Capital One Donates $10K To Accelerate Opportunities For Black-Owned Businesses, HBCUs
Capital One continues its efforts in ensuring a more equitable society that celebrates the achievements of the Black community.
As part of an initial $200 million multi-year pledge, Capital One announced that they will commit a next wave of its Impact Initiative grants to support underserved and underrepresented communities, according to a press release. An additional $10 million will be invested in existing and new partnerships to “address structural barriers to racial equity” and “promote socioeconomic mobility.”
The organizations that will receive grants are: African American Alliance of CDFI CEOs, National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders (NALCAB), Prosperity Now, Vera Institute of Justice, Braven, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), United Negro College Fund (UNCF), finEQUITY, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF), Black Girl Ventures; Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO), and Jobs for the Future (JFF).
Capital One Supports Black Businesses
Capital One is partnering with the Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO) to address the lack of access to capital and resources for black-owned businesses. This partnership is intended to build the Capital One Business grant program, which aims to “support Black-owned businesses in building resilient futures” by awarding $10,000 grants. Through Capital One’s Business Hub, business owners will have access to free resources, insights, and advice.
“The combination of preexisting systemic inequities and pandemic-related setbacks has created a uniquely challenging environment for Black business owners to navigate,” said Connie Evans, AEO President and CEO. “Our partnership with Capital One is vital to helping sustain the success of Black-owned businesses for the long term. And collaborative initiatives like the grant program can help create the on-ramp needed to tap into long-term equitable access to capital, digital tools and educational resources.”
HBCUs Will Receive Support And Funding
In an ongoing campaign, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) will continue to see support and funding from Capital One. Capital One donated its $4.7 million facility at the Wilmington Riverfront to Delaware State University, Delaware’s only HBCU. Now, the university can expand “recruitment opportunities, specialty programs and first generation support.”
“Our partnership with Delaware State University is a natural extension of our commitments to growing relationships, investment and campus presence at HBCUs,” the press release stated.
Additionally, Thurgood Marshall College Fund and the United Negro College Fund receives a $1 million total grant funding.
From ‘Insecure’ to Secure and Confident: Issa Rae Set to Receive Producers Guild’s Visionary Award
Insecure actress Issa Raewill be receiving the Producers Guild’s Visionary Award at this year’s award ceremony.
The Producers Guild of America (PGA) just announced that actor and producer Issa Rae will be honored with the 2022 Visionary Award at this year’s 33rd Annual Producers Guild Awards will take place on Saturday, March 19, 2022, at the Fairmont Century Plaza.
BREAKING NEWS: Actor + producer @IssaRae is this year’s #PGAAwards Visionary Award recipient. The award honors producers across TV, film or new media who share inspiring, uplifting stories that add unique value to society + culture: https://t.co/w8ZFiO3qfG
“Issa makes us excited for the future of television. With her series Insecure, she achieved the highest levels of comedy, perspective and performance possible, and her sharp wit and distinct voice will undoubtedly continue to drive quality entertainment featuring underrepresented voices. Beyond Issa’s prolific work, she is a role model and inspiration to the next generation of creatives through her mentorship programs like ColorCreative, and more recently, Project Greenlight. We are thrilled to honor Issa this year,” said Producers Guild of America Presidents Gail Berman and Lucy Fisher in a written statement.
The Producers Guild’s Visionary Award goes to producers across the television, film, and new media spectrum who disseminate inspiring, uplifting stories that add exceptional value to society and culture. Some of the past honorees include Octavia Spencer, Kenya Barris, and Ava DuVernay.
Rae is currently working on several high-profile projects she’s developing and producing for HBO and HBO Max. The multi-faceted talent has a new original series, Rap Sh*t; an adaptation of the hit New York Times podcast Nice White Parents alongside Adam McKay; and an adaptation of the beloved Octavia Butler novel Fledgling with sci-fi maestro J.J. Abrams.
The entrepreneurial Rae recently inked a worldwide, exclusive multi-project development deal for her music company, Raedio with Audible. The partnership between the two companies entails Audible Original podcasts from a combination of content comprised of scripted comedy, audio extensions of existing content, and entertainment-based nonfiction projects.
Meet the Founder of the 1st Black Woman-Owned Self-Sustainable Container Home Manufacturing Facility
Meet Tamika Shari Bond, founder, and CEO of Bond Containers, the first-ever Black woman-owned self-sustainable container home manufacturing facility.
This is in a bid to provide clients with homes that are strong, affordable, and self-sustainable. It is common knowledge that there is a high demand for homes that are both safe and affordable. With issues such as the pandemic alongside other circumstances, this has only been a dream for some people. Bond Containers is however set to make this dream come true.
The construction company is set to build homes that are strong, affordable, and stylish. With Bond Containers, clients will be getting homes that are not only affordable but also features an off-grid backup system in the event of a natural disaster. These affordable modular homes that can be built in as little as 3-4 weeks are part of Bond Containers’ goal to join in the global modular construction market size that is expected to reach $175.2 billion by 2025.
Bond Containers is therefore giving investors an opportunity to own shares in this first black woman-owned self-sustainable container home manufacturing facility. Purchasing shares via startengine.com/bond-containers gives clients and supporters an opportunity to join the company in mass-producing self-sustainable affordable housing worldwide. These are houses that are eco-friendly as they come with energy-efficient impact windows built with fire retardant materials. The houses built by Bond Containers also come with energy-efficient insulation, appliances, and backup off-grid solar system that can be self-sustainable. This is in addition to getting houses that can withstand earthquakes and hurricanes.
Furthermore, clients who buy shares at Bond Containers get to invest in a company that has a brand-new innovative concept meeting a need that is in high demand. This need includes a clear lack of safe, affordable, and high-quality modular homes that meet state regulations. With its affordable, eco-friendly, self-sustainable, luxury houses, Bond Containers is making sure investors get a share of the real estate market that pioneers innovation and sustainability. Furthermore, with over 700 pre-order sales from dealers, developers, and first-time homebuyers, Bond Containers is set to make affordable container homes the new standard of off-grid traditional housing.
NFTs Predicted to Be Common Part Of Investment Portfolios In 5 Years
The head of one of the world’s largest independent financial consulting and advisory firms predicts NFTs, an asset class growing briskly in popularity with Black Americans, will become a standard part of investment portfolios within the next five years.
Known as a non-fungible token, an NFT is basically a digital asset. NFTs are bought and sold often with cryptocurrency.
The fresh outlook is from Nigel Green, CEO and founder of deVere Group, with reportedly $12 billion under advisement. The prediction came after Jefferies investment bank this month raised its market-cap for NFTs to more than $35 billion for this year and over $80 billion by 2025, Yahoo Finance reported.
According to the outlet, “Jefferies sees digital assets as an emerging technology, and advises clients build a basket of investment exposure across video game, toy and game, and social media companies.”
In a news release, Green said, “Over the last year, the NFTs market has exploded, with a digital-only piece of art selling for $69 million in 2021. Since then, an ever-growing number of celebrities and artists, and fashion, music, tech and sports brands have been creating, buying and selling tokens.”
He cited some reasons why he believes investors have been pumping money into NFTs.
“First, this new digital asset class has value due to the blistering pace of the digitalization of our world. Millennials and Gen Z especially have digital lives and it’s natural to want to take digital representations of, say, luxury brands, music, sport, and art into these worlds — and now they can with NFTs.”
Green added, “Second, NFTs are making business models, especially in the creative sectors, more profitable and rewarding.”
“And third, this asset class can act as a major diversifier in investment portfolios.”
According to new findings, some 23% of Black Americans own cryptocurrency, more than double of the 11% of white Americans and higher than the 17% of Hispanics.
Still, people contemplating buying NFTs should do their homework and research before investing in the commodities. Insiders say potential investors should ask themselves will they be able to find a buyer for their NFT and how long will it take? Another point to consider is not every NFT will become valuable, increasing the risk of whether it will be a good investment or not.
You may do well by checking sites like Money Crashers and Glichy before diving into the NFT mania.
Black-Owned Businesses Are Thriving And Growing, Largely Due To Black Women
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the U.S., Black Americans were the first to be fired and the last to be rehired when the recovery began.
That led many Black Americans to take their careers into their own hands and start their own businesses. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), Black-owned businesses in America are growing and thriving, in large part due to Black women.
A working paper by the NBER found ZIP codes across the country that included a higher proportion of Black residents, especially those in higher median income Black neighborhoods, had higher growth in startup formation rates.
Data provided to The Hill by University of California economist Robert Fairlie, show there’s been a 33% increase in Black male active business owners and a 22% increase in Black female active business owners between the first quarter of 2020 and the third quarter of 2021.
Business Insider and Forbes have also discussed the growth of Black-owned businesses and how Black women are leading the charge.
Karen Bennetts, a board member National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) told The Hill the pandemic created new obstacles for women. Millions of working women were forced to leave their jobs to take care of their children, but the loss in income also hurt.
A lack of opportunity may have also led to the growth of Black female-owned businesses. Black women and those without college degrees were looked at last when hiring restarted and workers began demanding more pay and employers began adding incentives such as paying for college, signing bonuses and health insurance.
Experts say now that the Black-owned businesses that started during the pandemic need to be supported in order to keep growing. That includes access to credit, funding, and more. Systemic racism in banking has made it harder for Black women to get bank loans leaving many to self-fund and use other resources at their disposal.
According to JPMorgan, 61 percent of Black women were forced to self-fund their businesses instead of securing a loan from a bank. In comparison, 47 percent of white women and 73 percent of White men self-fund their businesses.
The Biden Administration is making moves to give minority businesses the help they need. In June the administration announced it will double the number of federal contracts given to small, minority-owned businesses by 2025. President Biden also plans to expand access to low-cost loans and investments through the State Small Business Credit Initiative.
SheaMoisture and WACO Theater Team Up With Tina Knowles Lawson To Unveil House of Shea Before Big Game
As sports culture meets beauty, entertainment and community in the City of Angels, SheaMoisture has partnered with WACO (Where Art Can Occur) Theater Center and some of the most iconic leaders in the community, including Tina Knowles Lawson, to debut the House of Shea.
On Sunday, Feb. 13, Los Angeles and visitors alike can experience a one-stop, pop-up experience featuring salon and barbershop services, SheaMoisture product sampling, deliciously curated cocktails, Insta-worthy photo moments and a tailgate watch party for the highly anticipated game. Throughout the day, the brand will host three inspirational panels focusing on culture, progression in TV and film and mental health within the Black community.
The premiere panel, “We Are Here: Culture & Community,” will feature business woman, fashion designer, and philanthropist, Tina Knowles Lawson and actor and philanthropistRichard Lawson, along with industry leaders as they take on the discussion centered around community, with the focus to uplift and educate entrepreneurs so they achieve their goals and reach new heights.
“I am absolutely thrilled to be a part of this partnership creating an experience where people can come out and enjoy themselves while sparking conversation to further progress our community, ”said Tina Knowles Lawson.
“The longtime synergy between SheaMoisture and WACO Theater Center is undeniable as we both seek to create space and do work to benefit the Black community, artists and young people in particular, in ways that are impactful and sustainable.”
Additional scheduled panels will include Hold The Crown, a continuation of the compelling conversation SheaMoisture began with MACRO at Sundance 2022, where notable stylists in Black Hollywood came together to raise awareness around equity in hair and makeup in film and television.
Concluding with No Rough Days, a discussion shining light on wellness and the importance of Black men creating space for themselves everyday so they can show up to the world as their fullest selves.
“SheaMoisture remains committed to making a positive impact, through investment and support, on the community that we serve as a brand,” said SheaMoisture CEO Cara Sabin.
“The House of Shea is the embodiment of our village converging to raise our vibration and enjoy this momentous occasion that sits at the intersection of sports, entertainment, wellness and activism. We hope that guests are able to enjoy the energy of Los Angeles while coming together to have conversations that seek to uplift, educate and inspire the work that is yet to be done.”
The House of Shea will take place at the Westfield Century City’s Atrium in Los Angeles, California on Sunday, Feb. 13 from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and is open to the public at no cost via an RSVP.
Have Eyes Watching Your Home With This Security System
When it comes to you and the safety of your family, there’s no such thing as being too sure. Gone are the days of moats and guard towers, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take just as effective steps to secure the safety of your home.
The Home Security 1 Cam Kit with Live Guard Subscription is an effective and proven method to do so, and for a limited time, it’s available for a limited-time price of $305.15 with the use of the code VDAY2022. That’s a savings of 25% from its MSRP ($359).
Featured in VentureBeat, Consumer Reports, CNET, Fast Company, and Forbes, this home security system is the only one in its space that features live guards who watch every time a person enters or exits your home. Visual indication to homeowners is given each time live viewing is enabled. If something strange is detected, the live guard will set off a 104 decibel-level alarm.
Not only are guards able to offer instant intervention and full-time watching of your property, but the camera system comes equipped with a two-way speaker and microphone, allowing them to speak to unexpected visitors to your property, as well.
Installation is a breeze, as all that’s required to get it up and running at your home is an internet connection with a minimum speed of 5 Mbps. The built-in local artificial intelligence is capable of lightning-fast processing and classification.
Tech Hive named Home Security 1 Cam Kit with Live Guard Subscription its 2019 Editors’ Choice recipient, and it also received Editors’ Choice designation by PCMag. SafeHome.org says, “Proactive home security that combines AI and human intervention to keep watch over your home.”
Safety is paramount, and each homeowner should feel comfortable and protected while in their respective places of dwelling. A home security system is a good step, but a home security system with live guard monitoring is even better.
Purchase this home security camera for $305.15 with code VDAY2022 and give your family and home the protection they deserve.
Meet Tiffany Capri Hainesworth, the First Black Woman to Solely Own a Tequila Brand
Tiffany Capri Hainesworth made history in 2019 when she launched TCapri Tequila, becoming the first Black woman to solely own a tequila brand. However, the road to making history was no easy feat. Her journey began in 2012 after she survived a tragic car crash that changed her perspective on life. At the time, she had been working for the federal government for nearly 30 years. However, the crash motivated her to pursue her passion and venture into entrepreneurship.
“I was in a major car accident that caused traumatic brain injury resulting in a seizure disorder accompanied by debilitating migraine headaches. This life-changing car accident forced me to reevaluate my life,” Hainesworth told BLACK ENTERPRISE in an email. After the accident, the D.C. native says she gained “newfound clarity” that led her to begin making and selling alcohol-infused sweets like cakes, bread pudding, and gummy bears under the umbrella of her first business, TCapri Gourmet Treats.
“With the success of my treats, I began to dream even bigger,” she said.
In addition to making boozy treats, she eventually aspired to actually own a spirit brand so she began researching the process of making tequila and how it’s regulated. In 2018, the tequila aficionado says she “packed up and flew to Jalisco, Mexico, in pursuit of the ultimate tequila.” While there, she discovered a small distillery in Jalisco’s capital Guadalajara, a western city in Mexico known for tequila, and began working alongside farmers who harvested agave plants, a base ingredient for manufacturing tequila. That’s where she produced a small batch tequila and signed a contract for her very own brand.
Tiffany Capri Hainesworth in Mexico
“The highlands and lowlands of Jalisco, Mexico, are the only places where 100% Blue Weber Agave is grown, farmed, and processed to make 100% tequila,” she said. “Being in the Agave fields with the Jimadors and learning how to use a Coa de jima (a specialized tool used for harvesting agave), makes you appreciate this highly regulated spirit even more.”
Hainesworth says she traveled to Jalisco from her home in Maryland as often as possible to gain a hands-on experience with the process of making tequila from farm to glass.
“I didn’t hesitate to jump on a plane and travel to Jalisco, which is approximately a 3-hour drive from the Guadalajara Airport.” She continued, “as a woman, taking on this project independently, I needed the distillery owner to understand that I was serious about this endeavor. The only way to accomplish this was for them to see me in Mexico on a regular basis.”
TCapri Tequila
In 2019, T-Capri, LLC, became a licensed spirits distributor all while Hainesworth continued to work as a full-time employee for the U.S. government. However, her plans came to a screeching halt at the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, forcing her to launch the brand a year later than expected.
“Due to the pandemic, I could not travel to Mexico for quite some time. Once everyone began to become acclimated to the ‘new normal’ of working from home– that wasn’t the case for the offices in Mexico. I needed to process documentation, for example, such as the IMPI (The Mexican Institute of Industrial Property) and the CRT (Tequila Regulatory Council). They were completely closed. So I had to wait for the office to reopen and catch up on their backlog before I could complete my process,” she explained.
Once government offices in Mexico reopened, Hainesworth then faced another major issue since the pandemic also triggered a supply chain disruption in the glass industry. As a result, bottle and glass factories ran out of supplies and acquired a tremendous backlog.
“Suddenly, everything came to an abrupt halt,” says Hainesworth. “My glass company had depleted their supply of my particular bottle and had no idea when production would resume. My team and I started to frantically search for new glass companies but to no avail. There was a waitlist everywhere,” she said. In turn, she created a tasting box while her bottles were placed on hold.
“It was a very somber time for me. I had just successfully launched a product that everyone loved and just like that, I was off store shelves— it lasted for months! This cost the company tens of thousands of dollars in loss. I had to think of a way to pivot,” she said. “I quickly shifted gears to cultivate a tasting box which introduced our new Reposado tequila, as well as our award-winning Blanco.”
Undeterred, Hainesworth eventually began distributing her products once again, which turned out to be a success.
“Each batch had completely sold out almost immediately which validated my market. I must say, our company has experienced the most challenging obstacles during the pandemic— yet we’ve survived.”
The Mexican Distillery where TCapri Tequila is manufactured
After accomplishing such an incredible feat, Hainesworth says making history as the first Black woman to solely own a tequila brand means the world to her.
“This achievement demonstrates to little girls that look like me that anything is possible. You must believe that you can grow as you go. You don’t have to wait to have several partners or an investor before starting a spirit brand. You need sheer determination, drive, ambition, and passion! You must also be dedicated, consistent, and focused. Lastly, you only need that one ‘yes’ to catapult you into your destiny.”
Today, TCapri Tequila is sold in stores across Maryland. Inspired by her grandfather and aunts’ work ethic, Hainesworth hopes to grow to distribute her brand globally eventually.
“I would not take ‘no’ for an answer! I’ve accomplished what most said that I couldn’t, and most didn’t believe was attainable. Women from every walk of life can also see that this is possible.”
Meet Kelly Curtis, The First Black Woman To Compete In The Skeleton For The US
Kelly Curtis grew up in Princeton, New Jersey, playing basketball and running track; now, she’s the first Black woman to compete in the Skeleton for the U.S. Olympic team.
For those unfamiliar with the Skeleton, it is described as “a winter sliding sport in which a person rides a small sled, known as a skeleton bobsled (or -sleigh), down a frozen track while lying face down and head-first.”
(NBC)
Curtis, 33, grew up in an athletic family. Her dad, John, played in the NFL and her mom worked in the local fitness community and both her sisters played sports as well. Her road to the Olympics started more than a decade earlier when she transferred from Tulane University to her father’s alma mater, Springfield College, where she competed in the heptathlon.
After winning the heptathlon at Penn Relays in 2011 and graduating from Springfield in 2012, Curtis thought her career was over. However, the same year Curtis transferred to Springfield, her track teammate Erin Pac won a bronze in the bobsled at the 2010 Vancouver games. Their coach saw similarities between Pac and Curtis’ athleticism and suggested Curtis give the bobsled a shot.
“I thought it was a joke,” Curtis said according to TeamUSA.org.
In 2013, Curtis attended a bobsled combine and did so well she was invited to a bobsled driving school program at the Mt. Van Hoevenberg Olympic Sliding Center in Lake Placid. It was there Curtis first saw someone on a skeleton sled.
“I saw how much more fun they were having on a skeleton sled,” she said. “On the last day, I was like, ‘I want to try that.’”
After her first run, Curtis was hooked. Now she’s competing at the Beijing Olympics in the Skeleton for the U.S. team and is currently 18th heading into the final round of the Skeleton Saturday night.
“I am treating this like every race,” she told NPR.
Like many athletes with Olympic dreams, Curtis had to piece her Olympic career together with help from family and friends, including her husband Jeff Milliron, who doubles as her strength and conditioning coach.
In 2020, Curtis heard from a teammate that the U.S. Air Force was accepting civilians into its World Class Athlete Program (WCAP). Curtis jumped on the opportunity, completing her basic training that summer.
Curtis, who is biracial, knows that she does not fit people’s preconceived notion of a Skeleton athlete or a Black woman when they see her.
All of that debate “s “exhausting,” she told NPR.
“I’m either not Black enough (something she says a teammate said to her) or I need to speak on behalf of all Black Americans.”
Curtis has instead decided to focus on her career and her future. Just before the Olympics started, she moved to Italy with her husband, where she will work in knowledge operations at the Aviano Air Base and be able to train for the 2026 Olympics.
An Irate, Scissor-Wielding Woman Robs Georgia Bank After Threatening Tellers Over Her ID
Police in Buford, Georgia finally caught a scissor-wielding woman who caused chaos, jumped a counter, and tried to steal $13,000 using a fake ID at a Chase Bank.
While the incident happened on Jan. 25, on Friday morning police finally identified the woman as 32-year-old Sarahdia Camell of Long Beach, California, CBS 46reports. Camell ultimately stole $750 after fighting with tellers over her ID.
According to reports, Camell set it off and caused a scene, fighting with bank employees at the branch located on Buford Drive.
At issue, Camell tried to withdraw $13,564 from an account, according to Gwinnett County Police, but couldn’t provide the identifying information the teller asked for which included a credit card, account number, and license.
Camell then got irate as captured on bank surveillance video and cell phone cameras, jumped the counter, fought with cashiers, caused a scene, and stole $750 bucks, according to police.
““You gone take my motherf****** money? You gone sit there and take my money?” Camell said.
Customer jumps over bank teller demanding her money back at Chase bank in Buford after finding out her deposit went towards overdraft fees pic.twitter.com/4CqLOpDjIM
During the melee, Camell grabbed a pair of scissors and used them in a threatening manner toward bank employees before pocketing the petty cash, police said.
While bank employees tried unsuccessfully to stop Camell, David Nance, CEO of Security Equipment Corporation, and a self-defense expert said they should not have engaged her.
“Even if you’re an employee that works at that bank, I understand you want to help out the company that you work for but the best thing you can do is get away from that individual,” Nance told CBS 46.
“That amount of money is not worth a life, and scissors, that can be a deadly weapon.”
According to reports, Camell even asked onlookers in the bank to call the cops as she scooped up cash. Once she got the $750, police said she casually walked out of the bank as if nothing ever occurred.
The bank is located about 32 miles northeast of Atlanta. Luckily no one was hurt.
