‘More Equality, Less Ignorance’: Black Fashion Company Designs Luxury Streetwear Line for Indy 500
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is gearing up for the annual Indy 500 in style.
MELI, which stands for “More Equality, Less Ignorance,” is a Black-owned luxury streetwear brand that has partnered with the racing circuit to launch MELI Motorsports, an exclusive line of luxury streetwear, as part of IMS’ “Race for Equality and Change” diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative.
According to the Indianapolis Recorder, the MELI fashion brand was founded in 2020 by creative director Monty Matuka to elevate the community through clothing that reflects confidence and promotes equality through cross-cultural awareness.
Home to one of the largest sporting events in the country, IMS has committed to its DEI initiatives celebrating people of color in the racing industry. With parallel visions, IMS and MELI joined to pay homage to minority racers and amplify diversity among the sport’s audience.
“It’s a nod to a minority culture who have broken barriers in the sport of professional auto racing,” Matuka said. “Obviously, the sport of racing isn’t that diverse of a sport, but we see the urge of the motor speedway to open it up and allow us as minorities to understand that we are welcome and in their sport.”
Jimmie McMillian, chief diversity officer and senior corporate counsel of IMS, said the partnership would also provide economic and financial benefits for small, local businesses.
“We want his audience of young people who are interested in fashion or interested in design to see something that reflects them and reflects some of the cultural aspects of what he creates,” McMillian said. “His work speaks to people’s culture, and so our hope is that through his work and our logos, our imagery, that the combination of the two will speak to a whole new audience of fans.”
The line surrounds a motorsport theme and features urban-style clothing inspired by racing jackets and vintage tees. Fit for male and female buyers, the line includes cargo shorts, pants, and jackets constructed with water-resistant leather. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway and MELI logos have been incorporated into each garment to stamp the partnership.
According to Matuka, MELI Motorsport will be available to purchase at meli-intl.com, in the MELI Showroom at 43 Virginia Ave., Suite 207, and in the IMS museum gift shop.
Use Of Pronouns In School On The Chopping Block With New Bill Passed By Florida Legislators
If you’re looking for diversity programs in Florida, you may want to go elsewhere. NBC 6 reports Republican legislators gave final approval to pass a bill on May 3 that would prevent colleges and universities from spending money on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
Bill SB 266 targets “woke” ideology and would prevent money being spent “to promote, support, or maintain any programs or campus activities that advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, or promote or engage in political or social activism, as defined by rules of the State Board of Education and regulations of the state university system’s Board of Governors.”
The controversial bill sparked heated debates between House Democrats and Republicans, but the GOP was victorious with an 81-34 vote along party lines to pass the bill, which the Senate approved 27-12 last week.
House bill sponsor Rep. Alex Andrade (R-FL) claims DEI initiatives hurt schools and students, but Rep. Ashley Gantt (D-FL) says that’s simply not true and the data doesn’t lie. “We don’t see the data that DEI is ruining our schools; we actually see the opposite of it,” Gantt said. “We actually see that it’s encouraging robust conversation, different viewpoints, and that’s what college is all about.” Experts and educators in the state are reading between the lines. “It seems what the state is seeking to do is prohibit any type of speech in our classrooms that doesn’t to[e] the line of what the state wants to hear,” Eric Scarffe, assistant professor at FIU, said.
That wasn’t the only initiative to pass, including restrictions on teaching about race and gender on college campuses. According to the Tallahassee Democrat, Senate Republicans passed a bill expanding on the controversial “Don’t Say Gay” law. New measures ban teachers from using a person’s preferred pronouns or names that don’t correspond to their assigned birth sex.
Tupac Docuseries ‘Dear Mama’ Becomes FX’s Biggest Unscripted Premiere Ever
On April 21, FX Networks debuted the Tupac documentary, Dear Mama. Although the exact numbers have not been disclosed, according to Variety, it was the most-watched premiere ever for an unscripted show on the network after it became available to stream on Hulu the following day.
“It’s only fitting that Allen Hughes’ definitive piece on Tupac and Afeni Shakur delivered a record performance for us, and it speaks to Tupac’s enduring legacy,” said Nick Grad, president of FX Entertainment, in a written statement. “Allen’s examination of Tupac viewed through the prism of his mother Afeni is a fascinating take that really gets beneath the education and experience that shaped his life and inspired him to become one of the greatest artists ever.”
Dear Mama is directed by Hughes, who, in the past, had a physical altercation with the embattled slain rapper while filming Menace II Society. Tupac was supposed to play the role of Sharif in the classic movie but was fired from the film after both sides disagreed with how Shariff should be played.
The docuseries, which will air in five parts, delves into the lives and legacies of Tupac Shakur and his mother, Afeni, with the story being told through the eyes of Afeni. The initial description of the docuseries states, “Their story chronicles the possibilities and contradictions of the United States from a time of revolutionary fervor to hip-hop culture’s most ostentatious decade.”
The docuseries includes unseen and unheard-of audio clips and video footage of the rapper and actor born in Harlem, New York, on June 16, 1971, and killed in Las Vegas after a Mike Tyson boxing match on Sept. 13, 1996.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the two-episode Dear Mamapremiere averaged about 185,000 viewers. Although that doesn’t match or surpass the show Welcome to Wrexham when it debuted in August 2022 (the show averaged 271,000 viewers for its first two episodes), it received more viewership due to streaming.
The show currently airs on Friday nights until the last episode set to air next Friday, May 12.
Pregnant Passenger Comes To Blows With Spirit Airlines Employee
Spirit Airlines in the news again after a fight between a pregnant passenger and an employee was captured by onlookers at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Tempers flared and reached a boiling point after Spirit Airlines employee Jasmine Rhoden informed 29-year-old pregnant passenger Que Maria Scott that she would not be allowed to board a flight due to her aggressive behavior toward a gate agent. An all-out brawl began with Scott tackling Rhoden to the floor, where the women threw several punches at one another.
In a statement given to the Atlanta Police Department, Rhoden claims that Scott’s frustration grew from a flight delay. Rhoden told police that the pregnant passenger “made a statement to other passengers around that she will beat a b—h up if she does not get on the plane,” the report said.
Video of the altercation, which occurred late last month, shows the two women violently attacking each other after the initial exchange. Onlookers yelled for them to stop before airport security eventually pulled them apart. According to the New York Post, Rhoden claimed to “clearly smell alcohol” on Scott, who claimed to be six months pregnant.
After being detained by officers, the pregnant passenger made one final threat to Rhoden, saying, “I didn’t do nothing to nobody. You really just got me booked. It’s cool. I’m going to remember your face in my head forever,” according to the statement. Scott was arrested and booked into Clayton County Jail on a $1,500 bond and was placed on the “no-fly” list for the foreseeable future. Spirit Airlines did not comment on whether or not Rhoden will face disciplinary actions for the fight.
Candace Owens Mocks Jordan Neely’s Death And Calls For Insane Asylums
In a new low for Candace Owens, the conservative podcast host claims she has “no sympathy” for Jordan Neely, who was killed this week on a New York City subway train, and says America needs to bring back insane asylums.
During a new episode of the “The Candace Owens Podcast,” Owens warned viewers—on top of one provided by YouTube—who “woke up this morning feeling like you needed a hug,” encouraging them to move past the episode. She then alluded to the fact that she feels no compassion for Neely.
“We’re going to talk about why it is we live in a society where mentally well people are being told to yield to mentally ill people,” Owens said at the top of the episode.
While posting the link to the video first on Twitter, Owens, in the caption, attacked the headlining incident. “Please note that if you cannot contain your “illness” and you behave violently around me and/or my children, I will do my absolute best to put you in a chokehold,” she said. Many followers and critics called “cap” on her claim.
You talk real tough sweetheart. Someone acting out in public is not a crime. Your fear or anxiety doesn’t give you the right to assault someone.
BLACK ENTERPRISE reported that Neely boarded a subway train and soon began hurling insults at passengers when, according to a witness, a 24-year-old former Marine stepped in and brought Neely to the subway floor and placed him in a chokehold—holding him for 15 minutes.
Neely then lost consciousness and was eventually pronounced dead.
Before discussing other topics, Owens asked:
“Is Jordan Neely the new George Floyd?”
She continued to point out that Neely was arrested 42 times and called the Marine a “hero” for intervening and referring to the victim as “a crazy person.”
“The idea that homeless people are just suffering, all they want is some food is complete and utter bull****,” she says. “In these circumstances, nine out of 10 times, you are dealing with individuals who are drug adult maniacs.”
Brooke Jones Announces ‘From Bars To Boss’ Scholarship For Formerly Incarcerated Single Mothers
According to the Vera Institute, 80% of incarcerated women are mothers; and most are single parents.
For The Hidden Vault CEO Brooke Jones, that reality can no longer be ignored. Earlier this week, Jones announced her “From Bars To Boss” scholarship to award 10 formerly incarcerated single mothers $1,000 in small business grants. Jones, a single mother to four boys, was once an inmate herself, wants the scholarship to provide hope and a second chance to single mothers, according to the release.
“Iamcommittedtogivingbacktothecommunityandempoweringwomentotakecontroloftheirlives.I wanttobetowomenwhatIfeltwasmissinggrowingup, a supportsystem.The“FromBarsToBoss” scholarshipisoneofthemanywaysIplanonshowingupformycommunity.Wealldeserveasecond chance.Lookatme; IameverythingIambecauseGodgavemeasecondchance,” she said.
The first round of grantees will be announced later this month.
Jones’ multimillion-dollar sexual wellness brand, The Hidden Vault, has been a conduit for her 180-degree turnaround after childhood trauma led to her being arrested over a dozen times before, ultimately landing her in prison. Upon her release, she took a $5,000 investment and turned it into over $3 million in profits from the garage of her New Orleans home. “Withadesire todestigmatizetheideaofsexandcreateasafespaceforconsentingadultstoexploretheirsexuality, Jonescapitalizedonhersocialmediapresencetodevelopandmarketauniquelineofproductsaimedat celebratingsexualwellnesswhilemaintainingdiscreetness,” according to the brand’s website.
Interested applicants for the “From Bars to Boss” scholarship must be formerly incarcerated single mothers with a business plan for consideration.
Former Heavyweight Boxing Champ Deontay Wilder Arrested on Gun Charges
Former heavyweight boxing champion Deontay Wilder was arrested in Los Angeles at 1:15 a.m. on Tuesday, May 2, for possessing a concealed weapon. The 37-year-old was taken into custody by police officers from the Los Angeles Police Department on charges of suspicion of carrying a concealed gun in his vehicle, according to ESPN. Five hours later, Wilder was released on a $35,000 bond.
TMZ Sports reported that Wilder was in Hollywood when police officers pulled him over, citing the windows on his Rolls-Royce were illegally tinted, and his license plate was obstructed. During the traffic stop, officers also stated they noticed a smell of burnt marijuana coming from his vehicle, leading to the search. Allegedly marijuana and a 9mm gun were discovered in the car.
Jail records reveal that Wilder bonded out at 6:34 a.m. Once released, the boxer took to Twitter with a message that confused many.
According to Sports Illustrated,Wilder won the WBC heavyweight title in 2015 and held it for five years. He successfully defended the title for 10 fights until he lost the belt to Fury in February 2020. The last time Wilder was in the ring for a professional bout was in October 2022, when he won the match by knocking out Robert Helenius.
It has been rumored that Wilder may be getting back in the boxing ring with an expected fight against Anthony Joshua, but only time will tell.
Progressive Insurance Supports Black Entrepreneurs With Small Business Grant Program
Progressive Insurance announced the opening of the application period for its Driving Business Forward grant program in support of Black entrepreneurs.
According to a Progressive release, the company is teaming with Hello Alice, a fintech company, to provide 10 small business owners with a $25,000 grant to purchase commercial vehicles for their business.
Black entrepreneurship skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to McKinsey & Company, 20% of Black Americans start businesses. However, only 4% survive the startup phase due to financial issues, including access to capital.
“At Progressive, we recognize the challenges that small business owners are faced with each and every day,” Progressive Insurance Commercial Lines President Karen Bailo said in a statement. “Our hope is this program will provide some assistance to Black entrepreneurs as they navigate their small business journey and help them combat any barriers.”
Applications are now open for the grant program,m and those eligible will need to sign up for a free Hello Alice account. The application deadline is June 2, 2023, at 6 p.m. ET. A committee will review applications.
The Driving Business Forward grant program was initially launched in 2022 to support diverse small business owners across America. Last year the program awarded $25,000 in grants to 10 Hispanic small business owners. Progressive is also supporting diverse small business owners through the Hello Alice Small Business Growth Fund, which awards grants to small business owners of all backgrounds and ethnicities. Progressive has committed $600,000 toward small businesses in partnership with Hello Alice.
“We are so excited to work with Progressive again this year and host the Driving Small Business Forward Grant Program,” said Hello Alice Co-founder and President Elizabeth Gore. “Recipients will be able to drive their business forward with the capital needed to purchase a commercial vehicle.”
Progressive has also teamed up with Hello Alice, the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN), and the Etsy Uplift Fund to provide grants between $5,000 to $25,000 for entrepreneurs to advance their growth and achieve their goals this year.
HIP-HOP TURNS 50: Here Are 8 Rap Songs That Celebrate Mothers’ Hard Work
On March 22, the highly anticipated docu-series Dear Mama: The Saga of Afeni and Tupac Shakur was released on Hulu.The Allen Hughes-directed opus explores the lives and relationship of the mother-son duo, Afeni Shakur, a former member of New York City’s Black Panther Party, and her equally passionate and self-destructive son Tupac.
One of the many memorable clips from the five-part series shows a teenage Tupac—held in a child-like state, eyes filled with wonder and a smile as wide as all the hope in the world. He boasts about his mother being a revolutionary and how he is arrogant, just like his mother. Tupac holding his mom in high regard brings to mind Jay-Z’s mother, Gloria Carter, who appeared in his song “Smile” from his 2017 album 4:44.
“She’s so f*cking dope,” Jay-Z said on the Rap Radar podcast.
“My mom has been dope her whole life. Listen to her; she sounds like Maya Angelou. Her pacing and her voice is just so regal.”
Like many of our favorite rappers, hip-hop is like a problematic uncle. However, the troubled uncle can share worthy gems and wise instructions, even when no one understands why Grandma continues to believe in her 50-year-old child. This is hip-hop.
Despite the deeply complicated culture of rap and many of its representatives, rappers have consistently unearthed their vulnerability when it comes to their mothers. As Mother’s Day approaches, BLACK ENTERPRISE compiled a list of 8 hip-hop songs that celebrate mothers.
…
1) Tupac: “Dear Mama”
Tupac’s ode to Afeni Shakur on his 1995 single, “Dear Mama,” a song from the late rapper’s album, Me Against the World, has been entered into the Library of Congress. ‘Pac made it cool for a generation of Black men to be vulnerable. But the brilliance of “Dear Mama” is’ Pac juxtaposing his mother’s faults with her brilliance and resilience. He raps: “And, even as a crack fiend, mama/You always was a Black queen, momma.”
Over Tony Pizarro’s production, Pac skillfully touches on his unstable childhood without his mother. Pac’s maturity enabled him to chide his mother while embracing her love. Listening to Pac embrace his mother’s love on “Dear Mama,” one sees that Tupac would be prepared for whatever life threw at him.
2) Beanie Sigel: “Mom Praying” Feat. Scarface
With Just Blaze making the instrumental cry, Beanie Sigel’s “Mom Praying” from his 2001 album, The Reason, tugs at listeners. Over a sample of The Dramatics’ “It Ain’t Rainin,” the Philadelphia native sews together verses about his mother and grandmother dedicating their lives to praising God and raising their children. Scarface handles his business in the second verse, where he expounds on lessons from the Bible, taught by his grandmother, “Mom Praying speaks to the idea of Blacks using church not only as a place of worship but also a cultural force.
Beanie Sigel raps: “Still keep a strap, won’t hesitate to give the kids whippins…I know grams upstairs prepping for church/Matching up her hat, shoes, pocketbooks and skirts.”
Beanie Sigel’s ability to paint vivid pictures and use his storytelling to maneuver through the house, describing the looks and smells as his grandmother gets dressed for church.
“Mom Praying” will make you call your grandmother to tell her you love her.
3) Kanye West: “Hey Mama”
Over Ye’s joyful yet tearful production, backed by a sample from Donal Leace’s “Today Won’t Come Again,” on “Hey Mama,” Ye delivers a heartwarming message to his mother by informing her that he’s been storing away and using all of the information she transmits.
The merriment that comes through on Ye’s production, combined with the low-pitch voice he uses to whisper during the song’s break, gives” Hey Mama” an ambitious feeling, hoping you, too, can pay your mother back for all she sacrificed.
But the highlight of “Hey Mama” finds Ye touching on his mother’s educational ideals. Donda West was an English professor at Chicago State University.
Ye raps: “Forrest Gump, Mama said: ‘Life is like a box of chocolates/My momma told me,’ Go to school, get your doctorate/Something to fall back on, you could profit with/But still supported me when I did the opposite.”
It could be argued that Ye’s unique perspective on racial matters—on Kanye’s first three albums—is a result of his mother’s education. Kanye brilliantly conveyed all of this in the song.
Fly high, Professor West.
4) Goodie Mob: “Guess Who”
On “Guess Who,” from Goodie Mob’s freshman album, Soul Food, Goodie members Big Gipp, Cee-Lo, T-Mo, and Khugo take turns describing how their mothers were unwavering in cleaning the mess they made, over and over and over and over again.
Khugo raps: “My old burd cried tears of joy when she heard I wasn’t going to serve no time for possession of the sawed-off, running out of spurs/When I came home blowed and couldn’t find the keyhole/Guess who unlocked the doors?”
On “Guess Who,” Goodie Mob captures many of the fears and daily trials of raising Black boys.
5) Drake: “You & the 6”
Drake is no stranger to being vulnerable. In 2015, the self-proclaimed 6 God borrowed a page from Beyonce’s book and without warning or any promotion, released his mixtape, If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late. One of the many stand-outs on the 17-song album is the ode to his mother, “You & the 6.”
Over somber piano keys and crying synths by producers Boi-1da and Noah “40” Shebib, Drizzy raps to his mother. For four minutes, Drake speaks to his mother about forgiving his father, about friends who saved him from falling into dangerous traps of drugs and violence on Weston Road, a dangerous street that Drake once lived on. He also speaks to his mother about the racism he experienced for being Jewish. Throughout everything, it was Ms. Graham’s words of encouragement steered Drake to a successful career.
6) Rick Ross: “Smile Mama, Smile”
Rick Ross has yet to run out of potent wordplay and encouraging words on how to boss up. But in 2015, when Ricky Rozay was accused of assaulting his housekeeper with a gun, his freedom was uncertain. The projects Ross released during this period –Black Market and Black Dollar—find Ross being deeply reflective.
One of the songs to emerge during this period is “Mama Smile, Smile,” a song from his project, Black Market. With CeeLo Green crying over Jake One’s production on the song’s hook, Ross reflects on his mother’s sacrifices. The highlight of this record finds Ross recalling his mother addressing his addiction to Promethazine.
7) Chance the Rapper, “Sunday Candy” Feat. Jamila Woods
Chance the Rapper’s “Sunday Candy” is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. Released on Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment’s 2015 effort, Surf, Chance draws from the Bible and his grandmother’s teachings to show love as a revolutionary act.
Chance’s cousin Jamila Woods acts as grandmother while she croons on the song’s hook: “Come on in this house, cause it’s gonna rain / Rain down, Zion / It’s gonna rain.”
“Sunday Candy” affirms that the love of Black women, and their belief in prayer, can transform lives.
Sanya Richards-Ross Teases How ‘Surprising’ Kandi Burruss Is In ‘RHOA’ Season 15
Sanya Richards-Ross believes “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” Season 15 is a lot “stronger” than last season, and she sat down with BLACK ENTERPRISE to tell us all about it.
The four-time Olympic gold medalist and three-time Olympian is returning for her second season on the hit Bravo reality show and has fully adjusted to her role as a housewife. Now as a retired track-and-field athlete, Sanya has no plans to slow down and has her sights set on expanding her business and family.
Season 15 viewers will get an inside look at how Sanya and her husband, Aaron Ross, navigate life with a full house of nine! In addition to their son Deucy and Sanya’s parents, they’ve been joined by Sanya’s sister Shari Richards, Shari’s husband (who tries his hand as Sanya’s assistant), and their two sons.
The full house of Jamaican family members who all live and work together, comes with its own set of challenges. As Sanya navigates the great expectations for her family, business, and herself, she wonders if she’s running a marathon with no end in sight.
But when it comes to who set it off in Season 15, Sanya believes Kandi Burruss will reign supreme.
“I think Kandi is really surprising this season,” Sanya told BLACK ENTERPRISE. “A lot happens, and I feel like she shows up and she shows out.”
As for why she believes Season 15 will satisfy “Real Housewives” fans’ love for drama, Sanya says the kinks from cast shakeups have been worked out and now the ladies are ready to get active.
“I think what’s at the root of what I think is going to be a stronger season is the fact that last season there were so many changes,” Sanya explained. “I was new on the cast. Drew was two years in, a lot of shakeups. A lot of the OGS were leaving the show, and I just think there was a lot of uncertainty.”
“But now I feel like this season, I feel like we’re rooted,” she declared. “I feel like, especially for me, I feel like I have skin in the game.”
Elsewhere, Sanya is on a mission to expand her Mommi Nation brand into the top most reliable online resource for Black mothers. It’s a passion of Sanya’s that was born out of her own journey into motherhood.
“You start to feel a little alone on the motherhood journey at times, and so I created Mommi Nation to create community, especially amongst Black mothers,” she said.
Now she’s working to onboard writers and increase staff to push out resourceful content mothers around the country can turn to for help on their motherhood journey.
Press play below to hear more about Sanya’s take on RHOA Season 15 and her plans for Mommi Nation. Be sure to watch “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” when it premieres on Bravo on Sunday, May 7 at 8/7c.
Sanya is also participating in the Kentucky Derby this year serving as a fashion/lifestyle reporter. The Kentucky Derby will air live on NBC and Peacock from Noon-7:30 pm ET on Saturday, May 6.
