NBA legend Michael Jordan announced a $1 million donation to enhance journalism and sports-related studies at Morehouse College.

In the past, the billionaire was criticized for his lack of activism in the Black community. But now he’s stepping up to the plate and changing the narrative for Black students. Jordan’s contributions will support scholarship, technology, and educational programming initiatives for students attending the Atlanta-based HBCU.

“Education is crucial for understanding the Black experience today,” said Michael Jordan in a Morehouse news release. “We want to help people understand the truth of our past, and help tell the stories that will shape our future.”

 

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Jordan Supports the Mission of Morehouse College

In 2014, Jordan became the first billionaire NBA player in history. He’s putting his fortune to work through initiatives that support the Black Community Commitment. In 2020, Michael Jordan and the Jordan Brand committed to providing more social, economic, and educational justice in the Black Community. The donation to Morehouse College is one way that Jordan hopes to expand opportunities for Black men.

“Morehouse is grateful to Michael Jordan and Jordan Brand for an investment in the education of talented men of color who will ensure there is equity, balance, and truth in the way sports stories are framed and the way the Black experience is contextualized within American history,” said Monique Dozier, vice president for institutional advancement at Morehouse.

Founded in 1867, Morehouse is the only private historically Black college or university dedicated to the enrichment of Black men. The school has been at the forefront of addressing a lack of Black leadership in athletics and sports journalism. Spike Lee, a 1979 Morehouse graduated, launched the Journalism and Sports Program. His goal was to open doors for more Black men in media. Now, the program has graduated over 600 students who are transforming the narrative.

“There’s going to be a rich legacy of storytellers who will be supported by these programs,” Spike Lee shared in a news release. “Many people are influenced to think a certain way about Black folks based on what they see on television and in Hollywood. We’ve got to tell our story.”

Entrepreneur Johnathan Lacy may have set a new record with his recent 7-Eleven franchise. According to a trade organization, Lacy may be the first Black person to own a 7-Eleven in Las Vegas.  The store is located at 3421 East Tropicana Ave and is open 24 hours.

“I sacrificed it all,” Lacy wrote on Twitter. “Put all the bread in one basket. No investors. No outside money. Now I am the first black owner of a 711 franchise in the state of Nevada! Blessings!”

I sacrificed it all. Put all the bread in one basket. No investors. No outside money. Now I am the first black owner of a 711 franchise in the state on NEVADA! Blessings! pic.twitter.com/KApeJzFor9

— 3421 east tropicana ave las vegas nv 89120 (@DJJohnjohn) May 2, 2021

Entrepreneur Opens 7-Eleven in Las Vegas

Lacy always had dreams of becoming an entrepreneur. He grew up in South Central Los Angeles and later moved to Las Vegas to be with his retired father. During this time, his entrepreneurial desires became even stronger. But there was only one thing standing in his way: capital.

Lacy studied finance at Cal Poly Pomona. Unfortunately, his degree didn’t prepare him for the obstacles associated with financing a new business venture. Obtaining capital as a young black man without million-dollar assets proved to be difficult.

Over the years, Lacy was inspired to test out different business ideas. He applied for business loans but received several bank rejection letters. Lacy was forced to find another way to make his dreams of entrepreneurship come true.

That’s when Lacy decided to take matters into his own hands. He worked diligently and pursued various job opportunities. Lacy increased his income and was able to save more, providing him the capital needed to invest in his business. After a year of putting his plan into action, he was able to open his 7-Eleven store. Although the journey was filled with ups and downs, Lacy kept going because he wants to inspire the next generation.

“I think sometimes our younger generation is not exposed to enough different things,” Lacy told the Las Vegas Sun. “I would tell people to expose themselves to lots of different things. Get a job to see if you like it — I think we’re all trying to figure that out. Don’t stop until someone tells you no and, even then, just keep pushing and pushing. That’s what I did.”

Expanding the 7-Eleven Franchise

Now that Lacy has his first 7-Eleven franchise up and running, he’s ready to expand his vision. By the time he’s 40, Lacy wants to own four 7-Eleven franchises. He hopes to more than double his ownership before his 50th birthday.

“I was terrified before I got the keys to this place,” Lacy shared with Las Vegas Sun. “But I’ve gotten so much support, and there’s so much good energy, it gives me more energy. There’s pressure, yes, but I love it. It feels good right now.”

Lacy aims to pave the way for more aspiring business owners in his community. He wants to show people alternative ways to make your dreams come true even if you don’t have investors by your side.

As a mom of three, Latasha Peterson has used her blog to create the life that she wants for her family.

In 2016, Peterson founded Arts and Budgets as a side business while pregnant with her first child. Since then, she’s used her blog to pay off debt, educate others, and spend more time with her family. Now, she’s earning around $5,000 per month from her blog through affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, side hustle coaching, advertising, and digital products.

“With the help of my husband, I turned my side hustle into a full-time business,” Peterson posted on Instagram. “[It] gives me the chance to work from home with our babies. I created 8 streams of income and on my way to becoming credit card debt-free.”

 

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Mom of 3 Turns Blog Into Full-Time Business Working From Home

Peterson has a background in musical theater and performing. To support her lifestyle, she was always on the hunt for side hustles that would give her the flexibility to live her dreams. Peterson has worked as a brand ambassador and participated in focus groups. But the side gig that changed the game for Peterson and her family was blogging.

“Before I started Arts and Budgets I was an aspiring singer who didn’t know how to handle my finances effectively,” Peterson shared on her blog. “I was constantly living paycheck to paycheck and never had enough money at the end of the month. I have been on quite the journey but since then my husband and I have developed Arts and Budgets into a five-figure business that grows more and more each day.”

Peterson started monetizing her website in 2017. Today, Arts and Budgets attracts over 100,000 readers to the website every month. She’s also helping others earn their first $1,000 online through her courses.

Tips to Make Money Online

Although making money from home may seem difficult if you’ve never done it, Peterson shares tips on how she did it on her blog and social media. First, Peterson identified her skills and talents and followed others who were a reflection of the success that she wanted to achieve. Then, she wrote down her goals, identified her action items, and committed to making progress every week.

“For example, in December of 2020, one of the new goals I set for myself was to earn at least $3,000 a month from my blog,” Peterson shared in an article published on Grow. “I knew that one of the ways I would meet that earning goal was to become more knowledgeable about search engine optimization (SEO) and bring more people to the site when they Googled the topics I was writing about.”

Entrepreneurship is a learning experience. Peterson has tested out ideas, studied her target audience, and picked up new skills to continuously grow her business. But Peterson believes one of the most important ingredients to success as an entrepreneur is consistency.

“When I turned my blog into an actual business in 2017, I decided to pick two platforms to promote my content every day,” says Peterson. “I chose Pinterest because it is a good website traffic driver. Then Instagram because it’s a great platform to show your audience your personality. I have gained new clients and product sales from both Instagram and Pinterest. With the help of both platforms, I have made over 100 sales of my courses and products.”

26-year-old certified public accountant (CPA) Shenaya Wilson left her PhD program to focus on growing her business. In less than three years, she’s already built a seven-figure accounting and tax planning business. She’s also the founder of the Tax Essentials Learning Program (T.E.L.P). Through this venture, Wilson educates aspiring tax professionals on the tax code and teaches them how to build their own tax practices.

“Sometimes I randomly think…wow I really left a whole PhD program halfway through just to focus on growing my business,” Wilson shared on LinkedIn.

She continues, “Please never let a job title, a degree, or a person be the factor that stands in the at between you and pursuing your dream. Those things will always be there. But your time and opportunities are not so secure. You never know what is waiting for you on the other side. Be a risk-taker and do it with confidence.”

Accountant Goes From PhD Program to 7-Figure Business

After interning with a big four accounting firm in 2016, Wilson landed a full-time position as an assurance associate. But her time there was cut short due to her acceptance into a PhD program. The company forced her to resign, making her choose between her lifelong dream of a PhD and career-building at one of the largest accounting firms in the world.

In 2018, Wilson started her PhD program. She studied Accounting and Information Systems, becoming more adept at accounting technology, coding, machine learning, and cryptocurrency. But after two years into the program, she realized her heart was somewhere else. Her business, Fola Financial, was growing rapidly and garnering national attention. Because of the PhD program requirements and limitations for entrepreneurs, Wilson had to make another difficult decision. After consulting with advisors and mentors, she decided to become a full-time entrepreneur.

“I was doing what society said was right,” says Wilson during an exclusive interview with Black Enterprise. “Now I’m doing what makes me feel right. Anything I’m doing in life that doesn’t make my heart feel happy, I let it go. I learned to let go of what I feel is right in my mind and listen to more of what’s right in my heart.”

Wilson discusses how her analytical traits were forcing her to create guidelines of what success should look like. Because she didn’t know much about entrepreneurship, she felt the pressure to stay in corporate, earn a PhD, and become a Chief Financial Officer.

“A lot of my thoughts were because of external influences,” said Wilson as she talks about meeting societal expectations. “But I’ve always been ambitious my whole career so being a success is not a new trait to me. Now, It’s about figuring out where my focus is and where that success lies.”

Building a 7-Figure Business from Scratch

• News

by Keka Araújo

May 29, 2021

Krystal and Patrick Duhaney Blessed Lucky Target Shoppers With Cold Hard Cash

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A California couple blessed struggling parents at a local Target with extra cash.

According to ABC 7, Patrick and Krystal Duhaney left cash in baby products, including formula and diapers, throughout various Southern California Target locations. 

Krystal filmed the act of kindness and shared the video on Instagram with the caption, “Being a parent can be tough! Before I founded @milkymamallc, we often struggled to make ends meet.” 

“So, Hubby and I went to various @target stores in Southern California and hid money in baby items. We hope that the parents that purchase these items have a brighter day when they find our gifts,” she continued.

“Tag a mama that would love this and follow @krystalduhaney to find out when we make another ‘Target Run’! What stores/cities should we hit next?”

 

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In total, the couple left lucky shoppers $1,000. 

Krystal, a mother of two, a registered nurse, international board-certified lactation consultant and founder of Milky Mama, said that she wanted to pay it forward. 

“We really wanted to make things a little easier,” said Duhaney. “Hopefully brighten their day and hopefully inspire others to kind of, you know, spread joy and kindness.”

She also told the news outlet that she was aware of product tampering, but noted that the packaging and boxes remained sealed.

“Diaper containers are sealed. The diapers are wrapped inside the box as well as formula,” Krystal explained. “It’s not like we’re putting it in the powder. There’s a cover. So, we were very, you know, intentional, and we were making sure that we paid close attention to those types of things as well, to make sure that we weren’t actually contaminating anything.”

• Uncategorized

by Christian Spencer

May 28, 2021

Arkansas Junior High School Yearbook Tells Twisted White History

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There were severe “political inaccuracies” founded in a middle school yearbook for the class 2020-2021 that the principal had to issue an apology to parents and students.

Lincoln Junior High School in Bentonville, Ark. must have a Republican editor on the helms of it yearbook because the way the book editorialized pictures of events.

Racial protests that occurred during the summer in response to the needless Black deaths by the police like George Floyd were called “Black Lives Matter riots,” yet the Capitol Insurrection, which resulted in police officers and actual rioters dying, as Trump supporters protest at the Capitol, The Hill reported.

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There is also a photograph of former President Donald Trump that falsely stated, “President Trump WAS NOT impeached,” even though he got impeached twice under one term – the first in U.S history.

The first impeachment happened in 2019 for allegations of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, and the second time was in 2021 allegation that he incited the Capitol insurrection.

Principal Josh Thompson had to sent a letter to parents and students saying that the yearbook “does not represent our values nor meet LJHS and Bentonville Schools’ standards for quality and excellence.”

One positive thing that came from the incident is that the principle vows to  “evaluate its vetting process for all yearbook content to ensure future publications are of the highest quality,” according to 4029 News.

“We can and will do better to provide a quality yearbook to students that can be a cherished item as they reminisce about their time at school,” Thompson said in the letter, while offering refunds to any parents who had purchased one.

• Health and Wellness

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 28, 2021

Black Women’s Health Imperative Receives $400k Grant for Covid-19 Vaccine Campaign

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The Black Women’s Health Imperative (BWHI) has received a $400,000 grant from the Rockefeller Foundation to rollout their COVID-19 campaign to improve vaccination rates within the Black community.

As part of The Rockefeller Foundation’s $20 million Equity-First Vaccination Initiative, the grant will aid BWHI’s current mission to increase access to Covid-19 vaccinations in communities of color, Post News Group reports. Findings from the campaign will be used to assist cities across the country with their rollout of the vaccine among people of color.

Funding for BWHI’s initiative works as part of the national north star’s goal of getting at least 70 million people of color fully vaccinated by July 2021.

“Throughout the pandemic, the disparities in health, economic, and social outcomes have been stark for Black women and their families,” said Linda Goler Blount, President and CEO of the Black Women’s Health Imperative. “This grant will help us equip Black women with science-based information so that they’re empowered to educate their families, friends, and communities about the Covid-19 vaccines.”

Through strategic partnerships with the National Caucus & Center on Black Aging (NCBA) and National Coalition of 100 Black Women (NCBW), BWHI is set to launch a vaccine rollout and equity initiatives in cities across the country including Baltimore, MD, Chicago, IL, Houston, TX, Newark, NJ, and Oakland, CA.

“We’re committed to meeting people where they are in order to remove barriers to vaccination, reduce hesitancy, and empower people to live, work, and assemble without fear,” said Virginia W. Harris, NCBW National President.

Players within the WNBA will support the initiative by using their platforms to spread vaccine awareness and advocating for equitable access.

“We’re excited to partner with Black Women’s Health Imperative to address vaccine equity in our communities,” said Karyne Jones, President and CEO of NCBA. “African American adults 60 and over have been hardest hit by Covid-19. We want to make sure they understand that vaccines are safe and effective – and will enable them to get back to enjoying life with their families.”

• News

by Christian Spencer

May 28, 2021

Suspects Who Allegedly Killed Black Military Couple Might Have Robbed Them Days Prior

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Investigators are still looking into the matter.

“We’re very interested in knowing the exact nature of the dispute, so we’re working really hard to figure out what that is. But as of now the motive is a dispute, we’re working hard to figure out what it was all about, but it harkens back to Monday.”

• Technology

by Black Enterprise Shop

May 28, 2021

Learn How to Build Apps From Scratch For Only $20

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“There’s an app for that,” is a statement that can be applied to almost everything. There is a deluge of apps on the market, each one catering to a specific function, but that shouldn’t hinder you from breathing life into your brilliant idea.

There is always going to be a space for your app, and with the Complete Mobile & App Development Bundle, you’ll be able to create, develop, and deploy apps from scratch.

For the week of Memorial Day only, it’s on sale for just $20. The total value of the complete bundle us over $1,700.

With 70 hours of content spread across nine courses, all of which are put together by Oak Academy, this bundle will familiarize you with the top programming languages needed for building apps.

You’ll explore iOS 14 and Swift 5 and learn the process of creating/publishing apps for iOS and deep dive into an Android development course.

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The bundle also touches on other languages including Java, to help you get to grips with all the concepts involved in object-oriented programming.

Before you publish apps, you will have to test them first. React Native provides testing for your app, allowing you to improve the user experience.

There’s also material centered on Flutter and Dart, which demonstrates how to write simple scripts or full-featured apps for both iOS and Android.

With jargon-friendly courses, this course package will make developing apps a lot less complicated and a little more fun.

A value of $1,791, the usual sale price of the bundle is typically $44.99, but this Memorial Day, you can get it at its lowest price yet—just $20.