Boston Mother Says Son’s School Delayed Calling 911 While He Had Stroke
by Atiya Jordan

May 18, 2022

Boston Mother Says Son’s School Delayed Calling 911 While He Had Stroke

A Boston mother is furious with a Dorchester high school for failing to treat her son properly during a medical emergency.

According to CBS Boston, Alishia Hicks says her 17-year-old son, D’Andre Hicks, a junior at Henderson Upper School, had a stroke. The nurse disagreed. The school called the teen’s mother to pick him up, but she was home sick. Alishia, who is wheelchair bound, repeatedly asked them to call 911.

After more than 30 minutes, the school finally called for an ambulance. D’Andre was taken to Tufts Medical Center where he was treated for an acute ischemic stroke, CBS Boston reported.

“He came to the nurse’s office to report that he was feeling weak, shaky, and that he felt numb weakness on his left side,” Alishia said.

The frustrated mother says her mother’s side of the family suffers from a small vessel problem that causes strokes easily, according to Boston 25 News.

“Your professional eye may not see the stroke,” Alishia told the news outlet. “It’s not visible, but if he’s telling you he is weak on his left side, please, at this point I’m pleading with all intensity that I could muster up with no voice. Please get my son to the hospital, please.”

“They start arguing with her on that while I’m out here stroking on the bed right now trying to stay up,” D’Andre said. “I was afraid that if I fell asleep or something like that I was going to go into a coma or probably for the worst.”

Now, Alishia is demanding the school department emphasize better training, especially concerning her son. “Even I know the symptoms of a stroke. Why didn’t the nurse?” she said.

Her son has not been at school since spending two days at the hospital.

“He’s not happy about the school right now he doesn’t feel safe there,” Alishia said. “He said, ‘Mom I can’t believe they didn’t believe me.’”

In a statement, the Boston Public Schools said, “Our concern is first with the health and well-being of this student. We are glad to hear he is recovering well. This serious incident is being reviewed by appropriate BPS staff and therefore it would be inappropriate to comment further on this specific matter.”

Boston School Superintendent Brenda Cassellius personally reached out to the Hicks family.

Report: Black Lives Matter Foundation Has $42 Million In Assets
by Derek Major

May 18, 2022

Report: Black Lives Matter Foundation Has $42 Million In Assets

The Black Lives Matter (BLM) Foundation is still worth more than $40 million after spending more than $37 million on grants, real estate, consultants, and other expenses.

The BLM Foundation shared its 63-page Form 990 with the Associated Press, which shows that the foundation invested $32 million in stocks from the $90 million it received in donations during the 2020 BLM protests and call for racial justice and equity.

BLM organizers told the AP the investment is expected to become an endowment that will ensure the foundation’s work will continue. The Foundation also ended the last fiscal year, July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2021, with $42 million in net assets.

Form 990 was the first public accounting of the BLM Foundation’s finances since incorporating in 2017. Previously, the foundation was under the fiscal sponsorship of a well-established charity and wasn’t required to disclose its finances until it became an independent nonprofit in December 2020.

The organization’s founder, Patrisse Cullors, who has since left, said in an interview with Jason Lee on Fox Soul, that the organization was ill-prepared to handle the avalanche of donations they received during the summer of 2020.

One of the biggest controversies Cullors and the foundation faced was the $6 million purchase of a mansion that included six bedrooms and bathrooms, a swimming pool, a soundstage, and office space. The purchase led many to believe that the foundation was spending its donations wrongfully. Cullors said the home was purchased to be a campus for a Black artist fellowship; the purchase wasn’t announced because renovations needed to be done.

A current BLM board member told the AP the home is used for that purpose today.

The filing also shows the foundation is still working to solidify itself. According to Form 990, the foundation still does not have an executive director or an in-house staff. Nonprofit experts told the AP the foundation is running a scrappy organization with limited resources. However, others added it’s not a surprise considering the discrimination Black-led charities face in an overwhelmingly white and wealthy philanthropic industry.

The BLM movement first emerged in 2013 following the death of Travon Martin, but it was Michael Brown’s death in 2014 that sparked the slogan Black Lives Matter. Cullors, Alicia Garza and Ayọ Tometi started the foundation. All three have left.

The foundation’s current board members include Cicley Gay, D’Zhane Parker, and Shalomyah Bowers.

IBM Partners With Six HBCU Schools To Train Underrepresented Communities On Technology
by Derek Major

May 18, 2022

IBM Partners With Six HBCU Schools To Train Underrepresented Communities On Technology

IBM has announced education initiatives with the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA),  Specialisterne Foundation and six HBCU schools to provide free STEM job training to people from underrepresented communities.

According to an IBM press release the collaboration is part of the tech giant’s focus on providing STEM job training to underrepresented communities as part of its commitment to training 30 million people worldwide by 2030 to create inclusive economic opportunities and address a longstanding STEM job skills shortage.

“We believe that the most promising job candidates for today’s demanding careers will come from communities that may have been historically overlooked or excluded due to outdated hiring policies and old-fashioned credentialling,” Justina Nixon-Saintil, Vice President, IBM Corporate Social Responsibility and ESG said in a statement. “That’s why we’re uniting the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors to cultivate STEM talent from underrepresented communities to address the world’s most critical challenges.”

North Carolina A&T State University, Southern University System, Clark Atlanta University, Xavier University of Louisiana, Morgan State University, and South Carolina State University will be the first six of 20 HBCU schools to establish Cybersecurity Leadership Centers as part of IBM’s goal of building a more diverse U.S. cyber workforce.

Each of the six HBCUs will have access to a customized, multi-year cybersecurity experience with IBM that includes cybersecurity classes, cloud access and more to expand the six school’s capacity to develop top diverse talent in the tech industry.

IBM SkillsBuild will serve as an enhanced resource for transitioning service members who are seeking job training and credentials through the VA to pursue a career after they leave the service. IBM is teaming with the VA’s Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses (VET TEC) Employer Consortium to help military veterans to pursue customized learning tracks and additional accelerated job training for high-demand tech jobs and careers.

IBM also teamed up with the Specialisterne Foundation, which harnesses the talent of autistic people and those diagnosed with ADHD. OCD and dyslexia. IBM will tailor its Skillsbuild platform to the job training needs of neurodivergent individuals in 13 countries including the U.S. Australia, Mexico, Brazil, Ireland and Iceland.

by Atiya Jordan

May 18, 2022

Former Pittsburgh Steelers Star Jerome Bettis Earns College Degree 28 Years Later

For NFL Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis, it is never too late to fulfill a promise to yourself. Now “The Bus” is celebrating his graduation nearly 30 years after leaving university to purse his pro football career.

“For me, academics, that was the pathway for a higher education,” Bettis said, according to Notre Dame. “But then I played football and that became my pathway. My parents were very matter of fact about where I went to college. I fell in love with Notre Dame and the rest is history.”

According to CBS Sports, the former Pittsburgh Steelers star running back returned to the University of Notre Dame only to graduate with his business degree from the Mendoza School of Business. Announcing the news on Twitter, Bettis celebrates this achievement and longstanding promise as part of the Class of 2022.

“A promise made, a promise kept. 28 years after leaving @NotreDame, I’ve completed my degree from the Mendoza School of Business,” Bettis said on Twitter. “I hope my journey serves as [a] reminder that education is the true equalizer in life and it is never too late to start.”

The Class of 2022 graduate left Notre Dame to pursue the NFL in 1992 after the first semester of his junior year, as per Sports Illustrated. His plans to participate in the 1993 NFL Draft came to fruition after he was eventually selected by the Rams with the 10th pick in the draft.

 

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A post shared by Jerome Bettis (@jerome36bettis)

With only four courses left, Bettis credits his reason for finishing his last semester to the promise he made to his mother.

“I promised my mother that I would get my degree. In my immediate family, I’ll be the first person to graduate from college,” he told TODAY. “But most importantly, I have two children. For them to see dad finish a commitment that he set out some 27 years ago, for me to complete that, I think it says a lot to them.”

“This is education related, and you can never take away the education,” he continued.

 

This Puzzle is the Gift That Could Keep Giving
by Black Enterprise Shop

May 18, 2022

This Puzzle is the Gift That Could Keep Giving

Many people have found themselves spending more time at home lately and looking for fun activities to occupy their time. Or, maybe, they’re just looking for a fun family night activity.

For those who like to solve jigsaw puzzles and also like to win money, MSCHF now is combining the best of both worlds with The 2 Million Dollar Puzzle. For a limited time, The 2 Million Dollar Puzzle is available for just $30.

Not only is this puzzle challenging and fun, but the best part of The 2 Million Dollar Puzzle is that everyone is a winner. So, how does it work? All you have to do is buy this 500-piece jigsaw puzzle, complete it, and enter for a chance to win up to $1 million. Winnings are between $1 dollar and $1 million, so nobody can lose. However, while MSCHF is bringing a ton of these puzzles to market, only two of them will contain $1 million.

The 2 Million Dollar Puzzle is safe for people ages 3 and up, so the whole family can join in on the fun. To be eligible to win, you must be 18 or older. Don’t worry, though, if you’re not over 18 you can still buy the puzzle and have your parents or anyone over 18 accept the prize money for you.

Once you submit your entry, you will be paid within 1-4 days via a digital check. The digital check will be sent to the email address you ordered, and it can be printed or deposited directly from the internet using your mobile banking app. You may also opt to have a printed check mailed to you. Delivery takes one to two weeks.

Consider this the present that has the potential to keep giving. Not only can you and your family have fun putting it together, but the added incentive of the chance to win a good amount of money is an added bonus. Purchase it today.

Prices subject to change.

Slaves’ Descendants Will Share Power With White Board Members At Montpelier, President James Madison’s Virginia Estate
by Derek Major

May 17, 2022

Slaves’ Descendants Will Share Power With White Board Members At Montpelier, President James Madison’s Virginia Estate

The Montpelier Foundation agreed to accept 11 people recommended by a group of descendants of enslaved people who worked there to its governing board.

The New York Times reports the foundation, which runs former President James Madison’s Virginia estate, said in a statement “This historic and unprecedented vote by the board of directors means that the foundation has achieved its long-sought goal of parity on the Board for descendants of Montpelier’s formerly enslaved population.”

Additionally, Montpelier Board President Gene Hickok announced he was stepping down as chairman. In a statement Hickok said the board took its time approving candidates because the board wanted to “broaden and improve the list,” but the group was “thrilled” with its new members.

The board, which makes decisions concerning the foundation’s leadership and finances, now has 10 White members and 15 members who are people of color according to Attorney Greg Werkheiser, who represents the group of descendants.

Before Monday’s vote, the foundation’s board only had three members who were nominated by the group known as the Montpelier Descendants Committee (MDC), a nonprofit serving as the official representative of the families. The vote ended months of drama after the board agreed to share power with the descendant’s group but almost refused to give it up.

Last month, three Montpelier senior staffers were fired in what they called retaliation for speaking out on behalf of the descendant’s group and publicly opposing the board vote in March to strip the power of the MDC.

The firing and the board vote became national news and a petition calling for parity on the board gained more than 11,000 signatures pushing Montpelier’s board to reverse course.

The new board members include broadcast journalist Soledad O’Brien and former NAACP President Rev. Cornell William Brooks.

According to Consitution US, James Madison grew up in a family that owned slaves and owned slaves while he was president. Despite treating free Black men with respect, Madison argued against emancipation because he believed the problems former slaves who didn’t evolve into more prosperous situations would face.

CNN Correspondent Breaks Down at Buffalo Massacre Scene 
by Corey Lee

May 17, 2022

CNN Correspondent Breaks Down at Buffalo Massacre Scene 

CNN correspondent Victor Blackwell was visibly shaken as he reported from the scene of the racially-motivated mass shooting that left 13 people shot, 10 of them fatally. 

“Listen, I was counting in the car, talking with my producer. I’ve done 15 of these,” the anchor and correspondent said of the shooting to anchor Alisyn Camerota. “At least the ones that I could count.”

“And we keep having the conversation about, Democrats will say guns, Republicans will say mental health, and nothing will change,” Blackwell added. “And I’ll probably do another one this year. Family after family having nowhere to go with their grief. We’ll get into a political conversation later. But, is this the way we’re supposed to live?” 

He added, “Are we destined to just keep doing this? City after city? Have we just resigned that this is what we are going to be?” The veteran journalist is seen wiping his eyes on the air as the network goes to a commercial. 

The racially motivated massacre was one of several mass shootings this weekend including one in California where a man opened fire at a church reception. One person was killed and five others were injured. In Houston, two people were killed and three others were wounded at a shooting at a flea market on Sunday. 

Local and federal investigators are still piecing together why 18-year-old Peyton Gendron drove 200 miles to Buffalo after researching the demographics of the neighborhood which has the highest concentration of African Americans in the city. Details recently emerged that the man had been in the city at least the day prior where he met and spoke to several members of the community only to return and kill nearly a dozen people the next day. The ages of the victims range from 32 to 86 years old. 

The Washington Post is reporting that President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden traveled to Buffalo this morning “to grieve with the community that lost ten lives in a senseless and horrific mass shooting.” 

The Biden went to the scene of the shooting, Tops grocery store and Biden plans to Calle the shooting an act of “terrorism motivated by hateful and perverse ideology that tears at the soul of our nation” and plans to “call on Congress to take weapons of war off our streets.” 

“The fact that the president is coming here shows how seriously he takes the issue of availability of guns, mass shootings, hate speech and the things we are dealing with out of this tragedy,” Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown (D) said at a news conference Tuesday. He added that he has asked the White House for “additional resources for the community.” 





Macy’s Launches New Collection Inspired by Divine Nine Sororities
by Atiya Jordan

May 17, 2022

Macy’s Launches New Collection Inspired by Divine Nine Sororities

With a new collaboration, Macy’s is winning over sororities and representing Black-owned brands.

The retail giant has teamed up with clothing maker Kasper Group to fulfill the need of appropriate dress attire for sorority members. It was a common struggle for members of these organizations to find recognizable colors to match those with their group, and especially for chapter events and conferences.

Now, Macy’s is offering the Kasper Sorority Collection in more than 200 of the company’s roughly 500 brick and mortar locations. The sororities Zeta Phi Beta, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta and Sigma Gamma Rho will each have at least five pieces per launch and women’s suits will debut next month, The Dallas Morning News reported. From trousers to dresses, Macy’s got your next sorority outing covered.

These efforts are part of Macy’s mission to tackle racial diversity within its highest ranks and to include more items from Black-owned brands. According to Bloomberg, WyQuasia King-Thomas, a director and buyer of day dresses at Macy’s, inspired the sorority collection. The 32-year-old Zeta soro had her own struggles shopping for sorority outfits, so she personally understood the market of Black sororities.

WyQuasia King-Thomas
Source: Macy’s

“We come in a variety of shape, sizes, curves and I understand the challenges we face when shopping,” King-Thomas told Bloomberg. “I know the need and the importance of this dress collection.”

The retailer is expecting to hit $10 million in sales this year through the support of its core demographic — middle-aged woman. In addition, Macy’s has pledged $1 million to bolster education and research foundations of the sororities.

The response to the new collection has online buzzing with pride and support.

@anamenobodygot #macys #d9 #aka #dst #sgrho #zphib #zetaphibeta #sigmagammarho #deltasigmatheta #alphakappaalpha #fyp ♬ original sound – Amanda Wise

@chellethecateringcutie5 #modeling #today for my #soror WYQUASIA KING THOMAS #perimetermall #atlanta #georgia I am #wearing the #royal #blue and #pure #white #wrap #dress #sold #exclusively at #macys by the #kasper #collection #zetaphibeta #zetaphibetasorority #zetaphibetasororityincorporated ♬ original sound – THE NYCHELLE

@andreinaamesquita #kaspercollectiondresses #Macys #love #sorority #sigma ♬ Forever – Labrinth

Attorney Ben Crump Wants Racist Buffalo Massacre to be Treated As ‘Act of Domestic Terrorism
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 17, 2022

Attorney Ben Crump Wants Racist Buffalo Massacre to be Treated As ‘Act of Domestic Terrorism

After the tragic shooting in Buffalo, New York, when a white teenager purposefully targeted Black people as his victims, a civil rights attorney urged President Joe Biden to take action on an anti-Black hate crime bill.

According to The Guardian, attorney Benjamin Crump is now representing one of the victims’ families who 18-year-old Payton Gendron killed. Crump is officially representing the family of Ruth Whitfield, 86, who was killed in the shooting over the weekend.

Whitfield was one of 10 people killed when the white supremacist targeted Black victims and also wounded three others in the shooting.

Crump demands that law enforcement officials treat this as an “act of domestic terrorism.”

“This was an act of domestic terrorists, and America responds to terrorism at every level, and they have to do that here,” Crump stated at a press conference. “Just because it was a Black grocery store doesn’t make it any less than any other massacres, whether it’s Columbine or the Oklahoma City bombing.

“We can’t sugarcoat it; we can’t try to explain it away talking about mental illness. No, this was an act of domestic terrorism perpetrated by a young white supremacist.”

Crump has also stated that this means that federal legislators must now pass a hate crimes bill that sits before Congress, the George Floyd Justice in Policing bill. The bill is currently stalled, and he feels that the president must use his leverage to secure that this bill will be signed.

“Black America is suffering right now,” he said. “And we need to know that our top leader in America reacts and responds when we are hurt.”

As the president and his wife visit Buffalo today, the United States Justice Department is investigating this incident as a hate crime and an act of racially motivated violent extremism.

John Garcia, the Erie County sheriff, revealed that Gendron received a visit last year from the state police after turning in a high-school project about murder-suicides. Buffalo police have also stated that authorities are studying a 180-page manifesto Gendron appeared to have written and posted that references racist replacement theories.

On Monday, Buffalo Police Commissioner, Joseph Gramaglia, disclosed that Gendron had also intended to drive to another Tops Friendly Markets.

“He was going to get in his car and continue to drive down Jefferson Avenue and continue doing the same thing,” the commissioner said.

Not Being Funded by Venture Capitalists, Black People in Technology Are Creating Support for Themselves
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 17, 2022

Not Being Funded by Venture Capitalists, Black People in Technology Are Creating Support for Themselves

Black entrepreneurs may be doing better than they have in the past as it relates to venture capitalists investing in companies. Yet, compared to the general population, it is still only 1% of monies supported by venture capital funds.

Venture capital funding for Black startups had reached $1.8 billion during the first half of 2021. That would be an impressive number, but according to Crunchbase, VCs had awarded $147 billion in total funding during the first six months of 2021. That amounts to Black entrepreneurs obtaining just 1% of the funds made available by venture capitalists.

Although Blacks are represented in the technology sector, they have managed to move forward without relying on funds from the venture capitalists that are willing to provide for non-Black people and companies.

In recent years, there have been many issues and accusations of racism and discrimination against many tech companies. A group of Black ex-employees of Google sued the company in March, claiming discrimination and stating that they were relegated to low-level roles within the company. Another lawsuit was filed by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing which alleges that Elon Musk’s Tesla subjected Black employees to racial slurs and language while they were also discriminated against when it came to the jobs they were assigned, promotions, and pay.

According to data compiled by the Los Angeles Times, Black people continue to be underrepresented in the major U.S. tech companies. Companies like Meta (Facebook), Slack, Salesforce, and Microsoft have workforces that are fewer than 5% Black. Twitter is 6% Black.

As Black people try to stay within the tech field, knowing that their counterparts have advantages not afforded them, people continue to make strides in creating their own companies. It’s not easy.

“Unfortunately, I think, for some of our counterparts feel we have to prove ourselves,” Deena McKay, a technologist and the host of the podcast Black Tech Unplugged, said.

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