• Women

by Derek Major

April 5, 2022

Former Yale University Administrator Pleads Guilty To Stealing $40 Million From School To Live Lavishly

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A former Yale University administrative employee pleaded guilty to defrauding the school of more than $40 million by reselling electronics purchased with school funds.

According to a Department Of Justice press release, Jamie Petrone-Codrington, 42, the former director of finance and lead administrator at Yale Medical School’s department of emergency medicine, stole the money over eight years. She used the funds “for various personal expenses, including expensive cars, real estate and travel,” including three Connecticut properties she owned or co-owned.

As part of Petrone-Codrington’s job responsibilities, she had the authority to make certain purchases for department needs as long as the purchases did not exceed $10,000. The Connecticut DOJ added she stole money from Yale since at least 2013, ordering or making others under her order, millions in electronic hardware using Yale Med School funds. Petrone-Codrington then arranged to have the goods shipped to an out-of-state business in exchange for money.

To keep Yale supervisors at bay, Petrone-Codrington falsified forms. She explained in emails that the purchases were for Yale Medical School needs and broke them up so they would fall under the $10,000 threshold. The out-of-state business, which resold the items to customers, paid her by wiring funds into an account for Maziv Entertainment LLC, of which Petrone is a principal.

The former Yale administrator pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum 20-year sentence and one count of filing a false tax return, which carries a maximum three-year sentence. Petrone will be sentenced in June.

As part of the plea agreement, Petrone will forfeit $560,421.14 in cash that was seized from the Maziv Entertainment LLC bank account, a 2014 Mercedes-Benz G550, a 2017 Land Rover/Range Rover Sv Autobiography, a 2015 Cadillac Escalade Premium, a 2020 Mercedes Benz Model E450A, a 2016 Cadillac Escalade, and a 2018 Dodge Charger.

She will also be forced to liquidate the three properties she owns or co-owns.

• Entrepreneurship

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

April 5, 2022

Green Enterprise Announces Four New Black College Partners For Its HBCU Initiative

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Green Enterprise, operated and produced by Digital Venture Partners and BLACK ENTERPRISE, have announced the Green Enterprise College to Career Initiative.

The series of on-campus events assembles entrepreneurs, state officials and thought leaders to discuss solutions to create a point of entry in the growing cannabis industry, as well as substantial pathways to success.

These events will be taking place throughout the remainder of 2022, and underline a variety of conversations and lectures covering a wide range of topics, from entrepreneurship to cannabis marketing to building an inclusive industry that began at Southern University in Baton Rouge, La. in February and will continue on to Chicago State University this Apr. 7, presented by Cresco Labs. 

The CSU event will be held in conjunction with the predominantly black two-year college, Olive-Harvey.  The tour will then make additional stops at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University on Apr. 20, and Medgar-Evers College on Apr. 30, both being powered by Massachusetts based operator, Curaleaf.

Cresco Labs, the presenting sponsor for Chicago State University and Olive-Harvey College, will promote significant conversations and initiatives and hand out materials to initiate in-earnest partnerships between cannabis operators and HBCUs and develop a direct, effective talent pipeline into the industry.

Spotlighted topics such as social impact and entrepreneurship, as well as, economics and investing, will be covered. The full schedule is available at GreenEnterpriseHBCU.live:

– Chicago State University and Olive-Harvey College; Chicago, Ill. Apr. 7, 2022

– Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University; Tallahassee, Fla. – Apr. 20, 2022

– Medgar Evers College; Brooklyn, N.Y.; Apr. 30, 2022

During the 2022 BLACK ENTERPRISE Women of Power Summit, Walmart convened a dynamic group of female business leaders for a weekend of learning and celebration. Led by Vice President of Constituent Relations and Racial Equity, Tony Waller, and the Constituent Relations team, Walmart hosted a range of activations. These events included a dinner celebrating the launch of MADAM by Madam C.J. Walker, informational sessions, and engagement of key female business influencers.

Madam by Madam C.J. Walker

Launched by the great-great-granddaughter of entrepreneur and pioneer Madam C.J. Walker—A’Lelia Bundles, MADAM by Madam C.J. Walker is an accessible brand that evokes the memory of America’s first female self-made millionaire. Ms. Bundles joined Walmart and Sundial Brands in launching the new line, according to a press release.

During the BLACK ENTERPRISE Women of Power Summit, Walmart hosted a special dinner celebrating the launch and female entrepreneurs.

“It is so gratifying to me that Madam C.J. Walker’s original vision is being revived through this partnership between Sundial, Shea Moisture and Walmart. These teams are lifting up Madam Walker’s legacy in a way that celebrates textured hair and empowers women,” said A’Lelia Bundles.

“I am thrilled that MADAM by Madam C.J. Walker is in more than 3000 Walmart stores and that the line is accessible and affordable. I hope that every time someone twists off the top of a jar to style their hair or their daughter’s hair, they might be thinking about Madam Walker and be inspired.”

Walmart worked with leading Black female business influencers to engage and share the programming with a large network of stakeholders. Walmart and Values Partnerships brought Black Girls Greenhouse co-founder Kalkidan Gebreyohannes and CoupleyFit co-founder Deanna Mangum to elevate and share the programming at BLACK ENTERPRISE Women of Power 2022.

“The BLACK ENTERPRISE Women of Power Summit left me feeling an enormous amount of pride and joy. Sisterhood is a necessity and I have left here feeling renewed, restored and believing that I am part of the best kind of sisterhood there is!” said Kalkidan Gebreyohannes, co-founder, Blk Girls Green House.

“The BLACK ENTERPRISE Women of Power Summit provided an environment for me to be seen, heard, and valued while connecting with over 1,000 powerful and influential black women from all over the country. Speakers shared history and experiences that reignited my fire to get out and be the change I want to see in the world!” said Deanna Mangum, Co-founder, CoupleyFit™.

Activations at the BLACK ENTERPRISE Women of Power Summit continue Walmart’s commitment to supporting Black women in business; especially Black-owned beauty brands. MADAM by Madam C.J. Walker joins a wide range of Black-owned beauty brands available at Walmart. In addition to partnering with small businesses for digital and in-store retail opportunities, Walmart supports these entrepreneurs through the work of the Center for Racial Equity—a $100M commitment from Walmart and the Walmart Foundation over five years to advancing racial equity.

The Center for Racial Equity invested in the Washington Area Community Investment Fund (WACIF) and Shea Yeleen to support creation of a maker space for beauty entrepreneurs in Washington, D.C. The space will include a business accelerator program to advise underserved entrepreneurs and deploy flexible capital to independent, Black-owned beauty brands.

The Center for Racial Equity invested in the SoGal Foundation to launch a new national training program to help Black entrepreneurs connect to capital. The Black Founder Retail Catalyst Fellowship program will help 60 Black female and non-binary business owners access capital, mentorship and a network of peers in the retail industry.

As the BIG3 approaches its fifth season, the professional basketball league co-founded by rapper and businessman Ice Cube is giving fans an opportunity to own a minority stake in its 12 teams.

In a move that is being hailed as a first in professional sports, the BIG3 is presenting decentralized team ownership. Anyone interested in team ownership will have two options comprised of 1,000 editions: 25 Fire priced at $25,000 each and 975 Gold priced at $5,000 each.

Wanna own a team in the BIG3? https://t.co/frYSRs9OLk

— Ice Cube (@icecube) April 4, 2022

“This is team ownership in the 21^st century,” Ice Cube said in a written statement.

“We’ve created a special bond with our fans since our first game in 2017 and this is the natural next step,” he added. “We want fans to feel even more invested in their favorite squad, more connected to their favorite player, and provide them with the opportunity to grow with us. While other leagues are flirting with fan ownership, none of them have more meat on the bone than BIG3 team owners.”

With ownership, all editions will include voting rights toward team actions, gameday experiences, and VIP tickets to all games as well as merchandise and memorabilia. Also included in the Fire editions are exclusive intellectual property and licensing rights to team names, logos, and merchandise as well as additional game day activations. .

“When we founded the BIG3 five seasons ago, our mission was to build a league that was innovative and created opportunities for players and fans alike that other leagues lack,” said BIG3 co-founder, Jeff Kwatinetz.

“We are thrilled to be lowering the barrier to entry to team ownership so our fans can take their investment to the next level. This is a tremendous step for our league and the sport as a whole, and I can’t wait to meet our new owners and begin to build this league alongside them.”

 

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• News

by Atiya Jordan

April 5, 2022

Meet Darren Goodman: San Bernardino’s First Black Police Chief In Its 116-year History

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San Bernardino, California, has appointed Upland Police Chief Darren Goodman its next chief of police, the first Black person to lead the city’s police department in its 116-year history.

With over 31 years in law enforcement, Goodman has devoted 27 years to the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department and the last four years as the City of Upland’s Police Chief in California. He will assume his role on June 1, joining a department of 262 sworn officers and 150 civilian staff.

Police Chief Darren Goodman has formally announced he will be leaving Upland to serve as the new Police Chief in San Bernardino, CA. The City wishes him well as he embarks on the next chapter of his distinguished law enforcement career.

Michael Blay
City Manager
City of Upland pic.twitter.com/f42QxOUenM

— City of Upland (@City_of_Upland) April 1, 2022

“I am humbled and excited about the fact that as a police chief, with a team of dedicated police officers, we play a critical role in protecting and improving the quality of life that residents and business owners of San Bernardino strive to preserve, Goodman said, according to ABC 7 News.

He continued: “During the early years of my career, several of my assignments were in San Bernardino. I am very familiar with the city, many community members, and the high caliber of police officers that work at the San Bernardino Police Department. I am not oblivious to the challenges the city has had in the past, but I believe in the potential of San Bernardino.”

Goodman was formerly police chief of the Chino Hills Police Department and commander of the Frank Bland Regional Training Center. Goodman also worked in corrections, patrol, narcotics, emergency operations, regional gang enforcement, fugitive apprehension, and SWAT.

“Chief Goodman brings to San Bernardino a wealth of experience, leadership, and knowledge of this region,” said City Manager Robert D. Field in a statement, according to Inland Empire Community News. “We are very pleased that he will be joining us.”

An alumnus of USC, Goodman holds a master’s degree in public administration and doctorate of education in organizational change and leadership. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Southern Illinois University, and attended law enforcement and leadership programs at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and the Naval Postgraduate School’s Center for Homeland Defense and Security. Goodman is also an adjunct professor at California State University, San Bernardino.

• News

by Atiya Jordan

April 5, 2022

Irises, Lillies On National Park Battlefield Give Life To A Lost Black Community

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Over 100 years ago, a historic Black community of newly freed slaves was born in the middle of what was once the Chalmette Battlefield, the site of the January 8, 1815, Battle of New Orleans.

In 1963, Fazendeville also known as “The Village,” was demolished by the government to expand the territory into a national park commemorating the Battle of New Orleans and Civil War casualties. The land stood between where the battle was fought and the Chalmette National Cemetery, where the burial grounds of Union troops were located.

Last spring, Gary Salathe, founder of the Louisiana Iris Conservation Initiative, Inc., and National Park Service rangers discovered dark purple irises and white and pink crinum lilies in the same areas. Residents of The Village may have planted the roots, ABC News reported.

For Woody Keim, a great-great-grandson of the community’s founder, Jean-Pierre Fazende, the blooming of these flowers reminds him of the thriving Fazendeville before it was torn down.

“Even though the government tried to erase this village, there’s still life raising its little flowery head to show there once was a community here,” he said.

In the 1870s, Fazende, a free man of color and grocer from a family prominent in the social class known as free people of color, inherited a plot of land after the Civil War and divided it by selling the pieces to newly freed slaves, according to the National Park Service. The land turned into a small village that included 30 homes, a church, a baseball diamond, bars, a grocery store, and a school that transformed at night into a dance hall.

“I think it’s a tragedy that a community that had been there for close to 100 years was not considered as important as an event that took place over five days in 1815,” said Keim, who recalls being five years old when Fazendeville ended.

Gary Salathe, who established a group to rescue native irises and replant them in visible areas in nature, first noticed the irises on the battlefield. He confirmed that the long, tall leaves growing in the grass were in fact irises. After a month, he returned with park rangers to find that the flowers had bloomed. They discovered the irises, but also an African species of crinum lilies that were most likely brought over by enslaved people, .

“They would have had to be planted by people,” Salathe said, adding that the irises were blooming on the side of where houses once stood.

In effort to make the flowers visible, Salathe asked permission to relocate some of the irises and lilies. Park ranger Kim Acker told ABC News —that the park is considering his request.

Steph and Ayesha Curry are fostering youth development through the joy of books.

After launching their free bookstore school bus last year, the Currys are now helping to construct mini-libraries throughout the Oakland, California, area.

On Wednesday, the couple announced plans to create 150 “Little Town Libraries” around Oakland in an effort to encourage book sharing and childhood literacy in the community, CBS San Francisco reported.

“We want to encourage kids to read by making it accessible, fun and inspirational,” Stephen and Ayesha Curry said in a statement.

“We hope that these free, book-sharing libraries will help plant the seeds needed to continue growing a culture of literacy for the next generation in Oakland.”

The new initiative is a joint effort between Steph and Ayesha’s nonprofit Eat. Learn. Play. and Little Free Library, a network of nearly 150,000 tiny libraries placed outside homes and businesses around the world for purpose of book sharing.

Leading with literacy! Ayesha & Stephen Curry are helping install 150 "Little Town Libraries" all over Oakland through @eatlearnplay — More tonight at 4, 6 & 11 on @abc7newsbayarea pic.twitter.com/up4DrsSBqE

— Chris Alvarez (@CAlvarezABC7) March 31, 2022

Franklin Elementary in Oakland was the first to unveil its mini-library. The libraries will be placed in underserved communities, including East and West Oakland, Fruitvale, and Chinatown. Over 50,000 free books are expected to be distributed as part of the program.

The initiative was made in response to declining literacy rates throughout the Oakland area, ABC 7 reported. Eat. Learn. Play cites studies that show 1 in 3 children, or 33% are reading at grade level by the end of third grade. However, in Oakland after two years of virtual learning, only 15.4% of Black and 12.5% of Latino/a elementary students are reading at grade level.

“From kindergarten through third grade, making sure you are reading at your grade level by the time you get to third grade determines your educational future,” Ayesha Curry said. “So for us, turning those numbers around is really, really important.”

“These boxes, can hopefully make the access to literacy resources and service these kids in a fun way and accessible way,” Steph Curry said.

“Like Ayesha said 150 of these are going to go around Oakland and the right areas and locations. But that means 30,000 books at the hands of kids that need the inspiration, the tools to develop at the right ages and hopefully bring an amazing experience of fun to reading which is what it’s all about.”

• Men

by Derek Major

April 5, 2022

Former President Barack Obama Returns To White House To Promote Affordable Care Act

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Former President Barack Obama will return to the White House Tuesday since he left office to promote the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that President Joe Biden wants to expand.

Business Insider reports the event will promote the expansion of the ACA and will be the first time the two men have appeared together since last year when they attended an event commemorating the 20th anniversary of 9/11. Vice President Kamala Harris will also attend the event and will discuss the expansion of health care benefits and Biden’s efforts to expand access to care and further reduce health care costs.

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and other Cabinet members will also attend the event.

The former president’s appearance comes as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services launches advertising and outreach campaigns to spread the word about a new special enrollment period for low-income Americans who missed signing up for 2022 Affordable Care Act coverage.

The Biden Administration has also put a significant amount of money into the ACA for enrollment assistance, funneling more funds to navigator programs that help people select policies and advertising to ensure qualified Americans do not miss enrollment periods.

“We know this has been a tough time for a lot of people and want to make sure the door is always open for them to sign up for coverage,” Becerra told CNN last month.

The moves by the Biden administration come after four years of the Trump Administration promising to kill the ACA and replace it with something better, which never happened. Trump’s attempts to dismantle the ACA include last year when the Supreme Court dismissed a challenge to the ACA from Republican-led states and the Trump administration.

Another attempt by Trump that failed came in 2018 when the late Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) voted no on repealing the ACA. The COVID-19 also showed Americans how important health insurance is as more than 8 million residents signed up for it in 2020.

• Business

by Black Enterprise Shop

April 5, 2022

Learn a New Skill Right When You Need It With Udemy

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In 2016, Black men and women accounted for nearly one out of every eight people in the U.S. labor force. Despite that, they only accounted for just 8 percent of employees in professional roles. Worse still, Black professionals make up only 3.2 percent of all company’s executive or senior leadership roles; and less than 1 percent of all Fortune 500 CEO positions. 

The conclusion is obvious yet unsurprising: minorities continue to find it challenging to break into the top ranks of business world leadership. Climbing the lofty heights of a corporate world sometimes stacked against them, minority professionals need access to the right tools to help learn any new skill or discipline they need right when they need to learn it.

Udemy is like having your own portable institution of higher learning ready to teach you just what you need at a moment’s notice. Their archives include more than 183,000 online video courses, each offering expert-driven instruction in various disciplines to help shore up any professional deficiency. No matter your goal, whether to learn a new skill for your current job, or make a career change and learn something completely new, Udemy has the courses you need to accomplish your goals and learn the skills at an affordable price.

You can choose from a variety of hard skills like Python, JavaScript, or graphic design and soft skills like leadership, time management, creative problem solving, and more. Users can feel at ease putting their professional fate in the hands of more than 65,000 highly trained Udemy instructors who know their fields from top to bottom. 

Udemy’s lifetime membership means users can explore all their coursework at their own pace. For example, a member can take The Complete 2022 Web Development Bootcamp and become a full-stack web developer. Then they spend time mastering those skills and turn their attention to The Ultimate Drawing Course to develop their artistic side. The possibilities are endless.

Many of the world’s biggest companies have embraced the Udemy way as a prime training avenue to develop their own employees, including Apple, Netflix, Aflac, Volkswagen, Kaiser Permanente, and more.

“I have found it to be great. Course quality…is usually good to excellent, (and) the pricing is very, very competitive, which is no doubt what draws most learners like me to this platform,” Udemy student Anton said. “Great resource for me and used successfully by many of my colleagues in my company as well.”

Learn a new skill and advance your career with Udemy. Right now, new members can enroll in courses with rates as low as $11.99. 

Prices are subject to change.