Move Over Clubhouse: Ayinde Alakoye, Founder of Nēdl, Brings Black Creatives to The Table With Own Live Audio Platform
by Andrea Blackstone

July 14, 2021

Move Over Clubhouse: Ayinde Alakoye, Founder of Nēdl, Brings Black Creatives to The Table With Own Live Audio Platform

It’s no secret that the influx of Black creatives using Clubhouse, a voice-chat social platform, has made it a phenomenon with a valuation of about $1 billion.

Ayinde Alakoye, a former speech contributor and message advisor to Barack Obama during his 2008 Presidential campaign, understands the power in the collective community of Black folks. Therefore, Alakoye decided to use the Black voice to prompt change by creating a live audio platform called Nēdl, according to a recent interview with AfroTech’s Green Tech Money podcast. 

“This is a product that is founded by Black people to give Black voices a platform,” Alakoye said to Will Lucas during the podcast interview.

The serial entrepreneur is giving creatives who sign up for a live audio platform called Nēdl (as in, ‘the haystack’) a chance to experience having their “own live radio station instantly.” The product provides a unique URL equipped with SMS alerts, the ability to take callers, and more, according to the interview.

“If anyone can create a product for everyone, it’s us,” said Alakoye. “And so that’s what we’ve done with Nēdl, we’ve actually created a product for everyone that uniquely speaks to our needs as Black people to have access to the mic for the first time, in a really unfiltered way and also totally serves the broader audience in every way as well.”

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The founder and CEO of Nēdl told the outlet that words can be transcribed, amplified and monetized “as they’re spoken.” According to information provided on Nēdl’s website, it is “the first social audio platform in the world to provide live transcripts that make audio accessible for everyone.” Additionally, listeners may listen to voices, even if the app has not been downloaded.

Nēdl seems to be gaining traction. According to Republic, which is an investment platform,  Nēdl is “1 of 12 startups in Google’s inaugural Voice AI Accelerator” and $1.6M has been raised thus far.

What does Alakoye know about building apps? A lot. He is the creator of “iHeartRadio’s mobile app,” according to Republic.

Click here to learn more information about Nēdl.

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‘Victoria’s Secret Karen’ Went Ballistic On A Black Woman, Caught on Camera Lying and Crying
by Christian Spencer

July 14, 2021

‘Victoria’s Secret Karen’ Went Ballistic On A Black Woman, Caught on Camera Lying and Crying

A white woman acted like a victim when in fact she was an aggressor towards a Black woman at a Victoria’s Secret location in New Jersey.

Abigail Elphick, now widely known as “Victoria’s Secret Karen” has gone viral after she pretended to be an injured victim, calling the authorities on a Black woman named Ijeoma Ukenta, 38, of Newark, NJ.com reported.

Elphick tried to hit Ukenta on camera, but somehow her attack missed Ukenta.

Unfortunately for Elphick, Ukenta’s recorded evidence speaks for itself.

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It is not clear what exactly started the incident but Ukenta, who is Muslim, said Elphick followed around the store.

“Oh my God. Oh my God. Do you see this? Oh my God. I never thought nothing like this would happen to me. She tried to run and hit,” Ukenta said on camera as Elphick charged her.

After her failed assailant was captured on camera, Elphick curled up into a ball and began to cry crocodile tears, saying, “No I didn’t. I don’t want to be recorded.”

“Why aren’t you guys defending me? I just don’t want to be recorded,” the Karen added, “Don’t record my mental breakdown please. Please, please, please.”

In response to her sudden attitude, Ukenta calmly responded back saying, “You keep lying saying I’m threatening you so I’m recording to protect myself.”

Ukenta uploaded the video on TikTok and YouTube, however, she tweeted she got “banned off Tik Tok.”

In a second recording, Elphick can be seen with her face on the ground, kicking and screaming that she is being harassed by Ukenta.

Ukenta can be heard on camera saying that she was more concern with Elphick’s call to the police than her panic attack.

When police arrived, the two women were taken to the police station.

No one was charged for the incident, but Ukenta, seeking justice, launched a GoFundMe page that has raised more than $72,000 as of reporting.

Elphick told police that she worried that Ukenta’s videos would jeopardize her preschool teaching career and demanded the videos be deleted.

Elphick wrote in a short biography explaining she was “diagnosed with chronic constipation and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction,” but it does not mention any mental disorders.

Some records show she was employed between Cedar Grove and Newark, New Jersey, but Cedar Grove School District is denying it, writing on its home page, “The individual involved at the Mall at Short Hills that took place on July 11, 2021 is not and has never been employed by the Cedar Grove Board of Education.”

Learn To Sell Amazing Products On Amazon With This $35 Side Hustle Guide
by Black Enterprise Shop

July 14, 2021

Learn To Sell Amazing Products On Amazon With This $35 Side Hustle Guide

It’s old news that Amazon works with third-party sellers, but you probably had no idea that in 2020, nearly half of all Amazon sales came from third-party sellers and not Amazon directly. And about two-thirds of those sellers used the Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) platform.

Fulfillment by Amazon is a service offered by Amazon to help third-party sellers automate their order fulfillment and shipping services. Basically, what happens is you sell your product, and Amazon handles the shipping.

If you’re trying to get started on the FBA service but you’re not sure where to begin, then the 2021 Complete Amazon Dropshipping and Private Label Master Class Bundle covers the major points you need to know, and the guide is currently on sale for $34.99.

This bundle is packed with 11 courses from top Amazon FBA instructors and dropshippers with years of experience. These instructors include Ryan Ford, a 7-figure FBA seller who has taught over 10,000 students on Udemy how to successfully launch and run a business with FBA. The bundle also features courses by Bryan Guerra, an expert in online marketing and customer acquisition with an average student rating of 4.1/5.

Each course in this bundle has been tailored to focus on one skill, so you can focus on any skill you want to learn. For example, the Amazon Product Research Challenge Course will teach you to find the best products, regardless of your experience, and the Amazon PPC Advertising Masterclass will show you how to optimize your Amazon Sponsored Product Ads to lower costs and improve profits.

These and so much more are available in this bundle, and it’s now available for $34.99, or less than $4 per course. It’s time to join the 2 million Amazon FBA sellers on the right path for your business.

Prices subject to change.

A Convict Who Accidentally Voted In Texas And Violated His Parole Was Arrested For ‘Voter Fraud’
by Christian Spencer

July 13, 2021

A Convict Who Accidentally Voted In Texas And Violated His Parole Was Arrested For ‘Voter Fraud’

In Texas, a Black man exercised his right to vote in the presidential primary on March 4, 2020, and waited six hours to cast his vote. But to his dismay, he was arrested by undercover police officers because it was apparently illegal for him to vote.

Hervis Rogers, 62, did not know his appearance on CNN would land him back in jail, but he was charged with voter fraud after voting in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary while on parole, MSNBC reported.

Considering that he waited six hours to cast his ballot, news anchor Joy Reid speculated he would not have admitted on TV to voting if he knew it was illegal.

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Rogers’ appearance on CNN was initially a news piece on voter suppression, a strategy used to influence the outcome of an election by discouraging or preventing specific groups of people from voting.

In his experience, he felt like the unnecessary long process was designed for people like him to walk away.

“I wanted to get my vote in to voice my opinion and I wasn’t going let nothing stop me, so I waited it out,” Rogers told CNN at the time. “It’s like, the way it was going like it was set up for me to walk away.”

Since the 2020 election and the defeat of President Donald Trump, Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton has set his sights on Rogers and is prosecuting him to the fullest.

Rogers is facing two charges of illegal voting, a second-degree felony that carries two to 20 years in prison for each court.

His bail was set for $100,000.

Rogers was near the end of his parole for a previous burglary conviction from the 1990s, which mandates that those formerly incarcerated are not allowed to vote until their parole has been completed.

Thankfully, for Rogers, a nonprofit organization called Bail Project raised the money for him to be released from jail.

Rogers has an attorney provided by the UCLA said he did know he violated his parole.

Paxton’s voter fraud prosecution overwhelmingly involve minorities – 72 percent, according to Houston Chronicle.

 

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 13, 2021

Michael Strahan, Pharrell, Join Leaders To Educate Athletes About Their Finances At NKSFB Sports Wealth Summit

It’s been stated that most professional athletes end up financially unstable within 5 years after their sporting careers are over.

In an effort to better educate athletes who may not have the financial guidance afforded to more popular and successful players, the inaugural NKSFB Sports Wealth Summit took place last week from Tuesday, July 6th – Thursday, July 8th in sunny Aspen, Colorado.

The NKSFB Sports Wealth Summit was organized to try to combat the lack of resources and/or education some athletes may not have access to.

Craig Brown, Partner and Co-Head of the Sports Business Division at NKSFB and NKSFB Sports Co-Founder, who helmed the inaugural event explained what the summit was about, “First, this was not a traditional wealth summit, but one focused on fostering an understanding (in a broad sense for these guys) of all things pertaining to ‘wealth.’ Not just from a financial standpoint, but learning about wine, art, and the psychology behind why we make the decisions we make about money.”

The summit started with a great reception that welcomed the athletes and executives to the Aspen Art Museum where Jay Fletcher, who is a Fine Wine and Master Sommelier was able to introduce his craft in identifying the various wines presented as he gave way to the words of Grammy Award Winning Producer, Entrepreneur & Philanthropist, Pharrell Williams. With this introduction to the summit, most of the athletes were ready to experience the varied plethora of speakers who would add value to the knowledge that would be accumulated throughout the summit.

Barron Channer, Ramona Hall, Al Harrington
(Barron Channer, Ramona Hall, Al Harrington)

During the week, speakers indulged the audience within the subject areas of fine arts, technology, investment strategies, angel investing, venture capital, cryptocurrency, real estate, cannabis, and money management, among other things that could add to a successful portfolio.

“This was a one-of-a-kind event, bringing such a diverse group of people together and covering such varied subject matters. Going into this, we knew that all the topics would not be of interest to all the guys, but the goal was to give them a taste of everything to find what areas resonated with them. Some guys may have left thinking they want to explore more about the art market; for some, it’s real estate, others cannabis, or getting into media. By introducing them to all these areas, it allowed them to find what they are passionate about,” Brown tells BLACK ENTERPRISE.

The esteemed speakers were the likes of notable professionals such as former National Football League Hall of Famer Good Morning America Co-Host, Michael Strahan, Pérez Art Museum Miami’s Franklin Sirmans, Owner of the National Basketball Association’s Memphis Grizzlies and Art Collector Elliott Perry, Artist Theaster Gates, Executive Vice President, and Chief Marketing Officer for BET Networks, Kimberly Evans Paige, Private Equity Investor, Technology & Energy CEO Solomon Ali, Former NBA player and Owner of The Harrington Group and Viola Brands, Al Harrington, Jackson | Shah & Company’s Adrian Muhammad, Phillips Concessions’ Ramona Hall, Woodwater Group/Miami Black Angels’ Barron Channer, and Andreesen Horowitz’s Chris Lyons.

With this being the inaugural event, it looks like this is the start of something that can be big for the sports industry and especially for athletes looking to use their finances in a very significant way during and post-career.

Brown says, “I am quite confident the summit was a complete success based on the reactions of the players. I’ve had multiple guys reach out to ask when we are doing the next event, and would it be okay to bring some of their teammates even if they are not NKSFB clients. The fact that they want to continue this educational journey is all the proof I need to know it was a success.”

The Inaugural NKSFB Sports Wealth Summit
(The Inaugural NKSFB Sports Wealth Summit)
Chicago Rapper Shot 64 Times, Dies Outside Jail
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 13, 2021

Chicago Rapper Shot 64 Times, Dies Outside Jail

A hip-hop artist from Chicago was gunned down in a barrage of bullets just a few moments after being outfitted with an ankle bracelet and released from jail over the weekend.

According to The Chicago Tribune, 31-year-old Londre Sylvester had just left Cook County Jail right before 9 p.m. on Saturday when several gunmen got out of two parked cars and proceeded to shoot him a total of 64 times.

Sylvester, also known as a rapper who went by the moniker KTS Dre, was ambushed along the 2700 block of West 27th Street in Little Village, located directly across the street from the jail. The shooting took place at approximately 8:50 p.m. Sylvester was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was officially pronounced dead at 9:25 p.m.

Along with Sylvester being killed, two other people were victims of the gunfire. A 60-year-old woman who had been with Sylvester was shot in the knee and was reported in good condition at Stroger Hospital. A second woman, a 30-year-old who had been walking in the area at the time of the shooting, suffered a graze wound to her mouth. She was reported to be in good condition when taken to Mount Sinai Hospital.

According to CWB Chicago, public records show Sylvester had been arrested back on April 27, 2020, on charges of being a felon in possession of a weapon and resisting police. He was ordered by a judge to be held in lieu of $50,000 bail the next day. During that very same hearing, Sylvester was also held without bail on a parole violation. The charges were later upgraded to Class X armed habitual criminal.

According to the online sheriff’s office records, he had been in sheriff’s custody for more than 400 days. A sheriff’s office spokesperson declined to comment about the specifics of Sylvester’s custody history.

Civil Rights Attorney Lee Merritt Launches Campaign Challenging Attorney General Ken Paxton
by Derek Major

July 13, 2021

Civil Rights Attorney Lee Merritt Launches Campaign Challenging Attorney General Ken Paxton

Lee Merritt, a civil rights attorney who has represented several families of men and women who’ve been shot and killed by police, is running for Texas Attorney General.

Merritt, who announced and launched his campaign Tuesday morning amid state Democrats leaving the state to fight against Republicans who are trying to pass a voting restrictions bill.

“Texas Republicans have launched an all-out assault on voter rights and civil liberties,” Merritt said in a statement, adding that incumbent Attorney General Ken Paxton and other GOP leaders are “blatantly attempting to turn back progress in the Lone Star State using the familiar tactics of voter suppression, divisive rhetoric and corporate money.”

Merritt said hinted at running earlier this year, but didn’t make the official announcement until Tuesday on Twitter where he also posted his first campaign video. The Morehouse College alum is well known for serving as co-counsel to Ben Crump for George Floyd’s family. He also represented the family of Botham Jean, who was shot and killed in his apartment by off-duty police officer Amber Guyger.

In addition to voting rights, Merritt said his campaign will focus on fixing the state’s power grid, which was exposed last winter, increasing property taxes, mass incarceration and challenging gubernatorial overreach.

Merritt isn’t the only Democrat or Republican challenging Paxton, who is facing an FBI investigation.  Joe Jaworski, a Galveston lawyer and its former mayor, joins Merritt as a democrat challenging him. Republican challengers include Texas land Commissioner George P. Bush and former State Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman.

In his video on Twitter, Merritt was4ted no time attacking Paxton, saying the attorney general “betrayed his oath” and “pledged his allegiance to Donald Trump.”

Merritt has also picked up his first endorsement. According to the Texas Tribune, Merritt has been endorsed by the Real Justice PAC, a national group that works to elect progressive prosecutors at the local level.

Housekeeper Heralded As ‘Hero’ After Discovering Weapons Cache Near MLB All-Star Game Stadium
by Christian Spencer

July 13, 2021

Housekeeper Heralded As ‘Hero’ After Discovering Weapons Cache Near MLB All-Star Game Stadium

More than a dozen weapons were seized from four people who were renting two hotel rooms one block away from the Coors Stadium, the site of the upcoming MLB All-Star Game in Denver’s downtown area.

A housekeeper at the Maven Hotel tipped off the authorities after she found more than a dozen weapons and 1,000 rounds of ammunition, according to ABC7 Denver.

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The four people—three men and a woman, all in their 40s—were arrested on Tuesday as police and FBI continue to investigate the situation, The Guardian reported.

The two rooms were searched and 16 rifles were seized along with body armor and ammo. Officers wearing protective gear made their arrest in the lobby, video obtained by KPIX in Los Angeles shows.

The men involved have been investigated for possession of a weapon by previous offenders and the woman, who was issued a separate warrant, has been investigated on a drug-related charge.

The incident brings back memories of Oct 1, 2017, the Las Vegas shooting, the U.S.’s most deadly mass shooting.

The lives of 60 country music concert-goers were taken and more than 400 were injured by a single assailant from his hotel room.

Despite the coincidences, authorities say there is no evidence to suggest the four gun enthusiasts planned to carry out a mass shooting, authorities say.

“We have no reason to believe this incident was connected to terrorism or a threat directed at the All-Star Game. We are not aware of any threat to the All-Star Game events, venues, players. or the community at this time,” the FBI stated.

As BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported, MLB’s annual All-Star festivities moved from the city of Atlanta after Georgia Republicans voted to toughen voting laws after losing Senate seats to Democrats and on the back of false claims by former President Donald Trump of having the last presidential election stolen from him.

The motivation behind the four-armed guests has yet to be reported.

President Joe Biden Pushes For Voting Rights Law As Republicans Support Voting Restriction Bills
by Derek Major

July 13, 2021

President Joe Biden Pushes For Voting Rights Law As Republicans Support Voting Restriction Bills

Reuters – President Joe Biden, under pressure from U.S. civil rights leaders, said on Tuesday it is a “national imperative” to pass sweeping voting rights legislation that has stalled in Congress amid Republican opposition.

Numerous Republican-controlled states have approved laws that either restrict voting or change election rules following Republican former President Donald Trump’s false claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him through widespread voter fraud.

The voting rights legislation sought by President Biden faces an uphill battle in Congress, where his fellow Democrats have been stymied by Senate Republicans. Biden’s focus on the subject, even if the legislation fails, allows him to rally support among Democratic voters as his party works to maintain control ofT Congress in the 2022 midterm elections.

During a speech in Philadelphia, Biden made a searing critique of what he called efforts to undermine voting rights, likening those efforts to past laws that prevented Black people and women from voting in the United States.

“They want to make it so hard … that they hope people don’t vote at all. That’s what this is about,” Biden said of those efforts.

According to the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University Law School, at least 17 states this year have enacted laws that restrict voting access, with more being considered.

Biden’s party and civil rights groups have opposed these voting restrictions, which critics have said are aimed at Black, Hispanic and younger voters, who have helped elect Democrats. Many Republicans have justified new restrictions as a means to combat voter fraud, a phenomenon that election experts have said is rare in the United States.

Senate Republicans blocked the Democratic-backed voting rights bill that would expand opportunities to vote before Election Day, make certain campaign contributions more transparent and change the process for drawing the boundaries of House of Representatives districts. Republicans said the measure violates the authority of states to set their own election laws.

The Republican National Committee pushed back against Biden’s criticisms.

“After Democrats failed to pass their federal takeover of our elections … Biden is continuing their dishonest attacks on commonsense election integrity efforts,” RNC spokesperson Danielle Álvarez said in a statement. “Meanwhile, Republicans are engaged in state-led efforts to make it easier to vote and harder to cheat, and polling shows Americans overwhelmingly support these laws.”

Biden chose a city heavy with symbolism to make the speech. The Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were both signed at Independence Hall, just steps away from the National Constitution Center, where he will make his remarks.

According to the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University Law School, at least 17 states this year have enacted laws that restrict voting access, with more being considered.

Biden’s party and civil rights groups have opposed these voting restrictions, which critics have said are aimed at Black, Hispanic and younger voters, who have helped elect Democrats. Many Republicans have justified new restrictions as a means to combat voter fraud, a phenomenon that election experts have said is rare in the United States.

(Reporting by Steve Holland; additional reporting by Susan Cornwell; editing by Will Dunham and Jonathan Oatis)

Social Media Giants Facebook And Twitter Come Under Fire After English Soccer Players Face Racial Abuse
by Derek Major

July 13, 2021

Social Media Giants Facebook And Twitter Come Under Fire After English Soccer Players Face Racial Abuse

Facebook and Twitter are facing backlash over a failure to act after three Black English soccer players were subjected to racial abuse following the team’s loss to Italy in the Euro final.

Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Bukayo Saka were subjected to significant racial abuse on both social media platforms after all three missed penalty kicks in England’s 3-2 shootout loss to Italy in the UEFA Euro 2020 Final.

The Football Association condemned the abuse the players were subjected to in a statement Sunday night saying it was “appalled by the online racism that has been aimed at some of our England players on social media.”

“We could not be clearer that anyone behind such disgusting behavior is not welcome in following the team,” the association said. “We will do all we can to support the players affected while urging the toughest punishments possible for anyone responsible.”

The abuse the players were subjected to has raised questions over whether social media and tech companies are doing enough to combat racial abuse online. Several top English soccer teams and athletes boycotted Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for a weekend in April to protest the companies’ failure to remove racist and sexist posts.

England team manager Gareth Southgate called the abuse “unforgivable” and “just not what we stand for.”

“For some of them to be abused is unforgivable,” Southgate said on Monday according to CNN. “Some of it has come from abroad, we have been told this, but some of it is from this country.

British Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden and politician Damian Collins tweeted their displeasure at the racist comments Monday morning. Collins also took aim at Facebook, questioning the social media giant on how many accounts it deleted given its terms of service, which prohibits hate speech.

A representative for Facebook told CNBC the company moved quickly to take down the racist posts. A Twitter spokesperson told CNN the racist abuse the players faced was “abhorrent.”

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