• Diversity, Equality, Inclusion

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

March 21, 2022

JPMorgan Chase Commits $5 Million to Black and Latina Street Vendors

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JPMorgan Chase announced a three-year, $5 million commitment to support the Open Air Economy Collaborative, a partnership of local community organizations including Inclusive Action for the City (IAC), California Reinvestment Coalition (CRC), Public Counsel and East LA Community Corporation (ELACC). The commitment will help local Black and Latina street vendors strengthen their businesses, which provide economic opportunities for low-income and immigrant workers, and play an important role to promote food access across Los Angeles County.

The Open Air Economy Collaborative will provide 500 street vendors and other micro-entrepreneurs with one-on-one coaching and over 200 vendors with low-interest loans, according to a press release. The community organizations will also help the small business owners address barriers frequently encountered when navigating the permit approval process, overcoming financial obstacles and accessing support services.

“Street vendors are an essential part of Los Angeles’ economy and street vending offers a vital pathway for Latina and Black women entrepreneurs to establish successful businesses for their families and communities,” said Diedra Porché, divisional director, California, Business Banking, Chase.

“Even with recent changes to local laws, vendors continue to face barriers that prevent them from formally participating in LA’s local economy. Supporting the Open Air Economy Collaborative will help underserved communities gain access to economic opportunities.”

According to a report produced by the UCLA School of Law Community Economic Development Clinic and Public Counsel in August 2021, of an estimated 10,000 sidewalk food vendors working in the City of Los Angeles, only 165 had received permits. Thousands more vendors sell merchandise and other goods in the open air economy. Vendors face a variety of challenges throughout the process of seeking a permit, hindering the majority from formalizing their businesses and accessing critical business development opportunities and services. For example, instruction materials are not translated into commonly spoken languages, commissary space is severely limited and equipment barriers and unreasonable regulations prevent the construction of affordable vending carts.

To achieve the goals of the three-year commitment, the Open Air Economy Collaborative will:

– Increase access to capital through micro-loan programs to help entrepreneurs buy equipment, obtain permits and grow or launch their business.

– Provide business coaching and legal assistance to help vendors navigate operating in the open air economy.

– Guide street vendors and micro-entrepreneurs through financial literacy and related economic education programs.

“We’re emerging from a global pandemic that has disproportionately impacted Black and Latina street vendors and micro-entrepreneurs. For far too long, these entrepreneurs and community leaders have worked on the margins of our economy simply due to the nature of how they earn their livelihood in the ‘open air economy,’” said Rudy Espinoza, executive director of IAC.

This three-year philanthropic investment in Los Angeles is part of JPMorgan Chase’s $30 billion, five-year commitment to advance racial equity.

“We’re proud to partner to help dismantle barriers to access and ensure that Black and Latina micro-entrepreneurs have the financial and educational resources needed to thrive,” said Paulina Gonzalez-Brito, executive director of the California Reinvestment Coalition.

The commitment comes from JPMorgan Chase’s AdvancingCities initiative, the firm’s $500 million commitment launched in 2018 that invests in solutions to drive equitable solutions through community-based strategies.

“Cultural entrepreneurs like street vendors and mariachis are a key part of Los Angeles culture, our collective identity and contribute significantly to the social and economic fabric of our city,” said Monica Mejia, president and CEO of ELACC.

Black Women in Clinical Research and its affiliate organizations, Black Men in Clinical Research and Minorities in Clinical Research, are becoming a growing force for outreach, mentorship, and diversity across the country. Started in 2019 by Danielle Mitchell after she identified a dire need for more black and brown representation in all areas of clinical research, the organization’s mission is to educate, empower, support and help black women, men and minorities thrive in the industry.

Mitchell earned a Bachelor of Science with a focus in Biology/Biological Sciences from Clark Atlanta University. She has 15 years of experience in science and five years of clinical research experience, according to a press release.

There are 8,000 members in all areas of the organizations and 6,200 in Black Women in Clinical Research.

This year, a mentorship program will add additional support and guidance as professionals look to make needed changes to a critical field. Members have access to senior-level advice for interviewing, resume reviews, resume composition, cover letters, career guidance, biographies and LinkedIn profiles. At least 200 members have received a $20,000 increase or more after utilizing the organization’s resources and packages. Through a unique partnership with the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP), all members receive premium networking and business relationship opportunities with hiring managers, HR representatives and industry experts. Another pivotal affiliation between the founder and the White House has ensured Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) students get key information for their next steps in clinical research.

Black Women in Clinical Research, Black Men in Clinical Research and Minorities in Clinical Research will remain committed to excellence and creating pathways to support some of the best and brightest professionals. In under three years, established leaders and those looking to start in the industry have been able to get information once unheard of that has reshaped the trajectory of their careers and helped them reach back and show someone else how to thrive in clinical research fully.

• Diversity, Equality, Inclusion

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

March 21, 2022

Black Athlete, Mom of 2, Whose Leg Was Amputated After a Cancer Diagnosis is Now Empowering People With Disabilities

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After losing her mother and her closest cousin to cancer, then being told she too had cancer and would need her leg amputated, Erin Brown went from worrier to warrior. As an athlete and a mother of two, she is also now the founder of Erin Brown Connects, an internationally recognized firm that fights for disability equity and inclusion, and she’s an ambassador who has presented to the UN, WHO and PAHO roles as International Disability Inclusion Consultant for the Caribbean.

Additionally, she has created a movement to empower people facing cancer and living with disabilities, from paralympic development to disability rights.

In 2021, Brown’s tremendous contributions led to her being a face of Royal Caribbean Cruise International (RCCI), a historical moment as she is the first Bahamian, paratriathlete and Black woman with a disability named Godmother of Odyssey of the Seas.

Years ago, Brown fell while she was a student at university in the USA, and a doctor examining noticed a mass that would later be diagnosed as bone cancer, osteosarcoma. She later experienced disrespect as an above-the-knee amputee, especially in her native Bahamas which did not have the support for the disabled compared to other places. A passionate ally for the underdog and community activist, she transitioned from self-advocacy pledging to use her voice to amplify the disabled voices of those with disabilities to help them advocate for access, inclusion, and opportunities. This included calling out jobs that were prejudiced against hiring qualified people based on disability, creating more parking spaces and being represented in forums where disabled voices were not represented on a global level.

In order to do more, Brown began training to get her strength, and eventually, her athletic prowess led her to become the first disabled paratriathlete from The Bahamas to compete internationally. Usually the only amputee in many of the events, fellow competitors began calling her Bionic Brown.

Now at 41 and with the trust of those she represented, she created Erin Brown Connects Disability Advocacy and Inclusion Management, a multidimensional entity she raises funds for so that she can continue to assist the disabled with basic necessities, job training and more.

Among her international accolades, Brown has worked along with the World Health Organization, Pan American Health Organization, spoken before the United Nations and was recently declared RCCI Godmother to Odyssey of The Seas by Royal Caribbean. It was a national celebration as even the Bahamas Prime Minister led congratulatory remarks.

“My experiences have empowered me to reinvent myself and transform my life, and I’m committed to helping ensure others can do the same,” said Brown.

“Every time someone walks on that ship and sees my photo, hears my story, or meets me in person, they see a cancer fighter, a Black woman, a woman, a single parent, an athlete, an advocate, an ambassador… I saw a need to create a solution and after being ignored for years, to be recognized by such entities, by national leaders, by international organizations and more is truly a testament that people will eventually listen if you continue the fight. It’s not about being known in women’s month, cancer awareness month or disability awareness week because this is my daily life. I do it for those who need to be seen and heard and who don’t have the strength to fight. We matter.”

Now, Brown is writing a children’s book to help others, especially families with young children, find strength when a parent is battling cancer. From age 12, she watched her own mother eventually lose her battle with cancer and feared her children would lose her too. That gave her the strength to fight and write. She admits to being inspired by her son who is now in college and her daughter who recently entered elementary school. She noted that as a divorced mom, she wants to encourage single and divorced parents with disabilities that they are valuable.

This article first appeared on Blacknews.com.

• News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 21, 2022

Defamation Lawsuit Filed Against Jussie Smollett Attorney Can Move Forward

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It’s not over yet. An attorney for Jussie Smollett now faces her own legal battle.

According to ABC News, U.S. District Judge Mary Rowland has ruled a lawsuit filed against a Smollett attorney, Tina Glandian can proceed. The suit claims Glandian may have defamed the two brothers, Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo, who were accused of being involved in the attack staged by Smollett.

On Today in 2019, right after Cook County State’s Attorney initially dropped charges against Smollett, Glandin made comments suggesting the Osundairo brothers had been wearing “whiteface.”

The Osundairos filed a defamation lawsuit, stating that the comments she made on the program were part of an effort to characterize them as racist, homophobic, and violent men who truly attacked Smollett.

Glandian stated the dark-skinned brothers may have possibly “put makeup on” to disguise their skin color. She then criticized Chicago police officers for their failure to research a video posted online that showed one of the brothers “in whiteface doing a joke monologue with white makeup on.”

In Rowland’s ruling, made public last Friday, the judge suggested Glandian’s comments could be viewed as defamatory.  An apparent attempt to “dispel the inconsistency in Smollett’s story (the attackers had light skin) and bolster her contention that the plaintiffs (who are not light-skinned) were Smollett’s attackers.”

“Taken in context, Glandian was asserting plaintiffs’ involvement in a racially motivated attack,” Rowland wrote. “Explaining that the attackers were white, read in context, adds the implication that the attack was a hate crime.”

Other counts in the lawsuit against Glandian’s law firm, Geragos & Geragos, were dismissed by Rowland.

Glandian filed a malicious prosecution lawsuit against the Osundairo brothers late last week arguing the lawsuit they filed against her was a “publicity stunt” designed to keep them “relevant.”

According to NBC News, a court granted a motion last Wednesday that allowed Smollett to be released from jail pending an appeal. The motion requested that the sentence be stayed or placed on hold.

Smollett is appealing a recent sentence of 150 days in jail after being convicted of falsely reporting to police that he was the victim of a racist and homophobic attack in 2019.

• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 21, 2022

Trevor Noah Wants Grammys to ‘Counsel’ Kanye West Not ‘Cancel’ Him

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Despite Kanye West referring to Trevor Noah as a “koon,” the Daily Show host is against the rap/fashion mogul’s ban from this year’s Grammy Awards.

After sending a series of alarming posts aimed at Noah and other comedians, Kanye was slapped with a 24-hour ban on Instagram before being pulled from the 2022 Grammys. But Noah doesn’t think the bans are necessary.

“I said counsel Kanye not cancel Kanye,” Noah tweeted Sunday morning.

I said counsel Kanye not cancel Kanye.

— Trevor Noah (@Trevornoah) March 20, 2022

Noah became one of Kanye’s targets after the late-night talk show host took to his show to defend Kim Kardashian and ask the public to “pay attention” to the rapper’s “harassing” behavior.

“There’s an element of a woman saying to her ex, ‘Hey, please leave me alone.’ “Noah said on the March 15 episode of his show.

“It touches on something that is more sensitive and more serious than people would like to admit,” he continued.

“I see a woman who wants to live her life without being harassed by an ex-boyfriend or an ex-husband or an ex-anything.”

“You may not feel sorry for Kim because she’s rich and famous,” he shared, “but what she’s going through is terrifying to watch. And it shines a spotlight on what so many women go through when they choose to leave [toxic relationships].”

The Comedy Central host even recalled his experience with domestic violence that resulted in his mother being shot by his stepfather. Once Kanye caught wind of Noah’s comments, the Yeezy founder sent out a screenshot of Noah’s Google results and called him a “koon” in the caption, TMZ reported.

The racist post was among a series Kanye sent out aimed at Kim’s boyfriend, Pete Davidson, and comedian DL Hughley, who also spoke out against the rapper’s alarming behavior. After Kanye’s latest Instagram tirade, reps confirmed to Variety that he was pulled from the Grammys for his “concerning online behavior.”

• News

by Atiya Jordan

March 21, 2022

People’s Convoy Declares A Goal To Tar and Feather Black Lives Matter Plaza

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An unidentified member of the “People’s Convoy,” a mobile protest against vaccine mandates inspired by Canada’s Freedom Convoy, announced that he and the truckers’ movement will tar and feather the Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, D.C.

At the end of February, a group of American truckers set off on an 11-day convoy from California to the nation’s capital to hold a protest demanding that all COVID 19-related mandates are lifted across the country. But their demands grow beyond the pandemic, as they urge “Freedom Convoy 2022.”

In a video captured by The Daily Beast, a new goal was declared when the “People’s Convoy’s” group organizer Mike Landis passed the microphone to a speaker during one of its daily morning meetings. The speaker, who is unidentified, tells a crowd to “take back” the mural featuring the words “Black Lives Matter,” located along a two-block area of 16th Street NW in Downtown DC.

“What’s going to happen up here in D.C., Black Lives Matter Street, we’re going to take it back. All that paint’s coming off that street,” the speaker said. “Before I get put in my grave, it’s going to get tar and feathered.”

The yellow 50-foot-tall slogan was unveiled as an outcry against police brutality and in honor of the protests following the police killing of George Floyd. The pedestrian-only section of 16th Street NW, located just outside of the White House, was officially renamed by Mayor Muriel Bowser as “Black Lives Matter Plaza NW.”

In early March, members of the “People’s Convoy” made their way around the I-495 Beltway after D.C. police were prompted to close exits leading into the nation’s capital. The group were reportedly causing heavy delays as they attempted to carry out their plans to shut down all but one lane within the Beltway, according to DCist/WAMU 88.5.

DC Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA) and Metro Police submitted a joint statement to The Daily Beast. In part, it reads, “As part of our layered mitigation strategy and enhanced preparedness posture, MPD has all the resources and necessary support they need to monitor and respond to any instances of illegal activity or harmful disruption.”

• Diversity, Equality, Inclusion

by Derek Major

March 21, 2022

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas Hospitialized With Infection, Flu-Like Symptoms

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U.S. Supreme Court said in a statement Sunday Justice Clarence Thomas had been hospitalized with flu-like symptoms.

According to NBC News, Thomas, 73, was admitted to the Sibley Memorial Hospital, part of the Johns Hopkins Medical System, Friday. Tests conducted on Thomas indicated an infection and the High Court justice was placed on intravenous antibiotics.

According to NPR, Thomas could be released within the next few days. Thomas will continue to participate in cases that he may miss through briefs, transcripts, and oral arguments, some of which will be conducted virtually.

In recent weeks, the justice and his wife, Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, have made headlines. Thomas recently blasted the idea of adding seats to the Supreme Court.

“You can cavalierly talk about packing or stacking the court. You can cavalierly talk about doing this or doing that. At some point the institution is going to be compromised,” Thomas recently said at an event hosted by Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch’s foundation.

Meanwhile, Thomas’ wife Ginni has been tied to the Jan. 6 Capital Riot organizers, which she attended and tweeted in support of during the incident.

The Supreme Court Justice’s illness comes as the Senate begins confirmation hearings for President Joe Biden’s nominee for the court, Ketanji Brown Jackson. Republicans have been trying desperately to find an angle to attack Jackson’s nomination plan to label her as soft on crime.

Mitch McConnell criticized the praise Jackson received for how her experience as a public defender will give her empathy as a judge.

“Even amidst the national crime wave, a disproportionate share of the new judges President (Joe) Biden has nominated share this professional background that liberals say gives special empathy for criminal defendants,” the Kentucky Republican said, adding that Biden “is deliberately working to make the whole federal judiciary soft on crime.”

Jackson has been endorsed by several groups including the U.S. Black Chambers and more than 100 Black law school deans and professors.

In a recent appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Angela Bassett makes a bold statement about the upcoming Black Panther sequel. According to The Hollywood Reporter, she teases fans worldwide that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will surpass its groundbreaking predecessor.

Without revealing too much, Bassett, who will be reprising her role of Ramonda, mother to T’Challa and Shuri, and the Queen Mother of Wakanda, described the upcoming film as “amazing.” She also praised the vision and leadership of the film’s writer and director, Ryan Coogler, saying that he was the “perfect leader” for the sequel.

“[Black Panther: Wakanda Forever] is going to be amazing, she told DeGeneres and millions of fans. It’s going to top [the first] one. Can I say that?”

DeGeneres, along with many others, expressed sentiments about how hard it must be to continue the telling of Black Panther’s story without Chadwick Boseman, whose portrayal of T’Challa was credited for much of the original film’s accolades. The late actor played Black icons Jackie Robinson and James Brown with intense passion before finding fame as the regal Black Panther in the Marvel cinematic universe. In 2020, he reportedly died at the age of 43 after a long and silent battle with colon cancer.

“He was such an example, such a leader, an amazing talent — we all know that,” Bassett said, recalling Boseman’s stature. “Big heart, great intellect, and we just hope to raise his standard.”

Marvel producer Kevin Feige confirmed that the role of T’Challa would not be recast or digitally recreated for the film but will focus on the rest of the characters. Most of the original cast will be reappearing in the sequel, including Letitia Wright, who recently returned to filming after an injury. After Boseman’s death, Wright’s character Shuri will take on a larger role in the film and is expected to act as Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s central protagonist.

Both critically and commercially, Black Panther was well-regarded as the landmark moment for Black representation onscreen and had been nominated in the highly competitive Best Picture category at the Academy Awards.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is set to be released in November 2022, with anticipation of reaching the same level of success as the legendary original film.

• News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 21, 2022

45-Year-Old Man Wrongfully Convicted of Double Homicide Sues Kansas City for $93 Million

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A man who was convicted and spent 23 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, is suing Kansas City, Kansas, for $93 million.

According to KCUR, a Kansas man, Lamonte McIntyre who served 23 years in prison for a double murder, has filed a lawsuit against Kansas City and is seeking $93 million in damages. In the suit, he alleges that a former detective framed him for the crime.

The 45-year-old and his mother allege in a lawsuit filed in 2018 that the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, is accountable for the actions of former Kansas City police detective Roger Golubski and other police officers involved in the prosecution of McIntyre. In the papers, they claim that McIntyre was framed for a double homicide in 1994.

A trial start date has been set for Nov. 7 by a federal judge last Thursday for the civil case. The Unified Government wants the upcoming trial to be heard in Wichita instead of Kansas City due to the amount of media attention the case has attracted in the Kansas City area.

Based on the pretrial order, Golubski, who the McIntyres allege framed the 45-year-old after he had previously sexually assaulted Rose McIntyre, denies the allegations. He has requested that his “alleged bad character” not be used as evidence in the case. If that evidence is admitted, he intends to testify that he was good at the job he held from 1975 through 2010, when he retired.

“Roger Golubski will contend that he was a good cop and detective, that he cared about the community he served, particularly the African American community, and that he sought to hold dirty cops accountable,” his attorney’s statement reads.

Golubski was the lead detective on April 15, 1994, when the double homicide took place on Hutchings Street in Kansas City. The two victims were Doniel Quinn, 22, and Donald Ewing, 34. McIntyre was arrested six hours after the shootings.

Attorneys for the McIntyres state, The Unified Government is responsible for the pain and suffering they experienced due to Lamonte’s incarceration. They allege Kansas City Kansas Police Department executives knew about Golubski’s actions and did nothing to stop him.

“Defendants’ misconduct in Lamonte McIntyre’s case was the predictable result of the KCKPD’s culture of corruption and the KCKPD’s longstanding failure to supervise, discipline, or conduct adequate investigations, free of constitutional violations,” the lawyers state.

The Unified Government argues that it is not responsible, even if the allegations of misconduct can be proven because the police officers’ actions would have been outside the scope of their employment.

• News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 21, 2022

Baseball Hall of Famer David Ortiz Allegedly Targeted for Death in 2019 Shooting by Dominican Drug Kingpin

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In 2019, former Boston Red Sox baseball legend David Ortiz was shot in a Dominican nightclub. Based on private investigators hired by the home run hitter, a hit was put on him by a Dominican drug trafficker who was jealous of the slugger.

According to ESPN, Ortiz was shot at the nightclub because the drug dealer, César Peralta, felt disrespected by him. That conclusion was disclosed by former Boston police commissioner Edward Davis and reported by The Boston Globe over the weekend. That finding contradicts the theory of the crime developed by Dominican prosecutors.

Davis expressed to The Boston Globe that he identified the drug-trafficker as having planned the shooting by placing a bounty on Ortiz.

That contradicts what Peralta’s attorney, Joaquin Perez, has stated because he says that he had nothing to do with the attempt on Ortiz’s life.

“As bad as César Peralta is, it’s not even close to being in the ballpark to say he had something to do with this,” Perez said.

Peralta is currently in Puerto Rico, being held without bail on conspiracy charges to import cocaine and heroin. Peralta has not been charged in connection to the Ortiz shooting.

Perez conveyed Ortiz and Peralta as “close friends.” But Ortiz told The Boston Globe he only knew Peralta casually. Ortiz also added that he was “sad, confused, angry, all kinds of emotions” when he got the news about the investigation results from Davis and Ric Prado, a former high-ranking CIA official.

A representative for Ortiz, Joe Baerlein, said that Davis’ discoveries were withheld for the safety of the Hall of Fame baseball player until Peralta was in U.S. custody.

Dominican authorities claim that the target in the shooting incident was meant to be Sixto David Fernandez, who happened to be sharing a table with Ortiz at the time he was shot. They have said the shooters confused Fernandez with Ortiz, one of the most popular Dominican ballplayers ever.

There have been 13 people charged in connection to the shooting of Ortiz, and they are awaiting trial in the Dominican Republic.