The Sky’s the Limit
by Kay Rose

October 13, 2022

The Sky’s the Limit

L’Angela Lee is a natural skin therapist, herbalist, and an entrepreneur through and through.

As the founder and CEO of Honeysuckle Moon Self Care + Spa, L’Angela specializes in handcrafted, plant-based apothecary products and spa therapies for skin, hair, and body. She is widely recognized for her knowledge of melanin, hyperpigmentation, and skin condition redirection through traditional plant medicine.

L’Angela also is a founding 100 stakeholder of the Russel Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE) – a business generator and innovation lab whose mission is to inspire and empower Black-owned entrepreneurs like herself.

“There’s a very intentional agenda to give back and stimulate Black businesses,” says L’Angela. “I’ve literally been with RICE since there was still dirt and dust everywhere. We all pulled in our energy and made it the beautiful space it is today.”

An economic mobility engine

With more than 50,000 square feet of meeting and innovation space, RICE offers educational, networking, mentoring, and capital resources to help its community of entrepreneurs and small business owners innovate, grow, create jobs, and build wealth.

According to RICE President and CEO Jay Bailey, RICE expands possibilities for entrepreneurs, ensuring equitable opportunities for Black-owned businesses matters more than ever.

“Black entrepreneurs require more than symbols of hope at this critical time; they need institutions to manufacture it,” says Jay. “We bring them into a family of dynamic people with the curriculum, coaching, co-working, connections, and capital to help ensure they prosper, not just survive.”

 

On-site logistics

UPS and The UPS Foundation are partnering with RICE to provide critical resources to entrepreneurs like L’Angela with a 2,000-square-foot mini logistics hub built exclusively for the RICE community.

Designed by UPS Customer Solutions, the UPS Logistics Launchpad is a stand-alone facility with an on-site The UPS Store and a warehouse and fulfillment operation powered by Ware2Go – a UPS company.

This one-of-a-kind mini logistics hub lets RICE entrepreneurs manage all their small business essentials in one place – like packing and shipping at The UPS Store – while also fulfilling customer orders with fast, one- to two-day delivery using the Ware2Go cloud platform.

What’s more, UPS supply chain and logistics experts are on hand as part of the RICE Supply Chain Accelerator program to teach entrepreneurs about various business topics, including supply chain essentials, logistics management, warehouse and inventory management, and exporting.

L’Angela says the positive alliances, reinforcement, and resources are invaluable to help entrepreneurs dream big. “You find family here at RICE,” she says. “And the fulfillment support through UPS makes such a difference. I can now think about creating efficiency within my products to help scale the business financially. The sky’s literally the limit for me at this stage.”

One of many

RICE is just one of many empowerment programs that UPS supports as part of its commitment to help diverse-owned small and medium businesses (SMBs) launch, grow, and succeed. Other programs include:

  • Proudly Unstoppable offers grants to focused groups of SMBs who have traditionally faced greater challenges in growing their businesses, including black-, LatinX-, AAPI- and women-owned businesses.

 UPS Ignite is designed to help diverse SMB founders access knowledge, capital, and networks.

  • Sponsored activations with New York Fashion Week, Complex Networks, and The Black List.

For more information on how UPS supports diverse small business owners, visit www.UPS.com.

Potential caption about groundbreaking or facility stats depending on what images are used?

 

Draymond Green’s Mother Defends Son, Says ‘That Wasn’t a Sucker Punch’
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 13, 2022

Draymond Green’s Mother Defends Son, Says ‘That Wasn’t a Sucker Punch’

The sports world has been talking about the latest coming out of the Golden State Warriors locker room. NBA All-Star Draymond Green has been on the receiving end of harsh critical comments after a video of him punching teammate Jordan Poole at a recent practice. Now, his own mother is coming to his defense.

We may have a clue as to where Green has gotten his toughness from. Mary Babers Green, mother of Draymond went to her Twitter account to speak on the hit her son landed on Poole that people have labeled a “sucker punch.” The action caused Poole to fall back to the ground and he was reportedly knocked out from the punch.

Before deleting the Tweet and deactivating her account, Green took to the social media platform to defend her son.

“They can get beyond this. Anything is fixable! Everything ain’t always what you think you see!”

She then follows up with another post that states that the blow he connected with wasn’t a sucker punch.

“That wasn’t a Sucker punch. Dray didn’t aggressively go to Poole. His hands were down. Man to Man you go over to talk (to ask what’s up, what you say)! Got shoved and reacted.. End of story!”

Another Twitter user screenshotted the last message as evidence of her posting.

Right before she deactivated her Twitter account after getting feedback from many users who felt her son was wrong, she left another message.

“Enjoy Twitter- I’ll just leave the chirping for the birds and let ’em tweet! I’m going to deactivate this app so no one can say what I think or believe! I hope it can work itself out for the betterment of the Dubs!”

Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors announced that Green was fined but not suspended because of his actions.

“We feel like we have a great feel for our team. We’ve got a lot of continuity on this team, so Bob and I know our players extremely well,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “We feel like this is the best way after assessing everything for us to move forward. It’s never easy no matter what decision you make in a situation like this. It’s not going to be perfect. This is the biggest crisis that we’ve ever had since I’ve been coach here. It’s really serious stuff.”

‘Belle Collective’ Star Lateshia Pearson Serves Black Women Entrepreneurs Financial Literacy Over Brunches
by Atiya Jordan

October 12, 2022

‘Belle Collective’ Star Lateshia Pearson Serves Black Women Entrepreneurs Financial Literacy Over Brunches

Lateshia Pearson of OWN Network’s Belle Collective is an entrepreneur and certified life coach building an empire with sisterhood in mind.

A Pelahatchie Belle at heart, Pearson is uniting Black women all around her home state of Mississippi to fill the need most Black entrepreneurs and aspiring business owners don’t have access to: support.

It all began with Women’s Brunch Mississippi in 2017, providing a space for women to expose their products and services and a professional network to equip them with financial literacy and business credit information from bankers, credit repair specialists, loan originators, grant writers, business accountants, and more. Despite COVID-19-induced shutdowns, Pearson’s brunches continue to thrive.

“When they leave a women’s brunch event they will have everything they need to succeed,” Pearson told BLACK ENTERPRISE.

With her National Women’s Brunch Association Inc., the empowering founder and CEO also created a platform for “entrepreneurial training and workshops designed to expand self-worth, enhance knowledge relative to financial management and planning, and to educate and equip entrepreneurs for success,” according to a statement obtained by BLACK ENTERPRISE.

(Image: Lateshia Pearson with women at the Mississippi Brunch / Courtesy of Meshia Barnes)

As a sisterhood champion, Pearson curated one-on-one empowerment sessions, which in her own words, have allowed her to “empower women from all over the world and to do what I love to do—inspire, give hope, and help aspiring entrepreneurs find their place in the world.”

Pearson reflected on her journey with BLACK ENTERPRISE and also dropped a couple of business credit and loan tips.

(Image: Courtesy of Keyon Blanden of K. Blanden Photography)

How has growing up in Pelahatchie, Mississippi, influenced you to pursue entrepreneurship?

The influence was that there wasn’t an influence. It’s a community of maybe 1,200 people right now. What influenced me to want to do better was seeing women who worked at factories and plants.

Growing up in a small community like that, I realized that I wanted more and I wanted to break generational curses. There was a factory out of my bedroom window, and I would see family and people walking in and out of that factory through that window, and I knew that I wanted more out of my life.

When and where did your financial literacy journey begin?

I created an event called the “Boss Bank,” where I invited loan originators. After having the empowerment brunch in 2017 and 2018—women started asking questions about how they could get funding, if we had any grant writers in the organizations, etc.

We received emails asking how they could get business credit and receive loans and grants to start and expand their businesses.

What are you witnessing first-hand about what Black woman entrepreneurs’ and aspiring business owners’ needs and challenges are?

The needs and challenges of small Back business owners are that they need more support. They need encouragement to move forward; they need that extra push because it’s hard running a small business. There is also a need for marketing, publicity, and funding to scale and expand small businesses.

As a reality TV star, in what ways have you leveraged your television footprint to grow your businesses?

TV has exposed me to more opportunities. I’ve been able to coach more women around the world, my business has grown tremendously, and I’ve created one-on-one empowerment sessions—we talk about everything from business to personal issues that women face in business and in life. Being on TV has exposed me to opportunities that I would never have been able to experience coming from the small town of Mississippi.

What is some of the best advice you’ve given to Black women entrepreneurs and aspiring business owners about establishing credit?

Apply for a DUN, Dunn and Bradstreet—one of the three major business credit bureaus. Open a business credit card, and establish trade lines with your suppliers.

Through our partners at the brunch, many different financial professionals are there, in person, to discuss various ways and options to help them establish credit. I provide the platform and space for the connections to be made, and the credit experts help them.

What’s the best advice you’ve given on how to qualify for a business loan?

Have a business plan and loan proposal. Keep good personal credit and excellent business credit. Also, be aware that most banks take into consideration your annual revenue and years in business, among other relevant factors.

A lot of women were afraid to go into the bank and talk to the originators because they were told that Blacks don’t qualify for loans. So, one of the main hurdles is face-to-face, in-person contact with financial advisers who are interested in meeting them.

Kenneth Walker, Breonna Taylor’s Boyfriend, Takes to the Red Table to Talk About Key Moments in Case
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 12, 2022

Kenneth Walker, Breonna Taylor’s Boyfriend, Takes to the Red Table to Talk About Key Moments in Case

Breonna Taylor‘s boyfriend, who was present during the botched police raid in Kentucky that cost the EMT worker her life, is now speaking out about the tragic incident.

Kenneth Walker, the man who was dating Breonna Taylor when she fatally shot by police officers after they went to the wrong apartment in a no-knock raid on March 13, 2020, recently spoke to the women of Red Table Talk according to NBC News.

In the Facebook Watch interview with Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow Smith, and Adrienne Banfield Norris, Walker discussed the moment he found out that police officers killed Taylor.

In the preview clip of the show, which came out Oct. 12, Walker said he was in police custody between the hours of 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. when he discovered she had been killed.

“Now I’m knowing what they’re probably accusing me of at this point, so I’m scared,” Walker said.

“They’re trying to ask me questions about me, and I’m like, ‘Listen, I’ll get to that. Where is Breonna? Is Breonna OK? Is she alive?’”

“Nobody [was] answering my questions. So I had to find out what happened on the news, sitting in jail.”

“They didn’t say her name, but they said a woman was killed,” he added. “That’s how I found out.”

Taylor was killed after police officers entered her apartment while she and Walker, were sleeping in bed. Walker, who is a licensed gun owner, said the plainclothes officers entered their home unannounced and that he called the police and fired a warning shot in self-defense, thinking they were intruders. One of the shots he fired struck one of the officers in the leg. The cops then responded with a hail of bullets that killed Taylor.

Police officers originally arrested and charged Walker with attempted murder of a police officer and assault. The charges were eventually dropped two months later in May 2020 after the case drew national attention.

According to a press release from the Department of Justice, the four Kentucky police officers who erroneously executed the search warrant have been charged with federal crimes related to the killing of Taylor.

On Thursday, August 4, a Louisville federal grand jury returned two indictments. The Department of Justice filed a third in connection with an investigation into the death of 26-year-old Taylor.

Witness: Mississippi Teen Had ‘Hands Up’ and Was ‘Moving In Slow Motion’ During Fatal Police Shooting
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 12, 2022

Witness: Mississippi Teen Had ‘Hands Up’ and Was ‘Moving In Slow Motion’ During Fatal Police Shooting

New reports have surfaced surrounding the recent police shooting of a 15-year-old in Mississippi, most notably that the teen had his hands up at the time he was fatally shot.

The community of Gulfport, Mississippi, has been outraged over the fatal police shooting of Jaheim McMillan, who was taken off life support on Saturday after he was shot in the head last Thursday, The Guardian reported.

Officers shot and killed McMillan outside of a Family Dollar store after responding to a call about minors flashing guns at other motorists. In wake of the shooting, eyewitnesses are speaking out and accusing the officers of misconduct.

“H[is] hands were all the way up. He was scared out of his mind,” an anonymous eyewitness told The Shade Room.

“From where I was standing, I looked up, and Jaheim was moving in a slow motion by the door of the store,” the witness explained. “Then boom, I saw at least five shots go towards this boy’s direction.

“The bullets were hitting all of the store windows and door, and it caught everybody’s attention,” they continued. “I just saw his body drop, and my heart just broke.

“He was unarmed from every spot that I saw on him,”  they continued. “It was traumatizing knowing that was a child.”

They also noted how McMillan was handcuffed after he was shot in the head.

The eyewitness also claims they did not see McMillan holding a weapon. It’s the same claim another eyewitness made despite police claiming otherwise.

A Facebook post uploaded by McMillan’s family accuses officers of mistreating them after the deadly shooting. They even claim McMillan was taken off life support without his mother’s permission.

Four other teens in the car with McMillan were arrested that day and charged with aggravated assault, WLOX reported. The case is now being handled by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.

Coolio Cremated With His Ashes Placed in Necklaces for His Children and Loved Ones
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 12, 2022

Coolio Cremated With His Ashes Placed in Necklaces for His Children and Loved Ones

Following the death of Coolio late last month, it’s been revealed how the rapper chose to be remembered by his family and loved ones.

Instead of a highly publicized star-studded funeral, Coolio was cremated and had his ashes placed in pendants for his children, family members, and loved ones to wear, TMZ reports. For his children, their pendants will come with personalized inscriptions in remembrance of the late rapper.

The remainder of Coolio’s ashes will go inside an urn once the necklaces are distributed. Coolio was a father of 10. Coolio shares his first four children, Artisha, Brandi, Jackie, and Artis, with his ex-wife Josefa Salinas, whom he divorced in 2000. Daily Mail reports.

He shares his remaining six children, Grtis, Milan, Darius, Zhane, and twins Kate and Shayne, with women he dated after his divorce. Even in his final days, the rapper’s longtime friend Vanilla Ice recalls how much of a family man Coolio was.

“The last conversation, that’s why I’m so emotional because the last conversation he was telling me how much he missed his kids,” VanillA Ice said through tears.

“How great his kids were and how much time he had to sacrifice for his career to be away from his kids so much and that he’s so proud of all of them.”

Coolio was found unconscious on a friend’s bathroom floor late last month and died from suspected cardiac arrest. His longtime girlfriend, Mimi Ivey, shared how she responded to news of his death.

‘I just remember all of the air and life coming out of my body,” she recalled. “I was outside, getting ready to take my son to football practice. All I remember was dropping to my knees. I collapsed.”

Ivey, who has dated Coolio since 2012, said it was the rapper’s wish to be cremated and not have a full funeral.

Presdent Joe Biden Joins Those Calling For Resignation Of Nury Martinez, Two Others On LA City Council
by Derek Major

October 12, 2022

Presdent Joe Biden Joins Those Calling For Resignation Of Nury Martinez, Two Others On LA City Council

President Joe Biden has joined the growing chorus of people calling for the resignation of L.A. City Councilwoman Nury Martinez and two others.

The L.A. City Council has been in the news for days after a leaked recording from a 2021 meeting with fellow council members Kevin de León and Bill Cedillo. In the recording, Martinez compared the Black son of white Councilmember Mike Bonin to a “changuito,” a Spanish term for a little monkey, and referred to Oaxacan immigrants residing in Koreatown as “short little dark people,” while de León and Cedillo laughed.

All three L.A. council members have apologized for their remarks. Martinez announced Tuesday that she would take a leave of absence but has not given up her position on the city council, something Biden called her out for while also taking a jab at Republicans.

“Here’s the difference between Democrats and Republicans: When a Democrat says something racist or antisemitic…we hold Democrats accountable,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters, according to NPR.

“When a MAGA Republican says something racist and or antisemitic, they are embraced by cheering crowds and become celebrated and sought after.”

On Tuesday, L.A. residents protested Martinez and the other two council members during a contentious city council meeting.

“I take a lot of hits, and I know I practically invite a bunch of them. But my son? It makes my soul bleed,” Bonin said while crying, according to the L.A. Times.

“Asking for forgiveness is a good first step. Well, it’s a second step because first you must resign and then ask for forgiveness.

“I know I can never really know or comprehend the real weight of the daily relentless anti-Black racism my son is going to face, but man, I know the fire that you feel when someone tries to destroy Black boy joy. Man, it’s a rage,” Bonin added.

In addition to Biden, others that have called for all three councilmembers to resign include L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, California Sen. Alex Padilla, U.S. Rep. Karen Bass, and Rick Caruso. They are both running for L.A. mayor.

“There needs to be an investigation, and those officials must resign,” Bass said Tuesday night, according to Politico.

“But that’s not enough. We need a new direction in L.A. and new leadership that will make sure we reject the politics of divide and conquer.”

Caleb Williams
by Atiya Jordan

October 12, 2022

USC Trojan Quarterback Caleb Williams Takes Part Ownership Of Male Grooming Company

USC Trojan quarterback Caleb Williams is redefining college athletics while collecting and investing his coin.

The 20-year-old transfer from Oklahoma is in his name, image, and likeness (NIL) prime.

According to Boardroom, Williams is the newest face of male grooming brand Faculty for “marketing campaigns, product collaborations, and revenue partnerships.”

The move, however, is not a traditional marketing partnership. Williams has a stake in the company as part-owner. The strategy is believed to be the first investment by a college athlete in the era of NIL, per the sports news outlet.

A man with many styles, this football star’s investment aligns with his lifestyle and background. He is admired for his fashion sense as well as his positivity-evoking nail art on and off the field. Inspired by his mom, who works as a nail technician, art was always around him growing up.

However, it wasn’t until he saw his favorite artists like rappers A$AP Rocky and Lil Yachty express themselves freely with their nails, that he began to fully embrace the creativity.

 

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A post shared by CALEB WILLIAMS (@ayeeecaleb)

“You know, some people love it, some people hate it. Either way I don’t really care,” Williams said, according to Women’s Wear Daily (WWD).

“I never have been one to care much about what people have to say or think about me. I just kind of do as I feel and if people like it great, if they don’t, whatever. I feel like everyone should express themselves however they chose. If me painting my nails playing football helps some people feel more confident in expressing themselves, then great,” he continued.

Faculty offers a variety of nail polish options that symbolize life, art, and imagination. They also sell nail stickers inspired by daily life like nightlife and rave culture.

“The deal is an example of a college athlete using endorsement and investment opportunities to not only build his personal brand, but take control of his financial future,” sports lawyer and associate professor at Pepperdine University Alicia Jessop told Boardoom.

“Oftentimes, a great investment strategy is to buy into products you use, which is what Williams did here,” she added.

Williams hasn’t even begun to scratch the surface with his NIL portfolio of investments. He recently secured another historical partnership with Hawkins Way Capital, a Beverly Hills-based real estate private equity fund that manages over $1.5 billion of assets.

Partners of the firm are looking forward to educating the rising star about the ins and outs of the real estate industry for future investment opportunities.

Lizzo
by Stacy Jackson

October 12, 2022

‘We’re All in This Together. No, We’re Not’: Lizzo Believes Black Women Have Been Dehumanized in America

Lizzo is calling America out on its poor treatment of Black women over the years.

The Detroit-born singer is addressing controversial matters in her cover story for Vanity Fair‘s November issue as she highlights her commitment to using her platform to reshape history. During the interview, the star touched on multiple topics that ranged from personal matters to political matters, drawing special attention to her words addressing the treatment of Black women.

https://twitter.com/VanityFair/status/1579804758201597952

“The façade that ‘America, we’re all in this together.’ No, we’re not. Black people have been dehumanized so much—especially Black women.”

“I’d like to be an optimist, but I’m a chronically disappointed optimist,” Lizzo said in the interview.

“The way Black women have been treated in this country has made me feel very hopeless. I don’t think there was a time when [we] were treated fairly and with respect. If I see hope in this country, it will come from the accountability of the people who have the privilege. As a fat Black woman, this country has never gone forward; it’s stayed pretty much the same for me,” she continued.

The “Good as Hell” singer spoke about what it feels like to be a Black woman in the industry. She noted how racism has played a role in the hyper-sexualized, but masculine images forced on Black women.

“When it’s sexual, it’s mine,” she said.

“When it’s sexualized, someone is doing it to me or taking it from me. Black women are hyper-sexualized all the time, and masculinized simultaneously.”

”Because of the structure of racism, if you’re thinner and lighter, or your features are narrow, you’re closer to being a woman.”

According to Yahoo Entertainment, the singer shared that she feels hopeless as a result of the way Black women are treated in the United States. She said she believes that Black woman are the most neglected and marginalized group in the country, which inspires her to make self-love anthems for the women who look like her. The singer also revealed that she grew up feeling ”unappreciated” and ”unbeautiful.”

https://twitter.com/VanityFair/status/1579823378541998082

“It’s about power and control. It’s about white male supremacy; it’s always been about white male supremacy in this country and the people who are complicit in helping uphold it—who are a lot of white women. The women who voted for Donald Trump,” she added.

Black CEOs, most valuable asset, you, take care, health
by Derek Major

October 12, 2022

Report: When Companies Hire Black CEOs, Stocks Jump

According to a study published in The Strategic Management Journal (SMJ), market reactions to the appointments of Black CEOs are more favorable than white CEOs.

The Washington Post reports that SMJ researchers reviewed thousands of CEO appointments between 2001 and 2021. The study showed a medium-sized firm that appointed a Black executive saw a 3.1% increase in market capitalization within three days of the announcement.

Two of the researchers who conducted the study, Seung-Hwan Jeong and Ann Mooney Murphy, say the increase is the result of investor calm with Black executives whose résumé is often better than their white counterparts.

“To be considered for appointment as CEO, a Black executive would have to repeatedly prove themselves over the course of their careers in ways white CEOs do not,” the researchers wrote, according to the Post. “As a result, newly appointed Black CEOs are likely to exhibit exceptional attributes relative to their white counterparts.”

While the appointment of a Black CEO has its benefits, they’re also few and far between. According to Investopedia, there are just nine Black CEOs in the U.S., including six representing Fortune 500 companies.

Current Black CEOs include Rosalind Brewer of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Marvin Ellison of Lowe’s, and Thasunda Brown Duckett of the TIAA.

Because there are so few Black CEOs in the U.S., the ones that do exist are typically more qualified than white CEOs. The researchers found that 93% of Black CEOs in the study have advanced degrees compared to 53% of white CEOs. The study also found, on average, Black corporate leaders have an additional 1.6 years of education than white CEOs and are more likely to have an elite degree from a top university, showing just how far Black business leaders have to go to get into corporate board rooms.

Ayana Parsons, a senior partner at Korn Ferry who works in CEO Inclusion, told the Post that Black CEOs often outperform their white counterparts because they’re often judged on performance rather than their potential.

Parsons also added that companies and corporate boards can’t just go out and hire Black corporate executives. To grow the number of Black executives, companies need to create a pipeline ensuring Black employees have the support to grow and advance their careers.

That’s starting to happen as tech companies, including Apple and Microsoft, have launched partnerships with HBCU schools. Companies in the health industry, including Gilead Sciences and Novartis, have also partnered with HBCU schools.

 

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