Beyoncé’s Dance Captain Ashley Everett Spreads Magic For the Love of Dance, Travel And CBD

Beyoncé’s Dance Captain Ashley Everett Spreads Magic For the Love of Dance, Travel And CBD


From Southern California to New York and the rest of the world, Ashley Everett has performed on every major stage. Now she is leading with love and setting the stage on her own terms with dance and beyond.

“Girl, just go for it. Have fun and show who you are. They just want to feel some magic,” Everett tells BLACK ENTERPRISE when we asked her to advise 16-year-old Ashley, then an Alvin Ailey dance student.

Today, the longtime dancer, who became Beyonce‘s captain at only 19, is showing up as her most authentic, genuine self in various arenas and ventures. While Bey’s “Renaissance” tour begins Wednesday, Everett is also pouring time and energy into herself, including hosting workouts on FitChoreo by Ashley Everett and running a lifestyle business.

The co-founder of CBD company Cachet Brands spoke with BLACK ENTERPRISE about the rebranding process with her boyfriend and business partner, Jay, and her love for travel.

Additionally, Everett shared that she is gearing up for her inaugural Bali trip this October 7 to 13. She is inviting anyone who wants to travel exotic and make experiences and memories in a magical place with an abundance of beaches and breathtaking views.

How would you describe your personal brand?

I am authentic and lighthearted and genuine. I always try to lead with genuine authenticity. Also knowledge, my expertise and what I know in this from my experience, and just happiness and feeling good, leading with love.

How do you encourage your team to focus on their mental health as well as their fitness?

always try to remind everybody if they’re feeling overwhelmed, just take a step back. Breathe, prioritize breathing, and just remember what’s important to you, and come back home.

In the dance world, what challenges among athletes/creatives have you witnessed?

As an athlete myself, I’ve been through my fair share of injuries, but I’ve also seen a lot of them. CBD is one of the best things that I’ve tried that is a natural form of relief and recovery, and it’s beneficial for all ages too. We actually have a lot of older customers who love our products because they have Alzheimer’s or their wrist ache and their hips ache and their backs, and they get some of the best sleep. So, it’s all ages. Yeah, I just feel like CBD is really, really beneficial in the recovery https://travel-tropmed.com/ and relief world, especially in dance.

Let’s talk about Cachet Brands.

Cachet Brands was born during the pandemic. A lot of people were dealing with anxiety, stress, depression. We’re stuck inside. We didn’t know what was going on in the world.

My boyfriend, Jay, and I, would go run outside, and we would do exercises. We had the opportunity to go into the CBD world, and we were like, “OK. CBD is great because people, not everybody wants to participate in THC, and be like, ‘Whoa, I’m high.'” But CBD offers  those exact same benefits without the effect and the mental fuzziness. So, we really started doing our research, and we decided to go in and create our small baby. It was the baby brand. It was about five products, and Cachet Brands was born. It’s a CBD-based brand to offer relief and help with recovery, and pain and stress, and just help you relax. All the Rs. Relief, relax, recovery, all of them.

It is very self-funded and self-done and self-ran in this household. That’s why it’s a little small business, but yeah, we know how to do everything on our own now because it’s hard to rely on people, because we have been through that, of the bad people that just let you down sometimes.

I understand you’re currently rebranding.

We are currently rebranding, and we’re switching up our products and making it less ingestive and more external. We’re going to be doing more whipped butters, body oils, and muscle rubs. We have a scrub. And then, I think we’re still going to keep our gummies because those are a big hit that people like.

We’d love to expand and go into all the avenues because I’m involved in so many different things as a person myself. 

When did your love for travel begin?

I would travel every summer to go train at a different dance program and stay, like I was in college. Even actually growing up too, when I think about it, when I was really young, we had a motor home growing up, and we would drive down to LA and visit my grandma and stay on the beach in our motor home

I always loved to travel, and touring allowed me to do that all over the world, and work and make money and make experiences and meet people and just do incredible things and get those experiences. It was so amazing. And now that I’m older, I really appreciate traveling for me. Now, I really appreciate travel for myself.

What’s next for you?

I am planning a mentorship-type program where younger girls or boys potentially can come experience and learn and really just invest in their careers. We’ll be doing everything from photo shoots to training and private and group workshops and dance. How to write your resume, how to carry yourself in a room. All of the preparation when it comes to becoming an entertainer.

 

president Joe biden, commencement speech, howard university, hbcu

President Biden to Deliver Howard University Commencement Speech


President Joe Biden is set to give the commencement speech at Howard University this month.

On May 6, Howard University President, Wayne A. I. Frederick, announced Biden as this year’s commencement speaker and the recipient of the 2023 Doctor of Letters, WJLA reported.

“It is an honor and privilege to welcome President Biden to deliver the 2023 commencement address and celebrate the graduating Class of 2023,” Dr. Frederick said.

“This honorary Doctor of Letters is much deserved for his years of transformational service as U.S. Senator, Vice President, and now as President of the United States. We are excited to receive the President as this year’s distinguished guest and recognize him for his relentless work uplifting our communities that have been historically left behind. I look forward to honoring President Biden, our honorary degree recipients, and graduating seniors at the Commencement Convocation.”

CNN reports that Biden’s commencement at the historically Black university is set for May 13. His administration has shown special focus on Vice President Kamala Harris’ alma mater, including the VP’s speech on abortion rights she delivered during a rally at the school last month.

In January, Howard became the first historically Black college or university (HBCU) to partner with the Pentagon for military technology research as part of a five-year, $90 million contract, WUSA9 reports. As part of the program, the Department of Defense and US Air Force program will give Howard $12 million per year for five years to lead a team of HBCUs, including Bowie State, in Air Force research in what the DOD dubbed “tactical autonomy.”

Along with serving as commencement speaker at Howard, Biden will also provide the keynote address at the United States Air Force Academy’s commencement in El Paso County, Colorado, on June 1. Biden teased the appearance when presenting the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy to the Air Force’s football team, the Falcons.

“In a few weeks, I’ll be headed to your home turf for commencement,” the president jokingly said. “You’re going to get stuck with me being your commencement speaker.”

Biden will become the seventh sitting U.S. president to deliver the keynote address at a Howard University commencement ceremony. His commencement speech at Howard comes on the heels of Biden announcing his run for the 2024 presidential election.

RELATED CONTENTHoward University Hires Historian Ben Vinson III To Serve As School’s New President

Prince Fans Might Hear Unreleased Music At Annual Paisley Park Celebration


The annual Paisley Park celebration is gearing up and Prince’s estate plans to honor “The Purple One” by possibly giving his loyal fans a chance to hear unreleased music.

This year’s celebration is set for June 8-11, starting the day after what would’ve been Prince’s 64th birthday. The celebration of the late music legend will include a Prince Legacy Tribute show featuring appearances from musicians who worked with Prince including Chaka Khan, Chuck D and The Steels, and Minneapolis natives, the Sounds Of Blackness, Uproxx reports.

This year the estate will open the singer’s legendary vault for tours that will reveal some of prolific Prince’s unreleased music. With it being the seventh anniversary of his unexpected death on April 21, 2016, the number seven will be featured prominently throughout the event to highlight the significance the number was to the “Purple Rain” and “Raspberry Beret” singer— including his birthday on June 7 and how much he referenced the number in his music.

“This year marks 7 years of uplifting Prince’s legacy and carefully preserving his prolific artistic output and his creative sanctuary,” the estate said in a statement.

“At Celebration 2023, guests will take a deep dive into understanding the cultural significance of 7 and how it has been reflected throughout history.”

However, Prince fans have expressed mixed reactions to news of the vault being opened as it leaves the assumption that unreleased music the music legend never wanted anyone to hear could in fact be heard. While it’s not certain the unreleased music will be heard during the tours, the possibility exists.

Prince’s estate said this year’s celebration will include live music, celebrity panels, in-studio recording sessions, and “special opportunities” for fans to see and hear some of the “Kiss” singer’s most historic performances.

RELATED CONTENT: Minnesota House Passes Bill to Rename Portion of Highway After Prince

Legal Aid Staffer, Fronting As A Lawyer, Caught Smuggling Weed Into NYC’s Rikers Island

Legal Aid Staffer, Fronting As A Lawyer, Caught Smuggling Weed Into NYC’s Rikers Island


If you’re trying to be a lawyer, sneaking contraband into Rikers Island isn’t the best way to get started.

The New York Post reports a Legal Aid Society staffer was busted for trying to smuggle weed and tobacco to a Rikers Island inmate. Thanks to a drug-sniffing dog, Tatyana King, who was posing as a lawyer, was charged with illegal possession of contraband in a prison.

King was arrested while trying to visit Shyanne Patterson, an inmate accused of attempted murder. Riders Island guards searched her belongings and found bags of marijuana and tobacco. Global Village Space says she tricked correction officers last month and signed in as a staff lawyer for Legal Aid, New York’s largest nonprofit legal aid, while visiting inmates, however, King wasn’t assigned to Patterson’s case.

According to Legal Aid Society’s website, King is a law school graduate working for their criminal appeals bureau.

“This is truly a sad incident, which undermines all the hard work we are doing to stabilize this department after years of neglect by the previous administration,” Louis Molina, Correction Commissioner, said.

“An individual using the shield of legal privilege to traffic and distribute contraband and narcotics in our jails is despicable. This type of behavior places people in custody and our officers at risk.”

Lawmakers gathered for a press conference in March after a tour of Rikers Island jail, calling on the city to address what they say is a “staffing and safety crisis” at the jail. They are calling for investments in correction officers and security improvements and to also repeal the HALT act and make sexual assault of corrections officers a felony. (Photo: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

 

During a press conference, praises were given to “Colt,” the K-9 unit dog who caught King, calling him the “most diligent and furriest of employees.” A spokesperson from the Legal Aid Society said King is a valued member of the team and has their support, but declined to specify why she was at Rikers Island in the first place.

King’s LinkedIn page says she graduated from New York Law School in 2022 last and has a “passion for advocacy for underrepresented and low-income communities.”

“My desire to effectuate change and promote client’s needs drive me in my legal career,” she wrote.

RELATED CONTENTNew York City Mayor Eric Adams Fights Federal Government Taking Over Rikers Island

Byron Allen’s Media Group Sues McDonald’s–Again–Claims Fraud and False Promises

Byron Allen’s Media Group Sues McDonald’s–Again–Claims Fraud and False Promises


Byron Allen is not playing any games with McDonald’s.

According to Reuters, Allen’s company, Allen Media Group, has filed a second lawsuit against the Big Mac conglomerate for $100 million, claiming McDonald’s committed two years ago to spend 2% of a billion-dollar advertising budget with Black-owned media – increasing to 5% by 2024.

In the wake of George Floyd’s murder and the Black Lives Matter movement, McDonald’s, along with other corporations, vowed to work with numerous Black-owned businesses, but AMG claims the promise misled the public about its commitment to spend with Black-owned media companies. The lawsuit says, “the minimal pledge is a reflection of its culture,” highlighting numerous racial discrimination lawsuits from franchisees, employees, and suppliers.

Reportedly, 55% of McDonald’s shareholders voted for a civil rights audit. “During the Black Lives Matter movement, hundreds of corporations made pledges to Black America, and unfortunately, they have not lived up to them,” Allen said.

“McDonald’s is one of those corporations that has lied and made false promises. We must hold each and every one these corporations, including McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski, who was caught sending racist text messages, and its Board of Directors, fully accountable.”

The lawsuit says the “plan” was and is a lie as AMG claims McDonald’s is only spending “de minimis amounts” with it—the country’s largest African American-owned media company. With the amount of money McDonald’s was spending with AMG in 2021 at the beginning of the pledge, the suit says there’s “no way” McDonald’s was spending 2% of its advertising budget with Black-owned media.

According to Reuters, in a statement, McDonald’s said, “It was proud of its record of investing in diverse communities and partners and dismissed Allen’s claims and vowed to fight the lawsuit. “Byron Allen files baseless lawsuits as part of a public smear campaign against our company to try to line his pockets,” it said. “We will not be coerced by these ‘in terrorem’ tactics and will defend ourselves vigorously.”

Counsel for Allen Media Group, Skip Miller of Miller Barondess L.L.P., says this lawsuit is key in holding corporations accountable to their promises. “This is a groundbreaking lawsuit based on a California law—Civil Code 1711—that holds corporations to their public promises and thereby redresses corporate fraud. That’s exactly this case,” Miller said. “Per our lawsuit, this is a fraud on our client and on the public. The lawsuit seeks to hold one of the largest corporations in the world responsible for its lies.”

AMG is also seeking punitive damages and a permanent injunction requiring McDonald’s to honor the commitment and spend at least 5% of its ad budget with Black-owned media with full transparency.

RELATED CONTENTByron Allen Takes Out Ad Calling On Carl Icahn To Address McDonald’s Racist Actions

Drake Proud To Be ‘A Naija Man’ After Learning His Dad’s Ancestry Results


Drake is proud to announce his “Naija” roots after learning his father’s ancestry.

The Grammy award-winning rapper took to Instagram Sunday to post the results from his father’s ancestry test. According to the image, Drake’s dad, Dennis Graham, is 30% Nigerian.

“This is my dad’s results, does this mean I’m a Naija man finally?” Drake asked his followers.

The results show Drake’s dad is listed with a 30% makeup from Nigeria, 28% from Cameroon, Congo, and Western Bantu Peoples, 11% for Ivory Coast & Ghana, another 8% for England and Northwestern Europe, and small percentages from Scotland, Mali, Benin and Togo, and Germanic Europe.

Drake, real name Aubrey Graham, is biracial and grew up splitting time between his parents after their separation. Drake’s dad is an African-American Catholic drummer from Memphis, Tennessee, who once performed with country musician Jerry Lee Lewis. Drake spent most of his childhood in Toronto with his mother, Sandra “Sandi” Graham, a Canadian Ashkenazi Jew, who worked as an English teacher and florist.

Growing up biracial and living in the culturally and ethnically diverse city of Toronto, Drake grew up embracing people from all racial backgrounds.

“Well, Canada’s like a cultural melting pot, especially Toronto. America, I come here sometimes and I witness, like, real segregation,” he told the Village Voice in 2011, via My Houston Magic.

In fact, Drake says he didn’t really start to notice issues of racism and segregation until he traveled to the United States and was educated by his peers.

“Like when you go to LA and it’s like, “This area’s Mexican, and this area’s white.” That’s crazy to me because in Toronto we have cultural areas—’OK, this is Little India, this is Chinatown, this is where there the Greek people are’—but it’s not segregated,” he explained.

Drake also credited his biracial makeup with making him more relatable to rap fans around the world.

“I get a lot of love everywhere in the world for just being diverse, instead of just being straight out [one thing]. I’m all mixed up and people embrace that,” he said.

But growing up in an ethnically diverse city didn’t stop the “Hotline Bling” rapper from hearing comments about his light skin.

“I mean, I’m so light that people are like “you’re white.” That’s what I get more than anything, people saying “you’re white, you’re not black,'” he shared.

“But I mean those are whatever, those are just silly jokes. That’s like ‘the light-skinned complex.’ That’s a very American thing as well, light skin and dark skin, like I don’t even notice that. Girls will be like, ‘Oh I’ve seen you talk to dark-skinned girls, that’s so good.’ And I’m like, “Why? I talk to any girl!’ I talk to anybody, you know?”

RELATED CONTENT: If You Have $88 Million, Drake Wants to Sell You Something

Who’s Going To Sing The Loudest?: Jennifer Hudson Is Down For A VERZUZ With Fantasia

Who’s Going To Sing The Loudest?: Jennifer Hudson Is Down For A VERZUZ With Fantasia


Jennifer Hudson has been busy being one of daytime television’s most celebrated new hosts on her eponymous talk show, where she regularly shares the mic with her musical guests.

Though the EGOT winner has not released a new project in some time, fans are still eager to hear from her. Rumblings of a potential VERZUZ between her and fellow American Idol alumna Fantasia Barrino have been a longtime topic on Twitter. It seems that Hudson is all the way here for it.

During a recent visit to her show, superstar producer Swizz Beatz asked Hudson whether she’d be interested in giving the fans what they desire.


“That’s what y’all want? I mean Miss Fantasia done shot a whole movie that I’m excited about. When she’s done with that and when I’m done shooting here, we may get to do that. We’ll see!” she said.

Hudson and Barrino have had equally successful careers since getting their start on the popular singing competition show. They both finished in the top 10 but the latter took home the top prize.

Hudson would go on to star in the film remake of the iconic stage musical Dreamgirls, which earned her a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2006. Two years later, she appeared in another hit movie, Sex and the CityBarrino has also enjoyed her share of accolades since she serenaded her way into America’s hearts with her rendition of the Porgy and Bess standout track, “Summertime.” The Grammy-award-winning singer also received rave reviews for her 2007 portrayal as Celie in the Broadway production of The Color Purple, a role she’ll reprise in the upcoming film adaptation. She’s also a New York Times bestselling author.

Fantasia has yet to confirm her willingness, but our fingers are crossed for a face-off between two divas.

RELATED CONTENTBlame It On the Alcohol: Ray J Spills His Own Tea About His Meme-Worthy Verzuz Performance

Protesters Interrupt NYC Subway Service Over Jordan Neely’s Death

Protesters Interrupt NYC Subway Service Over Jordan Neely’s Death


Dangerous protests erupted over the weekend in New York City as dozens demanded justice in the death of Jordan Neely.

The New York Post reported several people were arrested after standing on the tracks and shutting down subway service Saturday between Lexington Avenue and East 63rd Street a little after 6 p.m., forcing an oncoming Q train to slam on the brakes at the mouth of the tunnel.

Causing a severe safety hazard, power had to temporarily be shut off in the Lenox Hill station. Protestors chanted “No justice, no peace!” and clashed with NYPD officers. According to NBC 4, police have released photos of six protestors they want to question.

Last week, Neely’s death made headlines. He was placed in a chokehold by 24-year-old former Marine, Daniel Penny, for 15 minutes after he boarded a subway train and began hurling insults at passengers.

Richard Davey, head of New York City Transit, described the protestors’ actions as “dangerous, reckless, and can be life-threatening.”

“While peaceful protest has always been part of American fabric, endangering transit workers and other responders, while also delaying New Yorkers just trying to get where they need to go, by deliberately risking contact with an electrified third rail, is unacceptable,” Davey said.

Protesters hold “Jordan Neely” signs at the Broadway/Lafayette Street subway station during a “Justice for Jordan Neely” Saturday in New York City. (Photo: Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images)

Several subway riders were frustrated and begged officers to control the situation and remove the demonstrators.

In the midst of protests, legal representatives for Penny released a statement issuing “condolences to those close to Mr. Neely,” highlighting Neely’s documented history of mental illness and claiming Penny “never intended to harm Neely.”

‘The Queen of Soul’ Aretha Franklin’s Former Childhood Home is on the Market


Less than a million dollars could possibly net you the former home of one of the greatest soul singers ever to touch a microphone, Aretha Franklin.

According to TMZ, the Detroit home where Franklin grew up between the ages of five and 18 is for sale. The all-brick house, where she spent her formative years, is on the market after being listed earlier this year in January. The deal didn’t go through, so it is now back on the market for a listing price of $379,900.

Atlanta Public Schools Name Timya Robinson First Black Female Police Captain


Though many Black women find long-lasting careers in law enforcement, they often go overlooked when it comes time to be promoted to leadership positions. Timya Robinson Is changing this.

Atlanta Public Schools police have decided to be one of the first to right that wrong. Last month, the APS  police department promoted Timya Robinson to captain in a historic move for the city. After starting her career as a local police officer, Robinson decided she could have more of an impact on Atlanta’s youth if she could influence their decisions and course correction while they were still in the education system, according to WSB-TV. “It was very rewarding to come over to the school police and work with the children and be able to have those sit-down conversations such as, “What do you plan on doing with your life?” You know you can make a difference. You can make a change now. Every day is a day for a change,” Robinson explained.

The first time she made history was when she was promoted to sergeant, which she says would have been enough for her.

“If you’re gonna be in charge, be in charge, ya know?” Make sure that you are doing your best and being your best self and being the best example for those looking upon you,” Robinson said. The Atlanta native and mother of two has the support of her coworkers, who say she is more than capable and truly deserving of this momentous milestone. “Leadership doesn’t have a gender. Leadership is about character, and Capt. Robinson has that character, and so it’s not hard to follow her,” Sgt. Daniel Lomax, who has worked alongside Robinson, said.

Representation matters, and having someone like Robinson in this position in the city’s public schools is a decision that could have lasting positive effects. Carissa Jones, founder of the nonprofit organization Every Girl Shines, believes even the sight of the newly minted captain will inspire the youth she’s been chosen to serve. “Just seeing her in that position lets other young girls know that they can pursue a career in that area as well,” Jones said.

Congratulations to Captain Robinson!

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