The annual Gala, which has honored some of cinema’s most outstanding talents, will feature Streep, who appeared with Davis in Doubt, for which they both received Academy Award® nominations; Prince-Bythewood, who directed Davis in The Woman King; Chastain, who starred alongside Davis in the Academy Award® nominated The Help and The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby; and Wolfe, who directed Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, for which Davis received an Academy Award® nomination, and Nights in Rodanthe. The tribute includes special presenters and speakers and a program of select film clips, culminating in the presentation of the Chaplin Award.

The annual event, which began in 1972, is the most important fundraising event of the year for Film at Lincoln Center, with all proceeds benefiting the organization in its mission to support the art and craft of cinema.

Gala tickets are on sale now. All proceeds from the Chaplin Award Gala benefit Film at Lincoln Center’s programs and activities as a nonprofit organization.

The 48th Chaplin Award Gala will honor Davis, the critically revered, award-winning actor, producer, New York Times best-selling author, and one of 18 entertainers to achieve exclusive EGOT status. She most recently won a Grammy for her audiobook, Finding Me, in addition to an Academy Award® (Fences) and an Emmy (How to Get Away with Murder), and she is the first Black actress to win two Tony Awards (Fences and King Hedley II). In 2021, Davis received an Oscar® nomination for her transformative performance as Ma Rainey in Netflix’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. She also won a SAG Award for the role and received nominations for a Golden Globe Award and Critic’s Choice Award. This year, Davis received the Chairman’s Award at the Palm Springs Film Awards recognizing her work as an actor and producer for The Woman King. In 2020, the New York Times ranked her ninth on its list of the greatest actors of the 21st century.

Film at Lincoln Center gives special thanks to the 48th Chaplin Award Gala Co-Chairs: Susan and John Hess, Imelda and Peter Sobiloff, and Daniel and Nanna Stern.

• Sisters Inc

by Stacy Jackson

April 9, 2023

Black Mathematician First To Have Research Displayed in Library of Congress

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A little Black girl magic added to a passion for math equaled major success for Gloria Ford Gilmer, the first Black woman to have research in the Manuscript Division of the Library of Congress.

The Division displays around 12,000 total collections. Josh Levy, a historian at the Library of Congress, inquired about acquiring Gilmer’s research last year. The mathematician’s daughter, Jill Gilmer, didn’t hesitate.

She said to GMA3, “When the Library of Congress reached out to me, I was blown away…it was interesting to see that all the work that she had done was being recognized. It was really an honor.”

Gilmer made her mark in her hometown of Milwaukee, where she was the first Black math instructor for the Milwaukee Public Schools system and the first Black math instructor at Milwaukee Area Technical College, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She was also the first Black person to serve on the board of governors for the Mathematical Association of America.

Math and culture might not make sense to the average person, but Gilmer researched both with ethnomathematics, which she called “the math of the people.” From basketball to the geometry of hair braiding, she researched math in everyday culture.

“So, for instance, she said there’s math in basketball because the athletes estimate the angle that they’re shooting the ball at,” Jill Gilmer told GMA3.

“Gloria Gilmer’s work really intertwines mathematics and civil rights in a way that’s not entirely unique to her,” Levy added. “You really get a sense from her papers, this is someone who cares very deeply about mathematics and this is someone who cares very deeply about justice.…We don’t have any collections that reflect the history of this movement. So she really is the first collection that we have that documents the findings of the ethnomathematics movement.”

Gilmer was motivated to give back. Jill said her mother would say, “We must lift as we climb. Pave a path for the next generation coming up.”

The mathematician died in August 2021 at 93.

• Technology

by Sharelle B. McNair

April 9, 2023

Smarter, Not Harder: Black Women-Owned App Wisdom Is First Audio Social App Using AI

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A Black-owned app is showing users how to use artificial intelligence the right way.

Wisdom, created by Dayo Akinrinade, is an audio-first social discovery app that looks to create deeper connections and lasting friendships between like-minded users.

Akinrinade said the app leverages advanced AI with the power of social audio to make the world a little wiser. “Wisdom offers women a safe space to converse about topics that matter to them, such as women’s rights, domestic violence, leadership, and wellness,” Akinrinade said, according to People of Color in Tech.

“Our users who don’t identify as women consider themselves allies, and provide support by participating in the conversations or simply listening.”

The University of Manchester alumna created the app in 2021 after feeling unseen and underestimated in the world of computer science. Wisdom users can engage in live conversations on topics, ask questions or listen back to them on demand. Anyone can start a chat or engage in Q&A on a topic that matters to them—all for free. The platform uses advanced algorithms and AI to learn users’ interests and values and connect them.

Using audio AI has set Wisdom apart from other apps. According to Akinrinade, audio is the “most human of all mediums.” Akinrinade believes audio may be “one of the most democratic forms of social communication.”

The journey of being a Black woman in tech hasn’t been easy. She told Mirror she was subjected to abuse on her own app. “My team brought to my attention that there was a particular user who had created a talk on Wisdom and was body-shaming me and using racial slurs and sexually threatening language against me,” she said. “He said things like, ‘You know, she’s Nigerian, they are scammers.'”

In an interview with Apple Newsroom, the founder noticed that a lack of social capital contributes to systemic inequity and disadvantages for founders, another reason why she was inspired to start the app.

“We’re growing an open and diverse community where the conversations center around advice and personal development,” Akinrinade said.

• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

April 9, 2023

Exonerated Five Member Yusef Salaam Mocks Trump Indictment With His Own Ad

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Donald Trump’s recent indictment has pushed the (rightful) petty button for one of the exonerated Central Park Five members.

NBC News reports Yusef Salaam put out a statement via social media mocking a full-page ad that Trump issued 34 years ago, in 1989, against him and his friends. “Over 30 years ago, Donald Trump took out full page ads calling for my execution,” Salaam tweeted. “On the day he was arrested and arraigned, here is my ad in response.”

#PowerPost🙌🏻🙌🏼🙌🏽🙌🏾🙌🏿™️

Over 30 years ago, Donald Trump took out full page ads calling for my execution.

On the day he was arrested and arraigned, here is my ad in response. pic.twitter.com/nOYKkw1LD2

— Yusef Abdus Salaam (@dr_yusefsalaam) April 5, 2023

Trump’s ad called for New York State to bring back the death penalty and strengthen police presence after the brutal beating and rape of a female jogger in Central Park. Salaam took the time to express his thoughts on the former President’s criminal charges. “On May 1, 1989, almost thirty-four years ago, Donald J. Trump spent $85,000 to take out full-page ads in The New York Times, New York Daily News, New York Post and New York Newsday, calling for the execution of the Central Park Five,” Salaam wrote.

“An act he has never apologized for, even after someone else confessed to and was convicted of the crime, the convictions of all five of us were overturned, and we were renamed the Exonerated Five.”

Last week, Trump entered a not guilty plea after being arraigned in New York City and charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.

To date, Trump has yet to apologize to the five young men, claiming “you have people on both sides of that. They admitted their guilt.” Black Enterprise reported that Salaam, who is running for New York City Council, recently tweeted that Trump’s acts is simply “karma.”

• News

by Booker Jones

April 9, 2023

A 9-Year-Old D.C. Student Claims He Was Assaulted By Police At School

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A nine-year-old student from Washington, D.C., has accused a police officer of assaulting him and other students after a school assembly centered on gang culture.

Atlanta Black Star reports that Alexis Gibbs’ son, Raynard, returned from his school day with 30 bruises on his face. Raynard told his mother that the bruises came from a police officer. 

NBC 29 reported that D.C. Public Schools sent a statement to parents about the alleged incident between students and police officers. 

According to NBC 29, the statement said: “During an assembly activity, it was reported by students that a visiting officer conducted a demonstration on a student that involved physical force. As a principal, I take this allegation seriously.”

Raynard told NBC 29 that there was a discussion about the Crips and Bloods gangs during the assembly. Raynard added that two fellow students were taken into a computer room after allegedly saying they admired Crips and Bloods and were slammed on a desk. Raynard also told NBC 29 that police grabbed his neck and busted his lip. He also added that the police chipped a kid’s tooth.  

“He said, ‘Don’t tell your parents, I get y’all some pizza,’” Raynard said to NBC 29. “Keep it quiet, don’t tell your parents.”

Washington D.C.’s Public School system has informed the Metropolitan Police Department and Child and Family Services of the alleged incident, according to NBC 29. 

“I don’t know if this was some type of ‘scared straight’ kind of thing and that would even have been fine with me if I was notified,” Gibbs said to NBC 29. “However, my son was assaulted, and like I said, I was never informed.”

“I’m just trying to get to the bottom of it,” Gibbs said to NBC 29. “Like I said, I’m not OK. My son was harmed in the hands of, you know, the school.”

NBA superstar Stephen Curry is shooting his way into other avenues. The Golden State Warriors sharpshooter will make his acting debut alongside Adam Pally in the upcoming mockumentary, Mr. Throwback.

According to Deadline, Mr. Throwback will follow a down-on-his-luck memorabilia dealer who seeks redemption by reconnecting with his former middle school teammate, Stephen Curry, who will star as himself. 

“Making the natural transition from behind the camera to center stage opposite Adam Pally, we can’t wait for the world to see what we have in store,” Curry said, according to Deadline. 

Erick Peyton, chief creative Officer of Unanimous Media, added, “We’re thrilled to continue our work with NBC and UTV to develop a project as fun and entertaining as Mr. Throwback,”

Deadline also reported that Mr. Throwback will air on NBC, which is known for popular mockumentaries such as The Office and Parks and Recreation. 

“It comes from Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, in association with Curry’s Unanimous Media,” Deadline’s Peter White writes. “The project is the first to emerge after Curry and his Unanimous Media struck a global talent partnership with NBCUniversal in 2021, which includes first-look development deals with Universal Studio Group for scripted and unscripted television projects and DreamWorks Animation for kids and family content.” 

Deadline reported that David Caspe, who created the critically acclaimed series Happy Endings (which starred Pally), will serve as Mr. Throwback‘s executive producer. Caspe also served as executive producer on Netflix’s Blockbuster and is the co-creator of YouTube’s Champaign ILL. 

Unanimous Media, which Curry created in 2018, is behind the ABC game show, Holy Moley, and the docuseries, Underrated, as well as the upcoming film, The Other Wes Moore, based on Maryland governor Wes Moore’s best-selling memoir.

If the Warriors bow out early from this year’s playoffs, Curry may have more time to act.

• Entrepreneurship

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

April 8, 2023

Entrepreneur and Clinical Social Worker Chardé Hollins Launches $50K Media Campaign To Address Black Male Suicide and Mental Health

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Entrepreneur Chardé Hollins is seeking to fill the gap in Black mental health through her campaign, Life Is Better With You Here. Launched in March, the campaign media grant is made possible by a $50K grant acquired by the consulting firm, Relevant Connections, which Hollins is CEO and founder of.

Funds will go towards raising awareness and connecting individuals to mental health resources, specifically Black men between the ages of 13-35.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health, the suicide rate for African American men is four times greater than for African American women.

“As a  Black male, the stigma that society puts on you is that you have to be tough,” says Hollins. “You cannot cry, you can’t show emotion, you have to have it all together. You have to provide, you have to do all of these things that are very mentally draining. And, at times, you may feel as if you don’t have anyone to talk to, or that things are tough.”

Hollins, who is also a suicide prevention advocate and DEI expert added, We want this campaign to show Black men and Black boys that they are both seen, heard, and valued. I want them to know that life is better with you here, and mental health is physical health.”

Hollins adds suicide rates as a whole are significantly higher in Black and Brown communities. It’s the second-leading cause of death among Black children, ages 10-14; and the third-leading cause of death among Black teens, ages 10-14, according to the Mental Health & Addiction Advocacy Coalition in Cleveland.

“We push the need to be culturally competent because we have Black and Brown communities at higher risks of death by suicide,” she says.  “However, the treatment modalities and the resources available to them are often not culturally competent, which means we are losing lives because we are not adapting our treatment modalities to the people that need them the most.”

To access services and learn more about the media campaign, visit: www.legaciesempowered.org/libwyh.

CURLS, the most recognized natural hair care brand in North America, the textured hair aisle, and the multicultural community, is excited to announce the launch of its 2023 Hair Trend Release TRANSLATE: a compilation of defined hair textures, forms, and angles using cornrows, braids and lots of curls to create five elevated, consciously curated yet versatile hairstyles using CURLS high performance styling products. This collection is truly designed to empower women with textured hair to speak their truth and express themselves through their hair.

“Our hair is a statement of who we are,” said Mahisha Dellinger, Founder of CURLS. “It’s a reflection of our heritage, our culture, and our identity. We created a campaign that empowers Black women to embrace their individuality and express themselves confidently through their hair. WE are tastemakers, WE are trendsetters.”

The launch will kick off with a campaign video to introduce TRANSLATE and tell the story of how this portfolio of hairstyles and products were thoughtfully designed with a bold perspective to connect to the CURLS consumer and empower them to speak their truth. The launch will further come to life across organic social media which will unveil each new style leading up to the big reveal on Monday, March 27th with the CURLS Shopping Network. The live virtual shopping event will feature award-winning celebrity stylist, Johnny Wright – who counts former First Lady Michelle Obama among his clientele – in which he’ll walk through how to recreate the hairstyles featured within TRANSLATE using CURLS.

The five hairstyles in the TRANSLATE collection are each named to express CURLS’ perspective on the spirit and beauty of black women now, 20 years ago at the founding of CURLS, and forever. The hairstyles and products are as follows:

• EMPOWERED: A striking hairstyle featuring a braided Bantu knot crown supported by a buzz cut on both sides. Long face-framing braids hang elegantly, and cowrie shells and gold bands add the final touch.

o Capsule includes: Blueberry Bliss Reparative Leave In Conditioner, Blueberry Bliss Curl Control Paste, Ultimate Styling Collection B N Control Sculpting Gel, Sea Moss Sea Mineral Infused Curl Slime

• CAPTIVATING: An effortless high bun with controlled texture, perfect for a polished, chic look day or night.

o Capsule includes: Aloe & Blueberry Juice Curl Moisturizer, Sea Moss Mineral Infused Curl Slime, Blueberry Bliss Curl Control Paste

• RESILIENT: A tribute to the rebounding spirit of women, this hairstyle features defined cornrows fanning back towards a halo twist. Thicker braids hang effortlessly down the side of the face, beyond the backdrop of a textured blunt cut.

o Capsule includes: Hair Under There Bomb Braid In Conditioner, Hair Under There Protect Me Styling Pomade, Hair Under There Soothing & Cooling Scalp Potion, Blueberry Bliss Repair and Grow Sculpting Mousse

• CONFIDENT: A combination of smooth textured hair on both sides, with defined cornrows climbing up to the crown of the head leading to cascading curls and effortless volume.

o Capsule includes: Blueberry Bliss Blueberry and Coconut Hair Milk, Sea Moss Nourish & Shine Sea Moss Foam, Blueberry Bliss Curl Control Jelly

• READY: This style kit includes everything women need to protect their scalp and hair and stay ready, whether they’re wearing side bangs or braids.

o Capsule includes: Hair Under There Bomb Braid In Conditioner, Hair Under There Soothing & Cooling Scalp Potion, Hair Under There Protect Me Edge Styling Pomade.

Each hairstyle in the TRANSLATE collection comes with a specially curated kit of CURLS products to help women recreate the look at home, including leave-in conditioners, styling gels, and more. Additionally, each kit comes with a free CURLS Edge Brush or Texture Turban.

Two Florida A&M University students, Sidney Berry and Ronnie Burns II, were named in the inaugural class of EA Madden’s Scholarship Program.

Berry, a junior public relations student from Atlanta, was awarded an $8,400 scholarship. Burns is a sophomore computer science student from Dallas, Texas.

Created in partnership with the United Negro College Fund, the Madden Scholarship Program supports the educational growth and career development training of students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). It’s one of several  “John Madden Legacy Commitment” initiatives launched by EA in 2022 to celebrate the impact of legendary coach and broadcaster John Madden, the company said.

On March 23, Berry and other inaugural scholarship recipients visited EA’s Florida headquarters in Orlando, where Madden NFL is made. During their visit, they toured the studio and heard from industry professionals about working in STEAM.

Berry said the Orlando visit was eye-opening.

“It was amazing. I got to network with a lot of people in the field. Since I am already interested in EA as a company, being able to see what they do, I got to see what pathways I can take and what they offer at the company,” said Berry, who has played EA games since she was a young girl. “I got to see a lot of behind-the-scenes and put a lot of things in perspective. It was cool to learn how they do what they do.”

Having played EA Madden since he was a little boy, Burns said applying for the scholarship made perfect sense.

“You have to go for every opportunity. I learned I can’t sell myself short. The program opened the door for me to meet great people and mentors in the field I want to go into,” said Burns, who hopes that winning the $12,000 scholarship would help inspire others.

 “It’s reassuring to know you are on the right path,” he added. “The fact that I was blessed with a scholarship in the computer science gaming field from the people who I was playing their game since I was a kid, it’s near and dear to my heart.”

• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

April 8, 2023

Voting Rights For Former Felons in Hands of State Governments

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The fight for felons to be able to vote has been argued for decades.

The Associated Press reports that restoring voting rights for felons is simply a bipartisan decision, leaving it up to the states and the parties that represent them.

Depending on the state, felons weren’t even allowed to vote in the November general election. For example, Nebraska requires a two-year wait after a sentence completion before a felon can register to vote.

TJ King came off probation in August and was looking to vote. However, King won’t be allowed to vote until November 2024. “Voting gives a little bit of your strength back and a little bit of your voice back,” the former felon said. “Being able to vote, being able to have a say in what happens in your society, in your state, is extremely important.”

Voting rights for felons have been a hot topic lately, mostly thanks to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ strict laws under the spotlight. DeSantis formed a new election police unit focusing on felons registering to vote. To date, the controversial process has seen more than 3,000 cases. Many arrests were caught on body cam video, with the “suspect” being confused of the charges.

There seems to be a light at the send of the tunnel. On March 3, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed House File 28, a bill that restores the right to vote to convicted felons who complete their term of incarceration. According to ABC News, more than 55,000 individuals previously stripped of voting rights now can register to vote.

“Minnesotans who have completed time for their offenses and are living, working, and raising families in their communities deserve the right to vote,” Walz said.