BLACK ENTERPRISE hosted the 2023 Disruptor Summit in Atlanta. The three-day event . This year, BE had the honor to interview leading business giants, including Slutty Vegan’s Pinky Cole, Kaleidoscope Hair’s CEO Jesseca Dupart and more. With each session, participating entrepreneurs listened as these business leaders shared gems on how to build a million-dollar business, improve one’s social media presence and most importantly, how to disrupt.

Here are some words of wisdom from this year’s panelists.

Pinky Cole

“I learned that everybody has the ability to have that potential. You just got to surround yourself with the right people. You got to be in a household that’s going to foster you and encourage you and give you the knowledge and information you got to be around dreamers because it ain’t enough to be around people that just want to sit around all day and watch you dream. Okay, you got to be around people that want to grow and build with you. We all got the gift. Being a disruptor is a gift. That’s our calling, that’s our purpose.”

Jesseca Dupont 

“You have a better chance at huge success when you do the thing that you really are scared to do versus the thing that looks comfortable because everybody else has done it. I’d rather go on an unexplored lane than go on a lane that everybody’s been traveling on.” 

Jomaree Pinkard

“Entrepreneurship disruptions are not necessarily stagnant. It’s actually a journey. It’s a mindset. There’s ebbs and flows, there’s peaks and valleys, and more importantly, there’s uncertainty around every corner, and that you have to really get really comfortable in your skin with those unknowns,”

Ashley Rudder

“We talk about different platforms and different things all the time but the real space that you’re wanting to occupy and own is between someone’s ears. How do you do something that is going to resonate and have true authenticity not only for you but people can see themselves? It’s not only about our own voice but how do we create a space where people can relate, people can see themselves within you. And then that’s when you really have something magical.”

BLACK ENTERPRISE’s Disruptor Summit has not only provided networking opportunities and resources but also, valuable gems. To listen to the full playlist of panels and sessions, visit us here. 

RELATED CONTENT: Black Enterprise to Disrupt Atlanta With New Disruptor Summit Sponsored By Nationwide

• Lifestyle

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

June 8, 2023

John Legend Joins Underrepresented Creators To Co-Design Home and Living Collection For Etsy

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John Legend is adding home design to his list of ventures after teaming up with a group of female, Black and underrepresented Etsy makers for an exclusive home and living collection.

On Tuesday, June 6 the EGOT recipient launched a limited-edition decor and lifestyle collection he co-created with an inspiring group of Etsy shops run by women, Black, and underrepresented sellers. Inspired by Legend’s own home and interior style, the collection was made to add warmth and character to any space.

Pieces include earth-toned ceramics and planters, woven baskets and vases, textured throw pillows, chic pet accessories, and a sleek oak wood record storage unit that perfectly represents the John Legend brand.

“It’s important for me to fill my home with high quality pieces made by people who approach their craft with intention,” Legend said.

“Each item in this collection was made with joy in partnership with makers who inspire me, and I hope these special pieces make you feel right at home.”

The celebrated musician and entrepreneur is known for his advocacy work for marginalized communities and made it a priority to work with diverse underrepresented Etsy sellers, which included two Gullah basket weavers who are part of the Etsy Uplift Makers Program. The Gullah technique of basket weaving is an ancient technique dating back to the 1700s when enslaved rice farmers first brought the art form to South Carolina.

“I love Etsy because it gives a platform to so many creative and diverse makers, who pour their heart and soul into their work,” Legend said.

“Getting to collaborate with these talented artists was such a special experience, because the finished products tell a story about the people who made them.”

The “Glory” singer has more home and living pieces coming our way including his Holiday collection that will serve as his second Etsy Creator Collab launch. Take a look at the full collection list below and shop the collab collection HERE.

• Art Print, BorianaM, $55 – $550*
• Linen Bomber Jacket, NgoBolingo, $149
• Ceramic Mug, CharlottesCeramicArt, $64.90*
• Ceramic Coasters, CharlottesCeramicArt, $55.82*
• Woven Baskets, CHSSweetgrass, $500 – $2,000
• Pet Bowl, CharlottesCeramicArt, $60.36 – $64.90
• Throw Pillows, TownsendRoweHome, $100 – $120*
• Pet Beds, LayloPets, $75 – $115
• Oak Vinyl Storage Unit, MoWoodworkStore, $3,340*
• Linen Button Down Shirt, NgoBolingo, $90
• Woven Baskets & Vases, DesmareonandFamily, $400 – $1,600
• Cotton & Linen Robes, EasternWoven, $110
• Ceramic Catchall, ALLIYAHandTHINGS, $150
• Planters, MorseStudio, $110 – $160

Rapper Azealia Banks is under fire after sending a disturbing message to comedian DC Young Fly in response to the death of his longtime partner, Jacky Oh.

The “212” rapper is apparently still not over the shady jokes they threw at each other on Wild ‘N Out five years ago. Banks has seemingly had it in for DC since her 2018 appearance on Nick Cannon’s sketch comedy show, where she later alleged being mistreated and called “ugly,” as noted by Music Times.

Banks took to Instagram Stories on Wednesday to issue her morbid response to the passing of Jacky Oh, the social media celebrity with whom DC shares three young children.

“DC Young Fly spent years disguising his own deeply rooted hatred of self as joked pointed at women’s beauty,” Banks wrote in posts shared on Twitter. “Projecting his own feelings about his own ugliness unto women perfectly secure in their own skin.”

“In the end… I won,” she continued.

Azealia Banks made a message to dc young fly & his family…. like this was so not needed. That lady has babies and this is not some type of karma ritual pic.twitter.com/4p3Prwd3LU

— NATE (@NATERERUN) June 7, 2023

“That Jackie o girl must have been so deeply insecure about herself,” Banks added.

She went on to reference her five-year-old Wild ‘N Out appearance while shaming DC Young Fly for calling “such a gorgeous woman as Azealia Banks… ugly on National television while a bunch of black people laughed.”

“Ironically, deaD at 32 exactly on my 32nd birthday,” Banks wrote. “You ni***s are going to learn to stop f***ing with me.”

After sending out the disturbing messages, the rapper started trending across social media, with many people saying they were canceling her for good in response to her latest antics.

“I truly think Azealia banks really is one disgusting person she is still mad over something that was said by DC young fly multiple seasons ago,” one user wrote.

“SHE CANCELLED,” added another.

Another called Banks “unwell” while sharing the old video clip of what ignited her feud with DC Young Fly.

Azealia Banks literally started with DC Young Fly then got mad when he roasted her back..TO A CRISP. And THIS is why she's celebrating the death of his child's mother?

Shorty is unwell asf.pic.twitter.com/UPjeis3GX8

— thong song enthusiast. (@thePLAINESTjane) June 7, 2023

As part of a major initiative to create a new generation of philanthropists, The New3Rs, a 501c3 nonprofit based in New York, is enrolling students in its summer program, teaching Black history, civics, compassion, and responsive philanthropy.

Its members have donated funds to a school in Zimbabwe and participated in the global We Give Summit 2023, featuring young students passionate about helping people through philanthropy. who participated in a Participating students in the session “A Young Giver’s Journey to Responsive Philanthropy” were Amiri Archibald, Blake Ansari, Ethan Fertil, and Sunay Chawla, all part of the organization’s Youth Responsive Giving Circle.

“Our students are the youngest responsive philanthropists globally investing in Black lives, and they deserve recognition,” said Dr. Starita Boyce Ansari, founder and EduTech innovator of TheNew3Rs.org. “These students work so hard to create the ‘more perfect union’ former President Obama envisions for our country. They are donating their time, talents, treasures, and testimonies to make America a safer and better place for Black people.”

The New3Rs, which launched its online education program for families of 6th through 10th graders in December 2019, educates and empowers through the art of social justice storytelling, building relationships, and fostering a sense of responsibility. The organization has already received recognition from NASDAQ, The Wise Fund, Indiana University, Purdue University, and Philanthropy Together.

Families who enroll in the courses tap into more than 10,000 Black history artifacts curated by Danni Gore, Sr., the organization’s historian, whose work is celebrated on the organization’s website. They also participate in mindfulness conversations about equity, compassion, civics, and racism around the world. This summer, the students are launching a campaign against the cocoa industry and enslavement of Black children in Africa.

Founder Ansari says, “Knowing Black history is essential to the pursuit of social justice. And no one can know the history of America without the stories of Black contributions.”

The New3Rs.org is a community of Asian, Black, Latinx, and white families committed to racial justice. The students are the youngest philanthropists awarding grants to Black-founded organizations in Africa, the Caribbean, and the USA.

This news first appeared on blackprwire.com.

Snoop Dogg has partnered with fast food restaurant Jack in the Box after the eatery placed a poll on Twitter asking fans if they should grant him the opportunity to promote a late-night menu. After a resounding 92% of users voted overwhelmingly in favor of doing so, it looks like Snoop is in charge of the menu!

Should I put @SnoopDogg in charge to promote the New Late Night Menu? I will abide by the results of this poll.

— Jack in the Box (@JackBox) June 5, 2023

After the poll, Snoop posted a video clip of himself and “Jack” walking and holding briefcases as Snoop’s song “Who Am I (What’s My Name)?” blares in the background.

Let’s do this thang, Jack https://t.co/c0bHvau40n pic.twitter.com/3LrFtDIJMC

— Snoop Dogg (@SnoopDogg) June 6, 2023

According to QSR, the two parties are collaborating to bring Snoop’s Munchie Meal to the masses. Jack in the Box will offer late-night meals at a price point of $14.

The offerings are:

• Spicy Sauced and Loaded Chicken Sandwich: Two 100% all-white meat spicy chicken strips, bacon crumbles, french fries, white cheese sauce, Good Good sauce, and ranch on a brioche bun
• Classic Taco: Crunchy taco with melty American cheese, shredded lettuce, and Jack in the Box’s signature taco sauce
• Medium Curly Fries: Perfectly seasoned crispy curly fries
• Baked Brownie: Delicious classic dark chocolate brownie with semisweet chocolate chips
• Sprite (or your chosen soda)

Snoop’s Munchie Meal will be available to consumers from June 12 until August 6. It can be purchased at Jack in the Box locations nationwide, at Jackinthebox.com and on the Jack app.

Aside from this latest partnership, Snoop is keeping himself busy as he and Dr. Dre put the finishing touches on their next album. According to Billboard, the duo has postponed their Doggystyle anniversary concerts, scheduled for June 27 and 28, due to the current writers’ strike.

• Health and Wellness

by Dontaira Terrell

June 8, 2023

Planned Parenthood Sues Kansas Over Abortion Reversal Claims

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Planned Parenthood on Tuesday sued to block a new Kansas law requiring healthcare providers to tell patients that medication abortion can be reversed, a potentially dangerous claim not supported by evidence.

The lawsuit in the District Court of Johnson County, filed against state and local authorities on behalf of a group of doctors, also challenges older mandates requiring providers to warn patients that abortion is linked to breast cancer, and to wait at last 30 minutes after meeting with a patient to perform an abortion.

Reviews of evidence by the U.S. National Cancer Institute have concluded that there is no link between abortion and breast cancer.

The office of Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Kansas Republican lawmakers passed the medication abortion reversal bill in April, amending a longstanding law that already required a raft of mandatory patient counseling and a waiting period before abortions. The legislature later overrode a veto by the state’s Democratic governor, Laura Kelly.

Medication abortion involves taking the drug mifepristone followed by misoprostol. The Kansas law requires doctors to state that the effect of mifepristone, before misoprostol, can be reversed with a high dose of the hormone progesterone.

The only clinical trial of the process was halted early after three of 12 patients experienced severe bleeding requiring them to go to the hospital.

Planned Parenthood said in Tuesday’s lawsuit that requiring doctors to suggest “experimental and potentially dangerous treatments violates medical ethics and subjects plaintiffs to potential disciplinary action or liability.”

It also said the entire patient counseling law for abortion “undermines the principles of bodily integrity and decisional autonomy that underlie the doctrine of informed consent,” and violates doctors’ free speech rights.

Medication abortion has been in the national spotlight since a Texas federal judge suspended mifepristone’s approval in April. The U.S. Supreme Court has put that ruling on hold while the Biden administration appeals.

Many Republican-led states have banned abortion since the Supreme Court eliminated the federal constitutional right to abortion last year. Abortion remains legal in Kansas.

(Reporting By Brendan Pierson in New York, Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and David Gregorio)

HBO released a new documentary about the life and career of the late Donna Summer that peels back the layers of the disco queen and shares who she was as a woman, mother, and musician.

Love to Love You, Donna Summer premiered on HBO Max last month, on May 20. Co-directed by Summer’s daughter Brooklyn Sudano and documentarian Roger Ross Williams, the film gives flowers to the electronic dance pioneer who was somewhat underrated on the music scene despite penning cult classic hits like “Bad Girls,” “Last Dance,” and “Hot Stuff.”

Speaking with Harper’s Bazaar, Sudano shared her goal for the film and how personal a project it was. “With my involvement, we really did lean in on the personal side,” Sudano said.

“This is a perspective that will really show you who she fully was as a woman and an artist and a mother. You know, the whole spectrum.”

Disco was a musical phenomenon that swept the 1970s before suffering a drastic fall from grace by the early ’80s. When disco died, so did many of the music careers associated with the art form. The stigma around disco is thought to have impacted Summer’s career and legacy in music.

Summer passed away in May 2012 at age 63 from lung cancer, just months after Whitney Houston’s equally untimely death made global headlines. That close timeline was another example of Summer not having her accomplishments given the recognition they deserve.

The new documentary highlights how strong the singer’s impact was on music, fashion, and popular culture. “I think they understand the influence,” Sudano said. “I’m not sure that maybe [the] culture as a whole has fully acknowledged it, but I’m hoping that’s part of what this film is able to do.”

“I think for a lot of people, they’re like, ‘Oh, I know this song, or I know that song,’ but then when they see the film and they see all of these things piece together, they’ll then understand the full scope and the full impact.”

In 2022, tennis phenomenon Coco Gauff lost the finals match to Iga Swiatek in straight sets (6-1, 6-3) at the French Open. It was the sixth straight time she walked away defeated by her rival — Gauff has yet to win even one set against Swiatek.

Gauff hoped for different results in their next match that took place in Paris this week.

Unfortunately, Tulsa World reported that although she played better this go-round, Gauff was defeated by Swiatek once again, giving her a 7-0 record against the No. 6-ranked Gauff. Sadly, her streak of being winless in sets against Swiatek continues, as Swiatek won both sets, 6-4, and 6-2.

In an interview, with ESPN, Gauff admitted to trying to recapture the magic she had last year right before losing to Swiatek. Even with her new tennis coach, Rick Macci (who helped Venus and Serena Williams perfect their tennis skills), she still was unable to pull out a victory.

Gauff mentioned that her opponents knew how to attack her weaknesses, so she and Macci focused on turning them into strengths. “Obviously the forehand is something I have to improve on, but on clay especially I feel like it’s one of my weapons,” the tennis star said.

“This week, in the last couple matches, my forehand has, I think, improved a lot, and I think it’s gotten me to win a lot of points,” she said. “I think [in] the last couple of matches that I have just become more and more comfortable being aggressive on it. But I think really it’s more so something that I just have to continue to improve. I’ll probably work on it more during the offseason, but right now I’m happy where my forehand is at.”

Leading up to the match, Gauff said she was looking forward to playing Swiatek once again. Although she may have improved her game and hoped for different results, it wasn’t enough to earn a victory against her rival.

Julianne Lukambo, a high school student from Columbus, OH who was a refugee in Uganda, graduated as valedictorian of her class with an impressive $240,000 in college scholarships.

Born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Africa, Lukambo and her family sought refuge in Uganda due to the ongoing war in their home country. She spent most of her childhood in the refugee camp, coping with the hardships and uncertainty of their situation.

Julianne’s family moved to the U.S. in 2015 and started high school in 2019. She attended Northland High School in Columbus, OH, where she quickly excelled in her studies despite battling anxiety.

Now, Julianne ended her senior year at the top of her class, receiving $240,000 in college scholarships. She attributed her success to maintaining high grades, actively participating in several activities, and networking. She also credited her supportive teachers, who provided valuable recommendations for various scholarships.

Julianne’s achievements are part of a broader trend within her school. Northland High School’s senior class has collectively earned $5.6 million in scholarships, with Columbus City Schools seniors amassing more $33 million in scholarship and aid money. Julianne ranks among the top 50 earners in the district.

“Overcoming the adversity that I have had to overcome to reach where I am today has been a real challenging journey, and I would say that from coming from where I’m from, to here now, I would’ve never expected it, so overcoming all of that is something I’m really grateful for and proud of,” she told 10TV.

Julianne is set to attend college at the University of Dayton, where she plans to pursue a degree in computer science.

RELATED CONTENT: Florida High School Valedictorian Accepted Into 72 Colleges Shares Advice

• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

June 8, 2023

White Woman Arrested and Charged With Fatally Shooting Black Neighbor In front Of Her Son

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A white woman who allegedly shot and killed Ajike “AJ” Owens, her Black neighbor, has been arrested and charged with manslaughter with a firearm and other offenses, CBS News reported.

Owens was killed June 2 in Ocala, FL after she allegedly went to the home of Susan Lorincz, 58,  to confront the woman about a conversation that took place with her children.

Lorincz was upset that Owens’ children were playing outside, close to her apartment. A neighbor overheard the accused yelling at one of the kids, and according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Lorincz threw a roller skate at Owens’ 10-year-old son, hitting his toe.

After the child told his mother what had happened, Owens went over with him, knocked on the door several times, and demanded that Lorincz come outside. Lorincz then fired one shot through the door, striking Owens in the upper chest.

“At the time she was shot, Owens’ 10-year-old son was standing beside her,” the sheriff’s office said.

Since the shooting, Lorincz has been charged with manslaughter and other offenses. She claims she acted in self-defense, saying Owens was trying to break her door down.

In the state of Florida, the “stand your ground” law, which became notorious during George Zimmerman’s trial for fatally shooting Trayvon Martin, allows people to meet force with force if they believe they or someone else is in danger of being seriously harmed, CNN reported.

Officials are unsure if this was the case with Lorincz.

“What we have to rule out is whether the deadly force was justified or not before we can even make the arrest,” Sheriff Billy Woods said. “I wish our shooter would have called us instead of taking actions into her own hands.”

MEDIA ALERT: @AttorneyCrump, attorney Anthony D. Thomas, and the family of AJ Owens — a mother who was shot after knocking on an unidentified woman’s door — will hold a news conference today (6/5) to demand that the shooter be arrested for this unjustified killing. pic.twitter.com/BfmTundS4p

— Ben Crump Law, PLLC (@BenCrumpLaw) June 5, 2023

The shooting was the final straw of a two-and-a-half-year feud between the neighbors. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represented Trayvon Martin’s family and now the Owens, said in a statement that the shooter had been yelling racial slurs at the children before the confrontation.

Owens’ family described the single mother of four as someone who was “full of life, loved her children with all her being” and helped those around her in any way she could.