Experience The Powerful Benefits Of Yoga With This YogaWorks Subscription
by Black Enterprise Shop

February 2, 2022

Experience The Powerful Benefits Of Yoga With This YogaWorks Subscription

Yoga’s positive health benefits aren’t a secret. Sure, it’s been scientifically proven to work wonders for balance, strength, and flexibility, along with being a relief to those seeking an escape from bothersome back pain. It’s also been proven that yoga has helped to improve mindfulness and cardiovascular and expedited weight loss. With many people leaving their gyms over the past couple of years because of health concerns, yoga has been great as an alternative.

With YogaWorks On-Demand, you can find out the positive health and mental benefits of yoga for yourself. For a limited time, a one-year subscription is available for $59. That’s a savings of 75% from its MSRP ($239).

For more than three decades, YogaWorks has provided a great platform for those involved in yoga, and it’s become an industry leader in the space. All that’s needed to unlock the benefits of this deal is a PC, laptop, or mobile device updated with the current operating system.

More than 1,300 on-demand yoga classes are included with your purchase. These classes are taught by some of the most popular expert teachers. Part of the allure of this deal is that users are able to practice from the friendly confines of their homes, allowing them to learn at their own pace.

While more than 1,300 classes come with this deal, users can curate their own playlist from some of their favorite classes. The included journey series helps users set and achieve their own goals.

Today calls YogaWorks, “The best program out there right now for yoga fanatics.” Meanwhile, USA Today calls it a “Top 10 best at-home workout.”

The idea of returning to physical gyms isn’t a thought many fitness-minded people find promising as the threat of new variants of the coronavirus arises. If you’re one of the many people looking for alternatives, this deal not only allows you to continue your fitness goals, but it allows you to do so in a safe environment. Get a one-year subscription to YogaWorks for $59.

Prices subject to change.

Body of Missing Houston Man Found One Month Later in Dallas
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

February 1, 2022

Body of Missing Houston Man Found One Month Later in Dallas

The body of 25-year-old Taylour Young was found inside the trunk of his car over one month after he was reported missing.

On Monday, Houston police confirmed that Young’s body was located at an impound lot in Dallas on Jan. 19, Click 2 Houston reported. His body was in an advanced state of decomposition.

Young’s girlfriend reported him missing on December 9 after he didn’t come home. The Sam Houston State University alumnus was working as an accountant and hadn’t returned from his lunch break.

“He sent me a text message about 11:30. It was a picture of his dog with the antlers on his head,” Young’s mother, Tiffany Robinson, said.

Robinson used an app to track his phone and located it in the bushes near a bank. Young’s car was also missing, prompting family and friends to get involved in his search.

Robinson said it was unlike her son to not communicate his whereabouts. He was last seen running errands while on his break, ABC 13 reported. Using the hashtag #BringTaylourHome on social media, Young’s family built a support group to find him.

Dallas police say the vehicle Young was found in was towed from a business parking lot in Dallas on Jan. 10. On Jan. 19, officials at the impound lot contacted police, who made the gruesome discovery.

An investigation into his death is still ongoing as his family and loved ones mourn his loss.

“He had no enemies. Everybody loved him. He didn’t owe anybody money. He had no addictions. He didn’t do drugs. It just makes absolutely no sense at all,” Young’s friend Christian Gorgy said.

Robinson shared a statement on Facebook about her son’s body being found after his “disappearance.”

“I want to share my worldly loss as well. I lost my son, my baby, my friend; and will raise his love, his dog Gigi… During Taylours [sic] family time of mourning, I ask that you continue to lift us up in prayer,” Robinson said.

“Be mindful and respectful of our privacy and the fact that the investigation is still ongoing.”

Speaking with People, Robinson shared stories of how loved Young was in his local community.

“He is so loved. I’ve had his coworkers tell me funny stories. I didn’t know Taylour would go to Whole Foods and play bingo with senior citizens, but a colleague of his told me that. I thought that was so funny and just the perfect example of the nice boy he is.”

Young was also working to get promoted at his job, and his managers spoke highly of him.

“The HR director at his job told me, ‘He is one of my highest performers. He’s consistent,'” Robinson shared.

Black Women Entrepreneurs Qualify for $10,000 Grant to Grow Business
by Jeffrey McKinney

February 1, 2022

Black Women Entrepreneurs Qualify for $10,000 Grant to Grow Business

Sage and The BOSS Network are partnering to offer 25, $10,000 grants to Black women entrepreneurs to grow their businesses.
The Sage Invest in Progress grant will award the funding to help support Black women during their first five years of business, per a news release. The drive aims to help erase barriers that many entrepreneurs— particularly Black women business owners—exceedingly contend with when starting a business.
The effort will include a 12-month program of entrepreneurial mentorship and education. Grant awardees will receive quarterly business training courses through BOSS University. They will gain access to The Boss Network’s online community as well as complimentary Sage Business Cloud Accounting software.
According to the news release, the Sage Invest in Progress grant is a three-year commitment to support the newly announced BOSS Impact Fund. It is centered on investing in Black women-led businesses and getting entrepreneurs ready to build scalable, growth aggressive companies. The fund’s goal is to raise investment funding for more than 500 Black women entrepreneurs over the next three years.
“It has been reported that the single greatest barrier to success for new businesses and startups is access to capital — and minorities make up less than 1% of founders that receive that investment. With The BOSS Impact fund, we are working with partners like Sage to address that disparity head-on,” Cameka Smith, founder, of The BOSS Network, stated in the news release.
“The Sage Invest in Progress program will build on the work of The BOSS Network to not only empower Black women entrepreneurs but also arm them with the resources they need to lead successful businesses and increase their market share.”
Aziz Benmalek, interim managing director, Sage North America, added, “At Sage, we have committed to knocking down barriers that foster an advantage for some groups while creating obstacles for others. Capital investment is one area that we’ve recognized as a barrier, particularly for Black businesswomen.”
To apply, visit BOSSImpactFund.com. Those interested can apply now through Feb. 25. Technology firm, Hello Alice, is handling the grant application process. Awardees will be announced in late March.
The Boss Network has been a longtime supporter and advocate of entrepreneurship for Black women. Last year, the company was involved in Advancing Black Entrepreneurs by Chase, a digital session that helped Black business owners grow and scale their businesses. Other participating partners included Black Enterprise, the National Urban League, the U.S. Black Chambers, and the National Minority Supplier Development Council.
by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

February 1, 2022

Valerie Wilson Named President of National Economic Association

Today, labor economist Valerie Wilson took the helm of the National Economic Association (NEA), which was founded in 1969 to increase the representation of Black economists and other people of color within the profession. She takes on a one-year term as president of the NEA, which also produces and distributes knowledge of economic issues to promote economic growth among native and immigrant African Americans, Latinos, and other people of color.

Wilson will remain as director of the Economic Policy Institute’s Program on Race, Ethnicity, and the Economy (PREE), a nationally recognized source for expert reports and policy analyses on the economic condition of America’s people of color. Prior to joining EPI in 2014, Wilson was vice president of research at the National Urban League Washington Bureau, according to a press release.

She has written extensively on various issues impacting economic inequality in the United States — including employment and training, income, wage and wealth disparities, access to higher education, and social insurance — and has appeared regularly in print, television, and radio media.

“It is an honor to be named the next president of the National Economic Association,” said Wilson.

“For decades, the NEA has focused on diversifying and strengthening economics research to bring issues facing Black and other underrepresented communities to the forefront. I am proud to carry on and lead this tradition of distinguished scholarship and research.”

In her role as president, Wilson will promote NEA’s mission through public engagement of the NEA and its more than 2,000 members on major policy issues pertinent to the economic well-being of Black Americans and other communities of color. She will also work with the director of NEA’s newly launched Black Economic Research Center for the 21st Century, James Stewart, to amplify Black economic thought and activism through the center’s work.

As president, Wilson succeeds economist Nina Banks, who also serves on EPI’s Board of Directors.

Father’s Viral Photo Of Library Desk/Crib Calls Attention To Needed Child Care Solutions
by Atiya Jordan

February 1, 2022

Father’s Viral Photo Of Library Desk/Crib Calls Attention To Needed Child Care Solutions

A father from Richmond, Virginia, took his two sons to their local library in Fairfield and noticed a computer workstation with an attached partitioned playpen/crib area. He was in awe by the wooden desk and captured a picture that would go viral on Twitter.

“I’m staring at it, and I’m like, this is so brilliant,” Ali Faruk told Good Morning America. “It was just so simple and intuitive, and it’s one of those things where you stare at it and you’re like, ‘How is this not everywhere?'”

(Photo: Janelle Goode)

While garnering over 27,000 retweets, the post called attention to the solutions that were designed specifically to fulfill a need in the Fairfield community, which is a predominantly Black community, according to July 2021 census data.

The desk and crib, featured in Faruk’s photo, is known as the Fairfield Parent+Child Carrel, which “offers a convenient spot for parents to work while their babies or toddler are next to them in a safe and stimulating LearnPLAY environment,” according to the product description.

The furniture was conceptualized by the library system and led by Henrico County Public Library Director Barbara Weedman. The product came about after gathering feedback from the neighborhood’s residents. It was also designed with the help of the businesses Quinn Evans Architects and TMC Furniture.

“We’ve seen parents and caregivers who would need to do adult work, like apply for a job or create a document for community college and so on, and if they had little infants and toddlers, we saw that it was very tricky to do,” Weedman explained to the news outlet.

“The idea really was for customer service, to provide access. Librarians love to help, and we love to give access to people, and it can be tricky when you have little ones,” she said. “And I think this has resonated with many people, because they can relate, juggling all these things in our busy lives.”

On the other hand, the concept of the carrel sparked a conversation about paid leave and child care in the United States. In fact, when Lauren Smith Brody, an advocate of paid family and medical leave, saw a shared photo of the desk carrel on Instagram, she took an interview with Good Morning America.

“When you see an organization step in and create a solution that could potentially help a lot of people, you want to be supportive of it, but it doesn’t solve the larger question of like, why is this even needed? Why do American families not have access to affordable child care?” she said.

 

Right Message, Wrong Messenger: Mathew Knowles Called Out After Praising Janet Jackson For Her Father’s Portrayal In Doc
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

February 1, 2022

Right Message, Wrong Messenger: Mathew Knowles Called Out After Praising Janet Jackson For Her Father’s Portrayal In Doc

Beyoncé’s father, Mathew Knowles, is catching heat after sharing his response to Janet Jackson’s revelations about her late father, Joe Jackson.

Knowles was one of the many who tuned in to the Janet Jackson documentary this weekend. But instead of keeping his opinion on the docuseries to himself, Beyoncé’s daddy took to Instagram to applaud Jackson for choosing to speak highly of her late father Joe despite family reports of being abused by him during their childhood.

Noting how “good” he found the documentary, Knowles credited it with “answering a lot of questions” for him.

“The first half was dedicated to her childhood which unveiled the curtain on how much, although a strict disciplinarian, Joe Jackson loved his kids, wanted the best for them, and was an extremely smart, strategic, and effective manager, unlike the villain that mainstream media have painted,” Knowles shared in his lengthy caption.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Mathew Knowles (@mrmathewknowles)

“Janet, Randy, and Tito repeatedly said “if not for Joe, we would have not had the success,” Knowles added.

“Today’s news take is focused more on the wardrobe malfunction with Justin Timberlake, and Joe Jackson’s role as a loving Black father/manager is completely forgotten! Thank you, Janet, for stepping up and telling the true story,” Knowles added.

Many gave Knowles his flowers for his part in managing Beyoncé and Destiny’s Child. But, considering Knowles’ estranged relationship with his two eldest daughters, Beyoncé and Solange, the Bey Hive wasted no time shutting down the patriarch for seemingly trying to interject himself into a moment that wasn’t meant for him.

“Beyoncé come get your daddy,” one person replied. “What was he trying to say?” asked someone else.

“Was you there, in their home.. to witness what they went thru?” another user asked.

“Matthew we still ain’t forgiving you for what you did to your family. But, we respect your role in the Queen’s success,” added someone else.

Knowles has been distanced from Beyoncé and Solange after cheating on Tina Lawson and fathering two children with other women, HuffPost reports.

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

February 1, 2022

Parkes Philanthropy and The Black Wall Street App Invest in Black Futures

Historically, access to financial literacy education has not been equal to everyone. To address this inequity, Brandon Parkes, CEO and Founder of social impact consulting firm, Parkes Philanthropy and Hill Harper, Award-Winning Actor, Philanthropist and CEO and Founder of The Black Wall Street App are teaming up for a social media campaign that honors Black history by investing in Black futures.

During Black History Month, this campaign will donate free premium subscriptions from the investment research platform Moby to youth of color through a partnership with a national financial literacy organization, which empowers youth across the United States to learn about, and become comfortable with, saving, investing, entrepreneurship and philanthropy.

“These platforms can help solve the racial wealth gap and create cooperative economic solutions,” said Harper.

“I helped create Moby in order to empower everyday investors with technology, data and content that will help them on their road to financial freedom. It is my privilege to be able to donate subscriptions to further complete our mission and educate America’s youth”, said Justin Kramer, CEO and Co-Founder of Moby. 

Only 55% of Black Americans own stocks compared with 71% of white Americans. In the last few years, the financial behavior of Black people has been evolving, but there’s still the need for progress. More Black Americans became first time investors in 2020 than any other year, with most under 40, according to the 2021 Ariel Investments-Schwab Black Investor Survey.

“The increase in Black entrepreneurs and investors that we’re seeing is just the beginning – we need to ensure our young people are also equipped with the tools and resources to feel confident as investors and build wealth,” shared Parkes.

“That is how we’ll see real change.”

Bill Cosby’s Attorney Requests U.S. Supreme Court Not Revive His Sexual Assault Case
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

February 1, 2022

Bill Cosby’s Attorney Requests U.S. Supreme Court Not Revive His Sexual Assault Case

Shamed comedian Bill Cosby was released from prison in June after an overturned conviction for criminal sexual assault. Now his attorney wants to make sure the case is not revived in front of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Cosby’s attorney, Jennifer Bonjeato, submitted paperwork Monday, the Associated Press reported.

According to Bonjeato’s documents, the case prosecutors want to present is based on a narrow set of facts and not worth the court’s time.

The Montgomery County (PA) District Attorney’s Office wants the U.S. Supreme Court to review the decision that overturned Cosby‘s indecent exposure conviction. Prosecutors said in a statement in November that Cosby shouldn’t have been granted immunity even though the previous county prosecutor promised such in a press release.

The state’s highest court discovered that Cosby initially thought there was a non-prosecution agreement with the former district attorney in 2005 when he provided detrimental testimony in the accuser’s lawsuit. Based on that testimony, he was arrested in 2015.

Cosby was in prison for nearly three years before he was released. The disgraced 84-year-old actor was to serve three to 10 years in prison for sexually assaulting and drugging Andrea Constand at his home in 2004.

“Notwithstanding the commonwealth’s warning of imminent catastrophic consequences, the Cosby holding will likely be confined to its own ‘rare, if not entirely unique’ set of circumstances, making review by this court particularly unjustified,” Bonjeanto stated in the 15-page response filed.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cosby is currently facing a civil lawsuit brought by Judy Huth in Los Angeles Superior Court. The comedian plans to invoke the Fifth Amendment.

Huth, according to The New York Daily News, first met Cosby in 1974.

The 37-year-old star approached the 15-year-old Huth and her 16-year-old friend, who watched him work on a film set. Huth claimed Cosby served her alcohol a few days later and took her to what she believed was the Playboy Mansion.

At the mansion, Huth claims Cosby led her to a bathroom and attempted to kiss her on the mouth, and slid his hand down her pants. She stated Cosby later grabbed her hand and forced her to perform a sex act on him.

Huth’s lawsuit against Cosby, filed on Dec. 2, 2014, accuses him of sexual battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The Associated Press has reported that more than 60 women have accused Cosby, who framed himself as a paragon of family values, of sexual misconduct.

First Black-Owned Business at Downtown Disney District Reopens For Black History Month
by Atiya Jordan

February 1, 2022

First Black-Owned Business at Downtown Disney District Reopens For Black History Month

Mother Juana Williams and daughter Blair Paysinger opened Post 21, the first Black-owned business at Downtown Disney District, to pay homage to the countless Black entrepreneurs who laid their businesses down brick by brick on Black Wall Street.

The shop first opened at Downtown Disney District on Black Friday last year. After a brief pause, the shop is reopening just in time to start Black History Month with highly recommended products from the owners.

The mother-and-daughter duo began their entrepreneurial journey with the launch of their online shop on June 1, 2020, which marked 99 years after the decimation of Black Wall Street during the Tulsa Race Massacre in 1921. With hopes of continuing the legacy of the original Black Wall Street entrepreneurs from the post-1921 era, the women named the shop Post 21.

“Our whole purpose is to advance Black businesses,” Williams, 59, told the Orange County Register. “We’re bringing all the Black businesses that we work with along with us, so they have the Disney opportunity as well.”

According to its website, Post 21 was created to serve as a “comprehensive marketplace that focused on modern and design-forward products from Black-owned businesses.”

“We thought we’d just do a website, start slow, learn the business and then eventually grow,” Williams said. “But instead, it kind of exploded, and here we are today.”

While building their family legacy, Williams and Paysinger tap into the legacy of Black entrepreneurs and professionals who made an impact in their own lives, including Williams’ father. He owned three businesses on one Los Angeles block and assisted his brothers in starting their own businesses. Post 21 is an exemplary effort to invest in Black creators, businesses, and communities.

Another goal for Post 21 is to transform the concept of Black Friday from shopping for discounts to “shopping intentionally with Black businesses,” according to Paysinger.

As the first Black business owners in Downtown Disney District, Williams expressed that she’s proud to be where she is today.

She said, “It’s hard to say it’s an honor. I’m so grateful that it’s happened. Every time I hear the first Black to do something, I think, ‘That’s so crazy.’ How can we still be talking about that today?”

×