After years of inspiring others to rock their curls, Tia Mowry is elevating natural hair her way.

The award-winning actress and mompreneur officially launched her own haircare collection, 4U by Tia, backed by planet-friendly science and Black girl empowerment.

With the help of Amyris Inc., a leading synthetic biotechnology company, Mowry has co-developed a wellness-empowering brand and community designed to offer affordability and simple care for textured hair.

Boasting breakthrough ingredients, like sea moss and aloe vera, 4U by Tia will be sold exclusively in Walmart, among a growing record of Black women entrepreneurs.

According to a press release, 4U by Tia dropped a full line of eight products formulated for 2A to 4C (curly) hair, all priced under $11. These include the Moisturizing Shampoo, Moisturizing Conditioner, Clarifying Shampoo, Lightweight Conditioner, Leave-In Curl Cream, Curl-Defining Gel, Curl Refresher Mist, and Multiuse Hair Oil.

All products contain Amyris’ patented Hemi15^TM, an ingredient made to nourish and protect textured hair. The line is 100% vegan, silicone-free, sulfate-free, and paraben-free.

“Tia identified a need to simplify her hair journey which blossomed into her co-developing amazing products for the wavy, curly and coily customers,” said Danélle Jackson-Howard and Lynn Nestor, Walmart Beauty Merchants, in a joint statement. “Adding 4U by Tia to our assortment supports our strategy in delivering a modern haircare line enriched with innovative ingredients at a compelling price point.”

Ahead of Black History Month, Mowry delivered the trailblazing news via Instagram, raving about the highly-anticipated 4U by Tia. It also comes before her speaking engagement at BLACK ENTERPRISE‘s 2023 Women of Power summit in Las Vegas.

 

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“Family, wellness, and inclusivity are important to me and 4U by Tia promotes all of these values. Everyone should have access to leading haircare products formulated with ingredients they can pronounce. Through this collaboration with Walmart and Amyris, we are giving consumers better choices and products that are straightforward, easy to use, and developed with health and sustainability in mind,” Mowry explained.

 

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For Mowry, 4U is inspired by her own hair transformations. She invited others to open up about their hair stories so she can empower them to truly own their hair journeys, in whatever form that may be.

“My purpose in life is to encourage, uplift, and empower,” she told Byrdie. “Doing that with this brand makes me feel like I am living out my purpose. I just want to see people with all different hair textures embracing who they are because I feel where there is authenticity, there is magic and joy.”

• News

by Booker Jones

February 2, 2023

Study Finds That Black Americans are Much More Likely to Face Tax Audits

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A new report published this week found that the IRS audits Black taxpayers at a significantly higher rate than non-Black taxpayers.

The paper, published by Stanford’s Institute for Economic Policy Research, said that despite the IRS’s race-blind audit selection, Black taxpayers are audited 2.9 to 4.7 times more often than non-Black taxpayers.

The findings do not suggest bias from individual tax enforcement agents, who do not know the race of the people they are auditing. They also do not suggest any valid reason for the IRS to target Black Americans at such high rates; there is no evidence that group engages in more tax evasion than others.

Instead, the findings document discrimination in the computer algorithms the agency use to determine who is selected for an audit, according to the study by economists from Stanford University, the University of Michigan, the University of Chicago and the Treasury Department.

“Using counterfactual audit selection models, we find that maximizing the detection of underreported taxes would not lead to Black taxpayers being audited at higher rates,” the paper reads.

The study found that the largest disparity between the groups was among those claiming the earned income tax credit (EITC), which helps low- to moderate-income workers and families get a tax break, according to the IRS.

During an interview with CBS news, Stanford University law professor Daniel Ho, who co-wrote the study, said, “The IRS should drill down to understand and modify its existing audit selection methods to mitigate the disparity we’ve documented.”

“And we’ve shown they can do that without necessarily sacrificing tax revenue,” Ho added.

The IRS could instead program its algorithms to target audits toward more complicated returns with higher potential dollar value to the government if an audit found errors. In that case, the discrimination in the system would vanish, the authors concluded.

“Historically, there has been this idea that if federal agencies and other policymakers don’t have access to data on race and don’t explicitly take race into account when making policy decisions and allocating resources, the resulting outcome can’t be structurally biased,” Evelyn Smith, an author of the paper who is a University of Michigan economics graduate student and visiting fellow at Stanford’s RegLab, said to NPR.

• News

by Booker Jones

February 2, 2023

A Black Alabama Family Claims Their Land and Well Were Stolen by City Officials

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A family in Huntsville, AL claim that, decades ago, the city systematically stole the land their family once owned.

According News 19, about 10 acres sat along Athens Pike, which is now known as Holmes Avenue. The five surviving Jones siblings say that land had been in the family since the 1870s. Today, that piece of land is home to the University of Alabama in Huntsville’s business administration building.

“During the time that we were living on the land, we weren’t rich but we had everything that we needed in life,” said J.T. Jones to News 19. “Local Governments condemned the well that we had on the land, saying that it wasn’t fit for human consumption.”

“We had it and then we didn’t have it and that is very painful to me,” added Brenda Jones.

Kamala Miller-Lester, a researcher for Where is My Land, an organization that helps families reclaim stolen land, has been working with the Jones family.

According to News 19, officials in Madison County condemned the land in 1954 after Willie Jones turned down an offer of only $900 dollars for a portion of that land, including the well, and the family was forced to move.

“Their father was actually offered money to purchase the small parcel where the well was however, that well was the only water source for their home and it had been in the family for almost a century,” Lester said to News 19. “And he turned down that offer. The well was condemned around 1958. All of a sudden there was a pump house built in the same location. The city had traced a clean water source to the area near the well. Rather than get permission to dig under the wall to tap into that source, they instead condemned the entire property and forced the family to move off of it,” Lester said.

Waff 48 reported that 1954 court documents show that Huntsville was not able to take over the property and well. A court hearing claimed that several people were present, including their father, Willie Jones, and no one objected to the condemnation process, Waff 48 reported.

As part of the investigation, UAH handed the Jones family attorneys some documents to show that  members of Jones’ family signed the deed over to W.L. Sanderson, chief of the Huntsville Land Acquisition Office, in 1958.

“Their father unfortunately was not literate,” Lester said to News 19. “Before this transaction, he had signed his name with an ‘X’ and we also have evidence of that.”

The Jones family started a petition to get their land back. It has more than 5,000 signatures.

It’s only right for the NFL to diversify things with the Super Bowl taking place during Black History Month.

Assistant performance coach Autumn Lockwood will become the first Black woman to coach in a Super Bowl as she joins the Philadelphia Eagles staff for the upcoming Super Bowl LVII championship.

#FlyEaglesFly coach Autumn Lockwood is set to make #SuperBowl history. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/mvopRhlSLv

— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) February 1, 2023

According to Fansided, Lockwood is approaching a first-time experience as a coach in the Super Bowl following her employment with the Eagles team since August 2022.

She is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and a member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).

Since her entrance into sports, Lockwood has worked as an assistant football strength coach at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, worked with the men’s and women’s basketball teams as a graduate assistant as part of the ETSU strength and conditioning staff, and led Arizona’s in-season cheer team’s warm-up and strength training.

Lockwood’s achievements also expand to her membership with Arizona’s women’s soccer team, which she held from June 2012 to January 2014.

Lockwood graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in psychology from the University of Arizona in 2015. She received her master’s degree in sports management from East Tennessee State University.

Her position at this year’s Super Bowl LVII also marks her as the fourth woman overall to coach in the football championship game.

As the NFL works to diversify the organization, this year’s championship experience will also include other notable Black women like Nicole Lynn, who BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported will become the first Black woman agent to represent an NFL quarterback in the Super Bowl.

Yahoo Sports reported that the NFL’s mission to make changes within its organization comes after the 2016 controversy surrounding the treatment of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick who kneeled during the national anthem in his efforts to protest racial inequality.

Losing a loved one is never easy, but it’s the moments you forget they are gone that hurt more.

Mother of Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss, Connie Boss Alexander, opened up about seeing her son on television for the first time since his death. The late dancer appeared in a recent campaign for the clothing brand, Gap. Seeing it for the first time on television, Page Six reported Alexander took to her Instagram story to share how she almost picked up the phone to call him. “I almost called you to say son look at you in this ad,” Alexander wrote. “Then I remembered. My heart…”

 

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Black Enterprise reported that Boss posed for Gap’s collaboration with Haitian-owned menswear label, The Brooklyn Circus. The campaign launched on Jan. 31 and is available at the Brooklyn Circus flagship store in Brooklyn as well and Gap stores and website.

 

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Gap posted a beautiful video montage on Instagram of behind the scenes footage of the late DJ and shared their experience working with him. “We were fortunate to have Stephen on set with us, where he told us, “We have to take these little moments of light and these little moments of joy and stretch them out as much as possible,” the post said. The clothing brand also announced they will be donating to Vibrant Emotional Health, an organization that provides free and confidential emotional support and counseling to people dealing with crisis or emotional distress.

Boss’ widow, Allison Holder Boss, also expressed the joy she felt after she saw the campaign. Black Enterprise reported how Boss recalled viewing the campaign with her husband before his death. “When Stephen and I first saw his images from the campaign, it brought tears to our eyes,” his wife said. “He was so moved by how they captured his true essence, and he was excited for the world to see them.”

Will Smith is all about the surprises.

The Oscar-winning actor made a surprise trip to Tougaloo College in Mississippi for “Will Smith Day.”

Fox News reported the HBCU is launching a new filmmaking and film production program. During a ceremony, Smith walked in on current mass communications and performing arts students. Tougaloo College.

President, Carmen Walters, told Fox the students were able to meet Smith as well. “Our students were able to interact with Mr. Smith in a private setting,” Walters said. “This is the first visit of many producers who are assisting us with launching our new program in Film Making and Film Production.”

The school was able to keep Smith’s visit under wraps.

According to WAPT 16, Smith and his team requested that press not be allowed to attend, and recording was banned. However, taking pictures was permitted. Mr. Fresh Prince of Bel-Air went out his way to go to Tougaloo as a favor to Aunjanue Ellis, Smith’s King Richard co-star and proud alum of the school.

Walters told WAPT that events like this set Tougaloo apart from other HBCUs, where students may not get this type of experience. “Student experiences at Tougaloo College are different than any other institution,” Walters said. “Just ask an alum.”

Tougaloo College is known for its history. The school’s website states the school was at the  “forefront of the Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi,” and prides itself on being a “safe haven” for the Black community in Mississippi during racial unrest.

“Tougaloo College’s leadership, courage in opening its campus to the Freedom Riders and other Civil Rights workers and leaders, and its bravery in supporting a movement — helped change the state’s economic, political and social fabric of Mississippi and the nation,” the website reads.

@willsmithMade some memories here that lasted a lifetime :-)♬ original sound – Will Smith

This is not the first time the 54-year-old has popped in on students in a surprise setting. In December, Smith made a TikTok when he visited his old stomping ground of Overbook High School in West Philadelphia.

• News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

February 2, 2023

Georgia Nurses Accused of Obtaining Fake Nursing Degrees Say They Earned the Diplomas

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Earlier this week, a reporter from WSB-TV broke a story alleging that almost two dozen nurses in Georgia bought fake nursing degrees and bogus transcripts. After the Georgia Board of Nursing demanded the nurses surrender their nursing licenses, an attorney for the nurses is claiming theirs are legitimate.

According to WSB-TV, Hannah Williams, an attorney representing five of the accused nurses stated that the nurses say they are innocent of what they’re being accused of. Investigative reporter Justin Gray was informed that 22 nurses who are practicing in Georgia had purportedly acquired their nursing licenses by using fake diplomas or transcripts.

On Jan.17, the Georgia Board of Nursing sent them letters requesting that they voluntarily surrender their nursing licenses within 30 days. None of them have complied with the requests yet.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said, “It’s concerning and alarming.”

Williams has gone on record to say that her clients will not surrender their nursing licenses, because they have not done anything wrong.

“My clients maintain that they are legitimate,” Williams said.

“Look, nobody wants a fraudulent nurse taking care of them or their loved ones. However, in this case what we have are allegations and an investigation. We have to allow that process to play out before we rush to judgment.”

Last week, The FBI and Department of Justice announced that there was a bust, named named Operation Nightingale, of a $100 million nationwide fraud ring.

The nurses in Georgia are supposedly part of thousands of people who paid $15,000 each for a phony diploma from three nursing schools located in South Florida. Williams, who is also a nurse, said that there were some people who legitimately obtained their degrees from those schools.

“Our job is to make sure that our people in Georgia, our patients know they have credentialed nurses that are practicing there,” Raffensperger said. He also mentioned that state investigators are currently working with the FBI to get the evidence that’s needed to revoke the nursing licenses of the nurses who won’t give back the licenses on their own.

Williams said the nurses want to regain their reputations and defend their licenses through the proper channels.

“There’s been no determination of wrongdoing by any type of judicial body. So to rush to judgment and start firing nurses just because they went to an accredited school that’s been implicated in criminal activity is just wrong,” Williams said.

So who’s dad is going to pay?

Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence are tossing the bill to each other as they continue to anticipate the possible wedding of their offspring, Jasmin Lawrence and Eric Murphy.

As previously reported by BLACK ENTERPRISE, Lawrence joked about Murphy being responsible for the wedding costs, during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live in June last year.

According to a recent interview with Canadian outlet Etalk, Murphy was questioned about Lawrence’s comment, and cleared up the way things are supposed to work.

“That’s not how it goes,” Murphy, 61, said jokingly as he extended his response regarding Lawrence’s previous suggestion.

“My daughter just got married, and I had to pay — really had to pay,” he said as reminder of the tradition where the father of the bride is responsible for funding the wedding.

“You have to do the same, Martin,” Murphy continued.

“Don’t try to switch it up — don’t try to change no s—, do no Hollywood switch. You’re paying for the wedding. If it goes down, Martin is paying,” he clarified with laughter.

“And the wedding better be wonderful,” Murphy said.

 

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According to People, Jasmin and Eric went public with their relationship on social media in June 2021, sharing that they didn’t meet each other through their celebrity fathers.

“It wasn’t even our dads, and they’ve done two movies together, they’re friends,” she said in an interview at the time.

Jasmin said they both bonded on a lot of things and understood each other, drawing them to form a really close friendship.

 

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Jasmin and Eric are both the firstborns to their actor fathers. Lawrence shares Jasmin with ex-wife Patricia Southall, and Murphy shares Eric with ex Paulette McNeely. Both actors also are the father of other children.

• News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

February 2, 2023

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Revokes Membership of 3 Former Memphis Cops Who Beat Tyre Nichols

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Three of the Memphis police officers, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Emmitt Martin III, who brutally beat Tyre Nichols on January 7 were members of the Greek fraternity, Omega Psi Phi. As of January 31, those former police officers are no longer members of the organization.

After learning that the former cops were members of Omega Psi Phi, the fraternity took steps to revoke the memberships of the three charged with murdering Nichols. They released a statement on Tuesday:

“A few days ago, on behalf of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated, we joined with all other caring, thoughtful, decent, and fair-minded people in America and around the world in extending our deepest sympathy to the family of Tyre Nichols. We have since learned that three of the former Memphis police officers involved in the horrific incident were members of our organization. That is devastating! Effective immediately, the Fraternity has revoked the membership of the three former Memphis police officers and all related privileges they may have enjoyed as members of our Fraternity.”

The five police officers have been terminated from the Memphis Police Department and indicted for second-degree murder, aggravated assault, and two charges of aggravated kidnapping.

Videos of the transgressions of the former police officers were released last Friday and stunned the nation. The outcry was seen and felt immediately as protests took place across the country.

The family of Nichols was shown the horrific video days before the Memphis Police Department released it to the public.

Before Omega Psi Phi announced that they would be revoking the memberships the former cops, the fraternity put out a statement condemning the police officers who committed the crime. The organization stated that they “condemn their actions in the strongest possible way” and called on elected officials to “put an end to the senseless killing of citizens in our communities by law enforcement officials.”

On Wednesday, Rev. Al Sharpton, who read the eulogy at Nichol’s funeral, delivered an impassioned speech that chastised the five Black cops who beat Nichols.

Serena Williams wants the world to know that there is more to her than just being one of the greatest tennis players to ever set foot on the court.

The 41-year-old sat down with Gayle King for CBS Mornings and expressed her desire to move past tennis. CBS News reported Williams wasn’t too happy about losing in the third round of the U.S. Open last year, but knows she gave it her all. “I’ve never felt, I don’t feel like I’ve left anything,” Williams said. “But I just felt like, ‘What could I have done better that day.'” After the loss, she felt it was time to give her final wave.

Fans shouldn’t be shocked, as the 23-time Grand Slam champion, according to People Magazine, penned an essay for Vogue claiming she wanted to “evolve away from tennis.” Even though she picked up the racket again shortly after, Williams told King the door is officially closed. “I’ve literally given my whole life to tennis, and it’s time for me to give my life to something else,” she said. “I feel relief when I look at the court.”

The Compton-native is looking to devote her time to something more fulfilling – motherhood. The proud mother of 5-year-old Olympia, Williams and husband, Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian, are hoping to give their daughter a sibling soon. While giving King a tour of their farm in South Florida, Williams said Olympia has been asking for a brother or sister. “The other day she’s like, ‘Everyone has a brother or a sister but me,'” Williams recalled, according to CBS News. “Mommy worked a little too long in tennis, so it’s takin’ a little longer than expected.”

While on a tour of their farm, @serenawilliams and @alexisohanian explain to @gayleking why their steer is named Antonio Enrique Cortez Leche — and get cuddly with some chickens. pic.twitter.com/1hWakapDzc

— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) February 1, 2023

Venus Williams’ sister is excited to have this down time but, like anyone who’s used to doing something for so long, laughed at the fact that it could be difficult. “It’s so hard for me to relax,” she told King. “I don’t know how to relax. I have to schedule it in my schedule.”