The Mayor’s Racial Equity Initiative announced recently that it has surpassed its private sector fundraising goal of $150 million, thanks to recent donations from Honeywell, Albemarle and other anonymous contributors.

These corporate gifts push the private-sector donations to $157,525 million, surpassing the original $150 million private-sector goal, according to a press release.

“There has undoubtedly been a tremendous amount of financial support in the inaugural year of the MREI and with money allocated to all four Priority Focus Areas, I couldn’t be more grateful,” said Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles. “What we’ve seen in these first 12 months has surpassed all of our expectations and illustrates the importance of this work and the power of public-private partnerships like this one.”

In the latest round of gifts, Albemarle committed $1.5 million, and Honeywell committed $5 million. The Mayor’s Racial Equity Initiative has now raised $240 million of the initial public-private $250 million total goal, with additional public-sector grants pending.

The dollars raised will address racial inequities in Charlotte — with the monies funding the following key Priority Focus Areas:

• Transforming JCSU into a top-tier, career-focused HBCU,
• Bridging the digital divide through the work of the Center for Digital Equity at Queens University of Charlotte,
• Investing in Charlotte’s six “Corridors of Opportunity” neighborhoods, and
• Catalyzing employer commitment

Launched in November 2021, MREI has the overall vision to show how Charlotte will be the gold standard American City, where racial equity, social justice, economic opportunity and upward mobility can be achieved through transformational public and private partnerships. In its inaugural year, the initiative has experienced overwhelming support from the city’s business community — along with public partners — to significantly accelerate efforts to address racial equity in ways that are both impactful and tangible.

“Albemarle is a values-driven company, and our commitment to sustainability includes how we engage and collaborate with the communities where we live and work,” said Kent Masters, Albemarle CEO. “We’re proud to join Mayor Vi Lyles and community leaders to support greater equity and economic mobility in the Charlotte area.”

While surpassing the $150 million goal is an achievement worth celebration, initiative leaders stressed this is only the beginning. MREI depends on continued support from both the public and private sectors to make strides, provide opportunities and break boundaries for Charlotte residents of color.

“We are so proud to share that as part of the Digital Divide workstream, Honeywell will donate 13,000 laptops to E2D – Eliminate the Digital Divide to help close the digital divide in the Queen City,” said Darius Adamczyk, Honeywell’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Honeywell is pleased to join this county-wide initiative to ensure every home in our headquarter city has a device and affordable Internet service to be able to engage with a digital world. With this historic donation, the largest ever to E2D, Charlotte is closer to becoming the most digitally equitable community in the country.”

Funders of the Mayor’s Racial Equity Initiative include: Albemarle, Ally Financial, Atrium Health, Bank of America, Barings, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, City of Charlotte, CLT2020 Host Committee, Coca-Cola Consolidated, Duke Energy, EY, Honeywell, JP Morgan, Lowe’s, Mary and Mike Lamach, Michael Jordan Family Foundation and the Charlotte Hornets Foundation, National Gypsum/CD Spangler Foundation, Novant Health, Nucor Corporation, PGA President’s Cup, PwC, Queens University, Ric Elias, The Duke Endowment, The Gambrell Foundation, Trane Technologies, Truist and Wells Fargo.

Foundation For The Carolinas serves as the administrator for the majority of the Initiative’s private dollars and also serves as the integration point for funders across Priority Focus Areas. Public dollars are kept separate and flow through processes established at the public entities for approval, oversight, and distribution. Private Funder Advisory Committees are in place for each Focus Area to approve FFTC’s release of funding.

For more information about the Mayor’s Racial Equity Initiative and how funds are used, visit  EquityCLT.org.

About the Mayor’s Racial Equity Initiative

Committed to an equitable Charlotte, the Mayor’s Racial Equity Initiative seeks to set the standard as an American city for achieving racial equity, social justice, economic opportunity, and upward mobility through transformational public-private partnerships. To learn more, visit EquityCLT.org

Tiffany James, a 27-year-old African American woman from New York City, turned a $10,000 investment in the stock market into $2 million in just 2 years. Later, she founded Modern Blk Girl, which helps educate women with her investing strategies to help them build wealth.

In 2019, James was struggling with her student loan debt while making ends meet when she followed a coworker’s advice to invest in Tesla stock. The shares at that time were only $60 to $70 each. She decided to take the risk and started gradually investing $4,000.

James, who was then 25 years old, invested a total of $10,000 in long-term LEAPs, S&P SPDR exchange-traded funds, and the stock market, including Tesla and semiconductor chip stocks. Since then, she has grown her portfolio to 2 million dollars.

However, she noticed that the investment and trading community is still dominated by white men. James, who is a daughter of Jamaican and Haitian immigrants, aimed to change that by launching Modern Blk Girl. In this online community, she gives practical investing advice that is encouraging and accessible. With more than 225,000 women, she is happy to share her knowledge with others.

“If you educate a woman, you educate a village,” she told CNBC. “If a mom starts investing, she tells her kids.”

James advises those who want to get started to constantly get ready to invest and think broadly about where to put the investments. She also encourages women not to be afraid, saying that “investing is a necessity, not an option” and it will open doors to greater financial freedom.

“There are scarier things we deal with every day as women,” James said, emphasizing that by making money in the market, “We can live the lives we want to live.”

Learn more about Modern Blk Girl on ModernBlkGirl.com

Also, be sure to follow the brand on Instagram @ModernBlkGirl

This story first appeared on BlackBusiness.com.

• Health and Wellness

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

January 6, 2023

Rapper/Activist Vic Mensa Building Wells in Ghana to Bring Clean Water to More Than 200K People

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Vic Mensa has a career that has taken him across genres, forms and continents, as a rapper, producer, visual artist and now water activist.

Born to a Ghanaian economics professor father, Mensa was raised on the Southside of Chicago but has strong ties to West Africa where his father was raised. Unfortunately, a recent study in Ghana indicated that about 60% of water bodies in the area are polluted.

Many activities including domestic use of water in river bodies, household and industrial waste, and agricultural pollution among others lead to the pollution of water bodies. In response to this, several studies have been conducted to examine and evaluate the quality of drinking water in Ghana.

These studies revealed that most of the drinking water sources were microbiologically contaminated and may cause water-related diseases such as typhoid, diarrhea and dysentery when consumed.

After witnessing firsthand the water contamination in his ancestral village Mensa linked up with his father to develop a solution and build a new Borehole in the region. Boreholes are a simple manual pump which provide fresh and clean water but unfortunately are significantly lacking across the continent of Africa. The construction of the first Borehole was completed in Koforidua, an eastern region in Southern Ghana with a population of 200,000 people.

With the success of Koforidua in 2022 Mensa decided to expand the vision and continue building more Boreholes in the city of Effiduase and Amedzope, a village in the mountainous Volta region.

Mensa says, “We’re building 3 Boreholes in different communities in Ghana to provide clean drinking water; the first being the Asokore Zongo in Koforidua where my family lives, which is already built. The other locations are a nearby community called Efiduase and then our ancestral village in the Volta Region Amedzope. Most people in communities like this in Ghana experience constant water borne diseases.”

Because each Borehole can cost up to $15,000 to build, the money needed will be generated in conjunction with the Black Star Line Festival which will take place on January 6, 2023 in Accra Ghana and feature artists including Vic Mensa, Chance the Rapper, Erykah Badu, T-Pain, Jeremih, Sarkodie, Tobe Nwigwe, Asakaa Boys and M.anifest.

There’s no such thing as going too far when exploring options to secure financial freedom.

Savings accounts and 401Ks are tried-and-true methods, but the more diversity one has in their portfolio, the better their chances are to reach that goal of financial freedom realistically. The stock market has always been an available source, but it isn’t the most straightforward system to navigate.

That’s when Tykr steps in. It’s an all-in-one stock screener and educational platform that helps manage your investments. While Tykr doesn’t directly recommend specific stocks from which to choose, it is exceptional because it analyzes myriad stocks, alerting you to which ones it suggests you sell or buy.

Start the new year on the right financial footing with a lifetime subscription to Tykr. For a limited time, you can purchase Tykr Stock Screener: Pro Plan for $119. That’s a savings of 86% from its original MSPR ($900), and lasts until 1/9/23 11:59PM Pacific time.

Tykr takes the guesswork out of investing so that you can confidently enter the arena as you build your portfolio for now and in the future. It offers a user-friendly interface that can be accessed via desktop and laptop or mobile devices.

Tykr analyzes more than 30,000 U.S. and international stocks. It then makes its determinations with three metrics. First, it provides a summary with three categories: on sale (potential buy), watch (potential sell) and overpriced (potential sell). Then it gives a score up to 20, depending on the safety of the investment. Finally, users are able to see the increase in their returns in the market. Open-source calculations are used in Tykr’s analysis.

Tykr is currently rated 4.9 stars on Trustpilot, and it’s received another 4.9-star rating on AppSumo.

“It’s a great double-check on stocks I consider buying. If I like it from other research, I can do a quick check on Tyke to see its characteristics and summary evaluation. A real bargain for a lifetime subscription at the price I bought it,” writes verified purchaser Thomas Johnston.

The stock market never sleeps. Tap into its potential today by purchasing Tykr Stock Screener: Pro Plan.

Prices subject to change.  

• Fashion & Beauty

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

January 5, 2023

Keke Palmer Wears Lorraine West for ‘Black Is Brilliant’ With Rad and de Beers Group at the 2023 New York Film Critics Circle Awards

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Keke Palmer wore earrings, a choker, and rings by Lorraine West featuring ethically and sustainably sourced natural diamonds from Botswana for RAD x De Beers Group’s #BlackIsBrilliant campaign at 2023 New York Film Critics Circle Awards on January 4, 2023 in New York, New York.

WHAT & WHY:

With #BlackIsBrilliant, De Beers Group provides a platform for Black designers to create one-of-a-kind pieces with natural diamonds from Botswana, with an emphasis on the Red Carpet as a powerful forum for communication and visibility in amplifying Black voices and talent.

De Beers Group teamed with RAD (Red carpet Advocacy), taking RAD’s established, purpose-driven approach of pairing talent and brands to use their platforms in advocating for causes at global events as a way to promote social progress and positive shifts in culture.

De Beers Group is deeply committed to creating a positive, lasting impact that will endure well beyond the discovery of its last diamond.

JEWELRY DESCRIPTION:

Keke Palmer wore the Abstract Baby’s Breath Vine Crescent Earring and Vine Crawler Earring in 18k Rose Gold with ethically and sustainably sourced natural diamonds from Botswana, the Shooting Star Choker in 18k Rose Gold with 18k White Gold Hinge with ethically and sustainably sourced natural diamonds from Botswana, and the Slither Rings in 18k Rose Gold with ethically and sustainably sourced natural diamonds from Botswana for a combined 12.54 total carat weight of De Beers natural diamonds.

HOW THIS PIECE GIVES BACK:

In support of Keke’s advocacy of Black creative talent, a $25,000 donation will be made to a charity of her choice.

ABOUT LORRAINE WEST:

Lorraine West has always had an affinity for creating original art. As a wife, mother and artisan, her handcrafted contemporary and fine jewelry pieces are inspired by love and a passion for connecting with people on an intuitive and authentic level. Not only are her elegant pieces striking, but you feel them; they’re designed to reflect your own inner beauty and power.

As a self-taught craftswoman, Lorraine pays homage to her Caribbean roots mixing bold and minimalists design sensibilities. Working with her hands comes naturally, thanks to her mother, a baker and her father, a carpenter. Welding and manipulating precious metals is what heals her soul. It’s more than a technique; it’s a spiritual process that’s poured into every design and is evidenced by jewelry that is as much high-end art as it is high fashion. Her symbolic and geometric designs have not only been seen on stars from Zendaya to Beyoncé, but also on countless everyday people who are drawn to the excellence of her craft.

Lorraine graduated from Fashion Institute of Technology with a BFA in Illustration and lives in Brooklyn with her son and husband, who both continue to support her handcrafted creations, all made with Love.

Singer Summer Walker welcomed her twin babies this week and is sharing how happy she is to have “hella kids” before the age of 30.

Walker, 26, took to social media to share a since-deleted video of her at-home birth with doula Erykah Badu. The proud mother of three shared how “proud” she is of herself for welcoming the two healthy babies naturally and shared words of encouragement to other women to stick to their guns if they’re wanting to avoid a C-section delivery.

“I’m so proud of myself. I’m so proud of myself,” Walker wrote in her lengthy caption captured by The Shade Room.

“Just sharing to inspire other women ’cause I know once you carry twins to almost 42 weeks with (one breech), people will try and steer you towards induction or c-section (which there’s nothing wrong with these. I just didn’t want it for myself.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by The Shade Room (@theshaderoom)

She continued expressing her satisfaction with natural at-home births after completing her second one.

“You can do it; this was my second home birth. All natural,” she wrote”

“7hrs, no tearing and I couldn’t of done it without my spirit guides, Godparents, birth team, my elders, and the best Dad doula ever Larry lol. He was so hands-on the whole time. I was really impressed.”

In a follow-up post-delivery post, Walker bragged about having “hella kids” before the age of 30, Complex reports.

“I really reached my goal of hella kids before 30,” Walker wrote on her Instagram Stories. “I’m so happy lol. Their all so sweet.”

Walker shares her twins with her ex Larry. She also shares a daughter with music producer London on da Track. Fans had been speculating if the singer was expecting twins due to how big her pregnant belly was.

Now that the cat is out of the bag, Walker is proudly boasting about her trio of babies and doing it all before the age of 30.

• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

January 5, 2023

Suspect Charged In Takeoff’s Death Released on $1 Million Bond

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The suspect charged in the murder of beloved Migos rapper, Takeoff, was released from the Harris County jail in Houston after posting $1 million bond.

According to ABC13, Judge Josh Hill ruled that Patrick Xavier Clark made previous statements indicating that he could pay a $1 million bail and that there are bail bond companies that would take on that risk.

Clark was released after his defense team attempted to have his bond lowered to $300,000, pleading the suspect could not come up with the cash to get out. His bond was first set at $2 million, however, Hill agreed to lower it to $1 million.

On the other side, prosecutors feel that Clark wasn’t being upfront about all his financial assets. They said he works as a local DJ and strip club promotor and deals largely in cash, so it’s hard to determine how much money he actually has.

They also raised concerns that he is a possible flight risk if he is not in custody. The court did make the 33-year-old surrender his passport in a previous appearance. Clark’s bond conditions state he is not allowed to leave his parent’s home on the east side of Houston, have no contact with Takeoff’s family, and wear a GPS tracking device.

Takeoff, whose real name was Kirsnick Khari Ball, was outside a bowling alley in downtown Houston with fellow Migos member, Quavo, and was shot to death early on November 1. Police said he was an innocent bystander in a crowd of people near an argument over a dice game. Clark stands by his innocence, however, detectives said he had a gun in one hand and a wine bottle in another. Fingerprints on the wine bottle helped authorities identify Clark.

He was caught on camera firing his weapon, with those bullets allegedly fatally striking Takeoff. Clark is due back in court on March 9.

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is telling her story the best way she knows how with a new memoir.

According to CNN, her book will be titled ‘Lovely One,’ taking readers on a journey from her Miami upbringing, to her Harvard years, marriage and more. “Mine has been an unlikely journey,” Justice Jackson says.

“This memoir marries the public record of my life with what is less known.”

The title has sentimental value, using the English translation of her birth name, Ketanji Onyika Brown, given to her my her aunt. “It will be a transparent accounting of what it takes to rise through the ranks of the legal profession, especially as a woman of color with an unusual name and as a mother and a wife striving to reconcile the demands of a high-profile career with the private needs of my loved ones.”

What a story to tell.

Before making history as the first Black women appointed to the Court, Jackson was a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. After sitting through grueling interrogation, she was confirmed by the Senate in mid-2022 and shortly after, gave her first opinion in November.

This will be the 52-year-old’s first book.

Published by Random House, there has been no announcement of a release date or how much she will be paid for her work. It isn’t uncommon for Supreme Court members to secure lucrative deals. Justice Jackson follows in the footsteps of fellow members, like Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who received a payment of over $400,000 for her unreleased book.

According to a statement written by Jackson this week, her “hope is that the fullness of my journey as a daughter, sister, wife, mother, litigator, and friend will stand as a testament for young women, people of color, and dreamers everywhere … especially those who nourish outsized ambitions and believe in the possibility of achieving them.”

Who knew Drake was such a big fan of actor Cuba Gooding Jr.? The Toronto rapper is getting mocked on social media for showing a little too much excitement over the veteran film star.

On Monday, The Shade Room captured a screenshot of Drake’s Instagram Story where he shared a selfie he snapped alongside the Boyz n the Hood star.

“Cuba Gooding Jr and Dominican Badness Sr,” Drake jokingly captioned the pic.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by The Shade Room (@theshaderoom)

Cuba reposted the photo to his page with the caption, “Boyz n da boat!”

Social media wasted no time making a mockery of the photo, Drake’s new nickname, and his “Dominican” identity.

“Drake wanna be EVERYTHING but Canadian 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂,” one user wrote.

“Not DOMINICAN. 🥴 Y’all gone let this Half Jewish Half Black man zoo dat?” asked someone else.

One viewer got Drake’s joke and knew the Toronto native wasn’t really identifying as Dominican, the Grammy award-winning rapper was only making a play on Cuba’s name.

“He doing wordplay CUBA GOOD DOMINICAN BAD lmao y’all slow fr 😭😭,” the user wrote.

But the damage had already been done. Over on Twitter, one person referred to Drake and Cuba as “menaces.”

two menaces of this level linking up is crazy pic.twitter.com/iz76GuP84m

— alien superstar (@poetnextdoor) January 2, 2023

“I bet he giggled when he typed this corny ass caption,” one person said.

“Idk Cheek to cheek is just insane…” added someone else.

Others shared throwback photos and video clips highlighting some of Cuba’s past antics during his night’s out on the town.

pic.twitter.com/CsUiXra7Sv

— Mr. (@LongLive__KP) January 2, 2023

like be fr pic.twitter.com/uBbPvCkwbv

— alien superstar (@poetnextdoor) January 2, 2023

Others felt like Drake’s new nickname reflected him getting “cornier” with each passing year. The “Hotline Bling” rapper is known for cheesing it up when in the presence of stars he idolizes.

Photos have seen Drake smiling extra hard when hanging out with LeBron James, French Montana, and other familiar faces. With Drake always being the butt of the joke, he appears comfortable with the slander he receives for being himself.

• Business

by Diamond Jeune

January 5, 2023

Bay Street Capital Holdings Founder Invests in Black Travel

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Bay Street Capital Holdings founder William Huston has been in the news recently after the entrepreneur shared that he was investing in Black travel. 

According to its site, Bay Street Capital, based in Califonia, is an “independent investment advisory, wealth management, and financial planning firm.” The company invests in property technology and lavish vacation homes.

Bay Street Capital Holdings started in 2018 as a call center for financial advisors after Huston was met with a financial crisis when his dad’s injury lessened his family income. They would later switch to Black-owned travel agencies after seeing how the work hours negatively affected their employees. Since the pivot, the firm has racked up $85 million in its portfolio.

During a January 3 interview with The Guardian, Huston revealed how the company maintained its success despite the Standard and Poor’s 500 stock market dropping to 26.7% in October 2022. He credited all his achievements to how much Black people spend yearly on “leisure travel.” Huston told the publication, “Black travelers in America spend $109 billion on leisure travel annually, and only $1 billion goes to Black-owned hotels.”

Further in the discussion, Huston talked about Bay Street Capital Holdings’ latest investments in an exclusive luxury vacation property, Resthaven Properties, and an app called Unified. The Guardian describes Unified helping social media influencers find their next “travel properties.”

Huston claimed that although the firm’s properties may not be widely known, like the Marriott or other places, after a few years, Bay Street Capital Holdings will be recognized for the hotels they own and those they support. 

He said, “We wanted to add a layer of intentionality to the business. We’re never going to compete with Marriott, but in five years people will know about us. And they will know the names of some of the other hotels that we don’t own but we support, and that’s just as impactful.”