• Uncategorized

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

August 16, 2023

Progressive Insurance Awards $250K to Black Entrepreneurs Through Driving Small Business Forward Grant Program

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Progressive Insurance, the leading commercial auto insurer in the United States, has announced the 10 recipients of its 2023 Driving Small Business Forward grant with Hello Alice in support of Black entrepreneurs. Each small business owner has been awarded a $25,000 grant for use toward the purchase of a commercial vehicle for their business.

While 20 percent of Black Americans start businesses, only 4 percent of Black American businesses survive the startup stage, as they disproportionately struggle with debt and raising capital in addition to challenges such as a lack of helpful relationships in the business community, according to McKinsey & Company. Progressive has stepped in to help.

“At Progressive, we celebrate all business owners, yet we understand Black business owners still face unique challenges,” said Karen Bailo, commercial lines president at Progressive. “For the last two years, the Driving Small Business Forward grant program is one of the ways we’ve been supporting entrepreneurs on their small business journey, and we look forward to seeing how this grant helps these deserving recipients continue their work serving the community.”

Progressive’s grant recipients are:

• Derald Gray, owner of DG Visionaries, Indianapolis
• Elizabeth Abunaw, owner of Forty Acres Fresh Market, Chicago
• Theodore Smith, owner of Golfing for Excellence, Washington, D.C.
• Muna Mohamed, owner of Kalsoni, Minneapolis
• Shenicia Barnes, owner of Kidz on Wheelz LLC, Mansfield, Texas
• Sean Morrison, owner of Lets Ryde NC, Raleigh, NC
• Carmel Mims, owner of Pet Porter Pals, Pasadena, CA
• Robert Randolph, owner of Rob Ran Creative Services, Milwaukee
• Dr. Alecia Gabriel/Deirdre Roberson, co-owners of The Lab Drawer, Detroit
• Kamilah Moss, owner of Tidy Pets Pooper Scoopers, Fort Lauderdale, FL

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

August 16, 2023

Jay-Z Library Cards Help Increase Membership At Brooklyn Public Library

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Jay-Z’s star power is so great that the hip-hop mogul can bring readers back inside the library.

The Brooklyn Public Library has seen a spike in new memberships thanks in large part to the 13 limited-edition library cards designed with artwork from Jay-Z albums, CNN reports. Since releasing the specially curated cards, the library has signed up 14,000 new library accounts.

Created in honor of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, the Jay-Z-themed library cards, which are free to New York State residents, will only be available until later this month.

“The community’s enthusiastic response to this exhibition is a testament to Jay-Z’s immense impact,” Linda E. Johnson, President and CEO of the Brooklyn Public Library, told CNN.

Some are already trying to resell the limited-edition cards online, but the library says that doesn’t account for the thousands who have signed up for cards that can only be activated to a Brooklyn Public Library account.

The limited-edition library cards are part of “The Book of HOV” exhibit the library opened last month in its Youth Wing. The first-of-its-kind exhibit chronicles Jay-Z’s musical legacy through rare photos, original recordings, videos, and other artifacts on display throughout the Brooklyn Public Library.

Jay-Z’s Roc Nation curated the exhibit with partners including Bruce Rodgers’ Tribe Inc., which produced 17 Super Bowls, four of them alongside Roc Nation; Ian Schatzberg’s General Idea Agency, a brand design agency; and Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn, Jay-Z’s art dealer, ARTnews reports.

Since the library doesn’t have the same capability of displaying art as a museum does, Jay’s team worked tirelessly to seamlessly incorporate the exhibition into the library’s design and structure.

“It’s not a classic museum exhibition in a traditional museum context, obviously,” Schatzberg said.

“The ambition was to design a story about Brooklyn’s finest within the context of one of Brooklyn’s great public institutions, while also augmenting and amplifying the sort of ethos and purpose of the public library, which was to be accessible for everybody.”

RELATED CONTENT: ‘Brooklyn, We Go Hard’: Jay-Z’s ‘The Book Of Hov’ Exhibit On Display At The Brooklyn Public Library

• HBCU

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

August 16, 2023

Howard University Expands Security After Teen Mob Attacks Students

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After a random attack on Howard University students by a mob of teenagers made the rounds on social media over the weekend, the HBCU announced a plan to attack the safety issues that led to this mass assault.

According to WTOP, students were chased around residence halls as a group of teenage boys charged at them and fought them. This group is known to stir up trouble around Washington, D.C. Still, their ability to infiltrate the campus and harm several students has the Howard community, including parents, faculty, and administration, very concerned.

The lack of action from on-duty Howard security personnel was a major issue, as a student who witnessed the incident posted to TikTok, saying that her classmate was “left to die” while security looked the other way.

@thesocialitechannel #greenscreen Four Howard university students were attacked by over 50 locals early Monday morning and the University is not doing as much as the students would like to see and respond to this incident.##fyp##trending##howarduniversity##hu25##hu26 ♬ original sound – thesocialitechannel

At a town hall hosted by university administrators to address the matter, it was revealed that they had been tracking this teen “fight club” in case their rising threat ever made its way to Howard.

“We’ve been tracking these juveniles, not only on our campus, but also throughout the District as well, over the summertime,” stated Howard University’s COO and EVP, Dr. Tashni-Ann Dubroy. “They’re part of a fight club. They go to restaurants to instigate fights. And the reason why it escalated so quickly and became viral is because that’s part of their strategy. That’s part of what they do.”

To remedy the security issues, Howard’s multimillion-dollar plan is to install over 1,000 security cameras alongside new identification measures such as smart-card readers to ensure only authorized individuals can enter university buildings.

The school is introducing its freshman class to campus in a days-long event called “Bison Week” and hopes to ensure to its newest students that this upcoming year will be the safest yet.

RELATED CONTENT: Phylicia Rashad To Step Down As Dean At Howard University’s Boseman College of Fine Arts

• Sports

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

August 16, 2023

Degree® Launches ‘Change the Field’ with FIFA and USWNT to Create More Inclusive Soccer Communities Across the U.S.

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As the Women’s World Cup 2023TM continues to dominate headlines, Degree®, in support of FIFA, is aiming to encourage more girls of color to play soccer by launching ‘Change the Field,’ a program that aims to create more inclusive soccer communities across the U.S.

While interest in women’s soccer in the United States has grown exponentially over the last 25 years, research shows that while more girls of color are joining soccer, girls of color still drop out of sports at 2x the rate versus girls who are white and live in suburbs.1 Degree’s Change the Field program is working to create safe and inclusive environments for girls of color on and off the field with the Girls Can series – a continuation of the Degree Breaking Limits program that aims to provide girls worldwide with the confidence and opportunity to play soccer. The free ‘Girls Can’ training modules will help equip coaches, teachers and community leaders with the skills and knowledge to ensure that equal opportunities in soccer exist for women and girls everywhere. The modules can be accessed via degreedeodorant.com/us/Soccer-Degree-2023/.

“We’re committed to making soccer a more welcoming space for the next generation of players,” said Desi Okeke, Director of Degree® North America. “As a brand committed to creating a world where everyone has the confidence to move more, the Degree® Change the Field program is the epitome of that notion, calling on coaches and soccer communities across the U.S. to help create a world where girls everywhere feel seen, supported, and have the confidence to thrive on and off the field.”

As part of the brand’s efforts, Degree® has also partnered with 2x World Cup Champion and Angel City Forward, Christen Press, to launch the ‘Change the Field,’ and drive awareness of the free ‘Girls Can’ modules. “As a black woman and professional soccer player, I am committed to using my own voice and platform to inspire girls of color to keep joining the sport, but also inspire the sport’s leaders to foster inclusive and diverse atmospheres for these girls,” said Christen Press. “Degree and I share a passion for advancing the sport toward a more inclusive environment, which is why I hope my message encourages coaches, players, and leaders alike to implement Degree’s inclusivity modules in their communities.” 

Degree® is working with Street Soccer USA (SSUSA), to ensure that girls everywhere have the confidence to move and play soccer. SSUSA is an organization on a mission to strengthen communities through soccer and to improve health, education, and employment outcomes for youth who face enormous challenges. Degree® and SSUSA are coming together in Christen’s hometown of Los Angeles to provide local girl’s soccer teams with a day of training drills, games, and remarks from Christen Press to educate them on how to make soccer more inclusive. 

The ‘Girls Can’ training modules and ‘Change the Field’ program are part of Degree’s® larger brand mission to inspire the confidence to break barriers. Degree® has committed more than $5 million over the last five years to inspire more people to move beyond their limits as part of its broader global Breaking Limits program. This program supports those who face the biggest barriers to being active – whether those barriers are due to race, sexual orientation, ability, gender, age, and more – and provides them access to coaches and mentors, along with safe spaces to move. The program is meant to support the brand’s long-term commitment to helping millions of young people transform their lives through the power of movement by 2030.

• Finding Joy

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

August 16, 2023

The ‘Waves Games’ Is Dropping Black Boy Joy Across The Country

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Black boys and men, it’s time to bring out your finest durags, as the “Waves Games” are happening all across the country.

Black male youths everywhere are unveiling their wavy textured hair in front of a crowd of fellow enthusiasts in a contest to see whose hair ripples the best.

As the trend gains a social media presence, the spectacle has Black boys and teenagers joining in fellowship as they hype up each other’s hairdos, removing their durags to show off their hard work. All types are celebrated, so long as you show up in style.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Simbaa Umbukutu (@slmbaa)

The challenge has only gotten more serious. Competitions are held in public spaces with trophies for the declared winners. Although the guidelines for winning can be objective, the silkiness of one’s waves cannot be denied by any judge for the clearest path to victory. Those who are crowned champion often have heads that can “sink ships,” a phrase given to those whose waves are the most rippling.

The types of waves one’s hair produces also depends on their curl pattern, as deeper coils create more circles to surround one’s head. Looser curl textures can still produce waves, but the results always vary. However, the best execution comes from a consistent, accurate routine to create the traditional waves of the past. Protecting them is the ultimate rule, including the direction in which the hair should be brushed to ensure the smoothness remains intact.

While this seemingly unusual contest could be considered a joke, the effort put into Black male hair is not. Black hair in America has been historically policed and undervalued, so when a movement comes along to cherish the ability of such unique manes, it is only right to join in the fun.

RELATED CONTENT: ‘Wave Friendly’ Durag Festival Returns To Charlotte For The 5th Year In A Row

• Business

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

August 16, 2023

Thorne Launches Global Campaign – Build to Last – With Father and Son Duo Dwyane and Zaire Wade

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Thorne HealthTech, Inc. (“Thorne”) (NASDAQ: THRN), a leader in delivering innovative solutions for a personalized approach to health and wellness, today announced its Build to Last campaign, featuring three-time NBA Champion, philanthropist, and entrepreneur, Dwyane Wade and his son and professional basketball player, Zaire Wade.

The Build to Last campaign showcases Thorne’s “no shortcuts” approach to lifelong wellness in parallel with taking the Wades’ health and wellness journey to the next level. The Wades have partnered with Thorne to share their personal paths to reaching their highest potential throughout their basketball careers and beyond, supported by Thorne’s suite of high-quality, premium nutritional supplement products in the pursuit of excellence at every age and life stage.

“Both on and off the court, supporting my physical endurance and cognitive performance has always been of the utmost importance to me,” said Dwyane. “This is why I’ve partnered with Thorne and their Build to Last campaign, a company who I admire and takes the same approach. We share a similar passion for living healthier longer, and I’m looking forward to continuing my wellness journey with them.”

“I’m a proud partner of Thorne because they are a key player in my daily routine, supporting my body’s nutritional needs to maintain optimal health,” said Zaire. “Ingredient transparency and NSF-Certified supplements are important to me as an athlete, which is why I trust Thorne’s high-quality products to enhance my health and performance so I’m always at the top of my game.”

Thorne’s comprehensive approach to optimizing health and wellness through superior testing, education, and product offerings is rooted in personalization and credible scientific rigor. Thorne supplies consumers with the highest quality nutritional supplements that are held to rigorous manufacturing, development, and testing standards, empowering them to make choices to optimize their health while supporting them on their wellness journey at every age and life stage.

“Build to Last is an evocative story-driven campaign that’s grounded in trust and warmth, inspiring and empowering consumers on their health and wellness journeys,” said Michelle Crow, Chief Marketing Officer of Thorne. “We’re constantly bettering ourselves and our products, as our vision and standards continue to defy expectations of what good health means. Partnering with Dwyane and Zaire has been incredibly authentic and organic as we are all relentless in our pursuit of quality and holding ourselves to unbeatable standards.”

The Build to Last campaign, created by global creative company BUCK, will launch with a comprehensive set of video and still assets including two :30 hero spots and three :15 routine videos across digital out-of-home (OOH), connected TV, display, paid search, YouTube, social media, and influencer marketing. The global campaign will be active in 12 markets including New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Beijing, Shanghai running July 25 – October 23.

For more information on the Build to Last campaign, limited edition Build to Last product boxes, Dwyane and Zaire Wade’s product line-up, or to learn more about Thorne and its suite of testing and product solutions, visit Thorne.com.

This news first appeared on blackprwire.com.

• Celebrity News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 16, 2023

Yo Gotti Learned The Hard Way About Property Taxes, Nearly Losing 15 Homes

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The great thing about many hip-hop artists is that their entrepreneurial spirit ignites their desire to make money outside their craft. Still, venturing into other fields without possessing the proper knowledge can be dangerous. For Yo Gotti, it almost cost him properties he’d purchased over the years.

According to HipHopDX, the Memphis rapper born Mario Mims admitted that although he had the actual cash to purchase many homes over the years, due to not knowing, he almost lost 15 homes because he did not pay real estate taxes.

Gotti had yet to learn that when you buy houses, you have to pay property taxes on those houses.

“I didn’t even know you had to pay property taxes on a house that you’d paid cash for,” he said.

By gaining the knowledge and expertise he learned through what was almost a fatal blunder, we see that he has the same mindset regarding his music and business. In a recent interview with GQ magazine, Gotti discussed his approach to his record label, CMG (Collective Music Group), and the artists signed to it (GloRilla, EST Gee, Moneybagg Yo, and 42 Dugg).

“I’m involved in every aspect. I try to be involved in everything unless they don’t want me to be involved, in which case I respect that. But when it comes to the album process, the marketing process, I’m in it, I’m 200 percent in it, across the board. I’m trying to help anywhere I’m needed,” he said.

With that businessman’s mindset, we can see how he was able to correct his earlier mistakes and continue making great business moves to sustain himself.

“I think my biggest attribute is just my hustle. You’re just not going to outwork me,” he said. “It’s not even good in certain instances—I don’t go to sleep, I stay up longer than I should. When I’m in a campaign, and I’m working, sometimes I don’t go to sleep for days because I’m trying to put the plan together. I take it seriously; it’s my passion. I’m also a learner. I believe in change. I’m always looking for what’s new instead of trying to do the same shit over and over again.”

And it looks like that is why he was able to save those 15 homes.

• Sports

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

August 16, 2023

WNBA Player On Why Charter Planes Is ‘No. 1’ Priority

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WNBA athlete Arike Ogunbowale commends the strides being taken to shine a light on women’s professional basketball but says there’s much more to do.

Speaking to People, Ogunbowale acknowledges that “a lot more visibility” is on the WNBA as more games are now televised. However, this “media reach” is only one part of the advancement they need to reach equality in U.S. professional basketball.

This media expansion is due to a new streaming deal that places WNBA games for viewing on CBS and Paramount+, in addition to Prime Video, NBA TV, and social media platforms such as Meta and X. The deal will result in over 200 games for live watching as well as streaming. Ogunbowale believes people will be more inclined to watch given the wider accessibility.

However, with this rising popularity, the accessibility toward better quality transportation for the teams is also a conversation for players and the WNBA’s executives. According to the athlete, that is the next task on their to-do list of revamping the league.

Charter flights have stirred controversy previously, considering that many teams have incurred penalties for avoiding commercial flights. Challenges like flight delays have consequently resulted in scheduling complications for games.

However, the WNBA has relaxed its commercial-only guidelines, but only on public charter business JSX for back-to-back games and the playoffs, as announced by ESPN in June.

While the league has somewhat allowed charter flights to be booked for teams, taking commercial flights during the regular season can still weigh on players’ bodies, especially given the time needed to get to one’s gate before departure.

“Just with recovery, you have to be at the airport three hours before a flight. Then fly, get there, practice, and then after a game, you have to stay the night,” explained the 26-year-old, currently playing for the Dallas Wings. “Rather than if you charter, you could just leave right after the game, and that’s almost like 15 hours of extra things that would just be avoided if we could just charter.”

While she is aware of the hefty expense, the former Notre Dame star hopes that the franchises and WNBA will work to find a transportation solution that best benefits the players.

She notes, “So I know it’s costly, but hopefully, we can figure out a way to get it done.”

RELATED CONTENT: WNBA Hands Down Punishment To Several Players After On-Court Scuffle

• Business

by Stacy Jackson

August 16, 2023

How Clinton Lewis Went From Cook To KFC Franchise Owner

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Clinton Lewis, 44, went from employed to employer. 

Lewis is living his dream as the owner of three KFC storefronts in Baltimore, Maryland. After working for the company as a cook at 16 years old in Spanish Harlem, Lewis remained with the company, leading to him owning his own franchises. 

Lewis’s success came after years of hard work. According to AfroTech, he served as an area manager for KFC for eight years. In 2011, he also assumed the role of the director of operations for KEDIS Enterprises.

Lewis was raised by his mother, Shirley Lewis, the mother of 10 children. His grandparents worked tirelessly to move their family from Belize to the United States in 1989. The franchise owner detailed the high crime and drug use in Harlem, New York. However, he said, “… The work ethics — which my grandfather instilled in us — kept me on a straight arrow. Also, seeing how hard my working mother, as a single mom, took care of us.”

When Lewis first began working at KFC, it was only a year later that he was promoted to shift manager by Alvin Borrow. Despite having a busy shift and a flood of customers, Lewis kept his team on track and the customers satisfied. Lewis’s work ethic did not go unnoticed by KFC Regional Director Scott Waters. “Customers didn’t notice that we were short-staffed. And who popped in was the regional director at that time, and he was so inspired by the way I handled my shift and how I communicated so well with my team members that he recognized me,” Lewis said.  

A year later, Lewis became a general manager for KFC. He remained in that position from 1999 to 2003. “I started to more understand the business in terms of the sales we generate, the profits, and the inner workings of the KFC brand. Then I said to myself, ‘Someday I can see myself owning a few of these’ and that has always been my goal since then,” Lewis said.

As Lewis continues to succeed in the entrepreneurial arena, he has plans to reinvest in the communities around his KFC stores by opening more locations in the Baltimore area to provide jobs. Lewis believes KFC’s educational programs allow team members to pursue their goals.

Lewis is currently a member of the KFC Foundation’s Board of Directors.