Eboni K. Williams Tells Black Women To Pursue A Degree And A Husband While In College
Lawyer and reality television star Eboni K. Williams is catching backlash after sitting with TheGrio and giving Black women unsolicited marriage and college education advice.
The Real Housewives of New York City star urged young Black girls to pursue their marriage partner while still in college or just after graduating.
During the sidebar titled Cap, Gown, and Ring, Williams said, “This will be the last time that you will be in such a concentrated space with this many, presumably available, men of projected equal educational and financial positioning.”
The 40-year-old, who’s single and has an ex-husband, continued, “And if you desire to marry a Black man, as the vast majority of Black women do, this is even more so the case.”
She told the audience that as they get older, their desirability would decrease, speaking about women like a car that depreciates in value.
“As we age, it doesn’t matter how much money we accumulate, our degrees or professional accolades; the reality is that our marriage and partnership market value is depreciating with every passing year. Our presumed dwindling fertility is a knock against us.”
“By the time you reach my age, 40, you will be faced with different choices relating to life partnership and motherhood.”
The lawyer attempted to bolster her argument by calling college-educated Black men exclusive in numbers.
“The number of college-educated Black men is so low compared to Black college-educated women that we’re all gonna be targeting the same small pool of men,” Williams pointed out. “And as we heard today, on most campuses, there’s like seven Black women students for every one Black man student; y’all do the math.”
Wlliams finished the TheGrio segment clip by leaving college-aged Black women with advice on pursuing their degree smart.
“If you are a young Black woman in college, and you know in your heart and your head that you want to prioritize family, I suggest that you simultaneously pursue that MRS degree right along with that BA or JD.”
Williams claimed that she knew a lot about the “marriage marketplace” and urged other women to get educated on it as well.
The posted segment was met with overwhelming dissent from women on social media.
1. Don’t quite know what gives Eboni K Williams the authority to speak on this topic.
2.This is a non-issue. Black Women have and continue to be the rock and foundation. We need to FOCUS to the neglect of boys and men getting consumed by incel culture. We are getting killed https://t.co/CoSzamrDQm
I think this was a cautionary tale for herself because I don’t see why she keeps hammering on the issue. Those of us who choose to get married and/or start a family (or stay single!) over the age of 40 are doing just fine
Quincy Jones Honored With State Department’s Inaugural Peace Through Music Award
Entertainment industry stalwart Quincy Jones received the inaugural Peace Through Music Award from the U.S. Department of State on Sept. 27.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Recording Academy Chief Executive Officer Harvey Mason, Jr.chose Jones for the award, which acknowledges “an American music industry professional, artist, or group that has played an invaluable role in cross-cultural exchanges and whose music work advances peace and mutual understanding globally.”
The award was made possible through the initiative created by the bipartisan Promoting Peace, Education, And Cultural Exchange (PEACE) Through Music Diplomacy Act. It was signed into law last year by President Joe Biden.
According to The Associated Press, this wasn’t Jones’ first dealing with the State Department. In 1956, he was the music director and trumpeter for Dizzy Gillespie and his band on the first U.S. State Department jazz tour of Southern Europe, the Middle East, and South Asia.
The event on Sept. 27 included performances by Herbie Hancock, Rakim, Mickey Guyton, Armani White, and DJ 2-Tone.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Mason expressed the benefit of the partnership between the Recording Academy and the State Department.
“You’re going to see a long-standing partnership between the Academy and the State Department,” Mason said. “I just believe music has a special and unique way of bringing people’s awareness to the forefront. And it’s almost darn near magic. It’s like, we call it ‘the miracle of music.’ It has the ability to have people who may or may not even like each other, stand next to each other, and nod their head, clap their hands and sing.”
Jones’s impact on popular music is unquestionable. Among the jobs in his storied career including producing Michael Jackson’s classic Thriller, the best-selling album of all-time.
Life Insurance Is A Powerful Option To Aid In Building Wealth
THIS CONTENT IS SPONSORED BY PRUDENTIAL
Black Americans are eager to create pathways to build generational wealth, yet most are not utilizing one of the least expensive and easiest tools for financial planning: life insurance.
Life insurance can serve as an invaluable vehicle in the journey to build wealth and prepare for emergencies like unexpected job loss, family crisis, or unforeseen legal expenses. And it’s not just for the wealthy or those who are older.
“Life insurance is a tangible and helpful tool no matter what stage of life you’re in, and we need to help expand knowledge of it as a resource to take advantage of in your everyday life,” says Salene Hitchcock-Gear, president of Individual Life Insurance at Prudential.
Debunking the myths about life insurance
According to a LIMRA and Life Happens 2021 Insurance Barometer study, 56% of Black Americans in 2021 owned life insurance, a higher rate than other racial groups. (i) Yet misconceptions about how life insurance can support the living have prevented many from fully exploring the options within their policies.
Research commissioned by Prudential Financial in 2022 showed that roughly 30% of Black Americans are convinced that life insurance is only for final expenses, and another 66% maintain that they have purchased policies largely for that reason. (ii) While the primary purpose of life insurance is to provide a death benefit, there are additional benefits, too. For example, some policies allow you to access money while the policyholder is still alive.
Another myth is that life insurance is only for high net-worth individuals and income earners, according to Prudential research. In fact, the 2021 Insurance Barometer study showed that around 75% of Black Americans overestimate the cost of life insurance. (iii)
The fact is that some life insurance policies can provide you with the flexibility to borrow from yourself first before tapping other financial sources. It can be used to pay bills (including mortgages), outstanding debts, and college costs.
Outstanding loans and withdrawals reduce a policy’s cash values and death benefits and may produce tax consequences. But having the option with a life insurance policy can make a difference when life throws a curve ball.
The truth about life insurance
“When you have the resource of cash value life insurance, it may help to avoid taking on unnecessary debt or exhausting lines of credit,” says LauRyn Williams, MBA, MS, CFP®, a Troy, Michigan-based Prudential Financial advisor.
Furthermore, life insurance can accumulate cash value to help cushion retirement income needs. Another perk: entrepreneurs have effectively used coverage as seed capital for their ventures.
Williams asserts that “buying life insurance is an act of love—whether it is love for your children or caring for yourself later in life.” She explains the importance of riders, which can allow the policy’s terms to give you extra benefits you can potentially access while still living. In turn, riders can be added to permanent life insurance policies. According to Prudential, permanent life insurance is long-term protection that can last a lifetime, considering premiums are paid. Most of those policies can build cash value.
Williams stressed the best type of life insurance is coverage that is in place when you need it most. For instance, when you are young, term life insurance is typically the most affordable at any income level. In general, term life insurance is an economical way to offer death benefit protection to a family for a temporary or set number of years. However, consider that most of those policies cannot provide cash value accumulation.
As your career progresses and your income rises, some term life policies can be converted into permanent coverage. This conversion process allows one to update their policy without submitting to a physical examination.
“When you choose your policy, make sure the conversion provision is within the original term insurance policy from the beginning,” says Williams.
She also stressed the importance of working with a financial adviser to determine the best life insurance policy for you. Williams uses a seven-step process that includes reviewing a person’s financial situation, identifying their goals, analyzing their current course, creating an individually tailored strategy, making client recommendations, and conducting ongoing conversations with clients to monitor their progress.
“I work with my clients to place the appropriate coverage to protect their family within the scope of their financial situation. When life insurance coverage is aligned with your personal goals, you can build wealth that matches your lifestyle.”
Prioritizing financial education to help increase awareness of life insurance
Prudential has been a big advocate for building personal and generational wealth, including through its latest effort, Blueprints to Black Wealth. Blueprints aims to close the access gap through education, products, and services built on a deep understanding of the diversity within the Black community.
“It’s a powerful time for Black Americans,” says Hitchcock-Gear.
“Income levels are rising, and there is greater economic mobility than ever before. Black communities are eager to create pathways to wealth no different than anyone else, and it’s critical that they have equal access to tools and information that will help them on their financial journey.”
Hitchcock-Gear knows firsthand how financial planning and support can play an influential role in one’s livelihood.
“Growing up, we didn’t have a lot of money, but I didn’t know it because we always had something good to eat, we lived in a house, and we always had heat. We weren’t deprived, but we also didn’t have extra. I saw firsthand that financial security is a big deal.”
Hitchcock-Gear started her career as a lawyer and, early in her practice, found many financial issues that came with her clients. While she knew little about financial planning at the time, it was the catalyst for her to learn more about it. She hopes to help more people along their financial journey through her work with Prudential.
“Most people have the same kind of aspirations, hopes, and dreams for themselves and their families regardless of where they come from, their culture, or background,” says Hitchcock-Gear.
“I feel fortunate that every single day I’m helping people do something really important in their own lives and in the lives of their families.”
Wardrobe Malfunction Unfolds On Video At Spirit Airlines Check-In
A viral video posted on Reddit on Thursday, Sept 28, shows a seemingly oblivious woman standing in line half-naked at Florida’s Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport’s Spirit Airlines check-in counter.
The video shows the woman, who was being recorded by someone else in the airport, wearing an orange halter-neck dress hiked up so high that it exposed her backside.
As reported by the Daily Mail, the unidentified woman didn’t seem to notice anything was wrong and stood in the Terminal 4 line casually with her luggage. The video was captioned, “When you pack extra light.”
The woman, being the camera, offered unfiltered commentary as she recorded the bizarre scene. “Only in the f***ing airport, Spirit Airlines. This b**** is half-naked. Motherf*****, what is this going on in 2023?”
She laughed behind the camera, continuing, “Lord, give me strength. I say no drawers, no f****** drawers, y’all, what is this, no drawers. I wonder if Spirit gonna let this happen today. Spirit, you gonna let this happen? This ain’t right.”
The subject of the video finally moved out of sight as the line moved up, and a man blocked her from view.
The odd video was uploaded onto Reddit’s Public Freakout thread, which is described as a place “dedicated to people freaking out, melting down, losing their cool, or being weird in public.”
Reddit users cracked jokes and offered their speculations.
One user wrote, “It is one of those situations where you’re on the way to the airport and just get that feeling that you forgot to do something before you left. Did I lock the door? Did I turn all the lights off? PANTS, I forgot my pants.”
Others pointed out that it was improbable that she was naked because of the lack of reaction from those around her. They speculated that she could be wearing skin-colored leggings or biker shorts.
“Has to be skin-colored leggings,” one person noted. “It’s a tiny bit darker halfway up the thighs. There’s no way people would be so relaxed around a woman half-naked.”
Viral Photo Shows White Substitute Teacher Wearing A Professor’s AKA Letterman Jacket
A student video has gone viral on X, formally known as Twitter, this week after posting a picture of a white substitute teacher wearing her professor’s Alpha Kappa Alpha jacket on Sept. 28.
X user Pillow Princess posted a photo of her disbelief after a substitute teacher for their class decided to wear her usual teacher’s AKA letterman jacket. The student explained in the caption that the coat was left in the classroom, and the substitute, an older white woman, decided to put it on during class. The post included a picture of the woman in the jacket, buttoning it up.
The user wrote, “Y’all why I’m in class and we got a sub and she gon grab our teacher’s AKA jacket and put it on. And then we tryna explain to her and tell her to take it off and SHE WON’T DO IT LMFAOOOO.”
Beneath the original post, the student added that she was “just hella shocked.” She continued, “Aint no way she did that.”
y’all why i’m in class and we got a sub and she gon grab our teacher’s AKA jacket and put it on😭 and then we tryna explain to her and tell her to take it off and SHE WONT DO IT LMFAOOOO pic.twitter.com/A6Qc7tR8Rd
Social media viewers slammed the substitute teacher in the comments under the post for disrespecting the Divine Nine, Black culture, and other people’s stuff.
One person wrote That’s mad disrespectful. She doesn’t respect Black culture.”
Others pointed out how rude it was to touch someone else’s things without permission, regardless of what the attire represented.
“But… why would she put on that lady’s clothes anyway – AKA attire or not?! This is all awful.”
“Putting on someone else’s jacket without asking is wild.”
The varsity-style jacket was decorated with AKA memorabilia. Alpha Kappa Alpha is the first intercollegiate African American sorority in the United States, founded in January 1908 at HBCU Howard University. The sorority’s founding marked a significant step for Black women in academic and connective spaces, and it’s now one of the largest national Greek letter organizations.
Justin Phillips, who writes a weekly column for the publication, rejected a letter from the organization condemning the “progressive policies and failed leadership” of the city and demanded more officers on the street who combat crime.
Phillips wasn’t too fond of the viewpoint and, in response, said the letter was a “betrayal of NAACP values in the city.”
“From the revolutionary spirit of the Black Panthers to the impactful Black Lives Matter protests, Oakland’s legacy is steeped in Black defiance against oppressive systems,” Phillips wrote.
“The Oakland NAACP’s recent actions are a stain on the rich tapestry of progress woven by generations of the city’s sons and daughters.”
He called for the resignation of Oakland chapter President Cynthia Adams, who spearheaded the letter calling for the city to issue a “state of emergency” to conquer the rising crime numbers. Phillips, who started the column in 2021, continued, saying it’s time for some new blood in leadership.
“It’s time for the Black community in Oakland to have new voices speaking on its behalf, ones that are actually dedicated to dismantling systemic racism and advocating for true liberation,” he said.
“The Oakland NAACP is not up to the task, and the stakes are far too high to continue to gamble on their misguided leadership.”
Other Bay Area-based activists stand in solidarity with Phillip’s call to action. Host of the Black Business Roundtable podcast and community activist Doug Blacksher said the chapter isn’t aligned with the city’s values and it’s time to “break the silence.”
“The Oakland branch is currently using its position to hijack the legacy of the historic organization and using it as a weapon—a weapon!—against their opposition,” Blacksher said.
The NAACP’s July 2023 letter was supported by Bishop Bob Jackson of the Acts Full Gospel Church and highlighted recent crimes, including women being targeted by “young mobs,” according to Fox HTVU 2. They claimed residents are scared to leave their homes.
“African Americans are disproportionately hit the hardest by crime in East Oakland and other parts of the city,” the letter reads. “But residents from all parts of the city report that they do not feel safe.”
The Alameda County District Attorney’s response painted another picture: “We are disappointed that a great African-American pastor and a great African-American organization would take a false narrative on such an important matter.”
Black Millennials 4 Flint Honor 2023 Young, Gifted & Green 40 Under 40 Awardees
Washington, DC — A few blocks from this year’s Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s annual gala, some of the nations’ hardest working young Black, Latinx, and Indigenous environmentalist justice leaders and community activists were being honored by Black Millennials 4 Flint (BM4F) and other major environmental organizations. With the national Capitol as the backdrop, BM4F presented the 2023 Young, Gifted, and Green 40 Under 40 during an awards ceremony held in Washington. New York Congressman Jamaal Bowman (NY-16) and Tennessee State Representative Justin J. Pearson delivered remarks recognizing the 40 awardees who grapple with complex solutions to solve the climate crisis and dismantle environmental racism.
“This year’s recipients, including our Honorary Awardee, the Children’s Environmental Health Network, are a celebration of excellence representing leaders who are positively impacting our communities, especially historically disenfranchised Black and brown communities,” said LaTricea Adams, BM4F founder, CEO and president. “This marks our 7th year of honoring those continuing the efforts our environmental elders started in their work to end environmental injustices.”
The 40 awardees come from a variety of organizations and backgrounds, including North Caroli-na-based William J. Barber III with the Rural Beacon Initiative; Alabamian Crystal Smitherman, who serves as the Birmingham City Council President Pro Tem; Raul Garcia, Vice President of Policy and Legislation at Earthjustice; David Mills with the Climate Action Campaign, to name a few. Among some of the recipients working in communities overburdened by pollution and entrepreneurs include Shamyra Lavigne with RISE St. James in Louisiana; Ashley Strozier from Communities First in Flint, Michigan; Dwayne Norris and Alejandro Alvarez, co-founders of the New York-based Soulful Synergy; Diamond Spratling, founder of Atlanta-based Girl Plus Environment; and Jordan Roberts, assistant director of Florida AM University’s Sustainability Institute. For the complete list of 2023 recipients, go to 40 Under 40 Award Recipients. Watch the full ceremony streaming on BM4F’s Facebook Live on October 26.
“You are the revolution that we need. Do not wait for anyone to give you permission. Do not let anyone tell you to wait your turn,” said Congressman Jamaal Bowman. “You are ready to lead right now. And we need your relentlessness and courage as you continue to fight the fight to make our planet completely green, clean, renewable, and safe.”
Tennessee State Representative Justin J. Pearson, a past recipient of the 40 Under 40 award, delivered an inspiring “We the people” call and response message to the standing-room-only crowd, saying: “We, the people who are going to build this movement. We the people who are going to make sure those who have been left out, locked out and pushed to the periphery get brought to the center. We the people who will demand clean air, clean water and clean soil, not just for us but for our descendants and our descendants descendants. We the people who will fight for our collective freedom and liberation because ‘ain’t nobody free until everybody is free.’ We the people are going to change this country. We the people are going to change the world. I’m so glad to be in this room right alongside you. God bless you, and congratulations!”
A panel of reviewers selected this year’s finalists from nominees, including educators, scientists, artists, policymakers, healthcare/public health professionals, faith-based leaders, social justice advocates/activists, journalists, entrepreneurs, and social media influencers, to name a few. The title sponsor was the Environmental Defense Fund. Other sponsors included Climate Power, Climate Action Campaign, Union of Concerned Scientists, and Earthjustice.
Black Millennials 4 Flint is a national environmental justice and civil rights organization that brings like-minded organizations together to collectively take action and advocate against the lead exposure crisis, specifically in African-American and Latinx communities nationwide.
For press inquiries, contact Flo McAfee at flo@summerlandstudio.com or 202-486-3673.
Get Into This: Walmart To Hold Annual ‘Open Call’ For Entrepreneurs
Calling all entrepreneurs! Is your product shelf-ready? Walmart is hosting its annual Open Call for innovative products to get in the hands of millions of shoppers.
To support its commitment in creating American jobs, Walmart is extending invitations to American entrepreneurs to expand their reach to newer heights. The annual Open Call, which also involves ECRM and RangeMe, will offer face-to-face introductions with Walmart and/or Sam’s Club merchants as well as networking opportunities.
“At Walmart, we believe in making a difference on the issues our customers and communities care about. We believe we can create more American jobs by supporting more American manufacturing,” the company said in a press release.
“By making production more affordable and feasible in the United States, we can bring our customers more products made, grown or assembled in the U.S. and manufacturers can create more jobs in America.”
The requirements to apply include:
A history of marketplace or eCommerce success
The ability to manage your own catalog
Have an assortment of products with standard product identifiers such as a Global Trade Item Numbers (GTINs) or a Universal Product Codes (UPCs).
Moreover, Walmart suggests setting up a free account with RangeMe to help streamline the Open Call registration process. You can build a product portfolio and supplier profile on the platform.
Joining Walmart’s Marketplace is also another way to expand your reach. Once approved to sell there, you will have access to “innovative solutions designed to help you sell with confidence and grow a successful business on Walmart.com,” according to the release. Among them: using Walmart Fulfillment Services and Sponsored Products ad campaigns.
According to Walmart, the company has invested $350 billion in products made, grown, or assembled in America, which has supported the creation of over 750,000 U.S. jobs.
Is ‘Toxic Masculinity’ To Blame For The Fatal Stabbing Of 15-Year-Old Elianne Andam?
The 17-year-old accused of stabbing the friend of his ex-girlfriend in South London on Sept. 27 made his first court appearance, BBC reports. The unidentified teenager is being charged with murder for fatally stabbing 15-year-old Elianne Anda and possessing a kitchen knife in a public place without reason. According to the New York Post, Andam was protecting a friend from the teenager, her ex-boyfriend. The victim had just got off a double-decker bus on her way to school when the suspect approached them with flowers.
The victim reportedly stepped in between the former couple to break up the situation when the scorned lover allegedly pulled out a black, thin knife, putting it through Andam’s neck. The bus driver and witnesses attempted to save her while medical officials were called. Almost 40 minutes later, Andam died. As for the suspect, he fled the scene but was detained nearly an hour later.
When news of the tragic crime hit social media, an outpouring of support came from people who recognized the devastation. Popular TikTok personalities gave their take on the situation, and one thinks toxic masculinity is to blame for the attacks on young Black women.
“The radicalization and incelification of young teen boys is making them lose their innocence,” the influencer said. “And as proxy we are going to be able to see their innocence and adolescence cause they are going to be a danger to society.”
Comments went both in support of her statement and against it.
“She didn’t lie one time,” one comment read. “But the way this patriarchal society is set up.. she might as well talk to the walls about this subject.”
Another said, “Stop saying OUR or BLACK BOYS & It goes BOTH ways.”
Family members gathered at the crime scene on Sept. 28, placing flowers in honor of their loved one.
In a statement, Andam’s family said they are struggling with this. “We, as a family, are struggling to comprehend this painful tragedy that has happened to our beautiful daughter and beloved sister Elianne,” it read. “Elianne was a beautiful person inside and out who loved Jesus. She was intelligent, thoughtful, kind, and had a bright future ahead.”
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was “shocked” by the tragic news and spoke out about tougher sentencing for knife-related crimes.
“Everyone will be looking at that and be shocked as I am, appalled by what’s happened and, quite frankly, angry. It just illustrates the importance of clamping down on knife crime,” he said.
WASHINGTON, Sept 29 – Lower income households and Black and Latino communities will be hit hard when a confluence of U.S. economic events kick off next week, including a sharp drop in childcare funding, economists, analysts and government officials said.
About 12.4%, some 41 million, of the U.S.’s 333 million people live at or below the poverty line, the Census Bureau calculates, which is set at about $29,678 for a household of two adults and two chidren.
That rate fell to a record low in 2021 thanks to COVID-19 federal support, but has jumped as these programs expired.
The average member of the American Federation of Government Employees earns between $55,000 and $65,000 a year, but thousands of hourly workers earn much less, about $31,200 a year. These workers will all get back pay after the furlough or shutdown is over, but contract workers, who earn even less, are not eligible for the back pay.
FOOD BENEFITS FROM WIC, SNAP
A shutdown could cause a rapid loss of food benefits for nearly 7 million low-income women and children on the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infacts and Children, or WIC, U.S. officials said Tuesday.
