white house, keisha lance, Keisha Lance Bottoms, dress code
by Stacy Jackson

July 19, 2023

Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms Moves Into New Role At The White House

Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is setting foot on the grounds of the official residence of the president of the United States.

As she returns to the White House, she will begin her new role in the Biden Administration as a representative of the President’s Export Council (PEC). According to the International Trade Administration, Lance Bottoms’ new role will entail serving as part of the principal national advisory committee on international trade.

“The Council advises the President of government policies and programs that affect U.S. trade performance; promotes export expansion; and provides a forum for discussing and resolving trade-related problems among the business, industrial, agricultural, labor and government sectors,” according to the council’s  website.

“I am honored to be appointed a member of the President’s Export Council,” Bottoms wrote on her Instagram page.

“Bottoms’ steadfast leadership and equity-focused philosophy have led to numerous accolades and leadership positions, including serving as the Chair of the Community Development and Housing Committee and the Census Task Force for the United States Conference of Mayors, Trustee for the African American Mayors Association, Chair of the Platform Committee for the 2020 Democratic National Convention and the DNC’s Vice Chair of Civic Engagement and Voter Protection,” White House officials said in a statement, according to Atlanta Daily World.

As previously reported by BLACK ENTERPRISE, Bottoms exited her role as a senior official at the White House in early 2023. She shared that her decision would grant her more personal time to spend with her family as she returned to Georgia. Lance Bottoms clarified that she would still be working in public policy and was open to returning to the White House in the future. “Never say never. Stay tuned,” she said at the time. Lance Bottoms stepped down from her role as a senior adviser and Director of the Office of Public Engagement in February 2023.

by Sharelle B. McNair

July 19, 2023

Kevin Hart and Mike Epps No Longer At Odds, ‘Looking Forward To Building’ On ‘ComicView’ Revival

It looks like legendary comedians Kevin Hart and Mike Epps have let bygones be bygones by ending their almost 10-year-long beef.

On Instagram, Hart posted a photo of him and Epps with a touching caption that stated things are all good between the two. “So happy that me and my comedy brother @therealmikeepps were able to settle our differences and look at the bigger picture,” Hart wrote. “Looking forward to building and doing amazing things in the future!!!!! Life is to [sic] short…”

 

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The two reconciled over their love of comedy as they worked together to revive BET’s ComicView—after a nine-year hiatus—partnering with Hart’s production company, Hartbeat, and Epps serving as host. Allegedly, the feud between the comedians started in 2014 when the Friday franchise star called Hart “overrated,” Vibe reports. Epps’ remarks resulted in some back-and-forth banter online, and the two have been making shady remarks about each other since.

Other comedians jumped into the comments section to celebrate the brotherhood. The 85 South podcast hosts said “Amen,” while Deray Davis said, “What I’ve always wanted,” with some salute emojis.

All new episodes were filmed during Hartbeat Weekend in Las Veg earlier this month. Comedy fans will get the best of both worlds, featuring old-school comedians like Tommy Davidson and Tony T. Roberts, newcomers like Bresha Webb, D.C. Young Fly, and the televised comedic standup debut of rapper Tip “T.I.” Harris. The Laugh At My Pain comic says he’s excited to partner with BET on this project. “Having hosted ComicView in the past, I understand first-hand the incredible platform this franchise offers for comedians to showcase their talents on a national sta,ge and I’m excited to continue that tradition in Las Vegas,” Hart said.

Started in 1992, ComicView featured some of the greatest Black comedians to touch the microphone, including Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer, Martin Lawrence, and more, according to Newsone.

 

by Sharelle B. McNair

July 19, 2023

Black Magic Reimagined Summit Returns With $100K To Give Away To Black Women-Owned Businesses

After three years of being virtual, the Black Magic Reimagined Summit, hosted by Boss Women Media, is back in person, and with plenty to give.

Celebrating its fifth anniversary, Black Magic is the place to be for female business owners, founders, freelancers, content creators, and corporate employees to learn, be empowered, and gain connections, resources, and most importantly, funds, Inc. reports. This year, Black women entrepreneurs can win serious cash by entering the pitch competition sponsored by Capital One.

During the event, which takes place in Dallas in September 2023, Black Magic will award three women-owned small businesses with grants worth $50,000, $30,000, and $20,000. Past winners include former Shark Tank contestant Bridal Babes, who received a $250,000 deal for 20% equity from Good American co-founder and CEO Emma Grede.

Boss Women Media founder and CEO Marty McDonald says the competition is something businesses shouldn’t take for granted: “Fifty thousand dollars is something, for our grand prize winner, that can’t be taken lightly. It’s something that could be the transformation of their business.”

The jam-packed weekend offers activities for Black women to participate in, from the Health and Wellness Morning to #BMRSummit23 Happy Hour, which will assist entrepreneurs in taking their business to the next level.

And for the first time ever, five Black-owned businesses will be highlighted during a marketplace presented by Amazon’s Black Business Accelerator (BBA). The business founders, who will be selected at the end of July, will receive financial assistance, business coaching, and marketing support for six months from both BBA and Boss Women Media. “We want an attendee to leave with insider intel and loads of inspiration that she can do it,” says McDonald. “Not just because we’re telling her, but because she sees it in other women that look like her.”

Speakers for the weekend include everyone’s media mogul Keke Palmer and heavy-hitting sports agent Nicole Lynn. With the purchase of a VIP ticket, attendees can join the founders breakfast with Slutty Vegan CEO and founder Pinky Cole.

LOOP
by Derek Major

July 19, 2023

LOOP Announces Equity Program For Minority and Independent Car Insurance Agents

LOOP, a mission-based car insurer, has announced its Partner Agents program, the first-ever equity program for independent car insurance agents.

According to a press release, the program will layer equity incentives and local-impact grants with traditional commission-based compensation structures. The program is a first-of-its-kind program to generate wealth creation within LOOP’s insured communities.

“The idea is that our Partner Agents should benefit, in a meaningful way, from the growth they help to create,” John Henry, LOOP co-founder and CEO, said in a statement. “Reframing the Carrier/Agent relationship is long overdue, and it starts with giving agents a stake in your business, and a voice at the table.”

LOOP is an equitable and affordable car insurance company. Unlike large insurers, who base their insurance and prices on gender, job title, marital status, and credit score, which can be systematically biased toward vulnerable communities, LOOP bases its insurance on how and where you drive. According to NerdWallet, the national average cost of car insurance is $2,148 per year or $179 per month.

The Partner Agents program will debut later this year and is currently accepting appointment requests to select its initial team of partner agents.

“We’re looking for Independent Agents that have a real presence in their community, who have boots on the ground, and who genuinely care for their clients and neighborhoods,” Mari Mergerson Sharpe, LOOP’s Head of Member & Agent Success, said.

Sharpe has over a decade of experience building Agent Programs, including at National General and Porch Group, and will spearhead the initiative for the insurer. LOOP currently has more than 14,000 members and is operating in Texas with plans to expand to another 3-5 states within the next 18 months.

The insurer is currently looking for agents of all backgrounds with a particular focus on agents who serve underserved populations and who themselves are a minority, female, or an immigrant, according to Henry.

Disney Characters Replace Actors On ‘Haunted Mansion’ Red Carpet Amid Strike
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

July 19, 2023

Disney Characters Replace Actors On ‘Haunted Mansion’ Red Carpet Amid Strike

In the first of many movie premieres from major studios that will be without their stars, Disney’s Haunted Mansion hosted its red carpet with a workaround for the SAG-AFTRA strike. Character villains like Maleficent and Cruella de Vil joined Mickey and Minnie Mouse as they walked the Disneyland event on July 15.

The actual stars of Disney’s summer film release include LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Danny DeVito, Daniel Levy, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Rosario Dawson to round out the A-list actors. However, none of these cast members and SAG-AFTRA actors attended, observing the union strike that put actors on pause for the foreseeable future. What was originally expected to be a jam-packed affair became a haunting image with only a few press to witness and document the quiet carpet.

The director of Haunted Mansion, Justin Simien, shared his mixed emotions with Variety on doing the premiere without his full team.

“It’s so surreal; it’s so sad and disappointing,” shared the filmmaker. “But I’m not disappointed in this cast. I’m disappointed in the conditions that brought about this situation.”

Furthermore, the Houston native would “really love to sit down” with Disney CEO Bob Iger and discuss his comments regarding the strikers being “realistic” with their demands, as reported by Variety. Iger was not present at the premiere or red carpet, but in the past has been a frequent attendee.

As a Black queer artist, Simien shared how the protagonists in the Disney films he watched as a child inspired him to have unrealistic dreams and thus led him to where he stands today.

Inside the theater, Simien shared that it is a “weird time in the industry,” but still managed to induce laughter and joy on behalf of his film and the 2,000 attendees.

Disney and other big-name studios will have to troubleshoot their premieres or cancel them altogether until negotiations are made. However, while the stars’ absence is certainly felt, it gives visibility to the cause they are fighting for.

In the meantime, to public ambivalence, guests will only have Mickey Mouse and friends to catch up with at these events.

RELATED CONTENT: Disney Jr. Readies A Little Black Ariel Animated Series Amidst ‘Little Mermaid’ Success

by Lauren Nutall

July 19, 2023

Introducing Mikaela Thomas Of WSB-TV Atlanta

Mikaela Thomas is a digital content producer at WSB-TV in Atlanta. The Georgia native discovered her love for media and journalism when she was just a teenager, and it’s grown ever since. Thomas’s passion for the field inspired her to attend Clayton State University, where she earned her Bachelor’s in Communications and Media Studies. She is a Delta Sigma Theta, Inc member and the National Association of Black Journalists. 

As a digital content producer, Thomas filters information and keeps the newsroom running as efficiently as possible. This includes regularly monitoring viewer concerns, news tips, story pitches, and press releases. It also involves remaining on top of law enforcement data and reports. Thomas works overtime to manage collective narratives, so viewers receive the most accurate information.

   writes and creates digital content with the sole purpose of providing stories for diverse audiences. Her work aims to dismantle bias and increase cultural consciousness, and by doing so, she grants viewers and businesses proper avenues to combat pressing issues. 

Another defining trait of Thomas is her ability to build relationships. One aspect of news writing is going out and seeking a story anywhere you feel there might be one. However, another less recognized aspect is maintaining relationships. Without relationships with the community, a digital content creator cannot glean the full story. Thomas understands the importance of maintaining relationships with the public, and it is because of these relationships that she leaves no question unanswered and no problem unaddressed.

The trait that she is most proud of, however, is her authenticity. With Thomas, what you see is what you get. And in her case, there’s a lot to see: an accomplished Black woman who is firm in her identity and her mission to challenge underlying cultural bias in news reporting. 

RELATED CONTENT: SXSW 2012 Social Media Sharecropping Encourages African Americans to Monetize Digital Content

teamsters, UPS strike, FEdEx, US postal, negotiations
by Daniel Johnson

July 19, 2023

UPS Strike Looms As Negotiations Stall

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters voted in June 2023 to authorize a strike if they can’t agree with the United Parcel Service (UPS). According to The Hill, as the union represents 340,000 UPS employees, this would make the strike the most prominent work stoppage in United States history.

The Teamsters and UPS fundamentally disagree on wages, benefits, and compensation for workers, and the union is pushing the shipping giant for improved working conditions.

UPS’ employee are not uniform. They vary from state to state, according to salary information posted to the online job board Indeed. In July 2023, UPS and the Teamsters reached a tentative agreement regarding two-tier wages, holiday pay for Martin Luther King Day, and overtime pay, indicating that an agreement was on the horizon, but talks have since stalled.

Sean O’Brien, president of the Teamsters, discussed the union’s aims with The Hill: “Our administration has made it clear. We will not be working beyond the expiration date without the contract our members have demanded, and more importantly without the contract our members deserve,” he said.

The Teamsters Union has been active on Twitter, posting several messages indicating it is willing to escalate to a complete work stoppage if a deal is not reached by July 31. The last time a work stoppage occurred was in 1997, resulting in a 15-day strike that adversely impacted the global supply chain.

In order to offset this, FedEx requested that companies begin working with it as soon as possible so they’re not caught unprepared if UPS workers strike.

The United States Postal Service has also created a two- to five-day shipping service. On its website, U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy described it:

“USPS Ground Advantage is a game changer – for our customers, the industry and USPS. By efficiently and effectively integrating our ground transportation model to the magnificence of our last mile delivery operations, we can now offer the most compelling ground shipping offering in the market. With USPS Ground Advantage, we are ready to compete for an increased share of the growing package business.”

Art Wheaton, director of labor studies at Cornell University, contextualized the fight the Teamsters are taking on, telling Vox, “They’re fighting for the little guy. It’s not just, ‘We have all the strength of all the drivers because the Teamsters are known for truck drivers.’ This is for those moving boxes. It’s a little lower on the totem pole or the hierarchy of the company — it’s the lower levels is what they’re really fighting for.”

Both sides have been playing the blame game for why negotiations have fallen apart. UPS’ deliveries to businesses comprise about 40% of its business, meaning a strike would be disastrous the company and its customers alike. Those familiar with the negotiations say that gives the Teamsters additional leverage in the negotiations. While that may be the case, UPS workers have been staging practice pickets across the country in case they go through with the strike on August 1, 2023. 

 

Protesters Call For Action Against Gang Violence in Haiti
by Lauren Nutall

July 19, 2023

Protesters Call For Action Against Gang Violence in Haiti

On July 13, thousands of demonstrators from over 60 countries took to the streets to protest gang violence that has ravished Haiti, NBC News reports.

Political violence has embroiled the Caribbean country for decades. However, it has escalated in recent years following the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, causing the country’s government to deteriorate. The country does not have an interim president, and the last remaining senators have left their positions and have yet to be replaced. Law enforcement’s rampant corruption has allowed gangs to run amok. 

“The fact that there is no government in power, it means that they could simply multiply and become stronger,” Gregory Toussaint, pastor at Miami’s Tabernacle of Glory Church, told the platform. 

Since the government’s collapse, Haitian gangs now control 80% of the government, according to the U.N.’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. According to UNICEF, gang violence has affected almost 1.5 million Haitians’ access to education and health services, further plunging the country’s socioeconomic status into disarray.

The movement transcends national and cultural lines. Xamayla Rose, who is Jamaican, participated in the Relief for Haiti March in New York. Rose has grown up alongside Haitian immigrants in her Brooklyn neighborhood and witnessed how they were marginalized.

“I really felt like deep down in my heart, like, if all I can do is march with my friends and to raise awareness — especially as a non-Haitian person — just to show everybody, like, it’s OK to support it,” Rose said. 

Demonstrators hope to encourage Congress to take action against the gangs and expose those within the political hierarchy. Many also want the Biden administration to continue its humanitarian program. Toussaint also wants Congress to pass the Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act, requiring the Department of State to “provide an annual report to Congress on ties between criminal gangs and political and economic elites in Haiti.”  

Toussaint’s Shekinah.fm has launched a petition to support the bill, which has garnered almost 130,000 signatures.

Toussaint believes Haiti should devise a long-term plan to address the growing violence, similar to the Rwandan government’s decades-long method to rebuild the country following its 1994 genocide. “We should have a 25-year plan,” Toussaint said. “What do we want Haiti to look like in 2050, and we should work on that plan right now and kick it off in 2025.” 

“As a believer, I am hopeful in God, and I believe there is always hope,” Toussaint said. 

RELATED CONTENT: Former NYPD Cop Who Sodomized Haitian Immigrant Abner Louima Released From Prison Early

Oklahoma Superintendent Ryan Walters Faces Backlash After Tulsa Massacre Remarks
by Lauren Nutall

July 19, 2023

Oklahoma Superintendent Ryan Walters Faces Backlash After Tulsa Massacre Remarks

Oklahoma’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters is being condemned for his controversial statements at a forum on July 6. Walters, a Republican conservative, spoke at the Norman, Oklahoma meeting, where attendees questioned how teaching about the 1921 Tulsa Massacre did not violate his ban on critical race theory in schools. 

“I would never tell a kid that because of your race, because of the color of your skin, or your gender or anything like that, you are less of a person or are inherently racist. That doesn’t mean you don’t judge the actions of individuals. Oh, you can. Absolutely, historically, you should,” he said. “‘This was right. This was wrong. They did this for this reason.’ But to say it was inherent in that because of their skin is where I say that is critical race theory. You’re saying that race defines a person.”

His statements were met with immediate backlash, inciting anger among those present and online. Walters’ words led to a flurry of social media responses, including from Samuel Perry, who was at the forum and is an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Oklahoma. Perry expressed his abhorrence at Walters’ claims. 

Walters’ account of the Tulsa tragedy is historically inaccurate. Scholars have long known that the Tulsa massacre was racist retaliation stemming from an allegation against 19-year-old Dick Rowland, who had been accused of assaulting a white woman, Sarah Page. The two-day-long killing spree, led by white supremacists, included the destruction of “Black Wall Street” and the murders of hundreds of Black Americans. Others were left homeless, with their houses burned to the ground. 

This is not a lone incident for the Oklahoma politician. In June, he was once again embroiled in scandal after calling for Christianity and “Western heritage” in classrooms, according to the Oklahoman. At the time, Walters claimed that allowing religion in schools would restore morality. “The current national left-wing indoctrination is attempting to destroy religion as a way to destroy our entire country,” he said.

Walters’ presence on Thursday was met with vitriol as impassioned Oklahoma residents pressed the superintendent about his extreme ideologies, including his book bans, according to KOKH Fox 25. Walters has received political ire for his right-wing stances since being appointed to this position in November 2022.

RELATED CONTENT: NBA LEGEND KEVIN JOHNSON TO OPEN TULSA SOUL FOOD RESTAURANT ON RACE MASSACRE ANNIVERSARY

Heinz Helps Black-Owned Food Businesses ‘Ketchup’ With $1M In Grants
by Iman Milner

July 19, 2023

Heinz Helps Black-Owned Food Businesses ‘Ketchup’ With $1M In Grants

For the third consecutive year, Heinz will join forces with The LEE Initiative and Southern Restaurants for Racial Justice (SRRJ) to contribute an additional $1 million in Black Kitchen Initiative grants for Black food business entrepreneurs nationwide.

The organizations entered into a multi-year partnership in 2020 and have continued their mission to preserve and uplift the legacy of Black-owned food businesses by providing necessary financial assistance to the tune of $3 million thus far. “The HEINZ Black Kitchen Initiative aims to celebrate and preserve the legacy of Black food culture by helping to break down barriers that keep Black voices and cooking out of America’s culinary space,” says Megan Lang, director of Brand Communications, HEINZ. “We’re proud to continue our partnership with The LEE Initiative and SRRJ. We’ve heard from past recipients just how impactful the grants have been in supporting their businesses across the country, and we are thrilled to provide another $1 million in grants in 2023.”

Throughout the year, Heinz will award 60 grants through The LEE Initiative and Southern Restaurants for Racial Justice, with eligible businesses receiving up to $25,000. As a way to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of Black food businesses to the culinary language of the country, Heinz’s contribution to the initiative is intended to help the more than 37% of Black businesses that have difficulty accessing new capital and financing to promote long-term business growth and lasting success. “Through our partnership with HEINZ and SRRJ, we’re elated to have the chance to uplift so many talented business owners across the country and to empower diverse entrepreneurs in the hospitality space,” says Lindsey Ofcacek, co-founder and executive director of The LEE Initiative. “We’re especially excited to continue doing this work, given the success and growth of past grant recipients. There is undoubtedly more work to be done in making the industry more equitable, but I’m grateful we can play a part in deploying resources to these incredible Black entrepreneurs.”

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