Food Network, Darnell 'SuperChef' Ferguson, Criminal Charges
by Rafael Pena

January 13, 2024

Food Network’s Darnell ‘SuperChef’ Ferguson Faces Criminal Charges

The 36-year-old celebrity chef was booked into the Louisville Metropolitan Department of Corrections.

People reports that renowned Food Network personality Darnell “SuperChef” Ferguson found himself facing serious charges, including strangulation, burglary, and making terroristic threats. The 36-year-old celebrity chef was booked into the Louisville Metropolitan Department of Corrections on Jan. 9, with additional misdemeanor charges such as assault, menacing, criminal mischief, and theft-receipt of a stolen credit or debit card.

While the circumstances leading to Ferguson’s arrest remain unclear, court records revealed the existence of a protection order filed against him on Jan. 2. The identity of the person seeking the protection order remains undisclosed, but later reports indicate the incident involved his estranged wife Tatahda Ferguson. Authorities have yet to provide details, and queries directed to the St. Matthews Police by People on the matter have not received an immediate response.

This isn’t the first time Ferguson has had trouble with the law. After his early successes, such as culinary arts at Sullivan University and being selected as one of the two Black students for the 2008 Olympic Team, financial struggles led Ferguson down a troubling path, resorting to selling drugs to sustain himself. His life took a downturn with eight arrests and the subsequent loss of everything, including his home. Post his release from prison, Ferguson faced unemployment due to a turbulent personal life, causing consistent conflicts at his workplace, leading to multiple job losses.

It wasn’t until he turned to the church Ferguson revealed that he realized the need for a significant change in his life. Seeking an opportunity, he convinced a friend to lease a space in his restaurant for him to serve breakfast. This venture gained traction, with other restaurant owners requesting him to set up pop-ups in their establishments. By 2015, Ferguson opened his own restaurant and three others in Ohio and Kentucky.

Ferguson has made a significant mark on the Food Network, earning recognition as a celebrity chef, restaurateur, and entrepreneur. Hosting shows like Superchef Grudge Match and co-hosting Season 25 of Worst Cooks in America alongside Anne Burrell, he has become a familiar face on popular culinary programs. His role as a judge on Chopped and Guy’s Grocery Games and his participation in Guy Fieri’s Tournament of Champions for three seasons underscores his culinary influence. Ferguson has recently showcased his skills on OWN’s The Big Holiday Food Fight and Food Fantasies.

As news of his arrest broke, the culinary world was left waiting for further updates on this unexpected turn of events involving one of its prominent figures.

SistersInc, Danessa Myricks, makeup, artists
by Lauren Nutall

January 13, 2024

2023 SistersInc Rewind: A Recap Of Black Enterprise’s Entrepreneurial Summit

Black Enterprise's very first SistersInc Summit took place on Dec. 9. Some of the country's leading Black entrepreneurs gathered to showcase their expertise and share how they managed to shatter the glass ceiling.

On Dec. 9, BLACK ENTERPRISE hosted its inaugural SistersInc Summit, which highlighted some of the business industry’s most innovative woman changemakers. Featured guests included BE’s very own deputy chief Alisa Gumbs, makeup guru Danessa Myricks, and more experts. Together, these women tackled all of the need-to-know aspects of entrepreneurship.

President and CEO of Black Enterprise Earl G. Graves, Jr. delivered the opening remarks before kicking off the event with the SistersInc Holiday Market in partnership with Sistahs in Business Expo, where attendees gathered to uplift each other’s brands and explore different vendors including Cadash and Co. and Krafted by Keyona. 

To get the panels started, Myricks and Gumbs joined in conversation to discuss what it takes to become a successful entrepreneur. “All of us are inspired by the opportunity to create our own destinies,” said Myricks, who founded her eponymously named makeup company in 2016. “Your commitment is the most important thing throughout the journey. Even when things are really hard, the one thing you really don’t want to give up on is you. Every part of your life’s journey is part of your entrepreneurial journey.”

The following panel included the CEO of Digitalundivided, Leah Williams, and co-founder of Brooklyn Tea, Jamila Wright, as they spoke with BE’s senior digital editor, Sidnee Michelle, about acquiring the funds to jumpstart a business. Later, Sherrill Mosee, inventor of MinkeeBlue, also hosted a workshop centered on bringing business ideas to life. Titled “Transforming Your Product Idea To Reality,” Mosee expertly guided budding entrepreneurs on how to build a business from its inception to its execution. 

CEO of the Folklore Group Amira Rasool, Head of Community Partnerships, Impact and Experience at Amazon Nancy Dalton, and founder of Sistahs in Business Expo Aisha Issah Taylor also took to the stage, where they discussed moving products to shelves across the country and capitalizing on the power of retail. 

Devising a business strategy is no simple feat, and building a company from the ground up requires just as much effort. To ensure financial success and accumulate million-dollar revenue, some expert advice is needed. BE’s social media editor, Tierra Smith, sat down with the founder of the BOW Collective, Nicole Cober, to gain some professional insight and discover how Cober generated millions of dollars through her groundbreaking company.

Lastly, BE’s staff writer, Jeroslyn Johnson, spoke with Nancey Harris, COO of Vontélle Eyewear, and Kalyn Johnson Chandler, founder of Effie’s Paper. Together, the three women discussed taking advantage of resources and the benefits and costs of having an accelerator. The first-of-its-kind event finished off with some closing remarks from Gumbs, who emphasized the continued relevance and importance of Black women in the entrepreneurial world.

Rick Ross, Miami Heat, Tennessee, yo gutty, jook
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

January 13, 2024

Rick Ross Wants To Own The Miami Heat

Ross said that his owning the team would 'be for the city.'

Miami is known for many things, such as Miami Beach, the Heat basketball team, and other highlights that make the southern city an attraction. Another well-known attraction, rapper and entrepreneur Rick Ross, represents the town well and, in a recent podcast, expressed a desire to own an NBA franchise, the Miami Heat.

The conversation occurred on “The OGs Podcast,” hosted by two former Heat players, Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller. In the episode released on Jan. 10, the “God Forgives, I Don’t” rapper tells the former players and teammates that he would love to own the team since that’s his city.

Haslem questioned Ross on his dream to own the Heat franchise. “Big homie, what’s going on with the Heat? I know you got the money now,” Haslem asked the rapper. “When you gonna make that play?”

The man, who also uses the moniker Rick Rozay, immediately responded, “Oh, you already know I’m gonna keep it real now. I need y’all to walk me in there. Come on, we gotta get us a piece of that Miami Heat. One time for La Spoelstra Nostra.” (The head coach for the Miami Heat is Erik Spoelstra, who just signed an 8-year, $120 million contract to remain the coach.)

Ross tells Haslem and Miller that his owning the team would “be for the city.”

“Hey, big homie, that’s a dream; that’s a dream for Rozay, you know, just to see, you know, the city because it wouldn’t just be for me. It’ll be for the city.”

“You know somebody from the city; a part of the city come up and earn that, you know what I mean,” Ross said.

Hometown pride has always been something that Rozay has displayed ever since we found out that every day he’s “Hustlin.”

DA Fani Willis, Georgia, Trump
by Rafael Pena

January 13, 2024

Fani T. Willis to Inspire Change at Big Bethel AME Church’s Martin Luther King Sunday Service

District Attorney Fani T. Willis of Fulton County is set to deliver an inspiring address at the historic Big Bethel AME Church’s Martin Luther King Sunday service on January 14, 2024, at 10 am in downtown Atlanta, GA.

District Attorney Fani T. Willis of Fulton County is set to deliver an inspiring address at the historic Big Bethel AME Church’s Martin Luther King Sunday service on January 14, 2024, at 10 am in downtown Atlanta, GA. The theme for this year’s Martin Luther King Day celebration, adopted by Big Bethel AME Church, is “It Starts With Me: Shifting The Cultural Climate Through The Study and Practice of Kingian Nonviolence,” as designated by the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change.

Carla Morrison, Martin Luther King, Jr. Sunday Chairperson at Big Bethel AME Church, expressed enthusiasm about having Ms. Willis as the guest speaker, stating, “As a member of the History & Heritage ministry and the Chairperson for MLK Sunday, I thought this would be a great opportunity to highlight our new age women civil rights leaders by having District Attorney Fani Willis as our guest speaker.”

Big Bethel AME Church, led by Pastor John Foster, Ph. D., has a rich history as a haven for political and civil rights leaders to express their thoughts freely. Richard Marion, President of the History & Heritage Ministry at the church, anticipated the impactful message expected from DA Willis, saying, “We look forward to receiving a good and uplifting message from DA Willis.”

Fani T. Willis holds the position of District Attorney for Fulton County, Georgia, overseeing the state’s largest county with a population exceeding one million. She is the first woman to serve in this position, leading an office of nearly 390 public servants, including approximately 150 prosecutors and 90 sworn criminal investigators.

Willis has been in office since January 1, 2021. She secured her position by unseating a longtime incumbent. Her campaign centered on a dual commitment: safeguarding Fulton’s neighborhoods, reforming the criminal justice system to prioritize fairness and transparency, and focusing on transforming lives rather than mere retribution. Willis pledged to restore integrity and effectiveness to the office, a promise she’s fulfilling by assembling a new team of experienced trial lawyers and civic leaders dedicated to elevating the Fulton County District Attorney’s office to premier status in the Southeast and among the nation’s top local prosecutor’s offices.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Sunday at Big Bethel AME Church holds special significance as the congregation continues to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., paying tribute to the influential civil rights leader while uplifting the name of Jesus Christ during this dedicated service.

tariffs, price hikes, Walmart, shopping,
by Mary Spiller

January 12, 2024

Texas Man Sues Walmart For $100 Million Or Free Lifetime Shopping At Any Of Their Stores

Roderick Jackson filed a lawsuit because the store allegedly falsely accused him of shoplifting.

Roderick Jackson, a Texas resident, is suing Walmart for either $100 million in damages or unlimited free lifetime shopping at any of the company’s locations. According to two complaints filed on Monday, Jan 8, the Waskom man completed the filings without any attorney and claimed that Walmart falsely accused him of shoplifting. 

In the handwritten claims sent to the United States District Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Jackson explained that the incidents occurred at an Omaha, Nebraska, location in March of 2021. Although the complaints don’t offer much detail about the incident itself, according to NBC News, he alleged to the courts that he faced “civil rights violations based on race/color” while at the Omaha Walmart.

Jackson has requested that Walmart pay all of his court-related fees and pay him out for the emotional stress caused by the incident as well as for pain-related issues from being handcuffed by an unnamed police department. Jackson continued requesting Walmart to meet his payment amount or offer him a lifetime of unlimited shopping in their stores.

Soon after, a spokesperson for Walmart reached out to NBC News and provided a statement. It clearly stated that the company does “not tolerate discrimination of any kind.”

In the statement, Walmart said, “We are aware of Mr. Jackson’s complaint and intend to defend the company against the allegations once we have been served.”

“Mr. Jackson’s allegations are almost identical to a lawsuit he filed against our company in 2021 that was dismissed. We intend to defend the company against the allegations once we have been properly served and will quickly ask the court to dismiss any claims that are without merit.”

The company said Jackson previously sued Walmart for a nearly identical incident in the past, but the case was tossed out after Jackson reportedly failed to serve the retail chain.

First-time Host Anthony Anderson To Use Mama Doris Bowman During Emmys For ‘Playful Moments’
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

January 12, 2024

First-time Host Anthony Anderson To Use Mama Doris Bowman During Emmys For ‘Playful Moments’

When Anthony Anderson hosts the 75th annual Primetime Emmy Awards on Monday, Jan. 15, he'll get a little help from his mom, Doris Bowman.

When Anthony Anderson hosts the 75th annual Primetime Emmy Awards on Monday, Jan. 15, he’ll get some help from his mother, Doris Bowman.

“I can’t host the Emmys without having Mama Doris on the stage with me, so we’re finding some smart ways to incorporate her into the show,” Anderson told People.

Bowman, 70, will have a special role. She’ll fill in for the music that typically plays when a winner gets long-winded with their acceptance speech, coming out to nudge them off stage.

“As opposed to having playoff music for when people run over on their speech, my mother appears on stage just tapping her wrist and her watch like, ‘Speed this s— up, speed it up, because I want to be out of here by 11,'” Anderson joked.

The black-ish star has been helping his mother get some shine of her own through their E! documentary travel series Trippin’ With Anthony Anderson and Mama Doris. Anderson even told BLACK ENTERPRISE about the playful relationship he has with his mother who never fails to remind him who the real star of the family is.

Now that she’s become a fan favorite herself, Anderson is looking forward to seeing his mom sprinkle some of her comedic charm on the Emmys audience.

“So we’re going to see what kind of fun we can have without stepping on anyone’s toes, because we know people have points to make, thank-yous to make and mission statements to make during an acceptance speech,” he explained. “We have to be courteous to all the other nominees and actors who may be winning that night and courteous to the audience members who are watching at home.”

As for who Anderson is rooting for, the seven-time Emmy nominee took a page out of Issa Rae’s book.

“I’m rooting for everybody Black, but I’m rooting for everybody. It’s hard to do what we do. There is a science and there is a craft to it,” he said. “I’m just excited to be at the helm hosting one of the biggest nights in Hollywood.”

Black nominees include Quinta Brunson, Dominique Fishback, Ayo Edebiri, Janelle James, and Sheryl Lee Ralph. Keke Palmer and Storm Reid already took home statues at last weekend’s Creative Arts Emmy Awards. 

RELATED CONTENT: Keke Palmer Becomes First Black Woman To Win Emmy For Game Show Host

Kendrick Morales, Spelman College, grades, HBCU, professor
by Atiya Jordan

January 12, 2024

Former HBCU Professor Allegedly Ousted After Complaining About Raising Pupils’ Grades

Economics educator Kendrick Morales told Fox & Friends that he was prepared to fail 44% of his class until the HBCU’s administration “definitely applied some pressure on me..."

A former professor at Spelman College in Atlanta claimed he was fired from his position last summer after he refused to succumb to the pressures to raise students’ grades above his standards.

Economics educator Kendrick Morales told Fox & Friends that he was prepared to fail 44% of his class until the HBCU’s administration “definitely applied some pressure on me to raise grades above what I thought was reasonable.” He pointed to an “incentive problem” as a catalyst for his sudden firing. If students complained about the difficulty of the class, the administration ultimately caved in. So, Spelman bumped up the grades even more without his knowledge. As a result, Morales complained and was discharged without any warning or chance to appeal.

“I thought I was responsible for setting academic standards and making sure that the grades and degrees the school was conferring actually held its value,” Morales said. 

“I brought your issue to Faculty Council, and some of them experienced what you did,” Lisa B. Hibbard, the then president of Spelman’s Faculty Council, wrote in an April email to Morales, Inside Higher Ed previously reported. “They all agreed that grades are at the discretion of the instructor only, no one else.”

According to his academic records, Morales recognized that upperclassmen, including seniors enrolled in a thesis class, did not meet the requirements to pass his class. The numbers were still significant even after his own “substantial scaling up of their scores,” according to the education news platform. 

Since Morales’ departure, the tenure-track faculty member contemplated whether he’d return to academia. He told Fox & Friends that he was weighing his options, having connected with the Academic Freedom Alliance, a non-profit organization whose members are dedicated to protecting the rights of faculty members at colleges and universities.

“I thought, in terms of going for an academic position, that I would be able to have autonomy and not have administrators kind of meddle with grades and meddle with the incentive structure that I was trying to put in place,” Morales said. “I’m not really sure if it’s viable for me to continue as an academic.”

After reviewing the matter, Spelman College submitted a statement to Fox News Digital.

“At the heart of the Spelman College experience is the academically rigorous program we offer our students. Meaningful and effective classroom engagement is the hallmark of a Spelman education. The College, its administrators, and faculty exercise appropriate judgment in the delivery of our learning activities in order to maintain consistency across Spelman’s campus,” the institution told Fox News.

Lily Foundation, UNCF, money, fund, donation, HBCUs, HBCU
by Ashlei Stevens

January 12, 2024

UNCF Receives Historic $100M Gift To Bolster HBCU Endowments

The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) has been awarded a historic $100 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to support its capital campaign. This marks the largest single unrestricted private investment ever made to UNCF, which the higher-education assistance organization intends to use to grow historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) endowments.

Endowments are used to support several priorities such as scholarships, faculty hiring and salaries, and upgrading facilities; but endowments at HBCUs significantly trail those of other institutions by at least 70%. The average Ivy League institution receives 178 times more foundation funding than the average HBCU. A U.S. Government Accountability Office study found HBCUs have an average of $15,000 in endowment per student, compared with $410,000 at comparable non-HBCUs.

Leaders from UNCF, joined by Lilly Endowment, Inc. president Jennett M. Hill, made the announcement Jan. 11 at Clark Atlanta University (CAU), which is one of UNCF’s 37-member institutions.

“After careful consideration, we have decided to allocate Lily Endowment’s unrestricted grant toward the establishment of an HBCU pooled endowment fund,” UNCF president and CEO, Dr. Michael L. Lomax said during the press conference. “This fund, which has a goal of $370 million dollars, will increase the endowments at each of our 37-member institutions by $10 million dollars. It is a strategic move that amplifies the impact of Lily Endowment’s transformational support.”

With the addition of this recent gift, Dr. Lomax says UNCF has now raised “$550 million dollars toward the capital campaign goal of $1 billion dollars since we launched the silent phase in 2020. Most of that funding has allowed us to provide larger scholarships to more students.”

This infusion of $100 million will immediately increase each UNCF member’s endowment by $2.7 million, which doubles the existing endowments of several HBCUs.

Pooled endowments can offer several benefits to HBCUs, according to a UNCF statement, including “increased investment power to access a wider range of investment opportunities in stocks, bonds and real estate that can potentially generate higher returns.” The goal is also to promote collaboration and networking among HBCUs, which can lead to enhanced fundraising, increased visibility and improved financial stability. UNCF also just launched a Philanthropy Institute to train fundraising professionals at HBCUs and other Black-led organizations.

Marc Barnes, UNCF senior vice president, capital campaign, said this historic donation is “far-reaching and long-lasting. It will change the financial trajectory of many HBCUs for many years to come.”

CAU president and chair of UNCF’s Institutional Board, Dr. George T. French, Jr., said this gift “will provide unprecedented support for the financial stability and continued success of UNCF’s member institutions. Our campuses stand ready to work with UNCF to accomplish the $370 million goal for the pooled unrestricted endowment.”

Since UNCF’s founding in 1944, Lilly Endowment has been a significant philanthropic supporter, according to UNCF. This $100 million follows a $50 million grant from Lilly Endowment in 2015 that enabled UNCF to launch the Career Pathways Initiative (CPI), which sought to strengthen the programs and capabilities of HBCUs to enhance career outcomes for students.

Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers, NBA
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

January 12, 2024

Kawhi Leonard Commits To The Clippers With A Lucrative Three-Year, $153 Million Extension

'We’re thrilled to continue our relationship with Kawhi. He is an elite player,' said Lawrence Frank, president of Basketball Operations for the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Los Angeles Clippers are ensuring that Kawhi Leonard has no reason to go anywhere with its latest contract extension with the player.

The NBA team and Lawrence Frank, president of Basketball Operations for the Los Angeles Clippers, have announced that Leonard will stay with the team, agreeing to a three-year extension worth $153 million.

“We’re thrilled to continue our relationship with Kawhi. He is an elite player, a terrific partner, and a relentless worker who knows how to win and makes it his first priority,” said Frank in a written statement. “He elevated our franchise from the moment he arrived. We feel fortunate that Kawhi chose to join the Clippers five years ago, and excited to keep building with him.”

The forward was the No. 15 pick at the 2011 NBA Draft, where the San Antonio Spurs chose him after playing two years at San Diego State University. He won his first championship with the Spurs in 2014, winning the NBA Finals MVP (Most Valuable Player) Award. Several years later, he helped the Toronto Raptors win its first and only NBA championship in 2019, again securing the NBA Finals MVP trophy. He left Toronto immediately after taking the title out of the United States to try to bring a title back to his home state of California, where he signed with the Clippers.

He has career averages of 19.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.7 steals and is the third-winningest player in NBA history with a winning percentage of .732 in the regular season with a record of 483-177. He is also one of only three players in NBA history who has won a Finals MVP, Defensive Player of the Year Award, and an All-Star Game MVP.

RELATED CONTENT: NBC Adds Snoop Dogg To Summer Olympics Primetime Show

Snoop Dogg, exhibit
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

January 12, 2024

‘Hip Hop Til Infinity’ Exhibit Featuring Snoop Dogg Opens In Los Angeles

'West Coast rap is integral to the story of Hip Hop,' Snoop said.

An important hip-hop exhibition will open in Los Angeles on Jan. 12 that will feature one of the biggest hip-hop artists in the world.

According to HipHopDx, an exhibit named “Hip Hop Til Infinity” will debut on Friday, Jan.12, in Los Angeles. This exhibition will feature the king of Long Beach, Snoop Dogg, and his lengthy career 30 years after his “Doggystyle” album dropped.

“West Coast rap is integral to the story of Hip Hop,” Snoop said in a written statement. “The genre started on the East Coast and made its way to California where we put our own swag on it. It’s dope to see the Hip Hop Til Infinity exhibit acknowledging the 50 years of Hip Hop and to have the spotlight on the 30 years of Doggystyle within the exhibit is something special.”

The Hip Hop Til Infinity exhibition is at the old Amoeba Store on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. It is slated to be there until March. There will be items from Snoop himself that highlight the 30th anniversary of the seminal debut album from the “Murder is the Case” lyricist. The album, produced by Dr. Dre, debuted on Death Row Records, which Snoop now owns, so there will be merchandise from the legendary label at the venue.

Several months after the exhibit, Snoop is slated to join the team covering the Olympics this summer in Paris. The multitalented lyricist will lend his views onsite at the Olympic Primetime Show, starting July 26 on NBC and Peacock. NBC will air the Olympic Games Paris 2024 from July 26 to Aug. 11.

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