The National Basketball Association (NBA) today unveiled six newly designed trophies named after NBA legends, which will be presented to the end-of-season Kia Performance Award winners.

Headlined by The Michael Jordan Trophy, which will be awarded to the Kia NBA Most Valuable Player, the lineup of reimagined trophies honors the league pioneers who helped define the standards of excellence that these trophies represent.

The NBA today unveiled six newly designed trophies named after NBA legends, which will be presented to the end-of-season Kia Performance Award winners. The lineup is headlined by The Michael Jordan Trophy, awarded to the Kia NBA MVP.

THREAD ⤵️https://t.co/zmXUdtolWo

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) December 13, 2022

“Our new collection of trophies celebrates some of the greatest and most impactful players in the history of the NBA,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.  “As we recognize the league’s top performers each season, we also pay tribute to the legends who embody these prestigious awards.”

The Michael Jordan Trophy

Awarded to the Kia NBA Most Valuable Player

The league’s MVP will now be awarded with The Michael Jordan Trophy, bearing the name of the NBA legend widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. During his illustrious career, Jordan was named MVP five times. The Hall of Famer also earned six NBA championships, six NBA Finals MVP Awards, 11 All-NBA Team selections, 14 NBA All-Star selections, three NBA All-Star Game MVP Awards, 10 scoring titles, an NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, an NBA Rookie of the Year Award and selections to the NBA’s 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams.

Mark Smith, retired VP of Innovation Special Projects at Nike, Inc., and Jordan Brand designer, worked in creative partnership with Jordan to design the new trophy, which symbolizes an NBA player’s journey to winning an MVP. Smith has collaborated with Jordan on countless projects over the past two decades. Artist Victor Solomon will manufacture the trophy on a yearly basis.

The bronze trophy features a player breaking out of a rock to reach for the ultimate rock — a crystal basketball. From the bottom to its top, the patina of the trophy grows more burnished — “raw to refined” — signifying the MVP’s hard work and progression from entering the league to achieving the NBA’s greatest individual honor. The trophy’s reach symbolizes an MVP’s endless chase for greatness.

Additionally included throughout are subtle nods that pay tribute to the trophy’s namesake:

• The trophy stands 23.6 inches tall and weighs 23.6 pounds, representing Jordan’s jersey number (23) and number of NBA championships (6).
• Its five-sided base is a nod to Jordan’s five league MVPs.
• The namesake badge is six-sided, a nod to Jordan’s six NBA championships.
• The 15-degree angle of the base is a nod to Jordan’s 15-season career.
• The crystal basketball consists of 23 points, a nod to Jordan’s jersey number.
• The crystal basketball measures 1.23 inches in diameter, in reference to the singularity of the MVP and Jordan’s standout career.

“I’m incredibly honored to have created the NBA’s MVP trophy in partnership with Michael Jordan,” said Smith. “Sculpting Michael’s vision of his own pursuit of athletic achievement into this award has been the opportunity and challenge of a lifetime. As we worked together on this project, it was very important to Michael that the figure not be a likeness of him, but instead that the recipient should be able to see himself in the award. For Michael, naming the award in his honor was recognition enough.”

The Jerry West Trophy

Awarded to the Kia NBA Clutch Player of the Year

The NBA will introduce a new Kia Performance Award at the end of the 2022-23 season, the Kia NBA Clutch Player of the Year, with its recipient receiving The Jerry West Trophy.

Voted on by a media panel based on nominations from NBA head coaches, the award will honor the NBA player who best comes through for his teammates in the clutch.

Legendary Los Angeles Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn gave West the nickname “Mr. Clutch” for his extraordinary shooting at the end of close games. West is an NBA champion, 14-time NBA All-Star, NBA Finals MVP, NBA All-Star Game MVP, 12-time All-NBA Team selection and a member of the 35th, 50th and 75th NBA Anniversary Teams. During the 1971-72 season, West led the Lakers to a record 33 consecutive regular-season victories and an NBA championship.

The trophy features an NBA player shooting a jump shot, modeled after West’s perfect form.

“There are few greater thrills as a basketball player than coming through for your teammates and fans when they need it most,” said West, Special Advisor, LA Clippers. “This new trophy will be awarded to the player who best delivers in those moments.”

The Jerry West Trophy, as well as the following newly designed trophies awarded to the Kia Performance Award winners, were designed in collaboration with Solomon. The trophies all feature an embedment inside a 15-inch crystal net structure. The front face is flat to allow for a direct line of sight to the icon, and the etching of the award and recipient is detailed at the bottom.

“While working alongside the NBA to reimagine the league’s trophy offerings, our singular goal was to create a cohesive collection of honors worthy of the athletes who raise them,” said Solomon. “These trophies celebrate the hard work of the players who reach the pinnacle of individual excellence while honoring the NBA legends who have defined that greatness.”

The Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy

Awarded to the Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year

Defensive dominance helped define Hakeem Olajuwon’s Hall of Fame career.  A two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and nine-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection, Olajuwon is the league’s all-time leader in blocked shots and ranks ninth in steals.  He is also a two-time NBA champion, 12-time NBA All-Star, league MVP, two-time NBA Finals MVP, 12-time All-NBA Team selection and a member of the NBA’s 50^th and 75^th Anniversary Teams.

The trophy features a player in a classic defensive stance with one hand up and one down, knees bent and ready to move.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to celebrate the league’s best defensive player each year,” said Olajuwon. “Great basketball teams are defined by their ability to defend, with every great team connected by an elite defensive anchor.”

The Wilt Chamberlain Trophy

Awarded to the Kia NBA Rookie of the Year

Wilt Chamberlain’s 1959-60 season is unmatched for an NBA rookie.  Chamberlain averaged 37.6 points and 27.0 rebounds in 46.4 minutes per game for the Philadelphia Warriors, winning both the Rookie of the Year and MVP awards.  His career highlights include two NBA championships, 13 NBA All-Star selections, four league MVPs, 10 All-NBA Team selections, an NBA Finals MVP and inclusion on the league’s 35^th, 50^th and 75^th Anniversary Teams.

The trophy features a player palming two basketballs at once.

“We are humbled and thankful that the NBA has immortalized Wilt’s greatness with this honor,” said Barbara Chamberlain Lewis, Wilt’s sister, and the Chamberlain family.  “Wilt rewrote nearly every NBA record throughout his illustrious career, which tipped off with an incredible rookie season that redefined what was possible and set a ceiling as high as he stood for all rookies who have followed.”

The John Havlicek Trophy

Awarded to the Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year

John Havlicek starred in his role during his Hall of Fame career, excelling off the bench like no player before him.  Havlicek came off the bench for the first seven seasons of his career and was an All-Star in four of those seasons.  His career highlights include eight NBA championships, 13 NBA All-Star selections, 11 All-NBA Team selections, an NBA Finals MVP, eight NBA All-Defensive Team selections and inclusion on the league’s 35^th, 50^th and 75^th Anniversary Teams.

The trophy features a player elevated and shooting a running jumper, symbolic of the boost provided by the player to his team.

“We are honored that the NBA recognized John’s career achievements with this award,” said Beth Havlicek, John’s wife, and the Havlicek family.  “John defined what it means to be the ultimate sixth man, with his leadership and stellar play serving as the utmost example of effectively starring in a role for the betterment of the team.”

The George Mikan Trophy

Awarded to the Kia NBA Most Improved Player of the Year

A layup and footwork exercise known as the “Mikan Drill” has been used for decades by players at all levels to improve their game.  It is named for George Mikan, who mastered the fundamentals as the NBA’s first dominant big man.  His Hall of Fame career included five NBA championships in seven seasons, four NBA All-Star selections, an NBA All-Star Game MVP, six selections to the All-NBA Team and inclusion on the NBA’s 25^th, 35^th, 50^th and 75^th Anniversary Teams.

“We are grateful that the NBA has recognized George’s career achievements with this honor,” said Mike Mikan, son of George Mikan #99, and the Mikan family.  “George is one of the best NBA players ever, but perhaps his greatest legacy is the one he has passed down to others through his legendary ‘Mikan Drill,’ providing generations of basketball players around the world with the tools to improve their game.”

Today’s announcement builds on Kia America’s support of the NBA’s performance award platform for the past 15 seasons.

Kingmakers of Oakland is on a mission to improve the lives of Black boys and build a stronger education system for all students.

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative is committing $4.8 million to bring their comprehensive, research-backed school improvement approach to more schools and districts across the country, according to a release.

Kingmakers works hand-in-hand with districts to help them get a full understanding of their community’s unique needs. They partner on building the capacity of schools to make improvements, helping teachers form deep relationships with students that ultimately increase learning and life outcomes.

“In Oakland, Kingmakers established a strong track record of improving student outcomes,” said Sandra Liu Huang, head of education at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. “They are a national leader in helping school districts apply research to transform the culture and conditions of a school to increase student success across the board.”

Launched as the African American Male Achievement program (AAMA) in the Oakland Unified School District in 2010, Kingmakers later became an independent nonprofit.

A 2019 study of AAMA by researchers at Stanford University showed that students who participated in Kingmakers’ programs were more likely to graduate high school. The same study also showed a positive impact on students who didn’t participate in a specific Kingmakers program, but who benefited from school-wide improvements as a result of their school’s partnership with Kingmakers.

Kingmakers’ comprehensive approach is grounded in six drivers of systems change: culturally relevant pedagogy and curriculum; Black male teacher recruitment, training and retention; youth voice and leadership; community and family engagement; narrative change; and policy change. Within this framework, their focus is shaped by local needs. From its inception, Kingmakers has used listening exercises and assessments to design programming tailored to each district in order to foster lasting change.

Christopher Chatmon, founder and CEO of Kingmakers of Oakland observes, “Changing systems and changing narratives takes multiracial, intergenerational and cross-functional collaboration among educators, students, families, communities and policymakers. When we combine their knowledge with what the research tells us about the type of environments that help students thrive, then we can truly build school cultures that set every young king–and all students–up for success.”

Standing with a growing community of partners, CZI is working to equip teachers with the research, tools, and partners they need to center students’ well-being in support of academic achievement and success. For more information about how CZI and our grant partners are supporting student and teacher well-being, visit chanzuckerberg.com/education/well-being.

• Women

by Derek Major

December 13, 2022

California Program Receives $5M Grant to Reduce Preterm Birth Rates Among Black Mothers

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Black mothers in four California counties will receive guaranteed income payments for one year as part of an expansion of a program started in San Francisco last summer.

According to a San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) release, the Abundant Birth Project has been awarded $5 million in state funding to expand and support additional Black mothers and families.

The Abundant Birth Project is an SFDPH program that operates in partnership with Expecting Justice to support Black mothers with guaranteed income payments to reduce racial disparities by easing the economic stress that comes with motherhood.

The first-of-its-kind program will expand from San Francisco to Almeda, Contra Costa, Los Angeles, and Riverside counties. The expansion will support an additional 125 Black and Pacific Islander mothers and birth parents with payments between $600 and $1000 for 12 months.

“The Abundant Birth Project has proven to be successful in San Francisco and brings an innovative, equitable approach to addressing disproportionate health impacts largely among Black families, which is why I committed to investing $1.5 million over the next two years to grow the program in our City and neighboring counties,” Mayor London Breed said in the SFDPH release. “This guaranteed income program helps ease some of the financial burdens that all too often keep mothers from being able to prioritize their own health and ultimately impact the health of their babies and family. We hope the Abundant Birth Project serves as a model to address racial birth disparities throughout the region and state, and across the country.”

In addition to the guaranteed income payments, researchers at the University of California at San Francisco, Berkeley, and Davis will study the positive impacts the payments have on the mothers and their families. Guaranteed income programs gained steam in California during the COVID-19 pandemic and have grown across the country to Illinois, Georgia, Colorado, and Florida since.

Black women who become pregnant struggle with more than just their finances. According to the National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN), Black women in the U.S. experience poor maternal health outcomes, including being three times more likely to die from pregnancy or childbirth than women of any other race.

“For so long, Black women have been excluded from the resources needed to have safe and healthy pregnancies. This funding will provide pregnant people with economic stability during this critical phase in their lives while allowing public health institutions to test a novel and promising public health intervention,”  Dr. Zea Malawa, director of Expecting Justice said in the SFDPH release.

SZA is in the giving mood this holiday season and is sharing her Christmas spirit by gifting her dedicated fans with some free stuff.

After releasing her second studio album, S.O.S., on Friday, SZA followed up the new music with a partnership announcement as Postmates Better Than Santa campaign ambassador.

Postmates shared the announcement via Instagram on Tuesday to inform eager participants how they can make their holiday wishes come true.

 

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Starting Dec. 13, SZA and Postmates are teaming up to grant the Christmas wishes of her most deserving fans, People reports. Eager fans can enter by leaving a comment sharing their holiday wish on Postmates’ official Instagram post featuring SZA.

The gifts up for grabs include everything from swing sets and laptops to flights home to visit loved ones! Sza dished on how special the partnership is for her this holiday season.

“While the holidays are a joyous time for many, there are some who find it isolating,” she said. “I’m thrilled to work with Postmates on their Better Than Santa campaign and bring a little extra joy into those people’s lives during the holiday season.”

“There is no wish too big or too small, so if you know someone needs a little extra love right now, let us help!”

The “Hit Different” songstress is down to give “whatever people need the most right now,” she explained. Sza is down to do everything from “paying someone’s rent, buying groceries, funding a birthday party,” or even “a flight home for the holidays.”

The Grammy Award-winning singer has it all. A thriving music career, millions of fans worldwide, and the beauty to back it up. There isn’t much the New Jersey native desires for the holiday other than spending quality time with her family.

“I stopped receiving gifts so long ago. Time with my family is my greatest gift,” she said. “Christmas is my Granny’s birthday, and she passed, so I like to get out of town with my family to lift our spirits.”

On Nov. 9, 1993, the landscape of music changed forever when “Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)” was unleashed upon the world, unearthing landmine hits “Protect Ya Neck,” “C.R.E.A.M.” and “Wu Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthing ta F*ck Wit.”

On the cusp of the 30th year of that monumental release, Wu-Tang Clan shows their level of innovation yet again, with the arrival of THE WU-TANG CLAN: LEGACY.

THE WU-TANG CLAN: LEGACY will change the game, as Wu-Tang has done before, selling only one copy of “Once Upon a Time in Shaolin,” their seventh studio album, in 2015 for $2 million, which is the most expensive work of musical art ever sold. In 2021, the musical art re-sold for over $4 million dollars. Only 36 copies of the LEGACY will be sold, with one of those being auctioned at Sotheby’s. The 300+ page coffee table tome is a rare relic encased in a chamber that will launch the group further into the future by chronicling its enormous past. In tribute to and celebration of “Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)”, sculptor Gethin Jones (protégé of British sculptor Sir Antony Gormley, known for the Angel of the North) designed the chamber that encases each book. The actual chamber is being handmade by Warren Holzman, a noted blacksmith and visual artist at Holzman Iron Studio, Philadelphia, Pa.

RZA said it best, “Items dating back hundreds, even thousands of years have graced the floors of Sotheby’s. It’s great that in our own lifetime, we were able to create something that will also grace these floors and be shared with the world.” The 36 bronze-encrusted, 400-pound black steel chambers along with the intricate details and personal touches of the Founder and CEO of Wu-Tang Management, John “Mook” Gibbons, are inspired by the ancient past and bronze ritual bowls of the Zhou Dynasty – whose first ruler was King Wu-Wang. The chambers consist of Spun Mild Steel bowls while the raised ridges, base and logo are finished in solid brushed brass. The art will be available for pre-order on Friday, Dec. 16, 2022, at 3 p.m. ET.

Housed within the chamber, featuring rare and never before seen images – documenting the journey of the giants of hip hop – THE WU-TANG CLAN: LEGACY delves into the origin of the group, their history and respective journeys. Thoroughly and meticulously, this quintessential publication will honor not only the remarkable roster, but the executives, the affiliates, family and pivotable personnel that helped make the Wu-Tang Clan and the LEGACY BOOK come to life, unpacking their rich and raw history. The carefully curated images are from renowned photographers as well as family and friends of the Wu-Tang Clan.

Each book will be printed, bound and hand-stitched in Italy using the finest leather and materials. Each copy will be signed, numbered, and issued with a certificate of authenticity. Publisher Andy Cantillon, co-founder of Art of Publishing and Photographer, has worked extensively with Gibbons to create this masterpiece.

Gibbons offers this about the exclusive landmark WU-TANG CLAN: “From the slums of Shaolin to the floors of Sotheby’s – Wu-Tang…Witty, Unpredictable, Talent and Natural Game. No other MCs can claim the same. WU-TANG Baby!” – 36 chambers. 36 books. 36 artifacts.

For purchasing information, go to www.WuTangLegacy.com.

Black mutual aid efforts date back to the 1700s, and service towards community efforts has increased in popularity.

The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation launched a new relief fund on Monday to provide support for Black college students, alumni, and dropouts who need assistance with education expenses, or have been affected by the student loan debt crisis.

According to PBS, the foundation is set to distribute an award to over 500 recipients from a $500,000 Student Solidarity Fund that has been set aside. The relief payments will range from $750 to $4,500.

“The fact of the matter is that Black people who work to get an education are struggling right now,” BLM foundation board chair Cicley Gay said. “We recognize that we can’t build a world of true liberation without the brilliance of Black people who are committed to furthering their education.”

“Black people shouldn’t have to jump through hoops and jump over hurdles to get the access that they need,” he said.

 

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The foundation’s Student Solidarity Fund comes as an extension of its 2021 focus on economic justice through the BLM’s Survival Fund. The previous initiative aimed to support Black communities amid the COVID-19 pandemic. With the federal student debt forgiveness plan currently on hold by litigation from opponents, the foundation is using philanthropic dollars to bring attention to economic injustice issues.

The BLM relief fund is intended for bachelor’s degree recipients, in addition to former students who did not complete their degrees but still face student loan debt. To be eligible for funds, applicants must have attended a college or university in the U.S., and must be able to provide proof through student loan documents.

Selected applicants with $75,000 or less in debt will receive $1,500, applicants with debt between $75,001 and $150,000 will receive $3,000, and those with $150,001 or more in debt will receive $4,500. A second phase of the relief fund will be distributed to current HBCU student applicants in micro-grants of $750.

“We could sit around and wait, and hope that legislators do what they promised by providing loan relief, or we could step up and do it ourselves. And we’ve decided to do the latter,” Gay said.

The funds are not only for use towards student loan payment, and applicants do not have to show proof they are Black. However, according to foundation board secretary Shalomyah Bowers, fund administrators will be working to eliminate any scammers.

The public application to receive relief funds opened on Monday and awards will be distributed to selected recipients in January.

The audience wasn’t feeling Dave Chappelle’s guest at a recent show, and they let him know it.

While in San Francisco at the Chase Center during a show with co-headliner, Chris Rock, controversial comedian Chappelle surprisingly brought Twitter owner Elon Musk on stage. The video circulated, coincidentally, on Musk’s platform as it went viral.

“Ladies and gentlemen, make some noise for the richest man in the world,” Chappelle said as he introduced Musk. Right away, the audience booed.

A shocked Musk said to the comedian, “You weren’t expecting this, were you?”

Chappelle, tried to take the sting off the jeers and teased him by insinuating that the people booing were Twitter employees he had fired recently.

“It sounds like some of those people you fired are in the audience.” Chappelle added, “All these people that are booing, I’m just pointing out the obvious, they have terrible seats in the stadium.”

While going back and forth with the crowd, after Musk asked if he should say anything, Chappelle advised the multi-billionaire not to.

Elon Musk was loudly booed by a crowd in San Francisco last night after he was invited onstage by Dave Chappelle https://t.co/muESqJKInr

pic.twitter.com/f2L9D7zX9J

— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) December 12, 2022

Rolling Stone posted a tweet from Musk, that he deleted later, stating that, “technically, it was 90% cheers & 10% boos.”

Technically, it was 90% cheers & 10% boos (except during quiet periods), but, still, that’s a lot of boos, which is a first for me in real life (frequent on Twitter).

It’s almost as if I’ve offended SF’s unhinged leftists … but nahhh.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 12, 2022

A Chappelle fan, Chris Douglas, spoke to Rolling Stone about Musk’s not-so-welcomed appearance.

“My first reaction when he stepped foot on stage was, ‘Oh wow. This guy. As for the boos, let’s just say it outweighed the cheers. It was like the Chase Center turned into the Apollo.”

“I was just in shock. I didn’t applaud or partake in the booing. I was completely neutral.”

The Honest Company (NASDAQ: HNST), a consumer-first, mission-driven and digitally-native brand leading the clean lifestyle movement, announced today that former Amazon and General Mills executive Carla Vernón will become CEO, effective Jan. 9, 2023.

Through this appointment, Vernón will become one of the only Afro-Latina CEOs at a U.S. publicly traded company, bringing a new era of leadership that reflects the diversity of Honest’s consumers. As CEO, Vernón will be laser-focused on category growth and driving profitability behind the company’s core mission of inspiring everyone to love living consciously. The move is part of a strategic leadership succession plan, as current CEO Nick Vlahos will step down from day-to-day operations after a near six-year tenure and remain on the Board of Directors at Honest, according to a press release.

“I am thrilled Carla is joining The Honest Company as our next CEO. She is a strategic, visionary leader who will continue to build Honest as the legacy brand for tomorrow’s generation,” said Founder and Chief Creative Officer Jessica Alba. “What makes Carla unique is her innate ability to drive product innovation and go-to-market strategies that captivate consumers’ imagination, strengthen brand loyalty, and significantly impact the bottom line. I could not dream of a better person to take Honest into this exciting new chapter. With Carla at the helm, I am confident Honest will continue to redefine category expectations and pave the way for others to follow.”

“Carla is widely recognized as a transformational leader and purpose-driven executive. She brings invaluable experience scaling and energizing businesses, developing and executing successful omnichannel strategies, and fostering diverse and inclusive workplace cultures. I am excited to welcome Carla as The Honest Company’s next CEO and I look forward to working with her to continue to bring Honest’s mission to life,” said Chair of The Honest Company Board of Directors James D. White. “On behalf of the entire board, I want to thank Nick for leading The Honest Company through a period of transformative growth. Over his six years in leadership, Nick strengthened the business fundamentals, led the company’s successful initial public offering, and significantly expanded the Honest brand in omnichannel and global markets. We are thrilled to have him continue as a member of the Honest Board.”

Vernón comes to Honest from her recent role as Vice President of Consumables Categories at Amazon.com where she led the babycare, household products, food, beverages, health and wellness, and beauty categories to double-digit topline growth on Amazon.com’s $200 billion online stores. She was also instrumental in invigorating Amazon.com’s beauty experience, including increasing the portfolio of emerging and prestige beauty brands, introducing a proprietary virtual lipstick try-on technology, and creating the first-ever seasonal beauty merchandising event: Amazon’s Holiday Beauty Haul.

Prior to Amazon, Vernón spent more than two decades at General Mills in various P&L leadership roles across the company’s portfolio, with a particular focus on the company’s purpose-driven brands. In her most recent role as Division President of its Natural and Organic business, Vernón was instrumental in guiding General Mills to become the second largest branded maker of natural and organic food in North America and the industry leader in regenerative agriculture and organic farming through a commitment to advancing regenerative practices on one million acres of land. Through innovation and an intuitive sense of the consumer, Vernón also reinvigorated many of General Mills’ legacy brands, including restoring growth and record-level sales for Nature Valley and making Lärabar the fastest-growing nutrition bar in mass markets. Vernón also serves on the Board of Trustees for Princeton University.

“As a leader of the clean lifestyle movement, The Honest Company is uniquely positioned to meet the needs of this era and I am thrilled to join Jessica and the leadership team with a fresh perspective as we enter a new chapter of innovation and growth,” said incoming Chief Executive Officer Carla Vernón.

“As I take my seat at the table as a woman, a mom, and one of the only Afro-Latina CEOs of a U.S. public company, there are so many people and experiences that come with me.”

“These are perspectives that can inspire our future growth and vision. That is what is so unique about The Honest Company. This brand was built to bring a rumble of change across industries, leading the way to bring clean and ethical products to the mainstream. And, we will continue doing that with products designed in new and better ways that meet today’s and tomorrow’s needs.”

“Over the last two years, I have been fortunate to partner with Carla to drive our Honest Lifestyle Platform at Amazon and it is clear that she understands how to engage the conscious-minded shopper and their desire for clean and natural products.” said Chief Executive Officer Nick Vlahos. “With the recent distribution expansion that has delivered record-high retail sales and a strong management team in place, now is the perfect time for Honest to transition to its next CEO.”

“I am confident that Carla is the right leader to continue to scale the business as we embark on our next decade as a modern consumer lifestyle brand, inspiring everyone to love living consciously.”

Vlahos’ accomplishments as CEO include scaling Honest from startup to a publicly traded, globally recognized lifestyle brand that can now be found in over 50,000 retail locations and fostering a diverse and inclusive environment throughout company culture with the creation of four employee-led employee resource groups. Honest and Vernón first partnered together as part of a partnership with Amazon beginning in 2021, where they collaborated to launch a fully digital-first version of The Honest Company store on Amazon.com.

At Honest, women represent more than 60% of the leadership team, and women and people of color represent over 50% of its board of directors. Every Honest purchase helps support organizations with shared values and makes happy, healthy lives possible for more people everywhere. To date, Honest has donated more than 28 million products to philanthropic partners, like Baby2Baby, as it continues to prioritize and support underserved communities.

On Nov. 10, 2022, Honest released its third quarter earnings results and updated its financial outlook. The company’s outlook of growing first half revenue in 2023 by 7-10% remains unchanged. Additional details on its 2023 outlook will be provided as part of the company’s fourth quarter earnings release in mid-March.

• Legal

by Derek Major

December 13, 2022

Black Female flight Attendant Sues Spirit Airlines Claiming They Fired Her Because of Her Weight

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A former Spirit Airlines flight attendant is suing the budget airline in federal court, claiming she was fired for being overweight and wasn’t given the same opportunity to lose weight as a white co-worker.

The Miami Herald reported that Chelsia Blackmon, a Black woman, filed the suit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The suit states Blackmon was unable to fasten the seat belt for the jump seat on one of Spirit’s planes in September 2021, forcing her to exit the plane. Spirit then gave Blackmon between September 3 to October 12 to lose weight so she could fit in the jump seat.

Blackmon was fired on November 3, 2021, and now the former flight attendant and her lawyers are claiming she was the victim of racial discrimination. In her suit, Blackmon cited a white colleague at Spirit who she says also couldn’t fit into the jump seat due to her size and weight, but was given “several months” to lose weight to fit. Blackmon was given a little more than a month.

“As a result of the discriminatory and illegal differential treatment based upon her race, [Blackmon] has suffered lost wages, compensatory damages, mental anguish, and suffering as a result of the discriminatory treatment that Spirit Air subjected her to,” the suit alleges, according to the Herald.

Blackmon is seeking back pay, damages, and legal costs in a jury trial, according to Business Insider.

Spirit is currently dealing with another employee lawsuit. Paddle Your Own Kanoo reported that the airline is currently a class-action suit for its flight attendants for not counting passenger boarding and deplaning as work hours.

The legal issues come at an inconvenient time for Spirit. The airline is in the middle of a $3.8 billion sale to JetBlue Airways. The Department of Justice still has to approve the potential merger that would make JetBlue the fifth-largest U.S. airline, but, according to the Herald.