Black Women on Boards Launches New Accelerator Program to Increase Placement of Black Women Executives on Boards
by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

February 4, 2022

Black Women on Boards Launches New Accelerator Program to Increase Placement of Black Women Executives on Boards

Black Women on Boards (BWOB), a new global organization that removes the invisible obstacles that Black female executives face when pursuing board membership, today announced a new cohort-based board accelerator program for its members with the support of founding partnerships with DCVC, Diligent, Felicis Ventures, Kleiner Perkins and Sapphire Ventures.

Founding partners support BWOB mission

The accelerator program aims to place 100 percent of the cohort in board roles by the end of 2022, according to a press release. Founding partners will mentor their cohort executives via regular office hours and bespoke workshops. In addition, participants will be given exclusive access to CEOs from each venture firm’s portfolio companies. Founding partners will focus on providing visibility, networks and sponsorship to propel Black female leaders into public and private board seats.

Launch event kicks off 2022 Board Accelerator program

BWOB will host a launch event in New York City on Feb. 8, to kick off the 2022 Board Accelerator program, and to introduce its inaugural Board Accelerator cohort. The organization has also been invited to ring the opening bell at NASDAQ in celebration of Patricia Roberts Harris, the first Black woman to serve on the board of directors in 1971 at IBM, a Fortune 500 company.

“The most recent reports show that Black women account for just 4 percent of S&P 500 board seats,” said Robin Washington, co-founder of BWOB, and a board member of Google’s parent Alphabet, of Honeywell, and of Salesforce, respectively.

“We know there’s an opportunity to increase this number on public boards, and to go even further to include opportunities on private boards as well.”

“I’m thrilled that we have a deep talent pool of Black women executives who are board ready and who have the expertise to truly help companies achieve better business results in an increasingly complex world. I’m grateful for our sponsors and partners, who are committed to ensuring the success of this program,” added Merline Saintil, co-founder of BWOB and a board member of several public corporate boards including, GitLab, Rocket Lab, and Fortune 500 company, TD SYNNEX.

“Also, integral to our ethos of ‘Lift As You Climb,’ I’m focused on supporting mid-career women to accelerate their opportunities. As such, we will be dropping an NFT on Feb. 10, 2022 on the Versus Marketplace on Flow in partnership with Dapper Labs to fuel this program and more broadly engage our community in this new fast growing medium,” said Saintil.

“A diverse boardroom is critical to the long-term success of organizations and through the great work of BWOB, more diverse candidates will be connected with opportunities to guide companies through the turbulent and uncertain challenges they now face,” said Brian Stafford, CEO of Diligent Corporation, the global leader in modern governance providing SaaS solutions across governance, risk, compliance and ESG.

BWOB has experienced rapid growth and placement of Black female leaders

Founded in 2020, BWOB has successfully placed executives in board and advisory roles. Co-founders Merline Saintil and Robin L. Washington came together to formalize an approach that prepared candidates for success. They launched with a handful of members that were board ready, and then worked together to create shared visibility to upcoming public board opportunities. The organization grew rapidly and organically as more members began to explore their board eligibility, and refer their colleagues.

“I’ve had an incredible experience with BWOB and learned so much from the program,” said Ebony Beckwith, chief business officer and chief of staff to CEO Marc Benioff at Salesforce. She sits on the board of Poshmark and is an advisory board member for PagerDuty.

“In fact, I think it should be a prerequisite for anyone considering board service. BWOB helped me feel so much more prepared for the board recruitment process and a lot more confident in my journey to joining a public company board.”

Fantasia, Danielle Brooks To Star As Leading Ladies In ‘Color Purple’ Musical Film
by Atiya Jordan

February 4, 2022

Fantasia, Danielle Brooks To Star As Leading Ladies In ‘Color Purple’ Musical Film

During Thursday night’s ABC News special “Soul of a Nation Presents: Screen Queens Rising,” it was announced that Blitz Bazawule’s The Color Purple musical film would star singer Fantasia Taylor and actress Danielle Brooks.

An excited Fantasia shared a video gushing about securing the coveted role upon hearing the news.

 

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A post shared by Fantasia Taylor (@tasiasword)

A musical version of the film graced the stage on Broadway from 2005 to 2008. Taylor, who made her film debut as Celie in 2007 during the Broadway run of The Color Purple, will star in the leading role. Brooks will revive her respected role as Sofia, for which she previously received a Tony Award nomination after starring in the show’s 2015 Broadway musical.

Oprah Winfrey and Whoopi Goldberg originally played the iconic leading roles in the 1985 Steven Spielberg-directed film adaptation of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 1982 novel.

Winfrey, who garnered several nominations for her role of Sofia, is set to produce the new musical film under Harper Films. In a surprise announcement on Soul of a Nation, Winfrey revealed to a very elated and emotional Brooks that she landed the role on a Zoom call.

“I am here representing all things purple to tell you that you are our Sophia,” Winfrey said. “I’m so happy to pass whatever baton from 35 — almost 40 — years ago to you. And I know you’re gonna kill it.”

“My heart is so full,” Brooks responded with tears in her eyes. “I’m going to make you so proud.”

“You already have,” Winfrey responded. “I wanted to be the one to tell you because you know I have such love for her, this character, everything she represents, and everything she brought to my life. And what I’m hoping is that she does the same thing for you.”

According to Variety, Fantasia and Brooks are among a star-studded cast, including Taraji P. Henson, H.E.R., and Halle Bailey. The Color Purple begins production this spring and is slated for release in 2023.

Oprah has since rolled out the whole starring cast featuring:  Fantasia Taylor, Colman Domingo, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Halle Bailey, Corey Hawkins, and H.E.R. 

The shooting is scheduled to start in March in Georgia.

 

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

February 4, 2022

Tennessee State President Slams Jackson State’s Withdrawal from Southern Heritage Classic, Calls it ‘Insensitive and Irresponsible’

Jackson State University announced that the school is pulling out of the annual Southern Heritage Classic in Memphis against Tennessee State University, according to the Clarion-Ledger.

With three years remaining on the contract, TSU President Glenda Glover didn’t mince words when she said the decision was “insensitive and irresponsible.”

In a letter sent out on Wednesday, Glover wrote that Jackson State’s decision to withdraw from the Southern Heritage Classic was “insensitive and irresponsible” with implications far beyond football.

Glover mentions that the withdrawal will affect Black business owners in Memphis. The classic not being played will cause small Black-owned businesses to suffer “incalculable damage.”

“What’s even more disappointing is that there was no opportunity for discussion or a courtesy call to the TSU president, director of athletics, or head coach before the decision was made to breach the contract, which has three years remaining,” Glover stated in the letter.

Tennessee State University issued a statement about JSU’s decision to various social media accounts:

A letter from Jackson State’s General Counsel, Edward O. Watson, informed Fred Jones, founder of the Southern Heritage Classic that the school will no longer participate due to conflicts with Jackson State’s governing alliance, the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

“On or about Nov. 8, 2019, Jackson State University entered into the Southern Heritage Classic agreement with Summitt Management Corporation relating to JSU’s participation in the Southern Heritage Classic,” the letter stated. “Since that time, the Southwestern Athletic Conference, JSU’s governing athletic alliance, has entered into an agreement in which JSU will participate in events that conflict with the Southern Heritage Classic.”

 

Ulta Beauty CEO Says Company Will Spend $50 Million On Diversity Initiatives To Support Black Founders
by Derek Major

February 4, 2022

Ulta Beauty CEO Says Company Will Spend $50 Million On Diversity Initiatives To Support Black Founders

Ulta Beauty CEO Dave Kimbell announced plans to spend $50 million on diversity and inclusion efforts this year, including investments to boost support for Black brands.

According to a press release, the beauty and skincare brand will spend $50 million this year creating an accelerator program to mentor entrepreneurs of color. Some $5 million will be invested in a venture capital fund for early-stage companies to lean into marketing efforts. Another $3.5 million of the investment will go toward in-store merchandising and displays.

“As a values-driven company, we believe we have a responsibility to drive diversity, equity, and inclusion in our company, industry, and world,” Kimbell said in the release.

“Looking back at 2021, I’m proud of the work we did to meaningfully grow our assortment, elevate and celebrate underrepresented voices, invest in our associates and create equitable experiences. Our forward-looking 2022 DE&I commitments ensure that we remain energized, creative, and extremely dedicated to leading in this critical space.”

Another $25 million will be used for company advertisements, social media campaigns, and other initiatives to reach beauty consumers of BIPOC backgrounds. Ulta will also spend an additional $8.5 million on ads for Black-owned, led, or founded brands.

Alta has launched several initiatives to grow the number of Black brands it sells and increase the diversity of its employees. Last year, the beauty giant increased the number of Black-owned brands it carries from 13 to 28 and said it’s halfway toward its goal of 15% representation on its shelves.

Last year, Ulta pledged to feature more Black women in its ads. The brand also signed the Fifteen Percent Pledge, an initiative to make Black-owned products on store shelves proportional to the country’s Black population.

The Black hair and beauty market generates millions annually, and it’s growing.

African Americans reportedly captured 86% of the ethnic beauty market, accounting for $54 million of the $63 million spent. Additionally, Black Americans spent $127 million on grooming aids and $465 million on skincare.

Atlanta-Based Clothing Brand Jolie Noire Lands Black History Month Campaign At Target
by Atiya Jordan

February 4, 2022

Atlanta-Based Clothing Brand Jolie Noire Lands Black History Month Campaign At Target

Dynamic sister-duo Keyondra and Kimberly Lockett are reclaiming what it means to be “Pretty Black” — Jolie Noire. 

Together they created an elevated women’s leisure brand with empowering Black women in mind. Now, the Louisiana sisters are taking over Target stores nationwide to celebrate Black culture through its “Black Beyond Measure campaign.”

The national retail giant launched the campaign for Black History Month 2022 to highlight Black-owned brands, seeking lucky brands like Jolie Noire.

Image Credit: Target

“We wanted to show and display the beauty of Blackness because we didn’t see anything like our illustration tees and graphic tees that showed us and also had the size range,” one of the sisters, Kim Lockett, told KSLA News 12 about what inspired the brand.

Image Credit: Target

Since its inception in 2018, Jolie Noire has aimed to raise awareness of colorism in the Black community. The apparel line started with a signature typography sweater and expanded into a collection for men and women.

In the campaign, featured items include gender and size-inclusive apparel. The designs and colors represent the sisters’ efforts to “shape the minds of onlookers and change the meaning, emotions, and values associated with Black.”

“At Target, we honor the sacrifice of Black leaders of the past while amplifying and celebrating the voices of the Black community of today. And by continuing to expand our partnerships with Black-owned businesses and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), we’re illuminating Black joy and building the best tomorrow,” the major retailer wrote about the launch of its campaign.

Keyondra, a singer and songwriter, has dedicated her music to advocating for women. She is also the first and only gospel artist to receive a toy deal with Kenya® Doll Brand (Kenya® & Friends)—an African American brand aiming to empower adolescent girls of color.

Kimberly, a celebrity fashion stylist, utilizes her experience in wardrobe, creative concept, and hair and makeup to transcend her message of empowerment as well. According to Jolie Noire’s website, her work and been seen on BET, BMI Trailblazers Honors show, HypeHair.com, Essence Fest, and more. “Her personal style has been featured and recognized in major online publications and blogs such as Essence.com, 50 Fab Fashion Instagrammers (2012), and a Fashionbombdaily.com, Fashion Bombshell of the Day (2015).”

Other brands taking part in the campaign are J. Dow Fitness by Jacqueline Dow, Coloring Pins by Essence Hayes, Jam + Rico by Lisette Scott, and Cee Cee’s Closet by Chioma and Uchenna Ngwudo.

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

February 4, 2022

Entrepreneur Turned Artist Empowers Others with Greeting Card Collection

A world-renowned speaker, coach and entrepreneur, Tera Carissa Hodges has been building an empowerment empire since 2006.

Since initially launching her empowerment endeavors, she has coached over 10,000 women in over 25 countries and has spoken on over 100 platforms throughout the US, Europe, Canada, the Caribbean and Africa. Her business is focused on empowering people, personalities and brands through multiple forms including media, online teachings, coaching, e-books, conferences and more.

“Seeing so many faith-based professionals ‘stuck,’ not where they want to be, not having a vision for how to get there, and not knowing how to evolve and reinvent themselves to get them where they want to be is what motivated me to start my business. All of my clients have dreams, but dreams have to become ideas, then actionable steps you take for them to become a reality,” shares Tera about her motivation to get started with her business.

From being an internationally known empowerment speaker to a 7 figure earning empowerment coach, Tera has also now expanded her influence to unique empowerment products. As such, Tera has partnered with Culture Greetings to launch 10 greeting cards within the brand’s breakthrough and empowerment line.

Culture Greetings is a female and Black-owned greeting card brand, where customers can pick a card online and customize it with a personalized message. The cards will then be sent directly to the recipient via postal mail or to any Walgreens location within the 50 states for same-day pick-up. Tera’s cards are all about empowering women and are meant to speak to life’s events and circumstances – breakups, job loss, and more.

“I help people heal from their past by embracing their past and pain and seeing it as purposeful. Everyone has made mistakes, been lied to, endured unfair treatment, etc. But, when you own your story, your story can never own you,” states Tera.

By tapping into her faith and getting clear on her purpose, Tera has been able to grow her empowerment business to meet the needs of different people. She has gone from leading conferences to launching her one-on-one coaching business, to then building LR Global Media Group, a PR and media services company. All of Tera’s endeavors lead to empowering others in life and business and providing them with resources to overcome all obstacles. She continues to expand her reach through multiple outlets, helping the masses redesign their lives using faith-based principles.

This story first appeared on Blacknews.com.

Nick Cannon ‘Sincerely Apologizes’ to the Mother of His Kids for Surprise Announcement of 8th Child
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

February 4, 2022

Nick Cannon ‘Sincerely Apologizes’ to the Mother of His Kids for Surprise Announcement of 8th Child

Entertainer Nick Cannon announced that he is expecting his eighth child a few months after the death of his seventh child, Zen.

On his daytime talk show Thursday, Cannon said he “sincerely apologizes” for revealing the news in the way he did. He also apologized to everyone it affected “for any extra pain or confusion” that the announcement caused.

According to People, Cannon publicly announced the upcoming birth of his eighth child, with model Bre Tiesi, earlier this week which set off an immediate reaction from Zen’s mother, Alyssa Scott.

She took to Instagram to tell her followers that she is “at peace” and “will not judge” anyone, seemingly directed at Cannon after his baby announcement.

On Thursday’s show, Cannon apologized and expressed remorse for the way he announced the baby news.

 

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A post shared by NICK CANNON (@nickcannon)

“I misspoke and probably went too much into detail on Monday expressing my feelings, and it probably felt like I was making some comparatives when talking about the passing of my son Zen and then also talking about the new child I’m expecting. I didn’t need to do that because those are two completely separate moments in my life, and they both deserve the respect.”

The Wild’ n Out host also expressed that he and Scott are still grieving the loss of their child. He also vowed he’d do better and be more understanding and compassionate toward the mothers of all his children.

“I know it seems awkward because people are trying to do the timing and all that … none of that matters. We lost a child, and it still is a sincere and real situation. I love her, I love my son Zen, and I always will. And I’m gonna love my new child. I’m a responsible human being, and I take full responsibility for everything, so I must say I sincerely apologize to everyone involved for any extra pain or confusion that I may have caused.”

How Isaac Hayes III Is Carving A Niche Amid Building A $50 Million Social Media App
by Jeffrey McKinney

February 4, 2022

How Isaac Hayes III Is Carving A Niche Amid Building A $50 Million Social Media App

Isaac Hayes III proudly wears a hoodie that proclaims, “Financial Freedom Is The New Black.”

The son of the late, legendary musician Isaac Hayes, the third-generation businessman is creating his own financial-wealth building legacy with a social media company. Hayes III is the founder of Fanbase, a fully monetized platform where users earn money through subscriptions and digital currency.

Hayes said Fanbase is the first native app that allows all content creators to make money and magnify their content by securing subscribers. They can buy virtual currency called “loves” through in-app purchases. Hayes says users can create content that allows followers and subscribers on the same page, unlike other subscription-based sites.

An Atlanta-based songwriter, music producer, and tech entrepreneur, Hayes is now expanding Fanbase.

In its second round of funding on Start Engine, Fanbase is raising $2.6 million publicly. So far, the business has raised nearly $1.5 million with over 2,300 investors. Fanbase raised $3.5 million in its first seed round last June, making Hayes the first Black American to raise that amount in Regulation Crowdfunding. He says Fanbase’s current valuation is $50 million, up from just $20 million last year.

Hayes said the newly raised funds would be used to develop Fanbase’s capabilities further, scale the overall business, acquire users, and advance the platform’s technology. “The funding would give us the capital we need to reach a significant Series A to continue to scale the company.”

Currently, Hayes says Fanbase has over 200,000  users and is available in over 170-plus countries for free on the Apple and Google Play stores. His goal is to boost the user base to one million this year. This month, he added Fanbase is launching its short-form video editor called Flickz—like TikTok and Instagram Reels— to serve Gen Z users that communicate with quick, funny videos and dance challenges.

Further, Hayes says digital redlining has plagued the Black creator economy with no equitable compensation from platforms that pay creatives. To counter that, Hayes says, “Fanbase offers users full visibility to their entire fanbase, unlike other platforms who only show your content to a fraction of your followers.”

Hayes says the app has gained a niche by providing features many of Fanbase’s rivals don’t. They include a Direct Audio chat platform allowing speakers to collect revenue. Instead of making money from ads like Instagram or Facebook, Fanbase gains a 20% cut of in-app purchases and gives 50% to users.

“That is significant because no other platform is allowing users to get paid directly from other users as opposed to getting small portions of shared ad revenue,” Hayes says.

In an interview at the BLACK ENTERPRISE Entrepreneurs Summit last September, Hayes talked about how his father helped influence him to launch Fanbase in 2019.

He said one of the conversations they always had was the importance of content ownership. Hayes says his father lost rights to a lot of his music through business deals—including Stax Records—that were negative and predatory toward him. Hayes says he grew up understanding that if you don’t own something, you’re really at a disadvantage of being able to create wealth within yourself, your community, and your family.

“So, the lessons that I’ve learned from my father as a music producer and songwriter myself definitely prepared me for the business side of ownership in Fanbase.”

Black Italian Actress Targeted With Racist Messages On Live TV
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

February 4, 2022

Black Italian Actress Targeted With Racist Messages On Live TV

A Black actress in Italy was selected to be a guest at the Sanremo Music Festival. Once the announcement was made public, the actress said she started receiving racist messages online.

According to The Associated Press, Lorena Monroe Cesarini, 34, went on television after receiving harassing messages online due to her being Black. The actress went on RAI state television earlier this week and read some of the harrowing messages during the broadcast of the music festival.

Cesarini stated this was the first time she was the target of racism growing up in Italy. Immediately after the announcement, she started receiving more racist messages.

The actress, best known for her role in the Italian serial drama Suburra, read several of the comments she received to the viewing audience.

“They invited you because you are Black,” she read from someone who felt she did not deserve to be there. Another one stated, “Maybe they called you to wash the staircase or water the plants.”

She said, “Evidently, for someone, the color of my skin is a problem.”

Although she read some of the quotes from her detractors, she received support from some live audience members. One of them yelled out to her, “You’re Italian,” to which she replied, “Yes, and proud.”

The actress, who grew up in Italy, was born in Dakar, Senegal, to a Senegalese mother and Italian father.

She posed several questions to the audience as she wondered aloud about the purpose and length that some people go to utilizing social media. “Why do people feel the necessity to write such things on social media? Why do people have a problem with the color of my skin?”

 Recently, more attention has been brought to racist incidents in Italy. There are also murmurs about Italy’s failure to represent second-generation Italians of African or Asian descent as integral to society. Black Italian designers have also been striving for more representation in the fashion world.

This Black Woman Is Revolutionizing The Feminine Product Industry With Her First-Of-Its-Kind Hygiene Machine
by Derek Major

February 4, 2022

This Black Woman Is Revolutionizing The Feminine Product Industry With Her First-Of-Its-Kind Hygiene Machine

The founder of Femly, Arion Long, is changing the multibillion-dollar feminine product industry with her plant-based menstrual care products.

Long, who sometimes refers to herself as the “Chief Estrogen Officer,” told Afrotech she launched the brand following a health scare shortly after finishing college, which led to weight gain, mood changes, and pain in her ovaries. After several visits, doctors informed Long she had a cervical tumor. Long’s doctors told her it was likely caused by chemicals found in popular feminine care products.

“We assume because some of these pads are white, that they’re clean. That is so far from the truth. Historically, many of the popular pad brands were made with synthetic materials like nylon, which is known for harboring heat and bacteria. The other side of that is many of these pads included ingredients like Bisphenol A bleach dioxins, which are linked to reproductive illnesses and cancer.”

Long began looking for alternative products to use but quickly discovered a gap in the market for women experiencing similar symptoms.

That led Long to start Femly and create a free, contactless, organic feminine products dispenser for women in need, including homeless women and those escaping domestic situations.

Long wants to expand the contactless dispenser across the nation and the world to help organizations, schools, and colleges. In addition to menstrual pads of all sizes, Femly sells tampons, pantyliners, and menstrual cups. The Femly site also allows users to recommend organizations that Femly can work with to stock public restrooms with its hygiene machine.

Femly is also working to educate women. Each of Femly’s products contains a QR code that will link to Femly’s website and a blog where women’s menstrual and pregnancy issues are discussed.

The feminine hygiene market hit $37.4 billion in 2018 and is expected to hit above $40 billion this year. Other Black women have also gotten in on the feminine hygiene industry.

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