This holiday season, H&M and Buy From a Black Woman traveled from coast to coast to present the second year of the “Buy From a Black Woman Holiday Market” with events in New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, and Chicago.

The market featured BFABW vendors from around the US. H&M’s partnership and support will further assist the nonprofit’s mission of empowering, educating, and inspiring Black Women and the people who support them, according to a press release.

Buy From a Black Woman is a non-profit organization founded in 2016 by Nikki Porcher that connects over 600 Black Women-owned businesses across the United States and provides a community of support with the goal of helping them flourish.

As BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported the event ran for five days then traveled across the country to Los Angeles, setting up in H&M’s Glendale and Century City locations. A total of 25 Black Women-owned businesses were featured this year, with new businesses rotating each day. Porcher said about the event, “The Buy From A Black Woman Holiday Market allows us to put Black Women Business Owners in front of shoppers. When we did this last year, the community really showed out to support us and they loved it, which more than validates the need for these initiatives.”

“Creating experiences like this for Black Women Business Owners is so important because it empowers us to keep reaching for more despite the obstacle’s Black Women face. We are proud to continue this partnership with H&M and show the world what it really means when we say, “when you support a Black Woman Business Owner, you support a whole community.”

This fortune teller says everyone regrets it when they come against her, and a new name has been added to her list of “regretful people.”

Ashley Guillard, a Texas local, is being sued by a professor at the University of Idaho over accusations that linked her to four students who were murdered in November.

According to Daily Mail, Guillard was named in a lawsuit filed in Idaho by Professor Rebecca Scofield.

Guillard runs a TikTok page where she uses tarot cards and other readings to investigate and predict real-life crimes. In her most recent thread of videos, Guillard addresses the student murders that took place near the university, accusing Scofield of having a part in the killing of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Kernodle’s boyfriend, Ethan Chapin, 20, who were reportedly stabbed to death on Nov. 13, inside a home they rented off campus.

The tarot card reader is now being sued by Scofield for refusing to remove the videos of her accusations, where she explains to her followers that the professor allegedly planned the murders in response to a relationship with Goncalves, a female student.

https://www.tiktok.com/@ashleyisinthebookoflife/video/7180201073292938538?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1

Guillard’s allegations provided that the killings may have been organized by Scofield and another student in an effort to keep an alleged lesbian relationship between the professor and Goncalves from becoming public. Reportedly, Goncalves was planning to break up with professor Scofield.

The fortune teller began posting videos about Scofield around Nov. 24.

Scofield’s lawsuit claims that none of the four victims were ever students in any of her classes, and that she was away in Oregon with her husband at the time of the murders.

“I don’t care what y’all say, Rebecca Scofield killed [the victims] and she was the one to initiate the plan…,” Guillard alleged in one video.

Scofield asked the TikToker to remove the videos that have now received thousands of views, allegedly causing the professor to receive online threats. However, Guillard’s videos remain.

“Rebeca Scofield will regret this lawsuit’ she says: ‘You just don’t get it, I’ve been against people big and small, corporations and giants, systemic policies and racism and won,” Guillard said in a recent video addressing the lawsuit.

The lawsuit calls for a jury trial that will determine any compensation.

Residents of Mississippi’s capital are ending the year unable to count on clean running water in their homes after a freezing winter storm brought a fresh crisis to Jackson’s beleaguered water infrastructure.

Residents of the majority-Black city say their main water treatment plant has been poorly maintained and funded for years. In August, its pumps failed entirely, overwhelmed by historic flooding along the Pearl River, cutting off running water entirely for Jackson’s 150,000 residents and about 30,000 people in the surrounding area.

The huge winter storm that caused chaos across the United States in the days before Christmas and killed more than 30 people in upstate New York brought unusually frigid weather to the Deep South. Other Southern cities unaccustomed to freezing weather were grappling with similar water issues, including Atlanta; Shreveport, Louisiana; and Selma, Alabama.

Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, a Democrat, on Sunday announced once again that all residents must boil water before using it for cooking or drinking. Homes in some parts of the city had no water at all, and officials have set up distribution points for bottled drinking water each day.

The freeze caused dozens of burst pipes and other leaks, which were still being discovered as emergency crews combed the city, Lumumba said at a news briefing on Wednesday.

It would likely take until Saturday at the earliest to find and fix the leaks, restore the water pressure and perform safety tests, he said.

“I will say that that is a bit of an ambitious goal,” he said.

The latest crisis made for a glum celebration of the Christmas holiday that was already set to be Jackson’s coldest in decades.

“It was too much for me to try to cook,” said Maati Jone Primm, owner of Marshall’s Music and Book Store. “It was miserable.”

Primm, 61, said the latest crisis stemmed from decades of underfunding of the city by the majority-white state government, beginning in the 1970s when white residents began to leave the city in ever-swelling numbers. Now, more than 80% residents are Black.

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves, a Republican, has said that the problems stem from incompetence and corruption at the local level.

The U.S. Justice Department in November reached an agreement with Mississippi and the city of Jackson to appoint an interim third-party manager to stabilize the city’s drinking water supply. The Justice Department also a filed a complaint against the city on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency over the problems.

The mayor says fixing the water system will take billions of dollars. The U.S. Congress included $600 million to repair Jackson’s water system in a spending bill signed into law last week.

After days of bone-dry faucets, Primm said she awoke on Wednesday to find that a weak water flow had been restored.

“A shower is out of the question,” the bookstore owner said, “but even a trickle is better than nothing at all.”

(Reporting by Jonathan Allen in New York; Editing by Mark Porter)

• News

by Kia Morgan Smith

January 1, 2023

World Welcomes 2023 and Leaves a Stormy Year Behind

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By Andrew Kelly and Stefaniia Bern

(Reuters) -The world welcomed the new year with a packed party in Times Square and fireworks soaring above European capitals, while hoping for an end to the war in Ukraine and a return to post-COVID normality in Asia.

It was a year marked by the conflict in Ukraine, economic stresses and the effects of global warming. But it was also a year that saw a dramatic soccer World Cup, rapid technological change, and efforts to meet climate challenges.

After 2023 descended upon Asia, Africa and Europe, New York rang in the new year in typical style as thousands corralled themselves into pens under pouring rain in Times Square, waiting hours for the ball to drop. A 12-foot (3.7-meter) geodesic sphere made of Waterford crystal triangles slid down a pole atop a 25-story building to mark the calendar change.

Meanwhile, millions watched the accompanying musical acts and countdown on television from dry and warm living rooms around the world.

Tommy Onolfo, 40, a mechanic from nearby Nassau County, said he wore a diaper during his drenched, 14-hour wait in Times Square, as security measures require spectators to deprive themselves of all comforts to maintain a front-row view.

“I’m a lifeguard in the summer so I’m not afraid of water at all,” Onolfo said. “I have my bathroom thing down to a science. I haven’t had to use the diaper yet. It’s just in case.”

Earlier, across the Atlantic, the London Eye turned blue and yellow in solidarity with Ukraine as fireworks saw in midnight in the British capital.

The celebration, which London’s mayor had branded the biggest in Europe, also referenced Queen Elizabeth II, who died in September, the red and white of England’s soccer team, and the rainbow colours of the LGBTQ Pride event, which had its 50-year anniversary in 2022.

SOLEMNITY IN UKRAINE

For Ukraine, there seemed to be no end in sight to the fighting that began when Russia invaded in February.

Numerous blasts were heard in Kyiv and in other places around Ukraine and air raid sirens wailed across the country in the early hours of New Year’s Day.

On Saturday, Russia fired a barrage of cruise missiles that Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman described as “Terror on New Year’s Eve.”

Evening curfews remained in place nationwide, making the celebration of the beginning of 2023 impossible in many public spaces. Several regional governors posted messages on social media warning residents not to break restrictions.

In Kyiv, though, people gathered near the city’s central Christmas tree as midnight approached.

“We are not giving up. They couldn’t ruin our celebrations,” said 36-year-old Yaryna, who was celebrating with her husband, tinsel and fairy lights wrapped around her.

In a video message to mark the New Year, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Time Magazine’s 2022 Person of the Year, said: “I want to wish all of us one thing – victory.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin devoted his New Year’s address to rallying the Russian people behind his troops.

Festivities in Moscow were muted, without the usual fireworks on Red Square.

“One should not pretend that nothing is happening – our people are dying (in Ukraine),” said 68-year-old Yelena Popova. “A holiday is being celebrated, but there must be limits.” Many Muscovites said they hoped for peace in 2023.

Elsewhere in Europe, fireworks exploded over the Parthenon in Athens, the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, and the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, where crowds gathered on the Champs-Elysees avenue to watch the French capital’s first New Year fireworks since 2019.

But, like many places, the Czech capital Prague was feeling the pinch economically and so did not hold a fireworks display.

“Holding celebrations did not seem appropriate,” said city hall spokesman Vit Hofman.

COVID DAMPENS PARTY IN CHINA

Earlier, Australia kicked off the celebrations with its first restriction-free New Year’s Eve after two years of COVID disruptions. Sydney welcomed the New Year with a typically dazzling fireworks display, which for the first time featured a rainbow waterfall off the Harbour Bridge.

In China, rigorous COVID restrictions were lifted only in December as the government abruptly reversed its “zero-COVID” policy, a switch that has led to soaring infections and meant some people were in no mood to celebrate.

While China’s official death toll is barely ticking higher, UK-based health data firm Airfinity estimated last week that around 9,000 people in the country are probably dying each day from COVID.

“This virus should just go and die, cannot believe this year I cannot even find a healthy friend that can go out with me,” wrote one social media user based in eastern Shandong province.

But in the city of Wuhan, where the pandemic began three years ago, thousands of people gathered to despite a heavy security presence.

Barricades were erected and hundreds of police officers stood guard. Loudspeakers blasted out a message on a loop advising people not to gather. But the large crowds of revelers took no notice.

In Shanghai, many thronged the historic riverside walkway, the Bund.

“We’ve all travelled in from Chengdu to celebrate in Shanghai,” said Da Dai, a 28-year-old digital media executive who was visiting with two friends. “We’ve already had COVID, so now feel it’s safe to enjoy ourselves.”

Reuters 2022 Year in Review

(Reporting by Reuters bureaux around the world; Writing by Neil Fullick, Frances Kerry, Rosalba O’Brien and Daniel Trotta; Editing by Hugh Lawson, David Holmes, Daniel Wallis and Kim Coghill)

• News

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

January 1, 2023

American Piping Inspection to Pay $250K to Settle EEOC Race Discrimination and Retaliation Suit

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American Piping Inspection, Inc. (API), an Oklahoma-based testing and piping inspection services company, agreed to pay $250,000 and to provide other substantial equitable relief to resolve a discrimination and retaliation lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced.

According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, a Black radiographer hired to work out of API’s Midland, Texas office was subjected to racist remarks by his supervisor, beginning his first day on the job and continuing throughout his employment at API. The supervisor, who was white, used the “N-word” to refer to the radiographer and to other minority employees. He also made highly offensive racist “jokes” in the presence of the radiographer and other employees. Despite the radiographer complaining to API’s vice president, the company took no corrective action. Instead, the defendant’s Midland management subjected the radiographer to harsher discipline compared to other non-Black radiographers. It then fired him, the EEOC said.

Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race and retaliation. The EEOC filed suit (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. American Piping Inspection, Inc., Case No. 4:21-cv-3187) in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, after first attempting to reach pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process, according to a press release.

In addition to the $250,000 in monetary relief, the three-year consent decree approved by the federal court requires API to revise its anti-discrimination policies and to distribute them to its employees and new hires. The decree requires API to provide all its managers and human resources personnel training on the prohibition of race discrimination and retaliation to ensure they know their legal obligation to prevent, address, and remedy workplace discrimination. The decree also requires API to post a discrimination notice and EEO posters at all its worksites and submit to the EEOC periodic compliance reports. The court will retain authority to enforce the terms of the decree for its duration.

“This case is a strong reminder that unlawful race discrimination and retaliation continue to permeate our workplaces,” said Rudy Sustaita, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Houston District Office. “Other employers should take heed and review their practices and policies to ensure compliance with federal law. Otherwise, the EEOC will enforce the law against violators and seek redress for aggrieved employees.”

Houston District Office Senior Trial Attorney Claudia Molina-Antanaitis said, “Racial slurs, comments, and other workplace harassment are not only illegal, deeply hurtful to the individual employee, but also poisons the work environment. Employers must take prompt and fair corrective action, as the law requires, in response to all harassment complaints.”

Recently, the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act of 2022 was passed by the House of Representatives and is headed to the President’s desk.

This historic victory comes a decade after Color Of Change, its members and partners pressured Securus, the largest prison telecom company, to publicly support the prison phone justice legislation after decades of opposing it, according to a press release.

The legislation gives the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) the authority to establish maximum service rates in prisons for communication providers. This will allow incarcerated individuals to stay in contact with their families and loved ones, without paying exorbitant fees and is a step toward ending carceral profiteering, once and for all. Color Of Change, Worth Rises, United Church of Christ’s Media Justice Ministry, Free Press Action, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the National Consumer Law Center, Public Knowledge, International CURE and Benton Institute for Broadband and Society applaud lawmakers for enshrining these protections for incarcerated individuals. For years, these groups have publicly pressured, called on and spoke with telecom companies, lawmakers and other key players who have had a hand in profiting from incarceration by overcharging communication services. Advocates demanded lawmakers pass the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act to end these harmful practices.

“It is vital that we end carceral profiteering once and for all. Prison-telecommunications services profit from vulnerable families trying to stay in touch with their loved ones, generating $1.4 billion annually,” said Sakira Cook, Vice President of Policy & Government at Color Of Change. “Today, after over a decade of advocacy, lawmakers made an important stride in addressing profiteering in our prison system. We applaud and thank Representative Bobby Rush and Senator Tammy Duckworth for their leadership on this issue, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Leader Chuck Schumer for prioritizing and passing this legislation in the House and in the Senate. The Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act of 2022 will protect people from predatory phone companies and save millions of dollars for families of incarcerated individuals, especially for Black people and communities of color.

“The predatory correctional telecom industry has avoided regulation for too long, and families have paid the exorbitant price,” said Worth Rises Executive Director Bianca Tylek. “Today, we commend Congress for finally correcting this injustice by passing the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act of 2022 and ensuring that the FCC has the authority to regulate call rates charged across our nation’s prisons and jails. This legislation will bring extraordinary relief to families with incarcerated loved ones – parents and children especially – who need to stay connected. Those connections are important to the strength of families, well-being of people inside, and their mutual success upon reentry. Their success benefits us all.”

“The Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act of 2022 is essential to preparing for jobs and housing when a person is released,” commended Charles Sullivan, President of International CURE.

“The predatory behavior of companies serving incarcerated people and their families is notorious. Families, pastors, attorneys and others are forced to pay unconscionable rates in order to keep in touch with loved ones, offer counseling and connection or vindicate legal rights,” said Cheryl A. Leanza, policy advisor of the United Church of Christ Media Justice Ministry. “But today, the forces of good pushed back! We are celebrating passage of the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act of 2022 and the steadfast commitment of our Congressional champions who pressed ahead against terrible odds. The gift of connection and recognition to people who are often forgotten and left behind is immeasurable and particularly meaningful during the holiday season. The United Church of Christ Media Justice Ministry expresses our deep gratitude to Senator Duckworth, Representative Rush. Senate and House leadership and the often unsung staff who would not give up on the people counting on them. And we credit the National Sheriffs Association for coming to the table and standing by the legislative compromise it made. We look forward to working with the Federal Communications Commission to implement this new law.”

“For too long, families have been forced to pay inflated, unaffordable rates to stay connected with their incarcerated loved ones,” said Ariel Nelson, Staff Attorney at the National Consumer Law Center. “We applaud Congress for passing the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act of 2022, which will help end this predatory practice and ensure that families no longer have to choose between putting food on the table or speaking with a loved one.”

“Enactment of the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act of 2022 helps everyone, not just the incarcerated and their families,” stressed Andrew Jay Schwartzman, Staff Counsel to the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society on the broader impact of the new legislation. “Our entire society benefits when families can stay together; reducing recidivism reduces taxes for all of us and also makes the job of law enforcement easier and cheaper.”

“Incarcerated people and their loved ones have paid the price, literally, for the predatory behavior by the correctional telecom industry for far too long,” said Heather Franklin, Internet Campaign Director at Free Press Action. “The ability for incarcerated people to maintain regular communication with their loved ones, counsel and clergy is a human rights issue. We’re grateful to champions on the Hill for pushing the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act of 2022 over the finish line in the final days before Congress’ holiday break and look forward to working with the FCC to ensure that the costs of all calls are just and reasonable.”

“At last, incarcerated people will be able to make phone calls to stay in touch with family and other loved ones with some regulatory supervision on both interstate and local rates,” said Al Kramer, Senior Fellow at Public Knowledge. “Moreover, there will now have to be services accessible by incarcerated people who are hearing impaired or have other disabilities. We thank Senator Duckworth and Representative Rush for their tireless work in shepherding this important legislation through the legislative process.”

“We applaud Congress for taking the long overdue step to eliminate predatory prison phone rates. It’s unacceptable for anyone to have to choose between necessities like rent or health care and connecting with their loved ones. The passage of the Martha Wright Prison Phone Justice Bill will correct this injustice and be life-changing for incarcerated individuals and their families,” said Jesselyn McCurdy, Executive Vice President of Government Affairs at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.

• Women

by Kia Morgan Smith

December 31, 2022

Mariah Carey’s Life and Career Detailed in a New Comic Book

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(Reuters) – The life and career of Mariah Carey is being celebrated in a new comic book.

TidalWave Comics has added the singer to their “Female Force” series that highlights successful women in their respective fields.

In 22 pages, Carey’s childhood and rise to fame is outlined in vivid color with illustrations by Pablo Martinena.

Writer Michael Frizell said in a statement that he was proud to pen the glossy: “I hope that readers learn something new about her.”

Three covers will be released with one recognizing her as the “Queen of Christmas.” Carey’s 1994 hit “All I Want for Christmas Is You” is widely played during the holiday season even nearly 25 years later.

Hardback and paperback issues will be released on Dec. 7.

A cover by Yonami, from a new comic book on Mariah Carey, written by Michael Frizell and with art by Pablo Martinena, is seen in this undated handout image obtained by Reuters on December 5, 2022. TidalWave Comics/Handout via REUTERS

(Reporting by Alicia Powell in New York; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)

First Horizon is pleased to announce that Keva Latham, SVP Director of Compensation, has been recognized by Color Magazine in its 2022 Power 40 Under 40 list. The honorees were celebrated and are highlighted in the online publication.

COLOR’s POWER 40 Under 40 publication highlights rising leaders of color in business, arts and community who are transforming their industries and forwarding the principles of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging. Candidates were nominated by their organization for demonstrating leadership in their chosen field as well as their involvement in the community and volunteer efforts, according to a press release.

“Keva consistently demonstrates exceptional leadership in her current role, as a mentor and as the chairwoman of the Women’s Initiative associate resource group in Memphis.  Keva also makes community involvement a priority. As the founder of Banking and Buckets Youth Financial Literacy and Basketball Skills Camp, I am proud she was recognized for her efforts within our company and our communities,” says Bryan Jordan, President and CEO of First Horizon.

About First Horizon

First Horizon Corp. (NYSE: FHN), with $80.3 billion in assets as of September 30, 2022, is a leading regional financial services company, dedicated to helping our clients, communities and associates unlock their full potential with capital and counsel. Headquartered in Memphis, TN, the banking subsidiary First Horizon Bank operates in 12 states across the southern U.S. The Company and its subsidiaries offer commercial, private banking, consumer, small business, wealth and trust management, retail brokerage, capital markets, fixed income, and mortgage banking services. First Horizon has been recognized as one of the nation’s best employers by Fortune and Forbes magazines and a Top 10 Most Reputable U.S. Bank. More information is available at www.FirstHorizon.com.

Here are some ways to consider helping better your cash position in the New Year.

Establish financial goals

First off, determine your financial goals by next month. You’re more likely to achieve your mission when you have specific goals you want to meet. Further, be honest and realistic if forces like high prices could delay or halt your plans to buy big-ticket items like a home or car.

 Reduce what you spend

Improve your credit score

A strong credit score is vital as it can make it more affordable to get better rates on such items as mortgages, auto loans, along with credit card approval. But be aware that you can’t improve your credit score until you know what it is. Get copies of your credit report to ensure the information is correct. You may do well to visit this online source to gain a free credit report.

File taxes early

Push to file your taxes early. The IRS generally starts accepting taxes by late January, making it a good time to file or at least start the process. Not only can you cross that burden off your list, you can get money back from a refund faster if you are due one. Getting a refund can help you pay off high-interest-rate credit cards and start or rebuild an emergency fund sooner than later. And there are actions that can be taken now to help bring savings when tax season arrives. See this site and here to get some tips.

UNCF (United Negro College Fund) announced in partnership with DeVry University that 42 outstanding DeVry University students received the UNCF DeVry Gateway Scholarship.

UNCF and DeVry University joined forces to help students of color earn skill-based credentials in eight to 18 months. This unique partnership was designed to provide access to DeVry’s certificate programs, preparing students with the skills and resources to help them succeed in today’s digital economy.

The UNCF DeVry Gateway scholarship, which is based on financial need and/or merit, was awarded to 42 deserving students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate certificate programs beginning in January. Six students received $10,000 each, one student received $7,500 and 35 students were awarded $5,000 each.

“UNCF is thrilled to partner with DeVry University on this scholarship program to help more students of color to go to and through college. Together, we will make dreams come true for students who, because of this investment, will have better futures,” said Larry A. Griffith, senior vice president, programs and student services, UNCF.

“We are ecstatic to share that 42 DeVry students will benefit from the UNCF DeVry Gateway Scholarship,” added Elise Awwad, DeVry University’s chief operating officer. “DeVry is pleased to partner with UNCF and continue our commitment to helping minorities gain access to educational opportunities in today’s digitally driven workforce.”

In addition to the financial assistance, recipients of the UNCF DeVry Gateway Scholarship will have access to numerous resources and mentorship programs, as well as DeVry’s award-winning digital care engine, which provides personalized support, accountability and guidance throughout their academic journey.

For more information, please visit: devry.edu.