• Sports

by Derek Major

September 25, 2023

Deion Sanders Warns Teams ‘You Better Get Me Right Now’ After Blowout Loss

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After a 3-0 start that elevated Colorado football to new heights, the Buffaloes came crashing back to earth Saturday in a 42-6 loss to No. 10 Oregon. Still, head coach Deion Sanders is warning opponents they will only get stronger.

The Buffaloes struggled in its game against Oregon as the Ducks took advantage of the Buffaloes’ inexperience. Additionally, Colorado was missing two-way star Travis Hunter. The Ducks led 13-0 after the first quarter and went into halftime with a 35-0 lead. When Colorado scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter to avoid a shutout, the Ducks blocked the extra point, leaving them at six.

Quarterback Shedeur Sanders went 22-for-39 for 159 yards and one touchdown, and wide receiver Xavier Weaver caught nine passes for 75 yards, but the Buffaloes struggled to move the ball and stop Oregon’s offense from scoring.

After a pregame speech by Oregon Head Coach Dan Lanning in which he took several shots at Colorado and Sanders’ marketing bravado, Prime Time admitted his team was outplayed in his postgame press conference.

“It was a good old-fashioned butt-kicking, no excuses, no nothing,” Sanders said, sporting his trademark sunglasses. “Their coach staff did a heck of a job preparing their team; obviously we didn’t. That was good, that was a really good old-fashioned butt-kicking.”

However, at the end of his presser, Sanders, who is in his first year at Colorado, also let his future opponents know that now is the time to get him and his team, because this is the weakest they will be.

“One thing that I can say honestly and candidly, you better get me right now, this is the worst we’re going to be, you better get me right now, ’cause I like what I see,” Sanders said. “I know I have on shades, but I can see the future, and it looks really good.”

Sanders and his team, who fell out of the AP Top 25 with the loss, will get no breaks as they face No. 8 ranked USC on Saturday, Sept. 30, at noon EST.

RELATED CONTENT: Colorado Sells Out of Season Tickets For First Time As Deion Sanders Brings Swag To Boulder

Jonathan Majors might be ready to put a ring on Meagan Good, if he hasn’t already, after referring to his actress girlfriend as “the missus.”

On Sept. 23, 2023, the Creed III star joined Good, 42, at the Congressional Black Caucus’ eighth annual Black and White Gala, which she co-hosted with Larenz Tate, People reports. In a video shared online, Majors, 36, is seen supporting his leading lady after she greeted the crowd.

“We’re just so happy to be here with y’all tonight, celebrating us, celebrating the moves we’re making, celebrating the way we love and support each other, the way that we shift the world. Let’s enjoy ourselves!” Good says in the clip.

“So many beautiful Black faces. I love us, y’all! We are so beautiful! That’s all I got. I’m just happy to be here and I love y’all!” she said before turning it over to Majors and asking, “Babe, you want to say anything?”

“Y’all heard the missus, so that’s what it is,” he said.

https://twitter.com/agojie_/status/1705950948865057177?s=46&t=3D7wlb4z2ZfClL-c3LXqpA

It was a bold statement from Majors since confirming their relationship in May amid his high-profile assault case with an ex-girlfriend. Good has remained by Majors’ side as he battles it out in court with Grace Jabbari, an ex who accused him of physically assaulting her while riding in a New York taxi in March.

Majors was arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault, aggravated harassment, attempted assault, and harassment after he allegedly “[struck the victim] about the face with an open hand, causing substantial pain and a laceration behind her ear.”

However, according to Majors’ attorney Priya Chaudhry, her client “completely denies assaulting the woman” and in fact claims to be the actual victim. The trial has yet to begin, after it was rescheduled on September 15.

Meanwhile, Good finalized her divorce from DeVon Franklin in June 2022 after nine years of marriage.

RELATED CONTENT: Jonathan Majors And Meagan Good Hold Hands At Court Appearance For His Domestic Violence Case

• Media

by Derek Major

September 25, 2023

Chad ‘Ochocinco’ Johnson Joins Cxmmunity Media As HBCU Esports League Ambassador

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Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson is getting into esports and gaming with Cxmmunity Media, a Black-owned media technology company. The former NFL receiver is an ambassador for the fourth season of its HBCU Esports League, which began earlier this month.

According to a PR Newswire release, Johnson is the league ambassador for HBCU Esports League, which brings together gamers from 15 HBCUs to go head-to-head in a series of tournaments for a chance at $170,000 in prize money toward scholarships.

“I’m excited to be working with the HBCU Esports League and help them grow to new heights in their fourth season,” Johnson said in a statement. “Gaming has always been a passion of mine, and I wanted to support Cxmmunity Media’s mission to diversify the gaming industry.”

Students participating in the HBCU Esports League represent Howard University, North Carolina A&T, Wilberforce University, Morehouse College, Florida Memorial University, Alabama A&M, Benedict College, Claflin University, Delaware State University, Johnson C. Smith University, Southern University, and Texas Southern University.

Season four of the HBCU Esports League will be streamed on Twitch’s gaming platform and lead up to the Discover Bowl on December 17, 2023.

More than 80% of Black teens identify as gamers. However, they are significantly underrepresented, making up less than 5% of the industry. Cxmmunity Media, launched in 2021, is working to change that by providing Black gamers with a platform to showcase their skills, gain exposure and access to resources, and monetize their talent. Cxmmunity has already donated more than $1.3 million toward scholarships for HBCU students through tournament prize pools, and has engaged more than 600 Black gamers and 40 HBCUs.

Johnson, a six-time Pro Bowl and two-time All-Pro wide receiver who played for the Cincinnati Bengals and the New England Patriots, has been involved in the industry for years as both a gamer and a fan. He is a big fan of the FIFA soccer video game franchise and the sport itself.

• Technology

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

September 25, 2023

Uber Eats To Accept Food Stamps For Grocery Delivery Payment

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Uber Eats is becoming more inclusive to its users who are on government assistance. The food delivery service has announced that it will allow payment options for grocery delivery, including food stamps.

Users of the U.S. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can utilize Uber Eats’ services as the company seeks to break the barriers impeding access to quality food for diverse groups.

The company shared the announcement of its incoming development on its website on Sept. 20.

“We know that online food delivery can have a meaningful impact in reducing barriers to fresh groceries, especially for the most vulnerable–including people living in food deserts, seniors, and those facing disabilities or transportation barriers,” detailed the statement. “Helping to improve access to quality food is incredibly important to our work at Uber, and we’re proud to use Uber’s technology and extensive local delivery networks to offer SNAP recipients the ability to use their benefits to access fresh groceries conveniently from our app in 2024.”

However, this new avenue is not the sole method Uber Eats will be rolling out to broaden its accessibility in the hopes of “simplifying how people can access healthy foods and connect with their local grocers.”

The business is also working with Managed Medicaid and Medicare Advantage plans to expand waiver payments, FSA, and Flex cards that can be used for purchases on the app.

The press release also detailed the installation of an AI assistant to promote new recipe ideas and customer shopping support, such as meal planning or finding sales on particular items.

These new services ultimately aim to connect poorer neighborhoods to higher-quality food options and aid those without the transportation and feasibility to purchase food in stores. As the rise of inflation within the past year has families across the country struggling with food insecurity, these new additions to Uber Eats hope to lessen the burden of buying groceries.

RELATED CONTENT: Delivery Gone Wrong: Black Women Draws Gun On Uber Eats Driver Who Walked Up In Her House

• Food

by Sharelle B. McNair

September 25, 2023

Celebrate National Cooking Day With These 5 Black Chefs Who Have Changed The Way We Eat

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One thing that Black people know how to do is cook. Over the years, the look of the culinary industry has drastically changed. From the traditional eating standards to Instagram chefs, the chefs in the aprons share one thing in common: being the best at what they do. For National Cooking Day on Sept. 25, Black Enterprise highlights five chefs killing the game in their respective lanes.

According to National Today, National Cooking Day was set up to encourage and inspire food lovers to try something new and explore the true beauty of the kitchen. From finger-licking good barbecue to fine-dining sous chefs, these five culinary artists have created a lane of their own.

Rodney Scott – South Carolina 

 

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A post shared by Rodney Scott (@pitmasterrodneyscott)

Scott is known to make your mouth water with his traditional barbecue recipes and is often referred to as one of the U.S.’s master pit masters; the chef and business owner has made his mark as one of the industry’s favorites. His popular restaurant, Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog BBQ, is a staple in the Charleston community, serving fried chicken, pit-cooked chicken, mac and cheese, and, oh yeah, whole pigs.

He gives his feedback to those coming up behind him as a judge on Food Network’s BBQ Brawl.

Ayo Adeyemi – London

 

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A post shared by Crazy Sexy Food (@crazysexyfood)

Chef Adeyemi has brought West Africa to the U.K. As head chef of London’s Michelin-star restaurant, Akoko, Adeyemi has changed how traditional African food is celebrated.

“When I was growing up in the industry as a young chef, restaurants like this weren’t around,” Adeyemi said, according to SCMP. “So I was forced to have to learn the modern British culture, the modern Asian culture, the modern French culture.”

Under the chef’s leadership, the menu now hosts an interesting take on jollof rice, served with BBQ, native blue lobster, and smoked goat with mustard seeds.

Nyesha Arrington – California

 

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A post shared by Nyesha J Arrington (@nyeshajoyce)

Her multiracial upbringing has made her keen sense of taste a powerful force in the industry. Arrington, who grew up with a Korean and Black background, trained with top cooks to pick up a spatula and has served as the head chef at Wilshire in Santa Monica, California. Arrington prides herself on concurring many food lanes, including “that path of France and nouvelle cuisine,” she told The New York Times, but she says the main thing she loves is finding the common denominator in food.

While she has made appearances in the Los Angeles Times and GQ, she currently stars as a judge on the cooking competition show Next Level Chef.

Jerrelle Guy – Florida

 

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A post shared by Jerrelle Guy (@chocolateforbasil)

If you have a sweet tooth, make sure you’re following Jerrelle Guy. Her mouth-watering treats come with a unique spin, ranging from black bean brownies to brown sugar strawberry jalapeno lime pie. Her different recipes have given her a reputation to be proud of, catching the eye of fellow Black girl chefs like Carla Hall, and she was even nominated for a prestigious James Beard Award.

The cookbook author has also been featured on the Netflix series High on the Hog.

Chef Resha – YouTube

If you’re looking for simple but fulfilling recipes, tap into Chef Resha’s delicious YouTube page. So many chefs used the pandemic to uplift their craft, and Resha is one of several that wears the crown. Check out her steak and cheese stuffed peppers or bacon cheeseburger egg rolls recipe and tell her BE sent you.

Emmy-nominated actress Kerry Washington had a difficult decision to share about her body in her new memoir, Thicker Than Water.

The 46-year-old Hollywood star got candid about the decision to detail her abortion in the memoir. According to People, Washington, a mom of three, said a romantic situation she pursued in her 20s led to the unplanned pregnancy.

“I struggled a lot in the beginning with whether or not to include my abortion story,” Washington said. “At first, I wasn’t really sure how it fit into this story of my life. But I started to feel like it was really important for me to share this.”

The Scandal actress, who was leveling up in the industry then, said she gave the doctors a fake name to protect her privacy.

“This story had so much to do with my understanding of myself and the world as my career unfolded,” she said. Shame and the feeling of hypocrisy weighed heavy on the actress throughout the abortion process as she spent several of her teen years as a sexual health educator. “It’s just so important to me that abortion is not a bad word and that my abortion is not another thing on the list of things that I’m ashamed of,” Washington said. “We’re at a moment where it’s really important to be telling the truth about our reproductive choices because some of those choices are being stripped away from us.”

President Joe Biden is yet again the topic of conversation for what he said during a speech over the weekend when he appeared at The Congressional Black Caucus’ annual dinner.

People were unhappy with the 46th president of the United States after he mispronounced LL Cool J’s moniker and then referred to the hip-hop legend and actor as “boy.”

The president acknowledged two New York rappers, LL Cool J and MC Lyte, for their contributions to the music industry in Washington, D.C. They were there to receive the Phoenix Award during the CBC’s 52nd Annual Legislative Conference. While talking about LL, he called him ‘LL Jay Cool J.’ After the crowd laughed at his blunder, while describing LL’s muscular arms, President Biden called him “boy” then corrected himself by referring to him as “a man “when completing his sentence.

“Two of the great artists of our time representing the groundbreaking legacy of hip hop in America, LL Jay Cool J, uhhh…” Biden says on the microphone. “By the way, that boy’s got— that man’s got biceps bigger than my thighs.” He also acknowledged New Edition and Bell, Biv, Devoe member Michael Bivins.

Social media users criticized the president for his speech.

Joe Biden wanted to call LL Cool J a big strapping buck pic.twitter.com/xYuyQxTiLG

— Tariq Nasheed 🇺🇸 (@tariqnasheed) September 24, 2023

Joe Biden calls LL Cool J “boy” . I think his mind is stuck in the 60s. pic.twitter.com/8zUyaeQLlT

— Malachi Maxey (@malachimaxeyusa) September 24, 2023

Didn’t have Biden calling LL Cool J boy on the bingo card

— JP BROOKLYN (@JPBROOKLYN42) September 24, 2023

Joe Biden calling LL Cool J “boy” sound very natural 😂🤡 pic.twitter.com/m2AwRoIld7

— J (@shadblv) September 24, 2023

If it wasn’t for the fact that Biden has, in the past, referred to Black men as boys, which has historically racist undertones,  it may not have been such a big issue. Complex reported that earlier this year, he referred to Maryland Gov. Wes Moore as “boy.” The incident occurred when he spoke to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in February.

He said, “You got a hell of a new governor in Wes Moore, I tell ya. He’s the real deal, and the boy looked like he could still play. He’s got some guns on him.”

RELATED CONTENT: NYC Transit To Distribute 80,000 Metro Cards Featuring Cam’Ron, LL COOL J, Rakim, And Pop Smoke

by Daniel Johnson

September 25, 2023

Amazon Delivery Drivers Look To Join UPS To Make More Money After Record Setting Deal With Teamsters

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UPS drivers on average deliver fewer packages each day than Amazon drivers and were successful securing better living wages. According to Business Insider, this is leading some of its drivers, like 24-year-old Jordan Talmon, to consider other options even after the Amazon Delivery Service Partner Talmon works for raised its wages from $17 an hour to $18 an hour.

“It’s a dollar raise. I wasn’t really that excited about it, honestly,” Talmon remarked.

“Seems kind of pitiful compared to UPS.”

Amazon’s delivery drivers are subcontracted out to different DSPs to keep them from being directly employed by Amazon. As a result, those delivery workers can’t officially unionize collectively. Some workers, however, have joined the Amazon Labor Union. Others are aware that the Teamsters have an Amazon Division, whose goal is to establish a union for Amazon’s delivery drivers.

Amazon spent millions of dollars in 2022 to prevent its drivers, whom they have referred to as contract workers, from classifying them as employees.

According to Vice, this was done to specifically discourage the workers from unionizing under a Teamsters contract. Now, it appears that those efforts could cost them delivery drivers as many know the money UPS drivers make following their record-setting deal with Teamsters.

Randy Korgan, director of the Teamsters Amazon Division, told Vice, “Amazon has a level of responsibility that they’re trying to escape here. If the subcontractor is its own entity, and the subcontractor employs these drivers, then what is their interest in making sure that there are anti-union consultants meeting with drivers for a company that they don’t have any control over?”

In April, a group of 84 California-based Amazon drivers and dispatchers who joined a Teamsters union negotiated a deal to raise their pay from $20 an hour to $30 an hour. Still, that deal is contained to that specific group of workers and it is contingent upon Amazon renewing its contract with BTS. 

Amazon uses around 3,000 subcontractors, so unionizing against Amazon and its union-busting tactics has proven difficult. However, the Teamsters have made inroads by negotiating with the subcontractors directly. Some subcontractors are afraid to negotiate with the Teamsters for fear that Amazon could retaliate by not renewing their contract, which is technically illegal, but not if Amazon can prove that there have been reliability issues over the life of their contract and not simply because a subcontractor voted to unionize their drivers.

In the short term, however, drivers like Talmon and another driver that works for the same subcontractor, Hunter Deaver, are eyeing a switch to UPS during the extremely busy holiday season. 

“I think it puts Amazon in this situation where they’re going to have to decide if they want to keep quality drivers or not,” Deaver told Business Insider.

Benjamin Sachs, a labor professor at Harvard Law School, told Vox that the long-term future of Amazon drivers is contingent on how labor law interprets Amazon’s relationship with its delivery drivers and its delivery service providers.

“If Amazon is able to get away with ignoring the workers’ decision and hiding behind the subcontractor relationships, then I’m afraid we’ll have yet another story of the failure of American labor law,” Sachs said.

“If this leads to a recognition that these drivers are Amazon employees, joint employees, then this could be massively important.”

RELATED CONTENT: Tech Workers Respond To UPS Workers Netting $170K Salaries In Union Deal

• Lifestyle

by Atiya Jordan

September 25, 2023

Here’s Why Black-Owned La Fête Wine Company Is Heading For No. 1

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As a toast to the new autumn season, BLACK ENTERPRISE would like to share an empowering conversation with the founder and CEO of La Fête Wine Co., Donae Burston. He dropped seasonal sipping tips, business knowledge, and receipts about his journey to becoming the world’s No.1 rosé wine brand.

As a Black-owned brand, La Fête has been a disruptor in the alcohol industry since its inception in 2019.

The world traveler is no stranger to the wine industry, having worked with iconic luxury brands for over 15 years. After one conversation, we captured the essence of Burston’s ongoing quest to bridge the gap between Black buyers, winemakers, decision-makers, and restaurateurs.

Leveraging his connections, Burston witnessed firsthand just how quintessential the multicultural consumer is to the industry.

“When you get into the alcohol business, it is extremely challenging when you don’t have a celebrity as the face of the brand. Certainly we caught a lot of flack in the beginning,” Burston told BE.

“Now some other brands have caught onto our messaging, and they’re starting to see that the value and the growth of the category is really outside of the cliche,” he continued.

“Immerse yourself in every aspect of the business,” Burston advised, crediting his thirst for knowledge despite facing the challenges of inviting people of color, an audience often overlooked in the wine industry and the conversation.

I tried the wine!

Burston suggested that we warm up our chilly nights with his rosé, its delicate sweetness and freshness reminiscent of a sunset on a beach. The liquid gold paired perfectly with a hearty grilled salmon meal. The exquisite La Fête Blanc danced on my palate. Its vibrant, fruity flavors transported me to the dance floor as if I were on a honeymoon island.

Burston said that La Fête is where the party meets approachable luxury. “You can consume it however you want.”

La Fête is home wherever you are.

Burston is the 2023 Breakthru Tastemaker, leading a legacy for his wine brand La Fête du Rosé by creating an ecosystem for Black and Brown wine founders.

“Knowing that I have to start to let go and bring on a team that is far more better than I am at things has been a game changer,” Burston explained. “Instead of trying to do everything not well, we’re going to do things amazingly well by bringing in the talent.”

The movement continues in the wake of DEI casualties despite the slowing down of business connections with major retailers. Burston started strong with generous donations to The Roots Fund and continues to support organizations that expose underrepresented youth to the world via travel. All Abroad Inc. was their first beneficiary and partner.

In a continuous effort to connect the Black community with wine, La Fête Wine Company is currently sponsoring The Roots Fund’s HBCU Wine Tour in partnership with Michael Lavelle Wines.

“For La Fête, we need to be where that consumer is,” Burston said. He contemplated just how far and wide his brand continues to go.

“Here, it is brand validation and brand association. It’s about brand discovery in other places and bringing a piece of home with you.”

Cheers to that!

RELATED CONTENT: The Luxurious Rise Of The Youngest Black-Owned Wine Company

• Entrepreneurship

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

September 25, 2023

Young Black Woman Quits Microsoft Job, Launches Groundbreaking Wooden Watch Collection

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In a bold move that underscores the power of entrepreneurship and representation, Shanayla Sweat, a dynamic young Black woman, departed her exciting role at Microsoft to establish A Few Wood Men, a trailblazing Black-owned wooden watch collection designed exclusively for men and women of distinction.

Sweat’s journey is an inspiring narrative of breaking barriers and following a passion-driven path. With a vision to empower and celebrate men of distinction, Sweat embarked on her entrepreneurial venture to redefine the watch industry.

A Few Wood Men goes beyond timepieces: It encapsulates the spirit of empowerment and strength that men exude. “As an African American woman, I realized the significance of positive representation and the need to create a space that celebrates men’s empowerment,” said Shanayla. “A Few Wood Men is a tribute to the strong, distinguished men in our lives who shape communities and inspire change.”

Related: 27-YEAR-OLD QUITS CORPORATE JOB, BUILDS HER OWN EMPIRE, NOW GIVING $25K IN FUNDING TO BLACK ENTREPRENEURS

With a deep-rooted commitment to providing positive representation and acknowledging the stories that shaped her journey, Sweat’s brand stands as a symbol of inclusivity. The watches are not just accessories; they embody the values that drive men to break down barriers, shatter stereotypes, and embrace their unique journeys.

Sweat’s decision to transition from a notable position at Microsoft to becoming a changemaker through A Few Wood Men speaks volumes about her dedication to fostering empowerment and challenging norms. Her journey is a testament to the power of pursuing one’s dreams, regardless of obstacles.

A Few Wood Men offers a diverse range of meticulously crafted wooden watches that embody elegance, style, and strength. The collection reflects the essence of men and women who are leaders and community pillars. Each watch is a reminder of the unique stories and experiences that shape individuals.

This news first appeared on blacknews.com.