Meet the 11-Year-Old Pool-Playing/Billiards Champion From PG County, Maryland
D’Angelo Spain is an 11-year-old African American boy from Bowie, Md. that has already established himself as a professional pool player. He now plays in billiards tournaments all over the country and is already the top-ranked player in the 13 and under division of the Junior International Championship (JIC).
His parents say that it all started one day when the family went to buy a karaoke machine and D’Angelo asked if they could buy a pool table instead. After negotiating about where they would put the pool table, they decided to go ahead and buy it but they knew they’d have to rearrange some furniture.
In an interview with Fox5DC, D’Angelo, an honor roll student whom his dad has nicknamed “Jawz,” said that he plays pool for five to six hours every single day. Even more, his nine-year-old sister, Franki, is also making a name for herself as a talented pool player. Their passion for billiards has them spending a lot of time practicing to perfect their craft.
The next big tournament for D’Angelo is the International Open in Norfolk Virginia in November 2022. However, to compete at such a high level, the expenses are costly. So, the family has set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds for the expenses associated with traveling, lodging and also tournament fees.
D’Angelo playfully says that of all his accomplishments so far, he is most proud that he can beat his dad.
Two Sisters Who Own 25-Year-Old Black-Owned Hair Salon Launch All-Natural Hair Moisturizer and Protective Style Products
Meet Glynnis and Shelly Smith, two siblings who own a successful hair salon in Kansas City, Mo. and are assisting thousands of clients worldwide with their individual hair care needs. They are also the founders of a hair care product line called Meme Natural You, a fusion of their Guyanese-American culture, and their resilience as women.
Their product line combines exotic ingredients harvested from plants and botanicals found in their homeland in the Amazonian rain forest of South America along with our countless hours of field experience supplying professional hair care services to their clientele.
As children growing up in Guyana, commercial hair care products were unavailable so they made their own haircare products by using natural ingredients from our surroundings. The sisters comment, “Our beginnings were humble ones, and we lived modestly — both in Guyana, and after migrating to America, but we always had a dream of one day having a business of our own. As children our parents instilled strong family values, to be honest, and to work hard. These same values remain at the core of our lives, and our business to this day.”
One morning in November of 2013, their dream was almost cut short when they were overcome by carbon monoxide while asleep in their family home. Had it not been for a family member that managed to escape the house to call for help, they would have all died. According to the fire marshal, the carbon monoxide level in the house was more than 40 times higher than safe exposure levels.
Shelly comments, “My sister Glynnis and I and two other family members were rescued by firefighters and rushed to the hospital in critical condition. We awoke in the hospital grateful that God had spared our lives, and allowed us to triumph from tragedy.”
She continues, “Today, our passion has blossomed into a brick-and-mortar full-service hair salon with a solid client base. The Meme Natural You product line was created to pay homage to our heritage, to give back to our loyal clientele, and to make all natural hair care accessible for all walks of life. It’s the combination of where we’ve been and where we’re going.”
The sisters have been featured in several major news outlets including NPR and WHYY/PBS.
For more details about their products, visit their official web site at MemeNaturalYou.com.
Celebrate Juneteenth at the Black Money Forum, an All-Star Free Financial Literacy Event
Juneteenth commemorates the end of enslavement and the beginning of independence for all Black Americans. But can you truly be free without financial freedom?
According to the Federal Reserve, the average Black, Latino, or Hispanic household in the U.S. earns about half as much as the average white household and has a net worth of about 15 to 20 percent of that of a white household.
With economic downturns like the 2007 recession or the COVID-19 pandemic, our communities are much more impacted, and the racial wealth gap keeps widening.
As highlighted by discriminatory lending or banking practices, systemic inequalities continue to make wealth-building harder for Black folks. Though Black people have made progress in our participation rate in investing in the stock market, they have a long way to go to close the widening wealth gap. Thankfully, there’s been an increased focus on financial literacy education by Black leaders and educators who can make things more relatable and attainable for the community.
In celebration of Juneteenth this year, some big names in the financial literacy space will share space to educate Black and Brown communities at The Black Money Forum.
(Photo credit: Ricardo C. Sandy)
This free event organized by The Brooklyn Bank, a non-profit organization founded by real estate investor and developer Jude Bernard, will take place Sunday, June 19, at The Kings Theater. Bernard will host the event alongside Angela Yee, host of The Breakfast Club, and of the financial literacy show Money Pie.
Bernard has been in the real estate business for over 20 years and has built a real estate portfolio worth multi-millions. But his path to multi-millionaire wasn’t smooth.
(Photo credit: Ricardo C. Sandy)
“I have built a portfolio valued at over $40 million right now. My mom was a housekeeper, and my dad was a taxi driver. We lived with six people in a two-bedroom apartment. I spent 10 years climbing poles and fixing telephone lines and suffered from gambling. Despite all the adversity and the challenges of my beginnings, I still made it happen and I’m not special. I followed some basic steps to make it happen. Anybody could follow the same steps in whatever field that they choose, whether it’s stocks, real estate, a small business, “ Bernard tells BLACK ENTERPRISE.
The Importance of Education
Bernard went from being worth millions of dollars in 2006 to being insolvent and owing millions during the last recession.
“In hindsight, all the lows I have had came from not being properly prepared and not understanding how things work. I didn’t know what I was signing. I didn’t understand the consequences of what I was doing. I was able to dig myself out and rebuild, and it became very important for me to help my Black and Brown people catch up and close the wealth gap.
I started the Brooklyn bank back in 2016. I’ve been using the space to have financial literacy events, bring the community together, and provide all kinds of education to teach people the truth about money.”
Then this year, Bernard decided to have a much larger event to celebrate Juneteenth.
“They’re still some freedoms we aren’t capitalizing on, such as financial freedom. I felt it was important that we did something to bring awareness of financial emancipation.”
What To Expect
Bernard describes The Black Money Forum as a safe space to learn about money and not be judged. Bernard hopes attendees also focus on building relationships necessary for anyone’s wealth-building journey.
“You will be in the room with 3,000 other people who have the same mindset and desires to change their circumstances. Your biggest connection is going to be the person right next to you that you’re speaking with, on a similar path that you are on right now.”
Bernard was intentional about having speakers that the audience could relate to.
“Everybody who will be on that stage started where the audience was or even lower,” he says. “It’s just that they took action. They started one day, and The Black Money Forum would be a great day to start.”
Attendees will receive invaluable education on topics like the stock market, real estate, cryptocurrency, credit, mindset, and entrepreneurship. Every attendee will also receive $50 to open an account with the personal finance app Stash to start investing, courtesy of event partners Stash and Goodwater Collective.
Anne-Lyse Wealth is a writer, wealth educator, and certified public accountant. She is the founder of Plutus Awards-nominated Dreamoflegacy.com, a platform dedicated to inspiring millennials to build wealth with purpose, and The ALW Communications Agency. She is a freelance writer for Fortune, Business Insider, Harvard Business Review Ascend, and other publications. She is the author of Dream of Legacy, Raising Strong and Financially Secure Black Kids, and the host of The Dreamers Podcast.
Connecticut to Name Street After First Black Woman Physician in Stamford
Joyce Yerwood made history as Stamford, Connecticut’s first Black woman doctor in the 1940s. Her legacy continues to live on, with a street renamed in her honor.
According to the Stamford Advocate, “Dr. Joyce Yerwood Way” is anticipated to be the new name of the portion of Fairfield Avenue between West Main Street and Richmond Hill Avenue in Stamford. City representatives voted unanimously late last week for the commemorative tribute. Now, it is up to the full Board of Representatives to pass the resolution.
Yerwood was a trailblazer in the medical field. Born in 1909, the Texas native pursued medicine while enduring ongoing racism and sexism. However, her passion for serving others helped her push past obstacles.
According to News One, in 1928, Yerwood graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Samuel Huston College in Austin, Texas. She then attended Meharry Medical College, where she and her sister were the only two women in their first-year program. After medical school, she completed her internship in Kansas City, Kansas, and then a residency in Philadelphia. Throughout this time, Yerwood made a name for herself as a pioneer in public health. She later started her own practice in Port Chester, New York.
After 18 years in Port Chester, Yerwood moved her practice to Stamford. As the first Black woman physician in Fairfield County, she dedicated 50 years to “providing quality medical care for low-income women, children, and families,” according to the Board of Representatives’ resolution.
Additionally, Yerwood’s efforts extended beyond healthcare and leaned into community engagement and empowerment. In 1943, she breathed life into the Stamford Negro Community Center, renamed The Yerwood Center in her honor in 1975. The Center is now operated by The Boys & Girls Club, pursuing its beloved founder’s mission of offering a myriad of educational and cultural programs for Black youth.
Yerwood, who died in 1987, will have a commemorative naming celebration during a scheduled Juneteenth event in Jackie Robinson Park.
Yerwood’s granddaughter, Joyce Carwin, said their family is “extremely excited and happy that this is finally happening.”
“As I grew older, I became aware of how important my grandmother was to the Stamford community,” Carwin said, as per News One. “She was fierce and fearless. She did not let the color of her skin or her gender stop her.”
Former Foster Care Twins Walk 176 Miles to Fight for Kids Like Them
Davon and Tavon Woods, 26, were born into the foster care system. Now as adults, the twin brothers took part in National Foster Care Month by tackling a grueling 176-mile walk to show current foster children that someone is willing to go the extra mile for them.
The Woods twins trekked from Statesboro, Georgia, to Jacksonville, Florida, with police following behind them in support of their journey, First Coast News reported.
“We really want the kids to be able to see that someone is willing to walk that extra mile because being born in the system, you feel like nobody is fighting for you,” Davon said.
“Also showing endurance,” said Tavon. “How we endure life and being adopted and foster care. This walk is based off endurance. No matter how tough the journey gets, we are going to make it to our destination.”
Driving north on US 301 this week? Keep an eye out for these brothers! Davon & Tavon Woods were born into foster care. They are walking 176 miles from Statesboro, GA to #Jacksonville, FL to raise awareness during Nat'l #FosterCareAwarenessMonth. More on #GMJ! pic.twitter.com/W81IfBXnMM
— Leah Drake (Shields) (@LeahDrakeNews) May 24, 2022
The twins ended up getting adopted by the time they were 2. Now as adults, the Davon and Tavon aim to raise awareness of the scarring foster care system.
“A lot of people think that once you get adopted they think that everything is all good,” Davon said.
“9 times out of 10 its kind of worse because there are no case workers involved anymore. Growing up we didn’t know what love was.”
With 407,000 children in the American foster care system, as noted by Childcare Welfare, the Woods twins are stressing the importance of pouring into the children and showing them that they’re loved and not forgotten.
“A child in the system, all they want to do is be loved,” Davon said. “They want someone to show that affection, that support. We was missing out on that.”
The twins chose Jacksonville in memory of James Reese, the 4-year-old boy who died while under the care of his foster family. The Woods brothers say they are in contact with the boy’s biological mother and have been offering their support.
Scheduling Meets in the 21st Century with Superpowered
It’s long been said that time is the most valuable commodity. As we get older, we learn all too well just how true that statement rings. Everyone juggles their time differently, but they all have the same goal in mind: To maximize every precious drop of time they have to make the most out of it.
Daily planners and schedules have worked wonders, but as technology has evolved, so have the various scheduling and time-tracking methods. Superpowered has found a way to combine the best of both worlds.
For a limited time, you can purchase a lifetime subscription to Superpowered Daily Schedule App for just $49.90. That’s a savings of nearly 50% from its MSRP ($100).
Superpowered allows you to stay on top of all of your day-to-day schedules and meeting with just one click. It can be accessed on desktop devices that run macOS (M1 supported) and Windows 10/11.
With this powerful scheduling tool, there’s no limit to how many meetings you can track. Its intuitive software supports Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Meet, Around, WebEx, and more. Slack integration is also included. Notifications are pushed out to your devices, alerting you to meetings and other scheduling commitments you’ve saved.
“I’m about to drop $10 / month on @SuperpoweredApp – which for context is the same amount I pay for Netflix every month. It’s the smoothest, cleanest app I have ever used that does one thing at a time exceptionally well. It gets me where I need to go,” writes verified purchaser Salman S. Qadeer.
Think of Superpowered as the modern take on scheduling. Instead of scrambling to find your paper scheduler or daily planner and struggling with jotting down legible notes, you can input all of your important dates, notes, and the like into this app and have it all available to you in one centralized location.
WNBA Star Liz Cambage Denies Using Racial Slur Against Nigerian Basketball Team
A popular WNBA player has been accused of using racial epithets.
According to ESPN, Los Angeles Sparks center Liz Cambagehas been accused by an Australian newspaper of directing racist slurs toward players of the Nigerian women’s basketball team during a pre-Olympic scrimmage in Las Vegas last year.
The Sunday Telegraph reported over the weekend that two anonymous members of the Nigerian team stated that they heard Cambage call them “monkeys” during the closed-door scrimmage at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. Another player mentioned that Cambage said, “Go back to your third-world country.”
Cambage, who at the time was playing for the Australian women’s national team, the Opals, denied the accusations on her Instagram account over the weekend.
“The incident that took place in the pre-Olympic scrimmage with the Nigerian national team was handled privately almost a year ago.
I am very disappointed and hurt by the events and accusations that have unfolded in the Australian media. The account of what took place is inaccurate and misleading.
I did not use the racial slur toward the Nigerian team that has been circulating.”
Cambage admitted there was an altercation and words were exchanged. She claimed to have been physically assaulted by one of the opposing team’s players. She acknowledged apologizing to the team the next day at dinner.
“After I unintentionally fouled a Nigerian player on court, I was then physically assaulted by this player on the sideline of my bench. I was hit in the face and pushed to the ground, but I walked away…We did not have professional referees to manage and prioritize both teams’ safety during this highly physical scrimmage.
“This is not an excuse of justification to the events that unfolded or my actions, however, I feel that a full picture of the environment that led to this outcome must be shared.”
Former NFL Star Herschel Walker Says Donald Trump is Lying About Asking Him to Run For Senate
Former NFL player Herschel Walker, who has recently won a bid to run for the Senate, is not exactly seeing eye-to-eye with former president of the United States, Donald Trump. According to Mediaite, the ex-USFL player is mad at the former president because he is taking credit for Walker’s decision to run for political office when he says Trump had nothing to do with it at all.
Walker recently spoke to hip-hop entrepreneur and rapper Killer Mike on his talk show, Love & Respect with Killer Mike, on Revolt TV. On the program, the Republican nominee for the Senate seat in Georgia expressed that he was mad at Trump for “taking credit” for his run for the Senate seat. Trump has repeatedly stated that he asked Walker to run and Walker denies that completely.
“One thing that people don’t know is President Trump never asked me. I need to tell him that he never asked. I heard it all on television that he’s going to ask Herschel, saying Hershel is going to run,” Walker stated. “President Trump never came out and said, ‘Herschel, will you run for that Senate seat?’
“So, I’m mad at him because he never asked, but he’s taking credit that he asked.”
In the video clip, Walker admits that the decision came from him and his wife praying and he had hoped someone else would step up to run as his businesses are doing well.
“I prayed about it,” he clarified. “And to be honest with you, I was praying that God would bring somebody else because I’m happy. My life is doing well.”
“But I love the Lord Jesus,” Walker added.
Herschel Walker says Donald Trump lied when he claims he called and asked him to run for Senate: “He never asked. So, I’m mad at him because he never asked. But he’s taking credit that he asked.” pic.twitter.com/xCSGarLpn4
— Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦 (@RonFilipkowski) May 31, 2022
Walker, 59, was a football star at the University of Georgia, winning the 1982 Heisman Trophy as the nation’s most outstanding collegiate player, before playing professional football for the New Jersey Generals of the once-defunct USFL—a team that Trump owned at the time—and later in the National Football League.
Kansas City Cops Shoot Unarmed Pregnant Black Woman Suspected in Carjacking
Kansas City police are facing backlash after shooting an unarmed pregnant Black five times over a reported stolen vehicle.
Leonna Hale, 26, is in stable condition after being shot by Kansas City police on Friday. An eyewitness identified as Shédanja claims Hale was trying to flee the scene in the parking lot of a Family Dollar store on Friday night, The Kansas City Starreported. According to Newsweek, Hale had her hands up moments before officers opened fire.
The shooting occurred after the Missouri State Highway Patrol tracked down a vehicle matching the description of a stolen car inside a Family Dollar parking lot. When authorities tried to arrest the man and woman inside the car, the man jumped a fence and ran as three officers chased after him. Shédanja says Hale exited the car with her hands up. When cops ordered Hale onto the ground, she told them that she couldn’t because she was pregnant.
CONTENT WARNING ⚠️
Black trauma, violence against women, anti-Black violence
"They still putting her in handcuffs after they shot her" eyewitness recording the video can be heard saying frantically. pic.twitter.com/VltyZxRK2g
— The Kansas City Defender (@KCDefender) May 29, 2022
Police reportedly gave Hale multiple orders to get down. She then told police there was a gun in the vehicle and started backing toward a fence in the parking lot.
“She did not pull out a weapon on them,” Shédanja said. “She did not even have a stick in her hand.”
That’s when several officers approached her with their weapons drawn. Hale, according to Shédanja, took three steps before police opened fire.
“One, two, three, four, five. I remember it because it didn’t stop. They shot five times,” Shédanja said.
“I remember seeing her hit the ground and I froze.”
Hale sustained serious injuries and was taken to a local hospital, KCTV reported. The male suspect was also unharmed and taken to a local hospital for an unrelated medical issue.
“We never want to be in these types of situations. Not the public, as a police department,” Kansas City Police Department’s Interim Police Chief Joseph Mabin said. “Anytime it happens is a blight on our community. I want to ensure the public the scene is secure.
“There’s no on-going threat. We’re committed to be 100% transparent. This is a holiday weekend. It’s time for friends. Not a time for violence.”
Black White House Staffers are Leaving the Biden Administration in High Numbers
At least 21 Black White House staffers have left the Biden administration since 2021 or are planning to leave soon, and those who are still there are not surprised.
Politico reports Black White House staffers described an administration that gives little support to their superiors and little chance for promotion.
Those who have already announced their departures or left include Vice President Kamala Harris’ former Press Secretary Symone Sanders and seniors aides Tina Flournoy, Ashley Etienne, Vincent Evans, and Cedric Richmond.
Additionally, Public Engagement Aide Carissa Smith; Gender Policy Aide Kalisha Dessources Figures; National Security Council Senior Director Linda Etim; Digital Engagement Director Cameron Trimble; Associate Counsel Funmi Olorunnipa Badejo; Chief of Staff Ron Klain; advisers Elizabeth Wilkins and Niyat Mulugheta; Press Assistant Natalie Austin; National Economic Council aides Joelle Gamble and Connor Maxwell; and presidential personnel aides Danielle Okai, Reggie Greer, and Rayshawn Dyson have all left the administration.
Deputy White House Counsel Danielle Conley and Council of Economic Advisers aide Saharra Griffin have announced they will leave in the coming weeks.
The situation has turned heads from those who celebrated Biden and Harris for their commitment to diversity when shaping their administration. Three Black White House staffers said the departures have affected morale and led to compounding problems.
“I have heard about an exodus of Black staffers from the White House — ‘Blaxit’ — and I am concerned,” said Spencer Overton, president of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, which tracks government staff diversity numbers. “Black voters accounted for 22% of President Biden’s voters in November 2020. It is essential that Black staffers are not only recruited to serve in senior, mid-level, and junior White House positions but are also included in major policy and personnel decisions and have opportunities for advancement.”
A White House official pushed back on the claims of a dysfunctional White House, saying 14% of White House staffers are Black. The official added that the number is expected to increase as more Black staffers are expected to fill many of the roles that have been vacated.
Additionally, the staffers who have left have largely done so on good terms. Many Black staffers left for graduate school opportunities, different cabinet departments, family issues, and better career opportunities.
In the run-up to the 2020 election, President Biden pledged to create an administration that looks like America and has come through on that promise by creating the most diverse cabinet in U.S. history.
