by Daniel Johnson

September 7, 2025

Marques Colston And Nick Edwards’ Champion Venture Partners Opens Evergreen Sports Asset Fund

Colston pointed out that accessibility is a core part of the vision that he and his partner collaborated on when they started CVP approximately two years ago.

Former New Orleans Saints great Marques Colston and former mixed martial artist Nick Edwards are launching an evergreen sports asset fund, Champion Fund, through the pair’s investment firm, Champion Venture Partners.

The fund, which is evergreen, is designed to lower the threshold of entry as low as $500, which is inexpensive in the private equity space.

As Edwards told Front Office Sports, “The juice has to be worth the squeeze. We wanted to make sure it makes sense for people to invest.”

Colston also pointed out that accessibility is a core part of the vision that he and Edwards collaborated on when they started CVP approximately two years ago.

“The vision was always to have at least one arm of our firm that was accessible to every investor. The Champion Fund allows us to do that,” Colston noted.

Edwards believes that instead of putting money into the coin slot machine that is DraftKings or any sports betting app, “you can have some meaningful ownership. We think of it like a mutual fund. After you invest, you can see all the logos and know that you own part of this team, you own part of this stadium.”

He continued, “We don’t do high-risk VC investment. All of these are known names and brands, they just happen to be private, off-market deals that we get through our deal flow, and pass along to investors.”

“This vehicle is a way to open up an asset class that is ubiquitous, that everyone enjoys and participates in—whether you’re an athlete, fan, coach, administrator, or parent who has a kid in youth sports,” Colston said.

As he told Forbes, his retirement from the NFL in 2015 after the Saints released him due to injury, spurred Colston to explore his options in order to maximize his post-NFL earning potential while he still had at least some of the $40 million he earned during his playing career.

“Once you retire, whether you retire on your own volition or they kick you out and say you can’t play anymore, you’re kind of left bridging the gap between your playing career and when you can access your benefits, and it’s really hard to to find opportunities to make the same kind of money,” he said.

To date, the firm has created approximately $100 million in portfolio value through equity sales, enterprise growth and other means, including deals in European football and ticketing ventures, but as he indicated in an interview with Sportico in February, he wants to create increased access and education for athletes curious about the venture capital space.

“A lot of people have made money off your back as an athlete,” Colston said. “Can we open some doors to where you can participate in the economy that you’ve created?

“I’ve always seen the education gap when it comes to athletes and venture capital. You get tired of the mascot roles coming up over and over…There’s been a lack of access. It’s about how as a collective, can we take this opportunity as athletes to educate and share deals with each other?”

by Daniel Johnson

September 7, 2025

Angel Reese Joins Athlete-Led Media Company Togethxr’s Ownership Group

Reese joined the already star-studded ownership group as part of the group's second wave of women investors.

Angel Reese, the Chicago Sky’s superstar second-year forward, has joined TOGETHXR’s star-studded ownership group as part of the group’s second wave of women investors.

The media and commerce company, best known for its “Everyone Watches Women’s Sports” slogan, is principally concerned with exploding the popularity of women’s sports.

TOGETHXR was co-founded by four legendary athletes: Alex Morgan, Sue Bird, Simone Manuel, and Chloe Kim .

https://twitter.com/togethxr/status/1963650116230766816?s=19

“Joining TOGETHXR’s ownership group means so much to me because it’s more than just being part of a platform—it’s about changing the way women in sports are seen and celebrated. I’ve always wanted to use my voice and my game to open doors for others, and TOGETHXR is doing exactly that. I’m proud to join this group of trailblazing athletes and excited to help move the incredible stories and overall visibility of women in sports forward,” Reese said in a Sept. 4 press release.

Per release, @togethxr welcomes Angel Reese — “basketball star, cultural icon, and the ultimate multihyphenate” — to its athlete ownership group, commemorating her addition with a limited edition jersey. “Joining TOGETHXR’s ownership group means so much to me because it’s more… pic.twitter.com/PZOoN87kBF
— Myles (@MylesEhrlich) September 4, 2025

The group wasted little time capitalizing on the popularity of Reese, and announced in the press release that it would be collaborating on a limited-edition Angel Reese oversized unisex jersey, which currently retails on its site for $80.

“When you think about the athletes owning their competitive arenas and transcending culture, Angel Reese is a natural complement to the remarkable and influential leaders we’re proud to welcome to TOGETHXR,” Morgan, a former captain with USA Soccer, said in the press release. “As the athletes who join us contribute to elevating the visibility of women’s sports through TOGETHXR, it remains a priority for us to champion them in return.”

As Reese told USA Today, she believes she can help the group.

“It’s huge for me,” Reese, a two-time WNBA All-Star, told the outlet. “It means standing alongside women who aren’t just legends in their sports, but real trailblazers in business and culture. They’ve opened doors for so many of us, and now I get to lock arms with them and keep pushing things forward. That’s powerful. It’s not so much about teaching them as it is about joining them, and bringing a fresh perspective into everything they’ve already been doing so well. The foundation is here, and I’m excited to help it keep building.”

Bird, who joined Minnesota Lynx legends Maya Moore and Sylvia Fowles in the Naismith Memorial Basketball of Fame on Sept. 6, noted that Reese’s relentless desire to challenge the status quo is exactly what TOGETHXR has been built to do.

“TOGETHXR was built to challenge the system and prove what we’ve always known: that women in sports set the standard, shift the story, and drive the conversations that matter,” Bird said. “Angel Reese is already doing that. She brings a confidence and leadership that not only defines her but adds to the legacy we’re building as we continue to push women’s sports forward.”

“For me, it’s about being part of something bigger than myself—something that represents what I believe in both on and off the court. The co-founders have set the tone by dominating in their sports and using their voices to create real change. I want to bring that same energy, that same drive, and keep elevating women’s sports to the next level,” Reese added.

by Daniel Johnson

September 7, 2025

Is That Not Suspicious? Justice Dept. Threatens Investigation After NC County Releases Reparations Recommendations

The Department of Justice threatened to investigate one day after reparations recommendations were presented to Buncombe County.

The federal government has sent the clearest signal yet that it has taken a direct interest in the local application of reparations.

Only one day after the Asheville-Buncombe Community Reparations Commission submitted its suggestions on actions that Buncombe County, the county that houses Asheville, North Carolina, could take, the Department of Justice threatened to investigate if those suggestions are adopted.

The Asheville Watchdog obtained the Sept. 4 letter the DOJ sent the county.

“The U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division has recently become aware of concerning recommendations presented to you by the Asheville-Buncombe County Community Reparations Commission. After our initial review, we are deeply concerned that many of the recommendations, if implemented, would violate federal civil rights laws,” Harmeet K. Dhillon, assistant attorney general of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, wrote.

Dhillon continued, “My office will be closely monitoring your actions. To the extent these recommendations are formally adopted, you are now on notice that my office stands ready to investigate and enforce violations of federal civil rights laws to the fullest extent possible.”

According to the Reparations Commission report, the “city of Asheville and Buncombe County took a historic step by passing resolutions to launch a Community Reparations process addressing the enduring harms of systemic racism. This bold action positioned the region as a national leader in reparative justice.”

The report continued, offering recommendations that included “establishing a Black wealth-building fund, creating community land trusts, expanding access to culturally responsive healthcare, reimagining school curricula to reflect Black history, and transforming public safety systems. The recommendations also call for ongoing accountability through a permanent reparations oversight body.”

Dwight Mullen, a retired University of North Carolina Asheville political science professor as well as the former chair of the Reparations Commission, noted, “There’s consistency there, and the Trump administration has responded by, well, let’s cut off the data…because somehow that’s racist.”

Despite this, “the resources we have can’t compare to the resources that can be marshaled by the federal government,” Mullen noted. “It’s an unfair fight.”

Compare the Trump administration’s resistance to a local reparations package for Black people with Trump’s overt signal in March that he was potentially considering reparations for the January 6 insurrectionists, who were largely white Americans to Newsmax host Greg Kelly.

“Well, there’s talk about that,” Trump told Kelly. “We have a lot of people…a lot of the people that are in government now talk about it because…really like that group of people. They were patriots as far as I was concerned. They were treated so unfairly, so horribly.”

As Sen. Cory Booker (D-NI) noted when he reintroduced the “Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act,” America has failed to repay Black Americans collectively for its original sin of enslavement.

“We as a nation have not yet truly acknowledged and grappled with the ways slavery, racism, and white supremacy continue to disadvantage African Americans,” Booker stated. “Commissioning a study to understand better where our country has fallen short will help lawmakers better address the racial disparities and inequalities that persist today as a result of generational injustices. Any conversation about compensation for insurrectionists while refusing even a serious study of reparations for the descendants of slavery shows just how far we have to go.”

College Applications, Student, College Board, essays

by Daniel Johnson

September 7, 2025

College Board Quietly Axes Tool To Help Colleges Identify High-Achieving, Disadvantaged Students

In the wake of the Supreme Court's sunset of affirmative action and the Trump administration's subsequent attacks on DEI, enrollment numbers of Black and Latinx students have decreased.

The College Board has quietly discontinued a tool that helped universities identify high-achieving students from disadvantaged schools and neighborhoods, following the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling striking down race-based affirmative action.

That program, Landscape, does not search by race, but instead allows universities to search various categories related to the socioeconomic status of students across the country to allow universities to identify talented, but overlooked and under-resourced students in order to broaden their base of academic talent.

According to The New York Times, the move to shutter the program comes less than a month after the White House indicated it would be cracking down on alleged “hidden racial proxies,” which it alleges schools use to find minority applicants.

Though it is unclear if that is the purpose for which the program was developed and used, Landscape had been the subject of a review by the same conservative activist group responsible for challenging affirmative action before the Supreme Court, Students for Fair Admissions.

Like the decisions of some businesses to cancel their diversity, equity and inclusion commitments, and the reformation or cancellation of diversity, equity and inclusion departments by universities, the College Board’s decision seems guided by an instinct to avoid legal battles and lawsuits.

Interestingly enough, Richard D. Kahlenberg, director of the American Identity Project at the Progressive Policy Institute, who also once served as an expert witness for Students for Fair Admissions, believes the choice to close the program is a misstep by the College Board.

“It is race-neutral and its use is perfectly legal,” he told the New York Times.

According to a statement that the College Board, a non-profit entity, provided to Reuters, “As federal and state policy continues to evolve around how institutions use demographic and geographic information in admissions, we are making a change to ensure our work continues to effectively serve students and institutions.”

In a 2022 study by the Brookings Institute, the chances of admission increased for students from disadvantaged backgrounds but the chance of enrollment for those same students did not change after universities used Landscape tool, which it noted is consistent with other research.

“While there is an association between race and class, neither is an accurate proxy for the other,” the report said. .

What is evident, however, is that in the wake of the Supreme Court’s sunset of affirmative action and the Trump administration’s subsequent attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion, the enrollment numbers of Black and Latinx students have decreased both at the undergraduate and graduate program levels.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

September 7, 2025

Adin Ross Says Megan Thee Stallion And Roc Nation Served Him Papers Through A Mariachi Band

Ross says the stunt was an effort to serve him legal papers in litigation surrounding Megan Thee Stallion's legal battle with Tory Lanez.

Adin Ross says he was served by Megan Thee Stallion and Roc Nation’s legal team through unusual means.

During a livestream conversation with DJ Akademiks, Ross asserted that a mariachi band lured him out his home to receive the deposition. Akademiks’ brand account posted a clip of the story.

Adin Ross reveals to Akademiks that Meg the stallions Roc nation lawyers sent a mariachi band to his house to try and bait him to come outside so they could serve him for a deposition, and Akademiks says that roc nation have asked a federal New Jersey court to have him deposed… pic.twitter.com/PtpOaR8x3w
— Akademiks TV (@AkademiksTV) September 4, 2025

“Listen to what the lawyers did. They called a mariachi to my house,” said Ross. “They called a mariachi, like a Mexican band, to perform outside my house […] to make me want to come outside so they can serve me the paper.”

Ross backed up his claims with apparent proof of the mariachi players performing outside his house through surveillance footage. He only later found out through his security what the pop-up really meant.

However, Ross is not being directly sued by Megan or the Jay-Z-founded entertainment company. Instead, the papers were part of the “Savage” rapper’s ongoing litigation against Tory Lanez. Megan accused Lanez of launching a smear campaign against her amid his trial for shooting her.

Akademiks also fit as the choice to disclose this serving too, considering he is also being tapped as a witness, according to Complex. Both men have been subpoenaed and are not particularly delighted about it. Although unverified, Ross adamantly believes that the mariachi band was a tactic from Megan’s defense team.

Akademiks, on the other hand, called the alleged stunt “harassment” and said Megan and Roc Nation want him deposed again.

Neither Megan nor Roc Nation has confirmed the matter.

by Daniel Johnson

September 7, 2025

Black Women Hit Hardest: Surging Job Losses Signal Economic Crisis Ahead

Economists warn that rising Black unemployment numbers are a dark omen.

One month after Donald Trump took the extraordinary step of firing Erika McEntarfer, the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the first jobs report delivered under its acting commissioner, longtime BLS figure William Wiatrowski, carries a message of impending doom for the American economy.

According to Yahoo Finance, the reason is that the prospects of Black workers, both male and female workers, are at their most dismal since the COVID-19 pandemic, a situation that portends disaster for the economy writ large.

The unemployment rate for Black men is 7.1%; for Black women it is just a tick lower, coming in at 6.7%.

As Gary Hoover, an economist at Tulane University, told the outlet, “What we find typically is that the unemployment rates that you see for the young, for Blacks—and particularly Black males—are a telltale sign of the direction of the economy and what we can expect to see hit overall in a few months.”

The unemployment rate for Black teenagers, like it is for adult Black American workers, is also of concern. Black teenage unemployment, that is, the employment rate for individuals between the ages of 16 and 19, sits at 24.8% which far outstrips the overall Black employment rate of 7.5% recorded in August.

According to Gbenga Ajilore, chief economist at the left-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the Black unemployment rate is a “canary in the coal mine.”

He added that “If it’s steadily starting to go up, that portends that the economy might be heading toward a downturn.”

Ajilore noted that Black unemployment numbers often signal an impending economic crash due to the fact that in the American job market, Black workers are often the first fired but the last hired. Black workers are also overrepresented in the federal government, which has seen significant overturn since Trump’s inauguration in January.

“Across the board, you’re seeing industries that employ large amounts of Black people either stagnant or in decline,” said Joseph Dean, a research economist at the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, a nonprofit group

Axios reports that in August, the unemployment rate for Black women jumped up to 7.5%, a figure that sharply outpaces that group’s 5.4% unemployment rate in January and the 6.7% figure reported by Yahoo Finance.

“The layoffs at the federal level, where Black people are more represented, the impacts of the tariffs, particularly on small businesses that hire Black women, and the overall use of DEI as a slur, which may be contributing to a lack of hiring of Black women, all of these factors are probably at play,” Andre Perry, senior fellow at the Brookings Institute, told Bloomberg in June.

As Daniella Zessoules noted in her analysis for Dēmos, “Black women’s work is concentrated in sectors that are the backbone of our economy, so when they see gains like higher wages, stronger protections, and better working conditions, those benefits ripple outward. Conversely, when Black women are being pushed out or shut out, it’s not a side issue; it’s a warning sign that our economic system is failing.”

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

September 7, 2025

Body Found Off Maryland Highway Confirmed As Missing Virginia Teen; Suspect In Custody

Maryland Governor Wes Moore also released a statement.

The body of Da’Cara Rose Thompson, the Virginia teen who went missing in late August, was found off a Maryland highway on Aug. 31, according to police in Prince George’s County.

A suspect has also been arrested.

Thompson’s mysterious disappearance generated national headlines as her family searched for her whereabouts.

Authorities shared at a Sept. 5 press conference that they arrested Hugo Hernandez-Mendez, 35, for his involvement in Thompson’s murder. He faces one count of first-degree murder and one count of second-degree murder, USA Today reports.

Thompson, 19, went missing Aug. 22 after leaving her home in Prince George’s County. She had last sent her father a text saying she would be “home soon.” Afterward, he family and community held multiple search efforts and hosted a vigil.

Officials did not disclose any further information surrounding how Thompson died or Hernandez-Mendez’s potential motive.

However, video footage revealed Thompson “willfully entered” a car driven by her alleged killer the night she disappeared. Thompson talked to Hernandez-Mendez in his driver’s seat, before walking to the passenger’s side to get in the vehicle.

Prince George’s Police Chief George Nader said Hernandez-Mendez drove Thompson to a home in Bowie, Maryland, six miles from her own residence. There, he said, the man killed Thompson in a bedroom and disposed the body a few miles away at a grassy area off Route 50 in a neighboring county.

Nader said Hernandez-Mendez acted alone. Detectives have yet to confirm if Thompson and Hernandez-Mendez knew each other.

Thompson, a recent high school graduate, was working for a nonprofit, becoming a member of the Maryland Service Year Option.

In a statement, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, called Thompson’s death an “act of senseless violence.”

My statement on the Da’Cara Thompson Investigation: pic.twitter.com/ohZSeuPypM
— Governor Wes Moore (@GovWesMoore) September 5, 2025

“Da’Cara raised her hand right out of high school to join our most recent cohort of Maryland Service Year Option members –patriotic Marylanders committed to public service,” Moore said. “She yearned to be part of our mission to solve big problems with bold solutions through her passion for the arts.”

He added, “She was a bright light in our state. We will use every tool at our disposal to ensure those responsible for this crime are held accountable and honor Da’Cara’s legacy of service through our unwavering commitment to the safety and well-being of all Marylanders.”

Hernandez-Mendez is in jail without bond. His court hearing is scheduled for Sept. 8.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

September 7, 2025

LAPD Cuts Protection For Kamala Harris Just Days After Trump Suspended Secret Service For Ex-VP

The LAPD union expressed their disdain over the decision for local officers to protect the politician.

The Los Angeles Police Department has cut its specials protections for Kamala Harris as Donald Trump suspends secret service provisions for the former Vice President.

As Trump pulled back Harris’ secret service detail, the California Highway stepped in to fill the gaps that would have leave the Los Angeles resident unprotected. To help with the transition, specialized units from the LAPD’s Metropolitan Division joined the effort, as detailed by ABC7.

However, the move garnered backlash over its repositioning of officers away from the crime suppression units in certain neighborhoods. Mayor Karen Bass had initially green-lighted the effort, but the negative spotlight prompted a reversal of the move.

According to The Los Angeles Times, those within the LAPD also expressed their concerns with taking officers from their initial posts to safeguard the former presidential nominee. Following the backlash, Bass confirmed that the officers would return to the original units, calling the plan to protect Harris as always being “temporary.”

“The plan was always to provide temporary support and I thank LAPD for protecting former VP Harris and always prioritizing the safety of all Angelenos,” shared Bass in the Sept. 6 statement.

Before leaving office, former President Joe Biden had extended Harris’ Secret Service protection past July 21. Typically, former Vice Presidents only receive 6 months of Secret Service protection after leaving office. The extension came as Harris faced death threats before and in the midst of her own presidential campaign.

The extension remained until Trump followed suit in his pattern of stripping protections for his political adversaries, already doing so for former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci, per Axios. After revoking Harris’ federal police protections, Harris’ native state decided to keep the former California Senator safe.

However, the news did not bode well with the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union over the LAPD. Its board of directors even mocked Harris, calling the former attorney general a “multi-millionaire failed presidential candidate” while deeming the local protection reversal an act of “common-sense.”

“Every now and then common-sense prevails and we are happy to report that the Metro officers assigned to protect the multi-millionaire failed presidential candidate are back on the street fighting crime,” the union said in a statement provided to City News Service.

The LAPD union leaders did not hide their feelings on the unpopular protection, making it clear where they stand about California policemen protecting one of the state’s former politicians.

“Maybe Ms. Harris can start a GoFundMe campaign instead of mooching off Los Angeles taxpayers,” their statement added.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

September 7, 2025

Kelly Price Calls Black Women ‘DEI Hires’ And ‘Nasty, Disrespectful People’ In Rant Over Her Appearance

The singer did not mince words about Black women and apparent trolling.

Kelly Price is seemingly fed up with Black women mocking her appearance.

The singer went off on her biggest critics, whom she believes to be Black women, in a new rant. She went to Instagram Live to voice her frustrations with the demographic, not mincing any words about the constant trolling. During the outburst, she called them “DEI hires” and “nasty, disrespectful people.”

Significantly, the “Friend of Mine” singer called them unemployed, noting the unemployment crisis disproportionately impacting Black women. Meanwhile, she noted how she continues to sell out shows for her music career. One X user re-shared the footage.

Kelly price goes off on black women. pic.twitter.com/VcKRym8tpP
— Hip Hop Fev3r (@Hiphopfev3r) September 3, 2025

“I’m letting you have it right now, because ain’t nothing you can do about that,” she continued. “And while you’re looking for a new job, I’m still going to be selling out theaters and venues. Looking like a fat slob in clothes that you said I look nasty in, and my feet are so damn big, and who dressed me. I’m still going to be making my money.”

In her rant, she asserted that Black women say harmful and degrading stuff about her looks while claiming that they uplift the community.

“Black women, you are some of the most nasty, disrespectful people on God’s planet earth. The things that you say about other Black women…but you’re an activist, and you are educated…find yourself, because a degree does not give you class,” she shared to her over 1 million Instagram followers.

While her rant took primary aim at her Black women critics, she also took a jab at the men who join in on the trolling.

“Any man who feels the right to disrespect a woman who has never done anything to them… you’re a bi**h. And I mean that from the bottom of my heart,” she added.

However, not all were receptive to Price’s vulnerable yet polarizing post. One popular comment emphasized how the majority of ticket-buyers to her sold-out shows are Black women, and how calling them “DEI hires” is inherently more harmful than she thinks.

“You do know that the main people that purchase your music and go to your shows are BLACK WOMEN? You do know that black women are not DEI hires because they are the most educated women in the world,” wrote the commenter, according to The Grio.

Despite the backlash, one fellow Black woman celebrity shared her support for Price. Renowned boxer Claressa Shields came to Price’s defense, stating Price “read y’all” for the fake love.

“If it don’t apply to you shut yo ass up,” wrote Shields on X. “Ain’t nobody making stuff up bout y’all ass. Knowing damn well y’all be fake “girl girls” & fake “women empowerment.” Kelly price read y’all just like she was supposed to. I hope whoever talked about her feet being big that she stick it up your [butt.]”

Price, however, doesn’t care what the commenters say, stating that she is not the problem. Instead, her issue lies with how the Black women community treats one another, in real life and online.

“The one thing you will never catch me doing is going to someone else’s social media page and talking in a disparaging way about them disrespecting them to the utmost,” she shared. “We complain so much about how other races, ethnicities and classes of people treat people of color, but I can absolutely tell you that it never compares to the mistreatment that we do of each other. We need to get it together.”

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

September 7, 2025

Support Your Girlfriends Partners With Barbados Tourism To Celebrate Sisterhood At Empowerment Retreat

Support Your Girlfriends headed to Barbados to celebrate and reconnect with women trailblazers for its Empowerment Retreat.

Support Your Girlfriends has successfully concluded its 7th annual retreat, bringing its mission of empowerment and sisterhood to Barbados.

Founded by communications strategist Dr. Nikkia Tené McClain of the Tené Nicole Agency, Support Your Girlfriends has evolved into a network of dynamic women who are game changers in their industries. For this year’s reconnection, a cohort of 30 esteemed professionals and creatives headed off to the Caribbean island for the transformative retreat.

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A post shared by Debra Marshall (@deb.marsh)

In partnership with Barbados Marketing Tourism Inc., the Empowerment retreat took place from Aug. 25 to 29. During its four-day festivities, women from the corporate, entrepreneurial, and artistic sectors came together to uplift one another, in line with the communal organization’s mission.

Under this year’s theme, “Getting Back To Us: Wholesome Friendships Lead to Impactful Sisterships,” the retreat hosted several sessions to foster unity, growth, and impact among its attendees. The retreat commenced with a Keynote Dinner, led by McClain, to ground the experience in intentionality and purpose to elevate these women.

Its programming also included a conversation with Barbados NGO “I AM A GIRL,” a session led by “The Golden Hoops” author Jen Hayse Lee. With the organization’s pillars of SupportHER, CelebrateHER, and Pow(H)er at the forefront, attendees then indulged in lifestyle and wellness workshops, featuring special guests such as Modupé Rouse, Lucinda Cross, and Debra Marshall.

The legendary retreat concluded with a Pow(H)er dinner of “Getting Back To Sistership.” Hosted by Sharene “Shay” Wood, the dinner solidified these connections as the women championed each other in their future journeys.

Established in 2017, Support Your Girlfriends offers affordable annual memberships for women trailblazers of color, providing a platform for them to find support and encouragement from one another. The organization provides access and resources for women to elevate their ideas and careers, while connecting with like-minded female visionaries.

In a press release shared with BLACK ENTERPRISE, McClain shared how the retreat found new bliss and purpose in Barbados, especially as it shaped the experience for women of color.

“This year’s retreat was absolutely wonderful! I feel truly thankful to Barbados Marketing Tourism Inc. and Apes Hill Barbados for opening a warm and inviting space for me and my #GlossyPosse tribe of women. As women of color, it’s essential to have moments and spaces that celebrate all aspects of who we are, from our dreams and desires to our struggles and happiness, which is exactly what this retreat provides.

As Support Your Girlfriends continues to elevate women leaders, no matter the industry, its retreats help women embrace all they are, while encouraging them to remain their unapologetic selves.