Deal Or No Deal: 19-Year-Old Is Still Waiting for ‘Shark Tank’ Payout, Has Raised Over $100K On Her Own
Tyla-Simone Crayton was living in a car with her mother when she, then 16-years-old, walked onto Shark Tank and made a deal worth $100,000 for her product, “Sienna Sauce”.
Coming up on the three-year anniversary of her appearance, which helped her bring in over $300,000 in revenue within 24 hours, she is still waiting to close her deal with “shark” Kendra Scott. “I’m going to give you your $100,000 but I want 20% of the company,” Scott said on the show. “We didn’t receive the $100,000 because we’re still in due diligence. We’d love to have her. We’d still be interested but it just hasn’t come into fruition,” Tyla-Simone, 19, said. Not to be deterred by a wait, Crayton has been raising her own funds via WeFunder to the tune of $100,000…and counting.
For now, Tyla-Simone runs her business alongside her mother, while also attending college at the University of California Berkeley. While her daughter is away at school, Monique proudly takes over the day-to-day operations. “I am grateful and beyond humbled and I’m inspired by my daughter every day,” Monique said. “It’s just fulfilling to watch her grow this brand and do it now while being a full-time student as well. That’s even more impressive for me as her mom.”
Since her appearance on Shark Tank, “Sienna Sauce” has made $1 million in revenue and is now sold in more than 500 retailers, including Target, Hy-Vee, Wegmans, World Market, Walmart.com, and on Amazon. Tyla-Simone said in an interview with Inside Edition Digital that her sights are now on partnering with Disney.
“If you’ve ever seen the movie, ‘Princess and the Frog’ about Princess Tiana, the only Black princess,” she said. “She has a dream of creating a restaurant. That’s me, too. I still have my dream of wanting to have Sienna Wings. Just some partnership with the product or with the sauce in their launch of her [at Disney World] because they’re creating a whole section of the park around Tiana. We’d love to partner with Disney on that for the first Black princess.”
First Black-Owned Business Park in Fort Washington Goes Viral
One Maryland family has used TikTok to spread the news about their historic accomplishment.
The Jordan family became the owners of the first Black-owned business park in Fort Washington, MD in August 2022 and recently leveraged social media to bring lots of eyes to their one-of-a-kind acquisition. The complex, bought by The Home Team Realty Group, a Black-owned family-run business, is one part of a larger mission to uplift the community in the area. Wyevetra and Jarriel Jordan run the real estate empire alongside their son, Jarriel Jordan. Jr. and their daughter, who runs their title company.
“If you want something truly dynamic and truly that’s going to empower the community and yourself you have to put a little skin in the game,” said Wyevetra Jordan in an interview with WUSA9 local news. She added that their offer was refused three times before they were actually able to purchase the land. “We wanted to be the ones to show folks you can do this you have to be grounded and have a lot of structure to achieve those goals,” added her husband.
The Fort Washington Business Complex recently found itself going viral when Jarriel Jordan, Jr. posted a video on TikTok detailing the journey of The Home Team Realty Group’s success in such a short time that was picked up by the Instagram account, We Buy Black. The post quickly raked up thousands of likes and even caught the attention of soul singer, Anthony Hamilton, whose music was used as the background in the original video. “When Anthony Hamilton shared the post that’s when I was like, ‘ok now we’re doing things!’” Jarriel, Jr. said in an interview.
The family plans on growing their business and their community outreach through their program Jacobs Ladder as well as through empowering their more than 50 new agents and community partners. They also plan to host training sessions, career fairs, and a national homeownership workshop in the coming months.
Ten years after signing with the Under Armour brand, Golden State Warrior Stephen Curryhas re-upped and has signed a Michael Jordan-like contract with the apparel company.
According to Under Armour, the two sides have “amplified their unique partnership even further, forging a long-term commitment to serve athletes and communities and drive mutual success for years to come.”
Like Jordan having his own division under the Nike banner, Curry is doing the same at Under Armour.
“If the past ten years have shown me anything, it’s that Under Armour and I can build great things together. It’s all about impacting athletes and creating products that perform and resonate with them, and Under Armour does it best. In 2013, we bet on each other, and I’m all in on taking this next step together,” Curry said in a written statement about the continued partnership.
Curry is only the ninth athlete in history to release 10 different signature shoes and the first to do so at Under Amour.
Since becoming part of the Under Armour brand, Curry has helped drive the signature launches and technologies from UA Charged, UA HOVR, UA Warp, and UA Flow. In the future, he will also assist in other areas of the brand by extending from basketball to golf, women, youth, and sport style. The four-time NBA champion will also take on a broad advisory role where his impact will strengthen brand love and recruitment. He will also reach across several categories to advance and expand Under Armour’s athlete roster.
“Stephen is one of the greatest talents of our generation. At his core, he embodies what it means to be an Under Armour athlete and is an integral part of the Under Armour family. We are excited to keep building together, bringing even more innovation and inspiration to athletes across the globe,” said Kevin Plank, executive chair & brand chief for Under Armour.
Jonathan Majors Reveals Text Messages From Alleged Assault Victim Admitting Fault
Jonathan Majors isn’t going down without a fight amid his recent arrest for misdemeanor charges of strangulation, assault, and harassment against his girlfriend.
The Creed III star released text messages to prove his innocence in a domestic dispute with his partner, TMZreports. According to his lawyer, Priya Chaudhry, the alleged victim sent text messages to Majors hours after his arrest on Saturday, “admitting that she was the one who used physical force against him.”
In the texts, the alleged victim appears to take the blame for the domestic dispute and says she doesn’t want to press charges against the Marvel star.
“Please let me know you’re okay when you get this,” she wrote. “They assured me that you won’t be charged.
“They said they had to arrest you as protocol when they saw the injuries on me and they knew we had a fight,” she continued. “I’m so angry that they did. And I’m sorry you’re in this position.
“Will make sure nothing happens about this,” one message read. “I told them it was my fault for trying to grab your phone.”
She also told the actor, “I love you,” and after hours of getting no responses from Majors, she assures him she told police the fight between them “was not an attack.” She also claimed she would do everything possible to help Majors avoid legal issues.
“I know you have the best team and there’s nothing to worry about I just want you to know that I’m doing all I can on my end,” she wrote.
The domestic dispute started after the woman allegedly saw another woman texting Majors’ phone. Chaudry is confident the criminal charges will be dropped soon after she produces more evidence proving his innocence.
“This evidence includes video footage from the vehicle where this episode took place, witness testimony from the driver and others who both saw and heard the episode and most importantly, two written statements from the woman recanting these allegations,” Chaudhry said.
‘This Is Our Story’: Peacock’s Releases Trailer of Lebron James’ Biopic
After 20 seasons, the legendary LeBron Jamesis bringing his real-life origin story to the screens.
Peacock’s first-look trailer for Shooting Stars, the highly-anticipated biopic about the early life of the NBA superstar, is out! According to NBC News, the story follows a young James’ rise to icon status within the sport, but not without the adversities he and his childhood best friends had to overcome.
“People think they know my story, but this is our story,” James remarks in the opening scene of the trailer. “This is how I met my brothers and how we became family.”
The upcoming film is based on the book by James himself and the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Friday Night Lights, Buzz Bissinger. Set in the 1990s, the Shooting Stars were a motley bunch of kids –James and his best friends — from Akron, OH, who first got acquainted on a youth basketball team of the same name when they were ten and eleven years old.
Although they faced challenges all too typical of inner-city America, the “Fab Four,” with tight bonds, tasted glory when they qualified for a national championship tournament in Memphis.
“United by their love of the game and their yearning for companionship, they quickly forged a bond that would carry them through thick and thin (a lot of thin) and, at last, to a national championship in their senior year of high school,” as written in the book description.
Directed by Chris Robinson, the film stars elite high school small forward Marquis “Mookie” Cook as James in his film debut, as well as his teammates Caleb McLaughlin (Stranger Things) as Lil Dru, Avery S. Wills, Jr. (Swagger) as Willie McGee, and Khalil Everage (Cobra Kai) as Sian Cotton. The screenplay was written by Frank E. Flowers, Tony Rettenmaier and Juel Taylor.
The boys’ friendship gets tested when Lil Dru is forced onto junior varsity. But that doesn’t keep the Fab Four down. The crew decided to transfer to a predominantly white Catholic school so they could all play varsity together.
However, it takes their new coach, played by Dermot Mulroney (August: Osage County), as well as former rival Romeo Travis (Sterling “Scoot” Henderson), to help them find their footing on the team.
The film is set to premiere only on Peacock on June 2.
Rosie Perez Reveals a Former Agent Suggested She Get A Nose Job And Go Blonde to Get Hollywood Roles
In this fickle entertainment industry where anyone can change trajectory at any given time, some artists are given the advice to ride whatever wave is the current one. One actress couldn’t believe the suggestion she was given to placate an industry that does not necessarily cater to ethnic “features.”
In an interview with Variety, New York City native, Rosie Perezdiscussed when a former agent advised her to change her look so she could obtain steady work in Hollywood. Who knows what might have happened if she went with the direction that this former rep gave her?
Brooklyn’s own Spike Leediscovered Perez and featured her in one of his classic movies, Do The Right Thing. Shortly thereafter, she choreographed the famous “Fly Girls” dance troupe on Keenen Ivory Wayans‘ hit television show, In Living Color, and she realized that she wanted different work as an actress. Little did she know that being in a scene with heartthrob Johnny Depp would change the way she was thinking at the time.
After he told her that she was too good to have a stereotypical role of what she had been known for at the time, he told her, ‘I’m gonna tell people about you. You know, you’re right for the good stuff.’”
She expressed that at that time, her agent suggested she dye her hair blond and get plastic surgery because she wasn’t Black.
“I don’t want her to be canceled, but she told me that if I dyed my hair blond and got a nose job, ‘I can get you more jobs. Because you’re not Black.’ I couldn’t believe it. I was like, ‘Oh, my goodness. Like, thank you, fired,’” she stated. That’s when she realized that she “had nobody. I had no money.”
She also found an ally on the set of HBO’s Criminal Justice. Perez became cool with her co-star Jennifer Grey. After telling her about the former agent’s suggestion, she got on the phone and connected her with an agent at CAA (Creative Artists Agency).
“Jennifer and I clicked instantly,” Perez recalled. “I haven’t seen that woman in ages, but I just think she’s phenomenal. She’s like, ‘I cannot believe how racist this industry is.’ She picks up the phone and calls Jane Berliner at CAA and says, ‘You need to represent this actress.’”
After that introduction, Berliner, who is now a manager, signed Perez and helped her nail a pivotal role. She was cast in Ron Shelton’s White Men Can’t Jump playing Woody Harrelson’s girlfriend, a role that was written for a white woman.
Family Feud! Tamika Scott Shares Receipts of LaTocha Scott And Rocky Bivens Alleged Extortion
Tamika Scott pulled out the receipts to prove her sister and brother-in-law allegedly stole $30,000 in music royalties from her.
The Scott family drama has played out on Bravo’s Queens of R&B: SWV & Xscape. LaTocha and Tamika Scott were already at odds ahead of filming the six-episode series and the tension spilled onto the show.
Things came to a head when Tamika accused Tocha and her husband Rocky Bivens of stealing her portion of music royalties for Xscape. Tocha and Rocky have both denied her claims on the show and in interviews.
Their denial prompted Tamika to put together her own tell-all that included documents that allegedly confirmed her claims and revealed someone who threatened to release her sex tape.
“God knows I didn’t want to do this,” Tamika captioned a video post.
“Sis, you’re sitting on all your interviews saying I’m looking for a storyline and attention knowing y’all stole my money!!”
“And for your husband to call Sprint acting like he was my ex- husband with my social security getting the passcode to my phone and changing it in 2006, Getting access to my text messages, pictures, and videos and trying to extort me!!!!”
She went on to share receipts that included a contract where Tocha allegedly forged her signature and claimed to be her sister’s manager in order to receive her royalty checks. Tamika “Tiny” Harris even appeared in the video to clarify how the royalties were paid out.
“Oh yeah all of this is documented! Y’all are EVIL!!!!!” Tamika quipped. “The other day you said on @foxsoul Coctails With Queens you were going to give me my 30K you stole so you need to keep your word!! Run me my check!!! I’m tired!!”
Tamika’s tell-all and receipts came after Tocha appeared on Cocktails With Queens on Tuesday and accused her sister of making up the music royalty claims for a storyline.
“My thing is, was this for a storyline? Or is this real life?” said LaTocha. “Because in real life, me and my sister, we talk. And you talking about 10 years ago and I’m calling you, and if somebody accuses you of something, they should be able to talk to you about it. It’s not even about the $30,000. It’s about having my sister back. Like, I’ll give you that! But at the end of the day, you need to talk to me.”
Fans have been sounding off and encouraging Tamika to take legal action against her sister and brother-in-law for allegedly orchestrating a plot to steal her music royalties.
“She also owes you for the tax you paid on the 30k.. make sure to add that to 🔥this is how you set up boundaries.. it can get messy but it is needed,” one user wrote.
“It really sad that he came to this. But the energy is warranted,” added someone else. “Your sister basically did a whole media campaign trying to paint you as incompetent and a liar.”
If Iyanla Fix My Life was still on the air, the Scotts would perfect contenders for a sit-down with the spiritual healer.
Black Women Researchers Lead the Way to Advance Equity in HIV Prevention and Care
While Women’s History Month typically spotlights professional achievements and social progress, March of 2023 reminds us that gender inequities in healthcare remain, particularly for women of color.
Recent headlines broadcast that Black women have the highest rate of new HIV diagnosis in the country. Research shows that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated inequalities behind the disparity, especially in the Southern United States.
The headlines missed the ambitious and forward-looking research underway to address health disparities that impact Black women—and that Black women are leading the way.
In 2022, the California biotech company Gilead Sciences awarded $5.3 million in grants for concurrent research projects focused on HIV and Black health equity in the Southern United States. The Black women researchers behind these projects are Dr. Maranda Ward, director of equity in the Department of Clinical Research and Leadership at George Washington University (GWU) School of Medicine and Health Services in Washington D.C.; Dr. Maisha N. Standifer, Director of Population Health in the Satcher Health Leadership Institute (SHLI) at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta; and Dr. Kathleen Kennedy, Dean of the College of Pharmacy and founding Director of the Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities Research and Education (CMHDRE) at Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans. Dr. Kennedy is the principal investigator (PI) for the Morehouse/Xavier collaboration to address inequities in HIV care. Dr. Ward is the PI for GWU’s Two in One: HIV+COVID Screening and Testing Model grant.
Working individually and collaboratively, each of these women is driving research they hope will inform better, more equitable health practices and policies and transform how health professionals are trained and sensitized to bias.
Dr. Ward’s work breaks down race and culture-based clinician bias and miscommunication that severely compromise the quality of care that Black women receive from the healthcare system. The mission is a personal one. “As a Black woman who grew up in urban America, I’m always observing threats to justice, even in my own healthcare,” she says. “That is why I’m so committed to preparing the health workforce to address the challenges of health equity and racial equity. We’re not going to eliminate health disparities until we eliminate racism.”
High rates of HIV diagnosis among Black women in the U.S., particularly in the South, is a stark example of how clinician bias leaves this population especially vulnerable. Dr. Ward notes that Black women are largely uninformed about PrEP, an effective regimen for preventing HIV, because clinicians aren’t communicating the benefits with patients they don’t perceive to be at risk.
As principal investigator on the Gilead grantee program, Two in One: HIV and COVID Screening & Testing Module, Dr. Ward is midway through an 18-month research and educational training for primary care practitioners that pairs HIV screening with COVID screening and vaccination. “The goal is to make the ‘two in one’ protocol the standard of care for all patients so that those who are most in need can benefit from prevention and early detection,” Ward said of the project, which targets 10,000 primary care practitioners nationwide, both in practice and those still in the training/education pipeline, principally HBCU medical students and trainees.
“At the end of the program, we will prepare a set of policy recommendations to update HIV screening guidelines along with recommendations on how to implement them in a culturally responsive way,” she said. “We’re talking system-level change that challenges bias and harmful stereotypes that interfere with equitable care. That is what advancing Black health equity looks like.”
Dr. Ward’s colleagues, Dr. Maisha Standifer at Morehouse, and Dr. Kathleen Kennedy at Xavier, collaborate on another Gilead-funded project, End the Epidemic: Examining the Health Equity Implications of Health Systems, Policy, and Data Gaps for People Living with HIV in the Southern U.S. The project targets structural barriers in the healthcare system and within Black communities that hamper access to HIV testing, treatment, and ongoing care.
The Morehouse campus sits in the City of Atlanta, which has the highest rate of new HIV diagnosis in any U.S. city, particularly among Black Atlantans. Dr. Standifer’s research delves into the structural and system factors behind the numbers, what she calls “the intersection of policy and equity.”
“Black health is being impacted by policies,” Dr. Standifer says, noting that social policy across all areas—from housing to education to criminal justice—contribute to health disparities in Black communities. “My professional dedication is to look at the impact of those policies, bring in some solid analysis, and inform legislators and policy influencers in their work to address health inequities.”
Crucial to the project’s success is the SHLI Health Equity Tracker, a data collection platform that can provide comprehensive insights into factors that determine disease impacts and outcomes. Persistent stigma and mistrust in Black communities surrounding HIV, along with the community’s complicated history with the healthcare system, has hindered data collection in the past, according to Dr. Standifer.
She believes, however, that Morehouse and Xavier are well positioned to overcome those obstacles: “Gilead has chosen to connect with us because we are trusted in the community, we advocate for the community, and we are the community.”
Dr. Kennedy agrees. As director of Xavier’s Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities Research and Education, she leads efforts to replicate the Morehouse research model in Louisiana, specifically New Orleans and Baton Rouge. She views the research and data collection as essential to effective policies and practitioner training that translates into culturally competent care for Black people impacted by the HIV epidemic. “Community engagement is the most important thing we can do,” Dr. Kennedy says. “You have to respect people where they are—their culture, their beliefs, and their history. You have to listen to what they think their needs are so you can better serve them.”
Apple Introduces ‘Pay Later’ Service Allowing For Payment Installments
Apple announced that customers will be able to “pay a little something on it” with their new “pay later” services.
The new Apple Pay Later model will allow users to split payments into four installments. The feature, according to Apple’s Newsroom, lets customers break up purchases that total $50 to $1,000 into four payments over the course of six weeks, with no fees and zero interest. “Users can easily track, manage, and repay their Apple Pay Later loans in one convenient location in Apple Wallet. Users can apply for Apple Pay Later loans of $50 to $1,000, which can be used for online and in-app purchases made on iPhone and iPad with merchants that accept Apple Pay,” Apple said in the press release.
Credit cards will not be accepted for users opting into the Pay Later service and payments will be taken automatically from a debit card for the three installments. “There’s no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to how people manage their finances. Many people are looking for flexible payment options, which is why we’re excited to provide our users with Apple Pay Later,” said Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet, Jennifer Bailey. “Apple Pay Later was designed with our users’ financial health in mind, so it has no fees and no interest, and can be used and managed within Wallet, making it easier for consumers to make informed and responsible borrowing decisions.”
It’s surprising that Apple has taken this long to introduce this model, as companies like Klarna, ShopPay and Afterpay have found lots of success offering people an option to get what they want at the moment while giving them more time to pay off their purchases. Financial experts are split on the “layaway” system that has been rebranded in recent years, as missed payments still end up reported to collection companies and could create credit problems for users down the line.
