues Collector’s Edition For PlayStation

Jackson State, HBCU, Marching band, HBCU marching band
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

March 14, 2024

Making The Band: How Tradition And Awe Go Into Making HBCU’s Biggest Attraction

What goes into making an illustrious HBCU marching band is further detailed by Prairie View's own director of bands, Timmey Zachery.

From Drum Line to Battle of the Bands, marching bands have emerged as pillars of the HBCU experience, documented through various forms of media.

Marketplace explored the history and awe behind the illustrious marching bands of various HBCUs. The Marching Storm at Prairie View A&M in Texas and Sonic Boom of the South at Mississippi’s Jackson State University are notable bands that have developed their own fanbase, many becoming believers after witnessing a halftime show for the first time.

“For every first-time viewer of [a historically Black college or university] band that I’ve gotten to speak with, I’d say 99 out of 100 of them were in absolute awe,” said Timmey Zachery, director of bands at Prairie View. “They had no idea that what we were able to do could be done.

The band culture found at HBCUs dates back to the 1940s, engaging with the crowd through their specific style and synchronized movement. These marching bands differentiate themselves from other school in this way, and also by including more popular songs of the moment to better interact with attendees.

Performers and their conductors are united in a shared mission to showcase their skills as one band and one sound. Zachery states that performing in such unity with a large group is a feat in itself,

“Being synchronized with 360 people and have them turn on a dime in 10 seconds and go a different direction together, that says something about those individuals. It says something about that institution.”

Many students with a background in music often dream of being part of these prized groups, which is part of the allure for Black scholars to attend HBCUs. Despite the small numbers and lesser funding, as only 14 bands are part of Prairie View’s conference, these marching bands are still known for their esteemed performances. They continue to display their creativity and determination even when lacking necessary resources.

“I’d like for people to use that exposure to expose the fact that we don’t have all the resources that we need in order to do this. We just make it happen,” explains Zachery. “To be in a space where not only are you recognizing our talent, but you’re supporting it, I think that would be an ideal space for us.”

RELATED CONTENT: Showstopping HBCU Marching Band Performs With Usher At Super Bowl LVIII

Detavio Samuels
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 14, 2024

Detavio Samuels Discusses ‘New Era Of Entertainment’ At Revolt

A new era is underway at Revolt.

It’s no secret that there has been a change at Revolt, but that doesn’t change the mission of the platform. The purpose of the company remains the same with an added feature that has gripped the world and is essentially the future. With the advancement of artificial intelligence, Revolt has reimagined narratives that go in a different direction that make the public think.

Revolt, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2023, is looking forward to the next version of REVOLT WORLD again taking place in Atlanta in 2024, the company is not changing its expectations of success.

Revolt CEO Detavio Samuels, who gave BLACK ENTERPRISE a look into the future of Revolt, says the company will introduce new programming, new structure, and better programming.

“What’s not changing is the vision and the mission,” Samuels says. “In other words, our purpose is still the same. We are here to shift the narrative for Black people globally by building the most powerful black storytelling engine on the planet, powered by creators, right? So that hasn’t changed.”

What Samuels describes as “the new era of entertainment” takes place where most people live and breathe—on social media.

“So what we see is important for media brands in the future is to no longer be singled lane-focused. You can’t just be a cable company. You can’t just be a tech company. You’ve got to meet these people where they are and all of the experiences that they personally choose to consume in.”

As Black History Month ended, Revolt rolled out a campaign that reimagined history, but from the Black perspective—and with the power of A.I.

“I was tired of lying and so when the agency brought me this idea around reimagining or imagining new worlds through the transformer, the power of A.I., I jumped on it,” Samuels says. “It allows us to bring new narratives to our culture, new narratives to our audience, ideas that would have cost millions to do if you went out and produced them. But we can do it in real life for free.

“If people aren’t up on it yet, it’s just basically a retelling of history in general, but from a Black perspective, with us being the ones controlling the narrative, if not the narrative, at least the historical aspects of what’s going on, who came up with the idea for that particular.”

Revolt, Samuels says, is also launching a women’s channel.

“We’ve been building our women’s audience over the last few years. We want to try to super serve them in ways that we don’t see in the marketplace. We want to find and identify entertaining content for Black women, but we also want to create a platform that enables them to lead their own revolution, champion their causes, amplify their voices.”

Along with mentioning particular projects that will delve into the history of important Black moments that the world needs to know about, Samuels wants to bring in creatives and do a “creative residency in-house” for Revolt.

RELATED CONTENT: Diddy Steps Aside As Revolt Chairman Amid Sexual Assault Allegations

stabbed, pregnant mother
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 14, 2024

Missouri Teenager Arrested After Allegedly Slamming Another Teenager’s Head Into Concrete

A Missouri teenage girl has been arrested after an altercation where she allegedly slammed another student’s head into the ground repeatedly during a fight near a local high school. The act was caught on video. The student is listed in critical condition.

According to Fox 2 Now, a fight broke out on March 8 near Hazelwood High School that involved two teenage girls in St. Louis County, Missouri. One of the combatants suffered a severe head injury and has been hospitalized. Her opponent has been arrested and is being held on assault charges, according to the St. Louis County Police Department. Both teenagers’ identities are not being revealed due to them being minors.

The detained teenager, who is 15 years old, is being held in St. Louis County Family Court.

The Hazelwood School District did release a statement about the incident:

“It is a tragedy anytime children are hurt. Bullying and fighting in the community is an issue for which we all need to take ownership and work towards a resolution for the sake of our children. The Hazelwood School District offers our sincerest condolences to everyone involved and will offer additional emotional support from our support and crisis team to those in need. We look forward to continuing to partner with our community for the sake of our children. Please be kind and respectful of the families involved during this difficult time and pledge to help work toward the betterment of our entire community.”

A video showing the altercation and brawl between the students has been posted on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

WARNING: Graphic content showing violence.

No details were released on how the fight was started.

retirement, finance, mrwealthbuilder, money
by Black Enterprise

March 14, 2024

Unlocking Retirement Success: Understanding Critical Math

If you have yet to begin the retirement planning process, today is a great day to start.

Written by Jasper Smith

Retirement is coming, and hopefully, you are planning accordingly. If you have yet to begin the retirement planning process, today is a great day to start. To help you on your journey to living a comfortable retired life, here are a couple of numbers you should remember: 80 and 219.

Let’s begin with the 80% rule. Financial planners and advisers use this rule to help frame the retirement conversation for their clients. Here’s an example of how it works.

Say your current annual salary is $75,000. The rule states that to live comfortably in retirement, you would need $60,000/year (80% of $75,000). That breaks down to $5,000/month. (Please note that taxes were not taken from these figures, so you might get a little less than $5,000/month)

Now, the question you might be thinking about is whether you can live “comfortably” with that dollar amount. There are three possible answers:

  1. 80% is a good number, and I should be able to live comfortably.
  2. 80% is too low because I may need more than that to live comfortably.
  3. 80% is too high, and I should be able to live comfortably and on less.

There is no right or wrong answer. The key is determining what kind of lifestyle you want to live in retirement. Your earnings will improve throughout life and your career, so the target may keep moving.

Next is 219. The rule of 219 is not widely discussed, but it helps answer one critical question. How much will it cost you to eat in retirement? The rule assumes the following:

  • You and a spouse/partner/significant other retire at age 65 (two people)
  • You both eat three meals/day at five dollars/meal.
  • You do this for (20) years.
  • There are 365 days in a year.

So, if we do a little multiplication, 2 x 3 x 5 x 20 x 365 = $219,000. Obviously, every meal you eat won’t be five dollars, you may not have a spouse in retirement, and you may live longer than 20 years in retirement. This rule makes many assumptions; however, it is easy to understand—the alternative is to determine your retirement number by conducting a time value of money calculation. That calculation requires a few more inputs, but it’s best to keep things as simple as possible. Simplicity is the goal of this rule. Plus, if you never had a retirement goal to shoot for, at least set the bar at $219,000. That way, you will be able to eat.

Nobody knows how much they will actually need in retirement. But, whether you use the 80% rule or the Rule of 219, at least that will help you get started or reassess and adjust your current retirement plans. Remember, retirement is coming.

RELATED CONTENT: Hardship Withdrawals From Retirement Funds Have Tripled In The Last Five Years

Jasper Smith, retirement, plans, early
Credit: Gregory Collins (Smoothpix.net)

Jasper Smith is the founder of The #BuildWealth Movement®. He’s worked in the financial services industry for over 15 years and holds a life insurance license, multiple securities licenses, and the Certified Retirement Counselor (CRC®) designation. 

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