by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

November 29, 2023

Chrisean Rock Partners With Hollywood Unlocked In Health Initiative

Chrisean Rock is the first celebrity advocate for Hollywood Unlocked's new health initiative, Healthcare Unlocked.

Chrisean Rock has announced her partnership with Hollywood Unlocked and Enhanced Health to expand accessibility to health care.

Rock shared the news on her Instagram on Nov. 27, as she displayed a video of herself speaking on the program while holding her infant son, Chrisean Jr.

Rock boasts over 5.4 million followers on the social media app, aiding in the outreach and awareness for this charitable program.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by DaBigBabyChrisean (@chrisean)

“Once I became a mom, I realized there were so many things I didn’t know about health insurance,” the mother of one stated in the video. “I’m partnering with Jason Lee and Healthcare Unlocked to make sure you know what you qualify for, too. Click the link and find the right health insurance plan for you.”

Rock explained further in the post’s caption about how the initiative seeks to help those in need within the community. “As a new mom, I want to use my platform to help underserved communities in accessing healthcare. If you rock with me, then join me on my journey,” Rock said.

The tabloid, founded by Jason Lee, also revealed the social media announcement detailing how Rock is the first advocate for the healthcare equity program.

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A post shared by HOLLYWOOD UNLOCKED (@hollywoodunlocked)

“She will use her platforms to help fans navigate the open enrollment process and sign up for the Affordable Care Act, ushering a healthier and more equitable future for all,” captioned the post.

Healthcare Unlocked seeks to do more beyond bridging the gap between underserved communities and healthcare services; it also utilizes celebrities’ platforms to inform their fanbases on STI screenings, mental health check-ups, and finding affordable insurance plans. Rock is the first of many expected to join in the cause, as reported by the news outlet, and has featured the “Baddies” star in past interviews with Lee.

The positive news is also a source of good publicity for Rock, whose tumultuous relationship with her child’s father, rapper Blueface, has caused much criticism of the 23-year-old reality television star.

City Notifies Elderly Woman In St. Paul To Destroy Her Yard Decor Following Decades Of Work

by Stacy Jackson

November 29, 2023

City Notifies Elderly Woman In St. Paul To Destroy Her Yard Decor Following Decades Of Work

The 70-year-old woman has put nearly three decades of work into the mosaic in her front yard. Now the city may force her to clear it out.

After a city inspection Iris Logan, a 70-year-old woman in St. Paul, MN, has been given notice that her decades-old mosaic of rocks and art in her yard must be destroyed.

According to The Associated Press, Logan has been notified to clear out any of the “planters, wood, metal cans, large rocks and miscellaneous debris” she has used to decorate the yard, after a city inspector deemed Logan’s project as an inconvenience to the community. The former Mississippi cotton sharecropper initially started her project when she was experiencing difficulty growing grass in her front yard. Logan claimed her mosaic was a solution to the fault of yard workers who dug too deep in the ground and exposed the roots of one of her trees.

Logan got going on creating her mosaic in an attempt to cover the space. Logan used stones, statues, bricks, dirt, and planted flowers to beautify the space and she continued to add decorative art throughout the years.

According to a written notice, a city inspector proposed that City Council give her a deadline of Dec. 22 to clean up her project.

The woman, who said she “never had a complaint” about her yard installation, appealed the order and addressed the concerns of the inspector. She clarified that her stones don’t extend beyond her yard or interrupt traffic flow.

“I just want to make a stand for the next person,” Logan said.

Justin Lewandowski, a community organizer who lives near Logan, said a petition in support of the woman garnered 150 signatures within a few hours. The neighbors’ support is “a clear signal of how much this art means to our community,” Lewandowski said.

“Generally boulevards should be clear of installations or obstructions (benches, large rocks, etc.) that would impede access to buried utility lines. This also keeps the tree roots clear and provides a place to shovel snow in the winter,” Casey Rodriguez, a spokesman for the St. Paul Department of Safety and Inspections told the Pioneer Press via email.

The City Council will address the matter on Dec. 6. Over a dozen other properties in the community have also been notified to remove obstructions that may violate city code.

Former Bush Strategist Predicts Trump Will Be Convicted Before GOP Convention

by Sharelle B. McNair

November 29, 2023

Former Bush Strategist Predicts Trump Will Be Convicted Before GOP Convention

One Republican feels like Trump's time is up.

One man believes former President Donald Trump could be convicted of one of his numerous criminal charges.

Former George W. Bush administration strategist Matthew Dowd thinks it could happen sooner than we think. Dowd predicted on MSNBC that it will happen after Trump secures the nomination, but not before he can accept it formally at the Republican National Convention.

Anchor Joy Reid spoke with Dowd about how he thinks things will go in 2024.

“How bad is it going to get next year, in your view?” Reid asked. “I think it’s going to be rough, but Matthew, how bad do you think it’s going to get?”

Dowd responded with “awful.”

“I don’t think we have ever seen this kind of convergence between a former president running for office again in the midst of multiple trials held simultaneously while he wins primaries and caucuses,” Dowd said. “The people running against him, Nikki Haley and whatever, I think what’s going to end up happening is he’s going to have momentum.”

Trump seems to be proud of his indictments. During his speeches at some of his rallies, he continues to boast about being indicted more than famous gangster Al Capone. During a speech in Iowa, Trump said, “he was indicted one time. I was indicted four times.”

Then, in Florida, he touched on Capone again. “If you looked at him wrong, he’d kill you, and he’d kill you with his hands,” the former President said. “He was a tough guy. He got indicted one time. I got indicted four times.”

However, that’s not true, CNN’s Daniel Dale revealed. Capone was indicted at least six times compared to Trump’s four.

The GOP Convention will occur in July 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Dowd says Trump will get the nomination then, a situation that confounds him.

“We have never in my life have ever seen a calendar that will unfold in that manner,” he said. “But it also is going to be so weird while this is going on, Republican voters voting for him to be the nominee of the party as he’s convicted.”

by Sharelle B. McNair

November 29, 2023

Viral Video Of Florida Airport Employees Damaging Wheelchair Prompts Federal Investigation

Well, this is unacceptable.

Two American Airlines employees made a big mistake on the job.

After a video went viral of the employees damaging a wheelchair, the Department of Transportation to open a federal investigation. The video was posted to TikTok Nov. 19, showing the wheelchair being thrown carelessly from the gate to the tarmac at Terminal E at the Miami International Airport.

The video was shared by Haeley Dyrdahl, who can be heard saying that it was the third time she had witnessed something like that happening.

@haez93
Dang, after i saw them do this and laugh with the first two wheelchairs i had to get it on film. That is not what id call “handling with care” for someones mobility device…. #AmericanAirlines #handlewithcare #mobilitydevice #wheelchair
♬ Oh No – Kreepa

The video made its way past TikTok to other social media platforms and caught the eye of government officials, including U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, who, in a tweet, made a promise. “This is totally unacceptable. We’ll be investigating,” Buttigieg wrote. “This is exactly why we are taking action to protect passengers who use wheelchairs. Everyone deserves to travel safely and with dignity.”

This is totally unacceptable. We'll be investigating. This is exactly why we are taking action to protect passengers who use wheelchairs. Everyone deserves to travel safely and with dignity. https://t.co/K5HO5QIWLK
— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) November 20, 2023

Included in the announcement, the 2020 presidential candidate placed a link that provides a detailed outline of how the agency is working toward increasing accessibility for people with disabilities to have a safe and reliable way to travel, especially in the air.

According to The Hill, the number of complaints made to DOT tied to disabilities increased between 2020 and 2021. In 2022, data showed airlines were responsible for 941 wheelchairs being mishandled. In February 2023, Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Deb Fischer (R-NE) created a bill that hopes to create transparency about disability-related complaints in the airline industry.

“We recognize how important it is to support the independence of customers with disabilities by ensuring the proper care of mobility devices throughout their journey with us,” American Airlines said in a statement. “This visual is deeply concerning, and we are gathering more details so that we can address them with our team. We will continue to work hard to improve our handling of assistive devices across our network.”

There has been no official word on whether the employees in the video are still employed by the airline.

by Jeffrey McKinney

November 29, 2023

5 Ways To Help Black Founders Gain More Venture Capital Dollars Amid Funding Decline

Black founders continue to not get much love from the industry pertaning to obtaining venture capital funding.

New data shows venture capital funding remains skimpy for Black founders, an ongoing snag for them.

Those founders gathered $39.7 million of all capital dispersed from $29.9 billion to U.S. startups in the third quarter of 2023, amounting to a measly 0.13%, based on research firm TechCrunch.

The number is a huge drop from last year’s last quarter when Black founders harvested $1 billion from roughly $81.7 billion in VC money, or about 1.2%. In the second quarter of 2023, the founders gained $212 million out of $29 billion. In the first quarter of this year, they got $352 million out of $45 billion.

The latest figure is a big deal as the outlet reports funding to Black founders has been regularly falling since 2020.

The shortfall comes as observers are questioning what happened to tens of billions of dollars the nation’s largest corporations – including tech giants – pledged three years ago to support economic growth for Black businesses and individuals. The vows came after the murder of George Floyd and national protests tied to systemic racism.

The tech industry is reportedly growing ten times faster, with wages two times greater than the remaining economy. Yet, its workforce mainly consists of white male professionals, managers, and executives.

Bryan DiGiorgio, founder and CEO of 1840 & Company, a global business process outsourcing provider that helps startups scale, shared the report, via email, with BLACK ENTERPRISE, highlighting the decrease in VC funding for African American founders. While it is concerning, it also presents an opportunity for those firms to strategize and adapt.

He offered five ways Black founders can boost their access to venture capital funding:

1) “Strengthen Network and Community Engagement: Building: A robust network is crucial. African- American founders should actively engage with their local and broader entrepreneurial communities. This includes attending industry events, joining relevant online forums, and participating in startup incubators or accelerators. Networking isn’t just about meeting investors; it’s about building relationships with other founders, mentors, and industry experts who can provide valuable insights, introductions, and support.”

2) “Leverage Non-Traditional Funding Sources and Platforms: Exploring alternative funding sources can be beneficial. This includes crowdfunding platforms, angel investors focusing on minority-led startups, and venture funds specifically dedicated to supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs. Additionally, government grants and programs aimed at supporting minority-owned businesses can provide both funding and valuable resources.”

3)”Showcase a Strong Value Proposition and Scalability: African American founders should focus on clearly articulating how their business solves a significant problem, its market potential, and a roadmap for growth. This involves having a well-prepared business plan, understanding your market thoroughly, and being able to demonstrate traction or potential for significant traction.”

4) “Focus on Building a Diverse and Strong Team: A diverse team brings varied perspectives, skills, and experiences, which is incredibly appealing to investors. It’s important to build a team that not only reflects diversity but also possesses the expertise and drive to propel the business forward. One effective strategy to build a diverse and skilled team is through outsourcing or staff augmentation.”

5) “Center on Building Relationships with Investors: African American founders should prioritize cultivating long-term relationships with potential investors, understanding that initial meetings with investors might not immediately lead to funding. Instead, these interactions are foundational for future financial support.”

“By leveraging these strategies, African American founders can better position their startups to attract investors and enhance their prospects of securing funding in the venture capital arena.”

Florida Republican Senator Proposes Bill Banning State From Paying Reparations

by Sharelle B. McNair

November 29, 2023

Florida Republican Senator Proposes Bill Banning State From Paying Reparations

The revisionists are still trying it.

A Republican senator from Florida is doing all he can to ensure the state doesn’t pay reparations to those who deserve them.

Sen. Blaise Ingoglia (R-Fla.) filed the constitutional amendment for consideration during the upcoming 2024 ballots. Ingoglia, a former chairman of the state Republican Party, wants to put the proposal, SJR 582, on the legislative session, which starts in January 2024. The conversation surrounding reparations has started in numerous states, including California, where votes to move on the proposal have already been scheduled.

Ingoglia’s bill would ban the state, its counties, municipality, or any political party from paying in the form of reparations to people who are descendants of enslaved people who lived in the United States before December 6, 1865 – which is the date when the 13th Amendment was made valid and officially ended slavery. With Florida being a heavily Republican-represented state, the bill must be 60% approved by each house before being placed on upcoming ballots.

Another bill up on the legislative calendar is the Historical Monuments and Memorials Protection Act. According to CBS 12 News, the bill would protect monuments honoring Confederates and keep them on public display, specifically a Confederate general who escaped to Mexico and Cuba to avoid being arrested for treason.

The former chairman also worked hard to rid the state of The Ultimate Cancel Act in 2022 in an attempt to silence the state’s Democratic Party. His moves would require the Division of Elections to immediately cancel filings from a party if certain conditions exist, including if the party’s platform has supported or advocated for slavery. It was during this time that southern Democrats wanted slavery to continue.

Florida has been sitting in controversy throughout 2023 regarding their racist efforts against Black people. Some included a law that banned public colleges from using federal or state money for diversity, equity and inclusion programs, which Sen. Ingoglia voted for, and changing the education standards for Black history to include how some acts of slavery were beneficial.

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

November 29, 2023

HBCU Grad, Black Author Becomes International Finalist For His Book, “Mission Possible: How To Graduate From College Debt-Free”

Dr. Juan P. Chisholm, is a Finalist for the International Book Awards ifor his award-winning book, Mission Possible: How to Graduate from College Debt-Free.

Originally Reported by Blacknews

Nationwide — Dr. Juan P. Chisholm, author of Investitude and How to Make Your Past, A Blessing to Your Future is now a Finalist for the International Book Awards in the “Young Adult: Non-Fiction” category for his award-winning book, Mission Possible: How to Graduate from College Debt-Free published by Greenlight Books & Publishing, LLC.

Chisholm is an acclaimed business owner, teacher, investor, author, and motivational speaker. He has successfully completed the world-renowned Executive Education program in Strategic Finance for Smaller Businesses at the Harvard Business School in Boston. He is also a proud graduate of Florida State University (FSU), and also an HBCU graduate of Florida A&M University College of Law where he earned his Law Degree and was the two-time recipient of the prestigious Percy R. Luney Spirit of Service Award.

Earlier this year, Chisholm was also recognized in Tallahassee, Florida as one of the recipients of the esteemed Florida Book Awards for the same book that has now allowed him to reach an international audience as a “Finalist” for the International Book Awards. His love for writing dates back to when he used to write short stories and journal in both elementary school at Sallye B. Mathis and in high school at Jean Ribault Senior High School. Both of these schools are located in Duval County in Jacksonville, Florida.

Learn more about Dr. Juan P. Chisholm and how you can purchase a copy of his award-winning book and sign up for his courses at GraduateDebtFreeClub.com

His award-winning book, Mission Possible: How to Graduate From College Debt-Free may also be purchased from Amazon and BarnesandNoble.com.

Also, be sure to follow him on social media on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.

About the International Book Awards
The 2023 International Book Awards (IBA), sponsored by the American Book Fest is one of the world’s largest international book award programs for mainstream, indie, and self-published titles. According to the American Book Fest President and CEO, Jeffrey Keen, the IBA welcomed thousands of entries from authors and publishers around the world, which were then narrowed down to the final results.

Past International Book Award laureates include Pope Francis, Vanessa Williams, Amy Tan, Daymond John, Bob Odenkirk, John Land, Julie Andrews, and Jude Deveraux. Learn more about the 2023 International Book Award Winners and Finalists at InternationalBookAwards.com

corporate, startup, activate your network, price to move, launch, steps, strategic, advice

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

November 29, 2023

Black Entrepreneurs In NYC Unite To Claim Billions At JFK And Laguardia Airports

The Southeast Queens Chamber of Commerce is leading their membership into millions. Jamaica, Queens houses the two largest airports in NY – both JFK and LaGuardia airports.

Originally Reported by Blacknews

Nationwide — The Southeast Queens Chamber of Commerce is leading their membership into millions. Jamaica, Queens houses the two largest airports in NY – both JFK and LaGuardia airports. The chamber is not stopping there only but is also joining forces with AMAC, Airport Minority Advisory Council to cast a wider net for minorities to get MWBE & ACDBE certified to succeed in airport concessions and sales.

To date, these certifications have not meant much to Black people, because even when they get these certificates they often are still excluded from operating concessions because the costs and assets needed to get into the airports are still too high.

The ACDBE (Airport Certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprise) states that one’s assets should not be more than $1.32 million but the airport developers often ask for way more than that, especially in New York and they usually get away with excluding people of color.

The SEQ Chamber has planned a Matchmaking Holiday Market at their headquarters at 115-42 Sutphin Blvd, Jamaica, ten minutes away from JFK Airport. The ‘winter wonderland’ themed holiday market will match local business enterprises with airport developers.

Dr. Roxanne Simone Lord, President of the SEQ Chamber comments, “Airport concessions provide overlooked opportunities for business-people of African descent to make millions. Thus far people of African descent have been systematically shut out of operating concessions in America’s airports and airports around the world.”

The Southeast Queens Chamber of Commerce has launched a Giving Fund to help people of color scale up their businesses and raise capital. To participate, please donate or join the SEQ Chamber where half of your membership fee goes into the Giving Fund to make grants to members of the chamber to reinvest in their businesses.

For more information, visit the official website of the Southeast Queens Chamber of Commerce at SEQCOC.org

RELATED CONTENT: 4 Delegation Strategies For Busy Entrepreneurs

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

November 29, 2023

Black-Owned Brand Creates Travel Gear Celebrating Kids Of Color

Dutchess and Duke, a new kids' travel gear company, has embarked on a mission to revolutionize the world of travel gear for children by addressing the lack of representation for children of color.

Over half of all children in the United States are children of color. That’s why Dutchess and Duke, a new kids’ travel gear company, has embarked on a mission to revolutionize the world of travel gear for children by addressing the lack of representation for children of color.

The company specializes in creating high-quality backpacks, luggage, and travel accessories that predominantly feature children of diverse backgrounds, including African-American, Hispanic, Asian, Biracial, and Multiracial demographics.

“At Dutchess and Duke, we are on a mission to bring diversity to kids’ travel products,” said Kelie Charles, CEO of the company. “We want children to be excited to have luggage that reflects them. We believe that every child should have the opportunity to feel seen and represented in the products they use.”

The company’s inaugural line of products includes backpacks, luggage, and travel accessories based on fun characters that represent children of all backgrounds. From Zora, the aspiring doctor, to Grayson, a superhero in training, there’s a Dutchess and Duke character for every child to connect with.

“Dutchess and Duke is more than just a company,” said Charles. “It’s a community of inclusivity that connects over shared travel experiences and a vision of inclusivity. Our mantra, ‘Are We There Yet?’, is symbolic of both the eager traveler and our broader goal of global acceptance.”

The products are available now on the company’s website at DutchessandDuke.com

Dutchess and Duke is a pioneering children’s travel gear company dedicated to celebrating diversity and creating high-quality products that inspire a sense of belonging. It specializes in crafting stylish and practical backpacks, luggage, and travel accessories that prominently feature children of diverse backgrounds. Its mission is to ignite a sense of unity and acceptance in every adventure.

This story was first reported on blackbusiness.com

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 28, 2023

Anita Baker Angers Fans By Showing Up Two Hours Late For Performances, Beefs With Production Crew

Fans are saying 'The Songstress' shows up two-plus hours late in various cities while on tour

Earlier this year, songstress Anita Baker kicked fan favorite Babyface off the tour that the two co-headlined. She announced via social media that she was going at it alone “in the interest of personal safety” after she claimed that fans of Babyface were cyberbullying her. Yet, at a recent show, according to The Atlanta Black Star, due to her coming to perform two hours late for her scheduled concert, some fans are now saying that Babyface was never the problem; it was her all along.

At her Nov. 18 show at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex in Greensboro, North Carolina, the audience members showed no “Sweet Love” for the tardy R&B singer. Social media posts also stated that Baker was late and picked fights with her production team while on stage. A user on social media platform X posted videos of the interaction between Baker and the sound crew. There are also comments on the post revealing that many users claimed that she did that not just in North Carolina but also in various states with the same complaints. People who attended the Anita Baker concert in New Jersey in May wanted refunds. She not only started her performance late but, as Babyface was the slated opener, he did not perform at the request of the “Good Love” singer. That left fans enraged.

I am truly sorry to my fans who have been waiting for us to hit the stage this evening at @PruCenter. I was asked not to perform in order to give Ms. Baker her space and time to perform her show in its entirety. My band and I are extremely saddened we didn’t get to perform for…

— Babyface (@babyface) May 11, 2023

The next month, the always-composed Babyface told his fans he was no longer on the tour.

💔 pic.twitter.com/dIvn4iDeHB

— Babyface (@babyface) June 13, 2023

There were even more users posting to X their stories about Baker showing up late and not being prepared for the shows she performed.

She did the same at the hard rock in Fort Lauderdale… and showed up tipsy 🥴

— G (@Gee1205) November 26, 2023

I thought they said it was Kenneth’s fault? Tuh …. pic.twitter.com/INuB4Oog5X

— He Likes To Call Me Peaches (@JerzeeAj) November 26, 2023

She’s doing this mess in city after city and people still coming in caping for her. This is why they do this 💩 over and over because people enable them and put up with it. Demand better.

— SweetJustice (@JusticeIsSweett) November 26, 2023

The tour ends in Oakland on Dec. 23.