• Diversity, Equality, Inclusion

by Derek Major

March 1, 2023

Comcast RISE Showcases the Stories of Four Diverse Entrepreneurs in ‘Road to RISE’ Documentary

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The Comcast RISE (Representation, Investment, Strength and Empowerment) program, which invests in small businesses owned by women and people of color, released its documentary, The Road To RISE, highlighting four entrepreneurs who are giving back to their communities.

The Comcast RISE program was created in 2020 to invest in the success of minority and female businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program serves this group of business owners with much-needed aid through consulting, media, and technical assistance. Moreover, it provides these companies with a $10,000 grant to improve operations and build other resources to help them thrive.

Hosted by model and entrepreneur, Robin Harris, The Road To RISE is an inspiring documentary that follows the journeys of four Comcast RISE grant recipients seeking to bolster their communities. The film is set across four different cities, revealing how these underrepresented entrepreneurs found success. The following are their stories of beating the odds by overcoming adversity and embracing their aspirations.

https://www.comcastrise.com/stories/

Brianna Hairlson, Bri’s Dance Place (Merrillville, IN)

Brianna Hairlson began dancing at the age of 7 and never stopped. The Howard University graduate and mother of three launched Bri’s Dance Place in 2012 as a two-day dance camp in a local church. Her perseverance paid off in 2019 when she officially opened her independent dance studio.

“Dance has been my life since the age of seven and going off to Howard I knew I was exposed to the arts. I got my dance minor there. I saw beautiful studios, but I knew that back home we didn’t have that or they were focused on age-appropriate choreography, costumes and music,” Hairlson said. “So, I knew I had to bring that back home, the children, just being a light in this community and exposure is the great equalizer.”

Bri’s Dance Place offers a litany of classes, including traditional ballet, modern ballet, tap dancing, hip-hop classes, and more. Additionally, Hairlson makes it a point to uplift and encourage her students with positive statements on the walls of the studio and by beginning each class by having her students say statements of affirmation.

Hairlson’s mom, who introduced her to dance, died before she had the opportunity to see the opening of Hairlson’s studio. However, the entrepreneur says that her spirit is alive in the studio.

“She ended up passing in December 2019 after I had my grand opening,” Hairlson says. “She never walked in this studio, never saw it, but she’s here. She’s in me and I actually think that through that process, because grief is a process, it prepared me for the pandemic.”

Stefanie Sysounthone, Pinky Swear Studio (Chicago, IL)

Sysounthone left her corporate job and a steady paycheck to start the Pinky Swear Studio, a Chicago-based studio focused on design installations for special events and businesses, including visual merchandising for storefronts, office lobbies, and pop-up events.

“I decided to quit because I did not think that being at my corporate job and contributing to the household financially was worth it mentally,” she said. “It was a hard decision but an easy decision. It was hard because when you live your entire life working for money and knowing that paycheck was going to come every other Friday, you don’t have to worry because you have job security. Then you make the decision to lose that job security [and] to give up that nice financial cushion you’ve had for a while.”

One of the biggest reasons Sysounthone was able to pursue her dreams was the support of her husband, James Beesley III, who is used to working without a boss and a steady paycheck. Sysounthone believes the couple’s entrepreneurial spirit will rub off on their daughter, Theodora, and if she chooses that path, Sysounthone will be ready to give her daughter some solid advice

“I personally would give her the advice that failure is going to happen, and you need to embrace it and handle it as a learning opportunity,” said Sysounthone. “Nobody’s perfect and you have to fail in order to get it right, in order to learn and to be better as a person. Not just for building a business.”

Shawn Manley, Manley’s Notary Service (Detroit, MI)

Manley has spent his life serving and mentoring the city of Detroit, while working for one of the city’s big three automotive companies. When his kidney disease put a pause on Manley’s active lifestyle, he didn’t let that stop him and continued to help his community by starting a notary business from his home.

“I was sitting at home one day and I was always an active person. So, I’m sitting in this house and I’m bored…What can I do? So, I began to think, and I said, “You know I used to watch my dad’s friend notarize; maybe I’ll become a notary,’” said Manley. “While I did that I was still working in the community, still doing what I was able to do. I was ill, but I still did it and today I’m still doing it.”

Although Manley receives multiple dialysis treatments from his home daily, he continues to provide for Detroit’s residents in multiple ways, including offering free notary services for those who can’t afford to pay him.

“In the community where I live, I noticed a lot of people don’t have a lot of income. I have done it for free just because I can help somebody in my community and people always say you have a business, you’re here to make money. Yeah, I’m here to make money but I’m also here to help people. I have a strong sense of that.”

Hector Nuñez, Wooder Ice (Philadelphia, PA)

Hector Nuñez is the creator and owner of Wooder Ice, a digital and social platform that writes, shoots, and edits engaging and positive content about entrepreneurs in Philadelphia.

The Philadelphia native started the platform to showcase and celebrate the positivity of his hometown and its entrepreneurs.

“I wanted to be something that was Philly-centric but also hyper-local to Philly because we’re hyper-local, and I spelled it phonetically to keep the accent alive, because here we pronounce it wooder not water,” Nuñez told Harris.

Additionally, Nuñez wanted to control the narrative, showing the people of color and entrepreneurs who are doing great things and are looking to make the city of brotherly love a better place.

These four entrepreneurs are not just business owners, but they also serve as mentors and activists within their communities to ensure growth and support for the residents who live there. All four are part of something bigger than themselves, serving the places they call home.

• Technology

by Sidnee Michelle Douyon

March 1, 2023

Historic Black Innovators’ Contributions to Technology Paved the Way for Black Digital Equity Today

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Technology is the backbone of society’s advancements and central to our daily lives.

African Americans have made indelible contributions in technology innovation. I think of Dorothy Vaughan, who taught an early programming language at NASA; Dr. Gladys West, who laid the foundation for GPS; and the “Godfather of Silicon Valley,” Roy Clay Sr., who helped develop one of HP’s first computers.

Back in 1970’s Baltimore, one of my first jobs at a men’s clothing store required me to do every task by hand — from logging inventory to checking out customers. Today, that job would be virtually unrecognizable, as workers now navigate digitally with point-of-purchase software, digital inventory trackers, and loyalty apps. They don’t punch a clock like I did, they log their hours online.

That’s not just true of retail, either. A new report released by the National Skills Coalition, in partnership with the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, found a staggering 92% of job postings already require basic digital skills. Jobs that require even one digital skill can earn an average of 23% more than jobs requiring no digital skills — an increase of $8,000 in annual income. In other words, nearly every entry-level job and career path today demands digital skills.

Not surprisingly, people of color are more likely to be affected by these gaps. A 2021 Urban Institute study found that while 85% of young white people between ages 16-24 have basic digital skills, only 52% of young black people do. Further compounding the disparities, 29% of black Americans do not have broadband at home – significantly fewer than their white peers.

The late Congressman John Lewis called access to the internet “the civil rights issue of the 21st century” because he understood something important: access and the ability to navigate the internet is essential for economic empowerment and a prerequisite for full participation in a truly democratic society.

So, how do we address this present, fundamental challenge of our times? How do we achieve digital equity? First, we need to acknowledge the challenges.

While some rural regions lack high-speed Internet access, the recent Bipartisan Infrastructure Law now provides dedicated funds to address the gaps. Fortunately, nearly all the nation is well-wired, but still too many lack broadband at home. Why?

While affordability has historically been a barrier for many, programs now exist to eliminate this. The Federal Government has made a massive investment in broadband access and adoption through the Affordable Connectivity Program, which delivers eligible households with up to $30/month (or up to $75/month on tribal lands) towards their home Internet bills. At Comcast, our Internet Essentials program is available at zero cost to qualifying households, when the ACP credit is applied.

The biggest challenge we face today in achieving digital equity has to do with adoption. We’ve learned we can’t just give people a connection and cross our fingers. We also must give them the support they need to get online, to obtain a device, and to learn how to use the connection and the device to fulfill basic daily needs – like scheduling doctors’ visits or refilling prescriptions. Or developing the basic digital skills needed for the current job market, like submitting resumes and preparing for job interviews. Or furthering one’s education through studying at home or applying to college online.

We’ve also learned that another critical barrier that dissuades many folks from getting online has to do with distrust—whether it be of business or of government. Fortunately, there is a proven strategy to help overcome this barrier: digital navigators.

Digital navigators are trusted, community members with the knowledge to help others overcome barriers and get online. A recent Boston Consulting Group study found that digital navigators helped 65% of study participants get connected and helped one third of respondents find a new job, or earn a higher income.

Their impact can be undeniable. In Detroit, young digital navigators helped members of the St. Patrick Senior Center get online and learn the digital skills to connect with loved ones and access basic services. The result has been a beautiful example of intergenerational collaboration and life-changing skills development for both the digital navigators and their elderly students.

In the spirit of John Lewis and so many civil rights heroes who devoted their talents and passion to helping others, we can all do our part. We can all pitch in to help our families, friends, and neighbors by making them aware of the Affordable Connectivity Program and low-cost services like Internet Essentials. Make yourself available to those who need assistance with technology. Volunteer with local organizations that promote digital literacy. Urge your company or non- profit to seek out initiatives that promote upskilling or start such an initiative yourself.
And, in the spirit of innovators like Ms. Vaughn, Dr. West, and Mr. Clay, let’s redouble our efforts to ensure that everyone can achieve unlimited possibilities made possible through technology and the power of the internet.

Representative Lewis also said, “every generation leaves a legacy.” Let this be ours.

• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

March 1, 2023

Howard University Closes Black History Month with a Bomb Threat

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Howard University ended Black History Month with a bomb threat.

FOX 5 reported the Washington D.C.-based HBCU received a bomb threat around 9:30 a.m. on Feb. 28, and advised students and faculty to shelter in place. The threat was made to the campus radio station, WHUR. According the The Hilltop, an employee received the threat after answering the phone during The Steve Harvey Morning Show.

“It was a normal morning, we were doing our normal morning show. There was staff in the building, probably about five or six people,” a radio show employee said. “There was a bomb threat made over the phone that we responded to and we immediately informed campus police and they took it from there.”

A tweet was created by the Howard University Department of Public Safety advising people to stay clear of an intersection close to Bryant and 4th St. until further notice.

@dcpolicedept and DPS are investigating a bomb threat made to WHUR this morning. A shelter-in-place has been ordered for the station complex. All persons on main campus are advised to avoid pedestrian or vehicle traffic near Bryant and 4th St. until further notice. #bisonsafe pic.twitter.com/ad9kRqsrjc

— Howard University Department of Public Safety (@HowardPolice) February 28, 2023

Students, like Atlanta Atkinson and Arthur Codrington, had mixed feelings when the alert was sent. “Another one, like, again?,’” Atkinson remembered. “And I think the fact that it was on the last day of February – it should hold some more validity maybe.”

“I just kind of shrugged it off and was like ‘Oh, another Howard thing,’” Codrington said. “I’m sure it was like some white person decided ‘oh let me go put a bomb threat at an HBCU and end Black History Month with a bang.’”

Luckily, the threat was a hoax with no injuries reported and things announced to be clear about an hour after the call was made.

With the achievements and accolades that Michael B. Jordan has been receiving lately, it comes as no surprise that he will be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce announced that the actor, producer, and director will be honored on March 1, with the 2,751st star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He is being recognized in the category of Motion Pictures.

The revealing of his star will be hosted by Lupita Sanchez Cornejo; also in attendence will be Jordan’s Creed III co-star Jonathan Majors, and Ryan Coogler, the director of Creed.

The event, which will be live-streamed exclusively at walkoffame.com, is taking place at 6201 Hollywood Boulevard in front of Funko Hollywood. The ceremony will be at 11:30 a.m. PT.

“Michael B. Jordan has become a household name thanks to his many roles on the big screen,” said Ana Martinez, Producer of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in a written statement. “To think that this star didn’t grow up with dreams of being an actor! Luckily for us, he changed his mind and now he will be honored with an iconic star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.”

Jordan made his feature film directorial debut with the latest addition to the Creed saga where he plays the title character, Adonis Creed, the son of Apollo Creed (Rocky). The latest movie in the series debuts in theaters and IMAX on March 3. In this third Creed film, his adversary is played by  Majors.

The actor’s next project, Rainbow Six, which is directed by Chad Stahelski, has him playing Navy SEAL-turned-CIA operative, John Clark. Jordan is also starring in the MGM reimagining of The Thomas Crowne Affair. Upcoming projects include Danny Boyle’s Methuselah and the Will Smith-helmed sequel, I Am Legend 2. Jordan will also team up with Coogler for a fourth time on Wrong Answer.

Los Angeles paid for the invasion of privacy by their county’s first responders.

Vanessa Bryant recently reached a settlement with Los Angeles County for the lawsuit filed over photos taken of the scene of her late husband Kobe Bryant’s and daughter Gianna Bryant’s 2020 helicopter crash.

According to NBC News, the settlement, approved by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, totaled $28.8 million and included the $15 million a jury awarded to Vanessa in August.

“We hope Ms. Bryant and her children continue to heal from their loss,” said Mira Hashmall, lead trial counsel for Los Angeles County in the case.

As previously reported by BLACK ENTERPRISE, Vanessa sued Los Angeles County for invasion of privacy over photos taken of Kobe and Gianna at the crash site. Allegedly, cops and firefighters on the scene shared photos of the tragic crash that killed her loved ones and seven others in Calabasas, in Jan. 2020.

In August, Vanessa gave a three-hour testimony regarding the effect the photos have had on her and her children, saying they caused her to “live in fear every day of being on social media and having these photos pop up.”

Today reported that among those passengers in the 2020 helicopter crash were the wife and daughter of Chris Chester, who also sued over the handling of the photos. Chester was also awarded $15 million by the jury in August.

Others lost their loves from the crash including John Altobelli, 56; his wife, Keri Altobelli, 46; their daughter Alyssa Altobelli, 14; and Christina Mauser, 38.

The pilot operating the helicopter, Ara Zobayan, also died in the crash.

In Feb. 2021, The National Transportation Board (NTSB) reported that Zobayan made poor decisions to continue to fly under visual flight rules into instrument meteorological conditions, adding that his “spatial disorientation” led to the fatal helicopter crash.

According to an NTSB member, Zobayan should have avoided the weather and landed the aircraft instead of climbing to get above the clouds.

• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

March 1, 2023

Black Chef Now Homeless After Losing His Popular Los Angeles Restaurant

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Appearing on television wasn’t enough to save this Los Angeles restaurant.

People reported a chef featured on Fox’s 24 Hours To Hell & Back is now homeless after losing his restaurant in 2019. Clive Jackson appeared on the popular show featuring master chef, Gordon Ramsay, to save his restaurant, The Brownstone Bistro. During the show’s first season, Jackson admitted to having trouble attracting customers to his Caribbean-style business.

In classic Ramsay style, he helped Jackson with new furniture and a revamped menu. Even his employees came together as a team to assist in keeping the restaurant afloat.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough. The Bistro closed its doors for good and Jackson found himself couch-surfing in friends homes. Shortly after, L.A.’s Skid Row became his new home. “When I met him, he was bright eyed, energetic, and hopeful about finding work,” friend Lizzy Calhoun said. “The shelter system & SROs were terrifying experiences for such a trusting gentle man. And it’s next to impossible to find work when you don’t have access to stable housing.”

Calhoun is the organizer of Food Not Bombs DTLA, a group that serves vegan meals and distributes supplies to those in need on Skid Row. During the rain storms, Jackson’s makeshift tent was destroyed, leaving him cold and shivering. Thankfully, Calhoun found Jackson and, after making several calls, was able to find a hotel that agreed to house him – for $92 a night.

Calhoun set up a GoFundMe to assist the former entrepreneur in getting back on his feet. According to the campaign, the Jamaica native battled through a divorce and the murder of his son, Clive Jackson, Jr.  Donating to the fund will potentially turn things around for him. With a goal of $50,000, so far over $44,000 has been raised. “This is a life or death situation for many with temperatures dipping into the 30s,” Calhoun wrote. “But Clive is safe & warm tonight.”

Kyrie Irving has made it a regular habit of donating to causes and people he is not directly connected to, but his efforts are often overshadowed by negative press. Well, the Dallas Mavericks point guard has done it again with a $45,000 donation to a man who wanted to help two organizations located in Nigeria and Ghana.

According to The Dallas Morning News, Irving made a hefty donation to a man who was looking to raise $5,000 to help out an orphanage and impoverished school in Africa. On a GoFundMe account started by Cameron Mofid, the 22-year-old from Miami stated that he had just returned from an overseas trip through West Africa. He expressed his desire to help out a school in Nigeria and an orphanage in Ghana.

He initially started with a fundraising goal of $1,000 but raised it to $5,000 when 170 donors contributed within a week. Over the weekend, when Mofid headed back to the page to see an update, he was shocked when he noticed the lofty amount donated by Irving. On the page, he saw a $45,000 donation from “Kyrie.”

“I actually thought it was a mistake or a scam, like spam mail,” Mofid told The Dallas Morning News. After doing some online research, Mofid saw that Irving had a history of making donations to causes he believed in. “That’s when I went into a state of shock,” Mofid said.

When it was verified that Irving did make the donation, he notified the people in Nigeria of the large donation. According to Mofid, the kids and teachers, in a state of excitement, made videos thanking him and taking pictures that featured a handmade sign, signifying the “Kyrie Irving Classroom” for the school that will be built.

“It’s really amazing,” Mofid said. “I haven’t slept much because we’ve been figuring out all of our new plans. Initially, we had just raised enough money to buy backpacks and to buy the land for the new orphanage.

“His donation single-handedly will build the entire orphanage in Ghana. It will buy a water tank for the kids in Nigeria. They live in a village with little access to clean drinking water. And so we’ll be able to buy a water tank; we’ll be able to buy shoes for all the kids. And books.

“And we will build a new basketball court in [Irving’s] honor.”

• News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 1, 2023

WATCH: Missouri Pastor Prevents Armed Robbery By Praying For Would-Be Thieves During Service

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A Missouri pastor, who was once employed as a police officer prevented a suspected robbery attempt at his church during a live stream of his service several weeks ago. Through the power of prayer and the tactful way the preacher handled the situation, no one was hurt or robbed.

According to 5 On Your Side, Pastor Marquaello Futrell of the All Creation Northview Holiness Family Church, which is located in Ferguson, Mo. hindered the plans of several would-be thieves at his parish on Feb. 12. During his service, one man had come into the church carrying two bags as he questioned his Children Services Director.

Actress Jerrie Johnson refuses to let men get away with sexual assault.

The co-star of Amazon Prime’s Harlem took to her Instagram account accusing film director Marc Cayce of touching her inappropriately. A source reported that Johnson was attending a movie premiere after-party when a friend introduced her to Cayce. Things got weird almost instantly, according to Johnson. “I tell him what show I’m on about three times, tell him it’s nice to meet him, exchange info and he whispered in my ear,” Johnson recalled. He also went on to misgender the actress.

“I don’t want to hurt your feelings brother and I said my feelings don’t get hurt and why are you calling me brother? I’m not a brother. And this man proceeded to pinch my nipple. It was disgusting and so inappropriate.”

The 29-year-old said the film director did the same thing to a friend of hers that was attending the same party. “And then I told another friend what happen and she told me that he unconsentually smacked her a** when she walked by him.”

Her claims sent her fans over to Cayce’s Instagram page to flood his comment section, which now seems to have been turned off. Johnson, who identifies as a queer and non-binary, continued on her story to say she’s not going to let the Hollywood life let people get away with things. “Listen, I’m the wrong one. I don’t care about LA culture or industry culture or any of that,” Johnson said, according to a source. “You should not be touching people inappropriately for ANY REASON.”

Cayce is best known for his short film, Nikita Blues, released in 2000. The film was released on HBO and received critical acclaim. He’s also known to have allegedly launched the careers of actresses Essence Atkins, Kat Graham, and comedian Brandon T. Jackson.