Stephenson Courier Service Providing Much-Needed Transportation For All Ages In Rockford, IL
August is Black Business Month, and WREX 13 is celebrating innovative Black entrepreneurs. An August 10 report features the Stephenson Courier Service as this weekend’s focus.
Stephenson Courier Service, based in Rockford, Illinois, provides rides to elderly adults and youth alike. The company transports older people to and from their appointments and even assisted living centers at an affordable and accessible price. It has recently taken up providing transportation for the area’s youth as well.
Janene Stephenson, who runs the business with her husband and several staff members, spoke with WREX about the motivation behind the effort. She said, “With parents working, it’s hard for them to take the kids out, so part of our business is also having us get the youth together and provide transportation to and from.”
She said her hard work stems from a very basic need. “Some of our clients don’t like to be on a bus full of people. But it’s very important because people will always need transportation, courier service, delivery service, so transportation is huge,” she told the outlet.
Stephenson’s services have shifted with the times, with the proprietor describing time spent handing out household goods and food to elderly and vulnerable populations during the pandemic.
In September, the company hopes to expand its truck fleet and the number of employees to take more calls and even provide rides for students trying to get to school once classes start in Illinois.
Customers can book rides on the phone by appointment only. Anyone interested can call Janene Stephenson at (779) 201-1714.
Black Nurse Offers Six Nursing Programs For Students In Chicago
Meet the nurse taking care of nurses.
Ebony Shene’, CEO of Scott School of Careers (SSC), is the woman behind six nursing schools in Chicago. She founded her allied healthcare school to provide high-quality education for students interested in learning the fundamentals of nursing.
“Scott School of Careers is an IBHE-approved vocational Certified Nurse’s Assistant program that allows individuals to kick start their future in highly reputable fields,” the school’s website states. The nursing program provides short, flexible, state-approved courses with an emphasis on “establishing a foundation built on professionalism, safety and service.”
Shene’s mission is to exceed the standard and properly train aspiring nurses to enter the medical workforce.
The school also offers continued education courses in Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, among others, plus a vital signs clinic. RNs can also enroll in Train the Trainer, a face-to-face CNA instructor course.
According to Black News, Shene’ has been in the healthcare field for over 20 years, working to improve the quality of care in African American communities.
Shene’, who defines herself as “the woman who loved her profession so much she branded it,” expanded herhealthcare ventures with My Nurse, an apparel line for current and aspiring nurses.
In 2021, Shene’ was acknowledged with the Illinois Nurses Foundation’s “40 Under 40” award for her leadership and accomplishments in healthcare. She currently holds a seat as the chairperson of the Black Nurses Matter Network, is the chief organizer of The Chicago Nurse Expo, and a member of the Chicago Chapter Black Nurses Association.
SSC welcomes all prospective students for a visit anytime. Updates and information including class timetables and extracurricular activities are provided regularly on the school’s website.
Popular YouTube Gaming Channel ‘RDC World’ Brought 20K Gamers To DreamCon In Texas, Here’s Why
When Marcus “Mark” Vincent Phillips Jr. and Affiong “Aff” Harris created their RDCworld1 YouTube channel in 2011, they were banking on the idea that there were people like them looking for, well, people like them. In the years since its inception, YouTube has connected like minds across the globe to the tune of billions. Could it do the same for two Black men from Texas who loved anime, video games, sports, and creating comedic takes on culturally relevant topics?
It would seem so. After welcoming Leland Manigo, Desmond “Des” Johnson, Benjamin “Ben” Skinner, Dylan “Dyl” Patel, and most recently Johnathan “John” Newton, the Real Dreams Change the World crew was complete—and so was their place in history as one of the most popular YouTube channels ever.
With over 1 billion views and 6.5 million subscribers, RDC World has found its audience both online and in real life. They’ve cracked the code on etching out a space that is so uniquely their own that even a constant onslaught of content doesn’t drown out their voice on the internet.
So it is no surprise that their fifth annual DreamCon, a gaming and anime convention, brought nearly 20,000 people to Austin, Texas, including a host of major brand partners like MTN DEW. For Paul Mascali, PepsiCo’s head of esports and gaming, collaborating with RDC World was an essential part of a commitment to diversifying the industry. “Working with DreamCon and RDC World is a perfect launch point for us to talk directly to this particular audience and show them the work we’re doing from a brand standpoint,” Mascali said. “Given all the amazing work that RDC does, it was a no-brainer for us. They are true leaders in this space.” MTN DEW has set its sights on investing in the next generation of Black gamers at HBCUs through its Real Change Challenge, which will award $500,000 in prize money this year.
DreamCon may still be in its infancy, but what is abundantly clear is why it will continue to grow. What the members of RDC World have done is create a truly inclusive, celebratory, and safe space for the dreamers, the creators, and the gamers who often feel left in the margins at other conventions. They’ve infused every part of the experience with authenticity that oozes out of everything they create. In every event, room, and moment at DreamCon, the prevailing message is “you belong here.”
BLACK ENTERPRISE was invited by MTN DEW to attend DreamCon and talk to the men who created it all.
BE: This is the fifth year of DreamCon. Tell us about the business side of putting something of this magnitude together.
John: The first few years we did it, we were stressed just trying to get tickets sold. Now people are wrapped all around the building in the middle of a Texas summer. There was a lot of learning and mistakes we just had to make, but it’s crazy to see how it’s all come together. Transitioning from social media videos to an in-person space like this—I’m still shocked right now. We could not have imagined that we would ever have 20,000 tickets sold.
Mark: On the growth part of it: The first two years we only had 800-1,000 attendees, and to get here today and see this amount of people… Just staying consistent and sticking to the plan the whole time really worked for us. And believing that like-minded individuals of color would all come together at an event that we happened to build.
BE: Anime and gaming are more socially acceptable now, but that’s definitely a more recent trend. You started out making videos about this, but your success is pretty unparalleled in this space.
Dylan: It’s getting more and more acceptable. It’s really easy to find people who have similar interests in gaming now.
Mark: The last 10 years we’ve been making gaming videos. But I will say people were kinda hiding that interest before. Lately it’s become more cool to say you’re into anime.
BE: It’s one thing to make a safe and profitable space on the internet, but transitioning that into bringing people from all over the country to one central location in droves, that’s another skill altogether. What do you attribute that part of the success of DreamCon to?
Affiong: This may come off as a template answer, but it’s truly the key for us: authenticity. Staying true to who we are so that our audience can find us. Everybody in this group has a very big passion for one particular part of our overall vision, and that helps to keep us focused. Film, sports, video games, anime—we’re really clear on our passions, and that helps us connect to the right people.
BE: This is a very cohesive group. You guys are also friends who are in business together. How foundational to your success is the friendship between you all?
Mark: It’s everything. I really feel like that. If we weren’t friends, we wouldn’t still be doing this. It’s been like 12 years. In general, if it was just a business, we would have already gone our separate ways, but the friendship really holds everything together. We do things that are not work, by choice, to spend time with each other. That helps us push towards success even more and stay fired up to keep working.
BE: What has been the key to longevity for RDC World?
Desmond: The quality of the work we’re putting out, I think. We’ll all come together, think of an idea, and we’ll really be honest about whether we think it’s funny. We think of the quality first. And there’s no way we’re showing the world something we don’t like ourselves.
BE: If you could describe DreamCon for BLACK ENTERPRISE readers, how would you define it?
Ben: With DreamCon versus some of the other ones out there, we’re not run by companies. We have partners but they don’t decide what we do here. It’s the reason we made it. We were going to all these conventions and always felt like something was missing. We knew that if we put elements of who we are and what we do into something like this that we could surpass every other convention out there. When you come here and you experience this, you feel like you’re really part of it. At other conventions, I’ve just felt like I am there to spectate. We didn’t want people to feel like that at DreamCon. You don’t know who runs the other cons, but you know we run it and you’ll see our faces. You know the other Black gamers and anime creators who’ll be here.
BE: Tell me about partnering with a legacy brand like MTN DEW, which has for a long time been affiliated with the gaming community, and the Real Change Challenge you’re collaborating on.
Leiland: In short, it’s a blessing. Being able to work alongside a great brand like MTN DEW and have it centered around Mortal Kombat, it doesn’t get better than that. Knowing that they’re dedicated to helping Black gamers, specifically, it’s really good for everyone involved.
Over 40% Of Black Americans Would Take Pay Cut For 4-Day Workweek
The four-day workweek is becoming more popular with many people, including Black American workers.
Trimming the workweek to four days has recently become a workplace talking point. While observers say the concept has its ups and downs, a survey of business leaders by ResumeBuilder.com revealed nearly 30% of companies plan to utilize a four-day workweek by late this year.
All told, 94% of those questioned reported they would favor transitioning to such a work week. ResumeBuilder.com surveyed 1,000 full-time office workers who do not already have a four-day workweek and found that 36% would take a pay cut to work that schedule, and 96% say it would enhance their work/life balance.
For Blacks, 97% reported willingness to make the switch. Some 41% would take a pay cut to have a shortened workweek. In all, 112 Black Americans were surveyed.
The analysis comes after the COVID-19 pandemic prompted many businesses to reconsider the traditional workweek schedule, among other workplace issues. The shortened workweek concept has caught on faster globally than in America. Countries including Japan, Spain, South Africa, and the United Kingdom have supposedly tried or are applying the concept. According to Newsweek, over 30 American companies have trialed a four-day workweek, including some making it a permanent option for their workforce.
But what would a four-day workweek look like? Would it perhaps mean fewer hours or be a conventional schedule with 40 hours merged into fewer days? Some analyses have declared pros of a four-day workweek for companies might include cost savings, higher productivity, and employee retention. Contrarily, cons could include scheduling challenges, lower productivity, and more stress for workers to complete their work in a shorter time.
“Some businesses may still be hesitant to change to a 4-day work week, as they will need to renegotiate employment contracts, address holiday pay, and decide on a work schedule for part-timers. However, this change may be worth the challenge as it could also increase employee retention by supporting a better work/life balance,” said ResumeBuilder.com Chief Career Advisor Stacie Haller.
The ResumeBuilder.com survey showed 6% of office workers object to the change. The reason: They don’t want to work 40 hours in four days, preferring to keep 8-hour days as opposed to 10-hour days.
Check out more details from the report, including those admitting working half days or less on Friday, here.
Doing Chores While Black: Teen Arrested While Taking Out Trash Ignites Backlash
Video of a Black teen being arrested by Lansing, Michigan Police is causing chaos online.
The video shows the teenager, wearing neon yellow shorts and a white T-shirt, being detained by an officer after being mistaken for a car theft suspect, Lansing State Journal reports. Posted on TikTok by careyann327 on Aug. 10 has over 215,000 likes and views and says the teen was arrested while taking out the trash.
The Lansing, Michigan Police Department called the incident an “unfortunate misunderstanding” in a Facebook post. “A responding officer saw a subject matching this description and attempted to make contact but the subject fled and ran west into the nearby apartment complex,” the post reads. “A different officer was in the area and saw the young man pictured in the viral video wearing a very similar outfit and made contact with him. Once this information was obtained, the young man was released and officers continued to search the area.”
Social media users instantly defended the young man, blaming America for continuing the rift between Black people and the police. “Just a kid taking out the trash — America,” user Kenny Akers wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Frank Giugliano, with the username nyccookies wrote, “This city is paying 6 police officers to arrest a child for throwing out garbage.”
The four-minute video shows the Michigan teen’s father pushing back against the police, calling his son the “perfect kid” and accusing the officer of always using an excuse. “They’ve traumatized my son,” the father said to the person taking the video.
Relations between Black people and police have been tense since the video of George Floyd’s death in 2020. Since then, citizens in major cities, including Atlanta, Baltimore, New York City, and Philadelphia, have called for defunding their police departments.
Bun B Calls Tory Lanez Sentencing A ‘Wake-Up’ Call For Violence Against Women
As other industry leaders have sent letters supporting Tory Lanez after his recent sentencing, Houston rapper-turned-entrepreneur Bun B hopes to learn from this.
The UGK member called Lanez’s 10-year prison sentence a “wake-up” call for domestic violence, TMZ reports. Bun hopes that prison will make Lanez’ a better man. When asked if the “wake up” call was for hip-hop, the Trill Burgers owner said it’s more so for victims of domestic violence. “I think it’s a wake-up call for violence against women,” Bun said. “I don’t think this has anything to do with hip-hop. If there were nobody in hip-hop involved in this, this would still not be a good thing for us to see in this world right now.”
Following the 2020 incident involving fellow Houston rapper Megan Thee Stallion, Bun B was very vocal in his defense of Megan. “I tried to be impartial and cool about this—man, f*** that! F*** Tory Lanez, okay,” Bun said, according to Hip-Hop DX. “And I don’t care if this go viral. I’m from Houston and if somebody woulda done something to Meg in this city, we woulda rode.”
Once the Toronto-born artist caught wind of where Bun’s loyalty was, he attacked him in a track titled “Sorry I Had To,” which was used against Lanez in court.
Despite the petty beef between the rappers, Bun still offers advice for Tory, telling him to keep his head up and admits he doesn’t wish prison on anyone. “Look man, just keep your head up, you know,” he said. “Obviously, Tory might not be the biggest fan of mine, but I don’t wish prison on anybody and I hope he comes home safe.”
While his past comments may have caused some rift with Lanez, Bun isn’t backtracking. He says he will always stand with Megan because Black women need to be protected. “I feel like if I hadn’t said anything, I’m not sure how much people would have even spoken on this issue,” Bun said. “And if my relationship with Tory Lanez is damaged, then so be it. We have to protect our Black women and any Black man that doesn’t feel the same way is not my brother.”
Tyrese Files $1M Lawsuit Against The Home Depot For Racial Profiling
Performing on world stages and appearing in dozens of movies still doesn’t exempt you from being racially profiled. Despite the many times singer/actor Tyrese has been on movie screens, he recently found himself the victim of racial profiling as a Black shopper at The Home Depot. Because of this, the “Lately” singer has filed a lawsuit against the home improvement store.
According to Fox Business, Tyrese Gibson filed a $1 million lawsuit against the store at a Los Angeles court on August 9. The singing actor cited a violation of the Unruh Civil Rights Act (California Civil Code Section 51) as well as negligent hiring supervision and/or retention.
The Unruh Civil Rights Act provides protection from discrimination by all business establishments in California, including housing and public accommodations, due to age, ancestry, color, disability, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.
The court docs stated that Tyrese and his associates Eric Mora and Manuel Hernandez experienced “outrageous discriminatory mistreatment and consumer racial profiling” in February while the three of them were at the store in West Hills, California.
In a written statement to Fox News Digital, Tyrese said, “Craftsmen Eric Mora and Manuel Hernandez are an integral part of my team and have made significant contributions to my visions for over a decade. Together, we ardently uphold our commitments to civil rights, promoting empathy, and understanding.”
He continued, “Standing united against organizations like The Home Depot, we envision a world free from discriminatory practices and consumer racial profiling. Just as I have done for the past 20-plus years, I pledge to continue to utilize my platform to empower the voiceless, fostering a spirit of unity and hope while illuminating our shared path forward.”
Tyrese said he had been a regular customer at The Home Depot over the years and spent “no less than One Million Dollars” worth of materials from the company.
The retail store did respond to the accusations levied against it.
“Diversity and respect for all people are core to who we are, and we do not tolerate discrimination in any form,” a Home Depot representative said.
“We value Mr. Gibson as a customer, and in the months since this happened, we’ve reached out to him and his attorneys several times to try to resolve his concerns. We will continue to do so.”
The lawsuit also stated that although Tyrese tried to settle the dispute directly with the retailer, it refused to acknowledge the discrimination against the Fast & Furious actor and instead placed the blame on Tyrese and his associates.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced August 9 as “RUN-DMC Day.”
The iconic rap group was honored at a Run-DMC Pop-Up Celebration hosted by Adidas Originals, where the city’s mayor presented the hip-hop legends with their own day in their hometown, Complexreported.
The announcement came ahead of Run-DMC’s 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop Concert on August 11th and celebrated their 40 years in the artform and their decades-long association with the Adidas Originals brand.
“Adidas Originals is intricately woven into the fabric of Hip Hop culture,” Rupert Campbell, president of Adidas North America, said.
“As a brand that embodies authentic creativity, we are so proud that we brought the Superstar to Run-DMC and they brought it to the world.”
The rap veterans’ relationship with Adidas dates back to 1986 when they released the hit single “My Adidas” off their third studio album Raising Hell, and has become synonymous with the group. Adidas has even released several special editions of the shell toe Superstars to honor Run-DMC.
In addition to receiving their own day in New York City, Run-DMC is also celebrating 50 years of hip hop with two new custom coolers in partnership with Igloo, Billboardreported. The first of the limited-edition coolers released on August 10, one day before hip hop’s 50th anniversary.
The cooler collection includes a first-of-its-kind Run-DMC “It’s Tricky” KoolTunes cooler with Bluetooth speakers.
“These coolers are great for the beach, concerts, travel, picnic, outside work and all events,” Daryl “DMC” MCDANIELs said of the collection.
The Run-DMC “It’s Tricky” KoolTunes Cooler retails for $174.99 and holds up to 26, 12-ounce cans in a weather-resistant cooler with Bluetooth speakers. The Run-DMC Graffiti Little Playmate is on sale for $39.99.
The latter holds up to nine cans and pays homage to the group’s classic red, black, and white color scheme and features the Run-DMC. logo on the top along with custom artwork and a throwback photo of the group on the side.
“Collaborating with Run-DMC is the chance of a lifetime, and we’re beyond thankful to bring together the original undisputed kings of hip-hop and our iconic Playmate cooler,” Adrienne Berkes, Igloo’s vice president of marketing said in a press release.
“We’re launching our RUN-DMC Collection at a really special time, giving fans the chance to keep celebrating 50 years of hip-hip and 40 years of RUN-DMC with their collectible cooler along for the ride.”
Tory Lanez Is Unapologetic After 10-Year Sentence For Shooting Megan Thee Stallion
Tory Lanez appears to be standing 10 toes down for the 10 years he was sentenced for shooting Megan Thee Stallion.
The Toronto rapper issued an official statement on Thursday, Aug. 10, claiming he was “wrongfully convicted” for the shooting for which he received a decade-long sentence. It followed his sentencing on Tuesday, where he said that if he could “turn back the series of events that night and change them,” he would, Huff Postreports.
“The victim was my friend. The victim is someone I still care for to this day,” Lanez said in court. “Everything I did wrong that night, I take full responsibility for.”
In the lengthy statement shared online, the “Say It” singer doubled down on his comments in court but refused to apologize for the charges he was found guilty of.
“This week in court I took responsibility for all verbal and intimate moments that I shared with the parties involved… . That’s it.”
“In no way shape or form was I apologizing for the charges I’m being wrongfully convicted of. I remain on the stance that I refuse to apologize for something that I did not do,” he added.
“Through Good Times and Bad Times … Stay Strong … I’ll See You All Soon ☂️,” he captioned his post.
Lanez’s sentencing followed a two-week trial in December 2022 where a Los Angeles jury found the rapper/singer, real name Daystar Peterson, guilty of each of the three charges: assault with a semiautomatic firearm; having a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle; and discharging a firearm with gross negligence.
The “Stupid Again” rapper faced mixed responses to his statement, and rapper Drake faced backlash for liking Lanez’s post. Pop Basecaptured a screenshot of the fellow Canadian supporting his Toronto colleague.
Drake has liked Tory Lanez’s statement on Instagram following his 10-year sentencing. pic.twitter.com/soKGxJ75Qs
Rapper Iggy Azalea has also come under fire for the letter of support she wrote to get Lanez a more lenient sentence. Journalist Meghan Cuniff also revealed singer Mario as someone who wrote a letter of support for Lanez.
R & B singer Mario also wrote a letter to the judge ahead of Tory Lanez being sentenced to 10 years in prison for shooting Megan Thee Stallion.
"I have never seen Tory act out of character in a manner to hurt someone." – Mario Barrett pic.twitter.com/tvX7Oe0CRe
Hip-Hop Veteran Eric B. Contemplates Entry Into NYC Politics
Eric B. Is President. That was a song title from the seminal hip-hop group Eric B. & Rakim back in 1986. According to Politico, it might be a goal for the future.
As the world celebrates the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, Eric B. may be considering a run for political office.
Seriously.
Eric B., born Louis Eric Barrier and the DJ behind the God MC, Rakim, is currently honing his acting chops in the CBS police drama “Blue Bloods.” The hip-hop legend has appeared on the show since 2019 but may postpone further roles to pursue a career in politics.
The former DJ told Playbook that he is thinking of running for public office in New York City, maybe as a public advocate, possibly a city council member or an assembly member. He is putting an exploratory team together.
“Jeff Aubry, he’s older now,” Barrier said about the 75-year-old Queens, NY, Assembly speaker pro tempore, Jeffrion L. Aubry. “[Francisco] Moya’s seat is up in the City Council in Queens, I might go in that direction. … If whatshisname doesn’t run for public advocate again, I might run for his position.”
For the record, the “whatshisname” Eric B. spoke of refers to Jumaane Williams, the current public advocate in New York City. Eric B. has said that Williams isn’t “outside” these days, meaning he’s not been in the community.
“The public advocate’s really been missing for the last year,” Eric B. said. “He hasn’t been in the streets since he’s had the baby (in February 2022). You don’t hear from him. He’s been nowhere. And if you’re fighting for the people, you’ve got to be on the streets every day.”
If Eric B. does decide to run for Mora’s seat in Queens’ 21st Council District, it sounds like the outgoing politician is endorsing him, or at least saying he has a chance.
“I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of people running for that seat. I love Eric B. Not just his music, but I also know him personally. He’s a really great guy,” Mora is reported to have said of Eric B.’s interest in politics.
Whether we witness Eric B. as president, or in any political office, remains to be seen, but don’t count it out.
