When Aevin Dugas walks into a room, all heads are bound to turn.

The 47-year-old woman from Reserve, Louisiana has a head full of hair that has made her the record holder for the largest afro on a living female.

According to Guinness World Records, Dugas first claimed the title in 2010 with her afro measuring a circumference of four feet, four inches. Her natural bush has only grown larger, currently measuring 9.84 inches tall, 10.4 inches wide, and 5.41 feet in circumference.

Dugas’ afro is two decades in the making since she has gone natural and put away hair-damaging products.

 

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“I didn’t decide to grow an afro as much as I decided to go natural,” Dugas told Guinness World Records. “That was because I was tired of using dangerous chemicals to permanently straighten my hair. Those chemicals have now been linked to cancer and there’s a major lawsuit going on so I’m glad I left them alone years ago.”

“I started doing hot oil treatments…or ‘oiling’ my hair with butters that I make before I shampoo, condition and style and that’s at least every seven days,” Dugas added. “I try to do styles that keep my ends hidden. That helps a lot.”

Dugas rarely flaunts her picked out ‘fro, but when she does, all eyes are on her and the reactions come in different forms. “Some just yell things in admiration, some stare, some walk up and ask questions then some just walk up and take a little tug,” she said. “I’ve learned to just give them a little pop on the hand with a few words of choice. I won’t repeat them here.”

The ‘fro-flaunting diva handles her own hair maintenance, but her hairdresser keeps her ends clipped and healthy. “I’m careful when handling the ends of my hair because those are the most delicate and oldest parts,” she said.

Dugas is proud of her hair and hopes it inspires self-love and others to take pride in textured hair.

The estate of rapper Nipsey Hussle took another Victory Lap in the courtroom, avoiding a $5 million lawsuit from a Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter who claimed to be a co-writer on Hussle’s Grammy-nominated track, “Hussle & Motivate,” according to HipHop DX.

In a claim filed in December 2022, Tasleema Yasin claimed she wrote a “prominent vocal phrase” in “Victory Lap,” contributing to the song’s chorus and countermelody.

Judge Stephen V. Wilson claimed Yasin didn’t provide sufficient reason to the court regarding why the matter should be pursued in the first place.

According to All Hip-Hop, Yasin sought out an unspecified amount of money, all dependent upon accounting details from the rapper’s label. An initial settlement offer of $100,000 was made to Yasin, along with a 10% share of the masters’ royalties from the song and three other tracks. The terms of the agreement didn’t seem to be honored, prompting her to seek damages close to $7.5 million.

She later offered to settle for $5 million.

Wilson issued an order requiring Yasin to serve the summons and complaint within 90 days after filing the complaint. However, she failed to respond to the order to show cause in writing by the April 4 deadline, an odd move considering how much money was on the line.

The track in question was on Hussle’s last studio project, “Victory Lap,” before his 2019 shooting death.

One of Hussle’s producers, MyGuyMars, recalled the intensity of the project and how much effort the Slauson legend put into it, even when they said the album would never happen.

“I definitely remember the conversations about Victory Lap from Nip, but I remember more so the conversations from everybody else saying it’s not coming out,” MyGuyMars explained. “So it was like the odds were really against us so we had to do more than anybody else to break these records, to break him.”

• Sports

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

April 18, 2023

Tapcart Partners With UNINTERRUPTED, LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s Athlete Empowerment Brand On Mobile App To Enhance Its Direct-To-Consumer Business

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Tapcart, the mobile app commerce platform for Shopify’s fastest-growing brands, today announced a collaboration with UNINTERRUPTED, the multi-Emmy Award-winning athlete empowerment brand within The SpringHill Company founded by LeBron James and Maverick Carter, to build its no-code mobile app. The collaboration aims to enhance UNINTERRUPTED’s direct-to-consumer business by meeting customers where they are – on their mobile devices.

By leveraging Tapcart, UNINTERRUPTED has created a powerful eCommerce app to allow customers to shop for the latest products and merchandise while also creating a space to engage with its community on the devices that matter most to them. UNINTERRUPTED is committed to using technology to enhance community growth and achieve its goals of new user acquisition, higher sell-through rates, and increased customer retention.

“As we grow the direct-to-consumer business at UNINTERRUPTED, our focus is anchored in the three pillars of Product, Content, and Community,” said Steve Friend, General Manager and Vice President of Commerce for The SpringHill Company. “It is extremely important for us to stay up to date on the most current tech trends and methods in connecting with our consumers, both on their turf and in intuitive ways that matter to our business. Leveraging Tapcart allows us to reach our audiences and communities on a more personal level by meeting them on mobile, which gets us one step closer to our goal of 1-to-1 engagement within our community.”

UNINTERRUPTED recognized Tapcart as the ideal mobile commerce platform for their mobile app ambitions, as Tapcart provides businesses with an easy-to-use no-code solution to build and manage a mobile app. With a focus on design, user experience, and conversion optimization, Tapcart’s capabilities fully align with UNINTERRUPTED’s goals and will empower the brand to increase its mobile sales and grow the brand.

This collaboration comes at the perfect time and coincides with UNINTERRUPTED’s launch of “The 300 Collection“, their Spring product line inspired by MLB athlete Mookie Betts’ offseason passion for bowling. UNINTERRUPTED aims to tell stories that highlight the “More Than An Athlete” stories of athletes; Mookie Betts’ passion for bowling embodies what the brand was built on. This collection draws direct inspiration from athletes who use their hobbies and passions outside of their sport to find community. “The 300 Collection” consists of seven items that each draw inspiration from vintage bowling vibes — 300 Club Bowling Shirt Ivory, 300 Club Scorecard Graphic Tee Sand, 300 Club Diamond Graphic Tee Emerald Green, 300 Club Airbrush Graphic Tee Ivory, 300 Club Strike Hoodie Emerald Green, 300 Club Strike Hoodie Black and 300 Club Airbrush Hoodie Brown. Official “The 300 Collection” images (Courtesy of UNINTERRUPTED) can be seen HERE.

“We are thrilled to partner with UNINTERRUPTED and together make a significant impact in the direct-to-consumer space,” said Eric Netsch, CEO of Tapcart. “Our platform will enable UNINTERRUPTED to offer a seamless mobile shopping experience and an abundant content hub for its customers, leading to increased engagement, loyalty, and revenue.”

Additionally, Tapcart is increasingly partnering with celebrities, musicians, influencers, creators, and athletes, like Lionel Messi, who launched a merchandising app with Tapcart. Tapcart enables them to launch an app tied to their Shopify store that serves the dual purpose of being a content hub. Tapcart’s robust suite of features, including push notifications and automated marketing, empowers brands to effortlessly provide their customers with the content and communication they crave.

• Technology

by Sidnee Michelle Douyon

April 18, 2023

Montana Lawmakers Vote to Ban TikTok in THE STATE

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Montana lawmakers on Friday passed a bill to ban popular short-form video app TikTok from operating in the state, the latest threat to the Chinese-owned app’s existence in the U.S.

The bill, known as SB 419, would prohibit mobile app stores from offering TikTok for download to users in Montana. The Montana House voted 54-43 to approve the ban.

TikTok as well as Apple and Google, which operate mobile app stores, would face fines if they violate the ban, should the bill become law.

It is not clear how the state would enforce the ban.

The bill now heads to Montana Governor Greg Gianforte for signing.

“The governor will carefully consider any bill the legislature sends to his desk,” said a spokesperson for the Montana governor’s office.

TikTok said in a statement: “We will continue to fight for TikTok users and creators in Montana whose livelihoods and First Amendment rights are threatened by this egregious government overreach.”

TikTok, which is owned by Chinese tech company ByteDance, is facing growing calls from some U.S. lawmakers to ban the app nationwide over concerns about potential Chinese government influence over the platform.

Last month, a congressional committee grilled TikTok Chief Executive Shou Zi Chew about whether the Chinese government could access user data or influence what Americans see on the app.

TikTok has repeatedly denied that it has ever shared data with the Chinese government and has said the company would not do so if asked.

The company is working on an initiative called Project Texas, which creates a standalone entity to store American user data in the U.S. on servers operated by U.S. tech company Oracle.

The Shawn Carter Scholarship Fund (SCSF), founded by rapper turned business mogul Jay-Z and his philanthropist mother Gloria, has been helping low-income students achieve their dreams of higher education since 2003. With the deadline for this year’s scholarship fast approaching, the SCSF is once again urging eligible students to apply.

The program provides individual scholarships directly to educational institutions to cover tuition and related expenses, including books, lab fees, travel, and select costs of living. Shawn Carter Scholars are also required to “give back” by performing community service and serving as mentors to younger students.

Eligibility requirements for the scholarship include being a US citizen or permanent resident, 25 years old or younger, and having a minimum GPA of 2.0. The scholarship is open to high school seniors, students with GED diplomas, undergraduate (2 year or 4 year) college students, and vocational or trade school students.

“The Shawn Carter Scholarship Fund has helped so many students across America achieve their goals of higher education,” said Gloria Carter, co-founder of the SCSF. “We believe that education is the key to unlocking opportunity, and we’re proud to provide students with the resources they need to succeed.”

Every year for the past twenty years, the SCSF has awarded scholarships to over 200 students across America with award amounts of up to $7,500. The deadline for this year’s scholarship will be on April 30th so interested students are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

For more information on the Shawn Carter Scholarship Fund and how to apply, please visit the organization’s website at www.JayZScholarship.com

This news first appeared on blacknews.com

Ben & Jerry’s is turning its attention to half-baked marijuana legalization this 4/20 – focusing on Michigan where cannabis use is legalized but many are still serving time or have long-standing records for cannabis-related convictions. As legalization has swept across the nation, those convicted and incarcerated for cannabis possession are glaringly overlooked and continue to suffer from the long-term impacts of the war on drugs.

The Vermont ice cream maker is calling for clemency, which governors can bestow to either reduce a sentence or free an incarcerated person. Last year, governors in states like Oregon and Pennsylvania granted marijuana pardons and commutations, but there remains great opportunity for cannabis clemency in many states. For example, in 2021, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation that streamlined removal of cannabis and other misdemeanors from public record but excludes felony convictions for sentences of 10 or more years. The ‘Clean Slate’ Bill allowed Whitmer to grant clemency to Michael Thompson, who served 25 years for cannabis conviction – the longest sentence for a nonviolent drug charge in the history of the state. While this was an important step in the right direction, more can and should be done to ensure that all people still incarcerated for cannabis crimes are released.

“We thank Governor Whitmer for having the courage to address the injustice in Michael Thompson’s case,” said Chris Miller, Head of Global Activism Strategies at Ben & Jerry’s. “However, Michael is just one victim, and many in Michiganare still paying a price for the racist war on drugs and the criminalization of cannabis, which is why we are calling on Governor Whitmer to provide justice for all those still incarcerated for cannabis crimes.”

Now is the time to address the racial inequities in cannabis criminalization by calling on Whitmer and all governors to grant widespread clemency for those still incarcerated for cannabis crimes. Clemency at an individual level is an expensive, slow-moving process requiring herculean efforts to cut through red tape whereas a governor can untangle the complicated system with the power of commutation. There are still 250,000 Michiganders burdened by cannabis convictions and Black people are more than 3.6x likely to be arrested for possession than white people.

In an excerpt from Ben & Jerry’s podcast, Into the Mix, Thompson said, “You got to understand 25 years – what do you expect my life to be like? Where my life is. To me, it’s an embarrassment. But what makes it not an embarrassment is the Michael Thompson Clemency [Project] that has been formed. That’s real. I had to fight even after marijuana was legal […]. I had to still fight to get out. So, I’m just thinking, how many more Michael Thompsons is [sic] in there?”

To advance this work, Ben & Jerry’s launched a campaign to address the issue and ask their fans and citizens alike to contact governor Whitmer to urge her to grant clemency to the thousands of incarcerated and right the wrongs of injustice. The company’s campaign has placed billboards adjacent to the Michigan state house in Lansing and mobile billboards across Ann Arbor and Lansing and is part of a larger national campaign calling for clemency in every state.

Michigan is one of a number of states where this story is unfolding and fans nationwide have the opportunity to use their voice and Ben & Jerry’s is making it easy to take action with an autofill letter template here. To hear Michael Thompson’s full story on the “Green Cotton” episode of Ben & Jerry’s Into the Mix podcast, visit benjerry.com.

The National Urban League released its annual State of Black America report detailing the social, educational and political issues Black Americans face today.

This year’s report, Democracy in Peril: Confronting the Threat Within, raised the alarm about the extremist ideology taking root in the nation’s classrooms, law enforcement, military institutions and Congress. The NUL’s report also examined the rise and normalization of hate and white supremacy, how it results in misguided public policy, and the threat to our safety and democracy.

“Historically, the report was designed to ensure that the social and economic conditions of Black America were reported publicly on an annual basis,” President Marc Morial told BLACK ENTERPRISE. “The report is a detailed statistical snapshot of the social and economic conditions of Black America compared to white Americans.”

The report, released Saturday, used data and information from the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Anti-Defamation League, and the UCLA School of Law. The data showed how hate, white supremacy, and extremism have infiltrated the country’s politics, education, and other vital institutions.

“That means the entire movement to suppress the vote, to overturn elections, to if you will, disrupt democracy, like we saw in Tennessee with the expulsion of the two Black legislators, is energized, animated, and fueled by this hate movement in the United States,” said Morial.

“Additionally, the effort to ban and suppress Black books, Black history teaching, and studies is also part of their agenda. So what we’re doing is not only calling it out, we’re connecting the dots, the reason being is for people to understand that this campaign of hate, supremacy, and extremism is a threat to everything we do because it’s a threat to democracy.”

The report also featured essays and contributions from prominent political figures, including New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Kristen Clarke, Southern Poverty Law Center Director of the Intelligence Project Susan Corke, and Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm.

Morial said the rise of hate is coming at the same time President Joe Biden has selected the most diverse administration in U.S. history, as part of the deep divisions concerning the future of the U.S.

“There’s a deep debate in the country about the future of the country; there’s a deep divide about where we are going, that’s what this says,” said Morial.

“On one hand, you can have a diverse administration, a record number of Black judges, and an administration committed to racial equity. On the other hand, there are those out there who deeply resent the focus on racial equity, and we have to be clear-eyed that we have to persuade, encourage, and combat whatever is required for us to sustain these commitments and this progress.”

The State of Black America also celebrates Morial’s two decades with the NUL and features a timeline of his milestones and accomplishments with the organization under his leadership.

The NUL will distribute the report to elected officials, university presidents, grassroots leaders, business leaders, and labor leaders.

“The report is free, and anyone can read it, which is why we want to say to people the report is available online, and you should take a look at it, read it, and absorb it,” Morial added.  

RELATED CONTENT: National Urban League Report Says State Of Black America Is Grim

An Ohio grand jury voted against indicting eight Akron police officers who fatally shot an unarmed Black man last year, the state attorney general said on Monday, as the city prepared for a fresh round of protests against alleged police misconduct.

The officers pursued Jayland Walker, 25, on foot after an attempted traffic stop last June and shot him 46 times, including five times in the back.

Police opened fire after mistakenly thinking Walker reached into his waistband for a gun, did a “cross draw motion,” planted his foot and turned toward the officers while raising his hand, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said during a briefing to announce the grand jury’s decision.

“Only then did the officers fire believing Mr. Walker was firing again at them,” said Yost, whose office was asked by local prosecutors to investigate the shooting.

Earlier, while driving his car with officers in pursuit, Walker had fired at least one shot at them, but he left the gun in the car when he fled on foot, Yost said.

State law allows officers to use deadly force against a deadly threat to themselves or others, he said.

“The grand jury concluded that the officers were legally justified in their use of force,” he told a news conference.

The Walker family’s legal team derided the decision and said they would file a civil lawsuit against the city in June.

Paige White, one of the lawyers, claimed prosecutors presented a case that was in favor of the officers.

“What we saw happen this week in the grand jury was a miscarriage of justice,” she said. “Jayland did not have a chance.”

U.S. Representative Emilia Sykes from Ohio said she will formally request the Justice Department probe the patterns and practices of the Akron Police Department.

“We’ve seen it too many times. A routine traffic stop ends in death,” she said in a statement.

The panel of three men and six women, including two Black people, reached its decision after hearing that Walker had shot at officers at least once, and that officers had first used non-lethal Tasers in an attempt to stop him, Yost added.

Walker had neither alcohol nor drugs in his system at the time of his death.

The shooting follows a spate of law enforcement killings of Black people in the U.S. that have triggered protests against racial injustice and police brutality, including the 2020 murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Akron officials were preparing for the possibility that the grand jury’s decision would lead to more protests.

• Entrepreneurship

by Atiya Jordan

April 18, 2023

The People’s Market: Black Minneapolis Businesses Create ‘Economic Reclamation’ After Failed City Expo

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Following a big loss in the city, Minneapolis community activist J. DeVon Nolen stepped in, banding together a passionate team of entrepreneurs to reclaim an economic opportunity for the city.

During Black History Month, approximately 20,000 people anticipated reaping the winning efforts of the “I Am My Ancestors’ Wildest Dreams” Black business expo, CBS News reported. But the event meant to empower Black businesses failed.

The City of Minneapolis’ new Racial Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Department organized the expo and lost close to $1 million in the venture. Black vendors also suffered a major loss. The city auditor’s office is investigating why the original plans fell through and results will be presented later this month, according to KTSP.

Meanwhile, the community called on Nolen to help find a solution to fill that void.

“The loss, the extraction of resources, it evoked all kinds of emotions,” Nolen said, per the news outlet. “It was very painful, and it catapulted me into action.”

Calling it an act of “economic reclamation,” Nolen joined The Dream Shop owner ,Markella Smith; and Kamillah El-Amin, owner-operator of Royal Foundry Craft Spirits Distillery, to provide a space for The People’s Market. The Market will gather more than 30 vendors in a 15,000-square-foot building.

“This is an opportunity for us to remind ourselves that the solutions we need often come from community. We are constantly reacting to things that are happening to us,” Nolen said.

“This is an opportunity for us to be proactive and send a message to these entrepreneurs that we care about business in the City of Minneapolis and we want you to be successful.”

Smith added, “We are giving vendors who were at the expo — or who could have been at the expo — giving them a chance to make back some of the money they lost.

The People’s Market will occur from 3:30-7:30 p.m. Friday at 241 Fremont Avenue North.

Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group proudly announces the hiring of Princell Hair as President of Allen Media Broadcasting – the broadcast television station division consisting of 27 ABC–NBC–CBS–FOX network affiliate broadcast television stations in 21 television markets nationwide. Hair will also hold the title of Executive Vice President of Allen Media Group – Allen’s wholly-owned parent company of Allen Media Broadcasting, Weather Group, and all other Allen Media Group platforms such as The Weather Channel, theGrio, HBCU GO, Sports.TV, JusticeCentral.TV, and the free-streaming app Local Now. Hair will be based at the Allen Media Studios/Weather Group campus in Atlanta.

Hair comes to Allen Media Group from his previous two-year position as President of Black News Channel, which Allen purchased in 2022 and immediately re-branded as TheGrio Television Network. Prior to Black News Channel, Hair was Senior Vice President and General Manager for NBC Sports Boston where he strengthened relationships with the Boston Celtics, New England Patriots, the Major League Soccer franchise The New England Revolution, and the WNBA franchise The Connecticut Sun. Prior to that, Hair was Senior Vice President, News and Talent for NBC Sports Group where he served as lead negotiator for all talent contracts, including the NBC Sports Network, NBC Broadcast Network, The Golf Channel, eight regional sports networks, and the Olympics. Hair added Premier League and NASCAR talent to the network’s stable when NBC acquired the rights to both sports properties. Before his tenure at NBC Sports, Hair was Senior Vice President of News Operations and Studio Programming at Comcast Sports Group, where he developed new programming for regional networks, and spearheaded all talent acquisition and contract negotiations for 11 regional sports networks and three regional news and entertainment networks. Prior to that, Hair has held Executive Vice President, General Manager, and Senior Vice President positions at CNN/Turner Broadcasting. Hair got his start in local television news, holding Vice President, News Director, Executive Producer, and Producer titles at numerous local network-affiliated broadcast television stations including KCBS-TV Los Angeles, WBAL-TV Baltimore, WMAQ-TV Chicago, WBBM-TV Chicago, WCPX-TV Orlando, WDIV-TV Detroit, and Miami stations WCIX-TV, WPLG-TV, and WSVN-TV. Hair earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Florida International University and earned his Master of Business Administration from Emory University.

“Princell Hair is a phenomenal media executive who brings an overwhelming amount of industry experience and excellent leadership skills to our 2,400-employee company,” said Byron Allen, Founder/Chairman/CEO of Allen Media Group. “Princell’s seasoned expertise now plays a crucial role in supporting Allen Media Group’s acquisitions and continued expansion across our ever-increasing number of media assets and distribution platforms worldwide.”

“Local news matters, and the connections these local stations have in their communities cannot be overstated. The owned-and-operated Allen Media stations are a strong broadcast group in growing markets,” said Princell Hair, President of Allen Media Broadcasting. “I am excited to lead this team of accomplished General Managers as we navigate the complexities of local television management while acquiring more broadcast stations and media assets.”