Howard University President Dr. Wayne A.I. Frederick to Retire in 2024
It’s official: Howard University President Dr. Wayne A.I. Frederick will retire in 2024.
On Wednesday, Dr. Laurence C. Morse, chair of the Howard University Board of Trustees, addressed a letter to the Howard community that Frederick recently will step down by June 2024, the Washington Informerreported.
“We appreciate that Dr. Frederick has given us ample time to find the next great leader of Howard University and remains committed to fulfilling key components of the Howard Forward Strategic Plan, along with other initiatives on his agenda,” Dr. Morse wrote. “Over the next two years, Dr. Frederick will continue to give his undivided attention to advance our collective interests, drive impactful initiatives, and support the people that comprise our growing University community.”
The university’s 17th president said he’s committed to remaining in place for the next two years to ensure a smooth transition.
Frederick, who first arrived as a student from his native country Trinidad, has 34 years of Howard pride under his belt as a faculty member, administrator, and, since 2014, as president. He holds a dual B.S./M.D. and a master of business administration degree from the Howard University School of Business.
During his tenure, the Howard community has seen successful and tumultuous times.
According to the letter, the four-year graduation rate has increased by 20% and the six-year graduation rate has increased by 8%. The increase rates as the highest in Howard University’s history. Under his leadership, Howard has seen an 800 percent increase in fundraising, resulting in over $350 million in philanthropic support.
In March, the University announced that it will be constructing new academic and housing buildings with an investment of $785 million over the next five years.
This news follows the weeks-long lock-ins and protests that were conducted by Howard students in 2021. Disheartened students sought answers from Frederick and the administration to address housing conditions featuring rats, mold, and insect infestation. An agreement was finally met, but no specific details were publicly announced.
“The health and well-being of our students is the most important part of my job as president,” Frederick said at the time, according to NPR. “As I have said before, even one issue in one of our dormitories is too many, and we will continue to remain vigilant in our pledge to maintain safe and high-end housing.”
“The next president of Howard will follow Dr. Frederick’s lead in exemplifying our motto of truth and service by strengthening our legacy, embracing and expanding our community, and building on our strategic plan to prioritize the success of our students, faculty and staff,” Morse wrote.
Trevor Noah Quips About Will Smith’s Oscars Punishment: ‘Should’ve at Least Consulted Chris Rock’
Well, if Chris Rock isn’t ready to start joking about the Will Smith face slap, then we will have to settle for Trevor Noah in the meantime!
Last week, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences—the organization that presents the Oscars—announced the 10-year suspension of Will Smith for his assault on comedian Chris Rock.
According to US Weekly, on Monday, fellow comedian and host of Comedy Central‘s The Daily Show Trevor Noah had some things to say about the suspension of Smith from the Oscars.
In a monologue for his show earlier this week, the South African comedian stated that the punishment for “The Fresh Prince” was “ridiculous.” He quipped that the suspension was really a “favor” to the actor.
“I got into the details and I realized he gets to keep his Oscar, and he can still win Oscars even though he’s banned. …This is a favor!” Noah states.
“Will Smith doesn’t have to go to the ceremony! Yeah, he doesn’t have to get dressed up. He doesn’t have to sit through a bunch of boring awards that he doesn’t care about. He doesn’t have to pretend to be happy when he loses.”
He then jokes about the Academy talking to Rock before handing out the penalty.
“I…think [the Academy] should’ve at least consulted Chris Rock before choosing the punishment. Because if Will were still going to the Oscars, that’s at least four hours where Chris Rock knows where he is. Now, he could be anywhere.”
Last week, in a statement obtained by CNN, Academy President David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson announced Smith would be banned from all Academy events.
“The Board has decided, for a period of 10 years from Apr. 8, 2022, Mr. Smith shall not be permitted to attend any Academy events or programs, in person or virtually, including but not limited to the Academy Awards,” Rubin and Hudson said in a statement.
Biden-Harris Administration Releases Action Plans To Advance Equity And Racial Justice Across The Federal Government
On his first day in office, President Joe Biden signed Executive Order 13985, advancing racial equity and support for underserved communities through the federal government.
The order directed every agency in the federal government to advance a racial equity and justice action plan.
Today, more than 90 federal agencies, including all cabinet-level agencies, are releasing their first action plans, outlining more than 300 concrete strategies and commitments to address the systemic barriers in federal policies and programs that hold underserved people and communities back.
The action plans are designed to help people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, Tribal and rural communities, people with disabilities, women and girls, and communities impacted by persistent poverty.
“Advancing racial equity is not a one-year project, it’s a generational commitment,” Biden said in a statement Thursday provided to BLACK ENTERPRISE. “These plans are an important step forward reflecting the Biden-Harris administration’s work to make the promise of America real for every person.”
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will work to close the racial homeownership gap, reduce bias in in-home appraisals, and address the disproportionate rates and increase of homelessness in underserved communities and cities nationwide.
“HUDs equity action plan puts eliminating the racial homeownership gap front and center,” HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge said. “This plan gets to the heart of where someone lives and what someone looks like impacting their prosperity and wealth, because the fact is that Black people and Latino people lose billions of dollars in equity and wealth just for being Black and Brown.”
The Environmental Protection Agency will design a comprehensive framework to evaluate the health and economic impacts of pollution on underserved and low-income communities. The EPA will also enforce civil rights laws to ensure environmental justice is at the heart of the agency’s mission.
Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack admitted his agency has discriminated against and denied opportunities for Black and minority farmers for far too long. The agency has established an equity commission co-chaired by Dr. Jewel Bernal, the first African American Deputy at the USDA, and Arturo Rodriguez, former United Farm Workers Union president, to improve racial equity at the agency.
“The 15-member commission will take a very specific and a very deep look at USDA in an effort to try to determine what systemic barriers still exist with reference to our programs, and the availability of those programs, and make recommendations to root out those systemic barriers that do exist,” Vilsack said
The Department of Transportation will increase investment in underserved communities by launching a national technical assistance center to provide targeted support through project development, grant applications, and project delivery for communities facing barriers to transportation resources.
Other agencies with comprehensive plans for racial equity include the Department of Labor, Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Commerce, Department of the Interior, and the Department of Defense.
The commitment will provide SWS with more capital and represents the largest investment the nation’s largest minority-and-women-owned financial firm has received from a partner, SWS Chairman Christopher Williams told BLACK ENTERPRISE in an interview.
The action is aimed to drive larger deal flow and new revenue opportunities for SWS—already a major player in the investment banking and global capital markets space, per a news release.
Part of the deal calls for Apollo to make a combined equity and credit investment expected to “significantly increase SWS’s underwriting capacity for debt and equity offerings.”
Among other things, it will “enhance SWS’s ability to bridge the investment and liability management needs of its corporate and municipal clients product expertise offered by Apollo.” The financial terms of the deal were undisclosed.
Since its founding over 25 years ago, SWS and its predecessor companies have managed or co-managed more than $3 trillion in transactions for all clients, according to SWS data.
A statement from SWS President & CEO Suzanne Shank said, “Since inception, SWS has sought to continue to grow in scope and capabilities to better serve our clients. This strategic partnership will certainly enhance our capacity and competitive position in the capital markets and maintain our strong performance-based culture as we serve clients globally.”
Reflecting on the partnership, Apollo President Jim Zelter stated, “At Apollo, our commitment to expanding opportunity extends to the marketplace and making an intentional effort to support the success of diverse financial institutions and employers.” Apollo had about $498 billion in assets under management late last year. SWS and Apollo have had a long-term working relationship.
Williams says Apollo’s investment will give SWS more capital for all types of underwriting the firm provides. He says that includes providing more debt and equity offerings to corporations and more debt offerings to municipalities. He says all types of financing those clients want to engage in, SWS will now be able to serve them in “a much greater capacity than we have done in the past.”
Williams did not elaborate on how much the new partnership might increase revenue at SWS.
However, he expects SWS to gain new opportunities with the Apollo deal.
Williams says SWS can now potentially provide a company doing an acquisition a bridge loan until it arranges long-term financing for the deal. He added Apollo brings certain expertise—for example, its work in the lucrative pension business—that SWS could apply to its network individually or with assistance from Apollo.
“It puts us in position where we’re able to pursue business activity that we previously could not have pursued because they were too capital intensive.”
Yaya Mayweather Takes Plea Deal For Stabbing Mother of One of Rapper YoungBoy NBA’s Children
The daughter of undefeated boxing champion Floyd Mayweather, Iyanna (Yaya) Mayweather, has pleaded guilty to stabbing the mother of rapper Kentrell “YoungBoy Never Broke Again” Gaulden’s children, Lapattra Lashai Jacobs.
According to The Jasmine Brand, Mayweather’s daughter, Yaya, faced lengthy prison time for a case that alleged she stabbed a woman multiple times at the home of her baby father, YoungBoy NBA.
Mayweather was arrested in April 2020 and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. She was accused of stabbing Jacobs, resulting in serious injuries and hospitalization.
Based on court documents obtained by XXL, the 21-year-old Mayweather pleaded guilty in Harris County Court in Houston for aggravated assault With a deadly weapon for the incident that occurred on April 3, 2020, inside Gaulden’s home.
Mayweather also shares a son with YoungBoyNBA.
“We resolved the case between Iyanna and the State,” Mayweather’s attorney, Kent Schaffer stated.
“The agreement calls for Iyanna being on deferred adjudication for a period of 6 years, after which she will have no felony conviction, and the case will be dismissed. She is eligible to have the deferred adjudication end after two years, pending her good behavior. Although we believe that Iyanna was defending herself after being attacked, we thought this was the safest resolution for her. This is especially true since her boyfriend and his bodyguards refused to testify, probably due to their own legal problems.”
Mayweather has confessed to “unlawfully, intentionally and unknowingly” causing “bodily injury to Lapattra Jacobs” by cutting her with a knife.
The second-degree felony charge Mayweather pleaded guilty to carries a prison term of no more than 20 years behind bars and no less than two years. Prosecutors had recommended six years deferred adjunction as an alternative to community supervision instead of jail time. They also suggested that Mayweather complete 40 hours of community service as she is forbidden from harassing, threatening, or abusively contacting Jacobs, who received a protective order against Mayweather in December 2020.
OPINION: Christian ‘Toby’ Obumseli’s Death Shows We Need Healing Between African-Americans and Africans in America
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the speaker and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or positions of BLACK ENTERPRISE.
The tragic stabbing of Christian “Toby” Obumselion April 3 allegedly at the hands of his girlfriend of two years, OnlyFans performer Courtney Clenney (aka Courtney Tailor), has brought to the surface long-simmering issues of white privilege, public disparagement of Black women, interracial relationships, and more complicated, the relationship between African-Americans and Africans in America.
We need to talk about the last issue.
First, our hearts go out to the Obumseli family on the loss of their son, grandson, and brother. What a terrible way for someone’s life to be cut short. And after “Baker Acting” her way out of giving details to the police, his girlfriend was prancing about town without a care in the world.
This in the same week that we find out SoHo Karen gets a slap on the wrist for attacking a child. And after we practically had to March on Selma to get Cyntoia Brown out of prison for killing her rapist! It’s too much!
Black women are acutely aware that there is a double standard when it comes to crime and justice. We are still reeling from the callousness and disinterest in which the Lauren Smith-Fields case was handled.
According to a statement shared by Toby’s brother on social media, the Obumseli family wants “the community” to support their efforts to get justice for their brother’s death. However, based on Toby’s resurfaced tweets, he was loud and proud with his disdain and disgust for Black women. Therefore Black women collectively have reserved their energy, concern, and outrage. The prevailing response seems to be “sorry to this man”. We are still low-key mad that we collectively came to Christian Cooper’s defense just for him to accept Central Park Karen’s apology two days later.
Black Community is Tired of Being the Voice of Reason
The Black community’s general indifference is apparent.
In fact, among the top pop culture blogs, TheShadeRoom is the only one giving this story any traction at all with a whopping six posts in the last six days—despite the comment section filled with Black women almost universally panning the story. Noticeably, that blog’s first post of the story on April 7 generated many comments from Nigerian Instagrammers thanking it for bringing light to the story.
With over 26 million followers, TheShadeRoom has a larger readership than all of its nearest competitors combined. Why is the most influential pop culture blog forcing this story on their readers? By contrast The Jasmine Brand and other celebrity gossip blogs have only run a couple of stories and both with a focus on Toby’s past tweets and the culture’s take on them. Does it have anything to do with TheShadeRoom founder’s Nigerian roots?
Toby’s tweets, Shaderoom’s push, and black women’s response are all related to the barely below-the-surface tensions between African-Americans and Africans in America.
I was in college when this issue first came to my attention.
The Black students were organizing a protest against some issues on campus. As a student activist, I was charged with getting the leaders of the Caribbean Students Association (CSA) and the African Students Association (ASA) to get on board.
After getting the runaround for a couple of days, one member of the ASA finally pulled me aside and told me straight up that ASA was not going to sign on because they really didn’t identify with the African American students. She further explained that they were actually going to move their office space from the Office of African American Student Services and Programs (OSAP) to the Office of International Student Services because they felt they had more in common with other foreign students than with African American students.
I was dumbfounded. This was the first time I had ever heard about any differences between our communities. She added that she grew up watching shows like Cops and other shows that depict African-Americans in a bad light and that her parents warned her against fraternizing with Black Americans. They absolutely forbade her from dating an African American man. Later, I would learn that this was common.
We’ve seen this issue pierce the national conversation before, for example, when Cynthia Erivowas cast as Harriet Tubman or when Luvvie Ajayi came for Tevin Campbell. We’ve also seen time and time again, that America doesn’t care whether you are African American or African in America. From Amadou Diallo to Alfred Olango to Patrick Lyoya, no one is immune from violence and discrimination.
African immigrants and first-generation kids have a proud history of succeeding in the United States, but with the advent of social media, some of them are going beyond success and becoming high-profile cultural figures. Simultaneously, more African Americans are visiting and even moving to the continent.
I think it’s high time we bring this issue to the forefront, discuss it, and let the healing begin. Toby’s comments may have been made when he was a teen, but let’s not OVERLOOK THAT they were rooted in real beliefs that many Africans hold about African Americans.
Further, these ideas were planted and nurtured by the same people who made African Americans think all of Africa was the savannah and that people were living in mud huts and squaring up with lions and hyenas throughout the ’80s and ’90s. And the same people who perpetuated those stereotypes are the only people who benefit from this continued division.
We need a truth and reconciliation commission for African Americans and Africans across the diaspora…I”m looking at you, West Indians. It ain’t just Nigerians who do this. I commend Luvvie Ajayi, who recently became a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc (congrats Soror) for her transparency in a 2014 collection of tweets about the word “akata.”
But a quick perusal of Ajayi, Ervio, and Bozoma St. John‘s Instagram posts show that while they have been active on social media, they have been silent on this issue. And these bicultural figures, along with our African American thought leaders, are the very ones we need on the front lines of healing this divide. They have the perspective of being steeped in both cultures. Their voices are needed to answer the hard questions and to hold both communities to higher standards.
Just this week the funeral services for Dr. Doris A. Derby, a civil rights activist and photographer, were held here in Atlanta. When I met her, Dr. Derby was the director of the OSAP office at my college. She was very invested in bridging the gap between Africans and African Americans and did a lot of work building community with Ivorian students to further her goal. I didn’t realize then how deep the chasm she was attempting to mend.
Let’s get to work, not necessarily by asking Black women to take on the emotional labor of demanding #justiceforToby, but by addressing the issues that originally led to this divide.
Reneé Mack Jones is a relationship mediator, speaker, and author of thePeace In My Home Planners for Busy Couples.She is the host of the upcoming podcast,I’d Rather Die Alone.
‘My Baby Is Back’: T-Boz Shares Excitement For Her Daughter’s Beauty Brand Relaunch
T-Boz is a proud mama.
The award-winning TLC artist took to Instagram to give props and love to her daughter, Chase Anela Rolison, for the relaunch of her beauty brand, Anela Beauty.
T-Boz shared the celebratory news along with chic photos of Rolison looking stunning in her own makeup and a sample of various cruelty-free glosses from the line.
“My Baby @chaserolison Is BACK With Her MakeUp Line @ShopAnelaBeauty. New EVERYTHING!!!!! Go Cop That!!! I Love It,” T-Boz proudly wrote on Instagram, along with the hashtags #MommiesLilHustler and #LikeMotherLikeDaughter.
The 21-year-old beauty entrepreneur relaunched her line on April 8. The highly anticipated revival features ultra-shiny glosses in five different hues, seamless blending lashes, an eyelash cleanser, and a “magical” precision eyeliner. The stylish iridescent holographic cosmetic bag is also on sale.
Rolison, who recently celebrated her 21st birthday, also shared two exciting announcements in two separate posts: the relaunch of her brand and its website.
“The website is finally up for Anela Beauty,” she wrote. ” I hope you guys enjoy.”
The hashtag #LikeMotherLikeDaughter rings true. T-Boz, whose real name is Tionne Watkins, launched her new beauty and wellness line called TLCBD in 2019. The product line consists of health and beauty products made from hemp-derived CBD and a full-spectrum oil to enhance overall wellness for users.
Rolison is the daughter of T-Boz, and rapper Mack 10. The entertainers married in 2000 before T-Boz filed for divorce in 2004. She claimed that the former Westside Connection member threatened her life several times. As a result, T-Boz received full custody of her daughter.
When T-Boz was diagnosed with sick-cell anemia, she was informed she wouldn’t be able to have children. Her daughter was a miracle.
Artist Who Painted Vanity Fair Cover Of Breonna Taylor Donates $1 Million For Fellowships, Scholarships
Breonna Taylor’s image and likeness will fund and support a select group of undergraduate and law students at the University of Louisville.
AmySherald, the artist who painted the image of the late 26-year-old for Vanity Fair is donating money from its sale to the University of Louisville, specifically for students with an interest in social justice. Sherald announced earlier this week earnings from the sale will start the Brandeis Law School’s Breonna Taylor Legacy Fellowship and the Breonna Taylor Legacy Scholarship
Breonna Taylor Vanity Fair
The painting was sold to the Speed Art Museum and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Sherald announced she wanted both cultural institutions to own the piece and required them to sign a co-ownership agreement for the sale to be completed.
The money will fund three fellowships and stipends of $9,000 for law school students with 60 or more credit hours who’ve secured a legal volunteer position with a social justice organization or agency next summer. Undergraduate students at the University of Louisville who show a commitment to social justice through an application essay will qualify for the Breonna Taylor Legacy Scholarship. The scholarships, worth $7,000 each, will be provided to one student in 2023, two in 2024 and three in 2025.
“Nothing can take away the injustice of Breonna Taylor’s death,” University of Louisville Interim Vice President for Community Engagement Douglas Craddock Jr. said in a release.
“But what we must do is create spaces where Breonna Taylor is remembered and where her legacy can inspire us to carry on the hard work of erasing inequality and divisiveness. Amy Sherald’s gift will have transformative power for the law school fellows and scholarship recipients who will benefit from her decision to use her artistic gift to help heal the corrosiveness of hatred and animosity.”
Taylor died at the hands of Louisville Metro Police officers in March 2020, who entered her home with a no-knock warrant seeking a man who did not live at the residence and was already in police custody. Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, a legal gun owner, fired a shot toward the front door thinking someone was robbing the home. The cops returned fire with a barrage of bullets hitting Taylor five times and killing her.
None of the seven officers that were involved in the raid that killed Taylor were directly charged with her death. Louisville Attorney General Daniel Cameron only charged one of the officers, Brett Hankison, with wanton endangerment. A charge that carries a five-year sentence and a $10,000 fine. Three other officers were fired for their actions but were not charged. Taylor’s death set off the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement and protest.
Brooklyn Nets Basketball Team Donates $50,000 to Recovery Victims of Brooklyn Subway Shooting
A shooting incident in Brooklyn, New York, Tuesday morning that injured 23 people caused panic in New York City and fears of terrorism for New Yorkers.
The Brooklyn Nets took action Wednesday night before the start of their play-in playoff contest against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
According to NBA.com, the Brooklyn Nets, who ended up pulling out a victory to advance to the next round, held a moment of silence right before the start of their game against the Cavaliers. They also stated that they were donating $50,000 to help those who were injured in the subway station where at least 10 people were shot on Tuesday.
The train station where the shooting occurred is nearby the Brooklyn Nets practice facility and offices.
A police officer patrols in Times Square station, after a shooting at a subway station in Brooklyn borough, in Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S., April 12, 2022. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon
“That’s the subway stop for our practice facility and for our office,” Nets coach Steve Nash said before the game. “My kids go to school not exceedingly far, so it does hit home and you just feel for all those affected and you recognize that we have a lot of growing to do as a society and a community, and you just feel for everybody in our community that was affected.”
The section of Brooklyn, Sunset Park, where the shooting occurred was immortalized in the 1996 movie, Sunset Park, which starred New York hip-hop artist Fredro Starr (of the rap group Onyx) and Cheers actress, Rhea Perlman.
A man later arrested and identified as Frank James, donned a gas mask on an N Train, released a smoke canister, and began shooting at commuters as the train approached 36th Street.
The $50,000 donation from the Nets and the New York Liberty Foundation was announced right before the Nets initiated the moment of silence for the victims. The Nets thanked first responders and wished a speedy recovery to those who were injured.
Candace Owens Attacks Rev. Al Sharpton’s Recent Criticism of Democrats: ‘What He’s Doing Is He’s Saving his Own Skin’
Conservative host Candace Owens has found a new Black target to aim her rhetoric.
On Tuesday night, Owens appeared on Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News and directed her most recent ire toward the Rev. Al Sharpton. She attacked the pastor because he has criticized Democrats recently, and she is calling him a hypocrite due to him leading Black Americans toward the Democratic Party for years.
Owens also stated that Sharpton is also out of touch with Black Americans because he lives in a $2.1 million penthouse on the Upper East Side in Manhattan.
“We shouldn’t misinterpret what [Al Sharpton is] doing here because he wants us to believe that he’s telling the truth when, in reality, what he’s trying to do is save whatever clout he has left in Black America. This is actually a signal that should be a marker for us, for how bad things have gotten in Black America. Because Al Sharpton used to go around [lying] full-time to Black America about their circumstances. Even when he says, oh, ‘[Liberals] out of touch the way Black Americans are living.’ You [Al Sharpton] live in a $2.1 million penthouse on the Upper East Side, and that’s just one of your homes.”
She then went on to say that Black Americans have “believed his lies” over the years, and things have gotten “embarrassingly worse” for Black people, and he led “us” astray. Owens says he is “saving his own skin” by blasting the Democrats now.
“So what he’s doing is he’s saving his own skin. So now he’s trying to play … the peacemaker, the communicator of how Black Americans are feeling. And so we shouldn’t misinterpret … His motives behind telling the truth are really just to save Al Sharpton’s own skin so he can purchase another penthouse. I mean, the only person that I know that has a bigger real estate empire than Al Sharpton is perhaps Black Lives Matter leaders,” Owens said.
