The BLACK ENTERPRISE Disruptor Summit hosted by Nationwide is coming to Atlanta—a beacon for Black success—to provide Black entrepreneurs, creatives, innovators, and investors with the tools and resources they need to thrive.

Starting on June 2, the three-day summit will highlight iconic business owners that continue to disrupt the game and empower business-minded leaders with the access and insight they need to think outside the box and disrupt their industry. BE Deputy Digital Editor Selena Hill will sit down for a fireside chat with Slutty Vegan Founder Pinky Cole, who will share details on “Building A $100 Million Business.” Judy Dupart, the founder and CEO of Kaleidoscope Hair Products, will host a session on “Becoming A Beauty Mogul.” Other speakers include Olajuwon Ajanaku and Earl Cooper of Eastside Golf, the first Black-owned golf apparel brand; Mary ‘Mz Skittlez’ Seats, who is affectionately known as the “Kris Jenner of Marketing,” and Krystal “KG” Garner, the director of T.I.’s Trap Music Museum in Atlanta. Plus, Troy Millings and Rashad Bilal, the founders of the dynamic wealth education platform, Earn Your Leisure, will speak candidly about economic empowerment for the culture.

Attendees will also receive key tips on procurement equity, using A.I. and other new technology to grow their company, the do’s & don’ts of raising capital, and how to build wealth through real estate. They will also have the opportunity to receive one-on-one business coaching and network with like-minded people in the business lounge.

Black Enterprise President and CEO Earl G. “Butch” Graves Jr. will be on-site to set the tone for the summit, which promises to “help you unlock the power of wealth and entrepreneurship to make economic changes to our community and close the racial wealth gap.”

“This is a can’t-miss experience for all Black and brown creatives and entrepreneurs looking to launch or scale a business, generate wealth, and connect with a community of innovators.  Atlanta is the mecca of Black business and we’re excited to empower the next generation of leaders in the area to expand their horizons and think about doing business in new ways,” says Selena Hill.

Don’t want to miss this one-of-a-kind experience to transform your life.

Get your tickets now!

• Politics

by Sidnee Michelle Douyon

April 3, 2023

New York Plans for Trump Surrender with Barricades, Courtroom Closings

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New York City police have thrown up metal barriers around Trump Tower and blocked roads near Manhattan Criminal Courthouse as they brace for potential protests ahead of Donald Trump’s expected surrender to prosecutors on Tuesday.

The former president is due to be arraigned at the courthouse Tuesday afternoon, after his indictment in a grand jury probe over hush money paid to a porn star. He is the first former U.S. president to face criminal charges.

Trump describes the probe as a political witch hunt, and top supporters, including Republican lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene, say they will go to New York on Tuesday to protest. The downtown courthouse, home to criminal and supreme courts, will shut down some courtrooms ahead of Trump’s expected appearance, a court official said.

The New York Police Department (NYPD) said there were no credible threats to the city.

Some social media users have called for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and the jury that indicted Trump to be executed, according to Site Intelligence Group, which monitors online extremism.

After Trump falsely claimed he won the last election, his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021, sparking a deadly riot.

However, many Trump supporters online have expressed wariness about public demonstrations, even after Trump called for them, concerned they could be arrested.

“(The) department remains ready to respond as needed and will ensure everyone is able to peacefully exercise their rights,” the NYPD said in a statement.

Trump is expected to fly to New York on Monday from Florida and spend the night at Trump Tower, before arriving early Tuesday morning at the courthouse, a Trump adviser said.

While the spectacle of the former president facing criminal charges was certain to draw massive media attention, it is not yet clear if his appearance would draw a large number of protesters. While Trump is a native New Yorker, he didn’t get many votes in his hometown – 23% of the city voted for him in 2020 and 18% in 2016.

The New York Young Republican Club says it is planning a protest at a park across the street from the courthouse, a demonstration that Greene, one of Trump’s staunchest supporters in Congress, says she will attend.

“Protesting is a constitutional right,” Greene said on Twitter, adding that she would “protest this unprecedented abuse of our justice system and election interference.” She said she rejects anyone who incites or commits violence. Before voting to indict Trump, the grand jury heard evidence about a $130,000 payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in the waning days of the 2016 presidential campaign.

Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, has said she was paid to keep silent about a sexual encounter she had with Trump in 2006. Trump denies the sexual encounter.

A court official told Reuters that courtrooms on higher floors of the courthouse will be closed at 1 p.m., shortly before Trump’s expected 2:15 p.m. (1815 GMT) arraignment.

The official also said many court cases will be adjourned at a building across the street from the courthouse.

Meet Aaliyah Alicia Thompson, a 21-year-old African American woman with autism from Hampton, Georgia, who has defied stereotypes and achieved incredible success as an entrepreneur in the beauty industry. Just eight months after opening a beauty bar, she is now celebrating having opened her very own nail school.

This news first appeared on blacknews.com

• Media

by Sidnee Michelle Douyon

April 3, 2023

New York Times Says it Won’t Pay for Twitter Verified Check Mark

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The New York Times will not pay a monthly fee to get verified check mark status on Twitter, a spokesperson for the newspaper said hours after it lost the verified badge on the social media platform.

According to new Twitter policy, verified check marks are now offered only through a paid subscription. Organizations will have to shell out $1,000 a month to obtain gold check marks while individuals can get blue checks for a starting price of $7 in the United States.

“We also will not reimburse reporters for Twitter Blue for personal accounts, except in rare instances where this status would be essential for reporting purposes,” the spokesperson added.

Politico also will not offer to pay for its staff’s Twitter blue verifications, according to a memo sent to staff seen by Reuters.

Twitter had previously announced that from April 1 several accounts will lose the check marks as the social media company begins winding down its legacy verified program.

Twitter did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Axios previously reported that The White House will not pay to have its staff’s official Twitter profiles continue to be verified.

• Lifestyle

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

April 3, 2023

Black Couple’s Debut Amazon Prime Film Addresses Rarely Discussed Topic of Porn Addiction and Conveys a Powerful Message

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Peter and Pamela McNeil, an African American couple from Charlotte, North Carolina, have developed a new film being streamed on Amazon Prime Video called Urge about faith, love, and resilience that tells the story of a man who is battling an addiction to pornography.

In the film, James Richards, the main character played by Maurice P. Kerry of NBC’s No Ordinary Joe, and his addiction to porn is not only impacting his marital relationship with his beautiful wife Cadina, played by Ashley Forrestier, an original member of OWN’s reality series, Put A Ring on It, but is starting to take precedence over other key areas of his life as well.

Peter McNeil, who is the writer, director, and producer of Urge, was born in Brooklyn, New York, and credits Spike Lee as his inspiration for becoming a filmmaker. Although he has always had a passion and a knack for writing, a trip to the movies to see Lee’s Mo’ Better Blues, inspired him to write and direct movies. Back in 1990 when Lee’s movie debuted, it was extremely rare to see a movie produced and directed by an African American. This movie not only awakened a dream in the filmmaker but made him realize that his dream was attainable.

Peter comments, “It has been a long time coming for this feature-length film.” He wrote his first screenplay back in 1997, but acknowledged, “We may have our timing, but God’s timing prevails.”

Peter’s transparency in telling his story allows all viewers to connect with some aspect of the lead character’s struggle. Many have shared with the filmmaker that watching the movie inclined them to take an introspective look at their own ‘urges’. The filmmaker’s sprinkling of sci-fi adds mystique and a level of suspense that keeps viewers glued to the set for the movie’s surprising outcome.

Limited theatrical screenings of the movie were held in Charlotte, Atlanta, and Houston to sold-out audiences. Supporting cast members include Luis Sanchez, Andre Lamar, Danielle LaRoach, and Elei Reyes. Casting director LaQuanda Plantt was also an executive producer on the project.
The couple is extremely excited about the positive reviews that the movie has received and they’re looking forward to producing a range of projects in the future. Primary on their list is a dramatic series titled Postal, which is the prequel to Urge.

To view the trailer, visit https://youtu.be/FBNmlOpWxpw

To watch the film, visit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B8MQ4BSX

This news first appeared of blacknews.com

• Health and Wellness

by Sidnee Michelle Douyon

April 3, 2023

US Justice Dept Appeals Obamacare Ruling Blocking Coverage Mandate- White House

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The U.S. Justice Department is appealing a decision by a Texas judge that blocked Obamacare’s mandate that health insurance plans cover preventive care at no cost to patients, the White House said on Friday.

U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor in Fort Worth, Texas, on Thursday blocked the federal government from enforcing requirements that insurance plans cover preventive care, including screenings for certain cancers and pre-exposure prophylaxis against HIV (PrEP).

If O’Connor’s ruling is not paused or overturned on appeal, insurers will be able to charge patients copays and deductibles for such services in new insurance plans.

“The president is glad to see the Department of Justice is appealing the judge’s decision,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.

“Preventive care saves lives, saves families money, and protects and improves our health,” she said. “This decision threatens to jeopardize critical care.”

The legal challenge was brought by eight individuals and two businesses, all from Texas. They argued that the free PrEP requirement requires business owners and consumers to pay for services that “encourage homosexual behavior, prostitution, sexual promiscuity and intravenous drug use” despite their religious beliefs.

They also said that the advisory body that recommends what preventive care should be covered without cost, the Preventive Services Task Force, is illegal because its members are not directly appointed by the president, which they argue is required by the U.S. Constitution.

• News

by Booker Jones

April 2, 2023

Substitute Teacher Attacked By Students Refuses To Return To School

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A substitute teacher who was attacked by two students at a school in Charlotte, North Carolina, for at-risk students is done.

Two teenage girls attacked Renata Horton, who was subbing at Turning Point Academy, according to the Atlanta Black Star. Horton told WSOC TV that the girls, ages 16 and 17, attacked Horton after she asked them to remove their hoodies, which is against school policy.

“The BMT [behavior modification technician] jumps up in my face and says, ‘Hold up, Miss Horton … you know and everybody else knows that she walks around with her hoodie all the time,” Horton told WSOC TV. 

Horton said one of the girls suddenly charged Horton without warning while the other girl came from behind and pulled her to the ground.

“And when she knocked me down, that’s when the other one got her hands on me,” Horton said.  “And she jumped behind me and was choking me back here, pulling me on my neck, and pulling all my hair. And that’s when they started beating me.”

Eventually another BMT stopped the attack. Horton, who did receive medical treatment, said the school didn’t call for the paramedics or take her to a hospital. Horton’s daughter took her, and she’s forbidden the 57-year-old from returning.

“I’m hurt that I didn’t have hardly no support today, because I’ve been nothing but good to Turning Point,” she added “I don’t call out. I’m a sub and anytime them kids ask me for something to eat, I give it to them.”

Horton, who has taught at the school since 2022, said the school should close. She’s concerned a student will bring a gun to school. “They need help,” Horton told WSOC-TV. “They need more support, or the people who are at the schools that’s in these roles, they need better training.”

According to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, the students were charged with assault and disorderly conduct after they “got aggressive toward a teacher.”

Horton said nobody from  

• News

by Booker Jones

April 2, 2023

From the Court to Washington, Former NBA Player Matt Barnes Sees Politics In His Future

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Matt Barnes has always been highly opinionated on important topics. So, it’s not hard to believe that the former NBA player dreams of becoming a mayor or governor someday. 

During an interview with Miss Understood with Rachel Uchitel, the NBA champion revealed that he wants to run for office by the time he turns 50. 

“I just turned 43 yesterday, and I gave myself a goal back in my 30s that by the time I turn 50, I wanted to run for some sort of office, whether that be mayor or governor or whatever it may be,” Barnes said on Miss Understood with Rachel Uchitel, cited by TMZ. “It would be refreshing. It’s not something people expect, but I know I can make a difference.”

The 43-year-old added: “I still got seven years before that time is up. More than anything, whether I end up taking on that challenge that I gave myself 10 years ago or not, I just want to continue to show people hope, give people opportunities, and inspire the youth, because I feel like in our communities, you have to see it to believe it. I always want to be a symbol of hope—of someone who made it out of tough circumstances.”

If Barnes decides to seek a career as a politician, he wouldn’t be the first NBA player to do so. Bill Bradley, who played for the New York Knicks during the ‘60s–’70s, enjoyed a post-NBA career as a U.S. Senator. Dave Bing, a former Detroit Piston, was elected mayor of Detroit in 2009. All-Star and former Phoenix Suns point guard Kevin Johnson was elected mayor of Sacramento, California, serving two terms. 

Barnes was drafted out of UCLA in the second round of the 2002 NBA draft. He played 16 seasons for several teams. In 2017, his final season, Barnes won a championship as a member of the Golden State Warriors. 

Watch Barnes’s interview in its entirety below.

• News

by Booker Jones

April 2, 2023

The Man Known As The ‘Facebook Rapist” Faked His Death And Is Now On The Run

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An African man who was convicted of rape was reported dead, but now police and prison officials are saying he faked his death and believe he’s on the run. 

According to CBS News, prison officials believed Thabo Bester, known as a “Facebook rapist,” was found dead in May 2022 after setting himself on fire at a prison in Bloemfontein. 

“He was discovered at about 03:35 morning, where his cell was burnt, he was found on the floor,” a Department of Correctional Services spokesperson said, the BBC reported, citing CBS News. 

But…

Police now say the DNA does not match Bester’s DNA. The charred remains belonged to someone else, CBS News reported. 

“At this point our priority is to find this fugitive of justice and establish exactly how he faked his death,” police spokeswoman Athlenda Mathe said.

An autopsy confirmed that the body found in Bester’s cell died because of “blunt force trauma to the head” before being set on fire. 

In South Africa, women’s rights organizations have consistently accused the government of being lackadaisical when it comes to quelling violence against women, according to CBS News. When it comes to sexual violence against women, South Africa has one of the highest rates in the world. 

Bester built relationships on Facebook before raping and robbing them. CBS reports that at least one woman was murdered by Bester.  

He was sentenced to life in prison in 2012 for robbery, murder, and rape, according to reports.

“The unfolding of this story has been like a movie and sent shivers down everyone’s spines…I can imagine what it did to the victims” Bafana Khumalo, co-director of NGO Sonke Gender Justice, told AFP.

The Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services released a statement, asking for information on Bester.

“No stone will be left unturned in getting to the bottom of Thabo Bester’s escape, and there will be serious consequences for any party involved,” the statement said, according to CBS News.

Rudy Gobert was upset after his Minnesota Timberwolves took an L against the Phoenix Suns Wednesday night, saying the NBA shows favoritism to certain teams, according to the (Minneapolis) StarTribune. 

“It’s not fair. It’s really not fair,” Gobert said. “Every night. I’ve been in this league for 10 years and I try to always give the benefit of the doubt, but it’s hard for me to think they’re not trying to help [the Suns] win tonight. It’s hard for me to think they didn’t try to help the Warriors win the other night or Sacramento Kings the other night. It’s just so obvious. As a basketball player that’s been in this league for so long, it’s disrespectful.”

The Suns had 27 free-throw attempts against Minnesota’s 12. Devin Booker had 29 points and went to the free-throw line 15 times. 

“We understand that we’re not the biggest of the markets and we’re a team that—I think you want to see KD [Kevin Durant] in the playoffs, Steph [Stephen Curry] in the playoffs, you want to see LeBron [James] in the playoffs,” Gobert said. “[The] Timberwolves are not there yet. We got to keep putting our head down, keep playing through that and it’s frustrating for sure, especially for me.”

“We work so hard to be in a position to compete with the best and we just get manipulated into those situations where it just impacts the game for the other team too much,” Gobert said. “We understand that it’s also a business. Unfortunately, it’s sad, but it’s good also. … We understand that we’re not the biggest of the markets and we’re a team that—I think you want to see KD in the playoffs, Steph [Curry] in the playoffs, you want to see LeBron [James] in the playoffs. The Timberwolves are not there yet. We got to keep putting our heads down, keep playing through that and it’s frustrating for sure, especially for me.” 

“It was a tough one, man,” Timberwolves guard Mike Conley said. “It’s hard to talk and breathe at the same time. But we’re a competitive group and we don’t use that as an excuse.”