• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 22, 2022

Hampton University Faces Backlash After Offering Free Schooling to Over 50 Students in Ukraine

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Amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, the country is receiving swarms of American support. Last Wednesday, HBCU Hampton University announced its plan to aid the European country by offering free room, board, and tuition to Ukrainian and international students.

An official announcement from the school states:

“In a humanitarian effort to help those college students and families affected by the current conflict in Ukraine, Hampton University President Dr. William R. Harvey has announced that it will invite 50-100 Ukrainian and international college students presently studying in Ukraine to continue their education on HU’s campus this summer.”

After enjoying a summer of free education at one of the top HBCUs in the country, the Ukrainian and international students would have the option to stay at HU for regular tuition and fees once the summer semester ends, NBC 12 reports.

“The collective Hampton University faculty, staff and students are heartbroken because the war-torn country of Ukraine must deal with atrocities like the bombing of maternity wards, hospitals, and other civilian areas,” Dr. Harvey said.

“I think this partnership is something that can be beneficial to a great number of students and families. My entire career has been focused on helping people to achieve and meet their goals.”

HU’s announcement referenced a similar agreement offered to students from the University of the Bahamas in 2019 after their north campus was destroyed in Hurricane Dorian.

However, once HU alumni caught wind of Dr. Harvey’s offer to Ukraine, many took to social media to call him out.

“Tomorrow, every person who cares about the safety of black students at #hamptonuniversity need to call Dr. Harvey office and demand they rescind this offer immediately or the alumni will not give back or attend homecoming this year,” one alumnus wrote.

https://twitter.com/nuriamiraj/status/1504551801416298564?s=21

“I attend @_HamptonU now, and I recently took out $10,500 loan to pay my remaining balance, I am beyond livid about what they are doing,” another user wrote. “I am in the process of sending an email to the president and seeking legal options. I could use that money, and other students like me.”

https://twitter.com/WCM3/status/1504620076833685508?s=20&t=JqpWApFRKqDFyQs0NR4-Gw

Others noted how “embarrassing” the entire situation was for HU’s legacy.

“Damn bringing Ukrainians to come to an HBCU to complete their studies. Where are the white Ivy league Universities or White State Land Grant Colleges making that offer? You know what?” another person tweeted. “They ain’t making that offer. @_HamptonU is taking a big L. Not a good look.”

https://twitter.com/HebrewJake/status/1504651927904301105

Over on Instagram, after The Shade Room shared the news story, many started sounding off.

“That’s amazing but ummmmmm…I know some kids around the corner from Hampton that need school at no cost too, some kids in Harlem, some kids in Philly, some kids in Atlanta,” wrote TV personality Yandy Smith. “Hmmmmmm happy for the Ukrainians tho.”

“But did they offer their own students that are affected by hardships any free tuition?” asked someone else.

“All those young people graduating with all that student loan debt, but go off Hampton… Chillllleeeee… Bye!” one user wrote.

“It’s crazy how much support they’re giving those outside of this country yet there are students in house that can’t even afford their tuition let alone the application fees. But be great,” another person added.

Kanye West’s menacing behavior has seemingly been a long-running issue with other celebs.

With Pete Davidson, D.L. Hughley, and Trevor Noah currently caught in Ye’s crosshairs, other celebrities, including supermodel Tyson Beckford, were also burnt by Ye’s fury in the past.

VLAD TV reposted an interview with Beckford where he speaks about a confrontation with Ye’s people at an event in New York City. Viewing the discussion today, the writing may have been on the wall all this time.

Beckford reminisces about attending Ralph Lauren’s 50th-anniversary event in New York City. Before this event took place, Beckford had back and forth beef with Kim Kardashian over her implying that the supermodel was gay. He recalls seeing Ye at the Ralph Lauren celebration dinner as he sat across from him, and since the rapper didn’t look at him after seeing him, he did not think anything about it.

“I looked at him, but at no point, you know when you try to look at somebody and try to get them to give you eye contact, I wasn’t getting that,” he stated. “So I said, ‘OK. Buddy don’t want no problems.’ So I left it alone.”

Beckford says that one of Ye’s associates approached him when he went to the bathroom. He said to the guy, “Look, man. Y’all don’t want it, not here, not in my city, not happening. Cause it’s a phone call, and I can have 50 Bloods and probably about 25 Crips come down on these fools. And it’s like, why? For something he said, she said?”

No confrontation happened that night, and Beckford stated that Ye didn’t want the smoke.

Ye, who was scheduled to perform at this year’s Grammy Awards, was removed from the lineup after backlash over recent behavior, although the last straw may have been when Instagram suspended his account for 24 hours. After the suspension, the awards show canceled his performance because he called this year’s Grammy host, Trevor Noah, a “koon.”

Despite Ye referring to Noah as a “koon,” the Daily Show host is against the rap/fashion mogul’s ban from this year’s Grammy Awards. After the show announced that he wasn’t performing, the South African comedian took to Twitter and wrote, “I said counsel Kanye not cancel Kanye.”

Burton is honored to share its second collaboration with renowned artist, designer and visionary, Virgil Abloh.

Created with Abloh over the past two years, the Burton c/o Virgil Abloh™ collection includes 10 exclusive boards that will be digitally auctioned on Mar. 15 by the Virgil Abloh™ “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund. Then on Mar. 22, a limited-edition collection of snowboards, boots and bindings designed with Abloh will be available for purchase online. To celebrate Abloh’s life and legacy, Burton will donate $300,000 over three years to causes that increase BIPOC representation in snowboarding. 

Virgil Abloh grew up snowboarding, noting the influence the sport held on his own perspective throughout his 20 plus year career and projects across fashion, art, design, music, and philanthropy. In 2017, he visited Burton headquarters in Vermont to get inspiration for a fashion-forward women’s outerwear collaboration with Burton and his brand Off-White™. In late 2020, Burton connected with Abloh again about future projects.

“It was very important to Virgil that his next collaboration with Burton stand for something, that it share a larger message, so he created a manifesto to guide the collection,” said Adrian Josef Margelist, chief creative officer at Burton.

“Every person who worked on this project, from the snowboard designers and the project managers to the riders at the photo shoot took Virgil’s words to heart. They became our manifesto, our mantra, our motivation. Virgil’s words say it best.”

“Product that by its existence not only stands as evidence for the evolution of a subculture and sport but becomes an artifact which proves that diversity within snowboarding is not only an idea, it’s actually happening, care of Burton and Virgil Abloh™”—an excerpt from the Virgil Abloh Burton Manifesto. 

Abloh’s manifesto is the graphic centerpiece of the 10 exclusive snowboards that will be digitally
auctioned by the Virgil Abloh™ “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund, which aims to ‘foster equity and inclusion within the fashion industry by providing scholarships to students of academic promise of
Black, African American, or African descent.'” The manifesto also resonates with Burton’s brand
values and commitment to driving justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion for the long-term health
of our company, sport, and community.

To understand the importance of representation in snowboarding and Virgil’s manifesto, Burton
team riders Brolin Mawejje and Zeb Powell shared their perspectives. Brolin said, “The Manifesto says it well. It’s not just an idea; it is beyond the conversation. It is happening. We are watching it happen and will continue to watch the sport of snowboarding grow.”

Burton team rider Zeb Powell added, “I try to leave my impact on snowboarders just like Virgil left
an impact on me. Keeping up with me. Taking the time to talk, it meant so, so, much.”

In closing, Brolin said, “Be like Virgil. Be the gatekeepers who can open up those gates wider so
that more kids can flood in and be a part of the culture.”

Starting at 12:00 p.m. ET on Mar. 15, 2022, join the Virgil Abloh™ “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund’s digital auction of 10 exclusive Burton c/o Virgil Abloh™ “Manifesto” snowboards. Starting bids begin at $1977.00—a nod to the year Burton was founded. The auction is visible globally, but a US-based credit card and telephone number are required to participate.

A family idea to get their kids to eat veggies has evolved into a vibrant, national, online brand concept for two sisters. Growth plans for their product line include international expansion, domestic sales in brick-and-mortar grocery stores, and reaching food deserts nationwide.

Meet Dr. Jamelah Tucker and Dorielle Price,  founders and owners of Hallandale Beach, Florida-based EasyPeasie L.L.C. Their company operates EasyPeasie Veggie Blends, which sells carrots, peas, butternut squash, spinach, and other vegetables in powdered form. Similar to food seasoning, flavorful core brands are Natural Blend, Green Blend, and Red Blend, and it also offers a mix of spice blends.

Price says the concept initially emerged a decade ago as a means to get her youngest son—an infant at the time—to consume nutritious vegetables by drying and grinding them to add to his meals. An engineer with a doctorate, Price says she developed the concept after discussions with Tucker, a pediatrician. That approach caught on with other family members and led to the launch of EasyPeasie in 2016.

Overcoming Challenges To Produce Bountiful Revenue

Harvesting the new line of products for “The Peas”—as the sisters call themselves—was not a cinch. For one, Tucker admits raising capital and reaching customers were among the biggest challenges. In fact, Tucker and Price self-funded the enterprise by investing a combined $45,000 of their personal savings and reinvesting profits back into the business for the first three years.

Tucker maintains that EasyPeasie generated its initial revenue from selling to customers at farmers’ markets, health fairs, and other local venues. But when the pandemic struck in 2020, she estimates revenue only reached $8,000 that year. “We really had to go hard on our e-commerce, Amazon.com, and meeting customers online,” she says. The Amazon alliance paid off handsomely as 2021 revenue rose to $50,000, and now that relationship will help increase projected 2022 revenue by as much as 300% to $150,000.

Harvesting The Amazon Relationship

The Peas have bolstered their business through participation in Amazon’s Black Business Accelerator (BBA), the $150 million effort started last year. The program has provided capital access, strategic guidance, and marketing support, among other services, to help Black-owned businesses with physical, consumer products scale up and maximize sales in Amazon’s store. Selling on Amazon, Price says, has helped the company bloom along with providing access to Amazon’s hundreds of millions of customers. Amazon has proven vital to EasyPeasie in setting up advertising pages, optimizing keywords, and troubleshooting. As a result, Tucker says Amazon has enabled EasyPeasie to reach a larger number of customers than it would have face to face.

Finding Multiple Ways To Reach Customers 

The Peas are hopeful that Amazon can help the business expand this year into foreign markets such as Canada and the United Kingdom for the first time. Along with international expansion, Tucker says EasyPeasie is ready for retail growth at grocery stores, including regional outlets like Florida-based Publix and national big-box retailers like Aldi and Whole Foods. High on their agenda over the next two years is targeting food deserts, areas with “low levels of access to retail outlets selling healthy and affordable foods,” Tucker says. “We are hoping to get EasyPeasie WIC and SNAP-eligible to help reach families in communities like this.”

Furthermore, Tucker told BLACK ENTERPRISE that EasyPeasie hopes to get its popular limited-edition spice blends—Turmeric Blend and Ginger Blend—to large batch production by this fall. She added that the company plans to move its two-pound ECO-size of the classic blends into larger productivity this fall.

The motivation for Tucker and Price to start and grow their business stems from a family legacy of entrepreneurship. Their late maternal grandparents ran a store and rooming house in the 1950s for about 20 years in their hometown of Hallandale Beach in Florida. Asserts Tucker: “Dorielle and I were very intentional to HQ our business here and made sure our hometown name is on every single bottle of EasyPeasie as homage to them, our community, our family history, and our legacy. We proudly stand on the shoulders of Black entrepreneurs and will share this honor with our entire family.”

• Business

by Derek Major

March 22, 2022

DC Attorney General Karl Racine Sues Grubhub Over ‘Misleading Marketing And Hidden Fees’

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Washington D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine (D) has filed a lawsuit against the dining app Grubhub saying it exploited local restaurants through hidden fees and misleading marketing.

Racine alleges the food delivery app’s misleading practices hurt DC residents who used its service, exploited local restaurants, and violated consumer protection laws.

“Grubhub misled District residents and took advantage of local restaurants to boost its profits, even as District consumers and small businesses struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Racine said in a release.

“Grubhub charged hidden fees and used bait-and-switch advertising tactics—which are illegal. On top of that, the company deceived users with a promotion that claimed to support local restaurants during the heart of the pandemic. But in reality, this program cut into struggling restaurants’ profit margins while padding Grubhub’s bottom line. Consumers don’t mind paying for delivery fees, but Grubhub needs to be honest about those fees in the first place. With this lawsuit, we are seeking to force Grubhub to end its unlawful practices and be transparent so DC residents can make informed decisions about where to order food and how to support local businesses.”

According to the complaint, Grubhub’s marketing promotions made it seem like consumers were helping their local restaurants, however, restaurants were required to pay for certain discounts consumers were receiving.

The Hill reports one of those discounts was the app’s “Supper for Support” promotion. Customers who placed orders between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. each day would receive $10 off of orders equaling $30 or more in the promotion. But “contrary to its advertisements, this promotion did not support restaurants—as the restaurants, not Grubhub, were required to foot the full cost of the $10 off promotion,” the complaint states.

Racine also alleges Grubhub created “microsites” made to look like a restaurant’s official website without disclosing that the sites are made and run by Grubhub. When customers tried to order through the microsites, they were transferred directly to the app.

A spokesperson for the food delivery app denied the allegations saying the company has “sought to engage “in a constructive dialogue” with Racine and his office to” help them understand our business and to see if there were any areas for improvement.”

Racine has filed several suits against delivery apps. In August 2020, Racine sued Instacart, alleging it charged D.C. residents millions in deceptive fees while avoiding local sales tax. In Nov. 2020, Washington D.C. settled a lawsuit with DoorDash for $2.5 million due to allegations it misled customers with its tipping system.

• Amazon Small Business Superheroes

by Atiya Jordan

March 22, 2022

Keke Palmer Teams Up With Amazon To Bring Black Women-Owned Small Businesses To The Forefront

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Award-winning actress and singer Keke Palmer is not only an entrepreneur, but she is also a champion for women in entrepreneurship who look like her. Throughout Women’s History Month, she is celebrating Black small business owners and connecting customers to do the same in a new collaboration with Amazon.

As previously reported by BLACK ENTERPRISE, the Scream Queens star landed an exclusive media partnership with the e-commerce giant in April 2021 after releasing sketch comedy videos on Instagram. Now her influence is the gift that keeps on giving, as she sets out on a new venture to highlight the necessity of supporting Black women in business.

Amazon is working with influential voices like Palmer to introduce customers to a range of women-owned small businesses they can discover and support on Amazon.com. As per Essence, after much research, Palmer selected the following brands and people: Culture Tags, Obia Naturals, EPIC Everyday, Orijin Bees, Darlyng and Co., LIVE BY BEING, author Crystal Swain-Bates, Kanda Chocolates, and Bossy Cosmetics.

In 2018, Palmer started her own record label Big Boss Entertainment and is expected to release her upcoming album, Big Boss. It’s safe to say that this boss’s energy ignited within her a passion for inspiring others.

“My work to uplift other women who look like me is something I’m committed to every single day,” said Palmer, according to a press release. “As I evolve as a businesswoman and leader, I am inspired by the opportunity to connect with the women growing small businesses in Amazon’s store, and their work to represent themselves and their communities through their amazing ideas.”

Additionally, the collaboration continues with the launch of the “Women-Owned Small Businesses | Amazon Conversation Series,” a video conversation series between Palmer and other women entrepreneurs. On March 8, Palmer sat down with Eunique Jones Gibson, the founder and CEO of #CultureTags, and Obia Ewah, the founder and CEO of OBIA Naturals.

During the conversation, dubbed ‘Redefining who gets to be a business success story,’ the women shared their experiences as self-made Black women and entrepreneurs and how they are all advocating for more diverse leadership in business.

“It’s time to put the spotlight back on Black businesses to remind people that we gotta support each other,” Palmer told Essence. Also, to understand that when you are buying Black, you’re sometimes buying into a newer business. So they need proper support, encouragement, and tools to be able to even get to some of the places as these other corporations. It’s just the only way that we continue to create not only generational wealth for our community.”

To me, it just makes sense — it’s to counteract all of the systemic injustices. We have to go that much harder to push black businesses to the forefront.

• News

by Atiya Jordan

March 22, 2022

Gospel Icon LaShun Pace of The Anointed Pace Sisters Dies At 60 of Organ Failure

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LaShun Pace, the incredible gospel singer-writer and Stellar Award winner, reportedly died of organ failure at 60.

As reported by Alive 11, Pace’s sister, Lydia Pace, confirmed that she had been undergoing dialysis for the past five years, awaiting a kidney transplant until she succumbed to the disfunction of her organ.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by LaShun Pace (@officiallashun)

The legendary gospel talent was born Tarrian LaShun Pace on Sept. 7, 1961, in Atlanta’s Poole Creek community. She and her siblings Duranice, Leslie, Phyllis, June, Melonda, Dejuaii, Latrice, and Lydia formed the gospel vocal group The Anointed Pace Sisters in the 1970s. The Stellar- and Grammy-nominated group began singing in church, in local talent shows, and in Church of God in Christ (COGIC) national conventions, where in the 1970s, they won Best Gospel Group.

While earning national recognition, LaShun was revered as the signature voice of the sisters and embarked on her solo career. In 1988, she recorded the ‘In the House of the Lord’ track for Savoy Records with Dr. Jonathan Greer and the Cathedral of Faith Church of God in Christ Choirs. Soon after, she was signed as a solo artist for the label.

Pace is well-known for her debut album, He Lives, which reached No. 2 on the Billboard gospel charts and featured one of her most popular songs, ‘I Know I’ve Been Changed.’ Her 1996 hit ‘Act Like You Know’ became a TikTok viral sensation last month. Most creators joined the trend to entertain viewers on real-world scenarios.

The 2007 inductee of the Christian Hall of Fame is also best known for EWR’s Right to Fight: Pride War (2004), an album compilation Look Up Sing Out (2005), and video song ‘Bakermat ft. LaShun Pace: Ain’t Nobody’ (2021). In 2003, Pace published her autobiography, For My Good But For His Glory, in which she discussed the death of her first daughter, Xenia, who died of a heart attack.

LaShun is survived by seven of the nine Pace sisters and an adult daughter. Since the announcement of her death, the late songstress received many tributes online.

We have lost one of the baddest sopranos to ever walk this earth. LaShun Pace one of the lead singers of The Pace Sisters has passed. The Pace Sisters recently loss their sister songbird Duranice Pace and Mom Pastor Betty Pace. Pray for them and all of us who will mourn this loss pic.twitter.com/p7WjSBaV5t

— LarryReidLive (@LarryReidLive) March 21, 2022

Rest In Peace to one the greatest gospel singers of all time COGIC’s finest, Atlanta’s own LaShun Pace ♥️🕊 pic.twitter.com/br9DBjwlaT

— Milik Rodman (@MilikKashad) March 21, 2022

– TRAILBLAZER. RIP LASHUN PACE. pic.twitter.com/UybijJlyOd

— Rob Milton (@therobmilton) March 21, 2022

ms. LaShun Pace left no crumbs!!! she demolished the sing and don’t get me started on the part where she take her shoes off LORDT pic.twitter.com/kjsIKkV2dG

— makaylahᴹ♚ᴶ (@JANETSWlFE) January 18, 2022

Tyler Perry even took to Facebook to share a heartwarming story about when he gifted LaShun’s mother a home.

• Women of Power Summit

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

March 22, 2022

Legendary Recording Artist Dionne Warwick, Act-One Group CEO Janice Bryant Howroyd, Among 2022 Black Enterprise Women of Power Honorees

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BLACK ENTERPRISE, the nation’s No. 1 Black digital media brand, will present its highest honor in recognition of the achievements of Black women when it presents the Women of Power Legacy Awards at the 2020 Women of Power Summit on Mar. 24, 2022, in Las Vegas, Nev.

The Women of Power Summit is the nation’s No. 1 executive development and leadership conference for women of color, annually attracting more than 1,500 corporate executives, professionals, and businesswomen from around the country. The Women of Power Summit, hosted by ADP, will take place Mar. 24–26, 2022, at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, Nev.

The Women of Power Legacy Awards recognize women’s outstanding impact, achievement, and leadership in business, the arts, education, government, and other influential areas, according to a press release. Past Legacy Award recipients include the late award-winning film and stage actress Ruby Dee; founder and chairman of Urban One, Cathy Hughes; Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Alice Walker; iconic singer-songwriter Chaka Khan; and trailblazing executive Cynthia Marshall, CEO of the Dallas Mavericks.

Honorees to be recognized at the 2022 Women of Power Summit Legacy Awards Gala include the following outstanding achievers:

Yolanda Yvette Adams is a world-renowned singer, record producer, actress, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and radio host of her own nationally syndicated morning gospel show. The exceptionally educated and talented Adams has triumphantly carried the torch for contemporary gospel and inspirational music via 15 glorious albums and has one of the most powerful voices in any genre of music.

A’Lelia Bundles is a journalist, author, and founder of the Madam Walker Family Archives. Bundles is the author of “On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker” – a New York Times Notable Book about her entrepreneurial great-great-grandmother – that was the inspiration for “Self Made,” a fictional four-part Netflix series starring Octavia Spencer.

Sherrilyn Ifill is the president and director-counsel emeritus of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund Inc. (LDF), the nation’s premier civil rights law organization fighting for racial justice and equality. For over 20 years, Ifill taught civil procedure and constitutional law to thousands of law students and pioneered a series of law clinics, including one of the earliest law clinics in the country, focused on challenging legal barriers to the reentry of ex-offenders. Her 2007 book, “On the Courthouse Lawn: Confronting the Legacy of Lynching in the 21st Century,” is credited with laying the foundation for contemporary conversations about lynching and reconciliation.

Dionne Warwick is one of the most extraordinary examples of staying power the music industry has ever known. The five-time Grammy Award-winning music legend continues to regale audiences internationally. From the early 1960s on, her iconic sound set the bar in American pop music by earning more than 60 charted hit songs and selling over 100 million records. She has done more than entertain the world; as a humanitarian, she has advocated for global well-being through such efforts as AIDS awareness, The Starlight Foundation, children’s hospitals, and music education.

Janice Bryant Howroyd, this year’s Barbara Graves Award honoree, affectionately known as JBH – is an entrepreneur, educator, author, mentor, Presidential special appointee, Founder, and chief executive officer of the ActOne Group. As the leader of a multibillion-dollar, award-winning, international workforce management and technology enterprise, JBH is passionate about what we can accomplish when we invest in women and women-owned businesses. Through it all, she has never wavered from her professional mantra: “Never compromise who you are personally to become who you wish to be professionally.”

In addition, this year’s edition of the Women of Power Summit introduces a new recognition of exceptional achievement and impact: The Luminary Awards, honoring women who are still on their professional path, shining their inner light, and lighting the way for other women.

Luminary Award honorees to be recognized at the 2022 Women of Power Summit Legacy Awards Gala:

Tamika Mallory is a groundbreaking, award-winning social justice leader and movement strategist. Mallory has risen to become the most sought-after, influential activist of her generation. Her committed work, advocacy, frontline bravery, and heroic servitude fuel a solitary act into a global movement, inspiring millions worldwide to get involved in the fight for racial and social equality.

Ukonwa Ojo is global chief marketing officer at Prime Video and Amazon Studios, leading global brand and originals marketing. Since joining Amazon, Ojo has led unprecedented global marketing campaigns for Prime Video’s biggest movies and series, including “Coming 2 America,” “The Tender Bar,” “The Boys,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse,” and “The Tomorrow War.”

The Women of Power Summit will host more than 1,500 women attendees who will engage in three immersive days of executive development sessions and activities designed to encourage leadership, career strategies, peak-performance, and work-life balance techniques. Topics will include “Managing Remote Teams Like A BOSS,” “The Seat of Power: Getting On Corporate Boards,” “Closing The Pay Gap: How To Get Paid What You’re Worth,” and executive coaching sessions.

Confirmed speakers include Ebony & Jet CEO Michele Ghee; Peggy Alford, EVP-Global Sales, PayPal; Sharon Hall, VP-Global Executive Recruiting, Walmart; Alicia Boler Davis, SVP of Global Customer Fulfillment at Amazon; best-selling author Minda Harts; attorney and commentator Areva Martin; Simmons University President Dr. Lynn Perry Wooten, and many more!

The host sponsor of the 2022 Women of Power Summit is ADP. Presenting sponsors include Amazon, Equitable, Fidelity Investments, Gilead, Goldman Sachs, Toyota, and Walmart. Platinum sponsors include FINRA, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Manulife John Hancock, McDonald’s, Morgan Stanley, Southwest Airlines, and Travelers. Corporate partners include AARP, AT&T, Bank of America, IBM, FedEx, MGM Resorts International, PayPal, Twitter, UKG, and UnitedHealth Group.

For more information on the 2022 Women of Power Summit’s agenda and its speakers, go to www.blackenterprise.com/wps.

• Business

by Derek Major

March 22, 2022

Black and Hispanic Cannabis Entrepreneurs In Oakland Are Facing A Harsh Reality After Years Of Promises

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After California legalized cannabis for recreational use in 2016, Oakland was one of the first cities to grant equity licenses to Black entrepreneurs.

However, a deeper look into the city’s cannabis industry by The New York Times shows the hope of righting historical wrongs is being challenged by troubled business conditions, high taxes, and high-scale robberies.

Alphonso Blunt, a Black man arrested in 2005 for possession, was among the first Black entrepreneurs to be granted an equity license in the state to run a cannabis store, Blunts and Moore.

However, in May 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Blunts and Moore was ransacked by thieves with automatic weapons resulting in a $1 million loss, and much of it wasn’t covered by insurance. The cannabis shop was robbed again in November.

If you visit the store today, you’ll be greeted by three security guards dressed in military fatigues, screening customers as they pass through a metal detector. One of the guards, who served in the military, sports a camouflage vest, mirrored sunglasses, a 9-millimeter pistol, and 50 rounds of ammunition. Many may see this as excessive, but Blunt told the Times, it’s necessary.

“It’s crazy to think we need all this war stuff to protect our business,” Blunt said. “But that’s where we are today.”

When states began legalizing cannabis, like California, many wanted to start equity programs to atone for the heavy-handed arrests and sentences given out to Black and Hispanic men and women in the late 1980s and most of the 1990s. Additionally, states wanted Black and Hispanic people to profit from the legalized industry, which has primarily benefitted white men and women.

One of the most significant issues for cannabis companies is although it’s legal in California and 17 other states, it’s still an illegal drug federally. That has led to a host of issues, including the fact that cannabis businesses can’t use a bank to deal with their finances, forcing them to pay employees, bills, and taxes in all cash, which make them easy targets for thieves.

Federal prohibition also means social equity applicants who need small business loans or bank financing have to go to investors who may want an ownership stake in return. Cannabis store owners also told the Times that local law enforcement has ignored them or taken hours to show up when they’ve reported robberies and other crimes.

John Hudak, deputy director of the Center for Effective Public Management at the Brookings Institution, told the Times that cities and states need to handle structural racism at other levels, including banking and insurance, in addition to giving Black and Brown cannabis businesses a fighting chance

“You are giving licenses to people who would struggle in any industry, but in cannabis, the deck is further stacked against them,” Hudak said. “States need to do a better job adjusting for the structural racism built into the system.”.