Maya Gray, founder and CEO of Day Dream Design Firm, a Little Rock, Arkansas-based branding company, is now teaching entrepreneurs how to build a brand asset worth millions to new and emerging businesses.

The Day Dream Design Firm is a company specializing in brand strategy, website development, and social media branding for service providers. As of today, the company is offering its workbook to take advantage of professional and high-quality branding, which otherwise may not have been possible for early-stage companies.

Maya comments, “Branding encompasses business operations, marketing strategies, customer and competition analysis, as well as the design aspect. We are currently building relationships nationwide to connect our clients with resources that help them grow their businesses.”

Day Dream Design Firm has been around since 2018 and has helped countless small to midsize businesses throughout the U.S. to gain access to luxury branding services at an affordable price.

In his statement, Kevin Williams of Arkansas Black Businesses said, “Maya created a brand that is a million-dollar brand for Arkansas Black Businesses.” She revamped the brand, and I don’t cry often, but I’m telling you, I was in tears. It was that good.”

The company has a mission to empower entrepreneurs to live their legacy lifestyle by creating brands that are strategically designed to endure throughout generations. One way the company helps the community is by offering the “7 Questions You Never Asked Yourself About Your Brand”. The firm offers this workbook at no cost to business owners and entrepreneurs.

‘Always Give Back’ is one of our core values. When I was 17 years old, my church needed exposure but couldn’t afford to hire a graphic designer, let alone a marketing team. The church wanted to attract new members and increase enrollment. Unfortunately, I was unable to assist my church. This motivated me to pursue a career in brand development. “This design firm is dedicated to a meaningful part in the success stories of others who are also striving to make a positive impact in the world,” said Gray.

For more information about how to access Day Dream Design Firm’s workbook, visit 7 Questions You Never Asked Yourself About Your Brand.

This story first appeared on Blacknews.com.

RELATED CONTENT: Whiskey Brand Uncle Nearest Acquires Square One Organic Spirits

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 23, 2022

Parents Sue School District and Police After 10-Year-Old With ADHD Put in Chokehold, Arrested

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Parents of a young boy with ADHD filed a lawsuit against their son’s school district after the child was placed in a chokehold and arrested following an outburst.

Ashley Hutchinson-Harper and Terry Harper, the boy’s parents, filed the lawsuit May 9. It comes one year after the child, identified only as J.H., feared for his life after police aggressively detained him amid a disturbance he was causing at Congetta Trippe Janet Elementary School in Marrero, Louisiana, The Washington Post reported.

The boy with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder had reportedly hit a principal, stormed out of the school, and threw a trashcan by the time cops arrived. The lawsuit accuses police of yanking J.H.’s arm and pulling it behind his back before placing the child in a chokehold after he tried pulling his arm back.

Now the child’s parents are suing the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Jefferson Parish School Board for unspecified damages and asking a judge to bar school officials and law enforcement officers from using physical restraints against students.

The Harpers believe the responding deputies violated the child’s civil rights and failed to abide by the Americans with Disabilities Act during the May 13, 2021, encounter, NBC News reported.

The suit accuses Sgt. Steven Trapani of being aggressive with the child who was just 95 pounds and 4 feet, 5 inches tall at the time of the incident. J.H. was dragged on the ground while still in the chokehold, causing him to be “fearful for his life,” the suit claims.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana and the Tulane Law School’s Civil Rights and Federal Practice Clinic are representing the child’s parents. The ACLU says the school called 911 instead of helping to calm down the child, who was upset after just being bullied.

After being detained, the suit says J.H. was interrogated while in “handcuffs for over an hour.” The boy’s family was not allowed to see him during this time.

Following the interrogation, the child was taken to a juvenile detention center and charged with two counts of battery of a police officer, one count of resisting arrest, one count of battery of a schoolteacher, and one count of simple criminal damage of less than $1,000.

All charges were later dismissed.

• Lifestyle

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

May 23, 2022

Teacher and Her Daughter Create New Holiday to Honor Black and Indigenous Women

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Nationwide — In a 1962 lecture in Los Angeles, California, Malcolm X said, “The most disrespected person in America is a Black woman.” Today, a teacher and her daughter are helping to change the view of Black women from a “disrespected state” to one of “honor” with the establishment of Mothers of Civilization Day.

The idea for the new holiday was developed by Audrey Muhammad, an educator and writer who has always taught the value of Black History in her high school literature classes in Ohio and California. Her daughter, Hasana Muhammad, is a junior Computer Science major at North Carolina A & T State University, designed the website and book for the new holiday. They are hoping that schools and colleges will help celebrate the new holiday this year.

“Every year we honor our mothers who gave birth to us, but we often do not think of the woman who gave birth to humanity, which is the original woman, the Black woman,” said Mrs. Muhammad who is the editor for Virtue Today Magazine, a positive women’s magazine. “Did you know that the oldest bones to be found, as of this date are of a Black woman?” The bones were found by an anthropologist named Donald Johanson and his assistant Tom Gray on November 24, 1974, in Hadar, Ethiopia. According to Dr. Cheikh Anta Diop, the evidence of early humans who lived between 2 and 6 million years ago come totally from Africa. Since the bones of the earliest female were found on November 24, 1974, that day will be used to celebrate Mothers of Civilization Day.

The new holiday was launched in the National Days Archives and the book describing the history behind the new holiday will be available later this month. The book shares the history behind “Mothers of Civilization Day,” the new holiday for Black and Indigenous women around the world. It includes comments by Dr. Ava Muhammad from the launch event and highlights women like Michelle Obama, ancient Egyptian women, and many others! Mothers of Civilization Day is a day to recognize and be thankful for the first women on the planet, the original women, regardless of their ethnic background. Original women are women of color from Africa, North America, South America, Asia, etc. These women have kept traditions alive, taught customs, and created a beautiful culture of love and pride.

How do you celebrate “Mothers of Civilization Day?” It is a day that you take the grandmothers, mothers, sisters, and aunts and put them in a “circle of love” and have each family member share a positive word about each woman. It is also a time for a history lesson and to let the children know that they are looking at the first women to be on the planet. You can do this at a family gathering or on a Zoom. Some may even celebrate it during that Thanksgiving weekend since many families will be together. It is a non-religious, non-commercialized Holiday. More information about the day can be found on the National Archives Day website, which now lists it as a national day at www.nationaldayarchives.com/day/mothers-of-civilization-day/

The day is gaining support since the official launch party for the event that was held last year in November via Zoom. Honors are pouring in from around the country and will be featured in the first Mothers of Civilization book, which may be pre-ordered on the website.

At any time, men and women can pay tribute to the “Mothers of Civilization” in their lives by giving them an “honor” on the Mothers of Civilization website at MothersofCivilization.org

The honor will be placed in their listing and stay on the website forever. In this digital world, children and grandchildren can now read about their mothers, grandmothers, sisters, etc. Virtue Today Magazine is the media sponsor for the day. To support the day, sign up to be on the email list at VirtueTodayMag.com.

If you would like to be a part of the upcoming “Mothers of Civilization Day,” please email themothersofcivilization@gmail.com or call (336) 901-0122.

This story first appeared on Blacknews.com.

• Technology

by Black Enterprise Shop

May 23, 2022

Safeguard Your Digital Footprint with a Lifetime Subscription to FastestVPN

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Today more than ever, it’s vital to protect your web-browsing activity from hackers. In a world full of data, having a VPN has become an essential security tool in safeguarding your personal information. Not having a VPN can leave sensitive data such as bank accounts, passwords, credit card information, and photos open and vulnerable to hackers.

FastestVPN now offers a solution for your cyber security needs. For a limited time, you can purchase a lifetime subscription to FastestVPN for only $19.99. That’s a savings of 96% off its MSRP ($600). Use code VPN20 for an additional 20% discount, which drops the price to $15.99.

FastestVPN is compatible with multiple devices, including Mac and iOS, Android, Microsoft, and even your router. This easy-to-use service operates with 99.9% uptime and gives you access to more than 350 high-speed servers around the globe. Additionally, it provides an ad blocker, anti-malware software, a NAT firewall, and a strict no-logging policy.

P2P-optimized servers allow you to download and stream HD-quality videos and content with no buffering. This VPN utilizes military-grade 256-bit AES encryption on all its servers. Your one-time purchase allows you to use FastestVPN on up to five different devices.

This product has received a rating of 4.5 stars from more than 900 reviewers.“FastestVPN is not the Fastest VPN but it certainly does provide all the protection one could want. It has provided all the protection needed to safely do all my computing. I highly recommend this product as it is quite a bargain for VPN protection,” writes verified 5-star reviewer Vincent Patterson.

In its review of FastestVPN, TenBestVPNs writes, “FastestVPN is one of the most promising VPN services in the market.”

With FastestVPN protecting your data for life you will be able to sleep soundly knowing your sensitive information is safe. Purchase it today while it’s available at this limited-time price.

Prices subject to change.

• News

by Yolanda Baruch

May 23, 2022

A Mother Is Killed Days After Burying Her 5-Year-Old Son

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An Indiana family is dealing with unimaginable loss after a mother, and her 5-year-old son died within days of each other, according to the New York Post. 

Kyler Jackson, the son of Kaylynn Davidson, 32, was accidentally shot by a 9-year-old nephew, and Davidson buried him on May 12, 2022, according to WSBT.

Five days after the young child’s burial, Davidson would also fall victim to gun violence during a fight outside a restaurant, according to police.  

“I don’t know if I have any tears left,” said South Bend Police Chief Scott Ruszkowski to WSBT as he spoke about the family’s loss of both mother and son in one month. 

“I can’t even imagine or fathom what that family is going to have to contend with from here on out,” Ruszkowski said to the news outlet.

Police arrested Kimarie Wright, 26, for being linked to the shooting, and according to authorities, the two women knew each other. 

“You have the Davidson family now that’s doubly affected, that’s still reeling from a five-year-old being killed and now we have this on top of it all. I can’t even imagine or fathom what that family is going to have to contend with from here on out,” said Ruszkowski, pointing out everyone involved in the brawl knew each other. 

Davidson was caught on video leaving the restaurant and striking another woman with many people trying to intervene to diffuse the fight, according to South Bend Tribune.

Wright fired “multiple shots” as Davidson tried to run away, according to court affidavits, South Bend Tribune reports. 

Wright faces murder and manslaughter charges, according to Tribune.

“While the evidence suggests that the victim may have engaged in a physical altercation with the defendant, due to the lack of imminent threat toward Wright or a third person, the prosecutor’s office did not find that the homicide was justifiable,” said prosecutors, according to the New York Post.

• News

by Yolanda Baruch

May 22, 2022

Beloved Georgia Pastor Dies After Being Stabbed and Burned By Man She Mentored

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A cherished Georgia pastor is found dead from multiple stab wounds and burned by a man she was mentoring, according to police, CBS46 reports. 

Dekalb County police discovered a van that belonged to Rev. Marita Harrell at 10:25 p.m. on Wednesday at the 1600 block of Coffee Road; her remains were inside the vehicle, Fox 5 Atlanta reports.

Police authorities used Harrell’s phone records to track her steps, and investigators believe that she was killed at the home located on Panola Road where she was mentoring 27-year-old Christopher Griggs, according to Fox 5 Atlanta. 

Homicide detectives determined that Griggs used a large kitchen knife to stab the 57-year-old pastor and then set her on fire. Griggs was taken into custody on May 19 and faces charges of murder and arson in the first degree, WGCL reports.

Harrell served as the senior pastor at Connections at Metropolitan UMC, according to the church’s website. 

The Chicago native earned her Master of Divinity Degree from Candler School of Theology at Emory University in 2014 and acquired her license to teach the next year.

Harrell pastored Rivertown UMC from 2016 to 2018, and the church paid tribute to her on its Facebook page Thursday night, posting:

“Unfortunately, and with a truly heavy heart, I have the unpleasant task of relaying some heart-breaking news. I received an email from the district office informing us of the transition of Rev. Marita Harrell. No further details were given.”

“I know the love Rivertown has for her, and the love she has for Rivertown. We are asked to be in prayer especially for her husband and daughter. Please keep the entire family in your prayers. May God’s comforting arms envelop her family, friends, and loved ones.”

Rev. Harrell later held the assistant pastoral duties as the assistant pastor at Newnan Chapel UMC in December 2019, Fox 5 Atlanta reports.

She leaves behind her parents, Howard and Margie Roberts,  her husband Antonio, and her two daughters, Marae and Alyse.

No information about her funeral arrangements has been confirmed.

• Black Lives Matter

by Wendy Medina

May 22, 2022

Patrisse Cullors Used BLM Funds To Pay Brother, Her Child’s Father Nearly $2M for ‘Professional Services’

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In a new 63-page Form 990 filing attained by the Associated Press, it is revealed that co-founder of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, Patrisse Cullors, 38, used about $2 million in organization funds to pay her brother and her child’s father for “professional services.” This is the first time BLMGNF has filed with the IRS since October 2020.

According to the tax records, $970,000 was paid to Trap Heals LLC, a company founded by the father of Cullors’ child, Damon Turner. Paul Cullors, her brother and self-taught graffiti artist, was cut a check worth $840,993 for “professional security services,” to the order of the Cullors Protection LLC, a security firm he owns. It is unknown whether the firm employs anyone else besides Paul.

Additionally, $2.1 million was paid to a firm founded by BLM’s board secretary Shalomyah Bowers, Bowers Consulting. All payments were made between fiscal 2020, which covers July 2020 to June 2021.

Cullors has continuously been under scrutiny in recent months, due to the immoral use of the $90 million donation funds the organization amassed during the racial justice protests of 2020. While at the start of April she addressed accusations of purchasing a luxurious California mansion worth $6 million, she claimed the mansion was strictly for BLM-related matters and never intended for personal use. She also denied all claims of money mismanagement.

“To clarify again,” Cullors wrote in an Instagram post, “the property the reporter addressed was purchased in 2020 as a space where those within the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation (BLMGNF) and broader movement community could work, create content, host meetings and foster creativity.” 

At the beginning of May, Cullors admitted in an interview with the AP that she indeed used the six-bedroom property to host a Biden inauguration party last year, as well as her son’s birthday party. She allegedly paid the foundation $390 for her personal use of the Studio City mansion. 

The BLMGNF is still worth more than $40 million after spending more than $37 million on grants, real estate, consultants, and other expenses, as previously reported.

However, the tax documents also reveal the foundation did pay out about $26 million to grassroots chapters and organizations.

• News

by Wendy Medina

May 22, 2022

Black Woman Violently Attacked by White Man at Florida Gas Station

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Disclaimer: This post contains graphic video.

Rayme McCoy, a 23-year-old Black woman, was violently attacked by a “racially-motivated” white man inside a BP gas station in Jacksonville, Florida. 

According to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Kevin Troy Williamson, 59, was arrested on Friday and charged with misdemeanor battery, reports News4JAX. He was not arrested until five days after the May 16 attack. 

Yesterday he appeared before a judge at Duval County Courthouse and was instructed to not have any contact with the victim, witness, nor the gas station itself. The judge also made note that Williamson is a registered sex offender with an outstanding failure to register charge from 2002. However, records indicate he has registered ever since. He is being held on a $20,000 bond, which he asked to repeal, claiming he was “not a flight risk.” The judge did not oblige.

The assault at 3551 University Blvd. was recorded by store surveillance cameras and quickly went viral online.

McCoy spoke to First Coast News and recounted the incident, in which Willaimson seemed to already be yelling racial slurs outside at someone else. While standing in line to pay, she asked Williamson to step away from her because he was too close, which enraged the man. 

“I went in BP to get gas and I was walking in… there was a guy arguing with an Indian guy and when I walked around him to go inside, he came in after me and was basically yelling ‘Y’all kind, you need to go back where you came from,'” she said. “I’m pushing his beers away from me and once I pushed the beers away from me, he started punching me in my head.”

Williamson struck McCoy a total of 10 times and simply walked off, leaving her scarred and bruised.

McCoy says the battery charge should be bumped up to a hate crime due to the incessant racist remarks.

The State Attorney will ultimately decide on the final charges in about two to three weeks, after concluding witness interviews, per the outlet.

Williamson’s next hearing is set for June 10 at 9:30 a.m. at the county court before Judge Kelly E. Eckley-Moulder. 

He was released on bond Saturday at 11:59 p.m.

• News

by Wendy Medina

May 22, 2022

15 People Joined Suspected Buffalo Shooter’s Private Chatroom Right Before Massacre

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As many as 15 people joined the Buffalo shooting suspect Payton Gendron‘s private Discord app chatroom, about 30 minutes before the racist rampage, reports CNN.  

A source with knowledge of Discord’s internal investigation confirmed to the outlet that Gendron sent out an invitation to a small handful of users to view his chat logs on the instant messaging app.

“A private, invite-only server was created by the suspect to serve as a personal diary chat log,” said the Discord spokesperson on Tuesday. “Approximately 30 minutes prior to the attack, however, a small group of people were invited to and joined the server. Before that, our records indicate no other people saw the diary chat log in this private server.”

“As soon as” the communications app was made aware of the chatroom after the shooting, they removed it and any related content, the spokesperson said.

In the chat log, the suspect detailed his three reconnaissance visits to the Tops supermarket on March 8 to study the layout of the store. Additionally, he wrote he was able to pinpoint the grocer’s busiest times using the Google Maps graph feature “popular times” to know when to carry out the terrorist attack. 

Many officials have turned their attention to condemn the social media platforms many white supremacist shooters before Gendron have used to spew their message of hate.

New York Attorney General Letitia James said on Wednesday that her office will open an investigation into the social networks Gendron used to plot the assault, including Twitch, the app he used to livestream the atrocity, and online forums 4Chan, 8Chan, and Discord.

“My office is launching investigations into the social media companies that the Buffalo shooter used to plan, promote, and stream his terror attack,” she wrote on Twitter.

My office is launching investigations into the social media companies that the Buffalo shooter used to plan, promote, and stream his terror attack.

We are investigating Twitch, 4chan, 8chan, and Discord, among others, all platforms that the shooter used to amplify this attack.

— NY AG James (@NewYorkStateAG) May 18, 2022

The Discord source asserts the company will cooperate with the attorney general’s investigation.

At a press conference on Wednesday New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said, “These social media platforms have to take responsibility. They must be more vigilant in monitoring the content and they must be held accountable for favoring engagement over public safety.”

According to an affidavit from Erie County Assistant District Attorney Gary Hackbush, a grand jury has voted to indict Gendron on Wednesday, however their investigation has not been concluded. He was seen briefly during the court appearance handcuffed, shackled, and expressionless.

Gendron is scheduled for his next court hearing on June 9 at 9:30 a.m. before Buffalo City Court Judge Craig D. Hannah.

• News

by Wendy Medina

May 22, 2022

11-Year-Old Boy Gets Finger Amputated After Escaping Racist School Bullies

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Eleven-year-old Raheem Bailey was forced to have a finger amputated after running away from racist bullies that have been tormenting him for months, says his mother Shantal Bailey in a heartbreaking Instagram post.

Since the start of his attending Abertillery Learning Community in South Wales in September of last year, Raheem has been racially and physically abused by a group of racist students at the school. On Tuesday, May 17, the bullying reached a shocking peak when Raheem attempted to escape his tormentors by jumping over a fence and in the process broke his finger in two after it got caught in the wire.

“Raheem was attacked and beaten by a group of children whilst in school. He was pushed to the ground and then repeatedly kicked,” Shantal shares in the post. “Consequently, Raheem made a desperate attempt to leave the school grounds in order to escape the situation. I received a phone call from Raheem and then the school informing me of the incident.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Shantal Bailey | She/Her/Hers (@muslima_vegan)

The 11-year-old’s mother says the day before the incident, he called her crying while she was at work and told her of the bullying. Instead of the attackers being reprimanded, Raheem said “the teacher threatened him with detention despite him being the one that’s getting picked on.” She went to the school after work to put a stop to the situation and left assured that the bullies would be handled the next school day. 

Shantal goes on to detail the next horrific moments she and her son were forced to endure after they were told an ambulance wouldn’t come for Raheem for two whole hours. She says she was told by school officials not to drive her injured son herself.

“Raheem, his baby brother and I were taken to a minor injuries unit by the school bus, despite them knowing that his injury was severe. We spent the next five hours waiting for an ambulance to transfer us to the location where he would undergo surgery, in Swansea, 50 miles away from his home and school.”

She continued, “As time rolled on, it became more apparent that the possibility my son was going to lose his finger was a real one. The doctors then confirmed this was likely. I had to explain this to him while he sat there in agony.”

After finally arriving at the hospital, surgeons spent six hours trying to reattach the child’s finger, but were unsuccessful. She also adds that the Abertillery Learning Community did not make contact with her to check on Raheem after the traumatic injury. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Shantal Bailey | She/Her/Hers (@muslima_vegan)

According to BBC, a Welsh government spokesperson said: “We condemn bullying and racial harassment in any form and expect allegations and incidents of bullying and racism to be fully investigated by schools with appropriate action taken to address the matter and prevent further instances from happening.”

Donations have surpassed $109,000 (£87,905) of the roughly $12,500 (£10,000) goal on Raheem’s GoFundMe for a prosthetic finger.