Not My First Lady! Fans Call Out Viola Davis’s ‘Distracting’ Portrayal of Michelle Obama
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

April 18, 2022

Not My First Lady! Fans Call Out Viola Davis’s ‘Distracting’ Portrayal of Michelle Obama

Viola Davis became a trending topic on Monday after The First Lady premiered on Showtime Sunday night and revealed her tight-lipped portrayal of former first lady Michelle Obama.

The Academy Award-winning actress takes every role seriously. But it was her dedication to landing some of Michelle’s iconic facial expressions that weren’t received well by viewers, NY Post reports.

Davis was called out on social media for what many deemed as a “cringey” portrayal of the former first lady. In one clip shared on Twitter, Davis appears to add extra emphasis on Michelle’s signature pursed lips.

“They set Viola Davis up by allowing her keep her mouth that way throughout the filming. It’s so cringey and distracting,” one user tweeted in response.

“Viola could’ve just acted normally and changed the tone of her voice without having to change what she got going on with her mouth,” added someone else.

“This Thing Viola is doing with her mouth is totally unnecessary! I don’t see Michelle when she does it, I just see teeth! #TheFirstLady,” another user wrote.

Others made a mockery of Davis’s overly pursed lips.

https://twitter.com/Thestallion270/status/1515758874799841289?s=20&t=df-WMyWJQm-D1JLPUZ8fdA

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“I love Viola soooo much. She is seriously one of the greatest performers of our time. But, the portrayal of the First Lady was a bit of a caricature,” one user tweeted. “Viola had to include those physical characteristics of Michelle’s mouth and brows, but it comes off a bit cartoonish.”

“You telling that nobody in the whole crew, during filming, stopped and thought “no man, that looks so wrong?” And suggested she doesn’t do that?” one user asked. But another responded noting that Davis was actually a producer on the project. “Nobody is saying anything,” they added.

While Michelle is known for her signature facial expressions, viewers found Davis’s interpretation of the former first lady to be “exaggerated, unnecessary and borderline insulting,” Daily Mail reports.

“The director that made Viola Davis do that duck face may need to serve time,” one viewer tweeted.

“Why didn’t anybody stop you? Why could they not even give you an actual makeup artist? How will you ever face Michelle Obama after this?” asked someone else.

“I’m embarrassed and legitimately surprised that everyone who saw Viola Davis make that face let it stand. Including Viola Davis! Like… Why?” another user said.

Davis might’ve caught wind of the online shade because one Twitter user took an alleged screenshot of her liked tweets showing her support for one user who made a mockery of her Michelle portrayal.

Morehouse College’s Prison Education Initiative Offers Humanities Courses To Incarcerated, Returning Citizens
by Atiya Jordan

April 18, 2022

Morehouse College’s Prison Education Initiative Offers Humanities Courses To Incarcerated, Returning Citizens

Morehouse College is continuing its efforts in maximizing opportunities and prosperity for the underserved.

Since 2020, faculty members affiliated with the HBCU’s Andrew Young Center for Global Leadership (AYCGL) program, have taught courses in the humanities to men and women in prisons or reentry programs in Georgia.

The prison education initiative aims to advocate for criminal justice reform and support those working on behalf of men and women in the prison system. To date, Georgia has an incarceration rate of 968 per 100,000 people, a higher percentage than virtually every independent democracy on earth.

“Compared to the number of incarcerated people in other states, Georgia has an extremely large prison population of > 60,000 men and women, plus thousands more who are on probation or parole,” Morehouse associate professor Kipton E. Jensen wrote in a blog post.

In partnership with Common Good Atlanta, the AYGLC Prison Education Initiative staff offered six humanities classes last year: critical thinking, creative writing, the history of Black entrepreneurship, literature, philosophies of freedom, and the Constitution.

The Prison Teaching Affiliates were Drs. Stephane Dunn, Adrienne Jones, Corrie Claiborne, Keith Hollingsworth, Kipton Jensen, and Winfred Murray, Esq. Courses were taught at Burruss Correction Facility or the METRO Re-entry Program in downtown Atlanta.

With fewer Black instructors in prisons, the teaching affiliates are determined to deliver courses that are engaging but non-judgmental and free of religious proselytizing. Jones believes all people should have access to education while advising that teachers should approach incarcerated students like they would conventional students.

According to Dr. Claiborne, prison education not only fulfills the mission of Morehouse College, it goes hand in hand with working at countering economic disparities.

In addition to classes, the AYGLC Prison Education Initiative wants to launch academic workshops for imprisoned students in Georgia facilities, according to Jensen. Morehouse students are also participating in the mission through an essay exchange program.

M&T Bank Launches Multicultural Small Business Innovation Lab for Greater Harrisburg Entrepreneurs
by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

April 18, 2022

M&T Bank Launches Multicultural Small Business Innovation Lab for Greater Harrisburg Entrepreneurs

M&T Bank is looking for as many as 40 entrepreneurs to participate in its first Capital Region Multicultural Small Business Innovation Lab – a program designed to provide multicultural business owners with the guidance and skills needed to build strong businesses, spur economic growth for Harrisburg’s Capital Region and help build generational wealth for their families.

The new six-week program, in partnership with Harrisburg University of Science and Technology’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), will focus on business planning, establishing credit, accessing capital, marketing, branding and networking and conclude with a pitch competition and opportunity to win grants up to $5,000 funded by M&T, according to a press release. The Innovation Lab launches May 5 with weekly courses held at Harrisburg University through June 9. 

Entrepreneurs interested in participating in the program must complete an online application by Apr. 25 and meet the following eligibility requirements:

– Black/African American, Hispanic/Latinx or Asian American.

– In business no more than three years.

– Annual business revenue of $350,000 or less.

Qualified applicants will be enrolled in the free program on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Capital Region Multicultural Small Business Innovation Lab is an outcome of focus group meetings M&T Bank held with various multicultural community leaders who described the challenges their communities face when launching and growing their businesses in the region.

“The Multicultural Small Business Innovation Lab is all about providing access to the information and tools entrepreneurs need to accelerate the growth of their businesses and empowering them to do so,” said Nora Habig, M&T Bank’s regional president for Central and Western Pennsylvania.

“The program’s curriculum was intentionally developed to create an environment that helps multicultural small businesses overcome obstacles to success, and we look forward to partnering with Harrisburg University to offer it in the Capital Region.”

The launch of the Capital Region Multicultural Small Business Innovation Lab also is part of M&T’s bank-wide mission to build a culturally fluent bank that understands the needs of the communities it serves and helps to provide expertise and other resources required to address those needs. In 2020, M&T created its Multicultural Banking and Diverse Market Strategy segment to specifically prioritize the needs of multicultural communities, businesses and individuals.

Last year, the bank kicked off its Multicultural Small Business Innovation Lab series in Buffalo, N.Y., with a similar program that serves as the model for the Capital Region’s Innovation Lab and may be replicated throughout the bank’s 12-state footprint. M&T is considering launching additional small-business innovation labs this year in Buffalo, Harlem, N.Y., and Bridgeport, Conn. – one of the Northeast markets the bank entered following its recently closed merger with People’s United Financial, Inc.

“When people of diverse racial, ethnic or cultural backgrounds take the risk of starting a business and pursuing a dream, we need to be there and support their success,” said David Femi, head of M&T Bank’s Multicultural Banking and Diverse Market Strategy.

“Our Multicultural Small Business Innovation Lab series is an important step in M&T’s work to encourage and invest in entrepreneurism in the communities we serve. These multicultural businesses, when guided and supported, can make a difference in people’s lives and uplift our communities.”

The Multicultural Small Business Innovation Lab comes at a time when the number of minority-owned businesses in Harrisburg is growing. Of the 60 new businesses started in the city since the beginning of the year, nearly half are owned by Black/African American, Hispanic/Latinx or Middle Eastern entrepreneurs, according to city officials.

“Since our administration has taken office, we have seen a boom in multicultural small businesses across the city,” Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams said.

“When our residents of all backgrounds are represented by a diverse collection of business leaders, this is when we are at our best. The City of Harrisburg is beyond excited to partner with M&T Bank and Harrisburg University to usher in a new era of minority-owned businesses throughout the Capital City.”

Jamal Jones, CIE’s program manager, said: “CIE looks to be the hub that connects businesses with mentoring, research, and technology, and we acknowledge the challenges faced by business owners from underrepresented groups. By participating in the Multicultural Small Business Innovation Lab, CIE will help create an ecosystem of resources and supports for entrepreneurs who need our help the most.”

To apply for the Capital Region Multicultural Small Business Innovation Lab, click here.

Google Invests In San Jose Homeless Services, Black Cultural Center And Campus
by Derek Major

April 18, 2022

Google Invests In San Jose Homeless Services, Black Cultural Center And Campus

Google executives and San Jose city officials have announced a $500,000 grant for homeless services and a Black cultural center.

KRON 4 reported that the $500,000 grant will be split evenly between the nonprofit People Assisting The Homeless (PATH) and a service and cultural center project for the city’s African American community.

“These are going to be stunning additions to our community,” U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) said at the announcement. “I want to thank Google for its vision and for always being a partner with our wonderful nonprofits.”

The money allocated to PATH will support the nonprofit’s case management services and buy equipment for a new housing development in San Jose that is set to open later this year. On top of Google’s investment, the city also recently received a $1.2 million contract to provide mental health services to unhoused residents.

The other half of the grant will go toward pre-development and community engagement for the construction of a Black cultural center and multi-use campus. The campus will include offices, a clinic, community gathering spaces, 7.3 million square feet of office space, 4,000 homes, 15 acres of parks, a 30,000- to 50,000-square-foot community center, and more than 500,000 square feet for retail, culture, education, and the arts.

The grants are part of the tech giant’s plan to invest more than $3 billion across the state to expand its offices in Los Angeles, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, and downtown San Jose. Google’s San Jose campus is expected to bring in more than 25,000 jobs, including more than 6,000 construction jobs.

Construction on the project is scheduled to begin next year.

“We want to make sure that we are good neighbors,” Kent Walker, president of global affairs and chief legal officer at Google said. “We want to make sure we’re doing right by the communities in which we operate.”

Many metro areas nationwide are dealing with a significant rise in unhoused residents. California has tried to fight it with overnight parking spaces, affordable housing, and even converting shipping containers into apartments.

Duluth,Georgia Daycare Workers Accused of Ripping Braids Out of 2-Year-Old’s Scalp
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

April 18, 2022

Duluth,Georgia Daycare Workers Accused of Ripping Braids Out of 2-Year-Old’s Scalp

A family is accusing employees at a Georgia daycare of ripping the braids from her child’s hair and exposing her scalp.

According to Fox 5 Atlanta, Duluth resident Kailyn Brown has complained to the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning about the alleged incident. She has blamed employees at her child’s former daycare facility of ripping the braids out of her 2-year-old daughter’s scalp. Due to her claim, the state has opened an investigation into the Creekstone Daycare Academy facility in response to those claims.

“This is very unusual…both the type of complaint and just complaints in general,” Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning spokesman Reg Griffin said last week.

Brown said she was shocked when she went and picked up her daughter Baileigh at the academy and noticed a bald patch on the back of her head. She also saw that the hair beads she wore to the facility were removed.

Daycare officials told her that another student allegedly ripped the beads out of her daughter’s hair. She said she didn’t believe what they told her.

“She told me all she would do was contact her parent. She never made a complaint. She never showed me any video footage of what could have happened to my child,” Brown stated. “This is not just about my child…this could have been anyone’s child.”

Baileigh’s father, Lonzo, also posted to his Instagram account:

“April 7th I came to pick up my daughter to her beads removed yet again however this time her braids were ripped from her scalp. Once I made a complaint of my daughters beads being snatched the Director of this facility told me that all she would do was contact the child’s parent. Days later after leaving a review on how we felt the situation was handled, my children were put out of the daycare.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Lonzo 🔺 (@itslonzo)

Creekstone Daycare Academy posted a statement about the incident on its website. It reads, in part:

“Creekstone Academy does not condone violence of any form and has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to any behavior or rhetoric that is threatening to our staff or students. We are delighted to serve more than 200 students enrolled in our program. Our center is full of wonderful children and supportive parents. Unfortunately, we are occasionally met with a disgruntled parent and have to take measures to protect our students and our staff from inappropriate behavior.”

Lonzo chastised Creekstone Daycare Academy for posting the release trying to discredit them with false accusations.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Lonzo 🔺 (@itslonzo)

Rachel Robinson, 99, is More than Jackie Robinson’s Widow
by Atiya Jordan

April 18, 2022

Rachel Robinson, 99, is More than Jackie Robinson’s Widow

Jackie Robinson Day, which took place last Friday, marked the 75th anniversary of the Hall of Famer’s historic MLB debut and celebrated the remarkable woman who has protected and preserved his legacy.

Every year, Rachel Isum Robinson attends the honorable celebration at Dodger Stadium, further solidifying her devotion to her late husband and her role as a trailblazer herself.

In 1946, Jackie Robinson married Rachel Isum, just a few weeks before traveling to Florida for Jackie’s first spring training as a Brooklyn Dodger, according to The Washington Post. While Robinson was on his way to breaking baseball’s color barrier, Rachel already held a bachelor of nursing degree from UCLA—a rarity for a Black woman in the 1940s.

As a Black married couple, the Robinsons endured and navigated racism, hatred, and abuse together. At many of his games, Jackie was taunted by racist comments from white fans. But Rachel helped her husband process and overcome his experiences along the way.

During Jackie’s baseball career, Rachel found herself content in the role of wife, mother, and homemaker. She stayed home with their three children—Jackie Jr., Sharon, and David—born in 1946, 1950 and 1952, respectively.

Following her husband’s retirement in 1956, Rachel earned a master’s degree in psychiatric nursing at New York University in 1961 and then began working full time. She was a researcher at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine’s Department of Social and Community Psychiatry before serving as director of nursing for the Connecticut Mental Health Center and an assistant professor of nursing at Yale University.

After Jackie’s death in 1972, Rachel incorporated the Jackie Robinson Development Corporation, which was founded to build and manage housing for people of moderate and low incomes. A year later, she founded the Jackie Robinson Foundation, a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide college scholarships and leadership training. The foundation is also set to open the Jackie Robinson Museum in New York City this spring.

In 1997, Rachel authored Jackie Robinson: An Intimate Portrait, published by Abrams Publishing Company. She has received numerous awards, including the Candace Award for Distinguished Service from the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, the Equitable Life Black Achievers Award, and the Associated Black Charities Black History Makers Award.

Rachel Robinson has her own history as a crusader for opportunity through education, a pioneering nurse, and the most notable contributor for shaping her husband’s role in American history.

SVB Financial Group Launches Fellowship Program To Support Black Female Venture Capital Leaders
by Derek Major

April 18, 2022

SVB Financial Group Launches Fellowship Program To Support Black Female Venture Capital Leaders

The Silicon Valley Bank Financial Group (SVB) has launched the SVB Fellows Program for Black, Latinx and women professionals in venture capital.

Women, in general, are not well represented in venture capitalism. Pitchbook reports just two percent of women in the industry are raising capital, meaning the number of minority women raising capital is even smaller.

The SVB Financial Group is working to change things through its fellowship program, which will be supported by the Black Venture Capital Consortium (BVCC), an organization pushing to increase diversity in the venture capital and entrepreneurship sectors and the largest provider of venture capital programming for HBCU students.

The fellowship program will connect emerging minority professionals in venture capital with established venture capital firms where they will work in paid, entry-level positions for 1-2 years along with offering advice and mentorship.

“SVB and our partners designed the Fellows Program to create pathways for a new generation of investors to succeed in the VC industry and benefit VC firms by helping them find talent with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and ideas,” Courtney Karnes, Managing Director of SVB’s Access to Innovation program, in a news release.

“Our aspiration is that this program will accelerate the flywheel effect of innovation investing while increasing representation in the industry,” Karnes added.

BVCC Executive Director Malcolm Robinson told Essence the SVB fellowship program will boost those numbers for Black women, giving them control of their financial futures.

“We are excited to be a founding partner in the SVB Fellows Program, connecting our network of talented young professionals with some of the top VC firms in the country and setting them on a path toward personal success and a more equitable venture capital ecosystem,” Robinson said.

According to Crunchbase, venture capital funding to U.S. startups led by Black women is on track to outpace the last five years. Startups that have at least one Black female founder raised more than $500 million in 2021, easily surpassing the 2018 high of $484 million.

Crunchbase added Black women are better represented than women, in general, among all the funded startups in the U.S. About one-third of funding directed toward Black startup founders every year goes to companies led by Black women. At the same time, overall funding to female founders is consistently in the single digits percentage-wise.

 

MLB Players Donate Game Day Salary to Mark the 75th Anniversary of Jackie Robinson Breaking the Color Barrier
by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

April 18, 2022

MLB Players Donate Game Day Salary to Mark the 75th Anniversary of Jackie Robinson Breaking the Color Barrier

The Players Alliance, a nonprofit started by active and retired professional baseball players, announced commitments by players, coaches and staff to donate their game-day salary in recognition of the 75th Anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier. The donations will help the charity launch new programs across the country.

MLB players Lorenzo Cain, Jason Heyward, Aaron Hicks, Mike Moustakas and David Price are among those who’ve pledged to donate their full or partial game-day salary, according to a press release.

75 years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, Black players make up only 7% of all MLB players.

“There is a sacred brotherhood in baseball. It’s important to all of us that there’s representation from more of us,” said CC Sabathia, The Players Alliance board member and new special assistant to the commissioner.

“Players sacrifice their pay because they believe that diversity is an asset that should be actively pursued,” said Curtis Granderson, The Players Alliance Board Chair and former MLB outfielder.

“Our supporters reflect every racial, religious and professional level found in the sport and they are committed to upholding Jackie’s legacy by breaking today’s barriers.”

Edwin Jackson, co-founder of The Players Alliance and a 22-year MLB pitcher, stated: “No one knows better than us how difficult the journey to professional play is, which is why it’s on us to go into communities and let the kids know that people who look like you play baseball and there is opportunity for you in this game.”

Funds raised this year for Jackie Robinson Day will allow The Players Alliance to directly invest in struggling inner city and rural baseball teams. This past Tuesday, the group invested in more than 500 middle schoolers in Atlanta. Future plans include attracting skilled coaches and trainers to under-resourced programs, sponsoring after-school intensives and providing uniforms, shoes, equipment and transportation, among other efforts.

In 2021, The Players Alliance’s “Players Pull Up” tour traveled to 33 cities to provide pantry supplies and COVID resources to more than 20,000 families in need, and in partnership with Major League Baseball, provided $1 million worth of baseball equipment, giving children across the country first-time access to the tools to play the game.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

April 18, 2022

Long-Time Hip-Hop DJ Kay Slay Loses Battle With COVID-19

The coronavirus has claimed the life of a well-respected and long-time member of the hip-hop community.

Former New York City graffiti artist, DJ, and recording artist DJ Kay Slay had reportedly been battling the coronavirus for the past four months. According to the New York Post, the 55-year-old died on Easter Sunday.

Kay Slay’s family confirmed the death in a statement to the New York Post.

“Our hearts are broken by the passing of Keith Grayson, professionally known as DJ Kay Slay,” the family wrote. “A dominant figure in Hip Hop culture with millions of fans worldwide, DJ Kay Slay will be remembered for his passion and excellence with a legacy that will transcend generations.”

“In memory of DJ Kay Slay, our family wishes to thank all of his friends, fans, and supporters for their prayers and well wishes during this difficult time. We ask that you respect our privacy as we grieve this tragic loss.”

Kay Slay, also known as “The Drama King,” was a popular DJ at New York’s Hot 97, where he has powered his “Drama Hour” for over 20 years. According to The Fader, the hip-hop station also released a statement about his passing. “Hot 97 is shocked and saddened by the loss of our beloved DJ Kay Slay. We cherish the many memories created through the twenty-plus years he dedicated to the Drama Hour. A cultural icon, Kay Slay was more than just a DJ, to us, he was family and a vital part of what made Hot 97 the successful station it is today. Our hearts go out to his family, friends, and fans worldwide, and we will always and forever celebrate The Drama King’s legacy.”

Kay Slay also owned and operated Straight Stuntin’ Magazine.

His presence was felt worldwide, and many showed their gratitude toward “The Drama King” on Twitter.

Documentary Examines Systemic Racism and Identifies Solutions to Address Infant and Maternal Mortality Rates in the U.S.
by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

April 18, 2022

Documentary Examines Systemic Racism and Identifies Solutions to Address Infant and Maternal Mortality Rates in the U.S.

Black women in the U.S. are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women and Black infants are two times more likely to die in their first year than White infants.

America’s medical establishment has turned giving birth into a battlefield for Black women and their babies, but activists are changing those negative outcomes.

“Birthing Justice” goes behind the statistics and beyond the grief to amplify how Black women are taking control of their lives and transforming the birth experience to one of resilience and joy. An excerpt from the documentary will be screened as part of Black Maternal Health Week on Thursday, Apr. 14 at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT by the National Birth Equity Collaboration, according to a press release. View here.

This documentary is produced by Women in the Room Productions.

Denise Pines, co-founder, Women in the Room Productions, says “Birthing Justice places Black women at the center of the fight to fix a broken system. In this documentary we examine the structures and systems that determine these mortality rates as well as the progress being made by health initiatives, dedicated practitioners and best practices. Our goal is to see the solutions presented in this documentary replicated nationally.”

One major factor now recognized by experts is the impact of systemic racism and stress on Black women, negatively affecting their birth outcomes.

“The key to solving this problem is complex, but a path exists,” says Jacoba Atlas, co-executive producer.

Director Monique N. Matthews says, “Black women need to be heard, respected that they understand their own bodies and believed by medical professionals who serve them.”

Birthing Justice is scheduled to be released in Fall, 2022. For more information on Birthing Justice visit www.birthingjustice.com. The documentary is produced by Women in the Room Productions, a comprehensive media company that drives social impact for women and persons of color through storytelling and community.

Support for the film provided by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, Missouri Foundation for Health, Meadow Fund, The California Endowment and others.

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