• News

by Sidnee Michelle Douyon

March 30, 2023

White House: Republican Inaction on Guns ‘Unacceptable’

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The White House made an emotional plea on Wednesday for Republican action to curb mass shootings, criticizing conservative lawmakers for saying nothing can be done after the nation’s latest high-profile mass shooting at a school in Tennessee this week.

“It’s unacceptable that Republicans are saying there is nothing that we can do,” White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at a briefing on Wednesday. “Our schools, our churches, our places of worships have now become deadly places for many Americans.”

Democratic U.S. President Joe Biden has called for bipartisan action to help stop such shootings, including a renewed ban on assault weapons, and described Monday’s attack in Nashville that killed six people, including three children, as “sick.” He told reporters this week he has done what he could through executive action but needs Congress to step up.

Several Republican lawmakers in Congress this week, asked what legislative action could help address the rising tide of gun violence, have said there was little they could do.

“When we start talking about bans or challenging the Second Amendment, I think the things that have already been done have gone about as far as we’re going to with gun control,” Republican U.S. Senator Mike Rounds told CNN earlier on Wednesday, saying instead schools need more funding to harden their security.

The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects the right of Americans to bear arms.

Biden spoke about the shooting by phone on Wednesday with U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, who has often been a harsh critic of his administration, according to the White House. It did not say whether they discussed policy responses.

Entitled We Who Believe in Freedom: Black Feminist DC, the exhibition highlights more than 20 Black women activists whose work in Washington, DC influenced national policy from the turn of the 20th century through the civil rights and Black Power movements.

“Our inaugural exhibit explores the stories and voices of Black feminist organizers and theorists whose work changed the trajectory for the lives of millionswomenshistory.org—work that continues today and is often overlooked in history books,” said Susan D. Whiting, Board Chair, NWHM. “The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library is a beautiful venue to exhibit this important cultural content and, as a public building, ensures that the exhibit is accessible to all.”

The exhibition, curated by historians Sherie M. Randolph and Kendra T. Field, focuses on the stories and voices of more than twenty Black feminist organizers and theorists—including Anna Julia Cooper, Mary Church Terrell, Eleanor Holmes Norton, and Loretta Ross—whose work changed the trajectory of the lives of millions of Black women in DC community and across the country. Despite their significant contributions, many remain largely unknown to the public.

This is a major milestone for NWHM, the nation’s leading cultural institution for women’s history. It grew out of a unique partnership between NWHM and DC Public Library. NWHM plans to work in communities across the nation to uncover local women’s history and build sustainable and scalable programming and exhibitions housed in local libraries, cultural institutions, and community gathering spaces.

More information about the exhibition is available here. A companion website is available here.

On March 31, 2023 at its Women Making History Gala, NWHM will honor Uma Thurman, Ashley Graham, Sharon Stone, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, and Willie Pearl Mackey King for their extensive work in women’s activism and civil rights.

NWHM founding investors that made the exhibition possible: AARP Foundation, ArentFox Schiff, Jon S. and Kerrie Bouker, Chicago Pacific Founders, Mari Snyder Johnson, Kaiser Permanente, Morgan Stanley, Dr. Nancy O’Reilly, Silver Mountain Foundation for the Arts, Meryl Streep, Mary Tolan, Susan D. Whiting, and Women Connect4Good Foundation.

• Career

by Jeffrey McKinney

March 30, 2023

Black Business Owners Can Go After Grants Up To $25,000 To Help Them Grow

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Black entrepreneurs are among those who can apply for new grants of up to $25,000 to help grow their businesses.

The grants are being offered to entrepreneurs of color and women business owners through a partnership between Hello Alice and the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN). Funding for the Small Business Growth Fund is from the Etsy Uplift Fund and Progressive Insurance.

Recipients will receive grants of $5,000 to $25,000 to advance their growth and achieve their goals this year. The Etsy Uplift Fund is an initiative of the global online marketplace, Etsy. The fund is geared to support non-profits working to dismantle barriers to entrepreneurship. It too is designed to support entrepreneurs looking to gain economic independence as small and micro businesses.

The initial round of applications is now open and runs through April 21. Per Hello Alice, grant applicants must meet several criteria to be eligible. Grantees must be for-profit businesses in the United States, Puerto Rico, or the District of Columbia with under $1 million in 2022 revenue. They must have a commitment to  their customers, community, and show how the funding will help them grow this year.

The Etsy Uplift Fund was launched in 2021. According to its website, some barriers that entrepreneurs face include “lack of digital education and training, access to capital, and insufficient access to benefits like health insurance and paid leave.” Further,  the fund fosters equal opportunities for creative entrepreneurship.

In a separate fund, called the Impact Investment Fund, Etsy has invested $30 million and plans to use capital to help foster economic empowerment and promote sustainability, The investments will help accelerate the development of the creative economy, support financially  underserved communities, and promote environmental sustainability. Etsy reported the fund has been set up at City First Bank, one of the nation’s largest Black-led banks.

Chelsea Mozen, senior director of impact and sustainability at Etsy, said, “We look forward to seeing the Uplift Fund and Etsy’s Impact Investment Fund make a lasting, measurable impact on the lives of creative entrepreneurs, their communities, and beyond.”

• Health and Wellness

by Sidnee Michelle Douyon

March 30, 2023

US FDA Approves Over-the-Counter Sale of Overdose Reversal Drug Narcan

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved over-the-counter (OTC) sales of Emergent BioSolutions Inc’s Narcan, allowing for easier availability of the life-saving medication used to reverse opioid overdoses.

The formal decision makes Narcan the first naloxone-based drug available without a prescription.

Emergent said it will make Narcan available on U.S. store shelves and online retailers by late summer.

“I think it’s a big win. The question now remains about the cost,” said Noa Krawczyk, assistant professor at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

The contract drugmaker declined to share details on the price of its OTC version of Narcan.

Currently, a 4-milligram, two-dose pack of the nasal spray has a wholesale price of about $120, according to 46Brooklyn, a drug pricing non-profit.

“For people who need it most, it needs to be at a lower price point than what it is currently available,” said Maryann Mason, associate professor of emergency medicine at Northwestern University.

The approval could allow for access to the drug in areas that have concentrated overdose problems and few pharmacies, she said.

Naloxone rapidly reverses or blocks the effects of opioids, restoring normal respiration, especially when given within minutes of the first signs of an overdose.

The Biden administration has been pushing for action, as U.S. drug-related overdose deaths surpassed 100,000 in 2021, according to government estimates. The OTC approval helps align the federal government’s stance with states that already offer the nasal spray without prescription at pharmacies.

The FDA approval followed a unanimous recommendation from its independent panel of advisers backing OTC use of Narcan, while suggesting changes to the drug’s packaging.

Shares of Maryland-based Emergent rose as much as 20.2% to $10.70 in early trading. They were up more than 5% at $9.37 later on Wednesday.

The approval puts Emergent ahead in the OTC product race.

While Benchmark analyst Robert Wasserman, ahead of the FDA green light, noted that Narcan sales had been declining, he added, “I do think there’ll be a big demand for the product and I don’t think it’s going to be too price sensitive right away either.”

Emergent reported a 14% fall in 2022 for its nasal naloxone products, compared with a 40% increase in 2021. In late 2021, FDA approved the first generic version of Narcan, sold by Israeli drugmaker Teva Pharmaceuticals.

The company will have to compete on the price once Narcan begins to face additional OTC competition later this year, said TD Cowen analyst Boris Peaker.

Non-profit Harm Reduction Therapeutics’ application for its OTC naloxone nasal spray is currently under FDA review with a decision expected in July 2023.

• Women

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

March 30, 2023

Xeris Biopharma Appoints Ricki Fairley to Board of Directors

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Xeris Biopharma Holdings (Nasdaq: XERS), a growth-oriented biopharmaceutical company committed to improving patient lives by developing and commercializing innovative products across a range of therapeutic areas, appointed Ricki Fairley to its Board of Directors, increasing the size of the Board to nine members, on March 27, 2023.

“On behalf of our Board, we welcome Ricki and her wealth of insights and experiences, especially her passion for advocating on behalf of patients,” said Paul R. Edick, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Xeris. “As a seasoned marketer with 35+ years in brand management and strategic planning, we look forward to collaborating with Ricki to advance our mission of serving patient communities.”

Ms. Fairley has over 35 years of marketing experience including 20 years in brand management at Johnson & Johnson, Nabisco, Reckitt & Colman, and The Coca-Cola Company, and over 15 years in agency leadership encompassing strategic planning and consulting for numerous Fortune 500 companies. She currently serves as co-founder and CEO of TOUCH, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance and is also co-host for “The Doctor Is In,” a weekly live breast cancer advocacy web series. In January 2022, Ms. Fairley started the When We Tri(al) Movement to change the game on Black women participating in clinical trials to improve outcomes for Black women with breast cancer that has resulted in thousands of Black women entering clinical trial research. Ms. Fairley serves on the Board of Trustees for the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation. She is a board member for the Center for Healthcare Innovation and serves on the National Minority Quality Forum Scientific Advisory Board for Project Moonshot. She is a founding member of the American Cancer Society’s National Breast Cancer Roundtable Steering Committee.

Prior to founding TOUCH, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance, Ms. Fairley was the Founder, and served as President and Thought Leader of DOVE Marketing, a marketing agency with a mission to deliver iconic thinking, strategic problem solving and creative genius to clients seeking profitable business results. Ms. Fairley received the Leadership Award from the Creative Thinking Association of America and was named a Top 100 Marketer by Black Enterprise Magazine in February 2011. Ms. Fairley holds a BA from Dartmouth College and an MBA from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. She is the President Emeritus of the Black Alumni of Dartmouth Association and is Board Chair Emeritus of Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre Company.

“I am thrilled to join this board of astute business strategists. I look forward to bringing my patient advocate voice to the company’s passionate and committed pursuit of changing patients’ lives,” says Ricki Fairley.

Kansas City is the first and only UNESCO Creative City of Music in the United States. Established in 2017, Creative City KC, Inc. is a not-for-profit and the focal point organization for the nation’s membership in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN). On Wednesday, April 12, 2023, Creative City KC will present its annual meeting and give details about the benefits of accessing this worldwide platform.

The prestigious designation was authored by Anita Dixon-Brown, Founder and Executive Director of Creative City KC Inc. She comments, “Kansas City is internationally recognized as one of the four major development cities for the genre of Jazz. This history won us the designation. Charlie Parker, Count Basie, and SWING made us stand out. As the only UNESCO Creative City of Music in the United States, we are opening opportunities for musicians to expand their reach, travel, record, and perform across the world through this vast network.”

With culture at the forefront of these partnerships, Creative City KC Inc., aims to propel musicians into accessing the power of connecting with others globally. “We advocate for the advancement of UNESCO and UCCN core values, 17 Sustainable Development Goals, Peace through Music, International Cooperation through Creativity, and work to advance the African Diaspora in Kansas City and around the world,” said Dr. Jacob Wagner, Professor of Urban Planning & Design at the University of Missouri – Kansas City, and co-founder of the designation.

An email of interest to creativecitykc@gmail.com is sufficient to begin the process of becoming a Partner with UNESCO Creative City of Music-USA. They will then send you a short, online survey to request additional information about the nature of your project or partnership.

This news first appeared on blacknews.com

Ahead of Financial Literacy Month this April, Secret Deodorant is introducing a multi-year financial empowerment initiative that starts by providing 1 million young women with access to in-depth financial courses and training resources developed and led by highly-renowned female financial experts. The initiative was unveiled yesterday at the New York Stock Exchange during the ‘Young Women’s Financial Wellness Forum,’ hosted in partnership with Seneca Women, a women’s leadership platform dedicated to advancing women in the economy and around the world. The initiative is designed to support young women at the very start of their independent financial journeys, by providing them with the foundational tools needed to succeed today, and in turn, improve their financial wellness.

Gen Z adults in the U.S. report the highest level of stress compared to any other generation, according to the American Psychological Association.¹The biggest cause of stress? Money. Financial stress disproportionately impacts women, particularly women of color. Black and Hispanic women generally have higher unmet financial needs, more student loan debt, and are more likely to struggle financially while in school.² Unfortunately, this disparity can take a toll on a woman’s financial journey.³ By 2030, Secret will empower millions of young women to tackle financial stress and forge a path to equitable wealth.

“As part of Secret’s continued efforts to uplift women, we hope to spark a conversation about financial well-being and provide tools for financial literacy and education,” said Kate DiCarlo, Senior Communications Director, Personal Care Portfolio, Procter & Gamble. “Secret is proud to partner with a diverse group of women to lend their financial expertise to this initiative.”

Secret commissioned an advisory board of renowned multicultural financial experts to help propel its mission of increasing access to financial education, proving that a financially well life is within reach for all women. The financial experts helped launch the initiative by providing practical, tangible advice geared towards the needs and concerns of Gen Z women at Seneca Women’s ‘Young Women’s Financial Wellness Forum’ in partnership with Secret.

Secret’s alliance of financial experts includes:

• Berna Anat: Financial educator and author of “Money Out Loud – All the Financial Stuff No One Taught Us,” helping BIPOC and first-gen folks feel seen in the money world
• Carmen Perez: Creator of MUCH budgeting app, helping individuals manage their money and paychecks
• Giovanna Gonzalez: Founder of The First Gen Mentor, helping first-generation students and young professionals of color entering the workplace to confidently manage their money
• Jamila Souffrant: Founder of Journey to Launch, helping individuals launch into financial freedom
• Marsha Barnes: CEO and founder of The Finance Bar Members Club, helping individuals start their journey to financial wellness

“I understand how imperative it is to be well-versed in the world of finances. From understanding how to get your first credit card, student loans, to how to apply for a mortgage and dealing with debt, it’s a lot to take in,” said Marsha Barnes, personal finance expert and founder of The Finance Bar Members Club. “Through financial therapy and education, I can support women throughout their experiences, and partnering with Secret gives me the opportunity to extend a helping hand to more women in need. I look forward to making a meaningful impact in young women’s lives as they embark on their personal journeys to achieve financial wellness.”

The multi-phased initiative will also take to social media to reach young women through #SecretMoneyMoves, a series of financial literacy social posts that address the ins and outs of prominent financial questions, like how to create a budget, negotiate your first salary, understand your credit score and much more.

Secret has also joined forces with Prosperity Now, the nation’s leading racial economic justice organization, to help remove the barriers for young women in need to achieve financial equity. The organization’s mission is to drive economic opportunity for all and build equitable economic power through impactful systemic change; centering those who have been historically excluded, amplifying community-rooted solutions, and energizing them through research, advocacy, policy and narrative change.

To learn more about Secret’s new financial empowerment programming, visit Secret.com/MoneyMoves.

• Diversity, Equality, Inclusion

by Sidnee Michelle Douyon

March 29, 2023

Ex-Tesla Worker Testifies That Race Bias Made Him ‘Feel Less Than a Man’

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A Black former elevator operator at Tesla Inc’s flagship California assembly plant became emotional testifying at a trial on Wednesday about the psychological toll exacted on him by a torrent of racial slurs, threats and other workplace incidents.

The plaintiff, Owen Diaz, struggled to speak at times during his testimony, including when he explained how he had recorded Spanish-speaking coworkers and later discovered using a translation website that they were calling him racial slurs.

Diaz said that racial incidents at the Fremont, California, electric-vehicle factory strained his relationship with his son, who also worked there, and have made it difficult for him to trust people.

“It made me feel less than a man (and) it made me question my worth,” Diaz said. He added: “I was living from paycheck to paycheck and I needed the job.”

At one point, U.S. District Judge William Orrick called a 15-minute recess in order for Diaz to compose himself.

Lawyers for Tesla will complete their cross-examination of Diaz on Thursday.

Alex Spiro, who represents the company, on Wednesday pressed Diaz on why there was no record of him making written complaints to supervisors, such as emails and text messages, about racist conduct.

Diaz said he did not recall whether he complained in writing or only verbally, and in a series of testy exchanges accused Spiro of mischaracterizing his responses to other questions.

The five-day trial on damages comes after a jury in 2021 found Tesla liable for discrimination and ordered the company to pay Diaz $137 million. The trial began on Monday.

Orrick last year agreed with the jury that the EV maker had fostered a hostile work environment but slashed the award to $15 million. Diaz rejected the lower payout and opted for a new trial on damages before a different jury.

Bernard Alexander, a lawyer for Diaz, during opening statements on Monday compared the Fremont plant to a “plantation” where Black workers were targeted for harassment and their complaints were ignored by managers.

Tesla has maintained that it does not tolerate workplace harassment and takes discrimination complaints seriously. Spiro told jurors on Monday that Diaz was exaggerating his claims of emotional distress and there was no evidence warranting a multimillion-dollar award.

Jurors have also heard testimony from five workers and supervisors at the Fremont plant, a Tesla human resources manager and a lawyer who conducts investigations into workplace disputes and served as an expert witness for Diaz.

The lawyer testified that while Tesla had adopted adequate anti-bias policies, the company failed to properly investigate and respond to complaints from Diaz and other Black workers.

For those who want to learn the life story of Death Row Records co-founder, Suge Knight, you may not have to wait much longer.

According to TMZ Hip Hop, Marion “Suge” Knight, the infamous label owner who was involved in the East Coast/West Coast battle that pitted rappers The Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac against each other, is reportedly gearing up to work on a project.

That series, which will be done with his brother, Brian Brown, will tell the story of the rise and fall of the former college football player who was instrumental in the careers of Dr. Dre, Tupac, and Snoop Dog. Sources close to the project told TMZ Hip Hop that the series will start filming this summer and have a similar feel to 50 Cent‘s hit show, BMF.  It will predate Knight’s music industry days, covering his upbringing in Compton, where Knight dreamt of becoming a football coach.

This isn’t the first time there’s been news of a potential Suge Knight film.

Almost four years ago, it was rumored that the Death Row Records co-founder had rep sold the rights to his life story to William Raymond Norwood Jr., aka Ray J. TMZ reported that Ray J has the authority to make decisions about Knight’s career as he serves a 28-year prison sentence for manslaughter.

Ray J’s manager and producing partner, David Weintraub, also told Entertainment Tonight that the deal was finalized previously and that several major film studios, independent financiers, and documentarians have reached out to work with him and Ray J on a documentary about Knight’s life.

However, in an exclusive interview with The Blast, Knight, himself, revealed that the reports were erroneous.

“I just heard about the article being released regarding that Ray J has all my rights television, movies, books, you know all that type of stuff,” said Knight during a phone interview from prison. “He don’t. Ray J is not just a friend of mine, that’s little brother, that’s family.”

• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 29, 2023

Another Tinder Swindler!? Massachusetts Man Sentenced For Stealing Millions From Online Dating Victims

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A Massachusetts man has been sentenced to 4 1/2 years in prison after scamming millions from unsuspecting online daters.

Kofi Osei, 30, was sentenced to prison last week after being convicted of stealing $8 million in proceeds from his victims, $4 million of which went directly into his personal accounts, WRAL reports. Osei is accused of creating fake dating profiles and building trust with online daters before regaling the victims with stories of oil rig explosions and being locked up in foreign jails.

Osei and his accomplices are said to have targeted older victims from 2016 to 2020, where they were tricked into transferring money to one of dozens of shady bank accounts that were opened using fake passports, aliases, and fake business names.

The money would be quickly withdrawn and sometimes used to buy cars that were sent to Nigeria and sold. One woman in Florida sent Osei $200,000 after he claimed he needed the money to get released from custody following an explosion on his oil rig.

Prosecutors said another woman was “left financially and emotionally devastated,” after sending Osei $65,000 to help support employees she was told were injured in an accident at his overseas worksite. That victim was also told that Osei needed money to get released from jail.

He went by different names during his schemes, including Paul Proia, Kenneth Buck, Jeffrey Anashe, Author Ivey, David Label, Manuel Abdalla, and Andrew Matses, MSN reports.

A native of Ghana, Osei moved to the United States legally to pursue a professional soccer career. He was arrested in February 2021 and pleaded guilty in September to making a false statement to a bank, wire fraud, and money laundering, WJAR reports.

In addition to the 4 1/2-year sentence, Osei was also ordered to pay $4,122,558 in restitution and forfeiture. His legal team claims he is a remorseful loving father with no prior criminal history who made “a poor and misguided decision.”