Sherrell Dorsey, the founder of The Plug, said the popular content platform is closing.

Dorsey took to The Plug’s webpage and her Instagram account to announce the news: 

“Dear readers, subscribers, and long-time supporters—Today is the last day our team will serve you all through The Plug. We’re closing our doors, but never abandoning our convictions. Since hitting send on the very first newsletter published 7 years ago, I was never certain that The Plug would be the force that it is today. I just knew that Black founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders deserved better reporting, data insights that documented our stories, and platforms that built communities and not just content full of click-bait and open letters. When I look over the body of work we created, I am damn proud of what me and my team were able to accomplish with your support.”

Dorsey created a lean content platform to quickly get content out to as many people as possible. The site aggregates tech news involving people of color via Feedly. The content is then pushed out to subscribers in a daily newsletter.

According to Dorsey, The Plug was created to show how Black people engage with the economy. Created in 2016, it was the first daily newsletter that covered novice Black companies and the economy. 

“Today, we synthesize the fastest-growing crop of communities leading the future of work, business, and technology, for leaders, executives, government officials, reporters, and researchers who are thinking inclusively about building, supporting, funding, and stewarding next-gen communities, companies, and technologies,” The Plug reads. 

The Plug has been supported by major corporations such as Comcast NBCUniversal, New Profit, Knight Foundation, Knight-Lenfest, Morgan Stanley, Ford Foundation, Goldman Sachs, and  MasterCard. 

Earlier this year, Dorsey gave a TEDx Talk at Binghamton University. She’s also in talks to host a TED Tech podcast.

“I remain open to new opportunities to help planet-forward companies build the necessary technologies to change our relationship with the resources we have on earth, while also creating onramps via skills training for underserved communities to onboard into the future of work,” Dorsey said in the newsletter, according to AfroTech. 

• Celebrity News

by Booker Jones

March 19, 2023

Cam’ron To Potential Buyers of ‘It is What It Is’: ‘Offer Something That I Ain’t Got’

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Cam’ron’s It is What it Is sports show has been part of the conversation among many lovers of hip-hop for the past month. People have noticed as Killa Cam is now claiming that offers to buy the show been coming in. 

The Harlem-bred ​rapper ​took to his Instagram account to share the news, and boast in classic Dipset fashion.

“A lot of n***as hollering at me to try and buy my show, make my show a part of what they’re doing,” the 47-year-old said. “And listen, I appreciate the love, I appreciate the interest and everything else. This is fully funded by me. I ain’t go get no help, I ain’t got no partners, I ain’t got no bank that came and did all this shit.”

While Cam is putting up his own money to fund It is What it Is, potential buyers must bring something to the table. 

“Y’all gonna have to offer something that I ain’t got,” Cam’ron said. “Now, you don’t know what I got. You could assume what I got. I’m not gonna be unreasonable, but you gotta be fair. And right now, for the time being, we gonna have fun.”

 

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A post shared by THE HIP-HOP WOLF® (@thehiphopwolf)

It is What it Is premiered February 27 with 126,355 views. It currently has 172,000 subscribers. 

Cam’ron knows how to trap a dollar, too. His  Pink Horse Power, a male sex enhancement supplement, seems to be doing well. Cam even suggested that Pink Horse Power is partly responsible for A$AP Rocky’s and Rihanna’s baby. 

 

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A post shared by @mr_camron

Back in 2020, Killa Cam released the second installment of Purple Haze. On the album, Cam’ron rapped about legendary Harlem crews like NFL, Lynch Mob, and the controversy surrounding the murder of Big L. 

Math with EEEs, Inc., a Black-owned non-profit dedicated to empowering African-American students through education and STEM scholarship opportunities, is sponsoring 10 students for the highly sought-after online coding course by Codewithsharen. All in all, the organization has already given away almost $20,000 in scholarships.

The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) is proud to introduce the ACLS HBCU Faculty Fellowship and Grant Program. The new program will advance the scholarly contributions of humanities and interpretive social sciences faculty at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), in recognition of their rich history in nurturing generations of scholars and accelerating vital social change despite chronic discrimination and underfunding.

In keeping with the goals ACLS has underscored in its Strategic Priorities, the ACLS HBCU Faculty Fellowship and Grant Program offers financial support, research development assistance, and networking opportunities to HBCU faculty while attending to the unique teaching and service commitments at their schools. The program is the result of extensive listening sessions and consultations with dozens of HBCU faculty and administrators. ACLS is grateful for their participation in this collaborative process, which directly informed the goals, design, and implementation of this program.

“Historically Black Colleges and Universities help ensure that our higher education system is accessible to and supportive of all learners represented in the United States,” said ACLS President Joy Connolly. “ACLS made its first award to an HBCU faculty member in 1932. The grant to Lorenzo Turner, a linguistics scholar and professor of English at Fisk University, enabled him to produce a descriptive grammar of the Gullah dialect, which led to his landmark publication Africanisms in the Gullah Dialect. Today, we celebrate HBCUs’ achievements in the face of discrimination and inequality. We are honored to recognize and support faculty serving at these hundred-plus institutions and their distinctive contributions to humanistic research.”

This fellowship and grant initiative is part of a broader set of outreach and engagement activities focused on Minority-Serving Institutions, including focused work within the ACLS Associate member network. It builds on the research, engagement, and experience of peer funders, as well as ACLS learned society members such as the American Historical Association and American Philosophical Association.

In keeping with ACLS’s commitment to advance inclusive excellence in all its programs, the ACLS HBCU Faculty Fellowship and Grant program especially welcomes applications from scholars of color and other historically underrepresented groups, as well as from faculty representing the full range of HBCUs, including both two- and four-year degree-granting institutions.

This program is funded by the ACLS endowment, which has benefited from the generous support of esteemed institutions and individuals including the ACLS Associate member network, past fellows, and friends of ACLS.

Fellowship and Grant Awards
In the first competition of a three-year pilot, ACLS will award 12 grants of up to $10,000 each for research project development, and eight fellowships of up to $50,000 each to support deeper engagement with a significant research project.

Both award categories allow applicants to structure their budgets and workplans in ways that best fit their research goals and professional commitments. Award funds may be used to advance a variety of activities, including but not limited to, course releases; editing and/or research assistance; cross-institutional and interdisciplinary collaborations; and travel costs and registration fees for research or conferences.

In addition to the fellowship or grant stipend, each awardee will have access to networking and mentorship opportunities that align with their scholarly goals and institutional contexts.

Additional Support for Institutions and Applicants
Each fellowship and grant award also comes with an additional grant of $2,500 to the awardee’s home institution to support humanities programming or infrastructure.

All applicants who advance to the finalist round of review on the strength of their proposals will receive a $500 grant to support research activity connected to their scholarship, as well as access to project and proposal development workshops.

Application Process
The application deadline for both fellowships and grants is 9 PM EDT, November 2, 2023.

Starting in spring 2023, ACLS will host informational webinars about the program, as well as office hours for questions. These sessions are open to all. In addition, interested faculty can request feedback on their proposal draft and participate in proposal writing workshops to be held in the summer of 2023. Sign up to learn more about the program and these opportunities.

Fellowship and grant proposals must be submitted through the ACLS online application system, which will begin accepting applications in early April 2023. Learn more about the program and eligibility criteria.

Questions? Contact fellowships@acls.org.

SOURCE American Council of Learned Societies

Ja Morant has to complete a counseling program after he flashed a gun during an Instagram Live video. 

The Memphis Grizzlies guard also allegedly got into an altercation with a teenager during a pickup basketball game. 

During an interview with Barstool Sports, Patrick Beverley said that Morant’s troubles are because of hip-hop. 

“Lost his mind. Parenting, parenting,” Beverley told Barstool Sports earlier this week before pivoting to Morant’s surroundings.

Beverly also suggested that fame is to blame.  

“Fame mixed with success mixed with a ton of money mixed with a ton of freedom in the wrong hands, it’s not a good poster,” Beverley said.

Beverley added, “I think music has a lot to do with this now. Especially with this culture. Everyone holding a gun in the video is okay. You know, bling on your teeth is okay. Pants half down your ass, that’s okay. So, that’s okay now. Back in the day, there was a motherf—er on the beach in a silk shirt talking about some ‘Yeah baby, let’s party like we’re in the 80s.’ Everybody had on silk shirts, and everybody was dressed the same. It’s just a product of what we listen to. 

“The culture now is ‘shoot them up, bang bang, bang bang shoot them up, bend you over, I got this amount money, I’m on private jets,’ That’s what the younger generation is. Sadly to say, it should be based on our music, but it is mostly based on what we listen to, and that’s how it is. Eminem come out, and Eminem was rapping, ‘Palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy,’ he had on a hoodie. Everybody back then had on a hoodie and big jeans. If Eminem would’ve came out like, ‘Yeah I carry pipes, I carry straps, I got 12 guns,’ every White kid in America would’ve had a f—ing gun on them back then.”

• News

by Booker Jones

March 18, 2023

Up to 1,200 People Could Still Face Charges for Jan. 6 Capitol Riots

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Up to 1,200 people could still face charges for the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol in Washington D.C. 

According to Bloomberg, a letter was sent to the D.C. court from the U.S. attorney in Washington. The letter details what Attorney General Merrick Garland refers to as “one of the largest, most complex, and most resource-intensive investigations in our history.” 

The letter, which is dated Oct. 28, from U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves to Chief Judge Beryl Howell estimated that an additional 700 to 1,200 defendants could be charged. 

“We expect the pace of bringing new cases will increase, in an orderly fashion, over the course of the next few months,” Graves wrote. He ended the letter by saying that the estimates could change as the office continues to monitor charging statistics and “evaluate changing resources and circumstances.”

Bloomberg also reported that Howell said the court “continues to manage its caseload and trial calendar efficiently, notwithstanding the delays occasioned by the pandemic.”

“So far, the court has been able to manage the increased criminal caseload well,” Howell said. “Should a ‘surge’ of filings occur at a later date, the Court would assess what additional steps, if any, it should take.” 

More than 500 people have pleaded guilty and more than 50 have been convicted at trial, according to the U.S. attorney’s office. 

On Jan. 6, 2021, a mob of Donald Trump‘s supporters attacked the United States Capitol Building. The mob aimed to keep Trump in power by preventing a joint session of congress from counting electoral college votes after the victory of President-elect Joe Biden. 

Trump, who claimed that the election was stolen by Democrats, encouraged thousands of his supporters who gathered in Washington, D.C.  Trump didn’t even send National Guard to quell the Jan. 6 riot. 

Kevin Seefried, who was seen holding a Confederate flag at the Jan. 6 riots, was sentenced to a three-year prison sentence.

Nike has experienced some bumps in recent months. The company dropped Kyrie Irving, Ja Morant is going to counseling after waving a gun on his Instagram Live account, and Curbed recently published an expose on Nike collaborator Tom Sachs.

But none of this is new. When companies give endorsement deals to celebrities, there is a chance the deal will end on bad terms. 

Coresight Research CEO and founder Deborah Weinswig spoke about celebrity endorsement deals during an interview with Insider.

“I’ve always not been a fan of celebrity deals. You do need that halo, but don’t bet the ranch on one athlete.”

Weinswig added that companies should also include employees in their endorsement deals. 

​​“It has to be a mixture of your own employees and celebrities,” she told Insider. “Every brand will find its own balance. That’s the right model for the future.”

Hitha Herzog, the chief retail analyst for Doneger Tobe, said that because social media makes peoples’ lives transparent, endorsement deals are now complicated. 

“What the brands are not doing well is vetting who they are partnering with,” she told Insider. “You’re not just aligning on what two people do in terms of professional jobs,” she said. “In 2023, we have a lot of transparency, and there’s going to be a lot more transparency in the future.”

Matt Powell, a sportswear industry analyst, echoed Herzog. 

“I thought for a while that brands were moving away from real celebrity endorsements,” he told Insider. “But there certainly have been a lot of high-profile issues lately. It’ll scare people off from doing more of these. The return isn’t there for brands today.”

Insider also reported that Michael Jordan’s deal with Nike is the gold standard, which has not been repeated. However, Serena Williams, who has a deal with Nike, as well as Steph Curry, and Tom Brady, who both signed deals with Under Armour, have shed light on an entire brand. 

“You can argue LeBron is the face of Nike today, and his reach is much more than the sales of his shoes. At the same time, people are having to spend tons and tons of money, and they’re not really getting the return on it,” Powell told Insider. 

• News

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

March 18, 2023

Allegations filed in New York Against Dos Toros for Allowing Unchecked Racial Slurs & Hostile Work Environment

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Joseph & Norinsberg LLC announced today that it has filed a civil action case in New York Supreme Court resulting from allegations that their client was subject to the ‘n-word’ by colleagues, including the assistant manager, while at work.

Dos Toros, a popular New York-based and headquartered Mexican-style food chain, and its holding company, Founders Table Restaurant Group, are named in the lawsuit.

The filing claims that Allison Edwards, a resident of Manhattan, lodged a formal complaint with the defendant detailing the regular use of the ‘n-word’ and other racial epithets by non-Black employees, including supervisors, without any consequence. On multiple occasions, Ms. Edwards was called the ‘n-word’ and exposed to frequent racist jokes. Managerial staff persons are said to have used the ‘n-word’ often when talking to subordinates.

Although Ms. Edwards filed complaints and reported the behavior to all appropriate parties, Dos Toros management met the plaintiff with dismissive responses and did not attempt to stop the verbal abuse. In fact, supervisors actually defended one of the employees who called Ms. Edwards the “n-word,” claiming this racial epithet was merely “slang.” She was forced to resign due to the discomfort and trauma caused by employees using the slur daily.

“The historically horrendous nature of using the ‘n-word’ will never go away. No one should be subject to hostile, offensive language while on the job,” said Bennitta Joseph, Partner Joseph & Norinsberg LLC. “Too often, employees withstand offensive workplace behavior, especially when seemingly endorsed by senior leaders whose authority shapes the behavior of the rest of the staff. After our client communicated her dismay, management should have rectified the situation. We are committed to and await justice owed to our client.”

Regardless of the race of those using the callous epithet, discrimination, hate speech, and retaliation in the workplace present a possible violation of several federal and state laws protecting civil and human rights. The employee is seeking compensatory and punitive damages for loss wages, emotional distress, and harm to her professional and personal reputation.

On March 4, 2023, some of the most influential celebrities, activists and leaders in the black community gathered for the 9th annual Truth Awards, a star-studded red-carpet event that honored the contributions and achievements of Black queer artists and leaders, as well as trusted allies to the Black LGBTQIA+ community, at the Taglyan Cultural Complex.

In case you missed it and want to be a part of the impactful experience, FOX SOUL, the Black community’s premiere free streaming platform, will stream the awards show taking place tomorrow, Saturday March 18 at 7PM PT / 10 PM ET and again on Friday, March 24th at 6PM PT / 9PM ET.

The event addressed the challenges of queer black artists and leaders who face underrepresentation and erasure. This year’s show was co-hosted by actress, model and talk show host of Cocktails with Queens and TEA G-I-F, FOX SOUL’s premier talk shows, Claudia Jordan, news anchor Marcus Washington, and Harlem actor Jerrie Johnson. A few other notable celebrity guests include, Jason Lee, Judge Mablean Ephriam, Eric Scott Ways, Kim Fields, Brandee Evans, Terrance Terrell, Kim Coles, Rhoyle Ivy King, Folake Olowofoyeku, Geffri Maya, Tre’vell Anderson, Ashlee Marie Preston, and Darnell Moore. But what is a celebration without some dynamic performers, we’re talking Coko Gamble, Avery Wilson, Jayye Michael, and Bryan Thompson.

In partnership with Better Brothers Los Angeles and the D.I.V.A Foundation this year’s Truth awards honored actress, singer, and songwriter Raven Symone; Judge Greg Mathis, vegan social media influencer Tabitha Brown; Internal Medicine Physician and HIV expert Dr. David Malebranche; the Unique Women’s Coalition, Hampton University football player Byron Perkins; UCLA provost and professor Darnelll Hunt; The Netflix series The Upshaws and STARZ #TakeTheLead.

Highlights: 

• Abbott Elementary actress Sheryl Lee Ralph raised over $50,000 in under five minutes and matched every dollar raised at this year’s event.

• Actress and comedian Tiffany Haddish surprised the crowd in a video appearance, donating double the amount of each scholarship with a total $40,000, $5000 going to each scholarship.

• ‘Raven’s Home’ actress Raven Symone receives Icon Award for her decades of commitment to kids and family programming.

• Byron Perkins, the first openly gay HBCU football player, was honored with the Courage Award.

ABOUT TRUTH AWARDS

Since 2015, the Truth Awards has honored over 50 individuals including Mayor Karen Bass, Judge Darrin Gayles, James Earl Hardy, Kalen Allen, TS Madison, and Emmy Award winners Colman Domingo, Karamo Brown, Anthony Hemingway, Taj Paxton, Loretta Devine, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and Raven Symone. They have awarded over $150,000 in scholarships to black LGBTQ+ students pursuing post-secondary education. Celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Dwyane Wade, Gabrielle Union, Sherri Shepherd, Tisha Campbell, Simone Missick and more have joined the celebration to show their support of the LGBTQ+ community.

The war on sex trafficking is becoming more and more dangerous as anyone can become a victim.

TLC singer T-Boz jumped on Instagram to put out an official warning after her daughter almost became a victim. With the caption “watch your surroundings” the 52-year-old talks about how her daughter, Chase Anela Rolison, was sought out by sex traffickers. “Y’all always hear about sex trafficking and stuff like that,” T-Boz said. “So, my daughter was just leaving the doctor’s office and when she came to the car she had a weird thing on her windshield wiper.”

T-Boz warns her followers to watch their surroundings after her daughter was potentially being tracked leaving a doctor’s appointment pic.twitter.com/GvOQiYIzo3

— Glock Topickz (@Glock_Topickz) March 16, 2023

Sources say this tactic is often used to catch victims. The 22-year-old was smart enough to not touch the item as it could have had a drug substance on it that the singer said “will knock you out.”

Rolison hurried to get her car started and drove off to a more crowded location. Suspicious items on your car aren’t the only way to get caught up in sex trafficking. The CrazySexyCool singer claims trackers can be put on your vehicle as well and speaks on getting someone to search them, if possible. “Now, I hear they put trackers on your car, T-Boz said. “So, if you have a father, brother, male around, police station, wherever make sure y’all check for trackers so they won’t track you guys home or to the next location and try to do the same thing.”

Criminals aren’t just after women. Rappers Xzibit and 2 Chainz both found AirTags—one on a car and another lodged in identified belongings—according to Hip Hop DX. “Be careful out here guys, these people are getting bold,” the West Coast rapper said on Instagram.

Rolison reposted her mom’s video on her Instagram Story, thanking everyone for their concern. “I’m okay and I appreciate everyone.”