Arizona Police Officer Who Held Black Hotel Employee at Gunpoint While Looking for White Suspect Gives Up Peace Officer Certification
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 18, 2022

Arizona Police Officer Who Held Black Hotel Employee at Gunpoint While Looking for White Suspect Gives Up Peace Officer Certification

Nearly two years ago, an Arizona police officer held a Black hotel worker at gunpoint when he arrived at the business establishment looking for an armed white man. He has now relinquished his Arizona peace officer certification following that incident.

According to Fox 10 Phoenix, former police officer Ronald A. Kerzaya has given up his Arizona peace officer certification without admitting any misconduct or failure to meet minimum qualifications.

Based on documents Fox 10 Phoenix obtained from the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board, the decision made by Kerzaya will be entered into the National Decertification Index. The database is maintained by the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training. The decision will be inputted as a voluntary relinquishment.

Kerzaya will no longer be able to become a peace officer in Arizona.

The former police officer signed the document on Feb. 11, 2022, and his attorney  Dale Norris did so on Feb. 20, 2022. The decision was accepted at an Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board meeting on March 16, 2022.

Last year, Kerzaya was reassigned due to the incident that took place. He stopped and held a gun pointed at the Black hotel worker wearing a light gray shirt and black pants, telling him he matched the description of a reported gunman. But, the reported suspect was described as white, with a black shirt and tan pants.

Based on a news release from the Tempe Police Department, Officer Kerzaya had gone to the Hawthorn Suites hotel near Loop 101 and Southern Avenue on Aug. 29 on a call reporting a man there with a gun. The hotel manager told Kerzaya the suspect was a white man wearing a black T-shirt and tan pants. The manager stated that the suspect had left out of the west side of the building.

As Kerzaya went to the west side of the building, he encountered a Black employee wearing a light gray shirt and black pants as he was exiting the building and the Black man identified himself as an employee. Kerzaya then held the man at gunpoint “until he could confirm that he was an employee of the hotel.”

The body camera footage released by the Tempe Police Department shows Kerzaya holding the man at gunpoint for three minutes while confirming with dispatch that the man was an employee at the hotel. Kerzaya can be heard telling the Black employee, “I am responding to somebody with a firearm who matches your description,” although Kerzaya had just confirmed with the hotel manager two minutes before encountering the Black employee that the suspect with the gun was a white man.

Black Media Mogul Byron Allen Seeks Billions In Fraud Lawsuit Against Nielsen
by Derek Major

March 18, 2022

Black Media Mogul Byron Allen Seeks Billions In Fraud Lawsuit Against Nielsen

Media mogul Byron Allen has filed a lawsuit against Nielsen seeking billions in damages for alleged fraudulent misrepresentation.

According to Deadline, Allen’s suit claims the way Nielsen has measured television viewing was unreliable for Allen’s Entertainment Studios Networks (ESN) due to their limited distribution. Additionally, the suit claims Nielsen knew its system was unreliable but hid the fact to do business with the Allen Media Group, which paid millions in fees.

“This lawsuit is about Nielsen’s outdated, unreliable and broken television ratings service, and the resulting harm suffered by media companies who rely on Nielsen to sell ad time,” the complaint states.

Nielsen has been pushed for years to change its metrics. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed deep issues with Neisen’s systems, including its inability to get its measurement equipment out into the field. Late last year, the Media Ratings Council (MRC) suspended Nielsen’s accreditation for national ratings.

In response, Nielsen has promised to begin rolling out an enhanced set of measurement tools by the end of 2022. Allen’s networks, Comedy.TV, Recipe.TV and MyDestination.TV weren’t rated by Nielsen for years and to get rated, they were forced to pay millions. After agreeing to pay the fees in 2017, Allen’s networks, Allen said the data was far from what was expected and promised by Nielsen .

Allen’s suit, filed in the circuit court of Illinois, seeks a jury trial and is asking for a “reformation of contract” meaning a cheaper price for Nielsen ‘s services, which does not have the same standing from the MRC.

Nielsen began providing ESN with ratings reports in 2017, however, “Nielsen did not capture these viewers for much of the reporting period and for many of the primetime slots. Because advertisers condition payments for commercials on the number of viewers who watch commercials, Nielsen’s failure to capture viewership on the ESN Networks damaged Entertainment Studios,” the suit states.

“When Entertainment Studios complained to Nielsen about its failures, Nielsen dissembled, defending its panel model and boasting that it is the “gold standard” in the industry. Nielsen did not disclose what it already knew—that its rating services were fundamentally unreliable.”

Allen has sued several other well-known companies including General Motors and Mcdonald’s and Comcast Cable for their lack of advertising with Black businesses and racial discrimination.

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

March 18, 2022

Gospel Star Tasha Cobbs Leonard Becomes First Female Recipient of The Athlete’s Foot StAART Program

The specialty footwear and lifestyle chain, The Athlete’s Foot (TAF) announced GRAMMY-winning gospel artist turned entrepreneur, Tasha Cobbs Leonard as the first female recipient of TAF USA’s new signature program, StAART which stands for Strategic African American Retail Track. The program was founded by TAF, in the summer of 2020 at the height of the Black Lives Matter Movement to generate awareness and promote change for one of the great disparities in the footwear industry.

“Grateful is the word that comes to mind when I explore my feelings about my new venture with The Athlete’s Foot. I’m grateful that I have an opportunity to be a leader and an example that black and brown girls need in order to believe they can be whatever they want to be,” shares Tasha Cobbs Leonard about her next chapter as a franchise owner, according to a press release.

The multi-award-winning singer currently owns several successful lifestyle brands and with a passion for the fashion and clothing industry, the self-professed “sneakerhead” is now taking on the footwear world. As a new franchise owner of The Athlete’s Foot, Cobbs-Leonard is currently scouting locations for her store which will be located in her hometown of Greenville, S.C. and giving the city its first TAF.

“We sought to bring a powerful black female entrepreneur into The Athlete’s Foot community and I could not think of a better person to fill this spot than Tasha,” said Senior Director of Product and Marketing for TAF, Darius Billings.

“Everyone at The Athlete’s Foot knows firsthand what kind of impact she can provide to our business and especially the StAART program and we are excited for everyone else to witness it.”

StAART’s mission is to increase African American representation and ownership within the sneaker industry, particularly through franchising, while championing Black-owned retail and entrepreneurship within the Black community at large. Through StAART, The Athlete’s Foot directly recruits, develops and mentors Black entrepreneurs through its retail franchise model. The program provides StAART franchisees, including Cobbs-Leonard, with access to resources, systems, relationships with its strategic brand partners and a mentorship network — directly addressing many of the barriers that typically prevent Black entrepreneurs from launching and successfully sustaining their businesses.

TAF USA has curated a StAART advisory council that includes key influencers within the sneaker industry as well as professional and community organizations that can lend additional support in making StAART a success. For example, The Athlete’s Foot has strategic partnerships with several key organizations such as T. Dallas Smith & Company, the largest African American-owned commercial real estate brokerage firm in the country that focuses exclusively on tenant and buyer representation.

US House Passes CROWN Act Banning Hair Discrimination, Bill Headed to Senate
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 18, 2022

US House Passes CROWN Act Banning Hair Discrimination, Bill Headed to Senate

On Friday, the Democratic-led US House of Representatives passed the CROWN Act that bans race-based hair discrimination in the workplace.

The CROWN Coalition

CNN reports that the CROWN Act, an acronym for “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair,” seeks to protect Americans against bias based on hair texture and protective styles. The House voted 235-189 to pass measure H.R. 2116, which will now head to the Senate for consideration.

The House vote comes one week after President Biden said he “looks forward to working with the Congress to enact this legislation and ensure that it is effectively implemented.” Some Republican lawmakers opposed the bill saying there were more important things to worry about, like inflation and the swarming gas prices.

The bill, introduced by Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, states that “routinely, people of African descent are deprived of educational and employment opportunities” for wearing their hair in natural or protective hairstyles like locs, cornrows, twists, braids, Bantu knots, or Afros, NBC News reports.

“This bill is vitally important,” Watson said. “It’s important to the young girls and the young boys who have to cut their hair in the middle of a wrestling match in front of everyone because some white referee says that your hair is inappropriate to engage in your match.”

Before the vote, a few Black legislators shared accounts of being discriminated against because of their hair. Gwen Moore, D-Wisconsin, recalled a previous employer telling her she was “an embarrassment” because of how her hair was styled.

Others called out Republicans who claimed there were already laws banning workplace discrimination.

“Black people are American people, too. And when you say the American people don’t want it, you cannot exclude Black people,” Al Green, D-Texas said.

“Black people would have this be on the floor. This is a kitchen table issue in Black households.”

Two HBCU Grads Celebrate $1.5 Billion Valuation of Their Fintech App After Major Deal With Qolo
by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

March 18, 2022

Two HBCU Grads Celebrate $1.5 Billion Valuation of Their Fintech App After Major Deal With Qolo

CreditRich, the new fintech that allows users to round up their spare change to pay their bills intelligently and optimize their credit scores as fast as possible, today announced a newly executed contract with Qolo, the omnichannel payments platform for fintech.

This partnership will strengthen CreditRich’s self-reinforcing model to increase the number of qualified customers for financial products as well as their spending power. Utilizing Qolo’s full-service payments processing platform, CreditRich users can seamlessly manage their banking, credit reporting, and payments under one umbrella.

After funding their CreditRich account, users can set up automatic payments for online billing, improving their payment history and ultimate creditworthiness. Qolo’s distinctive mix of fintech solutions makes it easier for CreditRich users to transition between financial accounts with speed, ease and security, maximizing their opportunities for growth and return.

By delivering payments quickly, CreditRich is furthering its goal of bringing financial access to the masses with a focus on historically underserved and underrepresented communities.

“With the uncertainty the world is facing, consumers are watching their credit now perhaps more than ever, and CreditRich is dedicated to offering innovative and accessible products that help them both grow and protect that credit,” said CreditRich founder Angel Rich.

“That’s why we’re so excited to partner with the incredible team at Qolo, which simplifies the payments model, keeping everything streamlined and allowing for our company’s continued acceleration. We have made incredible progress in the past year and CreditRich believes that the sum total of that work brings our value today over $1.5 billion.”

”Fintech has reached an inflection point where innovators like CreditRich are harnessing their power to solve systemic issues with the goal of closing the wealth gap,” said Patricia Montesi, CEO and co-founder of Qolo.

“Qolo is proud to be selected as the payment processor for CreditRich and shares their commitment to advance financial literacy.”

According to Forbes, last year CreditRich became the first Black-American company to partner with a credit bureau. Now with more than ten partners under its belt, this deal makes it one of the largest executed by a fintech startup both in the United States and globally.

This article first appeared on Blacknews.com. 

Study Shows Black Workers Twice as Likely To Make Less Than Whites
by Jeffrey McKinney

March 18, 2022

Study Shows Black Workers Twice as Likely To Make Less Than Whites

The pay gap continues to widen for Black Americans, making it an ongoing and disturbing issue.

A new study by Real Estate Witch reveals 26% of Black workers are two times as likely as white workers to report poor salaries. Many shared this same disturbing information with BLACK ENTERPRISE in the Bad Bosses Are Destroying Employee Happiness: 2022 Data Study.

Last month, some 1,000 full-time American employees were surveyed and asked about their biggest workplace frustrations. The study included 127 respondents who self-identified as Black. The data was part of an online survey paid for by Real Estate Witch.

There were many intriguing discoveries. Overall, 56% of workers would take a salary cut if it would guarantee they would be happy at work. This number included 16% who would take less pay of $20,000 or greater. Around 61% cited good leadership as the No. 1 cause for job satisfaction, and 75% of employees were dissatisfied with managers. About 31% said unclear communications; 27% said micromanagement, and another 27% said favoritism of other employees are leading reasons workers are not pleased with managers.

Job discrimination appeared to be a persistent obstacle. Some 46% report discrimination is a workplace problem. Black employees were 19% more likely than white employees to recognize it as an issue. Some 35% of workers pointed to pay gaps, 33% pointed to racism, and 30% pointed to sexism as the most common issues.

Jamie Seale, the study’s author, disclosed that Black Americans experience more microaggressions than their white peers. That may make it more challenging to form workplace friendships, which 130% of Black employees were more than twice as likely to say are absent from their workplace.

Seale added Black workers were 31% more likely to say their workplace doesn’t have many opportunities for career advancement. This statistic is supported by other studies showing Blacks are underrepresented in senior roles.

“As a result, Black employees are 47% more likely to say that important benchmarks for job satisfaction are missing from their workplace, and they are 58% more likely than white workers to report that their workplace doesn’t value diversity, equity, and inclusion,” Seale shared.

 

Howard University Faculty Threatening To Strike Over Working Conditions And Wages
by Derek Major

March 18, 2022

Howard University Faculty Threatening To Strike Over Working Conditions And Wages

Hundreds of faculty members at Howard University are threatening to go on strike next week due to unfair working conditions and low wages.

NPR reports Howard University faculty members, students, and alumni leaders rallied in support of the school’s faculty against low wages for non-tenured full-time teaching faculty and adjunct professors they say needs to change.

Faculty members say if an agreement is not reached by Friday, they plan to go on strike next week.

“The University leadership has made clear that a better teaching environment and better learning environment is unimportant to them,” said Contingent Faculty Leader and Howard alumnus Cyrus Hampton, a full-time professor in the English department. “They have left us no choice but to strike because of their continued bad-faith bargaining.”

Howard University has 150 non-tenured full-time teaching faculty and more than 200 adjunct professors represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). According to the SEIU, Howard faculty members have negotiated with the university for three years.

The university said in a statement that it “remained diligent” in its discussions with union representation and university officials to reach an agreement.

“Our commitment to a peaceful bargaining process has not changed, and we will continue advancing good faith efforts to reach an agreement with the union and address the needs of adjunct and non-tenure-track faculty and the University.”

In the statement, Howard University listed non-union faculty pay raises for more than 600 faculty members, an $80 million investment to fully fund the faculty retiree plan, and avoiding pandemic layoffs as continued efforts to support Howard faculty.

The potential faculty strike for Howard comes several months after students protested poor housing conditions by occupying the campus center and sleeping in tents.

The D.C. private research university received $140 million in philanthropic investments and pledges during the first six months of 2021 alone. In 2020, the University also received large donations, including $40 million from MacKenzie Scott and $5 million from Eddie and Sylvia Brown.

 

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 18, 2022

50 Cent’s Sire Spirits Announces Partnership with the NBA’s Houston Rockets

50 Cent joins an NBA team with a partnership!

The Houston Rockets announced that the rapper-turned-Hollywood-powerhouse 50 Cent had struck a deal with the NBA team.

Curtis Jackson (50 Cent) has signed a partnership with the basketball team through his premium wine and spirits company Sire Spirits L.L.C. The deal will showcase and sell Jackson’s award-winning Branson Cognac and Le Chemin du Roi Champagne brands. The spirits will be sold at Houston Rockets games and Toyota Center events with multiple themed bars, a branded luxury suite, and a courtside loge box.

“Since I moved to Houston in January 2021, the love shown to me by this City has inspired me to make a positive and long-lasting impact in the community. My investment in the Houston Rockets and their investment back into my charitable endeavors makes this partnership all the more special for me. I’m excited for what the future holds,” said Jackson in a written statement.

Sire Spirits will be a Presenting Sponsor of the Houston Rocket’s annual Black Sports Professional Career Fair, the annual Black History Night, and select fundraisers throughout the year.

The charitable work of 50’s G-Unity Foundation will be part of the partnership. The charity will work closely with the Rockets and the Clutch City Foundation on several community initiatives to enhance Jackson’s firm commitment to the City of Houston. This will include providing passes and tickets to Rocket games and events for parents and children who cannot afford ticket prices.

“In his time as a Houston resident, Curtis has demonstrated a strong passion for helping students in our under-served communities, which mirrors the continued efforts we have as an organization, making this a perfect partnership,” said Rockets President of Business Operations Gretchen Sheirr.

“Curtis’ business acumen and creativity have been well documented throughout his entertainment and entrepreneurial career, and we’re excited to bring Sire Spirits to Toyota Center for fans to enjoy at Rockets games and our wide variety of events.”

The Houston Rockets’ Red & White Wine Bistro will also be rebranded into the Sire Spirits Bar & Restaurant.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 18, 2022

Petition Started to Remove Kanye West From Coachella Because of His ‘Harrassing’ Behavior

Kanye West‘s recent antics shouldn’t come without consequences according to a person who feels he should not be headlining the upcoming Coachella festival.

According to Page Six, a petition has been started to get Ye off the ticket as the headlining act. Kim Pete feels that the organizers of Coachella “should be ashamed of themselves” for letting Ye perform later this year.

The petition, simply titled, Remove Kanye from Coachella! calls for the removal of the Hip-Hop fashion desiger for the social media tactics he has been doing lately. Specifically his harassment of Kim Kardashian and her current beau, Pete Davidson.

“We have watched Kanye harass, manipulate, and hurt Kim, Pete, and others for over a year now. No one seems to want to stand up to him, and the ones that do, he puts under fire as well. Most recently, he has been threatening actual bodily harm on others. This is ridiculous that he is allowed to freely do this. Coachella (along with other brand names that are still working with him) should be ashamed of themselves and should not be giving him any more of a platform”

The petition has surpassed more than 5000 signatures.

After hurling a racially insensitive word at Comedy Central’s Trevor Noah after another Instagram rant, Kanye West was hit with a 24-hour suspension from social media platform Instagram, according to Variety.

The eccentric rapper has overstepped the platform’s policy regarding harassment. A Meta spokesperson has confirmed that the content he posted has been deleted for violating their hate speech, bullying, and harassment policies. Ye was restricted from posting, commenting, and sending DMs for 24 hours with this action. The restriction is due to repeatedly violating rules. The company will take additional measures if further violations occur.

Noah isn’t Ye’s only target as of recent. The rapper has gone after comedian D.L. Hughley after he commented on Ye’s harassment of Kardashian and Davidson. He stated in a recent interview that Ye’s tactics amount to stalking.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 18, 2022

Edges Secured! KISS Colors & Cares Partners With Jayda Cheaves For Ambassadorship of Edge Fixer Campaign

Jayda Cheaves is all about getting paid and keeping her edges laid! The entrepreneur and influencer was announced as the new beauty ambassador for KISS Colors & Cares.

As part of the textured haircare brand’s 2022 women collection, Cheaves will be on the frontlines, showing how she incorporates KISS Colors & Care products into her daily style routine.

“I never really get excited about brand deals, but this one felt different from the rest,” Cheaves said of the new partnership.

“To be working with KISS Colors & Care has me super excited because I’ve been wearing and buying their products since I was in middle school. So now, to be able to say I’m working with them makes me feel so accomplished. I know it’s going to be magic, and there’s plenty in store for us together.”

Since high school, the Waydamin founder has been launching businesses and has used her social media to highlight her entrepreneurial drive and trendsetting beauty and fashion style. Now, with over 6 million followers and counting, KISS knew Cheaves was the perfect person to serve as a beauty ambassador.

“Jayda’s bold entrepreneur spirit and fearless self-expression embodies the values core to KISS. As a style icon and source of inspiration to fans around the nation, she is the ideal ambassador for the brand’s new women’s collection,” said SVP of Global Marketing Annette DeVita-Goldstein.

“We are truly excited to grow our relationship with Jayda and inspire the textured hair consumer to express their individual style and creativity with confidence.”

Cheaves recently hosted a virtual event to help introduce the new styling collection made to protect and style hair with confidence. The new products include the Edge Fixer GLUED Edge Control Gel and a 3-in-1 Edge Brush that keeps bristles soft over time.

KISS

Elsewhere are a series of Soft Satin Wrap Scarves designed in a variety of trendy patterns, Pre-Tied Top-Knot Turbans, Silky Satin Edge Scarves, and a Glamour Glitter Bonnet.

KISS’s new styling collection is available at KISSColors.com and Walmart.com, with select products available at Target, CVS, and Kroger stores.

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