Gerber Announces 2024 Baby That Embodies Black Boy Joy
Gerber's 2024 baby is Akil McLeod Jr., a one-year-old from Pheonix with the nickname of Sonny.
Gerber has crowned Akil McLeod Jr. as the company’s 2024 baby. The one-year-old, nicknamed Sonny, won with his embodiment of Black boy joy.
Gerber selected McLeod out of the thousands of littles submitted to its 14th annual photo search. McLeod Jr.’s mother, Dominique, surprised their young family by applying without anyone knowing. The Phoenix-based family spoke with Today about the announcement and their shock at winning.
“What are the chances, right?” said Dominque, who considered the odds as relatively low. “I didn’t even think about it until we received the email, and I was like, I should probably tell Akil.”
Akil, the senior McLeod, explained to the morning show that his kids are part of “something way bigger.” Sonny becoming the new face of Gerber is the first step of the family of four’s bright journey.
“Everyone thinks their kids are special, but this is different,” he said. “I was telling them the other day, I feel like I’m here to just be their dad and guide them along the way. But they’re here for something way bigger than I could ever imagine for both of them. They have something about them and they unleash something in us.”
Sonny will take part in Gerber’s social media and marketing campaigns with his new title. Moreover, his family will receive $25,000 in cash as well as Gerber products and clothing for the next year. Gerber will also donate $5,000 to M.A.N.C.A.V.E., a community fatherhood program in Phoenix that connects and uplifts dads of all backgrounds in the area. Akil Sr. is an active member of the organization.
As for her baby’s apt nickname, Dominique knew he would be a beacon of sunshine and brighter days.
The stay-at-home mother of two explained, “One day, we were laying in bed, and I was pregnant with him. And I was just like, ‘I need a nickname for him because it’s going to get confusing with two Akils.’ So the sun just perfectly came through a little peek of the window and on my belly, and I was like, ‘Oh, Sonny,’ and we both were like, ‘Yep, that’s it.’ And we called him Sonny.”
The panels ranged from health equity to talent and innovation to further promote diversity on a wider scale.
The Cannes Lion Festival of Creativity continues its diversity initiative through its panels. Novartis hosted the “Lunch and Learn” sessions that sparked conversations on healthy equity and innovation and featured a four-course meal, compliments of Barbados Tourism and chef T. Stoute.
Monique Idlett emceed the Inkwell Beach event on June 21. As part of the Cannes Can: Diversity Collective, the sessions provided guests with insight from its esteemed panelists, all prioritizing inclusivity within the workforce and healthcare spheres.
Ida Harris, BLACK ENTERPRISE‘s director of digital content, moderated the panel on Achieving Equity: Novartis’ Pioneering Journey Towards Health Equity and Innovation. Harris led the conversation with SurviveHER founder Lyndsay Levingston, Black Heart Association Founder Tara Robinson, and Head of US ESG Strategy, Ops & Partnerships, Martin Hamlette. Hamlette, a diversity leader for Novartis, shared more on the company’s initiatives, such as Healthy Zip Codes, to reduce health disparities that impact minorities most.
“Health equity is literally just closing the gaps in what we know as chronic conditions,” explained Hamlette. “People of color literally have worst health outcomes for [these conditions] at just about every point…I’m glad to have joined [Novartis] Global Health and Sustainability team seeks to find solutions to these problems.”
Harris and the panelists spoke to their ongoing commitment to health equity and affordable healthcare for underserved communities. Robinson and Levingston, who both launched nonprofits after their own health battles, touched on their experiences and further outreach to ensure healthier futures for Black people.
Harris shared that 60% of Black women are dying from heart disease as young as age 20, opening up a conversation with Robinson, who survived three heart attacks in one week. Robinson shared of her work to resolve the systemic problems associated with heart issues.
“At Black Heart Association, it’s the company myself and my husband founded to make sure communities of color are no longer caught off guard as it relates to cardiovascular disease,” Robinson said. “We’re about action, we make sure we’re out in communities every single week, multiple times a week, screening and making sure people know where they stand…”
Marion Brooks, the vice president and U.S. Head of DEI for Norvatis, connected with esteemed pioneers for diversity in the “Shaping the Future of Work: Talent, Innovation and Inclusivity” panel. The discussion, which also included Novartis’ Thurgood Marshall Scholar and Beacon of Hope (BoH) Fellow, Dr. LaKendria Brown, tackled the subject of prioritizing diversity in the talent pool as well as career development.
“Navartis is committed to DEI and we know that its the lifeblood of success for our organization and for society,” explained Brooks as he began the conversation.
Brown, a direct recipient of Novartis’ Beacon of Hope program, further explained how this program transformed her academic future, and continues to break boundaries for diverse scholars.
“The Beacon of Hope program was really great for me,” shared Brown, who earned a three-year scholarship from the organization. “I was able to get into many different opportunities, [as well as] awards and scholarship. Also, with the mentorship program, they opened doors for different courses that Novartis and the [BoH] gave us…It was a really great opportunity and I’m still striving through it.”
Brooks added, “The [BoH] is 10-year, $50 million dollar partnership, not commitment, not pledge, but partnership with 26 HBCYs and the 4 historically black medical schools…We’re building infrastructure so they can actually do research…Its critically important that [Black patients] are in those clinical trials…Having people at the schools that look like us doing the testing, training and trials for us will make a big difference, so thats a big part of our commitment.”
With these informative panels, the Cannes Lion Diversity Initiative continues its mission, while fueling DEI efforts on a global scale.
Homage Paid To Late Willie Mays And Negro Leagues Main Events At Historic MLB Game
A diverse mix of fans celebrated a tribute to the Negro Leagues and honored the passing of Willie Mays.
On June 20, Major League Baseball (MLB) honored the legendary Willie Mays and the legacy of the Negro Leagues at Birmingham, Alabama’s Rickwood Field.
Tony Marshall was among a diverse group of people lined up to have their pictures taken next to the National Baseball Hall of Fame plaque for Willie Howard Mays Jr. Over 8,300 people packed the nation’s oldest existing professional baseball stadium. The event came two days after baseball icon Mays’s death at the age of 93.
The bronze image of Mays was reportedly moved from Cooperstown, New York, for the first time and exhibited briefly at Rickwood Field. The nation’s largest mutual insurance company, New York Life, contributed to the event by sending employees and agents to volunteer at MLB’s Play BALL youth clinic. The insurer provided tickets and travel packages for HBCU students to attend the game and partnered with MLB to prominently feature period-appropriate signage in the outfield at the stadium.
Marshall, a Birmingham, Alabama, resident, told BLACK ENTERPRISE that Mays came to his elementary school when he was in the fifth grade. He said that time with Mays inspired him to play baseball most of his life.
Marshall said he came to honor what Mays stood for as well as the dedication to the Negro Leagues. He described Mays as an awesome baseball player, never a dull moment.
“Offense, defense, he had the swag and just a great game,” Marshall said proudly. “He loved the game and played it hard every play. That’s why I admired him so much.”
Regarded by many as baseball’s greatest and most complete player ever, Mays’ death evoked sorrowfulness at the ballpark, where he started his pro career as a teenager for the Birmingham Black Barons. The “Say Hey Kid” helped the team win the Negro League World Series in 1948.
At 20, the New York Giants acquired his contract from the Barons in 1950, making him the 10th Black player in MLB history. He spent most of his career with the Giants, playing for both New York and San Francisco.
Mays died one day before Juneteenth, which caused some uneasiness and a spiritual feeling during the game between the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants.
Still, the crowd was electric as they marveled at the event’s splendor. They watched scores of former Negro Leagues players in their 80s and 90s don vintage jerseys. They sang and grooved with loud-playing music, including Aretha Franklin’s “Respect’ and Cab Calloway’s “Minnie the Moocher.” Another breathtaking image: a huge display of Willie Mays’ No. 24 hung behind home plate.
Attendees included May’s son, Michael Mays, and all-time MLB home run leader Barry Bonds, Willie May’s godson. Others viewing the grandeur were retired Hall of Famers Albert Pujols, Ken Griffey Jr., and Reggie Jackson. Fans like Marshall still appeared awed by Mays’ accomplishments.
Mays is the lone player in MLB history with at least 3,000 hits, a .300 average, 300 home runs, and 300 stolen bases. Mays eclipsed some of those levels handily, ending up with 3,283 hits, 660 homers and 338 steals. Called the greatest defensive center fielder ever, he won 12 Golden Gloves. He is renowned for “The Catch” and throwing, leading the Giants to an unexpected World Series win in 1954.
Jackson, who played in the minor leagues for the Birmingham A’s in 1967, returned to honor the Negro Leagues and Willie Mays’ passing. He shared painful feelings about playing in the Deep South.
“Coming back here is not easy,” Jackson told Alex Rodriguez with Fox Sports. “The racism when I played here, the difficulty of going through different places where we traveled; fortunately, I had a manager and players on the team that helped me get through it. But I wouldn’t wish it on anybody.’’
In response, MLB provided this statement to BLACK ENTERPRISE, “Reggie’s comments were a painful reminder of what Black players of that era had to endure.”
According to this report, the June 20 game marked the first time a regular season American League/National League game was played at the 114-year-old Rickwood Field. It was the first time both leagues had a game with an all-Black umpiring crew.
Jackson’s comments came after MLB, in late May 2024, announced it would add the statistics of Negro Leagues players from 1920 to 1948 into its records.
Describing it as a “long overdue recognition,” Commissioner Rob Manfred ”bestowed Major League status upon seven professional Negro Leagues that operated between 1920 and 1948.” The action means that about 3,400 players of the Negro Leagues during that time are officially considered Major Leaguers. Their statistics and records are now part of Major League history.
Morehouse College Will Become First Educational Institution To Deploy Fully Spatial AI Teaching Assistants In Classrooms
Morehouse College will become the first educational institution to deploy AI teaching assistants throughout its classrooms starting in the fall.
Morehouse College is bringing groundbreaking artificial intelligence (AI) to its classrooms starting in the fall semester.
As a leader in the technology space, the historically Black college became the first college to offer classes in the Metaverse in 2022, proving to be quite a historic feat. Now, the innovation continues with the announcement that it will reportedly become the first institution to deploy the world’s first fully spacial AI teaching assistants.
Made possible by Morehouse metaversity director and a senior professor in education, Muhsinah Morris developed the technology in the spring of 2021. However, she noted in a post shared on LinkedIn, that this would not be possible without the help of key faculty, including Ovell Hamilton, Ethell Vereen Jr., and Tanya Clark. In partnership with VictoryXR, a platform offering immersive classrooms and campuses through virtual reality, Morris and team were able to receive funding from Southern Company, Qualcomm, Meta, Unity, the National Science Foundation (NSF), and T-Mobile to bring this initiative to life.
Launching during the 2024 fall semester, Morehouse students will be able to receive help from the AI teaching assistants. The technology is not only equipped to manage assessments and office hours, but it will be available to students 24/7. Moreover, it also offers 3D demonstrations.
“These are different from chatbots because, one, they’re conversational. Two, they’re 3D, and you might just hear my AI TA speak Mandarin,” said Morris in a video shared by VictoryXR on LinkedIn. “The advantages to our AI TA’s is that it allows for personalized learning for every scholar on their own schedules. This is the first deployment of fully functional AI TAs. Morehouse College led with Metaversities, and we are going to lead the world in bringing AI to the classroom. What we’re really trying to do with these AI TAs is bring joy back to the classroom. To ignite curiosity in our students and to get them to love learning no matter what time of day it is.”
Despite setbacks, Morris says that she is “blessed with the best team” and expressed how proud she is of her team for bringing this innovative technology to the forefront through one of Atlanta’s most-esteemed HBCUs.
Former NBA Star Nate Robinson Is Living With Kidney Failure
As the former NBA player is searching for a replacement kidney, he continues the fight to live by eating better.
In a game full of giants, when 5′ 9″ Nate Robinson made it to the NBA, he gave hope to others who may not fit the typical look expected from someone of his stature. His fight to make it to the pros is nothing like the fight he is currently having in trying to find a replacement kidney so he can continue living.
Robinson gave an extensive interview with Men’s Healthdetailing his most recent struggle: living with kidney failure. The 40-year-old former New York Knicks player shared that when he was playing NBA basketball (between 2005-15), he was doing so with high blood pressure, and team doctors tried to warn him of the dangers of not keeping his blood pressure in check. There were times when his pressure was so high that doctors tried to stop him from playing. But, instead of heeding the warning, his approach was to tell them to stop checking it because even if it was high, he was still going on the court to perform his duties.
The former guard was diagnosed with kidney disease in 2006. Doctors forewarned him that the kidneys would probably fail when he was in his 30s, yet he didn’t take care of himself in the way he was advised. Now, he is looking for a replacement kidney.
His mindset? “I felt like I was Superman. I never thought I would get sick.”
Things changed in 2018 when his kidneys failed. Yet, instead of taking care of them, he delayed treatment. In 2020, he caught COVID-19 while attending a basketball tournament his son was playing in Philadelphia.
“When I got back home to Seattle, I went straight to the hospital,” he said. “It was bad, bro. I was in the hospital for a week. My body, my insides just… stopped working and sh**.
“They told me I might as well start dialysis today. “‘Your kidneys are working too hard; they’re deteriorating as we speak. The only way you will walk out of here alive is if you start dialysis.’ It was the only thing I had left.”
Robinson goes through the routine of getting dialysis to do the job his kidneys can no longer do effectively. He has changed his diet; he has no processed or junk food and has nothing but fresh fruit, vegetables, and lean meat.
“What we eat can kill us. It could make you sick or healthy. The real fruit and veggies from the earth can heal you.”
The same fight that led him to make it to the NBA is the same mindset he has to live as the search continues for a replacement kidney.
“I gotta stick around. I want to stay alive for the next 40 years: be a grandpa, see my kids’ kids, take them to the gym, tell them the stories of when I was in the NBA around ’Bron and Kob’ and all these guys. I gotta fight for it.”
(Photo: jenaragon94, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons)
Track Star Kendall Ellis Got Stuck In Porta-Potty Moments Before Claiming Olympic Spot
The 400-meter runner said she may have needed the incident to happen "to get all the nerves and adrenaline out."
In a remarkable turn of events, track star Kendall Ellis secured her spot in the Olympics after overcoming an unexpected obstacle – being trapped in a porta-potty just before her crucial semifinal at the U.S. track trials.
The 28-year-old 400-meter runner found herself in a panic when the door of a portable toilet jammed, leaving her trapped inside. “I got locked in the bathroom an hour before the race,” Ellis shared on social media, expressing gratitude to the “kind sir” who eventually freed her. She recounted the harrowing experience, saying she was “crying and sweating” during her confinement.
also i got locked in the bathroom an hour before the race. s/o to the kind sir who managed to get me out because i was in there crying and sweating
Despite the pre-race drama, Ellis turned the incident into a positive. “Crazy things happen right before something great is about to occur, so maybe I needed that to get all the nerves and adrenaline out,” she reflected in an interview posted on the Citius Mag Instagram page. The incident resonated with fellow athletes, with 800-meter runner Emily Richards commenting, “Was it the one on the warmup field all the way to the left?!…it got me too.” Brooklyn runner Sarah Stafford dubbed it “Every runner’s nightmare.”
Undeterred by the porta-potty predicament, Ellis went on to achieve her first personal best in six years during the semifinal with a time of 49.81 seconds, according to Post and Courier. She then surpassed this feat in the final, clinching victory with a time of 49.46 seconds and securing her place in her second Olympic Games.
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) June 24, 2024
The star runner is no stranger to Olympic success, having previously won gold in the 4×400 women’s relay and bronze in the mixed relay at the Tokyo Games. Her track record also includes gold medals from world championship relay teams and this year’s World Athletics Relays. The USC alum previously captured widespread attention in 2018 with a stunning comeback during the anchor lap of a 4×400 race, where she bobbled the baton and overcame a 30-meter deficit to clinch victory.
(Photo: Theo Wargo/WireImage; Inset: Cole Burston/Getty Images)
Kendrick Lamar ‘Not Like Us’ Eligible For Grammy Nomination
Kendrick Lamar could further solidify his rap battle win against Drake if his diss track "Not Like Us" wins a Grammy.
Kendrick Lamar could further solidify his rap battle win against Drake if his chart-topping diss track “Not Like Us” wins a Grammy.
The Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. recently opened up about the possibility of Kendrick getting nominated and winning a Grammy for his Drake-aimed diss track. According to Mason, the Billboard #1 meets all the criteria to receive a nomination in one of the Rap categories.
“Obviously, it’s a hot record,” Mason told TMZ while outside LAX Airport. “It’s amazing artistry. Great writing talent in that record. It’s incredible. And you got artists that’ve been nominated before and Kendrick has seen success with the organization.”
“I don’t see any reason why it couldn’t be,” he added.
When it comes to making the list of nominees, that’s a decision that falls on the Academy as a whole.
“It’s all about the quality of the record and if the members like it, they’ll be nominated,” Mason confirmed.
Considering the scathing nature of the diss track and its lyrics, which accuse Drake of liking younger women in addition to being a “Certified Pedophile,” the paparazzi wondered if the Academy would be willing to award a song with such searing content.
“I think the voting members of the Academy appreciate greatness. Appreciate what’s hot,” Mason said after doubting “Not Like Us” wouldn’t receive a nomination.
The diss track is so “relevant,” Mason noted, it would be hard to deny its Grammy nominee ability.
“It’s impacting on so many levels with so much creativity and talent. I’d like to believe that the Academy members recognize that and they do appropriately,” he said.
As for the possibility of an official diss track category in the future, Mason said anything is possible, with the approval of the Academy members.
It’s the latest possible breakthrough for Kendrick after breaking the internet on Juneteenth with his “Pop Out” concert where he performed “Not Like Us” five times in a row to a sold-out crowd. Los Angeles hometown hero Dr. Dre helped introduce the song before Kendrick and the audience rapped it repeatedly word for word.
“Not Like Us” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 last month, garnering Kendrick’s fourth No. 1 and 15th Top 10 hit. The Compton native took over his city over the weekend while filming the visuals for “Not Like Us,” which fans are anticipating.
First off, I would assume that your intentions are well-meaning to connect with your coworkers on social media, right? So, let’s stop playing TLC’s “Creep” as the soundtrack in your head and nix the “creepy” moniker, OK?
I have more questions.
What’s your company’s culture? You may work in a place with strict policies against connecting with coworkers on social media. You could work in a place where connecting with coworkers outside of work is encouraged. Do a bit of research before diving into virtually connecting with your coworkers.
How’s your current relationship with the coworkers you want to connect with? If you’re already friendly with your coworker and they’ve given you a green light to connect online, go for it.
Of course you want to respect your coworker’s privacy. Especially if their profiles are marked private—understand that you have been invited into this person’s private life. It’s understood that you wouldn’t use what’s shared on this person’s profile against them.
What’s your role? Think about your role at the organization that you work for. If you you’re a team leader, you may want to think twice about connecting with your direct reports on social media. They may feel they have to edit or censor what they’re posting. OR they can simply change their profile viewing settings for specific people they work with to have a better sense of privacy. I remember blocking my executive level leaders on my team from seeing everything I posted because I wanted them to have access to some of my life, but not ALL of it.
Finally, you want to be mindful about sharing other’s content. Always ask permission before posting something that involves another coworker. If you’re sharing something controversial or anything that could create tension at work…think before posting. Remember this, when somebody’s business comes into the organization and that post disrupts up productivity- it becomes the organization’s business.
Again, it’s all about intention. If you want to stay connected outside of work, and keep in touch—go for it. It goes into creepy territory when your intentions aren’t on the up and up, you’re straight up nosey, or you have bad intentions.
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.
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(Photos from left to right: Arturo Holmes/MG23/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue; (middle) Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Parkwood; Steve Granitz/Getty Images; Burak Cingi/Redferns; Rich Fury/VF20/Getty Images for Vanity Fair)
5 Musical Geniuses Whose Work Entered The Classroom
As more universities bridge music and academics, we rounded up today's hottest artists whose careers have been turned into college courses.
Originally Published Aug. 24, 2014.
From Grammy wins to world tours, clothing lines, sports ventures, and more, musical artists have long been expanding their brand beyond just the music. Each new career move evokes praise and criticism, making their longevity on the music charts and in business one to be examined, and college professors are taking notes.
Over the past few years, more and more universities across the nation have taken a closer look at some of today’s musical greats, with professors examining song lyrics and their messages with greater detail to combine academia and pop culture to educate the next generation.
From Beyoncé to Jay-Z, Nas, and more, we’ve rounded up some of today’s hottest musical geniuses whose creativity and unmatched talent have landed them a spot in a university classroom.
(Photo by Michael Buckner/Billboard via Getty Images)
Beyoncé
Earlier this year, Rutgers University announced that it would bring the entertainer’s work and career to the classroom with a course called “Politicizing Beyoncé.”
“This isn’t a course about Beyoncé’s political engagement or how many times she performed during President Obama’s inauguration weekend,” class teacher Kevin Allred said, according to Rutgers Today.
The course will compare the singer’s music portfolio with important works from the Black feminist movement, including writings of Alice Walker and Sojourner Truth.
“It’s important to shift students away from simply being consumers of media toward thinking more critically about what they’re engaging on a regular basis,” Allred said.
Photo by Michael Tran/AFP via Getty Images
Jay-Z
In 2011, Georgetown Professor Michael Eric Dyson brought Jay-Z’s life and career into his classroom for a course titled “Sociology of Hip Hop: Jay-Z.”
The course examined Jay-Z’s career and tied it to lessons on African American culture and business. Students had a midterm, final exam, and required readings, including the rapper’s book Decoded.
“I think he’s an icon of American excellence,” Dyson tells Fox News.
(Photo: Burak Cingi/Redferns)
Nas
Nas may not have completed high school, but the message behind his music certainly provides content that’s worthy of being studied in the classroom.
Last year, Harvard University introduced the Nasir Jones Hip-Hop Fellowship, which will help pay for visiting scholars’ research and hip-hop-related academic programs.
The rapper, who constantly pushes the envelope with his music, says music is a great resource for educating our youth.
“Hip-hop is important like computer science,” the rapper tells Rolling Stone. “The world is changing. If you want to understand the youth, listen to the music. This is what’s happening right underneath your nose.”
Photo by Gotham/GC Images
Jay-Z and Kanye West
In addition to Jay-Z’s career being studied at Georgetown University, students at the University of Missouri can now study his music and career alongside the career of his “Watch the Throne” partner, Kanye West.
Professor Andrew Hoberek first taught the course in fall 2013, and after the class filled up quickly, he decided to bring the course back for the fall 2014 semester.
According to the course description, the English course “looks at the career and work of Jay-Z and Kanye West from three perspectives: (1) Where do they fit within, and how do they change, the history of hip-hop music? (2) How is what they do similar to and different from what poets do? (3) How does their rise to both celebrity and corporate power alter what we understand as the American dream.”
(Photo: Arturo Holmes/MG23/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar’s debut album, “Good Kid, M.A.A.D City,” quieted down any critics who questioned the young Compton native’s talent. Now, with a college course inspired by the album, it’s safe to say that Lamar’s work has earned him a spot in the hip-hop history books.
Thanks to instructor Adam Diehl, students at Georgia Regents University in Augusta, Georgia, can now examine Lamar’s music portfolio with a closer eye, using the rapper’s debut album, James Joyce, James Baldwin, Gwendolyn Brooks and the 1991 movie “Boyz in the Hood” as primary coursework materials.
“I decided to center the class on Good Kid, m.A.A.d City because I think Kendrick Lamar is the James Joyce of hip-hop—i.e., in the complexity of his storytelling, in his knowledge of the canon, and in his continuing focus on the city of his upbringing—Compton,” Diehl tells HipHopDX.
