Render Atlanta Partners with Polygon, Coinbase, and Alchemy to Host Web 3.0 and NTF Workshops
by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

May 17, 2022

Render Atlanta Partners with Polygon, Coinbase, and Alchemy to Host Web 3.0 and NTF Workshops

Render Atlanta, the four-day software engineering experience featuring good vibes, great music and expert speakers on tech, leadership, inclusion and accessibility, has partnered with Polygon, Coinbase and Alchemy to host Web 3.0 and NFT workshops at their conference held June 1–4, 2022, in Atlanta, Ga.

The workshops, held on the first day of the conference will feature speakers Shodipo Ayomide, global head of Developer Advocacy at Polygon Technology; Angie Jones, global vice president of Developer Relations for TBD54566975 (TBD); Mike Demarais, co-founder of Rainbow and more.

“Having world-renowned organizations such as Polygon, Coinbase and Alchemy coming to the table set by our team at Render helps signals that organizations are recognizing that including culture is just as an important part to the success of the mission as anything else in their structure,” says Chief Experience Officer and Founder, Justin Samuels.

“By moving forward together we are building a bigger presence to ensure that talent far and wide will feel welcomed by all.”

Additional highly-anticipated speakers include Wellington Anthony Johnson II, Kasey White; Nader Dabit, Austin Griffith, Faith Love Wilks, Camila Ramos Garzon, Isiah Hill, Harold Hughes, Lucas Rosa, Matt Elliott, Iris Nevins, Adrian Kennedy, and Symoné B. “Beez.” To commemorate the partnership, Render Atlanta will be hosting “2/3 Day” where all social channels will celebrate the partnerships, speakers, and future of Web 3.0. Additionally, an in-person panel event will be held in Atlanta, Ga. alongside virtual events on Twitter Spaces and Discord.

The conference, which will be held June 1–4, is anticipated to host 1000 plus tech attendees from
more than 40 different states and multiple countries who will learn more about upcoming and
current best engineering practices, engineering leadership, accessibility practices and more.

by Black Enterprise Shop

May 17, 2022

Invest with Confidence with Outprfrm’S Guidance

The current state of financial affairs worldwide has prompted many people to examine their financial health and plan for the future. 401Ks are a great start, as is the tried-and-true method of saving. But they’re just a couple of many options people have when it comes to securing their financial futures.

Investing has been and will always be one of the preferred methods of achieving financial freedom. While it’s greatly benefitted millions around the world, finding the proper stocks and methods isn’t as clear-cut.

Outprfrm Investing Advice & Stock Research has excelled as a resource for investors. For a limited time, a lifetime subscription to the service is available for just $59. That’s a savings of 97% from its MSRP ($2,400).

Outprfrm has been referred to as the “Consumer Reports of financial analysts.” It vets the accuracy and performance of financial analysts for you, allowing you to receive expert investing advice from the most accurate financial analysts.

With Outprfrm, more than 2,000 financial analysts are tracked, and more than 3,700 companies are examined and vetted. Outprfrm analyzes the data and compares predictions to the actual movement of a stock. From there, those predictions from analysts a given a score based on their history. Finally, Outprfrm ranks those analysts based on their accuracy.

Watch this video.

There are options to track your portfolio, add your favorite analysts, and filter all predictions, among other features that help make the investing process simpler. Outprfrm Investing Advice & Stock Research currently has a 4.3 rating on Trustpilot’s 5-star scale.

This software can be accessed via desktop computers along with mobile devices. Updates are routinely pushed out, ensuring you’ll have the most up-to-date version of the software.

It’s never too soon to prepare for retirement or establish a nest egg. To successfully do so, it starts with sound financial advice. Outprfrm Investing Advice & Stock Research provides that and has a proven track record with its users. Purchase it today.

Prices subject to change.

Diddy Called Out for ‘Uncanceling’ Travis Scott At Billboard Awards
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 16, 2022

Diddy Called Out for ‘Uncanceling’ Travis Scott At Billboard Awards

Diddy made a bold statement for his hosting debut at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards on Sunday by “uncanceling the canceled.”

The Bad Boy creator put his stamp on the nationally televised award show. He dropped the N-bomb during his intro, heavily promoted his Ciroc imprint, and presented the first-ever REVOLT Black Excellence Award, as noted by The Daily Beast.

But it was Diddy’s decision to give rapper Travis Scott and country singer Morgan Wallen a chance at redemption that had the internet talking.

“We’re uncanceling the canceled,” Diddy said about an hour and a half into the show. “[Brother] Love does not rock like that. I looked at Morgan’s situation. I looked at Travis’ situation.”

“And I said, man, I got some power to do something about that because we can’t start that in the music industry or even in life, period. So I’m here to forgive, to unify, to celebrate, and to have everybody be free.”

Scott has maintained a low profile following the tragedy at his Astroworld Festival in November 2022. A mass casualty resulted in 10 people dying, including a 9-year-old boy, the Houston Chronicle reports.

The rapper has been on the receiving end of a class-action lawsuit, including hundreds of concertgoers and a series of wrongful death lawsuits.

Days before the award show, Diddy revealed how hard he petitioned to get Scott a performance slot on the show.

https://twitter.com/mymixtapez/status/1523791244736200704?s=20&t=VsKnqpdsWs4RiOJCoDEaIQ

On the other hand, Wallen faced backlash after a video showing him calling a man the N-word surfaced online in February 2021. Diddy’s decision to celebrate Wallen on the main stage Sunday night had many Twitter users scratching their heads.

“Diddy ‘uncanceling’ Morgan Wallen and having him perform at the show while awarding Tamika Mallory an award for her dedication to activism makes no sense,” one Twitter user said.

“Diddy gives an award for activism against racism while simultaneously giving platform to Morgan Wallen #BBMAs,” added someone else.

“Morgan Wallen is a white man caught on camera slinging the n word around, and yet Diddy thinks it’s worth “uncancelling” him? It’s not about cancel culture. It’s about Morgan Wallen being despicable.

Diddy has been silent about the criticism over his attempt to “uncancel” Travis Scott and Morgan Wallen.

Lori Harvey Criticized After Revealing Her Workout and Dieting Routine
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 16, 2022

Lori Harvey Criticized After Revealing Her Workout and Dieting Routine

Lori Harvey serves as body goals for the new generation of young women aspiring to snag them a Michael B. Jordan-esque spouse.

But Harvey’s community of fans quickly turned on the model after she finally revealed how she got those washboard abs she had on display at the Met Gala. In a since-deleted TikTok video, Harvey did something she rarely ever does and posted a video sharing the workout and diet routine she implemented after gaining 15 pounds of happy weight from dating Jordan.

“So, when Mike and I got together, I gained like, 15 pounds of relationship weight. And it was horrible,” Harvey confessed. “None of my clothes fit.”

To work off the weight, Harvey instilled a routine of low carbohydrate intake and stints of cardio and pilates throughout the day.

“I’ve been consistently doing Pilates for like the last year,” she revealed. “I’ve done it for a few years, but I’ve been really consistent the last year.”

She admitted to working out almost every day, sometimes twice a day.

“When I was trying to drop weight, I was working out like five, six times a week and I would even do, like, for the first month and a half, I think I did two-a-days,” she said.

“So, what I would do was, I was in a calorie deficit. I think I was maybe consuming like 1200 calories in a day max, and I wasn’t on like a specific eating regimen. I just was trying to do like meat and veggies and like minimal carbs.”

She also noted that what works for her might not work for others and insinuated she didn’t want to be judged for finally sharing her routine with the world.

“Before y’all start your s—t this is what worked for me and MY body,” Harvey warned. “Everyone is different, so tailor your needs to meet your goals.”

But Twitter wasted no time passing judgment on Steve Harvey’s daughter. One user claimed, “I will never have” Lori Harvey’s body.

“Imma piss some of y’all off but idc…Lori Harvey can do this because she doesn’t have a job,” one user wrote. “She lives a life of leisure and luxury of course she has the time to dedicate to do this.”

However, many others came to her defense and reminded the public how quickly they switched up on their fave.

https://twitter.com/NotLizBrody/status/1525298011902910464?s=20&t=cg6mTWZlcmGyaoBXCzBzgA

https://twitter.com/bonillacortne/status/1525509043623714816?s=20&t=cg6mTWZlcmGyaoBXCzBzgA

https://twitter.com/DarthNature/status/1525521618977570817?s=20&t=cg6mTWZlcmGyaoBXCzBzgA

‘The Have and the Have Nots’ Stars Tika Sumpter and Nicholas James Get Married in Mexico
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 16, 2022

‘The Have and the Have Nots’ Stars Tika Sumpter and Nicholas James Get Married in Mexico

After meeting on the set of The Haves and the Have Nots, actors Tika Sumpter and Nicholas James finally tied the knot in Mexico.

The two onscreen stars exchanged their vows on May 14 in Cabo San Lucas, Brides reports. The wedding came after seven years of dating and welcoming their daughter Ella in 2016.

“We’re excited to be together and continue the journey,” Sumpter said.

“We both walked down the aisle with clear eyes, knowing that the wedding wasn’t just for the party. It was really for us.”

Tika Sumpter and Nicholas James
(Instagram)

The couple hosted a destination wedding at the Chileno Bay Resorts & Residences and Auberge Resorts Collection to give their guests a mini-vacation away from their home in California.

“[We wanted everyone] to have a good time and celebrate this long, amazing journey that we’ve had,” Sumpter said. “I didn’t necessarily always want a destination wedding. It was just something that came to my mind.”

“One of our first trips out of the country was Anguilla, and Mexico definitely has that beautiful, island vibe, so we were like why not do it in Cabo?” she added.

The pair first met on the set of Tyler Perry’s The Haves and the Have Nots in 2015. It was clearly love at first sight as they ended up engaged just two years later.

“I remember seeing him and thinking, ‘OK, he’s cute,'” Sumpter told Rolling Stone last July. “We saw each other a few more times, and I realized, OK, it’s more than just cute; I kinda like him.”

She admits it took James a little while to catch on to her crush. “I tried flirting and giving him signals, but he just didn’t get it,” she shared.

In August 2016, Sumpter announced her pregnancy on Instagram. By October, the actors were sharing their joy about welcoming their baby girl.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Nicholas James (@nickjames138)

Now, Sumpter is excited to finally be able to call James her husband.

“I don’t know how much is going to change with the newlywed stamp. It’s going to be fun to call Nick my husband and hear him call me his wife,” she said.

“I think we just cemented what we already are, and all of our friends were witnesses to that. It’s a continuation of the journey, but I’m looking forward to doing what we’ve been doing, which is making sure that we have a solid foundation,” she continued. “Making sure we’re strong. It’s not a sprint, this journey, it’s definitely not a sprint.”

Mental Health Non-Profit The Confess Project Teams Up with Killer Mike’s The Swag Shop for Mental Health Training and Talk
by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

May 16, 2022

Mental Health Non-Profit The Confess Project Teams Up with Killer Mike’s The Swag Shop for Mental Health Training and Talk

The Confess Project (TCP), a movement committed to training black barbers to be mental health advocates, partners with Killer Mike’s The Swag Shop during Mental Health Awareness Month to instruct barbers on navigating conversations with clients about mental health on May 19 from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
The Swag Shop is located at 365 Edgewood Avenue North East, Atlanta, Ga. 30312

The Confess Project is a coalition of Black barbers trained to be mental health advocates for men who are less likely to see a therapist. With only two percent of psychiatrists being Black, there is a critical shortage of mental health workers of color across the U.S. TCP aims to bridge this gap through a certification program that equips barbers with the tools to be mental health advocates. The barbershop has transformed into more than just a place to get a good haircut; it’s a place that positively affects the livelihood and identity of those living in its community.

(Image: The Confess Project teams up with Killer Mike’s The Swag Shop)
Killer Mike’s barbershop in Atlanta, Ga., is just one of many taking part in The Confess Project. The organization has already certified over 1,000 barbers nationwide from California to Kentucky to Pennsylvania. The Confess Project was founded in 2016 in Arkansas by Lorenzo Lewis, a businessman and mental health advocate. He speaks openly about the mental health disorders that he traces back to his birth in prison. The project seeks to equip men of color with coping mechanisms to prevent depression, stress and suicides that are far too common.
The Honey Pot Trends After Black Twitter Realizes It’s No Longer Organic
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 16, 2022

The Honey Pot Trends After Black Twitter Realizes It’s No Longer Organic

Two years after Black Twitter rallied behind The Honey Pot after it was a target of racism, the same community is calling out the Black-owned feminine care company for seemingly “selling out.”

The Honey Pot became a trending topic after Twitter users noticed the plant-based company’s unannounced change in ingredients.

“After seeing posts about the Honey Pot changing up the ingredients, I just went to check a new bottle & an old bottle and IM SICK😭 we can’t have anything,” one person tweeted.

https://twitter.com/coilele/status/1525674816942006272?s=20&t=UV5G0RKZsj8Aeyz7i7hbIQ

It didn’t take too long for others to join the discussion and blast The Honey Pot’s formula change.

“Honeypot broke my heart with that one i cant lie. How you change the MAIN thing women were using you for?😭,” one user wrote.

“Dang Honeypot went from “Black owned” to “Black Founded”. That explains the rebrand 🙃,” added someone else.

One curious Twitter user asked “a sincere question” and wanted to know ” why do Black-owned products “sell out”? Why don’t they stay Black-owned? Honey Pot, Carols Daughter (broke my heart), Shea moisture, hell BET,” they wrote.

After becoming a Twitter spectacle, The Honey Pot responded to one upset customer who wanted to know “why y’all change the ingredients in the feminine wash????”

“We understand seeing new ingredients on the back of your wash bottle could be confusing but we’re here to help,” the company tweeted.

“We captured feedback and insights from our amazing community to build upon the formula for our washes and designed a new preservative system to uphold the quality of our washes.”

They attempted to explain the new ingredients with names that don’t resonate in the organic community.

“Propylene Glycol, phenoxyethanol, and sodium benzoate are widely used to do just that,” they wrote. “Phenoxyethanol has anti-microbial properties to keep products stable, and sodium benzoate supports ingredients designed for pH balancing for a longer period of time.”

But from the looks of it, the same Black consumers who helped make the brand successful are now ready to take their dollars elsewhere.

“If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. We don’t want any of that crap added. You just lost a customer #honeypot,” one user said in response.

“Nope. Lost so many customers!!! The appeal was ALL NATURAL and y’all just ruined that,” added someone else.

Honey Pot went viral in 2020 after the company was targeted with racism after the owner Beatrice Dixon appeared in a Target ad. But now two years later, the supporters have checked out after feeling lied to.

Bobby Brown Sees Late Children Bobbi Kristina and Bobby Jr. in His Dreams: ‘They’re Always Together.
by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

May 16, 2022

Bobby Brown Sees Late Children Bobbi Kristina and Bobby Jr. in His Dreams: ‘They’re Always Together.

Bobby Brown has been having a recurring dream and it’s a beautiful one.

“I always see them at beaches or in fields,” Brown tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue of his late children, daughter Bobbi Kristina and son Bobby, Jr., who died at ages 22 and 27 in 2015 and 2020, respectively, both as a result of drug abuse.

He continues, “They’re running away, but they’re laughing. And they’re always together. I didn’t have many dreams about Bobbi Kris before Bobby Jr. died. But then all of a sudden — floods of dreams.”

The 53-year-old rhythm and blues music star is opening up to PEOPLE ahead of the release of his new A&E docu-series Biography: Bobby Brown, premiering May 30. The two-part series delves into his tumultuous life and times, including his battle with addiction, his ill-fated marriage to superstar Whitney Houston, as well as his deepest sadness: the loss of his two children.

On Jan. 31, 2015, Bobbi Kristina was found unresponsive in a bathtub with a mix of drugs in her system, eerily similar to the manner in which her mother Whitney Houston was found inside her Beverly Hills hotel room in 2011. Bobbi Kristina died that July after spending months in a coma.

Bobby, Jr., Brown’s son with ex Kim Ward, suffered an overdose of alcohol, cocaine and fentanyl and was found dead inside his Los Angeles apartment on Nov. 18, 2020.

“No family, no father should have to go through this,” says Brown, who with the help of wife Alicia Etheredge, has made it his new mission to speak out about the dangers of drug abuse, particularly fentanyl.

Bobbi Kristina and Bobby, Jr. “were both musicians and loved to sing,” says Brown. Born just four months apart, “Their relationship was tight. They’d get into their little tiffs but they were thick as thieves.”

The pain of losing them is something he’s still grappling with today.

“I’ve cried, but not how I want to. I really want to just scream to the top of my lungs and cry, but it’s just not there.”

Brown, who is sober and in therapy, says his remaining children, including Landon, LaPrincia and his three youngest with Etheredge, Cassius, Bodhi and Hendrix, help him get through his darkest days.

Read the full story at PEOPLE.

New Jersey County Agrees On $10 Million Settlement To Xavier Ingram, Who Was Left Paralyzed After Police Encounter
by Derek Major

May 16, 2022

New Jersey County Agrees On $10 Million Settlement To Xavier Ingram, Who Was Left Paralyzed After Police Encounter

Camden County, N.J., has agreed to pay a $10 million settlement to Xavier Ingram, who was left paralyzed after a 2014 police encounter.

CNN reports Ingram’s lawsuit accuses three Camden County police officers of unnecessary, unjustified excessive force and violating Ingram’s right against unlawful and unreasonable search and seizure as protected by the Constitution. Additionally, the suit accused one of the officers of failing to provide medical care as required and intervening in the situation.

The lawsuit lists Camden County, the Camden County Police Department, Former Assistant Chief of Police Orlando Cuevas, former Chief of Police John Scott Thompson, and three officers involved in the incident, Jeremy Merck, Antonio Gennetta, and Nicholas Marchiafava as defendants.

The settlement comes after eight years of litigation and a mistrial in the Camden Federal Court in March after jurors were deadlocked on whether the officers were responsible. After the mistrial, the judge presiding over the case asked the magistrate judge to mediate and determine whether the parties could agree on a settlement.

The county made the $10 million settlement offer, which was approved by both parties bringing the case to a resolution. Ingram was transported from his nursing home to the courtroom where he testified about the incident from his bed, something his attorney Beth Baldinger called “truly remarkable.”

Despite the settlement, attorneys for the county, the police department, and the officers involved maintained their innocence, adding the settlement was a business decision pushed by the insurance carrier.

Dan Keashen, a media relations officer for the county police department, said in a statement the settlement was “In complete disagreement, and based on the insurance carrier making a business decision and forcing the hand of Camden County, we will be settling the case with Mr. Ingram. We do not believe this is the right decision as we have reiterated over the last eight years of litigation.”

According to the suit, the incident occurred on June 12, 2014, when Ingram encountered Merck, Gennetta, and Marchiafava, who were conducting a sweep of an apartment complex. Ingram first encountered the officers while walking to a liquor store to meet a friend. When Ingram and his friend left the store, they encountered Gennetta and Marchiafava.

Ingram initially began running into the parking lot of a restaurant while the officers pursued him before running out into the street, where he gave himself up, laying down on the ground with his hands in front of him.

The suit alleges the two officers then jumped on Ingram, stomped on the back of his neck, and proceeded to “viciously strike him.” Additionally, Ingram accused the officers of failing to provide medical care despite his complaints of excruciating pain in his neck and the inability to feel his arms or legs.

The police and the county have maintained that Ingram injured himself while running away from the police. The story is similar to that of Jacob Blake, who was paralyzed when he was shot in the back by Kenosha, Wisconsin, Police in August 2020.

Former NFL Player Earl Thomas Arrested After Allegedly Threatening to Poison His Wife and Kids
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 16, 2022

Former NFL Player Earl Thomas Arrested After Allegedly Threatening to Poison His Wife and Kids

Former NFL safety Earl Thomas was arrested after violating a protective order by sending threatening messages about his wife and kids.

Thomas was taken into custody in Orange, Texas, on Friday, more than two weeks after a judge in Austin, Texas, charged him with a third-degree felony for allegedly violating a protective order more than once over the last year, ESPN reports.

The former All-Pro safety was arrested after being recognized at a restaurant in his hometown. The protective order, put into effect in May 2021, only allowed Thomas to communicate with his ex through a co-parenting app.

The woman claims Thomas refused to download the app and would instead contact her through text and show up unannounced. She also revealed Thomas’s threatening text messages, including a series of harmful texts, on April 18. He claimed to have two handguns and threatened to physically assault her.

“Waiting on hand in foot is why I’ll kick ur ass,” Thomas allegedly wrote in the text.

The next day Thomas allegedly sent more alarming messages saying, “I hope u in the car with him and the kids and yall drive off the road.”

“Ima let my momma and my cousins poison they (their children) ass.”

Trey Dolezal represents Thomas in an ongoing divorce and claims the former NFL player tried reaching out to his wife to see their children, CBS Sports reports.

“They were consciously and collectively working together to see his kids,” Dolezal told the Austin American-Statesman. “I don’t really understand how he could be in violation by working together to visit with his children.”

The arrest comes a few weeks after Thomas shared his hopes of continuing his career in the NFL. Thomas hasn’t played in the NFL since being released from the Baltimore Ravens in 2020 after punching teammate Chuck Clark during training camp practice.

Thomas earned seven Pro Bowl selections during his NFL career and was a three-time first-team All-Pro. During his last season in 2019, Thomas signed a four-year, $55 million contract with the Baltimore Ravens in free agency.

×