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GEORGE CHEEKS
COMPANY
President & CEO, CBS Entertainment Group
BOARD
PVH Corp.
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GEN. LLOYD W. NEWTON
COMPANY
President, Armed Forces Benefit Association and 5Star Life Insurance Co.
BOARD
Former EVP, Military Engines, Pratt & Whitney
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by Andrea Blackstone
July 20, 2021
Comedian Jon Laster Creates The Blapp App To Boost Black-Owned Businesses
A New York City-based comedian named Jon Laster is launching an app which supports Black-owned businesses, but his new mission is no laughing matter.
The Blapp app – which is set to launch in early August 2021 — “allows Black merchants to directly sell products from books to handbags to glasses to clothing,” according to New York Daily News.
Jon Laster built a career on making people laugh. Now he wants to change the world.
After George Floyd’s murder, the comedian was marching in a protest in Brooklyn when he decided to do something that would have a wider impact in the Black community.https://t.co/dzZbHUm6Sj
— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) July 17, 2021
App users will be enabled to “shop local” while supporting business which range from Black-owned restaurants and bars to Black florists and plumbers, according to the article.
“This will be the first time anyone can hold a Black-owned shopping mall in your hand,” Laster told New York Daily News. “You go into a restaurant, you eat and there’s a couple of extra dollars in the register. That’s a little less headwind for that business.”
Laster “studied economics with an emphasis on poverty” in college. Following George Floyd’s murder in 2020, the comedian came up with the idea, after “marching in a protest on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn,” according to New York Daily News.
On the Blapp app’s website, information provided there notes that various Black-owned businesses can be found “in your neighborhood and online.”
Following nationwide Black Lives Matter protests, consumer apps were heavily utilized to patronize “small black-owned businesses. EatOkra, a nationwide “guide to black-owned restaurants,” had “90,000” downloads in “30 days,” according to a 2020 article by WSB-TV 2.
The Blapp app may serve as an indicator to reveal if the desire to support Black-owned businesses is still top of mind for consumers.
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GEN. DARREN W. MCDEW
COMPANY
Former Commander, U.S. Transportation Command
BOARD
Abbott Laboratories
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GEN. COLIN POWELL
COMPANY
Former U.S. Secretary of State, Former Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
BOARD
Salesforce.com
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GARY S. MAY
COMPANY
Chancellor, University of California at Davis
BOARD
Leidos Holdings Inc.
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by Andrea Blackstone
July 20, 2021
Black Men Need Love Too: Educator Pens a Self-Care Journal for Brothers
During the pandemic, Brennan Steele decided to pen a self-care journal called “breathe. a guided healing journal for black men.”
The Memphis-based educator who initially searched for self-help books to record his “feelings and thoughts” noticed that the majority of them were not geared toward Black men, according to Local abc 24’s news report. Steele felt compelled to write his own. Now, Black men are encouraging others to give the journal a try.
As I continue my journey to healing mentally, emotionally, & physically, I wanted to share this journal that has been beneficial!
From one black man to another, this could help!
Breathe by Brennan Allan Steele
Have a GREAT MORNING Kings! pic.twitter.com/PQUjeL8GvA
— joseline’s hat maker. (@MaalikFalsetto) March 25, 2021
Steele published the book at a time when many people began feeling the weight of stress and heavy social justice issues.
“I think 2020 hit with a lot of different circumstances,” Steele said to Local abc 24. “You had the pandemic. You had the racial unrest with the killing of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor. The list goes on throughout the summer, and it was all hitting at once.”
The idea to provide a space for Black men to “breathe” is also catching on. Steele’s ‘Breathe, Brotha’ Instagram account’ provides “therapists, educators and social workers are using the tool online an in their own lives, creating a bigger conversation for Black men to speak up, seek help, and breathe,” according to the news report.
View this post on Instagram
Similarly, Hafeez Baoku, who is an author, director and host of The Roommates Podcast wrote a blog post for NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) about “how Black men grow up in culture that tells men that they are not supposed to cry.” He is also using his platform to support others in the Black community and address the negative stigma linked to seeking help for mental health needs.
Steele mentioned his struggle with racial trauma after hearing about recent, highly publicized murders of Black people and how it clashed with the “expectations we place on masculinity,” he told Choose 901.
Although he began overcoming masculinity challenges, he “didn’t want to process or emote in a way that would be deemed threatening,” according to the interview.
“I see breathe as the restorative work for black men who weren’t given the tools to process the world around them as black boys. As such, my job as a teacher every day must be taking part in the preventive work of building up the mental and emotional wellness of all of my students, but especially my black boys,” Steele also said to Choose 901.
Click here to find Steele’s journal on Amazon.
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton
July 20, 2021
US Navy Christens Oiler Ship USNS John Lewis on Anniversary of Congressman’s Death
America has just celebrated the one year anniversary of the death of civil rights icon, John Lewis. The Navy took it a step further when it broke a bottle of sparkling wine across the bow of a Navy oiler ship that was christened the USNS John Lewis in San Diego.
According to CNN, on Saturday, July 17, the US Navy christened one of their new oiler ships the USNS John Lewis a year after the death of Congressman John Lewis.
“It’s fitting that we honor John Lewis with this formidable ship, because John Lewis was a warrior. One of the mottos of the Navy is ‘Semper Fortis’ – ‘Always Courageous’ – and John Lewis was indeed always courageous,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who led a congressional delegation to the event on Saturday. “This ship will be a beacon to the world reminding all who see it of the persistence and courage of John Lewis.”
The USNS John Lewis is a 742-foot-long vessel that is designed to transfer fuel to US Navy carrier strike group ships operating at sea, according to the Navy. The Navy has also stated that future John Lewis-class oilers will be named for other prominent civil rights leaders Harvey Milk, Earl Warren, Robert F. Kennedy, Lucy Stone and Sojourner Truth.
“Civil Service Mariners will operate this ship with the skill, resolve and courage displayed by John Lewis. With this ship, our naval service is better positioned to meet the challenges that lie ahead,” said Rear Admiral Michael Wettlaufer, commander of Military Sealift Command.
Known as the “Conscience of Congress” for his unyielding battles for racial equality, voting rights, and human rights, he remained a powerful political force even after he announced that he had stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He was 80.
Lewis, who received the Earl G. Graves Sr. Vanguard Award at the inaugural BLACK ENTERPRISE Black Men XCEL Summit in 2017, often said he was looking for “good trouble.” As such, he remained one of the fiercest lions in the fight for justice and equality, rallying congressional colleagues in recent years to vote to impeach President Trump, gain unequivocal support on the restoration of key provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and participate in a sit-in against gun violence.
From the most prominent politicians to the constituents he touched, mourners have flooded social media with statements of his lasting impact on the nation and mission to uplift the disadvantaged.
by Andrea Blackstone
July 20, 2021
Thirteen Lune Highlights Beauty Brands Created by Black and Brown Entrepreneurs
Nyakio Grieco— the founder of Nyakio Beauty, which creates facial care products— co-founded thirteen lune along with Patrick Herning in 2020. The purpose of the “e-commerce destination” is “to highlight beauty brands and founders who, for far too long, have been neglected in terms of capital and retail partnerships,” according to Grieco’s LinkedIn account.
“My mission has been to create a community to help BIPOC beauty founders realize success more quickly, with amplified support and on a bigger stage. thirteen lune fosters this allyship in an authentic way and with a platform in which non-BIPOC-owned brands can find us, speak with us and we can all come together in a way that shows true partnership and community,” Grieco said on her profile.
View this post on Instagram
Grieco was moved to support other entrepreneurs through a new endeavor which was “inspired by the racial awakening during the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to Good Morning America. The desire for additional retailers to provide Black brands with increased shelf space and representation in stores birthed the inclusive beauty idea.
“We have brands from Africa, from Southeast Asia, from China, from the Dominican Republic, but they are products that have to work on people of all colors, hair texture, skin types and really tell a founder story,” Grieco said in the Good Morning America interview.
Grieco is a first-generation American whose “grandmother was a Kenyan farmer,” but she is no stranger to the beauty industry. The entrepreneur recalls the experience of picking coffee beans, crushing them, then adding oils for skin exfoliation. The Nyakio Beauty can now be found at Target. However, Grieco once felt that felt that “the continent of Africa was very underrepresented in premium beauty,” according to Good Morning America.
Click here to locate thirteen lune.
by Black Enterprise Shop
July 20, 2021
Experience Sparkling Audio With 50% Off These Bluetooth Earbuds
With wireless technology being incorporated in nearly every aspect of daily life, wouldn’t it be great to own a set of headphones that don’t tether you to your mobile devices?
The Coby True Wireless Bluetooth 5.0 Earbuds offer that capability as you enjoy your favorite music, podcasts, or audiobooks while fitting snugly in your ears via its foam ear tips without the hassle of annoying wires. For a limited time, they can be yours for just $39.99 – a 50% discount.
While these earbuds allow for optimum listening entertainment, they come equipped with a built-in microphone that enables you to make or receive phone calls. The built-in mic also activates Siri or Google Assistant, further enhancing your wireless experience.
The Bluetooth capability in these minimalistic earbuds allows you to seamlessly connect to the compatible devices in your home or office ecosystems without you having to even miss a beat. Satisfied buyers have already given these an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars, and one customer comments, “I love this product because it is totally hands free. I am able to listen to the radio plus able to answer the phone at the same time.”
This product ships with two extra pairs of ear gels, making sure you find the right fit no matter your size of ears. And with a playback time of 6.5 hours, you don’t have to worry about interrupting a good workout, walk, or hike because of battery drain. But just in case you find yourself low of battery, also included in this deal are a charging cable and a charging case that provide 22 hours of juice.
Whether enjoying the latest new music, blasting your favorite playlist while at the gym, or listening to a thought-provoking podcast, do so in true wireless fashion with the Coby True Wireless Bluetooth 5.0 Earbuds by taking advantage of this limited deal today.
Prices subject to change.