Candace Owens Believes ‘Russian Lives Matter,’ Finds Treatment of Russians ‘Appalling’ Yet Doesn’t Think ‘Black Lives Matter’
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 16, 2022

Candace Owens Believes ‘Russian Lives Matter,’ Finds Treatment of Russians ‘Appalling’ Yet Doesn’t Think ‘Black Lives Matter’

Candace Owens, the Black American woman who opposes anything to do with the phrase, “Black Lives Matter” sent out a social media post admonishing how “Russians are being treated in America.” She then tweeted out “Russian Lives Matter.”

The conservative pundit  has taken Russia’s side in its war against Ukraine, criticizing  American government officials and political leaders for “allowing” discrimination against the Russians.

Last week, Owens tweeted her outrage at how the Russians are being treated here and overseas.

Apparently, Owens has a fan within the Russian Embassy in the United States. The Twitter account of the embassy retweeted the post she sent last week.

No stranger to controversy or not passing up a chance to add fuel to the flames, Owens did not back down from her initial statement.

The spewing of Russian propaganda against the teachings of racism not existing in America, particularly against Black people, has left people disgusted with Owens.

W&W Public Relations Continues to Excel 30 Years Into the Game
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 16, 2022

W&W Public Relations Continues to Excel 30 Years Into the Game

Following in the footsteps of an industry legend is a challenge. The ladies of W&W Public Relations Firm have not only lived up to the legacy of late publicist Patti Webster, some would say they made Webster proud of continuing the excellence she started.

The firm, which was started in 1991, has had clients such as Steve Harvey, Patti LaBelle, Janet Jackson, Chris Paul, and Dwight Howard. 

BLACK ENTERPRISE spoke to the two principals of W&W Public Relations, Karen Lee and Aliya Crawford, about how the landscape in public relations has changed, how the firm has continued the pattern of excellence started by Webster, and what the future of public relations looks like.

Patti Webster is considered one of the pioneers in media, but particularly in PR for women of color. How has it been to navigate and maintain the 30-year-old firm since her transition?

Lee: Yes, Patti was a pioneer and a visionary, and both Aliya  and I feel honored to be at the helm of W&W. In our profession, there are always challenges, but we continue to receive an incredible amount of support from clients, both past and present. Patti’s motto was “a good name is rather to be chosen than riches” and we have worked diligently to ensure that we continue in that vein. Our team—including senior members Jacinda Chen, Brittany Godwin, Tony Ferguson, Syreta Oglesby and Christopher Brown—have been essential in helping us maintain that standard.

The media landscape continues to change daily, but especially during COVID-19. How does W&W PR continue to adjust and pivot?

Lee: It has been a time of change and evolution, and we work together to make sure we share information and discuss opportunities moving forward. Our collective all have relationships and experience in different areas, which allows us to reach out to new business opportunities and create campaigns that stimulate media coverage and results. We have also found that some clients need assistance with virtual interviews. We want to ensure they are prepared to answer questions about COVID-19, news headlines including vaccinations, politics, crime and weather.

W&W PR has a strong roster of some of our favorite entertainers. How do you reinforce the need for PR services when fans and talent have direct access to one another?

Lee: Although entertainers and public figures now have direct access to their fans, there is still (and always will be) a need for professional PR. Social media has provided individuals and brands an amazing opportunity to market themselves, but that’s just one avenue. Brands still need comprehensive, long-term PR strategies to elevate their profiles and tell their stories. An effective strategy is going to include both traditional media (print, television, radio) and new media (digital, social, podcasts) in order to reach different audiences. How you integrate traditional media and new media into your plans is going to depend on what your objectives are.

What does the future of PR look like? What new trends do you recognize?

Crawford: The number of smaller agencies is growing and I think we’ll see more large brands and household names working with small firms, as well as larger PR companies partnering with boutique agencies. I think this is a great thing!

Digital media is here to stay and more print and broadcast outlets will transition to all digital. Also, new social media platforms will be developed and the existing ones will evolve. Opportunities to monetize content in the digital world will continue to expand. So, it’s essential to stay abreast of the latest technologies and platforms and have a presence in these various spaces.

One of my hopes for the future is that diversity, inclusion, and equity will be prioritized in this industry. That companies large and small be intentional and consistent in promoting these things within their organizations and that individuals—entertainers, athletes, designers, etc.—provide greater opportunities to minority-led agencies.

W&W is synonymous with excellence and longevity. What does the future look like for the firm in spite of the changes happening in the world?

Crawford: The world and the industries we work in are ever-changing, and everyone has seen and experienced so many changes in the wake of the pandemic. I think one of W&W’s strengths is our ability to adapt to our environment and to the different needs of our diverse clientele. We’ll continue to be flexible and forward-thinking. We won’t limit where we can go as an agency and as a brand. In addition to offering PR and branding strategies, over the last several years, W&W has established a talent consulting division, overseeing the talent booking for Stephen A‘s World on ESPN+ and the syndicated radio program and podcast, Money Making Conversations with Rushion McDonald. We plan to continue to grow in this area, as well as establish a film and television production division. Additionally, we’re very focused on continuing to provide opportunities for women, Black people, people of color, and other underrepresented groups within the PR industry.

What advice would you share with someone looking to enter the public relations field?

Crawford: If someone desires a career in public relations, they should determine the area that interests them. Entertainment, corporate, technology, philanthropy, and politics are just some of the areas where PR is essential. Going to school and taking the necessary courses to succeed is key. Working an internship at a company or organization that handles PR in their desired area can help them grow and confirm that the company’s area of expertise is what they want. If you are fortunate enough to have a mentor in your chosen field, that is a great advantage to you.

Publicists usually work very closely with clients, often traveling with them, so it is important to make sure that the relationship is business, not personal, which can be challenging. There are times when a publicist may dine with a client or attend a social event, but it’s important to remember that it is still business.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 16, 2022

Two Former HBCU Coaches Hired For NFL Jobs

The NFL may be making an effort to include more Black coaches on football teams since former Miami Dolphins head coach now current Pittsburgh Steelers Linebackers coach, Brian Flores filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against the league earlier this year.

Now two former HBCU football coaches have been hired by two NFL teams.

According to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team has brought on Isaac Williams as their latest assistant offensive line coach. Williams was most recently coaching at North Carolina Central University. He was the offensive line coach in 2021. He was also the offensive line coach at Morgan State University during the academic football season from 2018-20 and worked in the same position at Northern Colorado from 2016-17.

During the 2021 season, Williams guided North Carolina Central’s offensive line as the team recorded their first winning season since 2017. The football team finished in second place in the Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference. Two of their offensive linemen were named to the all-conference team.

When Williams was at Morgan State, he was the tight end coach and offensive line coach/run game coordinator. He worked with and helped develop multiple players while there, including Arizona Cardinals 2019 seventh-round draft pick, Joshua Miles.

The Los Angeles Rams, current Super Bowl champions, have hired K.J. Black. It was reported earlier this week that Black, who just resigned as offensive coordinator for the Rattlers football team at Florida A&M University, will work with the quarterbacks for the Super Bowl champions.

Black announced his resignation from the HBCU earlier this week on Twitter.

HBCU Gameday has reported that Black worked with the Rams last year as a part of the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship program.

U.S. Department of Education Supports HBCU Response to Bomb Threats
by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

March 16, 2022

U.S. Department of Education Supports HBCU Response to Bomb Threats

Today, Vice President Kamala Harris and the U.S. Department of Education (Department) announced that Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that have recently experienced a bomb threat resulting in a disruption to the campus learning environment, are eligible to apply for grant funds under the Project School Emergency Response to Violence (Project SERV) program.

Project SERV provides short-term immediate funding for local educational agencies (LEAs) and institutions of higher education (IHEs) that have experienced a violent or traumatic incident to assist in restoring a safe environment conducive to learning, according to a press release.

“The recent bomb threats experienced by HBCUs have shaken students and fractured their sense of safety and belonging, which are critical to their academic success and wellbeing,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona.

“We, at the Department of Education, recognize how these threats evoke a painful history of violence against Black Americans in this country that is especially traumatizing to HBCU students, faculty, and staff. Today’s announcement will improve access to Project SERV grants for HBCUs as these institutions work to address students’ mental health needs, shore up campus security and restore learning environments so that they can get back to doing what they do best — educating the next generation of great leaders.”

The Department will work with HBCUs that have received recent bomb threats to determine if Project SERV can help with immediate needs, such as targeted mental health resources or enhanced security to restore the learning environment on their campuses. Funding for Project SERV is limited, and awards typically range from $50,000 to $150,000 per school.

“The bomb threats against HBCUs, particularly concentrated in Black History Month, constitute a uniquely traumatic event, given the history of bombings as a tactic to intimidate and provoke fear in Black Americans during the long struggle for civil rights in the 20th century,” said Dietra Trent, executive director of the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence and Economic Opportunity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

“In this context, even the threat of bombings at HBCUs can have a deep and unsettling impact on students, faculty and staff that significantly disrupts the learning environment. Our HBCUs are pillars of strength and resiliency, and we will continue working to promote policies and practices that fortify that strength and advance educational equity, excellence and economic opportunity through these institutions.”

The Biden-Harris Administration is taking a whole-of-government approach to ensuring the safety and well-being of students, staff and faculty and addressing these repeated threats to HBCU campuses. Following the first reports of the threats, Secretary Cardona and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas hosted a briefing with more than 40 presidents of HBCUs from across the nation to share information about grant programs, training resources and other tools available to HBCUs to strengthen campus safety and security. Biden-Harris Administration leaders have also recently visited HBCU campuses, hearing firsthand about the need to modernize and update their operations, including campus safety and security, and the need for more resources to help bolster mental health services due to increased apprehension across the campus community.

In addition to today’s announcement, the Department will provide HBCUs with a compendium of the resources that are available across the Federal government. These other resources can help with long-term improvements to campus mental health programs, campus safety and emergency management planning and response.

An HBCU that experienced a recent bomb threat may receive more information about the opportunity for support under Project SERV by emailing project.serv@ed.gov.

When Black People Faced Discrimination In Ukraine, Three Black Women Stepped In To Get Them Out Of The Country
by Derek Major

March 16, 2022

When Black People Faced Discrimination In Ukraine, Three Black Women Stepped In To Get Them Out Of The Country

The disturbing news of the Russian invasion of Ukraine took an equally upsetting turn when reports began detailing the racism Black people faced when trying to leave the country.

The treatment of Black people trying to leave a country they’re not from shows that no matter how dire the situation, racism still exists. Many Black people worldwide have noted and called out the country under attack, but three Black women decided to do something about it.

That prompted Patricia Daley, Tokunbo Koiki, and Korrine Sky to create the Black Women For Black Lives (BW4BL). This organization raises money to “rescue Black lives,” especially students, from the chaotic and stressful process of leaving Ukraine. The women have set up accounts on GoFundMe and PayPal to help Africans and Afro-Carribeans leave the war-torn country.

Since the BWFBL launched, it has been nothing short of a success raising more than $86,700 to help more than 950 Black people who needed assistance leaving Ukraine. According to Travel Noire, the BWBL also  announced a partnership with Airbnb ‘to ensure the students who are still fleeing Ukraine and settling in other countries are accommodated for up to 14 days.’

Members of the organization told Travel Noire that since starting, five more people have joined BW4BL, volunteering their time, knowledge, and energy to the effort of helping Black people leave Ukraine. According to NPR, more than 600 people have died in the war, and more than 1,000 others have been injured in the war, which began several weeks ago.

President Joe Biden and allies across the globe have tried to get Russian President Vladimir Putin to pull back his forces by economically isolating the country. Still, it hasn’t deterred Putin, and recent reports show he’s looking to China for help.

Meanwhile, Americans are dealing with a significant rise in gas prices and rising inflation due to Russia’s conflict and isolation.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 16, 2022

Kentucky Justice Advocate For Breonna Taylor Named As USA Today’s ‘Women of the Year’

On the heels of making history as Kentucky’s first openly LGBTQ member of the state house of representatives, Keturah Herron is being honored as one of USA TODAY’s Women of the Year.

Herron was integral in Louisville placing a ban on no-knock warrants in June 2020, Courier-Journal reports. It came three months after the botched police raid that took the life of 26-year-old Breonna Taylor in March 2020.

Herron was a lobbyist with the ACLU of Kentucky at the time and worked tirelessly with lawmakers to get the ordinance passed. Her continued work within the community helped her get voted into Louisville’s 42nd district last month during a special election after Reginald Meeks retired, Spectrum News reports.

Now just weeks after her historical win, Herron is celebrating her inclusion as the Kentucky representative in USA TODAY’s Women of the Year list. The Kentucky native credits her mother and elders for laying the foundation for her community work.

“So many different people paved the way. I first think about my mother and my aunts and, you know, family members who grew up in Richmond, Kentucky, and grew up on a farm on Peytontown,” she shared.

“And then there’s a lot of folks who are currently incarcerated right now, who I feel like that are still paving the way and allowing me to do the things that I have been able to do.”

Herron’s career in politics is inspired by her passion for prison reform and preventing gun violence as well as her identity as a modern-day “abolitionist.”

“I think the system we have today does not work. It has never worked. I don’t think it’s going to work,” she said.

“But I also know and understand that we can’t today just say completely tear it down. What are the alternatives? How do we create a society in which we don’t even need this type of carceral system?”

USA Today’s “Women of the Year” honorees are a continuation of the 2020 “Women of the Century” project that recognized the achievements of trailblazing women in the centennial anniversary of when women won the right to vote. Honorees are selected to represent every state and Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico.

Turn Your Desk Into A Charging Station
by Black Enterprise Shop

March 16, 2022

Turn Your Desk Into A Charging Station

The plethora of new technology devices have simplified things both in the business and personal world. Cell phones boast far more capabilities than simply placing and receiving calls. Tablets serve as mini computers. And computers are the brain centers in the middle of it all.

All this technology is great when each device is up and running. But as we know all too well, running out of power at any time is a good way to know that even the best of technology has its limits.

Greatly limit those untimely power outages with the KeySmart TaskPad Wireless Charging Desk Pad. For a limited time, it’s available for just $99.99. That’s a savings of more than 15% from its MSRP ($119).

This device is the perfect upgrade to your home or work desk, as it keeps your devices charged. Fast-charge your phone with the 10W wireless charger.  While it mainly functions as a power bank, it’s also quite stylish. It’s constructed of water- and stain-resistant premium PE leather that’s also scratch-free and easy to clean. Its modern black design feels at home on any style desk, and it provides a smooth, flat surface on which to work.

Watch this video.

For those who spend a large amount of time at their desk, KeySmart TaskPad Wireless Charging Desk Pad is topped by a comfort-cushioned material that offers a comfortable surface to rest your wrists and forearms.

“Wide pad means I don’t have to restrict my mouse movements, and charging at the desk is great. Very convenient,” writes verified 5-star purchaser Sharon M.

If you’re going to log countless hours at your desk, chances are your phone will be right there with you. Instead of having to worry about keeping it plugged in to get you through the day, purchase this product today and you’ll have one less thing to worry about.

Prices subject to change.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 15, 2022

Polo Ralph Lauren’s New HBCU Capsule Collection Highlights Black Influence in Style Trends

Polo Ralph Lauren teamed up with two prominent HBCUs to release a capsule collection highlighting the history of Black people serving as style trendsetters.

Ralph Lauren collaborated with an all-Black team of creators to capture their new collection that serves as an ode to 1920s to 1950s collegiate style.

The collection was made in collaboration with Morehouse College and Spelman College and captured by creative directors, photographers, cinematographers, and models comprised mostly of students from the two HBCUs, WWD reports.

Pieces in the collection include Italian-designed tweed three-piece suits, boatneck sweaters emblazoned with an “M” for Morehouse, or a double-breasted linen blazer with a Spelman crest. Sportswear pieces feature a “67” on the back in honor of Morehouse’s founding in 1867 and Ralph Lauren’s in 1967.

The collection looks like a page from an old Morehouse or Spelman yearbook but serves as a reminder of the styles Black students were creating when racism and segregation were the norms.

“It was really important to steep this in history to show that this is not new,” James Jeter, Ralph Lauren director of concept design and special projects, 2013 Morehouse College alum and creator of the capsule, said.

“A lot of this project was really about changing ownership around how we think about clothing.”

“So who owns three-piece suits? Who owns cable cardigans? Who owns the circle skirt, for instance? And while it’s typically and historically been relegated to Ivy League schools, if you see a lot of these archival images from [Morehouse and] Spelman, that has really helped to inform a lot of the way that we approached not only the design but the way that we approached the campaigns as well,” Jeter said.

Spelman College President Dr. Mary Schmidt Campbell applauded the collection for working to tell another missing part of Black history through fashion.

“By sharing the early history of Spelman, as reflected in archival research, through clothing, the collection encourages conversations about the creative power of the Black experience and the ways in which a personal fashion aesthetic intersects with institutional values of solidarity and connection,” she said.

“The history of dress and style played a critical role in the late 1950s and 1960s in the civil rights movement. Students who sat at lunch tables, or who protested in front of segregated department stores or marched in protests always did so with deliberate and planned consciousness of their dress.”

The Internet Reminds Khloé Kardashian How She Treated Jordyn Woods After She Says How ‘Hurtful’ It Is to Blame Women For Men Cheating
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 15, 2022

The Internet Reminds Khloé Kardashian How She Treated Jordyn Woods After She Says How ‘Hurtful’ It Is to Blame Women For Men Cheating

Old tweets have come back to haunt Khloé Kardashian once again after she recently expressed how “hurtful” it is for women to get blamed for men cheating.

Between her failed marriage to Lamar Odom and the countless cheating scandals Tristan Thompson put her through, Khloé has faced harsh judgment from critics who believe she’s partially to blame for her exes cheating on her.

Khloé addressed this while speaking with Variety to promote the family’s new Hulu show, The Kardashians. The reality star explained why she finds it “really hurtful” to place blame on a woman whose partner has cheated.

“If your significant other is doing something wrong, for the woman to be blamed, that’s always been really hurtful for me,” she said.

“I’ve never quite understood that instead of there being some sympathy or like, ‘Wow, that must really suck to have to go through that.’ And not only go through it, but then go through it so publicly,” Khloé continued.

“I don’t even care if people have sympathy. I just don’t understand why there’s so much finger-pointing — like it must be me. That’s a heavy thing to carry,” she added.

Once the interview was released, social media wasted no time reminding the Good American co-founder how contradictory her comments are to the treatment she subjected Jordyn Woods to three years ago.

In early 2019, Woods was ousted from the family after kissing Tristan at a party. Khloé bashed Woods publicly and privately and accused her of breaking up her family.

While Khloé, 37, has since forgiven Jordyn, the internet still believes she owes Kylie Jenner’s former BFF a public apology that’s just as loud as the shade she initially spewed out. Considering it was over a man that continued to cheat well after Jordyn was out of the picture, the public thinks Khloé should do more to make things right with the 24-year-old.

“ma’am did you not drag Jordyn Woods. The Hypocrisy,” one Twitter user wrote.

https://twitter.com/La_FemmeNikita/status/1502020035426062340?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1502020035426062340%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.buzzfeednews.com%2Farticle%2Fleylamohammed%2Fkhloe-kardashian-blaming-women-jordyn-woods-tristan-thompson

“when jordyn was 21 khloe who was 34 at the time bullied jordyn, fat [shamed] jordyn because her 27 years old boyfriend kissed jordyn and she saying this now?” another tweeted.

https://twitter.com/DVLCE111/status/1501964915627761666?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1501964915627761666%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.buzzfeednews.com%2Farticle%2Fleylamohammed%2Fkhloe-kardashian-blaming-women-jordyn-woods-tristan-thompson

“So why did Khloe blame Jordyn when Tristan kissed her?” one curious fan asked.

While social media continues to defend Jordyn, she is busy living her best life with her faithful boyfriend, Karl Anthony Towns. The Minnesota Timberwolves player has publicly gushed about wanting to marry Jordyn and is proud to stand by her side during his free time off the court, Page Six reports.

Meanwhile, Tristan embarrassed Khloe once again when he kicked off the new year, admitting to fathering his third child with a third woman. His newborn son with Maralee Nichols was conceived while Tristan and Khloe were reconciled last year.

Karma always has the final say.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 15, 2022

Cowboys’ DeMarcus Lawrence Signs $40M Deal Setting NFL Record

Dallas Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence has made NFL history by signing his latest contract with “America’s Team.”

According to NFL.com, Lawrence has signed a new three-year deal worth $40 million. The defensive end will get $30 million guaranteed. With this accomplishment, he becomes the first player in his position to have a contract fully guaranteed for seven straight seasons.

For eight seasons in the NFL, Lawrence has totaled 48.5 sacks, including 25 sacks between 2017 and 2018. After his 2018 season, Dallas and Lawrence agreed to a five-year deal worth $105 million.

Last season, Lawrence only played in seven games as injuries kept him off the gridiron for most of 2021.

ESPN reported that Lawrence ended the season with three sacks, five pass deflections, an interception, two tackles for loss, and two forced fumbles. He was also credited with 18 tackles. Lawrence has the fifth-best pass rush win rate (24.9%), the fifth-best pressure rate (11.7%), and is seventh-best in the league (206 pressures) over the past five seasons.

With his latest contract, the trajectory changes in cap space for the Dallas Cowboys. If a new contract hadn’t been signed, Lawrence’s $27 million cap figure would have been the fifth-highest hit of any defensive player in 2022. With the deal, the cap hit will only be $14 million this year and will rise to $26 million in 2023. The cap will then come back down to $16 million in 2024. With this signing, Lawrence also receives a $12 million signing bonus.

The Dallas Cowboys will now have a little more cap space to retain their own free agents. Players they will be able to sign include safeties Jayron Kearse and Malik Hooker and defensive end Randy Gregory.

According to multiple sources, Gregory has been receiving early interest from several NFL teams, including the Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts.

Malik Hooker also signed to stay with the Cowboys for his sixth NFL season. He agreed to a new two-year contract with “America’s Team.”

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