by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

August 22, 2023

Viral Pink Sauce Creator Reveals She’s Broke From Brand Deal

The “Pink Sauce” heard around the world is leaving its creator penniless. Veronica “Chef Pii” Shaw is claiming that she’s broke despite her viral product being in stock and on retail shelves.

As reported by Blavity, the Pink Sauce craze spread like wildfire last year after the private chef posted captivating videos on TikTok, displaying the sauce being put on diverse foods. Drenching fried chicken and tacos with the vibrantly colored condiment led viewers to inquire what it actually tasted like. The controversy and mystery surrounding the food product led to retail giant Walmart taking a chance on the Black-owned food business.

While getting in Walmart’s inventory and introducing the product to families across the nation seemed to be a lucrative opportunity for the chef, it has not resulted in the big bucks she imagined. Despite her partnership with Dave’s Gourmet leading to the retail expansion, Chef Pii stated that she now needs financial help.

The entrepreneurial mother took to Instagram to announce her GoFundMe to help support her family.

“As a young entrepreneur with big dreams, I followed my intuition and went forth toward my dreams to create something new,” shared the content creator. “I made a few mistakes on the way. Which lead me to trust a company that is trying to take everything away from me. They lied to me. They are not paying me and are not being transparent about records.”

She continued on the fundraising page to reveal further detail on her situation, “I have tried on multiple occasions to try and come to one accord with them but they refuse to reimburse me for marketing expenses that I spent my own funds towards. I have been silenced and financially sabotaged. I am a single mom and I do everything for my kids.”

Although she created the fund with the lofty goal of $100,000, at press time she was far cry from that amount. As of Aug. 21, donations have only barely surpassed $800. With a following of over 97,000, the lack of support is shocking, but the entrepreneur remains positive and hopeful that a generous few will see her through this tough time.

by Sharelle B. McNair

August 22, 2023

Louisiana Parole Board Recommends Release Of Mother Serving Life Sentence For Feeding Baby Cow’s Milk

A mother convicted of a past crime could be getting a second chance at freedom.

Tiffany Woods was recommended for release from a Louisiana prison after being convicted of the second-degree murder of her baby in 2005, People reported. After serving 17 years in prison, Woods pleaded to be released and the Louisiana pardon board unanimously agreed.

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Woods was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison for causing her baby Emmanuel’s malnutrition death by feeding the child cow’s milk instead of baby formula, after fleeing Hurricane Katrina. The baby was born prematurely in June 2005, weighing a little over three pounds, and diagnosed with a genetic disorder, just a few months prior to the hurricane making a devastating landfall on the Gulf Coast with historic damage to New Orleans. But before the hurricane landed, Woods and her family decided to evacuate the city and headed to Shreveport, where the baby’s formula issues began.

She told the parole board that the baby was having trouble consuming the formula. Woods claimed she wasn’t made aware of the extent of her baby’s condition before being discharged from the hospital. While living in a shelter, Woods fed Emmanuel formula purchased with government vouchers, according to News Nation Now. When she ran out of vouchers, Woods and her partner began to feed the baby organic cow’s milk.

“The formula he was taking, he wasn’t swallowing. He was always throwing it up, and then we ran out of WIC vouchers, so I decided to switch it,” Woods said.

“I switched it to organic milk. I thought he was doing better, but he wasn’t thriving.”

Weeks later, the baby died.

Prosecutors didn’t believe Woods ran out of vouchers, telling the jury there was food and beer in the fridge. They also showed pictures of Emmanuel’s sickly body and argued Woods was negligent of not taking the baby to a doctor before he died.

According to the CDC, cow’s milk isn’t recommended for infants under a year old as it doesn’t contain the right mix of nutrients for them and can be hard on a baby’s system.

While Woods’ release recommendation was approved, Gov. John Bel Edwards has the final say on whether she will be released.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

August 22, 2023

Jermaine Dupri Criticizes Lack Of Atlanta Events For Hip Hop’s 50th

Jermaine Dupri made it known that the South has something to say, even if they didn’t during the nationwide celebration of hip-hop’s 50th birthday. The music mogul called out brands in Atlanta for not hosting anything in the music hub to commemorate the anniversary.

Hip-hop’s official birthday is celebrated on Aug. 11, but according to Dupri, no one in Atlanta paid tribute to the genre on its special day. In a tweet posted on Aug. 18, the music producer pointed out that while events were conducted throughout the U.S. in honor of this milestone, the Atlanta community was relatively silent on the matter.

Just for the record! no brands have done any dinners or get togethers in Atlanta celebrating the 50 anniversary of HipHop
That’s Crazy!!!

— Jermaine Dupri (@jermainedupri) August 18, 2023

“Just for the record,” stated the music executive on Twitter. “No brands have done any dinners or get togethers in Atlanta celebrating the 50[th] anniversary of Hip Hop. That’s Crazy!!!”

The cultural movement, that includes music, emceeing, dance, and graffiti, has a ingrained presence in the Georgia capital, as the city is known for its own league of legendary rappers that helped build southern hip-hop. Atlanta is also the birthplace of trap music, as the Trap Music Museum is located in the city to shed light on its origins and popular records.

However, the 50-year-old producer had to clarify some concerns that he was hating on all the celebratory efforts in New York City.

Emphasizing that his words were directed at businesses in his city who failed to do more to partake in the celebration, Dupri also insisted that his frustration was never directed at New York City, the birthplace of hip-hop. Those trying to “create the narrative” were immediately shut down by the producer.

As he continued to express his discontent with his home city’s lack of contributions to the festivities, Dupri also took the time to shoutout others who chose to showcase Southern rap.

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In a repost, he saluted the artists who took part in the ATL Hip Hop 50 concert, including T.I., EarthGang, and Crime Mob. Their decision to “put on” for their city showed that while some dropped the ball, the artists who paved the way for hip-hop in the South still did their part for their culture.

First-Of-Its-Kind Study Shows When, How, and Why Black Students Get Disciplined At Higher Rates

by Atiya Jordan

August 22, 2023

First-Of-Its-Kind Study Shows When, How, and Why Black Students Get Disciplined At Higher Rates

School is back in session. As Labor Day weekend approaches, a first-of-its-kind study not only illustrates a wide gap between the disciplinary rates of Black and white students but assesses how holidays and breaks impact these rates compared to the beginning of the year.

Discipline is not static. For years, racial disparities have persisted as educators consistently exclude Black students from school at the highest rate, with more than 1 in 8 Black students receiving one or more out-of-school suspensions in 2017–18. But when do these disciplinary actions occur? University professors in California have found that school discipline ebbs and flows before winter, spring, and summer breaks and rises sharply after classes resume.

Who conducted the study?

Jason Okonofua, assistant professor of psychology at the University of California-Berkeley, connects the school district and this study. He notes that the school district “had been under a consent decree for many years for disparate impact of the Black students being more likely to get kicked out of school,” per the newsroom at Stanford Graduate School of Business. So he aims to develop solutions that help racially stigmatized youth succeed in school and reduce their risk of discipline problems and the school-to-prison pipeline.

Okonofua teamed up with coauthors Sean Darling-Hammond of the University of California, Los Angeles, Michael Ruiz of UC Berkeley, and Jennifer Eberhardt of Stanford Graduate School of Business and Stanford University to pen The Dynamic Nature of Student Discipline and Discipline Disparities.

The study takes a hard look at four years of data “regarding the daily disciplinary experiences of 46,964 students from 61 middle schools in one of the nation’s largest school districts”, according to the research.

When do discipline disparities occur?

The research team found that the discipline rates would rise through Labor Day leading up to the Thanksgiving break. But it just “shoots up again” right after the break. According to Eberhardt, “This pattern repeats itself after every major school break across the academic year, and we see this across all four years of the data we had access to.”

For instance, “fewer” than five students had been disciplined in the district at the start of the 2015-16 school year. By the time Halloween rolled around, 1% of all students had been formally disciplined. These patterns occur for all students across schools, grade levels, and years.

What are the discipline disparities between Black and white students?

The first day of school is met with daily discipline rates but at a disparity of 0.3 percentage points for Black and white students. That disparity rate grew to 1.2 percentage points when Labor Day came around. Around the Thanksgiving break, the gap increased by 1.9 percentage points. And these disparities would go on to widen in the subsequent months.

What are the negative effects of persistent discipline disparities?

The consequences of suspension go far beyond missing days of school and loss of learning. Students can perceive the disciplinary action as a rejection, leading to a lack of trust between students and their teachers. As a result, students are more likely to act out, perform poorly academically, experience depression, and get caught in the criminal justice system.

“Many researchers have documented that there’s an increased likelihood of ending up incarcerated, both due to just spending less time in school and more time in neighborhoods that are policed,” Okonofua said, per the news outlet. “And once they’re on that path, it’s a lifetime thing; that’s how the school-to-prison pipeline works.”

How can schools get involved?

Track their early-year discipline data and address any imbalances
Implement interventions early in the school year to boost students’ sense of belonging
Provide access to psychological services during school hours when discipline is on the rise
Offer teachers professional development focused on implicit racial biases, empathy building, and prioritizing equitable treatment

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

August 22, 2023

2Chainz Explains His Successful ‘Big Bank’ Property Investment

“Big Bank” really does take little bank, at least in the world of 2Chainz. The rapper disclosed how he has multiplied the value of his property investments for his business.

The entrepreneur spoke with Revolt feature podcast Assets & Liabilities on how he learned the ropes of financial savviness from his mother, who worked as a mortgage loan officer. Through her guidance, 2Chainz was able to invest properly to gain big returns.

His branching out into commercial real estate led to him owning the spaces where his lucrative business, such as Escobar Restaurant and Tapas and the Pink Trap House museum, are located in Atlanta. As his portfolio expands, also owning a nail salon within Atlanta, the entrepreneur stated that the value of these properties has grown tremendously over the years.

“When I bought this dirt here, I probably paid half a million dollars for it, which I know I done doubled or tripled that,” he told Assets & Liabilities.

However, his Esco restaurants are particularly successful, with three locations in metro Atlanta, spearheaded with business partner Mychel “Snoop” Dillard. Since its inception, it has been a mainstay in upscale dining within Atlanta’s social and nightlife scene.

Referring to one of his many lyrical catchphrases, 2Chainz attributed the food enterprise’s success as “it’s a vibe.” The inclusion of quality menu options, along with its lounge atmosphere, create a sleek dining experience that keeps its consumers coming back.

The Esco brand is not only now spreading nationwide, but allowing fellow entrepreneurs to get in on the action. Franchising opportunities to start one’s own Esco in their city is currently seeking viable applicants.

The 45-year-old continues to elevate his multiple streams of income outside of his music career, becoming known for things other than his catchy hits and, of course, his designer jewels.

His full interview can be viewed on Revolt’s website now.

by Iman Milner

August 22, 2023

Tesi Johnson Used $15K In Shopify Capital To Scale Jamaican-Inspired Wellness Brand

Like many Black business owners, Miami-based entrepreneur Tesi Johnson had already grown a thriving brand before seeking funding to help her sustain it. With no outside investors and a rejection from her local bank, Johnson found support for her company, Iset By Nature, from the online selling platform Shopify.

After seeing the rapid growth of her wellness brand, the company offered Johnson $15,000 in funding to help scale her business.

Iset By Nature has received over $95,000 in capital from Shopify, making it one of many Black-owned brands to benefit from its commitment to leveling the playing field for entrepreneurs like Johnson. “Shopify is aggressively pursuing ways to make commerce more equitable for Black business owners, including giving them access to capital,” said Shopify Director of Product Vikram Anreddy. “Shopify Capital is a simple and effective way for entrepreneurs to get the financing they need to grow their business, as it does not require personal credit scores or request lengthy applications or paperwork.” To date, the company has given more than $4.5 billion in funding to merchants selling on the platform.

For Johnson, the help came at a crucial time for her brand.

In 2020, when interest in holistic remedies and plant-based diets peaked due to the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for the health and wellness products Iset By Nature is known for rose rapidly. After five years of working directly with suppliers in Jamaica and a small staff, Johnson’s true test in entrepreneurship would be in weathering the storms that often come on the road to success. “You need to have an unshakable belief in your own talents and capabilities,” she said. “Being an entrepreneur is going to shake up everything. You’re going to have long periods when you’re broke and not making any money. You’re going to have periods when people don’t believe in anything.”

by Sharelle B. McNair

August 22, 2023

5 Spelman College Students Awarded $10K Scholarships Through Spotify’s NextGen Program

The global music and podcast streaming platform Spotify gave five HBCU students scholarships to grow their craft.

According to the school’s website, Rokiyah Darbo, Taylor Mills, Ashley Rawls, Bailey Johnson, and Tellisa Massey, rising sophomores at Spelman College, were awarded $10,000 three-year scholarships through the NextGen program. NextGen Scholarship provides multiyear funding for first-year students interested in pursuing audio media careers, including podcasting, storytelling, writing, sound engineering, and music.

On top of funding, the students will have the opportunity to become Spotify ambassadors.

The scholarships are a pivotal part of the program, powered through Spotify’s Creator Equity Fund, with goals to uplift podcast culture at HBCUs. The Atlanta-based all-women’s college was the first HBCU selected to participate in the program. Spelman Professor Michelle Hite, Ph.D., introduced a NextGen audio-first focused curriculum to 17 students during the spring 2023 semester.

During the course, her students created a seven-episode podcast series exploring the murder of Emmett Till and the legacy it left behind. Hite says with Spotify’s support, these students are prone to take over the podcast industry. “This collaboration between Spelman College and Spotify signifies a shared commitment to advancing education and fostering a more inclusive audio industry,” Hite said. “With Spotify’s support, these students are poised to shape the future of audio media, amplifying their voices and enriching the industry with fresh perspectives.”

Each scholarship recipient caters to a different aspect of the podcast industry. According to Essence, Rawls said that Spotify is giving them the opportunity as a musician to share their music and create a sound for themselves and other listeners. Johnson, a double theater and English major, is excited that the platform helps student release their “imposter syndrome” and allows them to push the limits in storytelling.

To expand its program reach, Spotify launched a weeklong Spotify Labs Creator Program and hosted a Creator Day at Spelman in early 2023, with 150 students and staff attending to learn more about podcast creation from industry experts.

Calling All Scholars! Chick-fil-A Opens Applications for 2024 Scholarship Program

by Atiya Jordan

August 22, 2023

Calling All Scholars! Chick-fil-A Opens Applications for 2024 Scholarship Program

Chick-fil-A isn’t just encouraging humans to eat chicken with its tried-and-true classic sandwich on a toasted buttery bun and other cravings. The popular restaurant chain is also committed to developing future leaders with its latest community scholars program.

In 2023, Chick-fil-A, Inc. made a multimillion investment through initiatives such as the “Remarkable Futures Scholarship,” according to a press release. A whopping $25 million in scholarships helped more than 13,000 restaurant Team Members and 13 community service-minded students across the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Canada pursue higher education and professional goals. Financial support has continued to rise, with more than $162 million in scholarships awarded to over 93,000 employees.

“Chick-fil-A is proud to invest in educational opportunities for students of all ages, both within our restaurants and throughout the communities we serve,” Brent Fielder, senior director of corporate social responsibility at Chick-fil-A, Inc., said in the release.

“Through our company’s longstanding commitment to education, scholarships offered by Chick-fil-A, Inc. support the advancement of service-minded leaders so they can pursue their personal academic goals and make a positive impact in the future.”

The company is offering another opportunity for those who are not team members and may not be eligible for the aforementioned initiative and beyond.

What is the Chick-fil-A™ Community Scholars program?

Chick-fil-A Inc is looking forward to spring 2024, which will mark the 51st year of scholarship giving. It also marks when at least 12 scholarships of $25,000 will be awarded annually to community service-minded leaders in the U.S., Puerto Rico, or Canada.

The program’s purpose is to help pay for the education of “leaders in our communities who want to continue learning while also investing in their leadership development,” reads the program’s website. It also includes a one-year leadership development program facilitated by Chick-fil-A, Inc. Participants will gain access to mentoring and professional development opportunities.

Scholarships will be awarded directly to educational institutions, will apply to any qualifying school, college, or university, and have no employment tenure length requirement.

For more information about eligibility requirements and how to apply, please visit chick-fil-a.com/communityscholars.

What is the Remarkable Futures Scholarship?

The Chick-fil-A Remarkable Futures Scholarship offers two types of scholarships for restaurant Team Members, awarding 12 $25,000 True Inspiration™ Scholarships annually and Leadership Scholarships in the amounts of $1,000 and $2,500, per the press release. These applications opened on Aug. 1, 2023, and will close on Oct. 18, 2023.

For more information about the Chick-fil-A Remarkable Futures Scholarship initiative, please visit https://www.chick-fil-a.com/remarkable-futures-scholarships.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

August 22, 2023

Atlanta Walmart Unveiled As History Marker for MLK Family

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is a global icon whose birthplace of Atlanta is a focal point of his mission for racial justice. In a new discovery, a Walmart in suburban Atlanta has been revealed to be a part of the civil rights leader’s familial history.

A biography of the life of Dr. King led to uncovering the retail store location in Stockbridge as the grounds the activist’s ancestors sharecropped. As confirmed by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the biography’s author, Jonathan Eig, learned its history through his research on the late reverend.

The designation led to a historical marker being made at the store’s location. The marker was unveiled at a ceremony with Eig present and other Atlanta civic leaders and members of the King family, such as U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young and Dr. King’s nephew, Isaac Farris Jr.

The ancestors stem from Dr. King’s paternal side, as his namesake grew up sharecropping on that land before working to become a religious leader.

“It was in Atlanta that he began to remake himself and to remake history,” shared Eig as attendees honored King Sr. “That’s why this land that we stand on today should be recognized as a historical place.”

The patriarch of the King family, before the famous orator and activist was ever born, was a symbol of dedication and strength that became instilled in his son, having learned to read and write as a teenager before becoming the pastor of the famed Ebenezer Baptist Church. He then transitioned to Morehouse College, where his son followed in his educational and professional footsteps.

The life of the senior King signifies that the obstacles he overcame to fulfill his destiny were a catalyst for his offspring to make a change on a global scale.

“We call (Stockbridge) the ancestral home of the King family,” expressed City Councilman Alphonso Thomas, also in attendance at the ceremony. “This is the cradle of civil rights because … without Daddy King, what would the civil rights movement be?”

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

August 22, 2023

‘Ice Cream So Good’: Nicki Minaj Made Big Bank In One TikTok NPC Session

Nicki Minaj is already a multi-millionaire. But that isn’t stopping the platinum-selling rapper from generating more profits with TikTok’s NPC community.

The Grammy-nominated rapper took to TikTok Aug. 21 to share some playful content with her fans and followers. The Neighborhood Talk reposted a few clips from her TikTok live session that showed the “Super Bass” femcee singing and rapping lyrics to Alanis Morissette’s classic hit “Ironic,” among other lively activities.

“Nicki on TikTok getting them coins,” THNT captioned its post that highlighted Nicki’s latest cash grab.

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After showing off her singing and rapping skills, Nicki acted like a lion for a paying customer who sent the lion gift which costs 29,999 coins, a total of about $400 US dollars.

“Thank you,” she told the fan who paid for the action.

The next video showed Nicki asking fans if she can remove the icons that continued to pop up all over her body whenever a fan sends a gift her way.

“Guys, when people go live on TikTok, are they only able to do it with these things that are popping up?” she asks.

“Like is it an option to not have it on the screen like that?”

For those confused about what Nicki is up to, she’s jumped onto the NPC wave that’s taking TikTok by storm. NPCs are non-playable characters that originated in video games and serve as background characters with repetitive movements and sayings, but no storylines.

Anyone who frequents TikTok might know about the popular NPC TikTok Pinkydoll who popularized the movement by showing how she makes thousands acting like a non-playable video game character. Once Pinkydoll’s videos surfaced across the web, soon many others were following suit and jumped on the NPC wave where users can make a pretty penny acting like the eccentric characters.

Nicki joined TikTok’s NPC community earlier this month, as noted by Complex, and from the looks of it, she appears to be enjoying herself. With the rapper teasing her “Pink Print 2” album that’s set to release later this year, she’s seemingly using TikTok to interact with her fans, show off a different side of herself, and make some extra cash.

While playing around on TikTok, the “Anaconda” rapper has been in the giving mood. Most recently, Nicki surprised Blac Chyna’s mom Tokyo Toni with some cash money on TikTok Live.

Tokyo Toni was doing her own NPC on TikTok Live when she was surprised with a lion icon from Nicki Minaj.

“Is that really Nicki,” Tokyo asked her fans.

Once realizing it was the rapper, Tokyo did a little twerk and thanked her for sending her enough money to pay her electric bill.

“Nicki that’s an electric bill…..almost,” Tokyo jokingly said.

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Nicki is out here having fun on TikTok and spreading the love.