Annual ColorComm Conference Gathers More Than 400 Women Professionals
For the first time, ColorComm, Inc. is hosting its conference in Los Angeles, gathering nearly 400 women for the intimate retreat.
The ColorComm Conference (C2), a major retreat for multicultural women in communications, has gathered over 400 executive leaders at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, C2’s first time in the city. The event started July 24 and ends July 26.
This conference, now in its ninth year, offers an intimate platform for addressing diversity and inclusion in marketing, advertising, and media sectors. The retreat’s theme this year, “Reaching for More,” encourages attendees to pursue career advancement, a press release stated.
“Now more than ever, ColorComm’s Conference has become vital to making significant economic and community impact in our industry,” said C2 Founder and CEO, Lauren Wesley Wilson.
ColorComm, Inc.’s three-day business retreat started with afternoon sessions on July 24, followed by the ColorComm Circle Awards, hosted by Star Jones (formerly of The View). This year’s agenda at the conference includes diverse programming aimed at education, entertainment, and networking.
“With innovative programs presented by the industry’s top practitioners and thought leaders, this conference provides a safe place to address relevant issues from like-minded women,” the retreat’s website states. This approach, say organizers, sets the ColorComm conference apart from larger industry events. The platform further described its event as “the ultimate business conference and retreat for women of color in communications.”
The 2024 retreat culminates July 26 with a Signature Luncheon featuring award-winning filmmaker Tonya Lewis Lee as keynote speaker. Other notable speakers include OWN President Tina Perry, Washington Post Chief Communications Officer Kathy Baird, media personality Bevy Smith, and bestselling author Minda Harts.
ColorComm’s conference has garnered support from major sponsors such as AARP, JPMorgan Chase, Comcast, Victoria’s Secret, and NBC Universal.
Find more information about the ColorComm Conference online. Registered attendees have access to all sessions, workshops, receptions, meals, and signature events.
DoorDash Driver Warns Fellow Food Deliverers Of ‘Single Sauce Packet’ Order Scam
DoorDasher Lemon Reccord advises other food delivery people how to avoid getting scammed.
A suspicious and quick-thinking DoorDash driver took to hisTikTok account to warn fellow food delivery drivers of a scam they may not be aware of.
According to Daily Dot, Lemon Reccord, who goes by the user name, @favoritelifecoach on the social media platform, advised fellow delivery drivers of a scheme that scammers use to try to obtain personal financial information from the intended targets. In the video clip, he warns drivers of orders being received through DoorDash where an order for a single sauce packet is purchased.
“Look y’all, another scam that’s going on right now,” he says in the posted video. “So I get a order for Taco Bell for a pack of sauce, one pack of sauce. No food. No drink. No nothing.”
He said he then received a phone call allegedly from someone through DoorDash, who told him he was a detective with the Houston Police Department and that the order placed was done fraudulently.
“He’s saying that the order was placed fraudulently on the card that wasn’t there. He was like, ‘Can you pull over? Let’s do a three-step verification process.’”
Reccord says that the “detective” asked for his credit card information, including the security code and expiration date linked to his DoorDash account so they could “credit” his account. But his suspicions that it was a scam were confirmed when he contacted DoorDash “and they flagged the whole account.”
So he ended the video clip by warning other delivery freelancers.
“So y’all be careful, be mindful, share this with people that DoorDash if you get a call about a detective—it’s fraud. It is fraud. Don’t deliver.”
A poll showed Harris was on the right track to beat Trump among Black voters compared to Biden, even before she was selected as a nominee. One voter from Boston admitted that he was reluctant to vote for Biden in 2020, but after his disastrous performance in the June 2024 debate against Trump, Jason Amos decided to leave the Biden train.
“It just became very clear to me that this is not a tenable solution for taking on Trump,” Amos told NBC News. “I felt like this was really the only clear way forward.”
Amos said he was glad to see Biden pass the torch, so to speak. Thomishia Booker shared similar hope for her Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority sister but still isn’t all the way sold. The 39-year-old children’s book author is still concerned on where Harris stands on specific issues.
“It definitely feels like a better choice, but that doesn’t mean it’s a perfect choice,” Booker said. “I wonder what her thoughts and views, and perspectives on Palestine and other issues are. She’s been the right hand to the president, so we need to hear where she is and make sure we’re holding her accountable.”
Biden’s handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict played a massive role in a decrease in Black voter support. Rising inflation was also listed as a reason for concern. Black voters threatened to shift their support toward other alternatives, like independent candidates.
A poll from AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research revealed that only 3 in 10 Americans feel skepticism about Harris being in the Oval Office. However, nearly 6 in 10 Democrats believe Harris would succeed as president.
Younger voters are excited about Harris’s appointment, highlighting her background as an HBCU student and her age.
“I wasn’t super excited about Biden, and this could be a fresh slate. Since she’s younger than Biden, I think she can relate more to younger generations, as well as older generations,” Macayla Jones, 24, told NBC News. “I’ve seen Kamala interact with influencers I follow on social media and being featured on podcasts. I’m not saying you need that to be president, but I think that she maybe has a better grasp of what my generation might want policywise.”
BlackPAC’s executive director, Adrianne Shropshire, feels the lack of support stemmed from a lack of information and hope, but Harris’s candidacy feels inspirational.
“Folks are starting to tune in now more to the election overall. Folks are starting to learn more about the accomplishments of the Biden-Harris administration,” Shropshire said. “People feel like, ‘OK, we have something aspirational.’ There’s something we can hold on to. We know we’re going to vote against Donald Trump, and this is something we can really grab onto.”
Jalen Hurts Donates $200K To Philadelphia Schools For Air Conditioning Units
“Philadelphia has given me so much, and I'm excited to give back to the community in a way that supports our future leaders."
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts recently donated $200,000 to schools in Philadelphia to equip them with air conditioning units, according to NBC Philadelphia.
The money will be used to add more than 300 air conditioning units in 10 schools across the School District of Philadelphia. The schools benefitting from the quarterback’s donations are Clara Barton, Gloria Casarez, Castor Gardens, D. Newlin Fell, Thomas Finletter, Fitler Academics Plus, Benjamin Franklin/Science Leadership Academy, Edward Gideon, Abram Jenks, and T. Roosevelt.
“I believe every child deserves a comfortable space to learn and grow,” Hurts said. “Philadelphia has given me so much, and I’m excited to give back to the community in a way that supports our future leaders. Ensuring our schools are equipped with essential resources like air conditioning is one step toward helping our students achieve their very best.”
The Philly Voice reported that has been a long-standing issue that the schools in the district needed units. A five-year strategic plan released last year confirmed that more than 100 schools require AC installations or upgrades.
“We are incredibly grateful to Jalen Hurts for his generosity and commitment to our schools, our students, and our employees,” said Tony B. Watlington, Sr. Ed.D., Superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia. “This contribution not only enhances the physical infrastructure of our schools but also demonstrates a meaningful investment in our student’s well-being and academic success. As temperatures continue rising in Philadelphia, we know air conditioning can significantly influence the learning experience.”
This good news for the Philadelphia students comes a year after Hurts inked a $255M five-year contract extension, of which $179.3 million will be guaranteed. That signing made him the highest-paid NFL player. The quarterback’s annual salary is $51 million. He is also the first player in Eagles history to have a no-trade clause contract.
Great for a player who was the No. 53 pick in the 2020 NFL draft.
(Photos from left: Public Domain; John Mathew Smith & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
MLB Hank Aaron Invitational: A Showcase and Classroom for Nation’s Best High School Baseball Players
'The goal, honestly, is to get them to college, so they have the opportunity to play baseball in college or at least to build a career around baseball.'
The Hank Aaron Invitational will bring together around 250 high school baseball players (ages 13–18) nationwide to receive elite-level training from former Major League Baseball (MLB) players and coaches.
According to an MLB press release, the annual amateur development event serves as a youth-oriented, on-field diversity initiative that works to get high school-aged baseball players with diverse backgrounds to the next level of the game.
The Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach, Florida, will host the event, which runs from July 23 to August 3. The last day features a showcase game at Truist Park.
The invitational is named after Hank Aaron, who played 23 seasons for the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers. Aaron was the 1957 National League MVP and World Series champion and broke Babe Ruth’s career home run record of 714 in 1974. Aaron was also an entrepreneur, prominent civil rights figure, and an advocate of Black Americans taking the COVID-19 vaccine.
In addition to the training, attendees will also presentations on college eligibility and other information necessary for advancement in the collegiate and professional levels of the sport.
“The goal, honestly, is to get them to college, so they have the opportunity to play baseball in college or at least to build a career around baseball,” Atlanta Braves Senior Director of Community Affairs Danielle BeDasse said in a 2022 statement. “This (invitational) was (Aaron’s) dream realized, and he worked for a long time to make sure there was more minority access to the league—not only on the field but in the front office.”
The top 44 players from the invitational’s second week were also invited to participate in a special showcase game at Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves, as part of an extensive “Hank Aaron Week” hosted by the Braves. Hank Aaron Week will include a variety of diversity and culture-focused initiatives, including business networking, education, and social justice.
Players for the invitational were selected through a combination of several MLB programs, including the MLB Youth Academy network, Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) program, and USA Baseball.
White Man Calls VP Kamala Harris A Sex Slur, Here’s What To Know About “Hawk Tuah”
He's just being a hater...
A white Fox Business analyst is under fire after referring to Vice President Kamala Harris as the “original Hawk Tuah girl,” alluding to her giving sexual favors to advance her political career.
“Then there’s the DEI press secretary telling you that the DEI Vice President is the future of the party here. And so the future looks kind of dim for the Democrats here,” Lace said. “But this is no shocker either. Kamala Harris, she’s the ‘original Hawk Tauh’ girl; that’s the way she got to where she is, and the party’s going downhill if it’s in her hands.”
“That was harsh.” Fox Business guest Alec Lace makes disgusting sex slur about Kamala Harris. pic.twitter.com/2ppg9kOA5c
One analyst sitting next to Lace responded, “That was tough, that was harsh.”
Welch became an overnight sensation for coining the term during an internet interview when she was asked what is something a woman can do in bed to make a man go crazy. “Ahh, you gotta give that ‘hawk tuah’ and spit on that thang,” she told the interviewer in early 2024. The term is used to describe a person spitting on a man’s private part during oral sex.
Lace is catching heat for words. Some social media fans are calling for him to be fired, while others point out that he is a “weak man” who is intimidated by strong women.
Host of the Hold The Mic and The Shead Show, Ryan Shead, called him a “piece of garbage.” “It’s always the fat loser white men who have something disgusting to say about VP Kamala Harris,” he said.
However, Lace doesn’t seem to be bothered by the blowback. He told TMZ that he isn’t worried about “saying the quiet part out loud. Kamala Harris and the Biden administration are destroying our country. The last thing I’m worried about is saying the quiet part out loud about how Kamala got where she is today,” he said. “I’m more concerned with how the MSM has radicalized people with their dangerous rhetoric about President Donald Trump, which almost got him killed.”
In the days since Harris became the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, a host of GOP leaders and supporters have made openly sexist and racist comments about her. Leading Republican lawmaker and House Speaker Mike Johnson has since warned party members against making the remarks as he wants personal feelings to stay out of this election.
“This election will be about policies and not personalities,” Johnson said. “This is not personal with regard to Kamala Harris, and her ethnicity or her gender has nothing to do with this whatsoever.”
Photo by Roxanne Minnish: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-in-white-crew-neck-t-shirt-sitting-on-chair-while-holding-white-pen-4514038/
Going back to school to invest in yourself is always worthwhile. Here's how one person makes it work.
Originally Published Jul. 5, 2015.
T. Cleo Austin says she realized at an early age that the best way to achieve her financial goals was to be her own boss, like her childhood idol Dominique Deveraux, a character on the 1980s television show Dallas.
Austin was also inspired by Oprah Winfrey’s multi-tiered empire and decided to enhance her education so that she could create an empire of her own in the health and wellness space. “I often refer to myself as an Oprah-ite,” she says. With her business plan, Austin has laid out a strategy that will generate multiple streams of income: private practice, writing, speaking engagements, and product sales.
The 49-year-old’s move into the health and wellness space comes after years spent in the corporate and entertainment worlds. She held management positions at high-end hotels and luxury automobile companies. She freelanced as a wardrobe stylist, prop designer, and tour publicist for the BET Presents the Biggest Hip Hop Tour in 95, featuring headliners Jodeci and Mary J. Blige. In addition, Austin started a hip-hop club in South Florida, called Undaground Compound, which lasted for two years.
She says that she knew that each stop on her journey was temporary as she searched for her true passion. In 2009, while working at Allianz Global Investors, a colleague noticed Austin’s interest in metaphysical books and suggested she explore acupuncture. In June of 2010, Austin applied to the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine (PCOM), in New York, and the following year began a four-year program which she will complete this December. At PCOM, Austin will earn an associates degree in massage therapy, a bachelor of science, and masters of science in acupuncture.
“I wanted to do something that better reflected my philosophy in life and work in a field that I felt passionate about,” says Austin.
She is currently a full-time student, carrying six classes a semester and one clinic shift. Austin says the total immersion that her studies require leaves no room for a paying job, despite tuition costs, which she says are between $27,000 and $36,000 a year, depending on the number of classes and clinic shifts she has.
“On top of that, there is the additional $27,000 per year in living expenses, books, and tutoring costs,” she says. Upon graduation, she expects the total cost for this advance training will be $100,000.
Austin has been financing her education through student loans, and paying her living expenses with personal savings she accumulated during her career. “I was able to live four years without working and without assistance, except for student loans, says Austin. “I am not paying on my loans while enrolled full-time in school. After graduation, my plans are to pay back loans from income received for working as an acupuncturist and massage therapist.
Paying it Back, Paying it Forward
Upon graduation, Austin intends to work in a rehabilitation center part-time, three days a week, spending the other two work days building her own private practice. She expects to earn $3,500 to $5,000 monthly in her first year.
“The numbers are based on an in-class business plan project at PCOM. They’re based on crunching numbers of real-time data related to the industry of acupuncture and other complementary and alternative health services. Health insurance [from my clients] covers rehab work, so I’m guaranteed a small salary to supplement my income while building my private practice. My expectations are conservative for the first two to three years.”
“As a part of being an intern in the clinic, I am beginning to gain a following of regulars. I also assist in workshops and externship opportunities provided by my school, where I meet hundreds of new potential patients each year. I use all of the opportunities to build rapport and, possibly, have the people I treat as a student follow me after graduation and become my patients.”
Private practice, however, is only part of Austin’s plan. She wants to offer her medical services abroad, specifically in Arusha, Tanzania. She participated in a volunteer trip through the non-profit group, and paid the $3,500 for the trip out of savings. That trip made such an impact, that she has embedded a non-profit/for-profit endeavor in Tanzania, into her post-graduate business plan.
“Under the African Integrative Medicine umbrella I am creating a fundraising event called the EAST Africa Music Festival, that will act as one of the funds generating activities to support my initiatives with A.I.M, which include things like medical mobile clinics.”
Austin is partnering with school colleagues and friends in Tanzania. “I’m not at liberty to discuss the specifics yet, it’s a huge team effort, but a commission for my services has been worked out that I am comfortable with, she says.
“With the aspirations that I have, I will expect to earn closer to $7,500 to $10,000 a month in combined employment in the future.”
Austin has it all mapped out “according to the strict business model that I have learned at school. Saving room for no excuses—age, debt, time commitment—Austin has made it a priority to take steps to maximize her income potential through education in her mid-forties.
The combination of Austin’s professional experience, current training, and entrepreneurship drive is how she can strategically make a plan to generate and sustain a business plan. She suggests:
Do the homework in self analysis
Make an honest assessment of your strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes about being your own boss. Ask yourself if you have leadership qualities, and are confident enough to build a practice from scratch. You may decide it’s best to be a part of a group practice or work for an institution. Do your best to objectively answer these questions, as it is necessary to know where you are starting from before you can chart a career plan.
Plan for continuing education
“As in the case of the medical field, new advancements happen daily,” Austin says. “To keep my future practice relevant I must make it a part of my business plan to regularly update my credentials. At the low end, I plan to spend $3000 per year on continued education; high end upwards to $15K when I have to do study abroad.”
Fit your social objectives into our business and life plan
“As it is in my case, I have a deep desire to continue my contribution efforts in Tanzania,” Austin says. “So I’ve made it a part of my business plan to develop various initiatives that will have a lasting impact in that community. When embarking on an entrepreneurial venture, it should be something that you are passionate about.”
FairyGodMentor®: Is It OK To Follow Your Team On Social Media?
Reader’s Question:
Dear FairyGodMentor,
I read your article on how to transition from team member to team manager. I have a follow-up question. Should I “unfriend” the team on social media now that I’m their manager?
Having the responsibility of being a manager to your peers can be a very challenging landscape to navigate. It’s a fine line to dance when folks who were your colleagues a while ago are looking to you in a leadership capacity.
Professional boundaries are something to keep in mind as you take on a new team.
Building trust takes time. Trust can also be broken in seconds.
A great best practice to start doing as a new manager is to have regular one-on-one conversations with your team members. By having these discussions, you will be laying the foundation to build trust and a solid business relationship.
With that thought in mind, you may want to add a talking point to your one-on-one discussions about communication and how you’d like to communicate with each other moving forward.
Being connected to a co-worker on social media as a friend is a different dynamic when you’re now their manager. Don’t dance around the subject of your social media connections. Ask your direct report if they feel comfortable staying connected to you, given the recent role change. If they wish to not be followed anymore — be respectful of their choice.
Remember, it’s not just about your team’s privacy, but it’s also about your own. I recall adjusting my privacy settings on my social media accounts because I was connected to upper levels of leadership.
Check yourself before you wreck yourself. You also want to double-check your company’s policies on social media interactions with management and direct reports. The last thing you want to do is start your new leadership position off with a policy infraction.
Communication is key. Ask your former peers how they feel about staying connected to you and take the next steps accordingly. The last thing you want to do is ignore things and not acknowledge your team’s boundaries.
You got this!
Sincerely,
Your FairyGodMentor®
(Image courtesy of Kirsten White Photography)
Joyel Crawford is an award-winning career and leadership development professional and the founder of Crawford Leadership Strategies, a consultancy that develops empowered, results-driven leaders through engaging leadership development coaching, training, and facilitation.
Have a question about handling a micromanager, are you having difficulty navigating spaces because of your hair, is work stressing you out, do you need support coaching poor performance or are you wondering how to negotiate and get the job offer you desire effectively? Do you have any questions about career and leadership development?
Stop And Consider The Risks Before Posting Your Child’s Back-To-School Photo
Originally Published Sep. 25, 2023.
You might want to think twice about posting a back-to-school picture of your child online.
Parents might unknowingly be putting their children at risk by following the social media trend. Online safety experts say these innocent pictures can be used maliciously by scammers and predators, HuffPost reported.
The back-to-school post trend sometimes includes images with details like the name of a school, a teacher’s name, a child’s birthday, and more. If you don’t want someone showing up to your child’s school unannounced, you might want to hold back on sharing these details. The Director of Privacy Innovation at Norton, Iskander Sanchez-Rola, warned that “anyone can know where your child is a majority of the day, Monday through Friday.” That’s a scary thought for any parent.
The director told HuffPost, “Scammers can also easily identify a child by searching their full name or reverse image searching a photo of their face shared online.” The director added, “If your child is old enough to have social media like Facebook or Instagram, cybercriminals can use their name and image to find their account and directly contact them.”
Google’s Help page explains that a reverse image search works like searching for a word or phrase. The page explains what you can expect to find when you drag and drop an image in Google’s search bar: “Search results for objects in the image, similar images, and websites with the image or a similar image.”
HuffPost also noted that a photo of your young child or teenager might cause problems in their social circles as they age. Just because you think it’s cute doesn’t mean your child will when they get older.
“Lots of kids worry that their friends or schoolmates could see embarrassing posts of them online, and what may be a silly photo or video to you may seem very embarrassing to them,” Kaitlin Allair Tiches, a research librarian with the Boston Children’s Digital Wellness Lab said.
Georgia Halts State Funding For AP African American Studies Amid DEI Crackdown
Georgia students will be unable to take the newly updated course for the upcoming school year.
Georgia students may not have the opportunity to take AP African American Studies for the upcoming school year. The state’s Board of Education has blocked funding for the course amid national anti-DEI efforts.
The decision, made by Georgia’s school superintendent Richard Woods, came to light on July 22, forcing many districts to no longer offer the class. Without the state-approved funding, public schools will not receive money for teacher salaries and class materials. According to The Associated Press, some local Democrats believe the move is an “injustice” to students.
“The fact that AP African American studies was removed from our schools is alarming and an injustice to our students who eagerly anticipated taking this course,” expressed Rep. Jasmine Clark, who represents the Lilburn area, in a statement. “Erasure of black history from our schools is not and never will be okay!”
Woods refused to disclose his reasoning for denying the funds, as confirmed by a spokesperson, “Superintendent Woods has opted not to recommend this course for state approval at this time.”
However, a growing anti-DEI movement led to the College Board making changes to the course’s exam. The organization removed questions on reparations and Black Lives Matter in light of the criticism.
Despite this, College Board added new subjects, such as the discriminatory housing practice known as “redlining” and the Tusla Race Massacre. Some Georgia schools offered the updated curriculum for the 2023-24 school year. However, despite the success of its initial rollout, the current ban will put future courses on an indefinite hold.
“We are committed to offering a comprehensive and inclusive education for each and every student,” said Gwinnett County superintendent Calvin Watts, whose district has axed future plans to teach the course at six high schools, in a statement. “The 2023-24 AP African American Studies pilot was successful, and we are disappointed that students will neither have the opportunity to take, nor to receive credit for this innovative college-level course.”
The decision follows other states that have halted teaching Black history in public schools. For instance, Florida’s Governor, Ron DeSantis, affirmed the state’s decision to ban AP African American Studies within its high schools.
According to Politico, DeSantis argued the course enforces a political agenda that does not truly educate students. His statements garnered much backlash from educators and lawmakers in the state.
Georgia public school districts can still offer the course, although the possibility is slim with no financial backing. Furthermore, the state’s own approved course does not qualify for AP credit.
