Kanett Haynes, an African American mother of four from Spartanburg, South Carolina, is celebrating that all of her kids are simultaneously graduating from either high school or college this year.

• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

May 18, 2023

Substitute Teacher On Administrative Leave After Being Accused of Calling Student The N-Word

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Another teacher is under investigation after being accused of calling a student a racial slur.

WXYZ reports on May 12, a substitute teacher at Slauson Middle School in Ann Arbor, Michigan, allegedly called a 13-year-old student the N-word after he used the word with a classmate. According to the child’s mother, who goes by “Brittany,” the teacher used the actual word, not the abbreviated version. “The teacher came up to him, asked him to leave the classroom, and, on the way out of their class, she said, ‘Why are you using the N-word when you are an N-word?'”

The conversation continued in the hallway when another staff member called for her to stop. The following Monday, the concerned mother went to Ann Arbor Police to report a hate crime and was told they were investigating. But things took a turn for the student at school. A teaching assistant reportedly confronted the seventh grader to defend the substitute, saying the racial slur was never used and continued to use the word. Brittany says she was “shocked and hurt.” “We have lived in Ann Arbor and my son has gone to school here all his life. We’ve not experienced blatant racism,” Brittany said.

CBS News reports that Ann Arbor Public Schools Superintendent Jeanice Swift says the administrative team has communicated with parents concerned about this growing issue. Issuing a statement, Swift claims the district takes matters like this “very seriously.” “All of us are deeply disturbed by the content of the allegations,” said Swift. “We are committed to continuing a full and thorough investigation and are deeply committed to equity and inclusion for each and every student we serve.”

The teacher in question is a retired educator working as a sub. Now with the educator on administrative leave, Brittany feels there should be no support for the teacher. “Ann Arbor cannot support these people in their school system, period,” she told WXYZ. “If you do, you’re tolerating it. And if you say you don’t tolerate it, don’t tolerate it.”

As the Writers Guild of America strikes to bring about better pay and work security in a streaming TV world, a generation of diverse writers like Caroline Renard fear for the future of their careers.

While there have been improvements in diversity within writers’ rooms in recent years, writers of color, women of color, disabled writers and LGBTQ+ writers in Hollywood still lag in opportunities.

“At the rate we’re going in, writers of color, who make up a good chunk of lower-level writers and mid-level writers won’t be able to stay in the industry,” said Renard, a writer on “Secrets of Sulphur Springs” and a liaison between the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and members.

Between 2010 and 2020, the share of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) in screen employment rose from 5.2% to 22.6% while they account for 42.2% of the U.S. population.

The share for white people fell from 94.8% to 77.4% in the same period although they represent 57.8% of the population, according to the WGA’s 2022 Inclusion and Equity Report.

In 2021, 50% of new members in the WGA identified as BIPOC and 22% as LGBTQ+.

While the Guild’s demands to studios do not specifically address the issue ofdiversity, WGA West board member and 2023 negotiating committee member Angelina Burnett told Reuters the negotiations the board put forward are intended to protect the economic stability of the industry for the new generation of WGA writers.

“Preventing this business from sliding into gig work for all those people coming in, that’s how we keep them in, that’s how we protect their careers,” said Burnett, who was a writer and producer for “The Americans”.

Ashlea Archer, who hopes to soon join the WGA, said including overlooked voices in the WGA is “an ongoing conversation,” but she felt like her voice, as both a future WGA member and woman of color, was heard when negotiations were drafted.

“I think we’re headed in the direction of being concerned for all groups and there’s still a lot of work to do,” she said. “But of all the directions we could go, I still think we’re getting closer than further away.”

WGA’s report says white men continue to make up most of the high-level TV jobs, including 58% of showrunners and 64% of executive producers in 2020.

‘LEFT OUT’

“Harlem” writer, Brandon K. Hines, who is LGBTQ+ and supports the WGA strike, believes that the guild’s current demands for equity and opportunity do not go far enough for TV writers that have the least career mobility.

“If you (WGA) really want diversity, if you really want to make change, you need to put the language in, you can’t just be like, ‘Oh, this is good for everybody! It’s good for us, it’s good for you.’ That’s never the case,” he said.

Demands for more compensation and larger writers’ rooms may be newer concerns for what Hines refers to as the “upper echelon of writers,” but this has been an unresolved struggle for underrepresented writers for years.

• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

May 18, 2023

US State Department Issues Level 3 Travel Advisory For Jamaica and Colombia

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If you have trips planned for some countries in the Caribbean and South America this summer, you may want to reconsider. Jamaica and Colombia have now been added to the danger list.

Fox News reports the United States has issued travel warnings to Americans hoping to travel there this summer due to increased crime. There have been five updated travel advisories in three weeks for Haiti, Colombia, Jamaica, Chile, and Peru.

Haiti received the highest level advisory simply saying, “Do Not Travel,” claiming the country has been inundated with “widespread” kidnapping, with victims including U.S. citizens regularly. In response to the rise of gang violence seen in the capital of Port-au-Prince, Jamaica offered to send police and soldiers, but Jamaica has its own problems to deal with, receiving a level three advisory of “reconsider travel.”

For years, the State Department warned of homicide spikes in the Caribbean country “among the highest in the Western Hemisphere,” according to Fox News. United States government personnel have been prohibited from traveling to different areas of the country and from traveling on buses or driving outside areas of Kingston at night. Travel + Leisure reports violent crimes like home invasions, armed robberies, and homicides are common, with sexual assaults occurring often, even at all-inclusive resorts. The Department continued, saying, “Local police often do not respond effectively to serious criminal incidents.”

A ‘do not travel’ advisory was issued for several areas on the island, including downtown Kingston, Montego Bay, and more.

Colombia has been struggling with political uproar and crime for months. Government officials and the National Liberation Army, the country’s largest guerilla group, have plans to meet in Cuba this month to discuss peace talks and a cease-fire. Travelers are warned to reconsider their trip “due to crime and terrorism” and to “exercise increased caution due to civil unrest and kidnapping.” Attacks could occur in public areas, including public transportation, hotels, restaurants, and airports.

Cardi B is bumping her music in a new ad for Beats by Dre’s latest earphones.

The commercial features Cardi B prancing around on a phone call showing off a white pair of Beats Studio Buds+. The ad emphasizes clearer calls, one of the enhancements made to the latest product. Cardi B cranks up the tunes and vibes out to her hit song “Up” as she makes a stop at the store in search of some ginger ale. Viewers get a sample of the better noise canceling and more powerful sound of the earbuds as Cardi B makes it to the studio and struts around to her song.

 

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Customers who want in on the ultimate listening experience can order new earphones for $169.99 (US).

The Association of African American Financial Advisors (“AAAA” or the “Association”), a non-profit membership organization for African American financial advisors and other wealth management industry professionals, partnered with retired NFL player Nolan Carroll and the Nolan Carroll Foundation to donate more than 20,000 bottles of water to students at Jackson State University (JSU). The donation event, held this spring, was welcomed by Howard Brown, Jr., chief financial officer and vice president for business and finance at JSU and university students.

Christian Nwasike, MFP®, Chairman of the Board of the Association, said, “The Association of African American Financial Advisors believes that health impacts wealth. We are committed to giving back to the community while inspiring the next generation of financial professionals. We also are thrilled to partner with retired NFL player Nolan Carroll and the Nolan Carroll Foundation to donate water to the students at Jackson State University, one of the largest historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the United States. The Association and the Foundation recognize the importance of supporting education and promoting financial literacy as one of the best ways to give back to the community.”

Promoting financial literacy

Since its founding in 2001, the Association has taken a leadership role in giving back to Black and African American communities, while inspiring the next generation of financial professionals. As part of the event, held in conjunction with the Association’s quarterly regional conference, Mr. Nwasike and Chel Bernard, manager of diversity and community outreach with Dalton Education, spoke with students about career opportunities in wealth management, in alignment with their common goal of empowering and supporting Black communities by promoting financial literacy in underserved communities.

The conference, part of a series of regional conferences hosted by the Association throughout the year, included a series of client symposiums, and provided free financial education to attendees on a range of topics, including retirement planning, investment strategies, and debt management. One attendee said, “The information provided at the symposium was extremely helpful. I feel more confident about my financial future after attending.” The Association’s next regional conference is to take place in New York City, June 20-21.

In addition to the client symposiums, the Association hosted a career fair and networking event for career changers and students at Jackson State University. The event provided students with the opportunity to meet with the Association’s Corporate members and learn about internships or other career opportunities in wealth management.

• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 18, 2023

Black Folks Drag Elon Musk For Saying Remote Work Is ‘Bulls**t’

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Elon Musk is under fire across social media for his stance against remote work. According to the business magnate, working from home is “morally wrong” and “bullsh*t.”

The Tesla CEO appeared on CNBC with David Faber on Tuesday and sounded off when asked about the urgency to return to the office, a matter that is causing significant concern for tech workers in Silicon Valley and across the U.S.

“I think that the whole notion of work from home is a bit like the fake Marie Antoinette quote, ’Let them eat cake,”″ Musk said.

“It’s not just a productivity thing. I think it’s morally wrong.”

The Space X CEO believes some tech workers are just “laptop classes living in la-la-land,” and called out the hypocrisy of tech workers demanding to work from home while service workers have to physically show up to work each day.

“It’s like, really, you’re going to work from home and you’re going to make everyone else who made your car come work in the factory? You’re going to make the people who make your food… that they can’t work from home? The people that fix your house — they can’t work from home? But, you can? Does that seem morally right?” the billionaire business mogul asked. “That’s messed up.”

“People should get off the goddamn moral high horse with the work-from-home bulls***,” Musk quipped.

"I'm a big believer that people are more productive when they're in person," Elon Musk said Tuesday on the work from home trend. "People should get off their goddamn moral high horse with their work-from-home b*******." https://t.co/W1BjwKobX8 pic.twitter.com/FWzVHtZFEH

— CNBC (@CNBC) May 16, 2023

But after the interview clip was reposted on The Neighborhood Talk, Musk faced backlash from many in the Black community who disagree with his anti-remote work stance.

“But he doesn’t even work from WORK! You spend most of your days behind a CUBICLE and then you talk,” one user wrote.

“He is traveling and enjoying life while working so there is a MAJOR DIFFERENCE in His working environment compared to the majority.”

“This is the dude that fired thousands of people in one day notice….but he has a moral high ground,” another user quipped.

“Just because some industries require in-person labor doesn’t mean you have to force that on employees where it’s not necessary,” one user explained.

RELATED CONTENT: LeBron James Still Has Blue Check on Twitter But Only Because Elon Musk is ‘Paying For a Few Personally’

A rookie basketball card featuring Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell has sold for over half a million.

A press release issued by PWCC Marketplace revealed that a 1957 Topps Bill Russell rookie card was auctioned for $660,000, setting an all-time high for an authentic Russell card. In March 2021, a previous collectible card was sold for $630,000.

Other cards that have sold for more than $660,000 are: 

George Mikan (1948)- Sold on Mar. 9, 2022 for $800,000. 

Wilt Chamberlain’s rookie card (1968)- Sold on Jun. 21, 2022, for $670,000 

The Vice President of Sales at PWCC Marketplace, Jesse Craig, also signified the card’s value stating, “It’s worth looking beyond the sales price and taking a moment to appreciate the quality of this card from a historical perspective. There are no PSA 10 copies of this card and just three PSA 9 copies in existence. None of those 9s have ever surfaced at public auction.”

RELATED CONTENT: Boston Celtics Great Bill Russell Dies at 88

Craig continued, “There are two copies of the card graded to a PSA 8.5, and this one holds above average eye appeal according to our experts. When you take all of that into consideration, it is possible this is the best-looking copy of this card in the world. What isn’t debatable is that we’re in the museum-quality range with this asset. We’re looking at a true artifact celebrating one of the all-time greats.”

According to ESPN, Russell became the first Black coach in any major professional sport and the first to win an NBA title. The Hall of Famer died in July 2022 at 88. Following his death, the NBA stated that No. 6, Russell’s uniform number, would officially be retired across the league—a first for the NBA, as a number has never been retired across the entire organization. 

RELATED CONTENT: Hall of Famer Bill Russell First to Have Jersey Number Retired Across NBA

• News

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

May 18, 2023

Here’s How This Entrepreneur Helped Black Businesses Reach Over $75M In Sales

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Edwin Jardin, a highly successful digital marketer with almost 10 years of experience in the industry, has collectively helped Black-owned businesses reach more than $75 million in sales. As the co-founder of Black Ads Marketing Agency, he specializes in scaling Black and other minority-owned brands by identifying their website problems, designing their sales funnels, and implementing effective social media ad strategies.

Edwin, who is Filipino, says that he identifies with the Black and Brown community because he too is part of a very disadvantaged minority group that often produces very few successful entrepreneurs. This, he says, inspires him to help as many minority entrepreneurs as possible, but more than any other demographic, it’s Black business owners that retain him for his services. And it’s very obvious why!

For example, thanks to Edwin’s expertise, he was able to help a Black-owned food-based e-commerce company that generate over $1 million in sales in less than a year thanks to Edwin’s expertise.

Another example is a Black-owned jewelry brand that was struggling with sales, generating only $5,000 per month but Edwin helped scale the business to $50,000 per month.

Most recently, he has even helped a Black-owned software company increase its ad spending from $5,000 per month to $20,000 per month with an average cost per acquisition of only $27.

Edwin comments, “I was born and raised in a third-world country so I fully understand what it means to be disadvantaged. This motivates me to help others who are disadvantaged, and I’m very grateful for all the Black American entrepreneurs that have allowed me to help take them to the next level.”

In addition to his social media ad strategies, Edwin uses clever press releases to drive tons of online traffic to his clients’ websites. His methods have proven to be highly effective, saving clients time and money in getting data for their marketing campaigns. This, he says, makes scaling a business all the more easier and faster.

RELATED CONTENT: Meet the Black Entrepreneur Who Made $500K Writing, Selling Rap Songs on Fiverr

Originally published on Black News.

Writers Guild of America’s negotiating committee has given studios a warning.

The writers’ strike that has entered its third week is reportedly taking a toll on California’s economy, affecting the state by almost $30 million a day. According to Deadline, the guild’s negotiating committee sent out a message on May 16 to membership addressing the issue.

 

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“The Writers Guild of America has now been on strike for two weeks because the AMPTP refuses to negotiate a fair deal to address the existential crisis writers are facing,” the message read. “The WGA estimates the proposals on the table at contract expiration on May 1 would cost the industry collectively $429 million per year, approximately $343 million of which is attributable to eight of our largest employers.”

Complex reported that the estimate takes into account the $2.1 billion lost between 2007 and 2008 from the WGA’s 100-day strike. Adding inflation into the equation, the 2023 estimate would reflect a loss of $30 million per day.

The WGA argued that “companies have made billions in profit off writers’ work, and they tell their investors every quarter about the importance of scripted content. Yet they are risking significant continued disruption in the coming weeks and months that would far outweigh the costs of settling.”

The message follows an error in a prior message from WGA East VP Lisa Takeuchi Cullen that read, “Based on prior estimates, the strike could be costing about $30 million a day in lost studio output. A DAY.” The new message clarified the strike is affecting the California economy rather than the studios.

The letter is signed by co-chairs David A. Goodman and Chris Keyser, along with Chief Negotiator Ellen Stutzman, and over two dozen others.

A studio executive responded to the WGA’s message regarding its estimates saying, “They are baseless and just made up to gin up their membership and make for provocative headlines.”