Boston Mayor’s ‘Elected of Color’ Holiday Party Draws Criticism From City Officials
by Sharelle B. McNair

December 15, 2023

Boston Mayor’s ‘Elected of Color’ Holiday Party Draws Criticism From City Officials

Was the invite problematic?

Boston’s first Asian-American Mayor is facing some criticism after her “Elected of Color” holiday party invitation went viral.

A city employee sent the invitation out via email on Michelle Wu’s behalf on Dec. 12 to all elected officials for an “Electeds of Color Holiday Party” scheduled for Dec. 13. Shortly after, the same staff member sent out an apology email.

However, Mayor Wu said the party was intended for minority elected officials. 

“I think we all have been in a position at one point where an email went out, and there was a mistake in the recipients, so there was truly just an honest mistake that happened in issuing the invitation,” Wu said before the party.

“There are many, many events that are private events for all different sorts of groups, so we’ve clarified that and look forward to seeing everyone at one of the dozens of other opportunities to celebrate the holidays together.”

She says the party takes place every year without issues, but some elected officials don’t think it’s right. Five-term member Michael McCormack called the party “not typical” and hoped the email was a simple mistake.

“The problem is that Boston and race, unfortunately, are synonymous,” McCormack said, according to Fox News. “I’m just hoping it was a mistake. It’s not something that anyone in the mayor’s office should be proud of.”

Outgoing City Councilor Frank Baker, who is white, thinks the party sends the wrong message as the council already has a reputation for being divided. “I don’t get offended. You don’t want me at a party, I am not going to come to the party,” Baker said. “I think the holidays is a time for people, everybody, to get together, so we will see what happens. I do find it divisive, but what are you going to do about it?”

But another council member, Brian Worrell, who is Black, sees no problem with the party. Worrell said Boston makes room for all types of specific groups, and the party is no different.

“We make space and spaces for all kinds of specific groups in the city and city government,” Worrell said in a statement. “This is no different, and the Elected Officials of Color has been around for more than a decade.”

The city’s first Asian-American mayor is scheduled to host a holiday party for all cabinet members, city councilors and the legislature the week before Christmas.

Barack Obama, library, lawsuit
by Sharelle B. McNair

December 15, 2023

Barack Obama Surprises Students At Chicago Elementary School With A Story Time and Gifts

Obama announced himself as "Skinny Santa."

Former President Barack Obama stopped by an elementary school in Chicago’s south side for holiday surprises, including gifts and a story.

Dressed with a Santa hat and a sack over his shoulder, Obama presented toys and winter accessories to the kids at Parkside Community Academy through a partnership with principal Tori Williams-Hughes, CPS Chief Schools Officer Felicia Sanders and CPS Network 12 Chief Shenethe Parks, as a way spread some holiday cheer before the much-anticipated winter break. When he entered the room, one child could be heard yelling, “Oh, my God.”  Shocked by his presence, Obama announced himself as “Skinny Santa.”

All 20 students in the pre-k class received a toy or a winter accessory to keep them warm after the 44th President read “Santa’s Gotta Go” by Derrick Barnes, a story about what happens to a family when Santa Claus becomes a houseguest. Obama made the kids giggle with some of the story’s relatable verbiage. “He called Mrs. Claus babe,” he explained to the students.

The first Black President of the United States said he was so happy to do something like this for the kids. As a Chicago native, Obama said giving back to your community is what the holidays are all about. “I could not have had more fun spreading a little Christmas cheer and getting some back from these 3 and 4-year-olds,” Obama said.

“Especially when I started to read to them about Santa. This season is about giving, whether it’s checking in on a neighbor, volunteering for a food drive or a present drive, or being part of this broader community where we are all counting on each other — that’s what the spirit of these holidays is about.”

Debra Gardner, a veteran teacher at Parkside, commended Obama for taking the time to come back to his roots and surprise them. “For him to take the time to come here out of his busy schedule to read a book, it just shows that he is still a leader,” Gardner said.

Obama, along with his wife, Michelle, came back home for some meetings with the Obama Foundation staff and board members. Stopping at Parkside was an easy decision as the school is located not far from where the former First Lady grew up. Soon, the neighborhood will be neighbors to the future Obama Presidential Center, scheduled to open in 2025.

Ye Allegedly Never Received Clearance From Backstreet Boys For ‘Everybody’ Sample
by Sharelle B. McNair

December 15, 2023

Ye Allegedly Never Received Clearance From Backstreet Boys For ‘Everybody’ Sample

It's still a bop!

Ahead of Ye’s new album, Vultures, TMZ reports the Backstreet Boys never cleared the sample of their hit song, “Everybody,” for West’s lead single with the same title.

Fans can hear the reference from the very beginning as old-school R&B crooner Charlie Wilson starts the song off. The original version of the song and chorus can be heard before featured artist Ty Dolla $ign takes over, singing the original lyrics from the popular 1997 song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdLuypBCyE0

Wilson’s recreated chorus of the song is an example of interpolation, which by definition is a cover of a segment of a song re-sung or re-played in another song. A sample clearance requires permission from both the record label and the publisher. However, because a recording isn’t present for an interpolation, only the publisher’s permission is required, according to Variety.

With the Backstreet Boys not being writers of the hit single, the credit goes to songwriters Max Martin and the late Denniz Pop. Backstreet didn’t have authority over the use of the song. Martin or Pop’s estate could have had the sample blocked but didn’t.

West may be in the clear of legal troubles surrounding the new single. Since the song has yet to be released and he isn’t receiving money for it, the rapper, also known as Ye, can play the song publicly without facing copyright violations. But his odd behavior is still being questioned.

Shortly after going viral for performing with his daughter, North, and dancing with fans at a Miami restaurant, the “Late Registration” rapper performed new music at his album listening event sporting a black Ku Klux Klan hoodie. Fans seem to be excited about the new album dropping as he hasn’t released new music since “Donda 2,” released in 2022. Before that, Ye released a gospel album entitled “Jesus Is King. “

Harlem Candle Company
by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

December 14, 2023

Woman Used $50K Saved From Her Wedding To Start Business Now Worth $2M

In 2015, she founded Harlem Candle Company using $50,000 originally saved for her wedding, and now it boasts an annual revenue of $2 million.

This story was first reported by blackbusiness.com.

Teri Johnson, a 47-year-old African-American Houston native who moved to Harlem in 2000, turned her passion for Harlem’s cultural heritage into a thriving luxury candle business. In 2015, she founded Harlem Candle Company using $50,000 originally saved for her wedding, and now it boasts an annual revenue of $2 million.

When Johnson moved to Harlem, the rich cultural history of Black icons that surrounded the community reignited her deep passion for Black culture. In 2014, she started crafting scented candles in her kitchen as gifts for her family and friends, and realized an opportunity to blend her hobby with Harlem’s cultural heritage.

“Everything just fell into place,” Johnson told Inc. “I was encouraged by friends and family who had received my candles. I was making the candles in Harlem, and I loved the Harlem Renaissance. My goal became to put Harlem on the map with a beautiful, luxurious fragrance.”

A former management consultant armed with an MBA from HBCU Florida A&M, Johnson effortlessly navigated the business landscape. However, the challenging part turned out to be funding her venture. That’s when she decided to repurpose the $50,000 intended for her wedding, telling her parents she wouldn’t be getting married, and redirected those funds toward inventory.

Since then, Harlem Candle Company, which initially sold $50 luxury candles, has grown into a business worth $2 million in annual sales. The candles, which pay homage to the Harlem Renaissance, are now sold in 134 stores, including major retailers like Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, and Macy’s. Johnson has also ventured into corporate gifting, securing clients such as JPMorgan Chase, Google, and Meta.

What sets Johnson’s candles apart is the storytelling aspect behind them. Each fragrance and packaging tells the tales of Black luminaries such as Josephine Baker, Duke Ellington, and Langston Hughes, among others. One of her creations, Purple Love, a floral-accented candle inspired by James Baldwin, even earned a place on Oprah’s Favorite Things list in 2023.

“I do my research, and my perfumers take my vision and go deeper to create these essences that really do transport you back to a 1920s speakeasy or to the creative space of a Langston Hughes,” Johnson said.

Beyond candles, Johnson is expanding her creative endeavors with the Harlem Design Company, which is set to launch journals celebrating the Harlem Renaissance. As she continues to draw inspiration from the past, her brand becomes a bridge between history and the present, capturing the essence of the Harlem Renaissance for a new generation.

“With me being a Black woman, having a business based here, and celebrating Black culture that celebrates Black excellence and Black history, I felt a very strong responsibility to be a part of it,” she said.

Learn more about Johnson’s company via its official website at HarlemCandleCompany.com.

Also be sure to follow her brand on Instagram @HarlemCandleCompany.

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DOCTOR, PHYSICIAN, u of M, lawsuit, pay gap, wage discrimination
by Atiya Jordan

December 14, 2023

Why Are Black Individuals Seeking Less Fertility Treatments?

Black women are twice as likely to suffer from infertility than white women, but social stigmas and cultural barriers — supported by new research — contribute to Black adults seeking fertility treatment at lower rates.

While more than 13% of American women aged 15 to 49 have fertility challenges, a recent report by a leading fertility clinic network delved deeper into the issues facing the Black community. BLACK ENTERPRISE spoke with Dr. Stephanie Marshall Thompson, reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist at The Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Science and a member of the CCRM Fertility network. She spearheaded CCRM’s inaugural Black Fertility Matters survey, which revealed “several racial and cultural barriers that prevent access to quality fertility care and treatment for the Black community,” according to a press release.

“Black women and men should know that it’s time for their stories to be heard. The more we keep silent, the more we perpetuate generational trauma when it comes to infertility. We must tell Black couples they are not alone, and it is not their fault,” Thompson told BE.

The survey consisted of 1,000 Black men and women respondents across the United States between the ages of 24 and 54. Out of the group, 57% of Black individuals were less likely to seek fertility treatment, and 26% experienced racial and cultural bias when they did seek it. For example, Black women who received care found that clinics and providers lacked cultural understanding. For 48% of survey respondents, seeking fertility treatment with someone of the same ethnicity would make them feel more comfortable. Meanwhile, 46% of respondents cited a lack of “adequate representation/inclusivity in the fertility treatment industry” for the Black community.

“Healthcare providers need to step up to the plate and stop allowing healthcare biases to affect how patients are counseled. We need to normalize infertility as a medical diagnosis that affects millions of people including Black couples at a disproportionate rate. Providers can encourage patients to take charge of their health, ask questions and not be afraid to share their stories,” Thompson suggested.

Furthermore, the CCRM report revealed that 55% of respondents believed there were stigmas associated with Black individuals and infertility. The most agreeable answer was that Black people were less likely to seek the necessary treatment. “In fact, we suffer from infertility at a higher rate often due to delayed diagnosis and treatment,” said Thompson.

It is important to note that causes of infertility are estimated to stem from male reproductive issues one-third of the time and female reproductive issues one-third of the time. “Black men suffer from higher rates of obesity, diabetes, and hypertension, all of which can contribute to abnormalities in sperm counts,” Thompson explained.

To take charge of improvement, Thompson offered two tips:

  • Take care of your general health by maintaining a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and completing all your recommended preventative health screenings.
  • We should also learn to track our reproductive cycles and symptoms from a young age so that we can identify what’s normal (and abnormal) in our bodies.
Biden-Harris Campaign Taps Veteran Democrats For Help In Battleground State Wisconsin
by Iman Milner

December 14, 2023

Biden-Harris Campaign Taps Veteran Democrats For Help In Battleground State Wisconsin

Wisconsin was narrowly won in 2020 by the Biden-Harris ticket.

The campaign for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris is off to the races, and three veteran Democrats have been tapped to lead operations in the battleground state of Wisconsin. Garren Randolph will take the reins as state campaign manager, with Devin Remiker and Tanya Bjork stepping in as senior advisers, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Wisconsin was narrowly won in 2020 by the Biden-Harris ticket and is one of two states in which changes have been made to target young voters, white men without college degrees, and the Black community, according to USA Today. Julie Chavez Rodriguez, the Biden-Harris campaign manager, declared absolute faith in Randolph and the team that has been formed in the Midwestern state.

“[The] Wisconsin leadership team is battle-tested, highly experienced and ready for the fight ahead to again mobilize the coalition that sent President Biden and Vice President to the White House so they can keep delivering for Wisconsin families,” Chavez Rodriguez said.

The newly formed group will also assist other Democratic nominees on the ballot, including U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, who is up for re-election.

“This is the best possible team to lead Wisconsin Democrats to victory,” Baldwin said. “Their deep ties, knowledge of the state, and political acumen will serve President Biden well on his path to re-election. I’m thrilled we’ll be working together to win up and down the ticket in 2024.”

Randolph will be reprising his position as a key player for the Biden-Harris ticket in Wisconsin, having served as deputy state director in 2020. He also played a role in the successful Milwaukee County executive run of David Crowley in the same year. Randolph’s work helped to elect Governor Tony Evers, who threw his full support behind the former’s appointment ,saying, “[Randolph’s] experience and talent will be critical in building President Biden’s campaign in Wisconsin and keeping our state blue in 2024.”

RELATED CONTENT: Biden-Harris’ Campaign Targets Black Voters With New Advertisements, Highlighting Efforts For The Community

Jonathan Majors, Conviction
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

December 14, 2023

Jonathan Majors Trial Reveals New Surveillance Footage Of Car Fight

The surveillance footage of Jonathan Majors and Grace Jabbari in an altercation outside their SUV has been released by the courts.

More details have been revealed in the domestic assault trial against Jonathan Majors. Surveillance footage outside the vehicle where some of the March incident occurred has been shared with the public.

The judge presiding over the case allowed the evidence presented to the court to be shared with media outlets, and TMZ obtained the footage that shows Majors and his former girlfriend, Grace Jabbari, outside the SUV where the altercation allegedly began. In the clip, after the ex-couple were tensely speaking, Majors is seen picking up Jabbari and putting her back inside the vehicle. As she resists, Majors becomes more forceful, pushing her back into the car as he leaves.

Prosecutors detailed the scene as Majors using “physical force once again,” claiming her “shoved her repeatedly” into the car.

However, additional video shows Majors running away from Jabbari for several blocks. As she gives up her chase, the woman finds pedestrians to help her order a car ride home. Majors returned to walk past his former partner, with Jabbari noticing his reemergence and starting to follow him again. As known early on in the case, Jabbari spent the rest of the evening at a nightclub, while Majors allegedly went to stay at a hotel.

The following day led to his arrest, but only after a 911 call that morning by the Marvel actor to report Jabbari’s alleged suicide attempt by overdose. More footage of that incident was also shared, showing Majors escorting police through his home to reach an unconscious Jabbari. After she speaks to officers and shows them her alleged injuries, Majors is arrested.

The new footage comes after testimony by the SUV driver that further complicates the story. The unidentified man, who was brought on to testify by the prosecution, recalled his version of the events where Jabbari was the aggressor in the matter, while Majors tried to get rid of her.

With the curtains now open on evidence previously sealed from public viewing, the media circus surrounding the trial has gained more fuel. As for the trial itself, the prosecution has rested its case, with the defense now calling its witnesses.

RELATED CONTENT: Marvel Faces Casting Dilemma As Jonathan Majors’ Domestic Violence Case Moves Forward

Survey: Younger Adults With Disabilities On Medicare Are Facing More Difficulties
by Atiya Jordan

December 14, 2023

Survey: Younger Adults With Disabilities On Medicare Are Facing More Difficulties

Over the past year, younger Medicare recipients with disabilities were more likely to report negative experiences than those older than 65.

Over the past year, Medicare recipients under the age of 65 with disabilities were more likely to report negative experiences than those older than 65. From cost concerns to worse access to healthcare, how will these barriers impact Black Americans who report having poorer health outcomes compared to white people?

An annual KFF Survey of Consumer Experiences with Health Insurance found notable differences between the 7.7 million Americans under age 65 with Medicare and long-term disabilities. While 92% of respondents over age 65 with disabilities raved about their Medicare coverage, only 79% of those under 65 with disabilities did. However, the latter reported experiences with more health insurance issues.

“Younger beneficiaries who qualify for Medicare because of disability are more likely than those who qualify based on age to have lower incomes and education levels, to be Black or Hispanic, and to be in worse health,” the report stated.

Originally, Medicare was designed to cater to adults 65 and over, with benefits added later for younger adults. Individuals under 65 may be able to qualify for this program if they have a disability or are diagnosed with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease).

This year, the Biden-Harris administration released an executive public notice to support Americans with disabilities, including financial empowerment and strengthening nondiscrimination in health care under the Affordable Care Act. The statement recognized that “people with disabilities — and especially people with disabilities who are members of racial and ethnic groups that have historically faced discrimination and structural disadvantages in the United States — experience disproportionately poor health status.” 

According to the KFF report, 50% of younger Medicare patients reported their health as “fair” or “poor,” compared to only 19% of those 65 and over. The brimming group is also more inclined to report the same adjectives for their mental health status, while just 1 in 10 senior adults on Medicare do. The report noted that “the higher rate of poorer self-reported health among beneficiaries under age 65 could contribute to a higher rate of health insurance problems.”

Research studies have determined that young adults normally experience difficulty accessing healthcare. However, individuals who live with physical disabilities are at a higher risk of not receiving the necessary care. According to Rhianna Jones, a registered nurse at CanXida, the healthcare needs of a younger person with disabilities tend to be more complicated than older adults.

“While Medicare provides essential health coverage, it may have limitations in coverage for certain services, treatments or equipment crucial for younger individuals with disabilities,” Jones told Newsweek. “Gaps in coverage for rehabilitative services, long-term care, mental health support, or specific therapies can impact their health care experiences.”

For Black adults, who are often saddled with deep medical debt burdens, not seeking treatment at all may be a common option. One in three Black adults have past due medical bills compared to fewer than one in four white adults, and approximately 27% of Black households carry medical debt compared to roughly 17% of white adults. Some debts are piled on credit cards, further leaving Black families behind than other groups.

In 2022, Black Americans represented 10% of Medicare distribution in the United States. Data by the US Census Bureau revealed that Black people with disabilities stand a higher poverty rate than any other group, with 36%. One-third of Black households with a household member with a disability spend more than 50% of household income on housing. 

In late September, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced its efforts to help remove medical bills from Americans’ credit reports.

RELATED CONTENT: Medicaid Programs Are Now Providing Dental Care, Some Dentists Push Back

‘Love & Basketball,’ ’12 Years A Slave,’ ‘Bamboozled’ Voted For Preservation At Library Of Congress’ National Film Registry
by Sharelle B. McNair

December 14, 2023

‘Love & Basketball,’ ’12 Years A Slave,’ ‘Bamboozled’ Voted For Preservation At Library Of Congress’ National Film Registry

What other films do you think should be preserved?

Some classics of Black cinema will be added to into the Library of Congress’s National Film Registry, including 12 Years a Slave, Bamboozled, and Love & Basketball.

Every year, the Librarian of Congress names 25 motion pictures that are at least 10 years old that are looked at as “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant. To date, there are 875 films in the registry. Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden then consults with members of the National Film Preservation Board before making final selections. These Black classics made the cut out of 6,875 other titles also considered.

Released in 2000, Bamboozled, directed by the legendary Spike Lee, showed a mixture of dark comedy and satire that exposed hypocrisy in the film industry. The film stars comedian Damon Wayans, a TV executive who gets tired of his ideas being rejected by his white boss. When he comes up with the idea for a racist minstrel show featuring Black performers in blackface, he is taken aback by its success.

“When I was writing this film, it was a good time for me to look back and see where we might be going in the future,” Lee said.

The movie is often described as one of Lee’s most underrated films.

Love & Basketball has become a classic since its 2000 release. The film follows the love story of childhood neighbors Monica and Quincy, played by Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps. The two grow up to become college basketball stars but after bouts of miscommunication, the two break up and go their separate ways. When Quincy heads to the NBA, a career-ending injury brings Monica back into his life as the two realize they never stopped loving each other—or the game.

The film was the directorial debut of Gina Prince-Bythewood, who has since helmed The Woman King, The Secret Life of Bees, and The Old Guard.

Steve McQueen’s critically acclaimed 12 Years a Slave won Best Picture at the 2014 Academy Awards. Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, the film is based on the 1853 memoir of the same name by Solomon Northup, an African-American free man kidnapped and sold into slavery for 12 years before getting his freedom back. The all-star cast includes Brad Pitt, Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Fassbender, and Lupita Nyong’o, who won Best Supporting Actress.

Other movies added to the library include fan favorites like Home Alone, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Apollo 13, and Lady and the Tramp, according to Smithsonian Magazine.

racism, long-term effects
by Atiya Jordan

December 14, 2023

Report: Black Girls And Women Suicide Rates Have Doubled In Two Decades

The number of Black women and girls committing suicide has skyrocketed in 20 years.

The 2022 death toll from suicide was the highest number ever recorded in the United States, according to new data, but there has been an alarming rise among Black females ages 15 to 24 over the past two decades.

In late November, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report outlining the “provisional estimates of suicide by demographic characteristics” in 2022. These results were based on more than 99% of all 2022 death records processed by the National Center for Health Statistics. 

In comparison with 2021 data, CDC researchers found a steady rise in the number of suicides for both males and females in nearly every age and race. However, the rates of suicide among Black girls and women ages 15 to 24 more than doubled from 1.9 per 100,000 in 1999 to 4.9 per 100,000 in 2020. In response, the U.S. Surgeon General called for a national strategy for suicide prevention,” the report authors noted.

Researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health further supported the considerable increases in Black female suicides, examining the epidemiology of suicide among Black females from 1999-2020 in the U.S. by geographical region. Suicide rates among Black women were highest in the West, rising to nearly five suicide deaths per 100,000 among those ages 25 to 34. 

Studies support that firearms are the leading cause of suicide death overall; approximately 90% of attempts are fatal. 

Data revealed that 289 Black females ages 15 to 84 died by suicide in 1999. By 2020, the number had spiked to 652, which includes a “clear age effect” with higher rates among younger women. The underlying factor behind one single suicide isn’t easy to determine, but many researchers have acknowledged that Black women and girls’ depression and suicidality have often been overlooked and distorted in the social sciences, psychology/psychiatry, and suicidology. 

In a university news release, first author Victoria Joseph, MPH, an analyst at Columbia’s Department of Epidemiology, said, “High rates among those aged 25–27 years suggest that this age may be a developmental period for Black women with particular need of additional support.” From domestic and neighborhood violence to poverty and lack of funding into federal and state support systems, Joseph explained that these “are overrepresented risk factors among Black girls and women in some areas.” 

“These findings are in line with evidence that suicidal behaviors are increasing among minoritized youth. While the reasons why remain under investigation, it could be that cyberbullying and online racial attacks toward Black female youth may be on the rise in particular, and therefore interventions targeting certain stressors are particularly critical for young Black women,” senior study author Katherine Keyes, a professor of epidemiology at Columbia, added in the release.

Additionally, Black women are still facing long-standing racial disparities and perceived interpersonal racism, which can have detrimental mental health consequences. While factors may vary, suicide prevention and deeper research are crucial. 

Organizations such as the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and The Jed Foundation’s ongoing campaign, Seize the Awkward, seek to encourage young adults to talk with one another about their mental health and well-being.

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