LisaRaye McCoy is mourning the passing of her mother, Katie McCoy.  The actress and co-host of Cocktails with Queens took to social media to share the sad news. 

LisaRaye wrote: “I’m numb.” I lost my mother last night. It was expected, but I could never prepare. Being strong is what you taught me, but I can’t say it applies today. I will make your transition a celebration of memories that I will cherish. I’ll miss you.”

 

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Recently, LisaRaye sat with Black Enterprise to discuss the second season of Cocktails with Queens. 

“I think we want to shed some light on some of the buffoonery,” LisaRaye said to Black Enterprise. “And what I mean by that is, is that we’ll pose the question and just wait and sit on it. Like, this is what you’re doing. This is what you’re saying. This is what you are showcasing as an example to the younger generation, and your kids, and everyone else that’s out there watching you; this is what you’re doing. Is this what you mean?” 

LisaRaye first caught the eye of television viewers with an appearance on the popular television series In the House. Though the movie never did find a distributor, director Monty Ross convinced the then—budding actress to move out to L.A. during pilot season, and she soon landed minor roles on Martin as well as an made an appearance in rapper Tupac Shakur’s final music video. Her most memorable appearance comes from The Players Club, where she played a troubled stripper. After appearing in The Wood, LisaRaye joined her sister, Da Brat,  as a host of Source: All Access, a popular series dedicated to exploring hip-hop culture. 

In 2020, LisaRaye and her mother appeared on Iyanla:Fix My Life. 

Having a career that spans decades is a testament to ones’ passion for their respective craft, and acting with the mindset of being a lifelong student. Dionne Warwick at 82-years-old continues to work and record music as if she’s a baby-faced and wide-eyed student.

Warwick has been hard at work preparing for her upcoming 50-city tour dubbed, Hits! The Music alongside her son, Damon Elliott.

The East Orange, NJ. native spoke with AP News, about her career, working with her son and their upcoming tour, which she also serves as executive producer.

“Anything that deals with children is an automatic yes for me,” Warwick said to AP news. “These babies are amazing. They’ve proven what music can do, bring joy, happiness, inspiration, ability — just life, you know?”

Proving to be a student of music, the Grammy-winning artist was inspired to do Hits! The Music after watching the group of kids perform songs like Ricky Martin’s “Livin’ La Vida Loca;”   “Where Is The Love?” by the Black-Eyed Peas; Adele’s “Rolling In The Deep;” and “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars.

Warwick added: “I’m really at a loss for words and I’m never at a loss for words. To see this kind of brilliance.”

Fifteen- year- old cast-member, Matthew Jost said he’s excited to work with Warwick.

It’s just music that means a lot to me. For this year, we’re all over the place,” Jost said, to AP news. “Just gets that we’re kids, we’re here, and music brings people together.”

Damon Elliott, Warwick’s son, was nominated for an Academy Award along with songwriter Diane Warren for the song “Applause” from the film Tell It Like A Woman. The duo also joined forces on a song called “Gonna Be You” in the upcoming 80 For Brady movie.

“Mom and I, we don’t take on anything, we don’t endorse pretty much anything,” Elliott said to AP News.  “But when it involves kids, as long as they are truly up to par and they work hard and bring that energy, I’ll be behind it.”

Warwick added: “I’ll keep going as long as the people want me to be there and they fill the seats. That’s all I can tell you.”

Earlier this year, Warwick announced that she and Dolly Parton were working on a record. However, the song has yet to be released.

Read AP’s feature in its entirety here. 

Pioneering husband and wife duo George and Joan Johnson created a path where there was none and left a legacy that reminds us that Black is beautiful.

For having such a string of ‘firsts,’ the master visionaries behind Johnsons Products Company built one of the nation’s largest black-owned businesses by catering to the halo of curls, kinks, and coils of Black folks in the 1950s in Chicago and beyond.

As a pillar among the BE100s for roughly two decades, the Johnsons founded the Chicago-based ethnic haircare products company in 1954. They couldn’t secure funding from a bank, so they used $250 from what was described as a vacation loan to invest in their operations.

The couple’s entrepreneurial vision gave birth to enduring brands such as Afro Sheen and Ultra Sheen, and an illustrious line of haircare, cosmetics, and fragrances.

According to BLACK ENTERPRISE, the company had controlled roughly a third of the black hair care market by that time. It grew annual sales of $12.6 million by 1970 before going public in 1971. This monumental move lead to Johnsons Products becoming the first Black-owned company traded on the American Stock Exchange.

The company’s first product was the Ultra Wave, a hair relaxer for men. Then came Ultra Sheen, a hair straightener for women that offered a DIY process in the comfort of one’s home instead of spending uncomfortable hours at a hair salon.

But as the civil rights and Black Power movements gained strength, Johnson Products adapted to the changes induced by the rebellion against the white status quo.

Produced in the late 1960s, Afro-Sheen was one of Johnson’s best-known products during a period when the “afro” reemerged out of the first historically recorded natural hair movement, Black is Beautiful movement.

From Afro Sheen’s “beautiful products for beautiful people,” advertisements, illuminated screens with afro-crowed Black men and women in all their glory. This visual representation instilled more pride and heritage into the community, giving rise to a revolution.

Later Johnson Products’ offerings were expanded to such products as the Ultra Sheen shampoo and conditioner, as well as the Afro Sheen blowout kit, and the not-too-heavy blue grease (or green if you needed the extra dry formula).

As more and more competitors began entering the African American hair care industry, the Federal Trade Commission forced Johnson Products to put warning labels on lye-based products, without requiring white-owned Revlon to do the same. But this was just one of many setbacks the company had to overcome, time and time again.

Paving the way for historic impact

Born in 1927, in a Mississippi three-room sharecropper’s shack, George E. Johnson, Sr. found his niche in the cosmetics industry as a production chemist for S.B. Fuller, a black-owned cosmetics firm. That was where he would develop the hair relaxer for his own business enterprise.

During his journey into entrepreneurship, Johnson became the first Black American to sit on the board of directors for the largest utility company in Illinois, Commonwealth Edison.

Joan Betty Henderson was born on Oct. 16, 1929 in the South Side of Chicago. Throughout her career, Joan was dedicated to empowering and developing other African American businesses. She was respected for her positive impact on social justice in the Chicago community.

With her integrity and her husband’s creativity, the company continued to see success and growth and strived for expansion. One of these efforts included training cosmetologists on how to properly use Johnson Products in their salons.

Black sponsorship and investment

Known for her great sense of style, Joan took pride in sponsoring and organizing the Congressional Black Caucus Fashion Show. She was also a board member of the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art.

An advocate for women, Joan served as a trustee at Spelman College, the historically Black women’s college in Atlanta, and offered a select set of HBCU students with annual scholarships according to her obituary.

Together, the Johnsons helped propel Black culture into the mainstream with their sponsorship of the groundbreaking Soul Train, the first nationally syndicated Black TV program backed by a Black-owned company.

After the couple divorced in the early 1990s, Joan gained control of the company while George stepped down as chief executive and was replaced by their son, Eric, until he later exited his position.

Shortly after, Joan sold it to white-owned IVAX, which had a line of skin-care products aimed at black customers. The $67 million sale inspired the groundbreaking BE cover story that asked the question that still sparks contention to this day: “Should Black Businesses Be Sold To Whites?”

However, this wouldn’t be the end of the power couple, as they eventually reunited and became joint recipients of BLACK ENTERPRISE‘s highest entrepreneurial honor, the A.G. Gaston Lifetime Achievement Award, in 2002.

Joan died on Sept. 6, 2019 at her home in Chicago. She was 89.

• Lifestyle

by Selena Hill

February 11, 2023

A Celebration of Black Music and Excellence Culminates During Grammy Week

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The 65th Grammy Awards was a big night for the culture

Beyonce was crowned the “Grammy GOAT” after scoring her record-breaking 32nd Grammy win. Hip-hop fans were delighted with an electrifying tribute celebrating the genre’s 50th anniversary, featuring performances from legendary rappers like LL Cool J, Queen Latifah, and Run DMC along with new acts like Lil Uzi Vert and GloRilla. Meanwhile, Viola Davis’ Grammy win for her audiobook memoir, “Finding Me,” earned her entry into the elite EGOT club, making her one of only a handful of Black entertainers to ever win an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony award. Plus, Lizzo was lauded with Record of the Year, one of the biggest awards of the night, for her song, “About Damn Time,” while Dr. Dre was honored with the Global Impact Award.

However, the celebration of Black musicians started days before “Music’s Biggest Night.” During Grammy Week—a constellation of events that led up to the award show on February 5—The Recording Academy, along with other brands and organizations, paid tribute to leading Black artists with a series of live events.

Here’s a roundup of some of the most notable events that recognized Black artistry during Grammy Week.

The Black Music Collective’s Recording Academy Honors

Held on February 2 at the Hollywood Palladium, the Black Music Collective’s Recording Academy Honors celebrated Black excellence and the legacy of hip-hop. During the event, rap icons Lil Wayne, Dr. Dre, and Missy Elliott along with music executive Sylvia Rhone were bestowed with a Global Impact Award. Each award was presented by the honorees’ close colleagues and friends, followed by a special performance by artists who had worked with or been influenced by the awardee. Artists like Snoop Dogg, Ciara, Busta Rhymes, and Chloe Bailey performed during their individual tributes.

“The birth of hip-hop completely changed the course of my life. Just imagine where a lot of Black men, including myself, would be without hip-hop,” Dr. Dre said during his acceptance speech.

Established in 2020, The Black Music Collective (BMC) is comprised of Black executives and music professionals dedicated to the inclusion, recognition, and advancement of Black music and its creators within the Recording Academy and the music industry at large. Each year, the organization hosts the Recording Academy Honors, a concert-style event that features live tribute performances and A-list attendees to celebrate the achievements of Black artists.

“The creation of the BMC is one of the things that I’m most proud of,” said Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason, Jr., according to Grammy.com. “Establishing the BMC did more than just boost the number of Black members of the Academy; it did more than help make changes to the awards processes. It provided a platform to give Black music creators a voice—a powerful voice that can tell us the things we needed to hear.”

MusiCares 2023 Persons of The Year gala

The Recording Academy’s MusiCares 2023 Persons of The Year Gala honored Motown legends Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson with heartfelt tributes and show-stopping performances. Held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 3, a wide range of acts—from Stevie Wonder to the Temptations to Brandi Carlile to Chloe and Halle Bailey and Sheryl Crow—crooned classic Motown hits. Robinson also performed a ballad that he dedicated to his fellow award recipient and best friend.

“In my life, I’ve been blessed enough to get a few awards, but this one is really the most special to me because I’m getting this award with my very best friend in the world,” Robinson said of Gordy. “I’m standing here tonight because when I first met this man, it was the beginning of my dream come true. I wanted to be a singer, to be in show business, write songs, and make music. I never thought it would be possible for me from where I grew up. But he took me under his wing,” he continued. “I love you man. You are so precious.”

For the last 32 years, the MusiCares gala benefit has paid homage to a collective of music icons while raising proceeds to support music professionals with health and human services across a spectrum of needs.

2023 Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Gala

The legendary Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Gala returned to the Beverly Hilton February 4 following a two-year pandemic-induced hiatus, bringing out a wide range of A-list stars from Lizzo to Janelle Monae to Cardi B.

Kevin Costner started the night with moving remarks about pop icon Whitney Houston, who died at the Beverly Hilton in 2012, hours before Davis’ annual dinner.

“We both were struck by Whitney the first time we ever saw her,” Costner said of his Bodyguard co-star. “Thank you for being her bodyguard, Clive.”

Davis, the 90-year-old music industry titan, also addressed the crowd several times throughout the evening, calling out elite members of the audience like Earth Wind and Fire and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

The night was topped off with performances from Lil Wayne, Lil Baby, Jennifer Hudson, Latto, and Tony Award-winning star Myles Frost, amongst others.

Before the gala, Gospel singer Kim Burrell became emotional reflecting on Houston’s shocking death, admitting that she had “mixed” feelings about the annual fete. “I can’t deny the love I feel returning back here because I have the strength to do it and the courage to do it. And [Whitney] would want me to,” she told BLACK ENTERPRISE.

 The Whitney Houston Hotel

The W Hotel in Hollywood was transformed into the “Whitney Houston Hotel” during Grammy Week to honor the pop legend’s life and extraordinary career.

Primary Wave Music, the Estate of Whitney E. Houston, and Sony Music teamed up to celebrate what would have been Houston’s 60th birthday year in a series of events and activations held at the hotel. The events began with the opening of Sony’s 360 Reality Audio Immersive Listening Lounge, which allowed listeners to experience Whitney Houston’s music like never before.

There were also several live performances of Houston’s biggest hits from artists like Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child, actress and Grammy-nominated singer Amber Riley, Warner Records artists Baby Tate and Teddy Swims, and Def Jam Recordings’ Coco Jones.

Another highlight at the hotel was a memorabilia exhibit featuring photos of Houston as well as several career-defining gowns that she wore and a pop-up shop with exclusive merchandise and electronics.

On Friday, there was a private panel discussion and brunch catered by renowned chef Deborah VanTrece. Famous for adding an international flare to traditional Southern dishes, VanTrece’s eight-course buffet included Angus beef short-rib hash, grilled salmon and fried green tomato Benedict, pimento cheese grits, a Cajun frittata, and a Southern tofu scramble with black-eyed peas and collard greens.

The event continued with a touching panel discussion moderated by Entertainment Tonight’s Kevin Frazier. Houston’s brother Gary Houston and his wife, Pat Houston, who was Whitney’s manager; music producer and close friend Rickey Minor; recording artist Narada Michael Walden; and award-winning songwriter Gordon Chambers shared intimate accounts and memories of the beloved singer.

“There were so many magic moments growing up with Whitney,” Gary Houston told the crowd. “At 3 years old, she was in the basement wearing my mother’s wig–broom, gown, mimicking our mom Cissy Houston. She had no idea anybody was watching her. I knew at that moment she was a prodigy.”

Jazmine Sullivan Performs at The Grey Goose Essences: Sound Sessions Brunch

 

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Grey Goose vodka hosted its hit Grammy weekend brunch party, “GREY GOOSE x GRAMMYs: Sound Sessions Brunch.” The rooftop affair was held at the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles on February 4 and featured a live performance from two-time Grammy winner Jazmine Sullivan, who belted out four of her soulful songs. Along with Sullivan’s sultry voice, guests were treated to delicious light bites and The Passion Drop, a citrusy-sweet martini cocktail that served as the official drink of the Grammy Awards.

Insecure actor Jay Ellis, model Jasmine Sanders, British singer-rapper Estelle, actress-singers Laura Marano, Amber Riley, Serayah, actress Lana Condor, and The Real Housewives of Potomac cast member Candiace Dillard Bassett were among those in attendance.

Afrozons Pre-Grammy Nomination Celebration

 

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Afrozons, a Chicago-based Afrobeats radio show created by international media personality Sheila O., celebrated African Grammy nominees in a February 4 daytime soiree. During the event, Nigerian-American rapper and singer Tobe Nwigwe, who was nominated for Best New Artist, along with Recording Academy Board of Trustees Vice Chair Rico Love stressed the importance of representation and inclusion of Black artists from around the diaspora.

“We came and got involved so that we can change the way that the establishment is run,” said Love, a Grammy-nominated songwriter and producer who was elected last year as Chair of the Black Music Collective. “The only way we can change things is by getting involved. So, a lot of people might say, ‘f–k the Grammys. They don’t show us love.’ But the only way to change that is to get inside [of the organization] and disrupt everything that’s going on.”

 

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Sheila O, a voting member of the Recording Academy, also held a pre-Grammy nomination celebration in Lagos, Nigeria, late last month to celebrate Nwigwe and Ghanaian artist Rocky Dawuni, who was nominated for Best Global Music Performance.

The Roc Nation Brunch

 

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The essence of Black excellence, high-fashion, and industry heavyweights reached its peak at the annual Roc Nation Brunch hosted by Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter and Beyonce Knowles-Carter. A slew of stars across music, entertainment, and sports dressed their best for the exclusive soiree held in a private location in Bel-Air the day before the Grammys. Upon arrival, guests were greeted by an orchestra on the path leading to the outdoor venue. The roofless foyer was decorated with photos from past Roc Nation Brunches, including a portrait of Lauren London and Nipsey Hussle taken in 2019.

 

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Dubbed as “a celebration of the highest elevation of self,” Kelly Rowland, Tyler The Creator, Ella Mai, Chlöe and Halle Bailey, June Ambrose, Lil Kim, Tems, Babyface, Jimmy Jam were some of the high-profile guests in attendance.

MasterCard Launches “She Runs This”

MasterCard teamed up with Femme It Forward to launch the “She Runs This: Celebrating Entrepreneurship in Business and Hip-Hop” program during Grammy Week. The three-day event series included a holistic campaign inclusive of an immersive “Small Business City” in Meta Horizon Worlds, a TikTok challenge, the kickoff of a Fearless Fund grant contest, and a national ad campaign.

Lil Kim, Salt-N-Pepa, MC Lyte, and Coi Leray were featured in panel discussions about entrepreneurship, women in business, and hip-hop. Mastercard ambassador Jennifer Hudson also made a special appearance.

“Like the musical talent who shaped hip-hop, Black women small business owners continue to embrace the power of perseverance, going above and beyond to achieve their dreams and empower their communities, despite facing deep-rooted inequalities,” said Rustom Dastoor, EVP of marketing and communications, Mastercard North America, in a press release. “We are proud to support these fearless Black women artists and business owners in their pursuit of redefining what’s possible, and we’re excited to watch them take their stage, follow their passions and thrive.”

The GRAMMY House Social Pop-Up

In effort to engage and amplify young music lovers, the Recording Academy and CBS presented the first-ever GRAMMY House: Where The Stars Align on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. For three days, the GRAMMY House hosted programming, performances, DJs, and art installations. The invitation-only experience also featured a special tribute to the 50th anniversary of hip-hop that included a treasure trove of hip-hop history along with popular lyrics and catchphrases plastered on the walls. Meanwhile, the main stage was decorated like a subway station, with graffiti naming hip-hop pioneers.

Over 200 students at Hillcrest High School in Tuscaloosa County participated in a walkout protest, following controversy involving a Black History Month program, according to AP News. 

According to the report, students claim that school administration told them their student-run Black History Month program could not reference anything that happened before the 1970s, including slavery, the Black Panthers or the civil rights movement.

200 students walked out of class at an Alabama high school after they were reportedly told their student-led Black History Month program could not reference slavery or the civil rights movement “because one of our administrators felt uncomfortable”https://t.co/75aqp1HvjA pic.twitter.com/oaqq7JZKR7

— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) February 11, 2023

Students told WBMA-TV that they decided to have the walk out in order to have their voices heard.

“I feel like it’s important to talk about that because I feel like in 2023, a lot of our youth don’t know their culture,” Jamiyah Brown said to WBMA. “A lot of our youth don’t know how empowerment has brought us this far. This is important to educate our youth on how we came from somewhere to now.”

Lisa Young, president of the Tuscaloosa branch of the NAACP, told WBMA that she and others were contacted about one incident and later held a forum on the matter, where they were told the culture at the school was not conducive to education.

“It was more intimidation and the students were concerned they were visibly shaking. I would say some were traumatized,” Young added. “We asked them what they wanted to do and we wanted the students to come up with a plan and we support them.”

Tuscaloosa County Schools Superintendent Keri C. Johnson released the following statement after the walkout:

“The Tuscaloosa County School System supports our students’ right to peacefully demonstrate. A number of our Hillcrest High students have concerns about the culture within their school. We care deeply about our students, and it is important that their concerns are heard. We are putting together a plan to make sure our students feel heard, so that we know the right steps to put in place to ensure all students know that they are valued.”

This comes after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis rejected AP African American Studies courses, because, he says, they “lack educational value.”

Recently, the College Board released its the curriculum for its new Advanced Placement (AP) course. However, the college board ushered out a number of Black writers and scholars associated with critical race theory, queer studies, and Black feminism, which were found in the pilot curriculum tested out in schools across the country this year. Black Lives Matter was also stripped as a required topic of the course, while “Black conservatism” was added.

• News

by Booker Jones

February 11, 2023

The Family of Tyre Nichols Is Taking Their Fight to the United Nations

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According to The Hill, the family of Tyre Nichols and their attorneys are taking their fight for justice to the international stage. The family sent a letter to the United Nations demanding change in MPD and law enforcement agencies nationwide.

Attorneys for Nichols’ family released the following statement:

“Today, we filed an Urgent Appeal before the United Nations asking it to condemn the tragic killing of Tyre Nichols, to demand transparency from the police department, and to demand that Officer Preston Hemphill and all officers that participated in the incident are criminally charged. The video evidence shows that all who were involved in Tyre’s death committed reprehensible acts that require international condemnation.”

The letter addressed to the UN High Commission for Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland describes Tyre Nichols’ death as being part of a larger pattern of police brutality around the country. It compares his death to those of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.

The Hill also reports that the Nichols’ family and their attorneys believe that former MPD officer Preston Hemphill was not criminally charged because of his race, according to the letter.

The family is asking for the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office to arrest and criminally charge Hemphill for his role in Nichols’ death.

NEW:

“Urgent request” sent to @UN by Tyre Nichols’ family, attorneys calls for action on his “torture and extrajudicial killing.”

In addition to justice, they ask changes at Memphis PD and US “long pattern and practice of lethal police violence” against Blacks be addressed. pic.twitter.com/HVOCzCbejT

— Dakarai Turner  (@Dakarai_Turner) February 10, 2023

Last week, Memphis Police Officer Preston Hemphill, the sixth officer identified in the investigation into Tyre Nichols death, was fired from the department, according to MPD.

Hemphill was a detective with MPD’s SCORPION Unit and had worked with SCORPION alongside the five previously fired MPD officers.

Memphis Police said that Hemphill and another unidentified officer were relieved of duty on Jan. 8, pending the investigation, making them the sixth and seventh officers connected to the incident by MPD.

The five fired officers are charged with second-degree murder.

• Technology

by Gayneté Jones

February 11, 2023

STEM Expert Launches STEM-in-a-Box, For Kids to Explore Complex Topics Through Play

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DIBIA Dream founder and STEM expert, Brandon Okpalobi, has recently launched Siyanse, a fun, educational brand for kids to explore complex topics through play.

Their first products are dope kits that “encourage children to think critically and build an understanding of STEM fundamentals while they get their hands dirty.” Essentially, it’s STEM-in-a-box, or better yet, STEAM as it incorporates the elements of science, technology, engineering, and math, in addition to art. Siyanse’s goal is to inspire children to create, think outside of the box and innovate in unique, exciting ways.

Siyanse, a Rwandan (Kinyarwanda) word for “science”, creates hands-on STEM education for students. Their unique approach has been crafted to connect the classroom to career paths, while broadening the users’ perspective. Okpalobi believes that his Siyanse kits can limit screen time while also, “giving students the tools needed to dream bigger and understand the complex world around them.”

All about Siyanse Kits

Siyanse sells beautiful boxes with well-thought-out STEM activities inside. Their Siyanse Explorers Kit is for children between the ages of 3-6, Siyanse Creators Kit is for those aged 6-12 and Siyanse Innovators Kit, for 13-16 -year- olds.

The kits contain a variety of items, tools and instructions to complete the fun projects. For instance, The Captain Siyanse Boat Kit helps the child to create a functioning wind boat. It has been designed to “tap into a little one’s innovative problem-solving skills and pique their interest in engineering.”  The kit teaches a child to explore density and buoyancy through a wind boat ready for actual waves.

Brandon Okpalobi shared, “We’ve worked with education experts and future scientists – the children themselves, to design best-of-their-kind experiences proven to make it fun to learn.”

He continued, “It’s just about really making kids have a good time through science. Everything that we do is science. Everything we touch. Technology, it’s all science. But it’s making sure kids understand that, learn it early enough, and have a great time doing it.”

How you can get your hands on Siyanse

The kits can be purchased individually at Siyanse.com. If you are a teacher who would like more information on how to incorporate them in your classroom, or you have an organization that would like to donate kits to students, you can contact Brandon Okpalobi at Brandon@siyanse.com .

And if you’re worried about safety, the Siyanse team has it covered, sharing:

“All of our projects have been rigorously tested and have passed all safety standards for their designed age group. Above all, the safety of the kids who use and play with our products is our highest priority. They comply with the US CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) requirements for educational sets. Our hands-on chemistry projects comply with The European Committee for Standardization’s (CEN) special list of substances allowed in children’s chemistry sets (EN 71-4). None of our projects include explosives. All of them have been tested with kids and include detailed, visual step-by-step instructions.”

Brandon Okpalobi and team are looking to “change the name of science” with Siyanse, and they are well on their way!

Black education is rooted in struggle. From slavery to Jim Crow, to the Black Campus Movement to Ron DeSantis’ current culture war, Black people have always had to go the extra ten miles for education. According to a report by NBC BLK, more Black families are home-schooling their children this year.

Tralandra Stewart, a public school secretary, and mother of three children in Cypress, TX. has joined in on the fight for Black education.

NBC BLK spoke with the Stewarts’ and other Black families who have opted to homeschool their children. Stewart created Home Grown Homeschoolers Inc., a communal educational space where 25 other families teach their children.

Stewart was inspired to create Home Grown Homeschoolers after children couldn’t explain what they learned about Black history at their local Cypress, TX. school.

“They said, ‘I don’t know. I think he was a man who made a speech,’” Stewart said to NBC BLK. “They couldn’t give me any information.”

The US Census Bureau reported that homeschooling saw a boost during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We started off with four families,” Stewart said of the co-op, which largely operates through donations. “We started going to our little community center and doing science projects and different things with the kids. We were like, ‘This is fun! What if we had more families?’”

NBC BlK also spoke with Marquita Straus, who worried her daughter would fall into the school-to-prison pipeline trap after teachers complained about her daughter’s behavioral issues.  Straus’ daughter, Roo, was diagnosed with autism at 8 years old, Straus told NBCBLK. “Her teacher, a white woman, was physically rough with her, put her in a classroom by herself and isolated her there without explaining why. Roo was traumatized. [That was the] “last straw,” Straus said.

Roo’s public school experience inspired Straus to create her Tribe on a Quest blog as a space to share her experience home-schooling a child with autism.

As an alternative to verbally sparring “with people who are not in tune with what their child needs, I encourage considering home-schooling as an option,” Straus said to NBC BLK. “It’s completely changed the way I parent and it’s changed my kids’ lives.”

Read NBC BLK‘s story in its entirety here.

Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas has been fined $40,000 for using “derogatory and disparaging language” during a post-game interview after a win over the Chicago Bulls, the NBA announced Friday.

Thomas was interviewed by TNT on the court alongside new teammate Spencer Dinwiddie following the Nets’ 116-105 victory. Two days earlier, Dinwiddie had joked with the media in the wake of the Kyrie Irving trade with the Dallas Mavericks that while the Nets might not have acquired the most talented players in the deal — which included Dorian Finney-Smith going to Brooklyn — they did get the “best-looking.”

“And the Nets needed some help in that department,” Dinwiddie said.

Asked by TNT about Dinwiddie’s comment, Thomas said postgame Thursday night: “We already had good-looking guys, no homo.”

Thomas later took to social media to apologize for the remark.

“I want to apologize for the insensitive word I used in the postgame interview,” he tweeted. “I was excited about the win and was being playful. I definitely didn’t intend to offend anyone, but realize that I probably did. My apologies again. Much love.”

Cam Thomas: “We already had good looking guys, no homo.”pic.twitter.com/2SAsuq36EX

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) February 10, 2023

According to SB Nation, last year an NBA fan compiled 78 homophobic tweets sent by 36 players that were still live on their Twitter feeds and found 17 instances of “no homo.” As the fan told us, “‘No homo’ as a phrase promotes a negative connotation in regards to gay men, as if we are less-than. It’s still extremely harmful and anyone who thinks otherwise needs to wake up.”

In 2018, Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic was fined $25,000 by the NBA for saying “no homo” during a post-game interview on Halloween.

However, Thomas dropped 43 points in a 116–112 loss to the Suns, making him the youngest player in NBA history with three consecutive 40-point games. This record was held by Allen Iverson, who had five consecutive 40-point outings in April 1997 during his rookie season.