Antoinette Paris-Hudson, a 28-year-old African American pilot, made history as the third Black female to become a Captain for PSA Airlines. Most recently, she received a job offer from American Airlines, the largest airline in the world.

This news was first reported by blacknews.com

On March 8th at the Sunset Room Hollywood, Lexus and UPTOWN Magazine will collaborate once again — this time to proudly honor the contributions of Black comedians to American culture, arts, and entertainment. The event coincides with the 50th anniversary of hip hop (2023), as Guy Torry’s iconic documentary “Phat Tuesdays: The Era of Hip Hop Comedy,” explores the intersection of the music genre and Black comedy during a significant time in the 1990s.

“This year’s Lexus UPTOWN Honors Hollywood spotlights the history of Black comedians who tell our stories and make us laugh while also navigating complex situations,” said Mia Phillips, Senior Manager, Lexus Advertising and Media. “We applaud these comedians who have broken barriers and we’re delighted to continue the tradition of celebrating those who are impacting the culture.”

Honorees include Guy Torry, creator of “Phat Tuesdays: The Era of Hip Hop Comedy,” Cedric the Entertainer, one of the “Original Kings of Comedy” which won a NAACP Image Award, a Chicago Film Critics Association Award, and National Film Critics Award; and star of CBS’s “The Neighborhood.” Also being honored is Deon Cole, who starred in “Black-ish,” earning him nominations for two NAACP Image Awards and two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and now featured in the Netflix special, “Deon Cole: Charleen’s Boy;” and Kym Whitley, who recently was featured in Netflix’s, “You People,” and was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award, a BET Comedy Award and won an Indie Series Award.

Lexus has been a long-time supporter of UPTOWN Honors Hollywood, with nearly a decade as its title sponsor. UPTOWN developed the annual pre-Oscar, invitation-only, black-tie affair with Lexus to establish a legacy of recognizing Black excellence in entertainment by bringing together the industry’s most prolific Black creators, writers, producers, filmmakers, and actors to pay tribute to the contributions of Black talent in Hollywood. Lexus UPTOWN Honors Hollywood will be hosted by actor, comedian, writer, and producer Chris Spencer and award-winning media personality Tai Beauchamp.

As referenced by IMdB, “Phat Tuesdays: The Era of Hip Hop Comedy,” is a docuseries examining the influential 90’s comedy showcase started by Guy Torry that helped launch the careers of some of the most famous Black comedians in the industry.

Other notable comedians who performed at The Comedy Store and have experienced fame since then include Dave Chappelle, Martin Lawrence, Leslie Jones, and Kym Whitley.

In the 90s, the popularity of hip hop and Black comedy was on the rise with hit shows, including “Russell Simmons’ Def Comedy Jam,” featuring what are now some of the most iconic comedians whose careers catapulted thanks to the HBO series. Rap artists and Black comics alike are credited in the film with making an indelible mark on society.

“Many comedians were excluded from ‘white’ comedy clubs in the 90s, so we’re excited to laud the talents of those who were often overlooked,” said Len Burnett Jr., co-founder and CEO of Uptown Media Ventures. “Lexus UPTOWN Honors Hollywood showcases the importance of Black voices in Hollywood while celebrating those who overcame barriers, paving a way for other Black comedians to enjoy a successful path forward.”

The evening will begin with a cocktail reception, followed by dinner and an awards ceremony for approximately 250 guests, including actors, producers, and industry executives. Immediately following, guests will be invited to enjoy a star-studded after party at the Sunset Room Hollywood.

For more details on “Lexus UPTOWN Honors Hollywood,” visit www.uptownmagazine.com.

Black Ambition is a non-profit initiative founded by Pharrell Williams that aims to close the opportunity and wealth gap by empowering Black & Hispanic entrepreneurs. In 2022, adverse market conditions led to a 45% decrease in financing for Black Entrepreneurs. Black Ambition is leveling the playing field by creating the relationships and conditions for Black and Hispanic founders to excel, uninterrupted. Its annual Black Ambition Prize Competition provides mentorship, resources, connections, and up to $3 million dollars in Prize awards to founders innovating in consumer products and services, media and entertainment, healthcare, technology, and Web 3.0 industries. Applications for the third annual Black Ambition Prize competition open on Wednesday, March 1^st, 2023, at BlackAmbitionPrize.com and close on May 8^th, 2023.

Participating brand partners for the Black Ambition Prize include Adidas, Lennar Foundation, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Visa Foundation, Heineken, and Chanel.

“We’ve accomplished so much in such a short time, and it’s been amazing to see our impact so far. Every year just gets better,” said Founder Pharrell Williams. “It’s not just about creating space for our Black, Hispanic and HBCU entrepreneurs, it’s about equity, it’s about giving them the tools, resources and hands-on mentorship to excel uninterrupted. I am constantly blown away by the ideas and businesses that our applicants have developed and created.”

The Black Ambition Prize is more than a monetary reward. Black Ambition Prize winners will receive mentorship, resources, and connections to additional investors and funding. Awardees will also receive bi-weekly office hours with leaders in marketing, PR, and brand building with global brands such as Heineken, Snapchat, Netflix, and other participating companies.

Winning recipients attend town hall meetings with Pharrell and receive life coaching and therapeutic workshops, both in groups and 1-on-1, encouraging a holistic career approach. Previous participating founders have shared that they are now more confident in pitching their business to other investors and are grateful for the opportunity to meet new investors through Black Ambition’s network and invite-only company events.

Black Ambition is looking for founders who are thinking big and building the world-changing companies of tomorrow. These founders are building ventures with strong business viability and fundability, dynamic teams and a spirit of innovation and expression. These businesses must be committed to transforming the landscape in their communities, in their hiring practices and in their contribution to giving back and uplifting those around them. Both tracks of the Black Ambition Prize competition will launch with a nationwide call for applications from eligible founder teams.

To be eligible for the Black Ambition Prize, applicants must have, or aspire to achieve, a national or global business reach for their product and or service and have at least one founder or co-founder that identifies as Black/African/African American and/or Hispanic/Latino/a/Latinx – a member of the founding team is defined as having a senior role, such as VP or C-level role. The grand prize winner will receive a $1 million prize and at least fifteen additional teams will receive prize awards from $15k–$250k.

In support of historically Black colleges and universities (“HBCUs”), Black Ambition will also provide a unique Black Ambition Prize application track for HBCU students and alumni with the opportunity to win an HBCU Prize. The grand prize winner will be awarded up to $200,000, with additional teams receiving smaller prizes. Teams must include at least one current HBCU undergraduate or graduate student (full-time or part-time), one recent alum within five years of graduation, or one former student within five years of attending the institution who is a member of the founding team to be eligible. This HBCU-affiliated individual must identify as Black/African/African American and/or Hispanic/Latino/a/Latinx. Black Ambition is also co-sponsoring an 8-week So Ambitious HBCU Pre-Accelerator Program launched in partnership with 3Day Startup and Cinematica Labs to further aid up to 100 HBCU students in creating compelling Black Ambition Prize applications. Applications open on Wednesday, March 1^st, 2023, and close on Monday, March 20th, 2023. For additional details, visit https://www.blackambitionprize.com/startup-accelerator-landing-page/.

Felecia Hatcher, CEO of Black Ambition, states, “As we approach year three of the Black Ambition Prize, we continue to build on our legacy of supporting and empowering Black and Hispanic entrepreneurs to achieve unparalleled success, this year presents even greater urgency with reports showing a drastic decline in funding for diverse founders in the venture space.  The work that we’re doing is more important than ever. This year’s Prize is designed to provide a plethora of resources and opportunities to Black, Hispanic, and HBCU founders, allowing them to transform their innovative ideas into successful and impactful businesses.”

Once applications are received and scored, up to 250 semi-finalists will advance to participate in the Black Ambitionist Mentor Program, a 12-week entrepreneurial curriculum. Up to 50 finalists will be selected to receive additional support including access to pitch coaches and design support to prepare to pitch their ventures for funding consideration at Black Ambition’s annual Demo Day in November. Judges for last year’s Demo Day event included Jay Lundy of Combs Enterprises, Monica Wheat of Techstars, and Summer Watson of Aku World.

“Since winning the 2022 Black Ambition Prize, I’m feeling invigorated, energized, and excited about our future! I feel like an expert now when it comes to pitching our brand now that I’ve completed the Black Ambition experience. Whether I need to pitch our story in 15 seconds, or five minutes, I’m prepared. If you’re on the fence about applying, DO IT!!”
–Camille Belle, 2022 Black Ambition Prize Winner and Co-Founder and CEO of Pound Cake.

To date, Black Ambition has awarded funding and resources to 65 Prize winners, and supported an additional 500 entrepreneurs with mentorship to strengthen their ventures. Approximately $6M million dollars has been awarded to finalists. Black Ambition also offers community-level programming, events, pitch competitions and regional activations.

Black Ambition has been recognized by Forbes, Essence, Bloomberg, and many more for driving meaningful change. It also was the winner of Fast Company’s 2021 World Changing Ideas award for Impact Investing. Black Ambition looks forward to meeting the entrepreneurs who are shaping the future.

To connect and learn more about Black Ambition, competition eligibility, and how to apply, please visit  www.blackambitionprize.com. Follow us on Facebook (@blackambitionprize), Twitter (@blackambitionpz) and Instagram (@blackambitionprize) to stay up to date with the Black Ambition community.

To learn more about the HBCU Pre-Accelerator Program, please visit https://www.blackambitionprize.com/startup-accelerator-landing-page/.

• Health and Wellness

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

March 2, 2023

Black Woman-Owned Lifestyle + Wellness Space Opens in New Orleans

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Freedom Apothecary is a black woman-owned lifestyle brand + space dedicated entirely to skincare and wellness by companies founded by women. This self-care small business stocks female-founded holistic skin, fragrance and lifestyle products, like tinctures, makeup, books and divination. Freedom also offers a full menu of facial services, blend bar of botanical extracts, oils and salts to make custom masks, oils, scrubs and bath salts, workshops, book clubs, enlightenment and educational events.

Centrally located in the heart of Uptown at 1900 Magazine Street, Owner & Founder Morrisa Jenkins is excited to bring Freedom Apothecary to the place that means so much to her, New Orleans.

Jenkins, a licensed aesthetician, had been selling a line of handmade products, Meaux Moisture, for years before moving to Philadelphia from the Big Easy. When she decided to expand Meaux Moisture into a physical retail space, the mompreneur of two opened Freedom Apothecary’s Philadelphia brick and mortar in the summer of 2019. “…I had a dream about this space, what it should look like.   I wanted to cater to Black women and women of color, and create a space for freedom, authenticity, and education on holistic living.”

Following its opening in the NoLibs neighborhood of Philly, Freedom Apothecary had quickly become a popular destination for skincare and beauty enthusiasts. The carefully and intentionally curated selection of toxin-free serums, cleansers, fragrances, and elixirs also includes products from Freedom’s own house brand (formerly Meaux Moisture)

Four years later, the brand is ready for the next chapter, eager to reach even more women who yearn to shine brighter. Jenkins explains, “What better place than the city of magic.. of soul, the heart of unapologetic self-expression…New Orleans! Where rebirth and transformation are not only encouraged but desired,” [this new chapter of] “Freedom Apothecary will embody more of its original vision. The seeds that were planted in Philly are now ready to flourish in New Orleans and beyond.”

Jenkins is very passionate about the representation of women of color in an industry where it has not always been: “For me, it’s more of a rebellion, how can I make all of this accessible to Black people, to Black women?” She prides herself on carrying a diverse array of skincare products that are inclusive to all skin types which – the chic wellness boutique provides alongside a community of support that empowers each other with an emphasis on representation, accessibility, and equity.

Among other things, Freedom’s mission is to “create a platform for women [entrepreneurs] to know that their products are needed, are valued and can thrive.” The wellness boutique opens early 2023, the first of its kind in so many ways, but above all, the first black woman-owned lifestyle brand + wellness space in New Orleans.

Visit www.freedomapothecary.com to learn more about the brand, shop online, sign up for grand opening updates, their monthly newsletter and upcoming events.

Nigeria’s ruling party candidate, Bola Tinubu, was declared president-elect of Africa’s most populous nation in the early hours of Wednesday after a weekend election that the main opposition parties have disputed.

Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos state, will take over leadership of a country grappling with Islamist insurgencies in the northeast, armed attacks, killings and kidnappings, conflict between livestock herders and farmers, cash, fuel and power shortages, and perennial corruption that opponents say Buhari’s party has failed to stamp out, despite promises to do so.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said Tinubu garnered 8.79 million votes, ahead of main opposition challenger Atiku Abubakar’s 6.98 million votes. Peter Obi, an outsider popular with younger voters, garnered 6.1 million votes.

Nigerian electoral law says a candidate can win by getting more votes than their rivals, provided they get 25% of the vote in at least two-thirds of the 36 states and the federal capital Abuja, which Tinubu did.

Opposition parties rejected the results as the product of a flawed process, which suffered multiple technical difficulties owing to the introduction of new technology by INEC, and on Tuesday called on its chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, to resign.

Tinubu asked voters to elect him on his track record during his two terms as Lagos state governor at the turn of the century, during which he reduced violent crime, improved the city’s traffic jams and cleaned up rubbish.

The 70-year-old has, however, sometimes appeared frail in public, slurring his speech and answering questions with platitudes, and skipping several campaign events, leaving some to doubt how effective he would be.

Obi’s campaign attracted young people and urban, more educated voters fed up with corrupt politics of the past, the two parties that have represented it since the end of military rule in 1999 and old men who have tended to dominate them.

OPPOSITION CRIES FOUL

The opposition People’s Democratic Party, Labour Party and a smaller party rejected the results.

“The results being declared at the National Collation centre have been heavily doctored and manipulated and do not reflect the wishes of Nigerians expressed at the polls,” they said in a joint statement.

INEC rejected the charge.

“There are laid down procedures for aggrieved parties or candidates to follow when they are dissatisfied about the outcome of an election,” it said in a statement.

The election was also marred by violence in places, although not yet on the scale of previous ones.

The INEC had promised to upload results from each polling unit to its website but most units were unable to do so immediately, and thousands of results had yet to be uploaded.

That meant results had to be collated manually inside ward and local government counting centres as in previous polls, which observer missions also criticised as the result of poor planning.

Yesterday, management and production company, ColorCreative announced the launch of its latest project dedicated to supporting diverse creators, the Find Your People Program. The first-ever from the Find Your People Party, a networking event for talented creators to connect with others in their field launched in 2020. ColorCreative’s launch of the Find Your People Program extends the event’s massive success in deepening community impact with the support of partners American Express, Canva, Pop Culture Collaborative, and UTA.

ColorCreative is dedicated to uplifting a diverse array of next generation, multi-hyphenate creators – contributing towards the company’s overarching mission to transform a wide array of industries through new, innovative creative content. Find Your People is a one-of-a-kind catalyst program that provides training, resources, mentorship, and guidance for up-and-coming filmmakers and the skilled professionals who help them bring their ideas to life. The initiative will focus on seven key disciplines: writer, director, producer, cinematographer, editor, production designer, and costume designer.

“ColorCreative’s goal is to support historically underrepresented creators because they are our future,” said Talitha Watkins, President at ColorCreative. “The Find Your People Program furthers our legacy as we establish the next generation of creators who will tell impactful stories that represent their communities.”

Over the course of the program, each discipline will receive industry specific training and come together to form a production team. Each production team will work to write a script, prep for production, and sharpen their professional development and business skills. At the end of the program, creators will pitch to a green light committee for funding to produce a short film.

“It’s thrilling to design a program focused on helping the next generation of diverse filmmakers and aspiring department heads find their people,” said Carolina Groppa, Executive in Charge of Production at ColorCreative. “In doing so, participants can walk away with a highly visible calling card, leadership skills, and more importantly, having built a network of peers to help them get to the next level of their career.”

Partners will support the Find Your People Program in a diverse range of unique ways including: mentorship given by senior leaders and executives at UTA in addition to space for workshops and an industry showcase at their Beverly Hillsheadquarters, a Canva Pro subscription and design workshops as official tools for participants to create submissions and deliverables throughout the program, and business consultation services provided by American Express.

The program kicks off in the spring. Applications are now officially open at colorcreative.co/fypp.

The deadline to apply is March 28, 2023, and the cohorts will be announced at a later date.

Give the people who they want.

Philadelphia state Rep. Joanna McClinton made history on Tuesday, becoming the first woman to serve as speaker of the Pennsylvania House.

According to Yahoo! News, McClinton, 40, who has been a state lawmaker since 2015, was appointed speaker following a leadership change nearly two months after Berks County Democrat Rep. Mark Rozzi’s appointment for the post.

“It was almost 250 years before a woman could stand at this desk, not just to give a prayer, but to get the gavel,” McClinton said after being sworn in. “That’s pretty incredible.”

Reportedly, Rozzi said stepping aside was a willing decision after being speaker since Jan. 3.

“I will not allow the allure of power or the trappings of office to keep me from doing what is right. I was not elected by the people for this office and I will not stand in the way of the woman who was,” Rozzi said in floor remarks on Tuesday. He called McClinton “one of the most intelligent and compassionate women I have met in politics.”

Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta shared that McClinton is the second African American to serve as speaker after the late Speaker Leroy Irvis, who held the post in the 1970s.

“She’s brilliant, formidable, and she gives voice to our values in ways that ring so true it reverberates around this chamber,” said Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny.

“We are going to have rules that protect women, people of color, LGBTQIA+ because this is Pennsylvania, where democracy was born,” McClinton said.

McClinton was raised in southwest Philadelphia, where she currently resides. She studied at La Salle University and Villanova Law School before working as a public defender and a state Senate attorney. Her credentials include working as a Democratic floor leader since 2020, being the first woman appointed for the position.

Reportedly, McClinton won the vote over Republican nominee Rep. Carl Walker Metzgar of Somerset County. With two absences, the vote was 102-99.

Cuba Gooding Jr.’s legal team is clapping back at a woman claiming to have been sexually assaulted by the actor, and accused her of “bragging” about the consensual sex they had on the night of the alleged rape.

On Monday, Gooding’s lawyers confirmed there are three witnesses who accuse the alleged victim, identified as Jane Doe, of returning to the bar where she met the Jerry Maguire actor and boasted about having consensual sex with him, Insider reported. The witnesses are two bar owners and a bartender.

The woman filed a lawsuit against Gooding in 2020 claiming the Academy Award-winning actor raped her twice at the Mercer hotel in New York City in 2013 after the two met at a bar in Greenwich Village. The woman claims she repeatedly told Gooding “no” but he continued the attack.

Gooding denies the allegations with his attorney Ed Sapone saying his client is “very confident” he’ll win the case.

Gooding “has a lot of faith in the civil justice system and can’t wait for his day in court,” Sapone said.

On Tuesday, the judge ordered the trial to begin on June 5. Gooding’s lawyers are still waiting for documents they requested from Doe, including a police report she said she filled out shortly after hiring the legal team of famed women’s rights attorney Gloria Allred.

Doe’s attorney, Casey Wolnowski, said they are aware of the witnesses but “vehemently denies their views on what transpired.” Wolnowski is “confident the jury is going to give” his client’s testimony “the weight it deserves.”

The trial comes two years after more than 30 women came forward to accuse Gooding of groping or inappropriately touching them. The Boyz n the Hood star pleaded guilty last year to a harassment charge that allowed him to avoid imprisonment.

Natasha Ashworth, one of the three women in the criminal case, was awarded $80,000 after Gooding failed to respond to her lawsuit for nearly two years.

Omarion issued a public service announcement after one of his fans was catfished into believing she was engaged to the “Ice Box” singer.

A woman by the name of Simone recently appeared on Dr. Phil, where she opened up about the person she met online who had her convinced she was dating the one and only Omarion. The woman claimed the singer’s “manager wants me to pay $3,000 to meet him,” Billboard reported.

Simone never met the man in person since they first started talking in October 2020. Yet, she said yes when he asked her to get married and believed Omarion was gifting her with an engagement ring.

So far, the woman spent $300 on a fake fan club membership for Omarion and had her friend send around $4,500 throughout the duration of their relationship with the online scammer. Simone and her friend reached out to Dr. Phil for help in determining if the woman was being misled by someone tricking her out of her money and time.

“Imagine how you would feel after receiving a direct message from a superstar after commenting on their fan page,” Dr. Phil shared in a teaser of the episode.

“However, according to the FTC, if you get a message out of the blue from a celebrity, it’s most likely a scam.”

 

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Omarion also appeared in the episode to give a message to the audience about falling for scams presented by people pretending to be a celebrity. He also took to his Instagram Story to warn his fans about being “smart” against catfishers who are impersonating him online.

“Be smart family,” Omarion wrote after the episode aired. “So many people have stories saying they spoke with me online.”

“I don’t take advantage of people. I respect and appreciate people who support me.”

The son of The Jackson 5 group member, guitarist Tito Jackson, has expressed his disdain for his famous award-winning aunt, Janet Jackson, in a Twitter post that states that she “overly sexualized” her art.

TJ Jackson, a nephew of Janet, took to Twitter earlier this week to downplay the art form she does when she is on stage. There’s no clear reason why he responded to a Twitter user with the diss toward his aunt. A woman who uses the tag @offthewallalbum (a user with a protected account, not sure if it was protected before he responded to it, thus going viral) wrote something that made him reply.

TJ responded by writing, “I never liked when she did this in concerts either. I don’t like when females are overly sexualized in art…it degrades and objectify’s women in a way that’s not healthy. I prefer the “That’s The Way Love Goes” Janet.”

I never liked when she did this in concerts either. I don’t like when females are overly sexualized in art…it degrades and objectify’s women in a way that’s not healthy. I prefer the “That’s The Way Love Goes” Janet. 👸🏾

— TJ Jackson (@tjjackson) February 28, 2023

Without knowing the context of why he responded the way he did, another Twitter user also reached out to him. He mentioned that Janet empowered herself while uplifting other women, complimenting her, and calling her well-rounded.

What your aunt showed over the years is how women can own themself. She has never been just about social Justice. Or just about sex. Or just about a part. She is a well rounded person.

— Black JAB (@therealj_byrd) February 28, 2023

He does give credit for his aunt being a trailblazer and icon. He listed several of her albums to emphasize how legendary she is and that “There will never be another JJ.”

I agree. She wouldn’t have had it any other way. She is a trailblazer and an icon. From Control to RN to All for You to Gone Till It’s Gone…There will never be another JJ.

— TJ Jackson (@tjjackson) February 28, 2023

Many Twitter users also went after TJ for trying to “shame” Janet. But, he had to go on the defensive when several users expressed that in a previous post, he was referring to his aunt as a “hoe,” something he stated he would never call Janet.

I would NEVER call my aunt a hoe. I love & respect her too much. Some people took my tweet and inferred it was for her. I’m talking about WAP celebrating being a hoe with it mentioning “hoes” countless times in the song that’s why I used the word “hoe”. Not my thing as a father.

— TJ Jackson (@tjjackson) March 1, 2023