Meet The Tulsa Organizer Who Helped Sen. Raphael Warnock Win Reelection Against Herschel Walker
It took a village when it came to Senator Raphael Warnock’s historical reelection to the Georgia Senate on Tuesday.
Local Tulsa, Okla. organizer Greg Robinson, Jr. is receiving praise for his pivotal efforts in the runoff election as the Coordinated Campaign Director for Georgia’s Democratic Party, The Black Wall Street Timesreports.
Robinson is no stranger to elections, having run for Mayor of Tulsa in 2020 and leading organizing efforts on Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign and, later, on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign. He used his campaign expertise to help send Warnock back to the U.S. Senate and become the first Black Georgian to win a full six-year Senate term.
As part of their campaign efforts, the Georgia team canvased over 150,000 homes and made more than 400,000 phone calls by 2 p.m. on Election Day alone, Dr. Tiffany Crutcher, founder of the Terence Crutcher Foundation and Black Wall Street Memorial, revealed. Between Nov. 8 Dec. 6, Georgia organizers knocked on over 6 million doors.
Through decades of campaign work performed by the likes of Stacey Abrams, Congresswoman Nikema Williams, and organizer Deborah Smith, Robinson was able to build upon that groundwork and aid in Warnock’s latest victory. “You do not do things by yourself,” Robinson said at a Tuesday night victory party. “It is not about being perfect, it is about being collective.”
“‘I’ loses”, he continued,”‘we’ wins. And we won.”
Robinson is a Tulsa native and Booker T. Washington graduate who moved back to Tulsa in 2017 to continue his political work in his hometown. His work for the local Tulsa community includes helping to launch Greenwood Leadership Academy and build the community organizing arm of the Met Cares Foundation.
Within the foundation, Robinson established the PCAT fellowship; a grassroots campaign aimed at giving community members the skills to advocate for change. This effort sparked multiple programs to build wealth, improve health outcomes, and enhance education opportunities for North Tulsa families.
AbsoluteJOI Partners with Small BIPOC & Women-Owned Brands for Its First Online Holiday Gift Guide
Dr. Anne Beal, founder of Black-owned skincare brand AbsoluteJOI, wants you to spend your dollars where it matters most during the holidays.
AbsoluteJOI has released its first holiday gift guide connecting shoppers with some 20 small BIPOC and women-owned businesses, with “Dr. Anne-approved” products and special holiday offers.
(Image: AbsoluteJOI)
“Businesses like ours and the other people in the guide had problems with supply chain that really impacted our businesses,” Beal tells BLACK ENTERPRISE about making it through COVID. “But instead of focusing on our business challenges, I decided to lean into our strengths—and one of those strengths is our community.”
“Building on that strength, I decided to bring us together to create the gift guide that allows us all to be featured and spread the word about one another.”
With everything from skincare to fashion and home fragrances, the featured brands in this charming new gifting guide offer an array of top picks for everyone on your list!
What inspired you to release your first-ever holiday gift guide?
There are a lot of retailers and other beauty companies offering programs and accelerators for small, Black-owned businesses. I have been fortunate to participate in several this past year, and when you hear the story of the other brands and see the quality of their products, it’s inspiring.
So, I thought it would be great if we could collaborate to offer a gift guide that features so many of these brands. I am raising awareness that where people choose to spend their dollars during the holidays really has an impact, and am featuring small, Black-owned, women-owned brands with a reminder that people should Shop Where It Matters, and where our dollars matter most.
From concept to finish, what did the process look like and how long did it take?
In that past year, I’ve met a number of brands through the Workshop at Macy’s, Credo for Change, the Essence Aveeno Pitch Contest, and the Black-owned business curation at Showfields. So I sent out an email to everyone I’ve met and asked if they wanted to be featured in our holiday gift guide. The response was overwhelming and we had over 25 brands that jumped in and said they wanted to participate. Frankly, that was the easy part.
Then we started to collect images from each brand, product descriptions, and asked each one to create a unique discount code for their products that was exclusively for the gift guide to help us keep track uptake and customer interest in the guide. Small business owners are incredibly busy and tight on time, so there was a lot of following up and back and forth we needed to do to get their information. We also hired a designer to help with layout so it would be visually appealing.
What was your intention behind releasing a digital gift guide?
We wanted to make it available digitally so all of the participating brands can link to it, or download it to share with their networks. Also, digital publishing allows you to do updates in case you have any typos or errors you missed, which is great for making sure your work is always well presented.
The format allows people to print it out if they want a paper version. But there are also links to the participating brands, and many have embedded discount codes in those links, so an electronic format is best for having that capability.
How can the featured businesses benefit?
My customers love skincare. But they also love fashion, home fragrances and wine. Similarly, the other brands may offer wrapping paper with Black holiday characters, but that customer also likes lingerie and body butters. While we offer different products, our customer profiles are similar. This is a great way for each brand to get itself in front of the customers of other brands, while offering more value to their own customers by featuring products way beyond what any one brand can provide.
Tell us about your selection process. What makes them “Dr. Anne Approved?”
It starts with knowing the business and the “why” behind the business.
It’s really a combination of the story behind each brand, knowing the founder, and hearing their commitment to creating something that is different, is needed, and is excellent Plus, I have purchased and used many of the products myself. Even though we are not talking about medicine, there is an expectation that when something is “physician recommended” it’s been reviewed and looked at thoroughly, so I took a critical approach to choosing which products to recommend.
What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs who want to invest in and support other women-led companies?
Not all investment and support need to be about money. Yes, purchasing helps, but so does liking and sharing posts on social media, writing reviews, telling friends you use a product, and being mindful of where you do spend your holiday gift budget to include small, Black-owned, women-owned brands.
It’s also about the shoutouts and word of mouth, and the more we can come together to share an exchange exposure with our customers, the more we can build an ecosystem of thriving Black businesses.
‘Family Is Family’: Tia Mowry Spending Christmas With Estranged Husband Cory Hardrict
Actress Tia Mowry may be divorcing Cory Hardrict, but she said the two are still spending Christmas together with their kids, according to TMZ.
The outlet caught up with the actress in Los Angeles on December 8 and asked if she was spending the holidays with her soon-to-be ex-husband.
“Yes, we are. We are going to be spending the holidays with him, which we’re really excited about. I mean, family is family. No matter what happens. And that’s what’s important to be me so we will always be family.”
Mowry announced the end of her 14-year-long marriage back in October with a post on Instagram. The Sister, Sister actress filed for divorce in Los Angeles on October 4. Mowry cited irreconcilable differences and did not cite a separation date for the couple. Mowry requested joint physical and legal custody of their two children; 11-year-old Cree and four-year-old Cairo. The 44-year-old also asked the judge to terminate the court’s ability to give either person spousal support and referenced her prenuptial agreement with Hardrict.
“Letting go can be painful. But it won’t hurt as much holding on to an illusion,” wrote Mowry.
Mowry frequently shares pictures and videos of her family on Instagram and shared an adorable video of herself with her two children dressed up on Halloween on November 1. She captioned the post, “We go hard and we may be a little crazy, but this is my family 👻 Happy Halloween from ours to yours! #AddamsFamily.”
The actress also shared pictures of her family together last Christmas on Instagram. She captioned the post, “We had a very merry, loving, fun, and happy Christmas! And Cairo didn’t disappoint with her faces. Swipe to see!.”
New $2 Million Accelerator To Help Blacks Build Wealth Set Up In Four Major Cities
Detroit, Cleveland, Milwaukee, and Atlanta will be the recipients of a new $2 million effort to help low-income Black residents build savings, buy homes, and improve their credit.
The assistance will come from the Rocket Wealth Accelerator Program, and the Rocket Community Fund (RCF) will finance it. RCF is uniting with Local Initiatives Support Corp. (LISC) on the just-announced push.
Organizers say it will start next summer and provide coaches to help residents improve their ability to meet emergency needs, build their credit scores, and grow generational wealth. During the next year, LISC staff will onboard and train coaches, connect with community members eager to build savings, set up incentive programming, and develop the needed infrastructure to launch the program in each market through local community partners.
Moreover, the program pledges to provide matching dollars for participants’ savings plans. That includes up to $500 for people with large-dollar goals like buying a home or vehicle and up to $300 for those looking to grow their emergency or short-savings accounts.
While open to any income-qualified family, the accelerator is primarily geared to address systemic racism and racial injustices that have crushed Black wealth. It has been reported that about half of all Black and Hispanic households are unbanked or underbanked. Plus, Black Americans are twice as likely to be denied credit.
The accelerator hopes to help residents become homeowners, combating a Black-white homeownership gap that’s larger today than when race-based discrimination against homebuyers was legal.
“The Rocket Wealth Accelerator is a small step toward leveling the playing field for Black and minority families who have endured a system that prevents them from accumulating wealth, or passing that wealth onto the next generation,” stated Laura Grannemann, vice president of RCF.
LISC CEO Lisa Glover added, “Our partnership is exactly the kind of investment in economic empowerment that can help close our country’s widening wealth gaps and equip more families of color to build generational wealth.”
Over the next three years, the accelerator hopes to achieve many goals including: serve more than 2,000 clients, of which 80% are people of color; have 1,000 clients create a spending plan with their financial coaches, building their financial know-how, and creating savings goals; help 500 clients in increasing their credit scores and work with 750 clients to boost short-term savings.
To view additional comments and learn more about the program, visit here.
Students Wave Black Baby Doll, Yell Racist Threats At Kansas High School Basketball Game
Two high schools in Kansas are investigating an incident where basketball players from Topeka High School were taunted with racist threats during a visit to Valley Center High School, according to KSNW News.
One player from Topeka was at the free-throw line on Saturday when he was called an expletive. Students and fans also began chanting the N-word and waving a Black baby doll. Students from the Valley Center school also threatened to lynch their rival players.
Coach Geo Lyonstold the outlet that he’d never seen such behavior during his entire career.
“Nobody, myself included, did anything to protect my kids, or my child for that matter. It was my son who was at the free-throw line when the chant, ‘He’s a p—y’ started,” said Lyons.
“The N-word was used and thrown around, you know, our kids were told they were going to be hanged…I had a down locker room, I’m talking about tears were flowing in that locker room.”
Topeka High School sophomore Jo’Mhara Benning witnessed the harassment and shared videos on social media of the students waving the Black baby doll.
The Valley Center school district apologized in a statement for the incident. The district also claimed that a student was assigned a baby doll as an infant simulator for a human growth and development class and it was not brought to the game “intentionally” for racist taunts.
“Based on a review of videos, the baby was passed around between students during the game. While the ‘baby’ was not brought intentionally as a prop to taunt or threaten Topeka High School, without context, seeing the ‘baby’ and images of the ‘baby’ caused hurt and concern to many, and for that, we are very sorry,” the statement read.
The Valley Center school district also met with the NAACP in Wichita to discuss the incident and said follow-up consequences for the students involved were pending.
City Of Palm Springs Seeks Reparations Consultant To Address Restitution Claims By Black And Mexican Families Forcibly Evicted In 1950s To 1960s
Tulsa and Rosewood are the places that rush to mind when people think of the recent brutal, forced displacement of people of color. What about Palm Springs, Calif.?
City officials and land developers, looking to capitalize on rising land values, colluded to forcibly remove hundreds of Black and Mexican families from a one-mile section of land known as Section 14. Now, more than a half-century later, the City of Palm Springs, Calif., is hiring an economic consultant to help develop a reparations program to enhance the quality of life for those affected by this displacement.
Attorney Areva Martin, who represents the Section 14 families in a lawsuit against the city, says it is the first step in compensating victims who once called the neighborhood home.
“Under increasing pressure from claims by the Survivors of Section 14, the City of Palms Springs is currently requesting proposals from qualified firms to provide reparations program services,” added Martin.
The neighborhood is owned by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and was the primary residential area for people of color from 1930 to 1965. The forced eviction of Black and Mexican families began in late 1954 and continued through 1966.
According to a 2019 article in American Indian, the magazine of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, Palm Springs’ World War II military base and a burgeoning tourist industry attracted workers of color and low-income families who often encountered housing discrimination.
“In response, individual Agua Caliente tribal members leased their lands on Section 14 to them, which provided these new residents homes and tribal members a source of income.”
But as Palm Springs’ popularity grew, so did the demand for developable land. City leaders could not acquire tribal owned land outright, so they manipulated building codes and zoning ordinances as a means to gain control of Section 14, telling tenants they must either bring their homes up to code or be evicted.
The displacement of Black and Mexican families began in late 1954 and continued through 1966. During 1965 and 1966 alone, the city demolished and burned at least 235 buildings, according to American Indian magazine.
The city formally apologized in September 2021 but offered no compensation. Now, in an unprecedented move, Martin is working with Palm Springs City Attorney Jeffrey Ballinger to develop a formal reparations program. She considers the calling for bids for a reparations consultant a huge win for the families, and encourages multicultural operators to apply.
A link to the City Of Palms Springs RFP may be found here on Plant Bids, which is the site used to submit proposals to the city. The scope of work for the Reparations Services position includes: verifying the historical context of residents displaced from the Section 14 land in downtown Palm Springs and developing a reparations program to enhance the quality of life for those affected by this displacement.
Martin believes, “the RFP is a small step in the long-overdue right direction to address the brutal history outlined in claims filed by Section 14 survivors and descendants.”
Black Medical Student Goes Viral on TikTok By Addressing Racial Disparities in Health
A Black medical student who gained a large following on TikTok by debunking health care and racial disparities in medicine has received a $25,000 scholarship.
Joel Bervell is known as the “Medical Mythbuster” on TikTok. With over 600,000 followers and over 110 million impressions, Bervell has made a name for himself while studying to become a doctor in a field where only 5% of physicians are Black, KGW8 reported.
Bervell is currently studying orthopedic surgery at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and is scheduled to graduate in 2024. He graduated from Yale University before becoming one of the first Black medical students at Washington State University.
The $25,000 scholarship is part of Taco Bell’s Live Mas foundation aimed at helping those pursuing higher education. The grants range from $5,000 to $25,000; Bervell secured one of the larger grants.
When asked if he expected to win the grant, Bervell said, “definitely not.”
“Honestly when I found out I was surprised,” he said. “They actually brought my parents down and had all my teachers.”
“I was at the clinic that day. the physician I was with in pediatrics she had me walk outside and suddenly there was my family, all my friends; there was my mentor from my medical school.”
Attending medical school isn’t cheap, and Bervell plans to put the grant to good use.
“So, being able to have financial support like this means the world to myself, to other recipients as well,” he said. “Because we are able to focus on what matters. Which is working, getting good grades, making sure we’re prepared for the future so that we can go out into the workforce and really make a difference.”
Let Mindfulness.com Help Improve Your Mental Health
Over the past few years, there’s been a growing increase in therapy as more people seek counseling and other ways to improve their mental health. As a result, treatment and mental health have become more mainstream.
A byproduct of these mainstream conversations has been the proliferation and availability of tools and items to promote mental health. Mindfulness.com launched two years ago, and it’s since blossomed into one of the world’s largest communities in the mental health space.
And even though your subscription to this deal comes in the form of an app, with our Last Chance Shipping deal, you’ll receive it in time for Christmas. Physical products through the Last Chance Shipping deal must be purchased by December 8 to ensure holiday delivery.
Mindfulness.com uses science-based skills from leading health experts around the world. Things such as proper sleep habits and becoming more in tune with yourself are just a few topics the program uses to help one improve their mental health.
More than 2,000 mindful practices, meditations for each day of the year, hundreds of sleep tools and breathing exercises, and expert guidance for beginners to seasoned practitioners are just a handful of Mindfulness.com offerings.
Users on the App Store have rated this app 4.8 stars, while Google Play Store patrons have rated it 4.6 stars. Survey results also highlight Mindfulness’ impact. Ninety-nine percent of users said they would recommend it to a friend, and 91% credited the app for making them feel less stressed.
“Wonderful app. It helps me keep centered. I am able to focus on what truly matters: love, life, and gratitude,” writes verified purchaser Larry Alexander.
Mindfulness.com can be accessed on mobile devices with iOS 11.2 (or later) and Android 5.0 (or later).
Become the best version of yourself with the help of Mindfulness.com. Purchase it today.
Lizzo’s Mother Presents Her With People’s Champion Award During People’s Choice Awards
Lizzo‘s mother was a proud mama when she presented her daughter with the People’s Champion Award at the 48th People’s Choice Awards ceremony on Dec. 6, according to CNN.
Shari Johnson-Jefferson introduced her 34-year-old daughter and said that she had saved lives.
“[Lizzo] has shown us all that we don’t have to conform to anyone’s standards in order to be happy. I know that Lizzo has literally saved lives. No one is more deserving of this honor. I am so proud of her. Please welcome the People’s Champion of 2022, my daughter, Lizzo!”
The “Be Loved” singer took the opportunity to highlight 17 activists, who she brought on stage during her speech.
“To be an icon isn’t about how long you’ve had your platform. Being an icon is what you do with that platform. Ever since the beginning of my career I’ve used my platform to amplify marginalized voices. Tonight, I’m sharing this honor.”
Lizzo then introduced each activist, including Yasmine Aker,Amelia Bonow,Mari Copeny, Crystal Echo Hawk, Emiliana Guereca, Esther Young Lim, Chandi Moore, Felicia “Fe” Montes, Jayla Rose Sullivan, Kara Roselle Smith, Maggie Mireles Thomas, Shirley Raines, Odilia Romero, Tarlan Rabizadeh, Sahar Pirzada, Reshma Saujani, and Tamika Palmer.
The recording artist also shared a version of her speech on Instagram on Dec. 8, honoring the activists with the caption, “Hiii… I made a version of the speech that highlights each activist and their socials so you can show them love ❤️.”
Cassandra Tryon from NBCUniversal Television and Streaming said Lizzo was chosen for the People’s Champion Award because of her many strengths.
“Lizzo is not only an incredibly talented performer and groundbreaking entertainer, she is also a role model and inspiration to fans worldwide. She leads with kindness, advocates for inclusivity, and champions increased diversity and equity in the industry and beyond,” said Tryon.
“Her commitment to breaking barriers and empowering others to use their own voices to create change makes her a true ‘People’s Champion.'”
Lizzo also has a new documentary, Love, Lizzo, airing on HBO, and her show, Lizzo: Live in Concert will air on the platform on Dec. 31.
Whoopi Goldberg Reveals Stipulation In Her Will Prevents Unauthorized Biopics From Being Made
One thing that is certain after The View‘s Whoopi Goldberg leaves the earth, there will not be a movie or documentary made about her unless her family authorizes it.
According to Entertainment Tonight, Goldberg, whose real name is Caryn Elaine Johnson,revealed that no one will be able to make an unauthorized biography about her after she dies. She stated during a recent episode of The View that it is listed in her will that it can’t happen “unless you speak to” her family.
And she dares anyone to “try it.”
The Color Purple actress mentioned that little tidbit during a discussion this week about the ethics of director Andrew Dominik and his controversial Marilyn Monroe biopic, Blonde, based on Joyce Carol Oates’ “fictionalized biography.” Critics have stated that the film is misogynistic.
At one point during the episode, co-host Sunny Hostin said that when Goldberg does, indeed, died that there may be unscrupulous attempts to make a biography about the 67-year-old actress.
“It sounds macabre, but I was speaking to Whoopi, and I was saying that she’s such a famous person that when she passes away, people are going to make films.”
To which Goldberg replied, “Actually they’re not. They’re not going to make films, because in my will it says, ‘Unless you speak to my family, try it.’ She then reiterated, “Try it.”
Goldberg recently returned to the show after her most recent bout with COVID-19.
According to Deadline, Goldberg came back to The View as moderator late last month after experiencing what she described as a “rough” round of the coronavirus. Although she was up to date on all her vaccination shots and boosters, she contracted it for the second time this year. Goldberg took some time off from the show earlier this year when she caught a mild case of the virus in January.
